Thursday Fulham Stuff (05/04/18)...

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The Fulham trio scouted by boss David Moyes who could turn around West Ham

The Hammers boss was in the stands at Craven Cottage on Tuesday night watching three players

West Ham manager David Moyes was in the crowd for Fulham's 2-0 victory over Leeds on Tuesday night and was keeping tabs on three players from the West London club.

Defender Ryan Fredericks, midfielder Tom Cairney and striker Aleksandar Mitrovic are the players in question that Moyes was having a look at, another indication his planning for a long stay at West Ham and running the rule over potential summer transfer targets.

No doubt the manager will be hoping that Fulham aren't promoted to the Premier League from the Championship this season to hopefully make it easier to strike a deal with the west Londoners for either one - or all three - of them.

Slavisa Jokanovic's side are on an absolute tear in the Championship, unbeaten in their last 18 games but are five points behind Cardiff who are in second place in the table with a game in hand and the Cottagers sit two points ahead of Aston Villa.

Moyes is probably realistic to know that another Fulham player, Ryan Sessegnon, is probably unattainable given the amount of interest in him and the supposed £50m price tag slapped on his head by the Londonders.

But the other three are attainable but the Hammers manager might have a job on his hands to get at least one of them, maybe two.

Fredericks has long been of interest to the Hammers and is out of contract at the end of this season, yet to to sign a new one at Craven Cottage and could be available on a free transfer this summer.

With Pablo Zabaleta having only a year left on his contract, plus he will be 34 at the end of it, along with the injury concerns and lack of progress for Sam Byram, right back is an area Moyes wants to strengthen.

Cairney is in the mould of Mark Noble but can also play a more advanced role as a number ten and is in the prime age of his career at 27 years old.


West Ham had a bid rejected for Tom Cairney in January (Image: Julian Finney/Getty Images)

He's got four goals and five assists to his name this season and also earned a call-up from Scotland. Moyes has had the player watched before and there was a heavy rumour the Hammers made two bids for the player, the second one of £18m, but it was rejected by Fulham. Noble won't be around forever

Mitrovic has scored ten goals in nine games since joining the club on loan from Newcastle in January until the end of the season and Moyes was also in the stands to watch him play for Serbia against Nigeria at Barnet's ground during the international break.

Mitrovic bagged a brace in the 2-0 win for the Serbs to maintain his excellent form in 2018 and also netted in the win over Leeds on Tuesday night. Having not been given much of a chance by Rafa Benitez at Newcastle, the front man is showing the form which alerted Moyes in the first place but no doubt Benitez will be paying close attention as well.


Aleksandar Mitrovic has been in great form for Fulham (Image: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

If there is a radical overhaul at the Hammers this summer, then signing a defender, midfielder and striker is probably the way to do it. A lot depends on Fulham's play-off performances towards the end of the campaign and they are also unlikely to want to lose all three, though their hands are tied with two of them in Fredericks and Mitrovic.

You suspect that Cairney is the new they really don't want to let go, especially if they get promoted to the Premier League or if they don't so they can plan another assault on the division next season.

It wouldn't be a surprise to see West Ham come back in with another bid of around £20m for Cairney which, for a Championship midfielder, is a lot of money and could likely be the figure to make Fulham think about it.



https://www.football.london/west-ham-united-fc/transfer-news/west-ham-fulham-transfer-news-14490069

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Cash in on £22.5m-rated star.... 4 risks that Fulham need to take this summer

The Premier League is calling Slavisa Jokanovic's side, they've stormed to within a whisker of the top two after a remarkable run of form.

They've not been beaten in the league since December 16th, a run that has catapulted them to within five points of Cardiff City.

With a favourable run in, they're not completely ruled out of a top two spot yet.

It's therefore hard to call exactly what risks they need to take in the summer, because it depends wholly on whether they're a Premier League side or not.

If they do find themselves going a stage further than last season and winning in the play offs, then the set of risks are far greater than those needed for a Championship assault.

Therefore, FLW look at the four risks Fulham must take if they're going to be a Premier League side next season. It's the level of football Craven Cottage is used to, it's the level the fans expect and, truth be told, it's the level of football their performances this season deserve.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/cash-in-on-22-5m-rated-star-4-risks-that-fulham-need-to-take-this-summer/

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EFL awards: Tom Cairney, Ruben Neves & Ryan Sessegnon on Championship shortlist


Ruben Neves, Ryan Sessegnon and Tom Cairney will be looking to win the award given to Brighton winger Anthony Knockaert last year

Fulham's Tom Cairney and Ryan Sessegnon and Wolves' Ruben Neves have been nominated for the EFL's Championship Player of the Season award.

Midfielder Neves, 21, has played 36 times and scored four goals since joining the Championship leaders for a reported 15.8m from Porto last summer.

Winger Sessegnon, 17, has netted 14 times in 40 appearances for Fulham.

Scotland midfielder Cairney, 27, has four goals in 28 outings for the west Londoners, who are third in the table.

Neves and Sessegnon have also been nominated for the Young Player of the Season award, alongside 21-year-old Norwich midfielder James Maddison, who has scored 13 goals in 38 league games this season.

Loan players, such as Wolves forward Diogo Jota, are ineligible for Player of the Season awards and are not included in the Teams of the Season.

Blackburn midfielder Bradley Dack, Peterborough striker Jack Marriott and Wigan forward Nick Powell are up for the League One Player of the Season award.

Accrington striker Billy Kee, Cheltenham forward Mohamed Eisa and Wycombe striker Adebayo Akinfenwa will contest the League Two Player of the Season award.

