Wednesday Fulham Stuff (11/12/13)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Dimitar Berbatov is...The Continental

(Facebook.com/berbatov.bg)

Well hello there.

I see you've caught me holding a pencil in my mouth while showing off my latest drawing. As I am about to tell you, drawing is one of the ways I unwind after displays of sensual excellence on the pitch like the one I put on against Aston Villa. I scored a goal against them and now I've scored a goal against art. Ha-HA!

It should be obvious what my latest work depicts. It's an abstract piece that shows you, the most exquisite of all Berba-babes, preparing to disrobe in a snow covered forest as I lay by a crackling fire, playing the Scooby Doo theme song on a mandolin while awaiting your passionate touch. Some people have said that it reminds them of a famous photograph of Muhammad Ali standing over Sonny Liston, but that just shows how many interpretations there can be for the very best artworks. And this is definitely a Berba-casso. Ha-HA!

Why am I still casually holding this pencil between my teeth as I talk to you? Because that's how I do all of my drawings. With my mouth. You see, my foot dexterity is only surpassed by my mouth dexterity. And The Berba is ready to prove that to you right here and now. Or in a juice shop last week. Or in the back of my cousin Timitar Berbatov's van in five minutes. It's conveniently parked right over there. So what do you say? Will you be The Berba's life model...and life partner...for the next 20 minutes or 45 minutes if we do hat stuff?

Oh-OHHH! I bit down on the pencil and now it's leaking. Oh, what was inside of this dastardly art tool and its surprising lack of bite resistance? Oh, it's getting everywhere. When will it stop? Why am I not taking it out of my mouth yet? How did this become so exciting? Where did you go?



http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/soccer-dirty-tackle/dimitar-berbatov-continental-111412228--sow.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Rene's Fulham get back to basics

Fulham FanZoner Andy Lye hails Rene Meulensteen's back to basics approach after the Cottagers' Premier League victory over Aston Villa.

What a difference a week makes. Obviously we don't know much yet about Rene Meulensteen's methods on the training pitch, but it hasn't taken any unimaginable master-strokes to re-shape our team into something which works.

His aim was to get the basics right first, and he's done just that.

Lauded for making several changes against Tottenham, what Rene really did in team selection terms was do the things most of us have been saying should be done for months - drop Bryan Ruiz, play with two proper wingers, and put someone who works hard behind Dimitar Berbatov. That way our favourite Bulgarian strop will actually get some service and support, then we'll see whether or not he can be bothered to do what we need him to do this season or not.

We needed our basic shape back, and it worked immediately. With Alex Kacaniklic and Ashkan Dejagah on the wings and Pajtim Kasami in the number ten role, Berbatov was provided with no less than four great chances against Spurs last Wednesday. Problem was, he missed all of them; two via great saves from Hugo Lloris, and two by just being too casual and not concentrating hard enough on his finishing.

But the shape was there, the heart was there, and when Berbatov put Dejagah through for his brilliant opener, there's a big hint the goals are there too. Have we ever come away happier in defeat than most fans did on Wednesday?

His decision therefore to replace Kasami, who in truth hasn't had a really good game for a few weeks now despite his energy and effort, with Steve Sidwell against Aston Villa on Sunday seemed odd. Especially as it meant we had three central midfielders on the pitch at the same time, with Sidwell and Giorgos Karagounis taking turns to play at number ten while Scott Parker held down the defensive role.

But it worked well, not so much because it was a great idea, but because of the industry and application of those three players. Match reports have heaped praise on Berbatov for being involved in nearly every attack we put together, but it was that midfield trio, who particularly in the second half made more really fantastic tackles (none of which have made it into the highlights reels) than most teams will make in weeks, that were really instrumental for us.

They worked brilliantly together, always covering each other and picking up the loose balls after one of the others had made a challenge, but also put in all of the running required of them, getting involved in defence and attack.

And that's the biggest difference Meulensteen has made. For now at least, everyone's trying harder. Berbatov especially, but others too are putting more into the games than they were under Martin Jol. Rene's even been able to bring John Arne Riise back in from the cold, and what an improvement that's been.

I liked Kieran Richardson at left-back, but just recently he's been lacking both defensively and in attack. Riise, whether it's to force his way back into the regular starting 11, or to put himself in the shop window in January, covered both parts of the game well in both games this week, so while he continues to do the same, that's another success for Rene. As hopefully putting Darren Bent and Adel Taarabt on personal training programmes to get fitter will be too.

