Wednesday Fulham Stuff (24/12/14)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Don't overlook Lasse Vigen Christensen. He's quickly moved to the head of Fulham's impressive youth class.

Coming into the season, everyone knew that Fulham's youth would play a big part. The surprising thing is just which player has really stepped forward.

Fulham fans were excited about the contributions that could come from the youth team for this season. Cauley Woodrow was getting time with the England U-20's. Moussa Dembele couldn't stop scoring goals on the way to the FA Youth Cup final. Chris David looked to be a creative center midfielder with a wicked shot on him. Patrick Roberts was one of the best 17 year old prospects in all of England.

A player that we didn't mention at all though was Lasse Vigen Christensen. Perhaps because he was with the U-21's last year and not the magical U-18 squad, he got lost in the shuffle. He also was one of the U-21 players that didn't really break into the squad last year. There was little to suggest how good the young Danish player was going to be.

It probably didn't help that Felix Magath seemed not to favor him at all (just add that to the list of things he fouled up). His first appearance was as a halftime substitute when Magath yanked a Emerson Hyndman at halftime. I'm sure the way to build confidence in young players is to always have them looking over their shoulders. But with Magath you would need to, because his second appearance saw Christensen yanked at halftime.

Then came Kit Symons. No player has grown more under his tutelage than LVC. He started the first game under Kit and has been a mainstay ever since. If you had told me that his season would end with 5 goals, 5 assists, and 82% pass completion; I'd have said he had a great year. Instead he's hit those marks less than halfway through. He's shown ability that is simply frightening. The goal against Sheffield Wednesday is the perfect example. Not only does he create and lead the break, he continues his run and calmly finishes his chance. If you haven't seen it you need to, and even if you have you should watch it again.

It was always going to be hard to keep all of our players from getting poached by bigger clubs. Thankfully LVC has a contract that runs through June of 2017. However, if I'm at the club, I think long and hard about signing him through 2018 or 2019 with a bump in salary. He's the kind of player you can build around long term. I can imagine him and Hyndman running an effective double pivot for the next decade.


http://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2014/12/22/7435217/dont-overlook-lasse-vigen-christensen-Fulham-youth-movement

[WhiteJC]

 
Former boss Magath slams 'sensitive' Fulham

Former Fulham manager Felix Magath criticised the attitudes of English footballers, after his brief stint at Craven Cottage.

Magath was in charge for Fulham's relegation to the Championship in May and his tenure in charge of the London outfit ended after picking up just one point in seven matches to begin life in the second tier on a low note.

The German's last matches in charge were 3-0 and 5-3 losses to Reading and Nottingham Forest respectively, as his time in charge was limited to little over seven months.

The 61-year-old, whose stint at Fulham was his first role either playing or coaching outside of Germany, lambasted the attitudes of his local contingent in west London.

"The English find it hard to train. What sort of professional sportsmen can't train twice a day? For me it's a complete joke," Magath said, according to spox.com.

Magath was also scathing of the English national team, and said Fulham's players were not conducive to criticism.

"Unlike Germany, who've enjoyed success for 50 years, the English haven't had any success in 50 years," Magath said.
"Given the German mentality, we're extremely well-suited to team sports such as football.
"On the other hand the Fulham players had disciplinary problems and were very sensitive."

Fulham have recovered from their slow start to the Championship season, climbing to 13th with 28 points - only 10 points outside the promotion play-off spots through 22 matches.



Read more at http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/magath-slams-sensitive-fulham#0R4xpRoQ2VrSxKgI.99

[WhiteJC]

 
DERBY COUNTY: Rams linked with Fulham striker Ross McCormack

TRANSFER speculation linking Derby County with Fulham striker Ross McCormack has been dismissed by the striker himself.

Stories circulated in the summer of Derby eyeing McCormack before he made his £11m move to Craven Cottage.

A national newspaper has suggested the Rams are looking to sign the Scottish international, but he said: "The manager has not even said anything to me about the reports, so that shows you how much truth there is in them.

"Newspaper speculation is the world we are living in. I have read it and a few of the lads have been having a bit of banter about it.

