Fulham

Fulham v Chelsea


Sunday 23 August 2009,

Craven Cottage

Kick-Off: 16:00

Fulham

In spite of winning 1-0, Fulham weren’t impressive in their opening game against a Portsmouth side that looks a certainty for relegation following their fire sale in the summer amid financial and ownership turmoil.

However, we have to bear in mind Fulham’s previous poor away record and chalk this as simply as that old cliché, “a win’s a win”.

Fulham had enjoyed a fine season in 2008-09 and with wily boss Roy Hodgson utilising his experience and knowledge in the transfer market, they look to enjoy safety once again with some shrewd additions.

But they face a sterner test at home to their West London neighbours, Chelsea.

Chelsea

Chelsea come into this game on the back of a relatively convincing 3-1 midweek victory over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, following their last gasp 2-1 opening day win against Hull. They made hard work of the latter, coming from behind to hand Ancelotti his first’s competitive win as Chelsea boss.

Whilst they were hot favourites, they were made to work for their first win and the relief etched on Ancelotti’s face was tangible. It was simply one of those days when it would take several chances to create a goal and from previous years, nothing has changed.

However, a generally convincing win against Sunderland may have shed many of the nerves that were present on the opening day of the season for Chelsea.

The Blues' functional efficient play does not differ from the Mourinho and Hiddink regimes and whilst Roman may prefer a flashier style of play, there is no doubting that at this point in time, their style is bringing them results.

Only long term absentee Joe Cole and recent signing Yuri Zhirkov should miss out through injury and fitness concerns and Chelsea should have no further medical issues with normal luck.

Prediction

In just two games, Chelsea has been their normal functional self, grinding out an opening day home win to Hull and largely dominating with an impressive victory against Sunderland.

What Chelsea showed in their last two matches y was nothing we did not know. Under Hiddink, they had rediscovered a number of the traits prevalent during Jose Mourinho’s reign since Hiddink took temporary charge in February.

Now Ancelotti looks to have carried on the work with Chelsea looking functional once again aside from the champagne football they had flashed in the early days of Scolari’s reign.

Roy Hodgson has used every ounce of his experience and global knowledge to oversee an impressive season last year at Craven Cottage. He’s been the solid managerial hand Fulham has badly needed achieving what the likes of Kevin Keegan, Jean Tigana, Chris Coleman and Lawrie Sanchez has failed to do: comfortably achieve Premier League status whilst achieving European football.

It is a tough match to call despite not quite able to visualise Fulham having enough to defeat their derby rivals, and the two likely options to consider would be the draw or a Chelsea win.

Chelsea enter as favourites, but with Fulham holding a great home record, expect a close and passionate derby game between the two London sides.

Fulham vs Chelsea Prediction: Fulham 1-2 Chelsea

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So soccer in the

EPL blasted off this weekend with some shocking scores and interesting events in the process. Let's start with the 6-1 drubbing of Everton by Arsenal. Wow, that was a real show there. Even the amazing Tim Howard (US National Team goalie) looked helpless and confused.

My boys at Fulham pulled through 1-0 over Portsmouth and Dempsey had a zinger of an assist. In some other FFC news, they have progressed to the fourth round of qualifying for EUFA Europa Championship (not champions league), advancing 6-0 on aggregate goals against FK Vetra. Fulham seem poised to stay in the top 10 in the EPL and might get out of the group stage in the Europa league.

I will be surprised to see them back in the EUFA league next year though...it's just too many games in too short a time, and the Cottagers just lack the depth they need to survive in both leagues.

The Braves went from my dark horse to get the national league wild card (yes I am a homie was being very generous, but they could get there) to being lucky to finish third in our division. After a good west coast swing and a series sweep of the Nats (all two games, woo!), they just plummeted against the Phillies.

Not sure what happened, but the Braves didn't have the gusto, swagger they were carrying the other games before hand.

Anywho, I'm sure they will be back and ready to roll and go on another 12-4 tear soon...at least I hope they do.

That is all for now.

P.S.—Random thought: How does everyone think Michael Vick is going to fare as an Eagle this year?

Sky Sports reports that Bolton, Everton, Blackburn and Fulham will all be closely monitoring Israeli striker Elyaniv Brada who is representing his country in this evening’s international against Northern Ireland.

