Hugh Grant Your Boys Took A Hell Of A Beating (ok maybe not) - Fulham Thoughts

So, we got our third win of the season – and our first since early September. And there’s a lot that can be learnt from the match.

Starting with the defence, and I’d argue this with anyone, Matthew Upson is better – at this moment at least – than Jonathan Woodgate.

Woodgate was outstanding against Chelsea, but since then has been up and down at best. Upson by contrast – and I’ll hold my hands up here I didn’t know why we had signed him – has been brilliant every time he’s been called upon.

There are many Stokies who want Robert Huth back in the side, and we at Long Ball Football have a lot of time for him too, but let me pose a question: exactly where do you want him right now? He’s not as good a full back as Andy Wilkinson and, whilst there is no doubt he is a fine centre half, he is not a talker or organiser and that is probably what Ryan Shawcross needs.

Further forward, whisper it quietly, there were signs that Pennant and Etherington were getting back to something like their old selves. The latter’s two assists (ok, one was a little lucky) will do him the world of good and the former was more ready to run at players at last.

There were other positives too: Delap becoming the first non-striker to notch a goal in the league this term and another clean sheet. Elsewhere Jon Walters showed the poachers instinct we sometimes lack to score for his goal and Kenwyne Jones was back in the squad.

However, to strike a note of caution, in Fulham, we faced possibly the only team worse than us over the last few seasons on the road – and however much of an injustice it might have been - if Riise’s free kick goes in we probably don’t win the game. That said, these things happen and if Jon Walters' shoty had gone in at Swansea who knows?

Fulham gave a very Stoke like (if we can coin that phrase) display. They seemed timid and unable to get going. Anyone who has seen us away can say the same. We just cannot ever get the same intensity on someone else’s ground that we can at The Brit.

Next week we face Arsenal and I remain totally convinced that if we have a go we could worry them. If, of course, is a big word and we will probably settle for defeat limply, like normal.

For now though, we sit seventh in the league and have the Europa league to look forward to on Thursday. Lets worry about Arsenal after that. And maybe we can score from open play….ok lets not ask too much!