The Bad
There has been two months worth of games since the Portsmouth win and it has been a mixed set of results. But with 8 games to go Fulham sit 9th on 40pts, a tally that's considered enough to avoid relegation, and are only one point off 7th place and a chance to play in European competition next season. It could've been more, apart from the 'bad', in this case the results that should've gone differently. A 3-0 loss in February to Manchester Utd was to be expected, but two home defeats to struggling Hull and Blackburn left Fulham on 34 pts and supporters wondering if the bubble had burst. The spectre of last seasons relagation battles loomed large. The Hull result was most disappointing as the game was dominated for 70 mins before the Whites fell asleep for the last 20 mins and conceded in the last minute. The 1-0 result meant Fulham's first loss at home since September.
Another midweek game, the 3rd in March as postponed and FA Cup matches saw a plethora of Football at the Cottage, saw a second home defeat, promoting the fear that the wheels had fallen off. Added to this was an annihilation by the team chasing 5 different titles and on a run of 12 victories in a row, Manchester Utd, who destroyed Fulham at 'Craven Fortress' with an emphatic 4-0 victory in the FA cup. Fulham were in this game for all of 20 minutes, but once they conceded they seemed to stop playing.
Clint Dempsey still trying hard
By the time Blackburn beat them 4 days later, Fulham had lost three in a row.
The Good
In between the doom and gloom there were a number of entirely memorable highlights. An FA cup win against Championship side Swansea set up the FA cup quarter final against Manchester Utd. Such was the form at Craven Cottage that supporters briefly dreamed of the chance to go to Wembly for the semi-finals being a possibility.
Billy the Badger leads the crowds cheering
Solid away draws during February and March, against Wigan and at the Emirates against Arsenal had continued the season on a course of finishing in the top 10. A 2-1 win in late February against last placed West Brom left the side confident, but that was of course dented by the three loss on the trot.
The problem after the Blackburn loss was that Fulham had a tough run home with difficult fixtures against top four sides, including a third meeting in a month against high flying Man U. The away form remained dismal, highlighted by the 15 second package of Fulham away goals this season shown on TV before the Bolton game at the Reebok, the princely total of three in the Premier League. This total was doubled though in a 3-1 win away against Bolton, a result that cemented a top ten position and eased concerns before a tough home game against the league leaders.
And then the game that wiped away all disappointments and frustrations this season. Man U had hardly put a foot wrong since the start of the year when they returned to the Premier League with the crown of World's best club side, having won the FIFA club world cup in December. No Premier League side had scored against them since their defeat by Arsenal in late October and they had won 11 league games in a row to turn a 7 pt deficit in the table to a 7 pt lead with a game in hand. Papers declared that they were romping to the title. Then the amazing happened. I'd like to think that the fear of coming to the Cottage scared Man U, who that manager Sir Alex Ferguson was so preoccupied working out how to overcome Fulham that he forgot what he was doing, but this is unlikely. Maybe they were believing the press, but the week before facing Fulham, Man U hosted title pretenders Liverpool. Liverpool had been leading the table until Man Utd's rich vein of form, and the game at Old Trafford was their only chance to stay in the title race. A 4-1 thumping by the mighty Reds renvigorated the title race and bought Man U to Craven Cottage on the back foot, but hungry to bounce back after such a heavy defeat.
Still 1-0 was pleasing, though it lurked in the minds of all supporters the Manchester are notorious for coming back and gaining late results. Ferguson took off some stars (D Berbatov 25million pounds) and replaced them with other stars (W Rooney 30million pounds, C Tevez 25 million pounds) and started to build momentum that an equaliser seemed inevitable. But Fulhams defence stood tall and strong (A Hughes 1 million pounds, B Hangeland 2.5 million pounds, J Pantsil 3 million pounds, P Konchesky 3.25 million pounds) and repelled wave after wave of attack. The real star was goalkeeper M Schwarzer ( 0 million pound free transfer) whose double save prevented what seemed a definite leveller. When Z Gera ( million pounds) doubled Fulham's lead with an overhead screamer, W Rooney was sent off with a second yellow for unsporting dummy spitting the humiliation was complete. Fulham recorded a famous 2-0 victory and I can say I was there!
