Tuesday Fulham Stuff (18/12/18)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Newcastle must expose Fulham's vulnerable defense

Newcastle United will look to win their second straight match when they play Fulham at St. James' Park this weekend.

After a rough start this month with one draw and two losses, Newcastle United have claimed their first victory in December with a 1-0 win against Huddersfield Town on the road. The match against Huddersfield was the first of two must-win games for Newcastle this month.

The next crucial match for Newcastle will be against Fulham this weekend. Despite hiring the miracle man, Claudio Ranieri, as their new manager, Fulham still sit in the league basement with nine points from 17 matches. This should be Newcastle's most lenient match of the entire season.

Fulham: Horrible Defense

The biggest and most obvious reason why Fulham are rock bottom in the league table is because of their horrendous defending. The Cottagers earned promotion last season, but they brought their Championship defenders along for the ride and start them on a weekly basis.

As a result, Fulham have conceded an alarming 42 goals in 17 matches, which translates to a league-worst 2.4 goals per match. From their 17 matches this season, Fulham have conceded at least three goals on seven occasions to a wide range of elite and mediocre opponents, which bodes well for Newcastle.

With Newcastle playing at home, the Magpies must emulate their level of offensive urgency from the match against Brighton (27 shot attempts) and they must look to be precise in their shooting as they were against Bournemouth. If Newcastle can play with confidence and look to push the ball forward via their wingers, they could dominate this match from start to finish.

All Eyes on Rondon

Rafa Benitez fought hard to bring Salomon Rondon to Tyneside this summer and his actions are paying off for Newcastle United. With four goals and one assist in his last six matches, Rondon is gradually developing the consistency that Newcastle have been lacking on the front line.

Now that Newcastle are set to face the worst defensive unit in the Top Flight, all eyes will be on Rondon to see how effective he can be against such a vulnerable back-line.

Everything will depend on how often Newcastle will utilize their wingers in this match to bombard Fulham with crosses from the left and the right. My prediction is that Newcastle will have a field day against Fulham and that Rondon will find the back of the net twice.



https://newcastletoons.com/2018/12/17/newcastle-must-expose-fulhams-vulnerable-defense/

[WhiteJC]

 
Newcastle United star Ciaran Clark asks for focus against rock bottom Fulham

Clark warns Toon stars not to get carried away after beating Huddersfield and eyes improvement in home form

Ciaran Clark has urged his team-mates to maintain focus this week ahead of their crunch clash with relegation haunted Fulham.

A win for the Magpies at St James' Park will put a TEN point gap between Newcastle United and the rock-bottom Cottagers, but more importantly nudge them close to the halfway mark of the "magic 40" mark.

Newcastle take on a Fulham side that lost to West Ham at the weekend, but after two recent home defeats they must address their form on Tyneside.

Speaking after the 1-0 win at Huddersfield Town, Clark said: "Every point is vital to us. We were so disappointed last week (against Wolves) not to come away with anything.

"We definitely wanted to make sure we came away with something today.

"To come away with all three points is massive.

"When you go up against teams in and around us every point is massive.

"Like I said we just wanted to get points on the board."

Newcastle were handed a rare Sunday off by manager Rafa Benitez after their victory in West Yorkshire but Clark is revved up for another week of preparations.

The former Aston Villa man said: "Now we have a week of training and another good game.

"Both teams will be looking to win and get three points.

"That's what it is all about.

"We enjoyed that performance but it is now about getting ready for next week and working hard again."



https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-united-star-ciaran-clark-15559303

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham Can't Keep Blaming Their Back Four – But Experience Is Needed

Fulham must stop putting all the blame on their back four but more experience needed.

Alan Shearer commented on MOTD last night that Fulham's defence was appalling, and we would be in a serious chance of relegation if it was not rectified immediately. I totally agree that the defence needs attention, but so does the midfield and attack. West Ham managed just two real chances on goal and scored both. Fulham had umpteen golden opportunities and squandered them all.

