Tuesday Fulham Stuff (03/04/18)...

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Leeds United In Focus

Get yourself clued up on all the pre-match information as Fulham prepare to welcome Leeds United to Craven Cottage on Tuesday evening.
Possible opposition absentees

Kemar Roofe - calf injury

Liam Cooper - thigh injury

Adam Forshaw - calf injury

Tyler Roberts - shin injury

Luke Ayling - ankle injury

Laurens De Bock - hamstring injury

Conor Shaughnessy - ankle injury
Tickets

A limited number of tickets remain on sale for this fixture, available to Season Ticket Holders, Members and supporters with a Booking History, only.
Weather

It will be a dry and fairly mild evening in SW6, with temperatures remaining as high as 11 degrees at kick-off.
Pre-match

Fans can pick up a pint of Carlsberg or Somersby for £3.50 (usually £4.80) up until 6.45pm in the Hammersmith, Riverside and Johnny Haynes Stands.
Live stream

Because this fixture has been selected for live coverage on Sky Sports, we are unable to stream it on fulhamfctv.
He said

"Fulham can be a really tough team to play against and a demoralising team to play against, with how they play. But they're not unbeatable." - Paul Heckingbottom, Leeds manager
Grosvenor Casinos match odds

Fulham: 4/9

Draw: 18/5

Leeds: 21/4
Previous five results

Leeds United 2-1 Bolton Wanderers (Championship)

Leeds United 1-2 Sheffield Wednesday (Championship)

Reading 2-2 Leeds United (Championship)

Leeds United 0-3 Wolverhampton Wanderers (Championship)

Middlesbrough 3-0 Leeds United (Championship)



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/april/03/leeds-united-in-focus

[WhiteJC]

 
In Safe Hands

It's easy to forget that Marcus Bettinelli, who joined the Whites at the age of 14, barely played for Fulham last season.

Aside from cup fixtures, he only reclaimed his spot for the final eight games of the campaign. An injury suffered in pre-season then saw his chances of starting this term in goal scuppered until he forced his way past David Button in December.

"Last season, I thought my Fulham career was over," he tells Tuesday's official matchday programme for the visit of Leeds United. "I sat on the bench for 40 games and it was only with six regular matches to go that I got back in.

"It's been a frustrating couple of years for one reason or another, but when I was on loan at the likes of Dartford and Accrington, if someone had said I'd have played nearly 90 games for Fulham by the age of 25, I'd have snapped their hands off.

"Back then, Fulham were in the Premier League and I never really thought I'd get an opportunity here. I always thought Fulham would be a ladder that I'd make my career off. But thankfully, I got an opportunity a couple of years ago. It's a privilege to play for this club every time I put the shirt on. It's a fantastic club to be at and I'm grateful to have played so many matches."

To read the full interview with Bettinelli, pick up a programme on Tuesday.

Other highlights from the publication - named Programme Monthly's 'Championship Programme of the Season' - include:

    Slaviša Jokanović, Tom Cairney and Gordon Davies pen their latest columns
    David Healy recalls his stints at Fulham and Leeds
    Tim Ream takes our nine-dart challenge
    We recall the time the great Pelé was a scout at Fulham
    Darren Freeman looks back at a Fulham-related photo of himself
    And we remember Stan Brown, with tributes from Alan Mullery and John Dempsey, following his death last month

Priced £3.50, the 100-page publication is available from various sellers on Stevenage Road from two hours before kick-off. Or order it online from ProgrammeMaster where you can also purchase past editions and take out a half-season subscription.

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



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/april/03/marcus-bettinelli-leeds-united-programme

[WhiteJC]

Up next: Leeds United (h)
by Dan on April 3, 2018

Fulham's promotion push faces another serious test with the visit of Leeds United to Craven Cottage this evening, with Paul Heckingbottom urging his players to use the remainder of the season to spoil a few parties and show the sort of quality and spirit that has been lacking from their displays to date to this term. Nothing would match the new Leeds' manager's words more than ending the Whites' extraordinary seventeen match unbeaten league run – something which would probably end Fulham's own hopes of catching second-placed Cardiff City.

Heckingbottom has arguably been one of England's most impressive young managers over the past few years, on account of his achievements with Barnsley. In his second spell as caretaker manager at Oakwell following Lee Johnson's departure in 2016, Heckingbottom – a popular former defender who spent two years with the Tykes – won the club's first cup final in more than a century by beating Oxford in the Football League Trophy at Wembley and then repeated the feat at the national stadium against Millwall, earning the Tykes promotion from League One. He promoted a number of the talents he had nurtured as Barnsley's youth development coach to the first team and saw his young charges finish ninth in an impressive return to England's second tier.

Heckingbottom's move to Elland Road, given the dysfunction that has characterised Leeds' own woes in recent years, might have been something of a surprise but if he is given the team and resources that have been afforded to few of his predecessors that this impressive coach is capable of guiding one of the country's sleeping giants back to the top flight. He had an immediate impact at Leeds, inspiring a comeback from 2-0 down against play-off chasing Bristol City in his first game in charge, but only ended a run of six points from their last 24 on Good Friday with a 2-1 win over Bolton, where he switched to a 4-4-2.

That success ended a run of four games within a win and Leeds will travel to London in good heart, especially as they are unbeaten in their last three visits to Craven Cottage. Heckingbottom is currently battling a hefty injury list – and his side will be somewhat patched up this evening, with seven first-teamers missing. Captain Liam Cooper could well miss the remainder of the season having torn his thigh muscle last week, whilst former Brentford midfielder Adam Forshaw's Championship campaign could be over as well after he suffered a recurrence of the calf problem that bedeviled his 2017/2018 season before he joined Leeds from Middlesbrough in the new year.

Full back Lauren de Bock is sidelined with a hamstring problem and Heckingbottom hasn't been able to call upon the likes of Tyler Roberts, Luke Ayling or Conor Shaughnessy since taking over at Elland Road two months ago. He is hopeful that Roberts may make an appearance before the end of the season, but won't be rushing one of the club's most exciting January signings back into action. Similarly, Kemar Roofe won't be risked despite returning to training after missing six games with a calf complaint.

