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Monday Fulham Stuff (31/12/18)...

Started by WhiteJC, December 30, 2018, 04:29:49 PM

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WhiteJC

 
Results







Sunday
Palace
0 - 1 Chelsea
Burnley
2 - 0 West Ham
Southampton
1 - 3 Man City
Man Utd
4 - 1 Bournemouth

WhiteJC

 
Why Aboubakar Kamara's penalty petulance is not the end of his Fulham career


The biggest flashpoint in Fulham's 1-0 victory over Huddersfield Town was sadly not Aleksandar Mitrovic's winning goal, but the penalty fiasco that came before the last-minute strike.

Aboubakar Kamara deserves severe punishment after his decision to take the penalty ahead of the designated player, yet it would be absurd to suggest the French attacker has no future at Fulham.

Fulham were awarded a vital penalty just over five minutes before the final whistle, with Kamara's flick hitting a Huddersfield defender on the arm.

With the match scoreless, it was a situation fraught with tension, and Kamara immediately sprinted to grab the ball and square up for the penalty.

It was a great show of ambition, exactly the confidence you want to see from a penalty taker.

The only problem? Mitrovic was the designated penalty specialist, not Kamara. And despite the protestations of Mitrovic himself, Claudio Ranieri, the coaching staff, Tom Cairney, and the crowd, Kamara refused to relinquish the ball — and promptly missed the spot-kick.

As Ranieri made clear after the match, Kamara showed blatant disrespect for the club with his penalty petulance and shocking disobedience of orders. In a game where Fulham simply needed to win, a kerfuffle over a penalty is the last thing the Whites needed in a high-pressure situation.

Kamara should public apologise and deserves a fine or perhaps a temporary exile from the starting lineup.

But this incident does not spell the end of the Frenchman's Fulham career.

At the end of the day, Kamara's actions can be classified as a fit of misguided passion — the winger was doing all he could to win the match for Fulham, regardless of the appropriateness of his decision.

Aboubakar Kamara is a mercurial player whose actions are sometimes inexcusable and unexplainable. But in all, he is a footballer who truly cares about the Fulham cause and has much to offer the Cottagers in their bid for survival, and his time is far from done in SW6.



https://tbrfootball.com/why-aboubakar-kamaras-penalty-petulance-is-not-the-end-of-his-fulham-career/

WhiteJC

 
Mawson suffers knee injury

Claudio Ranieri fears Alfie Mawson could be sidelined for some time with a knee problem after the defender limped off during Fulham's win over Huddersfield Town this afternoon.

The former Swansea centre back had to be substituted at half time after suffering an injury when turning during the first half and the Fulham manager is concerned about the seriousness of the problem. The 24 year-old has a history of knee problems and had surgery at the end of last season after injuring his knee during the warm-up ahead of Swansea's FA Cup tie against Sheffield United. Recovery from that operation meant that Mawson was not fully fit after signing for the Whites in the summer and had to wait until late August to make his Fulham debut.

Ranieri revealed that the injury to his commanding centre back ruined his plans to introduce Ryan Sessegnon during the half-time break. He told his post-match press conference:

    I wanted to make two changes but at the end Mawson was injured. I had to wait to put Sessegnon and I put him on in the last ten minutes because then I can take a risk. Also Mitrovic played yesterday with a fever and I didn't know [at half-time] if he can continue. Fortunately he is strong man and he continued all the match,

Maxime Le Marchand, who replaced Mawson for the second half, will be first in line to step into the Fulham defence should the former England under-21 international be ruled out of the trip to Arsenal on New Year's Day.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/12/mawson-suffers-knee-injury/


WhiteJC


'I wanted to kill him': Ranieri rages at Kamara in penalty row

Fulham secured a 1-0 win against their Premier League relegation rivals when Aleksandar Mitrovic scored in stoppage time.

Fulham boss Claudio Ranieri admitted he felt like "killing" Aboubakar Kamara after the French striker ignored instructions and took the missed penalty that almost cost the London side victory against Huddersfield on Saturday.

Fulham secured a 1-0 win against their Premier League relegation rivals when Aleksandar Mitrovic scored in stoppage time.

Minutes earlier, however, usual penalty taker Mitrovic had seen Kamara's tame effort from the spot saved by Huddersfield goalkeeper Jonas Lossl with the scores level at 0-0.

"The man who should shoot the penalty is Mitrovic, and Kamara did not respect me, the club, the team-mates, the crowd, anybody," said Ranieri.

"He take the ball and want to shoot the ball, it is unbelievable. I want to kill him."



https://www.thestatesman.com/sports/wanted-kill-ranieri-rages-kamara-penalty-row-1502720583.html

WhiteJC

 
Transfer gossip: Sunday Mirror say Whites want Clyne

Fulham want to sign Liverpool right-back Nathaniel Clyne on loan, the Sunday Mirror reports.

The newspaper say the Whites and Leicester are keen on Clyne but that Cardiff City are favourites to snap him up.

