Saturday Fulham Stuff (25/11/17)...

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Fulham boss: We are better than Millwall, but we must prove it

Whites manager admits the Lions are 'less talented' but deserve respect

Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic has openly admitted that Millwall are 'less talented' than the Whites.

But he has urged his players to go and prove it on the pitch when they welcome the Lions to Craven Cottage this weekend.

The Whites go into the game off the back off a quite stunning 5-4 victory over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Tuesday night - their first win in seven games.

And Jokanovic has called on his team to make it back-to-back wins against their struggling London rivals.

He said: "We must win always, not only this game, all the games, this is the Championship, it's dangerous, we had a positive experience from last Tuesday night but we must show respect to all teams, to Millwall too.

"If you ask me if we can win the game? Yes, and we must try and push and be strong to win these three points.

"After the last few games we have recovered our confidence.

"It's not a question of who is top and who is not, Millwall is a team I believe less talented than my team, but they compete very well, this is fact, I believe this is true, but we must be focused and concentrated."



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-boss-better-millwall-must-13950629

[WhiteJC]

 
Liverpool and Tottenham in heavyweight race for 17-year-old sensation – report

Liverpool and Tottenham supporters have been in contrasting moods in the Transfer Tavern this week, what with the Reds letting slip a three-goal lead to only draw 3-3 with Sevilla on Tuesday night, while Spurs beat Borussia Dortmund to top Group H on the same day.

Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool knew that victory in Spain would secure their passage through to the last 16 of the Champions League, and they were well on course to doing so as a Roberto Firmino brace and Sadio Mane strike gave them a 3-0 lead at half time. Yet things went horribly wrong after that as a Wissam Ben Yedder double and a 93rd minute goal from Guido Pizarro sealed a point for the hosts, who in turn made the Reds wait to book their spot in the knockout stages. Things were much better for Mauricio Pochettino's Spurs though, as goals from Harry Kane and Son Heung-min saw them come from behind to beat Dortmund, a result which clinched them top spot in Group H.

Consequently, there have been differing emotions among both sets of supporters this week, although they are likely to be intrigued by a recent report from The Daily Mail, which suggests that the Premier League duo are keeping tabs on Fulham starlet Ryan Sessegnon.

The 17-year-old burst onto the scene little over a year ago by becoming the youngest player to score a goal in the Championship, having netted in the Cottagers' 2-2 draw with Cardiff City back on August 20.

And the left-back went on to bag six more times for Slavisa Jokanovic's men to underline his credentials, which have again been brought to attention this week after the England Under-19 international scored a hat-trick in their thrilling 5-4 win over high-flying Sheffield United.

And reports suggest that Liverpool and Tottenham, among other Premier League giants, are monitoring the youngster's situation at Craven Cottage, with reports outlining that there is no buy-out clause in his contract, yet that Sessegnon could well leave if Fulham aren't promoted this term.

And if Sessegnon continues to impress in the second tier, interest in his services is surely only going to intensify.

Landlord's verdict: Ryan Sessegnon's meteoric rise took another stratospheric step on Tuesday night as he bagged a hat-trick in Fulham's incredible 5-4 victory over Sheffield United in the Championship.

And it seems that many Premier League heavyweights, not least Liverpool and Tottenham, are reportedly interested in the 17-year-old, and could well look to land him in the summer.

And their chances could well be helped were Fulham unable to achieve promotion this season, they are currently 14th in the second tier after 18 games, although the Cottagers do have some comfort from the fact that there is no buy-out clause in his contract.

Thus, those top-flight sides wanting Sessegnon will likely have to pay a substantial sum of money to lure him to the Premier League.



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premiership/liverpool-and-tottenham-in-heavyweight-race-for-17-year-old-sensation-report/

[WhiteJC]

 
Former Fulham defender John Paintsil reveals losing £2million over reports of him stabbing his wife

Former Fulham defender John Paintsil says he lost a contract worth £2 million after rumours claimed he stabbed his wife four years ago.

Insisting that the report was false, the right-back said the report destroyed his career because a club keen on signing him pulled out of the deal.

The ex-Ghana international says the report also dissuaded clubs from approaching him which led to the downward spiral of his career.

The right-back assumed hero status in 2006 when he helped Ghana to excel at the World Cup in Germany which resulted in top clubs chasing after his signature.

