Match Day Thread QPR v Fulham

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IT’S derby-day in west London as QPR welcome Fulham to Loftus Road in what should be a pulsating game under the lights and in front of the Sky Sports cameras.

In what is so far the biggest game of the season, Rangers go into this one unbeaten in W12 whilst two of the Cottagers three victories in the league have been away from home.

The R’s come into this off the back of two draws. Holloway’s side were held 0-0 by Burton Albion last weekend and secured a point at Oakwell during the week thanks to Luke Freeman’s stunning late equaliser.

After a slow start to the season the Whites are beginning to hit some form. They have lost just one of their last five matches and were impressive on the road against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night - running out comfortable 3-1 winners.

Slaviša Jokanović has established a stylish outfit since taking over at Fulham in December 2015. It took him a while to get his side playing in the manner he wanted, but after keeping them in the division they went on to have an excellent season last term.

Going relatively unnoticed throughout much of the campaign, Fulham started becoming more consistent from the turn of the year and won six out of their last ten league games to sneak into the play-off positions.

They were narrowly beaten by Reading in the semi-finals, but they have come a long way from the team that was facing a possible relegation the year before.

Jokanović’s outfit play an attractive brand of football which involves keeping possession, making the pitch as big as possible with their bombarding full-backs and allowing their playmakers in the middle of the park to try and dictate the ball. As well as that, they like to press high up the pitch and are capable of playing a number of different formations.

It’s fair to say that Fulham might be disappointed with how they have begun the season when you consider how some of the matches have panned out. They have drawn five games this year but in three of them they have conceded in the final ten minutes which has cost them three points. They are currently situated in 11th place, just two above the R’s.

Fulham have in recent years enjoyed a lot of success against Rangers but last season the R’s took four points off our London rivals. Idrissa Sylla headed a late winner at Craven Cottage whilst Ryan Manning gave us the lead against the Whites at Loftus Road back in January only for Chris Martin to equalise late on.

Ian Holloway knows his team have a great chance of ending the first quarter of the campaign in a positive position should he and his side pick up three points this evening.

A victory would mean the R’s would almost certainly go into the international break in the top half of the table, which would be deemed as a decent start to the season considering the standard of opposition Rangers have had to face in the opening two months.

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Last Time Out
Chris Martin atoned for a missed penalty to rescue a point for Fulham in an intriguing game at Loftus Road.

Martin had been denied from the spot by a fine fingertip save by Alex Smithies, his third of that season, early on before Ryan Manning put QPR ahead.

The Republic of Ireland man, who made his debut for the club a few weeks earlier, seized on a loose pass by Kevin McDonald before slotting in his first senior goal.

After QPR were on top for most of the first half, Fulham rallied in the second period and equalised when Martin cleverly diverted in Tom Cairney's goal-bound strike.


Stats

• 33% of Fulham's conceded goals have occurred after the 75th minute this season.
• Only three teams (Cardiff City, Ipswich Town and Sheffield United) have picked up more points than QPR at home in the league this season
• 18 goals between the two clubs in the last five games (QPR 6, Fulham 12)

Manager Viewpoints
Ian Holloway: “I think they play in a marvellous way and I really like their manager. The job he has done for them has been nothing short of sensational. We are going to try to really get at Fulham - not because it’s a local derby but because it’s our style of play. We want to develop into a team that doesn’t give you much time, that disrupts you, that pins you in.”

Slaviša Jokanović: “QPR are physical, very strong and we are going to find many challenges. This season QPR have had a little bit more possession of the ball compared to last season. We did our analysis and they are one of the top teams in the category of possession of the ball. Last season when we played against them they played with five at the back and we weren’t so comfortable during the game. We must be ready for everything from QPR’s side.”

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Team News
QPR: Idrissa Sylla is available for the visit of Fulham this evening after missing the mid-week trip to Barnsley with a knee injury. James Perch (Knee) Grant Hall (tendonitis) and skipper Nedum Onuoha (hamstring) are out.

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Fulham: The Cottagers will be without influential midfielder Tom Cairney (knee), as well as forwards Floyd Ayité and Lucas Piazon (leg). Aboubakar Kamara finished the [Nottingham Forest] game with a minor problem and it is touch and go as to whether he will make the derby.


Referee
Peter Bankes: Has handed out three red cards in 12 appearances this season.

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The curse of Sky ... https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/queensparkrangers/news/46670/the-curse-is-real-–-preview

 

Cheers FT, that means you'll probably win 3-0 then

That's how it usually works with the Rangers. Plus we rarely turn up for London derbies and we've never won on the tele on a Friday night.

 

I thought that was only in your home games, you seem to be doing better away from home of late.

 

Who was that against and was it on tele on a Friday?