Saturday Fulham Stuff (12/08/17)...

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Kelly keen to kickstart league season against Cottagers

Midfielder hoping to get the ball rolling on Saturday

Our season began in earnest in midweek against Gillingham with a 2-0 win in the Carabao Cup – and now Liam Kelly, who netted twice against the Gills, hopes that the Royals can get the points tally ticking over in the Sky Bet Championship.

At the back end of last season, our last Madejski Stadium fixture was a 1-0 second-leg play-off triumph against Fulham to send us to Wembley... they are our first visitors in our new league campaign, on a brand new playing surface.

"We know how good Fulham are – we played them a lot last year, and of course the last time we played them was one of the best nights here all season," Kelly said.

"We just want to try and start the season well and hopefully we can do that by beating Fulham on Saturday.

"We know how we want to play – and now the pitch out there is second to none.

"So now that everyone knows how good it is and everyone is getting used to it, we can get the ball down and play our stuff. "

Join us for the home kick-off to our new Championship season this weekend – Adult tickets begin from just £20.  Click the button below for more information.



https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2017/august/kelly-keen-to-kickstart-league-season-against-cottagers/

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The Fulham man who could be Jokanovic's secret weapon for promotion this season



Fulham are one of the teams in the Championship who are quietly expected to perform this season, despite not spending bucketloads of money like some of their rivals have.

Slavisa Jokanovic is well liked down at Craven Cottage and he turned them into a very well-groomed unit last time out.

The Cottagers are a team that are inconsistent at best and it's always difficult to predict how well they will do at the start of any campaign.

But last season the team were quality and with a couple of seriously impressive players in the ranks in Sessegnon and Cairney, both of whom have stayed, you shouldn't rule Fulham out this season either.

But there's one player we at the FLW think doesn't get nearly enough credit for his work in the first-team and that's defender Ryan Fredericks.

The 24-year-old might not have grabbed the plaudits like his fellow full-back Sessegnon last season but when he's on his game, he's certainly up there with the best in the division.

Enigmatic, hard-working and when he puts the after-burners on, blisteringly quick, Fredericks certainly has a lot of proving to do this time around to show that last season was no fluke.

He's built like an athlete and for the Whites, having two full-backs that can charge up and down the flanks all game is a real positive.

On his day, Fredericks really can be unplayable but a big part of his development now must be sorting out his consistency.

As aforementioned, when he plays well, he plays seriously well. But his day does not come often enough and that's something that will make him a better player this time out, if he can find his feet and turn in good performances week-after-week.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/the-fulham-man-who-could-be-jokanovics-secret-weapon-for-promotion-this-season/

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Fulham loanee not out for revenge over Reading

Piazon returns to one of his former clubs tomorrow

Lucas Piazon insists he will not be on a revenge mission against Reading tomorrow – and is only interested in bagging the points for Fulham.

The Whites make the trip to the Madejski tomorrow just three months after the Royals knocked them out of the Championship play-offs in May.

Chelsea loanee Piazon played in the second leg of that semi-final defeat, and two months later returned for a second loan spell with the Whites.

But despite the disappointment of seeing his Wembley dream shattered, Piazon is keen not to get mixed up in talks of Fulham getting their own back.

"Revenge is a bit strong," he said. "The season has just started and we want points from the beginning, and the three points tomorrow.


Agony: Piazon after the play-off defeat at Reading (Image: Adam Davy/ PA)

"It was really hard to take, we were very disappointed after the Reading game and it made it even worse for us.

"But the season has just started and we have the opportunity to go again, do it week by week and try to get promoted."

Those play-off games weren't the first time Piazon came up against his former loan club since a spell with Reading two years ago.

The Brazilian played in both the 5-0 hammering Fulham dished out at Craven Cottage last season and their 1-0 defeat at the Madejski two and a half months later.

He added: "It always is special going back. It'll be a tough game but I believe we can win the game there."



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-loanee-not-out-revenge-13462465

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Reading FC starlet Liam Kelly says Royals need to prepare for 'one of the hardest games of the season'

LIAM Kelly has warned his Reading FC teammates to focus on their own game as they prepare for what he described as one of the toughest games of the season against Fulham tomorrow (Saturday).

Midfield maestro Kelly, who bagged his first goals of the season in the 2-0 win over Gillingham in midweek, wants Royals to put their dissappointing opening day defeat to Queens Park Rangers behind them.

Reading welcome Slavisa Jokanovic's Fulham to Madejski Stadium tomorrow (Saturday) in what has been billed to be an eye-catching fixture.

The two sides last faced each other in the play-off semi-finals back in May with Reading eventually winning 2-1 on aggregate.

And 21-year-old Kelly says Royals know what to expect when they host the Cottagers.