His performances led to West Ham United signing him before he went on to become an iconic figure for Fulham.

However in 2013, news spread like wild fire that John Paintsil was in police custody for assaulting his wife by stabbing her in the eye.

Paintsil said the report led to clubs that were in negotiations with him pulling out because of the bad publicity, leading to huge revenue loss.

"A lot of clubs wanted to sign me but it did not happen because of that incident. I lost close to £2million pounds due to that case," Paintsil said.

The former defender insists that the reports were false claiming he did not beat his wife after a misunderstanding at home.

"You know social media travels a lot and anything you post whether it's true or not can easily be believed and by the time the public find out the truth it's too late," Paintsil said.

"These things that came in destroyed a lot of opportunities closed a lot of doors. The news that came in was untrue. I never stabbed my wife in the eye and my wife is still well and healthy."

"I am not perfect but those accusations but i can say that I was innocent. I have never touched a woman and I will never do that."

"What is the strength of a woman that I will go to the extent of stabbing a woman's eye?"

Painstil subsequently had stints with his former club Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel before moving on to Santos F.C. and Maritzburg United in South Africa.




http://ghanasoccernet.com/former-fulham-defender-john-paintsil-reveals-losing-2million-over-reports-of-him-stabbing-his-wife

[WhiteJC]

Jokanovic prepares Fulham for Millwall 'fight'
by Dan on November 24, 2017

Slavisa Jokanovic insisted his Fulham side will not underestimate the threat posed by Millwall at Craven Cottage tomorrow after their action-packed success at Sheffield United in midweek.

The Fulham head coach has challenged his team to improve their poor home record this weekend but knows that Millwall, who have adjusted well to life in the Championship after winning promotion from League One last season, will be keen to upset the odds and record their first away win of the campaign.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference at Motspur Park, Jokanovic told the assembled journalists:

We are not happy with our level at home and this is a new chance to make our supporters and ourselves happier. We must be focused, strong, and push hard to win the game. The spaces we found against Sheffield United, we're not going to find against Millwall at home. We must play with patience, create space between the lines, attack behind and in wide positions.

We must open our minds and interpret and understand what we find. This will be a different game to Sheffield United and we'll need a different plan. Millwall compete very well, this is [a] fact, We must be focused, we must concentrate, we must respect this kind of situation. We can be successful, we can lift our performance and we can lift our position in the table.

Everyone in the Championship is a dangerous team for us. We have experience of playing Bolton at home and not winning the game, we have a positive experience of winning on Tuesday night. We must show respect to all teams, and we must show respect to Millwall. We can win the game, but we must push strongly to win these three points.

We recovered our confidence in the last game and I'm sure we'll be pushing hard to win the game.

The Serbian confirmed that Fulham will be without the services of long-term injury victim Lucas Piazon as well as Floyd Ayite, who came off after an hour at Bramall Lane with a hamstring problem.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2017/11/jokanovic-prepares-fulham-for-millwall-fight/

[WhiteJC]

 
Where does Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic think is Ryan Sessegnon's best position?

The teenage sensation scored a hat-trick on Tuesday night when pushed further forward

Ryan Sessegnon's star is only going rise.

The teenager broke into the Fulham first team last season with a series of stunning displays as the Whites finished in the Championship play-offs, only to lose out in the semi-final to Reading.

Sessegnon was linked with a move away fro Craven Cottage, with the likes of Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester United all keen on making a move for him.

However, he committed his future to the Whites by signing his first professional contract with them in the summer after turning 17.

And after a slow start to the season he came back to the fore on Tuesday night - in his 50th appearance for the club - by scoring a superb hat-trick in a sensational 5-4 win over Sheffield United.

He was pushed into a left attacking role for the Bramall Lane clash, having previously been deployed at left-back. And the move paid off for Slavisa Jokanovic.

But where does his future lie?

Jokanovic said: "He can play in both positions well. I am a football coach, not a tennis coach, I must look at my team last season when I used him in both positions, but had Scott Malone to play in left-back. This season I didn't find a solution where I can decide to move him further forward.

"I tried with Denis Odoi, he offers a great level, but he can play in both positions, after scoring three goals, people must be happy and satisfied and impressed with a 17-year-old player.

"Look how clinical he was in this situation, it's impressive. I try to use him to benefit the team, but it depends on different things in different games and other people who are available or not.

