Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Fulham vs Wolves Crossover Preview
22 Plays1 month ago
Chris heads into the away dugout to discuss the upcoming game with GSPN Fulham.
Keep in touch with us at:
Tiktok @gspnwolves
Twitter @gspnwolves
Sponsors and Advertising
Zencastr
Built for quality - Designed for growth
A new era for creation is here.
The only complete audio + video platform to get best-in-class recording, intuitive editing, AI-powered growth features, and top-tier distribution tools — all in one place.
Get started for free!
We highly recommend it!
https://zencastr.com/?via=ken
Global Sports Podcast Network - Creating the world’s first network of 30-minute daily podcasts for the world’s biggest sporting export, the English Premier League.
For advertising and sponsorship details or to learn more about the scale and demographics of our audience – email Ken Davies, VP Business & Development at:
www.globalsportspodcastnetwork.com
Copyright | 2024 | Global Sports Podcast Network | All Rights Reserved
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Preview of Fulham vs Wolves
00:00:06
Speaker
sports podcast network Welcome back everybody to the Daily Fulham Podcast, this is your home of all things Fulham and today we are continuing our build up to the weekend's game as Fulham play host to
Crossover Episode with Chris from Daily Wolves
00:00:19
Speaker
Wolves. With that being said this is our crossover episode so allow me to introduce, give a warm welcome from the Daily Wolves team, we have Chris. How are you doing Chris?
00:00:28
Speaker
Hello there. Thanks for having me. Yeah, I'm doing good. I'm ah anxious for the weekend, like everyone, I'm sure. But yeah, I'm doing good. Thanks. I'm surviving the snow. We've had snow the last couple of days. I'm i'm i'm cold. Yes, it's ah feeling very wintry all of a sudden at the minute with the very cold temperatures we are getting.
Impact of International Break on Wolves' Morale
00:00:45
Speaker
So we are just coming off the bat. Well, it's coming to an end now, isn't it, the international break. And I don't know how you feel about it. It seemed like it's been a bit stop start so far, isn't it, with three international breaks in the space of three months. And I don't know, are you happy to see the back of the international break or as a Wolves fan this season, do you look forward to the international break?
00:01:04
Speaker
There's been points when they've had they've helped us, I think, at times, but as a football fan in general, I think, yeah, there's too many and we've had this discussion on our own podcast. I think the next one's not till, is it March now or something? Thank heavens, it's a much further away. But yeah, ironically, this last one is the one that I think has come at the worst time for us, having gone on a little mini run of three games unbeaten and then finally getting a win and just as we got the first win of the season we've now like got we've gone into an international break when arguably that morale would have been at the best point to then come and play you guys so I'm sure we'll get further into that but it's a little bit sad for us that we had
Wolves' Recent Performances and Managerial Pressure
00:01:40
Speaker
a break. Yeah, I was saying this before. It never seems to come at the ideal time because if you've lost the game, you just want to get another game out of the way as soon as possible to get that winning feeling. And if you're like for them, where you've had back to back wins, you just want to carry on the momentum. It kind of kills it. The only ideal scenario for an international break to come is if
00:01:57
Speaker
if if you're riddled with loads of injuries and you've got the possibility of those players coming back. But so yeah, it's exciting for all football fans now. We can just look forward to the Premier League cutting and fresh to that. ah No international breaks now until March. Let's just focus on Wolves and then you managed to secure that elusive win in the last game against Southampton. How big was that? How much was the relief ah as the seasons go on and the results continue to not go your way? and you know, Ipswich subsequently managed to get a win on the board. So every Premier League team has now secured three points. How much of a relief was it to finally get that win against Southampton? Yeah, huge relief. It's ironic that, yeah, the teams around us obviously also getting points at the same time. But overall, huge relief. You can see it in the players. The squad really needed it. um The fans really needed it. But you can see the relief at the final whistle amongst the players. They've obviously been
00:02:50
Speaker
um under performing at times and then but also just some a mixture of bad luck or like sit one person making you know a huge error here and there and ah you can see though it's the the way we've fallen behind in games and then got deeper and deeper defending trying to hold on to leads when we've had them and you can just see it in the general play this plays got more anxious over the last few weeks as they've been desperate to get points so ah hopefully There is a sense of a little bit of relief and they can carry, like we said, carry some of that morale. It would have been nice to keep that going if we hadn't had the break. But I'm happy. though though There was a lot of pressure on the manager to get something from that, well, to win that game against Southampton. I think if we hadn't won that game event against Southampton, there would be
00:03:36
Speaker
There's already an uproar for people saying that they want Gary and Neil to move on as a percentage of the fans, not everyone, but some that want Gary Neil to move on and a replacement found. I think that win has obviously bought him time. Otherwise, this international break would have been a chance to make a change you know in that in that gap. But the winners on the back of two draws before that has probably bought him a few more weeks.
