** Official Match Thread - Fulham Home (Carling Cup) **

[Slim]

It seems we can now do what the top teams do- play crap and win.

I thought we could have rested a few players though. Weiss could have played.

I thought he did play.

Not until extra time. I guess I meant to say that Weiss could have started. Thank you for correcting me Mr don't even know when the transfer window opens.

huh? Alrighty then.

[Ted Hughes]

Fulham defended superbly but tonight highlighted how much we need Ade or RSC, it was back to the same problems as last season; no plan B. They blocked every avenue through the middle because they knew they could easily deal with crosses if we put any in so going out wide was no use to us.

Great that we can find goals from set plays now though. Lescott, Toure & Barry look a threat every time the ball comes in & still cause problems when it's half cleared. Nice to be doing it rather than be on the receiving end.

De Jong was superb tonight but SWP & Ireland were very average going forward. Bellamy great again as was Tevez but both were crying out for a big man to play off. We wouldn't finish top 6 without one imo. Luckily we have two but we should find a young kid in Jan to back them up. Weiss just showed a few glimpses of what we'll get as the season goes on, pure talent.

In years gone bye, we would've lost that game probably by several goals (the oppo would've scored late on), it's great to see that we've got a side who can find a way of fighting back when things aren't going our way. Well done lads.

[dazby]

Why was it a crap game guys? Was there no tempo? Was it just Fulham camping out on their goal line?

Did we dominate possession? Was our passing ok?

[dikdik]

Right. Just got back to London after staying over at my son's last night.
What was wrong with the team were they were knackered.
Emotionally and to a lesser extent physically.
Don't forget after the emotional drain of Sunday they've had the scummy press picking at us like vultures on a carcass. After the Ade witch hunt I thought they'd give it a rest. But no. The extra time at Old Trafford was exactly accounted for down to the nearest micro second and the way the Bellamy stood on a a chair to slap that poor gargantuan in the face was a disgrace. Mutter. Mutter.#
Anyway to the match
Someone once said they've never seen a more boring game. All I can say is you've not been supporting City for very long. :)
The bodies were there but the minds seemed elsewhere.
Sitting exactly across the back line in the first half we were treated endlessly to pass the ball between Toure and Lescott befor mad Zab charged down the right and gave SWP a go.
I'm afraid the first shot IN OUR DIRECTION was the Fulham goal!! Typical City? Who said that.
Anyhoo I'm calming down now.
Tevez was magnificent. He ran his heart out. He really does know how to hold the ball up. Bellamy was game and ran and ran. The defenders had little to do until the goal from nowhere gave the Fulham lot the belief.
We missed height up front no question.
Ireland and SWP are pale shadows of their former great selves. Ireland seemed too frightened to give the long pass and SWP doesn't seem to take people on any more. I really thought Ireland was ill from the off and wouldn't be surprised if he's picked up a bug.
That said. And has been said.
To win when playing poorly is the mark of a great team.
Even with ten minutes to go of extra time I didn't have that pit in my stomach sick feeling that I've had for the past fifty years or so when all seemed lost.
I believe.
I am now the George Bush of believers.
Come on you city faithfull
This time it's for real!!!

[Robinho_Is_GOD]

It is obvious that some (and myself as well included) expected City to brush Fulham aside last night because they were featuring some of their "back-up" players.

Sides that play some of their "back-up" stars are usually harder to beat, because their players will try that much harder to impress their manager, whereas the first team stars wouldn't do so much, as they know they are in his plans and likely to play when needed.

Also when sides come and park the bus so to speak, it makes life slightly difficult and they are the 7th best side in the country going off last season and in Europe, something that we ourselves are not, so it was not an "easy" game or should have been expected to be "easy" either.

A good win, even if the collective team performance was not upto speed, or their full potential.

