Monday Fulham Stuff (06/03/17)...

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Where are they now? Fulham's young guns; featuring Kerim Frei

We catch up with some of the Fulham youngsters to leave the club in recent years.

Josh Pritchard is among a number of former Fulham youngsters to be playing his football abroad.

Pritchard spent a year in League One with Gillingham following his release by the Cottagers in 2014. The midfielder signed for Norwegian amateur side Lysekloster in the summer.

Ronny Minkwitz was let go by Fulham in the same summer clear-out as Pritchard. He has been playing for Swiss second division side FC Wohlen for the last three years, racking up close to 50 appearances in that time.

Dino Islamovic, then a 17-year-old, joined Fulham from Swedish side Malmo in 2012. The striker spent two years in English football before leaving for Dutch club FC Groningen. Islamovic is now back in Swedish football with second tier side Trelleborgs FF.

Muamer Tankovic and Chris David are plying their trade in the top-flight of Dutch football.

Tankovic scored in AZ Alkmaar's 3-2 Europa League win over Zenit St Petersburg back in December. The left-winger has enjoyed a recent run in John van den Brom's starting-eleven, which included a goal in their win over SC Heerenveen.

David, who plays for relegation-threatened Go Ahead Eagles, has missed most of the campaign after suffering a cruciate ligament rupture.

Dino Islamovic, then a 17-year-old, joined Fulham from Swedish side Malmo in 2012. The striker spent two years in English football before leaving for Dutch club FC Groningen. Islamovic is now back in Swedish football with second tier side Trelleborgs FF.

Alex Kacaniklic ended his six-year stay at Fulham with a move to Ligue 1 club FC Nantes in the summer. The winger has largely been restricted to substitute appearances, most recently coming off the bench in their 2-0 defeat to AS Nancy.

Marcello Trotta, who is remembered by many for his dramatic penalty miss while on-loan at Brentford, is currently with Serie A relegation strugglers Crotone. Trotta scored his second goal of the season in their recent 1-2 defeat to Cagliari Calcio.

Kansas-based side Swope Park Rangers are gearing up to start their campaign against OKC Energy FC next month with former Cottagers youngster James Musa in their ranks. Musa had spells with Team Wellington, South Melbourne and St Louis before joining the United Soccer League club in November.

Corey Gameiro's two-year stay at Fulham ended with a return to Australia in 2013. After a stint with Sydney FC, the forward now plays for A-League club Melbourne City alongside former Premier League stars Thomas Sorensen and Tim Cahill.

Kerim Frei and Matthew Briggs are among the ex-Fulham youngsters who are playing their football closer to home.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/03/01/where-are-they-now-fulhams-young-guns-featuring-kerim-frei/

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Fulham 3-1 PNE: Five things we learned


Daryl Horgan on the ball at Craven Cottage.

A closer look at Preston North End's play-off aspirations suffering a major blow at Craven Cottage on Gentry Day.

The hosts were simply too good for the Lilywhites, who saw Tom Barkhuizen get his first goal for the club on his full debut.

Barkhuizen will be a major player for PNE
Preston North End fans have seen flashes of what the former Morecambe winger can do in five substitute appearances. On Saturday, he was handed a full debut and despite the result, the 23-year-old made sure it was one to remember. Playing on the right wing, he showed his pace going forwards and his discipline going in the other direction. Barkhuizen then displayed his versatility in the second half as he played as a right wing back when Simon Grayson switched to three central defenders. It was from there that he got his goal, taking Aiden McGeady's perfectly-weighted pass as he broke in behind before keeping his cool to score his first North End goal with the outside of his right foot. On his move to Deepdale, Barkhuizen said he felt he was back in his rightful place in the Championship having tasted the second tier with Blackpool. At Craven Cottage, he went a long way to proving it.

The Lilywhites are still a step away from the Championship's top sides
The afternoon was a disappointment as a whole though as Grayson's side missed the chance to leapfrog their play-off rivals. Credit where credit is due, Fulham were excellent and put in as good a performance as PNE have come up against this season. For long periods, as full backs played more like wingers and the hosts played some excellent flowing football, Preston were simply second best. The nearly 3,000 celebrating Gentry Day could have no complaints about the result, one which put a major dent in any hopes of the play-offs coming to Deepdale. Being nine points shy of the top six with 11 games to play looks like a big gap to bridge. Barring a late collapse this season will still be considered a success though, Saturday was a simply a reminder of the progress PNE still need to make if they're to mix it week in, week out with the Championship's big boys.

Chris Maxwell is only going to get better
He may have only arrived in the summer but there was no surprise, and plenty of celebration, when Chris Maxwell signed a new PNE deal on Thursday. The former Fleetwood man was expected to provide competition but ultimately be number two to the more experienced Anders Lindegaard. The 26-year-old has surpassed all expectations though and on his 27th straight start put in another fine display at Craven Cottage. Yes, North End shipped three goals but Maxwell produced a clutch of sharp saves, particularly eye-catching ones coming from Tomas Kalas and Neeskens Kebano. Noted for his mobility and ability to race from his area and use his feet, this was a game where more fundamental goalkeeping values came to the fore.

