2 minutes ago, dR3 said:

Leno decided to have the game of his life, our players and Maresca didn't take the match seriously.

There's your recipe for a loss.

It seems a lot of players have the “game of their lives” against us. Does my head in. 

PSA to people who are saying the title race is over: We were never in a title race. Games like today and last weekend pretty much shows that we are not ready.

I’d bring Cech:Hilario out of retirement over Sanchez

Just now, Snedger said:

Utter f**king sh*t. And embarrassing as well. That was pathetic. God help us when we next come up against good sides if we can’t get anything out of Everton and Fulham. Who do we screw up against next?

Isn't that half the problem. We think we're better than these sides and oddly enough we get undone by teams with more fight and energy

When we need energy surely Guiu is the better option?

1 minute ago, PloKoon13 said:

Completely agree. Today was awful but the ultimate aim is (and always was) top four, and we are well on track to achieve it.

Hopefully we'll see Lavia/Madueke/James back soon and this doesn't turn into a farce.

Poinless if he doesn’t use the squad

Game management after Nkunku came on was just so, so wrong. Why was Gusto still vacating his position when Fulham was attacking that left side all game? 
 

Instead of Maresca praising Pep in his pressers maybe he should give us reasons why Felix isn’t playing. 

Just crap - they thought they could sit back on their arses and win... you cannot do that in the EPL.

Infuriating, deserved loss. Jackson should have been hooked after 15 minutes, Felix and Nkunku I can't blame if they're looking to leave given how they're being used (or not used to be more accurate).

Cucurella being upfield and offside when Sanchez sent it forward for their second just about sums the game up, dawdling and sleepwalking through the entire game.

Edited December 26, 20241 yr by jack h

Nkunku coming on invited Fulham on, as predicted our pressing game died.

1 minute ago, Zola_25Fan said:

I’d bring Cech:Hilario out of retirement over Sanchez

He nearly saved us two games in a row.. I would complain about someone else

6 minutes ago, Snedger said:

Why has EVERY team in the league got a better keeper than us?

Behave yourself. 

You've only to look at Bournemouth to see that's not true.

I thought we were rubbish today bar the 1st 20 mins.

No real desire to take the game away from Fulham.

Got what we deserved, transitions were too slow today.

 

3 minutes ago, Faisal said:

On the bright side this defeat illustrates this team is not ready for the pl title. Striker goals keeper and CB are desperately needed.

Given how much City and Arsenal have fallen off, I think there is a title winning squad here already, but they are being held back by the tactics for me ... 

We did have our Chelsea back.

Now we have Clearlake Chelsea back. Have a good one ladies and Gents, was fun while it lasted.

sh*te

Just now, Gordon Bennett said:

Like Nkunku you mean? He did less than Jackson.

Well, of course, your entitled to your opinion Gordo. But I am convinced that if N'kunku got the consecutive starts and minutes that Jackson gets, and if even a third of the chances that regularly fall to Jackson, fell to N'kunku instead, we would score a lot more goals and look a lot more fluid up front. 

But that's never gonna happen Gordo, because N'kunku is going to be sold and, unfortunately, he is going to show his class at another top European team. And it will be on Maresca.

Pretty much all our weaknesses we've seen over the season came together today in one game and haunted us. Questionable striker who goes on and off depending on the game, poor defence and questionable goalkeeper.

3 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Nkunku coming on invited Fulham on, as predicted our pressing game died.

You think we were pressing before? Blimey!

Through it away - that Tosin reminded me bit of Thiago Silva... the way he dawdled about with it at the back... slowed the pace down - far too many back passes today when we should have been going for it.

Far too complacent, attempting to coast the second half cost us

Not enough shots on goal, far too many attacks ended up back to the CB’s

Poor in game management from Maresca, not doing enough to change the course of the match

Major missed opportunities made by the team to cement second and possibly challenge the top

Reality is top four is the best we can hope for but we have to play better to achieve this

4 minutes ago, guddy69 said:

He nearly saved us two games in a row.. I would complain about someone else

He's just fishing for bites

Awful awful game management by Maresca, Fulham were by far the better since since the 55th minute and he made no tactical to change that. Fernandez had no energy for the last 20, Gusto was bad once again (pretty worried about him), Neto didnt take on any player in the 2nd half. There was so many problems all ove the field that bringing on Nkunku was one of the last change we should have made.

Edited December 26, 20241 yr by DidierDrogbalala

Their manager made changes which paid off. Maresca sat on his hands hoping to see the game out. They deserved it.

Palmer goal aside, Sancho, Jackson and Neto have been poor for the second game running. That was arguably our strongest side and we just weren’t good enough. 

5 minutes ago, WhiteWall said:

Behave yourself. 

You've only to look at Bournemouth to see that's not true.

But is it?