When Roy Hodgson, on arriving at Craven Cottage, made Brede Hangeland one of his first signings I probably wasn`t alone in wondering just how the tall Norwegian would cope with life in the Premier League.
It`s fast, hard compromising league and Hangeland was relatively untried. However, some ten months further on an donce again we can all say that Roy Hodgson knew exactly what he was doing.
Whilst a lot of attention has been focussed on the striking duo of Andrew Johnson and Bobby Zamora, it should escape our attention that the defensive duo, of Hangeland and Aaron Hughes, have more than impressed this season.
Hangeland has matured fast since his arrival, his strength and his height, along with his good footballing brain, have stood him in good stead even against the quicker and more mobile forwards.
It`s a fact that has not been lost on our readership who currently have Hangeland well ahead in our current poll to find our best player of the season so far. In fact we`d go as far as to say it`s a nailed on certainty that he`ll emerge victorious in the poll.
Our only concerns are that Hangeland, probably in his eagerness to impress, tends to use his height to stoop over forwards to head the ball. The more unscrupulous amongst them see this as an opportunity to try and sneak a free kick or in the case of Everton away, appeal for a penalty.
But I guess that`s a small price to pay considering how Roy sniffed out this particular bargain!
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