Fulham 2 Newcastle United 1 - Post Match Thread

[Wullie]

I'd like to know what the people who are slagging Bramble off are basing their opinions on please.

 

Apart from giving away what amounted to a meaningless free kick about 10 metres into our half and getting booked for it, what has he done that's been so bad, eh?

 

Enlighten me.

I think he's had a reasonbly good game, but people are jumping on that one moment of poor composure that forced him into a foul that, had distance to goal been shorter, may have been viewed as denial of goal scoring opportunity and a send-off.  Pretty typical - a solid game for 89 minutes and one or two frightening moments.

 

typical bramble, fairly decent match with two moments of madness. simply can't afford to have someone in the team who makes huge errors in every match, regardless of how well their general play is.

 

Exactly. Indigo, you make yourself look a bit daft defending him constantly imo. "Meaningless free kick" - If he doesn't foul Helguson, he's 1 on 1 with Harper having given the ball away. It's hardly an isolated incident from the useless twat either.

 

Sorry, but no. What's daft is the sad sad sad need of nearly everyone on here to jump on the bandwagon and scapegoat particular players if things go wrong, regardless of whether or not it was anything at all to do with them. NOTHING that Bramble did today lead to us losing that game, we lost because of a stupid backpass from Nicky Butt and because Carr got raped all game and that's it. Sorry if that doesn't fit with what people want to believe but that's the truth. You lot can believe it or not, frankly I could give a shit really.

 

You know what, I hope they do get rid of Bramble, because when we continue to be disorganised at the back, I'll have the satisfaction of knowing that I was right and you lot were clueless!! 

 

Anyway, bollocks to this, I'm off to watch the end of the rugby, see you later. No hard feelings?

Whey, let's be hypocrites, shall we? First talking about Bramble bandwaggoning and how wrong that is, then you're straight on to the hate Carr-bandwagon

 

You're just annoyed because your "hate our player of the season" bandwagon hasn't got any wheels on it.

[Nobody]

I'd like to know what the people who are slagging Bramble off are basing their opinions on please.

 

Apart from giving away what amounted to a meaningless free kick about 10 metres into our half and getting booked for it, what has he done that's been so bad, eh?

 

Enlighten me.

I think he's had a reasonbly good game, but people are jumping on that one moment of poor composure that forced him into a foul that, had distance to goal been shorter, may have been viewed as denial of goal scoring opportunity and a send-off.  Pretty typical - a solid game for 89 minutes and one or two frightening moments.

 

typical bramble, fairly decent match with two moments of madness. simply can't afford to have someone in the team who makes huge errors in every match, regardless of how well their general play is.

 

Exactly. Indigo, you make yourself look a bit daft defending him constantly imo. "Meaningless free kick" - If he doesn't foul Helguson, he's 1 on 1 with Harper having given the ball away. It's hardly an isolated incident from the useless twat either.

 

Sorry, but no. What's daft is the sad sad sad need of nearly everyone on here to jump on the bandwagon and scapegoat particular players if things go wrong, regardless of whether or not it was anything at all to do with them. NOTHING that Bramble did today lead to us losing that game, we lost because of a stupid backpass from Nicky Butt and because Carr got raped all game and that's it. Sorry if that doesn't fit with what people want to believe but that's the truth. You lot can believe it or not, frankly I could give a shit really.

 

You know what, I hope they do get rid of Bramble, because when we continue to be disorganised at the back, I'll have the satisfaction of knowing that I was right and you lot were clueless!! 

 

Anyway, bollocks to this, I'm off to watch the end of the rugby, see you later. No hard feelings?

Whey, let's be hypocrites, shall we? First talking about Bramble bandwaggoning and how wrong that is, then you're straight on to the hate Carr-bandwagon

 

You're just annoyed because your "hate our player of the season" bandwagon hasn't got any wheels on it.

I don't hate Martins, Given or Dyer

[biggs]

change the defence around so much and you ask for trouble imho.

[Cronky]

I think Roeder was worried about our lack of height at set pieces, and made a conservative selection. It backfired, because we then lacked fluency going forward. Normally, I think Roeder's selection decisions are good, but this is one occasion where it looks like he was too negative.