Race to 15 goes on for Pearson and Cunningham
The yellow cards may be mounting up but there's no sign of Ben Pearson and Greg Cunningham relenting as the season enters the business end. A reckless challenge from the former saw him move onto 13 after coming off the bench but the latter wasn't to be outdone and a late tackle on Denis Odoi moved him onto 12. Three game bans kick in at 15 bookings with no cut-off point unlike when it reaches five or 10. If it gets to it, both could be in risk of missing any possible play-off games. You don't want to reign them in too much however at the risk of taking something out of their games, both having been amongst the best performers for PNE this season. There are certainly silly ones that could be cut out though.

Stevie May's time will come
It was good to stay Stevie May as a late substitute, preferred as the attacking option off the bench to Simon Makienok with Jermaine Beckford not in the squad. The Scotsman might have been nervous, his latest appearance on his comeback coming at the ground where he seriously injured his knee back in November 2015. He may not have made much of an impression on the game but the 24-year-old was thrown on at a difficult moment, shortly after Neeskens Kebano had restored Fulham's two-goal lead. But the road to full fitness is continuing and it's clear Simon Grayson still feels the former Sheffield Wednesday man has plenty to offer.


http://www.lep.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-3-1-pne-five-things-we-learned-1-8421893

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Fulham fan Q&A: We only want players who are 100% committed

HITC Sport has been speaking to Fulham fan Katie Galloway, who has been a supporter for 23 years.

Q: What have you made of your team's start to the season?

A: I'm really happy with how the season has gone. We're still in with a chance of making the play-offs, and I think that, even if we do stay down, we could well win the Championship next season anyway. Fulham are a great football, and we've got one of the best manager's in the division at our club.

Q: What are your opinions on your manager?

A: Love him. He's brought a proper attacking style of play to Fulham. I'm glad we've finally got the appointment right

Q: What are your views on the board?

A: Wasn't sure on Shahid Khan when he took Fulham over and, in all honesty, I'm still not. However, he invests in the side every year and you can't complain about that. Hopefully he'll invest again this summer.

Q: Who is your favourite current player?

A: Tom Cairney.

Q: Who is your favourite ever player?

A: Clint Dempsey.

Q: What has been your best memory of the club?

A: Reaching the Europa League final in 2010.

Q: What has been your most disappointing moment?

A: Losing that final, albeit to a very good Atletico Madrid side.

Q: What has been your most shocking moment?

A: Relegation from the Premier League a few years ago.

Q: Describe the best goal you ever saw at your club's home ground

A: Plenty of Danny Murphy free-kicks back in the day.

Q: Which ground is your favourite away day?

A: Stamford Bridge (Chelsea).

Q: Who do you consider to be the club's biggest rival and why?

A: Chelsea - and we always seem to get a result against them!

Q: Who do you feel has been the club's best and worst summer signing?

A: Best has been Aluko, worst I would say was Chris Martin, purely due to the saga around him wanting to go back to Derby. We only want players who are 100% committed.

Q: Who is your one player to watch out for this season?

A: Tom Cairney - he will play for England one day.

Q: Is there a particular youth player that excites you, and why?

A: Ryan Sessegnon - don't expect him to be here after the summer. Great talent.

Q: Where do you think the club will look to strengthen in the summer?

A: A new striker, new centre-half and another attacking midfielder.

Q: Finally, what are your aims for this season, and where do you think your club will finish?

A: Aim for the play-offs but if it doesn't happen, we go again next season!


http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/03/05/pb-fulham-fan-qa-well-win-the-championship-next-season/

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Kebano: Play-Off Goal

Neeskens Kebano was pleased with Saturday's display, but knows the Whites need to keep on winning if they're to gatecrash the Play-Offs.

Four of Fulham's five March fixtures are at Craven Cottage, and when asked for his thoughts after beginning the month with a win, Kebano stated: "It was the perfect start.

"We deserved the win and now we keep on going to try and reach our goals. We want to reach the Play-Offs so we have to get the best results.

"We knew that it would be a tough game. Preston are only two places below us and we knew it wouldn't be easy. So we were serious about it and we played well, so I think we deserved it."

The winger put in an electric display to aid his side en route to victory, setting up Sone Aluko for the opener before scoring the crucial third goal himself.

And while his strike gave Fulham a welcome two-goal cushion, Kebano was well aware that there was plenty of hard work still to be done.

"We knew in that moment that it was not over and that we had to concentrate until the end," he explained. "But we knew that if we did that we would win the game.

"I was very, very happy to score again, and I hope that I keep on going like that. I did maybe two or three celebrations because I didn't really know what to do! I think you could see how happy I was."

The Whites welcome fourth-place Leeds United to SW6 on Tuesday night, knowing a win would move us to within five points of the Yorkshire outfit.

A trip to Championship leaders Newcastle United follows, before another home double header against Blackburn Rovers and Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Kebano is well aware of the significance of those fixtures.

"All the upcoming games, all the games that are in front of us, are so important," he stated. "We just have to win and get the maximum amount of points we can, and then we will see if we've got our ticket for the Play-Offs."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/march/05/neeskens-kebano-play-off-goal

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Cairney 'loves playing for Fulham'
by Dan on March 5, 2017

Tom Cairney declared his love of playing for the expansive Fulham side that Slavisa Jokanovic is building after he helped engineer a fourth straight home league win over Preston North End at Craven Cottage yesterday afternoon.