"Saturday (against QPR) was hard to take," he stated.

"Not only the result but the way we played too.

"We played then a lot last season, we had them in the semi-final of the playoffs.

"We know what they are about and we know what we have to do to win.

"It's probably going to be one of the hardest games of the season so we just need to go out there and do our stuff.

"We need to concentrate on our own game.

"Last year our home form was up there amongst the best in the league so if we can do that again this season then that will put us in good stead."

Jaap Stam could be boosted by the potential return of Paul McShane who is thought to be edging closer to fitness after suffering a slight knock in pre-season.

Meanwhile Stephen Quinn made his long awaited return to first-team action on Tuesday and could feature against the Cottagers.

Fulham's Sone Aluko will be at the centre of attention after the Nigerian has been heavily linked with a switch to Reading.

It is understood Royals have seen multiple bids knocked back for the 28-year-old but reports this week claim Reading are continuing their pursuit of the forward.



http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/sport/readingfc/15467878.READING_FC__Liam_Kelly_calls_for_focus_ahead_of__difficult__Fulham_clash/

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Chelsea priced Fulham out of a permanent move for Tomas Kalas

Defender rejoined Whites on loan this summer, but could have signed a permanent deal

Getting Tomas Kalas back on loan was one of Fulham's key pieces of business this summer.

The 24-year-old was an integral part of the Whites side that made it into the Championship play-off places last season, only to be denied by this weekend's opponents Reading in the two-legged semi-final.

Much like every other Chelsea loan star, Kalas signed a contract extension at Stamford Bridge and then rejoined Fulham on a season-long loan deal, despite interest from relegated Hull City.

And in an interview with ctsport.cz , the Czech international has admitted he only had eyes for Craven Cottage.

He said: "It was my choice. I was waiting for my offers, and Fulham was a priority given the choice. I've been living with the team, especially with the style of football they play. I think it can move on and on.


HIGH WYCOMBE, ENGLAND - AUGUST 8: Lucas Piazon of Fulham scores his teams first goal during the Carabao Cup First Round match between Wycombe Wanderers and Fulham at Adams Park on August 8, 2017 in High Wycombe, England. (Photo by Harry Murphy/Getty Images)

"Everybody probably heard of Hull, there was also interest from several other clubs, but I really wanted Fulham."

And Kalas has revealed that his parent club priced him, and team-mate Lucas Piazon, out of a permanent move to Fulham.

He added: "Fulham asked about the availability of me and Piazon. Chelsea said two sums that Fulham said was too much for them. And it was done.

"I did not expect that amount when I had the final year of my contract. Chelsea, on the other hand, is not in the position to need to sell players at a price and get some money. It is quite understandable."



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/chelsea-priced-fulham-out-permanent-13463230

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Reading FC v Fulham preview: Team news, one to watch, Stam's view and who's the ref?

Fulham will be looking to exact revenge on the side which dumped them out of the play-offs at the Mad Stad in May

Reading FC will host Fulham in their second league game of the season on Saturday, August 12.

The sides will meet at the Madejski Stadium, where Reading knocked The Cottagers out of the play-offs less than three months ago.

Jaap Stam's side are looking to pick up their first points of the 2017/18 campaign after they were beaten 2-0 by Queens Park Rangers in their first game of the season.

While promotion favourites Fulham will be keen to get a good result after they squandered several good chances against Norwich and conceded at late equaliser.

This will be the sixth time Royals have taken on Fulham in the last year.

After getting thrashed 5-0 at Craven Cottage in December, the following game between the teams was called off shortly at half time due to heavy fog.

Reading won the replay 1-0 in January and then beat Fulham 2-1 on aggregate over two legs in the play-off semi final.

When and where?
The sides will play at the Madejski Stadium on Saturday, August 12. Kick off is at 3pm.

Team news
Omar Richards picked up an injury against Gillingham so he is expected to miss Saturday's game.

There are no other new injury concerns, but the likes of Yann Kermorgant and Jordan Obita are still out.

Paul McShane is working his way back from a calf injury but Saturday's game may come too soon.

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson is also a doubt for the match following a knee injury he picked up against QPR.

What Stam had to say
Jaap Stam told the club website Reading know what to expect when they play Fulham at home on Saturday.

He said: "They have a lot of quality in that team, good players that play in a certain way that is very attractive and very difficult for their opposition to play against.

"But we've done it before and we know how they are basically going to play – certain details will be a bit different, but we're expecting that. Hopefully we can do well.

"Fulham is going to be a very big game, everybody knows about the games that we played against them last season, and there's a lot of rivalry.

"It's two teams that want to win playing in a certain way, and it makes it interesting as well.

"We lost at QPR in a way that we are not used to, to be honest. Credit to them in how they performed of course, but we could have done a lot better and we should have done a lot better.