"But 100 per cent I will use him in both positions."



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-boss-slavisa-jokanovic-think-13950938

[WhiteJC]

 
Sessegnon links a possible sign that this Spurs star is heading for the exit door

Tottenham supporters in the Transfer Tavern have been more jubilant in the second half of the week than the first after seeing their side bounce back from last weekend's North London derby defeat with an impressive 2-1 win at Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday night.

Mauricio Pochettino's men were comfortably beaten by bitter rivals Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium last weekend to again call into question their capabilities away from home against a top side, but they put that to bed somewhat with an excellent display in Dortmund on Tuesday. Goals from Harry Kane and Son Heung-min cancelled out Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's opener to seal the three points for Spurs, who in turn clinched top spot in Group H having won four of their five matches.

Consequently, there has been a much better atmosphere among our resident Tottenham fans in the Tavern in the second half of the week, many of whom are eagerly anticipating their return to Premier League action on Saturday, when they host struggling and managerless West Brom at Wembley.

Elsewhere, there has been plenty for those Spurs supporters lining up at the bar to get their teeth into, not least a recent report suggesting that the North London outfit are monitoring the progress of Fulham starlet Ryan Sessegnon.

The 17-year-old burst onto the scene last season and has continued his fine form into this campaign, as the versatile left-back scored a sensational hat-trick in the Cottagers' thrilling 5-4 victory over Sheffield United earlier this week.

As such, several top Premier League sides are reportedly keeping tabs on the England Under-19 international, and were Spurs able to fend off fellow top-flight heavyweights to land Sessegnon, it could well be a clear sign that Danny Rose's future lies away from Tottenham.

And that's because Rose's lack of regular first team football since return from injury, as well as certain vibes coming from the England international, suggest that he could be on his way out in the near future, and as such Pochettino is seeking a long-term replacement.

And a long-term replacement is certainly what Sessegnon is, as even at the tender age of 17, the youngster has already shown great maturity in both a left-back and left-wing role, as such certainly has a bright future ahead of him.

For Rose though, the future is very much unclear, with vast amounts of speculation in the last few months linking him with a move away from Spurs, much of which coincided with an interview he did over the summer in which he said that he has 'probably only got one big contract left' in him.

Add in the fact that he is struggling to dispose Ben Davies of the left-back starting berth in the Premier League, and the 27-year-old may well be considering his options. After all, the England star missed the last six months of the previous campaign, and knows that he needs to be performing at his best to make Gareth Southgate's World Cup squad.

More importantly though, one senses that there could be a slightly strained relationship between manager Pochettino and Rose, what with the latter reportedly 'fuming' to have been left out of the North London derby, while his manager welcomed his emotion and indeed stated that 'I am the boss'.

Ultimately, Rose is having difficulty breaking back into the Spurs starting eleven. Davies has done an exceptional job in the Englishman's absence, to the point that Tottenham haven't felt his absence, and as such is being rewarded with regular football every week.

Yet Rose produced a wonderful display against Dortmund in midweek, reminiscent of the Rose we saw become one of the Premier League's best left-backs last season, and as such the biggest indication could well come on Saturday as to who Pochettino opts for at left-back against West Brom.

But with speculation mounting over his future, and the 27-year-old seemingly not quite satisfied with how things currently are at Spurs, landing Sessegnon in January is only going to add fuel to fire, and could conclusively suggest that Rose's time in North London is coming to an end.



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premiership/sessegnon-links-a-possible-sign-that-this-spurs-star-is-heading-for-the-exit-door/

[WhiteJC]

 
Powerhouse winger: My good form will help me 'play for Liverpool' next season

Sheyi Ojo bagged a brace for Fulham against Sheffield United midweek
20-year-old hoping for an excellent run which will see Klopp take note
LFC boss didn't trust Ojo last season and wants player to prove himself

Liverpool's on-loan flyer Sheyi Ojo has promised to continue his good work in the Championship and force his way into Jurgen Klopp's plans for 2018/19.

The youngster is currently on loan at Fulham, where injuries hampered the early part of his season.

However, last time out he scored twice and registered an assist against high-flying Sheffield United in a 5-4 victory, which will hopefully set the tone for his campaign.

Ojo told the Echo:

"My aims now? To have a good solid season under my belt [that] will put me in a good position next season to be playing for Liverpool, I am looking to build on that display against Sheffield. The main reason I came here was to enjoy my football and get as much game time as I can and help us with that main aim of getting promotion."

