Saturday Fulham Stuff (21/01/17)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Make sure you redeem your free Fulham tickets!

Contact the Ticket Office to claim yours...

We are kindly reminding all supporters that were at the original Reading vs Fulham fixture that they will need to contact the Ticket Office to redeem the free ticket for the rearranged game.

All Season Ticket and Half Season Ticket holders will have the game automatically loaded onto their card. 

However all other fans – whether holders of paper tickets or having had the game loaded onto their Member Card – must ensure they contact our Ticket Office not later than 5pm on matchday to claim the free ticket.  Tickets from the original fixture will be invalid for the rearranged game.

After our original game against Fulham in December was abandoned at half-time due to heavy fog, we made the decision to ensure that all supporters that came to the original fixture could return for the rearranged game free of charge.

But you need to let us know if you're coming!  After 5pm on matchday, tickets will only be available at the matchday rate.  And any supporters who weren't at the original fixture, but who wish to come to next Tuesday's game against the Cottagers, can get tickets at our usual rates.

Seats are not reserved from the original fixture, so make sure you redeem your free ticket as early as you can to get the best choice of seats for the game.

For full information about tickets for this fixture, including how to claim your free ticket if you were at the original game, click here.
Here is a reminder of what you'll need to do to claim yours:

Season Ticket holders
All Season Ticket holders and Half Season Ticket holders will have the rearranged fixture automatically loaded onto their cards for their usual seats ahead of the game, free of charge of course.

Match ticket holders
And for all those who purchased tickets, including those loaded onto Member Cards, (proof required) for the abandoned game, you can claim your free ticket by simply reapplying either by phone on 0118 968 1313 or in person at our Ticket Office at Madejski Stadium, from 9am on Tuesday 10th January.

Any other supporter who wishes to attend the game will be able to purchase at standard league prices.  And from 3 hours before kick-off, everyone will be charged matchday prices, including anyone who attended the previous fixture and is yet to claim their free ticket.

Fulham supporters
Any Fulham supporter who purchased through Reading Football Club will need to contact Reading FC Ticket Office on 0118 968 1313 to arrange their free ticket.

If a Fulham supporter purchased through Fulham FC, they will need to contact Fulham FC Ticket Office once they go on sale on 10am on Wednesday by ringing 0843 208 1234 or visiting in person.


Read more at http://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/redeem-free-tickets-fulham-3527936.aspx#IRjtKkDjZWh9MKkA.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Perch back but Holloway sticks with Furlong

Ian Holloway has confirmed that Darnell Furlong will keep his place in the QPR side for Saturday's derby against Fulham.

The 21-year-old right-back, recently recalled from a loan spell at Swindon, made his Championship debut in last week's win at Reading after James Perch went down with an illness.

The versatile Perch is available again this weekend but Rangers boss Holloway will stick with Furlong.

"I'd be mad if I didn't," said Holloway, whose side have won three league matches in a row.

"Perchy's fit. But the great thing about Perchy – and it is great – is that no matter where you play him he knows how to play there."

Holloway, who has criticised Idrissa Sylla for the striker's reaction to being substituted at Reading, has praised Perch for his attitude and insisted the former Newcastle player remains part of his plans.

"He's just about one of the best pros I've had. He wanted to play at Reading but couldn't make it," Holloway said.

"The young boy stepped in and was absolutely not far off our best player on the pitch.

"Perchy knows that and the great thing about him is that he can play anywhere across the midfield and anywhere at the back.

"He knows I really like him and I'm delighted to have him. It's an occupational hazard that the team might play well without you.

"Sometimes, if you are injured or ill, it's not a good time to be out of the team because you might not get back in it.

"That's the competition I want. Perchy's superb as as bloke and he'll take whatever I do without moaning or pulling a silly face."

Conor Washington is back in full training after a thigh problem and is in the Rangers squad.


http://www.westlondonsport.com/qpr/qpr-boss-says-hed-mad-not-include-youngster-fulham

[WhiteJC]

 
Slavisa Jokanovic dismisses contract talk

Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic has refused to be drawn on whether he will sign a new deal with the club.

The former Watford boss has earned plaudits for turning the Cottagers into genuine playoff contenders this season, guiding them to eighth in the Championship and six points off the top six with a game in hand.

Jokanovic's current deal with the side runs out this summer but he is yet to begin talks over an extension despite reported interest from Wolfsburg, Werder Bremen and Malaga.

"My contract is over in the summer and right now I am committed to my team," Jokanovic told the Fulham Chronicle. "It is a very important period in front of us for the team. As I've told you before, it is a characteristic of Fulham not to be especially quick [with contracts].

"I am fully concentrated on my job at Fulham and the people around me are as well. I am very happy here, it's a fantastic place. I am a young man and in the summer I will be in this business 100%.

"Dealing with my contract is not part of my job. I have people around me who deal with that side of things. I am not ready for resting, I am young and full of energy and I will be coaching in the period that is in front of us."