"But onto Fulham at home. Hopefully a lot of fans will turn up, and the players want to show themselves and get a good result of course against a team like that."

Possible line-up
Reading: Mannone, Gunter, Moore, Ilori, Blackett, Popa, Kelly, Evans, Swift, Barrow, Mendes

Ones to watch
Reading's new signing, Modou Barrow, impressed home fans when he made his first start against Gillingham on Tuesday night and he set up Liam Kelly for his second goal of the game.

Royals fans will hope the pacey winger can cause Fulham a few problems this weekend.

Head-to-head
The sides have met 53 times since 1905. Reading have won 20 of those encounters, drawn 15 and lost 18.

Prediction

Odds
Odds from Ladbrokes

Win 12/5

Lose Evens

Draw 13/5

Odds correct at time of writing

The referee
Simon Hooper will be in charge of Saturday's clash. Last season he brandished 149 yellow cards and three reds in 43 games.

He also refereed Reading's 2-0 win over Plymouth in August 2016 and their 4-2 win over Burton in May.

His assistants will be Robert Hyde and Daniel Robathan. While Lee Swabey will be the fourth official.




http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/football/reading-fc-v-fulham-preview-13458393

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Reading In Focus

Fulham and Reading meet for the sixth time in under nine months on Saturday. Have a read of the key matchday details.
Possible opposition absentees

Jordan Obita – ankle injury

Omar Richards – leg injury

Paul McShane – calf injury

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson – knee injury

Yann Kermorgant – groin/hip injury
Tickets

Fans will be able to buy tickets on the day from the Away Ticket Office at the South Stand located between gates 9 and 10. These are priced at £25 for adults, £16 for fans aged 65+, £13 for 18-24 year olds, and £8 for under-18s.
Weather

A good chance of it remaining dry all day, with temperatures of around 20 degrees at 3pm.
Getting there

Fast trains to Reading from Paddington take 25 minutes. The ground is then a few miles away, but a shuttle service is available.
He said...

"They have a lot of quality in that team – good players that play in a certain way that is very attractive and very difficult for their opposition to play against. But we've done it before and we know how they are basically going to play – certain details will be a bit different, but we're expecting that. Fulham is going to be a very big game – everybody knows about the games that we played against them last season, and there's a lot of rivalry." - Jaap Stam, Reading manager
Grosvenor Casinos match odds

Reading: 5/2

Draw: 13/5

Fulham: Evens
Previous five results

Reading 2-0 Gillingham (Carabao Cup Round One)

QPR 2-0 Reading (Sky Bet Championship)

Reading 2-3 Vitesse Arnhem (Friendly)

Reading 1-1 Cercle Brugge (Friendly)

Reading 0-0 Sparta Rotterdam (Friendly)



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/august/11/reading-in-focus

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Reading v Fulham

Reading beat Fulham in last season's Championship play-off semi-final

Reading hope to have striker Jon Dadi Bodvarsson (ankle) available.

Captain Paul McShane has completed a three-game ban after his red card in their play-off semi-final last season.

Fulham are without goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli (hamstring), but midfielder Kevin McDonald is available having returned to training this week.

Tom Cairney, Tomas Kalas, David Button, Oliver Norwood and Stefan Johansen should start after being rested in Tuesday's 2-0 EFL Cup win over Wycombe.

Reading manager Jaap Stam told BBC Radio Berkshire:

"I know my squad, I know my players, everyone knows what we did last season. We did very well, we ended up third in the league and went to the play-off final, but I think we still need to grow as a club.

"We still need to grow as a team. To say are we a contender for going up this season and winning the league, I don't think we're there yet. We need to be realistic as a club.

"Eventually we want to get to a certain stage like Fulham, you can keep your own squad, you can keep your best players.

"Every season you can add one or two players to make the team stronger, and then you can say we're ready to get promotion."

SAM's prediction
Home win - 24%   Draw - 25%   Away win - 51%

SAM (Sports Analytics Machine) is a super-computer created by @ProfIanMcHale that is used to predict the outcome of football matches.

Match facts

    Reading are unbeaten in their past four home league encounters with Fulham (W2 D2), their longest unbeaten run against the Cottagers.
    Fulham have only lost one of their past five Championship contests against the Royals (W3 D1), although that loss came in their most recent encounter at the Madejski Stadium.
    Reading have not lost their opening two league games of a season since 1998-99 whilst in the third tier.
    Fulham have failed to keep a clean sheet in nine of their past 10 meetings with Reading in all competitions.
    Since the start of last season, no Championship side has scored more league goals (excluding play-offs) than Fulham (86).
    Since August 2016, Reading have received six red cards in the Championship (including play-offs) - only Nottingham Forest (9), Sheffield Wednesday (7) and Norwich (7) have seen red more often.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40834643

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Reading vs. Fulham Preview: Three questions with The Tilehurst End
It will be hard for this match to be more disappointing than the last visit to Madejski stadium.



