Friday Fulham Stuff (20/10/17)...

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Aston Villa vs Fulham: Ryan Fredericks may miss out but who makes your starting XI?

Step into the gaffer's boots and pick your starting XI as Fulham look to make it five games unbeaten as they face Aston Villa

Fulham travel to Aston Villa on Saturday hoping to make it five games unbeaten as they do battle with Steve Bruce's side, but who would you pick to secure a win?

Slavisa Jokanovic made three changes to his side for last week's draw with Preston, with Yohan Mollo, Ryan Fredericks and Sheyi Ojo all dropping to the bench or missing out in place of Denis Odoi, Floyd Ayite and Neeskens Kebano.

The gaffer's hand may be forced again this week as Fredericks looks unlikely to feature as he continues his recover from an injured foot, while Aboubakar Kamara has returned to training and could play at Villa Park.

Tom Cairney played 45 minutes last week but didn't look fully fit - would you risk him against Villa on Saturday or does Oliver Norwood, Stefan Johansen and Kevin McDonald's midfield trio continue?

Use our team selector below to pick your side for the trip on Saturday, and don't forget to share it with your friends on social media.



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-vs-fulham-ryan-13782237

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Craven Cottage Riverside Stand: New plans revealed to fans and residents at Fulham consultation

The proposals include a riverside walk connecting Bishop's Park and the ground

Fulham FC has held consultation sessions with fans over tghe proposed redevelopment of the Riverside Stand at Craven Cottage.

Fans and residents were given a chance to view the plans and ask questions of key figures both at the club and at architect firm Populous.

The sessions took place on Thursday (October 12) and before their home game against Preston on Saturday (October 14).

The club proposes to knock down the existing Riverside Stand , with its replacement including nine flats.

A riverside walk connecting Bishop's Park, in Fulham , and the ground, would also be created.


A CGI of the proposed new stand (Image: Fulham FC)

Originally, the previous plans for the Riverside Stand had the redevelopment incorporating the current structure.


Key proposed concept design principles (Image: Fulham FC)

The club has no plans to relocate while the stand is knocked down and built.


Sketch of proposed new riverside walkway (Image: Fulham FC)

The club is hoping to submit the planning application to Hammersmith and Fulham Council by the end of November after taking into account feedback received from consultations.


The new stand design will be lower than the maximum height of the approved design (Image: Fulham FC)

If permission is granted the club hopes to commence work on the stand by May 2019, with construction complete in 2021.



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/news/west-london-news/craven-cottage-riverside-stand-new-13780849

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Fulham youngster Steven Sessegnon targets semi-finals as he achieves one aim in win over Japan

The 17-year-old was targeting a place in the England line-up and having achieved that he now wants to push on and beat the US in the quarter finals

Steven Sessegnon has accomplished one aim at the U17 World Cup, now it's time to finish the overall one and win the competition.

The 17-year-old started in the final group game as England beat Iraq, his first start of the competition, where he assisted two goals and went on to get the call for the last 16 game against Japan - something he had set out to achieve.

The Young Lions won the game on penalties after the game finished 0-0, the second clean sheet the side had kept since Sessegnon had been picked as the starting right back and the youngster was pleased his performance against Iraq had done enough to see him selected again, but now he wants to go all the way.

He told Fulham's official website: "My aim was to get into the team as I hadn't been starting, but I was pleased my performance in the Iraq match was enough to see me get the nod in the knock-out stages.

"The second half against Iraq I felt like I played with much more energy and intensity and that helped me with my dribbling and going forward from right-back.


(Image: Buda Mendes - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

"I'm always looking to keep a clean sheet, just as much as attacking and laying on an assist. If us guys at the back can keep a clean sheet then the forward men are capable of scoring loads of goals.

"I expect them to be fiery and play with energy, so we're going to have to match them for that, if we go do that then I think we've got the quality to come out on top. Hopefully on the day we'll have enough to beat them.

"We believe in ourselves and the way we play. We put in a lot of work on the training pitch and also in the classroom watching videos, so we have no reason not to believe we can win any game against any team."




http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-youngster-steven-sessegnon-targets-13782275

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The Aston Villa academy graduate back at Villa Park - and desperate to prove a point

Gregg Evans looks at what became of Jordan Graham ahead of his return with Fulham

When Jordan Graham left Aston Villa in January 2015, he was a fresh-faced teenager with the world still at his feet.

A decision - although not collectively shared - was made by boss at the time Paul Lambert to let him go.

It's now almost three years on and Graham is still waiting to unlock his full potential as injuries have prevented him from kicking on.

So why has his career stalled?

