Sunday Fulham Stuff (12/08/18)...

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Results

Friday
Man Utd	2 - 1	Leicester
Saturay
Newcastle	1 - 2	Spurs
Bournemouth	2 - 0	Cardiff
Fulham	0 - 2	Crystal Palace
Huddersfield	0 - 3	Chelsea
Watford	2 - 0	Brighton
Wolves	2 - 2	Everton

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Fulham 0-2 Crystal Palace

Fulham's final Premier League match before suffering relegation in 2014 was a 2-2 home draw with Palace

Fulham began their return to the Premier League with a home defeat by Crystal Palace, who matched the new arrivals' adventurous display with a smart and clinical away performance.

At the end of a half defined by Fulham's failure to make more from slick passing and movement in attack, Patrick van Aanholt found Jeffrey Schlupp, who smashed home from inside the box amid slack marking from Calum Chambers.

Aleksandar Mitrovic had twice been denied by smart Wayne Hennessey stops, with Cyrus Christie also turned away from range, as seven new faces in the Fulham line-up showed few signs of failing to gel.

But Slavisa Jokanovic's side, whose squad has been boosted by 12 new signings, were kept at arm's length as Palace defended strongly and threatened on the break.

It was a pattern that grew in emphasis in the second half, despite Fulham having a big penalty claim turned down when Andre Schurrle went down under a Mamadou Sakho challenge in the box.

Just moments later, Wilfried Zaha should have doubled the lead but his low shot inside the box was diverted behind by Fabri's legs.

But the Ivory Coast forward finally did seal the win with 11 minutes to play when coolly finishing under the Spanish goalkeeper after latching on to Aaron Wan-Bissaka's through ball.

Fulham - who drew 2-2 with Palace in their previous top-flight fixture in May 2014 - may feel the result does not tell the whole story of the match; they had 66.3% possession and mustered 14 shots at goal.

However, it was Palace who emerged with greater reward from their share of the ball, from which they conjured nine shots on target, including two very well-taken goals.

New-look Fulham start brightly but fade
Five deadline-day signings on Thursday brought Fulham's total summer spend over the £100m mark - no promoted club has spent more before taking on English football's top flight.

Only Chelsea and Liverpool invested more, and the calibre of the signings the Cottagers made will have raised expectations beyond a 17th-placed finish.

On the surface at least, the west London club has strengthened in every position, and clearly the ambition is to continue the attractive style that brought them up as Championship play-off winners in May.

They started very brightly - for much of the first half you wondered whether Palace would be able to hang on - but after Schlupp's goal the zip and momentum that marked the game's early stages seemed to dim slightly.

Of the new signings, Jean Michael Seri was Fulham's outstanding performer, dogged and stylish in midfield, but even the 27-year-old Ivorian, who was strongly linked to Barcelona last year, could not halt Palace's growing influence on the match in the second half.

New year, new start, old Palace
Last season Palace began their campaign with a run of seven consecutive defeats in which they failed to score a single goal.

It was on 14 October 2017 when they finally found the net and won a game, beating Chelsea 2-1 at home under Roy Hodgson, his fourth match in charge following the sacking of Frank de Boer.

On Friday, Palace and Hodgson added an extra year to his contract, which now runs until 2020 - the reward for a strong end to the season that saw Palace climb the table and finish 11th.

Coming away from Craven Cottage with a valuable win earned through hard work and concentration in defiance of an exciting attacking line-up, Hodgson's team carried on here like they left off in May.

There were nervy moments - the decision not to punish Sakho for his slide on Schurrle most obviously, and Hennessey made several important saves - but Palace ultimately deserved victory, not only for the quality of their defensive performance but for their slick and sharp counter attacking, too.

By comparison with Fulham, a modest number of four new faces arrived at Selhurst Park this summer - two of which were absent from the squad - Jordan Ayew and Max Meyer.

Ex-West Ham midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate came on for his debut late on, with the three points already won, while goalkeeper Vicente Guaita, an observer from the bench, will have no chance of replacing Hennessey anytime soon on this form.

Man of the match - Wayne Hennessey


Hennessey made six saves in total - perhaps the most stylish coming late on to keep out a Ryan Sessegnon header

A first for Schlupp - the stats
    This was only the third time in 10 Premier League campaigns that Palace won their opening match, with all of those victories coming away from home
    This was Fulham's first league defeat at Craven Cottage since October 2017 (0-2 v Bristol City), ending a run of 15 without loss at home (W12 D3)
    Fulham have won just 25 of their 119 Premier League London derbies (21%), the lowest win rate in such matches in the competition
    Wilfried Zaha's strike was his 23rd in the Premier League for Palace - no player has scored more for the club in the competition (level with Chris Armstrong)
    Jeffrey Schlupp scored his first Premier League goal for Crystal Palace, and first in the competition in 1043 days - since netting for Leicester against Norwich in October 2015
    Patrick van Aanholt has had a hand in five goals in his last four Premier League games for Crystal Palace (three goals, two assists)-

'We must stick together' - what they said
Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic told BBC Sport: "It was a shame because we wanted to start the season with a good result. We showed some positives and negatives. We showed we can be brave and can move the ball, but we must stick together and keep going.

"Maybe it was a penalty or not, but we cannot complain about that, and they showed their quality in the second half. We have to trust ourselves and work hard, and we know we can play better than today.

"I used two players who have only been with us a few days and I need more time. Now we are going to have all week in front of us to work hard and not look behind.

"The Premier League is more power, more speed and more quality, and we must adapt. We followed the game plan and created some half chances but we didn't show enough quality in the opposition box and their goalkeeper made some saves."

Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson told BBC Sport: "I thought we were much better in the second half. I thought Fulham played well in the first period and caused us problems, but our goalkeeper made some good saves.

"We had better control in the second half and it was difficult for them to come back into it. We showed the quality we are capable of in the second half.

