FULHAM @ Everton [R]

LS - dum da dum dum....

Better be looking for more than defenders in January.

 

Fulham played great in the first half, but couldn't put the ball in the net. It was probably the best first half of football Fulham has played away.

Second half Everton was back in form and lucked out with their first goal. Second goal came on a well executed corner. Third goal was excellent. Fulham didn't play horrible in the second half, but was under more pressure and just got beat.

I have no idea why Sanchez has taken Dempsey off early the last two games. He was pissed and didn't shake anybody's hand coming off the pitch. Was easily Fulham's best player not counting Niemi.

 

What a terrible second half after a good first.

If Boca can't get back into the lineup after the crap job our defenders did in the second half then I don't know what it'll take.

I agree with those who are wondering why Dempsey got taken off, since he looked more dangerous than Kamara or Kuqi or Davis.

Good showing at Nevada Smith's by us as well. I think the guy who tends bar there on Saturday mornings is starting to get to know us.

 

I tend to think that Stefanovic is better than Bocanegra. So I'm not sure the defense gets better with Boca in there. Probably about the same.

 

I dunno, I thought that on the first (?) goal especially, Stefanovic looked particularly bad. I'm not saying Boca is on par with Carles Puyol or anything, but... I think it comes back to the idea that LS wants the club to be a meritocracy rather than one where the manager plays "his guys" game in and game out. Hughes and Stefanovic both had terrible games (fans voting on player ratings on Sky voted Hughes a 2.8 ), and I think it gives the wrong message if other guys don't have a chance to show they can do better.

 

He has had his chance though. Maybe he'll be back in there, but I think he sits until someone is carded out or gets injured. I think the defense is fine as is. It isn't a good enough defense to keep everything out though, Boca or no Boca. In fact, Boca's days are probably numbered at Fulham. I think his contract runs out at the end of the year.

 

I guess I don't understand how a guy who takes over the captain's armband for McBride after his injury is suddenly not good enough to start on Fulham's defence which, let's be honest, is f'ing horrible anyway. You can't tell me that Stefano has played that much better than Boca. Boca is a team leader and his presence is sorely missed in central defence.

This is not looking good. Lawrie seems a bit lost to me. His lineup and tactical decisions are starting to make me uneasy. I mean, no Smertin, no Boca, subbing out Deuce and starting Kamara over Healy? I understood tinkering with the starting lineup at the first of the year but by this point, he should have his starting 11 in order (and in my opinion, worth naught I know, Kuqi, Kamara, Baird, Murphy and Stefano should not be amongst them).

I've been supporting Lawrie all season but for the first time, I'm having a few doubts.

 

How long will Fayed put up with Sanchez. He invested a lot of money this summer. Could Coleman have done a better job with the talend and spending that Sanchez has gotten?

 

An all around disappointing and distressing game.

 

Right, it's clearly not a good enough defense, but I just don't see how you can stand pat with your lineup after the awful performance we saw on Saturday.

 

I know it's more about how we lost than the fact we lost. I mean, we didn't expect much from United and a very inform Everton team but the first half was OK and the second the complete opposite.

I don't agree with many on here that say it's the defense's fault. I think our defense is much improved on last season but our midfield is lightweight and giving little in the way of protection for our back four. I am not impressed with Steven Davis and it goes to show how we miss a big holding midfielder.

I'm worried about Sanchez and the confidence of the team because if I don't see an inspiring display against Newcastle surely it will be time for Sanchez to be out of there.

 

Why is Kamara playing? He is rubbish, and he seems lost out on the pitch. Kuqi?????? I don't even know what to thinkof his play. Not to sound Mr. Pro-American, but why is Boca not playing. The defense, if you want to call it that; It is the worst i have seen in some time. I think that Coleman would have done better with this talent. He did well enough with less, i 'm just lost for words. I know its Man U, but it seemed like they just gave up.

 

Dempsey got a 7 rating in the Times. Only Niemi got a rating that high. Why take him out? Boca and Hughes in the Central Defense. We can't do any worse. Now, Newcastle at home. They are still playing without Owen. It is the type of match we nee to win to stay up. I worry about the clubhouse atmosphere after the substitution patterns and some of the non-performers who keep playing (Davis, Kamara). Is there something wrong with Smertin?

 

LS has no clue - he is clueless! He has never had a positive record and he has no experience or evidence to show that he can take a team and turn them into a competitor.

Get him out before it is too late! It has to be before January so the new coach has a say in what happens in January.

 

I agree, and would even go as far to say that if Fulham dont get 6 points in the next two, and/or 7 in the next 4, then he is a goner. Things need to really turn around, not just merge into another lane.

 

I agree with others that the defense has looked better than last year, but we're still dealing with 'lipstick on a pig.' Konchesky, who was in form earlier this year, is simply lost on the pitch right now as evidenced by his unforced turnovers and shoddy delivery into the box. Stef has played OK, but the man is slower than molasses and has zero recovery speed. On the contrary, Ozo, while still learning the ropes, has speed to burn and has used it to recover on some poor defending choices. Whether Boca would improve our defense is a wash to me, however as others have stated, at least he can help in attack - something Fulham hasn't had from the back in the past couple of matches.

What is disheartening to me is the trend I've noticed in the past 4 or 5 matches where Fulham are playing BAD football for longer and longer streches of the match - replete with an entire half of the shite on Saturday. Opposing managers are successfully neutralizing Fulham's strengths and I don't see LS counter-punching to any degree of success.

Finally, let me put on my USA-homer hat and question the continued removal of Demps. Considering that nobody else wearing the shirt has shown any attacking prowess (if you can call it that), why is LS removing the only offensively-creative player Fulham features in the first XI? This makes no sense to me, considering that if he wants to put on a different forward, then LS can drop Demps back to the midfield.

Oh yeah, Kuqi is not quite as slow as molasses, but he is damn slow. Too damn slow to feature for 90 minutes...or even the first 45 when he has to compete with fresh legs.

Overall, I'm just depressed with the slippery slope I've seen Fulham slide down recently. I believe that Fulham has enough talent to stay up, I just don't see the proper buttons being pushed right now. Also, I don't advocate firing LS, but he needs a 'come to Jesus' discussion with MAF - and then LS needs to start kicking boots at players in the lockeroom.

COYW!

 

I did not see the game, but from the games I have seen this year and the discussion here, I do not understand the Davis spot in the middle. He provides little to no creativity, he does not distribute well, and he is not that great defending. I am not trying to be redundant, but it is something that is clearly evident. Doesn't Sanchez see this?

 

The observation I made early in the second half of Saturday's game was that it looked like Everton had adjusted their tactics and Fulham hadn't. If you play well in the first half (and I really think Fulham had maybe a little bit better of the play, though we missed a good chunk of the first half while Setanta was fixing their feed), you don't just say "OK guys, go out and do the same things in the second half." You say, "OK, we're doing some good things, but here's how the other team is going to adjust, and here's how we need to adjust to match them." LS seems to do a poor job of making in-match adjustments.

Regarding Kuqi, I think we all need to keep in mind that nobody expects him to be all that good, being that he was loaned from Palace, and that he's only here to be a big body until McBride is healthy again.