Tuesday Fulham Stuff (28/12/10)...

[WhiteJC]

http://www.stokecity-mad.co.uk/feat/edz1/betting_preview__stoke_v_fulham_612788/index.shtml

Betting Preview - Stoke v Fulham

The best odds for the Potters home game with the Cottagers

Stoke City will look to earn a second win in three days when they host Fulham in todays big game.

The hosts are favourites at 20/21 with totesport whilst the visitors are outsiders at 15/4 with VictorChandler for the game whilst a draw is available at 12/5 with most bookies.

Stoke will hope to repeat the home win against Fulham earlier this year to rise further up the table. A repeat of that 3-2 home win is available at 40/1 with WilliamHill and SkyBet. All but three of the Potters league wins this season have been by a one goal margin. A 2-1 win, to keep that run going, is available at 9's with StanJames.

Fulham will be hoping to put aside their bad recent form with a win against City and 1-0 would do the visitors just nicely. That score is available at 11's with 32Red. Six of the Potters games this season have ended 2-1 so 35/2 with 32Red for a 2-1 Fulham win could turn out to be a good bet.

Kenwyne Jones is the Potters top scorer and on his day is unplayable and is 7/1 with bwin to open the scoring whilst Ricardo Fuller has two in four and looks set to start up front and is also 7/1 with bwin to score first. In form winger Matthew Etherington has netted thrice in five games and can be backed at 11's, with SkyBet, to break the deadlock.

Fulham are under pressure and ravaged by injuries but Andy Johnson always seems to score against Stoke and is 10's with PaddyPowerto break the deadlock, whilst loudmouth Danny Murphy will be hoping to silence the boo boys and is 16/1 with Coral, Bet365, BlueSQ and PaddyPower to net first.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.sportingpreview.com/matches/10111612.php?

STOKE v FULHAM
BIG MATCH FACTS AND STATS

The Potters have won the last three meetings in all competitions with the Londoners.

• Five of the last seven league meetings between Stoke and Fulham have ended as 1-0 wins.

• Fulham have won none of their last 26 Premier League away games.

• Stoke have won their last three games against Fulham, including a 2-0 victory in the third round of the League Cup this season.

• Fulham's last top-flight win at Stoke was a 1-0 victory in November 1967.

• Blackpool are the only team to prevent Stoke from scoring in the last nine league matches played at the Britannia Stadium.

• Fulham have lost the most points from winning positions this season; 13.

• 83% of the goals Stoke have scored have been netted in the second half, the highest proportion in the top flight.

• 65% of the goals that Fulham have conceded have come in the first half, the highest proportion in the Premier League.

• The last time the Potters lost back-to-back home games in the Premier League was in September 2009, when Chelsea and then Manchester United claimed maximum points at the Britannia Stadium.

• They have lost six of their last 15 home league games (twice to Tottenham, plus Arsenal, Bolton, Manchester United and Blackpool).

• Stoke have scored 19 of their 23 league goals in the second half. That is 83% - the highest figure in the top flight.

• They have failed to win their last 26 away games in the top flight. Their last victory on the road was 1-0 at Portsmouth on the opening day of the 2009/10 season.

• The Whites have won only one of their previous 14 league games.

• Mark Hughes has drawn 18 of his last 29 games as a Premier League manager.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1342180/Manchester-City-misfit-Roque-Santa-Cruz-demands-long-term-Lazio-deal.html?

Roque and a hard place: Santa Cruz demands long-term deal as Lazio only table loan offer

Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz is ready to put his family first by turning down a move to Lazio unless they hand him a long-term deal.

The Paraguay striker has been cleared to leave Eastlands after failing to get a start in the Barclays Premier League this season.

Lazio are keen and are said to be close to an agreement with City on loan till the end of the season - for a £500,000 fee - that could be upgraded to a permanent deal for a further £2.5million.

However, Santa Cruz told a Paraguayan radio station: 'As far as I know, I am not a Lazio player and I will not accept a loan deal for six months.

'I won't accept a loan and everyone who approaches my agent knows this. I can't leave England for six months. It would be hard for me and my family. We are happy in England. Rome is a lovely city, but there is no need for us to move.'

The words are further encouragement for Fulham, who are also keen on the 29-year-old, but question marks over Mark Hughes's future as boss at Craven Cottage could scupper a move.

There has also been interest from Germany, but Santa Cruz has been consistent in saying his preference would be to stay in England, after first arriving at Blackburn from Bayern Munich in 2007.

City signed him for £18m in June 2009 and are set to take a huge financial hit on him.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1342180/Manchester-City-misfit-Roque-Santa-Cruz-demands-long-term-Lazio-deal.html#ixzz19PYgxoNF