Dchitz

Are we actually watching the same player, he isn't getting forward at all he is the dm if anything, has no creativity and certainly no "pulling strings". That said I think he is doing his job well

Midfielders are getting alot of time on the ball and fulham pose no threat from there, after 65 we should replace delph with Ireland and use him to try set bent free, bent has had no service thus far, besides that pretty pleased

I'd imagine this team will be instructed to keep the ball outwide nice and direct, which is actually a pity because IMO fulham have one of the weakest midfields in the league, if petrov and delph sit to deep like has happened in previous games we could be in serious trouble here as we can't really rely on gabby and inzogbia to defend should fulham press us deep. Will be interesting to see how it unfolds, a gold per formance from delph is key to our result in my opinion. Can't bloody wait.

Hate to say I told ye so, but I had a feeling he would do this alright, would nearly go back a draw now. Eck?? Haha you caught me, I'm in the bog lad

Hate to say I told ye so, but I had a feeling he would do this alright, would nearly go back a draw now.

He'll defo start inzogbia instead of makoun and delph will play I suspect this why he was rested Your team has no wingers

Makoun won't start at weekend, mcleish won't take risk of a passer in there, only has a chance of playing if delph and stan play, not in a midfield two Anyway

Wow some ppl really forgetting who our gaffer is here, I'd be shocked if makoun,Ireland or albrighton play, really really shocked, reckon delph will play in the middle with petrov. No way he'll put footballers in their because he will be shitting it to lose his first game. Reckon well get a draw with zero football but an away point is a point In any case

Scott Parker springs to mind and is available

What most of the fans don't realise is in his good season at city he wasn't playing just off the front man, he actually played right of a 3 man narrow midfield with a license to go up and down which he excelled at as his fitness was excellent. Contrary to belief his tracking ability is actually ok and although he doesn't smash into tackles like delph etc he has a decent ability to nick/intercept possession as he reads the game quite well. Any player will struggle to play off the front man in our squad for two reasons 1. Bent doesn't take the ball to feet, he plays off the shoulder of the last man making it hard for the player in the no 10 role to link with him 2. The gap between the midfield and man supporting bent is to large and the ball doesn't come to him fast enough as gabby found out yesterday. Anyone who watched the game yesterday could see Ireland was playin on the left of a 3 and not directly off front man and both aspects of his game benefited from this. An added problem he has is his head drops when he hasn't strong a couple of passes together and his mind goes wondering so it is important to have his closer to the action early on, and maybe push him on later on as his confidence grows. Playing in "the hole" can be very deceiving to fans because from experience you usually spend half if not more the game closing down defenders in a game of 4 v 2 possession, most defenders worth there salt won't be dispossesed in this situation, plus our defenders have a habit of bypassing midfield and banging it long. hence it's a fruitless position. All said I don't think this is the right position for him or any player in our squad but have no doubt about the players ability

positives makoun, nzogbia, some decent passing towards end, ireland working hard, clark is decent cover negatives- midfield dont support attack and create chances, petrov quite poor, dunne looking shakey, big one is lack of shots

worked hard when came on, 3 or 4 good tackles/interceptions and some nice passing, movement off the ball was great. Should of got a little longer given gabby and bents input in the second half. Not enough to start next week though

bannans ball retention awful

great interception SI

certainly making tackles and looking for ball

come on ireland prove me right for once and do something you baldy C*unt

Yep, I'm not one to buy into the criticism of him, but he's been poor today. midfield giving him and bent nothing, completly AWOL

When did gabby touch ball last

has to pull gabby or heskey now....

no one covering man on edge from corner tut

give ireland a run

and gives out to others after eventhough there was 2 passes on ahead both times

get ireland in there but in a middle 3 not in the hole, our team cant play with the current formation, push wide men on further and let nzog roam,

back four has been decent, some sloppy moments from dunne, is it just me or does petrov give no protection as a holding midfielder, makoun has been quite good, inzogbia looks a bit rusty but still looking for the ball, heskey is trying hard, bent and gabby not being utilised at all and feeding of scraps, 3 games in a row for the forwards is worrying