Thursday Fulham Stuff (19/02/15)...

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GEORGE WILLIAMS: Fulham youngster says putting on MK shirt was a 'special feeling'

George Williams was back in an MK Dons shirt in the 1-0 win over Colchester United

George Williams said that putting the MK Dons shirt back on was a special feeling for him.

It was the first start Williams hs had since he left the club for Fulham in 2012, and Williams says he has been able to slot back into the team as though he had never left.

"It feels good to be back and it's a special feeling," said the 19-year-old.

"I didn't really know what to expect and seeing the fans again, it was a special feeling putting back on the shirt.



Read more: http://www.mkweb.co.uk/GEORGE-WILLIAMS-Fulham-youngster-says-putting-MK/story-26043075-detail/story.html?#ixzz3SAoNdYXD
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[WhiteJC]

 
Inside The Den

Millwall season ticket holder Mark Litchfield provides an insight into his team ahead of their meeting with Fulham at The Den on Saturday.



What's been your take on Millwall's season so far?

Just like the two seasons before this one, it has been rammed full of ups, downs, ins, outs and relegation trouble. We started well, gaining 10 points out of the first 15 available, ending August in the top six, but since then it's been a bit of a downward spiral. We've only won once at home since August 30th and have at times looked woeful, getting thumped 5-1 at home to Middlesbrough, 6-1 at Norwich and, of course, the infamous 4-0 FA Cup defeat at Bradford. January signings, however, have slightly lifted the gloom and given us a fighting chance of survival. In Jos Hooiveld and Diego Fabbrini, a touch of class has been added to the side. But our home form (and severe lack of goal-scoring strikers) could prove to be our Achilles heel in the long run.


You've had a couple of wins recently – those must have given you a boost?

As previously stated, recent signings have given everyone a boost – they contributed towards the wins at Nottingham Forest and Birmingham City massively. Those two victories, along with a goalless draw (with 10 men) at home to Reading have given everyone hope. However, a demoralising 3-1 defeat at home to 10-man Huddersfield on February 7th knocked everyone back again. Confidence and belief is very fragile in SE16 at the moment, so whilst the wins have given us a boost, it isn't taking a lot to knock us down again.



Do you think you'll avoid relegation?

I really don't know. For the past two seasons, I've confidently said that we will stay up – and we have – but this time, I'm not so sure. No one likes to admit that their team will be relegated, but it is hard to see, without a genuine threat up front, how we're going to get out of the bottom three and stay out of it. There's been a lot of talk about how it could be the best thing to go down, start again and come back up – but as the likes of Coventry, Sheffield United, etcetera, have shown, it's not that easy!


Who have been Millwall's stand-out players this term?

If I had to pick someone that has been at the club for the whole season so far, I think it'd have to be Shaun Williams. He has missed seven games through suspension (two red cards), but his range of passing, calmness on the ball and striking ability is streets ahead of everything we've had for quite a while. A lot of our play goes through him, and rightly so. As previously alluded to, Diego Fabbrini and Jos Hooiveld have stood out since joining on loan last month, too. Jos is a calming influence at the back, whilst Fabbrini is an exciting, creative player.



And which Fulham players do you think could cause you problems on Saturday?

Despite their lowly position in the table, Fulham have a lot of individual quality and have the ability to hurt us on Saturday. At the game at Craven Cottage in August, a lot of play went through Scott Parker, and the front two of Ross McCormack and Hugo Rodallega will always have goals in them. Patrick Roberts looks a talent, too.


How do you see the game going?

If it's anything like most home games that we've had in the past couple of years, we'll start well, have all the chances, and then Fulham will take the lead in about the 15th minute with their first shot on target. That will lead to a mini-comeback and possibly an equalising goal, followed by the opposition scoring in fortunate circumstances late in the second half to win the game. Any Millwall fan reading this will know that that has become the norm!


What's the best and worst things about a trip to the Den?

As a home fan, the best thing at the moment is to be able to get down there on a Saturday/Tuesday night and have a laugh and a joke with your mates. Football is a break from everyday life, so it's nice to do something different to the norm. Also, when Millwall fans get going, the atmosphere inside The Den is like no other ground in English football. The worst thing, however, is to be able to get down there on a Saturday/Tuesday night – one win at home since August 30th tells you all you need to know!


Any advice for Fulham fans making the journey?