The Fulham captain, who was named as London's Championship footballer of the year at last week's London Football Awards, said that the 3-1 defeat of in-form North End capped a fine week perfectly. Fulham sit seventh in the table, five points behind Sheffield Wednesday with a game in hand. Cairney admitted he was desperate to put a performance worthy of the plaudits he had received since picking up the award, telling BBC London Sport:

    It has been a great week for me personally, and the club. I wanted to play well and get the three points and thankfully we were able to do that. You have to give credit to the manager and his staff at Fulham. It's a team I love playing in and the fans loving watching it!

Cairney's praise for Jokanovic, who recently signed a two-year contract extension at Fulham, was significant as the Serbian head coach has moved the midfield to a more natural central midfield role from where he can dictate the play as well as offering him extra responsibility by giving Cairney the captaincy in the absence of club captain Scott Parker.

Attention now switches to Tuesday's visit of fourth-placed Leeds, the team who Cairney supported as a boy and who released him at the age of 14 for being 'too small'. Garry Monk's side have lost just two of their last seventeen league fixtures and head to Craven Cottage on the back of an impressive 3-1 win at Birmingham City on Friday night:

    Leeds will be our toughest home game of the season. It will be a real test of where we are as a side. Two very good teams will go head to head.


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2017/03/cairney-loves-playing-for-fulham/

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Kebano urges Fulham to keep it going
by Dan on March 5, 2017

Neeskens Kebano was delighted to grab another goal as Fulham brushed aside in-form Preston North End yesterday afternoon – but knows that the Whites will need a largely flawless end to the season in order to force their way into the Championship play-offs picture.

Kebano fired home his fourth goal in five league appearances to clinch the points against Preston, slotting home from an acute angle after timing his run perfectly to reach Sone Aluko's through pass, and he also produced another clever run to draw defenders away from Chris Martin before the Scottish international scored his goal. The Congolese winger's incessant workrate ensured he was a livewire throughout the contest – and Kebano's insatiable appetite for success appears to know no bounds. He told the club's after the final whistle official website:

    We deserved the win and now we keep on going to try and reach our goals. We want to reach the play-offs so we have to get the best results.

    We knew that it would be a tough game. Preston are only two places below us and we knew it wouldn't be easy. So we were serious about it and we played well, so I think we deserved it.

The former Genk winger admitted that Preston's goal acted as a wake-up call that galvanised Fulham to produce a more focused final twenty minutes and he was delighted to get his name on the scoresheet once again.

    We knew in that moment that it was not over and that we had to concentrate until the end. But we knew that if we did that we would win the game.

    I was very, very happy to score again, and I hope that I keep on going like that. I did maybe two or three celebrations because I didn't really know what to do! I think you could see how happy I was.

Kebano, 24, admitted that the next few games – starting with Leeds on Tuesday and leaders Newcastle this weekend – could be vital in shaping what the final table looks like.

    All the upcoming games, all the games that are in front of us, are so important. We just have to win and get the maximum amount of points we can, and then we will see if we've got our ticket for the play-offs.


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2017/03/kebano-urges-fulham-to-keep-it-going/

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Fulham Duo Make Team of the Week

Thirteen points accumulated from the last fifteen available have kept Fulham on the fringes of the promotion play-off places.

Yesterday, a good performance from Fulham was enough to end Preston North End`s unbeaten in 2017 record.

As a result two Fulham players have been selected for the Sky Bet Team of the Day eleven.

The duo being Sone Aluko and Ryan Sessegnon.

The full eleven selected being:

Darlow (Newcastle United)
Bamba (Cardiff City)
Lascelles (Newcastle United)
Sessegnon (Fulham)
Smith (Bristol City)
Ngbakoto (Queens Park Rangers)
Williams (Reading)
Hourihane (Aston Villa)
Foriestieri (Sheffield Wednesday)
Aluko (Fulham)
Russell (Derby County)

Our congratulations go to Ryan and Sone for their selection.



Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=482958#ixzz4aWpqhSsV

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YEP Jury: Unconvincing Leeds United need to step it up at Fulham

Our YEP Jury have their say on the victory at Birmingham City and look ahead to the trip to Fulham on Tuesday.

MATTHEW EVANS
Friday night's game is probably best described as an unconvincing win. Birmingham looked the more composed and more threatening of the sides for much of the game and Chris Wood's superb first-half finish was clearly against the run of play.

The main problem for United appears to be in the midfield where ball retention, over a number of weeks, has become an alien concept.

Pablo Hernandez was particularly guilty of carelessness at St Andrews and having two wingers who looked reluctant to take anyone on, compounded the whole thing.

These types of game are often a lot of fun for those of us in the away end.

You can sense the frustration from the home stands and feel it spilling over onto the pitch as everyone realises that, no matter how poorly Leeds United are playing, they are still taking the three points home.

And that's how it came to be, even after a remarkable equaliser that narrowly missed every possible blocker in its path and squeezed into a ball-shaped gap between the post and Rob Green's hand.

Garry Monk's decision to bring on Kalvin Phillips added the energy we were missing and we were able to belatedly take the game by the scruff of the neck and score two more; the first made by Phillips and the second expertly finished by Alfonso Pedraza, another substitute. Key to the victory was the tireless work rate of the Leeds defence in the face of a much tougher examination than they've been used to for a lot of this season as they just kept going and going.

