Monday Fulham Stuff (17/09/18)...

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Results

Sunday
Wolves	1 - 0	Burnley
Everton	1 - 3	West Ham

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Man City boss Pep Guardiola lavishes praise on Fulham for one key reason

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola gave a lot of credit to newly promoted Fulham after they lost 3-0 at the Etihad on Saturday in the Premier League.

Goals from Leroy Sane, David Silva and Raheem Sterling earned City their fourth win of the 2018-19 campaign and condemned Fulham to their third defeat.

Guardiola's men created a hatful of clear goalscoring opportunities but squandered many of them, after scoring twice in the first twenty minutes of the contest.

However, Fulham were not content to simply sit back behind the ball with 11 men against their more illustrious opponents, which was the key reason behind Guardiola's praise for the Cottagers post-match – according to the Evening Standard.

The Spaniard told reporters: "I give a lot of credit to Fulham. Fulham asked a lot from us because they want to play.

"They will cause a lot of surprises in the Premier League, so I give a lot of credit for what we have done to win.

"3-0 is a good result – but we created a lot of chances to score five, six or seven goals.

"We have to be more clinical because goal difference is important."

The result means that City remain two points behind Liverpool and Chelsea at the top of the table after their rivals also picked up wins against Tottenham and Cardiff City respectively on Saturday.

The Citizens strolled to the title last year, finishing 19 points ahead of Manchester United in May, but if the early stages of the new season are anything to go by they are likely to face a tougher challenge this time around.

On the European front, City have been drawn in Group F in the Champions League alongside Shakhtar Donetsk, Hoffenheim and Lyon, as they prepare for their latest assault on the competition following their quarter-final exit against Liverpool last term.

They kick-off their campaign on Wednesday night against Lyon, before returning to Premier league duty next Saturday against another of the newly promoted clubs, Cardiff City.

Supporters will be expecting wins in both matches as the team strives for more success on all fronts to emphasise their position as the dominant force in English football.



https://www.caughtoffside.com/2018/09/16/man-city-boss-pep-guardiola-lavishes-praise-on-fulham-for-one-key-reason/

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Fulham Battle Hard But Succumb To The Inevitable

Ahead of the trip to take on Manchester City, on Saturday, here at Vital Fulham, we predicted it would be the toughest game of our season so far, whilst also adding the rider it could also be considered to be the toughest game of the season.

Taking on the reigning Premier League title holders was, we predicted, a chance to show how far our club has come in the last twelve months.

Although Fulham were beaten 3-0, a comprehensive score-line, it has to be said that we didn't disgrace ourselves.

At times we gave as good as we got and Slavisa Jokanovic deserves the plaudits for allowing his side to play with the freedom of expression that is our trade-mark.

However, we were always going to be up against it when, as early as the second minute, some calamitous defending saw City gifted a goal with Leroy Sane taking full advantage of our generosity.

Under pressure, the defence buckled again in the twenty-first minute when the excellent David Silva doubled our hosts lead. At that time it looked to be a case of how many Fulham would ship.
But, as we mentioned earlier, we gave as good as we got and never looked as if we were going to be humiliated.

But, if Jokanovic had sent his side out looking to get back into the game in the second half he was to be dealt another cruel blow when City wrapped up the points when Raheem Sterling scored the third goal.

For Fulham, it was a case of live and learn, for Manchester City it was a case of three more points in the bag as they seek to win back-to-back titles.



https://fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/fulham-battle-hard-but-succumb-to-the-inevitable/

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Fulham Need To Wise Up To The Challenge That Lies Ahead

After the celebrations, back in May after Fulham had achieved promotion to the Premier League, had died down, everybody accepted that moving into the top-flight of English football would be a difficult challenge.

The club invested wisely in new players, a sign that those who own the club are intent on prolonging our stay in the Premier League as opposed to it being a one season dalliance.

However, the results from the first five games have left Fulham sitting in fifteenth place, with just four points from the fifteen available, making it the clubs second worst start to a Premier League campaign.

Following the loss to Manchester City, at the Etihad Stadium, Slavisa Jokanovic gave an honest assessment of what we'd just witnessed, remarking, and as reported by the BBC

    "We started both halves conceding early goals. The result was fair and if you don't perform perfectly it's so hard to do well against Manchester City.

    "Our performance was a little shy and we didn't connect our play well enough. We had some moments in the game when we enjoyed possession but we didn't have end quality."

Something that has been noticeable on several occasions this season.

Being clinical when chances come your way is essential but creating those chances can be a challenge in itself.

