Arsenal v. Fulham

I can't say I agree with all the slagging of Deuce. He certainly has the talent to play in the Prem and just because he didn't get many touches today doesn't mean he should be written off. Give him the start for a few matches and let him gel with the other players in a game situation and you will see his contributions increase. I mean, the guy was good enough to score against Liverpool and keep up in the Prem.

While I'm at it, Mac is not a has been. He's the captain for f**k's sake! He won several good headers today and again, just because he didn't score of have a lot of shots doesn't mean it's time for him to retire.

 

Guardian praises Lawrie Sanchez and Fulham.

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2007/ ... traff.html

 

From Yanks Abroad:

Arsenal 2 - 1 Fulham

All three Americans saw action on Sunday, but Carlos Bocanegra might not want to file the final seven minutes into his personal highlight reel.

Brian McBride and Bocanegra started and went the entire match for Lawrie Sanchez, but Clint Dempsey had to settle for the bench until the half when he replaced a wholly ineffective Hameur Bouazza.

David Healy got the match off to a shocking start, when less than a minute in he silenced the Emirates Stadium by pouncing on a misplayed Jens Lehmann ball and slotting past the German.

Tony Warner, forced into the starting eleven after Antti Niemi injured himself in pregame warmups, was stellar in thwarting Tomas Rosicky thrice, and later, Alexander Hleb in the second half.

Bocanegra, who as also booked in the 59th minute, helped begin the Gunners comeback in the 83rd by roughing up Kolo Toure just as his surge entered the area. Philip Dowd wasted no time in pointing to the spot, and Robin van Persie boldly roofed the penalty kick to tie the match.

Seven minutes later, the former Chicago man would lose track of Hleb as Fulham attempted a high line to induce the offside trap.

Cesc Fabregas lofted a pass expertly for the Belorussian, who, with Bocanegra attempting to get back in position, chested down the chip before spinning the American like a top and screaming home a shot across the face of goal for the late, late winner.

Fulham open their Craven Cottage slate starting on Wednesday when they host Bolton Wanderers.

The first goal, from the penalty, was certainly Bocanegra. But wasn't the second goal against someone else?

 

I thought Baird was covering on the second goal.

 

I think it was Baird. YA usually does a good job, but they seemed quick to throw Boca under the bus on this one.

 

The Highlights and Lowlights:

http://footballocks.net/index.php/501/a ... ighlights/

It was Baird getting worked on that second goal.

 

Overall a good team preformance, they gave it a good fight and when playing the top four thats all I can ask for. If we give up that lead against anyone outside the top four I'd be upset but against Arsenal in particular you could just never see us hanging on for 90 minutes. Couple notes;

Healy looked much improved from preseason. He ran his butt off and had some good play. Does anyone think John would have bothered following that ball up which led to the Lehman gaff? Of course not.

Zat did have a good game, he's good for a handful of those a year. He really needs to string together a few for me to be convinced that anythings changed.

Kamara worked really hard defensivley when he came on. When going forward he played with his head, always in the right position never giving the ball away cheaply. This is really really encouraging.

Baird is not a signing I understand. I don't see what he brings. I would much rather have Liam or Volzy out there.

Smertin is class, I really like the guy.

Exciting game, good team performance I look forward to Wednesday.

 

Definitely Baird.

Also, regarding the penalty Boca conceded, it's not like there weren't three other guys who should've tackled the ball away from Toure before he made it into the box. Ugly team defending on display in that instance.

It's definitely awfully early to start dumping on McBride over this.

 

I think Knight and Boca played a good game. The penalty was 50-50 but because of teh Hleb call it went against them. In Arsenal did get their oppurtunitys but this is Arsenal, if it were a team like West Ham then I'd be worried. Steven Davis and Healey both impressed me against a tought Arsenal Defence. Bouazza showed me nothing, less then Dempsey. Neither played well but Dempsey won a couple balls in the air, had a nice connection with McBride and had a a couple quick passes. He does have to work on gettinh himself more involved though, i dont blame that on the center midfielders. McBride was silent though but its still the first game.

 

Bouazza, for his limited time on the field, showed me a fair bit of promise. His raw, but physical talent was on display when he tracked back to chase down every ball in defense and he did fairly well going forward. He is not the finished product by any means and he is also with a new side. Lets give him some time.

Dempsey actually showed me even less actually. It was not one of his better days, but we all know his potential. He has just yet to show it in the prem. With the proper amount of games and a fair run out it is just a matter of time.

 

Everybody is talking about Dempseys potential and how he will improve. Well then answer this what has he done besides the Liverpool goal since signing? What has he done for the USMNT since signing? The is answer is not a damn thing. He might improve, but until he does it is time for Cook to start on the left wing because really I think Bouazza is also crap.

 

Ahhh, so now the measure of a player being crap or quality rests on 45 minutes worth of playing time. What does Bouazza honestly have to do to gain support from Fulham fans? He tracked back, made some hard tackles and linked up fairly well. Patience.

Dempsey's lack of regular playing time has attributed to his inconsistency. He has only played in 11 matches and I believe started just 2 or 3 of them as well. You can't exactly be a world beater with that limited amount of time. Now his time on the pitch has been less than stellar, but there is a learning curve when coming from the MLS to the best league in football. Again patience is a virtue. It is time some Fulham fans realize that.

 

If I counted correctly, which I may not have since Sundays game was my very first as a Fulham supporter, seven of the starters were either new pickups or not regular contributors to last years team. It will certainly take more than a preseason and one game for the team to gel. While I found a few of the individual perfromances exceptional and a few of them lacking I believe the team play was good overall and will only improve with time.

Bouazza gets a complete pass in my book. He looked lost on the pitch at times but why shouldn't he have? LOL I wonder if he has even had time to learn everyones first name yet much less how they play.

Just my opinion, but given time to sort it out this group of players will work well together.

 

I do not want my Wingers tracking back and being congratulated on doing so. I want Bouazza to go at the defense with skill and flair and make the right back look like an idiot.


Dempsey has payed like crap in almost every game for Fulham and has defenitley been crap for the US. Cook is the answer on that side as he has an actual record in England. Dempsey should be played in the middle of the park, but with the way FFC are loaded there it will be hard for him to get time there.

 

Fulhamish.

 

Glad someone else realized that Don.

Bouazza was obviously told by LS to track back after the early goal. If the back line was left to their own devices the score line could of been much worse. Bouazza will add the depth, but is more or less a move for the future. More time in the prem is what he needs and he will become a dangerous winger.

Cook may or may not have a huge influence on Fulham's fortunes, but to be dubbed the answer without even playing a match is a bit much. So in Cook's first appearance he has a lackluster performance will he be labeled as "crap" as well?

New manager with loads of new players need time to gel. Let me say again... Patience

 

I agree with those saying that the Smertin substitution seemed to be the turning point. However, if Sanchez thought he looked to be tiring and wanted to keep him fresh, that's perfectly acceptable - you can't manage every match (especially the first one of the season) like a cup final, especially with another game coming up on Wednesday. Diop should have been able to do a better job of slowing down their attack, maybe Volz would be a better choice next time. We actually have some depth now, so hopefully decisions like this will help prevent huge winless next spring.