xJamieWilliams
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Some great progress mate! Hopefully you can win the Capital One Cup!
The rise of Fulham
- Thread starter mask0991
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Same teams, same place yet so different
So, after 3 wins on the trot in the league, we travel to Middlesbrough for our next two fixtures. Yes, two fixtures.
The stadium was the same, the teams playing are the same. Just different tournaments.
As for the results....
[TABLE="class: grid, width: 500, align: center"]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]FA Cup third round (7th Jan 2017)[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Barclays Premier League (10th Jan 2017)[/TD]
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[TR]
[TD="align: center"]View attachment 287256[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]View attachment 287255[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Thumping victory. The game was virtually over in 10 minutes. Cauley Woodrow's double and Finnbogason's goal gave us 3-0 lead inside 10 mins. All three goals followed the same simple pattern. Hyndman, playing deep in our midfield passed a long ball to Roberts on the right flank who cut inside a bit and drilled a low cross into the box.
Williams scored one in the second half to give us a 4-0 lead and we simply didn't look like giving up even a single goal.[/TD]
[TD]Unlike our previous encounter, this game had a dull first 45 minutes. Both the teams struggled to keep control of the ball for long periods.
The second half started in a similar manner but it was Middlesbrough who took the lead in the 62nd minute. Kike scored a beauty as he toe-poked one from the edge of the area.
We equalized through Hyndman, who came off the bench just 9 mins ago. We started to increase the tempo to find the winner, but it never happened. Just one point.[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
FA Cup fourth round draw: After the victory against M'Boro, we were handed a draw against Leicester away. The biggest fixture of the fourth round will undoubtedly be Chelsea vs. Man City. Liverpool and Man Utd travel to Blackpool and Burton respectively in the fourth round.
Arsenal finished their third round game against Spurs at White Hart Lane 0-0 and must replay them to proceed.
So, after 3 wins on the trot in the league, we travel to Middlesbrough for our next two fixtures. Yes, two fixtures.
As for the results....
[TABLE="class: grid, width: 500, align: center"]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]FA Cup third round (7th Jan 2017)[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Barclays Premier League (10th Jan 2017)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]View attachment 287256[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]View attachment 287255[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Thumping victory. The game was virtually over in 10 minutes. Cauley Woodrow's double and Finnbogason's goal gave us 3-0 lead inside 10 mins. All three goals followed the same simple pattern. Hyndman, playing deep in our midfield passed a long ball to Roberts on the right flank who cut inside a bit and drilled a low cross into the box.
Williams scored one in the second half to give us a 4-0 lead and we simply didn't look like giving up even a single goal.[/TD]
[TD]Unlike our previous encounter, this game had a dull first 45 minutes. Both the teams struggled to keep control of the ball for long periods.
The second half started in a similar manner but it was Middlesbrough who took the lead in the 62nd minute. Kike scored a beauty as he toe-poked one from the edge of the area.
We equalized through Hyndman, who came off the bench just 9 mins ago. We started to increase the tempo to find the winner, but it never happened. Just one point.[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
FA Cup fourth round draw: After the victory against M'Boro, we were handed a draw against Leicester away. The biggest fixture of the fourth round will undoubtedly be Chelsea vs. Man City. Liverpool and Man Utd travel to Blackpool and Burton respectively in the fourth round.
Arsenal finished their third round game against Spurs at White Hart Lane 0-0 and must replay them to proceed.
Emerson Hyndman was excellent against Middlesbrough in the FA Cup. I started him as a substitute against Middlesbrough in the league as he didn't seem fully fit. But he came off the bench to grab the equalizer for us. And the media were after me, criticizing the decision.
We beat Man City at Etihad. In our previous meeting, Man City equalized in the stoppage time from a total fluke shot by Nasri. They broke our hearts. Now, it's our turn to do the same. Sweet revenge!
Anyway, both our strikers got onto the scoresheet in a space of 10 minutes. Finnbogason's forward runs troubled the City defense in the first 15 minutes and a similar run was abruptly halted by Kompany but it was a cynical foul inside the box. The ref pointed to the spot without hesitation. Woodrow stepped up and bam, he scores! City 0, Fulham 1.
