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Saturday Fulham Stuff (14/04/18)...

Started by WhiteJC, April 14, 2018, 07:24:06 AM

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WhiteJC

 
Fulham star Ryan Sessegnon fit to face Brentford


Ready and raring | Fulham will be able to call on Sessegnon Getty Images

Fulham have Ryan Sessegnon available to face Brentford after the teenager felt no adverse reaction to a bad tackle he suffered against Reading this week.

Leandro Bacuna was sent off for a foul on Sessegnon in injury time of Fulham's 1-0 win at Craven Cottage on Tuesday that moved the club into the automatic promotion places in the Championship.

Sessegnon had to leave the pitch to receive treatment but Fulham head coach Slavisa Jokanovic confirmed the 17-year-old did not suffer an injury. Fulham are unbeaten in 20 matches and tomorrow's derby at Craven Cottage could be key to their automatic promotion hopes.

Second-placed Fulham are one point above Cardiff but the Welsh club have a game in hand. Brentford are four points outside the play-offs and still hope to gatecrash the top six.

Bees head coach Dean Smith said: "There is obviously an added spice to it. Given the run that Fulham are on it makes it tougher but we still believe that we are a good team as well."

Florian Jozefzoon is fit for Brentford after recovering from his ankle injury but Alan Judge has a hamstring strain and is a doubt.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-star-ryan-sessegnon-fit-to-face-brentford-a3813866.html

WhiteJC

 
2 quality replacements for Tom Cairney who Fulham can target should he leave the club in the summer

2 quality replacements for Tom Cairney who Fulham can target should he leave the club in the summer

Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney seems to be a man in demand. The Scotland international is being chased by Premier League outfit Leicester City according to a report from the Sun (h/t Leicester Mercury), along with fellow top-flight club Newcastle United. 

The 27-year-old has been one of Fulham's top players in the past couple of seasons under Slavisa Jokanovic and his performances in the EFL Championship haven't gone unnoticed. 

Newcastle United tried hard to recruit Cairney last summer but were rebuffed by Fulham. However, they could test Fulham's resolve once again but will face competition from the Foxes this time out.

Fulham currently sit 3rd in the EFL Championship and look certain for a playoff spot finish. It is unlikely to see Cairney leave Fulham if they manage to earn promotion to the Premier League. However, if they fail to make it through, the lure of top-flight football could prove too hard to turn down for the Scottish playmaker. 

In case that happens, here are two replacements that Fulham could look to sign.

Massimo Luongo (Queens Park Rangers)

The 31-time capped Australian international is playing some of his best football for QPR this season, which has led to interest from the likes of Aston Villa and Crystal Palace. Fulham too should consider him as an option should Cairney depart at the end of the season. 

Luongo has grown into a pivotal player at the Loftus Road since moving to the club in 2015 and is enjoying his best campaign to date. So far, the 25-year-old has contributed 6 goals and 3 assists in 36 appearances for QPR. Capable of slotting in anywhere in the midfield, Luongo has gathered a fair amount of experience in English football and has proven himself at this stage.

Alejandro Pozuelo (KRC Genk)

The 26-year-old Spaniard is enjoying a fine season in the Belgian top-flight with Genk and could prove to be an able replacement for Cairney at Fulham.

Pozuelo, in the ongoing campaign, has come up with returns of 6 goals and 7 assists in 35 appearances across competitions and has established himself as a key player for the Belgian outfit. Primarily a central attacking midfielder, the Spaniard relishes the No.10 role and can also be effective in a withdrawn role in the middle or on the left flank.



https://soccersouls.com/2018/04/14/2-quality-replacements-for-tom-cairney-who-fulham-can-target-should-he-leave-the-club-in-the-summer/

WhiteJC


Jokanovic: Fulham totally focused on Brentford
by Dan on April 14, 2018

Slavisa Jokanovic has told the press that he isn't considering the impact this weekend's west London derby could have on the promotion picture and is completely focused on taking all three points against Brentford.

Fulham haven't beaten the Bees at Craven Cottage since April 1990 and the Serbian head coach told his pre-match press conference at Motspur Park that he has put the prospect of putting more pressure on Cardiff City to the back of his mind.

    I'm not thinking about where we are right now. We decided a long time ago that we'd go step by step, game by game. We're in a positive way and right now we don't need to think about second position or promotion.

    The only thing we must think about in this moment is the next chance that's immediately ahead of us, the next chance for us to perform well and fight for three points. We'll find this chance tomorrow afternoon.

