Fulham 1:2 Manchester City: Mancini’s Road Warriors Take All Three
Even the most ardent supporter of Mark Hughes must admit that Roberto Mancini has had a positive impact on the club’s results. Under Hughes, City was inept away from home. On the current three game Premier League road trip, the Blues went undefeated and picked up seven points, continuing a strong push for the 4th and final Champions League spot.
Joleon Lescott’s late scratch denied the defender the opportunity to audition at left back for Fabio Capello, but Javier Garrido filled in admirably. City’s shape was helped by the presence of Patrick Vieira who despite several clumsy fouls, positioned himself particularly well in the deep lying midfield position. Vincent Kompany continued his recent outstanding form helping to organize the backlin. Kolo Toure’s return was a successful one, although their were several occasions where the Ivorian looked out of position only to recover quickly.
Going forward, the wide play provided by Adam Johnson and Craig Bellamy was outstanding and as always Carlos Tevez was on the mark. Seven points from a three match road trip is the type of form that puts a club into Europe or even title contention. Let’s hope this proves true for City.
Usual Managerial Rumours Springing Up
What is it about the City manager’s role that seems to take precedence around springtime?
In the spring of 2008, then chairman Thaksin Shinawatra said he would conduct a ‘review’ of the season. That was taken as a sign that Sven’s job was in jeopardy and the final games of the season were played under a cloud as the players and supporters wondered if he would be in charge the following season. Of course he was later sacked regardless of the fact that he’d led the blues into Europe at the first time of asking, albeit by the Fair Play league.
Last spring, Sven’s replacement Mark Hughes’ future was thrown into doubt despite leading the blues to the quarter finals of the UEFA Cup. An abundance of names were thrown into the frame before Hughes’ future had been decided and only stopped when chairman Khaldoon Al Muburak declared that Hughes would remain in charge for the forthcoming season.
Now Roberto Mancini’s job is being questioned, only this time it is who he will be replacing in Italy mixed with who will be replacing him at Eastlands.
Just recently, Jose Mourinho has been touted as returning to England to possibly replace Mancini in the City hotseat. This would surely have ruffled the Italian but no as he is apparently being offered the Juventus job, his old role at Inter Milan and even manager of the Italian national side.
To be linked with the Italy job must be an honour but Mancini is experienced enough to know that any potential move would not take place until after the World Cup or at the very earliest, at the end of the football season so why start with the rumours now?
And to hear stories of Mourinho returning to England with City a possible destination must be frustrating and unsettling to the players. The City dressing room has had too much upheaval in recent years without yet another unwanted, and quite frankly, unnecessary managerial change.
Mancini can do the job for us and is capable of ending our silverware drought. Many loyal blues still doubt his ability to manage at the highest level of English football and some results since he took over will not have done much to endear him to their hearts.
But it’s not like we’re suddenly fighting relegation or dropped down into mid table. We’re still in the frame for a place in Europe and although we would prefer the Champions League, would we really grumble if it was fifth place and another crack at the Europa League?
So why can’t Mancini be allowed to finish the season without rumours about his future? Allow him to get on with his job and judge him at the end of the season and hopefully by then we’ll have place in Europe and he’ll have won the doubters over and silenced the rumour mongers.
But only until next spring of course.
Mancini – We Deserved To Win
City manager Roberto Mancini hailed City’s 2-1 win at Craven Cottage which moved the blues into fifth in the league and within touching distance of fourth place.
The Italian oversaw City’s fifth away win of the season and said “We played a good game. We deserved the win.”
City scored both their goals in the first half through Roque Santa Cruz and Carlos Tevez but the Italian knows the blues need to be more ruthless in front of goal rather than make it harder than it should be. “We started well, scored two great goals and had many chances to make the game safe a long time before Fulham scored. I thought the whole team played really well, but we needed to take one of the chances early in the second half.”
City could move into fourth spot on Wednesday with victory over Everton and Mancini looked ahead to the game and the remainder of the season. “We must think game after game. We have won this but on Wednesday we have a hard match against Everton. There will be a fight until the end of the season.”