Fulham continue their tough opening run of fixtures by returning to the scene of heartbreak from last season as they take on Reading FC at Madejski Stadium. Our friends over at The Tilehurst End stop by to discuss this match, Reading's offseason, and predictions for the coming season.

Cottagers Confidential: What do you expect from Reading this season? What's a reason this year could be worse than last year? Better than last year?

    The Tilehurst End: Right now it's hard to know what to expect, other than the unexpected. I don't expect it to be easy, nor am I thinking just because we came third last season we'll be up there again. We lost key players in Danny Williams and Ali Al-Habsi who've not been replaced with slam dunk better players so far, but Jaap has said often he wants to do more business before the window shuts.

    The worst case scenario is last year is shown to be a freak season and we just meander in mid table.

    The optimist in me says that when the treatment room clears out and we get a couple more in, we'll build momentum for another crack at the top six.

CC: Who are your picks to go up? Make the playoffs? Get relegated? Why?

    TTE: Hard to look past Villa and Boro for the cash they've spent. I'm sure Derby, Hull, Fulham, Wolves, Sheff Weds and Sunderland will be there or there abouts but let's be honest, it's the Championship and I'm not sure how many predicted Reading, Fulham and Huddersfield to be in the top six last season. Brentford are my sleeper pick this year though.

    Down the bottom and all three promoted teams are up against it, though Sheffield United seem to be on a good roll. Burton are another you'd think might be down there again.

CC: Which new player on Reading is going to be the most important this year? Who was your biggest loss?

    TTE: I think our most important signing might not have been made yet. If he has been, then one of Jon Dadi Bodvarsson or Vito Mannone will have to have big years to step up for the injured Yann Kermorgant and departed Ali Al-Habsi respectively.

CC: Predicted score and lineup?

    TTE: I'm going for 1-1. Our injury list is very fluid at the moment so picking a team is pure guess work but...

    Mannone, Obita, Blackett, Moore, Ilori, Guntee, Evans, Swift, Kelly, Barrow, Bodvarsson.




https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2017/8/11/16131140/reading-vs-fulham-preview-three-questions-the-tilehurst-end

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Inside The Madejski Stadium

Reading fan Seb Jones discusses heartache in the Play-Off Final, and what he thinks the Royals can achieve this season.

Has the disappointment of the Play-Off Final gone away yet?

To lose a Play-Off Final is always disappointing, especially on penalties. In that situation you feel like you've so nearly made it to the Premier League, so losing at that point is particularly crushing. However, despite our appalling record in Play-Off Finals, the two previous times we've lost in a Play-Off we've gone on to win promotion the following season, so I'm hoping that history repeats itself. Also, my disappointment is tempered by the fact that, at the start of last season, not many people backed us to go as far as we did in the league. If you'd offered most of our fans third place I think they would have taken it in a second.

Is the expectation that Reading will build on that this season?

Absolutely! Over the summer Jaap Stam signed a new contract which was great news because it shows a real intention to build something at Reading. The new owners have made all the right noises about taking the club forward into the Premier League so I am optimistic about the future. As for our targets, I think we should be aiming for the Play-Offs again, although there are a lot of strong teams (including those coming down from the Premier League) who will be challenging for those places. Overall, I wouldn't consider the season a failure unless we finished outside the top 10.

Was the opening day defeat a bit of a shock?

Given that in pre-season we beat QPR 5-2, I'd say it was fairly shocking. Although, worse than the actual defeat was the nature of it. QPR could have easily had a few more goals while we rarely, if ever, looked threatening. This was all against a side who few people are tipping for success, which makes it more worrying. It's worth mentioning, though, that we are currently struggling with a large injury list which includes several key players. Once these guys return to fitness I'll be significantly more confident about fixtures going forward.

Have you been happy with your summer business?

Hard to say until we have a chance to get a closer look at some of the new signings. Arguably our best piece of summer business was Stam signing a new contract, having seen him linked with nearly every job going since the Play-Off defeat. Out of all the new guys, Modou Barrow looked the most exciting player against QPR. His sub appearance showed off a good turn of pace and a direct style that could put some opposition defences in trouble. Jon Dadi Bodvarsson was also a vital addition to the team, given the injury to Yann Kermorgant and our lack of other striking options.

As for the departures, losing Ali Al-Habsi (a two-time player of the season winner) was a big blow but time will tell if Vito Mannone is a good replacement. Other than that, the only other major departure was Danny Williams. With Williams, I had been resigned to him leaving for much of the season given the expiration of his contract so it wasn't too hard to take, but he was a still a key player who will be missed.