10 minutes later, Woodrow played a lovely through ball for Finnbogason to hammer the second goal. 2-0 up at Etihad stadium and the atmosphere in the place went silent.
Our two strikers may have scored but it was two other players who stole the limelight - Baselli and Balanta. Baselli showed excellent composure on the ball and his vision was superlative for most of the game. City defenders were stretched thin several times due to his incisive passing.
How do you stop an attack with Silva, Higuain and Moura? Throw Eder Alvarez Balanta in their faces. The centerback was just amazing. Tackle after tackle, he clearly won the battle against the City attack force. Higuain ended up with a rating of 6.3, Silva with 6.5, Moura with 6.7. Balanta ended with a rating of 7.9. That should tell you the story!
City brought on Nasri in the 80th minute for last minute magic. Unlike our game at Craven Cottage, Nasri didn't cause any heart-breaks for us. We held on to the lead and secured a MASSIVE 2-0 victory.
With this victory, we climb above Man City in the league table.
Anyway, both our strikers got onto the scoresheet in a space of 10 minutes. Finnbogason's forward runs troubled the City defense in the first 15 minutes and a similar run was abruptly halted by Kompany but it was a cynical foul inside the box. The ref pointed to the spot without hesitation. Woodrow stepped up and bam, he scores! City 0, Fulham 1.
10 minutes later, Woodrow played a lovely through ball for Finnbogason to hammer the second goal. 2-0 up at Etihad stadium and the atmosphere in the place went silent.
Our two strikers may have scored but it was two other players who stole the limelight - Baselli and Balanta. Baselli showed excellent composure on the ball and his vision was superlative for most of the game. City defenders were stretched thin several times due to his incisive passing.
How do you stop an attack with Silva, Higuain and Moura? Throw Eder Alvarez Balanta in their faces. The centerback was just amazing. Tackle after tackle, he clearly won the battle against the City attack force. Higuain ended up with a rating of 6.3, Silva with 6.5, Moura with 6.7. Balanta ended with a rating of 7.9. That should tell you the story!
City brought on Nasri in the 80th minute for last minute magic. Unlike our game at Craven Cottage, Nasri didn't cause any heart-breaks for us. We held on to the lead and secured a MASSIVE 2-0 victory.
With this victory, we climb above Man City in the league table.
From Stoke to Leicester
After that, Stoke looked more likely to score. They kept attacking in numbers pushing us back. But the Balanta-Burn partnership kept Stoke at bay with some terrific defending.
But Stoke couldn't find the net and the ref blew the whistle indicating the end of the game. We were a touch lucky there as a better team would've made us pay for some lackluster gameplay.
Leicester slowly started to get control of the game in the second half, but it was us who still created the better chances. But....the finishing was bad. Woodrow and Finnbogason have been amazing in front of goal this season and today both of them are struggling. The game was heading for a draw and a replay was on the cards.
But Finnbogason had the final say. In the 89th minute, he got his foot to a powerful low cross by Patrick Roberts to score. 1-0 up with 2 mins of added time to go. Perfect scenario for us and we didn't slip up. And we go through to the fifth round.
CAPITAL ONE CUP SEMI-FINAL (LEG 1)
View attachment 287128
We got the away goal, but it was far from a convincing performance. Despite our wins over Liverpool, Man City and Man Utd, we always struggle against lower league teams. It was a similar story in this one as well. Woodrow gave us the lead in the 3rd minute with a brilliant left-footed shot from the edge of the box. We did well for the next half hour or so.View attachment 287128
After that, Stoke looked more likely to score. They kept attacking in numbers pushing us back. But the Balanta-Burn partnership kept Stoke at bay with some terrific defending.
But Stoke couldn't find the net and the ref blew the whistle indicating the end of the game. We were a touch lucky there as a better team would've made us pay for some lackluster gameplay.
