Who do we need to look out for at the Cottage today? Ben and Rob's preview...
Sat 16 March 2024, 11:00|Tottenham Hotspur
We're off to the famous Cottage for a 5.30pm kick-off in the Premier League today - here's Club commentator Rob Daly and Inside Spurs, The Warm Up and Review Show host Ben Haines' take on Fulham...
Talking tactics with Rob
"Spurs are in a good place - two huge wins after the Wolves disappointment and the way they kept going at Aston Villa showed a ruthlessness. I imagine there’s been a positive energy in training this week. On to Craven Cottage, where Spurs lost on penalties with a much-changed side earlier in the season in the Carabao Cup. Fulham have had some great wins recently - beating Manchester United 2-1 away and Brighton 3-0 - both games played without Joao Palhinha, who was suspended. He only came on as a sub against Wolves on his return last time out (a 2-1 defeat) but I anticipate he’ll be back in midfield. The Portuguese international was outstanding at Spurs back in October despite the 2-0 defeat. That game was a solid one for Spurs. They forced Calvin Bassey into notable errors playing out from the back for both the Heung-Min Son and James Maddison goals. Spurs have the most high turnovers (288) and it led to chances and a goal against Aston Villa last weekend. You imagine Ange Postecoglou will have his team pressing from the get-go to work early chances (no team has more goals in the opening 15 minutes of matches than Spurs - 14).
Meanwhile, Fulham seem to have found their striker to replace Alexandr Mitrovic - and it’s not January signing Armando Broja on loan from Chelsea. I commentated on Fulham’s recent win at Old Trafford and was so impressed by Brazilian Rodrigo Muniz. His hold-up play was of the highest level, able to use his strength to keep possession under pressure from Rafael Varane and Harry Maguire. He’s an outstanding outlet for them, especially if Spurs apply pressure to Fulham’s back four. His five goals in six Premier League games have been ahead of huge boost for them with Raul Jimenez recently having been out injured too. For Spurs - what changes? Brennan Johnson started at Villa and scored - while Timo Werner came on to do the same. It feels like Spurs have real options in attack. Dejan Kulusevski was superb last weekend but it’s not impossible Son is flanked by Johnson and Werner. Then at centre-back, Ange Postecoglou said Micky van de Ven was unlikely to be involved on Saturday, so Radu Dragusin, you’d imagine, will come in for a first start. He did well as a sub at Villa and Spurs looked defensively stable last Sunday. A third win in a row - and an eighth successive Premier League win at Fulham - would be huge going in to the international break."
Ben's players to watch
"Fulham were on a tough run but seemed to have turned things around with a win against Bournemouth last month (3-1 win on 10 February), backed that up with a good win at Old Trafford, then beat Brighton 3-0. They also played well in defeat against Villa in there, as well. The big one is Joao Palhinha with everything he provides in the midfield, Alex Iwobi scored the winner at United and seems to be in a good spot. There is another player who I think it would almost be rude not to bring into the equation, Adama Traore, every time we play against him, I'm absolutely petrified of that pace! What a ding-dong that could be, if we get Traore up against Destiny Udogie! On the Spurs side, Rob's right, the pressing at the moment has been sensational. It's something we've highlighted on Inside Spurs this week, and it's leading to goals. If you go back to our win against Fulham earlier in the season, both goals came from the high press, high turnovers and being absolutely ruthless in the final third. I would expect the team to do the same again. So, really important for us that when we get into those positions, our number 10s and strikers are ruthless, and with that in mind, my one to watch is James Maddison. There's another, as well... Radu Dragusin looks likely to play, his first start, a London derby, what a great game to do it in. I though it was a great appearance off the bench at Villa, really impressed by him."