Elyaniv began his career at Hapoel Bersheva where in four seasons he bagged 19 goals in 78 games. His tender years and excellent form caught the attention of one of Israel’s biggest team Maccabi Haifa. In his two seasons with Haifa, he was part of a team which captured consecutive Ligat ha’Al titles whilst contributing 12 goals in 57 appearances. However the young striker was used sparingly by The Greens, and made most of his appearances as a substitute.

In search of more regular first football he moved to Hapoel Tel Aviv where more silverware followed in the form of two state cups. During his time at Hapoel his modest scoring success continued, chalking up 17 goals in 62 matches.

Nevertheless, his athleticism and skill meant that Belgian club Racing Genk took a chance and bought the striker for a paltry €90,000. Elyaniv turned out to be an excellent punt, in his first season in Belgium he netted 16 goals in 32 games ending the season as the Jupiler’s second top scorer. In his second season at Racing he only scored 5 goals after his season disrupted by a serious of injuries.

The 27-year-old stands at 5ft 8 inches and is able to play across the forward line or as a winger. Despite his lack of height, throughout his career he has mainly been employed as a lone striker leading the line. Unlike most lone strikers he does not have an overpowering physical presence but his versatility, pace and ability to link up with his midfield makes up for these shortcomings. He is predominantly right footed and scores most of his goals from within the box.

Over the past couple of years many Premier League teams have adopted a formation which includes a five man midfield and a lone striker, making Elyaniv’s experience attractive to English clubs.

It was reported in the beginning of the year that David Moyes had a £2.5 million bid turned down by Racing, who were looking for a figure closer to £3.5 million. Since then the striker has signed a 4-year contract with his club meaning that any transfer fee will be nearer the Belgian’s asking price.

We believe that if the forward does move to the Premiership it will probably be to Everton as the club has already made the front running and he will be able to live near his compatriot Yossi Benayoun, making his settling in period easier. However, Sam Allardyce also has a record of bringing Israelis to the Premier League, so Blackburn Rovers may also be an attractive option.

Video evidence of Elyaniv Brada can be seen here .

You heard it here first and don’t forget it—Eddie Johnson is back baby!

In the past two years, the athletic forward from Florida and former MLS poster boy has endured a professional roller coaster ride from national team standout to afterthought, where he was last seen sputtering on the bench at Cardiff City on loan from Fulham.

Johnson was once projected as the next great American scoring threat, whose speed and physicality would finally make him the guy America could count on to put the ball in the back of the net on the big stage. But in a mid-season transfer to the west-London club towards the end of the 2007/2008 season, Johnson squandered several scoring chances in crucial matches in the midst of a bitter relegation battle—one the Cottagers eventually secured in the final week of the season on goal differential after three consecutive victories.

But not thanks to Johnson, who missed a prime opportunity to secure his reputation not only with Roy Hodgson, but the Fulham faithful.

This past season Johnson found himself on a yearlong loan to Cardiff City and we forgot about him. Poof! He’s gone. Well, most of us forgot about him. I guess everyone just assumed he couldn’t cut it, didn’t have the skill to play at the highest level.

Apparently, a loan to a Championship club, where Johnson could settle into the English game, was exactly what he needed. Still young, at 25, Johnson needed to develop his skill on the ball—checking to, controlling it, how to use his body, keeping his head up and making the right pass, and most importantly, finishing. And he got the opportunity, starting roughly half of Cardiff's league games, scoring a handful of times.

Loans are not uncommon in the European game; it often makes more sense to loan a young or developing player to a smaller club for a period, where he will get game experience at a competitive level without taking up a roster spot. You effectively let someone else train and teach your player in an environment more learning friendly than your own.

Other young American standouts that have recently signed contracts with European clubs, namely Jozy Altidore and Freddy Adu, have struggled to find their footing, let alone playing time, on the other end of the pond—something Johnson seems to have capitalized on.

Now as Fulham completes their Australian pre-season tour, Johnson has put the finishing touches on a successful comeback to the team that signed him, scoring against the Melbourne Victory and assisting twice on Erick Nevland goals against the Perth Glory. The maturity he has accumulated these past two years have made him a serious contender for playing time this season, as Fulham enter the inaugural season of the Europa League without striker Bobby Zamora, who is all but out the door and on his way to Hull City, of all places.

