Button/back 4 dribbling in our penalty area

[David I]

Agreed... baffles me why people still shout for Betts to play. Based on last two seasons performances we would have lost by more than 1 nil.

[irishfulham]

just looked at the highlights and tbf button did get away with it and it was horrendous by ayite to give that penalty away what a save for the penalty but what I don't like is every single time button has the ball its played short and I understand they are trying to play out of the back etc but if we do this every single time then this wont be the last time we will concede a goal like this

[Jims Dentist]

Button our No 1 for me.

[filham]

Button had a good game, yes he was guilty of fiddling with the ball at his feet once or twice but then so were several other players  and a number of times we almost gavethe ball away in critical positions.

Other teams must be aware of this trait and Jocanovic needs to eradicate it from our play.

[Fulham Tup North]

I think we should stick with Button ATM. At least until Betts learns to kick the ball and it stays on the pitch rather than going out for a throw-in almost every time.

[St Eve]

Messing around in the box has to stop but Button is first choice right now

[RaySmith]

Button was put under pressure  by pass backs when he had  opposing players challenging him - he actually did well under the circumstances, and  his saves kept us in the game.
I think he is an upgrade on previous keepers, though Betts is a great prospect, and back up at the moment.

The second pen seemed very  soft, some other refs wouldn't have given it, I don't think.

Madl's challenge leading to the second card was an instinctive  defender's response - otherwise the player would have been in on goal. It was the fault of Kalas, or whoever sent him a suicide pass.

But we were all over the place  with our defending, but Brum deliberately pressurised us, and  wanted to disrupt out short passing, playing from the back, style. Should we  work on a Plan B?

[MJG]

If..and its seems as it will be...we are to play out from the back instead of just lumping it forward all the time then for me Button is the better keeper with the ball at his feet than Betts. But not a lot in it with that regard.

[rubbernecca]

Button for me as well.  He was faffing about before the second penalty but he recovered. The real culprit leading to the penalty was McDonald's sloppy pass to Ayite. And Kalas' poor pass to Madl got Madl sent off. 

Two sloppy passes cost us the match.

[filham]

Button for me as well.  He was faffing about before the second penalty but he recovered. The real culprit leading to the penalty was McDonald's sloppy pass to Ayite. And Kalas' poor pass to Madl got Madl sent off. 

Two sloppy passes cost us the match.

And not scoring a goal  didn't exactly help in winning the match.

[Chutney]

100% Bettinelli for me

[The Rock]

just looked at the highlights and tbf button did get away with it and it was horrendous by ayite to give that penalty away what a save for the penalty but what I don't like is every single time button has the ball its played short and I understand they are trying to play out of the back etc but if we do this every single time then this wont be the last time we will concede a goal like this

Good post. If they know you plan to play it out of the back all the time, they will press all time, and this will start to happen, all the time.

[Horsfield_No9]

there were various intervening events and errors by other players between button touching the ball and the penalties today

as far as i can see he saved one penalty and another good save from the 30 yd strike, oh and saved the 1v1 at the end, seems like a good performance

we know bettinelli's limitations from previous seasons so unless he has come on a great deal in the summer i would gladly stick with button

Absolutely this. Betts was awful dealing with shots from range and corners, something Button is much more efficient in dealing with thus far.

[rubbernecca]

Button for me as well.  He was faffing about before the second penalty but he recovered. The real culprit leading to the penalty was McDonald's sloppy pass to Ayite. And Kalas' poor pass to Madl got Madl sent off. 

Two sloppy passes cost us the match.

And not scoring a goal  didn't exactly help in winning the match.

Please do not bother me with technicalities!

[hovewhite]

Will take button over Betts every time,as for playing it out with his feet,it's team orders I guess and think the team collectivity will get this part of tactics sorted.

[NogoodBoyo]

Button for me as well.  He was faffing about before the second penalty but he recovered. The real culprit leading to the penalty was McDonald's sloppy pass to Ayite. And Kalas' poor pass to Madl got Madl sent off. 

Two sloppy passes cost us the match.

Nothing more needs top be said.  This Butoon Betts debate is eyeing the wrong target.
Nogood "game, set and match, isit" Boyo

[Jims Dentist]

just looked at the highlights and tbf button did get away with it and it was horrendous by ayite to give that penalty away what a save for the penalty but what I don't like is every single time button has the ball its played short and I understand they are trying to play out of the back etc but if we do this every single time then this wont be the last time we will concede a goal like this

Good post. If they know you plan to play it out of the back all the time, they will press all time, and this will start to happen, all the time.

Button and our other players are playing to our head coach's instructions.
It is very similar to when Tigana introduced similar tactics at the same level.

The trouble is that things have moved on.
Teams now are well prepared to exploit this style of play, to the extent that too much possession can be to a teams detriment.
If Joka continues like this we will drop many more home points.

[Carborundum]

Passing out from the back seems here to stay.  We didn't sign Kevin McDonald so that he can crick his neck watching the ball sail over his head.  I'm happy we signed him and with playing out from the back.

Button seems no better or worse than Bettinelli at this aspect.  But he's doing well at corners and has saved a penalty in the last few days, so it would seem harsh to drop him.

We do get pressurised as we play out, but that pressuring takes energy and the teams we are playing are going to be tired as a result.  The pass statistics suggest we are really good at retaining the ball, confirming something that I can see at the games.

Just how much pressurising takes out of footballers is difficult to gauge.  Never tried it on a football pitch.  Watching the pro's do it reminds me of the times, as a fit twenty something I tried playing touch rugby league, when I had to get back five yards after every touch.  My goodness that was tough to keep up for any length of time.

Here's the payoff.   A lot of our goals are scored when tiredness sets in the last 15 minutes.  Playing out from the back has surely contributed to that.

For the last two seasons we have disliked conceding regular late goals, questioning fitness levels.  Now late goals are what we do to others.  Will the praise on this board be a mirror image of the condemnation when we used to concede late?