    I don't believe it's necessary for my side to think so much about where we are right now, because nobody can guarantee you'll stay where you are. My target in this moment is only the Brentford game. I expect we can be successful tomorrow, we have great momentum, we trust we can perform well, and if we perform well we can expect a good result.

The Fulham boss acknowledged that Dean Smith's side will prove difficult opposition in front of the television cameras.

    It's a tough opponent. They try and play in a similar style to us. They won their last three games and kept three clean sheets. Brentford is a very good team. They are fighting for the play-offs, tomorrow is probably one of their last chances to catch this opportunity to get into the play-offs. One point is not enough for them, with one point they can't win anything. We're playing at home, we need the points too, and we're going to see who can play better football and win the game.

Jokanovic also believes his players are high on confidence after extending their unbeaten run to twenty games in the 1-0 win over Reading on Tuesday night.

    They trust each other, and they trust they can win the game. This is very good news. If there's trust then this is the best way for us to perform well and try and find the way for three points. This news is very important for us and definitely encourages myself and my staff, and my team too.

    We feel we are strong at home, we mark our territory, this is our home and we are going to try and be strong, dominate the situation, put them under stress and win the game. The last 12 [home] games we won 11 and drew one.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/04/jokanovic-fulham-totally-focused-on-brentford/


WhiteJC

 
Smith admits Brentford feeling pressure of Fulham clash

Brentford manager Dean Smith admits this weekend's London derby against Fulham carries extra weight with both clubs fighting for promotion.

The Bees secured a third straight victory in mid-week against Nottingham Forest and now sit just four points outside the top six.

The club will rue their missed opportunities at the beginning of the season, not winning a game in their first eight matches.

With only four points between fifth and tenth place, Smith's men understand the importance of earning a victory away at Craven Cottage.

Yet this weekend's fixture produces its own set of challenges, as Fulham are unbeaten their last 20 league games.

Their victory on Tuesday against Reading pushed them into automatic promotion position, one point ahead of Cardiff City.

Both sides have earned plaudits for their style of play this season, but their most recent encounter in December saw Brentford come out on top in a 3-1 victory.

Smith said: "It does make it easier knowing you have to win but, as I've said before, we have to perform. The only thing we can control is our performance.

"If we can control that, individually and collectively, then there's every chance we can win the game.

"Given the run that Fulham are on it makes it tougher but we still believe that we are a good team as well.

"We have given ourselves a chance by winning these three games and performing well.

"The fact that we will have a very good following there, and that they have broken into the top two, will make it that bit spicier.

"I have heard people say that we are two of the better footballing teams in the league, which is nice to hear, but we want to hear people talking about us as a top six team.

"The only way to do that is to go to Fulham, put in a performance, and hopefully get the result.

"We are just about keeping that Play-Off dream alive by winning football games."



http://www.ealingtimes.co.uk/sport/16158616.Smith_admits_Brentford_feeling_pressure_of_Fulham_clash/

WhiteJC


Up next: Brentford (h)
by Dan on April 14, 2018

Not since Steve Milton's winner in April 1990 have Fulham beaten Brentford at Craven Cottage. That win was enough to see Ray Lewington's side successively avoid relegation from Division Three – and this evening, in front of the Sky cameras, would be a good time for the Whites to end that miserable 28 year run and take another step towards claiming the second automatic promotion place back to the Premier League. The fact that a 20-match unbeaten run hasn't been enough to carry Slavisa Jokanovic's side clear of their challengers shows just how crazy the Championship really is and, for all Neil Warnock's protestations to the contrary over the last week, Cardiff remain in charge of their own destiny.

All Fulham can do is win their remaining games and hope that the Bluebirds continue to stumble within sight of the finish line. Not that it will be easy – there's no doubting that on paper, their next two fixtures against local rivals with genuine chances of pinching a play-off spot look like the toughest of the final four tests. Dean Smith's Brentford, who will be motivated beyond belief to end Fulham's incredible unbeaten run, have won their last three fixtures whilst keeping consecutive clean sheets and sit just four points behind six-placed Millwall, who Fulham will face in another crunch clash on Friday night.

The Bees already have a record of inflicting painful defeats at the Cottage. As well as the seventeen game streak dating back to 1990, Brentford have also triumphed at Fulham since the Whites returned to English football's second tier. In 2015, Mark Warburton's side cruised to a comfortable victory secured by a Stuart Dallas double, with Alan Judge adding a free kick in stoppage time and, to coin a phrase, Jota netting the fourth in the last minute. The last two contests have been enthralling draws, with last season's stalemate effectively securing Slavisa Jokanovic's side a play-off place at the expense of Leeds United.

