A thrilling title race and a ferocious battle to avoid the drop kept onlookers fascinated until the final minutes of the campaign. And in the midst of all the excitement came a host of high-scoring, memorable matches. Footballing World pick out the top five from the 2007/08 season.

1. Portsmouth 7-4 Reading
Saturday, 29 September 2007

Early season excitement as Portsmouth run riot against a Reading side seemingly incapable of defending. The drama was reserved for the second half as an incredible eight goals were scored along with a missed penalty; Benjani netting a hat-trick as nine different players got their name on the score-sheet in a match that set a new Premier League record for the most aggregate goals scored in a single match. Sadly, it proved an exceptional afternoon for the home side and their supporters: Pompey finished the season failing to score in 10 of their 19 home games.

Portsmouth goals: Mwaruwari 7, 37, 70, Hreidarsson 55, Kranjcar 75, Davis 81, Muntari 90 pen.
Reading goals: Hunt 45, Kitson 48, Long 79, Shorey 90.

2. Tottenham 4-4 Chelsea
Wednesday, 19 March 2008

These two London sides provided various classic encounters against fellow Premier League sides during the season, but they managed something even better when they met in late March. A bustling, high-octane clash ended with Robbie Keane’s stunning late equaliser to earn the hosts a point, just weeks after they had beaten Chelsea in the Carling Cup final. Three goals in the opening 20 minutes set the tempo, but Tottenham left the happier after coming from 3-1 and 4-3 down to rescue a point while helping to ruin Chelsea’s title ambitions, who added to their poor reputation when Ashley Cole threw a tantrum after receiving a yellow card for a challenge that deserved red.

Tottenham goals: Woodgate 12, Berbatov 61, Huddlestone 75, Keane 88.
Chelsea goals: Drogba 3, Essien 20, Joe Cole 52, 80.

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Tottenham

Juande Ramos’s reign at White Hart Lane has been stop start so far this season.

He has raised Spurs’ commitment and fitness level on the pitch but their ever-unreliable defence is still the Spaniard’s main problem, not to mention the lack of natural left sided players. The 5-1 hammering of their north London rivals Arsenal in the Carling Cup showed us they are a major attacking force but the late equaliser against Manchester United in the league highlights their ongoing defensive frailties.

It is no secret there will be mass clearout come the summer but already he has come down on those he feels are surplus to requirements. Paul Stalteri, Antony Gardner, and surprisingly Jermain Defoe have all left Tottenham with the pint-sized England international joining Portsmouth having been quoted as saying he would stay at Spurs only last week.

Even so, Ramos seems to be happy with just Berbatov, Keane and Bent as his side’s main attacking threat. His signings in January are an indication that he wants to bring in quality in the areas that need improving. In comes central defender Jonathan Woodgate (Undis, approx £7m) from Middlesbrough and highly-rated Scottish right-back Alan Hutton (£8m). Add wing-backs Welshman Chris Gunter from Cardiff City (Undis) and left-sided Brazilian Gilberto (Undis) from Hertha Berlin and the Spurs defence looks to be strengthening, but only time will tell given Woodgate, King and Bale’s fitness troubles in recent times as to how solid the backline will be.

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Fulham could be the perfect rebound team for the Gunners with the Cottagers winless in 10 Premier League games. Although new Fulham manager Roy Hodgson will be desperately hoping to take home his first Premier League point since taking over, even a draw may be elusive against what should be a fully-fit Arsenal team.

The Cottagers, who will be missing American internationals Kasey Keller and Brian McBride, could find themselves overwhelmed by the returns of Tomas Rosicky and Robin van Persie to the Arsenal side. Low morale, coupled with additional injuries to Hameur Bouzza and Ian Pearce, could mean that Hodgson will be facing an exercise in damage limitation.

On the other hand, Arsenal players hoping to prove themselves after the disappointing show against Birmingham will be looking to display some of the fine flowing football that had once placed them at the summit of the table. The possible return of the prolific van Persie will also boost the Gunners confidence ahead of the clash.

Arsene Wenger will likely start with a similar lineup to the one that faced Birmingham, although Theo Walcott and Eduardo could see themselves ousted in favor of Czech Republic captain Rosicky and injury-prone striker Van Persie.

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The auction ends on Boxing Day, but there have already been 17 bids though the price stands at a measly £5.50 late on the 17th December.

The item was titled a ‘2nd Rate Manager with International Experience‘:

Main USP’s

1) Available now for quick sale

2) Natural inability to manage at club level

3) Very loyal (as long as you are Irish)

4) Willing to give all the squad a run-out, even if they are local lads from the pub

IDEAL CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOR THE FA OR CHELSEA

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!

Winning bidder gets nothing for his money, the same as our club….

Feel free to bid, but expect plenty of competition for the prized item. Yet don’t be afraid to break the bank - it’s Christmas after all, the season to be generous and wasteful, the time to take pity on those less fortunate than you are. Sanchez seemingly fits into this category perfectly.

