BFTG - Fulham

[RoyalBlue]

I loved Dellor getting caught out for a second time by the same fan in his post match interviews:

"Oh hi Tim. You interviewed me after the Boxing Day game when I asked you whether Santa had emptied his sack in your bedroom!"

[Maneki Neko]

I can't remember feeling as nervous as that at any game before.

I'm trying to think if I have ever felt physically sick with nerves at a football match as I did from about 80 minutes onwards. Maybe Brentford 01/02 was about the same, but I was only 13 years old then so I don't think it was quite as bad.

same

actually worried about my heart for a few seconds

[genome]

Also, think Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was there, him or Eddie Murphy anyway.

Last night? Yeh, he was sat with Brian Tevreden

[stealthpapes]

Also, think Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was there, him or Eddie Murphy anyway.

Last night? Yeh, he was sat with Brian Tevreden

I'd never sat in that spot before - was eyeballing the posh seats before the game. Cheers for confirming - rather glad I'm not a massive racist.

[Maneki Neko]

Think everything about players has been said - Illori stood out as, yeah, never seen him play before . We made a conscious shift to 5-4-1 with a subsitition. Thought that was when we do a standard issue fold. Fulham had a ten minute spell of almost uninterrupted possession but barely any actual shots then it broadly petered out into something a bit more aimless.

Echo everything about the crowd - I missed Wigan in 2001 but that's the only game i can think of being tenser. I was up near the posh seats, could smell the champagne on JM's breath. Also, think Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was there, him or Eddie Murphy anyway.

Ref - very good. Sat next to people who criticised him early on for a foul (Kermogant didn't jump, took out players legs). Liked him giving advantage and then taking the ball back - one for diving which is a rarity.

Anyway, since we've moved to Madekski, I make it we've had four properly duff seasons. The first, 03-04 and 04-05 and 13-14. Every other has seen play offs, cup runs, promotion and, because I like suffering, relegation.

On to Wembley.

04-05 only partly duff for me.
we were very good for ages, but just folded and just missed out at the end.
in fact im not having any 9th or 7th place finishes (or prem seasons) being properly duff at all

for me its just the last two.

[Scutterbucketz]

No, it didn't actually.
you're late to the party. Been discussed and put to bed a long while back.

We can't take you seriously when you're so blinkered.

"Back, and to the left"

"Back and to the left"

[Scutterbucketz]

Is McShane still suspended for the final?

[Nameless]

Is McShane still suspended for the final?

No, they have issued a pardon, Harriott's injury has also been cured by a miracle and they have allowed Gylfi to rejoin us just for the one game.

[genome]

Think everything about players has been said - Illori stood out as, yeah, never seen him play before . We made a conscious shift to 5-4-1 with a subsitition. Thought that was when we do a standard issue fold. Fulham had a ten minute spell of almost uninterrupted possession but barely any actual shots then it broadly petered out into something a bit more aimless.

Echo everything about the crowd - I missed Wigan in 2001 but that's the only game i can think of being tenser. I was up near the posh seats, could smell the champagne on JM's breath. Also, think Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was there, him or Eddie Murphy anyway.

Ref - very good. Sat next to people who criticised him early on for a foul (Kermogant didn't jump, took out players legs). Liked him giving advantage and then taking the ball back - one for diving which is a rarity.

Anyway, since we've moved to Madekski, I make it we've had four properly duff seasons. The first, 03-04 and 04-05 and 13-14. Every other has seen play offs, cup runs, promotion and, because I like suffering, relegation.

On to Wembley.

04-05 only partly duff for me.
we were very good for ages, but just folded and just missed out at the end.
in fact im not having any 9th or 7th place finishes (or prem seasons) being properly duff at all

for me its just the last two.

Even then we made a cup semi final and quarter final

Never dull as a Reading fan

[Scutterbucketz]

Is McShane still suspended for the final?

No, they have issued a pardon, Harriott's injury has also been cured by a miracle and they have allowed Gylfi to rejoin us just for the one game.

And we get to wear our home shirt, yeah?

[stealthpapes]

Think everything about players has been said - Illori stood out as, yeah, never seen him play before . We made a conscious shift to 5-4-1 with a subsitition. Thought that was when we do a standard issue fold. Fulham had a ten minute spell of almost uninterrupted possession but barely any actual shots then it broadly petered out into something a bit more aimless.

Echo everything about the crowd - I missed Wigan in 2001 but that's the only game i can think of being tenser. I was up near the posh seats, could smell the champagne on JM's breath. Also, think Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was there, him or Eddie Murphy anyway.

Ref - very good. Sat next to people who criticised him early on for a foul (Kermogant didn't jump, took out players legs). Liked him giving advantage and then taking the ball back - one for diving which is a rarity.

Anyway, since we've moved to Madekski, I make it we've had four properly duff seasons. The first, 03-04 and 04-05 and 13-14. Every other has seen play offs, cup runs, promotion and, because I like suffering, relegation.

On to Wembley.

04-05 only partly duff for me.
we were very good for ages, but just folded and just missed out at the end.
in fact im not having any 9th or 7th place finishes (or prem seasons) being properly duff at all

for me its just the last two.

yeah, I rate cup runs highly for idiosyncratic reasons (and they're the game I'm more likely to attend) ...

04-05 - I remember 1 win in 13 games, and watching the Brighton match while in Dublin with my football team and genuinely at how laboured we were.

However, in the spirit of magnanimity. I will happily should swap 04-05 for one of the two relegation seasons, the second one? jesus that was bad.

[Maneki Neko]

ok, that's fine by me, its a deal

[Ascotexgunner]

HAHAHA Superb........

[Maneki Neko]

ok, that's fine by me, its a deal

although, that was some January!

[No Fixed Abode]

Also, think Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was there, him or Eddie Murphy anyway.

Last night? Yeh, he was sat with Brian Tevreden

JFH - Potential next Reading boss should Stam leave?

[Maguire]

To paraphrase Dr H earlier in another thread:

If, after almost 200 minutes of football, you're having to cling to a zoomed-in freeze frame then you probably just haven't played well enough.

FWIW I thought Atkinson had a very good game last night and also that it was a penalty (albeit a tough one to be on the receiving end of).

[BraisingsteakRoyal]

To paraphrase Dr H earlier in another thread:

If, after almost 200 minutes of football, you're having to cling to a zoomed-in freeze frame then you probably just haven't played well enough.

FWIW I thought Atkinson had a very good game last night and also that it was a penalty (albeit a tough one to be on the receiving end of).

Not that i'm adding a particularly new aspect on it - but the arm movement for the handball was just too unnatural looking for it not to be given.

I personally think the defender was trying to pull his arm free of the interlocking with Yann, and wasn't trying to do anything clever with the ball - but either way the ref reacted straight away - mimicked the arm movement - and gave the pen.

[Maguire]

Agree with all that. Regardless of frame-by-frame breakdowns it really looked like a penalty in real time because of the arm movement.

[CountryRoyal]

Think I've finally recovered. Absolutely smashed last night I remember very little of the game itself, but I've never felt more relaxed towards the end. I'm not a superstitious or believe in fate or anything, but something just told me we're going to win. I was so confident after we'd scored, wasn't even remotely worried - was really surreal and I can't really explain the feeling.

It might have been all the booze tbf.

[Stranded]

Agree with all that. Regardless of frame-by-frame breakdowns it really looked like a penalty in real time because of the arm movement.

And lets face it, if Yann made him do it, he is some kind of evil genius to pull his arm back and release it at just the right time to ensure the ball was at a perfect height for the arm to propel forward and make contact with the ball.