Wednesday Fulham Stuff (21/01/15)...

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Alex Kacaniklic wants to cement Fulham spot

Swede raring to go after being recalled from loan spell


Alex Kacaniklic spent the first half of the season on loan at FC Copenhagen
Alex Kacaniklic is ready to grab his chance at Fulham after being brought in from the cold.

The Sweden star spent the past five months on loan in Denmark with FC Copenhagen, but was recalled by boss Kit Symons at the beginning of January.

Kacaniklic marked his first Fulham start of the season with a goal against Reading on Saturday and is determined to cement a place in the side.

He said: "I had a good spell with Copenhagen playing in Europa League games and managed to get some goals, so it was a good.


Kacaniklic in action for Sweden against France's Andre-Pierre Gignac
"I always kept in touch with the club when I was on loan and I had a feeling that they were going to call me back.

"Now I want to make my mark at Fulham. I'm back with a fresh mind and I want to play games and help the team."

Fulham take on Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night with the Cottagers a massive 13 points adrift of a play-off spot.

Kacaniklc added: "If you win three or four in a row you're right up there again, so hopefully we can keep climbing the table. There's still 20 games remaining and 60 points to play for."


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/alex-kacaniklic-wants-cement-fulham-8486145?

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Point For Arthurworrey

Stephen Arthurworrey helped Yeovil Town to an impressive 1-1 draw away to Preston North End in Sky Bet League One on Tuesday evening.

The Glovers went in front in first half stoppage time when Sam Foley's free-kick was flicked on and Gozie Ugwu was in the right place to fire in his second goal in as many games for the club.

Arthurworrey went close to extending the lead when he met Foley's corner with quarter of an hour remaining, but he sent his header just wide.

That miss proved costly as Preston equalised a minute later when Kevin Davies played Sylvan Ebanks-Blake in, and the striker kept his cool to round Town goalkeeper Jed Steer and slot the ball into the net.

Yeovil remain bottom of the standings after the draw, but are now just two points off 20th-place Leyton Orient.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/january/21/point-for-arthurworrey?

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A Crazy Old Year

Twelve months is a long time in football. Just ask Ryan Tunnicliffe. Now back in SW6, he's looking to help lift the Whites up the table.

When asked how he would sum up his time at Fulham so far, Tunnicliffe issues a wry smile. "It's been a rollercoaster of emotions, I think it's fair to say," the 22-year-old tells the official matchday programme. "I was buzzing to sign for what was a Premier League club but then things obviously didn't pan out exactly as I'd anticipated. But now I'm back and I'm just happy to be playing here again.

"It's great to be in a Fulham shirt once more. I want to play every minute I can and help us climb up the table. If you look at the league we're just one good run from being right in the Play-Off hunt and over the years this division has proven that, say, five or six wins in eight games can fire you up to right where you want to be."

Recalled from a loan spell at Blackburn Rovers earlier this month, Tunnicliffe has fitted seamlessly into Kit Symons' XI. Tunnicliffe was thrown straight in at Cardiff City, before completing another 90 minutes in last weekend's crucial 2-1 win over Reading at the Cottage.

"Before I left on loan I'd trained quite a lot with Kit and the Under-21s," mused Tunnicliffe. "I got close to him and Reedy [Sean Reed]. At Rovers, Kit would text me and ring me now and then to see how I was getting on.

"I texted him a few times when he was caretaker and saw the results come in. 'Surely the job's yours?' I would say after Fulham won another game. I've got massive respect for him; I was buzzing for him when he got the job permanently because when he was caretaker he turned it around. He won five out of nine, and they hadn't won in the previous eight. His record spoke for itself.

"I was flying at Blackburn, I was playing every week. But the gaffer rang me and said, 'What are your thoughts on coming back' and I was happy for it to happen. That was that. The atmosphere at the Club now is great. Everyone's happy."

To read the full interview with Tunnicliffe, get your hands on a copy of the matchday programme against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.

Other exclusive highlights in the only matchday magazine that matters - which is also available to download digitally from 12pm on Wednesday - are:

Kit Symons pens his regular programme notes
Jack Grimmer answers your questions via our social media channels
Ex-Nottingham Forest striker Rob Earnshaw assesses the Cottage clash
Ahead of Saturday's FA Cup clash at Sunderland, we recall a memorable Fulham win at Roker Park some 46 years ago
In our regular feature, key figures take a walk back down memory lane to the 1981/82 promotion-winning season
And Les Strong bring fans his latest column

Priced £3.50, the 84-page publication is available from various sellers on Stevenage Road from two hours before kick-off. Fans can also save money by taking out a season subscription. Head here for more details.