Meanwhile, Cardiff boss Neil Warnock has been named as the manager of the Championship Team of the Season, which contains three players apiece from Wolves and Fulham.

The awards will be presented in London on Sunday, 15 April.

EFL Teams of the Season
Championship: John Ruddy (Wolves), Ryan Fredericks (Fulham), Conor Coady (Wolves), John Terry (Aston Villa), Ryan Sessegnon (Fulham), Tom Cairney (Fulham), Ruben Neves (Wolves), James Maddison (Norwich City), Bobby Reid (Bristol City), Albert Adomah (Aston Villa), Matej Vydra (Derby County). Manager: Neil Warnock (Cardiff).

League One: David Raya (Blackburn), Nathan Byrne (Wigan), Charlie Mulgrew (Blackburn), Dan Burn (Wigan), Omar Beckles (Shrewsbury), Bradley Dack (Blackburn), Sam Morsy (Wigan), Jon Nolan (Shrewsbury), Nick Powell (Wigan), Jack Marriott (Peterborough), Graham Carey (Plymouth). Manager: Paul Hurst (Shrewsbury).

League Two: Lee Burge (Coventry), Dan Potts (Luton), Alan Sheehan (Luton), Jordan Willis (Coventry), Jack Stacey (Luton), Michael Bostwick (Lincoln), Sean McConville (Accrington), Luke Berry (Luton), Adebayo Akinfenwa (Wycombe), Danny Hylton (Luton), Billy Kee (Accrington). Manager: John Coleman (Accrington).



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43641225

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Fulham fans respond to Tony Khan's tweet after 2-0 win over Leeds



Fulham director Tony Khan sent out a message to the coaches and the players after the 2-0 win over Leeds United last night.

Khan's tweet read:

Congratulations to the @FulhamFC squad and coaches for another great win and 18 consecutive games unbeaten! I really do love these boys, I'm very proud of how well they're playing, and am very happy for everyone at the Club who's worked so hard to make this success possible #COYW

Goals from Kevin McDonald and Aleksandar Mitrovic secured a comfortable home win for Fulham.

The Cottagers are now on an 18 match unbeaten run and they will be hoping to climb above Cardiff City by finishing the season strongly.

Khan has been excellent for Fulham in the transfer market and the fans will be expecting him to deliver once again if the Cottagers manage to secure Premier League football.

The Fulham director managed to sign the likes of Mitrovic and Targett in January and both players have been outstanding for Jokanovic's side so far.

It will be interesting to see whether the Londoners decide to sign these players on a permanent transfer at the end of this season.



http://sportslens.com/tony-khan-sends-out-a-message-to-fulham-players-and-coaches-after-leeds-victory/229336/

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Fulham's success has been built on the perfect balancing act of defence, midfield and attack

Fulham reporter Ryan O'Donovan takes a look at Fulham's perfect balancing act, and why it would be unfair to single out just one part of the side for their run of form

For any team, in any division, anywhere in the world, going 18 games unbeaten in a league campaign is something the players involved will take to the grave with them.

It's not often any football side manages to go nearly half a league campaign without losing, and to do so in the Championship, notorious as one of the toughest divisions in world football, makes it even more impressive.

Fulham are now 18 unbeaten since that horror show up at the Stadium of Light in December.

Since then, they've taken 46 points, winning all but four of those games - form that has seen them drag themselves by the scruff of the neck into the automatic promotion battle.

It's easy to say that it's Aleksandar Mitrovic's goals that has seen them continue this form, or Ryan Sessegnon's ability to scare opponents into statues.

You could even pinpoint Tim Ream and Marcus Bettinelli at the back - two warriors that have put their bodies on the line in the pursuit of Premier League football.

But doing any of that would be wrong.

It wouldn't be right to single out any part of this team as being the reason why Fulham are tearing the Championship to shreds - it's about far more than individual parts.

For a run like this, defence, midfield and attack, the three pillars of any side, have to be in perfect balance.

Let's rewind to the start of the campaign - Fulham struggled to end games well, they went on a winless run that stretched all through October and, at one stage, found themselves in 17th place.

Watching every game, the side look unbalanced to me - the right side of the pitch always seemed top heavy compared to the left, the strikers weren't quite connecting with the midfield and the players didn't seem on the same wavelength.

The recruits brought in over the summer didn't help things - only Oliver Norwood, Sheyi Ojo and Aboubakar Kamara, in parts, were having any impact and the other signings just weren't good enough.

Now, however, that's all changed.

Marcus Bettinelli has grown in his role as the number one - he seems to give the defence a get out of a jail free card and gives them the confidence to play on the ball, it's no surprise that Tim Ream has become Paolo Maldini this season with Bettinelli behind him.

That in turn gives confidence to the rest of the back four.

Denis Odoi has come in at centre back and hasn't looked out of place at all, and is even keeping Tomas Kalas out of the side at the moment.

Having Ream next to him gives him that assurance that his partner has his back if things go amiss, like the rest of the back four do, and having that solid base cannot be understated.

Speaking of the back four, the signing of Matt Targett was inspired.

I'm a huge fan of him, he's an old fashioned full back who likes a challenge, but his reading of the game and positioning means he never looks out of place and is always in control.

His signing also addressed the balance issue of a top-heavy right side, meaning Fulham now attack, with pace, down both flanks, something instrumental in their charge to the Play-offs last season.

In midfield, a fully fit Tom Cairney and an in-form Stefan Johansen means that Kevin McDonald is no longer trying to marshal the midfield by his own, which he did for a large part of the early season.

Cairney is back to his best - he's the metronome that keeps the side ticking along, while Johansen looks like he's fueled by rockets as he links defence and attack.

