 Fulham meet Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday and with both clubs averaging just 1 goal a game a goal fest is not on the cards. Middlesbrough have notched just one
goal in their last five outings, while Fulham have merely doubled this tally
during the same 450-minute period.
This is not to say that valuable points
have not been mustered along the way, as both teams have proven resilient
at times. Two goalless draws and a narrow victory over Aston Villa have
prevented Boro from sliding into the relegation mire, just as a run of four
consecutive clean sheets has kept the Cottagers in the upper half of the
table.
Nevertheless, stringency at the back cannot be a permanent substitute for
a lack of punch in attack and Jean Tigana knows that his side are floundering
desperately in the opposition half.
"I think possibly we need some new blood, but I won't be going out
and signing anybody right now, that is something for the future," he
lamented after the 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Tottenham. This marked Fulham's
heaviest defeat since the Frenchman took charge at Craven Cottage.
Ironically, Middlesbrough have also averaged a rather lacklustre solitary
goal per game this season and have relied too heavily on Alen Boksic to
kill teams off. The Croatian has netted half-a-dozen goals |
Riverside Stadium
22nd December, 2001 |
Middlesboro |
Fulham |
Div
Avg |
| Games |
17 |
17 |
17 |
| ATTACKING |
| Goals
scored |
17 |
17 |
21 |
| Ave
goals per game |
1.00 |
1.00 |
1.24 |
| Shooting
Accuracy |
43% |
37% |
44
% |
| Goals
to shots % |
12% |
9% |
11% |
| PASSING |
| Passes |
6479 |
7735 |
6662 |
| Pass
completion % |
76% |
79% |
76% |
| CROSSING |
| Crosses |
285 |
382 |
415 |
| Crosses
completion % |
22% |
26% |
25% |
| DEFENDING |
| Tackle
success rate % |
70% |
72% |
73% |
| Goals
conceded |
23 |
17 |
21 |
| Ave
goals conceded per game |
1.35 |
1.00 |
1.20 |
| DISCIPLINE |
| Fouls |
257 |
250 |
262 |
| Yellow
cards |
22 |
21 |
28 |
| Red
cards |
3 |
1 |
2 |
| stats
from opta |
|
Matchday
Referee:
Graham Barber
Graham Barber is one of a select group of six top-flight referees
who have awarded in excess of 300 fouls this term so it could
well be a stop-start affair at the Riverside on Saturday. But
with Middlesbrough and Fulham residing in the lower reaches
of the disciplinary table, niggly fouls should be as about as
hairy as it gets.
Mr Barber was the ref for Fulham v Derby in the Workington Cup
during which he booked Rufus and Sean. He also ref'ed West Ham
v Fulham when he booked Boa, Bazza Hayles and Andy Melville.
| Ref's
score sheet |
| |
Total |
Match
Avg |
| Games |
10 |
|
| Fouls
|
318 |
31.80 |
| Penalties |
5 |
0.50 |
| Yellow
cards |
35 |
3.50 |
| Red
Cards |
3 |
0.30 |
| Disc
points |
45.60 |
4.56 |
|
|
|
and tested the 'keeper with
more shots than any of his colleagues this season - the same sort of individual
input that kept the club afloat in the top flight last year.
Barry Hayles has also hit six for the Londoners and as a unit Fulham have
shown more ambition in front of goal than their hosts by unleashing an extra
40 shots. But the Premiership newcomers have converted just nine percent
of their efforts - only four other teams have registered a worse rate this
term - and this explains why Tigana may be forced to delve into the transfer
market sooner rather than later.
However, if the current front pairing of Louis Saha and Hayles can forge
a way past a Boro rearguard that has been breached 23 times this season
then they may get a temporary reprieve, before more competition arrives.
It took a Mark Crossley fumble for Manchester United to find a way through
on Saturday, but Fulham have completed a quarter of their crosses and their
crisp passing ability could see them through. |
Source planetfootball by Mark Willis