The Early Bird - Fulham v Man. City

Xavi6

Massive game for us given we're only two points above the drop zone. A lacklustre midweek performance has many fans on edge so a good performance is needed.

It won't be easy though as Fulham haven been in good form, in large part due to a solid backline and goalkeeper.

Kick off 12.45pm.

~Rebel~

Merson saying fulham have just as good a first 11 as man city...not too sure about that...

they are in good form though so will be a tough battle.

Raskolnikov

Robinho out but SWP in.

This is going to be a big test for City, after Hull, Fulham are one of the best performing teams in the Premier League this year.

Raskolnikov

Fulham: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky, Davies, Murphy, Bullard, Dempsey, Johnson, Zamora

Subs: Zuberbuhler, Nevland, Gera, Etuhu, Stoor, Andreasen, Kallio

Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Dunne, Ben-Haim, Ball, Wright-Phillips, Kompany, Hamann, Vassell, Ireland, Mwaruwari

Subs: Schmeichel, Berti, Onuoha, Logan, Jo, Evans, Caicedo

With that Man city team, you have to fancy Fulham.

Gareth37

Raskolnikov wrote: »

Fulham: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky, Davies, Murphy, Bullard, Dempsey, Johnson, Zamora

Subs: Zuberbuhler, Nevland, Gera, Etuhu, Stoor, Andreasen, Kallio

Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Dunne, Ben-Haim, Ball, Wright-Phillips, Kompany, Hamann, Vassell, Ireland, Mwaruwari

Subs: Schmeichel, Berti, Onuoha, Logan, Jo, Evans, Caicedo

With that Man city team, you have to fancy Fulham.

Nah, I fancy Man City. Wright Philips to score

Xavi6

We're fucked

/wanders over to Betfair to check the odds on Fulham

Raskolnikov

Is Elano injured/suspended, or does Hughes just not rate him?

Xavi6

Elano's done his groin. Hobbled off against PSG after 50 mins and will be out for 10 days or so.

I wanna know where Sturridge and Garrido are. We've nothing on the bench in the way of midfielders.

~Rebel~

why is Vassell getting so much game time?

Xavi6

Because we've no one else.

Dave!

The bookies fancy Fulham for this

City don't seem to travel well, and Fulham have a decent home record

Raskolnikov

Surely the £19 million Jo is a better option than Vassell.

~Rebel~

Raskolnikov wrote: »

Surely the £19 million Jo is a better option than Vassell.

partly injured.


Jamie's not wearing his grey suit! :eek:

Xavi6

~Rebel~ wrote: »

injured.

He's on the bench.

Jo isn't starting because we play one up top. Vas plays wide.

Raskolnikov

http://atdhe.net/live-tv-1160.html - working and decent link!

I think Jimmy Bullard will be the man to watch today. If City can't contain him, they'll lose.

Charlie

City have the better players, Fulham have the better team.

Hodgson has turned them into a very organized machine, and a very tough side to beat. Can see this being a score draw.

Charlie

~Rebel~ wrote: »

Jamie's not wearing his grey suit! :eek:

He never wears suits, he just has some sort of fabric painted on to him each week.

~Rebel~

Xavi6 wrote: »

He's on the bench.

Jo isn't starting because we play one up top. Vas plays wide.

ah indeed. i did a check on Jo in the player archive and there was one from the 3rd December saying "hughes hit by setback" I didn't pay attention to the fact that it was an elano setback, and the page was just attributed to Jo as he had a footnote mention for being rubbish. D'oh!

Bojinov due to come back anytime soon?

Xavi6

Nope probably not til next season.

Our injury list is quite impressive - Petrov, Garrido, Richards, Johnson, Robinho, Elano, Sturridge, Fernandez, Bojinov.

whatawaster

great cross. Good goal

~Rebel~

great header!

Rikand

savage cross

Xavi6

Our first headed goal of the season!

Raskolnikov

Poor Benji getting a knee in the head.

PHB

good goal, good performance from City so far.

Raskolnikov

It does not look like Fulham's day.

Xavi6

TBH is having a cracker of an opening 20.

Raskolnikov

Fulham starting to come into this a little better now.

Rikand

Never a penalty. Good decision

Raskolnikov

City looking dodgy at the back.

Xavi6

I thought it was a peno.

~Rebel~

Xavi6 wrote: »

TBH is having a cracker of an opening 20.

heh, was looking at that thinking "to be honest Who is having a cracker?!?"

Till i thought of Ben-Haim. Im really slow today!

Unearthly

Bullard :cool:

ntlbell

tidy finish

~Rebel~

good movement and finish from Bullard. Such a cool man.

Raskolnikov

Great goal for Bullard, Kompany fouled up there.

Xavi6

Bollix. Poor tracking from the midfield.

Xavi6

Lol Didi stop it! You'll do your back in!

Raskolnikov

Neither team look defensively great today. Think there's more goals in this.

PHB

Cracking finish. City just are nowhere near good enogh defensively.

Xavi6

PHB wrote: »

Cracking finish. City just are nowhere near good enogh defensively.

Missing two of your first choice four will do that to you. Prior to this we conceded 1 goal in 4 games.

whatawaster

Hart didn't react at all to that shot. Poor

DenMan

Should have been a penalty alright. Can somebody explain to me what exactly is Jimmy Bullard's role for club and country. Everytime I see him he is bombing forward without the ball, his passing his terrible, badly timed challenges, gives the ball away (when he has it), falls over all the time.

Is he there for comic relief. Was on the bench for England's win against Germany. Spent the evening laughing away with the lads. Will he make the England senior team with some many established players for club and country (Gerrard, Lampard) already well ahead of him? Read here that his great contribution for Fulham was picking up a mandolin during pre-season and had a great sing along to "Old MacDonald Had A Farm" in a hotel in Austria (where Real Madrid also stayed). Maybe when things go bad against Andorra Capello can have him there dressed as a clown to motivate the players. (Didn't McClaren do that already).

The man scores a brilliant equalizer while I write this. Amazing.

Raskolnikov

Hughes might want to tell Michael Ball that the match is started and that he's needed at left-back.

SWP keeps giving the ball away.

Unearthly

Danny Murphy is a class player tbh

whatawaster

Fulham really do pass the ball well

~Rebel~

DenMan wrote: »

Should have been a penalty alright. Can somebody explain to me what exactly is Jimmy Bullard's role for club and country. Everytime I see him he is bombing forward without the ball, his passing his terrible, badly timed challenges, gives the ball away (when he has it), falls over all the time.

Is he there for comic relief. Was on the bench for England's win against Germany. Spent the evening laughing away with the lads. Will he make the England senior team with some many established players for club and country (Gerrard, Lampard) already well ahead of him? Read here that his great contribution for Fulham was picking up a mandolin during pre-season and had a great sing along to "Old MacDonald Had A Farm" in a hotel in Austria (where Real Madrid also stayed). Maybe when things go bad against Andorra Capello can have him there dressed as a clown to motivate the players. (Didn't McClaren do that already).

The man scores a brilliant equalizer while I write this. Amazing.

He only made teh England setup because of so many players missing, probably wont get another call up. He's a good attacking midfielder, runs around all day for the team, good free kick taker, good striker of the ball, good crosser and makes good attacking runs.

Xavi6

Unlucky Benji

Raskolnikov

Hughes doesn't seem to have a clue. Ireland is totally wasted out on the left-hand side.

Xavi6

2nd half midfield/forward needs to be -

SWP

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Vinny K

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Ireland

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Vas

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Jo

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Benji

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Dave!

Bullard having a good game from what I've seen