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General Category => Archive => Daily Fulham Stuff => Topic started by: WhiteJC on October 14, 2021, 12:49:44 AM

Title: Thursday Fulham Stuff - 14/10/21...
Post by: WhiteJC on October 14, 2021, 12:49:44 AM
Under the radar: How has Harry Wilson performed in his first season with Fulham?

(https://eflanalysis.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Attacking-dashboard-5-1-1536x922.png)

One winger that was unable to make his mark in Jurgen Klopp's squad was Harry Wilson who left the club during the recent summer transfer window. Wilson was never able to make an impact at Liverpool, leaving on loan spells away with Hull, Derby, Bournemouth and Cardiff. He exited in a permanent move to Championship club Fulham in a deal worth a reported fee of £12m on a five-year deal.

Having dazzled in the Championship, it was Fulham who gave Wilson a fresh start in the summer. It is fair to say that Wilson hasn't failed to meet those expectations so far. Fulham have won only one of their last four games, but their start to life back in the Championship has been largely impressive. Marco Silva's side have secured six wins from their first 11 matches, and currently occupy fifth spot in the Championship table. Wilson has featured in eight of those matches, scoring three goals and producing as many assists in a Fulham shirt.

(https://eflanalysis.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Heatmaps-9.png)

Wilson has been starting on the right flank for Fulham and has been a threat to the opposition from the same flank. The heatmap indicates that while Wilson has been pushing up when his team are in possession, he also tracks back the opposition's attackers when they have the ball and constructing an attack.

(https://eflanalysis.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Shots-19.png)

The above visual shows us the shot map for Wilson so far in the season. Wilson has scored three goals in his eight outings for Fulham. Wilson is a left-footed player and playing on the right flank gives him the chance to cut in from the flank and attempt shots on the goal. Wilson has quick feet and can make space for himself in order to take a shot.

(https://eflanalysis.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Pass-map-16.png)

The pass map for Wilson shows that he has been really comfortable on the ball playing a lot of passes and to a lot of areas on the pitch showcasing his wide range of passing. Harry Wilson has played a number of long diagonal passes to switch the wing and create space for his players. He has a high xT from the passes he has attempted in the final third into the penalty area.

(https://eflanalysis.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Expected-goal-contribution-1-1.png)

The young midfielder has provided six goal contributions so far with the three goals and assists he has provided for his team. Because of this, he has a high expected goal contribution of 5.8 so far and also has an expected goal contribution of 0.74 per 90 minutes.

(https://eflanalysis.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Attacking-dashboard-5-1.png)

To summarise we can see that Wilson's attacking stats so far this season have been higher than most of the players in the league. Wilson has recorded 0.38 goals per 90 minutes and is better than 93% of the players in the league. Wilson has attempted approximately five dribbles per game and has taken 4 touches in the penalty area per 90 minutes. His wide range of passing and direct approach towards goal has helped him put up impressive performances for Fulham.

He is a key player for a team which are expected to be fighting for automatic promotion come the end of the season. When he is at his best, he is undoubtedly one of the dangerous players at this level, and it is all about playing to his strengths. Fulham will be hoping to recover from a recent dip in form. Only four points have been picked up from their last four games, and they have tailed off slightly in the race for automatic promotion. Wilson will be hoping to stay free from injuries and keep on performing to a level his manager expects him to perform to.



https://eflanalysis.com/analysis/harry-wilson-2021-22-fulham-data-stats
Title: Re: Thursday Fulham Stuff - 14/10/21...
Post by: WhiteJC on October 14, 2021, 12:51:29 AM
'Could be the recipe for a masterpiece' – How key Fulham figure hasn't quite lived up to initial excitement following summer arrival

This article is part of Football League World's 'Rewind' series, this content strand is where we rewind back to a particular moment at a club, assess the initial reaction from the fans, and then proceed to evaluate and reflect on whether fans were right to react in that way....

After failing to keep Fulham in the Premier League last season, the time came for the club and head coach Scott Parker to part ways this past summer.

For a number of weeks it seemed a matter of when, not if and it soon emerged that the former England midfielder had a new job lined-up already at AFC Bournemouth, meaning that the search was on from the Khan family for a new manager at Craven Cottage.

It quickly emerged that Marco Silva was going to be the man to take over in the dugout, with the former Everton, Hull City and Watford boss officially being confirmed on July 1 – let's look at the initial reaction from Cottagers fans.

The month of August showed lots of promise with the Cottagers winning four of their first five Championship matches, but the period between the first two international breaks of the season was a massive step backwards.

