Sunday Fulham Stuff - 24/11/19...

[WhiteJC]

Results

Saturday
Charlton	2-2	Cardiff
Blackburn	3-2	Barnsley
Brentford	1-0	Reading
Bristol City	0-0	Note Forest
Derby	1-0	Preston NE
Huddersfield	1-1	Birmingham City
Luton	1-2	Leeds
Stoke	2-1	Wigan
Swansea	0-1	Millwall
West Brom	2-1	Sheff Wed

[WhiteJC]

Scott Parker says Fulham players see different side to 'bad boy' Kamara

Scott Parker hailed match winner Aboubakar Kamara after the striker's star turn against QPR and insisted the one time bad boy of Fulham was now a popular and well respected figure at the club.

The 24-year-old Frenchman of Mauritanian descent scored both goals in Fulham's 2-1 Friday night win against Rangers in the west London derby.

They were his first goals of the season – he has made 10 appearances – and his first for the club since a 4-1 New Year's Day defeat at Arsenal.

It was a welcome change of narrative for Kamara, who famously had a bust-up with team-mate Aleksandar Mitrovic in January during a yoga session, of all things.

Tension was high on the pitch too as the pair clashed over who should take a penalty against Huddersfield during the Claudio Ranieri reign.

But it got worse when he was exiled in Turkey at Malatyaspor following a training ground incident when he was arrested on suspicion of actual bodily harm and criminal damage.

He was surprisingly readmitted to the fold for the start of the season and this week repaid the head coach's faith in him as the ideal replacement for a suspended Mitrovic.

"I'm really pleased for him. Abou's not been a problem since I stepped into this role," Parker said.

"Of course you've got to manage Abou differently, it's not the same as how you manage some of the others.  There's one thing you can guarantee about Abou, he steps on the field over that white line, he gives you everything. I think we've seen that tonight.

"He topped off his performance with two very good goals – two good finishes – and I'm really pleased for him.

"He's a liked member of the squad, you see that in the second. Maybe the perception on the outside's very different to the reality and the reality is he's a well-respected, appreciated member of this squad."



https://www.capitalfootball.co.uk/single-post/2019/11/23/Scott-Parker-says-Fulham-players-see-different-side-to-bad-boy-Kamara

[WhiteJC]

Wells' QPR throw away lead in London derby

Queens Park Rangers lost a second west London derby in three weeks last evening when they were beaten 2-1 by Fulham at Craven Cottage in a SkyBet Championship match.

Aboubakar Kamara netted twice for Fulham, scoring in the 27th and 64th minutes to erase the lead given to QPR in the third minute when Jordan Hugill scored from close range.

Nahki Wells, who early this week was playing for Bermuda in Mexico in the Concacaf Nations League, started the match but was substituted in the 66th minute, two minutes after Fulham had completed their come-from-behind with their second goal.

QPR, who lost 3-1 to neighbours Brentford on October 28, were hoping to move closer to the playoff places. The loss, QPR's seventh in the league, leaves them in tenth place on 24 points, four points outside the last playoff spot going into this weekend's games. Fulham climbed up to fourth place on 29 points.



http://www.royalgazette.com/soccer/article/20191122/wells-qpr-throw-away-lead-in-london-derby

[WhiteJC]

'Start him over Knockaert' – Plenty of Fulham fans heap praise on attacker after QPR display

Fulham climbed up to fourth spot in the Sky Bet Championship table after a 2-1 home win over Queens Park Rangers on Friday night.

The Cottagers would have been looking to pick up from where they left off, and secure back-to-back wins after defeating Birmingham City before the international break.

Aleksandar Mitrovic – the leading goalscorer in the division – scored the game's only goal that day, but the Serbian would be unavailable for the clash with the R's due to suspension.

In his absence, Aboubakar Kamara came in and started his first league game since their opening day defeat to Barnsley.

Hoping to break his duck for the season, Kamara helped Fulham come back from behind and record an invaluable win over their local rivals.

ordan Hugill did bundle home from close-range in the first-half to put QPR 1-0 up, but Denis Odoi's head met Kamara, who glanced a header past Joe Lumley.

In the second-half, Kamara scored the winning goal – the 24-year-old latched onto a through ball and slotted calmly past Lumley.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/start-him-over-knockaert-plenty-of-fulham-fans-heap-praise-on-attacker-after-qpr-display/

[WhiteJC]

Aboubakar Kamara shines in Mitrovic's absence to hand Scott Parker a dilemma at Fulham
On a day when Fulham fans were forced to defend Roy Hodgson's tenure at Craven Cottage, Scott Parker's favour almost reached its lowest ebb until Aboubakar Kamara's tenacity handed the home side all three points.

Aboubakar Kamara returned to the spotlight in the absence of the suspended Aleksander Mitrovic to help warm the Fulham faithful on a chilly night on the banks of the Thames, handing Scott Parker a big dilemma in the process.

Vicious wind blew in from the famous London river on the Craven Cottage pitch, made all the more obvious by the lack of the Riverside stand.

The missing side of the ground has been removed in preparation for a newer, larger model, set to be completed ahead of the 2021/22 season, but Fulham's replacement striker ensured that attention would be solely on the pitch.

Controversy has seemed to follow the Frenchman like an unwanted shadow since his transfer from Aimens in 2017, but Friday proved to be his finest game in a Fulham shirt.

The 24-year-old provide a much needed clinical edge to Fulham's energetic trio of himself, Ivan Cavalerio and Anthony Knockaert as Mitrovic completed his one-match suspension, with Parker's choice of putting faith in Kamara over Bobby Decordova-Reid in the position proving to be a masterstroke.

Fulham supporters will be hopeful that their side will be back in the big time come the start of the next season, but they weren't holding their breath after a dismal start under the floodlights.

