Clean sheet!

Bolton 0-0 Fulham

Brede looked very good in the heart of the defence.
Leon also looked lively and nearly scored his first goal.
RH was happy with a point and the team's performance.
I don't think Bolton played very well
and a bit disappointed with a draw
but I hope we only improve from here.
It was good to see us passing the ball well.
Ball never gets tired, right?
All we need now is a goal scorer or two or three.
We have EJ, Nevland, Brian and Kamara
(I didn't know Kuqi had gone) .
Where are the goals coming from?


-----------------


Fulham DFC play in the quarter final of
British Deaf Cup tonight.
I didn't know they had won two times.
Good luck to the lads, and bring another silverware
to the trophy cabinet
which has only one Intertoto cup (We won it one time!)
and some won by the ladies' team.

FA Cup aside

=Fifth round fixtures=

Bristol Rovers v Southampton
Cardiff City v Wolves
Sheffield United v Middlesbrough
Liverpool v Barnsley
Man Ure v Arse
Preston v Portsmouth
Coventry City v West Brom
Scum v Huddersfield Town

How lucky Scum are!
Liverpool will give another great day
to the travelling Barnsley fans.
I think Blades always have a good cup run.
We should have had Saints at home...

I felt sick when I heard that one Reds fan described
Finn as their own Titus Bramble.
I understand how he felt as I was also disappointed
by his mistake.
But it's unfair. He has a short memory
and he doesn't remember a couple of Finn's
decent performances for his loved club.
Maybe he is not good enough to wear a red shirt.

Oh, I just remember that they had a left back called Traore!


-------------------------

We must win at Reebok on Tuesday.
Murphy talked about the new lads
and of course he talked only good things.
But his comment on Brede sounds encouraging.
"Brede at the back reminds be a bit of Sami Hyypia
because everything seems to land on his head.
He blocks things, he looks brave, and looks like
he's desperate to defend and stop the ball going in the goal.
Of course that sounds like an obvious thing,
but he’s really impressed."

As Steph is suspended, Brede could start.
Or Baird in, at last, his proper position?
Or Boca?

Leon is sporting the famous white shirt.
I really expect him to be our great hit.

FA Cup Romance

FA Cup 4th Round

Liverpool 5-2 Havant & Waterlooville

Reds had to come from behind twice to beat
Havant & Waterlooville and reach the FA Cup fifth round.

Finn was a culprit for those two goals, it seems.
I didn't watch the H&W's first goal
but second one came from his mistake.
He was not in-form to be honest.
But he played pretty well in the second half,
sending a couple of good crosses and almost scored
with a looping shot, though no Reds fan mentioned it.
He made a great block in the dying minutes.
But no one mentioned it.
Their fans remember only his mistakes.
Alright he made some mistakes, but your Captain has,
hasn't he?

Rant over.

Well done H&W!
You gave the PL elite some scare and took your goals
very well.
You deserve the respect
and you let me know what the FA Cup magic is like.
If only my Fulham have your determination and
nothing-to-lose spirit...

Sad day for Eire

Or is it just for me?

Steve Finnan announced his retirement from
international football on Tuesday.

I knew he would soon hang up his international boots
and I thought I was ready for it, but......I am sad, very sad.
Isn't it too early to retire as he is just 31?
I think he still has a lot to offer his country.
It was revealed that he had said about his frustration
being often played as LB and I fully understand that.
But a new Ireland manager might be wiser to play his players
at their best positions.
Caretaker boss Don Givens says that he hopes
Finn reconsider his decision.
So do I, Finn.
I like Kelly and O'brien and hope they will have their chances
but it's obvious who is still the best RB for the green shirt.

The squad was named to face Brazil in next month's friendly.
Who will play LB now that they lost Finn?
Ian Harte is not included. Kilbane, maybe. Or O'Shea?
Let's wait and see.
Oh, by the way, who will be the next Ireland manager?









