Fulham

[Ashtonsmashton]

Last Saturday, I went to see Arsenal vs Fulham. To see a big team play and I realised the strengths and weaknesses of Fulham.

Firstly strengths:
There two central defenders (Hangeland, might have spelt that wrong, and Burn) are very good in the air and would easily deal with a player such as Porter. Their weakness though is their speed and their feet work with a poor first touch. I would keep the ball on the floor and get players such as Murphy, Baxter Flynn and Miller, to run behind them.

Their goalie (Stekelenburg) is very hard to beat, with brilliant reactions and positioning.

Then the rest of the squad is a massive weakness, apart from one player who I will get to later.

LB and RB (Richardson and Riether) are easy to get past and give players a lot of space. Actually there is no closing down of the opposition by any players. I believe they only overlapped once and the player on the ball didn't have the vision to see the amount of space, the overlapping player had.

Onto the wingers (Ashkan Dejagah and [URL='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Ka%C4%8Danikli%C4%87']Alexander Kačaniklić) Very pacey, again a poor touch. Very dribbles and attacking players. I would say [URL='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Ka%C4%8Danikli%C4%87']Alexander Kačaniklić is a very good a attacking player but his touch lets him down. [/URL][/URL]

Dempsey, is the same player as last year, isn't very confident on the ball, and isn't a danger.

Scott Parker. I think we all know how good he is and he still is a brilliant defensive player, I think he deserves more praise than he gets, very hard to get past.

I also think Sidwell is also a very good box to box player.

Now for Berbatov, if you he is lazy he got lazier. He be a danger, he is good at holding the ball up but doesn't make any runs. Maguire and Collins will find him easy to deal with.

On the bench they tend to have superb players, such as Duff, Bent and Kasami.
Duff I didn't see but he always makes a massive impact to the teams he plays for.

Bent, has a good burst of pace and a good work effort.

Kasami, is a massive danger, powerful shot with a very good technique.

The team I would play but I wouldn't ever think clough would play this team in this formation.

3-5-2

GK-Long

RCB McMohan
CB Maguire
LCB Hill.

CDM Doyle
CDM Coady

RM Flynn

CAM Baxter

LM Murphy

ST Paynter
ST Miller

 

[Bladesman]

Last Saturday, I went to see Arsenal vs Fulham. To see a big team play and I realised the strengths and weaknesses of Fulham.

Firstly strengths:
There two central defenders (Hangeland, might have spelt that wrong, and Burn) are very good in the air and would easily deal with a player such as Porter. Their weakness though is their speed and their feet work with a poor first touch. I would keep the ball on the floor and get players such as Murphy, Baxter Flynn and Miller, to run behind them.

Their goalie (Stekelenburg) is very hard to beat, with brilliant reactions and positioning.

Then the rest of the squad is a massive weakness, apart from one player who I will get to later.

LB and RB (Richardson and Riether) are easy to get past and give players a lot of space. Actually there is no closing down of the opposition by any players. I believe they only overlapped once and the player on the ball didn't have the vision to see the amount of space, the overlapping player had.

Onto the wingers (Ashkan Dejagah and Alexander Kačaniklić) Very pacey, again a poor touch. Very dribbles and attacking players. I would say Alexander Kačaniklić is a very good a attacking player but his touch lets him down.

Dempsey, is the same player as last year, isn't very confident on the ball, and isn't a danger.

Scott Parker. I think we all know how good he is and he still is a brilliant defensive player, I think he deserves more praise than he gets, very hard to get past.

I also think Sidwell is also a very good box to box player.

Now for Berbatov, if you he is lazy he got lazier. He be a danger, he is good at holding the ball up but doesn't make any runs. Maguire and Collins will find him easy to deal with.

On the bench they tend to have superb players, such as Duff, Bent and Kasami.
Duff I didn't see but he always makes a massive impact to the teams he plays for.

Bent, has a good burst of pace and a good work effort.

Kasami, is a massive danger, powerful shot with a very good technique.

The team I would play but I wouldn't ever think clough would play this team in this formation.

3-5-2

GK-Long

RCB McMohan
CB Maguire
LCB Hill.

CDM Doyle
CDM Coady

RM Flynn

CAM Baxter

LM Murphy

ST Paynter
ST Miller

That is all good but you are assuming we really want to win this match.

 

[Living In a Fantasy World]

Paynter is cup tied I'm sure.
I don't think we should fear Fulham, again its a no lose situation we are in and should go out there and take the game to them.

