Monday Fulham Stuff (08/12/14)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Signing session at the Cottage

Join us at the Stadium Store to meet four of your Fulham heroes in one of our amazing signing sessions!

Come down to the Cottage on Tuesday 9th December where you can not only meet Scott Parker, Cauley Woodrow, Patrick Roberts and Elsad Zverotić, but you can get their signatures as well.

Between 5pm and 7pm at the Stadium Store, the Fulham Captain - together with the other three Whites stars - will sign whatever you have, either as a special memento for yourself or else a special Christmas gift for someone else.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Buy One Get One Free on Home and Away Kit!

Take advantage of the last day of our Buy One Get One Free offer on adidas 2014/15 Home and Away Replica Kits on Tuesday.

The offer is currently running up until the end of Tuesday December 9th.

Shop direct on 0843 208 1223, at the Stadium Store, or online today.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/december/06/signing-session-at-the-cottage?

[WhiteJC]

 
The Sound of Success - Fulham 0-5 Watford
Much to admire in last night's display, but the work rate and willingness to hassle and harry to regain possession was so good to see. Fulham weren't allowed to settle and Watford weren't afraid to do the dirty work to ensure they weren't allowed back into the game. That grit and effort combined with imagination, skill and flair made for the performance we've been waiting for - More please!



http://fromtherookeryend.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/the-sound-of-success-fulham-0-5-watford.html

[WhiteJC]

 
City 'a breath of fresh' air for Smith

On-loan striker Matt Smith will have to sit out Bristol City's cup tie against Telford PICTURE: ROGAN THOMSON/JMP

Matt Smith describes playing for Bristol City as a "breath of fresh air" following months of frustration at Fulham.

Out of favour at Craven Cottage, the big striker has played just 40 minutes of Championship football since moving to West London from Leeds on August 31.

Told by recently-appointed Cottagers' boss Kit Symons that his first-team chances will be severely limited, he jumped at the opportunity to join League One leaders City ahead of last week's deadline for emergency loan signings.

Smith made his debut as a second-half substitute in last Friday's emphatic 3-0 win at Peterborough and, although he will have to sit out tomorrow's FA Cup second-round tie against Telford because parent club Fulham have refused City's request for him to play, he is determined to repay Robins boss Steve Cotterill for showing faith in him.

"Bristol City is a big club with Championship ambition, which is very attractive," said Smith, who was brought to Fulham from Leeds by Felix Magath, the German who was sacked as manager of the West London club in October.

Symons succeeded him and promptly deployed Hugo Rodallega alongside £11 million signing Ross McCormack in attack, leaving Smith out in the cold.

The former Oldham target man added: "It is one of those situations where a new manager has come in and has his own way of playing.

"I don't really fit in to that and it's just one of those things that happen in football.

"Fulham are going really well and my game-time is going to be limited there. We had a conversation the other week and he told me he wouldn't stand in my way if I wanted to look for a loan option as a possibility.

"It's a new situation for me – I've never previously experienced not being involved at all. I've played throughout my career or at least been a Plan B.

"This last couple of months has probably been the most frustrating time of my career.

"I'm not the kind of character who likes training just for the sake of training. I like to be involved, I like to play and I like to feel as though I'm making a contribution.

"Coming to Bristol City is like a breath of fresh air for me. I'm grateful for the opportunity to come to such a great club and I intend taking it with both hands."

Meanwhile, Telford boss Liam Watson says the second- round tie does not compare with next Tuesday's Conference date with Welling.

Non-league Telford's proud FA Cup history gets the pulse racing when they are paired with league opposition.

But Watson is enough of a realist to know that his side's precarious league position is more of a concern.

"Welling is a far bigger game than Bristol City," he said. "That's the way I look at it. Tuesday' is huge for us."

City's Aden Flint has missed out on the November Sky Bet League One player of the month award.

The 25-year-old centre-back had been nominated for his maturity and command in the air as well as being a threat at set pieces. However, the judges went for MK Dons midfielder Carl Baker, who scored a winner against Port Vale and two assists in the 6-0 win over Colchester.