We look back at the 22-year-old's highs and lows as he prepares to line up against his old side for the first time with new club Fulham this weekend.

Where it all began

The Coventry-born attacker joined Villa as an eight-year-old and worked his way through the ranks.

After impressing in the Academy and in the FA Youth Cup, Graham turned out for Tony McAndrew's U18s and hit a rich vein of form that earned him a promotion into the reserve team and a professional contract in 2012, aged 17.

Graham was part of the NextGen Series-winning team in 2013 but he didn't feature in the final.

He spoke about emulating the likes of Marc Albrighton and Gabby Agbonlahor but never made it into the first-team.

Why he left Villa

Lambert made the decision to let Graham, 19 at the time, leave along with fellow youngsters Daniel Johnson and Samir Carruthers.

The winger's full-time departure to Wolves was confirmed just a month before Lambert was sacked.

The exact reason was never revealed yet when Tim Sherwood took over he questioned why they were let go.

Graham would later go on to explain some of his feelings, when he said:

"When me and Sammy and DJ were there, I don't think they believed in us enough to throw us in the deep end.

"It's not been easy for them. For the last five years or so, Villa have been down there at the bottom of the table, so putting young kids in isn't what the fans really want and not the first thing on the manager's mind.

"We got to the stage where we realised we couldn't do any more than we had been doing and that the best thing for all of us was to move on."

What happened next?

Graham initially joined Wolves on loan in November 2014 but turned his temporary move into a permanent one three months later.

He'd already had loan spells at Bradford and Ipswich but it was at Molineux where he hoped to realise his full potential.

It didn't start well, though. as Graham sustained an injury that meant he had to wait a year before he made his debut.

He was sent out on loan to Oxford to regain match sharpness and when he returned in November 2015 he finally had the chance to showcase his skills.

Top form

Between November 2015 and January 2016, Graham made 12 appearances for Wolves and quickly became the star of the show for Kenny Jackett.

He was Wolves' assist king and most creative force and other clubs started to take note.

Bournemouth were keen on the wideman and were ready to pounce but then disaster struck once again.

Injury blow

Just when he had started to find his feet, Graham suffered a cruel injury blow in a game away at Cardiff in January 2016.

He was stretchered off after ruputuring his ACL and was told to expect a year on the sidelines.

That bitter blow left him feeling downbeat and he didn't play again until April 2017.

By that time, Lambert was his boss again, this time at Wolves.

Graham spoke out in public about how Lambert had greeted him during his time at Blackburn boss.

That bitter blow left him feeling downbeat and he didn't play again until April 2017.

By that time, Lambert was his boss again, this time at Wolves.

Graham spoke out in public about how Lambert had greeted him during his time at Blackburn boss.

He said:

"I saw Paul Lambert for the Blackburn game at Molineux and said he was really pleased I'd made an impact. And he said he was happy I wasn't playing for Wolves on the day.

"It was good to hear from someone who wasn't 100 per cent sure I wasn't going to go all the way. Things like that please me and give me that drive to do more."

During their time at Molineux, Graham was disciplined along with Kortney Hause for not being in a fit state to train.

It was a one-off incident, though, and both players responded professionally, as requested.

Move to Fulham

Graham started this season in the Wolves' matchday squad and featured in the first two games.

But it quickly became clear that his game would not be suited to the new-look formation.

Boss Nuno Espirito Santo was asking Graham to play in a full-back position and with a number of clubs showing their interest in him, he felt it was a good time to move.



Leicester, Hull and Leeds were all keen but the flanker moved to Fulham on a season-long loan, saying:

"I'm over the moon.

"It's a wicked club to be at. I know how big a club it is. I know where it belongs, and as soon as I heard of the interest I couldn't wait to get down here and hopefully be part of a big season."

So far he's made just one appearance from the bench against Burton Albion last month however he has been included in the matchday squad for the past four games.

Returning to Villa

This is a fixture Graham is looking forward to.

Since leaving almost three years ago, he's yet to line up against his old club, but Saturday could give him his first chance.

"I would love to go back and play there," Graham said during his time at Wolves.

"The Villa game has a special meaning for me but it is also only one game, only one league game.

"I'd love to score in front of the Holte End. Football's football, you get sold or released, it's a game and a job.

"It's a case of proving something to them. The Villa fans were legendary to me, I've not got a bad word to say about the club, I was there from aged eight to 19 and loved it.

"But there were a few of us – Samir Carruthers, Daniel Johnson and myself, who the fans were saying we should have been given a go.

