Now onto Forest

[StuinSalop]

So today's game was a real rollercoaster and we of course should have won, but very nearly lost badly.  I suspect that dispite having all players fit, we were hampered by so many of our squad being away for nearly 2 weeks on international duly.

I would seriously consider some major rotation for the Forest game on Tuesday.  Firstly to keep players refreshed but also to show that you need to remain on it 100% to keep your place.

It is quite possible to change entire back 4 to Tete, Diop, Ream and Toure.  Palhinha starts but maybe alongside Harrison Reed.   Rest Willian/Iwobi and bring in Wilson and Adama either side of Muniz.

Give them a chance then go with everything v Newcastle which I honestly think we can win.

[Grassy Noel]

So today's game was a real rollercoaster and we of course should have won, but very nearly lost badly.  I suspect that dispite having all players fit, we were hampered by so many of our squad being away for nearly 2 weeks on international duly.

I would seriously consider some major rotation for the Forest game on Tuesday.  Firstly to keep players refreshed but also to show that you need to remain on it 100% to keep your place.

It is quite possible to change entire back 4 to Tete, Diop, Ream and Toure.  Palhinha starts but maybe alongside Harrison Reed.   Rest Willian/Iwobi and bring in Wilson and Adama either side of Muniz.

Give them a chance then go with everything v Newcastle which I honestly think we can win.

The one name missing (apart from Leno) is Periera who consistently underperforms for us. Against SU Cairney should have started and then SU would have been systematically dismantled in the first half.I suppose Andreas will be given a chance to add to his goal tally this season. One goal I think.This is one position where we need a top replacement if one exists.

[hovewhite]

Which Fulham team will turn up ,the good the bad the ugly ,or after Saturday all three.

[Grassy Noel]

I am expecting Forest to play in a frenetic panicky mode roared on by their baying crowd.I hope that Silva picks a team capable of composure for 90 plus minutes.

[bencher]

Forest will be desperate to get us back for the 5-0 hammering in December. We need to play on that, be ruthless, keep the crowd quiet by scoring the first goal and play smart counter-attacking football.

[bill taylors apprentice]

IMO yesterdays team should have been the starting 11 for the next game away at Forrest, a team that is capable of keeping the ball and working it round the pitch and hopefully stifling the Forest onslaught.

Yesterday, I thought it obvious they would retreat and allow us the ball, play very conservatively and wait for their opportunity, at least in the first half.

For me a team including Tete, Diop (if fit) to add defensive quality and TC and Reed in MF to and guile, quick passing.

Up front I would have started Traore.

[filham]

I do think perhaps  a number of our players need a rest. After the travelling during the international break they will now be just getting over the trip to Yorkshire and they will have to prepare for a Nottingham trip . Little time between matches for training and preparation.

Yes, first name on the team sheet right now should be Cairney.

[ffcne]

IMO yesterdays team should have been the starting 11 for the next game away at Forrest, a team that is capable of keeping the ball and working it round the pitch and hopefully stifling the Forest onslaught.

Yesterday, I thought it obvious they would retreat and allow us the ball, play very conservatively and wait for their opportunity, at least in the first half.

For me a team including Tete, Diop (if fit) to add defensive quality and TC and Reed in MF to and guile, quick passing.

Up front I would have started Traore.

I totally agree .Changes should have been made for yesterday
Cairney /Traore /Tete /Diop maybe Reed for Lukic as  well.

[Angus Telford]

Just said on the "Defence" thread I, like others, would also like to see Diop given a run of starts alongside Bassey for various reasons.

Also agree with others regarding Pereira. He's in the odd situation of keeping his place in our most important creative role not because of his creativity, but because of what he does when we're NOT in possession, ie leading the press. Against the weaker teams IMO we should start Cairney, who is the better player with the ball and more likely to unlock their defence. 

My lineup

Leno
Castagne Bassey Diop Robinson
Lukic Palhinha
Iwobi Cairney Willian
Muniz

[Bal_13]

I do think perhaps  a number of our players need a rest. After the travelling during the international break they will now be just getting over the trip to Yorkshire and they will have to prepare for a Nottingham trip . Little time between matches for training and preparation.

Yes, first name on the team sheet right now should be Cairney.

Have to agree with yourself and other posters, this Forest game should really have Cairney starting.

Silva says Pereira is the only player who fills the 10 role in the way he wants it (i.e. his pressing) so I suspect it'll be Cairney sitting alongside Palhinha (if silva starts him)

[WindyCity]

Agree it's on to the next game, but I don't think FFC "should have won this game" as noted by the OP.  The sloppy defensive play luckily did not cost the team a loss and zero points.  This game demonstrated why FFC sits in the table where they are located, and not higher up:

"Consistency"

For some reason FFC plays at a higher level v top clubs, but seems to underperform against the lesser teams.  Way too many dropped points this season in games where we really should have done much better.  Beating the likes of Arsenal, ManU and Spurs one would think we would be further up in the table.

As disappointing as this result is, cap tip to the lads for not giving up and putting in the required effort late to get something out of this game. 