Fulham must start by looking at the back four. It appears that last season's supporter's Player of the Year Tim Ream is not up to EPL quality. Alfie Mawson is neither strong enough or tactical enough to stop opponents running into the box unmarked. On the bright side, Fulham do have decent players, such as Bryan, Christie and Odoi that can still do a job in the defence. They need another big, strong central defender, or preferably two.

In midfield Fulham lack a terrier style, ball-winning, team-leading character, such as Fulham fans old favourite Jimmy Bullard. Seri is not up to scratch for the tough EPL. In attack, a fast player is needed that can go past defenders and put in the crosses for Mitrovic.

The rest of Fulham's squad need to really toughen up and work harder as a team. All players must unite when defending and attacking and play as a team. They still look like a team of gifted individuals that do not know one another, yet we are almost half-way through the season.

The most important thing when it comes to January and the purchase of new players, is that Fulham do not make the same mistake twice in a season. They need to bring in players with EPL pedigree. They have been there (or still are there) and know what it takes to compete in this tough division. Players that look great in the Championship or overseas often fall short when they make the move to the EPL. Now is NOT the time for Fulham to spend any more cash on untested EPL players.



https://fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/fulham-cant-keep-blaming-their-back-four-but-experience-is-needed/

[WhiteJC]

 
Christmas Store

Pick up those last-minute Christmas gifts with extended opening hours and final UK delivery dates this week!

With a wide range of gifts available to choose from, you'll be sure to find the perfect present for any Fulham fan this Christmas.

Take advantage of late-night shopping with the Stadium Store open until the later time of 8pm every night this week.

In addition, fans are reminded of the final UK posting dates, for gifts to arrive in time for Christmas:

    Monday 17th December - Royal Mail 48 - standard and tracked (3-5 working days).
    Wednesday 19th December - Royal Mail Tracked 24 (1-2 working days).

Any purchases made after 3pm on the 19th December will not be dispatched until 27th December.

Make it a JOYFUL Christmas - shop online or instore* today!


*Stadium Store is open every day 9am-8pm Monday 17th December to Saturday 22nd December.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/december/17/christmas-store

[WhiteJC]

 
Calum Chambers sees signs of recovery at Fulham despite West Ham humbling

Calum Chambers insists that Fulham are on the road to recovery under Claudio Ranieri despite a 2-0 defeat to West Ham that leaves the Cottagers moored to the bottom of the Premier League.

First-half goals from Robert Snodgrass and Michail Antonio doomed Fulham to a third defeat in four matches, with their only win under Ranieri having come in his opening game against Southampton last month.

The Italian does not appear to have solidified the leaky defence that cost his predecessor Slavisa Jokanovic his job. Fulham have conceded 42 goals in 17 matches so far this term, a rate that has them on course to beat Derby's 89 goals against for the worst defensive record in a 38-game season.

"We've improved a lot of things over the last few weeks," Chambers told Standard Sport. "Things are changing, things are looking positive.

"We feel we played alright against West Ham, we created chances but we just didn't put them in the back of the net. We've got to stay together, be positive.

"We've got an important week coming up next week and we have to be ready for that.

"We knew how important a game this was for us. We created a lot of chances and didn't finish them, you can get punished in this league for that."

One of the few bright spots in Fulham's recent struggles has been Chambers' adaptation to an unfamiliar central midfield role.

He said: "I'm enjoying it, obviously it's nicer if we get a win, but I'm doing what I can for the team defensively and going forward. I'm learning game by game in that position.

"At the moment I don't know whether I'll go back to defence or stay in midfield. I'm taking on what I've been told to do in there and trying to execute it in the games."



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham/calum-chambers-sees-signs-of-recovery-at-fulham-despite-west-ham-humbling-a4019016.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Steven Sessegnon close to signing new Fulham deal

Fulham youngster Steven Sessegnon is close to signing a new contract.

Sessegnon has made two appearances for the Whites this season and his current deal – his first professional contract, which he signed last year – is due to expire in 2020.

