The Visitors – Fulham

With the goal scoring troubles on the road, Blues will be glad to return to business at St. Andrew`s where Fulham are the visitors.

CURRENT FORM

Since the turn of 2016, Blues have won five, drew four and lost three in the Championship, scoring 17 with eight conceded. The home from remains strong, winning four from their last five. Blues currently sit in 9th place with 55 points – four shy on the play-offs with a game in hand.

Fulham arrive at St. Andrew`s with only two wins from their last 13 Championship games. In their 18 away games, the Cottagers have picked up 17 points (3 wins, 8 draws, 7 defeats). Inconsistency has been the downfall of a squad that boasts unarguable talent. They sit 20th in the table on 37 points, just one ahead of the bottom three.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM FULHAM

After appointing Slavisa Jokanovic as Kit Symons` replacement in December, the Fulham faithful were filled with optimism. But the Yugoslavian has found the reins difficult and has made safety a priority this term.

Ross McCormack has 21 goals and Moussa Dembele has contributed with 14 which makes their struggles even more baffling. But only one team (Charlton) have conceded more goals that Fulham who have shipped 63.

The style of football is decent and their squad has enough talent to warrant a better league position – but Fulham`s failure to defend has put them in grave danger of dropping to League One. Six years ago today, Fulham thrashed Juventus 4-1 at Craven Cottage in the Europa League.

HOME COMFORTS?…

Thank goodness we`re back at St. Andrew`s. Blues` form in B9 has been good, their form away from home has been poor. For the first time in several weeks, Blues` play-off destiny is out of their hands. Four points separate Blues from the top six but they do have a game in hand – at home to Leeds.

Gary Rowett will hope the home form can carry his troops through while he looks to rectify the scoring troubles on the road.

THOUGHTS FROM VITAL FULHAM

Matters in recent weeks, whereby Fulham have lost three home games on the bounce, against Middlesbrough, Burnley and Bristol City, have seen Fulham drop into the relegation fight.

From feeling that we were comfortably safe, we now find that our form has left us in the perilous position whereby we`re only a point off of the relegation battle.

With a tough away fixture against Birmingham City coming up this weekend, the possibility exists that come the end of the weekend, Fulham could be in the bottom three, what we`d call real squeaky-bum time.

However, whilst our plight is looking as if a relegation dog-fight is well and truly on the cards, it seems that one player is being protected from the anguish hurt and emotional damage a relegation battle causes.

Our friends over at GetWestLondon are implying that Slavisa Jokanovic is taking steps to protect our young American midfielder Emerson Hyndman, who is just 19.

Personally, I reckon it`s time for all hands to the pump, relegation is not something we need, want or should have to suffer! – Andrew Joyce (fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk)

THE FANS VIEWS

@JamieVaide – Seems like only a year ago that we were celebrating the fifth anniversary of the win over Juventus. #FFC

@dankentproducer – 6 years ago today we dominated juventus and now we are about to get relegated to league one #ffc

@samfulham – Happy Fulham 4 Juve 1 day! Now to be chronically depressed at how far in the wrong way we’ve gone since then #ffc

Article written by Rob Wildey – @robwildey123