The Journeyman Chronicles

[chesterfan2]

On transfer deadline day we completed another couple of loan signings. One, defensive cover, in the form of 19 year old Everton centre back, Gareth Wyn Harvey, the other, Jamie Hunter, also 19, a defensive midfielder on the books of Sunderland.

We made one more signing after the transfer window closed, this one offering a contract to an unattached player. The player in question is 23 year old Cypriot international, Nico Yennaris, once on the books of Arsenal, He’s another high quality addition to the setup here, and I expect him to flourish at this level.

In other news the midweek internationals saw Rory Fallon bag his 8th goal for New Zealand and Gwion Edwards come on and create 2 goals in Wales’ 4-2 drubbing of Kazakhstan for his first senior cap. The lad, god bless him, came back buzzing. Well you would, wouldn’t you.

In fact the only downer of the international break, was the news, nearing the end of the break, that Tyler Fulton came back from his U-21 game with the flu. Even for Scotland, to get flu in early September is unlucky. Anyway we sent him home to recuperate, he’ll be out for about 10 days.

[chesterfan2]

Saturday September 10th 2016

nPower League One

Venue: Sixfields Stadium

Northampton Town (12th) vs. Crawley Town(19th)

Harvey gets a first start in Fulton’s absence, and Yennaris gets his first start also.

Only 4 minutes in and we are a goal up, Edwards feeding in Eboigbe, who still had a lot to do, but he kept his head, took it round the keeper and slotted the ball into the empty net. The work of someone bang in form I reckon.

On 19, Johan Hammar was, harshly in my completely unbiased opinion, adjudged to have pushed the Crawley forward. A penalty was awarded. Lee Nicholls guess right, however, and was able to turn the pen away.

The rest of the half passed off without further worries, we kept them at bay with ease. After half time it was much the same and whilst not being a wonderful advert for League One football it was effective and we ran out comfortable 1-0 winners.

Final Score: Northampton Town 1-0 Crawley Town

League Position: 9th

Scorers : Eboigbe

Man Of The Match: Jeff Hughes

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Harvey, Hammar , Yennaris, Hughes, Thompson , McGeouch, Edwards, Eboigbe

[chesterfan2]

Ah, go on, one last update today, away at the league leaders...

Tuesday September 13th 2016

nPower League One

Venue: Greenhous Meadow

Shrewsbury Town(1st) vs. Northampton Town (9th)

We are a little short on central defenders for this visit to the surprise league leaders Shrewsbury. Hammar is out injured, so Armstrong comes in, alongside Harvey who keeps his place from the last match. Fallon gets a now rare start up front.

With only 87 seconds on the clock we got a free kick on the right wing, ten yards from both goal line and side line. Widdowson chipped it in, and Fallon smashed it home for his 50th goal for Northampton. A nice goal to mark the milestone.

On 8 minutes, however, it was all square again as Nicholls made one good save but couldn’t get in the way as the Shrewsbury striker pounced on the rebound.

The rest of the half sped by, good football, but not many chances to speak of. At the break I told them they could win this game if they wanted to. I could see that some of them even believed that.

And we came out and played like that, unlucky not to take the lead immediately after the restart as the Shrewsbury defence somehow managed to smuggle away Kane’s cross to the far post with Fallon poised to pounce. But we didn’t let our heads drop , played by far the better football and we eventually took a deserved lead on 72, as a quick passing move found Fallon on the edge of the box, and then Edwards a couple of yards inside. The Welshman looked a yard offside, the Shrewsbury backline certainly thought so after the event, as he controlled the pass and flicked it past the onrushing keeper in one smooth movement. Offside or not, the goal stood and we were two-one up.

But just as it seemed we were going to be able to see the game out the league leaders put in one last desperate effort, and pulled a last minute equaliser out of the bag. Sickener, and with it our league position dropped from what would have been 5th, to what it actually was, 10th.

Final Score: Shrewsbury Town 2-2 Northampton Town

League Position: 10th

Scorers : Fallon, Edwards

Man Of The Match: Rory Fallon

Team: Nicholls, Kane, Widdowson, Harvey, Armstrong, Yennaris, Hughes, McGeouch, Townsend, Edwards, Fallon

[chesterfan2]

Saturday September 17th 2016

nPower League One

Venue: Griffin Park

Brentford(18th ) vs. Northampton Town (10th)

We move back to the 4-2-3-1 formation for this one, we are not scoring enough goals at the moment, so Playing this one should give us more in the way of attacking options. In the side, Weir steps in at right back, not his position, but with Kane having picked up a knock in the last match , it’s one he’s going to have to fill. Keegan steps in for a tired Edwards on the right as well.

Eboigbe had been in the press again that week, saying he wanted a run in the side. As long as he does it on the pitch I’ll keep picking him. On 11 minutes he does the thing on the pitch, taking the ball past one defender before placing his shot beyond the keeper’s flailing reach.

The game seemed within our grasp but on the half hour we gave up an equaliser, the close marking not materialising as their leading scorer was allowed a free header in the box. A well avoidable goal, but with our two first choice defenders out, what really do I expect ?

To our credit we came straight back at Brentford and were ahead again within three minutes. To get round the two defensive midfielder set up the hosts play we were pushing the ball out wide and it was from one of there we grabbed the second goal, when stand-in right back James Weir took the ball on the overlap and scored from a narrow angle for his first goal for the club.

Half time and we are a goal up. Room for Improvement I say, at least one of the older heads in the team agrees with me on that point.

But the second half is no improvement, in fact it’s quite a bit worse. On 70 minutes we gift Brentford an equaliser with a defensive shambles that neither Fulton nor Hammar would have had any part of.

The goal does finally shift us into gear in the second half and on 81 we retake the lead, Townsend the first to react when Keegan’s blistering drive was blocked by the Brentford keeper.

Somehow, somehow, we manage to do it all again. On 84 we give up another equaliser, this one a little bit better from our point of view in that their forward actually created the chance rather than simply being gifted it, and then in the 90th minute, we score our fourth goal, as we push on the ball falls to Townsend on the edge of the box and his shot goes in off the post and the back of their keeper’s head.

Hopeless defending, much better attacking, and at the end of the day, a win !

Final Score: Brentford 3-4 Northampton Town

League Position: 7th

Scorers : Eboigbe, Weir, Townsend 2

Man Of The Match: Andros Townsend

Team: Nicholls, Weir, Widdowson, Harvey, Armstrong, Hughes, Thompson, Townsend, McGeouch, Keegan, Eboigbe

[chesterfan2]

Tuesday September 20th 2016

Capital One Cup Third Round

Venue: Sixfields Stadium

Northampton Town (L1 7th) vs. Bristol City (CH 12th)

Hunter gets his first start at DM as Yennaris fills in the right back slot. McGeouch gets a rest.

Another lad starting who spends more of his time as a backup is Cyril Van Hyfte, he goes and gets his first goal for the club on our first coherent attack on 11 minutes. Swift interpassing put the full back into the box where he held off two challenges before tucking the ball away.

Just the once in the first half did we then have to resort to desperate defending but we held them at that point and all other, far less exciting, points in the half as well.

Half time, a goal up. Keep it up lads, the message.

Into the second half and on the hour Bristol are awarded a soft penalty that they had no problem in converting. Never a pen in my book, but I don’t make the decisions.

We lost Townsend to injury on 71, replaced by Keegan, but that was the highlight of the rest of the half and we went to extra time.

Nine minutes into the first period and we lose another player to injury. Rough lot this. The player is Yennaris, and he’s replaced by Weir. In the second period Hughes come on for Van Hyfte, who’s very tired by this point. The substitutions are the high point of extra time, and this one went to penalties. And as it happens we miss our first and third penalties and go out 4-2 on pens.

Final Score: Northampton Town 1 aet 1 Bristol City

Pens (2-4 Bristol City Win)

Scorers : Van Hyfte

Man Of The Match: Gareth Wyn Harvey

Team: Nicholls, Yannaris (Weir 100), Van Hyfte (Hughes 105), Harvey, Armstrong, Hunter, Jones, Thompson, Townsend (Keegan 71), Edwards, Fallon

The injury news following the game wasn’t too good either. Yennaris twisted an ankle and will be out for 4-5 weeks. Townsend pulled a hamstring and will be out for 3 months. It also wasn’t terribly good news on the league front. Whilst we were playing in the League Cup a full set of league games went ahead and as a result we are down to 10th. The silver lining to all that is that we have a game in hand on most teams, and two on a couple of them.

[chesterfan2]

Saturday September 24th 2016

nPower League One

Venue: Sixfields Stadium

Northampton Town (10th) vs. Doncaster Rovers(2nd)

The games and the injured are mounting up and I feel I have to go with some players playing in positions that don’t really suit them. Robertson on the wing in place of an exhausted Edwards, for just one example. Elsewhere in the side Morris gets his debut, as McGeouch is on the wing, covering for Townsend and Weir is once again a makeshift right back.

A bad start. A failure to mark at a free-kick in the second minute results in a sloppy goal, exactly what we didn’t need, this game was going to be difficult enough. But on 18 we grab an equaliser, equally as frustrating for their manager I’m sure as a corner isn’t cleared and in the pinball that follows Eboigbe pops up to slam the ball home.

On 39 Doncaster retake the lead, a deep cross headed home, I suppose if you have a dominant centre-forward goals really are that easy.

Well it’s not that often I really lose my temper at half time, but today was one of those days. Show me something else in the second half I roared at them. They couldn’t get out for the second half quick enough.

It took two minutes for us to get back on terms, a slick passing move that tore holes in the Doncaster defence, set Hughes free into the box, on the right, he got to the byline, cut the ball back and there was McGeouch to prod the ball home. Two all.

