Fulham F.C. v Derby County F.C.

[Rample]

11 hours ago, archram said:

I hate I hate watching games where the others are in black and white -I keep forgetting who I’m supporting!

All bloody night I struggled with that. I guess I haven't really seen us play in the away kit enough to associate us with it.

[Kennington Ram]

Slept it off. I can't really fault too much how Rowett set up, and for the first 35 mins it was going well. From where i sat, they had shots, but like Jeromes first leg goal, if any one of several crosses had made contact it's a goal.

My disappointment is that when the legs went, and when we went behind, we seemed to have few good ideas. Which considering Fulham are no great shakes defensively was disappointing. A lack of quality and youth cost us there, I hope we address it over summer.

Fulham earned it though, and the hard way.

[Comrade 86]

Bit off topic but is it wrong that I'm considering a Spoons large breakfast with a side of black pudding? I'm strangely drawn to it right now but I feel a bit dirty for being so.

Thoughts please....

[Topram]

Palmer was very good when he came on, shame we hardly saw any of him! 

[Sasha]

9 hours ago, Seaside Ram said:

Maybe im too wounded to agree , if the ref had booked mc donald on andi he would have gone and as for that kamara #### trying to get Scotty sent off ? Not having it , hope they and their piss poor supporters get **** on big time at Wembley?

Agree.  Hacking down Jerome and that disgusting dive to get Scotty off.  Come on Villa  

[archied]

My gut feeling is villa will do the same as us to Fulham at Wembley but will beat them as villa have bette4 players than us

[Rample]

We have both learned and confirmed a bit in recent games.

First is obviously we need to be more proactive rather than reactive. We were ultimately the cause of our own downfall by standing off and focusing on their game and by making Vydra a last roll of the dice rather than an option.

Second is the inexperience of our manager - Obviously Gary's first taste of the play offs and I'm not going to fault him for the first leg, but an older head would likely have done things differently. Any young manager would have been similar and hopefully if we choose to stick with him he will have learned a bit as well.

Older players isn't necessarily a bad thing. We had 4 players to thank more than most for getting us to half time last night one up - Carson is immense, Davies owned Mitrovic in the first leg, Huddlestone tried to get us on the attack from being so contained, and we wouldn't have been there at all without Jerome's burst of form. That is a solid experienced spine and that ideal is something we should retain to give us a mental edge.

On the back of that of course is a clear need to compliment them with youthful energy, but and this leads to the next point, we are nowhere near the quality of Fulham.

What energy we do have is for the most part wasted on poor decisions - Weimann and Lawrence can run all they want but what becomes of it? If Lawrence can score 15 a season it partly negates it but right now without playing Vydra up with a striker we are a bit toothless. When Jerome was up top who else did you think was actually likely to score from elsewhere on the pitch last night?

Rowett has earned a little lenience from me in recent weeks but needs to show he has learned some of these things and address them or I can see a discontented fanbase again before long.

[Dimmu]

2 minutes ago, Rample said:

Second is the inexperience of our manager - Obviously Gary's first taste of the play offs a

2

Fact check hits again:

Rowett's third time in playoffs, twice with Burton.

Otherwise, I'm agreeing with all of it. Ok, maybe not the learned part either as I'm just hoping Rowett would learn.

[Jimbo Ram]

2 hours ago, Rample said:

All bloody night I struggled with that. I guess I haven't really seen us play in the away kit enough to associate us with it.

I think Fozzy struggled too with that...kept passing to a player in a white shirt...

[Jimbo Ram]

We put up a better fight than I expected over the 2 legs. Fulham remind me a lot of the Rams team under Stevie Mac that should have won the play offs when we lost to QPR. Good passing, mobile, quick and looking to score goals. They play the way football should be played and I hope they win the play offs as they deserve to....

[Markyboyace]

How's it going guys? Fulham fan here, but before you think i'm here to gloat i'm not at all. I actually came here today for two reasons. 1) to say sorry for you guys not making it through to Wembley, it sucks and trust me when i say i know how this feels. and number 2) i apologise on behalf of Kamara, we don't stand for what he did yesterday and it's unforgivable and undefendable. If i had my way he wouldn't play for my club again.

Just so you know from our perspective, Derby was the side we wanted to face least of all. I'm not saying i think we'll do Villa or Boro but after witnessing the dicking you gave us a PP last season i knew you would put up a fight. For what it's worth i thought you played well and your away fans were full of support yesterday and impeccably behaved during and after the match.

Sincerely, well played guys. my condolences and good luck for next season whether we're playing against you or not.

Have a nice summer.