[Archived] Fulham Preview

[G Somerset Rover]

I will play:

................. Robinson

Chimbonda Samba Nelsen Givet

Salgado N'zonzi Andrews Pedersen

................. Dunn

................ Roberts

Need to ensure that we don't lose this one. A point will be a point closer to safety. Aim is to hold and restrict Fulham to ensure they don't go in front whilst we load 70 yard balls at Jason Roberts as we all know his strength is in the air. Maybe second half I might let them play a bit but we'll see. As I always say to the boys "contain; don't complain".

Yours,

Big Sam

[EnglishChris]

Robinson

Jacobsen - Nelsen - Givet - Chimbonda

Emerton - Dunn - Nzonzi - Hoilett

Di Santo - Kalinic

Jacobsen is injured and won't play in this game.

[TimmyJimmy]

Set pieces, corners and Peds long throws - all end in the same result - nothing. I think the answer as to why is simple, our tall guys just think they have to stand in the box and the ball will bounce off their head and into the goal. They are stationary and easy to check/mark. A moving defender will always rise higher than a stationary attacker no matter how tall he is. Why don't our guys take up starting positions outside of the penalty box and run in? Defenders would be facing the wrong way if marking up and also wouldn't get the run on the attacker. We should either start outside the box or abandon the long ball into the box however delivered.

If we pick our A team (we all know what that is don't we) and we get smarter with these set pieces we stand a chance against a Fulham team that I think has over-achieved this season. They are OK but not THAT good, we should win albeit narrowly. I'm going 1:0.

Caveats are 1) we pick the A Team 2) we start quickly 3) we play 442. mmmmm on second thoughts !!!

[ada2020]

It's about time we dropped Samba. I think he's been quite lucky in avoiding criticism, but against Villa he was all over the place and constantly let us down with his woeful distribution. I'd also finally give Di Santo & Kalinic their time to shine together.

Not sure I would drop him, but would have to agree he was bloody poor last night at times, he put the team under pressure

with a poor clearance or two, and the odd miss timed header.

[daveoftherovers]

Heart:

Robinson

Salgado - Samba - Givet -Olsson

Emerton - Dunn - N Zonzi - Hoilett

Di Santo - Kalinic

Head:

Robinson

Salgado- Samba - Nelson - Chimbonda

Emerton - Dunn - N Zonzi - Reid - Hoilett

Di Santo

Players: PLEASE TURN UP FOR THE WHOLE GAME FFS !!!

[sam_rovers]

What I would like to see...

4-4-2

Robinson

Chimbonda Samba Nelsen Givet

Emerton Dunn Nzonzi Hoilett

Kalinic Di Santo

What we will see

4-5-1

Robinson

Chimbonda Samba Nelsen Givet

Emerton Dunn Nzonzi Andrews Pedersen

Di Santo

Instead of playing for 80 minutes attacking football that may win us the game.. we will make defensive and goal keeping errors... gift them a goal or 2 then Sam will bring on a second striker in the 80th minute.. and we'll try to play for the last 10 minutes.. ensuring a defeat

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

What I would like to see...

4-4-2

Robinson

Chimbonda Samba Nelsen Givet

Emerton Dunn Nzonzi Hoilett

Kalinic Di Santo

What we will see

4-5-1

Robinson

Chimbonda Samba Nelsen Givet

Emerton Dunn Nzonzi Andrews Pedersen

Di Santo

Instead of playing for 80 minutes attacking football that may win us the game.. we will make defensive and goal keeping errors... gift them a goal or 2 then Sam will bring on a second striker in the 80th minute.. and we'll try to play for the last 10 minutes.. ensuring a defeat

I would like to see Reid given a stint in midfield and give Nzonzi a rest - the poor guy looked dead on his feet at times.

[sam_rovers]

I would like to see Reid given a stint in midfield and give Nzonzi a rest - the poor guy looked dead on his feet at times.

Unfortunately if Nzonzi isn't used.. I'm all but sure that Andrews will play.. It's baffling how this guy gets a game.. he's like a Ghost in midfield.. I've never actually seen him tackle.

[Tom]

Not sure if I'd start with Dunny or not, I think him being fit is the reason we play the formation with basically one up top most of the time and for me dunny was about the worst player on the pitch last night, lost the ball at almost every opportunity and looked fat again.

That being said maybe move Emo to RB and slot him in CM with two up top still so maybe

Robbo

Emo Samba Givet Chimbonda

Hoilett Dunn NZonzi Pedersen

Kalinic di Santo

But I expect he'll go with

Robbo

Chimbonda Samab Nelsen Givet

Emerton NZonzi Andrews Pedersen

Dunn

di santo

If its the latter he deserves to lose his job in my opinion, for all the times this 4-5-1 / 4-4-1-1 works theres 10 times it doesnt

[sambo]

I have a feeling he will give in to pressure and go 4-4-2. He HAS to. If Kalinic doesn't start it's a disgrace :!:

[rebelmswar]

Probably the same as many but...

