Fulham's Prospects for Europe

Back in August when the Premier League started up, I had hopes only that Fulham would avoid a relegation battle as the Premier League season wound down. With six games to go in the League, not only to Fulham essentially assured of staying up, being 13 points above the relegation zone, but by sitting in 8th place in the league there is a slim hope that the Whites might find themselves in European play next year. The inaugural Europa League (essentially a re-branded UEFA Cup) is within sight.

England will have four champions league spots next year and it looks like Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea will get the three automatic group stages berths and Arsenel will have to play into the groups again next year. Normally, that would mean that the next two spots in the table, currently held by Aston Villa and Everton, would see Europa League spots. Fulham, sitting 8th but only one point beind 7th Place West Ham United, would be on the outside looking in.

But here is where things get interesting, there are two ways in which Fulham might find a place in at least the Europa league qualifiers. First, with the semi-finals of the FA Cup coming up this weekend, the four teams in the FA Cup semi-finals are Arsenel, Everton, Chelsea and Manchester United. The winner of the FA Cup gets an automatic berth in the Europa League. But if that team is in a league position where A) they have a Champions League berth or B) a Europa League Berth, and win the FA Cup, then the next elgible team gets a spot. With all four teams in the FA Cup currently sitting (comfortably) in a European spot, the 7th place team in the League is likely to get a European berth next year. Right now that is West Ham, but as I said there is only a single point between Fulham and West Ham (their run in schedules are below).

Now if Fulham finish 8th, not all hope is lost for European play. UEFA has a fair play spot available for the league and the team that demonstrates the best fair play through out the season. I don't know where the Premier League sits in the UEFA fair play rankings, but Fulham are top spot in the Premier League Fair Play Table. The calculations for the Fair Play spot are convoluted at best so I don't know how this would work out, but Fair Play is a possibility.

Fulham six game run in looks like this:

Away to Middlesbrough
Home to Stoke City
Away to Chelsea
Home to Aston Villa
Away to Newcastle
Home to Everton

I can see 9 to 11 points out of this set of fixtures. Fulham have been solid at the Cottage all year, so three points are probable from Stoke and maybe a point each from Aston Villa (whose form of late has been horrid) and Everton (tough to play anywhere) for five points at home and may be as many as 9 points (Villa and Everton look all but assured of European play so there will be little to play for). Away from home, three points from Middlesbrough seems possible given their shocking form. Chelsea is always tough at stamford Bridge and have looked good with Guus Hiddinck at the helm. A point may be the best to hope for, but not likely. Finally, Newcastle are tough in the Northeast and they may still be in the midst of a relegation battle, so a point would a good result but you never know which Newcastle team will show up so three points is not out of the realm of possibility. That would be 3 to 6 points on the road.

Factors in Fulham's favor. The starting 11 for the past three games has been the same and they are playing very well together. They look fit, not tired, and are really playing solid football (even the Liverpool last minute loss was a fine display of football).

West Ham's run-in looks like this (Iinterestingly enought, Fulham and West Ham will face five of the same teams in the last six rounds):

Away to Aston Villa
Home with Chelsea
Away to Stoke City
Home with Liverpool
Away to Everton
Home with Middlesbrough

This weekend, West Ham will face a wobbly Aston Villa at Villa Park. But the big difference between some of these games will be where they take place. West Ham face Stoke at the Brittania--a tough place to play--and Aston Villa at Villa Park, also not an easy place to play, and Everton away. Fulham plays those three teams at home. Additionally, with Liverpool on a cracking run of form (they scored four goals against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last night) and sniffing a Premier League title, there will be no quarter there. Chelsea is also looking like a possible title contender as well. The only three points I think should be in the bag will be the Middlesbrough match. I think West Ham manager Zola will be hard pressed to get a total of nine points from this fixture list.

Fulham have one other advantage--goal difference. Only three other teams in the Premier League (Man United, Liverpool and Chelsea) have conceeded fewer goals than Fulham who have given up only 28 goals all season. Sure, they have only scored 33, but that gives them a +5 Goal difference. West Ham have a +1 difference and are looking at the current goal machine of Liverpool as well, so a negative goal difference is not out of the realm of possibility.