Those six matches saw just two wins – both of which were convincing ones against Birmingham City and Swansea City – however it was the three defeats that overshadowed those.

A surprise away loss to Blackpool and a home defeat against Reading were bad enough but the Cottagers suffered a catastrophic collapse in the second half against Coventry City last week to lose 4-1 in the Midlands.

Silva has lost a few players to injuries like young sensation Fabio Carvalho, but that's not really an excuse because of the depth he has at his disposal and there are some worrying signs creeping in.

Some fans were happy to be rid of Parker in the summer following relegation but he's had a flying start to life at the Cherries – Bournemouth are unbeaten after 11 matches and sit top of the Championship under his stewardship.

We're still early in the season but things are definitely not going as well as they are supposed to be for the Cottagers and Silva, but he has plenty of time to banish the recent set of bad results and get back on track, starting with a match against Queens Park Rangers this weekend.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/could-be-the-recipe-for-a-masterpiece-how-key-fulham-figure-hasnt-quite-lived-up-to-initial-excitement-following-summer-arrival/
Title: Re: Thursday Fulham Stuff - 14/10/21...
Post by: WhiteJC on October 14, 2021, 12:52:13 AM
What's Terence Kongolo's injury status at Fulham? Will he feature this season?
Terence Kongolo has had a torrid time with injury since his move to Fulham during the 2019/20 campaign.

Kongolo, 27, was at one time a regular with the Dutch national side. The former Feyenoord man arrived in England with Huddersfield Town during the 2017/18 campaign and would eventually seal a move to Fulham, who paid upwards of £7million for the defender.

Since, Kongolo has made only two league appearances for the club. He played once in the Premier League last season after working his way back to fitness, only to be ruled out for the remainder of the campaign with a knee injury which also kept him out of the side going into this season.

He was supposedly closing in on a return to action too, but the defender would run into some more bad luck last month when it was reported that he had to come off injured during a development game v Newcastle United's development side.

That was the last we've heard of Kongolo's fitness – there was no suggestion as to how serious it was or how much longer it might keep him on the sidelines for.

For Kongolo, his current situation must be a hugely frustrating one. He arrived at the club as something of a marquee signing and fans were gunning to see him in action, but a persistent knee injury has blighted his Fulham career so far and there seems to be no end in sight.

It'd be a huge achievement for the player if he could make a return to the side this season – how possible that is we don't know, but the fact that Kongolo was nearing a return last month could suggest that we'll see him before the season is out.

It all depends on the severity of his setback last month.



https://the72.co.uk/253079/whats-terence-kongolos-injury-status-at-fulham-will-he-feature-this-season/
Title: Re: Thursday Fulham Stuff - 14/10/21...
Post by: WhiteJC on October 14, 2021, 12:53:32 AM
How is Brede Hangeland getting on ever since leaving Fulham?

As memorable figures go for Fulham during the early part of the current century, there may not be many who come close to Brede Hangeland.

During a six-and-a-half year spell at Craven Cottage, the towering centre back made 270 appearances in all competitions for Fulham, and was a part of the side that famously took the club to the 2009/10 Europa League final.

Eventually though, Hangeland's time with the club came to an end following the club's relegation from the Premier League at the end of the 2013/14, when he was released by the club, despite having a year left on his contract at the Cottage.

Following his departure, Hangeland issued a statement revealing he had been told of his release via email, although Fulham responded by insisting that the defender had been notified of his departure in the correct way.

Never the less, Hangeland would remain in the Premier League, and indeed London, joining Crystal Palace in the summer of 2014.

The Norwegian spent the next two years with Palace, but struggled for game time, making just 25 appearances in all competitions during a two-year spell at Selhurst Park, before being released by the Eagles in the summer of 2016, following a 15th place finish in English football's top-flight.

In the wake of his exit from Palace, Hangeland confirmed in August 2016 that he had retired from playing at the age of 35.

After confirming the end of his playing career, the centre back spent time working as a pundit back in his native, as part of TV2's coverage of the Premier League.

However, in December 2020, Hangeland returned to a role within football, as he was appointed to the newly created role of player manager for Norway's national team, working under former Wolves and Copenhagen Stale Solbakken, working as a link between the playing squad and the rest of the backroom staff.