"We weren't, and now we've gone elsewhere and done well (Carruthers is at MK Dons and Johnson at Preston) and proved people wrong."




http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-academy-graduate-back-13783191

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Revealed: The majority of Aston Villa fans want this outcast to return v Fulham

Aston Villa will certainly be one of the sides looking to bounce back this weekend from a defeat last time out in the Championship as they face Fulham.

The men from Villa Park travelled to Wolves last weekend in a game that was going to highlight where they were this season in terms of the title race and they won't have liked the answer. There's work to do, then, and we think that Steve Bruce might be tempted to ring the changes for their next game against the men from Craven Cottage.

An attacking side, Fulham are a good team but they will also allow you chances and we've been thinking here at Football League World whether it might be a good time to bring Scott Hogan back into the side. He looked quite sharp when he came on against Wolves and is obviously hungry for his chance to start showing why Villa signed him so we put the question out there on our Twitter account – with this being the result:

An attacking side, Fulham are a good team but they will also allow you chances and we've been thinking here at Football League World whether it might be a good time to bring Scott Hogan back into the side. He looked quite sharp when he came on against Wolves and is obviously hungry for his chance to start showing why Villa signed him so we put the question out there on our Twitter account – with this being the result:



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/revealed-the-majority-of-aston-villa-fans-want-this-outcast-to-return-v-fulham/

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Jokanovic could call on Cairney and Fredericks
by Dan on October 19, 2017

Slavisa Jokanovic could welcome Ryan Fredericks back into the Fulham starting line-up against Aston Villa on Saturday after the full-back played a full part in training at Motspur Park this morning.

The right back missed last weekend's rollercoaster 2-2 draw with Preston North End after injuring his foot but was able to take part in today's training session and will be assessed by Jokanovic and Fulham's medical staff following training tomorrow. The Serbian head coach is also confident that captain Tom Cairney can continue his return from a troublesome knee that has sidelined him for much of the season.

Jokanovic told his pre-match press conference this afternoon:

    Today I worked with a complete team, aside from Lucas Piazon and Sheyi Ojo. I didn't plan for Tom Cairney to play 45 minutes last week, but we had to take the risk. We must be careful with him.

Reuniting Cairney with Kevin McDonald at the heart of the Fulham midfield was key to ensuring the Whites came from 2-0 down to claim a point at the death against Preston and having the captain available for the trip to the Championship's in-form side, would be a huge boost for Jokanovic. He knows precisely what sort of test Villa will pose.

Today I worked with a complete team, aside from Lucas Piazon and Sheyi Ojo. I didn't plan for Cairney to play 45 minutes last week, but we had to take the risk. We must be careful with him.

    In front of us is an important challenge against one of the best Championship teams. They have quality players but we go there with the motivation to win the game.

    I want to be three points better off on Saturday evening. We know what we're going to find at Villa Park, and we must be strong when we lose the ball.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2017/10/jokanovic-could-call-on-cairney-and-fredericks/

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Five important reasons why Aston Villa must bounce back against Fulham

Boss Steve Bruce is looking for a reaction from his team when they

Last weekend's defeat at Wolves was painful to watch.

Villa were second-best throughout and boss Steve Bruce admitted that it hurt to lose to the better team.

But one defeat in nine games isn't a bad turnaround, providing Villa can see off Fulham on Saturday and bounce back.

So why is it so important to get back to winning ways?

Our man at Villa, Gregg Evans, reports

Buck the trend

Villa have this terrible habit of being unable to recover from a defeat.

Look back over Steve Bruce's record since taking over and you'll notice they rarely lose the odd game here and there.

It's always back-to-back defeats, or two defeats in three, etc.

So the clash against Fulham will show us how far Villa have come this season. Have they finally shaken off that losing mentality?

Avoid defeat, or more importantly, secure the win, and all will be well.

Touching distance

Fortunately for Villa, the teams around them all dropped points last weekend so their league position wasn't affected too much.

Villa remained in seventh place and just a point off the play-offs as ten of the top 12 teams were unable to win.

But even in the Championship, lightning never strikes twice, so Villa will not be let off the hook so easily this weekend if they slip-up again.

Keep the pressure on

Given the troubles of recent years, Villa would settle for a top-six finish this season.

But we all know the play-offs are a lottery and that automatic promotion would make life so much easier.

Unfortunately, Villa don't do things the easy way.

Bruce is hoping to change all that by finishing in the top two this season.

There's currently a five-point gap between second place and Villa in seventh, and while it's still relatively short at this stage of the season, the claret and blues cannot afford to let it grow.

Keep the fans on side

A mini-meltdown followed Villa's defeat to Wolves on social media as supporters questioned whether their side were up to the challenge of winning promotion.

