Fulham v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Richard C]

Time after time this happens. Season after season, different players, different managers, different fucking millenium, same fucking hurt and disappointment.

Exactly....I'm not blaming individuals, rather the entity that is Aston Villa.

Sounds like you are both interested in the wrong sport if you can't handle disappointment.

No i think we know only too well what sport we are interested in. It's just that last few second equalisers or defeat's never stop hurting, and we have seen so many of them.

[Richard C]

I blame MON

Yes, the little shit.

[Richard C]

Sarah Palin rules OK. And she can rule me any time.

[JD]

Gutted about the result but I am encouraged by the performance of Albrighton, Clark and especially Bannan. Thought The Fonz did ok, but a goal will boost his confidence.

[dave.woodhall]

No i think we know only too well what sport we are interested in. It's just that last few second equalisers or defeat's never stop hurting, and we have seen so many of them.

And no other club gets them.

[pauliewalnuts]

I just watched the game on Football First, and I thought we were excellent.

There were a few issues which need to be sorted, but there was easily more to be happy with than worried by. Even Ireland's cameo was cause for optimism.

[Dante Lavelli]

Anyone discovered any highlights online which are available outside the UK?

It could be completely unjustified but I have a good feeling about these youngsters.  They've played a lot at youth and reserve levels and through-out they've had a winning mentality.  The fact that they're all "graduating" at the same time could be a really good thing.  No doubt we'll have a bad result - or two - along the way but collectively they could become the core of our team.

I hope they're given the chance to sink or swim over the next 2-ish months.  We know what Carew, Sidwell and to an extent Dunne can do, but none of us truly know how good Bannan, The Fonz and Clark can become.  Let's blood them now, it could save us a fortune in January and over the next few years.

[Simba]

Three o clock in the morning and I am up to watch a recording of the game.

Last week half this forum agreed that a draw would be ok, or at least expected given Fulham's home record.

Then we all felt a meltdown because of our injuries.

FGS Albrighton, through lack of experience or whatever, blundered. A youth team player missed chances. The team, however dominated and should have won easily. Yes, I am pissed off about giving away the points but the future looks good to me.

The Villa need a bloody striker and playmaker of qualityand expense. As we have done for many years. History says we only succeed when we have a proper centre forward.

That much hasn't changed. The quality of our youth/reserve teams has - for the better. I think our football has too.

Calm down. Some of the comments on here ..... well -  no comment.

[oldtimernow]

I've spent the past half-hour reading this thread and must say I'm appalled at the majority of (negative) comments.


Yes, we do need the points, and a clinical finisher would help in this, but I'd rather dwell this evening on the players who have come through the ranks and who have done the Club proud this afternoon.   

Spot on with this, thought the experienced players esp AY and SW were the ones who looked like novices.

Get behind these young ones and it will come good......maybe even very good

[frank]

Conceding such a late goal after we'd played so well felt like a defeat, but there's quite a lot to feel optimistic about. Ciaran Clark had another fine game. With his confidence and vision he reminds me of a young (but slimmer) Gareth Barry. Barry Bannan shows great promise. Sooner or later he's going to score stunning goals and, like Clark, has a real footballing brain. Marc Albrighton scored an excellent goal and with a bit more experience and stamina is going to terrorise defences. Of the young players Nathan Delfouneso was the one who disappointed. He showed a few neat touches but was never an imposing presence. He certainly doesn't have Gabby's or Heskey's ability to hold the ball, and Friedel's long clearances to him rarely came to anything. In the short term we need strengthening in one or two positions, but the young players offer a good deal of hope for the future. And let's not forget our oldest player, who at 39 is having his best season for us.

[Matt Collins]

I was angry at another last minute goal.

Almost as angry as I am at some of the completely moronic slating of 19 year old players on this thread. This site didn't used to have such a high proportion of complete bullshit.

[andrew08]

always a good thread this.....you get the internet streamers who contribute naff all to the club coffers (but want us to spend spend spend of course) kneejerk moaning from about 10 seconds after the whistle goes then as the night continues you get the more considered view from the people actually at the game.

[Karl Bridges]

Of the young players Nathan Delfouneso was the one who disappointed. He showed a few neat touches but was never an imposing presence. He certainly doesn't have Gabby's or Heskey's ability to hold the ball

Still very early for that. Gabby didn't play as a lone striker until he was a fair bit older and more experienced and played a lot on the wing when he first started. His hold up play has only really developed strongly since he bulked up. As for Heskey, he was a brutish size at 19 but again didn't impose himself on defenders and was more about pace.

I thought first half Nathan held the ball very well when it was played into feet and was laying the ball off nicely. As we started to play the ball longer, he was muscled out by Hangeland who is 6'4ish and an international CB. He started to drift out of the game in the second half and should have been taken off 10-15 minutes earlier, but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

[ROBBO]

Havn't seen the game so can't coment on it, but i will comment on the fortunately few who are slagging GH off. If we can get through the next few games without losing too many points he will have done a good job, we were short of quality when he arrived now with all the injuries it makes it all that much harder.

[Somniloquism]

Of the young players Nathan Delfouneso was the one who disappointed. He showed a few neat touches but was never an imposing presence. He certainly doesn't have Gabby's or Heskey's ability to hold the ball, and Friedel's long clearances to him rarely came to anything.

Gabby had to bulk up before he became effective holding the ball upfront on his own. Heskey has spent 11 years getting experience of being a front man. This was the first time he has played upfront on his own so I didn't expect him to be able to outjump one of the tallest defenders in the league.

Edit: Beaten to it by Karl. That'll teach me to refresh the page before posting.