 

[mattbianco1]

Last Saturday, I went to see Arsenal vs Fulham. To see a big team play and I realised the strengths and weaknesses of Fulham.

Firstly strengths:
There two central defenders (Hangeland, might have spelt that wrong, and Burn) are very good in the air and would easily deal with a player such as Porter. Their weakness though is their speed and their feet work with a poor first touch. I would keep the ball on the floor and get players such as Murphy, Baxter Flynn and Miller, to run behind them.

Their goalie (Stekelenburg) is very hard to beat, with brilliant reactions and positioning.

Then the rest of the squad is a massive weakness, apart from one player who I will get to later.

LB and RB (Richardson and Riether) are easy to get past and give players a lot of space. Actually there is no closing down of the opposition by any players. I believe they only overlapped once and the player on the ball didn't have the vision to see the amount of space, the overlapping player had.

Onto the wingers (Ashkan Dejagah and Alexander Kačaniklić) Very pacey, again a poor touch. Very dribbles and attacking players. I would say Alexander Kačaniklić is a very good a attacking player but his touch lets him down.

Dempsey, is the same player as last year, isn't very confident on the ball, and isn't a danger.

Scott Parker. I think we all know how good he is and he still is a brilliant defensive player, I think he deserves more praise than he gets, very hard to get past.

I also think Sidwell is also a very good box to box player.

Now for Berbatov, if you he is lazy he got lazier. He be a danger, he is good at holding the ball up but doesn't make any runs. Maguire and Collins will find him easy to deal with.

On the bench they tend to have superb players, such as Duff, Bent and Kasami.
Duff I didn't see but he always makes a massive impact to the teams he plays for.

Bent, has a good burst of pace and a good work effort.

Kasami, is a massive danger, powerful shot with a very good technique.

The team I would play but I wouldn't ever think clough would play this team in this formation.

3-5-2

GK-Long

RCB McMohan
CB Maguire
LCB Hill.

CDM Doyle
CDM Coady

RM Flynn

CAM Baxter

LM Murphy

ST Paynter
ST Miller

We're not playing champ manager.

You have listed some players as nothing to worry about and easy to beat. These are international footballers playing in the premiership. Some of which will be in the World Cup some of which are targets for top 4 clubs.

If SUFC are to win on Sunday, they will need to be ABOVE their best. I mean same standard performance as the 2nd half at villa.

 

[Bladesman]

We're not playing champ manager.

You have listed some players as nothing to worry about and easy to beat. These are international footballers playing in the premiership. Some of which will be in the World Cup some of which are targets for top 4 clubs.

If SUFC are to win on Sunday, they will need to be ABOVE their best. I mean same standard performance as the 2nd half at villa.

We can do it when we B&Q it.

 

[Small Mendonca]

Now for Berbatov, if you he is lazy he got lazier. He be a danger, he is good at holding the ball up but doesn't make any runs. Maguire and Collins will find him easy to deal with.

Are you sure? Maguire and Collins struggle to deal with League One journeymen on a regular basis.

 

[dingledog]

Assuming Fulham play their strongest team, then I can only see a valiant defeat for the Blades. There is a reason we are at the bottom end of the third division.

 

[mattbianco1]

Are you sure? Maguire and Collins struggle to deal with League One journeymen on a regular basis.

He's not even included Collins in his starting line-up

 

[Ollessendro]

Assuming Fulham play their strongest team ......

this is where our only hope lies. Fulham travel to Swansea on the Tuesday night and may just have one eye on that. They almost certainly will rest key players (Berbatov - who would have caused a problem will not be risked and the reserve keeper might play) and it will be a weakened team.

I think United have an outside chance. Fulham are poor on the road and they will play a weaker team. SUFC will be fired up and I doubt Fulham will be up for it. With a big crowd urging the Blades on, then you never know. However, even a 2nd string Fulham team playing at 60% will beat us. (As Matt B says) United will have to play significantly above their level and Fulham will need to be below par for us to get a result.

Looking at the team that they fielded against Norwich in the replay (Stekelenburg; Riether, Hangeland, Burn, Richardson; Sidwell (Christensen, 84), Karagounis; Dejagah, Kasami, Kacaniklic (Tankovic, 87); Bent (Dembélé, 79). ) there is more than enough quality to beat us. However they had Arsenal away that weekend (a write offf) and the team they played
vs Norwich in the inital tie (knowing they had an important game vs Sunderland at home shortly after) was much weaker (Stockdale, Zverotic, Amorebieta, Riise, Boateng (Christensen - 70' ), Burn, Hughes, Kacaniklic (Plumain - 45'), David, Bent, Kasami, Dempsey). I think United would have a chance of beating this team at BDTBL.