The programme is also available as an app with added video content from 12pm on Wednesday, so whether you're at home or away, you need never be without it on your iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, PC or Mac via Apple's Newsstand. The programme is also available via the Pocketmags app on Kindle Fire and Blackberry Playbook. You can subscribe for the whole season for the digital edition for just £24.99 or buy a single issue for £1.99.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/january/21/a-crazy-old-year?

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Next Up: Nottingham Forest

Fulham and Nottingham Forest will both be looking to secure a second consecutive win when the sides meet at Craven Cottage on Wednesday evening (7.45pm).


The opposition

A breathtaking start to the season which saw Forest embark on an 11-game unbeaten run stretching until 18th October meant that they sat joint top of the Championship and were considered by many to be genuine promotion contenders.

But defeat to Cardiff City on the 18th was the first of four losses in their next five matches, with their sole point in that spell coming from a 2-2 draw at Watford.

They looked to have got back on track when wins over Norwich City and Wolverhampton Wanderers pushed them up to eighth in the standings, but the momentum evaporated with a seven-game run that yielded just three points.

That barren period came to a welcome end on Saturday when they secured a dramatic 2-1 victory away to rivals Derby County. Forest midfielder Henri Lansbury had given his side a mountain to climb when he headed into his own net early on, but Britt Assombalonga equalised with a quarter of an hour left to play, before Ben Osborn won it in the second minute of stoppage time.

Team news

Forest have no new injury concerns going into Wednesday's game, but it may have come too soon for Michael Mancienne and Matty Fryatt. Long-term absentees Andy Reid, Dexter Blackstock and Chris Cohen remain sidelined.


Inside the camp

Manager Stuart Pearce is well aware of the attacking options Fulham possess going into the meeting at Craven Cottage.

Speaking to Forest Player, the former England left-back is wary of the threats posed by Ross McCormack, Bryan Ruiz and Hugo Rodallega, amongst others.

"Those three are outstanding talents," he admitted. "They've got two youngsters, [Moussa] Dembélé and [Cauley] Woodrow, who have come through the Academy set-up with Steve Wigley, and Patrick Roberts on the bench. They've got a good squad situation and it's going to be a tough game for us, there's no doubt.

"They're certainly picking up after a horrific start to the season, but it should be a game we go into with our tails up, saying, 'We need to build from the weekend. Can we get a positive result to keep the momentum going now?' It's a good thing we have the Fulham game coming very quickly."


Player to watch

Michail Antonio: Fulham fans will need no introduction to Michail Antonio following the winger's stunning equaliser against the Whites at the City Ground earlier in the season. The visitors had come from two goals down to lead, but Forest restored parity when Antonio impeccably controlled a long ball forward to turn Nikolay Bodurov in one motion, before opening his body up and coolly finding the far corner. That's one of 10 goals he's netted this season since signing from Sheffield Wednesday in the summer. A powerful wideman who uses his pace and raw strength to get beyond his man, the 24-year-old is Forest's only ever-present player this season. He was born a matter of miles from Craven Cottage, in Wandsworth.

Marathonbet match odds

Fulham: 8/5

Draw: 51/20

Nottingham Forest: 91/50

Tickets will also be available to purchase on the gate from advertised cash turnstiles, or from the Fulham Ticket Office, priced from £30 adults and £15 juniors.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/january/21/next-up-nottingham-forest?

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Fulham v Nottingham Forest, opposition boss in the spotlight: Kit Symons

Kit Symons

Kit Symons: The former Welsh international was handed the Fulham job on a permanent basis back in October, following a positive string of results as caretaker boss.

Symons had secured five wins in nine games following the departure of Felix Magath which came, ironically, after the Cottagers lost 5-3 at the City Ground in September.

Symons, a former Fulham player, was delighted to take on the role, admitting: "It is no secret this is a club that is very close to my heart and this is a job I've always really wanted to do."

Symons has now won ten, drawn five and lost eight games in charge.



Read more: http://www.nottinghampost.com/Fulham-v-Nottingham-Forest-opposition-boss/story-25897916-detail/story.html?#ixzz3PTN0iIUP
Follow us: @Nottingham_Post on Twitter | NottinghamPostOnline on Facebook

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Fulham boost as young star commits future to club

Fulham have tied emerging defender Sean Kavanagh down to a long-term deal.

The 20-year-old has been with the club for three years and has broken into the first team this season under manager Kit Symons, who has also used the versatile talent as a midfielder at times.