Heckingbottom has insisted that his side won't try and sit back at Craven Cottage, fearing being passed to death by what he describes as 'the league's best team at the moment'. The visitors will surely be combative, as they currently lead the Championship in terms of tackles made, and the large travelling contingent will be hoping to see the prodigiously talented Rolando Vieira blunt Fulham's fluent football in the centre of the midfield. He could reprise Saturday's successful partnership with Eunan O'Kane and striker Caleb Ekuban will be looking to kick on after breaking his Championship duck against Bolton. Samuel Saiz, impressive in the reverse fixture at Elland Road back in August, could be in line for a start having returned from a hamstring problem as a second-half substitute at the weekend.

Leeds' desire, as well as their squad of technically-gifted players, could pose a real threat to Fulham's lengthy unbeaten run. Pablo Hernandez will be a real threat on the left of a likely midfield four, whilst German striker Pierre-Michel Lasogga – a real hit since his loan move from Hamburg in the summer – will be eager to add to his ten goals that see him lead Leeds' scoring charts. The 26 year-old could prove particularly dangerous in the air and from set plays, although he's far from limited with the ball at his feet.

Slavisa Jokanovic suggested that his side looked a little lethargic at Carrow Road after their international exertions of the past week. He could freshen up his starting line-up by recalling Tomas Kalas at centre half, with the Czech Republic international now fit again after being laid low for a month by a hip problem. That might be harsh on Denis Odoi, who put his costly error against QPR firmly behind him with a composed display in the clean sheet at Norwich. The Fulham boss is likely to restore teenager Ryan Sessegnon to the left wing berth he has made his own since January – especially after the youngster stretched the game to great effect after his entrance in the second half on Friday afternoon.

Aboubakar Kamara will also be eager to earn a recall, although Jokanovic is unlikely to drop his compatriot Aleksandar Mitrovic, despite the on-loan Newcastle striker looking a little sluggish in East Anglia on Friday. The Serbian striker might not have scored for two games – but he certainly gives the opposition centre halves a serious workout. As Sarah's already suggested, Tom Cairney will be hoping to line up another special display against the side who let him go aged sixteen on account of his slender build. What a colossal blunder that looks like now.

MY FULHAM XI (4-3-3): Bettinelli; Fredericks, Targett, Kalas, Ream; McDonald, Johansen, Cairney; Ayite, R. Sessegnon, Mitrovic. Subs: Button, Odoi, Christie, Norwood, Kebano, Fonte, Kamara.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/04/up-next-leeds-united-h/

[WhiteJC]

 
Cairney: Apply Pressure

Tom Cairney wants Fulham to focus on themselves going into the final seven fixtures of the season.

Cardiff City's late draw on Monday night meant they extended their lead over the Whites to eight points, but Cairney insists his side will not give up on the possibility of automatic promotion.

"Don't get me wrong, it's a big ask," he admitted. "I'm a realist, it is a lot.

"If they win three games it's over, more or less, but what's on our side is that they have a bit of a tough run-in coming up.

"If they lose one of them, mentally it can affect you a little bit and you start looking behind you and stop concentrating on yourself.

"All we can do is apply pressure. We're 17 games unbeaten now – a new Club record – so all we can do is keep winning. If we do catch them it will be one hell of a story.

"We're not playing for the Play-Offs. When we're out there we're playing to catch the top-two. That's our mentality and that's what drives our performances on."

Leeds United are next up at the Cottage on Tuesday night, and Cairney says his teammates will take the game to a side that he has never failed to score against when he's faced them for Fulham.

"We're going out to win the game and it will be fairly attacking from us," he stated. "Leeds had a great start to the season but had a bit of a wobble of late and brought in a new manager.

"But they've got decent players so we'll have to be on it, like we were on Friday, to come out with three points."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/april/03/tom-cairney-apply-pressure

[WhiteJC]

 
Pundit eyeing 11/1 bookie-basher as Fulham face Leeds United

David Prutton believes Leeds United are in for a difficult evening when they visit Fulham in the Championship on Tuesday.

Both sides head into the game on the back of victories on Good Friday – Leeds winning 2-1 at home to Bolton Wanderers, while Fulham triumphed 2-0 at Norwich City.

Fulham have drawn five and lost one of their last six meetings with Leeds, but the Sky Sports' pundit has tipped them to record a 3-1 victory tonight (11/1 with Sky Bet).

"It looks as though it's going to be the play-offs again for Fulham and they'll hope to be better prepared for it now than they were last season, when they were favourites going in but slipped up against Reading," Prutton said.

"Leeds, meanwhile, just need the season to end with as little damage as possible to allow Paul Heckingbottom the chance to build his team in the summer."

Fulham are currently eight points behind second placed Cardiff City with seven games to play, but they will still believe they can catch the Welsh club.

Cardiff face Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa in their next two matches, while Fulham follow up the Leeds game with fixtures against Sheffield Wednesday and Reading.

The points gap could be significantly reduced over the next week and odds of 10/3 for Fulham to finish in the top two could be worth an interest.



http://sportslens.com/pundit-eyeing-11-1-bookie-basher-as-fulham-face-leeds-united/228482/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham v Leeds: Six things you need to know

Here are six key things you need to know ahead of Tuesday's Championship clash between Leeds and Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Leeds are unbeaten in their past three league visits to Craven Cottage, with the last victory in West London coming in March 2015 (0-3).
Slavisa Jokanovic has yet to lose against Leeds as manager (five games).
Paul Heckingbottom has lost all four of his league matches against Fulham, including twice this season with Barnsley.
The past five league meetings between the two teams have ended in a draw.
Midfielder Tom Cairney has been involved in six goals in his past six league matches against Leeds (four goals, two assists).
The Whites have lost 17 of their past 24 away league games in the month of April.




Read more at: https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/fulham-v-leeds-six-things-you-need-to-know-1-9095169

[WhiteJC]

 
Leeds United must regret letting go of Tom Cairney after seeing his record against them

A hand in six goals in his last six league games against the Yorkshire outfit - Cairney seems to love playing against Leeds

Tom Cairney seems to love playing against Leeds United.

