Match Day Thread Fulham v Cardiff City, Big Win Needed, Oh Yea...Fug Me!

My old Pal Rodney Marsh is flying over from the states for this mother fugger must win game! We’ve been mates for years, pals even, and he likes a laugh...and a few pints too! One night when he had a few too many, he told me he loved me....I lost it big time....did too! I told him in no uncertain terms that the last man who said that to me came from Neath, and now he’s underneath...if you get Masky’s meaning! He got the message and I haven’t seen him since, so this came out of the blue! Hoping for a good win is Masky and have now offered him my body if he can fix it!

Swing high, swing your bollocks low....

 

Fulham will be itching for this game.

City need to test Peter Mellor and snuff out the threat of Alan Taylor feeding off Johnny Haynes

 

Cardiff can win this if they believe they can....

 

Last time I saw City at the Cottage we were 2 down at halt-time. We won 5-2! Can't remember the year but it was great fun.

I think Dai is right and belief is now key.

 

That was the 11th November 1989 - attendance 4,030 - Division Three

I can't remember if I was there - probably not. Perhaps BfB went?

 

I must have got the score wrong as it it was a lot further back. Perhaps it was 5-1 to us now I come to think of it. But we were behind at half time but obviously only by 1.
Old age eh. The memory is getting worse.

 

No.

 

Now now BFB, no need to get snappy pal. Wanna suck on my titty eh....do you punk? Titty or todger, your choice!

Titty’s good! Todger please!

 

Straight answer to a question.

Getting worried about you Masky. I think you must be a descendent of the baby eating Bishop of Bath and Wells. You probably enjoy a red hot poker up the rectum as well.

 

7th December 1968. Now that really is a long time ago!

 

Do you want to read a story?

Well, back in April 1980 I took a half days holiday to travel by train to see City play Fulham in an end of season game with City safe but Fulham in danger.

It was a sunny afternoon in Cardiff and likewise In London when I arrived but when I turned up at Craven cottage at seven-ish after a few pints somewhere I was mystified as to the lack of people in the stadium area.

The game had been cancelled due to a monsoon hitting West London mid afternoon which waterlogged the pitch. Of course there was no social media in those days hence I travelled up oblivious to this.

I actually went back to the rearranged game the next week which was lost after Ray Bishop has put us one up. I think Welshman Gordon Davies scores for them.

Nice ground though!

 

That sounds about right - thank you BT.
Yep, a seriously long time ago.

 

I have travelled to a number of matches over the years only to find they have been postponed. Portsmouth and Swindon come to mind. On the return from Swindon the football special train stopped in Bristol, presumably for a signal, only for City fans to pile off and attend the Bristol Rovers match who were playing at home.

The latest of course was Derby away last year and the infamous 'Snowgate'. I had stopped for a pee at Hopwood services, when I heard the news from BfB the game was off.

 

Just read Ralls is out for the season. That’s on top of Paterson and Bamba.

If Arter’s unfit then we’ll struggle in central midfield tomorrow, but saying that we’ve struggled there all season

 

Time for bacuna to step up to the plate.

 

Fulham defender Alfie Mawson is in contention to play for the first time since sustaining a knee injury while putting on his boots in late December. Tommy Trinder may get a late call up....you lucky people!

Tom Cairney should be available after missing out last weekend following the birth of his child, but Andre Schurrle could be absent for the same reason.

Cardiff midfielder Joe Ralls tore his hamstring against Liverpool last week and will not play again this season.

Harry Arter has been nursing a calf strain and will be assessed.

It's 'now or never' time for Cardiff, a scenario no one envisaged them even being in back in August.

The odds are still stacked against Neil Warnock's side but a win at Craven Cottage would keep hopes alive and also increase the pressure on Brighton kicking off later at home to Newcastle. Chris Hughton's team would then be out of the drop zone only on goal difference by the time they began at the Amex.

The Bluebirds won't be short on effort or spirit but have they got the goals in them to pull it off?

They face a Fulham side who have belatedly come to life with back-to-back wins and successive clean sheets, momentum that Scott Parker will be determined for them to maintain.

Fulham caretaker manager Scott Parker on Cardiff: "They come on Saturday fighting for their lives, and I'm looking at this game thinking it's probably one of the toughest we've had, certainly since I've been here, due to the manager we're facing and the fact the team is scrapping.

"To be where they are with three games left is, I think, a massive achievement, and that's not being disrespectful in any way to Cardiff and their players, and Neil.

"If anything, I think it shows what a great job he's personally done and what that group of players have done."

Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock: "I know it sounds silly because you'd think there would be more pressure on us, but since the Chelsea game the shackles have been off us.

"We just think we'll do what we can now and what will be will be.

"We played like that at Brighton, and I'd be quite happy if we played like we have done the last few weeks."

Win, and Cardiff will put the pressure on Brighton, who play later on Saturday, but I actually think this could be a difficult afternoon for the Welsh side.

Prediction: 2-1

Lawro's full predictions v Radio 1 DJ Melvin Odoom

Head-to-head

• Fulham suffered their first defeat in eight meetings in all competitions last October when Cardiff won the reverse fixture 4-2.
• Cardiff have won all three Premier League meetings, including by a 2-1 scoreline at Craven Cottage in 2013.
• The Bluebirds have scored in 19 successive league matches against Fulham since a 2-0 away defeat in the third tier 30 years ago.

Fulham

• Relegated Fulham could equal their club record of three consecutive Premier League victories. which they last achieved in March 2012.
• They have kept successive clean sheets, as many as they managed in their previous 37 games in the top flight.
• The Cottagers have won all four home matches this season against the other teams currently in the bottom six of the table.
• Aleksandar Mitrovic ended a nine-match run without a goal last weekend. He has scored the winner in five of his team's six league victories this season - the highest percentage of any player in the division.
• Ryan Babel has been directly involved in each of Fulham's last five league goals at Craven Cottage, scoring two and setting up three.

Cardiff City

• Cardiff have lost seven of their past nine league games, conceding at least twice in each defeat but keeping clean sheets when winning the other two matches.
• The Bluebirds could earn successive top-flight away victories for the first time since February 1957, having beaten Brighton in their most recent game on the road.
• They are unbeaten in all seven league matches this season against the rest of the current bottom five, winning five and drawing two.
• Their only victory in 11 Premier League fixtures in London came at Fulham in September 2013 (D1, L9).
• Cardiff have lost 22 league games in 2018-19, one shy of the club record for most top-flight defeats in a season. That was set in 1956-57.
• Neil Warnock has never won a league match away to Fulham in 10 attempts (D3, L7).
• Bobby Reid has scored in each of his four league starts against Fulham.

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They are unbeaten in all seven league matches this season against the rest of the current bottom five, winning five and drawing two.

That is a great stat. It shows what we have said all season, do well against those around us and we have every chance of staying up.

 

Just realised City play before Brighton tomorrow. And next week they play a day after us.

City could put huge pressure on Brighton but it’s a tall ask tomorrow with a depleted team goal shy and against a Fulham team with plenty to prove and on a good run.

 

Don't know what the weather is like with you guys but it was pretty rough overnight in Cheshire and still is.
Just checked the forecast for Fulham and the rain will have stopped but 20mph winds will persist. Don't know if rough weather will help us. A few skilful wusses in the Fulham side.
Might come down to who is up for it, who wants it more?

 

Bloody hell we are thin on the ground. No Arter or Zohore in the 18.

2 names on the subs bench I don't recognise, Richards and Ward.