Tuesday's game at Craven Cottage will require a similar formula: impenetrable defence plus Chris Wood's goals. However, the midfield will really need to step up a gear.

We have the tools and attributes to beat Fulham but the right decisions need to be made. Do you play Pedraza or Hadi Sacko and lose the benefits that Souleymane Doukara or Stuart Dallas bring? Do you start Phillips despite him being so derided by the fans? Should Kemar Roofe take the place of a lacklustre Hernandez after his lively cameo on Friday? In Garry Monk we trust.

Man of the match: Rob Green.

KEITH INGHAM
Another win, another three points.

But I was so frustrated with the first 60 minutes of the game, wasteful passes, a centre-back who seems to be a little too high on his own confidence and, in general, players who were way off the standard they themselves have set.

The game itself was a tale of two teams that, in terms of skill on the night, were pretty much on the level apart from one important player, we've got Chris Wood!

His form is unbeatable in this and other divisions, including Europe too, he scored his 21st and 22nd Championship goals of the season – in the first half a impudent chip over the City keeper, the other a tap in when he was superbly set up by substitute Kalvin Phillips.

Birmingham gave as good as they got and it was no surprise when they scored a equaliser through Craig Gardner.

It looked they would attempt to go on to grab the win, but a inspired substitution by Leeds saw Phillips brought on for Eunan O'Kane and his energy brought results, setting up Wood and having a very good game.

Alfonso Pedraza then wrapped up the three points with a superb shot.

Without doubt Leeds will have to play a lot better at Craven Cottage where they play Fulham on Tuesday night.

You can get away with it sometimes but not all the time.

Man of the match: Chris Wood.

STEPHEN CLARK
Leeds United are doing what all good football teams do and that is win games when they are not playing well. Friday night at Birmingham City was a classic example of that as they somehow came away with a 3-1 win from a game they did not turn up for in the first hour.

Chris Wood is in phenomenal form and his opening goal can barely be classed as a sniff at goal. It was the first time Leeds had played a half decent ball into the box, but his finish was incredible as he adjusted his body position to lob the ball over Tomasz Kuszczak in the Blues goal.

Birmingham had dominated proceedings and were deservedly level on the hour but Garry Monk showed he has the magic touch when his first substitution paid dividends. Kalvin Phillips had been introduced to inject some physicality and progression to a midfield that was being overrun and his link with Souleymane Doukara and fine ball across the goal presented Chris Wood with a gift. From that moment on Leeds never looked back.

A first Leeds goal for Alfonso Pedraza was the icing on the cake and confirmed that Leeds had committed the perfect crime. Dominated for much of the game they pinched the points and are a good result on Tuesday away from pencilling in a place in the Play-Offs.

Man of the match: Rob Green – vital saves kept Leeds in the game.

GARY NEWBOULD
If ever proof were needed that Garry Monk has provided the significant backbone which has been missing for years at Leeds United, then it was provided at St Andrews on Friday night.

For long periods the Whites were second best against a resurgent Blues but they dug in and courtesy of a brace from the talismanic Chris Wood and a debut goal from Alfonso Pedraza another vital three points were added to this season's haul.

It's all about results now as we head to Craven Cottage on Tuesday evening.

Man of the match: Luke Ayling.

DAVID WATKINS
Clinical finishing from Leeds and wayward shooting from Birmingham tipped the balance of this game in our favour despite the Blues dominating for 70 minutes. Chris Wood was Johnny on the spot twice and Alfonso Pedraza got his first giving Leeds three goals from only 10 attempts and not a single corner. Birmingham managed one goal from 27 attempts and eight corners. Folk say it's better to be lucky than good and that teams that go up find a way to win ugly; well, if that's the case then we are a shoo-in for the play-offs!

Once again we saw frequent squandering of good positions through shoddy passing and none was more guilty than Pablo Hernandez. Time and again he gave up possession as he flicked and poked wayward passes and he just looked out of sorts although he still found the telling pass that got Pedraza his goal.

Credit Birmingham for a decent performance and Leeds for another heroic defensive display by The Famous Five, but blimey we rode our luck.

Man of the match: Chris Wood.

MIKE GILL
A classic away performance from United claimed three more precious points. After Chris Wood's wonderful opener, Leeds never looked too convincing right up to the equaliser. This event seemed to have a galvanising effect and before any negativity could creep in, United were ahead again. From this point they dominated and it was good to see Alfonso Pedraza weigh in with his first goal.

Man of the match: Chris Wood.


http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/yep-jury-unconvincing-leeds-united-need-to-step-it-up-at-fulham-1-8422150

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Fulham v Leeds United: Talking Points ahead of Tuesday's game

AFTER seeing Leeds United strengthen their promotion push with Friday night's 3-1 victory at Birmingham City, Lee Sobot looks at few key talking points ahead of Tuesday night's crunch clash at Fulham.

Should Kalvin Phillips and Alfonso Pedraza be handed starting berths?
A few eyebrows were raised when Phillips was brought on for a below par Eunan O'Kane with 31 minutes remaining, given that Phillips had not been involved at all for United's last two games. But the November EFL player of the month returned to form with a vengeance and produced a clever run and cross to set-up Chris Wood's crucial second goal after latching on to a pass from Souleymane Doukara. Whites head coach Garry Monk must now at least be considering starting Phillips alongside captain Liam Bridcutt in defensive midfield for Tuesday's clash at Fulham.