00:03:57
Speaker
So to just just on the manager situation, do you think if things didn't go to plan against Southampton, if it was maybe even a draw that he wouldn't be in charge for this this upcoming game? Yeah, I think potentially so. um I mean, well, it is debatable. Ironically, the club gave them an extension in the summer, having been one of the lowest paid managers last season after doing well with this last season. And obviously kind of protecting their asset, because at that point, a lot of other clubs were interested in a young, interesting English manager. but so And then it's not all gone to plan.
00:04:31
Speaker
And they there's a part of them obviously don't want to let him go. But yeah, I think especially if we had definitely if we'd lost that game, then yeah, I think he would have been gone. And what is the sort of consensus ah amongst the the general fan base today?
00:04:44
Speaker
And you're never going to get 100% either way, 100% back in Fort Garry or no, you'll always have those dissenting voices. So what's the atmosphere, I guess, been been at games? have Have they backed the manager all the way? Or they have people that are getting a bit tense and and there and the anxiety being there because of the lead position and potentially wanting to change?
00:05:03
Speaker
It's been like you say it's a percentage, but at points a large percentage and there has been considering I think for a long time. Walls fans in general are fairly supportive and loyal and and knowing that that we opened with a really strong like tough opening set of fixtures.
00:05:21
Speaker
There was a lot of leeway given you know that you look at. It was well spoken of in the press that we had the toughest open of anyone. you know We opened against Arsenal. We've played all of the top six, I think, in the first eight games. And so it's been an incredibly tough run in playing Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool. like You can reel them off. We've played all the the the top few teams. So there was a lot of leeway given. But then as it's gone on, and then we've played some teams and that we should have got more points from and haven't,
00:05:50
Speaker
There was a few boos at the crystal palace game due to some of the sub and more than when we lost the game away to Brentford there was boos from the away fans and when you get in boos from the away fans at wolves the away contingent are the, you know, arguably the most loud and loyal, you know, they're they're the ones paying them money to travel across the country and will give everything away from home. And when they're doing the subs away.
00:06:14
Speaker
at Brimford because of the situation there, you know that you've lost a percentage of them quite heavily. So yeah, that it's definitely been a kind of walking on eggshells since that makes sense. Yeah, I mean, you've had steady finishes the last couple of seasons of 13th and 14th. We remember prior to that, the sort of glory days, I guess, under Nuno, seventh place finishes, ah doing well in Europe. Were you anticipating a relegation scrap before a ball had been kicked this season?
Wolves' Squad Strength and Challenges
00:06:40
Speaker
No, not at all. And that's the ironic thing. We've been very optimistic in the summer. You know, after last season, we were for a period pushing towards the European spots, then decimated by injuries. And the last few games, you know, in that losing run, we basically were playing under 21s up front because we had no senior players. So it was kind of At that point, it was everyone was like, yeah, it's OK, because you know he couldn't help it. but so And then in the summer, yes, we lost a couple of big signings in the likes of Neto and Kilman. But there was still a sense that there was a lot of strength in the squad and some of the players that were brought in whilst not replacing necessarily those players, because there was a lot of fans saying that we did need another centre back, and we do, to make up for the loss of Kilman.
00:07:25
Speaker
But we brought in a lot of other wingers. We brought in another great midfielder in the likes of Andre for Brazilian midfielder International. like We've got, I've mentioned it a few times on our on our other episodes, but if you look at our squad overall, you know the the spine of the team, there's three Brazilian internationals, the likes of Cunha, Jagomes, we've got Andre.
00:07:44
Speaker
you You've got some experience in the back with the likes of Craig Dawson and we've got a Portuguese international in goal. The spine of the squad is really strong.
00:07:54
Speaker
and um Overall, actually, the the starting 11 is pretty solid. And there's some players there that were getting to a bunch of teams, couldn't particularly probably get into any team right now. And so the hopes in the summer, what we were going to push on top part, you know, at least not being in a battle for sure at the relegation end and hopefully be pushing to the top half of the table. And then it just all just got all to part, quite frankly.