It seems that for at least one American, the humbling loan experience will pay off. Don’t be surprised by a breakout season from our boy Eddie. 

And just in time for next summer.

FK Vetra v Fulham, Europa League qualifier, July 30, 2009

FK Vetra 6/1; Draw 3/1; Fulham 4/11

“If we are going to get anywhere near what we did last season, especially if we are to have any success in Europe, we need a stronger and a bigger squad of players.” - Roy Hodgson.

Fulham make their long awaited return to European football on Thursday night, seven years after their last continental exertion in the UEFA Cup which saw the Cottagers advance to the third round after beating Hajduk Split and Dinamo Zagreb before eventually falling to Hertha Berlin.

Heading off to Lithuania to to meet minnows FK Vetra, the biggest concerns for Roy Hogson will be a lack of match practice ahead of his team’s first competitive outing of the 2009/10 season, gelled with a lack of respect for the unknown quantity facing the Premier League side.

Fulham had prepared for the match with an intensive pre-season schedule that began in Australia with three matches (won two and lost one), followed by two successive draws against Bournemouth (0-0) and Peterborough United (3-3).

Last year Fulham exceeded all expectations recording a tremendous seventh-placed finish in the league. Piecing together an eclectic first team squad the has now swelled to 15 different nationalities, Hodgson managed to outdo expectations by creating a solid unit who excelled at home, and who were founded on a miserly rearguard led by veteran keeper Mark Schwarzer and the hugely-impressive Brede Hangeland at the heart of the defence. (Fulham are 8/13 to keep a clean sheet.)

In the middle of the park Dickson Etuhu offers the Cottagers steal and drive, ably assisted by Premier League stalwart Simon Davies, while Clint Dempsey, Danny Murphy, Zoltan Gera and now the newly acquired Bjorn Helge Riise are all capable of injecting flair and creativity that can hurt the opposition. Up top, last season’s top goalscorer Andrew Johnson (4/1 to score first) and Bobby Zamora (6/5 to score) should lead the line, with Diomansy Kamara and Erik Nevland primed to join the attack from the bench.

So what do we know about FC Vetra?

The Lithuanians currently sit in second place in their domestic league having won nine and lost only once in their opening 14 games this season. In the Europa Cup though things have not been so straightforward, Vetra eased past CS Grevenmacher 6-0 on aggregate in round one before narrowly sneaking past HJK Helsinki 3-2 on aggregate to set up a date with the Londoners. (Second leg highlights here.)

With almost an exclusively Lithuanian squad, the player most likely to pose Fulham a threat are striker Mindaugas Grigalevicius (11/4 to score), who has so far chalked up 6 goals in 10 matches this season. From a defensive prospective, Cameroonian holding midfielder Bertrand Ngapounou has a powerful engine and will prove a tough opponent to sidestep in the middle of the park.

Fulham should have too much quality to fall in an embarrassing banana-skin tie, and they should also be buoyed in the knowledge that the last English team to face Vetra, Blackburn back in 2007, hammered the minnows 6-nil on aggregate in the Intertoto Cup.

101predicts: FK Vetra 1 - Fulham 2 (15/2)

FK Vetra 6/1; Draw 3/1; Fulham 4/11

Full match odds here.

With the transfer window hotting up or dying down, depending on who you support, speculation continues for followers of the Premier League as to who will go the final distance in the Premier League.

There are constant arguments over who will win the league, can Manchester City break the top six, who out of Villa, Everton, City and Spurs will qualify for the Europa League.

But, in the wake of all this, everybody has been so head-over-heels in congratulating City for their wealth or applauding Aston Villa for their continued growth, that they seem to have forgotten little old Fulham. Some would say that this is because, after all, Fulham are "tiny"—they do not have the wealth to be anything other than relegation scrappers, Craven Cottage is minuscule compared to the mighty Goodison Park or that they have not strengthened during the transfer window.

Maybe this is to the benefit of Fulham. After the heart stopping end to the 07-08 campaign which saw them just clinch survival, there was no pressure at all on Roy Hodgson to deliver last term—but deliver he did, and he did it in style, beating the likes of Manchester United along the way.

They can go into next season, once again, knowing that they are playing for enjoyment rather than to prove anything, and knowing that they have a loyal fanbase who will support them whatever, simply happy to watch their team perform on a European Stage which, let's be honest, they really deserve to be on more than most.

