The slightly ironic thing about Schwarzer getting caught out by the shot was that he had spent the half time break sharpening up with Segers, so one might have expected him to be more alert. You miss Haangeland big time. On a more positive point for you, some of Berbatov's touches today were sublime. He continues to be a class act when he's in the mood. By the way, your ground must be the coldest football ground in England !!
No way was that a dive. Listening to 606 on radio the pundits all agree that it was a foul. However they also said 4 of Bale's 7 bookings this year have been for 'dives' Today proved that his reputation has come before him eventually and as Robbie Savage said...Foy could not wait to book him.
Foy wanted to book Bale because he's a lousy ref. Berbatov felt a hand in the back later in the match and sent himself over looking for a foul and got it. The way he went down was no more natural than the way Bale did and Foy must have seen this but gave the freekick to Fulham because his fall essentially highlighted a slight foul to the ref and when so many are going down easy(or whatever you want to call it) it becomes a problem. Another example is Dzeko going down under a shirt pull today to get a penalty, there's no way it caused him to go to ground so surely that's a dive and a booking too since Bales was(and Torres' against United). And that's why dives are best dealt with retrospectively. You can't have some refs taking it in for the what the press think are divers whilst others allow them the benefit of the doubt like this one got: please log in to view this image Not a booking so he gets away with 2 dives gone comically wrong. The simple way to do it is for the FA to tell the clubs, the fans and the refs what will be punishable as a dive and then set out a panel for retrospective action to diving. With simple in mind only punish them if you go down under no contact or if they go down and look for contact whilst in mid air. Then leave the rest to the refs discretion, ie a player goes down easy, let the ref decide which side of the balance of foul/dive the incident comes under and give a freekick without a booking accordingly. All they've done so far is told refs to clamp down on diving by issuing cards despite so many still slipping through whilst others are being wrongly punished.
Fulham is the coldest ground in the country, bloody freezing place!!! Although the cold lagers before the game didnt help! From my view, I thought we were the better team throughout today. Couldn't see Fulham scoring. Got in the ground just before kick off, surprised to see naughton playing but he did well today. Dempsey had his best game for us yet. Good to keep a clean sheet for once! I'm struggling to find anyone who was poor today, good alround performance and a deserved 3 points. Also, our support was top notch again today. Plenty of singing AVB's name.
I am not Naughton's biggest fan, but he did do well today and gave a steady performance. I assume Walker was rested and told it was unlikely he would be brought on, because if you noticed, he had trainers on all afternoon. Individual performances may well have been fine, but for a lot of the game (mainly the first half), we were boring to watch and whilst Fulham were only marginally easier to watch, it remans a fact that yet again, we have only half performed in a game. Great away support as always, plenty of Martin Jol songs as well.
I must admit I thought they were the better side in the first half. They were compact and had numbers at the back yet still got forward and created some okay chances. It was the kind of defensive tactics that frustrate us though and I think it would've been a more frustrating game had we not got a fairly fortunate goal as we weren't creating much until we took the lead and they pushed forward leaving their back 4 more exposed. I agree with you about Dempsey, although I see across the team in the last couple of games, although the likes of Walker and Dempsey are improving from a very low start point when you look at some of their previous performances. Sigurdsson did well although I'm not sure how he managed to shoot straight at Schwarzer. The fans were excellent from what I could hear on the stream. Slightly quiet in the first half I thought but plenty of good chants though, I take it that was ours singing for Jol too
On the subject of Naughton, he seems very nervous to me. The consequence is he plays the ball very, very slowly. Even on his favour right side today and I didn't see him looking to move the ball forward, beit pass or dribble, with any confidence and even his sideways passes to a centre back or Sandro seem to take him a little while. I guess it didn't harm us to have someone being a bit careful today but I think for a good attacking team he'll have to think a bit quicker. Quite good defensively today though.
I posted similar thoughts on Naughton earlier in the season YV, but my good mate Notso told me I was wrong. You're right, he is sometimes ponderous in posession, seems reluctant to cross the half way line and to me he remains just a bog standard player. But yes, he did ok today.
He certainly keeps it basic doesn't he? Even Charlie wasn't afraid to throw in a step over or two(used to love that). I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt and say he's just worried about messing up with us as I thought he looked a talent at Sheff Utd where he was clearly confident of his ability to perform at that level. He certainly deserevs a full year to settle in, so long as we don't get a good offer for him in January. My concern in the meantime is that the way he plays isn't helping me get behind him.
Craven Cottage cold?It's on the river!!! I remember one time watching Spurs there with the sun in my face for 90 minutes plus. By the time I got back to Liverpool Street sitting in the carriage by myself I began to have a bad migrane.So bad I lost my sight.Train finally stopped at Lower Edmonton and somehow (God knows how) I found my way to North Middlesex hospital.When I walked into the emergency room,my sight had returned together with a bloody bad headache. Sometimes a cold miserable day can be good.........bloody sun!
Well my optimistic prediction proved correct. That's three in a row I've got right More importantly I called it right about Hugo. As I said he's a world class keeper, and some BERK called me NAIVE, what an IDIOT. Hilariously, he thinks he knows something about goalkeeping - what do the yoof say - pwned I believe I love it -TRIUMPHANT and laughing about the self-designated but severely Embarrassed 'expert'
I said to my brother on Sunday or Monday that, lookingat Spurs's next 9 PL fixtures, Spurs could realistically win all 9 of them. The first three, Liverpool, Fulham and Everton, were all potential banana skins but were all winnable. A good first half performance against Liverpool and a good second half performance against Fulham resulted in 6 points from 6. If Spurs can get 15-18 points from the next 21 then Spurs would be in a strong position!
I think Dempsey was better v West ham, and he may never equal his iconic winner v Man Utd, no matter how long he's with us. but well done to him, and Siggy. our best player, Lloris, again hi BERK, that's not aimed at you BTW, J8, but the IDIOT, SpurPIG
Chillout GH......you'll cause a slanging match. You Lioris's agent? Don't think many doubted his ability.
Getting away from goalkeepers! at the other end, Defoe's finishing just gets better. Very clinical. Almost Greavesie like, his second one.
Bale's "dive": please log in to view this image I thought that Foy was useless yesterday. Got a lot wrong and kept getting in the way of play. Plus he's a twat, which doesn't help. MOTD did a bit about Bale and his theatrical falls costing him, but pointed out that he was fouled twice and booked twice in two games. Highlights: http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/fulham-0-tottenham-3-motd/
No need to throw personal insults around. But seeing as that's how your preferred style, then I'll respond accordingly, so please take note that I think you're a clueless tool. .
I thought vertonghen was one of our better players yesterday, if not the best. He won every challenge, scrap, loose ball and even got forward at times helping down the left. Bearing in mind he's not playing in his preferred position, it's amazing just how comfortable he looks. People are mentioning various players at other clubs, such as michu for the signing of the summer, but vertonghen is up there for me.
c Just how old are you ?? 13 ?? Or are you some cranky old bachelor who has nothing better to do than chuck personal insults about on a hat site on a Saturday night. Nothing else to do with your time after Strictly Come Dancing has finished ??
