Tuesday Fulham Stuff (26/02/19)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Mark Halsey says Javier Hernandez's equaliser for West Ham against Fulham was a clear handball

West Ham United came from a goal down following Ryan Babel's third-minute opener to secure a 3-1 victory over Fulham on Friday night, grabbing their 10th league win of the campaign as a result.

The Hammers, currently ninth in the table are very much still in the race to finish as best of the rest, with just three points between them and seventh-placed Watford.

The victory over the Cottagers came handy as it was their first in five league games following two losses and two draws, but the result might have been different with VAR in place given Javier Hernandez's controversial equaliser.

The Mexican clearly scored with his hand, but referee Lee Mason and his assistants couldn't see it, and there was no video playback to help them.

West Ham wrapped victory up with goals from Issa Diop and Michail Antonio, but former Premier League ref Mark Halsey believes Chicharito's "hand of God" goal shouldn't have stood in the first place.

"It's a clear handball and Hernandez has deceived the referee. You only have to look at the way Hernandez looks at the referee Lee Mason after the ball goes in," Halsey told Sunsport.

"He knew what he had done and then he had the audacity to celebrate!

"But he won't face retrospective action as that is only used for simulation. It was difficult for Lee to see through the bodies and he would have hoped to get help off an assistant."

Fulham's survival chances were dealt a huge blow after suffering their 18th loss of the campaign at the London Stadium, but manager Claudio Ranieri and his men could have done with some help through the intervention of the VAR – which would have rightly chalked off West Ham's equaliser.



https://sportslens.com/mark-halsey-says-javier-hernandezs-equaliser-for-west-ham-against-fulham-was-a-clear-handball/260014/

[WhiteJC]

 
Romeu looks ahead to "crucial" Fulham clash

Oriol Romeu is not downplaying the importance of Wednesday night's home clash with Fulham, as Southampton seek a return to winning ways at St Mary's.

The visitors are seven points adrift of their hosts, with both sides eyeing victory to boost their survival chances after weekend defeats.

Midfielder Romeu is convinced Saints' experience of digging deep to stay up last season will serve them well in the Premier League run-in, starting under the lights against the Londoners.

"It's crucial," he said. "It's one of those that can help us recover from the situation we're in right now. Alongside our fans, I think we can create something nice.

"We want to make sure Fulham are going to take nothing from us.

"There have been some tough results, especially in the last few minutes, but that's something that can happen in football.

"This team has picked up from hard situations before, and I'm sure it will do it again.

"I'm pretty positive that, with the lads and the way we're working, it's the right way. Sooner or later we're going to get our rewards.

"It's a matter of keep working hard, keep doing the right things in training and the results and the points we need will have to come.

"There are not many points, so we can't throw many more away."



https://southamptonfc.com/news/2019-02-25/oriol-romeu-pre-saints-vs-fulham-premier-league-1819

[WhiteJC]

 
Ryan Sessegnon needs Tottenham to save him this summer

Ryan Sessegnon's career is in serious trouble. The Fulham starlet needs a summer move to Tottenham to get things back on track.

When Fulham achieved Premier League promotion late last season they made the decision to hang on to Ryan Sessegnon. The club hoped he'd help lead them to even greater heights this year. Unfortunately, the talented starlet's poor season has placed his career in serious jeopardy.

Some might consider that to be hyperbole since Sessegnon is still only 18-years-old. Anyone who's watched him regularly this season knows something is clearly amiss. It's not an exaggeration to say that Sessegnon has been one of the worst regular players in England's top flight this year. His Whoscored.com player rating average of 6.49 in 24 Premier League appearances illustrates just how bad he's been.

The appropriate question to ask now is what does Sessegnon need to turn his career back around. The answer is rather simple. What the talented winger needs more than anything else, is a move away from Fulham. More specifically, he needs to move to a club with a manager with a solid history of getting the most out of talented English starlets.

No manager fits that definition better than Mauricio Pochettino. The Tottenham boss has worked magic with a number of young players during his time at Spurs. His work with fullbacks is also worthy of praise. He turned both Danny Rose and Kyle Walker into the best fullbacks in England for a period of time. Pochettino even managed to elevate Kieran Trippier to the England national team last summer.

The good news for Sessegnon is that Tottenham remain interested in his services despite his ugly season. They won't pay Fulham a small fortune, but reports from England claim Spurs want to purchase both Ryan and Steven Sessegnon for a total of £20 million this summer. Presumably Fulham will need to part with both twins if they're relegated to the Championship.

Such a move would be a blessing for Ryan. He could move right into a squad that doesn't need him to be a star. Fulham need him to carry the side, Spurs would only need him to play his role. That would remove a ton of pressure off the very young player. There's no telling what that might do for him next year.

Playing with better teammates would also be a boost. The Tottenham squad has much more quality and depth than Fulham. The ability to train with other talented players on a regular basis would hugely benefit the Whites' star.