What amazes me, is on the MUEN website, some pillocks on there are already slating both Lescott and Weiss.....they have played 5 games for the club between them, and yet these outstanding "unemployed" managers know more about their abilities than some currently in a post earning a living doing the job.......you couldn't make the shit up that they make you read!.

[Ted Hughes]

Why was it a crap game guys? Was there no tempo? Was it just Fulham camping out on their goal line?

Did we dominate possession? Was our passing ok?

We were definitely suffering a bit of a post derby hangover 1st half & when we came out after half time, pushed Ireland forward & increased the tempo, we looked like scoring. It still needed a corner kick to get the ball in the net though.

Fulham did a great job defensively (why bother to be that negative in a cup game is another question) but it was in a way similar to us v the rags in that they stopped us passing the ball forward through the middle like we did to the rags, albeit Fulham had no threat & just sat there unlike us at OT. We had the ball all the time but there were no gaps to play through. The rags were able to change tactics 2nd half though & put crosses in but we had a team of dwarf forwards so that was useless for us. Unless someone produces a brilliant goal from nothing or is lucky, a well organised PL team will keep a team of dwarves out more often than not imo. Corners are invaluable in those circumstances though & saved our necks.

Without a genuine centre forward we're a top 7/8 rather than top 4/5 team imo. With a CF we're very very dangerous & could do absolutely anything. I recon we should find a kid or old pro who can be back up to Ade & RSC so this kind of thing doesn't happen again in the run in. We won't win anything without a presence up front.

[Original Dub]

It is obvious that some (and myself as well included) expected City to brush Fulham aside last night because they were featuring some of their "back-up" players.

Sides that play some of their "back-up" stars are usually harder to beat, because their players will try that much harder to impress their manager, whereas the first team stars wouldn't do so much, as they know they are in his plans and likely to play when needed.

Also when sides come and park the bus so to speak, it makes life slightly difficult and they are the 7th best side in the country going off last season and in Europe, something that we ourselves are not, so it was not an "easy" game or should have been expected to be "easy" either.

A good win, even if the collective team performance was not upto speed, or their full potential.

What amazes me, is on the MUEN website, some pillocks on there are already slating both Lescott and Weiss.....they have played 5 games for the club between them, and yet these outstanding "unemployed" managers know more about their abilities than some currently in a post earning a living doing the job.......you couldn't make the shit up that they make you read!.

Excellent post.

Also, add to that the fact that, almost to a man, we were three days over a damn tough and emotional derby against the champions and, again almost to a man, none of these Fulham players had played at the weekend.

The big difference is that we overcame a team that defended in bulk and hit us with a sucker punch. We did not have the tenacity nor the means to do it last season, so if this is as stubborn and frustrating as it can get, then bring on the rest of the season.

[dazby]

It is obvious that some (and myself as well included) expected City to brush Fulham aside last night because they were featuring some of their "back-up" players.

Sides that play some of their "back-up" stars are usually harder to beat, because their players will try that much harder to impress their manager, whereas the first team stars wouldn't do so much, as they know they are in his plans and likely to play when needed.

Also when sides come and park the bus so to speak, it makes life slightly difficult and they are the 7th best side in the country going off last season and in Europe, something that we ourselves are not, so it was not an "easy" game or should have been expected to be "easy" either.

A good win, even if the collective team performance was not upto speed, or their full potential.

What amazes me, is on the MUEN website, some pillocks on there are already slating both Lescott and Weiss.....they have played 5 games for the club between them, and yet these outstanding "unemployed" managers know more about their abilities than some currently in a post earning a living doing the job.......you couldn't make the shit up that they make you read!.

When you are not being sensationalist you post very well Riggers.

[shawzy]

Why was it a crap game guys? Was there no tempo? Was it just Fulham camping out on their goal line?

Did we dominate possession? Was our passing ok?

I thought we played ok.It was mainly down to there 1st 11..Almost as frustrating as Stoke
Im really proud of them for diggin in deep and gettin a result..Fantasic squad..Luv the lot of them.Silverware plz :-)#