The 20-year-old has phenomenal natural physical attributes, but Klopp's issue with Ojo so far is that he doesn't use them enough.

The lad is rapid and strong, but too often plays sideways or cuts back, instead of getting himself into box, running in behind or taking on his man.

Providing he stays in the side at Fulham, we think this loan deal could be tremendously beneficial.

Ojo actually suits Klopp's style in that he's quick and can play on either flank in a 4-3-3, so if he works hard enough, he could establish himself as a squad member.



http://www.empireofthekop.com/2017/11/25/sheyi-ojo-my-good-form-will-help-me-play-for-liverpool/

[WhiteJC]

Here's to you, Ryan Tunnicliffe
by Dan on November 25, 2017

It is hardly my generation's JFK moment, but I remember how I learnt that Fulham had signed Ryan Tunnicliffe. Most of the media were wondering whether Kostas Mitroglou was going to score the goals the Whites badly craved to get themselves out of a desperate hole at the wrong end of the Championship, whilst some were contemplating how Johnny Heitinga could shore up one of the division's most leaky defences. The arrival of a pair of Manchester United's youth stars of old (the lesser-spotted Larnell Cole was part of a double deal that saw Tunnicliffe team up with his former Carrington coach Rene Meulensteen) didn't exactly set pulses rating, but it did get my phone buzzing.

My mate, Phil, a mad Red from Heywood, had been ringing me all afternoon. I assumed it was to discuss Dimitar Berbatov's departure from Craven Cottage. I'd been on a train and in a series of meetings. By the time, I emerged from a mid-afternoon conference call, I had six missed calls. Even Phil, who worshipped the ground Dimi walked on whilst he was wearing United's colours, couldn't have been that enraged by the Bulgarian's exit from English football. I was just about to call him back when his name flashed up on my phone. I can't repeat the expletives that questioned my parentage and why it had taken several hours for me to get in touch, but Phil's message was succinct enough:

    You've done it, mate. You've only gone and done it. You've signed him. The boy from round the corner. Tunners. He's a real player. Been with United since he was nine. His dad won thousands after betting he would play for us. He's a star – brilliant when we won the FA Youth Cup and great in the reserves. He'll do great in the Premier League.

Phil didn't close until much later than they were from the same part of Heywood and that his son had been a contemporary of Ryan's at Siddal Moore Sports College. He insists to this day it didn't colour his judgement of the player. As luck would have it, Tunnicliffe's Fulham debut came at Old Trafford against his boyhood team when Meulensteen, the man who had overseen his development at United, rejigged his side to take on David Moyes' men. His selection sparked some debate amongst a Sky panel that included Mike Phelan, who had no doubt as to Tunnicliffe's quality, and the tigerish midfielder delivered an energetic display on the right of a narrow midfield quartet that might have been rewarded with a debut goal had Muamer Tankovic located his run towards the end of the first half when Fulham, who eventually snatched a point in stoppage time after absorbing an aerial bombardment, had a three-on-two.

As it was, Tunnicliffe performed a similar role in the heartbreaking added time defeat at the hands of Liverpool, shackling the threat of Luis Suarez, before Sascha Riether's injury-time aberration handed the visitors a late penalty. That defeat proved to be Meulensteen's last game as Fulham boss – with firefighter Felix Magath drafted in to try and keep the Whites up. The eccentric German's appointment wasn't good news for either Tunnicliffe or Cole, who were summoned to his office after a hastily arranged training game at Motspur Park, and told they weren't part of his plans.

As Tunnicliffe told News At Den yesterday:

    It was a bit of a bit of a head-scratcher. From being at United to signing for another Premier League club with a manager I'd worked with previously to being told three weeks later by a manager you'd worked with for a day that you're not wanted. You fight your corner and question the decision, but I think he played at being not very good at English and just mumbled his way through. You leave the meeting scratching your head.

He wasn't the only one who 'had a little smile' when he heard Magath had been sacked. Kit Symons recalled Tunnicliffe from a promising loan spell at Blackburn and the midfielder's tenacity married with his eye for a pass made him a key part of a team formed from the remnants of Magath's summer recruitment and some of the talent he sought to purge. Tunnicliffe made 24 appearances for the Whites, most memorably running half the whole length of the pitch at Huddersfield support Seko Fofana in stoppage time after ten-man Fulham had hung on to the slenderest of leads. No matter than the Frenchman ignored him twice – missing an almost open goal before converting the rebound – Tunnicliffe was straight into the delirious away fans to celebrate.

