Let Them Play

There has been a little controversy on how the Colts handled the last game they had with the Jets. They took out Peyton Manning and several of there starters in the second half. The Jets ended up coming from behind and winning the game. This is a philosophy the Colts have done in prior years and it has backfired on them.

In regards to the Pats game on Sunday against the Texans I think the Pats should treat the game like any other game. They should not be sitting out starters just to protect them. Although, in the case of the injured like Vince Wilfork and Ty Warren I see the point in them not playing. Tom Brady though should play from the minute the game starts until the end.

The Pats should try to build on any momentum they have from the last 3 wins. Unless Tom Brady's arm is literally falling off he should play the entire game. There are only 16 games in the season and you need to take advantage of building any momentum you can. The defense especially needs to continue to improve. As the Bad New Bears said in there Breaking Training movie, "let them play".


I understand that the Patriots do not have a bye week. This team is not good enough right now to take time off. They still need to improve. As a fan of the Pats I hope we see the Pats at full strength on Sunday. I have nothing against Brian Hoyer, but I do not want to see him playing this Sunday.

Interest in Roma Striker and Eddie Johnson out on loan

According to ESPNsoccernet.com, Fulham are interested in a loan deal for Roma striker Stefano Okaka. He is only 20 years old and ironically he scored the winning goal against Fulham in the Europa League match in Rome.

ESPNsoccernet.com have the following quote from the Fulham manager. "Okaka is a possibility for us. We're looking into it and have shown an interest,' Hogdson said.

Also ,according fulhamfc.com, Eddie Johnson has joined Greek Club Aris FC on loan until June 30th of 2010. The combination of Roma expected to pick up Luca Toni, and Eddie Johnson going out on loan shows there could be serious interest in the Roma striker.

Roy Hogdson signs new contract with Fulham

According to the Guardian, Roy Hogdson has agreed to a new 12 month rolling contract with Fulham. This is great news for fans of Fulham. As long as Roy is the manager of Fulham we should see the club move forward in the league in my opinion.

The quote in the Guardian states " I'm delighted to have commited my future to Fulham for the years to come." Hogdson said. The manager deserved this new deal and I am glad to see management of Fulham finally got it done.

My only question is what is a 12 month rolling contract? Does this mean that every year Roy and Fulham can just renew the existing deal? Is he just coaching from year to year? I hope more information on this deal comes out. Regardless it looks like Roy is secure for at least a year.

John Pantsil's Injury

According to Sky Sports, Roy Hodgson is still waiting for the results of the scan on John Pantsil's knee that he twisted during the Chelsea game. There is speculation in several publications that this injury could be season ending. There is no way really to know until the results are made public.

John Pantsil I thought was terrific against Didier Drogba yesterday. Shortly after Pantsil left the game Drogba scored the tying goal. Without 2 key defenders in the end of the game I truly believe that hurt Fulham tremendously.

On the bright side I think Fulham played a tough game against Chelsea and probably deserved a better result for their effort. Chis Smalling was excellent in defense and should not be blamed for the loss. I think Smalling has a bright future and hopefully it will be Fulham!

2010 Patriots Opponents

According to CSNNE.COM, the Patriots opponents for next year have already been determined. A quick glance at the schedule and it doesn't look any tougher than the current schedule.

The home games are against the Colts, Ravens, Bengals, Packers, Vikings, Bills, Dolphins, and Jets.

The away games are against the Bears, Lions, Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Chargers, Browns, and Steelers.

Right off the bat the tough away games look like the Steelers and Chargers. To me there is only one really tough home game and that will be the Colts. It is about time this game is home next year. Regardless of what happens in the playoffs we have an interesting schedule to look forward to in 2010.

Tough Loss at Stamford Bridge

This was a tough loss at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea come from behind to win 2 - 1. Zoltan Gera scored the opening goal in the beginning of the first half. Fulham went into the first half break winning 1 - 0. Even though Fulham were up at the half the team was under constant pressure. Although, the defense played strong and limited the shots from Chelsea.

The second half was very similar as Fulham was under pressure but the defense was holding up. It took until minute 72 for Didier Drogba to tie the match. Two minutes later Chelsea went up 2 - 1 on an own goal by Chris Smalling. It was a tough way to lose but the team played strong against Chelsea. Poor Chris Smalling seemed to play very well. He gave up an own goal and he will be remembered for that. Please give him a break. He was trying to kick the ball away.

