Friday Fulham Stuff (17/03/18)...

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When Frank-Andre Zambo Anguissa and Alfie Mawson will make their Fulham debuts

Fans have yet to see either of the two new signings in Fulham colours but may not be waiting much longer for Anguissa

Fulham fans have yet to see two of their new signings in action - but they could be close to seeing Frank-Andre Zambo Anguissa make his debut for the club.

The 22-year-old has started training with the club after securing a work permit after a club-record deadline day move from Marseilles, getting onto the pitches at Motspur Park for the first time with team mates on Wednesday.

The Cottagers pulled off a number of big signings over the course of the summer, with Anguissa being brought in to provide competition in the anchor role that is crucial to the way Slavisa Jokanovic sets his team up.

He could be in line for his debut on Saturday against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium, with Ibrahima Cisse the man likely to drop out of the 18 for the Cameroon midfielder.

It's unlikely he will start the game having only got a few day's training with his new team mates under his belt, with Kevin McDonald likely to keep his place in the starting XI for the trip to the national stadium.

Meanwhile, fellow summer signing Alfie Mawson is still some way from making his debut for Fulham as he continues his rehabilitation from a knee injury.


Alfie Mawson heads the ball during the UEFA U-21 European Championship (Image: PIOTR NOWAK/AFP/Getty Images)

He opted for an operation in May to solve a knee problem, with his former club expecting him to return for pre-season training.

However, his recovery has taken longer than expected and he won't be ready until September at the very least, with the trip to the Etihad to face champions Manchester City looking the game where he could make his debut for Fulham.

Sergio Rico is another man who could face a wait for his debut - Fabri has been the number one over the summer and despite a display against Crystal Palace that divided opinion, he's likely to retain his place in the starting XI for the trip to Spurs.

Timothy Fosu-Mensah is also awaiting his debut for Fulham, but it's unlikely to come this week either with Jokanovic expected to stick with Cyrus Christie, who performed well in his Premier League bow on the weekend.



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/frank-andre-zambo-anguissa-alfie-15035830

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Harry Kane August Goalscoring Hoodoo Can Finally End As Tottenham Host Fulham At Wembley

The Harry Kane August hoodoo is one of the great mysteries of life but the England striker will be confident of finally putting that curse to bed this weekend against one of his favourite rivals.

The numbers involved in the Kane August goal drought are becoming difficult to believe and that run was extended on the opening day as he failed to hit the mark in the 2-1 win over Newcastle at James' Park.

In total, Kane has now failed to score in 14 games played in the month of August a run which now tally's up to a mind-boggling 950 minutes without a goal. Go figure.

We were all of course having the same conversations this time last year in regards to the August issues, before Kane promptly broke his season duck on the first day of September, and Spurs fans are now genuinely starting to wonder if their captain and hero will ever find his way past the goalkeeper at the start of the campaign.

There is no doubt that the Golden Boot winner from the World Cup looked a touch leggy against Newcastle following his exploits in Russia with the national team and that workload could be playing a part in yet another sluggish start to a campaign.

Even taking that into account though, the early season goal drought remains a mystery given his remarkable scoring levels over the past three or fours years since fully breaking into the Tottenham squad and becoming a superstar

The hoodoo is of course slightly tougue in cheek but Kane will be aware of the stats and this weekend against Fulham is the latest opportunity for one of the great anomalies of football to be put to bed.

Harry Kane loves playing against London rivals and in particular his recent record against Fulham will have Slavisa Jokanovic tossing and turning in his sleep ahead of the big game on Saturday afternoon.

The England captain was the star of the show the last time Spurs met the Cottagers with a hat-trick to his name in the 3-0 FA Cup win last year and that will be just the boost he needs ahead of this massive Premier League clash.

In total, Kane has scored four goals against the Craven Cottage team in his last two matches against them and that would suggest the August hoodoo is about to come to an end.

Fulham are fresh off a humbling 2-0 defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace on their return to the top flight which certainly did burst the positive bubble which had been surrounding the club after the transfer window. Over £100m was spent on new players following their promotion from the Championship but it wasn't the start they would have wanted against the Eagles, which does put them on the back foot somewhat ahead of their trip to the national stadium.

Spurs were far from their best against Newcastle but they held on to get the three points and Pochettino will be looking for a much improved display back at their adopted home.

There has been a negative air hanging over Tottenham recently with the delay in the move to the new stadium coupled with no activity in the transfer window but a win this weekend will ease those concerns, especially if Harry Kane can finally start to fall in love with August.



https://www.thesportsman.com/articles/harry-kane-stats-show-august-hoodoo-can-pe-put

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Fulham's Mitrovic keen to prove himself in Premier League

(Reuters) - Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic is confident he can prove himself in the Premier League and emulate his goal-scoring form from the Championship last season.

The 23-year-old completed a permanent move to Fulham in July after an impressive loan spell at Craven Cottage last campaign, where he scored 12 goals in 17 Championship matches to help the team gain promotion to the top flight.

"I know it is going to be hard," Mitrovic told The Telegraph. "It is a better league with much more quality. But I know I have the ability, I have the quality.

"I want to show everybody that I can play in the best league in the world and score goals. Goals are like an addiction. When you score you want more and more."

Fulham fell to a 2-0 defeat by Crystal Palace in their opening league fixture last weekend and the Serbian will have a chance to get off the mark when the promoted team travel to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.



https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-england-tot-ful/fulhams-mitrovic-keen-to-prove-himself-in-premier-league-idUKKBN1L10RR?rpc=401&;

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Aleksandar Mitrovic hints why Benitez didn't get the best out of him after £22m Fulham move

Aleksandar Mitrovic has hinted that Rafa Benitez never adopted a system that suited him or played to his strengths, feeling his spell with Fulham is the first time he's felt 'comfortable' since making the move to England.