With two games to go, Norway currently occupy the play-off spot in their World Cup qualifying group, sitting two points behind leaders the Netherlands in the automatic qualification spot, and two points clear of third-placed Turkey.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/how-is-brede-hangeland-getting-on-ever-since-leaving-fulham/
Title: Re: Thursday Fulham Stuff - 14/10/21...
Post by: WhiteJC on October 14, 2021, 12:54:59 AM
Games for the Weekend 16/10...
Another early kick-off, 12:30, this time we welcome QPR to the Cottage.
(http://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/FulhamQPR.png)
So after another international break we're back to games that matter.
Hopefully we'll play better than after the previous one! With Mitro, Wilson, Marek Rodak, Bobby De Cordova-Reid and Antonee Robinson travelling with their squads Marco Silva won't have had much, if any, time to re-energise the team.
There was some good news with Terence Kongolo, Kenny Tete and Tom Cairney back in training, I don't think we'll see them for this game, but you never know?
It'll be interesting to see if Fabio Carvalho is in the squad, if he is then so much the better, if he's not then I think that could indicate that he's off in January?

After the shambles at Coventry a derby game against the bitters could be just the thing to get us back on track?
QPR are having a good start to the season, and I'm sure they'll be up for this game.

We've a good record against QPR, 9 wins, 2 losses and 2 draws.

Assuming no "international" injuries my team would be...

(http://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/QPR-H.png)

COYW's

Games of Interest...
Friday 15th

West Brom v Birmingham

Saturday 16th
Fulham v QPR
Bristol City v Bournemouth
Millwall v Luton
Sheff Utd v Stoke


come on over to the forum and join in the discussion...
https://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?board=36.0



http://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/?p=1776
Title: Re: Thursday Fulham Stuff - 14/10/21...
Post by: WhiteJC on October 14, 2021, 12:56:04 AM
POLL: 56.2% of fans say this Fulham man shouldn't be handed a new deal
Alfie Mawson sees his Fulham contract expire next summer, but should he be handed a new deal?

Mawson, 27, is in his fourth season at Fulham. The Englishman was a marquee signing ahead of their 2018/19 Premier League season but since, he's only featured 47 times in league fixtures.

He's had his injury problems in the past few years, last season in particular where he joined Bristol City on loan but would only feature 11 times owing to a knee injury.

This time round, Mawson has played a backup role under Marco Silva, featuring five times in the Championship and twice in the Carabao Cup.

He was once hailed as one of the brightest young English defenders in the game but Mawson has had to endure a tough spell with Fulham, which could come to end at the end of this season.

So should he be handed a new Fulham deal? We asked fans on Twitter and 56.2% said 'no' – see the full results of the poll below:





https://the72.co.uk/253106/poll-56-2-of-fans-say-this-fulham-man-shouldnt-be-handed-a-new-deal/
Title: Re: Thursday Fulham Stuff - 14/10/21...
Post by: WhiteJC on October 14, 2021, 12:57:32 AM
Former Fulham man Kevin McDonald speaks out as he eyes return

Former Fulham man Kevin McDonald is currently training with Dundee as he attempts to get back to full fitness and find a new team and told Sky Sports it has been 'good to be back involved.'

The midfielder was once a tough-tackling, no-nonsense midfield maestro in the EFL with plenty of vision and the ability to bag a goal or too as well. He was viewed as one of the best in his position at both Fulham and in the league.

He was just as highly thought of at Wolves too and accumulated over 200 appearances between the Molineux side and the Cottagers. Before that, he was even a regular for Sheffield United.

McDonald then is well-versed in EFL football and became one of the household names and best midfielders in the division. However, he struggled with Fulham last year and eventually had to drop out of the game completely due to some kidney issues. It led to him needing surgery and now he is ready to try and bounce back and reach full fitness again.

It has meant that the midfielder currently has no team but Dundee have allowed their former player to train with them in a bid to help get him fit and firing in his pursuit of more footballing action.

Now, the player himself has spoken out about having to try and get back to full fitness and find a new team and claimed it is 'a buzz to get the boots back on.' He told Sky Sports: "It was good having the boots back on but three hours later it was the worst thing I've ever done! My whole body was just in bits. But it was good, of course it was a buzz to get the boots back on.

"I didn't know how my body would handle making those kind of movements. That was the question – would I be able to play football again?

"And that first session was tough going but it was just so good to be back involved – the banter, the getting back on the ball, being in and amongst a football team."

McDonald then wants to try and continue his playing career despite such a big setback – and looks determined than ever to do so. With Dundee helping him along the way, whichever team decides to take a chance on him will have themselves a hard-working midfielder no doubt.

The Verdict

Kevin McDonald was one of the most impressive midfielders in the Championship. It's good then to see him get back out playing and hopefully getting back to the stage where he can play regularly again.

