Feel very let down tonight. Someone must represent the pessimistic among us and I haven't heard from Dougal for a while.

Bugger, bugger, bugger. 2 points wasted. WHY was Speed playing for so long? WHY are we unable to effectively use 2 of the best wingers in the league? WHY can't we defend a lead?

Muttergrumblebahumbug...

-- Anonymous, April 08, 2002

Answers

No one was really up for it today it looked. Speed mixed some great efforts, like his tackle just outside the penalty box with some stupid errors. LLL in for Cort (who did almost nothing) and Jenas in for Speed.

-- Anonymous, April 08, 2002

pathetic display. I've had root canals more fun than watching that shite. I hope Bobby sends them right back out on the pitch for training. Albeit there was some poor reffing, but we should have been stuffed! We play like that and it only reaffirms my belief that we are NOT ready for Champions league.

I would like to single out one performer who had his worst game for us in a long time. Aaron Hughes had no right to be out there, he was worse than shite.

-- Anonymous, April 08, 2002

Very depressing, like I said before I can see the CL slipping away from us. Our game in hand now becomes Derby on Satda (since chewsee are involved in the FA cup) if we don't win that then we won't be seeing any CL next season. I hope Bobby locks the feckers in SJP tonight, I don't care about it having been a remarkable season so far, what I care about is not having the ability to put shite like Fulham away. Yeah, but fulham aren't shite.........yes they are! we made them look decent. ps. on a sadder note, I don't think we will see Bellamy again this season, how long has he been a day away??

-- Anonymous, April 08, 2002

I don't understand why Bobby perseveres with Cort, he has not had a good game since his comeback, Even against Everton he didn't do a lot apart from his goal. LLL despite all his faults deserves at least a try, and every time Bernard has come on he has looked better than Cort.

Sky can't get Bobby out of the dressing room for an interview..I hope he is shouting hard now - at the team - No body is going to give us a CL place they have to work their balls off to get it and I didnn't feel they did that tonight.

Given definately MOM for us. I just wish we had seen more of Jenas, Dabizas showed with his 1st touch after replacing O'brien just how much we need a new Centre Back.

Come on Gods...smile on us again we are so near to that CL place but it isn't on a plate.

-- Anonymous, April 08, 2002

I'm right with you Bob. Cort wants bloody shooting. What the hell does Luax2 need to do to get a game?

-- Anonymous, April 08, 2002

Look on the bright side. We are picking up points without playing well...thats the sign of a good side innit?

Well the title of this thread suggests excuses are allowed anyway......

-- Anonymous, April 08, 2002

If anyone really believes it was a lack of effort that cost us two points tonight they're bloody dreaming - we weren't good enough!

-- Anonymous, April 08, 2002

sweet lord... Clarky and I agree on something... armegeddon is upon us!!!!

in actual fact Shay was MOTM (again) as far as I'm concerned!

-- Anonymous, April 08, 2002

Fulham for relegation? Come on, they were bloody brilliant, the best quick passing and movement I've seen all season.

-- Anonymous, April 08, 2002

Thanks for starting the thread, Steve. Apart from Dougal and Gav, I was starting to think I was the only raging pessimist around here. ;- ) Still p's me off no end that our players can't seem to get through their thick skulls that the season does not end in March.

-- Anonymous, April 08, 2002

Chelsea play mid week and could overtake us again, just to cheer everyone up.

-- Anonymous, April 08, 2002

Well that was painful to watch, and yet again I`m left wondering how the heck we are as high up the table as we are. Again, Shay was the best player we had out there. Didn`t like the booing, but we were woeful. The players looked miserable, bewildered and lacking in inspiration. The stupid thing is, with the exception of Cort, we have seen the same players go out and really `boss` the game. Last night we couldn`t string two passes together, and it probably rates as the worst collective performance all season. At least Shearer had the good grace to look thoroughly embarassed during the interview. He was also less than gracious when awarding the man of the match champagne and couldn`t get off camera quick enough.(:o|

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2002

Short of Given Nobby and Distin (apart fromlast 10mins) not one player can hold his head high. They were all awfull.
Robert was at his worst and Elliot has to be the worst player of the season , no pace no determination no skill . . .
AND WHAT was Robson thinking putting Jenas on as a centre forward (swapping with dyer) Luax2 and Bernard will be thinking what the f*** do they have to do to get on the pitch. If i was Bernard id certainly not be signing that new contract.