The 23-year old had two and a half hit and miss years on Tyneside before sealing a loan move to Fulham in January – a spell which became the beginning of the end of his Newcastle career after scoring 12 goals in 20 games and leading them to promotion.

He looked a real threat in their opening day defeat to Palace and has been speaking to the press about his move to Fulham today.

Here's what he's had to say during his latest interview with The Telegraph, suggesting he never felt comfortable at Newcastle in the 'system' and the 'way we played' – feeling that everyone at Fulham knows his strengths and uses them:


    "In England, this (at Fulham) is the first time that I really feel comfortable in the system and in the way we play.
    "I think the manager and my team-mates, they all know my strengths and try to use them in the best way that they can.
    "That is my style of play, my strength: hold up, playing with my back to goal,"
    "The result was that I scored a lot of goals and we won games."


The Serbian then revealed how he plans to prove his doubters wrong, feeling he has the 'ability' and 'quality' to play in the Premier League and mix it with the best.



http://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2018/08/16/aleksandar-mitrovic-hints-why-benitez-didnt-get-the-best-out-of-him-after-22m-fulham-move/

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Aleksandar Mitrovic says he has the quality to star for Fulham in the Premier League

Aleksandar Mitrovic says he has the quality required to be a success in the Premier League with newly-promoted Fulham.

On loan at Craven Cottage last season from Newcastle, he had a big part to play in their promotion to the top flight, scoring 12 goals in 17 Sky Bet Championship matches.

That record saw Fulham make his stay with them permanent in July and now the Serbia international is hoping for similar numbers in the Premier League this season.

"I want to show everybody that I can play in the best league in the world and score goals. Goals are like an addiction. When you score you want more and more," he told The Telegraph.

"I know it is going to be hard. It is a better league with much more quality. But I know I have the ability, I have the quality."

Mitrovic has previous experience of the Premier League having moved to Newcastle from Anderlecht in 2015.

In three years at St James' Park he scored 14 goals in 65 league games with 10 of those goals coming in the top flight.



http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/11473822/aleksandar-mitrovic-says-he-has-the-quality-to-star-for-fulham-in-the-premier-league

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The definitive list of how long each and every Fulham player has on their contract

Here's when the current deals of those are Fulham are due to run out - with the club having options to extend on most contracts

Fulham added strength over the summer, but arguably their best business was tying down key men to long-term deals.

Tom Cairney, Tim Ream and Kevin McDonald all put pen-to-paper on new contracts over the summer, while new signings such as Aleksandar Mitrovic and Alfie Mawson were handing big contracts to secure their futures.

The Cottagers have done a good job of tying down the vast majorities of their stars to long-term deals, with club options for a further year on most newly-agreed contracts and new signings at the club.

It's a sound policy from Tony Khan, who has ensured the long-term future of the squad is secured and that they will get maximum fees for any players that may look to move on over the next few years.

With the window now finished, we've taken a look at how long each member of the team have left on their deals.

2019

Stefan Johansen - June 2019 (with club option of a further year)

Neeskens Kebano - June 2019 (with club option of a further year)

Floyd Ayite - June 2019 (with club option of a further year)

Denis Odoi - June 2019 (with club option of a further year)

Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson - June 2019


(Image: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Stephen Humphrys - June 2019

Aron Davies - June 2019 (with club option of a further year)

Cauley Woodrow - June 2019

Loan deals -

Sergio Rico - May 2019

Luciano Vietto - May 2019


Calum Chambers tackles Christian Benteke (Image: Christopher Lee/Getty Images)

Calum Chambers - May 2019

Timothy Fosu-Mensah - May 2019
2020

Ryan Sessegnon - June 2020 (with club option of a further year)

Steven Sessegnon - June 2020 (with club option of a further year)

Rui Fonte - June 2020 (with club option of a further year)

Ibrahima Cisse - June 2020 (with club option of a further year)

Marcus Bettinelli - June 2020 (with club option of a further year)


(Image: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Marcelo Djalo - June 2020 (with club option of a further year)

Tayo Edun - June 2020

Luca de la Torre - June 2020

Matt O'Riley - June 2020


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)

Marlon Fossey - June 2020 (club option of a further year)

Kevin McDonald - June 2020 (club option of a further year)

Tim Ream - June 2020 (club option of a further year)

Loan deals -

Andre Schurrle - May 2020

2021

Aboubakar Kamara - June 2021 (with club option of a further year)

Cyrus Christie - June 2021 (with club option of a further year)

Marek Rodak - June 2021 (with club option of a further year)

Fabri - June 2021 (with club option of a further year)

2022

Alfie Mawson - June 2022

Jean-Michael Seri - June 2022 (with club option of a further year)

Joe Bryan - June 2022 (with club option of a further year)


(Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

2023

Tom Cairney - June 2023 (with club option of a further year)

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa - June 2023

Aleksandar Mitrovic - June 2023

Unknown- Maxime Le Marchand



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/full-list-fulham-contract-lengths-14761665

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Before The Whistle: Tottenham vs Fulham

Fulham will be looking to avenge last week's defeat against Palace, in our second consecutive London derby against a settled Spurs side. Will our return to Wembley be another happy one? Our man George Singer takes a look!

Like London buses, Fulham have waited over 40 years for a Wembley appearance, only for two to come at once. After a disappointing return to Premier League football last week, going down 2-0 at the Cottage to Crystal Palace, we have a chance to record a second victory at the home of English football in 2018. Can we upset the odds and earn a result against title chasing Spurs?

