Looking back to the close of the transfer window, I was worried that Fulham hadn’t done enough in the transfer market to withstand the challenges of the domestic campaign and our European exertions. We seemed to have only strengthened our midfield, which was arguably the strongest part of our team anyway.
I’m willing to revise my opinion now. Had we suffered the sort of injuries last season that we had this, it is probably fair to say Fulham would have been scrapping around at the wrong end of the table. If Roy had been forced to play a reserve midfield and Roma had come to the Cottage at the end of last season, we’d have been torn to shreds. In fact, a feared the worst when I saw that we were without Duff, Dempsey, Etuhu and Murphy – but the back-up boys did us proud.
It was entirely sensible to play Riise against his brother out on the right. More than any other (apart from the trip to the Stadio Olimpico of course), this is the one game he would be really up for. The younger Riise was absolutely superb in the first half. Buzzing around everywhere, he was a livewire and much more dangerous that he had been previously in a Fulham shirt. He tired towards the end and was much less adventurous in the second half, but that seemed to mirror the team’s philosophy.
On the opposite side, Zoltan Gera continued his fine resurgence. He seems a lot less lightweight than last season, fully committed to challenges instead of shirking them and putting his body in where it hurts. The Hungarian looks a lot more comfortable on the ball as well, picking out forward passes rather than turning the ball sideways or rolling it backwards. It appears as though those two goals against Manchester City – maybe we should put him in on Sunday for a repeat at Eastlands – and West Ham have restored the confidence he was so desperately lacking last year.
It was in central midfield where I was really impressed. Chris Baird continues to be a revelation in the hpolding role. He’s played there for Northern Ireland but he seems to have come of age of late for Fulham. Such has been the quality of his players in the last three games, Baird must be close to nicking the shirt off Dickson Etuhu on merit. He was quietly effective, breaking up opposition attacks and using his aerial ability to great effect. It was understandable that he was very tired towards the end – centre halves don’t expend half as much energy as those immediately in front of them – but this was still another exceptional performance.
Talking to my friends beforehand, we’d agreed that it was Jonathan Greening who really needed to step up. He hadn’t quite been on his game in the early stages of his Fulham career and seemed a little too passive for my liking. But we shouldn’t have worried. Greening was like a man possessed, especially in the first half. He was unfortunate not to score with two rasping drives from the edge of the box and continually popped up in advanced positions, sadly lifting a shot over from similar range in the second half. His passing was crisp and he seemed eager to make tackles – it was comfortably his best display in a Fulham shirt.
Once we get over that horrid feeling of conceding that late goal, there’s plenty to be pleased about from last night. Zamora and Hangeland were immense, but it was the midfield who really surpassed themselves. The fact that we have understudies of this quality should fill all Fulham fans with real confidence.
totally agree, it is easy to forget that we fielded a second string midfield and they all had good games and (although others on tiff disagree) I felt greening really stepped up aginst a very good passing team. I think it is a testament to this side under roy hodgson that we will not be out passed or passed out of the game. Roma were a better technincal side, but that was down to their quality players.
Bobby Zamora on the offal:
“We’re over the moon with the performance but the result was not what we wanted. It’s a squad game these days and the lads that have come in have been different gravy.”
I was really impressed with Baird’s passing as well. A couple of great balls to try and release Kamara, and his passes into the channel for Zamora were superb as well. Lacks the physical presence of Etuhu, but has performed admirably. Thought the midfield were all excellent in the first half, but simply couldn’t get the ball in the second.
That, I believe, actually demonstrated how invaluable Bobby Zamora is to the side. By holding the ball up, he allows the midfield to get hold of the ball in advanced positions, whereby we can control the game and create chances. Without Zamora, forward balls are merely collected by the opposition defence, who start yet another attack.
I’ve stopped visiting TiFF and feel a lot happier about football again now. All the negativity around the players and the club was just doing my head in, I just didn’t realise it. In my own silly little world all of the Fulham players are really good, they just don’t always show it. I get a bit more upset than I should do when I see them slated, so in the end I decided that I wasn’t doing anyone any favours by going there. I couldn’t see why some people had to be so negative. Yes, it’s all opinions, but opinions, as they say, are… well, everyone’s got one. Yeah, that’s what a message board’s for, but, well, anyway.
So last night I still think the lads did brilliantly, all of them. I have no idea who they’re being negative about on the message board, which is no bad thing. The only player I thought was a bit dodgy was Paintsil at left back, purely because he has no left foot. Between here, CCN and FoF I reckon there’s enough decent Fulham talk to keep me going.
I loved Greening’s tackling last night. Not as creative as Murphy, but probably better defensively. Great game by him. I thought that Fulham without Murphy or Schwarzer was a team that was going to lose, but I now think Stockdale and Greening are pretty good replacements.
My admiration of Roy just keeps growing. The management team need to chuck money at him – give him his retirement fund – but also get him to be the official adviser for Murphy or whoever is going to be the next manager.
I have to agree with you rich about the negativity on Tiff. All I have read today is
1) Its roys fault, subs were poor
2) We were terrible in the second half
3) Dio is rubbish
I am amazed that we can nearly beat one of the best teams in italy who have been everpresents in europe and all we get from ‘the faithful’ is a bunch of moaning. I cant wait till sunday, I think we might be tired and struggle. I wonder how the Tiff crowd will deal with anything other than a victory?
ps. I nearly passed out when I saw people on Tiff lamenting BZ being taken off last night.
well that abouts sums it up then. My memory of last night is of an epic, if ultimately unfortunate encounter between a terrific Fulham side and a thrilling Roma side. No, we didn’t pass them off the pitch for 90 minutes, but hey, we’re not Barcelona.
Sunday – we’ll probably lose quite comfortably!
To follow that up, I think people judge us against perfection. The obvious response is that these things are all up for debate on message boards, but I would like the word “reasonable” added there, because I don’t think we see reasonable debate very much.
To be fair to Gera, his tackling has always been pretty good and he’s never shirked a sliding tackle. It’s just the other aspects of his game that have been slightly disappointing. He’s done well to threaten Davies’ place in the side when he returns from injury.
I thought captain Hughes was immense last night btw
What sums up the TIFF for me is:
A few weeks ago, Roy was rubbish for allowing Zamora ON the pitch.
Now, Roy is rubbish for taking Zamora OFF the pitch.