00:08:18
Speaker
Yeah, there is one player that you mentioned that I just want to pick up on because he has been linked with Fulham. Fulham fans will know the name Andre because he's been linked with them seemingly for every single transfer window for the last three or four seasons. So it looked at some points that he was going to come to Fulham, but never came to pass. Maybe Marco Silva just didn't give that green light in the end. And he he ended up going to Wolves, didn't he? And I know we he started OK. I think his first game, I think he had some records that wasn't about completed passes. But I know he's been out of the team the last few games. what What's the story there then?
00:08:48
Speaker
So I think that there is the story that lies in with the confusion with the fans confusion with Gary O'Neill in trying to fit because ah yeah, he came in did amazingly, Andre I mean, and yeah, got some unprecedented record of like 40 odd passes on his debut with no like every complete wizard, every pass was completed.
00:09:09
Speaker
and it's been fantastic. And he won the Fans Player of the Month in his first month with Wolves. So you could everyone was seeing the quality, and then he's not been in the lineup. And yeah it would seem as if that Gary Anil doesn't quite know where to put him and how to make use of the player. He wants to play a certain way. ah so It feels like he's trying to fit the players into the formation he wants and not necessarily match the formation to the players that he's got. So it's like a square pegs in round holes sometimes because he really wants to play a certain way like he wants his four at the back and he wants to do certain things.
00:09:45
Speaker
but now he's got these a variety of amazing holding midfielders. You've got Mario Lomina, Joe Gomez, Andre, those three alone, and he's trying to play them all at once, and they don't necessarily work all at once because they've got a lot of similarities. So then trying to mix in Tommy Doyle into there, who we bought from Man City, and then deciding how many players he wants up front in the likes of whether we go, you know, three up front or like a four, two, three, one, or whatever it is, you know, it it I think he's just confused about where to fit Andre. he didn't necessarily I think the club bought him because at that point it was ah this is a great value and we can get him and we're in now becoming one of those selling clubs where we buy someone who's got this potential to be good for a couple of seasons and then make us a massive profit and that's the goal at Wolves I think at the moment.
00:10:31
Speaker
But he is i think the manager is struggling to know how to fit all of the cogs. And it's like just play the players in the places they're good that will make us happy but he's not necessarily doing that and i was a bit of a ramble and i hope that kind of yeah make some kind of formation of sense.
00:10:51
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. ah The other thing I wanted to touch on which you said in passing there was about Wolves' run of fixtures. They did have a difficult start to the season. They were playing a lot of the big boys, a lot of the teams that finished high up in the league last season and then are continuing to do well at the start of this season.
00:11:07
Speaker
Now i can see looking at your pictures we can the game courses are gonna be a tough game going to kraven college is full of confidence but not for that you got like some form of everything west ham it's which unless that you feel like this could potentially be even though it's november december be a season defining month.
00:11:25
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, again, we've we've spoken about it a lot on Daily Wolves that this month, this period, November to December, this is now our season very much in terms of what's happened with the first half with being before that win, you know, we were what, four, four, five, I think four, five points adrift at the bottom of the table. And that win has now put us within one point adrift. But so this make or break period, you know, you like you say, we're playing the likes of Ipswich, Bournemouth, yourselves and, you know,
00:11:54
Speaker
eton are in this period, which again is huge. So this is the section of our season now after this horrendous start where we have to, we have to get the points. We have to climb the table. This is a make or break. And it's make or break for the team. It's make or break for Gary O'Neill. It's like, this is it. this is This period will probably decide a big part of what goes on in January.
00:12:15
Speaker
Yeah, I 100% agree. And i can think I think the saving and grace for those teams that have struggled to win, they've only mount mustered one win is the fact that there's been other teams as well that have struggled to get wins. So you put Ipswich, Southampton, Crystal Palace, Wolves in the same ballpark. No one's detached at this stage of the season. and So one win, you're back out of it. So there's every chance they're looking at those fixtures up until Christmas that Wolves can get points. and get themselves out of it and maybe start looking higher up in the table and towards mid-table. It does represent an interesting in clash on the weekend. There are some old faces, previously at Wolves, that will be coming up against.