Last season, the Fulham skipper sent the Hammersmith End, and indeed the rest of Craven Cottage, into absolute raptures when a last-minute equaliser, curled into the top corner of the Leeds goal, equalised and set the side well on their way to the play-offs.

As if that wasn't enough for Leeds fans to be sick of the sight of the skipper, his stats against the Elland Road outfit make for some really interesting reading.

Cairney was released by Leeds at the age of 16, something that hurt him a lot as a youngster, but it seems to be the 27-year-old who is getting the last laugh now.

The skipper, and arguably the best creative midfielder in the Championship, has had a hand in six goals in his last six league matches against Leeds (four goals, two assists), scoring exactly once in each of his last four matches against the Whites.

Here's how that looks on paper:

    March 7, 2017, Fulham 1-1 Leeds - GOAL
    August 16, 2016, Leeds 1-1 Fulham - GOAL

    February 23, 2016, Leeds 1-1 Fulham, GOAL
    4 April, 2015, Leeds 0-3 Blackburn, GOAL
    1 January, 2014, Leeds 1-2 Blackburn, ASSIST, ASSIST

It's some record, and one that Fulham fans will hope continues on Tuesday night when Cairney and his side welcome Paul Heckingbottom's side to the Cottage.

On another note, the Leeds United boss has lost all four of his Championship games against Fulham, while Slavisa Jokanovic has never lost to Leeds.

The last FIVE league meetings have ended as draws too, in case you were wondering.



https://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/leeds-united-regret-tom-cairney-14481384

[WhiteJC]

 
Last chance for Ekuban as Roofe nears Leeds return?

Caleb Ekuban opened his Championship account for Leeds on Friday.

It has been a tumultuous first season in English football for Leeds United striker Caleb Ekuban. A number of foot injuries and a chance in manager has somewhat affected his progression at Elland Road.

The 24-year-old, though, finally found the back of the net on Friday afternoon against Bolton Wanderers in a 2-1 win at Elland Road with a well-placed strike in the fourth minute after good work from Pierre-Michel Lasogga.

But that was his only Championship goal of the season in 14 appearances, and his display on Good Friday posed more questions than answers over whether he is capable of starring at this level.

The Italian, who joined the club from Serie A side Chievo in the summer, missed a hatful of chances including numerous one-on-ones. It saw fans become frustrated with his prowess in front of goal despite his first league strike.

Ekuban has a chance to show fans and Paul Heckingbottom just what he can do against Fulham on Tuesday night, but it may well be his last chance for a while to do just that.

Kemar Roofe, who earns £6,000 a week at Elland Road according to the Daily Star, is set to return to training imminently, which could make him available against Sunderland on the weekend.

Unless Ekuban can restore faith among fans in his ability, Roofe is likely to return ahead of him in the pecking order.

With Tyler Roberts also returning from injury, Tuesday night against Slavisa Jokanovic's in-form Fulham side could pose Ekuban's final chance in the starting line-up to show he has what it takes to become a first-team regular.

Ekuban must add to his solitary goal, or he could find himself way down the pecking order with the summer transfer window less than three months away.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/04/03/last-chance-for-ekuban-as-roofe-nears-leeds-return/

[WhiteJC]

 
PAUL HECKINGBOTTOM: WE HAVE TO BE POSITIVE

Head coach on Fulham.

Leeds United head coach Paul Heckingbottom spoke to the media ahead of Tuesday's trip to Fulham.

The Whites travel to Craven Cottage, looking to inflict defeat on Fulham who are unbeaten since mid-December in the Sky Bet Championship.

Heckingbottom is looking forward to the test against the in-form side in the division and has urged his side to be positive.

"We will be selecting from the same group of players that we did against Bolton Wanderers, we are not expecting anybody else to be back," said Heckingbottom.

"Fulham have shown how tough they are, but we have to go to Craven Cottage really positively and look to hurt them.

"They can be a tough team to play against and a demoralising team to play against with how they play, but they are not unbeatable.

"We have to be positive when we have the ball and work our socks off to stop them.

"Any team in the league who goes to Craven Cottage and gets a result would be delighted and we are no different.

"They are in a patch of form, which they have been in since the turn of the year, where they have been the best team in the division.

"It is going to be difficult, but it is something we are looking forward to and we can go there with the mindset, that it is going to be a real scalp if we can take it.

"We are playing against teams now who are all fighting for things for all different reasons and we can use that to our advantage and upset teams."



https://www.leedsunited.com/news/team-news/23216/paul-heckingbottom-we-have-to-be-positive

[WhiteJC]

 
This is exactly how many points Cardiff City now need to officially be promoted and end Fulham and Aston Villa's hopes

The Championship automatic promotion race is hotting up

Last night's dramatic point against Sheffield United felt like a big moment in Cardiff City's promotion bid.

The winning streak may have stalled in the ninth game, but Anthony Pilkington's late strike ensured the Bluebirds have not lost a league game since New Year's Day.

Neil Warnock's side sit eight points clear of third place Fulham in the automatic promotion places with just seven games left.

But what exactly do Cardiff need to secure promotion back to the Premier League?

And when could they achieve that?

So what do they need?

14 is the magic number as far as Cardiff are concerned - that's the number of points they need to pick up to be absolutely sure that Fulham cannot catch them.

That would take them to 94 points for the season - Fulham, presuming that the Cottagers pick up maximum points in their last seven games, can only get to 93.

Aston Villa are even further back - only able to reach 91 points - meaning four Cardiff wins consigns the Villains to the play-offs so they can effectively be ruled out of contention.

It's highly unlikely that Fulham will win all of their remaining games - but you'd bank on Cardiff needing to pick up somewhere close to those 14 points to go up.

The average points tally for second place in the Championship in the past decade is around 85 - Cardiff are on 80 at the minute.

But given the form Fulham are in, Warnock's side are probably going to need to pick up more than five points to ensure they are back in the top flight next season.