In August of last year, I was simply hoping Fulham finished 12th or 13th in the league, now it looks like a European spot is not impossible. What a turnaround. A top half finish is great, and Europena spot would just be gravy.

USA 3:0 Trinidad & Tobago

Jozy Altidore scores three more, putting at scoring four goals in two games and a total of six goals in 9 games for the U.S.--and all that based on getting absolutely no playing time for his club team. The U.S. looked good, but should have won this game. Trinidad did not provide as tough a test as say Costa Rica will. I am happy for Altidore, but I really don't expect Bob Bradley to continue with this kind of set up going forward.

First, Altidore and Brian Ching are not going to work well together unless Bob Bradley sets Altidore free to roam, pick the ball up and carry it forward. The problem is that Altidore, who has the strength, speed and gumption to take players on, is wasted in that kind of a role. Altidore is a goal scorer and a poacher. He needs to be playing up top, holding the ball and dishing it off and going to goal to poach the net. But Altidore would be competing with Brian Ching for that role. Now, I think that over time, Altidore will prove better at the target striker role than Ching, if based on nothing more than age and size. But Bob Bradley has not shown any inclination to give Altidore that shot on a regular basis. Ching has demonstrated that he can do the job and take the abuse that is dished out by CONCACAF back lines, but I don't think Ching is going to be able to perform that role against stiffer international competition.

Second, the 4-4-2 set up Bradley used last week puts a massive burden on the outside fullbacks. With Landon Donovan on the left and Clint Dempsey on the right, what the U.S. has are not traditional wingers in any sense. Both men like to roam inside a little bit too much. Such a mindset robs the American attack of any width from their midfielders (and with Bradley's insistence on keeping his central midfielders pulled back with defensive responsibilities) and a great big hole is opened up in the midfield. The hole is either filled with Donovan and Dempsey or it is left open. When Donovan and Dempsey start moving in, the pressure is on the right and left backs to provide that width. So far, Frankie Hejduk has proved up to the task, literally running like the energizer bunny. I think Hejduk has the form to make it to the 2010 World Cup and has easily supplanted Steve Cherundolo as the number 1 right back, but the man is 35 and will be 36 next year for the World Cup, it is a risk.

On the left side was DaMarcus Beasley, not a natural left back, although he did play well. Beasley has a boat load of speed, the ability to take players on in the attack and the necessary defensive skills to play the position--if he could last 90 minutes making the regular overlapping runs and then getting back to defend, time and time again. By the end of the match Beasley looked knackered and did not contribute much on attack or defense. He is not going to be the solution for the long term and Heath Pearce is not the solution either. Can Jonathan Bornstein make the jump? What about Marvell Wynne? Alternatively, the U.S. might want to cosider putting Clarence Goodson into central defense and move Carlos Bocanegra (who plays left back for Rennes) to the flank. What about moving Hejduk to the left and slot Wynne into the right? There is not winger on the planet, including Gabby Agbonglahor or Theo Wolcott, who is going to out sprint Wynne. The problem with Wynne on the flanks is that his crossing ability needs some real work. Simply put, left back is one of the biggest positional concerns for the U.S. and I don't see a solution on the horizon.

But last week in Nashville, the U.S. fans were treated to a "what could be" display, with the combination of Donovan and Altidore, the best U.S. player combining with what could be the future best player that America has produced and it was a treat to watch them hook up and score goals. But really, it is little more than a what if display. I simply don't see Bradley giving up on Ching, although I think Altidore could do the job of being a target striker. Likewise, I don't really see the future of Donovan on the left wing. I would think that even if Altidore is playing up top, Donovan is more creative when given license to play all over, off of the target striker and that boils down to a 4-5-1. In the 4-4-2 we saw last week, there is simply not enough width to the U.S. and without the width, they become very easy to defend. Unless Bradley is prepared to play a 4-4-2 with more of a diamond midfield, i.e. a single holding midfielder and an attacking/playmaking central midfielder, the U.S. doesn't have the left back position solidified enough to make it a viable threat and option.