Hopefully, the tide will turn when Fulham welcome Watford to Craven Cottage next Saturday.

COYW'S



https://fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/fulham-need-to-wise-up-to-the-challenge-that-lies-ahead/

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He's Only Been With Us Five Minutes But Another Club Is Interested In Our Mitrovic

After finally securing the services of Aleksandar Mitrovic on a permanent basis, after it looked as if securing a deal with Newcastle United might not happen, speculation has emerged that the Serbian is the subject of interest of another Premier League side.

According to the popular Sunday tabloid publication, the Mirror, our neighbours Chelsea are said to be interested in acquiring the services of the deadly Serbian.

There's no doubting that since his arrival at Craven Cottage, firstly on loan and then in a £22 million deal, Mitrovic has been an essential cog in our side. Already, this season, he's shown that he can score as prolifically in the top-flight of English football as he did in the Championship.

No doubt we're flattered by Chelsea's interest but we see no reason why Fulham would consider a sale, Mitrovic put pen-to-paper on a contract in the summer and Fulham are not in a position whereby they need to raise funds.

Here at Vital Fulham, we reckon Chelsea will get no joy from Fulham if they make a move and will be forced to look elsewhere.

COYW's



https://fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/hes-only-been-with-us-five-minutes-but-another-club-is-interested-in-our-mitrovic/

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Cottage Talk Post Match Show: Manchester City vs. Fulham
Take a listen to a podcast that focuses on Fulham Football Club.

This is our post match show of the 3-0 loss for Fulham against Manchester City. During the show, co-hosts Max Cohen, and Yannis Tjanetis, analyzed the key moments of this match.

We also shared and discussed the Friends Of Fulham Man Of The Match Poll.


you can listen to the podcast here...
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cottagetalk/2018/09/16/cottage-talk-post-match-show-manchester-city-vs-fulham

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Five Thoughts: Manchester City 3-0 Fulham

It may have been expected, but it doesn't make it much easier, here's five thoughts of Cam Ramsey following Saturday's defeat at the Etihad.

What a sobering way to be lobbed back into domestic duties after the international break. Saturday's trip to the Etihad was a treacherous, gut-wrenching affair before kick-off with many a Fulham fan, even the optimistic few, touting a relentless riot in Manchester City's favour, but Slav's boys miraculously escaped with a somewhat merciful 3-0 defeat.

Now, a loss isn't a positive by any means, although we only made a slight splash in comparison to those who have perished before us after being prodded off the plank by the reigning Premier League champions.

1) Out of Our Depth?
It's no secret that we're here to exhibit our dominance and confidence on the ball and in recent meetings this season, win or lose, we've endeavoured to dictate in order to frustrate and hurry our opponents into exposing their vulnerabilities. But against City, of course, a patient element of sensibility has to be observed, as Pep's indomitable contingent don't seem to have tender spots, and if they do, they're shielded by layers upon layers of chain mail and Gorilla Glue.

Fulham had their chances to respond to City, although as the hosts had a staggering 28 attempts on our target throughout the confrontation, we can count ourselves truly lucky that it wasn't a rampant whitewash, and in terms of possession – as expected – City had more than the lion's share, a freedom which allowed them to siege our defence at will, after swiftly rendering our midfield surplus.

Without forgetting that City are unquestionably one of Europe's most capable outfits, however, grabbing even a mild shot on target is an achievement for any newly promoted contender, and though that appears to be an exceedingly shallow appraisal, that's often all that you can hope for against the game's commanding heavyweights in their own back yard.

2) High Line Condemned Us to Defeat
Other than David Silva's intricate stab in the 6-yard box, the goals Fulham conceded were fashioned by direct, incisive through-balls. Establishing base camp further up the park condenses the areas in which an opposition can operate, but with the fluidity and potency in City's attacking spearhead, we were always dancing with the devil.

Jean-Micheal Seri's uncharacteristic mistake opened the door for Leroy Sane to pounce, and as we were trying to construct at the time, our defence was clinically pulled apart and we simply couldn't scramble back frantically enough to stunt Fernandinho's impending dart towards our penalty area. Remember Brighton & Hove Albion's first at the Amex?

City, as it's widely known, treat the ball with the respect it duly deserves on the turf, but when there's even a mere sniff of a potential long ball to unleash Sane and company's searing pace in the final third, they're not shy to switch up their approach. More often than not, they dissected our rearguard with heat-seeking missiles which fell deftly at the destination's primed feet behind enemy lines.

