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Scott Parker probably did not expect Wednesday night to bring him automatic promotion. He needed West Bromwich Albion to lose and Brentford to draw.
Although Brentford obligingly lost, the Baggies secured a deserved promotion with a 2-2 draw at home to QPR.
However Fulham’s 1-1 draw at Wigan ensured the Cottagers would finish 4th. The pressure to be fair was all on their hosts and Fulham, as they often seem to do, slipped a little under the media radar on Wednesday night.
They now face Cardiff City in a two-legged play off.
Form favours the English side. They are unbeaten in seven matches and beat Cardiff 2-0 earlier this month. However, it doesn’t favour them by much as Cardiff have won their last three games.
Parker doesn’t have as deep a squad as his South Wales foes but his first XI probably has the edge in quality.
The incredible form of Neeskens Kebano presents him with a nice headache. The man who had not scored for 959 days has now netted three in the last two games, as well as winning a penalty with his trickery. His ability gave Sheffield Wednesday’s unfortunate Dominic Iorfa incalculable problems.
Leandro Bacuna, Cardiff’s first choice right back, may be dreading the challenge. It may be one of the more decisive battles should Kebano be selected.
The Congolese international didn’t start when the sides met on July 10th, appearing only for the final ten minutes by which point, both sides had accepted the result and Fulham’s attacking ambitions were limited. But Neil Harris’ side presumably have him scouted.
Of course, Serbian target man Aleksander Mitrovic is Fulham’s most heralded threat, especially with the fitness doubt hanging over Ivan Cavaleiro who was injured at West Brom and hasn’t featured since.
Mitrovic should be fresh and a potential battle with Cardiff’s equally massive centre half Sean Morrison will give those who like a bit of blood and thunder in their football something to savour.
If nothing else, this immovable object one on one, will make a beautiful contrast to Kebano against Bacuna, a somewhat more cultured affair.
Harrison Reed was suspended for the trip to Wigan which probably ensures both his freshness and his selection.
Behind him, Joe Bryan, Michael Hector and the on form American Tim Ream will make up three of the four.
Cyrus Christie and Dennis Odoi compete for the right back slot. Odoi should be the hot favourite having started in most of the recent matches, but Christie had a decent outing against Wednesday. Odoi’s experience in the play-offs two years ago may be the tiebreaker should one be needed.
Ream, Odoi, Cairney, Kevin McDonald, Mitrovic and Stefan Johansen were the six men still at the Thamesbank club who started the away leg at Derby two years ago. In addition, Kebano came off the bench. Christie and Aboubakar Kamara watched from it. Kamara started the second leg.
Odoi fans will not let it be forgotten who scored the vital goal that sent Fulham to Wembley!
One Fulham regular Paul Hitchins told Prost International his ideal line up, and it includes Kebano but has a surprise in midfield:
“I would start Neeskens Kebano on the left with Joe Bryan overlapping and, I know it sounds harsh, but swap Tom Cairney for Johansen.
“I’d also start Harrison Reed and Josh Onomah in the middle. For me the jury’s still out on Knockaert.”
At the other end, Cardiff have the threat of Bavarian forward Robert Glätzel. He did not feature at Craven Cottage and may present Ream and Hector with a different set of issues than they dealt with three weeks ago.
Scott Parker’s side had him scouted at City’s win over Hull and the phrase ‘known unknown’ has rarely been so apt in a Championship tussle of this magnitude.
MORE ON CARDIFF V FULHAM
Golwg o Gymru: The dream of an all Welsh promotion final lives on
HISTORY AND FORM
With two automatic promotions in recent history, Cardiff have not appeared in the play-offs since 2012, where they were hammered 5-0 by West Ham over two legs.
Their current form is good.
Since they lost to Fuham, they have recorded three straight wins, scoring eight and conceding two. But Middlesbrough, Derby and Hull were probably not quite of the quality Fulham will present. Especially Hull.
The sides drew 1-1 in Cardiff back in August.
Harry Arter managed to pick up two yellow cards in two minutes in the second half. After his 68th minute red, four more yellows were shown in the last 22 minutes in an ill-tempered close. Mitrovic scored in both league games this season.
Alan Drewett Jt is a regular contributor to the respected fansite and podcast, Fulham Focus. He throws cold water on any idea that Fulham’s recent win over the Bluebirds will matter:
“In the play-offs, I think it is fair to say form somewhat goes out of the window. Having taken 4 points off Cardiff this season, I am confident we can beat them over the course of two legs. The most recent game at the cottage was a 2-0 victory but in all honesty, it could have been 4 or 5.
“I am hoping it has had an affect on the Cardiff players but it could also have the adverse affect and make them more hungrier to set the record straight. We seem to have developed a rivalry with the Welsh club, we got promoted together two seasons together and got relegated together last season.”
On social media, Fulham Fan TV added:
“From our view we come into the playoffs as arguably the team to beat. We’ve had 7 games without a loss now so everything is to play for.
We have all the confidence in the boys. At the end of the day we have the best goal scorer in the league so that will definitely worry Cardiff!”
In Mitro they clearly trust, and for their sake, it is to be hoped that the giant Serb will curtail his prolonged penalty claims which often continue long after the ball has been played upfield. It leaves his team a man short with him in an offside position.
Fulham lead the historic series by 28 wins to 25 with 13 draws. Fulham’s recent record in the Welsh capital is good though with two wins and two draws in their last five visits.
That augurs well for the first leg but predictions are very hard here and I will end this preview with the dangerous view that everyone who is writing Brentford off in the other ties, is doing so at their own peril!
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