Again, it is tough to lose but the team especially defensively did their job. This loss doesn't change anything. I still expect Fulham to contend for a Europa League spot!

Will Hangeland Play at Chelsea?

According Yahoo Eurosport, Brede Hangeland could miss the game Monday against Chelsea. He suffered a knee injury in warm ups before the Tottenham game. He did play in the game, but it was obvious he was not 100%. If he can't go in the game it is a major blow to Fulham's chances against Chelsea.

Also, according to Mirror Football, Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou will both be available for Chelsea against Fulham. That will mean Chelsea will be almost at full strength on Monday. Nicolas Anelka although is expected to be out with an injury.

The Wisdom of Solomon?

During the Patriots 35 - 7 victory over the Jaguars we heard another gem from Solomon Wilcots during the broadcast. In his segment called " The Wisdom of Solomon" he stated that if the Colts win another Super Bowl this year they will have an argument as being "team of the decade".

The reason would be that currently the Colts have 115 victories so far this decade compared to the Pats having 111. The Colts actually have broken a record for amount of wins in a decade. The record is impressive but what does it really mean? The Patriots had the record of 21 in a row and again does it really mean anything? My answer to both questions is the records are nice but Super Bowl victories mean the most.

The Patriots should be considered the team of the decade period. The best the Colts can do is have 2 Super Bowl rings this decade. Again, that accomplishment is impressive, but the last time I looked three is larger than two. The last thought I have on this subject is would the Colts be considered a dynasty? I believe that term is reserved for the Patriots.

San Diego get #2 seed

I unfortunately watched the San Diego Chargers game last night. Even though it was a longshot I was hoping for a shot at the second seed. The only way we could get that bye would be the Pats winning the final 2 games and the Chargers losing 2 games. Well now all we need to do is just win tomorrow and we are in the playoffs.

If they beat Jacksonville I would sit anyone who is hurt in the final game including Tom Brady. I would actually be happy if the Pats ended up with the fourth seed.I don't want to end up playing the Chargers in the Divisional round. The Chargers are the only team I think the Pats don't match up well with. I don't have any fear playing the Colts.

On a positive note Wilfork and Warren were both at practice for a third straight day. They are both listed as questionable. Fred Taylor is also listed as questionable. In my opinion he is the best back we have. If he can go he would make a huge difference in the running game. I think one of the reason the Pats could not close out games on the road is that they did not have that finishing running back. Taylor can definitely fill that role.

Fulham vs. Tottenham 0 - 0

I blogged earlier in the week that I would be happy with 4 points between our next 3 games. Well I guess you can say mission accomplished as we beat Manchester United last Saturday and just tied with Tottenham at Craven Cottage. We next play at Stamford Bridge on Monday Against Chelsea. I would be happy with any points on Monday.

The game against Tottenham was a pretty even affair. We definitely had more chances to score, but Tottenham did have there quality chances as well.

Bobby Zamora had a wonderful chance to score in the second half. He headed the ball towards the top corner, but a wonderful save by Gomes stopped the ball from going in. In the first half off a free kick Clint Dempsey hit the crossbar. Again Fulham had there chances but just couldn't get the ball into the net.

Fulham are still 9th but in real good shape going into the New Year!

Wilfork and Warren back at practice for 2 straight days

According to Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston, Vince Wilfork and Ty Warren were both back at practice for a second consecutive day. This is encouraging news for Pats fans. We need both of them on Sunday against the Jags.

Other good news according to Mike Reiss is that Tom Brady, Tully Banta-Cain, and Randy Moss were also all at practice today. Again it is encouraging that we have our best team available for Sunday.

The Jaguars I believe are a very good match up for the Pats. When we played them in the playoffs in 2007 I thought they were a team the Pats could handle. This team is pretty similar. They don't rush the passer well, and they really depend on the run game with Maurice Jones- Drew. As long as Wilfork is available and Tom Brady is at decent health the Pats should win this game.

Andy Johnson Available Against Tottenham?

According to the Daily Mail, Andy Johnson could be available for Fulham on Boxing Day against Tottenham. He has been out since the beginning of the season with a groin injury. He came back to training this week.

I really hope this is true. Fulham needs more options up front. We are still waiting on the availability of Diomonsay Kamara as well. Personally, I would prefer Kamara over Johnson to be a second striker.

