Fulham as of Jan 3rd

I dont know if any of you listen to the world soccer daily, but they are having a contest to predict the position of the top 4 and the points they will be on as of Jan 3. If you want to send your predictions you can send it to chelcfc@mac.com

I said:
Arsenal 48
Man U 46
Chelsea 43
Liverpool 37

If anyone cares about this I can share reasons, but that is probably for the other forum.

ANYWAY - Got me thinking - where will Fulham be?

Currently with 13 points

Fixtures:
vs. Newcastle (1-1) 14 points
vs. Wigan (2-0) 17 points
@ Spurs (1-3) 17 points
@ Birmingham City (1-1) 18 Points
vs. Chelsea (0-1) 18 Points

Looking around the table, we have to be concerned about Sunderland, Middlesbrough, and Birmingham. I think Bolton and Spurs are getting things sorted and they are on the way up. I hope the same is not true for Birmingham.

So looking at just those 3 teams:

Sunderland - Currently 13 points

vs. Villa (1-2) 13 points
@ Reading (0-3) 13 points
vs. ManU (0-4) 13 Points
vs. Bolton (0-1) 13 Points
@ Blackburn (1-2) 13 Points

Middlesbrough - Currently 14 points

@ Derby (2-0) 17 Points
vs. West Ham (0-1) 17 Points
@ Birmingham (1-1) 18 Points
@ Portsmouth (0-3) 18 Points
vs. Everton (1-1) 19 Points

Birmingham - Currently 14 Points

vs. Reading (1-1) 15 Points
@ Bolton (0-2) 15 Points
vs. Middlesbrough (1-1) 16 Points
vs. Fulham (1-1) 17 Points
@ ManU (0-2) 17 Points

So - as of Jan 3rd:

Middlesbrough 19 points
Fulham 18 Points
Birmingham 17 Points
Sunderland 13 points

If that is the case - then Sunderlund will be far enough out of it that they will go down with Wigan and Derby. Seems that Wigan and Derby are without hope.

I am hoping that with the addition of Brian and a new Manager we could do better than finishing one spot out of relegation, and as of right now it looks like that is going to be the case.

Thoughts?

 

I think LS will stay for the whole season becuase Jimmy and McBadass will light a fire under this team


hopefully

 

Fulham needs 19 points, but I dont know if they'll get it. I won't give point predictions for the others, but here's my take:

Birmingham will be fine under McLeish(sp). He's a quality manager.

Bolton's status depends on how January goes. If Anelka bolts (pun intended), they're done.

Boro's victory against Arse was a fluke. They'll get at least a point at Derby, and then nothing after that.

Sunderland are questionable. They got a tough schedule coming up, and Keane-o will either light a fire and continue hoodwinking everyone into still thinking he's quality, or be exposed.

And for us... it really depends on the next two matches whether or not LS still has a job.

 

OK - Well lets see how I did... Looks like 2-2:

Fulham:
vs. Newcastle (1-1) 14 points - WRONG! (0-1) 13 points
vs. Wigan (2-0) 16 points
@ Spurs (1-3) 16 points
@ Birmingham City (1-1) 17 Points
vs. Chelsea (0-1) 17 Points

Sunderland - Currently 13 points

vs. Villa (1-2) 13 points - WRONG! (1-1) 14 Points
@ Reading (0-3) 14 points
vs. ManU (0-4) 14 Points
vs. Bolton (0-1) 14 Points
@ Blackburn (1-2) 14 Points

Middlesbrough - Currently 14 points

@ Derby (2-0) 17 Points - Right (1-0)
vs. West Ham (0-1) 17 Points
@ Birmingham (1-1) 18 Points
@ Portsmouth (0-3) 18 Points
vs. Everton (1-1) 19 Points

Birmingham - Currently 14 Points

vs. Reading (1-1) 15 Points - Right (1-1)
@ Bolton (0-2) 15 Points
vs. Middlesbrough (1-1) 16 Points
vs. Fulham (1-1) 17 Points
@ ManU (0-2) 17 Points

So as of Jan 3rd - Oh Crap it looks even worse:
Middlesbrough 19 points
Birmingham 17 Points
Fulham 17 Points
Sunderland 14 points

Yikes.