However, there are other historical statistics that point towards Cardiff going up.

No team has missed out on automatic promotion from the Championship after achieving 80 points or more after 39 games since before three points were brought in for a victory in 1981.

And the 11 teams who have managed to surpass Cardiff's 80 points by this stage of the season in the past 20 years have all gone up - with seven of them winning the league.

So the signs are good. Very good.

When could they secure promotion?

Going on the fact that Cardiff need 14 points, then the earliest they can secure promotion regardless of Fulham's results would be, ironically, the rearranged fixture against Derby on April 24.

That is presuming that Cardiff pick up maximum points against Wolves this Friday before also beating Aston Villa, Norwich and Nottingham Forest.

Given the bad taste that was left by Derby's postponement due to snow last month and the suggestions that calling the game off favoured injury-hit Derby, there would be a delightful bit of schadenfreude in Cardiff securing promotion at Pride Park.

Failing that, there will be two more opportunities to reach the 94-points mark at Hull and then Reading at home to finish the season.

Of course, the likelihood of Fulham gaining the full 21 points from their remaining games is slim - so there is the chance that Cardiff could go up before that Derby game.

But that seems unlikely as Fulham's run-in doesn't look as difficult on paper compared to Cardiff.

Presuming they beat Leeds tonight, the gap will be down to five points - albeit with Fulham having played a game more.

Cardiff are in the driving seat, but Fulham's run-in means this is far from over.

The remaining fixtures

Cardiff City: Wolves (H), Aston Villa (A), Norwich (A), Nottingham Forest (H), Derby (A), Hull (A), Reading (H).

Fulham: Leeds (H), Sheffield Wednesday (A), Reading (H), Brentford (H), Millwall (A), Sunderland (H), Birmingham (A).

Aston Villa: Reading (H), Norwich (A), Cardiff City (H), Leeds (H), Ipswich (A), Derby (H), Millwall (A).



https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/exactly-how-many-points-cardiff-14485432

[WhiteJC]

 
How much promotion is worth to Wolves, Cardiff, Fulham, Aston Villa, Derby County, Middlesbrough and Bristol City

And how much they will get if they miss out

The Championship promotion race is heating up, and not only do clubs get the glory of playing against some of the biggest clubs in world football week-in, week-out, if they claim a spot in the Premier League, but they also earn a financial payday akin to winning the lottery - several times.

Wolves look dead certs for a return to the Premier League next season, sitting top of the table ahead of Cardiff City who also have a seven point lead over the rest of the chasing pack.

But competition for the play-offs is a much closer affair.

It is more than fair to say that each point gained over the remaining six weeks of the regular season will be worth millions of pounds to the club who reach the promised land.

The play-off final is nicknamed 'the biggest prize in football' for a reason - promotion is currently estimated to be worth 'a minimum £190m' and victory catapults the winners straight into the world's top 30 richest clubs.

But how does that huge payday break down? Let's get the calculators out and work it out.

How much is promotion worth?

Whether you go up automatically or via the play-offs you still get a ticket on a gravytrain that is heading towards a whopping £200m.

Even a doomed Premier League campaign is worth a fortune. As an example, Middlesbrough finished 19th in 2016/17 but were handed a cheque for a £98,820,976 by the Premier League.

That covers all the TV deal payouts, performance payments based on league position and a share in the central advertising pool from the lucrative slogans flashed up on the electronic hoardings during television games.

Here's how that figure broke down:

£35,501,989 - equal share of the domestic broadcast deal

£39,090,596 - equal share of the overseas broadcast deals

£17,785,769 - facility fees for 13 live games over the season

£3,883,213 - merit payment for final place in the table

£4,759,404 - equal share of central commercial deals

On top of that promoted clubs generally have a huge uptake in attendance and make large commercial gains with extra revenue from larger merchandise sales.

How much are the parachute payments worth?

Even if you go straight back down again, the payouts are massive. The gold-lined cash cushion of the parachute payments are designed to help clubs support their wage bills in the toxic shock transitional years of vastly reduced revenues after relegation.

If teams opt to keep a well-paid top flight squad together and fail to go back up they can be left with a massive burden of players they can't sell because they are on Premier League wages.

The system changed last season, now in year one relegated teams get 55% of what they would have received from the central prize pool had they stayed up.

In year two they will get 45% and in year three it is 20% providing a team has spent more than one season in the top flight. If not they only get the first two payments.

To put that in figures a relegated club last season got around £48m in parachute payments and will get £38m next season - unless they get promoted.

The Premier League riches

The new TV deal to start in 2019-20 is currently being thrashed out and it looks as if a slight dip in domestic rights cash will be made up by an increase in overseas income.

The current domestic rights deal with BT Sport and Sky Sports, which started in 2016-17 was worth a hefty £5.1 billion, a 70% increase on the previous contract. That translates into £81m a season to each of English football's top 20 clubs.

In total, over 95% of domestic TV revenues will go directly to clubs.

Sky paid £4.2bn for five of the seven TV packages while rival BT paid £960m for the other two in the rights auction.

Premier League clubs currently spend around 70 per cent of their overall income on wages, meaning £3.42bn of the money from the current deal will end up with players and their agents.

The overseas right include a $1bn six-year package in the USA with NBC and there were new deals with Hong Kong, China, India and Scandinavia totting up to £3.2bn over the 2016-19 cycle.

So promotion this term will bring an income more or less the same as last year with even a relegation bringing £100m.

What if clubs stay in the Championship?

Boom or bust is a dangerous way to run a football club so a sensible board of directors will have to budget for the possibility of another Championship campaign. What does that entail? What are the revenues like?

There is a massive gulf between top flight and second tier income but the Football League payments are not to be sniffed at and are vital lifeblood for clubs, and unlike the Premier League is not dependent on position.

Every Championship club will receive the same fixed Basic Award from the TV deals and a Solidarity Payment, which is part of a trickledown agreement with the Premier League.

Each Championship team will get a basic £2.3m plus a £4.5m solidarity payment.

