Saturday Fulham Stuff (29/07/17)...

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Fulham to face Middlesbrough on opening day as Premier League 2 fixtures announced

Peter Grant's U23 will face an opening day visit from Middlesbrough at Motspur Park before facing Brighton at the Checkatrade Stadium

Fulham will begin their Premier League 2 Division 2 campaign against Middlesbrough on August 11 after the fixtures were released.

Peter Grant's U23 side finished fourth last season in Division 2 before losing to Newcastle 2-0 in a Play-off at St James' Park at the start of May which meant they lost out on the chance of playing in the Play-off final with promotion to Division 1 on the line.

The majority of the side's games will be played at Motspur Park, but some are scheduled to be played at Craven Cottage during international breaks or on Friday nights.

The full fixture list is as follows:

Auust 11

Fulham v Middlesbrough, 2pm, Fulham FC Training Ground

August 21

Brighton & Hove Albion v Fulham, 7pm, Checkatrade Stadium

August 26

Fulham v Aston Villa, 2pm, Craven Cottage

September 11

Reading v Fulham, 7pm, Adams Park

September 15

Fulham v West Bromwich Albion, 7pm, Fulham FC Training Ground

September 25

Blackburn Rovers v Fulham, 7pm, Lancashire FA

October 13

Fulham v Stoke City, 7pm, Fulham FC Training Ground

October 23

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Fulham, 7pm, AFC Telford United

October 27

Fulham v Norwich City, 7pm, Fulham FC Training Ground

November 20

Southampton v Fulham, 7pm, Staplewood Training Ground

November 24

Fulham v Newcastle United, 2pm, Fulham FC Training Ground

December 8

Fulham v Brighton & Hove Albion, 7pm, Fulham FC Training Ground

December 17

Middlesbrough v Fulham, 1pm, Heritage Park

January 8

Aston Villa v Fulham, 7pm, Villa Park

January 12

Fulham v Reading, 7pm, Fulham FC Training Ground

January 29

West Bromwich Albion v Fulham, 2pm, WBAFC Training Ground

February 2

Fulham v Blackburn Rovers, 7pm, Fulham FC Training Ground

February 17

Stoke vs Fulham, 2pm, TBC

March 4

Norwich City v Fulham, 2pm, Colney Training Centre

March 10

Fulham v Wolverhampton Wanderers, 2pm, Craven Cottage

April 13

Fulham v Southampton, 7pm, Fulham FC Training Ground

April 23

Newcastle United v Fulham, 7pm, Northumberland FA




http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-face-middlesbrough-opening-day-13397690

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Get With The Programme

We run the rule over Fulham's five summer signings in the new-look matchday programme for Saturday's pre-season friendly with VfL Wolfsburg at the Cottage.

In the 48-page publication, which will be available to purchase from various sellers on Stevenage Road for just £2, Head Coach Slaviša Jokanović assesses Fulham's pre-season campaign so far and eyes a successful 2017/18.

Elsewhere, we recall our memorable last two meetings with Wolfsburg, and provide all the info you need on this weekend's opponents.

Whites legend Gordon Davies also returns with his thoughts on all-things Fulham, whilst fulhamfctv co-commentator Jamie Reid provides his view from the gantry. And, has your picture made our new #FFCSelfies page?

The programme is available along Stevenage Road from two hours before kick-off. Or order it online from ProgrammeMaster.

For just £1.50, the programme is also available as a digital download on your iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, PC or Mac via Apple's Newsstand or Pocketmags from 9am on Saturday.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/july/28/get-with-the-programme

[WhiteJC]

 
Chelsea loanee Tomas Kalas aiming to go one better with Fulham after signing on loan

The Czech international signed for Fulham on another season-long loan and is looking to push on from last season's achievement

Tomas Kalas wants to prove to everyone that Fulham's 2016/17 campaign wasn't a one-season wonder and that they will be one of the front runners for promotion this time around.

The 24-year-old signed for Fulham on another season long loan from Chelsea having flown back from their pre-season tour of Singapore early, despite reported interest from Hull City.

Slavisa Jokanovic has always been a big fan of the Czech international, while Kalas made it fairly clear on his social media platforms that he always wanted to return to the Cottage.

And now he wants to help Fulham take that extra step to get them into the Premier League.

