The rise of Fulham

[mask0991]

(Nov 8th 2014) NOTTM FOREST 2-3 FULHAM
Paterson (41, 47); Williams (8), Roberts (48), Woodrow (58)
​

Wow. What a thriller. The intensity of both teams was high through out the game. We took an early lead, only to see go behind soon after the second half start. It only took us a minute to equalize and went ahead deservedly through Woodrow. It was pleasing to see U21 players performing very well and exceeding expectations. The first game in the season that had me biting my nails in nervousness as Nottm Forest threw everything at us in the closing moments of the game.

(Nov 22nd 2014) WATFORD 3-1 FULHAM
Iglaho (11), Deeney (70, 85); Roberts (81)
​

This was a game I wanted to win. Watford were second in the table, 4 points behind us and we could have given ourselves a nice cushion at the top with a victory. Even a draw would've been good but instead we lost. Stats suggest that the game was close but they took their chances while we wasted a lot of them. Some of the passing was atrocious, especially from our defenders and midfielders as a lot of their long balls were easily intercepted. Roberts gave us a glimmer of hope with a powerful shot but Watford regained their 2-goal lead immediately afterwards. Our lead at the top is now cut to 1 point!

(Nov 29th 2014) FULHAM 2-1 MIDDLESBROUGH
Woodrow(1, 18); Vossen (81)
​

Good, solid victory. Woodrow got us to a flying start with a goal after just 43 seconds! We dominated and got the second goal before 20 minutes. The game was ours to lose after our first half display. Not sure if complacency set in at half time but we were terrible for majority of the second half. Several loose passes, lazy crosses and the defense was only half-awake for a good portion of the half. They took the lead in the 81st minute, thanks to a 25 yard piledriver from Vossen. A stern touch line talk made the players focus better for the last 10 minutes. Nevertheless, 3 points!

 

[mask0991]

LEAGUE TABLE & STATS (as of Dec 1st 2014)
We are at the top, but only 1 point ahead of Watford. Cardiff are not too far off either. Derby and Norwich are also in contention for a promotion.
Cauley Woodrow has scored 15 goals in the league so far and is the leading scorer with 4 more than the next best. He is in red hot form this season.

INJURY UPDATE
Last couple of months has seen our side suffer a bunch of injuries. McCormack, Rodallega and Voser were all sidelined for more than 2 weeks. We still have a few players out injured but only Amorebieta's situation is a bit of a concern. He has been solid in defence, forming a good partnership with Dan Burn. Hutchinson covered for him in the last 2 games, but his minor injury means 2 out of my 4 first team central defenders are unavailable for the crucial match vs. Norwich.

 

[mask0991]

(Dec 5th 2014) NORWICH 1-3 FULHAM
Grabban (24); Woodrow (16, 82), Parker (75)
​

Sweet victory! Beating Norwich away is a great result as both teams are in the race for a promotion. Woodrow grabbed 2 goals taking his goal tally for the season to 18. The highlight of the game was skipper Parker's left footed volley which almost pierced the net. The team looked very cohesive, which was really pleasing to see.

Scott Parker's goal: [video=dailymotion;x2ja6uf]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2ja6uf_fm-15-parker-thunderbolt_videogames[/video]

(Dec 13th 2014) FULHAM 3-0 BOLTON
Rodallega (35), Woodrow (41), McCormack (56)
​

Bolton's recent form has been terrible as they haven't had a win in 8 games. So, I decided to go with an aggressive attacking 433 tactic. I started all my three strikers and each of them grabbed a goal, justifying their selection. The interplay between the strikers was really nice. Woodrow got on the scoring sheet once again, courtesy of a thunderous shot into the top corner.

Cauley Woodrow's goal: [video=dailymotion;x2ja6wo]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2ja6wo_fm-15-woodrow-top-corner-shot_videogames[/video]

We retain the top position, but Watford are still only one point behind!

 

[mask0991]

(Dec 20th 2014) BRIGHTON 1-1 FULHAM
LuaLua (58); Roberts (4)
​

Hmm. A drab game, to say the least as there were extended periods when the game was bogged down in midfield. Scott Parker, a defensive midfielder got the player of the match award, which suggests the nature of the game. The less said the better.

