Matchday 4: Tottenham vs. Fulham FC [R]

[The Double]

Saturday, the 30th of August


Tottenham Hotspur Football Club

vs.

Fulham Football Club



Home Fixture-Cottagers@The Lane


Follow the Match with ESPN Soccernet Gamecast
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=274389&cc=5901

For official Spurs news and a match-tracker go to
www.spurs.co.uk


Post line-ups, opinions, play-by plays etc.

[Danners9]

Possible to merge the other Fulham thread?

[DigitalTron]

Double, excellent pre-match thread, thanks for posting it. If you're looking for ideas, I must say that DC United's board has the best ever pre-match threads IMHO. The first post is posted by a mod who updates the info as it changes. It lists everything we fans want to know in the very first post, and puts the yet-to-be-determined information in grey. When it's determined, it goes to black (or blue if it is a webpage link). Here's an example, check out the first post, truly masterclass IMHO.

http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=66626

As for Fulham, anything less than 3 points will be unacceptable. This is a team in complete disarray and without our level of talent.

-Digital

[sendorange]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/3172825.stm

Tottenham v Fulham
Tottenham could give Frederic Kanoute his first start after two appearances as a substitute.

Bobby Zamora may have to settle for a place on the bench in an otherwise unchanged side at White Hart Lane.

Fulham's Martin Djetou is out with a hamstring injury and Sean Davis is still sidelined by a knee injury.

Sylvain Legwinski should be available after recovering from an ankle injury but Steve Marlet has joined Marseille.

Tottenham (from): Keller; King, Richards, Gardner, Carr, Redknapp, Davies, Ricketts, Anderton, Taricco, Kanoute, Postiga, Zamora, Marney, Acimovic, Burch, Hirschfeld, Mabizela.

Fulham (from): Van der Sar, Crossley, Knight, Volz, Goma, Bonnissel, Legwinski, Clark, Inamoto, Malbranque, Saha, Crossley, Boa Morte, Hayles, Sava, Harley, Stolcers, Rehman.

[Sanguine]

Originally posted by DigitalTron
Double, excellent pre-match thread, thanks for posting it. If you're looking for ideas, I must say that DC United's board has the best ever pre-match threads IMHO.

Agreed. This board doesn't get as much traffic though, so there's no need to make different threads for pre- and post-match here. :)

[The Double]

9mins: Wicked curling Carr free-kick a whisker away from King and Richards.


13mins: SAVE. Ricketts skipped away from Inamoto, fed Kanoute, left side, Van der Sar out like lightning to block.

16mins: Quick Fulham break, Hayles into Malbranque, early shot deflected but Keller right behind it.

19mins: Davies laid ball square for Taricco to hammer shot a yard wide.

23mins: GOAL. Hayles took advantage of Richards' slip, controlled, drilled left-foot shot into bottom corner. 0-1.

29mins: YELLOW. Inamoto for tugging back Taricco.

29mins: Carr curler from free-kick a yard wide.

33mins: Decent Fulham move ended with Legwinski's pull back to Clark, key tackle from Ricketts deflected it over.

34mins: YELLOW. Volz for foul on Taricco.

36mins: King volley from Carr's corner straight at Van der Sar - anywhere else and it was a goal.

37mins: SAVE. Volz break down the right, squared to Hayles on edge of box, dinky chip fingertipped over the bar by Keller.

39mins: CHANCE. Davies fed Kanoute into the box, ball slightly under his feet, dragged shot wide under pressure from Knight.

Half-time: Spurs 0-1 Fulham

Half-time: Zamora for King.

48mins: Clark shot low across goal, always going wide.

50mins: CLOSE. Kanoute flicked ball over Van der Sar, Knight giant leap above Zamora and Postiga to head away under crossbar.

58mins: SUB. Anderton for Davies.

60mins: WOODWORK. Richards won Anderton's free-kick, Volz and Postiga met second ball together - hit inside of post and bounced to safety.

62mins: Postiga blazed over after good work from Zamora.

65mins: Anderton drilled left-foot shot wide from 22 yards.

66mins: GOAL. Richards should have done better 50-50 with Hayles, striker broke away into the box and lashed home from 15 yards. 0-2.

70mins: GOAL. Malbranque fed Hayles down right flank, low cross converted by Boa Morte rushing in from opposite side. 0-3.