The same must also be said about Alfonso Pedraza who made an immediate impact after coming on for Stuart Dallas in the 73rd minute by scoring his first goal for Leeds just eight minutes later. Pedraza looks capable of becoming a class act once he is fully settled and must already be pushing Dallas and Doukara for a start out wide though whether Fulham away is the right game for the attacking Spaniard to start is open to debate.

Is attack the best form of defence?
As far as United's bid to secure a place in the play-offs is concerned, a point at Craven Cottage on Tuesday would be a decent result, albeit a victory would clearly be even better. After eighth-placed Norwich City were blitzed at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, seventh-placed Fulham now look the only conceivable dangers to the current top six with - a point illustrated by the current betting for teams to finish in the play-offs. Norwich - who are 12 points behind Leeds and nine points off the play-offs - are now 8-1 to gatecrash the top six, with Derby, who are a further point behind the Canaries, next in the betting at 14s.

Even with 11 games remaining, the top six already looks a seven-horse race and if Leeds can keep Fulham eight points behind - even though the Cottagers have a game in hand - that would be a decent cushion with ten games to go.

But if Fulham were to beat Leeds on Tuesday and also win their game in hand - which is at home to fifth-bottom Blackburn Rovers - then the gap to Leeds would suddenly be just two points, assuming both teams also win their games this coming weekend and it must be pointed out that Fulham face a tall order on Saturday at thriving leaders Newcastle United. Leeds welcome 16th-placed QPR but nevertheless, the temptation to think that Tuesday's game at Craven Cottage is 'don't lose' as opposed to 'must win' is obvious.

But Leeds also closed the gap on the top two to seven points at the weekend and that gap could theoretically be slashed to four points should United beat Brighton at Elland Road a week on Saturday - or even less if the Seagulls slip up at Rotherham United on Tuesday or at home to Derby County on Friday night. Leeds are still 20-1 to finish in the top two and also have third-placed Huddersfield Town to contend with given that the Terriers will be four points ahead of Leeds if winning their game in hand. But there's no doubt that United at least have an outside chance of snatching automatic promotion and all things considered, attacking Fulham from the off might be the best bet at Craven Cottage though Fulham are likely to come flying out of the traps themselves.

Should Pablo Hernandez keep his place as no 10?
Hernandez's pass set up Pedraza's goal at St Andrew's but that aside the Spaniard had a poor game and there are strong calls that Hernandez, who doesn't have much of a defensive game, is better suited to Leeds when they play at home. Kemar Roofe - who has looked at a natural at no 10 - is the obvious alternative though Phillips is an option there too. Yet with the game still very much in the balance it was Hernandez's vision and fine pass that ultimately set up the chance for Leeds to go 3-1 up and finally end Birmingham's very strong resistance. Class is permanent they say and that fact will be at the forefront of Monk's mind when picking his team for Fulham. Hernandez's set pieces and in particular corners have also proved a vital weapon.

Is it time for Charlie Taylor to come back into the team?
What to do with the fit again Charlie Taylor is another burning issue given that Gaetano Berardi looked shaky at times at St Andrew's. A natural right back, Berardi has performed wonders at left back in Taylor's long absence but Birmingham had plenty of joy down right on Friday and Taylor is too good a player to not be involved once fit, which he is. The 23-year-old failed to make the Whites 18 on Friday but it would be no surprise if that changes on Tuesday night.


http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/fulham-v-leeds-united-talking-points-ahead-of-tuesday-s-game-1-8422254

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Chris Martin latest: There are more goals to come from the striker, says Fulham boss


Chris Martin.

Slavisa Jokanovic is confident Chris Martin can fire more goals this season to help Fulham's bid to reach the Championship play offs.

Martin, on loan from Derby County, returned to Fulham's starting XI and he scored in Saturday's 3-1 victory over Preston North End at Craven Cottage.

The striker had been left out of the squad for the previous game against Cardiff City but Jokanovic believes Martin has a key role to play in the run-in.

"He's available for the fight and that's it. He is a part of Fulham and I expect he will score more goals."

Martin has scored 11 goals in 26 appearances for Fulham since he joined them and the London club sit seventh in the table, five points behind Sheffield Wednesday with a game in hand.



Read more at http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/chris-martin-latest-there-are-more-goals-to-come-from-the-striker-says-fulham-boss/story-30180859-detail/story.html#FA1BwzFaLPRq4v3R.99

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Leeds United: Whites could be on brink of historic season says Bridcutt

Liam Bridcutt claimed the Championship was looking at "the best Leeds United team for 15 years" after a 3-1 win at Birmingham put the club within touching distance of the play-offs and set them up for a pivotal game at 
Fulham on Tuesday.

Bridcutt backed Leeds to make good a top-six finish in the last 11 games of the season with Garry Monk's side up to fourth in the table after an eventful weekend.

United's resilient victory at St Andrews on Friday, inspired by another two goals from Chris Wood, maintained an eight-point advantage over seventh-placed Fulham, the team who sit directly below the Championship's play-off places.

The promotion race now appears to be a battle between seven clubs after Norwich City in eighth were hammered by Sheffield Wednesday, and a heavy defeat for Brighton at Nottingham Forest yesterday left Leeds seven points back from the automatic promotion positions.

