Fulham could name an unchanged side for their Barclays Premier League match
against Blackburn.
Despite a heavy fixture pile-up in recent weeks, boss Roy Hodgson has no serious
injury concerns, although Chris Baird is still battling a minor leg problem.
Giles Barnes is continuing to build match fitness in the reserves but may not be
ready for action against Rovers.
Roy Hodgson believes his chances of taking Fulham to the next level depend as
much on decisions in the boardroom as progress on the training pitch.
| Team |
Fulham |
Blackburn |
| Games Played |
26 |
26 |
| Goal Attempts |
| Goals |
24 |
30 |
| Ave Goals per game |
0.92 |
1.15 |
| Shots (excl blocked shots) |
249 |
246 |
| % Shots on Target |
40% |
43% |
| % Goals to Shots |
10% |
12% |
| Passing |
| Short Passes |
9,354 |
7,887 |
| Long Passes |
1,588 |
1,563 |
| Overall Pass Completion % |
76% |
72% |
| Crossing |
| Total Crosses |
544 |
588 |
| Cross Completion % |
23% |
23% |
| Defending |
| Goals Conceded |
22 |
43 |
| Ave goals conceded per game |
0.85 |
1.65 |
| Tackles |
586 |
565 |
| Tackles Won % |
72% |
76% |
| Blocks, Clearances & Interceptions |
1656 |
1653 |
| Discipline |
| Fouls |
317 |
393 |
| Yellow Cards |
24 |
55 |
| Red Cards |
1 |
3 |
| opta Stats |
Hodgson oversaw a remarkable fight against relegation last season, culminating
in safety on the final day of the campaign, and he has already set about
transforming his side from perennial relegation candidates into a fixture in the
top half of the table.
The Cottagers go into the match against Hodgson's former club in 10th but,
despite his insistence that mathematical safety remains top priority, could
realistically be eyeing as high a finish as seventh.
Hodgson, though, is working with a threadbare senior squad and acknowledges the
club would need to add significant depth if contention for European places is to
become the norm.
Asked if he had a clear vision of where he wants to take Fulham in the next few
years, Hodgson said: 'That is not just a question for me, but also for the chief
executive of the club and the owner Mohamed Al Fayed.
'It is up to them to decide. If things go okay this season and we do achieve our
goal of stabilising the club and being less relegation prone - which I said was
the aim from day one - then we are looking better and it will be up to the
chairman to decide where he wants to take the club.
'There is no doubt that to take the club to the next step, it won't be purely
down to the coaching and the preparation we try and do, it will also be down to
recruitment - what players we can bring in to strengthen what is a very fragile
squad.
Sam Allardyce will assess the fitness of goalkeepers Paul Robinson and Jason
Brown.
Robinson missed the 0-0 draw with Everton last week with a shoulder problem
while Brown picked up a groin injury in the game at Ewood Park.
Roque Santa Cruz (knee) is a major doubt while David Dunn and Vincent Grella are
both ruled out, but Morten Gamst Pedersen returns from suspension.
Allardyce has called on his side to be more ruthless in front of goal as they
continue their fight against the drop.
Rovers have lost just twice in the last 10 league games but remain in the
relegation zone after three wins in that sequence and, perhaps more tellingly,
three goalless draws.
With nobody else playing in midweek, the game in hand gives Rovers a golden
opportunity to move out of the bottom three.
But Allardyce knows his players can no longer afford to spurn the chances that
come their way.
'There's good character, there's good spirit, but they've just got to get that
end product that little bit better and be a little more ruthless in front of
goal,'' he said.
'We've been working extremely hard on the defensive side so as not to be easy to
score against and in the main that has been very good.
'Up to now we've been very close in terms of our overall play of just playing
our way out of it, but we miss that end product.
'We weren't conceding goals any more but we couldn't find the one goal which was
going to get us the all-important three points, so we ended up drawing five and
winning three instead of winning at least five and only drawing three.''
Allardyce feels Roy Hodgson's side may be there for the taking after a bad week
at Craven Cottage in which they were beaten at the death by Hull and hammered in
the FA Cup by Manchester United.
'This is our game in hand, if we come away with a point it takes us out of the
bottom three,'' he said.
'The win would obviously be great because it stretches that points difference
that little bit farther and we'd maximise that game in hand. But if we can't win
it, make sure we don't lose it.
'You have to look at recent form and results and say they have had a little
blip. We could be playing them at a good time, mentally they might be a little
drained because of their last two games.
'Hopefully it has left some physical and mental fatigue which we may be able to
take advantage of on Wednesday night. But the last thing Roy and his players
will want is to lose three home games on the trot.''