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Anybody Else Ready For An Anger Management Class? - Notes for Fulham
Friday, 13th Feb 2015 10:53 by HarryFromBath

HarryfromBath assesses the mood in the opposition camp ahead of Saturday’s game by delving into their forums.

“Sorry chaps, but we’re sleepwalking towards another relegation”, “We are in big, big trouble now. I can’t see us staying up with the tough run of fixtures coming up”, “Ipswich, Millwall and Derby — Yikes!”, “It’s not looking good. We’re all over the place.”

“Millwall beat Birmingham tonight and we’re five points off the drop now.” Tuesday was a truly bad night for the Cottagers. A 3-1 defeat to the Trotters saw them drop to 18th place and this, coupled with the Lions’ win, reopened the prospect of a relegation scrap for a second season running.

“I am gobsmacked at how lame we have become”, “We are playing like the season is over and we have secured mid-table mediocrity”, “I am angered out — just a bit bored of it to be honest. So many mistakes on and off the pitch make anger redundant now.”

In contrast, the mood before Tuesday’s defeat was not indicating any great concern. “As far as success or failure is concerned, the season is over”, “We should be in the Championship next season. If that is the case, the club has six months to get its act together and prepare for next season.”

Shahid Khan

“We have an owner that seems to be a decent man, but without a clue”, “I have no idea why Khan bought us. He has put plenty of money in, but been badly advised on manager appointments”, “He hasn’t done anything to directly affect the club negatively. It’s just a series of unfortunate events.”

Fans aren’t pinning the blame for the club’s downward spiral on the club’s Pakistani-American owner. “He made a few errors but had his trousers pulled down. I’ll judge him on how he turns the current shambles around”, “He’ll be blamed for not adding to the squad in January if we go down.”

Kit Symons

“After 22 minutes of the Bolton game, we were 11th and Kit was our God. Seventy minutes later we are 18th and he must go”, “Leave off Kit. He has done bloody well with someone else’s squad and a damn sight better than Magath.”

Cottagers are split now on whether their manager should have been given the job permanently in October. His period as caretaker saw a revival in the team’s fortunes after they experienced “the depths of Teutonic darkness” under his predecessor Felix Magath.

“Kit is a Fulham man who bleeds white. What more could we ask for from a man whose first season as a manager has rescues us from a position where we had one point from a possible 24”, “His priority had to be that we didn’t fall out of this division after the devastation left by Penfold.”

“The disappointing thing following the euphoria at the exit of Felix is the accumulating evidence that Kit is not learning from experience”, “The same problems arise in every game — questionable formation, players out of position, a slowness to read the game and ineffective use of substitutes.”

The Midfield Diamond

“I can’t believe that Kit insists on the diamond. It’s very easy to counteract and teams have sussed us out now. We’re very predictable”, “Once Kit realises the diamond has had its time, we’ll get results”, “We can all see that it hasn’t worked for ages.”

“We are incredibly disorganised. I can’t even say we are one-dimensional”, “A change is needed in midfield. There is no protection in front of the defence and no link to the attack”, “Our full-backs are constantly crucified in two versus one situation because we are so narrow.”

BettinelliGrimmerBodurovHutchinsonStafylidisTunnicliffeFofanaChristensenKacaniklicRodallegaMcCormack (c)

The team (above) which started at Bolton showed just one change from that which drew at home to Birmingham. Cottagers believe that it is unbalanced and lacking width and overall quality.

“The issue is not the diamond, but the personnel. We do not have a natural holding midfielder and it is bizarre that out natural attacking midfielders — Ruiz, Eisfeld and David are elsewhere”, “We play the same way because we have no decent wide players good enough to allow us swap formation.”

Charge of the Kit Brigade

“Our tactics owe more to the Trooping of the Colour than the Championship. Marching down the middle and taking on a massed defence is going to result in defeat after defeat”,“We need to stop giving the ball away so easily. It’s a recipe for disaster.”

Fans are just as concerned with the lack of urgency in the team’s play both with and without the ball. “We play one good half only with all of these youth players”, “We are not a powerful team but we have no energy. We have a habit of conceding in games when our energy levels drop off.”

Bolton 3 — 1 Fulham

“And that’s all she wrote. Goodnight”, “Well done Bolton, another nail”, “You need pace and width in this league — it’s so obvious. All the other teams do it, but our manager just thinks passing it slowly between our midfielders will work. His stubbornness in sticking with this tactic worries me most.”