The blues chances of qualifying for Europe were given a huge boost by United, who came from behind to beat Liverpool 2-1 at Old Trafford, a result that moved the blues two points clear of the Merseysiders with two games in hand.
Blues Bring Fulham Back To Earth
City reminded Fulham of the harsh realities of the Premiership with a well deserved victory at Craven Cottage.
The Cottagers European adventure continued after a sensational 5-4 aggregate win over Juventus on Thursday evening but City showed exactly why they are pushing for a top four place with a clinical display.
But City have defender Kolo Toure to thank for avoiding a goal for Fulham which set up City’s opener. Zoltan Gera squeezed the ball beyond Shay Given but Toure to cleared off the line and set up a counter attack which was almost finished by Craig Bellamy. His shot struck the post but the rebound fell kindly for Roque Santa Cruz to tap in his fourth goal for the blues.
City would have expected a flourish from the home side, but Fulham offered little and it was no surprise when Carlos Tevez doubled the lead ten minutes from the break. Bellamy was again the architect on the left wing, crossing for the Argentine who turned future United defender Chris Smalling to bury the ball beyond Mark Schwarzer to send the blues in at half time two up.
It was the 22nd goal of a very successful season for the Argentine and has fully justified his move to Manchester from Trafford in the summer. Adam Johnson, last minute hero at Sunderland last week, came close to making it 3-0 midway through the second half but his dipping shot crashed against the post.
But with fifteen minutes remaining, Fulham were handed an unexpected lifeline. A cross from Chris Baird struck Gareth Barry and the referee adjudged it to strike his hand and awarded Fulham a penalty which Danny Murphy duly dispatched.
Fulham’s attempt at an equaliser also came to fruition when substitute Stefan Okaka struck the ball wide from ten yards out while in the final moments of injury time, Fulham appealed for another penalty after Bjorn Helge Riise’s cross struck Vincent Kompany on the arm but the referee turned down the home side’s appeals.
After Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford, City move back into fifth in the Premier League, just two points behind Spurs with a game in hand and the attention will now turn to Wednesday’s home game against Everton, which could see the blues move into the top four with eight games remaining.
Team News: Fulham v City
City go to Fulham eager to make ground on Spurs who are now sitting five points clear of the blues in fourth after their 2-1 win at Stoke on Saturday. Liverpool, who are one point ahead of City in fifth, travel to Old Trafford looking to repeat last year’s impressive 4-1 win over United.
The blues go to Craven Cottage without striker Emmanuel Adebayor, who is in the middle of a four match suspension following his sending off against Stoke in the FA Cup. Also missing from the side are Michael Johnson and Martin Petrov, who are both out with knee injuries. Wayne Bridge is also sidelined with a hernia.
Bridge’s absence could give Javier Garrido the chance to impress at left back. The Spaniard was signed by former manager Sven Goran Eriksson in 2008 but his appearances in a blue shirt have been limited.
For Fulham, Andrew Johnson and John Pantsil are definitely out while former City man Dickson Etuhu and David Elm are doubtful for the game.
Possible Starting XI:
Fulham: Schwarzer, Kelly, Hangeland, Hughes, Shorey, Davies, Murphy, Baird, Dempsey, Gera, Zamora.
Manchester City: Given, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Garrido, Wright-Phillips, Zabaleta, De Jong, Barry, Bellamy, Tevez
Danger Man: Bobby Zamora
The former Brighton man has scored 16 goals this season and is rapidly showing he is a handful for any defence.
League Form (Last Five):
Fulham: DWWDL
City: WDDWD
Last Seasons Result:
Fulham 1-1 City
Over The Blue Moon Prediction: Fulham 1-3 City
Fulham will still be on a high after their midweek European win and City should take full advantage and bring them back to Earth
Spurs Win Shifts Pressure To Blues
City’s game at Fulham on Sunday will be vital in the battle for fourth place in the Premiership after Saturday’s results.
Fourth place Spurs beat Stoke 2-1 at the Britannia Stadium to open up a five point lead over City but have now played two games extra. But Aston Villa threw away the chance to overtake City with a 2-2 draw at home to relegation battling Wolves.