He told Fulham FC Tv: "I was hoping that the team wasn't going to get changed apart from Chris Martin and Scott Malone the rest of the team are still the same so there is a hope and there is a belief that we did quite well last season and we should keep going like that and get better.

"Hopefully it will be true and we will prove to everyone that it wasn't just coincidence last season.

"I know everyone here and everyone knows me and I know the style that the manager prefers so it wasn't like I had to come straight away and as soon as I decided, so that helped, Chelsea as well, my decision because it is always easier to go somewhere where you know what you can expect."

Fulham's final pre-season friendly is this Saturday at Craven Cottage against VfL Wolfsburg.

Tickets are priced from £15 for adults and just £1 for Junior supporters. For further information or to purchase visit: www.fulhamfc.com/tickets . Tickets will also be available to purchase from turnstiles at the ground on match day.



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/chelsea-loanee-tomas-kalas-aiming-13398436

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Season Ticket Cards

Supporters are advised that 2017/18 Season Ticket Cards and Welcome Packs are currently being posted out and will begin to land over the coming days.

Fans are advised that all packs are sent out in batches, which could mean that supporters located at the same address may not receive their pack on the same day. Please be assured that all cards and packs will be with fans by Friday 4th August.

Season Ticket Holders are reminded that this season they will all receive a new Season Ticket Card. Previous Season Ticket cards will not gain access to the ground.

Membership Packs will land with supporters in mid-August. Any seats purchased by Members for our August fixtures will be issued as paper tickets.

As always, we thank you for your support and look forward to welcoming you back to Craven Cottage.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/july/28/season-ticket-cards

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Academy: Aesch International Tournament

A Fulham Academy team have flown to Switzerland to take part in this year's Aesch International Tournament.

This is the fourth consecutive year the Whites have taken part in this Under-19 pre-season tournament, preparing for their upcoming PL2 Campaign.

Fulham get stuck into the tournament with their first fixture against Italians Juventus on Friday at 4pm BST.

On Saturday morning they face Aesch FC, and follow that with a fixture against FK Red Star Belgrade in the afternoon to complete the group stage.

The teams Fulham could face in the later rounds are Liverpool, German side Hamburg SV, Swiss outfit FC Basel, and Greeks Olympiacos.

The top two in each group go onto the semi-final, and the teams that finish third and fourth go into play-offs for finishing places.

Fulham have taken part in this International Tournament for the past three years, finishing 5th, 7th and 6threspectively.

In past years, Fulham have taken a very young squad, and are confident they will be competing for the top spots this year. 

Last year The Whites lost their opening game to Brasilian side Fluminense 2-1, and bounced back with a 6-0 victory over Aesch FC. They lost their final group game to FC Basel and finished the tournament 6th, with a defeat to Hamburg FC.

"I've been there previously," PL2 forward Elijah Adebayo told Fulhamfctv. "it's a really good tournament. The boys are positive going into it, thinking we can win.

"We've played Juventus previously, I don't think the boys have anything to worry about, we play our game and I'm sure we will be able to match them in every position."

You can watch the match live by clicking here.

The squad who have travelled is as followed:

Joe Felix, Tyrese Francois, Jayden Harris, Dan Martin, Jaydn Mundle-Smith, Julian Schwarzer, Steven Sessegnon, Cameron Thompson, Atli Andrason, Taye Ashby-Hammond, Foday Nabay, Jerome Opoku, Mattias Kait, Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson, Elijah Adebayo, Nicolas Santos-Clase, Reece York.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/july/28/academy-aesch-international-tournament

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Amiens to sell Aboubakar Kamara to Fulham

Fulham have finalised a deal with SC Amiens to acquire former Monaco forward Aboubakar Kamara, according to Foot Mercato.

Fulham are believed to have submitted a very much improved offer than that of which Amiens' president described on Wednesday to Le Courrier Picard, as 'not large enough'.




http://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2017/amiens-to-sell-aboubakar-kamara-to-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham need a striker, and this man is perfect for the football Jokanovic wants to play

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic has slowly put together a squad capable of great things since taking over the managerial role in 2015, and will feel his side are almost ready to launch yet another top six bid.

The defence and midfield units are looking strong, but Fulham lack a prolific striker, and this could ultimately cost them table positions if the situation is not addressed by the end of the window.

