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Daily Fulham- Palace ponderings & a crunch meeting at Molineux
56 Plays7 days ago
Gavin looks back on the action from Fulham's disappointing result against Crystal Palace before focus switches to the midweek game as the Cottagers go in search of an elusive win at Wolves.
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Transcript
Introduction to The Daily Fulham Podcast
00:00:01
Speaker
Every club. Every day. The Global Sports Podcast Network. work Welcome back to the Daily Fulham Podcast. Brought to you, of course, by the Global Sports Podcast Network.
00:00:14
Speaker
The only place to find daily coverage on all 20 Premier League sites. As well as a dedicated podcast specifically for women's football.
Episode Preview: Busy Schedule and Fulham's Recent Games
00:00:22
Speaker
My name is Gavin Ruffell and it's a bumper episode today.
00:00:26
Speaker
Due to the busy schedule, the quick turnaround in games, this episode will not only be a review but it'll also be a preview to Fulham's next game. The build up to Wolves, the midweek fixture which takes place tomorrow.
00:00:40
Speaker
But before looking ahead and talking a little bit about Wolves and what we're likely to see in that game, I have to look back. Unfortunately, I have to look back because it wasn't a great weekend for Fulham.
Dissecting Fulham's Loss to Crystal Palace
00:00:51
Speaker
So just allow me to recap the Crystal Palace game, the events of the afternoon, give my overriding feelings on the game itself and where it leaves Fulham. Let's not forget Fulham came into the Palace game with an air of confidence given the way they swatted aside Nottingham Forest.
00:01:09
Speaker
There was a feeling that they finally got their mojo back at Craven Cottage after some disappointing results, disappointing performances at home. that finally they were starting to get things back on track. He kept the same side trying to replicate last week's performance as best as they possibly could.
00:01:25
Speaker
Coming into the game, I did speak about the dangers of Crystal Palace and not not to dwell too much on the result they had last week against Everton because away from Salas, they've been a different kettle of fish.
00:01:36
Speaker
Coming into this one, their away form has been really good. I think it was unbeaten an eight or nine. They hadn't lost on the road since October and they kept clean sheets in each of the last four games. So it was certainly going to be a stern test for Fuller, much st sterner than the one against Forest.
00:01:50
Speaker
Crystal Palace, mostly the same side that lost the game against Everton. The one change we saw was Eze coming back into the XI. And we know he's someone who spent a little bit of time at Fulham in his younger days. So he'd be looking to make a mark in what's possibly been a below par season for him.
00:02:07
Speaker
Some similarities in the way Palace set up, the way they lined up, akin to what Nottingham Forest did last week with their five at the back. Although I'd say the one difference between those two sides is Nottingham Forest aren't a surefire back five, back three.
00:02:21
Speaker
We saw in the game against Newcastle they went back to back four. What you would say about Glasner and Crystal Palace This is the system. This is the way they play week in, week out. Win, lose or draw. They stick with that back five. That's the method he feels is best for his side.
00:02:35
Speaker
They're comfortable. They're familiar with that system. On to the game itself. And for the first 20 minutes, there wasn't much to talk about. Wasn't much to shout about for either side. There was one chance for Mateta where Fulham tried to play offside.
00:02:48
Speaker
But he holds his run. Fires a shot wide. And in the initial early stages, Palace were resolute. There was a good shape to them. Fulham were having a tough time trying to break them down. Troy, one of the players that excelled last week in the win against Forest, he wasn't having the same amount of joy this time. Palace were doing a better job than Nico Williams did last week, not allowing him the same time and the same space.
00:03:12
Speaker
The passing as well from Fulham was a bit loose at times, quite sloppy. They needed to just be a bit quicker in their play ah to go through Palace's press. And it was towards the second half of the first half,
00:03:23
Speaker
Palace was starting to get on top and Eze was having an influence.
Crystal Palace's Defensive Strategy and Impact
00:03:26
Speaker
There was a moment of trickery and a bit of skill where he was able to wriggle through ah ah sea of fallen bodies in front of him. And then there was another moment, almost comedic moment, when he stood shoulder to shoulder with Joachim Andersen. was like time stood still, wasn't it? And those two, course, familiar with each other due to Andersen's spell at Crystal Palace.
