Fulham vs Barnsley

We should win this game comfortably. (wink, wink).

 

Barnsley haven't won since the first weekend in November and in their last 7 matches they have only gotten two points, been outscored 13-2, and suffered 5 shutouts. Sadly this means that all signs point to a comfortable Barnsley win.

 

Perhaps the 3 points will lift our spirits.

 

Maybe if I ignore this match something good will happen.

 

Me too, BarryWhite.

 

It will certainly be easy enough to ignore, being on Christmas Eve Eve, but I'll do my best to follow along on the road between Louisville and Evansville.

 

I wonder if Joka is keeping Sess at LB in an effort to keep him on the team. He looks less desirable when playing at the back.

Joka mentions that Ayite, Kebano, and Piazon are all in training, but stopped short of saying that any of them are match fit.

Hope we keep Barnsley's scoring lull in tact. I'd like to see a 2-0 victory for the Whites.

 

Why, why, why, is Sessegnon still at the back?! Ugh. There is some good news: Piazon is on the bench! Hopefully he gets a little time near the end. Also glad to see Johansen back in the midfield. Please, someone score some goals today. I want my stocking filled with goals and three points.

Starting XI (I'm choosing to show this as a 4-3-2-1 formation so that it looks like a Christmas tree, Bettinelli is the trunk and Kamara is the star/angel at the top):

Kamara
Ojo, Ayite
McDonald, Cairney, Johansen
Fredericks, Kalas, Ream, Sessegnon
Bettinelli​

Subs: Button, Djalo, de la Torre, Norwood, Piazon, Kebano, Fonte

 

I’ve wondered that also, but it would be managerial suicide. Think about it. We’re mid table right now. The season could still go either direction. If it starts going horribly wrong, you’ll get sacked anyway. If you stay where you are, you’ll probably stay employed, but eventually, somebody’s still gonna wave enough cash under management’s nose that it’s stupid not to sell him. They’ve already seen what he can do starting out closer to the opponent’s goal. There’s got to be a more plausible explanation that we’re not privy to. And the club wants it to stay that way. And the journalists or their bosses don’t care or don’t think it’s worth uncovering why. Or they just figure, he’s playing, doesn’t really matter where, he’s gonna be sold eventually, who cares?

 

Cue the dancin' banana. 3 points in the proper column, up a spot, and trimmed 2 points off the playoff spot. Merry Christmas everyone!!

 

Highlights from Barnsley:

Bettinelli's blown punt was hard to watch, yet I think I watched it four times. Thank goodness that didn't lead to a goal.

Both goals were pretty sweet. Ojo tried the same shot in the first half, but the goalie punched it away. Found the right touch in the second half.