What we Learned Today

[ffctom_b]

Schwarzer - although getting on a bit, is still much better Stockdale, but his distribution is still pants. Need a new keeper next season as I feel he won't be good enough and Stockdale is unlikely to become No.1

Reither - Sign him up now on full contract - The guy is the best right back we have had in years, what was once a problem position is no longer.

Hughes - was weak today, losing a lot of 50/50's, looks low on confidence

Hangeland - An alright game from the skipper, but he either needs to sign a new contract asap or we ship him off in January and replace with someone younger otherwise he is leaving on a free at the end of the season anyway.

Richardson - Probably had his best game in a Fulham shirt, looks more comfortable at left back, but really needs to improve his passing.

Duff - looked exactly like what you would expect, a guy coming back from injury lacking fitness. Again, I don't see him being here next year if contract issue not sorted soon.

Ruiz - A poor performance really, but to be expected as he is not a Central midfielder, too lightweight for there and no where near the class of Dembele. Needs to play behind the front man in between the lines if he is to be a threat.

Karagounis - Full of running and energy in first half, scored a good goal, drifted out of game in second half as we lost our way and were getting overrun in midfield and the manager didn't do anything about it.

Kakaniklic - drifted in and out of the game, had some nice touches, but showed his youthfulness with some poor decision makaing in terms of the final ball. Has potential but very raw.

Berbatov - One of his worst games in a fulham shirt, and it showed, but the worrying thing is that when he is having this sort of game, the manager seems scared to sub him. He should have gone off for Baird to allow Ruiz further forward.

Petric - I though he led the line well first half, linked up play ok, but needs to improve on his shooting. Felt he was unlucky to be subbed for Rodallega, but was probably more to do with lack of match action recently.

Subs - Baird - didn't offer much, but should have been earlier in my opinion to try help break up play and allow Ruiz further forward.

Dejagah - looks good in patches, looks terrible in others, hard to seeing him starting regularly though if Duff is fit, but good back up

Rodallega - full of running, touch of a brick wall, not the answer, which i think we have known for some time.

From today we have seen that the squad is no where good enough, 2 wins in 14 games is relegation form, just as well most of the teams below us this season are poor, so we should be okay. The manager is tactically clueless, as seen today, he fails to react to situations to change our tactics or focus and is scared to take off his star player even when he is having no effect on the game. His substitutions at times are baffling. The squad is not getting any younger, and we are short in so many places, none more so than Centre Midfield and Centre Back (both of whom know they will be starting every week as Senderos is no better). We also need an out and out centre forward who is going lead the line and stretch defences in behind so allowing more space for Ruiz and Berbatov. At the moment we are being found out, teams no that if they get close to Berbatov and Ruiz, then they have a great chance of beating us, as we seem to have no plan B.

On the plus side, we haven't lost yet this year, and this being Fulham, we will probably goto City next week in the league and play them off the park and win!

[Apprentice to the Maestro]

Sound analysis.

[jarv]

Agree, good comments except one. hangeland did not do ok, he is Fulham's worst nightmare. I would take Zat Knight back. get rid of him.....now.

Title...what we learned today.. Fulham can't defend....but I think we all knew that .. :016:

[ffctom_b]

Agree, good comments except one. hangeland did not do ok, he is Fulham's worst nightmare. I would take Zat Knight back. get rid of him.....now.

My Mate whose a Bolton fan would probably pay for us to take him back !!

[BillNRoc]

If this lot play City off the park next weekend, it means we've all been transported to a parallel universe. A team that was itself played off the park at home by Wigan must bring a smile to Mancini's face.

[YankeeJim]

Ruiz needs to play higher. He is not a central mid fielder.
Berbatov and Petric do not play well together.
Their goal came when one player beat both of our good defenders. Reither was turned and Hughes was ball watching.
Super K is becoming a one truck pony, push the ball past the defender and try to out run him.
The substitutions provided nothing but given our bench, it is to be expected.
This match showed why the Berbatov act wore out its welcome at Old Trafford.

[PokerMatt]

If this lot play City off the park next weekend, it means we've all been transported to a parallel universe. A team that was itself played off the park at home by Wigan must bring a smile to Mancini's face.

That's not "played off the park", is it?

[Travers Barney]

Fulham have never had a more inept left winger in the Premiership years.

coyw

[Northern Cottager]

If this lot play City off the park next weekend, it means we've all been transported to a parallel universe. A team that was itself played off the park at home by Wigan must bring a smile to Mancini's face.

That's not "played off the park", is it?

Where have these stats come from? The ones at the ground showed us having 2 shots on target and less than 50% of the ball. Odd.

Skysports also shows those stats? And tk be honest i believe them, we were crap past the half way line.

[cebu]

If this lot play City off the park next weekend, it means we've all been transported to a parallel universe. A team that was itself played off the park at home by Wigan must bring a smile to Mancini's face.

That's not "played off the park", is it?

Where have these stats come from? The ones at the ground showed us having 2 shots on target and less than 50% of the ball. Odd.

Skysports also shows those stats? And tk be honest i believe them, we were crap past the half way line.

