Saturday Fulham Stuff - 16/10/21...
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Fulham and QPR both looking upwards as they aim to create west London history
The Cottagers welcome Rangers on Saturday lunchtime for a derby clash - and both clubs have big ambitions of a return to the Premier League come the end of this season
There's a fairly big derby happening in west London this weekend.
No, not the Premier League meeting between Brentford and Chelsea on Saturday teatime.
We're referring to the Championship dust-up between Fulham and QPR, which kicks off five hours earlier and is sure to be just as entertaining and high on drama.
Both sides have made impressive starts to the season and both occupied play-off spots heading into the international break.
That they are the two highest scorers in the division bodes well for those in attendance at Craven Cottage, and neutrals watching live on TV.
But while local bragging rights are at stake in the short-term, the big picture for both sides is to join their aforementioned neighbours in the top flight.
The two sides last met in January, in an FA Cup tie that Fulham won 2-0
Fulham are seemingly in a constant state of flux, this being their fifth consecutive season in a different division. They won't be wanting to buck the trend just yet though, as they aim for another immediate return to the top table.
The surprise departure of Scott Parker in the summer led the club to opting for Marco Silva as a replacement. Despite having held three previous roles in English football, Silva had never experienced life outside the top flight.
If there were any doubts in Fulham fans' minds then Silva quickly dispelled them with a barnstorming start. He landed the August manager of the month award with 13 points from their first five games.
Three defeats in their last six outings have blotted the copybook ever so slightly but they remain well on course to continue their yo-yo-ing. And it always helps when you have a player such as Aleksandar Mitrovic, who is ruthless in front of goal in this division.
Aleksandar Mitrovic (left) is the joint-top scorer in the Championship with ten goals so far.
As for Rangers, a summer of canny additions made them many people's dark horses for promotion this term. Their encouraging form at the end of last season has been built on by Mark Warburton's side and they look like they are capable of lasting the distance this time around.
This is their seventh consecutive season in the Championship but last year represented the first top-ten finish in all that time, indicating how much of a struggle the club have found it re-adapting to life outside the Premier League.
In Warburton they have a man who knows what it takes to succeed in this corner of the capital. He was only head coach of Brentford for 18 months but he delivered promotion from the third tier and then a play-off appearance in their first season back in the Championship after a 21-year absence.
A successful spell at Glasgow Rangers followed before a forgettable period as boss at Nottingham Forest.
Now in situ at QPR, he is slowly re-calibrating their expectations and has formed an exciting squad that blends the nous of Charlie Austin with exciting talents such as Ilias Chair and Rob Dickie.
Saturday's meeting has the potential to be a classic but it is unlikely to be a deciding factor in where both teams end up come May.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/fulham-qpr-west-london-history-25206412
Sky Sports pundit predicts outcome of Fulham's clash with QPR
Fulham will aim to return to winning ways this weekend as they host West London rivals Queens Park Rangers.
The Cottagers suffered a heavy defeat to Coventry City before the international break, losing 4-1 at the CBS Arena.
Marco Silva's side have won only one of their last four games, and will look to embark on another winning run this weekend.
QPR, meanwhile, will look to pick up from where they left off before the international break, recording home wins over Birmingham and Preston North End.
Mark Warburton's side sit one place and two points below Fulham, and occupy the final play-off spot in the Championship at the moment.
It promises to be a good game between two local rivals, and Sky Sports' David Prutton has predicted the outcome of the game.
He said: "There is a strand of inconsistency now about Fulham, which is something Marco Silva needs to resolve. They have missed the impact of Fabio Carvalho, but they can't completely rely upon him at this stage of his career.
"Such has been the form of QPR this season that they will really fancy getting something at Craven Cottage. There should be goals in this one, as both teams like to attack. I'll back an entertaining draw."
I agree with Prutton here – Fulham have become a bit reliant on Carvalho, which isn't necessarily a good thing given that he is only young his contract situation is still up in the air.
QPR come into this one having been excellent at home, but whether they can take that into an away game remains to be seen.
I predict a score draw.
https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/sky-sports-pundit-predicts-outcome-of-fulhams-clash-with-qpr/
QPR trio doubtful for Fulham clash
Sam McCallum, Lee Wallace and Andre Gray are doubts for QPR ahead of the game against Fulham.
McCallum and Wallace have been recovering from hamstring injuries and have made good progress during the international break.
