Fulham's August Barclaycard Premiership
Player of the Month Louis Saha is convinced that the scramble for places
in Jean Tigana's first-choice XI will ensure a pumped-up team takes the
field in the London derby at Charlton on Sunday.
Frenchman Saha hit the net three times in the first three Premiership
games to land the sponsors' opening award of the season - and immediately
warned Alan Curbishley's side he plans to race to his 15-goal target.
Cottagers striker Steve Marlet, the club-record £11.5million signing
from Lyon, is not expected to feature against the Addicks after suffering
a knee injury while on duty with the French national team in Chile last
weekend.
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Louis Saha
Fulham |
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Nonetheless, Saha has predicted a season-long
battle between him, Steve Marlet, Luis Boa Morte and Barry Hayles for
Tigana's two forward berths.
"All four strikers are very competitive and we will fight for the
two places," he said. "It will be good competition during training,
and we will improve every weekend.
"Like every good team, like Liverpool, they have strikers to play
with - that is the way to be competitive in every game.
"All of us wanted to have a good season, and the good start against
Manchester (when Fulham lost 3-2 to United) let us think about the future
with confidence. I think to play the same as last season is a good target."
The 23-year-old will take the field at The Valley eager to continue the
Cottagers' healthy start. Ex-Newcastle forward Saha knows this season
will be more challenging than last term, but he is just as hungry for
goals. "I know it will be a little bit harder," he said.
"But if we have the same spirit and good chances again, we can improve
and maybe I will score 15, which would be good."
Saha is pleased to have Boa Morte back for the Charlton game after a three-match
suspension held over from last season, although he has sounded a word
of warning about Charlton's Finnish forward Jonatan Johansson.
"Luis Boa Morte's return is a good boost for us," Saha added.
"He's the kind of player we need to have. We need a big strikeforce.
He's the kind of player I appreciate playing with. "The way we play
this season should be perfect for him. He's very quick so he can get chances
very easily. "Charlton is the kind of game where we have to be careful
- they have a good striker, Johansson. It will be a hard game. We have
to be more efficient in front of the goal. It will be very tight."
Saha has been in red-hot form this season, giving notice that the striking
skills which took him soaring up the Division One top-scorers' chart last
term will be just as potent in the top flight. The former Metz player
scored 27 goals in 43 appearances as Fulham clinched the Division One
title.
In this season's daunting opening day clash at the Old Trafford home of
champions Manchester United, Saha hit the net twice to underline the Londoners'
Premiership credentials. And three days later, against Sunderland at Craven
Cottage, the Frenchman was again at the top of his game. He ran rings
round the Wearsiders' defence to score in a 2-0 win and delight the 20,000-plus
crowd packed into Craven Cottage.
After a fortnight-long break from league action, Saha will be eager to
hit the goals trail again this weekend.
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