United have been exiled from the Premier League since 2004 and last reached the Championship play-offs 11 years ago.

The club have struggled to fully reverse the downward slide which began after their appearance in the Champions League semi-finals in 2001 but asked if Leeds were on the brink of an historic season, captain Bridcutt said: "It could be and I think we've already set history. This is probably the best Leeds side I've seen in the last 15 years and that's all credit to the management and the players."

Leeds have 64 points after their win at St Andrews, their 20th victory of the campaign. Monk's players are eight short of the tally amassed in the Championship under Simon Grayson in 2011 and 14 behind the total which took Kevin Blackwell's squad into the play-offs in 2006.

Bridcutt insisted he was confident Leeds would secure a top-six place, saying: "In terms of quality we've got all of that, and in terms of determination and fight I think we're up there.

"There aren't many teams who can live with us when we're firing 100 per cent.

"We're making it a bit more difficult for everyone else now. Every game we want to win and that's the bottom line. We keep putting pressure on teams and that's all we can do."

Brighton manager Chris Hughton attended Friday's game at St Andrews which saw Leeds ride heavy pressure from Birmingham to claim three points. Wood struck in either half to establish himself as the Championship's leading scorer.

Hughton's side have held an automatic promotion spot for most of the season but their position is weaker after a 3-0 loss to Forest.

Brighton visit Elland Road in a fortnight's time and asked if Leeds still had a chance of snatching second place, Bridcutt – the former Brighton midfielder – said: "I don't want to put anything out there but we're making it difficult for teams. It's up to others now to see if they can go and do it but we're here to win every game and put pressure on the teams above us."

Monk will have a full squad available for Tuesday's trip to Fulham after defenders Luke Ayling and Kyle Bartley – both of whom are one yellow card away from a two-game suspension – avoided bookings at Birmingham.

Midfielder Ronaldo Vieira was rested at St Andrews but is likely to come back into Monk's 18-man squad at Craven Cottage.

The fixture in London could change the complexion of the promotion race again with Fulham eight points behind Leeds and holding a game in hand.

Monk said: "We realise it's an important game, like they all are, and we want to go down there and do well. We want to win the game and that's what we'll be preparing for."


http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/leeds-united-whites-could-be-on-brink-of-historic-season-says-bridcutt-1-8422347

[WhiteJC]

 
PL bound: These 2 Fulham stars will be in the top-flight before you know it

Fulham are having a pretty decent season by all accounts, and are the closest challengers to dethroning Sheffield Wednesday from their top six spot.

Manager Slavisa Jokanovic has done an excellent job at Craven Cottage, and despite the loss of Ross McCormack and Moussa Dembele in the summer, he has turned the Cottagers into a genuinely excellent Championship side.

Part of the reason why Fulham have done so well is some of the top talent they have in their squad, both young and old. Jokanovic has done an excellent job of binding this mix of youth and experience together, and the results show this.

Fulham will be hoping for a better summer in terms of not losing their star men this time round, but there are bound to be bids coming in for some of their stars in the transfer window.

With this in mind, we have taken a look at TWO Fulham stars who will be in the top flight before you know it...

Tom Cairney


Arguably one of the best players in the Championship, Cairney will be high on the radar of plenty of clubs this summer.

He is excellent technically, and his ability to play across the whole midfield makes him an attractive proposition.

Cairney is a quality player, and he will no doubt be top of the shopping list for many clubs when the transfer window opens.

Ryan Sessegnon


Probably the brightest young talent in the Championship, Sessegnon has been lighting up the league since making his debut this term.

Still very much a raw teenager, Sessegnon appears to have all the ability in the world and should go right to the very top of the game. If Fulham do sell this summer, they will be seeking a huge fee, and will no doubt look to insert an equally as big sell on clause into any deal made.



http://footballleagueworld.co.uk/pl-bound-these-2-fulham-stars-will-be-in-the-top-flight-before-you-know-it/

[WhiteJC]

 
What do Fulham's personnel changes mean for their future?

On February 23, Fulham fans rejoiced when manager Slavisa Jokanovic finally signed a new contract to remain at Craven Cottage for two more years. On the surface, this was an excellent outcome for Fulham. Jokanovic has revitalized a previously listless team and transformed the Whites into genuine promotion contenders while playing beautiful football along the way.

Yet many supporters may have missed out the announcements earlier that day solidifying the place of Tony Khan and his associates at Craven Cottage. Buried under the extension of Jokanovic was the confirmation of Fulham's focus on statistical recruitment; a decision that has proved controversial with Jokanovic himself.

Over the past year, Jokanovic has publicly clashed with a man named Craig Kline constantly. Kline is a personal university friend of Vice Chairman Tony Khan, chairman Shahid Khan's son. Kline is an American data analyst who works for Tony's company TruMedia, which specializes in "sports analytics solutions for leagues, franchises, and media partners across the sports industry," according to fulhamfc.com.

In August 2016, during Fulham's impressive start to the 2016/17 Championship season, Jokanovic publicly aired his grievances with the club's transfer policy, and in particular, with Kline.

Jokanovic held little back, unleashing a biting attack on Craig Kline, who was depicted as a shady figure who made transfer decisions while Jokanovic was kept in the cold.

