Friday Fulham Stuff (08/04/16)...

[WhiteJC]

 
The breakdown of Cardiff's six remaining 'cup finals'

As Cardiff ramp-up their play-off chase, we're going to look ahead at the six remaining fixtures and predicts what the Bluebirds need from their six remaining fixtures.

Russell Slade's men are going to need a fine finish to this season if they want to compete in the Championship pay-offs at the end of the season. There just a half-dozen of games remaining and arguably, other than the two teams occupying fifth and six,Cardiff are the only other team in the play-off race.

There are 18 points left to get or 21 if you're Birmingham City but the Blues are a massive 11 points off while Ipswich have an incredibly large task if their to challenge with an overhaul of seven points needed with 18 left to get. Cardiff have six remaining fixture split evenly with three home and three away.

Fulham (Away)

Points Needed: 3



Cardiff travel to Fulham this Saturday in the return leg of the opening game of the season where an early mistake from Simon Moore put the Bluebirds behind, thankfully, Craig Noone rescued Slade's men on that occasion with an injury time leveler but Fulham have hit hard times since then.

Fulham still have something to play for going into the last six with relegation knocking on the door but with two wins from two, the London-based club look all-but save despite the mathematical possibility. There are no easy games in the Championship but Cardiff need to be looking at a win from Craven Cottage with their aspirations.

QPR (Home)

Points Needed: 3

This one could well be the toughest of the remaining home fixtures with QPR seemingly improving week-by-week under Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. QPR are sitting around in mid-table or eleventh to be precise and that's dangerous because, as Cardiff proved last season, when the pressure off the game becomes much simpler.

It will be a tall order to secure what will be 10 points from 12 but that's what Cardiff need to look at if they have play-off aspirations. Nothing ever seems to go to the script in the Championship but the Bluebirds need to look at winning all three of their home games.

Brentford (Away)

Points Needed: 1

Cardiff need to take four points from Fulham and Brentford away so the points needed can certainly inter-change in that respect. The trip to Brentford was a memorable one last season but the roles have reversed this season with Cardiff with something to play for and Brentford with nothing.

The Bees are safe from relegation is 14th place but they certainly have no hopes of achieving a play-off place but again, when a team has no pressure on them to get a result they can be unpredictable. Dean Smith's man will be battling for a mid-table finish with the likes of Reading and Wolves.

Bolton Wanderers (Home)

Points Needed: 3

Most will view this as the easiest game on Cardiff's fixture list with Bolton at home with the Wanderers due to be relegated with five games to spare. It's been an awful season on and off the pitch for the Wanderers who will certainly have nothing to play for, although on an individual basis, some players may be playing for their futures.

Cardiff certainly need to take three points from this one and they're more than good enough to do so, especially with the home record they have. This fixture comes at a nice time because Cardiff may need to win to go into the final two with and they have a great chance of getting one.

Sheffield Wednesday (Away)

Points Needed: 1/0

Sheffield Wednesday are one of Cardiff's main competitors but dare I say, if they're going to lose one game then this is the most likely and the hope is that by this point the Bluebirds may be able to afford one slip-up with the final game being at home.

Wednesday are a very good team and I think they will have a play-off place regardless of whether Cardiff get one. Derby look to be the Bluebirds main rivals for sixth spot with Sheffield having become a very consistent side under Carlos Carvajal. A point at Hillsborough would be a very good result.

Birmingham City (Home)

Points Needed: 3

The penultimate home fixture against Birmingham could be the most important game of Cardiff's season but there will be a lot of twists and turns before then and who knows what this game will or won't mean? Birmingham's play-off chase has tailed off but they will feel they've somewhat overachieved this season nevertheless.

The Blues will prove a tough test – they'll want to finish the season strongly and there won't be any pressure on Gary Rowett's men. There's no telling at this point how much pressure will be on the Bluebirds but they'll want and may possibly need a win here. The three home wins are Cardiff's safest bet of securing 9 of the 12 points.

How many points do Cardiff need?

The points tally always differs but the average is 75 and the total this season is unlikely to exceed that too much if does peak above the magic number. The best return would be four wins, a draw and a loss which would take Cardiff to the 76 mark while allowing them a slip. Three wins and three draws may be enough also but that allows little margin for error and the pressure may build.


http://insidecardiffcity.co.uk/breakdown-cardiffs-six-remaining-cup-finals/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Ince: Fighting As One

Rohan Ince believes that Fulham have "come together as a team" in a united effort to slowly work themselves out of the relegation equation in the Sky Bet Championship.

Ince, who started his third successive game in the heart of the Whites midfield at Preston North End, was delighted by the fight shown by the team and their determination to pick up back to back wins.

"It's a great feeling," Ince told the official website. "We worked really hard out there. We wanted to get two wins on the bounce and we did that.

"It was an important win for us on Saturday but Preston was just as important. We needed to go out there with the same mentality, same attitude, and fight for each other, like we did at the weekend.

"We knew if we did that we would get the result that we needed.

"After the Birmingham game we have really come together as a team. We have got the results and we are fighting as a team.

"We will go out there again on Saturday and battle with the team spirit really high at the moment."

The upturn in results for the Whites has been highlighted by a visible grit and determination not to let opposition fight backs derail an otherwise sound display. The two victories came after both MK Dons and Preston had levelled the score.

"That's what it's about," Ince reflected. "When we were conceding goals we seemed to let our heads drop.

"But now if we concede a goal we still keep pressing with the same intensity, the same attitude and fight to the end.

"We did that at Deepdale and we got the goal that we deserved and we saw the game off. We are all very pleased."

When questioned about his performances and involvement in the positive run of results, Ince was quick to dismiss personal gains.