But to all those who think that the three Europa League spots are too much for brave little Fulham, maybe there are a few things that people have forgotten.

First of all, quite simply, there is the manager. Roy Hodgson is the type of manager that gives the game credibility. He was gracious in defeat, humble in victory and, let's face it, he is generally the sort of nice guy that people actually want to see succeed.

His staggering achievements and constant good temper last season earned him the Barclay's Spirit accolade, and there were widespread calls for him to be named manager of the season. No Rafa-styled rants, no underhand transfer tactics, just a clean managerial style by a man who deserves every bit of praise he receives and then some.

It's not as though it was a fluke either—Fulham were on a winner as soon as he joined back in Christmas 2007. As long as he remains there, Fulham are worthy of a top-half finish.

Second is that amazing home record they garnered last season. They won 11 of 19 at home last season, including an impressive 2-0 win over United. Only the big four were more clinical on their own turf during 08-09, and despite the transfer lull at Craven Cottage you can probably bet that it will remain a sturdy fortress.

It's not like they were awful on the road either—they avoided defeat at Arsenal, Villa, Spurs, and Liverpool, four of the league's biggest names. Impressive for a club which many would have you believe are annual relegation scrappers. Keeping miserly away coupled with that impenetrable home form would surely see the Cottagers retain their top-half status.

Even watching Fulham play, you get the impression that they more than deserve to be up there. Schwarzer was arguably the signing of the season last year. Hangeland could play for any of the top clubs and Erik Nevland popped up with plenty of goals when it was really needed.

The positive play, mixed with the sense of togetherness within the squad means watching Fulham actually makes you want them to do well. At no point last season do I remember anyone in Lilywhite looking remotely downbeat or unconfident. Even after their 4-0 drubbing in the FA Cup, they came out with a smile and a "we'll be back" attitude.

Yes, Fulham have certainly not been prolific in the market thus far—it looks as though Zamora is going to the mighty Hull City (yes, I am a fan) and their only signing thus far (I am prepared to be corrected here) has been Bjorn Riise, brother of John, a midfielder who has presumably been signed to try and make up for the lack of depth within the squad as well as obviously adding quality.

But compare this with the crazy antics of City, who basically have bought a whole new team, and again positives can be drawn. Fulham will go into next season with a strong team understanding, and they haven't broke the bank with lots of risky signings.

Fulham will go into next season in the same manner as they ended the last one—simply enjoying their football, with little outside pressure. But they will have that edge in confidence, and Roy Hodgson will be as sharp as ever.

Watch out, Premier League. Fulham are here to stay.

The Times of London reports that Fulham have been offered the chance to sign Christian Poulsen, the 29-year-old Danish defensive midfielder from Juventus, following the player rejecting a £6 million move to Fenerbache.

The Juve midfielder has had a poor season in Italy where he failed to establish himself in the heart of the Bianconeri’s midfield. He joined the club in a €9.5 million move from Sevilla on a 4-year contract but last season he only made 23 appearances which included a miserly 14 starts.

It is of no surprise that the Danish midfielder is being hawked around by the Italian club as his transfer was opposed from day one by the Juventus Ultras. Before the beginning of last season the fans hung a banner proclaiming Poulsen as “rubbish” at a pre-season training camp at Pinzolo.

This animosity arose from two well-documented Italian incidents in which Poulsen was left with the reputation as a dirty footballer who possessed no discernible calcio skills.

The first flare-up involved the darling of Roman football, Fransesco Totti. Following a match in the 2004 European Championship Totti was caught on camera spiting at Poulsen for which he was handed a 3-match ban. Totti later apologised for his actions but claimed that he had been kicked and provoked by the Dane.

The second incident occurred whilst Poulsen was a Schalke player in the 2004-2005 Champions League. He was strongly criticised by the Milan players for his aggressive tackling and Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti called him a “coward” for his rough marking of Kaka and accused the player of kicking his playmaker when the official’s backs were turned. (Highlights of Poulsen vs Kaka can be seen here.)

Other disciplinary incidents include stamping on Jermaine Jenas’ head in the UEFA Cup and punching Sweden’s Marcus Rosenberg in the stomach in a Euro 2008 qualifying match. The Dane was red carded leading to a Danish supporter running onto the pitch and attacking the referee, who then abandoned the game.