Again, having those two back firing has addressed the problem of an unbalanced midfield.

Meanwhile, the addition of Mitrovic has meant Fulham have a go-to man up front, someone that hold the ball up, play in his midfield teammates and then stick it in the back of the net.

Rui Fonte tried this in the early part of the season, but it just didn't come off for him - he's not a physical presence and I still believe he would be better in the number 10 role, although that would require a change of formation from Jokanovic.

The Newcastle loanee has been phenomenal - he's now the focal point for Jokanovic's side and Fulham have a real battering ram, meaning they can mix things up when needed.

A well-balanced side is key to any promotion charge or unbeaten run, and since December, the Fulham side has been a balancing act Cirque du Soleil would be proud of.



https://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulhams-success-been-built-perfect-14490201

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Who has the hardest Championship run-in? Wolves, Cardiff City, Fulham, Aston Villa, Derby County, Middlesbrough, Bristol City's fixtures assessed

The race for the automatic promotion and play-offs is hotting up

Cardiff City have closed the gap to Wolves at the top of the Championship over the Easter period.

The Bluebirds struck late to salvage a point at Sheffield United on Easter Monday with a stoppage time goal from Anthony Pilkington earning a 1-1 draw at Bramall Lane.

While Wolves could only draw 1-1 at home to struggling Hull City. Fulham kept themselves in contention last night with a 2-0 success against Leeds United and they are five points from Cardiff.

Derby County ended their run of nine games without a win as they beat Preston North End 1-0 at Deepdale while Middlesbrough rescue a late point at Burton Albion.

Bristol City missed their chance to jump ahead of Boro as they lost 1-0 to Brentford with Millwall drawing 2-2 at Ipswich Town.

Here's what you need to know about the final run-in.

The table
Wolves

The current Championship leaders are having a season to remember under Nuno Espírito Santo. Wolves look almost certain to be heading back to the Premier League for the first time since the 2011/12 season.

It was only four seasons ago that Wolves were in League One following back-to-back relegations from the top-flight.

Diogo Jota, Léo Bonatini and Ivan Cavaleiro have scored 35 goals between them and have helped Wolves become the best attack in the league.

Yesterday, John Ruddy, Conor Coady and Ruben Nevez were all named in the Championship team of the year.

Wolves' run in includes a top of the table clash against Cardiff City this weekend. Cardiff have the best home record in the league and have already beaten Wolves this season.

If Wolves can repeat their results from earlier on in the season then they will end the campaign on 99 points.

Hull City (h)

Cardiff City (a)

Derby County (h)

Birmingham City (h)

Bolton Wanderers (a)

Sheffield Wednesday (h)

Sunderland (a)

Cardiff City

Neil Warnock's men have been the surprise package of the season.

The Bluebirds have been flying high all season and would be clear at the top had it not been for a torrid Christmas break where they lost four games in a row.

Cardiff are currently two points better off than they were in the 2012/13 season when they were crowned champions and if they continue in their current form they will get another shot in the Premier League.

The Bluebirds boast the best defence in the league and the partnership between Sean Morrison and Sol Bamba makes any opposition attacker's day a lot harder.

Cardiff have a game in hand on most of their opponents after their fixture against Derby was postponed.

The Bluebirds have some tricky fixtures with Wolves, Villa and Derby still to come but if their form continues then they could steal the title from Wolves grasp.

Wolves (h)

Aston Villa (a)

Norwich City (a)

Nottingham Forest (h)

Derby County (a)

Hull City (a)

Reading (h)

Fulham

Fulham's 2018 has been phenomenal.

The Cottagers are unbeaten in their last 18 Championship games, winning 14 on their way into the play-off places.

There is still a chance Fulham could force their way into the automatic promotion places but going up through the play-offs looks to be the likelier route.

Fulham have played the last four season in England's second tier after spending 13 seasons in the Premier League.

17-year-old Ryan Sessegnon, who was recently named in the Championship team of the season, has been the breakthrough star at Craven Cottage. The left back/winger has scored 14 goals in the campaign.

Sessegnon was joined in the team of the season by teammates Ryan Fredericks and Tom Cairney.

The Cottagers run in sees them only face two sides in the top half of the table meaning that they have one of the easiest run ins out of all the teams competing at the top of the table.

Leeds United (h)

Sheffield Wednesday (a)

Reading (a)

Brentford (h)

Millwall (a)

Sunderland (h)

Birmingham City (a)

Aston Villa

It's been a confusing season for Aston Villa. Just as soon as they look unbeatable they have a couple of games where nothing goes right.

The Villans are still well in contention for a return to the Premier League, two years since their relegation, but they will be disappointed a lack of consistency has stopped them from being in the automatic promotion places.

The start of 2018 saw Villa win six successive games but since then they've only picked up four wins in nine games.

Steve Bruce's men will be hoping a competitive conclusion to the season will bring the best out of his side, with tough matches against Cardiff, Derby and Millwall still to come.

One man Bruce has been able to rely on all season has been Albert Adomah. The former Bristol City star has scored 14 goals for Villa this season and his efforts were recently rewarded with a place in the team of the season, alongside captain John Terry.

Reading (h)

Norwich City (a)

Cardiff City (h)

Leeds United (h)

Ipswich Town (a)

Derby County (h)

Millwall (a)

Derby County

Derby were pushing for a place in the automatic promotion spots until a couple of months ago. A recent run of form has seen the Rams only win once in nine games and get embarrassed at home by Sunderland 4-1.

Matej Vydra is leading the charge for the Championship golden boot with 18 goals, averaging a goal every 128 minutes.