The 18-year-old twin brother of Fulham star Ryan Sessegnon has impressed new manager Claudio Ranieri, who included him in the first-team squad for the recent trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United.

Right-back Sessegnon has been earmarked for a loan move, although he could feature for Fulham in the FA Cup against Oldham on January 6.

That would give him an opportunity to stake a claim for a place in what has been a problem position for Fulham this season.

The club are assessing potential options for next month's transfer window, with the likes of Cyrus Christie and Timothy Fosu-Mensah having failed to impress.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/football-fulham-youngster-close-to-signing-new-contract-2

[WhiteJC]

 
Aleksandar Mitrovic unsettled at Fulham?

Forward Aleksandar Mitrovic has reportedly become unsettled at Fulham since the departure of head coach Slavisa Jokanovic.

Mitrovic had enjoyed an impressive run of form under his Serbian compatriot, with the frontman's goals helping the West Londoners achieve promotion to the Premier League.

However, Jokanovic was replaced by Claudio Ranieri earlier this season and according to The Mirror, that has led to Mitrovic becoming unhappy with life at the club.

The 24-year-old scored twice in Ranieri's first game in charge against Southampton, but just one assist has come from his four most recent outings.

The report claims that Chelsea and Everton are monitoring the situation, with both clubs eyeing up additions in the final third during January.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/chelsea/transfer-talk/news/aleksandar-mitrovic-unsettled-at-fulham_344466.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham give cause for hope in Marek Rodak's Rotherham United loan situation

ROTHERHAM United's hopes of hanging on to key man Marek Rodak have been handed a major boost by the loan goalkeeper's parent club, Fulham.

The Premier League outfit have given the Millers the go-ahead to play Rodak in their FA Cup third-round clash at Manchester City on January 6.

Rotherham boss Paul Warne, whose side drew 1-1 with strugglers Reading in the Championship on Saturday, is now optimistic that the shot-stopper will remain at AESSEAL New York Stadium for the rest of the second-tier campaign.

Rodak is on a season-long deal in South Yorkshire but there have been fears that Fulham, caught up in a relegation scrap and with a new manager in Claudio Ranieri at the helm, could recall the 21-year-old in the January transfer window.

"We have asked for permission for Marek to play in the FA Cup and they've agreed," Warne said. "I'm hoping that is a pretty reasonable sign."

Talks between the two clubs have taken place at a senior level.

"I haven't spoken to Fulham about Marek," Warne said. "I've never had a line of contact with Fulham. With some of the other clubs who have loaned us players, like Bristol City and Norwich City, I actually speak to people. Fulham would be a chief-exec-to-chief-exec conversation.

"Until I hear something, I regard no news as good news."

Rodak has been in superb form and is an ever-present in the league this term.

Warne is hoping all of his five-strong loan contingent — Rodak, defender Zak Vyner, centre-half Sean Raggett and midfielders Richie Towell and Ryan Manning — will remain at New York and has yet to decide whether to recall any of the men the Millers have allowed to move out temporarily.

"I'd like to think we will be keeping all of our loanees," the boss said, "But that can change in a heartbeat. QPR, for instance, could get a spate of injuries and suddenly want Ryan Manning back."

Among the Rotherham players at other clubs are forward David Ball (Bradford City), striker Jerry Yates (Carlisle United), central defender Michael Ihiekwe (Accrington Stanley) and left-back Ben Purrington (AFC Wimbledon).

"There have been conversations behind closed doors, so to speak," Warne said.

"Right now, I still haven't made a decision on all of them because I don't know what's going to happen here.

"If someone leaves here or someone gets a long-term injury, that could change our thinking.

"Things are getting reassessed all the time."

Meanwhile, forward Kyle Vassell, who has been laid low by a groin complaint, could be fit for the Christmas schedule.

"Until Vass is pain-free we're not going to include him in training on the grass," Warne said.

"He's getting markedly better. He's down to the last little bit of pain now, which is good, but sometimes, ironically, that bit takes the longest.