(Dec 26th 2014) CHARLTON 0-3 FULHAM
Roberts (1), Parker (21), Woodrow (26)
​

Sweet victory. The victory was all but sealed within the first half hour. We had close to 70% possession and were absolutely dominating. Then, Scott Parker got sent off for the third time this season, for a second bookable offense. Charlton started to see more of the ball after the incident but it didn't affect the scoreline as the defense held tight to claim a clean sheet.

(Dec 28th 2014) FULHAM 2-1 BRIGHTON
McCormack (13), Burn (54); Mackail-Smith (52)​

Solid performance and a deserved victory. McCormack gave us the lead with a beautiful 20 yard freekick that hit the top corner of the net. Mackail-Smith got Brighton an equalizer but vice-captain Dan Burn restored our lead only 2 mins later. Our midfield once again dominated as Hyndman made several defense splitting passes carving open the opposition defense. A good 3 points, after Brighton held us for a draw in our away fixture.
McCormack's goal is a really nice one to watch.
[video=dailymotion;x2jbv77]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2jbv77_fm-15-mccormack-free-kick_videogames[/video]

 

[mask0991]

2014-15 MID-SEASON UPDATE

LEAGUE TABLE:
We are still in contention for promotion to the premiership. However, we lost the top spot to Watford, who are in brilliant form at the moment. Watford have won their last 9 games and beat us to the top after we slipped up against Brighton in the away fixture. But the gap is only one point and I am not too worried about that.

WOODROW IS THE CREAM OF THE CROP:
Cauley Woodrow has scored 19 goals in the championship so far, and is the top scorer. He is 5 ahead of Britt Assombalonga, who has 14 goals to his name.

​

TRANSFERS:
I am not planning on any big transfers now. Moussa Dembele, the U21 striker might be leaving as he wants to play European football and we are a few seasons away from that.
Kostas Stafylidis, who was on loan from Leverkusen impressed me with his performances. I made an offer to Leverkusen for $2.1M, which they accepted and now, Stafylidis is a full-time Fulham player.
Fans are pleased with the decision and the deal was reported by the media as a 'steal', which is nice for the club's finances.

​

 

[mask0991]

FA CUP THIRD ROUND:

(Janurary 3rd 2015) FA: BLACKPOOL 0-1 FULHAM
Woodrow (12)
​

This was a.....unique game. Both teams played the first half with a lot of intensity, constantly pushing forward. Come second half, both teams looked bored and were happy to knock the ball in their own half. I did tell the lads to keep enjoying their football in the second half but I never understood Blackpool's tactic. They were trying to hit us on the counter attack but I told my back four to stay back and in shape to nullify a potential counter. I was surprised that they didn't have another tactic.

May be I won the tactical battle against Blackpool manager Lee Clark. May be.

Other News: No surprised in the third round of the FA Cup. All the big teams - Chelsea, Man Utd, Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool went through will relative ease.

FA Cup Fourth Round Draw: We got a bit lucky with the draw. We have to battle it out vs. Middlesbrough at Craven Cottage for a fifth round spot. It's not going to be easy but a home draw is always favourable.

 

[mask0991]

(Jan 10th 2015) CH: FULHAM 4-2 BIRMINGHAM
McCormack (27, 41), Kacaniklic (50), Woodrow (77); Grounds (13), Donaldson (58)
​

Goals galore. The lads certainly wanted it more than their opposition as evidenced by thrice the number of shots attempted and shots on target. McCormack was the star of the game, as he hit TWO 25 yard free kicks that whistled into the net. Kacaniklic also scored a left footed volley but McCormack's goals were the highlight of the game.
Here are the two free kicks - McCormack, you beauty!