With these recent injuries at striker I hope Roy is looking to add some depth in the January Transfer Window. One more striker added to the squad could make Fulham very difficult to beat the rest of the year.

Dan Dierdorf thinks this year was Belichick's best coaching job

I was listening to Felger and Massarotti on 98.5 the Sports Hub and they brought up an interesting topic. Dan Dierdorf during the last Pats game stated he thought this was Bill Belichick's best coaching job this year. The majority of there show was about this topic.



In my opinion along with 2002 were the worst coaching jobs of Belichick's tenure with the Pats. The 2002 coaching job was probably a little worse. That year the Pats defense was horrible against the run. The fact that Belichick could not fix the problem effected the whole team. They ended up 9 -7 and to be honest with you I did not want to see them in the Playoffs. At this moment I am getting the same feeling regarding the current Pats team. Call me spoiled, but I want my team to have a legitimate shot to make it to the Super Bowl. At this current moment I don't feel they have it this year. I certainly hope I am wrong. Trust me I want to be wrong. We will see if they can build any kind of momentum going into the playoffs.



Belichick's coaching job this year has been really sub par for him. The problems on offense I do think have a great deal to do with coaching. I don't think Brady is as hurt as others think. I see him throwing go routes to Moss and also doing a quarterback sneak. These offensive woes have to do with play calling and execution. The buck starts and stops with Belichick.



I would not want any other coach. In my mind he is the best of all time along with Bill Walsh. This year has not been his best coaching job. I actually think last year's team was his best.



Again this was a great topic on Felger and Massarotti's show. I highly recommend the station and there show for fans of the Pats. They will give you there honest opinion.

Bobby Zamora or Peter Crouch

Back in the Summer Transfer period Fulham were very interested in signing Peter Crouch. At the same time Bobby Zamora was very close to leaving Fulham for Hull. At the time I have to be honest I really wanted Fulham to get Crouch. I thought such a big man up front would give us a presence we currently did not have. Bobby Zamora last season I thought was decent but just did not score enough goals.



Well, where do we stand leading up to Boxing Day? Both Zamora and Crouch both have 8 goals in all competitions for there team this season. Statistics do not tell the whole story.



Bobby Zamora has been a force up front and now the goals are starting to come. Peter Crouch has done his job with Tottenham. In the end I think both scenarios worked out well for both teams.



For Fulham I was wrong regarding Bobby Zamora! He is doing so much up front with passing and scoring. I don't think they win these games this year without him. I can't wait until Johnson and Kamara return. I think we will be tough to beat the second half of the season.

Tom Brady VS. Eli Manning

I was listening to 98.5 the Sports Hub yesterday and heard an interesting caller. His name was Al and he was specifically calling about Tom Brady. He said that he didn't understand that people were comparing Tom Brady to Dan Marino. According to this caller he didn't think Brady should be in the same conversation with Marino.



Al took it to the next level and started naming quarterbacks now he would rather have than Brady. He named Phillip Rivers and Eli Manning. He then went on to emphasize strong that he would rather have Eli Manning than Tom Brady as his starting quarterback. His reasons are a familiar argument regarding Brady. He thinks he throws way too many short passes that become long gainers. He also said that Brady has an advantage with having All Pro receivers compared to Eli Manning. He was describing him as a "system quarterback". He said that he watches all the Giants games and sees how Eli performs with lesser wide receivers. It was pretty obvious to me that Al is a "New Yorker".



I have heard this argument about Tom Brady from many New Yorkers that think he is a product of the system. If New Yorkers would rather have Eli that is great. I doubt it very much he will win another Super Bowl in my lifetime.



I can't say this any stronger than anyone who thinks they would rather have Eli Manning than Tom Brady as there starting quarterback is being moronic.



Here is my argument Al. I have watched many games of Eli Manning going back to Ole Miss. I hate to tell you he can't hold his brother's jock when it comes to being a quarterback. I would take Tom Brady over his brother Peyton although it is close.



First, I will admit that Eli played well in the playoffs of 2007. In the Super Bowl he was decent but not great. I will give it to you he won the game. The only stat that really matters is wins and specifically in the postseason. Eli has 1 Super Bowl ring and Brady has 3.