A big, strong target man is exactly what Jokanovic needs to hold up the ball and bring his impressive midfield into play, and a player of this calibre is set to be available and on the market.

Middlesbrough forward Rudy Gestede is surplus to requirements at the Riverside following the arrivals of Britt Assombalonga, Martin Braithwaite and Ashley Fletcher, and Garry Monk will look to cash in on the striker in the coming weeks.

Gestede has enjoyed fantastic spells in the Championship, and at this level, is certainly deadly in front of goal.

The 28-year-old Benin international enjoyed a prolific spell in this division with Blackburn Rovers, and although the goals dried up when he moved to the top flight, returning to the second tier will work wonders for the player.

With an eye for goal and the characteristics of his all round play suited to Fulham's game, Jokanovic should certainly be monitoring the situation of the player, who he could probably get for a steal.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-need-a-striker-and-this-man-is-perfect-for-the-football-jokanovic-wants-to-play/

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Championship side Reading planning striker double swoop

Jaap Stam is looking to bolster Reading's forward options ahead of the new season, and is targeting both Fulham's Sone Aluko and Huddersfield Town's Nahki Wells.

The Royals currently have three strikers in their stable, but only 35-year-old Yann Kermorgant scored regularly for them last term. Joseph Mendes struggled with injury and new signing Jon Dadi Bodvarsson is not a proven goalscorer in the Championship.

However, if the club could capture both Wells and Aluko, their strike-force would look much more impressive as they seek to go one better than last season and return to the Premier League. Furthermore, the signing of the latter in particular would weaken a key rival ahead of next season.

Aluko, 28, joined Fulham from Hull last summer, and looked at home in English football's second division, scoring nine goals for the Cottagers as they reached the playoffs.

Wells, 27, who is valued at around £8m, also has a decent reputation in the Championship, having scored 10 goals and laid on five assists as Huddersfield Town were promoted to the Premier League via the playoffs, beating Reading in the final on penalties.



http://www.teamtalk.com/news/reading-planning-striker-double-swoop

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Wolves striker Joe Mason eyed by Championship rivals

HITC Sport understands Fulham and Bristol City are targeting Mason.

Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Joe Mason is a target for Fulham and Bristol City, HITC Sport understands from sources close to the club.

Mason's future along with a number of other players' at Wolves is up in the air due to the arrival of plenty of fresh faces under new coach Nuno Espirito Santo and with Nuno trying out a new 3-4-3 formation at Molineux for the upcoming season.

The 26-year-old, who joined Wolves from Cardiff in January 2016, has struggled to hold down a regular place in the side since moving to Molineux.

Mason saw his progress interrupted by injuries last time out, as he missed three months of the campaign before returning for the final four weeks of the season.

Mason has scored just seven goals in 37 appearances for Wolves, but the powerful striker has proved in the past he can score in the Championship after scoring for Cardiff City and Bolton Wanderers in the second tier.

Fulham and Bristol City are both looking to bolster their respective attacking options for the upcoming season and they are monitoring Mason's situation at Wolves.

Fulham are short of strikers after Chris Martin returned to Derby following his loan spell last season and they have yet to bring in any new forwards so far this summer.

Bristol City are also in the market for attacking reinforcements as they need to fill the void left by Tammy Abraham's departure following his successful loan spell at Ashton Gate last season.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/07/28/wolves-striker-joe-mason-eyed-by-championship-rivals/

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Dejagah: Fulham In My Heart

When Ashkan Dejagah found out that Fulham were hosting VfL Wolfsburg in a pre-season friendly, he was quick to book a flight back to London.

The Iranian represented both sides with distinction in his career, and he's looking forward to seeing them go head-to-head at the Cottage on Saturday.

"When I heard about the friendly game, I was like 'I have to be there!'" Dejagah told fulhamfc.com. "It's nice, Wolfsburg versus Fulham, so I am coming tonight until Sunday.

"I think it will be a great friendly game for the supporters and all the players. It's a great test for Fulham, and Wolfsburg will try to do well in this game because they know the league is starting soon and they want to find their first XI.

"I expect it will be a great game. I follow Fulham on Instagram and I see they're working very hard, and last season they did really well. I think it should be a great test for both teams.

