Worried for Saturday

[Shredhead]

I watched the replay of Saturday's game and we were poor for long stretches - giving the ball away, Mitro obviously out of sorts, Palinha not winning the ball back etc. If we play like that in Saturday,  Brighton will beat us.

[Sting of the North]

The first 60 minutes aganinst Forest were among the best I have seen from us this year. I agree that Palhinha didn't have his best game, but he was still better than all Forest's players. Mitro was immense in the first half (admittedly quite poor in the second). We should have been at least 3 up, potentially more after an hour.  I have no idea how you reached your conclusion in this post. If we play like that against Brighton we will very likely beat them (again).

Or did I just fall for the bait here?

[Andy S]

It's a different game and a different day. So don't be such a pessimist

[Mickeyboro]

Two Brighton fans I met at Clapham junction reckon we are their bogey team and will win!


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[Shredhead]

I'm pinning my hopes on Dunk winding up Mitro as usual and hope Palhinha is back to his best.

[FFC In Oz]

The first 60 minutes aganinst Forest were among the best I have seen from us this year. I agree that Palhinha didn't have his best game, but he was still better than all Forest's players. Mitro was immense in the first half (admittedly quite poor in the second). We should have been at least 3 up, potentially more after an hour.  I have no idea how you reached your conclusion in this post. If we play like that against Brighton we will very likely beat them (again).

Or did I just fall for the bait here?

I'm inclined to agree with you here on your first point.  We were exceptional in the first hour.  Unfortunately, a 1-0 lead is never safe and Forest were always going to get some momentum at some point.  It's at that stage where we started to give the ball away needlessly and Mitro fell away.

We did well to absorb pressure and then start to create some chances on the counter which culminated in Manor's goal.

I feel like a better team than Forest would have found a way to get back in the game after we started showing some sloppiness.  Brighton will be a different kettle of fish, especially at the Amex. 

I'd be delighted with a draw

[Hugh Gentry]

All I saw on Saturday was us dominating (totally dominating) Forest for the 1st hour, then then had a decent 10 minutes, creating the one chance on target that Leno saved and a couple of shots blasted high and wide. We then regained control and finished off with a deserved 2nd.....game over at that point.

We have won the majority of our games this season where we have been able to weather the storm that all teams in the Premier League have in every game, we then take advantage, clinically, when we have opportunities.

Interestingly Marco is now letting slip that we are looking beyond survival, which is an attitude that has to run through the team if we are to push on.

[Sting of the North]

The first 60 minutes aganinst Forest were among the best I have seen from us this year. I agree that Palhinha didn't have his best game, but he was still better than all Forest's players. Mitro was immense in the first half (admittedly quite poor in the second). We should have been at least 3 up, potentially more after an hour.  I have no idea how you reached your conclusion in this post. If we play like that against Brighton we will very likely beat them (again).

Or did I just fall for the bait here?

I'm inclined to agree with you here on your first point.  We were exceptional in the first hour.  Unfortunately, a 1-0 lead is never safe and Forest were always going to get some momentum at some point.  It's at that stage where we started to give the ball away needlessly and Mitro fell away.

We did well to absorb pressure and then start to create some chances on the counter which culminated in Manor's goal.

I feel like a better team than Forest would have found a way to get back in the game after we started showing some sloppiness.  Brighton will be a different kettle of fish, especially at the Amex. 

I'd be delighted with a draw

I agree that a 1-0 lead is never safe. I also believe that in basically all games at this level regardless of the rest of the game there will be a spell of 5-15 minutes in which your opponents have the upper hand and the momentum because such is the quality of players at this level. But my point was also that with decent luck we would not have been just 1-0 up. Forest could count themselves extremely lucky that they still had a chance at that point, they were played off the park completely for a good hour. Likely, if we start as good against Brighton, we will be more than 1-0 up before momentum swings.

But Brighton are a good team, and we are a good team so could end up however. Still only 1 loss this season to a team outside the top 5 though. so I am fairly optimistic.

[Somerset Fulham]

Honestly?

The only reason we have to worry is because Brighton are a much better than side than Forest are.  We were unfortunate not to take Forest apart on Saturday, just have a read of their forums and you will see that most of their support thought the same thing.

[General]

Honestly?

The only reason we have to worry is because Brighton are a much better than side than Forest are.  We were unfortunate not to take Forest apart on Saturday, just have a read of their forums and you will see that most of their support thought the same thing.

+1 - Brighton are a quality team and will be a proper test of resolve and is away so could be a challenge. We've been playing very well against the very top teams so this match could decide more who finishes 6th or 7th or 8th.. Brighton are a well oiled team with some good players.. even considering all those they've lost (trossard for example).

It'll be an interesting game but not one to worry about. Hopefully we get a good start and result and score the hatful of chances that we created at forest but kept crashing off the bar.

You've got to remember against forest, yes they did have a few patches which were strong.. but they still didn't find a way through and score.. and we still won 2-0 as well as kept the clean sheet and hitting the bar three times.

[bencher]

Each game is unique. But just to reflect on Saturday, the game changed momentum when Shelvey and Dennis came on; especially Shelvey. I thought he was excellent. He was in control of the midfield and we couldn't get anything to stick up the pitch. We did well to ride it out as the equalizer looked like a question of when, not if.

