LCFC 0-2 Fulham, post match thread

[BenTheFox]

2 hours ago, woznotwos said:

Last time I saw football this bad we were relegated to League 1

Even then we were more competetive at the level of football we were playing at. We drew loads of games and had the third best defensive record in the league. We just couldn't score. 

[Blue-fox]

1 minute ago, BenTheFox said:

Even then we were more competetive at the level of football we were playing at. We drew loads of games and had the third best defensive record in the league. We just couldn't score. 

Wouldn’t mind paddy Kisnorbo and Macauley at centre half now. 

[DerbyshireFox]

Predicted a Fulham win by two goals, easy to foretell really. We have an utterly inept group of players, a recruitment department headed up by an inept director of football that have presided over the fall in standards, overpaying on wages for said average players. Losing high value players for nothing, and despite selling one big player a year bar one or two years, finding ourselves in a position where we have come close to breaching PSR and being charged and getting off on a technicality.
 

To any media ‘pundits’ reading this thinking our fanbase expects to be a top end premier league club, think again. We just expect our club to be run responsibly and for those at the helm to take responsibility. None of that is happening. The only good thing to happen this week is the stadium is seemingly starting to wake up to the fact. Chants much louder today and now against the board as well. Keep it going, we might eventually get some accountability 

[lee7]

1 hour ago, moore_94 said:

Ruud Van Nistelrooy Post Match vs Fulham

 

Similar to Wednesday?

RvN: “No. I don’t agree. Today was extremely disappointing because it wasn’t good enough in all aspects of the game. I saw more Wednesday than today. Of course results hurt and are disappointing, but today there was a lot more because we lacked in too many areas that influence on winning a football match.”
 

Reaction to chants against board and boos for your sub?

RvN: “That one I noticed (boos for El Khannouss sub). It’s okay. You have to accept it and I am. I’m making substitutions to impact the game. It can be in different areas, physical, profile of a player, the opposition. When it’s not received well for once now then I’ll take that one.”
 

How to build confidence back up?

RvN: “It’s good to have a couple of days to reflect and come back. We have a full week, more, towards the next game. We need it to recover physically and mentally from this game today.”
 

Why were team so far off it today?

RvN: “It’s something we have to look back on and think about. At this moment, I don’t have the answers for that.”
 

You said club were offering transfer support in January. That still there?

RvN: “Yeah, because we welcomed a new player in a position that we needed. We only have one right-back in the squad and he has to play everything. That’s a good start. We continue to look for the players to strengthen the squad in the possibilities.”
 

Want more than one new player?

RvN: “Of course, you want as many as you can. We have to face reality and do it within the possibilities. We’re trying very hard to do so.”
 

Specifically why did you bring El Khannouss off?

RvN: “Because the crowd boo one substitution of me, it doesn’t mean I have to explain all the reasons behind the substitution. It’s not for the public to know. It’s respect to the players who come on. They are valuable members of the squad and deserve minutes to help this team as well. It’s not about one person in this team and in this squad. That for me is very clear.”
 

Coulibaly missing?

RvN: “The paperwork wasn’t ready yesterday so he couldn’t train the day before a game. It’s not possible to include him in the squad. But he will be there next week.”
 

Conceding second-half goals - why?

RvN: “For me, it’s about today. The disappointment is big because we lacked in all aspects of the game and that’s before, in the other games that I’ve managed. Today is the most disappointing one for me.”
 

Worried the players might be affected by toxicity?

RvN: “We have to deal with it. We cannot change it. We have to face it. Don’t feel sorry for anybody. We are professionals and we have to deal with it. We have to make sure that we perform so the crowd is up and supportive. That’s our task. There’s no other excuse or explanation necessary. It’s up to us and sometimes you deserve criticism and you have to accept it because it wasn’t good enough and do better next time."
 

Toxicity not helpful?

RvN: “We cannot change it. In the moment, if something happens like that, it’s only a sign, for us as a team, as a squad, as a coaching staff and manager, to stick together more than ever. That is key to survive.”

Worrying to be honest.

 

I fail to understand why he can't explain his thinking behind the substitution. 

At the end of the day as supporters we pay a lot of money to attend matches so the least Ruud can do is give a brief insight into his thinking behind the decision. 