The rest of the half was end to end football, chances came and went, on 65 Nicholls produced a wonderful full length save to deny Doncaster from a freekick. The game, in fact, seemed destined to be a draw from the moment we equalised and that’s exactly how it turned out.

Final Score: Northampton Town 2-2 Doncaster Rovers

League Position: 11th

Scorers : Eboigbe, McGeouch

Man Of The Match: Jeff Hughes

Team: Nicholls, Weir, Widdowson, Fulton, Armstrong, Haggblom, Hughes, Morris, McGeouch, Robertson, Eboigbe

[chesterfan2]

Wednesday September 27th 2016

nPower League One

Venue: Sixfields Stadium

Northampton Town (11th) vs Portsmouth(9th)

One of our games in hand this one, a chance to move up the table, but only if we win.

As we need to win I revert to the 4-2-3-1 formation. We’ve not played it for a while, and hopefully it will give our visitors something to think about.

The first half goes by in a whirl of half-chances and missed opportunities. Nicholls is the harder worked goalkeeper as we struggle to break down Portsmouth’s defensive arrangement.

Half time, goalless, and I ask the lads to press forward that bit more, to play a bit more freely. I tell them I think we can win. They look happy and head back out.

Portsmouth continue to frustrate at the start of the second period, and if they had calmer heads would have taken the lead on 63, as a post-corner melee fell to one of their players but he blasted well wide of the open goal. We pushed forward even more, and on 73 we got some joy. A throw on the left, well forward, a cross into the box, Taylor winning the ball back, pulling it back and Eboigbe slamming the ball home from 5 yards out.

However, on 78 Widdowson gives away the ball as we raid forward again, Portsmouth broke down the field, we couldn’t get back at them and they swept the ball into the net for an equaliser. Gutting.

And that’s how the game ends as neither side can make the killer contribution to win it. We inch up a place, back to 10th, still with a game in hand on some.

Final Score: Northampton Town 1-1 Portsmouth

League Position: 10th

Scorers : Eboigbe

Man Of The Match: Jeff Hughes

Team: Nicholls, Weir, Widdowson, Harvey, Armstrong, Hughes, Thompson, McGeouch, Taylor, Edwards, Eboigbe

[chesterfan2]

Saturday October 1st 2016

nPower League One

Venue: Gresty Road

Crewe Alexandria (18th) vs. Northampton Town(10th)

Van Hyfte and Keegan come in on the left hand side and Fulton in defence to give the incumbents a rest, but otherwise we are unchanged. Crewe haven’t been in good form in recent weeks, and so I think it’s our best shot to take the game to them.

It takes until the 32nd minute for either side to create anything of note. And on 32 minutes it us that push forward down the left and Keegan plays it inside the defender for Hughes to run onto, in the box, where he strikes it first time and it sneaks in at the near post, First attack, first goal of the day. Jeff Hughes’ first goal for the club.

Once again, and this does seem to be our Achilles heel at the moment, we concede an equaliser almost immediately, poor tackling, failure to clear the ball, it’s not funny. Perhaps not funny, but definitely 1-1.

Three more minutes and we are two-one down, this one a confident Crewe move, down the left , followed by a cross turned in at the near post under pressure. Confidence that the opening goal must have given them.

Within a minute of the restart we are level, as Eboigbe takes advantage of sloppy defending to fire home from just inside the box. Two all but once again it doesn’t last, Crewe retake the lead on 39 minutes, to make it 3-2, more bad defending. Five goals in seven minutes ? bad defending. By both teams.

At half time I chuck tea cups and whatever else comes to hand at them. I am apoplectic with rage. It seems to work though, and they go out looking like business.

It takes 25 minutes to get the equaliser but on 70 minutes it finally comes, Taylor with his first goal for the club, firing home from about the penalty spot through a crowd of players. On 78 we take the lead for the first time since the 34th minute, a Keegan volley from the edge of the box eluding the keeper’s grasping dive and ending up nestled in the corner of the net.

In the third minute of injury time a mazy run by Keegan finished with a chip to Hughes who volleyed the ball in for a two goal cushion we barely deserved.

Final Score: Crewe Alex 3-5 Northampton Town

League Position: 7th

Scorers : Hughes 2, Eboigbe, Taylor, Keegan

Man Of The Match: Jordan Keegan

Team: Nicholls, Weir, Van Hyfte, Harvey, Fulton, Hughes, Thompson, Keegan, Taylor, Edwards, Eboigbe

[chesterfan2]

Tuesday October 4th 2016

Johnson’s Paint Trophy South Second Round

Venue: Sixfields

Northampton Town (L1 7th) vs. Barnet(L2 13th)

Of all the joyous things, a bye straight into the second round of the JPT. The board aren’t bothered by this trophy in the slightest, but I see it as a chance to give some lads a rest and some lads some game time. So Hammar, back from injury, gets a run out, Crump gets a go in goal, and Donaldson a go at right back, there are other changes, but I won’t bore you with them here.

A quiet start is followed by a goal out of nothing on 19 as the Barnet keeper drops a regulation deep cross at the feet of Cassidy and he makes no mistake in scoring the opener.

Jake Taylor made it two just before half time following a similarly poor piece of defending.

Half time, two up and cruising. I tell the lads they can do even better, and send them back out.

The second half was, quite frankly, awful. Very little in the way of constructive football from either side and a compete dearth of chances. If I was a paying fan I’d have wanted my money back.

Final Score: Northampton Town 2-0 Barnet

Scorers : Cassidy, Taylor

Man Of The Match: Cyril Van Hyfte

Team: Crump, Donaldson, Van Hyfte, Hammar, Fulton (Armstrong 56), Jones, Morris (McGeouch 71), Keegan, Taylor, Robertson, Cassidy

So, through to the next round, but sadly at a bit of a cost. Fulton strained something and will be out for three weeks.

Meanwhile the Peterborough chairman calls me up and offers me the manager’s job, a budget of £725,000, a maxed out wages budget and the task of getting Peterborough out of League One and into The Championship. The trouble with that is that if I look down the league table from where we sit in 7th, I have to look a long way down before I find Peterborough in 18th. I’m not even slightly tempted. I say no. The board say nothing. Maybe I won’t be as accommodating next time, the ungrateful b*stards .

In fact, the Fulham job became vacant the very next day. I sent my cv off first post.

[CCman]

Just caught up with the story chester.... Fantastic stuff and good luck with the Fulham gig.

[mark wilson27]

No gratitude at all Chester after what you've done, lets hope Fulham see the potential and offer you the chance...What League are Fulham in now?

[chesterfan2]

Thanks guys, much appreciated. Not long to wait until all is revealed !

Saturday October 15th 2016

nPower League One

Venue: The New York Stadium, Rotherham

Rotherham United (8th) vs. Northampton Town(11th)

A missed international weekend meant we were back down to 11th by the time this game happened, but with one more game in hand. We had some bad injury news to contend just prior to the match. Lee Nicholls had a back strain and would be out for three weeks, young Ryan Crump would have to continue in nets, with McCourt from the U-18 squad taking his spot on the bench.

There was one good bit of news from the physio’s room. Todd Kane was fit, and would have to return at right back. I thought his stamina would probably be found wanting without a run of matches under his belt so I made sure his stand in Weir found a place on the bench.

Five minutes gone and we are undone by the long ball over the top, their forward has pace and he used it to get clear of the defence and pick his spot. One down. That’s all the damage that actually happens in the first half but we look second best to everything, and I’m not happy as I give the half time team talk. They seem motivated, but what good will it do ?

We do play better in the second half but for all the chances we create we don’t really work the Rotherham keeper, Cassidy on 67 is the biggest culprit, heading the ball lamely into the keeper’s arms when it looked easier to score.

Final Score: Rotherham Town 1-0 Northampton Town

League Position: 12th

Scorers :

Man Of The Match: John Armstrong

Team: Crump, Kane, Van Hyfte, Hammar, Armstrong , Thompson, Hughes Keegan, Taylor, Edwards, Cassidy

Johan Hammar was injured in the game and will miss up to three weeks, leaving us even shorter at centre back. The FA Cup First Round draw was made the following day, and we got a toughie, away at Crawley Town. To finish off a bad week Osahon Eboigbe requested a transfer, stating that he saw his footballing future away from Northampton. Fine, he can go, as long as the team coming in for him meet our valuation of him, which is about three times what he is actually worth.

[chesterfan2]

Tuesday October 18th 2016

nPower League One

Venue: Sixfields

Northampton Town (12th) vs. Birmingham City (3rd)

After a slow start Birmingham City have hit form in recent weeks and climbed to third in the table. To counter their in-form strikers we switch to the 4-1-2-2-1 formation, and we hope for the best.

We set out very defensively and in the first half this approach works in as much as it limits Birmingham to a single chance, that they shot straight at Ryan Crump, they should have done a lot better with it, that’s for certain. Near the end of the half Jeff Hughes has to come off injured, and Weir replaces him, a loss to the team, I hope it’s not a bad one.

Half time and we are goalless. The dilemma here is to stay defensive and try and hold what we have, or to play more on the counter-attack. A bit more risk for the potential of a bit more reward. I thought long and hard about that one, deciding that whilst discretion might well be the better part of valour, we could do with a win, so counter-attacking it would be. To back up the change of emphasis I told the lads we could still win this. I’m not entirely sure they believed me.

The second half wasn’t as much of a spectacle for the fans as the first, no chances of note, but once again the Birmingham manager must have thought about getting his guys some extra finishing training.