Second, Who has played better in the Postseason overall? I think this is a no-brainer with Brady, but just for New Yorkers I will break it down. In the Post Season Brady has lost one Super Bowl, an AFC Championship game and a divisional game. He has no other losses other than those games in the Post Season. He has 3 Post seasons which I could show you on DVD with Three Games to Glory I, II, and III. That is nine wins for 3 Super Bowls. There are an additional 5 playoff wins as well. That makes Tom Brady 14 -3 in the playoffs. I have to be honest I don't know Eli's record in the playoffs. I do know he won a Super Bowl, but I also know he threw several picks one year against the Carolina Panthers in the playoffs and they lost. Also, just last year I think he did the same thing against the Eagles and they lost.



Third, The argument that Brady has had better receivers over his career is also moronic. In 2001 Brady had Troy Brown and David Patten as his starting receivers. In 2003 and 2004 he had Deion Branch and David Givens. Currently he has Randy Moss and Wes Welker. He hasn't always had elite receiver's. The year Eli won the Super Bowl didn't he have Plaxico Burress who won the game for the Giants. Isn't he an elite receiver?



Fourth, I will put under the category of "clutch regular season games". Eli certainly has won a few clutch games. I have watched him. I hate to tell you Al but Tom Brady has had a boat load of clutch games. You can go to most of the 2003 season and see the evidence. I went to the Monday night game in Denver when he brought the Patriots down the field with the winning drive against the Broncos. How about the win that year in Miami when he threw a touchdown pass to Troy Brown in overtime. Also how about the game Houston when he brought the Patriots back from behind that led to a field goal to win the game. There are so many I could be here all day.



In my opinion to put Eli Manning in the same category as Tom Brady is laughable. Again any New Yorker that would rather have Eli there is nothing wrong with it. I just think you saw your last Super Bowl victory for a long time. Good Luck!

Fulham interested again in Czech Republic Striker

According to the News of the World and fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk Czech Republic Striker Jakub Hora could be coming for a second trial with Fulham in January. He is 18 years old and according to these reports he is seriously interested in playing for Fulham.

This is a quote from Jakub Hora that was reported in fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk. "I hope to play for Fulham's first team one day." He is 18 years old and he has scored several goals with his current team.

I would love to see some young players come to the team!

Organized Chaos for the Pats Defense!

The Pats held on to beat Buffalo 17 - 10. It wasn't a convincing win but they survived. In the end that is all that matters.

I was curious about the Pats sub-package that they used on defense . According to Mike Reiss of ESPNBOSTON.COM it was referred by Adalius Thomas as "Organized Chaos." On third and long the Pats would put in this package that totally confused the Bills offensive line. The package composed of linebackers and defensive backs. There would be 5 or 6 players that were standing and moving around . The offensive line could not get a read where the rushers were coming from. It was very effective and helped with the Pats getting 6 sacks including 3 from Tully Banta Cain.

My question is can it be used from week to week? I just called the "Tanguay and Zolak" show on 98.5 the Sports Hub. I wanted Scott Zolak's opinion on the package and could it be used from week to week. Scott believed it could be used again and wished the Pats did this a few weeks earlier.

I know the Bills are a sub-par team. This package worked and I would use it the next 2 weeks until someone can stop it.

Fulham beat Manchester United 3 - 0 !

Yesterday's match was a fantastic result for Fulham. I don't want to hear excuses that Manchester United had a ton of injuries. I truly believe even if they had Ferdinand and Vidic we still would have won that game. We now have beaten Liverpool and Manchester United at Craven Cottage. Please read the wonderful Editorial by Tom Wille on fulhamusa.com. He talks about the victory and how Fulham fans should cherish the last 2 victories. I could not agree with him more.



I think yesterday's victory speaks more for how Fulham are playing rather than the injuries of Manchester United. The team is playing together like a complete unit. You can see the differences from this August to now. We are also doing this without Andy Johnson and Diomansy Kamara. When they return the team should only be stronger.



Fulham led at halftime 1 - 0 on a goal by Danny Murphy. In the first minute of the second half Damien Duff struck a ball into the box which was headed to Clint Dempsey. He passed it right to Bobby Zamora who is on fire right now and scored the goal. Later in the half Damien Duff put the game away with the team's third goal.



Fulham have two more tough games to go with Tottenham and Chelsea. If we can somehow win one of those 2 we will be in great shape.

Fred Taylor

Fred Taylor might be ready to return to action for the Buffalo game. In my mind he is the best back we have. I know Laurence Maroney has played well of late. However, watching Fred Taylor prior to his injury you could tell on every carry he would get every yard he could on the play. I don't see that desire from Laurence Maroney.

