Rene is presumably delaying his normal away press conference since the game is on Sunday (and on TV again!). So there’s no immediate clues about team selection. However, there have been some interesting starting line-ups suggested in other threads here. The one I liked most was Silky’s - Stek Reither - Heitinga - Hange - Amore Parker - Kara Holtby Dejegah - Kaca Mitro Moyes and his team were in Greece this week watching Olympiakos play a league game ahead of Man United’s CL match against them. Clearly he thinks he doesn’t need to be at Old Trafford midweek and if he’s taking us for granted hopefully it will backfire. Kostas won’t face them at his old club but whether he will for us is doubtful. Because of the Greeks winter break and a knee injury, he’s only played 77 minutes of football in the last few months. I suspect Kostas will be on the bench and, regrettably, it will be Bent up front again. Richardson will also be back. So I’d go with Silky’s team except Richardson for Amore and Bent for Mitro.
Lord give me strength. We need to have a go at them, I don't mind failing but its got to be in a blaze of glory not a damp squib!
Balanced team. I still think kvist was excellent against Southampton and gives us a better defensive option than Parker. He looked solely interested in stopping the ball getting through and taking some pressure off the defence. Parker or Kara to then be a bit more creative. I would go with Kara, Parker could make an impact as a sub. Please, please let mitroglou be fit, I cannot bear to watch another game with bent up front.
@FulhamFC: René says Kostas Mitroglou is improving in training all the time, but couldn't speculate as to his involvement on Sunday #ffc #coyw I'd imagine Bent will start on Sunday. I know Dempsey has been woeful since his return, but I think I'd prefer him up front - at least he might be able to hold the ball up and bring Holtby and others into the game.
Yeah, I'm with you Bobby but there's no way Dempsey will start after playing on Tuesday (probably that should read, because of the way he played on Tuesday). In his lunch time press conference Rene, as well as saying Kostas was iffy, said that the rest are okay and specifically that Heitinga is 'fully fit'. So I guess he's in.
Dempsey couldn't hold up a paper bag let alone a ball Bobby! I'd drop him, he was woeful against league one defenders who were able to make sure he looked a proper div when he fell to the ground so often! Bent and Hugo are the only fit (ish) strikers we have. Parker on bench, not creative enough, Kara on for 60 and then a youngster - Tank? COYW
Hahaha this is the first time in ages I've chuckled reading a post! On second thoughts Craving, you're probably correct. I was probably re-living several seasons ago when Dempsey scored a hatful with his head and could jump like a migrating Salmon. These days, he's got more chance of winning an Oscar for his dramatics!
I was asked to get my boots on.... Oh sorry I forgot, that was for the local pub game. Wish they could give us the Cottage for 50-60 mins. We won't last longer than that. Nothing different from our team these days!!!
Energy, Quality, Commitment and a bit of Editing (not Sarah Brookes' fingers though) make up today's internal video interview - [video=youtube;Nyp-vHe3-1s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nyp-vHe3-1s&feature=player_embedded[/video]
blah blah blah!! That's all I'm hearing and that's one hondred percent blah blah blah! here is a brief synopsis. He talks too much, it's like he's giving excuses to the screen to justify a bad performance. Stop the slide - every human being put to the test can raise themsleves, every footballer has that! The players preparing for the game will one hondred percent raise their game. We'll see 11 players play to their maximum! They can play for 45-60 minutes at maximum but we need another 45 - 30 minutes more to make a difference. He talks a good one but the proof of the puddin is in the eating? Energy, quality and commitment and breath will be the back bone of the performance. I hope they do breath, maybe this is why they only last 60 minutes.They're not effin breathing! We've bought a forward who isn't fit and get stuck in straight away. He might not be available for another 4 games? I've just made that up but it could happen. He will have 10 games to score 10 hatricks and our leaky defence to top....erm leaking goals! Nice nails! We're 100 hondred percent behind him. Fulham has far too much quality! Ahem! Lot of points to play for.......... COYW - still believing (not meant to be sarcastic)
Just read an interesting insight into Rene meulensteen by Henry winter in the telegraph. Rene is extremely passionate about what he feels to team can achieve and how he wants to remain at fulham for many years to come. I get the impression he feels we are 1 or 2 positive performances away from getting it right. For all the dire football we have been playing I still feel he will get us out of this mess, starting on Sunday. United 1 - the whites 2 Come on we can win this
We are overdue to do something fulhamish but in the right direction this time... An upset against Utd or Liverpool will be most welcome.
Looks like: Stek Riether - Heitinga - Burn - Riise Tunnicliffe - Sidwell - Kvist - Richardson Holtby Tankovic Nine changes. I'm really not sure that having so many changes every match is helping. I'm not opposed to Richardson starting on the left wing, but Dejagah should be on the right. The Tank is really going to have his work cut out today!
I imagine it'd be Sidwell, although who knows! Bench is Stockdale, Hangeland, Duff, Cole , Kacaniklic, Parker, Bent.
Wow what a selection. Rene has some balls and dropped a few of Sheffield flops like Parker and Hangeland. Come on you Whites!!!