Tag Archives: Premier League

The View from South Texas – Fulham v. Swansea City

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by HatterDon

Classy Swansea Rule the Cottage

There was really no moment where Fulham looked the better of Swansea today, and perhaps not even their equal for more than a couple of 10 minute stretches. While Fulham’s midfield sprayed passes to nowhere, their back four and goalkeeper looked slow, distracted, and profligate. By contrast, Swansea are the best organized and most attractive visiting team we’ve seen all year. They attack in numbers, defend well, and pass, pass, pass, pass, and pass. The final score of 0-3 does not flatter Brendan Rogers’ side.

Fulham began with two changes from our heartbreaking defeat at Aston Villa. Ruiz came in for Duff and Diarra for Murphy. One can assume that Swansea’s non-physical game was more suited to the Costa Rican than to Duff, and one MUST assume that Diarra was in for Murphy in response to the elbow to his face he took from Steven Ireland at Villa Park. Whatever the reasons, the latter change pretty much settled Fulham’s hash.

The only time Fulham looked threatening was when the ball was at Dembélé’s feet. He is devilishly difficult to dispossess, and he’s always looking for the good pass. Unfortunately, his central midfield partner was a detriment to the Fulham attack. During the last 10 minutes of the first half [when Fulham looked as if it were only a matter of time before they equalized], the Mali international over-hit five passes that, had … say … Murphy taken, would have sprung a Fulham player free for a shot on goal. Those were five opportunities single-handedly lost during a period when Swansea were defending for their lives. As it was, Fulham really only had two threatening shots, both by Dempsey, one in each half, and both easily handled by the excellent Michel Vorm in the Swansea goal.

The Fulham defense looked distracted, almost lazy – especially in opening the game. Inside the first half hour, Hangeland, Schwarzer, and Diarra each gave the ball away when under no pressure and within breathing distance of our goal. On all three occasions, Fulham weathered the storm. But when Pogrebnyak was similarly generous, it led to a series of short decisive Swansea passes and a goal by Sigurdsson – for my money, the best player on the pitch today. Sigurdsson would score again and, with Fulham pressing totally unconvincingly as the second half drew on, Swansea gained possession in a completely open Fulham midfield and Joe Allen waltzed in for number 3.

The irony for me, here, is that I expected us to lose for the same reason we lost to United at the Cottage. Swansea has fleet attacking wingers, and we don’t defend them well. Today, Riise handled Routledge – who had his best match ever last week – very well, and Sinclair was almost anonymous on the left wing. What I DID NOT expect was for our central midfield to be so easily undone by the middle of Swansea’s midfield and attack. Dempsey and Ruiz did very little, but they got only fair service from Dembélé, and no service at all from Diarra.

And so we got the result that our play deserved, that our tactics deserved, that accurately reflected the difference in quality between the two sides. Yes, color it however you like, but Swansea are that much better than we are, and the reason is largely because of Brendan Rogers. The only thing that stops me from giving him my vote for Barclay’s Premier League Manager of the Year Award, is that I don’t actually HAVE a vote.

And, speaking of contrasts, the 3,000 Swansea supporters were highly entertained and entertaining. I think I know almost all the words to Land of My Fathers now. As for the home crowd, the only noise I remember hearing from them were angry groans when Senderos, Kelly, or Ruiz gave the ball away. Interestingly, I heard nothing of the sort for the play of Mahamadou Diarra – by far the worst player on the pitch today.

There is no HatterDon Man of the Match award when we lose 3-0 at home to a club behind us in the Barclay’s Premier League standings. If you’re keeping count, that’s two matches played, zero points, and a goal difference of -4, since Marteen Jol told the press that we had a very good chance of finishing sixth this season.

Oh well, we’re safe from relegation, nobody got injured today, and there’s always next weekend. Let’s see who are we … bloody hell, Old Trafford on Monday.

Until then …

The View from South Texas – Fulham FC v WWFC

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by HatterDon

The Natural

Pavel Pogrebnyak celebrated his return to the Russian squad by dominating a disintegrating Wolves defense on the way to Fulham’s 5-0 defeat of the storied Midlands team. Our new number seven now has 5 goals from his first three starts with the club, and suddenly the disappointing January transfer window looks genius in retrospect.