Enjoy the day – and the three points... (I'm usually an optimist about Millwall – honest! However, three years of battling the drop and constant home defeats wears you down!)


Where can away fans go for a pint before the game?

I know a lot of away fans visit Borough Market before coming to The Den, but I'm pretty sure that most attending on Saturday will know where to go!


What score prediction are you going for?

Look, our home form has got to turn around at some point, surely? It's a London derby; we usually rise to the occasion in these sorts of games. It's a six-pointer; again, Millwall usually turn up when it really matters. But there's still the nagging thought of our dismal home form in the back of our minds.

Sod it: 1-0 Millwall.

Tickets for Saturday's London derby are available for fans to purchase on General Sale, and are priced at just £26 for adults. Get behind Kit and the boys and secure your seat today!


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/february/18/inside-the-den?

[WhiteJC]

 
U21s' Fulham Trip Switched

Leicester City Development Squad's upcoming Barclays U21 Premier League clash with Fulham has now been moved to Saturday 28 February.

The match was initially scheduled to take place three days earlier on the Wednesday, however it will now take place on the new date with a 1pm kick-off at Motspur Park.



Read more at http://www.lcfc.com/news/article/u21s-fulham-trip-switched-2278186.aspx#GSq7lfi07lqzCqfe.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Although he still has plenty to learn, Symons is the perfect Kit for Fulham

The worst thing is the hope.

The hope that followed Kit Symons through the Craven Cottage door as we gleefully waved goodbye to an era of the Felix Magath dictatorship.

The hope that followed a smattering of early victories over Bolton Wanderers, Norwich City and Charlton Athletic.

The hope that this sudden, stark upturn in form would be something less ephemeral than the norm.

And then the bleak realisation that it just isn't.

This is Fulham, kings of anticlimax.

For we find ourselves in the midst of another potential disaster, another potential scrap against a second untimely relegation, this time to the third tier of English football.

That's not hyperbole, either; demotion is a genuine possibility. For a good part of two months now we have trundled along, slowly slipping down the league and out of the cups without the faintest sign of life.

And so someone has to be blamed – that is the nature of football.

Kit Symons has found himself on the end of the majority of bullets, accused of naivety, ineptitude and, in some corners, outright stupidity.

In many ways, the arguments of Symons' doubters ring true; he certainly is naive and he's made some questionable decisions over the past few weeks. Put simply, he is imperfect.

But let's draw this into context; Symons has been our permanent manager for just shy of four months, a ripple in the ocean for a football club with genuine, long-term plans for development.

What's more, his overall record remains good, if not remarkable.

Sometimes, we are fickle as fans, intent on viewing the short-term as the only measurement for success when, in reality, things can change at any moment.

Two wins on the trot and, I suspect, Symons becomes the embodiment of heroism once again. As such, it comes again, that we should call for patience.

Though there are good ones and bad ones, no manager is the complete package.

Eddie Howe, for example, currently running riot with Bournemouth, had an unashamedly average stint as manager at Burnley. Everybody has their flaws.

But men like Howe have time on their side.

He is only 37 and, you'd assume, learning every day, both from his successes and his failures. Symons is only 43 and, you can guarantee, in much the same boat.

He will be learning from our lack of width, our tendency to panic, our weekly defensive mishaps, our lack of potency, our consistent inconsistency and the never-ending debate of Ross McCormack's best position.

He will be learning and adapting, as any young manager does.

For Symons is not stubborn in the ilk of Magath, with his ways unchangeable and inarguable. That is why his welcome must be extended.

Either that, or we become the club with five managers in two seasons, craving stability but never actually striving for it.


http://metro.co.uk/2015/02/18/although-he-still-has-plenty-to-learn-symons-is-the-perfect-kit-for-fulham-5065613/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Tickets Sold Out For Derby's Trip To Fulham

Tickets for Derby County's away game at Fulham next weekend have today SOLD OUT.

Derby will travel to Craven Cottage on Saturday 28th February 2015 (3pm).

The final tickets were sold at around 10:30am this morning, making the game a complete sell-out for away supporters.

The Rams' initial allocation of 2,900 tickets sold out earlier this month, but a further 1,000 tickets were made available.

Anyone who does not have a ticket for the game is being advised not to travel to Fulham, as they won't be able to gain entry to the stadium and no further tickets will be on sale.



