Fulham at Bolton

Discussion in 'Fulham FC News and Notes' started by MicahMan, Feb 9, 2015.

  1. MicahMan

    MicahMan Administrator

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    Mar 4, 2014
    Bolton will be without a number of starters due to injury.
    http://www.espnfc.com/english-league-championship/match/395217/bolton-wanderers-fulham/preview

    Hopefully we can take advantage of this and take three points from a critical match against another mid-table team.

    When we met them at home in October I think we were probably in our best form of the year. The lineup of Bettinelli, Hoogland, Bodurov, Burn, Amorebieta, Parker, Christensen, Stafylidis, Ruiz, Rodallega, and McCormack was a successful combination that saw us to a 4-0 win.

    I doubt we'll see Hoogland or Amorebieta back yet (and is there a chance Ruiz could return?), but I like our chances on the road here. I say we get a 2-1 victory! COYW!
     
    #1
  2. ChicagoCottager

    ChicagoCottager Active Member

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    Jan 16, 2015
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    I don't know about you all, but I need something exciting to happen with this team. Since we did nothing in January and have been on a bad run, I've really hit a wall on this season. Hopefully this game will give me something to be excited about.
     
    #2
  3. astroevan

    astroevan Well-Known Member

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    Location:
    Virginia Beach
    I wouldn't consider 7 points out of a possible 12 from our last four Championship matches a "bad run".

    I do agree that this is a very important match for us to further entrench ourselves mid-table. We need to beat other mid-table teams like Bolton. Only 6 points separates 9th (39 points) and 19th (33 points). We're in the lower half of those ten spots. A couple wins over other teams within that group and we'll be sitting much more comfortably in the upper portion of the mid-table.

    I'm also expecting (maybe it's more hoping for) a big boost once we get Parker, Amorebieta, and Hoogland back healthy. Like Micah said, probably not tomorrow, but soon.
     
    #3
  4. ChicagoCottager

    ChicagoCottager Active Member

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    I suppose you're right in term of Championship results. I guess I'm just on a downer from no wins in the last 4 (in all comps).
     
    #4
  5. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

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    Peoples Republic of South Texas
    Here's your starters:
    Fulham team: Bettinelli; Grimmer, Hutchinson, Bodurov, Stafylidis; Tunnicliffe; Christensen, Fofana; Kačaniklić; McCormack, Rodallega
     
    #5
  6. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

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    Parker is well enough to be on the bench, along with Burn, Roberts, G. Williams, Woodrow, and Dembele. Oh, and the guy who plays in sweatpants.
     
    #6
  7. jumpkutz

    jumpkutz Well-Known Member

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    Louisville, KY
    More discouragement. We'd better hope that Ruiz decides to cut his losses, drop his appeal, and stay, otherwise we may be looking at another relegation fight. And then who knows how many will keep the faith and stay with this club. The numbers don't lie. We're markedly better with him in the lineup. Without him....well, just look at today.
     
    #7
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  8. AggieMatt

    AggieMatt Well-Known Member

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    Lost 3-1 to a team we'd previously beaten 4-0, who were missing 9 starters? Sounds like textbook Fulhamish to me.

    Two concerns. 1. How many times have we scored more than 1 goal w/o Ruiz? 2. Protection of the back four continues to be an issue, w or w/o Parker.
     
    #8
  9. FulhamTX

    FulhamTX Active Member

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    Jan 24, 2015
    Very disheartening result. Not liking relagation being so close behind us. Have to get this turned around fast.
     
    #9
  10. MicahMan

    MicahMan Administrator

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    The answer is twice - both against Nottingham Forest (well, he was a late sub in the second match after we had scored 3 goals already). In games he starts we score 1.7 goals vs 1.2 when he doesn't. We have 1.4 goals per game scored against us when he starts and 2 goals when he doesn't. So the probable score with him is 1.7 to 1.4 and without him is 1.2 to 2. Which is why we've won half the games when he starts and only 16% when he doesn't. Except it is even worse than that. He was on as a sub in 2 of the 3 games we've won without him starting. Meaning we've one exactly one match, against Brentford, without Ruiz. Hopefully he'll return and have a good attitude about playing, but I wouldn't be surprised if his warranted frustration with the club prevents that.
     
    #10
    Last edited: Feb 11, 2015
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  11. astroevan

    astroevan Well-Known Member

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    I didn't get to listen to much of the match, but it is starting to get rather discouraging (I'm starting to hear you ChicagoCottager) that we've taken an early lead only to concede in 3 straight matches. We also couldn't take advantage of being up a player for close to half an hour in another match.

    This whole Ruiz situation is just salt on the wound. As has been mentioned, he's probably not going to put his whole heart into it IF he even returns to the team. Also, we get nothing in return. I'd at least feel a little better knowing that we could save his wage bill for the remainder of the season with the thought that the savings could be put toward bringing in a comparable replacement this summer.

    The good news is Wigan and Blackpool are unlikely to catch us in the table. This means we only need to beat out one of the four other teams below us in the table.
     
    #11
  12. nevzter

    nevzter Well-Known Member

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    A City by a Bay
    Well, Mr. Lambert is now available...
     
    #12
  13. HatterDon

    HatterDon Moderator

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    The real stat, of course, is how many points have we accrued when he doesn't appear on the pitch. I may be wrong, but I believe it's two -- all season.
     
    #13
  14. MicahMan

    MicahMan Administrator

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    Mar 4, 2014
    Almost - a whopping 3 points. Draws against Birmingham City, Rotherham, and Cardiff.
     
    #14
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