Sunday Fulham Stuff (16/12/12)...

[WhiteJC]

 
A Proper Athlete

As Mark Schwarzer closes in on his 200th appearance for Fulham – it will be his 199th at Loftus Road on Saturday afternoon – his Manager was full of praise for our number one.

Martin Jol was also quick to absolve the Australian of any blame regarding Hatem Ben Arfa's equalising goal for Newcastle United on Monday, which saw the winger flash a vicious strike in at our custodian's near post.

"I don't think he could have done anything about that goal," Jol said. "It took a deflection off John Arne Riise. If he'd left it Mark would have had it but there was a deflection there and it looked a great shot but it was originally going in the other corner. So I don't think it was a mistake by Mark."

Schwarzer turned 40 earlier in the season but our Manager believes the shot-stopper is showing no signs of slowing down.

"In training he is the same," he explained. "He still had a couple of saves again [against Newcastle] although we restricted them to just a couple of shots but he had to make a few good saves.

"He's always there, as he was last year and this year, to save points for us, and that is what he still does.

"I don't know how long he will carry on for because it is up to him. He's knows exactly how he feels and, if you've seen him in the shower, he's not looking like a plumber! He's looking like a proper athlete so, as long as he is fit, I think he can play."

Jol will be hoping for another defensive masterclass when his troops make the short journey across West London on Saturday.

The Hoops are currently eight points adrift at the bottom of the Barclays Premier League table but Jol feels Harry Redknapp has enough quality in his squad to stave off the threat of relegation.

"His players are good enough, otherwise they wouldn't be there," he said. "It's very important [for them] to stay very positive. If you lose a lot of games maybe it is not easy to tell the players they are very good but, for me, it's always important.

"He [Redknapp] has been there, in the same situation, and that is a vital thing to have that experience to keep a club up. Having that experience counts a lot for any club who have problems.

"It's December now and they are bottom of the league but I feel Harry has got that experience and I would never write them off."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/december/15/a-proper-athlete?

[WhiteJC]

 
U18s Book Fourth Round Spot

Fulham's Under-18s booked their place in the Fourth Round of the FA Youth Cup after a crazy 10-goal thriller with Middlesbrough on Saturday afternoon eventually saw the Whites triumph 6-4 after extra-time.

Postponed from Thursday due to a frozen pitch, Middlesbrough went in front through Matty Elsdon, but Fulham levelled through Cauley Woodrow.

The Whites then went in front thanks to Woodrow and they led 3-1 when Maumer Tankovic scored.

Boro missed a chance to reduce the deficit when Max Oberschmidt saved Jimmy Warnett's penalty. But the North-East outfit did make it 3-2 when Jordan Jones scored.

The visitors were reduced to 10 men when Robbie Tinkler received his marching orders for a second bookable offence. But, despite their numerical disadvantage, they made it 3-3 when Jones curled home a free-kick for his second of the game to take the tie to extra-time.

Boro completed their remarkable turnaround when Scott McCarthy put them in front but George Williams, Moussa Dembele and Pat Roberts then found the net for the Whites to seal a remarkable win for Steve Wigley's side.

The win means Fulham will face London rivals Arsenal in the Fourth Round of the competition.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/december/15/u18s-book-fourth-round-spot?

[WhiteJC]

 
QPR 2 Fulham 1: Adel Taarabt scores twice to earn first Premier League win

Queens Park Rangers' long wait for a win in the Premier League finally came to an end in a 2-1 London derby victory over Fulham.

Two second-half goals from Adel Taarabt, the latter of which was a superb solo effort, made it 17th time lucky for the Loftus Road club.

Harry Redknapp still has a huge task to save QPR, who had a late scare through Mladen Petric's goal, from relegation but they are at least off the bottom of the table.

Last weekend's draw at Wigan Athletic saw them break the record for the longest winless start to a Premier League season, with chairman Tony Fernandes this week admitting the season has been "nothing short of a disaster".

The Rs have, though, shown signs of improvement since Redknapp succeeded Mark Hughes at the helm, following up three successive draws with a first win on Saturday - thanks in no small part to man of the match Taarabt.