Sessegnon may never emerge into the star most people expected a few short months ago, but his best chance to achieve his full potential lies in North London. He needs to do everything he can to engineer a move to Tottenham before it's too late.



https://playingfor90.com/2019/02/25/ryan-sessegnon-transfer-rumours-tottenham/

[WhiteJC]

 
Go-karting to no-karting: Tom Cairney reveals why Fulham trip hit the skid


REUTERS

Fulham captain Tom Cairney says the club was forced to cancel a go-karting trip planned to help lift team spirits because the insurance costs were too high.

The players had booked the team-bonding session away from the training ground earlier this month in a bid to boost morale as they fight to stay up.

Fulham, however, had to pull the plug on the idea when they discovered how much it would cost to insure the squad they have assembled for a total of more than £100million.

After Fulham were pushed closer to relegation with a 3-1 defeat to West Ham on Friday night, Cairney said: "It is hard coming to the training ground and keeping morale up. We did book go-karting but insurance was too high so it got cancelled."

Fulham need a break in what has been a miserable season. They took the lead against West Ham but suffered another desperate moment when Javier Hernandez punched home an equaliser.

Defeat leaves Fulham eight points from safety with 11 games remaining. They face relegation rivals Southampton on Wednesday ahead of a tough run of fixtures in March.

"It is a must-win game on Wednesday, it is as simple as that," said Cairney. "We have got some of the big teams coming up and no one expects you to get much out of those games.

"There is still belief but it is tough, I am not going to lie. On the training pitch it is hard not knowing where the next win is coming from."

Asked if the players are still fully behind manager Claudio Ranieri, Cairney said: "Yeah, I think so. He has won the Premier League and has managed top teams so we have got to stick by his methods, stick with him and hopefully something will happen.

"It is still possible [to stay up] but we need to start winning games."



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham/tom-cairney-reveals-why-fulham-go-karting-trip-hit-the-skids-a4075776.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham can't bank on a Ranieri miracle; it's time the club think smart

"It will be a miracle but we must fight together," said Claudio Ranieri after his Fulham side fell to another defeat on Friday night. "If you fight you have one chance, if you don't you won't."

Even fighting might not be enough now, though. Fulham, following that 3-1 defeat at West Ham United, are eight points adrift of safety with eleven games remaining. They have only accumulated 17 points all season.

There were glimpses of quality – as there have been throughout the season – on Friday night but Ranieri has been unable to fix Fulham's most glaring issue: a porous defence that continues to ship goals at an alarming rate.

The Cottagers have already shipped 61 goals in the Premier League – more than two of last season's relegated sides (Swansea and West Brom) conceded all season. And, despite the appointment of Ranieri back in November, there is no sign of improvement.

The question now for Fulham is where to go from here. Championship football next season, barring a "miracle", in the words of Ranieri, seems an inevitability. So who do the club task with an immediate return to the top flight?

Ranieri, the wily Italian known for his ability to organise defences, was clearly appointed in an attempt to stem the flow of goals at the wrong end. But he has been unable to do anything about the shambolic individual errors that continue to plague Fulham.

Ranieri the pizza man
At Leicester, Ranieri ordered in pizza for his players when they kept clean sheets. On one particularly barren spell, he said: "I want to buy pizza but my players don't want pizza... maybe they don't love pizza."

You guess Fulham's players have a strong dislike for pizza. They have kept just two clean sheets all season, both since Ranieri took over in November but against two of the lowest scoring sides in the division in Newcastle United and Huddersfield Town.

The stats, however, suggest there have been marginal defensive improvements under Ranieri. Fulham's expected goals (xG) conceded per game before Slaviša Jokanović's dismissal was 2.61. It has since decreased to 1.82 but remains the highest in the division.

Fulham's actual goals conceded have gone down under Italian: two per game compared with 2.58 under Jokanović. And they are allowing their opposition fewer shots on goal, 14.4 compared with 16.41 previously.

The improvements are too marginal, though, to make any real difference. Most importantly, Fulham are not picking up enough points and will almost certainly be relegated.

There are signs Ranieri could begin to turn things around, and perhaps he would be able to make a more obvious impact after a summer of transfers. Even with a squad lacking in quality in key areas, the former Leicester boss has done his best to change things.

Jokanović was bemoaned for his focus on attack, and for assembling a top-heavy group of players. But Fulham have actually improved offensively under Ranieri: their xG per game is up at 1.39 – the tenth highest in the league – compared to 0.98.

They have not been clinical in front of goal, but with a tighter, more organised defence, they would likely have been on course to avoid relegation at this point of the season.

There have been some promising individual performances under Ranieri, too. Aleksandar Mitrović continues to impress while Joe Bryan and Tom Calum Chambers have benefited since the Italian's arrival.

None of the minor positives, though, can gloss over the fact that Ranieri has failed to inspire a tangible upturn in fortunes for this Fulham side.

Time to tinker?
The club's owners now have to consider whether he will be the right man to guide them back to the Premier League.

"If the chairman is happy, I am happy to stay," Ranieri has said. "I am used to working in the second division, I won the second division in France. I am ready to fight with the club. I love this club because it is a very good club. I am here, if the owner wants me then I am ready."

