Here’s our Championship roundup
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Talking of the Championship
Jake Livemore speaks.
As we thought, it was a difficult game. A really good side, they made it difficult. They had better of the first half, we had the better of the second. We left some goals out there. We have been really good. We will take heart from that. It’s still in our hands. We are prepared to do whatever it takes. Our goal hasn’t changed. Our target is still as it remains.
That’s not the big news in the Championship, however. Take a look at this half-time score. That’s Wigan 7-0 Hull. They scored 6 in the final 18 mins of the half. Follow the latest here.
THESE BOYS CARE!
— Wigan Athletic (@LaticsOfficial) July 14, 2020
Latics 7 Hull City 0 at the break!#wafc 🔵⚪️💚 pic.twitter.com/epeTjHIQYo
It's a rugby league score ... pic.twitter.com/MwAuTj1Y3O
— Niall McVeigh (@niallmcveigh) July 14, 2020
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Full-time: West Brom 0-0 Fulham
That’s it, and West Brom’s fate is in their own hands while Fulham must now go into the play-offs. If the Baggies win the next two matches they return to the Premier League. Fulham have to take the circuitous route. That was cagey. Neither side wanted to give much away and Fulham didn’t have the quality to break down West Brom.
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90+5 min: Fulham’s chance fading away. They are pushing on but not with much quality. West Brom choose to play keep-ball and that’s it.
90+4 min: A Fulham corner. Joe Bryan can’t beat the first man. It goes back in and Hegazi heads away. Slaven Bilic is stopped from going on the field of play by the fifth official.
90+3 min: Final change for West Brom. Krovinovic on for Pereira.
90+2 min: Fulham corner. Robson-Kanu climbs highest and West Brom break. Dennis Odoi has to clear his lines all alone as Pereira and Robinson were both looking to get control of the ball. That was a let-off for Fulham. Well done, Odoi.
90 min: There will be five minutes added on.
89 min: Fulham push on late. West Brom happy to take a draw? They clear their lines and step up. Cyrus ‘the Virus’ Christie comes on for Fulham for a last stroke of the Scott Parker pen.
88 min: Fulham have a free-kick in a dangerous position, but from the right Joe Bryan whips it into
Joe Bryan
Sam Johnstone’s hands. That was an awful waste, with so little time left for Fulham to get a win.
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86 min: Penalty claim! Robson-Kanu goes down in the box as Tim Ream comes across. It’s not given and rightly so. Slaven Bilic claimed for it, but he’d have been embarrassed if that was actually given.
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85 min: West Brom change: Callum Robinson on, Diangana off.
84 min: Oof, another good ball across goal from Pereira, and it’s begging to be knocked in. But nobody is close enough to get there.
82 min: Phillips set off at pace, and into the Fulham box, only to fall over. It’s been that sort of game.
81 min: Another handball claim. Diangana whacked it off the hand of a defender. West Brom have this game in their grip now but can’t find a goal.
79 min: Yet another West Brom corner. Slaven Bilic wants a free-kick for handball. He is getting antsy, and especially after it is wasted.
77 min: Now Pereira has a header wide. The chances are stacking up.
Fulham change: Onamah off for Johansen.
76 min: Baggies free-kick on the edge of the area as Mitrovic smashes Livermore over. Pereira shapes to take it. Scott Parker asks the wall to jump. It hits a Fulham foot as he tries to go under.
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74 min: Maybe not! Knockaert rattles the crossbar as the ball drops on the edge of the box. That was the closest we have come....then Harrison Reed stops goalbound chance for West Brom as Robson-Kanu looked likely to score.
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73 min: West Brom corner, though they want a free-kick for Knockaert’s handball. Ajayi got highest from Pereira’s ball and it spins just wide. A goal, should it come, will come from a set piece.
70 min: It’s drinks. Scott Parker is passionate, Slaven Bilic less manic than he was in the first-half drinks break.
69min: The closest we have come! Lovely control by Diangana, and it sends two players the wrong way, and his outside-of-the-boot shot is deflected off the post by Rodak. Then Ajayi heads over as Hector loses him at the corner.
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66 min: Charlie Austin is done for the day, and he will be replaced by Hal Robson-Kanu, who will offer something different. Austin did not look too happy with that at all.
65 min: Fulham corner, taken by Bryan, Mitrovic climbs up and Ajayi heads away.
63 min: West Brom corner as Joe Bryan heads behind. Fulham clear that and then Hegazi’s poor cross into the middle is claimed with ease by Rodak.
62 min: Scott Parker is now animated. His team are having to do too much defending for his liking.
60 min: Pereira falls in the box but he had slipped and Harrison Reed clears the ball. There is a vain call for a penalty but that was never happening. In fact, it was a fresh air shot.
58 min: Another West Brom free-kick and Pereira has ambitions, 25 yards or so from goal. He goes low and so does Rodak, who saves well
57 min: A West Brom free-kick, taken short, and Diangana releases Pereira, whose cross goes across goal. It was begging to be tapped in but Ajayi didn’t read it. That was as close as we have been.
