Fulham v Newcastle – Premier League match preview

Craven Cottage awaits
Newcastle travel to Craven Cottage tomorrow evening where they will do battle with Martin Jol’s Fulham outfit.

Jol was once favoured by fans of NUFC to take over from Chris Hughton, but it was Alan Pardew who got the job and despite the views by some fans that Jol is superior, his Fulham side sit equal on points with us and are just one place above us in the league owing to a slightly better negative goal difference.

I normally view Fulham as a team who keep a tight ship. They sneak a goal or two and try to shut up shop, but this season has been different. They’ve scored more goals than us but also conceded more goals than us but don’t let that fool you. They can give anyone a game on their day and have players who can hurt us such as Dimitar Berbatov who joined from Manchester United in the summer. The Bulgarian striker is currently top scorer at Craven Cottage with five goals.

Team news – Fulham:

Bryan Ruiz has been ruled out for four more weeks after failing to recover from a hamstring injury whilst defender Zdenek Grygera has announced his retirement after struggling to recover from an ACL rupture suffered last 13 months ago.

Kieran Richardson and Alex Kacaniklic are available after fitness issues and Brede Hangeland is available after completing a three game suspension.

Team news – Newcastle:

Ryan Taylor, Dan Gosling, Haris Vuckic, Yohan Cabaye, Gabriel Obertan and Steven Taylor are still out injured although there is better news in general with regard to more players who had been out injured. Demba Ba, Cheik Tiote and Davide Santon could all make the game after Alan Pardew admitted their withdrawal against Wigan was more a precautionary move whilst Hatem Ben Arfa could be in line for a return after missing the last few games with a hamstring injury.

Should Cheik Tiote be deemed as fit enough to play he will need to be careful as he is one yellow card away from five bookings and the automatic one game suspension earning five yellow cards warrants. Jonas Gutierrez is in the same position.

Previously…

Last season we got hammered 5-2 at Craven Cottage so I’m looking for a stark improvement on that. However it will be a tough ask as we generally don’t do terribly well at Fulham. Our last win on the banks of the River Thames came in this week five years ago courtesy of a late Joey Barton penalty.

In ten Premier League visits we’ve won down there just three times with the other seven matches at Fulham ending in home wins for the Cottagers. In total there have been 31 games played at Craven Cottage in all competitions throughout the years. Fulham have won 18 times compared to just eight victories for United.

Stats and facts:

Fulham have won five of their last six home matches against United.

However they have not won in seven games and haven’t scored in over three games.

Alan Pardew celebrates two years in charge of United this week.

Final thought:

It seems to be one step forward and two steps back this season. Granted we managed to win against Wigan but we played against ten men for the bulk of the game and I doubt it would have been as simple had we faced eleven all night, but a win is a win and we can only play what is put in front of us.

Midweek was disappointing but it was also a very different side to what we are likely to see tomorrow. The question is will they build on what they managed against Wigan last week or will they fall back in the wake of the midweek defeat to Bordeaux?

Howay the lads!

Date: Monday, 10th December, 2012

Time: 8pm – Live on Sky Sports

Venue: Craven Cottage

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

121 thoughts on “Fulham v Newcastle – Premier League match preview

  1. Nice preview Toonsy ,Fulham got off to a flyer this season and seem to be in a mini slump right now ,let’s hope it continues tommorow night for all our sakes . It won’t be easy to take a point or 3 from there and they will be a stern test for sure and on Tiote ,I fully expect him to get a yellow and miss the Citeh game 🙄 . Citeh willlook to bounce back from their defeat V Manure today so it’s vital we get something V Fulham especially with Liverpool losing at present to West Ham as it all helps our cause.

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  2. As a City fan threw a 2P piece
    at Rio Ferdinand. It seems the confusion was whether or not this was
    a serious transfer bid for the United defender.
    Sir Alex was fuming, naturally …. ” Quite frankly, it’s insulting ”
    he stormed ” Rio as worth twice that ”

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  3. Toonsy good read Lad 😉

    Kim @ 1 you were the kiss of death there girl 😀

    Pup 😆 😆 I would say the 2p was too much and just proofs how the money is ruining the prem 😀

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  4. good preview. will be a tough game.

    Rio is constantly in trouble, he can’t keep his mouth shut, always getting his tuppence worth 😆 🙄

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  5. Turns out it wasn’t a 2p that got thrown but an old fashioned groat ,apparently 2 groats got you a donkey in olden days ,so seems about right to me 😉

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  6. Lots of talk over the last few days about Diame of West Ham, looks like he sustained a bad injury today and had to be stretchered off so that looks like a non starter, pity as he looks a cracking midfielder and West Ham folded once he went off.

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  7. Robert @10 ,I think he’ll be a big miss for them having watched him a few times. I can see the Hammers dropping down the table now as they don’t seem as good as they did early doors.