""It generally depends on this guy [Kline] who is going to sign for us or not," Jokanovic told BBC Sport.

"The last decision is in the hands of this man. It is not my business.I'm a little bit disappointed because no one knows who this guy [Kline] is," Jokanovic added.

Furthermore, Jokanovic added he had targeted a player (later known to be Manchester United youngster Andreas Pereira) on loan, yet had Kline reject the move on a statistical basis.

Clearly, Jokanovic and Kline have had their issues. Jokanovic was angered that an outsider without his intricate footballing knowledge could easily overrule him; this animosity actually led to Kline being exiled last winter.

Given their checkered history, the joint announcements on February 23rd were even more eye-catching. Hours before Jokanovic pledged his support to Fulham and called the Whites a "fantastic Club full of history and tradition," Craig Kline was appointed Assistant Director of Football Operations and Director of Statistical Research.

line now has a permanent and official role at the club and will report directly to Tony Khan, the new Vice Chairman. Tony Khan has also championed a statistical approach to transfers, and in his role as Vice Chairman and Director of Football Operations, will look to implement the statistical model at Fulham.

In the end, it is yet to be seen who will prevail in the battle of contrasting viewpoints behind the scenes at Fulham. Yet with the appointment of Khan and Kline, Fulham looks set to embark on a statistical-based recruiting mission for the foreseeable future; one that may be at odds with Slavisa Jovanovic.


http://tbrfootball.com/what-do-fulhams-personnel-changes-mean-for-their-future/

[WhiteJC]

 
Can Fulham Make A Late Dash For The Playoff Spots?

The Sky Bet Championship is meeting the expectations which the football fraternity, prior to the start of the season, had off it. Not only the automatic qualification spots but the playoff spots are being fiercely contested with many second-tier sides leaving no stone unturned to ensure that they have the last laugh.

Promotion is the ultimate aim for these teams in the Championship as the prestige and finance associated with a move to the Premier League is unmatched. A season in the Premier League can change the fortunes of a club and hence the drastic level of competition to fight for the 3 coveted spots.

Fulham have slowly yet surely climbed up the ladder and are set to give the likes of Sheffield Wednesday and Reading a tough fight for a place in the top six. Their latest 3-1 win over Preston North End, in which Sone Aluko neatly finished Neeskens Kebano's cross followed by goals from Chris Martin and Kebano to rattle the Lilywhites, was the latest reminder of the fine nick they are in. The Cottagers have accumulated four wins from their last five games, drawing one in the process and are desperately aiming to ply their trade in the Premier League once again.

Slavisa Jokanovic has carefully moulded the players into high functioning assets: Fulham have scored for fun, their defence might not be the most resolute one but they aren't certainly mediocre either and their midfield has steadied their ship in a shrewd manner lately.

What has been phenomenal to witness is that there has not been a player who has been discharging the duties of any sphere singlehandedly, for there has been an even distribution of the roles amongst the personnel and this has been a prime factor for their recent domination. But then, how the scenario pans up for them in the upcoming fixtures is definitely going to determine their whereabouts next season.

The London-based outfit are to face Newcastle United, Derby County, Norwich City, Huddersfield Town and Sheffield Wednesday (speaking of fixtures in which the Whites are likely to drop points against), apart from hosting Garry Monk's Leeds United at Craven Cottage on Tuesday.

It would be a premature evaluation to state that they should already count themselves out owing to the tough fixtures that they need to navigate. However, their recent uplift in form offers some hope and should they keep the momentum going in their favour, they can certainly leapfrog a side like Sheffield Wednesday in the business end of the season to earn a playoff spot.


http://the4thofficial.net/2017/03/can-fulham-make-late-dash-playoff-spots/

[WhiteJC]

 
Preston forward tips Fulham to gatecrash Championship play-offs

PRESTON forward Tom Barkhuizen expects Fulham to gatecrash the play-offs.


Preston forward Tom Barkhuizen has tipped Fulham to finish in the top six

The Whites secured a comfortable win against ninth-placed North End on Saturday to remain seventh in the table, five points behind the top six.

"We didn't have a lot of possession or a lot of chances but I think everyone appreciated that Fulham are a really good team," he said.

"[They are] probably the best team we've played, since I've been here.

"It wouldn't surprise me if they go up and make it into the play-offs because they're a really good team.

"We fought hard as we do every week, we fought to the end but we've come away with nothing."

Fulham duo Sone Aluko and Chris Martin scored either side of the break to have Fulham in control by the hour mark.

Barkhuizen, on his first start for Preston having signed from Morecambe in January, threatened a comeback when he netted on 68 minutes but Neeskens Kebano soon sealed all three points for the hosts.

Despite the result impacting North End's own play-off hopes, Barkhuizen was pleased with his efforts at Craven Cottage.

"I would have preferred if we had got the three points," he said.

"We knew it was a massive game with regards to where we want to be at the end of the season and how tight it's been.

"Obviously, from a personal point of view it's nice to get my first start and get off the mark.


Slavisa Jokanovic's side are seventh in the table

"Hopefully there's plenty more to come."

Barkhuizen had his hands full on the right flank keeping Ryan Sessegnon and Kebano quiet but he believes facing slick sides such as Fulham can only aid his development.