[filbertway]

Just watched the highlights. Like watching a children's team defend

Attacks are awful. Usually 2 attackers v 5 defenders.

 

So little pace in this team. So little desire to be winners.

 

 

[luthersfarm]

Maybe Faes shouldn't have sarcastically clapped but I think fullbacks passing sideways or backwards constantly is very much part of the gameplan and is a feature of pretty much most teams I watch outside of Leicester too, so it's a part of modern football. It was the same when players were in similar positions under Enzo and Cooper. Managers would much rather players play simple backwards passes and retain possession until a pass into midfield is available - risk averse, retain possession. The problem is our midfield is so static and movement is so terrible it's so easy for other teams to strangle us as there's nowhere to go. So I kinda of understand if you're under instructions to play like that it must be frustrating when the fans groan. So maybe Faes shouldn't have reacted but on a human level I understand why he might have done so. 

[Tazfox]

16 minutes ago, filbertway said:

Just watched the highlights. Like watching a children's team defend

Attacks are awful. Usually 2 attackers v 5 defenders.

 

So little pace in this team. So little desire to be winners.

 

 

This is one of my main takeaways. We don't commit anyone in to the box for the fear of getting countered. But it also means we never look like scoring. You watch any of the teams doing well currently they will get the ball wide and then flood the box and edge of the box with players. 

 

We are a team currently playing petrified.  Which would be fine if we could actually defend... But we can't so if we want to get points we are going to have to go at teams. But we just aren't.  

[Pliskin]

Vardy looked 38 today. He is in danger of his last season with us being a bitterly disappointing one. I would have much rather he left in the summer having done his bit to get us back. 

[Number 6]

2 minutes ago, Pliskin said:

Vardy looked 38 today. He is in danger of his last season with us being a bitterly disappointing one. I would have much rather he left in the summer having done his bit to get us back. 

He definitely shouldn't be playing 90 every game, but we'd be down with Southampton points if he wasn't here.

[lcfcsnow]

5 minutes ago, Pliskin said:

Vardy looked 38 today. He is in danger of his last season with us being a bitterly disappointing one. I would have much rather he left in the summer having done his bit to get us back. 

I don't think making him captain is doing him any favours either, not that there is much choice but he's never been captain material only really started being a thing last season

[RonnieTodger]

I don’t want to go and watch it anymore 

[oz was my hero]

3 hours ago, Product of 84 said:

I don't disagree.

I thought at the time that  all the midfield were  missing.  2 pairs of fresh legs in skip and mcateer did nowhere near enough to stop the ball before it got to  traore.  

Edited 18 January by oz was my hero

[RowlattsFox]

The relationship between fans and players is the worst I've ever seen. Probably got worse since the Danny Ward and Justin boos. Definitely feels like them and us at the moment. They have moments when they look like they are trying but they are missing that extra 10%. 

[Lutterworth Fox]

4 hours ago, Jonezy said:

Don't know why I bothered watching this... Should have learned by now.

I didn't, l HAVE learnt my lesson.

[zacd14]

What annoyed me today, fans  booing Ayew when he came off and each stand clapping Mavididi as he walked round the pitch. Ayew was one of the better players in today's shit performance and has been better than Stephy all season. Does sum up are fan base though though those that shout 'play it forward' when there's no pass on. Obviously never played a game of football in there life. Don't get me wrong we are shite and deserve to go down but booing certain players when others ones are underperforming even more definitely does not help.

[Rossiter]

20 minutes ago, RowlattsFox said:

The relationship between fans and players is the worst I've ever seen. Probably got worse since the Danny Ward and Justin boos. Definitely feels like them and us at the moment. They have moments when they look like they are trying but they are missing that extra 10%. 

Correct. The players are probably relieved that next two games are away.

[fazzyfox]

The thing I shouted most in the first half in particular was “Who wants it, who wants it”?

After being arrested for soliciting I explained it’s a criticism of the team mates movement and desire to take responsibility for the ball. It was worse than ever but I do wonder if Ruud reviewed the Palace game and told them not to take so many risks by committing to runs forward and they took that too literally and hid, never offering themselves or helping out their team mate? It was that apparent, it must have come from somewhere not just the confidence vacuum.