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  8. I see Pards gave an interview to the mirror about celebrating 2 years in charge of the Toon today saying “Things can only get bertter” 🙄 He’s not wrong there like.

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  9. Tomorrow is a big game for us. Win and we could be in the mix for a top 8 finish as we wouldn’t be too far off the pass. Draw wouldn’t be end of the world but we need to start winning. Lose and i would just it be a season of inconsistency. We wait n see.

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  10. Good review again Toonsy lad.

    Kim’s right, tomorrow is an important game in terms of potential points available in Dec. I think if Pards has Ba, Santon, Tiote and Benny available he has to play them. We have to go at Fulham and play for the 3 points. Personally I’d line up as follows:

    —————— Krul ————–
    Ndubz – Collo – Willo – Santa
    ——– Tiote —– Anita ———
    — Benny — Ba — Marv —
    ————— Cisse ————–

    I know Ba may not like being up front, but I think he would be more dangerous running at Hangeland and Senderos or whoever partners him at the back. Benny and Marv will slow their fullbacks down and should give that extra firepower we seem to be lacking.
    What we have to avoid is a second half like last season down there. Weirdest toon game I saw all season!. Outstanding first half, god awful second.
    If we can get a win, I think it will keep us from sliding into the relegation mix on the Xmas period, loose and it leaves one hell of a mountain to climb.

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  11. Yeah sharpy wouldn’t mind seen that starting 11 but I would stick ba up front. Cisse out wide and switch them from time to time. Think Ben arfa could do more playing through middle. I just can’t see him dropping Jonas. Jonas been poor this season.

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  12. Sharpy, seems like a canny line up that like, but who is Ndubz ffs ?

    Fulham are on a bit of a slump,this could be the time we get a win down there… mind we’re not pulling up any trees either like 🙄

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  13. We’ll probably see Jonas in the side with HBA on the bench. He’ll come on at the start of the second half to pull the game out of the fire for us… 😉

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  14. Good review Toonsy. You have a good literary style – always an easy read. You would make a good journalist if it wasn’t for the fact you are fair, reasonable and balanced. But that is why like your articles.

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  15. Munich – sorry mate that one may be wasted on those who don’t read the tabloids or are aware of little Danny Simpsons love life. He’s courting a young lady named Tulisa – some may know her as a judge off the Xfactor, others from a cheeky few minute video chip 😛 and very few for her singing career with a waxer band called Ndubz – proper street 😎

    I would love for that line up to be fielded tomorrow night but I also doubt it will happen. I expect Pards to go a lot more defensive than that, and that’s why we’re loosing games!, coz our defensive players aren’t as good as our attacking players.

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  16. Sharpy @14 ,I like that line up very much 😀

    Dave@22 ,Exactly mate ,it was a mindset that worked most of the time too.ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK ,I say.

    On a side note Rhianna gets better and better ,just watching her on xfactor ,and to think I bloody hated umberella when she first come on the scene 😉 😳

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  17. Dave – like wise mate, we might not win every game but at least it makes for better watch. It’s goals that win games and we proved 2nd half of last season that we can score goals as well as any team in the league.
    Pardew has to pick his strongest 11 and for me that’s it, played in that formation and we’d score goals I think like.

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  18. <<<< thinks we will win tonite,all see if rumours are true ba turned down 70k a week,well if thats the case be happy to see the back of him meself.

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  19. I to love that lineup Sharpy. Unfortunately I to cannot see it happening. Jonas is becoming a complete waste of space, the commentators were saying say too V Wigan and they’re all usually waxing lyrical about how he’s a ‘trier’.

    Fulhams defense is horrible. We go there to attack we’ll definitely have a chance to pick up some points.

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  20. Very happy Bryan Ruiz is missing. Think him and Berbatov would be very dangerous as a pairing.

    Pardew has frightened me with his most recent comment saying we got beat 5-2 last season but are a long way from that with the quality we have in the squad now… I just hope he isn’t made to eat his words!

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  21. You’re just being silly now TC 😆 There’s plenty water to go under the bridge yet. The problem is just that we’re in a boat without oars and without anyone with a clue on the tiller. 😆 😆

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  22. Sharpy looking at your line up would expect Jonas for Anita, and hopefully HBA in the center with Ba wider. Struggling for depth at the moment except at DM 👿

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  23. I hope the lads are up a scrap tonight. A full on effort will be enough to me. If we are up for the fight we can come away some points..

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  24. Sharpy, **** line up mate… no point having all those midfielders if we just ‘hoof’ it over their heads 🙂 🙂 🙂
    We should play this line up.
    Krul
    Simo – Collo – Willo – Santo
    Tiote

    Benny – Cisse – BA – Shola – Ranger

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  25. It’s been a bad football weekend (yet again!) so far – all my teams have lost, including my fantasy teams – so I’m hoping Newcastle can lift my spirits.