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2002

Frustration is my main feeling. Probably because I know we can play a lot better. Not sure if the team is tired, but for whatever reason we didn't up the tempo and play out of the trouble and congestion. The energy displayed by Fulham reminded me of how we played in some of the games earlier this season. Is it because we now think we're good enough not to put in the effort? I hope it's just nerves. Hence all the misplaced passes. The throw ins demonstrated how little movement and alertness there was in the side. We need Bellamy's buzz and enthusiasm more than ever.

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2002

We really shouldn't get too despondent about this. All the top six have been through bad spells and this is ours. On the other hand the way Fulham played did look like the future of football, though in fact it comes from the past...it's the way Tigana's old French team under Michel Platini used to play. Maybe we should try it...

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2002

can't we blame this on the inter-twobob?? ;-)

From my perspective we just had a bad game but credit has to given to Fulham who played very well. Ho hum.... At least we are now guaranteed an inter-twobob at least next season

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2002

I am gutted too. No point in blaming the Intertoto now -- we should rather look forward to it. I can't get too excited about the Champs League now, when it is quite evident we are not up to it. This side isn't. Absolutely gutted.

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2002

I'm pleased one or two are recognising Fulham's contribution to our awful performance last night. We looked jaded and nervy, they were bright, and energetic and inventive. Credit were credit is due........bugger, bugger, bugger!

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2002

It's sad to realize how these "players" seem to think that the final whistle for the last game of this season has already gone. Tides will be turning on, over and out.... But on the long run (ie. generally) I'd prefer the Uefa cup for our current "team": Uefa is only two games of humiliation at a time.

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2002

Why is anyone suprised? You didn't REALLY think we could possibly win last night? I certainly didn't....

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2002

okay Gav, which century did you last expect us to win in though ?

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2002

I don't think i've ever expected us to win...I learnt that lesson VERY EARLY on in my toon supporting days....it would've been asking too much for them to take 3 points at home to a team that haven't won in 8 games....so we could keep our noses ahead of chelsea....

Nope, we have to wobble so that chelsea really get the bit between their teeth and come after us....I wouldn't be suprised if we finished below leeds as well...

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2002

Right i'm off again to continue enjoying zurich...i'm not gonna let that shower of shit get me down. They just aren't worth it.

Thanks for the text updates min :)

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2002

I am nort as pessimistic as some seem to be -- after watching the team for a half century it pays to be an optimist. I think we have a good team which with the addition of three or four in key positions will not disgrace us in the CL -- that is, if we make the CL. My gripe is that we are not using the talent we have. We could have fielded better than Elliot, Cort, Speed. I am beginning to think that Bobbir Robson is playing Cort because he bought him for 7 million. He can leave out the expensive Marcellino because that was Gullit's mistake!

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2002

no problem, tiger.

Funny though - i believed we'd win until you started texting at half time and then you persuaded me we were gonna lose or draw - and you weren't even watching it!

I was gonna [optimisitically] suggest we attempt to lure Fernando Couto [CH at Lazio] to us in the close season with the promise of CL football next season - but based on that performance it's laughable that we'll get there. Fulham aren't a bad team but YET AGAIN we fail to dominate the teams we SHOULD be beating to get success.

2/10

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2002

Basically a disappointing all round performance.

The wingers were painfully underused, I don't care about coming back to get the ball, wingers aren't meant to do that. The number of times Elliott had the ball and had an easy pass for Robert to run into space for was absolutely amazing - except all bar one were booted as far as he could hit them - the stupid bugger sitting behind me applauded every single long ball as he said "that's the way to play, son"

Speed looked lost by all accounts. Added nothing whatsoever to the team, I don't understand why Jenas didn't start.

Dyer wasn't as bad as the rest but didn't get forward enough for me.

Cort and Shearer were no better / worse than each other.

Distin was pretty much superb APART from a few dodgy passes, more over confidence than anything else. O'Brien too wasn't that bad to be honest.

I decided that as poor Elliott is, it is far safer to have a dodgy left back than a dodgy centre back, and at least we sorted that out.

