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Tuesday Fulham Stuff (13/02/18)...

Started by WhiteJC, February 13, 2018, 07:45:53 AM

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WhiteJC

 
Hammers closing in on free transfer of right back

West Ham are rumoured to be closing in on Fulham right back Ryan Fredericks. He is available on a free transfer when his contract expires in the summer.

It seems, that despite recent whispers about him leaving at the end of the season, Moyes is planning for the long haul. Whilst many fans didn't want Moyes when he was appointed mid-season, he has proven himself at the club. As such, it appears that the transfer moves for West Ham's summer are being lined up.

Fulham's Ryan Frederick's has been proving his worth to Fulham in recent months, but they may lose him for free. His contract expires in the summer and the Hammers aren't the only interested club. However it does look like the East London club could be nearing his signature.

At 25 years of age, the English right back still has time to improve. He is fast and effective on the ball, with WhoScored listing Passing Dribbling and holding onto the ball as strengths. Given that those skills are all key to progressing up leagues, he could well be in place to make the jump.

The worry is that obviously he has not played Premier League football before. There are many players who have thrived in the Championship but have not made anything of themselves when given a chance in the Premier League. Hammers fans will remember the issues surrounding changing squads when getting promoted. Even those who were previously integral did not necessarily have the quality when moving up.

However I believe Fredericks could be a great pick. He is still improving, and will add competition in an area we could be considered short on. Zabaleta is ageing, Byram is still struggling with consistency and more competition is always healthy.



https://greenstreethammers.com/2018/02/12/west-ham-free-transfer-right-back/

WhiteJC

 
Fulham are taking it game by game - and that seems to be a recipe for success ahead of Aston Villa

The points haul from the next set of games will determine whether they are actually serious promotion candidates

I wrote before Fulham embarked on the past four games that a double figure points tally is what they had to be aiming for if they were looking for Play-offs.

360 minutes of football later, they find themselves making the journey home from a grey and miserable Macron stadium with ten points in the bag, winning three and drawing one of those games.

That's now nine unbeaten in the league – form that has seen them into fifth in the table as they prepare for a fixture list that has thrown up Aston Villa, Bristol City, Wolves, Derby, Sheffield United and Preston one after the other.

If getting double figures from those past four games were the minimum required to see them into the Play-offs, the points haul from the next set of games will determine whether they are actually serious promotion candidates.

While it's clear to everyone just how big those next six games are, Fulham haven't got themselves into the position they find themselves in by looking at the long term picture.

We in the media, and you, as fans, are always looking ahead, at how the fixtures fall and what it could mean for the side, but Slavisa Jokanovic's side are taking a simpler approach – and it's working.

I spoke to Tim Ream after his return to Bolton and asked him if they next few games were season defining – a buzzword we all love to use, but his response was calculated and measured.

"We'll take it one game at a time, you don't want to get too far ahead of yourself and look too much at the table," was part of the reply he gave me, and if that's how the side have embarked on this run of form then who am I to disagree?

Taking it game by game has it's advantages – the sole focus is on what they need to do to win that game and they don't get bogged down thinking about the long term consequences

The old saying 'take care of the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves' springs to mind in the way Fulham have approached this second half of the season – they're taking care of the wins and the position in the league table is looking after itself.


(Image: Evening Gazette)

But no matter how you look at it, you can't help but look at the magnitude of the fixtures facing the team in the next month and a half.

Again, if the side manage to take double figures from those games, ten out of 18, they will almost certainly be in the Play-offs come May.

And that has to be the aim – anything less than double figures will see teams make up ground on them and it could look a bit bleaker come St Patrick's Day and the 12.30pm game with QPR.

But after nine games unbeaten, you would back Fuham to get points off those around them.


(Image: Martin Rickett/PA Wire)

Villa, Wolves and Sheffield United all come to the Cottage, and you would back Fulham to do well at home, while Bristol and Derby will have to attack Jokanovic's men in front of their own side, and we know what the Cottagers can do when they counter attack.

Whether you're looking at this period game by game or at a chunk – there's no hiding from the fact Fulham face a season defining month.



https://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-aston-villa-season-defining-14274329

WhiteJC


Targett takes Fulham's adventure to higher level
by Dan on February 12, 2018

The football traditionalist in me still gets a little queasy when we talk about modern full backs as supplementing the attack. Maybe that's because I see their first duty as a defensive one – tracking wingers, stopping crosses and ensuring that the defence they are part of has the best chance to keep a clean sheet. But the game has moved on even since the days when Roy Hodgson's well-drilled defensive unit frustrated some of England's and Europe's best chances at home and away from Craven Cottage – and the modern full back has to be just as effective approaching the opposition's box as they are in their own territory.

Which brings me to the difference that Matt Targett has made to the Fulham side. It is no coincidence that his first few weeks at the Cottage have coincided with the Whites' most successful sequence of the season – and his partnership with Ryan Sessegnon down the left looks as though has years of understanding behind rather than less than a month. Targett, an impressive youth team player for Southampton and England, has clearly benefited from coming through the Saints academy – you can see that from his excellent technical level, but you also has the energy and desire to win that you expect from a young player. In short, he's got plenty of Premier League quality.

His arrival freed Sessegnon, who had previously spent much of the season stationed at left back, to frighten Championship defenders from the left wing. But Targett has been just as effective in the final third since he moved to London as his teenage colleague – making many an overlapping run and whipping in plenty of dangerous balls from the left. Even though he is often found high up the pitch, it was still something of a surprise to see him be the first to react when Lucas Piazon sent Sessegnon's deep cross back across goal at Bolton on Saturday. Targett climbs exceptionally well in the air – he won two aerial duels against taller opponents – and buried his own header beautifully to score his first senior goal.

