The View etc from January 11, 2014

[HatterDon]

Just for a little perspective, and for the realization that this has been coming for quite a while:

Fulham FC v. Sunderland FC -- The View From South Texas

Fulham Got the Black Cat Bone

No sign of John the Concheroo, however.

Today's match was the benchmark for the rest of the season. If Fulham win today over Sunderland, then there's a good chance for salvation at the end of the season. If Fulham DON'T win ... at home ... against the last place club ... well, end the sentence yourself.

News flash: Fulham aren't good enough. Sunderland came in with only five road goals all season and nearly doubled that total. I watch most Sunderland matches and I know they've been playing more organized and solid football, but I still thought Fulham had enough at the Cottage to shut them down. But it didn't happen.

Much of the result must go down to a brilliant performance by Adam Johnson – who is obviously fighting for a ticket to Brazil. He played very well against United in the League Cup and did well in their last league match as well, and he was dominant today.

Much of the result must go down to systemic problems at Fulham – and specifically at Motspur Park. Fulham have two major problems that have led us to become the most goal generous opponents in the Prem: (1) We play an extremely high line despite having only one member of the back four with any pace AND we still have no midfield destroyer [well, we have one, but we don't play him] and (2) We have no discernible scheme for defending set pieces. These two elements have contributed most to our shocking goals against tally of 46! How bad is that? As I write this, the second most generous defense – Norwich City – has given up ELEVEN FEWER GOALS. Sorry for shouting.

Yes, Stockdale had a twenty minute stretch there where he looked like he had no clue about how to keep goal. Yes, Amorebieta and Senderos proved again that they're our worst central defensive pairing. Yes, until Dempsey provided some 2nd half assistance, Riise was completely over-matched against Johnson, but individual defensive performances aren't the reason for today's shameful result. Our defense is in disarray because we are not prepared well and our tactics are just flat wrong. I'm waiting for the Manchester United magic coach mojo to kick in, but perhaps he's not the seventh son of a seventh son after all.

Fulham could have made life easier on Stockdale and the back four had they taken advantage of some good attacking work early on. Even an off-form Berbatov would have converted one of the two gilt-edged chances presented to him, and had Taarabt noticed the unmarked Dempsey instead of firing straight at Mannone, Sunderland could have been two goals down before Johnson took over. Instead it was Fulham's own Suarez, our special one Aguero who got our goal and – but for some great reflexes from Mannone – should have had another.

In the FulhamUSA chatroom I was calling for Dejagah and Kasami for Duff and Taarabt before the start of the second half, and their introductions helped. By that time, however, Berbatov was playing with his head down and all seemed lost.

Given that we've sent Trotta back to Brentford and Burn back to Birmingham, it's obvious that Fulham aren't interested in involving our top-of-the-league U18 and U21 players in this relegation fight. Unless we already have a strong central defender, a midfield bone-cruncher, and at least one striker ready to sign in January, then the fight is going to continue to be waged by the folks we saw out there today. You know, the folks who gave up four goals to the weakest attack in the league, the folks who were completely mastered by what was until the final whistle, the worst team in the league.

HatterDon's Man of the Match? – This award might not be given again this season, considering this performance. Let's hope I'm wrong about that, but there AINT one today.

[HatterDon]

and, earlier in the season, and still Jol kept his job

Saturday, 28 September 2013 04:00
Uninspiring, Unsurprising, Unacceptable-The View From South Texas
Written by HatterDon
Uninspiring, Unsurprising, Unacceptable

Today, Fulham performed as poorly at home as I've seen since that cold November day that was Lawrie Sanchez's last game as Fulham manager. On that day against a sub-par Newcastle, Fulham showed little effort and no cohesion. We saw that again today ... at the Cottage ... against Cardiff. Yes, we lost Scott Parker to injury within 5 minutes, and that certainly hurt us, but it doesn't explain the overall lack of impetus, the impossible to detect game plan, nor does it explain the fact that our back four resembled a bunch of fit young gentlemen standing on an underground platform not looking at each other.