Raul Jimenez's Journey: From Wolves to Fulham
00:12:51
Speaker
Raoul Himmers, talk to me about Raoul Himmers. How do you remember his time at Wolves? Obviously, ah initially he came in and he was scoring a lot of goals, wasn't he? And they had that terrible, well-known head injury and then subsequently he wasn't firing after that.
00:13:06
Speaker
What are your memories from him at this time at Molyneux? Legend, he's he is you know he he's a huge part of that brilliant period that you spoke about when we got into 7th twice and and he was scoring some absolutely amazing goals for us and doing well in Europe. and At that point at his peak, i mean there were some big clubs you know again linked with him that he could have gone for a ridiculous amount of money at that time.
00:13:32
Speaker
then sadly, a horrific head injury. I mean, absolutely devastating. And to be honest, just to see him at one point, it was just a case of to even see him walking and then running. And even to playing again is just a miracle. No one thought he would get back to the level he's at. And there is a part of me that is very sad. he Well, not past me. I am very sad he left the way he did. It was kind of felt at the time that um You know, we were in difficult circumstances when Lopategi came in to kind of save us ah the season before last. And um he was he's like his he was kind of frozen out of the squad at that point. Yes, he was still recover you could argue he's still recovering. It was only a couple of years after that horrific end head injury and still recovering his his sense of being.
00:14:22
Speaker
and ah and knowing that it was his last contract and he was going to get the go that summer and knowing he was on the bench for the final home game in the season and he didn't get to come on and say farewell to the fans that it really felt like the, yeah, ah how do I put this? Yeah, Lopategi just did him a bit of a harsh one there and you could see his family, he and his family were in tears that day because he, Wolverhampton was but a big part of his experience in England at that point and he and the fans loved him and he didn't get you know He didn't get his swan song that that a lot of people wanted him to have. And so i'm i'm I am so happy to see him doing well now, to see him being re like reborn into something of his former self, because that was and unlike we we just never thought that would happen. And we didn't see that. It didn't look like his om old self for a long time at Wolves, which is why he eventually got moved on. um But I am also absolutely petrified, therefore, that he's going to score against us. Yeah, I i was thinking, how do you think Wolves fans would react to Aral Jimenez winning goal set up by Adama Traore? Oh, yeah. Yeah, it's that is my that thing that's given me nightmares, to be honest, and it's it's going to happen because that's what happens to Wolves. Like, that's just that's just written in the stars. I'm sure it is. But ah yeah, yeah, i'm I love him. I want him to do well, just not against us, please.
00:15:41
Speaker
Yeah, before we come on to more of a chat around Fulham, I just want to echo what you said about Raoul Jimenez about his career being revitalised. I think there were stages during his spell at Fulham, even though he's been here for just over a season, that he looked like people were writing him off. Moniz came into the team second half of last season and and was scoring every week. And then Jimenez didn't start the campaign because Moniz was the guy in possession of that position. but He was struggling to to find the back of the net and Jimenez got his chance with scoring on a regular basis. And even when he hasn't been scoring goals, he's been contributing to the team. So um yeah, at 33 years old, he's still banging in the goals for Mexico as well. He scored the way on international duty. So ah hopefully for Fulham fans, that can continue going forward for the rest of the season.
Sponsorship Highlight: Zencastr
00:16:25
Speaker
Before we come on to more chat around Fulham, let me just tell you all about our sponsors here at GSPN and that is Zencaster.
00:16:34
Speaker
Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform. Zencaster came out the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically removes all those ums and ahs, it's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently. If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description to learn more about Zencaster.
Fulham's Strong Season Start
00:16:59
Speaker
So i was yeah sorry on on a lighter note, sorry, I met him and there's a few times during his spell in Wolverhampton. He's a lovely, lovely guy. Yeah, so I do wish him all the best. He's great. That's that's that's great to hear. ah So Chris, are you looking forward to this fixture? Are you slightly nervous, concerned, given the way Fulham have been performing?
