English Premier
2011-09-11 - Fulham vs Blackburn Rovers
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football : English Premier League
Sunday 11 September 2011 - Kickoff 4pm
This game is live on TV
Fulham
I expected a lot more from Fulham at the start of the season considering they had been playing competitive football since early July, and I thought that would give them an edge in the early stages of the domestic season. However, it seems the side is still trying to bed down with Martin Jol's new ideas.
Fulham are 16th in the Premier League table after taking a disappointing 1 point from their 3 games so far this season. They have also made it through to the group stages of the Europa League in that time, but they do not want to stretch this squad by becoming involved in a season long relegation battle. They have drawn their only home game so far in the League, and they have scored just 1 goal in their 3 League games.
The 0-0 draw here with Aston Villa to start the season was down to a superb goalkeeping display by Shay Given, but tame defeats at Wolves and Newcastle have not gone down well. Fulham have won all 4 Europa League games here, scoring at least twice in each of those. They had also scored at least twice in each of their last 5 games at home in the Premier League before the 0-0 draw with Villa.
Bobby Zamora should be fit to start this game, and we could see a debut for new £10 million pound striker Bryan Ruiz. The former Twente player looked a handful the few times I have seen him play and I expect he will be able to find his feet in England.
Blackburn Rovers
This was the season Blackburn were expected to be challenging for European places in the Premier League... Well according to the owners when firing Sam Allardyce last season. Steve Kean is still in charge of the club, but he must be getting a little nervous after an astonishing defeat last time out.
Blackburn are currently 19th in the Premier League table as they have failed to pick up a point from their opening 3 games of the season. 2 of those defeats have come at home, but the last one to Everton was in strange circumstances as Rovers missed not one, but TWO penalties while having a controversial penalty awarded against them that cost them any points. The team lost their only away game at Aston Villa 3-1.
The defeat at Villa means Blackburn have won just 1 of their last 10 away games in the Premier League, losing 7 of those. They had plenty of difficulties away from home last season, conceding at least 2 goals in 10 of their last 13 away games, and that has started again this season.
Ryan Nelson should be passed fit to take his place alongside Chris Samba at the heart of the Blackburn defence, but Morten Gamst Pederson, Vince Grella and David Dunn are all doubtful. New signings Yakubu and Scott Dann are pushing for places.
Head to Head
Fulham have won their last 2 home games against Blackburn, scoring 3 in each of those including a 3-2 win last season.
Blackburn have won just 1 of their last 6 League visits to Craven Cottage.
Goals have usually been the order of the day with 7 of the last 9 times they have played here ending with 3 or more goals combined, including each of the last 4 matches.
Prediction
The last statistic I put on the head to head has me leaning towards the Over 2.5 Goals option for this game.
While both have been a little off in front of goal, they have both created chances and neither defence has been the most rock solid.
Blackburn in particular are always liable to give the opposition chances when they visit and that is shown by the fact they have conceded at least 2 goals in 11 of their last 14 away games in the Premier League.
Fulham have scored at least 2 goals at home in 9 of their last 10 competitive fixtures there, and they have enough fire power to do the same again here.
These two sides are used to producing high scoring games at Craven Cottage and at odds against, I will go for some action on Sunday afternoon.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Fulham 3-2 Blackburn Rovers