Read more at http://www.dcfc.co.uk/news/article/tickets-sold-out-for-derbys-trip-to-fulham-2278362.aspx#s8bHz5E0ExW11TyC.99

[WhiteJC]

 
The Craven Corner: Why I called for Kit Symons to go

Fulham blogger Adam Brons-Smith explains why he called for Kit Symons to leave the club following the 2-1 defeat to Ipswich Town.

It seems my last article has generated a lot of debate over the last few days and I just wanted to clarify the reasoning behind it.

It wasn't meant to be offensive to Kit and it was no judgement of his character, it was simply analysing his ability to be a manager from a fan's point of view. I have a lot of respect for Kit and, considering his background with the club, I want him to be a success. But sadly his inability to react to a game has, in my opinion, become evident.

There have been many games during his reign where every fan in the stadium knows a change has to happen, whether that be a substitution or a change in gameplan and tactics - but Kit has simply stood still and let the game play out, making changes too late and not allowing his subs enough time to make an impact. It was the case in the 2-1 defeat to Ipswich Town at the weekend with the delayed introductions of Bryan Ruiz and Patrick Roberts. In Roberts' case, five minutes doesn't even give the boy enough time to warm up, let alone get the ball and make something happen.

Yes, Symons has a better win ratio than Felix Magath, but, to be fair, most people would after the disastrous start to the season. But it's the fact he remains with the same gameplan every week that annoys me. It's easy to predict and it seems we have no cohesion as a team, just an expensive strikeforce surrounded by kids. Surely that's something Kit and the management staff can work on? More team-based training drills, and team building, perhaps.

Just look at Ispwich, at the start of the season their team cost just £10,000 in transfer fees and, without causing offence, it's a fairly mediocre squad at best. But, what sets them apart from us is they play as a team. Every Ipswich player at the weekend worked their socks off; chasing every ball even though they knew they wouldn't get there and forcing us back at every opportunity. Even Jay Tabb was winning aerial duels and that's like losing an aerial duel with Gimli of Lord of The Rings, just without the beard. It shouldn't happen. We lacked presence and not a single player wanted to put their stamp on the game. That's where it shows that you could spend £1 or £100,000,000, but without the right staff managing the players and creating a team, the price is irrelevant. I'm firm believer that hard work is worth more than individual talent. I'd rather have a team of players that at the final whistle came off bloodied, muddied and knackered as opposed to a few folks who can pull off a few flicks and tricks.

Now, it seems we have lost George Williams on loan to MK Dons, a decision that I simply don't understand. We saw some change in formation against Ipswich with Alexander Kacaniklic and Lasse Vigen Christensen playing out wide, so maybe Symons realised we missed wingers. Then he allows George Williams, a full international wide man, to leave the club on loan to help another team. Yes, it will be good for Williams to go and get gametime in the league below, but that should only be sanctioned if he has no future at the club or we have too many players in that position, and he doesn't fit in either one of those categories. He recently signed a new deal, indicating that he has a long term future at the club, and we are struggling with players who can play out wide, so why isn't he provided with the opportunity to start?

Trying something new is what we need and while we played a more flat 4-4-2 on Saturday, we had our best player, Christensen, playing right wing, not the position where he has won games for us. If George was still at the club, a logical idea against Milwall would have been playing a midfield four of Kacaniklic, Christensen, Tunnicliffe or Parker, with Williams on the other side. Having one defensive midfielder alongside Christensen would allow him to run at defenders in the final third, letting Parker or Tunnicliffe play an anchorman role and solely focus on covering the back four.

Millwall now becomes a massive game, a win eases our fear of relegation but if we do slip up and lose that game, it could be curtains for Symons. But, maybe the reason we haven't pulled the plug already is because the lack of options available. For example, if Kit was to be sacked then it would take time to negotiate a compensation package to take a manager from another club, because out of the managers looking for work, only Nigel Adkins strikes me as a candidate. While Adkins knows this league very well, his most recent job isn't one to write home about, nor does he have the character to provide that sort of passion and fiery character into the players. Roy Keane would have that sort of passion and authority over the players, but his managerial statistics aren't that impressive, which would rule him out. Maybe it would be time for change in the summer and see who becomes available then, but even if it would seem like a good idea to sack Symons based on recent performances, the candidates to replace wouldn't benefit the club... I'm automatically ruling out Paul Lambert, as I've seen more passion and enthusiasm in a prune.


http://www.london24.com/sport/football/clubs/fulham/the_craven_corner_why_i_called_for_kit_symons_to_go_1_3961158

[WhiteJC]

 
Brazilian Option?
   
