fulham game

[andybaha]

It was encouraging in places tonight and I don't think the starting line up is too far away from what we will start with at Crewe. Kuipers made a couple of decent saves but also had a couple of flaps where he was nowhere near the ball. Back four steady. Thought Lynch looked better second half on the left of central defence. Forster looks the biz, very sharp. Revell supported him well, much better than Elder when he came on. Midfield was a bit of a concern. I thought Jakey had a reasonable game, but have seen both Hammond and Cox have better games. El Abd puts in loads of effort but was out of his league tonight. Maybe Reid and/or Oatway can offer something.

I think we will have a better season than last year but will be surpised if Sanchez is still at Fulham by Christmas. They were extremely average for a Premiership side.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Anyone know why Reid didn't play tonight?

 

[dougdeep]

Anyone know why Reid didn't play tonight?

Injured.

 

[dougdeep]

Sounds like we put on a good show, I'm sure Wendy learned lots.

 

[gjh1971]

Kuipers had a couple of flaps where he was nowhere near the ball

Hence the need for a new keeper quick. Kuipers positioning is atrocious at times.

 

[magoo]

Very encouraging last night. I don't know if they raised their game because it was Fulham though, hopefully not.

They didn't embarrass us and I thought we just about deserved a draw out of it.

 

[Giraffe]

Hence the need for a new keeper quick. Kuipers positioning is atrocious at times.

He saved a certain goal though in the first half.

 

[Bakesy]

He saved a certain goal though in the first half.

He did indeed.....Why he hasn't been knighted yet is beyond belief.Sort it out Queenie....

 

[Voice of Reason]

A couple of points. Why do refs still insist on asking injured players to leave the field when they have already recovered? Plank of centre half stamps on Jake, so Jake has to go off whilst plank stays on! Why did we defend so deep at the end of the first half before the equaliser was scored, it was asking for trouble, and we got it?

Kuipers good shot stopper, poor positional game, two flaps and one corner where he was completely lost!

 

[scooter1]

I thought they did well in the first half, Forster was sharp and I think, just what we've been looking for for a while - well supported by Revell. The 2 little-uns on the wings played well. El-Abd wasn't at the races, should have been a wrestler(I don't think he kicked the ball all night), out of his depth - hopefully Reid will slot in there. Elder and Savage didn't do anything to inspire me when they came on, but Fraser got involved quickly and looked better in the middle than he did when stuck out on the right last season. I thought Kuipers played well, but did have a couple of "David James" moments, still needs to improve his kicking, but then we all know that!!

Fuuniest moment for me was when we were 1 nil up and the Fulham fans were singing "we can see you holding hands" to which a couple of sharp ones behind me retorted with "we can see you going down"...very good..

 

[byf]

Kuipers can look a little shady at times and it is heart in mouth situations with him at times...but the amount of one on ones and point blank wonder saves the guy makes easily makes up for the darker moments..

When he came back from being ousted by hendo...at the bradford game he saved a shot which was nothing short of a wonder save...over the years of watching the albion I can remember countless times when he's had everyone off their seats aplauding a wonder save.

I'm quite shocked wilkins would consider replacing him...hed still be my number 1.

 

[Gully]

scooter, that is a brilliant response, for many reasons...we must add it to the repertoire for next season!

 

[Yorkie]

A couple of points. Why do refs still insist on asking injured players to leave the field when they have already recovered? Plank of centre half stamps on Jake, so Jake has to go off whilst plank stays on! Why did we defend so deep at the end of the first half before the equaliser was scored, it was asking for trouble, and we got it?

Kuipers good shot stopper, poor positional game, two flaps and one corner where he was completely lost!

To be fair their equaliser was miles offside but Kuipers should have played to the whistle instead of standing still looking at the linesman to see if his flag had gone up.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

To be fair their equaliser was miles offside but Kuipers should have played to the whistle instead of standing still looking at the linesman to see if his flag had gone up.

To be even fairer, the boy that scored still had a lot of work to do, and took his goal very well indeed

 

[Lord Bracknell]

From the Fulham FC website:-

Goals from Clint Dempsey and Alexey Smertin ensure victory for Fulham

Match Summary

Fulham came back from a goal down to record their second win of the pre-season campaign. The Whites got off to a bad start when the home side took the lead in the third minute through Jake Robinson. Fulham struggled to find their range in the first half yet they reached the interval level courtesy of a Clint Dempsey goal.

Lawrie Sanchez made a host of changes to the second half starting line-up and the Whites certainly looked a more potent attacking threat after the break. Another influential performance from Alexey Smertin, topped off by a well taken goal, helped guide Fulham to victory.


First Half Action

3 minutes – BRIGHTON GOAL, ROBINSON
Jake Robinson gave Brighton an early lead after Fulham failed to deal with a deep Dean Cox corner. The ball was nodded back into the danger area and Robinson was on hand to fire past Niemi.

