Fulham v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Pat McMahon]

We were bereft of ideas today.

The defence looks like an accident waiting to happen, and on several occasions should have hoofed into row Z instead of woefully flimsy clearances. The full backs were frequently isolated and Bennett seemed to be on a one man mission to break the record for pointless 30 yard dinks to an opponent. In his defence he did not have a lot of movement in front of him.

I would be sceptical of our possession stats as a large percentage consisted of sideways and backward passes, resulting in Guzan being our main playmaker. Their tall defenders enjoyed the sort of heading practice that can only serve to build confidence.  Our midfield seemed unable to create anything meaningful, Holman in particular proving a poor crosser of the ball today.  Gabby was a willing but limited runner but Bent was primarily a bemused bystander.

I still fear we lack leaders and are physically flimsy - we lost most 50:50 tackles and nobody was driving the team on when we were chasing the game late on. I had a horrible flashback to 1986-7 season which I hope was induced by the booze and was not a premonition.

Chatting in the pub after the game we came to the consensus that at Norwich Lambert was able to blood young players and let them grow in confidence in the championship, developing an effective style of play, but the premier league is less forgiving. Errors here will be quickly punished. We can improve, and some of the new boys show signs of being able to develop, but at the moment we are weak In all areas. Short term we need a couple of dogs of war. And a win from somewhere, anywhere.

[silhillvilla]

We are free falling faster than an Austrian sky diver.

[1874]

We are free falling faster than an Austrian sky diver.

But instead of breaking the sound barrier we are breaking the shite barrier.

[Fin Feds Dad]

cromulence
20 October 2012 9:17PM
Bit of a forgettable game. I thought Fulham would get quite a few after watching the first ten minutes or so. Berba was great and continues to try. Diarra looked good and really pumped when he came on; and as an aside both teams looked better after the managers made their second half changes in response to the previous tedium. Aston Villa - shame your team doesn't match your support.
From a newspaper website

[silhillvilla]

Have to say the away support was amazing yesterday. Confusion in the ground getting beers though, one queue to pay and get a receipt then join another queue to get it poured ?

[Tom_Mc9?]

We're very poor. Don't create enough chances and Benteke looks very raw (or very poor, depending on the harshness of your terminology) - should have scored that - another sitter missed. We just don't create enough chances. Lambert was wrong today - we did deserve to lose. One positive - I think Delph is beginning to look good in midfield.

[CT]

Whoever said that was as bad as anything TSM served up needs their head examined!

You could clearly see what we trying to do and what PL is drilling on the training field - for me, the problem stems from the two fullbacks who whenever they get forward either cut inside or go backwards.

The final third is the problem - we had no cutting edge at all, no service, no nothing.

I honestly didn't think we deserved to lose.

If our team matched the level of support we'd clearly be in the CL by now - yesterday was incredible, again.

Apologies if this has been mentioned before but we were in the back row of P6 and there were some nasty moments about 7/8 rows down in both halves. Seemed pretty bad, it looked like punches were being thrown and there was a yound lad in it too. An eternity later one steward turned up - shambolic.

[eastie]

Whoever said that was as bad as anything TSM served up needs their head examined!

You could clearly see what we trying to do and what PL is drilling on the training field - for me, the problem stems from the two fullbacks who whenever they get forward either cut inside or go backwards.

The final third is the problem - we had no cutting edge at all, no service, no nothing.

I honestly didn't think we deserved to lose.

If our team matched the level of support we'd clearly be in the CL by now - yesterday was incredible, again.

Apologies if this has been mentioned before but we were in the back row of P6 and there were some nasty moments about 7/8 rows down in both halves. Seemed pretty bad, it looked like punches were being thrown and there was a yound lad in it too. An eternity later one steward turned up - shambolic.

On comparison with the same game last season we were no better yesterday , we deserved and got nothing from this game whereas last season we deserved the point we got at the cottage.

For me it's not the full backs that worry me but the ineptness of our midfield.

[Ron Manager]

We're very poor. Don't create enough chances and Benteke looks very raw (or very poor, depending on the harshness of your terminology) - should have scored that - another sitter missed. We just don't create enough chances. Lambert was wrong today - we did deserve to lose. One positive - I think Delph is beginning to look good in midfield.

