FFC v Stoke

Busy week starts manana v Stoke. Would have to think most of the regulars will see action here. This match has major $$ significance. Combine that with it being the home finale and the chance for the supporters to thank them and see them off, 3 points is the prediction.

**Look for Erik the Viking to get a great farewell for a job well done.

 

I would normally want to see a the best XI and then the reserves on Sunday (last home game, more time to heal if any injuries), but this is Stoke and they play dirty.

2-0 win with Nevland scoring on his swansong.

 

I expect to see Nevland on for Zamora, but the rest of the starters playing this one as a final tuneup before Hamburg. Then the reserves will face Arsenal and the starters will go into Hamburg fresh.

I tend to worry about injuries more on the road against the likes of Stoke, so hopefully we can come away unscathed at home. With little to play for, they shouldn't be as intense, desperate and reckless as usual.

2-1 Whites. Duff and Murph are due for goals, I have a feeling one of them will deliver.

 

Stoke is slowly replacing Bolton in my irrational-loathing category, that said, I want Fulham to win this match badly. The loss at Stoke was rough.

I expect a smattering of regulars and bench players in the first XI - something akin to the lineup vs. West Ham.

 

I don't know what to expect and I have no irrational-loathing syndrome for Burnley so whatever Roy decides is best for the team is fine with me.

 

I thought I was alone with my irrational-loathing of Bolton. I pick them to go down in my preseason predictions every year cause I hate Bolton and not real sure why I hate them.

As for Stoke, I like our chances to nick 3 points today.

 

Roy's picked a strong side, we're going for all 3 points:

Fulham
No. NAME POS
1 Mark Schwarzer (G)
5 Brede Hangeland (CD-L)
18 Aaron Hughes (CD-R)
3 Paul Konchesky (LB)
4 John Pantsil (RB)
20 Dickson Etuhu (CM-L)
13 Danny Murphy (CM-R)
29 Simon Davies (LM)
16 Damien Duff (RM)
23 Clint Dempsey (F)
11 Zoltan Gera (RCF)

Stoke City
No. NAME POS
27 Asmir Begovic (G)
17 Ryan Shawcross (CD-L)
4 Robert Huth (CD-R)
3 Danny Higginbotham (LB)
28 Andy Wilkinson (RB)
18 Dean Whitehead (CM-L)
6 Glenn Whelan (CM-R)
26 Matthew Etherington (LM)
24 Rory Delap (RM)
11 Mamady Sidibe (CF-L)
10 Ricardo Fuller (CF-R)

 

Is anyone else listening to this ambient crowd noise? Should we be expecting GJ to come on the air?

Ah, never mind, there he is!

 

Poo goal against the run of play...Roy really going for it bring on Okaka for Pants, Davies to RB

 

Well that sucked balls. Sounded like an absolute joke of a match, to hear GJ tell it.

 

That was a really poor match. The second half was a bit better, but it only seemed decent because the first half was some of the most boring football all season. We were clearly thinking ahead to Hamburg.

 

My Bad for the loss!
- no one was in chat when i went in at half so i just forgot i had it open

 

That was Fulhamish. Hopefully we got it out of our system now.

Saw that Duff left with a calf injury, hopefully that was just a minor knock and nothing serious. Otherwise, we dominated possession and shots and were unfortunate to get nothing for the effort.

 

Throw me into the hate category also. Pulis comes from that Big Sam school of hack first, second, and third then try and play a little bit of football and get pissed off when questioned about their methods. If I'm not mistaken they had almost an identical win at the Cottage last year (maybe it was 2 years ago). Watching a Stoke match is as fun as having a root canal.

Duff is a major concern. A calf injury as anyone who has felt that "pop" is no joke. I couldn't run and cut for 3 weeks.

 

two losses to these fu#$@ng jokers this season, you gotta be kidding me...

 

my thoughts exactly. What a terrible side. It's one thing to play direct, but Stoke are the McDonalds of the EPL.

Well, can we kiss 10th spot goodbye?

 

Does it matter if we finish 10th or 11th at this point? I think you're putting way to much into that.

 

10th must mean something because you could tell Roy really wanted it. Isnt there money involved that depends upon where you finish; seems I've heard things along that line before?

Officiating was awful. Dempsey was getting fouled all night long and they wouldnt call it, then called questionable fouls on us. We were unlucky not to get any points.

 

Mo, It's over 800 thousand pounds per table position. Saw Roy's interview and he was angry over the goal being a clear handball on Stoke.