55 min: Jake Livermore, though, is booked for a foul on Reid. It’s an accumulation of offences that leads to the wave of yellow.
54 min: More silliness between Pereira and Hector. The defender smashes into a challenge and then a pat on the head produces a highly theatrical grasp of the head by the Brazilian but the referee calms it down and no cards are waved.
53 min: A very shallow cross is dealt with well by Ajayi, who clears his lines. West Brom holding firm.
52 min: Hegazi again dominant as the ball comes into the West Brom box. Bar a late header in the first half, Mitrovic has not had much of a sniff.
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51 min: Alex spells out his mathematics: “As a Fulham fan, I’ve already accepted we are going to be in the playoffs. And Brentford are going like an absolute train. The big reason to win tonight is help Brentford get second; and then Fulham face a dejected West Brom in the playoffs.”
50 min: Pereira is booked for a clash with Michael Hector. It’s not been a dirty game. It’s not been an anything game.
48 min: West Brom continue to be livelier. Harrison Reed has to come out with the ball past two Baggies to clear. The pressure was on but Fulham soon get back underway. Hegazi has to come across to block a ball meant for Mitrovic.
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46 min: West Brom have made a change. Matt Phillips, the pride of Scotland, has replaced the disappointing Grosicki. Slaven Bilic’s post-break demeanour is angry, very angry. Meanwhile, Charlie Austin can be heard loudly disputing a decision. “Noooooo!” he says then smiles after it doesn’t go his way.
Here’s some aural pleasure while you read about this thriller.
Half-time: West Brom 0-0 Fulham
It’s very cagey, it’s anti-matter, it’s probably going to be enough for West Brom but not for Fulham. We could say it’s on a knife-edge but that would grant that 45 minutes a drama it did not deserve.
45+2 min: Mercy, just two minutes added on. West Brom, though, have to head behind when Reid crosses and Hegazi heads behind with Mitrovic in position. The corner causes real problems and Austin has to jump up to clear. Then Mitrovic heads the next one over.
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45 min: Loose play from Fulham gives West Brom some territory with a throw-in. They can’t find anything to trouble the Cottagers defence. Kebano comes away with it, and almost found an opening. Slaven Bilic was raging.
43 min: Fulham preparing a change. Cavaleiro has a hamstring problem and Kebano will come on for him. Cavaleiro walks up into the stands at the Hawthorns. Kebano goes out to the left of Fulham’s attack.
42 min: The glimmer of a chance. Austin lurks and Reid heads away from Rodak and then Pereira has a chance to volley in. He misses. So far, he has not lived up to his pre-match billing.
40 min: Lovely turn away from Charlie Austin from Joe Bryan. Austin has not been involved other than chasing shadows and neither has Mitrovic. It’s a tight game and the result may turn on which of them gets their chance.
38 min: This is not a classic. It’s, and this is Captain Obvious speaking, really missing the tension of the crowd and its attendant expectations and emotions.
37 min: Pereira at last on the ball though it’s a free-kick that is cleared by Hector. Reid escapes with the ball away from Austin’s challenge and wins a free-kick for Fulham. It was a combine harvester of a tackle.
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35 min: West Brom the more powerful here but they perhaps lack a bit of finesse around the box. Austin and Pereira haven’t seen enough of the ball either.
33 min: Fulham pinned back. West Brom looking for some passing moves though their latest move fails when O’Shea fails to control a ball played out wide for him to overlap on to.
32 min: West Brom have really stepped this up. Townsend is fouled and it’s a free-kick in a dangerous position. Ream has to head that behind. The next one is taken oddly low and cleared.
29 min: Diangana’s skill makes space and O’Shea tries a shot from a very acute angle. Rodak has to make a save and the Baggies have a corner. It’s taken short and Hector heads Grosicki’s cross behind for another. Mitrovic climbs highest to head that away.
27 min: Tom emails in: “John, tonight’s going to be hard enough for us Baggies so don’t make it harder by making us get 8 points from 3 games. Two wins and a draw has been my calming mantra since the weekend.”
A fair point and well made. You can’t actually get eight points from three games in any case.
26 min: West Brom look to have stepped it up. They certainly needed to.
25 min: What change might all those stern words mean? Fulham restart with a similar approach as they began the game.
23 min: And it’s drinks. Slaven Bilic’s glasses are steaming up as he emotes. Scott Parker much the calmer as both managers get their points across.
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22 min: Close, very close, for Fulham. That was chaos. Knockaert’s ball to the back post and Cavaleiro heads back across goal. Hegazi hacks away when the ball was looping either into the net or into the path of Reid.
20 min: Livermore had the chance to play it long for Austin but resisted the chance to do so. Bilic said they are not playing for a draw but West Brom are not risking much at all.
19 min: Fulham stop West Brom’s attempts to build up some passing on the right-hand flank. The Baggies are not at their best at the moment.
17 min: Onomah was the target for a long pass that just managed to reach its target. Fulham looking for a way to break the tactical cage.
