After a week off United should be fresh and should have a spring in their step after back-to-back victories against Aston Villa and Hull City but as we know football doesn’t work like that.
The home side will be desperate for a win as they battle against the drop with new manager Felix Magath yet to taste victory as chief of Fulham with only a single draw being registered in three attempts to date. As detailed in the match preview, the Cottagers are on a woeful run of form which will surely end at some point. I just hope that today isn’t that day.
The aforementioned match preview is online and can be viewed here. It features injury news for both sides, a look at the history of the fixture along with some stats thrown in for good measure.
The game itself is not being shown live here in the UK so once again we are reliant upon picking up a stream from an overseas broadcaster. Fortunately a few have the match listed for transmission so hopefully finding a stream shouldn’t be too much of an issue. Again though guys, if you do happen to find a working stream then please share it by leaving a link in the ‘comments’ section below. Team news will be published at the very bottom of this article as and when.
And that is just about that. I said in the match preview that I hate games where we are dubbed as favourites because ultimately there can only ever really be disappointment. We either get the job done as expected of us or fall flat on our faces – there is no middle ground.
Howay the lads!
Fulham: Stockdale; Heitinga, Hangeland, Amorebieta, Richardson; Kasami, Kvist, Sidwell, Kačaniklić; Holtby; Woodrow
Subs: Stekelenburg, Riise, Rodallega, Dejagah, Roberts, Riether, Burn
Newcastle: Krul; Yanga-Mbiwa, Coloccini (c), Williamson, Dummett; Sissoko, Anita, Tiote, Gouffran; de Jong; Cisse
Subs: Alnwick, Haidara, S.Taylor, Marveaux, Gosling, Armstrong, Shola Ameobi
————————-Krul————————–
—Yanga Mbiwa–Willo—Colo—Dummett—-
—————-Tiote———-Sissoko—————–
—–Ben Arfa—————————-Gouffran—-
——————-Cisse——-De Jong—————-
With MYM and Dummett playing we should drop this tracking back nonsense and allow our wide players to play their natural attacking game. Palace are coming for a point and we have to break them down. If we start with Sissoko wide and Anita in midfield it will be like water torture. Go for it 4-2-4 if Cisse, Ben Arfa and De Jong dont find their feet again tomorrow they never will in our colours
CC(Quote)
Georgio – there’s talk of us being interested in Ravel Morrison mate and may be able to pick him up for around £4m – what do you reckon to him?
Sharpy17(Quote)
SHARPY I would not touch the lad with a barge pole,he has been trouble at every club he’s been at,real arsehole the dressing room so the crack goes,has started again at his loan club,keep him out of toon imo
icedog(Quote)
Ice – aye, I wondered if he was another Ranger type character. Apparently Pardew is a fan though. The kid can play, but the last thing we need is another Ranger – I think we have enough bad publicity within the club already haven’t we.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Solano/Sharpy good points lads.
Sissoko can chip in but he seems to be a guy who will have a brilliant outing every so often rather than consistently chipping in with goals-however that said, he has provided a fair few assists out on the right this season so he has been fairly consistent at doing one or the other. Sadly goals from Anita and Tiote are sparse and their career stats (and general shooting ability) confirm that will be the case for as long as they are with us. You’re only as good as your striker and all that lark, but if we had Remy and another player of his stature we would be a real force. Sadly Cisse is just not that man and De Jong isn’t looking inspiring so far.
Newkie(Quote)
SHARPY I agree mate no doubt the lad has ability but as you know it takes more than ablity on the pitch to make a good player,if the lad was right in the head he would cost a lot of cash
icedog(Quote)
Heres a canny rumour that I’ve just heard (don’t claim that the bloke that told me is ITK like)
apparently that big lad centre half that Chelsea signed from st Etienne then loaned him back for the rest of the season – is going to come to us on loan for a full season. his name is Kurt Zouma?
don’t know a whole lot about him – but Chelsea do that sort of thing don’t they – plus Mourinho has a love in with Pardew on a regular basis apparently
tattyheed(Quote)
Newkie – that’s why I fancy Holtby and Siem De Jong. I think both could chip in with those goals but also help Toite out with the midfield battles.
I like Abel Henandez up front as well and think Finbogasson would get us goals as well – but I’ve probably told you that already 😆
Sharpy17(Quote)
Tatty – that wouldn’t surprise me mate. I think we had an interest in signing the lad at one stage, until he made it clear that he wanted more than mid-table mediocrity.
So, we are loaning a RB from Arsenal and a CB from Chelsea – I wonder if the Manchester clubs can chip in?
Maybe Zaha from Utd and Rodwell from City?
My optimism is fading fast!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Morrison is the wrong one for me. Maybe we should have looked at when he initially left Manure but while he has shown some talent at Wham I’m not sure he has grown up much more.
