FOOTBALL Live

Saturday December 20, 2008 Finished Craven Cottage

3 - 0

Fulham

  • Bullard 40’
  • Murphy 53’ (pen.)
  • Dempsey 59’

Middlesbrough

  1. Classy Fulham demolish Boro

    Classy Fulham demolish Boro

    Fulham took Middlesbrough to pieces at Craven Cottage as they won their Premier League encounter 3-0. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Fulham
    • Middlesbrough
    • 90'_3 One more chance still for Hodgson's team, with Davies shooting and forcing a corner. It comes to nothing, though, and that's the end of the match. Well played by Fulham, a complete performance here this afternoon - but Southgate needs to go back to the drawing board on this evidence. Thanks for joining us, and we'll see you next time.
    • 90' It's all over bar the whistle now, with Simon Davies having another shot on goal for the home side. AJ was there and waiting again, in case the Teflon gloves of Turnbull were about to gift him a goal.
    • 85' Jimmy Bullar is applauded off by the grateful home fans - a great performance from the midfielder who will keep knocking on the door of the national team if he keeps playing this way.
    • 83' ANDY JOHNSON IS THROUGH ON GOAL - HE MUST SCORE - BUT NO!!! Bobby Zamora put AJ through brilliantly, and the striker just had the keeper to beat. But Turnbull was well-placed, and Johnson's slightly-too-high shot was well saved.
    • 80' Danny Murphy comes off - hobbling a little, it must be said - to be replaced by Dickson Etuhu.
    • 78' Arca is lucky not to get sent off there - he seemingly runs intentionally into Clint Dempsey's head as the goalscorer is off-balance, knocking him to the ground. The officials give the benefit of the doubt, but that was a bad one.
    • 76' Bobby Zamora makes a great run AND SHOOTS!!! AND THE KEEPER SPILLS IT - AJ IS RIGHT THERE... But Turnbull recovers in time to stop a fourth goal being poached. Johnson wants to get in on the action, he's still buzzing.
    • 72' A chance for Boro there which falls to Aliadiere, who swings and misses completely yet without losing the ball, then turns around and connects with his second attempt. It's straight at the keeper. From the clearance Downing gets on to the ball and unleashes a rocket that flies just wide.
    • 68' Gareth Southgate hasn't stopped bellowing instructions at his men for the last few minutes - maybe Boro have a sort of 'nuclear option' for times when they go three goals down? Yet whenever Hodgson's men come back on the attack, Boro suddenly fill the box with red shirts once more.
    • 66' A good effort for Adam Johnson there as Middlesborough press hard to turn things around: the ball comes in from Pogatetz and the youngster turns and shoots wide.
    • 63' Boro are trying to come back into it desperately, throwing everything at their hosts in an attempt to get a goal back. You can't help but feel a little sorry for them - the penalty was an extremely harsh call, and without being two down they probably wouldn't have left so much space at the back for the third.
    • 59' AND IT'S ANOTHER GOAL FOR FULHAM! Clint Dempsey this time, who was released by Danny Murphy into several acres of space as the defence closed around Zamora and Johnson. Dempsey had all the time he could ever have wished for to place an artful shot into the far corner of the net. Barring one of those once-in-a-season comebacks, you'd think that's the game secure now.
    • 56' You have to feel sorry for Boro there, that was another of this rash of extremely unfair handball decisions that the Premiership's men in black have been handing out of late. Tony McMahon was outraged, and earned himself a yellow for overzealous complaint.
    • 53' PENALTY - AND GOAL!!!! A very harsh decision on Middlesborough as a great covering tackle by Tony McMahon ricochets off his leg and inadvertently brushes his hand. There was clearly no intention whatsoever there, and no advantage to Boro either - yet the ref points to the spot. Danny Murphy puts a great spot kick right into the corner, and though Turnbull dives well the ball is just beyond his reach.
    • 51' Good work by Zamora on the left of the box there, and though his cross misses his fellow striker Jimmy Bullard runs through from deep and connects well. Turnbull keeps hold of it - and vitally, since any rebound would have led to a goal.
    • 49' Already Fulham are looking like they want a second goal, and a great chance comes for Zamora to break free. He's erroneously called offside, and from the free kick Boro get to the business end and force their first good chance for some time.
    • 46' They're back in action and the floodlights are on now. Don't you just love December in Britain? (Feel free to answer 'no').
    • 45'+2 The injury time added was for that tackle on Andy Johnson earlier, but the ref blows up at last and the men in white toddle off for a debriefing from a presumably-pretty-content Roy Hodgson.
