McKenna will learn from this just as he has the whole process so far. I don’t think he will send a team out to be fed to the lions again: Awful watch though. Shame we didn’t leave four first teamers in, we might have given them a game.
January is time to thank Freddie Ladapo and Kayden Jackson for their service and move the pair of them on.
Wasn't an awful performance, it is slightly disappointing as the second string have looked pretty cohesive this season which is itself impressive. Making 11 players with some players playing competitive football for the first time in a while it wasn't surprising to see a bit of rust. Walton looked a little rusty which wasn't surprising but also had good moments. If he was at the level he played last season 2 of those goals possibly wouldn't have happened. I thought the middle 4 looked relatively solid. And Donacien if only he was half decent on the ball as he still looks defensively the best full back at the club, not as much of Fulhams attacking play came down the right hand side which has been a bit of a weakness for us this season. The rest of the team just didn't click, didn't look particularly balanced and didn't show high intensity. It reminded me of some of the more frustrating performances before we hit form earlier last season, passed it for the sake of passing it at the back..no intensity to move it around the pitch and uptop not enough movement so there wasn't as much space for attacking players and they tried to be too intricate which meant the ball just didn't stick. I thought Humphreys and Baggott showed some good moments in the brief time they were on the pitch with Humpreys actually looking half decent at LB
I think that told us a lot about who is likely to continue their journey with Ipswich should we achieve promotion to the PL. We desperately missed some drive in midfield,the way we played out from the back only to have the deep lying CM merely ping it backwards reminded me of the dark days of Skuse! Walton looked extremely rusty and doesn't look anywhere near dislodging Hladky. Positives?I didn't see too much from Fulham that would have troubled our first 11 and it's a shame for such a good turnout that we were denied that although I fully understand KMc rotating the squad given our present League position and priorities.
I didnt watch it but the following positives taken from other respected posts: KM 100% right to rest his League eleven. Baggot & Humphreyes impressed. Minutes in legs for those coming back from injuries. Hard to judge Walton as training fit v different from match fit. Ditto Tuanzebe. Jackson & Ladapo days are numbered. Clarke & Donacien, hit and miss, Clarke better at RB. Aluko still has it for spells, but obv age a factor. Terrific crowd support. Nice cup run but not the priority this season. Roll on Saturday!
A rather sobering performance and defeat, even if we did field a completely second-string side. Fulham dropped eight odd players, but still had Premier League regulars like Pereria starting. Although we beat Wolves earlier this season and gave a good account of ourselves against Burnley last season, we were always going to struggle against a good side like Fulham with that many first team regulars on the bench. I completely understand why McKenna prioritised the league and fielded our reserves. The focus has to be on our league form and the upcoming Saturday-Tuesday cycle over the next couple of weeks. My fear is that Fulham's blueprint (essentially a well-working, up-tempo high press) gets replicated by other Championship teams looking for tips on how to beat us. The Town players on that pitch had no answer to it. The saving grace is that Fulham are a very good team with strong depth, so the likes of Birmingham and Rotherham won't have the talent to pull it off as effectively. Regarding individual player performances - Walton was understandably a bit rusty and definitely tried to do too much for their third goal (shambolic, wandering defending all over). My main concerns involve Clarke's collapse of form this season and Jackson. Clarke was a solid, refreshing addition to the team last year, and played a key role in our turnaround. Against a higher standard of opposition, his occasional complacency and lapses of concentration gets punished much more efficiently. Jackson, who appeared to be our main attacking outlet in the gameplan, is a fast player at a lower league level. Against a Premier League quality defence, his pace is largely cancelled out. Sadly, as we know all too well, it doesn't leave him with much else to his game.
