The Gaffer confirmed that Scotty Parker is still out, so he joins Lucas Piazon on the unavailable list. Floyd Ayite is however back in contention. For Wolves, their (relatively) new boss Lambert, like Mowbray with Wigan, has them organised and playing to a game plan. As evidenced by their 2-1 away win at Brentford on Tuesday. You can also spot the game plan in the fact that 7 of Helder Costa's 9 goals have come away from home. Richard Stearman of course isn't available for them (leave you to fill in the blanks) but they will have the influential winger Ben Marshall back. For us, as Craving said in the other thread there were some leggy people out their in the second half against Wigan. Unfortunately (January window moan) Jokanovic has few choices in front of him. Can't for instance see him dropping/resting the out of form Johansen for Petsos. One position where he has a good option is goalie and I'm still livid enough from Tuesday night to drop Button in favour of Bettinelli. But I'm not Jokanovic and he won't. We're really only down to the perennial two positions to ponder over - LB and CF. The latter should be a no-brainer simply because Martin yet again failed to show that he's committed or even bothered. So far as LB goes I'm prejudiced against Malone but with young Sessegnon having already played 90 minutes in two games in 3 days it wouldn't surprise me to see the lanky fly kicker get the nod. The starting line-up then: ..........................Button.............. ..Fredericks..Kalas....Ream...Malone.. ......................McDonald.... .............Cairney.......Johansen... .......Aluko........Cyriac........Kebano...
Let's hope we can grab our chances against Wolves, as we don't have a good record against them recently (D1 L3). With tonights Sheff Wed 0-2 Reading result we could go above Wednesday, and go top six and put pressure on the other teams. We just have to score more than Wolves do Will he play Martin or Cyriac ?
9 games to go and I believe 5 wins will give us a big chance! I don't really care where they come from but I would love one to be today!!
The man handling things today is Chris Kavanagh. Chris was a child prodigy starting to referee at the age of 13 but it wasn't until eighteen years later, last summer, that he got to join the big boys of the Select Group 2. We've only ever seen the Manchester Whistler in Leeds games; the defeat at the Cottage at the back end of last season and the 1-1 draw up at Elland Road in August this season. Chris only managed 32 games last year in the centre, with a fair few others being as the 4th official. In those games where he was the main man he still reached 114 yellows and 3 reds. This season he's already got the same 32 games under his belt, but with a more modest 106 yellows and 2 reds. His most expansive game was Barnsley v Wolves when 5 went in the book and 1 got marching orders.
"Think that's called going through the motions" ... "From the first minute to the last Fulham played like in a training match" ... "Definitely a False 9 out there today" Slightly edited versions of the only printable comments heard when leaving the Cottage earlier. Paused for thought before adding any of my own.
I haven't saw any of todays game but the last few results have got me wondering if the strain of a long season was starting to show on our small squad? We've relied on the same group of players all season now, especially the midfield and forward players so maybe they are starting to feel it a bit. We have the international break now so maybe its came at the right time for us this time round.
Well that was a waste of an air fare. I take it we have been better than this recently. Have we often been so bloody slow in getting the ball forward? And Sess is not a defender. His fault for two of the goals. Letting their man get in behind him and cross. Way too easy. Not the points return you should get from two home games against two teams from the lower reaches of the league if you are looking to get a play off spot. Very disappointing trip.
That reminded me of our games in September when possession was slow and nobody seemed to want to take responsibility to have a shot on goal, and seemed to pass the ball along the line to the next player. Must admit surprised at Sessegnon and Ayite starting. Sessegnon was targeted by Lambert as a weak link as kicks were aimed to get in behind him, and two Wolves players were pushed to his side of the field in the second half. No sure I agree with taking McDonald off, disrupts the flow of the game as Johansen has to stay back and can't go box to box to put their defence under pressure. Still games for us to get our act back together, but what missed opportunities these last 2 games to put pressure on the top 6.
Not a good week for you Fulhaman. Think this was simply a game too far mentally as well as physically for some of the players. And as SuperBri observes the Gaffer made a few mistakes into the bargain.
Not at all Chippy. You haven't been following our stats. This was a home game and our stregnth is on the road - we've got 5 of them in the final run in.
Chippy, I'm not seeing why, you are 4th following a good win against Brighton ............. Perhaps just the realization of facing us in the Playoff's ...........
