Apart from Sparks getting correct score and the price of a few pints should I be surprised at the lack of comment on here? Draw probably fair. Pity about Moore's error. Memories of Brentford away. For me generally okay with no stand outs apart from Pilks first half. Malone did okay too. Either team could have won it. At least we didn't lose. A gripe - the arse hole close to me who thought he was auditioning for a place in the coachs' seats, calling loudly every player's move even when on the opposite side of the pitch. Worse still using foul and abusive language at every opportunity regardless of the women and children around. Like the famous film director in a David Niven book he would probably say "You think I know f*** nothing, I tell you I know f*** all". I hope he had a ticket for today only as I won't be able to put up with his uneducated drivel all season. We can all swear from time to time but not all the time. There are some other guys who have sat near by since we moved to CCS. They swear occasionally but often with humour. The prat I am talking about was clearly running in half a brain cell for an idiot. Rant over and on to QPR next week.
good start to the season imo although Fulham's goal was lucky to say the least. My only real gripe is the amount of chances we squandered from crosses (by Pilkington who was my man of the match causing havoc with their right back) especially Joe Mason who really needs to get his shooting boots on. Other than that i thought we played well passing the ball around nicely with good runs from the wingers and good cover play from Dikgacoi Overall coming out of the game quietly optimistic for the season ahead
After 15 mins of listening on the radio and hearing about a player seeing quite a bit of the ball I realised the commentators were talking about our no 15. Didn't know who DIG-ASH-WE was. Apparently DIG-ASH-WE is the rejuvenated player we had last year called DICK-A-CHOY. Still seems to be spelt Dikgacoi though.
Dyslexia rules. KO. For me Mason is too lightweight and not quick enough. I had always thought that but hoped 2 seasons on loan might have made some difference. However he and Revell seemed to link well first half. Something we've not had since Bothroyd and Chopra. Trouble is they don't have the goals in them of the latter two. I'm not advocating KWJ though as we will then revert to lumping the ball up in the air.
Better entertainment all round than last seasons's drab displays but still plenty of concerns namely: 1. Lack of pace and creativity in central midfield 2. Whittingham was a passenger 3. Revell is out of his depth 4. Mason is not a clinical striker 5. Moore is a liability 6. Peltier has no pace going forward 7. Morrison is calamitous 8. Connelly needs to stop thinking he is Bobby Moore on the ball City evidenced they will be mid table on this performance with this squad. A decent striker, a quick right full back, and a pacier and more creative central midfield may change that.
At least you got a point boys!.......we were welcomed to the "big boys" league with a resounding thump!
I agree that Whits really let the game pass him by. I don't think revel and mason have enough goals in them as a partnership. I can see mason getting 15 odd and revel just about scrapping double figures. We'll need better than that. I don't mind the more defensive Peltier balancing Malone on the left. I thought pilks, ralls and Dika all showed promise. The possession stats are a huge improvement on last season. Moore's massive mistake should have us seriously considering our bargaining position with Brom. If we sell we go from having one of the best keepers in the division to one of the worst. We can't afford that. Funny how people see games differently as I can't agree with your assessment of Morrison and we're desperate for centre backs like Connolly who are willing to try to play football. The overall benefit in ball retention over a season will far outweigh getting caught once or twice. Whilst making us a much better side to watch in the process.
I said on another thread I thought that apart from Moore's howler, the back 5 played pretty well. Unfortunately there's a mistake in all of them and it was Moore's turn to gaffe on Saturday. We've seen Manga, Turner, Fabio and Declan make some bad decisions in the past, so Saturday's defensive performance was better than average - except for their goal. The problem hasn't shifted from last season - it's clearly midfield that holds the key. Slow and immobile, it will cost us dropped points along the way. Slade must change the system to get the best out of what he's got available and that means ditching two up front. Interestingly enough, Marco Bielsa who we were tenuously linked with when Malky got the boot has just left Marseille. I don't think for a minute he's a candidate for us but he's a guy with a system that we could use. He plays a 3-3-3-1 set up that's fluid in defence and attack. At best it gives you 6 or 7 players covering defensively when you haven't got the ball, and the same number going forward when you have. We're stuck in the dark ages with Slade and whilst we have a guy like that who fails to adapt and refuses to think outside the box we'll be mid table candidates at best. Sure, we'll win some games along the way and he'll see each as vindication of his "master plan", but in reality we're fodder for the better teams in this division. Fulham were distinctly average but could easily have won that game - another time people won't be a quick to blame Moore's gaffe as the reason we dropped two points.
