Saturday Fulham Stuff (01/10/11)...

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TAARABT FAN DANNY MURPHY

DANNY MURPHY fears Fulham could be sunk tomorrow by a player he wanted at Craven Cottage.

QPR's star midfielder Adel Taarabt was a team-mate of Murphy during his spell at Tottenham five years ago.

The Moroccan had just arrived at White Hart Lane and Murphy was so impressed he later tried to get ex-boss Roy Hodgson to sign him for Fulham.

Instead Taarabt ended up at QPR, where he scored 19 goals in his first season.

"He had a superb temperament," Murphy said. "If he got kicked he never moaned.

"He had a strong mentality and he's reaping his rewards now, so he's probably destined for bigger and better things.
"We've got to deal with him on Sunday, so we'll have to be careful."

Fulham could bring back Bobby Zamora for the visit of QPR with two-goal Europa League hero Andy Johnson potentially dropping out.

But Murphy is hoping Johnson will shake off any disappointment and sign a new long-term deal.



http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/213706/Taarabt-fan-Danny-Murphy/?

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Warnock aiming to end Fulham run

NEIL Warnock is praying his luck will change when he goes to Fulham on Sunday.

As a player and a manager, the QPR boss has never won there in six attempts. In fact, his last appearance at Craven Cottage as a right-winger for Chesterfield in September 1970, netted him a gashed ankle and four stitches.

The Spireites lost 2-0 that day, and as manager at Notts County, Plymouth, Huddersfield and Sheffield United he has not gathered so much as a point for his pains down Stevenage Road.

However, Warnock believes his best chance of breaking his duck comes with a revived Rangers, who should be three out of three for away wins.

A solitary defeat at Wigan in August with the old-look team was still against the run of play.

"I just think we're geared up for away wins, where the onus is on the home team to come at us," said Warnock. "We had a good away record last season as well, and there's shades of that with this team."

It will be cold comfort for the Rs manager if Bobby Zamora scores against him on Sunday.

Warnock tried to sign the Fulham striker when he was boss at Sheffield United in 2003 – recognising then that Zamora was headed for the top.

"It was the season United got to the semi-final of the FA Cup," said Warnock. "Bob was at Brighton, and I had a go thinking he might fancy a team that had done so well.

"But Spurs came in for him, and that was that."




http://www.ealinggazette.co.uk/sport/qpr-ealing/2011/09/30/warnock-aiming-to-end-fulham-run-64767-29511353/?

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Team News

It was mostly positive news on the fitness front for Fulham on Friday afternoon ahead of this weekend's Barclays Premier League match against Queens Park Rangers (KO 3pm).

Manager Martin Jol revealed that Bobby Zamora and Mousa Dembele will both be available for Sunday's game after recovering from sickness, whilst defender Aaron Hughes returned to training on Friday afternoon.

"Bobby and Mousa are now fit again," Jol told fulhamfc.com. "Mousa was in bed sick for three days this week but he started training yesterday and he was fine today.

"Aaron Hughes trained today for the first time so there will be a decision to be made on him. We will do that on Saturday."

Another defender whose fitness will be assessed ahead of Sunday's West London derby is Matthew Briggs after a bruising encounter in Denmark for the youngster on Thursday night.

There was also further news concerning the recovery of Simon Davies, who Jol hopes to welcome back before the festive period.

"Matthew Briggs has a bruised ankle and knee after last night's game, so we'll have to make an assessment tomorrow," said Jol.

"Simon Davies is doing well after a successful operation so hopefully he will join us again at the end of November."

Tickets for Sunday's match against QPR at Craven Cottage are now on General Sale (KO 3pm). Don't miss Fulham take on their West London rivals for the first time since the 2000/01 season.




Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/September/TeamNews.aspx#ixzz1ZVg2Bx6j