Tuesday Fulham Stuff (27/03/18)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Is Ryan Sessegnon the best player in the Championship?

Ryan Sessegnon, the 17 year-old Fulham left-sided prodigy, has scored nine goals in 28 games this season. Only 12 Championship players have more, despite the young Englishman playing 19 of his games this season at left-back.

Fulham have generally played a 4-3-3 this season, while also using a 4-2-3-1. They favour a possession-based, short passing style of play and show a slight preference for attacking down the left-hand side, probably due to the strength of Sessegnon on that side, who plays as an overlapping left-back or wide forward in the 4-3-3 and often as a wide midfielder or winger in the 4-2-3-1.

Sessegnon plays high on the left, irrespective of his starting position. However, his pace and fitness mean that even if he is playing as a left-winger, he will drop regularly to assist replacement left-back Denis Odoi, either by covering a passing option or doubling up with Odoi to mark an opposition player on the ball.

This means that Fulham have two capable defenders on the left when Sessegnon is playing higher, increasing the likelihood of winning a turnover in the left wide space and enabling Sessegnon to then attack. It also means that Odoi can tuck inside leaving Sessegnon to defend the wide space while the left-sided central midfielder stays higher, a remarkable testament to Sessegnon's energy and work-rate.

He also works hard to win the ball back. If he has drifted centrally and the opposition goal-keeper plays it wide, Sessegnon will quickly close down the right-back and, crucially, try to turn him towards his own goal – he is able to do this because he is so quick. The rest of the Fulham side can then push up creating a natural press simply because of Sessegnon's efforts.

He shows great intelligence with his off-the-ball running, too. When possession is won by Fulham, Sessegnon either bursts wide into space, or cuts inside on a direct line – this will depend on whether there is space outside and whether the Fulham player in possession is carrying the ball wide or turned towards the right-hand side of the pitch. Sessegnon looks for space, but in the event that the Fulham player in possession is heading wide left, the space is occupied, or the pass is not on, he quickly adjusts to move centrally.

Similarly, when attacking, either from full-back or a more advanced position, Sessegnon will happily pull wide to cross from close to the by-line, or drive inside, looking for an overlapping runner to slide a pass to, or to square it or shoot himself. Most of his goals come from the space between the penalty spot and the six yard box – Sessegnon has a paocher's eye for goal, as his goal against Ipswich Town perfectly showed. Sessegnon drove inside, with Aboubakar Kamara pulling wide to his left. Sessegnon found Kamara with a deft pass and moved into space, so that when Kamara's low cross was knocked back into the danger area, Sessegnon was there to head home (from 1.50 onwards below).

His attacking end-product does need some work, with significantly more unsuccessful crosses than successful ones, but he does manage more successful dribbles than unsuccessful ones; his goals per 90 is the best of any player who is nominally a defender and has played more than 10 games in the Championship this season; only Aden Flint of Bristol City is even close.

His defensive metrics stand up pretty well, too – the thing to remember is that Sessegnon is playing in a variety of roles, so an overall measure of his abilities is hard to gauge.

What is not hard to gauge by watching Ryan Sessegnon is he has an excellent football brain and a staggering work-rate. The best current left-sided English player is a 17 year-old in the Championship.



https://www.tifofootball.com/features/is-ryan-sessegnon-the-best-player-in-the-championship/

[WhiteJC]

 
Preview: Colombia v Caltex Socceroos

Australia look to bounce back quickly from their defeat to Norway when they face South American powerhouse Colombia on Wednesday morning (6:00am AEDT on Fox Sports and Channel Ten) at Craven Cottage in London.

Bert van Marwijk's first game in charge started well but ended in a heavy defeat. Now fans are interested so see how the Caltex Socceroos will respond.