There we have it. Yes there are other problem areas but this one is the main one. How many times did Pringle just get stuck in? Pity Quinn chose not to join us as he is the sort of 'in your face' midfielder who whilst limited in quality, would have been ideal. Tucker today in WM advocates that enough is enough now for Whittingham, with Ralls to take a central midfield berth. Ralls is wasted out wide. Kennedy or Noone have to start to inject some pace. Ralls to use his pace and energy to buzz around and move forward and shoot/pass. Dikajchoi to sit. Yes the back 5 was relatively solid but they didn't have much to do and on several occasions, the passing out was appalling. Better teams will find them out. Yes we could have won, and on chances should have won. I think Pilkington's goal should have stood - he did not touch the ball (unlike Edwards for Wolves). Mason missed one sitter, forced 2/3 good saves and Fulham's goal was a freak. I reiterate this was mid table fare; City will win some, lose some and draw some. But I fear that we won't pick up many points this month.
Unbelievable playing Ralls out wide when we've got Noone, Kennedy & Ameobi available. Unless we play 5 accross midfield Dickachoi sitting....whitts & Ralls in the centre....Pilks left & one of the above three right then I fear it will be a long season. I know this has been said a thousand times on here, but why does everyone apart from RS realise this.
I watched the Brighton Forrest game and "mid table fare" you could be talking about the same game. There was F all between the sides. A quick scan down the Championship results showed a division perhaps more evenly matched than ever. I was talking to my Wife on the way out trying to work out where Fulham might stand this season. We concluded it was way too early to draw any sort of conclusions about the potential of any side. Imo if we can start averaging around 57% possession at home we take more points than we drop. I agree about the centre of midfield. I also agree with Tucker that Ralls looks ready to take Whitts position. The real nail in the coffin for Whits could be Pilks taking the set plays. It's been Whits USP for a couple of seasons with us far too reliant on the goals that come from his dead ball deliveries. If Pilks can take that on whilst actually producing for the side in open play then Whits days as an ever present look seriously numbered from where I'm sitting. I said whilst I was kicking off last season that all I wanted to see in the short term was a hard working side that wanted to play football and try to keep the ball. That seems to be the plan, I'll accept that for the time being. I still think we have enough in the squad to compete at the right end of the division, whilst acknowledging I do not have a clue which 3 current Championship sides will be PL football sides in May. Ultimately I enjoyed Saturday, it was a relatively entertaining 2nd half between 2 evenly matched sides. We shaded it on chances but I couldn't argue with the result with a draw about right.
With respect, this isn't about the potential of sides, it's as much about the potential management of them. I'm convinced that within the 30 odd players in the squad, there is sufficient talent to challenge for at least a playoff spot, but not under the present leadership.
Rule change for this season, if you attempt to play the ball you are offside whether you make contact or not. We can thank the high profile arguments surrounding Costa and Rojo's involvement whilst not touching the ball in goals last season for that one being chalked off. In truth whilst it hurt us Saturday the new rule is correct imo.
He wasn't offside though. The keeper and the full back on the bye line, by passed by the cross, were playing him on side. I thought it was disallowed for handball but can't see that in the highlights shown on WoL - see Nathan Blake's comments 1 minute 20 secs into the video clip. In my humble opinion the goal should have stood. Pilks raised his hand but didn't touch it. The goal was Revell's, Pilks ducked under it. Fulham were appealing for offside, handball, foul, the start of World War 3 and anything else they could think of but they and the officials got it wrong. That lino in particular must be cross eyed as he gave 2 offside decisions against us that were clearly wrong. Should I be going to Specsavers?
Sorry Blue, I thought it was disallowed for offside. Haven't watched it back in any detail since as it doesn't really make any difference now..... I stand corrected if it was supposedly handball as contact is obviously essential for that to be the case! Edit: Just watched the highlights again and the defender and Pilks swap positions as Revel heads the ball. It could have been offside, it was certainly very close. Can't work out from highlights what decision was made.
