Fulham

Joining Manchester United in 2008 always felt like the wrong move for Dimitar Berbatov’s career. Although unquestionably talented enough to impress at Old Trafford, he seemed out of place in the ultra competitive, cutthroat environment that prevails there.

Still led by superhuman wrecking ball Cristiano Ronaldo, they were a team of almost unseemly athleticism, punchy attacking and pacy breakaways. This is decidedly not Berbatov’s style.  Neither is playing a supporting role to an already all-star cast.

Despite these constraints, he made valuable contributions to United’s success after his arrival, but nowhere near enough to justify a £30 million transfer fee. Instead he carved out a niche as the beguiling flat track bully who exuded effortless cool, hitting five against Blackburn on his way to the Golden Boot.

Increasingly marginalised thereafter—and surprisingly left out of United’s squad for the Champions League final in favour of Michael Owen—he made just 21 appearances in all competitions last season as Welbeck and Rooney became the preferred pairing.

Strained relations with Alex Ferguson and a desire for more football made Berbatov’s summer departure inevitable, and since Fulham landed the languid frontman, he has thrived on being given top billing at a smaller club. Rather than a diverting sideshow, he is now the main attraction once more.

Like Matt le Tissier before him, Berbatov simply seems more at home as the leading man in a less demanding and trophy-driven team. The headline grabber and lone maverick in an unspectacular Fulham side, deprived of both Clint Dempsey and Moussa Dembele, Berbatov has the cult following he craves.

The T-shirt the Bulgarian unveiled after scoring on Boxing Day, which proclaimed “Keep calm and pass me the ball," even showed an awareness of the status he enjoys at Craven Cottage. For that priceless aura of unflustered elegance, they will indulge his every ambling whim.

Carrying the burden of existential angst and his own teammates’ inadequacy, the film noir styled soloist plays the part of flawed genius to world-weary perfection. The shrug of despair—that gesture of profound helplessness that Berbatov gives after another wayward ball from Chris Baird—is like watching a master craftsman forced to work with the crudest of tools.

Aside from all the graceful touches and pirouettes, the essence of Berbatov lies in his response to these misplaced passes. They are an affront to his refined sensibilities and emphasis on economical movement. He is an inflexible idealist, and we love him for it. 

Fulham have started the January transfer window with a bang by reportedly signing Ghanaian midfielder Derek Boateng. 

Goal.com reports that talks between the London outfit and Boateng began in December and that an agreement is imminent. 

The only thing that is holding up the move at the moment is a work permit hearing for the 29-year-old midfielder (via Sky Sports). 

The Sun is reporting that the move will be a six-month loan deal with a chance for Fulham to buy the player in the summer.

Boateng currently is under contract with Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk of the Ukrainian Premier League, who are managed by former Tottenham boss Juande Ramos. 

Boateng has been with the Ukrainian club since 2011, when he moved to Eastern Europe from La Liga club Getafe. 

Fulham would become the ninth club that Boateng has played for during his professional career, with Panathinaikos, FC Koln and Beitar Jerusalem being just a few of the clubs that the 29-year-old has represented since he became a professional in 1999. 

If the Ghanaian is to join up with the Cottagers, it will have to be after the African Cup of Nations. 

Boateng has been named to the Ghana squad for the continental championship being held in South Africa from January 19 until February 10. 

When he finally joins up with his new club, Boateng will be slotted into the mix of central midfielders that includes Steve Sidwell, Giorgios Karagounis and Mahamadou Diarra. 

If it is needed, Boateng can also play the centre-back position for Martin Jol's club. 

For more transfer news on Fulham and the rest of the English Premier League, follow me on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Fulham boss Martin Jol brushed aside questions about his best player Dimitar Berbatov after the Cottagers’ victory at the Hawthorns.

“I don’t want to talk about him because other players will probably get annoyed,” said Jol.

“If you don’t get the results they will pick on him; if you get the results you will say he was fantastic, but I’m very happy that he’s playing for us.”

Fulham grabbed only their second victory in 13 league games at the Hawthorns this New Year’s Day.

Berbatov was the best player on the field by a distance. He strolled around the playing area, dropping deeper into his own territory in the second half, from where he dictated and controlled the play.

West Bromwich Albion hustled and hurried, but lacked class and composure, qualities that Berbatov oozes from every pore of his body.

The ex-Tottenham and Manchester United star may feel that Fulham is beneath him. He gives that impression when he castigates teammates who dare to pass the ball for him to collect.

The Bulgarian expects the ball to be delivered to his feet, not into space. Like a master expecting his copy of The Times newspaper to be ironed and delivered on a silver tray. He doesn’t want to have to stretch too far to reach it.