The England international previously played under Cardiff boss Neil Warnock at Crystal Palace.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/football-fulham-leicester-nathaniel-clyne-liverpool-cardiff-neil-warnock

WhiteJC

 
Fulham 1-0 Huddersfield Town: Player ratings

Sergio Rico: Had a jittery start when he failed to gather a sighter from Philip Billing that was drilled at him from long range, but looked assured after that. The Spanish goalkeeper wasn't called upon for long periods – making only routine stops for the remainder of the first half – but produced a couple of key saves to preserve Fulham's lead late on. Tried to release Mitrovic with a couple of long punts upfield without success. 6

Denis Odoi: Looked in control again at the heart of Fulham's back three with another confident display against a physical and direct Huddersfield side. Dealt with a number of long balls forward easily and at times in the second half sparked some Fulham attacks with a few bursts forward with the ball from deep. 6

Alfie Mawson: Delivered another composed performance before being struck down by a knee injury at half-time. By the sounds of Claudio Ranieri's post-match comments, it could be quite serious. That is just what Fulham don't need at a time that Mawson, the organiser amongst those three centre halves, is beginning to become the kind of leader at the back that we all envisaged he would be after his arrival from Swansea. 6

Tim Ream: The American appears well suited to Ranieri's tactical switch as he looks less vulnerable to the pace of opposition attacks with two colleagues alongside him. Being the spare man in a back three also allows his confidence on the ball to come to the fore, although some of his longer balls missed their target yesterday. 6

Cyrus Christie: Provided some real energy down the right flank, becoming far more influential as an attacking option as Fulham upped their game in the second half. Might have scored when he sneaked into the penalty area on the blind side of the Huddersfield defence early on but appeared to be put off his header by Terence Kongolo's late jump. You can't fault his work rate and Christie got into several good positions in the second half. 7

Joe Bryan: A much more encouraging performance from the left wing-back. Offered a real threat after the break with numerous raids forward. One cross created a great chance for Mitrovic, another led indirectly to the penalty and Bryan could have scored himself had his own shot carried a little more conviction. Arguably his strongest showing in a Fulham shirt to date. 7

Calum Chambers: Another whole-hearted display at the base of the Fulham midfield. Seemed a little crowded out in the first period as Huddersfield's five-man midfield nullified any prolonged spells of possession that Fulham enjoyed, but gave some real ballast in the second half as the home side poured forward. He might not be the most technically gifted but Chambers has found a role for himself in this side and gives 100%. You know he will be badly missed against Arsenal on New Year's Day. 6

Jean-Michael Seri: A frustrating afternoon for the Ivorian, whose 45 minutes were summed up by an added ferocity to his play than any real quality. Like most of the Fulham midfield, he struggled to get any rhythm when in possession and was fortunate to escape with only a yellow card after a late tackle on Florent Hadergjona. It was telling that Fulham found more cohesiveness after Seri was sacrificed at half-time. 5

Luciano Vietto: The Argentine was a surprise inclusion in the starting eleven after not really getting a look in to date under Claudio Ranieri. He drifted intelligently around the pitch, but looked lightweight against some of Huddersfield's robust challenges. Still created a couple of excellent openings either side of half-time – his deep cross for Christie fashioned the game's first real chance and he helped to play in Bryan after the break. 6

Tom Cairney: The returning captain was largely on the periphery until he was moved into his more natural central midfield role after Ranieri's reshuffle at half time. Orchestrated the play from deep for much of the second period, finding pockets of space to play defence-splitting passes. His role in the winning goal seems a little under-appreciated. Cairney showed quite awareness to capitalise on Billing's eagerness to shoot from long range, seize the loose ball and set Ryan Sessegnon away. 7

Aleksandar Mitrovic: It feels like we'll soon run out of superlatives for the Serbian number nine. Battled throughout, despite being isolated for long periods against Huddersfield's three centre backs, and fighting a 39 degree fever. It seemed as though it could be another one of those days when he missed two decent first half chances with his head and then was denied by a stunning save from Lossl. Showed great professional to encourage Kamara after he was robbed of the chance to take the penalty himself and then spared the French forward's blushes by finding the perfect finish in the first minute of added time. 8

Substitutes:

Maxime Le Marchand: The French defender delivered a low-key but crucial display as a half-time substitute for the injured Alfie Mawson. Calm in possession and excellent in terms of his positioning some of Le Marchand's longer-range passing helped Fulham up the tempo during the second half. 6

Aboubakar Kamara: Where to start with that? I love Kamara for the energy and physicality he brings to the side and it is possible to agree with Mitrovic that the Frenchman changed the complexion of the game by giving Fulham more of an attacking threat after the break, but his self-indulgence in grabbing the ball for the penalty and refusing to let go belonged in the playground rather than the Premier League. It could have been season-defining rather than merely embarrassing and should be severely punished. 5

Ryan Sessegnon: The teenager, seemingly still not fully fit after his groin injury, was set to come on at the break until the extent of Mawson's injury was revealed. Instead, he had to settle for a fifteen minute cameo, but still had a decisive influence on proceedings. Created three chances in his brief time on the field and could have scored when he almost sneaked in at the near post. Saved the best for last with an intelligent run inside to drag the Huddersfield defence out of position and produced a ball reminiscent of his Wembley one to put Mitrovic in the clear. 7



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/12/fulham-1-0-huddersfield-town-player-ratings/


WhiteJC

 
Fulham keen on Clyne

Fulham are interested in signing Liverpool full back Nathaniel Clyne in January – but face stiff competition from a number of their Premier League rivals.