Assistant manager John Eustace said on Friday morning that both players have been training with the squad but he was "not sure" whether they or Gray would be fit enough for this weekend's derby.
Striker Gray has been on international duty with Jamaica and was only due to return to Rangers' Harlington training ground on Friday, so seems unlikely to be involved at Craven Cottage.
All three players hope to be available for Tuesday's home match against Blackburn.
Eustace has been preparing the squad for Saturday's match while manager Mark Warburton is isolating after recently testing positive for Covid-19.
Warburton's obligatory 10 days of isolation ends in time for him to be in the dugout against Fulham.
Eustace said: "He's been frustrated stuck at home, but we've been getting constant messages from him all week to help us prepare for the game on Saturday.
"I've spoken to him and he can't wait for the game tomorrow. He's ready to lead the team and take his usual role."
https://www.westlondonsport.com/qpr/qpr-trio-doubtful-for-fulham-clash
Inside Fulham owner's £145m super-yacht with five decks, two helipads and Jaguar statue
Fulham FC and Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan's £145m super-yacht includes five decks, two helipads and a grand staircase as well as enough floor space to host a party for 270 people
Shahid Khan left Pakistan as a teenager and initially washed dishes to get by - and now he owns a £4billion auto parts company with more than 10,000 employees as well as a £145m super-yacht.
The 71-year-old owner of Flex-N-Gate, who is also a sports tycoon, has an estimated net worth of £6.4billion according to Forbes, as well as being the 308th richest person in the world.
Born into a middle-class family in Lahore, Khan moved to the United States at the age of 16 and graduated from the UIUC College of Engineering four years later.
Having worked at the Flex-N-Gate Corporation for a decade, he saved enough to buy the company from his former employer and oversaw supply to the biggest automakers in the country.
Forbes rank Shahid Khan as the 308th richest person in the world (Image: Getty Images)
With the company growing from around £15million in sales to almost £2billion in 2010 and £8billion in 2020, Khan has been able to spend his cash in some more frivolous avenues.
As well as the purchase of NFL outfit Jacksonville Jaguars back in 2011, and the move to buy Fulham from Mohamed Al Fayed for around £200million in 2014, he is also the lead investor of All Elite Wrestling.
The same year as his purchase of Fulham, the 312 ft-long superyacht Kismet was built by the Lurssen shipyard in Germany, and has an extremely expensive interior design.
With specifications of a five-star hotel, the Kismet can carry 28 crew members at any time and has as many as eight state rooms with a capacity of 16 guests.
Fulham owner Shahid Khan's £145m super-yacht includes five decks
With specifications of a five-star hotel, the Kismet can carry 28 crew members at any time (Image: Getty Images)
Finished in style by Reymond Langton and Espen Oino, a deck of black marble is complete with a swimming pool, movie theatre, sauna, helipads, barbecue area, elevator and gym.
Other amenities include a wifi connection, and underwater lighting, with large windows across all decks, a large bath made of solid onyx, an electronic piano and 350kg chandelier over a grand staircase.
With a charter price of just under £1million a week, Jay-Z and Beyonce rented it out during a 2018 trip to Italy, and it was also featured in Netflix film 6 Underground starring Ryan Reynolds in 2019.
Furthermore, The Athletic report that Khan, who is back in London this week, hosted a party on the Kismet on Thursday evening, with George Ezra performing and NFL commissioner Roger Goodall a guest.
The Kismet has room for sporting activity as well as a helipad
he Kismet has eight state rooms with a capacity of 16 guests
As of 2020, the Kismet has been listed for sale on Moran Yachts, with an asking price of around £145million, with a tagline of the 'highest quality superyacht available for sale in the world'.
They add: "Kismet yacht, for sale with Moran Yacht and Ship, can accommodate 16 guests in 8 opulent staterooms, with the master stateroom featuring a private deck complete with a Jacuzzi and access to the yacht's helipad.
"Other features included a spacious sundeck complete with a swimming pool, full-service spa, and a one-of-a-kind retractable outdoor fireplace."
The staircase and chandelier are reminiscent of a luxury hotel
Jay-Z and Beyonce rented it out during a 2018 trip to Italy
"My goal was to create a yacht that many years from now will be timeless and yet still be ahead of its time. I wanted to balance awesome with welcoming," says Khan of the design.
With exterior designer Espen telling SuperYacht World: "The stakes were high. "The brief was clear: the new yacht had to be superior in all respects."