Jokanovic moved to Craven Cottage in December 2015, helping his side to avoid relegation by just one point last season.


http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/news/slavisa-jokanovic-dismisses-contract-talk_289906.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham eyeing two or three new faces as Slavisa Jokanovic gives transfer update
The Whites have been building up a head of steam in recent months, attracting admirers from across the division for their expansive, enterprising style of football

Slavisa Jokanovic says that he is looking to bolster his squad with two or three new faces before the transfer window closes.

The Whites have been building up a head of steam in recent months, attracting admirers from across the division for their expansive, enterprising style of football.

Ahead of Fulham's trip to Loftus Road on Saturday, Jokanovic expressed his desire to add to his already talented squad.

"The window is over halfway through and we haven't brought in any new players. We need to show ambition, these players need some fresh blood in the team. They need support.

"We need two or three players. This is my third transfer window at Fulham and it is generally a characteristic at the club that we are not so quick in our decisions and we repeat this situation.

"In front of us are some important games. I expect we are going to do some things quickly and support this team.

The Serbian added that one of these players would hopefully be a striker, but added that he would continue to place faith in his relatively settled line-up.

"We are looking for a striker but all the kids at Craven Cottage know what my team is."


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/fulham-eyeing-two-three-new-12480484

[WhiteJC]

 
Coral: Fulham To Win, 40/1

We're teaming up with our Official Betting Partner Coral to provide you with an unbeatable new customer offer - get a HUGE 40/1 on Fulham to win our Championship clash against Queens Park Rangers this Saturday at Loftus Road, with all winnings paid as free bets.

All you have to do is sign up, deposit £5 or more into your Coral account and place your bet on the massively enhanced odds, before sitting back and cheering the boys on to victory, made all the sweeter if you win some free bets as a result!

With local bragging rights at stake, a win at Loftus Road this weekend would leave the Whites just three points from the Play-Off places, with a game in hand over a few of those around us in the table.

This offer is available for a limited time only and expires at kick-off on Saturday 21st January (12.30pm), so don't miss out on this fantastic chance to back the lads at a massive 40/1 with Coral!

Promotion only eligible for supporters 18 or over. T&Cs Apply. For more information click here.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/january/20/coral-fulham-to-win-401

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham submit another bid for Cisse

Fulham have made a second bid, this time of around £2.2m, for Standard Liege midfielder Ibrahima Cisse.

West London Sport revealed earlier this week that the White were considering a new offer for Cisse after seeing an initial bid turned down.

Liege value the Belgium Under-21 international at closer to £3m.

Cisse, who can play at right-back, is keen to make the move to Craven Cottage.


http://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/fulham-submit-2-2m-offer-midfielder

[WhiteJC]

 
Queens Park Rangers v Fulham
SAT, 21 JAN 2017CHAMPIONSHIP
Venue: Loftus Road Stadium

Chris Martin has scored eight goals in 18 Championship games for Fulham this season

BBC coverage
How to follow:
Commentary on BBC Radio London Digital; live text coverage on the BBC Sport website

QPR are without defenders Jack Robinson (hamstring) and Steven Caulker (hip).

Winger Kazenga LuaLua is expected to be named among the substitutes once more after making his debut from the bench in the win over Reading last week.

Fulham striker Chris Martin is expected to feature again, after boss Slavisa Jokanvoic said the row with Derby about the on-loan player "is over".

Forwards Floyd Ayite and Neeskens Kebano are away at the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon.

Rangers are looking to secure a fourth consecutive Championship win while Fulham have lost just one of their last seven league games.

The R's won the first west London derby of the season 2-1 at Craven Cottage on 1 October, after the Whites missed two penalties.

QPR manager Ian Holloway told BBC Radio London:

"Losing so many games in a row forced my hand to be as brutal as I have been [with transfers].

"It is sometimes about clearing out things to get a freshness. The atmosphere here is one of optimism and the young players have helped with that.

"Our pitch is small and tight and Fulham are a fantastic test for us. We need to get around them and in their faces and try and carry on our momentum.

"Slavisa Jokanovic seemed to get no credit for what he did at Watford and no appreciation from them. Fulham's wage bill has gone backwards yet he has managed to hold it all together and play some wonderful football."

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic told BBC Radio London:

"We played well against QPR last time, created many opportunities and missed two penalties.

"At this moment we play with more confidence and have improved ourselves. We know how important it is for our fans.

"I have to be happy because we have created an identity. We are more solid but in football it is important to win the game.

"We want to play these kinds of games and, although it is not my first derby around the world, I am excited like our supporters."