Final Score: Northampton Town 0-0 Birmingham City

League Position: 14th

Scorers :

Man Of The Match: Gareth Wyn Harvey

Team: Crump, Kane, Widdowson, Harvey, Armstrong ,Hunter, Jones, Hughes (Weir 40), McGeouch, Edwards, Eboigbe

Straight after the game I got a call from Fulham chairman, James Edwards offering me the manager’s job at Craven Cottage at a rate of £13.75k per week. Fulham were, at that time 13th in The Championship and the instruction was to win promotion back to the Premier League. I’d have a transfer budget of £3.8 million and a wage budget of £650k per week (at the time wages were running at £442k per week).

A step up. A challenge. I said yes.

[mark wilson27]

You made me wait a week for an update, how rude hehehe...Good luck with Fulham mate

[chesterfan2]

Was on holiday with the kids at Disneyland Paris, that's my excuse !

Chapter Three – Down The Old King’s Road – Fulham

The following day was a day of whirlwind introductions, a meeting with the chairman, where he retold me all the things he told me on the phone, just to make it all formal, and then with Johan Lange, our Danish Assistant Manager to ask him for a team report, and then with all the coaches, who told me who to put on the loan list and which ones of the U18s I shouldn’t be offering pro terms to. I confirmed Brede Hangeland and Robert Huth as captain and vice-captain respectively.

The Championship table on my arrival looks like this:

 
| Pos   | Inf   | Team           |       | Pld   | Won   | Drn   | Lst   | For   | Ag    | G.D.  | Pts   | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 1st   |       | Wolves         |       | 14    | 9     | 4     | 1     | 23    | 14    | +9    | 31    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 2nd   |       | Derby          |       | 15    | 8     | 6     | 1     | 28    | 14    | +14   | 30    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 3rd   |       | Burnley        |       | 15    | 9     | 3     | 3     | 22    | 13    | +9    | 30    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 4th   |       | Huddersfield   |       | 15    | 9     | 2     | 4     | 22    | 16    | +6    | 29    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 5th   |       | Bournemouth    |       | 15    | 8     | 2     | 5     | 20    | 16    | +4    | 26    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 6th   |       | Tranmere       |       | 15    | 7     | 3     | 5     | 19    | 17    | +2    | 24    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 7th   |       | Blackpool      |       | 15    | 7     | 3     | 5     | 23    | 22    | +1    | 24    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 8th   |       | Swansea        |       | 15    | 5     | 8     | 2     | 21    | 17    | +4    | 23    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 9th   |       | Crystal Palace |       | 15    | 6     | 4     | 5     | 20    | 22    | -2    | 22    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 10th  |       | West Ham       |       | 15    | 5     | 6     | 4     | 16    | 14    | +2    | 21    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 11th  |       | Sunderland     |       | 15    | 4     | 8     | 3     | 25    | 21    | +4    | 20    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 12th  |       | Blackburn      |       | 15    | 5     | 4     | 6     | 21    | 23    | -2    | 19    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 13th  |       | [b]Fulham[/b]         |       | 14    | 5     | 4     | 5     | 17    | 19    | -2    | 19    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 14th  |       | Bristol City   |       | 14    | 5     | 3     | 6     | 18    | 15    | +3    | 18    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 15th  |       | Leeds          |       | 14    | 5     | 3     | 6     | 18    | 16    | +2    | 18    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 16th  |       | Ipswich        |       | 15    | 4     | 6     | 5     | 16    | 17    | -1    | 18    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 17th  |       | Leicester      |       | 15    | 4     | 5     | 6     | 20    | 19    | +1    | 17    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 18th  |       | Notts Co       |       | 15    | 4     | 5     | 6     | 15    | 19    | -4    | 17    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 19th  |       | Sheff Utd      |       | 15    | 5     | 2     | 8     | 12    | 16    | -4    | 17    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 20th  |       | Cardiff        |       | 15    | 3     | 5     | 7     | 23    | 25    | -2    | 14    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 21st  |       | Bradford       |       | 15    | 3     | 5     | 7     | 16    | 26    | -10   | 14    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 22nd  |       | Nottm Forest   |       | 15    | 2     | 7     | 6     | 15    | 23    | -8    | 13    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 23rd  |       | Middlesbrough  |       | 15    | 3     | 3     | 9     | 16    | 24    | -8    | 12    | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
| 24th  |       | Chesterfield   |       | 15    | 1     | 3     | 11    | 12    | 30    | -18   | 6     | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
|       |       |                |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       | 
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 

So we are by no means out of it, 12 points off first, 11 off automatic promotion but only 5 off a playoff spot, that should be our first aim.

[chesterfan2]

Johan Lange was soon back with the full team report he’s promised. This would go a long way towards deciding where the pennies would be spent in January.

Goalkeepers

We have three goalkeepers in the squad, including the lad in the U-18s who does an awful lot of work. He, Deogratius Luambano, really doesn’t have a future in the game, but if I’m going to have a keeper on the bench for first team games he’s going to have to cover both the Reserves and the U18s. Some help for him will be the first item on the agenda tomorrow, there must be some free agent talent out there. Anyway…

13. David Stockdale. Our first choice keeper, David, 31, is in his ninth season at Fulham and is a competent rather than outstanding stopper. Not our most pressing issue but an upgrade in this department is on the cards in January should funds allow.

1. Ross Turnbull. Ross is also 31, and is a perennial understudy. In 15 years in football he only has 77 non-loan starts at his 4 clubs. Reliable, yes. A realistic challenger for the starting spot ? No.

Defenders

20. Rhoys Wiggins, 28. Rhoys is a left back, probably our starting left back in fact. Hard-working and unflappable he’s an asset to the side. Not our best player, but nowhere near being the worst either.

3. Gabriel Cichero, 32, is a journeyman Venezuelan international left back, currently employed as back-up to Wiggins. I have no problems about putting him in when Wiggins is unfit or unavailable.

12. Denis Odoi, 28, is a Belgian full back who operates predominantly on the right side of defence, though he is incredibly versatile and can play in a number of positions. Currently the starting right back.

2. Shaun Cummings, 28, is not particularly happy that Odoi is the starting right back, he thinks the job should be his. Truth be told he’s capable of doing just that, I’m wondering if I give him a chance will he grab it with both hands ? I think he might.

5. Brede Hangeland, 35, club captain and a mainstay of central defence. He might be nearing the end of his career, but he’s been awesome so far this year, apparently, and will, I’m sure, carry on being the first name on the team sheet.

4. Robert Huth, 32, vice-captain and Brede’s usual companion in the centre of defence. Another vastly experienced player, he’s exactly the type of defender we need for the rough and tumble of The Championship.

16 Curtis Davis, 31, central defence is an area we are really strong in and Curtis is a big part of that. Vastly experienced, as are the other two, and provides real competition for places. Perhaps a back three might be the way to go ?

27. Sean Morrision, 25, A backup centre back and not too happy about it. Not quite at the same level though as the other three and destined to stay in that role. A candidate to be moved on, I think.

25. Alex Bedford, 18, a hugely promising young centre-back, one for the future and possibly a loan out for some first team experience.

Midfielders

31. Alexander Kacaniklic, 25, Our best pure left midfielder, and possibly our best player too, a tricky player who can cross a ball too. The second name on the team sheet.

15. Jordan Ibe, 20. On loan from Liverpool, Jordan is a right sided midfielder with a lot of promise. Perhaps not at the height of his powers yet, he’s still the best right sided player in the team.

11. Bryan Ruiz, 31. One of my predecessors here saw fit to give FC Twente £10.5m for Bryan’s services five years ago. He’s never brought that level of performance to the side and now is an expensive back-up. I’ll try to move him on, try to cash in before his contract expires in the summer, but I can’t see any takers.

29. Ryan Williams, 22, is an Australian right winger, who has spent previous seasons on loan at other clubs. This is his first season in the first team proper and he’s not happy about not getting first team action. He needs to learn patience as an injury to Ibe and he’s going to get a run in the team.

14. Rhys Williams, 24, is Ryan’s elder brother and a central midfielder who can also play central defence. His best role is as a ball-winning central midfielder however, and that’s what he’ll do for me.

17. Jay Spearing, 27, the club’s best defensive midfielder. A combative player I’m just not quite sure where he fits if we don’t play with a DM.

8. Pajtim Kasami, 24, a Swiss international central midfielder, he is a creative player who I think has a big role to play in this club.

18. Kerim Frei, 22, is a Turkish attacking midfielder who recently got his first cap. Unhappy that he’s not seen much playing time under the last guy. I hope to cheer him up as I think he might fit right into the tactical theme I’m currently thinking of.

Strikers

9. Jan Chramosta, 26, our top striker, a Czech international with nine goals for us so far this season. He’s very quick and ultra sharp, and he’s also out for the next two weeks with a groin strain, which very much puts into focus how short we are in this department.

19. Lassad Nouioui, Tunisian, 30, a backup striker, he’s built the latter part of his career on one good season in Spain five years ago. May play in the current striker crisis at the club, but doesn’t have a future here.

21. Moussa Dembele, 20, is a promising young French lad, but not really ready for Championship level football just yet.

10. Michal Rabusic, 27, Czech, plays the second striker role currently, but not that well. I have serious questions as to whether he is good enough even for this level of football.

22. Leon Swift, 19, A young lad, once again with bags of promise, he’s one for the subs bench, as his close control late on in games may come in very useful

24. Ellis Chant,19. Last season Ellis tore up League Two in a loan spell at Luton. He was that league’s Young Player of The Year. A fabulous talent this one, yet to make his full debut for Fulham. I think he might be ready.

A lot of things still to sort out, scouts to organise, coaching assessments to review, targets to plan, but first things first, a match.

