Thursday & Friday Fulham Stuff - 24-25/12/21...

[WhiteJC]

Due to the Forum outage I've "merged" Thursdays and Friday news

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John(WhiteJC)

[WhiteJC]

Results

Wednesday
Derby	1-2	Millwall
Fulham	2-1	P'borough
Huddersfield	2-1	Cardiff
QPR	2-1	Blackpool
Sheff Utd	1-0	Rovers
Stoke	1-2	Luton

[WhiteJC]

Fulham 2-1 Peterborough United

Aleksandar Mitrovic's 33 goals is a new Championship record - and he still has 14 games to play

Aleksandar Mitrovic scored twice to set a new Championship goalscoring record as leaders Fulham beat struggling Peterborough to go nine points clear.

The Serbian striker's double took him to 33 goals this season, eclipsing Ivan Toney's 31 for Brentford last campaign.

Mitrovic's first came via the penalty spot as he picked himself up after being fouled to send Steven Benda the wrong way.

The second was a beautifully-controlled volley with the side of his foot after a pinpoint cross from Neeskens Kebano, before Jack Marriott scored an 89th-minute consolation for second-bottom Posh.

Marriott's late strike made the game look closer than it was in a dominant Fulham display that extends their lead at the top of the table and leaves Posh eight points from safety.

Mitrovic had already been involved in a couple of early chances before his goal, heading wide before knocking the ball down for the arriving Harrison Reed who should have done better.

He was gifted the opportunity to open the scoring in the 28th minute after being felled in the box by a clumsy Harrison Burrows challenge, before picking himself up to hammer home the penalty to break Toney's record.

Benda denied Reed early in the second half before being beaten again by Mitrovic after 62 minutes.

It came from a lovely flowing move, which saw Kebano's cross find Mitrovic whose first-time effort had too much power for the Peterborough stopper.

Substitute Ivan Cavaleiro went close to a third and Mitrovic almost claimed a hat-trick with six minutes remaining but Benda saved well.

As the game reached its closing stages, Posh broke forward at speed and Marriott finished off the counter-attack in their first game since the departure of manager Darren Ferguson.

Former Hull boss Grant McCann was watching in the stands and is believed to be close to being appointed as Ferguson's replacement.

Fulham boss Marco Silva:
"The numbers speak for themselves. 33 goals at the end of February, with 14 more games to play, it's fantastic.

"What I like about him is he's always demanding more and more and more. He knows that from tomorrow I'll demand more and more from him.

"Mitro's numbers reflect our philosophy and the players have bought into it. We're creating and building something important."

Peterborough assistant manager Matthew Etherington told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire:
"It's been a tough few days. It's been an experience to say the least, but in terms of what we asked of them and the shape of the team, especially in the first half, I couldn't have asked anymore.

"I didn't want to rip it all up and do something totally different because we didn't have a lot of time to prepare. I knew we'd have to suffer without the ball, but it worked well on the whole and we had a really good spell in the second half.

"It's a soft penalty, I've watched it back. It was disappointing that we conceded the goal when we did, the players were starting to get more confident. I've said the players don't give up, if you can put in performances like that we still have a chance."



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60397886

[WhiteJC]

Post-Peterborough Press Conference

Despite acknowledging areas for improvement, Marco Silva was pleased to see Fulham return to winning ways against Peterborough United.

"As always, that is the main thing for us," he said. "It doesn't matter the position of our opponents in the table, it will always be a tough match.

"It is difficult to play against a team with nine or 10 behind the ball or inside the box. They sat back and waited for us to lose patience and make some mistakes.

"Slow first half and we were not so quick; to make the gaps we wanted to, you have to move the ball quicker. But we deserved to lead at half-time.

"To be honest I didn't like the first 10 minutes of the second half, we gave them some chances and we were slow.

"They played around our box, but after the second [goal] the game became better. We moved the ball quickly, creating gaps and chances.

"Fantastic performance from their goalkeeper, he made some great saves and kept them in it."

Fulham looked to be cruising towards three points, but Jack Marriott's late effort ensured a tense finish.

"We made a mistake we cannot make at Championship level and we have to be more aggressive in that moment," Silva explained. "They score a goal and they start to believe again."

Aleksandar Mitrović will claim the headlines after his brace took him to 33 goals for the season – a Championship record.

And while Silva was delighted for his number nine, he insists everyone is aware of the bigger picture.

"Mitro knows the main thing and goal for all of us," he stated. "All the goals come as a consequence of us doing our jobs.

"The main thing about breaking the record is that it reflects our philosophy and is a consequence of us playing as a team, right from the very first game against Boro.

"He was really calm in the dressing room, of course he was happy and everyone congratulated him.

"What will make Mitro the happiest is what will come in May and that is the same as what the Football Club wants."



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/february/23/post-peterborough-press-conference/

[WhiteJC]

Cairney misses Peterborough clash with 'illness'

Fulham captain Tom Cairney has been ruled out of tonight's meeting with Peterborough United through 'illness'.

Marco Silva makes two changes in central midfield with Harrison Reed and Jean Michael Seri coming into the engine room in place of Cairney and Nathaniel Chalobah. Harry Wilson has been dropped to the bench with Neeskens Kebano returning to the starting line-up and Bobby Decordova-Reid keeping his place after scoring in Saturday's defeat by Huddersfield.

FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Rodak; Williams, A. Robinson, Adarabioyo, Ream; Reed, Seri; Decordova-Reid, Kebano, Carvalho, Mitrovic. Subs: Gazzaniga, Tete, Hector, Chalobah, Onomah, Wilson, Cavaleiro.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/02/cairney-misses-peterborough-clash-with-illness/

[WhiteJC]

Record-breaking Mitrovic helps Fulham extend their lead at the top

Fulham (1) 2 Mitrovic 28pen, 62

Peterborough United (0) 1 Marriott 89

Aleksandar Mitrovic broke the record for the number of Championship goals in a season as the Whites got back to winning ways.

The Serb drilled in from the spot for goal number 32 of the campaign – improving on the 31 plundered last season by Ivan Toney during Brentford's march to promotion. 