50 caps 2 goals

This photo was taken after Finn scored his second(and last?)
international goal against Cyprus
(it was an equaliser in 90th minutes).
He seems like a man who scored an own goal.
Fulhamish, isn't it?

Rafa welcomes his retirement,
so he will play Finn in the FA Cup tie
against Havant & Waterlooville out of gratitude(or won't).
Finn used to play for Welling Utd and he knows how they feel like to play at Anfield...

PL you're having a laugh

Better team won, it seemed.

FA Cup 3rd round replay

Bristol Rovers 0-0 Fulham (AET)
Bristol Rovers win 5-3 on penalties

Desperately seeking the positives...
Jimmy got 120minutes(and a saved penalty kick)
under his belt.
Tony made a couple of brilliant saves(so did their GK).
Stefanovic was sent off and will be suspended.
The manager and the players have time for the game
on Tuesday against Bolton(I'm not sure it is enough).

Alright we have to move on!

IN

Leon Andreasen has joined.
I can't believe this but am happy of course.
I hope he and other new players will gel quickly
and improve the team for the great escape.

Poor Togo

Fulham 0-3 Arse

If only Togo qualified for ACN...

But we didn't seem to score.
The stats says there was no shot on goal for Fulham.
4-5-1 with Clint as a lone striker?
I don't know what to say.
Clichy had been handful for Volzy
and Seol was nowhere to be seen when needed.
No one could handle Adebayor properly.
I have to admit that we looked like a team to be destined
to be relegated.
I wish I am wrong.
Can we bounce back?

Hangeland was in the stand and he might have regretted
his decision.
So was Super Mac and was smiling before the game.
I eagerly want to see his smile and a kiss on his ring
on the pitch.

I haven't visited TIFF and other football sites yet.
I couldn't, to be honest.
My mentality is getting weaker and weaker ...

I am watching Birmingham v Scum game(recorded one)
while writing and I am impressed by the Blues'
(northern one, of course) performance.
I don't know the result and I'm just happy to see
Maik is having a good game so far.
I have a soft spot for Brum as they have Maik and Kelly
(he should be next Finn for Eire) now
and Brum is the club Finn made his professional debut for.
If they beat Scum...I'm not sure if I should cry or laugh.

Well... I'm Fulham till I die!

Cookie is tough

Cookie was sacked.
Rumour has it that he may join Kevin Keegan's
management team.
I don't really know about KK except that he bought Finn
from Notts County and he's done some unlikable thing to Fulham.
Finn is recognised as one of the best right backs
in England now (although he hasn't had many good games
this season to be honest)
but I'm wondering that it was KK who improved Finn
or was it JT?
Some kind Fulham fan, shed light on this, please!
Anyway I hope Cookie will have some more experience
to be, one day, a great Fulham manager.


=Transfers=

IN Welcome to the Cottage!

Brede Hangeland

I was impressed by his performance for FC Copenhagenand
am really pleased to hear him joined us.
I hope he is the answer for the problem we have had for several seasons.
As he was born in Houston, Texas, he might feel at home in the 'locker room'.











I thought the King's deal has already been done
but it seemed he had failed the famous Fulham medical...hum.
Heidar, won't you come back?

And I like Leon Andreasen.
I'm not sure if he is better than what we have
though I have a soft spot for Scandinavian...

Singing in the rain?

The FA Cup replay against Bristol Rovers was postponed
because of a waterlogged pitch.
I woke up at 4:30AM this morning to find this.
The first thing I thought was that it was good for
Jimmy and Antti.
Then I felt for the supporters who had travelled
all the way to Bristol.
Now we should prepare for the Arsenal game!
We can beat them. We know that. We can beat them.
We can beat them.

And what about the transfer things?
Van Buyten will come to Fulham?
I liked him when he played for HSV in Germany
but can Fulham pay his wage?
Eddie Johnson's deal has done?
I don't really know him
(except that he is a young and tall striker)
but he will have his international teammates around him,
it will be benefit for him.