10 minutes
The Whites still looked to be having difficulty in breaking out of their own half and the home side could have doubled their lead when Guy Butters was allowed a shooting opportunity, fortunately his effort spun off Aaron Hughes.

12 Minutes
Brian McBride almost got the Whites back to level pegging when he turned on the edge of the penalty area and struck a low shot against Kuipers’ right hand post.

16 minutes
Brian McBride was, once again, demonstrating his aerial prowess by winning a number of important headers and directing them expertly to his attacking team-mates.

20 minutes
Simon Davies and Steven Davis combined well with a neat passing interchange in midfield which set the Northern Ireland international away down the inside right channel. Davis looked to feed to ball into the path of David Healy unfortunately the striker had just strayed offside.

24 minutes
The home side managed to break past Fulham’s midfield line. The attack lost much of its momentum upon reaching the edge of Fulham’s penalty area, however Alex Revell was still able to fire a shot which Niemi gathered at the second attempt.

25 minutes
Michael Kuipers produced a world class save to deny Clint Dempsey’s downward header. The Seagulls’ goalkeeper reacted sharply to his right to claw to ball around the post.

25 minutes (Fulham substitution)
Antti Niemi OFF – Tony Warner ON

39 minutes
The impressive Simon Davies intercepted a Joel Lynch pass before feeding the ball to the lurking Brian McBride on the edge of the box. The American striker was unfortunate in that his first touch allowed the surrounding defenders to close in, restricting McBride to a tame shot. Shortly after, Papa Bouba Diop forced Kuipers into action when hit a fierce 25 yard shot.

44 minutes – FULHAM GOAL, DEMPSEY
Fulham got back on level terms through Clint Dempsey. The American international seized upon a loose ball after Diop had caused panic in the Brighton area and calmly rounded Kuipers before slotting into an empty net.



Second Half Action

47 minutes
Diomansy Kamara’s speed got him clear down the right hand side before he squared the ball into the path of Moritz Volz whose powerful shot was charged down.

49 minutes
The home side made a strong start to the second half and Nicky Forster went close with an angled drive across the face of goal.

52 minutes
A misunderstanding between Zat Knight and Moritz Volz saw Fulham’s defence caught out of position as the ball was fed to the right wing. Robinson managed to find space and fire a shot goal wards which Knight had to divert over the bar.

60 minutes
Diomansy Kamara certainly looked to be enjoying his time on the pitch. The former West Brom front man was often dropping back to receive the ball from midfield to play his colleagues in behind the Brighton back line.

64 minutes
Fulham were starting to look more comfortable in possession with the midfield unit in particular finding space well.

71 minutes – GOAL FULHAM, SMERTIN
The Whites finally reaped the reward their greater attacking initiative deserved. Once again, Diomansy Kamara had the Brighton defence on the back foot. The Senegalese international’s shot was charged out only to fall to Smertin, who drilled a firm shot into the net.

74 minutes
Following his goal Smertin’s influence was steadily growing as he directed play with great composure and intelligence in the middle third.

85 minutes
The physical presence of Brighton substitute, Bas Savage was giving the Fulham back line a new problem to ponder as he, on numerous occasions, got into dangerous positions.

89 minutes
Dean Hammond went close to scoring an equaliser when he rose highest at the back post to head just over the bar.

 

[withdeanwombat]

In all honesty,we should be beating teams like Northern................er,Fulham.

Anybody else get a bit glum seeing teams we thought we'd left for dead prancing around in the top division whilst we play in an old zoo cum "Olympic" stadium with players who wouldn't have got into our Metropolitan League side not that long ago?

 

[Yorkie]

To be even fairer, the boy that scored still had a lot of work to do, and took his goal very well indeed

It was a three yard tap in...

 

[byf]

25 minutes
Michael Kuipers produced a world class save to deny Clint Dempsey’s downward header. The Seagulls’ goalkeeper reacted sharply to his right to claw to ball around the post.



World class.....and wilkins is going to make him our number 2...Ive said it once I'll say it a thousend times...he looks clown like at times..but very rarely gets punished for it...but the times he will keep you in the game will be countless!

 

[chez]

Kuipers can look a little shady at times and it is heart in mouth situations with him at times...but the amount of one on ones and point blank wonder saves the guy makes easily makes up for the darker moments..

When he came back from being ousted by hendo...at the bradford game he saved a shot which was nothing short of a wonder save...over the years of watching the albion I can remember countless times when he's had everyone off their seats aplauding a wonder save.

I'm quite shocked wilkins would consider replacing him...hed still be my number 1.

As I've said before he is a liability and his performance for one of the goals was laughable. Why Wendy gave him a contract we will never know but he has to rectify his error and get someone not so shit in damn quick otherwise all the goals in the world aren't going to stop us getting relegated.

 

[John Byrne]

Crowd?