    • 45' Arca earns the crowds boos once again with a straight-armed shove - and to add to the locals' disgust it's none other than goal-hero Jimmy B who is rolled to the floor! They didn't like that one much!
    • 43' Fulham are well worth their lead here, Boro started fairly decently but have since shown little invention. Aliadiere on the counter-attack gets in a shot on goal from outside the box but skies it high and wide.
    • 40' GOOOAAALLLLL!!!! JIMMY BULLARD! More great build-up play from the homs side gives Bobby Zamora the chance to turn and shoot from eight yards out. Turnbull spills a simple take for the second time in the match, but this time it's a white shirt who is standing by: Bullard steps up and thunders home from almost point-blank range.
    • 37' Johnson gets a frankly pretty bloody disgusting 'tackle' off Boro's Julio Arca - there seemed no attempt to be no attempt to go to the ball, Arca's studs connected half-way up AJ's leg in a transparent attempt to slow down the liveliest player on the pitch. Outrage! Bullard's cross from the free kick looks good but is well cleared off the head of Huth.
    • 35' Simon Davies!!! Great chance for Fulham's man on the left, who receives the ball in space just within the corner of the box. His elegant looping strike drifts just wide - it would have been a goal-of-the-month contender had it found the net.
    • 32' Boro come up the right on the counter chance, and Stewart Downing gets in a looping, dipping shot that got the away fans making some noise, but was always too close to Schwarzer.
    • 31' Zoltan Gera must have picked up a knock - Roy Hodgson has just sent on Bobby Zamora in his stead.
    • 29' SO CLOSE!!! Johnson once again latches on to the ball, and though he was offside the linesman misses it. Through on goal he shoots well and forces a great save from Turnbull.
    • 26' It's AJ again who makes trouble for the visitors, dancing round the ball to keep the red shirts away. But still the chances just aren't quite falling for the home side - Johnson gets the ball to Dempsey despite heavy marshalling from Roggott, but the midfielder's shot finds only the legs of the nearby keeper.
    • 24' Andy Johnson gets bundled off the ball there by Rob Huth running back to cover a through-ball - and gets in his retaliation by 'accidentally' entangling his legs with those of the big defender and sending him flying.
    • 23' Fulham force another couple of corners without getting anyone on the end of them, then Johnson charges up the wing on the counter-attack to put in a great ball for Aliadiere. His shot is pushed wide by Schwarzer, and from the resulting Downing corner Tuncay goes even closer. A goal is surely just a matter of time here.
    • 20' Roy Hodgson looks as if his heart rate just about doubled there with all the excitement, and no wonder: the Cottagers have played out a string of dull draws over the past few weeks. He's just not used to seeing much action!
    • 19' It's Bullard the danger man again, as a great pass into the box finds Andy Johnson, who turns and sees his shot deflected wide. From the corner John Paintsil gets his head on it, but can't quite guide it on target.
    • 16' Both teams struggling to find a way through at the moment - but then Bullard begins the best move of the match with a diagonal ball across to Simon Davies charging in from the left. He almost beats Turnbull to it, and though the Boro keeper finally gets there he spills the ball dangerously off his chest, but thankfully towards his defenders.
    • 13' A half-chance for Boro there as Downing puts in an aerial through-ball for Tuncay to chase. Schwarzer gets there first though.
    • 11' It's a very Christmassy-looking match here today, with Fulham's white and Middlesborough's red decorating the green pitch like so many baubles on your tress. Ahhh...
    • 9' Fulhma looking enterprising here, keeping hold of the ball a little better now and looking for ways through the red shirts.
    • 6' A good passage of classic British football there: both teams hammering the ball upfield and chasing after it like a pack of hyenas chasing a limping antelope. First Fulham then Middlesborough get into the last few yards of the pitch.
    • 3' Stewart Downing makes a run down the right - not sure what he's doing out there - and forces a corner for Middlesborough, but it's well picked out by Schwarzer.
    • 1' The game gets underway, and from the off Fulham charge up into the Middlesborough area. Nothing comes of it and it's a goal kick.
    • - The home side is just about to kick off on a decent day for football, overcast but not cold for December.
    • - Welcome to our LIVE coverage of Fulham against Middlesborough from Craven Cottage.