Robinson

Bert -- Samba -- Givet -- Chimbonda

Hoillet -- Zonzi -- Dunn -- Olsen

The Cursed Croat -- Di Santo

Please for the love of God anything but we have been seeing. If we stick with that Fulham will be licking their chops.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Unfortunately if Nzonzi isn't used.. I'm all but sure that Andrews will play.. It's baffling how this guy gets a game.. he's like a Ghost in midfield.. I've never actually seen him tackle.

I think you are unfair on Andrews - the quality of his pointing where other players should be (while the player he should be marking casually runs past him) is first class.

[bigbrandjohn]

I think you are unfair on Andrews - the quality of his pointing where other players should be (while the player he should be marking casually runs past him) is first class.

I think the Andrews problem is a matter of perception . I think if he was called Brett Andrews or Christiano Andrews we would view his midfield exploits in a different way. Keith Andrews points, but Christiano Andrews glides through midfield with a direction clearly marked.

[tony gale's mic]

I think the Andrews problem is a matter of perception . I think if he was called Brett Andrews or Christiano Andrews we would view his midfield exploits in a different way. Keith Andrews points, but Christiano Andrews glides through midfield with a direction clearly marked.

Apparently if Adolf Hitler's first name was Barack we wouldve all liked him better too!

[rebelmswar]

Apparently if Adolf Hitler's first name was Barack we wouldve all liked him better too!

[Maverick]

Maybe it's time to try Samba together with Di Santo in a 4-4-2 formation.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Looks like Hangeland will be fit for this one:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1243553/Blackburn-v-FULHAM-Brede-Hangeland-return-provides-boost-Roy-Hodgson.html?ITO=1490

[DeadlyDirk]

Most people have posted their teams so here goes...

Robinson

Salgado -- Samba -- Givet -- Chimbonda

Emerton -- NZonzi -- Dunn -- Olsson

Di Santo -- Kalinic

Subs:

Brown

Nelsen

Jones

Reid

MGP

Benni

Hoilett

I'd be happy to see Hoillet play on either flank to be honest but I feel by including Emerton and Olsson on the wing we have two players who can also play at fullback so should give us the defensive support alongisde NZonzi that allows Dunn to play in a four man midfield. I'd probably start with what could be a seen as a fairly defensive 4-4-2 in terms of personnel and then bring Hoilett on for one of the fullbacks if it's not working out and then drop Bert or Olsson back.

Nelsen's been so poor that I think he needs a kick up the ass so move Givet into his strongest position, Chimbonda will have to fill in at left back and Salgado at RB with Jacobsen being out.

The front two should pick itself, Kalinic has to start alongside a striker partner and in my opinion Di Santo as a target man could be a good foil for him. In all honesty I don't really care as long as Kalinic starts, Benni, Roberts, Hoilett any of them up with him would put us in good stead.

[John]

We need him on song more than ever, but slightly concerned over Dunn's fitness for this one. He looked so tired in the last 10 mins last night.

[ABBEY]

Maybe it's time to try Samba together with Di Santo in a 4-4-2 formation.

[RibbleValleyRover]

http://www.dailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/152053/Nikola-Kalinic-kept-out-of-firing-line/

“We didn’t really bring him here to be our top man this season. We were investing in a young player for the future. The aim is to bring him on slowly.

By the sounds of that article looks like Kalinic won't be starting.

[JAL]

By the sounds of that article looks like Kalinic won't be starting.

Rovers will need to score early to prevent an open revolt if Kalinic doesnt start.

[DeadlyDirk]

By the sounds of that article looks like Kalinic won't be starting.

I saw that, it made me angry.

Why is he so worried about his confidence dropping if he doesn't get goals? Hardly shows a lot of faith in him does it, Sam bought him and paid £6m for him, he should be confident in his ability by now considering he's at least 6 months or so into his Rovers career. I'm all for buying young players who can improve in the future but not when we have such a limited budget and need quality now!

Why is he not so worried about Benni and Jase's confidence, there not exactly scoring, Di Santo too of course but I guess he doesn't care since he'll be going back to Chelsea.

[RibbleValleyRover]

It could be just some mind games with the opposition and Sam may start him, wouldn't be the first manager to do this though i guess we won't know until the teams are announced.

With Benni being fat and Roberts being injured it looks like its definitely going to be Dunny and Di Santo up front. Hodgson will have done his homework and know the threat of Dunny if he turns up, expect them to try and mark/press him out of the game.

This is what i hate about this 4-4-1-1 formation, it relies so much on Dunny and getting plenty of players to support Di Santo. If Dunny has a shocker or is marked out of the game then it just doesn't work at all.

[Majiball]

Perhaps Sam is taking the old Liverpool approach in that he must learn the way we play in the stiffs for a season before we let him play in the first team regularly.

Could be paper talk guess we'll find out on Sunday.

The 4411 sucks, because all you have to do is man mark Dunn, which is not tricky with his pace. Straight away whoever the striker is has lost his passing option when he's in possession. Its why I'm desperate to see a second striker it changes the dynamics in the danger area considerably.