It wasn't just the goal that marked Targett out as Fulham's most consistent performer on what turned into a frustrating day at the Macron Stadium. He showed real character to get up and back into the swing of things after being crudely taken out on the touchline by Mark Little midway through the first half. Nothing stopped him bombing up and down the flank and his boundless energy, allied with Sessegnon's youthful enthusiasm, are two of the reasons why the Whites are carrying such a threat down that revamped left flank.

Targett's distribution is also worthy of a mention. Like so many modern full backs, he passes the ball efficiently and accurately – which is one of the reasons he has fitted so seamlessly into Slavisa Jokanovic's possession-based system. He had 109 touches on Saturday and almost 85% of his passes reached their intended target, which is a completion rate that a top midfielder would be proud of. Thirty of those passes went forwards, which is mark of he wanted the Whites to play the game in Bolton's half. He played two key passes – which led to good chances for his team-mates – sending in four crosses as well as eleven balls into the Wanderers' final third.

Perhaps the best thing about Targett's loan spell so far has been just how exciting he has been to watch, Off the field, he's an articulate analyst of his own performances and the young man looks as though he's loving every minute of his time at Fulham. Long may that continue.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/02/targett-takes-fulhams-adventure-to-higher-level/


WhiteJC

 
Tim Ream believes Fulham's fixtures from Boxing Day were season defining as they prepare for Aston Villa

Fulham haven't lost in the league since December 23 and the American centre back thinks those set of fixtures were the defining ones as they prepare for Villa

Tim Ream says Fulham are taking it game by game as they enter a crucial six-game period, and although the side are only looking ahead to Aston Villa, has claimed the games since Boxing Day were the season defining ones.

The Whites face Aston Villa, Bristol City, Wolves, Derby, Sheffield United and Preston in their next set of fixtures, all of whom are either in or around the Play-off places, with the side knowing positive results in most of the games will all but guarantee a Play-off spot.

It's rare that the fixture computer will throw up such a run, but in football anything can happen and it's a test of strength and character the side are looking forward to as they test their promotion credentials.

But a 1-1 draw with Bolton on Saturday so them lose ground on Villa who moved into second, making the gap seven points, and Ream was disappointed that his side dropped two.

He said: "I'd say it was two dropped to be honest with you – it was a incredible start for us scoring within the first five minutes and it's a wonder strike from them.

"To concede like that you hold your hands up, but at the end of the day Abou (Kamara) comes on and has a clear cut chance in front of goal and we had so many chances in front of goal in the last 15 minutes.

"Stef (Johansen), Sess (Sessegnon) and Abou almost getting in on goal again, Mitro (Mitrovic) curled one just wide too so it definitely feels like two dropped."

It's an unbelievable run of games the side now face, starting with the in-from side in the Championship in the form of Villa on Saturday at the Cottage who moved up to second after a 2-0 victory in the Second City Derby over Birmingham.

No one is under any illusions just how difficult the games will be, and the American knows the side have to beat teams in and around them to get second, although he thinks the set of fixtures from Boxing Day to Bolton were the season defining ones.

"Nothing against Bolton, but the next five, six, seven games are all against teams that are in and around the play offs so we'll get that out of the way, take the point and get out of here and get back to London and work hard this week and prepare for the really difficult games in the coming weeks," he added.


(Image: Ashley Allen/Getty Images)

"To be honest, I think the last five or six going back to Boxing Day have been season defining and we've done incredibly well to build the momentum we have we need to continue that.

"To stay in the play offs, we need to beat around us and to possibly get to that second spot we definitely have to take three points from the team around us and that's what we're looking to do."

Fulham have turned their season around - from being in 16th place in November and not winning a game for six matches to going on a nine game unbeaten run and being right in the mix for the end of season honours once again.

And Ream admits that in the first half of the season it just didn't look like it was going to click for his side, but believes everyone knows their roles in the team now, although he is quick to point out they can't get too far ahead of themselves when thinking about the promotion race.


(Image: Paul Burgman)

He said: "For the longest time at that first half of the season it didn't look like it was going to come together and for whatever reason, right around the holiday period it all clicked.

"Everybody knows their roles now, guys can come in and out and change the game.

"You've seen that over the last nine games and it's been positive all around and the team is really clicking.

"We'll take it one game at a time, you don't want to get too far ahead of yourself and look too much at the table.

"You have to take it one game at a time because it doesn't matter what you do, or the amount of points you take at the end of it if you don't start it right.

"We're just going to focus on getting three points against Villa."



https://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/tim-ream-believes-fulhams-fixtures-14276972

WhiteJC


Ream reckons Fulham's run since Boxing Day was pivotal
by Dan on February 12, 2018

Tim Ream believes Fulham's seven game unbeaten run since Boxing Day has been crucial in further the club's promotion ambitions and insists a make-or-break run of fixtures over the next six weeks doesn't hold any fears for Slavisa Jokanovic's squad.

The American centre back takes a slightly different view to many observers in believing that the strong sequence of results after Christmas was the turning point in the Fulham's season. Ream told GetWestLondon's Ryan O'Donovan that, whilst many of the fans were looking forward to taking on a number of the Whites' promotion rivals over the next few weeks, he felt Fulham's recent results were crucial in boosting the squad's confidence:

    To be honest, I think the last five or six going back to Boxing Day have been season defining and we've done incredibly well to build the momentum we have we need to continue that. To stay in the play offs, we need to beat around us and to possibly get to that second spot we definitely have to take three points from the team around us and that's what we're looking to do.

    For the longest time at that first half of the season it didn't look like it was going to come together and for whatever reason, right around the holiday period it all clicked. Everybody knows their roles now, guys can come in and out and change the game. You've seen that over the last nine games and it's been positive all around and the team is really clicking.

