We're Kicking off with a Big one; Game of the Season
You can make the argument for a lot of games being up there for Game of the Season- it's all down to personal preference at the end of the day, and having the three I narrowed it down to does not discount the likes of Huddersfield Away among others.
Nominations:
Fulham 4-3 Boro
What to say about this game eh? 7 Goals, 2 Penalties, A Red Card and a 90th Minute Winner to send Watford up- and those were just the headlines. This game truly had everything- whether it be world class saves, awful goalkeeping, a 2 Goal comeback from 10 Men the list truly goes on for a long time. I don't know if I'd be looking back on this as fondly had McCormack not gotten the winner and the lasting memory of the Cottage for the season was us blowing a 2 Goal Comeback- but as such we ended the season on a high, because let's be honest we'd checked out by the time we played Norwich.
Fulham 2-0 Derby
I Believe I described this as "Perfection" at the time. At the time Derby were one of- if not the form team in the division, and we completely outclassed them. Whether it was Scott Parker having the game of his Fulham life- or Nikolay Bodurov of all people scoring for want of a better term a Karate Kick everything just seemed to click for us in this game- and that's why it's in the Game of the Season Category for me, even if in comparison to some other games it was pretty non-eventful.
Forest 5-3 Fulham
A Game I didn't Review because I pretty much boycotted the last few of "his" matches- because to be honest it was too depressing, and there wasn't really much you could say that hadn't already been said. That said this game was mental- and for a long period of time, even though we lost you could make the argument that it was our Performance of the Season. As with Derby at the time Forest were the form team of the division and when we went two goals down it was seemingly business as usual. But for some intangible reason our players suddenly remembered that they were actually decent footballers on their day and we ended up not only getting it back to a Draw- but going ahead against Top of the League via Ross McCormack and Rodallega. While we ended up blowing it- that in the grand scheme of things was probably for the best because it got rid of "him" as a result.
Results:
Forest 5-3 Fulham- 0%
Fulham 2-0 Derby- 33%
Winner: Fulham 4-3 Boro- 67%
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We now move onto the Equally Prestigious- "Oh Yeah, They Existed Award" this award is here to honour the true heroes of the season- the players who were too good for selection; I'm sure I speak for all of you reading when I say the following nominees are deserving of legend status at the Club.
Nominations:
Dino Fazlic
One of "his" many brainwaves was to sign this guy- and what a genius move it was. Let's take a look at his truly outstanding stats for him...
Exactly.
Adil Chihi
Someone who did actually grace us with his presence this season- and his cameo was... Interesting. When he came on it looked like he'd swallowed a tyre, and for a winger that is the #1 Characteristic required. His ability to lose the ball is almost unmatched- and that is why he is more than deserving of a nomination.
Richard Lee
Not all of these great signings were from "him", Oh No- in the middle of the Loan Deadline Day we announced the signing of Danny Guthrie and Richard Lee. One of these two went on to play in pretty much every game of the season left with a variety of performances. The other- was also there, and that other was Richard Lee.
Winner: Dino Fazlic
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Let's get another one of the Main Categories out of the way with the "Team Performance of the Season", not to be confused with Game of the Season- this is the award for most complete team performance we had this season, whether it be because we dominated whomever was there or we looked defensively sound (BANTER!) or it was what you could simply call a complete team performance. Let's have a look at the three games that most fit the criteria
Nominations:
Fulham 2-0 Derby
As I've already said, this was as close to perfection as I'd seen this season- it's something we'll need a lot more next season in that we entertained a Table Topped and completely overran them and for the most part dominated them. That isn't because of an individual performance- it was because everyone was on the same page.
Fulham 4-0 Bolton
A Game I unfortunately didn't get to Review because I was really ill when the game took place, but it really was a quality display. Coming off the back of the Birmingham game we were starting to get on a bit of a role under Kit and the confidence was coming back, and that was never more apparent than this game.
Fulham 1-0 Norwich
Speaking of performances under Kit- if you divide his reign into the Caretaker and Permanent sections this was probably his best result. Yes, Bolton was convincing- but we were up against a very poor Dougie Freedman team; the game against Norwich was perhaps less convincing- and we rode our luck at times; but it was up against a top of the table Norwich and for that it's deserving of a spot on the list.