Match facts
QPR have lost three of their lost four home league games against Fulham, winning the other 2-1 in a Premier League match in December 2012.
Fulham have won seven of their last nine league games against the Hoops (L2), although the Whites lost the most recent encounter in October (1-2).
The Hoops have won every game in which midfielder Ryan Manning has started this season (three out of three).
Fulham, who won 2-0 away at Ipswich in their last away league game, haven't won back-to-back away league games since December 2014.
QPR have managed just eight first-half league goals this season, fewer than any other Championship side.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38619053

[WhiteJC]

Inside Loftus Road

Long-time QPR fan Andy Pike warns who to watch out for in the Rangers team, and gives his thoughts on Saturday's local derby.

How did you end up as a QPR fan?

I'm 61 now and I've been an R's fan since I was a small boy. I was born and bred close to the ground, and my Dad and his brothers were all Rangers fans, so I was born into it.

Who have been your favourite players over the years?

Obviously Rodney Marsh and Stan Bowles jump out, but the captain of the great R's team of the 60s – Mike Keen – was hugely underrated.

What have you made of the season so far?

Disappointing, after a promising start. We seemed to go backwards for a while and under Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink became happy to draw rather than going for the win.

Where do you think you can finish?

I would now be happy to finish mid-table and focus on looking to build for next season.

Which QPR players should we watch out for?

Jamie Mackie is wholehearted and never gives defenders a moment's rest, Idrissa Sylla has potential, and the Poland international Pawel Wszolek on the right looks promising. Also a young lad called Eberechi Eze was really impressive in a cameo appearance the other week – he'll be one for the future.

What was your take on the game at Craven Cottage earlier in the season?

Fortunate weren't we? We should have been dead and buried by half-time, but played much better second half.

Which Fulham players will you be wary of?

The lad on loan from Chelsea, Lucas Piazon, looks good, and Chris Martin is another of those players that never gives defenders a day off.

What's the best and worst thing about a trip to Loftus Road?

Not got a lot going for it for away fans, as your guys know only too well. The ground is tight and generates a good atmosphere, but seating is very cramped for anyone other than the smaller members of either group of supporters.

What sort of game are you expecting?

I think it will be an open game, with attackers on top.

What score prediction are you going for?

That's a tough one. I'd like to say 3-0 to the R's, but I think more realistically it could be similar to the first game at the Cottage, resulting in a 3-2 win either way – hopefully our way.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/january/20/inside-loftus-road

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic says he has found best way to succeed ahead of the London derby against QPR

Slavisa Jokanovic says Fulham have found a winning formula ahead of tomorrow's west London derby against QPR.

Fulham are eighth in the Championship having lost just one of their past seven matches and can move to within three points of the play-off places with a win in the lunchtime kick-off at Loftus Road.

Jokanovic said: "I have to be happy because we created a style and an identity. I believe our supporters start to recognise it is a great way to try and win the game.

"We are more solid, we are dominating games, we control many things and create many chances. But the most important thing is always to win the game. 

"I believe, and my players believe, this is the best way to fight for the victory, and at QPR we are going to try and do something similar."

QPR, meanwhile, have picked up under Ian Holloway by winning their past three games to pull away from the drop zone.

Holloway said: "The results early on were not anywhere near what I expected.

"But it is a really good place to be right now.

"How Fulham are doing is tremendous. Their manager deserves a massive pat on the back. It is a big test for us but I believe we can make it four wins in a row."


http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-boss-slavisa-jokanovic-says-he-has-found-best-way-to-succeed-ahead-of-the-london-derby-a3445901.html

[WhiteJC]

 
REPORT: ASTON VILLA SENSATIONAL STRIKER BID BY SUNDAY, LOAN DEAL ALSO POSSIBLE

Fulham could table a cash bid for Aston Villa striker Ross McCormack by Sunday, according to a report.

The Sun claim that the London-based club want to re-sign the 30-year-old and are eyeing a loan swoop as his struggles at Villa Park continue.

But it is said that Fulham could also come up with a cash offer this week, although, due to the size of McCormack's wages, they would prefer a short-term deal.

It would be seen as a sensational transfer as the Scotsman only moved to Villa Park from Craven Cottage last summer for a then Championship record fee of £12million.

The Sun report that Villa manager Steve Bruce is willing to let him go in a full-time move in order to fund a new move for Middlesbrough man Jordan Rhodes.

McCormack has scored only three goals in 22 games in all competitions this season for the Midlands club, having scored on 23 occasions for Fulham last term.

It is also said that Bruce is trying to move out versatile attacker Jordan Ayew, but the Ghana international, who is currently away at the Africa Cup of Nations, is only interested in a move to the Premier League.

Football Insider verdict:
McCormack should stay put at Villa Park unless the club received the full £12million fee they paid to land him from Fulham. The 30-year-old has been struggling for form this season but he has shown in past seasons, most recently the previous campaign, that he has goals in his locker. With Henri Lansbury signed up and Barnsley playmaker Conor Hourihane not far behind, the Scotsman will now have the driving and creative force behind him that can see him begin to score the goals that Villa need for a promotion push. Not only that, with star man Jonathan Kodjia away, Bruce should utilise McCormack as a forward that would see him begin his goal run.


http://www.footballinsider247.com/report-aston-villa-sensational-striker-bid-by-sunday-loan-deal-also-possible/

[WhiteJC]

 
Tunnicliffe's Wigan Loan

The Club can confirm that Ryan Tunnicliffe has joined Wigan Athletic on loan until the end of the season.

