Sunday Fulham Stuff (01/05/16)...

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Friday Result
Birmingham	2-2	Middlesbrough
Saturdays Results
Bolton	1-0	Hull
Brentford	3-0	Fulham
Bristol City	4-0	Huddersfield
Ipswich	3-2	MK Dons
Leeds	1-2	Charlton
Nottm Forest	1-1	Wolves
Reading	1-2	Preston
Rotherham	0-1	Blackburn
Sheff Wed	3-0	Cardiff

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham and the five things you need to know about dismal defeat to Brentford

It wasn't pretty; it wasn't pleasant, but there here are the main points about a bad day for Fulham as they lose to Brentford 3-0


Battle: Maxime Colin (L) takes on Ross McCormack

Angry? Of course you were, if you are a White. But in the cold light of day these five items might explain a lot.

Fulham arrived at Griffin Park just after 2pm. Apparently, this is a good thing
GetWestLondon has it on good authority Slavisa Jokanovic doesn't like the players sitting around the dressing room twiddling thumbs.

But if you concede two goals in seven minutes, it smacks of a side still in the dressing room they barely got a look at.

Wrong team selection
OK, wise after the event. But to leave out one of your two potent goal machines at the start was bad enough. And Jazz Richards instead of Ryan Fredericks?

The half-time substitutions tells you Jokanovic also thought he got it wrong.

On another day...
Ross McCormack hit the frame twice and brought a good stop from a free-kick.

Dembele, when he came on, should have scored when clean through on goal in the second half, and there were a couple of other half chances that went begging. 3-3? On another day, why not?

It still doesn't excuse woeful defending.

Pace: it kills you - or it makes you
There were two speeds for the Fulham defence when Brentford went 2-0 ahead; slow and and slower. A through ball down the centre, as good as it was and past an absent midfield, should never cause that amount of problems.

Neither Stearman or Amorebieta were even close to stopping the run of Scott Hogan making his first Bees start in two years following injury.

'You're not fit to wear the shirt!'
It takes a lot for Fulham fans to turn on their own team, and there was a rueful glance from Jokanovic towards the away faithful as he got it in the neck at half time.

At the end, he applauded them. They let it be known it will take more than a bit of a clap to put things right.

Like the Cottage, fans are pretty close to players and manager as they leave the pitch.


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-five-things-you-need-11266727?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham boss unsure about dropped Dembele's future

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic said he dropped Moussa Dembele against Brentford partly because of uncertainty over the player's future.

Dembele, whose contract expires at the end of the season and who has been linked with several clubs – including Chelsea –  was omitted from the starting line-up for the derby at Griffin Park but came on at half-time.

Jokanovic explained he wanted to pack the midfield but also felt Dembele was not focused enough to play.

"Dembele is one of my two best players. I [usually] prefer to use him all the time," he said after the 3-0 defeat.

"But I am not sure if Dembele is going to be my player next season. I didn't see him so focused for this game and it's my decision to try with more midfielders – try and be a little bit more solid."

However, Jokanovic conceded his attempt at stifling Brentford did not work, with Ross McCormack isolated up front his own, and promised not to repeat the formation again.

"I didn't find the solution and I tried in the second half to fix this situation and play what we are now going to play always," he said.


http://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/moussa-dembele-future-wls-football

[WhiteJC]

 
Head Coach Reaction

Slaviša Jokanović offered no excuses for his side's first-half display in the 3-0 defeat at local rivals Brentford.

The Whites were 2-0 down within seven minutes through Sam Saunders and Scott Hogan, with the latter adding a third just before the break.

Fulham were improved in the second half but it was an afternoon to forget at Griffin Park and Jokanović pulled no punches in the post-match press conference.

"It was an embarrassing performance in the first 45 minutes," he said. "We played without any character, desire and insurance from the defensive line. We're soft at the back, we make big mistakes, but it's nothing new for us, it's the story of our season.

"We made some chances today, but didn't score. But we weren't solid or strong enough at the back. We have to be ashamed. I was in a honeymoon [period] with the Fulham fans but the honeymoon is over."

Jokanović sprung a surprise by naming Moussa Dembélé on the substitutes' bench as he looked to bolster his midfield. The introduction of the young Frenchman for the start of the second half did see Fulham offer more of an attacking threat.

"He is one of my best players but I'm not sure if he's going to be here next season," continued Jokanović. "I tried to add another midfielder to be a little bit more solid."