Jokanovic's side might be motivated to expunge the memory of the lamentable defeat at Griffin Park back in December when the Serbian decided to field Stefan Johansen as the successor to Sone Aluko in the fake forward role. His side failed to capitalise on Neeskens Kebano's opener and crumbled after half time once David Button had allowed Sergi Canos to equalise. After Romaine Sawyers had given the hosts the lead, Denis Odoi was needlessly sent off for a second yellow within a couple of minutes and, as Fulham pressed for an equaliser, the impressive Ollie Watkins put the game beyond the visitors.

The Bees are on an excellent run of form and will head to the Cottage full of confidence. Smith's men are the second best possession side in the division and that should lend itself to an intriguing battle of similar styles, with a little bit of derby day blood and thunder thrown in. Fulham completed failed to nullify Brentford's flair at Griffin Park before Christmas and should they make the same mistake again, it could be another derby disappointment. Watkins, a clever capture from Exeter in the summer, has both the pace and intelligence to trouble the best defenders in the Championship, as he showed when his surging run helped bring the Bees level in the reverse fixture. Sawyers and Canos pose potent threats as well, whilst the pair of orthodox central midfielders – Ryan Woods and Josh McEachran – are skilled at both keeping possession and shielding a tight back four.

Barring the majestic run to the Division One title by Jean Tigana's side at the turn of the century, which still seems too good to be true even now, Fulham's promotion tilts have often had a little stumble towards the end of the season. A repeat simply isn't an option now if Jokanovic's side want to avoid the lottery of the play-offs following the heart-wrenching defeat at Reading last year. The Serbian's team haven't been at their fluent best in their last two narrow wins over Sheffield Wednesday and the Royals, but did enough to claim all three points. A repeat is in order this evening, although Jokanovic will be after a much more convincing display from his charges.

The home side will be without the injured Sheyi Ojo and Floyd Ayite meaning the head coach's only real dilemma will centre around who to pick in the right wing spot. Lucas Piazon has the technical ability and touch to suit Fulham's patient possession style but has been a little in effectual of late, whilst Kebano's raw pace has suddenly reappeared to frighten tiring defences from the bench. Jokanovic prefers to use the Congolese winger as an impact substitute – a role he filled so successfully towards the end of last season. The big difference between the Fulham side that wilted at Griffin Park and this team is made by Matt Targett and Aleksandar Mitrovic, who have added Premier League quality at both ends of the pitch. The on-loan Newcastle striker could make himself a real cult hero with a big goal against the Bees tonight.

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



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

WhiteJC

 
Slavisa Jokanovic hails Fulham medical department for keeping side fresh during 20-game unbeaten streak

Fulham have suffered very little injuries in their 20-game unbeaten run and Jokanovic has credited his medical staff

Slavisa Jokanovic has hailed his medical department for the work they've done in keeping his players fit and ready over the 20-game unbeaten run.

Fulham have suffered from a remarkably low amount of injuries since starting their unbeaten run back in December, with key players like Tom Cairney, Kevin McDonald and Marcus Bettinelli all keeping fit throughout the past 20 games.

That has meant that Jokanovic has been able to play the same team, by and large, with a constant XI creating a stable environment that the players have thrived in, with the 1-0 victory over Reading the 20th unbeaten game in a row.

And ahead of today's tie with Brentford, the head coach has given credit this medical staff for the work they've done with the players.

He said: "Me and my staff, the medical department, we try to make our job - we are professional.

"It's not a question about be lucky or don't be lucky, it's a question about sometimes we need the luck, sometimes we need the quality too.

"Credit to the people around me, who prepare this team to be ready for the competition."



https://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/slavisa-jokanovic-hails-fulham-medical-14528514


WhiteJC

 
"It's a totally different game this year. Brentford won't beat us" – Fulham Fans' View

With the West London Derby approaching and with many Brentford and Fulham Fans disgusted at the £35 ticket price being charged by both sets of fans for this match – some so disgusted they will be making sure they buy no food or drink inside the ground in protest –  we put those thoughts aside for one minute to catch up with Fulham fan The Magic Mod to find out of he is getting nervous before todays match.

