Saturday Fulham Stuff (14/10/17)...

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Results

Friday
Birmingham	1 - 0	Cardiff
Bristol City	0 - 0	Burton

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Preston In Focus

Take a look at the key matchday details as football returns to Craven Cottage when we host in-form Preston North End on Saturday.

Possible opposition absentees

Ben Pearson – match fitness

Tom Clarke – Achilles injury

Declan Rudd – thigh injury

Tommy Spurr – injury

Greg Cunningham – knee injury

Darnell Fisher – suspension

Tickets

Tickets are available for supporters to buy on General Sale, priced from just £25 for adults and £15 for juniors. Purchase before Saturday to save £5!

Weather

It will be a cloudy but dry day in SW6, with temperatures around the 19 degree mark at kick-off.
He said...

"They are a good side, and I think on their day they are one of the teams that can really hurt you if you don't perform well enough." – Alex Neil, Preston manager.

Live stream

Overseas subscribers to fulhamfctv will be able to watch a live stream of this game. Follow this link for all available packages, and head to www.fulhamfc.com/live from 2.45pm (BST) to view.

Grosvenor Casinos match odds

Fulham: 22/25

Draw: 13/5

Preston: 29/10

Previous five results

Preston 2-2 Sunderland (Sky Bet Championship)

Hull City 1-2 Preston (Sky Bet Championship)

Preston 0-0 Millwall (Sky Bet Championship)

Birmingham City 1-3 Preston (Sky Bet Championship)

Preston 3-0 Cardiff City (Sky Bet Championship)



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/october/13/preston-in-focus

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Punters make have Fulham finishing in top six according to number of bets placed

Oddchecker have complied a Championship Punter's Table with Fulham being the sixth-most backed side in the division

Fulham have been the sixth-most backed side for the Championship play-offs/outright winner this season, according to Oddschecker .

6792 bets have been placed on them this season to win the Championship or make the Play-offs - the sixth most amount out of all teams in the second tier.

The "Championship Punter's Table" takes into account the number of bets on each team to make the playoffs and win the Championship through Oddschecker, while deducting points for each bet placed on them to be relegated.

As of October 12, here were the six most backed sides:

Wolves (12,871)

Leeds (11,495)

Middlesborough (8640)

Aston Villa (7803)

Cardiff (7110)

Fulham (6792)

At the time of writing, however, the bookies believe Fulham's chances of winning the Championship are better than the punters, and have them as fourth-favourites to lift the trophy come the end of the season with odds of 12/1 being offered.



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/punters-make-fulham-finishing-top-13755450

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Matchday Live: Preston

Matchday Live is back on fulhamfctv, meaning our overseas fans can enjoy a live stream of Saturday's Sky Bet Championship encounter with Preston North End at Craven Cottage.

If you are already a fulhamfctv subscriber you can pick up a match pass for just £5, while non-subscribers can access the stream for £10, and also enjoy video content on the official website for 48 hours from the point of purchase!

If you want to ensure you don't miss a moment of our live streams throughout the season then you can sign up for an overseas annual subscription, priced at £120.

Please note that you must be abroad and be using an overseas bank account to access the stream.

The stream will kick in around 15 minutes prior to kick-off, with a number of links to the correct page across the website. Alternatively, head to www.fulhamfc.com/live to view the game. We recommend watching via Google Chrome.

For our supporters based in the UK and Ireland, you can listen to full live commentary from Gentleman Jim and Jamie Reid, with a monthly or standard annual subscription. 

Any fans who experience problems on a matchday with your stream please contact > [email protected].

Fans who have experienced issues accessing the stream in the past are advised to have a look at our streaming tips page which we constructed following feedback from supporters, while our FAQs are available here.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/october/13/matchday-live-preston

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What's On At Craven Cottage

Fulham welcome Preston North End to Craven Cottage this weekend. Here's your matchday schedule!

From 9am:

Public Consultation

Head to the Cottage Café and take in an exhibition focusing on the design of the redeveloped Riverside Stand.

Stadium Store Opens

The newly refurbished Stadium Store opens

12-12:30pm: Portrait of a Genius

James Gardner, author of Johnny Haynes - Portrait of a Football Genius, will be signing copies of his book in the Stadium Store

12:30pm – 1:30pm: Brian McBride Signing Session

Your opportunity to meet Fulham legend Brian McBride in the new Stadium Store!

1:30pm – 2pm: Stadium Opens / Arrive Early Offer

Carlsberg and Somersby Cider just £3.50 inside the ground*

Liverpool vs. Manchester United shown on concourse screens

2:20pm: #FFCLive

Matchday Host Ivan Berry reads out your messages in our #FFCLive segment!