I beg to differ. Delph (who I like) was as awful as the rest of the midfield. Watching the game again this morning Benteke should have put that away with ease. thats four ridicously easy chances he has missed for us and a World class miss for Belgium but you get the feeling Lambert has bought a good un and he will get it right. But do we have the time?

The problem is that the midfield (all of them) are not physically strong enough for the top flight. We need a huge enforcer hopefully with skill
and Darren Bent needs a strong winger who can beat his defender with speed and whip the ball across fast and hard for Bent to get on the end of. Lambert had Simeon Jackson at Norwich to provide this service for Grant Holt.

The only positives at the moment are Guzan and Nathan Baker. The early season form of Holman and KEA has gone
and although its not the end of October yet we look in considerable trouble.

[Risso]

We're very poor. Don't create enough chances and Benteke looks very raw (or very poor, depending on the harshness of your terminology) - should have scored that - another sitter missed. We just don't create enough chances. Lambert was wrong today - we did deserve to lose. One positive - I think Delph is beginning to look good in midfield.

I beg to differ. Delph (who I like) was as awful as the rest of the midfield.

Delph really is a poor excuse for a footballer.  He's like a less skilful Nigel Reo Coker.

[eastie]

We're very poor. Don't create enough chances and Benteke looks very raw (or very poor, depending on the harshness of your terminology) - should have scored that - another sitter missed. We just don't create enough chances. Lambert was wrong today - we did deserve to lose. One positive - I think Delph is beginning to look good in midfield.

I beg to differ. Delph (who I like) was as awful as the rest of the midfield.

Delph really is a poor excuse for a footballer.  He's like a less skilful Nigel Reo Coker.

Agree with risso, I'm also worried lambert thinks we did fine yesterday and created things, I thought we looked poor.

[JUAN PABLO]

  For me, Gabby flatters to deceive, doesn't hold the ball up, more importantly doesn't look like scoring.You can't play Gabby and Bent together, Benteke, for all his rawness , offers our best opportunities, N'Zog should start.Not sure there is enough creativity in the team when you play KEA,Delph and Holman in midfield.

 Baker looked good.

Thats how I see it. would never have started with Holman after his trips with the Australian team , Nzog would have been fresh. Benteke should have started instead of Gabby , 27 prem games without a goal is awful .    I would still have ireland ( who we seem to concede when hes off the pitch ) Ngoz and Bent to start , but give Bent some service.     I think we even need Dunne for some experience .

[Ads]

Midfield is a big problem. It doesn't create and it doesn't threaten; away from home at least.

[JUAN PABLO]

Just got back. Our players just don't seem good enough, simple as that.  Both our fullbacks are championship quality at best. Our midfield non existent.

I love this football club of our's but if anything sums up our current squad's desire it's Schwarzer coming to collect a rare  "cross" with the nearest Villa player 10 yards away in the 88th minute and a goal down.. Not one of our players could be arsed to challenge him.

If they showed half of the passion of our fans today we would have no worries but as it is we're in the shit for the time being.

that was not  the Villa players fault but  Lichaj who hit that awful cross. I thought he was rubbish the time he was on and will never be a regular in the Prem.

[richard moore]

Baker was one of very very few shining lights yesterday - really threw himself about and made some great interventions to block shots and get crucial tackles in

The big problems are midfield and full back on the basis of what I have seen so far this season. KEA is totally risk averse and seems only able to pass the ball sideways or backwards. That might be ok in a better team but with us, it just delays the inevitable and eventual hoof up the pitch. Holman is like Tigger and gets in to nick the ball on countless occasions but then has no composure. The amount of times he overhit passes yesterday was quite something to see. Delph is so so in my book, Ireland doesn't ever really look as if he is totally committed to the cause and is on a different wavelength to the rest of the team and I don't really know what N'Zogbia is at all. The full backs are young and will learn hopefully and if we stick with them, you sense they could become very good. Like Benteke and a few others. Unfortunately, and as others said, the modern game and football fan (me included) ensures that is a luxury they and we as a club can't afford.