 

As for the second goal, Diop's challenge was the sort that would be called a foul on the continent, but not here. I don't think Carr can be blamed, because he was in the right position and was just shoved away by a stronger player. IMO a barge like that is okay if it's part of the same movement of getting on the ball, but in this case it wasn't.

[Guest smoggeordie]

Fulham 2, Newcastle United 1

 

Feb 4 2007

By Neil Farrington, The Sunday Sun

 

 

So it took less than three days for United's transfer window woes to take a miserable toll.

 

Less than three days for the mind-boggling failure to address their squad's worst shortcomings to be embarrassingly exposed.

 

What the next three months will bring barely bears thinking about on the evidence of yesterday's second half.

 

True, the seeds of this defeat were sown by a man who has been anything but a weak link in recent times - Nicky Butt.

 

The one new face to arrive in January, Oguchi Onyewu, enjoyed a blameless debut.

 

And though the competitive edge lent to the scoreline by Obafemi Martins' last-gasp strike was misleading, the Nigerian was also above criticism.

 

But Newcastle's collapse after Butt had gifted Heidar Helguson his 48th-minute opener was brought about by some all too usual suspects.

 

Steve Carr, who should not be in the side at right-back let alone filling in on the opposite flank, invited Brian McBride to put Fulham home and dry 17 minutes from time.

 

Titus Bramble's enduring ability to ruin a decent display with a single aberration should have earned him a red card moments earlier.

 

And but for an outstretched leg here and there, Fulham's unforeseen dominance would have been rewarded with a rout.

 

It was a capitulation that even the more cynical of Newcastle's magnificent travelling fans could not have seen coming at half-time.

 

With Onyuwi impressing alongside Bramble on a debut against a side bereft of all attacking inspiration, all was calm within the United ranks on and off the field.

 

Too calm, if truth be told, with the visitors' failure to profit from Fulham's fear of Martins' pace and invention another disappointment of the opening half.

 

But a first clean sheet for 15 games - which beckoned at the break - promised to be a triumph in itself.

 

Instead, one self-inflicted wound and Fulham's slight, but unspectacular improvement once they scented blood were all it took to extend a run which mocks the Magpies' inactivity on the transfer front.

 

Cruelly, Butt had been rushed back into action after taking a knock against Aston Villa in midweek.

 

But there seemed little logic in the decision to play Steven Taylor at right-back and Carr at left-back while leaving Nobby Solano on the bench.

 

It hardly mattered during a first half in which Fulham would have struggled to break down a Women's Institute XI.

 

The Cottagers - having hit trouble even before kick-off when keeper Antti Niemi was injured in the warm-up - were abject.

 

But Newcastle's failure to service Martins and the rather less impressive Kieron Dyer rendered the first period a non-event.

 

Dyer shot wide from one of the few crosses Damien Duff delivered all afternoon, then failed to win a penalty for a tumble over Philippe Christanval.

 

Scott Parker broke off from a bruising midfield battle with Michael Brown to fire high and not so handsome into the home end from long range.

 

And, far more significantly, a save by Niemi's deputy Jan Lastuvka and a near-post block by Carlos Bocanegra denied first Steven Taylor then Onyewu following a James Milner corner.

 

But the first half had still given little hint how pivotal that episode would be.

 

For even on this cloudless day, to say Fulham's breakthrough four minutes after the break came out of the blue would be an understatement.

 

Carr's throw-in deep inside United's half left Butt under pressure, but not enough to justify his feeble attempt at a backpass which fell for Helguson and left Onyewu and Bramble floundering.

 

To be fair to the Fulham striker though, his first-time finish was superb - Harper helpless as it cleared him before dipping under the crossbar.

 

Disbelief at the fact and manner of going behind almost turned to despair as Fulham immediately set about doubling their lead.

 

Harper had to help Brian McBride's downward header over his crossbar, then watched as a shot by Michael Brown fizzed wide.

 

Milner hinted at an equaliser with a 20-yard free-kick which found the side netting.