Bryan Ruiz was leaving Fulham then he wasn't, he was back in favour before a transfer deadline move broke down but Sambafoot reports that the Costa Rican could still leave before in the coming weeks?

Ruiz's proposed deadline move to Levante broke down when it was decided that the paperwork didn't go through on time so he return to Craven Cottage having seen a move to Spain fail - an option, but purely in a loan capacity could take him to Brazil if he want to sign for Cruzeiro on loan.

A permanent move to the Brazilian outfit would be beyond their means, they've admitted as much, but if he wants a short-term fix to end this season they're willing, by all accounts to give him a chance if a loan deal can be agreed.

Would he want this move though? Would we even agree to it if true!


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=389213#ixzz3SAqew1dr

[WhiteJC]

 
Under-21s preview: Local rivalry returns in cup clash

A Chelsea Academy team is involved in a second quarter-final of the week this evening (Thursday) as the Under-21s host Fulham at Aldershot in the inaugural Premier League International Cup. The game is being screened live on Chelsea TV, with kick-off at 7.05pm.

The Blues finished top of a group featuring Borussia Monchengladbach, Norwich City and Porto, while Fulham beat West Ham and PSV Eindhoven en-route to the last eight. Given many of the Under-21 group were involved in the FA Youth Cup victory over Newcastle earlier in the week, manager Adi Viveash will be relying on the older members of his squad to step up and deliver this evening.

Speaking to the official Chelsea website as we look ahead to the tie, he said: 'This was a tournament we earmarked at the start of the season as being useful for providing competitive match action for our older boys, and that's how it has panned out for us.

'It will be good for the likes of Kevin Wright, who will play his first competitive game in a while on his road back from a long-term injury, and it keeps our older boys ticking over with minutes as well. We've added Lewis Baker and Alex Kiwomya back to the squad after their returns from loan spells so the game is also an opportunity for us to get them out on the pitch. As with some of the previous games, we'll then look to involve a few of the younger players so it's going to be an interesting match.'

Reflecting back on the Under-21s' last outing, a late 2-1 defeat in the league at Manchester United, Viveash says the group were disappointed at coming away without the points but it was the most beneficial game of their season to date from a development perspective.

'We know there are lessons to be learned from what's happening late in games at the minute. I thought we were tactically outstanding for 70 minutes in the game, as well as playing good football. It's often very difficult against a midfield diamond when you're playing 4-3-3 but the boys worked it out really well.

'Obviously we're not pleased when we concede late goals because it's costing us points again. It's something we have to learn quickly because late goals costing you points at first team level becomes a big problem, but it was still the best game we've had all season in terms of development.'

Fulham visited Aldershot for an Under-21 league game back in October, coming from behind to draw 2-2 and, while Viveash recalls that as a game in which his side performed well, he anticipates another tough challenge from the Whites this evening.

'The previous game in the league came after an international break and we were very disappointed not to win it. We got 2-0 up and gave away goals when we fatigued but this is a different competition now and a different game.

'Fulham had a fantastic win at Manchester United a couple of weeks ago and we know from recent experience how tough that is so we're certainly going to have to respect their qualities. Their coach, Peter Grant, has a good pedigree and you can see that in the way they play. They're a lot older than us so we're expecting a good physical challenge.

'For us, pitching the older players together as one group is very interesting for me. We get to see the younger ones together quite a lot in the Youth Cup and the UEFA Youth League but getting the senior Under-21s together is a bit rarer. They know they're going to have a big part to play between now and the end of the season. We're going to need them to get us results in the league when the games start coming thick and fast so the older boys really do have to stand up and be counted.

'They have places to play for in our next league game away at Liverpool so I'm sure the players will want to go out and put on a performance but ultimately it's a quarter-final; we want to win and go to the semis.'

Chelsea's Under-21s versus Fulham takes place this evening at Aldershot Town FC, with kick-off at 7.05pm. The game is being screened live on Chelsea TV, while those supporters wishing to attend in person should note that tickets can be purchased on the night priced at £3 for adults and £1 for concessions. There will be coverage throughout the evening on our Twitter feed @chelseafc.


http://www.chelseafc.com/news/latest-news/2015/02/under-21s-preview--local-rivalry-returns-in-cup-clash.html?