    Sadly, I’m not that confident.

    And I like the team mentioned earlier, perhaps with Ba playing further forward than the line-up suggests, so, in numberspeak, 42211, with fullbacks playing the wings, which I suppose means 24211 or something (which is beginning to look like a telephone number).

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  26. AMF anyone who puts shola in the first 11 makes me think about there footy nonce,thought you knew better 🙁

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  27. We should replace Willo with one of those wooden football guys attached to a stick and Pardew can flick it from the sideline when the ball comes its way.

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  28. Willo, would never be able to turn as quickly as those fussball guys Vegas, no matter how hard you spin him 🙂 🙂

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  29. The good thing about the game is that it’s on at 6am, so at least I don’t have to stay up all night or get up at an ungodly hour – well, at not too much of an ungodly hour.

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  30. It’s on at 4am my time mate, prefer the lunchtime, mid arvo games to be honest.. I will more than likely record it and get up at 6ish to watch it before I hear or read about the result..

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  31. I’ve never been able to record a Newcastle game. I just can’t sleep if I know the match is on.

    Thankfully I don’t have to get up for work, so I can afford to watch football at 2,3,4,5 or 6 AM. One of the benefits of being semi-retired (and reasonably well off).

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  32. I know what you are saying, this is the only game I even consider recording due to the **** start time. Every other game I watch live even if means a late night/early morning. 4am sucks as a kick off time, thankfully there aren’t a lot of night games..

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  33. Shola just hasn’t realised his potential yet. When he does he could be an International Superstar.
    As it is he is already the Chuck Norris of Newcastle United.

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  34. It’s the late afternoon games on a Saturday that get me – 3am is a ******* of time – do I stay up after watching the earlier games? do I go to bed early and set the alarm and miss the earlier games?

    Anyway, bed time now. Howay the lads for the morra.

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  35. PREDICTION: A defeat with a particularly embarrassing performance from our defence, who will no doubt get caught ball watching.

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  36. (THIS IS A GOVERNMENT HEALTH WARNING. THIS POSTER IS LIABLE TO DISAGREE WITH YOUR POINT OF VIEW. ONLY ENGAGE IF YOU AREN’T SENSITIVE AND DON’T TAKE HISSY FITS)

    Im watching you 😎

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  37. B&B, Well at least you will be able to say ‘I told you so’ to everyone after the game mate..

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  38. I’m surprised to see that Fulham have the same number of points as us, I know they have been on a poor run of form like. Maybe a defeat would be a poor result today, Craven Cottage is usually a fortress but if even the mackems can win there then maybe we could get something.

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  39. Their fans are really expectant though and can start to become unsettled and get on the players backs if it isn’t going well. We should look to exploit that somehow but I don’t think we are cute enough for that unfortunately. 🙁

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  40. (THIS IS A GOVERNMENT HEALTH WARNING. THIS POSTER IS LIABLE TO DISAGREE WITH YOUR POINT OF VIEW. ONLY ENGAGE IF YOU AREN’T SENSITIVE AND DON’T TAKE HISSY FITS)

    @Mark

    Ha! I’m dying to see when he crumbles and finally admits he wants him sacked. He wants him to resign, doesn’t rate him as a manager, foresees Pardew can’t get us out this mess, predicts he will be sacked in line with the career average of a manager of 2.13 years, hates watching the style of football, knows there’s loads of top managers out there who would walk over hot coals, puts up countering arguments against those who say he shouldn’t be sacked now BUT he doesn’t want him sacked. 😛 😛 😛

    You got to love B&B for his banter. 😛

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  41. DJG…Unfortunately the mackems were only playing against 10 men….in fact their last 3 wins(in 25 games) have all been v 10 men 😆

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  42. Troy @ 57 That’s almost a fair summing up of my position. Well done lad! 😆 I wouldn’t put your last line like that. I would say “Pards shouldn’t be sacked now, although if Ashley decided to do it, I wouldn’t be shedding any tears. Pards deserves a chance to prove me right, although not if it means relegation”. 😆 😆 😆

    Now Troy – Time to answer my questions about strengths of squads at the start of the season and the names of the hundreds of top managers who, you say, would come, but for Ashley! Over to you Troy. Everyone can see that you want to keep the attention on me in order to avoid these questions. The eyes are on you! 😎 Are you brave enough to give your prediction for tonight? 🙁 Remind everyone why you don’t chant “Ashley out” any more when you were criticising me for not calling for Pardew out! WOOOOO HOOOO! 😆

    PREDICTION: Troy will not share his own views and answer the questions. 🙄 Not even side kick Dave wants to answer these. 😉

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  43. I would like to see something like this…

    ——————-Krul——————
    Simpson—Willo-Collo—Santoon
    ———–Perch—-Tiote————-
    ——————Marv———Benny-
    ———Ba——–Cisse————–

    Looks a bit lopsided but one of the striker would drop back when we lose possession, no one else is good enough to drop one of the Demba’s for.