00:17:19
Speaker
It's a mixture. I am. I am ah i ah looking forward to is probably the wrong probably the wrong phrase. I am quietly hopeful that given as I said this kind of hopefully putting a like what's the word i phrase I'm looking for but we've like so maybe stem the tide slightly having two good well say it went to say two good draws but one good draw like the D2-2 away to Brighton was a good result coming from 2-0 down as well and then the draw against Palace and then a win against Southampton I'm I'm hoping that that is giving a glimmer of hope to maybe you know getting something I'd be happy if we get a point away from from Fulham because I feel like that you like you mentioned you guys have been on form you're having a good start to the season
00:18:05
Speaker
I think so a point for us would be would be massive at this stage of the season going into some of these bigger games we spoke about from our point of view in terms of like Eberton and Ipswich and everyone so I am quietly hopeful and yet at the same time I am dreading it and anxious and like yeah it's just just worried just worried it's all gonna go wrong. Yeah well from a full perspective it's exciting times back to back wins back to back London Derby wins 7th in the table and if you if you look at the table there's only I think four points between third place and is it 13th or 14th my United down in 14th so it's really congested which you don't often see at this stage it's easy normally certain teams are separated but it's only been Liverpool and Manchester City have separated themselves from the rest so everything's going to plan at the minute and I i saw a start earlier that was um I don't know how much attention you pay to XG at four XG against but it gives you an idea of of how sort of games pan out and
00:19:02
Speaker
Fulham after the opening loss on the Thursday of the season against Manchester United, they've actually won XG in every single game. um So that'd be a word word of warning to you Wolves fans that are that and that's against good teams and then as well Man City at the yet you had for instance they played Aston Villa in there as well. So Fulham despite being seventh sitting pretty in the league I think a lot of fans will be actually feeling do you know what they've chucked away a lot of points because I think they've dropped 10 points from winning positions and a couple of those games but in particular. The Everton game at Gooderson was a 95th minute equaliser. West End game at home where they battled them was a 95th minute equaliser. So it's going really good as well as any fan could have hoped for, especially maybe with the loss of Pelina in the summer, which is often talked about and you know how they were able to replace that. But I think it's it's been a dream start really.
00:19:54
Speaker
yeah yeah you Yeah, as I say, i'm I'm a little bit scared because you did it that you have looked solid, so I am anxious. I am i am anxious, but you know i' go I'm going to stay quietly positive at the same time. It's um it's a weird it's a weird concoction being a wolves fan. It's always tent tense. What do you think the wolves approach will be going into this game?
Wolves' Defensive Strategies and Challenges
00:20:15
Speaker
um To be honest, I think, well, for the first part of the season, Gary Neal tried to play this four at the back that he did all preseason. He's very much wanted to do that. However, some of the recent points have been gained with a shift to five at the back like we did last season when it wasn't quite working.
00:20:32
Speaker
And I think, a bit away from home, that's probably the safest way to go. um Because we look a lot more solid with the three centre backs, and then Sommato and Etonori at wing back. It allows Etonori to roam, because he's so gay dangerous at that that with when he's got the security of another defender behind him.
00:20:50
Speaker
however However, a big part of that, and you may have been coming on to it, is going to come down to the health of our center backs because we're carrying a few knocks there, which is actually the only silver lining of this break. But so because we lost a couple of defenders, mascara got an ACL injury in the like third or fourth game of the season. So we've only got a few healthy senior center backs.
00:21:10
Speaker
And so if we play the back three, it's actually then a young twin under 21 on the bench because that's all we've got. But one of our senior Santiago Bueno pulled out of the Uruguayan squad during the international break due to injury and is a doubt for the weekend. So our but ah formation will depend on injuries. It will depend on how many senior center backs are fit. we are that We are that short at the back.
00:21:33
Speaker
so um Yeah, and I actually think Craig Dawson, he does add a lot towards him. I mean, you you watch him far more regularly than I do. But I always kind of felt he's sort of an underrated, underappreciated centre-half. And ah he's got that experience, know-how of the division. he' He's been in relegation scraps as well. I mean, in his time he probably would have been at West Ham as well. So I think he's probably a key figure. And they do. Is is Lamina, he's he's the captain, isn't he?
00:21:59
Speaker
Lamina's captain, we call Dawson, Balan Dawson, because he is amazing. And I mean, when we've played the likes of Man City the last couple of seasons, the way we play against them with that five, he is usually assigned to Harlan, has marked Harlan out the game basically every time we've played him, because Harlan is that big kind of old school in a way player that just likes to uses strength and Dawson just likes that battle and likes to be in his face and just completely marks him out of the game. He's hardly had a sniff each time. so and Because when he's got the back three, dawson Dawson hasn't got the legs. He's never had much pace anyway, but now he's in his 30s and he's lost some the swim of the speed that he did have.