“We’re a footballing side with a proud tradition that is dropping like a stone.” Fans were downcast by the manner of Tuesday’s defeat as much as its consequences. Having taken the lead, they stood off a Wanderers team missing nine first-team players, losing to two goals in the last 10 minutes.

“I’m done with the optimism”, “It just seems that no-one in midfield can make a decisive pass”, “A lot of people say we need a defensive midfielder. I think we need a player who can pick a pass”, “We do not keep possession when there is no pressure.”

“There were nine Fulham players in our penalty area when their second goal went in”, “See Janko’s goal - the pressing was embarrassing. The players didn’t want to stop the shot coming in”, “It’s not one piece of bad defending. It’s mostly every week now and utterly predictable.”

Fulham 1 — 1 Birmingham

“We score and are fighting for our lives afterwards. It’s always the same story”, “We should have lost that match on that first 45 minutes alone.” “Birmingham fans will be extremely disappointed at not being two clear by half-time. The second half was more even with good chances for both sides.”

Fans repeatedly voiced concerns about the space City had out wide. “Birmingham had a much more clearly defined shape and Cotterill and Dyer were outlets for them”, “We have good players but our formation is wrong. City attacked time and time again down our wings with our full-backs exposed.”

Fulham 1 — 3 Sunderland

A young Fulham team (with an average age of 23) bowed out of the FA Cup last Tuesday week when the Black Cats came back from being a goal behind at the break. “I don’t want to watch an academy team again. Tonight was dire”, “It was a Premier League team against a bunch of kids.”


“We are in trouble”, “God, we’re getting torn apart here”, “I just hope we don’t sit back off the in the second half. We have to go looking for a second goal.” Fans feared the worst even when ahead. “1-2 — What did we honestly expect? It was like we were expecting them to score.”

Sunderland equalised courtesy of a blunder by Fulham’s keeper Marcus Bettinelli, but the nature of the visitors’ second goal was “all very predictable”, “You cannot allow a left-footed player to cut in from the right to hammer a shot.”

“Our biggest problem is keeping possession. We constantly give the ball away cheaply and we can’t string passes together”, “The team does not appear able to roll the sleeves up and battle it out”, “It was a poor show both speed and passing-wise. We didn’t do the basics such as closing down.”

Defence

“Fifty league goals conceded is the real problem”, “One of the reasons our full-backs come in for so much criticism is that we offer them no cover. The diamond formation combined with no obvious natural holding midfielder exposes a defence which is not as bad as it’s made out to be.”

Marcus Bettinelli

“Marcus was having a good game until the Sunderland equaliser”, “He has been outstanding this season and I’m a bit disgruntled to see him thrown under the bus by the BBC website”, “We all recognise true class, future potential, commitment and bravery when we see it.”

“Chin up, Betts. You are class”, “The best prospect in years.” Cottagers were very quick to defend the 22-year-old youth product after his error against Sunderland. “He has been an absolute revelation this season. He seems to have the right temperament for a keeper with massive ability.”

“Oh, dear God”, “The lad’s confidence must be shot.” Fans were more concerned when he blundered to give Bolton a third goal late on in Tuesday’s game. “When you’re facing 20 shots and 15 corners and under constant pressure, these things will happen to an inexperienced keeper.”

“Jack Grimmer got through more work than anyone else in the Sunderland game. He doesn’t really do crosses though.” The 21-year-old ex-Aberdeen right-back has struggled to make an attacking impact in games. “He has made some outstanding tackles and defended brilliantly at times.”

“Grimmer is a good player for the future but to be thrown in now is too much”, “He has been poor, looked out of his depth and nervous”, “He’s not a skilful footballer and was at the heart of the defensive mess against Sunderland.”

“Jazz Richards is getting shredded by Lloyd Dyer.” The 23-year-old Wales international is on a one-month loan from Swansea. “Although he is a natural right-back, his defending for Jordan Rhodes’s winning goal was little short of embarrassing. He was too far away from his man for the cross.”

“What was Shaun Hutchinson doing for Bolton’s first goal? He wasn’t even close and Eidur Gudjohnsen had all day to shoot.” The 24-year-old former Motherwell centre-back was criticised on Tuesday but has his supporters. “He doesn’t get bullied off the ball and wins a good many headers.”