FA CUP FOURTH ROUND
View attachment 287127
Argh! Once again, we had to face a team from the lower leagues and we only narrowly won it. This is a touch worrying. But unlike the Stoke game in the League Cup, we atleast dominated this one for the most part. Our midfield was really good but the strikers let us down on a few occasions. Woodrow and Finnbogason had atleast 4 to 5 chances to put us ahead in the first half.View attachment 287127
Leicester slowly started to get control of the game in the second half, but it was us who still created the better chances. But....the finishing was bad. Woodrow and Finnbogason have been amazing in front of goal this season and today both of them are struggling. The game was heading for a draw and a replay was on the cards.
But Finnbogason had the final say. In the 89th minute, he got his foot to a powerful low cross by Patrick Roberts to score. 1-0 up with 2 mins of added time to go. Perfect scenario for us and we didn't slip up. And we go through to the fifth round.
CAPITAL ONE CUP SEMI-FINAL (LEG 2)
View attachment 286946
Horrible performance. The less said the better. We were extremely lucky to hold them to a draw. I don't know why it is the case but my players struggle to play well against teams from lower leagues but put in top-notch performances against teams similar to ours and teams better than ours. This is an issue that needs addressing! A harsher team talk demanding victory? more aggressive game play? I don't know.
View attachment 286946
Horrible performance. The less said the better. We were extremely lucky to hold them to a draw. I don't know why it is the case but my players struggle to play well against teams from lower leagues but put in top-notch performances against teams similar to ours and teams better than ours. This is an issue that needs addressing! A harsher team talk demanding victory? more aggressive game play? I don't know.
Clash of the misers.
Preview: So, we take on Everton in our upcoming Premier league fixture. We are in 6th spot, and Everton are in 7th in the league table as we head into this important clash. I call this fixture 'clash of the misers' because Everton and ourselves conceded the least number of goals in the league this season. Both teams have let in only 20 goals, and the two keepers are tied for the most shutouts in the league - Bettinelli (Fulham) and Mathew Ryan (Everton). Bettinelli will miss this clash due to an injury though.
Result:As expected, there weren't a lot of goals this game. A tight game between two teams who have solid defensive lines. Everton started with a lot of vigour as one would expect from the home team but it faded away as we approached the 30 minute mark, which was surprising. We enjoyed possession towards the end of first half, knocking the ball about with confidence.
We started the second half brightly but couldn't get past a determine Everton defense and there were a few long shots from the midfielders as they couldn't create clear-cut chances. The game seemed to be heading for a draw, which seemed the just result as neither defense showed signs of slipping up.
It needed something special to break the deadlock and George Williams provided the spark for us. When Hyndman made a lovely pass to switch flanks, Williams attempted a first time shot on the bounce from 30 yards. It was a lovely strike and it flew into the top corner and the Everton goalie had no chance. It was a fabulous strike. Goal of the season for me. Pure inspiration that from the 21 yr old Welsh player.
That goal sealed the deal for us and secures a big win for us.
The goal:
[video=dailymotion;x2lbwaz]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2lbwaz_fm-15-williams-fantastic-long-range-strike_videogames[/video]
Preview: So, we take on Everton in our upcoming Premier league fixture. We are in 6th spot, and Everton are in 7th in the league table as we head into this important clash. I call this fixture 'clash of the misers' because Everton and ourselves conceded the least number of goals in the league this season. Both teams have let in only 20 goals, and the two keepers are tied for the most shutouts in the league - Bettinelli (Fulham) and Mathew Ryan (Everton). Bettinelli will miss this clash due to an injury though.
Result:As expected, there weren't a lot of goals this game. A tight game between two teams who have solid defensive lines. Everton started with a lot of vigour as one would expect from the home team but it faded away as we approached the 30 minute mark, which was surprising. We enjoyed possession towards the end of first half, knocking the ball about with confidence.
We started the second half brightly but couldn't get past a determine Everton defense and there were a few long shots from the midfielders as they couldn't create clear-cut chances. The game seemed to be heading for a draw, which seemed the just result as neither defense showed signs of slipping up.
It needed something special to break the deadlock and George Williams provided the spark for us. When Hyndman made a lovely pass to switch flanks, Williams attempted a first time shot on the bounce from 30 yards. It was a lovely strike and it flew into the top corner and the Everton goalie had no chance. It was a fabulous strike. Goal of the season for me. Pure inspiration that from the 21 yr old Welsh player.
