Match Report. Fulham 1-0 Stoke
FULHAM 1 (Berbatov, 45)
STOKE 0
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Miserable afternoon: Tony Pulis
DIMITAR Berbatov's stunning volley in first-half injury time sent Stoke City tumbling to a 1-0 defeat at Fulham this afternoon.
The Bulgarian crashed an unstoppable effort past Asmir Begovic to light up an uninspiring first half.
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But Peter Crouch should have levelled three minutes into the second half before Jon Walters missed a 55th minute penalty to complete a miserable afternoon for City.
Stoke could have taken the lead after seven minutes when Peter Crouch played in Walters behind the defence. Walters beat the offside trap and raced into the right-side of the area. His shooting angle was narrow so he instead played the ball across the face of goal, but there was no one there to tap the ball into the gaping net.
Berbatov volleyed just over on nine minutes before Bryan Ruiz was booked for punching Damien Duff's free kick into the net.
Steven Nzonzi was flattened by Berbatov's arm as the pair duelled for a header. The clash broke Nzonzi's nose, so the player required treatment before continuing.
The Stoke midfielder was clearly riled by the incident and was extremely lucky not to be sent off on 23 minutes when he was booked for shoving Ruiz in the face.
Stoke were forced into a change on 24 minutes after Matthew Etherington picked up a knock. He was replaced on the left wing by Brek Shea, making his Stoke debut after his move from FC Dallas.
Duff's powerful shot was blocked by Robert Huth in the area as Fulham began to dominate possession.
John Arne Riise's shot was saved by Asmir Begovic before Steve Sidwell sent a low 20-yard effort fizzing just wide on 44 minutes.
However, Fulham took the lead in first-half injury time when Huth couldn't get enough distance on his header as he tried to clear a cross from the right. The ball dropped to Berbatov whose stunning volley gave Begovic no chance as it rocketed into the corner.
Half Time
Fulham 1 Stoke 0
Stoke almost levelled three minutes into the second half when Philippe Senderos dithered over a ball flicked on by Brede Hangeland. Peter Crouch got past the Fulham defender and tried to steer the ball past Mark Schwarzer but the keeper got a firm hand on the ball.
Tony Pulis brought on Cameron Jerome for Geoff Cameron on 51 minutes.
Stoke were handed a lifeline on 55 minutes when Brek Shea's cross was blocked by Ashkan Dejagah with his arm. Referee Lee Probert pointed to the spot, giving Walters the chance to equalise.
The Stoke player fired low to Schwarzer's right, but the keeper saved comfortably.
Begovic saved Berbatov's volley after the striker eased past two defenders by lifting the ball over their heads to set up the shot.
Shea fired just wide from the edge of the area before Stoke made a 70th minute change by bringing on Kenwyne Jones for Peter Crouch.
Giorgos Karagounis fired just over for Fulham from 20 yards before Ryan Shawcross went into the book for a late challenge on the same player.
Sidwell's shot was deflected just wide after Ruiz wriggled past Shawcross on his way into the area.
Berbatov was replaced by Mladen Petric, who fired well over after surging into the area in injury time.
It didn't matter because the referee's final whistle confirmed another frustrating afternoon for a Stoke side who now have just one win in 23 league games on the road.
FULHAM: Schwarzer, Riise, Senderos, Hangeland, Sidwell, Berbatov (Petric 90,) Ruiz, Karagounis (Baird, 82), Duff (Emanuelson, 86), Dejagah, Riether.
Subs: Etheridge, Hughes, Rodallega, Kacaniklic.
STOKE: Begovic, Shotton, Shawcross, Huth, Wilson, Walters, Whelan, Nzonzi, Cameron (Jerome, 51), Etherington, Crouch (Jones, 70).
Subs: Sorensen, Adam, Whitehead, Kightly, Shea.