It is the midfielder's second temporary stint at the DW Stadium, as he made five appearances for the Latics during the latter part of the 2013/14 season.

Tunnicliffe could make his second debut for Wigan at home to Brentford in Saturday's Sky Bet Championship encounter.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/january/20/tunnicliffes-wigan-loan

[WhiteJC]

 
Who R Ya - Fulham

Vital QPR assesses Saturday's opponents - Fulham

THE LATEST

Slavisa Jokanovic has managed to turn Fulham into an upwardly mobile outfit and it would appear for now that the Felix Magath days are long behind them.

A frankly bizarre reverse fixture early in the season saw referee Lee Mason dish out all manner of strange decisions; it culminated however in Fulham missing two spot-kicks, the last at the death to hand QPR the win at Craven Cottage.

It flattered Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's side who were not the better of the two teams on the day but the fortunes of the two clubs have been somewhat different since that day - an undefeated December saw Jokanovic's side propel themselves into playoff contention.

Thrashing Reading 5-0 was a particular highlight for the Cottagers, with Brighton & Hove Albion the only team to beat them since late October. They will be out for revenge this weekend and facing a QPR side with a good recent record, this should be an interesting spectacle.

FACTS & FIGURES

Founded: 1879 as Fulham St. Andrews Football & Cricket Club

Nickname: Whites, Cottagers

Ground: Craven Cottage - 25700

Manager: Slavisa Jokanovic

HONOURS & RECORDS

HONOURS

Second Tier

Football League Division One: Winners - 2000-01
Football League Second Division: Winners - 1948-49
Football League Second Division: Runners Up - 1958-59

Third Tier

Football League Third Divison (South): Winners - 1931-32
Football League Division Two: Winners - 1998-99
Football League Third Divison: Runners Up - 1970-71

Fourth Tier

Football League Division Three: Runners Up - 1996-97

Cups

FA Cup: Runners-up - 1975

UEFA Europa League: Runners-up - 2010

UEFA Intertoto Cup - Winners: 2002

RECORDS

Record Attendance: 49335 v Millwall (Second Division, 1938)

Record Buy: £12,400,000 - Konstantinos Mitroglou from Olympiacos (January 2014)

Record Sale: £18,000,000 - Moussa Dembele to Tottenham Hotspur (August 2012)

Record Appearances: Johnny Haynes - 658 (1952-1970)

Record Goals: Gordon Davies - 178 (1978-1984)

THIS SEASON - STATS

GOALS: Chris Martin - 8, Stefan Johansen - 6, Tom Cairney - 5, Sone Aluko 4.

YELLOW: Ryan Fredricks - 5, Stefan Johansen - 4, Scott Parker - 4, Kevin McDonald - 4.

RED: Kevin McDonald - 1, Michael Madl - 1.

SQUAD LIST

1 - Marcus Bettinelli
2 - Ryan Fredericks
3 - Scott Malone
4 - Denis Odoi
6 - Kevin McDonald
7 - Neeskens Kebano
8 - Scott Parker
9 - Matt Smith
10 - Tom Cairney
11 - Floyd Ayité
13 - Tim Ream
14 - Stefan Johansen
15 - Michael Madl
16 - Cauley Woodrow
17 - Ragnar Sigurðsson
19 - Ryan Tunnicliffe
20 - Lucas Piazon (on loan from Chelsea)
21 - Lasse Vigen Christensen
24 - Sone Aluko
25 - Chris Martin (on loan from Derby County)
26 - Tomáš Kalas (on loan from Chelsea)
27 - David Button
30 - Ryan Sessegnon
41 - Jesse Joronen



Read more: http://www.qpr.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=477060#ixzz4WNrl8NFB

[WhiteJC]

 
Tunnicliffe heads to Wigan on loan
by DAN on JANUARY 20, 2017

Fulham midfielder Ryan Tunnicliffe has returned to Wigan Athletic on loan until the end of season, the club's official website has confirmed this afternoon.

The former Manchester United youth team captain has headed back to his native north west after failing to feature in Slavisa Jokanovic's first-team plans since October. Tunnicliffe, who was previously shipped out to the Latics on loan at the tail end of the 2013/2014 by Felix Magath, has seen his chances of regular game time at Craven Cottage hampered by the signings of Kevin McDonald and Stefan Johansen. The midfielder has made just ten senior appearances this term Fulham felt it was best to offer the 22 year-old a chance to play elsewhere.