"Vicente Guaita has been excellent for us in pre-season and, quite frankly, it was a toss of the coin between him and Wayne Hennessey. I would have been equally confident had Vicente played but Wayne Henessesy played well last season and there was no reason for him to surrender his shirt."

'Fulham have to play quicker'
BBC Match of the Day pundit Ian Wright

Fulham started really well. They closed down Wilfried Zaha and didn't give him much space.

But the opportunities they had were few and far between.

They've got to get the ball into Aleksandar Mitrovic quicker. They're going to have to play a lot quicker or get the ball into him quicker.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45067373

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Head Coach Reaction

Slaviša Jokanović is remaining upbeat despite Fulham's opening day defeat to Crystal Palace.

In an even encounter, a more clinical edge shown by the visitors earned them the spoils in a 2-0 win, but our Head Coach saw enough cause for optimism.

"We wanted to start the competition with a positive result," he said. "We showed some positive things, and some negative things.

"It's the first time we've tested ourselves at this level - we found more power, speed and quality, and we must adapt ourselves fast.

"I can't fault my players. They put everything into it. We created some chances. Crystal Palace's keeper made a few great saves."

He continued: "We followed our style and moved the ball. On the defensive side, we found it hard to stop [Wilfried] Zaha and [Christian] Benteke, who showed quality.

"Palace know this level better than us. We competed well and didn't change our philosophy. Generally, I'm happy we followed the plan, but they punished us with speed, power and quality.

"For the first goal, [Jeffrey] Schlupp turned really quickly and smashed it in. For the second goal, we made a few mistakes and they finished the action and killed the game.

"At this level, you normally pay an expensive price for mistakes. We're in a process of working and learning, and I'm sure we'll be better during the weeks in front of us.

"It's a fantastic afternoon. We can't start crying after the first day. Premier League is back at Craven Cottage after four years.

"The atmosphere was fantastic. Our crowd pushed us, like always. It's a shame that we can't make them completely satisfied, but the fans know it's not going to be easy. We're ready for the challenge. We're ready for the fight."

Joe Bryan was one of seven debutants, but exited the action early after taking a knock.

"He has an ankle problem," Jokanović revealed. "He couldn't finish the game. I can't give you much more information.

"Today, I used Joe, who has been with us for only day – [Luciano] Vietto too. I take all the responsibility.

"I know it's tough and complicated for the players. Bryan did a great job for us and will be a great addition to the team."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/august/11/head-coach-reaction-palace

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Fulham 0-2 Crystal Palace player ratings: Mitrovic and Seri impress as Cottagers lose

Slavisa Jokanovic's side were given a lesson in the Premier League on the first game week against Palace

Fulham got a taught an early lesson in the Premier League as they lost 2-0 to Crystal Palace.

The Cottagers dominated the early stages of the tie and had a number of solid chances, with Aleksandar Mitrovic looking like he had got off to a great start, but Wayne Hennessey was equal to the effort.

However, Crystal Palace responded, hitting the bar through Christian Benteke after he won the ball in the air just before the half hour mark.

And it was the visitors that took the lead despite Fuham having more of the chances when Schlupp turned his man and smashed it into the roof of the net from a tight angle.

The second half was far tighter with less chances, but Zaha will feel he should've scored when he was one on one with Fabri, but the Fulham keeper pulled off a stunning save.

But it was that man Zaha who made it two when Aaron Wan-Bissaka beat Sessegnon in the middle, playing in Zaha who slotted under an out rushing Fabri.

Here's how we rated the side:

Fabri: 6

Decent performance from Fabri. His kicking was a bit off once again but he made a good save to deny Benteke. Great save to deny Zaha in the second half. Not sure why he wanted to come out of goal so much to try and play sweeper keeper.

Cyrus Christie: 6

Had a really good start to life in the Premier League with his forays down the right flank causing the opposition problems. Saw lots of the ball but didn't do too much in the way of creating chances.

Maxime Le Marchand: 6

Settled into the central defence spot well and put in a few good chances over the course of the first half.

Calum Chambers: 6

Did decent but should've done better with Schlupp for the Palace goal. Looked fairly solid in the heart of defence alongside Le Marchand.

Joe Bryan: 6

Made the step up from the Championship to the Premier League look almost seamless. Had a decent game and made some solid challenges.

Kevin McDonald: 7

Showed what he was all about with a commanding performance in the anchor role for Fulham, cutting up Palace attacks.


Kevin McDonald is challenged by Christian Benteke during the Premier League match between Fulham and Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage on August 11, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Christopher Lee/Getty Images)

Tom Cairney: 7

Picked up where he left off last season and dictated Fulham's play, getting on the ball and picking out the passes.

Jean-Michael Seri: 7

Was brilliant in the middle of the park and linked the defence to the attack well. Continued that into the second half - if he carries this on he has the potential to be a brilliant player.

Ryan Sessegnon: 6

Adjusted to the Premier League well and cause the right back problems. His reading of the game was his best asset once more.

Andre Schurrle: 6

Got on the ball early and looked to get Fulham moving down the right flank. Had a decent game in his debut but was replaced on the hour mark.

Aleksandar Mitrovic: 7

Started the game really well with his presence causing Palace all sorts of problems up top. Continued to do so throughout the game and will feel he should've got a goal for his performance.
Subs -

Aboubakar Kamara (60'): 5

Put himself about physically without ever really doing much to the Palace right back.

Luciano Vietto (71'): 5

Showed some nice touches in his substitute appearance for his new side.

Stefan Johansen (81'): 5

Had no time to make a mark on proceedings.



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/fulham-0-2-crystal-palace-15017609

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Premier League: Big-spending Fulham fall to opening defeat to Crystal Palace

Premier League, Craven Cottage - Fulham 0 Crystal Palace 2 (Schlupp 41, Zaha 80)

Fulham's Premier League return failed to go to plan as they lost 2-0 at home to Crystal Palace, with Jeffrey Schlupp and Wilfried Zaha on target.