That goal sealed the deal for us and secures a big win for us.
The goal:
[video=dailymotion;x2lbwaz]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2lbwaz_fm-15-williams-fantastic-long-range-strike_videogames[/video]
Keeping it clean
Solid win. Two goals at the start of either half gave us a nice 2-0 victory against mid-table team West Brom. Patrick Roberts, playing on the right wing was involved in a quick passing exchange with right back Mikael Lustig in the 7th minute and was released through on goal. He took his chance with a composed finish beating the goalkeeper at his near post. The early lead gave us some confidence and we held West Brom at bay for the rest of the first half.
Cauley Woodrow worsened West Brom's problems as he headed home a cross from winger Patrick Roberts. 2-0 up and looking really good for our value, I didn't see any way back in for our opponents. West Brom ended the game without scoring and are now 3 games without a win.
A win over rivals. Always sweet. Earlier in the season, Q.P.R. beat us 2-0 at Loftus road and we take revenge in the return fixture in the perfect way. For the second game in a row, Roberts and Woodrow score for us. Stafylidis' run into the box was completely unpicked by the Q.P.R. defense and his shot following a Baselli's through ball was parried away by Q.P.R. goalie McCarthy into Roberts' path. Roberts had the whole net to aim for from under 6 yards and there's no way he was going to miss that.
15 minutes later, a neat midfield play between Parker and Baselli released Williams on the left flank, who crossed it into the box. Roberts, who found himself at the end of the cross controlled the ball well and laid it down for Woodrow to smash it home. 2-0 up, the crowd go wild.
It was pretty even for the remainder of the game with neither team having any clear cut chances. Our defenders were tested a bit in the closing stages of the game but Balanta and Burn stood firm to deny Q.P.R. a way back in.
Rock-solid Defense:
This was Bettinelli's 10th cleansheet in 23 league games and 17th in 34 overall appearances this season. He has really grown to become a key player for us. The defense has been rather fantastic off late, as the shutout against Q.P.R. was our fourth cleansheet in a row!
View attachment 286847
League Table:
Third in the league with just one point being Liverpool and 2 behind leaders Chelsea. Chelsea have a game in hand though.
We are one point ahead of Man City with a game in hand. So it's looking good there.
Arsenal and United trail us by 2 and 3 points respectively but both of them have a game in hand compared to us and can leapfrog us with a victory in that fixture.
Solid win. Two goals at the start of either half gave us a nice 2-0 victory against mid-table team West Brom. Patrick Roberts, playing on the right wing was involved in a quick passing exchange with right back Mikael Lustig in the 7th minute and was released through on goal. He took his chance with a composed finish beating the goalkeeper at his near post. The early lead gave us some confidence and we held West Brom at bay for the rest of the first half.
Cauley Woodrow worsened West Brom's problems as he headed home a cross from winger Patrick Roberts. 2-0 up and looking really good for our value, I didn't see any way back in for our opponents. West Brom ended the game without scoring and are now 3 games without a win.
A win over rivals. Always sweet. Earlier in the season, Q.P.R. beat us 2-0 at Loftus road and we take revenge in the return fixture in the perfect way. For the second game in a row, Roberts and Woodrow score for us. Stafylidis' run into the box was completely unpicked by the Q.P.R. defense and his shot following a Baselli's through ball was parried away by Q.P.R. goalie McCarthy into Roberts' path. Roberts had the whole net to aim for from under 6 yards and there's no way he was going to miss that.
15 minutes later, a neat midfield play between Parker and Baselli released Williams on the left flank, who crossed it into the box. Roberts, who found himself at the end of the cross controlled the ball well and laid it down for Woodrow to smash it home. 2-0 up, the crowd go wild.
It was pretty even for the remainder of the game with neither team having any clear cut chances. Our defenders were tested a bit in the closing stages of the game but Balanta and Burn stood firm to deny Q.P.R. a way back in.
Rock-solid Defense:
This was Bettinelli's 10th cleansheet in 23 league games and 17th in 34 overall appearances this season. He has really grown to become a key player for us. The defense has been rather fantastic off late, as the shutout against Q.P.R. was our fourth cleansheet in a row!