Recent meetings
Dec 2012: Fulham 0 – 3 Spurs
Mar 2013: Spurs 0 – 1 Fulham
Dec 2013: Fulham 1 – 2 Spurs
Apr 2014: Spurs 3 – 1 Fulham
Feb 2017: Fulham 0 – 3 Spurs (FA Cup)

Last Time Out
Back in the 5th round of the 2017 FA cup, for the second consecutive match we were drawn against a Premier League side in Spurs. After comfortably dismantling Hull City side the round before, optimism was rife as the BBC TV cameras came to the Cottage. However, Harry Kane had other ideas and his masterclass emphatically dumped us out of the cup.

In truth, the Fulham side looked easily second best to a classy Spurs side that day. Our game plan seemed to centre around long balls to Neeskens Kebano, who was always going to struggle against a physical centre back pairing of Vertonghen and Alderweireld.

Our defence was unable to cope with Spurs' attackers, and in particular Christian Eriksen enjoyed the freedom allowed to him by a defensively poor Scott Malone performance. Time and time again he put crosses into the box and had a hand in all of Kane's goals on the day.

Likely Spurs lineup
Spurs are most likely to line up in their regular 4-2-3-1 formation, which they heavily favoured at Wembley last year. Alli, Eriksen and Moura all act in free attacking roles, continually interchanging and moving defenders around. All of them have decent pace, and their clever movement brings gaps for Kane to exploit.

Expect Dier to act as the holding midfielder, with Moussa Sissoko contributing to the attack by providing overlaps on the right hand side of the field. Fullbacks Davies, and particularly Aurier, will bomb forward as they look to swamp opposition defences with attacking players. This tactic earned Spurs the 3rd most shots per game last year, so keeping all the players quiet will be a real challenge.

One to Watch
The obvious choice for this should be Russia's World Cup golden boot winner Harry Kane. However, that's too obvious – plus we all know he never scores in August. Right?!

Therefore, the one I'll be watching closely at Wembley is the Dane Christian Eriksen.



The attacking midfielder is the key creator in the team – creating roughly a fifth of Spurs chances. His movement and accuracy with passes allow his teammates to thrive, and has been pulling the strings ever since his move from Ajax 5 years ago. Whilst normally stationed in the centre of the pitch, his attacking role is still very varied; the below graph showing how he creates chances all over the pitch.



We also need to look out for his wicked delivery at set pieces. Fulham's inability to defend, and score, from set pieces has always frustrated me – and this is something that Pochettino will no doubt be looking to target. Eriksen created 5 goals from set pieces last season, the second most in the league, and already has 1 to his name this season.

Notes for Slav
Since we earned promotion, questions have lingered about how we will handle the step up in opposition. Should we continue to have blind faith in our attacking, possession based style against the big boys? Or will we finally switch to a more pragmatic, defensive, plan B?

My main concern with continuing with our attacking game plan is how we plan to stifle Spurs' attacking threat. We saw two years ago that McDonald, StefJo and Cairney struggled to control Spurs – and unless we make some changes this game will be no different. Last week Seri proved that he's not afraid to put a defensive shift in, however this is a game where I really think Anguissa would add extra protection for our defence compared to McDonald.

No doubt our central midfield choices will be a topic for future pods, articles, and perhaps our upcoming 'Stats Show' programmes, however this seems like the perfect opportunity to test out a more resolute and limited midfield in one of the toughest matches of the season.

If Slav is able to add some more protection to our defence, without compromising our attacking threat, there's no reason we can't make this a happy return to Wembley.

COYW!!

This article was written with the aid of StrataData, which is property of Stratagem Technologies. StrataData powers the StrataBet Sports Trading Platform, in addition to StrataBet Premium Recommendations.



https://fulhamish.co.uk/post/2018-08-16-before-the-whistle-spurs-away/

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Tottenham v Fulham Head To Head: Spurs To Struggle Without Absent World Cup Star

Tottenham were far from their fluent best when opening their Premier League season with a 2-1 win at Newcastle last weekend and Mauricio Pochettino will hope to see more from his team when they take on Fulham at Wembley Stadium on Saturday. Recent head-to-head meetings are in Spurs' favour but the absence of Heung-min Son is a blow that will be felt more significantly than many might imagine.

Son, who became an increasingly important figure for Spurs last season, will be absent for the next few weeks as he is representing the South Korea Under-23 side at the Asian Games. The 26-year-old has been selected in the squad as one of three over-aged wildcards as he is keen to earn a gold medal that could earn him special dispensation from the minimum of 21 months military service that every able-bodied South Korean must undertake by the age of 28. In the past, athletes who have performed well for South Korea at the Olympic Games and the World Cup have been allowed to avoid military service.

The absence of Son will be keenly felt by Tottenham as Son appeared in 37 Premier League games last season, scoring 12 goals. Six of those 12 goals were actually match winning strikes and the South Korean star proved to be something of a lucky charm, with Spurs going unbeaten in the ten league games he scored in during the 2017/18 campaign.

Tottenham Results When Heung-min Son Scores


Furthermore, Son scored nine of his 12 goals at Wembley Stadium and Tottenham must do without him at a temporary 'home' that is becoming increasingly familiar as delays continue to plague the construction of their new ground. Spurs won 13 of their 18 league matches at Wembley last season, drawing four and losing two.

Recently promoted Fulham will head to Wembley with happy memories of the venue following their victory over Aston Villa in the Championship play-off final in May, although they head into this game off the back of a chastening 2-0 defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace in their first Premier League match since 2014.

