Saturday Fulham Stuff - 03/11/18...

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Slavisa Jokanovic looking at Fulham's positives with an optimistic outlook despite 2-0 loss

Manchester City knocked the side out of the Carabao Cup, but there are positives to take for Slavisa Jokanovic

Slavisa Jokanovic is focused on the positives for his Fulham side and is viewing them with an optimistic outlook - despite a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester City in the Carabao Cup.

After Saturday's 3-0 defeat to AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League, the head coach needed a reaction from his team on Thursday evening and they provided that, albeit only green shoots at the Etihad.

He picked a full strength side for the cup tie, including the likes of Tom Cairney, Ryan Sessegnon and Aleksandar Mitrovic to try and continue finding a solution to the problems that have plagued his side's season so far.

With the Carabao Cup not the main priority for Fulham this season, the game provided an extra chance for Jokanovic to field a side to try and get more game time under their belts, something that is vital heading into Monday night's crunch tie with Huddersfield Town.

His starting XI may have been picked with one eye on that, and while Jokanovic is unhappy that his side went out of the cup, he is looking optimistically at the positives his side produced on Thursday.

He said: "It's not so strange in this country, especially teams plays Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, between these three games it's nine days and I try first of all respect the competition.

"We know when we play against second City, if I can call this team a second team, you will find De Bruyne, Kompany, Jesus and these kind of players, to be honest we try play the football and competitive and try pass the next round and try show our best face.


(Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images)

"For another side, situation where we are we need to find some kind of the work, some improvement and these games show we can be more organised, make less mistakes and show we can be team off the ball too, not only with the ball.

"I want to observe this night, I am unhappy for the result but there exists some positives that I want to look at with optimism and positive way for us ahead of us."



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/slavisa-jokanovic-looking-optimistically-fulhams-15361581

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Jokanovic still believes in Fulham squad

Fulham have the players to turn their fortunes around despite five defeats in a row in all competitions, says Slavisa Jokanovic.

Slavisa Jokanovic remains confident he can turn Fulham's fortunes around despite the Cottagers slipping to a fifth successive defeat as they exited the EFL Cup on Thursday.

Since earning promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs in May, Fulham have won just three competitive matches and pressure is beginning to build on Jokanovic.

With the club in the bottom three having amassed five points from their opening 10 league games, a cup run looked like a chance to boost confidence until the fourth-round draw threw up a daunting trip to holders Manchester City.

A 2-0 defeat at the Etihad Stadium continued Fulham's miserable run, but Jokanovic still has faith in himself and his squad.

"I believe in myself, I must believe in my team," he told reporters.

"We know it's not an easy job ahead of us, [but] it wasn't easy last season, the season before, or three seasons ago when we were fighting not to be relegated.

"We need to not cry so much, and try to find a solution. We are in a situation where our supporters expect a better performance, and we are working in this direction."

Fulham travel to fellow strugglers Huddersfield Town on Monday and Jokanovic hopes that can be the start of an upturn in their fortunes.

"It's a really important game for both teams," he added. "We are going to go there with every intention of winning the game.

"It's not the last game in the Premier League. Victory would be a really important step for us, but it's definitely not the last step.

"If we don't take this step there's still a long period for us to do everything to reach our targets."



Read more at https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/jokanovic-still-believes-fulham-squad#oARzWUAe2Axg5pkA.99

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Signs of improvement & an XI for Huddersfield - Fulham talking points from Carabao Cup loss

Here's what our reporter, Ryan O'Donovan, took away from Fulham's 2-0 defeat to Manchester City

A test-run of a side to face Huddersfield?

No one was under any illusions ahead of this match which was the more important game between Manchester City in the Carabao Cup and Huddersfield Town in the Premier League.

David Wagner was at the Etihad on Thursday night to cast his eye on Fulham and do his scouting ahead of that vital game between to the two at the John Smith's Stadium on Monday night, and he may well have gotten more than he was bargaining for.

Slavisa Jokanovic went with what can be described as his 'best XI' at the moment to take on the current holders of the cup in what looked like a test-run of a side to take on Huddersfield.

Aleksandar Mitrovic, Ryan Sessegnon, Tom Cairney - they all played the full 90 minutes against City and will feature once more on Monday night.

But it was an important move for Jokanovic to make.

He needs minutes for his players to gel, develop the connections on the pitch and play as a unit, and the best way to do that is to play them in matches.

It was always highly unlikely that Fulham would win in Manchester on Thursday night, so it was a free hit for Jokanovic to get more minutes into the legs of the players he will need to perform against Huddersfield.

Give or take a couple of players, I would be very surprised if this isn't the XI that takes to the pitch in Huddersfield on Monday night.

A better performance from the midfield trio

Any Fulham fan can tell you how important the midfield trio is to the way the side play, you don't need me for that.

Jean-Michael Seri, Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa and Tom Cairney were all picked to start against City, and it's what most people expected would be the regular trio before the season started.

They haven't played too much together, but we saw the potential at the Etihad of what that trio are capable of.


(Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Anguissa, in spells, played the anchor role very well and looked the big, physical presence that Jokanovic has been looking for in his midfield, while Seri looked confident on the ball, with his touch and eye for a pass to play out of trouble highlights.

The key to that area is a bond, and that will come from playing with one another more regularly, but there was certainly spells where they looked on the same wavelength and that will be key to Fulham's hopes this season.