"It's all about the team right now," he insisted. "We have got the results. Two wins; one at home and then one away.

"We are on a good little run. I think personally it's nice to be part of it but, like I said, it's not about that. It's about the team and what we have to do to stay up.

"It's as simple as that. However, we can't linger. We have to approach Cardiff with the same attitude that we have had for the past few weeks.

"We need to recover, get some rest and then all our focus will be on Cardiff on Saturday."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2016/april/07/ince-reaction?

[WhiteJC]

 
Level Playing Field

Fulham Football Club and Fulham FC Foundation are pleased to support the 2016 Level Playing Field (LPF) Weeks of Action.

This annual initiative, now in its 11th year, aims to celebrate access and inclusion for disabled sports fans across England and Wales.

Disabled people constitute the largest minority group at around 15% of the population and this number is increasing year on year. Naturally, a large number of disabled people are football fans too and we are pleased to take this opportunity to thank our own disabled fans for their continued loyalty and dedication to this great club.


As such, we are pleased to support the Level Playing Field Weeks of Action 2016 at the Fulham v Cardiff City fixture.

For more information about Level Playing Field (LPF) and this year's Weeks of Action, please visit www.levelplayingfield.org.uk email [email protected] or call 0208 621 2403.

Alternatively you may wish to send a message of support to @lpftweets using the hashtag #united4access


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2016/april/07/level-playing-field?

[WhiteJC]

 
MATCH PREVIEW | FULHAM vs CARDIFF CITY

The Bluebirds are on the road for the second Sky Bet Championship match in succession, taking on nineteenth-place Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday afternoon.

THE OPPOSITION

Having finished last season in a disappointing seventeenth place, Fulham are in the midst of a similar campaign this time out. However, after recently dropping as low as twenty-first, the Cottagers have eased any relegation fears with consecutive victories over fellow strugglers MK Dons at home, and Preston North End away on Tuesday evening.

Ross McCormack was the star of the show in Fulham's crucial Deepdale win, scoring their first before seeing his free-kick rebound into the path of Moussa Dembélé for the winner. The Scot has had another impressive season at Craven Cottage, netting twenty-three strikes, with Dembélé also chipping in with sixteen. It's at the other end that Fulham have struggled though, with only the Sky Bet Championship's bottom two sides, Bolton Wanderers and Charlton Athletic, conceding more goals this term.

The Bluebirds are unbeaten in five matches against the Cottagers, including a League double in the 2013/14 Premier League campaign. After Craig Noone's late equaliser secured a point at Cardiff City Stadium on the opening day of the season, City will be hoping to go one better at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

CLUB CONNECTIONS

Ross McCormack joined the Cottagers from Leeds United in July 2014. Since then, he has thirty-eight League goals to his name from eighty-three appearances for Fulham. Of course, McCormack previously starred for the Bluebirds, scoring a total of thirty goals in his two years in South Wales.

McCormack isn't the only man who could face his former side on the weekend though, as City midfielder Kagisho Dikgacoi started his UK career at the Club, prior to his move to Crystal Palace.

Another midfielder to play for both City and Fulham in recent years is Junichi Inamoto. The Japanese playmaker, who has eighty-three international caps, spent time on loan at Fulham from Arsenal before doing likewise at Cardiff from West Brom.

Meanwhile, Eddie Johnson joined the Bluebirds on loan from Fulham back in 2008/09. The USMNT international scored twice in a City shirt that season, including the final goal under the floodlights at Ninian Park.

MEMORABLE ENCOUNTER
Cardiff City 1-0 Fulham
Sky Bet Championship, 10th January 2015

City marked their return to blue with a home victory over Fulham at Cardiff City Stadium in January 2015.

Bluebirds centre-half Sean Morrison was the man to get the crucial goal, heading home from an Aron Gunnarsson long throw.

Scroll down to watch full match highlights of the Bluebirds' home victory...

DON'T MISS A MOMENT
TICKETS: Online: www.eticketing.co.uk/cardiffcity Phone: 0845 345 1400

LISTEN: Supporters can listen in live on Cardiff City Player HD* for all the action from Fulham vs City.

WATCH: Extended highlights of the match will be available to subscribers of Cardiff City Player HD*

SOCIAL: Live updates from Craven Cottage will come via our official Twitter account, @CardiffCityFC.

*Search 'Cardiff City' on the App Store and Google Play Store to view Cardiff City Player HD on smart phones.


Read more at http://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news/article/match-preview-fulham-vs-cardiff-city-3046415.aspx#wfyGiseQcsTRc3Xg.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Tom Cairney doubtful for Fulham

Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney could be a doubt for the visit of Cardiff.

Cairney limped off during Tuesday night's 2-1 win at Preston after apparently injuring himself making a challenge for which he also got booked.

Defender Chris Baird has shaken off the knock which kept him out for three matches but midfielder Lasse Vigen Christensen remains sidelined by a hamstring injury.

Ross McCormack and Moussa Dembele, who have scored two goals apiece in the back-to-back 2-1 wins over MK Dons and Preston which eased Fulham's relegation fears, continue up front.

Anthony Pilkington could miss out for play-off chasing Cardiff.

Pilkington limped off during Tuesday night's goalless draw at Burnley and the trip to west London could come too soon, even though a subsequent scan revealed the Republic of Ireland international had not suffered a serious knee injury.

Matthew Connolly should be fit following illness and that will pose Bluebirds boss Russell Slade a defensive dilemma after centre-backs Sean Morrison and Bruno Ecuele Manga shut out the Championship leaders at Turf Moor.

Peter Whittingham and Craig Noone are both in contention to start after being rested at Burnley.


http://www.espnfc.co.uk/english-league-championship/match/423018/fulham-cardiff-city/preview