Understandably, they were frustrated with the manner of the defeat, but it's important to point out that Wolves are the stand-out performers in this division and are capable of seeing off any opponent with such ease.

Question marks will be raised once again if Villa lose, though, and then all of a sudden the pressure is right back on.

A win would keep things calm on the terraces.

Bring on the Blues

The last thing Villa want to do is head to St Andrew's on the back of two defeats, especially as their bitter rivals looked so pumped-up against Cardiff last Friday.

Winning breeds confidence so a victory over Fulham is essential to bring the feel-good factor back to B6 ahead of the Second City derby.



http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/five-important-reasons-aston-villa-13784350

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Ryan Fredericks doubtful for Fulham's trip to Aston Villa as Slavisa Jokanovic gives injury update

The Fulham boss gave an injury update as his side prepare to travel to Villa Park to take on Aston Villa on Saturday

Ryan Fredericks remains a doubt for Fulham's trip to Aston Villa after only returning to first team training yesterday as Slavisa Jokanovic gave an injury update on his side.

The 25-year-old missed the 2-2 draw with Preston after injuring his foot in training during the international break and looks unlikely to start Fulham's trip to Villa Park having only returned to training on Wednesday.

Tom Cairney has also been in training and the gaffer hopes he will be able to use him in Saturday's game but remains cautious as he looks to manage his knee problem that he has had since the start of the season.

Meanwhile, all other players bar Sheyi Ojo and Lucas Piazon were in training today, including Aboubakar Kamara who has returned from an injury that has kept him out since the win at Nottingham Forest.

Jokanovic said: "Lucas Piazon and Sheyi Ojo aren't working with the team, all other players are working with us but today I am working with complete team without these two players.

"[ Tom Cairney's injury] is little bit complicated to answer in the right way, it's a long period he's been with the knee problem and I didn't have a plan to use him for 45 minutes [on Saturday] but for different situation we decided to take the risk.

"He gave us a good answer but he's still not in his best moment, we believe he made important progress forward and all the days he feels better but we must take care of him.

"I'd prefer to use him always but for another side I must respect the competition and this moment and manage what I know of the situation and I expect he can be part of the game and I try to choose what is the best for himself and my team too.

"Ryan started working yesterday with us and it isn't similar situation but it's a situation where we must take the best decision and be careful about himself too."



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ryan-fredericks-doubtful-fulhams-trip-13785117

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"We know what we're going to find" - Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic on facing Aston Villa

The Serbian leads the Cottagers to Villa Park this weekend

Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic says his team will be heading to "one of the best Championship teams" when they visit Aston Villa this weekend.

Revealing that key pair Tom Cairney and Ryan Fredericks could be involved against the claret and blues, Jokanovic added that loan duo Lucas Piazon (fractured ankle) and Sheyi Ojo (dislocated shoulder) are the only absentees from his squad.

And despite the generally positive team news, Jokanovic knows the test that awaits at B6, having left empty handed last season.

"Today I worked with a complete team, aside from Lucas Piazon and Sheyi Ojo," Jokanovic revealed at his press conference today.


Tom Cairney

"I didn't plan for Tom Cairney to play 45 minutes last week, but we had to take the risk. We must be careful with him.

"In front of us is an important challenge against one of the best Championship teams.

"They have quality players but we go there with the motivation to win the game.

"I want to be three points better off on Saturday evening.

"We know what we're going to find at Villa Park, and we must be strong when we lose the ball."



http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-fulham-cairney-jokanovic-13785155

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Tomas Kalas: Former Chelsea captain John Terry has always been my role model

The 24-year-old centre back played with John Terry at Chelsea, making his Premier League debut for the side in place of the former skipper at Liverpool

Tomas Kalas has revealed that John Terry has always been his role model as the two prepare to clash on opposing teams as Fulham meet Aston Villa on Saturday.

The pair were at Chelsea together for a number of years, with Kalas making his Premier League debut for the champions in place of John Terry in 2014 when they beat Liverpool 2-0 at Anfield in that memorable game.

Terry is one of football's greats and has won nearly everything there is to win, and the on-loan Chelsea man has spoken of his admiration for the 36-year-old central defender ahead of the two club's clash on Saturday at Villa Park.

As a centre back, there aren't many better people to learn from than Terry, something that Fulham's loan star agrees with as he reveals he was eager to learn from the former England captain while they were at Chelsea together.

He said: "He was always my role model so I was following him and there wasn't many better central defenders.

"Even though he's relatively older he can use his experience and so long as he can run and can be on the pitch I'm sure that he can stay there.

"He can be a massive help for Aston Villa in crucial moments because he can use his experience and he has been in these situations far more than anyone in that team.