"I'm happy here. Fulham paid a nice bit of money to bring me here and I'm just looking to repay them by giving good performances."

The Rams travel to rejuvenated Birmingham City on Boxing Day, where they will be up against "the Rowett effect".

Former Rams favourite and Burton Albion manager Gary Rowett has transformed the fortunes of the Blues since taking over.

From looking like relegation certainties in the Championship, Birmingham are now only three points from ninth-placed Nottingham Forest and 10 points from the Championship's play-off zone

But David Cotterill, who scored a spectacular winner against Huddersfield at the weekend, said no one was getting carried away.

"Nothing has been discussed. We are just taking each game as it comes," he said. "Hopefully we can keep the run going.

"If you put a few wins in the Championship together you are sort of looking up rather than down.

"It is a crazy league. At one point we were bottom three and everybody probably had us to get relegated.

"But the new manager has come in and everyone has risen to the occasion."

"All the lads have responded. He's great around the place, he is always positive every day.



Read more: http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/DERBY-COUNTY-Rams-linked-Fulham-striker-Ross/story-25754115-detail/story.html?#ixzz3MjyGZdk5
Follow us: @BurtonMailNews on Twitter | BurtonNews on Facebook

[WhiteJC]

 
Inside The Goldsands Stadium

Ahead of our Boxing Day encounter, AFC Bournemouth fan Steve Wright gives us his take on the Cherries.


It's been a superb season so far for Bournemouth – are you surprised to see them at the top of the Sky Bet Championship?

It's definitely taken some getting used to! There was an expectation from a lot of fans to push on after a strong finish last season, but I don't think anyone expected us to do quite this well, at least I certainly didn't! Then again, I think last season we established that we were just as good – if not better – then the bulk of the teams in the league, and now we're putting this belief into practice. Ironically, question a number of fans about our recent form, and they'll point to the home leads we've let slip as an indication that things could be better. Nevertheless, considering our current position you'll get no complaints from me!

Is it hard to believe that it was only a few years ago that things looked bleak at the bottom of League Two?

It does give you food for thought, yes. In truth, few people realise just how bad things were. By the time Eddie Howe was appointed manager, we were still massively adrift in the bottom two, relegation was looking certain, and our future prospects non-existent. His appointment was a last throw of the dice from a club on its knees, but thankfully we hit a six, and from there things have kept getting better.

The club has changed almost beyond recognition in all the right departments, going from a club on its way out of the Football League to one looking towards the Premier League. The fact that there was a genuine belief among some of our fans that we would beat Liverpool on Wednesday shows how much the stakes, and with it expectations, have risen!

Eddie Howe has done an unbelievable job at the club, just how popular is he with the Cherries fans?

The word 'legend' is over-used, but for Eddie it definitely applies. He was already a club legend for his exploits as a player before he took over – now, he has gone stratospheric. He avoided relegation and took us into League One with a transfer embargo, would have got us into the Championship the season after if he hadn't moved to Burnley, and now it's pretty safe to say that he's pipped Harry Redknapp as the best manager in our history.

Of course, no-one is immune from criticism, and Eddie is a young manager who has made mistakes, but more importantly he seems to learn from them. Some opposition managers have chosen to highlight the fact that he has a bit of money to spend, but he hasn't exactly splashed the cash; the only relatively big-money deals he has been involved with are Callum Wilson (offset by the money we got from selling Lewis Grabban to Norwich) and Tokelo Rantie (who still hasn't quite hit his stride yet), with the rest of our buys being either free transfers or bargains. In summary, I doubt there's a manager in the country who enjoys such popularity among his fans, perhaps Mourinho aside.

Do you think you can keep this promotion charge going until the end of the season?

As long as we continue to have good luck with injuries and/or strengthen slightly in one or two key positions, then yes, I don't see why not. There's real momentum among the team now, and we've proved beyond doubt that there's nothing to fear from any of our opponents, so I'm confident of finishing in the top-six at least.

Who have been Bournemouth's stand-out players so far this term?