2:45pm:

Team line-ups announced inside Craven Cottage

3pm: Kick-Off

Fulham v Preston North End – COYW!

Half-Time

Stay in your seats as we welcome back Brian McBride to the Cottage turf!

Get involved on matchday!
#FFC

*Over-18s only. Please drink responsibly.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/october/13/whats-on-at-craven-cottage

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Fulham v Preston North End
SAT, 14 Oct 2017 Championship
Venue: Craven Cottage

Floyd Ayite has scored one goal in six appearances for Fulham this season

Fulham captain Tom Cairney (knee) remains sidelined but left-back Rafa Soares and forward Floyd Ayite are both back in contention to face Preston.

Sheyi Ojo (shoulder) is expected to be out for three months while Lucas Piazon (broken leg) is a long-term absentee.

Preston will be without the suspended Darnell Fisher while Tommy Spurr is a doubt after picking up a knock.

Paul Gallagher, John Welsh and Ben Pearson have all returned to training, but Pearson may not feature.

SAM's prediction
Home win 55%   Draw 26%   Away win 19%

SAM, the Sports Analytics Machine, is a super-computer built by @ProfIanMcHale of the University of Liverpool.

Match facts
    Fulham have won each of their last three league games against Preston, last winning four in a row between October 1991 and January 1993.
    The Lilywhites are aiming to end a five-match winless league run against Fulham (D2 L3), with their last win coming in October 2000 at Craven Cottage.
    No Championship side has hit the woodwork more than Fulham this season (9, level with Bristol City).
    Preston boss Alex Neil has won just one of his last 15 league games against sides from London (D6 L8), beating Brentford 5-0 with Norwich in December 2016.
    Fulham have used just five English players in the Championship this season, fewer than any other side.
    Preston have conceded just six league goals this season, less than half they had conceded after 11 games last season (14).



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41534040

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Unsung Hero

While he goes about his business on the pitch without fuss, Kevin McDonald is the beating heart of Fulham's midfield. Not that he's one to shout about it.

"I go under the radar a bit but that's the way I've always been," he tells Saturday's official matchday programme.

"I enjoy my job in the team, I love playing football but I don't mind doing the dirty side of things. All in all, I've been happy with my performances this season."

To read the full interview with McDonald in which he also discusses his international aims and goalscoring hopes, get your hands on the programme on Saturday.

Other highlights from the publication include:

- Slaviša Jokanović and Tom Cairney pen their latest columns

- Brian McBride recalls his spells at Preston North End and Fulham

- Yohan Mollo takes our nine-dart challenge

- John Mitchell talks us through a Fulham-related picture of him

- Brian Cottington picks his Whites 'Dream Team'

- And Gordon Davies discusses everything FFC

Priced £3.50, the 100-page publication is available from various sellers on Stevenage Road from two hours before kick-off. Or order it online from Programme Master where you can also purchase an annual subscription and past editions.

For just £1.99, the programme is also available as a digital download on your iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, PC or Mac via Pocketmags from 1am on Saturday morning.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/october/13/mcdonald-programme-preston

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Omogbehin: Confident & Ready

The Young Whites host Aston Villa this Saturday at Motspur Park in a 12pm kick off. Last time out Fulham fell to the first defeat of the season in a 6-1 loss to league leaders Chelsea.

"I felt the first half an hour we were the better team," commented Head Coach Colin Omogbehin. "I know the end result didn't reflect that. There is no question we had the lion's share of possession, created opportunities and we ended up taking the lead.

"After that, we didn't deal with a set piece which made it 1-1, and then straight after that we made another mistake.

"That made it 2-1 to Chelsea and you could see in the boys that a lot of confidence had been lost in that moment.

"With 10 minutes before half time we conceded a lot of goals and when ended the half 5-1 down, and then you're fearing the worst in what the 2nd half can bring.

"But credit to the boys, I thought they stuck at it through a period of adversity. We conceded again in the 2nd half but when you consider the score at half time, it could have been at lot worse.

"But the boys went out there and tried their best, it was just a mad 15-minute spell that ruined the game for us," he said.

"The positives we can take from it is that first half hour we played well against a team that hadn't conceded yet this season, that are unbeaten, and I felt we dominated.

"In the 2nd half when the game was out of our reach, we hung in there and didn't go under."

With Fulham having already convincingly beaten Villa once this season in the PL Cup, the Young Whites go into the match full of confidence. It was only four weeks ago when the two side met and Fulham put four past Villa at Motspur Park.

"We always go into every game confident and I think that this has been one of the big plus point for us this season.

"Despite the result against Chelsea, the boys have been back at it and have worked hard all week to try and put that behind us.

"Approaching the Villa game will be no different, we'll be full of confidence, expecting to score. With the way we play, were always going to score goals.

