I've just had a thought with relation to Bairdy and the game against City. What was slightly frustrating for me were some comments about his overall game at the weekend and how critical we can be of someone who gets played in 3 or 4 different positions throughout the season and not consistantly in his preferred position. Personally I can understand why Jol played him. Riise would have been turned over a lot more and left the centre backs wide open. He added some stability to the position albeit unfortunately on 2 occasions. I noticed that Hangeland looked a bit more comfortable on the ball knowing he wasn't going to get sold down the river with a pass that puts him in trouble - a la Riise! Anyone else got a thought on this? I'm not saying that Bairdy should remain there against Stoke but he is a utility player of the highest calibre in my humble opinion and works his nuts off for the team.
Agree, I think the criticism against him is totally unfair. The penalty was never a penalty. Nothing he could do about the deflection and generally did very well. Not only that. He added more stability as a CB next to Hangeland. He is one of the players that does his job to the best of his ability and has been an excellent servant to the team and every manager. I would like him to stay as CB next to Hangeland.
I'm happy with either Bairdinho or Senderos at centre back. I didn't think he dealt well with Johnson, but I don't blame him for either goal. I think Baird's best position is probably as Danny Murphy's partner, rather than Brede Hangeland's (although as I said, I'm happy with him at centre back). I think Baird has done a good job for us in the past in both full-back positions, but he's always likely to get creamed when he comes up against fast, tricky wingers as opposed to bog-standard wingers. Jol's post-game comments seemed to suggest he was expecting Silva to play on the right and cut in, and that was the reason for picking a right-footed left back. Silva offers a different type of threat, and I think Jol expected him to cope better with that than he did against Johnson. Not that I'm implying Silva is only a bog-standard winger - far from it - simply the danger from him is different to the danger from Johnson. By the way, does anyone remember when Middlesborough were relegated and we were linked with Johnson for about £1m? Just think if that had come off.
Spot-on Craving! I do not think anyone should be critical on Chris Baird at Eastlands. At least he was in the right position for both goals and was not at fault for either. Still a Consumate Professional in my opinion. C O Y W
Baird is one of our better players, I believe. I always feel a tad more confident when I see his name in the side. He has off days but Saturday was just bad luck. And, yes, Captain. I do remember Johnson being linked with us. I sometimes sit and stare wistfully into space whilst thinking about what might have been...
The other way to look at it is if we didn't score the penalty at Portsmouth! Then you'd be staring wistfully into space at the Championship. If's and buts......Pots and pans etc....
The thing is, if we did get relegated it wouldn't dilute the Fulham experience for me. I started when we were a bog-standard bumbling along directionless lower division team, and if we ever went back to that (not that I want us to for a moment) Fulham would still be Fulham to me, and I'd feel just as passionately about what I was watching. It would be harder to stay properly informed, being a long-distance occasional visitor to the Cottage these days, but I don't need the Premier League to make Fulham matter. My comment was more a tongue-in-cheek one directed at career choices and the like, rather than Fulham per se.
CM, I know what you mean. That's all about being a Fulham supporter. With the lows have come the highs and all the more sweeter they are when they come along.