If he can get back to match fitness, then whatever team takes a gamble on him will have a solid player. It sounds like training is going well and it may take the player a while to get back to the position he was at but he will be determined and desperate to prove he can get there.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/former-fulham-man-kevin-mcdonald-speaks-out-as-he-eyes-return/
Title: Re: Thursday Fulham Stuff - 14/10/21...
Post by: WhiteJC on October 14, 2021, 12:58:11 AM
AEW: Tony Khan reveals if he has been talking to Bray Wyatt

AEW President Tony Khan recently revealed if he has been speaking to former WWE Superstar Bray Wyatt. The owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham Football Club admitted that he hadn't yet actually spoken to Rotunda about potentially joining All Elite.

Speaking on WFAN's Moose & Maggie Show in New York City, Khan said that "he's a great wrestler, and I have to be honest, we haven't talked at all. I've known him in my personal life, but in reality, we haven't talked. But you never know."

This comes amid news that Bray Wyatt is reportedly in talks with IMPACT Wrestling to sign a deal and become a member of their roster.

It seems unlikely that Tony Khan wouldn't have spoken to Wyatt yet, with the former WWE Superstar being one of the biggest names released from the company this year, but we'll have to take his word on it for now.

Tony Khan on Bray Wyatt
AEW Dynamite is on every Wednesday night on TNT and FITE; fans in the UK can sign up to watch the show via AEW+ on FITE.

AEW Rampage is on every Friday night on TNT and FITE, fans in the UK can sign up to watch the show via AEW+ on FITE.

All Elite Wrestling also hosts four PPV events per year, available via traditional PPV routes in the United States and again on FITE TV elsewhere. The PPVs are named Double or Nothing, Full Gear, All Out and Revolution.

AEW Dark and AEW Dark: Elevation are available to watch every Monday and Tuesday night on AEW's official YouTube channel.



https://fightfans.co.uk/aew/aew-news/aew-tony-khan-reveals-if-he-has-been-talking-to-bray-wyatt/
Title: Re: Thursday Fulham Stuff - 14/10/21...
Post by: WhiteJC on October 14, 2021, 12:58:38 AM
Join Us For The West London Derby

There's still time to secure your seat for this weekend's West London derby against Queens Park Rangers!

Fulham return after the international break to take on local rivals QPR on Saturday 16th October, kick-off 12:30pm, with just one place separating the sides in the Sky Bet Championship table.

Tickets for this fixture are priced from £35 for adults, £30 for concessions and young adults and £15 for juniors.

Fans can purchase tickets now online at tickets.fulhamfc.com, by phone on 0203 871 0810 (lines open between 9am and 5pm) or in person from the Fulham FC Ticket Office (Mon-Fri 9.30am-4.30pm).



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/october/13/qpr-tickets-/
Title: Re: Thursday Fulham Stuff - 14/10/21...
Post by: WhiteJC on October 14, 2021, 01:01:41 AM
Fulham v QPR: six memorable past encounters

Saturday's Championship match at Craven Cottage will be the 35th league meeting between Fulham and QPR. The two clubs have each won 14 past meetings with six others ending in a draw. Here are six memorable fixtures between the two west London neighbours.

QPR 0 Fulham 2, January 31, 2001, Division One
If ever a match exemplified the future direction of both clubs it was this midweek clash at a chilly Loftus Road.

Jean Tigana's outstanding side, backed by the cash of Mohamed Al-Fayed and destined for the Premier League, brushed aside a poor QPR outfit who were firmly on course towards Division Two and entering administration.

Gerry Francis had led Rangers to a 10th-place finish in the previous season – one place and a point behind Fulham – who'd sacked Paul Bracewell after little over six months in charge when their expensively-assembled side failed to challenge for the play-offs.

But the following season, under the guidance of former France midfielder Tigana, the Whites took the division by storm, tasting defeat just five times and chalking up 101 points on their way to lifting the title.

QPR on the other hand had won just four games all season leading into this match and were to replace Francis with Ian Holloway six weeks later after a humiliating 5-0 loss at Wimbledon.

Goals from Denmark striker Peter Moller – the only time he found the net for Fulham – and German World Cup winner Karl-Heinz Riedle sealed the win after Rangers had lost their two best players Clarke Carlisle and Richard Langley before half-time to season-ending cruciate ligament injuries.

Fulham won the return game in March at Craven Cottage and went on to enjoy a 13-year stint in the top flight, while QPR spent the next three seasons in the third tier.

QPR: Ludek Miklosko, Mark Perry, Chris Plummer, Clarke Carlisle (Paul Bruce 11), Ian Baraclough, Richard Langley (George Kulscar 37), Matthew Rose, Gavin Peacock, Karl Connolly (Michel Ngonge 79), Chris Kiwomya, Peter Crouch.
Fulham: Maik Taylor, Steve Finnan, Andy Melville, Kit Symons, Rufus Brevett, Bjarne Goldbaek, Sean Davis, Lee Clark, Fabrice Fernandes, Louis Saha, Peter Moller (Karl Heinz Riedle 70).

