Fulham v. Watford [R]

I enjoy watching the games on TV, but it will be nice to hear GJ again on the Internet. I like the lineup, and I look for HH to have a good match.

Prediction: Fulham win 2-1. Why do I say that? Heck, I don't know, except that I'd like a win, and darn it, we deserve it!

 

Less than an hour, so time for everyone to get their mojo working.

Don, find yer shirt.
Heather, don't contemplate a final score.
Katie, Mike and Spencer, gargle with salt water.
Petty, go check out FoxNews.
Me, find at least one piece of Fulham gear (even if socks) to adorn.
All who can, meet in the FulhamUSA Chatroom and order up GJ from the offal from here: {url deleted}
and last, but not least

Whites, Come On You!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Kind of a disappointing draw. So many missed opportunities. Any word on Niemi? It sounded like a pretty bad spill. Gentleman Jim was very concerned. I hope it turns out to be minor.

 

although i am glad we got a point, here a few observations i made:

niemi got hurt. remember last time this happened? i think we lost every game with the backup. this is an ominous sign.

the past four opponets, with the exception of chelsea, were all relegation squads. and we only got four points against them. i'm not going to address the chelsea game, as it was amazing and getting a draw against them is quite an accomplishment. but the other matches irk me, as you're supposed to win against relegation teams. i know we met west ham and charlton at rather inopportune times (west ham just defeating manu; charlton's first game with padrew at the helm) but still. only getting draws against them all is rather inexcusable. i am not being negative about this, as things could have been much worse. but you gotta be realistic. one victory would put fulham in a tie for tenth, two would be eighth, three would put them seventh. i guess this is when "fulhamish" applies?

total exhaustion by fulham. 4 games in a little over a week is insane, but they trudged through. luckily, its another two weeks before another premiership match.

so yea, although i am partially disappointed things could have been much worse. they deserve a well rest. lets actually defeat west ham this time 'round.

come on fulham!

 

Erm disappointing. The game was entertaining but disappointing with two disallowed goals. I thought we deserved three points but when you look back on it Watford could have won just as easily. The Cottage really is a great stadium. Its a real trip back and time. You could never recreate such a setting. I've got some picture I'll try to get on here when I get home.

This is a bit off topic but its fresh in my mind. From now on whenever I hear or read about posh fans ruining the game for more hardcore fans I'm firmly on the side of the hardcore fan. The atmosphere at the Cottage today was far less then what I experienced at Charlton and Chelsea. I can't say if this was normal or less then normal level of atmosphere, I have no prior experience to compare it with.

For me personally it was frustrating because I was sitting in the lower part of the Hammersmith End. All the noise in the ground comes from the top of the Hammersmith Stand. I imagine its very very hard to get tickets for that part of the stadium. I was surrounded by tourists, families, and old farts all of whom it appeared seemed to think it would be to much of an inconvenience to them to do anything other than clap their hands every now and then. Blasting their lungs out to tell Watford they were going down seemed absolutely out of the question. Theoretically I could have sung but when every one in the acres around you is sitting silent with their arms crossed it really takes the fun out of it. Singing in such a situation really leaves you prone to embarrassment and evil stares.

Its a shame really because if you don't happen to be sitting at the top of the Hammersmith End you can't join in beyond the occasional "come on fulham". There must be tons of people who are in this situation every game. Its a shame because it really puts a cap on what it could be. A major difference I saw was at Charlton and Chelsea a large portion of fans in the side seats will from time to time stand up or join in with the songs where as at the Cottage no one outside the top half of Hammersmith seemed to sing.

End Rant

 

I don't mean to sound like such a spoiled bitter ass. I've had a terrific time over here and Mike and Katty have absoulutly terriffic hosts. Just venting about a frustrating result toinght :x

 

Spencer, when I went to the Cottage and saw Fulham play Bolton I was sitting pretty much where you were. I was 2 rows from the pitch itself. I completely understand how you feel. All I wanted to do was go up and join the loud fans at the top of the Hammersmith section. The people around me would sing from time to time, but nothing crazy.

