Sports Babble - sports forum

Those are the words of David Wagner, who is keen to make amends for the thrashing recieved earlier in the season at Craven Cottage.

I would say a lot has changed since that dreadful result, but in a lot of ways not a lot has. Town are still up there in the playoffs and having turned their away for a period, they have edged back towards that of which we saw down in London Town, with the 1-1 draw away at Derby last time out a slight step back in the right direction, love of loath the performance or the football on display.

The visitors have pretty much maintained their performances, and are probably rightly regarded as one of, if not the best attacking team in the league, although they can sometimes be suspect defensively, now where have we seen that before    

The Fulham side came out 3-1 winners at home to 10 man Aston Vanilla, who saw talismanic striker Jonathan Kodija set off midway through the first half for what can only be described as a fairly innocuous toe poke at fullback Ryan Fredericks. Although nothing has been said about how Fredericks seemed to catch Kodija with his boots in a needless backwards roll, that wouldnt look out of place on a drunken night out on the town. It was really much ado about nothing.
Not you Keanu, not you


Unfortunately this isnt Shakespeare, as much as Sir Paddy Stew would like it and how much town would like a good midsummer nights dream in the next few weeks.

But back to the football. This Fulham squad possesses some very talented and very technically gifted players, some of which get overlooked due to the towering shadow of Newcastle and success of both us and Brighton over this season. The only one who seems to be breaking that mold is Ryan Sessegnon. The 16 year old flying fullback come winger has set the league alight in the second half of the season and will have certainly got some of the premier league big boys bringing out the blank cheque book to waft under the noses of Fulham, mainly due to his dynamic runs but also due to his eligibilty to play for england, we know how the media get when a young talent comes on the scene. Give it 3/4 years and a bit of a poor season and someone from the sun will attack him and his family origins, with the defence of it being 'opinion'.

Good luck chuck

Elsewhere their squad possesses players such as former Hull City winger Sone Aluko, the very same player that destroyed Lowe down at Craven Cottage. The speedy winger will be hoping to pin Lowe back, whilst Sessegnon does the same down the other flank. The winger began his career at Birmingham but never made an appearance, he made over 90 appearances for Hull before moving onto Fulham last summer after his contract expired.  The Nigerian also cites clubs such as Rangers on his footballing CV where he made 21 appearances, scoring 13 goals before moving to Humberside and comes from a footballing family with older sister Eni Aluko representing England women over 90 times.


Another name to look out for would be that of Tom Cairney. The scottish midfielder operates in similar vein to that of Arron Mooy and Jonjo Shelvey and has often been mentioned in the same breath by pundits as the most influential midfielder in the league. He missed out being part of team of the year in some corners of the media, however, he has some of the best pass completion ratios in the league, I for one am hoping that these are backwards 5 yard passes that get the team nowhere. I do doubt that though. He also has an eye for a spectacular goal and has often found the top corner from 25 yards or more, be it open play or from a set piece. Cairney began his football at our good friends from up the road, but soon saw the error in his ways and ventured over the stream of humberside to Ull.  He spent 5 years at Ull before moving onto Burntblack rovers and eventually on to Fulham.


A name in the Fulham squad that will be well known to fans is that of Scott Parker. The former England man plays more of a supporting role and appears from the bench every now and then, much like Hudson and Whitehead do for us now. Parker was known for his industrial style of play, much like Jonny Hogg, but now he sits in front of the back four when he plays. Parker used to play for Chelski, Charlton and West Ham amongst others. In all credit to a soft southerner, he did try the north, when he spent a season at Newcastle, obviously the ale and fresh air didnt suit him and he moved back to the smog.


A final name is that of Chris Martin, the scottish striker is on loan at Fulham from Derby, in what was a rather confusing move on Derbys part, he obviously didnt fit into Nigel Pearsons glamourous style of football. He tried making the move back once Schteeve McLaren retook the managerial post, but Fulham refused to let him leave. It'll be interesting to see how he fits into Rowetts plans. At one point he was the sort of striker we would have longed for, its debateable as to whether he is still the sort of striker we would want. Fortunately for Town fans, he wont be scoring against us as he is banned after being sent off against former club Norwich.



In terms of team news, Huddersfield Town forward Izzy Brown could feature after missing the past four matches with knee trouble picked up away at Bristol. His Chelsea teammate however, Kasey Palmer has been ruled out for the season after complications in his recovery from a hamstring injury picked up against Leeds. Elsewhere, PhilBil could return on Saturday, if not it will be tuesday, otherwise there is the same squad to choose from, with the most likely changes being the obvious ones, with Hogg, Smith and Wells coming in for Whitehead, Cranie and Quaner. It will be interesting to see whether Brown is thrown straight into a starting birth or if he will be eased back from the bench.