"I'd like to think that he will be back for the festive fixtures. We're more than hopeful we'll have him back available before Christmas."



https://www.rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk/sport/view,fulham-give-cause-for-hope-in-marek-rodaks-rotherham-united-loan-situation_29939.htm

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham hopeful Ryan Sessegnon will return to face Newcastle

Fulham are hopeful Ryan Sessegnon will be fit to face Newcastle at St James' Park on Saturday.

The 18-year-old missed the 2-0 defeat by West Ham at Craven Cottage with a groin strain, but the problem is not thought to be serious.

Fulham head coach Claudio Ranieri left Sessegnon out as a precaution and hopes the winger will recover in time.

Without Sessegnon against West Ham on Saturday, Fulham slipped to a third defeat in four matches since Ranieri took over and the Cottagers remain rooted to the bottom of the table.

First-half goals from Robert Snodgrass and Michail Antonio doomed Fulham to a 12th Premier League defeat of the season, with their only win under Ranieri having come in his opening game against Southampton last month, when Aleksandar Mitrovic's double helped secure three points.

The Italian does not appear to have solidified the leaky defence that cost his predecessor Slavisa Jokanovic his job. Fulham have conceded 42 goals in 17 matches so far this term, a rate that has them on course to beat Derby's 89 goals against for the worst defensive record in a 38-game season.

But despite their predicament, Calum Chambers insists that Fulham are on the road to recovery under Ranieri.

"We've improved a lot of things over the last few weeks," Chambers told Standard Sport. "Things are changing, things are looking positive.

"We feel we played alright against West Ham. We created chances but we just didn't put them in the back of the net. We've got to stay together, be positive.

"We've got an important week coming up next week and we have to be ready for that. We knew how important a game this was for us. We created a lot of chances and didn't finish them,  you can get punished in this League for that."

One of the few bright spots in Fulham's recent struggles has been Chambers' adaptation to an unfamiliar central midfield role.

"I'm enjoying it," he said. "Obviously, it's nicer if we get a win, but I'm doing what I can for the team defensively and going forward. I'm learning game by game in that position."

Fulham have three matches in eight days over the festive period, travelling to Newcastle next Saturday before taking on Wolves and Huddersfield, both at home.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham/fulham-hopeful-ryan-sessegnon-will-return-to-face-newcastle-a4019641.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Mitro Wins Golden Ball Award

Aleksandar Mitrović has won Serbia's Golden Ball award, given to the country's best player in the year just gone.

The striker enjoyed a wonderful 12 months for both club and country in 2018, with 31 goals to his name.

He played a monumental role in Fulham's promotion to the Premier League, bagging 12 goals for the Whites after joining on loan in January.

The World Cup was his next port of call, featuring in each of Serbia's group games in Russia and scoring against Switzerland.

Mitrović's form continued into the new season, leading the scoring charts at Fulham for whom he has netted seven times already in the top flight, and for Serbia who he helped win Group C4 in the Nations League.

He also finished up as the competition's top scorer with six goals.

Mitro follows in the footsteps of the likes of Dejan Stankovic, Aleksandar Kolarov, Branislav Ivanovic and Nemanja Matic in winning the award.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/december/17/mitro-wins-golden-ball-award

[WhiteJC]

 
Ranieri targeting Brazilian duo for Fulham defence, turning to former club again

A couple of weeks ago, we brought to you a story from France coming from a website called JeunesFooteux.

We'd come across them before briefly, but we weren't in a position to tell you whether what they had to say was trustworthy or not, and we made that very clear.

The story was about Claudio Ranieri looking at his former club, FC Nantes, to try and bolster his Fulham squad over the January transfer period, targeting one of their midfielders, Valentin Rongier.

A bid of around €25m was said to be in the works, although that, as far as we're aware, has yet to see the light of day, but if the same website is to be believed, he wouldn't be done there either way.

According to an article published on Sunday, Ranieri is also looking at two of their defenders to bolster his Fulham backline, and those are Diego Carlos (centre-back) and Lucas Lima (left-back).