Championship clubs also get paid for hosting TV games. The facility fee is £100,000 for Friday night and Saturday games, £120,000 for a Sunday game and £140,000 for a Thursday.

For example Bristol City have been on tv a lot this season, having seven Championship games shown live so far.

Lee Johnson's side only appeared once between August and December but were on TV regularly throughout December and January.

Three of City's seven matches on TV have come at Ashton Gate against Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

That means Bristol City's coffers have been boosted by at least £340,000 from Sky Sports this season.

Bristol City also appeared on TV three times in their run to the Carabao Cup semi-finals against Manchester City. The Man United and Man City games mean extra money for the Robins with the TV revenue split between the clubs.

So that means Bristol City will get a minimum of £7.15m from the Football League this season.

When compared to Premier League budgets the seems like peanuts but is the bulk of the operating budget for most clubs.

The club will also have their own income to play with: gate money, retail and commercial.



https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/championship-promotion-worth-money-villa-1385888

[WhiteJC]

 
Bookies stop taking bets on Wolves winning promotion as money comes in for Fulham - Championship odds

The latest odds from the Championship as the promotion race hots up

Following a highly successful first half of the season, Bristol City became the team everyone was talking about.

With a solid start in the Championship, a giant killing against Manchester United and a valiant showing against European giants Manchester City in the League Cup, everything seemed to be working out for Lee Johnson's side.

Sadly, for City fans, results have worsened of late seeing them drop from second to seventh.

With most of the Championship teams still having six matches to play (Derby and Cardiff have one extra after their game was postponed), and the pressure for a place in the top six increasing, there is still plenty of time for some shifts near the top of the table.

So, what are the odds for promotion at this stage?

Thanks to Oddschecker, we can look at an average based on multiple major betting sites.

Bristol have now fallen to 16/1 after their 1-0 home defeat to Brentford on Easter Monday.

Preston have gone from 18/1 to 33/1 following their two defeats over Easter while the big movers are Millwall who are now 25/1 in eighth place.

Odds are no longer available on Wolves winning promotion following their 2-0 success at the weekend with Cardiff now 1/6 to join them in the top flight after their 1-1 draw with Sheffield United.

Wolves were available at 1/100 and 1/250 before the odds were removed. They hold a 13 point gap to Fulham with seven games to go and need to win three matches to confirm promotion.

Thanks to Oddschecker, we can look at an average based on multiple major betting sites.

Bristol have now fallen to 16/1 after their 1-0 home defeat to Brentford on Easter Monday.

Preston have gone from 18/1 to 33/1 following their two defeats over Easter while the big movers are Millwall who are now 25/1 in eighth place.

Odds are no longer available on Wolves winning promotion following their 2-0 success at the weekend with Cardiff now 1/6 to join them in the top flight after their 1-1 draw with Sheffield United.

Wolves were available at 1/100 and 1/250 before the odds were removed. They hold a 13 point gap to Fulham with seven games to go and need to win three matches to confirm promotion.



https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/promotion-odds-wolves-championship-villa-1362740

[WhiteJC]

 
Leeds must unleash Tom Pearce to try and outshine Ryan Sessegnon

Leeds United should give Tom Pearce an opportunity this evening.

Leeds United have a huge task on their hands when they take on in-form Fulham at Craven Cottage this evening.

Fulham boast talented youngster Ryan Sessegnon, who has scored 14 goals already this season at the age of just 17.

He is rated at £50 million amid growing interest from Premier League sides [The Mirror]

Leeds United's best option may be to fight fire with fire, and give an opportunity to their own blossoming talent, Tom Pearce.

Pearce made his Leeds debut last month against Sheffield Wednesday and should be under consideration amid ongoing injury concerns with defender Laurens de Bock.

Like Sessegnon, Pearce is a left-back with the ability to play further forward, and his attacking instincts could help the Whites out against Fulham.

Leeds' alternative is to play the experienced Stuart Dallas at left-back, but Pearce is the bolder choice.

Dallas played 90 minutes in the win over Bolton on Friday and this is one argument for him to continue, but Pearce by the same token is fresher.

This is a real chance for Leeds boss Paul Heckingbottom to put his faith in a young player and give him the stage to try and outshine Ryan Sessegnon, who is one of the best teenagers in Europe.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/04/03/leeds-must-unleash-tom-pearce-to-try-and-outshine-ryan-sessegnon/

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We're Coming To Hurt You, Leeds United Boss Paul Heckingbottom Tells Fulham

Paul Heckingbottom insists that Leeds United will approach this evening's Championship clash against Fulham in a positive frame of mind and look to hurt the Cottagers.

Leeds picked up a confidence boost on Good Friday by beating Bolton Wanderers and Heckingbottom is now looking for the Whites to finish the season strongly.

But a trip to promotion contenders Fulham is a tough task for Leeds, with the Craven Cottage outfit in third spot and looking to close a seven-point gap to second placed Cardiff City.

Fulham have scored 16 goals more than Leeds in 39 Championship games this season, but Heckingbottom is sure that the Whites can hurt the hosts and insists they will try to do just that.

"Fulham have shown how tough they are, but we have to go to Craven Cottage really positively and look to hurt them", the Leeds boss told his club's official site.

"They can be a tough team to play against and a demoralising team to play against with how they play, but they are not unbeatable.

"We have to be positive when we have the ball and work our socks off to stop them.

"Any team in the league who goes to Craven Cottage and gets a result would be delighted and we are no different", he added.

The two teams played out a 0-0 draw at Elland Road earlier this season, part of a pattern which has seen the last five encounters between Fulham and Leeds finish in draws.



http://www.insidefutbol.com/2018/04/03/were-coming-to-hurt-you-leeds-united-boss-paul-heckingbottom-tells-fulham/371707/

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Sky Sports pundit delivers his verdict as Leeds United gear up for tough test at Fulham

Leeds United face arguably the toughest task in the Championship tonight with a daunting trip to Craven Cottage to take on in-form Fulham.

Slavisa Jokanovic's men are unbeaten in 17 league games and have won nine of their last ten on their own patch.