 

[grafikhaus]

Hopefully Fulham will rest key players such as Berbatov (and Taraabt) as, like us, will know they won't win the damn thing and are in a massive relegation battle.

But who knows? We won at Villa and, last Saturday, Villa were immense at Anfield.

It's a funny old game...

 

[georgebernardshaw]

I reckon we should go back to the old ways - get out there and kick seven shades of shit out of them.

Just thinking out loud, of course..

 

[Bergen Blade]

If Riise is playing at left back it would be worth targeting him as he's lost his pace and look really uncomfortable with wingers running at him.

 

[Kenilworth]

If Riise is playing at left back it would be worth targeting him as he's lost his pace.

But he will still be yards quicker than all of our squad and the first two-three yards are in his head.

 

[Kenilworth]

I think it will be a tight affair to begin with whilst they try to contain us and keep the crowd quiet.
Once that is achieved we will give silly free kicks away and concede one or two sloppy goals from such situations.

Not sure we will trouble the scorers in this one - Ports will work hard but will be firing blanks again, I'm sure.


0-2 is my preddy

,

 

[highpeakblade]

It will take similar types of performances and goals to those that beat Villa that it for sure and I don't mean this by the obvious.

As said in the OP they have a good physical pairing at the back and looking at our attack without Paynter I can't see many of our team other than Harry having a pop at them in the box in the air, therefore I think the best opportunities we will get will be from the likes of Murphy and Flynn being giving the role to run at full backs again and cut in side as and when they can to shoot on site.

One thing for sure it will take another top quality midfield performance to even think about taking a draw out of this and a replay. Doyle had probably his best game in a United shirt for me at Villa Park and we will need him to be equally as solid in the middle of the park and as composed, the more attacking players such as Flynn, Baxter, Murphy and McGinn and have to be on it and get those shots away, don't care if it comes from a deflection like Bradford did against us or what but we need them lot to be doing what they did at Villa.

I don't think we will get overly too much joy in the air from Set pieces but If Harry is on his game and even Collins braves up in the box from set pieces with whoever comes in the fingers crossed we might get the ball pinballing around a bit and the chance of a tap in.

 

[DazBlade88]

I don't think you can compare how a team lines up against one of the best teams in the country away from home, and how they set up against Arsenal

In all seriousness, they are two divisions higher than us. If they play well, we'll have a massive job on our hands. I think they'll rest plenty of players (money is sadly much more important than a chance of silverware) but we'll still have to be at our very best to win, with Fulham not at theirs.

Riether isn't the strongest defensively, but he's great going forward so our left winger will be in for a tough day if he plays. Kacaniklic is likely to play and in my opinion will be one of the biggest threats. He's very direct and has pace to burn, I can see McMahon struggling and potentially being sent off.

Berbatov might be lazy, but if he plays even at 50% of the standard he is capable of then he can absolutely destroy us. If he's easy for Maguire and Collins to deal with then we'd never concede a goal in League One, because he is class. I think Darren Bent has bagged one against us virtually every time he's played against us so he's a massive threat too.

 

[Jehovah]

Unfortunatley, Fulham are a superior side to us, therefore, barring a substandard showing from them and an almighty effort from us, I can only see a defeat. I reckon 0-3 if Long doesnt make any balls ups. if not 0-9.

 

[Bergen Blade]

But he will still be yards quicker than all of our squad and the first two-three yards are in his head.

Not sure about that mate. He's retired from international football now, but even when we used to play smaller nations they often had a right winger who ran circles around him. I think Murphy could give him serious problems if he got some space. Flynn seems to be in good form at the moment too and should be encouraged to run at him if he's picked.

 

[Kenilworth]

Not sure about that mate. He's retired from international football now, but even when we used to play smaller nations they often had a right winger who ran circles around him. I think Murphy could give him serious problems if he got some space. Flynn seems to be in good form at the moment too and should be encouraged to run at him if he's picked.

Of course you are correct Bergers (as usual). They were both excellent at Villa and impressed us all greatly.

I was just taking the piss, Soz.

.