The Sunday Mirror reports that the England international is willing to leave Anfield on loan to seek first-team football once Joe Gomez returns to full fitness. Fulham are known to be interested in strengthening their options at right back and are ready to send Timothy Fosu-Mensah, currently on loan, back to Manchester United in order to facilitate another domestic loan signing.

It is thought that Cardiff City are the frontrunners in the race for Clyne's signature, however, due to the former Southampton defender's relationship with Neil Warnock. The Bluebirds boss gave Clyne his professional debut at Crystal Palace at the age of 17 and the right back went on to make more than 100 first-team appearances for the Eagles. Warnock believes that his role in mentoring Clyne could give Cardiff the edge in a three-way battle for his services.

Leicester City are also said to be keen on signing Clyne, who has won fourteen England caps. The Foxes are in the market for defensive cover in January and are willing to offer the 27 year-old first team football.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/12/fulham-keen-on-clyne/

WhiteJC

 
Divided Opinion – Aboubakar Kamara

I can't remember a Fulham player dividing opinion among fans quite as much as Aboubakar Kamara has done over the past few months. To an extent we had a debate over Dimitar Berbatov, when some believed that his talent alone should keep him on the team sheet back in 2013, while others pointed to his disruptive behaviour being reason enough to get rid. Then we were consumed by intense discussions about the goalkeeper situation. That one ranges back seasons, with Marcus Bettinelli always the man involved.

But it seems different this time. AK has pushed all boundaries and after his antics over the penalty yesterday the debate rages on over whether or not he should even play for Fulham again. I'll try my best to address this question here.

Little was known about AK when we signed him for an undisclosed fee back in the summer of 2017, but it became apparent very quickly that this was a player with limited technical ability, but one who would run through a barge door for you if you got him on your side. He has chipped in with a decent amount of goals considering he has only been a bit-part player since his signing, but it's his overall play that causes so much frustration amongst fans, coaching staff and likely team mates. He earned a red card in just his fifth league start for the club for a daft push on Bailey Wright of Bristol City last season, and has come close to receiving his marching orders on a number of occasions since then. He dives, he barges into people for no apparent reason and yesterday showed that he has a 'me over the team' attitude. You could point to his age, claiming that at 23 he still has a lot to learn, but Aleksander Mitrovic is just a year his senior. I simply can't use his age as an excuse for his immaturity. For me, Kamara has to learn his place in the team, and that needs to come from the players around him and from the coaching staff. He needs to grow up. I looked at his appearances last season, and in his last five games at the end of last season his received a yellow card in each of them (not all back to back games). His discipline should be at the top of the list for things to work on.

However, if we are going to decide whether or not he should play for the team again, we have to look at what he can bring to us. There have been quite a few games recently, and then towards the back end of last season, were AK made a very positive difference to the team. During the play-off games against Derby he stretched their defence causing a lot of problems. Then when I think about the last few games, to me it was evident that we were a more effective, attacking side with him in it. He is a speed merchant, and is built like train, two attributes that defenders absolutely hate in attackers. We don't have a lot of speed in our squad, so when we have someone like Kamara he can make a huge difference. While his behaviour yesterday for the penalty was unacceptable, I suppose you could say that any hungry striker would do it. As soon as the spot kick was given, he sprinted 30 yards to get the ball that had been cleared as he was adamant that he was taking it. I think disobeying your manager, your captain is disrespectful and it can't happen again, but for the good of the team maybe all should be forgiven. Booing him if he plays again isn't going to help anyone.

In summary, I think that whether he plays again will depend on one thing; is he willing to accept that it was the wrong decision and agree that it can't happen again. If the answer is yes, then I'd have him back because of what he brings to the side. But if he remains ignorant of the fact that he was massively disrespectful to his team, manager and fans yesterday then that points to a player who isn't interested in the team. If that's the case, then good riddance. No player is bigger than the club.

It's up to you, AK. What's it going to be?

#COYW


https://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/12/divided-opinion-aboubakar-kamara/

WhiteJC

 
Susanna Dinnage changes mind on Premier League chief executive role


Dinnage wants to stay in broadcasting at Discovery

The Premier League says its prospective new chief executive, Susanna Dinnage, has told the organisation she will not be taking up the position.

