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What an afternoons football lies in store.

Discussion in 'Fulham' started by frogman27, May 22, 2011.

  1. frogman27

    frogman27 Member

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    Cannot wait for the footie this afternoon. I really think that we have a great chance against Arsenal. We have vastly improved on our set plays this season and we all know that this is Arsenal's weak spot. Trying to keep Van Persie quiet will be difficult but I think we have it in us to do so.

    However, the relegation fixtures could result in an afternoon of heart break and jubilation. Having experienced this with Fulham a few times it will not be much fun for those fans involved but for the neutral it makes for exciting viewing.

    Manchester United vs Blackpool
    Stoke vs Wigan
    Wolves vs Blackburn
    Tottenham vs Birmingham

    For me Birmingham are going to struggle. They looked woeful against us and Spurs are hard to beat. Blackpool will find it hard, even against a second 11 from United. Those 2 are going down in my opinion.
     
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  2. Penguin

    Penguin Member

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    Good morning Frogman. I'm new to this board but your comment completely chimes with how I'm feeling at the moment. I was surfing football related parts of the net precisely because I can't wait for the action to get started and came across your comment.

    I tend to agree with your analysis of the relegation situation. Wigan have the "easiest" game of the 3 teams on 39 points so you have to favour them to stay up, however the fact that Wolves and Blackburn are playing each other (and I can see that being a hard fought game which ends in a draw) adds extra connotations.

    As for Fulham, how amazing would it be to finish 7th after the dreadful time we had around Christmas? And, like you, with a bit of luch I can see it happening. We played well at the Emirates and Arsenal are half the team now that they were then. Obviously we have to rely on Chelsea beating Everton but that too looks like a likely result.

    Finally, am I right in thinking that we want Spurs to beat Birmingham to make certain of 5th place so that the elusive fair play Europa spot comes our way?
     
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  3. frogman27

    frogman27 Member

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    Morning Penguin, isn't it mad to think that the easiest of these 4 fixtures is Wigan away to Stoke. The Britannia is such a hard place to go, but compared to the other ties is the most likely place to get a point. Although I would worry about Wigan's defence. Those set plays from Stoke are very difficult to defend. Wolves vs Blackburn is anyone's game. Depending on results, a draw would suit both teams. 0 - 0 being the best result as they both have the strongest goal differences of the 5 teams.

    Chelsea will give it all as it seems it will Ancelotti's last game. Which by the way is crazy, no trophy so no future as a manager. When are they realise at Chelsea that stability breeds success, just look at Man Utd. You are right though about a 7th spot finish, would amazing and give us something to work on for next season, hopefully with a fit Bobby Zamora.

    Definately be watching the Spurs result. If they win today they will be on 62 points and then Liverpool will still be a point behind if they win. Seems like a nailed on result but this is a day when nothing is guareented and from 4.00 pm until 5.50pm anything can and probably will happen. Europe would be seriously good for our club.

    COYW
     
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  4. rocky57

    rocky57 Member

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    Welcome Penguin, look forward to having good discussions with you.

    I think you're right, it would be amazing to finish 7th, although it could go the other way and we could finish outside the top ten. While the run-in has been great (Liverpool excepted), it hasn't felt like a record equalling year, but as I recall, did 08/09 at the time?
     
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  5. RobespierreFFC

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    Rocky is right to be concerned that if we lose and results go against us then we could finish outside the top half. I'm confident that this won't happen although despite arsenal's bad form lately, we don't have a particularly good record against them so we should by no means expect a victory. If it happens however, we should celebrate finishing 7th considering how unspectacular this season has felt at times. For example, last week I was interviewed outside the gates at st andrews for a football fan website, with one of the questions being whats been fulham's highlight of the season? Really struggle to think of anything. Considering this, finishing 7th or even 8th for that matter would be fantastic.
     
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  6. Penguin

    Penguin Member

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    Thanks for the welcome, Rocky. It did occur to me that making my first post on the last day of the season is a bit mad but no doubt there will be transfer intrigue to start talking about soon.