And just past the hour, he volleyed home a Neeskens Kebano cross from 12 yards to seal the deal.

With 14 games to go, the Fulham striker is on course to smash the record to pieces. 

Peterborough pulled a goal back a minute from time but could not force a second.

The Whites are not as flush with goals as they were in that crazy recent spell but they do have 81 now – the next highest is QPR on 50 - and they have the small matter of a nine-point lead at the top of the table.

Marco Silva's men will be glad of their swift response to what was only their fifth league defeat of the season at the weekend – Huddersfield making off with the points in a 2-1 win.

Before the opener, some low-key early probing of their beleaguered opponents saw Mitrovic glance a header just wide following a cross from Kebano on the left and a deflected effort from Jean Michael Seri had keeper Steven Benda stretching up to grab the looping ball. 

Mitrovic almost teed up an onrushing Harrison Reed, but defender Frankie Kent did just enough to prevent a clear strike from close in.

Then came the breakthrough on 27 minutes. Mitrovic went down in a heap after being clipped by Harrison Burrows and he smashed home the resulting penalty – Benda diving to his left as the ball flew in the opposite direction.

Posh are down among the dead men at the foot of the table – overseen by interim boss Matthew Etherington after the latest exit from Darren Ferguson. 

Their case is not yet totally hopeless but they are not far off it and having lost all but two of their away games this season, their pre-match hopes were modest.

They did not trouble the Whites too often, though striker Jonson Clarke-Harris hit a deflected free-kick which fell onto the roof of the net, with Rodak stranded.

But it always looked a matter of time before the home side would increase their lead.

A fine run from Nico Williams paved the way for Bobby Reid to give his namesake a good opening but the final shot was tipped over. Soon after it was 2-0.

Ivan Cavaleiro came on for an eye-catching cameo, which included a cheeky dink from the edge of the area. 

Mitrovic almost had another treble to his name when he headed a cross straight at Benda and was denied late on by the keeper's outstretched left boot after he had chested down a perfect floated pass from Seri to leave the goal at his mercy.

The ever-lively Fabio Carvalho also almost found the net with a left-foot curler arrowing to the top corner after he had cut in from the right. 

Posh's busy stopper was again equal to it and kept his side in it when he repeated the trick to thwart Harry Wilson after another chip had sailed over the last defender.

There was to be one late moment of fret, when a breakaway led to Callum Morton feeding fellow-sub Jack Marriott for a shot across Rodak into the top corner. But there were no late palpitations for the Whites.


Whites: (4-2-3-1) Rodak – N Williams, Tosin, Ream, Robinson – Reed (Wilson 63), Seri – Decordova-Reid (Onomah 83), Carvalho, Kebano (Cavaleiro 63) – Mitrovic. Subs not used: Gazzaniga, Tete, Hector, Chalobah

Posh: (3-4-3) Benda – Kent, Knight, Edwards – Szmodics (Jones 76), Brown (Morton 71), Norburn, Burrows – Ward, Clarke-Harris (Marriott 71), Grant. Subs not used: Cornell, Poku, Mumba, Fuchs

Attendance: 17,387



https://www.capitalfootball.co.uk/single-post/record-breaking-mitrovic-helps-fulham-extend-their-lead-at-the-top

[WhiteJC]

Aleksandar Mitrovic: How the Fulham striker broke the Championship scoring record

Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic broke Ivan Toney's record for the most goals scored in a Championship season when he scored his 32nd and 33rd of the season in the Cottagers' 2-1 win against Peterborough. Here, we take a closer look at how he did it.

It took him until the final game of the 46, but last season Brentford's Ivan Toney set a new record for the most goals scored in a single Championship season.

For extended spells throughout the season, he scored so frequently that it looked as though he would surpass Glenn Murray's benchmark of 30 by some length, yet unwelcome barren spells meant a single goal in a 3-1 win over Bristol City on May 8, 2021 took him to a historic tally.

Given the fact it took eight seasons for Murray's record to fall, it did seem as though Toney's would stand for somewhat longer.

But history shows that Aleksandar Mitrovic thrives in the second tier, and so it has proved all season. And now, he has written himself into the history books by scoring his 32nd and 33rd league goals of the season in Fulham's 2-1 win against Peterborough at Craven Cottage.

Even more astonishing is the fact he has managed to trump Toney's feat with 14 games to play.

Here, we take a look at how the Cottagers' prized asset rampaged his way to a new record.



The 2019/20 season was a successful one for both player and club, as Mitrovic finished as joint-Golden Boot winner - alongside Brentford's Ollie Watkins - with 26 goals and Fulham pipped the Bees to the Premier League when they won the Championship play-off final 2-1 after extra time at Wembley on August 4, 2020.

It was the second-best return of his career and there was no reason to suggest he was incapable of replicating similar form - albeit probably not quite so prolific - on his return to the Premier League.

But 2020/21 soon became a slog. He scored one in the Carabao Cup against Ipswich and two goals in a 4-3 defeat away at Leeds in the second league game of the campaign, but then failed to hit the net for the best part of seven months until he scored Fulham's only goal in a 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa.

In fact, throughout the season, he scored more international goals for Serbia (7) than he did for his club (4).

There is a very clear correlation between his goals and Fulham's success and so Fulham suffered immediate relegation back to the second tier having won just five games and scored just 27 goals.



Serbia did not take part in Euro 2020 last summer, so Mitrovic had an extended period in which to prepare before lining up for the Cottagers' opener against Middlesbrough on August 8.

His immediate impact consisted of nothing more than a first-minute booking in an eventual 1-1 draw on the banks of the River Thames.

But then came the first of many, during a trip to Huddersfield six days later.

With nine minutes on the clock, Terriers goalkeeper Ryan Schofield chested down a long ball forward quite impressively, swung a leg to try and launch the ball upfield, though could only get enough purchase on it to find a lurking Mitrovic, who slipped as he tried to slot home, yet still managed to loop the ball over the line.

Just like that, his magic touch was back. And it was a sign of things to come, as Marco Silva's imposing, well-drilled and deadly side breezed their way to a crushing 5-1 win.

