Wasn't there but followed it via my mobile. Fantastic result. Good to read the very positive feedback from those that did go. Long may it continue.
What a great start to the season. On a hot afternoon Fulham worked their socks off and the high altitude training in Switerland really seemed to be of benefit. It was a full team performance - everyone was excellent - could not have asked for more. (so pleased that Ruiz played so well) Norwich were poor I will admit but what great fans. I felt embarrassed by some of our fans who sang outside the ground enroute home to run their noses in it. As far as I am concerned they are great fans and deserve a bit better. So.. only Man U next week - " we are top of the league" - don't think I said that before.
My eldest and I were discussing man of the match on the way home, and - Petric's second goal apart - found it impossible to single anyone out. We started trying to decide who was Fulham's worst player, and agreed that the only candidates really didn't deserve it. If I put my hyper-critical head on, I can only think of one, perhaps two mistakes in the whole game. It was one of the best all-round Fulham displays I can ever remember. We've got a team.
The best comeback was to the "It's only a 4 hour trip" chant, to which one Norwich fan just stated plainly "It's three hours, actually". That was pretty funny, as our fans who were taunting them were a bit unFulhamish. Captain, I think a man of the match has to come from Diarra/Dembele. On such a hot day, ball retention was key and those two just ran the midfield. Norwich never came close to winning the battle with the (perhaps) new double Ds. But even then, I can't pick between them!
I wouldn't argue with those two, but I'm not sure I'd put them above Ruiz. It's hard to ignore Petric's goals, and I thought Riise the Elder was impressive too. Damien Duff was typically Duff-like... in other words, can we just give six or seven MOMs?
The guy I usually go to the games with was in Gibraltar this week, so I took a Manchester United fan with me today. He couldn't believe it was Riise, he played so well today. And he commented on how good Diarra/Dembele looked too. I see what you say Captain (and Ruiz's performance was possibly the biggest positive of all), but I think everyone else was able to build from our midfield platform. But it's pretty bizarre to be arguing "no, this player was even more impressive!", so let's just give them all an award!
Not much to add to what's already been said. An excellent performance all round - some great football, and to be able to play with that level of energy in 30 degree heat shows impressive levels of fitness. For me the moment of the match was Kaca's goal, which capped another promising display from him. I know we'll miss Dempsey's goals, but Kaca gives us a nice balance and is always looking to get balls into the box. I thought Ruiz looked a different player to the one we saw at times last season. He's in the right position, looks physically stronger and was always dangerous.
Just seen it GS - how sweet was that. So pleased he's got through that injury and now off to a wonder new season. Fact that it was against L'pool added a nice little bonus.
WHAT A GAME! Albeit, Norwich were poor. Can't fault anyone- fantastic performance, so good to see us playing with width. Diarra and Dembele a class above, they are a top 4 midfield. Ruiz was great, Petric was great, Duff was great.... everyone was great! WHAT A GAME!
I'd just like to emphasise Riise's performance - last year, up until at least December he looked a total flop and a shadow of the player he was for Liverpool. Today really drove home his improvement since then. Superb.
Great game. Really sad to miss it as it clashed with holiday but live steam was good enough. Solid team performance.
Newcastle fan here, just wanted to say that although I'm a little bit gutted for Chris Hughton I really like Martin Jol and the way your team plays, and hope you do well this season
Didn't think Petric's second goal had taken a deflection, just thought he had curled it in, still a good goal, and from where I was sitting his first seemed to be cleared off the line by reaction of the Putney End, but the MOTD showed it was over the line. Norwich tactics seemed to try and not to allow Fulham to pass out from the back. And to try and close Dembele and Ruiz from bring the ball out of defense by pressuring them with two players, but Moussa and Bryan just dribbled past them most the time then mid-field was opened up for them, or if they were swamped they had Diarra as an outlet. For me Dembele gets my MOTM vote as he did just a bit better than Ruiz under pressure. Ruiz for me is still vulnerable to losing the ball trying to dribble the ball out of defense. A good all round team performance against a team who didn't test Schwarzer too much.
Thought the same as you at the time about Petric's goal, SuperBri. And everything you say about the midfield including this bit about Bryan losing the ball in our half. In fairness to him however, it happened only a couple of times and on each occasion when he had 2/3 of their players harrassing him. He definitely looks stronger and showed a willingness to shoot which is promising. Something not mentioned yet was the improvement in our corner kicks -Bryan/Duff - posed a threat every time (sorry Danny !). On MOTM, I still have to go with Diarra. He ran the show by making himself available; making the simple pass or the through ball just perfectly. Goal of the match has to be Kaca's because of the build up and also how the young man read the play - he's definitely is the next Graham Leggat.
Player Ratings Interesting article this, because it give a view from the other side of the fence - http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/sport/fulham_v_norwich_city_player_ratings_1_1487533 The comments justifying the individual ratings seem fair. It doesn't say what the marks are out of; I assume 10 but it may be 7!! Whatever, it confirms that we were consistently good across the team.
Here are video highlights from the Club - http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/august/20/norwich-highlights
Craven Cottage Newsround has a brief stat breakdown of the Norwich game http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2012/08/20/quick-post-stat-attack/ I won't repeat the points made in the article: (summary: our midfield passed with aplomb, and Diarra has Murphy-like stats), but here's the link to their source: http://www.whoscored.com/Matches/61...gland-Premier-League-2012-2013-Fulham-Norwich One that jumps out at me, which CCN didn't pick up on, is that we won 82% of the aerial battles. 82%!! Against a team featuring the biggest of big men up front! This was a victory built on more than silky passing and movement, we won the physical battles too.
I think the Norwich paper ratings are a little miserly, which reflects the parochial concerns of a local paper (although their summary of how everyone played is pretty accurate). On the 'who scored' ratings, 8 of our starting eleven got 7.6 or higher, which I think is a better reflection of the game. I hadn't seen whoscored.com before this, but it looks like a site worth revisiting.