Schlupp struck against the run of play in the 41st minute with a fierce shot from a tight angle and Zaha sealed the win in the closing stages when he rounded Fulham goalkeeper Fabri and slotted the ball into an empty net.

Palace goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey made a string of good saves in the first half, twice denying Aleksandar Mitrovic after he had also kept out a long-range shot from right back Cyrus Christie.

The visitors had the upper hand after the break and although Zaha saw his close-range volley kept out by Fabri on the hour, the livewire forward made no mistake in the 79th minute after a defence-splitting pass by Aaron-Wan Bissaka.



https://www.eurosport.co.uk/football/premier-league/2018-2019/_sto6884472/story.shtml

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Fulham 0-2 Crystal Palace REPORT: Jeffrey Schlupp and Wilfried Zaha spoil Slavisa Jokanovic's party

Follow all the action from Craven Cottage, here. Kick-off time: 3pm

Jeffrey Schlupp and Wilfried Zaha dashed Fulham's hopes of a winning return to the Premier League.

The Cottagers were by far the better side for the first half-hour and were still on top when Schlupp struck shortly before the break.

Patrick van Aanholt exchanged passes with Andros Townsend before slipping in the Dutchman.

And after turning Fulham new boy Callum Chambers, on loan from Arsenal, he slammed his effort into the roof of the net.

It was harsh on the home side, who continued to be the better team after the interval as well.

But they found Crystal Palace keeper Wayne Hennessey in fine form with the Welshman making three good saves from Aleksandar Mitrovic.

To rub salt into Fulham's Schlupp-sized wound, referee Mike Dean turned down what looked to be a stonewall penalty appeal from Andre Schurrle after he went down under a challenge from Momadou Sakho.

And when Aaron Wan-Bissaka then released Zaha, the Ivorian held off Maxime Le Marchand and slotted the ball under Fulham keeper Fabri.

Former Chelsea star Schurrle, on loan from Borussia Dortmund, looked lively on his debut for the home team, as did Jean Michael Seri, signed from Nice, and Mitrovic, who completed a permanent deal in the summer after spending last season on loan in west London.

There were promising signs for Slavisa Jokanovic but Roy Hodgson's Palace showed their experience at this level with some clinical finishing to punish the play-off winners.



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/match-reports/fulham-crystal-palace-match-report-13063071

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Fulham 0-2 Crystal Palace: Wilfried Zaha and Jeffrey Schlupp give hosts reality check on Premier League return as Eagles soar in opening day London derby

    On his 100th Premier League appearance, Jeffrey Schlupp gave Crystal Palace the lead just before half-time
    Counter attacking was the order of the day for Palace and Wilfried Zaha added a second in the second half
    Fulham gave debuts to a host of new arrivals including Andre Schurrle, Jean Michael Seri and Joe Bryan 

Really, who better to extinguish the giddy thrill of a £100million spending spree than Roy Hodgson, 71 years young and celebrating a new contract at Crystal Palace?

Hodgson has seen it all before many times over, and as hype reaches new levels in modern football the wise old owl retains an appreciation of the value of a stability and the chemistry of a settled side.

So, as Fulham returned to the Premier League with a dozen new recruits and many onlookers quick to hail their shrewd business in the transfer window, Palace made the short journey north with last year's side and won.

It was mid-October before they won a game in the Premier League last season, having made a dreadful mess of a new dawn under Frank de Boer.

Here, there was something to cheer on the opening day with goals from Jeffrey Schlupp and Wilfried Zaha as Hodgson delivered a sobering reality check for his former club.

'It means a lot,' said the Palace boss. 'Given that dreadful run with seven games, no points or goals and a minus 18 goal difference, to win a game. We already have that now so we're happy.'

Fulham under Slavisa Jokanovic are committed to their brand of fluent, attacking football and will be better when their array of new recruits start to gel, but they will find the environment is unforgiving in the Premier League.


Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney led the inquest as the hosts were left exasperated at the defeat having started so positively


Summer signing Jean Michael Seri started impressively as he looked to dictate the tempo of the London derby in midfield


Ryan Sessegnon, a stand-out performer in the club's promotion last season, looked sharp as he worked tirelessly on the left

The home side opened brightly, roared on by a vibrant crowd by the Thames, pleased to be back in the top flight after a four-year absence.

They started with six of his summer signings plus Aleksandar Mitrovic who scored 12 in 20 during a loan spell from Newcastle which helped clinch promotion.

Fulham started at a strong tempo and dominated the first 30 minutes although emerged with nothing to show as Wayne Hennessey stood firm in the Palace goal and kept out efforts from Cyrus Christie and Mitrovic.

Hennessey made more fine saves in the second half and kept his best for stoppage time at the end of the game when he beat away a header from Ryan Sessegnon.

The home crowd were aggrieved not to be awarded a penalty at one down when Andre Schurrle beat Mamadou Sakho to a ball inside the penalty area. Sakho slid in and challenged recklessly, but referee Mike Dean waved away appeals from the Fulham players.


It proved a feisty afternoon at Craven Cottage with Zaha subjected to a heavy-handed approach executed by Fulham


Aleksandar Mitrovic made his loan move permanent this summer and he looked to start the season with a goal from range

'From my position, yes,' said Jokanovic when asked if he thought it was a penalty. 'But the referee's position was better. If he says no, it's no.

'I don't complain about this kind of situation. I trust him to make the right decision. I was 60 yards from this decision. He was six.'

Palace drew the sting from their hosts before finding a better rhythm and advancing with more purpose as half-time approached.

Fulham keeper Fabri tipped a header from Christian Benteke onto the bar but could not stop the opener four minutes before the interval.