00:22:35
Speaker
Having at the back three means he can be in the centre and use his experience to like shepherd everyone around and make us just that bit more secure. But if we end up in a back four, then he hasn't got the pace and then we're going to be more susceptible. It's going to be a little bit more risky. Yeah. So having looked at Walsh's defence there, I mean, the statistics don't lie. They do say that you have conceded 27 goals in games, which is the most of any size in the Premier League. What do you what you tend to put that down to?
00:23:03
Speaker
Set pieces, set pieces, set pieces. um If you win again, if you get a set piece against us, whether it be at a corner, an indirect free kick, whatever, the second, whether it's the first phase or the second phase of a set piece, that is literally where nearly all of those goals have come from. We are actually really solid defending from open play. And if you look back through the matches, even against the likes of Man City and Newcastle and everyone,
00:23:25
Speaker
They have hardly had any chances from inside the box. They've been shooting from distance and had very little sniff of goal from open play. We're actually really solid as a formation when the ball is in play. But once someone gets a set piece and that ball gets whipped into the box.
00:23:40
Speaker
We are just, it's schoolboy defending. Everything is going wrong. And the ironic thing is they hired a set-piece coach in the summer for the first time ever at Wolves. And he's been sacked within the first six games or so because it was just all going wrong. And if you look at the game against Chelsea where we conceded six, three of those goals are identical. Identical. They look like a replay of the same goal because there is no one on the far post and and and it's just like,
00:24:04
Speaker
it's like It's every time. there is no one ever markings like There's always a free man, and it's usually an opponent's centre-back. Most of the goals against us have come from opposing team centre-backs who are just not being marked at set pieces and being left to just ho in head in freely. And as a Wolves, that is what's driving Wolves fans crazy right now, because as you've seen, we're actually scoring plenty. We've scored 16 or 18 goals or something, and we look dangerous going forward. We've got some great attackers. And from Open Play, as I say, we're solid.
00:24:33
Speaker
get a set piece and you've won you've won the game. Well it's funny you say that actually because I believe Fulham are the only team in the Premier League that haven't scored from a free kick or a corner this season. so It's going to change. It might be what was his lucky day on Saturday. I think there's this statistic that comes out every week that Andreas Pereira has created more chances than any other player. 99% of them are free kicks or corners that people just head over the bar and I think they've had over 100 corners without without a lead into a goal so maybe the luck might change against Wolves or what are you saying? I hate to say it but it will change it will change because we are unless something magical has happened during this international break we cannot defend them to the point I've been saying let's just go 80s early 90s put one on each post put a defender on each post do old school I don't care just put them on the line put everyone on the line until the ball is clear
00:25:19
Speaker
Absolutely. Before we look at some key personnel and give our score predictions, let me tell you all about GSPN. The Global Sports Podcast Network is changing the face of football podcasts with dedicated daily content for every Premier League team, women's football, fantasy football and the daily wrap-up broadcast in five different languages. It's your one-stop shop for your daily football fix. Find GSPN wherever you find your usual podcasts.
00:25:44
Speaker
So what are the major personnel changes, maybe? Has everyone come back um fit from international duty? um I mean, i it's mainly both focused. I can't talk properly today. It's mainly focused, as I say, around their centre backs because Bueno's got a knock. Dawson's been carrying a knock through the last two games. And if we had more centre backs, apparently wouldn't have been playing. He's been carrying a nursing, ah a hamstring or something through those last two games. So It's really down to those centre back formations up front and midfield looks pretty solid and we have depth there, so that's not really a concern. So I reckon if there's enough fit people, you'll see either a 5-3-3 or like five and then two holding midfielders and then the three up front. But as long as Kunya's playing, as long as Strandlarson's playing, there's there' goals. we're We're capable of scoring. It's really just whether we can keep back, we can score more than we can seed.
00:26:42
Speaker
ah Is Wang Yichang still out injured then because I know he yeah he had a good season last season and he had him a dozen goals, hasn't sort of hit the heights but I was just wondering, do you know about his fitness? He's returned to, I believe he's returned to training now. Yeah, he got, he got picked up a knock. He's been out for a few weeks. He's back training now. So he is a possibility for the weekend, maybe to be back on the bench, but I'd very much doubt he'll start even if he's back. And yeah, he, last season at one point he was absolutely flying and he is a fox in the box very much. If he, I think he's one of our best finishes and if he gets the ball in the box, he's capable of putting it away.
