Fulham at Norwich City

Allow me the honor of starting the final match thread for the '14-'15 season. Bournemouth's win today over Bolton all but assures them of finishing second and thus qualifying for the other automatic promotion slot into the Premier League. Which means Norwich will not have nearly as much to play for as they would otherwise have had. They're in the playoffs regardless of the outcome. Which probably means we'll see another shootout. Our only saving grace is that we've had their number recently. No rhyme or reason to it, we've just seemed to own them lately. Let's just hope that continues and we can win out in what's been a largely disappointing season. The least we can do is finish with a good taste in our mouths and a positive springboard into a huge summer transfer season for the club.

 

Our last win in the Premier League was a 2-1 victory vs. Norwich. The Norwich team we played then still has 5 of their starting 11. We have one - Hugo, and he wasn't even a regular last year (although can we say anyone was a regular with Magath in charge?). Norwich is gunning for a return to the Premiere League and we... are not.

None of that matters Saturday because we are closing out this season on a winning streak!

 

As you said Jump they are locked into the #2 or #3 seed in the playoff. We've been their bogey team for years (the Canaries have as much a chance to win as we do at Everton) Hell, we even beat them early in the season. They are ridiculously due, but no way I'm picking against the boys on the final day of the season.

 

I hope Bodurov recovers and plays

Sent from my XT1064 using Tapatalk

 

I would love to get another result, but I'm happy with 5 unbeaten up to this point. 6 unbeaten would be pretty miraculous considering our season as a whole.

I say it'll be a draw.

 

I've had this little cloud raining on my Fulham parade for a while now and I feel conflicted about chasing it away for fear of cursing Fulham to a humbling defeat. I need some clinical help from my fellow Fulham fans in dealing with the optimism that is trying to creep in for the final match of the season.

The upside:

1. I think Norwich will be resting anyone vitally important to their playoff hopes.
2. Everyone not falling in the vitally important category that will take the pitch could easily fall prey to looking past Fulham.
3. Fulham's form has been on the up at the tail end of the season.

The downside:

Historically, having these kinds of hopeful feelings about Fulham has led to some kind of crushing reality check.

What to do, what to do?

Signed, Fretful Fulham Fan

 

Dear Fretful Fulham Fan,
Fulhamish. The only cure is a hot cup of tea, or a bottle of Johnnie Walker Red.
Enjoy!
COYW

 

Fulham has played best this year when it seems we have nothing to lose. That's why I think we've had a pretty good spell here at the end.

All the games on Saturday are being played at the same time. Maybe we'll get lucky late in the match with results from other games making it look it will look like Derby will move ahead of Ipswich. If that were the case then Norwich may want to lose to ensure they face Derby - a team that has only beaten Blackpool and Wigan in their last 12. Of course if anyone can find a way to lose to a team that wants to lose, it is Fulham.

 

As others have said who knows what will happen on Saturday. We have nothing to play for and Norwich wont want any injuries or suspensions.

If this was FIFA '08 I'd play the CB at the #9 and start the 16y/o GK and otherwise have fun but this is real life so we'll probably see what we saw last week.

 

A meek capitulation of the worst order. Only Matt Smith's late effort and even later pressure that led to the own goal made this look respectable...which it wasn't. Enough to make me want to replace the entire defending corps. But the mids deserve some grief as well, don't they? The final disgrace in a woeful season, unbeaten streak be damned. Really expected more from the last match of the season than a bunch of players going through the motions. Weed 'em out, Kit. Start now.

 

I really should have seen this coming. The last match of a long season against a team that needed a momentum building win entering the promotion playoffs is a script for getiing tonked. Credit to Norwich and good luck to them.