Watching the game on Sky and not enjoying it a bit. There's no flow, no passing, no skill on the part of Stoke, aside from Jermaine Pennant. Any time Fulham got moving, one of the Stoke hacks would bring the player down. Any time one of the Stoke players was brushed by a Fulham player, they fell like a old log. I feel for Stoke fans, having to watch displays like this week in and week out. Atkinson had a very poor game as ref and never seemed to have control. I'll be happy to forget about this one.
Unlike Vaj (in the other thread) I can only go on match reports and the few MOTD minutes. Vaj - I don't exactly offer condolences; my feelings are stronger than a mere courtesy. With Woy and Hughes our away results were miserable but at least you knew what they were trying to do. With Jol I'm at a loss to understand his tactics. It appears that after Dembeley went off injured we hadn't a clue; unable to pass the ball, unable to hold the ball, hoofs to Johnson. In other words back to the disjointed team of the first few games . Purely from the MOTD viewing the 10 seconds of Etuhu that I saw was enough (1st goal). And as for Riise's defending , the least said (2nd goal). Worst of all was Jol's after match comments - droll I can take but with his level of enthusiam is it any wonder that the team were lacklustre?
I'm in the same boat as C58. Didn't see the game but I saw the highlights and... yeah, a performance to forget, from what I gathered. I never expect much when we play away, but we used to look like we had a few ideas. We seemed to look disjointed. Roll on Thursday...
If you want to blame someone, blame Uefa and the break. The team had only 3 days together after the break where I suspect other teams had much longer! Clearly does not make sense to have these breaks. Uefa must fine another way to hold these internationals. If I go a step further as many did on this board, what's the point of those competitions anyway!
I totally agree FFC_M. However, that doesn't excuse bad tactics. After the match Jol said - "If you are hoping to hang on for a 0-0 you have to do your bit for 90 minutes, not 80," said Martin Jol, a disconsolate visiting manager. "Stoke are a hard team to play against and we had silenced them by playing to their style and trying to fight against them." Why, oh why even try to play 'their style' ? Why not our own ? And, why no Plan B when it's obviously not working ? And, where were the new, young players ?
Cottager agree : At this moment I dont think Jol,has a plan B,when we are in difficulties. Its not good winning 1 in 3 or 4 games,that is relegation formula.
It seems to be about consistency. This was the opposite to West Brom where we created lots of chances and restricted them with good defending, but for Stoke there were not many goal scoring opportunities for either side, and the defense switched off for the second goal. I had been hoping that Pennant, Etherington and Walters hadn't recovered from injury. I think these players give Stoke a better midfield. It looked as if it would be a 0-0, till Riise hit the bar then they got that bit of luck at the other end with a mis-hit shot being turned in. But the second was just a static Fulham defense.
Demseys Revenge.. YOU watched the game on Sky fair enough.. I was there and whilst you can say whatever you like about "our style" just answer ONE simple question which EVERY Stoke fan was asking yesterday. Danny Murphy? Berated "our style" last season I'm sure YOU will remember what he said.. Question.. HOW the hell did he manage to stay on that pitch yesterday? YOU saw the game so YOU tell us the Stoke fans why that excuse of a ref didn't send him off. As for luck, you hit the bar wow.. other than Zamora's header first half you created nothing.. We Stoke Should/ Could have been at 2 up at half time so HOW does Mr Jol say it was lucky for Stoke is beyond me! Good luck for the season but you thread seem's more like sour grapes and please tell Mr high and mighty Murphy to keep it shut.. in future.. I think Fulham were the better team first 25 mins or so.. after that you were as some Fulham fans said.. clueless. Even one of your players was claiming offside when Walters scored.. I'm laughing because I read this board BEFORE the game and didn't comment.. Most apart from one Fulham fan were very confident of at least a pt one predicted a 3-1 scoreline in your favour..
I think off the back of a 6-0 win over our close rivals entitles us to a bit of confidence. I'm sure you lot would be the same. I'm seeing very little posts containing said "sour grapes". The general feeling is that we're not good enough, only DR's post criticised Stoke - and even then, he's not making it up... The posts on the other thread are also wary, only C58 predicted we'd win and he gave some sound reasoning. I know you're still a little hurt by Murphy's home truths, but perhaps you should do yourself and the rest of Stoke's fanbase a favour by showing a bit of grace to go with your victory.
Bidley Did you actually read my post.. I said "The thread smacks of sour grapes nothing more imho it does. As for Fulham are not good enough, I don't really care as i support Stoke City. My Main point is that Danny Murphy rightly or wrongly absolutly SLATED not only Stoke but other clubs too... Well, IF you actaully watched that game yesterday I can only repeat what I said on the Stoke board about him. He's a hypercrite because there is no way he should have stayed on that pitch yesterday.. constantly whnging, fouling, even complaining to the ref.. He then fouls Pennant and throws the ball at Ryan Shawcross. Both are bookable offencies.. Hence, he was booked for the foul and promtly subbed by Mr Jol.. So as for home truths.. a little hurt is a bloody understatement after seeing his attitude yesterday, it was a disgrace ask any Stoke fan they will tell you exactly the same. AS for being graceful in victory, sure I will and I wish you luck this season. Just tell Danny Murphy to stick his comments where the sun doesn't shine. It seem's ironic that not one Fulham fan has even mentioned this re Danny Murphy? The Stoke board has of course. WE know we're not angels but neither is Mr Murphy. Good luck, and good night!