Schlupp sped onto a pass from Patrick van Aanholt and accelerated away from Calum Chambers before slamming a shot high into the net.

Van Aanholt had a goal correctly ruled out for offside, and unleashed another fierce effort into the goalkeeper's chest, early in a more even second half.


Callum Chambers, who joined on loan from Arsenal, made his debut but struggled with the pace of Palace's counter-attack

'We didn't start the game well,' said Hodgson. 'That was largely due to Fulham. They won the ball quickly, were sharp and quick into tackles, making it difficult to play the ball through midfield, but we got better and better. Scoring a goal helps to put a team on the back foot and, second half, we were much better.'

Zaha missed a chance on the volley which Fabri saved with his feet but secured the points on the counter-attack with a goal created by young full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

Wan-Bissaka, 20, had spent most of the game nullifying the threat of teenager Sessegnon but broke out of defence on a powerful run.

He was felled by Mitrovic on half-way but climbed to his feet and slipped a pass into Zaha who skipped around the goalkeeper and rolled the ball into an empty net.

'It's a tough job ahead of us,' said Jokanovic. 'Not just for Fulham, but all the Premier League teams. So we must be optimists and trust in ourselves. We showed we can be brave, but were a bit shy in the end. We had 15 shots to Palace's 10. We did some interesting things in the game, too.'



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6050307/Fulham-0-2-Crystal-Palace-Zaha-Schlupp-hosts-reality-check-Premier-League-return.html

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Crystal Palace spoil Fulham's party as Premier League veterans shred Cottagers on the counter

Fulham 0-2 Crystal Palace: Schlupp and Zaha scored in each half to deflate the Cottagers

Welcome to the Premier League. There has been £150m spent, a number of high-profile acquisitions and much confidence around Fulham in pre-season but that didn't translate to points or goals as Crystal Palace came to town and ruined their opening-day party in a Premier League clash that was full of intrigue, a clash of styles and, ultimately, a warning to Fulham that this is how tough the top flight can be.

Blistering counter-attack goals from Jeffrey Schlupp and Wilfried Zaha in either half were the difference on the scoresheet after a game between two sides with far more differences than that.

There was a buzz of anticipation around Putney; the throngs of riverside drinkers contemplating the season ahead and the families walking through Bishop's Park to the stadium whose children, dressed in the latest Fulham shirt, of course, could barely remember the last time this team was playing in the top flight. It was only 2014 but even since then the Premier League has evolved and kicked on, certainly in financial terms, and if you didn't know that there was a real sense of expectancy around their return already then the matchday playlist inside Craven Cottage betrayed their excitement: 'This is it', 'The time is now' and 'Baby I'm ready to go' blaring out over the PA system before kick-off.


It was a clash of styles as Fulham hosted Palace (Getty Images)

Coming up against a team with six new faces in the starting XI and a further three on the bench, Palace might have thought they could catch the Premier League newcomers a little off-guard but the first half saw the Cottagers hit the ground running, showing a continuation of the slick passing football that saw them swagger out of the Championship to get here in the first place.

Newly-furnished with a raft of a exciting new signings, it was to Slavisa Jokanovic's credit that his side looked comfortable at this level and not at all like the rabble of strangers you might have feared. If the hosts were the passers then Palace were the dribblers, a team built to counter-attack and one who do so with regularity and peril.

Roy Hodgson's side looked at their best last season when they were shredding teams on the break and that was how they eventually would go in front during a first period where Fulham had most of the ball and a significant territorial advantage.

Because for all Fulham's strengths, their midfield was utterly incapable of dealing with Palace's rampaging marauders as their own play broke down and the game became transitional. Zaha and Patrick Van Aanholt raided down the left, Townsend and Aaron Wan-Bissaka down the right, with Christian Benteke causing all sorts of problems through the middle.

For the first goal it was Townsend and Van Aanholt who were afforded too much time and the Dutchman slid Schlupp into the inside-left channel where he won the physical battle against Calum Chambers and thumped home into the roof of the net.

Palace going ahead only further cemented the pattern of the match as one where Fulham would dominate possession in an effort to carve out an opportunity and then the visitors would try to kill off the game on the counter, as they eventually did through Zaha.

Townsend and Zaha exchanged passes in their own half before passing to Benteke, who switched play for the impressive Wan-Bissaka. The 20-year-old full-back survived a punchy tackle from Aleksandar Mitrovic, cut inside another man and surged at the Fulham back line before weighting a perfect pass for Zaha, who rounded Fabri and tucked the ball home for 2-0.

It was another moment to forget for the new Fulham goalkeeper who is surely not long for the number 1 jersey after this performance and the deadline-day arrival of Sergio Rico from Sevilla. But it was another moment to remember for Zaha, who was nibbled and gnawed at all day by Fulham's defenders but rose above it to prove once again that is this side's talisman and one of the league's most destructive forwards.



https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/fulham-crystal-palace-wilfried-zaha-premier-league-match-report-a8487726.html

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Wilfried Zaha and Crystal Palace hand Fulham Premier League reality check

After all of the excitement and expectation that followed the most spectacular transfer window in Fulham's history, here was the most sudden of reality checks. On day one of a much-hyped new era at Craven Cottage, Crystal Palace swaggered through the door and swiftly set about crashing the party.

If Slavisa Jokanovic did not know already that the Premier League is a punishing place, then he certainly does now. His Fulham side controlled much of the ball, weaving their passing patterns as they did so often in the second tier, but they were twice left reeling by the Palace counterpunch. Jeffrey Schlupp scored the first for Roy Hodgson's side, before Wilfried Zaha ripped the life from Craven Cottage deep into the second half.

There will be lessons learned from this, and also questions asked. Were Fulham too aggressive? Did their enthusiastic approach leave them over-exposed? The response may be that this is the style that brought them back to the big time after four years away, so it would be foolish to change now. But to see Palace repeatedly draw them out and then sting them on the break was to see how tough this season will be for Fulham, no matter the size of their transfer budget.