Shahid Khan may choose to keep faith in Ranieri, or he may opt for a manager with more experience in the Championship. Whichever way Fulham go, they will need to learn from the mistakes of this season.

Poor recruitment, perhaps out of naivety, has cost them badly following their return to the Premier League after four years away.

It has not helped, either, that Ranieri's approach is so different to Jokanović's. Fulham are scoring more and conceding fewer, but it seems they have had trouble adapting to an entirely new way of playing. With time fast running out, it is not an ideal situation.

The blame for this season's disappointment can't be placed solely on Fulham's two managers. Poor decision making has likely cost the club its place in the top flight. Next season, they will need to get it right.



https://www.footballwhispers.com/blog/fulham-ranieri-miracle-think-smart?utm_medium=affiliates&utm_source=news-now

[WhiteJC]

 
The story of Fulham's cancelled morale-boosting go-karting trip that sums up their sorry season

Tom Cairney has spoken frankly about the battle to avoid relegation and a cancelled team outing that sums up the club's woes

It has been a season to forget so far for Fulham, with the Whites currently second from bottom in the Premier League with 11 games to go.

Defeat at West Ham on Friday night leaves the Whites eight points from safety ahead of a huge clash with fellow strugglers Southampton, who currently sit seven points above Claudio Ranieri's men in the Premier League table.

And the Fulham captain Tom Cairney has spoken frankly about the mood among the camp, with the battle to avoid relegation looking more and more difficult by the week for the beleaguered west London side.

"It's harder week by week, it's tough there's no lying, on the training pitches it's hard not knowing where the next win is coming from but it's why we worked so hard to get here," the skipper said after the defeat at the London Stadium on Friday.


Tom Cairney stands dejected after his side concede a third goal during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Fulham at the London Stadium on February 22, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

"Believe, believe, believe, it's what we keep saying.

"We have to stick together and on the pitch. It's a results business."

But Cairney also revealed a story that sums up Fulham's sorry season so far as he opened up about a morale-boosting activity that the Whites had tried to plan during their two-week break without a game prior to the 3-1 defeat in east London.

"We did book go-karting but the insurance was too high so it got cancelled, so we didn't do anything," he said.

However, Cairney has not given up on staying in the top flight, and has issued a rallying call ahead of the remaining games as Fulham look to try and mount a great escape.

"We have to take the game by the scruff of the neck in our own way, whether it's tackling or getting on the ball and everyone doing their own thing.

"That's what we did last season and it's what we need now.

"We need leaders at this time, it's hard at the training ground keeping morale up but I think people that are charismatic and come into training smiling in these situations is what you need."



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/story-fulhams-cancelled-morale-boosting-15882973

[WhiteJC]

 
Games for Midweek 26/02
We get to visit the south coast for a game against Southampton

After yet another disappointing performance, apart from the first 10 minutes or so, we now get to visit the home of one of the 4 teams we've beaten this season, so its an easy game right?
I think that this game, apart for Cardiff at home, is the most winnable that we have left for this season however, in truth I can't see us getting any sort of result, I've lost all 'belief' in this team.
What I can't understand is how we've lost any 'fight', with the exception of Mitro it's as if the players have already given up, perhaps they've been continually told that "their not good enough" and have started to believe it?
Cairney and Sess, who were the heartbeat of the team last season, appear to be 'surplus to requirements' and the way that Ryan, one of the most exciting young talents I've ever seen at Fulham, has been singled out for public criticism can't be helping either him or the 'team spirit'?

I'm hoping they prove me wrong.

Games of Interest...

Tuesday 26th
Cardiff v Everton
Huddersfield v Wolves
Newcastle v Burnley

Wednesday 27th
Southampton v Fulham
Palace v Man Utd

come on over to the Friends of Fulham forum and join in the conversation...
http://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?board=1.0



http://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/?p=604

[WhiteJC]

 
Motson delivers verdict on Hernandez goal

John Motson shared that he thought West Ham forward Javier Hernandez tried to use his head to score against Fulham but it just happened to hit his hand instead.

The legendary commentator shared if he was honest and being overly fair to the Hammers attacker, from where he was watching it looked like the player was heading the ball home.

Hernandez appeared to score with his hand to make it 1-1 with Fulham during their clash on Friday before goals from Issa Diop and Michail Antonio saw Manuel Pellegrini's side emerge 3-1 winners.

"To be honest and to be really overly fair to him, I think he started off thinking he was going to head it," said Motson on talkSPORT (14:37, Monday February 25th).

"If you saw it where I was watching, which was on television, from behind it looked like he was heading it so I see why the referee didn't do anything or spot it.

"As he did look like he was heading it.

"And I know Ranieri got mad but there was no mass protest from Fulham."