Fulham Take a Point from Arsenel

Traveling across town to the Emirates to take on Arsenel in years past might have been written off as three points lost by the Cottagers. But while Fulham aren't winning on the road, they aren't losing either. In two games against the Gunners this year, Fulham have taken four points. Today's 0-0 draw is another in a long line of draws for the Whites,

The 0-0 draw is Arsenel's fourth in a row in the Premier league. Fulham, on the other hand, are in the middle of a 8 games in four weeks run of games. Again, whilst Fulham's away form is nothing to particularly write home about, Fulham's organization and discipline on defending, coupled with a several fine saves from Mark Schwarzer (and a bit of help from the woodwork) have kept Fulham in a position to keep getting draws away from home. Sure, we are still not scoring goals, but if we aren't conceding goals either, it puts the Whites in a position to possibly nick three points on the road with a little luck.

Fulham was unlucky several times this game, with the run of play being clearly in Fulham's favor in the first half. Andy Johnson and Bobby Zamora were creating openings and making life very difficult for the Arsenel back line. Zamora was taking shots from distance. The two strikers were pairing together, moving the ball around and finding seams to exploit Arsenel's apparent complacency on defense. Several good opportunities were created and Fulham were unlucky to not have come out of the first half with a goal.

Fulham were equally lucky to have kept Arsenel off the score sheet as well. Robin Van Persie had several great chances on crosses and corner kicks and Schwarzer has to make a great goal line save on a strong van Persie header early in the first half.

The second half found Arsenel with more of the attacking flow and Fulham were able to absorb the attack. Even with Arsenel's addition of Emmanuel Eboue and Nicklas Bendtner, Fulham were able to keep Arsenel from scoring.

Admittedly, Fulham played a fair amount of negative football, but it is not like Roy Hodgson put ten men behind the ball and prayed. There were some very creative counterattacks and Zamora and Johnson continued to make life difficult for the Gunners. But Arsenel couldn't crack the Fulham defense.

Fulham have conceded only 22 goals this season, only Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea have conceded fewer goals. With that record, the fact that Fulham have only scored only 24 goals seems less important. Fulham have 34 points now in the league and it is looking like Fulham will be staying up, the magic number looks to be about 34 or 35 this eyar. They currently have a nine point leader on the drop zone and Fulham still have matches to play against cellar dwellers Stoke, Blackburn and Middlesbrough to go which if they win those, will ensure that Fulham will probably finish mid-table. There is an outside chance of European play next year. Wouldnt' that be a great change from relegation dogfights.

Seriously--VooDoo

The Mexican National Team has a seriously long list of injured first teamers in advance of the World Cup qualifier with the U.S. on Feb. 11 in very frigid Columbus.

They need so much help, they are turning to Voodoo--seriously?

I wonder what Sven-Goran Erickson thinks of this plan.

Parkhurst Called Up to National Team

Soccer By Ives reports that Michael Parkhurst got a call to hop a flight from Denmark to Carson, CA for duty with the U.S. National Team.

With Clarence Goodson, Cory Gibbs and Sean Franklin all out of camp due to injuries, the back line was looking a little thin without the standard Eurepean-based crew of Onyewu, Bocanegra, Pearce and Cherundolo.

Parkhurst, who should get an award for the cleanest, most effective defender in the world, will probably get the start against Sweden this weekend.

It kind of goes to prove that, sometimes, in order to get love from the U.S. MNT, you have to go overseas.

Fulham Match vs. Blackburn Postponed

Referee Rob Styles, after a pitch inspection, felt the freezing conditions and the conditions of the pitch necessitated a postponement of the match at Craven Cottage. The Fulham/Blackburn match was not the only match postponed today.

Soccer Charity

Mia Hamm and her non-soccer playing husband Nomar Garciaparra have a soccer charity match coming up in a little over a week. Some of the names you know, including more than a few from Hollywood United's list of stars and a few women's national team players.

