[Archived] Fulham Preview

[Amo]

I think its funny that some people actually defend these defensive tactics.

Please think before you post. I have been critical of Sam's tactics, but I don't think playing 4-4-2 will magically solve our problems. There's more to football than simply choosing a formation. Sam didn't help himself by playing players out of position, starving the midfield of pace and width, and resorting to aimless long balls. Those were the fundamental problems against Villa and alike. If he can pick and organise the best 11, be it 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1, we should get a result.

[RoyRover]

A few seasons ago, we would have been very confident about playing Fulham at home and getting a win. Oh how things have changed. We need a win desperately and should do whatever it takes to do so. Kalinic has to start, along with another striker. Fulham aren't anything special and nearly got relegated a few years ago, but Woy Hodgeson has done well there and they are a confident side. We need to make our home games count especially against lesser opponents. I'm going for a 2-1 win, with Kalinic and Dunn getting the goals.

[1864roverite]

Looking at our run of games, in particular the home ones up next, I have had a right real think at how Rovers could "arrest" the free fall they find themselves in.

Tomorrows game is huge in the context of how we will go about surviving the drop but mor eimportantly taking 3 points from a team that play proper football, I mean the old pass and move stuff and defend from the front. RH has Fulham playing good football, strong at the back, solid in midfield and a front line that can score goals and that is supported from midfield. In contrast Rovers dont seem to have any of those qualities/assets at the moment. You cannot see where a Rovers goals is coming from and in defence you just know that any single mistake will be punished with a goal against.

My selection for the biggets game so far this season would be as follows.

Robinson

Chimbonda

Nelsen

Samba

Olsson

Emerton

Dunn

NZonzi

Pederson

Kalinic

McCarthy

Subs from Brown, Jones, Givet, di Santo, Reid, Roberts (if fit), Hoilett and Salgado.

4-4-2 would be the preferred formation with Dunny being the "front" midfielder and NZonzi taking the defensive role.

Looing at how Fulham will be set up, they will probably play 4-4-2 maybe a 4-5-1, however whichever formation they play the forwards have support and the midfield can create space and goals.

Tomorrow, Rovers have to score the first goal and early. They must turn up for the first half and must be up for the battle for 3 points.

SA will know that anything other than a similar second 45 minutes like we had versus Villa will see the crowd reacting negatively and he will know that if we lose (and Saturdays results have gone against us) he will be very much on the way out of Ewood because the support he had will be diminishing as every minute passes.

It is turning out to be a very very important Sunday game for Rovers. It has to be the first of 3 points gained at home, Wigon next with Bolton coming soon after. Lets forget about the cup, we need 18 points in the bag and we survive.

Now then, lets see if the so called "expert" can deliver.

[Blue blood]

Need to win, simple as.

To me the team would be:

Robbo

Chimbonda Nelsen Samba Olsson

Holiett Emerton N'Zonzi Pedersen

Kalinic Di Santo

subs: Brown, Jacobsen, Dunn, Salgado, McCarthy, Reid, Givet

To me Dunn clearly isn't fit, and would be best used as an impact sub until his fitness/stamina significantly improves. I'd rather have the lad going out all guns blazing for half an hour than a stationary player for a significant chunk of the game. Besides Emerton looked lively in the centre of midfield, and gets forward supporting the front two. Add in Holiett and two strikers and two attacking full backs and we should have enough in the team to get us the goals. Olsson also deserves a start (never thought I'd say that) and his understanding with Peds is good.

This team and I think we'll win. A team without Kalinic, one player fully up front, and with Salgado on the wing, I wouldn't be too confident in getting anything.

[ABBEY]

The funny thing is that Dunn was essentially Kalinic's strike partner against Villa. But for some reason, people believe an official 4-4-2 will solve everything, regardless of who plays and what our gameplan is. Seriously, I wish people would stop making this non sequitur.

doesnt matter what formation...long hit hoof and boot is dreadful....best to play 6 upfront four at back because we miss the middle out!

[broadsword]

I can't begin to guess what side he'll put out tomorrow.

Have we picked teh same side two games running this year? Maybe it's just me having the hump, but it feels like the side's been changed every game?

[grizfoot]

Very true you are Bryan it's anyone's guess what side we are going to put out. I'd go with the following (which is probably highly unlikely to happen).

Robinson

Emerton, Samba, Nelsen, Givet

Chimbonda, Nzonzi, Dunn, Holiett

Kalinic, Di Santo

Can have Emerton and Chimbonda exchanging position at RB and RM as both are attackive but have defensive ability. Holiett surely must get a start, he always looks dangerous when he plays and offers us something different. I'd move Dunn back into CM, didn't look fully fit against Villa but we should get a hour or so out of him and then bring Reid on. Upfront simply put our quickest and hardest working strikers on, we haven't seen these two play together much at all. Think they could strike up a good partnership with each other given the chance.

Like to see us press the play and defend from the front with the hard-working strikers instead of the usual sit back and try and defend areas all the time. Fulham are a decent team and have some quality players, Dempsey and Murphy to mention just two. Bit of a must win game I just hope we treat it like that and go out all guns blazing from the start of the game and not just the second half.

[Hughesy]

4-5-1 against Fulham?? FFS I hope not!

[ffan]

Play 4-5-1 against us and I'd fancy ye to win.

Our teams performance is dictated by how Murphy plays and if he is stifled the best Fulham can hope for is a draw.