16 min: Mick McCarthy has just described this match as “cat and mouse” in his Barnsley brogue and he’s not wrong.
15 min: Fulham’s early passing slickness has gone off a little. Neither side finding much in the way of fluency.
13 min: Hegazi launches a clearance into the sky that spells a bit of anxiety.
11 min: Fulham’s turn to shoot. Knockaert has space and smashes one that Johnstone has to palm behind. The corner causes problems as Michael Hector helps it back across goal. It’s cleared hurriedly behind. Then Johnstone gets the next corner away.
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9 min: First shot of the game as Diangana cuts in and shoots. Saved with comfort by Rodak. Did Diangana hurt himself by attempting that?
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8 min: Scott Parker is more dapper Londoner, the type of snappy dresser who serves as a small but dangerous henchman in films like Layer Cake...yes, it’s a bit cagey at the moment.
7 min: Slaven Bilic’s specs give him the appearance of some kind of Balkan philosopher, a contemporary perhaps of Slavoj Žižek.
6 min: Reid makes a lovely burst through midfield, beats two attempts to pull him down before the ref eventually blows. This is an attacking Fulham line-up. It has to be. They need to win.
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4 min: Grosicki, a good player at this level, burns down the left and tries to get a cross in. Pereira, West Brom’s kingpin, attempts a shot, but it’s blocked.
3 min: Fulham continue to pass it around neatly. Tim Ream whacks it out right and Knockaert volleys in a cross. West Brom clear the danger well enough.
1 min: Fulham begin with some neat passing, a calm that belies the occasion.
And away we go....
On come the players to the sound of Faithless’ Insomnia. Neither nor Scott Parker nor Slaven Bilic can get no sleep. This is a huge game.
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Cottager JR in Illinois has been in touch: “I’m nervous AF over here. And I don’t care for the cut of this Fulham squad’s jib. I find Knockaert and Mitrovic to be particularly objectionable characters. Hopefully Knockaert won’t find himself in a position where he can dive to buy a penalty. Also hopefully Mitro won’t try to cause an injury to any West Brom players like he tried against young Ben White a couple weeks back.”
West Brom manager Slaven Bilic speaks.
Very positive, we have had good results. We are creating chances and stopping opponents having shots. We shouldn’t play for a point. We have to keep our shape and composure and play the way we play.
Fulham boss Scott Parker speaks
It’s a must win game. We have approached every game with that mindset and you get to this point in this season when the facts are that it’s a must win. We are on a good run. We’ve picked up some good results, but we are playing against a very good side. Now it comes down to where we are today, really.
Where do we stand in the Championship? Leeds need four points more to go up. West Brom need eight points to be guaranteed promotion as Brentford have a superior goal difference. Brentford play Preston tomorrow night while Leeds play strugglers Barnsley. Fulham, remember, really have to win this one.
Promotion is a big prize. Those who miss out on promotion have to go to Wycombe and face this man.
Here’s the teams in more analogue fashion.
West Brom: Johnstone, O’Shea, Hegazi, Ajayi, Townsend, Livermore, Sawyers, Diangana, Matheus Pereira, Grosicki, Austin.
Subs: Furlong, Robson-Kanu, Bartley, Krovinovic, Phillips, Brunt, Harper, Bond, Robinson.
Fulham: Rodak, Odoi, Hector, Ream, Bryan, Reed, Onomah, Knockaert, Reid, Ivan Cavaleiro, Mitrovic.
Subs: Bettinelli, Mawson, McDonald, Kebano, Johansen, Arter, Le Marchand,
Christie, Sessegnon.
Referee: Geoff Eltringham (Tyne & Wear)
Here are the teams
📋 Slaven Bilić makes two changes for today’s clash with @FulhamFC.
— West Bromwich Albion (@WBA) July 14, 2020
Ahmed Hegazi and Grady Diangana replace Kyle Bartley and Filip Krovinović.#WBAFUL | #WBA pic.twitter.com/La5NMR7YvW
2⃣ changes for this early evening kick-off!#WBAFUL pic.twitter.com/O52FIBuC7A
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) July 14, 2020
This is massive. And for both clubs. West Brom slipped up badly at the weekend in drawing with Blackburn, a result compounded by Leeds’ last-gasp win at Swansea. That opened the door for their chasers for automatic promotion, of which Fulham, in fourth, are one and coming off four successive victories. Their position is precarious, however. They are back in fourth, and five points off Slaven Bilic’s men. Should the Baggies win, then Fulham’s hopes of automatic promotion are gone gone gone. But should West Brom slip up, then that opens up an avenue to both Brentford and Fulham.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leeds | 43 | 35 | 84 |
| 2 | West Brom | 43 | 33 | 81 |
| 3 | Brentford | 43 | 43 | 78 |
| 4 | Fulham | 43 | 14 | 76 |
| 5 | Nottm Forest | 43 | 12 | 69 |
The kick-off is at 5pm, Sandwell time
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