Aleksandar Mitrovic: Championship vs Premier League record

Division	Appearances	Goals	Assists	Goals per game
Championship	116	75	17	0.65
Premier League	104	24	10	0.23

He then converted a Fabio Carvalho pull-back against Millwall, before being left unmarked to head in the opener in a 2-0 win over Hull and then made it four goals from as many games when he mopped up from a yard or so out when Harry Wilson unselfishly squared for his team-mate when arriving into the six-yard box at breakneck speed.

Following the September international break, the Serbian hit six in six games - which included a glorious first half hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Swansea at Craven Cottage on September 29 - taking his haul to 12 goals in 10 games.

Yet as impressive as that was, a spell between October and November was where he really got going.

A clinical finish on the turn and a superb glancing header he made look easy helped Fulham to a 4-1 west London derby win over QPR, with one more against Cardiff, two more against Nottingham Forest and then another hat-trick, this time against promotion rivals West Brom, just for good measure.

It was no surprise that he triumphed in perhaps one of the most one-sided Sky Bet Player of the Month contests on record as a result.



"I have a lot of quality around me in this team, a lot of creative players who make a lot of chances for me, so I have to thank them for helping me to score as many goals as I did in October," he said upon collecting the award.

As he referenced there, many of his goals come from inside the box; a flicked header from a cross or a low, composed finish after a free-flowing attack. But he has shown time and time again that he is more than content to set up a team-mate instead, with two assists in a shock 7-0 win over Blackburn on November 3.

Indeed, this selflessness - similar to that of Toney, who got 10 last season - is illustrated by the fact he currently has seven assists to his name, taking his goal involvement figure to 40 in 30 games.

Silva's men returned to the top of the Championship after a 4-1 win over struggling Barnsley on November 17, but then started to go off the boil after they reached the summit, drawing four games and losing one in the lead-up to Christmas.

Who has assisted Mitrovic's record haul?

Player	Assists
Harry Wilson	4
Neeskens Kebano	4
Jean Michael Seri	3
Denis Odoi	2
Fabio Carvalho	2
Tom Cairney	2
Bobby Decordova-Reid	1
Kenny Tete	1
Tim Ream	1
Neco Williams	1

As mentioned earlier, when Mitrovic struggles in front of goal, Fulham do too - and he scored just once during that stretch. What was more disappointing was the fact Covid-related issues saw them play just three league games between December 11 and January 11.

The lay-off served both player and club well, as he returned with two in a 7-0 demolition of Reading and yet another first half hat-trick in a 6-2 comeback win against Bristol City.

In spite of the form of their frontman, Fulham have shown that they are much more than a one-man team and there is no over-reliance to speak of. None of the six goals in the 6-2 win over Birmingham were scored or even assisted by him, while they overcame Stoke 3-2 without him in the squad, with Rodrigo Muniz proving himself to be an able deputy.

He tapped in his 28th in a 1-1 draw against Blackpool on January 29 and reached 30 with two in a 3-0 win over Millwall 10 days later. In that game, he first lashed in a Neco Williams pull-back, then mopped up from just a few yards out when Carvalho's shot was parried into his path by Bart Bialkowski.

Williams was the provider when Mitrovic equalled Toney's record in a 1-0 win at Hull, too. The Liverpool loanee floated an inviting ball into the penalty area, where the frontman glanced a header past Matt Ingram from no less than 15 yards out.

In front of the Sky Sports cameras on Saturday February 19, he missed two gilt-edged chances against Huddersfield to net the all-important goal, but then four days later, he made history.

As struggling Peterborough arrived at the Cottage, days after the departure of manager Darren Ferguson, Mitrovic must have been licking his lips. And, with all eyes on him, he delivered under pressure, slamming home a penalty he won himself with 28 minutes gone.

But he was not finished there. He helped himself to a second, connecting with a Neeskens Kebano cross from the left flank and effortlessly finding the net with a nonchalant sidefooted volley.

As of February 23, with 33 goals in 30 league games, Mitrovic has scored an average of 1.1 goals per game. With 14 games to play, if he carries on scoring at the same frequency, he will score 15 more and reach 48, which will smash the original record by a whopping 17 goals.

This truly is a record that will take some beating.



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12517152/aleksandar-mitrovic-how-the-fulham-striker-broke-the-championship-scoring-record

[WhiteJC]

Mitrovic breaks record in Fulham win

Aleksandar Mitrovic netted twice to set a new Championship goalscoring record and take Fulham nine points clear at the top of the table.

The striker's brace took his goal tally for the campaign to 33, eclipsing Ivan Toney's 31 for Brentford last season.

He opened the scoring with a penalty after being fouled by Harrison Burrow.

And he doubled the lead with a lovely side-footed volley from Neeskens Kebano's cross.

Jack Marriott scored an 89th-minute consolation goal for Peterborough.

Fulham: Rodak, Williams, Tosin, Ream, Robinson, Reed (Wilson 63), Seri, De Cordova-Reid (Onomaha 83), Carvalho, Kebano (Cavaleiro 63), Mitrovic.
Subs not used: Gazzaniga, Tete, Hector, Chalobah.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/football-fulham-v-peterborough-report-9494333

[WhiteJC]

Aleksandar Mitrovic breaks Championship scoring record as Fulham beat Peterborough

Aleksandar Mitrovic broke the Championship scoring record by adding two more to his tally as Fulham beat Peterborough on Wednesday evening.

The Serbian's brace takes him to 33 goals in the League this season, overtaking the previous record of 31 set by Ivan Toney last season.

A first-half penalty saw him achieve the feat - with 14 games of the regular league campaign remaining - and he reached 33 for the current term with a second strike after the break.

Substitute Marriott pulled one back for relegation-threatened Peterborough at the death.

The visitors, watched by Grant McCann from the directors' box as he is set to return to Posh as manager, made five changes since their defeat by Derby, including Harrison Burrows returning after injury.

They were almost punished after 10 minutes, when Mitrovic headed wide a cross by Neeskens Kebano.

