Match Ratings vs Fulham

[steve]

Votes please....

A strange game today and I'm sure like most at the ground after the 2nd goal we'd rather have been watching WBA on the Jumbotron.

The lineup was a huge relief and we obviously started well, an excellent bit of footy from Ade and VDV to create the first and we consolidated well initially before seeming to run out of ideas and give the ball away cheaply, Walker being the main culprit I thought but not the only one. Lennon was quiet but helped set up one excellent chance for VDV with his trademark run in behind the fullback, but otherwise contributed little until the second goal. Most of our players were decent today without being brilliant and the atmosphere was strange as news from other games filtered around. Defoe and Nelsen did well when they came on, making vital contributions at either end and Fulham were probably unlucky not to score but we deserved it overall.

The Martin Jol songs seemed a bit odd to me with H sitting next to him having guided us to 4th for 2 years out of the last 3. I'm no H lover but he deserves some recognition and certainly more than BMJ - he is our manager after all - until the CL final at least...

 

[MightyModric]

Gotta give it to Sandro. Made a load of tackles around the midfield and I like the guy so he gets my vote.

 

[southlondonyiddo]

Sandro for me with a mention for Kaboul who looked after the big Russian very well all afternoon

Luca is different class but wasted for most of the game on the left. Is it me or has Livermore gone backwards, looked poor today

 

[jamesc0le]

really? thought Jake was a bit loose when letting Dembele craft a bit of space to unleash the shot, other than that, tidy, quietly effective as usual..

MOM was not fulop



*oops,scratch that, was nelsen that was loose, Jake definitely did something wrong, not sure when though... err.

 

[theShiznit]

Is it me or has Livermore gone backwards, looked poor today

shock horror, player that doesn't play goes backwards.

who'da thunk...

ps, some people said Sandro had gone backwards when he was being played sporadically (for various reasons)

 

[disciple]

err, livermore played well today, and he starts next season with sandro and modric in the middle

 

[TEESSIDE1]

Friedel 8 - played very well, some good saves. 1 dodgy clearance but we dealt with it.

Kaboul 9 - he's a beast and our 1st choice/best centre back by a country mile.

Gallas 4 - headless chicken, let Riise walk passed him - nearly scored, then went galavanting down the wing and played a ridiculous ball which set up a Fulham counter attack. Time to go play in the MLS.

Bale 8 - did well defensively and breaking from full back was a joy to watch - some great runs.

Walker 6 - had a torrid time keeping the whippet Frei under control - wouldn't mind snapping him up from Fulham.

Livermore 7 - good game, added to our solidarity in midfield.

Sandro 10 - this guy is fu*cking awesome. He's like a brick wall ... who needs Parker?

Modric 8 - had fire in his belly for a lot of the game ... really put himself about today. A couple of sloppy passes but got stuck in, chased the ball down, ran into the channels, did well.

Lennon 7 - his attacking (running at defenders/crossing the ball) was very good but he should have tracked back at bit more to help Walker out with Frei.

VDV 7 - his distribution/eye for a killer pass is 2nd to none. May have got a higher rating but he went off early in the 2nd half and we spent a lot of the time without the ball in the 1st half.

Adebayor 8 - big smile on his face, took his goal well, usual hold up play/running into the channels. I know he's a bit hit and miss but there's no doubting that he is a quality player - we've got to sign him permanently.

Nelsen 5 - can only remember 1 thing he did and that was get raped by Dembele - another we should sign .

Smith 6 - hard to rate as we were under the cosh when he came on. However, he got stuck in and hats off to him for not looking out of place in his 1st premier league game

DEFOE 8 - WHY THE F*UCK DID HE WAIT UNTIL THE LAST 30 MINS OF THE SEASON TO PUT IN SOME GOD DAMN EFFORT?????????? SCORED A GOAL, MAKING HIMSELF AVAILABLE, RUNNING INTO SPACE, TRACKING BACK - EXCELLENT CAMEO.

Overall we played well and held our nerve. One thing I will say is that our team work was generally awesome and the guys really wanted it, just a shame they didn't put this much effort in during the last couple of months.

 

[garyhopkins]

Friedel 7.5
Walker 6
Bale 7
Kaboul 7
Gallas 6.5
Livermore 6.5
Lennon 6.5
Sandro 8
Modric 6.5
VDV 6.5
Adebayor 7
subs
Defoe 7
Nelsen 6.5
Smith 6.5

 

[Twizzle]

Sandro is a beast and I wanna have his babies.