4 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

    Colombia were also in action on Saturday morning (AEDT) as they came from two goals down to beat ninth-ranked France, one of Australia's FIFA World Cup group opponents, 3-2 in Paris.
    These two nations last met in 2001 with late goals from Steve Corica and Scott Chipperfield not enough to prevent Australia falling to a 3-2 defeat.
    Jackson Irvine's goal against Norway was his second in an Australian shirt; his first came exactly a year ago to the day of the Colombia game when he netted in a 2-0 FIFA World Cup qualifying win over UAE.
    The last time Australia played at Craven Cottage was in September 2014 when they beat Saudi Arabia 3-2; all three goalscorers (Tim Cahill, Mile Jedinak and Bailey Wright) are part of the current squad.


Bailey Wright was on target at Craven Cottage in 2014.

AUSTRALIAN SQUAD NEWS

Bert van Marwijk showed his preference for a 4-2-3-1 system in his opening game in charge and will likely implement the same formation in this match.

But given the defeat in Oslo, and the nature of international windows, there are bound to be some changes to the starting side.

The likes of Tomi Juric, Robbie Kruse and Tommy Rogic all came off the bench against Norway and may be used from the start.

Others who weren't involved in the first game may also get their chance, with Hyundai A-League players Josh Risdon, James Troisi and Josh Brillante and Millwall defender James Meredith all in line for some minutes.

Tim Cahill should also see his first game time under the new national boss.

With Dimi Petratos, Andrew Nabbout and Aleksandar Susnjar all earning international debuts against Norway, goalkeeper Danny Vukovic is set to earn his first cap after Van Marwijk said both 32-year-old and fellow shot-stopper Brad Jones will play 45 minutes each.

Central defenders Matt Jurman and Trent Sainsbury have  left camp as both continue their recoveries from injury.

CURRENT WORLD RANKINGS

Australia: 37

Colombia: 13

FINAL WORD

It's crucial Australia rebound positively in Bert van Marwijk's second game in charge.

The defeat by Norway was an unfortunate way to start his tenure and he'll want to show Caltex Socceroos fans that he and his side are able to react positively to defeat.

Following this game, he won't see his squad again until June, so it's vital the players disperse to their clubs off the back of a positive performance.

It's also one of few remaining chances for many of them to force their way onto the 23-man roster for Russia.

Caltex Socceroos v Colombia

WHEN: Wednesday, March 28 - kick-off 6am AEDT

WHERE: Craven Cottage, London, England

HOW TO WATCH: Live on Fox Sports and Network Ten



https://www.socceroos.com.au/news/preview-colombia-v-caltex-socceroos

[WhiteJC]

 
March For Men

Walk the long road to Wembley with Prostate Cancer UK and help relegate a killer disease

As many of you will know, Prostate Cancer UK is the Official Charity Partner of the EFL. Their "Man of Men" logo sits proudly in the squad numbers of every one of our player's shirts.

Prostate Cancer UK's "Man of Men" represents everyone who wants to stop prostate cancer being a killer. It's a badge proudly worn by Sky Sports presenter Jeff Stelling and his fellow pundits week in week out on Soccer Saturday.

How can you help? Football fans will be Marching for Men on the road to Wembley on Sunday 22nd July with Prostate Cancer UK, and you can join them.

For the first time, the number of men dying from prostate cancer every year has overtaken the number of women dying from breast cancer, making prostate cancer the third biggest cancer killer in the UK.

It's time to greater strides in combating this disease, so fans from across the EFL, Premier League and Non-League are putting rivalries aside in a bid to raise much needed funds and awareness to help relegate this killer disease.

The Football March for Men consists of four mega marathon marches with the routes kicking off from Millwall, St Albans City, Sutton United and West Ham. Each leg will be 26.2 miles and in total the marches will visit 15 clubs with each marathon converging at Wembley, the home of English football.

Jeff Stelling has put in an unbelievable effort over the last couple of years, and while he's hanging his boots up to take a break, he's urging fans to follow in his footsteps and get involved with one of the Football March for Men events.

He said: "Working with Prostate Cancer UK and their battle to save men's lives has been both uplifting and inspiring for me and its brilliant to see the charity continue to march for men across the UK in 2018.