After a disappointing first half, it was QPR supporters with something to shout about when the game restarted after the break.

Stephen Kelly came on for the seemingly injured Sascha Riether when play resumed, with QPR taking just seven minutes to score their first goal against Fulham since 1983.

Like so many times before, Taarabt made a burst forward but this time his strike took a lucky deflection of Brede Hangeland, wrong footing Mark Schwarzer and trickling home.

The playmaker was booked for his celebrations but it could not stop QPR's momentum, with Djibril Cisse curling just wide in the 60th minute after Chris Baird was dispossessed.

Fulham were rarely threatening the hosts, who deservedly got their second when Taarabt burst through in the 68th minute.

After picking up the ball just inside the Fulham half, the midfielder went past Hangeland and showed a few neat touches, before rolling past Schwarzer with the outside of his right foot.

Petric ensured a nervy ending when his strike deflected in off Jamie Mackie's outstretched leg but QPR held on.



http://www1.skysports.com/football/live/match/261726/report

[WhiteJC]

 
Taarabt lifts the gloom at Loftus Road as QPR beat Fulham

Adel Taarabt struck twice for QPR as they finally halted their miserable winless run with a well deserved west London derby victory over Fulham.

With watching chairman Tony Fernandes an animated figure in the stands, the home fans celebrated as Harry Redknapp's side climbed off the bottom of the Premier League table.

Taarabt was at his skilful best and got his first shortly after half time when his driven shot from 20 yards took a hefty deflection off Fulham skipper Brede Hangeland and trickled into the net.

Fulham failed to cope with his direct running all afternoon, and his second was a beautifully guided effort, again from outside the box, after another dangerous charge forward.

Fulham substitute Mladen Petric pulled one back two minutes from time with another deflected strike which came off Alejandro Faurlin and looped over Green but it was too late for Martin Jol's side.

QPR boss Redknapp is desperate for Taarabt to skip the upcoming African Cup of Nations and with the 23-year-old in such devastating form it is to see why.

Fulham had beaten their west London rivals in all of their last four meetings but with three points this time a necessity, Redknapp made three changes to the side that drew at Wigan, with Djibril Cisse, Alejandro Faurlin and Nedum Onuoha all starting.

The much-maligned Rob Green, meanwhile, kept his place in goal despite Julio Cesar's return to fitness.

For Fulham, Jol swapped Alexander Kacaniklic for Kieran Richardson from their 2-1 win over Newcastle on Monday night.

The hosts made a strong start and might have taken the lead inside two minutes but Cisse scuffed his shot when sent racing through on goal by Taarabt.

Four minutes later Jamie Mackie squandered a glorious chance when he collected John Arne Riise's badly under-hit backpass and side-footed wide from eight yards out.

The hosts continued to press throughout the first half but danger man Taarabt couldn't find a finish to match his troublesome running and trickery, blasting wide from long-range on a number of occasions when a pass looked the better option.

QPR keeper Green was never troubled in the first half, but he had one nervous moment after 25 minutes when he miskicked a clearance straight at Hugo Rodallega, whose poor control spared the former West Ham man's blushes.

After a frustrating first half, QPR's breakthrough after 52 minutes brought an almighty sigh of relief from the home fans.

Sensing an end to their miserable winless run, QPR were buoyed by the opener and might have had a second minutes later when Cisse curled an angled shot just wide after Fulham substitute Stephen Kelly surrendered possession.

Ten minutes later they had their second, Taarabt bundling through one weak challenge just inside Fulham's half before finding the net with an expertly taken low shot past Mark Schwarzer.

Petric's late goal ensured a nervous finale for the home side, who might have made the result safe sooner but for a stunning save from Schwarzer to keep out Cisse's header.

QPR: Green, Onuoha, Hill, Nelsen (c), Traore, Taarabt, Faurlin, Mbia, Wright-Phillips (Fabio, 86), Mackie, Cisse (Ferdinand 90). Subs not used: Cesar, Diakite, Derry, Ferdinand, Granero, Hoilett.