Lawrie Sanchez’s short and ill-fated spell at Fulham looks set to come to an end after a woeful display against Newcastle which the left the club in the relegation zone with a mere 13 points from 17 matches.

Chairman Mohamed Al Fayed, otherwise occupied with the ongoing High Court inquest into Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed’s deaths, has witnessed a dismal first half of the campaign despite investing £25million to bankroll Sanchez’s summer clearout, significantly more than he offered previous manager Chris Coleman throughout his reign.

Fulham have won only three times in all competitions, beating Bolton, Reading and Shrewsbury, and just four times in the Premier League during the whole of 2007. They have failed to win in their last five matches and have conceded 11 goals in the final 12 minutes of matches, costing them 13 points – the number they currently reside in 18th position on.

Odds have been slashed from 7/2 to 5/2 clear favourite by William Hill for Sanchez to be the next Premier League manager this season to leave his job, while he is at 8/11 to be sacked before the end of the season and evens to survive. Fulham are now 2/1 to be relegated and 4/11 to stay up.

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Finding support for Lawrie Sanchez’s appointment as Fulham’s permanent manager would have meant scurrying up to Northern Ireland where he had worked wonders. Support from Fulham fans was minimal, and the decision to hand a man with no Premier League experience a £25m war chest seemed absurd at the time and utterly ludicrous now as the west Londoners toil near the foot of the table.

Many fans viewed the appointment of Sanchez by chairman Mohamed Al Fayed as the cheap and easy option, but the fact he was then handed a huge transfer kitty dispelled those thoughts. Yet why did Al Fayed decide to hand a novice such funds, and not previous incumbent Chris Coleman who had identified himself as a burgeoning manager after guiding Fulham to mid-table finishes throughout his reign. The belated decision to open his chequebook again looks to have spectacularly backfired on the Harrods owner and Sanchez will pay the ultimate price.

Fulham fans were pleased just to remain in the Premier League last season as Sanchez narrowly guided them to safety in his five games in charge. All five matches produced uninspiring performances and just four points, but the former Northern Ireland manager was handed the benefit of the doubt because, after all, he was working with Coleman’s players and the club were in a desperate situation. Fulham were fortunate to survive after attaining just 39 points but it was enough to land Sanchez the job full-time.

The ex-Wycombe boss was allowed to completely overhaul the squad with an impressive budget, importing the most players by any club in a single transfer window ever. Pre-season was indifferent, and a tight opening day defeat at Arsenal suggested Fulham would avoid relegation troubles for a second successive year. Yet the manner of the loss would begin a worrying trend that has seen the team fall into 17th position with just one victory. Fulham were 1-0 up until the final six minutes but self-destructed, giving away a penalty and then allowing Arsène Wenger’s side to win it in stoppage time via a move straight down the middle of the pitch as the defence fell apart. It happened again at home to Middlesbrough and at Aston Villa. In total, Fulham have dropped 13 points from winning positions having scored the first goal – the worst record in the league.

In nine competitive encounters, Fulham have won only twice – when hosting Bolton and on their travels at League Two outfit Shrewsbury. Their latest result – a home defeat to a much-weakened Bolton side in the Carling Cup – may put Sanchez’s job in some danger. Following three consecutive draws, including two at home, Fulham were expected to edge into the last sixteen of the League Cup against a struggling Bolton who were two points and positions off their opponents in the league table. Yet a passionless and directionless performance, underlined by more poor defending, allowed Sammy Lee’s side, who had made nine changes and left out Anelka and Diouf, to progress. With a trip to Chelsea on Saturday, Fulham are likely to be in the bottom three by the end of the weekend and the pressure on Sanchez’s shoulders will intensify greatly.

With just six points from seven league games – only one of them against a ‘top four’ side – the £25m summer input has not even begun to be repaid. Only Derby look certain to go down to the Championship, meaning there will be a long scrap to avoid the remaining two places between some extremely competitive and stout sides. Apart from the Rams, no other team looks ready to accept their fate and Fulham appear set to spend the entire campaign aiming to avoid an expensive fall to the second tier.

Home results will inevitably be crucial to Fulham’s survival hopes but, so far, so bad. Against Middlesbrough, Tottenham and Manchester City they have picked up just two points, yet Sanchez has avoided criticism because of the nature of the three games. Freak injuries and a David Healy ‘goal’ that never was versus Middlesbrough; and twelve goals in the latter two matches meant Fulham were praised for their entertainment value rather than maligned for their poor defensive performances and failure to pick up maximum points when they ought to have. Fulham have conceded five times in the final ten minutes of matches, defensive failings which have cost them seven invaluable points.

