Why not. If Hughes is serious about his statements this week that he's always seen Fulham as a top ten side, and that he knew the team would finish the season stronger, Saturday is the perfect opportunity to show our credentials. Coming off the back of that 3-0 demolition of Blackpool gives us licence to play with a little more freedom. Turn up terrified of the opposition at Old Trafford and you're beaten before a ball's been kicked.
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No Rooney of course. That has to be a fillip, although United are so blessed with riches it really shouldn't matter. Having said that, and mindful what he did to Blackburn before Christmas, I fancy our immaculate central pairing to keep Berbatov quiet - as they did last August at the Cottage. It's down the flanks where danger lurks, with the marauding forays of Evra, Nani, Giggs and co. And while we're on the subject of centre-backs, Hughes must send out his troops to really rattle Vidic's cage. Penalty conceded at West Ham last week, invariably in trouble with referees for obstruction, barging and holding - a revitalised BZ is the man here who holds the key to a mighty upset, and potential Fulham win.
Although our own offensive options will be compromised should Duff not recover from his achilles problem, the Whites - despite the dismal away phobia - have enough in them on current form to approach this game with a fair degree of confidence. Should Damien not make it, would Mark be bold enough to stick Kakuta in from the off? I'd love to see it, but it won't happen. Far more likely to see AJ restored up front, with Moussa pushed out wide.
Even Davies would get the nod over our loanee. Disappointing to see him thrown on Sunday when Blackpool looked a tad ragged but still trying to push up. I sensed Hughes did it just to retain possession more, but Kakuta might well have come into his own for 20 minutes and created further goals. We shall never know unless Mark is brave enough to give him a go. Aaron is ok after going off feeling groggy so the back four takes care of itself, but there's a conundrum to be confronted in midfield. Etuhu, after his rare goal, or a fit again Sidwell? Would you be tempted to try them in tandem and keep Danny on the bench? That won't happen either to our skipper, and the manager's on-field mouthpiece, but it's an intriguing option. Games are won and lost in midfield, and we'd certainly have a presence there with Steve and Dickson getting stuck in.
Ever the optimist, I'm going for a point. Four points from our next two games will effectively end our season, making the last 5 games less relevant. The time for some experimentation can come then. As the Fulham camp has said this week, we're only looking up, and now sit just three points off 7th. That Europa Cup slot could just be ours again. Bizarre to state that after such trauma in the first half of the season. Nearly every side has its little purple patch at some point - maybe it's our turn now as the summer beckons? Certainly our home record since January stands comparison with any of the top four.
The title for this entry is lifted from Michael Sheen's uncanny portrayal of Brian Clough, one of the finest films on football ever made, as far removed from 'Escape to Victory' as you could ever get. My strap line is still relevant for one of the most unloveable clubs in the land. Come the weekend we have the foul-mouthed potato head sitting it out, while the gaffer remains in the middle of his own touchline ban. Serial offenders both. Contrite? You're having a laugh. Both consider themselves above the law. Sadly, the craven incompetents who run football in the UK have long since abandoned their principles in how to govern the game.
Worthy of a longer, considered blog in due course, take time to examine the way the football scene is run in Germany - putting community identity, club ownership, talent nurturing, support for the international team, and the fans ahead of the commercial imperative. The EPL way is admired for its ability to generate cash. I do not diminish their marketing prowess. But the underlying principles are wrong, the business plan is deeply flawed and built on sand. UEFA's new rules for admission to European competitions based on club solvency and fiscal viability will find the big boys of the EPL out. The game is up my friends...
To wrap up the rant, this weekend sees the anniversary of the appalling Hillsborough disaster. Every journalist who witnessed the pandemonium of that crush or reported the story can never erase the memory of those scenes. That spectre is enough in the UK for our nanny-state government to deny any debate on the fans' widespread wishes to see a return to some form of standing at soccer grounds. The examples of safe and flexible standing areas in the Bundesliga count for nothing. The fact that for the majority of game time up and down the country in the Prem fans remain standing, with stewards and police powerless to prevent it.
I did journey to Hamburg last May. I envisaged a fine sweeping view of this modern stadium from my 'expensive' seat in the Fulham end, recalling the two European Cup finals I have been fortunate enough to enjoy. Liverpool's win in Rome in 1977 and Barcelona's first European Cup triumph at Wembley in 1992. Not so. Everyone around me decided to stand, forcing me to do the same. I can still hack it, my father before he died last year, could not. Even with his season ticket in the Johnny Haynes stand games were repeatedly ruined for him in his final years by idiots leaping to their feet every time the ball crossed halfway. Let's have seating areas at grounds, with provision for standing too. It's simple man management. Don't tell me it can't be done.
Remember where you were Oct. 25th 2003? I do! Man United 1 Fulham 3
COYW!!! Twitter@fulhamphil
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Posted by Vital_Teddy_KGB on 04/08/2011
1)So many teams make a good early showing against ManU, only to lose their nerve, put 10 behind the ball and invite United to attack. Inevitably, ManU pull out a win or draw at the death. Let's attack, attack, attack. If we lose - so what. Everyone expects to lose, anyway. Put Kakuta on for a full 90 and let's see what the lad can do. Dembele on the other wing. United are weakest at FB, so let's attack them. All that being said, I think we'll lose 2-0.
2)Love your comment about the Bundesliga. It is by far the healthiest of the major football leagues. Yes, like most other leagues, it's generally dominated by the traditional giants, but two seasons ago little ol' Wolfsburg won the title. Something like that would never happen in England.
3)I'm not bothered by no standing, but I also don't have a problem with limited, well-policed standing areas, either. But, make sure there is minimal standing in the seated sections. All it takes is one standing j@ck@ass to ruin it for everyone.
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Posted by 'Sota Dan on 04/08/2011
I agree with Vital, let's see Kakuta. Why not try making their older mids work to defend a bit. To that extent, I'd also prefer we start Sidwell as well. I'd sit Etuhu to start. I know, I know, he scored last week...
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Posted by Vital_Teddy_KGB on 04/09/2011
2-0 ManU win - as predicted. I'm not bothered by the loss. I'm bothered by the laughable, unorganized manner with which we went about our business, today. I watched pass after pass to nobody, or worse, to United. That's down to the players. My chief complaint is the setup and tactics. Hughes resorted to his early season "attack ineffectively up the middle & leave the back four exposed" approach. It reminded me of the home loss to Man City, except United were no where near as clinical in their finishing today as City were that night.
We played straight up the middle; no width at all. Etuhu & Murphy were practically holding hands all match and too far up the pitch. Salcido was also well up the pitch. The result was that Hangeland and Hughes (& Baird to some extent) were left isolated with far quicker players. I called for attack, but you can't leave your defense that exposed. Attacks should have come down the flanks, but that rarely happened.
Schwarzer had a poor match as well.
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Posted by 'Sota Dan on 04/10/2011
The salt in the wound? We're lookin' up at Woy and West Brom now.
The way this squad plays on the road we need to collect all three points with the remaining home games.
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