Newcastle United V Fulham
Date & Kick-Off: Sunday, 28th August 2011 – 13:00 GMT
Fulham fans thought club owner Mohamed Al-Fayed had found the missing piece to the jigsaw when hiring former Ajax and Tottenham manager Martin Jol as Mark Hughes’ successor, the 55-year-old Dutchman having previously been the club’s original number one managerial target before Mark Hughes took the helm during the summer of 2010. But already fans’ opinions are dithering.
The fact Fulham had to begin their pre-season far sooner than anyone else, because of their qualifying commitments with the Europa League, was viewed as a double-edged sword: Good because it meant the team should be ahead of their rivals with regards to physical conditioning, but also bad due to the fact fatigue would sneak into camp a lot sooner into the season than normally would be the case.
Judging by their performances in the league so far, I reckon it’s a fair shout to say that fatigue is already having an affect, and that Europe is only a hindrance now that the novelty of the Europa League has worn off on most supporters.
In fairness, Fulham didn’t play half-bad at home to Aston Villa on the opening weekend. Shay Given in the Villa goal had to produce a number of exceptional saves to deny the Cottagers an opening day win in fact. However, the following weekend, away at Wolves, Jol’s side were truly woeful – as Fulham invariably are when dragged out of their comfort zone, which is anywhere outside of West London. The Cottagers were dispatched with consummate ease, without so much as a fuss, by a team who avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth back in May, losing 2-0 at Molineux.
On Thursday, Fulham once again endured away day blues. A 1-0 defeat to Dnipro of Ukraine was, however, enough to see them through to the group stage of the Europa League, a competition Jol is clearly keen on doing well in this season, as he took a full strength squad across Europe to ensure their inclusion in Europe’s second tier comp was rubber-stamped with a 3-1 aggregate win.
I, like so many out there, cannot help but feel Jol has got his priorities all in a muddle. His team have made a sluggish start to the 2011/12 Premier League and could go into the forthcoming international break still without a win, possibly even in the relegation zone should his charges fail to compete at St James’. Their record there is encouraging however, with just one defeat and four wins from their last six league visits.
BUT… After their midweek Europa League exertions – and believe me when I tell you that they were made to work extremely hard for their aggregate victory in the Ukraine, surely Fulham have liability written all over them?
Confidence most certainly isn’t overflowing following their lethargic start to the league campaign, while we shouldn’t forget who we’re discussing; a team renowned for their dreadful away tendencies – Fulham have won just four times away from home in the Premier League in the last two seasons.
Plus, Newcastle have surprised us all with their solid, dogged displays so far. Alan Pardew’s men were relatively comfortable against Arsenal in their first game, drawing 0-0 at St James’, while the mood all around Tyneside has been beaming all week following last week’s Tyne-Wear Derby triumph over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. Progress in the Carling Cup has also lifted spirits.
It’s Newcastle for me to punish a lethargic Fulham side who won’t have had much in the way of time to prepare following their hellish journey back from the Ukraine on Thursday evening.
Betting Tip: Newcastle to WIN – 6/5 Bet365