There's no denying Fulham have been on brilliant form as of late. What do you put that down to??
The Gaffer and the new players are gelling together.There is a real buzz about the place at the moment and teams hate coming here. The Cottage is a fortress again

When we spoke to you on the Beesotted show on Love Sport Radio (below), you admitted to being a bit nervous – after last season when you were certain you would get promoted but failed at the second-last hurdle against Reading, this season you must be praying you get that second place?
Totally different ball game this year. The team are so strong. I really believe this is it. Last year we were lucky to get there. No one expected it to happen. I really hope we nick second spot. We really deserve it.

You haven't beaten Brentford at Craven Cottage since 1990. Does that worry you at all?
That's mostly because we have not played you that many times (8 times to be precise. That's quite a lot of non-wins – Ed). We were busy in the Premier League for a while 😉

You said earlier on in the season, you struggle against the more direct teams. But if anyone wants to play you in football, you'll match them toe to toe. Didn't quite go to plan when we met in December. Do you have anything up your sleeve.
We though we would do something for charity so we gave you 3 points. Not gonna happen again

Now that Jota is off to Birmingham, there's no chance of him scoring in the last minute on Saturday again ... except he might do it against you on the final day of the season of course after you have spent three days walking up there.
No chance they are p!ss poor and I don't expect him to get a sniff at goal at all. Hopefully we will have sealed promotion by then. Which will be extra sweet as I'll have sore feet after walking from London to Birmingham with a load of Fulham fans to raise money for CALM charity.

You're a esteemed magician. Paul Weller and the late great Paul Daniels have given you major props. What tricks do you and your Fulham team think you'll be pulling out of the hat on Saturday then?
3 points a clean sheet and 3 goals. You have heard it here first mush

How do you think the game will pan out?
This season we have taken the p!ss out of teams and dominated.  On both half's all I'm gonna say is watch out – we have a few hot shots.

Up the Fulham

Score prediction
3-0 to the mighty Fulham



http://beesotted.com/fulham-fans-view/

WhiteJC

 
Familiar Faces: Fulham

A look at those who have played for both sides ahead of this afternoon's west London derby

Today's Fulham squad includes two players who have swapped red and white for black and white in west London.

David Button spent three years at Griffin Park as number one, making 141 appearances. The tall stopper played 45 games, keeping 20 clean sheets, during our 2013/14 promotion season. He followed that up with 49 appearances as Mark Warburton's side then reached the Sky Bet Championship Play-Off's the following year. During his final season with The Bees he added another 47 appearances before moving on to Fulham in July 2016. An injury late on in the season saw him lose the number one shirt just before last season's Play-Offs and he's made 21 appearances this campaign, the most recent coming in January.

Also returning to Griffin Park this afternoon is Ryan Fredericks. The pacy full-back spent two months on loan with The Bees in the autumn of 2012, making just four appearances. He returned to his parent club Tottenham Hotspur and spent further loan spells with Millwall and Middlesbrough before signing for Bristol City in the summer of 2015. Homesickness brought him back to London just 25 days later and he has been with Fulham ever since, notching up 107 appearances.

David and Ryan are just two of 98 players who have represented both sides. Among those famous names to have played for both include Jimmy Hill and Marcello Trotta. Hill spent his entire playing career with the two clubs, making more than 350 league appearances, before making his name post-retirement as an administrator, manager, broadcaster, and chairman. Despite playing just 69 times for The Bees, Trotta's legacy comes from his infamous penalty miss against Doncaster Rovers which denied Uwe Rosler's side automatic promotion. However, the Italian frontman returned the following season, scoring 14 goals, including the vital winner away at Leyton Orient, as automatic promotion was secured 12 months later. 



https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2018/april/familiar-faces-fulham/

WhiteJC

 
Dean Smith discusses the differences between Brentford and Fulham

Parachute payments and a strong academy have helped Fulham get into a position where they can challenge for promotion to the Premier League, according to Dean Smith.

The Whites have had the financial strength to resist interest in Tom Cairney and Ryan Sessegnon, while they have also been able to sign Aleksandar Mitrovic on loan from Newcastle.

Brentford, on the other hand, have had to rely on player sales, and subsequent investment, and the generosity of Matthew Benham to succeed in the second tier.

Smith said: "They've had parachute payments that have been able to fund moves to get the likes of Mitrovic in.

"We're very reliant on Matthew (Benham) to make investments into the football club to help us.

"They've got good players who have come through the system. They've got Ryan Sessegnon who has been fantastic this season.

"It's unfortunate for young Rico (Henry) as I saw him on a similar pathway to Ryan Sessegnon.

"Unfortunately he gets that injury at Middlesbrough which curtailed his season for us and halted his progression for the season."

Henry is on the road to recovery and Smith has previously said that he hopes to see him back in time for the start of next season.