Berbatov’s ability to hold onto the ball under any level of pressure from snapping defenders and to pass the ball to his own player, no matter how crowded the space, is exemplary.

Very few English players in recent years have come close to the skill levels of Berbatov.

England breeds and nurtures hard working, grafting battlers. These qualities are anathema to the disdainful Dimitar.

He makes the game look oh so easy.

When Martin Jol substituted him late in the game, Berbatov sauntered casually from the field. He waved regally to the booing Albion fans who felt that he was trying to waste time.

But that is how Berbatov walks.

Slowly.

To give his butler ample time to get the warm bath ready.

Author's Note: Jol press conference was attended personally.

Rules are rules, but is there really no room for humor in football these days? Not even amid the festivities of a Boxing Day fixture? Not even for Dimitar, striker-in-a-smoking-jacket, Berbatov?

The mercurial Fulham striker put his team ahead early against Southampton and chose to celebrate by revealing a t-shirt with a handwritten slogan upon it.

"Keep calm and pass me the ball," it read. In seven words, Berbatov's footballing ethos writ large to the world. A smile was brought to us all and our love for the enigma of Berba made stronger.

But referee Phil Dowd wasn't amused. Out came a yellow card and Berbatov's knowing pun punished as if he had hijacked football to make a political point or taken a stance of solidarity behind a teammate accused of racism (imagine that).

Did Dowd have a choice? Here is FIFA rule 118, as referenced by a 2011 article in the Guardian:

Referees are expected to act in a preventative manner and to exercise common sense in dealing with the celebration of a goal.

Common sense. That's all it would have taken for Dowd to keep his card in his pocket and for footballers to have been sent exactly the right kind of message at this time of year.

Football is entertainment. The more personality in it, the better.

Goals from Steve Sidwell and Hugo Rodallega were enough to tip the balance of a tightly fought match in Fulham’s favor as Alan Pardew’s Newcastle failed to find their first away win of the season.

It took 19 minutes for the home side to find a breakthrough against a Newcastle United side that, like an old car, struggled to get warm and get going on a cold winter’s night in west London.

Steve Sidwell might not have scored the most beautiful goal the Cottage has ever seen, but the battling of Damien Duff as he rounded Fabricio Coloccini before squaring the ball to Sidwell epitomized the hard work Fulham had put in to controlling the opening minutes of the fixture.

Sidwell struck his effort the first time and watched as it looped off the thigh of Mike Williamson, off the bar and into the back of the net.

The Whites had gone close just minutes before the opener when Hugo Rodallega's chest and volley ballooned over, after Damien Duff picked out the summer signing in the Newcastle penalty area.

As Newcastle soaked up more of the pressure, they began to find confidence. Chris Baird, Duff and Dimitar Berbatov found less space to maneuver, but still found chances.

Berbatov saw an effort scrambled off the line by Williamson after Krul failed to deal with Sascha Riether’s cross.

The German defender was then called in his own penalty box as Mark Schwarzer flapped at a corner before the ball dropped to Demba Ba at the back post, Reither clearing the Senegalese strikers' effort off the line.

Newcastle took confidence in their late strike and came out for the second half looking for blood. They were immediately rewarded for their efforts when Hatem Ben Arfa, who’d been rather quiet up until the 54th minute, flicked an effort from the top right corner of the box. A flailing leg from Riise nicked the ball into an awkward loop and Fulham’s Australian keeper stood perplexed as the ball dipped over his head.

Newcastle were level but the cold winter chill awakened Fulham from their half-time slumber, and the game began to stretch into an end-to-end battle. Steve Sidwell missed an effort one-on-one against Krul—just as Berbatov had done in the first half—but chances didn’t come easily for either side.

When the next came, Fulham took it. Duff, whose distribution caused problems for Newcastle all night, floated in a wonderful free kick that Rodallega met with a flick of his head. From six yards out, the forward was always going to score, and the White’s had the lead.

Newcastle persisted and came close through Coloccini. The Argentinian centre-back had seen his header from a corner cleared off the line, and his second of the night—a curled effort from the top corner of the penalty area—struck the outside of Schwarzer’s post and bounced away.

As time ticked away, Fulham sat back, hoping to use the skill of Berbatov and the pace of Rodallega to hit their guests on the counter while Alan Pardew’s side looked to break the wall of white shirts.

Both sides lacked a final ball and chances were at a minimum. Both Ba and Jonas Gutierrez forced meager saves from the Fulham skipper, but aside from that the Toon Army looked doomed to their fate of an eighth game on the road without a win.

Substitute Mladen Petric almost capped off the night with a stunner from range, but the lose ball he struck from 20 yards was bobbling and sailed high into the night sky.