The St. Louis native did recongise the importance of the next few fixtures, but is confident that Fulham can prove their promotion credentials in the weeks ahead.

    Nothing against Bolton, but the next five, six, seven games are all against teams that are in and around the play offs so we'll get that out of the way, take the point and get out of here and get back to London and work hard this week and prepare for the really difficult games in the coming weeks.

    We'll take it one game at a time, you don't want to get too far ahead of yourself and look too much at the table. You have to take it one game at a time because it doesn't matter what you do, or the amount of points you take at the end of it if you don't start it right. We're just going to focus on getting three points against Villa.

Ream admitted that only collecting a point on his return to Bolton, where he spent three seasons, was disappointing given the flying start Fulham had made at the Macron Stadium.

    I'd say it was two dropped [points] to be honest with you – it was a incredible start for us scoring within the first five minutes and it's a wonder strike from them. To concede like that you hold your hands up, but at the end of the day Abou[bakar Kamara] comes on and has a clear cut chance in front of goal and we had so many chances in front of goal in the last 15 minutes. Stef [Johansen], Sess[segnon] and Abou almost getting in on goal again, Mitro[vic] curled one just wide too so it definitely feels like two dropped.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/02/ream-reckons-fulhams-run-since-boxing-day-was-pivotal/

WhiteJC

 
Villa Tickets Limited

Tickets for Fulham's match against Aston Villa this Saturday, 17th February (kick-off 3pm), are now limited and available to Season Ticket Holders, Members and supporters with a Previous Booking History only.

Unbeaten in nine league games, the Whites will be up against an in-form Villa who climbed up to second place in the Sky Bet Championship this weekend.

With tickets starting from £15 for juniors and £35 for adults, don't delay in securing your seat to cheer on the boys!

Fans can purchase now online, by telephone on 0203 871 0810 (opt 1) or in person from the Fulham Ticket Office.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/february/12/aston-villa-tickets


WhiteJC

 
Fulham's Matt Targett named in WhoScored? Team of the Week for second successive week

It's two from two for the Southampton loan man who gets another place in the Team of the Week after his goal against Bolton

Fulham's Matt Targett has been named in the WhoScored? Team of the Week for the second successive week after his performance in the draw with Bolton.

The left back scored his first goal in a white jersey after just five minutes when he directed his header into the back of the Bolton net after Ryan Sessegnon found Lucas Piazon, who cushioned the ball back to the Southampton loan man.

He makes the team with a rating of 8.2 - the third highest in a team filled with Aston Villa men after their 2-0 victory in the Second City Derby, which has seen Saturday's opponents rise to second place.

Targett was included in the Team of the Week last week after his performance in the 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest - can he make it three after next week's game with Aston Villa?



https://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulhams-matt-targett-named-whoscored-14277771

WhiteJC

 
Additional Tickets For Fulham Trip

Wolves have received an additional 500 tickets for their trip to Craven Cottage later this month.

3,750 tickets of the now 4,500 allocation have been purchased for the 1st vs 5th fixture on Saturday 24th February, 5:30pm.

Tickets are currently on sale to season ticket holders and members, and can be purchased here.



https://www.wolves.co.uk/news/club/20180212-additional-tickets-for-fulham-trip/

WhiteJC

 
West Ham United showing interest in Fulham defender

West Ham United are showing an interest in signing Fulham right-back Ryan Fredericks in the summer, according to FutNSoccer.

The report suggests that the Hammers are close to agreeing a deal for the defender. His contract with Fulham expires in the summer meaning he is free to leave for nothing. However, how close this move is is yet to be established.

Fredericks has been in impressive form for Fulham over the past couple of seasons. He has been an integral part of Slavisa Jokanovic's side who got to the Championship Play-Offs last season and are hoping to take that one step further this campaign and get promotion to the Premier League.

He is certainly a player who will want to play at the top level and you would think he is reluctant to sign a contract at Fulham unless they do get promoted. He has been linked with a move away from Fulham in the past. Premier League side Swansea City were reportedly interested in him in the January transfer window but it is now West Ham who look to be leading the race for him.

The 25 year-old started his career at Tottenham Hotspur but never managed to break into their first-team. He gained playing time during loan stints at Middlesbrough, Millwall and Brentford. He left Spurs to join Bristol City but left them after just 26 days to join Fulham.

Fredericks is one of the best right-backs in the Championship and he is one who Fulham fans will be praying signs a new contract, with West Ham now showing an interest.



http://the72.co.uk/98332/west-ham-united-showing-interest-fulham-defender/


WhiteJC

 
What tally would Fulham get if the fixtures with Wolves, Aston Villa and Derby went the same way as the reverse fixtures?

We've taken a look at how the previous fixtures between the two sides went and what points tally Fulham would get if they went the same way

Fulham are entering what must be both the most hardest and exciting period of the season as they face six massive games over the next few weeks.

Both the league leaders and the team that currently occupy second place visit the Cottage within a week of each other, while trips to Bristol City and Derby are also on the agenda.

It's what promotion races are made of, but how many points would Fulham take if these fixtures played out the exact same way as the reverse fixtures early on in the season?

We've taken a look below:

Aston Villa (October 21, 2-1 loss)

Fulham lost the reverse fixture at Villa Park 2-1 back in October, two games into run that would see them go without a win in six.

John Terry, of course, opened the scoring with a header in the first half but Fulham pegged the Villains back through a Stefan Johansen free kick on the stroke of half time.

It was a tough game, and it was Albert Adomah who got the winner four minutes after the team reemerged from the tunnel - the result left Fulham in 11th.