Fulham continued to dominate Peterborough, pushing their backline without being able to find a decisive breakthrough.

Josh Knight was robbed of the ball by Kebano in the 23rd minute, but did well to run back and dispossess the midfielder as he ran in on goal.

Harrison Reid was unable to fully control the ball six yards from goal as he just failed to properly connect with a Mitrovic knockdown.

The Fulham pressure finally paid off in the 28th minute. Mitrovic was fouled in the area by Burrows and the Serbian converted the spot-kick to put the hosts ahead with his record-breaking 32nd goal of the season.

After taking the lead, the west London side continued to press for a second, effectively keeping Peterborough in their own half.

Fulham started the second half as forceful in their attack as they were in the first period of the game.

Peterborough finally started to find their feet in the game though, putting their own pressure on the Fulham defence.

Their best chance of the contest so far came in the 57th minute. Jonson Clarke-Harris took a free-kick on the edge of the area and saw his effort deflected just over the bar.

It was as good as it got for Peterborough, as Fulham reapplied their pressure. Reed put over a first-time effort from a Bobby Decordova-Reid cross, after fine solo work by Neco Williams.

The lead was doubled just after the hour, when Mitrovic volleyed a cross from Kebano to effectively end the Peterborough resistance.

Fulham were looking for more goals, and substitute Ivan Cavaleiro forced goalkeeper Steven Benda to tip over in the 74th minute.

Fabio Carvalho showed impressive skill to work his way from the touchline to a shooting position in the 78th minute, after which he made Benda save his effort.

Benda denied Mitrovic a hat-trick with five minutes of regulation time remaining, when the Serbian found space after a Jean Michael Seri pass, but the stopper denied him with a block.

Peterborough gave themselves late hope, when substitute Marriott broke to finish past Marek Rodak, but the league leaders held on.

Additional reporting from PA



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/aleksandar-mitrovic-championship-goals-record-ivan-toney-brentford-2022-b984304.html

[WhiteJC]

Mitrovic brace beats plucky Peterborough

The red hot Aleksandar Mitrovic added another brace to his astonishing collection of Championship goals as Fulham saw off plucky Peterborough to move nine points clear at the top of the table. The Serbian set a new mark for the highest number of Championship goals in a season – moving past the record set by former Posh forward Ivan Toney – but the league leaders were made to sweat for all three points in the closing stages after Jack Marriott pulled a goal back for the visitors late on.

Peterborough, watched by former manager Grant McCann who is set for another spell in the London Road dug out, turned in a spirited showing under the interim management of Matthew Etherington, who was assisted by former Fulham winger Simon Davies. They made light of their perilous position, eight points from safety, with some progressive passing and an eager to offer support to lone striker Jonson Clarke-Harris which rather belied an ultra-defensive 4-1-4-1 set-up. Disciplined in defence they made it difficult for the hosts to play through them with the first chance arriving after ten minutes when Mitrovic sent a header wide from Neeskens Kebano's cross.

Mitrovic then headed an Antonee Robinson cross straight at Steven Benda, who had an inspired game in the Peterborough goal. Chances were still at a premium even though Kebano and Jean Michael Seri, both returning to Marco Silva's starting eleven this evening, seemed to have oceans of room to roam with the ball. The Ivorian almost broke the deadlock with a deflected drive that Benda did well to hold after Bobby Decordova-Reid had managed to hold the ball up in the penalty area whilst grappling with two defenders.

Peterborough certainly weren't seeking simply to stuff numbers behind the ball and Etherington's side appeared dangerous on the counter-attack. A flowing move down the right eventually saw Reece Brown move into space just outside the box but Marek Rodak easily fielded the midfielder's low shot. Harrison Reed, restored to central midfield this evening, spurned a great chance to open his Fulham account when Mitrovic nodded a beautiful Seri ball into his path – failing to get a clean contact on his volleyed finish.

Just when it looked as if the Posh had weathered the storm, Harrison Burrows clumsily fouled Mitrovic when they seemed little danger beyond the far post. There was never any doubt that the Serbian would pick himself up to take the penalty and he dispatched the spot-kick decisively to Benda's right to move onto 32 goals in 30 Championship games. Fulham were largely in control now, but survived a scare at the back when a mix-up between Decordova-Reid and Rodak allowed Sammie Smzodics to stab goalwards from inside the six-yard box but the ball trickled into the side netting.

Peterborough came out with more intent after the interval and almost found a route back into the match. A break down the left saw Szmodics narrowly fail to find Brown with a deep cross to the back post and then Clarke-Harris' deflected free-kick from 25 yards wrongfooted Rodak but just crept over the bar. As is their wont, Fulham flew forward in response with a sensational sixty-yard run from Neco Williams set up a crossing opportunity for Decordova-Reid and Benda did brilliantly to tip Reed's volley over for a corner. From the set play, Mitrovic managed to lose his marker but contrived to head well wide.

That felt like a significant let-off for Peterborough, but any relief proved temporary. Fabio Carvalho spun sublimely away from plenty of Peterborough shirts in midfield and then threaded a fine ball through to Kebano out on the left. The Congolese winger delivered a wonderful ball to the feet of Mitrovic and the number nine's half volley possessed too much power for Benda to keep it out. Ivan Cavaleiro almost announced his arrival as a substitute with a sensational individual goal as he jinked past a couple of Peterborough defenders but his shot was deflected wide of goal. He went even closer with a trademark curler from the inside left position but Benda did superbly to claw that effort away from the top corner.

Mitrovic was furious with himself for not bringing up his hat-trick when he headed a sumptuous Seri cross straight into Benda's gloves before Carvalho's quick feet had the teenager scurrying infield from the right flank only for the Peterborough goalkeeper to push away a lovely left-footed strike. Morton went close at the other end after punishing some Seri hesitancy in the Fulham box, but the young forward was soon to set up a grandstand finish.

Benda made a couple of brilliant saves at the other end, spreading himself well to save from Mitrovic after Seri's ball over the top looked to have played him in. The on-loan Swansea keeper then denied Harry Wilson from another superb Seri through ball and set his side back on the attack. Morton burst away down the left flank, beating Tosin Adarabioyo, and squaring for Marriott to shoot high into the net and halve Peterborough's arrears.

