Fulham vs Arsenal [R]

Per the Beeb, "Brede Hangeland was not signed in time to feature for Fulham in the clash against Arsenal at Craven Cottage." Thus, "Fulham (from): Niemi, Baird, Stefanovic, Bocanegra, Hughes, Volz, Bullard, Davis, Murphy, Davies, Healy, Smertin, Dempsey, Warner, Ki-Hyeon, Stefanovic." (Duplication of "Stefanovic" theirs, not mine - note that this is only 15 players.)

My guess is we're looking at:
Niemi
Volz - Hughes - Stefanovic - Boca
Davies - Davis - Murphy - Seol*
Dempsey - Healy

Warner, Baird, Bullard, Smertin, (someone from the Reserves - Ehui maybe?)

Or:
Niemi
Baird - Hughes - Stefanovic - Bocanegra
Volz - Davis - Murphy - Davies
Healy - Dempsey

Warner, Smertin, Seol, Bullard, (Ehui)

* I'm still not sure why the BBC can't wrap their heads around the idea that "Seol" is the surname and "Ki-Hyeon" is the given name.

 

Well, it's too bad, that Brede's paper work wasn't taken care of time. We could really use him this week (and all the rest). I'm looking to start King and with him not knowing the tendencies of his new teammates, he should end up in the right place at the right time (either by pure genius or luck).

The line up is a crap shoot. I think there will be too much speed coming at Baird. Hopefully, someone will step up and give him some help. I see a win for the Gunners (1-2). They better get us, while they still can.

Niemi
Baird - Hughes - Steph - Boca
Davies - Murph - Davis (Smertin never starts/plays) - Dempsey
Healy - King

 

You can't start King, we haven't signed him yet.

 

"You can't start King, we haven't signed him yet."

And, I'm not sure what to make of the 'he failed his medical' rumors being tossed about.

 

He had a serious knee injury last year, it could mean exactly what it sounds like.

 

The game is live on FSC so why the [R] and why is the west spam thread still top the list?

 

I have never predicted a loss before but am today. It will be another loss that we cant afford.

 

6 wins in 100 years against Arsenal. Don't think number 7 is coming today. Is it me or did those 2 goals look exactly the same?

 

Total shit. Embarrassing display by the back four. Disheartening performance from the midfield. Invisible attack. I know it's Arsenal, but COME ON. It looked like we were playing with 9 men.
Niemi: C
Volz: D-
Stef: F--
Hughes: F--
Boca: D-
Seol: F
Murphy: C-
Smertin: C-
Davis: D
Davies: C-
Dempsey: C
Subs: C-

 

No one played well, but I have to single out Seol. I've had all I can take of him. He doesn't even try. Get him out of there.

 

We are a shambles.

No long rant or lament from me this time, I think the sentence above sums up my feelings...

 

I did not expect us to win and the match fell into the way I kind of figured it would. Arsenal scored an early goal and added another late in the first half and it was over from there.

No players played great, but I liked Dempsey's runs and what he is able to do with the ball. He does not get any help from his teammates but he was solid for most of the match. As of now, I would say Dempsey has easily been Fulham's most outstanding player this season.

Bullard coming back will help the team as well. He may not be in great shape just yet, but throughout the match you could see him starting to show some positive signs. He was controlling possession, making passes and making runs which was good to see.

I never expected us to win today. In my mind the battle to fight relegation starts now.

 

We may have had three chances the entire game and Seol was responsible for one of them so I don't see how you can single him out today at all.

Now Bullard was absolute shit once he came on...Murphy looked like he was retarded trying to finish but Seol??? Wrong person to single out today.

Dempsey played hard all alone, Niemi had no chance on any of those goals...defending was absolute garbage, did we have a midfield??? I felt like it was Niemi trying to spring Dempsey the whold damn time.

Whatever

 

I enjoyed watching Arsenal play beautiful football.


That about does it. I usually rant, but I think this says it all.