In general he seems to have given the players more belief in going forward, pushing up higher when in possession and not leaving one or two attacking players stranded. If he can keep the intensity up so that we don't end up dropping off and inviting teams onto us like we did against Spurs, we should be fine on enough occasions to get out of trouble, just like Sunday.

Yes, the Kacaniklic penalty was soft, and yes Gabriel Agbonlahor should have had a spot-kick as well, but we've been out of luck for so long it's about time something went our way. Especially given Mike Dean's utterly appalling performance all game as players like Chris Herd, who had to be taken off before he was sent off, started making a fool of him by getting more and more audacious with their fouls, which he kept letting go.

All this is not to say we're now looking good for results away at Everton or at home to City, those are still very difficult games, but after Christmas we've got a vital run of four games that we need to get points from, because as expected this current period where most of the teams around us are playing each other has seen at least half of our immediate rivals pick up wins.

Norwich away on Boxing Day (the very idea of which should be scrapped in my view) should be seen as a winnable game. Hull away two days later might be tricky, but back-to-back home games against West Ham and Sunderland to start the New Year are both that cliched thing, the "six-pointer". Best case we come out of that run with 10 points, but at worst we have to win those two home games.

That would at least take us into the horrible four-week period which follows, with five tough games, on a more respectable points total and with a bit of confidence.



http://www.teamtalk.com/fanzone/15164/9066771/Rene-s-Fulham-get-back-to-basics?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham to fight United's youth overtures

Fulham expect to fight off the reported interest of Man Utd in their two best academy prospects Moussa Dembele and Patrick Roberts. The club are aware that both teenagers, 17 and 16 respectively, are firmly on the radar of the Premier League champions with United looking to lure them to Old Trafford. However, Fulham have big plans for both players and could blood both in the first team before the end of the season, although the club's current league position is not making it easy for Rene Meulensteen at the moment. Dembele was called up to the senior squad for Martin Jol's final two matches in charge and was introduced off the bench as a substitute at West Ham - almost the Dutchman's last act as boss. The French forward has been firing in goals for the Under-18 and Under-21 sides this season and impressed against Manchester United's development side with a wonder goal.

The ex-Paris St Germain schoolboy signed his first professional contract with Fulham in July which protects the club against losing him on the cheap, although they have received no indication that he wants to go. Roberts, a highly-rated midfielder aged 16, is a different case because he has not signed pro terms yet but the club have promoted him to train with the senior squad in an attempt to convince him that staying at Craven Cottage is in his best interests. The England Under-17 star could even be included in Meulensteen's senior squad if he continues to develop at his current rate before the end of the campaign.

Read more at: http://www.clubcall.com/fulham/fulham-to-fight-uniteds-youth-overtures-1677537.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Premier League Player of the Week: Dimitar Berbatov

Saying that Dimitar Berbatov has been underwhelming this season would be kind. Through 14 matches his poor form led to rumors that he wanted out of Craven Cottage but three days later, he looked a rejuvenated man helping Fulham to a 2-0 win over Aston Villa.

Berbatov played role of provider on Steve Sidwell's opener before brilliantly flicking on a pass to Alexander Kacaniklic to draw the penalty that the Bulgarian striker then converted.

Whether the rumors of Berbatov's wantaway are true or not, no one seems to know. And with Arsenal and Tottenham rumored to be waiting in the wings for the 32-year-old, Fulham's willingness to hold onto their classiest striker will be proven come January.

Nevertheless, Berbatov's performance this weekend was nothing short of outstanding. And for that, he's the Premier League Player of the Week.



http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2013/12/10/premier-league-player-of-the-week-dimitar-berbatov/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham end seven-game losing streak vs Villa

Relegation-threatened Fulham ended a seven-game losing streak as Steve Sidwell and Dimitar Berbatov scored first-half goals in a 2-0 win over Aston Villa in the Premier League.

After a minute's applause at Craven Cottage for former South African President Nelson Mandela who died Friday, Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan pushed Berbatov's header onto the bar but was powerless when Sidwell flicked the ball from a tight angle to open the scoring in the 21st minute.

Berbatov then calmly scored from the penalty spot for his second league goal this season after Alexander Kacaniklic was fouled by Leandro Bacuna in the box.

It was Fulham's first win since new manager Rene Meulensteen was appointed as a replacement for the sacked Martin Jol.


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http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/9492954/Fulham-end-seven-game-losing-streak-vs-Villa?