(Image: Birmingham Mail)

Bristol City (October 31, 2-0 loss)

It was a Halloween horror show at the Cottage as Bobby Reid and Korey Smith struck the back of the net as Bristol City did a job over Fulham.

Aboubakar Kamara was sent off, although it was later rescinded, to really emphasise just what a poor display this was.

Lee Johnson's side were far better than Fulham throughout - this is a performance the Whites will not want a repeat of next Tuesday when they travel to Ashton Gate.


(Image: Dan Istitene/Getty Images)

Wolves (November 3, 2-0 loss)

This looked more like a training game for the league leaders than an actual contest after Romain Saiss and Leo Bonatini gave Wolves a comfortable 2-0 win.

The Whites were undone by two set pieces and never looked like threatening the hosts throughout the game, who after going two up used the game as a training session to keep themselves ticking over.

That defeat made it five without a win as Fulham dropped to 16th in the table.


(Image: Mike Egerton/PA Wire)

Derby County (November 18, 1-1 draw)

The draw at the Cottage was the start of run that has seen Fulham lose just twice in 15 games and it was Oliver Norwood who gave the side the lead with a freekick that Scott Carson will never want to see a replay of.

Fulham will take positives from this game heading into the one at the iPro, but will be frustrated that they allowed Matej Vydra to slalom into the box and take a share of the points for his side.

The result though, did mean Fulham dropped to 17th in the table.

Sheffield United (November 21, 5-4 win)

Now this is a game that will long in the memory of anyone who made the journey to Sheffield.

Ryan Sessegnon socred a hat-trick while Sheyi Ojo also bagged two as caution was thrown to the wind in a game where Leon Clarke of Sheffield United also hit the back of the net three times.

It was end to end stuff, but don't expect a repeat at the Cottage when the two meet later in the month.


Fulham's Sheyi Ojo (left) celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game

Preston North End (October 12, 2-2 draw)

Fulham really struggled against a physical Preston side at the Cottage at the start of their winless run, after Jordan Hugill and Seani Maguire gave the visitors a two-goal lead.

But an Oliver Norwood penalty and a last-gasp Denis Odoi strike ensured Fulham salvaged a point from a terrible position.


(Image: Paul Burgman)

Total points tally: FIVE from 18



https://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/what-tally-would-fulham-fixtures-14278226

WhiteJC

 
Ryan Sessegnon interview: Gareth Bale comparisons and Fulham's play-off hopes


Fulham teenager Ryan Sessegnon has scored 11 goals in the Sky Bet Championship so far this season

Ryan Sessegnon discusses comparisons with Gareth Bale, his dreams of playing with his brother and Fulham's play-off hopes.

It's a fairly easy comparison to make, but an appropriate one all the same for a young left-sided player making a huge splash in the Sky Bet Championship.

Sessegnon is, however, an extremely grounded teenager, and it's never a comparison that he would make himself.

"It's great to be compared to someone of the stature of Gareth Bale, but I'm happy to be Ryan Sessegnon," he said.


Sessegnon hopes to help Fulham reach the play-offs again this season

Sessegnon has been turning heads from virtually the day he made his debut last season. He has an awfully long way to go to reach Bale's lofty heights, but you could argue that he's made even more progress than the Welshman by the age of 17.

He has already made the move from left-back to left-wing, something Bale, who also made his Championship debut at 16, took a little longer to do.

The positional shift is reflected in his goal return. Sessegnon won Player of the Month in January after netting six times in four games for Fulham and has 11 for the season so far, which also included a fantastic hat-trick at Sheffield United in November.

Slavisa Jokanovic boldly threw him in last season at a time when more and more managers are showing increasing levels of reluctance to use young players, and Sessegnon is eternally grateful.


Sessegnon, 17, helped England to victory in last summer's UEFA European Under-19 Championship in Georgia

"He has been vital, massively important in my career," said Sessegnon. "Ever since he gave me my league debut away against Leeds he's put 100 per cent faith in me to play at this level. I didn't expect to be thrown in so early, at 16 years of age to be playing first-team football, but I'm glad the manager had the faith in me.

"It's been a massive confidence booster to know the managers picking you each game in a position where you're playing well, it gives you a lot of belief that you're doing the right things.

"[The goals] have been down to the gaffer playing me in a higher position allowing me to play further forward and scoring more and creating more goals. At this minute, I'm liking my role further up the pitch with the ability to contribute goals and assists and left wing is my preferred position."

Jokanovic's faith has been more than rewarded so far. Sessegnon was thrown in from the start for an EFL Cup win at Leyton Orient last season, and his impressive display led to a first league start at Leeds a week later.

A first senior goal followed a week later as Sessegnon became the first player born this millennium to score in the Championship, and he went on to score six more times in a total of 30 appearances last season.

While he was used relatively sparingly last season, he's been a virtual ever-present this campaign. So far he's made more than 50 club appearances and scored 16 goals. He doesn't turn 18 until the middle of May.

"It wasn't too bad in the first game because there were a few other young players making their debuts at the same time as me," said Sessegnon. "So having the others there going through the same thing as me helped.

"It's gone very quickly and the rise has been very sudden, but it's been a good transition from last season to this. Everyone knows I'm the youngest in the team so when the opposition does target me, my team-mates help me out and its credit to them for my performances.

"I think the more games I play with this team, the better. I'm eager to learn and think I'm improving as the season's progressing. My forward runs and my movement [are my main strengths], especially the timing of my runs into the box. But I still need to improve my finishing, my right foot and my crossing as well."


Sessegnon is grateful for the support of Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic

Sessegnon also has a twin brother at Fulham, Steven, who played a key role for England's Under-17s in their World Cup victory in the summer, but is yet to make his league debut for Fulham.

