I'm feeling like the plucky lunk to start a game thread for maybe the 2nd or 3rd time since 1999. Can't remember how it worked out before..... Winner moves from cellar dweller to half way up the table. Loser's manager's head rolls. The stakes are high these days in the league we call the Prem. This London derby is being televised globally (Fox Soccer Channel in the USA), and Fulham will want to avenge their previous derby loss at Arsenal, a match they were leading until the final minutes when it all went pear shaped. They'll be up against a talented Tottenham outfit who know they need to perform to keep their manager's job secure, at least for now. Oh, anyone know what the result is going to be so I can bag some points in the Guardian pick the score contest? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
While I do feel confident, it is important to remember that we haven't won at Craven Cottage in the league in 6 or 7 years.
No-one bats an eyelid losing at Old Trafford, but a poor result here and the sharks are circling around Jol again. I certainly don't expect a repeat of the superb cup win of last year, more like 2-1 Tottenham. Hope Dawson is in for Gardner.
With Jol's quotes Daws is still pretty iffy but Kaboul will be back, so maybe we'll have Kaboul and Rocha start. I know we haven't won there in the league for like 7 years or somesuch, but I'm still predicting a win. Spurs win 2-1. -Digital
Team for today's game: ---------Robinson Chimbonda-Rocha-Kaboul-Lee Malbranque-Huddlestone-Jenas-Bale ---------Berbatov-Keane Subs: Cerny, Dawson, Zokora, Taarabt, Defoe
Interesting that Healy is on the bench for Fulham. 29 Annti NIEMI 3 Carlos BOCANEGRA 4 Paul KONCHESKY 6 Dejan STEFANOVIC 34 Chris BAIRD 8 Alexei SMERTIN 25 Simon DAVIES 10 Steven DAVIS 23 Clint DEMPSEY 24 Hameur BOUAZZA 11 Diomansy KAMARA Subs 15 Collins JOHN 9 David HEALY 22 Elliot OMOZUSI 2 Moritz VOLZ 1 Kasey KELLER
Great cross from Bouazza, though, and realy tough to handle. It's always nice to be a goal up early, but Fulham actually looks fairly good on the attack. Could use another goal to get rid of the jitters. Then again, that could be from all the coffee I've had this morning...
YEAAAHH!!! He just crushed that, though well under control. No way Niemi had any chance at making a save. Berbs just blew past Stefanovic off a feed from Keano and buried it. As I was saying above...
Goal Fulham. Corner from Simon Davies, Clint Dempsey nets with the header. Should really be 4-0 to Spurs at this point, but hey. 1-2