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

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.

 

Back 4 next week, please

Mukiele - Ballard - Alderete - Reinildo​

 

Agree. I thought we missed Alderete moving it forward. I thought Hume was injured a few minutes before the goal. We almost got away with a point on a bad day.

 

worth a go with that 442 shape were very familiar with

le fee with the striker and talbi or adingra rig he

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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

 

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.

 

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