Tuesday Fulham Stuff - 18/02/20...

[WhiteJC]

'It's surprising we are still in contention' says Fulham legend

Fulham's all-time leading goalscorer Gordon Davies suggested it was a shock to see the London club still in with a shout of promotion in light of their erratic form.

Fulham missed the chance to move to second in the Championship midweek as they were held to a 1-1 draw away to Millwall.

Scott Parker's side drew-level with second-placed Leeds on 56 points courtesy of the point and stayed third on goal difference.

The Cottagers have taken 14 points from a possible 18 thanks to Mitrovic's impressive run of form.

But inconsistent performances over the past few months have meant they have squandered opportunity after opportunity to move into the automatic promotion places.

Speaking to Charlie Hawkins and Miles Blumsom on The Late Night Fans Show, 10-11PM every Wednesday, former Welsh international Gordon Davies suggested Fulham were lucky to be in their position given the run of results throughout the season.

"We have been consistently inconsistent this year and it's surprising when we haven't played particularly magical football that we were still fourth in the league when we haven't really hit any sort of form.

"Nobody is running away with the league, but everybody would've expected Fulham to be either where West Brom is or 12, 15, 18 points in front of everybody else and walking away with the league because of the squad we've got and the depth of the quality.

"But I think it's been hard on Scott because he's in such a pressure job being his first managerial post and he's learning on the job."

Davies added that the players were well aware of the pressure and expectation there is for the Lilywhites to make a quick return to the topflight and that Parker should be given time.

"I think the Barnsley game was an eye-opener to a lot of people within the club that it's not going to be a certainty and it wasn't going to be as easy as everyone outside the club expected it to be.

"It's going to be a difficult year for him no matter what happens, and the pressure is going to be on him, and I think he's handled it well.

"The players may not say anything about feeling it but the expectancy for Fulham to go straight back up has been there."



https://www.lovesportradio.com/news/love-sport-exclusives/its-surprising-we-are-still-in-contention-says-fulham-legend/

[WhiteJC]

3 things we learned about Fulham after their Barnsley defeat

This weekend saw Fulham's promotion hopes take another big blow as they were emphatically beaten 3-0 by Barnsley at Craven Cottage.

With the Tykes propping up the table going into this one, it looked like a formality for the promotion-chasers, but Gerhard Struber's side were rampant.

Two goals for former Whites' forward Cauley Woodrow either side of Jacob Brown's clever finish made the points safe and added plenty of worry for the Fulham fans.

Here, we take a look at THREE things we learnt about the hosts on Saturday...

Weakness under pressure
It has been well established now that Parker wants his side to play out from the back. And when it works, it works really well.

However, we saw on Saturday afternoon that when a side comes out with plenty of energy all over the park, they really struggle to play.

Barnsley hounded and frustrated them from minute one. Connor Chaplin and Brown were constantly closing down Michael Hector and Tim Ream, allowing them no time to pick the right pass. It was a big part of giving their side the upper hand in this one.

Rodak frailties
Marek has been brilliant for the most part this season, but this weekend saw some of his weaknesses badly exposed on three occasions.

The first goal saw him clumsily fumble a through ball before bringing down Brown, the second saw him rush off his line far too early, and the third went through his legs at the near post.

There is no way he should be dropped, but it is also the first time he has found himself under real pressure since becoming the club's first choice, so how he responds against Derby will be very interesting.

Winger worries
It was a match which saw both Ivan Cavaleiro and Anthony Knockaert return to the starting line-up but both were disappointing to say the least.

Neither seemed to have much confidence when on the ball, taking far too long to pick their pass, cross or shot, which inevitably led to Fulham attacks being stifled.

Once Bobby Decordova-Reid and Aboubakar Kamara came on, there was a bit more threat in attack so Parker will have to work hard this week to bring that confidence back to their summer signings.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/3-things-we-learned-about-fulham-after-their-barnsley-defeat/

[WhiteJC]

'He should go now' – Loads of Fulham fans offer verdict on key figure's long-term future at club

Fulham saw their Championship promotion hopes suffer a significant blow on Saturday afternoon as they crashed to a 3-0 defeat against a struggling Barnsley side at Craven Cottage.

Scott Parker's side were level on points with second-placed Leeds heading into the clash in West London, but the Cottagers failed to keep the pace with last season's play-off semi-finalists as they suffered a heavy loss against the Tykes.

Fulham fell behind to Cauley Woodrow's first-half penalty before Jacob Brown doubled Barnsley's tally after the interval, and Woodrow then netted his second of the game with 11 minutes remaining as the visitors claimed a precious three points.

The result means Fulham are now three points adrift of Leeds following the Whites' 1-0 win over Bristol City, while Parker's men are also just three points ahead of seventh-placed City despite currently sitting third in a tight second-tier table.

The West London side will have their sights firmly set on a return to the Premier League this season, particularly given the significant amount of finances that have been invested into the squad since their relegation from the top flight last term.

One Fulham fan took to the Fulham Football Club Facebook page to ask whether Parker should be replaced as manager if his side fails to win promotion this term, and plenty of supporters then went on to voice some of their views.