3) Sess' Still Not a Left-Back
Now, I'm not saying that Ryan Sessegnon can't deputise at left-back whatsoever, because he's actually a fairly tidy full-back, but against the strength and vibrancy Sane and Raheem Sterling brought to the table on Saturday, it was crystal clear to see that the fledgling starlet was being systematically targeted once City marched forward offensively.

As a winger in advanced positions, Sess' asked questions of City's full-backs and even sat Kyle Walker on his backside with a feint moment of deception. During the build up to Andre Schurrle's rasping effort that was expertly brushed over the crossbar by Ederson, the developing teenager supplied Luciano Vietto from the left channel with a productive pass which handed the Argentine the time and space to locate Schurrle on the parameter of the 18-yard box.

Sess' aptitude in the offensive quadrant of the pitch exposed his naivety when tracking back, as on a number of differing occasions the 'Young Lion' ambled in retreat, rather than inexhaustibly exerting every fibre and sinew he had to strain.

But in absolute fairness, even the hardiest of defenders often haplessly flounders in the wake of Sterling's studs, so if a trip to the Etihad was going to pose as an abrupt eye opener for the beloved academy product, it's good that it's come in his impressionable formative years, as he'll undoubtedly learn from his experience against the division's best weaponry.

4) Flashes of Betts' Best
Marcus Bettinelli's may have he failed to make his bow for his nation, however, being regarded as a member of the England squad certainly would have put the wind in his sail, and rightly so.

Shipping three goals is a bitter pill, but it shouldn't dent the 26-year-old's confidence and stature too dramatically. Competing at the top level, especially for a goalkeeper, is going to be a gruelling mental and physical drain, because there's no margin for error. Not an inch, not a whiff.

Following Sane's opener, Sterling could have registered a strike earlier in the fixture after skipping through Alfie Mawson, and with the goalmouth at his mercy, the England attacker unleashed a vicious attempt towards the net, but an onrushing Betts, spread in sheer desperation, valiantly thwarted the danger and diverted the ball off the crossbar.

Moments later at the front post, the newly appointed Three Lions representative had to have his angles covered perfectly, and once Bernardo Silva drilled the ball goal bound, Bettinelli had already snuffed out the fizzing hazard with an improvised block with his right boot. Marcus can come out of Saturday's game with plenty of credit.

5) Transitional Period Continues
'Slav bingo' occurred once again with a collection of questionable selections in his matchday XI, but hey, who are we to judge his expertise? Fulham acquired enough players to field a whole new squad during the summer and we'd be kidding ourselves if we thought that the Serb knew exactly who he'd deploy on a weekly basis from the get-go.

Denis Odoi was a rock for us at centre-half last term in the Championship, but in the top-flight? I'm still not entirely convinced. The utility man didn't have a horrendous 90 minutes by any means against City, however we need raw physicality in the heart of our defence, and the Belgian, despite his determination, isn't brawny enough to prop up the spine of the fold.

Injuries and fatigue will intermittently limit a squad throughout the campaign and Tom Cairney's absence amongst others was sorely noticeable in the engine room. Stand-in skipper Stefan Johansen, the 'shithouse' extraordinaire, is a worthy addition from the dugout but is not a starter at this level – Bernardo Silva ran him ragged and the Norway captain simply couldn't get a telling foothold in the game.

There's genuine competition for places in all departments and that will significantly aid us as the weeks and months trundle onward. But as many view Timothy Fosu-Mensah as a stronger option than Cyrus Christie, Joe Bryan as a sturdier left-back opposed to Sess' and Maxime Le Marchand and Mawson as our ideal centre-half pairing amongst other various permutations, Slav is ultimately a long way from pinpointing a formidably cohesive blueprint to trust in future domestic meetings.



https://fulhamish.co.uk/post/2018-09-16-five-thoughts-manchester-city-3-0-fulham/

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Mitrovic emerging as a target for Chelsea

Fulham will be desperate to get back to winning ways after suffering defeat at the hands of Manchester City at the Etihad.

The Cottagers looked less than certain and failed to trouble the defending Premier League champions as they lost by a three goal margin. And, to make matters worse, it appears as if a fellow top-flight side is eyeing one of Fulham's star men, as according to the Mirror, Aleksandar Mitrovic is emerging as a target for Chelsea.

Chelsea are amongst a number of clubs who have been impressed by Aleksandar Mitrovic's explosive start to the season.

Indeed, the Serbian has managed to notch six goals in as many games for club and country, which has alerted the Blues and a couple of Italian sides.