Sanchez has not delivered and his job is in jeopardy. Al Fayed can be quick on the trigger and may need to be if Fulham wish to avoid playing Championship football. Rumours persist that he is looking to sell the club – gossip that is given greater credibility with the failure of the Cottagers to break into the top ten, never mind become ‘the Manchester United of the south’. If new owners did come in, Sanchez would surely be immediately replaced and a much-needed high profile name might come in. Otherwise, four critical games await post-Chelsea that could decide Sanchez’s future – three at home, against Portsmouth, Derby and Reading, and a trip to Sunderland. Three of these sides are rivals in the battle against relegation, and after these batch of winnable-looking games, Fulham go to Liverpool, Manchester United and Everton over the following four weeks.

Wouldn’t it be ironic if Sanchez sent Fulham down after spending £25m, while his predecessor comfortably kept the club alive in the top-flight on a shoestring budget.

Sanchez should go now. Agree? Disagree? Share your views by leaving a comment below.

Just 23, Rosenior still has much to learn as a defender and the former England under-21 international must be held partially accountable for Fulham’s poor recent defensive record, including the 60 goals conceded last season. Yet his burgeoning talent was patent and the Fulham support saw his vast potential while warming to his enthusiasm and passion.

Rosenior started every single Premier League match last season and was part of the national under-21 squad in the summer that reached the semi-finals before losing to Holland in a penalty shoot-out, in which the former Bristol City right-back scored twice.

Steve Coppell undoubtedly has an eye for young talent and Rosenior’s exemplary attitude, work rate, and willingness to develop his game has impressed the Royals manager suitably to ensure a deal was completed on the final day of August. Fulham manager Lawrie Sanchez, perhaps somewhat prematurely, decided to dispense with Rosenior without using him at all during the opening rounds of the 2007/8 season and agreed a swap deal which saw the enigmatic Seol Ki-Hyeon arrive in West London, while the Whites also received a fee in the region of £1m, though a substantial percentage of that will head to Rosenior’s old club Bristol City.
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Liverpool and Arsenal lead the table after victories against Derby and Portsmouth respectively, the Reds hammering Billy Davies’ Rams side 6-0 with Fernando Torres and Xabi Alonso scoring twice apiece as Liverpool indicated for the first time in a long, long time that they will sustain a challenge for the league. Arsenal recorded their most convincing victory of the campaign, 3-1 winners against Portsmouth, and despite the lack of transfer activity and departure of Henry, Arsène Wenger’s side also appear ready to contest for the title. While Liverpool and Arsenal have ten points after four matches, Chelsea stayed on that number following their fifth game and first defeat of the season. They fell to a 2-0 defeat against an impressive Aston Villa side with Zat Knight doing more than he did in eight years at Fulham by scoring the opener and keeping a clean sheet.

Everton also lie on ten points after Joleon Lescott netted in the 90th minute to give David Moyes’ outfit a 2-1 victory at struggling Bolton, who now reside in 19th position. The most exciting game of the weekend came from Craven Cottage as Tottenham threw away a 3-1 lead with 12 minutes remaining to draw against Fulham, Diomansy Kamara netting a brilliant overhead kick in the final minute to ensure the points were shared, although the visitors dominated throughout. Martin Jol’s position as coach has become even more precarious. Manchester United beat Sunderland by a single goal from Louis Saha as they continued to flounder in front of goal, and there were wins for Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Blackburn and West Ham too. Reading, after losing 3-0 at home to the Hammers, lie in the relegation zone and second season syndrome is hitting them hard.

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His former employers paid nothing to sign him in 1999 bar 30 pairs of tracksuits - a goodwill present from chairman Mohamed Al Fayed - and Knight earned two England caps in the much-maligned tour of the USA. Fulham sold up for £3.5m, rising to £4m, having teetered on the brink of agreeing a deal with Newcastle a year ago. The transfer marks a turnabout by manager Lawrie Sanchez who, bizarrely in many eyes, offered Knight a three-year deal over the summer despite only having been at club for the final five matches of the 2006/7 season.

Error-prone and undistinguished, Knight has been the weak link of Fulham’s utterly fragile back-line and has been the supporters’ scapegoat when errors were made or silly goals were conceded, particularly last season as the Cottagers fell dramatically close to the drop-zone and only narrowly survived. Fulham had the equal-worst defence in the Premiership, conceding 60 times - a record matched only by relegated Charlton - and suffered embarrassing beatings at the hands of Everton, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham. The latter was in an FA Cup fifth round tie at Craven Cottage, where Knight’s indecisiveness was apparent in a 4-0 hammering, and he was heckled off the pitch and had to be restrained from confronting one disenchanted fan.
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West Ham continued their slow start to the new season with a tame 1-1 draw with third-placed Wigan, as Chris Hutchings continues to prove his critics wrong. Bolton also got off the mark by hammering Reading, and there were wins for Aston Villa and Birmingham while a draw was played out at Goodison Park between Everton and Blackburn as Roque Santa Cruz continued to impress for the visitors. Sam Allardyce says he wants to bring in new faces before the transfer window closes on Friday after watching another draw for his Newcastle side. A visit to the Riverside saw them lead twice only to allow Middlesbrough to level almost immediately on both occasions.

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