There's a lot of choice, to be fair! Callum Wilson's goals have meant Lewis Grabban's absence has barely been noticed, let alone felt, and Harry Arter and Andrew Surman have formed an excellent partnership in the centre of midfield, restricting some very good players to a limited number of appearances in the process. On the right-hand side, Simon Francis and Matt Ritchie have put a seemingly telepathic understanding to devastating effect, and centre-back Steve Cook has apparently courted attention from Premier League clubs in recent weeks.

Which Fulham players do you think could cause Bournemouth some problems?

The big names like Scott Parker, Ross McCormack and Hugo Rodallega jump out at me – McCormack in particular looked dangerous in a poor Leeds side last season, and Parker will be up against his brother-in-law Harry Arter, which could be a tasty encounter! Much has also been made of some of the younger players in your team, and with the resurgence you guys seem to be experiencing of late, I'm sure you'll have plenty of surprises for us!

What's the best and worst thing about visiting the Goldsands Stadium?

The surrounding environment is pretty nice, having had a lot of improvements made to it in recent years, and looks more professional and inviting as a result.

However, its size is an obvious downside, and will have to increase should we progress further up the leagues – in fact, it probably will have to be increased in any case. Inside the ground, it's much like a lot of the stadiums built in the Nineties/early Noughties, with not a lot to distinguish it from other grounds, save for the minor touches that have been made in recent years.

What's one chant we can expect to hear from the home fans?

'Red Army' is an old favourite – not exactly original admittedly, but it gets the crowd going, although 'We're on our way' has also been popular this season.

Where's a good place for away fans to go for a pint before the game?

Most of the big pubs near the stadium are home fans-only unfortunately. Depending on how early you get there, your best bet is probably going to one of the Wetherspoons either in Bournemouth town centre or on Holdenhurst Road, which is roughly a 20-minute walk from the ground.

What score prediction are you going for?

I'm going for 2-2 – we'll score, but at the same time our defending in the final third has come back to haunt us, and considering your form I think we could get punished.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/december/23/inside-the-goldsands?

[WhiteJC]

 
QPR striker looks to Fulham days for survival inspiration

Rangers frontman Bobby Zamora says teams can stay despite poor away records

Home is where the heart is for Bobby Zamora.

The QPR striker worked his socks off again to help Charlie Austin hit the headlines with a stunning hat-trick to turn the tables on West Brom at Loftus Road on Saturday.

All 17 of Rangers' points in the Premier League this have been collected in Shepherd's Bush this term while they are yet to record a win after eight attempts on the road.

Victory over the Baggies saw Harry Redknapp's boys climb out of the drop zone and if their stunning home performances continue it should be enough to save them from relegation.

Zamora knows exactly how important it is to make your ground a fortress from his days at west London rivals Fulham.

Craven Cottage became a difficult place to go while the former Spurs man was leading the line and he is drawing on that experience again now.

"We will pick up points away from home," Zamora said.

"We know that but as long as our home form is good then we're in with a fighting chance. My Fulham side that did well didn't have a great away record.

"We ground out a few draws and they become important – five points away from home does make a big difference. Hopefully we can turn those losses into draws."

QPR's next crack at an away win comes on Boxing Day when they travel to Arsenal's Emirates Stadium.

"They may have struggled defensively according to you guys - attacking they aren't," Zamora said of the Gunners.

"If you say our [the strikers] eyes light up then Dunney and Caulks' heads hang a bit. They're a great side. It takes hard work from us and a bit of luck.  If we had the 20 minutes like we did it won't help us. Hopefully we start like West Brom did but we're always in with a shout with Charlie.



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/qpr-striker-looks-fulham-days-8331281?

[WhiteJC]

 
Nigerian Etuhu turns down English offers to join AIK

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Fans of Swedish club AIK got an early Christmas present when Nigeria international and former Manchester City, Fulham and Sunderland midfielder Dickson Etuhu signed for the Stockholm side on Tuesday.

The 32-year-old, who moves to Sweden following an injury-hit two years at Blackburn Rovers, told Reuters he had no regrets about leaving England but that he cannot wait to get started at his new club.

