I'm looking forward to Arsenal now, tough choices - merged

[Humbled]

Prefer the the 1st option.... Bent up top giving us the ability to hit on the counter and create more room for our creative midfielders.
The wide men will need to help out defensively so that may give Duff the upper hand on one of the flanks.

With Sidwell and Boateng at CM, the wingers don't need to be as defensive.

No need to be "defensive" just willing to help out. Dejagah does, as does Duff. The remaining wingers aren't great defensively.
Jol may pack the midfield and keep Bent on the bench but I prefer playing him from the start as he stretches the pitch and creates more room for the guys behind him and gives us the added extra of the counter attack.
At the same time you don't want to give Arsenal extra space so Bent, Berba etc will have to do their bit by closing down etc.

[Brown@FFC]

Prefer the the 1st option.... Bent up top giving us the ability to hit on the counter and create more room for our creative midfielders.
The wide men will need to help out defensively so that may give Duff the upper hand on one of the flanks.

With Sidwell and Boateng at CM, the wingers don't need to be as defensive.

No need to be "defensive" just willing to help out. Dejagah does, as does Duff. The remaining wingers aren't great defensively.
Jol may pack the midfield and keep Bent on the bench but I prefer playing him from the start as he stretches the pitch and creates more room for the guys behind him and gives us the added extra of the counter attack.
At the same time you don't want to give Arsenal extra space so Bent, Berba etc will have to do their bit by closing down etc.

No one guessed the line up today, who knows the next one. I'll trust Jol what ever he chooses.

[Humbled]

Brown@ffc - I would pretty much go with your line up...
Defo like to see Bent up top stretching the play.
Like I said though against Arsenal Maybe he will pack the midfield by playing Ruiz with Berba or maybe Taarabt/Kasami with him.

[Big Martin Jol]

It's certainly a good time for us to take on Arsenal. As has been mentioned, they've got quite a few key injuries/suspensions to deal with - and having fought so hard to get fourth they'll be almost entirely focused on the the Champions' League qualifier.

I think they get back from Turkey two days before our match and then have to play the second leg three days later, so next to no chance of them bringing the bulk of their first team.

We, on the other hand, should be at something approaching full strength. And we'll be at the Cottage too. Good opportunity for us.

[Rhys Lightning 63]

Isn't it weird that we aren't scared of an Arsenal backlash? I remember when they lost their first game in 04/05 (to end their long unbeaten run), they went and hammered Aston Villa the next week 4-1, now all of us are lookign forward to playing them.

Oh how the mighty have fallen

[Denver Fulham]

I'm now interested to see if Kasami becomes a possibility in the deeper central midfield, which would add a bit more creativity above Sidwell and still allow Bent to start and play either Ruiz or Taarabt at left mid, with Berba in the hole.

In related news, I'd like to go back and watch his play some more, but live it felt like Taarabt was doing his fair share of defensive work. Good for him, especially short of fitness.

[Big Martin Jol]

I don't feel like Bent is quite ready for ninety minutes just yet, so we should have him on the bench for Arsenal and give him half an hour at the end in place of Ruiz. The match after that is a cup tie against Burton Albion, which would be an ideal opportunity to rest Berbatov and give Bent his first start.

I think Ruiz, Dejagah, Kacaniklic and Amorebieta will all start and I would like to see Kasami and Taarabt on the bench to come on in place of Sidwell and Kacaniklic respectively.

                Stockdale
Riether-Hangeland-Amorebieta-Riise
Dejagah-Sidwell-Boateng-Kacaniklic
                     Ruiz
                  Berbatov

SUBS: Etheridge, Hughes, Briggs, Frei, Kasami, Taarabt, Bent.

[Nightwind15]

We will have to attack more as Arsenal's defense was suspect with Villa today.  The one break away goal that Villa scored look liked something from a school yard match. 

[EJL]

Hmm, Kasami doesn't deserve to be dropped whatsoever, but the last time Ruiz and Berba played together against Arsenal they dominated. So yeah, really tough decisions.

