It's not good when the Daily Star's review of a game is better and more accurate!! http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/oct/15/stoke-city-fulham-premier-league "You may as well start writing now, there won't be any goals," ventured one Stoke fan after around an hour and it was hard to dispute his logic. Then, with little warning, Jon Walters scored Stoke's fifth league goal of the season and, minutes later, Rory Delap headed home the sixth. In these parts they call it an avalanche. Fulham could call it an injustice, as for the most of the game they showed the greater ambition, only to be buffered away by Stoke's impressive defence. Enterprise had been treated with some suspicion. Danny Murphy, one of the game's brighter sparks, was loudly booed by Stoke fans and hounded by their players for claiming in a press conference last season that Tony Pulis was among the managers who sent out his players to injure opponents. "I didn't mention it to the players, but it could have been on their minds," said Pulis, with a decent command of irony. Fabio Capello was not at this game â one of his better decisions since taking control of the national team â but the presence of three capped England strikers could have proved instructive. On this evidence, Bobby Zamora, Andrew Johnson and Peter Crouch should have as big a part to play in the opening three matches of Euro 2012 as Wayne Rooney. Crouch fluffed the first half's best chance, failing to connect with a deep cross from Jermaine Pennant, and Stoke laboured ineffectively before they unexpectedly clicked into gear with 15 minutes remaining. Matthew Upson headed just wide and then Delap struck the bar before several more minutes of Stoke pressure led to a goal. Matthew Etherington's drive was deflected into the path of Walters, who reacted to turn the ball past Mark Schwarzer, ending the Australian goalkeeper's unbeaten spell just shy of the 500-minute mark. "It was a bit fortunate, but we could have scored several more," Pulis said. Fulham, who were unlucky to lose Moussa Dembélé to injury after 35 minutes, had chances: Zamora flicked a header wide late in the first half and John Arne Riise twice threatened with long-range efforts, but hopes of a late comeback were thwarted when Delap broke clear to head home from Etherington's left-wing free-kick. Fulham's manager Martin Jol hovered around the moral high ground. "They are strong here and it's hard to play against their kind of style," he said. "I thought we did very well to contain them, but you have to do your bit for 90 minutes, not 80." http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/215979/Stoke-City-2-Fulham-0-Rory-Delap-rules-Britannia/? IF there is such a thing as a 2-0 thrashing this was it, as Stoke denied Fulham a fifth consecutive clean sheet and missed a hatful of chances. Fulham somehow managed to withstand the battering rams of Stoke for 80 minutes before late goals from Jonathan Walters and Rory Delap sealed the win. The Cottagers won their last match 6-0 against QPR, yet here they were fortunate not to lose by that same margin. Fulham took their run without conceding a goal to 485 minutes, but only by amazing good fortune as Delap also hit the post. It was a cagey start and John Arne Riiseâs speculative 20-yard shot in the 19th minute was the first goal-attempt by either side. But Stoke then got on top of their fellow Europa League challengers and stayed there. The Potters should have taken the lead in the 22nd minute through their £10million striker Peter Crouch. Jermaine Pennant collected a ball on the right flank from Delap and delivered a perfectly-weighted cross that Aaron Hughes just failed to reach. The ball found its way to Crouch unmarked at the far post, but Hughes did just enough to make Crouch fluff his volley. Another raid saw left-winger Matthew Etherington find Crouch, who missed his header and was warned for a rough challenge on keeper Mark Schwarzer. Fulham were forced to make a change towards the end of the first half when Moussa Dembele failed to shake off a leg injury. He was replaced by Republic of Ireland winger Damien Duff, who immediately almost created something out of nothing for the Londoners. Duffâs centre from the right was met by a glancing header from Bobby Zamora, which drifted just wide of Asmir Begovicâs far post. On the stroke of half-time, the Potters again should have taken the lead, this time after some silky skills from Pennant. He played the ball in to Crouch and received it back on the six-yard line but somehow flicked it wide. Stoke reverted to their more direct style, troubling Fulham via Delapâs long throw. He launched one deep into the Fulham area but after a frantic melee, Crouch was unable to get on the end of a header from two yards. Fulham escaped again when a Delap 20-yard drive hit their post. But Stoke kept coming and, incredibly, still Fulham kept on denying them. A Matthew Upson header from Pennantâs corner was cleared off the line by Riise, as the Fulham rearguard continued to withstand the onslaught. And it was Riise who almost punished Stoke for failing to finish them off with a thunderbolt free-kick that shook the crossbar in the 78th minute. Fulham subbed their limping skipper Danny Murphy to prevent him being sent off â he appeared to be agitated by Stokeâs approach all afternoon. And just after his exit Stoke finally scored their opener through Walters in the 80th minute. Etheringtonâs low shot from the edge of the Fulham area was going wide until Walters tapped in at the far post. And to ensure there was no hope of a Fulham comeback, Delap made sure of the three points with a header from an Etherington free-kick three minutes from time. Fulham boss Martin Jol said: âWe contained them, which isnât easy when you come here, but players need to do their jobs for 90 minutes, not 80.â Stoke manager Tony Pulis said: âOn another day we might have scored a few more goals.â
Not surprising The Grauniad is very left wing. Did the Daily Star have a picture of Crouchy's missus??
whoever wrote that in the guardian should be immediately sacked!!. How he came to thise conclusions completely baffles me, he probably dint even watch the match the ****ing tosser!!!.
Don't buy a paper very often but bought the Sunday Mirror on the basis of the match report; seemed like a good read and I wasn't disappointed, bit like the Star report really. Don't know what it is with the d**kheads that work for the Guardian and the Independent, but they rarely have a good word to say about us. Do we care.....err don't think so On the subject of Murphy, he single handedly got the crowd up and baying for his blood yesterday, after that we scored, so thanks for that ugly mug. I would have loved to have seen the look on his face when he sat down and watched the goals go in, priceless!!
The game wasnt great by any means, but that was just as much down to the lack of quality in Fulham! I can live with a poor game review if it reflects farily on both teams, but to suggest that we were dross and Fulham were not is just absurd! It boils down to the fact that as a club we are just not liked, probably down to "SOME" of the football we play and and TP (Remember how he got the arse with local press last term). Anyway, we are unfasionable and thats why Shawx will never get a look in at international level, which is pathetic! I think Shawx has conceeded only 7/8 goals all season with 5/6 clean sheets, yet Cahill has conceeded something like 20 and not kept a clean sheet?
Cahill is playing as if he is on his way to Arsenil. A bit like Dixon did at Swindon where we lost 6-0 in midweek on a vey wet night. How Capello picked Cahill with Terry is just beyond me. PTO - When Murphy came off when he sat down in front of us he got so much stick from Jol sent to the dressing room. That was immediatedly after we scored the first. I thought we were not at the races fisrts half but improved no end in teh 2nd half and fully deserved the 3 points. Fulham fair play- having a laugh Hope to see you on Thursday.
Nothing at all RVF. Just passing the time of day so to speak, anyway it has nothing to do with political affiliation and EVERYTHING to do with pseudo intelleculism, which you must have a degree in to work for The Guardian. Ghastly armchair champagne socialists. But that's another story. Oh by the way, I hope we stuff you this afternoon!! Have a good day
