Europa League - Semi Finals

Fulham deserve to win the competition but they will have to go to Germany THREE TIMES and I'm not sure they have the mental strength, most people commit suicide after the first visit.

Their first game was back in July against FK Vėtra

Zamorra is surely worth 45 minutes in an England friendly before the summer?

Kimbo wrote:

Robert F'gerald Earle MBE wrote:

COTR #6 wrote:Well that was very unexpected. How much did we cost you tonight Lrd

Gerrard, Kuyt and The Greek all share my MOTM


Fulham have now knocked out last year's winners, Juve and the German champs. Roy Hodgson is a God to take his tiny squad this far.

Tiny but talented - these guys are no hoofers. His work in the transfer market has been fabulous, taking risks on talented but jaded players and getting them playing to their potential. Duff, Murphy, Zamora, Gera, Davies, Konchesky - all players you'd have thought had their chance and their day.

By the way, Zamora tonight was >>>>>> Dzenko. Edin will be moving soon, will Zamora? I hope not. Would be great if Fulham hold onto this team and build a squad.

Duff is still pretty shit to be fair, he's still scared to take on the fullback or play the ball into the box

Apparently he's been talking about having found a 'new lease of life' at Fulham.

He never really got going at Newcastle for whatever reason. Chopping and changing of managers probably had a lot to do with it

Definitely looks a better player now under the stability of Hodgson. He impressed me down at the Lane in the FA cup quarter final. Certainly not the player he was at Chelsea, but the move to Fulham has been good for him

COTR #6 wrote:

What a goal Zamora

linkage please.

Duff

Robert F'gerald Earle MBE wrote:

Kimbo wrote:

Robert F'gerald Earle MBE wrote:

COTR #6 wrote:Well that was very unexpected. How much did we cost you tonight Lrd

Gerrard, Kuyt and The Greek all share my MOTM


Fulham have now knocked out last year's winners, Juve and the German champs. Roy Hodgson is a God to take his tiny squad this far.

Tiny but talented - these guys are no hoofers. His work in the transfer market has been fabulous, taking risks on talented but jaded players and getting them playing to their potential. Duff, Murphy, Zamora, Gera, Davies, Konchesky - all players you'd have thought had their chance and their day.

By the way, Zamora tonight was >>>>>> Dzenko. Edin will be moving soon, will Zamora? I hope not. Would be great if Fulham hold onto this team and build a squad.

Duff is still pretty shit to be fair, he's still scared to take on the fullback or play the ball into the box

Apparently he's been talking about having found a 'new lease of life' at Fulham.

He never really got going at Newcastle for whatever reason. Chopping and changing of managers probably had a lot to do with it

Definitely looks a better player now under the stability of Hodgson. He impressed me down at the Lane in the FA cup quarter final. Certainly not the player he was at Chelsea, but the move to Fulham has been good for him

The only difference I see is that now when he gets the ball in the final 3rd and starts dribbling backwards with it there is actually someone there for him to pass to in midfield. He's not one of their key players and they could easily replace him.

Pierre Littbarski wrote:...and to think the press would have had us believe that Fulham were all about Bullard !

Proof of Hodgson's cunning in the transfer market - sold Bullard at exactly the right time for 5 million, and he's played about a handful of games for Hull as his career has gone backwards.

One slice of luck for Fulham and Woy was Andy Johnson's injury. Zoltan Gera and Bobby Zamora are a far better partnership for European football than Johnson and Zamora. Johnson is far too one dimensional whereas Gera is a much cleverer player

borocooper wrote:Andy Townsend makes me laugh..

TRWP is a funny guy

Fucking hell, that really was suberb Zamora goal

Pierre Littbarski wrote:

COTR #6 wrote:

What a goal Zamora

linkage please.

Courtesy of Stan Collymore and Channel 5

Brian München wrote:

Robben is just a poor man's Dirk Kuyt.

The Dutchies are currently ruling Europe.

Glenn, were you aware that Puro is a fellow Red? Will he have anything to say about Steven Gerrard's pass for Lucas' second goal?

COTR #6 wrote:

Pierre Littbarski wrote:

COTR #6 wrote:

What a goal Zamora

linkage please.

