So we’ve come to the end of our Premiership adventure, apart from the last few games its largely been a season to forget for us Fulham fans. However we still have one last game against Newcastle, I’m sure that Mitro will be looking to prove a point! I’ve got a sneaking suspicion he’ll be back on fire for this game, fingers crossed he gets his first Premiership hat-trick against his old club.
COYWs
Games of Interest…
Sunday 12th Brighton v Man City Liverpool v Wolves Fulham v Newcastle Man Utd v Cardiff Southampton v Huddersfield
This weekend we travel to the midlands to give Wolverhampton Wanderers a game.
So we’ve won our last 3 games without conceding a goal, I wonder what odds you’d have got on that earlier this season? Wolves have had a fantastic season, they’ll comfortably finish in the top 10 above established Premiership teams such as Everton and West Ham. However we must be full of confidence and, based on last seasons games, be looking forward to our trip to Molineux.
COYWs
Games of Interest…
Friday 3rd Everton v Burnley
Saturday 4th Cardiff v Palace Newcastle v Liverpool Wolves v Fulham
Sunday 5th Huddersfield v Man Utd Arsenal v Brighton
Cardiff make the trip along the M4 to visit the Cottage this Saturday
This could be interesting. After 2 wins and 2 clean sheets we’re up against one of our fellow promoties and one of the remaining relegation candidates. Colin will have his men fired-up for this match as I’m sure they’ll believe that this is their most winnable remaining game, Palace and Man U being their last games of the season. But then I’m sure both Everton and Bournemouth would have thought the same.
Scotty Parker appears to have got the team playing the way he wants and surely can’t be doing his ‘permeant’ manger chances any harm, however this game will show how he/we cope with a team battling for their premiership survival. It’ll be a tough physical game that could see Cardiff joining us in the Championship next season, Im certain Mr Warnock and his team will do everything to avoid that result…
COYWs
Games of Interest…
Friday 26th Liverpool v Huddersfield
Saturday 27th
Fulham v Cardiff Southampton v Bournemouth Brighton v Newcastle
Both teams had good results last weekend, wasn’t it great to score two and keep a clean sheet! Not that it really matters but I think we might sneak a result against Bournemouth, they’re a good team but have little to play for, their safe in mid-table but won’t be competing for a Europa run. Mitro’ is due a goal, or two?, and for some reason I fancy him to get on the score sheet, mind you I think that every game so its about time he proved me right!
COYWs
Games of Interest…
Friday 20th Liverpool v Huddersfield
Saturday 27th Bournemouth v Fulham Huddersfield v Watford Newcastle v Southampton
This weekend its the blue half of Liverpool, Everton to come to the Cottage.
So now that we’re relegated will Scott play some of the youngsters, will the loanees still get a game, if so why? Fulham players, all of them, need to play with pride and now that we’ve “nothing to play for” perhaps they’ll be able to play with a level of freedom now that the pressures off?IF Scott really wants the managers job “full time” he may well continue with the loanees as he probably thinks that they’ll give him his best chance for his first win as a manager, if he looses all of his games in charge he’ll almost certainly have no chance of the job full time?
Whatever team we field Everton will be a tricky game, they’ve had some good results recently, historically we do quite well against them at home but I think our “attitude” will be the major factor for this game?
COYWs
Games of Interest…
Friday 12th Leicester v Newcastle
Saturday 13th Spurs v Huddersfield Brighton v Bournemouth Burnley v Cardiff Fulham v Everton Southampton v Wolves
Tuesday see’s us travel the relatively sort distance to Watford’s Vicarage Road ground.
With Mitro coming back from international duty injured I can’t see us winning this game. Anything other than a win against Watford will see us relegated, 18 points available and a 17 point gap between us and Burnley and Southampton both of who have a far better goal difference than us -22 and -15 respectively against our -43. To avoid relegation we need to win every game and either Burnley and/or Southampton must loose all of their remaining games!
COYWs
Games of Interest…
Tuesday 2nd Watford v Fulham
Wednesday 3rd Man City v Cardiff
Friday 5th Southampton v Liverpool
Saturday 6th Bournemouth v Burnley Huddersfield v Leicester Newcastle v Palace
This Saturday it’s the other title contenders, Man City, turn to visit the Cottage.
Well the 2nd half against Liverpool showed that theres a good team hidden amongst the current crop of Fulham players, even after yet another loss we played a better game and showed some fight. This is another game that I don’t expect us to get anything from, if we can keep the score ‘respectable’ then that will be a good result for us?
It’s worth keeping an eye out for the Burnley, Cardiff and Southampton results, over the next two games as if Burnley and Southampton get a win and we loose both games then we would be mathematically relegated as the most points we could achieve would be 32 points, currently Burnley & Southampton are on 30. Should Cardiff win their next two games, Fulham loose both and either Burnley or Southampton win a game then we’d be relegated. On the bright side, if we manage to get, highly unlikely, 15 points from the remaining 7 games, and other results go in our favour, even more unlikely, then we would be safe. If it comes down to goal difference then we’re in trouble, currently we’re -41 the worst in the division, and with the game against City, +58, I can only see that figure climbing.
Remember that this game is the early Saturday kick-off at 12:30
COYWs
Games of Interest…
Saturday 30th Fulham v Man City Brighton v Southampton Burnley v Wolves Palace v Huddersfield
On Sunday we welcome title hopeful’s Liverpool to the Cottage.
Following the outcry, in some ‘pool quarters, about the gentle ribbing from the last home program, if you didn’t read it it contained a comment on how Roy Hodgson was treated by the Liverpool “fans” whilst he was their manager. The article was meant to be a bit of fun, but understandably? some of the “best fans in the world” didn’t find it amusing, oh well some you win… (most we loose)
Last weekend’s game against Leicester, well the 2nd half was better than the first however we still showed how frail our defence is. Liverpool are very strong favourites to win this game comfortably however if Scotty and Stuart can build on the team spirit shown in the previous two games we could well give Liverpool a run for their money.
Games of Interest
Saturday 16th Bournemouth v Newcastle Burnley v Leicester West Ham v Huddersfield
This weekend we travel to the East Midlands to take on Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.
So after Scott’s first game in charge there’s a renewed sense of togetherness at Fulham, we all know that we’re almost certainly going to get relegated but the game against Chelsea showed more of the ‘old’ Fulham spirit. With Tom and Ryan playing in their preferred positions we looked far effective going forward. We still have issues at the back but with Stuart Grey back in charge on defensive coaching we might get a little tighter? fingers crossed
With both teams having changed their managers, this will both Scott and Brendan Rogers 2nd game in charge, and coincidentally both loosing their 1st games 2-1, I’m sure they will both want to get a positive result this weekend.
Vardy went off injured at the end of Leicester’s game against Watford so they could struggle in front of goal? clutching at straws I know.
Games of interest…
Saturday 9th Palace v Brighton Cardiff v West Ham Huddersfield v Bournemouth Leicester v Fulham Newcastle v Everton Southampton v Spurs
Sunday see’s us welcome our, geographically, closest rivals Chelsea to the Cottage.
Over the years this fixture has always been the one that I look forward to, a chance to ‘put one over’ the team in blue and despite our form this season theres still that faint glimmer that we can get a result to restore some local pride.
remember that this game has an ‘odd’ start time of 5 past 2.
Games of Interest…
Saturday 2nd Brighton v Huddersfield Burnley v Palace Wolves v Cardiff West Ham v Newcastle
Sunday 3rd Fulham v Chelsea
come on over to the Friends of Fulham forum and join in the conversation… http://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?board=1.0