Fulham: Schwarzer; Riether (Kelly 45), Hangeland (c), Hughes, Riise, Duff, Sidwell, Baird, Richardson (Petric 63), Berbatov, Rodallega (Dejagah 70). Subs not used: Etheridge, Senderos, Karagounis, Kacaniklic.

Attendance: 18,233



http://www.london24.com/sport/qpr/taarabt_lifts_the_gloom_at_loftus_road_as_qpr_beat_fulham_1_1743491

[WhiteJC]

 
Match Report: Harry Redknapp cock-a-hoop after QPR's longest wait
Queens Park Rangers 2 Fulham 1

Queens Park Rangers have waited longer than any since the formation of the Premier League to celebrate their first win of a season but finally the wait is over.

Harry Redknapp's men took three points at the 17th attempt thanks to two goals from Adel Taarabt that gave them an advantage Fulham could not surmount despite a fight-back.

The victory took them off the foot of the table, above Reading, who host Arsenal tomorrow, and made Redknapp's first meeting with Tony Fernandes, the owner, after the match, a positive one. "It keeps us in there," Redknapp said. "If we hadn't won today it would have been absolutely desperate.

"We're not kidding ourselves – we've had one win. But we're on a good run, we've had four games [since Redknapp took over] and taken six points. If we can take six points out of every four games, you'll stay up. The people here deserve it because they are nice people."

Redknapp had called for blood, sweat and tears from his underachieving players, and they certainly delivered the sweat. They ran hard from the first blast of the referee's whistle, none harder than Taarabt, who deserved the luck that brought him the breakthrough goal, when his shot was deflected in by Brede Hangeland, the Fulham defender.

But there was also a moment of skill from the Moroccan, his second strike the result of an enterprising run and an ambitious finish. It will make life all the more difficult for Redknapp if, as seems likely, Taarabt departs for several weeks on international duty at the African Cup of Nations in January.

"If he gets picked, which he will do, he will have to go," Redknapp said. "I don't know what the answer is to that one. He has fantastic ability, he was amazing today. We've all seen it, since I went to Tottenham and he was a player there. He has been playing out on the left but today I played him off the front man and every time we got him on the ball they were in trouble."

It helped QPR's cause that Fulham were not the team that put seven past them in two games last season, but the sorry outfit with only one victory in their past 43 away league derbies. "I can complain about the goals – the first was deflected, the second we mistimed tackles – but in the first half especially we never earned the right to use our quality," Martin Jol, the Fulham manager, said. "They were first to the ball all the time."

The match began at a cracking pace as might be expected of a game between teams separated by barely a page of the A-Z. QPR went straight onto the attack, and should have gone ahead after six minutes when Jamie Mackie fastened onto a dreadful, blind backpass from John Arne Riise only to shoot wide.

Mark Schwarzer was by far the busier goalkeeper, dealing with shots from Djibril Cisse and Taarabt, and although the energy levels dropped as half-time approached, QPR got their second wind at the interval and their reward after 52 minutes.

Alejandro Faurlin's forward pass found Taarabt charging upfield yet again, and although his shot seemed destined to trouble only the spectators to the left of Mark Schwarzer's goal, it clipped the heel of Hangeland and trundled into the net with Schwarzer committed in the other direction. It was Rangers' first goal against Fulham in seven matches going back to 1999, and the second came after 68 minutes when Taarabt collected the ball in the centre circle, tricked his way past a clutch of Fulham players and, with the back four probably expecting a pass to a free man on the left, threaded the ball past defenders and goalkeeper into the corner of the net with the outside of his right foot.

Fulham had shown so little up to that point that it was tempting to consider that the points were already QPR's, but substitute Mladen Petric caused late heart murmurs when his shot looped past Robert Green off Faurlin's leg, and the game ended with the ball being frantically hacked out of the home penalty area as the nerves jangled in the stands.

"It would have been a travesty if we had conceded another," Redknapp said. "Psychologically, when you've not won, the players must have been thinking 'Oh my God' when they got their goal. It was difficult for me watching but we hung in there and got what we deserved."

QPR (4-2-3-1): Green; Onuoha, Nelsen, Hill, Traore; Mbia, Faurlin; Mackie, Taarabt, Wright-Phillips (Fabio, 86); Cisse (Ferdinand, 90).

