All we had to do was.

[The Swan]

All we had to do was to win one game today. Now we have to play Derby away Never easy, play Derby at home which not only is it never easy( I cant remember the last time we beat Derby at home) . Even as far back as when they were relegated from the Premier League with the lowest ever points.
If we do get through these games we then have to play either Villa or Boro. Both teams are experience at playoffs and with managers who can win at Wembley.
As I said all we had to do was to win one game today.

[SP]

Unfortunately, football isn't as simple as that. Time to start looking forward.

[Woolly Mammoth]

Whether it's Derby or Villa or Borough, there are only eleven of them on the field of play at the same.
It's not as though we are entering an arena full of hungry lions, we already did that at Millwall, and came away victorious.
It's in our own hands now, nobody else's.
We also ended up with the best goal difference after Wolves.
Let the other teams worry, we have already beaten all three of them this season, so we are capable, if we front up and have the confidence.

[grandad]

For the first time this season we have our fate in our own hands.

[Fulham76]

For the first time this season we have our fate in our own hands.

Exactly.

The play offs look really tough but we're the best team in them, so no other way to be but positive

[gezkc]

You can say "we only needed to win today", but the only reason we were in that position is because we'd not lost in 23 games prior to that. Who would have expected us to manage that?
This would have been 24 unbeaten - and against a team that was playing for their Championship survival, that was always going to be a tough call.

Today was very disappointing, but to make out that it was "just one game" is over-simplifying things. Our team has been phenomenal since Christmas. This run has gone on for far longer than any of us expected. Unfortunately, this was one game too far.
Hopefully, we can put it behind us and start the next unbeaten run in the play offs.

[Ben Of Harlech]

Re: reply post #5 to the original post. Your analysis was spot on there my friend. As a Cardiff fan who has just got back from the frenzied atmosphere that is still lingering in the streets of our capital I must congratulate your team on it's fantastic attempt to hunt us down since you beat us 4-2 at our place on Boxing Day. Your failure to grab the second automatic promotion spot wasn't all down to the inability to see off a stubborn Birmingham side that were fighting to preserve their Championship status after a testing season. You basically left yourselves with just to much to do in trying to reel in Cardiff's lead over the chasing pack after your indifferent first half of the season. There is no doubting just how good Fulham have been in the second half of the season & 23 games unbeaten speaks for itself. You pushed us all the way but Cardiff City are a team forged in the image of our charismatic "panto villain" manager Neil Warnock. Love him or loathe him - he is always able to get his players running through brick walls for him & the shared cause. This man is a master of mind games & I suspect our 2-0 win at Hull last week was the defining moment of the season. I did not think we would win there after our second half collapse at Derby in the previous match. His powers of motivation & man management are so good that he can mould a motley bunch of Championship Journeymen into a team that is much better than the sum of it's parts. I think that win at Hull was crucial as it left us in the box seat for today's last round of games. I thought Birmingham could do the job on your boys today as every good run has to end sometime. It was huge for us today hearing the score coming in from your game & once we heard you were 2-0 down so early in the day it settled things down nicely & you could tell that the air of calm was a transmitting to our players on the pitch. It was obvious in the second half that our players were playing well within themselves & you got the impression that if we had needed to go up a couple of gears we probably could have gone for the kill against a stubborn & resilient Reading Team. Luckily there was no such need.  I sincerely hope you guys regroup swiftly & get your mojo back for the lottery that is the play offs. Your final points tally of 88 would quite often be enough for the title & had you won today 90 points would not even have got us automatic promotion. Your brand of football this season deserves some end product so I hope you triumph in the play offs. All the best from a proud Bluebird. 😎😎

[NogoodBoyo]

Re: reply post #5 to the original post. Your analysis was spot on there my friend. As a Cardiff fan who has just got back from the frenzied atmosphere that is still lingering in the streets of our capital I must congratulate your team on it's fantastic attempt to hunt us down since you beat us 4-2 at our place on Boxing Day. Your failure to grab the second automatic promotion spot wasn't all down to the inability to see off a stubborn Birmingham side that were fighting to preserve their Championship status after a testing season. You basically left yourselves with just to much to do in trying to reel in Cardiff's lead over the chasing pack after your indifferent first half of the season. There is no doubting just how good Fulham have been in the second half of the season & 23 games unbeaten speaks for itself. You pushed us all the way but Cardiff City are a team forged in the image of our charismatic "panto villain" manager Neil Warnock. Love him or loathe him - he is always able to get his players running through brick walls for him & the shared cause. This man is a master of mind games & I suspect our 2-0 win at Hull last week was the defining moment of the season. I did not think we would win there after our second half collapse at Derby in the previous match. His powers of motivation & man management are so good that he can mould a motley bunch of Championship Journeymen into a team that is much better than the sum of it's parts. I think that win at Hull was crucial as it left us in the box seat for today's last round of games. I thought Birmingham could do the job on your boys today as every good run has to end sometime. It was huge for us today hearing the score coming in from your game & once we heard you were 2-0 down so early in the day it settled things down nicely & you could tell that the air of calm was a transmitting to our players on the pitch. It was obvious in the second half that our players were playing well within themselves & you got the impression that if we had needed to go up a couple of gears we probably could have gone for the kill against a stubborn & resilient Reading Team. Luckily there was no such need.  I sincerely hope you guys regroup swiftly & get your mojo back for the lottery that is the play offs. Your final points tally of 88 would quite often be enough for the title & had you won today 90 points would not even have got us automatic promotion. Your brand of football this season deserves some end product so I hope you triumph in the play offs. All the best from a proud Bluebird. 😎😎

Diolch yn fawr, Ben
Nogood "there's nice, see" Boyo

[gang]

This site gives all our past results against Derby since 1907:-
https://www.11v11.com/teams/derby-county/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Fulham/
Derby won-   22
Fulham won- 19
Drawn -        20

[EastEndWhite]

All we had to do was to win one game today. Now we have to play Derby away Never easy, play Derby at home which not only is it never easy( I cant remember the last time we beat Derby at home) . Even as far back as when they were relegated from the Premier League with the lowest ever points.
If we do get through these games we then have to play either Villa or Boro. Both teams are experience at playoffs and with managers who can win at Wembley.
As I said all we had to do was to win one game today.

