Talking To The Enemy

[jamiemaher85]

This weeks instalment is brought to you from the wonderful people at www.friendsoffulham.com

 

1) After a fantastic campaign last season what are your hopes and expectations for this year?

 

Fulham Adam: Would love a top 10 finish and a good run in Europe but I expect to finish around 10th/14th

 

WhiteJC: Mid-table finish with a good cup run and to play some beautiful football

 

Thor: Hopes and expectations are vastly different things. I hope Fulham wins the league. I expect them to finish 10-16th, too many midweek games for a thin squad already showing signs of having an injury plagued year.

 

ClintClintDuece: I expect a top 8 finish, pure and simple really. I think were one of the best 8 sides in England, and would be disappointed if it was anything less.

 

 

2) How do you feel you have done in the transfer window and do you feel you could have brought in more?

 

Fulham Adam: I believe Duff will prove to be a good signing but other than that it seems to have been mainly squad players bought in. We desperately needed a proven striker, so at the moment it seems like a very disappointing transfer window but in Roy I trust!

 

WhiteJC: I think most Fulham fans are a little disappointed with this transfer window as we were expecting so much more now that we can offer European football and how well we played last season. Last season we were lucky with injuries, this time it looks like we won’t be as lucky, I guess you know all about getting all of your strikers injured, so I would have liked another striker. With Roy’s contacts I’m surprised that we’ve not had a lone of an Italian or two. Keeping Hangeland is a huge bonus however I would like to see him sign his extension before January.

 

Thor: Could have done a lot. I think the Hangeland situation is far too precarious, he could still easily be lost in January and their is no real replacement fulham could bring in without having to cough up most of the money they earned in his sale. Last year the core of the team was healthy with the exception of Johnson, already this year that has not been the case. And I still think Fulham never found a creative replacement to Bullard.

 

ClintClintDuece: Well, I guess it has to be to our motto, "In Woy we trust". I think if there was someone available with the the pedigree that is needed, and would fit into Woys system, we would have went all out to get that specific person. At a club like ours, which is on the smaller end, can not afford to have another Marlet. I am happy with the window, as it has left us with a bigger squad, full of internationals, now including young Riise and Mr.Duff. Dont forget that a few of Fulham's loan players like Eddie Johnson and Andraink are back in black and white, so this is also squad boosting as well. One other point would the ability to hold onto our key players, Dempsey and Hangeland. I would rate out our window activity as 7.5/10.(If we signed Crouch, straight 10s!)

 

 

3) After the progress made last season what is the minimum you should be achieving this year?

 

Fulham Adam: To avoid relegation, same every year for almost every team in the premierleague.

 

WhiteJC: Safety, and to play some good football (not achieved that so far)

 

Thor: Not being relegated.

 

ClintClintDuece: I would think that top 8 finish, semi-final in one or two cups, and to keep our home record and record against the top 6 the same as last year would be good enough!

 

4) The Europa League is looked down upon by the vast majority of the national media, this is despite big teams such as Valencia, Villereal, Roma, Lazio, Benfica, Ajax appearing in it. Now that you are competing what do you feel about the tournament and how do you think you'll cope in the group stages.

 

Fulham Adam: It's very exciting for all Fulham fans to be in any European competition, especially one where the quality of opposition is very high as it is in the EUROPA this year. I'd love to see us get past the group stages but we've a tough group and think it will go down to the last game. We must win our home games.

 

WhiteJC: European games are a novelty for us having only one previous campaign, however we won that one! I think that we’ve got the beatings of Basel and Sophia, not so sure about Roma. I can’t wait to see Roma play at Craven Cottage, I hope its going to be one of those great nights at Craven Cottage

 

Thor: Still don't feel right boasting about it to my friends. Anything other than a top 8 finish will make it a complete waste of time...

 

ClintClintDuece: I feel fantastic about the Europa league. Here in the States, ESPN has bought the rights to broadcast Fulham and Everton's cup run, so I reckon that this can only help the image of Fulham here. All anyone knows about here is the top four really, and I hope that we will pickup more of a fan base because of our run. I have always loved the UEFA cup, and really enjoy international club football. As for the group stages, I would be disappointed if we didnt make it out of them to be honest, no disrespect to Basel and CKSA Sofia, but I think we have such quality and that is including the manager to not make it out.

 

5) How do you think Everton will do this year?

 

Fulham Adam: Top 8, wouldn't like to say where in the top 8 as the compeitition is very tough this year with Man City spending and Tottenham getting their act together. Another solid season though. If Everton want to go to the next level and really challenge for champions league places then they need to spend more money.

 

WhiteJC: top 6 finish, I think that Spuds will implode and unless City get a good manager all that expensive talent won’t amount to much of a threat (to the top 4 anyway). Assuming that you keep at least one striker fit, unlike last season, you’ll get over your poor start

 

Thor: About the same as last year.

 

ClintClintDuece: I reckon Everton will finish top 8. Hard to say so early on with Citeh and Spuds coming out of the gate fast, dont know what will really happen for those two sides, plus Villa and us of course will be battling it out this year. Ive always had time for Moyes, seems interested in American players, and has helped the USMNT out immensely I reckon. Come on Peterlin do some work up there!

 

 

6) Predictions for the game?

 

Fulham Adam: Well We've started off quite poorly and our last game was embarassing infront of the sky cameras but we hopefully will bounce back and have players returning from injury. Murphy should be back I believe and we are a much, much better side with him controlling the midfield. Zamora is back and we are better with him in the side also so I'm expecting to see a positive result for Fulham but we're up against a solid side so I can see it being 1-1.

 

WhiteJC: Fulham will win, apart from last time we always do against you, I also think that this season we’ll get a result at your place

 

Thor: Everton 2, Fulham 0

 

ClintClintDuece: 3-1 Fulham, we are going to have everyone healthy for this one, and our crowd will be thirsty for blood, given our start. It is going to be a tough one for Everton I think.

[Churinga2]

Good job Jamie.

 

the ClintClint one has his heads in the clouds though: top 8 and a few semifinals as MINIMUM achievements