[SerbianLad]

I would only make changes in defence. Despite Sheffield United's ridiculous park the bus tactics (I've never seen someone who had less intention of scoring than them before we gifted them a goal), we still created quite a few good chances and controled the game(as evidenced by the possesion stats). The two times Muniz hit the post, Lukic's chance, Iwobi's chance, some other times we got closed but onoy got a corner/free kick in the end.

I think that only problem we had was in defence (and we didn't have a problem there either before we gifted them their first goal). Robinson did okay, so I'd keep him. I wouldn't drop Bassey either because he's usualy our best centreback. So I'd make 1 or 2 changes at most, with one or both of Diop/Tete coming in for Tosin/Castagne.

[WindyCity]

The two times Muniz hit the post, Lukic's chance, Iwobi's chance, some other times we got closed but onoy got a corner/free kick in the end.

Muniz's header was class, sadly woodwork prevented the score.  Would comment on the Lukic and Iwobi chances in the box.  These guys know better, you can't take a touch or two or more that close in, you'll be mobbed very quickly.  Got to strike that ball immediately.  I think when you see the top world class players like Ronaldo, Messi, Salah et al you'll see them pounce immediately.  Just an observation.

[SerbianLad]

The two times Muniz hit the post, Lukic's chance, Iwobi's chance, some other times we got closed but onoy got a corner/free kick in the end.

Muniz's header was class, sadly woodwork prevented the score.  Would comment on the Lukic and Iwobi chances in the box.  These guys know better, you can't take a touch or two or more that close in, you'll be mobbed very quickly.  Got to strike that ball immediately.  I think when you see the top world class players like Ronaldo, Messi, Salah et al you'll see them pounce immediately.  Just an observation.

Yes. I think Lukic took only one touch and the block was exceptional, but he had to be aware of that and shoot it first time. Iwobi probably could have taken a touch or two but he really overcomplicated it to an extreme, similar in a way two the Pereira miss against Brighton. Iwobi was generaly pretty poor yesterday, his worst game by far in the Fulham shirt in my opinion. Lost the ball for their third as well. I still want him to start the next game though, as I doubt that will happen again.

I'd also add Cairney's miss at the end. He should have at least troubled the keeper a bit more, instead of hiting it straight down the middle. Could have been a really special moment...

[StuinSalop]

Agree it's on to the next game, but I don't think FFC "should have won this game" as noted by the OP.  The sloppy defensive play luckily did not cost the team a loss and zero points.  This game demonstrated why FFC sits in the table where they are located, and not higher up:

"Consistency"

For some reason FFC plays at a higher level v top clubs, but seems to underperform against the lesser teams.  Way too many dropped points this season in games where we really should have done much better.  Beating the likes of Arsenal, ManU and Spurs one would think we would be further up in the table.

As disappointing as this result is, cap tip to the lads for not giving up and putting in the required effort late to get something out of this game. 

The stats say we should have won easily but I agree if you defend like that you will not win many games.  This is why I would give the defence a boot up the bottom Tuesday but bring back our best 11 on Saturday. What with the international break there are players who probably need a short rest.

[Thames Bank 1]

Did you actually think we would win, just look at results against lower so called teams, at least we didn't lose

[Super Mick]

We need to defend better than we did on Saturday. Morgan Gibbs White is 10 times better than anything Sheffield United have in their squad. Keep him and Chris Wood quiet, it should be an easy 3 points.

[General]

Which Fulham team will turn up ,the good the bad the ugly ,or after Saturday all three.

Our away form this season is pretty atrocious given the quality of our squad and the wins we manage to get at the Cottage. Slightly confusing as to why there's such a stark contrast.

[hovewhite]

General I don't get it at all we have a great squad but against certain teams away we don't perform.

[bencher]

The two times Muniz hit the post, Lukic's chance, Iwobi's chance, some other times we got closed but onoy got a corner/free kick in the end.

Muniz's header was class, sadly woodwork prevented the score.  Would comment on the Lukic and Iwobi chances in the box.  These guys know better, you can't take a touch or two or more that close in, you'll be mobbed very quickly.  Got to strike that ball immediately.  I think when you see the top world class players like Ronaldo, Messi, Salah et al you'll see them pounce immediately.  Just an observation.

Yes. I think Lukic took only one touch and the block was exceptional, but he had to be aware of that and shoot it first time. Iwobi probably could have taken a touch or two but he really overcomplicated it to an extreme, similar in a way two the Pereira miss against Brighton. Iwobi was generaly pretty poor yesterday, his worst game by far in the Fulham shirt in my opinion. Lost the ball for their third as well. I still want him to start the next game though, as I doubt that will happen again.

I'd also add Cairney's miss at the end. He should have at least troubled the keeper a bit more, instead of hiting it straight down the middle. Could have been a really special moment...

Lukic probably had to take a touch as the ball deflected right at him and he had to get it out his feet. Perhaps if he had been expecting it more he might have been able to hit it first time. But that sort of sums up why he's a midfielder and not a striker.