A dozen new arrivals, for a combined cost of more than £100 million, had raised hopes in these parts that Jokanovic's side will be too good to worry about relegation battles this season. These are early days yet, but there will have been more than a few concerned frowns in south-west London last night.

"This was our first real test playing in this competition," Jokanovic said. "We found more power, more speed and more quality. It is a tough job ahead of us. Not just for Fulham, but all the Premier League teams. So we must be optimists and trust in ourselves. We showed we can be brave, but we were a bit shy in the end."

For Palace, this was a near-perfect execution of Hodgson's game-plan. They were compact, organised and clinical. They were everything, in short, that they had not been in last season's curtain-raiser, when they were thrashed 3-0, at home, by Huddersfield Town. And in Zaha, who once again resisted the temptation to leave the club this summer, they possess one of the league's most frightening attackers.

"Many teams have a player of that type," Hodgson said. "A player who is a talisman and a player upon whom the team depends on. We are lucky to have a game-changer. We want him at the club as many years as we can have him."

The team sheets here provided an early measure of quite how comprehensive the summer overhaul has been at Fulham. Jokanovic's side began this game with no fewer than six debutants in the starting lineup. There were three more on the bench, and the total count of nine does not even include Aleksandar Mitrovic, the £22m signing from Newcastle United who spent the second half of last season on loan in south-west London.

Despite the result, Jokanovic will at least be pleased with how his new recruits began the game. Fulham were electric in the early stages. Jean Michael Seri, perhaps the most exciting of all the summer arrivals, was a dynamic presence in midfield, while former Chelsea forward Andre Schurrle provided width and pace on the right.

Cyrus Christie had the first effort on target after just three minutes, before Mitrovic twice went close within the space of a minute. Ryan Sessegnon, the boy wonder on the left wing, also looked threatening and Tom Cairney was controlling proceedings in the middle.

The key, though, was to avoid getting carried away. Both Fulham full-backs continued to push up, so the pace of Zaha provided an ever-present source of danger. Fabri, the new Fulham goalkeeper, was forced into action to stop a looping Christian Benteke header, and it required the repeated interventions of Calum Chambers, on loan from Arsenal, to stop Zaha from breaking free.

Fulham remained the dominant team in terms of possession, but there was an air of inevitability about the Palace opener. Patrick van Aanholt slipped a tidy pass into the path of Schlupp, who held off Chambers before crashing the ball inside Fabri's near post. "We got better and better," Hodgson said. "Scoring a goal helps to a put a team on the back foot."

The pattern continued after the break, when Fulham again looked worryingly vulnerable to the counter. Zaha should have doubled the lead after the home defence had crumbled in the presence of Christian Benteke, but Fabri's well-placed foot kept Fulham in the game.

The chance was a timely reminder of the dangers posed by the Benteke and Zaha double-act, not least because it came just moments after Fulham had been denied a penalty after Schurrle had gone down under Mamadou Sakho's challenge.

As Fulham pushed, those spaces continued to open up. Aaron Wan-Bissaka, the impressive young Palace right-back, motored forward with 10 minutes remaining and found Zaha, who breezed through the gears, rounded Fabri and tucked in the second.



https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/08/11/wilfried-zaha-crystal-palace-hand-fulham-premier-league-reality/

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Wilfried Zaha seals Crystal Palace win and teaches Fulham harsh lesson

The majority inside this arena had thrilled at the prospect of a long-awaited Premier League return, the raucous and joyful pre-match atmosphere an outpouring of four years of frustration spent on the outside looking in. Yet, where Fulham showcased some of the qualities which had helped them thrive in the second tier, this ended something more akin to a wake-up call: an education in just how unforgiving this division can be.

Roy Hodgson, who had taken Fulham to a Uefa Cup final, offered Slavisa Jokanovic a hug on the final whistle as the home side digested the defeat. They could bemoan the non-award of a penalty after Mamadou Sakho went to ground on the hour mark and appeared to take André Schürrle with him. They could curse Wayne Hennessey, often much maligned, for a flurry of smart saves. But they would also acknowledge that Palace, weathering an early storm and then picking their opponents apart as soon as the tempo dropped, ended up comfortable. None of their own summer signings had started. Familiarity did them some good.

Fulham are not at that stage yet and their lavish transfer outlay – Shahid Khan was in the stands here to witness what his £100m had bought – will surely yield rewards. They had six debutants in their starting lineup, and only three players who had previously played in the Premier League. While they whipped up that feverish opening, with Jean Michaël Seri making his mark, that disruption in personnel did not seem so much of a problem.

But as soon as Palace forced their way ahead, reality started to bite. "We showed some positive things but need to improve many things too," said Jokanovic. "We were up against more power, more speed and more quality."

It might have been different had Mike Dean penalised Sakho for diving in on Schürrle, but the referee's extravagant denial rather summed up Fulham's afternoon: dramatic but unfulfilling. Wilfried Zaha should have doubled Palace's lead moments later, but it mattered not. When the outstanding Aaron Wan-Bissaka held off Aleksandar Mitrovic's challenge 10 minutes from time to burst upfield and slip the Ivorian free, Palace had their opportunity. Zaha took a touch to create a kinder angle as Fabri sprinted out to block, then slid his team's second under the goalkeeper and in.

It had taken Palace until mid-October to register even a goal, let alone a point, last season, but this was a team maintaining momentum. A fourth win in succession either side of the summer had a familiar feel, with their collective laced with pace and power, and Wan-Bissaka, an England under-20 international who successfully doused the threat posed by Ryan Sessegnon for long periods, a revelation from right-back.