    I think what was so good about the 08/09 result was partly that it guaranteed us the Europa place (which seemed unbeliveable because we'd never come close to it before) and also that we'd improved from 17th the previous season - a fantastic result for any club in any league. If we finish 7th today (and I fully appreciate that as you say even a top 10 finish isn't certain) this will be only an improvement from 12th which doesn't sound so good. However, in 09 we finished behind the top 4 and Everton and Villa. If we finish 7th today we finished behind the top 6 and no one else. I know this is largely a question of semantics but I really feel that 7th place this year is "the best of the rest" and it would be great for Fulham to be in that position particularly after MH's late appointment and all our injury problems.

    So, I agree it hasn't felt like a stand out year whilst we've been in the midst of it but now as it comes to a close I think we can be pretty impressed with it
     
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  7. Captain Morgan

    Captain Morgan Well-Known Member

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    Afternoon all (and welcome to the board, Penguin. Nice to have a new voice around). I completely agree with Penguin and Froggy: Birmingham and Blackpool are my tips to go down too.

    I'm not so concerned about the prospect of finishing outside the top half. If we do, so what? We've known all season that we would be finishing with Liverpool and Arsenal in two of our last three games. We were safe before playing those games, meaning that we didn't need to worry about the results. If we win - and I can't think of a better time to be playing Arsenal over the last few years - fantastic; if we lose - so what? I'm incredibly relaxed about the consequences of today's game. 7th place would be great though.

    Robespierre: highlight of the season: hard to see past the Spurs FA Cup tie for me. Pre-match against Bolton in the subsequent round, when Bobby came back from injury a little ahead of what we all expected, was another great moment. I can remember everyone around me on the Hammersmith End trying to decide whether or not it was really him, to mounting excitement.
     
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  8. James_87

    James_87 New Member

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    If you're mad, Penguin, then I am too.

    Yes, a good day in store! I love a good relegation battle... well, from a safe distance. It's always far more interesting than the race for the title, methinks. As for us, in a quiet and under the radar kind of way, it's been a very impressive season. I had my doubts at Christmas time (as a lot did) but no more! We even win away these days...
     
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  9. Penguin

    Penguin Member

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    Hi James, I'm very happy to set a trend even if it is one of questionable sanity!

    Thanks you for the welcome, Captain. I agree with your highlights. We were brilliant against Spurs and really deserved the win after two close games in the league. I was also in the Hammy End for the Bolton match and remember the excitement of singing Bobby's name when we first spotted him, when he came on, when he nearly scored and at any other opportunity! I also think it says a lot about him and his ego that he wasn't distracted by the adulation.

    Another highlight for me was the Stoke away win (although I wasn't at the game). I was feeling down after the West Ham fiasco and had begun to think that if we couldn't beat them our season was consigned to the scrap heap. But I shouldn't have doubted the team and they came back better and stronger than ever and (other than Liverpool) we've hardly looked back since.
     
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  10. frogman27

    frogman27 Member

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    James and Penguin great to see some new faces. You make an interesting point about us winning away from home. For me it is a shame that the season is ending now. Since Christmas, in particular that debacle against West Ham, we have started to play so well. We seem to have retained the organised football we played under Roy but have added some attacking flair. I think that Hughes understands his players a lot more now and is able to put a team out that is going to do what he wants of them. I only hope that we keep this group of players together for another season, with a few exceptions. Irrespective of whether we qualify for Europe or not, a summer's worth of rest and training will only help to strenghten us as a squad.

    COYW
     
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  11. frogman27

    frogman27 Member

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    Results going well so far. Shame we were not on the ball after scoring. Still 1 - 1 is not bad. As it stands Liverpool losing and Spurs drawing is good for us, Europa spot odds on. Hopefully Spurs can score against Birmingham and then they go with Wolves to follow.
     
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  12. rocky57

    rocky57 Member

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    I agree that the Stoke away result was the highlight, as it followed so soon after the Boxing Day debacle.
     
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