Category: Next game

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Games for the Weekend 06/10

This weekend we welcome Arsenal to the Cottage

Fulham v Arsenal

My very first Fulham game was against Arsenal, New Years Day 1966, we won 1-0 and I was hooked! …a repeat result would be more than welcome.

With Fosu-Mensah and Joe Bryan going off injured against Everton, and Alfie Mawson recovering from a back problem, it looks as if we’ll continue to struggle to play a consistent four at the back. At least Tim Ream got the full 90 minutes so he’ll be closer to full ‘match fitness’.

Tom Cairney also got some game time so at least he’ll be back in the squad, I always think we’re better when he’s on the pitch, he really has become our ‘talisman’.

Slaviša Jokanović will have worked the lads hard(er) this week following the 2nd half display against Everton, we’ll need to be fully focused for ALL of the match against an Arsenal side that Unai Emery is getting consistent results,  even when they play badly.

remember our game is the early kick-off 12:00 on Sunday

Games of interest…

Friday 5th
Brighton v West Ham

Saturday 6th
Burnley v Huddersfield
Palace v Wolves
Spurs v Cardiff

Sunday 7th
Fulham v Arsenal

COYW

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Team against Everton 29/09

over on the forum we’ve been discussing who will play against Everton

whitejc

Everton v Fulham

Subs: Rico, Chambers, MLM, de la Torre, Vietto, AK47

After Tuesday evenings game I think that both Christie and Anguissa have shown enough to start against Everton and de la Torre to be given a place on the bench.

I’m also assuming that Tom won’t be fit, if he is then he’ll replace KMac

milo

The villagers will be brandishing pitchforks after leaving Odoi out the squad completely!

Everton v Fulham

Team starting to pick itself now – finally!

Christie and Fosu Mensah are both defensively frail, but Christie more consistently gets forward into the attacking positions Fredericks did last year. He will most likely fill right back for me now until we sign a much needed upgrade at RB in January. 

Odoi comes in after his potential man of the match display against Watford when brought on in the second half. We are thankfully yet to see the clangers that held him back last season e.g. v QPR.

Only 60 minutes for Ream this week but we are in dire need of rushing him back. Showed a faultless display against Celta Vigo before his injury who were easily Premiership mid table quality and I don’t see him struggling at this level.

 

come over to the forum and join in the discussion…
http://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?topic=67605.0

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Games for the Weekend 29/09

This weekend we travel to Everton’s home Goodison Park

Everton v Fulham

Well Goodison Park is not a happy hunting ground for Fulham, I think we’ve only ever won there in a FA Cup game so I’m not expecting a run-away result for us this weekend. Having said that wouldn’t it just be Fulhamish for us to get a result!?

Slaviša must have drilled it into the whole team that the match starts at 15:00, not 15:05, we can’t give the opposition another early goal!
Everton should have won easily last weekend at Arsenal having dominated for virtually the whole game however, they somehow managed to loose 2-0, I’m guessing they’ll want to exact revenge against a London club, so we need be be ‘on our game’ right from the start.

After Tuesday evening’s performance Cyrus Christie and Luca de la Torre must be giving Slaviša a decision to make, Cyrus must have improved his chances of starting the game and Luca could well be included in the squad.

Games of interest…

Saturday 29th
West Ham v Man Utd
Everton v Fulham
Huddersfield v Spurs
Newcastle v Leicester
Wolves v Southampton

Sunday 30th
Cardiff v Burnley

Monday 1st October
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace

COYW

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Team against Millwall 25/09

over on the forum we’ve been discussing who will play against Millwall in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday…

whitejc

do we want a cup run? as fans I suspect we do, Slaviša may want to concentrate on the league however we all know that winning games brings confidence.

So will we go ‘full strength’ against a Millwall team who are having a tough time in the Championship but will be looking for revenge against last seasons result, or play the ‘2nd string’ or even give some of the youngsters a game?

I think it’ll be mainly the 2nd string players unless Tom and Tim are fit enough and need to gain some ‘match fitness’, so assuming those two aren’t quite ready here’s my selection…

Team against Millwall

I’m assuming that Kebano is fit enough to play

 

come over to the forum and give us your team…
http://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?topic=67623.0

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Millwall v Fulham – Carabao Cup

We travel the short tip across the river to the New Den for our next game in the Carabao Cup

Millwall v Fulham

If Tuesday nights game is half as good as last season then we’re in for a treat, last season we really enjoyed our trip to Millwall’s ground, what an atmosphere the Lions supporters generated! and what a result for us!