The duo are said to join Emiliano Sala and the aforementioned Rongier on a list of about 20 players the manager has drawn up for the upcoming window.

On top of this, they add Ranieri is 'privately forcing' the avenue leading to the midfielder, seemingly desperate to add him to his squad next month.

We'll file these away for now and see what comes of them in the coming weeks, but it wouldn't be the first time a manager dipped into one of his ex-clubs.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/ranieri-targeting-brazilian-duo-fulham-defence-turning-former-club/

[WhiteJC]

 
Steve's Contract Extension

The Club is delighted to announce that Steven Sessegnon has signed a contract extension with Fulham.

The 18-year-old has agreed a deal which keeps him at Craven Cottage until the summer of 2022, with a Club option to extend by a further 12 months.

Having come through the Academy since joining as an Under-9 alongside twin brother Ryan, Steven penned his first professional contract with Fulham last summer.

Soon after he was given a first taste of senior football in a 2-0 win over Wycombe Wanderers in the Carabao Cup, a competition he has now appeared in four times for the Whites' First Team, most recently when he excelled on the right of a three-man defence in a 3-1 win at Millwall.

Last October, Sessegnon was an integral part of the England Under-17 side which triumphed in the World Cup, featuring five times and laying on a number of assists as the Young Lions brought the trophy home from India.

"It feels very good," Sessegnon said of the extension. "It's something I've been working towards for the last few months and it feels amazing to get it done and over the line.

"You could say the first [pro deal] was very special but this one has shown all the hard work I've done personally, not just with this Club but with international success as well. It is rewarding helping contribute to the progression of Fulham.

"This can only motivate me to keep working harder. I will carry on doing as I am and keep on heading towards the next one.

"Hopefully I can make my league debut very soon, but over time I need to keep working hard and knuckling down and see what happens.

"You can't rush this sort of thing. I'm going to take my chance, whenever it might come.

"The Millwall game in the Carabao Cup was a great feeling for me. That was something I'm not used to, but one that will push me on, and spur me on in the future to achieve great things."

Tony Khan added: "I'm pleased to announce Fulham Football Club has signed a contract extension for Steven Sessegnon!

"This is a tribute to a fine young man with tremendous character who has demonstrated his heart and determination and love for his club and love for his country.

"He worked so hard to recover from injury several years ago to earn his place, both with us at Fulham, his home club of many years, and for England, where he has excelled in international play and started in last year's England U17 World Cup Final victory!

"We believe in Steven and we look forward to our bright future together. Come on Fulham!"



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/december/17/steven-sessegnon-contract-extension

[WhiteJC]

Cottage Talk Podcast: The Player Ratings Show With Special Guest Ryan O'Donovan
Take a listen to a podcast that focuses on Fulham Football Club.

Special guest Ryan O'Donovan from Football. London shared his player ratings for the Fulham players against West Ham, and we discussed each one of them during the show. We also talked about his talking points after the match.


You can also listen to the show by following this link...
https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2018/12/17/18144684/cottage-talk-podcast-the-player-ratings-show-with-special-guest-ryan-odonovan

[WhiteJC]

 
February Fixture Changes

Two of Fulham's February fixtures have been moved for live television coverage on Sky Sports.

We welcome Manchester United to Craven Cottage on Saturday 9th February, a fixture which will now kick-off at the earlier time of 12.30pm.

We then travel across London later in the month to face West Ham United, which will now take place a day earlier on Friday 22nd February, kicking-off at 7.45pm.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/december/17/february-fixture-changes

[WhiteJC]

 
The coaching staff Claudio Ranieri has brought to Fulham to help him in their quest for survival

The Italian brought in five new faces when he was named as manager of the Premier League club

It's been all change at Fulham in the past month after Claudio Ranieri was appointed as the club's new manager after Shahid Khan made the choice to sack Slavisa Jokanovic.

Not only did the Serbian leave the club, but his coaching staff also left Craven Cottage, with Javier Pereira, Lucas Squinzani and Rafael Cristobal all following Jokanovic out of the door.

