Really frustrating so far. We look like a team that has done the summer work and had the key player ripped out. We miss Dembele so much. What is most concerning is the defensive side to our game is woeful. It looks as though we are zonal marking from set plays and West Ham are simply waiting in the spaces. Reither caught napping for the first, Schwarzer's decision making awful for the second, poor awareness for the third. Every time West Ham attack they are queuing up on the edge of the box unmarked. This was the case against United as well. We look good on the ball, passing it around nicely but still too slow in attack. Diarra has been quality but you can tell the midfield 3 are not used to playing together. Feel for Petric, no service at all. Duff has looked lively but disappointed with Roddders' contribuition. One to forget. COYW
I think Hugo and Berba have looked good together, Hugo looked lost until Berba came into the game. That's one positive. This was always going to be a bad week for us, it's been downhill from the Wednesday game on Tuesday, Berba aside. We need to take stock and regroup, we're a good side but we've been stripped of two of our talismen and have had no time to recover. That, coupled with West Ham being really very good today, hasn't been ideal. Bring on next Saturday. COYW
It's been a poor performance but wouldn't read too much into it. Not happy with Richardson as a starter- fine if he is back up, but Kaca/Frei/Mesca should all be ahead of him. The commentators on ESPN America are awful- it's not going to be a great season for us but we're hardly going to get relegated.
One to match write-off forget quickly! At least we didnât concede more in the second half and no red/yellow cards - although a bit more fight would not have gone amiss. There is little to cheer. But Berbatov got 45m, Rodellega eventually had a shot palmed onto the post, but he/Petric didnât get much quality service. As we were expressing yesterday, MJ needs to gel our midfield into something that flows forward more naturally. Let's get over this week and look forward. C O Y W
Ah, I didn't realise that. I don't go with the idea that defeats like this are all that bad going into internationals, most of our players will be playing in said internationals so their minds will be on them. It might actually be a good thing. Agreed on all counts, although Richardson wasn't bad today, Kaca was much better.
Always hard when you lose a goal so early on. Our defence was poor, Richardson gave the ball away too many times and Petric had had no service at all in the first half. We played some good football at times but lacked a cutting edge. Berbatov and Rodellega seemed to link up well in the second half and this must be a positive for the future. Altogether though I agree - one to forget.
Well that was woeful. One of the worst 45 minutes we've played in recent seasons. Second half a lot better but too little too late. Jol got the line-up totally wrong today. Richardson should not have replaced Kaca who has started the season well. Rodallega is just awful and should have been replaced by Berbatov at half time instead of Petric. The main problem was West Ham attacking our left hand side, Riise was overrun and Rodallega/Richardson did nothing to help out. Berbatov looked very good in the second half and will be a great signing for us. Thought Richardson was AWFUL. Caught in possession twice inside the opening five minutes was a sign of things to come. Kaca very good when he came on, linked up with Berbatov well enough but the big man should have started over Rodallega today. Looked fit enough when he came on, so have no idea why he was benched for that waste of space Rodallega. Think Cappy might have been right about him. Anyway onwards and upwards, our away form at West Ham is shocking anyway. Another Goodison.
I think you're being far too harsh on Rodallega Bandy. He was pretty anonymous in the first half but so was Petric. He improved massively with Berba on the field and hit the woodwork, so I think calling him a waste of space is unfair. Richardson was what we expected, really, nothing spectacular. I daresay you've had it in for him from the start so he'd have to score a hat trick so save himself from your wrath.
Berbatov looked good when he came on, linked up well with wingers. I suspect that he may start with Petric in a 4 - 4 - 2. Must not read too into it, but that is 2 games in a row that the oppo has pressed us very high up the pitch and caused us to panic. I hope that other teams do not see how it causes us problems.
http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/september/01/manager-reaction Jol pretty much gets it spot on, I think. Interesting how he says he no longer sees Richardson as a winger, more of a number 10 or a centre mid. I'm quite intrigued to see how he'll be used in the future, but for now I think Kaca needs to start on the left.
No Bidley. I trusted Jol's instinct on Richardson, I don't think he's a bad player, just an unnecessary one. You can't deny he had a very poor game surely? You could see from the first 20 minutes that his time on the pitch was going to be limited. Rodallega was leaving Riise far too isolated on the left hand side and his finishing was well below par. Granted he improved when Berbatov came on but I think that was more down to Berbatov creating space for him.
Go along with that. I also think Bandit has got it spot on in his posts so I'll not repeat his points. Will add a couple of observations though; 1. lack of leadership 2. played as if it was a training match 3. Sidwell An awful important point made by Jol is that the International break actually works against us in that yet again he can't the full squad together to sort things out.
I don't think Richardson had a good game, but I don't think he stuck out as being particularly poor. Rodallega still showed signs he's a decent player, I think he'll improve. I'll add that I don't necessarily disagree with your criticisms, I just think you're being a little over-zealous, is all. C58, am I right in thinking you thought Sidders was alright too? Also, I just realised how little time we get to prepare for the next game, I thought we had longer for some reason. Arse. Well hopefully Ruiz will be back by then. He'll be a massive boost.
I am sure Sidwell will be okay in the long run. I have never been a fan of Rodallega and probably never will be. es he's big and strong but he simply has never scored enough goals for me and I can't see that changing with us, but he could very well prove me wrong and hope he does. Ruiz though, really does worry me. He's never been the player we hoped he would be and he spends an awful lot of time in the company of the medical staff. He may be brilliant but if he is as injury prone as he seems to be we will never know. Personally I wouldn't hold much hope for him ever coming good for us. Average squad player is probably the best we can hope for with him.
Woah woah woah, coming on a bit strong there! Poor bloke doesn't even need to play to get slated! In the two games he's played for us he's looked really good, and this is only his second injury with us, he'll probably be back after the international break. Bit of a knee-jerk, surely.
I think anything said today has to be taken with a pinch of salt Bidley. Disappointing day all round. Dembele's goal compounded my misery.
Yeah, fair point. Dembele's goal made my heart sink (further) too. Add to that another ****ing awful week for Fantasy Football and having to work with a Wet Sham fan
Nope, thought he was poor. Okay, he put in more effort than some and his stats look good (eg 86% pass success; 8 tackles - more than anybody on the park). However, he didn't seem to understand what his job was, when to stay back and when to go forward, or link up play. I'm afraid it's how I've pretty much always seen him - industious but not an intelligent player. Briefly on Hugo. Left wing is not his position as was evidenced when he moved inside when Kaca came on. And he needs to work harder. Taking a leaf out of Bandit's book, I don't want to be controversial but I'm a tad surprised nobody has commented on my first point - "lack of leadership".
