Craven Cottage Newsround

Well, I had an interesting story of my own develop before the game started. See my previous entry for the details.

Also, Rich checks in below with his excellent game review.

Line Ups

Bocanegra is wearing the captain’s armband. There was talk a few weeks ago that some folks didn’t think Boc’s was in Sanchez’s plans for the starting line-up. But he has named Bocenagra captain several times now and have claimed that last week, for the first time he was able to play his starting back four together. So it is Baird, Hughes, Bocanegra and Konchesky.

1
Diagonal ball into Dempsey in the box and - he tries a cute move but goes through his legs and is clear to the keeper.

4
Great ball from outside into the box to Healy who gets pushed in the back by Dunne. I think if he had gone down he might have gotten a penalty. But he stayed on his feet and lost the ball.

11
First shot on goal by City.

12
Great feeling about this build up. I like the way it’s developing and……
Davies scores. 1-0 Fulham
Bouazza dispossesses in our “D” third, out to middle, then to Dempsey back out to Davis wider who feeds an overlapping Bouazza who has made a run all the way down the field from the corner flag after the steal. Great near post cross and Davies is there and somehow squeezes a header into the near post with a defender on him and the goalkeeper watching the near post. Excellent quality from Fulham and Bouazza was outstanding.

17
Run of play is good but nothing special. Good possession by Fulham and a ball off to the left of field and Bouazza decides with no angle to take a shot and with his left foot yet. Bad choice as there are two fulham players in front of goal.

20
Nice ball in by Healy into the box but Dempsey gets the ball knocked away from him.

22
Great long shot upper right from Davis, but Schmeichel has it. Possession is close as is shots at goal but Fulham have definitely had a better quality of possession. Meaning more decent possession close to City’s goal.

25
Ball comes free to from Man City, Niemi comes out to cut down the angle to his right and Petrov shoots high and wide.

30
Great build up between Dempsey, Bouazza and Healy. Bouazza cross and …….nothing.

31
City gets the ball down the right flank quickly and places a deadly cutback cross but Baird is there to collect and distribute.

35
Petrov scores for City 1-1
A quick counter attack ball from City, playing out of their defending third out to Petrov on the left, who has looked dangerous all day. He picks it dribbles the flank then cuts Baird dribbling square across the box, shoots through Hughes’ legs which I think screened Niemi. He gets a paw on the ball but it squeezes under him and into goal. Disappointing after Fulham’s quality so far.

36
Petrov again and crosses to Hamann into the top of the box and the ball is shot wickedly just wide of the upper left corner. Replays show it was just the smallest of margins from going in. Fulham seem to be falling apart defensively and City has them on the ropes.

39
Run of play has certainly turned City’s way. 54 to 46 City.

42
Bouazza wins a corner which he takes with the ball being played out, another corner for Fulham.  Up to this point there’s only been one corner apiece which may explain some of the frenetic pace of the game. Corner taken and…nothing.

42
Ball back to City after a shot comes off of poor Micah Richards face. On another counter the ball comes down quickly to the left of goal. It’s a two on two break but Konchesky is there on the right side of the defense and somehow I feel more confident with Konchesky one on one than Baird. Sure enough, Konchesky slows the play down for cover well enough for everyone to recover and get shape.

Half-time
Stats

-Second half begins-

Kamara in - Davies out
Later reports claim that Davies had a migraine and I know he scored the first goal but sort of glad to see him replaced. Dempsey has moved into his spot with Kamara going up top with Healy.

46
Fulham 2- City 1
Kamara has an immediate impact as he draws a foul right in front of the Pen area. just to the left. Three are lined up, Konchesky, Kamara and Bouazza. Who will take it? My bets on Konchesky, no Kamara fakes and -GOAL- Bouazza strikes a wicked outswinger far center upper left that Schmeichel could reach but can do nothing about. The ball just had far too much pace and I believe they may have to repair the net after that thunderbolt. The type of goal that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up and gives you the chills. The crowd at The Cottage erupt and those 5 or 6 gathered around the TV here at The Local erupt. QUALITY! Bouazza has been a force in this game.

