Back from the game - Fulham Away

[Tilehurstsouthbank]

I'm guessing all this negativity is coming from those who weren't there.

It was a cracking day out and the best football we've played for a long long time. Fulham still have something to play for (not safe yet and still got Liverpool and Swansea) and we outplayed them. Great to see our intensity and passing accuracy. The team were playing for pride and they showed it.

The Eight Bells was a great warm up and our fans were immense today. Even though we are down, today was one of the highlights of the season.

I guess you had to be there.

Agree with everything you've said Phil, including the Eight Bells. I was in the corner by the door. Cracking atmosphere in the away/neutral end. As for the Fulham fans, I thought the Mad Stad was quiet!

There were some outstanding performances form our lads. Karacan, HRK and Jobi all played really well, but for me the MOTM was Guthrie. He wanted the ball constantly, he never panicked and set up the majority of our good work.

[Royal With Cheese]

It's the first match where Adkins's football philosophy and change of style is really starting to show through - much more passing and much more accurate passing (86% completion in the first half is unheard of!)

Still a weakness in defence, though, Fulham had plenty of chances themselves and our marking was often sloppy/non-existent - and but for McCarthy's saves in the first half it could have been a very different game.

So no, we're not suddenly world-beaters, and this was a transitional performance - but the signs for the future are certainly extremely encouraging.

Saved me the bother of typing all that. Good appraisal.

[ZacNaloen]

Southampton were weak in defence tbf, are sure it's not just a feature of Adkins style?

The most of the defensive work comes from keeping the ball in midfield and pressure from the full backs, but means you are pretty shit at dealing with crosses if the opposition over loads your defence.

[Elm Park Pasty]

Southampton were weak in defence tbf, are sure it's not just a feature of Adkins style?

The most of the defensive work comes from keeping the ball in midfield and pressure from the full backs, but means you are pretty shit at dealing with crosses if the opposition over loads your defence.

I think hidden somewhere in the Atkins thread was a reference by a Southampton fan saying what we could expect from him, and one of the things mentioned was some iffy defending as he prefers to go for attacking football. Having said that, being an ex goalkeeper, you would expect him to favour a strong defence.

[Elm Park Pasty]

I was really happy that we put in such a good performance on Saturday, and I don't agree that Fulham had nothing to play for, as they aren't safe yet. The over-riding feeling I have been left with is bewildering disappointment. The team have been capable of playing like that for most of the season, the only players involved (I think!!) on Saturday who were not here at the start of the season were Kelly (LB) and Blackman (Sub). I know that people are going to disagree but Saturday's performance went a little way to dispelling this silk purse/sow's ear argument. Let's be honest, we weren't ever going to challenge the European places but I do think we would have able to put enough points on the board to get to 17th and safety if the squad had been used more effectively and more thought had been applied to at least alternate tactics and a willingness to try something else.

[creative_username_1]

I was really happy that we put in such a good performance on Saturday, and I don't agree that Fulham had nothing to play for, as they aren't safe yet. The over-riding feeling I have been left with is bewildering disappointment. The team have been capable of playing like that for most of the season, the only players involved (I think!!) on Saturday who were not here at the start of the season were Kelly (LB) and Blackman (Sub). I know that people are going to disagree but Saturday's performance went a little way to dispelling this silk purse/sow's ear argument. Let's be honest, we weren't ever going to challenge the European places but I do think we would have able to put enough points on the board to get to 17th and safety if the squad had been used more effectively and more thought had been applied to at least alternate tactics and a willingness to try something else.

no way of knowing what would have happened so not worth wasting your time thinking about it

[Stranded]

I was really happy that we put in such a good performance on Saturday, and I don't agree that Fulham had nothing to play for, as they aren't safe yet. The over-riding feeling I have been left with is bewildering disappointment. The team have been capable of playing like that for most of the season, the only players involved (I think!!) on Saturday who were not here at the start of the season were Kelly (LB) and Blackman (Sub). I know that people are going to disagree but Saturday's performance went a little way to dispelling this silk purse/sow's ear argument. Let's be honest, we weren't ever going to challenge the European places but I do think we would have able to put enough points on the board to get to 17th and safety if the squad had been used more effectively and more thought had been applied to at least alternate tactics and a willingness to try something else.

If the team had been set up to play that way all season you are probably right - they weren't so it's a moot point.

[RoyallyFcuked]

Reallyyyyy wish I could have gone to this now but I had to work Bet it was a great day with our fans in good voice, finally something to really cheer about, and nice weather too! Anyway, I only saw the highlights but I am really happy for the lads and for Nige to get his first win. The signs of improvement have been there in last 2 or 3 games, but it seems for the first time it really came to life. Like Ive said before, a meaningful goal could give the boys the confidence to score more goals and to go on and win a game, and so it proved. I wonder if it also had something to do with the lads playing for pride, and there being no real pressure whatsoever, as we are 100% down (then again we have known that for a while)

Special praise goes to HRK for his two well taken goals, Le Fondre for his and McCarthy and Guthrie who, from what I've seen and read, also played really well. Not to mention of course, Jem Karacan who is starting to look like a different player under Adkins. Obviously Nige can see he is a far better player than Ledge, but still, a 2 or 3 weeks ago I would have said it would be better to offload him along with Ledge and a few others. Now he is showing he wants to adapt and fit in with Adkins style for next seasons plans, and more importantly, he is showing he can. Credit to all the boys in fact, a well deserved win and really looking forward to last 2 games and next season now as the encouraging signs just keep growing.

[floyd__streete]

Good fun of course, but Fulham coasted through the game. Plenty of promise in an attacking sense for next season though.....but how similar will our starting XI be?

Defensively woeful again. I firmly believe that a season of chasing shadows in the big boy's league will teach Mariappa and Morrison more in one season than they will learn in the remainder of their careers, but the goals we conceded (and generally, concede) are pathetic; Kelly ball-watching for a simple 1-2 for the first and then a free-header for the 2nd? Championship or Premier League, we'll concede hatfuls next season with this kind of mickey mouse defending. If it wasn't for the excellent (as per) McCarthy we'd have shipped 5.