That made for a nervy final four minutes of stoppage time as the visitors sent in a couple of set plays and long throws but Fulham stood firm to return to winning ways.

FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Rodak; Williams, A. Robinson, Adarabioyo, Ream; Reed (Wilson 63), Seri; Decordova-Reid (Onomah 83), Kebano (Cavaleiro 63), Carvalho, Mitrovic. Subs (not used): Gazzaniga, Tete, Hector, Chalobah.

GOALS: Mitrovic (pen 28, 62).

PETERBOROUGH UNITED (4-1-4-1): Benda; Knight, Burrows, Kent, Edwards; Brown (Morton 72); Ward, Grant, Norburn, Szmodics (Jade-Jones 77); Clarke-Harris (Marriott 71). Subs (not used): Cornell, Marriott, Poku, Jones, Mumba, Morton, Fuchs.

BOOKED: Knight.

GOAL: Marriott (89).

REFEREE: Jared Gillett (Australia).

ATTENDANCE: 17,387.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/02/mitrovic-brace-beats-plucky-peterborough/

[WhiteJC]

Brave Posh Beaten By Premier League Bound Cottagers

Posh put up a brave fight but were beaten 2-1 by Fulham.

Peterborough United were beaten 2-1 by Premier League bound Fulham at Craven Cottage as Aleksander Mitrovic bagged a brace to break the record set by former Posh striker Ivan Toney for the amount of Championship goals in a season.

Harrison Reed saw an early effort deflected behind for a corner kick as the home side made a confident start at Craven Cottage. Serbian international Aleksander Mitrovic, closing in on Ivan Toney's Championship scoring record, guided a header wide from a Kebano cross on nine minutes.

Benda did well to claim a deflected effort from Seri on 18 minutes as Fulham continued to dominate possession. Posh played some excellent football on 20 minutes to create a shooting opportunity from 25-yards for Reece Brown, but his low shot was gathered by keeper Marek Rodak.

Benda did well to smother a Reed effort from close-range on 25 minutes after an intelligent knock down from Mitrovic. The deadlock was broken two minutes later as a foul by Burrows on Mitrovic was spotted by referee Jarred Gillett and a penalty was awarded. MITROVIC stepped up and converted to send Benda the wrong way from the spot.

Seri flashed a shot well wide of the target as the first half moved into one minute of stoppage time. Posh were a whisker away from levelling the scores on 57 minutes as a deflected Clarke-Harris free-kick whistled just over the top with Rodak stranded.

Benda produced a fine fingertip stop to keep out Reed on the hour mark with Mitrovic heading the resulting corner wide. The home side doubled the lead on 61 minutes and it was that man MITROVIC again, guiding home a Kebano cross on the volley.

Posh made a double change on 70 minutes with Jack Marriott and Callum Morton replacing Brown and Clarke-Harris. Benda did well to tip a Cavaleiro effort over the top on 73 minutes before the keeper kept out a header from Mitrovic after a cross from Wilson.

Kent was a whisker away from pulling a goal back after a scramble on the edge of the Fulham box, but his shot went inches past the post. Cavalho was denied by Benda after more incredible close-control before Morton flashed a shot wide at the other end after good harassing from Jones.

Benda produced another fine stop, this time with his legs to keep out Mitrovic on 84 minutes after a clever pass from Seri. Knight was cautioned for a foul less than 60 seconds later.

Benda produced a fine stop to keep out Wilson on 87 minutes and moments later, Posh pulled a goal back as Morton wriggled clear and picked out fellow substitute MARRIOTT, who rifled a shot past Rodak and into the top corner.

Fulham: Rodak, Reed (sub Wilson 62min), Kebano (sub Cavaleiro 62min), Mitrovic, Ream, Cordova-Reid (sub Onomah 82min), Adarabioyo, Williams, Seri, Carvalho, Robinson, Mitrovic. Unused subs: Gazzaniga, Tete, Hector, Wilson, Chalabah.

Posh: Benda, Edwards, Kent, Szmodics (sub Jones 77min), Clarke-Harris (sub Marriott 71min), Brown (sub Morton 70min), Grant, Knight, Burrows, Norburn, Ward. Unused subs: Cornell, Poku, Mumba, Fuchs.

Half-time: Fulham 1-0 Peterborough United
Full-time: Fulham 2-1 Peterborough United
Referee: Jarred Gillett



https://www.theposh.com/news/brave-posh-beaten-premier-league-bound-cottagers

[WhiteJC]

Mitrovic: 'The target is to finish first'

Aleksandar Mitrovic was delighted to break the record for Championship goals in a single season with his matchwinning brace against Peterborough tonight – but Fulham's number nine insisted the main target is to lift the league title.

The Serbian striker moved past Ivan Toney's tally last term with a first-half penalty he had won himself and then fired home a second after the break as Marco Silva's side returned to winning ways despite a late goal from Jack Marriott. Mitrovic told FFCTV after the final whistle that he was pleased to claim another goalscoring record, but stressed picking up another three points was even more vital.

"It feels nice. 33 goals – it was a nice feeling for me, but mostly importantly we got three points today. I don't care – a goal is a goal. It is not easy sometimes to take a penalty. I stayed clam. I think the penalty was good and I think today overall was a good performance, it was a deserved win. We should have scored a couple more today – me as well, I should have had a hat-trick – and when you don't score goals, some things happen. I think we managed to get three points and we move on.

I have had quite a few records but this feels nice. I broke the record in the Serbian national team as well and today here. I feel good on the pitch, I feel great. I feel good in this time. As I say, the most important thing today was that we get three points, we play good football and we move. The target is to finish first. Still, fourteen games to play, nothing done yet and we need to focus on the next one, that's Cardiff – which is another tough game."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/02/mitrovic-the-target-is-to-finish-first/

[WhiteJC]

Aleksandar Mitrovic makes history in the Championship
The Serbian star became the first player to score 32 goals in the division.