Slowly but surely it's coming together - tonight was a big step in having a functioning midfield.

Better defensive shape

Fulham have been all at sea defensively this season, but despite playing against one of the most potent attacks in the world, their shape was far better and more compact that has been all season.

I'm sure people will point to the amount of chances City created to disprove this particular point, but as far as I'm concerned, the City players on show on Thursday could still fight for the Premier League and come extremely close to securing it.

They will create chances against the best defences in the world, so of course they carved out opportunities against Fulham.

That said, what we've seen in recent weeks is Fulham chasing the backs of players towards their own goal, while there have been huge gaps between the midfield and defence which teams have exploited.

Against City, Fulham were far more compact, cutting out space and getting men behind the ball, working in cohesion to cut out chances.

That ran from the attackers, all the way back to the defence.

It's clearly something that is being worked on in training, and while there were iffy moments and lapses of concentration, the solidity will come through playing football matches together.

For me, it was certainly a sign of improvement.

Tim Ream and Denis Odoi at centre back

It wasn't the best of games for Ream and Odoi at the Etihad - the prospect of facing Gabriel Jesus and Leroy Sane would strike fear into the hearts of even the most established Premier League defenders.

But the pair found it more difficult than most would, and they struggled massively to keep the Brazilian striker at bay during the game.

I don't think this will be the centre back pairing that finishes the league campaign in May, but I do think Jokanovic is using the two together because they know one another and have developed a partnership, something that is crucial to having a stable defence.

That said, after Ream was taken off for Maxime Le Marchand having endured a terrible evening, I'm not sure that centre back pairing is going to last much longer.

Ahead of the Huddersfield game, I believe most of that XI will start, but I'm unsure if Jokanovic will keep the same centre back pairing or if he will play Le Marchand there.

It's such an important position and Jokanovic cannot afford sentiment - he must choose what he thinks his best pairing is when they travel to Huddersfield.



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/signs-improvement--xi-huddersfield-15361585

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Fulham fans demand Mawson is recalled for must-win Huddesfield clash

(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Fulham's leaky defence has drawn attention in the Premier League but it was not the best even in the Championship.

In the second tier, a combination of the Whites' rampant attacking force taking the pressure off and some good luck with injuries saw Slavisa Jokanovic get away with it.

The Serbian knew he couldn't repeat the trick this season, especially with Ryan Fredericks leaving for West Ham, but left it late to react.

A late flurry of defenders arrived at Craven Cottage, without much of a pre-season to speak of to get up to speed and build the partnerships that are so crucial at the back.

Jokanovic's problem is that a back four needs gametime to get acquainted but it is hard to resist the temptation to rotate on the back of a weekend where the goals have flown in.

Last night's EFL Cup defeat to Manchester City saw Fulham perform reasonably well defensively, going down 2-0.

The Whites have a huge match against Huddersfield on Monday night and a clean sheet is absolutely imperative.

Alfie Mawson has struggled with his fitness since arriving from Swansea in the summer, but many Whites fans believe the 6ft 1in defender must be recalled to the backline for the trip to the John Smith Stadium.



https://tbrfootball.com/fulham-fans-demand-mawson-is-recalled-for-must-win-huddesfield-clash/

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Slavisa Jokanovic under no illusions of the importance of a fully fit Tom Cairney

The Fulham skipper played 90 minutes in the 2-0 defeat by Manchester City in the Carabao Cup

Tom Cairney played his first full 90 minutes since August in the 2-0 defeat to Manchester City - and his influence to this Fulham side was clear for everyone to see.

The skipper was the heartbeat of his side was once more, with his team mates looking far more assured knowing they had the 27-year-old in the middle of the park - knowing he would be comfortable in receiving possession, allowing them to relieve pressure off themselves.

Going forward, we saw Cairney starting to get back into his rhythm, while also forging a new relationship with Jean-Michael Seri and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa in the three-man midfield in what, at times, looked like a good midfield trio.

He made 49 passes for Fulham in the 2-0 defeat to Manchester City with a pass completion rate of 87.8%, but it's his pass direction stats that are so key for his side and will be continue be so going forward from here.

Forward, left, right, backwards, Cairney was comfortable pushing play in all four directions and that is something that has sorely been missing from Fulham's ranks for the past couple of months and it's something that has been clear for all to see - when Cairney doesn't play, Fulham struggle to play.

And after the game Jokanovic was under no illusions of the importance having his captain available brings to his team.

He said: "It's important for us, between other things I try force him for all the games.

"I know in life there always exists risk, he push all the game bravely, he made good work, he needed this kind of situation with this kind of game.

"He didn't play so much this season, he's an important player for us and I believe he is positive in everything he made tonight."



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/slavisa-jokanovic-under-no-illusions-15361584

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Former Liverpool star Michael Owen tips Huddersfield Town for draw against Fulham

The former England striker believes Town "may have to settle for a point" on Monday night

Former Liverpool and England striker Michael Owen has tipped Huddersfield Town to draw against Fulham on Monday.

The Terriers are in need of the three points this matchweek having failed to taste victory in the Premier League after 10 matches so far this term.

Fulham too will be hoping to snatch the win on Bonfire Night after failing to take any points from their last four outings and slipping into the top-flight drop zone.

But the ex-Newcastle United forward does not believe either side will leave the John Smith's Stadium with the win on Monday, instead predicting a stalemate between the teams.