Also, listening 98.5 the Sports Hub this morning Chris Gasper of the Globe was commenting that he wasn't sure Fred Taylor coming back is a good thing. He seemed to think it might stop the progress of Laurence Maroney. I think he could not be more wrong. They are different style of back and should be able to compliment each other.

Why Not Us?

If you are not from the U.S. you might not be familiar with the Boston Red Sox. In 2004 the Red Sox had a slogan " Why Not Us" as they went to the Major League Baseball World Series. It had been 86 years since the Red Sox had won the World Series. They ended up winning the World Series in 2004.

In regards to Fulham I ask the question "Why Not Us"? Why can't Fulham improve on there 7th place position in last year's EPL? Why can't they progress in the Europa League and potentially contend?

I have heard on several Football Shows here in the U.S. and in England the same thoughts on Fulham. The team is usually described as a nice "small club" with a very good manager. I understand that Fulham has a small stadium and has limited funds. What I don't understand is why can't a well rounded team made up of good players compete and win against teams with more money and more high priced players?

Aston Villa is also described as a team with good players but not a deep enough squad to compete against the Big Four. If you look at the table Aston Villa currently stand fourth. I think they are holding there own.

When it comes to Fulham I see a team that seems to be putting it all together at the right time. We have 3 extremely hard games coming up. If they can grab between 4 -6 points in those 3 games we would be in very good shape.

I don't think the attitude for Fulham should be that we are happy to be where we are. We should strive for better. I will leave you again with the question WHY NOT US?

Tom Brady and Randy Moss

I just heard reported on 98.5 the Sports Hub that Randy Moss and Tom Brady were both back at practice today. Unfortunately, Vince Wilfork, Ty Warren, and Fred Taylor were not at practice.



I have stated earlier that if Vince Wilfork does not play this week against Buffalo we could be in trouble. There 2 running backs Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch could have a field day. We will know better tomorrow when the injury report comes out.

Resting Players in the Europa League

This is a Fulhamusa.com topic below I just posted on there messageboard. This is an excellent site for Fulham fans!

I watched the match yesterday and was happy with the win, but also had questions regarding the media's perception of Fulham resting players for this match.

The commentators of the game kept mentioning that some English Teams in the past did not put there best side out there for a game in Europe. They were pretty critical of Roy's starting team. It seemed they were disappointed that Clint Dempsey, Damien Duff, and Brede Hengeland were on the bench and not starting. They don't see the purpose of resting certain players during a Europa League match. Under the circumstances with 3 members suspended for the game we did not have our best team out there.

However, I personally agree with Roy's starting team. I think we are deeper than we are portrayed in the media. I keep hearing we have a small side without much depth. I think yesterday proved we have more depth than the media thinks. Players such as Riise,Smalling, and Kelly were able to fill in well. I know Chris Smalling had the handball but that call could have gone either way. Riise and Kelly I think were both excellent.

I want Fulham to win in the Europa League as much as anyone. I do think the EPL has to come first. Ask yourself would you rather have Fulham beat Manchester United or Basel? I will take my chances with my best team against Manchester United. Again I think Roy did the right thing and we advanced."

Fulham hold on for victory at Basel

Fulham won there Europa League game against Basel 3 - 2. The second half was frantic with goals from both teams. Basel started the second half scoring with a penalty kick from a handball call on Chris Smalling. Shortly after the goal Fulham came back with a goal from Zoltan Gera making the score 3 - 1. In the ending minutes Basel scored another goal to conclude the scoring.



We barely held on but will advance in the Europa League along with Roma. Next up we will be home against Manchester United on Saturday.

Fulham 2 - 0 Basel at halftime

It is halftime in Switzerland and Fulham are up 2 goals. Bobby Zamora scored 2 late goals to the end the half. I think it is time to give Bobby Zamora his due. He is now scored in his last 3 games. If we can hold on and win the game we will continue on in the Europa League.

Andy Johnson out against Basel

According to Sky Sports, Andy Johnson is out today against Basel in Switzerland. He didn't even make the trip. He had a setback this week and I have a feeling he is probably doubtful against Manchester United on Saturday.



