Wednesday Fulham Stuff (17/02/16)...

[WhiteJC]

 
QPR (1) – Fulham (3) – A Total Shambles!

Team: Smithies, Perch, Onuoha, Hall, Konchesky, Phillips (Chery), Luongo, Tozser, Hoilett (El Khayati), Mackie, Polter (Washington)

Subs Not Used: Ingram, Hill, Henry, Petrasso

Attendance: 17,335

The nature of this defeat hurt deeply. We again managed to show the country, in style, just how poor we are.

There is a constant amongst these players...a constant to continually prove that they are not up to it at this level. You can organise, you can run all day, but the lack of technical ability at times was embarrassing.

JFH has a big job on his hands, and surely a serious clear out is looming, providing he keeps his job.

Meanwhile Les Ferdinand continues to remain at the helm. He too is proving to be a constant...a constant failure!

Jimmy Murray

The only ones who need to apologise are the players. That was unacceptable and unforgivable, irrespective of whether it was a local derby or not. Especially as the players spent the week before saying how they were looking forward to a local derby, how they owed the fans for the previous debacle blah blah blah.

Four London derbies, four defeats, ten coals conceded, one goal scored. The only one I felt sorry for was Smithies as his defence went AWOL every time Fulham got into our box!

ChrisPTenner

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was stunned by QPR's dismal performance and could not explain their defeat. Rangers were blitzed by three first-half goals in a one-sided West London derby at Loftus Road with Ross McCormack, Moussa Dembele and Tom Cairney scoring for the visitors.

The substitute Tjaronn Chery scored in the last minute for the hosts, who were unbeaten in their previous five matches.

Asked why Rangers had performed so poorly, Hasselbaink, appointed manager in December, said: "I don't know. I will have to watch the video and review it."

"What I do know is that it was not acceptable. The fans deserve better and we deserve better to ourselves. We had put the standard down in the previous matches and this was well under that standard. We were making steps forward and I didn't see this coming at all."

"It's two steps back. It's now about starting again, getting things right, taking responsibility and starting to look at ourselves again. I'm not going to single out individuals. We are a team, and as a team we were well under par."

McCormack, who scored twice in his team's 4-0 hammering of QPR in September, gave his side the lead in the 35th minute. He drifted between the centre-backs, Grant Hall and Nedum Onuoha, to collect Cairney's clever pass before firing past the Rangers keeper, Alex Smithies.

Worse followed for Hasselbaink's side when Dembele headed home Jamie O'Hara's left-wing cross to double the visitors' lead five minutes before half-time.

In first-half stoppage time, Cairney scored from the rebound after Dembele's shot had hit the post. Hall, in attempting to block Cairney's follow-up, deflected the ball past Smithies, who might otherwise have made the save.

Rangers were booed by the home fans at half-time and on occasions during the second-half. Hasselbaink said: "They were getting frustrated. It is what it is. Do I like it? No. Do I want them to cheers on our players? Yes, of course."

"Will getting behind the players help them play better instead of booing them? Yes. But I understand their frustration. Do I say they should do it (boo)? No. We need their support until the last minute."

"I have asked for that and will keep on asking for that. They have to be our 12th man even when things are not going right. They can lift the players. But we know how it is. Hopefully, in the next match we can put it right."

Slavisa Jokanovic, on the other hand, savoured a resounding victory – Fulham's first win since his first game in charge on 29 December, when he watched from the stands.

"After a month of them suffering, I am happy for our supporters," the Serb said. "It was a great day for us and I believe we deserved that."

The Observer (extract)
I really never expected anything like that! Absolutely shocking! Fulham had a midfield and we didn't! Alex Smithies must have also had serious misgivings about his defence?

A total shambles again, especially after all that had been said pre-match. Some of the players may have said that they were well up for it, but talk is cheap!

The only positive for me was the introduction of Abdenasser El Khayati, but even that was long overdue?

Was Conor Washington 100% fit or not, as I've heard conflicting stories about his fitness?

See some of you at Bolton on Saturday.

Steve Russell



http://www.indyrs.co.uk/2016/02/qpr-1-fulham-3-a-total-shambles/?

