Preview: Fulham v Derby

Tomorrow is Judgment Day for Lawrie Sanchez. That might sound a bit dramatic considering it's still only October but quite frankly our match against Derby is the most important game of the season so far.

It's all very well getting the players stirred up to face Chelsea at the Bridge, but it's making sure they're in the right frame of mind to play the teams closer to us in the league that will provide Sanchez with a stiffer test. How they respond will tell us a lot about his management qualities.

Win tomorrow and we will be set up nicely for next week's trip to Sunderland and the following week's visit of Reading. Lose and the proverbial storm clouds will be gathering above the Cottage. If we can't beat the team at the bottom of the table, where else will we score points?

Derby have had a pretty torrid time so far this season. Their sole victory - at home to Newcastle - has been the only highlight of a miserable campaign and they are already being installed as the red hot favourites for a swift return to the Championship.

They have accumulated just five points (the aforementioned win against the Geordies, as well as home draws against Bolton and Portsmouth) from their nine league games and have only found the back of the net five times, while conceding a whopping 22 goals.

Their away form has been particularly dire: Liverpool thrashed them 6-0; Arsenal put five past them and even Spurs ran out 4-0 winners.

However, there is no reason for us to feel smug.

Although we haven't been on the end of such drubbings we have still only scored two more points and when statistics such as Derby not having scored a point or a goal away from home start getting quoted it makes me very nervous. Wouldn't it be Fulhamish to let them break at least one of those ducks tomorrow?

Our record this year is pretty woeful which is why we're also marooned in the bottom three. We have only scored two more points than Derby - by virtue of two extra home draws - and although our goal difference is still in negative territory it does at least look a bit healthier. The back of the net has been found 12 times by us - against 16 conceded - even though our shooting boots haven't been packed for the last two games against Pompey and Chelsea.

Maybe I'm being too gloomy, but I now see every match we play in 'nightmare scenario' terms. The sooner we get another win under our belts the better. Come on Lawrie, make us believe.