"The way our organisation is, despite Chelsea scoring six, we are hard to score against when we're doing our jobs. So we'll be confident and ready to face Aston Villa."

Asked whether the International break had changed their routine, he replied, "not really, we treated it as a normal week with normal preparations as we would if there was an upcoming match.

We went through our patterns and made sure the boys are getting the right load of intensity in their training, so that when the game does come on Saturday we'll be sharp and ready."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/october/13/omogbehin-confident-,-a-,-ready

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Stylish Londoners have caught the eye of PNE boss

Alex Neil is a big admirer of Fulham's attacking style of play but is ready to combat it when Preston visit Craven Cottage on Saturday....

The London outfit play an expansive style under head coach Slavisa Jokanovic, one which got them a play-off place last season.


Fulham's teenage left-back Ryan Sessegnon

North End boss Neil told the Post: "Their full-backs are really aggressive and play high up the pitch. "The way they try and build play is the midfielder drops between the two centre-backs and becomes a three.

"The full-backs get really high and wide, with the wide players rotating across the pitch. "It is difficult to stop but we have faced similar types of teams. "Sheffield Wednesday do a similar thing and we managed to combat that really well. "Reading – depending on if they play with a three or a four – play that way.

"Last season, Huddersfield played that way too, so it is not something we are not used to. "We know what is coming, it is just a case of are you good enough to stop it? "That is the test awaiting us and I'm looking forward to it." One of the full-backs who Neil is referring to is 17-year-old Ryan Sessegnon.

He is regarded as one of the hottest properties in English youth football, with a number of Premier League clubs keen on signing him. Sessegnon has been with Fulham since he was nine and his twin brother Steven is also in their first-team squad. The left-back only signed his first pro contract in June, having turned 17. Fulham have taken their time to get going this season, failing to win the first four league games. They have since lost just one of the last seven, that defeat coming at Burton Albion.

Jokanovic's men have won their last two games, beating Nottingham Forest 3-1 and Queens Park Rangers 2-1. Both games were on the road and their task now will be to find form at home. The slower start could well be down to a high turnover in the squad in the summer. Eleven players have come in since last season, five of them permanent signings and six on loan. Two of the loanees, Sheyi Ojo and Lucas Piazon, are out injured at the moment. Liverpool winger Ojo is sidelined for two months 
after dislocating his shoulder against QPR. Piazon, on a season's loan from Chelsea, fractured his ankle in August. Fulham cast their net far and wide in the summer, the five permanent signings all made from abroad. They include ex-Arsenal striker Rui Fonte who joined from Braga in Portugal and French winger Yohan Molla, signed from Russian outfit Zenit St Petersburg. Jokanovic said: "We are a completely new team. " We believe when we start working all together and push each other that all the 
players can be better than they 
actually are right now. "We need to compete well in training to be ready to compete during the competition."



Read more at: http://www.lep.co.uk/sport/football/preston-north-end/stylish-londoners-have-caught-the-eye-of-pne-boss-1-8801381

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Fulham give injury update ahead of Preston game including news on Tom Cairney

Marco Cesarini has given an update on the fitness of the first team, including news on Tom Cairney, Floyd Ayite and Aboubakar Kamara

Fulham hope Tom Cairney will join the matchday squad "soon" after taking part in first team training over the international break.

The skipper has been out since the 2-0 win over Ipswich in August with a knee injury, something the club have been very careful in managing over the course of the season so far.

Manager of first team medical and sports science, Marco Cesarini, is hopeful that Cairney will return soon but wants to see how his knee reacts from the workload before putting him back in contention.

He told Fulham FC TV:"Tom Cairney is missing now for a while and is dealing with a knee inflammation.

"It's a very delicate situation and he's working very hard to come back into contention - it's been a positive week so far so we are a little bit more optimistic at the moment.

"We need to see how the knee reacts from the load and hopefully he will join the squad soon."

Meanwhile, Cesarini also gave updates on other members of the first team squad, with both Rafa Soares and Floyd Ayite back in contention for a place in the matchday squad for tomorrow's game with Preston.

Aboubakar Kamara's injury is still being managed but is close to being back, while Cesarini believes Liverpool loanee Sheyi Ojo will be back training in two to three months after suffering a dislocated shoulder against QPR.



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-give-injury-update-ahead-13756340

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Opposition View: Fulham



The two week break comes to an end on Saturday, when EFL Championship football returns with the Lilywhites travelling to Craven Cottage to face Slavisa Jokanovic's Fulham.

The home side will be bolstered by the news that summer transfer window recruit Rafa Soares will be available for first time since his move after an ankle injury and could come into the side at left back, freeing talented youngster Ryan Sessegnon the freedom to move into an advance role.

