Topic of the Week: Everton or Newcastle? Which is tougher?

In addition to posting my front page article on the FUSA homepage I also posted it in the correspondents section of ESPN Soccernet. I have received some interesting comments about my belief that the Newcastle match will be tougher than the final match at home against Everton. That being said, what are your thoughts on these two matches? Which one will be harder for Fulham to win and why?

 

The above analysis is spot on. The cornered rat fights the hardest, but when he charges you, he exposes his tail.
All that needs be done then is hold him at arms length and hope he hasnt done his sit-ups.

 

Your mouth to God's ears, Don.

I'm buying a lottery ticket this week and if I win, my first treat to myself will be a trip to London with my sons in August for a Europa League match at Craven Cottage.

...Fulham's chances of qualifying for the Europa League are, I hope, condsiderably better than mine of winning the lottery.

 

Can't disagree with Don on this one. Newcastle have more of an incentive.

 

Everton could be fighting Villa for that 5th spot still and you always want to finish as high as possible for the money. That said, I agree that the Newcastle match will be tougher. I'm already thinking of the Boro match and how loud their supporters were and I think it will be even louder at St. James. Agree...we just need to hold them at bay and take the opening when it comes. I say keep Nevland and Kamara in as they are on fire!

 

Again, Tom, welcome back!

The tougher of the two? Even I would have to say the CarToon. Although the Everton one isn't like playing Little Sisters of the Poor either. I honestly don't think the Toon have momentum -- they simply aren't good enough. But Newcastle at St James is a tough out, even this year.

I hope the prognostication of Lescott, Cahill, Phil Neville, Timmy, SAHA, et. al. having a day off is true. Wouldn't a rest for the FA Cup at Wembley sound better than getting kicked all over Craven Cottage? David Moyes, succumb to the dark side...

Come on Hull, for God's sake get some points.

 

Important point raised above. Doesn't seem outside the realm of possibility to believe that Portsmouth was looking ahead to the FA Cup final last year, or that Everton will be looking ahead to it this year.

The Newcastle match is going to be tough. I think Roy will really try to tighten the defense for that one and then let it loose again against Everton, because four points is enough and 1+3 seems more likely than 3+1.

 

I agree that Newcastle are clearly the more difficult matchup given the circumstances and the fact that it's on the road. However we have a pretty good record at the Toon with a 2-1-1 record in the last 4. I don't think taking 6 pts is out of the question, b/c as stated previously, they'll be open to the counter which works well with Nevland and Kamara. If they start the ineffective Owen, that only increases our favor and unlike Boro, Viduka won't be able to make so much hay against our back 4.

 

Mathematically, four is almost certainly enough. (Assures more points than al-Citeh; if Fulham have a draw and a one-goal win, Spuds would have to win both games with a +6 GD or Spam would have to win both games with a +9 GD to finish 7th.)

(Not that I'd bitch either if Fulham won on Saturday and the other three drew so Week 38 would be a formality.)

 

The Hangman will see to that!

 

Viduka's fat ass? Hell, I could do that -- Hangman has to be licking his chops

 

I'm more concerned about Toon than Everton. Everton may be playing for 5th but Newcastle are playing for their lives. You NEVER want to fight a cornered dog.

 

But if you have no choice? Think hard -and visualize- on exactly HOW you fight a cornered dog, with no weapon, and win.

You have to be a little bloodthirsty, and show no fear. Now tell us, how do you eliminate that dog.
{Yeah, it's off-topic.. but also how I shook my fear of strange dogs. And it DOES apply}

 

I'll have to say Newcastle is the tougher matchup for us. We're a +14 GD at home, Everton is a +5 away, so advantage to us. However, we're a -8 away and Newcastle home is only a -4.

 

I think the toughest opponent is the next opponent so that means newcastle. Hopefully the fulham players don't see that everton win as a guarentee'd win just because of recent history and they go into newcastle with the idea that they want this win more than newcastle needs the win.