Here are some of the responses...

Alex Piper: 100% you have to get promoted with this squad, we will lose several players next year and will need to have actual tactics instead of just getting by with individual talent!

Samuel G Larcombe: Yes probably, but he deserves to have until the end of the season.

Brian Tea: Yes. We will need a manager capable of building a team from scratch. FFP and player ambition would mean wholesale changes to the squad.

Tj Carter: Yes but I don't think he will be. I think they see him as long term.

Frank Tank Golding: No. I think you bring someone with experience to work with him..SP is a young manager with a bit of guidance he could be a top manager.

Sheila Van Jenkerman: Not every manager has a perfect record...Give him more time.

Peter Gruenewald: Yes but why wait? He should go now.

Isaac Kitone: I think if we give Parker 8 seasons, we'll finally get promoted.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/he-should-go-now-loads-of-fulham-fans-offer-verdict-on-key-figures-long-term-future-at-club/

[WhiteJC]

'Fancy their chances' - Nottingham Forest, West Brom & Leeds' Championship run-ins assessed

Nottingham Forest news - With three months of the season remaining, a number of teams will still fancy their chances

With 13 games to go, all is to play for at the top of the Championship.

West Brom are top of the table, with a four point lead, that was cut from six after Nottingham Forest earned a valuable point at The Hawthorns.

Leeds United meanwhile, bounced back from their defeat at the City Ground to earn four points from their next  two games and hold onto the second automatic promotion slot.

Behind Marcelo Bielsa's side – Fulham, Brentford and Forest are separated by just one point, with the Cottagers currently occupying third spot, three points away from Leeds, with Preston and Bristol City another two back.

With 39 points still up for grabs between now and May, every team in the top seven will still harbour some hopes of achieving promotion to the top flight come May.

With that in mind, we've taken a look at the run-ins for each of the top five and where this rollercoaster season could go next.

Each team will show current league position and (average position of remaining opponents)

Nottingham Forest – 5th (13.08)

After facing two direct promotion rivals in the last week, Forest will now not play another team in the current top six until they meet Fulham at the City Ground in April.

Reds boss Sabri Lamouchi has highlighted how his team need to up their performances against the teams struggling at the bottom of the table. After the Albion game, he said: "I feel the same as the fans - against a strong team, don't worry, we will be there.

"Against teams not at the same level, we need to increase our level to be more determined and make the difference."

Defeat to Charlton put a dampener on what was otherwise a brilliant week. And Lamouchi will have plenty of games to see how his side have improved against teams towards the bottom. Between now and May then play five teams in the bottom eight.

Their last pair of games will see them travel to Barnsley who are currently bottom and then host Stoke City, who have endured a season of struggles and sit 21st. It could come down to how they fare against those two.

West Brom – 1st (11.77)

With a four point buffer, Albion are rightly the favourites to return to the Premier League. But they are in the midst of a tricky run, after playing Forest on Saturday, they meet Bristol City next weekend, before a midweek game with Preston.

Both of those find themselves in the top seven and could put a serious dent in their promotion charge.

They still have a Midlands derby with Birmingham City to come, as well as huge clashes with Fulham and Brentford.

With Huddersfield and QPR in their final two games, if the Baggies can be in place in the final weeks, they will fancy their chances of finishing the job.

Leeds – 2nd (15.46)

After an awful run of form, the draw at Brentford and win over Bristol City has seemingly stopped the rot.

And they now have a chance to really rediscover their form with their next four games all against teams in the bottom ten.

Fulham are the only member of the top seven that they still have to play. They will be hoping that they have navigated their tricky run of the campaign and can now focus on putting a run of results together to finally return to the Premier League.

Based on current league positions, this is the easiest run-in of any team. They will feel it is theirs to lose.

Fulham – 3rd (9.38)

Leeds is statistically the easiest, but Scott Parker's side have the most difficult run on paper. Their thumping defeat to bottom of the league Barnsley means they now need to recover quickly.

After playing Derby next, they face what looks a wretched run of fixtures that could derail their season.

Games against Swansea, Preston, Bristol City, Brentford and Leeds, mean that by the time they face QPR at the end of March, their promotion push could have already come to a shuddering halt.

The most winnable game on paper remaining for the Cottagers is Wigan on the final day, they will hope they are still in the mix by then.

Brentford – 4th (13.54)

After draws with Leeds and Birmingham City, the Bees have lost some ground on the top two. But they do have a favourable run of fixtures. Between now and May, they face five of the bottom six.

However, they do still have fixtures with Fulham, Albion and Preston out of the top six. They face Fulham and Albion in consecutive fixtures next month, games that will have huge ramifications in the final weeks of the season.

Unusually, Forest and Brentford play the same pair of teams in the final two fixtures of the season. They travel to Stoke on the penultimate weekend of the season, before what looks a very winnable game at home to Barnsley on the final day of the season.



https://www.nottinghampost.com/sport/football/football-news/forest-leeds-brom-championship-fixtures-3855868

[WhiteJC]

QPR Televised

Fulham's meeting with Queens Park Rangers has been selected for live television coverage on Sky Sports.