[chesterfan2]

Wednesday October 19th 2016

nPower Championship

Venue: Craven Cottage

Fulham (13th) vs. Bristol City(14th)

Fulham seem to have been playing a lot with the old fashioned 4-4-2 formation, but that’s not the way I play and things are going to change, starting tonight. I’m liking our strength at the back and so we adopt a 5-3-2 formation, with Ellis Chant and Lassad Nouioui up front.

I tell them that if they pay their game they’ll win. Overpaid primadonnas or not they still like to be told that. However at half time they’ll see another side of me as on 10 minutes Spearing gives the ball away we then fail to put in a tackle as Bristol march down the pitch and score. What are they doing ?

The rest of the half is a forgettable mix of the poor and the idiotic. Boy do I have work to do here.

Half time and we are a goal down. I’m quite forthright in my views and tell them the first half was unacceptable. Denis Odoi at right back obviously doesn’t think this criticism applies to him and looks vacantly at the ceiling, without a care in the world. I substitute him, putting Cummingson, I know he wants a game.

We play somewhat better in the second half and on 68 minutes we fashion an equaliser, Curtis Davies popping up at a corner, and on hand when the ball drops to force the ball in from a tight angle. We get chances to win it late on, but they pass us by, and my first result as Fulham manager is a draw.

Final Score: Fulham 1-1 Bristol City

League Position: 12th

Scorers : Davies

Man Of The Match: Pajtim Kasami

Team: Stockdale, Odoi (Cummings 45), Wiggins, Huth, Hangeland ,Davies, Spearing, Williams, Kasami, Nouioui, Chant

[Spav]

Best of luck with Fulham, cf2. This has been a great read so far.

[chesterfan2]

Thanks Mate, much appreciated

Saturday October 22nd 2016

nPower Championship

Venue: The Riverside

Middlesbrough (23rd) vs. Fulham(12th)

We go into this one, away at struggling Middlesbrough in the same formation, just a little more cautious initially and the one change, Dembele in for Nouioui.

A largely forgettable first half, no chances of note for either side, an encouraging team talk at the break followed, shortly into the second period of an injury to Spearing, Kacaniklic on in his place.

The game seemed to be going nowhere until in the 63rd minute Chant took the ball down the right, passed it inside to Kacaniklic, who drove into the box and laid the ball off, leaving Dembele in the clear only ten yards out. The Frenchman steadied himself and slotted the ball home, for a very well taken goal.

On 85, and full of confidence Dembele took the ball as it broke from a defender’s challenge on Chant, he took the ball on ten yards and the hit a thirty yard drive that flew in. Definite goal of the month contender.

And that’s how the game finished a straightforward two-nil win.

Final Score: Middlesbrough 0-2 Fulham

League Position: 10th

Scorers : Dembele 2

Man Of The Match: Moussa Dembele

Team: Stockdale, Odoi , Wiggins, Huth, Hangeland ,Davies, Spearing, Williams, Kasami, Dembele, Chant

I had in the intervening days been busy in the free agent market looking for some additional talent up front, and just after the match I signed one. A player released by Liverpool at the end of his contract last season, a centre-forward, 27 who had not yet found somewhere to lay his hat for the season. Yes, we signed Andy Carroll to a three year contract, he’ll add some presence up front if nothing else.

[chesterfan2]

Wednesday October 26th 2016

Capital One Cup Fourth Round

Venue: Craven Cottage

Fulham (CH 10th) vs. Bristol City(CH 11th)

This match had penalty shoot-out written all over it from the first minute. We manages 13 shots, only two of them on target and you wouldn’t call any of them ‘highlights’. Bristol City had one of four shots on target in the entire game.

So the promised penalty shoot-out arrived, we went shot for shot, miss for miss, then Robert Huth missed the fifth penalty, his oppo didn’t and we went out of the Capital One Cup.

Final Score: Fulham 0-0 Bristol City

Bristol City win 4-3 on penalties

Scorers :

Man Of The Match: Rhys Williams

Team: Stockdale, Cummings, Wiggins, Huth, Hangeland ,Davies, Spearing, Williams, Kasami, Dembele, Carroll

[chesterfan2]

Saturday October 29th 2016

nPower Championship

Venue: Craven Cottage

Fulham (10th) vs. Tranmere Rovers (8th)

Tranmere have done well so far but their recent away form has been poor, so this is a game we needed to win. A couple of changes, mainly due to fatigue, but besides all I have a squad, I believe in using it.

The game seemed to be going the way of the previous ones in that we weren’t creating much but we were stifling the opposition chances very well also. But then on 31 stand-in left back Gabriel Cichero took the ball on the left, cut inside and unleashed an unstoppable drive from fully 35 yards that flew in. A picture goal, I hoped this would give us confidence.

Into the second half following an ‘I know you can do better’ team talk, and on 63 we crafted a move that saw Frei head against the bar, so close. But we weren’t going to be denied, on 72 Cummings found an acre of space on the right, and he whipped in a cross form deep, that saw young Ellis Chant get the lead on his defender, rise unchallenged and head home his first ever goal for Fulham. The lad was ecstatic, the crowd, as well as myself, were made up for him.

On 79 a defensive mix up saw Tranmere get a goal back. Surely we are in the Championship now, what are they doing defending worse than I saw in the Conference ? We had chances to take it back to a two goal cushion late on, didn’t take them but still ran out more comfortable winners than the score line perhaps suggested.

Final Score: Fulham 2-1 Tranmere

League Position: 9th

Scorers : Cichero, Chant

Man Of The Match: Gabriel Cichero

Team: Stockdale, Cummings , Cichero, Huth, Morrison ,Davies, Spearing, Williams, Frei, Rabusic, Chant

[chesterfan2]

Saturday November 1st 2016

nPower Championship

Venue: Meadow Lane

Notts County (17th) vs. Fulham(9th)

The games kept coming thick and fast so some player rotation for this one. And a good start, in which we were unlucky not to take the lead, was followed by a defensive howler by Huth on 10 minutes that gifted a goal to the hosts. We responded well and forced an equaliser on 17 minutes, Frei the scorer with a low shot through a crowd of players.

It was still level at half time, and I told them they could still win this game. Why that offends some people I don’t know, but I don’t go into the second half with much hope.

One big chance in the second half, as Carroll under immense amounts of pressure manages to feed the ball to Chant who could only shoot straight at the keeper, a yard either side and he would have scored what would have been a winner.

Notts Co. had a goal rightly disallowed for offside late on and the game fizzled out to an anaemic draw after that.

Final Score: Notts County 1-1 Fulham

League Position: 9th

Scorers : Frei

Man Of The Match: Kerim Frei

Team: Stockdale, Cummings , Cichero, Huth, Morrison ,Hangeland, Spearing, Williams, Frei, Carroll, Chant (Dembele 80)

After the match I went out and signed up a couple more scouts, another fitness coach, and a couple more ‘ordinary’ coaches, one of who, Andy Awford, had left Northampton when I did. He’s a good coach and if I can show him as much loyalty as he shows me then I’ll be a happy man.

I sent the scouts straight out into Europe to look for talent to buy in the January window, it does seem as though I have to rely a lot on a small number of good players. To that end I was lucky enough to spot what looks like a gem amongst the myriad of agent’s e-mails. The lad we signed is an Australian centre-back, 22, by the name of Alex Di Marzio, he has dual Italian nationality and so does not require a work permit. He’s spent the last three seasons with Brisbane Roar in Australia where he has posted some high average scores in the match averages in the local press. The coaches here have taken a good look at him and they have no qualms about putting him straight into the squad.

[chesterfan2]

Friday November 4th 2016

nPower Championship

Venue: Craven Cottage

Fulham (9th) vs. Derby County (1st)

The league leaders are the visitors for this, the televised Friday night match. I rotate as usual, and out for a rest go Hangeland and Kasami, two of our better payers. Carroll and Dembele up front, Chant on the bench. Frei and the new boy, Di Marzio in the middle of midfield. Desperate ? perhaps, I was willing to try all combinations in order to get some sort of run started.

Derby got off to a flyer thanks to the ref. He awarded them a penalty on 9 minutes. No complaints really as it was a forward’s challenge by Ibe. The lad had no problem sending Stockdale the wrong way. It was two on 18 as they broke, our lads trailing far behind and had the luxury of scoring on the rebound, their first shot having hit the post.

We pulled ourselves together a bit at this point and at least organised ourselves enough to get to half time without any further damage. At half time I shouted at them, as usual Odoi gets offended whenever I raise my voice. He’s not endearing himself to me that’s for sure.

Anyway into the second half and we are slightly better, and get a goal back on 53 as Carroll and Ibe combine to forge an opportunity for Dembele who scores from just inside the box with a well struck shot. On 65 Davies hit the bar with a header from a corner, the rebound came to nothing.

Ibe had a great chance to equalise late on, but shot straight at the keeper. The comeback wasn’t to be, and we ended up losing to the league leaders. No shame in that you might think, but if we could defend a bit better none of that would have been necessary.

Final Score: Fulham 1-2 Derby

League Position: 10th

Scorers : Dembele

Man Of The Match: Alex Di Marzio

Team: Stockdale, Odoi , Wiggins, Huth, Morrison ,Davies, Frei, Di Marzio, Ibe, Carroll, Dembele

We made one more signing the day after the match, Yalany Baio, 22 is a defensive midfielder from Liverpool that I have had my eye on for some time. When I heard he had been put on the transfer list I requested a loan move for two months with the £22,000 asking price enough to trigger a permanent move. Let’s see how he does.

[chesterfan2]

Saturday November 12th 2016

nPower Championship

Venue: Craven Cottage

Fulham (10th) vs. Leeds United (13th)

Chramosta our leading goal scorer returns tonight after a long period out. I’m not expecting him to last the ninety, but game time is what he needs. In the game he looked lively from the off and cracked the ball off the woodwork from a full 25 yards in the 5th minute.