  • Team Stats

    Fulham Stats Middlesbrough
    59% Possession 40%
    21 Shots 14
    9 Shots on target 5
    3 Saves 6
    5 Corners 5
    7 Fouls 11
    6 Offsides 1
    0 Yellow cards 3
    0 Red cards 0
    19 Tackles 16
    398 Accurate passes 242
    58 Bad passes 54

  • Player Stats

    G =
    Goals
    S =
    Shots
    SoT =
    Shot on Target
    F =
    Fouls
    FW =
    Fouls Won
    O =
    Offsides
    A =
    Assists
    AP =
    Accurate Passes
    BP =
    Bad Passes
    T =
    Tackles
    • Fulham
      G S SoT F FW O A AP BP T
      1 Mark Schwarzer 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 13 2 0
      4 John Paintsil 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 58 0 3
      5 Brede Hangeland 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 35 5 1
      18 Aaron Hughes 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 20 0 0
      3 Paul Konchesky 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 37 15 1
      23 Clint Dempsey 1 4 1 2 1 1 0 36 3 1
      25 Simon Davies 0 3 1 1 0 0 0 23 12 2
      11 Zoltan Gera 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 1 0
      21 Jimmy Bullard 1 2 2 0 2 0 0 67 10 4
      13 Danny Murphy 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 50 4 4
      8 Andrew Johnson 0 4 2 1 1 3 0 26 4 0
      22 Fredrik Stoor 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      20 Dickson Etuhu 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0
      19 Pascal Zuberbühler 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      33 Toni Kallio 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      10 Erik Nevland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      26 Leon Andreasen 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 4 0 1
      9 Bobby Zamora 0 5 2 5 1 2 0 14 2 2
    • Middlesbrough
      G S SoT F FW O A AP BP T
      21 Ross Turnbull 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 8 0
      29 Anthony McMahon 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 25 0 4
      14 Robert Huth 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 12 0 0
      5 Chris Riggott 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 18 1 0
      6 Emanuel Pogatetz 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 19 10 2
      28 Adam Johnson 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 13 2 0
      19 Stewart Downing 0 5 1 0 0 0 0 33 10 2
      20 Julio Arca 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 14 3 1
      15 Mohamed Shawky 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 26 1 1
      17 Tuncay Sanli 0 4 2 0 1 0 0 26 5 4
      10 Jeremie Aliadiere 0 2 2 1 1 1 0 20 6 2
      22 Bradley Jones 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      12 Afonso Alves 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      11 Marvin Emnes 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 4 0
      41 Josh Walker 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      9 Ahmed Hossam Mido 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 20 2 0
      31 David Wheater 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
      3 Andrew Taylor 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 2 0