00:03:45
Speaker
You saw Anderson tap his wrist and say, come on, come on, mate. ah Let's move things along. Didn't amount to anything, but just an an interesting ah little moment there we saw in the first half. He was ah becoming more and more involved in the game. He's only scored two goals from 69 shots, so he does love a shot. He's not had the output he would have liked this season. He had a couple more in the first half from range.
00:04:07
Speaker
one from open play swirling in the air which Leno makes a bit of and and an unorthodox save but he does enough to divert to safety there's another one from where Leno saves comfortably from a free kick right of centre and then there's another shot as well where he's in a similar position to his first shot from the left of centre which he drags wide Fulham were starting to get frustrated, not only with the way the game was going, but also with the referee.
00:04:31
Speaker
They felt that Rob Jones wasn't giving them anything. There were a few fouls, or 50-50 decisions that were going in against them. There was certainly a foul in the first half on Emile Smith-Rowe, where he stayed down for a couple minutes, but the referee didn't give anything. Certainly foul by Chris Richards, and you could tell by the player's reaction that he knew it was a foul as well. And there was a couple other fifty fifty s one from Will Hughes, where Fulham didn't feel like they were quite getting the decision in their favour.
00:04:54
Speaker
Marco Silva was becoming incensed, the players were getting agitated and even the fans were making their feelings known about the decisions or or lack of them. And to make matters worse, Palace, they get their goal, they go in front and it it had been coming, to be fair, it comes from a corner.
00:05:09
Speaker
They were starting to pile up at this stage. Will Hughes whips an inswing into the six-yard box and it's nodded in. It looks like Lacroix heads it in. He wheels away celebrating, but after seeing the cn replay, it's clear that Joachim Andersson gets the final touch.
00:05:22
Speaker
So Joachim Andersson's own goal against his former club would have no doubt gone down a treat with the Palace faithful. Always disappointed to give away a goal direct from a corner.
00:05:33
Speaker
Fulham do have size and physicality, so you'd hope they'd be able to deal with it better. You've got credit the delivery. It's spot on. I do wonder if Leno maybe could come, maybe could punch it, collect it and just be a bit more assertive and dominant.
00:05:47
Speaker
Also, maybe the goal might come about because the Fulham players, their head's not quite in the game. They switched off, they're rattled by the lack of decisions going their way. But whether you feel you've had the decisions going your way or or not, you can't feel sorry for yourselves and you've still got to be professional and not let that affect you. And maybe it did have an effect and and they went one nil down.
00:06:07
Speaker
Going a goal down is obviously not the ideal scenario. not the plan, but Fulham have shown powers of recovery this season.
Fulham's Inability to Recover and Substitution Issues
00:06:14
Speaker
The ability to come from behind. they think they've won three games this season after conceding the first goal.
00:06:19
Speaker
But this was going to be a tall order against the Crystal Palace side that have been... Very solid defensively. At half-time, it was a big 15 minutes for Marco Silva to try and address the balance of the game and the way it was going because because they couldn't really get anything going at all.
00:06:36
Speaker
I was surprised he didn't make substitutions at half-time. Berger was on a yellow. made another foul on Hughes later on in the half so he was running the risk I thought he might make way it was an uncomfortable outing it for him and there was that danger the red card would obviously not only mean Fulham are down to 10 men but he'd miss upcoming games as well and the question is what reaction would we get from Fulham coming out in the second half well the answer to be perfectly honest was none at all There was one moment, I think they had, which was Jimenez almost gets him behind. There's a ball whipped around the corner from Alex Iwobi.
00:07:10
Speaker
And then he just takes too long. He dillies, he dallies, he's indecisive. Can he get a shot off? Can he square the ball to Adama Traore? In the end, he does neither and he gives Lacroix time to challenge him before he makes his mind that And from that point on, Palace just asserted control.
00:07:25
Speaker
And then if another goal was going to come in the game, it it just looked like it was going to be them. Very nearly got their second goal and it's Eze at the heart of it. Prior to the Smith row had been down receiving treatment, probably related to the challenge in the first half from Chris Richards. He had spent a couple of minutes on the floor then as well, so maybe we hadn't quite recovered from that.
00:07:45
Speaker
So he's off the pitch and then he comes back on and sits down in the middle of the park, Fulham already in a substitution. But at the same time, a Palace move is developing. Hughes plays a short pass into Eze.
