The rise of Fulham
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SeanKeaney
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Good luck in the final! I hate to admit it but you've catapulted Fulham into the best team in West London 
at least it's only a game... 
at least it's only a game... xJamieWilliams
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Good luck mate! If you win the Champions League do you think you will stay?
Tough call. I haven't decided yet, to be honest. On one hand, I want to win the club world cup with Fulham but on the other, I want a new challenge in a different League. I am delaying any decision until after the Champions League final.
Fulham vs. Liverpool
The clash between the top two. But as inconsequential as it can get. We already won the League and Liverpool will finish second no matter what happens as they are well ahead of third placed Man City.
I was handed a touchline ban for this game. I decided the starting XI, the tactic and told the boys to go win it for the fans. We're unbeaten in 18 games at home this season and a draw or win against Liverpool will make it two seasons unbeaten at home. Baresi was left with micro-managing the tactics from the touchline.
And boy, did the players turn up! I was watching closely from the stands. Despite Woodrow putting us ahead, I wasn't all that content. We were letting them in far too easily and we were ahead only due to Liverpool's abysmal finishing. I joined the players in the dressing room at half time, told them to play with more enthusiasm. "Alright, I know we won the League but come on! We can't lose at home. Stop being lazy and focus for the remaining 45!"
Ankersen equalized for Liverpool 2 minutes after restart. Once that happened, the players reacted marvellously. Four goals in 26 minutes made it a one-sided scoreline.
Woodrow grabbed a hat-trick, and Kacaniklic and Balanta also got on the scoresheet.
For the second season running, we've only dropped 2 points at home and stay unbeaten!
The clash between the top two. But as inconsequential as it can get. We already won the League and Liverpool will finish second no matter what happens as they are well ahead of third placed Man City.
I was handed a touchline ban for this game. I decided the starting XI, the tactic and told the boys to go win it for the fans. We're unbeaten in 18 games at home this season and a draw or win against Liverpool will make it two seasons unbeaten at home. Baresi was left with micro-managing the tactics from the touchline.
And boy, did the players turn up! I was watching closely from the stands. Despite Woodrow putting us ahead, I wasn't all that content. We were letting them in far too easily and we were ahead only due to Liverpool's abysmal finishing. I joined the players in the dressing room at half time, told them to play with more enthusiasm. "Alright, I know we won the League but come on! We can't lose at home. Stop being lazy and focus for the remaining 45!"
Ankersen equalized for Liverpool 2 minutes after restart. Once that happened, the players reacted marvellously. Four goals in 26 minutes made it a one-sided scoreline.
Woodrow grabbed a hat-trick, and Kacaniklic and Balanta also got on the scoresheet.
For the second season running, we've only dropped 2 points at home and stay unbeaten!
The Premier League is pretty much a secondary task for us now. I usually spend hours studying opposition and prepare my tactic carefully. Not this time. I used the same tactic that worked against Liverpool and was focusing on Real Madrid instead.
The game ended 2-2, which was a fair result considering how the game played out. Oxlade-Chamberlain scored a lovely goal in the 25th minute. It was struck from atleast 25 yards out. Bettinelli had no chance to save it. Top goal.
It was a day for wide players to shine. After Oxlade-Chamberlain's goal, it was Pat Roberts' time to shine. He cut in from our right and slotted one into the bottom corner. It was his acceleration which impressed me the most.
Just before half-time, Konoplyanka put in a cross into the box. But the cross was too good for Bettinelli to handle. The cross was headed goalwards by Sanchez. It hit the post, then hit Bettinelli's elbow before trickling past the goal line. The goal was our keeper's fault. He committed himself to catch the cross when he shouldn't have. Thus, he didn't have enough time to hold the rebound off the post.
I didn't say much at half time. The game went on. We were being quite dominant but were still behind. Things changed in the 69th minute when Kacaniklic volleyed home a beautiful goal. Once again, the goal came from good wing play. Roberts and Roper played a nice one-two and Roper's cross was on a platter for Kacaniklic to volley home.
We came close to scoring a third and winning in the final moments, but it wasn't meant to be. 2-2 is not a bad scoreline at Emirates. We end the season with a draw, and an entertaining match.
2020/21 Premier League Table
Here are the final standings:
View attachment 247623
We've dropped only 20 points this season. Our home form has been brilliant, with 18 wins in 19. Our defense deserves a lot of credit for our success. We've only conceded 27 goals this season and only 9 at home! Fantastic stuff.