On 29 minutes, he took the ball on the half way line again and took it half the length of the pitch before cracking a drive that the keeper did well to parry, in the confusion that followed Williams picked up the ball, passed it to Spearing who fed the ball into Chramosta, he knocked it back and Kasami was on hand to blast the ball home from the edge of the box.

Into the second half and on 48 a long ball over the top by Di Marzio found Chramosta, he was then barged in the back and a penalty was awarded. Chramosta picked the ball up, demanded to take the penalty, he did, and the keeper saved it.

On the hour we got our second. Chramosta may have a bit of an issue passing to anyone who isn’t Kasami, but on the hour it didn’t matter as Kasami was exactly who he passed to under extreme pressure inside the box, Kasami knocked it out of his feet and unleashed a powerful shot that flew past the keeper and in.

On 67 Leeds got one back, a routine cross, Stockdale flapped at it, and the Leeds lad nodded it past him into the now unguarded net. A new keeper in January is beginning to look like the most pressing need right now.

On 71 Chant limped off, to be replaced by Dembele. On 86 Dembele shot from a narrow angle, when if he had squared it both Kasami and Chramosta would have had an open goal, thus wasting a glorious chance for 3-1.

Then in the 92nd minute Leeds broke down the pitch, Stockdale came out and was beaten easily, as the forward tucked the ball under his body and into the net for a sickening, for us at least, equaliser.

Final Score: Fulham 2-2 Leeds United

League Position: 11th

Scorers : Kasami 2

Man Of The Match: Pajtim Kasami

Team: Stockdale, Cummings, Cichero, Di Marzio, Hangeland ,Davies, Spearing, Williams, Kasami, Chant (Dembele 71), Chramosta

[chesterfan2]

Friday November 18th 2016

nPower Championship

Venue: Ewood Park

Blackburn Rovers (14th) vs. Fulham(12th)

Swansea in 6th place down to Blackburn in 14th are covered by three points at the mo, so put a couple of results together and we could climb the table. That’s what I keep telling the lads, that’s what I keep telling myself. Here, once more under the TV lights, would be a good place to start.

I put Turnbull in nets on the grounds he can’t be any worse than Stockdale was in the last game, and Carroll in for Chant up front. Experience beating the power of youth on this occasion. Chant sits on the bench so this can all change.

Blackburn started brightly and had us under pressure from the off. But it was us who broke the deadlock first as Spearing won the ball inside the Blackburn half on 7 minutes, put Chramosta away, the Czech lad’s pace took him away from his marker, and his shot slid under the keeper’s body and into the net.

Blackburn hit the woodwork three times in the next 30 or so minutes whilst all we could show was a wild effort by Kasami that went nearer to the corner flag than the goal. On 41 though, Blackburn were level a cross swung in and their centre back rose in front of Turnbull and flicked it past him, 1-1.

The half time team talk was basically telling them to do better. Drawing games is no good to us. Apparently Brede Hangeland likes draws. He must do because he was offended by that, chuffing primadonna.

Second half once again started with Blackburn having the upper hand, but once again not capitalising on their dominance. On 75 we broke down the field and Andy Carroll scored his first goal for the club a rasping drive from just inside the box. We forced a string of corners late on, but didn’t manage to make anything of them, but Carroll’s goal was enough to secure us the win and, for one night only, 6th place.

Final Score: Blackburn Rovers 1-2 Fulham

League Position: 6th

Scorers : Chramosta, Carroll

Man Of The Match: Sean Cummings

Team: Turnbull, Cummings, Cichero, Di Marzio, Hangeland ,Davies, Spearing, Williams, Kasami, Carroll, Chramosta

After the rest of the matches the following day we fell back to ninth spot.

[chesterfan2]

Tuesday November 22nd 2016

nPower Championship

Venue: King Power Stadium

Leicester City (16th) vs. Fulham(9th)

Unchanged for this one, of course, as I say a run of results here will push us up the table, and get us to the point where we can satisfy the board and get promotion at the end of the season.

The first half was dull to the point of boredom. A chance Carroll probably should have done better with, easily saved by the Leicester netminder. Turnbull tipping the ball over late on when he probably could have caught it. The resultant corner easily cleared.

At half time I told them they could win. And on 53 it began to look possible as a corner wasn’t cleared, the ball pinged around a bit and Jan Chramosta was there to prod the ball over the line. Ugly but they all count. Just past the hour Leicester headed the ball against the crossbar, we then smuggled the ball away. On 64 Kasami sent Chramosta clear with a killer ball. One-on-one, the Czech forward made no mistake, 2-0.

Leicester got one back, a sharp shot through a crowded box on 69. But that was as good as it got and we ran out surprisingly comfortable 2-1 winners. Two away wins on the bounce and we were now 6th and in the last of the playoff spots.

Final Score: Leicester City 1-2 Fulham

League Position: 6th

Scorers : Chramosta 2

Man Of The Match: Pajtim Kasami

Team: Turnbull, Cummings, Cichero, Di Marzio, Hangeland ,Davies, Spearing, Williams, Kasami, Carroll, Chramosta

[chesterfan2]

Friday November 25th 2016

nPower Championship

Venue: Craven Cottage

Fulham (6th) vs. Blackpool (7th)

Davies, injured, Hangeland, exhausted and Carroll, out of form, were all dropped for this one, Huth, Morrison and Chant the ones to come in.

And it didn’t take long for one of them to make a mark as, on 6 minutes,Chramosta played in Ellis Chant and the lad held off a defender and slid the ball home. On 21 minutes it was 2 as we broke down a Blackpool attack, and switched the ball up the field really quickly, a ball from Kasami over the top dropped to Chramosta and he ran into the box with the ball and planted it in the bottom left corner. From there the rest of the half was easy, taken at a canter really.

At half time for some reason I told them they could do even better, they weren’t happy and in retrospect I can see why.

Nevertheless we carried on in the same vein. Chant got his second and our third on 65 as he got on the end of a low cross from Cummings. This brought Blackpool to life and Turnbull did well on a couple of occasions to keep them out. They did get one back eventually, on 87, with a rising shot that most keepers would have struggled with, but that was as good as it got for them. Man of the match Ellis Chant was inches over with an audacious lob late on, but the final score remained:

Final Score: Fulham 3-1 Blackpool

League Position: 5th

Scorers : Chant 2, Chramosta

Man Of The Match: Ellis Chant

Team: Turnbull, Cummings, Cichero, Di Marzio, Huth ,Morrison, Spearing, Williams, Kasami, Chant, Chramosta

The bad news was that Chramosta picked up his fifth yellow card of the season in the match and will miss the next game. Which is a shame as our next game is at home against second placed Wolves, the first of two home games that could make or break our season, the second being against third placed Huddersfield. Meanwhile in the draw for the Third Round of the FA Cup we were drawn away at League One Crewe.

[chesterfan2]

Sunday December 4th 2016

nPower Championship

Venue: Craven Cottage

Fulham (6th) vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers (3rd)

No Chramosta, and no chance of the 5-3-2 formation working, so back to one striker and the 4-2-3-1 formation. Well, it might work.

The first half was open, attacking football from both teams, some poor finishing and some good goalkeeping on both sides kept the score at nil-nil, and just as it seemed we would go in at half time with that score Kasami chipped the ball through for Chant to meet it on the half-volley and it fair screamed into the net, 44 minutes on the clock.

In the second half we played a bit more defensive, and whilst Hangeland had a running battle with the Wolves striker Ebanks-Blake our goal looked unlikely to be breached. But on 80 minutes the unthinkable happened as the Wolves midfielder hit a rising volley through a crowd of players, and it flew in. B*gger.

Was there still time ? we pushed forward, taking more risks than we probably should have in search of that elusive winner. In the 85th minute Chant burst into the box, the challenge that came in was a bit clumsy, and left Chant sprawling. The Wolves player was adamant that he played the ball. The ref was adamant that it was a penalty. Chant got up, brushed himself down and sent the keeper the wrong way to make the score 2-1.

We then went ultra defensive for the last few minutes. Wolves threw the kitchen sink at us, but in the 93rd minute we broke and a deep cross by Cummings was met by a diving Kacaniklic diving header for a 3-1 lead and no time to come back. A massive, massive, win. Brilliant.

Final Score: Fulham 3-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers

League Position: 5th

Scorers : Chant 2, Kacaniklic

Man Of The Match: Pajtim Kasami

Team: Stockdale, Cummings, Wiggins, Di Marzio, Hangeland, Spearing, Williams, Ibe, Kasami, Kacaniklic, Chant

Sean Morrison has decided his footballing future lies away from Fulham and requested to go on the transfer list. He can go on, if I get what he’s worth I can replace him with someone else, someone better.

[mark wilson27]

A good run of results going there chester, carry on at this rate and automatic promotion could be your grasp

[chesterfan2]

Cheers Mark, Now would be a good time to put in a good run, wouldn't it ???

Saturday December 10th 2016

nPower Championship

Venue: Craven Cottage

Fulham (5th) vs. Huddersfield Town (4th)

The formation did us well last time so I take the decision to stick with the 4-2-3-1. Unfortunately Ellis Chant is still suffering from a knock he picked up in the last match, but our good luck is that Jan Chramosta is back from his one game ban, and this will be our only change.

A tight battle early on this game didn’t really burst into life until we took the lead on 31 minutes, Jordan Ibe, with his first goal for Fulham the scorer after unselfish set up play by Chramosta knocked the ball into the path of his run into the box.

Half time and still a goal up, I tell them they were good, but they can always do better. It seemed to get a better response today than it has done in recent weeks, does that mean it tends to work ?