00:07:55
Speaker
He backs the goal. He's got Bassey for company and then audaciously backheels it for one of Saro Mateta to run onto. It's Mateta who gets there first and he finishes emphatically. However, the goal is ruled out for offside. It's a lengthy stoppage to check it.
00:08:09
Speaker
Mateta is just marginally strayed offside. Fulham do eventually make their sub. Smith Rowe can't continue. He's forced off and Sanderberg comes off as well. Keirnia and Pereira on.
00:08:22
Speaker
to replace them. But still Palace continue to make the run in. Very nearly another goal direct from a corner almost identical from the one in the first half. It's a huge in swinging delivery again.
00:08:32
Speaker
This time Lacroix does get the header. Nods it down and Leno can't even say as much he saves it. just It just hits him. But it's a reprieve for Fulham. But it's not long after that Palace do get the second and it's well and truly game over. It's thoroughly deserved.
00:08:47
Speaker
Fulham have a free kick inside the Palace half. It amounts to nothing. Palace break at lightning speed and they've got an overload. Mateta skips past a couple of Fulham players. think it's Pereira and Kearney. Easy as you like.
00:08:59
Speaker
Plays it out wide to the right for the wing-back, Munoz. He sends Calvin Bassi for a hot dog and he has one thought in mind. That is, hit it hard, hit the target. He does just that and before he can react, Leno's picking the ball out of his net.
00:09:11
Speaker
To compound matters, to make matters even worse, Tom Kearney, who's come on as a substitute, he has to go off with an injury. The final whistle can't come quick enough. A poor outing for Fulham, poor afternoon.
00:09:23
Speaker
Crystal Palace worthy winners.
Inconsistency in Fulham's Performance
00:09:26
Speaker
And to be quite honest, it could have been more than the two that it was. Fulham were very comfortable winners earlier on in the season. 2-0 at Selhurst Park.
00:09:34
Speaker
bit of a different Crystal Palace back then. They were struggling at the time, low down in the table. Now it's a different kettle fish and away from home. It was the perfect away performance, wasn't it? Limiting Fulham's shots on goal. think the stats after the game...
00:09:47
Speaker
lead you to believe it was an even game. I think they registered the same amount shots. Fulham had more possession, which isn't unsurprising. And they were even on corners as well. But the fact that Fulham didn't register a single shot on target, Dean Henderson, it was a very quiet afternoon for He could have brought a book and Crystal Palace would have come away 2-0 victors in this game. And it's another speed bump, isn't it, along this road for Fulham, where they seem to take two steps forward and then one step back All the good work that was done against Nottingham Forest, what worked so well, well, it didn't work so well. And Crystal Palace, they just well and truly had their number. Whatever work, whatever tape that Glasner had watched coming into this match, in order for his Crystal Palace side to get the result, you've got to give them credit. They did their homework. They stuck to their game plan.
00:10:34
Speaker
And as I said, they were well worthy of those three points. Their fans are probably wondering... Why on earth they can perform so well away from home, not look under any pressure at all, but then at home at Selhurst Park, it's a different story and they can't seem to notch up wins.
00:10:49
Speaker
They lack that consistency as Fulham lack as well. And i'm sure I'm sure the managers feel in the same way why he can't seem to replicate those away performances and translate that into the form at Selhurst Park.
00:11:01
Speaker
But... They've got every chance of ending the season in similar fashion to the way they ended it last time around. They'll have their eyes set on finishing in the top half for a
Critique of Fulham's Missed Opportunities
00:11:09
Speaker
second season running. And who knows, they're still in the FA Cup, so they might even get their hands on Silva where they got that to look forward to as well.
00:11:16
Speaker
I was a little bit disappointed in Marco Silva, what he had to say after the game. He pinned a lot of blame on the referee. And i look, I think Rob Jones, he didn't have his best outing. He wasn't game that I think he can be pleased with his performance. I don't think he was strong enough in his decisions or lack of them in the first half there were certainly a couple of fouls couple of forceful challenges from crystal palace players in the first half that went unpunished certainly one from chris richards on smith row which which might have led to smith row's injury but i just think you've got to hold your hands up and say you were second best on the day
00:11:49
Speaker
It seems every time this season, Fulham are in a position where they can push on, push forward, go up in the table, threaten the teams above them, a result like this rears its ugly head and They just didn't f threaten at all and Crystal Palace had them at arm's length for the whole game.
