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Wycombe W. v Fulham - Match Preview

last updated Tuesday 08th January 2002, 9:23 AM
Fulham Manager Jean TiganaFulham are hoping again that they will be able to start their 2002 F.A. Cup campaign on Tuesday evening with their away game against last years semi-finalists Wycombe Wanderers. The change in the weather means that the Wycombe pitch is at least frost free and accordingly playable. It however will not be the usual premiership surface and will give the Cottagers more problems than the Chairboys

The Cottagers will not be relishing the visit to Adams Park despite being in 10th place in the Premiership in comparison to the Chairboys' 11th place in Division 2 Nationwide. Fulham have not traveled well this season winning just 2 out of 9 away games and scoring only 6 goals. However the Whites have the historical advantage as there have been 7 meetings between the two clubs with Wycombe recording only 1 win. Their last meeting, at Adams Park in Feb 1999, ended in a 1-1 draw.

Boss Tigana is likely to put out a full squad on Tuesday if only to keep the players up to match practice in pursuit of his number 1 objective of Premiership survival. There will be a late fitness check for Luis Boa Morte and Sylvain Legwinski but Lee Clark is still unlikely to play due to an achilles tendon problem.

Wycombe Wanderers certainly present a daunting proposition for
Adams Park
5th January, 2002
Wycombe Fulham
Games 24 20
ATTACKING
Goals scored - total 38 20
Ave goals per game 1.58 1.00
Goals scored - home/away 25 6
Ave goals per game 2.08 0.30
DEFENDING
Goals conceded - total 32 20
Ave goals conceded per game 1.33 1.00
Goals conceded - home/away 10 10
Ave goals conceded per game 0.83 0.50
DISCIPLINE
Fouls 297 283
Yellow cards 36 25
Red cards 8 1
stats from opta

Matchday Referee:
Graham Barber


Graham Barber has officiated at 12 Premiership games this season and has found time to also take in 3 World Cup games, 3 European Cup games, 1 UEFA Cup game, 3 Division One games and 2 League Cup games. During his travels he refed the Fulham v Derby League Cup game and the West Ham v Fulham Premiership game, during which he booked 5 Fulham players. In his last 6 English games he has booked 7 home players and 15 away players although he was able to over come this apparent bias when refing the Derby game when he booked 2 Fulham players for 1 Derby player.
Ref's score sheet
Total Match
Avg
Premiership Games 12
Fouls 383 31.92
Penalties 5 0.42
Yellow cards 45 3.75
Red Cards 3 0.25
Disc points 536 44.66
any visitor as they are unbeaten at Adams Park in 12 games and are scoring an average of 2 goals a game. The 34 year old 6 footer, Andrew Rammell, has scored 10 of those goals.

Second Division Wycombe Wanderers made big headlines in last season's FA Cup, scoring 17 times in ten ties. Victories over Harrow, Millwall, and First Division Grimsby and Wolves landed them a place in the Quarter-finals. A 2-1 win away to Leicester signalled the start of a slippery slide for the Foxes and landed Laurie Sanchez' side a plum semi-final against Liverpool, which they lost 2-1 although keeping the score to 0-0 until the 90th minute. Lawrie Sanchez, boss at Wycombe, scored the winner for Wimbledon in the 1998 final against Liverpool so he knows the way to Wembley.

The romance of the F.A. Cup is that the little clubs have a good chance on the day to overturn their richer colleagues, like at Cardiff, and Wycombe have a better chance than most.
Source fulhamweb
Since 1998
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