Fulham 6 QPR 0, October 2, 2011, Premier League
QPR arrived at Craven Cottage high on confidence after a steady start to life back in the Premier League in what was the first ever top-flight meeting between the two clubs, only to leave SW6 with their tails firmly between their legs on what was a chastening day for Neil Warnock's side.

On a gorgeous autumn afternoon by the Thames, Fulham ran the visitors ragged with future Rangers striker Andy Johnson scoring twice before half-time either side of a Danny Murphy penalty to effectively end the match as a contest after 38 minutes.

Warnock withdrew Adel Taarabt, who stormed out of the ground and towards the nearest bus stop, and Shaun Derry at half-time, but it made little difference after the restart as the Whites continued where they left off in ruthless fashion.

Johnson completed his hat-trick shortly before the hour mark with American midfielder Clint Dempsey adding a fifth before Bobby Zamora, who would join Rangers later that season, compounding the visitors' misery by making it 6-0 20 minutes from time.

Fulham won the return fixture at Loftus Road 1-0 and went on to finish a respectable ninth under Martin Jol that season.

QPR survived relegation by the narrowest of margins under former Fulham boss Mark Hughes despite losing 3-2 to champions Manchester City on the most dramatic final day in Premier League history.

Fulham: Mark Schwarzer, John Arne Riise, Brede Hangeland, Chris Baird, Zdenek Grygera, Steve Sidwell, Danny Murphy (Dickson Etuhu 83), Clint Dempsey, Andy Johnson (Bryan Ruiz 75), Bobby Zamora, Moussa Dembele.
QPR: Paddy Kenny, Anton Ferdinand, Fitz Hall, Luke Young, Bradley Orr, Ale Faurlin, Shaun Derry (Tommy Smith 45), Shaun Wright-Phillips, Adel Taarabt (DJ Campbell 45), Joey Barton, Jay Bothroyd (Jamie Mackie 72).

Fulham 4 QPR 0 September 25, 2015, Championship
Both teams were readjusting to life in the Championship following relegations from the Premier League but it was Fulham, under the short-lived managerial reign of Kit Symons, that once again dominated from the opening whistle against a well-resourced Rangers side who came into the game siting inside the top six.

Symons, who was sacked four weeks later, was one of four men to manage the Whites in a hugely difficult season that saw them finish two spots outside the relegation zone just two years after dropping out of the top flight.

Despite their struggles, Fulham saved two of their best performances of the season for their local rivals, starting with a dominant performance in the first meeting of the campaign.

Just like the clash between the sides in 2011, early goals put the game to bed, with outstanding young French striker Moussa Dembele rising unchallenged to open the scoring after just two minutes.

Ben Pringle added a well-taken second from the edge of the box after intercepting a poor Ale Faurlin pass before Tom Cairney teed up Ross McCormack to make it 3-0 before half-time.

McCormack added his second midway through the second period when he prodded home from close range after Gabriele Angella had turned Ryan Fredericks' low cross onto his own crossbar.

McCormack and Dembele were on target again later that season at Loftus Road when Fulham ran out 3-1 winners to hand new manager Slavisa Jokanovic his first win in six attempts, but the team largely struggled for the rest of the season.

Rangers finished 12th – with Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink in the managerial hotseat after Chris Ramsey was sacked in November.
Fulham: Andy Lonergan, Ryan Fredericks, (Kay Voser 77), Richard Stearman, Tim Ream, James Husband, Tom Cairney, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Jamie O'Hara (Lasse Vigen Christensen 65), Ben Pringle, Ross McCormack, Mousa Dembele (Cauley Woodrow).
QPR: Rob Green, James Perch, Gabriele Angella, Nedum Onuoha, Paul Konchesky, Karl Henry, Ale Faurlin, Matt Phillips, Massimo Luongo, Tjaronn Chery (Jamie Mackie 35, Leroy Fer 45), Charlie Austin (Daniel Tozser 58)

QPR 3 Fulham 1, May 2 1983, Division Two
Rangers, under the management of Terry Venables, and Fulham led by Malcolm Macdonald, were in the promotion hunt for most of the season with both sides boasting exciting and talented young players.

However, when the teams met at Loftus Road in early May their fortunes were taking vastly different routes, with Rangers needing a victory to seal the title and Fulham desperately clinging onto the final promotion spot behind Wolves.