Dinnage was named as the replacement for the Richard Scudamore in November and was supposed to take up the role early in 2019.

"The committee has reconvened its search and is talking to candidates," said a Premier League statement.

"There will be no further comment until an appointment is made."

Dinnage was supposed to join from media organisation Discovery, where she was the global president of the Animal Planet channel.

However, she had reflected on the role in recent weeks and informed the Premier League that she had decided that she wanted to stay in broadcasting at Discovery.

She apparently had not given a precise start date as she had a long notice period to serve.

The Premier League is comfortable with acting chief executive Richard Masters and interim chair Claudia Arney continuing for longer as they resume their search.

Prior to joining Discovery in January 2009, Dinnage worked for 10 years at Channel Five and she started her career at MTV.

She would have become just the third person to lead the Premier League, after Scudamore and his predecessor Rick Parry.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46718143


WhiteJC


TC: Make It Count

Tom Cairney hopes the manner of Fulham's win over Huddersfield Town can be a springboard for the remainder of the campaign.

The sides went into the game as the Premier League's bottom two, and looked set to share the spoils – a point which wouldn't have been much good for either team.


But Aleksandar Mitrović popped up in the first minute of stoppage time at the end of the game to secure what could prove to be a huge three points for the Whites.

"It's a massive relief," Cairney told fulhamfc.com. "I think we had to win that game and the boys, especially second half, were brilliant.

"We were banging on the door for a while and it took until the end of the game to win it, but it's moments like that which boost your morale and turn seasons around, so hopefully that'll be the case for us.

"The first half was pretty dead really. We kept our shape for large periods but they probably shaded it.

"But second half we took the game by the scruff of the neck a little bit, played a little bit more football, got a few more men forward.

"The second half was a good one to play in and was a bit more like us last season so long may that continue."

And of the matchwinner, Cairney said: "He 100 per cent deserved his goal at the end.


"He was ill on Friday as well, he wasn't even at training, so he did well to stay on for 90 minutes and give everything like he did, so I was delighted for him to hit the back of the net."

Prior to Mitrović's heroics, the afternoon threatened to be overshadowed by Aboubakar Kamara's missed penalty, one he insisted on taking.

But with the win in the bag, Cairney is keen to now move on from the incident.

"It's a hard situation," he stated. "We tried to give the ball to Mitro because he's the penalty taker, the number nine, our top goal scorer. But how far do you go?

"Abou believed he could score which is fair enough but obviously everyone wanted Mitro to take it because he's the designated taker.

"You all saw it, there's no hiding place, but it's just one of those things. Thank God we ended up winning the game so it doesn't matter anywhere near as much as it could have. We'll just move on now."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/december/30/tom-cairney-huddersfield-reaction

WhiteJC

 
Let's kick on after 'massive' victory, says Cairney

Fulham captain Tom Cairney has urged his team-mates to use what he described as a 'massive' win over relegation rivals Huddersfield Town as a springboard for the remainder of their season.

The Whites claimed a precious three points over the league's bottom side in dramatic fashion with an injury-time winner from Aleksandar Mitrovic at Craven Cottage yesterday. Cairney, recalled to the starting line-up for the crunch clash, told the club's official website that Claudio Ranieri's men were desperate to triumph in the battle between the Premier League's bottom two sides.

    It's a massive relief. I think we had to win that game and the boys, especially second half, were brilliant. We were banging on the door for a while and it took until the end of the game to win it, but it's moments like that which boost your morale and turn seasons around, so hopefully that'll be the case for us.

    The first half was pretty dead really. We kept our shape for large periods but they probably shaded it. But second half we took the game by the scruff of the neck a little bit, played a little bit more football, got a few more men forward. The second half was a good one to play in and was a bit more like us last season so long may that continue.

The Scottish international was full of praise for Mitrovic, who played through a fever and keep his cool when put through by substitute Ryan Sessegnon in the first minute of added time.

    He 100 per cent deserved his goal at the end. He was ill on Friday as well, he wasn't even at training, so he did well to stay on for 90 minutes and give everything like he did, so I was delighted for him to hit the back of the net.

The late winner was all the more welcome after the drama of Aboubakar Kamara refusing to hand over an earlier penalty to Aleksandar Mitrovic – despite the attempts of his team-mates to intervene – and seeing his tame effort saved by Jonas Lossl in the Huddersfield goal.

    It's a hard situation. We tried to give the ball to Mitro because he's the penalty taker, the number nine, our top goal scorer. But how far do you go? Abou believed he could score which is fair enough but obviously everyone wanted Mitro to take it because he's the designated taker.

