So Fulham's great European adventure came to an end with a disappointing extra-time defeat to Atletico Madrid.
Supposedly, the whole country was behind Roy Hodgson's 'miracle-workers' last night. The media has been united in lavishing praise upon 'brave, little Fulham' all season and we were expected to follow suit.
But they are categorically not my second team, and for that I give the simple reason that they are not very exciting to watch. For all their fantastic work to reach the final, and the remarkable wins along the way, they are a dull side.
Fulham are set up purely to contain their opposition. It got them to a European final, but it wasn't enough to see them past a far more attack-minded Atletico.
Fulham appeared to be playing for penalties last night. Only when Diego Forlan scored late in the second half of extra-time did they exhibit an attacking mentality. It was too little, too late.
Had Fulham won the game, we probably would praising such tactics. But they didn't. And they never looked like they might.
Atletico are not world beaters by any stretch. They lie 10th in La Liga and have lost to each of the bottom three sides in the division.
But they do have class, and attacking pedigree. Sergio Aguero, Diego Forlan, Simao Sabrosa and Jose Antonio Reyes are fantastic players and all have one thing in common; they attack at every opportunity.
Atletico are by design weak in defence. They are very sloppy at the back and were it not for David De Gea in goal (dubbed the new Iker Casillas), they surely would not have reached the final.
Essentially, had Fulham pressed them, they were there for the taking.
So while it is disappointing that Fulham couldn't go all the way and win it, they only have themselves to blame for failing to make the attacking effort.
It might be disappointing for the English that Fulham failed on their greatest night, but for the fans of the beautiful game, justice was surely done.
- Sam Parker
Source: DSG