As for our guests, Martin as mentioned is already out, otherwise they have no new injury concerns.

Some interesting stats ont Beeb site;

Huddersfield's last league victory over Fulham came back in September 1993, in the third tier, failing to win any of the last 10 (day before I was born.)

Fulham are unbeaten in their last four league trips to Huddersfield, winning two and drawing two.

On-loan Manchester City midfielder Aaron Mooy has registered six Championship assists this season for Huddersfield - all coming from corners; only Leeds' Pablo   Hernandez can match that tally from corners in 2016-17.

Conversely, no Championship player has more assists from open play than Fulham's Sone Aluko (10 - level with Tommy Smith).

This match pits the two sides who've had more possession than their opponents in the most Championship games this season, with Fulham doing so in 41 games and Huddersfield in 36. Obviously we let Newcastle away and Derby away, just to make Fulham feel better about themselves  

Half (6) of Huddersfield's 12 league defeats this season have come against sides currently occupying the top six, most recently a 1-3 defeat to Newcastle in March. There goes the arguement for us doing better against the top teams too. I guess we did lose away at Fulham, Brighton, Reading and twice against Sheffield Wednesday, so it does tally up. Feels wierd thinking we've only lost 12 times in the league.

I'm thinking there will be a huge list of players that have played for both, and my job of finding them will be simple... oh how I wish  

One name is Danny Cadamarteri. He went on loan to Fulham from Everton and featured 5 times for the Cottagers. He made a combined total of 70 appearances for town, intertwined with injury upon injury. He scored an amazing 8 goals for the terriers.


Not really played for both, but former gaffer Lee Clark (doing a fine job at Bury) used to play for Fulham. He made just under 150 appearances for the Club before moving back home to Newcastle where he finished his playing career. I dont think I need to reel off the clubs he's managed, lets just say, he's not done great at any of the clubs he's been at since us, some would say he didnt do great with us, but what I will say is his first season got me back interested in watching town after Stan and Ritchie...


Our current captain Mark Hudson came through the Fulham academy, but never made a first team appearance for the side in the league, but managed three league cup appearances before moving on to Crystal Palace. He had loans at Oldham and Palace whilst at Fulham, but made his name mainly at Cardiff, despite over 100 appearances for Palace.


Brian Mcdermott had loan spells at both town and Fulham. He joined Fulham on loan from Arsenal, where he made 3 appearances. He came to town on loan from Oxford and made just the 4 appearances for town. Talk of illustrious. Well still more than me  

Another former town loanee Jazz Richards has played for both. He made only 9 appearances for Mark Robins' town side. He joined Fulham initially on loan before making the move permanent, he made a combined total of 38 appearances for Fulham before moving back to Wales to play for Cardiff. In all fairness he really wasnt all that Jazz. Sorry  

Current Skybet moneyman and former Hong Kong manager Dale Tempest played for both sides. He began his career at Fulham despite being born in Leeds and made 34 appearances and scoring 6 goals. He moved back to Gods Country making 65 appearances for Town scoring 27 goals. He played for another couple of English clubs, but played the final 10 years of his career out in China


If there are any more I am sure you will be able to either find them or remember them!  


Final note. Richard Osman. Your boys will be leaving the McJohnspharm Stadium pointless. Hopefully

Nice one, jjamez.

This could well be a rehearsal match for the play offs. Right now, I'd take any opponent. Just want us to win this so we can have a bit of relaxation in the last three games before it gets to the unbearable tension of the end of season lottery.

Got to laugh at david stockdale. Norwich 2-0 up both through stockdale own goals. First off cross bar and in off his nogging. Second goal in off his nogging after hitting the post

More than decent team Fulham will be an interesting match up, finally odds on a Stockdale hat trick after all he scores when he wants

Nice one jjamez. Good read on a Saturday morning. Should be an entertaining game this afternoon. Revenge for the drubbing would be nice even if it's only by a goal, again. As for Stockdale, I think he was just making sure Brighton celebrate at home, which is how it should be.

No Kachunga He's ill.

Smith, Hogg and Billing return.

Bloody hell guys, 4-1 down at HT, was relying on you winning this one but maybe with this result and your form you could join us fighting for those last spots!!!

Nice bit of unity with the fans singing Leeds are falling apart again.

Don't want to see you guys drop out, really want to see L**ds screw it up. But boy Fulham are going to be tough to beat with the form they are on!!!

Fair play to Fulham today, every time we made a boo boo at the back they punished us big time. Hope someone is paying attention because our failing all season has been finishing.