"The football family has long supported the work of Prostate Cancer UK, and I was blown away by the support from fans up and down the country during my two mega walks. By showing their support in the Football March for Men in July, supporters will be stepping up and changing the game for men and their loved ones.

"This all wouldn't be possible without the incredible support of the public, of the clubs and football fans and the passion of the charity. I've met men and their families affected by this devastating disease, and I've also met those scientists helping to inspire change. That's why we march again in 2018. Prepare to be inspired."

If you're interested in signing up to the Football March for Men or would like more information, visit Prostate Cancer UK's website.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/march/25/march-for-men

[WhiteJC]

 
Internationals: Kalas on target as Czechs win

Tomas Kalas scored for Czech Republic as they came from behind to beat China in the third-place play-off at the China Cup today.

Having been beaten by Uruguay in their opening game Czech Republic faced the hosts, who had lost their first match to Wales, in Nanjing and ran out comfortable 4-1 winners following a slow start.

Kalas didn't feature against Uruguay but was handed a place in the starting line-up for the Czechs, who fell behind after just five minutes when Fan Xiaodong scored for China.

Czech Republic had by far the better of the chances but had to wait until just before the hour mark to draw level, with Kalas scoring the equaliser when he arrived in the box to sweep a Michal Travnik cross into the bottom corner.

That goal was the first of three in a four-minute period which completely turned the game on its head, with Patrik Schick and Michael Krmencik both scoring to make it 3-1 to Czech Republic.

Vladimir Darida then passed up the opportunity to extend their advantage when he saw his penalty saved by China goalkeeper Junling Yan, a team-mate of former Chelsea midfielder Oscar at Shanghai SIPG, but the fourth goal did arrive a minute later when Pavel Kaderabek headed home having been left unmarked at the far post from a corner.

Kalas completed the full game.



http://www.chelseafc.com/news/latest-news/2018/03/internationals--kalas-on-target-as-czechs-win.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Brentford, Fulham and Wimbledon count the cost of home improvements over new stadium plans

Amid an ongoing housing crisis in the capital, London's clubs are striking out to enhance their home grounds - or build new ones

It was merely a coincidence that three of London's Football League clubs announced stadium plans in the space of a week earlier this month. Brentford and Wimbledon both broke ground on their new venues while Fulham received planning permission for a brand new stand to loom over the Thames.

All of these are significant for different reasons, all represent the start of the final stage in processes that have been rumbling on for years, and all come with their attendant drawbacks and problems.

For Wimbledon, this of course means coming home. The new ground is on the site of the old Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium, a few hundred yards down the road from the old Plough Lane, since turned into blocks of flats with Dons-themed names. Bassett House, Cork House and so on.

What was supposed to be a temporary refuge after being kicked out of their previous haunt in 1991 turned out to be a 12 year residence. After reforming in 2002, their new ground will be the culmination of a generation's work.

Brentford aren't quite coming home. They're leaving home, in fact, albeit only for a site about 10 minutes walk down the road. But this is a case where sentimentality is trumped by practicality: as anyone who has been to Griffin Park will tell you, it's no place for a club in the top two divisions of the English pyramid, and the tight surrounding houses that form part of its undoubted charm make any worthwhile redevelopment impossible.

The club started the planning process to move around 15 years ago, and they broke ground last week with the aim to be in the new Brentford Community Stadium by 2019, possibly 2020. It's a slightly unusual place for a ground, essentially in a relatively small triangular bit of land between two intersecting train lines, but as club chairman Cliff Crown explains, there were crucial reasons for the choice.

"This was the only site we could find in the borough - and it was fundamental that we stayed in Hounslow - that was suitable for a football stadium," he told football.london. "What was important for us and our fans is to find somewhere close to Griffin Park. There aren't many who can do that."

