Are Fulham there for the taking for AFCB?

A quick assessment of Fulham might not give Eddie Howe too many concerns. While they are already relegated, Fulham have managed to get their first win under Scott Parker at home to Everton and in that match they managed their third clean sheet of the season.

AFCB managed a 0-3 win against Fulham earlier in
the season - two goals from Wilson and one from David Brooks

If Fulham's home form has added a glimmer of light to their fans the away form has not given their fans any pleasure having not won a match in 2019 on the road. Fulham did get a point away at Brighton last September and a draw with Newcastle in December, but it has usually been a journey full of defeats. On goal form, Fulham are ahead of Huddersfield, West Ham, Cardiff and Newcastle in their last six away games, but if they are scoring a goal in away matches they are usually conceding three or four as well.

If we put that against AFCB's home form in the last six matches, AFCB come out as the 10th best team in the league, scoring 10 and conceding seven goals. It looks like being a tall task for Fulham to get something from the game with Bournemouth.

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While Bournemouth need to be on the look out for players that could do better in a stronger team, it will be of interest to see how well Ryan Sessegnon does in this match, if selected. He has managed two goals and six assists in a struggling Fulham side, but could be snapped up by another Premier League team this summer. Tom Cairney has also been a key player for the London team despite only managing one assist and one goal. Ryan Babel got most of the praise for Fulham's win against Everton and Bournemouth will be aware of his talent, while Mitrovich can always find a goal and has done magnificently well to reach 10 goals this season for Fulham.

While AFCB will be favourites to win the match, we can perhaps see a possibility of Fulham scoring so I don't see this as a walkover, despite Bournemouth's morale boosting 0-5 win last time out at Brighton.

Fulham Away Form
LLLLL

AFCB Home Form
WDLDL

Score predictions
Send in your score predictions for AFCB v Fulham to @CherryChimes. We will pick a winner from the correct entries to win a Cherry Chimes' T-shirt.

Fulham are pleasing on the eye but have no defence

Having spend around £100m in the summer, I though that Fulham would be challenging around the middle of the Premier League table this season rather than sitting in the bottom three. Slavisa  Jakanovic witnessed a horror show at Cardiff last week and Fulham have now conceded 14 goals in their last three games and 25 in nine games!

 6 March 2015 - what a night!

Having had one win in their season so far and just one point from their last five games, I think we can say that Fulham are struggling at the moment. If the prospect of Bournemouth doesn't frighten their players then the fixture after that against Man City will.

Remember last time at Craven Cottage?

 
I think we had a good time!

There is some positive news for the Cottagers in that Ryan Sessegnon is the first Premier League player born in the year 2000 to score in this league. But when it comes in a 4-2 away defeat to relegation rivals Cardiff City, there is little to smile about. If Swansea push their full back up against Bournemouth they will be cruelly exposed. We Have not seen much of Jermain Defoe yet, but this could be his kind of game for a substitute appearance if Bournemouth can get ahead early.

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Mitrovic and Schurrle will keep Bournemouth honest, but Howe has to be targeting three points in this away game. Midfielder Tom Cairney is also back training for Fulham. Both teams like to attack so this could be a high-scoring game. But it is hard not to see Bournemouth leaving Craven Cottage on 20 points. Even though the Cherries had a blank last time out, they don't go many games without scoring and chances will come at Fulham.

AFCB possible line up.

AFCB Away Form
WLLW

Fulham Home Form
LWDL

Sadly, there is no Rival Lines this week. I'll try and get one organised with a Fulham blogger when we play them at home.

AFCB press conference

Watford press conference

In other news AFCB's match away at Tottenham on Boxing Day will now be at Wembley.

Competition - free to enter
Send in your score predictions to win a Cherry Chimes T-shirt. We will pick one winner from those who get the correct score between Fulham v AFCB. Answers must be in by midday - Tweet your score to @CherryChimes