With Khan concluding on the finished yacht: "Walt Disney once famously said, 'If you can dream it, you can do it'. When you experience Kismet, you know this to be true."
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/shahid-khan-fulham-kismet-superyacht-25221809
QPR facing triple blow ahead of Fulham fixture
Queens Park Rangers face one of their biggest tests of the season tomorrow afternoon when they contest a west London derby against neighbours Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Just three miles separates the two clubs but in the Championship table there is just one position between them, with the Cottagers two points ahead after a poor September by their high standards.
QPR were also on the slide at one point but back-to-back victories before the international break against Birmingham City and Preston North End were a welcome relief for Mark Warburton.
He may be missing three key players though for their trip to face Marco Silva's side, with Andre Gray joining Sam McCallum and Lee Wallace as being major doubts.
The summer signing from Watford was only due back from international duty with Jamaica today so is unlikly to feature, whilst both of the Hoops' natural left-wing-back options have been suffering with injuries in recent weeks.
Assistant manager John Eustace, stepping in for Warburton this weekend who is self-isolating, confirmed to West London Sport that both Wallace and McCallum trained with the rest of the team recently but was unsure as to whether they'd make it into the squad.
QPR are well stocked at the top end of the pitch so Gray's absence won't be major, but it's been a blow for the R's to have both left-wing-back's out at the same time.
McCallum especially took his chance when given it by scoring two goals in four matches whilst Wallace gives a more solid and dependable option in defence.
Whilst Chris Willock has done a job in the last two matches and been on the winning team both times, he's still far more effective in a forward role.
If Wallace and McCallum cannot feature tomorrow then Willock faces a tough task against Harry Wilson but after back-to-back wins before the international break there will be full confidence from Warburton that his side can take at least a point in his absence.
https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/qpr-facing-triple-blow-ahead-of-fulham-fixture/
QUEENS PARK RANGERS return to Sky Bet Championship action this weekend, with a west London derby clash with Fulham at Craven Cottage awaiting Mark Warburton's side, as we look to pick up from where we left off (12:30pm KO).
Of course, Rangers headed into the second international break following back-to-back victories over Birmingham City and Preston North End in W12, but a trip to SW6 against promotion favourites Fulham will certainly test the R's as they start a run of seven games in 21 days.
A dramatic comeback, with Ilias Chair eventually wrapping up all three points against Preston last time out, ensured the R's headed into the break full of confidence and a period of reflection and recuperation will certainly only benefit the Super Hoops as we look to impose ourselves on our local rivals.
In contrast, tomorrow's opponents Fulham who are managed by high profile boss Marco Silva will certainly be looking to put a few demons behind them when they take to the field this weekend.
A disappointing 4-1 defeat to Coventry City last time out, would have certainly left a bitter taste in the mouth of the Cottagers, with the clash against the R's the first opportunity they have to put those wrongs, right.
Of course, the visitors boast a huge amount of Premier League quality among their ranks, with the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic, Harry Willson, Harrison Reed and Fabio Carvalho enough to trouble any side.
As mentioned, Warburton's side face Fulham in the Sky Bet Championship tomorrow, but if you are unable to make the clash you can still listen to all action live on QPR+.
Supporters are also reminded that as we look to limit the risk of COVID-19 transmission, QPR management and players are not able to sign autographs or pose for photos at this time. We look forward to when normality can return but ask all supporters to understand and respect the reasons behind this.
https://www.qpr.co.uk/fixtures/first-team/2021/fulham-v-queens-park-rangers/?tab=preview
Kick Off A Conversation About Mental Health
Saturday's fixture against QPR is our closest home match to World Mental Health Day.
Fulham FC Foundation and Fulham FC would like you to join us and kick off a conversation about mental health. We know that 1 in 4 people will struggle with mental health challenges every year but there is still a stigma related to talking to others about what you might be going through.
Nearly 9 out of 10 people with mental health problems say that stigma and discrimination negatively affect their lives and even though the number of people seeking help is increasing there's still more that can be done.
We want to encourage everyone to speak more openly about their mental health with their GP, friends, teammates, teachers, the Fulham Family, or anyone they trust.
Talking about your mental health is not a weakness. By talking about your mental health, you are not a burden. Talking about mental health is human. Talking about mental health is taking charge. Talking about mental health is powerful. Break the silence and kick off a conversation.
Break the silence and kick off a conversation. For more information on who you can speak to visit fulhamfc.com/morethanagame.
https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/october/15/kick-off-a-conversation/
Cairney back in Fulham squad for QPR clash
Tom Cairney is in the Fulham squad for Saturday's derby against QPR.