49
Fulham 2 - City 2
City scores. Not sure how that goal even happened. A missed header by Fulham which was won by Mpenza to Petrov. He’s one on one with Bocs now but Boc’s had little time to react and is facing towards his own goal and not a lot he can do. He screws him into the ground with cuts, he fires wickedly but Niemi gets a hand on it as a reflex save, the ball deflects out to Mpenza again. Hughes does not mark his man and Mpenza puts it into goal.

56
Scramble in front of goal Bocs with a great short hop shot and the ball goes just wide of goal.

58
Wide ball to Bouazza, Healy open far post but Bouazza puts the ball right to keeper on his cross. Too bad as Healy had broken his mark and was clean through.

60
Fulham 2- City 3
Give and go from Petrov to Elano and back to Petrov. Baird gets burned again and Petrov scores City’s 3rd goal. Really ugly defending. Twice in this game now that Baird has been burned by Petrov and both have ended up goals for Manchester City. I know there are those of the mind to give his some time but I sure would like to see what Volzy could do back there.

65
Just looking at the possession at the moment and it’s up to 59%-41% in City’s favor. And the half looked so promising when we came right out and scored on the tremendous free kick by Bouazza. City in total control right now.

66
Seol Ki-Hyeon in for Bouazza, Murphy for Healy
Healy seemed to be getting out a bit wide on the right today. I guess I’ve seen him do this before but it certainly seemed we needed him to stay joined with Dempsey more.
I think Dempsey went back up top and Murphy is into the middle. Hi-Hyeon out wide left where Bouazza was.
Corner for City bad clear by Seol near post and Mpenza gets his head on it but puts it wide.

69
Dempsey and Richards go high for a ball as it looks like Dempsey wins it. They both get up hot and both shove, Dempsey stands his ground but doesn’t move. He reminds me of a boxer saying, “Come on then if you want this!”. Both players lean their heads in until they are in deadlock like a couple of big horn sheep. Sort of funny really. Yellow for both.

72
Ball to Dempsey who gets nailed going high to win the ball. No foul and the ball is played to Kamara who is offside but it was close.

74
Fulham 3 - City 3
Danny Murphy fist goal for Fulham and it’s quality. Kamara great back behind his back flick as the ball went by him to redirect to Murphy who is clear and he finishes calmly low and to the right of Schmeichel. COME ON YOU WHITES! Do you have it in you?

76, Kamara dribbles, zigs and zags but holds for too long and is dispossessed. But we have City on the ropes right now. Were all around the Man City goal, a ball is deflected back out of the box and Murphy shoots hard but high. That was a great chance to go a head as Murphy had a lot of space with no defenders to block his shot.

79
Seol seems like a smart player and he’s damn quick also for a big guy. Making a couple of cuts and accelerating moves to lose his mark.  Not holding the ball too long and lays off some great passes. He puts a long cross to far post and somehow Dempsey gets his head on it but wide.
81
Kamara is gone down the middle with a throughball. But Dunne’s excellent defending stops this dead.

83
SunJihi in for City

87
Long free kick after a foul on Seol and a yellow for Hamann for the lunging tackle from behind. He argues after fouling Seol who has been a force so far. Free kick goes high, a big crowd of players. Schmeichel misses the punch and somehow Dempsey goes high and gets the ball deflected off of his head. The ball goes wide-out of play.

90
4 min. of added time.
Another set free kick and Schmeichel misses again. Nothing comes of it as Schmeichel eventually collects. But it’s crazy out there right now.

92
Gionini snakes his way in and out and take a shot and thats high.

93
Murphy takes a free-kick and it’s to the right no Fulham player there and Dunne heads it over for a corner. Corner…nothing!

95
Konchesky screws up and he is booked for dissent. Watching the reply he is not guilty of the foul that they claimed he was. It was a clean 50-50 challenge just outside our own penalty box along the end line. This is quite worrisome. Ball struck over the goal for a goal kick.

Full Time

Another tie and at home again. We certainly know how to score goals and we certainly don’t know how to defend collectively for 90 minutes.

Final stats.