Perhaps not, within 5 mins of the restart Huddersfield were level, poor defending on two levels, one to misplace a pass in your own half and two to not be first to the rebound when his initial shot fails to go in.

It took a while to regain the lead but on 65 we managed to do it, Ibe was instrumental in this one too, as he took the ball by the full back, got it to the byline and then pulled the ball back, Kasami was there to tuck the ball away.

The rest of the game passed by with us keeping Huddersfield at arm’s length, another great victory. We stay in 5th but are now only two points behind 4th placed Huddersfield

Final Score: Fulham 2-1 Huddersfield Town

League Position: 5th

Scorers : Ibe, Kasami

Man Of The Match: Jordan Ibe

Team: Stockdale, Cummings, Wiggins, Di Marzio, Hangeland, Spearing, Williams, Ibe, Kasami, Kacaniklic, Chramosta

[chesterfan2]

Tuesday December 13th 2016

nPower Championship

Venue: Cardiff City Stadium

Cardiff City (17th) vs. Fulham(5th)

Rhys Williams is the latest player to be serving a one match ban for accumulating five yellows along the way, so his absence means a bit of a rework in midfield and utilising Di Marzio’s versatility in that he can operate as the ball winning midfielder very comfortably. That’s what he’ll do tonight.

A good start with a goal after two minutes as Ibe flicked in a Kasami corner. Cardiff were level on 7, a litany of failed challenges allowing their forward a clear shot on goal which he gratefully took. We should have been in front by half time as first Hangeland with a header against the bar and then Chramosta with a shot off the post both tested the woodwork. But miss they did and we went in on top, but level.

Into the second half and after a cagey opening quarter hour we took the lead with a mazey solo effort from the half way line as Chramosta scored, 61 minutes gone. Four minutes later and it was 3-1, Chramosta again, this time put free of the backline by an Ibe pass, he drew the keeper, committed him and slid the ball underneath him as he dived, a very well taken goal.

On 71 minutes it was 4-1, a Kacaniklic shot, parried by the keeper but only into the path of Ibe who gratefully accepted his gift and took his second of the night. Two players now on hatricks and in the last minute it was Ibe who played the through ball that allowed Chramosta to complete his hatrick.

Final Score: Cardiff City 1-5 Fulham

League Position: 5th

Scorers : Ibe 2, Chramosta 3

Man Of The Match: Jordan Ibe

Team: Stockdale, Cummings, Wiggins, Davies, Hangeland, Spearing, Di Marzio, Ibe, Kasami, Kacaniklic, Chramosta

[chesterfan2]

Saturday December 17th 2016

nPower Championship

Venue: The Boleyn Ground

West Ham United (2nd) vs. Fulham(5th)

I think a ‘Flyer’ is the term as we score after only 3 minutes and 24 seconds, the ball coming through a ruck to Ibe eight yards out, in front of goal, round the keeper and we are one-nil up.

It’s fair to say West Ham were stung into action by that and could have had an equaliser when Davies was pressured into a backpass without looking, leaving the West Ham centre forward with just the keeper to beat, he went round Stockdale and then inexplicably put his shot wide. They also headed over when it looked easier to score on 39 minutes.

It must have stung them a bit then when we got a second goal on 41 minutes, Chramosta picking open the West Ham defence with a killer pass, that put Kasami one-on-one with the keeper, and he made no mistake. 2-0.

Half time, and I tell them the same thing as I do every week when we are leading, good but you can do even better. Some of them don’t like it, you’d think they were used to that by now.

The second half sped by as West Ham contrived time and time again to not score. It couldn’t last, and it didn’t as on 77 the managed eventually to get on the scoresheet, a cross , the big lad in the middle throwing his weight around, 1-2.

We then set out to frustrate the hosts and time soon ticked round to 90 minutes. We are just into the fifth minute of three minutes of injury time and I’m screaming at the ref whilst pointing at my wrist and then the ball breaks we streak down the field and Kacaniklic sealed the win with a stinging volley from inside the box that flew into the right hand corner of the net to seal the victory. This win coupled with Huddersfield’s loss at home to Swansea mean that we are up to 4th, only 2 points behind West Ham and Wolves in second and third respectively.

Final Score: West Ham United 1-3 Fulham

League Position: 4th

Scorers : Ibe , Kasami, Kacaniklic

Man Of The Match: Jan Chramosta

Team: Stockdale, Cummings, Wiggins, Davies, Huth, Spearing, Di Marzio, Ibe, Kasami, Kacaniklic, Chramosta

[chesterfan2]

Monday December 26th 2016

nPower Championship

Venue: Craven Cottage

Fulham (4th) vs. Crystal Palace (13th)

We began this game by trying to pass Crystal Palace to death, in fact by the time we opened the scoring on 10 minutes they had hardly had a touch. The opening goal here was another Chramosta effort, turning home a Kasami cross.

That, obviously, was the main highlight of the half the other highlights just being concerned with neither side being able to score another. Half time, usual talk, usual suspects not liking it.

We sought to take the game to Palace in the second period. We tried to find a second goal but it wouldn’t happen. Palace managed one attack in the second half, in the 92nd minute. Trouble is they scored from it and we failed to take the chance to overtake Wolves and go into third.

Final Score: Fulham 1-1 Crystal Palace

League Position: 4th

Scorers : Chramosta

Man Of The Match: Rhoys Wiggins

Team: Stockdale, Cummings, Wiggins, Davies, Huth, Spearing, Di Marzio, Ibe, Kasami, Kacaniklic, Chramosta

[chesterfan2]

Saturday December 31st 2016

nPower Championship

Venue: Craven Cottage

Fulham (4th) vs. Nottingham Forest (20th)

Cichero comes in for the injured Wiggins and Williams returns after his suspension which enables me to give Di Marzio a rest. Otherwise we are unchanged.

On 21 minutes a Kasami corner, followed by the referee’s whistle, no-one know quite what for, but he quite clearly indicates he has seen a push. After waving away the protests he signals for Chramosta to step up, send the keeper the wrong way and score. 1-0.

36 minutes in and it’s two as an open passage of play by Forest sees the ball nicked by Cichero, who passed it to Kacaniklic who interchanges passes with Chramosta on the edge of the box, takes the ball on into the area and steers it into the bottom right hand corner for two-nil.

With half time rapidly approaching we add a third as Kacaniklic gets his second, this one a beauty, as he volleys the ball home as it drops over his shoulder from an Ibe cross from the right. A picture goal. But that wasn’t the end of the scoring in the first half as Chramosta takes a ball to feet from Spearing and then proceeds to turn the defender, glide into the box and dispatch the ball under the keeper’s rather half-hearted dive.

Half time, and since when does the message ‘well done, keep it up’ on the back of a 4-0 half time score, become confusing to all your players ? I honestly don’t get it, so I supplement the message with, go out there, and go for the jugular.

Forest have quite clearly had a rocket from their manager at half time, but this does not excuse our defending as we gift the a goal less than two minutes into the second half. After that we rally somewhat and re-exert our control over the match adding a fifth goal on 71 minutes, as [ibe[/b] crosses to Chramosta who controls, turns, lines up a shot and then flicks it to his left to allow Kacaniklic a simple task of shooting into the unguarded net for his hatrick, brilliant play by the Czech.

Kasami had one disallowed, correctly, for offside late on, but it made no difference. We ran out easy winners, still in fourth, now only one behind Wolves in third, and two behind West Ham in second.

Final Score: Fulham 5-1 Nottingham Forest

League Position: 4th

Scorers : Chramosta 2 (1 pen), Kacaniklic 3

Man Of The Match: Alexander Kacaniklic

Team: Stockdale, Cummings, Cichero, Davies, Huth, Spearing, Williams, Ibe, Kasami, Kacaniklic, Chramosta

So we come to January and the opening of the transfer window. But before we get into that we have a couple of awards coming into the club. Jordan Ibe is the Championship player of the Month for December, and I am Manager of the Month.

Anyway, the transfer window. A goalkeeper is our top priority. The rapid rise of Ellis Chant, and the arrival on a free of Andy Carroll, makes the need for a backup centre-forward less of a priority, so if we can sign young players with promise to give us some more depth in all areas then that would be good too. Mainly a new keeper, though.

[chesterfan2]

Monday January 2nd 2017

nPower Championship

Venue: Dean Court

Bournemouth (19th) vs. Fulham(4th)

Of course nothing says ‘festive break’ like two games in three days, but at least ours includes a trip to the south coast (though I note the penny slot arcades are not open in January), and it’s the same for all the teams.

So there are a number of changes in the starting eleven, including playing the 5-3-2 formation, though due to the lack of depth and/or fit alternatives some players are going to have to go again today. I hope that’s not going to be too detrimental to our cause.

On 18 minutes Chramosta made a characteristic driving run towards the Bournemouth box, he passed the ball into the feet of Chant who turned into the box and went over the outstretched leg of the defender. The ref had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Chramosta stepped up confidently, and slammed the ball home. The keeper never moved. That was his 20th league goal of the season.

On 26 Chant capitalised on an underhit back pass and raced in to score our second of the day. We then cruised to half time without it ever looking like Bournemouth would get back into this. Half time, and I told them to keep it up again, only two dissenting voices this time, still no idea why.

The second half flew by, we made chances and passed them up, Bournemouth still didn’t look like scoring, and we ran out comfortable winners. Wolves got an injury time winner at home to Notts County and go back to second on 57 points (leaders, Derby have 61), whilst West Ham lost at home to Bristol City, a late goal in that one too, and so drop to fourth on 55 points. We go third with 56 points on the back of our win here.

