What happened in first half yesterday?

[Slaphead in Qatar]

A deliberate strategy by Claudio to make sure we kept a clean sheet, conserved energy with a view to hitting them with sess and kamara in the second half.

Or were we just crap?

[F(f)CUK]

You cannot play 90 minutes of pressing football, but we were really poor in the first half.

[Slaphead in Qatar]

I think Claudio got the selection wrong - shouldn't have started vietto.

[Slaphead in Qatar]

And this time he actually got the subs right

[the nutflush]

Selections were rubbish.  If CR starts Cairney in a wide position one more time I will spew up.  Sess has to start.  Seri doesn't fit into CR's system well enough.  He might be ok in a high possession passing team but our game plan no longer revolves around this and he looks like a fish out of water. 

[One Martin Thomas]

Wolves tend to do it too. Sit back and then play a better second half.

[Russianrob]

I would rather play rubbish an win then play brilliant but lose!

[Woolly Mammoth]

I felt Claudio did get the starting line up wrong, the biggest mistake was selecting the invisible Vietto, over players I would have had well in front of him.
Vietto has no upper body strength for this league let alone the ability, not a player you would want in a survival battle.
I would not even put him on the bench if we had enough available players.

[Slaphead in Qatar]

I felt Claudio did get the starting line up wrong, the biggest mistake was selecting the invisible Vietto, over players I would have had well in front of him.
Vietto has no upper body strength for this league let alone the ability, not a player you would want in a survival battle.
I would not even put him on the bench if we had enough available players.

Yes he tries hard and looks like he may do something good - but he adds no value.

[Statto]

A deliberate strategy by Claudio to make sure we kept a clean sheet, conserved energy with a view to hitting them with sess and kamara in the second half.

Or were we just crap?

Just crap IMO

Yesterday was a straightforward 3-0 or 4-0 win there for the taking

We could have improved our goal difference and boosted our confidence with a big win, and we'd have avoided all this stuff with Kamara as well

[RaySmith]

A deliberate strategy by Claudio to make sure we kept a clean sheet, conserved energy with a view to hitting them with sess and kamara in the second half.

I feel that could well be the thinking behind it.

[Mince n Tatties]

First thing he needs to do is start Sess.
The boy is Fulham through and through,and lifted the whole place when he came on.

[The Old Count]

We've been playing a lot of games in a short period of time. I'm sure part of the plan was about keeping players fresh.  Also Sess still needs to be nurtered and protected to a certain extent.

Apart from that tho' - I'm with Statto: 'just crap'

[S.F.Sorrow]

Chasing the ball for 45mins is hardly a brilliant strategy. In fact, that's what we did to the other teams last season. Made them chase the ball for 60mins and wore them down. And then we went for the kill.

The first half looked like we were trying to get a 0-0 draw in a relegation 6-pointer AT HOME! And that starting line-up... Cairney at RW??? Vietto over Sess???

And then there's the pre-match interview where Ranieri said Sess was lacking tackling strenght vs Schurrle and Vietto... 064.gif
Hopefully just a language thing because if he REALLY thinks that he's completely lost it.

[hovewhite]

Sess has to start over schurrle and vietto.

[hovewhite]

Sorry ,what happened in the first half mmmm, nothing!!

[Holders]

A deliberate strategy by Claudio to make sure we kept a clean sheet, conserved energy with a view to hitting them with sess and kamara in the second half.

I feel that could well be the thinking behind it.

Yes, he said that Sess was due to come on at HT except Mawson got injured.

[Bill2]

In my opinion the problem in the first half was Seri and Vietto .

[DevonFFC]

In my opinion the problem in the first half was Seri and Vietto .

Seri picked up an early yellow which changed his approach and Vietto was not as bad as everyone is making out

[Statto]

Vietto was not as bad as everyone is making out

Hmmm, I cannot see what he does well. He tries to put himself about, but is so weak, it's totally ineffective. He looks skillfull but then I don't think he's ever gone past an opposing player with the ball since we signed him. He can't finish, and doesn't seem to be heavily involved in our goals when he plays. My patience has run out now, and I don't mean to be harsh but think he is just a waste of a shirt really.