Which of your players should Fulham watch out for on Saturday?

Given the lack of striking firepower in our side, I'd say most of the threat is going to come from the midfield, in particular John Swift and Liam Kelly. Kelly had a quiet game last weekend but I'm hoping his midweek brace in the cup is going to help him kick on for the rest of the season.

What was your take on the Play-Off Semi-Finals a few months ago?

I won't deny that it was a very close tie and at times it could have gone either way but over two legs I think we did enough to deserve the win. I've seen a lot of Fulham fans annoyed that in the second leg we went ahead and then sat back for much of the game but in all honesty I think, against the top scorers in the Championship, that was probably the smartest option. Of course it helped us a lot that Al-Habsi pulled off some stunning saves (as he did right through the season).

Which Fulham players would you take in the Reading side?

I would love to have Tom Cairney at Reading. Pairing the number of goals he created last season with his own scoring ability would make him valuable in any team, but doubly so in a team like ours where goals were hard to come by last season. Aside from that, Ryan Sessegnon would be an excellent fit in our side as a wing-back.

What sort of game are you anticipating on Saturday?

By this point everyone knows how Reading are going to set up, attempting to dominate possession and control the tempo of the game. With Fulham's counter-attacking ability I think we might have to ride our luck at times if we're to come away with a result. I'm not expecting too many goals either way based on the home matches for last season. However, I think there'll still be a fair amount of action on the pitch. The Play-Off Semi-Finals were a pretty fiery affair and I think this match is just going to be a continuation of that with Fulham out for a bit of revenge.

What score prediction are you going for?

I'm going to go for a 1-1 draw. Last season we were very strong at home but with the injuries we have and the performance last week, I'm going to be cautious against what I view as a strong Fulham side.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/august/11/inside-the-madejski-stadium

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Woodrow features as Fulham youngsters lose to Middlesbrough

Cauley Woodrow played 45 minutes as Fulham's Under-23s were beaten 2-1 by their Middlesbrough counterparts on Friday.

Sean Kavanagh, Matt O'Riley and George Williams also started the game, but the inclusion of Woodrow casts doubt over his involvement in the first-team fixture against Reading.

The striker, loaned out to Burton Albion last season, had a couple of shots early in the match while Williams put an effort into the side netting.

Magnus Norman in the Fulham goal made a couple of saves but Boro broke through in first-half stoppage time, with Patrick Reading pouncing.

Mattias Kait forced a save just after the break but the visitors went 2-0 up when Marcus Tavernier converted a through pass.

Stephen Humphrys scored from the edge of the box almost immediately to reduce the arrears but, despite late efforts from Steven Sessegnon and Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson, Fulham couldn't level.



http://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/woodrow-features-fulham-youngsters-lose-middlesbrough

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Moore looks ahead to important league double-header

Royals aim for six points against two Championship big hitters...

Liam Moore is expecting a very tight affair as we welcome Fulham back to Madejski Stadium in the Championship on Saturday.

This will be the sixth time the Royals and Fulham will have faced off in the last year, but the new season heralds a new start for both teams as both go in search of another good campaign ahead.

Fulham were the last league away visitors to Madejski Stadium back in May in the Play-Offs, but Moore is expecting a tough affair against the Cottagers.

"We both know each other very well, we know it will be a very technical game. Both of us will want possession and try and dominate that, and try and create chances that way.

"It's always a good spectacle, we're in for a good game and I think it's a game where we can go in with full confidence that we can win.

"I think out of all the games we played last season, they were the most meaningful games and it probably left a bit of a bad taste in their mouths.

"It is what it is, it's a new season, second game of the season. They got a draw at the weekend, we're desperate to get some points on the board. It'll be a very difficult game but I'm looking forward to it."

Royals are still without a host of first team players through injury at the moment, but Moore says that the team has to continue to progress in their absence, starting with Fulham on Saturday afternoon.

"We've got to cope, there are no excuses. Teams go through injury crises all the time. It's very difficult, we've got some key players out but we just need to crack on and perform like we can.

"We can make it difficult for teams and we can still win games, then when they come back we can kick on even more."

The weekend's game is the second of three consecutive Madejski matches, following our midweek victory in the Carabao Cup against Gillingham.

Aston Villa are the visitors next Tuesday night, with both visiting teams backed to be at the sharp end of the table come the end of the season, Moore is excited by the prospect of testing himself two of the Championship's big hitters.

"They're a couple of tough tests but it's very good, we want these games and we want them regularly. I'm just happy the season has started again and it's straight back into what we know.

"Fulham are very difficult, we won't look past them yet, but we do know in the not-too-distant future we have a very tough game against Villa. They definitely should be up there this year with the money they've spent, with the experience they've brought in.