View attachment 286847
League Table:
Third in the league with just one point being Liverpool and 2 behind leaders Chelsea. Chelsea have a game in hand though.
We are one point ahead of Man City with a game in hand. So it's looking good there.
Arsenal and United trail us by 2 and 3 points respectively but both of them have a game in hand compared to us and can leapfrog us with a victory in that fixture.
We're off to Italy!
It's time for some Euro Cup action. We face AS Roma at Stadio Olimpico in the first leg of Euro Cup's knock out round. Our bus arrived at the stadium and the players were all pumped up ahead of the first leg.
As for the stadium, it was a beauty. Quite possibly the best stadium I've been to. It was 15 mins before kick-off. I wanted to have some final words with the players.
"Alright lads, we're here. No one expected us to get to the knock out stages, but we made it. Go out there and play your hearts out. Don't worry about the result. Just put in your best performances and most importantly, enjoy yourselves.", I said passionately.
The players seemed motivated and they headed out. We had specific tactics to keep out De Rossi, Lavezzi and other Roma star players. Balanta was ineligible for this match as a result of his suspension but we were ready!
I took my seat in the technical area, next to Baresi who has made several trips to this stadium when he was with Inter.
The second half had a bit more intensity with the teams pushing for the victory. The game started to get a bit aggressive as a lot of fouls were committed in the initial moments of the second half. Woodrow came close in the 75th minute but his shot lacked accuracy and ended wide of the goal. He should've done better.
In the 81st minute, a cross by Roberts from our right flank was tempting for Woodrow to head towards goal. But Dani Alves shoved the striker and the referee pointed to the spot. It was a clear foul and Alves, who was already on a yellow card was really lucky to stay on the pitch. I don't think Alves was lucky, it was just stupid refereeing.
I don't care though. Woodrow stepped up and converted the penalty to give us the all vital away goal and a 1-0 lead.
Patrick Roberts gave us a scare towards the end as his tame backpass to the keeper was well intercepted by Destro but his shot was brilliantly saved by Bettinelli. Roma pushed for the equalizer with a lot of intensity in the final minutes but we hung on. A few excellent saves by Bettinelli were required towards the end though.
Overall, a fantastic victory for us. Our defense held strong in the absence of Alvarez Balanta. Woodrow scored his 8th goal in the Euro Cup and 22nd goal overall this season.
It's time for some Euro Cup action. We face AS Roma at Stadio Olimpico in the first leg of Euro Cup's knock out round. Our bus arrived at the stadium and the players were all pumped up ahead of the first leg.
As for the stadium, it was a beauty. Quite possibly the best stadium I've been to. It was 15 mins before kick-off. I wanted to have some final words with the players.
"Alright lads, we're here. No one expected us to get to the knock out stages, but we made it. Go out there and play your hearts out. Don't worry about the result. Just put in your best performances and most importantly, enjoy yourselves.", I said passionately.
The players seemed motivated and they headed out. We had specific tactics to keep out De Rossi, Lavezzi and other Roma star players. Balanta was ineligible for this match as a result of his suspension but we were ready!
I took my seat in the technical area, next to Baresi who has made several trips to this stadium when he was with Inter.
EURO CUP FIRST KNOCKOUT ROUND (LEG 1)
View attachment 286819
Woohoo. Another big team, another big performance. We played with passion, without the fear of facing a bigger team on their home turf. This was exactly what I wanted. Woodrow, Roberts and Baselli all got early shots at goal and Roma were pushed slightly backwards in the opening 30 minutes or so. We came close to scoring just before halftime as a Woodrow header hit the crossbar before going out of play. Lavezzi and DeRossi came close to scoring for Roma with their long shots.View attachment 286819
The second half had a bit more intensity with the teams pushing for the victory. The game started to get a bit aggressive as a lot of fouls were committed in the initial moments of the second half. Woodrow came close in the 75th minute but his shot lacked accuracy and ended wide of the goal. He should've done better.
In the 81st minute, a cross by Roberts from our right flank was tempting for Woodrow to head towards goal. But Dani Alves shoved the striker and the referee pointed to the spot. It was a clear foul and Alves, who was already on a yellow card was really lucky to stay on the pitch. I don't think Alves was lucky, it was just stupid refereeing.