The date of the fixture at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium will not change (Saturday 21st March) but will kick-off at the earlier time of 12.30pm.

All four of the Whites' matches in March have now been chosen for live TV broadcast.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/february/17/qpr-televised

[WhiteJC]

BARNSLEY BREAKDOWN
– by member Matt10

The Barnsley match was a rough result. Was it really a bad performance though? The 90-minutes are posted, and I thought I'd approach this topic a bit differently. I wanted to break it down in 20 minute increments, with the 5 minutes to end the half and match. The reason is because it is common to come away with a general feeling, but then mistakenly use that general feeling and create a general assessment of not only our team, players, but overall tactics. I have a problem with this because we miss out on the positives and the areas we need to improve. There is already general talk of "should, would, could", so why not analyze it and see how the "should, would, could" can be contextually applied to those moments.

Here's my breakdown vs Barnsley. I will provide my overall thoughts after. (Disclaimer: I didn't put much effort in researching name of the Barnsley players this go around. I know who they are, for the most part, but wanted to focus on Fulham specifically. Will adjust the next time I do one of these.)

Minutes 1-20:

    Pace of play is fast, as it should be in the first 5 to 10 minutes. We are just a tad out of sync in making good connections. For example, Knockaert slips from a wide pass by Mitro near the top of the box.
    Onomah slips on a one time pass from Cav. Onomah plays in a perfect through pass to Bryan, but the pitch speed has increased significantly due to the weather conditions.
    Defensively we struggle via Joe Bryan and KMac. When we get in the attack, Bryan doesn't drop back fast enough, resulting in exposing Kmac, as Barnsley players get behind our CDM each time.
    This forces him to stick out a streteched challenge that misses – and results in Barnsley's first shot on goal.
    The second shot on goal from Barnsley comes from the same combination, but this time the Woodrow simply bulldozes past Kmac and lets off a shot, that goes just high.
    The same combo of Bryan not dropping back quick enough happens because the referee doesn't call a foul on Cav in which the winger gets basically pulled down holding the ball up. Hector cleans up the low ball into the box.

Minutes 20-40:

    I will bring this up in the overall thoughts, but Barnsley double team tactics on our wingers were crucial, and I feel Parker should've figured out a way around this. Unfortunately, in this moment, Knockaert tries to beat 3 Barnsley players, falls down, and a long ball over the top is assumed offsides. Unfortunately, it isn't, and even more unfortunate, the Barnsley player runs into Rodak, but before that slaps the ball with his hand. That is also ignored, and we know the rest – Rodak pulls him down and the penalty is converted. Some wanted to complain about Ream here, but it's clear as day that Rodak called him off and went for the ball – but mishandled it. Ream put himself between the attacker and the ball, just as any defender would. 1-0 Barnsley.

    In response, we break their double team not once, but twice. First when they pressured high on Sess, who passes to Cairney, then he goes down the line to Knockaert, who is fouled quite hard.
    We try to get the ball to Mitro twice, but the first time he doesn't really put much effort in controlling the ball, and the second he takes a bit too long, but the deflection finds Kmac.
    We get a free kick in a dangerous position, but Mitro's strike hits the wall, and his second is scuffed. Cairney forces the ball wide to Cav, who tries to get the ball on his right foot down the side, but is double teamed (again), and Barnsley break right through and down the sidelines themselves, before Bryan cynically fouls to put a stop to the counter.
    A fortunate bounce in the midfield, allows Cav to release Knockaert, but his left footed strike is deflected. Onomah controls, but just gets out of his grasp before it's cleared away.
    We finally get a decent attack that starts from the back where Kmac breaks the double team pressure by sending in a delicate through ball to Onomah, who is then fouled. Onomah plays it quick to Cairney, sends it wide to Bryan, who sends it quickly to Cav. Bryan streaks inside, which drags the defender away from Cav, who gets to strike with his right – but it's well wild and high.
    We manage a free kick that eventually sets up a deep throw in. Cairney gets free at the top right of the box and sends in a vicious cross, but it's just out of Onomah's reach.
    We are really zipping the ball well now, especially in finding Knockaert, who is doing well to cut inside and be a threat. He manages to find Cairney, who takes a shot, but it's well deflected by Barnsley again.

Minutes 40-45:

    We finish off the couple minutes with Cav switching flanks with Knockaert. He holds off defenders, but again, the theme of the double team on our wingers is prevalent. We have no answer for it unless we can find someone central quick enough. We can't, and Cav struggles to hold them off.
    The ball is caught in the wind, but eventually we get control of it. A brilliant little chest pass into the path of Cairney by Mitro allows our captain to get a strike, but not enough conviction and is easily saved. Knockaert visibly upset, but would've been a tough pass. However, other teammates, including Kmac, are visibly signaling the pass should've gone to Cav who was open on the left. I personally won't blame our captain for trying to find the back of the net.

First half thoughts:

How anyone can say we are playing poorly is beyond me. How anyone can boo their team is also beyond me. As if the players aren't going to be hard on themselves already. They know it's a match that they should be winning.