Clarkes form is a worry, particularly his defensive lapses. The difference between his defending in comparison to Donaciens its like chalk and cheese, Donacien is one of the best 1v1 defenders I've ever seen and whilst I'm all for having attacking players given the goals we have conceded this season I'd be happy to stick Donacien in the RB role. Part of me thinks Clarke would be better in the Wes Burns role rather than at RB and instead of the very willing but lack of quality Jackson. Saying this whilst Williams has been impressive in certain aspects he like Clarke has that tendancy to he rash and dive in which you can get away with if you're playing higher up the pitch in terms of risk vs reward but not as a defender. I'm not 100% sold on anyone yet in that RB berth although with Donacien I think you know what you're going to get. A very solid defender who without the ball won't let you down but might give you the jitters with the ball. Fulham looked a very decent well coached team who put out a much stronger lineup (in relation to first teamers) but I don't think I saw anything which worried me in terms of how other teams might play against us. There wasn't the same intensity in our play or drive which some of the first teamers will bring. Anyone in our first team would be a loss but it doesn't overly concern me bringing in the majority of those players. Except for maybe a long term injury to Hurst, I don't think we can overestimate that how he plays provides so much more space and options for the rest of the team and provides us with so much more balance. Ladapo has his strengths but whenever he plays the game looks far more condensed with few options available for passes.
Have to say I agree with hampy, midfield all over the place!! Donacian one of the best 1v1 defenders you have ever seen ptc, are you being serious there?? Walton looked poor but yes maybe it's just ring rust. Donacian ok defending but his passing is piss poor and he takes an age to take a throw in! Tuenzebe was ok I guess but very rusty, at least I hope it's rust and at the moment Wolfy has nothing to worry about. Burgess was one of our better performers, won most things in the air. Clarke, not much I can say other than pathetic defending and positioning. Ball, ineffective!! Taylor, ineffective!! Harness, not one of his better games but he didn't have much to work with. Aluko, some lovely touches and turns, at least he looked like he wanted to get at them, faded in second half. Jackass, totally ineffective and his final ball is diabolical Ladapo, poor man's Hirst, just not good enough!!
I can understand Morsy and Luongo being rested yesterday but I'm sure they'd have made all the difference.
I am assuming you went Al ? How do you feel that we played essentially a second 11? I know the reasoning behind it, but I am sure the ticket prices were not reduced to allow for that fact. I went to more games than I can remember in the 70s & part of the 80s. It was the same starting 11 every game apart from injuries & suspensions. I am sure if we get 3 points at Brum on Saturday it will be fully justified, but it just seems a tad unfair in my opinion.
I was,Redruth and I am pragmatic enough to realise why KMc put out the side he did.We lacked our usual cutting edge and dominance (the latter not exactly surprising given the quality of the opposition). It was not exactly men against boys but demonstrated amply the vast gulf between the PL and lower divisions. Given that we had over 28,000 at PR for a relatively unimportant game I'm sure there many who don't see us play that often who must be wondering what all the fuss is about and how we're doing so well in the League. Individual performances have been analysed above but my biggest take away from that game was- that's why I generally only go to League games.
There was a quarter final place at stake, over 28000 in P R, facing a very strong Premier League side and what does McK do ? He makes 10 changes from the previous games starting eleven including two players who havent played since last season with the predictable result, we were outplayed and outclassed with a pathetic defence and a non existent attack, Walton was left hopelessly exposed for their first goal with Clarke nowhere to be seen and so it went on and we were lucky that they didnt score more. There must be serious questions asked about whether Clarke is a Championship player because he was dreadful as were most of the team seemingly unable to make a simple side foot pass of a few yards to a team mate, Ladapo was equally poor and it seemed only Harness and Taylor were giving everything . Sorry McK but you got this completely wrong as was proven by the way things improved when the subs came on, Hirst and Hutchinson etc, us fans are loyal but there was real anger in the stands last night for fielding such a weak lambs to the slaughter team, Fulham were taking it seriously why didnt we ?
Definitely the best I've seen at Town, I remember someone on here saying how good he was 1v1 a few seasons ago and I hadn't noticed it because I thought he was pants but watching him now I think I can count on one hand the amount of times a winger has gone past him.... whatever he does there I wish he was able to coach Clarke and Williams to do the same.
I understand your concerns FM, but I have to disagree. The League is far too important, especially when we are doing so well and in a very strong position. If we were, like Fulham, in mid-table and nothing to play for, I would go for this minor cup. But as we saw in the last two league games, the players looked jaded. 45 games is a helluva schedule and they need a rest at times. If we lost Broady, Hirst, Morsy or Luongo for weeks, it might upset our season and lose this incredible momentum. And we can all agree on those players that need serious coaching or shown the door!