In his column for BetVictor , Owen wrote: "A massive game near the foot of the table and something must give at the John Smith's Stadium.

"The hosts have failed to score in their last seven home PL games whilst Fulham are the only side in the division without a clean sheet this term.

"The Terriers have hit the woodwork (6) more times than they have scored goals (4) so far this term and they may have to settle for a point against the Cottagers in a game that is sure to be tense."

Elsewhere, Owen tipped AFC Bournemouth to win or draw against Manchester United, Newcastle to draw with Watford and Wolverhampton Wanderers to hold Spurs to a 1-1 draw.



https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/football/news/former-liverpool-star-michael-owen-15359806

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Schürrle's Nomination

André Schürrle's strike against Cardiff has been nominated for the Premier League's Goal of the Month for October.

The German opened the scoring with a stunning 25-yard strike which ultimately led to the Whites slipping to a 4-2 defeat last month.

The winger is up against Ricardo Pereira (Leicester), Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton), Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal), Roberto Pereyra (Watford), Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) and Anthony Martial (Manchester United).

Jean Michäel Seri previously won the accolade in August for his effort in our win against Burnley.

Use the button below to vote for Schürrle, with the winner announced next week.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/november/02/andre-schurrle-nomination-goal-of-the-month

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Arsenal news: Calum Chambers DESTROYED by Fulham great for two key reasons

ARSENAL defender Calum Chambers will never develop into a successful Premier League defender, according to Danny Murphy.



Chambers, 23, is on a season-long loan at Murphy's former club Fulham but has failed to impress and finds himself well down the pecking order.

He was hooked at half-time during last month's 4-2 defeat against Cardiff and has since been left out of Slavisa Jokanovic's match-day squads.

Murphy, who skippered Fulham to the Europa League final in 2010, said: "I think Chambers has struggled at Fulham and I can't see him fulfilling the promise he was once mooted for at Arsenal.

"I think he lacks the pace and physical strength to be a successful central defender in the Premier League. He can be bullied one-on-one if a striker gets the opportunity.

"Chambers was a strange signing because I don't think he fits the bill for what Fulham needed.

"Hopefully he can pick up some confidence and push on."

Chambers is part of the Fulham defence that has shipped a joint-record 28 goals in 10 Premier League games.

Slavisa Jokanovic's side find themselves in the relegation zone, having picked up a solitary win.



And Murphy points the finger at the Serbian for Fulham's disappointing form.

"Fulham have had a poor start to the season, there's no escaping that," he told bwin.

"I don't think there's a lack of quality in that squad to survive because the club spent a lot of money in the summer.

"I think the problem sits with Jokanovic's refusal to adapt to the Premier League. Fulham are currently a featherweight trying to trade punches with a heavyweight.

"There's a degree of admiration for any manager looking to play good football, but he needs to be pragmatic. Fulham can't repeat how they played in the Championship because it's a completely different standard.

"Jokanovic is throwing caution to the wind and leaving the defence so vulnerable it's naive at times. Fulham are being punished so often and they're paying the price for it badly. He needs to shut up shop and make them hard to beat."



https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/740174/Arsenal-News-Calum-Chambers-Fulham-Premier-League-Danny-Murphy-Rumours-Gossip

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Huddersfield Town have to deliver against Fulham on Monday night, says Chris Lowe

The left back was named the Blue and White Foundation's player of the month for October

Huddersfield Town have to deliver when they take on Fulham on Monday night, according to defender Chris Lowe .

The Terriers sit rock bottom of the Premier League with no wins from their first 10 outings so far this term and need to start collecting points if they are to avoid relegation from the top flight for a second successive season.

Their first chance to do so comes on Monday night at 8pm, when they kick off against the Cottagers who have conceded 28 goals in their first 10 fixtures of the 2018/19 campaign, matching an unwanted top-tier record.

And the German defender, who was named the Blue and White Foundation's player of the month for October this week, has highlighted the Bonfire Night clash against the London side as the match that could spark a turn around in Town's season.

The 29-year-old told HTTV : "First of all, I am proud to be named player of the month, but that is, for me, not the most important thing.

"I think we have to deliver now.

"We have to start getting points on the board and we have to start to perform and get the points.

"That is what we are focused on at the minute, not to try, so we have to turn it around on Monday."

He added: "It gives me pride [the award] and it gives me more confidence to get out there and play as good as I can to help the club, to help the team and to turn our situation around, because that is what we have to do now.

"We played some good games in the last few weeks, but that is not the most important thing.

"The most important thing is that we get some points now.

"That is what we have to be focused on on Monday.

Lowe believes the clash with Fulham could even be the most significant he has played fro the Terriers since David Wagner's side clinched survival at Stamford Bridge in May last year.

"I think everyone is aware of the situation we are in," said the left back.

"All of us know that it is an important game - probably the most important game since we played Chelsea away last season.

"We know we have to deliver on Monday and for this we need, as always, good support from the stands and if we get this, I am pretty sure we are able to turn it around."



https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/football/news/huddersfield-town-deliver-against-fulham-15363281

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Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic backed to manage top team by captain Tom Cairney


Aerial battle: Tom Cairney, back in Fulham's starting XI after injury, battles with Manchester City's Fabian Delph at the Etihad ( AFP/Getty Images )

Fulham captain Tom Cairney has backed Slavisa Jokanovic to one day manage a big club despite his struggles at Craven Cottage.

