Stephen Kelly is confident that Fulham can complete a local derby double at Queen’s Park Rangers this weekend.
The Irish international was a substitute when Fulham thrashed QPR 6-0 at Craven Cottage back in October but is now a regular member of Martin Jol’s defence. Whilst Kelly doesn’t expect things to be as easy as Fulham found them earlier in the season, he still believes the Whites can record a rare away win.
If it was like the last one [the 6-0 win] it will be amazing but I can’t imagine two of them happening in a season. That match was just one of those days where they were caught off guard and everything just went for us, every shot on goal. Andy Johnson tormented their back four. I think they’ve changed things since so I don’t know if they will be as vulnerable as they were then.
Kelly has echoed Simon Davies’ call for Fulham to push on up the table in the second half of the season.
We’re looking to go there and continue on this form that we’ve got from the Stoke result. We’re looking to push up the league as much as we possibly can so that will be a game that we will be looking to get a result in.
He knows that the local derby will be a tough test, however, especially as Rangers are now managed by Mark Hughes and look likely to start with Bobby Zamora, who left Fulham on deadline day, up front.
Going to Loftus Road is a tough place to play. It’s a small, compact ground and QPR have invested a lot in the last transfer window and obviously Bobby [Zamora] has gone there. They’re not going to make it easy for us but with the quality we have here I think we’re more than capable of going there to get a result.
Bobby won’t like playing against Brede [Hangeland]. They’re two clever boys and they’ve played together for a long time so we know what he is capable of. He’ll be getting people in around his feet and hopefully we’ll nullify him.
Kelly is enjoying his run in the side – the right-back is arguably in the best form of his Fulham career – which gives him a great chance of making the Republic of Ireland team for Euro 2012.
I’ve been playing consistently for a couple of months and I’m really enjoying it. I think that hopefully I’ve nailed that spot there for myself for the time being. It’s coincided with us playing some good football as well so I’ll just continue the way I am and hopefully we can progress in the season and push up the league.