Tunnicliffe initially struggled to establish a place in the Fulham set-up following the sudden sacking of Rene Meulensteen, who brought him to the club at the end of the transfer window in 2014. He had made an impressive Fulham debut in a memorable 2-2 draw at Old Trafford on the right of a rejigged midfield and delivered another solid performance in an agonising home defeat by Liverpool two days later but after Meulensteen's departure, Magath decided he was surplus to requirements.

After making just four league appearances on loan at the DW Stadium, Tunnicliffe enjoyed more successive loan stint with Blackburn Rovers before being recalled by Kit Symons, who had replaced Magath in charge at Craven Cottage. He became a key part of the side that eventually secured their Championship status with a number of characteristically combative displays in central midfield. The Heywood-born midfielder has made 66 appearances for Fulham with his two goals being a close-range finish against Charlton Athletic and a sublime lob at Bristol City that won the club's goal of the month award.

Tunicliffe, whose Fulham contract expires at the end of the season, will go straight into Warren Joyce's squad for Wigan's home fixture with Brentford tomorrow afternoon.


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2017/01/tunnicliffe-heads-to-wigan-on-loan/

[WhiteJC]

 
Slavisa Jokanovic: Fulham boss relaxed about his future at Craven Cottage

Slavisa Jokanovic led Watford to promotion to the Premier League in 2014-15

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic says he is focused on his job rather than worrying about renewing his own contract with the Championship club.

The Serb, 48, took charge of the Whites in December 2015 and his deal at Craven Cottage expires this summer.

"At this moment I am committed for my team, as important things are in front of us," he told BBC Radio London.

"I am very happy here and it is a fantastic place. I pay people around me to care about my future."

When Jokanovic joined Fulham, they were 18th in the Championship table, and the west London club eventually finished the 2015-16 campaign in 20th place, but 11 points above the relegation zone.

Despite losing strikers Moussa Dembele and Ross McCormack, who scored 36 league goals between them last season, Fulham are challenging for the play-offs this term.

They are eighth after 25 games, six points off the top six but with a game in hand.

Former Chelsea and Yugoslavia midfielder Jokanovic, who guided Watford to promotion to the Premier League in 2014-15, is relaxed about his future.

"A characteristic of Fulham is not to be especially quick to take decisions," he said.

"My profession always pushed me to be quick, and sometimes I made some wrong decisions, sometimes good. I am fully concentrated on my job.

"I am a young man and in the summer I will be in this business 100 per cent. I am not ready for resting."


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38696738

[WhiteJC]

 
QPR improving but punters fancy Fulham to win derby

QPR have won three league matches in a row but Fulham, averaging just shy of three goals a game at the moment, are fancied by the punters and are our 11/10 favourites for Saturday's west London derby at Loftus Road.

We have Rangers as 13/5 underdogs on home soil and the draw is 5/2 with BetVictor.

Fulham are eighth in the Championship table, having moved to within six points of the play-off places, and we now have them odds-ons at 10/11 to achieve a top-six finish this season.

Rangers have been much improved and are arguably good enough to earn a point at the very least.

So for optimistic R's fans, BetVictor make the hosts a 5/1 chance to win with both teams scoring.

However, I reckon it'll be a draw and like the look of the 1-1 and 2-2 correct-score odds at 13/2 and 14/1 respectively.

Brentford, meanwhile, are 9/5 to win at Wigan, with the Latics 6/4 and the draw 12/5.

A Bees win with both teams to score is 9/2.


http://www.westlondonsport.com/qpr/qpr-improving-punters-fancy-fulham-win-derby

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham massive favourites to bring striker back to the club

There is a joke that runs around between Leeds United fans that Ross McCormack signs more contracts than scores goals at times. Whilst that is obviously not true, he does move around a lot.

The reason why is because he has goals in him, the Scot being deadly in front of goal. It was this aspect that encouraged Fulham to pay a reputed £11 million to bring him from Leeds United to Craven Cottage. It was also the potential for goals that led Aston Villa to pay £12 million for the 14-cap international at the beginning of August 2016.

However, according to a report in the Sun, Fulham are lining up to bring McCormack "back in a sensational loan move" after the striker has struggled for game time at Villa. Whilst making 20 appearances for the Villans, McCormack has only 1,264 minutes under his belt – an average of 63 minutes per appearance, scoring just the three goals.

When compared to his 42 goals and 22 assists in 100 games for Fulham, and his 58 goals and 31 assists for Leeds United, the triplet of goals at Villa just doesn't measure up.

With teams coming around the middle of the season and looking to push on, goals are at a premium. That's one thing that McCormack has in him, goals. It is this potential that has led Sky Bet to install him as an overwhelming favourite to return to Fulham with odds 4/11 being given for an arrival before February 3, 2016.

This is by far an away the lowest of odds, beating the 2/1 being offered for his staying at Villa and the closest other team quoted at another possible destination being Derby at odds of 12/1.


http://the72.co.uk/73249/fulham-massive-favourites-bring-striker-back-club/

[WhiteJC]

 
4-2-3-1: IF HOLLOWAY FIELDS THIS QPR XI, THEY CAN BEAT FULHAM THIS WEEKEND AT LOFTUS ROAD!

