Yeah that was my bad as I was not aware of that rule. Sorry proxy and anyone else that I may have ruined those games for.
Just got done watching the replay on Setanta - Today was probably the best match Clint has played for Fulham - he was solid in every aspect of the game for the full 90. One area that Clint has obviously worked on his fitness because his foot speed has improved over his last couple seasons. Hodgson has done wonders for the club and we play the "double 6" 4-4-2 formation as well as any club around.
You have to say out of any YA, he's steadily improved the most out of any player. He's usually better when he has a chip on his shoulder... I felt like he got a little complacent last year when Sanchez was in there, even though he had a little scoring spurt early in the season. The goals will come if he continues to play. I'm just happy he's in the 11 of decent team in the best league in the world. They've got a likable squad and I'm a big fan of Hodgson... Honestly, people might think I'm crazy, but wouldn't some one like Hodgson be a good option for England's Nats? The guy knows football and has been a coach at the international level. He's also very likable and even keeled.
He has been considered for the job in the past, but Capello is kicking ass and taking names as England coach so far. No reason to screw with that.
Yay Clint! I hope he continues this scoring streak against Tottenham. Clint had arguably the best game of his career against Spurs last year, and didn't he also score against Tottenham the 2nd time they met? Nice work. Why are you always in such a bad mood?
Fulham really need to try and get out of Tottenham with at least a point, because they then host Chelsea who has been great on the road. January is looking like a much better month in terms of chances to pick up points with games against Blackburn, @ West Ham, @ Sunderland, and against Portsmouth (who may be dismantled during the transfer window and this game is on the 31st of January). Any points from the next two would be a nice bonus for Fulham.
I hate to compare this years Fulham to last years but what position were Fulham in this time last year? I think the reality last year that they could be relegated really sunk into the players. I feel there is a real bond between the team this year. They have been playing well and I hope it continues. Roy has done a great job.
Just watched the setanta replay, I have to say, Dempsey was very good. He had a few very dangerous crosses, some nice interplay, and his throughball to AJ was very close. He's just a dynamic player Fulham need. I'd really like to see him score a cracker, he's come close this year and is due a nice long shot.
I am not sure where they were at in the table, but I remember that they had several first half leads turn into losses during the first half of the season. I think that is a good point about the relegation in the back of their minds, but they did manage to turn it on in the last few games to stay up and now that Hodgson has had a whole season and with Hangeland there for a full season things are looking good. The whole year for Fulham turned around when Brede showed up and got his feet under him.
Well you have to remember that the Fulham that finished last season with a string of away wins and a couple home wins was almost an entirely different team from the one that flirted with relegation early on. Bullard for Davis, McBride for Dempsey (as a target), Dempsey for Bouazza/Kamara (as a left wing), Stalteri for Baird, Hangeland for Bocanegra, Kamara's newfound form for Healy, and Keller for Niemi. Except for the last one, which was basically a like for like, those were all significant upgrades that turned them into a comfortably midtable quality team. And this season, Pantsil for Stalteri, Schwarzer for Keller, and Andy Johnson for Kamara were even further upgrades, while Zamora for McBride was the only downgrade. Fulham had every reason to think they would be a very strong team this season, although I have to admit that I was worried they had slipped to mediocrity once again at the beginning of the season.
The FA can afford to hire the best coach in the world. Hodgson is very good but that that good. Right now, he is basically Allardycing a mediocre club into a position way above its talent level. The key for Fulham is to capitalize on a good season - not that they're out of the woods yet - and buy 2-3 quality players in each of the next 2-3 seasons. That's what Sam did with Bolton by bringing in guys like Diouf, Ben Haim, Anelka, Davies, Speed, et al. to keep a former bottom dweller in the UEFA Cup contention. This is what David Moyes had done with Everton. That's what Coleman and Sanchez had failed to do with Fulham. PS. I don't think Zamora is a downgrade from McBride. They do different things and Bobby is a good fit with the club right now.
in reference to the cracker, he should be more concerned with whiffs that he has from time to time, when attempting a cracker. ex: y'day, zamora had the ball near goal line, cd runs down the middle and points. zamora feeds it to the pointed spot, cd misses completely, not even a a connection. this has happened many times. the people that sit at around me at craven cottage are worried that his finishing is too iffy. in ref to other posts, his passing was spot on. he is creative and tricky, and he seems to have gained pace. also, he can change from attack to wing in a hearbeat. he deserves a lot of credit. merry xmas clint.
