For a team struggling for form this was a difficult test, so credit where it’s due: that was a good point.
Only just though. For a long time Portsmouth, and particularly Jermain Defoe, looked likely to bury us. Defoe, in thrilling form, was almost impossible to pick up, dropping deep and running hard at the Fulham defence, seriously threatening to score each time he did so. The second half began with a clever chip that dropped just over the bar, next he ran from the halfway line and smashed a shot just wide, then he came closer still, drawing a fine save from Schwarzer with another swerving drive. Things couldn’t go on like this, and sure enough it was Defoe who made Portsmouth’s opener. Yet another charge had the defence in a complete mess, Hangeland finding himself to Hughes’ right, both drawn towards Defoe like lemmings to a clifftop. Which left Peter Crouch unguarded. Defoe for once chose not to shoot, and Crouch could hardly miss, stroking his shot beyond the exposed Schwarzer.
After a bright start Fulham had faded badly. Again the midfield was enigmatic, quite solid and quite useful going forwards without doing either especially well. Simon Davies, on the left today, was decent enough; Danny Murphy earned a solid 7/10; Zoltan Gera – no chances this week – was very quiet; Jimmy Bullard’s game is going backwards. He fell over and lost possession to set up Portsmouth’s goal, and again failed to offer anything regularly dangerous from his set pieces. Perhaps the time has come for a rest. He is a good player but good players do not always play well, and currently his form is deserting him.
Ahead of them Bobby Zamora flickered in and out of the game, but did threaten occasionally. And perhaps Andy Johnson did too, but there is a nagging suspicion that the latter’s lightning pace is a thing of the past, and without it he is merely a hard working player with average technique and no particular eye for goal. Something of a worry, but there will be plenty of time to judge this in the weeks ahead. Record signings are generally given plenty of time to rediscover mislaid mojos.
Which is more than can be said for the man who must prove himself every season, Clint Dempsey. Having saved the club two years ago and more than done his bit last year, Dempsey again finds himself on the outside looking in. Our best player at West Brom, he was rewarded with another day on the bench against Sunderland. Today he was given twenty minutes to make something happen, and duly obliged with a late, late equaliser. Roy Hodgson loosened his tie and and finally abandoned his over-careful 4-4-2. Dempsey replaced Paintsil, Nevland replaced Gera. It became an anarchic 3-3-4, with Simon Davies an impressive part-time right back, Dempsey wide left and Nevland wide right. And so with three minutes to go Nevland crossed and Dempsey volleyed past David James with some skill. A vital goal and perhaps credit where credit’s due: this season Hodgson has taken stick for not using his subs very much; today he did and they paid off for him.
So where now? In isolation an away defeat against an in-form Portsmouth would have been understandable. But in the context of the current bad run a loss would have made life difficult for Hodgson and his players, so this point earns them some breathing space and perhaps allows a more relaxed approach to Wednesday’s game against Wigan. Thumbs just about up, but there is much improving to do.