 

As of the 26th::

Fulham:
vs. Newcastle (1-1) 14 points - WRONG! (0-1) 13 points
vs. Wigan (2-0) 16 points - WRONG! (1-1) 14 Points
@ Spurs (1-5) 14 points - Right
@ Birmingham City (1-1) 15 Points
vs. Chelsea (0-1) 15 Points

Sunderland - Currently 13 points

vs. Villa (1-2) 13 points - WRONG! (1-1) 14 Points
@ Reading (1-2) 14 points - Right
vs. ManU (0-4) 14 Points - Right
vs. Bolton (0-1) 14 Points
@ Blackburn (1-2) 14 Points

Middlesbrough - Currently 14 points

@ Derby (2-0) 17 Points - Right (1-0)
vs. West Ham (1-2) 17 Points - Right
@ Birmingham (1-1) 18 Points - WRONG (0-3) 17 Points
@ Portsmouth (0-3) 17 Points
vs. Everton (1-1) 18 Points

Birmingham - Currently 14 Points

vs. Reading (1-1) 15 Points - Right (1-1)
@ Bolton (0-3) 15 Points - Right
vs. Middlesbrough (1-1) 16 Points - WRONG (3-0) 18 points
vs. Fulham (1-1) 19 Points
@ ManU (0-2) 19 Points

So Predictions as of Jan 3rd:
Birmingham 19 Points
Middlesbrough 18 points
Fulham 15 Points
Sunderland 14 points

Birmingham is making a charge right now - we really need this game. I have predicted a draw, but I sure hope I am wrong.

 

As of the 31st::

Fulham:
vs. Newcastle (1-1) 14 points - WRONG! (0-1) 13 points
vs. Wigan (2-0) 16 points - WRONG! (1-1) 14 Points
@ Spurs (1-5) 14 points - Right
@ Birmingham City (1-1) 15 Points - Right
vs. Chelsea (0-1) 15 Points

Sunderland - Currently 13 points

vs. Villa (1-2) 13 points - WRONG! (1-1) 14 Points
@ Reading (1-2) 14 points - Right
vs. ManU (0-4) 14 Points - Right
vs. Bolton (0-1) 14 Points - WRONG! (3-1) 17 Points
@ Blackburn (1-2) 17 Points

Middlesbrough - Currently 14 points

@ Derby (2-0) 17 Points - Right (1-0)
vs. West Ham (1-2) 17 Points - Right
@ Birmingham (1-1) 18 Points - WRONG (0-3) 17 Points
@ Portsmouth (0-3) 17 Points - WRONG (1-0) 20 Points
vs. Everton (1-1) 21 Points

Birmingham - Currently 14 Points

vs. Reading (1-1) 15 Points - Right (1-1)
@ Bolton (0-3) 15 Points - Right
vs. Middlesbrough (1-1) 16 Points - WRONG (3-0) 18 points
vs. Fulham (1-1) 19 Points - Right
@ ManU (0-2) 19 Points

So Predictions as of Jan 3rd:
Middlesbrough 21 points
Birmingham 19 Points
Sunderland 17 points
Fulham 15 Points

Sunderland and Middlesbrough getting wins when they probably shouldnt have has REALLY hurt Fulham's outlook. I sure hope January is good to the boys in white.

 

As of the 3rd::

Fulham:
vs. Newcastle (1-1) 14 points - WRONG! (0-1) 13 points
vs. Wigan (2-0) 16 points - WRONG! (1-1) 14 Points
@ Spurs (1-5) 14 points - Right
@ Birmingham City (1-1) 15 Points - Right
vs. Chelsea (1-2) 15 Points - Right

Sunderland - Currently 13 points

vs. Villa (1-2) 13 points - WRONG! (1-1) 14 Points
@ Reading (1-2) 14 points - Right
vs. ManU (0-4) 14 Points - Right
vs. Bolton (0-1) 14 Points - WRONG! (3-1) 17 Points
@ Blackburn (0-1) 17 Points - Right

Middlesbrough - Currently 14 points

@ Derby (2-0) 17 Points - Right (1-0)
vs. West Ham (1-2) 17 Points - Right
@ Birmingham (1-1) 18 Points - WRONG (0-3) 17 Points
@ Portsmouth (0-3) 17 Points - WRONG (1-0) 20 Points
vs. Everton (1-1) 21 Points - WRONG (0-2) 20 Points

Birmingham - Currently 14 Points

vs. Reading (1-1) 15 Points - Right (1-1)
@ Bolton (0-3) 15 Points - Right
vs. Middlesbrough (1-1) 16 Points - WRONG (3-0) 18 points
vs. Fulham (1-1) 19 Points - Right
@ ManU (0-1) 19 Points - Right

So Final Standings as of Jan 3rd:
Middlesbrough 20 points
Birmingham 19 Points
Sunderland 17 points
Fulham 15 Points

I originally had it as:
Middlesbrough 19 points
Fulham 18 Points
Birmingham 17 Points
Sunderland 13 points

So I didnt do that well in the picks. Going strait on W's and L's I was 12-8.

Now obviously this doesnt matter, and what does is the current position this is putting Fulham in. The holidays couldnt have gone much worse. 2 points out of a possible 12? We all know this, but the outlook is grim.