Fulham v Burton Albion

The motto for this week 'Remember September'. This should be 3 points in the bag, but they beat us 2-1 at their place back in September, so the lads better do more than just show up. The Brewers have the worst GD in the division, and while they're still ahead of Birmingham City and Sunderland (2 surprising names) in the table, they are the most likely club to be relegated come Spring. Let's hope we can put our chances away early and don't give them a chance to bunker in to get a result.

 

These are the matches we seem to have the most trouble with...an obviously inferior opponent, playing them at our place, then playing down to their level. And like Joe said, if they get the chance to bunker in early, all bets are off. Don't know what our average first goal scoring clock time is, but it ain't good. We've scored our first 3 times in the teens (12', 13' '14), three times after the 20 minute mark, three times after the 3oth, four times between the 4oth and halftime (although one of them was an own goal). The 12th minute goal was Ream's header at Cardiff, which almost doesn't count, since he's a defender. The 13th minute score was Kamara's beautiful dummy off a nice assist from Sess at Forest (that counts). And the 14th minute tally was huge, as Ojo's redirect from Kebano stood for a result against Birmingham at the Cottage. No goals before the 10 minute mark. Don't get me wrong. I'm all for late goals that aren't blowout consolation prizes. We've had some doozies. Norwood's unlikely penalty winner last weekend at 90+5, and Cairney's header at home versus Bolton to earn a draw.
Wouldn't it be nice to score one or two before the timepiece reaches double digits? Yes. Yes, it would. Fingers crossed that we get that early one, or two, Joe alluded to and take care of business against a side we should handle with relative ease.

 

The match against Ipswich a couple weeks ago was the first time we beat an opponent at home by more than one goal this season. We've gotten points against the weaker teams at home this season, but not with any confidence. I totally agree we should be putting goals up against Burton early and often.

 

From the BBC:
Fulham captain Tom Cairney is a doubt after missing their last two games with a niggling knee injury.

Togo international Floyd Ayite will have the calf injury which has kept him sidelined since 2 January assessed.

Burton are without midfielder Will Miller, who is out for the rest of the season with the knee injury he suffered in last Saturday's home defeat by QPR.

But boss Nigel Clough does have the option of bringing in on-loan West Ham United forward Martin Samuelsen.

After winning just one of their opening 10 Championship away games this season, the Brewers are on a run of three successive victories on the road.

Burton manager Nigel Clough:

"We are catching Fulham on an upward turn, showing the form they are capable of and didn't mange at the start of the season.

"We beat them here but now they are starting to hit their stride and are one of those teams who are capable of making the top six and being in the Premier League in six months.

"With all due respect to the last three teams we have just beaten on the road, Fulham are a different class so it will be very difficult."

SAM's prediction
Home win 75%Draw 15%Away win 10%
SAM, the Sports Analytics Machine, is a super-computer built by @ProfIanMcHale of the University of Liverpool.

MATCH FACTS

• This is only the second meeting between these sides at Craven Cottage, the last having finished 1-1 in September 2016.
• Burton won this season's first meeting in September, their only win over Fulham in four previous attempts.
• Fulham have picked up 13 points from a possible 15 in their last five league games - more than the Cottagers picked up in their previous 11 games.
• Aboubakar Kamara has bagged a brace in two of his last three league appearances for Fulham, having only scored twice in his previous 19 appearances.
• Lloyd Dyer is Burton's leading marksman this season with five goals. Only Birmingham (four each for Sam Gallagher and Jacques Maghoma) have a lower top scorer in the EFL.

 

At this point in the season, is it wrong for me to feel a growing excitement for this squad? I am, though. They can be flat as ever (i.e., the past two matches) but I remain reasonably hopeful throughout matches for something good to occur. Some of my happy-tingles stem from my boy's reaction to the penalty v. Middlesbrough last week - he was in the other room watching and he yelled with exuberance and came charging in screaming "Fulham won! Fulham won! They got a penalty!" It was awesome and he is understanding more and more (at 8 y.o.) what it is to support this club (he also loves Barca, but who can blame him?).
COYW!

 

Three points! COYW!

 

It is pouring today at Craven Cottage and we've played well in bad conditions this year, so that is a positive (unless you are actually AT Craven Cottage).

Starting XI:
Bettinelli
Fredericks, Kalas, Ream, Odoi
McDonald, Norwood, Johansen
Fonte, Piazon, Sessegnon

Subs: Button, Djalo, Edun, de la Torre, Cairney, Kebano, Kamara

Of course it is disappointing that Cairney isn't well enough to start, but I'm slightly encouraged to see him on the bench. I hope Sessegnon and Piazon, who have both shined at times this season, are a winning combination today.

 

Let's hope that form continues in the second half of the season!

 

I have to commend Burton Albion's dedication to maintaining their YouTube channel. They had the courage to post highlights of their worst Championship loss ever:


We won't get to play the likes of Burton Albion every week, but this is exactly the kind of victory we should have at home over a team like this - not a scrappy 1-goal squeaker. Doubling our goal differential doesn't hurt either. After so many home games where we weren't at our best I'm glad the fans have been rewarded with two big victories in a row - yesterday's the biggest since 2011.

 

I'm going to stick this one in the same category as a blowout loss. Some days you just have it going. Others, you get beat by the '62 Mets. Onward!

 

Well that was nice.

 

Fonte awarded man of the match. But more so, this link provides some quality clips of his day and really makes me miss GJ. Maybe, just maybe, I'll shell out for some audio/video in the future.

http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/january/23/man-of-the-match-result