Fulham (4-4-1-1): Schwarzer; Riether (Kelly,  h-t), Hughes, Hangeland, Riise; Duff, Sidwell, Baird, Richardson (Petric, 63); Berbatov; Rodallega (Dejagah, 72).

Referee: Martin Atkinson

Man of the match: Taarabt (QPR)

Match rating: 6/10



http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/match-report-harry-redknapp-cockahoop-after-qprs-longest-wait-8420180.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Jol criticises players after derby defeat

Fulham boss Martin Jol made no excuses for his players after their poor performance in the derby at QPR.

Rangers' 2-1 victory was their first win in the Premier League this season and lifted them off the bottom of the table.

They dominated most of the game, with Fulham barely troubling them for long spells.

And Jol admitted: "I was very disappointed with our style of play, especially in the first half. We never looked to earn the right to use our quality.

"They were first to the ball all the time. Every ball we played forward was intercepted. There were too many players not there.

"They had Adel Taarabt today and we needed that – someone to do something special. And we couldn't do the simple things."



http://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/jol-criticises-players-after-derby-defeat?

[WhiteJC]

 
Last Minute Goal

QPR 2-1 Fulham
by EWEN

Following three consecutive draws and noticeable improvement in performances, Harry Redknapp's great escape looks to have finally got under-way after a comprehensive victory against fellow West London rivals, Fulham.

The major changes for QPR were Djibril Ciise returning to the starting line-up and Adel Taarabt moving to a more central position; playing just off the Frenchman. Alejandro Faurlin linked up with Stephan M'bia in the centre of midfield for the Rangers meaning demotion to the bench for Shaun Derry. Martin Jol opted to keep the same starting XI that beat Newcastle on Monday night, 2-1, with the exception of Alex Kacaniklic making way for Kieran Richardson.

Before criticising every player who wore black today, bar one or two, it would be unfair not to highlight the man of the match performance. Adel Taarabt took up a free role, similar to his position during QPR's promotion season and stole the show with two great goals. It was clear from the first minute that he was up for it and boy was he trouble. There are few other players in the Premier League more dangerous, running at a defence with pace, than the Moroccan. You could argue that both goals were fortuitous but in both, Taarabt had either already done the hard work or still had the hard work to do. After seventeen games without a win, QPR needed someone to be a little bit selfish and that won them the game.

Schwarzer's distribution was poor (as always) but on the whole he dominated his box well. The goals were not his fault: one a deflection and one couldn't have been any further into the bottom right hand corner of his goal. A late save from Ciise prevented the scoreline from being more humiliating. Sascha Riether's exit at half time due to injury, unfortunately, meant that the right wing would be defunct going forward. You can never criticise Stephen Kelly for lack of effort but he offers nothing when attacking.

Redknapp may well have found his go-to midfield in Alejandro Faurlin and Stephan M'bia. The perfect balance between brawn and brains. Faurlin, the creator, links midfield to attack, while M'bia acts as the powerhouse. The perfect midfield combination still eludes Fulham. Should it be Diarra and Baird, Diarra and Sidwell or Sidwell and Baird? All duos are different but all have one thing in common: lack of creativity. When Chris Baird filled in for Mahamadou Diarra against West Brom earlier this season, he was pinging forty yard passes, to feet, all over the pitch. "We've found our Danny Murphy replacement" were the shouts from the crowd. I think it's safe to say he certainly is not. The difference between West Brom and recent performances is how much time he's been allowed on the ball. Lots of it will mean he looks like Paul Scholes in his pomp but when being pressed, like QPR did to him today, his passing is as good as Schwarzer's. Steve Sidwell spent most of his time either being embarrassed by Taarabt or cleaning up Baird's mess.