00:12:06
Speaker
There wasn't even so much as a 5-10 minute spell in the game where Fulham had control. Midway through the first half, Crystal Palace seized control of it and they never let it slip from that moment on.
00:12:18
Speaker
It was a perfect away performance. The Nottingham Forest game was such an assured team performance and everyone pulled their weight. All 11 players that started that game and even the subs that came on made a real difference, had a real impact on the game. And I think in this game against Chris Lepaz, I don't think there's anyone that's come off that pitch thinking I've given my best and I've had a really good game.
00:12:37
Speaker
Leno had to make a couple of decent saves and credit to Adam Atruari. He didn't quite have that attacking output that he did against Forest. But he didn't stop trying, he didn't stop running, it just wasn't his day.
00:12:48
Speaker
But some of other performances left a lot to be desired, didn't they? It was as quiet a game as I can remember Anthony Robinson having. We know the partnership he's formed Alex Iwobi down the left and how dangerous that's been, how potent though those two have been in an attacking force for Fulham this season.
00:13:03
Speaker
Well, it just wasn't wasn't to be... Middle of the park, Crystal Palace, hands down, won that battle, didn't they? Will Hughes, a live wire in the centre of the park, and he got the better of Fulham's duo. Xander Berge was an uncomfortable first half, as I mentioned.
00:13:17
Speaker
Probably poorer game he's had since his one against Aston Villa. He's been a really steady member of that midfield duo alongside Sasa Lukic, but wasn't a good outing for him. But that's consistent with the whole team, and...
00:13:30
Speaker
It's just disappointing, isn't it? Fulham seem to be able to get so far to the point where they're on the verge of doing something and then it all comes crashing down. They can get two wins in a row, but they can't quite get three wins in a row, can they?
00:13:43
Speaker
But I think it's important to not be too reactionary. Everyone was talking these players up, hyping them up after the game against Forest. It's important not to go the other way now, as I have seen. you When you lose a game, it's the end of the world. I've seen the talk about Emile Smith-Rowe.
00:13:56
Speaker
What a waste of money. Just can't cut it. But then they were all being positive about him last week. So fickle nature of football fans, isn't it? You just hope going forward now that they are able to react in the best possible way.
00:14:08
Speaker
think it's a good thing that there is a game just around the corner so they can get that out of their system. Going to Wolves now. OK, it's the ground they've not enjoyed much success at.
Preview of Upcoming Match Against Wolves
00:14:16
Speaker
But if they can get three points there, then that'll erase the memory of Crystal Palace at home.
00:14:21
Speaker
So I think it's good to have a quick game just around the corner. of course, it's a busy week with that FA Cup game on Sunday, isn't it? And Marco Silva will be desperate that he has a fresh bill of health for the next few games.
00:14:35
Speaker
Concerning to see Kearney and Smithrow going off with knocks, with injuries, the severity of that, not quite sure at this moment of time. We'll soon find out. But the last thing he wants at this stage is to be adding to the players already on the treatment table.
00:14:50
Speaker
out with long term injuries. So as I said you don't meet Dwellin too much on a performance like that you don't want to be stewing on that for a number of days for a week so it's good that they have a quick turnaround and focus and attention now shifts to the game at Molyneux for the take on Wolves fresh off their win at Bournemouth.
00:15:08
Speaker
I'll be building up to that game in the next part I'll be turning my attention to Wolves but before then let me just tell you a little bit about our sponsors. Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform.
00:15:23
Speaker
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00:15:35
Speaker
If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description to learn more about Zencastr. Attention does indeed turn to walls now, and if you thought Fulham's home record against Crystal Palace was bad, having not beaten them at Craven Cottage since 2005, well, that pales into insignificance.
00:15:52
Speaker
When you compare it to their record at Molyneux, you have to go back to 1985. Yes, 40 years since their last victory at Molyneux. So it's not been a happy hunting ground, but neither was Stamford Bridge and they've proven this season that they can win at grounds where they haven't been used to winning.
