Apologies for this being late this week, I hate it when work gets in the way of football. On a completely unrelated note, I am convinced I saw Demichelis at Aberdeen Airport last night. Not that I was stalking this poor guy, but he did fly to Manchester, and thats all I am saying. The away fans seem quite sensible this week, and as usual not expecting too much. Personally, I hate these top verses bottom encounters at this time of year. I get more than nervous than usual, but if we continue to play as we did last week, then I don’t see a problem ( IF! ).
Team Selection
Stockdale
Heitinga Hangeland Amorebieta Richardson
Kvist Sidwell
Kasami Holtby Kacaniklic
Woodrow
My Favourite
We all club together and hire a hitman to take out the whole team
And the rest…
We are facing relegation you know, and every game should be contested tooth and nail.
Nice to get the win yesterday, but harsh reality is, we're away to Man Citeh' next weekend. Would have been nice to follow up the Newcastle game with a trip to Stoke, or even Villa, just to get the momentum going, or even 2 decent results under our belt. My fear, and God forbid, is that we get absolutely stuffed up at Citeh' and it has a knock on effect. Don't get me wrong, stranger things have happened, we're due something Fulhamish this season, but I'm just basing this on our current form. So, does Felix park the bus, I don't think we will, we don't have it in us to hold out for the draw at Citeh, or does Felix tell Fulham to go for it, enjoy the game, and uses it as another bench mark to maybe look at a few more players, test fitness, and tinker around with another formation. Either way, I think we should get the mindset sorted out this week, and if the inevitable does happen, we shouldn't have a massive meltdown. couldn't care less if we get stuffed 3 or 4-0 in this game, as long as we put in a good shift, show some composure and most importantly some fight. Toughest game of the season, but also one of the most important, that could set us up for the remainder of our games
Indeed we have to be realistic. We go into this not expecting anything, so anything will be a bonus. I'll take an encouraging performance in light of a loss, right now
If we don't believe we can get a result of some kind then there's quite literally no point in playing the match - forfeit now and give the players an extra week's rest. Alternatively we can see it as a chance for a bonus point or three. Yes, there's a gulf but it's eleven professional footballers versus eleven - and that's if you count Martin Demichelis. It's not like we're a League Two side in the fourth round of the FA Cup. For now at least we're Premier League, and the Manchester United and Liverpool games are examples of the problem we can pose.
Sit for our lives (United away) and hopefully counter upwards, but I don't think that's Magath's style. He'll get us defending low but pressing in our own area, which is also effective, as the pressing can players out of position should we win the ball back creating a 2on1, 3on2 situation against the likes of Demichelis, Garcia or Lescott...
Go for the throat. we are not good enough to park the bus for 90 mins (ala Shatkah Donetsk under Hodgson) so we might as well throw the kitchen sink at them and go for it
I think that we should view every game as an opportunity for at least a point
We play a back 5. Citeh have 87 shots on target. The bus is parked for 88 mins and Woodrow scores his 1st goal at the death. Or we lose 6-0
I am sorry, but whichever way I look at this, a point out of this is only possible if they get a player sent off. Make that two, actually. One will only anger them
Defend from the front and pray for a draw
Target Demichelis, stay tight, and hope they have an off day.
It's unlikely that Citeh will drop points to us but spirits will be high in our camp and the pressure is on them to win more than it is us.
we will win 2-1
With our Goal Difference as it is, I think we should just go for it. Treat it as a cup tie. 1-0 to them or 5-0 to them won't make any difference to us at the end of the season. Plus, if we were to get thrashed, it would boost their Goal Difference in the title race, & hopefully stop The Filth winning the title. If we try to park the bus, & go behind early on, we'd have to change our mindset anyway, so I'd go for it...