Final Score: Bournemouth 0-2 Fulham

League Position: 3rd

Scorers : Chramosta (pen), Chant

Man Of The Match: Ellis Chant

Team: Stockdale, Odoi, Cichero, Hangeland, Huth, Davies, Spearing, Williams, Kasami, Chant, Chramosta

Ajax manager Martin Jol was in the crowd at Dean Court, not to see his old team in action specifically, but instead to watch Jan Chramosta who he is interested in signing. I put the lad’s price up again, to £10 million, I don’t want to lose him.

Next up would be the FA Cup third round tie at Crewe but I wanted to address the keeper situation, and got the scouts out looking at prospective buys or loans. Late night Saturday, before the cup game on Sunday we got the first fruits of that labour, signing a young, 19 year old French goalkeeper, by the name of Noah Modeste on loan to the end of the season from French club AS Saint-Etienne. He’s very nearly as good as Stockdale skill wise but has immense amounts of potential. I think this loan has the potential to work well for both of us.

[chesterfan2]

Sunday January 8th 2017

FA Cup Third Round

Venue: The Alexandra Stadium

Crewe Alex (L1 10th) vs. Fulham(CH 3rd)

And where better place to start the young lad than in an away match in the Cup, so he starts in goal. Ibe is not allowed by Liverpool to be played in cup games so I stick Chramosta out wide and put Chant through the middle.

As you might expect Crewe came out all guns blazing, though Modeste was untroubled by these early exchanges. In attack Chramosta seemed incapable on the right of finding anyone, even payers three yards away with a pass, he gave the ball away on an epic scale. We wasted the opportunities we did get. But just as it looked like a goalless as well as entertainment-less first half Crewe went[/b] and scored, defensive error, well hit shot, keeper no chance.

Half time, and I shouted at them, it was plain, they didn’t want it.

It did, however, seem to gee them up a bit and right from the restart we were like a different side. Within three minutes we were level, a slick interpassing move, the ball out to Wiggins on the left, his low cross was met by Chant who turned the ball in.

On 78 it was Chant again, this time with a header that looped over the keeper and in from Spearing’s hopeful lob forward. In injury time, Chant broke clear of the static Crewe defence and completed his hatrick as he tucked the ball under the advancing keeper as he dived at Chant’s feet. A very calmly taken goal.

Final Score: Crewe 1-3 Fulham

Scorers : Chant 3

Man Of The Match: Ellis Chant

Team: Stockdale, Cummings, Wiggins, Hangeland, Huth, Spearing, Williams, Kacaniklic, Kasami, Chramosta, Chant

West Ham came in with an offer for Sean Morrison who had requested a transfer, it met our valuation and so I let him go, the cost to West Ham, £1.1 million, £900k of it over 36 months. That wasn’t the only transfer news affecting teams at the top of the Championship. Derby leading goalscorer Alex Nimely was a £3.6 million purchase by Everton, a good buy that by the Merseysiders. Was that a wise move by Derby ? Obviously I didn't agree having just bumped the price of my star player up in a similar circumstance.

[Gary_Parker]

Brilliant run at Fulham. Keep it up mate.

[chesterfan2]

Thanks Gary, enjoying your story too

Saturday January 14th 2017

nPower Championship

Venue: Proact Stadium, Chesterfield

Chesterfield (24th) vs. Fulham(3rd)

Chesterfield have had a woeful first two-thirds of the season and lie well adrift of safety at the bottom of the table. So not a game we should lose, or indeed not a game we should fail to win, but banana-skins have come in even better disguises for unwary teams in the past, so I need to make sure it’s not us that falls into that trap this time.

We easily dealt with Chesterfield’s early attempts to come roaring out of the blocks, and soon set up an attack of our own. Spearing passed the ball into Kasami right on the edge of the box, the defender slid through the back of him and the ref, much to the Chesterfield bench’s consternation, pointed at the spot. They, like I, though the challenge was outside the box, but Chramosta isn’t the one to look a gift horse in the mouth and we were presently one goal up. 5 minutes on the clock at that point.

We then had a set-back with Spearing picking up two yellows in a matter of minutes. On 38 he was off, I sacrificed Kasami and Di Marzio came on the shore up the midfield.

At half time we reorganised the formation slightly and got them to think in a more defensive mindset. Told them not to get complacent either.

We did ok in the second half, Chesterfield not really making any forward progress despite holding the ball a fair amount. After the hour mark we pushed forward a little, and were instantly rewarded as Di Marzio capped a fine passing move with his first league goal for the club.

We sat back after that and ran out untroubled 2-0 winners.

Final Score: Chesterfield 0-2 Fulham

League Position: 3rd

Scorers : Chramosta (pen), Di Marzio

Man Of The Match: Rhoys Wiggins

Team: Stockdale, Cummings, Wiggins, Hangeland, Huth, Spearing (off 38), Williams, Kacaniklic, Kasami (Di Marzio 38), Ibe, Chramosta

What with Spearing facing at least one match out due to suspension and Di Marzio picking up a minor knock near the end of the game I thought it wise to bring in some midfield cover on loan. The player I selected this time was 19 year old Frenchman Boubacar Bomba a versatile player on the books of LOSC Lille. We also tried to sign another goalie, but got into a bidding war that I eventually fought shy of, back to the drawing board in that search.

[chesterfan2]

Saturday January 21st 2017

FA Cup Fourth Round

Venue: Craven Cottage

Fulham (CH 3rd) vs. Southampton(PRM 7th)

The day before the game disaster struck in that Rhys Williams pulled a hamstring in training and would miss three weeks. This forced me to go into the match with a changed formation. The fit players we had better fitted the 5-3-2 formation, with Kacaniklic playing as the man behind the strikers and Kasami and a less than match fit Di Marzio in the centre of the park.

Yet even with the changes I made we played well, and more than held our own against the Premier League side, chances were at a premium during the first half and so it was no surprise that the half ended, as it began, goalless.

I told them, at the break, to go out and get the one goal we’d need to win this game. On 48 minutes we did just that, a slick move, precise passing and direct movement ended with a Kacaniklic shot being parried, but only as far as Rhoys Wiggins, in off the wing, who belted the ball into the inviting net. On 64 we scored a second goal, a simple one this. A Kasami corner, headed in, at the near post, by Curtis Davies and we were two up.

With 15 minutes to go we added a third, and what a goal this was. Chramosta took the ball on the left wing just inside the Southampton half, there he cut inside the full back and used his blazing speed to go past two more defenders before knocking the ball out of his feet as he reached the edge of the box and fired home a laser-beam of a drive, straight into the top right corner. Awesome stuff.

87 minutes and Southampton get a late consolation goal, but it was too little too late and we progress to the fifth round of the cup.

Final Score: Fulham 3-1 Southampton

Scorers : Wiggins, Davies, Chramosta

Man Of The Match: Patjim Kasami

Team: Stockdale, Cummings, Wiggins, Davies, Huth, Hangeland, Di Marzio, Kasami, Kacaniklic, Chant, Chramosta

The fifth round draw followed. An away tie at Liverpool our reward, should be fun, if not terribly profitable !

In the run up to the next game we finally purchased one of our goalkeeping targets. The one we chose in the end was Lars Bruns, a 21 year old German keeper, bought for £3.1 million from German side Sandhausen.

[greekgeorge]

Great result there. Keep it up.

I see you're playing both 4-2-3-1 and 5-3-2. Isn't it a bit hard for the players to get used to two rather different formations?

[CamillePunk]

Finally caught up on this so I can comment! Great campaigns mate, highly enjoyable read. Good luck securing promotion!

[chesterfan2]

Thanks Camille, and thanks George, I don't tend to put in every match report the formation used, only when the team changes make a bit of explanation necessary. Essentially I started at Fulham with the 5-3-2, as that was the formation that looked the best with the players I had, but Chramosta plays well as a lone striker, so I soon changed to that, but as you'll see coming up, the tactical genius doesn't always work !

Saturday January 28th 2017

nPower Championship

Venue: Craven Cottage

Fulham (3rd) vs. Burnley (13th)

Burnley play with a 4-2-3-1 formation, just like the one we use. Because the 5-3-2 doesn’t tend to cope to well against it I opt to change the formation so that we fight fire with fire.

The first half merely showed that two teams playing the same formation can produce some mind-numbingly poor football. The first 45 was poor, and goalless. I told them they could still win the game at the break, I’m not sure they believed me.

Truth be told the second period was no better than the first, no real chances for either team for the entire 90, it’s the fans I feel sorry for.

But it wasn’t all bad, whilst we were drawing at home, Wolves were losing away to Leeds, with that one point gain we go second on goal difference.

Final Score: Fulham 0-0 Burnley

League Position: 2nd

Scorers :

Man Of The Match: Brede Hangeland

Team: Stockdale, Cummings, Wiggins, Huth, Hangeland, Spearing, Di Marzio, Ibe, Kasami, Kacaniklic, Chramosta

[chesterfan2]

Transfer deadline day, and the question in my mind would I be able to keep hold of Jan Chramosta. Chramosta opened up the day by going to the press and telling them he thought I was putting too high an asking price on him. Well, there was a reason for that; Martin Jol of Ajax had been to four of our last five games to have a look at him. I had responded by raising his price from the £6.75m he was really worth to an asking price of £13.75million, still, apparently, they were interested. In order to try and steel myself for that eventuality I sent out my scouts to look for replacements.

In the end it was a quiet transfer deadline day as far as we were concerned. No players out but we did add three new loan players to the group, Bebeto Ndongala, a midfielder from Olympic Lyonnais, Marco Marconi a central defender from AC Milan and Kaito Sansone, a striker from Girondins Bordeaux, all three were 19 and all were intended as backup for the run in to the end of the season.

[chesterfan2]

Saturday February 4th 2017

nPower Championship

Venue: Valley Parade, Bradford

Bradford City (23rd) vs. Fulham(2nd)

Bruns will make his debut in goal today. I hope he’s going to become Fulham’s starting keeper for the next few years, so the idea is to start him as soon as we are able.

