Match Focus: Southampton

Our Focus turns to tonight’s game under the floodlights as Fulham host Southampton in the second round of the Carabao Cup.

Saints have had a relatively slow start this season, sitting in the bottom three with 3 points from the opening 3 matches. Whilst Fulham have had a mixed bag and will be hoping to bounce back from Saturdays surprise defeat to Forest.

Expect plenty of changes and remember, no extra time tonight. Win or penalties!

Head-To-Head Stats

• In 74 meetings, Fulham have won 22, lost 28 and drawn 24.
• Fulham have only won 1 of the last 8 meetings between the two teams.
• The last match at the Cottage was last season which was Ranieri’s first game in charge and a the Whites won 3-2.
• 7 of the last 8 meetings were in the last 7 years, before that our last meeting with the Saints was back in 2005.

Players In Common

Micky Adams

A left-back by trade, Micky joined Southampton from Leeds United in 1989 for £250,000. He found himself in and out of the side in his first two seasons but from 1991 onwards established himself as a regular in the side. Southampton are the club Micky made the most appearances for in his career, spending all 5 seasons on the south coast in the top flight.

When future Fulham manager, Ian Branfoot was sacked by Saints in 1994 and replaced by Alan Ball as manager, it proved to be the end for Micky’s career with the Saints. Simon Charlton was brought in to replace him as first-choice left-back and Micky was sent out on loan to Stoke City for the remainder of the season. He never made an appearance under Alan Ball and was sold to Fulham at the end of the 1993/94 season.

Southampton

175 appearances

7 goals

In 1994, Micky left Premier League Southampton to join Fulham in the bottom tier to be reunited with Ian Branfoot. Branfoot agreed to teach Micky the ropes of being a manager which proved to be the deciding factor in his decision to join the club. It would prove to be the worst finish on record by any Fulham side eventually finishing 17th but at one point sitting in the relegation places in 91st staring at the very real possibility of dropping out of the football league.

Branfoot was sacked leaving Micky to take the reigns as a player-manager. He steadied the ship finishing in 17th place as mentioned and the following season performed miracles to get Fulham promoted. The late eighties and early nineties will undoubtedly go down as the darkest era in the club’s history and after so much misery, heartache and fight to keep the club alive, Micky and his team of heroes delivered a magical season that would prove to be the platform for the success that followed.

Many regard Micky Adams as the man who gave Fulham the future they have today. If we hadn’t got promoted when we did, would Al Fayed have bought the club still? Would Fulham have made it to the Premier League in such a short space of time and gone on to make a European final? There is a very strong argument to suggest our history would have been very different. The likes of Darlington, Hereford United, Torquay United, Chester City and Scarborough were in the same division that season, clubs whose futures certainly put our achievements into perspective. There’s only one word to describe Micky Adams when it comes to Fulham. He is a legend.

Fulham 

37 appearances

13 goals

Plus- Jimmy Allen, Chris Baird, Dave Beasant, Ian Black, Mark Blake, Luis Boa Morte, Wayne Bridge, Calum Chambers, Glenn Cockerill, Steven Davies, Iain Dowie, Fabrice Fernandes, Danny Guthrie, Kasey Keller, Paul Moody, Alan Nelson, Antti Niemi, Ian Pearce, Maarten Stekelenburg, Matt Targett, Maik Taylor.

Last 8 Meetings

• 27/02/19 – Southampton 2-0 Fulham
• 24/11/18 – Fulham 3-2 Southampton
• 06/01/18 – Fulham 0-1 Southampton (FA Cup)
• 01/02/14 – Fulham 0-3 Southampton
• 26/10/13 – Southampton 2-0 Fulham
• 26/12/12 – Fulham 1-1 Southampton
• 07/10/12 – Southampton 2-2 Fulham
• 05/01/05 – Southampton 3-3 Fulham

Southampton 2018/19 Stats

Alex’s View

After a frenetic eight days in the league, the not so looming spectre of the League Cup returns following a three-game venture last season that ended in a battering at the Etihad after a routine wins against Exeter City and Millwall. The question at this time is always how seriously we should take it. Put out a full-strength team three days away from a massive trip to Cardiff? Play a reserve team and a side full of youth players and risk defeat by Premier League opposition? Ultimately, you’d assume Parker will choose the latter, which given the fixture congestion, seems a smart choice. The opportunity for players to state a case for inclusion in the strongest XI – some with more likelihood than others – for the likes of Reed, Reid, McDonald, Le Marchand and Kamara should mean a performance with at least some intensity.

The return of the League Cup is familiar just like a cup visit from Southampton. After a first win of the season away at Brighton on Saturday, Saints go into the game with a bit of confidence. Although they will be in much the similar position of prioritising their league campaign than a foray into a competition that teams only seem to care about if they reach Wembley or cause a massive upset. Predicting the line up for Fulham is hard enough never mind Southampton, but it could make for an interesting night down by the Thames. Friday is obviously more important – but a win against a side in the division above us would set us up well leading into the international break.

0-1 to Southampton.

Predicted lineup

(4-3-3) Fabri; Christie, Mawson, Ream, MLM; Kmac, Onomah, De La Torre; Kamara, Reid, Ayite.