Team for Thursday.

[Maidstone Lee]

I think for this game we need to take a nice lead into the second leg to ensure qualification into the group stage. Ukraine will be a very tough place to go so we will need an attackive performance and a lead to protect. Against Villa we were defensively sound but i do not believe Hughes at right back is the best option. I'm not criticising him, he played to the best of his ability but Baird is the more natural option and has a little more pace than Hughes. Senderos had a good game but Hughes and Hangeland is the better partnership. Like many on here and on other messageboards i was dissapointed with Etuhu's performance against Villa and would have like to have seen Sidwell come on. But what i found most dissapointing was that Jol did not see that Etuhu was having a poor game and stuck by him. Sidwell is the better passer, less clumsey with his passing and can retian possesion more effectivly. Now that Dembele seems fitter and has a little match fitness, i'd start him just behind Zamora which Jol will probably revert to once he is fully fit. My team would be;

                    MS

BAIRD Hughes Hangeland Risse

Duff SIDWELL Murphy Dempsey

       DEMBELE
                   Zamora

Subs: Somogyi,Kelly, Senderos, Etuhu, Kasami, Gecov, Johnson

[ImperialWhite]

CLEAN SHEET! I'd much rather a 1-0 than 3-1 for example. I think this will be by far the toughest Europa tie we've had so far, so we should play it 'properly'. Win and keep a clean sheet, then all we need to do is draw away to win the tie.

[BR]

A goal or two and a clean sheet is the way ahead.  I like your team, but I'd love to see Etuhu banished for crimes against football and Duff given a break.  Perhaps Briggs/JAR on the left, Dembele moved over to the right to replace Duff and one of the new guys (Kasami/Gecov) in place of Etuhu.

CLEAN SHEET! I'd much rather a 1-0 than 3-1 for example. I think this will be by far the toughest Europa tie we've had so far, so we should play it 'properly'. Win and keep a clean sheet, then all we need to do is draw away to win the tie.

[TonyGilroy]

but I'd love to see Etuhu banished for crimes against football 

[/quote]

Thus discounting all the good performances Etuhu has contributed to in the last 3 years.

There's always got to be a scapegoat. Hodgson, Hughes and Jol ALL seem to rate Etuhu but what do they know.

[HatterDon]

CLEAN SHEET! I'd much rather a 1-0 than 3-1 for example. I think this will be by far the toughest Europa tie we've had so far, so we should play it 'properly'. Win and keep a clean sheet, then all we need to do is draw away to win the tie.

I like it, IW, although you do irritate me with your ability to make these seriously cool charts. I'm still in stick-figures and circles/arrows.

[BR]

Thus discounting all the good performances Etuhu has contributed to in the last 3 years.

There's always got to be a scapegoat. Hodgson, Hughes and Jol ALL seem to rate Etuhu but what do they know.

Etuhu's been discussed at length in the other thread, so there's not much for me to add here, except to say that irrespective of his contributions in the past, few would argue that he was anywhere near the standard required of him on Saturday. 

[Tom]

I would love to see this lineup except for one change. Murphy for Etuhu.

[Maidstone Lee]

I would agree with that.

[Blingo]

4-0 should be enough ;)

[clintclintdeuce]

The throurough beating that were going to give the Dnipro will come from any Fulham XI. No worries guys, a 3+ goal margin will be attained going away.

[zzamora]

Schwarz

Hughes-Senderos-Hangeland-Riise

Duff-Kasami-Sidwell-Demps

Dembele-Zamora.

[ImperialWhite]

Errr - I meant Murphy and, believe or not, Etuhu. As I said - I want a clean sheet. If we're desperate for a goal in the away leg than Sidwell is perfick, but in the home tie I want Etuhu sitting on the defence keeping the Dnipro forwards well away from danger.

Etuhu was only as bad as everyone else on Saturday.

[ScalleysDad]

CLEAN SHEET! I'd much rather a 1-0 than 3-1 for example. I think this will be by far the toughest Europa tie we've had so far, so we should play it 'properly'. Win and keep a clean sheet, then all we need to do is draw away to win the tie.

I like it, IW, although you do irritate me with your ability to make these seriously cool charts. I'm still in stick-figures and circles/arrows.

You have circles and arrows ?? Damn it.

[mike_f]

Schwarz

Hughes-Senderos-Hangeland-Riise

Kasami-Murphy-Sidwell-Briggs

Dembele-Zamora.

[Lighthouse]

We want goals so lets play Dembele for AJ? Seems odd to me.

Sidwell for Etuhu SHOULD BE THE ONLY CHANGE.

[Tom]

Sidwell for Etuhu SHOULD BE THE ONLY CHANGE.

I think I already said that pretty clearly LH.

[Lighthouse]

Sidwell for Etuhu SHOULD BE THE ONLY CHANGE.

I think I already said that pretty clearly LH.

My Apologies Tom.

[Tom]

Sidwell for Etuhu SHOULD BE THE ONLY CHANGE.

I think I already said that pretty clearly LH.

My Apologies Tom.

It's all good in the hood buddy, no need to apologize.

[JBH]

I would go with:

              Schwarzer

Baird  Hughes  Hangerand  Riise

      Duff    Sidwell     Kasimi
           
        Dembele     Dempsey               
               
                 Zamora

[Tom]

I would go with:

              Schwarzer

Baird  Hughes  Hangerand  Riise

      Duff    Sidwell     Kasimi
           
        Dembele     Dempsey               
               
                 Zamora

I also like the look of this Christmas tree. Putting Kasimi in gives Murphy a break.