The following season was probably Tunnicliffe's best down by the Thames. After summer signings to strengthen the midfield, he had to work hard to persuade Symons of his merits as a first-team player but, by September – when the Whites put four past QPR – he was a regular in the side. October brought his first Fulham goals, one an instinctive tap-in after a free-kick rebounded favourably, and the second, a sublime moment of quality at Ashton Gate that still seems stupendous. Fulham were running riot, three up with nine minutes to go before half-time, Tunnicliffe started and finished a swift break, producing the most impudent of chips to increase the lead:

Symons' subsequent sacking, after a home mauling at the hands of Birmingham City, prompted a shambolic search for a replacement with Fulham eventually settling on Slavisa Jokanovic just after Christmas. The new coach had to deal with a transfer embargo in January – but Tunnicliffe's battling qualities were perfectly started to the demands of what turned into a relegation battle. He describes that period of his career as one of his favourites:

    The first year with him [Jokanovic] – it was great. I played fifteen games to try to help keep us in the league, which we managed. It was probably the best part of my Fulham career.

Often unfairly pigeon-holed as a midfield enforcer, Tunnicliffe had a classier side to his game, an artful eye for a pass – befitting his Carrington footballing education and his promising schoolboy football days that saw him captain his country at Under 16 and 17 level, but he found his opportunities limited once Jokanovic reshaped his squad ahead of what became the memorable, if agonising, 2016/17 campaign. A move to Millwall, where Shaun Hutchinson has also revived his career after his own experience of the Magath madness, has given Tunnicliffe another crack at the Championship, and affords him a Craven Cottage return this afternoon.

Tunnicliffe has had to wait for his chance in the Millwall midfield – with Neil Harris staying true to the stalwarts who helped the Lions out of League One last year – but has gradually established himself after an untimely injury to Shaun Williams. He scored his first Millwall goal – a peach of a strike against Birmingham – last month and might even pass on a few tips to his team-mates about Jokanovic's brand of football. Tunnicliffe will certainly be an asset to Millwall and will desperate to prove a point to his former employers later today. His Fulham days shouldn't solely be about an ill-advised tweet and I, for one, hope one of the wittier Fulham songs of old gets another airing in his honour.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2017/11/heres-to-you-ryan-tunnicliffe/

[WhiteJC]

 
'Millwall will not give us the space that Sheffield United did'

Whites will not be able to counter attack like they did against Blades

Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic believes Millwall will be a tougher nut to crack than Sheffield United.

The Whites stunned the promotion-chasing Blades, and most of the Championship, by claiming a dramatic 5-4 victory away at Bramall Lane on Tuesday night.

It was the Cottagers' first win in seven and eased the pressure somewhat on Jokanovic.

But he is not resting on his laurels just yet.

He said: "Behind us is an important win, very good for our confidence, but we know it's only three points, we must go ahead and keep going and try to find a way to get back-to-back victories against Millwall.

"The space we found against Sheffield United we're not going to find them against MIllwall at home. We must play with patience, create space in midfield, attack behind and in wide positions, open our minds and interpret and understand what we're going to find.

"It's not going to be Sheffield United, it's going to be a different game, a different plan.

"These spaces that we found in the last game don't exist when you play against Millwall, it's simple to understand. We need to find a different solution to find a way to score goals."



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/millwall-not-give-space-sheffield-13950779

[WhiteJC]

 
Aston Villa and Fulham send scouts to watch Europa League clash

According to reports in the Norwegian media, Aston Villa and Fulham had representatives watching the Europa League clash between Rosenborg and Real Sociedad.

Norwegian media outlet Aften Posten is reporting that scouts from Aston Villa, Fulham and Arsenal watched Rosenborg lose 1-0 to Real Sociedad on Thursday night in the Europa League.

It is unclear yet who both sides were scouting but it shows that both teams are showing intent already ahead of the January transfer window.

The two Championship clubs were present to watch the game in Norway with different approaches to the transfer window.

Aston Villa are likely to be hunting a striker after losing Jonathan Kodjia and Scott Hogan to injuries.