ALEKSANDAR MITROVIC became the first player to score 32 goals in a Sky Bet Championship season as Fulham extended their lead at the top of the table to nine points with a 2-1 win over Peterborough.

The Serbian's first-half penalty saw him achieve the feat – with 14 games of the regular league campaign remaining – and he reached 33 for the current term with a second strike after the break.

Substitute Marriott pulled one back for relegation-threatened Peterborough at the death.

The visitors, watched by Grant McCann from the directors' box as he is set to return to Posh as manager, made five changes since their defeat by Derby, including Harrison Burrows returning after injury.

They were almost punished after 10 minutes, when Mitrovic headed wide a cross by Neeskens Kebano.

Fulham continued to dominate Peterborough, pushing their backline without being able to find a decisive breakthrough.

Josh Knight was robbed of the ball by Kebano in the 23rd minute, but did well to run back and dispossess the midfielder as he ran in on goal.

Harrison Reid was unable to fully control the ball six yards from goal as he just failed to properly connect with a Mitrovic knockdown.

The Fulham pressure finally paid off in the 28th minute. Mitrovic was fouled in the area by Burrows and the Serbian converted the spot-kick to put the hosts ahead with his record-breaking 32nd goal of the season.

After taking the lead, the west London side continued to press for a second, effectively keeping Peterborough in their own half.

Fulham started the second half as forceful in their attack as they were in the first period of the game.

Peterborough finally started to find their feet in the game though, putting their own pressure on the Fulham defence.

Their best chance of the contest so far came in the 57th minute. Jonson Clarke-Harris took a free-kick on the edge of the area and saw his effort deflected just over the bar.

It was as good as it got for Peterborough, as Fulham reapplied their pressure. Reed put over a first-time effort from a Bobby Decordova-Reid cross, after fine solo work by Neco Williams.

The lead was doubled just after the hour, when Mitrovic volleyed a cross from Kebano to effectively end the Peterborough resistance.

Fulham were looking for more goals, and substitute Ivan Cavaleiro forced goalkeeper Steven Benda to tip over in the 74th minute.

Fabio Carvalho showed impressive skill to work his way from the touchline to a shooting position in the 78th minute, after which he made Benda save his effort.

Benda denied Mitrovic a hat-trick with five minutes of regulation time remaining, when the Serbian found space after a Jean Michael Seri pass, but the stopper denied him with a block.

Peterborough gave themselves late hope, when substitute Marriott broke to finish past Marek Rodak, but the league leaders held on.



https://www.the42.ie/aleksandar-mitrovic-makes-history-in-the-championship-5691639-Feb2022/

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Silva salutes record-breaker Mitrovic

Marco Silva saluted Aleksandar Mitrovic's record-breaking goalscoring exploits after Fulham returned to winning ways with a 2-1 win over Peterborough United tonight.

The Serbian striker scored both goals to move past Ivan Toney's top tally in Championship goals and set a new mark for second-tier goals since the division's rebranding in 2004. The Fulham head coach hailed the in-form number nine during a post-match interview with FFCTV:

"Congratulations to him. The numbers speak for themselves. Thirty-three goals at the end of February, with 14 more games to play, it's fantastic. What I like about him is he's always demanding more and more and more. He knows that from tomorrow I'll demand more and more from him. Mitro's numbers reflect our philosophy and the players have bought into it. We're creating and building something important."

Silva criticised his side's slack defending that offered struggling Peterborough a potential route back in the contest with a minute to go.

"At this level, we cannot make mistakes like we did for their goal. We have to be more aggressive – one goal reopened the game again. Our players know that we should not give them the moment to create chances to score a goal. It's something to keep working with. It doesn't matter what the position of our opponents is in the table, it will be tough if you don't do the basics well."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/02/silva-salutes-record-breaker-mitrovic/

[WhiteJC]

-: FRIDAY STUFF :-

[WhiteJC]

35 years since Fulham Park Rangers

Today marks 35 years since the news broke of a dastardly plan to merge west London rivals Fulham and Queens Park Rangers creating a new club to be known as Fulham Park Rangers. David Bulstrode, who had bought Fulham from Ernie Clay as the owner of Marler Estates, had concluded a secret deal – now splashed across the national newspapers – to buy Rangers and Loftus Road from Jim Gregory, have English football's first merged outfit play at QPR's ground and develop Craven Cottage.

'Bulldozer' Bulstrode's plan to make Loftus Road the home of football in the capital, with Chelsea set to groundshare there should Marler's plan to redevelop Stamford Bridge come to fruition as well, was certainly ambitious. He dismissed the furious outcry from Third Division Fulham's fanbase, asserting: "They will appreciate it is not economical in the long run for the club to continue on it's own". It wasn't the first west London wheeze of its kind – only a few years earlier, Gregory, who was ready to retire after ploughing his money into QPR, tried to bring together Fulham, Chelsea and Rangers to play at Wembley without success.

The supporters were outraged. Rebel Rangers fans set up their own independent supporters' association to led the protests when it emerged that the official supporters' organisation backed the proposals, whilst Fulham's fanbase made clear where their feelings lay. Their home game surged by nearly 3,500 for the first match at Craven Cottage after the Fulham Park Rangers plans became public – a draw with Walsall, whose chairman Terry Ramsden, held a significant shareholding in Marler Estates. A half-time interruption from the fans made the television news. Banners, pitch invasions and public meetings became far important than the football as Fulham's very future was in the balance.

Jimmy Hill headed up a consortium that looked to wrestle control of his old club from Bulstrode's grasp. He was supported by accountant David Shrimpton, whose family had supplied four brothers in the same Fulham starting eleven, and the intervention of local businessman and lifelong supporter, Bill Muddyman, who pledged a personal donation of £150,000 during a hastily-organised campaign meeting at the Whig and Pen.

Hill's celebrity helped generate column inches as well as cash and the consortium purchased the club from Marler and not the Cottage. He took over as chairman with Muddyman, Cyril Swain and David Gardner all part of the new regime. There was an uneasy truce between the property speculators and the football fans. The listed status of both the Cottage and the Stevenage Road stand made Marler's next move particularly difficult and the 1989 recession saw the company collapse. Cabra estates – who purchased Marler – also went under and Fulham were able to conclude a deal with Royal Bank of Scotland, their new landlords.

