Topic: Fulham 1-0 Liverpool: Full time

[NOTBORNIN1982]

A couple more dropped points and the owners may start to question how well the money has been spent. JH has already said missing out on CL football will be a massive disappointment....I'd take nothing for granted.

Source? The aim is top four but it's not the end of the world, we are moving in the right direction whatever way you look at it. Short memory.

[thelinnen]

May not be his choice you know what they're like in Madrid

We are not in the Champions League. Unless John Henry strikes oil we won't sign players of his calibre.

[-Q-]

Everyone knows how it is nowadays, nevermind 20/30/40 years ago, Spearing knows better so shouldn't of dived in which gave the referee a 'seed in his head' if you like, easily winnable without diving in like the way he did

So your response to a ridiculous red card is don't tackle?

[Mexamoxa]

If i catch that ref in a dark alley

Arsenal are already 3 points clear above us after their blazing start to the season.

Why do we beat the best and die with the rest...?

[Twelfth Man]

Charlim Adam is no better than Danny Murphy.

wat? Thought Adam was one of our better performers today.

[Vinay]

Source? The aim is top four but it's not the end of the world, we are moving in the right direction whatever way you look at it. Short memory.

Compared with Rafa's last year, we are not moving in the right direction. Compared to last year's finish, we aren't.
Compared to Hodgson's era, we are. If that is your benchmark, fair do's.

[hesbighesred]

I love Kuyt as you know but I think he's hit that downhill curve pretty hard. He never looked like he could hit a barn door from distance (well, bar in his early days), but now he doesn't seem to even be getting into those poachers positions, he just seems well off it even compared to his worst in previous seasons.

Carroll excelled in a different system to this, and even then that was only a season and a half of really solid goalscoring form. For what it's worth I actually think he's a top quality finisher, but he isn't getting all that many chances. Given a goal or two he could become more clinical again but is he going to get that many more chances? He just doesn't seem to fit, I hope it changes

As for Suarez I do agree but I think to become that he needs someone to take the pressure off. I think at this stage it's going to take quality signings, I just don't see it happening from within the squad.

Of course, I'd also be happy to be proved utterly wrong on this one too.

[firing squad]

Source? The aim is top four but it's not the end of the world, we are moving in the right direction whatever way you look at it. Short memory.

I also remember reading an interview with JH at the start of the season where he openly said that missing the CL spot would be considered a massive disappointment.

[Coolie High]

wat? Thought Adam was one of our better performers today.

Murphy is still very good to be fair.

[jillcwhomever]

Source? The aim is top four but it's not the end of the world, we are moving in the right direction whatever way you look at it. Short memory.

I think I will out that day, as RAWK will self destruct if CL football is missed out on.

[Sinead7]

wat? Thought Adam was one of our better performers today.

You're gonna need a bigger boat

[Semaphore]

Suarez goal was not offside.

Headbutt on Bellamy should have been a red card. If Bellamy goes down holding his face, Dempsey is off. But he stays on his feet and nothing happens. Refs are encouraging the kind of play-acting behaviour they don't like.

Adam foul was a penalty. There's nothing in the rules about "where the foul starts". You play the advantage to attacking team... and the foul continued into the penalty area.

Spearing red was very harsh. No intent, won the ball. Some refs would give a foul, others wouldn't. Some might give a yellow and others a red. No consistency.

Suarez was fouled all game and got nothing. In fact he had more fould given against him than for him.

The point is EVERY major decision went against us today. The ref seemed to have a personal dislike to Suarez. Very angy tonight.

[NorthamptonKopite]

John Henry definitely said words to that affect.

[Twelfth Man]

So your response to a ridiculous red card is don't tackle?

Don't make eye contact, or they will nick you..

[Ziltoid]

It was a beautiful tackle as far as i'm concerned.  Shite referee, simple.

[Ziltoid]

Don't make eye contact, or they will nick you..

He didn't

[KeithK83]

Decisions went against us, dominated the entire game, looked the more likely but in truth we should have put the game to bed before the sending off... distinct inability  to finish effectively and consistently cost us this one.

Its frustrating but we have to accept that we still have not not the killer instinct or mentality that our top four rivals have in these types of games.  Games we should have won all too often turn to ones we dont.

Onward and upward, next game please, lets see an improvement on Saturday. Massive effort by the lads no-one can fault them for that. Hendo impressed me especially in the first half and Spearing> surely we will apply to have that recinded. Disgraceful decision. YNWA!

[Twelfth Man]

I think I will out that day, as RAWK will self destruct if CL football is missed out on.

Been preparing myself for a non-CL position after the Spurs game. Lets admit we all have been to some level either consciously or unconsciously.

[Midget]

I agree that it is a wake up call for us.

We didn't play that badly, we created chances but couldn't score and we had crucial refereeing decisions going against us. However we can't use the same excuses any longer. We need to start winning these kind of games if we want to finish in the champions league places. We need to apply the same passion and effort that we have shown in the "tougher" games to these games against the "lesser" opposition. We can go on and on about the missed chances or the refereeing decisions but the fact is that the table doesn't lie. Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham, Chelsea and Arsenal are above us because they have been better. They don't need to rue their missed chances because they put their games to bed before that happens. We constantly give our opposition the chance to take something from the game because of our inability to finish them off. There is a clear pattern here that needs to stop, it's not all down to bad luck.