The Whites captain, out since last December with a persistent knee problem, is likely to be on the bench.
Nathaniel Chalobah is also back in the squad, but Fabio Carvalho and Kenny Tete remain sidelined.
"Tom Cairney will be involved," said boss Marco Silva.
"He's ready. He needs some physical conditioning, but it's good to see him with a smile on his face.
"Fabio will be back next week in my opinion. Kenny is training – and maybe we'll have him back next week as well.
"But Chalobah is ready, and apart from the long journeys they took, all the (seven) internationals are back and in good condition."
Silva thinks QPR's attacking style will make for an attractive game.
"They like to score goals. It will be an open game if they play like they have been doing," he said.
"If they change, that's up to them. We will play the same."
https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/cairney-to-return-for-qpr-clash-and-fulham-boss-gives-updates-on-carvalho-and-tete
Pre-QPR Press Conference
Marco Silva was not keen to dwell on the defeat to Coventry as he spoke to the press before Saturday's London derby against Queens Park Rangers.
Reflecting on Fulham's last fixture prior to the international break, the Head Coach stated:
"We as a team were disappointed," said Silva. "I gave you (the press) my feelings in that moment after the second half we had.
"The performance in the second half was not expected, even in football, we have to be ready for everything.
"We prepared them to be ready for everything, it was something that was unexpected."
Turning attention to our next opposition, Silva said he knows this fixture means that little bit extra and is expecting a testing game against our West London rivals, who sit one position and two points behind Fulham
"Very good team, good manager," our Head Coach admitted. "The attacking line, they have quality, they have technical players as well, they can create problems for the opposition. It is up to us to play in our best way.
"It is a local derby, for our fans it is an important game, for us as a football club it is an important game as well.
"We have to be ourselves again, give our maximum, one hundred percent to win the football match, get on the right track again to get the three points for us.
"It is always a tough game in The Championship, all of them they are tough."
September proved a challenging month with the injury bug hitting the squad. Our Portuguese boss admitted that his troop was not quite yet up to full strength.
"For me good news is when I have all of them ready - Tom, Chalobah, Fabio - if I have all of them, I will be happy," he said. "Last month, after the very good start from ourselves we had injuries to key players, to Fabio, to Kenny Tete as well.
"Of course, if you have a deep squad, it means the others have to pop up and show their quality, but we have told the players they have started really well this season, they are improving every single match.
"Unfortunately for us we missed them, doesn't mean that those that came in for Fabio did something wrong, they did their very best for sure."
Marco did confirm that Tom Cairney is available for selection against QPR after a lengthy lay off, news that will provide a boost to the squad and supporters alike. Speaking on the club captain, the Head Coach said:
"Tom Cairney will be involved in the game tomorrow, he is ready.
"Of course, Tom Cairney as we know, didn't work with me since I arrived at this football club," he continued. "The last 10-15 days he has been working, doing some physical conditioning as well.
"It's good to see him playing, training, with a smile on his face, without pain in his knee.
"Again, we are here to support him, to take the best from him, like we want to take the best from the others.
"When I have all of them ready, I will be happier."
https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/october/15/pre-qpr-press-conference/
Cairney set to face QPR
Fulham captain Tom Cairney could face Queens Park Rangers tomorrow after being passed fit for the local derby following a lengthy absence with persistent knee trouble.
The playmaker, who has been sidelined since last December having aggravated a knee injury during his first training session under new boss Marco Silva this summer, came through a full week of training this week and Silva confirmed that the 30 year-old will be in his squad for the lunchtime kick off at Craven Cottage. The Scottish international is likely to be amongst the substitutes.
Silva told his pre-match press conference earlier this afternoon:
"Tom Cairney will be involved. He's ready. He needs some physical conditioning, but it's good to see him with a smile on his face."
Nathaniel Chalobah is also available again after missing the defeat at Coventry prior to the international break through injury, but Fabio Carvalho and Kenny Tete are not quite ready to return to first team action.
"Fabio will be back next week in my opinion. Kenny is training – and maybe we'll have him back next week as well. But Chalobah is ready, and apart from the long journeys they took, all the internationals are back and in good condition."
https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/10/cairney-set-to-face-qpr/
Fulham midfielder available for QPR test + updates on Carvalho, Kongolo and Tete
Fulham boss Marco Silva has provided updates on Nathaniel Chalobah, Fabio Carvalho, Kenny Tete and Terrence Kongolo ahead of their weekend clash v QPR.