Pressure is growing on Jokanovic with Fulham in the relegation zone and having not won a game in the Premier League since August.

The Serb takes his side to Huddersfield on Monday, with his position becoming increasingly precarious.

Fulham lost 2-0 to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup last night but the game at the Etihad Stadium was never going to have any bearing on his future.

Owner Shahid Khan has given his support for Jokanovic and Cairney is confident the 50-year-old will turn things around.

"One hundred per cent," said Cairney. "He is a top manager and I have no doubt that he will manage a top team one day. His ideas, the way he thinks, the way he tries to get his teams to play, he is top drawer. Everyone is behind him.

"He took over two-and-a-half years ago when we were going to get relegated from the Championship and look where we are now. The last couple of months have not really gone his way but I think that is more down to us [the players] than down to him."

Cairney feels Fulham need to get back some team spirit after losing their way this season. They spent more than £100million on 12 new signings in the summer following promotion and defender Tim Ream said last week that too many players lack fight.

Cairney, who made his first start last night since August following an ankle injury, said: "We are conceding too many goals, I think that is obvious. And we have got to get that team spirit and togetherness back from last season.

"Once we do that I think we will be all right. There are a lot of new faces in, they all came in at the end of pre-season and the hardest thing is to gel as quickly as possible."

Fulham were stronger defensively against City and, ahead of the Huddersfield game, Jokanovic will take some encouragement from the way his side played. They have conceded 28 goals in 10 Premier League matches this season but Jokanovic said: "This game served to show us that we can be a little bit more organised, make fewer mistakes, and it showed we can be a team off the ball, too."

The fact Jokanovic sprung a surprise last night by naming his strongest available side explains why Fulham performed with credit. It was always going to be a tough game but their display contained a number of positives for Jokanovic to cling to ahead of the huge game against the fellow strugglers. Fulham looked much stronger defensively and there was a clear shape to the team for the first time in a while.

Pinned in and around their own penalty area and facing constant  waves of attack from a strong City side that included Kevin De Bruyne and Leroy Sane, they were resolute and did not simply roll over.

City still created chances but Fulham got men behind the ball and were better organised than previously this season.

Cairney formed a strong midfield three with Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Jean Michael Seri. Jokanovic has been unable to get the trio together since the second game of the season at Spurs in August.

However, the centre-back positions remain a major issue. Denis Odoi and Ream, in particular, struggled. But Fulham can take encouragement from their improved performance.

Aleksandar Mitrovic again looked isolated up front but if they can build on this display against Huddersfield then Fulham will feel they can win that game and kickstart their season.

Huddersfield, whose manager David Wagner was in the stands last night, have failed to win this season and are rooted to the bottom of the table.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-boss-slavisa-jokanovic-backed-to-manage-top-team-by-captain-tom-cairney-a3979136.html

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Liverpool's Nathaniel Clyne is the perfect solution for Fulham's right back woes

Liverpool's Nathaniel Clyne has not played a single Premier League minute all season at Anfield, and must surely be looking for a way out of the Merseyside club.

With the right back seemingly frozen out at Liverpool, Clyne should target a move to Fulham in order to gain first-team football and help stitch up the Whites' porous backline.

The right back position has been a constant headache for Slavisa Jokanovic all season long, as Fulham have struggled to replace Ryan Fredericks.

Jokanovic has alternated between playing Cyrus Christie and Timothy Fosu-Mensah, yet neither defender has been convincing at the back.

Christie has appeared completely out of his depths in the Premier League, evidenced by his shocking display against Arsenal.

And although Fosu-Mensah has shown encouraging signs of potential, he remains prone to making inexcusable errors at the back, such as his senseless challenge against Bournemouth that led to the Cherries' opening goal on Saturday.

Clyne would offer over five seasons of top-class Premier League experience from his days with Southampton and Liverpool, as well as his England international pedigree.

And at only 27 years of age, the defender still has plenty left in his tank and could be productive for another half-decade at Craven Cottage.

Nathaniel Clyne must end his Liverpool exile and depart for Fulham in January, saving his career and the SW6 defence in the process.



https://tbrfootball.com/liverpools-nathaniel-clyne-is-the-perfect-solution-for-fulhams-right-back-woes/

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Slavisa Jokanovic transcript: Fulham boss on Huddersfield, a stable back four & more

Read everything the Fulham boss had to say ahead of a crucial game with Huddersfield Town on Monday night

Importance of addressing the defence?

"It's true, we conceded so many goals - yesterday night we have great opportunity to test ourselves and try work altogether and find the organisation and working altogether against one of the top teams who must under many pressure during the game.

"For another side, we made one test, we try to be competitive, to go into next round but at the same time we need to look for our improvement process and push forward and use this night to make positive step forward.

"After one defeat we cannot be satisfied, but I want to catch this game for some positive signs and we made some positive steps."

Close to knowing back four?

"Yes I am close, but I change for different reasons.

"When we start to analyse why, we can talk about suspensions, injuries and some played that need to be tested during the competition.

"We cannot forget we signed five new players in the last day of the transfer window, at the end these players didn't play any pre-season games with the team and we make some test, we make one lap with the players.

"I will use these players during the season, but step by step we try to be more compact, find the best option for us for the back.

"This last game what we played, we try to make analysis and observe if this team is our best option for the next steps."

Did you change too much too soon at the start of the season?