Zoltan Gera makes up for an horrendous pass in the FA
cup 2 weeks early by coming on and sealing the league win.
Smile Giggsy, you were outplayed, that's all!!
The Ugly
Only one choose here, Christiano Ronaldo. Feted as the best player in the world, courted by Real Madrid who were willing to pay a potential world record 75 million for him, holder of the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player Award, he was a complete embarrassment to football. He showed a few tricks but spemt most of the day trying to get players sent off by diving, yelling at the referee and in general behaving badly as his team floundered. Also he is ugly, as highlighted by this recent exchange with Newcastle defender Steven Taylor.
Despite dominating Hull physically,
And outplaying them with superior skill and technique
No way could be found past the keeper
Another midweek game, the 3rd in March as postponed and FA Cup matches saw a plethora of Football at the Cottage, saw a second home defeat, promoting the fear that the wheels had fallen off. Added to this was an annihilation by the team chasing 5 different titles and on a run of 12 victories in a row, Manchester Utd, who destroyed Fulham at 'Craven Fortress' with an emphatic 4-0 victory in the FA cup. Fulham were in this game for all of 20 minutes, but once they conceded they seemed to stop playing.
Match Day and anticipation is high
Celebrity spotting before the game
An early chance for Fulham as a mix up between Vidic and
Van der Sar almost allows AJ to score a sneaky goal
Van der Sar almost allows AJ to score a sneaky goal
Unfortunately Carlos Tevez is given too much space at the back post
Clint Dempsey still trying hard
Simon Davies corner kick from the Hammersmith End riverside corner
Danny Murphy too strong in midfield
By the time Blackburn beat them 4 days later, Fulham had lost three in a row.
The Good
In between the doom and gloom there were a number of entirely memorable highlights. An FA cup win against Championship side Swansea set up the FA cup quarter final against Manchester Utd. Such was the form at Craven Cottage that supporters briefly dreamed of the chance to go to Wembly for the semi-finals being a possibility.
Footage v Swansea 6th Round of the FA cup
For the FA cup we Swansa we were sitting in the Johnny Haynes Stand
For the FA cup we Swansa we were sitting in the Johnny Haynes Stand
Billy the Badger leads the crowds cheering
Olivier Dacourt, a January signing from Inter Milan
Clint Dempsey gives a masterclass in control
Zamora scores an important equaliser
Solid away draws during February and March, against Wigan and at the Emirates against Arsenal had continued the season on a course of finishing in the top 10. A 2-1 win in late February against last placed West Brom left the side confident, but that was of course dented by the three loss on the trot.
Zamora unleashes and almost kills the goal keeper
Bobby Zamora scores his first league goal since September
Mark Schwarzer saves a chance and gets the thanks of his team mates
The problem after the Blackburn loss was that Fulham had a tough run home with difficult fixtures against top four sides, including a third meeting in a month against high flying Man U. The away form remained dismal, highlighted by the 15 second package of Fulham away goals this season shown on TV before the Bolton game at the Reebok, the princely total of three in the Premier League. This total was doubled though in a 3-1 win away against Bolton, a result that cemented a top ten position and eased concerns before a tough home game against the league leaders.