The full-back's new deal will keep him at Craven Cottage until June 2018 and he is eager to repay the club's faith in him.

"I am delighted," Kavanagh said. "I have been here since I was 17 and I am looking forward to my future with the club and hopefully I can play and do as much as I can for the club."


Read more at http://talksport.com/football/fulham-boost-young-star-commits-future-club-150121133226#Wd5xvC7ozEq5A1JX.99

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Larsson targets Fulham win

Swede aims to bounce back in FA Cup.

Seb Larsson believes Saturday's FA Cup tie against Fulham provides the perfect opportunity to return to winning ways.

The Black Cats suffered a heart-breaking 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on Saturday, with Christian Eriksen netting in the 88th minute to deny Gus Poyet's side a deserved draw in the capital.

And a Wearside win over Fulham can provide the catalyst for the Black Cats to reverse their fortunes, according the Sweden international.

"I'm not sure if it's nice to have a break from the league because you can look at it in many ways.
"At the moment it's frustrating that we're not getting the points on the board, but it's also good to turn your attention to a different competition."

He continued: "It's a good opportunity to get back to winning ways and bounce back from the disappointment of losing so late in the game to Spurs, and it also gives us another chance to play in our new system and get more familiar with it.

"Of course it is also very exciting to have a cup run as we well know, so when the Fulham game comes around we'll be up for it as we want to progress and do as well as we can in the competition."


http://www.safc.com/news/team-news/2015/january/larsson-on-fulham?

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Fulham Who are You?: 'SAFC fans deserve better than constant relegation scraps'

As a decent FA Cup run beckons for someone, we welcome back Russ Goldman*, a USA-based Fulham diehard adjusting to life without Premier League football and therefore without access to live televised games. Like SAFC, Fulham offer radio coverage – Barnes and Benno are a class act for us – but Russ admits it's not the same (he should try wrestling with stop-start streams, which make Barnes and Benno an emphatically better option). He sees Sunderland advancing to the 5th round but not without a fight ....

Salut! SUnderland: How important was that win at Wolves to make the next round of the FA Cup? You looked delirious on Twitter.
Russ: This victory was very important for morale and could springboard us for the second half of the season. Fulham had not scored in four matches so this match should give them confidence and jumpstart the season again.

The wretched start to the season must seem like a bad dream now that you're winning a bit and rising. Playoffs?
It was a horrible beginning of the season but this is a new club with so many young players so we are seeing growing pains. However, I think we have finally seen the worst of it and we are now pushing forward. For me playoffs is not the goal right now. It is winning one match at a time and just getting better.

So what went wrong to land Fulham where they are?
What went wrong started a few seasons ago with the lack of replacements for Mousa Dembele and Clint Dempsey after they left. The club changed ownership just a year later, and the lack of investment leading up to the sale and the club getting older with their talent combined for the demise.

Which of the players you clung onto are vital to making it back to the Premier quickly and where are you desperately in need of improvement?
The club has a strong nucleus of young players with Lasse Vigen Christensen, Emerson Hyndman, George Williams, and many other who give us hope for the future. The players we kept that have been vital are Scott Parker and Hugo Rodallega. We need a right wing and possibly two fullbacks to get us the squad we need.

Jake: 'back to Wembley?'

And is Shahid Khan Kit Symons the dream ticket for a prompt return?
I think the combination is the right ticket as we have a manager who knows what Fulham stand for and an owner who is commited to get Fulham back to the EPL and make them sustainable for many years to come.

How difficult is it for you to follow your club from afar now they are no longer in the Premier?
It is difficult to watch and extremely frustrating. I am lucky that the club does have a radio broadcast of each match but it is not the same. The club also provides a free replay the next day but nothing beats watching it live and infuriates me that I cannot anymore. There are rare occasions that it is on television but those are far and few between.

And was it hard to remain enthusiastic and supportive?
It has not been hard at all to remain supportive and enthusiastic because Fulham are a family. The supporters and the club really are one and the interest in the club has not dropped off. In fact my show Cottage Talk has been more popular since being relegated.

How much does a good cup run mean to you?
It would be nice but for me it is all about the league.

Highs and lows as a Fulham fan?
The high would be the Europa League semi-final win against Hamburg and the low would be getting relegated after losing to Stoke last season.

Best players you've seen – or wish you were old enough to have seen (take a bow, Mr Haynes) in Fulham colours?
I wish I could have seen Johnny Haynes in his day but I am more about teams and I wish I was a supporter during the 2000-2001 season which saw Fulham get promoted to the EPL.

And worst?
Again, I focus on teams and the team last year was the worst I have seen since becoming a supporter in 2007.