"I don't change so much, I must test my team.

"Yesterday I play with Ryan Sessegnon, Denis Odoi, and Tim Ream at the back, three players of the four at the defence.

"At the end, I try choose what I believe is best option and what will give us more options to win the game.

"In football, I choose something and the process is never finished, other players will have opportunity to push hard and fight for the space in the team.


(Image: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

"I want to encourage my players to not wait for the opportunity, it's a long season, these people will have opportunity in the future, I want to encourage them to fight and force the situation, and show me they are my best choice.

"I want to make some competition between them and I want them to be hurt when they are not in the starting XI, this is what I miss right now and we will push harder and be more competitive and in this way we will be competitive in the Premier League games too."

Do the side lack fight at the moment?

"We need more, it's simple, it's not enough and we cannot be satisfied with ourselves.

"We didn't make our supporters satisfied, they observe us, and are waiting for the reaction.

"It's not about the reaction from one player, it's reaction for all the team.

"Many players will play in this Premier League, if they waiting for the chance, they must fight and not be surprised when having the opportunity to start the game."

Is this a must-win game?

"It's true, it's really important game for us and for them too.

"It's an early six pointer at the start of the November, after the game it won't be done for these two teams.

"Some teams are satisfied with start of the Premier League, but the situation can change quickly and there are some teams a few points in front of us and we are fighting to be competitive and to catch them and put them under some pressure."

Hearing from the Chairman that he backs you?

"First of all this situation is part of football.

"I am not here three days, I am here three years and board must have some kind of opinion of my work, for my side, I have the confidence and believe in myself .

"People around me are professional and we don't try make some crazy things, we know it's not an easy job ahead of us, we must be constant and be brave and encourage the team not to stop, never give up and you have many examples in football and my experience here in this club, this is my fourth season, and always it was complicated and we reached our targets.

"First year we fought not to be relegated to League One, second year we fight for promotion, third year we reach our target in May, this season will be something similar, we will keep going, be brave and I don't believe we will be safe in November or December or January, at the same time I don't believe no one will win the Premier League in this time either, they will be competing for the Champions League.

"This is part of our work, we must be tough and take responsibility for everything around us, I accept responsibility here and I know what I must do.

"I have quality players and quality people around me that can help me."

Message is have patience?

"Have patience, ten games in Premier League are behind us, when we make analysis about these games we cannot be satisfied, we wanted to start with more points and quality.

"If we don't do this, this challenge is open, this challenge is ahead of us and we must be brave."



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/slavisa-jokanovic-transcript-fulham-boss-15364290

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'I have the confidence': Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic says he is the man to save them from Premier League drop

    Slavisa Jokanovic urges Fulham board not to make a rash decision over his future
    The Serbian manager has been linked with the sack after a poor string of results
    Fulham have dropped into the bottom three and are conceding 2.8 goals a game

Slavisa Jokanovic insists he is the right man to rectify Fulham's poor start to the Premier League season.

The Cottagers have won just one top-flight fixture since promotion and sit in the relegation zone on the back of four successive defeats.

Manager Jokanovic, who met with club owner Shahid Khan after last weekend's home loss to Bournemouth, feels he has demonstrated his ability to get results during his three previous campaigns at Craven Cottage.


Fulham find themselves in the relegation zone after taking five points from their first 10 games


Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic (centre) is coming under increasing pressure at Fulham

'This kind of situation is part of football,' said the Serbian.

'I am not here three days, I am here three years and the board must have some kind of opinion about my work.

'From my side, I have the confidence, and believe in my job. People around me are professional and we don't try to make some crazy things.

'We know it's not an easy job ahead of us, we must be brave and encourage the team not to stop, never give up.

'My experience in this club - this is my fourth season here - and always it was complicated and always we reached the target at the end of the season.'

After exiting the Carabao Cup at Manchester City on Thursday, Fulham travel to bottom club Huddersfield on Monday evening.

David Wagner's struggling Terriers are winless from their opening 10 league games and have scored only four times.

Jokanovic played down suggestions of the clash being a must-win game.


The Fulham manager insists he has what it takes to turn their worsening situation around

'It's a really important game for us, it's a really important game for Huddersfield too,' he said.

'It's an early six-pointer at the beginning of November. After the game, it's not going to be done for either team.

'Some team is satisfied with the start of the Premier League and the situation can change quickly.

'There are some teams who are a few points in front of us and we are fighting to be competitive and to catch them and to put them under some kind of pressure.

'I don't believe we are going to be safe in November or December or January; at the same time I don't believe anybody will win the Premier League in this time either.'


Jokanovic is likely to be the first manager of the season to be sacked if Fulham keep losing



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6346605/Fulham-boss-Slavisa-Jokanovic-says-right-man-job.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Arsenal should not hesitate to raid London rivals and sign this 27-year-old creative wizard

Arsenal should not hesitate to make a move for Tom Cairney in January

According to the Metro, Arsenal are interested in signing Tom Cairney in January but the Gunners might back away from the move due to Fulham's asking price for their midfield talisman.

Cairney joined Fulham from fellow Championship side Blackburn Rovers back in 2015 and has proven himself to be a good long-term investment for the Cottagers. The Scottish international was one of the cornerstones of Fulham's promotion-winning season last year but injuries have taken a toll on his play time in the Premier League.