I don't care though. Woodrow stepped up and converted the penalty to give us the all vital away goal and a 1-0 lead.
Patrick Roberts gave us a scare towards the end as his tame backpass to the keeper was well intercepted by Destro but his shot was brilliantly saved by Bettinelli. Roma pushed for the equalizer with a lot of intensity in the final minutes but we hung on. A few excellent saves by Bettinelli were required towards the end though.
Overall, a fantastic victory for us. Our defense held strong in the absence of Alvarez Balanta. Woodrow scored his 8th goal in the Euro Cup and 22nd goal overall this season.
Sundance Kid
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Mask, can you show us a screenshot of Pat Roberts, I am curious to see how he is developing after the winter update.
Great story so far, btw. Fulham is a nice club to play FM15, a lot of talented youngsters + wealthy owner.
Great story so far, btw. Fulham is a nice club to play FM15, a lot of talented youngsters + wealthy owner.
FA Cup - Fifth round
I'm not surprised that we were held by a lower league team. Our performances against teams from lower leagues have been terrible and we continue to do so.
I benched a few first team players and dropped a couple because of our big game against Roma in 3 days. But it was still a team that should've won against Millwall.
After a rather dull first half, we turned up the intensity in the second. Finnbogason scored for us with a good header in the 77th minute. We were almost home despite a not-so-dominating performance. But Millwall stole a late equalizer as Zelalem pounced onto a low cross and forced a replay.
I really hope these guys don't mess it up at The Den. Given our performances, I am actually not as confident as I'd like to be. I am more concerned than disappointed at the moment.
We headed back to the dressing room and I told the lads to forget about the result. I wanted them in fresh and positive mindset before the Roma game.
I'm not surprised that we were held by a lower league team. Our performances against teams from lower leagues have been terrible and we continue to do so.
I benched a few first team players and dropped a couple because of our big game against Roma in 3 days. But it was still a team that should've won against Millwall.
After a rather dull first half, we turned up the intensity in the second. Finnbogason scored for us with a good header in the 77th minute. We were almost home despite a not-so-dominating performance. But Millwall stole a late equalizer as Zelalem pounced onto a low cross and forced a replay.
I really hope these guys don't mess it up at The Den. Given our performances, I am actually not as confident as I'd like to be. I am more concerned than disappointed at the moment.
We headed back to the dressing room and I told the lads to forget about the result. I wanted them in fresh and positive mindset before the Roma game.
Sundance Kid
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Thanks a lot. :thumbsup:
So that happened. We lost on away goals. We were unlucky to lose on away goals and the second goal Roma scored was quite unfortunate. However, there were some positives. Lots of it, actually. We beat Serie A leaders Roma at Olimpico and even kept a clean sheet. Even though we lost at home, the stats were even. Roma are a team with lots of quality and despite the end result, I am happy with our performance over two legs.
Since we're out of the Europa League, it's time to revisit our expectations in the other competitions.
Premier League: Looking very good at the moment. In the top four now but we have to face Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Man United in the remaining fixtures. So, we have to keep our our good form.
League Cup: Already in the final, where we face Liverpool. Hope we can claim our second League Cup in a row.
FA Cup: After the Europa League loss, I badly want to do well in the FA Cup. We were held at home by Millwall and we need to win in the replay.
Since we're out of the Europa League, it's time to revisit our expectations in the other competitions.
Premier League: Looking very good at the moment. In the top four now but we have to face Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Man United in the remaining fixtures. So, we have to keep our our good form.
League Cup: Already in the final, where we face Liverpool. Hope we can claim our second League Cup in a row.
FA Cup: After the Europa League loss, I badly want to do well in the FA Cup. We were held at home by Millwall and we need to win in the replay.
Back to winning ways.
Fifth clean sheet in a row in the league. This was a hard-fought victory. West Ham has always been a tough team for us to beat especially on their home turf. We took a very early lead through Finnbogason as he got onto the end of Kacaniklic's cross from the left wing. West Ham, who were rather quiet in the first half came all guns blazing in the second half and threatened to equalize. However, Mark Noble got sent off in the 75th minute for a second booking and things turned after that. West Ham couldn't really afford to commit players forward and we capitalized.