[martyn]

6 minutes ago, zacd14 said:

What annoyed me today, fans  booing Ayew when he came off and each stand clapping Mavididi as he walked round the pitch. Ayew was one of the better players in today's shit performance and has been better than Stephy all season. Does sum up are fan base though though those that shout 'play it forward' when there's no pass on. Obviously never played a game of football in there life. Don't get me wrong we are shite and deserve to go down but booing certain players when others ones are underperforming even more definitely does not help.

I felt a bit for Ayew, he didn't deserve that reaction. SK1 were singing for Buonanotte 10 mins before so maybe the ironic cheering was more aimed at that substitution actually happening rather than at Ayew as an individual, but it was uncomfortable.

Edited 18 January by martyn

[Corky]

Another truly dispiriting 90 minutes. We are so inept it is untrue. Fulham barely had to break sweat to win 2-0. 

 

What a miserable existence of a season. 

[Raj]

3 minutes ago, zacd14 said:

What annoyed me today, fans  booing Ayew when he came off and each stand clapping Mavididi as he walked round the pitch. Ayew was one of the better players in today's shit performance and has been better than Stephy all season. Does sum up are fan base though though those that shout 'play it forward' when there's no pass on. Obviously never played a game of football in there life. Don't get me wrong we are shite and deserve to go down but booing certain players when others ones are underperforming even more definitely does not help.

Not sure the Boos were particularly  for Ayew but more for bringing Buonanotte on SO late in the game when he should have been on alot earlier when losing the game.

Ayew always huffs and puffs and does some great stuff but just not getting the assist or goals but no one else is either.

if Vardy wasnt our GOAT and plenty of credit in the bank,  on current form he would be getting Booed too.

[adam]

15 minutes ago, zacd14 said:

What annoyed me today, fans  booing Ayew when he came off and each stand clapping Mavididi as he walked round the pitch. Ayew was one of the better players in today's shit performance and has been better than Stephy all season. Does sum up are fan base though though those that shout 'play it forward' when there's no pass on. Obviously never played a game of football in there life. Don't get me wrong we are shite and deserve to go down but booing certain players when others ones are underperforming even more definitely does not help.

Ayew was pathetic today. Half arsed and offers absolutely nothing to the team. The only time he has the ball he chucks himself on the deck and gives it away. He fully deserved the boos he got.

[Pliskin]

Coulibaly watching that today…….. he will be looking for his receipt.

[DerbyshireFox]

41 minutes ago, RowlattsFox said:

The relationship between fans and players is the worst I've ever seen. Probably got worse since the Danny Ward and Justin boos. Definitely feels like them and us at the moment. They have moments when they look like they are trying but they are missing that extra 10%. 

To be quite honest, I can’t wait to see the back of the majority of them, take 5 or 6. 

[enmac]

This is from a Fulham fan. Only posting it because much of it makes sense:

"

I’ve missed our two most recent games (it has been a very busy month so far), but thankfully I didn’t miss our victory today, a great win against a poor Leicester side. You do feel a bit for the hosts, but it’s this sort of fixture that has thrown us in the past - with so many teams competing for the European spaces it’s really terrific to actually win a match and keep pace with the other challengers!

Leicester’s poor form is no secret, but the game was almost a procession before Smith-Rowe’s goal. You can never rule out the emotional element of football, and in front of disgruntled support with six straight league defeats on the mind the team looked rather miserable. Fulham were hardly scintillating in this period, moving the ball neatly but lacking serious bite, yet they had control of the game, their possession suffocating Leicester’s willingness to raise their game and sapping energy out of the opposition.

Robinson and Iwobi caused problems along the left, requiring Ayew to track back to help Justin maintain Leicester’s right. The move left the hosts in a rather insipid back five, something that piled Leicester players into their final third - at times dumped around their own box - and seldom leaving to mount attacks. We were almost invited to shoot at times - Iwobi sailed along the left and had an effort hit the bar, Smith-Rowe dinked a shot at the end of a nice passing move wide, Bassey and Robinson surged out of defence to strike effort marginally off-target and a litany of crosses had to be scuffled away from goal by scrabbling defenders, sheepish and even dormant in the face of Fulham moves.