Fulham, meanwhile, grabbed their first win in eight games and will head to Queens Park Rangers on Saturday, confident of adding another three points.

During Sunday's match between Fulham and Sunderland in the English Premier League, Fulham defender Brede Hangeland was sent off in the 30th minute, and like most red cards it changed the entire match.

Hangeland has been a rock in the Cottagers defense since his move to the club in 2008 from Copenhagen.

The sending off of the Norwegian center back left a gaping hole in the Fulham defense that no one else on the club's roster could fill.

Manager Martin Jol decided to bring on Philippe Senderos six minutes after the red card in place of midfielder Girogios Karagounis, but that did not help the London club in the second half.

The absence of Hangeland was not felt until the second half when Sunderland went on a scoring spree.

The first goal they scored came off of a counter attack after John Arne Riise had hit the post, and the man caught out in the counter was Senderos.

Senderos was caught going forward in the attack and was not able to track back in time to deny Steven Fletcher a goal scoring opportunity.

The second goal for Sunderland came off of a corner kick where midfielder Steve Sidwell was caught marking defender Carlos Cuellar in a clear mismatch.

Cuellar easily leaped over Sidwell and headed home his first goal in a Sunderland uniform.

If Hangeland was still in the match, both goals would not have happened.

Although he would have ventured forward on the attack before Fletcher's goal, Hangeland would have had a shot at stopping the Sunderland forward from getting a clear chance on goal like he did.

Hangeland's absence was exploited more on the second goal as the lack of size in the penalty area for Fulham on set pieces was easily exploited by Cuellar.

With the red card for Hangeland comes a three-match suspension that will cause him to miss matches against Stoke, Chelsea and Tottenham.

It is obvious that the Cottagers will miss Hangeland against three clubs will three different attacking styles.

Against Stoke, the aerial abilities of Hangeland will be missed because they possess one of the tallest men in world football in forward Peter Crouch.

For the derby match with Chelsea, a veteran presence in the back four will be needed against the agile Chelsea attack, with Senderos being the best choice that Fulham have on the bench to partner Aaron Hughes as a replacement for Hangeland.

Senderos is not known for being spectacular in defense and he could easily get picked apart by the Blues' attack.

The Tottenham match provides a problem with speed as well.

The good news for Fulham is that Spurs' aerial threat in attack, Emmanuel Adebayor, was also shown a red card this weekend and will be suspended for that match as well.

Regardless of who is in the attack for the next three opponents for Fulham, the absence of Hangeland will be felt.

Do not be surprised if the Cottagers fail to earn a single point in those next three matches without Hangeland, as the Norwegian defender means that much to a club looking for top eight finish this season.

There were some in West London who feared that Dimitar Berbatov's wasted year would have an adverse effect on his ability.

Fulham weren't taking much of a risk in spending £4 million on a player with genuine class and a proven track record, but the question wasn't whether or not he was still great, rather how great?

Eleven games into the Premier League season and we're beginning to get a fair idea.

Against Arsenal this past Saturday he was the best player on the Emirates pitch by a mile—oozing class in a performance that mixed style with an atypical toughness.

Neither of his two goals will make many highlight reels of the best of the weekend's action, but the way he tortured the Arsenal defence with his sublime touch and visionary passing didn't go unnoticed by those watching the madcap drama of the 3-3 draw unfold.

The Gunners were supposed to be one of the most tactically disciplined teams in Britain this season, inspired by Steve Bould's impenetrable zonal marking scheme and the brick wall Abou Diaby.

However, since the French box-to-box midfielder went down injured in late-September, Arsene Wenger's side have looked increasingly tired and lackadaisical.

Berbatov's adroit creativity and devastating close control exploited these weaknesses to maximum effect Saturday.

The game and his man of the match display felt like the end of a struggle—the end of a difficult journey that reached its nadir earlier this year.

But having failed to live up to the billing in Manchester, his success for Fulham is certainly no coincidence.

He is playing for a team designed to accommodate him, a team firmly built around the Bulgarian—to pass and move through him, not around him like Manchester United had done.

Granted, Brian Ruiz is a talent, but far too inconsistent. He is a luxury, where Berbatov is a necessity.

In an environment such as the one at Fulham, he is playing with very little pressure on his shoulders. The expectations of the club are incomparable to those at United.

He is also playing for a manager with unequivocal faith in him.

While he was given reason to doubt Sir Alex Ferguson's trust in him at United, Martin Jol's belief in his star player is one of the most assured truths in the game today.

This is a manager who once claimed he'd "rather die" than sell his star player when the two worked together at Tottenham.

