Fulham home. What was the score? 2-1
A thoroughly enjoyable evening back home in SE7 despite a typically nervy last 10 minutes after Radzinski pulled one back with Kiely and his defenders standing around admiring one another.
The game started slowly livened only by some good combination work down the left side from the Herminator & Thomas. It was Thomas who put us on our way controlling the ball well and finishing confidently after an excellent cross by Bartlett and some extra training at how to celebrate a goal is much needed for the youngster who once again had an excellent game. His bag of tricks and confidence caused Fulham problems all night and they just couldn't cope with him. What a little gem he is and he deservedly left to a standing ovation.
The 2nd half was much better with some good urgency & build up play showed by Kish, Murphy & Holland and it was a shame that Murphy's curling shot after a wonderful run came back of the post because it deserved a goal. The former Liverpool man further endeared himself to Addicks last night although there are times when he still forgets he is playing alongside Kish and not Gerrard.
Kish had another decent game spoiling and breaking down attacks but still too often his passing resembles that of League One and not the Premiership.
My personal man of the match was Talal El Karkouri who after hitting the post then met Murphy's excellent free kick (given following yet another foul on Thomas) with a glancing header and the pace of the delivery meant that it beat van Der Sar despite him getting a big glove to it.
I like El Camel a lot. He has good balance for a big man and has easily settled the quickest of the 'new' signings. He scores goals too and oozes confidence which is clearly rubbing off on Fortune.
As for the others, the two full backs both had good games, Young's positional sense is a vast improvement on when he first arrived and HH is the best player we have bought since maybe Clive Mendonca (?) and his son is in my son's class too as I recently found out!
Holland does a tonne of things but will never make the front pages, Bartlett ran his heart out, set up the first goal, is important to us when we are defending set pieces but never looks like scoring and I would still like to see Curbs unleash Jeffers and see how hungry he is.
Dennis to me is still like a coiled spring, he showed some good awareness and touches at times but was shoved of the ball too often and didn't have any real impact unlike his fellow winger nevertheless it was good to see him roundly applause the Valley faithful when he was replaced by Konch who did a fine job of steadying the ship.
I went to bed last night a happy man.
Reports from others who were there:
cafc.co.uk;
The Telegraph;
Addicks Diary;
Build A Bonfire.