If you don't want to read any further [and I certainly don't blame you], just read this: Fulham faced the weakest side we're likely to see at The Cottage this season and let them dictate the terms of the match for nearly all of the 90 minutes. According to the stats I saw, Fulham got off a massive nine shots against the VISITOR's 22. Our corporate inability to capitalize on set pieces – a two-season plus feature of Martin Jol Sexy Football – was matched today by our defense of these same set pieces. Going into extra time it looked as if Fulham would collect possibly our luckiest point since the three at Sunderland on opening day. Cardiff are a good bet for relegation this season, and they could easily have beaten us by five or six. As my British friends like to end statements like these, you do the maths.

So, yes, Stephen Caulker scored an uncontested header off a corner to make it 1-0 in the 12th minute. Bryan Ruiz, on for Jol's latest young sacrificial lamb Alex Kacaniklic, equalized with a "goal of the year" strike [aren't all his goals stunning?] in the 45th minute – completely against the run of play. And Jordon Mutch, who looks a very promising youngster, curled in the winner deep into extra time. A very nice goal it was also. There's the facts. Here's some analysis.

Brede Hangeland had his worst performance in a Fulham shirt today. He didn't mark, he didn't jump, he didn't run, he was the weakest link in a very poor back four today. When he fouled Cardiff's goalkeeper in the second half, it turned out to be the only attack he foiled the entire match.

There was a point a minute or so into extra time when Fulham might have gotten the three points. For the only time all day, Kieran Richardson whipped in a good cross that zoomed across the face of goal completely ignored by Fulham attackers. The Fulham player most likely to have been sniffing around to convert that goal – Darren Bent – had been subbed off for Adel Taarabt.

Finally, at the risk of getting flagged for piling on – yes, yes, I know, a pointy football reference – I must admit that those who have criticized the decision to make Hangeland captain have a point. There have been plenty of times over the last several seasons where Fulham have gone on to the pitch lethargic and disconnected. What we had gotten use to seeing was a short, grouchy midfielder giving them what for and geeing them up. There's only one Danny Murphy, and boy have we missed him since he left, and boy what could he have done for us today.

I didn't stick around to see how the crowd reacted to Jol and the players after the match. I can only imagine that there were boos galore. I certainly know that they was well deserved. Fulham continue to be a side filled with talented players who are lacking only coherent leadership and coaching. I certainly hope that my next View from South Texas will be filled with references to Fulham's new gaffer.

HatterDon's Man of the Match: Are you kidding? Nobody!

[Deanothefulhamfan]

Why did you stop doing these HD, I used to enjoy reading them each week.... The writing was on the wall a long time ago

[HatterDon]

Deano, it got to be too depressing to try and make these entertaining. I just couldn't stand the emotional pain anymore.

I'll do these next season again [whenever I'm lucky enough to see a match] and there'll be a season recap and maybe a couple of other Views this summer.

[the nutflush]

If I had to do this every week I would've hung myself by now. 

[Berserker]

I think the worse thing about going to matches this season is the constant losing. Now when I go to a match I truely beleive we are worse than the team we are going to play, and that we are sure to lose again.
I'm sorry to say that I have lost my belief in Fulham

[Northern Cottager]

I think the worse thing about going to matches this season is the constant losing. Now when I go to a match I truely beleive we are worse than the team we are going to play, and that we are sure to lose again.
I'm sorry to say that I have lost my belief in Fulham

Absolutely correct. I don't want us to be relegated but it MIGHT make each week interesting being the favourites and possibly winning a few in a row, providing we replace the deadwood and get rid of the overpaid under achievers.

[FFCAli]

I think the worse thing about going to matches this season is the constant losing. Now when I go to a match I truely beleive we are worse than the team we are going to play, and that we are sure to lose again.
I'm sorry to say that I have lost my belief in Fulham

The trouble is the team thinks that too. 

[Berserker]

Yes I agree FFCAli, I think it is a mind thing now for them