This wasn't, of course, Fulham's last link with a groundshare at Queens Park Rangers. The fans had to mount another campaign, beginning in 2002, when Mohamed Al-Fayed sought to move them out of Craven Cottage for a new home in White City. 'Back to the Cottage' proved successful when local sites for a new stadium were shown to be thin on the ground and Fulham fans made plain their preference to return to the club's historic home. After two years in exile at Loftus Road, the Whites returned to a revamped Craven Cottage and the final piece in a particularly problematic jigsaw should be the completion of the Riverside Stand this summer.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/02/fulham-park-rangers/

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Mitrovic: a master marksman

Aleksandar Mitrovic surpassing Ivan Toney's Championship goalscoring record felt inevitable since he started finding the net regularly under Marco Silva. The Serbian sped past the Brentford striker's mark with a first-half penalty against Peterborough last night and made sure of the three points after the break with a volley that carried far more firepower in a side-footed finish than it looked. True to his insatiable appetite for goals, Mitrovic was disappointed after the final whistle not to complete his hat trick. He's always set high standards for himself – and is clearly enjoying his football again.

The 27 year-old is a much more mature and confident man than the one who initially turned up at Craven Cottage on loan from Newcastle. Lured to London by the prospect of a reunion with his compatriot Slavisa Jokanovic, Mitrovic's career was at a crossroads. He had been unable to establish himself as a regular in the Premier League with Newcastle and plainly wasn't Rafa Benitez's type of forward. The goals hadn't exactly flowed on Tyneside, but after a slow start he powered Fulham's promotion push with twelve goals in 20 games – playing a full part in a remarkable 23-match unbeaten run and the way the Whites went up through the play-offs.

He thrived off the warmth from the Fulham fanbase and, something crucially overlooked by those who suggest he'll never replicate these extraordinary goalscoring feats in the top flight, he found the net eleven times in a dismal season where the Whites looked out of their depth from the off, despite being led by three different managers. He made have managed 26 goals the following season – and claimed the Championship golden boot – but you always felt he was rather suffocated by Scott Parker's sterile football and proof that the rookie manager didn't trust his number nine arrived the following year. Mitrovic, in the process of breaking the Serbian national goalscoring record, started only three league games and was left kicking his heels as an impotent Fulham outfit went down without a whimper.

There was a very real possibility that Fulham's talisman would be playing his football elsewhere had Parker's infatuation with Bournemouth not come to fruition in the close season. Instead, his remarkable predatory instincts have been fully utilised by Silva: who recognised that a striker with these attributes should be the focal point of an attacking side. Yes, it is in the second tier, but Mitrovic's rate of goalscoring has been remarkable. He now has 33 in 30 league games this season, but his deployment has changed dramatically. He is free to roam around the field, drop into pockets of space to create room for areas, and make his own late runs all the trickier for terrified centre halves to pick up.

Mitrovic's vision and passing has also been underrated by the pundits who pigeon hole him as 'a typical old-fashioned centre forward'. In Silva's fluid 4-2-3-1, he frequently starts attacks as often as he finishes them. The goal Fabio Carvalho scored at Manchester City in the FA Cup owed everything to a beautifully weighted ball to Harry Wilson, whilst the Welshman was also the beneficiary of a sublime bit of skill when he put a goal on a plate for Neeskens Kebano at Reading last month. Mitrovic now averages around 26 passes a game and has seven assists to his name: he looks both fitter and more mobile under Silva and is an integral part of Fulham's pressing game, a role Parker professed him unable to perform.

In his remarks after the win over Peterborough, Mitrovic played down the significance of overhauling Toney in the context of the promotion. The ultimate team man, the Serbian insisted that returning to winning ways after the weekend slip-up against Huddersfield was more important. He's told the Athletic that any celebration can wait until the end of the season once the Whites are holding up the league trophy. Mitrovic is such a rich vein of form, who knows how many goals he'll have got by then? George Camsell's all-time second tier record of 59 feels out of reach, but he should be able to beat Guy Whittingham's 42 from 1992/93. There's also the prospect of reaching a century of Fulham goals – he needs fourteen to bring up that landmark too.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/02/mitrovic-a-master-marksman/

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Away Day Guide – Cardiff City

It's a trip to South Wales this weekend for the mighty Whites as we look to strengthen our lead at the top of the table against Cardiff.
TICKETING INFORMATION

Tickets are currently on sale to Fulham fans priced at £23 for adults, £18 for those aged 60 and above, £12 for those aged between 16 and 21 and £10 for juniors under 16.
GETTING TO THE CARDIFF CITY STADIUM
BY CAR


To avoid being caught up in city centre traffic, exit the M4 at junction 33 and take the A4232 towards Cardiff/Barry. Keep on the A4232 towards Cardiff and then leave the dual carriageway at the B4267 exit. At the end of the slip road, turn left at the roundabout, following the signs for the Cardiff International Athletics Stadium. The stadium is situated a short distance down this road on the right. Parking in the nearby retail park is only available for 90 minutes and traffic wardens also operate in the area on match days.
BY TRAIN

Most trains from London will head into Cardiff Central. You can walk to the ground from this station, which takes approximately 25 minutes. As you come out of the entrance to the station, bear left and at the bottom of the station approach road, turn left. Continue straight on into Ninian Park Road, for around a mile passing the Millennium Stadium on your right. At the end of Ninian Park Road turn left and then left into Leckwith Road and you will soon see the stadium on your left hand side. You can take a taxi from Cardiff Central (cost around £7) or catch the 95 bus – heading towards Barry – from the stop next to the station.

The closest station to the ground is Ninian Park Halt, which is about five minutes walk away. You can reach this station from Cardiff Central and trains run roughly every 30 minutes on Saturdays. When you come out of the station, go left along Leckwith Road and the stadium is clearly visible on the left hand side.