[video=dailymotion;x2jcly6]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2jcly6_untitled[/video]

(Jan 10th 2015) CH: WIGAN 1-2 FULHAM
Holt (pen 43); Williams (60), Burn (74)​

Conceding the penalty right before half-time was so annoying. Holt slotted it coolly, which forced me to give the boys a hair-dryer treatment at half time. It certainly sparked something in the players and they put a much better display after half-time. Williams side-footed a low pass from McCormack and Burn gave us the lead from a looping header off Ruiz's corner that deceived the keeper before crossing the line.

LEAGUE TABLE:
Meanwhile, Watford lost their first championship game after 10 consecutive victories. And our victory against Wigan took us back to the top of the table, ahead of Watford by 2 points and Cardiff (3rd) by 7 points.

 

[mask0991]

(Jan 21st 2015) CH: FULHAM 3-0 BLACKPOOL
McCormack (16, 45+2); Woodrow (35)
​

Three first half goals sealed the deal for us. Woodrow was absolutely wonderful as he scored one and set-up two goals for McCormack. He proved to be a real thorn in Blackpool's defense. Blackpool defender McMahon couldn't keep up with Woodrow's movement and rushed into tackles multiple times, resulting in an early bath after two bookings. Woodrow scored his 21st league goal that game!

TRANSFER NEWS: Eder Alvarez Balanta joins Fulham for a record fee of $20M. Here's an excerpt of the press conference where Balanta was unveiled.
View attachment 791723

Q: "Several people have suggested that this was a bit of a steal, while others have criticized your big spending on a player who has never been in Europe. What are your thoughts?"
Me: It's a good deal. Balanta is a good player and he'd be a great addition to our side as we make the push for promotion.

Q: "Several non-English speakers have struggled in England. Does it affect Balanta's settling in?"
Me: I can give examples of non-English speakers work their magic in the English football scene. Language is no barrier. Further, I can manage Spanish and we have Ruiz and Rodallega who are native Spanish speakers. No issues there.

Q: "You speak Spanish?"
Me: (annoyed)Little bit, yes. Now, let's move on to more important questions, if you have any.

Q: "Will we be seeing Balanta in action soon? How does it affect the chances for other central defenders?"
Me: Well, you'll see soon enough.

After that, I left the press conference. I stayed a bit aggressive and vague during the session as I didn't want to put pressure on any of my defenders and don't want to give them to get any wrong ideas regarding selection.

 

[mask0991]

View attachment 791860
(Jan 25th 2015) FA 4th Round
FULHAM 3-1 MIDDLESBROUGH
Konstantopoulos (o.g. 69), Woodrow (75), Dembele (89); Williams ( 6)
​

A dominating performance by the boys. Despite being the better team, they got the first goal from their very first offensive build-up. I am surprised that it took us over an hour to equalize. We completely dominated possession and we kept pushing them back. But with the fans supporting us, we got the equalizer through an own goal by Dimitris Konstantopoulos. It was just what we deserved. We continued pressing and scored two more through the strikers - Woodrow and Dembele.

Dembele's goal was a special one as he placed the shot from the edge of the box into the top corner, looping over the helpless Middlesbrough keeper. It was a goal of pure class!

[video=dailymotion;x2jf0rn]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2jf0rn_fm-15-dembele-goal-vs-middlesbrough-fa-4th-round_videogames[/video]

​

FA Cup Other news: Manchester United saw the end of their FA Cup journey as they were knocked out by bitter rivals Manchester City in the fourth round after a 1-2 loss. Elsewhere, Chelsea and Arsenal went through to the fifth round after convincing victories. Liverpool could only manage a draw against Hull, and will have to replay the tie to determine who progresses through.

FA Cup Fifth Round Draw: We have been handed a home draw against Sunderland. It's not going to be easy against a premiership side but the home draw gives us a good chance. Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City were handed relatively easy draws against Brentford, Wolves and Walsall, respectively.

 

[mask0991]

We need to talk, Mr. Khan

And no it's not about breaking up the relationship with the club. It's about the club and some improvements. After a few phone calls from my end, Mr. Shahid Khan agreed to visit the training ground and talk to me regarding my suggestions.

He came into my office with a hint of doubt as to what I had in mind. He congratulated me on the team's top position in the league table.