 

its obvious that hodgson wasnt about lighting a fire under this club. which, under most circumstances, is troubling.

today was the obligatory prison rape in the shower. fulham took it, now lets move on.

the relegation battle begins in total earnest now. we got 1 (hopefully 2) more exhibition matches before we go to the reebok. hopefully hodgson gets everything in order before then.

not to say he hasnt been changing things, and yes we're down down down in soooo many ways, but i really havent been that impressed with the performances on the pitch so far.

 

"Lighting a fire" wasn't going to help Fulham. Fulham plays hard just about every game, but it just doesn't matter cause the team just isn't good enough.

Hodgson is clearly a good coach and has more experience in football than probably any other manager in the Premier League right now given that he has actually spent most of his time outside of England.

Hodgson isn't the problem, the talent level on the team is.

 

Now, (full disclosure) I'm not a Premier League footie coach, nor have I ever been (hard to believe, I know!) but it seemed pretty obvious that talent, hard work, and player availability nothwithstanding, Hodgson's tactics were, at best, questionable today.

I love me some Dempsey. I really, really do. I like his creativity, his work ethic, and his dedication. Know what I didn't like? Clint Dempsey, lone striker, vs. the Arsenal big back four. Hodgson took a look at his bench and thought, "This guy's small and fast. Let's stick him up ALONE and expect him to do all the work against 4 big guys." Come. On. Really?

5 midfielders and 4 defenders couldn't keep out 2 goals in the first half. 1 (converted) striker? Also can't score given these circumstances.

I get that Hodgson is probably looking at his selection of guys and thinking, "I don't like this. Not at all." That's pretty much how I feel about it, too. Call up Bruce Arena, Roy, and ask him how he felt the week before the 2006 World Cup--he'll commiserate. But that seemed like a terrible, terrible way to approach the game, when Arsenel is such a known quantity.

To be fair, I don't know that any lineup of guys that I chose would have done better, but I'm not the one GETTING PAID based on my extensive experience to figure this out.

Terribly painful and disappointing. Not because we lost--that was just about a foregone conclusion. But the guys looked flustered as hell most of the time, and Arsenal's easy possession was rather embarrassing for long chunks of the game. That is NOT how I want to see the team play, nor do I think it's what they want for themselves. Hodgson has GOT to figure this out fast.

Ok. Rant over. I'm just really, really bummed about the possibility of not getting to see these guys at ALL next year.

And I used a lot of words in all caps. Sheesh.

 

Yeah, I thought Seol was... well, not GOOD, because nobody was GOOD today, but he was one of our better players today. I thought out of everybody, Volz had the best game.

Niemi, as has been pointed out, didn't really have much of a chance on any of the goals. We just don't have anybody who can cover Adebayor, and he exploited that. I did think Niemi wouldn't have gotten kicked in the face if he hadn't been so slow to come out on that play though.

Once again we looked slow. Coming through midfield in particular, there was a player on Murphy or Smertin or Davis or Bullard in an instant whenever any of them had the ball. Tough to make plays without space.

Of course, it's also tough to plays with (as Meggrs pointed out) no real striker on the pitch. In this match, I almost would've started Kuqi (who we apparently still have) and Healy up top and held Dempsey to use as a sub after Kuqi had made their center backs work for the ball.

Simon Davies is not good on the left. Maybe he is, strictly speaking, CAPABLE of playing over there, but his crossing ability is wasted if he's not on the right.

Roy has a LOT of work to do.

Edit to add: If the EPL refs weren't keeping a close eye on Dempsey after he broke John Terry's face, they will be now that he did the same to Senderos. I don't think he's trying to hurt anybody, but he's got to learn to jump with his elbows lower.

 

Seol was the only one who clearly played poorly today. Dempsey was not the only one who worked hard; they all did - Volz especially. I've been questioning how good Hangeland is but we sure could've used a 6'5" defender today.

This is what I've noticed with Roy's tactics so far: 1) plays alot with 1 forward. There was some talk that he is more of a defensive-minded coach so maybe this is why some say that. 2) I havent seen the little passing triangles or much long ball. Roy seems to keep them more between those two - longer passes and swithing it over.

Did anyone else notice that there were eleven arse'oles on the field today?