I told the boys to retain possession and play at a slightly lower tempo to keep West Ham at bay. They did exactly that and brought home 3 good points.
But no upsets today. We won, and won rather convincingly if I may say. We scored three minutes into both halves and put the tie beyond Millwall. Roberts played Woodrow in on goal after just 2 minutes and our topscorer wasn't going to miss from 6 yards out. Couldn't have wished for a better start. I told the lads to play with aggression and our tactics put Millwall on the backfoot right from the beginning. We pressed much higher up the pitch, gave them no room to breathe when they had the ball and as a result, they had to retain most of their possession in their own half. The first half followed that pattern for the remainder. Any hopes Millwall had of a comeback were squashed early in the second half as a forward run by Roberts was well spotted by Woodrow and the young winger hammered it home. 2-0 up and we were cruising.
Millwall pulled one back in the 85th minute but it was all but over for them. It was a good strike from the edge of the box by Ngoo nevertheless.
We are through to the sixth round of the FA Cup, where we face Watford at Craven cottage.
Fifth clean sheet in a row in the league. This was a hard-fought victory. West Ham has always been a tough team for us to beat especially on their home turf. We took a very early lead through Finnbogason as he got onto the end of Kacaniklic's cross from the left wing. West Ham, who were rather quiet in the first half came all guns blazing in the second half and threatened to equalize. However, Mark Noble got sent off in the 75th minute for a second booking and things turned after that. West Ham couldn't really afford to commit players forward and we capitalized.
I told the boys to retain possession and play at a slightly lower tempo to keep West Ham at bay. They did exactly that and brought home 3 good points.
FA CUP FIFTH ROUND REPLAY
The big game against Millwall. They scored a stoppage time equalizer at Craven cottage to force a replay. Frankly, I hate replays. It's outdated. And the media knows this as I made this public in my last press conference. The media even rephrased my words as "Trott pessimistic ahead of FA Cup replay." Typical, isn't it?
But no upsets today. We won, and won rather convincingly if I may say. We scored three minutes into both halves and put the tie beyond Millwall. Roberts played Woodrow in on goal after just 2 minutes and our topscorer wasn't going to miss from 6 yards out. Couldn't have wished for a better start. I told the lads to play with aggression and our tactics put Millwall on the backfoot right from the beginning. We pressed much higher up the pitch, gave them no room to breathe when they had the ball and as a result, they had to retain most of their possession in their own half. The first half followed that pattern for the remainder. Any hopes Millwall had of a comeback were squashed early in the second half as a forward run by Roberts was well spotted by Woodrow and the young winger hammered it home. 2-0 up and we were cruising.
Millwall pulled one back in the 85th minute but it was all but over for them. It was a good strike from the edge of the box by Ngoo nevertheless.
We are through to the sixth round of the FA Cup, where we face Watford at Craven cottage.
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CAPITAL ONE CUP 2016-17: THE ROAD TO THE FINAL
Here's a look at how the two teams' progressed to the finals:
Fulham
[TABLE="class: grid, width: 750"]
[TR]
[TD]Round[/TD]
[TD]Opponent[/TD]
[TD]Venue[/TD]
[TD]Score[/TD]
[TD]Goal scorers[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Third round[/TD]
[TD]Scunthorpe[/TD]
[TD]A[/TD]
[TD]1-0 (a.e.t.)[/TD]
[TD]A. Finnbogason[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Fourth round[/TD]
[TD]Swansea[/TD]
[TD]A[/TD]
[TD]2-0[/TD]
[TD]D. Baselli, A. Finnbogason[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Quarter Final[/TD]
[TD]Man United[/TD]
[TD]H[/TD]
[TD]0-0 (p. 15-14)[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Semi Final[/TD]
[TD]Stoke[/TD]
[TD]H,A[/TD]
[TD]2-1 (agg)[/TD]
[TD]C. Woodrow (x2)[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Liverpool
[TABLE="class: grid, width: 750"]
[TR]
[TD]Round[/TD]
[TD]Opponent[/TD]
[TD]Venue[/TD]
[TD]Score[/TD]
[TD]Goal scorers[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Third round[/TD]
[TD]West Brom[/TD]
[TD]A[/TD]
[TD]4-3[/TD]
[TD]D. Ankersen (x3), L. Jones[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Fourth round[/TD]
[TD]Arsenal[/TD]
[TD]H[/TD]
[TD]1-0[/TD]
[TD]L. Markovic[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Quarter Final[/TD]
[TD]Tottenham[/TD]
[TD]A[/TD]
[TD]3-1[/TD]
[TD]D. Origi (x2), P. Coutinho[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Semi Final[/TD]
[TD]Chelsea[/TD]
[TD]A,H[/TD]
[TD]3-2 (agg)[/TD]
[TD]D. Sturridge (x2), E. Can[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Looking at the above results, it's obvious that we had the easier path to the final as Liverpool had to beat Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea to book a berth in the finals.