00:27:17
Speaker
the thing The weird thing was he was in double digits, went away to the um you know the ah Asian couple or something last season. Never came back from it the same, got injured during it, but also just there was a lot of rumors about how the the South Korean squad did that time and I think it was Klinsman, was it? And there was a lot of disgruntled stuff about their fitness and he came back, didn't look the same player. Then he's picked up injuries and he's never quite been the same since he was on that goal scoring streak. And a lot of people were actually happy to have him out of the squad for a bit because a lot of people were booing as well when Gary Nill kept putting him on and he was not doing anything because he's been played despite not performing and so um I hate to say it but it's been a little bit nice to have some variety in the squad while he's been out but I secretly love I love him I think you know what you're gonna get he's every manager's favorite he's every manager's favorite he's always played under every manager that comes in and like he's
00:28:09
Speaker
He's a workhorse because I think they know what the hill they'll get even if he's not I must do it in training because he doesn't always do it on the pitch, but they like him Yeah, well, coming on to the Fulham team, use it's a bit more simpler for Marco Silva. I said this in the preview show, that he's a manager that's reluctant to change his side when it's winning, when it's enjoying good times. And Sasa Lukic was actually one of their best players. he got He got injured on the last international breakup. But to that point, he was arguably Fulham's best player as that sort of replacement for Gio Polina, who goes about his business quite quite understate understated and
00:28:43
Speaker
ah lets the more talented players, more creative player players, allows them to do do they do what they do best. He does the sort of dirty work that often gets a notice maybe by just casual casual observers. um So it looks like he could potentially be back for this weekend's game, but having said that,
00:29:00
Speaker
he is reluctant to make changes to winning team in sanderberg who's coming he had a shaky game against austin villa and i think there was a lock lock concern. I'm from full on funds after that game he's been absolutely solid absolutely must ever since just improving his levels of performances ever since so.
00:29:15
Speaker
and And you've seen Harry Wilson, Harry Wilson in the last couple of games has come on around the eighth minute and he's bagged three goals. I think he, the stats will tell you that he has the best goals per minute ratio in the Premier League this season. He's scoring a goal every 24 minutes. So I think for wall signs, you don't, you don't, he stays on the bench because he might score one instead of electric, but he scored again in his week for Wales. So he's absolutely flying. So it's ah It's a great problem to have for Marco Silva at the minute because you almost want to have 15, 16 guys that could easily to be starting, but he can obviously only start
Key Players and Game Predictions for Fulham vs Wolves
00:29:49
Speaker
11. So it's great options to have players like Austin, like Athamatroyo, who you'll know well, you know what Athamatroyo can do with 20 minutes to go and he he's up against tired fullbacks. It's not what they want to see, is it, in warming up with his baby oil?
00:30:03
Speaker
on the on on on the sidelines, is it? but so No, no. Is he, um he and him and us both fit for this game, right? Yeah, they're both fit, but Adamatroy's have been restricted to substitute appearances the last couple of games. Rhys Nelson, who's on loan from Arsenal, he's come into the fold, he's taken Adamatroy's place. So I would imagine that he would stick with that Adamatroy will probably come on the last 15, 20 minutes, depending on how the game is going.
00:30:27
Speaker
ah Let's look at the game now. Who do you think they're the key personnel in Wolves' fortunes for this game if they are to get a positive result? Konya, it's ah it's its and you know it's not a secret that if anything happens to Konya this season, Wolves are in even more trouble because he is like the linchpin right now. Strandlas in his scoring. um I love him. We signed him in the summer. He's a great striker, a place for Norway.
00:30:53
Speaker
um the next most famous Norwegian stroker and and he and he looks you know he he looks really sharp and dangerous as well but couldn't you playing in that number 10 off him being able to roam from deep and you know run at people know now that he's got a proper number 9 in front of him because last season he didn't really have a proper number 9 ahead of him.
00:31:12
Speaker
and he was doing that number nine role and he's not in um he's not in a number nine, but having Kunya now to roam as a number 10 and just run at people and cause danger. I mean, if and I don't know if you saw his goal against Southampton, you know, he's a beautiful girl from range. he's got He's got so much in his locker and he's he's not always as good.
00:31:32
Speaker
like a lot of great attacking players, not necessarily great off the ball. You know, he can ah not necessarily track back and and give everything, but you almost don't want him to because he's so so dangerous going forward. it So yeah, if if he's having a day, it can be a great day.