Unsurprisingly yellow and red cards have become synonymous with Poulsen. In 111 League appearances in the Bundesliga, he received 34 yellow and 4 red cards. In Spain he also received 18 yellow cards in 62 League appearances.

With Roy Hodgson placing a premium on defensive qualities Poulsen will add steel to any midfield and protect the back four with all his life. Technically he is poor and his heading is weak although he possesses a tremendous work-rate and the ability to get in opposing players faces thereby frustrating the flow of possession.

The Dane also brings a winning mentality with him. He’s collected a league title in Denmark, the German League Cup, the European Super Cup, the UEFA Cup and the Copa Del Rey. He has also been named Danish Player of the Year twice in 2005 and 2006.

Valued at €6 million he is may be a worthwhile purchase for the Cottagers. Hodgson has shown that he knows how to work the transfer market after somehow prising £5 million from Hull for Bobby Zamora. He may feel that a born winner like this is too good an opportunity to turn down. One sticking point may be his wages, at Juventus he was one of the best paid players at the club.

Video evidence of Poulsen’s misdemeanours can be seen here.

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In addition, reports are widespread this Monday that Fulham have signed winger Bjorn Helge Riise from Lillestrom for a fee believed to be around £1.5m. Brother of Roma’s John Arne, Bjorn is a right-sided midfield player, he can also play through the middle.

Video evidence of Bjorn Helge Riise can be seen here.

I've never seen a USA Soccer player look so disappointed after losing a game. Clint Dempsey was in tears after losing to Brazil in the Confederations Cup Final, a game that no one thought the Americans would be in a week earlier.

Even with that, ESPN still found ways to make underhanded comments about his play.

"Even though he has scored in the last three games, he isn't as effective in his midfielder position as Bradley would have liked him to be"

"He just hasn't played well all tournament long."

"Wow, a surprise....... Clint Dempsey is being awarded the Bronze Ball for the third best player in the tournament"

Since Clint Dempsey became a first choice American player, it seems ESPN and their talking heads don't think he deserves the same credit and admiration that Landon Donovon does.  Donovan has long been the Golden Boy and face of US Soccer, but it seems that there is strong dislike for Dempsey.

I can only think of few reasons why they would pile all of the team's failures on one man, instead of the man who is considered to be the best player/face of the team.

1) Clint Dempsey is NOT Landon Donovan.

Clint Dempsey comes to play on the biggest stages soccer has to offer. Landon Donovan has always seemed to show up against Grenada for a magical hat trick, but against tougher teams he often faded away until this year Confederations Cup.

Yes, Donovan is the USA's all-time leader scorer, but in the 2006 World Cup he had none. The only goal scored by an American player was by Clint Dempsey. In 115 appearances over nine years, Landon has put the ball in the net 41 times. In 55 CAPS, Dempsey has scored 16, including three in the Confederations Cup.

To ESPN, Donovan is always seemingly effective wherever he plays on the field, while Dempsey (especially when he doesn't score) is an ineffective waste of roster spot. His strengths don't compliment the US Soccer team despite his skills being sorely needed.

2) Clint Dempsey has found success in Europe

Clint Dempsey has become a first team player in the English Premier League on a side that is becoming increasingly formidable. Fulham has found itself in European Competition for the first time since 2002 after gaining their highest ever finish in Top Division Soccer (seventh). Clint has become a complete player to watch in England at this point in his career.

There was a time when a US player merely playing in Europe was a sight to behold. We are in the days where that is clearly over and we want players to go to Europe and play their best. Landon Donovan was a flop the first two times he tried his hand in Europe. (To his credit, he had many other reasons of coming back besides his play). He has excelled in the MLS, often seen as a inferior league to all international top flight leagues. Although he played well and scored four goals at Bayern Munich during a loan transfer, he did not even tally one in league play.

3) Clint Dempsey is not your average soccer player

Dempsey is emotional, raps on the side, and plays with a flair reserved for those who come from a different background. He doesn't say much publicly but is a loose cannon on the field. From his travels in Nacodoghes, Tex. to Fulham in the most well-known league in the world, he has always gone against what others have thought should be the best course for him to take.