Soccer is a world wide game and no matter where you see pros playing, you will see them doing charitable work. Yes, I know other professional sports figures do it as well, but these kinds of efforts, no matter where they take place are important.

If you are in the L.A. area next Saturday and want to see a fun game, stop by.

Everclear “Volvo Driving Soccer Mom” | TheOriginalWinger.com

Everclear “Volvo Driving Soccer Mom”

Cooper to Stay in MLS

U.S. International striker Kenny Cooper appears to be staying in MLS for another year.

It appears that Kenny Cooper will be staying state-side for one more year.

The imposing striker nearly joined Cardiff FC in the summer, but FC Dallas rejected the proposed deal even after MLS had agreed terms. Many expected the USA international to complete a move in the winter, but that appears to not be the case.

“I believe we will have Kenny for this year,” Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman said according to DallasSoccerNews.com. When prodded for further explanation, he said, “All I know, we got an O.K. to count on Kenny for the season.”

Could Cooper be the victim of a tight global credit market? Maybe. But here is something more likely, Cooper starts with MLS but come the summer transfer window, he pulls a Jozy Altidore and ends up with a quality European club before the start of their seasons.

I certainly hope Cooper has gotten a nice big fat raise. The man was making just $80,000 per year and certainly is worthy of a hefty raise.

MLS Pay Problems from a Player Perspective

Yanks Abroad has a good interview with reader submitted questions for Matt Taylor, a former MLS player who is now successfully plying his trade in Bundesliga 2 with TuS Koblenz (and scoring a lot of goals while he is at it). Lots of good questions, but this one really needs to hit home for the MLS.

IX) What would you say that MLS needs to do to keep players like yourself in the league? What was your biggest complaint of how the league is structured?

- Andrew Chester, Poway, California

The obvious reasons for players to leave the US would be money and opportunity; it is difficult with a salary cap and the lower interest level in the sport.

In Germany, for example there is so much opportunity to climb the pay-scale and play for better teams in Europe. It seems that the sky is the limit here. If a player has a good season, a better team can buy him, which is a win win situation. The player then gets to play on a better team with better competition and also earns more money.

In MLS, if a player has a good season, not much will happen because this player probably has a long term contract with minimal, non-performance based increases factored into the deal.

MLS teams do not sell or buy players within the league and there is no incentive when players are traded. This structure inhibits players from realizing their true value. If MLS adopted a promotion-relegation system, and let the free market determine player values, both fan and player interest would increase.

The current system may have been necessary to the formation of the league, and MLS will probably evolve into something closer to the European model.

For me the salary cap does impose some problems and I would like to see the MLS move away from the hard salary cap and its multiple restrictions and exemptions (like Designated players and Generation Addidas and academy exemptiosn) and move toward something like Major League Baseball's luxury tax system.

But from a marketing perspective, MLS clubs really need to play up their young Americans stars and then do as much as possible to keep them here and playing.

Fulham Grab First Road Win in FA Cup

Andy Johnson netted a brace and the Cottagers booked a place in the FA Cup Fourth Round with a 1-2 win at Sheffield Wednesday. Highlights are here.

Take a look at the brilliant ball that sprung Johnson for his first goal.

Reading's Adam Federici Scores Against Cardiff

To tie the match with seconds left in stoppage time. Big deal you say, yet another last gasp effort to salvage a point, right.

Well not so much, you see, Federici is Reading's backup to Marcus Hahnemann--he's a goalkeeper.

This is not your normal, goalkeeper floats a long free kick or punt over the head of an unsuspecting and ill-prepare opposing keeper, Federici scores on a corner kick, after a scrum in the six yard box.

Cool stuff.

Premier League football news from the Barclays Premier League Wenger: Arsenal so close

Aresenal Manager Arsene Wenger says his team is close to dominating the Premier League.

Of course, that is similar to what he has said for like four years and his squad haven't won any silverware for years now.

Perhaps a new talking point is needed.

Villa Gets Win, Stays in Fourth in Premier League

Hull City 0-1 Aston Villa. Villa is not only winning big, but grinding out results on the road as well. If Villa had won against Stoke City and Middlesbrough earlier in teh year, they would be sitting second behind Liverpool on 44 points.