Scott Parker, Marco Cesarini and Alastair Harris all remained at Fulham and were joined by five new faces brought in by Ranieri to support him as he looks to keep the side in the Premier League.

Andrea Azzalin, Paolo Benetti, Carlo Cornacchia, Paolo Orlandoni and Vitantonio Pascale are the new faces on the bench at Craven Cottage.

Here's who is who behind the scenes at Fulham.

Andrea Azzalin

Azzalin has been with Ranieri at his previous four clubs and was part of the backroom staff that oversaw Leicester City's title win in 2015.

He is the club's Head of Fitness and Physical Performance and is responsible for the first team's fitness and can be seen drilling the players in their pre-match warm up before games.

Azzalin started AS Varese in 2009 before joining Ranieri at AS Monacao, following him to Greece, Leicester, Nantes and now Fulham.

Paolo Benetti

Benetti is Ranieri's trusted right hand man and has worked with his fellow Italian for the past decade.

A former footballer that plied his trade at AC Milan, he got his first taste of coaching with Lazio's youth team before joining Ranieri at Italian giants Juventus.

He's assisted Ranieri at Roma, Inter Milan, Monaco, Greece, Leicester and then Nantes, before answering the call once more at Craven Cottage.

Carlo Cornacchia

A former defender in his playing days, Cornacchia first worked under Ranieri at both Cagliari and Napoli.

He then moved to the US to coach Colorado Rush where he held a number of positions before heading back to Europe to coach under former boss Ranieri at Nantes.

Cornacchia then followed him to Fulham where he is responsible in the preparation of the players for their next game.

Paolo Orlandoni

The new goalkeeper coach at Fulham - Orlandoni spent his career in Italy, starting and ending it at Inter Milan and became a coach at the club after his retirement.

He's coached at Fenerbahce before joining up with Ranieri at Nantes and now Fulham.

Viantonio Pascale

Pascale started his sporting career in handball before playing Futsal with Italian side Sport Five.

This is the second time he's worked under Ranieri having joined him at Nantes after spending four years at Serie B side Bari.

His role at Fulham is assistant fitness coaching where he works closely under Azzalin.

Marco Cesarini

Marco Cesarini joined Fulham a month after Jokanovic and was appointed as their Manager of First Team Medical and Sports Science, taking full responsibility for the player's fitness at the club.

He studied Osteopathy in Milan, which is a a way of detecting, treating and preventing health problems by moving, stretching and massaging a person's muscles and joints and he became one of the first osteopaths to work with a professional team in Italy when he went to Brescia.

He then went to West Ham where he became Head of Injury Prevention, before a restructure of the medical department saw him return to Italy, before his next job at Watford beckoned.

After that, in 2014, AC Milan legend Filippo Inzaghi called Cesarini to join him at the San Siro, which he accepted, working there for 13 months before leaving and answering Jokanovic's call to come and join him at Fulham before opting to stay at the club after his sacking.

Interestingly, after the arrival of Beppe Sannino at Watford, Cesarini become the head coach's translator for press conferences.

Scott Parker

The former skipper returned to Fulham in July 2018, having spent the season after retiring coaching Tottenham Hotspur's U18 side.

Parker already has experience of coaching some of the players at the club, having helped out with the Academy during his time at Fulham and he brings some experience of top tier football to the backroom team.

When he was appointed, Parker said: "I have first-hand knowledge of the quality and ambition at the Club since I was a player here, with tremendous work carried out by staff within the First Team set up and across all Academy age groups."

He has become integral to Ranieri as the bridge between the team and himself and has helped the Italian settle with his new players at the Cottage.

Alastair Harris

A Brunel University graduate, achieving a Masters in the field of Human Performance, Alastair Harris is Fulham's Head of Sports Science and is responsible for the physical performance and conditioning of the First Team.

He started at Fulham in 2010 as a sports science intern, before making his way through the ranks before taking his current role in December 2015.