The tide could finally be turning at Loftus Road as QPR are finally beginning to find some form under new manager Ian Holloway.

The Hoops have struggled to maintain any sort of form so far this season but going into this weekend's game with Fulham, they've won three on the spin.

It shows a really decent turnaround in form from a side that struggled to pick up wins over the Christmas period.

But with things looking a whole lot more solid at Loftus Road these days, we're tipping them to do the business over London rivals Fulham this Saturday, infront of their own supporters too.

Fulham have been playing well themselves this season but QPR have a really good chance to get their fourth win on the bounce, something they're not going to simply pass up.

So with that in mind, here's our QPR XI that we think will beat Fulham this weekend...


http://footballleagueworld.co.uk/4-2-3-1-if-holloway-fields-this-qpr-xi-they-can-beat-fulham-this-weekend-at-loftus-road/

[WhiteJC]

 
TIME TO GET REALISTIC: 3 PLAYERS FULHAM COULD REALISTICALLY SEAL DEALS FOR NEXT WEEK

Fulham have had a solid season so far under Slavisa Jokanovic and they are currently eighth in the league, on the fringes of the Play-Offs.

There is a six point gap between the Cottagers in eighth and Sheffield Wednesday in sixth, but that gap can be made up very quickly if Fulham can hit a purple patch and the two teams still have to play each other, albeit it is at Hillsborough.

Jokanovic has experience of getting teams out of the Championship from when he took Watford back to the top flight in 2015, and that could prove to be key in Fulham's promotion push.

Fulham have the basis of a very good team and in Chris Martin, they have a lethal striker up front, which all promotion challengers need.

Jokanovic's teams have had a reputation in the past for being leaky at the back, but Jokanovic certainly seems to have sorted that at Fulham and they have conceded less goals than a handful of the promotion contenders.

Here, FLW's Chris Wilson will look at three realistic targets for Fulham next week...

GRANT HALL


With QPR struggling in the wrong half of the table, Hall could be tempted by a move to promotion challengers Fulham to fulfil his potential.

The chance of playing in the Premier League is a huge draw for any player, and Hall would most likely jump at the chance to join Craven Cottage.

Some added defensive solidity certainly wouldn't go amiss.

Hall would sure up the Fulham defence and if they want to go all the way this season, they will need to keep the goals they concede to a minimum.

DANNY WARD


Ward has been the subject of three failed bids this month and Rotherham boss, Paul Warne has placed a £5 million price tag on Ward although that seems optimistic.

The Millers striker has been in a great vein of form this season, netting nine goals, which is a very good return considering he is playing in a struggling side.

Fulham have one of the Championships top strikers up front in Chris Martin at the moment but behind him, their options are quite limited, so Ward would add to their firepower.

IBRAHIMA CISSE

The 22-year-old Belgian is currently plying his trade with Standard Liege but he has been linked with a move to Craven Cottage this month.

Fulham were believed to be readying a £2.2 million move for Cisse, who would slot into Fulham's midfield well, providing some defensive security.

Fulham's Tom Cairney is one of the best midfielders in the league and allowing him to roam forwards with the insurance of Cisse behind him could bring the best out of Cairney.



http://footballleagueworld.co.uk/time-to-get-realistic-3-players-fulham-could-realistically-seal-deals-for-next-week/

[WhiteJC]

 
Matchday Info

All the key match, travel and weather information ahead of the West London derby at Loftus Road on Saturday lunchtime.

Possible opposition absentees

Jordan Cousins - injury

Jack Robinson - injury

Stephen Caulker - injury

Tickets

Tickets are off sale. No tickets will be available to buy on the gate.

Getting there

The closest tubes are White City, Wood Lane, or Shepherd's Bush. Please note there are no overground tube trains running between Clapham Junction and Shepherd's Bush.

Weather

It will be a crisp, dry day in W12 on Saturday, but temperatures will be as low as two degrees at kick-off.

Coral match odds

QPR: 13/5

Draw: 12/5

Fulham: 21/20

Form

QPR: LWWLW

Fulham: DWLWW


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/january/20/matchday-info-qpr

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham seeking revenge v revitalised Rangers

Three wins on the spin in the league have boosted Ian Holloway's QPR, bt they face a tough task on Saturday as local neighbours Fulham arrive bang in form.

QPR (9-5-12, LLWWLW, 17th) v Fulham (10-9-6, WDWLWW, 8th)

One would hope that Ian Holloway's assertion that Reading are "six months ahead of where I want to be" prior to last week's meeting was just the classic managerial glad-handing, diffusion, trying not to make inflammatory headlines before a match. If QPR are going to look and play like that in six months' time I'll have to start (keep) bringing a good book.

