Dempsey starts. Pavel Pogrebnyak puts Fulham up 0-1 early. Can they repeat their 6-0 win from October?
Fulham certainly look to be full of confidence in this game. That backheel was amazing (and the camera work in HD on FSPlus was amazing too).
QPR are now down to 10 men. Diakite receives a 2nd yellow card. This sets up well for the usual 2nd half Fulham push.
Fulham could have 2 or 3 goals by now but have wasted a few chances, including one from Dempsey. Diakite sent off after he gets a 2nd yellow for a lunge on Ruiz in the 32nd minute. QPR down to 10.
By push you mean a half of inexplicably sitting back and letting a 10 man QPR control the game (though I hope I'm wrong)?
Fulham didn't look great after the sending off, in fact it was a little reminisent of how they looked after Blackburn went down to 10. At least they don't have the chase the game in the 2nd half here as they did up at Ewood. Hopefully Jol calms them down and gets them to be patient and protect possession (particularly Ruiz and Murphy after the number of cheap giveaways in the first 45).
Dempsey plays Ruiz through behind the defense. Ruiz gets past the keeper but cannot turn the ball into the net as the defense recovers.
I'm not sure why Fulham are so incapable right now, usually they come into the match in the 2nd half. It might be a good idea to stick Etuhu or Baird in the midfield.
No, they usually play one good half (sometimes it's the first, sometimes it's the second). They had a good 15 minutes in the first so I can't say I'm surprised they look poor this half.
Dickson Etuhu runs nearly the entire field with the ball and fires narrowly wide. QPR's defense laid down the red carpet for him.
Despite a very mediocre performance, Fulham win 0-1 and get back-to-back wins for the first time this season. Plus, Fulham fans will be very pleased to perform the double against QPR.
Just back from the match: Dempsey looked a little disinterested. Except for one moment in first half, he did not work well with Andy Johnson. They were not on same page at all. Clint's miss was quite awful really. On a free kick, he timed an excellent run and received a great dipping ball from Ruiz, which he took in the air about knee-high around six-yard box straight in front of goal. Behind his marker, he tried to handle and drop the ball to the ground rather than one-time the shot and ended up muffing the play. Very attacking line-up from Jol playing Murphy and Dembele centrally and Dempsey, Ruiz wide. Basically all offensive-minded players, if you include the cautious Murphy in that category. After QPR went down to 10, Fulham took the air out of the game and it was pretty dull from that point on. Fulham easily could have given away 2 points and come out with a draw. Disappointing tactics but worked in the end. Fulham away supporters were great and obviously happy to stick a finger in the eye of Mark Hughes. Banner of the day: "Mark Hughes lacks ambition" - but QPR security made them take it down. In my last two premier league visits - Charlton and West Ham - they were relegated. If form holds, QPR are going down with Fulham fans singing them into the Championship.