Yet retaining Zaha this summer was Palace's best business. "Many teams have a player who is a talisman and upon whom they depend," said Hodgson. "I wonder if Pep Guardiola, Mauricio Pochettino and José Mourinho have to ask the same question about their Kanes, De Bruynes and Hazards. We are lucky to have a game-changer like they have."

Their opening goal had been plucked from Fulham possession and pressure. Even with six debutants in their lineup, and Mitrovic a seventh after completing a permanent move from Newcastle, the hosts had carried a threat. The Serb would twice be denied by Hennessey. Some of Fulham's upbeat attacking play had been excellent, particularly when Sessegnon squeezed space from Wan-Bissaka, or when Tom Cairney liberated runners beyond Patrick van Aanholt on the opposite flank.

Yet, where Championship opponents might have wilted, Palace held firm. Sakho and James Tomkins have now played alongside each other 13 times and have yet to endure defeat. Frustration was starting to mount when, four minutes from the break, Palace built patiently from the back and Fulham failed to sense the threat. Van Aanholt slipped a pass in to Jeffrey Schlupp who, having squeezed a yard of space from Calum Chambers with his first touch, rasped a finish from a narrow angle up and beyond Fabri at his near post.

Fulham will improve as their new recruits gel. Two of their lineup here had had a solitary training session with new team-mates. "Look, I'm confident still," added Jokanovic. "I trust we will play better than we played today. We'll work hard and adapt ourselves for the games ahead. We must be optimists and trust in ourselves." They can learn from this.



https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/aug/11/fulham-crystal-palace-premier-league-match-report

[WhiteJC]

 
Burnley Tickets

Junior tickets are from just £10 when Fulham take on Burnley at Craven Cottage on Saturday 25th August, 3pm.

The Whites will be looking to get their first home win of the season against a Burnley side who finished 7th in the Premier League last season.

Bring the family to SW6, with junior starting from just £10 and adult tickets from £25. Tickets are available on General Sale.

Secure your seats today online, by phone on 0203 871 0810 (opt 1) or in person from the Fulham Ticket Office.

Fulham v Burnley, Saturday 25th August, kick-off 3pm.

All tickets are subject to availability. Terms & Conditions and booking fees apply.
Adult Members receive a £5 discount on their match ticket, with a discount of up to £5 available for over 65s and 18-21 year olds. Discounts only apply to one ticket per member per match.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/august/11/burnley-tickets

[WhiteJC]

 
JD Oxford Street Event

Head to JD Oxford Street on Tuesday 14th August for an exclusive instore player event, where Tom Cairney, Ryan Sessegnon and Aleksandar Mitrović will all be in attendance.

Free to attend for Whites fans, enjoy a live Q&A session hosted by Snapchat Star Stevo The Madman,  before having the chance to get your pictures taken and shirts signed by the boys.

With live entertainment from the adidas Tango Squad, DJ Specs Gonzales and JD Sports' very own event hosts, make sure you don't miss out on this exclusive opportunity!
When

Tuesday 14th August, 4pm
Where

JD Sports Oxford Street - 197-203 Oxford St, Soho, London W1D 2LE

Supporters can get their hands on Fulham's 18/19 Home and Away Kits at JD Sports' flagship store on Tuesday, as well as online or at the Fulham Stadium Store today.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/august/11/jd-sports-event

[WhiteJC]

Cottage Talk Full Time - Fulham Lose 2-0 To Crystal Palace At Craven Cottage
Take a listen to a podcast that focuses on Fulham Football Club.

In this episode, we shared our "initial reaction" to Fulham losing 2-0 to Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage. Co-hosts Emilio Di Nello and Joe Tivey shared their views on the match shortly after it ended.

Cottage Talk Full Time, will be recorded after each match, and this will be followed up by the Cottage Talk Post Match Show which will be recorded the next day.

follow the link to listen to the podcast
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cottagetalk/2018/08/11/cottage-talk-full-time--fulham-lose-2-0-to-crystal-palace-at-craven-cottage

[WhiteJC]

 
Slavisa Jokanovic unwilling to panic after Fulham start with a loss
Crystal Palace burst new boys' bubble.

Slavisa Jokanovic vowed that Fulham will improve and adjust to the demands of the Premier League after watching them lose 2-0 on their return, at home to Crystal Palace.

After his team's promising start was followed by numerous wasted goalscoring chances, Palace punished their brief lapses in intensity and concentration to secure all three points through finishes from Jeffrey Schlupp and Wilfried Zaha.

Their clinical performance demonstrated the qualities Fulham will have to develop if they are to preserve their Premier League status while continuing to play so expansively, but having handed full debuts to six summer signings Jokanovic was "confident" that that would come.

Jean Michael Seri, Joe Bryan, Fabri, Maxime le Marchand, Calum Chambers and Andre Schurrle started from kick-off and Luciano Vietto made his debut from the bench, and the Fulham manager said: "These new players have had two training sessions.

"Joe Bryan has only had one session with us, Vietta as well. I trust we will play better than we played today. We'll work hard and adapt ourselves for the games ahead.

"I'm confident. It's a tough job ahead of us. So we must be optimists and trust in ourselves. We showed we can be brave, but were a bit shy in the end. We had 15 shots to Palace's 10. We did some interesting things in the game, too.

"(The £25million Seri) showed the quality on his first test at this level. Adapting to this competition is not easy. But he showed the quality he's got and is comfortable with the ball."

Palace goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey excelled in consistently denying Fulham, having been preferred to summer signing Vicente Guaita.

Roy Hodgson also started James McArthur over Cheikhou Kouyate, after a transfer window in which they retained Wilfried Zaha, and the manager said: "We had no interest in selling Wilfried Zaha.

"We want him at the club as many years as we can have him. He's a South London, Crystal Palace player and he knows we really appreciate what he can do for us.

"(Hennessey) finished the end of the season exceptionally well. Both goalkeepers have done well in pre-season; I had no reason to take the shirt from Wayne. That decision was justified today.