Championship top six, in order, and the playoff winner?
I will start at six and go to one so it is Watford, Ipswich, Middlesbrough, Norwich City, Bournemouth and Derby County winning the league. The Playoff winner will be Norwich City.

Premier top four and bottom three?
Top Four are Chelsea, Manchester City, Southampton and Manchester United. The bottom three will Leicester City, QPR and Burnley.

Your thoughts on Sunderland's poor first half of the season?
Sunderland have flirted with relegation for more than a few seasons now, and they need to change what they are doing or eventually they will go down just like Fulham. The Sunderland supporters deserve better than fighting off relegation.

Diving: time to give up and accept everyone does it or time to crack down at last?
It needs to be removed from the game all together. I say the punishment should be tougher with a possible red card and suspension for a blatant dive.

How will you follow our match and what will be the score?
I will probably listen to the match on the Fulham app and I see a Fulham loss but they won't make it easy for Sunderland.


- See more at: http://salutsunderland.com/2015/01/fulham-who-are-you-safc-fans-deserve-better-than-constant-relegation-scraps/?#sthash.EvB69r5V.dpuf

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U21 Premier League International Cup Preview

Fulham Under-21s Manager Peter Grant is relishing the challenge when the Whites take on PSV Eindhoven in their final match of the group stages of the Premier League International Cup on Wednesday at Motspur Park (7pm)

"I want to win the game and progress in the competition," said Grant. "The longer we can stay in the competition, the more it provides the players with the chance to gain experience against different styles internationally. A lot of the youngsters don't often get the chance to play against this type of opposition. It's a great opportunity.

"In our match against Athletic Club Bilbao, we had about 400 more passes than the Spanish team did but they beat us 2-1. So they played a bit differently. Everyone says the Spanish teams keep the ball better than us but we've kept the ball a lot better than all the teams we've played against by astronomical numbers. But we've not won as many games as we should have because we've not taken the chances we've created. That's something we're aiming to progress in and that's part of the development of the players."

Currently sitting in second place following a win against West Ham United and a narrow defeat to Bilbao, a victory or a draw against PSV would see the Whites progress into the Quarter-Finals.

"I've seen PSV Eindhoven play live twice and I was very impressed with them," said Peter. "They're a strong side. They play in the Second Division in Holland, which is equivalent of our Championship. That exposes them to matches week in and week out with big crowds and gives them that exposure. They play consistently as a team.

"It's different for us because in our First Team we probably have six, seven or eight boys who could all play in the Under-21s. We're probably five to eight players down who could be playing for us. But that's great, firstly because it means they've progressed well enough to be playing in the First Team squad, and also in that it gives the other boys a chance to step up. There were a couple of Under-16s in the squad last week. That's all part of what we're trying to achieve.

"Hopefully Wednesday night is a win with a very, very good performance from the team. That's what we're looking forward to."

The Premier League International Cup involves 16 of the top elite development teams across Europe including Benfica, Manchester City, Villarreal, Chelsea and Schalke. The Quarter-Finals will take place in February.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/january/21/u21-premier-league-international-cup-preview?

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Pearce Wary Of Fulham's Threats
   
Manager Stuart Pearce has said that he's very wary of the threat that Fulham will pose to us tonight, but following the Derby victory he wants to see us really show some confidence and build ourselves some momentum.

Speaking to the Official Forest Site ahead of the game, Pearce said that everybody had received a lift from our previous victory and he wanted to see them take that boost into tonight's game but he knows that we will have to keep Ross McCormack, Brian Ruiz and Hugo Rodallega quiet if we want back to back victories.

'Those three are outstanding talents. They've got two youngsters, Dembele and Woodrow, who have come through the Academy set up with Steve Wigley, and Patrick Roberts on the bench. They've got a good squad situation and it's going to be a tough game for us, there's no doubt.'

He goes on to say that they have shown improvement since the start of the season, but it's a game we should go into with 'our tails up.'

'We need to build from the weekend. Can we get a positive result to keep the momentum going now? It's a good thing that we have the Fulham game coming very quickly. There was a real level of euphoria and togetherness and I'm not just talking about the players who got on the pitch. I'm talking about everybody, that for me shows a football club that's together.'

He ended his interview by saying that it was one 'great victory' in isolation though and what counts now is making sure we get on a run so we look back in three or four months and can pinpoint that victory as the time our season got going again, that's the day 'it happened for us' and we didn't look back.

Then everybody can be truly happy and look forward fondly to the future.


Read more: http://www.forest.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=549776#ixzz3PTOzCtaC