PTF Sorry mate but JRod isn't in the same league (at the moment) as Rickie at holding the ball up and making use of it. Rickie didnt look knackered when the close up of his disappointed expression was shown on TV
I never said he was! The point is that Adkins wanted someone to defend from the front and close down Fulham, Guly and Rodriguez are much better at that than Lambert, even if he is fully fit. Indeed, understandable to take off a striker after they miss three good chances. But Lambert is untouchable it seems.
Exactly, J-Rod is a million miles off being a premier league standard striker. Lambert played 2 games a week for the past 10 years, so to suggest he is so tired that he required substituting after 65 minutes is stupid. He is our best player, our best goal scorer and our best creator, he should never be taken off unless injured.
Fair play to Nigel for starting with a different formation and using Lambert and Rodriguez together. We definitely had the better of the first half, but the game got scrappy when Fulham hit the post, Gazza made a great save and we stopped attacking. A few things went against us today - losing Clyne and Ramirez (both huge players for us), then Frazer's injury, having to move Maya out who did ok but is not going to attack too much, and not being able to make a third sub in the second half. Then they got a goal that Riise seemed to have forever to line up. From there it was hold on time, and in the Premier League if you give possession and space to the opposition you are going to concede goals. I thought we were going to hold on to a 1-1 draw though, but alas, they found space down the left (not Fox's fault) and what I thought was the winner, to be fair via a pretty major deflection again. But we ended up with a unlikely but probably deserved point. It's disappointing not to hold on to a win but Fulham are not relegation fodder, it was still a result I was happy with, and plenty of positives to take away. Two weeks off now, and if we can get a fully fit team together to take to West Ham, I would definitely back us.
Yeah was joking really mate, just made me laugh that you defended the ref by pointing out a couple more of his mistakes! Should of stuck an "ironic smiley" in there or something (if such a thing exists!!) You'll have to forgive me, I'm a rank novice at this forum business! Totally agree btw, Ref could've been alot worse for us.
A million miles off? Based on what? One game as a striker? All right then. Yeah he shouldn't need to be taken off but how many games has he completed this season? Maybe he's having to work harder this season? Can you think of a reason why that might be? What's stupid is to make a blanket assertion that he should never be withdrawn, no matter how badly he's playing or how tired he looks.
Lambert had an off day, for me the decision was correct to substitute him. He may be the talisman but the chances that were presented to him he should've taken them. Guly did more than what I expected from him, so I can't really put any blame on to him. It just so happened the goal we conceded was right after Rickie had gone off. I've moved on from the disappointment of not taking 3 points, a point from a losing position is a good one and it could be crucial for us at the end of the season!
Great, there is a 2 week break. Good timing really, get the squad all fit. I quite fancy going to West Ham game. My man of the match today was Morgan (despite Fonte playing well and scoring 2) he looked very 'premier' in his ability, always looking to break the play up.
Good point in the end. Really missed clyne and Ramirez but we did create some good chances, gazza had another very good game and is being let down by his defence quite often denying him a clean sheet. A lot of people give fox a lot of stick but countless times today lallban just left him in a two on one situation which he couldn't deal with. Guly needs to prove himself and win yhe fans back and he did well today. MOTM steve Davis, combative display andsome nice touches and as much as I love Lallana he's not captain materail, not reapply a leader and I think that Davis should be captain.
Be realistic, he doesn't even get into good positions let alone look like scoring. You cant tell me that based on the 10 games he has played for us, you think he is worth £6 million?. im not sayng he is a bad player, but he is, as i said, a million miles off a premier league striker i.e Lambert.
Just got home and naturally disapointed, I would have taken the draw before the game, but the manner of it was a real teaser, had we buried those chances in the first half it wouldn't have been a contest, one goal was never going to be enough, especially with side being so badly out of shape through the injury to Frazer. Hoovers booking was a farcical decision and may have affected the way he approached the game after, Spider is a lucky boy not to have picked up a red, the subs made were puzzling to say the least and we will all have our own views about them, maybe NA will explain his reasoning. It is a bit unlucky to have two major players missing but I guess we should be thankful Berbatov was missing too. Can't see much point in slagging individuals off, but I did think Lala went missing around the time they scored, once again stranding Foxy with two people to mark, something that needs addressing. At least we didn't lay down and die and could even have won it at the death had ball dropped kindly, but it was not to be. Astonishing to think we could have climbed to 14th if we had won, with Villa losing and Liverpool only drawing, a attack of vertigo methinks. Majorly disappointing was the mass exodus after Fulhams second, that is disgraceful behaviour and we deserve all stick we get from the Blue Phew for that, and of course they missed the best bit! Serves them right, if you believe don't come back, only 28,004 is a poor return for a game that few have an excuse for not going to see. Sky, I guess take the blame for that?
Really disappointed at all those fans leaving after Fulham`s second. Just when the team needs them most, they`re off.
We looked better against ManU and City, though with obvious defensive problems. Today I think the nerves were setting in...the team were full of confidence at beginning of season, but now realise that what they are good at isn't good enough. This point from a late goal is massive...the team looked disappointed but i'm sure they will realise that the important thing was breaking the losing pattern. In our last 4 games, including 3 league matches, we have won 2, lost 1 and drawn one.
Rodriguez will be fine; he's had the bad fortune to be brought in as competition for (and an eventual replacement of) Lambert in the central role of the 4-3-3, only for Lambert to yet again prove invaluable despite the step up. He will get his shot to play centrally on a regular basis, and I suspect he'll be effective, if not otherworldly.
Quick question: what the hell is Jos - or any Southampton defender - doing anywhere near your fantasy football squad??
Nobody deliberately booed Guly and when he came on he did what he had to do well enough, can't blame him or Foxy for this one, the problems lay elsewhere this time.
