[Archived] Rovers 2 - 1 Fulham

[percy]

Not too sure, USABlue, not seen anything in the media recently.

Anyway, I'm quietly confident of a win this Saturday (and I usually fear the worst !); I can't see Hughes letting the players underperform so badly again. Especially in the 1st home game of the season.

If 4-4-2 is still the way Hughes wants to progress, how about this:- dropping Emerton to the bench, moving Reid onto the right and putting Mokoena in the middle with Savage? Mokoena's put in plenty of decent displays as a defensive midfielder and, hopefully, his defensive nature might give Savage the chance to push up when we're in possession - something he may not be too keen to do whilst getting used to playing in a middle 2 with Reid.

Pushing Reid out to the right would not only give us a more direct outlet on the ball, but should also given Neill plenty of cover, particularly when dealing with Boa Morte (who's been a thorn in our side in recent seasons) on their left hand side. MGP on our left hand side by default.

Obviously those changes would rely on Nelsen and Bellamy taking part. I think of the 2, Nelsen may be the more important, because we need a solid defence to deal with Fulham's pace upfront (we can add Elrich to Somerset Rovers' list above). Mokoena doesn't look comfortable there, Amo's still going to be short of match practice and I think we'll need Matteo at left back. Although he may not seem the most natural choice (with Gresko coming back into the picture), he can actually defend his position well (see last season), even if he offers very little to the team in an attacking sense.

If Bellamy's injured, I think we'll revert to 4-5-1, putting Mokoena behind Savage and Reid and hoping MGP and Emerton can get forward enough to support Kuqi. I think only Gallagher would have a chance of making an impact in replacing Bellamy in light of Dickov's suspension and Jansen's injury. I think Johnson and Derbyshire will have to settle for being gradually introduced into proceedings from the bench, rather than either being given a 1st team start.

I'm hoping for :

         Friedel

Neill Todd Nelsen Matteo

Reid Savage Mokoena Pedersen

     Bellamy Kuqi

My prediction for this Saturday being:

A BLT and 3 pints of Fosters at the Moorings, followed by a 2-0 win, Kuqi (2).

[LeChuck]

I'm hoping for :

         Friedel

Neill Todd Nelsen Matteo

Reid Savage Mokoena Pedersen

     Bellamy Kuqi

339683[/snapback]

Put Gresko at left back ahead of Matteo (he can cover Nelsen if he's absent) and that's possibly the most sensible team selection I've seen for a while. Savage needs a babysitter, and Reid isn't it...by moving Reid out wide we could possibly solve two problems in one go. It's still severely lacking any quality on the ball (Pedersen aside) but we can't solve that without a new face.

I'd still like to see a fully fit Jansen giving a run alongside Bellamy at some point, but it might be too soon after the injury.

[Alan75]

I'd still like to see a fully fit Jansen giving a run alongside Bellamy at some point, but it might be too soon after the injury.

339723[/snapback]

Well it looks like Jansen will be fit to play sooner than Bellamy.

[Presty On Tour]

fulham are tipped for bad things this season, if we cant pick up the 3 points it will be very sad

we have to turn ewood into a nasty ground for away teams to visit. Put some fear into them even before they arrive!!

jansen to play and 2.0 rovers. Kuqi and Jansen to score!!

[promoted2001]

fulham to win 4-0

339412[/snapback]

Now i'm convinced your a Burnley fan

Edited August 18, 2005 by promoted2001

[promoted2001]

Injury report for Fulham vs Blackburn:

Fulham players definetly injured:

Pembridge

Drobny

Fulham Players with a late fitness test:

Radzinski

Bocanegra

Bouba Diop

Pearce

Crossley

Rovers Players very doubtful for the match:

Nelson

Rovers players with a late fitness test:

Bellamy

Jansen

Source: physioroom.com

Edited August 18, 2005 by promoted2001

[Gareth]

Injury report for Fulham vs Blackburn:

Rovers Players very doubtful for the match:

Nelson

Rovers players with a late fitness test:

Bellamy

Jansen

Source: physioroom.com

339794[/snapback]

Not as bad as it could be then...

