Fulham's Finest

Yesterday I wrote a memo to Mark Hughes about a striker I’d like him to keep an eye on.  Today, I’m writing a memo to Damien Duff. 

There are two facts about you Damien that everyone knows off the top: 1, you previously played for Blackburn.  2, you have more energy than Speedy Gonzalez on a Red Bull.  Therefore, it is my challenge to you to one-up Mark Hughes last week against his old club.  You have to do something even more exciting and hilarious than handshake-gate to keep us entertained.  None of this “this match is just like any other, we just want to get our 3 points” coach-speak nonsense.  I want bodies on the ground, I want blood spilled.

Ok maybe I’m taking it a little too far.  But here’s to hoping Duff keeps us entertained by one-upping Mark Hughes somehow.  Maybe get in someone’s face or score a goal and flip off an old teammate or something.  Either that or maybe you team up with Hughes and both get back at your former club in a team effort, maybe a coreographed f-you dance.  Alright, alright I’m sorry, I’ll get to the actual preview now.

State of Fulham:

The big news out of the Cottage today is that Bobby Zamora is fit…again.  This is a great boost, however Steve Sidwell is still out.  That’s nothing new, he will probably miss at least one other match as well.  He couldn’t have picked a better time to get injured, with only 2 matches all of March.  There’s no other real news on the team in the last few days, and no news is good news in this season of injury woes, so it’s business as usual.

Obviously, as far as form wise, the club is coming off their excellent draw at City.  Their last home form in Premier League play has given the Cottagers 10 points in 5 matches, so the club looks to continue their great recent play at home.

State of Blackburn:

Rovers actually have the exact same point total as Fulham with 32, but goal differntial has them back at 15th.  A loss for them would put them in a dangerous relegation location.

As far as injury news, many of Blackburn’s questionable players are going to be fit for this match.  Junior Hoilett and Ruben Rochina will both be ready to go for the match.  Rochina will be making his Blackburn debut after transferring from Barcelona.  The only question for Blackburn will be Roque Santa Cruz.  Some reports have him in, some out, so we’ll have to see on that one.  He trained for the first time this week yesterday after a back injury, but who knows if he’ll be match fit. 

Blackburn’s most recent form isn’t good. They’ve lost 3 of their last 4 in the Premier League, and 4 of their last 5 overall, including a loss to last place Wigan and a 4-1 drubbing from Villa in their most recent match.  Their last win was all the way back on January 23rd at home against West Brom.  They did beat Liverpool handily on January 5th 3-1, but that’s the only good thing they’ve seen in 2011.

The most interesting, and quite frankly hilarious, piece of news out of Blackburn that I’ve seen is apparently they didn’t learn from their epic fails trying to get Ronahldino and David Beckham, they now want to try and make a bid for Kaka this summer.  Nice.  That’s kind of like the Food Network making a bid to buy Charlie Sheen (although with that guy, who knows).  The only thing in sports I can think to compare it to is Albert Haynesworth to the Redskins last year.  For all those abroad that don’t get the reference, I’m sorry.  But basically they stink, paid $100 million to a star DT who ultimately was a diva because the rest of the team sucked so bad.  A good example that money really can’t keep a player happy much longer than for him to sign on the dotted line.  So good luck with that Rovers.

Prediction: Fulham plays too well at home and with a mostly healthy squad, they ride their recent good form to overwhelm Blackburn 2-0.  Here’s to hoping Duff and Hughes come up with something entertaining.