00:16:10
Speaker
So before focusing on Wolves, let's reflect on the meeting earlier in the season and and that was another disappointing home outing for Fulham, just like the one on the weekend. a game against lower half opposition at the time Wolves might have even been in the re relegation places and a lot of pressure was building up on Gary O'Neill and I think this turned out to be his last win in charge of Wolves subsequently went on to lose the next few games before he was removed from his post and Vito Pereira was appointed as his replacement but A disastrous afternoon for Fulham as they succumbed to a 4-1 defeat.
00:16:44
Speaker
Alex Wobbe actually put them in front in that game. This was during a period where they were used to scoring the first goal and then letting Leeds slip. And this was no different. Alex Wobbe curled in a beauty. And you thought that was going to be a good afternoon for Fulham. But oh no, it wasn't. Wolves hit back and hit them for four. And I think the quality of their goals in that game, some of the finishes we saw in Wolves' goals, was not befitting the team lower down in the table. I think I said it afterwards. If if they showed that quality...
00:17:09
Speaker
in the games from that point in then they'd be absolutely fine and then they went on to lose their next few games and Gary O'Neill was was gone but that was an important win for Wolves on the weekend wasn't against the odds going to Bournemouth Bournemouth a form side in the division and even with a realistic chance of qualifying for the Champions League so I don't think many people would have seen a Wolves victory there certainly not keeping a clean sheet at the same time and of course They had a bit of luck in the process. Bournemouth go down to 10 men, so they benefit from having the extra player advantage, but you've got to be good enough to take advantage of that.
00:17:40
Speaker
And they were able to do that with a goal from Mateus Cunha.
Wolves' Recent Form and League Aspirations
00:17:44
Speaker
And under the tutelage of Vito Pereira, they have improved. They look better. There is a potency to them.
00:17:52
Speaker
I think if you look at the teams in the bottom half, they've scored the most goals in that relegation mix. Only Brentford and Spurs in the bottom half have scored more goals for them. And I was impressed that even before then in their recent out at Anfield against Liverpool where they lost 2-1. And I feel like if they showed a bit more belief in that game, there's every chance they could have come away with a result. And we know how good Liverpool have been. There's not many teams that go to Anfield and get a result. was There's not many teams that go up against Liverpool and get a result full stop. But the fact that they limited Liverpool to no shots on goal in the second half of that game just shows how well they performed.
00:18:25
Speaker
They've obviously taken that into the game against Bournemouth. And they'll be hoping to do the same against Fulham. I think it was a pivotal weekend for teams at the bottom. We saw Ipswich and Leicester both defeated heavily at home.
00:18:40
Speaker
And they've just built up a bit of a gap on those teams now, making it five points. And at this stage of the season, I think that's a massive ease. So it's five points, which might not seem a lot, but I think it is a lot, considering that Ipswich and Leicester...
00:18:53
Speaker
Struggled to win games and now they have to win back-to-back games in order to bridge that gap and I think that's going to be extremely difficult for those sides to do. You always look at the start the season, you always wonder what's the magic number. Managers always talk about 40 points. I think in recent times it's gone down.
00:19:09
Speaker
i think you look at 36 points now as being... being the benchmark to lead you to safety and to be honest I don't think it's even going to require that amount they're on 22 points now I think if you get to 30 points then that might well be enough have Ipswich and Leicester got three or four wins left in them for the remainder of the season you wouldn't say so would you I know at the end of the season sometimes form goes out the window crazy things can happen we've seen teams in the past look odds against and go on runs to save themselves miraculously but I just feel now that Wolves they do have the quality and they've looked decent in the games I've watched under Vito Pereira that they should stay clear of relegation now and I don't think Wolves fans will be happy with the season they've had that they want to be aiming for more than 17th they are an established Premier League club now and they've had
00:19:55
Speaker
a good time since coming back into league under Nuno initially qualifying for Europe back to back 7th place finishes and they're a long way from that but there is enough quality in that side that tells you that they should possibly be doing better I did feel at the start of the season they would be in the mix for relegation and I thought that maybe Ipswich could get themselves out of it I thought I was expecting more from Ipswich and maybe Wolves might be the ones to falter but Ipswich have struggled haven't they as the promoter teams have done in the last couple of seasons and will look like now that they are edging closer towards safety and that's largely in thanks to the form of Matthias Cuny and the goals he's provided for them and there was some chatter about him in January wasn't there think rumours were swirling around about moves to other Premier League teams I think there was talk about Nottingham Forest maybe looking at him for
00:20:46
Speaker
I think that's what it's going to require, isn't it, to take him from Molyneux.