Pottermouth 328 For a start Murphy was booked for dissent and Upson was booked for the foul on him, Fulham got the free-kick, remember the one Riise hit the cross-bar with. The word is that your manager targets players for your so called Bully Boy tactics, two seasons ago we lost Zamora, Johnson and Dempsey to long injuries in a 3-1 defeat after playing Stoke, last season in the League cup we lost Dembele to a long term injury. On saturday Dempsey and Murphy were targeted and Dembele went off injured in the first half. So you can see why Stoke have a reputation with a lot of clubs for using malicious tactics and it will be hard to convince us that you are now a footballing side.
Fair point, Pottermouth 328 Your team took the points. There's no secret the kind of game Stoke, Wolves and Blackburn play, but we still didn't overcome your tactics and it's our failing. Shame on us for not doing better. And there were plenty of fouls on both sides. I just see the tactics employed by Stoke as very cynical. Your players foul, foul, foul, but if a Fulham player even touched one of your players, they hit the ground like a bomb was going off with the hope of getting a free kick. If our players were smarter, they'd have dove for the ground every time they were touched by a Stoke player, but they didn't. Shame on us for playing honest football. Wolves, Stoke and Blackburn (at least last year) seemed to go out their way to injure players (as described above). That's just not right.
Afternoon Guys.. Thanks for the response and and fair enough re the comment about Dembele.. Wilko should have walked and he didn't. I said at the time that was a red card so.. point taken. As for our bully boy tactics? that's your view and pretty much sums up HOW many fans see it. We're used to those kind of comments for the last 3 seasons since we were promoted. My only problem is really with Danny Murphy ALL the Stoke fans who post on here can not be wrong surly? He constantly fouled, ranted at the ref before being booked. For that I blame Mr Atkinson he was useless as one Fulham fan has said above. Of course we we're upset when he went public and slated us.. maybe it was deserved. But, Danny Murphy needs to curb his aggression as he was taken off just after being booked. That say's it all he wasn't injured or was he? Mr Jol didn't complain about bully boy tactics. He said, you defended well for 80 mins and you did. BOTH teams played hard but mostly fair football and you outplayed us for the first half hour or so. My gripe, is and always will be with Mr Murphy not Fulham F.C. nor you the fans. So... I wish you all the best for the season and of course, the Europa Cup
We just didn't turn up. Think the break with so many players travelling killed us. As for Murphy he is right some times. There are certain players that are out there with a lot to answer. Fair play to Stoke they had the chances and took them.
As I have said before,I try and go to at least half a dozen away games each season,and that excludes the London matches, to say I get frustrated,is putting it mildly,we tend to be watching 2 different teams, one plays at home and although generally the same players,there is no comparison in their commitment to give either the few travelling fans, or their club, premiership value. Jol when under the cosh,does not seem to have any alternative plan from the one he starts with,and my address to any players who may read my and other fans comments, "stop taking the piss when playing away matches",lets face it the matches we have lost are not exactly against top notch teams (heaven help us when we do)
Largely agree with valjing, this year I feel like we have more of a squad than merely a 1st XI than I can remember for a while, yet as Valjing says Jol seems to sometimes forget he has any other options to choose from when things aren't working. In the 2 away games I've been to this season (west brom and stoke) I felt both times that introducing briggs would make a difference as he is one of a very few players in the side with some serious pace and someone who would work the opposition. Too often riise doesn't get out his own half. The main thing I took to about Hughes last year was the way we really gave it a go in away games, not only winning 3 which is good for us, but coming from behind on a number of occassions to nick a draw (e.g wigan, wolves, villa) and we never really got rolled over, rarely losing by more than the odd goal. Jol has to find a way replicating this otherwise our small away followings are only gonna get smaller. Away games are obviously expensive for fans and we need to be getting more for our money than 1 goal in 4 games so far against all mid-table sides or relegation candidates who at home we would be expected to beat.
Good to see the thread getting back to Jol's tactics, or lack of them. The only point I'd add to my previous posts is that if Jol was going for 0-0 (as he appears to be claiming post match), he played the wrong team or gave them the wrong instructions.
Yes, you said the thread smacks of sour grapes, I pointed out that it clearly didn't, that most of us were saying that our club wasn't good enough - that, in case you'd missed it, doesn't constitute as sour grapes. Does that clear that up for you or do you need me to explain it a bit slower for you?
Quite agree Robespierre FFC, the cost to me travelling to away games outside London is around about £100 per game, and what do we get from these million & multimillion pound wage earners,sweet FA. In all the away games I have watched, there has been no commitment or enthusiasm,I have already penciled in Man U,and thats my lot as far as away games go. While I am struggling back from some far flung corner of the country our effortless first 11 bunch are probably entertaining their accountants in their Kingswood mansions,or planning extensions to contracts at even more inflated rates. (rant over)