 

But United could have no complaints at going two goals down, having ridden their luck - and then some - before McBride's 73rd-minute strike.

 

Bramble was lucky not to be sent off for tugging back Helguson as he threatened to go clean through.

 

Then Bocanegra beat Harper with a glancing header, only for Milner to clear off the line.

 

No such luck following Newcastle's next defensive aberration.

 

Carr was skinned in contemptuous fashion along the right-hand byline by substitute Papa Bouba Diop, a man not deemed fit enough for the Fulham bench until Niemi's injury. And the midfielder's cut back was sidefooted home in spectacular style by the fast-arriving McBride.

 

But for a smart save with his legs by Harper from Helguson soon afterwards, a rout would have been on the cards.

 

It wasn't to be, though Martins' goal arrived far too late to affect the result.

 

What it did prove was what Newcastle had missed out on in failing to give him decent service - and in their team selection.

 

For it was Solano, on for Dyer, who provided the pinpoint long ball from which Martins outpaced the home rearguard before volleying left-footed past Lastuvka.

 

NICKY BUTT'S brainstorm of a backpass gifted Fulham a breakthrough which had not appeared possible - but proved pivotal.

 

OGUCHI ONYEWU stood up to be counted on his debut against the muscly McBride and was blameless for Newcastle's sorry surrender.

 

BUTT has been United's hero so often in recent months that his blunder was as shocking as it was decisive.

 

A FIRST Premiership defeat of 2007 this may have been, but it exposed familiar failings for United.

 

Managers' view

 

Glenn Roeder last night pulled few punches in laying into a "flat" and "poor" performance from Newcastle at Fulham.

 

Only new boy Oguchi Onyewu and 11-goal striker Obafemi Martins were spared Roeder's wrath after United's first Premiership defeat of the new year.

 

But the Magpies boss refused to blame the setback on Nicky Butt, despite the midfielder having gifted the Cottagers their opening goal.

 

"We gave a very flat display," admitted Roeder. "Conceding the first goal straight after half-time contributed to a poor performance.

 

"It was a scrappy game in the first half, although we had good opportunities to take the lead twice in the final few minutes of the half.

 

"What I said at half-time was: `Make sure we get through the first 10 or 15 minutes after the restart.' So the timing and manner of the goal were disappointing."

 

But Roeder insisted: "Nicky Butt has been fantastic for us this year. I'm not going to criticise him. Those things happen."

 

Instead, the Newcastle manager chose to savour a promising debut from centre-back Onyewu. "Considering he only trained with us on Thursday and yesterday, I was more than pleased with what he contributed," Roeder said of his loan signing.

 

"I'm sure he will only get better for us. He was strong in the air today, and that's what we desperately need."

 

But other than praise Martins - who scored despite getting "poor service all game" - Roeder's only comfort was in allaying fears of an injury to Kieron Dyer.

 

Meanwhile, Fulham boss Chris Coleman hailed Brian McBride after seeing the veteran striker grab the game's decisive second goal.

 

"He's the best £700,000 anyone has ever spent," raved Coleman. "He's different class even when he's not scoring goals. His level of performance and commitment are always the same.

 

"If only he was five years younger . . . though if he was five years younger he wouldn't be playing for us!"

--------------------------------------------

 

Very good match report there IMO

[johnnypd]

good report that, glad Farrington focused on the decision to have Carr at left-back rather than bring Solano back in.

 

no doubt Anal Oliver will excuse Carr of any blame on monday with something like "And Carr, who battled bravely all afternoon despite having a poor tummy after fasting all week in order to help african orphans, could do nothing when Bouba Diop shamelessly threw him out of the way en route to Fulham's 2nd. For the word from the United camp is that Carr is in the form of his life and has to be above criticism for this defeat. Indeed so popular is Carr in the dressing-room that i would not be suprised to see him rewarded with a bumper contract from our wiley CHairman in the coming weeks."

[Guest smoggeordie]

good report that, glad Farrington focused on the decision to have Carr at left-back rather than bring Solano back in.