Donovan bashes his teammates in books and in public and under performs at an alarming rate. He is never to blame for failures of his team (i.e. World Cup 2006 or the Galaxy's failure to make the playoffs last season) but always is in line to accept the teams' victories as his own. Like so many other soccer players, the California boy with the good looks can do no wrong.

I don't know why ESPN doesn't think we can have two world class players, but they seem to think St. Donovan is the savior of USA. This is coming from a network who didn't know who Charlie Davies was before the Confederations Cup and tried to sell us on DeMarcus Beasley for way too long. It's time for them to finally come out and say what they mean on Dempsey or just try to be more realistic in evaluating his play.

The rest of the world already saw it on display, why try to make us blind to it?

Gold Coast United FC 2 - Fulham 1 (Friendly, July 8, 2009) Danny Murphy put the Cottagers in front with a trademark free-kick into the top corner in the 16th minute. The Aussies won the game with two goals late on from Brazilian Milson and New Zealand striker Shane Smelz.

Bayer Leverkusen 2 - Al Ahly 0 (Friendly, July 8, 2009) The German side saw off the Egyptian giants thanks to goals from Burak Kaplan on three minutes and then Tranquillo Barnetta on the stroke of full-time.

Galatasaray 1 - WAC Casablanca 0 (Friendly, July 8, 2009) A fine left-footed strike from Emre Colakin the 42nd minute settled the match.

Union Berlin 3 - Hertha Berlin 5 (Friendly, July 8, 2009) Artura Wichniarek bagged a first half brace - his first from the spot and the second after a fine team move, while Benyamina scored for the hosts after 14 minutes. Hertha extended added further goals after the break from Rafael, Domovchiski and Chermiti, while Benyamina’s second and a last-gasp goal from Biran made the game more exciting.

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Sant Julia 1* - Tre Fiori 1 (Pens. 5-4) (Agg. 2-2) (Champions League qualifier second-leg, July 7, 2009)

United States 2 - Honduras 0 (Gold Cup, July 8, 2009) Santino Quaranta and Brian Ching scored on 75 and 79 respectively to see off Honduras.

Haiti 2 - Grenada 0 (Gold Cup, July 8, 2009) Fabrice Noel and James Marcelin (shocking defending) were on the scoresheet as Haiti bounced back from losing their opening match. 

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Gold Coast United FC 2 - Fulham 1 (Friendly, July 8, 2009) Danny Murphy put the Cottagers in front with a trademark free-kick into the top corner in the 16th minute. The Aussies won the game with two goals late on from Brazilian Milson and New Zealand striker Shane Smelz.

Bayer Leverkusen 2 - Al Ahly 0 (Friendly, July 8, 2009) The German side saw off the Egyptian giants thanks to goals from Burak Kaplan on three minutes and then Tranquillo Barnetta on the stroke of full-time.

Galatasaray 1 - WAC Casablanca 0 (Friendly, July 8, 2009) A fine left-footed strike from Emre Colakin the 42nd minute settled the match.

Union Berlin 3 - Hertha Berlin 5 (Friendly, July 8, 2009) Artura Wichniarek bagged a first half brace - his first from the spot and the second after a fine team move, while Benyamina scored for the hosts after 14 minutes. Hertha extended added further goals after the break from Rafael, Domovchiski and Chermiti, while Benyamina’s second and a last-gasp goal from Biran made the game more exciting.

Red Star Belgrade 2 - Borac Banjaluka 0 (Friendly, July 8, 2009)

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Sant Julia 1* - Tre Fiori 1 (Pens. 5-4) (Agg. 2-2) (Champions League qualifier second-leg, July 7, 2009)

***

Estudiantes 0 - Cruzeiro 0 (Copa Libertadores final first leg, July 8, 2009) Cruzeiro keeper Fabio was in fine form to deny the home side but late on the Brazilians could have snatched a crucial away goal with Kleber and Leonardo Silva going close.

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Corinthians 4 - Fluminense 2 (Campeonato Brasileiro, July 8, 2009) Ronaldo stole the headlines with a fine hat-trick. The home side dominated the first-half and were three up thanks to Ronaldo’s first and second, sandwiched in between was a fine passing move finished off by Dentinho. Flu came back into the match in the second-half with two goals in six minutes from Conca and an og by Diego and it was left to Ronaldo to score his third and seal the match, lashing home with six minutes to go.