Still expecting 'em to fail the tests, or get injured in the 1st half if they play

[den]

Ryan Nelsen has declared himself fit for this game, according to the official site.

[joey_big_nose]

Well in many ways having Nelsen fit is more important than having Bellamy who dosnt look like he will make it.

My Team:

                Freidel

Niell    Admiral Todd  Gresko

                  Axe

        Gallagher  Savage

  Reid                      Pedersen

                Kuqi

I would put Tugay in for Gallagher but I think he would be more effective coming on in the second half. The rather random inclusion of Gallagher comes from the fact that he is, apart from an on form Tugay, the best passer in the team in my opinion. Playing him in the middle should not present any defensive problems as the Axe is effective there and Tugay himself in almost invisible so it is no downgrading.

Emerton is left out so that he can think about how bad he has been and hopefully respond as he did by getting (at least a bit) better last season.

(In actuality I realise that Hughes is about as likely to castrate himself as put Gallagher in central midfield, but I think it is an interesting idea).

Edited August 18, 2005 by joey_big_nose

[tcj_jones]

We are going to need a massive improvement to get anything out of this game, especially in midfield. If we persist with Savage and Reid in the centre and Bouba Diop is fit, then I can see us being easily over run. If Mokoena is fit, then he has to play to break up Fulham attacks and prevent the counter attack - something Hughes HAS to sort out.

If Nelsen is fit then that will be a huge boost - Mokoena was awful against West Ham.

I would go for this formation...

Freidel

Neill / Todd / Nelsen / Matteo

Pedersen / Mokoena / Tugay / Gresko

Kuqi / Gallagher

In Pedersen and Gresko we don't have the fastest wingers, but both can provide pin point crosses, which will be essential for Kuqi to play well. With Tugay in the midfield, we should have the creativity to feed the wings and get plenty of crosses inthe box for Kuqi.

[grizfoot]

Looks like where gonna be left with only one regular striker

I'd imagine we'll be playing like this:

--------------------- Friedel ------------------------

---- Neill ------ Todd ----- Nelsen ---- Matteo ---

--------------------- Mokoena ----------------------

-- Emerton --- Savage ---- Reid ----- MGP -----

---------------------- Kuqi ------------------------

Bench: Enks, Gresko, Thommo, Tugay, Gallagher

[Blackpool_Rover]

Im not feeling confident at all for this. I know the last 2 seasons ive gone into this game over confident and come away at 5pm depressed.

Heres my team...

Friedel

Neill Nelsen Todd Gresko

Emerton Reid Savage Pedersen

Kuqi Derbyshire

Subs..Enckleman, Matteo, Mokoenna, Tugay, Gallagher

Prediction Fulham 2 - 1 Rovers

Please prove me wrong. COME ON ROVERS!

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Has to be the return of the 5 man midfield from last season - but with Emerton and Pedersen pushed further forward. A lot rests with Kuqi - we never had a target man last season who could hold the ball up so the midfield players could get forward to join the attack - a performance similar to what he gave against Espanyol would be ideal.

[Quack]

I agree - a return to 4-5-1 with Kuqi leading the line, the Axe to be in front of the back 4, 2-0 to Rovers along as Boa Morte can be subdued.

[grizfoot]

I would go for this formation...

Freidel

Neill / Todd / Nelsen / Matteo

Pedersen / Mokoena / Tugay / Gresko

Kuqi / Gallagher

339933[/snapback]

No offence, but thank god your not Rovers manager

Pedersen on the Right and Reid not even in the team.

[tcj_jones]

Well I thought Reid was absolutely abysmal against West Ham and that we had absolutely no creativity what so ever. With Tugay in the team we have that creativity and the ability of Mokoena to break up the opponents attacks.