"Two tough games, but we're aiming for six points like we always do."



https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2017/august/moore-looks-ahead-to-important-league-double-header/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham boss opens up on frustrating transfer dealings: I've never been part of this setup in my career

Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic doesn't have final say on players he wants

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic admits transfer dealings at the club are out of his hands, as he hopes the club manage to sign a few more players before the end of the transfer window.

The boss manages to have a say to the Director of Football Operations Tony Khan and the club's recruitment department, with data and scouting statistics playing a big role of the process.

But ultimately it seems he doesn't get the final decision, and Jokanovic admits it's something he's never experienced in his managerial career to date.

"I am not part of the big decisions. Now we have started the season I am not going to talk much about recruitment," he said, at his pre-match press conference on Thursday.


More signings wanted: Slavisa Jokanovic (Image: Harry Murphy/Getty Images)

"I will fight to bring in players, as people know we need to add some players to be strong in the Championship, as it's a long season.

"But I don't feel any responsibility in this process, I am simply waiting for the club to bring some additions to help us in the future.

"Like all the coaches out there in the highest and lowest level, I want more people as it will benefit Fulham, the supporters, staff and myself.

Jokanovic has certainly identified the positions which need strengthening, and he believes the Fulham fans know, too.

"This is the situation we are in. The club don't need help from my side. I try, but it's impossible.

"We have communication and the club know what we need. It's not so complicated, as I believe all the Fulham supporters know what we need.

"When we're talking about names, I don't have any important decisions of the choice of names.

"I have never worked in this setup in my life.

"I am working with my team, I don't need to any more opinion because what I said before is true, that I am waiting for the club to make important decisions."


Slavisa Jokanovic (Image: Lewis Darling)

So does he feel like his hands are tied behind his back while trying coach and improve the Cottagers on the pitch?

"I am head coach here, I am really motivated for working with my team. The players are working hard and wanting to do an important job," Jokanovic responded.

"On the other side, I try for a positive answer. But for the moment I accept this kind of situation and I am just trying to find positivity for my team to fight at this level to get results."



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-boss-opens-up-frustrating-13464914

[WhiteJC]

 
#fulham2readingwalk

We all love an away day but walking 40 odd miles to get there seems like a ridiculous thing to do, however this is exactly what 14 of the Fulham Family led by Lee Adams, Julian Church & Peter Jones will be doing to Reading.

They may get blisters but it might just help save someone's life.

Every two hours a male under 45 commits suicide in the UK, making it easily one of the biggest killers in middle aged men.

CALM - Campaign Against Living Miserably - is a charity which does such fantastic work and they now need your help and support.

Visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/fulham2readingwalk or text FFC53 followed by the amount you want to donate to 70070.

Cone on You Whites – Take me Home!



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/august/11/reading-walk

[WhiteJC]

 
Cup Date Confirmed

Fulham's Second Round Carabao Cup tie against Bristol Rovers will take place on Tuesday 22nd August (7.45pm).

Ticketing details to follow.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/august/11/cup-date-confirmed

[WhiteJC]

 
Why some Fulham fans are WALKING to the Reading FC game

And no it's not because of the M4 traffic...

A group of Fulham fans are taking a rather unusual route to Reading for Saturday's Championship game.

And no it's not because of the M4 traffic or the trains for once.

It's all in the aid of a mental health charity, with 10 fans walking (yes WALKING) the 40-mile trip from Craven Cottage to Madejski Stadium in aid of the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM).

The group plan to complete their trip in 15 hours - in time for the 3pm kick-off. They will start from the Cottage at 7.15pm on Friday night.

Fulham season ticket holder and long-time CALM supporter Lee Adams is leading the trip and the group have already raised more than £5,000.

Adams said: "I have been fighting for CALM for about two years now. I want to live in a world where men can feel they can reach out and seek help.


Lee Adams with his brother (Image: Lee Adams)

"I'm truly thankful and proud of every one of the lads walking with me overnight from Fulham to Reading who want to stand up and make a difference."

CALM is a charity dedicated to preventing male suicide – the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK.

Its chief executive Simon Gunning said: "CALM relies on the hard work of the volunteers and fundraisers who raise money and awareness of the fact that suicide is the biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK.

"Lee's doing a brilliant thing for us and he joins a growing army of people dedicating their time and effort to save lives with CALM."

If you would like to donate to the cause, head to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/fulham2readingwalk



http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-fans-walking-reading-fc-13463659

[WhiteJC]

 
Reading FC vs Fulham: Match Preview
Will we see a repeat of the heroics of last season's Play-Off semi-final victory?

After kicking off the season with a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Ian Holloway's QPR, a response against League One outfit Gillingham in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night was vital, and Jaap Stam's men did just that.