You all saw it, there's no hiding place, but it's just one of those things. Thank God we ended up winning the game so it doesn't matter anywhere near as much as it could have. We'll just move on now.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/12/lets-kick-after-massive-victory-says-cairney/

WhiteJC

 
3-4-1-2: Monreal Back As Emery Makes 3 Changes | Expected Arsenal Line-Up vs Fulham

Arsenal will be looking to bounce back from their Anfield nightmare when they host Fulham at the Emirates on New Year's Day. Here is the side Gooner Mac thinks Unai Emery will select for the game:

Goalkeeper: Bernd Leno shipped five goals against Liverpool but surprisingly he was nowhere near our worst player on the day as he was left exposed by a woeful defence – not to mention two of the goals were penalties. It's been a tough few weeks for the German but I think Emery will stick with him.

Defence: Arsenal's defence was ripped apart on several occasions at Anfield and it's clear we need some major surgery at the back over the coming months. However, we can only choose from the players available now and hopefully Nacho Monreal is back in contention. The Spaniard has recovered from a hamstring injury and just missed out against Liverpool so he could return on the left of the back three versus Fulham.

Sokratis and Shkodran Mustafi were awful against Liverpool but Laurent Koscielny is still working his way back to full fitness following seven months out so I think Emery will stick with them on Tuesday afternoon.

Midfield: A switch in formation to a back three will see Sead Kolasinac move in to the left wing-back position while I think Ainsley Maitland-Niles did enough at Anfield to keep his place with Stephan Lichtsteiner dropped after a horror-show on Saturday.

Lucas Torreira has looked knackered in recent games so I wouldn't be surprised to see him rested against Fulham with Matteo Guendouzi coming in alongside Granit Xhaka.

Attack: Mesut Ozil wasn't involved against Liverpool due to an apparent injury and Emery gave little away about the problem during his post-match press conference so we can only assume the playmaker won't be involved against Fulham.

Alexandre Lacazette was unfortunate to be left on the bench on Saturday so I think we'll see the Frenchman recalled with Emery opting to go with two up front against Fulham.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had a frustrating evening against Liverpool but he'll be hoping to get back among the goals on New Year's Day and he'll benefit from having Lacazette alongside him.

With Ozil out and Henrikh Mkhitaryan missing for six weeks with a fractured foot, Emery may give Aaron Ramsey another chance to impress in the attacking midfield role. Alex Iwobi is likely to make way if the Arsenal boss reverts to two up front.



https://football-talk.co.uk/145511/3-4-1-2-monreal-back-as-emery-makes-3-changes-expected-arsenal-line-up-vs-fulham/


WhiteJC

 
A much-needed marquee signing? Fulham would pull off a masterstroke by signing this Croatian World Cup star in January

Domagoj Vida can be a marquee signing for Fulham in January

According to Turkish source Fotomac, Fulham are interested in signing Besiktas' Croatian international defender Domagoj Vida in January.

The 29-year-old was linked with moves to Liverpool and Everton (h/t Liverpool Echo) in the summer after the World Cup but a move to the Premier League failed to materialize.

Alongside Dejan Lovren at the heart of the defence, Vida was one of the driving forces behind Croatia's march to the finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Vida played every minute of Croatia's World Cup campaign and scored a goal in extra time in the quarterfinals against Russia.

A product of Osijek's youth system, Vida had stints with his boyhood club, Bayer Leverkusen and Dinamo Zagreb before joining Dynamo Kyiv in 2013 where he played for 5 seasons. Following a successful spell in Ukraine, the 29-year-old shifted bases to Turkey with Besiktas in January last season and has been in prime form since then.

Standing at 6ft. with a sinewy frame and a signature ponytail, Vida is not particularly tall for a centre-back but he makes up for it with his ability to time his jump to perfection to beat his offensive counterparts to the aerial balls. His ability to win headers inside the box makes him a genuine threat from set-pieces at both ends of the pitch.

Another impressive thing about Vida which should make him a lucrative proposition for a team like Fulham is his versatility to play in multiple positions across the backline. Essentially a centre-back by trade, Vida has also been used as a right-back and as a quarterback in a back three system.

The Croatian has the ability to outmuscle the attackers with his physicality and his game-reading and anticipation make him a complete defender. While he has the composure to play in a deep defensive line, Vida also has good recovery pace which makes him a perfect fit for teams that play a high line at the back. Furthermore, he is a decent tackler and his quick and agile enough to cope with the style of play prevalent in the Premier League.

To put things into perspective, a player like Domagoj Vida can be a massive buy for Fulham in January as he ticks all the boxes to put an end to the club's defensive nightmares.

Fulham haven't been outrightly poor in the attacking third but their performances at the back have left a lot to be desired for going into the second half of the season. The failure of the centre-backs hasn't allowed the manager to field a settled combination at the heart of the defence and summer arrivals Maxime Le Marchand and Alfie Mawson haven't really lived up to the expectations.

It has been the same story with Calum Chambers and Tim Ream, neither of whom has been able to add any sort of stability at the back.

In all honesty, Fulham have found themselves in sixes and sevens at the back all season, allowing the opposition plenty of joy and shipping goals at an alarming rate. The Cottagers need an effective leader at the back who can coordinate and direct the positioning of the other defenders.