Things won't get any easier on Saturday as the Cottagers have a dreadful record in meetings with Spurs, losing nine of their last eleven clashes. This will be the first time that the pair have met since Harry Kane scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 FA Cup win in February 2017 and he has now scored four in his last two appearances against Fulham. Spurs fans will be hoping that Kane can get over his August hoodoo and compensate for the absence of the underrated Heung-min Son this weekend.



https://www.thesportsman.com/articles/tottenham-v-fulham-head-to-head-spurs-to-struggle-without-absent-world-cup-star

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Transfer Reflection: Purchases That Shook the Cottage

The money that Fulham spent in the transfer window has been remarked on far and wide, but we're all aware that not all purchases made for lofty sums pay off in the long run. Cameron Ramsey looks at some of our previous transfers that caused a stir, and whether or not they lived up to expectations.

Fulham may have succumbed to a 2-0 loss in their opening fixture back in the Premier League against a resolute Crystal Palace, but many are quick to forget that seven of Slavisa Jokanovic's starting XI were debutantes and had never played in the same partnerships before, a telling indication of just how busy the Whites were during the summer transfer window.

£105m was splashed and eleven new faces waltzed through the door at Motspur Park, a staggering financial revelation indeed as evidently Shahid Khan, alongside Tony, understood the extent to which they'll have to invest if the south-west Londoners are to survive their first season back in the big time after their 4-year absence.

In years gone by, Fulham have had a catalogue of consummate professionals hold the famous jersey aloft in their unveiling, and though they may no longer be with us as part of the current compliment, their cult hero status will blissfully live on in our hearts and memories forever.

We all marvelled at the likes of Andre Schurrle, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Jean-Michael Seri last weekend, and though there's certainly others left unmentioned, here's a select roster of former stars – in no particular order – that once had us licking our lips, or ponderously stroking our chins, in anticipation upon their respective arrivals in SW6.

Steve Marlet – 2001/02 (Olympique Lyonnais)
Signing a five-year deal with Fulham, Steve Marlet joined fellow Frenchman Jean Tigana down by the river for a then club-record fee of £11.5m, a weighty sum which epitomised Mohammed Al Fayed's personal ambition of trying to make Fulham the 'Manchester United of the south'.

A France international striker with 5 caps and 1 goal, Marlet was undoubtedly the high-profile, marquee signing of the new millennium and his ruthless prowess in-front of the target in the Champions League prior his jump to Fulham had every single one of us chomping at the bit to witness what he could bring to the Premier League.

But, alas, Marlet's spell at the club was not as prolific as it promised to be. In 68 appearances the temperamental attacker only managed to bag 15 goals, a shallow record when taking the lofty lump of cash that was initially parted with in order to gain his coveted signature from the Ligue 1 giants into consideration.

Louis Saha – 2000/01 (FC Metz)
Having began his career at French outfit FC Metz, Louis Saha was not alien to life on English soil as he'd already plied his trade for Newcastle United on loan; however before the start of the 2000/01 Division 1 campaign the enigmatic striker's career was to indeed move permanently across the English Channel, with Fulham being the eventual destination.

Saha's tally for Metz was 5 in 54 appearances although his haul for Fulham was 27 goals in 83, an assured return for his driven exploits on a weekly basis which earned him a deserved £12m switch to Manchester United midway through the 2003/04 campaign, after enduring turbulent affairs during the troublesome transfer saga, of course.

Other than United, Saha also represented Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Sunderland, but he'll ultimately be remembered by Fulham's followers due to his imperiously clinical nature in the 18-yard box, a presence which helped catapult the Whites towards promotion to the top-tier in his inaugural season at the club.

Andy Johnson – 2008/09 (Everton)
A composed penalty-box dispatcher, Fulham lured Andy Johnson from Everton in the summer of 2008 for a reported £12m on a 4-year contract, an addition to Roy Hodgson's fold which gifted his set-up a new dimension on the counter attack due to the 27-year-old's searing pace and awareness in the penalty area.

'AJ' netted 22 goals in 87 outings for the Toffees, although during his career at Crystal Palace the diminutive striker staggeringly bulged the net 85 times in 160 appearances, making him a true fan favourite at Selhurst Park.

Purchasing Johnson in his prime was a very intelligent decision, not to mention the fact that he was also a senior England international. A proficient scalpel that swiftly dissected rearguards, Johnson, who respected his standing deal at the Cottage, managed to tally 27 goals for the Whites with 18 assists, although due to a severe knee injury, he was subsequently a bystander during the club's historic 'European tour' in the Europa League in 2010.

Papa Bouba Diop – 2004/05 (RC Lens)
The world was first introduced to the majesty of Papa Bouba Diop at the 2002 World Cup after the bamboozling enforcer slammed Senegal's winner against France in the opening fixture of the tournament, and in the summer of 2004, Fulham's faithful were treated with the delight of his signature, which formerly belonged to RC Lens.

Penning a 4-year agreement, Diop would make the midfield his domain in a Fulham shirt whilst heavily endearing himself to everyone affiliated with his employers. Dubbed 'The Wardrobe', the towering anchorman held no prisoners in his department and sporadically contributed to his squad's welfare with the odd screamer. Chelsea and Manchester United spring to mind, no?

Whilst revelling in a Fulham shirt for 3 years, 'Papa' clocked 82 appearances for the club in all competitions, and though he was only on the books for a relatively limited time, the impenetrable juggernaut is without question one of the south-west Londoners' greatest acquisitions of the first Premier League era.

Dimitar Berbatov – 2012/13 (Manchester United)
What else needs to be spelled out? Fulham, amidst an array of European heavyweights, endeavoured to land Dimitar Berbatov's highly sought-after services from Manchester United on a 2-year deal, and knowing what the intricate Bulgarian was innately capable of, it's safe to say that pandemonium erupted upon the very first transfer link, no matter how tenuous it appeared initially.

Having witnessed his terrifying prowess within the danger area in the flesh on many differing occasions for both United and Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham genuinely had a marksman leading the line with title-winning credentials having claimed two Premier League titles with the Red Devils, and one who's unflappable demeanour made him the English top-flight's most unassuming, yet deadly marksmen.