The duo have appeared together twice in this season's Carabao Cup, albeit for less than 20 minutes total as Ryan was only used as a late substitute in both games. The dream for both, Ryan says, would be to play regularly together at Fulham.

"That's what we want as a family and as a club," he said. "We want all young players to break through and hopefully my brother can make his league debut soon.

"We've always talked about it. Ever since we were young we always dreamed about playing in the same team as each other and doing that at Fulham would be great."


Sessegnon's early performances have drawn comparisons with Gareth Bale

For now, however, Sessegnon's goals are fixed firmly on his own performances and hopefully another top-six finish in the Championship.

Fulham were the favourites heading into last season's play-offs, but underperformed over two legs against Reading and failed to make the final. Sessegnon hopes things will be different this time around.

"Getting into the play-offs is the goal and I think we can achieve that," he said. "Last season, we had a really late surge and I think we've learnt from that and we'll try to do it earlier this time around.

"This season, especially in recent weeks we've shown we can beat teams when we're playing well, but also when we're not performing as well.

"We were all devastated after that game [against Reading] and it took us a long time to get over that, but if we do make it this time around we're in a better position to make sure that it doesn't happen again."



http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/11247584/ryan-sessegnon-interview-gareth-bale-comparisons-and-fulhams-play-off-hopes

WhiteJC

 
U18 REPORT: ALBION 1 FULHAM 1

    Isaac Hutchinson gives Albion the lead
    Ryan De Havilland equalises from the penalty spot for Fulham
    The Seagulls end the match with ten men after Danny Cashman's sending off
    Albion are next in action against Norwich City on Wednesday

Brighton & Hove Albion's under-18s shared the spoils with Fulham in a 1-1 draw at the American Express Elite Football Performance Centre on Saturday.


Isaac Hutchinson gave Albion the lead before Danny Cashman was shown a red card for giving away a penalty, and Ryan De Havilland equalised from the spot to claim a share of the spoils for Fulham.

The Seagulls created their first chance inside the opening three minutes when Hutchinson delivered a ball into the path of Matt Weaire, but Fulham keeper George Wickens made a comfortable save.

The Cottagers created their first opening after De Havilland curled a free kick into the path of Ben Davis, who fired his attempt over the crossbar.

Stefan Ljubicic was next to come close for Albion with a long-range effort that took a deflection, but Wickens did brilliantly to make a save at his near post.

Albion did make the breakthrough thanks to Hutchinson, who took advantage of some sloppy Fulham defending and fired home beyond Wickens with 26 minutes on the clock.

Ljubicic then had a brilliant chance to double Albion's advantage after latching onto Jayden Onen's through ball, but he blazed his effort over the crossbar.

Albion lost their lead and a player with 33 minutes gone, as Cashman was shown a straight red card for pushing Fabio Carvalho over inside the box.

De Havilland took the subsequent penalty and shot down to the left-hand side to level the scores.

The midfielder had two further opportunities to turn the game on its head, as he shot just wide of the post before shooting over the bar from a separate chance.

Nicolas Santos-Clase came off the bench for the visitors and played a ball towards Timmy Abraham, whose shot took a deflection and clipped the top of the post.

The substitute could have scored himself, but his shot rebounded off Abraham before going wide, and the points were shared.

ALBION: McGill; Weaire, Clark-Eden, Shihab, Tutt; Ferguson, Fornah (Everitt 90+2); Onen, Cashman, Hutchinson; Ljubicic.

SUBS NOT USED: Bentley (GK), Offiah, Leahy.



https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/news/2018/february/match-report-for-brighton-and-hove-albion-u18-vs-fulham-u18-on-10-feb-18/


WhiteJC

 
All you need to know about Ryan Fredericks - the Fulham defender West Ham want this summer

The 25-year-old is reportedly a top target for David Moyes once the season is over

David Sullivan has said he wants to see David Moyes stay for the long-haul and is going to step-back from being so involved in transfers, yet this one smells of a Sully Classic on the face of it.

Moyes has also hinted he wants to stay on for longer than the end of this season for the first time in the past couple of days after hinting he was behind the co-chairman's decision to take a step back.

One of his first targets for the summer - if he is still at the club - is Fulham defender Ryan Fredericks, whose contract is up in the summer and will be available on a free transfer.

Like we said....classic.

Who is Fredericks though? Well, let's take a closer look at the defender who could provide competition to Pablo Zabaleta and Sam Byram should should he swap west London for the east of the capital.

Well, he's a right back. You can decide for yourself if that's where the Hammers need to strengthen but if Moyes is at the club long-term, you can be sure defence will be the priority area to strengthen along with the midfield.


Ryan Fredericks is a target for West Ham in the summer (Image: Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Fredericks started his career in north London with Tottenham Hotspur, progressing trough the club's academy system before signing a professional contract in 2010.

Loan spells at Brentford, Millwall and Middlesbrough arrived between then and 2015 before he permanently left Spurs to sign for Birstol City on August 2015.

However, he lasted only 26 days at the club and made five appearances before he cited personal reasons and left Ashton Gate for an "unnamed London club," which turned out to be Fulham.

He's made 90 appearances for the Cottagers since then and after signing a three-year contract in August 2015 and that is now coming to an end.

Back in January, Fredericks dropped an enormous blow to any suitors who wanted to sign him, telling our friends at GetWestLondon: "I'm happy here, I've said it all along.

"My contract situation is getting sorted behind closed doors and the relevant people are trying to sort that now.

"I'm not too sure what is going to happen, but while I'm a Fulham player, be it one year, two years, three years, whatever it is, I will give my all in the shirt whenever I step onto the pitch."