And an experienced centre-back like Domagoj Vida certainly fits the bills at Craven Cottage. He might just be the lifeline that Fulham need to resurrect their campaign in the Premier League and avoid the drop in what has been a very disappointing season so far.



https://soccersouls.com/2018/12/31/a-much-needed-marquee-signing-fulham-would-pull-off-a-masterstroke-by-signing-this-croatian-world-cup-star-in-january/

WhiteJC

 
Opposition Scout Report: Fulham

2018 was a big year in the history of the Gunners but unfortunately it ended on a sour note.

In the last 12 months we have seen the end of Arsene Wenger's reign at the club, a 22-match unbeaten run under the new coach as well as questionable results such as the 5-1 thumping by Liverpool a matter of hours ago.

However, the football fixture list waits for no man as the action gets underway on New Year's Day with a capital clash against Fulham.

So, what can we expect from the newly promoted side?

Where are they in the league?

The Cottagers picked up only their third win of the season at the weekend in a last gasp 1-0 win over fellow relegation strugglers Huddersfield Town.

The club's top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic netted the winner in the 91st minute to bring his tally to eight for the season.

The result means that Fulham remain in the bottom three but just one point out of the drop zone in 19th place.

Form

Despite their precarious position, recent form has actually been quite good.

The Cottagers are unbeaten in their last three Premier League games picking up two draws and a win.

However, a dismal start to the season that saw the dismissal of former manager Slaviša Jokanović in which the club picked up just one win in twelve games.

Who's the Gaffer?

Claudio Ranieri is the man who took over from Slaviša Jokanović in November with the Italian charged with guiding the Cottagers to safety.

After performing miracles with Leicester when he took the Foxes to the Premier League title in the 2015/16 season, it appears there were few better qualified managers to get Fulham out of their current plight.

With a plethora of big names brought into the club in the summer such as Andre Schurrle, Aleksandar Mitrović and Jean Michaël Seri to name but a few, the pressure is on Ranieri to keep the Londoners in the Premier League otherwise the consequences could be dire.

Prediction

Despite the Gunners recent frailties, it is hard to see anything other than an Arsenal win especially at the Emirates.

Arsenal have won the last four meetings between the two including that 5-1 thumping at the Cottage in October.

In fact, Fulham have won only one of the last 12 head to heads in all competitions and have remarkably never won on Arsenal's home soil.

Expect the Gunners to banish that Liverpool memory and get the new year off to a bang with a 3-1 home win.



http://goonernow.co.uk/arsenal-fixtures/opposition-scout-report-fulham/5438/

WhiteJC

 
Ranieri says Cairney and Sessegnon will be crucial to Fulham's survival hopes despite rotation

Both made a significant impact in the second half against Huddersfield

Claudio Ranieri has admitted that both Tom Cairney and Ryan Sessegnon are crucial to Fulham's survival plans despite their uncertain place in the Cottagers starting XI.

The duo were crucial to Fulham's promotion push last season but their roles have seemed less certain under the charge of the Italian coach.

Both started in Ranieri's opening games - the win against Southampton and defeat to Chelsea - but Cairney's role has been more changeable in recent weeks. He has frequently started on the right and was benched for the games against Wolves and Leicester City, while 18-year-old Sessegnon has had to settle for substitute appearances since returning from injury this month.

The former Leicester boss acknowledged that Fulham's tried and tested combinations will be vital in the second half of the season, with little chance to experiment when each match is so vital.

Ranieri said: "It's very, very important the relationship with old players, young players but old in Fulham. It is very, very important. I don't have time to make some experience with a friendly match I have to try to do my best and I know we can press all of the match and then I need to choose when is the right moment to press all together."

The Whites coach was also full of praise for another key member of the team that won the play-offs last term in Aleksandar Mitrovic. The Serbian started the season on fire with four goals in as many games but after netting a brace in Ranieri's first match, then went six games without scoring before he did against Huddersfield.

The Fulham coach complimented Mitrovic's temperament, particularly regarding the penalty drama with Aboubakar Kamara.

Ranieri said: "He is a young goalscorer but he is an intelligent player. He knows that there are moments you score every match and some moments you wait. I never see him nervous, he's always calm, working well during the training session and for me this is the best thing.

"He was great when he understood Kamara didn't want to give it to him the ball and goes there kiss him and says 'good luck'."



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/fulham-team-ranieri-cairney-sessegnon-15612070


WhiteJC

 
Mighty Aleksandar Mitrovic is Fulham's lifesaver after last-minute strike against relegation rivals

    Aleksandar Mitrovic gave Fulham a sliver of hope of staving off relegation
    The Serbian struck a timely winner in their six-pointer against Huddersfield
    Claudio Ranieri admitted that his side are over-reliant of the striker's goals

At Craven Cottage they can look forward to the new year with less trepidation than they might have been viewing Christmas.

