Fulham Head Coach Scott Parker believes Fulham are a different side now to the one that fell to defeat at Elland Road in September.
Our second Premier League fixture was certainly an eventful one, and it was Leeds United who just about found themselves on the right end of a seven-goal thriller.
“We’re a different team, certainly a different animal this time, I think you can see that,” Parker explained.
“Personnel, the way the team’s grown and the way we’ve developed over that period, of course is different to when we last played against Leeds.
“Can we take things from that game, and other games we’ve played? Of course we can.
“But certainly us as a team, we’ve definitely moved on from where we were when we last played.
“They’re a very, very good side. A unique side, in the way they play and set up.
“It’s quite unique, you don’t come across it a lot. Certainly not in this division, we’ve experienced it a couple of times last year with Leeds, and Cardiff played a similar way.
“The intensity with which Leeds play is always one that you need to match. We were in the same league last year and we’ve played them this year, so we understand fully what Leeds bring, their energy and intensity.
“As always, we’re looking forward to the game. It’s a good game, a big game, and we’re raring to go.”
With Marcelo Bielsa’s side not afraid to throw caution to the wind, it’s little surprise that very few of their fixtures end in a draw.
And while Parker knows his team have to be wary of that gung-ho approach, he also acknowledged that there could be chances to capitalise.
“They commit a lot of bodies,” he stated. “I think we’ve seen that.
“They score a lot of goals, I think they’re right up there in the charts in terms of chances created.
“Bodies in the box, they always commit a high volume of bodies and their game is very expansive at times.
“Of course while that can cause you stress and put pressure on you, there is on the flipside of that an opportunity at times to get at them through transitions, through counter attacks.
“There’s two elements to that; first and foremost you need to be able to withstand the intensity and the numbers they create and how they go about it in the attacking phase of the gam
e, and we need to be able to deal with that.
“That means your structure’s got to be good, individually you’ve got to be very tuned in on that.
“And then on the transitions there is an opportunity that you can look to try and exploit and try and be deadly.”