I reassured him that I'll guide the team through to the promotion, which was something we agreed upon at the start of my managerial career. I wanted to speak to him about a couple of changes at the club and wasn't exactly sure how to start that conversation.

"Mr. Khan", I said, "you must have been seen some of our recent games. The lads are putting in some impressive performances and their training has been top-notch".

Now, this fellow is as smart as they come. He picked up on my hint and responded, "Indeed, Mr. T (that's what he and a few others called me). I guess you want to talk about the facilities?"

Well, I was shocked that he picked up on my hint, but tried my best to hide it on my face. He gave a wry smile, as he figured out what was going on. "Yes, I do", I replied before he could say anything else to embarrass me.

"While we have good facilities here, it would be great if some of them are improved. We have a lot of young lads coming at the club and we need to provide them with the best possible equipment and expand our boundaries to make them into world class players." He almost instantly agreed, scratching his thick mustache.

"Alright, that went well", I thought to myself as the conversation was heading in the direction I had hoped for. We then talked for a good 30 minutes about potential improvements and investments, in the presence of some of our coaching staff. After that fruitful discussion, he was about to end the meeting when I interrupted.

A few days ago, I put in a request to increase the maximum allowed coaching staff. But the board didn't respond, and I wanted to talk with the bossman personally. "The coaching staff request, do you want to talk about it?", I reluctantly asked. "I already approved that, didn't you get it?", he said, in a puzzled manner. Ah, the delays involved in processing.

"No, I didn't receive it yet. Thanks for approving it. It'll help our training.", I responded in a positive tone. "Of course. The club is doing well under your management and I'd like to help you with it. But do keep an eye on the finances.", he cautioned me. "Balanta's transfer was not a cheap affair. I know you're handling the finances well but as the chairman, I would just like to reiterate", he added.

Well, he's entitled to say so, after all he's only looking after the club. I nodded in agreement and then he left for another meeting, elsewhere.

Alright, I should probably be more confident when I speak to this fellow. He seems friendly and there's absolutely no reason for me to feel nervous.

I went back to the training room, looked at the staff and gave them a thumbs up, suggesting that the meeting was fruitful.

STAFF ADDITION:
I didn't waste any time in approaching Ulf Kirsten and Richard Naylor to join us as members of the coaching staff. Mr. Kirsten accepted our offer and we are still waiting for an official approval from Mr. Naylor.

Things are moving along well..they are indeed!

 

[mask0991]

With Watford only one point behind us in the league table, it is vital that we continue our winning form. The training has been very good and the morale in the dressing room has been rather good.

(Feb 7th 2015) CH: ROTHERHAM 2-3 FULHAM
Sammon (72), Welsh (80); Pringle (o.g. 8), Woodrow (49, 75)
​

Revenge! Rotherham got the better of us at Craven Cottage early in the season, handing us our first defeat. We got one over them in the return fixture. Woodrow once again impressed by scoring two goals. I am a bit worried about the defense, as both the goals conceded could have been avoided with a slightly better positioning. We need to work on the defense during our training in the next few days.

(Feb 10th 2015) CH: FULHAM 0-2 READING
*** (18, 34)​

We didn't lose to Reading, we lost to a striker by the name Simon ***. Reading only had 2 shots on target and both those turned out to be goals. It wasn't particularly bad defending from our side, but *** was just too good! We could and should have scored atleast one but the finishing left a lot to be desired. Woodrow missed a sitter, which was shocking because he has been in red hot form recently. Guess he lacks a bit of composure - after all, he's just 20.

DUE TO THAT LOSS, WATFORD REPLACED US AT THE TOP OF THE LEAGUE TABLE.

(Feb 10th 2015) CH: SHEFF WED 0-1 FULHAM
Amorebieta (57)

A much needed victory. It was a see-saw game with the dominance switching between the teams very frequently. The goal came from a corner, from the head of central defender Amorebieta, who is just back from injury. The lads held their nerve after scoring and ensured that we got all 3 points from the game.