OPINION

Motson is being awfully kind to Hernandez, but it's easy to see where the commentator is coming from. While the controversial Hammers goal may see Hernandez branded as a cheat by some, he did appear somewhat shocked that the linesman didn't rule the goal out. The Hammers forward got away with scoring with his hand as it was placed very near to his head when trying to force the ball over the line. Just like Motson pointed out during the match it only seemed to be Claudio Ranieri outraged as he had spotted what had truly happened, and the fact none of the Fulham's players reacted probably made the referee feel like he hadn't made a mistake. Yet these things happen in football and it all ends up being swings and roundabouts. Pellegrini's side have seen decisions wrongly go against them earlier in the season, and on this occasion they got a bit lucky. Hernandez's goal ended up being the turning point in the match and helped the Hammers turn it around, so West Ham can count themselves fortunate VAR isn't in effect this season.



https://thisisfutbol.com/2019/02/blogs/premier-league/motson-delivers-verdict-on-hernandez-goal/

[WhiteJC]

 
Cairney: Take Responsibility

Tom Cairney says he tried to lead by example in the defeat to West Ham and has urged his teammates to follow suit in a bid to rediscover the fight from last season.

The Whites captain put in a display which the Fulham fans dubbed Man of the Match worthy however the defeat has caused the midfielder to call for more accountability to be shouldered by himself and his teammates.

"I think I tried to take more responsibility, I tried to get on the ball and lead by example and just get us playing really.

"I feel they had far too much of the ball in the first half and it was starting to do my head in a little bit so I was just trying to get us playing.

"Each man has to [take responsibility], we've got to just take the game by the scruff of the neck in our own way.

"Whether it's tackling, getting on the ball or all doing our own things, that's what we did last season and that's what we need now," said Cairney.

Fulham's 3-1 defeat at the London Stadium has increased the significance of Wednesday night's trip to Southampton but Cairney did find positives in the display on Friday night.

"The first 15 minutes we started really well, I thought they were really sloppy but then we dropped too deep and gave them too much respect and I think in the second half the game was more with us.

"I thought at times in the second half when we tried to play some football we looked quite threatening and I thought we dominated the second half but they seemed to score soft goals and we have to score a worldie or cut them open to score a goal.

"There is still belief, it gets harder week by week, its tough, I'm not going to lie, on the training pitch it's hard not knowing where the next win is coming from but we worked hard to get here so we knew it wasn't going to be easy.

"We've just got to stick together on the pitch. At times we did look good but it's a results business so we've just lost the game and it's disappointing," he said.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2019/february/25/cairney-west-ham-reaction

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham captain Tom Cairney admits morale is low as club cancel players' go-karting trip

Fulham succumbed to another defeat at West Ham on Friday night Credit: GETTY IMAGES

Struggling Fulham's attempts to improve team morale were thwarted when they had to cancel a go-karting trip after the club decided the insurance costs were too high.

The team bonding session had been booked ahead of Friday's defeat by West Ham United, according to captain Tom Cairney, who admitted that it has been difficult to keep morale high amid all their difficulties in the Premier League.

Fulham, who spent £100 million on new signings in the summer, are eight points from safety after winning only one of their last eight matches under Claudio Ranieri.

A two-week break before the West Ham match on Friday had provided the players with an opportunity to help foster a greater team spirit. "We did book go-karting," said Cairney, "but insurance was too high so it got cancelled."

Cairney said there is still belief that Fulham can stay up but added that it has proved difficult to stay positive during this terrible run of form.

"It is hard coming to the training ground and keeping morale up," the Fulham captain said. "People who are charismatic and come into training smiling is what you need to keep morale up."

Fulham face Southampton, another side in the relegation zone, on Wednesday night before a tricky run of fixtures that includes meetings with Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City next month.

"It is a must-win game on Wednesday, it is as simple as that," said Cairney. "We have got the big four coming up soon and no one expects you to get much out of those games. We have got to go to Southampton and win.

"It is still mathematically possible [to stay up]. As tough as it is going to be, we have got to concentrate on ourselves.

"There is still belief. It is tough, I'm not going to lie. On the training pitch it is hard not knowing where the next win is coming from. It is what we worked so hard for, to get here, and we knew it was not going to be easy."

Fulham have looked disjointed since the arrival of Ranieri, who has tried to impose a more sturdy style of play following the sacking of Slavisa Jokanovic.

Asked if the players still believe that Ranieri's approach can keep them in the division, Cairney said: "Yeah, I think so. He has won the Premier League and has managed top teams so we have got to stick by his methods, stick with him and hopefully something will happen."



https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/02/25/fulham-captain-tom-cairney-admits-morale-low-club-cancel-players/

[WhiteJC]

 
Oriol Romeu disappoints in latest Southampton loss, shouldn't start against Fulham

Despite largely struggling to displace Mark Hughes' preferred central-midfield duo of Mario Lemina and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Oriol Romeu has become a mainstay in the position under current Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl.

The Spaniard once again started in the 2-0 defeat against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, and his performance perhaps wasn't up to the standard that Saints fans have been used to from him previously.

The former Chelsea man is there to put pressure on the opposition and break up the play, as well as winning the ball back and generally protecting the backline – his role becomes even more important when the middle centre-back, Jack Stephens in recent weeks, brings the ball out of the defence.