When weighing up his future in the summer, Berbatov chose to move to Fulham over more glamorous clubs like Fiorentina and Juventus.

In a scene that I imagine would be the perfect climax for a rom-com, he received a call from Jol asking him to come to London moments before he was about to board a flight for Italy.

One conversation was all it took for the perfect marriage to be rekindled.

"If I feel that the coach is trusting in my ability then I can do special things on the pitch," he said after his brace helped trounce West Brom on his home debut (via The Guardian).

The Bulgarian is clearly just like the rest of us—he wants to be loved.

According to Jol, when arriving in West London to finalise his transfer, there was only one question on Berbatov's mind: "Do you think they [Fulham fans] will like me?"

A player who may go down in history as one of British football's biggest transfer flops, will likely also feature as one of its greatest coups.

He has already scored five goals in only seven league games, inspiring his new club to eighth place in the Premier League standings at the time of writing.

And yes, they most definitely like him.

What have you made of Berbatov's recent form? Has he put your doubts about him to bed, or were you always a fan?

Follow @MaxTowle

Fulham snagged striker Dimitar Berbatov from Manchester United on August 31. The dynamic goal scorer is already endearing himself to the Fulham faithful, and showing Man U that they will miss him greatly.

Berbatov chose to go to the Cottagers over numerous offers from other teams. It’s a match the 31-year-old is happy to enjoy.

"I'm very happy to be signing for Fulham and to come and play in the Premier League," he told the Fulham website (via BBC.com).

The Bulgarian goal scorer netted 48 goals in his nearly five-year career at Man U. He joins Fulham as a decorated goal scorer and will be a welcomed asset to the Cottagers attack.

Moving out of a very physical league like the Bundesliga and into the Premier League was a great move for Berbatov. His success garnered a $45 million contract from Man U during the transfer window in 2008. He lived up to every penny.

Now, Berbatov and the Red Devils have parted ways. Apart, these two may both reach even greater levels of success in the coming seasons. Man U is one of the most storied clubs in all of football, but they are going to miss Berbatov for these three reasons.

Playmaking

No one can doubt the sheer skill of Dimitar Berbatov. The Bulgarian is the first non-Englishman to score five goals in a single match. He did so in Man U’s 7-1 win over Blackburn in November 2010.

The 31-year old is one of the better scorers in the game and he will be able to showcase that talent on a greater level in Fulham. After joining the English ranks in 2006 with Tottenham Hotspur, Berbatov has scored 75 goals.

He has the ability to create beautiful scoring plays in an instant. Berbatov won the Premier League’s Golden Boot in 2011, a solid award to display his abilities.

After a rough ending to his time with the Red Devils, Berbatov has a chance to regain his form and get back to the playmaker that he has been in the past. The cerebral striker has a new home and will look to put his talents on display in his improved role with the new club.

A Calculated Attack

Fulham may have picked up one of the most heady attackers in the game today, and just in time. Currently sitting with nine points in the Premier League standings, Fulham now have four goal scorers with at least two goals, more than any other team in the league.

Berbatov adds a calming, but swift, element to the Cottagers attack. The Bulgarian provided a nifty dish to Hugo Rodellega to open the scoring in a 2-1 Fulham win over Wigan on September 22.

With three points in three matches, it appears the Cottagers are a good fit for Berbatov’s offensive abilities. Great touch, great vision, great composure and great production have provided a spark to the Fulham squad.

In two starts, Fulham are 2-0 and are outscoring opponents 5-1 in the last two matches.

Goal Scoring, and Lots of It

Berbatov is arguably one of the most talented strikers in the game. It’s tough to argue with 77 EPL goals in his career, including two in his first start for the Cottagers on September 15.

The Bulgarian is one of the top scorers in the game. He proved that to West Bromwich Albion nearly two weeks ago. He scored both goals in his first half in a new uniform and seemed to be consistently involved in all of the Cottagers’ best play. Berbatov scored in the 32nd minute and on a penalty kick late in the first half.

There is little reason to believe his production will slow. Forbes.com writer Bobby McMahon called the Berbatov-Fulham relationship a “perfect match.”

He may be right, though his reasoning probably didn’t sit well with Cottagers fans. Averaging a point per match, Berbatov seems to love his new home. That relationship should only continue to grow stronger as chemistry and production grows.

While Fulham may not be contenders for the EPL, the addition of the talented striker has brought a new energy to the pitch. He has made the Cottagers a stronger, more dynamic and more technical attacking force. That improvement should help Fulham for the next few seasons.

One thing is for sure, he is proving to all those back at Man U that they are going to miss his production. They probably should have given him a bigger role in the offense over the last few weeks.