Finishing the 2010/11 campaign as joint top scorer with Carlos Tevez, 'King Berba' had an undoubted pedigree in front of the target and his menacing presence in United colours was echoed during his 54 games in Fulham's – with 20 goals to his coveted name during his stretch by the Thames, the cultured offensive mastermind also captured our imaginations with his magnetic first touch and nonchalant flicks and pirouettes, even if he appeared lethargic at times, but that's the majesty of his unrivalled genius, of course.

Damien Duff – 2009/10 (Newcastle United)
Starting the 2009/10 season at Championship side Newcastle United, Damien Duff opted to migrate south to SW6 after shaking hands on a 3-year contract with none other than the mighty Fulham, having formally sampled life as a servant to close local rivals Chelsea, where he made a nuisance of himself along the channels far and wide, sadly.

Fleet footed and incisive, Duff promptly announced himself to the club's expectant supporters with a string of inexhaustible performances, particularly against Everton at home, where the vibrant Republic of Ireland international swept home his first goal for his new employers and the tie's winner, making it 2-1 to the Cottagers with just over 10 minutes of normal time to go.

Duff's invaluable experience in Europe aided Fulham's progression in the Europa League throughout the group and knock-out stages, and as he was comfortable on either flank, the Whites flourished into a formidably unpredictable force on the continent, a spirited edge which enabled them to slay Shakhtar Donetsk, VfL Wolfsburg and Juventus, amongst other perilled superpowers that haplessly failed to floor Hodgson's heroes.

Mousa Dembele – 2010/11 (AZ Alkmaar)
YouTube, for a broad, curious segment of Fulham's faithful, was duly consulted when the Whites snagged Mousa Dembele from Eredivisie outfit AZ Alkmaar in 2010, but it wasn't long until the Premier League was made accustom to the Belgian powerhouse's deceptively sophisticated skill set.

For such a, well, unit of a central midfielder, Dembele showcased his exquisite footwork on a weekly basis, weaving his way through waves of oncoming opponents like a finely-tuned Hummer with the turning circle of a spinning bar stool that's been generously doused in WD40.

Fulham religiously utilised the intimidating playmaker's dexterity, an impending Trojan horse, with virtually every siege passing through his administration. And who can forget his marauding slalom against Spurs in the FA Cup in 2011? A dazzling individual mission, accompanied by a pinpoint missile on the edge of the box, that rounded off the Whites' scintillating 4-0 victory over the north-Londoners, with all goals remarkably coming within the opening 45 minutes.

John Arne Riise – 2011/12 (AS Roma)
A robust left-back by trade, Fulham secured Norwegian international John Arne Riise from Serie A side AS Roma in the summer of 2011, but any respectable football fan would recognise the fiery ex-Liverpool full-back as a devastatingly effective squad member in all departments, be it defensively or in a more advanced never region with the keeper at his mercy.

Kerosene and nitrogen powered his destructive left foot and if the hardened Nordic warrior caught the ball on that all important sweet spot, it stayed hit, and if you were trapped in the projectile's path, then you could wave goodbye to your family, friends and facial features, that's for sure. Although in his 105 encounters for the Whites, preposterously, we never saw the net ripped from its moorings, not once. He did offer 11 assists, though, however that's mildly underwhelming, really.

But that was the infectious buzz around his arrival, ultimately. We had a tenacious disciplinarian in our ranks who was an integral cog in the Reds' sensational 2005 Champions League-winning set-up, and whilst he was an invaluable national team leader, Riise's commanding ethic unreservedly reinforced Martin Jol's defensive quarters.



https://fulhamish.co.uk/post/2018-08-16-transfer-reflection-purchases-that-shook-the-cottage/

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Three Spurs players ruled out of Fulham clash

Juan Foyth, Victor Wanyama and Cameron Carter-Vickers have been ruled out of the Tottenham game with Fulham on Saturday.

The team news emerged from the Tottenham pre-match press conference on Thursday lunchtime.

There was some better news though as it was also confirmed that Wanyama had started outdoors training again, while Erik Lamela, Josh Onomah and Harry Winks had all resumed training.

OPINION
Pochettino will be glad to be getting Lamela, Winks and Onomah back into his squad, although none of the three are likely to start on Saturday. With Heung-Min Son out at the Asian Games and question marks over the fitness on some of his World Cup stars, Pochettino needs all the help he can get at the moment. Luckily, the Fulham game shouldn't pose too much of a problem for his starting XI. They lost 2-0 at home to Crystal Palace in their first game back in the Premier League and anything but a routine win for Spurs would be seen as a major upset. Picking up maximum points will be a priority after being notorious for slow starts and with problems over the opening date of their new stadium, a strong start in the Premier League will take a lot of pressure off Pochettino and head honcho Daniel Levy.



https://thisisfutbol.com/2018/08/blogs/three-spurs-players-ruled-out-of-fulham-clash/

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Paul Merson's Premier League predictions:

Tottenham v Fulham (Saturday 3pm)

Fulham had a bit of a 'welcome to the Premier League' last weekend. They'll be a little bit concerned after coming up, spending a lot of money but they just didn't put their chances away and Palace did, that's the difference between the two leagues. The Premier League is ruthless.

You don't want to get off to a start of played two, lost two because you're behind the eight ball straight away. I think Tottenham will win this one but I still think Fulham will be all right.

PAUL PREDICTS: 3-1 (9/1 with Sky Bet)



http://www.skysports.com/football/news/15205/11473856/paul-mersons-premier-league-predictions-cardiff-v-newcastle-man-city-v-huddersfield-brighton-v-man-utd

[WhiteJC]

 
Tottenham Team News Update: Poch Handed Triple Injury Boost Ahead Of Fulham Clash

Tottenham play their first 'home' game of the new Premier League season when they welcome Fulham to Wembley on Saturday afternoon.