Ensuring the soul of the club remains as in-place as possible only forms part of their reason for moving, finance being the most important practical consideration. Their future home is currently known as the Brentford Community Stadium, but in the coming months they will explore the possibility of sponsorship and naming rights.

"We're competing against much larger clubs in bigger stadiums, who have had more success on the field in the past so perhaps benefit from parachute payments," said Crown. "We need to bridge that gap the best we can, and one of the ways we can do that is with a new stadium where we can attract more fans, attract the 'premium' seat people who want to come and spend money at the ground."

Fulham's planned building work will require slightly less upheaval, but remains ambitious. The new stand will increase the capacity of Craven Cottage by a little under 4,000, features all the standard hospitality bells and whistles but also nine apartments. You wonder why someone would want to live in a block which fills with 30,000 strangers every other Saturday, but some people will do anything for a river view.


An artist's impression of the Riverside Stand looking from the Johnny Haynes Stand

There were assorted objections to the new stand, as detailed by GetWestLondon, which featured the usual roadblocks that football clubs tend to sweep aside in these situations. But there was one that stood out, broadly because it's a concern the Brentford development shares: namely, that those nine apartments will not be 'affordable'.

The exact definition of 'affordable' housing can be slightly nebulous, particularly in terms of purchasing a home, but the government's rough definition when it comes to rents is that 'affordability' basically means no more than 80% of the average local rental price.

It's not exactly a blind guess to think those apartments at Fulham won't fall in that definition, but then again you wouldn't expect them to be. At Brentford, it might be a little different: around 910 new flats will be built as part of the club's new development, but as things stand none of those will be affordable.

According to Crown, the reason for that is fairly simple: "Partly because of our work in the community we were able to secure the planning permission, which we needed, without 'affordable' housing, in order to effectively finance the stadium.

"There is currently no affordable housing on the site, although that could still happen depending on how successful the rest of the project is. But at this stage it's way too early to say."

You could make an argument that selling these new properties to pay for a new stadium will ultimately benefit the local community, and Crown is right to point to Brentford's community work. But it still feels like a missed opportunity that 910 homes are being built in London without a guarantee that any will be affordable.


An artist's impression of Fulham's new Riverside Stand concourse

The Wimbledon story isn't 100% good news, hugs and party poppers either. They currently play at Kingsmeadow, which before this season they shared with Kingstonian, but in 2015 they sold that ground to Chelsea, who are now using if for academy and Chelsea Ladies fixtures.

It will continue to be Wimbledon's temporary home, but Kingstonian were out, and now play home fixtures at Fetcham Grove in Leatherhead, half-an-hour drive away if the traffic is OK.

This is obviously not a clear-cut case of good vs evil: Wimbledon paid Kingstonian £1million from the money they received, and co-chairman Mark Anderson told the Guardian last year that the future of the club was "rosier than it's ever been." But there is a certain irony to Wimbledon, a club forced from their traditional home, ultimately forcing another, smaller club from their own home.

All of which should be a reminder that football clubs do not exist within a bubble. When new grounds are proposed we can be taken in by ambitious proposals and spectacular designs, but there are wider considerations. There are few things but positives for all three clubs involved, but the knock-on impact should not be ignored.

'Progress' has consequences.



https://www.football.london/championship/brentford-fulham-wimbledon-count-cost-14457839

[WhiteJC]

 
These 3 Fulham players are definitely walking a tightrope at Craven Cottage

Fulham will be looking forward to getting back to league action later this week when they take on Norwich City.

Before the international break, the men from Craven Cottage were pegged back and held to a 2-2 draw against QPR – putting a dent in their hopes for the automatic spots.

However, the Lilywhites are still well in contention for the play-off places this year and many will fancy them to go up this season via those games if it comes to it.

Regardless of what happens, though, the summer will be used to strengthen the side further and that could also lead to some exits.

With that said, then, let's take a look at three players who are currently walking a tightrope at the Cottage and could find themselves looking for new clubs come the next transfer window in a couple of months from now...

