Fulham 2 - 1 West Ham: A Report

Article by Fulham Correspondent Barnaby Mollett

In many ways, Fulham's 2-1 victory over West Ham United was a story any fan of the Cottagers would recognise.

In exhibiting what can only be called 'stark Craven mad' defending this season, Fulham have conceded the first goal in 15 of their 20 Premier League games. I asked my pal, long-time deceased statistical wizard Bernoulli to crunch the numbers for me, and it turns out Fulham on average concede a first goal in the 36th minute, but score their first goal after 49 minutes. The Cottagers are also yet to score a PL goal in the opening 15 minutes of a game this season. This explains the phenomenon of 'half-time grumbles of fury' amongst Fulham fans - on more than one occasion, they've been a goal down in the first half, and only started performing in the second.

Those who saw Mo Diame's sliced finish past Stockdale inside 10 minutes on New Year's Day as nothing more than a slice of gateaux de ja vu, were probably right to. Even without the stats, it was another instance of questionable defending - a long ball from the keeper barely noticed by any of the defence, scuffed in aside a hapless keeper. If Philippe Senderos was on Celebrity Mastermind this week, few would be surprised if his specialist subject was 'Defensive Errors in the Premier League 2004 - Present'. Amorebieta looked about as convincing as a scarecrow made from a Care Bear. Only 3 clean sheets have been kept all season. It is genuinely great news that Brede Hangeland returned to light training this week; although the Norwegian wasn't at his best earlier in the season, the team has never missed their club captain so much. This reporter is also pleased that Rene Meulensteen must've overheard me talking to my dad and suggesting that Dan Burn should be recalled from Birmingham. At 6'6", he could be just the towering presence the defence has been lacking - and surely the FA Cup game against Norwich would be a good test of Burn's credentials?

Thankfully, the Whites didn't wait until half-time to restore parity against the Hammers. Steve Sidwell nodded in an accurate header on 32 minutes, to bag his fourth of the season. To fill a sentence with Green Day references, along with Scott Parker, Sidwell has been in the Minority playing well in a Redundant team so often found uselessly wandering down the Boulevard of Broken Dreams. Although Fulham did step up their game, much applause will have to go to Kevin Nolan, who kicked out at Fernando Amorebieta to reduce his team to 10-men, just when West Ham needed their captain the most. Sam Allardyce has since fined Nolan £100,000 - though if his absence in the next four games costs the Hammers their Premier League survival, that fine will seem as insignificant as the day after the day after Pancake Day.

Despite having 30 shots, and 11 on target, it took Fulham until the 66th minute to go in front, when Berbatov stabbed home. It was a surprise to many that Berbatov made the team after another 'late fitness test' and rumours of a £2.5 million transfer to Arsenal. But, as frustrating as the Bulgarian may be at times, he proved his worth, by scoring his fifth of the season - securing three points in one of the most genuine six-pointers in recent Fulham memory. If Berbatov does leave in this January transfer window two things are certain: firstly, Fulham will definitely get another striker in (since 'give the ball to Berbs' has been Fulham's Plan A for the last two seasons), and secondly, he will leave most fans with fond memories of a time they signed a player who - in moments - showed real international class.

All in all, this was an occasion where the result was so, so much more important than the performance. Nonetheless, Fulham did produce nice football at times, and overcame the haunting of the horror show up at Hull a few days earlier. Taraabt played very well, hurtling towards at the West Ham defence like Sally Gunnell running away from a puma at almost every opportunity. Welcoming back Scott Parker helped sure up the midfield, and Sascha Riether had a blinder at right-back. Hopefully this result - and the imminent introduction of all-American club hero/part-time rapper Clint Dempsey - can spur Fulham on for the next home game against Sunderland.

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