He excels in the fields of load management , player recovery cycles & physical conditioning and, along with the rest of the medical staff at the club, was a big reason why Fulham suffered very little injuries throughout the course of last season.



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/coaching-staff-claudio-ranieri-brought-15563675

[WhiteJC]

 
Signing this £5m-rated Cardiff City target would help Fulham boost gameplay in the final third – Agreed?

Fulham should beat Cardiff City to sign Jarrod Bowen in January

According to the Sun, Fulham and Cardiff City are chasing Hull City winger Jarrod Bowen ahead of the January transfer window to boost their chances of survival in the Premier League.

Reports claim that Hull City rate their prodigy at £5million but manager Nigel Adkins might not let Bowen leave in January as the Tigers are currently placed 19th in the Championship standings and losing him would deal a great blow to their hopes of survival.

Bowen started his career at non-league club Hereford United at the age of 16 before making his move to Hull City back in 2014. The 21-year-old was the star performer for the Tigers last season where he scored 15 goals across all competitions.

And Bowen has hit the ground running this term as well, registering 6 goals and 3 assists from 21 appearances in the Championship. The 21-year-old has been the brightest spark of Hull's otherwise lacklustre campaign in the second tier this season.

Standing at 5ft. 9 inches, Bowen has just the perfect height for a winger, which allows him to use his low centre of gravity to good effect. Blessed with a good technique, the youngster has shown exceptional close control in tight areas along the flanks this season.

He combines his lightning pace and dribbling skills with his instant acceleration, sharpness and agility to beat the opposition's full-backs and wreak havoc through the defences.

Essentially an inverted-winger down the right, Bowen has a sweet left foot that is not only capable of beating the defenders with subtle changes of direction but also has the ability to find the net with curling efforts from the edge of the box.

While he is adept at using his pace and skills to cut inside and have a crack at goal, Bowen is also a decent crosser of the ball and creates chances from the sidelines with accurate pull-backs. Furthermore, he has shown that his decision-making in the final third is better than most of the young players in the same mould and he definitely has the talent to make a name for himself in the Premier League.

To put things into perspective, Jarrod Bowen would be an ideal signing for both Fulham and Cardiff but the Cottagers should aim to have the final say in this transfer saga to improve their chances of avoiding the drop.

Fulham made a bright start to life under Claudio Ranieri with a 3-2 win over Southampton but they once again lost momentum with defeats at the hands of Chelsea and Manchester United. The Cottagers currently sit rock-bottom of the standings and they will have to produce nothing short of a miracle to avoid the drop this season.

Fulham spent a fortune in the summer to bolster their attack and made the headlines with the mega-money signings of Aleksandr Mitrovic, Jean Michael Seri and Andre Schurrle. However, the Cottagers have only managed to find the net on 16 occasions in 16 games.

In all honesty, the overreliance on Mitrovic to score goals every week has backfired. Fulham need a plan 'B' when Mitrovic does not fire and someone like Bowen can add that impetus to the attack from the wide areas.

That said, the Cottagers should go all out to land the promising youngster in January as he ticks all the boxes to help them in their bid for survival.



https://www.mediareferee.com/2018/12/17/signing-this-5m-rated-cardiff-city-target-would-help-fulham-boost-gameplay-in-the-final-third-agreed/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic wins Serbian Player of the Year award after bagging 31 goals in 12 months for club and country

    Aleksandar Mitrovic played major role in Fulham's promotion to Premier League
    He played for Serbia at World Cup and was top scorer in UEFA Nations League
    Mitrovic said: 'It's nice when you are appreciated in the country where you play'

Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has received Serbia's Golden Ball award after being named the country's best player for 2018.

The 24-year-old has enjoyed a successful 12 months, hitting 31 goals for club and country.

He played a major role in Fulham's promotion to the Premier League by scoring 12 times in the Championship following a January move from Newcastle.


Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has been named Serbia's player of the year

After registering one goal in three appearances at the World Cup in Russia, he finished top scorer in the Nations League as Serbia won Group C4.

