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Fulham are looking well drilled and organised. Tight at the back with a solid keeper and giant centre back. The midfield, if unspectacular, work hard as do the two front men. Goals way from home are not a plenty.
What is the next stage in our development? Tactics? New players in January? Where should we strengthen? Is there any development potential in our existing players or should some be played in different positions?
On a weekend that saw the borough squatters drop a point to the visiting Geordies, and Fulham fans continue to reflect on light and day i.e. the dark age of Sanchez hoof ball and the light age of well drilled passing age of Hodgson, it was even more ironic that the hooped championship side to the west of the metropolis were reflecting on a history stretching from Alex Stock to laughing stock. To trot our the well worn cliché, ‘it is a funny old game’
The great Bill Shankly once invited Journalists to walk around his “colossus” Ron Yeates after he signed him. It is, therefore, befitting that we now have our own colossus in Brede Hangeland. He and Mark Schwarzer form the defensive spine which is so vital to any team wishing to do well.
Andy Johnson and Bobby Zamora have brought a new dimension to our game this season in that we now know how to defend from the front. Bobby takes the knocks and takes on the strong man role as he pits his strength against central defenders. Meanwhile, any defender hoping that he can have time and space for a cup of Bovril as he contemplates releasing the ball has AJ closing him down like a missile locking on to the target.
This may not always be pretty to watch but it is more important to start picking up points away from home which takes a greater disciplined team approach. Once that has been ingrained into our football culture, we can develop a slightly more cavalier approach on our away visits. Until then, we need to work hard and keep it tight.
A point at Anfield; always welcome and a rarity for God’s own team at this great historical venue. We worked hard, kept our shape and discipline. After losing late in the game at Goodison Park Liverpool
Next stop Villa Park
COYSW
6 games into the season and time for a reflection of progress. Fulham are much better prepared under Roy Hodgson than his predecessor. The style and tempo of Fulham reflects hard work on the training ground. They play a nice crisp game and the player movement off the ball has taken it up a gear. A great reflection on management and coaching; so why isn’t this translated into results? We can concentrate on many positives but I think our problems are due to the following:
Making superiority and possession count
We lack that clinical cutting edge up front which inevitably puts extra pressure on the defence, when our superiority is not translated into goals. We have a new strike force up front in Zamora and Johnson. Only time will tell if it will work, as it is in its infancy and Johnson after missing opening matches through injury served a one match suspension yesterday. We lack depth in our forward squad, especially with Kamara injured.
Quality of delivery
· in open play
The crossing at this level is poor with many balls over hit. Simon Davies has not found his range this season and Zoltan Gera is not a natural wide player. Pantsil rarely gets into that position, whilst Konchesky has lost that touch.
· In dead ball situations
Everything has revolved around Jimmy Bullard. He has not had his best shooting boots this year. There was a welcome sign that maybe they had returned yesterday with one superb viciously dipping free kick. However, we need some variety. I saw a sign of variation when Jimmy played a free kick along the deck to Danny Murphy in a worked move and only a deflection from Murphy’s shot stopped a goal.
Midfield
Jimmy Bullard is doing too much. He would benefit from a solid defensive central midfield player alongside him. We have Andreasen, Etuhu and Andranik who can perform that role. Danny Murphy is no longer a 90 minute player and usually shows sign of physical wear around the 65 minute mark. To his credit he battles on and looks for his second wind but it is a weakness in midfield. He is not the defensive player.
Substitutes
The use of substitutes worries me the most as Roy Hodgson appears to dither. He will occasionally use them from 70 to 75 minutes but prefers to use them from 77 minutes onwards when it is difficult to pick up the pace and make an impact. It points to having no plan B when the game plan is not producing a result. I appreciate it is a very subjective area but the successful premiership managers know when to pull the trigger and change the game.
Managerial Control?
Whilst I don’t believe any manager has 100%control of playing issues, there is a strong suspicion amongst the Fulham faithful that our very welcome Korean sponsors have an unhealthy influence in the selection of Seol who is clearly not up to this standard of football. Every Fulham fan with that view would love to be proved wrong by the player meriting selection on performance. Just what does Erik Nevland have to do to get a game?
Many Fulham fans came away yesterday asking how we had lost that game. That is now 3 losses on the trot (including the Burnley cup match). The simple truth is that if you don’t take your chances at this level, you stand to lose, regardless of all the quality football played. Fair? Perhaps not! Reality? Most definitely.
