Tuesday 18 November 2008

Statto

Getting a bit ahead of myself here, but I've been looking at some stats from the last couple of seasons. Fulham have won as many at home already this season as they did in the whole of last season - 5.

In fact out of 7 home games (8 including Carling Cup) they have only been beaten once (West Ham) and only drawn once (Sunderland). In fact only Man United and Liverpool have a better home record than Fulham, who have taken an average of 2.28 points per game at home.

Conversely, they are the worst away team in the league, but as we don't pay to watch those games, it doesn't really matter other than for league position, which at the moment is a sprightly 10th (although only four points from the drop zone).

Overall the only teams to have conceded fewer goals than Fulham are Chelsea, Liverpool and Man United. However only Bolton, West Ham and Sunderland have scored fewer goals per game.

Monday 17 November 2008

Fulham 0 - 0 Sunderland

Shock, horror! After a busy old month or so on a professional and personal level, I thought I'd make amends and play catch up. This was a strange old game. The same fixture last year had Sunderland playing terribly, somehow running off with a 3-1 win and leaving me with the 100% assertion that Fulham were going down after a spineless display.
This season, and seven months later, Sunderland were by far the best team, yet didn't enjoy the luck from their spring visit and come away with just a solitary point. Typifying the Black Cats' fortunes was a stupendous free kick from Kieron Richardson which hit the left hand post, rolled across the line to the right hand post, bounced off that and came back across goal, hit a bewildered Mark Schwarzer on the leg before coming off the left hand post AGAIN and dropping into the keeper's grateful hands. I've never, ever seen a single shot hit the post three times. That's just ridiculous.
It really was not Richardson's day as he had a scorching free kick goal disallowed because of trouble in the wall. We couldn't really make out why it didn't count as it was down the Putney end, but all that happened it seemed was Jimmy Bullard playfully squeezing 'bits' of former teammate Pascal Chimbonda. Fortune favours the gay? Sorry, cheap joke.
Bullard himself still can't find a Fulham shirt with the ball, but he's running like a looney everywhere. Hopefully he'lll play himself into a bit of form, but he's a bit of a liability at the moment.
Woy shocked everyone by using a substitution in this game! The unlucky Dempsey came on for Gera, although there wasn't much difference in play after the substitution. Since slagging Hangeland off, he has been playing extremely well. Long may it continue.

EDIT - One thing I was surprised about was the booing of David Healy when he came on as as sub. The guy did his best for Fulham, but it was clear that he wasn't in Hodgson's plans. Why boo him for moving to a team that wants him?

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