Here are the final standings:
View attachment 247623
We've dropped only 20 points this season. Our home form has been brilliant, with 18 wins in 19. Our defense deserves a lot of credit for our success. We've only conceded 27 goals this season and only 9 at home! Fantastic stuff.
Premier League End of Season Awards
The club won in 3 of the 6 categories. Artur got recognition for his consistently great performances this season as he won the PFA Player of the Year award.
We have the best defensive record in the League and I'm glad our keeper Marcus Bettinelli got praise for that. Jimenez narrowly missed out on the Golden Boot award, as he fell two short of Munir's 31 goals.
On a personal note, I won the Manager of the Year for the third season running!
TEAM OF THE SEASON:
Great to see that the defensive unit View attachment 247579comprises mostly of our players. What surprises me is the absence of Raul Jimenez. Jimenez has scored more goals than Zivkovic but because of his slightly lower average rating, he was excluded.
The club won in 3 of the 6 categories. Artur got recognition for his consistently great performances this season as he won the PFA Player of the Year award.
We have the best defensive record in the League and I'm glad our keeper Marcus Bettinelli got praise for that. Jimenez narrowly missed out on the Golden Boot award, as he fell two short of Munir's 31 goals.
On a personal note, I won the Manager of the Year for the third season running!
TEAM OF THE SEASON:
Great to see that the defensive unit View attachment 247579comprises mostly of our players. What surprises me is the absence of Raul Jimenez. Jimenez has scored more goals than Zivkovic but because of his slightly lower average rating, he was excluded.
FA Cup 2020-21: Final
View attachment 247477
That wraps up the domestic double for this season!!
This was, well, an interesting match. Very interesting. Both teams started very tentatively. I always start tentatively in big games but it was surprising to see Man City play the waiting game. They have a very strong forward line, yet decided to wait for us to over-commit.
Pat Roberts opened the scoring with a beautiful goal. Good link-up play between Baselli, Vilhena and Artur tested the City defense but they managed to clear. The ball was headed back into the box by Jimenez and Roberts controlled it brilliantly on his thighs before placing it precisely into the bottom corner. Superb goal all around.
And then things got interesting. All of a sudden, City burst forward. For the next 15 minutes or so, they were relentless in pursuit of the equalizer. Our defense was overworked....a lot! At half-time, I told the players to calm down. "We're doing well out there. I see that some of you look nervous but don't worry. I have faith in you lot. Stick to the tactics and things will work out fine," I said. I also had a couple of private words with our defenders.
The second half was even more interesting. Amidst calm and possession based gameplay, there were moments where one of the two teams just burst into an attacking tempo. However, most of the chances were fruitless due to poor finishing or good goalkeeping.
City switched to a 4-2-4 towards the end, and I went ultra-defensive. Amorebieta and Phillips (both defenders) came on for Vilhena and Artur. We were virtually playing a 6121 (well, it was more like a 4321 with a back four, 3 defensive mids, 2 center mids and a striker).
City can't break down such a defensive unit. We were way too well organized for them to score against. And when the final whistle came, we were celebrating. A hard fought and well deserved victory. We won the FA Cup for the second season in a row. We do the domestic double for the second season in a row.
View attachment 247477
That wraps up the domestic double for this season!!
This was, well, an interesting match. Very interesting. Both teams started very tentatively. I always start tentatively in big games but it was surprising to see Man City play the waiting game. They have a very strong forward line, yet decided to wait for us to over-commit.
Pat Roberts opened the scoring with a beautiful goal. Good link-up play between Baselli, Vilhena and Artur tested the City defense but they managed to clear. The ball was headed back into the box by Jimenez and Roberts controlled it brilliantly on his thighs before placing it precisely into the bottom corner. Superb goal all around.
And then things got interesting. All of a sudden, City burst forward. For the next 15 minutes or so, they were relentless in pursuit of the equalizer. Our defense was overworked....a lot! At half-time, I told the players to calm down. "We're doing well out there. I see that some of you look nervous but don't worry. I have faith in you lot. Stick to the tactics and things will work out fine," I said. I also had a couple of private words with our defenders.
The second half was even more interesting. Amidst calm and possession based gameplay, there were moments where one of the two teams just burst into an attacking tempo. However, most of the chances were fruitless due to poor finishing or good goalkeeping.