And then the game that wiped away all disappointments and frustrations this season. Man U had hardly put a foot wrong since the start of the year when they returned to the Premier League with the crown of World's best club side, having won the FIFA club world cup in December. No Premier League side had scored against them since their defeat by Arsenal in late October and they had won 11 league games in a row to turn a 7 pt deficit in the table to a 7 pt lead with a game in hand. Papers declared that they were romping to the title. Then the amazing happened. I'd like to think that the fear of coming to the Cottage scared Man U, who that manager Sir Alex Ferguson was so preoccupied working out how to overcome Fulham that he forgot what he was doing, but this is unlikely. Maybe they were believing the press, but the week before facing Fulham, Man U hosted title pretenders Liverpool. Liverpool had been leading the table until Man Utd's rich vein of form, and the game at Old Trafford was their only chance to stay in the title race. A 4-1 thumping by the mighty Reds renvigorated the title race and bought Man U to Craven Cottage on the back foot, but hungry to bounce back after such a heavy defeat.
Manager Roy Hodgeson puts the side through their
paces in preparation for the Man Utd game
paces in preparation for the Man Utd game
"Listen here Roy, I think I know how we can beat these chaps, tally ho"
So the scene was set for Saturday the 21st of March to be a momentous day. Fulham were written off all week by the pundits who pointed to statistics that showed Man Utd had not lost two games in a row in 143 games, or that Fulham had not beaten them at Craven Cottage in 45 years. The game started similar to the FA cup tie with Fulham holding their own comfortable for almost 20 minutes. Then the pivotal moment that proved a turning point in each team's fortunes in the game. The much maligned Bobby Zamora collected a rebound from a blocked shot that resulted from a Fulham corner. Heading towards the top left corner, Man Utd legend Paul Scholes decided to try a new position and threw his arms up stopping a certain goal. In return he recieved a red card and Fulham were 1-0 up from the resulting Danny Murphy penalty. They then preceded to dominate the first half and should have had a bigger gap at the break.
Danny Murphy accepts the responsibility of taking the penalty
And duly puts Fulham 1-0 up
Zamora showing strength and poise
That boy Clint Dempsey
Berbatov: Out of ze way, old man
Murphy: Who you calling old??
Murphy: Who you calling old??
Same old Evra, always cheating
Still 1-0 was pleasing, though it lurked in the minds of all supporters the Manchester are notorious for coming back and gaining late results. Ferguson took off some stars (D Berbatov 25million pounds) and replaced them with other stars (W Rooney 30million pounds, C Tevez 25 million pounds) and started to build momentum that an equaliser seemed inevitable. But Fulhams defence stood tall and strong (A Hughes 1 million pounds, B Hangeland 2.5 million pounds, J Pantsil 3 million pounds, P Konchesky 3.25 million pounds) and repelled wave after wave of attack. The real star was goalkeeper M Schwarzer ( 0 million pound free transfer) whose double save prevented what seemed a definite leveller. When Z Gera ( million pounds) doubled Fulham's lead with an overhead screamer, W Rooney was sent off with a second yellow for unsporting dummy spitting the humiliation was complete. Fulham recorded a famous 2-0 victory and I can say I was there!
Zoltan Gera makes up for an horrendous pass in the FA
cup 2 weeks early by coming on and sealing the league win.
John 'Pants' Pantsil takes his traditional lap of honour
One phrase says so much, read it and weep Rooney
Al Fayed thanks the crowd for their support and
promises us all a free Harrods shopping trip
promises us all a free Harrods shopping trip
Smile Giggsy, you were outplayed, that's all!!
The Ugly
Only one choose here, Christiano Ronaldo. Feted as the best player in the world, courted by Real Madrid who were willing to pay a potential world record 75 million for him, holder of the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player Award, he was a complete embarrassment to football. He showed a few tricks but spemt most of the day trying to get players sent off by diving, yelling at the referee and in general behaving badly as his team floundered. Also he is ugly, as highlighted by this recent exchange with Newcastle defender Steven Taylor.
You can see the cheating technique of Ronaldo here, his only
thought is to dive and make it look as bad as possible then proceeds
to argue with the referee who did not fall for his blatant cheating
thought is to dive and make it look as bad as possible then proceeds
to argue with the referee who did not fall for his blatant cheating
Yet he has no problem hacking down Danny Murphy in a terrible two-footed tackle