There is one absentee, with Sheyi Ojo ruled out after dislocating his shoulder against Queens Park Rangers in their derby win before the international fixtures brought about the fortnight cessation of hostilities.

However, Floyd Ayite should be back after missing the game immediately before the international break through injury and could join Soares in Jokanovic's side to face the Lilywhites on the banks of the Thames.

Writing on Twitter in the build up to the game, the Fulham boss was complimentary of his weekend opponents, saying: "Preston have shown they're tough to beat, but we're determined to push hard on Saturday to continue where we left off before the break."

Meanwhile, the Cottagers were being vague on the availability of highly-rated midfield man Tom Cairney. The former Blackburn Rovers player has been out the same length of time as North End opposite talisman Ben Pearson and speaking to Fulham FC TV, manager of first team medical and sports science, Marco Cesarini, said that the No.10 would be back 'soon'.

"Tom Cairney is missing now for a while and is dealing with a knee inflammation," he explained.

"It's a very delicate situation and he's working very hard to come back into contention - it's been a positive week so far so we are a little bit more optimistic at the moment.

"We need to see how the knee reacts from the load and hopefully he will join the squad soon."



https://www.pnefc.net/news/2017/october/opposition-view-fulham/

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Fulham vs Preston North End Match Preview

These international breaks just seem to drag on more and more, but the wait is almost over and football returns on Saturday afternoon with a big test for the Lilywhites.

They and almost 2,000 fans head south to the capital and the banks of the Thames to take on Slavisa Jokanovic's Fulham at Craven Cottage as they look to extend their unbeaten run to nine games.

Last season's Gentry Day affair in Putney proved to be a difficult one, with the Cottagers showing the form that would eventually see them end up in the Play-Offs, but with Alex Neil's side full of confidence, they will head to the Cottage looking for a reversal of that defeat.



https://www.pnefc.net/news/2017/october/fulham-vs-preston-north-end-match-preview/

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Villa need him most', 'Leeds need him', 'Fulham would be ideal' – Who needs this goalscoring defender the most?

Bristol City defender Aden Flint was a man in demand in the summer.

The powerful 28-year-old centre-back was courted by an array of Championship clubs, however the player ended up staying at Ashton Gate.

The former Swindon Town defender has been a key reason behind the Robins' fantastic star to the seasontt, and Lee Johnson will no doubt be wanting to keep the player in the upcoming January window.

Likely to attract interest again though, which Championship sides should make a move for Flint in January?

The writers here at FLW take a look....

George Dagless

Most sides in the league would want him.

Flint had plenty of interest in him during the summer and there's likely to be some in January too.

Bristol City will do their best to keep him, especially if they're in the top six still by then, but I think the likes of Wolves, Aston Villa and Sheffield Wednesday should look most closely.

Chris Gallagher

It looked like the big centre-back would be off in August, but how Bristol City are glad he's stayed.

The thing with Flint is his threat in the opposition box. Not only is he a dominant defender, but he scores loads of goals, so who wouldn't be interested?

Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday stand out as two bigger clubs who could do with more depth in the heart of their defence, but if the Robins maintain their levels at the top end of the table a move would be unlikely.

If I had to pick one team, I'd say Leeds need him the most.

Adam Simeoni

Fulham would be ideal.

The Cottagers could do with another central defender to compliment Tim Ream and Tomas Kalas, and Flint is the type of player the club should target if they are serious about promotion.

The massive defender has been the most consistent defender in the division for some time now, and his aerial threat and ability is unrivalled across the English game.

If Fulham can convince the Robins to part with the player, then they will have a real chance of the top six.

Alfie Burns

It is easy to see why so many clubs were sniffing around the Bristol City defender over the course of the summer, with Flint impressing since his reintroduction to first-team action.

For me, Aston Villa must look to sign him.

John Terry and James Chester have formed an excellent partnership at Villa Park, with Chris Samba providing able cover.

However, Terry and Samba are both coming towards the end of their respective careers, and Flint could be Chester's new long-term partner at Villa Park



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/villa-need-him-most-leeds-need-him-fulham-would-be-ideal-who-needs-this-goalscoring-defender-the-most/

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Norwood: Dominate The Ball

Oliver Norwood believes Fulham can make it a difficult afternoon for in-form Preston North End this Saturday.

The Lilywhites have only conceded six goals in 11 matches this season, and will provide a good test for Slaviša Jokanović's side at Craven Cottage.

"They've got a young, energetic team," Norwood told fulhamfc.com. "They've got some very good footballers in there as well.

"We know we are going to be up against a team that have started very well, their confidence is high, but we know we are a very good team ourselves.

