Fulham v Spurs - Match Preview
last updated Tuesday 10th September 2002, 11:15 AM
Jean Tigana's side have come
through a taxing summer. The Franco Baresi saga
unsettled many players, while uprooting to play
at neighbours QPR during Craven Cottage's
redevelopment is hardly an ideal situation.
On the playing front though, Fulham have
started promisingly enough. Key additions to the
squad such as Junichi Inamoto and Facunda Sava
have settled in well, the team has been
performing consistently and have already
clinched the Inter Toto Cup to qualify for this
season's UEFA Cup.
One of the key players in that run was
Frenchman Sylvain Legwinski. A former Tigana
prot駩e at Monaco, Legwinski has already fired
seven shots at goal in the Premiership - more
than any other player at the club - and scored
twice. Combined with his two goals in Europe,
that total is already higher than his figure for
last term and makes the 28-year-old the
joint-top scorer in the Premiership.
Overall, Tigana's players have been one of
the most clinical sides in the Premiership,
which will gratify the Frenchman whose side was
often accused of having no cutting edge last
season. The Cottagers have scored with 18% of
their shots to date - the third-best ratio in
the top-flight - while Spurs have netted with
just 14%.
|
| |
Fulham |
Spurs |
Div Avg |
| Games Played |
3 |
4 |
3 |
| Goals |
6 |
6 |
4 |
| Ave Goals Per Game |
2.00 |
1.50 |
1.33 |
| Shots (excluding blocked shots) |
34 |
44 |
32 |
| Ave Shots Per Game |
11 |
11 |
11 |
| % Shots On Target |
38% |
30% |
44% |
| % Goals To Shots |
18% |
14% |
13% |
| Short Passes |
832 |
913 |
801 |
| Long Passes |
431 |
388 |
360 |
| Total Passes |
1263 |
1301 |
1161 |
| Ave Passes Per Game |
421 |
325 |
387 |
| % Overall Pass Completion |
76% |
71% |
74% |
| Total Crosses |
79 |
102 |
65 |
| Ave Crosses Per Game |
26 |
25 |
22 |
| Completion |
35% |
30% |
26% |
| Goals Conceded |
4 |
3 |
4 |
| Ave Goals Conceded Per Game |
1.33 |
0.80 |
1.33 |
| Tackles |
97 |
95 |
79 |
| Ave Tackles Per Game |
32 |
24 |
26 |
| Tackles Won % |
82% |
73% |
72% |
| Blocks, Clearances & Interceptions |
99 |
203 |
119 |
| Ave Blocks, etc., Per Game |
33 |
51 |
40 |
| Fouls |
47 |
59 |
42 |
| Ave Fouls Per Game |
16 |
15 |
14 |
| Yellow Cards |
8 |
8 |
5 |
| Red Cards |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| stats
from opta |
|
Glenn Hoddle's continued failure throughout
the summer to attract big name players to White
Hart Lane resulted in the media branding
Tottenham as the laughing stock of the
Premiership, while the fans were hardly thrilled
with the situation either.
However, the transfer deadline day capture of
Robbie Keane coupled with the club's unbeaten
start to the season has improved morale
considerably at Spurs ahead of their second
London derby of 2002-03 against Fulham.
Hoddle will be hoping that Keane's
introduction up front will rectify his
goalscoring problems. Despite being restricted
to three brief substitute appearances for Leeds
before his move south, the former Inter Milan
man was able to open his goalscoring account
with a deft chip against Manchester City. And if
he can produce the form he is capable of for
Spurs, there should be plenty more goals to
come.
At the back, Spurs have been fantastic. They
have conceded only three goals in four games,
while their defenders have made a
Premiership-high total of 175 defensive
clearances. They should also feel confident of
extending their unbeaten run at Loftus Road,
having beaten Fulham home and away in 2001-02.
Source:Rupert Webster
from Planet football |
Matchday Referee:
Mark Halsey, Welwyn Garden City
Mark Halsey enjoyed a fairly meteoric rise to the Premier League referees list having only taken up the profession in the 1988/89 season. The 41-year-old self-employed driver - or white van man - caught the refereeing bug in the Hertfordshire County League, before joining the football league as a linesman in 1993.
Halsey came into the Premiership with a reputation as a lover of injury time. He was in charge of the 1998/99 Division Two play-off final in which Manchester City scored in the 95th minute to equalise with Gillingham, before winning the match on penalties.
His first season in the top flight was relatively controversy free, averaging 3.1 bookings per game in the 16 matches he took charge of. Since then, Halsey has become one of the league's most respected referees and took charge of over 20 matches last season.
Source:4thegame.com
(Ed. - Ref Halsey reffed 3 Fulham games last season the League Cup 1-2 home defeat against Spurs, our 2-0 home victory over Blackburn, he booked Malbranque, Marlet and Melville, and the 1-0 home defeat against West Ham in which he booked Finnan. Last season only 5 ref's dished out more red cards than Mr Halsey)
2001/
2002
stats
|
Mr. Halsey's score sheet |
Average Premiership Referee score sheet |
|
Total |
Match
Avg |
Total |
Match
Avg |
| Games |
21 |
|
16 |
|
| Fouls |
612 |
29.14 |
472 |
29.81 |
| Penalties |
5 |
0.24 |
3 |
0.19 |
| Yellow cards |
64 |
3.05 |
49 |
3.07 |
| Red Cards |
4 |
0.19 |
3 |
0.19 |
|
|
|
| MATCH BETTING ODDS
|
Spurs are a bit of a bogey team for Fulham, with the historical records showing 53 meetings between the two clubs and Fulham gaining just 5 victories.
However despite the records the Bookmaking fraternity have the Cottagers as marginal favourites to win on Wednesday evening.
On the stats so far Fulham do seem to be in front on most aspects apart from blocking and clearances. This would seem to indicate that Spurs have a problem stopping the ball reaching their backline although with their low goals conceded figure the backline is holding up so far.
Both sides have much to play for but The Cottagers should be able to take all three points. |
|
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