Fulham dominated for all of the 90 minutes – only the second time this has happened all season. Although it looked as if Riise would be the first to score, it was Pogrebnyak who converted a Duff corner by powering a pile-driving header past Hennessy. It was clean and clinical, but how did Wolves manage to allow Fulham’s lead striker so much space to convert so easily? Pog got his second off a wonderful counter attacking move that resulted from a Wolves defender surrendering possession at the midfield stripe. Andrew Johnson was off in an instant and stretched the remaining defense wide enough so that his sharp cross was converted by Pogrebnyak with a crisp right-foot volley. Fulham had finally scored a second goal just before half time. Certainly this would be enough for me to relax and enjoy the rest of the match. Of course not; I’m a Fulham supporter.

I fully expected Connor to change things up – specifically in defense – at the half. Wolves have, after all, accumulated more points after falling behind than anyone else in the Barclay’s Premier League. Just last weekend they overcame a 2-0 deficit to share the spoils with Newcastle. And, as we all know, whenever Fulham have dominated the first half against a weak opponent, we come out after the interval timid and tentative. Well, not so much of that today.

The Mad Russian completed his hat-trick with a Dempsey-ish effort. Our Late President found himself clear in the center of attack and hammered a shot that Hennessy could only parry with his legs. Pogrebnyak nipped in to convert the rebound with the outside of his left foot. This completed the “natural hat-trick,” and it was left only for Dempsey to “score with his left” and “score with his right” and make Wolverhampton look … well, look as if they well and truly belonged in the bottom three.

Heroes abounded for The Mighty Whites today. The back four was solid – Hughes dealing with the ever-present threat of Matt Jarvis better than most right backs in the league have, Hangeland and Senderos quelling whatever threat came through the middle, and Riise complementing his resolute defensive work by being a constant attacking threat down Fulham’s left wing. You can’t emphasize enough the importance of Riise’s contribution to our attack today. By running the left wing so relentlessly, he drew the defense wide and opened up plenty of space in the middle for Dempsey and Dembélé.

Dempsey had a bit of mid-week joy of his own, of course, and played the match pretty much as a withdrawn striker. This is perhaps his best role, and his runs were picked up and exploited by Danny Murphy. The captain’s assist on Dempsey’s first was nothing short of brilliant. Duff had a relatively quiet match, but he was certainly up for it. He consistently got Hughes into the attack in good positions, and cut in well for a few shots of his own. Moussa Dembélé was absolutely brilliant the entire match. What a performance! I was tempted to give him Hatter Don’s Man of the Match, but I knew I’d hear from my friend down the road if I ignored the hat-trick hero. Oh, and welcome to Mamadou Diarra. I almost fell off the couch laughing when his first ever touch of the ball resulted in the Hammersmith End urging him to “shoot.” He looks useful, and it was a nice interplay with Dempsey that resulted in Clint’s second and Fulham’s fifth.

Speaking of which, Pogrebnyak had a marvelous game. His work in front of goal was clinical and efficient, but his hold-up work and his distribution were, as they say in American Mike’s part of the country, “cherce.” He’s the real deal, and I think he just sealed his place on the Russian squad for Euro 2012 today. If we can keep him at The Cottage for next season, I will be one very happy Texan. Andrew Johnson was brilliant all day as well, collecting two assists [really should have been three in a 6-0 defeat] and driving Wolves’ defense absolutely spare. I never tire of seeing the absolute joy on his face when we score. Good stuff for Our Late President.

Oh, and just in case you went to the loo in the 92nd minute, Schwarzer made a save.

As for Wolves, I don’t think I’ve ever seen them so toothless and – truth be told – lifeless. There seemed to be no communication among the defenders and their five-man midfield was pretty much dominated by Murphy and Dembélé, leaving Duff and Dempsey to run riot. I know that Connor is new, but I wonder that it took him so long to get Fletcher and Hunt into the game. Of all Wolves’ players, they would have reacted to Fulham’s mauling with a bit more resolution.

So, yeah, a great match. 90 consistently brilliant minutes, and good performances, communication, aggression, and – especially – passing. We looked very good out there. Wolves’ poor performance was 90% our determination and consistency.

HatterDon’s Man of the Match is Pavel Pogrebnyak who is, of course, okay.