The head coach added: "He's back working with the medical staff. He's on the road to recovery.

"Hopefully we have him back as soon as possible. We're hoping to have him back at the start of next season.

"We've had a right back or a centre back in that position. It shows the difference between the clubs at the moment."

It appears that Smith has preferred Clarke against pacey wingers and Barbet against more technical players but the head coach denied this.

He said: "I haven't looked at it that way. It's just the way I've seen them in training and in previous games has determined who I have selected for the next game."



https://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/dean-smith-discusses-differences-between-14529401


WhiteJC

 
The Sean Davis Column

The momentum and the confidence that we've got at the moment is fantastic. Seeing Cardiff miss two penalties in the last minute against Wolves last Friday probably just gave us that little push going into Sheffield Wednesday, and we did what we had to do. We won that one and the next match against Reading, which put the pressure on Cardiff, and now we find ourselves in a great spot, so let's see how they react.

This is where confidence plays a big factor. Our players are going into matches knowing how difficult they are to beat, they all work hard, they're all on the same page, and we're grinding out results. At this stage of the season it doesn't matter how you play, it's just about getting across the line. When you are getting clean sheets it builds confidence because you know at the other end you've got people who are going to put the ball in the back of the net. Four clean sheets in a row is excellent. Special praise should go to the goalkeeper and the defenders for that, but everyone puts a shift in. Aleksandar Mitrović puts himself about up top, so the defending begins from the front, and continues all the way down.

That Reading win made it 20 games unbeaten, and it's fantastic to go that long without defeat. We didn't even manage that when we won the league 17 years ago, so everyone at the Club should be proud of creating a new record. It's testament to, not only the first XI, but the whole squad, Slaviša and his coaching staff, the medical staff, everyone. So credit to the players, but let's not forget about those behind the scenes.


We're riding that crest of the wave and, while I know it's a big ask, if we win the next four matches I'm pretty sure we'll end up back where we belong, in the Premier League. We are certainly capable of doing that. Cardiff have had blips this season and bounced back, and Neil Warnock has that formula of getting out of this league, so we can't take anything for granted. We have to go into every game with the same mentality that we've had of late, and we'll see where that takes us.

Brentford are going to be desperate to be the side that ends our unbeaten run, but anyone who faces Fulham is going to want to be the ones to do that. On top of that, Brentford have got an outside chance of making the Play-Offs. I'm looking forward to a cracking game on Saturday. It's a 5.30 kick-off so fans are going to be in good voice by that point. The fixtures at 12.30 feel a bit early for me and I think people don't get in the mood as much as they might when it's a bit later in the day.

The Cottage has been rocking this year, and the fans have got a massive part to play between now and the end of the season. The atmosphere recently has been buzzing, and quite often you can't hear what your mate next to you is saying, it's that loud.

Cardiff are playing at 3 o'clock so we're going to have an extra motivation ahead of our game as we're either going to want the win to move back above them, or the win to put further daylight between us. We could have a four point cushion come 7.30 Saturday night, so fingers crossed that's the case.


Finally, I want to pay tribute to Ray Wilkins. His death was very, very sad news. Ray came in as First Team Manager with a guy called Frank Sibley in 1997. He'd always come to the youth games and give us advice. He was so friendly, he'd sometimes join in training with us and you could see he still had the ability. All in all, a great man who I learnt a lot from, especially as we played in the same position. He always had words of wisdom for us, and my heart goes out to his family and close friends.

He loved football and he always had a lot of time for us kids in the youth team. He could have easily not got that involved but he always went above and beyond for us. Ray was very good with the constructive criticism. He'd say, "that was good what you did, but how about trying it this way?" He was a great coach, someone I learnt a lot from, but an even greater man.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/april/12/the-sean-davis-column

WhiteJC

 
Fulham to battle Premier League strugglers for impressive Championship defender

Championship promotion hopefuls Fulham are hoping to sign Preston North End defender Greg Cunningham, according to a report by HITC Sport.

The impressive defender has been one of the standout performers for the Lancashire club over the past few seasons, and has caught the eye of Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic. However, the Cottagers will face competition for Cunningham, with West Brom also interested in landing the former Manchester City man.

The 27-year-old made the move to Deepdale back in 2015, and has established himself as a key performer for the club after establishing himself in the second tier and below with former club Bristol City.

His showings this season have not gone unnoticed once again, as Preston have made an unlikely challenge for a playoff spot under manager Alex Neil, and this has seemingly drawn admiring glances from those watching on, with both Fulham and the Baggies keen.

