I believe Senderos has a slight hamstring injury so that might solve one dilema for Jol - who is expected to meet up with the team tomorrow. The other dilemas revolve around whether players should be rested or frankly, dropped. Although in the past Fulham have thrived (especially the 'old hands') on a glut of fixtures, at this stage in the season there no imperative to ask players to play 3 games in 8 days. And, on Saturday's showing there should be no complaints from some if they were excluded. But that is unlikely, for example with Diarra and the Pog, with contacts on the line. Two things are certain; one, we need to bolster the midfield and two, we need leadership on the field. So that's Murphy on the team sheet. I think I'll stop there because that's exactly what I believe Jol will do. Of course there's an argument to give Kasami, Briggs and Gecov game time. And personally I'd play Kaca from the outset. But no, the only change will be Murphy for Frei. ----------Schwarzer---------- --Baird----Hughes---Hangeland----Riise-- ----------Murphy--Diarra---- ---Dempsey---Dembele-----Duff-- ------------Pog---------
And if as you say Sendeos is injured, Kelly/Baird for him. I agree with playing Kaca from the start, instead of Duff who was very poor against Everton. Murphy has got to be back too.
----------Schwarzer---------- --Baird----Hughes---Hangeland----Riise-- ----------Murphy--Diarra---- ---Dempsey---Dembele-----Duff-- ------------Pog---------[/QUOTE] This is our strongest team
Yeah if Kelly's fit he'd be in at right back. Suarez and Maxi Rodriguez tormented Baird last season so probably best to avoid playing him. That said, I'd still have him over Senderos in the middle and Hughes at RB, to me its clear that that does not work. H & H at centre back anyday of the week for me.
I'd also be tempted by Frei over Duff, with Frei starting on the right. Would be very happy with Kaca or Duff on the left though.
Great point, fulhamish. It looks as though Jol is still poorly and didn't join the team as expected today. Kelly is also still very doubtful and surprise, surprise AJ is ruled out - with an adductor injury, whatever that is (Bandit ?)
Aww, you beat me to it, Bandit. I knew that one because I did the same once - my only 'proper' football injury, back in the days when I used to run and stuff. I was very committed to the physio, because it happened a little while before I got married, and I didn't want to go on honeymoon nursing a groin strain. Maybe that was slightly too much information, sorry.
Having endured several different rugby and football injuries I can say with confidence that a groin strain is the mother of all injuries- worse, in my opinion, than a broken bone. The worst thing about the groin strain is that it does not completely restrict your movement- but it relates to so many different actions. I aggravated mine over 3 months because there was no way of avoiding it, initially. Then came my hayfever and the dreaded sneezing which was like being hot pokered in the groin every 10 minutes. There were nights where I would wake up howling in agony because I'd rolled into a position that put pressure on it. About 4 months after getting the injury I began to realise just how bad it was and had to adapt as best I could to it. I now do about 10 minutes of stretches devoted only to the groin before any sport.
I have got a good feeling about tonight - but I am a bit of an optimist. We were poor on saturday so we are due to play well and Liverpool must be thinking about Wembley on saturday. Perhaps we should follow WBA's example and win it for Woy. Already the papers are full of his "failure" at Liverpool - I am sure Woy would have spent the fortune Kenny has much more wisely - £100m+ spent and they are only 3 points in front of us!!
I think tonight will be far better from us than the Everton game. Not saying we will win, I don't believe we will, but it will be closer than 4-0 that's for sure. I can see a 2-1 defeat in the offing.
It's been announced: 01 Schwarzer 02 Kelly 03 JA Riise 05 Hangeland 18 Hughes 13 Murphy 16 Duff 23 Dempsey 31 Kacaniklic 07 Pogrebniak 30 Dembele And Liverpool have left out Reina, Gerrard, Suarez, Bellamy, Carragher, Downing, Johnson, Agger and Enrique. More than one eye on Wembley?
Unfortunately MJ won't be in attendance of this game either as he is still recovering from a chest infection.