City switched to a 4-2-4 towards the end, and I went ultra-defensive. Amorebieta and Phillips (both defenders) came on for Vilhena and Artur. We were virtually playing a 6121 (well, it was more like a 4321 with a back four, 3 defensive mids, 2 center mids and a striker).
City can't break down such a defensive unit. We were way too well organized for them to score against. And when the final whistle came, we were celebrating. A hard fought and well deserved victory. We won the FA Cup for the second season in a row. We do the domestic double for the second season in a row.
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PatrickLFC
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Congrats! Two down, one to go! 
ECC 2020/21: Final
After two finals where we ended as runners-up, we win it this time. Against Real Madrid, no less.
To be honest, the way the game started, I thought we were in for another tough time. Just like last year where Man Utd scored very early, Real Madrid scored in the second minute!! Balanta fouled Ronaldo inside our penalty area and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Ronaldo stepped up, and scored. 90 seconds in, I was already hanging my head down. Bad tackle by the captain.
But then, Jimenez brought us on level terms. Our top scorer this season made sure we weren't behind for long. Real committed several men forward and we hit them on the counter. Quick, direct passing from defense to the wide area made sure Real were outnumbered at the back. Roper's cross was nodded on by Vilhena into Jimenez's path. The Mexican took the chance well. 1-1!
Just as Madrid were settling into a good passing rhythm, we hit them again. A decent spell of possession around the 20th minute mark pushed Real Madrid onto the backfoot. Vilhena was on the edge of the box but none of the Real defenders failed to close him down. And they paid for it dearly. Vilhena smashed it home from just outside the box. 2-1 to us! We lowered the tempo for the remainder of the half to make sure Real didn't settle into their strategy.
During the second half, I was nervous. Real brought on Bale and Isco. It felt like something had to give. We were badly being dominated and simply couldn't cope with the pressure Real were exerting. I brought on Aidan Philips (center half) to help out. 70 minutes gone - we were ahead but barely hanging on. Then, Artur won us a freekick just outside of their box. Baselli stepped up and curled one into the top corner. Totally against the run of play but I don't care. We were 3-1 up! Fulham supporters at San Siro were rejoicing. With 18 minutes left in the game, we had a 2-goal advantage.
I wasn't going to let this slip. Amorebieta and Nabay came on for Vilhena and Artur. We were playing quite defensively. It was all about keeping the lead. Valiant defending and structured shape at the back kept Real Madrid at bay.
2 minutes of added time and a goal for Real was never on. When the final whistle came, the celebrations were wild. I was jumping with joy, unable to hide my emotions. Hi-fives, hugs, fist bumps, and all kinds of celebratory exchanges took place. It was a night to remember. The celebrations and the party afterwards will be wild.
After two finals where we ended as runners-up, we win it this time. Against Real Madrid, no less.
To be honest, the way the game started, I thought we were in for another tough time. Just like last year where Man Utd scored very early, Real Madrid scored in the second minute!! Balanta fouled Ronaldo inside our penalty area and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Ronaldo stepped up, and scored. 90 seconds in, I was already hanging my head down. Bad tackle by the captain.
But then, Jimenez brought us on level terms. Our top scorer this season made sure we weren't behind for long. Real committed several men forward and we hit them on the counter. Quick, direct passing from defense to the wide area made sure Real were outnumbered at the back. Roper's cross was nodded on by Vilhena into Jimenez's path. The Mexican took the chance well. 1-1!
Just as Madrid were settling into a good passing rhythm, we hit them again. A decent spell of possession around the 20th minute mark pushed Real Madrid onto the backfoot. Vilhena was on the edge of the box but none of the Real defenders failed to close him down. And they paid for it dearly. Vilhena smashed it home from just outside the box. 2-1 to us! We lowered the tempo for the remainder of the half to make sure Real didn't settle into their strategy.
During the second half, I was nervous. Real brought on Bale and Isco. It felt like something had to give. We were badly being dominated and simply couldn't cope with the pressure Real were exerting. I brought on Aidan Philips (center half) to help out. 70 minutes gone - we were ahead but barely hanging on. Then, Artur won us a freekick just outside of their box. Baselli stepped up and curled one into the top corner. Totally against the run of play but I don't care. We were 3-1 up! Fulham supporters at San Siro were rejoicing. With 18 minutes left in the game, we had a 2-goal advantage.