Cunningham will have as big decision to make on his future. Fulham could potentially swap places with West Brom in terms of league, but Cunningham will also know he has regular first team football at the moment, something which he might well be keen not to jeopardise.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-to-battle-premier-league-strugglers-for-impressive-championship-defender/

WhiteJC

 
Sess Up For PFA Young Player of the Year

Ryan Sessegnon has been nominated for the prestigious PFA Young Player of the Year award.

The 17-year-old has made history by becoming the first player on record outside of the top flight to have been nominated for the accolade.

Recent winners include current holder Dele Alli, Harry Kane, Eden Hazard and Gareth Bale, while the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Scott Parker, Steven Gerrard and David Beckham have also taken the trophy home.

The nomination is nothing new for Sess who was a double winner at the London Football Awards earlier in the year, and is up for a plethora of accolades at this Sunday's EFL Awards ceremony.

The PFA Awards will take place at Grosvenor House on Sunday 22nd April.

PFA Chief Executive, Gordon Taylor OBE, said: "The PFA Awards is always a special occasion and one of the biggest nights in football's social calendar.

"For the winners who are honoured at the awards, there can be no greater personal accolade than that of being recognised by your peers; an honour to be cherished."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/april/14/ryan-sessegnon-nominated-for-pfa-young-player-of-the-year


WhiteJC

 
Fulham youngster Ryan Sessegnon included on PFA Young Player of the Year shortlist

Fulham youngster Ryan Sessegnon has been included on PFA Young Player of the Year shortlist.

The six contenders are Ederson, Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Sessegnon, Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling.

The inclusion of Sessegnon is something of a shock, with the 17-year-old playing in the Championship.

He's enjoyed a superb campaign for the Cottagers, scoring 14 goals in 38 appearances to help the West London club into the automatic promotion places. There has even been talk of him being included in the England squad for the World Cup, despite him never having played in the Premier League.


Sessegnon won the Young Player of the Year and EFL Player of the Year trophies at the London Football Awards earlier this year (Getty)



http://metro.co.uk/2018/04/14/fulham-youngster-ryan-sessegnon-included-pfa-young-player-year-shortlist-7466995/

WhiteJC

 
Fulham's 17-year-old sensation Ryan Sessegnon shortlisted for PFA Young Player of the Year alongside Man City duo Raheem Sterling, Leroy Sane and Harry Kane... who is 25 in July!

Ryan Sessegnon is the shock name on a shortlist of six to win the PFA Young Player of the Year Award, despite playing in the Championship for Fulham.

The 17-year-old has enjoyed a stunning season at Craven Cottage which could still end with the west London outfit earning promotion to the Premier League.

The left-back's name appears among Manchester City duo Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane who are the leading candidates to claim the award.


Ryan Sessegnon has emerged as a shock contender to win PFA Young Player of the Year

   
Manchester City duo Rahem Sterling and Leroy Sane are among the favourites to win the prize


City keeper Ederson is also on the shortlist following an impressive first season at the Etihad Stadium, with Manchester United's Marcus Rashford and Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane completing the top six.

Kane just scrapes in as a young player as the age cut-off point required players to be 23 on July 1. Kane's 24th birthday was just 27 days later.

Sessegnon is a product of Fulham's youth academy and has attracted attention from Premier League clubs since making his debut for the Cottagers last term.


Despite being 25 in July, Harry Kane is named on the Young Player of the Year shortlist

This season the England Under 21 international has merged as a key player for Slavisa Jokanovic's side, scoring 14 goals in 42 league games and adding six assists in the process.

Sessegnon's chances of winning appear slim however with City team-mates Sterling and Sane set to go head-to-head for the award which has been won by Tottenham Hotspur's Dele Alli for the past two seasons.

The senior award also features Kane and Sane on the shortlist that is led by Mohamed Salah and Kevin de Bruyne.


Kevin d Bruyne voted for Mohamed Salah for the main award, which he is favourite to win

David De Gea and David Silva complete the six players looking to claim the men's senior prize.

Players across the top four divisions vote for their player of the year via ballot forms that are delivered to training grounds across the country by the PFA.

Among the rules is that they cannot vote for a player that is at the same club. After deciding on their winners, players sign, fold and give their envelope to a PFA representative.

The 45th PFA Awards to be held in the Grosvenor House in London on Sunday April 22. Here is a lowdown on the six candidates hoping to land the Young Player of the Year award prize...