Courtesy of Stan Collymore and Channel 5

Why is Zamora (and also Fuller when you think about the league) are so underrated? He is a bit C.Cole-ish if you pardon the analogy.

Pierre Littbarski wrote:

COTR #6 wrote:

Pierre Littbarski wrote:

COTR #6 wrote:

What a goal Zamora

linkage please.

Courtesy of Stan Collymore and Channel 5

in the good old days Chanel No. 5 would repeat all the Thursday football at silly o'clock in the morning, with a nice helping of South American and MLS action. Doesn't seem to be the case anymore

Highlights on Five on Saturday morning at 10a.m but Zamorra's goal is bound to be on SSN soon.

Twas delightful.

Thanks

Dualist wrote:Why is Zamora (and also Fuller when you think about the league) are so underrated? He is a bit C.Cole-ish if you pardon the analogy.

Because he has always been a bit of a donkey.

David Luiz is a beast of a player. Benfica are going to get very rich this summer when the bidding starts for him and Di Maria.

Dualist wrote:Why is Zamora (and also Fuller when you think about the league) are so underrated? He is a bit C.Cole-ish if you pardon the analogy.

Fuller had something like 1 goal in 30 EPL appearances before Stoke.

He still only has 3 in the league this season but a great all round game.

Zamora isn't underrated - everyone is talking about him playing for England.

No one said this before Fulham 'cos he just wasn't very good - even Fulham fans seemed to dislike him until very recently.

Dualist wrote:Why is Zamora (and also Fuller when you think about the league) are so underrated? He is a bit C.Cole-ish if you pardon the analogy.

It took Zamora a long time to adjust to the Prem. He was shite at Spurs, and average at Wham.

He now plays to his strengths, which are using his good technique to hold up the ball and play in short passes if he hasn't got an opportunity to shoot. When he was at ours he played without a footballing brain, running down blind alley's, losing his cool when shooting, trying to be too clever on the ball

He's definitely a very decent player now, but it's hard to shake off the reputation from the first few barren years

Robert F'gerald Earle MBE wrote:

Brian München wrote:

Robben is just a poor man's Dirk Kuyt.

The Dutchies are currently ruling Europe.

Glenn, were you aware that Puro is a fellow Red? Will he have anything to say about Steven Gerrard's pass for Lucas' second goal?

Puro is head of the redbloods

Gerrard's "pass" was infact a mis-hit shot, I thought that was obvious.

Robert F'gerald Earle MBE wrote:

Dualist wrote:Why is Zamora (and also Fuller when you think about the league) are so underrated? He is a bit C.Cole-ish if you pardon the analogy.

It took Zamora a long time to adjust to the Prem. He was shite at Spurs, and average at Wham.

He now plays to his strengths, which are using his good technique to hold up the ball and play in short passes if he hasn't got an opportunity to shoot. When he was at ours he played without a footballing brain, running down blind alley's, losing his cool when shooting, trying to be too clever on the ball

He's definitely a very decent player now, but it's hard to shake off the reputation from the first few barren years

Zamorra at Brighton was like a Ronaldo/Collymore hybrid but when he moved up a few divisions he wasn't up to it. He's put on a lot of muscle and gone from being a player who liked to play on the shoulder looking from the ball in behind, to being a 6ft #9 meatpipe and it suits him. If only Michael Owen could adapt accordingly he'd be a certain starter for England.

Robert F'gerald Earle MBE wrote:

Dualist wrote:Why is Zamora (and also Fuller when you think about the league) are so underrated? He is a bit C.Cole-ish if you pardon the analogy. :)

It took Zamora a long time to adjust to the Prem. He was shite at Spurs, and average at Wham.

He now plays to his strengths, which are using his good technique to hold up the ball and play in short passes if he hasn't got an opportunity to shoot. When he was at ours he played without a footballing brain, running down blind alley's, losing his cool when shooting, trying to be too clever on the ball

He's definitely a very decent player now, but it's hard to shake off the reputation from the first few barren years

The difference is he now has clever little players in Gera, Duff Murphy, Davies and Dempsey all picking up his knock ons. Its a bit like Koller with the Czech Republic.

The other thing is Roy Hodgson has improved every player at the club since he has got here. If you are a young player. You want to be coached by Roy. Even Okaka already shows improvement in the few months he has been here.

Losing Johnson was also one the best things that has happened. Gera has been one of the players of the season.