"We will be looking to dominate the ball like we always do, and make it a difficult afternoon for them. We need to start winning at home as we've thrown away six points; Norwich, Cardiff and Middlesbrough.

"They should be wins really and we would be looking a lot prettier in the table if we did that.

"But you can't worry about what's gone, you can only affect what's happening in the future, and we will be looking to win as many games at home as possible and making it a difficult place for teams to come."

Reflecting on the period before the international break, Norwood said: "Obviously we felt it should have been nine points from nine, the way we conceded so late on against Middlesbrough, but we picked ourselves up and then we had two really tough away games and we took six points from them.

"We have a habit of making things difficult towards the end, at the minute. The balance of play at QPR, especially in the first half I thought we played some really good stuff.

"We probably should have been two or three up before the break, obviously they're going to come out and they're going to throw everything at you in the second half, which they did.

"We stood strong and they got a goal which made it a bit nervy at the end, but we saw it through and as I've said, we've done well to take six points from two difficult away games in the week and we can look forward to Preston now on Saturday."

During the international break, 26-year-old Norwood earned his 50th cap for Northern Ireland.

"It was a proud moment," he admitted. "It seems like forever now playing for the national team.

"I think its been eight or nine years and hopefully many more to come, hopefully I can get to a World Cup in the summer and that would top it all off."

Norwood was pitched against teammate Stefan Johansen in a bid to make the World Cup Play-Offs. However, with Scotland's match against Slovenia ending level, they knew they had already secured second spot.

"It kind of took the edge off the Norway game when the Scotland result came through just before. We could relax a little bit and we knew that the Play-Offs were secured.

"So it was a case of getting through the game and the lads who were on bookings not doing anything silly and being available for the Play-Offs.

"I remember when the group first came out, Michael O'Neill put all the teams up and then took [eventual group winners] Germany off and said, 'we've got to be the top of this mini-group'.

"We managed to do that, and after qualifying for the Euros this would be an even bigger achievement if were to get through the Play-Offs and reach the World Cup."

Tickets for Saturday's game are still available to purchase on General Sale, with advanced tickets priced from £25 for adults and £15 for juniors.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/october/13/norwood-dominate-the-ball

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Fulham v Preston North End

As clubs gear up for action again following the international break, Fulham face an in-form Preston North End side at the Cottage as the Whites go in search of only their second home league win of the season so far.

With a heavy Irish influence in the Preston camp, they're a team I've been following with keen interest. Seani Maguire, in particular, formerly of Cork City and a man who scored goals for fun in the League of Ireland, has started the season well and was rewarded by Martin O'Neill with his first Ireland cap when he came off the bench in the 2-0 victory over Moldova. His two goals and two assists so far for PNE have proved his worth, and it looks like another shrewd investment from the LoI for the Lancashire outfit.

There are plenty of form players in this side though, many of whom we've talked about extensively. Jordan Hugill, linked heavily with a move away from Deepdale over the summer, has five goals already this season; and Tom Barkhuizen, Fulhamish's 'most-wanted' from the Championship, has already got two goals and three assists to his name from his free-roaming wide role.

Josh Harrop, signed from Manchester United, is off the mark as well, and after announcing his name by scoring on the last day of. last year's Premier League season, he made the short hop from Old Trafford on a permanent deal in the summer. In reserve, Calum Robinson is a decent Championship player, and Preston look like they have the firepower to challenge opponents of all statures this season.

In fact, Preston have only lost once this season, and sit comfortably on the edge of the playoff picture. Whilst they played some wonderful stuff in the last campaign, Alex Neil has the Lilywhites playing some lovely football in the final third whilst tightening up what needed tightening at the back and they look a real contender. Beating league leaders Cardiff City 3-0 was a statement of intent, and Neil's pre-match comments suggest that PNE fancy another big scalp at the Cottage.

"We are not going there to try and contain Fulham, we are going there to try and beat Fulham. Equally, each department of the game means you're going to have to defend and you're going to have to be able to attack", he mused in a press conference.

"The way we've worked so far this season is that our main style of defence is offence, where we go and try and win the match."

That should be music to the ears of Jokanovic, whose own swashbuckling style often works best against teams that come and have a go at Fulham; but it should also be a warning sign to Fulham fans who think that the Whites will have this one all their own way. Preston are on a run of form, and they fully intend to keep it going.

Last 5 Championship Results:
    D: Preston North End 2-2 Sunderland
    W: Hull City 1-2 Preston North End
    D: Preston North End 0-0 Millwall
    W: Birmingham City 1-3 Preston North End
    W: Preston North End 3-0 Cardiff City

Fulhamish's Starting Line-Up:
We're gambling on the fitness of Rafa Soares and sticking the Porto starlet straight into the lineup. Norwood and Johansen retain their places after brilliant displays against QPR, and Rui Fonte continues at the head of the spear, despite pressure from the returning Aboubakar Kamara. His impact off the bench could be crucial to the game.