So far the festive programme has yielded five points out of nine and they have conceded just one goal in three matches — there might just be a way out of the mess that Claudio Ranieri inherited.

His side were barely any better than Huddersfield, but at least Ranieri has a sliver of hope, a commodity that his opposite number David Wagner looks clean out of.


Aleksandar Mitrovic was Fulham's lifesaver on Saturday and he gives them a sliver of hope

Fulham's route to Premier League salvation seems to be via keeping Aleksandar Mitrovic fit and well, while continuing to shore up a defence that until this holiday period had been leaking like a sieve.

Any injury to the Serbian would be catastrophic on Saturday's evidence, unless Fulham can show rather better judgement in the transfer window than they did in the summer.

Mitrovic was their best player, and with his stoppage-time winner provided the perfect riposte to team-mate Aboubakar Kamara, who childishly refused to hand him the ball for what could have been the pivotal moment of their season.


Mitrovic's winner was perfect riposte to Aboubakar Kamara, who took ball off him for a penalty

Running on to Ryan Sessegnon's through ball gave Mitrovic his 20th goal in 37 appearances. When asked later whether his side are over-reliant on their centre forward, Ranieri conceded: 'Yes I know, but at this point it's important to stay together.'

The goal ended a relative drought for Fulham's 24 year-old talisman, but according to the manager there is an impressive sangfroid about the player who learnt his trade in the passionate crucible of Partizan Belgrade.

'Never I saw him nervous (during his lean patch) — always calm — and he worked well in the training sessions, for me this is the best medicine,' reflected Ranieri, who had earlier spoken with uncharacteristic fury about Kamara's behaviour.

'Mitrovic is a young goalscorer but he is an intelligent player. He knows there are moments to score and other moments you have to wait.'

It was also easy to be impressed by the way the Serb quickly backed down once he realised he was not going to get to take the penalty in the 81st minute.

'He was great when he understood Kamara didn't want to give the ball. He went there and kissed him and said, 'Good luck',' added the manager.

Ranieri's thinking when it comes to the transfer window — Jonjo Shelvey is a possible target — might be influenced by how bad the injury is to defender Alfie Mawson, who had to be taken off at half-time: 'I think it is serious,' he said. 'It is his knee. I don't know how long. Let's let the doctor see something.'

Fulham now go to Arsenal on Tuesday in good spirits, but the Yorkshire team have two more six-pointers to contend with in the coming weeks, at home to Burnley and then a trip to Wales to face Cardiff.

It is difficult to see how anything other than two victories will suffice — and equally difficult to see where the goals will come from.

When Wagner described December as 'not our month' it was an early contender for understatement of the season. They lost every game they played during it, and their situation looks dire compared to the last campaign, when they did well to stay up.

Their tally of 10 points is 13 less than they had a year ago, and only one team (West Bromwich Albion in 2004-05) in the last 20 Premier League seasons have managed to avoid relegation with the same total at this stage.

'Obviously it's a low point — not only that we lost today and lost for a seventh time in a row, but how we lost it,' said Wagner. 'This is an opportunity we conceded today and we will need longer than only 30 minutes to think about and deal with it.

'Today was a game with a lack of creativity from both sides — some shots from both sides and set plays but it was not a good game.'

Again they looked an organised team and will feel shortchanged by the result, but a total of 12 goals tells the story.

It does not help that influential Australian midfielder Aaron Mooy is expected to be out until February. 'We have an issue with scoring goals,' admitted Wagner, in no danger of being contradicted.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6540675/Mighty-Aleksandar-Mitrovic-Fulhams-lifesaver.html

WhiteJC

 
Aboubakar Kamara targeted with "repulsive" racist abuse after Fulham penalty row

Fulham striker Kamara for torrent of insults, some racist, from own fans for missing spot-kick in Huddersfield six-pointer it was not his job to take

Fulham have pledged to find and punish their fans responsible for aiming "repulsive" and racist social-media abuse at striker Aboubakar Kamara following Saturday's penalty controversy.

Kamara was involved in a row with Aleksandar Mitrovic late on in the then-goalless six-pointer against fellow strugglers Huddersfield, when he won a late spot-kick and then insisted on taking it — even though strike partner Mitrovic is the club's regular taker.

Terriers keeper Jonas Lossl saved Kamara's penalty and the Frenchman was booed by his own fans, before Mitrovic spared his blushes by scoring a stoppage-time winner that leaves Huddersfield four points adrift of second-bottom Fulham.

Manager Claudio Ranieri laid into the 23-year-old, labelling his actions disrespectful to him, his team-mates, the club and fans: "I said to Aboubakar Kamara to leave the ball to Aleksandar Mitrovic... he is the man who shoots the penalties.

"It is unbelievable, he did not respect me, the club, the team and crowd. I spoke with him, it is not right. I want to kill him. That is normal when one man takes a ball, only because he scored the last penalty (against Manchester United). It should be Mitrovic, that is it."

