Pompey vs Fulham Preview

Last updated : 30 December 2005 By Jim Bonner
New Year's Eve will be the final day of what has been a torrid year for Portsmouth on the whole so wouldn't it be nice if we were to cap it with celebration by beating Fulham? Looking at this fixture it is one we really should be looking to win. Why?

Well for starters Fulham aren't exactly the best team in the league and are possible relegation candidates and considering if we beat them the gap between the two teams will be a very catchable 3 points. There also isn't any excuse for us not winning this because Stefanovic, O'Neil and Robert will all be returning to the team (that's of course if they don't injure themselves before tommorow). Not only that but Fulham are missing Malbranque, Jensen, Volz and former Pompey target Papa Bouba Diop so they have arguably got worse injury problems than us. One more thing Fulham are without an away win this season having only picked up 3 draws away from the Cottage all season. So we'd better win...

If last season's fixture is anything to go by then this one will be a real rollercoaster ride. Remember when we were 3-0 up and almost ballsed it up completely after Fulham hit back twice before half time and then after the break Yakubu finished off his hat-trick but yet again Fulham came back once more and it was a very nervy finish but in the end we held on 4-3? I don't know if I could take another one of those sorts of games but considering the fact that both teams like to attack and can't defend very well then we could well be in for a repeat of last season. I'm sure we will attack at every oppurtunity after what we did at Arsenal. Who knows we might even play three up front but please for the love of god Harry play Toddy! He was the only player in the second half of the Arsenal who genuinely looked like causing the back four any problems.

I really want to see off 2005 on a positive note considering all what has gone on this year. If we fail to win this one I'm going to have to drown my sorrows and probably not even celebrate New Year's Day at all...

Fasten your seatbelts. 2006 is going to be a bumpy ride!