The 27-year-old has made only five appearances in the Premier League, contributing with a single assist. However, that can hardly raise questions over his quality as a creative midfield wizard.

Arsenal face the risk of losing their longest-serving player and star midfielder Aaron Ramsey next summer (h/t The Independent), meaning they will need replacements.

Cairney might not be a familiar name on the lips of the too many football fans but it would be hard to deny that he is as effective as someone like Aaron Ramsey.

Just like Ramsey, Cairney's defensive contribution is not of the highest level. However, he makes up for it with his attacking attributes and technical superiority.

Blessed with a sound technique, Cairney is comfortable with the ball at his feet and makes it difficult for the opposition to dispossess him. He is adept at holding on to the ball and can retain the ball for substantial periods to pick out the right pass, something that should be a perfect fit for Emery's philosophy.

However, the most impressive thing about Cairney is his passing and vision. Truth be told, there are very few players who can pass the ball around with such ease as the Fulham man does.

Not only does he have a good range of passing and is excellent with his ball distribution in the heart of the midfield but also has the vision and the tactical awareness to pick out the runs of his teammates with perfectly measured lobbed passes.

In his last season in the Championship, Cairney averaged a whopping 81.1 passes per game with an accuracy percentage of 91.5.

In fact, he has a pass accuracy of 92.5 this term in the Premier League. Talking about his vision, Cairney averaged 4 successful long balls per game and registered 5 assists last season, which was a little below par for him given that he had racked up 10 assists in the 2016-17 season. To add to that, he averages 1.4 key passes per game this season.

Hence, to sum it up, Cairney is a good balanced central midfielder who would be a perfect fit for Unai Emery's Arsenal. Fulham rate him highly and quite understandably so, given that he is probably the only creative central midfielder in their ranks.



https://soccersouls.com/2018/11/02/arsenal-should-not-hesitate-to-raid-london-rivals-and-sign-this-27-year-old-creative-wizard/

[WhiteJC]

 
Huddersfield v Fulham: Whites midfielder back, Terriers star could return

Fulham midfielder Kevin McDonald will return to contention for Monday's Premier League game at Huddersfield.

McDonald missed Thursday's Carabao Cup defeat to Manchester City due to suspension after being sent off against Bournemouth last weekend.

Defender Joe Bryan remains unavailable because of a hamstring injury.

Provisional squad: Bettinelli, Rico, Fabri, Christie, Fosu-Mensah, Odoi, Chambers, Mawson, Ream, Le Marchand, Ryan Sessegnon, Seri, Cairney, McDonald, Kebano, Johansen, Cisse, De La Torre, Anguissa, Steven Sessegnon, Schurrle, Ayite, Vietto, Mitrovic, Fonte, Kamara.

Defender Terence Kongolo is among the players who could return to action for Huddersfield.

Terriers boss David Wagner has said it looks as if all his players are in contention apart from midfielder Danny Williams (knee).

Kongolo (hamstring) and Tommy Smith (knee), both missing for the last three matches, have been back in training, as have Rajiv van La Parra and Abdelhamid Sabiri after illness.

Provisional squad: Lossl, Hamer, Smith, Kongolo, Lowe, Jorgensen, Schindler, Stankovic, Hadergjonaj, Durm, Hogg, Bacuna, Billing, Kachunga, Mooy, Diakhaby, Sobhi, Van La Parra, Mbenza, Pritchard, Quaner, Sabiri, Depoitre, Mounie




http://londonfootballnews.co.uk/fulham/huddersfield-v-fulham-whites-midfielder-back-terriers-star-could-return/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham's players aren't hurting enough when they are not in Slavisa Jokanovic's starting XI

The head coach has swapped and changed his side, but Jokanovic wants them to hurt more when his players aren't picked

Slavisa Jokanovic doesn't believe his Fulham players hurt enough when they aren't selected in his starting XI - something he wants to change at Craven Cottage.

The head coach has been trying to find solutions to the problems his side have encountered in the Premier League so far, and that has involved selecting and dropping players from his 11 on a weekly basis as he tries to find his best team.

Before the Manchester City defeat in the Carabao Cup, Jokanovic revealed that he was close to finally finding what he thinks his is best side - but that means players will miss out.

But that's just fine by him, with the 50-year-old wanting to encourage his players to fight for their spot in his team and to show him why they're his best choice in their position and not their team mates.

However, ahead of a crunch game with Huddersfield Town on Monday night, the boss doesn't believe he is getting that at the moment, something he wants to see change.

He said: "I don't change so much, I must test my team.

"Yesterday I play with Ryan Sessegnon, Denis Odoi, and Tim Ream at the back, three players of the four at the defence.

"At the end, I try choose what I believe is best option and what will give us more options to win the game.

"In football, I choose something and the process is never finished, other players will have opportunity to push hard and fight for the space in the team.


Aleksandar Mitrovic applauds fans as he warms up during the Carabao Cup at Millwall (Image: Steve Bardens/Getty Images)

"I want to encourage my players to not wait for the opportunity, it's a long season, these people will have opportunity in the future, I want to encourage them to fight and force the situation, and show me they are my best choice.

"I want to make some competition between them and I want them to be hurt when they are not in the starting XI, this is what I miss right now and we will push harder and be more competitive and in this way we will be competitive in the Premier League games too."