You'll water down your beer if you cry into it too long.

[ffcne]

Re: reply post #5 to the original post. Your analysis was spot on there my friend. As a Cardiff fan who has just got back from the frenzied atmosphere that is still lingering in the streets of our capital I must congratulate your team on it's fantastic attempt to hunt us down since you beat us 4-2 at our place on Boxing Day. Your failure to grab the second automatic promotion spot wasn't all down to the inability to see off a stubborn Birmingham side that were fighting to preserve their Championship status after a testing season. You basically left yourselves with just to much to do in trying to reel in Cardiff's lead over the chasing pack after your indifferent first half of the season. There is no doubting just how good Fulham have been in the second half of the season & 23 games unbeaten speaks for itself. You pushed us all the way but Cardiff City are a team forged in the image of our charismatic "panto villain" manager Neil Warnock. Love him or loathe him - he is always able to get his players running through brick walls for him & the shared cause. This man is a master of mind games & I suspect our 2-0 win at Hull last week was the defining moment of the season. I did not think we would win there after our second half collapse at Derby in the previous match. His powers of motivation & man management are so good that he can mould a motley bunch of Championship Journeymen into a team that is much better than the sum of it's parts. I think that win at Hull was crucial as it left us in the box seat for today's last round of games. I thought Birmingham could do the job on your boys today as every good run has to end sometime. It was huge for us today hearing the score coming in from your game & once we heard you were 2-0 down so early in the day it settled things down nicely & you could tell that the air of calm was a transmitting to our players on the pitch. It was obvious in the second half that our players were playing well within themselves & you got the impression that if we had needed to go up a couple of gears we probably could have gone for the kill against a stubborn & resilient Reading Team. Luckily there was no such need.  I sincerely hope you guys regroup swiftly & get your mojo back for the lottery that is the play offs. Your final points tally of 88 would quite often be enough for the title & had you won today 90 points would not even have got us automatic promotion. Your brand of football this season deserves some end product so I hope you triumph in the play offs. All the best from a proud Bluebird. 😎😎

Hull were'nt trying

[Steven Ageroad]

You can say "we only needed to win today", but the only reason we were in that position is because we'd not lost in 23 games prior to that. Who would have expected us to manage that?
This would have been 24 unbeaten - and against a team that was playing for their Championship survival, that was always going to be a tough call.

Today was very disappointing, but to make out that it was "just one game" is over-simplifying things. Our team has been phenomenal since Christmas. This run has gone on for far longer than any of us expected. Unfortunately, this was one game too far.
Hopefully, we can put it behind us and start the next unbeaten run in the play offs.

You forgot to mention The Manager Of The Month curse, it struck again.
We seem to be worrying about the other teams in the play offs but I bet they are all saying "I don't really want to play Fulham"

[The Swan]

Ben of Harlech.
                   Thanks for your kind words about Fulham. You seem to be a level headed Cardiff supporter.
Some good points about our slow start to the season. We dropped a lot of points with only minutes left to play.
Norwich dropped 2 points
Sheffield Wednesday dropped 1 point.
Cardiff dropped 2 points
Middlesbrough dropped 2 points.
Having said that we have had out own share of late wins.
Good luck to Cardiff next season hopefully Fulham can join your team.

[filham]

Take a look at the final Championship table , I think we are 13 points ahead of Derby, that must make us favourites for Wembley and give us confidence.

I think we may have injuries and are trying to hide them, that is a bit worrying though.

[Twig]

Take a look at the final Championship table , I think we are 13 points ahead of Derby, that must make us favourites for Wembley and give us confidence.

I think we may have injuries and are trying to hide them, that is a bit worrying though.

I agree, neither of our first choice FB's looked right on Sunday.

[Woolly Mammoth]

Who ever is fit to play, we have to lick our wounds dust ourselves down and go again.
There is no safety net, it's do I die, we have to be strong, and remember what took us into third place.
For most of the players the thought of losing in the play offs again, and to face all that disappointed, would surely make them more determined not to fall short again this season.
If that does not give us the extra strength and determination to send Derby packing, then nothing will.

[Ben Of Harlech]

The Swan,
Thanks for the good luck message for us for next season. I'm sure we'll need all the luck we can get in trying to fight for the crumbs from the top table. If there's any natural justice then Fulham should polish off Derby over two legs in the play off semi finals & then it will be in the lap of the gods in the final shoot out at Wembley. I will enjoy watching the games on Sky as a neutral observer now our fate has been decided & wish you good luck. Hopefully you will join us in the promised land next season. I know it's a gut wrenching experience competing in the play offs but if you do succeed in going up that way you will never even remember that wretched trip to Birmingham. Pob lwc !  049:gif