Fulham vs Aston Villa Pre-Match Ramblings

[VillaTim]

Can Hause be registered for the squad or is that out lot for the rest of the season? I presume he's not still injured, merely out of favour.

he was pictured training at Bodymoor couple weeks ago

[paul_e]

Lenglet and Torrres don't have a right foot between them. This season is becoming a bad joke with injuries. We just don't have the squad depth to cope.

We do have squad depth, certainly as far ask CB’s are concerned, Konsa, Carlos, Mings, Torres and Lenglet. That’s more than enough and what’s come about due to an horrific luck with injuries can not be covered by squad depth.

and you'd normally have Kamara available as emergency cover as well.

I meant we don't have the squad depth now with all the injuries the compete..

I know, the point is that the squad depth at centre half is really good when everyone is fit and no club in the world could have their 4 first choice central defenders out and still be fielding a title challenging defence. I guess for me it's just a way of saying I hope the club/manager/etc aren't criticised for not being prepared for this.

[wolfman999]

All depends if we can get a team out by 15.00 on Saturday afternoon! How many black cats have we run over ffs!

[Clampy]

Lenglet and Torrres don't have a right foot between them. This season is becoming a bad joke with injuries. We just don't have the squad depth to cope.

We do have squad depth, certainly as far ask CB’s are concerned, Konsa, Carlos, Mings, Torres and Lenglet. That’s more than enough and what’s come about due to an horrific luck with injuries can not be covered by squad depth.

and you'd normally have Kamara available as emergency cover as well.

I meant we don't have the squad depth now with all the injuries the compete..

I know, the point is that the squad depth at centre half is really good when everyone is fit and no club in the world could have their 4 first choice central defenders out and still be fielding a title challenging defence. I guess for me it's just a way of saying I hope the club/manager/etc aren't criticised for not being prepared for this.

But they will be.

[algy]

Glad your looking forward to Saturday, from this Fulham fan hoping that the villa team play like they did  in the your last 3 home games not like how they played at Sheffield United, it’s been a funny season for us, not replacing Mitrovic properly nearly losing Palhinha, three forwards that would struggle in the championship, first 12 games quite toothless, then 16 goals in 4 games, league cup semi for the first time ever, no fear of relegation because the 3 promoted teams have been toilet, hopefully you can maintain your position around champion league places, playing reasonably well at the moment, would have probably won at Burnley but for a brain fart by Leno, Bassey and Iwobi back from AFCON so up to nearly full strength

Lovely to hear from you again, Franky

[Holy Trinity]

I cant shake this feeling that our season has died with the injuries this week.
Such a shame after such a strong start but with FFP protecting the cartels and not allowing the johnny come lately's to gate crash I just hope we don't end up 7th or worse.

[tomd2103]

It’s an opportunity for Chambers, who I don’t think is too bad at centre back, to prove a point. It’s bloody good that those Championship deals couldn’t be agreed.

Yep, I'd play Chambers before rushing Torres back.  Far from ideal, but it's what we have got. 

[ChicagoLion]

Lenglet and Torrres don't have a right foot between them. This season is becoming a bad joke with injuries. We just don't have the squad depth to cope.

We do have squad depth, certainly as far ask CB’s are concerned, Konsa, Carlos, Mings, Torres and Lenglet. That’s more than enough and what’s come about due to an horrific luck with injuries can not be covered by squad depth.

and you'd normally have Kamara available as emergency cover as well.

I meant we don't have the squad depth now with all the injuries the compete..

I know, the point is that the squad depth at centre half is really good when everyone is fit and no club in the world could have their 4 first choice central defenders out and still be fielding a title challenging defence. I guess for me it's just a way of saying I hope the club/manager/etc aren't criticised for not being prepared for this.

But they will be.

Only idiots.

[ADVILLAFAN]

Can't say I'm overly confident. Think our last loss in London was Fulham away.

Imagine Douglas will have to play in DM, where he's nowhere near as effective. Pau will presumably start, alongside Lenglet.

At least Ramsey looked much more like himself last match and I think Diaby has looked improved over the last few matches.

[Ads]

Can't say I'm overly confident. Think our last loss in London was Fulham away.

Imagine Douglas will have to play in DM, where he's nowhere near as effective. Pau will presumably start, alongside Lenglet.

At least Ramsey looked much more like himself last match and I think Diaby has looked improved over the last few matches.

So we'll still be fielding a side that is significantly better than Fulham all over the park.

[brontebilly]

In the reverse fixture I thought McGinn had his best game for the club. Paulinha, who is a very good midfielder, was being strongly linked to Bayern Munich at the time but SJM destroyed him. We move McGinn back next to Luiz and we lose his ability to drop into the play behind Paulinha. Think we should be giving Tim his chance but I expect Emery to go with Luiz/McGinn and Tielemans will get back in.

Any kind of a win would be amazing in the circumstances. To be honest I think I'd prefer Chambers at RCB rather than Lenglet or Torres moving over. Fulham have struggled for goals since Mitrovic left but I can't see us keeping a clean sheet in the circumstances. 2-3 win, Ramsey motm and Watkins back among the goals.

---------Martinez
Cash, Chambers, Torres/Lenglet, Moreno
------Luiz, McGinn
Bailey, Tielemans, Ramsey
-----Watkins

[dorsetvillian]

With the players out, our dodgy defensive lineup and poor record at Fulham I would be happy with a draw.

[Lsvilla]

If it helps, I'm going. 8th away of the season. So far draws at Wolves, Everton Chelsea (cup) and a win at Middlesbrough. Losses at Newcastle, Forest and Warsaw. Was predicting a 3-2 win before the news about Diego. Not optimistic now.

[Clampy]

Last time I went there, we found the 'Bottom Bench' in Hammersmith and had a beer or three at a pub just off Hammersmith Bridge, just over the road from Ian Dury's old flat. I can remember all that but not the score.

[eamonn]

The shit that went on in Ian Dury's flat...read (actually, listen to - the audiobook is fantastic) his son Baxter's memoir, Chaise Longue for vivid accounts of depravity.