"I'm excited, I've got this feeling inside me that I've just never had," he said. "A lot of people said to me 'stay in England'. I've played in England all my career. I wanted something different."

Etuhu had offers from clubs in England and abroad but wanted a change, moving to an AIK side who finished third in last season's Swedish championship.

"(In England) I'm going to play some games, win some games, but I'm never going to win a title. I want to come here and test myself, a different language, different style, different players and real fans," he said.

A regular visitor to Sweden with former Fulham and Blackburn team mate Danny Murphy, Etuhu said winning the title with AIK was the most important thing on his mind.

"That's why I'm here - if it was for the money I wouldn't be here, would I?" he said. "I feel like I'm as fit as the younger ones. I want to feel like I enjoy football and make an impact."

The tough-tackling midfielder has been training at Fulham, for whom he played in the 2010 Europa League final.

Capped 20 times by Nigeria, Etuhu has also played under Swedish coach Lars Lagerback, who led the side at the 2010 World Cup, as well as current England boss Roy Hodgson, who is revered in Sweden following his spell as manager at Malmo.

Etuhu will return to London to celebrate Christmas but is looking forward to getting started in his more chilly surroundings.

"I just want to find somewhere to stay here and get into training," he said.

(Editing by Ed Osmond)


http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/12/24/nigerian-etuhu-turns-down-english-offers-join-aik?

[WhiteJC]

 
The Tony Gale Column

Last weekend was very enjoyable with that win over Sheffield Wednesday, and I thought it was important we got the three points. We got the win up at Leeds United the previous week and so to back that up with another three points really blew the cobwebs away from that Watford game. That's exactly what we needed to do after getting slaughtered 5-0 in the last home game. You want to get your home form on track and to get a win against another team that's in and around us was great.

Winning by that margin was enough to see us move above Wednesday in the table, so that's another little bonus that makes looking at the standings all the better. I don't think there was a conscious effort to try and beat them 4-0 but that scoreline is a fantastic result. Any win in the Championship, even if you nick it by the odd goal, is a great result, but to win by four gives you that little bit of extra confidence going into the next games. And it showed we can score goals. The important thing was the three points and taking that into the festive features.

League leaders Bournemouth provide our next opposition, and I've been a little surprised to see them up there, but it's whether they can sustain it. You suspect they might do because they've got a little bit of a stronghold down there on the south coast, and Eddie Howe's proving to be a good manager. You can't fault the job he's done at Bournemouth – they're flying at the moment and won 6-1 at Blackpool in their last game. I know Blackpool aren't having a great time of it but a big win like that is a huge confidence booster.


I think Bournemouth will play the same type of football as us, which will suit us. They do pass it around really well and they play a Premier League-style of football, I don't think they're an in-your-face team. So I think whoever plays the best football on the day will win. Obviously they're favourites, they're flying high but if we get something from the game it will be a great confidence boost.

After that we welcome Brighton to the Cottage in what's a reverse fixture of a short while ago when we beat them 2-1 at their place. It was a good win there so we've certainly got the psychological advantage on them, but you can't take anything for granted. But that will be a good game – I like watching Brighton play and hopefully we can sign off 2014 with a win. They'll have a new man in the dugout so let's hope that 'new manager syndrome' doesn't work in their favour. I don't think it necessarily will - look at Reading, for example. They just hired a new manager but lost 1-0 to 10-men at the weekend.

I know a lot of people take time off work around this period – not me though. Christmas Eve I'm in the studio, Boxing Day I'm at Crystal Palace, the 27th I'm watching my non-League team, the 28th is West Ham and the 29th I'll be at Craven Cottage for the Brighton game. So it's a busy festive period for me, but I prefer it that way. Stop all this whinging about too many Christmas fixtures, I love it! I loved it as a player and I love it as a pundit. We're in the entertainment industry so let's just get on with it, because it's fabulous.

That's it from me until 2015 then. I'd just like to wish everyone at Fulham and all the supporters a very Merry Christmas! Have a good one – Galey.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/december/23/the-tony-gale-column

[WhiteJC]

 
AFC Bournemouth: Harry Arter ready for Scott Parker battle

Bournemouth midfielder Harry Arter will share a Christmas dinner table with brother-in-law Scott Parker of Fulham, but says the niceties will be over by the time they meet on the pitch.

