Fulham @ West Ham [R]

It is not easily quantifiable, so I understand somewhat how quite a few can miss it, but Jimmy is not a spoke in the current Fulham wheel, rather the hub. He goes missing, and we get a flat that not even AAA can help us with. And finding a repair man who has the correct make and model will take much longer than expected.

Don, he's right. Jensers is close enough to the game on a constant basis, I trust his instincts and opinion on this. Doesn't hurt that I feel the same way. No way we let Jimmy go without a dramatic negative effect on The Club.

 

Okay, lets not split hairs here.

When Bullard plays well, the team plays well. Look at ManCity, Boro, Arsenal, most games last season, etc.

When Bullard plays poorly, the team plays poorly. Look at the run of games after his England selection (B'Burn, Sunderland, West Brom).

Without Bullard, the team is decent, except for West Ham.

Can we agree on that?

 

I'm already on record as saying keep Jimmy, at least until the summer, but I agreed with Don (crap, did I just say that?) here. Our defensive line, for the first time since maybe the Man City game last year, had a stinker. I am subscribing to the view that fallible players are on Woy's back line, and they had a clunker of a day at the office. Woy and Danny will get it squared away.

Especially you, John Pantsil. Hey, if you're going to stink it up, you might as well do so like he did, where it is like you come out of the bathroom with a wince and shouting "DO NOT GO IN THERE!!!"

They'll get it done. Including Johnny. We'll be all right.

Get back soon Jimmy! You ain't leaving yet!

 

The team is okay, for now. It goes much deeper than just a couple of matches, and Jensers sees that as well. There is a class and level that comes to Bullard almost effortlessly, and on top of that he keeps the rest of the team loose. Lose him, lose those two qualities, too much of a possibility of losing many more matches.

Not worth the risk for now. No thank you.

 

There are factors beyond Bullard.
Roy is a huge factor - sure!
The back line - with Hang coming into his own and the Hughes partnership. (Hughes is not getting the credit or attention he deserves)
Zamora being willing - almost to a fault - to use his hard work to create chances for others.
Murphy being wise in his play.

My deal with Bullard is his leadership, personality, and character.

I could certainly be wrong, and maybe the results will prove it, but my feeling is that he is the engine of the team and the heart that makes it vibrant... If you dont agree that is fine.

I guess I am not aware of what has been said in the other thread and perhaps I touched on a nerve, but being a site that is based on conversation I must say I dont appreciate being told to bottle it because someone doesnt agree.

I mean - if I was posting porn ads, encouraging you to burn Old Glory, or pushing political agendas in the Fulham forums - Fine, tell me to shut up.

 

Jensers. I'll say this:

Bullard, when he plays well, provides a spark, an X-factor, to the team that possible only Murphy and Dempsey are capable of providing.
- If Bullard is not in the team, either Murphy or Dempsey have to step up and provide that spark or our offense stagnates.
- If Bullard is on the team, but not providing that spark, either Murphy or Dempsey have to step up and provide that spark or our offense stagnates.

However...
- Bullard not playing has far less impact on our defense than Murphy (and possibly Dempsey).
- While they don't get much credit, the workrate of BZ and AJ are a key factor to our success - without a "midfield engine", their efforts go unnoticed; with one, they help create our chances.

So, while I agree that Bullard is important to our team's success, I respectfully disagree that he fills a role, on any level, unable to filled by any of our current squad.

 

We're definitely better with Jimmy Bullard than without, there is little question about that. But I think the dropoff without him (or any *one* player, for that matter) gets overstated.

That said, I think we are best with one attacking central midfielder and one defensive central midfielder. Murphy and Etuhu are fine defensive players, but I don't think either one is a proper backup to Bullard. If Bullard misses any more time (or leaves the club), I think we need Dempsey, Davies, Gera or possibly even Andreasen in his place.

 

Over to you, Don.

 

Well, speaking for myself, when I feel somewhat passionately about something, I can become repetitive (and after a couple of drinks, quite a bit more vociferous) in trying to better communicate my point in hopes of getting others to see things from my point of view. I don't know where it comes from, but I take not getting someone to see it that way, even if for a fleeting moment, as a failure.

And when it comes to something I have come to care so much about, the present and future of FFC, I become even more insistent.

After all, Jenser is right dammit all!! ;-)

 

In my day, I think what the USAF used to say is "Oh no, the cable's out and I can't have more Ben and Jerry's, this SUCKS!!!"

 

and this was posted 11:24 A.M.!!!! Awesome

 

Thank you for the clarification Hatter...

Lets Hug.

hehehehe..

I think the difference is: There are several of us who think Bullard is not going to be easily replaced in the event of a January move or injury with one of the bench players, or an import - without the team getting into serious trouble.

Others seem to agree that he is important, but not so important that it will make any difference if he is not included, or moves on to a different club.

As stated previous, I think Bullard can be replaced - IN THE SUMMER. 4 or 6 matches trying to adjust or train a replacement will mark doom because we already have to face 3 of the 'big 4' away from home - with Man Utd being played twice - once home and once away.

I dont know - Lets look at the fixtures:
Fulham Currently have 26 pts, and will probably need 16 pts to be sure of staying up.

I am going to try to be optimistically realistic in predicting the outcomes:

Sunderland Away - Loss (Draw? - depends on how things go with Kettering)
Ports Home - Draw (27)
Wigan Away - Draw (28
Man Utd Away - Loss
West Brom Home - Win (31)
Arsenal Away - Loss
Hull City Home - Draw (32)
Blackburn Home - Win (35)
Bolton Away - Draw (36)
Man Utd Home - Loss
Liverpool Home - Loss
Man City Away - Draw (37)
Middlesbrough Away - Loss
Stoke Home - Win (40)
Chelsea Away - Loss
Aston Villa Home - Loss
Newcastle Away - Draw (41)
Everton Home - Draw? (42)

So if the magic number is 40 or 41... Fulham will be fine.

BUT - lets say they go on a 4 or 6 match slip... Point is - there is not a lot of wiggle room and it is not worth the money to lose Bullard and take a chance on things going straight into the shitter.

How do you guys see the second half of the season wrapping up? Put on your Carnac hat and foresee the future.

 

Well now we really get to see it. Bullard off to Hull.

 

Source???

 

Never mind. Just saw it myself. Damn damn damn damn damn.