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/fulhams-players-arent-hurting-enough-15365410

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham have better chance at Premier League survival than Huddersfield Town, says Mark Lawrenson

The BBC Sport pundit believes the Terriers will claim victory at the John Smith's Stadium on Monday, however

Mark Lawrenson believes Fulham have a better chance at staying in the Premier League than Huddersfield Town this season, despite predicting the Terriers to beat Slavisa Jokanovic's side on Monday.

The BBC Sport pundit expects the Terriers to break their five-game home goalscoring duck at the John Smith's Stadium against the league's worst defence, but believes the Cottagers have the quality in attack to turn their season around.

Lawrenson predicted a 2-1 win for David Wagner's men on Bonfire Night, with the game set to be shown live on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football (8pm kick off).

In his predictions column for the BBC Sport website, the former Match of the Day pundit wrote: "On current form, this looks like it could be a game in the Championship next season - these two teams have managed one win from their combined 20 league games so far.

"Huddersfield have not scored a goal in any of their five home games this season either, but surely that has to change against a Fulham team with the worst defensive record in the Premier League?

"I actually think Huddersfield will win, but it is Fulham who have the better chance of staying up this season.

"The Cottagers have got goals in their team, but they have got to find a formation that lets them keep the back door closed too because, at the moment, that is not happening."

Lawrenson was joined by Bring Me The Horizon band members Matt Kean and Matt Nicholls for his predictions this week, with the rock stars opting for a 0-0 draw between the relegation-threatened sides.



https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/football/news/fulham-better-chance-premier-league-15363165

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham FC: The top 6 side who are 18th in the league

Bear with me for this analogy. Each school has its pupils divided into two broad categories. The cool ones, and the 'not so cool' ones. The cool ones speak to the girls, make fun of the teacher, and carry an aura about them. The 'not so cool' ones don't go outside their shell a lot. But there is a third category, the 'wannabe cool' ones. They observe what the cool kids do, and try to emulate them, but often without results.

Fulham are the 'wannabe cool' ones of the school that is the Premier League.

The cool ones here are obviously the top 6 clubs, which includes Manchester United, and not Bournemouth. If you look at all the metrics which these six clubs dominate, you will undoubtedly see Fulham hovering there and thereabouts.

Here are a few statistics I have compiled, and it shows the rank of the top 6 teams and Fulham. In ball possession, Fulham's tally is bettered by only one team outside the top 6 and the same is valid for pass completion rate. They take more shots per game than Arsenal and Tottenham.

Slavisa Jokanovic preaches patient buildup, and that is seen in their pass length statistics. Only two teams aside from the top six have shorter average pass lengths, and only one has shorter average goalkeeper pass length. This indicates that Fulham don't shy away from playing their way out of the back, which is in vogue for all the top teams.

In the creativity department, Fulham are right up there. Only three sides have more key passes than the Cottagers, seven have more big chances, and three have created more chances in total. They are ranked 7th and 8th respectively in passes per game and passes in the final third, which is another statistic which the top 6 dominate.

These metrics portray Fulham as a side which wants to play expressive football, which is correct. Jokanovic's philosophy lit up the Championship last season, as they played really attractive football on their way to promotion.

But they have not been able to maintain the same swagger in the top flight. In the summer transfer window, they spent close to £100 million. The likes of Jean Michael Seri, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Aleksander Mitrovic were the major arrivals. But they have failed to deliver the goods for Fulham consistently.

Despite matching the top clubs in various numbers, they are lacking in the most important statistic: points. After 10 games, Fulham have collected just 5 points, which places them at a lowly position of 18th. The most glaring weakness has been their defence, which has let in a league-high 28 goals.

A major reason for this has been the heavy tinkering with the squad. Jokanovic has deployed various combinations at the back, varying in both formation and personnel. This has obviously hampered any kind of solidity, which has given way to some ghastly defensive displays. New signings like Alfie Mawson, Calum Chambers, and Maxim Le Marchand have not found their feet quickly at Craven Cottage.

The lack of a fixed lineup has affected the whole team, as the midfield and attack are not set in stone either. New arrivals in midfield have hampered the balance, even though both Seri and Anguissa are more than able individuals. Arguably the absence of Kevin McDonald and Tom Cairney has hurt them.

Another factor is the waning of Ryan Sessegnon. The teenager was in sensational form last season but he has failed to replicate it this campaign. Much of it has been down to his playing time and position, as he is neither guaranteed the start nor his favoured attacking position. He still has all the time in the world to grow as a player, but the past three months have not contributed to that.

The problems Fulham are facing are manifold, but Jokanovic is in no immediate danger of losing his job. Nevertheless, the points need to start trickling soon. The first step towards that could be showing some pragmatism. No coach likes to alter his philosophy, and especially during such testing times.

But it wouldn't be inaccurate to say that Fulham have been naive on occasions this season. Their style was effective last season, but the Premier League is a different ballgame altogether. In the recent league game against Bournemouth, the second goal came after a cheap loss of possession and McDonald was sent off due to a loose pass in defence.

Such incidents have occurred regularly for Fulham, which is arguably a byproduct of their possession-based approach. The players have to become more focused and limit such errors, or Jokanovic has to resort to long balls on occasions. It is a fine line to tread, as totally changing the approach will plant seeds of doubt in players' minds.