And despite the fact Fulham did win the game, Kamara was later subjected to a torrent of abuse on social media, apparently from his own club's supporters — and some of it racist.

This latest incident has come with police and the Cottagers' west London neighbours Chelsea already investigating possible racist behaviour by Blues fans in the home match against Manchester City at the start of the month.

A Fulham spokesman said: "We are aware that numerous damaging and hurtful comments have been posted on Aboubakar Kamara's social media account, and as a club that prides itself on our respect and civility, we condemn anyone who may be associated with this repulsive activity.

"This is not representative in the least of genuine Fulham supporters, many of whom have posted messages of support and encouragement to the player. The club will provide all necessary support to Aboubakar and will take the strongest possible action against those identified and responsible for these posts."

Several Fulham fans backed Kamara.

One branded his abusers: "A disgrace to all Fulham fans."



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/aboubakar-kamara-targeted-repulsive-racist-13794924

WhiteJC

 
Ranieri counting on Fulham's old guard

Claudio Ranieri says he is counting on the core of the Fulham side that won promotion under Slavisa Jokanovic to steer the Whites away from the relegation zone.

The Italian manager highlighted the crucial contributions of Tom Cairney and Ryan Sessegnon, who have both been rotated during the festive period, as well as the goalscoring prowess of Aleksandar Mitrovic after yesterday's late win over Huddersfield Town at Craven Cottage. Ranieri revealed that Sessegnon is still building up his match sharpness after returning from injury, whilst there has been speculation that Cairney could be made available during the January transfer window – but the Fulham boss appears to believe the club's most used combinations will be crucial in the weeks ahead.

Speaking to the press following Fulham's dramatic win last night, Ranieri said:

    It's very, very important the relationship with old players, young players but old in Fulham. It is very, very important. I don't have time to make some experience with a friendly match I have to try to do my best and I know we can press all of the match and then I need to choose when is the right moment to press all together.

Ranieri was also full of praise for Mitrovic, both in terms of his coolness in front of goal and his measured response to Aboubakar Kamara's insistence that he would take the crucial penalty against the Terriers despite the Serbian being Fulham's nominated spot-kick taker.

    He is a young goalscorer but he is an intelligent player. He knows that there are moments you score every match and some moments you wait. I never see him nervous, he's always calm, working well during the training session and for me this is the best thing. He was great when he understood Kamara didn't want to give it to him the ball and goes there [to] kiss him and says 'good luck'.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/12/ranieri-counting-on-fulhams-old-guard/


WhiteJC

 
Fulham defender Mawson has 'serious' knee injury

Alfie Mawson has suffered a "serious" knee injury, according to Fulham boss Claudio Ranieri.

Mawson joined the Whites from Swansea in the summer while recovering from a knee problem and missed seven Premier League games under former boss Slavisa Jokanovic. His latest injury is to the same knee.

The Hillingdon-born centre-back, who began his career at Brentford,  has played in all eight of Ranieri's matches in charge so far but was forced off at half-time in the win over Huddersfield on Saturday.

And Ranieri said: "I think it is serious. It is his knee. I don't know how long (he will be out). Let's let the doctor see it."



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/fulham-defender-mawson-has-serious-knee-injury

WhiteJC

 
Fulham vow to take 'strongest possible' action after Aboubakar Kamara suffers vile racial abuse on social media in fallout to penalty miss against Huddersfield

    Fulham striker Aboubakar Kamara was subjected to racial abuse on social media
    The club have vowed to take action against the perpetrators after being notified
    Kamara suffered the abuse online after missing a penalty against Huddersfield
    Fulham are set to launch their own investigation to find those people responsible

Fulham have insisted they will take the 'strongest possible' action after being made aware that Aboubakar Kamara suffered racial abuse on social media in the fallout to his penalty miss against Huddersfield on Saturday.

The striker controversially refused to allow designated taker Aleksandar Mitrovic step up for the spot kick in Saturday's match at Craven Cottage and then subsequently saw his effort saved.

Despite Mitrovic scoring a late winner to earn three precious points for Fulham, Kamara was still subjected to vile abuse online, some of which carried racial connotations.


Fulham have vowed to take action after Aboubakar Kamara suffered racial abuse online


The striker was subjected to racial posts on Instagram after missing a penalty on Saturday


Kamara was called a 'f****** black' and received replies on Instagram of monkey and banana emojis in shocking online posts.

The club issued a strongly-worded statement condemning the behaviour after being notified about the situation and are set to launch their own investigation to find out who the perpetrators are.

A Fulham spokesperson said: 'We are aware that numerous hurtful comments have been posted on Aboubakar Kamara's social media account.

'As a club that prides itself on our respect and civility, we condemn anyone associated with this repulsive activity.

'The club will provide all necessary support to Aboubakar and take the strongest possible action against those responsible.'


The club have condemned the behaviour and are set to launch their own investigation into it



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6540881/Fulham-vow-action-Aboubakar-Kamara-suffers-racial-abuse-social-media.html