Normal post International service? Fulham preview.

Celebrate?
By Boris Mellor
March 3 2006

Throw the past out of the window – forget the form book – what can be said in this preview? One: we are hopeless away this season. Two: even more hopeless after International week – ask Arsene. Three: we play Real on Wednesday.

Arsene has stressed that the team must focus on the Premiership – footballers are contrary creatures, they hear but don’t listen. So that means by half-time they will all be easing up for the big game.

 

In terms of travel sickness it’s not so bad, or far. We lost at Chavski, but drew at Spurs and West Ham, and actually won at Charlton.

It’s the hope I can’t stand as one Sunderland supporter famously said. How many times have we hoped for a decent away result this season? True we have been unlucky, but also the performances at times have been poor. However you need a resolute defence to win away, as well as score goals.

 

We have failed in both departments. Injuries have played their role, and thanks to Spurs we remain without Cole. Though to be fair we must thank them for having evened it out by crippling Wayne Bridge.

 

Good news is that Freddy and Dennis are back. However team selection is not easy – who is available after International duty, who should be rested? We don’t want to risk key players before the Real game. Freddy was excellent at the Bernabeu – should he be kept on the subs bench. Might be a good time to give Walcott his debut, Fulham play an open game – we will need goals. The usual away 0 or 1 will not do.

 

So it’s mainly questions – I haven’t the answers. I hope Arsene does.