Harry Kane is hoping to win the PFA Young Player of the Year award for a second time

HARRY KANE (Tottenham)

At the age of 24, Kane remains eligible for both awards three years after he was named young player of the year.

Did you know? After his traditional scoreless August, Kane scored 13 goals in eight games for Spurs and England in September.


Ederson has been a major hit at Manchester City since arriving in the summer from Benfica
EDERSON (Manchester City)

After a difficult season for Claudio Bravo last time around, the Brazil international has solved Guardiola's goalkeeping worries after his summer arrival from Benfica.

Did you know? If successful, Ederson would become the first Brazilian to win any of the PFA awards other than Merit award, won by Pele in 1996.


Marcus Rashford is hoping to become the first Manchester United player to win in 11 years
MARCUS RASHFORD (Manchester United)

The 20-year-old England forward has continued to impress when called upon this term, scoring six Premier League goals including two in last month's 2-1 victory over Liverpool.

Did you know? If victorious, Rashford would become the first Manchester United player to win this accolade since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2007.


Leroy Sane has proved crucial in Manchester City's attack as thy cruise towards the league title
LEROY SANE (Manchester City)

Sane scored six goals in City's top-flight record 18-match winning run from August to December and has continued to impress.

Did you know? Sane has been nominated for this award in both of his first two years in England.


Despite playing in the Championship, Ryan Sessegnon has won admirers across the game
RYAN SESSEGNON (Fulham)

The full-back has kicked on from his involvement in England's victorious European Under-19 Championship squad to score 14 goals so far in Fulham's promotion push.

Did you know? Sessegnon is the first player on record outside of the top flight to be nominated for this award.


Raheem Sterling's improvement under Pep Guardiola has made him narrow favourite to win
RAHEEM STERLING (Manchester City)

The England forward established his importance with three late winners during City's record winning run and is a firm favourite of Guardiola.

Did you know? Sterling ranks joint fourth alongside Leicester striker Jamie Vardy in this season's Premier League scoring charts.




Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5615539/Fulhams-Ryan-Sessegnon-shortlisted-PFA-Young-Player-Year.html#ixzz5CeRzeSwq
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Pay On The Gate

Tickets are still available for today's London derby against Brentford at 5:30pm.

With limited availability across certain areas of the ground, secure your ticket in advance now. Cash sales will be available from the Putney End turnstiles.

Matchday prices start from £15 juniors and £40 adults, and are available online, by telephone on 0203 871 0810 (opt 2) or in person from the Fulham Ticket Office.

See you at the Cottage - COYW!

Buy online

All tickets are subject to availability. Terms & Conditions and booking fees apply



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/april/14/pay-on-the-gate


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Fulham wonderkid Ryan Sessegnon makes history as he's shortlisted for PFA Young Player of the Year award

The 17-year-old has 14 goals this season and is the first player on record outside the top flight to make the shortlist

Ryan Sessegnon has made history by becoming the first player outside the top tier to be nominated for PFA Young Player of the Year award.

The 17-year-old Fulham man has been named alongside the likes of Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane, Manchester City's Ederson. Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling and Manchester United's Marcus Rashford.

Sessegnon, who has scored 14 goals for the Whites, has already won a double gone at the London Football Awards and is up for a number more at the EFL Awards later this month.

It's been a fantastic season for the wonderkid, who is Fulham's top scorer this season and has gone from strength to strength under the guidance of Slavisa Jovanovic.

The awards take place at Grosvenor House on April 22.

Meanwhile, Mo Salah, Kevin De Bruyne, Sane, David Silva, Kane and David De Gea are up for the PFA Player of the Year award.



https://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-wonderkid-ryan-sessegnon-makes-14530819

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Three Players to Watch: Matchday 43 vs. Brentford
Are Fulham seriously going to gain automatic promotion?

This is a complete fairytale! There's no other way to describe it. While Fulham has not lost in 20 games, everyone else in the league has crumbled enough to surpass them. Most recently, Cardiff may have had two of the toughest back-to-back fixtures in the whole Championship with Wolves at home and Aston Villa away. But to come away with no points in any of those two games was enough for Fulham to pass them on the table. Now Cardiff still has a game in hand, but that's not an easy one either as it will be against a Derby County side needing every point they need to confirm a spot in the playoffs. Meanwhile, Fulham has to take full advantage of their position, but it will not be easy whatsoever.

