Match Day Thread Fulham FC v Sunderland AFC - Saturday 22nd November 2025 - KO 15:00

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Your Prediction:

  • Total voters
    86
  • Poll closed .
rowley said:
They were good, ( they ARE good mind) we were a bit off it. Maybe a bit of tiredness.


One thing which might have been mentioned was that the ref gave them a free kick every time one of them went to ground. And they seemed to know this and kept going there. Some were fouls, some were not, but they got the decision almost every time .

We got nothing like the same treatment from the ref.

But a tight game lost. We've won and drawn a few of them.
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Agree with all of that. On the ref, it seemed like a switch went off in his head depending on if we had the ball or Fulham did. When we had the ball, he would apply the new guidelines where more contact is allowed and not every contact is a foul. When Fulham had it, it reverted to last year's where every touch against their players falling down is a foul.

It has been refreshing to get the rub of the green from refs as a promoted side but yesterday felt like a step back to X are the established PL side so I'll favour them.
 
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LD19SAFC said:
Back 4 next week, please

Mukiele - Ballard - Alderete - Reinildo​
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Yep, it’s a pity Alderete didn’t get any game time with Paraguay as I think he might have played yesterday.
I’ve not been convinced that Hume and Mukiele have quite got that right side sorted, even more so when Mukiele is also taking long throws both sides of the pitch. Not so much yesterday but with an eye on January it certainly seems that we aren’t convinced in the currently available options in the absence of Diarra.
Hope we can get a good week under our belts and are right at it from the off against Bournemouth ahead of a tough December fixture list.
 
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Still twke 17th, just keep thr gap to Leeds and Burnley. We need to improve with the ball, everyone just seemed off it yesterday. Could barely string anything, think we could do with another midfield option in January.
 
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Ayrton said:
Still twke 17th, just keep thr gap to Leeds and Burnley. We need to improve with the ball, everyone just seemed off it yesterday. Could barely string anything, think we could do with another midfield option in January.
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Agree with this. RLB clearly doesn't fancy Neil to play and he will probably be moved on in January. ELF is rarely used in midfield, so that just leaves Xhaka, Sadiki, Riggy and Diarra as our midfield choices and the latter has been injured for most of the campaign.

Arguably, Geertrujida could play there, but I'd prefer square plugs in square holes.

I think Aldarete should be back in next week. The balance looks much better with him in there alongside either Ballard or Mukiele (or both when we're playing the top teams). I don't think we should be playing 5 at the back against the 'lesser teams'. Maybe that's because RLB doesn't like the midfield options without Diarra, which further strengthens the argument for a new signing in there.
 
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I’d be happy to see Gertrude at the base of a midfield 3, with Alderete back in as LCB alongside Ballard.

Nordic looked ****ed yesterday , Zhaka and Sadiki also clearly ran out of steam last 10 mins of that game. We’re gonna have to rotate the midfield 3 anyway as Xhaka and Sadiki are gonna get another yellow before the cut off.

the winger they brought in yesterday changed the game . His cross in was superb. Hit it early and right in that nasty spot between goalie and centre backs . That is exactly what we are missing out wide.

I thought Traore was our best outlet and surprised he was subbed first. Talbi is much more effective on the left that the right.
 
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ab65 said:
Yep, it’s a pity Alderete didn’t get any game time with Paraguay as I think he might have played yesterday.
I’ve not been convinced that Hume and Mukiele have quite got that right side sorted, even more so when Mukiele is also taking long throws both sides of the pitch. Not so much yesterday but with an eye on January it certainly seems that we aren’t convinced in the currently available options in the absence of Diarra.
Hope we can get a good week under our belts and are right at it from the off against Bournemouth ahead of a tough December fixture list.
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Thank god we can rotate the squad at the back and upfront it's the midfield I'm concerned with.
Xhaka gets injured /suspended who replaces him
Sidicki gets injured / suspended who replaces him.
God knows what we'll do if both are out
Neil is untested
Rigg is he capable these are the unknowns
 
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BishopSAFC said:
Thank god we can rotate the squad at the back and upfront it's the midfield I'm concerned with.
Xhaka gets injured /suspended who replaces him
Sidicki gets injured / suspended who replaces him.
God knows what we'll do if both are out
Neil is untested
Rigg is he capable these are the unknowns
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Yep, I've not worded my post very well, I was meaning midfield options in terms of Diarra being missing.

It's also crucial that we get our wide options firing, looking forward to having Mundle available again soon, also its very clear that Talbi is much more effective from the left hand side. Traore does work hard but doesn't have the turn of pace to trouble defenders at this level, he has gotten into some very good positions coming into the box but his finishing has been poor so far.
 
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Spot on but I think what Traore gives is his tracking back to help Hume also he is good at winning headers.
You are right his finishing is none existent.
Adingra is good at going forward but he is not good at tracking back
 
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smithy in nl said:
Geertruida is mainly a defender is he not? Why so many people asking him to play midfield? Don't get it.
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Think hes predominantly a right back but has played centre half or defensive midfielder in his career, just a versatile player. I thought it would've been a good and easy option to push him in to midfield and go 4 at the back to strengthen midfield and not make any subs, especially 1st half when we were wide open.
 
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Just a bad day at the office. Hopefully some lessons learnt and we push on next week.

Mundle, Alderete and Diana coming back will give some fresh option.
 
Last edited:
Bank of England 2 said:
Agree with this. RLB clearly doesn't fancy Neil to play and he will probably be moved on in January. ELF is rarely used in midfield, so that just leaves Xhaka, Sadiki, Riggy and Diarra as our midfield choices and the latter has been injured for most of the campaign.

Arguably, Geertrujida could play there, but I'd prefer square plugs in square holes.

I think Aldarete should be back in next week. The balance looks much better with him in there alongside either Ballard or Mukiele (or both when we're playing the top teams). I don't think we should be playing 5 at the back against the 'lesser teams'. Maybe that's because RLB doesn't like the midfield options without Diarra, which further strengthens the argument for a new signing in there.
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It has proven to be frustrating for me watching Neil warm the bench. If Regis doesnt see him able to play away at Fulham I am not sure there is any where he sees him fit to play. That said he has hinted he will play him durinh Afcon. Not sure how much we learn about him in a depleted side, compared if he got 30 mins yesterday.

I am not sure how easy it is for Neil to leave in Jan. He is a free in the summer and that brings with it significant financial reward. I doubt the club give him a free, and I doubt Neil signs for anyone offering a couple of million quid. As someone who thinks footballers should hate being on the bench it is hard to watch a talented local lad sit and waste a year of his career.

Regis seems to be quite set in his ways on the types of players he wants. I think picking that side yesterday was too cautious and his subs predictable. I hope he can learn quickly game to game because we have had a brilliant start authored by him but he is against elite coaches who will work out counter tactics very quickly. He has worked miracles so far, and has my faith, just an observation that coaches need to keep refinining and adapting so as not to be predictable.
 
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