A youthful Royals side coasted to a comfortable 2-0 win, thanks to a second half brace from Liam Kelly, with the result helping put that opening day defeat behind us. Now all eyes turn to Saturday's clash with Fulham, who are many fans' pick for automatic promotion, where Stam will be looking to get points on the board ahead of a tough Tuesday night clash with Aston Villa.

Reading FC
Form (all comps): L/D

An opening day humbling and injury crisis have made a tricky encounter even tougher than it looked before, but The Royals will be buoyed by the return of Stephen Quinn, who impressed off the bench against Gillingham in midweek. Whilst he may not be ready for a full 90 minutes, there's no reason he shouldn't feature at some point.

Tiago Ilori returns from suspension after serving a one-match ban for a tactical foul against QPR, which resulted in a Rangers penalty and red card for the Portuguese defender. He could well be competing with Paul McShane for a starting berth, who has served his suspension and is back in contention.

We still await news on the extent of Garath McCleary and Jordan Obita's injuries, and Joey van den Berg remains sidelined but is close to a return. Roy Beerens, Callum Harriott and summer signing Jon Dadi Bodvarsson are all out through injury.

Andy Rinomhota and Axel Andresson impressed against Gillingham, but a start against such high-profile opposition may be a step too far. Expect to see Tyler Blackett fill in at LWB once more after Omar Richards picked up a knock on Tuesday night.

Fulham
Form (all comps): D/W

Reading target Nelson Oliveira scored a last minute equaliser for Norwich last weekend to deny The Cottagers three points on the opening day, but a routine 2-0 victory over League Two outfit Wycombe Wanderers only strengthens their claim as one of the most attractive teams in the Championship this season.

A hamstring injury kept keeper Marcus Bettinelli out of the two opening games and he's unavailable for this weekend too, so another former Reading target in David Button will start in goal for The Whites.

Summer signing Aboubakar Kamara will be hoping for a start up top, with Slavisa Jokanovic potentially reluctant to start Sone Aluko against the side he could well be set to join this summer amid an ongoing transfer saga.

Tom Cairney remains the biggest threat in Fulham's arsenal and he could be reunited with midfield partner Kevin MacDonald, who has recovered from a calf problem to rejoin the squad. He will have to fight former Reading man Ollie Norwood for a starting spot, who joined the London club on loan from Brighton for the season.

What do the stats say?
Fortress Madejski?

The Royals lost just twice at home last season (0-1 vs QPR, 1-2 vs Aston Villa), and haven't lost a weekend home game for well over a year. Additionally, Reading are unbeaten in their last five home games against The Whites, but fell to a 5-0 away defeat last season.

Play-Off Revenge?

Slavisa Jokanovic will be looking for revenge for his side's defeat in last year's Championship Play-Off semi finals. The Royals drew 1-1 away at Craven Cottage, banishing the demons of the 5-0 defeat earlier in the campaign, before a Yann Kermorgant penalty earned us a 1-0 victory and trip to Wembley. We won't speak about the last bit...

Familiar opponents

Reading and Fulham were the only sides in the Championship to play each other 5 times throughout the season. Reading's home tie was fogged off at the back end of December at half time with the score at 0-0, meaning the game had to be replayed. The Royals won the replay 1-0, with some late heroics from Ali Al-Habsi denying Chris Martin a 90th minute equaliser from the spot.

What about the history?
Head to Head

Reading: 18

Draw: 15

Fulham: 20

Past 5 Meetings
16 May 2017: Reading 1-0 Fulham (EFL Championship PO Semi Final)

13 May 2017: Fulham 1-1 Reading (EFL Championship PO Semi Final)

24 January 2017: Reading 1-0 Fulham (EFL Championship)

03 December 2016: Fulham 5-0 Reading (EFL Championship)

05 March 2016: Reading 2-2 Fulham (EFL Championship)

Classic Meeting
Reading 0-2 Fulham, 12th April 2008, Madejski Stadium

Goals from American international Brian McBride and Erik Nevland gave Fulham their first away win in 18 months – a run spanning 33 away matches – and sent The Royals on their way to relegation from the top flight, after a historic eighth place finish the previous season in their first ever Premier League campaign.

The visitors went into the game knowing anything other than a win would virtually seal their relegation to the Championship, but a 2-0 victory saw Reading dragged further into the relegation dogfight from which they would not emerge.

Reading started slowly and looked nervous on in possession, with the threat of relegation looming over them, and crumbled to a 2-0 defeat which could have ultimately been worse – Fulham hit the woodwork three times. With just four games left following the defeat, then-manager Roy Hodgson helped lead a miraculous escape at our expense.

How can I follow the game?
There will be audio coverage of the game on BBC Berkshire at 104.4FM.