On to Villa Park and COYW!

The View from South Texas — QPR v. Fulham redux

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Jekyll AND Hyde Visit Loftus Road

by HatterDon

How Fulhamish is it that your very humble correspondent was not the slightest bit worried about the outcome of this match UNTIL … until we took the lead early in the first half. I knew that we would continue to play pretty attacking football throughout the first half. I knew that we wouldn’t score. I knew that we’d allow 10-man QPR back into the match despite the obvious fragility of their defense. And, finally, I knew that within the last five minutes QPR would take two or perhaps all three points from us. It nearly happened, also, but Wright-Phillips blinked and Schwarzer didn’t and we got all the points.

The first thing that struck you about the match was the attacking nature of the lineup. We were going with a 4-4-2 today with Our Late President in the starting lineup. Once again, Cap’n’ Danny was partnered in midfield by Moussa Dembélé, and the Ruiz-Dempsey Passing Corporation was also featuring. Aaron Hughes earned a second start as Hangeland’s partner.

The second thing that struck you was how forward-looking we were. Our passing in the first half was nothing short of breathtaking. Johnson had the ball in the net early but was adjudged to be offside. It wasn’t long until our industrious Russian received an absolutely gorgeous back-heel feed from Dembélé. With only the keeper to beat, Pogrebnyack kept his cool and rolled the ball in. All this was within the first 7 minutes , but it turned out to be all we were going to need on the day. And, of course, for me it was sweating out the next 83 minutes and whatever stoppage time there would be.

We didn’t stop attacking, of course. Dempsey was fed through on two occasions by Ruiz and Murphy, but he didn’t have his finishing boots on today. He more than earned his keep, however, by winning possession whenever QPR attacked. He and Dembélé won ball after ball off the Rangers and turned their misguided attempts on our goal into the beginning of yet another Fulham attack. Our eager attackers should have been salivating with Diakite was sent off with the match barely 30 minutes old. Five or six earlier fouls and warnings didn’t put his head right, nor did the yellow he was awarded by the excellent Phil Dowd just a few minutes earlier. And so he was gone, and the already weak QPR defense was now bereft of its defensive shield. The fact that the Mali International was making his first ever start was a lucky break for Fulham – one of several on the day. Once he learns the pace and limitations of the Premier League, I think he’ll be an excellent defensive midfielder in this league and will have a goal or two in him as well.

We were also lucky that QPR’s most creative attacking force, Abdel Taarabt, was also their most wasteful attacking force. He caught the eye almost constantly by his ability to make the quick decisive pass, and well as his ability to turn a promising attack into a weak shot directly at Mark Schwarzer. Finally, did anyone notice Zamora today? Neither did I.

So what do we make of today? On the positive side, Pogrebnyack looks to be slotting in nicely, Dempsey hasn’t lost his form, and if there were an Assist of the Season award, Dembélé would be odds on to win it. The midfield duo of Dembélé and Murphy was dominant and brilliant all day, and it looks as if we finally have a decent taker of the dead ball. Ruiz had more quality free and corner kicks than you’ll see from Fulham in three or four matches. And despite the unconvincing play of our back five as a unit, Hughes and Schwarzer looked solid all day. Oh, and we got three points on the road and a double off QPR.

On the negative side, we failed to see off a weak side [with a vulnerable defense] that was down to 10 men AGAIN. We turned our first half dominance into a lackluster second half with little cohesive attacking AGAIN. Our only serious threat on goal was a late run by substitute Dickson Etuhu [??] who ran unchallenged for about half the pitch before shooting inches wide of Kenny’s goal.

But, what the hey, we won. I see no reason why we shouldn’t win our third on the trot in our next match, and that should see us in comfortable surroundings league table-wise. HatterDon’s Man of the Match was Our Enigmatic Belgian. He is such an improved player over last season and his recent “promotion” to the role of Murphy’s Partner has seen him play is very best football in our shirt.

About the travelers: usually I love hearing us on away days — especially when we out shout the home side — and when today’s chanting was about Fulham, our players, and Al Fayed it was great to hear. Unfortunately MOST of the audible “cheering” were the unimaginative and unoriginal brickbats aimed towards Zamora and Hughes. It seems that although we like to tell ourselves that we Fulham supporters are made from a different mold, this isn’t really the case.