We are moving the ball at pace. We are building from the back. Yes, it's risky, but it forces Barnsley to press higher, which in turn gives our  wingers more time. Unfortunately, we do not have enough pace centrally, so the wingers have noone to play off of. This is why many times our wingers are forced to hold onto the ball longer than intended. So not only Mitro is isolated, so are our dangerous wingers. We are creating chances, and we are absolutely not dominating possession in a slow pace. People say it's boring, but that to me is a general assessment that is unchanged by stubbornness more than what is actually happening on the pitch. As I mentioned above, we are just out of sync at times. When we did start to look in sync, we were quite dangerous. However, the biggest issue to address is the double team from Barnsley. In my opinion, it's time to change the formation to get more numbers centrally so those double teams look more like a risk to Barnsley versus a benefit.

Minutes 45-65

    Instantly you can see the aggression by us is there. Bryan shoves Woodrow out of the way, and Mitro holds off two Barnsley players. Eventually a long ball from Hector finds Mitro to feet, which gets defended, but the ball deflects to Onomah. Onomah skillfully cuts back onto his left, and sends in a clever through ball to Mitro, who lets off a low strike that is saved.
    Shortly after, we get a corner. Safe to say chaos ensured as their keeper makes a mess of it, tries to recover, but takes out Hector (no foul), and Kmac strikes a low one that is blocked before Onomah's volley goes over. More momentum.
    Kmac is too tight on a throw in, which prevents him from being able to confront a Barnsley midfielder from releasing their forward over the top of Hector and Ream. It's a brilliant save by Rodak though as the striker tried a deft touch past him – denied.
    We go long ball again, and it reaches Cav, but the ball balloons to Mitro, which then is well defended via a diving header by Barnsley. Onomah tries to control the ball that is behind him, but Woodrow dispossess him and sends a long ball over the top. Ream is tucked inside and is expecting to just contain the Barnsley forward down the side, however Rodak has sprinted out of his box for some odd reason – and it's 2-0 Barnsley. Momentum lost.
    In response, we change formation, but not before multiple stands of double team by Barnsley again. Kmac coming off is not surprising now after the match because we switched to a 4-2-3-1 and our CDM would be required to chase down counters all over the pitch, which is why Arter was put in. I did not want to see TC go though because he's a gamechanger and can hold onto the ball in crucial spots. I would've more so chosen Onomah to depart instead because he isn't as creative as Cairney. I think the early through ball that set up Mitro was a point that swayed Parker's decision to keeping Onomah in vs Cairney.
    Immediately, my preferences were put to the backburner as Onomah was found by Mitro at the top of the box. Onomah sends in a brilliant through ball to Cairney's replacement, BDR, who takes a soft first touch, but it's well defended. He will play a crucial role into us not getting goals back unfortunately. Right place, right time, poor execution.
    Instantly we are playing 1-2 touches brilliantly in tight spaces, looking quite quality. Barnsley can't perform their double team because we've crowded each side of the pitch that the ball is on. One anchor point such as Reid or Mitro, with the winger in Knockaert or central of Arter or Onomah – fully supporting the attack. Reid's through ball to Cav is just a bit too hard and is collected by the Barnsley defenders. Momentum is back on.
    In the 4-2-3-1, Onomah and Arter essentially set up as a pivot two in the central midfield, but when they're breached, it's up to Bryan to track back and press high. Woodrow gets his chance because this is exactly what happens. Arter is just late on his challenge, and the midfield is breached as Onomah is forced to cover from the right side all the way over to the left. Bryan doesn't press and doesn't drop back, forcing Onomah even further to drop back, which confuses Ream and he's given Woodrow too much space.
    Last mention of 4-2-3-1 change is that we now have the numbers both centrally and on the wing. Knockaert and Sess overlapping and underlapping, breaking down the double team pressure again and again. Pair that up with the mobility of BDR, and goodness me, we're a force to be reckoned with.
    Against all tactics, ironically, was Barnsley's next chance where it seemed we were completely surprised by their goal kick that went all the way over our defenders and set them up with a strike just wide.