  • Summary

    • 83' ANDY JOHNSON IS THROUGH ON GOAL - HE MUST SCORE - BUT NO!!! Bobby Zamora put AJ through brilliantly, and the striker just had the keeper to beat. But Turnbull was well-placed, and Johnson's slightly-too-high shot was well saved.
    • 76' Bobby Zamora makes a great run AND SHOOTS!!! AND THE KEEPER SPILLS IT - AJ IS RIGHT THERE... But Turnbull recovers in time to stop a fourth goal being poached. Johnson wants to get in on the action, he's still buzzing.
    • 66' A good effort for Adam Johnson there as Middlesborough press hard to turn things around: the ball comes in from Pogatetz and the youngster turns and shoots wide.
    • 59' AND IT'S ANOTHER GOAL FOR FULHAM! Clint Dempsey this time, who was released by Danny Murphy into several acres of space as the defence closed around Zamora and Johnson. Dempsey had all the time he could ever have wished for to place an artful shot into the far corner of the net. Barring one of those once-in-a-season comebacks, you'd think that's the game secure now.
    • 53' PENALTY - AND GOAL!!!! A very harsh decision on Middlesborough as a great covering tackle by Tony McMahon ricochets off his leg and inadvertently brushes his hand. There was clearly no intention whatsoever there, and no advantage to Boro either - yet the ref points to the spot. Danny Murphy puts a great spot kick right into the corner, and though Turnbull dives well the ball is just beyond his reach.
    • 51' Good work by Zamora on the left of the box there, and though his cross misses his fellow striker Jimmy Bullard runs through from deep and connects well. Turnbull keeps hold of it - and vitally, since any rebound would have led to a goal.
    • 49' Already Fulham are looking like they want a second goal, and a great chance comes for Zamora to break free. He's erroneously called offside, and from the free kick Boro get to the business end and force their first good chance for some time.
    • 40' GOOOAAALLLLL!!!! JIMMY BULLARD! More great build-up play from the homs side gives Bobby Zamora the chance to turn and shoot from eight yards out. Turnbull spills a simple take for the second time in the match, but this time it's a white shirt who is standing by: Bullard steps up and thunders home from almost point-blank range.
    • 35' Simon Davies!!! Great chance for Fulham's man on the left, who receives the ball in space just within the corner of the box. His elegant looping strike drifts just wide - it would have been a goal-of-the-month contender had it found the net.
    • 32' Boro come up the right on the counter chance, and Stewart Downing gets in a looping, dipping shot that got the away fans making some noise, but was always too close to Schwarzer.
    • 29' SO CLOSE!!! Johnson once again latches on to the ball, and though he was offside the linesman misses it. Through on goal he shoots well and forces a great save from Turnbull.
    • 23' Fulham force another couple of corners without getting anyone on the end of them, then Johnson charges up the wing on the counter-attack to put in a great ball for Aliadiere. His shot is pushed wide by Schwarzer, and from the resulting Downing corner Tuncay goes even closer. A goal is surely just a matter of time here.
    • 19' It's Bullard the danger man again, as a great pass into the box finds Andy Johnson, who turns and sees his shot deflected wide. From the corner John Paintsil gets his head on it, but can't quite guide it on target.
    • 16' Both teams struggling to find a way through at the moment - but then Bullard begins the best move of the match with a diagonal ball across to Simon Davies charging in from the left. He almost beats Turnbull to it, and though the Boro keeper finally gets there he spills the ball dangerously off his chest, but thankfully towards his defenders.

Live Team Line-Up

  • Referee: Keith Stroud

  • Fulham

    Manager: Roy Hodgson

    Captain: Danny Murphy

    Starting line-up

    • M. Schwarzer
    • J. Paintsil
    • B. Hangeland
    • A. Hughes
    • P. Konchesky
    • Z. Gera Substitution Out (31′)
    • J. Bullard Goal Substitution Out (84′)
    • D. Murphy Substitution Out (79′)
    • S. Davies
    • A. Johnson
    • C. Dempsey Goal

    Subs

    • P. Zuberbuehler
    • T. Kallio
    • B. Zamora Substitution In31′
    • D. Etuhu Substitution In79′
    • E. Nevland
    • L. Andreasen Substitution In84′
    • F. Stoor

    Injured

    • S. Ki-Hyeon
    • D. Kamara
    • A. Taymourian

    Suspended

    None

  • Middlesbrough

    Manager: Gareth Southgate

    Captain: Emanuel Pogatetz

    Starting line-up

    • R. Turnbull
    • A. McMahon Yellow Card
    • C. Riggott
    • R. Huth Substitution Out (84′)
    • E. Pogatetz
    • M. Shawky
    • J. Arca Yellow Card
    • A. Johnson
    • S. Downing
    • S. Tuncay
    • J. Aliadière

    Subs

    • B. Jones
    • A. Mido
    • D. Wheater
    • A. Taylor
    • .. Walker
    • A. Alves
    • M. Emnes

    Injured

    • G. O'Neil
    • J. Hoyte Substitution In84′
    • D. Digard

    Suspended

    None