Fulham v Leeds United Match Thread

[Orange Box]

I’ve been reflecting on yesterday’s game. To my mind we took on Fulham with energy and went at them, first half. Second half, that energy waned, as it always must, which allowed them back in the game and we ended up soaking up their pressure. They got lucky, we didn’t get what we deserved.
Better teams, of which there will be plenty, won’t need to be lucky, they will be patient and pick us off. Our problem ,which the world and his dog now knows, is that we don’t take advantage when we do have the energy, to give us something to cling on to.
I’m pretty pessimistic this morning, because our hopes were pinned on the likes of Muniz and Wilson. On yesterday’s evaluation, we need better than that.

[Tom the Cat]

I thought that we played well for most of the match and certainly did not deserve to loose but how on earth are wee going to score goals? Their goal came from throw in that should have been ours and where on earth did the ref get SIX minutes of added time from.

[1964white]

He's a good keeper!

Doesn't deserve the stick he gets on here.

Can't believe Darlow didn't make it into the top six in some of the MOTM votes.

He did his best to keep Kevin out as opposed to our wing-backs, who were inconspicuous in the final twenty minutes.

[weasel]

Yeah. We have to stop running sideways on attack. Aaronson is the worst. Longstaff had a moment that showed the forwards how to do things - great shot off the crossbar.

I noticed in the 'in training' video last week they were doing some routines to offload and shoot quickly. So the squad are fully aware of the issue. We are going to have to get the forwards we have scoring and nicking a few over the coming few games. We just don't have Kevin type creativity.

Its a funny thing though. In all sports, these sorts of issues become a mental sticking point. We see it in cricket teams, golfers, tennis players and more. Its not choking exactly, it's just like facing a brick wall - in our case right now it's "how the f*** are we going to score a goal?"
Just takes one moment to break through. Let's hope it comes against Wolves.

Hopefully once Okafor is up to speed he might provide us with that. We also saw a glimpse of the effect Dan James can have off th ebench when he came on and his pace saw him get to a ball he had no right to get to.

I do think it could just all click. Also it is promising that we have STach and Longstaff who both look like they can hit a decent long shot.

[weasel]

Can't believe Darlow didn't make it into the top six in some of the MOTM votes.

He did his best to keep Kevin out as opposed to our wing-backs, who were inconspicuous in the final twenty minutes.

Thought he had an excellent game. A couple of decent saves but also good with his handling and decision making.

[Irish Ian]

Can't believe Darlow didn't make it into the top six in some of the MOTM votes.

He did his best to keep Kevin out as opposed to our wing-backs, who were inconspicuous in the final twenty minutes.

Fulham stretched the width second half Leon which worked a bit better especially up against a tiring midfield and our four wide players.
Add in James who is clearly not 100% and Harrison who both came on and neither were as affective in supporting our wing backs.

And saying all that it still took a freak og (not the first in London I recall a beauty by Costa a few seasons ago at Palace) to breach Darlow.

[Orange Box]

The last minute goal was gutting, but we had a fair few ourselves last season, so it was inevitable the pendulum would swing.

[The Subhuman]

Was it a freak og? ... I marked Gudmundsson down for that as he did have time to see and react better to the cross.

[Barlow Boy]

Was it a freak og? ... I marked Gudmundsson down for that as he did have time to see and react better to the cross.

I haven’t watched it back yet, can’t bring myself to do it.

Absolutely gutted this morning.

[DDB220]

I haven’t watched it back yet, can’t bring myself to do it.

Absolutely gutted this morning.

It was a combination of factors, primarily he wasn’t expecting it to reach his position and to some degree had probably switched off. Hence why he was taken by surprise.
s**t happens, he had a good game otherwise.

[PhoenixUnited]

At the moment, and it is just that - a snapshot at 4 games in - we are gelling and starting to put some understanding and some foundations in the first third of the pitch i.e. goalkeeper, defence and a bit further in defensive midfield. There is a lot of help and effort coming from the rest of the field.

We are quite far off in the other two thirds of the team. Players are working towards full fitness- Okafor, DCL, James and Nmecha come to mind. Stach seems to have had a shock from the physical demands that the premiership makes and seems to last about 20 minutes in each half before he looks knackered. Injuries this early in the season to Ampadu and Tanaka have not helped and in any case there is no drive and creativity in midfield. Our wingers have been no threat at all - Bogle, so far, has arguably been our best attacker. As a consequence we struggle to get out of our half and have played games mainly on the back foot. Hard to see - at the moment - where the next goal is coming from.

I feel that there is a bit of improvement to come from the team all round but overall we all have a worrying time for the rest of the year as we look - at the moment - well short on the quality we have to have to stay out of the bottom 3 places. IMHO

[Johnsie123]

Can't believe Darlow didn't make it into the top six in some of the MOTM votes.

He did his best to keep Kevin out as opposed to our wing-backs, who were inconspicuous in the final twenty minutes.

Totally agree Darlow is a decent keeper better than some of the teams in the prem and we spent money on another keeper when money was tight ,that money could have been put towards another striker of decent calibre.

[DDB220]

Totally agree Darlow is a decent keeper better than some of the teams in the prem and we spent money on another keeper when money was tight ,that money could have been put towards another striker of decent calibre.

Mes was expected to leave - would you have been happy with Cairns as back up ? Getting a suggested better class of keeper was a key transfer this summer. Whether we got the keeper needed remains to be seen.

[malcolmw]

Hopefully once Okafor is up to speed he might provide us with that. We also saw a glimpse of the effect Dan James can have off th ebench when he came on and his pace saw him get to a ball he had no right to get to.

I do think it could just all click. Also it is promising that we have STach and Longstaff who both look like they can hit a decent long shot.

I tend to also take a glass half full approach at present. (The alternative is depressing and makes me drink too much )
The squad has some real talent. All the players we brought in - I believe- will prove their value in time. Nothing sparkling, just good solid footballers. Stach and Longstaff being prime examples.
Our defense is well above average in the league (again, exclude the Arsenal game - an aberration in my opinion). So " fortress Elland Road"is indeed a viable strategy.

In hindsight we did miss an opportunity bringing in a creative striker, and the recruitment team do need to be lined up and stared at for a few hours - the silent treatment is excellent torture.

We spent a100m against a budget, I believe, was 150m. So we should've been able to find a 50m striker.
BUT. I will give them the benefit of the doubt this time that we are still too much of an unknown quantity for an in-form, high value striker to risk coming to Elland Road yet. But our recruitment may need to be sharpened before January.??
So we do need to - as you say - "click" in the next few games, and I believe we will start winning a few.

The magic number initially is 11 points after 10 games.

When we were relegated last time, I believe we scored 9 goals in the whole season. We must find a way to score about 40 this time. But right now, I dont know where the goals are going to come from.

If we can "click", we may be able to tumble in 15 or so before Christmas.
This football stuff is stressful.

But there's always someone worse off than you, right? We could be Manchester United. Wow - up the creek without a paddle