Fulham:whether it be bestial oblivion or some Craven scruple

[Prufrock]

My old man is working in London this week. Tried to persuade him to come to Fulham. His response, as a season ticket holder, 'you must be bloody joking'.

This game could see Dougie's Mark Robbins moment (though whether it's a 'Ferguson Mark Robbins moment' or a 'Huddersfield getting dicked by Bournemouth on the opening day Mark Robbins moment' remains to be seen!)

[LeverEnd]

Anyone going from Bolton? Mate ordered tickets thinking they were printable but they are not and he needs them physically taking down there.

You and yer mates. Not good with tickets are we?

Despite my expert advice they still get it wrong.

[adamworthy2002]

It's going to be 3 or 4 - 0 to Fulham.

Freedman will say that we came very close and if his strikers could score that we'd have won.

He won't be sacked.

[bobo the clown]

It's a difficult enough game in ordinary circumstances and one we have a poor record on anyway. Add the current mood and that Fulham dispensed with the mad bastard ruining them and, surprise surprise, managed a win last weekend and I see only one outcome.

Certainly we are not a robust enough outfit to deal with any setbacks even if we do have a phase when it goes well enough. Our issues currently are as much in the head as the feet.

So it's a game I'd normally expect us to struggle in. With all the current bollox on top a modest loss would almost be creditable in the overall. A pummeling would see Saturday's game have a properly negative attitude in the terraces. A win, extremely unlikely as that is, would confuse the bejeebers out of us.

We'll get battered.

[Bruce Rioja]

Him that they spent too much money on from Leeds? He'll come good tonight. I remember Zamora doing similar.

3-0. Hat trick for him.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Could be a tight 0-1. Or a baggy-arsed 0-3 collapse.

I wonder whether the fan reaction's now as important as the players' lack of it. Not that I'm rabble-rousing - I've seen some shit managers and never quite had it in me to spend the match standing there hating - but you definitely get the impression Coyle got longer because the customers weren't revolting.

[EverSoYouri]

Him that they spent too much money on from Leeds? He'll come good tonight. I remember Zamora doing similar.

3-0. Hat trick for him.

This has the dreadful ring of truth to it... although...

I recall a few seasons back, playing Manchester City (whatever became of them?) when Mark Hughes (their manager at the time) was under pressure, as was our own Ginger Mourinho. Each needed a performance from his players to secure his position. Surprisingly, it was Megson who got it. Our lads put in a fighting show and we won 2-0. Hughes was down the road soon after, while Megson clung on.

Tonight we find out if this bunch are up to do something similar to save Freedman's neck.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I recall a few seasons back, playing Manchester City (whatever became of them?) when Mark Hughes (their manager at the time) was under pressure, as was our own Ginger Mourinho. Each needed a performance from his players to secure his position. Surprisingly, it was Megson who got it. Our lads put in a fighting show and we won 2-0. Hughes was down the road soon after, while Megson clung on.

I remember that game too. They left three players up at corners, we left none.

[EverSoYouri]

I recall a few seasons back, playing Manchester City (whatever became of them?) when Mark Hughes (their manager at the time) was under pressure, as was our own Ginger Mourinho. Each needed a performance from his players to secure his position. Surprisingly, it was Megson who got it. Our lads put in a fighting show and we won 2-0. Hughes was down the road soon after, while Megson clung on.

I remember that game too. They left three players up at corners, we left none.

Drat! Another one of my pet theories blown out of the water!

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I recall a few seasons back, playing Manchester City (whatever became of them?) when Mark Hughes (their manager at the time) was under pressure, as was our own Ginger Mourinho. Each needed a performance from his players to secure his position. Surprisingly, it was Megson who got it. Our lads put in a fighting show and we won 2-0. Hughes was down the road soon after, while Megson clung on.

I remember that game too. They left three players up at corners, we left none.

Drat! Another one of my pet theories blown out of the water!

About not leaving players up? Those who, ah, defend it say there's statistical evidence to prove it stems the flow of goals from set-pieces, although I'd always say it leaves you in peril of being hemmed in.

[bobo the clown]

I recall a few seasons back, playing Manchester City (whatever became of them?) when Mark Hughes (their manager at the time) was under pressure, as was our own Ginger Mourinho. Each needed a performance from his players to secure his position. Surprisingly, it was Megson who got it. Our lads put in a fighting show and we won 2-0. Hughes was down the road soon after, while Megson clung on.

I remember that game too. They left three players up at corners, we left none.

Drat! Another one of my pet theories blown out of the water!

