The View from South Texas -- Stoke v. FFC

[HatterDon]

Okay, hands up. How many Fulham fans REALLY expected three points from the Brittania yesterday. Yeah, I thought so.

With the televised match delayed seven hours, and with precious little to keep me occupied patiently until then, I decided to listen to Gentleman Jim and then, should the result not be too painful, to watch on television later in the afternoon. What a great decision that turned out to be. There is very little one can hear more complelling than GJ when Fulham are playing well. He is always a jewel in the Fulham crown. Yesterday, he was a freaking diamond. Throughout his broadcast I kept hearing "____ looks very sharp today" and "______ continues to play very well," and so it was with that in mind that I watched the match later that afternoon.

First of all, a word about Stoke City. They are very like a balloon, really. I know they score the preponderance of their goals in the 2nd half, but they roared onto the pitch, snorting and whooping and all it took was one killer volley from Chris Baird [our new striker?] to puncture a giant hole in their tarp and -- truthfully -- they never looked like coming back. There were only two occasions -- one in each half -- where I was remotely concerned that they might score, as opposed to at least five occasions where I thought we'd get another. And I know that Tony Pulis is god up in Potting Land and I know he's never been relegated, but I don't know why he didn't bring Tuncay on at the half. I certainly am not the only Fulham fan to recognize that he has more class than the rest put together, and that he's so significant a change of pace and style compared to the rest of their squad that his introduction would have unsettled our defense. But, no, he waited until much too late. Finally, although they turned on their players from time to time and many streamed out early [and where were they going? Port Vale?], how wonderful must it be to turn out at the Brittania every other weekend for an entire season? What support! What emotion!

The goals were wonderful. When I coached 10-12 year olds, I'd tell my midfielders to hang out just beyond the penalty area when we were peppering the opponents and, should the ball get cleared out, pretend [for the moment] that they were greedy strikers and hit that ball back towards goal as hard as they could. That's pretty much what Baird did for his first. Begovic might have heard it, but when it comes at you at that pace and then rattles in off your near post, all you can do is hope you don't pull a hamstring bending over and picking it out of your net. What an absolute class of a goal. For Baird's second, it wasn't clear for me [based on GJ's commentary] how the ball went in. When I watched it on television, I was stunned to see that it was a two-touch and then shoot free kick. I positively HATE those kind of free kicks, and I don't understand why at least one of the [Stoke! Stoke City! I never said Sunderland not once; it's all a lie!] defenders didn't run hell for leather towards the ball after the first touch, but they didn't, and Bairdihno delivered what we colorful colonials like to call a "worm burner" into the corner.

And now to the players, the perhaps the reclamation of at least two message board punching bags [or, since the match wasn't shown on live TV in England, perhaps not]:

Well, we kept a clean sheet, and although our keeper certainly contributed, he also slipped back into his Mark the Indecisive persona. Twice he let a ball drop at his feet in his own box. Mind you, he played well enough to contribute to the win, but I'm still amazed he kept a clean sheet.

The back four was fine. Hughes shook off a couple of bad [by his standards] performances and returned to his habit of timely interventions and clear distribution. Hangeland had a commanding match. There was less need for him to go upfield, and nobody in Pulis's brain trust evidently realized that pumping high balls in his direction was stupid, since the did it for the full 90 minutes. Paintsil had another good match. He's bonding well with the center backs, and has recovered his confidence enough to foray upfield. I'm still not sure he's Mark's solution at RB, but he certainly is going to make it hard to shift him out of the starting XI. Goals -- and stunning goals they were -- aside, Baird, had a very good match at LB. He doesn't provide the width in attack that Salcido does, but after 10 minutes we really didn't need it. I can't remember him being beaten on defense the entire 90 minutes. LB is his 4th best position, but I don't think anyone will complain about it should he start there against Spurs.

The midfield was up-and-down. Davies had an afternoon of exertion and endeavor, but never really looked a danger on the right wing. I remember seeing Duff in Stoke's penalty area in the 87th minute or so and then trying to remember if I'd ever seen him attacking at any time in the preceding 86. Stoke's defenders pretty much owned him on either side of the pitch, but he did a BRILLIANT job at tackling back and defending. Murphy was the easiest player in green to find on the foggy pitch for me. Just follow the boos. And I thought he answered that barracking from the Stoke fans brilliantly. Good passing, good control of the ball -- especially from out of defense -- and by far the smartest calmest player on view. It was a solid, if unremarkable performance from a player of real class. As for reclamation, Dickson Etuhu had an excellent afternoon. He augmented the defense to assist in their deflection of Stoke's aerial assault, and he made more than token appearances in support of our attack. He looked assured and he dispossesed opponents well. It's a shame most of the Fulham faithful didn't get a chance to see him play so well.