I hope this means we will see either Eddie Johnson or David Elm up front with Bobby Zamora. I will be disappointed if they move Clint Dempsey up front. I truly believe he needs to rest. Also, these 2 players need a shot to play. As stated in the movie "Bad News Bears Back In Training" the crowd yelled LET THEM PLAY!

Vince Wilfork and Matt Light

I think the 2 key players this week against the Bills has to be Vince Wilfork and Matt Light. The Bills have 2 qualities that could cause problems for the Pats this Sunday. The running game of the Bills is tough and could cause issues for our defense. Also, the pass rush for the Bills is very good especially against the Patriots.

Vince Wilfork on our defense is very key this week. He has been extremely tough stopping the run. He takes up 2 blockers at a time freeing up the linebackers to make plays. Marshawn Lynch is a very good back. If Vince is out that leaves a huge hole in the middle. When Wilfork went out of the game last week the Panthers were able to run on the Pats very easily. I think stopping the run is overrated in football now, but playing in Buffalo it takes on a huge significance. I don't think Titus Adams or Mike Wright is up to the battle.

Matt Light will be facing his toughest opponent of the year. According to Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston, Aaron Schobel has 12 sacks in 15 games against Tom Brady. This is the most sacks of any player against Brady, Reiss stated. If I were the Pats this week I would move Sebastian Vollmer to left tackle and move Matt Light to right tackle. Vollmer in a short period has proven to me he can match up against top pass rushers. I have much more faith in Vollmer than Light.

Clint Dempsey Should Sit Against Basel

I just read on hammyend.com that according to an article in the Mirror that Roy is hinting to not starting Clint Dempsey against Basel tomorrow. I personally think it would be a smart move for him to sit. We have a huge game Saturday against Manchester United. That game certainly is more important than the Europa League.



Don't get me wrong I would like us to continue in Europe, but the EPL has to be the priority. As I stated prior I want us to strive to be great rather than just good. To do that you have to beat the best. Clint has played an incredible amount of games this year. At some point it will catch up with him. I think sitting him tomorrow is the smart move.



If the game is close I don't see anything wrong with Clint coming in as a substitute. I know we have Greening, Nevland, Konchesky already out for this game. I don't see anything wrong with giving the younger guys a chance in a game like this. David Elm and Eddie Johnson should have a chance to play in this game. Why are they on the team if they are not going to have a chance to play in an important game?

Roy Happy To Get a Point

I just watched a Sky Sports video of Roy Hodgson after the Burnley game. He basically stated going into the game he would be happy with a point. I think he might be a little disappointed they did not get the victory at Burnley.

Watching the game specifically in the first half we should have scored at least one goal. We were dictating the game to Burnley. In the second half it seemed a little more even. I am personally disappointed we tied this game. We looked like the far superior side. These are the games we need to win.

I know we went into this year hoping to match the 7th place finish we had a year ago. We should be striving for better. I don't understand this mentality of being happy with being good. Why can't for one year we strive for being great? I know we are limited in funds to spend on players. Football though is a team sport and sometimes the sum of the parts can make a better team than another side with high priced individual players. Do you really think Manchester City is that much better of a side than Fulham? I certainly don't think Manchester City is better.

Randy Moss

After watching the game against the Panthers I was completely disgusted with what I just watched. The biggest problem I have with the team was how flat they were. It was almost as if they were sleepwalking through the first half. The Pats honestly should have been up 3 touchdowns at the half.

With that said what really drove me crazy was the effort of Randy Moss. I just don't get someone who doesn't seem to give 100% on every play. The interception by Tom Brady in the first half seemed to be a direct result in Randy Moss going half speed on the route. I just heard Tom Brady on WEEI and he said that him and Randy saw different things on that play. He took the blame for the interception. Tom Brady was acting like the leader he is.

I think Mike Felger has it right when he says Randy is like a home run hitter. He is there for the big play and not really consistent from play to play. After the game yesterday I definitely agree with him. He needs to be gone for next year. We need to figure out a way to get Deion Branch back here. You never had to worry about effort with Mr. Branch. You do question effort with Mr. Moss.

Jack Wilshere on loan?

I don't know if anyone has seen 17 year old Jack Wilshere play but I think he is special. I just read on people.co.uk that because of Fulham's recent form Arsenal will probably not make a loan deal with the team. I would love to see this kid with Fulham. I watched him play in The Emirates Cup this summer. He scored a couple of goals and you can tell he has some real talent. He is a young attacking midfielder.