“I’m pleased with the development of Hutch. He has taken too much criticism for a young lad moving to a new league and arguably a higher standard. I’m not sure how high his ceiling is but he’s brave, strong and he cares”, “He has been immense and is proving himself with every start.”

“Nikolay Bodurov is a decent defender and our best when in form, but he’s involved in a lot of goals we concede when he loses his player”, “Maybe the fact he doesn’t speak English is an issue. Where I sit you can hear the players on the pitch and he is very quiet.”

The 28-year-old former Litex Lovech centre-back “has been one of the best signings in the recent past, but he has gone backwards this season”, “His distribution is probably his one weakness. He’s not the best passer of the ball”, “He should stop playing these hopeful long balls out of defence.”

Kostas Stafylidis

“I thought Staf had clicked into place around Christmas, but he has gone backwards and there have been a few rash tackles. It goes back to younger players being inconsistent and learning their trade. He does have something about him. We just need to find it every week.”

The 21-year-old Greece international left-back is on loan from Bayer Leverkusen and Cottagers are unsure over whether he should become a permanent addition. “One day he’s Ashley Cole, the next Niclas Jensen”, “He’s inconsistent but time is on his side. Kit’s diamond system does him no favours.”

“Watch Staf - he almost always checks inside and lays the ball off. Sometimes this is right but we have to threaten and probe more than we currently do down the lines”, “His crosses are variable to say the least”, “He can ball watch and read situations poorly.”

Midfield

“A lot of teams we face have very immobile centre-backs, but we can never take advantage because we’re slowly passing it about midfield with no pace to stretch the opposition. We’re way too predictable when attacking”, “We do not have a natural number 10, so why play the diamond?”

“Kit is hesitant about playing widemen because he does not have the men with flair and pace needed for the position. He likes to tuck his midfield towards the middle to avoid being totally outplayed in the centre of the park.”

“We have been consistently overrun in midfield”, “The more we get overrun with weak kids in midfield, the more we resort to hoofing the ball to Rodallega, who is not a target-man”, “It just seems that we have no-one in midfield who can play a decisive pass.”

“Lasse Vigen Christensen doesn’t seem to have had the same impact since his [hamstring] injury. I wonder if he still isn’t 100% fit.” The 20-year-old Danish youth product “has the stamina, strength, pace and maturity to cover for Grimmer and seems to do well cutting inside from the right.”

Lasse Vigen Christensen

“Christensen has an absolute engine to get around the park”, “His contribution has been enormous, and he has made more tackles than Scott Parker”, “He can get back and defend a bit. He will improve and he deserves his spot. He’s the find of the season.”

“Alexander Kacaniklic can be inept. A sniff of after-shave and he goes down, especially if he has overrun the ball.” The 23-year-old left-sided youth product “worries me. He isn’t that great. He makes good runs but doesn’t pick out anyone from his crosses”, “back to his usual poor final ball.”

“So often he is blazing down the wing for the cross not to beat the first man”, “I have seen little improvement in his attacking play.” The Sweden international “looks like he might be doing something effective but all too often it comes to nothing. I fear he may end up a nearly man”.

“The Birmingham game was screaming out for Patrick Roberts. It was wide open but once again Symons left it too late. He then sticks him in the middle of the park, suffocated by our diamond and with no space. Why not put him on the right wing to take people on and make something happen?”

Patrick Roberts has made a few substitute appearances in recent games. The 19-year-old winger divides opinion. “I’m amazed that Roberts, who is laughably too young and small to work yet, is held in such esteem”, “Stick him in the centre and play long balls over his head and he’ll be ineffective.”

“Scott Parker is a square peg in a round hole. He was a box-to-box player at his best. We need a solid game-reading defensive midfielder and a creative man, but he is neither.” The 34-year-old former Spurs man “is better at keeping the ball than Tunnicliffe and has the experience we really lack.”

“Parker is calm on the ball and finds a Fulham shirt nine times out of 10. It breeds confidence in the players around him”, “We don’t have anyone to make a tackle without him.” He came on from the bench against Bolton for the last half-hour, having missed the two previous games with illness.

Ryan Tunnicliffe

“I was pleased when Ryan came back but I am not sure what his best position is yet.” The former Manchester United man was recalled from a loan spell at Blackburn last month. “He’s a central midfielder but he’s not a quarter-back and doesn’t have the flair to play at the tip of the diamond.”