And, with Cardiff dropping two points last night at Sheffield United, the Londoners know they can close the gap on the second-placed side with a win against Paul Heckingbottom's men.

However, Leeds will be slightly more confident after a much-needed win against Bolton last time out.

Yet, despite that, former Whites midfielder David Prutton is predicting another away-day defeat for his former club.

The EFL pundit went for a 3-1 home win tonight in his regular Sky Sports column.

Prutton added that Heckingbottom's focus will be on building a side for next season, whereas the hosts are firmly in with a chance of making the top two in the current campaign.

Leeds may take some comfort from the fact they have not lost at Craven Cottage in their last three visits and they held Fulham to a draw earlier in the season as well.

The Verdict

You can't really argue with Prutton's prediction, as this does look a home banker.

Fulham have much more to play for, they're in much better form and know a win will close the gap on Cardiff City at the top.

However, Leeds will be backed by another big following and will relish the role of underdog, even if a win looks unlikely.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/sky-sports-pundit-delivers-his-verdict-as-leeds-united-gear-up-for-tough-test-at-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham star delivers ambitious update fans will love

Fulham will look to cut the gap to Cardiff City tonight when they host Leeds United at Craven Cottage.

The men from West London are surely the most likely side to beat one of Wolves or, more likely, Cardiff to a top two place this season with them on a fine run and looking like a very strong team.

Whether or not the gap is too big to reel in remains to be seen but Cardiff have a tough bunch of games coming up and the Lilywhites know that they can beat anyone on their day so there is still hope.

Indeed, whilst some might wonder whether the side is going to start thinking about the play-offs instead, midfielder Tom Cairney has said that the club only has eyes for the top two – and that is something fans of the club will love.

Here is what has been said by the influential Lilywhites star:

The Verdict

We should expect nothing less from a player like Cairney because he is top class and, similarly, Fulham look a hungry and determined unit right now.

They need to be careful they don't blow themselves out for the play-offs if they do end up in those spots but, right now, it makes sense to be eyeing the Welsh side.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-star-delivers-ambitious-update-fans-will-love/

[WhiteJC]

 
An Interview with TWO Rivals... Fulham

Ahead of tonight's clash with Fulham, Keith Ingham spoke with two Fulham fans from different eras about the club they love.

How long have you been a Fulham fan?

Neil Sturton: I've been a Fulham all my life (born in 1970). My dad is one of 5 boys and is the eldest so needless to say I have a lot of cousins and the split of teams is Fulham, Brentford or Chelsea. My dad is an identical twin and he and his twin brother who were born in 1943 always watched Fulham at Craven Cottage one week and the Chelsea at Stamford Bridge the other Saturday as Fulham and Chelsea never play at home on the same Saturday for obvious reasons. My dad and his twin brother were split between whether they were Fulham or Chelsea until 1957 when Chelsea sold Jimmy Greaves to Italy (either Inter or AC Milan) and that was their turning point!! They were so disappointed that they both decided that their allegiance was with Fulham and I can only thank Chelsea for making that decision otherwise I might have become a Chelsea fan and that thought makes me very nauseous!!!

Harris Shaikh: I've been following Fulham since I was 5, when I first started properly getting into football. As a 16, nearly 17 year old I make this my 12th year as a fan. As there was no family team, this became the viable option due to the closeness of both the training ground (which is closer) and Craven Cottage to my house. I am at the end of my fourth year as a season ticket holder.

What has been your favourite and worst era supporting the club?

Neil Sturton: As a Fulham fan it's very difficult to name my favourite season but it's a toss up between our 1982 season when Malcolm McDonald took Fulham from the old 3rd division to the 2nd division. I was 12 years old and our penultimate game that season was at home to Lincoln City. We were 3rd and Lincoln City were 4th. We needed one point to secure promotion and we drew the game 1-1 in front of 24,000 at Craven Cottage.

This might seem ridiculous to a Leeds United fan whose fan base was around 50,000+ but just bear in mind that I was used to crowds of 4 to 5 thousand!!! After this I was well and truly hooked. The other season that obviously stands out was Fulham's return to the top league (Premier League as it's now called) in 2001 under Jean Tigana and Mohammad Al Fayed's £93M investment.

Harris Shaikh: My favourite era was the Roy hodgson. Years. From keeping us in the premier league one season, when we were mathematically relegated at Manchester City, being 2-0 down at half time, then securing our highest ever finish (7th) in the premier league the year after, and qualifying for the Europa league the season after. Obviously most fans know about our Europa league run the season after. Despite losing in the final, to most Fulham fans it felt like we'd won just being there. I will always be thankful to Roy for what he did for us.

Most older fans may go back to the days of being 91st in the football league, but obviously being only 16 I wasn't around for those.

Neil Sturton: The worst season for me as a Fulham fan might well surprise you all. It wasn't the season Fulham got relegated to The Championship (2014) but it was Fulham's first season in the Championship after 13 years as a Premier League club. The 2014-2015 season in the Championship very nearly saw Fulham do a "Portsmouth" and go down in consecutive seasons. Thankfully that never happened!!!

Harris Shaikh: My worst era has to be the first 3 seasons of our relatively new owner, Shahid Khan's ownership. Being relegated from the premier league was bad enough, but having 2 seasons when we were nearly relegated again was agony. Luckily, from the start of last season we seem to have changed and recruited a lot better since then.

Who has been your all time favourite player?

Neil Sturton: My all time favourite Fulham players are Johnny Haynes (albeit before my time my dad has always said he was Fulham's greatest player), Gordon Davies in the 80's, Louis Saha when we went to the Prem and more recently it's Tom Cairney. Fulham's youngest ever captain and the best midfielder in this league.

Harris Shaikh: For me, my favourite all time player has to be Brede Hangeland. Having joined in the season previously mentioned when we stayed up under Roy, Brede was a key part of that whole era, plus continuing to play after that. He was given club captain after the departure of Danny Murphy to Blackburn, and still played for the fans. Since retiring he's come back to the Cottage a few times and got great receptions each time.