i tend to bring out the best in people on another tangent. Is anyone else in here as enamored with Hangeland as I am? Im talking top 5 centeback in the league right now. Ferdinand, Terry, Vidic, Carragher, and Hangeland are it for me. Trying to think of other people playing on that sort of shutdown level right now....Davies, Laursen, Upson, Davenport, Lennon, Woodgate, Agger, Samba, Huth, Wheater, Nelsen, Coloccini, Gutierrez, A Ferdinand, Campbell, Gallas, Yobo, Lescott, Kompany, Ben Haim.....I think Hangeland has an edge on all of the aforementioned right now. Fulham's defence is really one of the envys of the league right now. Roy's found one hell of a gem back there. I hope fulham are able to hang onto him.
Hangeland's toolbox is about as packed as any defender around - I would say that if you paired him with A Ferdinand - you would have the best CB pairing in the league 1) he's 6'5" 2) he is a scoring threat on set pieces 3) he is a excellent defender of crosses 3) great defensive positioning - note how many blocked shots he gets per game 4) very composed on the ball 5) can effectively play the ball forward-passing 6) can effectively carry the ball forward - which is one of the key reasons of Fulham's success this season - he gets the ball to Jimmy or up the field calmly and effectively allowing the team to transition to the attack - for years we were always getting caught on the counter from defensive turnovers which is why we dropped so many points late in games 7) Isn't exessively fast but quick enough Don't think this guy is superb...Fulham have a +4 GA to date despite being the second lowest scoring team in the EPL. The addition of Pansil has really shored up the right side but Hangeland has been an absolute revelation.
Yeah, the thing that really gets you with him, beyond aerial dominance, positioning, etc... is how composed he is with the ball at his feet and skilled. He frequently looks up field and makes cutting, accurate passes to start the attack and rarely makes a mess of it. I really hope we can hang on to him after the break... honestly, if we have to sell Bullard to have enough money to keep Hangeland, I'm all for it.
Last year I know that Jimmy Bullard and Brian McBride came back the last half of the season but I think that Hangeland had just as much or more to do with saving them from relegation than those two. I was disappointed at first with his arrival because it doomed Boca, but after watching a few matches I could see why.
I'm right there with you on Brede, I'd really love to see him move to Arsenal, he's just the type of player we need. Aerial balls never get through him, he's very solid positionally, never gives up silly fouls, is rarely carded, and has good enough pace/agility for a towering CB. Like I said, I feel he's Fulham's best player and largely responsible for their turn around. He has almost single handedly converted a backline that sieved late goals to a stingy, tough defense that is rarely scored upon.
They are, but Bullard is pushing hard for a new contract and, reading Hodgson, it sounds like a very good possibility they're going to field offers for him in the new year. That also being said, there's a lot of talk that a big club is going to try to make a swoop for Hangeland, of which Hodgson also said they might not be able to offer up equal wages as to what an Arsenal or whoever could. So, it might just be you keep one or the other, the way things are looking.
Hopefully that is the answer, but things don't seem that great between Hodgson and Bullard. As long as that is their answer when it comes to Hangeland then Fulham should be fine. Fulham are also going after Hangeland's young national team center back teammate from Tromso, which might help keep Hangeland around. The trick is they would have to turn around and replace Bullard, because there is no one good enough on the bench to step into his role. Andreason is ok off the bench but not in the starting eleven.
There's no end of story. Read Hodgson, he's clearly not sounding too worried about Bullard leaving. Hodgson Angered By Bullard Talk or, for one without direct quotes, Bullard Told He Can Go or, one that has direct quotes that makes the above seem more plausible, though some of the quotes are shared in the articles, Hodgson Doubts Bullard Future So, fact of the matter is, there's a situation brewing with Bullard and Hodgson's hardly fanning the flames. His comments are similar with Hangeland, but you can sense him wanting to keep Brede a bit more and, if I'd have to choose, which may be what Fulham has to do, I'd go with the defender.