Fulham @ Sunderland [R]

Ugh, this will no doubt be a tough one and the last time I went up there for a match it was abandoned! The first, and only, in Premier League history. Not that I'm bitter...I want nothing more than to win this weekend.

My Team:

Niemi
Baird -- Stefanovic -- Hughes -- Boca

Davies -- Murphy -- Smertin-- Bouazza

Dempsey

Healy

 

A win is very important this weekend. I doubt every other team will do as poorly as they did this weekend, so we need the 3 points to stay up and continue our move.

I like your line-up, Mike. Sadly, Kamara and Seol seem to be prone to giving the ball away due to holding on to it for too long. But I think they would both work as good subs.

We NEED to get our scoring boots on. This slump is horrible considering how we were scoring goals for fun in the beginning of the season.

My prediction is a CLOSE 2 - 1 win for us. But I'm hoping some fire is under their butts and surviving Saturday will motivate them to play well.

 

I dunno, I have a hard time taking Steven Davis off the field.

 

I agree about Steven Davis... he'll probably play. Danny Murphy wasn't that great against Derby.

I don't want to start a separate thread, but who else is bothered by a lot of the negativity over on the OFFAL board? I know some of these fans are young, but I think some of them are absolutely horrible fans... especially for a team like Fulham, which is a small club, that will always have to live with losing and drawing unless it is in a lower division.

Thoughts?

And I hope we win at Sunderland, but I bet we draw. We suck away. We really suck away up North and Sunderland plays just as hard as Fulham does because of the savant tough-guy Roy Keane.

 

Newcastle were awful last year though. And we got trounced at Middlesbrough, Sunderland's other North England neighbor.

I think we are a better side than Sunderland, but they aren't that bad and we'll be at their place (that will have twice as many fans as the Cottage does).

 

Guys, why was the game abandoned last year?

Also, you have Boca on the right. Has he played there much? What about Volz, isnt he fit?

I think we can handle Sunderland. This is a whole new team, forget about the away wins problems of the past. If they can draw Chelsea and Man City, they can beat Sunderland. It's just a matter of getting up for it and confidence.

 

CT, enjoyed your latest article, and couldn't agree more about your 'points lost' take. Bottom line with all the home draws is if the lads don't WIN some games on the road we will find ourselves in the drop zone. I can honestly say that I've only seen highlights of Sunderland this season, but if they have any pace on the wings we are in trouble with the glacial backline that's going to be put our there. We need someone, anyone to put the ball in the back of the net early and Superhero to keep last week's form and above all stay healthy.

 

Speaking of which, I've always wondered - why does Sunderland have such a ridiculously huge stadium?

 

Sunderland is one of those clubs that has been a Premier League club for many years. Only the last decade or so has Sunderland fallen from the ranks. Not to say the team was always winning titles, but they were in the top flight more often than not.

Additionally, there is a large support base in the northeast of England for Sunderland. They are a traditional team when the Stadium of Light was made the ambition was to get back into the Premier League and fill the place.

While it is probably too big, the club can rest assure that if they ever do get back to winning ways that they will not have to expand the stadium to accomodate everyone.

 

I can't stomach another abysmal result. please guys...get it together and come away w/ 3 points

 

1-0 to Fulham

Own Goal (78')

 

picking fulham on the road is like picking marty schottenheimer in the playoffs - bad idea. hate to admit it, but its true.

2-1 loss.

 

I'd like to add that Sunderland also has a very proud history. From 1890 to 1958, they never fell out of the First Division.

 

Watch out for Kenwyne Jones from Sunderland, he has impressed in the early parts of the season. Not to mention their new goalie, Craig Gordon; it's like he's had a new lease on life since leaving the Lithuanian national team -- pardon me, I meant to say Hearts.

I'm definitely hoping that a player or two (or eleven) can play out of their minds and win us the game there, but I'll go for a draw with this one. Maybe 1-1. Keano will have his team ready, that's for sure.

 

I'd settle for a draw to be honest.

Re the offal board. I go back 40 years as a Fulham supporter and it reflects two things:
1. Fulham has always had a section of very negative supporters. I think it came from always struggling, and fans adopted negativity as a way of not raising their hope too much and then being disappointed.
2. Its also a Pom / Brit thing. Poms are funny people, believe me. Might be the overcrowding or the inbreeding ;-).

You have to wade through a lot of rubbish on offal to find good stuff, but did you read the one titled "Haven't posted since Saturday's game so here goes ....." by littletinyclare. Great summation of the Derby match and the negative crowd.

 

It's very frustrating that this team, which was leading the Prem in goals after the Man City match, now hasn't scored in a month. I think that's too flukey to continue, but I'm worried about the defense.

Prediction: 2-2

 

Its time for Lawro to just shut the %&$# up and find a win!

I prefer Demps to play in the hole behind the strikers. He's really much better there. Also maybe its time we utilized Kuqi.

------------------KK-------------------
Baird(why!)-Stefonavic--Hughes--Boca
---Davis--------Lexi----------Murphy----
-----------------Demps------------
-----------Kuqi----------Kamara----