"When we were doing tactical work he would tell me what to do and what not to do, and I still remember that and I'm trying to use that on the pitch.

"I was listening to him because who else would you listen to if not John Terry?"

Kalas made his Premier League debut for Chelsea in place of Terry, who was injured as the Blues beat title chasing Liverpool 2-0 at Anfield to put a dent in their league aspirations - a game the Czech international looks back on with fond memories.

He added: "He [Terry] was supporting me all the way but I didn't expect to play, it just came out of nowhere and I don't know if it was because we didn't take it that seriously because we knew that we weren't playing for anything and they were playing for everything so we couldn't lose.

"I enjoyed that game and I will remember it forever."



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/tomas-kalas-former-chelsea-captain-13785397

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Fulham FC Official Technical partner adidas is offering 10 lucky juniors fans the opportunity to step onto the Craven Cottage pitch and take part in a series of skills drills at our Open Training day!

The adidas Fan Squad will be introduced on Thursday 26th October (9.30am-12.00pm) and join members of the First Team squad for some skills drills.

Lucky participants will also enjoy a prime view of the training session from seating in the first team dug-outs, and will also be given a Fulham Replica Shirt!

To be in with a chance of winning this once in a lifetime opportunity, simply click the link below and complete the form.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/october/19/adidas-fan-squad

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David Prutton predicts Aston Villa vs Fulham result

Aston Villa host Fulham in a game that pits two sides who are currently sitting just outside the play-off places in the Championship.

David Prutton has told Sky Sports that he is expecting Aston Villa to show a positive reaction to the defeat they suffered in their last game when they meet Fulham on Saturday, but that will not be enough for Steve Bruce's men to take the three points.

Villa go into the game off the back of their first Championship defeat since August as they were beaten comfortably by current league leaders Wolves at Molineux to end a run of eight fixtures without a loss.

Meanwhile, Fulham appear to have got themselves off and running after a lacklustre start to the campaign, having won two and drawn two of their last four games, and now, Slavisa Jokanovic's men are ninth in the table, just two places and one point behind the Villans.

And Prutton has suggested that he is expecting the gap between the two sides to be the same after they meet at Villa Park on Saturday because he cannot see anything separating them.

"Aston Villa were pretty comprehensively beaten by Wolves last weekend and Steve Bruce will want a reaction back at Villa Park on Saturday," he told Sky Sports.

"Fulham will be a tough proposition, however, and although Villa will want to prove they can beat the better teams in the Championship, I think Slavisa Jokanovic's side will be good for a draw."

In fairness to Villa, two of their three league defeats this term have come against the sides that currently occupy the automatic-promotion spots so it is not like that they have continually dropped points in the games where they are expected to do much better.

But with Fulham suffering one less league defeat this term, it would not be a surprise if it is a very close game that perhaps ends in the draw that Prutton is expecting.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/10/19/david-prutton-predicts-aston-villa-vs-fulham-result/

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U18s Host Villa

Fulham travel to Tottenham Hotspurs this Saturday in an 11am kick off. The Young Whites will be looking to bounce back from their defeat to Aston Villa, where the match finished 3-0.

After a run of six matches unbeaten this season, the Young Whites have fallen to two consecutive losses, and will be looking to get back to winning ways with a trip to North London.

Fulham have dropped a place in the table into third, with Arsenal now above on goal difference, Leicester City are in fourth spot, also on goal difference. Chelsea are unmoved from top spot, still yet to drop a point this season having conceded three goals.

Spurs are eighth in the league, having picked up eight points so far this season having won three and lost four of their opening seven fixtures.

Fulham are very familiar with the opposition manager, as former Club Captain Scott Parker took over Spurs' Under-18 side in the summer after leaving Fulham.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/october/20/u18s-travel-to-spurs

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American Football - Jaguars owner says jealousy drives Trump attacks

- Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan says US President Donald Trump is "jealous" of the NFL and trying to soil its image in "personal" attacks in an interview with USA Today. The 67-year-old Pakistani-born American billionaire, who also owns English football club Fulham, spoke at NFL owners meetings in New York, where team owners and players met to discuss Trump's call for the league to force all players to stand for the pre-game playing of the US national anthem. "This is a very personal issue with him," said Khan, calling Trump "a divider, not a uniter" and noting Trump's failed 2014 bid to purchase the NFL's Buffalo Bills. "He has been elected President, where maybe a great goal he had in life -- to own an NFL team -- is not very likely," Khan said.


AFP



https://sports.yahoo.com/american-football-jaguars-owner-says-jealousy-drives-trump-183655242.html