Boa Morte - shone for Fulham this year.
COTTAGE INDUSTRY TO YIELD GOALS
By David John
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Betting Box Tipping Guide
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BETTING BOX
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2pts more than three goals at 3/1 (Bet365). |
Plenty of entertainment at Craven Cottage this year and more goals on the cards. |
There should be some entertainment to be found on Monday night at Craven Cottage when Fulham host Wigan in the Premiership.
Chris Coleman's side are rightly looking up rather than down in terms of the table and one more win should put the seal on top-flight football for next season.
They have a handy break on those scrapping for survival and Coleman said in a recent interview that he is keen to pick off a couple of sides above them in the table and finish another iffy season on a positive note.
To that end, players such as Brian McBride and the superb Luis Boa Morte will be kept on the go in a bid to pick up as many points as possible.
It has been on the banks of the River Thames that Fulham have thrived.
Out of 39 points accrued in total, 35 have come at home - that is 11 wins and two draws, the sort of form that would be good enough to be challenging for a European place.
Alas, they have been shocking on the road (still yet to win) and a measly four points from their travels means they have again woefully under-achieved for a side that has some really decent players and produces attractive football.
Although losses at home to Arsenal and Portsmouth recently have rather dented their reputation on their own patch, order was restored against Charlton 2-1 over Easter weekend thanks to a double strike from Boa Morte.
They are priced up at a fraction of odds against to beat a team that has perversely won more matches away from home than at the JJB Stadium (eight compared to seven).
Hopes of a European place were re-ignited with a recent 3-2 win over Aston Villa as Paul Jewell, like Coleman, hopes to finish a remarkable return to the Premiership with a flourish.
However, they will be without Arjan de Zeeuw, Matt Jackson and Ryan Taylor at the back which will make it difficult for them to contain a Fulham front line that has only failed to find the net at home just twice all season.
Equally, Fulham's rearguard has been breached 21 times in front of their own fans and to put that in perspective, it is once more than both Birmingham and Portsmouth.
So the Latics will be confident of scoring considering both Jimmy Bullard and Henri Camara are in such good nick at present but whether they can take all three points might just be beyond them.
If pressed, I predict Fulham to just edge things but goals are on the agenda with over three at 3/1 (Bet365) looking solid business and exciting to boot.
Preview posted at 1430BST on 22/04/2006
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