Spurs took the lead a minute into the second half and, despite an equalising penalty from Stoke, went on to win the game with the winner coming from Nico Kranjcar with 13 minutes remaining.
It leaves City needing to win at Fulham and beat Everton in midweek in order to overtake the North London club. Should the blues keep the pressure of Spurs, it will give added spice when the two meet at Eastlands in the penultimate game of the season.
Aston Villa meanwhile moved level on points with City having played a game extra. Villa took the lead after 16 minutes but found themselves 2-1 down to their Midlands rivals by half time. But a John Carew equaliser eight minutes from time salvaged a point for Villa.
The results leave City under pressure to get a decent result themselves at Craven Cottage and, although a draw would not be a disaster, it is imperative that we avoid a defeat that will make our chances of a fourth place finish that little more difficult.
Fulham Preview
Roy Hodgson is the type of Manager that Manchester City’s high priced squad would excel under. An English tactical maestro, who has lots of continental football management experience, Hodgson is as good as an English manager gets.
City, however have chosen a manager who as recently as 2007 downplayed the role of tactics in favor of player psychology. No doubt in my mind, that many of the non-British players in the squad have excelled under Mancini, but the form of the Gareth Barry among others causes concern.
Fulham is coming off one of the biggest nights in the club’s long history: a European triumph over Juventus. Just a few years ago, the thought of the likes of Juve playing a meaningful match at Craven Cottage was a fantasy of the highest order. But today, under Hodgson, the Cottagers are flying.
October’s reverse fixture at Eastlands exposed the frailties of the Blues under Mark Hughes. Conceding a two goal lead at home and allowing countless chances for Fulham to score even more than the two second half goals they tallied. Whatever Manicini has done tactically or psychologically, a significant change is that it is often City that is playing from behind and gutting out results, not the opposite which was os often the case under Hughes.
This match will tell us a great deal about City’s quest for fourth position. A victory, and the Citizens are well on track to grab fourth, a draw and we’re still very much part of the discussion. A loss means perhaps we’ll be dreaming of replicating Fulham’s good fortune in this season’s Europa League at this time next year.
The Opposition – Fulham
Fulham currently lie tenth in the Premier League and over the last couple of years have become a strong Premiership outfit.
Like City last season, Fulham kicked off their campaign in a Europa League qualifying round in July and have subsequently advanced to the quarter finals of the competition, thanks to a stunning 4-1 second leg victory over Juventus after trailing 3-1 from the first leg.
Their home form at home is one of the best from the mid table teams, having won nine and lost three, but it is their defensive record that is impressive. From their 14 games at Craven Cottage, Fulham have conceded just nine goals, bettered only by Manchester United with eight.
Fulham are a team always capable of springing a surprise result against the top sides. This season, they recorded a stunning 3-0 win over United but Thursday’s result over Juventus might just eclipse it.
Manager – Roy Hodgson
Former Blackburn boss Hodgson has rejuvenated Fulham and has turned the club from relegation candidates to European contenders in under two years.
Taking over the reigns in December 2007, Hodgson guided the club away from the relegation zone. It wasn’t the easiest of tasks and in April 2008, Fulham were 2-0 down at City and virtually relegated. However, three second half goals turned the game around and Fulham went on to secure their Premier League status on the last day of the season.
The following season, Hodgson secured European football at Craven Cottage, guiding them to seventh in the Premier League.
Star Players
Former Brighton and West Ham striker Bobby Zamora is a constant threat in front of goal and Zolton Gera showed City in the League Cup exactly what he is capable of.
Ground – Craven Cottage
Fulham have occupied Craven Cottage since it was opened in 1896 and is located right on the bank of the River Thames. Its current capacity is 25,700
Meaningless Facts
This isn’t the first meeting of the two managers. They met in Serie A when Mancini managed Fiorentina and Hodgson was boss of Udinese in 2001.
Fulham are the oldest professional football team in London, having being founded in 1879.
Fulham are generally known as The Cottagers, but other nicknames include The Whites and The Lillywhites.
The club have reached the FA Cup final on just one occasion, losing 2-0 to West Ham in 1975.
