Am I alone in this?

[Rupert]

Obviously I'm pleased both by the win and the fact that we kept a clean sheet for the first time since the dinosaurs went extinct, and frankly who cares if it was against a not very good Norwich. Their fans were discussing their plight on the train after the game, not happy bunnies at all.

Also, obviously, I am happy to see Brede coming back, but to read most of the comments made this morning you would be forgiven to think the messiah had returned, turned some water into wine, raised the dead and gone on to solve world poverty.
I thought he had a poor game.

Yes, I know, it was his first game back, he will improve, etc, but on last night's showing I honestly do not see him as a better alternative to our established superstars. His passing was dreadfully slow and ponderous, many passes were to a player already closely marked by an opponent and he made the sort of errors that Senderos, to name a fellow Fulham defender at random, would be ritually slaughtered for. I wonder if it would be a good idea to start him against Arsenal, or would it set him back?

[fulhamben]

Obviously I'm pleased both by the win and the fact that we kept a clean sheet for the first time since the dinosaurs went extinct, and frankly who cares if it was against a not very good Norwich. Their fans were discussing their plight on the train after the game, not happy bunnies at all.

Also, obviously, I am happy to see Brede coming back, but to read most of the comments made this morning you would be forgiven to think the messiah had returned, turned some water into wine, raised the dead and gone on to solve world poverty.
I thought he had a poor game.

Yes, I know, it was his first game back, he will improve, etc, but on last night's showing I honestly do not see him as a better alternative to our established superstars. His passing was dreadfully slow and ponderous, many passes were to a player already closely marked by an opponent and he made the sort of errors that Senderos, to name a fellow Fulham defender at random, would be ritually slaughtered for. I wonder if it would be a good idea to start him against Arsenal, or would it set him back?

if we don't start him we will concede a bucket load unless our established superstars have drastically improved within a week. better to gamble that he might be good than throw the ones back in who we know wont be good

[Burt]

Considering he only resumed full training 2 weeks ago I am surprised he has made such a quick comeback.

I guess he will need a bit of time to rediscover his usual form.

[TonyGilroy]

We know how good he has been. If his operation has sorted his back out he needs game time to get back to his best.

No operation is going to bring Senderos up to that standard.

[Admin]

We know how good he has been. If his operation has sorted his back out he needs game time to get back to his best.

No operation is going to bring Senderos up to that standard.

:005:

[FPT]

He was fantastic in the air yesterday, as was Dan Burn, but he covered Burn very well as well. I think you are over exaggerating, shown by your only example of him having a bad game is being slow with the ball, isn't that obvious being his first game for what must be close to two months? I don't mean to sound rude, but I simply don't agree in the slightest.

I also think he's a comforting presence for others in the team, and is a class above the others "With Hangeland starting this season, it's 10 matches and 13 goals conceded, and without Brede it's 14 games and 41 conceded."

Case closed I think.

[Rupert]

He was fantastic in the air yesterday, as was Dan Burn, but he covered Burn very well as well. I think you are over exaggerating, shown by your only example of him having a bad game is being slow with the ball, isn't that obvious being his first game for what must be close to two months? I don't mean to sound rude, but I simply don't agree in the slightest.

I also think he's a comforting presence for others in the team, and is a class above the others "With Hangeland starting this season, it's 10 matches and 13 goals conceded, and without Brede it's 14 games and 41 conceded."

Case closed I think.

I don't think you are being rude by disagreeing at all, but with all due respect there was far more wrong than being slow with the ball. His decision making was suspect, in my opinion, and passing accuracy was not good. I have already acknowledged that it was his first game back, and he will hopefully improve, but I can see Arsenal ripping him to shreds if he plays on Saturday.

[FPT]

He was fantastic in the air yesterday, as was Dan Burn, but he covered Burn very well as well. I think you are over exaggerating, shown by your only example of him having a bad game is being slow with the ball, isn't that obvious being his first game for what must be close to two months? I don't mean to sound rude, but I simply don't agree in the slightest.

I also think he's a comforting presence for others in the team, and is a class above the others "With Hangeland starting this season, it's 10 matches and 13 goals conceded, and without Brede it's 14 games and 41 conceded."

Case closed I think.

I don't think you are being rude by disagreeing at all, but with all due respect there was far more wrong than being slow with the ball. His decision making was suspect, in my opinion, and passing accuracy was not good. I have already acknowledged that it was his first game back, and he will hopefully improve, but I can see Arsenal ripping him to shreds if he plays on Saturday.

To be fair mate, chances are, whoever we play there is going to get ripped to shreds.

[St Eve]

Brede offers stability at the back. Was he rusty? Of course. Hopefully that is the last we have seen of Senderos

[gezkc]

We know how good he has been. If his operation has sorted his back out he needs game time to get back to his best.

No operation is going to bring Senderos up to that standard.

Oh, I don't know. A brain transplant perhaps.

[JBH]

Just nice to see 2 centre backs attacking the high balls instead of letting them bounce before they try and deal with them

[ffc73]

I thought Brede was very very rusty last night and was hampered by playing at right CB to accommodate Burn.

On last nights viewing I would not pair them together until one or other of them can pass better with their right foot

[TheManOnTheBus]

He was fine. But he did make a mistake or two.  None that different from those others had made (except of course the reaction on this board would be different as th eposts on this thread make clear.)  

[nose]

brede looked rusty but he got his head on a few things we have recently been missing and to give an example.... Norwich had a corner late in the first half, it was a pretty good delivery but brede got there first and from that touch we went straight down the other end and scored the second goal. He made a difference, the more he plays the less rusty he will look... and to be fair his passing has never exactly been that wonderful... i think sendeross is more talented in that department but sendeross unfortunately makes too many howlers.

Burn looked good for a first home game, strong, confident and in the long run a potentoally very good player.... but I don't see him as a partner for brede rather a replacement when the time comes.

[mikeyffc28]

"With Hangeland starting this season, it's 10 matches and 13 goals conceded, and without Brede it's 14 games and 41 conceded."

Case closed I think.

:58:

[TonyGilroy]

If Hangeland is fit he plays and the question for Rene is who should be his partner. I saw nothing last night to suggest that that shouldn't be Burn.

[EJL]

A lot has been made of how poor Norwich were, but I think any other centre-half pairing would've conceded last night. That's how bad we've been at the back this season. ANY trace of defensive stability whatsoever has to be treasured and ran with for as long as it works.

[Lighthouse]

I think Burn and Brede actually looked to be a team in defence. Too often we have seen two defenders who seem to have no idea where the other is. But covering was good last night. Yes it was Norwich in the cup but compared to the Sunderland game the understanding looked very good. Where there still problems? Yes but compared to the last few defensive displays I think it looked much better.

[jmh]

I thought he looked rusty and overall we were a bit lucky to keep the clean sheet.  That being said, no reason not to give him the opportunity to shake off the rust a bit.

[Pev]

I also think he's a comforting presence for others in the team, and is a class above the others "With Hangeland starting this season, it's 10 matches and 13 goals conceded, and without Brede it's 14 games and 41 conceded."

Case closed I think.

Was going to post an essay just about how vital Hangeland is to us but seen this stat which sums it up perfectly.