But grinding out last nights result on the road is making me a believer in Marin O'Neill's crew.

Fulham's Year In Photos

There are lots of good ones. Included in the retrospective, Brian McBride's return to form, a few goals, The Great Escape, the Johnny Haynes statue dedication, Roy Hodgson, and form this year, even training ground photos.

Lots of good stuff for Fulham fans.

Bob Bradley Names Training Camp Squad

As the U.S. Men's national team prepares for their Jan. 24 friednly against Sweden, U.S. Coach Bob Bradley has called 25 players into camp to begin on January 4.

The squad is top heavy with MLS players and a quartet of players from Scandanavian clubs who are on winter break. Some very notable names in the squad, which include

GOALKEEPERS: Jon Busch (Chicago Fire), Will Hesmer (Columbus Crew), Troy Perkins (Valerenga IF), Matt Pickens (out of contract). I like the inclusion of Busch and Hesmer along with Perkins, but honestly, I would have loved to see Joe Cannon on this list instead of Pickens. Still these guys are realistically just battling for third back up behind Tim Howard and Brad Guzan. But the U.S. continues to generate quality keepers and this crop is no exception. Keeper is the one position in the U.S. development that I never worry about.

DEFENDERS (8): Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Danny Califf (FC Midtjylland), Sean Franklin (Los Angeles Galaxy), Cory Gibbs (Colorado Rapids), Clarence Goodson (IK Start), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew), Chris Wingert (Real Salt Lake), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC). Lots of quality, young players here. Of this group, I would expect to see Califf, Goodson, Wynne and Marshall in camp pretty often this year. Franklin has earned a shot, but I think another year of seasoning under Bruce Arena will go a long way to helping him. If the U.S. qualify quickly in the final Hexagonal, I could see Franklin getting some run outs in later matches. My only concern with Marshall is that he doesn't have great speed, but then again neither does Carlos Bocanegra. Boca makes up for it with better position, which I think Marshall lacks. Gibbs, Wingert and Bornstein will have to be impressive to overcome the holds that Steve Cherundolo and Heath Pearce have on the outside backs. Wynne gets included because, let's face it, he is probably the fastest guy on the pitch.

MIDFIELDERS (9): Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Brian Carroll (Columbus Crew), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Eddie Gaven (Columbus Crew), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo), Jack Jewsbury (Kansas City Wizards), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew), John Thorrington (Chicago Fire). Cameron is a surprise here, but other than not, nothing really jumps out at me as a shocker. Carroll is long over due and I think he is a better holding midfilder than Clark. The young wingers Gaven and Rodgers were formidable for Columbus and could be for the U.S.

FORWARDS (4): Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Kenny Cooper (FC Dallas), Charlie Davies (Hammarby IF), Chris Rolfe (Chicago Fire). I still don't get Bob Bradley's fascination for Chris Rolfe, but the rest of this group is solid. Ching is a workhorse, but lacks the speed of Cooper and Davies.

Some names that I kind of hoped I would see here, even if for just a look, Jeremiah White (AGF Aarhus), Santino Quaranta (DC United--a personal favorite), the aforementioned Joe Cannon (San Jose).

Any others?

Roy Hodgson Looks Back on 2008

It has been a good year for the Fulham gaffer, and Hodgson notes:

"It’s been a great football year for me,” said Hodgson as he looked back on the past 12 months. “I got thrown into the deep end; we had a very poor start. It took us until February until we actually won a game, after five or six games we’d only taken one point and a lot of defeats.

“But to turn that around as the players did, with fantastic work and commitment, and to actually keep us in the league was a great feeling. To kick on from there and finish the year in the top half of the table, we’ve got to be very satisfied with that.

“But we remain humble and we remain very conscious of the fact that it can change very quickly. We’ve got to be careful that we don’t get carried away.

“We’ll congratulate ourselves to a moderate extent but at the same time, we realise there’s an awful lot of football to be played in this league, we’re a long way from the 40 points that we’re targeting. It’s important that we keep our good qualities alive and we don’t, for one minute, start to believe that it’s going to be an easier task than it’s actually going to be.”