Reading looked like the classic football hipster team to me. We know better than you, we're more sophisticated than you, we're more refined than you – watch as we actually play one of our own goal kicks backwards to a defender standing tight to the byline by the corner flag. Yes, you could reasonably argue that if Yann Kermorgant wasn't such a basic Championship carthorse, that QPR could have lost at the Madejski Stadium last week – the French forward missed two late headed chances that would have turned the game – but honestly, would you want to watch that every week any more than you would John Beck/Sam Allardyce style lump ball?

Articles like this are part of the problem. You try writing a match preview for every QPR game across a 46 game (and two cup defeats) season and see how you get on. Try filling 24 hours of Sky Sports News on a Thursday. It's a constant search for hooks and angles - an exercise in bleeding stones. It's an ever-accelerating, ever more demanding beast that has changed football for the worse and shows no sign of abating. It's part of the reason managers used to be able to survive losing runs stretching to a dozen games at a time but now anybody that loses three games (which in the Championship can often be a week at work) is immediately "under pressure" at a "crisis club".

Jaap Stam, formerly of Man Utd, goes into Reading, adopts an intriguing style of play that confuses teams through the first half of the season, gets them up to third in the league and suddenly he's the new Shankley/Ferguson/Warnock and anybody who dares to stick their hand up and say "this is quite dull really isn't it?" is some sort of Peter Reid philistine who still believes you can get results from modern, monied, 20-something boys by throwing tea cups at them and calling them lazy cunts. Reading will drop away through the second half of the season as teams get wise to them (if this QPR team takes four points from you over two games you're not much cop), but the insatiable chattering masses will have moved onto another angle by then.

The angle currently is that Holloway is turning QPR around, getting them going again, instilling his preferred style of play, getting results. And that's based on one very scrappy, very fortunate win at Wolves which could have been a defeat on most other days, a late home win against the worst Ipswich side in a generation that just had two cracks at Lincoln City and struck out, and a terrific performance and result away at Reading last week. Lose on Saturday, as we may well might, and at Newcastle next week, as we almost certainly will, and the rhetoric will change from "three wins on the spin" to "eight defeats from 12". It's how it works. Or doesn't work, as is actually the case.

Holloway has, again, this week spoken out against one of his players. Idrissa Sylla looked grumpy when he was taken off at Reading and Ollie didn't like it, one because he was tiring and had stopped running about as much, and two because it's not great for the man coming on in his place to see him kicking off about being withdrawn. Both are true, and Holloway doesn't seem to be in the mood to hang about (possibly because he's clocked how long QPR managers tend to get in the job), but you do have to take the players with you in modern football otherwise they'll simply down tools and get you the sack. Maybe best to keep these things in house.

Win two of the next three and Holloway looks like the people's champion, railing against spoilt rich footballers to greater the common QPR good. Lose two of the next three, and we're all talking about lost dressing rooms and Gary Rowett again. In actual fact, neither of the two sets of results would be definitive either way. God I wish we could slow this ride and get off.

But at the risk of latching onto one game out of 46, searching for the angle that isn't there, drawing conclusions that haven't been reached and so on... that Reading game last week. While the Sky morons chuntered on about Reading's 70% possession it was QPR who took their 30% of the ball and did something with it. Passing with a purpose, rather than passing for the sake of it, is a trend waiting to happen in an era where half the teams think they need to keep the ball 90% of the time even if they don't go anywhere and the other half think they should surrender possession 90% of the time and sit deep and tight and narrow.

How about when you get the ball have a really talented wide man who can do some damage (Pawel Wszolek) playing off a point man (Sylla, Polter, Helguson) with players behind him who can follow in on the results? QPR were by far the best team last week, despite only having a third of the ball. It was not only the first time under Ian Holloway that we looked like we had a coherent plan of how to both defend and attack, it was the first team since Neil Warnock led us to promotion that we had that. Hughes, Redknapp, Ramsey, Hasselbaink... none of them had a complete plan of how QPR would stop conceding goals and start scoring them. Some of them focused on the latter, some of them the former, and some of them basically phoned it in while cashing their pay cheque. We've seen flashes of attacking brilliance (coming from two down to win at Wolves under Ramsey) and we've seen defensive pragmatism grind teams into defeat (Cardiff away under Hasselbaink) but Reading was a complete show. It looked like QPR knew what they were doing, which shouldn't be revelatory but is.

Sadly, this weekend we play a team who are actually six months ahead of where we want to be. If the 'passing with a purpose' thing is to become a trend then Salvisa Jokanovic's Fulham are well placed to lead the queue with two excellent wing backs – Ryan Fredericks is superb – and the Championship's best all round central midfielder Tom Cairney key figures. QPR beat Reading easily, and shouldn't aspire to be like them. I suspect they might learn a few lessons from Fulham tomorrow, and resolve to hand out a few of their own in similar style a year from now.