Results:
Fulham 1-0 Norwich- 0%
Fulham 4-0 Bolton- 40%
Winner: Fulham 2-0 Derby- 60%
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We now move onto one of, if not the most prestigious award of this post the "Hit for Five" award. This is the award for the other teams- so we can be all inclusive. The qualification for this category was relatively easy in all honesty in that the criteria is that they had to have put 5 past us in a game this season.
Nominations:
Nottingham Forest
I've already pretty much had my say on this match earlier on, it was a mental game- and I think the statistic we'll remember till death is the fact Forest only had 5 Shots on Target in the game.
Derby (Twice!)
What to say about Derby, the first of the 5 Goal hauls was under "him" and you only have to look at the 5th Goal to see where we were as a team under "him". The second time was more disappointing for a number of reasons- primarily we were 2-0 up! However what followed was a collapse of epic proportions and we ended up blowing our chance at the Carling Cup (and Chelsea in the Next Round) by conceding 5 to Derby for the second time in the same season. It all turned out alright though because we ended up starting their slow decline.
Watford
The first of the two teams that put 5 past us and went up- and this was a humiliation. At the time Watford were off form- and a lot of people were touting us to win in front of the Sky Cameras, instead Watford completely outplayed us from the 1st Whistle- and between Watford's Goal of the Season from Almen Abdi, to a Bettinelli Red Card it just wouldn't click for us that night and it was truly "one of those days"
Bournemouth
The second of the two teams that put 5 past us and went up- and the Champions, when Bournemouth put 5 past us in front of the Sky Cameras for me it was a mixture of Bournemouth being extraordinary as they were for the majority of the season, and us letting them be extraordinary.
Winner: Derby, We wrecked their season it's the least we can do.
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It's time to knock out a few of the main categories in a row, much like the Oscars- you've sat through all of the stuff only the people winning cares about in between the bad jokes and ego stroking to get to the bit you actually care about. We're starting it off with the "Individual Performance of the Season". This is here to acknowledge a players performance in a game that was truly extraordinary- and disappointingly there weren't many to choose from.
Nominations:
Marcus Bettinelli v Brentford (Away)
Although we ended up losing the game, Bettinelli's performance that night was on a completely different level. It could well have been a cricket score were it not for him- and his sublime saves, particularly in the First Half- the one from Diagourage stands out particularly. As I said, while we ended up losing Bettinelli's performance in the goal was worthy of winning any game and him being undone by a screamer and a deflection was the only way he was getting beaten that night.
Ross McCormack v Nott. Forest (Home)
The First Hat-Trick from a Fulham player since Pavel Pogrebnyak- and what a Hat-Trick it was. The third was perhaps a bit lucky to go in and be accredited to him, but a First-Half Hat-Trick is a rarity from those in a Fulham shirt- so when one is done it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realise it has to be acknowledged.
Marcus Bettinelli v Huddersfield (Away)
The Second Bettinelli performance out of the three nominations, and this performance was on a completely different level. Bettinelli simply couldn't be beaten up at the Galpharm with the exclamation point being the Penalty Save from Nakhi Wells.
Results:
Ross McCormack v Forest- 14%
Marcus Bettinelli v Brentford- 14%
Winner: Marcus Bettinelli v Huddersfield- 72% (for some reason the Strawpoll was saying 71% but I rounded it up)
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We're carrying on with the Main Categories with the " Signing of the Season" which is a hotly contested award this year here's why...
Nominations:
Ross McCormack
What to say about McCormack that hasn't already been said. He's a special player- and one who is worth whatever price we paid for him because him and Bettinelli have grabbed us by the scruff of our neck and dragged us over the safety line. His haul of 19 Goals and 11 Assists for the Season is extraordinary when you consider the team he's had around him, and it gives me a lot of hope for McCormack to at the very least challenge his Leeds tally next season provided we get a competent and consistent team around him.
Michael Turner
The man who was brought in to solve our defensive woes, and to an extent did. We only lost two games while Turner was in the team, and while we probably should have won a few more of those- you can hardly put that on a Centre-Back and he did his job. While he wasn't here for the majority of the season his contribution is more than worthy of a place in this hotly contested list.