"We didn't start well, but that was largely due to Fulham starting well. They won the ball quickly, were sharp and quick into tackles, making it difficult to play the ball through midfield. But we got better and better.

"Scoring a goal helps to put a team on the back foot and, second half, we were much better. Slavisa is probably not unhappy with the way his team played, but unhappy with the result. We scored two very good goals."



https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/slavisa-jokanovic-unwilling-to-panic-after-fulham-start-with-a-loss-37206777.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Spurs now without star for Fulham and Man Utd fixtures

Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed that Heung-min Son has now left the squad to link up with the South Korean squad ahead of their participation in the Asian Games.

Although the focus of the tournament in Indonesia is on the Under-23 age range, each country can pick three players above this age, of which Son is one.

If South Korea win the competition, there is a chance the 26-year-old would be exempt from his 21-month stint of military service, mandatory for all able-bodied males up to the age of 28.

Spurs had initially sought to keep Son back until August 18, for the match against Fulham at Wembley.

Spurs later relented, striking a deal that rules Son out of South Korea's Asian Cup games on January 7 and 11 against the Philippines and Kyrgyzstan, as well as an international friendly in November.

Son will now miss the matches against Fulham and Manchester United, but should be back to face Liverpool in our curtain raiser at the new stadium.



https://www.spurs-web.com/spurs-news/spurs-now-without-star-for-fulham-and-man-utd-fixtures/

[WhiteJC]

 
Jokanovic upbeat despite Palace defeat

Slavisa Jokanovic refused to be downcast after Fulham's Premier League return ended in a defeat by Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage this afternoon.

The Whites were beaten by a splendid Jeffrey Schlupp strike and a piece of predatory finishing from Wilfred Zaha after a mistake from Fabri in the Fulham goal. But Jokanovic told his press conference following the final whistle that the Whites would learn from the defeat and come back stronger.

The Serbian head coach said:

    We wanted to start the competition with a positive result. We showed some positive things, and some negative things. It's the first time we've tested ourselves at this level – we found more power, speed and quality, and we must adapt ourselves fast.

    I can't fault my players. They put everything into it. We created some chances. Crystal Palace's keeper made a few great saves. We followed our style and moved the ball. On the defensive side, we found it hard to stop [Wilfried] Zaha and [Christian] Benteke, who showed quality.

He felt Palace's experience of top flight football and their clinical finishing in the final third was the true difference between the sides:

    Palace know this level better than us. We competed well and didn't change our philosophy. Generally, I'm happy we followed the plan, but they punished us with speed, power and quality. For the first goal, [Jeffrey] Schlupp turned really quickly and smashed it in. For the second goal, we made a few mistakes and they finished the action and killed the game.

At this level, you normally pay an expensive price for mistakes. We're in a process of working and learning, and I'm sure we'll be better during the weeks in front of us. It's a fantastic afternoon. We can't start crying after the first day. Premier League is back at Craven Cottage after four years.

Jokanovic hailed the Fulham fans for their support and insisted his side would emerge stronger from the experience.

    The atmosphere was fantastic. Our crowd pushed us, like always. It's a shame that we can't make them completely satisfied, but the fans know it's not going to be easy. We're ready for the challenge. We're ready for the fight



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/08/jokanovic-upbeat-despite-palace-defeat/

[WhiteJC]

 
Slavisa Jokanovic explains Marcus Bettinelli's omission from the Fulham squad

The keeper hasn't featured in pre-season but was present during the warm up before the loss to Crystal Palace

Slavisa Jokanovic has explained Marcus Bettinelli's omission from the Fulham squad as a result of him having only just returned to training from injury.

The 26-year-old once again finds himself down the pecking order at the club on the first day of the season after he missed the entirety of their pre-season, which Jokanovic said was down to injury after the 0-0 draw with Reading in July.

Fulham brought in Fabri from Besiktas and Sergio Rico from Sevilla during the summer and it was both of those men who featured in the 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace on the opening day of the Premier League campaign - with Bettinelli watching from the Cottage.

He took part in the warm up before the game but took his place on the sidelines as Jeffrey Schlupp and Wilfried Zaha ensured Fulham's return to the Premier League was not the celebration the home side were looking forever.

The keeper also took to Twitter to wish his team mates luck, but made a point of stating that he wasn't injured.

The tweet read: "Good luck to the boys today and thanks for the reception from the cottage when i came out. For everybody thats asking.... I am not injured! Good luck lads."

However, head coach Jokanovic said in his post match press conference that he did not pick Bettinelli because he had only started training with the team last week and that it is his decision who makes the team.

He said: "We can Tweet what we want, sometimes I tweet too but Marcus Bettinelli start working with us this week, first day we have opportunity for kicking the ball and last two days he make complete work with the team and I am here to take decision who will be on the goal, on the bench and in the stands.

"I cannot give you another answer."



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/slavisa-jokanovic-explains-marcus-bettinellis-15019379

[WhiteJC]

Fulham 0, Crystal Palace 2
But hey, at least football is back

The last time Fulham played in the Premier League, Cauley Woodrow was considered a future star, Scott Parker was playing instead of coaching, Shahid Kahn let his hair grow out a little longer and Slavisa Jokanovic was the manager of Hercules down in Spain's Segunda Division B. Yeah, plenty has changed since then, yet Craven Cottage has mostly stayed the same, and apparently, so did the opposition Fulham previously played.

Crystal Palace were a worthy opponent to test out if the club are ready for the big time. Little did we know until yesterday that both Alfie Mawson and Tim Ream were out today due to injury. Along with that, Denis Odoi is in the first of a two-match suspension due to his red card in the playoff final. As a result, an entirely new backline and goalkeeper were introduced to Premier League football.

We'll get back to them in a moment.