"I said when I signed I'm back at the level where I want to be to progress in my career and playing against teams like that will only make me a better player," he added.


http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/593905/Preston-Fulham-Championship-Play-Offs-Gossip

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham Awaydaze

Our visit to Fulham is on Tuesday night, with a 7.45 kick-off, and if you can't get down to London there is always the beamback at Elland Road.

As you probably know, Craven Cottage is by the Thames in South-West London. By road you need to take junction 15 off the M25 onto the M4, which becomes the A4. Keep following the A4 signs for 11.5 miles till you get to the Hammersmith Flyover Junction, then take the exit marked A306, A315, A219. From the following roundabout follow signs to Putney Bridge, which will bring you into Fulham Palace Road.

You are now just over a mile from the ground and from here you might as well think about parking in the first spot you see, parking on the streets near to the ground is restricted to one hour 'pay & display' on matchdays, even in the evening, and this is strictly enforced by an army of traffic wardens. It's probably less hassle to park at a tube station further out and complete your journey by underground.

The nearest tube station to Craven Cottage is Putney Bridge (on the Wimbledon Branch of the District Line) which is only a ten minute walk away, Turn left out of the station and then immediately turn right into a street called Ranelagh Gardens, then just keep going in this direction, keeping the Thames on your left as you cross the main road and go through Bishops Park.

En route you will pass the 'Eight Bells' which is popular with away fans, and alternative is 'The Temperance' which you'll a few minutes walk further along Fulham High street, going away from the river. 'The Crabtree on Rainville Road (10 minutes from the ground) welcomes away supporters, but diehard CAMRA enthusiasts will probably head for 'The Bricklayer's Arms', in Waterman Street, just the other side of the river in Putney.

There is also a selection of alcohol available inside the stadium, which even includes cans of Tetleys! The High Street is also the best bet for takeaways, which you might need to use, as the food inside the ground is expensive, though quite tasty and with generous portions.

When I first came to 'the Cottage' in the 1980s there was terracing at both ends, with the one for visitors naturally being open to the elements, but in the years since the club have had to comply with the Taylor report by replacing them with new stands. And the away fans are still in the same place today, with our initial allocation being 2,800 seats in the Putney End, out of a total stadium capacity of 25,678.

The good news is that Fulham have been kind enough to allow us an additional 195 tickets after the main allocation sold out on the first day of being available to members, but the bad news is that they are for 'restricted view' seats, though at least they only cost £23. Presumably they are behind the supporting pillars (a disappointing feature in a stand built only a decade ago) but at least the away end now has a roof.

The non-restricted seats cost £25 for adults, with concessions at £20 and £15, as this match has been designated 'Category A', despite it being a midweek fixture. Next to us is a section which is designated as 'neutral', so fans of both clubs can mix, and surprisingly it seems that still applies for this game, so it could be worth a try if you haven't got a ticket in the Leeds end. The Fulham website is restricting sales for all the home stands to fans with a 'purchase history'.

To our right is the building known as the 'Cottage', which thankfully has survived amongst all this modernity as a reminder of an earlier age. But technically this is just a pavilion, as the original cottage was demolished many years ago.

As the future is concerned, the Club have now received planning permission to redevelop the Riverside Stand (the one to our left, which dates back to 1972). This would increase the capacity of Craven Cottage to 30,000, but no firm time scales have been announced as to when this will take place, so it's likely this will have to wait until Fulham get back into the Premier League.

Some of this stuff came from www.footballgroundguide.com.



- See more at: http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/leedsunited/news/45237/#sthash.ywOLQdKd.dpuf

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham in fine form ahead of huge Leeds clash but Preston's play-off push falters

SLAVISA JOKANOVIC knew Fulham had reached an important week in their season.


Slavisa Jokanovic's Fulham beat Preston 3-1 on Saturday

The Whites' fixture list would see them host fellow play-off contenders Preston and Leeds in the space of three days with a trip to leaders Newcastle on the horizon.

He set the tone in his programme notes, describing the run of matches as "influential".

So Jokanovic will have been delighted by his side's confident and convincing performance in the win against Preston.

North End headed into the clash just one point behind Fulham but they struggled to cope with the pace of the home side's wide men.

With part one complete, Jokanovic now turns his mind to part two tomorrow night - Leeds at home.

Whereas Preston offered little for striker Jordan Hugill to work with, Leeds have options in midfield to provide for the Championship's top scorer Chris Wood.

Stifling the Kiwi - who has 22 goals this season - will be key for Fulham while Garry Monk would be wise to focus on nullifying Tom Cairney, Neeskens Kebano and Sone Aluko, who ran riot against Preston.

If Leeds claim all three points then Monk can surely start turning his attention to the play-offs.

But Fulham are building momentum and victory would further raise their hopes of sneaking into the top six.

Ninth-placed Preston now find themselves nine points adrift of the top six but they still have Derby, Reading, Leeds and Huddersfield to play before the end of the season.

It would require an incredible run of form to gatecrash the party but Simon Grayson and assistant Glynn Snodin will keep their troops pushing until a spot in the end-of-season lottery is mathematically impossible.

Even if they miss out, improving on last season's 11th-placed finish would represent major progress, considering the strength of teams in the league this term.



http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/593911/Fulham-Fine-Form-Leeds-Preston-Play-Offs-Championship-Gossip