Senderos is out with a groin strain - as is Sidwell and probably AJ. What is it with all these groin strains this season ? http://www.ealinggazette.co.uk/sport/fulham-fc-ealing/2012/02/10/fulham-defender-suffers-injury-blow-64767-30306976/
Bad news for us. If there was one game a season I'd want Senderos involved in it would be Stoke. Does this mean Hughes will come in or Riise back at left back and Baird moved into the middle?
Yes, this is the wrong game for us to lose a big middle defender. I have slightly more confidence in Baird than Hughes, but we'll see what MJ does. I"m really hoping for three points out of this one. Stoke and Blackburn are two teams I just don't like.
I would not worry much with Baird CB. Seemed he injured himself against Man City thus why he was replaced.
I used to dislike Blackburn, with their awful brand of football under both Hughes and Allardyce, now I just feel sorry for them. A terrible manager with terrible owners. Hating Stoke is a given.
Bandit I used to like Fulham, actually I still do but you sir are an A** hole of the highest order.. YOU Hate us it's a given why is that? WELL done on your'e victory today, like you I don't hold grudges.
Thanks, Pottermouth. Best of luck to you in the Europa as well. I hope Valencia (and beyond) gives you memories as good as some of ours from a couple of years ago. Bandit doesn't speak for all of us. I think the fact that we've had a series of injuries against you in recent years has rather coloured some Fulham fans' view of Stoke. That's probably where Bandit is coming from. Personally, Stoke aren't my favourite other team in the Premier League, but I think it's massively overstating the case to say hating you is a given.
Pottermouth, good luck for the rest of the season and hope you progress in EL. Don;t think we hate Stoke but I think there is a bad sediment due to some bad Wilkinson tackles in the past that resulted in injuries especially when they were in late parts of the game.
Anyway, back to Senderos.... Actually Hughes with Hangeland coped quite well with long-balls into Crouch and Jones in what seemed to be a one dimensional Stoke for 75% of the match.. We just needed some extra sceening from Chris Baird after Stoke changed play with their 3 substitutions in the last quarter. I hope Senderos recovers soon - he's part of bringing the average age down. Pottermouth - The Captain is right about the relationship with Stoke being based on a few bad tackles -There is not much "hate", but it doesn't help when Murphy even now still gets stick from some Potters fans throughout the match yesterday. I do wish you well with Valencia. C O Y W
Thought Hughes did well against Jones and Crouch, Pennant and Fuller caused the back 4 a few more problems, thought Hughes did really well in covering Murphys mistake blocked the shot and put the ball out for the corner, but they scored from it. But then we seem to have a problem of not closing games, and letting teams in the last 10-15 take the initiative and put us under pressure. Senderos has good passing ability from the back, but he is still capable of making glaring mistakes during a game which can cost us. Given time and experience he could be the answer. I've heard good things about Dan Burn. Correct the reason Stoke are not on our most liked list is over the seasons we've had some long term injuries to key players after playing Stoke, Zamora, Johnson, Dempsey, Dembele have all been targets that I can remember that missed a month or more after playing Stoke. Pulis seems to target key players.
Bait taken I see Let me go through my list of reasons then. The big one is the one my fellow FFC fans have listed. We have fallen victim to your teams rugby like tactics once too many times over the years and has caused us countless injuries, both long term and short term, Wilkinson springs to mind. Shawcross is also a nasty piece of work, no wonder he never gets called up for England when he plays like that. Number two, this doesn't affect just Stoke but a number of teams. I didn't like Blackburn when all they did was route one football and tried to kick the other team off the pitch, Bolton neither. I can appreciate that your manager is just playing to your strengths, and it is the only style of football he knows but that doesn't mean people have to like it. A good manager should want to earn points the right way, by playing attractive football. Megson was pushed out of Bolton because his football was dire, even though Coyle has earned less points this season his job remains secure as the football is predominantly better. Lastly, your manager absolutely hates us, and has done ever since his days as a Gillingham player/manager. Neil Warnock has never done anything to me personally, but because he hates FFC, I hate him too.
I think I would have made a good politician. But I chose the life of a Journalist so I shall stick by it