But to start, Fulham didn't look out of place. Andre Schürrle and Aleksander Mitrovic looked lively. If anything, Mitro was fed a ton of quality passes which led to him taking seven individual shots by matchday's end. Along with that, Ryan Sessegnon was able to get his try inside the box where he launched a cross into the box only to be muscled out by Palace's defense to prevent solid accuracy. A goal may not have been scored, but before you know it, Fulham were seeing a 7-1 shot advantage within 30 minutes of the game.

However, the next play after that was a cross from Andros Townsend that was met with a towering header by Christian Benteke in the penalty area. His attempt may not have gone to goal with speed, but it was an awkward lob for Fabri to deal with which led to a frantic one-handed save followed by a clear off the line by Calum Chambers afterwards. Unfortunately, it felt like the one key moment that changed the game entirely.

Before you know it, Crystal Palace's passes were significantly more direct and the attacking play of Wilfried Zaha, Patrick Van Aarnholt and even 20-year old Aaron Wan-Bissaka truly gave Fulham's back line fits the rest of the match. The perfect example of how continuity of an established Premier League side breaking down a newcomer that is dealing with so much turnover in the squad should look no further than Palace's first goal.

First, another bursting run by Zaha had him go past Kevin McDonald and set up a give-and-go play between Van Aarnholt and Jeffrey Schlupp. Before you know it, Van Aarnholdt caught McDonald and Chambers being at sixes and sevens in terms of marking a cutting Schlupp inside the box and all it took was a simple through ball and a shot to break down Fulham's defense and get the scoreboard ticking. Palace could have added another goal just before the break but Van Aarnholt was called offside before putting his shot passed Fabri.

It may have been a 1-0 deficit and there was halftime to take a physical and mental breather, but it seemed like Fulham couldn't get themselves out of the hangover. The entire second half featured more of Palace's attacking players just keeping things simple and running through the midfield and backline. Schurrle might have drew a penalty in the 61st minute, but referee Mike Dean waved it off instantly.

In the 74th minute, a real breakdown between goalkeeper and center back occured as Fabri came off of his line so much, he might as well have been a good ten yards past the penalty area. It lead to a colission with him and Chambers that led to a very awkward clearance by the latter. Like the first goal, it was a job done by the defense, but it was an eary precursor for what's to come.

With Joe Bryan hurt minutes later, Jokanovic was forced to make an important decision. Should he bring on Timothy Fosu-Mensah, another new addition, over to center back and move Maxime Le Marchand to left back to close off the game to jump start a Fulham comeback? Or does he chose an attacking player with the risk of weakening Ryan Sessegnon's role on the team by moving him to defense solely because of his familiarity there?

For better or worse, Slav chose the latter by subbing Bryan with Luciano Vietto. In hindsight, the decision was proven incorrect, but it's important to understand that the reasoning wasn't entirely farfetched either. No matter what side of the argument you're on, it led to another break by Palace that led to Wan-Bissaka going past a flat-footed Sessegnon and then feeding a cutting Zaha outside the box. Before you know it, Fabri once again came off his line which led to Zaha taking one more dribble before shooting towards a wide open net.

And just like that, it was game, set & match! But this was not without some solid performances by Vietto and Aboubakar Kamara coming off the bench. Jean-Michael Seri felt at home pinging passes from everywhere and Fulham's attack did enough to generate a 15-10 shot advantage, but xG models like Understat will tell you that the better team won on the night.

I'm not too upset by the club's performance and more players should return soon. This will clearly be a different side in the long run and there will be more matchdays that will determine Fulham's fate. But if anything else, it's good to see this club back in the Premier League and long may they stay there.



https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2018/8/11/17679040/fulham-0-crystal-palace-2

[WhiteJC]

 
Slavisa Jokanovic "confident" of Fulham improvement

Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic has said that he is "confident" his side will improve following their season-opening 2-0 defeat at home to Crystal Palace this afternoon.

The newly-promoted Cottagers went into the new campaign tipped by many to impress following a summer spending spree, but goals from Jeffrey Schlupp and Wilfried Zaha saw them get off to a losing start in the London derby at Craven Cottage.

However, Jokanovic handed debuts to six new players during the match - Jean Michael Seri, Joe Bryan, Fabri, Maxime Le Marchand, Calum Chambers and Andre Schurrle - and he insists that things will get better once the new arrivals settle in.

"These new players have had two training sessions. Joe Bryan has only had one session with us, Vietto as well. I trust we will play better than we played today. We'll work hard and adapt ourselves for the games ahead," Jokanovic told reporters.

"I'm confident. It's a tough job ahead of us. So we must be optimists and trust in ourselves. We showed we can be brave, but were a bit shy in the end. We had 15 shots to Palace's 10. We did some interesting things in the game, too.

"[Seri] showed the quality on his first test at this level. Adapting to this competition is not easy. But he showed the quality he's got and is comfortable with the ball."

Fulham's next match is also a London derby against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley next weekend.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/news/jokanovic-confident-of-improvement_333244.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Ireland defender Cyrus Christie makes Premier League debut for Fulham

Republic of Ireland defender Cyrus Christie made his Premier League debut as a starter for Fulham in their 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace on Saturday.

The right-back made just his second start for the London club since joining in the January transfer window as the Cottagers were bested by their local rivals managed by ex-manager Roy Hodgson.

Jeffrey Schlupp put the Eagles ahead against the run of play before half time, and Wilfried Zaha made sure of the three points with a smart finish late on.

The former Coventry City, Derby County and Middlesbrough full-back performed well in spite of his side coming out the wrong side on their return to England's top tier.

With his competition for the right-back spot in the national team Seamus Coleman also starting in Everton's 2-2 draw with Wolves, Ireland look well-stocked in one crucial department.



http://www.extratime.ie/articles/21519/ireland-defender-cyrus-christie-makes-premier-league-debut-for-fulham/