Rangers took the lead thanks to early goals from John Gregory and Tony Sealy to put Venables' side firmly in control.

Simon Stainrod added a third midway through the second half before prolific Fulham hitman Gordon Davies added a late consolation for the visitors, who had Ray Lewington sent off late in the game for a scything tackle on Stainrod.

The result saw Fulham drop out of the top three for the first time since November, with Leicester, who found form in the second half of the season, leapfrogging them with three matches of the season remaining.

Leicester, who needed to beat relegation-haunted Burnley on the last day of the season to secure promotion, were held to a 0-0 draw meaning Fulham required three points at struggling Derby to seal back-to-back promotions.

However, they slipped to a highly-controversial 1-0 defeat in a match marred by several pitch invasions, with the match abandoned after 88 minutes but despite an appeal from the Fulham board the FA deemed the result should stand.

Rangers were the top London club upon their return to the top flight and qualified for the Uefa Cup, with Venables poached by Barcelona in May 1984.

Fulham failed to recover from that bitter disappointment and finished mid-table the following season before dropping in to the third tier in 1986. The club remained there until 1999.

QPR: Peter Hucker, Warren Neill, Bob Hazell, Steve Wicks, Ian Dawes, Terry Fenwick, Gary Waddock, Tony Sealy, John Gregory, Mike Flanagan, Simon Stainrod.
Fulham: Gerry Peyton, Jeff Hopkins, Kevin Lock, Sean O'Driscoll, Roger Brown, Tony Gale, Gordon Davies, Robert Wilson, Dean Coney, Ray Houghton, Ray Lewington.

Fulham 1 QPR 2, October 1, 2016, Championship
QPR claimed their first win at Craven Cottage in 36 years in dramatic fashion following an action-packed encounter that saw Fulham miss two penalties, the second deep into stoppage time.

The backdrop to the match was dominated by a Daily Telegraph investigation into football corruption that named Rangers boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, whose side arrived at the ground in search of a first win in six games and pressure mounting on the under-fire former Chelsea striker.

Following a heavy spell of early Fulham pressure, referee Lee Mason pointed to the spot after Steven Caulker hauled Chris Martin to the ground at a corner, but Tom Cairney's penalty was well saved by Alex Smithies.

Fulham, who were seeking a first win in seven, were made to pay for Sone Aluko and Martin missing gilt-edged opportunities when Conor Washington put the visitors in front with just before half-time with their first genuine attack.

Tim Ream levelled the match shortly after the restart but the match swung in Rangers' favour when Jokanovic surprisingly substituted the impressive Cairney and Scott Parker 20 minutes from time.

This allowed Rangers to start dominating the midfield area and with Tjaron Chery becoming increasingly influential and it was the Dutchman who set up the winner when his delightful cross was met by the diving Idrissa Sylla at the back post.

Fulham pushed hard for an equaliser and saw Jozebed hit the bar from a free-kick before Nedum Onuoha was adjudged to have caught the lively Spaniard with a high foot in the box and Martin pointed to the spot once more.

Aluko sent Smithies the wrong way but his 94th-minute effort clipped the base of the right post and was cleared to safety by the desperate Rangers defence.

The corresponding fixture at Loftus Road later in the season saw the sides play out a 1-1 draw with Fulham missing yet another penalty through Martin before Ryan Manning opened the scoring for Rangers. Martin atoned for that miss from the spot with a 75th-minute equaliser.

A revived Fulham had a storming second half of the season, finishing in the play-off places where they lost to Reading in the semi-finals. Rangers, in contrast lost seven of their last eight matches to only just avoid relegation under Ian Holloway, who replaced Hasselbaink.

Fulham: David Button, Denis Odoi, Ragnar Sigurdsson, Tim Ream, Scott Malone, Scott Parker (Jozabed 78), Ryan Tunnicliffe, Tom Cairney, (Neeskens Kebano 71), Sone Aluko, Lucas Piazon, Chris Martin (Matt Smith 56)
QPR: Alex Smithies; Nedum Onuoha, Steve Caulker, Grant Hall, Joel Lynch (Nico Hamalainen 81), Karl Henry, Massimo Luongo, Pavel Wzsolek (Olamido Shodipo 63), Tjarron Chery, Conor Washington, Sebastian Polter 6 (Idrissa Sylla 60).

QPR 2 Fulham 1 December 2012, Premier League
Rangers entered the match rooted to the foot of the table and without a win in 16 games – the worst start to a season in Premier League history.

However, a brace from the mercurial Adel Taarabt sealed a first three points for recently-appointed manager Harry Redknapp.