Minutes 65-85

    Kamara subs in for Sess, and now we're at a true 3-5-2, with Arter basically dropping back in front of the defense. If we're being picky, it's more of a 3-1-4-2. What I liked especially about this was how we could now put Cav central and Knockaert on the left. This is something quite rarely seen this season, and I hope it's enough for Parker to consider going forward as I feel Cav is so strong centrally than he is stuck on the wing. It also gives freedom to Knockaert to push out or in, similar to how he did against QPR at home where his movement off the ball set up Kamara's goals.
    As expected, the 3-5-2 will have some holes defensively, and it's no surprise we're exposed when Barnsley take a quick free kick and send the ball over the top of Hector. Another vicious shot, but just wide.
    Really nice throw in direct to BDR, who chests it and sends a through ball inside the box to Onomah, who lobs it up for Mitro. Mitro controls it and finds Cav – who's shot was surely to make it 2-1, but just went wide. BDR is making a huge difference.
    After a nice run by Arter to suck in the midfield, he sends a nice pass to BDR at the top of the box. He opts to take a touch, but it's heavy, and defended yet again. As mentioned earlier, BDR's touch let him down, but more so his decision making when he was the focal point to score. He was exceptional in movement and creating chances for others though. The deflection bumps its way to Kamara, who cuts inside and tries an outside of the foot shot on goal which is well saved.
    A handball should've been called on them as we were on the break via BDR, but eventually Kamara blazes down the side and cuts back inside to pass the ball to Cav central – who unleashes a shot that is unfortuantely right at the keeper, and we are unable to get the deflection before he smothers it.
    Shortly after we've got a free kick at the half via Arter. Ball is sent up to Mitro, his shirt is being pulled by somehow gets to it and finds Hector, who's left footed shot is off the mark, but it reaches BDR. BDR takes a silky first touch and tries a quick shot from point blank range, but it's well saved yet again. Another key chance for BDR to score.
    Terrible moment for us as Rodak makes a clean grab of their corner, but ambitiously tries a drop kick straight to their player. The driect pass is brilliant to Woodrow, who skirts past Hector, before making Rodak look poor beating him near post. All momentum lost. General assessments and assumptions commence.

Minutes 85-End

    Hard to focus on the match after that killer. Mitro got a shot off that went wide. Onomah hits the crossbar. At this point, the match is over, and supporters are leaving early – don't blame them of course.

Final thoughts

Contextually speaking, and reading through the breakdown, does it really sound like we played bad? When I was watching live, I definitely felt that we weren't quite right, but once I was able to find the source of the issues being us not able to handle their double team – it all came together. I think the scoreline heavily favors Barnsley, and doesn't give our effort justice. I think it's unfortunate that there is a linear mindset of scoreline = degree of effort. Our keeper made 3 crucial mistakes, and we paid the price in the scoreline. Tactically we were beat in the stalling of our attacks because of their double team pressure. We answered with the change in formation and bringing on BDR to help Mitro. We further answered with the change to the 3-5-2 that allowed Cav and Knockaert to play close to eachother, but more importantly having Cav play centrally as more of a threat. We broke their double team pressure tactic as a result, and Kamara coming on created a freedom down the sides we did not have before.

I think my thoughts are going to be wildly unpopular, but we simply didn't find the back of the net, and conceded when our momentum was gaining. To be fair, Barnsley had their chances to add onto the score, but they failed just as much.

Overall, this leads me to think about the consistent argument of results vs how we're playing. There is a camp that is so focused on how we're playing, and thus downplaying results. Whereas there are those who are happy with the results, such as 7 unbeaten before this, but understand we're not playing to our potential. Does that mean Parker In or Out? Hard to say, isn't it? From a tactical perspective, he didn't address the double team pressure until after halftime, and after we had conceded already. However, when he did address it, it proved the right move, but has been overshadowed by elements that noone can prepare for – which is not one individual error by one of our best players, but 3 total. I am not sure where I stand. If I was forced to choose, I'd say Parker in, but he's on very thin ice – especially because his inability to address the opponent's defensive tactics against us has hurt momentum. I think he'd be a fool not to utilize the 3-5-2 more often, but I have that luxury to say so because I only get to judge the end product.

Anyway, I hope this was worth a read, if anything to pass the time until the next match. I believe that context is everything, and I personally dislike general assessments that aren't validated without a bit more digging. As mentioned, I have the luxury to judge the end product, so I don't go out of my lane and judge the elements I'm not privvy to such as office meetings, team drillings, etc. Note: I would've put this in a video highlight package if it were allowed, but unfortunately any match footage gets flagged.

https://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?topic=74682.0



https://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/?p=1096

[WhiteJC]

Fulham legend delivers verdict on the future of Scott Parker

Fulham's all-time record goalscorer Gordon Davies has thrown his support behind manager Scott Parker, saying the young boss needs more time in his role.

Parker was given the permanent manager's position following their relegation from the Premier League but has come under pressure for inconsistencies in the club's displays this season.

However, Davies has urged the fans and the club to show patience.

"It's been hard on Scott because he's in such a pressure job being his first managerial post and he's learning on the job," Davies said in an interview with Love Sport Radio.

"I think the Barnsley game was an eye-opener to a lot of people within the club that it's not going to be a certainty and it wasn't going to be as easy as everyone outside the club expected it to be.

"It's going to be a difficult year for him no matter what happens, and the pressure is going to be on him, and I think he's handled it well."

Cauley Woodrow gave the vistors the lead in the first half after Marek Rodak had brought down Jacob Brown in the Fulham penalty area, the striker stepping up to net his 12th of the season.

Things got worse for Fulham in the second half when Brown was set through on goal by Woodrow again, clipping the ball past the onrushing Rodak and into the bottom corner.

It was Woodrow who rounded things off with just ten minutes remaining as well, finding space on the left hand side before eventually lashing the ball home.

The verdict

I agree with Davies to a certain extent, I believe Parker should be given more time past this season, whatever happens.