Referee: Lee Probert
Attendance: 25,458
65 Comments
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by Stars-stripes
Tuesday, February 26 2013, 7:33PM
“You talk a great game evapottysummerfoot without ever having the balls to name an alternative just the kind of leadership qualities needed to lead a premiership football club.
It is always easier to knock things down than it is to build.
Myvale I prefer to pay attention to my friends who I've gone to the games with for more years than I care to remember. We do definatly not think this is the worst stoke side we have ever seen and can all to easily remember some very poor sides. I will refer you to this Saturdays green un where there is a review of some of stokes poor performances under Alan ball and mick mills
Happy reading”
by Pottersruleok
Tuesday, February 26 2013, 2:08PM
“stars-stripes, you just made my point for me and apparently don't even realise it! your willingness to accept mediocrity from Stoke City by pointing out others deficiencies is ridiculous. I have pointed out several times that we are where we are due to those below being poor , not us being good !Personally, I think we have a pretty damn good squad, but one that is being completely misused by it's manager to the detriment of its overall quality. Because of this, we go so many games without winning away, we get stuck with the moniker of the "best of the bad teams" instead of us sitting up solidly with the upper echelon teams . In my opinion, with a manager who had some drive, talent and imagination to steer the good squad we have, we would be challenging for a top 4 spot this season.”
by MyVince
Tuesday, February 26 2013, 12:56PM
“It's time you paid attention to the Stoke fans opinions on here
about Stoke !”
by Stars-stripes
Tuesday, February 26 2013, 7:50AM
“I pay as much attention to red arrows received on here as I do to vale fans opinions on stoke”
by MyVince
Tuesday, February 26 2013, 5:39AM
“It is quite obvious that Yankee Stripes is in a minority
of 2 or 3 on here who are just not able to see or not willing
to admit what the rest of the Stoke supporters have seen
and expressed eloquently on here.
Take a look at the number of red arrows allocated to your
postings Stripes and accept you are wrong.
It's time you realized that the great Stoke City football club
deserves a Manager who can make it's supporters proud again.”
by Stars-stripes
Monday, February 25 2013, 11:40PM
“That's a good question evapottysummerfoot if I divide the premiership into three with the exceptionally wealthy clubs battling for the champions league spots, the very poor fighting for their survival. I find that stoke are where they should be.
As the league table doesn't lie. If I accept what you and your whining chums say about stoke just how shockingly bad must the ten sides below be. What kind of dross are those supporters watching.”
by Pottersruleok
Monday, February 25 2013, 11:02PM
“yes potted, just ignore that useless stat of 1 win out of 23, we all are ! It's good to ignore anything bad, like the old saying goes "just ignore it and it will go away" right ?
stripes, just imagine where Stoke City would be in the realm of good teams in the eleague if Pulis actually knew what he is doing with his rather good squad.”
by Stars-stripes
Monday, February 25 2013, 10:02PM
“Wonder what the fans of the ten teams below us think of their sides”
by Pottedrengen
Monday, February 25 2013, 4:35PM
“That's the best thing I have ever heard from you, pottersuleok. Now that you have lost count, can you stop pestering us with your useless statistics.
Whoever gave you the idea that anybody is not concerned about the Fulham defeat? Everyone was on Saturday, but we deserved to lose, so now we have to move on.”
by Pottersruleok
Monday, February 25 2013, 2:54PM
“I was wondering how long it would take someone to blame me for yet another miserable performance. What is most shocking however is that some act (yet again) as though this 1-0 loss was just a one off, the first one in a long time, so we should ignore it and carry on. So to remind you, 1 win in the last 23 away games and that win was against the team we always beat in WBA, so take that win out and it is 1 win in.....I lost count.
During our annual and obligatory undefeated run of a few games earlier in the season, I was getting reprimanded no end by the usual bunch because I dared post the results and points gained during said run and was told to shut it because we were top of the "form table". Funny how I haven't heard a peep from them now due to us being next to last .
Pulis has only himself to blame for just having no clue how to use the players he has!”