I hope Niemi has a speedy recovery. We really can't do much without him.

Edit: Some good news. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 223711.stm

 

Was at the game today and was exciting despite the result. A few observations:

--Boa morte looked really tired, despite coming on late. His late corner was pathetic, almost like he was too tired to get a good ball in.

--Radzinski....shoot the damn ball.

--Helguson to me looked lazy and indifferent. I would love to see Collins John play with McBride. We need a striker with pace, and I think Collins John brings something different (his late miss notwithstanding).

--I feel like we have too many of the same type of player in the midfield (Radz, Routledge, etc.). The waterbug type player. Would love to see someone who can score in midfield. Dont know much about Dempsey, hope he can feel this void.

 

Spencer,

I fully understand where you're coming from.

To me, when the Hammy end went seater it was a ruinous time. I know it had to happen, I know it is/was for safety/comfort/higher prices, etc, but I recall the days when I used to go to the Hammy end, sit on the concrete before the match started, and again at half-time, eating me meat pie and tea, whilxt looking at the lighted 'half-time scoreboard' that stood between two posts up at the Putney End.

I go now and the seats are small. I sit up in the H row, but prefer higher up. Still not the same though.

 

is it just the hammersmith end that is like that, or is that seating area indicative of the rest of the cottage? i ask, because the only time i've been to the cottage i sat on the johnny haynes stand and found nothing of the sort. perhaps i lucked out by sitting with some 'hardcore' fans, but they and the rest of the stand def seemed into the match. tough luck though spencer.

 

The atmosphere at the cottage has suffered since it went all seater. It was a knee jerk reaction to a terrible disaster that has ruined many grounds.

As far as noise goes - the top of the Hammy end and the JH stand are season ticket holders who know all the songs and have the confidence to start them. The rest join in but usually only when the team give encouragement to sing. Going aways it totally different - it is a siege mentality and you sing all bloody game regardless of how bad you play. Often it is epensive and you want your moneys worth.

I found that last time I went I was mostly singing alone, but though sod it and went on anyhow (you do feel a bit of a twit though).

On the plus side Niemi looks like his is going to be alright, a futher scan today should reveal the extent of the damage, he was released from hospital late new years day.

 

Yes, I was probably a little dillusional about it all as my first two games were away, one of which an incredible game at Chelsea. Games like that don't come along every week. I had such a great time singing more or less the whole time and then at the Cottage it was diffrent. I suppose thats natural, the hardcore fans would tend to be the ones who travel and when you jam them all in one end they make alot of noise. So I guess my recomendation to anyone going over there for the first time is try to go to an away game aswell, there a ton of fun.

 

OK you forced me into this....January 1958..ton of snow on the terraces. Ankle deep. My dad and I arrive way early to get a good spot to stand to watch the cup game versus Yeovil. Me, with my Bovril, Dad with his "flask"..both of us trying to keep warm despite the freezing conditions. It was the Putney end and we were perched behind a barrier just behind the goal. I swear we were there so early you could count the spectators. Fast forward and the game began...as ever in those days at Fulham there was light hearted banter, polite applause, great football skills...an four goals for Fulham. But there was a magical atmosphere..and there always has been. Maybe it was the Bovril. BTW The Whites went all the way to the semi finals...drawing with ManU (up there) 2-2 I think and losing 5-3 in the replay at Highbury. Remember this was 1958 and ManU were the emotional favourites. Its not all about the noise...but it doesn't hurt!!!

 

On a complete side note: I've signed up with Xbox live and started playing Fifa 07 online. I'm 2-3-2. You can play your favorite teams games in an effort to move them up the table. I've played the Watford game twice, tied one and lost one. The one I lost was complete garbage....

 

No doubt the Chelsea result was a good point away from home.
We have the FA replay at the Cottage and we need to go on to the next round where we have stoke Looking forward to going to the game.
We have the Hammers on Sat at Upton park and it's always hard to go there and get a draw never mind a win.
Come on you whites!