By the way we were beaten by Hammers
by 2-1 the other day
though we had a lead with a Simon's free kick.
Half time champions !

I miss you

Brian returned to First Team training!




He will need another few weeks(hopefully)
to play a competitive game
and I'm worried about his skinny left leg,
but it's a very encouraging picture to see.
I love him so much. We need him so much.

Cupset

That is a new word someone at BBC football site has created.
They might be happy as there were Cupsets all over the place.
I enjoy those upsets as long as Fulham are not involved.
But we almost joined the losing Premiership sides.

Fulham 2-2 Bristol Rovers

I was relieved to see that we could come back
from behind twice and score two good goals
but very disappointed at the way we conceded two
against a League One side at home.
I was listening to Gentleman Jim's commentaries.
It sounded that we played pretty well and dominated for most of the game.
Of course it was not enough and we only forced a replay.
Let's win it and we'll face Swindon Town or Barnet.
(great draw, isn't it?)


Here's a good news.

Arse res. 0-2 Fulham res.

Jimmy played for 90 minutes unscathed.
Cook seemed to play well for 60 minutes.
Tony kept a clean sheet!

Sami Hyypia might join Fulham.
Lily Savage has gone to Derby.

And a bad news.

JA Boumsong and S Henchoz might join Fulham...


And also...

Luton 1-1 Liverpool

Finn let me down, though most of his teammates didn't play well
and it wasn't he that scored an own goal.
But I can't stand that Finn is criticised by the Reds fans.
Now are Rafa's days numbered?

£6m flop

I found this on the Yahoo sports site.

Flops of the Festive Season

Craig Gordon (Sunderland) - 28.3
Brett Emerton (Blackburn) - 27.8
Ryan Nelsen(Blackburn) - 26.4
Ibrahima Sonko (Reading) - 25.9
Hermann Hreidarsson (Portsmouth) - 26.9
Fredrik Ljungberg (West Ham) - 26.4
Dwight Yorke (Sunderland) - 27.5
Alexander Hleb (Arsenal) - 27.7
Shaun Maloney (Aston Villa) - 27.6
Alan Smith (Newcastle) - 27.2
Diomansy Kamara (Fulham) - 25.7

I'm not sorry for Kamara, you deseve it.


And this.

Team of the Season

Robert Green (West Ham) - 33.5
Steve Finnan (Liverpool) - 32.1
Sol Campbell (Portsmouth) - 34.3
Martin Laursen (Aston Villa) - 33.7
Joleon Lescott (Everton) - 33.87
Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester Utd) - 34.7
Francesc Fabregas (Arsenal) - 34.9
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) - 34.9
Mikel Arteta (Everton) - 34.8
Wayne Rooney (Manchester Utd) - 35.6
Carlos Tevez (Manchester Utd) - 33.9

I'm very surprised to know that Finn is in the team to be honest
but I'm really happy with it.
Keep on working Finn, if your gaffer allows you to do so...

A Happy New Year?

New year.
New manager.
The same result.

Fulham 1-2 Scum

It took three days to recover from the disappointment
for me to write something about football
(I know nobody expects my posts).

The scoreline looks decent.
It seemed we somehow could get a result.
Volzy looked lively in the midfield
and I saw some good passes from Murphy
and when he was about to take a penalty,
I was sure he would score.
Then again...
Everybody knows Ballack is a diver.
Clint should have known better.
And poor old Liverpool didn't do us a favour.
(Finn made their only goal. 1 goal out of 11 shots on...)

The transfer window has opened and there are some rumours.
But I wonder I would be happy if we get Lily Savage... please, no!

By the way we Japanese watch Premiership games
on a CS channel called Jsports
and Aaron and Healy wish us a Happy New Year on it!
I don't know why Jsports chose Fulham players to send us
New Year's greetings but I am one of a few viewers to be happy to watch them.
Now you should make me happy with some wins.




Aaron wishes us a Happy New Year
at Craven Cottage on Jsports.