Analysis of Fulham vs Wolves: Players and Strategies
00:20:51
Speaker
It's going to take a large sum of money and his goals this season and his all-round play. You mean think about the goals he's scored. He's not playing as a centre-forward, is he? So to score the goals he has done in a relegation side and going along with the goals he scored last season just tells you...
00:21:05
Speaker
how good a player he is I mentioned the goals there. They scored 36 goals, which is head and shoulders above some of the teams around them. and They do have players that can score, not just Kunja. Strand-Larsen, think his goals have dried up a little bit recently, but he had a a good first half of the season. think he's playing in a slightly different position, different role now. and Even someone like Wang Yi-Chan, whose numbers aren't as good as what they were last season, but they do have the players in their squad.
00:21:30
Speaker
that have an eye for goal which maybe the teams in and around them don't quite have so although they've been shipping goals they are able to eke out results here and there and that one against bournemouth was absolutely pivotal wolves will of course have designs on making it back-to-back wins they won this fixture against fulham last season so if they can get back-to-back wins then for me i can't see how they don't survive from that point on and They'll be hoping for a strong end to the season and maybe focus on the FA Cup as well if they can get a positive result here. Because let's not forget it's a busy week for them just as it is for Fulham. They have a game on Saturday funnily enough against Bournemouth. So they'll be looking to do something of a double against them.
00:22:13
Speaker
So there is just a little bit of insight into Wolves, into the season they've had. and what their prospects are for the rest of the season. In the final part, I will be turning my attention to this fixture, and giving my predictions for what might happen.
00:22:30
Speaker
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00:23:11
Speaker
Get what's right for you right now. I do expect to see changes for this game from a Fulham point of view, and that's irrespective of the result, irrespective of the performance against Crystal Palace. This is something I touched upon in the lead-up to the Crystal Palace game about it being a busy schedule.
00:23:28
Speaker
Three games in the space of eight days. Marco Silva will need to use his squad. Short turnaround between the Palace game and this one. So I do see him making some changes. And that's even if Fulham had won 5-0, I still would have expected him to field a different side.
00:23:44
Speaker
and It won't be wholesale changes. don't think he's going to make seven or eight changes, anything crazy like that. And he does tend to prioritise the league, even though at this stage you may say the Manchester United game in the f FA Cup is probably the bigger game, probably the more important fixture.
00:23:58
Speaker
He will prioritise the league, so he'll still put out a strong team. I was surprised in a way that Raul Jimenez lasted the 90 minutes. against Christopalis he opted to keep him on and play Moniz alongside him I would expect to see Moniz from the start the last time he started was in the cup game against Wigan where he looked sharp scored a couple of goals although Jimenez will be eager to start returning to Molyneux be eager to get a goal on his return there but I can see him opting for Munez and then maybe Jimenez might be brought back in for the Cup. Who knows? Munez has been the the starter in the Cup game. So it's just based on what we've seen this season when Fulham have had games in quick succession that Jimenez at his age now, 33 years of age, he has opted to rotate.
00:24:43
Speaker
And there's probably a couple of other players in that team that could do with a rest. Options limited a little bit due to some of the players out with injury. I'm sure he would love to have Harry Wilson, Reece Nelson and available, but he doesn't.
00:24:56
Speaker
Will we see a start for Willian? I'm not sure at the moment where he is in his fitness, whether Marco Silva thinks that starting Willian is a viable option. Maybe he's not quite at the re required fitness levels just yet to be playing the majority of the game. Maybe...
00:25:15
Speaker
Just keeping him to 20-30 minutes off the bench might just be how he sees things right now. But I would expect to see other changes. Smith Rowe coming off injured ah well with a knock. i'm Not quite sure of the severity right at this moment. Right at the moment of recording how that's looking. But given the fact that it's a game couple of days later I would be surprised to see Emile Smith Rowe start. So I think Andres Pereira will come in for this one.