 

[saintlyspur]

sandros form over the last 5 or 6 games has been outstanding and must make him first choice next season

 

[Spurs_Bear]

I thought Friedel was our best player, the others were all ok, it was a weird game as the OP said, and as I made the point last time, the Martin Jol stuff was ludicrous and disrespectful, football fans really do make themselves look like fucktards sometimes.

 

[JimmyG2]

Most impressed by the work rate particularly in pressing the Fulham midfield and defence.
Murphy who can be very creative was given no time on the ball.
Even Defoe caught the bug and if he played like that every game there would be no need to look elsewhere for him or us.
Sandro Kaboul and Van............ 8
Friedel,Bale,Livermore, Modric , Ade..7
Walker, Lennon ...6
Gallas..5

Defoe special award **** for effort and haircut

Smith looked tidy

 

[StockSpur]

The defoe goal was down to some slick passing between gallas, sandro and releasing lennon, havent seen any play like this involving walker.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

What a weird day that was.

How can finishing fourth feel so hollow. It is an achievement. But this year having been so comfortably ensconced in third and now knowing 4th doesn't guarantee CL football and that appearing to be our fate, a strange atmosphere developed as the day went on.

The game seemed to follow this pattern. And early goal and a bit of early zip against a lethargic looking Fulham, gave way after about 30 minutes to a performance that started resemble the one that saw us lose to Norwich. The only difference was Fulham seemed uninterested in taking any advantage whatsoever. They had good possession and moved the ball well at times, but seemed unwilling to inflict any real pain.

The second half kind of drifted a long the same way. We weren't good, they weren't dangerous. We were struggling to retain the ball and string passes together, so the substitution baffled me and everyone around me. I don't give a fuck if Defoe ended up latching on to a lucky ricochet, or the fact that he did OK, the logic was poor and it's the logic that has got us into this hang dog situation instead of us celebrating guaranteed CL football and all the crucial ramifications of it.

Some of the obligatory failings were there today, so often we don't press with intent. On this score I have to give credit to VDV who put a real shift in for the most part and of course Sandro.

Livermore plodded around, several times turned backwards when there was clear ground ahead of him, and was generally easy to stroll around. I thought he was poor. Modric saw plenty of ball but struggled to do anything very meaningful.

The bench was more strange logic. Not one midfielder ?

Fourth place is an achievement. It could look much better in a weeks time, but we all know in our heart of hearts it should never have come to this. And that hung in the air yesterday.

Ratings

Fatty 8 - I thought he played well today.

Walker 5 - Continues to give the ball away in ridiculous ways in dangerous situations, often under no pressure.

Gallas 7.5 - very good

Kaboul 7.5 - Very good.

Bale 7 - Asked to do a job, and did it pretty well.

Lennon 6.5 - Pretty ineffective for a lot of the game. At times tracked back but often then didn't engage the opposition but stood off.

Sandro 8 - Very good game, runs himself ragged.

Ploddermore - 6 - Makes Jenas look like Yaya Toure.

Modric 6.5 - Not his best game but was ok.

VDV 7.5 - Worked really hard, lovely little through ball.

Adebayor 7 - Worked hard at times and took his goal well.

 

[RichieS]

err, livermore played well today, and he starts next season with sandro and modric in the middle

Err, what're your plans for Parker? I like Livermore, but Parker has been instrumental for us this season.

 

[Gilzeanking]

Even Defoe caught the bug and if he played like that every game there would be no need to look elsewhere for him or us.

Its weird with Defoe . You can tell whether he's going to play well within a coupla minutes of coming on . Suddenly Defoe has a new electricity to him ,seems half a yard faster when he's 'on' . It sometimes occurs when he comes on as sub The goal yesterday was left footed and shot seemed well placed at speed ..might all be luck ..but might be skill too .

I agree yesterday's Defoe was worth keeping...the disappearing mode Defoe (circa 80% of the time ) , is not .

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Even yesterday's "Lively" Defoe must be upgraded IMO. He's still too easily bullied off the ball and doesn't contribute enough for a modern top drawer striker; and his first touch is terrible at times.

 

[Chinaspur]

Defoe played the equivalent of 13.7 matches this season in the league scoring 11.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

He's going to want to leave anyway isn't he. He's never going to be first choice with us and he won't want to spend the rest of his time sitting on a bench being a super sub.

 

[jonathanhotspur]

I thought VDV was withdrawn because he was injured, BC?