Davies (unluckily) and Zamora (twice) had good chances to put Fulham out of sight in an opening half which saw Fulham dominate the match with an exciting quality of football. The minutes before half time were crazy and the Hammers capitalised on some woeful Fulham defending. The normally reliable Hangaland was not strong enough in an aerial challenge with Cole having committed the cardinal sin of letting the ball first bounce. A grateful Cole then ran unmarked and finished off at close range from an Etherington cross. Parker then played the most simple of through balls in space to Etherington who took advantage of Pantsil switching off. Schwarzer saw the danger but could do nothing to stop a decent finish.
Referee Mariner contributed to this game in the wrong way. A totally inconsistent referee who gave Johnson the red card minutes before half time for an actual challenge by the slow footed Neal. Neal got away with holding all afternoon and Parker was fortunate to escape a second yellow card for a tackle from behind. A hard fought contest but never a dirty game warranting a sending off and 4 Fulham bookings.
The second half showed Fulham’s fighting qualities as neutrals would have been forgiven for thinking that it was the visitors who had 10 men. Hangaland had the sort of game best forgotten as it is not one he will wish to put on his video CV. Konchesky wasn’t far behind with some woeful over-hit crosses . Having said that Fulham fans could be proud of their side as they showed strength and determination in addition to the quality of football.
However, there is one thing that continues to bother me. That is Roy Hodgson. His teams are well prepared and his devotion to playing football the right way is a joy to watch. His hero status is guaranteed since last season’s escape.
However, even heroes are flawed. His achilles heal would appear to be regarding the use of substitutes. 10 man Fulham beavered way for the whole of the second half on a hot day. Murphy was tiring with about 15 minutes to go and Bullard, who had orchestrated virtually everything, was on his reserve oxygen tank. They never shirked taking responsibility. Football is now an 18 man game. Not one substitute was used and Roy only tends to use subs in the last 5 to 10 minutes.
The question on many fans’ lips is ‘Is Roy a ditherer with no plan B or does he only believe in substitutes if a player takes a knock?” The use of Andreasen and Nevland would have added something to the tireless efforts of the 10. The only saving grace is that we didn’t see the lazy Seol enter the fray to appease the sponsors.
At times the Blackburn game got me thinking back to the football of yesteryear. Any player wishing to take liberties with the likes of Arsenal, Leeds and Chelsea in the 70s had to weigh up the likelihood of Storey, Charlton, Hunter or Harris taking you out with career threatening tackles. Thankfully, those days have gone as the game has sought to cut out that type of tackling, or have they?
Jimmy Bullard has been singled out for vicious foul play for the second consecutive week. Last week the portly Nolan should have walked with a straight red. He was frustrated because it was the only time he got near Bullard all afternoon.
Blackburn are every bit as physical as Bolton but with far more skill and are generally better organised. Nevertheless, Emerton and Andrews challenges on Jimmy were worthy of more concern. Andrews should have been shown the red card and Emerton should have been read the riot act. So, where is the referee protection that ended those darker days of thuggish football? If I was a Fulham official, I would be asking for an explanation.
The game started quite brightly for Fulham and people forget that the pairing of Zamora and Johnson is only on its second outing. These partnerships take time to forge but it is looking a quite mouth watering prospect. Zamora was well marshalled by the Blackburn defence and Robinson was on hand to deny Johnson twice with two quality saves.
At the other end, I was a bit more concerned with central defence. Hughes tends to be the first ball aerial defender and is quite often out jumped. Fulham seem to understand this and work hard to pick up any knock-ons. The giant ‘Brede Heaven’ is comfortable on the floor, wastes little and reads the game right but it is strange not seeing him go for more in the air.
A good start to the season by Fulham but please offer us and all teams better protection against bad tackles. Nobody wants to see Bullard’s career over……at least I hope so!
Fans at the ground said: "It's never easy to get one of the new teams in your first game.
"New signings need longer to gel.
"Mind you, it was a long way to travel for a terrible performance. Only one game though and I'm sure we'll improve but I still can't believe we have lost to Hull. It's embarrassing."
The first game aginst Hull will be tough, as they will come out of the traps hard and fast in their first game in the premiership.
I have a soft spot for Hull being my second team and my cousin is a steward there. However, there is no room for sentiment.
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