QPR went into the fixture knowing that three points would slingshot them above their west London rivals, and started the game with purpose.

Mark Warburton's side forced early mistakes out of Scott Parker's possession-obsessed defenders, quickly making their fast start count when Todd Kane's low cross was tapped home by West Ham loanee Jordan Hugill.



https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1208248/Fulham-news-Aboubakar-Kamara-Scott-Parker-Aleksander-Mitrovic-QPR-Championship

[WhiteJC]

'He's given me a problem now' – Scott Parker hails Fulham ace after impressive QPR performance

Fulham manager Scott Parker has hailed the "fantastic" Aboubakar Kamara for his role in the 1-0 win over Queens Park Rangers on Friday night.

The Cottagers would have been looking to pick up from where they left off from before the international break, and secure back-to-back wins after beating Birmingham last time out.

Aleksandar Mitrovic scored his 12th goal of the season to secure the win for Fulham that day, but he would be unavailable for Friday night's clash with the R's due to suspension.

That gave Kamara the chance to start for only the second time in the league this season, and he certainly made his opportunity count.

After finding themselves 1-0 down thanks to Jordan Hugill's close-range strike, Kamara glanced a header past Joe Lumley after a wicked Denis Odoi delivery, to level the scores before half-time.

The powerful front-man then put Parker's side into a 2-1 lead, pouncing on a through ball and slotting home past Lumley.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Parker hailed Kamara for taking his chance in the team, saying: "Fantastic performance.

"I think Aboubakar probably comes under a lot of scrutiny, really. People refer back to last year and stuff what's happened, but since I've been at this football club, he has been top-class.

"He's a character which you have to manage – you have to sometimes give him a yard because that's the person he is. But ultimately, he doesn't cross a line, and when you put him on the field, he gives you everything he's got.

"We saw that today and that culminated in his two goals. I've got nothing but positive things to say about Abou – he's given me a problem now."

The win on Friday night sees Fulham, perhaps temporarily, climb to fourth spot in the Sky Bet Championship table going into the weekend's set of fixtures.

They face Derby County on Tuesday night, at Craven Cottage.

The Verdict

You've got to give credit to Kamara for the work-rate and energy he produced last night.

Playing in a more central role, he really thrived up top on his own, and he will be relieved to have opened his account for the season with two well-taken goals.

It will be hard for him to keep his place in the team given how good Mitrovic is, but he deserves a chance to impress regularly from now on.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/hes-given-me-a-problem-now-scott-parker-hails-fulham-ace-after-impressive-qpr-performance/

[WhiteJC]

Parker hails players after Fulham's derby win

Fulham boss Scott Parker was pleased with his players' commitment as the Whites overcame QPR 2-1 in the west London derby.

A double from stand-in striker Abou Kamara – in for the suspended Aleksandar Mitrovic – was sufficient to secure all three points at Craven Cottage.

Kamara netted in the 27th and 63rd minutes to ease early concerns for the Whites, who went a goal behind with just three minutes gone when Jordan Hugill forced the ball home.

Fulham now sit in fourth place, just four points behind Championship leaders West Bromwich Albion.

"I thought the first 15-20 minutes we were really poor. QPR started very well and we changed things but the longer the first half went on we were better," said Parker.

"The second half we put in a performance that was worthy of the win. We had a few words at half time as we were a bit sloppy and we didn't pick up second balls."

And Parker paid tribute to Kamara in particular who has struggled for game time this season.

"I'm really pleased for him and the fact you have to manage Abou differently," Parker said.

"When he goes over the white line he gives you everything. The reality here rather than the perception from outside is that he's a well respected and appreciated member of the squad. He's not been involved a lot this season but he's a grafter and works hard."

Despite the three points against local rivals, Parker isn't getting carried away.

"Tonight's game was a bit different to the Hull game (when Fulham lost 3-0 recently)," he said.

"My team showed a real desire tonight. We have players who are flamboyant, but you need something deep rooted and that's a mentality and a desire which makes good football clubs.

"I've seen a side to us that is top and a side that is a work in progress," he noted. "It's important in this league to have a good mentality and drive.

"We lost most games last year in the Premier League because we never had any momentum. We're building foundations."




https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/parker-hails-players-after-fulhams-derby-win

[Carborundum]

Aboubakar Kamara returned to the spotlight in the absence of the suspended Aleksander Mitrovic to help warm the Fulham faithful on a chilly night on the banks of the Thames, handing Scott Parker a big dilemma in the process.

Vicious wind blew in from the famous London river on the Craven Cottage pitch, made all the more obvious by the lack of the Riverside stand


https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1208248/Fulham-news-Aboubakar-Kamara-Scott-Parker-Aleksander-Mitrovic-QPR-Championship

No it didn't.  Wind was less than ten miles an hour.  Wasn't particularly cold either.  Draw your own conclusions.

[MikeW]

Aboubakar Kamara returned to the spotlight in the absence of the suspended Aleksander Mitrovic to help warm the Fulham faithful on a chilly night on the banks of the Thames, handing Scott Parker a big dilemma in the process.

Vicious wind blew in from the famous London river on the Craven Cottage pitch, made all the more obvious by the lack of the Riverside stand


https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1208248/Fulham-news-Aboubakar-Kamara-Scott-Parker-Aleksander-Mitrovic-QPR-Championship

No it didn't.  Wind was less than ten miles an hour.  Wasn't particularly cold either.  Draw your own conclusions.

You only need to draw one.  It was in the weather (and Princess Diana) obsessed Daily Express!

[gang]

I do remember getting the wind problem when QPR attacked but put it down to age.

[WhiteJC]

I do remember getting the wind problem when QPR attacked but put it down to age.

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