The starting line up for tonight: .......................Bettinelli......... .....Odoi......Kalas.......Ream.....Edun.. ...Fredericks......Parker (c)......Christensen.. ........Ayité........................ Aluko.... ..................Woodrow.... Subs: Button, Stearman, Madl, Sessegnon, Tunnicliffe, Adeniran, de la Torre, Cairney, Smith, Humphrys Cleary no McCormack is leading to speculation but the ayes are carrying it on .. injured. And that is definitely the case with newbie Scott Malone who did something (not too serious) to himself in training - he's been at Motspur Park for quite a few days tuning up.
Interested to see how we get on tonight. Can we keep the good preseason form going? Can we keep another clean sheet??
So it seems like our preferred formation is likely to be 4-2-3-1 with Ayite/Cairney/Aluko behind McCormack. Anyone else worried that we have absolutely no cover for Ayite or Aluko?
Georgie Williams and (potentially) James Wilson [Just posted on the Rumours In thread that Wilson is a hot tip to join on loan from Man Utd]
Plenty of changes at half time... Button on for his debut, madl, tunnicliffe, cairney and smith also come on. Betts, ream, lvc, parker and woodrow all off.
16 years old and played in every pre-season game. Now he scores! Got a feeling that he and Stevie Humphrys will feature in Slavi's squad this season. [And don't let us forget Ryan's twin brother, Stephane. Also an England youth international and fighting back well after a bad injury last season.]
3-0 Stearman. "Good hold-up play from Humphrys sees him feed Cairney who slips in Stearman, and the right-back coolly slides the ball in for 3-0." A little concerning that the club describes Stearman as a right back.
Can never get too carried away with pre season but it has to be said that the early (very early!) signs are good. Plenty of goals and good to see the youngsters get a chance. New signings are looking good too. Struggling for negatives at the moment.
Clean sheet x 5 is an awful big positive. Sorry Fab, our posts crossed but I do believe the total is now five in pre-season friendlies.
Brighton 0 Fulham 5 The team was: Bettinelli (Button 46'); Fredericks (Sessegnon 17'), Kalas, Ream (Madl 46'), Odoi (Stearman 72'); Christensen (Tunnicliffe 46'), Parker (Cairney 46'), Edun (Adeniran 61'), Floyd Ayité (de la Torre 61'); Sone Aluko (Humphrys 61'), Woodrow (Matt Smith 46') "Fulham enjoyed much more of the ball inside the opening 10 minutes but it was the Seagulls who came closest to breaking the deadlock when Lewis Dunk brought down Danny Holla’s corner and rifled in a low shot. That was bravely blocked by Denis Odoi, with the follow-up then lashed wide. The Whites responded on the quarter-hour mark when Tayo Edun whipped in a low free-kick from a tight angle that Woodrow flicked towards goal, but his clipped effort fell just short of the near post. That free-kick was given following a foul on Ryan Fredericks, and he was soon replaced by Sessegnon following treatment. Sone Aluko then had two half chances as his low effort was easily claimed by Nicky Maenpaa, and then when his wicked strike after cutting in was deflected behind. Fulham were beginning to turn the screw and went close just after the half hour mark when Lasse Vigen Christensen took aim from 25 yards. His curling strike was heading in but for the intervention of Maenpaa, but from the resulting corner Cauley Woodrow expertly headed in Edun’s delivery. It was almost 2-0 soon after when Aluko bent in a dipping free-kick from long range, but his left footed effort clipped the angle of post and bar before going over. That second goal did arrive soon after the break, though, and it was a fine strike by Ryan Sessegnon. He was played in by Aluko and took the ball at pace before smashing a rising effort high beyond the helpless Maenpaa for his first goal representing the First Team. Odoi earned a standing ovation from the Fulham fans in the 65th minute when he simply refused to give up on possession, with his persistence eventually winning a corner. From that set-piece, Michael Madl sent in a half-volley that was hacked away from near the line. It was game over on 79 minutes when Richard Stearman got in on the act. Stephen Humphrys did well to hold the ball up and feed Tom Cairney, who spotted Stearman’s run and slipped him in. The defender then took a glance up before coolly passing a shot underneath substitute goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. That wrapped up another productive run-out for Slaviša Jokanović’s men, who are still yet to concede a goal this pre-season."
I know pre season results are not overly important but after three poor seasons any kind of winning habit can't be a bad thing also clean sheets will help confidence and it sounds like we are playing decent pressing football, I'm almost thinking we may make mid table.
Our squad is paper thin, but our first XI is pretty good: Button; Fredericks, Madl, Kalas, Odoi/Malone; Parker, Tunnicliffe; Ayite, Cairney, Aluko; McCormack. That team should be good enough to be top half without too many issues. Injuries happen however, and we really lack in depth.