Fellow midfielder Parker, 34, is married to Arter's sister Carly.

And a quirk of the fixture list sees the two players come face-to-face in the Championship on Boxing Day.

"It's going to be a surreal sort of game for both of us," Arter told BBC Radio Solent.

"I think it's a credit to how far we've come at Bournemouth that we're playing against the likes of Scott. It's going to be a good day personally for my family, and I'm looking forward to it.

"If we were left-backs then we'd be on opposite sides of the pitch, but as it is we'll be playing directly opposite each other in central midfield.

The Cherries are currently top of the Championship table, and unbeaten in 12 league games, while Fulham are down in 13th position.

The two families have had special half-and-half Bournemouth and Fulham shirts made up for the younger children, to reflect their interest in both teams' fortunes on the day.

"Scott's got four boys, and I'm sure deep down they'll want their Dad to win, but they love both of us doing well, so there'll be some split loyalties," said Arter, who will celebrate his 25th birthday two days after the Boxing Day clash.

Like Parker, a former Charlton youngster, he returned to the Football League with the Cherries in 2010 after a spell with non-league Woking and has been one of the lynchpins of Bournemouth's success this season.

"I've probably only started realising as I've got older how much Scott has helped me in my game," he said.

"During the tougher times when I was playing in lower leagues, he made sure I was as professional as I could be.

"He's been a top player all of his career, and, without necessarily realising it, I've probably looked up to him through my whole career too."



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30590786

[WhiteJC]

 
Preview: Bournemouth vs. Fulham

Bournemouth will be looking to ensure that they end Boxing Day top of the pile when they host Fulham at The Goldsands Stadium this Friday.

The Cherries currently lead the way in the Championship, but anything other than a draw in the early kickoff between Brentford and Ipswich Town would see them start their own match second in the table.

However, Eddie Howe will know that, whatever happens elsewhere, Bournemouth will hold top spot if they do their own job, and they will be confident of picking up another victory.

The Cherries emphatically consolidated their position as both league leaders and the league's top scorers with a 6-1 victory away to Blackpool on Saturday, making it 11 goals in their last two Championship outings.

The win would have especially pleased Howe considering their exit from the League Cup at the hands of Liverpool last Wednesday, their only defeat in 14 matches in all competitions.

They remain unbeaten in 12 in the league, the longest run in the division and one that includes nine victories, while they haven't lost a Championship game at home since the middle of September.

The omens are good for the second half of the season too, with the last six teams to have been top of the Championship on Christmas Day going on to win automatic promotion.

Steve Cook, Harry Arter and Tommy Elphick have all started every league match for the club this season and are expected to maintain that record on Friday, while Matt Ritchie will also keep his place having scored five goals in his last five league games.

The Cherries will be coming up against a side full of confidence themselves having picked up a resounding victory of their own on Saturday, putting four past the usually stingy Sheffield Wednesday defence.

That made it back-to-back victories for the first time in over two months for the Cottagers, putting them within striking distance of the top half coming up to the midway point in the season.

Kit Symons will be particularly pleased with consecutive clean sheets for the first time since February 2013, although they do still have the joint worst defensive record in the league.

Things are improving away from home, however, with Fulham having won their last two games on the road, and another maximum point haul on Boxing Day would give them three consecutive away victories in the same season for the first time since 2008.

However, they have won just two of their last 16 league matches against Bournemouth and rarely would have come up against a Cherries outfit this strong.

They will be hoping that Ross McCormack has not been unsettled by speculation over his future, with the striker having had a hand in eight goals in his last nine games for the club, scoring three and setting up another five.

He is once again expected to lead the line alongside Hugo Rodallega in what could be an unchanged side for Symons.