Neeskens Kebano remains on the bench as well, mostly because we're excited about Yohan Mollo and Kebano has been off on international duty, although it wouldn't sadden us at all to see the DR Congo man in the starting XI.

Key Battle:
Ryan Fredericks v Tom Barkhuizen

Fulham's right-back, fresh off his first goal for the club against Queens Park Rangers (h/t Jack Robinson), should be high on confidence right now, but he's going to have to be at his best to contain the slick attacking movement and goalscoring ability of former Morecambe man Tom Barkhuizen.

The winger arrived with little to no fanfare in November last year, signing on a free contract from a smaller local club in financial difficulty, and taking the number 29 shirt. Barely anyone paid any attention to a player signed after one decent performance against North End in a pre-season friendly.

Since then, he has embedded himself as a starlet within this team, with his flexibility and commitment allowing him to be a potent weapon for both Simon Grayson and now Alex Neil. Fredericks is a potent weapon himself, with his ability to simply burn a full-back and deliver from the byline seemingly added to this season with a desire to drive inside and have a go himself.

This has already come off twice for Fulham this season – as well as the aforementioned QPR strike, it was Fredericks' driving inside run which won the free-kick from which Johansen scored the winner against Nottingham Forest. Learning to adapt his game and add to his arsenal has added a new dimension to Fredericks' game, and whilst the full-back is undoubtedly hit and miss, his new partnership with whoever is in front of him is crucial to Fulham's game improving over the course of the year.

If Barkhuizen gets on top, then Preston will be in the ascendancy; and with his blend of creativity and scoring ability, Fulham will have issues. If it's Fredericks bombing on down the right and attacking his opposite number, however, then Fulham will know that they are on top and back in the form which saw them go so close last time out. Keep an eye on this one.

Fulhamish's Prediction:
What's for sure is that this should be a fluid, lively game packed with attacking intent and scintillating football, as both teams attempt to get the ball on the deck and play it. If Fulham can strike early, the game should open up, and a repeat of last season's 3-1 win would be a distinct possibility.

Make no mistake about it though, this one is going to be tricky, and three points would represent a significant achievement.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2017-10-13-fulham-v-preston-north-end/

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Slavisa Jokanovic wants to give Fulham fans better home results and intends to start that with a win against Preston

The Whites have only won once at home this season and Slavisa Jokanovic has admitted his side seem to be performing better away from the Cottage at the moment

Slavisa Jokanovic wants to give fans better results at home after the international and intends to start that with a win against Preston North End on Saturday.

Fulham have only won once at home so far this season, a 2-1 victory over Hull City, and have enjoyed better success on their travels in the first 11 games of the Championship.

Preston are enjoying are a good start to their season and visit the Cottage full of confidence, but Jokanovic wants his side to 'mark their territory' and show other sides that they are still a force to be reckoned with at home.

He said: "We haven't given the fans enough good results at Craven Cottage," he admitted. "For some reason we play better quality football in away games.

"We need to mark our territory and show the people that we can be strong at our home. We can't give the opposition a chance to breathe, we must put them under stress and play with a bit more confidence in our stadium."

Preston come to London having lost just once this season, but the Fulham boss is expecting an attacking away side tomorrow but insists his side are ready for the challenge and know what their weapons are.

He added: "They play very well, they started the Championship well and have lost only one game in this competition, in August against Derby, and they're going to arrive with huge confidence and they'll try and win the game.

"It's a completely different Preston compared to last season. They're now an attacking team, they try and play in the opposition's half, they attack with many players, they press brilliantly. It's an aggressive team who play with desire and ambition.

"From our side, we're ready for this kind of challenge, and it's going to be a good test for us, and a good test for them too.

"After back to back victories, we have the chance to play at home, we are full of confidence too, and we expect we can perform well enough to win the game.

"We know what our weapons are, what our strengths are. People know we're not going to wait in our shape and wait to counter attack.

"We are going to try combinations, try and dominate, try and win the game, and try and find our identity and style. In front of us is a dangerous team and it can be an interesting game for supporters."



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/slavisa-jokanovic-wants-give-fulham-13758587

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham boss makes honest admission on where side need to improve

Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic has demanded that his side improve their home form, starting against Preston North End tomorrow.

The Whites were regarded as one of the favourites for promotion this season, but they haven't yet clicked and find themselves down in 10th position.

Primarily, that is because of results at Craven Cottage. Fulham have secured just the one home win all season – a 2-1 success over Hull City.