Pedersen and Emerton regularly swap flanks during games and I reckon he could play well there.

[LDRover]

With the suspected absence of Bellamy and the pace of Fulham's front players this looks a dodgy one.

If we come away with anything from the game I'll be delighted.

[Alan75]

Despite the excitement of the first home game, after last Saturday’s performance, I’m apprehensive about the game itself against Fulham tomorrow, especially as it doesn’t seem that we have an experienced injury free, premiership striker available. Bellamy has been ruled out because of a thigh injury, Dickov is suspended, Jansen is still recovering from a leg injury that he sustained in the Espanyol game and Kuqi has yet to play a full 90 minutes of premiership football, leaving only 20 year old Gallagher with more than 90 minutes experience.

The only saving grace would appear to be that Nelsen has recovered from his injury, and although not match fit, should help to stabilise last week’s shaky defence.

Having watched Fulham on the box last week against Birmingham they looked full of commitment and running and I feel reluctant to suggest that with our lack of fire power tomorrows game could finish with the same score line as last season. 3-1 to Fulham. However I will hope at best that it’s a scoreless draw.

With such limited options and in order to achieve limited damages, I would suggest that Hughes will revert to a 4,5,1 formation with Emerton dropping to the bench allowing Mokonea to operate as a holding midfielder in front of the defence and Gallagher playing on the right, to support Kuqi, as the lone striker.

Suggested line up.

Friedel.

Neill, Todd, Nelsen, Mateo

Gallagher, Reid, Mokonea Savage, Pedersen

Kuqi

Dream prediction, Jansen to come off the bench to score the winning goal.

Realistic prediction. 0 – 0.

[greggyk]

Friedel

Neill Todd Nelsen Matteo

Savage

Emerton Reid Tugay Pedersen

Kuqi

Prediction

Rovers 2-1 Fulham

Kuqi (9) John(57)

Reid (87)

Att: 16,523

Edited August 19, 2005 by greggyk

[bob]

Rovers 1 - 0 Fulham

MGP

[snatchymcsnatch]

Got to agree with that last post - I'm apprehensive to say the least about tomorrow. I've managed to get a great seat in the rovers end behind the goal. It worries me slightly that even last season as a non ST holder I couldn't get a good seat in the Rovers end because they were all sold.

Optimistic:

Pedersen to be even better than last season.

Kuqi scores.

Savage to score a penalty.

Derbyshire to nick one coming off the bench.

Nelsen shores up the defence

3-1 Rovers.

Realistic:

Indifferent Pedersen performance with a couple of good corner kicks, Emerton does nowt.

5 players booked - press have another pop at us.

Kuqi starved of service.

Nelsen comes in doesn't actually play that well (as per the Fulham game last season)

0-2 Fulham.

I REALLY hope Im wrong. COME ON ROVERS DO IT FOR JACK!!!

[SAS]

if we are going to do well this season, or even stay up

fulham is a team we have to beat

i can see kuqi grabbing a goal

1-0

[CAPT KAYOS]

As per many others I am apprehensive but still looking forward to tomorrow.

However, I still have niggling doubts of any chance of a win and honestly can't see much difference to last season without anything decent up front.

I can see us scoring but also conceding.

Optimistic - 2 v 1

Realistic - 1 v 2

[tchocky]

Hoping I don't jinx it but I feel a 2-0 win coming our way. The defense will have woken up from last week, plus Nelsen is expected to play. If we play 4-5-1 due to strikers missing then Reid will be getting forward more and hopefully get a goal. I also think MGP will pull himself together and get into goalscoring positions with less defensive responsibility. Gresko to play behind him please.

Brad

Neill Todd Nelsen Gresko

Emo Tugay Reid Sav MGP

Kuqi

[Manchester Blue]

Derbyshire is suspended according to the offical site. No Jansen in the squad either.