Ricardo's report v Fulham

ricardo · February 9, 2013

The prospect of this game had me worried all the week. History says we seldom get a result against Fulham and the sight of a City team running out with a Holt shaped hole did little to raise the spirits.Becchio was given his chance and might well have made any early mark when a nice City move between Bennett and Garrido gave him a sharp chance but Schwartzer comfortably saved his side-footed effort. Fulham began to dominate possession but it was City who looked the more direct and thus the more likely to score. There was some nice approach work starring Wes and Snoddy but all to often they ran into a wall of Fulham defenders. Russell Martin had a chance with a header but didn''t get over it properly and the ball ballooned over the bar. Berbatov was showing his class with some nice movement finding space and time in front of the City defence but thankfully there was little sign of a cutting edge from the Cottagers.It all got a bit congested in midfield with both teams snapping tackles in and inevitably the yellow card started to be flashed by Howard Webb, Frimpong and Elliott Bennett being the offenders. Snoddy was a constant danger down the right and he earned several corners and free kicks but there was very little sign of a goal coming. You got the feeling that one goal would win it but you couldn''t be sure which team would come out on top and with defences in the ascendancy it looked like a mistake might be the deciding factor.Fulham upped it a bit at the start of the second half and Sidwell tried one from twenty yards but Bunn easily pushed it away to his right. There were long periods of midfield battling and when City did break forward it was usually with Wes or Snoddy. The latter had a great run down the right after robbing Berbatov but after beating four men he ran into a brick wall on the edge of the Fulham area. City were eventually getting balls into the box but the powerful Fulham defence had plenty of height and there was little in the way of a clear cut chance. Bennet went off for Jacko but the pattern of play continued very much in the same way.The scoreboard broke down so I had little idea of the remaining time. Kamara came on looking big and strong and showed us he had plenty of pace as well but when 3 minutes added was signaled it all got a bit desperate. A late corner was cleared with difficulty as the crowd raised the decibel level and then a last gasp free kick gave City a final chance. Garrido lofted it high but after a bit of head tennis Fulham cleared and that was that.It was a tough game and I think honours even was fair enough. Looking on the bright side its a point gained against a useful side who have often been a thorn in our flesh in the past. Fulham were very defensive but it was the kind of game we have often lost in days gone by so I am heartened by the point gained. Its another game gone and we edged another point closer to safety and away from the chasing pack (plus 1p5wich lost)..MOM, either Wes or Snoddy but the middle two also did an excellent job while Bassong and Turner looked as solid as ever. Becchio did o.k. but found it hard going against a tough defence. We need Holt to be fit for the final push.

Dubai Mark · February 9, 2013

Thanks for taking the trouble to write a report, always appreciated...and as usual I agree with just about everything, we must have watched the same game. I''m sure elsewhere on this board there will be plenty of negative threads over reacting, I will choose not to read them. For me one thing you mention really sums up this match...... "but it was the kind of game we have often lost in days gone by", and for me thats exactly why, even subject to a few more ups and downs this season, we will do eneough and have enough to stay up.

Herman · February 9, 2013

Thanks Ricardo. Good objective report.

Rudolph Hucker · February 9, 2013

Thanks Ricardo, I don''t know how we have become so impotent, have you had your cat neutered?

This had all the hallmarks of a dire game and it followed the script. That said, I thought all our players worked extremely hard -they had to because man for man Fulham had more quality. People who thought this was a game we were likely to win were seriously underestimating Fulham.

I believe it was Hughon''s game plan to play so deep in our own half to deny Fulham space and limit their pace players. But as a result it was hard to get players forward to support attacks and the likes of Wes and Snoddy ended up trying to dribble it through.

Becchio got Holts role and took a lot of stick but put in a shift well outside his comfort zone. Hughton will be pleased having been forced into a change.

But what struck me was yet another set of opponents being able to play a really high line as we have no pace up front and no one in the middle capable of hitting 40 yard balls into gaps. This began to change when Kamara came on.

And when Kamara came on and ran at Fulham somebody re-pressed the crowd mute button and suddenly there was volume and atmosphere such as has hardly been heard at Carrow Road this season because matches are seldom uplifting. Okay, the big picture is to survive this season and we are not on he dreaded losing streak so we will just have to suck it up I suppose.

Kamara certainly has a bit of an aura and showed real intent, he''s a big lad so please God let him be a find? I had to laugh when McVeigh when asked about him said strikers are judged on goals.....doesn''t say much for Kei''s competition then.

Jacko looks a long way down the pecking order. Garrido is very overrated and Whittaker has to be accommodated at his expense.

But praise to the players for keeping it tight o the end, they had to work hard and concentrate.

But Hughton frustrates me. Okay, Kamara isn''t match fit but what are the risks for another 15 minutes? If you always worried about the risks, like Holt, you wouldn''t get out of bed.

ricardo · February 9, 2013

[quote user="RUDOLPH HUCKER"]Thanks Ricardo, I don''t know how we have become so impotent, have you had your cat neutered?