The next few weeks are going to be crucial at Craven Cottage, and pulling out of the relegation zone is of the highest priority. Perhaps the first step towards that is to accept who they are, which is an 18th placed side, and not one in the top six.



https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/fulham-fc-the-top-6-side-who-are-18th-in-the-league?key=newsnow

[WhiteJC]

 
U23 Match report:
Fulham see off Cats

Fulham U23 2-0 Sunderland U23

Sunderland under-23s endured a difficult night in the capital as Fulham secured the points at Motspur Park.

Two goals inside the opening 20 minutes – from Jayden John-Lloyd Harris and Moritz Jenz – handed the hosts the advantage at the break.

The Black Cats attempted to muster a response in the second 45 but the Cottagers had done enough in the opening 45 to seal victory.

Wednesday's FA Youth Cup hero Ryan Leonard made his first start for Elliott Dickman's under-23s this evening. Leonard – a second-year scholar - scored the game's only goal in Wednesday's win over Halifax Town, and as a result was handed his first start for the under-23s. Meanwhile, Andrias Edmundsson was named on the bench alongside 16-year-old midfielder Dan Neil.

Fulham hit the front straight away, striking twice inside four minutes. Jayden John-Lloyd Harris turned home his fifth of the season with 13 played, sweeping home Steven Sessegnon's cross from the right on the half volley.

The Cottagers doubled their advantage shortly after, this time Moritz Jenz hooked a corner from the left into the top corner and beyond the helpless Max Johnstone between the sticks.

Fulham continued to control the general ebb and flow as Elliott Dickman's side struggled to offer any real attacking threat as they went in at the break behind.

The hosts picked up where they left off at the start of the second 45, quickly penning the Black Cats back as they sought to wrap up proceedings.

But gradually Dickman's men grew into the contest before their hard work was almost undone when Lee Connelly's cross was cleared, and they hit the Lads on the break.

Soaring down the right, Cameron Thompson was a whisker away from slipping the ball into Johnstone's near post, but he could only find the side-netting as it swept across.

At the other end, Adam Bale lifted his strike from 25 yards onto the roof of the net as Fulham wrapped up their second straight win.

Fulham U23: Ashby-Hammond, Sessegnon, Davies, Jenz, Mundel-Smith, O'Riley (Kelly, 76), Cisse, Harris (Santos-Clase, 70), Francois, de la Torre, Thompson

Subs: Ashby-Hammond, Atkinson, Drameh

Sunderland U23: Johnstone, Hunter (Evans, 73), Kokolo, Storey, Bainbridge, Young (Edmundsson, 83), Leonard, Bale, Connelly, Hackett, Connolly (Neil, 62)
Subs: Patterson



https://www.safc.com/news/academy-news/2018/november/report-fulham-v-u23s

[WhiteJC]

 
Inside The John Smith's Stadium

Long-time Huddersfield Town season ticket holder Graham Clark assesses what's gone wrong for his side this season, and gives his take on Monday night's crunch match.

Were you expecting the second season in the Premier League to be quite as tough for Huddersfield as it's panned out?

I was really. It's the second season syndrome, like it was the last time we were in the top flight in 1971/72. I just hope it ends differently this time as we were relegated back in 1972 and it took us 45 years to return.

What's going wrong in your opinion?

Lack of goals. We've only scored four goals in the first 10 games. We have yet to score at home. We have had some bad luck as well. Some poor referee decisions and hitting the woodwork on too many occasions. It's a fine line between success and failure.
Where do you think you'll end up?

I'm still hoping there will be three teams worse than us after 38 games, so I'm hoping for 17th.
Who have been your better performers so far this season?

Centre-back Christopher Schindler and left-back Chris Löwe have been solid performers for us, and Philip Billing who is 6'6" has been a stand out performer in more ways than one.
How does David Wagner set the team up?

Tends to be 4-2-3-1. Only having one player up front though explains our poor scoring record. I just wonder how long this can go on without a change in system.
How big a game do you think Monday night is?

From Town's point of view, it's massive. Realistically, we need to win our next six home games against Fulham, West Ham, Brighton, Newcastle, Southampton and Burnley, if we are to have any hope of getting out of trouble.

Which Fulham players do you think could cause you problems?

Andre Schürrle can produce the spectacular, Ryan Sessegnon shows great promise and has a great future ahead of him, and Alfie Mawson has performed well against us in the past when playing for Swansea.
Do you have any standout memories from past Huddersfield-Fulham fixtures?

In 1967/68, Town reached the League Cup Semi-Final after knocking Fulham out. Following a 1-1 draw at the Cottage, Town beat Fulham 2-1 after extra-time at the old Leeds Road ground in the Fifth Round Replay to set up a Semi-Final against Arsenal. It was a big win for Town at the time, Fulham were First Division and Town Second, and Fulham had the likes of Johnny Haynes playing for them.
Can you recommend a good pub for away fans to grab a drink in?

There are a couple which may interest Fulham fans. The first is called Boy and Barrel, situated at Beast Market (HD1 1QF), about a 15 minute walk from the stadium. The second is Magic Rock Tap, Willow Lane (HD1 5EB). This pub has a special Huddersfield Town brew which fans can try out. It's about a 20 minute walk from the stadium.
How do you see the match panning out?

Plenty of Town pressure roared on by their noisy fans. Fulham's best chance will be catching Town on the break.
What score prediction are you going for?

1-0 to Town. We have to break our duck at some point at the John Smith's Stadium, so it's vital that it happens soon.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/november/03/inside-the-john-smiths-stadium