So the lowest we can finish is 9th and the highest is 7th. What's been the highs and lows of your season? So mine then the high for me is obviously 6-0 win over the ones in hoops. The low for me has got to be the amount of goals we conceded in the last 10 mins of a game and I'm abit disappointed with not having a good cup run.
The highs have to be Pog's goal spurt, the big win over QPR and doing the double over Liverpool. The lows would be going out of Europe, the loss against Spurs and Bobby Z going in January (at the time).
There have been plenty of frustrating results (both Villa games, both Blackburn games, Tottenham (H), both Everton games, both Swansea games to name a few) but doubles over Bolton, Liverpool, Wigan and more importantly QPR have softened the blow. Best players this season: Dempsey (Where would we be without his goals?) Dembele (much improved from last season) Hangeland (ever reliable) Duff (doesn't seem to age at all) Pog (the centre forward we've been searching for since Saha?) Worst/disappointing: Senderos (too error prone, Hughes has steadied the ship) Ruiz (flashes of genius, but expect more to come) Kasami (faded slightly) Riise (only to begin with) Most promising: Frei (what a player he is going to be, both performances against Chelsea were superb) Kaka (came literally out of nowhere, loan spell to Watford did him the world of good) Next season with a fully fit Ruiz, and hopefully the likes of Diarra, Pog, Dempsey and Dembele tied down to longer deals, with the youngsters coming through, promises to be an exciting one!
For me the low point was mid November - we just couldn't figure out who we were under Jol. It wasn't until December that we started to see the new pass 'n' move Fulham emerge. High points for me were the thrashings of QPR and Newcastle back in January. Best all-round player was Dempsey. Other players drift in an out of form, but Clint was rock solid all year long - I don't remember him having a bad game. He took a big step forward this year in terms of output. He was huge. Most improved player (a bit of a back handed compliment) was Dembele. I'm hoping for the same kind of turn around for Ruiz, who was the disappointment of the year. Despite a slowish start for us, JA Riise had a very good year for us. I think he quietly added much to our offense. Duff, too, was good for us, like the Bandit said. Looking forward, we are the oldest team in the EPL and we need to freshen things up. I think we need to consider finding a good young middle midfielder, plus a good young striker to team up with Pog (unless he leave, in which case we need two good strikers).
Are we still the oldest DR? Even with the likes of Frei, Kaka and Trotta regularly making the squad? I thought Stoke had overtook us?
Firstly, given the early start to the season and number of matches, a new manager, much doom&gloom (you know who you are) pre-Xmas, I think that MJ and the team have done tremendously well to achieve the goal of a top-half finish. Highs - Results: Destroying Arsenal in the second half; Newcastle and of course QPR. 3 points at The Lane (Ever The Optimist!). Highs - Players: Clint Dempsey has been superb (but is so much in the shop window); DemPele has improved in so many aspects; The Pog's immediate success; Danny Murphy may have got a bit older but I continue to be impressed; Hughes getting his place back; the promise of Kerim/Alex; and the whole Kit Symons team. Lows - Results: Our pitiful Europa League exit; undeserved defeats to Everton and Spurs. Villa, Swansea etc. Lows - Players: Ruiz and Diarra taking too long to get up-to-speed in the Prem. A lless than 100% Bobby Zamora. Hopes - Clint stays (I loved the Banner today); Kerim/Alex continue to progress; Steve Sidwell gets to full fitness; We get a good cup-run to Wembley. And two extra for some Europa Heroes: - Simon Davies gets a good move to a club that will play him regularly. - Zoltan Gera soon plays again C O Y W
Yeah, doing the annual Fulhamish thing and falling foul of the 'What if ..?' syndrome I can't better Bandit's summary (well might add the Odense shambles). However somehow this year it has been different. If I'm honest in my reflections in each of the last 5 years I had to admit that we over achieved, but this season I think we have under achieved. What a thing to say when we're sitting on 52 points and the potential to better our previous record. So it's not said with pessemism moanism, pointing the fingerism, it's said with an awful lot of pride. Again can't better Bandit with those 4 doubles (and would add the elation walking away from the Emirates after that 1-1 draw - our best 'team' performance this year IMHO). Nor can I better Captain Murphy when he said "This is the best Fulham squad I've played with". What say, the best ever - certainly in the premiership.
Our form up to the new year was patchy but, like under Hughes, we improved significantly in the second half of the season. Hopefully Jol carries the momentum into summer, ties up key players, and adds a bit more quality for an improved finish next season.
Bandit .. I over heard some presenter last week say we were the oldest team in the league. That was news to me at the time, but now that I think about it, we do have some oldsters on the books. I'm thinking it might make an interesting discussion.
I know we have oldies, but we have also invested in youth since Jol came in, which I would have expected to drag the average age down somewhat.
lots of highs, QPR home and away. Beating Arse. Beating Liverpool after we got hammered the year before. Coming back from the death against Man City - after being hammered the previous year. Lows....great chance to beat Chelsea AWAY in the League cup away, we had other stuff going I admit. Everton home was also a killler. Going to Wolves (again) and not even showing up hurt as well.
Personally I think this season has definitely been more Highs than Lows… Highs Maartin Jol. A lot may disagree but I think he’s a great manager. I was hoping for his appointment when we ended up with Hughes and was chuffed we got him second time around. When you look at the clubs he’s managed I think it’s a real “get” for us. After a bit of a slow start I think he is really starting to come good now. Coming back from 2-0 down to draw with City. (I preferred that to hammering we gave Rangers) The 6-0 hammering we gave Rangers at home. Rangers away (the atmosphere was great and going up so early in the game made it my most enjoyable away game this season) Twente away – Although the games was a shocker it was a great trip. The Pogs flying start. Zamora leaving after showing no interest or spirit. All the Europa games – I’m going to miss them next season. Clint Dempsey Lows [/B][/B]The way we crashed out of the Europa in the group stage - especially to a late goal. Zamora showing minimal interest since the start of the season. The Pogs slower finish to the season. The price of a pint at Craven Cottage going up to £4.20 (god know what it will be next season) Despite the increasing cost of having a few beers at Craven Cottage I can’t wait for next season!