Prediction
Historically, this fixture swings in Reading's favour, which is cause for optimism, but the injury crisis has left this squad in the lurch and the opening day defeat has exposed the flaws that still exist in this system.

My heart heads towards a 1-1 draw here, but my head says this will be a much tougher encounter than in previous years. It will be a long afternoon for The Royals and Stam will need to get his tactics spot on for us to pull off a result, but in the wake of disappointing performances last season, this side found a way to pull through and I have faith that Stam and his side can pull off another upset here. 1-1.



https://thetilehurstend.sbnation.com/2017/8/11/16130948/reading-fc-fulham-match-preview-madejski-stadium-efl-championship

[WhiteJC]

 
Sky Sports pundit predicts Reading v Fulham result - and it's mixed news for Royals fans

David Prutton has had his say on the clash at Madejski Stadium

Reading FC will be looking to make it two wins in four days at home when Fulham visit Madejski Stadium.

The pair square off in their second game of the Championship season.

Royals fell to a 2-0 defeat on the opening day at QPR but defeated Gillingham at the Mad Stad on Tuesday night in the Carabao Cup.

Ahead of the game against the Whites, Sky Sports pundit David Prutton has assessed where the match may be won and lost.

Unfortunately for Reading fans he's backed the visitors to come out on top, however, he did admit Jaap Stam's side could be one of the promotion challengers come the end of the season.

Writing in his weekly Sky Sports column, Prutton said: "Fulham looked the better of these two sides on opening day but maybe haven't got the physicality of Reading, which came to the fore when these two sides met in the play-off semi-finals last season.

"Still, though, the midfield pair of Oliver Norwood and Tom Cairney would cause anyone problems and I think they'll be key in helping Fulham nick a win.

"Jaap Stam sticks to his principles and has a very set way of playing, and it'll be interesting to see how they get on throughout the season.

"The flatness of the league means either of these sides could be pushing the top two or end up out of the play-offs entirely."

Prediction: Reading 1 Fulham 2




http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/sky-sports-pundit-predicts-reading-13465572

[WhiteJC]

 
Kalas stunned by Chelsea's price-tag

Tomas Kalas says Chelsea priced him, and team-mate Lucas Piazon, out of permanent moves to Fulham this summer.

The Czech Republic international revealed, in an interview with ctsport.cz, that he was shocked by the amount his parent club wanted for him.

He added: "Fulham asked about the availability of me and Piazon. Chelsea said two sums that Fulham said was too much for them. And it was done.

"I did not expect that amount when I had the final year of my contract. Chelsea, on the other hand, is not in the position to need to sell players at a price and get some money. It is quite understandable."

The 24-year-old is back at Craven Cottage for a second spell after helping Fulham make the Championship play-off places last season.

He has revealed the names of two other clubs that were interested in signing him, but that Fulham were always his first choice.

"I was waiting for offers and Fulham was my priority. Hull, Huddersfield, several other clubs in the Championship, but they did not. I know the Premier League is different and it would be a step forward but I have just chosen certainty."

In the same interview, Kalas admits Stamford Bridge boss Antonio Conte said "five or six words" to him in pre-season before he rejoined Fulham.

He said: "Well I saw him, that's all I can say. For the first time and for the last time, I had a chat with him in Singapore. Whatever it was, I cannot say it...five words, six words."



https://www.clubcall.com/championship/kalas-stunned-by-chelseas-price-tag-1859406.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Preview: Fulham u18s vs Arsenal u18s

Arsenal's u18s will play their first match of the season against Fulham at 11am on Saturday 12th August.

The u18s enjoyed a fairly solid campaign in 2016-17, coming in the top half of the Southern division, and winning 12, drawing 7 and losing 10 of their 29 games. The standout performers were Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah.

Reiss spent most of his time with the u23s, but when he did play for the u18 side he tended to produce, with four goals in his five games for the side. Eddie, on the other hand, played a few more games for the team, scoring 15 and assisting three in his 16 appearances.

Both players got called up on the pre-season tour as a result of this good form, and will likely play much more of a part for the u23s and possibly even the first team this year, so this will give other youngsters the chance to step up for the u18s this season.

Amongst this group are Joao Virginia, Emile Smith-Rowe, Nathan Tormey and Zech Medley, who have all signed professional deals from the 2016 intake of scholars.

The team have had some good results in pre-season, including a 5-0 thrashing of Luton Town, and will be hoping to carry this form into the season.

At this stage, it remains to be seen who will step up and impress the academy bosses enough to become a regular, and maybe even be considered for promotion to the higher age groups, as there are almost always some surprises along the way.

But the match at Fulham's training ground gives them their first opportunity to do so.



http://dailycannon.com/2017/08/preview-fulham-u18s-vs-arsenal-u18s/