Marcelo Djalo

Djalo has barely featured for the Lilywhites this season and would surely be open to a move away, as the club would be willing to let him go.

He was signed a centre-half that would be quick and powerful but he's just not been able to cut it and Fulham might decide it's best just to offload him.

It'll be certainly interesting to see who takes him.

Ibrahima Cisse

Cisse hasn't got out of single figures for the club in the league and that hardly suggests he is indispensable.

Fulham have some top midfielders with Kevin McDonald, Tom Cairney and Stefan Johansen proving class acts this season and so it makes sense that Cisse has had trouble getting into the team at times this year.

You get the feeling, then, that if the right offer comes in the club would accept.

Aboubakar Kamara

Kamara was meant to be the missing piece in Fulham's promotion puzzle as he signed to play up top and fire the goals needed to get them into the Premier League.

However, he's only been good in patches and Aleksandar Mitrovic's arrival has seen him fall down the pecking order at the club.

If the Serbian ends up staying put, Kamara could find himself looking for a new club in the summer window.




https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/these-3-fulham-players-are-definitely-walking-a-tightrope-at-craven-cottage/

[WhiteJC]

 
Mitrovic sends mixed message to Fulham & NUFC fans when quizzed on his future

Aleksandar Mitrovic has admitted that he hopes to be wearing a 'black and white jersey' next season when quizzed over his future at Craven Cottage – sending mixed messages to fans of both Newcastle and Fulham.

The Serbian has been on fire since securing a deadline day loan switch to Craven Cottage, scoring 7 goals in 9 games for Fulham – more than he got over the entire season with Newcastle in our 2016/17 Championship season.

It's obvious that Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic will want to sign him permanently in the summer, but the striker appears to be undecided on his future, jokingly suggesting that he'll be happy as long as he's playing in a black and white shirt (Fulham, Partizan or Newcastle?).

Here's what he had to say in a recent interview with GetWest London:

    "God's will is that I wear a black and white jersey.
    "I'm glad of that, I feel fine in this shirt. And it is not impossible that, again, before the end of my career, I will play at Partizan, from where I went to the world.
    "I respect Rafa Benitez's decision not to play me and now I feel comfortable playing Fulham. I'm hoping that it will last.
    "Every gathering and every match – and even friendlies – is a chance for me, it's a new fight for a place in the team and I'm going to try and doing my best. Then the selector decides."

Good to see him admit to respecting Rafa's decision to not play him earlier in the season, with him clearly loving life at Fulham after playing each week and getting back amongst the goals.



http://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2018/03/26/mitrovic-sends-mixed-message-to-fulham-nufc-fans-when-quizzed-on-his-future/

[WhiteJC]

 
'Humble' Sessegnon praised ahead of England Under-21 game

Aidy Boothroyd has hailed Ryan Sessegnon ahead of a possible England Under-21 debut for the Fulham youngster.

Sessegnon, 17, could feature against Ukraine on Tuesday and has impressed Under-21 boss Boothroyd since being called into the squad.

"The most impressive thing about Ryan is his humility," Boothroyd said. "He's a very humble, impressive young man.

"When you ask him about his game that's all he's interested in – getting better. He's got a real growth mindset."

Sessegnon has scored 14 goals for Fulham this season, playing a key role in their promotion challenge.

His form led to a call-up – and more speculation linking him with Premier League clubs.

'Level-headed'

"Being around this lot is perhaps a little quicker than what he's used to with the younger (England) age groups," Boothroyd added.

"But he's playing in a Championship team that's doing really well and he is a key player for them.

"Hopefully he can grow and become a key player for us. He's certainly been very impressive on and off the pitch.

"He's got his feet on the ground, he doesn't get all excited by all the stuff that goes around, he's very level-headed.

"He knows what he is, where he wants to get to and what he wants to be.

"He's willing to put the work in. Hopefully he can steer clear of injury and be a really talented player for us."



http://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/260318-football-news-ryan-sessegnon-praise