Although the left back got the goals, the strike pair did a good job of unsettling Stoke's defense. Dempsey caught the eye with his refusal to give up on any ball. Twice he rescued balls going into touch and kept our attack alive. His passing was good and his hold-up play was competent. When we slipped into full-on defense with about 35 minutes to go, he did his best to harry and unsettle attacks. I can't remember if he had a single shot on goal, but I thought it was one of Deuce's best performances in a Fulham kit. And the other reclamation of reputation came from the pride of Bedford, Andrew Johnson. Yes, he didn't score, but he turned Stoke's speedy back four on several occasions. He forced Begovic into his best save, and he performed his linkup and defensive duties flawlessly. He even put in a tackle from the side and didn't get a yellow card! I don't know how much juice he has left in the tank, but for my money, he has to stay on the pitch as long as he's fit.

Credit also goes to Mark Hughes for pulling Salcido and keeping faith with Etuhu, not to mention his recognition that the 11 on the pitch were playing as a single unit and that substitution was a bad idea. Who know's what that'll mean Saturday morning against Spurs, but we got three points at Stoke. Anything is possible now.

Man of the match: That's easy, Chris Baird. Solid defense and two goals. And runner-up is also easy. The traveling supporters could be heard for most of the 90 minutes. This is amazing when you consider how unrelenting is the full-volume roar of the home fans there. They even made it on television [you know young gentlemen, taking off your shirts in cold weather doesn't make you look anything but stupid], and they looked and sounded as if they were having the time of their lives. It was good to see the players go over and salute them.

One comment on the television commentary. At about minute 80, the color announcer said that he'd never seen a more one-sided match, that except for the first 10 minutes, Stoke were all over Fulham and looked much the better side. Well, I'm here to tell you -- especially if you didn't get a chance to see the match -- that he was wrong. Yes, it was one-sided, but it was one-sided in favor of Fulham. We look much more dangerous for the frst 55 or 60 minutes, much more likely to get the third goal of the afternoon than Stoke, and once we settled back to defend and hold our lead late in the match, we looked calm and competent and invincible.

If it sounds like I was impressed and uplifted, I certainly am. Stoke aren't Tottenham, but they are a lot harder to slap around on their pitch, and we did it for 90 minutes.

COYW.

[finnster01]

Top report Mr Hatter :clap_hands: :clap_hands:

[duffbeer]

Nice commentary, pretty much agree with everything other than I dont understand how you couldnt be worried that Stoke would threaten.  I was afraid the entire 90 minutes.  Perhaps knowing the result ahead of time helps.

Also, I think Pants was incredibly awful. How can you say he had a good match.  He had one nice pass into space late in the game, but that is the only good thing he did.  The rest was awful.  I would rather have Baird or even Salcido over there.  

[GoldCoastWhite]

Always a good read HD and I agree with pretty much everything there. Schwarz did seem to have trouble reading the flight of the ball on occasion, usually when hurled in to the area by Delump. I wonder if the trajectory is significantly different when the ball is thrown and isn't something practised on the training ground ? Otherwise looked good - and remarkably relaxed. John Pantsil, my Lord, looked better without being at hs best but the whole team looked so much better as a unit that any errors anyone made were invariably tidied up by a team mate. And I agree 100% with the lack of substitutions. It must have been tempting to do the old run the clock down thing but it would have disrupted the unity that seems to have been missing of late so an excellent decision from Mark Hughes. - Still plenty of room for improvement but some very encouraging signs.  :clap_hands:

[Rambling_Syd_Rumpo]

agreed,a big game was needed and a big game was delivered-but it's only a start, not an end and we need more off it,but it's great to see that we can man up and turn it around when needed-great effort all round and thanks again Mr Don for the excellent report again :yay:

[Blingo]

BLINGO expected the 3 points. Look back and you will see I posted that I felt it in my bones.  :wine:

[NogoodBoyo]

Thanks Big Don - such a voice of reason!  Such a good reason to voice your opinions.
I missed the game, me.  Too may Christmas things and too much work.  Which channel was it on?
Nogood "hates missing Fulham on the tele" Boyo

[Jimbobob]

 :Sparkyticus: :beer: :Sparkyticus: :clap_hands:
Great report. I too saw the match "after the fact" and I agree. We beat those thugs. They go after more ankles than Carter has pills!
My heart was warmed the most by what seemed to me a large Fulham fan base there and their cheers after the goals and during the match were in a word ...fricki'n awesome!!!!
I am for one so happy for a man like Baird I guess a so called  "journey man" player have such a day...and his goals were not luck but just brilliant...period!
Great report again and nothing in the world warms the heart like a Fulham win!!!!!
Nothing!!!!!
COYW and thanks again for the report from the Lone Star State!!!
:54: :54: :54:

[RidgeRider]

Really enjoyed your report Don, thanks again for your entertaining postings.