Fulham host QPR tomorrow lunchtime in a top-six clash in the Championship.
It promises to be an entertaining affair between 5th-place Fulham and 6th-place QPR, and speaking to The Athletic's Peter Rutzler, Silva has shared the latest on his injured players.
Chalobah is available for selection after missing the last two with a hamstring injury, but Carvalho, Terrence Kongolo and Tete remain sidelined:
Carvalho has been a huge miss for Fulham of late. The youngster started the season in blistering form bu has since been ruled out with a foot injury, and Silva told Rutzler of his fitness situation:
"(He's) training + doing well. Maybe next week we will have him back as well."
Elsewhere, Kongolo has been sidelined since the end of last season with a knee injury. The Dutchman has been through injury hell since joining the club, which limited him to just one Premier League appearance last season.
He was recently in training with Fulham's development side but for another brief injury scare, though Silva has provided this update on him?
"He's getting better. He will play for U23s (today) to get more minutes."
The visit of QPR tomorrow lunchtime will be a huge test of Fulham's promotion credentials – they've definitely shown signs of improvement under Silva but there remains a lot of inconsistencies in the side.
QPR have had an equally impressive start to the campaign and went into the international break on the back of successive Championship wins, and so they'll head to Craven Cottage full of confidence.
The game kicks off at 12:30pm on Saturday.
https://the72.co.uk/253339/fulham-midfielder-available-for-qpr-test-updates-on-carvalho-kongolo-and-tete/
AEW's Tony Khan says "watch this space" regarding major UK show
He wants to make Craven Cottage AEW's UK home.
AEW boss Tony Khan has said "watch this space" regarding the possibility of a major UK show coming our way.
Khan, who is the co-owner of Fulham FC alongside his father Shahid Khan, has previously stated he wants to make the club's ground Craven Cottage AEW's UK home.
Now, in an interview with DAZN, Khan has given fans more hope that a big UK show could happen sooner rather than later.
"Something big at Craven Cottage is something I'd love to pull off," Khan said.
"Both that place and AEW are very important to me, so having our first UK event there in West London is something that can be worked on. That's a perfect way to kick off a live event for our UK fans so watch this space in regards to that. It's definitely something I'd love to do."
Khan went on to say that a full UK tour would happen eventually, but right now he's looking more towards "one big show".
"I'm still not sure on a full tour yet," he added. "There's going to come a time when that happens but for now, I just think one big show at Craven Cottage would be something else and leave the fans wanting more.
"There are so many goals for myself and AEW, and coming to the UK is certainly something I'm looking at."
In August, Khan opened up about why he thinks Craven Cottage would be the best venue for a UK show.
"Craven Cottage is very special to me," he said. "We put a lot into the development, redevelopment, the Riverside Stand, it's going to be amazing.
"The new Craven Cottage, with all of the new amenities and facilities, and all the beautiful additions, I think would be the best home in England possible for AEW."
Catch AEW Dynamite live every Thursday at 1am in the UK and Rampage every Saturday at 3am on FITE with an AEW Plus subscription. US customers can also watch both shows on TNT, and in the UK, Dynamite repeats air on ITV4.
https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a37971685/aew-tony-khan-uk-show-craven-cottage/
Marco Silva shares positive update regarding 30-year-old Fulham man
Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney could be set to return after a long absence in a London derby against Queens Park Rangers tomorrow afternoon, according to Marco Silva.
The 30-year-old has been absent from the Cottagers' squad since December 2020 after suffering a knee injury which has taken almost 10 months to fully recover from.
Cairney joined Fulham in 2015 from Blackburn Rovers and he's played in at least 30 league games in every season for the club – that was until his setback last season.
The two-cap Scotland international finally returned to training recently and was pictured for the first time in a session last week, meaning that his return was close.
Instead of going down the route of featuring for the under-23 squad though to build up his match fitness, Cairney is set to be thrown in at the deep end this weekend.
Whilst it's very unlikely that he will start, it has been revealed by head coach Silva that Cairney will be 'involved' in the match, presumably from the substitutes bench where he will likely get a second half cameo.
Despite Fulham already having a plethora of talented midfielders, Cairney offers something different.
Not only does he bring experience but Cairney has always been a goal threat from the attacking midfield role for the Cottagers in the Championship.