The Rams have arguably the toughest run in facing four of the top six sides, including tough away trips to Molineux and Villa Park. This run of fixtures could easily see Derby drop out of the play-off places all together and end the season with disappointment once again.

Bolton Wanderers (h)

Wolves (a)

Burton Albion (a)

Cardiff City (h)

Middlesbrough (h)

Aston Villa (a)

Barnsley (h)

Middlesbrough

Out of all the sides relegated from the Premier League last season, Middlesbrough are the only one who stand a chance of going back up at the first time of asking.

New signings Britt Assombalonga and Patrick Bamford have formed quite the strikeforce for Boro with the duo sharing 23 goals between them.

Middlesbrough have been in fine form as of late having lost once in their last eight outings and that was against league leaders Wolves.

However, Boro's run in sees them come up against the three teams nearest them in table, all of which are must-win games for the sides involved.

Middlesbrough haven't been able to record a single win against any of the top eight sides in the Championship this season with Tony Pulis' men only gaining two points from a possible 33 so far.

This record against the top teams makes it seem as if Middlesbrough will struggle to hold on to the final play-off spot and even if they do, they will struggle in the play-offs.

Nottingham Forest (h)

Sheffield United (a)

Bristol City (h)

Derby County (a)

Millwall (h)

Ipswich Town (a)

Bristol City

City's recent run of bad form has seen them drop out of the play-off spots, but they remain firmly in contention for a return to the Championship play-offs for the first time since the 2007/08 season.

The Robins star player this season has been youth academy product Bobby Reid. The 25-year-old has scored 17 goals and provided five assists this season.

Record signing Famara Diedhiou has also impressed in his debut season, the Senegalese international has notched 11 goals this campaign.

If City can rediscover their early season form then they have a fine chance of reaching the play-offs considering their easy run in comparison to nearby challengers.

Millwall (a)

Birmingham City (h)

Middlesbrough (a)

Hull City (h)

Nottingham Forest (a)

Sheffield United (h)

Millwall

After the start to the season Millwall had its slightly mad to realise they have a chance of making the play-offs in their first season back in the Championship.

The Lions looked more up for a relegation battle around Christmas but a run of 14 games unbeaten has given Millwall an outside chance of reaching the Premier League for the first time.

The Lions have a tricky conclusion to their season with tough home games against Bristol, Fulham and Villa.

Bristol City (h)

Bolton Wanderers (a)

Sheff United (a)

Fulham (h)

Middlesbrough (a)

Aston Villa (h)

Sheffield United

The Blades had a fantastic start to their first Championship campaign since the 2010/11 season. United won 12 of their opening 17 games.

The early season form has allowed for United to stay in the play-off picture despite only winning six games since the start of December.

The strike partnership of Leon Clarke and Billy Sharp have kept the Blades in the hunt with the duo scoring 16 and 12 respectively.

Based on current form and looking at their remaining fixtures it seems as if United will miss out on a play-off spot this season.

Barnsley (a)

Middlesbrough (h)

Millwall (h)

Birmingham City (a)

Preston North End (h)

Bristol City (a)

Preston North End

Preston are only three points off the play-off spaces and will be disappointed that they have suffered three losses in their last four games.

The Lilywhites have had some impressive results this season including completing the double over Cardiff and Bristol.

Sean Maguire leads the scoring for Preston this season with nine goals, but losing Jordan Hugill to West Ham in January was disappointing.

Preston have the easiest run ins out of all the sides in the play-off hunt as they face five teams in the bottom half of the table over their last six fixtures.

Reading (a)

Leeds United (h)

QPR (a)

Norwich City (h)

Sheffield United (a)

Burton Albion (h)

Brentford

Brentford's victory over Bristol City on Monday has seen them re-enter the play-off picture.

The Bees are the least likely of these sides to make the top six, despite their easy end to the season.

Ollie Watkins and Neal Maupay have both scored 10 goals this season helping the Bees to the sixth best attack in the league.

Dean Smith, who signed a contract extension earlier this year, will be pleased with his side's performance but must be annoyed that it took them nine games to get their first win of the season.

Ipswich Town (h)

Nottingham Forest (a)

Fulham (a)

QPR (h)

Barnsley (a)

Hull City (h)



https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/championship-fixtures-hardest-villa-wolves-1413146

[WhiteJC]

 
Transfer gossip: Speculation over Cairney's future continues

Some of the recent transfer speculation involving Fulham...

Leicester and Newcastle plan to battle it out for the signing of Tom Cairney this summer, The Sun claim.

The Sun say Fulham face the prospect of losing Cairney as well as Ryan Sessegnon if they do not win promotion back to the Premier League this season.

Newcastle have previously shown an interest in the Scotland international and have been tipped to move for him, and it's claimed Leicester are also keen.

The Mirror  recently claimed Cairney will be allowed to leave for £20m if the Whites fail to win promotion.

The Mirror declared this will "spark a race" for the Scotland international and will interest West Ham, Watford and Newcastle.

Bettinelli linked with West Ham
West Ham have been linked with Fulham goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli after David Moyes watched the Whites' win over Leeds.

Hammers boss Moyes was at Craven Cottage for Tuesday's game, inevitably prompting speculation about who he might have been there to look at.

And The Sun claim he is interested in Bettinelli ahead of a possible move this summer.

Sessegnon speculation also continues
Speculation also continues over the future of Fulham youngster Sessegnon.

Tottenham have long been interested in the teenager and are hoping to agree a deal to sign him this summer, while a number of other Premier League clubs have been linked with him.

The Sun now say Sessegnon, 17, could reject a move away from Craven Cottage if Fulham win promotion to the Premier League.