Bournemouth:

Form in Championship: DDDWWW
Form in all competitions: DDWWLW

Possible starting lineup: Boruc; Francis, Elphick, Cook, Daniels; Ritchie, Arter, Surman, Pugh; Pitman, Wilson

Fulham:

Recent form: WLWLWW

Possible starting lineup: Bettinelli; Grimmer, Bodurov, Hutchinson, Stafylidis; Christensen, Parker, Ruiz, Fofana; Rodallega, McCormack

Sports Mole says: 3-2


http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/bournemouth/on-the-sofa/preview/preview-bournemouth-vs-fulham_195317.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
AFC Bournemouth: Harry Arter set for Christmas Day with Fulham man Scott Parker

HARRY Arter will be deep behind enemy lines when he sits down to Christmas dinner this year – with Fulham's Scott Parker his host.

Arter is due to attend a family gathering at brother-in-law Parker's Surrey base on Christmas Day, some 24 hours before potentially facing the ex-West Ham man at Dean Court (3pm).

The Cherries midfielder has credited Parker – married to Arter's older sister Carly – as being "a massive influence" on his career.

The duo have never met in a competitive game but Arter insists his close bond with the England international will not blunt his competitive edge.

He told the Daily Echo: "Spending Christmas together is something we have done since I was seven so we're used to it now. We're doing it at his house this year and I'm sure the game will get brought up.

"We have spoken about it already and it's something that we laugh about but when it comes down to it we both know that there at 10 other players relying on us.

"Supporters are counting on both of us and it would make their Christmas to win the game, so I don't think we can afford to let family ties get in the way.

"There is no way either of us will be taking it lightly and we will both be going for it. It's going to be a strange day for the family but I'm sure it's one we can all enjoy."

Following a woeful start to the season under Felix Magath, Fulham's fortunes have improved markedly under Kit Symons and the Cottagers are currently 13th, just 10 points off the play-off places.

And Arter believes that Fulham have the potential to climb even higher under Symons's direction.

He added: "If they had had him in charge since the start of the season then they would be in a healthier position than they are.

"Without being disrespectful to the old manager, I think all they needed was a manager who knew the English game and the Championship and he seems like he does.

"They have got top players like Scott, Ross McCormack, Hugo Rodallega and Bryan Ruiz, who played in the World Cup, and I feel that as the season goes on, they will be a force."


http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/cherries/clubnews/11685528._/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham Interested in Bournemouth Winger?
   
One rumour doing the rounds in the gossip columns this morning is a bit of a strange one.

It suggests that Fulham are interested in signing the AFC Bournemouth winger Matt Ritchie

The 25 year-old has scored six goals for Bournemouth and joined the south-coast side for a fee of £500,000 in 2013.

But, with Bournemouth flying high in the Championship, I`m not sure the deal would appeal to Ritchie unless, of course, he`s not a regular starter.

With the teams meeting over the festive period, perhaps discussions could take place about a possible move come the opening of the January transfer window.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=381243#ixzz3MnQTzpwm

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham are doing very well under Kit Symons but you probably already knew that

It's probably not a coincidence this website hasn't been updated since: "Kit Symons: the right appointment".

In all seriousness, what else needs to be said?

Fulham find themselves comfortably (as comfortable as one can be in the Championship) mid-table: almost away from the relegation quagmire, almost within touching distance of the playoffs. Yet Kit's 15 games in charge is more than each of last year's 3 managers.

Fortunes could continue improving or regress, so why not investigate the club's fortunes under Kit's reign to date and look at some fancy numbers (courtesy of Owain Thomas)

When Kit took over on September 18, Fulham were 24th with just 1 point, 0-1-6, a -12GD, and scored 6 goals in 7 games.

The club's TSR (Total Shots Ratio; often has strong correlation to points and goal difference) was .503, which despite the terrible record was good enough for 13th overall (context: last season in the EPL Fulham had an awful TSR with .392). Yet their PDO (go here) and Save% were both atrocious, a league-worse 72.2 PDO (100 is the mean) and 49.98 Sv%.

In layman terms, and within the statistical prism, Fulham were not getting horribly outplayed and outshot under Magath (as they were a year prior under Jol). They were simply terribly coached from a tactical standpoint.