We haven't won away since Portsmouth where we got a lucky goal.

We have no Zamora, a out of form Andy Johnson and a half fit Hangeland.

A draw or Rovers win will be the outcome.

[Hughesy]

4-5-1 against Fulham is too much respect - simple as.

We should be beating teams like Fulham with ease at home

[Plastic Head]

Who's going to take the free-kicks and corners?

Are we going to pressure the ball and disrupt their passing?

How are we going to score from open play?

Will the front man be 40 yards from the rest of the team?

These are questions we ask every week.

The answers are that we do not have any quality set piece takers. Even then we don't have great headers of the ball. Samba and Nzonzi only head it upwards. None of the forwards are decent in the air.

We will sit back as always in the first half. We will not score from open play. Di Santo and whoever may play with him will get no support from midfield.

We go to Ewood hoping for something better every other week but it doesn't happen and won't happen tomorrow.

I think atrocious Andrews will play. As will p!ss poor Pedersen. Di Santo up front on his own.

Sam will go out in a blaze of gory. 1 - 2

Good riddance.

[nellybc]

you must be having a laugh

we have just conceded 2 goals in 4 days with players travelling 30 and 70 yards straight through the middle of our 5 in the middle - made for murphy if you are asking me

Play 4-5-1 against us and I'd fancy ye to win.

Our teams performance is dictated by how Murphy plays and if he is stifled the best Fulham can hope for is a draw.

We haven't won away since Portsmouth where we got a lucky goal.

We have no Zamora, a out of form Andy Johnson and a half fit Hangeland.

A draw or Rovers win will be the outcome.

[martonrover]

Play 4-5-1 against us and I'd fancy ye to win.

Our teams performance is dictated by how Murphy plays and if he is stifled the best Fulham can hope for is a draw.

We haven't won away since Portsmouth where we got a lucky goal.

We have no Zamora, a out of form Andy Johnson and a half fit Hangeland.

A draw or Rovers win will be the outcome.

However, your boys have had the best part of a fortnight off whilst we've been toiling to 2 defeats within the last week.

Add to that,and inspite of what Allardyce has been saying,the pressure is now enormous for Rovers to win tomorrow with the majority of fans getting restless.

Hope your prediction is right but if you score first I think you will win.

[rebelmswar]

Play 4-5-1 against us and I'd fancy ye to win.

You know the tactics are bad when a fan of another club attempt this blatent psychological mind hump

[BuckyRover]

I predict a score draw. Fulham scoring first.

[ffan]

You know the tactics are bad when a fan of another club attempt this blatent psychological mind hump

Ok, if you play 4-5-1 effectively then you should win.

[Steve Moss]

We should play 4-3-3.

Robo

Emerton-Jones-Givet-Chimbonda

Dunn-N'Zonzi-Olson

Kalinic-Di Santo-Hoilett

Kalinic might start tomorrow, at least. http://www.rovers.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10303~1933546,00.html

[Mr. E]

The sad thing is that as much as we fantasize about a possible line up, Allardyce is just waiting to implement his own defensive aka useless team.

[Steve Moss]

The sad thing is that as much as we fantasize about a possible line up, Allardyce is just waiting to implement his own defensive aka useless team.

I tend to remember that Sam spent time in Florida in the 80s, playing football in a pro football (American version) arena. He was impressed with the physical conditioning programs. I fear he also picked up the philosophy of the 'prevent defense' from American football, which most will now acknowledge does nothing to prevent a score. Let the other team keep the ball and all you are doing is giving them the opportunity to put points on the board, no matter who hard you dig in.

[RoverInWigan]

Everyone who wants to sing and get behind the lads tomorrow is welcome in the DE. Keep joining the facebook group and spreading the word.

Blackburn Rovers F.C - Singing Section - Darwen End

"Supporters Not Spectators"

[Plastic Head]

Everyone who wants to sing and get behind the lads tomorrow is welcome in the DE. Keep joining the facebook group and spreading the word.

Blackburn Rovers F.C - Singing Section - Darwen End

"Supporters Not Spectators"

A commendable effort. Get in there if you have no ticket.

Us in the Riverside however choose to sit like a Roman Emperor in a Flavian amphitheatre, giving a verbal thumbs up or thumbs down.

[Gav]

i honestly think we will win tomorrow,by hook or by crook,lifes just like that,when i'm nearing a return to ewood fate will play its deadly hand,2-0 rovers field and o'mara

[dixonbrfc]

We should play 4-3-3.

Robo

Emerton-Jones-Givet-Chimbonda

Dunn-N'Zonzi-Olson

Kalinic-Di Santo-Hoilett

Kalinic might start tomorrow, at least. http://www.rovers.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10303~1933546,00.html

swap samba for jones and your on the money there imo!! and its not something i would have come up with and certainly not what fatty will do!! but o well......

[cletus]

A commendable effort. Get in there if you have no ticket.

Us in the Riverside however choose to sit like a Roman Emperor in a Flavian amphitheatre, giving a verbal thumbs up or thumbs down.

.....plus you get the added bonus of getting to go home early too!!

[DE.]

As I said in the Sam Allardyce thread, I genuinely think we can win this one. We have to be positive from the start and really have a go. It'll be interesting to see how we line up tomorrow, because from the line-up we'll be able to tell whether we're going to attack them or sit back and try the long-ball counter attack tactic that has been so ineffective as of late.