However, it is believed West Ham are confident that the lure of the Premier League - should they stay in it of course - will be enough to see Fredericks hold off signing fresh terms with Fulham and swap Craven Cottage for the London Stadium.



https://www.football.london/west-ham-united-fc/transfer-news/ryan-fredericks-west-ham-transfer-14279539

WhiteJC

 
Badgers' Tennis Marathon

On Saturday 17th February, members of the Fulham Badgers and Active Autism teams will challenge the UK Davis Cup team in a 24 hour tennis marathon at the National Tennis Centre.

Fundraising for the Foundation, participants will face off against former Davis Cup player Danny Sapsford and Commonwealth Gold Medallist Jocelyn Rae, who will partner up with Davis and Fed Cup professionals.

Backed by weekly tennis sessions at the NTC, the Fulham Foundation team are confident in hitting their £500 fundraising target, and giving the pros a challenge to remember! You can support the cause by donating here: https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/badgers



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/february/12/badgers-tennis-marathon

WhiteJC

 
From Barnet and Fulham to QPR and Millwall - how every Football League club's season will end

A round up of the capital's runners and riders across the Football League this season

With almost a full third of the season remaining, the famous 'business end' of the football calendar is drawing into view and things are starting to get serious.

So where do London's teams stand in the race for titles, promotion or against relegation and time?

The seven Football League clubs based in the capital each have their own agendas to pursue in the final weeks of the fixture list.

Not all of their respective campaigns are on target to complete the objectives that were set before them back in the summer.

Whether it has been through under or over achievement, what would constitute success for some sides has shifted along with their form.

Here is where they all up to so far this season - and how the remaining months of action could shape up based on their performances so far.

The Championship

Fulham

Fulham's recovery this term has been fairly remarkable, climbing from the hinterland of lower-mid table nothingness in the autumn, to the top six as spring approaches.


Jonathan Kodija of Aston Villa tackles Ryan Fredericks (Image: Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Slavisa Jokanovic's men seem to have forgotten what losing feels like, and while Saturday's draw with struggling Bolton was a blip, only Aston Villa are in better form than the Cottagers.

Villa visit on Saturday, and a Fulham victory will leave them four points behind the team currently in second place.

Which does lead to the rather tantalising question: could Fulham get automatic promotion? It's probably unlikely, but then again the playoffs looked pretty unlikely when they were 17th in November...

Brentford

It's often tempting for one's impression of Brentford to be skewed slightly by an admiration of how they go about things.

This is not to say that their use of analytics, the dissolution of their academy and so forth are necessarily definitely the right way to do things, but one has to appreciate that a club with limited resources are trying a different way of succeeding in an increasingly unfair game.

That said, first-team results are what matters, and this season Brentford's have been frustratingly inconsistent.

Just when you think they are putting a real run together, they drop irritating points, like the defeat to Hull in December, or the draw at home to Preston at the weekend.

"These are the important times – February and March as they will keep you amongst it," manager Dean Smith said last week. "Come April, with the way we play the rest will take care of itself."

Where they're going: Six points off the playoffs with 15 games left...they should at least keep a clear diary for the end of May

Millwall

Unless something absolutely calamitous happens in the coming weeks, Millwall have already achieved their basic aim for the season.

Any side coming up from League One - even one whose 'natural' level feels roughly its current place of midish-table in the second tier - will prioritise survival above all others, and then anything beyond that is a bonus.

Millwall are 11 points clear of the relegation zone and are solid enough not to let that drop significantly. With the playoffs too distant, there is a danger that the season could peter out from here, but the good thing about having not much tangible to play for is you can let emotion take over.

Tim Cahill made his second debut for Millwall at the weekend, coming on for the last few minutes of their 1-1 draw with Cardiff.

Cahill has returned in order to attain the requisite sharpness to make Australia's World Cup squad; the rest of the season can now be geared towards helping him make that happen.

Where they're going: They're staying still. Cahill, on the other hand, could be going to Russia...

Queens Park Rangers

In some respects the last 15 games of this season for QPR are a minor irrelevance. They're eight points and seven places off the relegation zone so they're unlikely to go down, but 16 adrift of the playoffs so have no chance of going up.

To a point that doesn't matter, because although it feels like all of the last four seasons since their relegation from the Premier League have been transitional, the first-team are still in something of a holding pattern.

The club are attempting to build something longer-term, with Chris Ramsey's reinvention of the youth system effectively only being about 18 months old, so until that bears fruit we're unlikely to see a barnstorming promotion campaign.

Grumbling remains in the stands though, as this slightly aimless team wanders through the season, so Ian Holloway's job for the remainder is to try and enliven those fans, to reignite some sort of enthusiasm.

When the summer comes, putting sentiment to one side, they must think about whether Holloway really is the most sensible man for the longer term. But until then, some enjoyment is the priority.

Where they're going: Nowhere really, but let's try to make it fun.

League One

Charlton Athletic

It would have been a cruel irony if Roland Duchatelet attempting to do what Charlton fans have demanded - get out of the Valley - had derailed their promotion hopes.

At one point it looked like the prospective sale of the club would scupper all of Karl Robinson's January transfer plans, and while Robinson's window dealings weren't exactly what he had in mind, it wasn't the feared disaster.

Charlton have slipped outside the playoff spots, but only just and they have games in hand. It will be a significant disappointment if they're not playing football after the first week in May.

Where they're going: The playoffs, hopefully

AFC Wimbledon

If you'd written this a few weeks ago then the aim for Neal Ardley's men would have been consolidation, to maintain mid-table obscurity with perhaps an eye on something grander next season.

But three defeats in a row have seen the slip dangerously close to the relegation zone, so survival becomes the aim.

They're only a point and a place off the bottom four, and while it might provide some succour that MK Dons are in an even worse position, parochialism can't be the main priority when their place in the division is at stake.

