Getting back to the football

[Herbie]

Well, rather unsurprisingly, the mood on here is a little negative once again. So, rather than talk about the leadership situation, let's get back to talking about the football.  I didn't listen to the game, but the match stats on the FFC app suggest that we were ahead in most areas apart from the most important stat, the scoreline.

So can anyone that saw the game fill us in on what went wrong today?  As I said the stats suggest we had more possession, passed the ball more and had a decent amount of shots.

[Ordar]

Set plays

[Herbie]

I don't understand how we can be so poor at defending set pieces.  That should be one of the easiest things to repeatedly set up on the training pitch and drill into the players where they need to be and what their roles are.

[Dan in Notts]

Had most of the play first half and most of the chances. Collapsed with the goals either side of half time though and Forest looked comfortable without playing that well. Fair result overall. We just looked directionless to be honest. We desperately need someone on or off the pitch (preferably both) to impose some vision and pattern.

[bill taylors apprentice]

I didn't see the game either but I did listen to the commentary and it matched what I usually see at the home games.

That is, some tippy tappy football thats not actually easy on the eye because it doesn't go anywhere, penetrate and generally fails to achieve anything.

And then of course there are a number of times per game when we are out muscled in the  danger areas at both ends resulting in no goals for and plenty against.

[Herbie]

Think back to that game against Man U at Old Trafford where they pumped in a ridiculous number of crosses which we repeatedly dealt with. If that happened this season, we would be on the receiving end of a cricket score!

[Herbie]

We desperately need someone on or off the pitch (preferably both) to impose some vision and pattern.

Danny Murphy was so good at that, sitting in front of the back four and getting the move going.

[bill taylors apprentice]

Bur

Think back to that game against Man U at Old Trafford where they pumped in a ridiculous number of crosses which we repeatedly dealt with. If that happened this season, we would be on the receiving end of a cricket score!

Look at the team that day, maybe a failing team but a number of physically strong players.
The current team are physically bullied one on one by almost every team we play.

[Chutney]

Think back to that game against Man U at Old Trafford where they pumped in a ridiculous number of crosses which we repeatedly dealt with. If that happened this season, we would be on the receiving end of a cricket score!

Dan Burn made a record number of clearances, it astounds me that when we struggle so much from crosses/ set pieces that he is repeatedly over looked.

[Arthur]

Had most of the play first half and most of the chances. Collapsed with the goals either side of half time though and Forest looked comfortable without playing that well. Fair result overall. We just looked directionless to be honest. We desperately need someone on or off the pitch (preferably both) to impose some vision and pattern.

A good assessment. Being picky, I would say that it was a fair outcome rather than a fair result; Forest's was not a performance which would usually earn a side three goals. At half-time, they showed the home side's highlights on the big screen: it consisted of the goal and one other incident.

It was frustrating to see us so clearly holding the upper hand until the first goal and yet create so few chances. Had we shown some guile, the opening goal would have been ours and then it would likely have been a very different game.

[Dan in Notts]

A good assessment. Being picky, I would say that it was a fair outcome rather than a fair result; Forest's was not a performance which would usually earn a side three goals. At half-time, they showed the home side's highlights on the big screen: it consisted of the goal and one other incident.

It was frustrating to see us so clearly holding the upper hand until the first goal and yet create so few chances. Had we shown some guile, the opening goal would have been ours and then it would likely have been a very different game.

Yes, fair point - agree with that.

It worries me a bit that a team can play fairly unspectacularly against us and come away with three goals, but as you say the first was very much against the run of play.

I don't know where we go from here and I wonder what it's like working for the club for the team and coaching staff. No doubt they're well remunerated, but if you're an ambitious player, do you see your best route to success with Fulham and do you trust that hard work on the pitch isn't going to be undone by a lapse of concentration elsewhere? If you're a coach, how much faith do you have you'll still be in a job in three weeks' time when (!) there'll be a new man in charge and how does that affect the work you do during the week? I don't doubt they all want to win, but the uncertainty must take its toll.

I didn't see lack of skill or even particularly lack of effort at Forest - just a club in a bit (!) of a spiral. Having said all that, it was my first away game for ages, so bizarrely I quite enjoyed the (for me) quite short trip - which I guess is the point of this whole football thing.

[Classic94]

Yesterday I saw a club in disarray. How on earth can a team defend set plays so poorly on such a consistent basis? The fact their center-half almost bagged a hatrick speaks volumes. It was actually embarrassing. We must have a manager/coach in the dugout next week as the situation is fast becoming untenable.

[Beamer]

First goal - defender leaving near post leaving large hole.
Second goal - player allowed to run in towards goal without anyone attempting to close down.
Third goal - ball across goal reaches back half where attacker has to stoop to head in virtually unchallenged without any defender getting near enough to put a head on it.
In fact every basic mistake we have been making for 2 seasons now. Different personnel same errors week in week out. No defensive leader, nobody taking command and attacking the ball at set pieces. Watch the second goal and see the attacker run past our midfielder who simply stands and watches him go.
Frankly we are a shambles at the back and the defensive coaching looks non-existent.
Forget play-offs we need to worry more about relegation at present.

[Fulham Tup North]

Yesterday I saw a club in disarray. How on earth can a team defend set plays so poorly on such a consistent basis? The fact their center-half almost bagged a hatrick speaks volumes. It was actually embarrassing. We must have a manager/coach in the dugout next week as the situation is fast becoming untenable.

Fully agree Classic. The good thing is that a new Manager usually brings with him his own backroom staff of coaches who will understand the Managers game plan. God knows, the coaches we have at the moment seem to do nothing. Same problems week after week, the defence coach may just as well stay at home and save his petrol money.  092.gif

[alfie]

A point i have made on a couple of occasions, it is not the amount of coaching they get, it is the quality, right from the offer i have never felt that the quality of the coaches KS appointed were good enough, The defenders we have are not trainees, they know how to defend, they are very experienced in the job, it is the coaching set up's that are wrong.

[epsomraver]

Bur

Think back to that game against Man U at Old Trafford where they pumped in a ridiculous number of crosses which we repeatedly dealt with. If that happened this season, we would be on the receiving end of a cricket score!

Look at the team that day, maybe a failing team but a number of physically strong players.
The current team are physically bullied one on one by almost every team we play.

Yes Dan Burn, the player you don't rate

[bill taylors apprentice]

Bur

Think back to that game against Man U at Old Trafford where they pumped in a ridiculous number of crosses which we repeatedly dealt with. If that happened this season, we would be on the receiving end of a cricket score!

Look at the team that day, maybe a failing team but a number of physically strong players.
The current team are physically bullied one on one by almost every team we play.

Yes Dan Burn, the player you don't rate

Yes your right about that and I suppose its unfair on him when there are so many others who are poor.

But as I have said elsewhere, I have high expectations for our club and if we are ever to to get promoted and re establish ourselves in the PL I think we need better.

My expectations may have to change and I'm happy to admit that Burn with all his perceived faults should be playing now.

What he brings to the team is something a good coach/manager should be able to harness and within the right frame work improve our goals against column.

The fancy footballing centre half can wait.