And with teenager Fabio Carvalho still yet to return from a foot injury, Cairney's return could be coming at the best time possible with Fulham not being on the best of runs right now.
It'll take time for Cairney to be fully match-fit but his inclusion in tomorrow's squad is a positive and how fitting would it be if he scored the winning goal against the Hoops?
https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/marco-silva-shares-positive-update-regarding-30-year-old-fulham-man/
Up next: QPR (h)
Local derbies don't usually need hyping up. The fans can manage that all by themselves. But there's probably a fair bit more riding on tomorrow lunchtime's meeting with QPR for Marco Silva after Fulham's stuttering September. The Whites were purring almost perfectly in August, with the early signs under their new boss looking particularly encouraging. But defeats by Blackpool, Reading – and right before the international break – a thrashing at Coventry, all the more galling after they had taken the lead, have all but ended the idea of the Cottagers being invincible in the Championship. The Whites will need to offer a serious response against Rangers tomorrow and their opponents are in form and full of confidence.
For the first time since they plunged out of the Premier League six years ago, things are on a fairly even keel in Shepherd's Bush. The canny Mark Warburton, still criminally underrated at this level for my money, has been allowed the time to develop a side in his image and, crucially, this summer got the backing of the board to bring in a number of last season's loan stars on a permanent basis. That includes Stefan Johansen, who will make his first return to Craven Cottage tomorrow, after five fabulous years of service in SW6. As befitting a Warburton side, Rangers play fine football which should make tomorrow's clash particularly watchable and there are plenty of players to watch out for in the visiting line-up.
Lyndon Dykes, whose goals over the international break helped Scotland inch a little closer to World Cup qualification, has been something of a revelation since Warburton snapped him up from Livington for around £2m last August. Dykes has scored sixteen goals in 53 appearances for QPR and already formed a potent partnership with the experienced Charlie Austin, who returned to Rangers during the close season. If that's not enough firepower, Andre Gray arrived from Watford on loan in the closing stages of the transfer market. The creativity on which those front men thrive is largely provided by two talented 23 year-old playmakers. Ilias Chair, the mercurial Moroccan who has seized his chance in the first team having made waves in the under 23s, has scored four times this season whilst Chris Willock, a clever capture from Arsenal, has been an ever-present in Warburton's side this term, laying on two goals and scoring two more of his own.
Warburton's side usually line up in an adventurous 3-4-3 system with a trio of ball-playing centre backs. Rob Dickie, the composed defender who Fulham watched regularly whilst he was with Oxford United, has made headlines for his own goalscoring exploits this term and typifies the way Rangers look to attack from the back. When we did our pre-season preview, I felt that the R's had completed a summer of sensible transfer business and looked well-placed to push for promotion – and the first couple of months of the season have only strengthened that view. Rangers will give Silva's side a thorough examination tomorrow.
Silva himself has a few questions to answer as he approaches his first local derby in charge. Fulham have been well below their fluent best for some time now. They might be mitigating circumstances – with international breaks disrupting the rhythm a new-look side had built up early in the season and the absence of key players through injury suspension, but with the wealth of talent that Fulham have at their disposal, those excuses can't be tolerated for long. The composition of the central midfield trio has looked clunky for a few weeks with the Whites badly missing teenage sensation Fabio Carvalho as the classy number ten who gives opposing defences something other than Aleksandar Mitrovic to consider. The manager's faith in Paulo Gazzaniga appears misplaced, too, with the Argentine looking woefully low on confidence in the damaging defeat at Coventry.
Today's news that captain Tom Cairney is finally fit enough to return to the first team squad, having been absent since the draw with Newcastle last December, at least hints at the prospect of a bit of guile and creativity in a team that has been rather workmanlike without Carvalho in recent weeks. Teams have cottoned on to the fact that Harry Wilson is much easier to nullify by placing a second man in his general vicinity when the Welsh winger is stationed on the right – it hinders his ability to drift dangerously inside on his favoured left foot – and that some steel in the tackle can throw Fulham completely off their game. Fulham can't afford to be a soft touch for much longer: the Whites are already playing catch up and a defeat when the bragging rights are at stake would prompt serious questions about Silva's suitability for steering the side back to the top flight at the first time of asking, which was the reason why Shahid Khan hired him.