00:25:42
Speaker
And Andres Pereira... Has looked decent when he's come off the bench in the last couple of games, particularly in the games against Newcastle and Forest. He has made an impact. His problem has been a little bit when he's when he started games. He hasn't quite had that same impact, but I can see him coming in for this one, and and it's what else he does with his team. Will he...
00:26:01
Speaker
Will he bring in Issa Diop? Another tough out on the weekend for Joachim Andersen with that own goal. So there's a potential to bring Issa Diop in for him. I don't think there'll be wholesale changes, but I would be absolutely surprised if he doesn't make at least a couple.
00:26:16
Speaker
The same questions can be asked for Vito Pereira because they have a busy schedule as well because they have FA Cup action. They're in action a day earlier than Fulham. They play again on Saturday.
00:26:27
Speaker
um So will he look to make changes for this one? I'm sure he'd ideally want to go in with the same 11 that were successful in the last outing against Bournemouth. From a Wolves perspective, what's been impressive with them recently, just watching is how defensively they've seemed a lot more solid than they have.
00:26:45
Speaker
For the majority of the season, got some injuries ah in defence and having to play square pegs and round holes at times. Matt Doherty's now operating in a position that's a little bit unfamiliar for him. We used to see him as playing at right back or right wing back. He's now had to drop into the back three there to cover for injuries.
00:27:02
Speaker
And defensively, they've shaped up a lot better recently, haven't they? Since the defeat to Chelsea on the 20th of January, in the last five games, they've only conceded three goals. One of those is a cup game.
00:27:15
Speaker
But the other four games they played against opposition, all in the top eight. Aston Villa, Arsenal, Liverpool and Bournemouth. They've only conceded three goals in that period of time. Last game at home, they were successful in a 2-0 win against Aston Villa.
00:27:30
Speaker
If this game was maybe a month ago, Fulham would start as strong favourites, I feel. But Wolves' form has picked up, even in the game they did lose against Liverpool. As I said, I felt they played really well on that day.
00:27:42
Speaker
The obvious danger is Matthias Cunha. He's in fine form. ah Fulham will be aware of his f threat because he caused them all sorts of problems. early on in the season scoring a couple of goals then didn't he? So they'll know all about him and then a lot of planning will go into how to stop him how to combat him but they have other good players as well and we may see Andre in midfield Andre in that 4-1 win he had a good game at Craven Cottage things had worked out differently he could be playing his football at Fulham he was linked with them for at least two or three transfer windows before making his move to Molineux. So what game are we expecting?
00:28:17
Speaker
I can actually see goals in this one, to be honest. I think Fulham are probably more comfortable playing on the road. i don't think there's any doubt about that. Their away form has generally been better than their home form.
00:28:28
Speaker
Just the one blot on a copy book in recent times, which was the defeat at West Ham. So away from home, they seem to have been a lot better. But then it's that Fulham problem again, isn't it Because they're playing against a team that's in the lower half of the table where they've really struggled.
00:28:42
Speaker
Both sides need the points for different reasons. Fulham, if they want to hang on to the coattails of the teams above them, and try and get into Europe. Wolves desperate for for three points again just to give them a bit more breathing space.
00:28:55
Speaker
Important win on the weekend if they can go back-to-back wins then as I touched on I think they'll go a long way to ensuring their survival. I see goals which way do I see it going? Do I see a winner here?
00:29:08
Speaker
I'm gonna say two two I think that's probably a better result for Wolves. Look, Wolves fans have come into this game thinking that they've got a genuine opportunity to make it back-to-back wins, but points are hard to come by for the teams below them, aren't they? So if they notch another point on the board here, I think that'll be a good ah good result for them.
00:29:26
Speaker
Fulham are less so. Fulham have got to be watchful of the teams behind them now as well. Brentford winning, Brighton winning, so to all of a sudden when they were looking up at The teams above them, they've got to be mindful of their West London neighbours now and they could end midweek in the bottom half.
Episode Conclusion and Looking Ahead to Wolves Recap
00:29:43
Speaker
So that just about wraps things up for today's episode. Hopefully the Wolves game will bring about a bit more cheer for Fulham fans than Saturday's showing against Crystal Palace. I will be back next time to go through all the key events and discuss all the major talking points from the fixture at Molyneux.
00:30:01
Speaker
So do join me for that. Catch you all soon. Every club. Every day. The Global Sports Podcast Network. work