Ryan Tunnicliffe and Shaun Hutchinson

The 22-year-old former Ipswich loan player’s passing is heavily criticised. “He couldn’t pass to a Fulham player in the dressing room”, “He played so many unforced passes to Sunderland men”, “We have not retained the ball enough when he has played and that heaps pressure on the back four.”

“Ryan should protect the back four. He must be disciplined and not stray from his defensive duties”, “His best game was away at Sunderland in the Cup. He occupied the holding role and all he had to do was tackle, pass, intercept and pop the ball off. He’ll succeed long term in such an industrious role.”

Seko Fofana

“Playing Fofana week-in, week-out is costing us dear. I’m getting really angry. He has done nothing since joining us — a few wayward shots, but it’s like playing with 10 men. Open your eyes, Kit.” The 19-year-old is on loan from Manchester City until the end of the season and he really splits opinion.

“Fofana drives forward well and then gives the ball away cheaply”, “He has poor natural football skill and is always undecided what to do. He shoots recklessly without seeing if there is a better option”, “He’s a dreadful player who offers nothing. All he does is run around like a headless chicken.”

“His upside is immense. I’m not sure if he is a Patrick Vieira or a Yaya Toure. There is a top player trying to get out”, “He’s full of movement, running at defenders and causing them problems”, “We must work on his final ball. As soon as he is near the opposition area he turns into Carlton Palmer.”

Strikers

Fulham supporters are more concerned with their inability to protect a lead than their ability to score. Many regret the loaning out of former Leeds striker Matt Smith to Bristol City, as this would have given them the option of playing a burly target man and traditional number nine.

“Cauley Woodrow is a willing runner who tries hard, but isn’t good enough to be a regular first-choice striker”, “His decision making is the only thing missing from his game. He needs to work on his choice of passing and positioning”, “I can see him developing into a really good link-up player.”

The 20-year-old ex-Luton striker “has an innate ability to bring others into the game. I have likened him to Sheringham and seen nothing to change my mind”, “Cauley holds the ball so well for his age and weight”, “I have yet to see a defender bully him and one our most natural players.”

Hugo Rodallega

“When good, Hugo is great but I don’t see him getting us promoted next season.” The 29-year-old former Wigan man “relies solely on service”, “He’ll not get any better than he is now”, “We are not good enough to play with a striker that goes so long without goals and adds very little else.”

“We all agree that we need to improve on him in the summer, but for now I would go with Hugo’s experience and his extra goals”, “I don’t think Rodallega can claim much credit for the way he just waits for service”, “He gets some stick, but comes up with the goods.”

Ross McCormack

“What would we do without Ross?”, “Ross is the consummate professional and the perfect example to any would-be footballer of a fully committed team player”, “I’m astounded by his work-rate. He is everywhere on the pitch and never gives up”, “We’d be in the brown stuff without him.”

“Some of his finishing is world class. He’s incredibly creative as well and has great vision”, “It is easy to see why he scored so many last season. There is so much more to his game than finishing”, “We wouldn’t have gone down had we signed him instead of the Greek myth [Konstantinos Mitroglou].”

“No more Ross in midfield.” Cottagers do not want him played at the tip of the diamond. “He is our main threat and a natural goalscorer”, “He is very versatile but that comes with a temptation to stretch him a bit thin”, “Three goals in 35 minutes at home to Forest was a nice start to the year.”

Cottagers’ Views on ITFC and the Game

“Ipswich at home is unlikely to ease our predicament”, “Wait until we play a good team at the weekend. That should be fun”, “Results must start with Ipswich otherwise we are in serious trouble”, “Ipswich are a typical side that will take us to the cleaners and back.”

“We know what’s coming with Ipswich — a very physical Mick McCarthy team. I predict we will be under the cosh from the first whistle. We are seen to be too soft”, “Many of our players are not used to the physicality of this division. There is more to come from McCarthy on Saturday no doubt.”

There has been little discussion about Saturday’s game and what comments there have been very pessimistic. I will update the forum on Saturday with their specific matchday comments. There were some interesting thoughts from Cottagers watching our recent FA Cup TV replay:

“How the hell has McCarthy got Ipswich to third in the Championship, within a point of top spot? I know we're poor, but I wasn't impressed with them first game of the season, an ugly 4-4-2 physical, long ball side with no finesse about them whatsoever.

