Fulham @ West Brom [R]

Maybe they watched a tape of some other match. :roll:

 

Are you kidding me, Bullard as MOM? They HAD to be watching a different match than us. BBC probably had Demps as MOM until the missed header, doh!!

That was a rough 2nd half. Can't add much to what has already been stated. I was pleasantly shocked to see Deuce get the nod, and he earned another start in my opinion....but oh the humanity on the header!!!

Murphy, again, an empty shirt and I hope his disgraceful exit from the pitch was due to his own performance and nothing else. He and Pantsil need some time on the bench in 2 weeks.

Sunderland is a huge, huge match.

COYW!

 

Just back from the match and another 1-0 loss to an average team has done my confidence in, as I'm sure it has for Hodgson as well.

I pretty much agree andy's assessment above, especially about Bullard because that is what is concerning me most. He hasn't had the best week in his performances against both West Ham and West Brom...his corners today were woeful AT BEST. What is wrong with him?

As for the Murphy/Bullard combo...just not convinced anymore and Demps had a good first half but a complete shocker in the second.

How very disappointing. Onward and upward as they say. Our match against Sunderland is going to be a mental and physical battle, one which we NEED 3 points to get on track.

 

Maybe Bullard is trying to force Roy's hand with offers from other clubs. It seems counterintuitive since he would be more valuable with fine play but who knows.

I still think this squad has quality that it did not last year however I am very worried about their confidence now.

Deja vu anyone?

 

Dude, Steve...we must share a brain. I prefer "The Smiths" eponymous debut...and you?

I don't want to feel this bad this early in the season...but we can't let goals by like the one today. Three men in the box and one still squeaked through...crap.

However, as I said in the chatroom this AM, if the goal was 20 feet high, we would have dominated that game...

-T

 

...and at least we're not Newcastle.

Now that I've said this, they'll probably get three points tomorrow **sigh**...

 

Disappointment all around with this result. WBA has shown they are fully capable of scoring, but were held to few chances in the first half. Second half... different story. Dempsey was the only player who impressed. He looked up for the match and had creativity when going forward. Roy has to look at the option of a 4-4-1-1 with Dempsey being sat on top of the midfield so he can run straight at defenders with AJ spreading the defense deep.

Glad we saw subs feature today, but we need a result. These one-nil losses are taking their toll.

 

Terri, I'm not that big a Smiths fan, it was just a bad joke. Sorry

Maybe I'll put on "Nebraska" by Springsteen, another dark masterpiece.

Right now, there isn't another team that grates on my nerves like Newcastle. (Okay, CSKA London, you caught me exaggerating.) Even if they win tomorrow, they are still as ate up as six pounds of excrement in a five pound bag

 

Saw the highlights, and I've thrown up my hands on this club. I just dont get them.

But I'm keeping positive.

 

The comments alreay posted pretty much cover my thoughts on the match. I will only add that if Roy sticks with the Murphy/Bullard central midfield pairing I will keep expecting poor results. Bullards peformances this season have left a lot to be desired and todays performance was awful. His free kicks and corners in particular were beyond poor.

 

Other than the negative comments regarding Paintsil's play, I agree with most of what's been said. My biggest concern, however, is Roy (notice the affectionate "Woy" is gone). No subs the last few games and in this game he brings in a defender when we're one - nil down. And no Nevland? I dont get it. Also, this pretty, passing, flowing football that he has them playing has become very one-dimensional and predictable. The opposition puts no pressure on the ball, cuts off the passing angles, so FFC is constantly passing backwards - so exciting I nearly PMP. They've got to be able to spread the passing out, use more of the field, and threaten on the dribble. They did the occasional long ball, but that was only Schwarzer trying to get the ball the hell away from from the front of the goal, and I think the long balls made WBA more nervous.

I also have to wonder if Murphy and Bullard like playing back in the MF. I havent had a good look at many games this season, but isnt that relatively new for them, or at least for Bullard?

 

Aside from Dempsey and Gera getting forward in the first half, it just feels like we're playing for the draw in these road matches. I might accept that strategy better if we actually got a draw. Instead, it's a string of 1-0 losses.

This system seems far too conducive for the defense to get back, setup, and then just play to snuff out any attempts in the box. It looks more controlling than attacking in nature.

Good to see Demps out there and playing well (in the 1st half anyway).

 

Poor.

Roy needs to focus on his Club, and leave the Champions League peanut gallery to others.

 

Much of Dempsey's perceived lack of quality in the 2nd half had more to do with WBA closing down the midfield so that they couldn't get the ball to Dempsey than anything Clint did. His two bad fouls were from frustration because Fulham couldn't get the ball past the mid-line.

 

Don't like the way this is headed. Which way should we go in the middle of the park though? Try sticking Davies in there?

Just all around sloppy stuff yesterday.

 

Sorry about this match folks, I had a phenomenal rest of my weekend and I think the loss was the universe's way of making me pay for it.

Regarding the actual match, I agree with the observation that Clint was effective. It was interesting seeing him at the "small forward" role rather than the McBride fill-in like last year.

Gera had a couple of the best chances and didn't do much with them; I thought he had a poor game. Paintsil too, which I think Roy acknowledged when he brought Stoor on. I admire Zamora's cojones for getting on the field while sick but he shouldn't have been asked to do so.

 

Was it me or was the Fulham attack pretty toothless?

Aside from a couple of Dempsey's 20 yrd shots, his misplaced header, and Gera's shot that was a couple of inches wide, I don't remember Fulham threatening the West Brom goal very often.

West Brom's goal was of the garbage variety, but earned nonetheless since they were pressing the action in the second half.

I'm not sure if Roy rewards good play and doles out punishment for poor play, but Dempsey made a strong case for himself to get another starting nod, while Bullard and Murphy showed that they are both very benchable...

I admire Zamora for getting out there, but why he played beyond 60 minutes is baffling.

The lightweight midfield pairing of Murphy and Bullard needs a shakeup.

Too many over the bar and out of play crosses than I care to remember.

It is early in the season, but this situation is feeling all too familiar...

 

Did Simon Davies get in position to cross from the right side much? (At all?) Really, he's the only one I feel like we can count on to deliver a good cross, and I don't remember him doing so on Saturday.