Our midfield is not really built for long spells of possession. Reed and Palhinha don't come and take the ball from the CBs like Shelvey was doing, the balls tend to go through the width, not the middle. We rarely build through the centre of the pitch. When our little round the corner passes and flicks come off we are through at the back 4 in two passes, but when they stop working, as they did after 60 mins, we look flaky and vulnerable.

What I like about the signing of Lukic is he gives us someone that is more comfortable on the ball, like TC, but with more athleticism, and hopefully it will help us to take the sting out of the game when we need to hold the ball for 3-4 minutes.

[Sting of the North]

Each game is unique. But just to reflect on Saturday, the game changed momentum when Shelvey and Dennis came on; especially Shelvey. I thought he was excellent. He was in control of the midfield and we couldn't get anything to stick up the pitch. We did well to ride it out as the equalizer looked like a question of when, not if.

Our midfield is not really built for long spells of possession. Reed and Palhinha don't come and take the ball from the CBs like Shelvey was doing, the balls tend to go through the width, not the middle. We rarely build through the centre of the pitch. When our little round the corner passes and flicks come off we are through at the back 4 in two passes, but when they stop working, as they did after 60 mins, we look flaky and vulnerable.

What I like about the signing of Lukic is he gives us someone that is more comfortable on the ball, like TC, but with more athleticism, and hopefully it will help us to take the sting out of the game when we need to hold the ball for 3-4 minutes.

:plus one:

I believe that is one of few real weaknesses of this team, namely that our two central midfielders are not really comfortable on the ball and can't really controll games (possission wise, that is). I also have high hopes for Lukic for this same reason.

[mrmicawbers]

Think a few of you need your glasses topped up.

[Slaphead in Qatar]

Good win and performance against forest apart from a 20 minute spell in the second half where they were quite dominant.

one point of caution however - Forest had their first choice centre halves injured and off after 7 minutes. So this i imagine helped us alot.

[Mr White]

Each game is unique. But just to reflect on Saturday, the game changed momentum when Shelvey and Dennis came on; especially Shelvey. I thought he was excellent. He was in control of the midfield and we couldn't get anything to stick up the pitch. We did well to ride it out as the equalizer looked like a question of when, not if.

Our midfield is not really built for long spells of possession. Reed and Palhinha don't come and take the ball from the CBs like Shelvey was doing, the balls tend to go through the width, not the middle. We rarely build through the centre of the pitch. When our little round the corner passes and flicks come off we are through at the back 4 in two passes, but when they stop working, as they did after 60 mins, we look flaky and vulnerable.

What I like about the signing of Lukic is he gives us someone that is more comfortable on the ball, like TC, but with more athleticism, and hopefully it will help us to take the sting out of the game when we need to hold the ball for 3-4 minutes.

:plus one:

I believe that is one of few real weaknesses of this team, namely that our two central midfielders are not really comfortable on the ball and can't really controll games (possission wise, that is). I also have high hopes for Lukic for this same reason.

100%

[alfie]

I watched the replay of Saturday's game and we were poor for long stretches - giving the ball away, Mitro obviously out of sorts, Palinha not winning the ball back etc. If we play like that in Saturday,  Brighton will beat us.

Brighton might beat us.

[Carborundum]

Having watched the first half of West Ham v Chelsea and added it to observations from the three times we have played his teams this season, I have come to the view that Potter was acting as a drag anchor for a very talented group at Brighton.  With a replacement who isn't tactically inept, they are flying high and will be very hard to beat at home.  I'm sure we will give them a very good game.  Not worried though. Two of the best teams in the country and, Hallelujah, we are one of them.

In the past week we have seen Solomon and Wilson achieve a comeback milestone first goals, Willian dazzle, and Lukic look a proper player in his first few minutes in a Fulham shirt.  Progression in the Cup and three points banked.  That's a heck of a lot of ladders, so whilst snakes are never far off in football,  on we jolly well roll.

[Slaphead in Qatar]

Each game is unique. But just to reflect on Saturday, the game changed momentum when Shelvey and Dennis came on; especially Shelvey. I thought he was excellent. He was in control of the midfield and we couldn't get anything to stick up the pitch. We did well to ride it out as the equalizer looked like a question of when, not if.

Our midfield is not really built for long spells of possession. Reed and Palhinha don't come and take the ball from the CBs like Shelvey was doing, the balls tend to go through the width, not the middle. We rarely build through the centre of the pitch. When our little round the corner passes and flicks come off we are through at the back 4 in two passes, but when they stop working, as they did after 60 mins, we look flaky and vulnerable.

What I like about the signing of Lukic is he gives us someone that is more comfortable on the ball, like TC, but with more athleticism, and hopefully it will help us to take the sting out of the game when we need to hold the ball for 3-4 minutes.

Yeah Shelvey was really good on Sat - real class

[FreiBird]

Imagine watching us completely dominate a team for 99% of a game and making up that we were poor just to be negative. So boring.

[FreiBird]

All I saw on Saturday was us dominating (totally dominating) Forest for the 1st hour, then then had a decent 10 minutes, creating the one chance on target that Leno saved and a couple of shots blasted high and wide. We then regained control and finished off with a deserved 2nd.....game over at that point.

We have won the majority of our games this season where we have been able to weather the storm that all teams in the Premier League have in every game, we then take advantage, clinically, when we have opportunities.

Interestingly Marco is now letting slip that we are looking beyond survival, which is an attitude that has to run through the team if we are to push on.

No telling the truth, only making things up to moan about.