The good news is they're certainly capable of the results that will achieve safety - they just have to arrest this run, as soon as possible.

Where they're going: Nowhere, with a bit of luck.

League Two

Barnet

A glimmer of unexpected hope for Barnet came at the weekend. Who could have predicted that Graham Westley's side, stone bottom of the Football League, would beat Kevin Nolan's Notts County?

Of course those three points couldn't haul Barnet off the foot of League Two, but they did at least provide some suggestion that they might be able to get out of this pit they find themselves in. That's the good news: the bad news is that win might just be a happy blip, given it was their first win in nine games and their second since September.

The odds are still against Westley and co, so only time will tell whether the win over County merely provided false hope.

Where they're going: Down, alas.

Results around London this weekend

Championship: Bolton 1-1 Fulham, Brentford 1-1 Preston, Millwall 1-1 Cardiff, Wolves 2-1 QPR

League One: Doncaster 1-1 Charlton, Wimbledon 1-3 Northampton

League Two: Barnet 1-0 Notts County



https://www.football.london/championship/barnet-fulham-qpr-millwall-how-14280549


WhiteJC

 
Reliable source claims West Ham defender deal 'close'

West Ham United are 'close' to landing Fulham right-back Ryan Fredericks on a free transfer, according to ExWHUemployee on Twitter.

The defender's current deal at Craven Cottage expires at the end of the campaign and he is thought to be a high-priority target for the Hammers.

Fredericks was a trainee with London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and made four appearances for the Lilywhites after turning professional in 2010.

The 25-year-old also spent time out on loan at Brentford, Millwall and Middlesbrough before signing for Bristol City at the beginning of August 2015.

However, his time at Ashton Gate was short-lived and he left after just 26 days and five appearances to join Fulham, citing personal reasons as the motive for the move.

A regular in the Whites' side over the past two-and-a-half seasons, Fredericks has greatly improved the attacking side of his game and this term has registered seven assists in his 30 league outings.

His team are unbeaten since December 16 and have powered into contention for the play-off places in the Championship, sitting fifth in the table, just seven points behind Aston Villa in the second automatic promotion spot.

Fredericks would provide competition for the right-back role at West Ham, with Pablo Zabaleta the current incumbent and Sam Byram acting as the Argentine's deputy.

Whilst both are capable footballers, Fredericks would add pace and perhaps offer more as an offensive threat down that flank.

Zabaleta has been a reliable Premier League performer for years with Manchester City and now the Irons, but at 33 he has a limited shelf life.

As for Byram, he was another player snapped up from the second tier but has failed to kick on as hoped in claret and blue since his move from Leeds United in January 2016.

Fredericks would be a long-term solution to fill the position, although a move may be complicated if Fulham achieve promotion this season.



https://westhamblog.co.uk/reliable-source-claims-west-ham-defender-deal-close/

WhiteJC

 
West Ham keen on summer deal for Ryan Fredericks

West Ham will look to secure a deal for Ryan Fredericks in the summer, according to Football London.

The right-back is a key component in Slavisa Jokanovic's Fulham side but it appears he will be on the move when the season ends. Fredericks is yet to pen a contract extension at Craven Cottage and will therefore be able to leave on a free transfer in the summer.

David Moyes has often been touted as an admirer of Fredericks' abilities and the defender was linked with a move to the London Stadium in the January transfer window.

The 25-year-old has often reiterated that talks have been ongoing with Fulham regarding a new deal at the club but he is yet to put pen to paper on an extension with the Championship side.

This, as reported by Football London, has given West Ham confidence that the allure of top flight football could be enough to persuade Fredericks to make the move across London in the summer.



http://readwestham.com/2018/02/12/west-ham-keen-summer-deal-ryan-fredericks/

WhiteJC

 
West Ham United Close In On Free Transfer Of Fulham Star: What Will He Bring To London Stadium?

West Ham United have managed to lift themselves out of the bottom of the points table after a disastrous start to the season as the new manager David Moyes, is finally getting the team to play some exciting football. They are still only four points away from the drop zone and have a lot of work to do, to end this season on a high.

They have already added a couple of smart players to their squad after the turn of the year but are still not convinced with the options at their disposal. This has seen Moyes scout for some more names and one name they are reportedly close to signing at the end of the season is Ryan Fredericks.

A product of the Tottenham Hotspur academy, Fredericks was not able to impress enough to break into the first team at White Hart Lane and was shipped off to Bristol, after three loan stints, back in 2015. Just months later, he returned back to London, where he managed to establish himself in the first team at Craven Cottage.

He has already made 127 Championship appearances, where he has picked up 13 assists but is out of a contract at the end of the season. He is not expected to sign a new deal and is open to talking to potential suitors and there were a number of clubs interested in his services even in January.

However, a reliable source in an ex-West Ham employee has now revealed that the Hammers are in advanced talks with the 25-year old and are set to land him before the start of the next season. But what will he bring to London Stadium?

A right-back by trait, who can also put in a shift at left-back, Fredericks is a technically gifted footballer, who loves to have the ball at his feet. He is confident with his dribbling and passing and is effective in the final third, with his crosses and quick passes, that can frustrate and damage even the best of defences.

He is strong in his hold up and though is caught out in the air at times, is more than capable of holding the fort at the back. He is quick to make interceptions and rarely gives fouls away and at 25, will get better, playing around players of better quality.

The Hammers currently have Pablo Zabaleta as the first choice right-back with very little backups. Edimilson Fernandes and Sam Byram have done well but Zabaleta is now 33 and needs a long-term replacement and Fredericks is a decent choice.

