Football – England – Championship
Wednesday 1st October 2014 – Kickoff: 2000hrs
Fulham recorded their first league win of the season on Saturday when they beat fellow strugglers Birmingham City at St Andrews, despite going a goal down to the hosts.
The appointment of Kit Symons has had an immediate positive effect on the previously beleaguered club following the autocratic rule of former manager Felix Magath who had quashed his troops into submission, and despite losing his first match in charge to Blackburn Rovers, the fans liked what they saw – so much so in fact, Symons received a standing ovation at Craven Cottage!
With the wicked witch Magath now gone, Fulham have the rare chance of registering back-to-back wins tonight when they host Bolton Wanderers who have lost all four of their away matches to date.
The Cottagers with the forward triumvirate of McCormack, Luiz and Rodallega, arguably possess the best forward line in the Championship, and if they start clicking under Symons’ encouraging and nurturing approach, then we could see Fulham climbing the division at a fairly rapid pace.
Visitors Bolton Wanderers have struggled so far this term and find themselves in the relegation places after just nine matches of the season played. The Trotters have gained just one win so far and that was a 3-2 home win over new-boys Rotherham United who themselves have won just twice to date.
But it’s their away form that has caused manager Dougie Freedman to ‘play his joker’ early doors this campaign as he’s signed a number of new players recently in a bid to turn around his team’s fortunes.
In come veteran keeper Paddy Kenny, Crewe striker Max Clayton and Aston Villa’s perennial loanee Chris Herd who are charged with assisting Bolton out of their current predicament, particularly away from home where they hold a terrible 0-0-4 1/7 record going into tonight’s match.
There’s three points up for grabs in this one, and the team that wants it most will take them I believe – I also believe that team are more likely to be Fulham than Bolton but I do recommend exercising a bit of caution ie back the hosts giving the quarter ball, but Fulham might edge this 2-1.
Pick: Fulham AH-0.25 @ 1.71 Ladbrokes