Something struck me today about the way Sidwell plays if the game's not going for him. If he's on the losing side or having a poor individual performance, he'll foul everyone who he can't be bothered to run after. Another referee may have sent him off in that game and the difference between today's Sidwell and Monday's is frightening. Rodallega was poor, once again showing a first touch reminiscent to playing a 1-2 off a brick wall. With Kieran Richardson, you have a winger who doesn't know how to take on his marker. Playing Kacaniklic would do wonders for his development and provide the team with a little bit of desire which wasn't present at Loftus Road. Mladen Petric demonstrated, not for the first time, his knack for coming off the bench and making a difference. Perhaps the long awaited Erik Nevland  super-sub replacement? Two goals as a substitute so far this season with five altogether.

It was only going to be a matter of time before Harry got Sparky's random assortment of players working together. Bit by bit, he's figuring out what his strongest team is. Julio Cesar, Adel Taarabt, Stephan M'bia and Alejandro Faurlin provide a promising spine which can only improve with the inevitable influx of  new players in January. Fulham, simply, need Bryan Ruiz back. It's a well known fact that Berbatov wants as much to do with the attack as possible, but his presence is needed as the number nine. As previously mentioned, there's no creativity and no balance between the two deeper midfielders. In January, a player to fill the void left by Danny Murphy and Moussa Dembele is a must.



http://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/?p=236

[WhiteJC]

 
Martin Jol demands improvement

Fulham manager Martin Jol has demanded improvement from his side following their 2-1 defeat to Premier League strugglers Queens Park Rangers.

The Dutchman described his team's performance as "not good enough" and admitted that they were far from their best.

"The boys will be frustrated as the play they came up with today was not good enough and they all realise that," BBC Sport quotes Jol as saying.

"Our quality is playing it out from the back and linking up in midfield, but today we could not do that. We could not get the ball forward."

Jol went on to describe Adel Taarabt's opener as a "cheap" goal and said that his side should have taken a result against a "vulnerable team" like QPR.

"Sometimes you have to vary your game, and we did that last week. It was disappointing to see Taarabt's cheap goal, but I cannot complain as we did not deserve a lot today," he added.

"You knew they were a vulnerable team, so we could have had a result. That is football, and I still had a slight hope we could have got a point."

The result moves QPR off the bottom of the Premier League table, one point clear of basement club Reading.


http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/qpr/news/jol-demands-improvement_59619.html

[WhiteJC]

 
No Excuses from Jol!
   
After watching Fulham gift wrap three points and hand them to Queens Park Rangers on a plate, it`ll be quiet night in for me tonight.

There`ll be no going down the pub, the pain at mixing with some jubilant QPR supporters would be too hard to take.

But at least Martin Jol hasn`t stepped forward trying to persuade us all that we did put in a performance and were unlucky (wel not quite0when he remarked after the match in his post -match interview,-

'The boys will be frustrated as the play they came up with today was not good enough and they all realise that. Our quality is playing it out from the back and linking up in midfield, but today we could not do that. We could not get the ball forward. Sometimes you have to vary your game, and we did that last week. It was disappointing to see Taarabt's cheap goal, but I cannot complain as we did not deserve a lot today. You knew they were a vulnerable team, so we could have had a result. That is football, and I still had a slight hope we could have got a point.'

And so do I but we were always second best today and got what we deserved in my opinion.



Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=302716#ixzz2FCsG8ELq

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham manager Martin Jol believes his players looked 'rigid' in defeat at QPR

Fulham manager Martin Jol hit out at his players for letting their standards slip in the 2-1 defeat to struggling Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road.

Jol was delighted with his side's performance in Monday's 2-1 win over Newcastle, but they failed to build on that result as the Rs claimed their first league win of the season.

Adel Taraabt's double ultimately earned three points for the hosts, although Mladen Petric pulled one back in the second half as Fulham threatened to extend QPR's winless run.

"I'm very disappointed with our style of play - I can complain about the goals but especially first half we never looked to earn the right to use our quality," he said.

"We looked a bit rigid. On Monday we had players in midfield, like they had Adel Taraabt today, they need to travel and do something extra.

"We didn't do the simple things or play in the flow. I wanted to give 10 of the 11 players who played last week the chance to do it again but there were too many players not there.

"The second goal for example was very cheap and easy and the second was a deflection.

"We tried to get in their half and the passing was sloppy and they could break us away from home. Our two central midfield players could never get up the pitch and support."



http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11681/8335101?