Of course, the 23-year-old has quickly established himself as one of the best strikers in the whole of English football, which will mean that his asking price will be considerably higher than the £22 million that was paid during the summer transfer window.

THE VERDICT:
Fulham will be desperate to hold onto Mitrovic as he played a huge part in their promotion push and has already established himself as a star in the Premier League.

Although, with Chelsea and a number of Italian clubs all circling for the 23-year-old, it may not be long until an official approach is made.

The Cottagers will get a healthy sum of money for the Serbian's services and will no doubt make a profit, but they'd much rather fend off the attention to keep him at Craven Cottage.



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league/mitrovic-emerging-as-a-target-for-chelsea/

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Opinion – Fulham must offer a new contract to this sensational attacker and ward off potential suitors

Why Fulham should tie Ryan Sessegnon down to a new contract

According to Evening Standard, Fulham are keen to open talks with Ryan Sessegnon over a new contract with the youngster's current deal set to expire in two years' time. Sessegnon has been making a name for himself over the past couple of seasons as one of England's most promising talents and the 18-year-old was one of the standout performers for Fulham in the Championship last year.

A product of Fulham's youth academy, Sessegnon showed his commitment to his boyhood club by signing his first professional contract in 2017, despite being subjected to interest from elite clubs in the Premier League (h/t Sky Sports).

It was largely due to Sessegnon's exploits down the left flank that Fulham secured promotion to the top-flight. He starred with 16 goals and 8 assists in the Championship last season and was instrumental in the club's successes. His offensive stats were amazing, given he was often deployed either as a left-back or a left-wing back.

Let us take a detailed look at his stats from last season. Sessegnon averaged 1.3 shots per game, 1.2 key passes and 1.2 dribbles per game. His ability to link play down the left made him a valuable asset to the Cottagers. Apart from his heroics in the attacking third, he was quite conscious of his duties on the other side of the pitch as well. He averaged 0.8 tackles, 0.8 clearances and 0.8 interceptions per game. These stats provide evidence to his development as an all-around footballer.

The English prodigy played the full 90 minutes of Fulham's first two fixtures in the Premier League this season. Although he was not quite at the top of his game, he made a mark with an assist in the second game against Tottenham Hotspur. Quite understandably, the youngster needs some time to adapt to the Premier League.

The 18-year-old has shown tremendous maturity as a footballer. He has shown an excellent presence of mind to get in behind the defenders with his pace and agility. A player defined by technical soundness and athleticism, Sessegnon has quick feet and combines his dribbling skills with pace to weave his way past the defenders.

An excellent crosser of the ball from the flanks, the youngster has a keen eye to pick out the runs of his teammates with his crosses. He is also adept at cutting inside from the flanks and can find the back of the net with his accurate and powerful shots.

It is quite unusual for a youngster to position himself so brilliantly while playing as a full-back. But Sessegnon has shown a maturity that belies his tender years. His recovery pace not only allows him to track back and make tackles but also allows him to play in a high defensive line.

Sessegnon has already shown strong signs of excellence and boasts of massive potential to become one of the best in the world. Since he has peaked early in his career, his evolution as a footballer can be compared to someone like Gareth Bale, who also started his career as a left-back and then became one of the most feared attackers in the world.

However, it would be too early to create such hype since Sessegnon has a long way to go. That said, Fulham should offer him an improved contract as soon as possible to keep him at Craven Cottage.



http://www.mediareferee.com/2018/09/17/opinion-fulham-must-offer-a-new-contract-to-this-sensational-attacker-and-ward-off-potential-suitors/

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Marcus Bettinelli: Manchester City left Fulham too 'knackered' for fightback


AFP/Getty Images

Marcus Bettinelli claims Fulham were too 'knackered' to stand any chance of upsetting Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola's Premier League champions secured a 3-0 win against Slavisa Jokanovic's side - opening the scoring after just two minutes through Leroy Sane.

That wrecked Fulham's plans - and Bettinelli has revealed how the job of trying to keep City's stars at bay left the visitors totally exhausted.

"They're a fantastic side," said the goalkeeper. "They did what they did last year for a reason.

"Our game-plan was to try to keep them quiet for the first 20 minutes. It didn't work.

"We made a mistake early on and got punished. That's what happens when you play against teams like this.

"I don't think we backed ourselves enough to get forward and create chances.

"You spend a lot of time defending against teams like this and when you get the ball you are knackered. So we kept it down to three, but we didn't just come to keep the score down."

Further goals from David Silva and Raheem Sterling completed a comprehensive win for City - but Guardiola offered a ringing endorsement of Fulham - predicting Premier League survival.