The Serbian manager has admitted they have a problem at home and wants it rectified.

"We haven't given the fans enough good results at Craven Cottage. For some reason we play better quality football in away games," he told Get West London.

It was a similar problem last season, where only Newcastle collected more points on the road than Fulham, yet they were mid-table when it came to home form.

Jokanovic wants a high intensity display to help get a result tomorrow.

"We need to mark our territory and show the people that we can be strong at our home. We can't give the opposition a chance to breathe, we must put them under stress and play with a bit more confidence in our stadium."

The Verdict

It's strange that Fulham can't translate their superb away form to the Cottage given they aren't a one-dimensional side that can only play on the break.

They control play and create chances but somehow struggle at home. It's good for fans that Jokanovic has identified this and it needs to change.

There are very few sides at any level that can achieve promotion with an average home record, so if Fulham are to be successful they must improve and what better time than tomorrow against high-flying Preston.




https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-boss-makes-honest-admission-on-where-side-need-to-improve/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic drops hint that Rafa Soares and Tom Cairney may be in the squad for the Preston game

Both players have been out injured but have returned to take part in training over the international break

Slavisa Jokanovic has dropped hints that both Rafa Soares and Tom Cairney could be included in Fulham's matchday squad to face Preston tomorrow evening.

Soares has been in training with the first team for the past two weeks, playing an U23 game against Blackburn as well as a first team friendly with Southampton, while Cairney has been training with the side as he recovers from his knee problem.

While it still may be too early for the skipper to return, with the manager taking everything into account on whether he will be ready to play a part tomorrow, it looks likely that Soares will find a place in the squad now he is fully fit.

Meanwhile, Aboubakar Kamara will definitely miss the tie as he continues his recovery from injury that saw him limp off against Nottinham Forest before the international break, with the boss expecting him to return to training on Tuesday.

Jokanovic said: "He (Soares) is good, Rafa has been working with us for two weeks and the long period is behind him and he now has chance to compete.


Tom Cairney in action for Fulham

"He is working hard and we believe in the future he can be useful for us.

"He could be in the squad for us tomorrow.

"Tom Cairney has completed part of the work with the squad this week, there are many positives around him and in the past he has had many ups and downs.

"In the beginning, he played only two games and we are going to try find the way to use him in the games in front of us, it is a little bit early to give you a final answer but entirely I am still deciding everything if he can be part of the squad for tomorrow's game too.

"We expect Kamara will be ready to start working with the group next Tuesday."



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-boss-slavisa-jokanovic-drops-13758746

[WhiteJC]

Slav seeks Fulham's fortress
by Dan on October 13, 2017

Slavisa Jokanovic has challenged his side to secure more success at Craven Cottage – and the Serbian wants to deliver three points to the Fulham faithful against Preston North End tomorrow.

The Whites have been far more successful on their travels than at Craven Cottage this term, with their two league home successes leaving their with the second worst record in the Championship. Speaking at his Motspur Park press conference ahead of Fulham's return to action, Jokanovic was emphatic that Fulham's home had to improve.

The Fulham head coach said:

We haven't given the fans enough good results at Craven Cottage. "For some reason we play better quality football in away games. We need to mark our territory and show the people that we can be strong at our home. We can't give the opposition a chance to breathe, we must put them under stress and play with a bit more confidence in our stadium.

Jokanovic was fulsome in his praise for Preston's start under Alex Neil and is expecting a real test of Fulham's credentials as a side fancying a promotion push.

They play very well, they started the Championship well and have lost only one game in this competition, in August against Derby, and they're going to arrive with huge confidence and they'll try and win the game.

It's a completely different Preston compared to last season. They're now an attacking team, they try and play in the opposition's half, they attack with many players, they press brilliantly. It's an aggressive team who play with desire and ambition. From our side, we're ready for this kind of challenge, and it's going to be a good test for us, and a good test for them too.




http://hammyend.com/index.php/2017/10/slav-seeks-fulhams-fortress/

[WhiteJC]

 
Three Players to Watch: Matchday 12 vs. Preston North End
Who are the key players on the best defensive team in the Championship?

So with Slavisa Jokanovic and his merry band of footballers returning this Saturday, let's get out of our rut that was the international break (I certainly want to get out of it sooner rather than later?) and see where our boys from SW6 are at the moment.

After their last game against rivals Queen's Park Rangers, Fulham sit in 10th place with 17 points in 11 games. While Jokanovic had guided his team to an unbeaten eight days to close September (a draw to Middlesbrough followed by two wins against Nottingham Forest and QPR), there's a sense that the club may have finally righted the ship. However, they have been playing a bit more suspect than they have been all season.

