Fulham FC v. QPR, Monday, April 1

Looks like no TV, but there will be ESPN3 streaming via WatchESPN.

 

Fulham are still playing?...

Matches have been few and far between the past 30+ days. Good to have the Whites back on the pitch. QPR is going down and will lose on Monday.

 

I believe Diarra is not expected to play again this year. IIRC he had another set back with his injury.

 

:text-+1: Finally

 

Based on recent form I have a hard time seeing anything except the same 11 Jol has been starting until he thinks we are safe. So I will go with Schwarzer, Reither, Senderos, Hangeland, Riise, Dejagah, Kara, Sidwell, Duff, Ruiz and Berbatov.

 

The ha's have won three since breaking their maiden (hey, it's Derby Time here) against us, but they haven't improved that much, imho. Hopefully the loss at Loftus Road is still fresh enough in the minds of our lads that they'll exact revenge at home. I expect no less. 3-0 good guys, Riether, Berba and....RIISE!!!

 

I remember reading in an interview with Hangeland or Jol that the player's don't really get into the derby aspect. If so, that's a shame because I'd like to think we have revenge in mind.

I can't recall the last time we scored a goal from our set offense. They've all come on the counter, so how we choose to play this one will affect the outcome. Being at home I think we're good for 2 goals. However, given our penchant for dropping points from winning positions and QPR's desperation, I have a feeling we'll blow a 2-1 lead late and settle for a 2-2 draw. This should be a very winnable match though.

While I realize this will run the risk of chasing Don off, I'm hoping to be in the chatroom for the match.

 

3-1. Have this bad feeling Bobby scores.

 

It's OUR derby, let's go!!!!!!! Results elsewhere have been going Fulham's way, and with games in hand, and with Swansea and West Brom playing poorly, 8th place isn't out of the realm.

 

I have had the QPR match penciled in as a Fulham three pointer for a while but after examining the recent team trends I have revised my expectations for the match to be a right tussle with a team that can see a way to stay up if they win the matches they have targeted to take three points. Fulham and QPR come into this match in good form and off a month which saw March smile on both squads. While QPR are in dire straits in terms of accumulated points that hole must be credited to Mark Hughes leadership.

Since Redknapp’s appointment QPR have proved to be a far more competitive squad than the point capitulation team they were under Hughes. QPR suffered a miserable four month start in which they managed only five points and a minus sixteen goal differential under Mark Hughes. Redknapp took over at QPR for all intents and my purposes beginning with the December fixtures and during his tenure QPR have taken eighteen points from sixteen matches while reducing the goal differential to minus six. By comparison Fulham have managed nineteen points from fifteen matches and an equivalent negative six goal differential during the same time period. It hasn’t been a bad run for QPR under Redknapp. Had they not coughed up the lead against Aston Villa their prospects for survival would have been looking nearly bright.

With their recent results QPR have shown some heart with wins over Southampton and Sunderland and managing a half-time lead a Villa. By all reports a few missed opportunities and some poor goal keeping by Julio Caesar cost QPR the much needed road points. After the Villa loss, which must have been gut-wrenching, QPR in my estimation are going to need at least five wins in their last eight to have any hope of staying up. It will be a difficult proposition for certain but not impossible when you examine their schedule and the favorable stretch of matches they finish the season with. Of their eight remaining matches QPR have four must wins in Wigan, Stoke and Newcastle at home and Reading on the road. The question is where is that fifth win going to come from?
The problem for Fulham is we have to be the match that is circled on the QPR calendar. If I were Redknapp the Everton and Liverpool matches on the road are not matches that I would care to target to take points from. Both teams have managed a double-digit goal margin on their opponents on their home pitches. Everton are trying to tally enough points to finish somewhere in the top five and Liverpool is the final match of the season. As breath-taking as it can be to stay up on the last match of the season I am sure it is not any managers dream scenario. Arsenal at Loftus road would be a tempting match to circle but being the third to last match of the season they are probably too late in the schedule to be a rallying point for the QPR squad. No, if QPR are going to make a run it has to begin this week against Fulham.

Fulham sit in the perfect spot on the calendar with QPR getting Wigan at home the following week. A loss at Fulham could prove the break the spirit of the QPR squad while back to back wins at Fulham and Wigan could be just the tonic to spur QPR on to a wild season saving finish. So if I am Redknapp I am pushing to my squad that this match against Fulham is very winnable. If QPR have any heart and any belief that they can survive I expect QPR to leave everything on the pitch and we Fulham fans know what can happen when a team gels and plays every match like it is their last.

I sincerely hope Fulham come out prepared for a battle with the knowledge that three points here could not only nearly assure safety but push them on to overtake Swansea.

 

Sounded as if Fulham held on by the skin of their teeth in the second half thanks in no small part to Lee Probert.

 

Seems remarkable to say after a 3-0 start, but we were fortunate to get the win. MotM, Schwarzer. Saved the (poor) pk and a great save on Zamora to keep all the points.