We should of course have tried to get Pogba when he left them, but obviously he would have been harder to get. As it is Juve will make a pretty penny on him when they sell him-signed for free and probably sold for nigh on 30 mil when he goes
Newkie(Quote)
SHARPY that Finbogasson does impress me mate could he handle the PL I don’t know,but I don’t think he would cost a great fortune defo worth a punt imo
icedog(Quote)
Sharpy-I’m not sure, are you sure you’ve mentioned Finbogasson before? 😆
Agree though, as I’ve said many times Siem De Jong would be perfect for us IMO. Still can’t see it happening
Newkie(Quote)
Ice/Newkie – as it stands now, I’d rather get Finbogasson than Luuk De Jong.
As for Siem De Jong. I think he would cost less than Cabella or Grenier and would fit better. I’d be well pleased if we got him. Abel Henandez has said he’d love to play for Newcastle. I know he’s had his injuries but I reckon he’d get us goals too.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Shawcross, Morrison and Zaha are names popping up recently; mmm I wonder whos having more input on signings 😆
Shawcross as horrible a **** as he seems would at least compliment Colo/MYM with his height and style like a more gifted younger williamson but will cost a fair sum, Morrison is a talent but with huge baggage and im still waiting to see what all the fuss was about with Zaha.
Cant believe Caulker hasnt been mentioned when Cardiff go down, Perfect for us imho
CC(Quote)
Yes Caulker a top shout IMO will go on to be a international player
icedog(Quote)
Sharpy-yeah I’d agree with that. De Jong looks fairly comfortable with the ball at his feet and yes he might compliment other strikers but I’m not convinced. We already have a few midfielders who can do a similar job if De Jong isn’t going to score. We need a goal scorer, and one who actually scores the easy, 1v1 opportunities that is a striker’s bread and butter. Cisse can’t finish them and Shola rarely finds himself in those positions. Goof might be able to do it but we are still light on both wings so until they are sorted he won’t be moved forward.
CC-Yeah that’s a good shout on Caulker. I was surprised he was even sold in the first place. I think either he or Shawcross would be an improvement on Willo and definitely on taylor. Neither of them are anywhere near as injury prone as him either.
Newkie(Quote)
Newkie – I’m very disappointed in De Jong. He may prove me wrong but he lumbers around and is slow off the mark. No good for the PL I’m afraid. Cisse is shot and Shola’s never been up to it. I’d throw the money at Remy that’s what counts with all of them.
Caulker and Shawcross sound Ok but I really like Winston Reid at WHU. Think they’d all cost around £10m mind.
Morrison? A very talented RISK. See Pardew’s begun talking up his transfer plans. I really can’t stand the bloke and would much prefer if his ban was for talking to the media. ******.
georgio(Quote)
Georgio – I agree. It’s still early days in a way but you would expect him to be fully match fit by now. He’s still not really even come that close to scoring, I can remember maybe three opportunities in all of his matches so far which isn’t encouraging. Perhaps if he is given a few more games alongside Remy he might show his talent. Personally I don’t blame any striker for looking poor alongside Cisse or Shola as neither will provide much support. I would definitely break the wage cap for Remy, right now you could trade him for four or five members of our squad and you wouldn’t miss them if he were on the pitch.
Newkie(Quote)
Newkie – might show his talent? Think we’ve seen it already 😥 I think you can generally judge a player by his third appearance and sometimes even his first. Not impressed but hey we all want him to succeed. I’d try Gouff up top myself. He had 12 goals for Bordeaux when we bought him. 16 for the season – our top scorer last season.
georgio(Quote)
Georgio-I may be clutching at straws but I said before I’d judge him at the end of the season and I’ll try to stick to that. While the squad as a whole may be off on their holidays De Jong is playing for a move, for his career, and really he should be showing a lot more than he has done imo.
16 for the season, alongside Ba then, both double the league goals of Cisse who played more than twice as much as either of them! I’d like to see Goof up front but then I wonder about the wing. Who would you play? Sammy is really our only left winger.
Newkie(Quote)
I think most of us have forgotten how good Benny can be. I’d start him and bring him off if he runs out of steam. Instead Pardew will throw him on and he’ll get desperate to prove himself with only 15 mins to show. Pardew will start with Cisse, De Jong and Gouffran. The idea of another five years of him makes me cry.
georgio(Quote)
Georgio-yeah, I agree in that I think Benny needs to play, i’m just not sure where. Personally I would play him over Cisse at every opportunity and give him a free role-but I have no idea what is going on in the background, if Benny is leaving and Cisse is staying that is pointless and we may as well persist with whoever is in the clubs long term plan..Yeah expecting him to keep pulling us out of the brown stuff whenever we’re losing a match isn’t doing anyone any favours really.
Newkie(Quote)
CC – I was a big fan of Caulker when he was on loan at Swansea and wished we had signed him when Cardiff did. £8m seemed alot back then but he’s proven to be their best player this season and a very good leader for such a young lad.
I’m not too sure on Shawcross my self. I do like Lascelles at Forest though, he’s still very young so not sure if he’s ready for the step up yet. I’d be keen to see how Good and Streete develop next season as well.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy17@377, I’m with Icedog on that one, wouldn’t touch the bloke with a barge pole.
If Pardew can talk Cashley into parting with a HEFTY 4 million pounds for this crouton, then they both need there heeds looked at if you ask me..
Munich Mag(Quote)