Another big question facing us is how do we set up if Spearing gets suspended for three games? Lucas injury has already been a massive blow for us so Jay's red card couldn't have come at a worse time. Kenny has some serious thinking to do.

[NOTBORNIN1982]

Compared with Rafa's last year, we are not moving in the right direction. Compared to last year's finish, we aren't.
Compared to Hodgson's era, we are. If that is your benchmark, fair do's.

If you can't see how we have moved forward on so many levels since Kenny came back then you really don't know what your talking about.

[TH]

Charlim Adam is no better than Danny Murphy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb8mZL-kLSM

[NOTBORNIN1982]

I think I will out that day, as RAWK will self destruct if CL football is missed out on.

If this happens we should think about getting Hodgson back in... we really should.

[RK7]

If i catch that ref in a dark alley

Arsenal are already 3 points clear above us after their blazing start to the season.

Why do we beat the best and die with the rest...?

We beat Chelsea who have been woeful and Arsenal who also started very poorly. Apart from them we haven't beaten the best. It has been the same story against whoever we played this season and failed to beat(apart from Spurs) a lack of finishing has cost us.

[-Willo-]

So your response to a ridiculous red card is don't tackle?

No, because he could of got the ball in a much simpler way but instead went for a big crunching tackle which never need to be done is all I'm saying, look at it again and tell me he HAD to do that, just silly, especially since the refs now are shite.

[Passmaster Molby]

The way some people in here are talking you would think Fulham didn't get out of their own half. Take a look at the chances for each side in the game and it was a lot closer than many on here would admit.

[And Could He Play]

ok, is there now people comparing kenny to roy? i'm off to shoot myself.

[John C]

Yes he was. Ray Wilkins even said he was.

Regarding the goal Neil / Everyone, Hangeland look at the linesman and saw he flagged so he gave up defending, had the flag not have gone up he may have been on the line and Suarez may not have scored.
The flag was still an error though.

[keswick]

Suarez plays better(scores goals) when he plays with Kuyt or Maxi. I do believe Carroll will come good, it just wont be this year!
If we pushed the boat out and purchased Cavani, we surely would see a better goals return for Suarez?

[-Q-]

No, because he could of got the ball in a much simpler way but instead went for a big crunching tackle which never need to be done is all I'm saying, look at it again and tell me he HAD to do that, just silly, especially since the refs now are shite.

Dembele would have gotten to the ball first, running into space in on goal, if he had not committed himself and launched at it first.  Lucas would have done the same thing.

[jillcwhomever]

Been preparing myself nfor a non-CL position after the Spurs game. Lets admit we all have been to some level either consciously or unconsciously.

To be honest it won't be the end of the world to me if we don't make it. Sure I would love to be back in it, but I would prefer it to be, when we are really able to tackle the Champions League. I think it is more important to qualify for the Europa League, get back into European football, then build ourselves up to the big one, when we have hopefully strengthened our squad.

[NOTBORNIN1982]

ok, is there now people comparing kenny to roy? i'm off to shoot myself.

Apparently we've not moved foward since Kenny came back in... 

[woof]

We can moan about the decisions that went against us but we weren't clinical enough in front of goal. Scoring goals is the problem this season. Last season, we had one of the worst defensive records but were scoring goals when Kenny came. Now it's just the opposite. That's football for you and it sucks

[**** The Pain Away.]

Pray to God that Stevie is fit and raring to go in a couple of weeks, we need him, desperatly.

[jillcwhomever]

ok, is there now people comparing kenny to roy? i'm off to shoot myself.

Sadly it wouldn't surprise me!

[-Q-]

Suarez plays better(scores goals) when he plays with Kuyt or Maxi. I do believe Carroll will come good, it just wont be this year!
If we pushed the boat out and purchased Cavani, we surely would see a better goals return for Suarez?

And why would Cavani leave Napoli who will (in all likelihood) be in the latter stages of the CL to to come to a club that is not in CL and could be outside the top four in January?

[Zelnaga]

Played our best striker who tore Fulham up last season on the left wing.

Played an out of form striker who was once again a passenger.

Didnt play Maxi who scored bagged 3 goals against Fulham.

Kenny got it wrong today aswell as our players who, once again, dominate but cant seem to score.

[John C]

There is no getting away from the fact it was a horrible performance.

That's an incredulous conclusion mate, I haven't got a clue what you watched.

[jaffod]

No, because he could of got the ball in a much simpler way but instead went for a big crunching tackle which never need to be done is all I'm saying, look at it again and tell me he HAD to do that, just silly, especially since the refs now are shite.

yeah, right, so instead of going in hard and winning the fucking ball, which is what he did, Jay should have thought "Ooh, I'd better just try and nick it in case the ref gives me a red card for tackling too hard".

[jillcwhomever]

If this happens we should think about getting Hodgson back in... we really should.

Yeah I agree with all his years of experience, can't believe we allowed him to go.

[Sinead7]

No Lucas, No Carra No Gerrard, we lack leaders in the middle. Bellamy doesn't play every game and Suarez can lose the run of himself sometimes.

The older players- Adam, Skrtel, Johnson and Agger need to step up and drive the team on- think we missed Lucas majorly in this department tonight.