I wasn't going to let this slip. Amorebieta and Nabay came on for Vilhena and Artur. We were playing quite defensively. It was all about keeping the lead. Valiant defending and structured shape at the back kept Real Madrid at bay.
2 minutes of added time and a goal for Real was never on. When the final whistle came, the celebrations were wild. I was jumping with joy, unable to hide my emotions. Hi-fives, hugs, fist bumps, and all kinds of celebratory exchanges took place. It was a night to remember. The celebrations and the party afterwards will be wild.
13th June 2021
I made the announcement yesterday regarding my decision to leave Fulham. I had a long lunch with club owner Shahid Khan and I explained my decision. He was very supportive and understood my reason to leave. He asked me if I had any suggestions for the next manager. This came as a surprise to me.
"You've done a fantastic job at Fulham. We'd like to know if you had any suggestions for your replacement. Considering everything you've done for the club, we value your opinion very highly," said Shad Khan.
I was clueless. I told them that it was his club and the decision is upto the board. But I did mention a few names that came to my mind - managers who gave me the best challenge while facing against them.
View attachment 247248
After that, I headed over to the dressing room. I had asked all the players to assemble before they left for the summer break. It was my last chat with these bunch of players. They all knew the decision and I could see so many anxious faces in the room through the window.
"Hello. How are you lads feeling?" I started.
All of a sudden, there were several questions from different corners of the room. Everyone was anxious to know why I made this decision. I took my time to explain to them the reason behind my decision. I told them that I needed a new challenge and I've achieved everything I can at this club.
Not everyone was happy with that explanation. But I took my time and after about an hour of talk, most of them seemed convinced. There were a lot of emotional moments. There were tears, long hugs and firm handshakes. Woodrow, Roberts, Kacaniklic, Burn among a few others came over and had private chats with me. I wished all of them good luck for the future.
It was 4 PM. I looked out the window of the dressing room and then took a stroll around the stadium. Last seven years were a dream come true. Finally, I arrived at the Fulham team's dug out. I tapped on the manager's chair a couple of times before leaving the stadium.
As I walked towards my car, I thought to myself, "Will I come back here again? If so, will it be as an opposition manager? Or may be as a Fulham manager once again? Or will it be just as a Fulham fan? Who knows what the future holds....."
I opened the door of my car, and took off. I looked at my rear-view mirror and saw the letters Fulham F.C. shrink in size as I drove away..........
I made the announcement yesterday regarding my decision to leave Fulham. I had a long lunch with club owner Shahid Khan and I explained my decision. He was very supportive and understood my reason to leave. He asked me if I had any suggestions for the next manager. This came as a surprise to me.
"You've done a fantastic job at Fulham. We'd like to know if you had any suggestions for your replacement. Considering everything you've done for the club, we value your opinion very highly," said Shad Khan.
I was clueless. I told them that it was his club and the decision is upto the board. But I did mention a few names that came to my mind - managers who gave me the best challenge while facing against them.
View attachment 247248
After that, I headed over to the dressing room. I had asked all the players to assemble before they left for the summer break. It was my last chat with these bunch of players. They all knew the decision and I could see so many anxious faces in the room through the window.
"Hello. How are you lads feeling?" I started.
All of a sudden, there were several questions from different corners of the room. Everyone was anxious to know why I made this decision. I took my time to explain to them the reason behind my decision. I told them that I needed a new challenge and I've achieved everything I can at this club.
Not everyone was happy with that explanation. But I took my time and after about an hour of talk, most of them seemed convinced. There were a lot of emotional moments. There were tears, long hugs and firm handshakes. Woodrow, Roberts, Kacaniklic, Burn among a few others came over and had private chats with me. I wished all of them good luck for the future.
It was 4 PM. I looked out the window of the dressing room and then took a stroll around the stadium. Last seven years were a dream come true. Finally, I arrived at the Fulham team's dug out. I tapped on the manager's chair a couple of times before leaving the stadium.
As I walked towards my car, I thought to myself, "Will I come back here again? If so, will it be as an opposition manager? Or may be as a Fulham manager once again? Or will it be just as a Fulham fan? Who knows what the future holds....."
I opened the door of my car, and took off. I looked at my rear-view mirror and saw the letters Fulham F.C. shrink in size as I drove away..........