MY FULHAM XI (4-2-3-1): Rodak; Odoi, Bryan, Adarabioyo, Ream; Seri, Reed; Wilson, Kebano, Cairney; Mitrovic. Subs: Gazzaniga, Mawson, Robinson, Onomah, Chalobah, Decordova-Reid, Muniz.
https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/10/up-next-qpr-h-3/
View from the opposition: QPR (h)
Massive thanks to QPR fan Matthew Drewett who gives us the Rangers lowdown ahead of tomorrow's derby at Craven Cottage.
How do you feel Mark Warburton is doing as manager?
I think Warburton is the perfect manager for us in terms of helping our younger players to develop, mixing them in with an experienced group and keeping things competitive. He's a great man manager.
What do you make of QPR's start to the season?
It's been a great start. I'm happy with the points tally so far – our defeats against Bournemouth and West Brom – who will both be up there this season – were respectable. The only disappointment was losing to Bristol City in a game that we should have won comfortably.
What's a realistic aspiration for Rangers this year?
Getting into the play-off positions is realistic for us. If we can keep our top players fit and maintain our good form through the Christmas period and the second half of the season, I think we can get into the top six. On our day, we can beat anyone in this league.
What did you make of Stefan Johansen being given the captain's armband after signing permanently this summer?
I think making Stefan Johansen captain was the correct decision. He is one of the squad's most senior players and is very experienced at getting out of the Championship.
Who are QPR's key players to watch tomorrow?
Chris Willock and Ilias Chair are the ones to watch. They have a great understanding with one another, finding each other and they can create great opportunities with the ball. They are both very talented footballers.
Finally, can you give us a score prediction for tomorrow?
I'm going for a 1-1 draw. This is going to be a tight game, tense at times and I don't think there will be too many chances created. I think Mitrovic and Austin will get the goals – both are proven scores at this level.
https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/10/view-from-the-opposition-qpr-h/
Fulham U23s put three past Reading
Fulham under 23s put three past Reading at Motspur Park this evening as Steve Wigley's side maintained their unbeaten home start to the season and consolidated their hold on top spot in the table.
Luke Harris, Jonathan Page and Terry Ablade scored the goals as the young Whites recorded a comfortable victory over Reading that was largely sealed by half time. The Fulham starting line-up saw Terence Kongolo drafted in at centre back as the Dutch defender continued to build up his match sharpness having spent a long spell on the sidelines and Welsh youth international Jay Williams handed a chance to impress at right back, having made his first appearances at under-19 level for his country during the international break.
Williams definitely made an early impression sending in a superb cross from the right that narrowly eluded the Fulham attackers after Jay Stansfield had nearly played in Terry Ablade. But Fulham's commitment to building up from the back almost caused them to fell behind when a Conor McAvoy pass was seized upon by Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan but the Reading forward's square ball come to nothing.
McAvoy had much more success with a more direct forward ball that deliciously unlocked the Royal rearguard although Stansfield's shot was straight at visiting goalkeeper Harvey Collins. Stansfield, a scorer for England's under 20s in the week, clipped the outside of the post from a half volley after Reading failed to deal with a corner and then turned provider for Ablade but the Finnish forward headed disappointingly wide.
It was teenage midfielder Luke Harris who broke the deadlock after half an hour – latching onto a Sonny Hilton cross and driving home from the edge of the area. Hilton came close to doubling Fulham's lead when he rattled the crossbar from distance, but Page couldn't be denied when he rifled home an unstoppable effort from fully thirty yards out five minutes before the interval. It was a sublime way to give Fulham a commanding advantage that, in truth, Wigley's men never looked like relinquishing.
Harris spurned a glorious opportunity to make it three early in the second half when he somehow missed the target from close range after Ablade's deflected shot had fell kindly for him, but Ablade made that glaring miss academic when he slid in to convert a Ziyad Larkeche cross. Taye Ashby-Hammond preserved Fulham's clean sheet with eight minutes to go with an instinctive stop to deny Reading substitute Princewell Ehibhatiomhan.
The Whites are now four points clear of second-placed West Brom, although they have played a game more than the Baggies.
FULHAM UNDER 23s (4-2-3-1): T. Ashby-Hammond; Williams, Larkeche, McAvoy, Kongolo (Odutayo 45); Page, Harris; O'Neill, Hilton, Stansfield; Ablade (Tiehi 69). Subs (not used): Schwarzer, Lanquedoc, Bowie.
BOOKED: O'Neill, McAvoy.
GOALS: Harris (30), Page (40), Ablade (59).
