MATCHWATCH : Fulham (h) sponsored by a Yann Kermorgant penalty

[Old Man Andrews]

Andy Woolmer as the referee for this one........... The bloke is so corrupt, he should be in jail.

[John Smith]

Cairney, Knockaert, Cavaleiro and Mitrovic. Without doubt the most dangerous team we have faced so far (along with West Brom). A goal threat from all areas.

Calm down mate, they're not all that. Before they beat Wigan on Friday they hadn't won in 4 games.

A draw for sure.

[NewCorkSeth]

Andy Woolmer as the referee for this one........... The bloke is so corrupt, he should be in jail.

Well.. we do have Chinese owners.. maybe having a bribable ref suits us?

[Sutekh]

Sky preview here....

https://www.skysports.com/football/read ... iew/409460

[sandman]

Cairney, Knockaert, Cavaleiro and Mitrovic. Without doubt the most dangerous team we have faced so far (along with West Brom). A goal threat from all areas.

Still not addressed their defensive issues from last year, with owners more interested in an outlaw mudshow wrestling promotion than football.

I mean they'll still beat our useless oxf*rd but they ain't as great as they've been made out to be.

[UpNorth]

Fulham are averaging around 70% possession in Champ games home and away. Getting the ball off them is likely to be an issue.
There will be long periods when we are chasing the ball. I suspect we will look like the away team in defensive mode for long periods. Just hope Gomes sets the team up with this in mind. A quick counter-attacking approach would seem to be needed but do we have the players to do this?

[NewCorkSeth]

Lock out Cairney and Mitrovic and we should be fine. We have decent possession and shots per game. 2 fairly even teams imo.

[Old Man Andrews]

Lock out Cairney and Mitrovic and we should be fine. We have decent possession and shots per game. 2 fairly even teams imo.

Not sure its that easy for us to lock anyone out. We are very leaky at the moment and that is a big worry against a team like Fulham. Our best bet tonight is to really go for it and take the game to them, we can really get at their defence its not great.

[NewCorkSeth]

Lock out Cairney and Mitrovic and we should be fine. We have decent possession and shots per game. 2 fairly even teams imo.

Not sure its that easy for us to lock anyone out. We are very leaky at the moment and that is a big worry against a team like Fulham. Our best bet tonight is to really go for it and take the game to them, we can really get at their defence its not great.

True. We need a stellar performance from (hopefully) Moore, Miazga and Morrison. And whoever starts between Pele and Rinomhota. But as you say, they are just as bad as we are at defending. If they dont close down Se8ft and Ejaria they'll be in for a big surprise. Hopefully we can turn around our home form.

[Hound]

I think their game might suit us to be honest, and I'm not convinced Parker is the right man for the job there

The key to any success we have had this year is getting Swift and Ejaria on the ball. I suspect they'll probably not worry too much about stopping that and instead just expect to boss possession. If we can get the ball to Swift/Ejaria in behind their midfield, I fancy us to score a couple. We do need to defend well obviously, but we should have a back 4/5 capable of that.

[NewCorkSeth]

I think their game might suit us to be honest, and I'm not convinced Parker is the right man for the job there

The key to any success we have had this year is getting Swift and Ejaria on the ball. I suspect they'll probably not worry too much about stopping that and instead just expect to boss possession. If we can get the ball to Swift/Ejaria in behind their midfield, I fancy us to score a couple. We do need to defend well obviously, but we should have a back 4/5 capable of that.

Should being the operative word there.

I genuinely feel we will do better against teams who try to impose their style on us. Unless they play a high pressing game, particularly on Swift and Ejaria, we will always have a way back in. It's no surprise to me that as soon as teams try to sit back and defend their lead we look our most dangerous. If Swansea had kept up the high press (dont think they were fit enough to do so) on Swift, we would have lost that. Charlton literally have the blueprint for beating us. Go a goal up, press the midfield, counter attack out wide. Simple.

[Hound]

Blackburn did it as well. Stop the ball getting to Swift/Ejaria, hit the space behind the FBs

So simple. But I think Fulham will be too arrogant to worry about stopping us first, and hopefully leave the gaps in the midfield.