Romeu certainly did his bit in terms of the former as he made two tackles and three interceptions, but his distribution from the 48 passes he had was a real negative – a success rate of less than 69% followed as the 27-year-old struggled when in possession.

Yes, the south coast outfit were largely under pressure against when of the better teams in the Premier League, but he should have been doing better.

Attentions turn to the huge clash against Fulham at St Mary's on Wednesday when the hosts will be looking to pick up a crucial three points that could move them out of the relegation zone.

Hasenhuttl has preferred to stick with a five-at-the-back formation in recent times but the fact he switched to four at half-time against the Gunners proves that things may be changing, and sacrificing a centre-back could also lead to midfield changes.

The 51-year-old used the former system that some people would conceive as negative in the reverse against Cardiff City, using Romeu, James Ward-Prowse and Hojbjerg in the centre.

It wasn't a tactic that worked and when you are trying to break down an opponent and a side that could come to St Mary's for a draw, you don't need those three players.

In fact, Ward-Prowse is showing the aggression in his game that is one of his Spanish teammate's strengths, and he and Hojbjerg are good enough to do a job against Claudio Ranieri's men alone, allowing Hasenhuttl to bring in another much-needed attacking player to the starting XI.



https://www.footballfancast.com/premier-league/southampton/oriol-romeu-disappoints-in-latest-southampton-loss-shouldnt-start-against-fulham

[WhiteJC]

 
Lawro's Premier League predictions v Jungle's Tom McFarland

Liverpool's attack has lacked a cutting edge in recent weeks but will things be different when the leaders host Watford on Wednesday?

BBC football expert Mark Lawrenson said: "Their front three are not playing well but I think the issue with Liverpool now is that people have started to work them out.

"They realise that if they sit in and pack the middle of the pitch then they can crowd out Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah in the area where they do a lot of their work.

"If you can stop the width from the full-backs too, then the midfield does not have the nous to play their way through".

Lawro is making predictions for all 380 top-flight matches this season, against a variety of guests.

This week's guest is Tom McFarland, co-founder of London soul collective Jungle.

Tom is a QPR season-ticket holder who started watching his local team when he was five and has spent the past 25 years following their ups and downs.

Any ups this year now look unlikely - Rangers now only have a remote chance of returning to the Premier League for the first time since 2015 following a run of seven straight Championship defeats going back to 12 January.

Rangers were eighth on Boxing Day, two points off the play-offs, but have slumped to 18th, and are now only nine points above the relegation zone.

"We had a dreadful start to the season, including a 7-1 hammering at West Brom, but then we seemed to turn a corner and we were great up until Christmas," McFarland told BBC Sport.

"I don't know whether Steve McClaren has tried to change our style of play slightly since then, but things have fallen apart.

"It didn't help that we lost Geoff Cameron to injury, when he had been a real lynch-pin in front of the back four - the kind of experienced Premier League head you need in the Championship.

"Another key midfielder, Mass Luongo, went off to the Asian Cup with Australia and missed a few games too, and the players who have come in have not cut the mustard unfortunately."

Southampton v Fulham

Fulham's defeat by West Ham on Friday could have been a very different story if the referee had spotted Javier Hernandez's handball as he scored the Hammers' equaliser.

A lot of people moan about VAR, and it is by no means perfect, but that is the kind of incident where it will help the officials get the decision right. As things are, the goal stood - and it changed the game.

Some of Fulham's problems are of their own making, though, and they fell apart defensively after that.

They were abysmal at the back and, on that evidence alone, I have to go with a Southampton win here.

The Saints' revival under Ralph Hasenhuttl has hit the buffers a bit in the last few weeks, and this is the biggest game of their season - there is no doubt about that.

Lawro's prediction: 2-1

Tom's prediction: I would like to think that Southampton are going to win this, and it is probably not going to be pretty. 1-0



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47323983

[WhiteJC]

 
Change Needed Now As Cairney Says 'Morale Is Low'. Maybe It Should Be Lower With A Cut In Wages

It's not what a loyal long-standing supporter of Fulham Football Club wants to read when the captain allegedly tells the sporting media that the team morale is low. Is it really due to them missing out on a go-karting trip? It seems more like the managerial staff have completely lost the dressing room and the training ground.

The players must also take responsibility out on the pitch. Not enough team spirit, motivation, dedication, hard work and effort week in and week out. They should look at themselves and ask if they really deserve the high wages they are getting? Maybe if each defeat cost them 50% of their weekly pay, we would see different results. They also need to look at the cost of a ticket to each game for the poor supporters. Are they offering value for money?

I remember Jokanovic stating that the players looked good in training. Ranieri also copied his predecessor with those comments. Do they understand that the players their team are looking so good playing against are themselves, bench-warmers and reserves of the same club! It is entirely another ball-game coming up against real Premier League quality every week.

Now is the time to come to terms with the reality of certain relegation and make the changes in advance for once. It has been stated recently in the media that Kilmarnock boss Steve Clarke may be looking for a return to English football. Maybe he could be the man to bring Fulham back into the Premier League with a much stronger squad.