Fulham’s club mascot, Billy the Badger, is a bit of a rebel. In February 2008, referee Chris Foy sent him off for breakdancing in the corner of the pitch after the game had started. He later blamed his ‘poor badger hearing’ for the offence and in March 2009, he risked the wrath of the referee after walking across the goal during a game.
Fulham Match Statistics
City travel to Fulham on Sunday, defending a three game unbeaten run against the West London club on their own soil.
The last time the blues lost a game at Craven Cottage was in November 2005, when a Lee Croft goal was City’s consolation in a 2-1 defeat. But City have beaten Fulham twice away from home. In December 2002, a Nicolas Anelka goal was enough to bring three points back to Eastlands, while Joey Barton, DaMarcus Beasley and Darius Vassell all scored in a vital 3-1 in April 2007.
The two teams have played out four draws in London. In September 2003, Anelka and Paolo Wanchope scored in a 2-2 draw while the following season Claudio Reyna grabbed City’s goal in a 1-1 draw. Martin Petrov got a brace and Emile Mpenza the other in a 3-3 draw in September 2007 and Benjani scored City’s first headed goal of the season in a 1-1 draw in December 2008.
Outside the Premiership, City have travelled to Fulham on 17 occasions, with eight games being played in the old division one, the last of which was in December 1984 when the blues were beaten 3-2.
In all competitions, the statistics are very close. City have won seven games while Fulham have won eleven, with the blues scoring 42 goals to Fulham’s 48.
City’s playing Record at Fulham
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
| Premier League | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 10 |
| First Division (Old) | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 17 | 19 |
| Second Division (Old) | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 16 |
| First Division (New) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Second Division (New) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| League Totals | 24 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 42 | 48 |
| FA Cup | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| League Cup | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Europe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Others | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| War | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| OVERALL TOTALS | 26 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 45 | 54 |
Other Match facts
City have a better Premier League record at Fulham than they do at home. City have won two at home but have been beaten three times.
The biggest win involving these two sides have always included five goals. City’s biggest win at Craven Cottage was 5-2 in January 1927.
City’s heaviest defeat was as recent as 1984, when a Neil McNab goal was City’s only consolation in a 5-1 drubbing in West London.
The highest attendance for this fixture was for an FA Cup tie in February 1908, when the blues were beaten 3-1 in front of 37,000 crowd.
The lowest attendance was in December 1984 when just 6,874 watched the two teams meet for the last time for fourteen years.
Stats Courtesy of www.mcfcstats.com
The Race For Fourth – The Run In
Sunday’s game at Fulham sees the blues enter their final ten games with Champions League football next season a big possibility.
The blues still have a game in hand on Spurs, which will be played on Wednesday at home to Everton, and two games on Liverpool, with Spurs still to Visit Eastlands.
Liverpool will still have the distraction of the Europa League after their 3-0 win over Lille on Thursday sent them into a quarter final tie with Benfica and the still have to go to Old Trafford on Sunday in a ‘lesser of the two evils’ game which City fans will be hoping ends in a draw, while Spurs travel to Stoke on Saturday. If all results go our way, City will take pole position on Sunday providing they pick up three points at Craven Cottage.
Other than the game at Eastlands, Spurs have trips to Sunderland, West Ham, Man Utd and Burnley, while their home games consist of Portsmouth, Arsenal, Chelsea and Bolton as well as an FA Cup quarter final replay against Fulham and any subsequent FA Cup ties.
After facing United, Liverpool travel to Birmingham, Burnley and Hull while their home games consist of Sunderland, Fulham, West Ham and Chelsea, as well as the ties against Benfica and any subsequent ties.
Aston Villa could also potentially derail any City bid for fourth, with home games against Wolves, Sunderland, Everton, Birmingham and Blackburn, while on their travels they visit Chelsea, Bolton, Portsmouth and Hull before their final away game at Eastlands. They also have Chelsea in the FA Cup semi final.
With no cup distractions and a game or two in hand, there should be no reason why the blues can’t give that little bit extra and claim that last fourth spot in the League.
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