If he can cement his place in the first team for years to come is a question only time can answer.



http://the4thofficial.net/2018/02/west-ham-united-close-free-transfer-fulham-star-will-bring-london-stadium/


WhiteJC

 
Fulham's Path to Promotion - 15 Matches to Go

With a strong run since defeating Sheffield United in December, Fulham has put themselves in excellent position to qualify for the playoffs and they have an outside chance at earning automatic promotion. In this post we'll look at what Fulham needs to do to accomplish either option. In the coming weeks we'll monitor their progress and provide updates. But before we get to that, let's take a moment to put the season into context.

2017-18 vs. 2016-17
Fulham has managed to exceed last season's performance to-date, despite facing injury challenges in 2017/18 that were avoided last season. With 31 matches completed Fulham is 3 points ahead of last year's total and 3 spots higher on the table. We were 6 points outside of the playoffs and 16 points outside of automatic promotion at this point last year. This year we are in the middle of the playoff spots and 7 points outside of automatic promotion.

Last year's bid for the playoffs required a scintillating finish from the team getting 16 out of 18 points in the final 6 matches. Fulham finished with 80 points beating out Leeds, who had 75 points, for the last playoff spot. In any other Championship season 75 points would have been enough to qualify for the playoffs, but Leeds was on the unfortunate end of an incredible finish by Fulham. This season, Fulham have done well enough that a good, but not necessarily heroic, finish will see the team into the playoffs.

Point Targets for Playoff Qualification and Automatic Promotion
Based on the results from this millennium, 75 points is the target to ensure playoff qualification (unless you are Leeds). To reach automatic promotion the goal is 88 points. Ten out of the past 17 seasons have seen the second place team reach 88 points. Only once in the past 17 seasons has 88 points not been enough to earn automatic promotion – that was in 2015-16 when Middlesbrough and Brighton and Hove both had 89 points. Middlesbrough won automatic promotion based on goal differential.

88 Points Will Get You to The Premier League
Getting to 75 points for the playoffs is certainly within reach, but what about the 88 points for automatic promotion with 15 matches left?

Getting to 88 Points in 15 Matches
Fulham currently has 52 points. That means they'll need another 36 points, 2.4 Points Per Match (PPM), to reach 88 points. In the second half of the season Fulham has had 6 wins and 2 draws for a blistering 2.5 PPM. Fulham would have to nearly maintain that pace to reach 88 - closing out the remaining 15 games with a record similar to 11 wins, 3 draws, and 1 loss. While I'd like to remain positive about our chances, I don't think that is a realistic scenario. There have been times when the team that earns automatic promotion has gotten less than 88 points, but it would seem that Derby or Aston Villa are likely to reach that goal.

Getting to 75 Points in 15 Matches
Reaching 75 points is a much easier path requiring only 23 points, about 1.5 PPM. Fulham's form wasn't great in the first half of the season, but even then they managed 1.4 PPM. So Fulham would still likely make the playoffs with a relatively disappointing finish of 6 wins, 5 draws, and 4 losses.

The Remaining Opposition
Fulham is about to enter a tough three week span from February 17 to March 10. Over the next 6 matches Fulham will face all of the teams in the top 8 who they haven't already played twice. It starts with Aston Villa followed by Bristol City, Wolverhampton, Derby, Sheffield United, and ending with Preston.

The average points per match of our opponents (adjusted for home and away records) during the next six matches is 1.74 with 5 teams over 1.5 PPM. For the games after March 10 it is only 1.24, a full half point lower with only 1 team over 1.5 PPM.

After the Next 6 Matches Things Will Get Easier (looking at season PPM adjusted for Home/Away)
We can also look at the outlook by charting each team's PPM over the last eight matches (not adjusted for home/away form).

Things Might Not Be As Easy As We'd Like (looking at PPM based on the past 8 matches)
The picture looks a little different when recent form is considered – Aston Villa (match 1) is on an amazing hot streak, Norwich (match 8) has been looking stronger, while Bristol City (match 2) has been sinking. This is also a more challenging outlook. Using the metrics on the first chart we only faced 1 team with over 1.5 PPM after March 10, but using the metrics on the second chart we have to face 4 teams with a PPM over 1.5 after March 10. On a whole, the picture looks much the same with an average 1.75 PPM over the next six followed by 1.25 PPM for the rest of the season, but the individual matchups are tougher when recent form is considered.

The Outlook
The next six matches will show if what kind of team Fulham truly is. If they lose four or more then Fulham's recent streak was due to mostly favorable matchups and we'll have to bounce back strong to reach the playoffs. If Fulham comes out even – 2 wins, 2 draws, 2 losses – or slightly better then we can say that Fulham is a near certainty to be in the playoffs. If Fulham gets five wins then they will be an automatic promotion contender.

Regardless of the outlook, these matches must be taken one week at a time and now the focus must be on Aston Villa.



http://fulhamusa.com/threads/fulhams-path-to-promotion-15-matches-to-go.9705/

WhiteJC

 
RUFC - Warne Would Be Interested In Keeping Loan Players

Rotherham United would be interested in keeping goalkeeper Marek Rodak who is on loan from Fulham until the end of the season.

The twenty-one year old Slovakian 'keeper signed a new contract at Craven Cottage last week keeping him there until 2020. Marek has played twenty-one times for the Millers since joining at the end of August, keeping four clean sheets.

Also, Millers Manager Paul Warne told Radio Sheffield that he's also like to keep hold of Richie Towell who is on loan from Brighton.

'Both are contracted to their parental clubs and I presume both clubs like the fact that they are out on loan and are in no rush to make any decisions.

'I think both of them enjoy playing here and It would be great if we could keep both of them but it depends how we finish this season and where we are next year. There's a long time to go between now and June.'



Read more: http://www.rotherham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=521303#ixzz56yWktC5Q