Fulham need a strong-minded leader who can motivate his players and bring out the best in the whole squad. Give the youngsters a shot before other teams realise their potential and we lose them before they ever get their chance at Craven Cottage.

No manager should ever turn their back on the whole team that gets them promoted. That is almost what's been done at Fulham this season. Introduce new players in gradually, but by keeping the backbone of a team that wins promotion, allows continuity, as those players at least know each other on the field of play.

New Manager, keeping as many players that got the club promoted last year, a new stadium and a new start for our great club.

COYW ...................



https://fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/change-needed-now-as-cairney-says-morale-is-low-maybe-it-should-be-lower-with-a-cut-in-wages/

[WhiteJC]

 
Tottenham to make move for full-back with £20million swoop touted

Tottenham Hotspur seem to have rekindled last year's interest in Fulham full-back, Ryan Sessegnon.

The 18-year-old has been sidelined in Claudio Ranieri's tenure and, according to Team Talk, he could be the subject of a move from Mauricio Pochettino's side, who have been struggling with options in the left-back position.

Spurs were interested in Sessegnon last season when he made a name for himself as the Championship's biggest sensation. But ever since Fulham gained promotion to the Premier League, the Cottagers have been able to keep him on their books.

More than half way through the current season, Fulham are facing the fear of relegation and Sessegnon could find himself pushing for a move to stay in the Premier League.

The report also adds that Tottenham are interested in Ryan's twin brother, Steve Sessegnon – who hasn't played for the Cottagers' senior team this season – with a total cost of £20 million being touted.



http://www.spursism.com/tottenham-to-make-move-for-full-back-with-20million-swoop-touted/

[WhiteJC]

 
Everton should consider raiding Fulham to land this 24-year-old powerhouse in the summer – Here is why Silva should complete the move soon

Why Everton should make a move for Aleksandr Mitrovic in the summer?

According to a report from TEAM talk, Tottenham Hotspur tried to sign Fulham striker Aleksandr Mitrovic on January transfer deadline day. The report claims Tottenham could go back in for the big Serbian in the summer should Fulham get relegated.

Aleksandr Mitrovic, 24, has scored 10 goals and supplied two assists so far this campaign, despite the Cottagers' struggles at the wrong end of the table. With chances of Tottenham reigniting their interest in the centre-forward high, Everton must rival the north Londoners for the Serbian's signature.

Everton have struggled royally to score goals this season, with the likes of Cenk Tosun and Dominic Calvert-Lewin not producing enough goals. With the strikers failing to find the net on a regular basis, Marco Silva has used summer signing Richarlison up top.

Richarlison has scored 10 Premier League goals for the Toffees since his arrival from Watford but whether he is an answer to their striker problems is up for debate. The 20-year-old has gone off the boil after a good start for the Merseysiders, managing just two goals in his last 10 games across all competitions.

It is no secret that Everton have lacked a natural centre-forward since Romelu Lukaku's departure to Manchester United in 2017. And going for Aleksandr Mitrovic, who despite playing in a relegation-threatened Fulham side has netted 10 goals, could turn out to be a good move for Everton.

First of all, Silva would finally get a focal point in the attack which his team have been crying for all this campaign. Mitrovic is a centre-forward who can score goals but also one of the rare breed of target-man who is willing to work the channels and make it difficult for the opposition. The Serb is powerful, robust and very strong in the air, capable of bullying the best of defenders inside the box to score goals.

The hot-headed Mitrovic backs his abilities and can provide a very different dimension that frankly the Blues don't have in any of their other attacking players. A fantastic header of the ball, the former Anderlecht and Newcastle United man is a lethal finisher inside the opposition penalty box.

Hence, the addition of a player like Mitrovic, who has proved his mettle in a below-average Fulham side, would provide a massive boost for Everton's attacking department. The Royal Blues should not hesitate to reshape their squad once again this summer and they should consider making a bid for the Serbia international to bolster their attacking ranks.

That said, Silva should start keeping tabs on the Fulham star.



https://www.mediareferee.com/2019/02/26/everton-should-consider-raiding-fulham-to-land-this-24-year-old-powerhouse-in-the-summer-here-is-why-silva-should-complete-the-move-soon/

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Tottenham ready to return for Ryan Sessegnon

Tottenham are looking to sign the Fulham winger Ryan Sessegnon this summer.

According to Graeme Bailey from Teamtalk, Mauricio Pochettino is set to launch a summer bid for the highly talented youngster.

Fulham have had a terrible season so far and they could go down eventually. If it happens, Sessegnon is likely to demand a move. He is too good for the Championship and there will be plenty of Premier League clubs queueing up for his services.

Pochettino's side could use left sided winger and Sessegnon would be ideal. His explosive pace and flair will add a new dimension to Spurs' attack.

The Fulham ace is a tremendous talent and he could develop into a Premier League star under the tutelage of Pochettino.