"They have courage and personality to play and that is why they are in the Premier League, so big compliments," said the Catalan. "I like to watch these kind of teams.

"They didn't come here to defend and play long balls, just to wait for set pieces. They came here to play their own game.

"Maybe when teams defend more deeply it's more complicated, but I am pretty sure that Fulham will be in the Premier League."

Bettinelli insists the target is more than just survival this season.

"If our only aim is to stay in the league then we won't do ourselves justice," he said. "We have to aim high. You look at Burnley last season, what you can achieve if you believe and put the hard work in.

"We're a good side, we showed that against Burnley last weekend.

"The owners have invested in the squad and we are here to do well. We're optimistic we can aim high and start to move up the table.

"That will mean hopefully when it comes to the last three or four games of the season, we are not still fighting to avoid relegation.

"Hopefully we'll be mid-table. That's what we need to aim for.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/marcus-bettinelli-manchester-city-left-fulham-too-knackered-for-fightback-a3937136.html

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Guardiola 'pretty sure' Fulham will stay up

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was full of praise for Fulham after his side eased past the Whites at the Etihad on Saturday.

The defending Premier League champions enjoyed almost two-thirds of the possession and peppered Marcus Bettinelli's goal with a total of 27 shots, as Slavisa Jokanovic stayed true to his team's own expansive style despite their defensive frailty.

Such ambition to create free-flowing attacks is something that Guardiola holds in high regard, in contrast to the overly compact shape of most of City's opponents who simply aim to avoid conceding.

"I give a lot of credit to Fulham," Guardiola said. "Fulham asked a lot from us because they want to play with good build-up.

"They didn't come here to defend with long balls and set pieces. They came here to play. I like to watch these kinds of teams."

Going into Saturday's match, only Chelsea, City and Liverpool had totalled more sequences of 10+ passes than Jokanovic's outfit in the top flight this season.

And it has not gone unnoticed by the decorated Guardiola, who has championed a similar strategy throughout his managerial career.

Guardiola added: "Fulham ask a lot from their opponents. A lot. And we knew that. The example is the first minute and 30 or 45 seconds. They had the ball, pass, pass, pass, cross, corner.

"When that happens, they create a lot of problems for the other teams, because they have courage. They have personality. That's why they were promoted and are in the Premier League, so big compliments. They will cause a lot of surprises to the Premier League, this team.

"I am pretty sure Fulham will be in the Premier League next season. I am pretty sure of that."



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/football-wls-man-city-boss-guardiola-pretty-sure-fulham-will-stay-up

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80.3% pass success – It's time for Fulham to repay this fan favourite's loyalty by handing him a new deal

Fulham should definitely tie up Ryan Sessegnon with a new contract

Fulham have looked impressive in the opening stages of the Premier League this season. The Cottagers have so far picked up 4 points from their opening 5 games of the season. Slavisa Jokanovic's men look fluid and cohesive going forward but have shown fragility in defence.

The club will be aiming to establish themselves in the Premier League this season. The manager did bring in a lot of high-profile signings to bolster the squad but the club have to ensure they hold onto their best players as well.

According to the Evening Standard, Fulham are keen to tie up youngster Ryan Sessegnon to a new contract after his impressive performances for the club guided them into the Premier League.

The 18-year-old has proven to be one of the most promising young talents in the country. Sessegnon played an important role for Fulham last season as they made their way back to England's top-tier. Technically brilliant and very fast on the ball, Sessegnon is an energetic and lively footballer.

The youngster is often deployed as a left midfielder but predominantly played as a left-back for the Cottagers last season. Sessegnon started the first two games of this season but was used as a substitute in the following two matches. He started against Man City and he has picked up 1 assist this season so far.

The 18-year-old is also a neat passer of the ball. He has so far averaged a pass success rate of 80.3%. Though he may not be the final product and there are areas in his game that need to be addressed, the youngster will no doubt play a massive role in England's future. (Stats Courtesy – Whoscored)

There's no doubt Sessegnon is very much in the manager's plans for the future. Sessegnon also attracted interest from the big giants like Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur over the summer.

There's absolutely no question whether Fulham should hand him a new contract or not. The talent he possesses is exceptional and if Fulham fail to tie him down, they will definitely be made to rue their decision in no time. Sessegnon has already shown faith and loyalty by sticking with the club, and it's now time for the club to repay him with a new pay package.



https://soccersouls.com/2018/09/17/80-3-pass-success-its-time-for-fulham-to-repay-this-fan-favourites-loyalty-by-handing-him-a-new-deal/