Shaun Hutchinson
A Defender we've had since the start of the season, and one of the most schizophrenic players I think I've ever seen. He started off horribly against Ipswich and it was a long road for him to get back into the first team- but when he did after Dan Burn was torn apart against Watford he grew into his role and really did impress me, and if he can continue that trajectory for the most part I won' have a massive objection to him playing next season (New Signings notwithstanding)
Nikolay Bodurov
For me early on in the season he was our signing of the season by a clear margin. He brought a level of calmness to the defence that we hadn't seen in a long time and he was one of not very many who managed to impress me in the first 7 games of the season. Sadly he did tail off a bit as the season went on- but for my money he is still one of our better out and out defenders at the club and he does hold some value for next season.
Dino Fazlic
A Player that truly embodied Fulham. I don't know anyone who's had a bad word to say about any of his performances at the Club- and it's for that reason that he's a nominee.
Results:
Michael Turner- 0%
Shaun Hutchinson- 0%
Nikolay Bodurov- 0%
it's at this point I have to intervene- McCormack won the Vote 57-43 to Fazlic, but this is why Democracy doesn't work on this day of all days so...
Winner: Dino Fazlic
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We're on the Final Stretch now, and we're here for the "Goal of the Season" Award. There isn't much to say about them that Videos can't do so if you need a refresher course the videos are linked.
Nominations:
Lasse Vigen Christensen v Huddersfield
Lasse Vigen Christensen v Sheff. Wednesday
Ross McCormack v Huddersfield
Seko Fofana v Huddersfield
Matt Smith v Wigan
Results
Seko Fofana v Huddersfield- 0%
Matt Smith v Wigan- 14%
Ross McCormack v Huddersfield- 14%
Lasse Vigen Christensen v Sheff. Wednesday- 14%
Winner: Lasse Vigen Christensen v Huddersfield- 57% (according to Strawpoll I realise it should be 58)
Democracy does indeed work, because for me this was our goal of the season by a mile, yes- you can make the argument for the Sheff. Wednesday goal as a pure counter attacking goal, and without exaggeration it was the best counter-attacking goal I've ever seen- The Huddersfield goal was a special goal and a deserving winner.
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Now we're off for the Main 2 Awards, one of which I didn't have votes on just because I had no idea how to do it. So before we get to the Player of the Season we have the "Team of the Season". For me this is a fairly obvious choice so I'm not going to get into in-depth reasons- if you want to challenge me on any of them you can do so on Twitter. I'm also going to have this laid out how I'm going to be doing the teams next season because the alignments were really annoying me by the end of the season- and of course it'll be laid out in the Diamond, because Diamonds are truly forever.
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We now move onto the big one, the "Player of the Season" award, it was a hotly contested award this year- I'm not quite sure how but I've managed to narrow it down to three nominees and those are...
Nominations:
Ross McCormack
As I've already said, McCormack is a Special Player- in terms of performance level he tailed off towards the end of the season; but in a very rare turn of events a Striker who isn't on top of his game was still bagging goals for us. His Statistics for this season have been special and provided we can hold onto him for next season and we have a good Summer in the Transfer window the chances of his goals spearheading a push for the Top 6 are high in my opinion.
Marcus Bettinelli
You can make the argument that it doesn't matter how many McCormack scored if we let in more at the other end- and vice versa. As I said in my Norwich Review the fact we've conceded 83 Goals in the League season of which 62 were put past Bettinelli- and yet he's still on this list speaks volumes for his performance level and doesn't speak at all highly for those in front of him.
Lasse Vigen Christensen
One of this biggest shames of the season has been LVC's rather anti-climactic end to the Season- because for me and I'm sure many others just before Christmas he was the best player in the Division. But between Kit rushing him back to his injury against Derby his season tailed off quite early, but his performances before his season was cut short make him more than worthy of a nomination.
Results:
Lasse Vigen Christensen- 6%
Marcus Bettinelli- 25%
Winner: Ross McCormack- 69%
Thanks for reading as always, as I promised the Fulham posts won't be stopping for the Summer- and they'll be going up on Thursday so here we are. I hope you enjoyed this blog- and some of the tongue in cheek bits as well as the more serious awards- The Suggestion Box for some of the Posts I'm going to do over the Summer is still open so feel free to drop one in and Thanks again for reading
END CREDIT POINTLESS AWARDS MONTAGE!
Save of the Season- Bettinelli from Diagouraga
Miss of the Season- Rodallega v Reading
Red Card of the Season- Stafylidis v Leeds
Debut of the Season- Matt Smith v Reading
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