Fulham Vs Newcastle United |
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Date:
Wednesday 4th May 2005
Kick Off: 7.45pm BST
Venue: Craven Cottage
Ref: Graham Poll (Tring)
Comp: Premiership |
| Match Preview
In Association With Toon
Ale |
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By Ally
I watched Liverpool win their Champions League Semi-Final last night
and it depressed me to think that they only scraped into the tournament
due to our own inadequacies last season. Instead we head to Craven
Cottage for a game that means nothing to either side and is likely
to have that typical 'end of season' feel to it.
It's the second of our games in hand we've had over our rivals recently
and not so long ago I was adding six points on to our total and seeing
us in the top half pushing for the top seven finish. Now however,
after two drab 0-0 draws this past week and a host of defeats beforehand,
we're trying to finish as high in the bottom half as we possibly can!
The major team news ahead of this game is that Shearer is to be rested
and Kluivert will take his place alongside Ameobi. I don't think the
Dutchman is suited to the role upfront on his own in the same way
Big Al is so I fully expect Shola to push up rather than play on the
left. I wish we had more options to be honest, as Ameobi doesn't deserve
to be in the team on merit alone. He has been hopeless but the injuries
and transfer of Bellamy leaves us short. Kluivert, in my view, has
one final chance to prove himself now. If he plays well in these last
three games and with hunger and determination he may play himself
back into Souness' good books. Its unlikely, but the chance is there
for him to take. And he must try to take this rare opportunity.
Elliott is the latest player to have picked up and injury, and it
will be a bit of dilemma for Souness as to what he does. There are
three options really. Either Ramage plays out of position at left
back, O'Brien comes in and Taylor moves to left back, or the left-footed
N'Zogbia plays there as he apparently can. My gut instinct tells me
that Ramage will play there, with the hope that Taylor and Boumsong
can continue their run of two clean sheets in a row. Fulham have some
good attacking players but our defence hasn't really been our weak
spot recently.
In midfield the usual suspects are injured and Bowyer serves the final
game of his 7 game ban. It picks itself really; Milner, Ambrose, N'Zogbia
and Faye. Not a bad quartet, but its not a great, experienced one
either and it doesn't fill me with confidence that we'll break down
their defence. On the plus side, these four are some of only a few
players who have actually looked like playing recently.
I'm not confident at all heading into this game. We're playing poorly
and everyone around the club wants to end the season and refresh.
Unfortunately we've got three games to play and the players owe the
fans a win. Our form away from home is dreadful for the second season
running, and our form in London especially is back to the usual standard.
A win here would be great, but I see another dour performance from
the boys.
Given |
Carr |
Boumsong |
Taylor |
Ramage |
Milner |
Faye |
Ambrose |
N'Zogbia |
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Kluivert |
Ameobi |
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Fulham - They've got some excellent players, namely Cole, Malbranque
and Boa Morte and I expected them to be in a higher league position
than they currently hold. Boa Morte, in my view, offers the biggest
threat. He's pacy, direct and has a good shot on him and Carr will
have to be on his game. A player we tried to sign in January so Souness
should know him pretty well.
Newcastle - Our key player in this game is Patrick
Kluivert I reckon. He's got a point to prove to his doubters and needs
to back up his words on his website with a positive display at Fulham.
Maybe the motivation of a night in London will drive him on? Maybe
not, but on his game he's a good player and his vision could be the
difference between a win and a defeat.
| NUFC Squad News &
Pre-Match Reaction |
Graeme Sounes on the match:
"We certainly owe Fulham one for the manner in
which they beat us at St James' Park in November.
"That 4-1 defeat was one of the craziest games I have seen and it
is still hard to believe it happened.
"But they are tough to play against in London. They defend well, have
a lot of quality players and make it difficult.
United (from): Given, Harper, Carr, Ramage, Boumsong,
Taylor, O'Brien, Faye, Milner, N'Zogbia, Ambrose, Robert, Brittain,
Shearer, Ameobi, Kluivert.
| Fulham Squad News &
Pre-Match Reaction |
Liam Rosenior on the match:
"Newcastle are a top side and they'll be disappointed with the way
their season has gone, in the same way we are, so it will make for
an interesting game.
"The fact that we haven't got the pressure of relegation hanging over
us any more doesn't make any difference to me. You've just got to
concentrate on the next pass or header and make sure it's a good one.
"If you started to think about the implications of winning or
losing a game you'd just end up having a panic attack!
"If you have it in your head that if you make a mistake it could mean
relegation you'd never be able to kick a ball. We've just got to go
out and play our game, enjoy what we're doing and hope we can put
in another good performance on Wednesday."
Fulham (from): Van der Sar, Volz, Knight, Goma, Rosenior,
Radzinski, Pembridge, Clark, Boa Morte, John, McBride, Diop, Malbranque,
Bocanegra, Cole, Jensen, Rehman, Crossley.
Graham Poll
Poll should have refereed our FA Cup Semi-Final in Cardiff but picked
up an injury leading up to the match. The official has refereed two
Toom games this season and we have lots both. The 2-1 defeat away
to Bolton at the Reebok and the 3-1 loss at Anfield against Liverpool.
A game in which he sent Lee Bowyer off!
Like I've said, I'm neither looking forward to this game or confident.
Its a tricky place to go and they beat Everton there on Saturday.
They'll have earmarked this as a winnable game and we'll have to get
out of our bad form if we're going to stop it from happening. My heart
says we'll win 2-1, but my sensible head says we'll lose 0-1. |
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