00:31:48
Speaker
Yeah I do like Kunya and I think what's impressive is he had a good season didn't he last season there a dozen times as well and the fact that he's backed that up he's gone on to score I think he's scored a handful of five goals so far in a team that's struggling towards the bottom end of the table so it's shown that he can cut it at this level in the Premier League not just do it over the course of one season. If we're looking at Fulham I thought the three behind the striker in the last game were absolutely electric, so that's Nelson, Smithrow. Well, Smithrow doesn't necessarily always play behind the striker, because he plays Andreas Pereira and Smithrow in almost dual eight positions. and But Smithrow had his best game in the following shirt in that game, got on the score sheet, had another one ruled out.
00:32:28
Speaker
marginal offside and Alex Owobi for me is so is probably Fulham's play of the season. he would be much if If I was voting on Fulham's play of the season it would be Alex Owobi. He can play left, he can play right, he can play through the middle. He's such a great tool to have that versatility for a manager, he's a manager's dream and he's been he's been absolutely superb so far. So ah those are the key personnel and defense defensively, they've been good as well. They probably not not kept the clean sheets they would like they kept the clean sheet in the last game. But again, xg, you look at xg against their right up there as well, probably I think maybe behind Liverpool for teams that ah restrict the opposition to sort of clear cut chances. So with that being said, what is ah what is your score prediction for this encounter?
00:33:13
Speaker
Oh, this is a tough one. But to be honest, I will pretty much snatch your hand off for something like a 1-1 or a 2-2 draw. I think there's goals in it. Like said you said, if you, again, I don't like that kind of stat always either because I think it sometimes is not always that clear. But in terms of your extra G and your chances, as you said, I think there's goals in the game.
00:33:36
Speaker
We if you get set pieces, you know, I think you will maybe get your first set piece goal. We are that bad from set pieces. So that's where there's going to be goals from in in terms of conceding for us. So I will. But we are like I said, we are all just as capable of scoring. And anyone who's actually watched a bunch of, you know, a fair bit of us will see there is actually a lot of danger there going forward.
00:33:58
Speaker
so So if, ah yeah, I think I can see ah a goals draw one, one, two, two, either of those, I'll take it. I'll take the point so we can go away and play some of these teams around us and try and get a few more.
00:34:09
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, if you look back at the fixture last season, it was a highly entertaining game on it. I think it was a Monday night football five-goal thriller, which for them just managed to emerge victorious. I think it was a stoppage time penalty from Willian at the time. I think Wolves will score, but looking at the defensive record, I think they can be got at, and I think Fulham have the players and they're capable exploiting that if they can get smith rowe or woeby reese nelson running at that mo's defense and i think they'll cause him havoc and I think Fulham will emerge 3-1 victors for this game but I think they also must guard against complacency because
00:34:43
Speaker
ah there'd probably be some Fulham fans looking at their position in the league league and thinking, ooh, home game against Wolves, Wolves are struggling in the table, that's a game on paper, you've got a good chance of winning, then you start getting ahead of yourselves thinking, if this team loses, if this team draws, you might end the evening, then you might end the day fourth or fifth in the league table, so it's important for Marco Silva to guard against complacency, you know, I'm sure he will, he's been in this business long enough, he's managed in the Premier League for long enough, so um I'm sure he'll do that in full and play to the levels that we've seen recently then I think they will emerge victorious. Any final thoughts on on this fixture?
00:35:18
Speaker
um Just a bit like you said, I think you're more than capable of taking all three points, but yeah, I wouldn't be complacent. Wolves have some some some strong players. you know we We took Man City right to the wire again this season and they only won through a v a very well-discussed VAR decision. you know and and We've conceded a few VAR issues again this season, let us down, being the only team to vote against VAR in the summer as well. And it all seems to come back to bite us in the bum. So we we are more dangerous than our position, I think, you know shows. So yeah, don't don't underestimate us, even if you know I think it will be a tough day, whatever the result, I think it's going to be i think it's going to be another battle.
00:36:06
Speaker
Yeah, I definitely can see there being goals. I definitely can see it being an entertaining game. There we have it. That'll do it for today's crossover special. Thank you to Chris from the Daily Walls team for joining me today. We'll catch you all on the next one.
00:36:19
Speaker
by everyone every