"It will be my first time back at the Cottage since I left. To be honest, I am a little bit nervous! But Fulham was a great time for me, so I am looking forward to it.

"I know the team has changed a lot, but I know some of the staff, like the physios, are the same and I'm looking forward to seeing them."

Dejagah went down in Wolfsburg folklore when he was part of the side that won the Bundesliga title for the first time in the club's history.

"It was a nice time at that moment," he recalled. "It was my first move from Hertha Berlin to another team and it was great for me, those five years.

"We won the league once, and we also played in the Champions League and the Europa League, so it was a good experience for me.

"There were big players in that team like Edin Dzeko, Grafite, [Andrea] Barzagli from Italy, so it was a great team."

The season after lifting the Bundesliga trophy, the Wolves found themselves up against Fulham in the Quarter-Finals of the UEFA Europa League.

Dejagah came off the bench in each leg, but couldn't prevent his future employers from securing a famous 3-1 aggregate win.

"Both games were tough," he admitted. "It was of course a special year for Fulham. They did very well, and it was not easy to play against them with all their good players, but it was still a nice experience.

"Getting to play at Craven Cottage for the first time was special for me. Unfortunately in that moment, Fulham qualified and we were out. I still remember the game exactly, when Damien Duff scored his goal, our last minute header after the corner-kick, everything."

That feeling of running out at the Cottage would soon become a regular occurrence for the winger, as he joined the Whites little more than two years later.

"The Premier League was always a dream for me," Dejagah stated. "After all my time in the Bundesliga, I wanted to be in the Premier League in England. I watched a lot of games in England when I was in Germany.

"Then Martin Jol gave me a chance and it was maybe the best time of my career, those two years. I really enjoyed my time at Fulham."

While 2013/14 was a productive one personally for Dejagah as he netted six goals, which were often screamers, it ended in heartbreak for the Club.

"At Fulham it was the first time I had experienced relegation," he explained. "It was hard to accept because we actually had a good team. If you count the names, it was a great team, but football is not easy.

"We tried everything, especially for the supporters. It was sad for them because it was always fantastic to play in Craven Cottage, with them behind us. They tried until the last game to support us, and so relegation was not easy to accept."

A move to Qatar beckoned for the Iran international after the Whites' drop into the Championship, but it was with a heavy heart that he left SW6.

"I had a great time at Fulham, so it was not easy for me to leave," Dejagah said. "It was a really difficult situation for me because Fulham was like a family club. In my two years they really were in my heart.

"It's the same with Wolfsburg, I also had a good relationship with their supporters. I always tried to give my best, at Wolfsburg and Fulham. For me, the first thing was to make sure I gave everything on the pitch for the club.

"I'm still following Fulham, I still get a lot of messages on my Instagrams from Fulham supporters. I just want to say thank you to them, and I hope they saw I was always trying to give everything for the Club."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/july/28/ashkan-dejagah-fulham-in-my-heart

[WhiteJC]

 
Amid Fulham's week of signings, problems still remain up front
It's been a busy week at Craven Cottage. But where are the strikers?

Plagued by transfer inaction and incessant pleas of "Announce Rolan," Fulham's social media man has been offered a welcome period of respite during the last few days. The Fulham faithful had recently grown restless, watching other promotion contenders splash the cash while the Whites failed to secure high-profile transfer targets.

Yet the past week has brought much-needed activity and shrewd pieces of business.

On Tuesday, Oliver Norwood signed on a season-long loan from Brighton, providing industry and guile in centre midfield and also bringing knowledge of what it takes to achieve promotion. Norwood's presence will be vital as cover for Stefan Johansen and Kevin McDonald, and paired with Tom Cairney and Ibrahima Cisse, Fulham may have assembled the most fearsome midfield in the Championship.

On Wednesday Fulham's new home kit was revealed, a classy black and white strip that featured Grosvenor Casinos as the main sponsor. The kit is a return to the traditional black and white that Fulham is known for; crucially, the sponsor is no longer blue.