The newspaper say he is being chased by Manchester United and Manchester City as well as Spurs but has told Fulham he will stay if they go up.

The Sun add that if the Whites are not promoted then Sessegnon would favour a move to Spurs and that Ryan Fredericks, whose contract is due to expire this summer, could join Everton.

The Sun recently claimed United are ready to pay £40m in order to land Sessegnon.

It was claimed that United have been monitoring Sessegnon and see him as a potential replacement for Luke Shaw, who has been tipped to move after being singled out for criticism by boss Jose Mourinho.

The Sun quoted 'an Old Trafford source' as saying: "The club have been keeping tabs on him and the reports back are fantastic.

"He is even being compared to Gareth Bale at the same stage of his career. He has all the attributes.

"He is quick and has an eye for goal. Jose has been impressed with him and he will be a star."



http://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/football-newcastle-leicester-city-cairney-040418

[WhiteJC]

 
Marcus Bettinelli not giving up hope of an England call-up but is focused on getting Fulham promoted

The 25-year-old is taking inspiration from Nick Pope, but his first and foremost mission is to get Fulham back into the Premier League

Marcus Bettinelli isn't giving up hopes of an England call-up one day, but is focusing on getting boyhood club Fulham promoted to the Premier League for the time being.

The 25-year-old has had one of his finest seasons to date, keeping nine clean sheets in 20 league appearances so far after reclaiming the number one jersey from David Button in December - something that has seen him lose just once in the league this campaign.

Reports had suggested that England scouts had been impressed with his performances this season, but that he must produce in the Premier League to totally convince them of his international potential.

However, Nick Pope is currently in contention for the England number one shirt having spent the majority of his career at Charlton Athletic before heading to Burnley, while Angus Gunn of Norwich City was called up to the senior England side in November 2017, showing it's possible for players in the Championship to play for their country.

And while it would be an honour for Bettinelli, his sole focus is on his club and promotion for the moment.

He said: "I think before I got my England U21 call-up I never expected that but when I got that I wasn't expecting it and I didn't think I would've got it.

"Someone like Nick Pope has shown you should never give up, and he's had a fantastic season and he's got his rewards with getting called-up.

"I'm never going to say never, but at the end of the day I'm focusing on my job I have here - there's five games to go, we have a job to do and have to try win every game and we'll stick to it."

The boyhood Fulham man, whose father, Vic Bettinelli, coaches in the Academy, has a real affinity with the supporters on the terrace, something that shone through during the 2-0 victory over Leeds United.

Having made a game-defining save one-on-one to deny a Leeds equaliser, the side went up the other end of the pitch to make it 2-0 just 14 seconds later with the Craven Cottage faithful erupting into a chorus of 'Marcus Bettinelli'.

And if you think that makes a difference to the keeper, you'd be right.


LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 03: Marcus Bettinelli of Fulham during the Sky Bet Championship match between Fulham and Leeds United at Craven Cottage on April 3, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) (Image: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

"The way this crowd responds to me after I make saves is fantastic, even after I make mistakes they've supported me and I know they're always behind me and I can't thank them enough for the amount of support they've given me," he added.

"The confidence they give me, knowing they'll always be behind me regardless of what happens in a game, it's always nice to hear your name get chanted and stuff like that, it's lovely, but they've been brilliant every time we've come here this season and they turn up in their thousands.

"They were fantastic against Norwich the other day, the fans always seem to come in their thousands there and the support was excellent the whole game, it's a credit to them.

"We know how hard it is to provide for a family, and if you want to bring your kids to games we know it's expensive, I think everyone in that dressing room really appreciates the support that they give us."

Speaking in the Fulham matchday programme before the Leeds game, Bettinelli admitted that he thought his time at the club might have been over last season after playing just six games.

It looked like he would be the number one this season before an injury in pre-season against Wolfsburg put pay to that, meaning the 25-year-old wouldn't reclaim the shirt until December.


HULL, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 30: Fulham's goal keeper Marcus Bettinelli gathers the ball in the box as Hull's Temitayo Olufisayo Olaoluwa Aina challenges Fulham's Lucas Piazon during the Sky Bet Championship match between Hull City and Fulham at KCOM Stadium on December 30, 2017 in Hull, England. (Photo by Ashley Allen/Getty Images) (Image: Ashley Allen/Getty Images)

It was a frustrating time for Bettinelli, but he admits he doesn't know whether he was ever that close to actually stepping through the exit doors.

He said: "I don't know if it came that close, but last season was a frustrating season for me.

"I only played the last six games and the play-offs, but last season is last season, I've had to put that behind me, it was frustrating but in football there's times when you get frustrated and you're not involved.

"David (Button) did really well last season and at the start of this season too, we have a really good relationship in terms of whoever plays, we support the other one and I was there for him last season and he's been there for me this time.

"There's always times when you always want to play, that's part and parcel of football, it is what is and last season is behind us now and we're focusing on playing and keeping fit and getting on that pitch."


OLOMOUC, CZECH REPUBLIC - JUNE 20: Marcus Bettinelli in action during the England U21 training session and press conference on June 20, 2015 in Olomouc, Czech Republic. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) (Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images)

As for being in the form of his life?

Bettinelli was too modest to say he was, but he's confident in his own ability at the moment and is glad the Fulhamish tag isn't being branded about so much anymore.

"I'm not sure, it's not for me to say - I feel very confident in my own ability and feel very comfortable with the ball at my feet.

"I think that comes from practice and progression in the games, I have a fantastic back four that always help me out and give me options and my job is made easier by them.

