FORM: I’ll be honest, I can barely get through this without breaking down in nerves ahead of Sunday, so if it’s not my best work I apologise, but I hope you understand. Birmingham haven’t had a good going recently, especially for a side with the talent they have and one of the better managers in the division. One win in their last five and just two wins since the start of April. They come into the game off the back of a 3 – 1 defeat away to QPR. Che Adams putting them in front just before the half-hour mark.
FORMATION: Nice and simple 4-4-2 in recent games, but with what’s at stake I can very easily see a switch in formation. Remember a draw is enough to keep them up, so a 5-4-1 or a 4-5-1 just to frustrate us and play for the draw is not out of the realms of possibility.
DANGERMAN: Jota – I know I said that all ex-Fulham players would instantly go into this category, but with all due respect to David Stockdale, Jota is perhaps one of the most under-rated players in this division and one of the few Brentford players I ever had any time for.
BATTLE TO WATCH: Their right winger (again, depending on formation, could be anyone) v our left back – At the time of writing, we aren’t 100% sure whether or not Matt Targett will be playing on Sunday, but I believe he will. However, will he be 100% fit, or will we have to put Sessegnon there? In either case, it will be a tough contest between Jota and either a not 100% Targett, or Ryan Sessegnon who (despite improving over the course of the season) I still don’t think is truly comfortable at left back.
HEAD TO HEAD:
- Fulham have won just 1 of the last 6 meetings with Birmingham – this season’s 1 – 0 victory at Craven Cottage in December.
- However, the Whites haven’t completed a league double over the Blues since the 1952/53 season in the old Second Division.
- The last 3 meetings between the clubs have ended 1 – 0 – Birmingham winning twice before this season’s success for Fulham.
- Fulham have had defenders sent off in 3 of their last 5 matches against Birmingham – Ryan Fredericks, Michael Madl and James Husband all seeing red.
- Fulham have only lost on 3 of their last 13 trips to St Andrew’s in all competitions – going down 1 – 0 in 2005, 2009 and 2017.
OPPOSING VIEW: – @willbrazier
What’s gone right for Birmingham this season? Nothing, well maybe Garry Monk coming in.
What’s gone wrong? Harry Redknapp spending a stupid amount on players wages that destabilised the dressing room, taking players from £10K to £45K.
Prediction? 1 – 1
MATT’S PREDICTION: I’ll be honest, I can only see this game going one way. I just can’t see Birmingham willing to come and attack us knowing that one point is enough for them, they will sit back & try to play for a point which will result in us having something like 85% or so possession & 20 shots. Plus, Millwall aside, we haven’t really been blowing teams away recently, maybe we’re just exhausted after a long season, I don’t know. This will either result in a 0 – 0 or a 1 – 0 win for us, depending on if one of our shots manages to be lucky and get through. I just can’t tell which one it will be, but hopefully the latter.
Birmingham 0 – 1 Fulham