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  44. Forgive me if I haven’t read every post in the last week and kept up with everyone’s viewpoint (especially the blogmaster Troy’s 🙄 ), but has anyone mentioned the recent select talk in of fans with Llambias and Pardew at SJP?

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  45. Anyone else sick with worry 🙄 ❓ Gonna be well tough tonight ,keep thinking about last seasons strange performance there ,fab first half and abject misery in the 2nd 🙄 .Hopefully more assured both halfs tonight.

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  46. Kim – I’m not sick with worry. I just have no idea any more what to expect from this team. Things have been a bit better lately but that’s only 2 games and we lost one. Maybe it depends on Benny – is AP playing more selection games?

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  47. I really want to see a committed performance from the start and for the full match. If we get beat, then it shouldn’t be thru lack of effort.

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  48. I’m expecting great things now after this from Pards, “We’ve put a new resilience in the team.” “I don’t care if Hatem’s fit or not, he needs to come in and understand there’s a different look to the team.”

    “The team’s got a little bit more drive in it, a little bit more energy.” “He needs to bring that in if he comes in against Fulham, or Manchester City on Saturday. We’re not far away from being a good side.”

    Relax Kim. Alan’s got it sorted man.

    It’s funny how a manager can find a little bit more drive and a little bit more energy and put it into the team. 🙄 😆 😆 😆

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  49. This is one where we need a big effort from everyone (when is that not true?). A poor performance with Man City at home to come would be a disaster for us. Looking to Ba to get us going up front as usual. Can our midfield find some traction and supply the forwards better than earlier games? I hope so. Colo has to steady Willo. He more or less has to play the rover position or we get undone too easily especially on the right side. Pardew says we’re missing Obertan’s pace but what we’re really missing is a decent winger who can attack and cross the ball properly. Watched Routledge on the weekend and he has improved considerably. So has Bassong and several others we let go and didn’t replace properly because we are too cheap.

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  50. Twelfth place is beginning to look a long way above us. Five points is a lot the way we’re playing. If a bigger gap opens up in the next month or so it will be difficult to catch up even with some incoming. The uncertainty and nerves seem to have spread through a lot of the team now. We need a leader to come in but they’re hard to find. Was hoping for more from Tiote in that respect but he isn’t in control of himself enough let alone lead the team. Ba and Colo have to do most of it. Howay the lads!!!

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  51. “Alan Pardew Worried About Leaks – Boards Up Training Ground”

    The pressure’s getting to him. He’s losing it! 😯

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  52. Are our tactics that brilliant that we have to hide them from public view? I hadn’t noticed it during the games B&B. I don’t think Pardew is the worst tactician in the division but nowhere near the best either. Having said that I do think some of the players have let him down quite badly. I’m thinking of Cisse, and to some extent Tiote with his wild play, as well as Jonas who looks disinterested some of the time and tends to disappear in the second half. I don’t blame Simpson and Willo as they are just journeymen players at best but it doesn’t help having them in the starting lineup. Improvement by bringing in some skill is a must in January or we will continue to slide. I would hate to see us fighting it out with Sunderland for 18th place and don’t think it will happen but forget Rangers and take an interest in your team Ashley or sell up and get out.

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  53. Colin is giving it loads again , We are monitoring Remy Douglas and Sissko for deals in Jan and maybe Pieters as Debuchy is no longer viable 🙄 from that Id almost put money on us signing Debuchy. Does he ever stop?

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  54. I’m still waiting to see huge improvement in the reserve and academy sides. After letting go at least half of the reserve side last season I thought we must have players lined up who were miles ahead in skill level. I suppose players like Abeid, Inman, Moyo, and Newton are decent but they are also all at least 20 now and other than Abeid have not even appeared in Europa games. So how promising are they? And if this is the cream of the young crop are we really going to improve from within? I am beginning to have serious doubts. The idea that we will emulate Arsenal is laughable so far. I know Arsenal are beginning to struggle but compared to us they are still light years better at recognizing and developing young talent.

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  55. For tonight , if we play 433 and pass the ball the way we do at times against wigan we could win tonight. But that is a big ask. Tough game tnight

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  56. Spot on Johno Toon. We would need a big game from players like Marveaux to make 4-3-3 work. If Ben Arfa is available and Marveaux can raise his game we may give their defense problems. Another key is getting Cisse going. He just doesn’t look aware enough to stay onside which is very disturbing at this point of the season and given that he is a seasoned vet, not 19 years old and just learning his trade. What is going on there? Surely they have been working on it with him? But at this stage in his career it shouldn’t be necessary.

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  57. Another well written, well thought out aricle toonsy. I have been enjoying the blog more and more. Thanks for your hard work and perseverence.

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