Capital One--Fulham v Everton

If this was at Goodison I'd say there is no chance, but since it's at what used to be a fortress I can see a close...loss, 1-2.

 

This matchup used to be easy to pick, the home team would win. These days, I have a hard time picking us against anyone. The good news, Lukaku shouldn't play after picking up a concussion on the weekend and they've been prone to shipping goals away (2 to both Norwich & WHam). The bad news, they haven't lost yet this season and are playing an aggressive, attacking brand of football. Our default mode has been to play on the back foot and if pressured, we go into full on retreat. 2-1 Everton.

 

Ahh, the warm blanket of sitting in the relegation zone...it's been far too long. Everton will win and Fulham cannot keep the goals out, or put the goals in (the appropriate end). Friggin' Southampton can win at Liverpool but....oh well, whatever, never mind.

 

:lol: best line of the season so far.

 

I'll be in and out of the chat. jol trips on way out of tunnel and can not be on the sideline. team wins 2-0 without him there.

 

Everton with a classic Cup side. Lots of looks to see how fringe players do.

 

Great turnout in the chat, and great 2nd half effort by everyone in white plus Stockdale. Gotta love a 2-1 win w/Berba & Bent tallying. :banana-dance: Just saw that it was our first home win in SIX Months :shock:

 

Please, let it not be Burnley away next round. It is a truth universally acknowledged...

 

Whoa, we beat a Premier League team in a cup competition.

 

Burnley's done well so far this year, but I'd rather see them than Man City.

 

Although it didn't feel that way until our first goal, it was a lot of fun to watch Fulham get the victory in a competitive match that both teams had a chance to win. While there were things that make me think this was more of a one off victory, hopefully it turns out to be the point where our fortunes turned around.

 

It was a good victory... but versus Everton's b-team. I'm not putting too much weight on it.

Kind of like the USMNT beating Germany earlier this summer. We'll see what happens when the stakes are higher.

 

No doubt confidence plays a role and we were surely lacking on that front, so this can only help. Still, this just looked and felt too much like WBA (both matches) last year. Once Everton took the pressure off of our midfield (and inexplicably kept it off) we steadily became more and more of a threat. My fear is that the next opponent won't make that mistake, since the majority of our opponents in the past year haven't. Until I see our midfield beat pressure, I can't get too optimistic.

Thought this was interesting:

http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/fulham/id/1364?cc=5901

 

Next up....@ Leicester City. The Foxes have former Fulham lb Paul Konchesky and Joe's cousin Zak Whitbread.

 

Is Parker emerging as the long-awaited successor to Murphy? Seems to have a similar style and grit, though not a threat on free kicks. And wouldn't it be swell if Kasami can emerge as a Dembele successor? Much harder assignment, I know, but no one else in the squad seems cut out for it.

Then who would be the Dempsey successor?

 

Welcome to the forum BillNRoc, hope you become a regular over here as well. More similar attributes between Murph & Parker than otherwise, he's got that 'it' factor in terms of leadership. I like the direction Kasami is going, but I'm still holding out hope that Ruiz (while different than Moussa, especially in getting knocked off the ball) can contribute in a variety of ways, of course it's beginning to look like he won't stay healthy. A young player as a possible successor to Demps? Long way to go, but would go w/Kaca.