The Spurs boss has worked wonders with the likes of Foyth, Alli and Winks so far.

Sessegnon can operate as a wing back as well and his versatility will be an added bonus for the Londoners.

It will be interesting to see if Fulham agree to a sale, especially to their London rivals. They will not want to lose their prized asset, but if the player forces a move and a reasonable offer comes in, they will have no choice but to give in.

As for now, Sessegnon will be hoping to guide his side to Premier League safety.



https://sportslens.com/tottenham-ready-to-return-for-ryan-sessegnon/260037/

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Southampton keen on Saint-Etienne youngster Halaimia

Southampton have reportedly watched Saint-Etienne youngster Jordan Halaimia in action for the French club's Under-19 side several times this season.

According to a report from Foot Mercato, the promising central defender has earned plenty of plaudits for his displays at youth level, prompting interest from clubs across Europe.

Southampton have been known to scout for young players in France, with former Rennes prospect Yan Valery an example of their recruitment in the country paying dividends.

However, it seems they will face competition if they are to pursue the signing of Halaimia. 

Foot Mercato claims that Portuguese side Braga are watching the 18-year-old, while Serie A outfit Sampdoria have also been keeping tabs on his progress for Saint-Etienne.

The report indicates that Halaimia is not yet intent on departing France, but the degree of interest in his signature could prove tempting for the Ligue 1 club.

Southampton are not the only Premier League club to have scouted the centre-back, according to Foot Mercato. Fulham have also reportedly attended matches to observe the youngster.



https://readsouthampton.com/2019/02/25/southampton-keen-on-saint-etienne-youngster-halaimia/

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Inside Track: Fulham

Ryan O'Donovan, digital football writer for Football London, gives us an insight into a difficult first season back in the top flight for Fulham...

What's gone wrong for Fulham this season?

Where to begin? It's been a season of one thing after another for Fulham, but you could probably go all the way back to pre-season to start looking at where it all went wrong.

Having a squad of only 16 during most of the summer hasn't helped, while 12 new signings upset the apple cart massively in the transfer window.

It took Slaviša Jokanović until November to find a formation that worked with the squad, only for him to be sacked the week after and replaced with Claudio Ranieri who has struggled to have any sort of impact on the side's results.

Mostly it's been a combination of a lot of different things, but the team spirit and style of play that got Fulham promoted last season has well and truly been wiped out.

Who have been the success stories of a difficult campaign to date?

Aleksandar Mitrović has been one of the shining lights of the campaign, scoring ten goals for the side.

He has personified what Fulham should be about at the moment – he fights for every ball and plays with his heart on his sleeve and can cause every team in the Premier League problems. Unfortunately, there's been a heavy over-reliance on him this season.

He's scored around 40% of Fulham's goals, with André Schürrle the next closest to him with six for the season, but under Ranieri he's used more as the target man to build attacks from rather than the focal point he was last season, meaning he's involved more in the battles with the centre halves than he is in the box.

What difference have the January signings made to the team?

Out of the three January signings, Ryan Babel has made some impact and looked decent in his opening few games, while he grabbed his first goal in the 3-1 defeat to West Ham on Friday night.

The other two, Lazar Marković and Håvard Nordtveit, have yet to make an impact having come to the club lacking in fitness. Nordtveit started against West Ham in central defence but didn't have anything more than an average game, while Marković came on for the second 45 minutes and looked alright out on the wing.

The jury is still out on what impact those two can have for Fulham this season, but with only 11 games left, it will be limited.

What are the repercussions of winning and losing on Wednesday?

I think everyone connected to Fulham knows the repercussions of a loss on Wednesday – it'd pretty much be game over.

A defeat would make the gap to that final safety spot ten points, and with only ten games left after this one and with Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool all to come at Craven Cottage I would say they can start planning for life back in the Championship.

A victory gives some small hope that the Great Escape of 2007/08 can be replicated, but Fulham have failed to build on big wins previously so it would be a glimmer of hope at most.

Is Claudio Ranieri expected to stay beyond the end of the season?

His contract runs for another two years come the end of this season and he has said that he would like to remain at Fulham, but I personally don't see it happening myself.

Fan opinion of Ranieri is extremely low thanks to the style of football we've seen under him, the results and his reluctance to use both Ryan Sessegnon and Tom Cairney.

It's his use of Sessegnon, the man who scored 16 goals last season to get the side into the Premier League, that has alienated fans the most, with Ranieri preferring the experience of Schürrle and Babel to the wonderkid.

With relegation looking likely, Fulham will need a manager they can build a philosophy and project around to get them back into the Premier League having learnt from the mistakes of this season, and I don't see that being Ranieri.

What do you expect from Wednesday's game?

Fulham haven't won away from home all season and I'm not expecting that to change at St Mary's.

I think it will be a scrappy game between the two as Fulham look to hit Mitrović with the long ball and play off him in the final third, but the defence is such a worry that every team will fancy their chances of scoring against them.