But before we look ahead, let's recap how they have continued their ludicrous unbeaten run. Just like last weekend, Fulham was able to handle Reading quite comfortably despite a 1-0 scoreline. With complete revenge on their mind, Slavisa Jokanovic's squad never gave their former playoff foes any chance to have the ball for long periods of the game and they were only able to create two shots all game! Even with Fulham creating just 14 shots of their own, the quality was oozing out of every one of them with 0.135 expected goals per shot according to Ben Mayhew of experimental361.

As a result, the club has now shut out the opposition in four straight games and have generated enough attack where they are actually due to have a field day in any one of their upcoming fixtures. I mean, when was the last time Fulham were ever this good in defense. However fun pounding middling Championship teams to submission was, they will have to keep those performances up against some of the better clubs in the league. Whether Fulhams disagree with this statement or not, Brentford is one of them as they sit just four points out of the top six.

As mentioned before Fulham faced them last time, the Bees had the underlying numbers to show that they have what it takes to be one of the best clubs in the league. However, their finishing was so poor that it made them struggle to maintain even midtable status. But since their win over Fulham in the reverse fixture, Brentford have picked up 12 wins and four draws in 22 games: which is good enough for an 84-point pace if their form were to take place throughout the entire league campaign. Sure, Fulham fans can ignore such a fact considering they have not lost in 20 games themselves. All I'm saying is that Brentford is no longer underachieving and have shown to do things a tad better than Fulham with their style of play when they are at their best.

Even through 42 fixtures, Brentford is still top of the league with 17.5 total shots per 90 minutes and with 13.4 chances created per 90 minutes. Unlike Fulham, Brentford also incorporates the long ball to full effect thanks to a third best 35.7 of that type of pass per 90 minutes as well as a strong 48.5% completion rate. They are also second in the league in dribbling at 12.4 events per fixture, but most of that comes from the well-rounded mastermind that is Ollie Watkins.

Since we've already written about him last time, you kind of already know about him. Let's go ahead and look at the key contributors to Brentford's season and who may be the cause to spoil Fulham's hopes and dreams if tonight comes to it.

John Egan

First up is Brentford's captain and a two-time capped Ireland International. Things haven't been easy for Evans after signing a youth contract with Sunderland. The now 25-year old never got a run with his boyhood club and was sent on loan four times before signing a permanent contract with League One side Gillingham. After making a strong impression in his two seasons at Prestfield Stadium, Egan signed with Brentford on a three-year contract.

Rather than being aggressive in the tackle, he tends to prefer a more conservative approach in preventing the opposition from scoring. But Egan certainly knows what he needs to do with the ball at his feet and will make the most of his 6'2" frame to claim what is airborne. If anything else, he is the ball playing center back that will know how to advance it towards midfield and attack, so Fulham will have to shut him down for them to contain Brentford's goal-scoring prowess as a whole.

Ryan Woods

Next up is another of Brentford's long ball merchants in Woods. With 204 of those types of passes, no other Brentford outfield player has more. Beyond that though, Woods doesn't offer that much by way of attack or defense and he isn't even one of Brentford's most trusted takers in corner kicks. However, that one skill by Woods is enough to have given him the "special one Pirlo" nickname at his previous club at Shrewsbury Town. With such a moniker, it is quite clear that Fulham can not afford to give him any time and space for him to pick them apart.

Before joining Griffin Park, Woods helped his first professional club climb their way towards League One status and was awarded as a member of the PFA League Two team of the year in 2015. His talents were recognized by Brentford and their analytically-inclined boardroom and were able to sign him on a three-year contract the season afterward. Woods' talents did not go unnoticed as he was nominated as Brentford's players' player of the year last campaign. At 24, there is still plenty more awards and accolades to be won in the near future.

Romaine Sawyers
All data from whoscored.com

Lastly, we go to Brentford's closest answer to Tom Cairney in Romaine Sawyers. Like Cairney, the Saint Kitts and Nevis International like to sit in the center of Brentford's attacking midfield whenever they play a 4-2-3-1 formation. Unlike Cairney, he is only second to that man Watkins with 70 chances created. However, Sawyers doesn't provide much else in attack as he only averages 1.07 dribbles per 90 minutes and is only to get his shot on target 21.7% of the time. That being said, he is among the best in the Championship with through-ball passes, so that is a wrinkle that Fulham must pay attention to.

Like Egan, Sawyers needed to leave his first professional club that wanted to continue Premier League aspirations in order to make a name for himself. It took him to playing for League One Walsall to do so before joining manager Dean Smith at the hip and signed for Brentford. This all came after the 26-year old started his career in West Bromwich Albion's academy.



https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2018/4/14/17237584/three-players-to-watch-matchday-43-vs-brentford