The strike duo join Rushian Hepburn-Murphy and Gabby Agbonlahor on the sidelines and with Ross McCormack out on loan, Keinan Davis is the only striker on their books at the moment.

Fulham, on the other hand, are likely to add a couple of new faces after a lacklustre start to the season.

Last season's play-off semi finalists are currently 14th in the table, although a win over high-flying Sheffield United could give them a much-needed boost.

The Verdict

While Arsenal might have been running the rule over youngster Mikel Oyarzabal, a 20-year-old winger who scored the only goal, it is unclear who Aston Villa and Fulham may have been looking at.

Aston Villa need a striker but are limited with their options given the Financial Fair Play rules.

Fulham, on the other hand, could do with new players in defence and up top.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/aston-villa-and-fulham-send-scouts-to-watch-europa-league-clash/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham hit with blow with forward ruled out of Millwall clash

Fulham forward Floyd Ayite is set to miss this weekend's clash with Millwall after he suffered an injury, according to a report by West London Sport.

Floyd Ayite limped off in midweek and there were concerns over whether he would recover in time for this weekend.

But it's bad news for Fulham fans as Ayite has been ruled out.

During the second half of Fulham's dramatic 5-4 win over Sheffield United at Brammal Lane, Floyd Ayite was forced off with a hamstring complaint.

Although the full diagnosis is as of yet unconfirmed, it has now been revealed that Fulham will face Millwall this weekend without Ayite.

The versatile attacker, who can play as a striker or as an attacking midfielder, has one goal and one assist so far this season in thirteen Championship games.

Fulham will now have to plan to face Millwall without the Togo international, who joined last season from Bastia after spending some time in France.

Meanwhile, Millwall will be missing a vital player as Jed Wallace has picked up a suspension, ruling him out of the clash tomorrow at Craven Cottage.

The Verdict

Floyd Ayite provides pace and versatility up front for Fulham so not having that option will be a miss for Slavisa Jokanovic.

However, he does have Sheyi Ojo available and fully firing now, fresh from his brace at Sheffield United in midweek.

Fulham have enough to beat Millwall without Ayite but it will be tough against a well-drilled Millwall side.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-hit-with-blow-with-forward-ruled-out-of-millwall-clash/

[WhiteJC]

 
Adebayo sends Fulham into play-off places

Forward scores once and assists twice as Fulham claim fifth consecutive D2 win, beating Newcastle United 3-0

Elijah Adebayo was involved in all the goals as Fulham beat Newcastle United 3-0 in Division 2 on Friday afternoon to claim a fifth consecutive win.

The 19-year-old forward set up Michael Elstone to open the scoring on the brink of half-time at Motspur Park, before doubling the lead a minute after the break.

A second goal from Elstone with 20 minutes to go confirmed the win that lifted Fulham into fifth and the final play-off spot on 18 points.

Newcastle are 11th , seven points back.




https://www.premierleague.com/news/516623

[WhiteJC]

Up next: Millwall (h)
by Dan on November 25, 2017

Slavisa Jokanovic was fairly emphatic during yesterday's pre-match press conference that this weekend's south London derby with Millwall will not leave Fulham fans with that uneasy after the Lord Mayor's show feeling. The Whites were rampant going forward on Tuesday night at Bramall Lane – even if there were the usual defensive deficiencies and accompanying heart attacks – but stringing together successive victories is what has eluded the Serbian's side so far this season.

Millwall might not have won in six league matches but they certainly won't be short of confidence or support when they reach Craven Cottage. The Lions have a habit of spoiling Fulham's home afternoons – with a five-match unbeaten record against their hosts in the second tier of English football since 1978. That run includes a 1-0 win at the start of Fulham's first Championship campaign following relegation, when Felix Magath opted to start without the 'unfit' Ross McCormack, Martyn Woolford's early strike gave the visitors a shot in the arm and the German's side only looked vaguely threatening once Pat Roberts had been introduced from the bench. The popular and progressive Neil Harris has been a revelation as Millwall's manager and the secret to his success has been consistent selections and faith in the players who helped the club earn promotion from League One. Harris, a living club legend, was right on the money when he said this week that Millwall could have sold out the Putney End twice over – and the away support will be raucous in any case.

