Watford v. FULHAM [R]

The backline was so sloppy! And they showed no creativity in the first half! Once McBride came in the energy of the game changed so much. Him and Helguson have to start the rest of the season. John wasn't working well with Helguson at all. But that last second goal by Watford...... amazing. He had two defenders right there and another one on him and he got it by Niemi for the goal. But when Marlon King scored..... don't get me started!

 

Routledge didn't start because he would have been kicked of the park after 5 minutes. The real question is why did McBride start on the bench. He has the power to worry most teams, espacially this mob. Anyhow after 46 minutes i'ld have taken 3-3.

 

I am at work, so had to follow via FFC site. Give me lowdown, as I will watch the replay later, who is responsible in the back?

 

HI FFCinPCB.

The first was a well worked move, credit to watford. The second took 14 seconds from kick off. Voltz gave the ball away an Piece was not close to his man who spun of the back to score from a good ball across the 6 yard box.

Fulham hit back with a top strike from Mc B while our second was panic stations on the watford defence from a long ball. The Francis scored a corker of an own goal, but HH harried him. Then Young scored a good goal to equalise, again Knight should have closed him down before he got the strike in.

Really all 6 goald were defensive errors.

Stu

 

I agree. Of all the pairings up front, McBride and Helguson just seem to work really well together.

 

Thanks GBFC. Obviously this match will be entertaining tonight, even though I already know the score. Sounds like the defense was not up to our expectations of them for this season (which is a compliment to the job they have been doing so far).

Hats off to the subs for making things happen!! A tie seemed far from a possibility at 46 minutes.

 

Coleman prises spirits and claims lads were fantasitc. Said it could have been six six. Still at least he made 3 good subs in the second half.

Next match home to Charlton on the 16th. We will win that. They have been shocking this season. Another Live Monday night, another couple of bottles of wine to cope with it.

Goodnight all, wherever you are.

 

Okay, now that I've calmed down, although it's tough to accept not taking all three points, and these are the type of teams that Fulham SHOULD beat, on the bright side, it IS another point on the road.

Looking at the big picture, if you had offered, before the season, 4 points from 4 away, I'd have taken it. Win at home, draw on the road.

 

i agree w/ the one and only Gary B...all defensive mistakes....but QUALITY finishing...as they say " punished their mistakes" but besides that i was impressed with the fight of the boys, I knew they had it in them, but seemed to be a night that the magic wasnt goin to be there...and while it wasnt all the way there, it was some great stuff to see....lets turn that type of match into a full 90 and get the positive 3 point results we deserve...COYW


also, how quick is wayne routledge....WOW did he impress me and his attitude is one that you love him being on your team.....makes you pinch yourself and wonder what it would be like w/ Jimmy out there....but also gives you a bit of excitment of what this team will do (albeit make every game into a stress test!!!)

 

I'm a bit late as I missed the live showing and caught the replay on FSC. Loved how Fulham came back from a 2-0 deficit to lead 3-2 at one point. Hated how defensive mistakes turned what should have been a win into a tie.
1 point is much better than 0; but I'd rather have Fulham get 3.

I like how well Helgeuson and McBride played together, maybe they should be the starting 2 forwards?

Hopefully, Coleman addresses the defense in the next few sets of practices. COYW.

 

Great effort and comeback for Fulham today. I just got to watch the recording and as many of you likely were, I was a whirlwind of emotions for 90 minutes. From pissed off with the opening goal to completely gutted at the start of the second half to the joys and jubilations of the three goals and the lead and then back down to Earth after Watford scored the equaliser late on.

I will say this, Coleman got it all wrong in the first half. He played defensively to get a draw. I understand there are a number of injuries, but you do not play an out-of-position defender at left wing when you have an able-bodied player in Wayne Routledge on the bench.

That being said, I was disappointed with the lineup and how we took a completely defensive approach to this game.