​

READING, WHO WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR SLIP TO 2ND PLACE DEFEATED WATFORD THIS WEEK. WE ARE BACK AT THE TOP OF THE LEAGUE, ONE POINT AHEAD OF WATFORD. THANK YOU READING!!

INJURY WOES:
Argh! Scott Parker, a key man in our midfield got injured during the Sheff. Wed game and is sidelined for 4 weeks! A huge blow to us as we are approaching the end of the season, while challenging for the league title.

To make things worse, Elsad Zverotic, who was my choice to replace Parker in the midfield also got injured during training. He too, is out for 3-4 weeks. I'm not gonna lie, this makes things really dicey for me. Selection is not going to be easy in the next few weeks. I am looking forward to Christensen to take care of the defensive midfield duties, something he's not the best at. Since all my tactics rely on a solid defensive midfielder, I might have to push one of my defenders to cover for Scotty and Elsad.​

 

[mask0991]

View attachment 292595
February 15th 2015 - FA Cup Fifth Round
FULHAM 2-1 SUNDERLAND
McCormack (45+3), Woodrow (pen 68); Alvarez (66)
​

Fantastic win. This was a real test for us as we had to beat a Premiership side to progress through in the FA Cup. McCormack gave us the lead just before half-time as he headed a beautiful cross from Patrick Roberts. The cross was a perfect one as McCormack only had to make meaningful contact with the ball for it to hit the back of the net. Ricky Alvarez, who gave our defense some trouble through out the game equalized for Sunderland as he calmly finished a good Sunderland move by side-footing it into the bottom corner.
We kept pushing forward and came close thrice. The goal, however came from the penalty spot when Bryan Ruiz was brought down inside the area by Sunderland defense. The referee gave the penalty immediately, which Woodrow coolly slotted home. We held onto our lead and progressed through!

McCormack was absolutely brilliant for us as he kept causing all sorts of issues for the Sunderland defense.

View attachment 292590

​

FA Cup Sixth Round: We were drawn against Manchester City at home for the sixth round. This is not going to be easy. Manchester City are a very good side and would be hard to beat. Despite the odds being stacked against us, we are going to try our best and give it all we got.

 

[mask0991]

(Feb 18th 2015) CH: FULHAM 2-1 WOLVES
McCormack (56), Roberts (85); Dicko (45+1)
​

A good comeback. The goal conceded just before half-time was disappointing as the players were caught napping by the Wolves midfield as they played Dicko in with a simple pass. We did comeback with goals from McCormack and Roberts. Roberts' goal was a special one as he dribbled past 2 players before placing a shot in the top corner with aplomb. It has to be in the contention for goal of the month!

Patrick Roberts' sensational goal:
[video=dailymotion;x2jgayk]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2jgayk_fm-15-patrick-roberts-sensational-goal-vs-wolves_videogames[/video]

(Feb 18th 2015) CH: IPSWICH 1-2 FULHAM
McGoldrick (53); Woodrow (6 ), Christensen (11)​

This proved to be a crucial win for us as Watford were beaten by Wolves giving us some breathing space at the top of the league table. We took 2-0 lead very early into the game and were doing a good job with the ball. Things got a bit nervous after they pulled one back through McGoldrick but we kept calm and came away with 3 crucial points. Christensen put in a gem of a performance this game, pulling all strings from the midfield, something I haven't seen much from him.

(Feb 25th 2015) CH: FULHAM 1-3 BLACKBURN
Kacaniklic (62); Rhodes (18, pen 72), Taylor (40)​

Goddammit! Another home defeat. This was a pasting to be honest. Blackburn really put us in our place and hope the boys learnt something from the game. We were hurried by Blackburn into making several mistakes. This is not a game I would want to look back on. With us threatening to equalize, Chris Taylor produced a 25 yard strike to give them the lead. It was a fantastic goal. Kacaniklic's goal gave us a glimmer of hope but Stafylidis, who has been fantastic this season made a rash tackle inside our penalty area resulting in a penalty. Rhodes put away the penalty with composure and made sure we suffered our 4th home defeat.