Just realized:
Atletico Madrid are in the semi final of the europa league, and they have won only one international game this season

hilarious



STRATEGICO

Brian München wrote:

Robert F'gerald Earle MBE wrote:

Brian München wrote:

Robben is just a poor man's Dirk Kuyt.

The Dutchies are currently ruling Europe.

Glenn, were you aware that Puro is a fellow Red? Will he have anything to say about Steven Gerrard's pass for Lucas' second goal?

Puro is head of the redbloods

Gerrard's "pass" was infact a mis-hit shot, I thought that was obvious.

FFS I called that one too mes amis, overrated talentless hoofer piece of shite only got away with it because of my man Lucas and his silky Peruvian finish Ain't that right mes amis. My beloved reds would have gone through if it wasn't for that overrated piece of shite

Pierre Littbarski wrote:

Dualist wrote:Why is Zamora (and also Fuller when you think about the league) are so underrated? He is a bit C.Cole-ish if you pardon the analogy. :)

Fuller had something like 1 goal in 30 EPL appearances before Stoke.

He still only has 3 in the league this season but a great all round game.

Zamora isn't underrated - everyone is talking about him playing for England.

No one said this before Fulham 'cos he just wasn't very good - even Fulham fans seemed to dislike him until very recently.

Well when we played Spurs all ITV could talk about at half time was how spurs could get back into it. We may be liked but we aren't a media favourite.

Zamora has to get in front of Heskey though. Heskey has been poor whenever I have seen him.

is hsv first game at home or away?

Özil wrote:is hsv first game at home or away?

At Hamburg then back to Craven Cotage

Antarion wrote:Just realized:
Atletico Madrid are in the semi final of the europa league, and they have won only one international game this season

hilarious



STRATEGICO

That's a terrible statistic, and the most obvious example of the problem with the away goal rule. I do agree with LRD that the English Carling Cup rule of having the away goal rule coming into play only as a last resort(ie after extra time) would be the best method. How a team can get to the semi finals after winning just one game is a joke

Khadrim wrote:

Özil wrote:is hsv first game at home or away?

At Hamburg then back to Craven Cotage

fulham is really a good footballing side, with some great individuals, didnt expect wolfsburg to fail, they were in good shape

but they are too reliable on misimovic, hsv has really the will to fight for there final at home, and more steel and and quality through the squad

i dont make the fault again and underestimate fulham, i say its a 50:50, they can hurt you at home

Robert F'gerald Earle MBE wrote:

Antarion wrote:Just realized:
Atletico Madrid are in the semi final of the europa league, and they have won only one international game this season

hilarious



STRATEGICO

That's a terrible statistic, and the most obvious example of the problem with the away goal rule. I do agree with LRD that the English Carling Cup rule of having the away goal rule coming into play only as a last resort(ie after extra time) would be the best method. How a team can get to the semi finals after winning just one game is a joke

Yes, but part of the problem is also the CL dropout to euro league. They havent won a single cl game, then won one out of five euro league games...drew the other five.

Thats 1 win, 3 losses, 8 draws

boateng is really steel as CB, finally he can play in his main position, the german talent in that area is astonishing good

badstuber (ok he looked like shit against manu, but was his first game in such an atmosphere and pressure game, and his main position is CB)
hummels
boateng
höwedes

then mertesacker and westermann not bad either , i dont rate Tasci, his crap

in 3-4 years when all of your CB talents have more experience in europe we will have 4-5 WC CB

Özil wrote:

Khadrim wrote:

Özil wrote:is hsv first game at home or away?

At Hamburg then back to Craven Cotage

fulham is really a good footballing side, with some great individuals, didnt expect wolfsburg to fail, they were in good shape

but they are too reliable on misimovic, hsv has really the will to fight for there final at home, and more steel and and quality through the squad

i dont make the fault again and underestimate fulham, i say its a 50:50, they can hurt you at home

Have to say that wolfsburg midfield was shocking. I thought the point of a diamond was to outnumber the middle. Instead Etuhu and Murphy were sat inside it with all the time in the world.

Its odd people having a go at Dzeko given the scraps he had to feed on he at least looked like he could score. Grafite was absolutely rubbish. And why did they keep hoofing balls towards Hangeland?