How good a chance do we have of progressing?

[Brede Butter Pudding]

This is how I see it:

We were genuinely comfortable against the German champions - made them look "ordinary" - no reason why that can't be done again.

We are genuinely more defensive away from home - if we could sneak a goal that would be perfect, but otherwise I hope we stay solid at the back

We took this exact scoreline to Shakhtar, a team millions of times better than Wolfsburg and went through

According to a few Germans who know the team why well, they are a lot better away than at home for some reason

Their defence is definitely shaky - I fancy Bobatov to have a good go at them

We are winning in the tie - who wouldn't have taken this scoreline pre-match?




How do you lot feel about it?

[Lighthouse]

If we concede early thenthey will know that that will be good enough and may relax. But a 1 nil or two nil still means we need to score. So a goal for us changes the game. I am sure we can sneak one and that will panic them. They are a good side but so are we. I cannot believe we will continue to make such poor defensive mistakes again. We have got that winning feeling back again so the tie is still there to be won.

[Rupert]

Simple enough, really, we won 2-1, so the pressure is on them, if they don't score we go through.
Liverpool lost 2-1, if they don't score in the second leg, they are out.
Standard Liege lost 2-1, ditto.

Do you think that Liverpool and Standard Liege are favourites to go through?

It will be tough, and in a strange way a 2-1 lead may keep the players a little more focussed than a 2-0 would have, we will go there knowing we really need to score a goal, not just stop them from scoring. We're better when attacking rather than just defending.

[HatterDon]

They're not as good as Shaktar or Juve. If we play as well as we usually do in Europe, we'll go through. You can't guarantee anything, though, which is why we got to play the game.

[Tom]

We have a decent chance of going through. We just need to play to a 0-0 tie or win 1-0. I think we can do that.

[aus_ffc_88]

I can absolutly see us getting the first goal and the tie will be over! bring on the semi finals!

[finnster01]

We have beaten the Gerries twice, why can't we do it a third time especially at Adolf "one ball" Volkswagen's Stadium?

[FC Silver Fox]

We have the beating of their defence and can score over there.  They are a good attacking team and will score at home.   Bottom line?   I'd get the lads practising penalties. (you heard it here first)

Hey Finnster. 999 posts? The big 1000 coming up soon, old son.

[Brede Butter Pudding]

I spose this makes our trip to Germany a bit more exciting in some ways, knowing we have a really good chance of going through but also any mistakes could cost us dearly. I can't wait

[jarv]

Good chance, 50/50 I think. Good news is, Hangeland cannot play that poorly again. He was asleep at the wheel! Almost cost Fulham dearly, several times.  Having said that, his distribution seemed better than usual.

[Brede Butter Pudding]

Really? A lot of people have said this but I didn't think he was too poor, maybe that misjudged header which they should have punished but cant realsly remember what else he did wrong? Can anyone expand on this?

[LRCN]

Yep, 50/50. that goal we let in was such a sickener, without it I'd be very confident.

[epsomraver]

I thought he played well, they all had dodgy moments, that is football.

[SuffolkWhite]

We can win this and go to the Semi's, they are no better than us and we can score against them. It will be a tight game away and an evenly matched one but we will need to bag an away goal.

[blingo]

simple m8, they HAVE to score but we dont. where i come from that puts us firmly in the driving seat.

[Jimpav]

We only need one goal to get right back in it. Two in five minutes
suggests we are either gods gift to attack or their defence is leakier than a collander.

[Brede Butter Pudding]

I would definitely agree with their defence being pretty dodge. However, I just read this:

http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/london-sport/fulham-fc/2010/04/02/fulham-are-suffering-from-fatigue-says-bobby-zamora-82029-26160785/

in which the mighty Bobatov admits that all this extra football is knackering. I therefore seriously hope that he, Duffer and Murph are rested again as I think they will be vital on Thurs. I would start Elm and Okaka up top on Sunday and save some legs

[YankeeJim]

This will be tighter than I wish it were. They get an early & can sit back and bunker while we have to score on the road. Sure hope BZ is cranky on that day.

[Brede Butter Pudding]

Having said that, the Wolfsburg defence have conceded the second highest number of goals in the Bundesliga, and i definitely think that Bobatov or any of our players can score against them there. However, the real danger will be their attacking play in Germany. They are the highest goal scorers in the Bundesliga and I just wonder whether they are stronger at home or away... will be an interesting tie.

[Jimpav]

2-2 draw anyone?