In the January transfer window I would love to see Roy go after some young players. I know we have some already playing in the reserves. It wouldn't hurt to add some more young depth to the team.

Simon Davies Likely out at Burnley

Fulham have really had some injuries pile up lately with Andy Johnson, Dickson Etuhu, and Diomansy Kamara out lately. According to the Daily Express, Simon Davies will be out for the match tomorrow against Burnley.

I am a big fan of his game. He just came back after a lengthy injury at the beginning of the year. I am hopeful he will return soon. We definitely need his quality in midfield.

Will Tom Brady Play This Week

According to Bill Simmons on his twitter account he has heard that Tom Brady might have suffered broken ribs during the Miami game. After the touchdown pass early in the first half he went directly to the dressing room.

Watching Comcast Sports Net last night they were speculating that Brady might have taken a painkiller during the game. They were commenting that Tom Brady seemed "out of it" after the game during his press conference.

Is he really hurt with bruised or broken ribs? Can you continue to play with injured ribs? He has now missed 2 days of practice. I think we will know more when the injury report comes out at 4PM.

If Tom cannot play on Sunday our season could be over!

DaMarcus Beasley to Fulham?

I just read on mirrorfootball.co.uk that Fulham could be interested in Rangers winger DaMarcus Beasley. I certainly hope there is no truth to this rumor.

I watched him play in the Confederations Cup this summer for the United States and he was horrible. He might be desperate to leave Rangers, but I honestly think he is a bad fit for Fulham. We need strikers that can score goals. Whenever an American player is available for some reason it is automatically thought that Fulham would be interested.

Bill Belichick sends home 4 players

Bill Belichick sent home Randy Moss, Gary Guyton, Adalius Thomas, and Derrick Burgess for showing up late to an 8 AM meeting on Wednesday. I live 10 minutes from Foxboro and I must say the traffic yesterday was horrible with the snow. This was a strong message to the team that the attitude of the team needs to change.



With so many veterans gone from that team this year, Belichick is attempting to police his locker room. The problem here is that in the past the players have policed the locker room. There is no question this is an immature team and it shows on Sundays.



Since Tom brady has been quarterback before this year if the Pats had a lead at halftime they won the game. This year they are losing games when they are leading at halftime. As I have stated before I truly believe the coaching staff and the ownership team made a conscious decision that this was going to be a rebuilding year. It is somewhat like the year 2000 when the Belichick era began. We are not starting from scratch, but the Pats especially on defense are going through growing pains. They are looking more at the 2011 season than this year. This team is probably 2 years away from being similar to the Super Bowl Patriots I remember.

Fulham Looking to Trim Payroll

According to the Daily Mail, Fulham are looking to trim payroll. The article mentions the players are Eddie Johnson, Seol Ki- Hyeon, Fredrik Stoor, Tony Kallio, and David Elm.

My question is why are they looking to transfer these players? Are they looking to make a splash in the January Transfer Window? As I stated earlier I think they need 2 quality strikers to compliment the players we currently have. David Elm and Eddie Johnson both have not really had a chance this year with the first team.

If Fulham are looking to add a couple of players I don't have a problem with these potential transfers. Let's hope this is an indication that it will be a busy transfer period!

Bill O'Brien

I know this won't be a popular entry but I think we need to give Bill O'Brien more time as a coach before we make judgements on his ability to be the offensive coordinator.

He is the quarterbacks coach right now and not the O.C. Fans seem to forget the Josh McDaniels his first year as quarterbacks coach was not the O.C. either. That year the offense had struggles similar to this year's.

Bill O'Brien needs time to learn on the job. He will probably get the title of O.C. next year. Charlie Weis when he was with the Jets under Bill Parcells at one point was replaced as Offensive Coordinator. It took time even for Charlie to develop into a top offensive mind.

This is another reason why I believe the Patriots are treating this year like a rebuilding one.

Paul Konchesky

I have been reading on a few internet sites since this weekend rumors that Paul Konchesky could be a target of Sunderland or Birmingham City in the January Transfer Window. He has been very solid on defense the last 2 years.

I can see why other teams would be interested but why would Fulham remotely entertain an offer for him? Fulham's strength has been on defense and I can't see Roy even considering this option.

Fulham in my opinion needs to strengthen the squad with a few strikers in the transfer window. We need more options since we don't know how long it will be until Andy Johnson and Kamara return.