Attributing Sv% is tricky, but in my opinion conceding 18 goals in 7 games and having a Sv% under 50% basically means that our opponents had time to "pick their spots" per se. Just take this: in Felix's final game, Nottingham Forest scored its first 5 goals via their first 5 shots on target. That's not just absurd, it's an indictment of the defense.

As these things tend to happen (and something statistician Owain Thomas suggested when Felix was sacked) , Kit Symons saw an immediate reversal in the team's fortune (what pundits call "new manager bounce").

As of last week, sans the Sheffield Wednesday game, Fulham posted a slightly decreased 0.485 TSR; but saw improvements in their PDO and Sv%: 92.09 and 59.79 respectively.

Translation: the team is about the same in terms of overall shots for/against but has shored up the defense immensely.

Which has then translated to Fulham's current standing of 13th with 28 points, 8-4-10, -4 GD and 35 goals in 22 games.

Overall Kit as posted a 8-3-4 record in his 15 games as caretaker and official manager of the club. This equates to an amazing 1.8 PpG, which is better than all but 3 teams entire season's PpG to date. Further context: Magath posted a .142 PpG in the Championship. (Yes, that's a decimal before the 1.)

If Fulham can maintain this streak over their remaining 24 games, they should end up with about 71 points; not a sure thing for the playoffs but certainly within touching distance.

Kit has also settled on an established 11, with a majority of the subs coming in defense due to the numerous amounts of injuries there. Whereas Magath was making an average of 3+ changes per game, Symons is making a just a hair over 2 per game (and just exactly 2 per game in last 5 games; with a defender involved in 3 of the 5 games).

Intriguingly, the likes of Woodrow, Roberts, David, Hyndman, and Eisfeld, aka the promising youngsters that were the only panacea to Magath's reign, have barely featured under Symons. Roberts' late substitute appearance last week was his first action since November 5. Woodrow scored a goal last week from the penalty spot, but hasn't started since late October and logged just 54 minutes total since then (about 10mins per appearance). David has made the bench once under Kit.

Conversely the reintroductions of Hugo, Burn, and Ruiz have come to define Kit's stint as repairing the damage done by Magath (and to some extent Rene and Jol).

But if there is one feather to Kit's cap, it surely must be the emergence of Lasse Vigen Christensen, who has started all 15 matches under Kit and scored 5 times—as many as Ross McCormack.

Kit's tenure has been thrilling. We should look back and really enjoy what he's done, and hope it can continue.


https://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2014/12/23/fulham-are-doing-very-well-under-kit-symons-but-you-probably-already-knew-that/?

[WhiteJC]

 
The emergence of Lasse Vigen Christensen
by DAN on DECEMBER 23, 2014

Counting the bright spots in Fulham's 2014 won't take you too long during this festive season. They were conspicuous by their absence as the club's thirteen year tenure in the top flight came to an end with a whimper, but the emergence of Lasse Vigen Christensen represents a real fillip as the most f0rgettable of calendars closes. Successive Fulham managers have sought an energetic midfielder to take the team forward in the post-Murphy era without success – and now it looks like the answer to that most cursed of conundrums was to be found at Motspur Park all along.

Unlike much of the Fulham's fabled young talent, Christensen doesn't owe his opportunity in the first team to Felix Magath's reboot of an ageing side. The German coach offered the Danish youth international two helpings of first-team football lasting 45 minutes each. Christensen's step up to the senior side came when his own boss, Kit Symons, was similarly promoted in the aftermath of Magath's abrupt departure following a topsy-turvy encounter at Nottingham Forest. His first start at Craven Cottage this term was just three minutes old, when somebody in front of me reacted to a heavy touch by exclaiming, 'Where have we got this Vigen guy from? Kindergarten?'

First impressions aren't always instructive. Christensen has indeed rolled off the famed conveyor belt of Fulham's youth set-up, after arriving from  FC Midjtylland in January 2012, but his performances passed many by. I always liked the look of Ronny Minkwitz – a German with a keen eye for a pass, who Christensen quickly usurped – but his unfussy attitude to retaining possession and his own position meant he wasn't as eye-catching as a Patrick Roberts, all pass and adventure, or the goalscoring exploits of Moussa Dembele. Symons appreciated Christensen's steady qualities over the course of his 21 appearances for the Under-21s last season and when he was looking for someone to fill the gap in his midfield diamond, he plumped for the disciplined youngster he could trust.