75mins: Saha cross to Clark who scuffed shot wide from eight yards.

77mins: Zamora and Richards won high ball, fell to Ricketts, quick feet worked a yard of space but Volz over to block.

80mins: SAVE. Van der Sar great save as Ricketts broke through one-on-one.

84mins: Zamora did well to get beyond Volz and onto Carr's cross but couldn't get strong enough connection.

[sendorange]

LOL 3 -0 !!!!!

This is typical Tottenham under Hoddle. We do very well to beat Leeds and then hold Liverpool at Anfield, then in the game where we should win comfortably we end up losing badly. What the ****???? :D We have plently of ability but seem to be capable of losing to anyone at any given time.

I was listening to it on the radio, in terms of chances it was quite even, but Fulham played as well as they possibly could and we were very poor. Tactically they completely had our number and flooded central midfield, and our players seemed to be stuck in a hangover from Wednesday. All that good work completely undone today.

I think this game highlights just how badly we need a midfield general. Someone to not only protect the defence but also to drive the team on and who wants to win every game. Without that we're gutless. Whenever a team puts in 110% effort and gets a bit of luck, like Fulham did today, then we fold like a cheap pack of cards.

[dashiel]

dammit what a disappointing week. first no diego, then convey gets denied a WP, now a 3-0 loss to fulham (which makes the 0-0 to liverpool a lot less impressive).

two weeks before they can redeem themselves.

[DigitalTron]

Entirely disappointing. To me, this game typifies why Spurs need depth. The same players were trotted out, and from the sounds of it, they were quite weary. We need guys with stamina for 3 games in 8 days. We also need depth. One thing about Convey was that he always had boundless energy, and successive fixtures seldom bothered him much.

This sort of situation is compounded by our injury woes. While Taricco has done well thus far, just imagine if Ziege, Convey and Taricco could rotate and stay fresh. From the sounds of it, Mabizela isn't ready to spell any of the defenders. Richards said he wasn't ready, and perhaps he was right.

Despite all of Fulham's disarray, it looks as though their lineup was fresher than Spurs'.

Loss at Birmingham, loss at the Lane to Fulham ... these are points Spurs need to compete for a UEFA spot. Some clubs you just must walk away with 3 points. While the Anfield draw was inspiring, it was only 1 point. I'd have gladly exchanged a slaughter at Anfield for a win against Fulham. :(

On a brighter note, other results seem favorable to us today.

-Digital

[sendorange]

Well I've seen the TV highlights/goals after listening to the game on the radio and all I can say is that it was a sloppy performance, very sloppy indeed.

With a bit of grit and determination from the start we could certainly have won this game. Even without raising our game too much after half time we could have gone on to get a draw with a bit more luck and concentration. More than enough chances for us, and very bad goals to give away.

We have holes in the team, but there is enough talent on the pitch to get a result in a game like this. After missing preseason Deano and Ledley weren't fit enough to play again 3 days after a tough match against Liverpool. They should have been rested. Can't believe he didn't give Mabizela his chance, or even worse, brought on Anderton (who was shockingly poor) at half time.

We need a midfield general!

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/sport/story/0,6903,1032596,00.html

http://www.spursodyssey.com/0304/fu300803.html

[soccernutter]

Originally posted by DigitalTron
Entirely disappointing. To me, this game typifies why Spurs need depth. The same players were trotted out, and from the sounds of it, they were quite weary. We need guys with stamina for 3 games in 8 days. We also need depth.

Despite all of Fulham's disarray, it looks as though their lineup was fresher than Spurs'.


And there it is. Thanks Digital.

[Cruyff14]

The more I see the players that England tries to get the less I think of the quality of english football.
England dont dumb down your game for the Americans. Convye needs to stay put. The work permit people were right!!!!!!!
Cheers

[glorygloryspurs]

Um...O.K..... I must say that you make a very cogent, well-supported, logical, well thought out argument.


Originally posted by Cruyff14
The more I see the players that England tries to get the less I think of the quality of english football.
England dont dumb down your game for the Americans. Convye needs to stay put. The work permit people were right!!!!!!!
Cheers

[Danners9]

Bloody rubbish!

Fulham had 4 or 5 chances and scored 3 counter attack goals. Very sad.

Lessons to be learnt from i hope.