Your stand out player this season and your opinion of Slavisa Jokanovic's current coaching team?

Neil Sturton: I honestly think that Fulham's manager, Slavisa Jokanovic, is the best manager Fulham have ever had. He's such a great tactician and has got Fulham playing the best football I've seen for many years. When we bought Kevin McDonald from Wolves, Stefan Johanssen from Celtic and Tom Cairney most Fulham fans didn't really know what he'd spent his money on. Not one Fulham fan thinks that now!! Jokanovic is an incredibly astute manager and has put together a team that has become in my opinion the best footballing team in this league.

Furthermore he has identified an absolute gem in Ryan Sessegnon and the way in which he has protected and nurtured him is a stroke of pure genius. Jokanovic gave Sessegnon his debut as an unknown 16 year old last season and clearly knew what this kid could achieve.

Harris Shaikh: It's easy to look at players such as Sessegnon being key for us this season, and while his goals have been vital, for me Tim Ream at centre-back has been immense. His ability to defend is matched by his ability to pass out of the back, which perfectly suits Jokanovic's style. Without him, there's so many games we wouldn't have won and some of the things he's done have been crucial in gaining vital points. My player of the season so far.

I quite like Slav. His style of football is great on the eye, and now it's started to get results. There was a part this season when we would pass it around the back without much direction, and he wasn't changing the system or anything. We were 17th having lost to teams such as Burton (still their last home win) and not playing any differently. At that stage I was questioning whether he was the right man for the job, but now I know he is, and this recent run we've been on has been great!

Can you name us a rising star of the future?

Neil Sturton: Ryan Sessegnon is not only had an incredible impact on Fulham's resurgence but I think we seem to forget how young he is. This kid is not like Theo Walcott, Raheem Sterling, or Dele Ali all of which got their breaks very early in their careers. Ryan Sessegnon plays with the attitude and confidence of a player that's been at the top of his game way beyond his years. Watch this space and he should definitely be on the plane to Russia!!

Harris Shaikh: Hmmmmmmmmmmm. Rising star? Do I go obvious or try and pick one no one knows? Obvious EVERYONE knows about Ryan Sessegnon, who will undoubtedly have a great future, however our academy has so many young talent waiting to break through. I'd also draw fan's attention to midfielder Matt O'riley, who's played a handful of cups games in centre-mid this year and not looked out of place. One year younger than Sessegnon, I expect him to get more minutes next year and along with Sess, has the potential to become an England international in the future.

Last season you've stood tall against 'the pack' and come out looking like promotion challengers. Is it a case you start bad or has there been a significant turnaround?

Neil Sturton: Last season Fulham came out of nowhere to gate crash the play offs but this year we've done it earlier. Fulham had another slow start this season and it's difficult to pinpoint why but Tom Cairney's early season injury played a major part. Cairney is at the heart of everything we do and his absence early on is why Fulham are not sitting in pole position in the Championship today.

Harris Shaikh: To tell you the truth, I think Slav's teams always seem to be slow starters. When he took Watford up, I seem to remember they started quite slowly and had a late charge up the table, much like we're doing now. I think Slav's style takes time for new players to master, however when they get it, I works well which I think is a big reason. Certain players, for example Stefan Johansen didn't start well this year at all, but now everyone seems to be playing well, and in my opinion, there's no reason we can't go unbeaten for the rest of the season.

Name two to take the promotion places and one to win the playoffs?

Neil Sturton: My prediction this season for the top two is Wolves as champions, Fulham in 2nd and Boro to win the play offs. Hats off to Cardiff City as right now they keep on winning but they're run in is where Fulham will capitalise. Fulham have just played and beat the entire top 6 and that is undoubtedly promotion form whereas Cardiff have some tricky fixtures (Wolves and Villa spring to mind).

Harris Shaikh: The two to go up will be Wolves as first and Cardiff is second (sigh). Then I think Villa will win the playoffs (double sigh). For some reason I can't see us winning a playoff match. Fulham never have.

Name three who are destined for League One football?

Neil Sturton: My prediction for the three relegated teams are Burton Albion, Sunderland and Birmingham.

Harris Shaikh: Three going down will be Burton, Birmingham and Barnsley. Not sure on the order.

Can you name a player on the Leeds squad you'd like to have in yours?

Neil Sturton: Please don't take this personally but right now there really isn't any player in the Leeds squad that I'd replace with any of Fulham's starting XI. A season or two ago Ross McCormack was making big waves but jumping ship to Villa was his biggest mistake yet

Harris Shaikh: Either Pablo Hernandez or Saiz are players I've admired and would fit our system well. Both quite skilful and dangerous players.

Prediction and Scorers for the match?

Neil Sturton: Fulham 3-0 Leeds - Mitrovic with two and Sessegnon

Harris Shaikh: 2-0 Fulham . We look sharp, and the international break will only make us more fresh. By the looks of things your form seems to be poor recently so I can only see us winning.

We'd like to thank Neil and Harris for both of their views which may contrast on age factors but show the feeling is good for Fulham right now.

We wish them luck for the remainder of the season as there Fulham continue their well deserved promotion push.

By Keith Ingham



http://www.weallloveleeds.co.uk/latest/an-interview-with-two-rivals-fulham

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Marcus Bettinelli can push for first England call-up if he helps propel Fulham back to the Premier League

    Marcus Bettinelli has impressed for Fulham this season in the Championship
    The 25-year-old Fulham shot-stopper has caught the eye of England scouts
    But he must prove himself in the top flight before totally convincing England
    Fulham currently sit third in the Championship with seven matches remaining

Fulham goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli will move onto England's radar if he can help propel the Craven Cottage club back to the Premier league.

The 25-year-old has impressed for the Cottagers this season and has caught the eye of England scouts.

But Bettinelli must prove himself in the top-flight before totally convincing England that he has international potential.


Englishman Marcus Bettinelli has impressed this season for Fulham in the Championship

The keeper has played a key role in Fulham's promotion push this season, conceding just four home goals all season having taken over the gloves since David Button sustained an injury.

