Fulham v Newcastle - Match Preview
last updated Tuesday 21st October 2003, 12:39 PM
 Fulham and Newcastle go into Tuesday night's Barclaycard Premiership fixture at Loftus Road in confident mood despite their contrasting starts to the season.
In fact, bearing in mind most people's predictions during the summer, Fulham and Newcastle's form in the first two months of the campaign was a mirror image of what was expected.
Fulham fancied to be fighting relegation again, found themselves challenging at the other end of the table as they got off to a flier.
The Cottagers have maintained their early-season form to lie in sixth position after eight games, and a win in this match would take them up to fourth - just two points behind their mighty West London neighbours Chelsea.
It is a testament to their manager who, despite his tender years, has taken the challenge in his stride and proved the doubters wrong - so far at least.
The Premiership's youngest and least experienced boss will be pitting his wits against the eldest; a man 37 years his senior and with over 35 years of management behind him.
The Toon boss knows that it won't be easy; Fulham are unbeaten in six matches and have only lost once in the league this season. Their 'home' form - at QPR's shared ground - is extremely impressive with two wins and two draws so far, and Coleman has yet to lose a game at Loftus Road having won both matches there in his spell as caretaker at the end of last season.
Ironically, one of those victories was in his first game in charge, against Newcastle. With the Magpies looking to finish in a Champions League qualifying spot and Fulham having just jettisoned Jean Tigana as they fought to stave off relegation, 'Cookie' inspired his troops to a 2-1 win, courtesy of former Toon hero Lee Clark's 86th minute strike.
The former Welsh international will be hoping for a similar result this time, having been handed the reins on a full-time basis, as he looks to get over the disappointment of Saturday's 0-0 draw with Wolves.
Despite his side maintaining their unbeaten run with another clean sheet, the manger admitted: "We have to look at that as two points dropped. We had opportunities to score but didn't because of bad finishing.
"But we didn't get beat and got a point. A lot of people outside the club said we'd beat Wolves because we're fifth in the league - but we never thought that and this will remind us we need to be on top form all the time to pick up points."
That will certainly be true on Tuesday night as these two sides look to keep their respective runs going and aim for their third successive clean sheet in the Barclaycard Premiership. Recent stats suggest that one goal may be enough to settle this match, one way or another, but we all know what they say about statistics.
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Cottage on Loftus Road
Premiership 21 Oct 03 |
Fulham |
Newcastle |
| Games Played |
8 |
8 |
| GOALS |
| Goals |
15 |
9 |
| Ave Goals Per Game |
1.88 |
1.13 |
| % Goals To Shots |
16% |
13% |
| Ave Shots Per Game |
12 |
8 |
| Ave Shots On Target Per Game |
5 |
4 |
| % Shots On Target |
45% |
43% |
| PASSING |
| Short Passes |
2128 |
2114 |
| Long Passes |
872 |
990 |
| Total Passes |
3000 |
3104 |
| Ave Passes Per Game |
375 |
388 |
| % Overall Pass Completion |
71% |
74% |
| Ave passes completed per game |
263 |
291 |
| CROSSING |
| Total Crosses Made |
164 |
182 |
| Ave Crosses Per Game |
21 |
23 |
| DEFENDING |
| Goals Conceded |
9 |
10 |
| Ave Goals Conceded Per Game |
1.13 |
1.25 |
| Tackles |
258 |
192 |
| Ave Tackles Per Game |
32 |
24 |
| Ave TacklesWon Per Game |
24 |
18 |
| % Tackles Won |
75% |
76% |
| DISCIPLINE |
| Fouls |
125 |
132 |
| Ave Fouls Per Game |
16 |
17 |
| Yellow Cards |
20 |
18 |
| Fouls per Yellows |
6 |
7 |
| Red Cards |
1 |
1 |
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Cipher stat flash
Fulham come out best in the stats comparison in key areas.
- Contrary to what may be imagined, Fulham
have, scored more goals, had more shots and are more accurate in front of goal than Newcastle.
- In the middle of the park both squads pass the ball around at a similar rate but The Magpies use the long ball more and complete more so end up with 10% more than Fulham.
- In the final third The Newcastle squad have conceded one more goal than Fulham, are a fraction in front on crosses but significantly do not tackle as frequently making 33% less successful tackles than Fulham.
According to the stats, as with Wolves, as long as Fulham players are focussed and the Ref doesn't have a funny turn Chris Coleman should have another 3 points in the pot.
FULHAM
* Unbeaten in six Premiership matches. Won three and drawn three since losing for the only time this season, 3-1 at Everton on 23 August.
* They remain one of six clubs yet to lose at home in the top League.
* Have lost just once to Newcastle in the last 15 home games since 1947
Newcastle
* Head to the capital in search of a third successive Premiership win.
* Won last three in League and Cup all by 1-0 margins not winning by more than 1 in 15 Premiership games.
* Manager Bobby Robson played for and Managed Fulham. |
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Sir Bobby Robson also made his managerial debut at Fulham, in 1968, aged 34 - just a year older than Coleman - and although his reign at the club lasted just 10 months, he has never looked back since.
However at the start of this season
The Magpies, tipped to challenge for a top four finish once more, simplycouldn't win; largely due to their inability - Alan Shearer aside - to score, as they languished in the bottom three.
Having faced and come through countless challenges during his career in the dug-out, the 70-year-old was forced to make a statement refuting rumours that he had resigned from Newcastle earlier this month as pressure mounted on the famous club following their dismal run of results.
However, the wily campaigner has steered his ship into calmer waters with victories over Southampton and at The Riverside, and is now looking to make further advances upstream with a successful visit to the capital.
United's 1-0 win at Middlesbrough was their third in succession following a home triumph over The Saints and a second leg UEFA Cup victory in Holland, and Robson acknowledges the tide is turning, but refuses to be carried away on a wave of optimism.
"We're on a little run, but there's a long way to go yet," he said. "We haven't got to just think we've turned the corner - we'll turn the corner when we keep going."
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