Elliott however doesn't understand that Robert likes it played into space. Solano and Hughes have built up a partnership and it works well for them, but Elliott seems incapable of a short pass.

Given can't be blamed for anything, he was easily the best out there.

On the plus side, Fulham didn't play badly, it's not as if we failed to beat a poor side. I don't care what anyone says, they were up for it and played well and as we all know any team is capable of beating any team in the league (just about).

I don't buy the criticism of Robert that was virtually non-stop from all around me. I agree he has had better games, but wingers need to be passed to. They receive the ball then run with it, high up the pitch. Expecting them to come back and run three quarters of the pitch in one is asking too much unless the game is open - last night's wasn't at all.

Cort is obivously not fit. Far too many of the so called fans were out to get Cort from the first whistle, which really annoyed me. Fine he might not be firing on all cylinders at the moment, but jeering a player because he isn't playing well is simply not on. We are fans, not consumers. There is no "this ticket entitles you to entertainment" small print on the bottom of your season ticket.

A little support from the crowd and it makes a hell of a difference. Sadly, except for after we scored the fourth against Everton, there hasn't even been a little support in the last month. Disgraceful.

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2002

Paul - I possibly the odd one out on this subject, but I thought Distin was very dodgy last night. He seemed very nervy, was beaten far too often in the air by Marlet, and he kept miskicking the ball. He did get a few decent tackles in, but was far from the assured, commanding CB we're looking for.

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2002

The nervy moments do stand out, but he had far more very good moments.

It's easy to remember the things players did wrong, but he won a lot in the air and seemed pretty strong.

It was his distribution that let him down again, but I'd rather have that than Dabizas to be frank.

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2002

I agree that he isn't the ideal centre back we are looking for.

Ideally I'd like to see us buy two new centre backs that would be first choice, and then the others could be backup. On the whole the back line did ok from a defensive point of view (if you take out the silly mistakes).

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2002

Remember this is only Distins what, 2nd start in the CB position? It also comes on the back of 3 months playing at RB and having it drilled into him how to play there.

Nah, second thoughts just get rid of him.

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2002

There are just no shades of grey on here!

Gus - You make a good point on Distin having played for some time as a LB, and needing to adjust - indeed I was thinking the same myself during the game when he occasionally got caught out of position.

However, that doesn't account for him being beaten many times in the air by a CF 3-4 inches shorter than him - although it was by someone who looked a very good player - so again, perhaps there are explicable reasons.

It also doesn't account for him mis-kicking clearances on numerous occasions - that may well have been down to nerves, which is my guess.

I was assessing Distin by admittedly tough measures - because I'm bloody sick of our schoolboy defending for as many seasons as I can remember now, and I don't want us to spend another £4m on yet another "dud". We should not spend this money on Distin simply because he's here - or as a LB, because he isn't a top class LB. If we buy him it MUST be as a CB - and if we are to buy him he MUST be seen as the answer to a longstanding problem. Frankly, I'm still not totally convinced.

-- Anonymous, April 10, 2002

Of course there is no grey, its all black and white!

I do not think any of us believe we know if Distin is the answer at CB, we have to see him there to tell us that, he simply has not been given a chance. While not thinking they all would have come good, but JDT, Andreas and Maric come to mind, they were bought on performances then because of injury or necessity, played out of position then when they lost confidence pilloried by all and sundry.

I do not think your measuring stick is too hard (ooooooeeeeeerrrrrr missus), its just we haven't seen another measuring stick to compare it with. In our team I mean!

-- Anonymous, April 10, 2002

I agree that Distin needs a lot more than 3 games to be fully assesed at CB. Look at Hughes at RB, he was unsure at first, as were we, but he's put in some fine performances. Recently I suspect tiredness from being overplayed has contributed to some less than perfect performances.

I think as much as anything it is the two centre backs that are important, each knowing their roles and being aware of the other one. It may take a while before Distin gets there.

On the plus side, he is only 22 or 23 so has his best years ahead of him. Who knows, in years to come he might end up being worth £30m.

Only 2 seasons ago he was playing non league French football before being catapulted into the Champions League with PSG.

-- Anonymous, April 11, 2002