In the first eight games, Fulham have outshot opponents 106-97 with an expected goals scoreline of 9.6-9.0. Since then, the Cottagers have been outshot 38-59 with an expected goals scoreline of 4.2-6.3. The most egregious of the bunch was their performance against their London rivals where they gave up a season high 25 shots.

Were plenty of those shots of high quality? A 0.112 expected goal per shot ratio suggests so and none more juicier than Alex Smithies free header that somehow went wide. Did plenty of those shots happen while QPR were chasing the game? Sure, you can make a strong case for that. The point is that Fulham are just not playing like a team that can be counted upon to collect points in the Championship table every game if they are as loose as they have been at the back.

They will have to be stringent against a Preston North End team that has really found its structure under new manager Alex Neil. While Neil was known for his attacking flair while being the head man at his former club, Norwich City, he has still kept former manager Simon Grayson's stout defensive shape.

This is evidenced by their Championship best 9.5 shots against per 90 minutes and their 6 goals against in 11 games. Along with that, Preston play a simple game with crosses threatening the box as accurately as you will see in the Championship and a well balanced counter-attack being at the end of each of them.

Beyond that, Preston don't necessary spring to you as a team that has a collection of known elite talent at this level, but all of them are budding prospects waiting to shine through. Beyond center backs Tomas Spurr and Paul Huntington, not a single player from Deepdale is over 25 while playing over 300 minutes of Championship football this campaign. This is a squad that is clearly playing well together and understand all their roles. Thus, Fulham will really need to play at the top of their game if they want to keep progressing towards a playoff place.

With that in mind, who have been among the most valuable to Preston's early success?

Darnell Fisher

For starts, we look at Preston's right back who is the complete inverse of what you would see out of Ryan Fredericks on a per game basis. While Fulham's fullback is known for bombing up the pitch to generate the attack, Fisher plays more compact in support of Preston's back four. In a category that is usually lead by central midfielders or center backs, it has actually been Fisher who leads Preston in total defensive contributions (tackles plus interceptions) with 45. Weirdly enough, second in that category is his left back partner Joshua Earl.

Along with Daniel Johnson and Alan Browne as Preston's two holding midfielders, Neil deploys a real shell that forces the opposition off the ball before they have the chance to face his team's center backs. In short, any team in the Championship has to get through a potential brick wall of six defenders and a goalkeeper that is so difficult to crack. It's games like this that will show how much Stefan Johansen and Oliver Norwood are made of because their passing will be so crucial to unlock such a sealed vault.

Tom Barkhuizen

When Preston aren't taking the ball away from you in tight quarters, they are pinging balls from their well-rounded talents in the attacking midfield three. After plying his trade with Blackpool and league two outfit Morecambe, Barkhuizen continues to be among the most underrated attackers in the Championship thanks to his two goals and three assists in 843 Championship minutes. This comes off the back of six goals and three assists in just 1,077 minutes last campaign after joining Preston in November 2016.

At 1.92 shots per 90 minutes, Barkhuizen is not one to take the lead on attack, but over 44% of his cracks towards goal go on target and he is an elite dribbler at 2.03 per 90 minutes. Lastly, the 24-year old leads the band of proverbial David Beckhams with a deadly 12 for 23 crosses being accurate. Only fellow midfielder Josh Harrop has completed as much crosses as Barkhuizen but no one has been more accurate. Amazingly, it has been Johnson and Harrop that have been the team leaders in corners taken while Barkhuizen has not even taken a single one all season. It just goes to show the level of depth Preston have in this department.

Sean Maguire

All data from whoscored.com

As mentioned, Preston do not have one player that necessarily controls everything. Center forward Jordan Hugill is a go-to target man that does link up well with his teammates, but he is no different than that of a Chris Martin or a Chris Wood in terms of his below-average shot output and lack of mobility. If anything, it's been Maguire who has lead the team in total shots with 28. Beyond spending one and a half seasons unused at West Ham United, the 23-year old usually played in the top two leagues in Ireland or in England's fourth tier until coming over to Preston this summer.

After finally showing what Maguire can do in the higher tiers of English football, he was recently rewarded a first cap for his country and took part in helping Ireland reach the playoffs in World Cup qualifying. The former Accrington Stanley player does play one too many tricks, as evidenced by his 4.23 moments of being dispossessed per 90 minutes. However, he does like to have the ball at his feet and win it back in return. The Irishman can is also not afraid take punishment too as evidenced by his team-leading 30 fouls drawn. No matter what comes about attacking Preston's defense, discipline will be critical for Fulham to win this Saturday as the likes of Maguire, Barkhuizen, Harrop, Hugill and supersub Callum Robinson can be unleashed at anytime.



https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2017/10/14/16473884/three-players-to-watch-matchday-12-vs-preston-north-end