Unlike previous matches against QPR, Fulham looked listless and were second-best for much of a first half which saw Djibril Cisse and Jamie Mackie miss the target when put through on goal.

Taarabt opened the scoring just before the hour-mark with a speculative effort that took a huge deflection off Brede Hangeland's shin and flew into the bottom-right corner.

There was again a touch of fortune in the build-up to Taarabt's second goal when Hangeland diverted the ball into his path, but the finish was sublime as the Moroccan waltzed unchallenged through the Fulham defence and rolled the ball into the bottom corner with the outside of his right foot.

Mladen Petric's late strike set up a nervy finish but Rangers held on in stoppage time to secure a crucial win.

Such a dismal start to the season left Rangers with a mountain to climb to avoid relegation, and despite a January transfer window splurge that saw Loic Remy, Christopher Samba, Andros Townsend and Jermaine Jenas join the club, it wasn't enough to prevent the club dropping back to the Championship.

Fulham finished comfortably in 12th spot, but seven defeats in their final eight games were a sign of things to come in the following season as the Whites' 13-year stay in the Premier League ended in relegation, with QPR taking their place after a dramatic play-off final win over Derby.
QPR: Rob Green, Armand Traore, Ryan Nelsen, Clint Hill, Nedum Onuoha, Shaun Wright-Phillips (Fabio Da Silva), Ale Faurlin, Stephane Mbia, Adel Taarabt, Jamie Mackie, Djbril Cisse (Anton Ferdinand).
Fulham: Mark Schwarzer, Sascha Riether (Stephen Kelly), Aaron Hughes, Brede Hangeland, John Arne Riise, Damien Duff, Chris Baird, Steve Sidwell, Kieran Richardson (Mladen Petric), Dimitar Berbatov, Hugo Rodallega (Ashkan Dejagah).



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/fulham-v-qpr-six-memorable-past-encounters
Title: Re: Thursday Fulham Stuff - 14/10/21...
Post by: WhiteJC on October 14, 2021, 01:02:31 AM
Weston McKennie and Antonee Robinson to undergo fitness tests ahead of USMNT vs Costa Rica

USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter confirmed Weston McKennie and Antonee Robinson underwent fitness tests on Tuesday to determine their eligibility for Wednesday's World Cup qualifier match against Costa Rica.

Neither player traveled to Panama for Sunday's 1-0 loss to the Canaleros.

Juventus midfielder McKennie was ruled out due to a quadricep injury he picked up in the previous match against Jamaica, flying directly to Columbus to receive further treatment.

"He pushed it a little bit yesterday, and the signs are he's making progress," said Berhalter about McKennie. "But we'll have to see today in training."

The organization originally stated Fulham's Antonee Robinson avoided the Central American country to evade quarantine upon returning to the United Kingdom, but the player later confirmed in a press conference he faced 'a little issue' with his knee.

While he remained optimistic in saying, "I've had the chance to recover and get myself back in shape for the next game," Berhalter maintained a realistic outlook. When asked about the involvement of either player in Wednesday's match, the head coach replied firmly.

"Right now, we don't have enough information to make that decision," he said.

The U.S. will face an experienced Costa Rican side with goalkeeper Keylor Navas and midfielders Celso Borges and Bryan Ruiz on the roster. While forward Joel Cambell is sidelined with an ankle injury, the team has maintained a fifth place position only two points behind the Americans.

"This is a group that's been together for a long time, and there's certainly strengthen in that, and there's certainly an advantage to that," said Berhalter about Costa Rica.

"For us, it's just the opposite. We're a young, up-and-coming team, and we have to use that to our advantage.We missed an opportunity to get, at minimum, a point in that game. And that's something that we regret and we're disappointed with.

"For us, it's about getting back to what we do well, and that's movement off the ball. Everything we talked about pre-Jamaica game is exactly what's back on the stage now."

Berhalter initially took full responsibility and blame for the result against Panama after making seven line up changes, but later admitted to having no regrets.

"We believe in every single player in this squad, and I don't regret in any moment playing that lineup," he said. "I regret more our performance, and some of the attacking adjustments we could have made in that game to be more mobile, to be moving more, but not personnel."