Staying focused on the task at hand is what will keep Fulham in the top half of the table and might earn Hodgson manager of the year votes.

Rumor has it that Hodgson gives his team complete dossiers on their opponents prior ot each match. Not sure what is in those dossiers, but they should include a note to Andy Johnson and Bobby Zamora to start scoring some goals.

Fulham Coincidence?

American international Clint Dempsey has started the last eight matches for Fulham, who are on a nine game unbeaten streak.

Coincidence?

Interesting stat fact, this time last year Fulham were sitting 18th with 14 points and Lawrie Sanchez had gotten the sack and Hodgson had been hired.

Clint Dempsey's Brace and Scolari's Reaction

Fulham garnered two wins over the weekend, with a 0-0 draw against Tottentham at White Hart Lane and leveling against Chelsea 2-2 at Craven Cottage. Clint Dempsey scored a brace and a yellow card for his shirtless celebration on Sunday. The two draws mean that Fulham have extended their streak to nine games without a loss, granted, there is an awful lot of draws in those nine games, six draws.

While I am happy that Dempsey netted twice for the Cottagers, I have to be honest and say that he is the lucky recipient of horrendous marking on set pieces by Chelsea. Here is Dempsey's second goal, on a solid header, and the reaction of Chelsea manager Luis Felipe Scolari.

Fulham has been playing with superb organization in the back. Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer and the defense anchored usually by Brede Hangeland and Aaron Hughes, have put together eight clean sheets this season. Yes, they looked good at times on Sunday, but Chelsea should really have won that game.

Roy Hodgson has done superbly this getting the Fulham back line organized and disciplined. The midfield is working well, with Clint Dempsey learning to play well on the wing on either side and hitting a good streak of form of late, Simon Davies playing on the opposite wing. Until a recent injury, Jimmy Bullard and Danny Murphy have been solid in the central midfield. My only beef right now for Fulham is the scoring. Bobby Zamora and Andy Johnson work very hard harassing the opposing back lines, but they are not working well at doing their primary job, i.e. scoring goals. Hodgson seems happy with his 4-4-2, and it certainly is getting results for the Whites, but good grief, we need some more goals.

But Fulham's recent run is good news. They are six points clear of the relegation zone in a very tight table. Coming up are a series of fixtures against teams in the bottom half of the table, with games against Blackburn Rovers(19th place-18 points), West Ham United (10th Place-25 points), Sunderland(15th place-22 points), and Portsmouth(12th place-23 points) in January. If Fulham can grab 6 to 7 points in four games, Fulham will be clearly on the verge of a top half of the table finish and and certainly shouldn't find themselves in a relegation dogfight at the end of the season.

Next up for Fulham is Sheffield Wednsday this weekend in FA Cup Third Round action.

It Is Not a Win, but A Point Away from Home for Fulham

The Cottagers traveled to White Hart Lane and nabbed a point, with Fulham grabbing their fourth consecutive clean sheet away from home and extend their unbeaten streak to eight games. True, it is dropping points, but given Fulham's dismal away record in the past years, a point is a point. The draw puts Fulham five points clear of the relegation zone and into 8th place on the table, which gives an indication of just how tightly packed this season is in terms of the standings. Another indication, Fulham, on 25 points, is just two points shy of finding themselves in a spot for the UEFA cup next year, with a game in hand over Hull City and everton and just four points behind Arsenel.

Interestingly, defensive Stalwart Brede Hangeland did not see action and did not dress for today's game. Given that Fulham will host Chelsea on Sunday, I am not sure we should read much into that the non-start. But with the rumors of Hangeland leaving in the January window, it is hard to simply dismiss speculation.

I haven't seen highlights yet, but the game report describes some outstanding work by Mark Schwarzer, Danny Murphy and a few opportunities denied by Tottenham's netminder Heurelho Gomes (who is reportedly fighting for his job with Spurs) against Clint Dempsey and Bobby Zamora.