Finally, as many of my readers will know, I am a fan of Mark Hughes as a manager. I think that he was ill-used by our club and that Martin Jol is inferior to him as a tactician and as a motivator. Add to my thoughts about Mr. Sparky that the way he ended the match today – shoving Jol’s extended hand away – was petulant and devoid of class. I hope he is fined by the league and cautioned by the LMA. Thanks to him, I’ve watched my last QPR match of the season.

Wolves at the door of the Cottage next weekend so COYW!

Newcastle summary

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by Frankie-Peter Taylor

As usual, I am back with a Monday post after the weekends match where I’ve had time to observe and analyse the Fulham performance, lets get this one started.

Now you’d think that despite a 5-2 victory there would be no negatives, hell no. That first half was dreadful, there was no pace, no movement, no urgency. Is there anybody to blame in particular? I would say no, but it could be said that it is whoever struck down Moussa Dembele at Blackburn. In the 433 we have begun to play, he is vital. This is due to his defensive work rate and his ability to come away with the ball and recycle is remarkable. Also, his dribbling can take himself past 3-4 players and we then have a numbers advantage. We missed him in that first half and changing to the Roy Hodgson esque 442 helped us. This isn’t a criticism of Martin Jol, infact it’s praise, he saw the problem and went about solved it, which takes a lot for me to say who has accused him of being tactically retarded.

Another problem, and I’ve defended him in the past, was Phillipe Senderos. My gosh did he get my heart rate going. Heading towards his own goal 2-3 times and twisting himself like a chinese puzzle for a Shola Ameobi shot from distance. I have felt bad for him being labelled a liability but he really could have lost us that game yesterday. Now if he is going to get dropped, I don’t think it should be for Aaron Hughes, instead Chris Baird. Chris Baird came on at half time yesterday and showed why he is rated so highly by all at Fulham and really is so under rated by outsiders. I’ve always said that one of the strengths of Senderos is his passing ability but I think Baird would test him all the way on that front.

My last negative is Bryan Ruiz. You can say what you want, and that he will prove he is worth his worth but I am not convinced. When Fulham FC are spending £10m on a player, he is going to have to live up to the price tag. I’ve said before, I believe he is a striker because his defending is pathetic. He is so weak, and gets brushed off the ball so easily. He shows moments of class like his two assists and two goals but it seems he is starting just for the possibility of this moment of class and it reminds me a lot like Rafael van der Vaart. In long periods of the game he won’t do anything at all, and only plays as long as he does in the hope that he provides quality at once. I didn’t judge him, like I didn’t with Senderos but yesterday done it for me, I hope he proves me wrong but I just can’t see it, I would happily sell him back to Twente if it meant recouping the money we paid.

Positives now! The performance of AJ. He tore Coloccini to pieces and him and Zamora really do match like Chalk’n'Cheese as our American friends would say. He looked like the AJ of old using his pace and intelligence to really test and stretch the Newcastle back four. He was just missing a goal and really does give Martin Jol a selection head ache with the dreadful performance of Bryan Ruiz and the return of Moussa Dembele.

Clint Dempsey is top class. Is he better than Fulham FC? Probably, BUT would any Champions League teams by him? Probably not, he is at his peak and will only be at this quality for two or three seasons more. He’s a battler and the home boy is doing FFC proud, he enjoys his time at Fulham and unless and offer does come in from an Arsenal or the like, he won’t look to jump ship. A modern day legend, and should be respected as one, our longest serving player and has provided us with some great memories.

The performance in that second half is up there with the quality of the whole QPR performance. You couldn’t have faulted it. Looking at the games ahead, I would happily lose to Everton if it meant winning the next three, unlikely with Man City away being one of them but a boy can wish. I do strongly believe we can go undefeated at home for the rest of the season and a couple of away wins could see us test teams like Liverpool and Newcastle for that 6th place spot. Come on the Fulham, I am looking forward to next season because of this is much like a transition under Martin Jol and he can get a whole transfer window and pre season to get his squad ready for the season ahead. It’s the first year in a while we will go two seasons with one manager but long may it continue, we could do with some managerial stability and after the criticism I have given him, I hope he continues our good form.