Sunderland 1-0 Fulham 30/08

[Chi_FFC]

If we're going to play as open as the manager supposedly wants us to we're going to need a GK who can bail us out when we get caught out, because that is going to happen no matter who is in defense, and Leno just isn't that guy.

Disagree.

Sunderland have TWO CBs that wouldn't get caught out like Anderson.   We got beaten at the back...just like we did with Cuenca last week.   

Our style of play is going to have opportunities for the CB to get beat with pace.   The solution to that is having both CBs with pace.  There is no other solution because the keeper is going to get hung out.


Starting Palacios and Bobb as wide players is not a smart idea.

It's cute that you think all we need are CB's with pace. Hell, Bassey has pace and we've already regularly seen that hasn't stopped him from being burned/caught out.

[Coastwalker]

Sunderland will struggle this year and we've struggled against them. So that's our barometer. Desperate improvement needed

I remember folks on here saying Sunderland would struggle last season.

[Trusty Steed]

I heard Areola (GK) from West Ham, has fallen out with the Nuno, and  it playing.
He was fantastic on loan for us (albeit a good few years ago, and we did get relegated).
Might be worth a shout...... (Just in case the Fulham board are reading this  )

[Grassy Noel]

They say that the Sunderland goalie is good but we did not find that out. Perhaps next time.

[Karlos]

I heard Areola (GK) from West Ham, has fallen out with the Nuno, and  it playing.
He was fantastic on loan for us (albeit a good few years ago, and we did get relegated).
Might be worth a shout...... (Just in case the Fulham board are reading this  )

No thanks to Areola, look at what happened with the return of Anderson

[Nick Bateman]

Game was crying out for Muniz. Sunderland were physical and Fulham had nothing equal to that up front. Arbeloa brought on the wrong subs and never called on the big man after he just ended his goal drought mid-week. Nil shots on target tells it all.

[bahay18]

It was worrying on every level. The lacklustre performance , the bizarre subs and the fact Sunderland are poor and we failed to get a shot on target . All the problems highlighted in pre season by pretty much everyone ( slow back line , no physicality) coming home to roost

[Neil D]

Aside from zero shot on target, the worrying aspect is the lack of physicality in this team.

No opposition player is going to get muscled off the ball by Bobb or King for that matter.  But the latter warrants his place on the team sheet. Bobb's Breeze Resistance rating declines with every match.

[SP]

MoTM can only be our travelling fans.

[Whitestone]

A truly awful performance against a bang average Sunderland side. Where was the energy of Monday evening. We know we're short at RCB and both Andersen and Leno should be doing better for the goal. I don't understand why Castagne was hooked and neither did he judging by the look on his face. Bobb on the other hand should have been hooked earlier. Not many positives. New recruits needed asap.

[cwindsor]

Offensively: not a single shot on goal.
Defensively: Andersen is a massive liability.

[SP]

I don't agree Sunderland were poor? They didn't create many chances but took the one that counted.

[Carborundum]

We've played too loose against a team with a deadly forward line, over-corrected and been too timid against a not especially good Sunderland.  This can be turned around.

Andersen's a problem.  His booking was the result of being too slow.  His failure to challenge, to create any sort of difficulty for Isidor for the goal - he's either too slow or voluntarily putting himself out of the game because he's on a yellow. 

[Coastwalker]

Game was crying out for Muniz. Sunderland were physical and Fulham had nothing equal to that up front. Arbeloa brought on the wrong subs and never called on the big man after he just ended his goal drought mid-week. Nil shots on target tells it all.

Yes he scored against Wimbledon.
And the way he's performed of late,that's about his level.

[AnOldBrownie]

I don't agree Sunderland were poor? They didn't create many chances but took the one that counted.

He should have scored two...both the same way.    He was the type of attacking sub we needed...but we got ESR and Kevin to try and chase a point.   

The best chances we had were when Garcia and King got in behind their defense...but guess what?   Their defense was good at recovery.

[Deuce]

Well, speaking of signing small (Spanish) players. This is what they will face.

Sunderland outmuscled us, especially their defence against our attack. In a game like this, where we cant seem to be able to turn up the tempo, creativity will be absolutely key. And we lacked that today. Iwobi, Berge, Palacios, Bobb all struggled to create today. Dont think Iwobi serves any purpose in a double pivot, we need a ball carrier and someone breaking the lines. Iwobi just recycled the ball and didnt so enough defensively

Garcia did resonable well today given how we struggled to create, but it was obvious that he had a hard time against Mukiele and the rest of that physical backline

And of course, what we all had already realised before today: Andersen struggling in a backline like this. Outpaced by Isidor, had to take a yellow by fouling Angulo just to not risk getting into a foot race against him.

Fulhams motm is King. Everyone else disappointing today to be quite frank

Starting to get worried about Bobb. Constantly letting us down, has some obvious quality but not clicking quite yet. Robinson also quite poor.

Not sure why we where crossing the ball high into the box late seeing as we barely have anyone higher than 6 feet in that forward line.

Looking forward getting 3, maybe 4 new players into the side.

[Luka]

And that performance Ladies and Gents showed us why so many pundits see us as relegation fodder.
From start to finish we were to slow moving the ball , made sloppy mistakes and generally got out muscled all over the pitch.

I fear it's gonna be a  very frustrating season.

[joemole]

Was more "offense" with Parkerball.

[Buffalo76]

I heard Areola (GK) from West Ham, has fallen out with the Nuno, and  it playing.
He was fantastic on loan for us (albeit a good few years ago, and we did get relegated).
Might be worth a shout...... (Just in case the Fulham board are reading this  )

Anderson was good for us when originally on loan, but looks a shadow of himself since he joined us again..

[BestOfBrede]

If we're going to play as open as the manager supposedly wants us to we're going to need a GK who can bail us out when we get caught out, because that is going to happen no matter who is in defense, and Leno just isn't that guy.

Disagree.

Sunderland have TWO CBs that wouldn't get caught out like Anderson.   We got beaten at the back...just like we did with Cuenca last week.   

Our style of play is going to have opportunities for the CB to get beat with pace.   The solution to that is having both CBs with pace.  There is no other solution because the keeper is going to get hung out.


Starting Palacios and Bobb as wide players is not a smart idea.

It's cute that you think all we need are CB's with pace. Hell, Bassey has pace and we've already regularly seen that hasn't stopped him from being burned/caught out.

Can't run quickly with your shorts around your ankles!