Fulham Head Coach Scott Parker believes Fulham are in good shape ahead of Saturday’s SW6 derby.
Our midweek draw at Tottenham Hotspur made it five Premier League games without defeat for the Whites, which Parker believes demonstrates the progress his side have made.
“To go unbeaten in this division, for a team like us, over a sustained period of time now against some very good opposition, shows how far we’ve come,” he stated.
“We’ve changed tactically a little bit, our shape has changed a little bit. We’ve worked tirelessly throughout the season, come up with something and drilled that into the players so they’re comfortable with it.
“But we’ve needed time as well. This team came fourth last year in the Championship, had a really, really quick turnaround coming into the Premier League.
“We got a lot of players in, there’s players we had here last year as well who’re playing for the first time in the Premier League.
“There isn’t a magic wand, it’s hard work on the training field, it’s drilling the team, it’s getting messages across to a group of players who are working tirelessly hard to improve and get better. And you’re probably seeing the rewards of that.
“Ultimately, as much hard work as the players are putting in, it’s time [you need]. Of course, the quality and the way we play has been more dynamic, I think we look a real threat in every aspect of our game.
“Overall, as a team I think we tick a lot of boxes, and that’s pleasing. There’s still loads of levels to go, there’s still a lot more we can improve, and we need to maintain that and keep pushing on.”
Chelsea make the short trip to Craven Cottage having lost four of their last six Premier League games.
But when asked if it was a good time to be playing our local rivals, Parker explained that he would back his charges against any side right now.
“It’s a good time for us to be playing any team,” he said. “I feel we’re in a good place, I feel like confidence is high in the squad, I feel like there’s a group of players here who are starting to feel their worth in this division.
“It’s a tough game against an exceptionally good team in Chelsea, a famous team, but in saying that, we’re in a good place.
“Saturday we’ll go and give them a game and hopefully get something out of it. We approach every game like that, no matter what the challenge, we’ll always try and put our stamp on the game.
“There’s no denying that the weekend’s another massive, massive task for us and a big challenge, because Frank and Chelsea, with the quality they possess, they can hurt you.
“It’s a tough game for us so we’ll need to bring the same qualities, bring the same passion and everything else that comes with that.”
Frank Lampard has said in the build-up to the game that he always thought that his former Chelsea and England teammate could go into coaching upon retirement – a sentiment mirrored by Parker.
“I’ve got massive respect for Frank as a footballer and the player he was. I was privileged enough to play with him, a guy who had an unbelievable work ethic, drove every day in terms of his craft and wanting to get better.
“He had a single-mindedness about him that got him the career he had. With those foundations and that ability, I always knew that if management was something he wanted to go into, then he would be successful.
“With those values, you’ve always got a chance, so it doesn’t surprise me that he goes to Derby and he does well.
“He then gets the Chelsea job under some restrictions last year in terms of what they had to go through, and he’s done an incredible job. It doesn’t surprise me whatsoever.”