[WhiteJC]

 
West Ham and Fulham officials on same transfer mission

Scouts from Fulham and West Ham were in Portugal last night, watching a league match between Rio Ave and Paços de Ferreira, A Bola reports.

The Portuguese newspaper doesn't mention a specific name for them to be watching, and say that there were scouts from many clubs, including Atalanta, Celta de Vigo, Wisła Kraków and Legia Warsaw.

The big news of the night was Hélder Postiga, who signed a half-season contract with his local club Rio Ave after leaving India's Atlético de Kolkata. Postiga, 33 years of age, was debuting for the eleventh club of his career, in a journey which has included stops at Tottenham, Porto and Valencia.

No players from Rio Ave or Paços de Ferreira have been linked to Fulham or West Ham in the past few months, but both clubs have been routinely scouting talent in Portugal for some time.

Lucas Sposito.


http://sportwitness.ning.com/forum/topics/west-ham-and-fulham-officials-on-same-transfer-mission

[WhiteJC]

 
Disappointing Fulham beaten by Blackburn

Blackburn 3 Fulham 0

Fulham failed to build on Saturday's win at QPR as they suffered a defeat that leaves them six points clear of the relegation zone.

In stark contrast to their derby day performance, Slavisa Jokanovic's side were too flat to make an impression on the Blackburn defence and lacked defensive cohesion as they were convincingly beaten.

Fulham centre-back Michael Madl had two good chances from corners in the first 10 minutes, first seeing a goalbound flicked volley cleared off the line and later firing an effort past the post when well-placed.

But Blackburn were given the chance to take the lead shortly afterwards when Ben Marshall's jinking run from right-back drew a foul from Luke Garbutt in the box, and he converted the spot-kick himself.

Whites keeper Andy Lonergan fielded a Danny Graham shot and Chris Brown's header as Blackburn largely controlled the rest of the half.

After the break, Madl's fine tackle prevented Graham from meeting a Marshall cross while, at the other end, Alex Kacaniklic – who had come on for Garbutt in the first half – sent a shot wide.

Blackburn's second goal arrived just after the hour mark when Dan Burn brought down Jordi Gomez, and Elliott Bennett's free-kick was nodded home by Shane Duffy.

Graham shot wastefully wide after pouncing on a Jamie O'Hara error but the striker did grab his first Blackburn goal late on, as he headed in another Bennett cross, though Lonergan got a hand to it.

The Fulham goalkeeper did prevent a heavier defeat as he blocked from Blackburn substitute Simeon Jackson.

Fulham: Lonergan; Madl, Burn, Amorebieta (Labyad 68); Fredericks, Matilla (Ream 57), O'Hara, Cairney, Garbutt (Kacaniklic 34); Dembele, McCormack.
Subs not used: Lewis, Richards, Hyndman, Smith.


http://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/disappointing-fulham-beaten-by-blackburn?

[WhiteJC]

 
Danny Graham header wraps up Blackburn victory over Fulham

Danny Graham marked his home debut with a late goal to cap Blackburn's comprehensive victory over Fulham that ended a two-month winless run in the Championship.

There seemed to be little doubt the nine-match run without a win would be ended once the impressive Ben Marshall converted his fourth spot-kick of the season in the 15th minute.

The home faithful were able to relax when Shane Duffy headed his first Ewood Park goal just after the hour and another header, this time from Graham, rounded off a fine evening for Rovers. Fulham, on the other hand, have now only one win in their last 10 away games and have not won in nine at Ewood.

Grant Hanley returned from injury, as did Graham in two of four changes from defeat to Hull. Fulham were without Scott Parker and Lasse Vigen Christensen from the thumping of QPR so Sakari Mattila and Luke Garbutt deputised.

Paul Lambert used his programme notes to urge his team to wake up quickly but they were sleeping early on when Michael Madl had two chances to score, one of which was a volley cleared off the line and the other saw the Austrian lash wide soon after.

Fulham's problems are at the back and the weakness was highlighted 15 minutes in when Garbutt needlessly scythed down Marshall in the area and the midfielder dusted himself off before stroking his penalty into the left corner for his fifth goal of the season.

From that point, the hosts dominated the first half, with Graham producing a smart turn and shot and Chris Brown heading a Marshall cross straight to Andy Lonergan.