"A lot of the time teams don't get shots off or crosses off because they defend so well, we're really brave and we've shown this season that the Fulhamish isn't so much anymore, and that's a fantastic credit to everyone."



https://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/marcus-bettinelli-not-giving-up-14491134

[WhiteJC]

 
Games of interest for weekend 06-08/04
Fulham have another away game, this time we travel to the Steel City to take on Sheffield Wednesday

There's a big game on Friday evening, Wolves will be looking to secure promotion and Cardiff won't want to slip up with Fulham chasing them hard!

Our game away to Sheff Wed won't be easy, none of them are, but with our run of 18 unbeaten the result on Friday could be an extra spur!

other games of interest include...

FRIDAY 6TH APRIL

Cardiff v Wolves

SATURDAY 7TH APRIL

Derby v Bolton

Middlesborough v Nottingham Forest

Millwall v Bristol City

Norwich v Aston Villa

Reading v Preston North End

Sheffield Wednesday v Fulham

COYWs



http://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/?p=135

[WhiteJC]

 
Ray Wilkins: 1956-2018

Everyone at Fulham was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our former Manager and Coach Ray Wilkins.

The popular ex-England midfielder took in two spells at Craven Cottage, firstly as our First Team Manager following Mohamed Al Fayed's takeover in 1997.

In a season of transition for the Club, Ray led the Whites to the Division Two Play-Offs, before departing SW6 shortly before the two-legged encounter with Grimsby Town.

Ray briefly returned to Fulham in December 2013 as Assistant Head Coach following the appointment of Rene Meulensteen.

In an illustrious playing career, Ray notably represented Chelsea, Manchester United and Queens Park Rangers with distinction, while also picking up 84 caps for England and appearing at two World Cups.

During each of his spells at Fulham, and indeed everywhere he worked during his career, Ray was known as an affable, funny and warm character, and he will be sorely missed.

Everyone at Fulham would like to offer our condolences to his family and friends at this sad time.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/april/04/ray-wilkins-1956-2018

[WhiteJC]

 
Reading FC fan Johnny Hunt will walk from Madejski Stadium to Craven Cottage

A LOYAL Royal is making his final preparations ahead of a mammoth walk for charity next week.

Lifelong Reading FC fan Johnny Hunt will walk from Madejski Stadium to Craven Cottage in time for the Royals' clash with Fulham on Tuesday night.

He has already raised a whopping amount of cash and urged supporters to carry on pouring in donations towards Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM).

Mr Hunt, from Wicklow, Republic of Ireland, took inspiration from a group of Fulham supporters who braved a similar challenge by marching overnight to Madejski Stadium last season.

The original walk was the brainchild of Lee Adams, who will join Mr Hunt at the stadium next Monday (April 9.).

Mr Hunt said: "I've been walking in the snow and rain of Wicklow as well pushing myself to limit at the gym.

"If the effort we have all made helps one person get the support they need then it is all worth it.

"Men don't talk enough and with suicide the biggest killer of men under the age of 45 we need to try and break the stigma around mental illness.

"If Reading & Fulham fans can be united as one to walk together then we can all support each other."

Mr Hunt will post live updates of the walk on his Twitter accounts, @Huntyroyal and @Reading2Fulham.

To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/johnny-hunt

He added: "Lots of people have been touched by us doing this even an 80-year-old guy called Bernard from Reading wrote to me and offered support.

"So with a week to go if people can help spread the word donate a few quid and take care of each other that would be awesome.

"If anyone can come and wish us good luck at the start or finish that would be really appreciated it's going to be a long night.

"We will be popping into the pubs & be outside the ground before game if any fans wish to donate."



http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/16136247.Generous_Reading_FC_fan_preparing_for_mega_overnight_walk_for_charity/

[WhiteJC]

 
Should West Ham offer £20m for Newcastle's Aleksandar Mitrovic?

West Ham United tried to sign Aleksandar Mitrovic from Newcastle United in January but no Premier League side was willing to pay more than £10m.

It seems that West Ham United could be back in pursuit of Aleksandar Mitrovic.

The Mirror claimed in the January transfer window that the Hammers had hoped to sign the striker from Newcastle United but failed to stump up the fee required to tempt Rafa Benitez's side into a sale.

The Sun stated that no side was willing to pay more than £10 million for a player who had found himself well down the pecking order at Newcastle.

In the end, Newcastle loaned Mitrovic out to Championship side Fulham in order to get some game time under his belt. And he has been so impressive at Craven Cottage that West Ham appear to have renewed their interest with manager David Moyes present as Fulham beat Leeds United 2-0 on Tuesday night.

And Mitrovic, who is in the form of his life right now, scored again for the promotion-chasing high-flyers. That is eight goals in just nine starts for the Cottagers now.

But if West Ham were not willing to offer more than £10 million in January, they must be prepared to put double that fee on the table if they are to make a new attempt to sign the 23-year-old at the end of this season.

Because the Chronicle claims that Mitrovic's stunning performances at Fulham have encouraged Newcastle to raise his price-tag to £20 million.

West Ham, then, must big bid or they will be met with a rather blunt response.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/04/04/do-west-ham-must-be-prepared-to-offer-double-for-newcastles-alek/

[WhiteJC]

 
92% pass success rate.. If Aston Villa get promoted, this play-off rival's star must be on the wishlist

The tussle between Fulham and Villa for the right to finish third looks set to go right down to the wire, with the London side recently relegating Steve Bruce's men to fourth place.

You could look at Fulham and point to Ryan Sessegnon as the star turn, or maybe on loan striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.

In truth, the driving force is right in the centre of the park, the heart beat creating chances, breaking up play and generally being involved in everything.