'It's nice when you are appreciated in the country where you play, but there's nothing more beautiful than when you are at home, with your people,' Mitrovic told the Serbian FA's website.

Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic, ex-Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic and former Manchester City left-back Aleksandar Kolarov are among the previous recipients of the award.


Mitrovic said there was 'nothing more beautiful' than being at home with his compatriots

Mitrovic is now the the seventh successive winner of the award with an English connection.

Last year's winner former Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic.

Mitrovic will be looking to help fire Claudio Ranieri's side up the table as the Cottagers are rooted to the bottom of the table. 


Fulham are currently bottom of the Premier League and facing a battle to avoid relegation



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6504905/Fulham-striker-Aleksandar-Mitrovic-wins-Serbian-player-year-award.html

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From Serbia: Player signing for Everton is 'realistic' option, has 'grown out of' current club

Claims from England about Aleksandar Mitrovic being of interest to Everton have caused a little excitement in Serbia.

Blic newspaper has a transfer feature in their Monday edition, looking at players from the country who could be moving during the winter market.

For Mitrovic, it's said that he's 'grown out of' Fulham and that his performances for the national side justify a move to a bigger club.

Whilst it's stated there's been Chelsea links at times as well, Blic believe the move to Everton is a 'realistic' option for Mitrovic.

The player certainly hasn't been agitating for a move via the Serbian media, but it's clear a transfer to Goodison Park would be welcomed by those covering football in the country.

Despite feeling like he's been around for some time, the striker is still only 24 years of age.

He has seven goals and two assists in the Premier League so far this season and excelled just after Claudio Ranieri took over, but hasn't scored a goal since November 24th.

At this stage it seems the Serbian media want the Everton move to happen, rather than knowing it will.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/serbia-player-signing-everton-realistic-option-grown-current-club/

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Do it Ranieri – This £130,000-a-week Chelsea veteran could be the man to save Fulham from relegation

Why Fulham should sign Gary Cahill from Chelsea in January

According to a report in Sky Sports, Premier League strugglers Fulham are interested in signing Chelsea centre-back Gary Cahill in the January transfer window. Claudio Ranieri's men are currently at the bottom of the table and seek the veteran's experience to guide them through the rough start to their life back in top-flight football.

As per the report, the Blues will allow the 32-year-old former England international to leave the club, be it in January or in the summer. It is yet not clear whether the player would move out on loan next month, as he will be out of contract at Stamford Bridge at the end of this season anyway.

Other Premier League clubs – namely Southampton and West Ham are also keeping a close eye on Cahill. However, here's why Fulham should do everything to sign the £130,000-a-week centre-back in January:

Fulham badly need a defender

Despite spending the big bucks in the summer, the new life in the Premier League hasn't been great for the Cottagers. They are at the bottom of the table and look like a team devoid of ideas on all fronts, especially in the defence.

The fact that former manager Slavisa Jokanovic couldn't figure out what his best eleven was despite steering the club from Championship to the Premier League spells out the whole negative situation.

Hence, new boss Claudio Ranieri has a mountain to climb and the former Leicester City miracle-man is finding it as tough as expected. Even though his team are playing some attractive football on the other end, the end which needs protection has been wide open like a door bust open by a wind

On one hand, the owners are right to ask the questions as to where their money is going but if they are really thinking of staying up, they need to splash some money next month. And getting Gary Cahill would help the team.

The Chelsea veteran and multiple Premier League winner possesses the experience and the know-how to deal with tricky situations. The Fulham back-line has lacked guidance and a cool head, and that's exactly what the 32-year-old Chelsea stopper will offer to the team, along with his defensive sturdiness as a player.

The Cottagers need a saviour after shipping 42 goals in 17 league games. They should do everything to bring the former England international to Craven Cottage before any other potential suitor takes him away.



https://soccersouls.com/2018/12/18/do-it-ranieri-this-130000-a-week-chelsea-veteran-could-be-the-man-to-save-fulham-from-relegation/