The second half started as the first ended with Fulham sloppy in possession and Blackburn dangerous. Marshall again wreaked havoc with a teasing inswinging cross that was perfect for Graham but the forward could not make a telling touch under pressure.


http://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/feb/16/blackburn-rovers-fulham-championship-match-report?

[WhiteJC]

 
Furious Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic apologises to fans after Blackburn loss and accuses his side of lacking desire

Serbian furious after Whites crash to defeat at Ewood Park


Fuming: Slavisa Jokanoivc

Fulham head coach Slavisa Jokanovic has apologised to Fulham fans for the lack of desire shown in the 3-0 defeat at Blackburn Rovers.

Ben Marshall gave Rovers the lead after 15 minutes from the penalty spot before Shane Duffy douibled their advantage just after the hour mark.

And Danny Graham marked his home debut with a late goal to cap off Blackburn's comprehensive 3-0 victory over Fulham which ended a two-month winless run in the Championship and Jokanovic was furious with his side.

"I say sorry to our fans who travelled with us to watch this game," he said. "We didn't offer anything special. We played without spirit, without competitiveness, without desire.

"We did not play good football in any moment in the game. Generally, they won the challenges, we did not try to play football and we did not do anything important.

"It is a bad sensation and we need a change immediately because we won one game a few days earlier, that's history, it's over.

"I am here for a month and a half and this game, this is a game without any spirit. I am very disappointed really.

"We are where we are right now. We must be strong. With this spirit, this desire, this competiveness, this is not enough for anything important."


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/furious-fulham-boss-slavisa-jokanovic-10902800?

[WhiteJC]

 
Blackburn 3 Fulham 0: Heavy loss increases Championship relegation fears for Jokanovic's men

Danny Graham marked his home debut with a late goal to cap off Blackburn's comprehensive 3-0 victory over Fulham which ended a two-month winless run in the Sky Bet Championship.

There seemed to be little doubt the nine-match run without a win would be ended once man of the match Ben Marshall converted his fourth spot-kick of the season in the 15th minute.

The home faithful were able to relax when Shane Duffy headed his first Ewood Park goal just after the hour and another header, this time from Graham, rounded off a fine evening for the hosts.

Fulham, on the other hand, have now only one win in their last 10 away games and have not won in nine at Ewood.

Rovers captain Grant Hanley returned from injury, as did Graham in two of four changes from defeat to Hull. Fulham were without Scott Parker and Lasse Vigen Christensen from the thumping of QPR so Sakari Mattila and Luke Garbutt deputised.

Paul Lambert used his programme notes to urge his team to wake up quickly but they were sleeping early on when Michael Madl had two chances to score, one of which was a volley cleared off the line and the other saw the Austrian lash wide soon after.

Fulham's problems are at the back and the weakness was highlighted 15 minutes in when Garbutt needlessly scythed down Marshall in the area and the midfielder dusted himself off before stroking his penalty into the left corner for his fifth goal of the season.

From that point, the hosts dominated the first half, with Graham producing a smart turn and shot and Chris Brown heading a Marshall cross straight to Andy Lonergan.

The second half started as the first ended with Fulham sloppy in possession and Rovers dangerous. Marshall again wreaked havoc with a teasing inswinging cross that was perfect for Graham but the forward could not make a telling touch under pressure.

The visitors really struggled to fashion anything in a disappointing follow up to Saturday's heartening win, though Alexander Kacaniklic rifled a 35-yard effort that only just swerved wide.

But Blackburn took a huge step towards ending their winless run in the 63rd minute when Elliott Bennett's superb free-kick was met 12 yards out by Duffy, whose header was too powerful despite Lonergan's best efforts.

Graham should have marked his home debut with a goal when Jamie O'Hara's kamikaze square pass was cut out on the edge of the area, but the shot was directed wide six minutes from time.

At the other end, Moussa Dembele showed a glimpse of his ability by engineering space in the area to fire a fine low strike that Jason Steele tipped away.

But Rovers rounded off a fine night three minutes from time when Bennett crossed for Graham to get off the mark in Rovers colours with a well-directed low header.


http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/blackburn-3-fulham-0-heavy-loss-increases-championship-relegation-fears-for-jokanovics-men-a3182071.html?