Blackburn's Taylor scores a beauty:
[video=dailymotion;x2jgb7i]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2jgb7i_fm-15-chris-taylor-goal-blackburn-vs-fulham_videogames[/video]

Goal of the month:
Patrick Roberts won the championship goal of the month after that wonderful strike vs. Wolves. Chris Taylor's 25 yard screamer against us was the second in the goal of the month for February 2015.

 

[mask0991]

I was devastated by the home loss to Blackburn. I was going through the highlights to spot any mistakes by the players, and there were plenty of them. While I was going through the video footage, Mark Pembridge comes to me and says, "Hey T, did you know that our defeat to Blackburn was only their second win in last 7 games." That irked me a lot as it was a golden chance squandered by the lads.

I had to let the lads know my disappointment. Woodrow, Stafylidis and Voser were summoned to my office. I expressed my disappointment and even lashed out at Kostas (Stafylidis) for his mistake that led to the penalty. All three of them were disappointed, but they knew that they all made mistakes that cost us the match.

Woodrow stayed after the meeting and wanted to discuss some issues with me. "I have been the top scorer in the league. I felt that the warning was harsh", said Woodrow in a reluctant fashion.

"I know Woody, I know that you're the top scorer. But be frank - are you happy with your performance in that game. You had 3 clear chances and you squandered all of them. I hold you to very high standards, standards you are capable of and your performance fell short of it - that's all", I said in a reassuring tone.

He knew I had a point. "Look, I don't want to offend you or discourage you. I haven't seen a lot of players with your kind of talent at such a young age. You have the potential to be an absolute gem of a player. You need to start showing more composure - something you can definitely improve upon", I told him assertively. "Nothing has changed", I added, "you're still my first choice striker in this team. You can do better - you and I both know it. Now use this as a learning experience and try to do better."

He seemed to understand the high standards of professional football and particularly the standards I hold him to. He left the room, seeming to be deep in thought. This lad has a bright future provided he doesn't switch off during games, like he did during the last one.

 

[mask0991]

Our next game was an away one, against Millwall. Millwall have been doing exceedingly well this season, as they are 8th in the league, well above media predictions. I knew a victory was possible. I told the boys to forget about the loss in the previous game and encouraged them to put their best effort in.

(Feb 28th 2015) CH: MILLWALL 1-2 FULHAM
Maierhofer (39); Ruiz (7), McCormack (75)​

And the lads delivered. All the words of encouragement, especially at half time when the score was level worked. They produced one of the finest displays in the recent past in the second half grabbing the winner. They never looked like giving up their lead. First half was a bit patchy but the second half was masterful. Woodrow and Stafylidis put in much better performances after the last game, where their display was sub-par. Another away victory for us. We now have the best away record in the league!

LEAGUE TABLE
After a string of impressive performances, both Watford and our team have had wobbly results recently. Blackburn held Watford to a 1-1 draw as we scored a 2-1 victory over Millwall. We now occupy the 1st position in the championship table, 3 points ahead of Watford.
Cauley Woodrow still leads the goalscorer chart. He has a fantastic average rating and has received the most number of player of the match awards this year.

 

[mask0991]

INJURY UPDATE

After being out for extended periods of time, Elsad Zverotic seems to be returning back to full fitness. Scott Parker, who has been crucial in the midfield this season is still a week away from returning to training. I hope he gets back to full fitness soon. Rodallega is still a few weeks away from getting back to full fitness.

 

[mask0991]

The end of the 2014-15 season is approaching and we're at the top of the table. We need to keep our good form going.

(Mar 4th 2015) CH: FULHAM 1-0 BRENTFORD
Roberts (9)
​

Solid rearguard display. We scored early, courtesy of Patrick Roberts and held on to the lead impressively. Brentford came close on a few occasions but they never threatened to equalize. I tried playing Balanta in the midfield as the ball winner to cover for Scott Parker. It turned out to be a good move as he rarely let balls go past him. The fans were were supportive of the team's display and acted as the team's 12th man.

