The Gaffer says Ayite is up and running and should be okay for tomorrow. Piazon is back in full training and Kebano was training yesterday but neither is likely to be included in the match squad. Guess Barnsley will be swooning at the news earlier in the week of being bought by a billionaire Chinese person in cahoots with a couple of Americans (as well a some chap sold on analytic and "Moneyball" stuff). Pretty sure though, that Heckingbottom and his team will be more buoyed by the rugged 0-0 draw at Brentford last weekend after 5 defeats on the trot. Jokanovic gave an interview to the local West London paper yesterday and was at great lengths in justifying his selection of Johansen at "the top of the diamond or a fake striker". Frankly, I'm struggling to understand the difference between the use of 'gaps' when Johansen plays there as opposed to 'spaces' when he doesn't. If this how he explains it to the players no wonder our form's been poor. All I'd ask is that he puts out a balanced side. That firstly, means choosing between Norwood and Johansen - the latter has been rubbish for weeks now but Norwood and McDonald isn't working. Secondly, the striker position, fake or otherwise, is an obvious issue. Fonte lies too deep and Kamara is too indisciplined. So there is Ayite. A player with a pattern; oft injured but his first game back is inevitably a blinder. He could of course replace Ojo, who currently seems to be resting on the laurels of his one worldie game, but I'd get Ayite down the middle up front with Ojo and Sessegon exploiting the spaces, or is it gaps?. ........................Bettinelli.............. ..Fredericks..Kalas..Ream...Odoi.. .....................McDonald... .........Cairney...........Johansen.... ...Ojo..............Ayite.......Sessegnon...
As a fan of Slavi ( cough cough) anything less than a win, the obvious should happen, he has been at the last chance saloon for far to long.
I think Barnsley will come to park the bus and hit us on the break. That seems to be their style, and the draw at Brentford probably boosted their confidence. Good to hear Ayite is back as on his day he can open a tight defence. The problem is still the end product, I think the coach may persist with Fonte, more out of stubbornness of being proved right than any real conviction. I'm hoping the availability of Odoi means that Sessegnon will be pushed into an attacking position. If reports are right Johansen has been carrying an injury for a long time and may well be rested or allowed to have surgery, I'm with C58 I don't think McDonald together with Norwood is a good partnership. Norwood for me slows play down, but he does possess accuracy with dead ball situations. We need a game changing performance from Cairney, if as reported he is now fully fit.
Beginning to doubt the story about Johansen's groin injury, which he started himself and has never been mentioned by the Gaffer or anyone else at the Club. Frankly, he's been played out of position virtually all season; first with Cairney being out and later trying to fit into a 'square hole' around Tom and Oliver. Time to get him as he was last season with our 'boiler room' - him, McDonald and Cairney - to see if he can get his form back.
It's that man again ... James Linington. please log in to view this image Won't repeat all our woes about him since it was only last month we saw him up at Sheffield united. Except to mention that he was quite lenient that day, booking only 5 - Fredericks, Ayite and Odoi for us. Actually come to think of it, don't think there's been a game of ours that he's ref'd when he didn't book Fredericks. A bit of a runt in his early teens he shot up to 6' 2" in later years and proudly boasts, "having a tall presence, I think that helps my refereeing". Yeah, right ! Anyway, the self employed plumber, before he got this sideline, will be well on his way. Having caught the 8:30 ferry out of Fishbourne and driving against the holiday traffic up to the Cottage. And just for the record, in his 23 games so far this season he's dished out 75 yellows and 5 reds.
Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle all the Way, Oh What Fun it is to See Fulham Win .............. Today!!
Certainly better today but relying on a fluke goal by Ojo isn't exactly brilliant. Bettinelli looked decidedly nervy and Kamara, despite trying valiantly, just doesn't hack it. The most worrying though was Tom Cairney. He's sitting top of the Championship stats table with a 91% pass success rate but there's no spark like last season and he pulled out of a number of challenges. Guilty also for losing the ball that led to there goal. Can only conclude that the injury is not yet behind him.
Or he does not wish for another before the transfer window Cottager did you slip santa a Jan wish list