Fulham will now aim to end a disappointing season on something of a high when they take on already relegated Bolton Wanderers at the Cottage next weekend.

Jokanović added: "We need to try in the last game against Bolton to do something different."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2016/april/30/head-coach-reaction

[WhiteJC]

 
'Embarrassed' Fulham boss lashes into his team after defeat to Brentford - no character, no desire and 'shamed' in front of fans

Jokanovic has his biggest pop yet and spares no one after a poor performance against west London rivals who kill the game long before half time to win 3-0


Bees challenge: Slavisa Jokanovic arrives at Griffin Park

Fulham showed no character, desire and were shamed in front of their 1,600 travelling fans, according to their head coach.

You can say what you want about Slavisa Jokanovic - but he pulled no punches after an abject 3-0 defeat to Brentford. It was all but over after just seven minutes as Bees raced into a 2-0 lead.

And although there was a bit of a fight after the break, it wasn't enough to assuage the wrath of away fans who chanted: 'you're not fit to wear the shirt' at 3-0, at half-time, and at the end.

Jokanovic admitted the honeymoon was over, maybe, three or four times since he arrived.

"It was an embarrassing performance in the first 45 minutes. We showed no character or desire, and there was no insurance for the defence from elsewhere in the team," he complained.

"This story is nothing new for us. All the season it's been the same. We've been very weak and soft and in this kind of situation, we make them a present.

"In the second half, we had a better half. We made chances; we hit the frame twice, but we didn't score. But we weren't solid and strong from the back."

Jokanovic apologised to the large contingent behind the Brook Road stand goal, who in fairness sang louder than the home supporters most of the 90 minutes.

The head coach added: "We are ashamed. We have promised them things many times this season, but we must try different things now.

"I know the honeymoon is over. I know what the problem is and I'm ready to fix the problem, but I know who's going to lose the next job, it will be me, but I'm ready."


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/embarrassed-fulham-boss-lashes-team-11267381?

[WhiteJC]

 
Jokanovic vows to 'fix' Fulham



Slavisa Jokanovic admitted he was ashamed by Fulham's 3-0 defeat by Brentford, labelling the performance "embarrassing".

Sam Saunders, on the books of Fulham in his late teens, opened the scoring before Scott Hogan scored twice to continue his impressive form.

Whites boss Jokanovic again gave a brutally honest assessment of his team's defending.

He said: "It was an embarrassing performance. In the first 45 minutes we played without any character and without any desire.

"Nothing is new for us, all season it's a similar story. We are very soft at the back.

"In the second half we tried to show a bit more character, and try and play football."

However, Jokanovic insisted he knows how to fix the problems – but would not expand until after the club's final game of the season against Bolton next weekend.

"I know how to fix this problem and the club know. That's it. I'm not able to fix it in these few months.

"We are still in a competition and it's very difficult to clear our minds before the last game.

"We have in front of us the last game against Bolton and we're going to try and do something different."


http://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/football-wls-i-know-how-to-fix-this-problem-and-the-club-know

[WhiteJC]

 
Aston Villa target Ross McCormack as man to fire them back into the Premier League
Ross McCormack is a transfer target for recently-relegated Aston Villa
Midlands club will be looking to get out of the Championship next year
Villa see the Scotsman, who has 23 goals for Fulham this season, as the striker to give them the edge as they seek to return to the top flight

Aston Villa want Fulham striker Ross McCormack to lead them out of the Championship next season.

The 29-year-old has been part of a Fulham side that has barely survived in the Championship this season but he has still managed to score 23 goals.

Middlesbrough made an effort to sign him in January and there were enquiries from Bournemouth and Derby but Fulham resisted and gave the Scotland international a new contract.


Aston Villa want Fulham striker Ross McCormack to lead them out of the Championship next season


The 29-year-old has scored 23 goals for a Fulham side that has barely survived in the Championship

However, Villa understand McCormack has a clause in his contract and will make a move for him in the coming weeks.

McCormack began his career at Rangers and has had spells at Doncaster, Motherwell, Cardiff and Leeds prior to moving to Craven Cottage in July 2014.

Villa are preparing for life in the second tier after their relegation from the Premier League was confirmed following defeat to Manchester United a fortnight ago.


Villa understand McCormack has a clause in his contract and will make a move for him in the coming weeks


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3567627/Aston-Villa-target-Ross-McCormack-man-fire-Premier-League.html#ixzz47O0JNljB
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