I think I'm also going to go with the stats on the club website:

http://www.fulhamfc.com/match-centre/2012_2013/league/home/wigan-athletic

[Alan_C]

Berbatov needs to play up front (alongside a.n.other on occasions, but not behind) ,Ruiz needs to sit just behind him (them) then we shouldn't then sit so deep. For this to work we need a central midfield that can win / keep the ball and the pass it to them.

This means at least one and probably two new midfielders.

Sidwell a player that at the start of the season was no more than a squad player is probably first on the team sheet.

[Oakeshott]

"but he [Brede] either needs to sign a new contract asap or we ship him off in January"

Absurdly simplistic.

If I were Brede I'd stay put 'til the Summer and see what happens (maybe even a new manager!). He has little to lose by waiting (at the very worst three months of not being chosen to play for the first team, something over which he might not be heartbroken, given the manager's erratic selection and organisational choices), and if he wants to leave in the Summer he'll have more time to make a good choice.

The Club can't just "ship him off" - he'll only go in this window if an opportunity he wants crops up and the Club is willing to let him go.

[A Humble Man]

Berbatov needs to play up front (alongside a.n.other on occasions, but not behind) ,Ruiz needs to sit just behind him (them) then we shouldn't then sit so deep. For this to work we need a central midfield that can win / keep the ball and the pass it to them.

This means at least one and probably two new midfielders.

Sidwell a player that at the start of the season was no more than a squad player is probably first on the team sheet.

Sidwell is a top professional had seen what is needed of him with a changed midfield role and has come up to the mark.  We miss him but he will be out for weeks.

[Alan_C]

Berbatov needs to play up front (alongside a.n.other on occasions, but not behind) ,Ruiz needs to sit just behind him (them) then we shouldn't then sit so deep. For this to work we need a central midfield that can win / keep the ball and the pass it to them.

This means at least one and probably two new midfielders.

Sidwell a player that at the start of the season was no more than a squad player is probably first on the team sheet.

Sidwell is a top professional had seen what is needed of him with a changed midfield role and has come up to the mark.  We miss him but he will be out for weeks.

I'm not knocking his professionalism nor his commitment. He simply isn't in my mind a top class premier league player. Enthusiastic, yes, energetic, yes. Don't see him as the player or part of a midfield that links our goal keeper and our forwards. We seem to want to play with wingers, we need players that can drop to receive the ball to stop the silly long balls from defence by players who can't play them. We need a player that can spot a pass as they receive the ball when it's right and keep it when the pass isn't on or, losing it will put at as risk. Not Steve Sidwell in my mind.

[ffctom_b]

"but he [Brede] either needs to sign a new contract asap or we ship him off in January"

Absurdly simplistic.

If I were Brede I'd stay put 'til the Summer and see what happens (maybe even a new manager!). He has little to lose by waiting (at the very worst three months of not being chosen to play for the first team, something over which he might not be heartbroken, given the manager's erratic selection and organisational choices), and if he wants to leave in the Summer he'll have more time to make a good choice.

The Club can't just "ship him off" - he'll only go in this window if an opportunity he wants crops up and the Club is willing to let him go.

Yes it may be simplistic, but you telling me that there are clubs who would not pay to have him now! Having said that, Brede holds all the cards as he knows by waiting for the summer, he can get a large signing on fee from whoever is interested in him.

[ffctom_b]

Berbatov needs to play up front (alongside a.n.other on occasions, but not behind) ,Ruiz needs to sit just behind him (them) then we shouldn't then sit so deep. For this to work we need a central midfield that can win / keep the ball and the pass it to them.

This means at least one and probably two new midfielders.

Sidwell a player that at the start of the season was no more than a squad player is probably first on the team sheet.

Sidwell is a top professional had seen what is needed of him with a changed midfield role and has come up to the mark.  We miss him but he will be out for weeks.

I'm not knocking his professionalism nor his commitment. He simply isn't in my mind a top class premier league player. Enthusiastic, yes, energetic, yes. Don't see him as the player or part of a midfield that links our goal keeper and our forwards. We seem to want to play with wingers, we need players that can drop to receive the ball to stop the silly long balls from defence by players who can't play them. We need a player that can spot a pass as they receive the ball when it's right and keep it when the pass isn't on or, losing it will put at as risk. Not Steve Sidwell in my mind.

Sidwell has been our best Centre Midfielder all season, I think if we stuck a holding midfielder in there alongside him and allow him a bit more freedom to be box to box, he can quite easily add more goals to his game, his workrate is good, and if we have wingers who can pick out a decent cross, he has the ability to time his runs into the box to score more than he has done thus far. He needs to be allowed to run beyond a Ruiz or Berbatov as they have the vision and ability to pick him up. At present he can't do this as it leaves a gaping hole in midfield due to none of our midfielders really being of the holding variety.

[Luffy86]

We learned that... We're still in great need of new additions to the squad!

[OxfordWhite]

Sidwell has, for me, been one of our most important players. I think we need a striker and CB as first priorities. Berba and Ruiz could play just off a decent, quick target man.

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