It’ll be interesting to see how many ‘first team’ players Slaviša will start against Millwall, will Tim Ream and Tom Cairney get any game time in their aim to get back to match fitness?

Millwall are having a bit of a tough time at the moment and I’m sure they want to get some sort of revenge for last season?, so this game could be a cracker!

come over to the forum and join in…
http://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?board=1.0

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Team against Watford 22/09

over on the forum we’ve been discussing who should be in the team against Watford, here are a couple…

whitejc

Fulham v Watford

subs: Rico, Fosu-Mensah, Chambers, StefJo, AK47, Vietto

until Ream is fit I think that the CBs will be Mawson and either MLM, Chambers or Odoi
when Tom is back, I think Saturday will be too soon?, then either Anguissa or KMac will make way
Sess didn’t disgrace himself against City but we all know he’s better playing up front

Lighthouse

Christie is the better player going forward. His final ball is poor but at least he dies get into the positions to cross. Would still play Odoi and Mawson in the middle with Bryan coming in on the left.

Midfield Seri and Zamb will start. Cairney I think will still be out which leaves Mac or Johanson. I don’t go along with the constant criticism of Johanson not being Prem Quality. He was awful against City but then that is hardly a fair comparison on one game.

Front three name themselves.

grandad

Team for Watford

I don´t think Cairney or Ream will feature. If Cairney is fit then he comes in for Zambo.

milo

team against Watford

Mawson will need practice at RCB as Ream is now likely to return next week in his usual LCB role. Then it’s either Odoi or MLM at LCB in the interim. MLM is the more natural LCB and has looked most comfortable playing in that position this season. Just as long as he keeps an eye on those passes out from the back!

In midfield I choose to give Johansen another run out. His form in League Cup and in Internationals earned him a call up last week but City away can hardly be the acid test for his season.

Sessegnon was one of the few to turn up last week and has earned a re-call in his favoured position. However, if we are lacking an attacking threat then I would have a low threshold to bring on Kamara at or around 60 minutes.

Watford have been in good form this season but we have to be competing with these teams if we are to survive this year (and more).

come and join in the debate over on the forum…
http://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?topic=67529.0

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Games for the Weekend 22/09

We’re back home at the cottage to face one of Slaviša’s pervious teams.

Fulham v Watford

After last weekend’s disappointing, although not too surprising, result we’re back at home to face a Watford team who will be looking to continue their stay towards the top of the table.

There have been some reports that Tom will be fit for the game, I don’t think he will be, more likely he’ll be back for the Everton game? Tim Ream has also started training, I think he’s also more likely to start the Everton game.

Watford have had an exceptional start to the season, 4 wins out of 5, only loosing to Man Utd, so far and currently their sitting 4th!, so this is likely to be another testing game.

Slaviša Jokanović was in charge of Watford when they gained promotion however, in their wisdom(?) they didn’t keep him as manager, so I’m sure he’ll want to get a result to show them what they’ve missed out on! I know he’ll have the lads fully ‘fired up’ for this encounter.

Remember this game is a 12:30 kick-off!

Games of interest…

Saturday 22nd
Fulham v Watford
Burnley v Bournemouth
Cardiff v Man City
Brighton v Spurs

Sunday 23rd
West Ham v Chelsea
Arsenal v Everton

COYWs

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Games for the Weekend 15/09

So this weekend we face what will be the sternest test so far with a trip to the Etihad Stadium to face last seasons run-away Premier League Champions Manchester City.