However, at the same time, Parker will have known the pressure he was going to be under when taking on the role. He knew the squad was likely to be much stronger than others in the division and would have been aware of the expectation that accompanies that.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-legend-delivers-verdict-on-the-future-of-scott-parker/

[WhiteJC]

0 progressive runs: Attacking Fulham star was one of many to woefully underwhelm on Saturday



It was not a good weekend at all for Fulham as they took a hefty blow in their race to win promotion back to the Premier League.

Heading into their clash with Barnsley, they had won three and drawn two of their previous five as they continued to gradually narrow the gap on the automatic promotion places.

That came undone dramatically on Saturday, however, when Gerhard Struber's men bullied them into submission, taking all three points from Craven Cottage in a 3-0 rout.

Former Whites' forward Cauley Woodrow netted two either side of Jacob Brown's clever finish and the hosts left their fans frustrated for the remainder of the weekend.

Here, we take a look at one Fulham man in particular, Anthony Knockaert, as the Frenchman returned to the starting XI for the first time in five games...

Prior to the Tykes' clash, Knockaert had been laid up with a hamstring injury, causing him to miss match-ups with Charlton and Huddersfield before Illness kept him from playing a part against Blackburn or Millwall, despite being on the bench for the former.

After the full-time whistle on Saturday, however, he and many Fulham fans may have wished he was given a bit longer on the sidelines to recover.

It was possibly the 28 year-old's most underwhelming performance in a White shirt to date. In his 95 minutes on the pitch he mustered just two shots, neither of which found the target, whilst only one of his four attempted crosses found a teammate.

He scored the winner in his last outing against Middlesbrough, but in this one he seemed to be completely devoid of confidence, not trusting himself amid the, at times, intense Barnsley press.

Unsurprisingly then, it was a match which brought about his lowest expected goals rating of the season, just 0.01, which, considering Barnsley's position heading into this, is really poor.

However, perhaps the most worrying stat of all from a Fulham perspective was his progressive runs.

Clever, surging runs, covering plenty of ground going forward, are usually one thing you can guarantee from Knockaert so to muster a grand total of zero in this one should be a real worry for Parker and the fans.

It is worth noting that the winger was not alone in these respects on Saturday. Ivan Cavaleiro, Tom Cairney and even Aleksandar Mitrovic all had underwhelming displays in attack and the coaching staff now have a serious job on their hands to rebuild confidence ahead of this weekend.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/0-progressive-runs-attacking-fulham-star-was-one-of-many-to-woefully-underwhelm-on-saturday/

[WhiteJC]

'We are not pleased' - Derby County injury latest ahead of Fulham clash

Derby County news | The Rams are back in action when they welcome Fulham to Pride Park Stadium on Friday night.

Derby County return to Sky Bet Championship action on Friday when they welcome Fulham.

The Rams welcome the Cottagers to Pride Park Stadium on Friday (7.45pm), and they will be keen to get back to winning ways.

Phillip Cocu's side drew 1-1 at home to Huddersfield Town last weekend, responding to a 3-2 defeat to Bristol City.

Ahead of their return to action against Fulham, we take a look at the early injury news.

Here's the Rams' injury list in full...

Duane Holmes
Injury: Ankle
Details: Hobbled off early on against Huddersfield.

Last match: Derby County 1-1 Huddersfield Town - January 15

What Cocu has said: "That is a big blow because he has played some great football over a long period of time and is an important player for us.

"He got a kick on his ankle, and it twisted. He will probably have a scan to see how much damage there is, but it is something we are not pleased about."

Andre Wisdom
Injury: Hamstring

Details: Limped off after 79 minutes against Huddersfield.

Last match: Derby County 1-1 Huddersfield - January 15

What Cocu has said: "Hopefully it is only tightness and not real damage to the muscle.

"We will see how he is on Monday, and if he needs a scan."

TOM HUDDLESTONE
Injury: Hamstring

Details: Huddlestone has missed the last three matches with a calf problem.

He recently returned to the team following a three-month lay-off with a hamstring injury he suffered while converting a penalty in the draw at Barnsley on October 2.

Last match: Derby 1-0 Hull - January 18.

What Cocu has said: "It is taking more time than we expected and because he had the injury before, we have to be careful.

"It is hard to say how long it will take. Hopefully he can join us pretty soon.

"Yes (it is a concern how long it has taken). It improves, but when he goes on grass and gets closer to exercises with the ball and changes of direction, it pops back up.

"So we decided to give him a period of time and then we will make the step back on grass again."

KRYSTIAN BIELIK
Injury: Knee

Details: The Poland international was carried off on a stretcher 17 minutes into last month's under-23 match against Tottenham Hotspur at Loughborough University.

He was given a run-out after completing a three-match suspension for being sent off against former club Charlton Athletic.

The summer signing from Arsenal was set to have a scan to assess the extent of the damage.

Last match: Derby 2-1 Charlton - Monday, December 30.

GEORGE EVANS
Injury: Calf

Details: The midfielder sustained the injury in training ahead of the 3-0 defeat at former club Reading.

Last match: Derby 0-1 Millwall - December 14.

What Cocu said: "He is participating in group sessions this week, it is looking positive," said Cocu.