Appreciation of Christensen's potential ran higher, too, as the club have shrewdly safeguarded the Dane against any passing vultures with a long-term contract that runs until 2017, by the far the longest of any of the Academy graduates. That deal, signed in January when avoiding relegation remained the immediate priority, looks an even more astute piece of business with every passing week. Few could have predicted the way in which has seamlessly taken to life in the rough and tumble of a Championship midfield, but Christensen's calm demeanour, confidence on the ball and an uncanny knack for picking the right option leaves me in no doubt that he can go much higher.

That's the prevailing opinion in Denmark too, where they talk about Christensen as a prospect with the potential to step into international football before too long. His accomplished displays in Fulham's midfield have brought representatives of the Danish FA to Craven Cottage in recent weeks to take a closer look – and they can't fail to have been impressed by the mature performer they watched. Christensen's goals from midfield have been the most eye-catching feature of his play, but his strength and steadfast refusal to go to ground in a challenge unless it is absolutely necessary, make him just as important in his own half as going forward.

Then there's those fancy feet. Our first glimpse of Christensen's nimble footwork came in the way that he worked yards of space on the edge of Huddersfield's box where there appeared to be none on his way to scoring a sublime individual goal moments after the Terriers had equalised, but the way in which he turned Jack Grimmer's routine throw-in into a winning goal for Hugo Rodallega at Elland Road was just as spellbinding. His pace, which people may have overlooked prior to Saturday's thirteen second past from his own box into Sheffield Wednesday's to score a match-settling third, is pretty devastating too.

That's not to say Christensen's the finished article yet. Of course, like any of the young talent that is suddenly getting an extended run in the first team, there's improvement to be made. It begs the mouth-watering question: just how good can Christensen become? Equally intriguing is the make-up of a Fulham side in the years aside that might feature a fair helping of our recent Academy graduates, six of whom finished the thumping victory over Wednesday at the weekend. With patience, a vibrant young side could emerge under Symons' tutelage.

Patience, of course, is a precious commodity – and rare – in football. The next time Symons' young tyros take a shellacking or suffer a setback, remember how much Christensen has grown in a white shirt in the space of four months. Regular football has turned a promising youngster into one of the Championship's most consistent performers. At the tender age of twenty, Lasse already looks the part.


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2014/12/the-emergence-of-lasse-vigen-christensen/?

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AFC Bournemouth: Cherries assistant Jason Tindall impressed by Fulham boss Kit Symons

CHERRIES assistant Jason Tindall believes Fulham boss Kit Symons deserves "a lot of credit" for reviving the Cottagers' Championship campaign.

Fulham sacked previous manager Felix Magath after he failed to secure a single victory in the London club's opening seven league games.

Symons was appointed as caretaker and later permanent manager and he guided his side to 13th in the standings.

The ex-Wales international will lead Fulham into battle at Dean Court on Boxing Day (3pm) and Tindall admits the visiting boss has performed admirably.

Discussing Symons's impact, Tindall told the Daily Echo: "Kit's done a great job having come in at a time where there was a little bit of unrest.

"He stepped in during difficult circumstances and put together a good, settled side that have performed well for him, so he has got to take a lot of credit.

"They are playing some good football so let's hope we make it difficult for them on Boxing Day."

Tindall added: "This time last year Fulham were competing with the best in the Premier League. They have got a really good squad and some really talented individuals.

"From our point of view it's going to be a very tough game."


http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/cherries/clubnews/11685963._/?

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AFC Bournemouth: Cherries assistant Jason Tindall impressed by Fulham boss Kit Symons

Wow! That's not THE Jason Tindall, is it? Bet that's made Kit's Christmas.

Meanwhile, on a lesser note, Sir Alex Ferguson thinks Van Gaal is doing OK.