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Fulham 1 - 0 Newcastle United - 05/08/16 - Post-match reaction from page 40


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I think Rafa got the selection all wrong tonight and hopefully he doesn't make the same mistake again. Anita on the right, Colback on the team sheet and Aarons on the bench were all baffling and they ultimately cost us.

I haven't been as over the top about Colback as some others on here but f*** me, he was awful tonight. He should be fined for a performance like that. Hopefully Rafa has a strong word with Perez as well because he looked a shadow of himself as well.

 

 

Perez looked exactly the same as he did last season.

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love rafa but he's not getting off scott-free today. the colback situation is unforgiveable - especially as he had a good look at him for several games last season but still proceded to play him tonight.

 

also playing 2 "stoppers " at centre half. should have been had mebemba and lascelles just on the basis that they developed a decnt understanding towards the end of last season. we needed once pacy mobile centre back who can bring the ball out and one unit to look after their big man.

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Set pieces are the killer like. Last time we were down we were f***ing mint at them. This time we are coming down after being utterly s**** at them for god knows how long at both ends.

 

Feels like for as long as I can remember 90% of our corners don't even get past the first man. No idea why Ritchie didn't take one tonight except that short one.

 

Totally barmy. His delivery is Robert in style and therefore f***ing perfect for set pieces either side too. Also, you seem to forgetting the big Willy years of what seemed like forever.

 

Oh yeah forgot about Williamson. Even when we had Cabaye his corners were shocking.

 

We scored 2 goals from corners against Swansea at home last year, both from Townsend producing outswingers. Ayoze doesn't seem to have the strength in his foot to deliver wicked set pieces. Ritchie should be on them all

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think rafa's been blinded by those going on about how hard championship teams play and the need to match them physically.

we need to play football, attack teams from the off and play them off the park. off the park.

fulham are hardly the most physical team.

.

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i also hope it's lesson learned about playing hard until the whistle. i hate seeing players stop competing so they can have a moan at the ref for not making the call they think they deserve

 

Yeah I noticed that. Expecting Premier League referreeing, soft free-kicks all the time. The refs down here are shite, but they also let a lot more go. Need to wise up about that.

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Colback, Dummett, Anita, Hanley all looked terrible, in particular Dummett though. Constantly annihilated.

 

Hayden looked good, as in he tackled and seemed calm on the ball, covering for the always invisible Colback. Janmaat didn't do much. Ritchie has such a wonderful touch and good speed, but he didn't quite manage to impose himself fully. I'm sure he'll begin to rip a few teams apart though.

 

Perez and Gayle had some nice interplay at times, coupled with good runs, but in the end didn't do much with the balls over the top. We badly needed Mitro to hold up play and flick on to one of them, I think.

 

Overall, nothing to panic about, but I must say I was genuinely surprised by how good Fulham looked at times. Their defence seem pacey, strong and while still prone to errors, overall quite in control. Aluko played well, as expected and yeah, I think they may have edged it.

 

Obviously should have had a penalty for the handball, I couldn't see the other incident, what happened? At the end the ref really should have let play go on for Janmaat, that was a bizarre decision.

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I'm a bit drunk but would like to add my thoughts, sorry if people have already made some points, once I've sobered up I'll probably be annoyed for some of these points.

 

In my opinion the lineup was wrong from the start, we all knew Anita wouldn't cut it out wide, we know Colback shouldn't be anywhere near the pitch and I think deep down we were all a bit worried about Hanley (early days but he was dreadful in this game)

 

Fulham were certainly no great shakes but they looked from the start to finish sharper, quicker, and more organised than we did and regardless of the poor refereeing (and it was poor) we did nowhere near enough to deserve winning or to be honest even drawing the game.

 

I know its the first game and I obviously still expect us to be right up there but the performance was concerning because we had all the same problems as last season, weak defending, CM/DM players unable or unwilling to shift the ball forward, and we have zero creativity and the wrong kind of striker for the formation and tactics we were deploying.

 

As soon as the ball went anywhere near Gayle it came straight back, we were easily dealt with in the final third and we were out passed and out thought in midfield.

I hate the stereotype about needing big angry bastards all over the pitch in the champ but Perez looked completely out of his depth up against their defenders and was probably the least effective player on the pitch.

 

It wasn't one of those games where were just unlucky or whatever, they generally gave us a game and were far better, their goal literally didn't muster a single challenge from ourselves in the box and we had the exact same problems pre-season (conceding from set pieces) which obviously weren't properly rectified.

 

I'm concerned and I really hope its just a case of a new team bedding in because to be honest, that was absolutely dreadful.

 

 

 

 

 

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We were utter dump but Ritchie definitely should have scored his chance and we should definitely should have had at least one penalty. Match probably would have been very different had one of those gone in.

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We were utter dump but Ritchie definitely should have scored his chance and we should definitely should have had at least one penalty. Match probably would have been very different had one of those gone in.

 

Yep, it's very disappointing but got to keep it in context. Four or five performances like that and we should worry.

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We were utter dump but Ritchie definitely should have scored his chance and we should definitely should have had at least one penalty. Match probably would have been very different had one of those gone in.

I thought we had a good shout for both pens but its sad to be relying on having a competent ref to scrape a draw against Fulham.

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We were utter dump but Ritchie definitely should have scored his chance and we should definitely should have had at least one penalty. Match probably would have been very different had one of those gone in.

I thought we had a good shout for both pens but its sad to be relying on having a competent ref to scrape a draw against Fulham.

 

Absolutely, but it's only the first game.

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Guest ElCid

Generally agree but I'd say Fulham were a bit better rather than far better. You're right about our known weaknesses though.

 

Most concerning thing it is a team being a bit better who were nearly relegated last season and have lost their 2 best players. In the Championship you need to dominate teams which we did in both the Keegan and Houghton promotions and my major concern is that team was set out to not lose as there is no way on earth you are going to dominate any team with both Colback and Anita in the midfield four.

 

It's Rafa so we have to have faith he will see this and sort it for the next game because there is no way on hell this team will get anywhere near promotion if we don't start to dicatate games from the off and put the other teams on the back foot.

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Generally agree but I'd say Fulham were a bit better rather than far better. You're right about our known weaknesses though.

 

Most concerning thing it is a team being a bit better who were nearly relegated last season and have lost their 2 best players. In the Championship you need to dominate teams which we did in both the Keegan and Houghton promotions and my major concern is that team was set out to not lose as their is no way on earth you are going to dominate any team with both Colback and Anita in the midfield four.

It's Rafa so we have to have faith he will see this and sort it for the next game because there is no way on hell this team will get anywhere near promotion if we don't start to dicatate games from the off and put the other teams on the back foot.

Aye, hopefully this was a bit of a wakeup call for him.
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All jokes aside I'd be really surprised if Rafa doesn't sort this out, he isn't going to go all Pardew and just keep braying his head against a brick wall as the team continues to lose.

 

It might take a bit of time though as we're at home the next 2 games and he still hasn't got his full squad together.

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Guest ElCid

With Mbemba, Diame and Mitro I'm hoping we'll be a much different prospect as well.

 

Still need a left sided winger also as I'm not convinced that Aarons will consistently do the business. Also need a striker and either play Gamez or Haidara when fit at left back as Dummett is a total liability.

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