I don't think its so much a 'high pressing' game that hits us. I think we actually are set up to counter that quite well. We can break the press fairly well at times. Its more a case of let Morrison and Moore have the ball, but don't let it get to our creative players. Obviously then if it does get through don't give them any time on the ball.

[NewCorkSeth]

Blackburn did it as well. Stop the ball getting to Swift/Ejaria, hit the space behind the FBs

So simple. But I think Fulham will be too arrogant to worry about stopping us first, and hopefully leave the gaps in the midfield.

I don't think its so much a 'high pressing' game that hits us. I think we actually are set up to counter that quite well. We can break the press fairly well at times. Its more a case of let Morrison and Moore have the ball, but don't let it get to our creative players. Obviously then if it does get through don't give them any time on the ball.

But even when Blackburn dropped off Swift came into the game. Charlton are the only team who kept up the pressure for 90 minutes.

I agree that I dont think Fulham will try to suppress us rather than out perform us. Which they may do, but I would be very wary of letting John and Ovie do their thing if I was Parker.

[Millsy]

3 at the back.
Joao and Puscas up front.

Don't find a winning formula and bloody change it because it doesn't always demolish teams, especially when not playing best two strikers up front.

[NewCorkSeth]

3 at the back.
Joao and Puscas up front.

Don't find a winning formula and bloody change it because it doesn't always demolish teams, especially when not playing best two strikers up front.

I'm obviously more of a panicker than you. In my head I know it makes sense to stick with the formation, give it time to gel. But our link up play and finishing worries me. And our defending is atrocious.

[Hound]

Blackburn did it as well. Stop the ball getting to Swift/Ejaria, hit the space behind the FBs

So simple. But I think Fulham will be too arrogant to worry about stopping us first, and hopefully leave the gaps in the midfield.

I don't think its so much a 'high pressing' game that hits us. I think we actually are set up to counter that quite well. We can break the press fairly well at times. Its more a case of let Morrison and Moore have the ball, but don't let it get to our creative players. Obviously then if it does get through don't give them any time on the ball.

But even when Blackburn dropped off Swift came into the game. Charlton are the only team who kept up the pressure for 90 minutes.

I agree that I dont think Fulham will try to suppress us rather than out perform us. Which they may do, but I would be very wary of letting John and Ovie do their thing if I was Parker.

though tbf, we were far better than Charlton in the first half and were pretty unlucky not to score - couple of very good chances for Puscas, while they produced nothing of note until they scored

[URZZZZ]

3 at the back.
Joao and Puscas up front.

Don't find a winning formula and bloody change it because it doesn't always demolish teams, especially when not playing best two strikers up front.

I'm obviously more of a panicker than you. In my head I know it makes sense to stick with the formation, give it time to gel. But our link up play and finishing worries me. And our defending is atrocious.

Well in our last 300 minutes of playing 3/5 at the back, the aggregate score is 0-7. We scored against Blackburn having gone 4 at the back. We scored against Wolves having gone 4 at the back. We scored against Swansea having gone 4 at the back. We dominated against Boro having gone four at the back. I’ll be amazed if we don’t play a 4-2-3-1 tonight

Think we’ll see something like this

Rafael
Yiadom
Moore
Miazga
Richards
Rino
Swift
Ejaria
Joao
Barrett
Puscas

Possibly Pele or Boye if Joao doesn’t make it

[WestYorksRoyal]

I think Miazga is key with 3 at the back. Capable of bringing the ball out and linking with midfield; none of our other CB options are as good at it. We've also looked a lot more leaky without him, which then begs the question of what is the value ditching attacking/midfield options for an extra CB anyhow. He has the understanding with Moore which is probably key.

So if, as is expected, he is fit tonight, let's give 352 another chance. I agree with comments that Fulham, and indeed many better teams, will not set themselves up to stop Swift and Ejaria. I can see us surprising a lot of top teams this season, but ultimately we won't have the consistency to turn it into a great season.

[Old Man Andrews]

Would go:

Rafael

Yiadom
Miazga
McIntyre
Obita

Rinhomota
Pele
Swift

Boye
Puscas
Ejaria

[NewCorkSeth]

Would go:

Rafael

Yiadom
Miazga
McIntyre
Obita

Rinhomota
Pele
Swift

Boye
Puscas
Ejaria

Would rather dip my balls in a deep fat frier than see Boye start.