Saturday
Team News: QPR might, perhaps, hold the front page, name an unchanged team this week. Steven Caulker (hip knack) and Jack Robinson (shop mobility) are permanent absentees but with Sandro's elastic-bands-and-chewing-gum knee joints and Agatha-Christie-novel-passport off the books the physios' work load is lightening. James Perch has stopped chundering but his place at right back is likely to remain with Darnell Furlong and too bloody right as well. Kazenga Lua Lua has stopped eating so much, and started running about a bit, but he'll be departing his pain train from a substitute platform once more this week unless anybody wakes up tomorrow and doesn't fancy it.

Everybody's favourite high achieving fat guy Chris Martin is back in favour at Fulham after his failed attempts to engineer an early return to Steve McClaren's hair island. His open goal miss in the corresponding fixture between the sides earlier this season extended his run of games against QPR without a goal to ten (like an anti-Jon Stead) but that somehow only makes you more nervous about what he might do in this early kick off – once he's finished his sausage and egg McMuffin of course. State. Fulham also have Floyd Ayite and Neeskens Kebano away at the African Cup of Extraordinary Goalkeeping.

Elsewhere: Well putting Stuart Attwell in charge of Brighton v Sheffield Owls proved a shrewd move – three red cards and a missed penalty made for better television than anything Graham Norton has belched out on a Friday night previously. More of the same tomorrow previously as the evening kick off (good luck law enforcement officers) between Barnsley and the Champions of Europe is overseen by Mike Dean.

That leaves nine games for the 15.00 slot including Nottingham Trees at home to the bang out of form Wurzels. The idea that you can string an American consortium along well enough for them to pay your wage bill through November and December and then drop their takeover bid in January once you've roped in £2.5m for Henri Lansbury is behaviour even Gianni Paladini might tip a respectful hat to. Nobody is as trusting and optimistic as the Americans. Forest's luck is summed up by them ending up owned by the only poor Kuwaiti businessman in the world. His solution to the whole thing – sack the manager – might be stretching things a little too far mind.

Mick Mack's Paddy Sack hasn't been wielded despite a midweek loss at Lincoln so he gets another go in a tough away game at Borussia Huddersfield. Relegated Rotherham's trip to Champions Newcastle is a classic haves vs have nots nonsense. Wigan Warriors v Brentford holds all the attraction of a long sit in the waiting room at the STI clinic. Alex Neil's last rights reading at the Carrot Crunchers threatens to stretch beyond the transfer window, although the old Jim Bowen "here's what you could have won" routine with the Wolverhampton Wolves and Paul Lambert may shove him over the edge this weekend.

What else... Derby Sheep v Reading. Whatever floats your boat. Who am I to judge?

The Mad Indian Chicken Farmers host Brum, still without a win under Gianfranco Zola who says he is "starting to see the results of what we're trying to implement" as opposed to the actual results Gary Rowett used to get from what he was trying to implement before his scandalous sacking. Leddersford are playing ninth-placed Preston Knob End (big Championship success story again this season, never spoken about).

And finally (no, no we must), the Seventh Annual Neil Warnock Farewell Tour welcomes Nigel Clough's Burton Albion this weekend. Burton with only one away win to their name all season (at Relegated Rotherham). I wouldn't worry lads, I've clocked your next trip. Twas ever thus.

Referee: How do you like your cards? Plentiful? Good. How do you like you man management? Patronising, demeaning, antagonising? Good. How do you like your football? Constantly stopped, suffocated, prolonged stoppages for chats with lots of hand gestures? Good. How do you like your decisions? Unclear, random, often seemingly drawn out of a hat? Good. How do you like your short man syndrome? Aggressive, blatant, ruinous? Round of applause for Keith Stroud then. Absolute jizzrocket this fella. Good luck everybody. More here, if you're one of those dedicated masochists.

Form
QPR: Taking the cup defeat to Blackburn out of the equation QPR have won three in a row in the Championship having lost their previous six. Trying to write a form guide for this lot is like knitting fog. Home results this season have ranged from a 3-0 win over third placed Leeds to a 6-0 loss to second placed Newcastle. Leeds, Ipswich, Bristol City and Norwich have lost here this season; Newcastle, Brentford, Preston, Derby, Villa and Wolves have all won. Only Wigan (eight) have scored fewer home goals than QPR this season (12).

Fulham: Fulham have won five times on the road this season (Ipswich, Brentford, Barnsley, Blacburn and Preston) but they haven't won consecutive away games since December 2014 – they can break that record with a win here on a ground where they've won three of their last four visits.

Predictions: Fulham are playing well, and were very unlucky to lose to us first time around this season. It strikes me as a step to far for Rangers as we rebuild our shattered confidence and try to implement a new style and shape. Burton next week is the one you don't want to crash and burn in, here it's about continuing to do the right things and competing rather than falling in a hole as we've done so often before against this opponent.

LFW's Prediction QPR 1-2 Fulham. Scorer – Idrissa Sylla


- See more at: http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/44854/#sthash.ww9lBQsx.dpuf