Mauricio Pochettino has been holding his pre-match press conference this afternoon ahead of the game and the club have provided a full team news and injury update.

The Spurs boss has been handed a triple injury boost with the news that Erik Lamela, Harry Winks and Josh Onomah have all returned to full training this week.

Lamela missed the opening weekend victory over Newcastle United at St James' Park due to a minor muscle injury that the Argentinean international sustained during pre-season but could be in the squad on Saturday.

Winks hasn't featured for Tottenham since way back in February due to a serious ankle injury but the midfielder has been working his way back to fitness and is now in full training with the rest of the squad.

Onomah on the other hand was ruled out of Tottenham's entire pre-season preparations due to a knee problem but the youngster could be in contention for a place in the squad against Fulham after returning to training this week.

There was also a positive update on Victor Wanyama as although the Kenyan international won't be fit to face Fulham, the midfielder is back doing light outdoor training as he looks to recover from a serious knee injury.

However, youngster Cameron Carter-Vickers is continuing his rehabilitation from a groin problem while fellow defender Juan Foyth will also sit out the visit of Fulham this weekend due to an on-going knee issue.

Tottenham will look to make it two wins from two games when they take on Fulham on Saturday after beating Newcastle 2-1 last weekend and Pochettino has a strong squad to choose from.

Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Eric Dier, Jan Vertonghen and Hugo Lloris all came through the Newcastle game unscathed having returned to pre-season late following the World Cup while Kieran Trippier is pushing for recall on Saturday.



http://football-talk.co.uk/141453/tottenham-team-news-update-poch-handed-triple-injury-boost-ahead-of-fulham-clash/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic admits 'we have many new players and will need time' to adjust to life in the Premier League as they prepare for Tottenham test at Wembley

    Fulham head to Wembley on Saturday to play London rivals Tottenham
    Newly-promoted Craven Cottage side lost 2-0 to Crystal Palace on Saturday
    Manager Slavisa Jokanovic admits players will need to re-adjust to top flight

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic accepts his squad will need time to get up to speed in the Premier League, but are ready for the challenge.

The Cottagers, promoted as Championship play-off winners, lost their opening game back in the top flight when beaten 2-0 at home by Crystal Palace.

Jokanovic takes his men back to Wembley for a Premier League showdown against Tottenham on Saturday.


Fulham manager Jokanovic has admitted his players need time to adjust to the top-flight


Fulham lost 2-0 at home to Crystal Palace on their first game back in the big time last weekend

'We are returning to Wembley as a Premier League team,' said Jokanovic. 'An amazing and great challenge is ahead of us, and we will do our best to fight for the points.

'We have many new players and will need time. We worked well this week, building our spirit and working on the way we want to play football.

'This club has fought to be in the position to play against teams like Spurs. We know we must be solid and be available to work off the ball.

'We know Spurs will have possession so we must show solidarity and great effort.


Fulham's Ryan Sessegnon takes on Stefan Johansen during training ahead of the Spurs game


Fulham's record signing Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa is pictured in training on Thursday


Jokanovic watches closely during Fulham's training session at Motspur Park on Thursday

'We have a tough game is ahead of us but it's a great opportunity for us to test ourselves against one of the top European teams.'

Despite Tottenham striker Harry Kane having a notoriously poor scoring record in the month of August, Jokanovic said his team would take no chances against the England star.

He added: 'I hope that Harry Kane is not going to score [his first August goal] against us.

'He is without doubt one of the best European strikers at the moment. We must be organised to stop him and the other quality players.'



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6067413/Fulham-boss-Slavisa-Jokanovic-admits-new-players-need-time-adjust.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic is ready for 'amazing' test against Tottenham


Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic is ready for a tough test against Spurs

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic accepts his squad need time to get up to speed in the Premier League, but says he is ready for an "amazing" test against Spurs on Saturday.

Fulham were promoted as Championship play-off winners but lost their opening game back in the top flight when they were beaten 2-0 at home by Crystal Palace.

Jokanovic takes his side back to Wembley for a Premier League showdown against Tottenham, and says they are ready to test themselves against "one of the top European teams".

He said: "We have many new players and will need time. We worked well this week, building our spirit and working on the way we want to play football.

"We are returning to Wembley as a Premier League team. An amazing and great challenge is ahead of us, and we will do our best to fight for the points.

"It's a great opportunity. We have fought for the opportunity to play against teams like Spurs.


Tim Ream is absent for Fulham

"We have experience playing against them in the FA Cup a year ago and it wasn't an easy day for us. But they haven't changed much and we might see a similar starting 11 for Spurs.

"We know a tough game is ahead of us, but it's a great opportunity for us to test ourselves against one of the top European teams.

"Spurs are one of the best teams for pressing after they lose the ball. They are going to push us, they have quality and pace. It's a hard game and we must be ready and show we can be brave."

Jokanovic revealed Fulham are struggling in central defence, with injuries to key players, but hopes Harry Kane continues his hoodoo of never scoring for Spurs during the month of August.


Harry Kane has never scored for Spurs in August

He added: "We have some problems with our centre-backs. Tim Ream and Alfie Mawson aren't working with us, and Denis Odoi is suspended.

"I hope Harry Kane is not going to score [his first August goal] against us. He is without any doubt one of the best European strikers at the moment.

"We must be organised to stop him and the other quality players."



http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/11474023/fulham-boss-slavisa-jokanovic-is-ready-for-amazing-test-against-tottenham

[WhiteJC]

 
Centre-back duo ruled out of Tottenham-Fulham clash

Senior Fulham centre-back duo Alfie Mawson and Tim Ream have been ruled out of Saturday's clash against Tottenham, it has been confirmed.