READING UNDER 23s (4-2-3-1): Collins; Abrefa (P. Ehibhatiomhan 76), Samuels (Daniel-Spray 67), Holzman, Senga; Vickers, Purcell (Borgnis 66); Nyarko, Okine-Peters, Abdul-Salam, K. Ehibhatiomhan. Subs (not used): Rowley, Giscombe.
https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/10/fulham-u23s-put-three-past-reading/
MATCH REPORT | Dartford Women 1 – 1 Fulham Ladies
Thoughts from the dugout:
Well from the highs of the wins over Dulwich and our FA Cup win last weekend to what I feel is a disappointing result against Fulham.
The first half was to put it honestly awful, the most unDartford performance I've seen from our Women's team. We were lucky to be only 1-0 down at half time. Fulham should have and will probably be annoyed with the fact that they weren't 4/5 goals up at Half time but unluckily for them they found Jade playing like a prime Karen Bardsley in the Darts goal pulling of 3/4 class saves to keep the score at 1-0.
Half time came and as you can imagine we were overly pleased as a coaching team. The girls themselves were disappointed and knew how poor they'd been and credit to themselves we didn't have to say much in the changing room at half time as they led the talk themselves.
The second half begain and we were like a side reborn the girls figured how to exploit the Fulham midfield and defence and did just that. I personally though Nicha was superb, came on and really increased the energy and tempo of the Darts.
Thankfully after a lot of hard work we found our equaliser I had gone to the loo so I think Vaughan scored with a wonderful over hesd kick from 40 yards out (that sounds realistically doesn't it).
Fulham came back somehow didn't score from a corner where they hit the bar and the ball bounced on the line before being gathered by Jade again.
On reflection, we felt a draw was fair Fulham dominated the 1st half but then we dominated the 2nd.
A real great advert I felt for women's football and the 100 or so who were in attendance were certainly treated to an entertaining game.
However we look inwards and of course in a couple of weeks we head to Fulham in the FA Cup in what is sure to be a proper FA Cup tie if Sunday was anything to go by.
Onwards and upwards and as always thanks for your continued support.
COYD
Kian!
https://www.dartfordfc.com/match-report-dartford-women-1-1-fulham-ladies/
Fulham boss insists 'quality' Johansen doesn't have point to prove
Stefan Johansen returns to Craven Cottage for the Fulham versus QPR derby with a ringing endorsement from Whites boss Marco Silva.
Silva never actually saw the Norway international kick a ball in anger for the Whites having arrived in the summer break – after Johansen quickly made it plain to the new manager that he saw his future with Rangers.
Silva said: "I definitely think he's a quality player – and when you are a quality player you definitely try to express yourself on the pitch, and that's what Stefan will do for sure in the game.
"He likes to have the ball. He likes to contribute to the organisation in his team."
But Silva played down the suggestion that Johansen will feel he has a point to prove.
He said: "Something to prove? I don't look at it this way.
"I know why he took this decision (to leave) and he was clear about his future with me.
"I think this game will see a lot of one-versus-one battles and it will be good for fans and for the TV audience."
https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/fulham-boss-insists-quality-johansen-doesnt-have-point-to-prove
Fulham manager Marco Silva makes claim about QPR individual
Fulham take on QPR on Saturday in a West London Derby with both sides currently sitting in the top six.
The fixture will see the return of former Fulham favourite Stefan Johansen since he left in the summer to join rivals QPR on a permanent deal.
The return of the former Cottager has led to praise from manager Marco Silva who, whilst never managing him, still rates his ability very high.
He told West London Sport: "I definitely think he's a quality player – and when you are a quality player you definitely try to express yourself on the pitch, and that's what Stefan will do for sure in the game."
The return of the Norwegian has led to suggestions that Johansen will be out to prove himself to his former employers, something Silva was quick to play down: "Something to prove? I don't look at it this way.
Fulham take on QPR at 12:30 on Saturday knowing a win could reduce the gap to the top two to just two points.
Johansen was a pivotal player for Fulham in recent years and will use his experience to try and lead his QPR to three points on Saturday.
With his experience, he will be a vital player in the West London derby, and if you reduce his ability to dictate a game, it will only enhance Fulham's chances of winning.
Nullifying QPR's midfield will need to be a priority for Fulham to stop the ball finding its way to the likes of Chair and Willock, and the most effective way of doing that is ensuring Johansen sees less of the ball as possible.
https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-manager-marco-silva-makes-claim-about-qpr-individual/