The U.S. stands in second place with eight points in five games, but the margins remain tight.  Panama is tied with eight points, while Canada holds seven and Costa Rica six.



https://www.90min.com/posts/usmnt-news-weston-mckennie-antonee-robinson-injury-latest-costa-rica
Title: Re: Thursday Fulham Stuff - 14/10/21...
Post by: WhiteJC on October 14, 2021, 01:03:27 AM
From February 1931: Fulham (0) – QPR (2) – 'Tempers became frayed just after the Interval at Craven Cottage'

Team: Cunningham, Wiles (G), Harris, Sales, Smith (N), Ferguson, Coward, Burns, Goddard, Rounce, Howe

Attendance: 18,955

Rangers travelled to Craven Cottage on 7th February 1931 following a 2-0 home win over Coventry City the previous Saturday. "Trojan's" match report appeared two days later:

'What a pity it is that "Derby" games are generally tainted with bad feeling. Tempers became frayed just after the interval at Craven Cottage and completely ruined a game that at one time promised to be a very interesting encounter.

The first-half, in fact, was quite an enjoyable period, but shortly after the interval a foul occurred. Another followed, and yet another, until the proceedings became almost farcical.

A Rangers half and a Fulham forward each committed a very bad foul that the referee did not fail to notice, and while the official in charge did not send anyone off, I noticed that he jotted notes down in his book, and I feel sure that more will be heard of this game.

From the moment the hurly-burly stuff commenced, good football was rarely seen. But before that we saw quite entertaining footwork from the Rangers, who scored a neat goal through Goddard, following a centre from Howe in the tenth minute, and continued to play with a cleverness in attack that offered a marked contrast to the slow, cumbersome, feeble efforts of the home line.

After the interval, Fulham held a territorial advantage and were unlucky not to score. Once only a timely kick off the goal-line by Smith saved the situation, while on other occasions the agility of Cunningham foiled Fulham.

When Coward netted again for the Rangers in the last minute it was all against the run of the play.

But because Rangers played with method and always made the best use of the ball, I think they deserved their success. As I have already stated, they held a big superiority in attack, where all five men played together admirably, with Goddard and Rounce especially prominent as marksmen.

Price, too, was a weakness. He dribbled and dribbled until he lost the ball. Sheer waste of time and energy. Finch was lively on the left, but the rest of the line had a poor afternoon.

There was not much polish about the Rangers halves, but for strong spoiling Smith was good enough, while at back Wiles and Harris defended stoutly.

But the best defender was Gibbon, the Fulham back, who covered up weaknesses by his colleagues in a masterful way.'

Rangers lost their next three games, Swindon Town and Torquay United at home, which was followed by a 0-6 defeat at Northampton.



http://www.indyrs.co.uk/2021/10/from-february-1931-fulham-0-qpr-2-tempers-became-frayed-just-after-the-interval-at-craven-cottage/
Title: Re: Thursday Fulham Stuff - 14/10/21...
Post by: WhiteJC on October 14, 2021, 01:04:16 AM
Antonee Robinson claims USMNT must be 'ruthless' against Costa Rica

USMNT player Antonee Robinson admits the team 'needs to be a bit more ruthless' ahead of Wednesday's World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio.

Robinson analyzed the team's tactics after the 1-0 defeat to Panama on Sunday pushed them back to second place on the table, behind North American rivals Mexico.

The left back noted a lack of early goals as a key component the USMNT must improve upon before discussing the attack as a whole.

"I don't know whether it's something everyone else thinks, but it's something I noticed myself that we don't seem to score early," said Robinson on Tuesday.

"I'm not sure there's much we can change for that going ahead. I think it's just a testament to [the fact] that we build in confidence in games and maybe going forward, that just means that we need to be a bit more ruthless."

"We respect our opponents, but we need to realize how good a team we are at the same time and maybe not be so conservative when we know we've got the quality to go and attack teams at full strength early on.

"At the same time, we're going to have to be very focused so that we don't concede because they're going to obviously have threats going forward and in a World Cup qualifier, anything can happen. So as long as we stick to our game, and we're on the front foot, I feel confident we can go and win."

Head coach Gregg Berhalter echoed the defenders sentiment, adding that the team needs to add 'intensity' to get the result necessary.

"When I look at some of these games, I think we created chances in the first half, we didn't always score them. And all of these games are tight. That's the first thing that we need to understand," said the coach.

"Look at the scorelines across the board of all these Octagonal games. They're one-goal games, they're super tight games, save for the Mexico game that Honduras got a red card early in the game. These are tight games, man, they're not going to be blowouts. And for us it's about the key moments in the game, about staying focused, it's about bringing that intensity."

Wednesday's match against Costa Rica concludes the October round of qualifiers for the United States before they face Mexico and Jamaica in November.

The top three teams on the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying table will progress directly into the international tournament, while the fourth challenges for a spot.



https://www.90min.com/posts/usmnt-antonee-robinson-must-be-ruthless-costa-rica-world-cup-qualifier