Grangetown Station, which is between 15 and 20 minutes walk away, is also served by trains from Cardiff Central. After exiting the station, turn left, go across the main road and turn right into Sloper Road. Turn left into the protected compound at the HSS Plant Hire and you will see the away supporters' entrance right in front of you.
BY COACH

The official club coaches depart from Motspur Park and Craven Cottage at 9.15am on matchday priced at £20 for adult season ticket holders and members and £15 for juniors (£25 adults; £20 for juniors on general sale).
AWAY PUBS

Most pubs in the vicinity of the ground are for home fans only. The traditionally recognised away pub is The Lansdowne (71 Beda Road, Cardiff, CF5 ILX) in the Canton area of Cardiff, which is about a fifteen minute walk from the ground. A good selection of draught ales and lagers are available and there are large screens showing Sky TV as well as an award-wining food menu. The Lansdowne does get very busy on match days.

Fulham fans have also previously enjoyed the Gol Centre on (Lawrenny Ave, Cardiff CF11 8BR), which runs a bar that welcomes away fans and is about an eight minute walk from the stadium. Anyone wishing to park at the centre will be charged £5 – but will be given a bar voucher for the same amount that can be redeemed for food and drink purchases.

Canton Rugby Football Club (Lawrenny Avenue, Cardiff CF11 8BR), situated further along the same road as Gol, has an inviting bar, large screen TVs showing Sky Sports and offers free parking.

The Prince of Wales (81-83 St. Mary Street, Cardiff, CF10 1FA) is the nearest Wetherspoons option and is about a 25 minute walk from the Cardiff City Stadium. The usual cheap alcohol options and reasonably-priced food is available at a venue that is very hospitable towards visiting supporters.

The Cottage (11 Sanquhar Street, CF24 2AA) has been a popular haunt for Fulham fans here for obvious reasons but it provides an excellent food menu and a wide selection of beers.

Otherwise, Fulham fans are best advised to drink in the city centre before heading to the ground. Some pubs are likely to refuse entry to away supporters wearing colours.



https://www.fulhamsupporterstrust.com/news/2022/02/away-day-guide-cardiff-city/

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'What will make Mitro the happiest is...' – Silva has his say on Aleksandar Mitrovic after Fulham man smashes Championship goals record

Fulham manager Marco Silva has hailed Aleksandar Mitrovic after he broke the Championship goal-scoring record last night, but insists that his goals are a result of team efforts.

Fulham won 2-1 at home to Peterborough United in the Championship last night. The Whites had the lead at half-time thanks to a Mitrovic penalty, with the Serb doubling his side's lead after the restart.

Jack Marriott pulled one back for Posh late on but Fulham held on for the win, which gives them a nine-point lead over Bournemouth in 2nd and an 11-point lead over QPR in 3rd.

Arguably the main story coming out of last night's game at Craven Cottage though is Mitrovic's record-breaking goal. His first goal of last night took him to 32 in the league for this season, setting the new record for amount of goals scored in a single Championship season.

His second goal of the game takes his season tally to 33, smashing the record of 31 set by Ivan Toney last season and with plenty of games still remaining.

Speaking to fulhamfc.com after the game, Fulham boss Silva had this to say on Mitrovic:

"Mitro knows the main thing and goal for all of us. All the goals come as a consequence of us doing our jobs.

"The main thing about breaking the record is that it reflects our philosophy and is a consequence of us playing as a team, right from the very first game against Boro.

"He was really calm in the dressing room, of course he was happy and everyone congratulated him.

"What will make Mitro the happiest is what will come in May and that is the same as what the Football Club wants."

Ready for the Premier League?
There seems to be no doubting that Fulham will earn promotion this season. But whether or not Mitrovic will be ready to finally take on the Premier league next time round remains a debatable question.

He's fallen short in previous seasons but this time round, under the more attacking approach of Silva, Mitrovic has come into his prime.

His all-round play has really come on this season and finally, the striker looks primed to meet the Premier League head on, and hopefully score enough goals to keep Fulham in the top flight for some years to come.

Up next for the London club is a trip to Cardiff City on Saturday.



https://the72.co.uk/264014/what-will-make-mitro-the-happiest-is-silva-has-his-say-on-aleksandar-mitrovic-after-fulham-man-smashes-championship-goals-record/

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Neeskens Kebano sends message to Aleksandar Mitrovic after record-breaking moment at Fulham

Aleksandar Mitrovic broke Ivan Toney's Championship record of 31 league goals in a season, with a brace in Fulham's 2-1 win over Peterborough United on Tuesday evening.

The Cottagers currently boast one of the most high profile attacking contingents the second tier has seen in recent years, and that has played a significant role in Mitrovic's continued success.

Neeskens Kebano has been a key player in their promotion push despite being out of favour last season as the club were relegated from the Premier League.

The 29-year-old was sent out on loan to Middlesbrough in the second half of the campaign, but has made up for lost time and cemented a first team place under Marco Silva this time around.

Kebano took to Twitter to congratulate Mitrovic and reflect on yet another victory for the Cottagers

He wrote: "A very good game last night and a deserved victory.

"Congrats Aleksandar for your fabulous goalscoring record!"

https://twitter.com/Neeskens_Kebano/status/1496755085493350401

Harry Wilson and Bobby Decordova-Reid along with Kebano will be hoping that their performances this season are repaid with regular game time in the Premier League next season.

Marco Silva has experienced his fair share of ups and downs in the top-flight, and will be hoping that Fulham will finally prove to be the right fit for him to succeed in England.

The Verdict

Fulham have opened up an 11 point cushion on third placed Queens Park Rangers and will already be thinking about picking up the league title.

The Cottagers have spent big in summer transfer windows previously and not been successful, so there is a chance that even at board level an agreement is met for the current crop of attacking talent to be given a run in the top-flight.

Even Mitrovic himself was not first choice for the majority of last season, making a mockery of Scott Parker's team selections and having been through his peaks and troughs in the Premier League over the years, the Serbian will be looking to prove a point with his performances next season.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/neeskens-kebano-sends-message-to-aleksandar-mitrovic-after-record-breaking-moment-at-fulham/