Andy’s battled with a German computer and snowy temperatures to bring us his view of things from Basel. You learn a lot from the first few lines – who knew that the airport offered a choice between French and Swiss passport control?
His view of the game, too, is interesting. Even Bobby Zamora had a quick glance at the assistant to make sure he hadn’t been flagged again for offside before he celebrated the opening goal. Fulham fans back home would have shared Andy’s disbelief that the referee ‘helped Basel get back in the game’ (Hodgson’s words) and changed his mind to award a dodgy penalty. I didn’t know there was a Swedish Mark Halsey.
Away wins are rare at Fulham so it seems as though we save them for when they really matter. Reading, Manchester City and Portsmouth during the Great Escape. Bolton and Newcastle last year. And, Pompey on the opening day and in Basel, this time around. Rather like Oliver Twist, I share Andy’s conclusion about European football. Can I have some more please?
I’m just catching up with the website now and settled in to see if I agreed with someone else’s experience of the Basle game. then realised you’d linked to MY post!
Reading it back there are typos aplenty in there, but you know what? I don’t care.
Gives it a bit more character mate. Would love to hear your thoughts on Fergie’s back three at some stage.
I’m a bit reluctant to do so having not seen the match at the Cottage. Seems I made a great decision to stay in Switzerland for this weekend.
The only time he played three at the back that I did see was the match away at Wolfsburg, which again didn’t really work. They got lucky in the fact that the Germans missed some very, very presentable opportunities before Owen scored the first and the last couple of goals were scored when the team had reverted to a 4-4-2.
In fact United always look better in a 4-4-2 but Fergie has this strange insistence on a 4-3-3 which works with a Ronaldo, but not with a Berbatov/Owen.
You can’t get away from the fact that the ridiculous defensive injuries have unsettled the team. Fletcher’s bite is desperately needed in the middle of the park in order to help United play well. Scholes should not be played away from home. Anderson is almost a luxury player as he does not dictate the game as he should, especially as he doesn’t chip in with any goals.
Evra is one of the most important players for United offensively and if he’s worried about the back line, being the only established defender, then it might curtail him. De Laet has impressed when I’ve seen him at full-back, but I don;t know how he did in the middle.
Even before the injuries, United haven’t been a very good team this season, only snapping into performances sporadically. There has been little consistency. For all the defensive frailties, what Fergie needs in January is an extra striker and another midfielder (or the wonderful Hargreaves to actually get off the treatment table).
Hope you haven’t been stuck in Basel like some of the Fulham boys and girls who made the trip. Forgive me, I thought you might have seen it in a bar or something.
The injury situation’s insane and you’re right they badly missed a ballwinner in midfield on Saturday. De Laet looked good on a tough afternoon for him – he seems a real prospect. I think the whole of England would appreciate a Hargreaves return; Capello certainly would.
We went to Geneva for the weekend, so missed some of the Basle headache. We were in a pub, but it was showing the Man City v Sunderland and Blackburn v Spurs games. Soccer Saturday unfortunately kept me up to speed with the score!