Boca and Mcbride are in the squad for the Chelsea match. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/3988119.stm Also Chris Coleman talks about the match. http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/displaynews.asp?id=5618
With John out, that will mean a few more "minutes" for McBride. I am sure he will be testing Petr Cech's ability on headers!
I'll have the game on live tonight (2 a.m. Melbourne time) over here, thanks to Fox Sports 1. In light of that, I'm sure FSW will have the game back in the U.S. as well?
It will be on PPV. This is probably gonna be the best match in the Premiership this weekend.Both teams are coming into the match with alot of confidence. Stick that blue flag up your *** Up yer arse up yer arse Stick that blue flag up yer arse The black and white you'll never pass
Very much agreed-- and worthy of its status of being the PPV match. But for those not ordering the PPV, don't forget that you have the better-than-decent option of the unique PbP stylings of Gentleman Jim on Fulham's official site. If I'm awake at 2 a.m. here-- and I'm sure I will be, with all the house-hunting duties I'm doing-- I'd be glad to handle the PbP on this thread.
EVerone is saying well Newcastle vs Man Utd is gonna be the match of the week well yes both teams are big names but, both teams are also playing not so great Football right now which usually is a draw.Also people are saying Fulham arent going to win well. 1. Fulham have won 4 in a row and have scored 11 goals in those 4 matches. 2.Its at the Cottage and nothing yes nothing is like the Cottage. 3.If Robben has a bad match who is gonna step up Drogba is out and Chelscum has had to count on Robben to have big matches. 4.Fulhams defense have been great the past 3 weeks only allowing 3 yes thats right 3 goals in the last 4 matches. 5.Crossley There is 5 reasons why Fulham should not be counted out of this match. It will be a tough match to win but, with the way Fulham have been playing they can win this match.
Not to mention, Fulham has scored four goals in each of its last two matches in that stretch. That reason especially-- but at either end of the pitch, the Cottagers are playing with an immense amount of confidence at the moment. Remember not all that long ago we were calling for Chris Coleman's neck on a silver platter? And as fine as they're playing now, that seems like a distant memory. Football, as the great man Jimmy Greaves has been fond of saying, really can be a funny game sometimes.
Very true. 8 goals in 2 matches =WOW especially from Fulham.The defense is one word great. Just 1 month ago it was all wrong for Fulham now well they might be playing the best football in the Premiership.
Should be a good weekend of matches in general Arse-Spurs Fulham-Chelsea Pomey-S'Hampton good derby weekend -- City-Blackburn is usually pretty good as well. ManU-NewCastle should be good but Newcastle look horrible. Boca and McBride -- give'em hell boys! I'd love to see McBride score against Chelsea...
Team news -- sportinglife.com Confirms the injury to Collins John, and also mentions that illness hitting a couple of key players of Chelsea's squad, as well.
Coleman hails fighting spirit -- sportinglife.com Contains some key quotes from Carlos Bocanegra, among them: The young Cottagers boss (Coleman) is making no predictions but his USA international Carlos Bocanegra said: "There's a spirit in the team that we feel we can win games now. We keep competing until the end and we keep going until the final whistle. "We're looking forward to what is going to be a really hard game against Chelsea. Hopefully we can get a point or perhaps, with a bit of luck, steal a win." ..."This run is good for everyone's confidence and good for team morale. We needed a few of those wins - everyone was starting to get a little down on themselves. But now we've had a few good performances," he said.
John might be out for 3 weeks which is really gonna hurt against Everton because Mcbride and Radz are supposed to be called into national team camp for thier countries. I would use this starting lineup. -----------------------Cole---------------Mcbride/Radz------------------- -----Boa Morte------------Bouba Diop----Pembridge----------Malbranque-- --Boca-------------Rehman-----------Knight-----------Volz--------------- -----------------------------Crossley------------------------------------- Pretty much the same as last week except No John. Radz or Mcbride thats the only question really probably will be Radz but, Mcbride might get some minutes off the bench.
Radzinski wasn't called in for Canada ... http://www.soccer365.com/US_NEWS/National_Teams/page_91_84645.shtml
I hope they put Radz and Bake on together at some point, they have played wondefully together as a strike partnership going all they way back to their Everton days.
I would expect Radzinski to play wide right in a 4-5-1 formation. McBride will be the first attacking option off the bench. This has been the formula for the past few successes.
Boca starts, Macca on the bench for Fulham. Lineups, from Soccernet FULHAM 12 Mark Crossley 3 Carlos Bocanegra 6 Zat Knight 21 Zeshan Rehman 2 Moritz Volz 14 Papa Bouba Diop 4 Steed Malbranque 7 Mark Pembridge 11 Luis Boa Morte 9 Andy Cole 17 Tomasz Radzinski Subs 1 Edwin Van der Sar 37 Liam Rosenior 5 Sylvain Legwinski 19 Elvis Hammond 8 Brian McBride CHELSEA Petr Cech 1 William Gallas 13 Renato Paulo Ferreira 20 Alberto Ricardo Carvalho 6 John Terry 26 Damien Duff 11 Frank Lampard 8 Claude Makelele 4 Alexei Smertin 5 Eidur Gudjohnsen 22 Arjen Robben 16 Subs Carlo Cudicini 23 Wayne Bridge 18 Robert Huth 29 Cardoso Tiago 30 Mateja Kezman 9
We are underway... 1st min. -- Cole nearly gives the Cottagers a dream start, blasting a loose ball just over the upper corner... such is Fulham's confidence at the moment.
5th min. -- Fulham's defence fails to deal with a cross from the right, as Lampard's diving header is steered 'round the post by Crossley. Corner comes to nothing.
6th min. -- Duff offside for Chelsea. Fulham play the trap well. 7th min. -- Terry rampages through the midfield, but his finish sails just wide to the left of Crossley's goal.
9th min. -- Crossley intercepts Duff's right-sided cross with ease. Crossley, by the way, dons the hat, as it's a sunny (yet cold) day on London's west side.
And that having been said, Chelsea has a slight edge in the attacking play in the opening 12 minutes, with each of those three having their touches, along with Robben. 13th min. -- Crossley forced to save with his feet from a low blistering shot from Robben. Coleman imploring for more communication among the members of his team's back four.
18th min. -- Fulham failing to deal with Robben down the left, as he finds Smertin after a deep run, but Smertin's shot from outside the box goes wide left. 20th min. -- Fulham dodging another bullet... Gudjohnsen inexplicably misses from 15 yards out, with the goal at his mercy after Robben had set him up rather well... Bocanegra appeared to have the right-hand post covered, however. 21st min. -- First Fulham attack for a while, with Malbranque and Boa Morte combining, but Boa Morte's first touch letting him down.