Also this is a game we should win, so it was comforting when we got on top early and went into a 12th minute lead, Kasami paying a one-two with Chramosta before firing it under the keepers dive from just inside the box. On 26 it was two as a Kasami corner to the near post was bundled home by Davies.

Half time and two up. Goal difference might well be important here so I ask the guys to be a bit more aggressive. I tell them they can do better, which a couple of them quite clearly don’t like.

The start of the second half didn’t go as well as I’d hoped. We were listless and uninventive, created nothing. On the hour mark Bradford broke down the field and scored. We got our heads down after that and Ellis Chant missed a couple of presentable chances towards the end of the game and it was up to Chramosta to secure the win with a third goal in injury time. Derby don’t play until tomorrow, so for now we lie top of the Championship table.

Final Score: Bradford 1-3 Fulham

League Position: 1st

Scorers : Kasami, Davies, Chramosta

Man Of The Match: Pajtim Kasami

Team: Bruns, Cummings, Wiggins, Huth, Hangeland, Davies, Spearing, Di Marzio, Kasami, Chant, Chramosta

[chesterfan2]

Sunday February 12th 2017

FA Cup Fifth Round

Venue: Anfield

Liverpool (PRM 8th) vs. Fulham (CH 1st)

A difficult game this, by any stretch of the imagination. Liverpool aren’t anymore the force in the Premiership that they once were, but they should still be a formidable force at home. To counter this we come out in the 4-1-2-2-1 formation with Liverpool old boy Jay Spearing as the defensive midfielder sitting in front of the back four. Besides which, Derby had lost their game the previous Sunday, and so we went into this one with the confidence that being leaders of the league gives you.

It didn’t start too well as Ellis Chant picked up a bit of a knock on 3, he told us he thought he could run it off and so we kept him out there. A good decision as, on 11, he played his part, with a devastating through ball, in the move which got us the opening goal, Kasami coming in from the right wing the scorer, firing under the keeper’s body from ten yards out.

Liverpool equalised direct from a free-kick, curled round the end of the wall, on 33, a bit against the run of play in my view. To our credit we didn’t buckle at that point and we saw out a period of Liverpool pressure to half time in some comfort.

Half time, I told the lads to go out and play like the underdogs we were, and play with some heart, you could see them glow as they went out for the second half.

On 56 we had a free-kick just outside the box of our own, Kasami stepped up to take it and thundered the ball against the cross bar, their keeper static. On the hour Liverpool got an old-fashioned decision, penalty to them at the Kop end. Never was. Never. They had no problem scoring it, and we were 2-1 down.

We tried our best to come back, and forced Liverpool onto the defensive but an equaliser wasn’t going to come and Liverpool progress to Round Six.

Final Score: Liverpool 2-1 Fulham

Scorers : Kasami

Man Of The Match: Alex Di Marzio

Team: Bruns, Cummings, Wiggins, Huth, Hangeland, Spearing, Di Marzio, Williams, Kasami, Kacaniklic, Chant

[mark wilson27]

Looking very good so far chester, despite the cup loss however that could be a good thing for you as you can now concentrate on playing Liverpool in the Premiership next season

[chesterfan2]

Thanks Mark, the loss at Anfield was hardly unexpected, but at least we gave them a game of it, which was nice.

Wednesday February 15th 2017

nPower Championship

Venue: Craven Cottage

Fulham (1st) vs. Ipswich Town (6th)

The game began at 100 miles an hour, the ball pinging about, neither side able to get much of a foothold. Slowly we began to establish ourselves in a period on top, and we were able to capitalise on that period of ascendancy with a goal. Scored on 14 minutes, Kasami was the scorer, Ibe heavily involved in the build-up. Just before the 20 minute mark we made it two, Kasami working down the left, into Kacaniklic, who played it across the face of the goal for Chramosta the opportunity to turn the ball in, which he did with ease.

After that initial spell, Ipswich rallied and rarely looked troubled again in that half, we went in a comfortable two goals up, but I felt we could have done even better. I told them that, not too sure they appreciated it.

The second half flew by, no more than half chances to either side right up until then end. Then, in the second minute of injury time, Jan Chramosta was the recipient of a fine defence splitting pass by Kasami and he made no mistake from ten yards out, and we were three goals up.

Final Score: Fulham 3-0 Ipswich Town

League Position: 1st

Scorers : Kasami, Chramosta 2

Man Of The Match: Jan Chramosta

Team: Stockdale, Cummings, Wiggins, Huth, Davies, Spearing (Bomba 72), Williams (Di Marzio 80), Kacaniklic, Kasami, Ibe, Chramosta

[chesterfan2]

Saturday February 25th 2017

nPower Championship

Venue: Bramall Lane

Sheffield United (14th) vs. Fulham(2nd)

In the Friday night match Wolves had been victorious and so leapfrogged us into first spot. We’d need to win this to reclaim top spot.

Sheffield United started very strongly and might well have had a goal in the first minute save for a glaring miss. It then took us a long time to get started in the game, and only on the 40 minute mark did we actually put together an attack, fortunately it resulted in a goal, Kasami’s shot parried by the keeper, but only into the path of Chramosta who had no bother in putting the ball into the open goal for his 25th league goal of the campaign.

Half time soon came around, with us still a goal up. Once again I told them they could do better, once again I go some unhappy faces in response.

On 56 a defensive error by Davies let in the United striker and it was 1-1. This rocked us slightly but eventually we got back onto the offensive. On 69 minutes we worked the ball to Kacaniklic on the left and he drove to the byline and crossed to the middle, Ibe was in there, but there was chaos in the box as the ball pinged around, quickly the ball fell at Chramosta’s feet and the ball was dispatched into the net, 2-1 up.

The Czech striker got his hatrick in style on 75 minutes as he volleyed home a Kasami corner. That was it for the scoring though the United keeper to produce a wonderful save to deny Kasami in injury time. We ran out 3-1 winners, and returned to the top, and improved our goal difference by one goal.

Final Score: Sheffield United 1-3 Fulham

League Position: 1st

Scorers : Chramosta 3

Man Of The Match: Jan Chramosta

Team: Bruns, Cummings, Wiggins, Huth, Davies, Spearing , Williams, Kacaniklic, Kasami, Ibe, Chramosta

Our midweek game wasn’t until Wednesday March 1st, and on the previous night Wolves could only draw, so whilst they did go back to the top, they were only ahead of us by a single point, and we had the Wednesday night game in hand. Before that though the monthly awards were announced, I was Manager of the Month again, and Jan Chramosta was the Player of the Month, well deserved that one.

[chesterfan2]

Wednesday March 1st 2017

nPower Championship

Venue: Craven Cottage

Fulham (2nd) vs. Swansea City (8th)

It was an unimpressive start to the game, the fans would not have got much in the way of entertainment out of the first 15 minutes of this game. On 17 minutes, though, the game burst into life as we managed to get the ball up to Chramosta, his shot was blocked, but Kasami powered home the rebound, his tenth of the season.

The lead didn’t last as we had a penalty awarded against us on 33, again not much too it, but I guess I can see how the ref was fooled into giving that one. No mistake on the pen, from the big lad up front for Swansea and we were level again.

One all at half time, and I tell them how disappointed I am with that performance. I also take off Spearing, booked in the 14th minute and spoken to by the ref twice since then, and replaced him with the loanee Bomba.

The second half was dire, no chances to either team, no sign of either team really wanting to win the game. The game finished 1-1, we go back top, but this was an opportunity missed.

Final Score: Fulham 1-1 Swansea

League Position: 1st

Scorers : Kasami

Man Of The Match: Rhoys Wiggins

Team: Bruns, Cummings, Wiggins, Huth, Hangeland, Davies, Spearing (Bomba 45), Williams, Kasami, Sansone, Chramosta

[chesterfan2]

Saturday March 4th 2017

nPower Championship

Venue: The Stadium of Light

Sunderland (11th) vs. Fulham(2nd)

Once again Wolves had featured in the Friday night match, this time they had made no mistake and won the match, so we needed to win to keep pace, and this match wasn’t necessarily going to be easy. Sunderland have been a bit Jeckel and Hyde this season, at times awesome and at times pathetic. We could only hope they were in the mood for the latter, today.

Chant out with a knock last week still wasn’t quite fit enough for 90 minutes, so he’d feature on the bench. And we gave a début to Bebeto Ndongala on loan from Olympic Lyonnais, in the middle of the park as the ball winning midfielder.

An up and down first half followed, Sunderland were awarded a penalty on 11 , after a clear trip by Hangeland, but they missed it. We opened the scoring on 31, Kacaniklic with the goal, prodding the ball home after a Chramosta shot was parried by the keeper. Then, just as it looked like we’d get through to half time a goal up, hesitation in our defence allowed the Sunderland striker to get between two men and have a simple job of diverting the ball past Bruns.

One all at half time. We could be doing better, but all hope was not lost. I told them we could still win, and to go out and attack.

The second half proved to be a disappointment. Bruns kept us in the match with a couple of good saves and Ibe and Chramosta were guilty of glaring misses near the end. It ended 1-1 and we lose ground on the leaders.

Final Score: Sunderland 1-1 Fulham

League Position: 2nd

Scorers : Kacaniklic

Man Of The Match: Brede Hangeland

Team: Bruns, Cummings, Wiggins, Huth, Hangeland, Spearing , Ndongala, Kasami, Ibe, Kacaniklic, Chramosta

Spearing was booked again during the match, his tenth of the season. That means a two game ban. More bad news followed later in the week, Chant crocked himself in training, a twisted ankle, and will be out for a month.