"We just have to see when he can get some minutes in an under-23 game to make his final step."

IKECHI ANYA
Injury: Calf

Details: Anya picked up the injury during Derby's final pre-season friendly against Rangers at Ibrox at the end of July.

Last (competitive) match: Fulham 2-0 Derby, Championship play-off semi-final second leg, May 14, 2018.

Expected return date: Anya returned to action with a run-out for the under-23s in a 2-0 defeat to Blackburn Rovers on Monday (February 3). He played 80 minutes.



https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/derby-county-injury-news-fulham-3354589

[WhiteJC]

The Fulham ace who must retain starting place despite off-colour display: Comment

This article is part of Football League World's 'Comment' series, this content strand is where the author of the article issues their personal opinion on the topic at hand....

Fulham saw their Championship promotion hopes suffer a blow over the weekend as they crashed to a 3-0 defeat against a struggling Barnsley side at Craven Cottage.

Scott Parker's side would have entered the match hoping to keep the pace with second-placed Leeds in their question for an automatic-promotion spot, but Cauley Woodrow's double in addition to a strike from Jacob Brown sunk the Cottagers.

The result now means that the West London side are three points behind Leeds in second spot following their win over Bristol City, while Parker's men are now only three points clear of the seventh-placed Robins in a tight promotion race.

Fulham received plenty of criticism following their unexpected defeat at the hands of Gerhard Struber's relegation-threatened side, with the Cottagers' goalkeeper Marek Rodak receiving the worst of it following his blatant errors.

The 23-year-old conceded the penalty which led to Woodrow's opener inside the first half, while the stopper also misjudged a through ball in the second period as he was beaten to the loose ball by Brown who then tucked it into an empty net.

It could certainly be argued that Rodak was solely responsible for both these goals which saw the Tykes take a two-goal lead at the Cottage, but Parker should definitely still stick with the Slovakian despite these calamitous defensive errors.

This is because Rodak has been such an impressive performer since replacing Marcus Bettinelli in the Fulham side this term, with the 23-year-old having kept eight clean sheets in his 20 Championship outings since stepping into the side in August.

Bettinelli was removed from the starting line-up due to his consistent errors in between the sticks, but Rodak has proved to be a much more reliable presence up until now with this weekend's Barnsley clash having been his first poor display.

Rodak certainly cannot afford to make habit of the clear errors which saw Barnsley clinch victory on Saturday, but the goalkeeper has earned the right to further chances in the side as a result of his excellent form for Parker's side this term.

It would represent a knee-jerk reaction for Bettinelli to now reclaim his spot in the side following Rodak's first mistakes in a Fulham shirt, and Parker will know he needs to ignore any claims from supporters suggesting he should be dropped.

The situation may be different if these sloppy errors become the normal expectation from Rodak, but his previous displays this campaign suggest his Barnsley performance was very much an exception rather than the rule.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/the-fulham-ace-who-must-keep-starting-place-despite-off-colour-display-comment/

[WhiteJC]

'He needs to resign', 'Quicker tempo' – Plenty of Fulham fans call for changes following Barnsley defeat

Fulham suffered a shock defeat on the weekend when they lost 3-0 at home to relegation-threatened Barnsley.

It was a result that saw the Cottagers lose ground on Leeds United in the race for the automatic promotion places, as they now sit three points behind Marcelo Bielsa's side.

Fulham had been unbeaten in the league since their New Years Day defeat to Reading, therefore, the manner in which they lost would likely have come as a surprise to Scott Parker and his side.

Barnsley were on top throughout the match and they took the lead through a former Cottager as Cauley Woodrow netted from the penalty spot.

Jacob Brown doubled the Tykes' lead at the start of the second half before Woodrow got his second of the game to ensure Barnsley went home with all three points.

Fulham's next fixture comes at Derby County on Friday night, as they look to get back to winning ways before the teams around them play.

Football League World asked the Facebook group, Friends of Fulham, what changes need to be made before the encounter on Friday.

Here's some of the replies...

Tj Carter: Quicker tempo, don't mess around with the ball at the back. Play to our strengths and please please push TC further up the pitch!

Mark Haynes: Drop Onamah, drop Sess. In comes S. Johanson & Odoi, go 3 at the back and put TC behind the 2 front and Kev Mac at the bottom of the diamond. Simples......

Angela Kimber: He needs to resign that's the change needed, sorry Scotty but tactics are rubbish picking people I don't understand why he's picking. I love him and I know we are high in table but we aren't high in table because we are good.

Gary Bristow: Need to get up this year. Watching Norwich yesterday it's clear they will come straight back up! That's one spot gone imo.

Terry Wallis: Stop playing out from the back.

Ed Wootton: Stop playing Onomah.

Allan Britz: Playing from the back is tough to watch.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/he-needs-to-resign-quicker-tempo-plenty-of-fulham-fans-call-for-changes-following-barnsley-defeat/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham: Fans point the finger at Parker after embarrassing defeat

Fulham%u2019s hopes of achieving automatic promotion were dealt a huge blow at the weekend when they suffered an embarrassing home defeat courtesy of relegation-fighting Barnsley. The Tykes scored three goals at Craven Cottage without reply, and two of those came from Cauley Woodrow %u2013 who made 66 appearances for the West Londoners.