 

no doubt Anal Oliver will excuse Carr of any blame on monday with something like "And Carr, who battled bravely all afternoon despite having a poor tummy after fasting all week in order to help african orphans, could do nothing when Bouba Diop shamelessly threw him out of the way en route to Fulham's 2nd. For the word from the United camp is that Carr is in the form of his life and has to be above criticism for this defeat. Indeed so popular is Carr in the dressing-room that i would not be suprised to see him rewarded with a bumper contract from our wiley CHairman in the coming weeks."

 

 

Thing is, I can genuinely see something along those lines being printed.

[Wullie]

Good report. Glad he put in the bit about Carr getting skinned, as I've mentioned elsewhere. Dioup megged him and went round him so easily, long before Carr got pushed out the way like a bit of paper.

[Cajun]

I'd like to know what the people who are slagging Bramble off are basing their opinions on please.

 

Apart from giving away what amounted to a meaningless free kick about 10 metres into our half and getting booked for it, what has he done that's been so bad, eh?

 

Enlighten me.

I think he's had a reasonbly good game, but people are jumping on that one moment of poor composure that forced him into a foul that, had distance to goal been shorter, may have been viewed as denial of goal scoring opportunity and a send-off.   Pretty typical - a solid game for 89 minutes and one or two frightening moments.

 

typical bramble, fairly decent match with two moments of madness. simply can't afford to have someone in the team who makes huge errors in every match, regardless of how well their general play is.

 

Exactly. Indigo, you make yourself look a bit daft defending him constantly imo. "Meaningless free kick" - If he doesn't foul Helguson, he's 1 on 1 with Harper having given the ball away. It's hardly an isolated incident from the useless twat either.

 

Sorry, but no. What's daft is the sad sad sad need of nearly everyone on here to jump on the bandwagon and scapegoat particular players if things go wrong, regardless of whether or not it was anything at all to do with them. NOTHING that Bramble did today lead to us losing that game, we lost because of a stupid backpass from Nicky Butt and because Carr got raped all game and that's it. Sorry if that doesn't fit with what people want to believe but that's the truth. You lot can believe it or not, frankly I could give a shit really.

 

You know what, I hope they do get rid of Bramble, because when we continue to be disorganised at the back, I'll have the satisfaction of knowing that I was right and you lot were clueless!! 

 

Anyway, bollocks to this, I'm off to watch the end of the rugby, see you later. No hard feelings?

Whey, let's be hypocrites, shall we? First talking about Bramble bandwaggoning and how wrong that is, then you're straight on to the hate Carr-bandwagon

 

You're just annoyed because your "hate our player of the season" bandwagon hasn't got any wheels on it.

 

Problem is when that bandwagon started to get into full swing so did Milner

[Guest Geordiesned]

Bloody hell, Farrington must have fallen out with Fat Freddie and Roeder as he normally kisses their arses! I decent and true match report from a local journalist at last!

[Guest Southern Geordie]

Where was "Craig" Ramage today?

[Guest Phil K]

Roeder stand up take the blame.

Carr at LB and Nobby on the bench was just complete stupidity!

Not the first time Roeder has made stupid decisions like this - just that it was blatantly obvious to everybody BUT Roeder it seems.

[Rob]

the only time he gets it right is when he doesnt have to make a decision

[ElDiablo]

Poor performance, the fact we didn't make Fulham work for their win was the worst part.

 

I found myself looking at the bloke dressed as Mario for a lot of the time - did anyone else see him? Quality costume.

[indi]

I'd like to know what the people who are slagging Bramble off are basing their opinions on please.

 

Apart from giving away what amounted to a meaningless free kick about 10 metres into our half and getting booked for it, what has he done that's been so bad, eh?

 

Enlighten me.

I think he's had a reasonbly good game, but people are jumping on that one moment of poor composure that forced him into a foul that, had distance to goal been shorter, may have been viewed as denial of goal scoring opportunity and a send-off.  Pretty typical - a solid game for 89 minutes and one or two frightening moments.

 

typical bramble, fairly decent match with two moments of madness. simply can't afford to have someone in the team who makes huge errors in every match, regardless of how well their general play is.