Also, We have Eddie Johnson and David Elm in reserves. Are they going to get a shot at some point to play? I have read that at points David Elm has been productive in the reserves. Would it be a bad idea for Roy to give these guys a shot against Burnley? I know it is not going to happen but I wish these guys could get a shot.

Fenway Sport Group

Fulham Football Club have recently signed an agreement with the Fenway Sports Group to marketing partnership. To people who are not familiar with the Fenway Sports Group let me tell you this is great news for fans.

First, Fenway Sports Group have done a tremendous job in marketing the Boston Red Sox making them arguably the second biggest brand name in baseball. The popularity of the Red Sox is still at an all time high. What this meant for fans of the Red Sox is more money to allocate to players. The Red Sox now with there marketing partnerships really have the power to spend money on all free agents. Besides the Yankees the Red Sox are a major player in free agency.

Second, in regards to Fulham I truly believe this partnership will help market the team on a global scale. Fulham does not have the money of the "big four". They need to build the brand of the team up. Over here in America Fulham is thought of as a nice middle of the table team. With the Fenway Sports Group's help I have a feeling you will see more interest and visibility.

Third, I know there is a fear that there will be naming rights to Craven Cottage. I could be wrong but I don't see that happening. Fenway Park where the Red Sox play is very similar to Craven Cottage. Fenway Sports Group did not re-name the ballpark. What they did was put naming rights to parts of the ballpark. The club section is called the EMC club. Also, there is advertising in every piece of Fenway Park. I think you will see these marketing tools used at Craven Cottage.

Finally, all I think this partnership will mean is more money for the team which will hopefully result into more funds allocated to the best players available.

Rebuilding Year

After watching the Patriots game yesterday I made the decision that it is time to start blogging. I have been a Pats fan since 1975.



First, I never want to see those throwback jerseys again. For me the Pats never accomplished real winning with the "Pat Patriot" logo. It needs to be benched permanantly.



Second, It is time for Patriot fans to realize this is a rebuilding year. The Pats didn't come out and tell you that, but it is pretty obvious. They needed to get younger and more athletic on defense. I think they have begun the process of accomplishing this goal. This defense no matter what you have seen the last 3 weeks is much better than it was last year. It just needs more time to establish itself.



Third, this idea that the Patriots need a pass rush to help the secondary is correct. However, I would argue the Patriots have never had a strong pass rush since I have been watching them.

They play a 3-4 read and react defense. The defense lineman never are able to really rush the passer, because they are reading the defense first and then reacting. Your pass rush comes form the outside linebackers. The only true pass rushers I have seen on the Pats in the last 8 years were Mike Vrabel and Willie McGinest. The mistake they made this year was trading Mike Vrabel. I disagree that Richard Seymour would have improved the pass rush.



Finally, this all goes back to what I began with. This is a rebuilding year and it is time to accept it.

The Beginning

I started the blog to comment and explain my passion for the New England Patriots and Fulham Football Club. I am a huge fan of both teams. Following these great teams has given me a release from the daily grind of life. I wanted to start from the beginning to how I started following these 2 teams.

This first post will be about Fulham. I became a Fulham fan completely by accident. I was not a soccer fan, but was always curious why so many people follow the game. Two incidents happened that helped me become a fan of this team.

First, I was forced to change my cable package because I wanted to get the NFL Network. When I was able to get the channel I also now had access to Fox Soccer Channel. I slowly started to watch matched and decided I would follow Fulham because of Clint Dempsey. He is an American player and a former member of The New England Revolution. I started to follow Fulham but was mildly into it.

Second, I became so turned off by the media covering the Patriots I started looking for another outlet. The Spygate Scandal really started to suck the joy out of being a fan of the New England Patriots. I am a lifetime fan and I just was not enjoying the season of 2007. The Patriots went 16 - 0 and I just didn't feel the same about my team. I do blame the media for building up this story, and in the long run being wrong about many facts about the scandal. The Patriots then played the Giants in the Super Bowl and lost. I was devastated by the loss and the Spygate 2 scandal that broke the day before the game. I needed another escape.

In February of 2008 I started to follow the relegation battle for Fulham. It was fascinating to see what they needed to do just to stay in the Premiereship. Over the next couple of months I became hooked on the team and the sport. I have been a hardcore fan of both teams ever since.

I will blog about both teams when I feel it is necessary. It should be fun writing about them and following the teams together.