And Bettinelli, who has the highest distribution accuracy out of any keeper in the Championship, has kept his place, establishing himself as Slavisa Jokanovic's first choice keeper.

The Fulham shot-stopper has played for England Under-21 and will push for senior honours provided the west London club can complete their Premier League return.

The goalkeeper position has been a headache for Gareth Southgate this season; the England manager still not 100 percent sure who his No 1 will be for the World Cup.

Southgate's spies are keeping an eye on the talent in the Championship as they look for future goalkeeping options.

Aston Villa's Sam Johnstone - who is on loan from Manchester United - is another keeper that has caught the eye of England scouts.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5573979/Marcus-Bettinelli-push-England-call-helps-propel-Fulham-Premier-League.html#ixzz5BcmFgYAl
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

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The highest disribution accuracy by Marcus,well done Marcus.

[WhiteJC]

 
Three Players to Watch: Matchday 40 vs. Leeds United
Another Tuesday. Another midweek fixture.

Welp, that was a nervy three points in the bag. With the first 45 minutes being more of a feeling-out process and Norwich really going for it the first 15 ticks into the second half, it genuinely didn't look like Fulham's day. But all it took was a towering header by the man of the winter, Aleksander Mitrovic, to be saved sheepishly by Angus Gunn only for Stefan Johansen to tap in the rebound for the good guys to join in on the fold. Fulham may have been outshot 14-10 on the day, but Norwich were wasteful with their attempts and only got 0.9 expected goals to show for it. Thanks to their goals from inside the box, Fulham ended getting their usual tier of efficiency of 1.1 expected goals.

Now the numbers guy in me would prefer for Fulham to return to their days where they held onto possession throughout the entirety of the 90 minutes and found a way to rack up 20 shots per fixture. But I'm sure all football fans couldn't care less how it gets done as long as the club have the quality from the top down to get the job done. That is certainly what Fulham have at the moment.

Salvisa Jokanovic was able to come away from Carrow Road with three points without Ryan Sessegnon, Tomas Kalas in the starting XI or Neeskens Kebano on the bench. Most importantly, not a single injury was reported after last Friday's fixture so the squad should be ready to go and continue their expected rotation against another vulnerable side in Leeds United.

Since we last faced them, the historic club from Yorkshire have done their usual dance of flirting with promotion, followed by such a cold spell that they struggle to recover. While this season's rut happened much earlier, that still didn't give new ownership enough reasons to sack Thomas Christiansen, who wasn't even managing the club for more than a season. In comes longtime Barnsley boss Paul Heckingbottom and you can't help but feel like this is a desperation hire.

The results really haven't gone the club's way and it certainly doesn't help that major injuries are preventing them from hitting their full potential. Add in the fact that their attack has been among the worst in the league based on their meager 11.8 shots per fixture and you're looking at a not-so-confident bunch coming to Craven Cottage tonight.

Still, Fulham are only sitting two points above Aston Villa for third place while seven points separate fourth through 11th. Anything at the top of the Championship table is still up for grabs and that alone should be a good reminder for Fulham to not take their foot off the gas pedal.

On that note, let's see who the key men are left standing that will do a shift for Heckingbottom's squad.

Pierre-Michel Lassoga

As has been stated already, Leeds will be a side that will make you feel like they poach goals from nowhere instead of having you concerned from minute one. But if there is one player that will give complete effort in attack, it will be the 26-year old loanee from Hamburg with 10 goals and 3 assists to his account. Like Mitrovic, Lassoga is a hulking presence at 6'2.5" and he will be an intimidating presence in the air and on the ground. Add in the fact that this is a player that has been called up to the German national team and has almost 130 Bundesliga appearances under his belt and you realize why he cannot be ignored under any circumstances.

But if he ends up getting bottled up, rest assured that it is almost curtains for Leeds United's offensive output. Once you pass Lassoga's 3.7 shots per 90 minutes, the next man up in this leaderboard that has been getting a consistent run of games of late has been Samuel Saiz's 2.3 per 90 minutes. No other regular has been getting more than 1.2 shots per 90 minutes. Kemar Roofe has been either out of form or out injured as has Pablo Hernandez. Even the previously white hot Ezgjan Alioski hasn't been getting a run of games of late. These are grim times for a Leeds side that just needs somebody to step up in that department.

Samuel Saiz

As for Saiz, he has certainly been a useful player for the club after signing from Huesca in Spain's second division. The former Real Madrid academy product has mainly played in the center of the of the attacking midfield trio in Leeds' 4-2-3-1 and has mainly been a solid creator for the players around him to attack. However, Saiz has mainly been implemented right behind the striker and not necessarily in the box-to-box midfielder role that Tom Cairney has.

This is all fine when you have the players around you that can be just as threatening at and towards goal as Saiz can be (5 goals and 6 assists). But if it doesn't work the way it should, it creates a chain reaction of negativity towards the rest of the team on both sides of the ball. Either way, Saiz is not one for Fulham to sleep on and he has a good array of skills to put anyone in a mental funk as to how to best mark him.

Gaetano Berardi

Lastly, we take focus on one of Leeds' remaining defenders left standing. Pontus Janssen is still in the fold, but Luke Ayling and club captain Liam Cooper are not. As a result, a unit that has build a solid reputation in goal prevention recently has now given up 17 goals in their past nine games. Add in the fact that Eunan O'Kane (who has gotten worse every season since he's left Bournemouth) and Kalvin Phillips (a 22-year old youth product that just hasn't fully completed his development) are just simply not a good enough double pivot in the center of midfield and you certainly have a back four that is stretched more than usual.

That's certainly not to say that the 28-year old Berardi is not blameless here. His interception rate is down and any semblance of attacking has been non-existent from him all season long. But you would also be afraid too when you have five attacking players that have to put so much effort to create so little and the rest of midfield not be able to prevent counter-attacks from happening. The truth is, individual data in football very rarely are that simple to explain. Context is everything, especially for the never-ending chaos going down at Elland Road.



https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2018/4/3/17191840/three-players-to-watch-matchday-40-vs-leeds-united