Fulham v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Dribbler]

Guzan – Great save for the Berb header early on, terrible decision for the 1st goal and a few almost costly decisions later on.

Clark/Baker – Solid enough individually but yes collectively we were a mess

Baucuna – being played out of position, and funnily enough constantly out of position – harsh penalty but he shouldn't have been in that position anyway, a defensive liability

Herd – can't understand any criticism aimed at him today, the defence looked at mess at times but he looked solid enough.

Westwood – Good at the simple little things, but his dead balls are just terrible

Delph – Only real creative spark in the midfield, but stupid yellow yet again to rule him out of the next game.

Gabby – Solid but uninspiring display and was never really given the space to run into

Weimann – who?

Benteke – 2 chances he should have taken, difficult chances yes but world class strikers take those, other than that his running and positional sense has been terrible

Lambert – Really needs a plan B and to begin to rectify the glaring deficiencies he has in both his squad and his tactics

Fulham – got their tactics spot on, didn't rush forward and press high, but gave us time and space on the ball in our own half and then sought to catch us on the break and it worked, essentially playing us at our own counter attacking game.

Ref – It was obviously Jasper Carrot in disguise and after a reasonable start he definitely gave some very dodgy decisions.

[richard moore]

Awful, absolutely shit performance. Thank god I couldn't go for all sorts of reasons, I would be even more seething than I am already. Sort of performance that makes me feel like not bothering any more. The referee was nearly as shit as Bacuna and Weimann and that's saying something. Not that the ref was to blame and not that Bacuna or Weimann were much shittier than the rest of that shower on show. Our summer signings are looking like a complete waste of money. Anyone know where we can buy a midfield?

[N'Zimidy]

Benteke has turned into Darren Bent.

He's lost all ability to pick up the ball and link play.

[Ron Manager]

I quite enjoyed the first half even when we conceeded twice. The second half we were very poor. The midfield ,if Delph is not on his top form(and since his illness he isnt) is far too lightweight.

Benteke is struggling in terms of confidence and Weimann should not be in the first team squad.

Lambert has a lot work to do in the next few months.

[richard moore]

If we're so shite, it must be painful supporting the ten teams below us in the league.

You're right I'm sure because it's f*****g painful supporting us and sometimes even an embarrassment

[Ross]

Dortmund we certainly aren't. More like Big Sam's Bolton.

No chance.  Big Sam's Bolton were organised and efficient.  Very good at set pieces too.  We are much worse than that.  The absolute garbage we produce at defending or attacking set pieces really worries me and is telling of bigger problems.

[Villafirst]

Let's face it, we were awful last week against Sunderland and got lucky in midweek against Southampton. The club is going backwards under Lambert - we look worse than last season! What has happened to Benteke and Weimann?

[richard moore]

Benteke has turned into Darren Bent.

He's lost all ability to pick up the ball and link play.

He is world class though in throwing his arms up in exasperation all the time. Whilst I think he's got it and it's just a matter of fitness and confidence and playing with shit players, you could be forgiven for thinking he is a one season wonder. We'd be saying it about another team's player in a similar situation I suspect

[jeowje]

Read the first few comments, many people seem to feel it was a worse performance than i did. Thought we played better than at Southampton to be honest. We didnt have the luck today, i always felt we were probably due a defeat away, Fulham were due a win. Cant be arsed to be too down, was encoraged by some better passing of the ball and didnt think the defence was too bad either considering the loss of Vlaar.
Most disappointed with losing Delph next week to be quite truthful.

[DB]

It's also worth pointing out we have a number of injuries, second highest in the Prem I think (?)

[PeterWithesShin]

47% possession according to the Beeb. That's where we went wrong, we had too much of the ball.

[richard moore]

It's also worth pointing out we have a number of injuries, second highest in the Prem I think (?)

All those great players waiting to come back into the team...I can see a late run to the Champions League if we get everyone fit

[nick harper]

I can't think of anything Weimann did in the game at all and he's been like that for most of the season. How does he come straight back into the side and Lowton remain left out for a player playing out of position? 

Lambert is a real puzzle at times.

[django]

Really poor as we have been most of the season in truth. Gabby, Herd, Guzan, Delph, Clark, Baker can come out of that with some credit, not much for anyone else.

I'm very disappointed with our work ethic off the ball, when we are in possession and out of it. It's dwindled away from our first games of the season and just makes it too easy for the opposition to play, even when that team is lacking confidence. We need some more experience and creativity in the midfield, how long have we been saying it? It makes losing games like today so much more frustrating when the remedy has been so apparent for so long.

[Ross]

It's also worth pointing out we have a number of injuries, second highest in the Prem I think (?)

Yet a concious policy of the manager/club to keep a very small squad of players leaves us horribly exposed, something many many people commented on in August.