Cottagers manager Jokanovic revealed at his media conference on Thursday, as quoted by the official Fulham Twitter account, that Mawson and Ream are still out with the injuries that sidelined them from the 2-0 opening day defeat against Crystal Palace.

Jokanovic explained that the defenders are not training with the first-team squad ahead of the short trip to Wembley, while right-back Denis Odoi misses out due to suspension.

OPINION
Fulham are not quite down to the bare bones in defence. Following extensive summer recruitment, Jokanovic can still call upon Arsenal loanee Calum Chambers and £5million signing Maxime Le Marchand. However, there is no doubt that Mawson, who joined Fulham for £20million from Swansea during the window, would be the first choice centre-back if he was fit. The outstanding player for Swansea during their relegation campaign, the 24-year-old underwent knee surgery in the summer and is still on the recovery path that may continue until after the international break. USA international Ream was an absolute rock for Fulham in their promotion campaign last season and he would probably be Mawson's first-choice partner if he was available for action. With Odoi also out, Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen and company will never have a better chance to put a cobbled-together back line to the sword.



https://thisisfutbol.com/2018/08/blogs/premier-league/tottenham-hotspur/centre-back-duo-ruled-out-of-tottenham-fulham-clash/

[WhiteJC]

 
Team News

Slaviša Jokanović will again be without three of his defenders when he takes Fulham back to Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

There was better news regarding Joe Bryan, though, with the ankle knock that forced his withdrawal on the opening day proving to be minor.

"Joe Bryan didn't lose any sessions and he is going to be available," Jokanović revealed in his pre-match press conference on Thursday afternoon.

"Right now we have a kind of problem with our centre-backs. Tim Ream hasn't started working with us this week. Alfie Mawson, too, is still to start working with us. We expect Alfie is going to start working with us next Tuesday.

"Denis Odoi is suspended, but the positive news is that Floyd Ayité started working with us, but he needs to build up his condition."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/august/16/team-news

[WhiteJC]

 
Newcastle fans have very few nice words to say about Mitrovic

Aleksandar Mitrovic walked away from St James Park this summer, ending his three-year stay with the club. Now he's a Fulham player on a full-time basis, he's commented that Rafa Benitez and Newcastle failed to play to his strengths as a forward. His comments in The Telegraph have drawn a lot of negative comments out of the Magpies.

At Newcastle, Benitez needs all eleven of his players to put in a shift all over the pitch. The Geordies expect their striker to press the backline and defend from the front and that's simply not in Mitrovic's nature. The Serbian striker is now at Craven Cottage and the 23-year-old striker will be desperate to show Newcastle fans what he's all about and score goals aplenty in London.

Despite this, the Magpies will be desperate to see one of their boys outscore Mitrovic and the league to wipe the smug look off of the ex-Anderlecht man's face. The striker's non-compliance to do what was asked of him is what has cost him a future at St James Park and plenty of Geordies would have expected him to be able to adapt to the tactics that the club played without getting himself needlessly sent off, that hasn't been the case, though.



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league/newcastle-fans-have-very-few-nice-words-to-say-about-mitrovic/

[WhiteJC]

 
Head Coach press conference

Slaviša Jokanović knows that a united front is needed to give Fulham the best possible chance of claiming a positive result on Saturday afternoon.

The Whites take on Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium, with the hosts considerable favourites to claim all three points at a temporary home which has proven to be very prosperous for them during their residency.

"We know a tough game is ahead of us," Jokanović admitted. "This year in this stadium, only [Manchester] City and Juventus won against them. But this is a great opportunity for us to test ourselves again against one of the top English and European teams.

"We know very well we must be solid and available to work off the ball. We know this team is probably going to take possession off us, and we must be ready to work all together off the ball, and show solidarity and great effort.

"In some part of the defensive work, you don't have to be so talented, [but] you must be clever, organised, and show great decision-making off the ball."

While Spurs away certainly does represent a stern assessment of Fulham's credentials, Jokanović believes it is the sort of test that his side will relish.

"It's a great opportunity," he said. "This Club has fought, and many of the players have fought, for the opportunity to face this kind of team.

"It's great news for us to play against Spurs. We have experience one-and-a-half years ago of playing against them in the FA Cup. That wasn't an easy day for us.

"They didn't change so much, we are going to find a similar starting XI more or less for the Spurs side. From our side we changed many things, because we needed to.

"They didn't need to spend lots of money to stay at the highest level. Our situation is a little bit different, our process is going to be a little bit different.

"They've been working together many years. They know how to compete all together, how to work all together, how to attack and defend all together. For us, we are in a process for improving all these different things.

"It's great to be going back to Wembley. Now it's different because we are going to return as a Premier League team in a different competition.

"It's an amazing and great challenge ahead of us and we are going to try and do our best, be competitive and fight for the points."

The North Londoners have international quality throughout their ranks, and Jokanović is fully aware of the strength in depth Mauricio Pochettino has to select from.

"We know they are going to press us," he stated. "They are a really strong defensive team. When they lose the ball they are one of the best teams at pressing. They don't give you many spaces.

"We know they have quality, they're a fast team, we know they can attack us very well with Dele Alli, with [Christian] Eriksen, with many people.

"We know how important Harry Kane can be, too. He's one of the top scorers in English football. We must be organised to stop him and these kind of quality players that we are going to face.

"It's one of the top European teams and we must be ready and show we can be brave going into this challenge."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/august/16/head-coach-press conference

[WhiteJC]

 
Slavisa Jokanovic will not compromise Fulham's style to stop Tottenham

Slavisa Jokanovic insists his Fulham side will not compromise their proactive style of play when they take on Tottenham and other top six sides in their return to the Premier League.