 

Exactly. Indigo, you make yourself look a bit daft defending him constantly imo. "Meaningless free kick" - If he doesn't foul Helguson, he's 1 on 1 with Harper having given the ball away. It's hardly an isolated incident from the useless twat either.

 

Sorry, but no. What's daft is the sad sad sad need of nearly everyone on here to jump on the bandwagon and scapegoat particular players if things go wrong, regardless of whether or not it was anything at all to do with them. NOTHING that Bramble did today lead to us losing that game, we lost because of a stupid backpass from Nicky Butt and because Carr got raped all game and that's it. Sorry if that doesn't fit with what people want to believe but that's the truth. You lot can believe it or not, frankly I could give a shit really.

 

You know what, I hope they do get rid of Bramble, because when we continue to be disorganised at the back, I'll have the satisfaction of knowing that I was right and you lot were clueless!! 

 

Anyway, bollocks to this, I'm off to watch the end of the rugby, see you later. No hard feelings?

Whey, let's be hypocrites, shall we? First talking about Bramble bandwaggoning and how wrong that is, then you're straight on to the hate Carr-bandwagon

 

[Guest mishka17]

Where was "Craig" Ramage today?

 

Injured?

[JH]

Glenn: Too Little Too Late

By Craig Hope

 

OBA Martins took his tally to 11 for the season with a late strike at Craven Cottage, but United boss Glenn Roeder was disappointed at the level of service to his Nigerian striker throughout the game.

 

Martins was forced to feed off scraps for the majority of the afternoon, and it wasn't until Nobby Solano's injury-time throughball that he was a presented with a real opening, a chance he duly converted.

 

But the 93rd minute strike was all too late for the Magpies to launch a comeback with the hosts already two goals in front.

 

And Roeder was full of sympathy for the former Inter Milan forward when he spoke to nufc.co.uk after the game: "That's what Oba can do when you give him chances, but unfortunately today the supply to him and Kieron Dyer has been poor.

 

"When we scored our goal it was far too late. But it goes to show that when we did feed Oba, he scored a fantastic goal."

 

http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10278~975843,00.html

 

Yes Glenn, that's your fault for leaving the play creator Nobby Solano on the bench for 85 minutes

[Guest Knightrider]

I expected a defeat, but I expected a better performance at least. Not good enough, but if we can bounce back and put another mini-run together, all will be forgotten regarding this nothing performance and woeful, if not expected defeat.

[Northern Monkey]

Harper (6)- did alright. Doesn't deserve to play behind that show of shít we laughingly call a defence.

 

Carr (3)- Not good enough. Lets not evem pretend, for one second, that this waste of a shirt is good enough for even our team. Shouldn't have been playing.

 

Gooch (6) - OuStarted to crack in the second half. But playing next to Shambles is not fair on ANYONE. Impossible to tel if he's any good yet, but he was the best of a bad bunch.

 

Titus Bramble (3)- "had a good game apart from one mistake"? Fúck you. He made a number of huge ricks, his positioning was an absolute disgrace, and if anyone thinks he's good enough for a team with aspirations of a top half finish, then they are clearly thinking of the lad with "potential" we bought umpteen years ago. Shouldn't have been playing.

 

Steven Taylor (4)- Not a great RB (still better than Carr, obviously). Shouldn't have been playing there, should have been at Cb.

 

Nicky Butt (3)- About what i expect of a player who is past his best, and was never great on the first place. Not good enough.

 

Scott Parker (5)- Kind of performance that shows the true Parker - decent enough, solid, but nothing special. he's not an International class player, but he's obviously good enough for us.

 

James Milner (6)- Our best midfielder, again. Best crosser of the ball until Nobby came on, but thats really a default thing.

 

Damian Duff (4)- Poor. If The Zog was fit, and Duff got a game ahead of him, it would be a crime against NUFC.

 

Oba Martins (6)- Well taken goal. Not the best control at times, and needs to remember how fast he is - he should NEVER be caught offside.

 

Kerion Dyer (4)- Poor. He's been pretty decent in recent games, but Jesus, he's no striker. Too many of his trademark blind alley-running.