However, unlike the old Coleman that would have not subbed anyone on until the 80th minute, he made changes early enough in the second half for the likes of Routledge , McBride and Radzinski to get into the flow of the game and make a difference. That is important.

A few observations and nuggets from the game from my point of view:

1. I am at my wits end with Collins John. He is lazy and the reason I say that is when you watch Helguson and McBride out there, they both work their socks off and Collins just kind of jogs around aimlessly.

2. Papa got on the end of a few long balls at the end and was immense in helping set up the last two goals, but his play in open play in the middle of the park must improve. He was unable to hold much possesion and his passing left a lot to be desired.

3. What was the deal with the players slipping all over the pitch. The equipment manager needs to sort it out and get the right boots out there for the players. Someone should have known the pitch was slippery and planned accordingly. The made no sense to me.

4. McBride and Helguson personify this Fulham team. They work hard all the time and while not the most talented strikers in the Premiership they will cause problems against most all teams and give it their all every match. You can't really ask for more.

5. This could have been a devastating loss and after 50 minutes it looekd bleek. But, the team rallied on the road and found that extra gear to play well. I wish we could have held onto the lead, but I am proud of the team and happy with the point.

6. Let's beat down Charlton two weeks from today at the Cottage!!!

 

Great summation, Tom.

John's funny looking head deserves to be on the chopping block for January, and his ass deserves to be on a the bench for the forseeable future. Diop did not look as bad as I thought he would when I watched the replay after I followed live from work via the Offal. He is involved, but I still think he needs to be more involved.

Radz actually played decently.

Our defense cannot afford to play that way again against any team. Queuedrue had his worst match as a Cottager, and is responsible for letting King run unmarked behind the defense. John and/or Rosenior were out of place on the last goal. And I missed the second goal, so I have no idea on that one. Not good.

Starting line-up for Charlton should be the one that walked off the field at the end of the match last night.

 

I cannot explain just how much I love McBride/Helguson as a strike partnership. They just know how to work together to make things happen. When one of them is on the ball, the other isn't far away-- and I don't see that happening when Collins John is involved.

This kind of game just reinforces to me that Fulham plays up or down to the level of our opponents. Facing a "big" team, we look big, whether or not we win. But games like this show off our weak spots (midfield being the most obvious one here).

I didn't mind the combo of Volzy and Liam, but I don't think Boca/Q were as effective on the left side. Everything started to come together, though, when the subs were made-- the right guys came on (Radz and Routledge) to deliver to the right guys up front (McBride and Helguson).

I don't know what to make of Pearce. I'm not sure that I've seen him enough to know if I like him starting in Boca's spot. But I'm trying to remain hopeful that we figure things out in the midfield sooner, rather than later.

COYW!

 

Watford

What a strange game, at half time and again at 2 - 0 would have easily settled for a draw, but then to be winning and let in the equaliser i felt like we had lost two points. I have always been a supporter of CC but tatics last night were beyond me, I read that Mc Bride had a virus, but the game changed immediately the man came on, he set up HH who could have scored, he got pushed in the back in the area and that was all in the first minute he was on, then he had the ball in the net albeit it a fould but the writing was on the wall the Hornets were getting worried, and when routledge swtiched to the right game was on. Diop was still missing most of the time and caused the last goal but he did get his head on our second, but CC needs to kick him up the ---- and tell him to be a midfielder in the premier you have to run a lot, he should win every header in the box. Still i think a draw was a good result, I have heard a lot of negative talk about Watford, but only time will tell, but I think they will become hard to beat at Vicarage road this year.

 

RE: Watford

Just in case anyone has not seen all the goals, or wants to see them again:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlUQeSsVcHY

A couple of thoughts after watching these again. The defense in general was sloppy, but I think Pearce was definitely too slow against the second Twatford goal and probably could have helped Franck (who was having a nightmare night) out on the first. The third goal by Whatford was really, really fast, but the two closest cats were Zat and Liam.

Pearce is not the answer to any Fulham defensive questions. However, probably not a bad fill in as needed.