Fulham reached the top flight with elegance and ambition, becoming favourites among many neutrals for a possession-focused game that brought the best out of exciting young playmakers such as Tom Cairney and Ryan Sessegnon.

There were no signs of that being abandoned in their first top flight game for four years but at times there was a sense of naivety in their 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, where all the ball dominance Craven Cottage could offer did not stop them being taken apart on the counter; most notably by the individual brilliance of Wilfried Zaha.

Palace's attacking options pale in comparison to those of Tottenham, who have an expansive Wembley pitch to express themselves on, but Jokanovic will not respond to Spurs' threat by playing in any way other than that which got Fulham to the top flight in the first place.

"We believe it's our best way to be successful this season," he said. "If we believe now it's a better way to give Spurs the ball and wait for them on the edge of the box and try to finish the game 0-0, I'm not sure that would be the best plan for us.

"We know it's a tough game ahead of us. It's only Manchester City and Juventus that have won there [sic. Chelsea and West Ham also won at Wembley last season]. For another side it's a great opportunity for us to test our possibilities against one of the top English and European teams.

"This question about the style: I am here to choose what is best for the time. Everyday I try to understand what are the qualities and characteristics of my team.

"We have to be solid and work off the ball. We know this team will take possession off us and we must be ready to work all together and suffer and show great effort. In some parts of the defensive work you don't have to be so talented but you must be clever, organised and show great decision-making for working off the ball."

Jokanovic will have to carry out that defensive rearguard without three senior centre-backs. Denis Odoi is still carrying his suspension from the Play-Off Final while Tim Ream and Alfie Mawson are injured. New signing André-Frank Zambo Anguissa is also not expected to feature having only begun training on Thursday.

Anguissa was one of five deadline day additions to Jokanovic's squad and it could be some time before the benefit of Fulham's late business is felt.

"We need time, like all the teams," he insisted. "It's not easy for us, its not easy for them too and it's natural.

"We must be patient and we believe we sign quality players but without any work it's so complicated for them.

"This week, we start to be complete and start working with all the people available. Step by step we will improve."



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/tottenham-vs-fulham-slavisa-jokanovic-will-not-compromise-style-a3913476.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham: Tom Cairney is the difference between safety and relegation
Manchester City have De Bruyne. Real Madrid have Modric. Tottenham have Eriksen. Fulham? Tom Cairney.

It's 26th May 2018. "Ain't nobody, like Tom Cairney, makes me happy, makes me feel this way!"  echoes around the Wembley walls.

The sun beams down intensely on the prime Wembley turf. Thousands of Fulham supporters are in pure jubilation. It was the perfect day for the most expensive match in football: the Championship play-off final.

Fulham had secured promotion back to the Premier League; their captain with the all-important goal that was the difference between the sides.

It was a day that their captain would never forget. Manchester City have Kevin De Bruyne. Real Madrid have Luka Modric. Tottenham have Christian Eriksen. Fulham? Well, they have Tom Cairney.

Per Ardua ad Astra
Self-belief is a vital component in making it as a professional footballer. The ruthlessness of modern-day academies shatters thousands of youngsters' aspirations when they are told they're not at the required standard to become a scholar.

At the Leeds academy since he was seven years old, Tom Cairney was released nine years later. The psychological impact this has on many young prodigies is often detrimental but not for Tom. He stayed true to his abilities, kept on persevering and, most importantly, kept believing in the traits he possessed.

He was soon offered a place on a Youth Training Scheme at Hull City after which the young Cairney never looked back.

Since his breakthrough, the Nottingham-born artist broke into the first team at Hull before moving onto Blackburn where his performances caught the eye. This culminated in a move to Craven Cottage where he since developed into a huge fan favourite, subsequently being made captain.

The beating heart
Cairney was instrumental throughout Fulham's remarkable promotion season.

Just as important to Fulham as De Bruyne is to City, Cairney may not quite be on the same level as the Belgian but his ability is just as important to his club.

The 27-year-old recorded six goals and five assists from central midfield last season, a smaller output than his 13 goals and 12 assists in the previous campaign. While that could be seen as a drop in performance levels, it is important to remember Cairney experienced regular knee problems throughout the season.

On top of this, under Slavisa Jokanovic, no player made more passes last season than Cairney, despite missing a number of games as a result of his knee troubles.

His vision, awareness and proficiency were fundamental to Jokanovic's possession-based football last season. Being able to keep the ball moving at a high tempo, Cairney facilitated Fulham's retention of the ball for long stretches of games.

The Fulham captain built a compelling partnership alongside fellow Scot, Kevin McDonald, with the two complementing one another's styles perfectly.

McDonald is the more defensive-minded of the two and allowed Cairney to thrive in a number ten role. However, it wasn't uncommon to see Cairney drop deeper to pick up the ball and play long diagonals out to the wide men.

To me, to you
Last season, Fulham topped the charts in terms of possession, averaging 57% over the course of their campaign. Cairney was pivotal to this possession.

This season should be comparable. Fulham may have lost their opening fixture, finding it hard to break down a resolute Crystal Palace side, but they didn't change their tactics. They repeatedly played through their number ten and, in the end, he made an impressive  90 of his 93 passes.

This emphasises how much of Fulham's football goes through the Scottish international and how imperative he is to the side.

Much relief to the fans, Cairney signed a new contract this summer. Had he moved away from the club, it would have left an incredibly difficult void to fill.

The Flying Scotsman is a metronome in the middle of the park keeping everything ticking and, the Fulham fans will be hoping, keeping their team in the Premier League.



https://realsport101.com/news/sports/football/fulham-tom-cairney/