It was a poor start for Leicester, who had fallen asleep after some early chances for Ayew, and the half-time interval did nothing. It feels more fitting to describe the first phase of the game as transcending the half-time break and spanning up until our opening goal, scored shortly after the restart. Another spell of possession let Robinson, deep in Leicester territory, play the ball to Jimenez, nipping into a deeper left position. His cross curled wide to Wilson, who kept the ball in after its bounce. In doing so he arched the ball centrally to Lukic, whose burst into the box took him beyond Vestergaard, letting him head the ball to his left for Smith-Rowe to bundle into the net. A terrible start to the half - Kristiansen was asleep to Wilson’s position on the right, Vestergaard far too slow to react to Lukic and Faes was a headless sheep in the face of Smith-Rowe’s finish.

However, the goal seemed to shake Leicester out of their comatose state. Several players, perhaps revitalised by the changing face of the game, kicked into attacking gear, putting Leicester into dangerous positions and asking questions of a cruising Fulham team. Soumare used his stamina to drive the team out of midfield, winning more battles for his team in the heart of the pitch. El Khannoussi started getting on the ball more too, providing nice link-ups to his attackers. Critically, Mavididi used his pace and trickery to ignite the left, targeting Castagne with his mazy runs and getting Leicester into the box, even forcing Leno into a couple of saves with his efforts. With Vardy finally contesting Andersen and Bassey, and Leicester seeing more of the ball, the game began to look a contest.

That is until Ruud van Nistelrooy decided to tweak his team. I was aware there was some discontent with management at the King Power but it was a staggering sight to see his changes, El Khannouss and Winks off for McAteer and Skipp roundly booed, before “you don’t know what you’re doing” serenaded the ground. They were questionable changes - both players, El Khannouss in particular, had switched gears and were involved in several decent Leicester moves.

It proved disastrous - throwing on fresh, but unready, players into a hostile, frustrated atmosphere took the pressure off Fulham. We recalibrated our readings of the game, shook Leicester’s momentum off and within a few minutes doubled our lead - Lukic, enjoying a fine game, surged forward, laying the ball off for Smith-Rowe, who fed the ball leftwards to Wilson. The Welshman took a nice cross before Justin could rush back to stop him, looping the ball to the completely open Traore to plant beyond Stolarczyk. It was another hideous concession - Kristiansen again left a country-sized hole for the right-winger to score in - and it cemented Fulham’s position as leaders of the match. We enjoyed ourselves for the rest of the game - I think the second goal sucked the life out of the match for Leicester, who couldn’t find the motivation to spark serious attacks like the first goal did for them, and it was actually our side making the dangerous moves at the end of the game, seeking a third to cap off a brilliant day out.

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  ZeeZeeTopFulham

        ZeeZeeTopFulham

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  2-0 will be more than enough though, and there are a lot of positive to take from it. The return of Sander Berge has done wonders for our midfield - a titanium shield for our defence, a warrior around the pitch and a player that critically allows Lukic the freedom to playmake effectively. They have to be the most effective pairing in the position - they have the height, strength and legs to keep us secure defensively, and understand each other enough to be flexible when Lukic joins the attack. It was vital today - Lukic’s temperament and vision on the ball was stellar, keeping us ticking in the slower first half, combining nicely for several brilliant moments in the second. But for Muniz’ awkward body position towards the end, he’d have had a stupendous assist from a cross as well.

  We saw brilliant team goals today too - Smith-Rowe and Traore finished wonderful moves which architected through brilliant spells of passing and movement. I know Leicester aren’t the best team in the division but they are still professional defenders, and their resistance in the first half might have stumped previous Fulham sides. Our tactics, therefore, deserve some credit - be it Robinson taking on Justin, Jimenez and Smith-Rowe dancing themselves around the pitch or Wilson nipping away from defenders into the box we had the players and the patience to take Leicester apart. Traore had a top display today as well, taking Fulham forward with his blistering speed and actually managing to put some of his quality into his ballwork too, with a nice goal to reward his efforts. The range of passing was really effective today as well - Andersen’s return to fitness is vital, as his long-range distribution helps us bypass the midfield, lessening the impact of Soumare’s energetic pressing, and moving the focus of play much quicker.

  A word for Bernd Leno, too - there were some very important saves in the tighter moments of the game, and his contributions as our keeper can’t ever be ignored. We’ve had some brilliant shot-stoppers at the club - Edwin van der Sar, Mark Schwarzer, even Alphonse Areola for a season - and Leno is continuing the tradition nicely. His early close-range stop against Ayew’s shpt prevented the game taking a different complexion, as did his efforts in Leicester’s resurgence via Mavididi. It meant our backline’s blushes were spared, keeping them motivated for the rest of the game - and what a defence it has become, with Andersen and Bassey bossing the centre and Robinson’s speed cutting out more than a pass or two. Even Castagne looked alright today!