 

Overall team peformence (4)- Poor peformence today,we were outplayed through out the game and it couldve been more then 2 for Fulham,Roeders team selection was absouloutly ridicouls,Looking forward for his excuse today..

 

Manager (1)- Ex-defender, he'll sort us out. Great coach, nice fella. Brought in Pearson too, genius, he's another great coach. Tactically, beyond naive, awful team selection. Fuck off now, please.

[Dinho lad]

he should NEVER be caught offside.

 

[oldtype]

I don't know if this has been mentioned before, but surely there was some sort of extrenuating circumstance that caused Roeder to pick Carr over Nobby? Perhaps a minor training knock or a bout of stomach pain or whatnot?

 

I just don't see how he could be that stupid, Picking Carr over Taylor at LB is understandable on some level I suppose, but putting Taylor in over Nobby at RB after having already said that Nobby is our "first-choice right back"?

 

If it's such an obvious choice that everyone on earth can see it except Roeder, maybe he just knows something we don't?

 

...I sure hope so.

[Mick]

http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/newcastleunited/chroniclesport/tm_headline=we-failed-to-scale-heights%26method=full%26objectid=18578363%26siteid=50081-name_page.html

 

 

 

Glenn Roeder today admitted his game plan at Craven Cottage hadn't paid off.

 

United had tried to outmuscle Fulham's physical strike-force of Heidar Helguson and Brian McBride but both of them netted in the 2-1 win for the Londoners.

 

The Toon boss was hoping to celebrate 12 months in the United hotseat but the Fulham forwards proved to be party poopers on the day after their second-half strikes sunk United.

 

Roeder handed a debut to 6ft 4in US international Oguchi Onyewu at the heart of the defence and selected fit again Titus Bramble alongside him.

 

 

And even though Nobby Solano was available again, Roeder picked Steven Taylor at right-back ahead of him with Stephen Carr switching back to the left.

 

Roeder told the Chronicle: "I knew Vincenzo Montella went off after 20 minutes against Sheffield United and that Helguson and McBride would play.

 

 

"Both of them have height and Gooch can deal with that. It was quite appropriate he played.

 

 

"We have a small squad in terms of height and every single game this season the opposition have been bigger.

 

 

"I am looking for physical players now when it comes to bringing people in.

 

 

"We have enough players here who are 5ft 8in or 5ft 9in and when you play like we did at Fulham against two big strikers you need height.

 

 

"I thought defensively we looked big and strong and by picking a big back four, apart from at left back, it would have paid off.

 

 

"However, the two goals conceded were poor and I am not happy about them."

 

 

The victory for Chris Coleman's side means that United find themselves slap bang in the middle of the Premiership today.

 

 

The defeat at Fulham leaves United 13 points off a Champions League place but also 13 points above the relegation zone with 12 games left.

 

 

However, the loss means that Fulham have now taken maximum points from United, leaving Roeder disappointed.

 

 

He added: "It was very disappointing.

 

 

"We've lost both matches to Fulham this year. We threw the game away at St James' Park this season, and we thought we had a good chance of at least taking a point.

 

 

"We wanted three and came with the intention of winning the game."

 

[Guest TampaToon]

this team has made a season out of bouncing back from poor losses like this one, and although i don't hold out a ton of hope against liverpool, i haven't seen much this season to leave me despairing about the prospect of going on a vindicating run after that....

[Northern Monkey]

this team has made a season out of bouncing back from poor losses like this one, and although i don't hold out a ton of hope against liverpool, i haven't seen much this season to leave me despairing about the prospect of going on a vindicating run after that....

 

We were lucky against Spurs and Villa. Then not so lucky against Fulham. Thats the kind of run i fear Roeder is mainly going to be capable of taking us on.

[Slugsy]

 

We were lucky against Spurs and Villa. Then not so lucky against Fulham. Thats the kind of run i fear Roeder is mainly going to be capable of taking us on.

 

Couldn't agree more even when we have won this season, apart from short spells in those games, we have played appallingly and some of the defending has been like watching a benny hill re-run.