And yesterday, Tomas Kalas re-joined Fulham on another season-long loan from Chelsea. The Czech centre-half became Fulham's third loan signing of the summer, joining Norwood and fellow Chelsea loanee Lucas Piazon. The move came to the relief and delight of Fulham fans, as Kalas was last season's standout defender and formed a formidable partnership with Tim Ream. Although Kalas signed a four-year deal with his parent club Chelsea on the same day, the acquisition of the centre-back is brilliant news for Fulham and brings back the Whites' best defender to Craven Cottage.

However, one massive piece of the puzzle remains worryingly missing. Despite strengthening the centre of midfield and defence, Fulham's striking options remain bleak. Currently, Cauley Woodrow and Sone Aluko are Fulham's only recognized centre-forwards, and each player rarely featured in the striker position last year.

The man who filled the void last season was Chris Martin, the loan signing from Derby who divided opinion. The wantaway Scot bagged ten goals for the Whites, yet sparked controversy when he sat out matches in order to force a move back to the Rams. Many agreed that with a more mobile, lethal striker Fulham could have truly challenged for automatic promotion.

It is clear Fulham need an upgrade in the forward position, but as Fulham supporters have seen time after time again, this is far easier said than done. Signing strikers is a notoriously tricky business, one only needs to look to our London neighbours to the east for an example of terrible transfer business. Fulham is no stranger to dodgy striker acquisitions themselves, infamously splashing the cash on spectacular failure Kostas Mitroglou in 2014.

The Whites came close to signing Bordeaux's Diego Rolan this month, but the Uruguayan international pulled out of the agreement at the last minute (after multiple trips to London). As discussed in the latest Cottage Talk, Rolan is the type of striker that would thrive in the current Fulham system; versatile, quick, and a lethal finisher, Rolan would feed off the countless opportunities provided to him by the creative midfield. Yet in the end, employing a player who doesn't want to play for the club is never a good idea, and the botched transfer may be a blessing in disguise.

Fulham have also been linked to Norwich striker Cameron Jerome, who possesses a wealth of Premier League and Championship goalscoring experience. However, interest in the 30-year-old has reportedly cooled amid concerns over his age and statistical prowess. The latest striker Fulham have been allegedly been looking into is Aboubakar Kamara, a 22-year-old Frenchman who plays for recently-promoted Ligue 1 outfit Amiens.

All in all, Fulham appear to have a top-class squad that is capable of challenging for automatic promotion, yet crucially without the services of a quality striker. It is vital the club acquires the services of a proven goalscorer who can convert the plethora of chances that the Cottagers create; that much is simple. What is far more difficult, however, is identifying the right man for the job.

As the first match of the season rapidly approaches, Fulham need to sign a striker quickly in order to hit the ground running. The Whites' strong start to the 2016/17 season played a big part in our sixth place finish, and in order to challenge for promotion, Fulham must replicate that this year. Fulham possesses a solid defence, with all the major parts returning from last year, with the exception of Scott Malone. Fulham has the best midfield in the division, having kept Cairney and bolstered with Cisse and Norwood.

Fulham's transfer window has been a success so far. Securing the futures of Cairney, Sessegnon, and Edun are all great pieces of businesses, as are signing Cisse, Norwood, Kalas, and Piazon. Now all that is left is to do is to strengthen up front.

Who do you think Fulham should sign? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

COYW!



https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2017/7/28/16056004/amid-fulhams-week-of-signings-problems-still-remain-up-front

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham closing in on move for French goal-scoring sensation

Championship outfit Fulham are closing in on the signing of striker Aboubakar Kamara from French side Amiens, reports FootMercato.

The 22-year-old only moved to the Ligue 1 club last year following time at Kortijk and Monaco, although he did only earn two first team appearances for the latter despite coming up through the youth ranks at the Stade Louis II.

Nonetheless, Kamara produced the best season of his career to date last time round with 11 goals in just 29 games for Amiens, helping them achieve a second place finish in the French second division, and thus promotion to Ligue 1.

However, the striker may not get the chance to grace the top-flight with the French side, as recent reports suggest that he is closing in on a move to Slavisa Jokanovic's Fulham.

The Cottagers missed out on promotion to the Premier League last season after going down 2-1 on aggregate to Reading in the play-off semi-finals, but they certainly proved their promotion credentials with impressive wins over Newcastle, Huddersfield, and the Royals during the regular season.

And having reportedly been close to landing the goal-scoring sensation back in the January transfer window, it does seem now that Jokanovic is going to get his man, who he will hope can fire his side to promotion to the Premier League next term.