About not leaving players up? Those who, ah, defend it say there's statistical evidence to prove it stems the flow of goals from set-pieces, although I'd always say it leaves you in peril of being hemmed in.

Correct.

These stats only focus on the first phase. They don't look at the resultant pressure which can't be prevented as there's no way to prevent it short of a ne dead-ball.

[HMX]

Wild optimism more than anything but we'll scrape it 3-2.

Or it'll be a dull 0-0. Can I do that?

[bobo the clown]

Aaaah. "it's coming together ... there are very fine lines .... very unlucky ... but a strong bunch of characters .... we're very close .... we need some more loan players to give us a lift ... expectations can add pressure ... the fans are disappointed because we lost a game of football ... but we're not too far away performance-wise ...".

Quotes ? You want quotes ??

http://www.burndenaces.co.uk/2014/10/01 ... olton.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[TANGODANCER]

You have to admit Dougie makes excuses with real conviction and panache. So calm and dispassionate. You could almost be forgiven for thinking he believes it all. If he'd been in charge of the Winston Churchill speeches, why, we might even have lost the war..

[EverSoYouri]

I recall a few seasons back, playing Manchester City (whatever became of them?) when Mark Hughes (their manager at the time) was under pressure, as was our own Ginger Mourinho. Each needed a performance from his players to secure his position. Surprisingly, it was Megson who got it. Our lads put in a fighting show and we won 2-0. Hughes was down the road soon after, while Megson clung on.

I remember that game too. They left three players up at corners, we left none.

Drat! Another one of my pet theories blown out of the water!

About not leaving players up? Those who, ah, defend it say there's statistical evidence to prove it stems the flow of goals from set-pieces, although I'd always say it leaves you in peril of being hemmed in.

Correct.

These stats only focus on the first phase. They don't look at the resultant pressure which can't be prevented as there's no way to prevent it short of a ne dead-ball.

In my naivety, I had reasoned that leaving two up must oblige the attacking team to leave three (or even four?) back. Similarly, leaving three up surely must occupy their back four? The final element in my thinking was that, the more space there is in the penalty area at corners, the more chance for the keeper to come and claim any cross. Obviously doesn't work that way or the tactical genii of professional football would be doing it already...

[officer_dibble]

Aaaah. "it's coming together ... there are very fine lines .... very unlucky ... but a strong bunch of characters .... we're very close .... we need some more loan players to give us a lift ... expectations can add pressure ... the fans are disappointed because we lost a game of football ... but we're not too far away performance-wise ...".

Quotes ? You want quotes ??

http://www.burndenaces.co.uk/2014/10/01 ... olton.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

owen coyle, owen coyle, owen owen coyle

[bobo the clown]

I remember that game too. They left three players up at corners, we left none.

Drat! Another one of my pet theories blown out of the water!

About not leaving players up? Those who, ah, defend it say there's statistical evidence to prove it stems the flow of goals from set-pieces, although I'd always say it leaves you in peril of being hemmed in.

Correct.

These stats only focus on the first phase. They don't look at the resultant pressure which can't be prevented as there's no way to prevent it short of a ne dead-ball.

In my naivety, I had reasoned that leaving two up must oblige the attacking team to leave three (or even four?) back. Similarly, leaving three up surely must occupy their back four? The final element in my thinking was that, the more space there is in the penalty area at corners, the more chance for the keeper to come and claim any cross. Obviously doesn't work that way or the tactical genii of professional football would be doing it alreay...

It does ... and it's just a fashion and will revert over time.

Look, in a World where normally capable people think that Mark Rothko is a painter it's clear you CAN fool some of the people some of the time.

[jaffka]

Fancy us having a narrow win tonight.

[EverSoYouri]

These stats only focus on the first phase. They don't look at the resultant pressure which can't be prevented as there's no way to prevent it short of a ne dead-ball.[/quote]In my naivety, I had reasoned that leaving two up must oblige the attacking team to leave three (or even four?) back. Similarly, leaving three up surely must occupy their back four? The final element in my thinking was that, the more space there is in the penalty area at corners, the more chance for the keeper to come and claim any cross. Obviously doesn't work that way or the tactical genii of professional football would be doing it alreay...[/quote]It does ... and it's just a fashion and will revert over time.

Look, in a World where normally capable people think that Mark Rothko is a painter it's clear you CAN fool some of the people some of the time.[/quote]

Cheeky bugger! The Philistines are taking over the asylum...

[EverSoYouri]

Fancy us having a narrow win tonight.

Dougie's pre-match teamtalk?