Scott Parker, as per BBC Sport, said: %u201CI am shocked, I am bitterly disappointed, I am gutted. I didn%u2019t see it coming.%u201D The 39-year-old%u2019s side have won just two of their last five Championship fixtures, therefore, failing to take full advantage of Leeds United%u2019s struggles of late.

What do we think?

Josh Onomah%u2019s performance earned him a rating of 6.5/10 according to WhoScored.com, and although some fans couldn%u2019t believe he was allowed to continue, his rating was higher than both Tom Cairney%u2019s and Kevin McDonald%u2019s.

Given the dip in form Leeds United have suffered of late, losing at home to Barnsley may feel like a huge opportunity missed for the players and the fans who will surely be desperate to earn automatic promotion back to the Premier League.



https://thisisfutbol.com/2020/02/twitter/fulham-fans-point-the-finger-at-parker-after-embarrassing-defeat/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham: Fans slam Parker for not substituting Onomah

Fulham suffered a shock defeat to bottom-of-the-table Barnsley at Craven Cottage on Saturday, which allowed Leeds United to re-establish their three-point cushion in second place.

The club's former forward Cauley Woodrow scored a brace for the visitors having joined the Tykes on a permanent deal for £765k in January 2019 (via Transfermarkt.co.uk).

Scott Parker claims he was "shocked" and "bitterly disappointed" by the performance (as per BBC Sport) but he has been criticised for his in-game substitutions – particularly the fact that Josh Onomah stayed on for the entire 90 minutes, according to these supporters.

What do we think?

Josh Onomah's performance earned him a rating of 6.5/10 according to WhoScored.com, and although some fans couldn't believe he was allowed to continue, his rating was higher than both Tom Cairney's and Kevin McDonald's.

Given the dip in form Leeds United have suffered of late, losing at home to Barnsley may feel like a huge opportunity missed for the players and the fans who will surely be desperate to earn automatic promotion back to the Premier League.




https://thisisfutbol.com/2020/02/twitter/fulham-fans-slam-parker-for-not-substituting-onomah/

[WhiteJC]

Cottage Talk Post Match Show: Who Do We Blame More For This Fulham Loss?

Take a listen to a podcast that focuses on Fulham Football Club.

In this episode Max Cohen and Yannis Tjanetis gave their views on this horrible 3-0 loss for Fulham. During the show we discussed who we thought was more responsible for this loss at Craven Cottage.


You can also listen to the show by following this link...
https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2020/2/17/21141348/cottage-talk-post-match-show-who-do-we-blame-more-for-this-fulham-loss

[Mickeyboro]

0 progressive runs: Attacking Fulham star was one of many to woefully underwhelm on Saturday



It was not a good weekend at all for Fulham as they took a hefty blow in their race to win promotion back to the Premier League.

Heading into their clash with Barnsley, they had won three and drawn two of their previous five as they continued to gradually narrow the gap on the automatic promotion places.

That came undone dramatically on Saturday, however, when Gerhard Struber's men bullied them into submission, taking all three points from Craven Cottage in a 3-0 rout.

Former Whites' forward Cauley Woodrow netted two either side of Jacob Brown's clever finish and the hosts left their fans frustrated for the remainder of the weekend.

Here, we take a look at one Fulham man in particular, Anthony Knockaert, as the Frenchman returned to the starting XI for the first time in five games...

Prior to the Tykes' clash, Knockaert had been laid up with a hamstring injury, causing him to miss match-ups with Charlton and Huddersfield before Illness kept him from playing a part against Blackburn or Millwall, despite being on the bench for the former.

After the full-time whistle on Saturday, however, he and many Fulham fans may have wished he was given a bit longer on the sidelines to recover.

It was possibly the 28 year-old's most underwhelming performance in a White shirt to date. In his 95 minutes on the pitch he mustered just two shots, neither of which found the target, whilst only one of his four attempted crosses found a teammate.

He scored the winner in his last outing against Middlesbrough, but in this one he seemed to be completely devoid of confidence, not trusting himself amid the, at times, intense Barnsley press.

Unsurprisingly then, it was a match which brought about his lowest expected goals rating of the season, just 0.01, which, considering Barnsley's position heading into this, is really poor.

However, perhaps the most worrying stat of all from a Fulham perspective was his progressive runs.

Clever, surging runs, covering plenty of ground going forward, are usually one thing you can guarantee from Knockaert so to muster a grand total of zero in this one should be a real worry for Parker and the fans.

It is worth noting that the winger was not alone in these respects on Saturday. Ivan Cavaleiro, Tom Cairney and even Aleksandar Mitrovic all had underwhelming displays in attack and the coaching staff now have a serious job on their hands to rebuild confidence ahead of this weekend.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/0-progressive-runs-attacking-fulham-star-was-one-of-many-to-woefully-underwhelm-on-saturday/

The name in the graphic just about sums things up!