Cairney struggled to make the grade at Hull and Blackburn, two sides who would doubtless give an arm and a leg to have him in their side now.

That won't happen, he's bound for the top flight next season, one way or another.

The question posed is, would he be a good fit at Aston Villa?

It's a bit like asking if a 'one size fits all' hat would be a good fit for anyone at all.

Tom Cairney, on his current form, would be a good fit for anyone from Villa to Fulham, West Ham to Stoke and beyond.

He's in such good form he's attracting top flight attention and, unless Fulham go up, he'll leave in the summer. If Villa don't go up, this piece is pointless. He won't side step, at 27-years old he wants a go in the top flight.

Just look at those stats, 77.6 passes per game of which 92% are successful.

92% is the sort of stat you expect to see from a Brazilian international or a Champions League winner. He is phenomenally accurate with his passes, although it could be argued many of them are sideways.

He makes 1.8 key passes a game, or roughly one in 40 of his passes are key. It doesn't mean he is a showboat player though, knocking the ball about with little purpose though, it shows him as an industrious cog in a passing team, patiently spreading the ball about until he can unpick a defence.

He's created four goals with his assists, although he has far more 'assist assists' as he tends to be one further down the chain. He's even bagged five goals, three in his last six games, perhaps as he pushes forward ensuring his name is mentioned more. It is a big summer for a player who has worked hard without ever truly making his name. In 28 outings this season, he's managed to do what he's always wanted; attract scouts and interest.

Would Tom Cairney be a good fit for Aston Villa? The question is perhaps better phrased, would Aston Vila be a good fit for Tom Cairney.

It is going to be he who has the power in the summer, he who has the pick of destinations and I fear Aston Villa will not be very high up the list.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/92-pass-success-rate-if-aston-villa-get-promoted-this-play-off-rivals-star-must-be-on-the-wishlist/

[WhiteJC]

 
Sunderland Televised

Fulham's meeting with Sunderland at Craven Cottage has been moved for live television coverage.

Our penultimate fixture will now take place on Friday 27th April (7.45pm), having previously been scheduled for the following day, and will be shown live on Sky Sports.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/april/04/sunderland-televised

[WhiteJC]

 
Away Days

Sheffield Wednesday - Saturday 7th April (3pm)

Tickets for Fulham's trip to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday can still be bought in person or over the phone.

These are no longer available online, but can be purchased by visiting the Fulham Ticket Office, or calling us on 0203 871 0810 (Option 3).

Around 1,200 fans have already secured their seat at Hillsborough, so make sure you grab your ticket soon to take in what will hopefully be another fantastic away day!

We are also offering £5 return coach travel for this fixture, which can be bought by calling the above number.

Millwall - Friday 20th April (7.45pm)

The Whites' next away match is much closer to home as we head to South-East London where Millwall host us at the Den.

The Lions have given us an allocation of 2,250, with around 850 of those still available to buy.

Priced at just £26 for adults and from £7 for juniors, it's highly advisable to secure your ticket for the London derby soon, before the likely event of them selling out!



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/april/04/away-days

[WhiteJC]

 
Forget Bettinelli: West Ham should seek to land his £13.5m-rated Fulham teammate instead

West Ham supporters have been in fine voice in the Transfer Tavern in the last few days after seeing their team take a huge step towards Premier League safety courtesy of a routine 3-0 victory over fellow strugglers Southampton on Saturday.

David Moyes' men were in freefall prior to their clash against the Saints having lost four of their previous five league matches, a run which saw them slip to 17th in the division ahead of Saturday's encounter. Yet the Hammers produced a fine performance to move five points clear of danger as a brace from Marko Arnautovic alongside a Joao Mario strike secured all three points for the East London outfit, in turn moving them up to 14th place in the division with just seven games of the campaign remaining.

Consequently, there have been many thrilled West Ham fans in the Tavern in recent times, several of whom are sincerely hoping that Saturday's win can kick-start a run of form which pulls them clear of the relegation zone for good.

In the meantime though, there has been much for our resident Hammers supporters to get their teeth into, not least recent reports linking them with a move for Fulham goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli.

And while there is little doubting that the 25-year-old would be a useful addition at the London Stadium, the East London club should forget about Bettinelli and instead focus their efforts on landing his £13.5 million-rated teammate Tom Cairney (as per Transfermarkt) instead.

Ultimately, the 27-year-old has enjoyed a fantastic few years at Craven Cottage since his move from Blackburn Rovers back in 2015, with the Scotland international scoring 25 goals and laying on 23 assists in 121 appearances for the Cottagers.

And 13 goals and 11 assists of those came in their run to the Championship play-off semi-finals last term, and while he hasn't quite hit those heights this time round with four goals and five assists in the league, that is still a decent return given he missed a chunk of the campaign with a knee injury.

Clearly, Cairney is a supremely talented attacker and one who seems destined for the Premier League, to the point whereby both West Ham and indeed Newcastle have been linked with the 27-year-old in the last 12 months.

And at the age of 27, the Scottish star is very much entering or indeed in his peak years at present, and in a West Ham team eyeing the next level next season, and facing the prospect of possibly losing Manuel Lanzini this summer amid speculation, he could be the perfect signing for Moyes' side.

As such, the Hammers should forget about a move for goalkeeper Bettinelli, and instead do all they can to lure Cairney across the capital this summer.



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premiership/west-ham/forget-bettinelli-west-ham-should-seek-to-land-his-13-5m-rated-fulham-teammate-instead/

[WhiteJC]

 
Why luck is on Sheffield Wednesday's side ahead of clash with Fulham

Jos Luhukay is hoping that luck continues to shine on Sheffield Wednesday with the Owls boss admitting that his side have been blessed with fortune in the past few games.