  However, for as excellent as we were today, there has to be some serious scrutiny on Leicester. It’s a strange set of circumstances for them - they were always likely to get relegated, they lost their manager before the season even started and they’re in a far healthier position in the relegation battle than Southampton, sinking into the abyss at the foot of the table. Yet the vitriol and contempt for their current predicament is tangible. The debacle at the substitution was quite a mess, and really did help swing the game our way - Skipp didn’t do much more than run around and I don’t remember McAteer even touching the ball - but there seem to be deeper problems at the club right now.

  Defensively, the team is abysmal - it feels harsh to continually single out individuals but Kristiansen is a dreadful left-back, seemingly lost to the responsibilities the position requires and central to critical failures at the core of the team. Faes and Vestergaard is a very bizarre centre-back pairing - perhaps if you could merge the pair into one individual the team would be in better stead, but currently they contribute their worst assets into the defence. Faes is skittish and panic-stricken, which gives you a coin-toss between a decent tackle and a comical error at every moment. Vestergaard has the mobility of a statue and I really don’t think he should be starting matches in a relegation battle, regardless of how much experience he has. Justin is the best defender there but had a gargantuan task stopping Robinson and Iwobi, later Wilson, from besieging his flank. Even with Ayew dropping back, it was a surefire route to goal for Fulham.

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  ZeeZeeTopFulham

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  Such fallibility at the back makes the job harder for everyone else - if you need Ayew to move from RM to RWB, Winks and Soumare to drop into the box to “solidify” and the other attackers putting more energy into their pressing than their own offensives the team naturally falls into a submissive, negative state of mind. The passivity befalling Leicester in the first half wasted almost an hour of time in front of their own fans - they were languid, too afraid to make mistakes at the back, and let themselves be opened up by Fulham, who only had to wait for the inevitably critical mistake.

  Of course, van Nistelrooy’s coaching does seem to raise questions too. Vardy, legend that he is for Leicester, sticks out quite badly, resorting to bundling into defenders to try and make an impact at one point in this match. He isn’t swift or slick enough to lead this attack, and his magic moments don’t happen frequently enough to justify playing 90 minutes, particularly when a top athlete like Patson Daka sits on the bench. Ayew was effective in moments in the first half, seemingly the only player positioned well enough to cause Fulham troubles at the back, but he had precious little to work with. El Khannouss and Mavididi took an age to spring into action - you wonder what benefit the team has in leaving Buonanotte, a very promising player at Brighton, off the field for so long, especially when he is denied the chance to actually play with the team in full flow.

  Soumare and Winks is a strange pairing in midfield, too - Winks is a bit pedestrian and needs a team with a positive attacking ethos around him to be effective, perhaps explaining the rather insipid opening spell he played. Then, when he was actually doing alright, van Nistelrooy swapped him from Skipp, a defensive midfielder and almost the opposite of what they needed in the moment! Soumare was the better of the two and had a lot of fight, but needs a partner to match his physicality and work-rates, and probably also some competent centre-backs.

  It’s a mess for Leicester, who are entrenched in misery and desperately need some good news to lift the club. Can van Nistelrooy win the fans over and cultivate some enthusiasm before it’s too late? He may need to be brave and get his best attackers on the pitch - it may prove a little late in the campaign to salvage a clearly broken defence. Such bravery should extend to this department, actually - as soon as the injuries clear, take some of the obvious underperformers out of the firing line and let fresh legs man the fort. For Fulham though, things look rosy - in good time too, because we’ll need some form to take into two tough matches against the Uniteds of Manchester and Newcastle. Let’s enjoy this victory whilst it’s fresh in the mind!"

[The Guvnor]

5 hours ago, Greg2607 said:

The second goal was on mavididi. Absolutely zero effort to get to Traore when kristianson had to come inside to pick up an attacker.  He was practically walking back.  it's that kind of lapse attitude that sees us go down. Every single player, needs a willingness to fight for every second of the game, be switched on, do the basics first

 

Soumare was routed as well ball watching.