 

[Damski]

I think you have to take the quality rating of a top flight team with a pinch of salt. Villa made 3 changes from their first team against United and they beat them, mainly because they simply played a better game. Unless you're talking about City/Chelsea/Arsenal and the like, quality of players doesn't really come into it. It's more about form. Both teams have had average/poor form this month. Both teams have had results they could've/should've done better in. Both teams are coming into this game with the same sort of momentum. If Fulham field a weakened side, (and they probably will, owing to the big game against Swansea just over 3 days later) and United play with the discipline and directness that they did at Villa, then United can win this.

Bradford gave us a tougher game at the weekend than Villa did. That's because they played better tactically, (okay, they just muscled us out of the box, but that's still tactics) and they "wanted" it more. Bradford are a good example, they got to the League Cup final last season, seeing off some pretty big teams in the process. They had to beat a Premier League side over 2 legs to get to the final. If the supposed "quality" didn't turn up in 180 minutes of play in a cup semi-final, then when was it gonna?

You shouldn't just write off a team's chances because the other side is "better."

That said, I'm probably gonna be the only one in Bramall Lane on Sunday who thinks United are gonna win, and even I think Fulham will get it 1-0 or 2-0.

 

[DazBlade88]

I think you have to take the quality rating of a top flight team with a pinch of salt. Villa made 3 changes from their first team against United and they beat them, mainly because they simply played a better game. Unless you're talking about City/Chelsea/Arsenal and the like, quality of players doesn't really come into it. It's more about form. Both teams have had average/poor form this month. Both teams have had results they could've/should've done better in. Both teams are coming into this game with the same sort of momentum. If Fulham field a weakened side, (and they probably will, owing to the big game against Swansea just over 3 days later) and United play with the discipline and directness that they did at Villa, then United can win this.

Bradford gave us a tougher game at the weekend than Villa did. That's because they played better tactically, (okay, they just muscled us out of the box, but that's still tactics) and they "wanted" it more. Bradford are a good example, they got to the League Cup final last season, seeing off some pretty big teams in the process. They had to beat a Premier League side over 2 legs to get to the final. If the supposed "quality" didn't turn up in 180 minutes of play in a cup semi-final, then when was it gonna?

You shouldn't just write off a team's chances because the other side is "better."

That said, I'm probably gonna be the only one in Bramall Lane on Sunday who thinks United are gonna win, and even I think Fulham will get it 1-0 or 2-0.

I agree to an extent, but with Aston Villa I think a lot of it was down to them not knowing how to break a team down. They're a side built on fast, counter attacking football rather than finding a way through a side with 11 men behind the ball so when the onus is on them to come forward they can't do it. I think the fact they've won 11 and lost 24 of their last 49 league games at home, scoring 51 goals, shows that.

We have a great chance of beating Fulham. Away from home they're as bad as anyone, but they have more players capable of hurting us than Villa so I think they'll be a bigger threat. The first goal will be huge on Sunday, if we get it I think we'll win.

 

[Gibbo89]

My other half reckons we'll win 3-1, I doubt, but then again she predicted the win and score against Villa. On the day if we want it more than they do (like we did at Villa) we've got every chance. It's the Cup after all. Come Sunday I'll be well up for it as will everyone else and the Lane will be rocking. Just don't want a penalty shootout in the final at Wembley

 

[Gibbo89]

Unless that is we play our under-18s

 

[Jonboy60]

Would feel more confident if we were playing at their place.

 

[Ashtonsmashton]

We're not playing champ manager.

You have listed some players as nothing to worry about and easy to beat. These are international footballers playing in the premiership. Some of which will be in the World Cup some of which are targets for top 4 clubs.

If SUFC are to win on Sunday, they will need to be ABOVE their best. I mean same standard performance as the 2nd half at villa.

You didn't see them. They are easy to beat, if you get your team right

 

[Ashtonsmashton]

Where is your sprite? Fulham are worse than Aston Villa. We have nothing to lose. We can win. With the right support and the right team and tactics, they will be easy to beat. COME ON THE BLADES

 

[JohnDenver]

Where is your sprite?

I'm more of a 7Up man.

 

[Ashtonsmashton]

I'm more of a 7Up man.

Yeah I was just about to come and change that to spirit. Sorry about that

 

[Goodpinchofclough]

Just had a look at one of their forums, they reckon theyll bring about 1200, and by the looks of it tickets for them are a tenner and they get free coach travel? Sounds too good to be true IMHO or maybe thats just so unbelievable supporting this club

 

[Sirius]

I reckon we should go back to the old ways - get out there and kick seven shades of shit out of them.

Just thinking out loud, of course..

George, was that an echo echo echo I just heard, or was it me dreaming?