“Watching them again tonight against a relaxed Southampton side and they're poor yet again. Any other footballing side would be causing Southampton problems tonight. Maybe that's just the key to winning the Championship, but McCarthy is on route to picking up his third promotion.”

“This is never going to be a popular response but the fact is that McCarthy is a very good manager, particularly at this level. He has turned Ipswich around with practically no money at his disposal. He has taken both Wolves and Sunderland out of the Championship.

“He has managed at International level. He is honest, direct and a realist. His football reflects this. In a world where only results matter, he is a man who gets the job done. How does he succeed? He makes teams hard to beat. He gets them organised and the players know what is expected of them.

“He is scared of no-one or of difficult decisions. Like him or loathe him, he deserves respect for being effective. I can well understand if people don’t like him, but his record in the Championship is impressive, even if his teams are not.”

Websites

The busiest Fulham message board is Friends of Fulham.


Photo: Action Images



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Samuelowen88 added 11:09 - Feb 13
Cracking read as per usual
5

Steve_M added 11:12 - Feb 13
McCormack's professionalism showed through when he turned up two stone overweight at the start of the season. Good to see some are still blubbing about that match despite all Fulham have, or rather haven't, done since.

4,000 of us there tomorrow, let's see if we can rival Brentford for the best away game of the season.
4

skinnyman27 added 11:27 - Feb 13
hopefully we will go at them from the start, if we get an early goal can see the crowd getting on there backs.
1

Palestine added 11:28 - Feb 13
Interesting to see the comment made consistently above that Fulham get hurt by their lack of width. Interesting because Ipswich haven't got that much width how we've been set up. I wonder if that will change on SAt? Playing Mings and Parr perhaps?

This report makes it sound winnable. I had no idea Fulham were doing so badly.
1

gorse added 12:15 - Feb 13
If they do set up like that then Connolly may have a debut to remember. Looking forward to it.
1

carlo88 added 12:35 - Feb 13
Very accurate assessment of MM I would suggest. And they're right, we were worse than poor that night.
2

rgp1 added 12:45 - Feb 13
Their owner looks like that stavros bloke from harry Enfield.
0

SamWhiteUK added 12:50 - Feb 13
"I wasn't impressed with [Ipswich] first game of the season"

....we absolutely battered them.
5

carsey added 13:24 - Feb 13
What I take from this is how lucky we are to have Mick McCarthy in charge here. Like many others on this site I believe we should be playing a different style of football and that certain players should be in or out or in different positions but the bottom line is MM & TC would be welcomed at Craven Cottage and many other places as gods.
At this level they are clever enough to do what needs to be done to give a team a fighting chance.
Lets hope we condemn Fulham to a heavy defeat on Saturday, boost our goal difference and Murphy hits the magic 20.
COYB
4

Tractorog added 13:44 - Feb 13
Why just 20?
1

Tractorog added 13:53 - Feb 13
I love this nonsense being spouted about us being an aggressive physical team. We have the third best disciplinary record in the Championship. We're tall, athletic, strong but not dirty. Fulham only excel in mediocrity and as soon as there last manager moaned about us allegedly kicking them off the park, you knew he was doomed. If he couldn't see past MMs reputation then he could not know how to play in this division.
3

Hiltzkooler added 14:47 - Feb 13
Very much agree with your comments Carsey....yes McClaren is a very, very good coach, yes Howe is proving to be a very good manager, Karanka too and what Brentford are doing messing around Warburton I don't know.....but Mick McCarthy is coveted by many teams owners and supporters in the Championship...because he knows what to do at this level....Premiership, I'm not so sure especially with MMs record. If Mick gets Town up (and he needs to otherwise the financial gulf between championship and premier league monies will be even more onerous next season) then he will deserve to remain in charge, but his short comings would be in the spotlight. The rough and the smooth of Mick. Saying that I am grateful to Mick McCarthy for what he has done for ITFC, where significant others have dismally failed.
3

tractorgrl added 14:56 - Feb 13
Awesome Harry, just awesome! I think our twelth man will be a game changer.
0

Ipswich_Loyal added 18:59 - Feb 13
I am worried at how confident I feel ahead of the trip tomorrow now after reading this!
0

bohslegend added 22:23 - Feb 13
Great read yet again Harry - and before the season ends and I forget to say it - thanks for so many great opposition reports all season, great insights into the colour of the grass on the other side.
2


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