[the nutflush]

Considering Tarrabt has had no preseason whatsoever I thought he did really well to play out the full game.  Good on him.  Briggs deserves a start next week instedd of Riise.  The ones that worry me are Boeteng and Sidwell together.  They offered nothing together and are red cards in the making.  Wouldnt mind seeing Kasami drop back there as he deserves another start but I would also like to see a fit Kaca inject some pace out wide going forward.

[Chutney]

    
                       Stockdale
      Riether - Hughes - Hangeland - Briggs/Riise
Dejagah/Duff - Sidwell - Kasami - taarabt/Kacaniklic
                         Ruiz
                       Berbatov

I really think Kasami could be the central creative player we need, he showed great work rate today and he isn't shy of putting in a tackle. He could definitely do the demebele role, holding the ball in the middle of the park, dribbling and creating chances.

And if I'm honest I really worry about boateng, poor timing of challenges, knocked off the ball easily and poor passing. I hope he improves.

[Count Berbatov]

Riether - Brede - Amorebieta - Riise
Boateng - Sidwell
Ruiz - Berbatov - Taarabt
Bent

[Deanothefulhamfan]

A great defensive performance and a very good win, but we are still an awful footballing side... I think Arsenal will be a whole new test altogether they are going to have a field day against our central midfield... Write them off at your peril.... That being said we are at home and usually play well against Arsenal, so fingers crossed

[fulhamben]

A great defensive performance and a very good win, but we are still an awful footballing side... I think Arsenal will be a whole new test altogether they are going to have a field day against our central midfield... Write them off at your peril.... That being said we are at home and usually play well against Arsenal, so fingers crossed

plus we might have kaca Ruiz ashkan bent ready for selction aswell, and I'd stick frei on the bench too as they hate pace. Not many clubs of our size could win away on the first game of the season with that many type of players not getting any game time

[filham]

Poor 1st half today but 2nd half was slightly better it wasn't a great performance but we defended really well today, losing Stekelenburg to injury is a blow he looks a top player. Positives were a great result , Hughes done well as did Briggs,  Kasami took his chance. Only negative for me is still the lack of creativity in central midfield.

Will Bent start against Arsenal?
Will Kasami start again?
Will Amorebieta replace Hughes?
What about Kacaniklic , Frei , Ruiz & Dejagah?

We certainly have some depth now

Next week I hope to see


Stockdale

Riether Hangeland Amorebieta Briggs

Boateng Sidwell

Dejagah Berbatov Taarabt

Bent

Subs - Etheridge,  Hughes , Karagounis, Kacaniklic , Kasami , Ruiz , Rodallega


Some good options off the bench. 

We won today with Bent , Rodallega & Ruiz unused subs very positive start to the season, roll on next week!

Look at our options in the wide positions

Poor 1st half today but 2nd half was slightly better it wasn't a great performance but we defended really well today, losing Stekelenburg to injury is a blow he looks a top player. Positives were a great result , Hughes done well as did Briggs,  Kasami took his chance. Only negative for me is still the lack of creativity in central midfield.

Will Bent start against Arsenal?
Will Kasami start again?
Will Amorebieta replace Hughes?
What about Kacaniklic , Frei , Ruiz & Dejagah?

We certainly have some depth now

Next week I hope to see


Stockdale

Riether Hangeland Amorebieta Briggs

Boateng Sidwell

Dejagah Berbatov Taarabt

Bent

Subs - Etheridge,  Hughes , Karagounis, Kacaniklic , Kasami , Ruiz , Rodallega


Some good options off the bench. 

We won today with Bent , Rodallega & Ruiz unused subs very positive start to the season, roll on next week!

:-
Look at our options in the wide positions
Dejega/Duff on the right and Taarabt/Kacca on the left, that's good.

Not so good though when you look at the full backs no cover at all for Reither on the right and Briggs/Riise/ Richardson on the left is fraught with problems.

[Zu-Meister]

oxlade chamberlain out for 3 months apparently

[JackyFulham90]

We should take the game to Arsenal they will look at a point as a good result