The Verdict: 11 goals in 29 games in Ligue 2 is certainly an impressive return for Aboubakar Kamara, which was comfortably his best season in front of goal to suggest that he beginning to prove his credentials as a talented forward.

And he's clearly someone Jokanovic wants at Fulham given he reportedly tried to land him in January, but with striker Chris Martin returning to Derby at the end of his loan spell, the Cottagers chief clearly feels that his striking options need bolstering now going into the new season.

But whether Kamara, if a move is indeed agreed in the coming days and weeks, is able to make the adjustment to English football and thus make the telling difference very much remains to be seen.




https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-closing-in-on-move-for-french-goal-scoring-sensation/

[WhiteJC]

 
Squad Numbers

Fulham has today submitted its First Team squad numbers ahead of the 2017/18 campaign.

Following his breakthrough season at the Club, Ryan Sessegnon has dropped a zero and taken the number three shirt vacated by Scott Malone. The 17-year-old demonstrated his versatility last term, but the majority of his appearances did come at left-back.

With Scott Parker retiring from the game, eight became available, with Stefan Johansen aptly adopting a number classically associated with a central midfield player.

Johansen had 14 in his debut campaign at Fulham, a shirt which will henceforth be worn by Cauley Woodrow, freeing up the number 16 jersey for new arrival Oliver Norwood, who commonly sports those digits when representing Northern Ireland.

Chelsea loanees Lucas Piazon and Tomas Kalas have been given the same squad numbers that they had in their first spell at the Club, 20 and 26 respectively.

Other shirt numbers given out include new signings Marcelo Djalo (23) and Ibrahima Cisse (44), while Matt O'Riley will wear 33.
Full squad list:

1. Marcus Bettinelli

2. Ryan Fredericks

3. Ryan Sessegnon

4. Denis Odoi

6. Kevin McDonald

7. Neeskens Kebano

8. Stefan Johansen

10. Tom Cairney

11. Floyd Ayité

13. Tim Ream

14. Cauley Woodrow

15. Michael Madl

16. Oliver Norwood

17. Ragnar Sigurdsson

20. Lucas Piazon

23. Marcelo Djalo

24. Sone Aluko

26. Tomas Kalas

27. David Button

33. Matt O'Riley

35. Dennis Adeniran

36. Luca de la Torre

37. Tayo Edun

42. Marek Rodák

44. Ibrahima Cisse




http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/july/28/squad-numbers

[WhiteJC]

 
Aboubakar Kamara undergoes medical at Fulham

Fulham are closing in on a deal to sign forward Aboubakar Kamara

Amiens striker Aboubakar Kamara has undergone a medical ahead of a proposed move to Fulham, according to Sky sources.

The 22-year-old scored 11 goals in 29 appearances last season as Amiens secured promotion to Ligue 1 for the first time in their history.

He is set to become manager Slavisa Jokanovic's sixth signing of the summer following the arrivals of Marcelo Djalo, Ibrahima Cisse, Lucas Piazon, Oliver Norwood and Tomas Kalas at the Sky Bet Championship club.

Kamara started his career at Monaco before moving to Belgian side Kortrijk in 2015 and then onto Amiens last summer.

Sky Sports News reported earlier this month that Fulham had also agreed a £5m deal with Bordeaux for forward Diego Rolan.

The 24-year-old is still yet to decide on the move and is holding out for a switch to a Premier League side.

Rolan has scored 37 goals in over 100 appearances for Bordeaux.




http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/10965594/aboubakar-kamara-undergoes-medical-at-fulham

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham defender one to watch when it comes to fantasy football

Whites man is a good fantasy football pick according to the statistics

It's that time of year for fantasy football teams to be put together.

The Telegraph have launched their fantasy football Championship edition so Get West London have taken a look through the stats to see which players might be worth a look for fantasy managers.

While points are counted for FA Cup games we've not included these due to progress in the competition being subject to a certain extent to the luck of the draw.

We've looked at strikers and midfielder already, so now it's time for defenders...

Defenders primarily get their points from clean sheets, which is largely a team effort, but some can be a useful source of goal and assist points.

Bristol City's Aden Flint scored five and assisted two and is available for £4.0m, a lot less than the most expensive defenders on the game.