Man City v Fulham
With the ‘international break’ over hopefully the team will have had some constructive time to ‘gel’ and one or two of the injured players should be nearer match fitness.
Man City away will probably be one of the games that we don’t really expect to get anything from, I’m hoping that, at least, we give a good account of ourselves and really ‘have a go’ as Wolves did a few weeks ago, then you never know what can happen we may surprise all of the pundits?
With Tom Cairney out for the next few weeks it will be a chance for the ‘new boys’ Jean Michaël Seri and André-Frank Zambo Anguissa to show why their the club’s most expensive ever signings, wouldn’t it be something to see their value against ‘City?
Mitrović and Schürrle are being to work really well together and if young Ryan Sessegnon gets to start then I think this is a game where he can really shine.

other Games of Interest

Saturday 15th
Bournemouth v Leicester
Chelsea v Cardiff
Huddersfield v Crystal Palace
Newcastle v Arsenal

Sunday 16th
Wolves v Burnley
Everton v West Ham

Monday 17th
Southampton v Brighton

COYW

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Team against Man City 15/09

Over on the forum we’ve been discussing which team we’d choose to play against Man City this weekend, here are a couple of team selections…

whitejc

team against Man City

I think Betts hasn’t done anything that would cause him to be dropped, I know thats not a ‘ringing endorsement’ but I’m not sure there’s a lot of difference between all 3 goalies?

There’s been no word on Ream so I have to assume he’s still not fit, he needs to get game time ASAP as we need a consistent back 4.

I’ve selected KMac as Tom will still be out? Seri one of the first names on the team sheet and Anguissa has shown so really good touches

I’d put Ryan on from the start, Vietto hasn’t done much wrong (apart from giving away that pen) but I believe this game is one that Ryan can really shine. Mitro is the first name on the team sheet and Schurrle has shown  glimpses of how good he was/can be.

milo

team against Man City

Sessegnon to switch with Schurrle and provide cover for weaker flank depending on how City attack.

Notable inclusions:
Fosu-Mensah gets one more chance to keep his place after losing his man on a number of important occasions last weekend. Le Marchand however does lose his for giving the ball away for two goals in two subsequent weeks. Both Odoi and MLM seem to take up good positions and make intelligent interceptions, but are prone to errors that get punished at this level. The decision to play Odoi instead came down to the fact he hasn’t made one yet this season.

In midfield, Johansen fresh from two goals for Norway midweek and an assist against Exeter previously comes in to provide some box to box counter attacking threat. 

In attack, Sessegnon’s defending and his reputation (ie bizarrely as a fast paced winger hugging the touch lines) will be useful to peg back City’s full back on that side. Kamara to come on as we tire around 70 minutes. 

 

join in the conversation over on the message board…

http://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?topic=67472.0

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Team against Brighton 01/09

Over on the forum we’ve been discussing which team we’d choose to play against Burnley this weekend, here are a few team selections…

whitejc

Brighton v Fulhamsubs: Fabri, Odoi, Christie, Vietto, Stef Jo, KMac, AK47

We’ve now got an impressive squad with at least two players fighting for each starting place so I think Slav will rotate the team for most games in the early part of the season, once everyone has fully ‘clicked’ we may see less ’tinkering’ especially at the back where partnerships are invaluable, think of Aaron & Brede, “the Thames Barrier” they were far better together than apart!

Its very difficult to argue that anyone who played against Burnley should be dropped however I think for ‘tactical’ reasons that Chambers will get the nod over Odoi even though he had a good game last Sunday.
I also think that Anguissa will start as I don’t think Brighton are as ‘physical’ as Burnley.
For me Ryan gets the start ahead of Vietto, who had a really impressive game but I think our ‘boy wonder’  will show the premiership why he’s so highly regarded.

milo

Brighton v Fulham

Bettinelli now has the shirt to lose and despite one or two wayward long balls he did nothing wrong against Burnley. He did not stand a chance with either goal in my opinion. 

I think both full backs need upgrading if we are to really make the most of our style. Both Fosu-Mensah and Bryan are capable defenders and can make up the numbers while we are on the attack. However neither can bring what Fredericks brought last year and take it past the last defender and really make chances from nothing when we are struggling.

I felt Odoi was quite comfortable at the weekend. I actually thought he did as well as he could for the first goal and was rather unlucky. He continued to contribute to building the attack. I think Mawson will replace him long term so hopefully Odoi can avoid any massive clangers until then like at times last season. 

Up front Kamara replaces Vietto who for me was largely ineffective against Burnley despite popular opinion and had quite a few loose balls and touches. Burnley’s tired legs after 70 minutes flattered him. Kamara in the meantime got another brace midweek to add to his promotion-winning form last season and remains my hot tip to breakthrough this season.

 

join in the discussion over on the forum…

http://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?topic=67256.0