 

[mask0991]

FA CUP SIXTH ROUND
MANCHESTER CITY VS. FULHAM
​

Pre Match: This is a huge clash for us. We already faced one of the Manchester sides early on in the season when we Man Utd beat us 4-1 in the League Cup. A few hours before the game, I asked the lads to assemble in the dressing room to discuss match tactics. I told them that there is absolutely no pressure on them and that they can go out and play their hearts out, for the fans.

We have been working on a different tactic for this game - a Mourinho-esque tactic. The formation can be seen below. The idea was to absolutely stop City from creating chances and hit them on the counter through our wingers. Balanta, playing the Anchor Man is very crucial as he has the big job of halting all City attacks.

Final Score:

FULHAM 2-0 MANCHESTER CITY
Sagna (o.g. 58), McCormack (62)
​

I am on cloud nine, and so are the players. The tactic worked like a charm. Man City dominated possession and committed a lot of players into attack. We hit them on the counter and scored both our goals via counter attack. Sagna's own goal gave us the lead. A good interplay between McCormack and Woodrow set Patrick Roberts free through the right flank and his cross found its way into the back of the net after a deflection off Sagna. City kept bombarding forward but we held tight. Balanta made several crucial tackles in the midfield. One such tackle stopped the City attack prematurely and Hyndman, who took control of the ball played a beautiful long ball to Woodrow, who headed it for McCormack to blast home the goal. We kept the mighty Man City at bay for the remaining 27 minutes and progressed through to the semi-finals!!!

We now face West Ham at home, for the semi finals.

 

[mask0991]

It's only been two days since the Manchester City clash and we have to travel to Huddersfield to face them. A lot of tired legs in the team, and I had to make a lot of changes for this game. I didn't want to risk the tired players when the title race is heating up. Our next game is against Cardiff, who are presently 4th in the table and I need my first team players to be fully fit for that game.

(Mar 10th 2015) CH: HUDDERSFIELD 0-0 FULHAM
​

A drab game. The result was not far from what I expected. We were without a lot of our playmakers in the midfield and we didn't create a lot of chances. A win would've been nice but I am quite content with the one point we got. Our lead at the top is cut down to 1 point but we're still at the top, for now.

NEWS: Scott Parker, the Fulham captain is back from injury. Scott Parker has missed the last 8 Fulham games. His return would be a huge boost to the team.

(Mar 14th 2015) CH: FULHAM 2-1 CARDIFF
Parker (11), Woodrow (62); Macheda (69)
​

A huge victory. Cardiff are 4th in the league and this was always going to be a tough game. But we played like champions. Dominating in possession, we created multiple chances and took the lead through skipper Scott Parker, who is playing his first game after a 2 month absence. Woodrow doubled our lead as we hit Cardiff on the counter. Macheda pulled one back for Cardiff in the 69th minute but it wasn't enough to deny us the well deserved 3 points. A big victory against a good team!

LEAGUE TABLE
​

Still at the top, with a one point lead over Watford. We are 13 points clear off 3rd placed Derby. With 9 games left to play, it looks like a two horse race between Watford and us. And it's going all the way down to the wire!

 

[mask0991]

(Mar 17th 2015) CH: DERBY 1-0 FULHAM
Hendrick (80)
​

We didn't deserve to lose. We deserved atleast a draw. The players started to look frustrated after conceding the goal and Balanta got a red card amidst the chaos. Derby are a good side and have been doing well this season and this win would do them a lot of good as we approach the end of the season. Luckily for us, Watford also lost their game Cardiff, meaning that we are still at the top of the table, hanging on to our one point lead!

(Mar 21st 2015) CH: FULHAM 2-0 BOURNEMOUTH
Woodrow (19), Daniels (o.g. 71)
​

Back to winning ways, hopefully. A goal in either half saw us through. Bournemouth was determined and started rather positively. Once we got the breakthrough, the lads started to gain control of the game. Woodrow's goal was a beautiful one, as we turned on the style by making 10 successful passes before crossing the ball for Woodrow to head home. A slight hint of tiki-taka there.

What makes this victory sweet is the fact that Watford could only manage a draw against Derby. We go 3 points clear of Watford at the top, with 7 games to go.

​