John Terry and Ben Gibson are the costliest at £4.5m each. Gibson scored and assisted just two last season (admittedly in a side that struggled), while Terry managed just one (from nine games). The two defenders' prices are more reflective of their teams' perceived chances of keeping more clean sheets though.

The same is probably true of Sunderland's Lamine Kone who scored just one goal for Sunderland last season and is the joint third most expensive defender on the game at £4.4m alongside Sheffield Wednesday's Tom Lees who scored just one.

Cardiff's Sean Morrison scored four and assisted eight and costs £4.3m.

Wolves' Matt Doherty scored four and assisted six and costs £4.1m, while Birmingham's Marc Roberts scored four and assisted three and costs £3.9m

Fulham's £4.1m Ryan Fredericks didn't score any but set up five, Preston's £3.5m Greg Cunningham scored one and set up five as did Bristol's £3.5m man Joe Bryan.

Cardiff's new right back Callum Paterson scored eight goals in the Scottish Premiership for Hearts last season. He's available to managers for £3.2m.

Barnsley's Liam Lindsay scored six and assisted one for Partick Thistle and costs just £2.8m.

Sheffield United's signing from Portsmouth, Enda Stevens, scored one and assisted nine for the south coast club last season. He's available for just £2.0m making him the joint cheapest defender in the game and potentially its biggest bargain.



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-defender-one-watch-comes-13401607

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Fulham set to sign striker Kamara six months after deal collapsed

Fulham are set to sign Amiens striker Aboubakar Kamara.

The 22-year-old has completed a medical after a deal was agreed with the Ligue 2 club.

Kamara was on the verge of joining Fulham on deadline day in January but the deal broke down over an agent's fee despite the player completing a medical.

Kamara scored 11 goals in 29 appearances for Amiens last season. He is another target chosen by Fulham's statistical analysis and scouting departments.

Fulham still want to sign another striker before the deadline – ideally Diego Rolan, but he is stalling over move.



http://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/fulham-set-sign-striker-kamara-six-months-deal-collapsed

[WhiteJC]

 
A Better Second Half Performance And One More Stat On Which Fulham's Promotion Chances Could Hinge On

The Decisive Numbers – Two Stats On Which Fulham's Promotion Chances Could Hinge On

Fulham had a good campaign last time around, especially towards the end when a late surge saw them usurp Leeds United for 6th place and have a go at the playoffs.

The positive attacking performances lead by the likes of Aluko, Cairney and Sessegnon are not something you see to be changing and their open style of play still has more positives than negatives for me, as I hope that remains too.

However, if they are to improve on what they did last season, two stats need to be addressed:

Second Half Performance
If last season's Championship league table had been based on first half performance only, Fulham would have finished 3rd in the league and would have played an underwhelming Aston Villa in the playoffs.

One of the top two in the 'half-time' league table was Newcastle United and so with them out of the way and Fulham improving, they would comfortably get into the top two now you would think. Something seems to go amiss in the second half of the games though and it's something that Slavisa Jokanovic has to address.

How many times do we see top teams in any division scoring goals in the last 5-10 minutes of games and taking the points? It's a lot. So with the most popular score in football being 2-1, it would pay for Fulham to address whatever fitness or concentration issues they have, in order to take those familiar 1-1 half time scores and turn them into three points more regularly.

Tom Cairney

Their Home Form
Almost 50% of all the matches are won by the home team with the other 50% shared between away wins and draws.  It's an age old stat and one that doesn't really change much year-on-year, league-by-league.

Despite this, Fulham accrued 42 points away from home last season while amassing just 38 at Craven Cottage. That simply must change!

By contrast; Brighton gained 38% more points at the Amex than they did away from home and with a similar stat thrown at Fulham, last season would have meant a total of 100 points, which could have won them the league.  Amazing, isn't it?! Alright, Craven Cottage isn't the most intimidating of atmospheres but it is rather specialist and I'd have thought they would have done better there.

Fulham's open style of play does leave them more exposed at home. So some slightly more circumspect first half performances may address both of these key areas in one go.

http://soccersouls.com/2017/07/29/a-better-second-half-performance-and-one-more-stat-on-which-fulhams-promotion-chances-could-hinge-on/