Read more: http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/City-breath-fresh-air-Smith/story-25253173-detail/story.html?#ixzz3LESXlkqX
Follow us: @WesternDaily on Twitter | WesternDaily on Facebook

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham will learn from Watford mauling, says Symons

Cottagers boss reckons his side will bounce back from 5-0 drubbing

Kit Symons says his Fulham troops will learn from their home hammering by Watford.

The Cottagers had keeper Marcus Bettinelli sent off as they crashed to their heaviest defeat since Symons took charge in September.

But the Fulham boss is confident the drubbing was just a blip and backed his side to recover.

He said: "We started very poorly and Watford came out all guns blazing. When we went down to 10 and fell 2-0 behind it left us with a mountain to climb. It was very difficult from there.

"You've got to try and learn from it. There's a lot of hard work and a lot of improvement that needs to be done.

"Although 5-0 is a heavy defeat it wasn't a capitulation. The boys showed real character and the players never downed tools. The one small crumb of comfort is that didn't happen to the team."


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-learn-watford-mauling-says-8238149?

[WhiteJC]

 
Leeds United: Injured Bellusci targeting Fulham return

Giuseppe Bellusci is targeting a return to fitness before Saturday's clash with Fulham as Leeds United head coach Neil Redfearn looks to address the defensive failings which invited a heavy defeat at Ipswich Town.

Bellusci missed United's visit to Portman Road with a hamstring strain and was absent from a side that conceded four times in 48 minutes and paid the price for a fragile performance.

Redfearn recalled Jason Pearce after deciding not to gamble on Bellusci, pairing Pearce with Liam Cooper in the centre of defence, but the solidity shown during an impressive win over Derby County seven days earlier evaporated in Suffolk.

United took an early lead through Mirco Antenucci's eighth goal of the season but Daryl Murphy equalised with a free header soon after and a penalty from David McGoldrick – awarded for a foul by Stephen Warnock on Paul Anderson – edged Ipswich in front on 26 minutes.

Murphy then put the game beyond Leeds with a soft effort on the stroke of half-time and a tap-in from Christophe Berra early in the second half rounded off Ipswich's 4-1 victory.

Bellusci was a doubt for much of the week leading up to the game but his injury is not serious and Redfearn is crossing his fingers that the Italian recovers in time for Fulham's visit to Elland Road this weekend.

Redfearn, who admitted that he had intended to use an unchanged side at Ipswich, said: "He's got a bit of a hamstring strain but we don't think it's a bad one.

"It was always going to be a couple of weeks or so but hopefully he'll be available for the Fulham game.

"We'll have to see how he's doing this week. It'll be touch and go.

"After the performance and the result we had against Derby, the last thing I wanted to do was change the side but it was enforced.

"In an ideal scenario I'd have kept the same team but you have to accept these things. Jason came in and played his part."

Pearce had been a fixture in United's line-up prior to Redfearn dropping him ahead of a 2-0 win over Derby and he captained the club through the first four months of the season after inheriting the armband under former head coach David Hockaday.

But Stephen Warnock, who led Leeds in their victory against Derby, retained the captaincy at Portman Road and looks likely to stay in the role for the foreseeable future.

"Steve skippered a side who played really well last weekend and I didn't want to make changes if I didn't have to," Redfearn said.

"Jason had been out of the side and he came back in but Steve kept the armband. That was the long and short of it."

Redfearn attempted to shore up his side after Ipswich's fourth goal, introducing Rodolph Austin from the bench and preventing any further concessions.

"We had to do something because it could have gone to five or six," he said.

"The manner of the goals we conceded was disappointing.

If we could have come in at half-time 2-1 down then maybe we could have done something about it and got at them in the second half.

"I'm gutted because I expected us to give a far better account of ourselves.

"But we've got to iron out the problems and go again. It happens."


http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/latest-whites-news/leeds-united-injured-bellusci-targeting-fulham-return-1-6992571

[rogerpbackinMidEastUS]

I love it when they say "We will learn from it"

Managers have been saying that for decades and still haven't learned.