Millwall should have broken their away league duck on Saturday at the Stadium of Light but an uncharacteristic error from the outstanding Jordan Archer handed Sunderland a point. Harris will be without Shaun Williams, who is likely to be replaced by Ryan Tunnicliffe, and Byron Webster's absence means that former Fulham defender Shaun Hutchinson should also make a playing return to Craven Cottage. The visitors' attacking options are considerable with Lee Gregory and Tom Elliott likely to lead the line with Shane Ferguson and Aidan O'Brien, who was highly linked with Fulham last season, providing both creativity and a significant goal threat from the wide positions. The wonderfully gifted George Saville will likely direct operations from a central position, with work threat, defensive discipline and good old-fashioned endeavour all qualities that Harris has stamped on his side.

Jokanovic has a few taxing questions post the Sheffield United madness to consider. The first is whether David Button has ran out of road in the Fulham goal. It became clear at Bramall Lane that defenders don't have much confidence in the ex-Brentford goalkeeper and such an honest profession like Button will probably agree that he should have done better with both of the first two goals – and, after all the while, Marcus Bettinelli, who hardly put a foot wrong when he returned to the starting line-up at the end of last season. If a change isn't made now, Fulham will have to wait for an even more catastrophic error that could doom any lingering hopes of promotion.

Fulham are definitely without long-term injury victim Lucas Piazon and Floyd Ayite, who picked up a hamstring problem on Tuesday. There will be some debate about how the hosts should lne-up. Much will depend on whether Stefan Johansen has shaken off the illness and ailments that have been troubling him over the past couple of weeks. The Norwegian could elbow his way past Ollie Norwood into the central midfield triumvirate or partner the Northern Ireland international. There can't be much of a case for placing the midweek hat-trick Ryan Sessegnon back into the back four and, in any event, Jokanovic's biggest conundrum comes up front.

One of the famous football truisms that has been passed along generations down the ages is that you don't change a winning side. Fulham will be forced into at least one alteration, but whether Jokanovic opts to operate with no recognised striker after the merry hell that Sessegnon, Ayite and Sheyi Ojo caused in south Yorkshire. Ojo was seriously impressive at one of the league's in-form outfits and totally vindicted his selection. If the Liverpool loanee can be turning in that sort of display on a regular basis, then Rui Fonte and Aboubakar Kamar might be sitting on touch for a bit longer.

MY FULHAM XI (4-3-3): Bettinelli; Fredericks, Odoi, Ream, Kalas; McDonald, Johansen, Cairney; Kebano, R. Sessegnon, Ojo. Subs: Button, Madl, Cisse, Norwood, Graham, Fonte, Kamara.



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[WhiteJC]

Elstone double lifts Fulham into the play-off places
by Sarah Woolmer on November 25, 2017

Michael Elstone scored twice as Fulham Under 23s comfortably defeat their Newcastle United counterparts 3-0 at Motspur Park yesterday to move into the PL2 play-off positions.

Peter Grant's side, which included first-team winger Yohan Mollo, had the better of the first half and went in front in the first minute of added time. Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson spread the play wide for Elijah Adebayo and the forward's cross caused chaos in the Newcastle defence. The loose ball was poked home by Elstone from barely a yard out.

The Whites doubled their lead straight after the break. Thorsteinsson split open the Newcastle defence with a raking through ball, which Adebayo sprinted onto and the powerful forward finished clinically past a helpless Freddie Woodman. Rob Atkinson cleared a Magpie effort off the line, but Fulham looked the more likely to score – and they did 20 minutes from time, when Elstone converted another excellent Adebayo cross to put a more convincing gloss on the scoreline.

The result represented a fifth consecutive league win for Grant's side and vaulted Fulham into fifth, which is the last play-off spot for promotion from the Premier League 2. The Under 23s are next in league action against Brighton and Hove Albion on 8 December at Motspur Park.

FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Ashby-Hammond; Jenz, Davies (Nabay 39), Atkinson, Spence; Harris, Francois (Thompson 78); Mollo, Elstone, Thorsteinsson; Adebayo. Subs (not used): Schwarzer, Andrason, Kwietniewski.

GOALS: Elstone (45+1, 70), Adebayo (46).

NEWCASTLE UNITED (4-2-3-1): Woodman; Kitchen, Yarney, Gillesphey, Cameron; Barlaser, Bailey; Fernandez, Ward, Roberts; Heardman (Charman 46). Subs (not used): Sangare, Harker, Smith, Elmhanni.



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