We are the defending champions. Last season's League cup victory was the first in Fulham's history and getting two in two years could be a huge thing for the club and its supporters. However, Liverpool are the team we need to beat. It's not going to be easy with the amount of quality Liverpool have. But I believe in the players. They believe in themselves as well.
Liverpool play a 3412 formation. Without full backs, they are vulnerable to attacking wing play. And statistics indicate that they are most vulnerable to a 4231 wide formation and as it happens, it is one of my preferred playstyles. Not sure how much it is going to matter but it's still nice to know!
Here's a look at how the two teams' progressed to the finals:
Fulham
[TABLE="class: grid, width: 750"]
[TR]
[TD]Round[/TD]
[TD]Opponent[/TD]
[TD]Venue[/TD]
[TD]Score[/TD]
[TD]Goal scorers[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Third round[/TD]
[TD]Scunthorpe[/TD]
[TD]A[/TD]
[TD]1-0 (a.e.t.)[/TD]
[TD]A. Finnbogason[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Fourth round[/TD]
[TD]Swansea[/TD]
[TD]A[/TD]
[TD]2-0[/TD]
[TD]D. Baselli, A. Finnbogason[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Quarter Final[/TD]
[TD]Man United[/TD]
[TD]H[/TD]
[TD]0-0 (p. 15-14)[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Semi Final[/TD]
[TD]Stoke[/TD]
[TD]H,A[/TD]
[TD]2-1 (agg)[/TD]
[TD]C. Woodrow (x2)[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Liverpool
[TABLE="class: grid, width: 750"]
[TR]
[TD]Round[/TD]
[TD]Opponent[/TD]
[TD]Venue[/TD]
[TD]Score[/TD]
[TD]Goal scorers[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Third round[/TD]
[TD]West Brom[/TD]
[TD]A[/TD]
[TD]4-3[/TD]
[TD]D. Ankersen (x3), L. Jones[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Fourth round[/TD]
[TD]Arsenal[/TD]
[TD]H[/TD]
[TD]1-0[/TD]
[TD]L. Markovic[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Quarter Final[/TD]
[TD]Tottenham[/TD]
[TD]A[/TD]
[TD]3-1[/TD]
[TD]D. Origi (x2), P. Coutinho[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Semi Final[/TD]
[TD]Chelsea[/TD]
[TD]A,H[/TD]
[TD]3-2 (agg)[/TD]
[TD]D. Sturridge (x2), E. Can[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Looking at the above results, it's obvious that we had the easier path to the final as Liverpool had to beat Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea to book a berth in the finals.
We are the defending champions. Last season's League cup victory was the first in Fulham's history and getting two in two years could be a huge thing for the club and its supporters. However, Liverpool are the team we need to beat. It's not going to be easy with the amount of quality Liverpool have. But I believe in the players. They believe in themselves as well.
Liverpool play a 3412 formation. Without full backs, they are vulnerable to attacking wing play. And statistics indicate that they are most vulnerable to a 4231 wide formation and as it happens, it is one of my preferred playstyles. Not sure how much it is going to matter but it's still nice to know!
xJamieWilliams
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Good luck in the final, this story is getting better and better every time I'm on it mate, great detail!