While earlier in the campaign a lot of refereeing decisions went against Wednesday, under the leadership of Carlos Carvalhal, Luhukay has had some go in his favour in recent weeks. And the odd bounce has been going Wednesday's way, too, as the manager accepts. In his weekly column, former Owls defender Jon Newsome recognised this fact, but said he felt that Wednesday had made their own luck, with their hard work and commitment, during a run of three successive victories.

"We have had luck in the last few games," admitted Luhukay. "When I think about the Preston game, they hit the post and the ball came back out. "Against Sunderland, they hit the post (at 2-1) and maybe could have had a penalty. "Luck has gone in a positive direction for us but maybe in some games we have not had luck on our side. Sometimes in football it is about fine margins. Now it is coming on the good side for us." Wednesday's luck on the injury front has been out all season and while a few players have been returning of late, others have had to drop out.

Sam Hutchinson's season is over after he suffered an ankle injury against Preston and Morgan Fox,too, will be out for the remainder of the campaign having suffered a hamstring strain against Sunderland on Monday. Luhukay says he will reassess what is available to him from the under 23s ahead of Saturday's visit of high-flying Fulham. "I will look at the situation. Sean Clare is out until the end of the season. Jack Stobbs has a hamstring injury and is maybe four weeks away. Jordan Thorniley is back," he said. "When we have had the chance to play young players, we have done that. I have also brought in Connor Kirby, Ash Baker and other players into the squad so I have no problem with that."



Read more at: https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-wednesday/why-luck-is-on-sheffield-wednesday-s-side-ahead-of-clash-with-fulham-1-9098197

[WhiteJC]

 
Double Nomination

Slaviša Jokanović and Aleksandar Mitrović have been nominated for Manager and Player of the Month for March, respectively.

It's the third month in a row we've had representatives in each category, with Ryan Sessegnon winning the January accolade, while Tim Ream was in contention for February.

March was a near perfect month for Fulham, with the frustrating 2-2 draw at home to Queens Park Rangers the only time we dropped points.

Three of our matches were away from home as we defeated Play-Off hopefuls Derby County and Preston North End 2-1, before we ended the month with a 2-0 victory at Norwich City on Good Friday.

We also entertained another top-six hopeful at Craven Cottage, which ended in a comfortable 3-0 victory over Sheffield United.

Mitrović scored a brace in that match, and he did likewise four days later at Deepdale, which included a dramatic stoppage time winner.

His tally for March stood at five goals, as he netted our first of the month to get us off the mark at Pride Park.

Mitrović faces competition from two other players in fine goal scoring form, Patrick Bamford and Sean Maguire, as well as former Fulham centre-back Shaun Hutchinson who helped Millwall to three clean sheets.

The four in contention for Manager of the Month all enjoyed a highly prosperous March, with Neil Warnock, Neil Harris and Nuno Espirito Santo all battling it out for the trophy.

The winners of each award will be announced on Friday morning.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/april/05/double-nomination

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham boss indicating that Rafa Benitez may be mistaken about Aleksandar Mitrovic

Slavisa Jokanovic "I repeat many times, Aleksandar Mitrovic is an important signing for us...we start our striker and he scores the goals."

One of the main Rafa Benitez worries regarding the suitability of Aleksandar Mitrovic for his Newcastle system is a perceived lack of mobility and stamina.

Yet Slavisa Jokanovic thinks the Newcastle manager has got this wrong about the Serbian striker.

The Fulham boss was far from happy as his loan striker went off on international duty and ended up playing all 90 minutes of both friendlies.

Serbia losing 2-1 to Morocco and then two Mitro goals helping his country to a 2-0 victory against Nigeria.

Aleksandar Mitrovic was straight back into action on Friday as he helped Fulham win 2-0 at Norwich, playing all but the final 12 minutes.

Then Tuesday night saw the forward make it eight goals for Fulham in his last eight games as he played all of the 2-0 win over Leeds.

Over the course of an 11 day stretch Mitrovic played four matches for club and country and physically looked in great shape.

The Fulham manager was very pleased with Mitro after that victory over Leeds and says 'I repeat man times Aleksandar Mitrovic is an important signing for us.'

Jokanovic adding 'He has done a great job for us...worked hard in the offensive and defensive set-pieces.'

He then summed up though what is the reality for any forward: 'What is important is that we start our striker and he scores the goals.'

Thankfully, Aleksandar Mitrovic back playing and scoring goals for another club has coincided with an upsurge in Newcastle's form, so it is a win win situation all round.

The future of Newcastle's number 45 is just one of the many many interesting  issues that will be decided this summer at St James Park.

Mitro also got an assist for the first goal against Leeds as well as scoring himself, with Fulham now having picked up 27 points from a possible 33 in the games Aleksandar Mitrovic has featured in – three draws and eight wins.

This has ensured at least a play-off spot for Fulham and with six games to go they still have some hope of catching Cardiff, currently five points ahead in the second automatic promotion spot.

Slavisa Jokanovic:

"Aleksandar Mitrovic is good player, he has done a great job for us.

I repeat many times, Aleksandar Mitrovic is an important signing for us.

"He scored another goal [in the 2-0 win over Leeds] and worked hard in the offensive and defensive set-pieces.

"He can hold the ball, he did important things, and at the end, what is important is that  we start our striker and he scores the goals.

"He did his job and I expect he will keep going at a similar level to push hard like he is right now."



https://www.themag.co.uk/2018/04/fulham-boss-indicating-rafa-benitez-may-mistaken-aleksandar-mitrovic-newcastle-united/