With confidence low at the moment, I think I'd have to go for a 2-1 win for the Saints.



https://southamptonfc.com/news/2019-02-25/inside-track-saints-vs-fulham-premier-league-1819

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Southampton's Kingdom For A Striker – Star Man Remains A Major Doubt For Fulham

Southampton's striker woes continue as we prepare for the midweek clash against Fulham.

With young Academy graduate Michael Obafemi recovering from his hamstring injury to take a place on the bench against Arsenal last weekend, the 18-year-old Republic of Ireland international came on as a halftime replacement for Stuart Armstrong but he last only 20 minutes before again succumbing to a hamstring problem that saw him substituted.

Whilst there is no timeframe on the latest blow for the lad, our only real options now are Nathan Redmond through the middle, the misfiring Charlie Austin, or a potential return for Shane Long as he now no longer features on Physioroom.com's injury list.

Although Danny Ings nears a return to fitness, he's still classed as a major doubt for Wednesday as the expectation is he'll return to fitness and training on March 2 (next Saturday). Manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has already implied he's more likely to return for the Tottenham Hotspur clash and whilst Mario Lemina is also getting closer, he won't be back for this game either for definite.

Whoever gets the nod, we need a big performance from them as Fulham has to be a victory.



https://southampton.vitalfootball.co.uk/southamptons-kingdom-for-a-striker-star-man-remains-a-major-doubt-for-fulham/

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Ryan Sessegnon's Fulham form: Perspective needed on teen talent
Fulham take on Chelsea at Craven Cottage on Super Sunday

Ryan Sessegnon's season has not gone how he hoped but he remains a precocious talent and that should not be forgotten, writes Adam Bate.

When Maurizio Sarri recently claimed that no English player in the Premier League had made more appearances this season than Callum Hudson-Odoi, the journalists in the Chelsea press room were soon scrambling for the figures. One name immediately sprung to mind. Ryan Sessegnon has now featured 27 times for Fulham this season.

There was such a buzz about the 18-year-old last season. It was Sessegnon who provided the clever assist for Tom Cairney's play-off final winner at Wembley. He was named as the Championship player of the season, became the first second-tier player to be shortlisted for the PFA young player of the year award, and was even tipped to go to the World Cup.

The teenager himself remained calm - "I haven't made it as a footballer," he insisted in the summer - but expectations were inordinately high coming into his first Premier League season. The learning curve has been steep. He was dropped to the bench just two games into the campaign and lost his place again four matches into Claudio Ranieri's reign.

Against West Ham on Friday evening there was more criticism as he twice lost 6ft 4in centre-back Issa Diop from set-piece situations as Fulham's defensive weaknesses were ruthlessly punished. Ranieri had seen enough, hooking Sessegnon at half-time. The youngster has now started only two of the last six games and not come out after the interval in either of them.

All of which can lead to some damning assessments in this increasingly reactionary world in which every disappointment is conclusive and every setback is held up as evidence of a fraud exposed. As early as September, in an interview with Sky Sports, former Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic appeared to anticipate this harsher spotlight on Sessegnon.

We must be calm with him and give him space to grow up. He's a little bit more experienced now but there's huge space for him to reach his best level.

Slavisa Jokanovic

"It is a new experience for him," Jokanovic told Sky Sports. "He has come from one level to another. It's not time to rest, it's time to continue this learning process. He must understand the difference between the Championship and the Premier League. It's a huge experience for him, all the minutes that he is getting. We must be calm with him and give him space to grow up. He's a little bit more experienced now but there's huge space for him to reach his best level."

As criticism mounts, perhaps it is a good time to reflect on just how rare it is that Sessegnon is doing what he is doing in the Premier League right now - even in that 45-minute outing against West Ham. After all, it was Sessegnon's measured cross from the left-wing that was diverted into the net by Ryan Babel to give Fulham the early lead at the London Stadium.

That was Sessegnon's fifth Premier League assist of the season, more than any other teenager in the competition. He has also scored more goals in the competition than any other teenager this season, with his first-half equaliser against Cardiff in October being the first Premier League goal by any player born this side of the millennium.

Expand the comparison beyond these shores and scan Europe for teenagers making a similar impact and the list is not much longer. Borussia Dortmund's Jadon Sancho has more assists in the Bundesliga, while Moussa Diaby of Paris Saint-Germain can match his tally in Ligue 1. There is no teenager in La Liga or Serie A with even four assists let alone five.

As for combined goals and assists, there are three teenagers currently playing in any of the five major European leagues who can better Sessegnon's impact this season in terms of numbers. They are Sancho, Lille's Rafael Leao and Bayer Leverkusen's Kai Havertz, already a Germany international. All play in more advanced roles than Sessegnon is at Fulham.

Dortmund are also top, Lille are second and Leverkusen are seventh in their respective leagues. None find themselves in the relegation mire like Fulham. It only emphasises the fact that Sessegnon has not had it easy this season. It has been a huge challenge. And so, it's well worth remembering that he is a young talent who will be better for this experience.



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/11647982/ryan-sessegnons-fulham-form-perspective-needed-on-teen-talent