Thursday Fulham Stuff 01/04/15

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Seko: We'll Give Everything



Seko Fofana insists Fulham will be going into Good Friday's West London derby full of confidence on the back of their pre-international break victory.

The Whites showed true character to come away from Huddersfield Town with a 2-0 win last time out, and Fofana praised the effect the three points have had.

"It was good to go into this break with a victory in our last match," he told fulhamfc.com. "There were many players that went away with their national teams.

"I think now, we have all come back together this week with clearer objectives to move us forward and to be able to perform well at home in our next match.

"The Huddersfield win has allowed us to gain confidence. The character and strength we had to show throughout the game and to get a second goal right at the end was fantastic and testament to the hard work by every player on that pitch."

That second goal was tucked away by the 19-year-old in the sixth minute of stoppage time to send the away fans behind the goal into raptures.

He may only be on loan at the Club, but his commitment to the Fulham cause was clearly evident when he bolted over to embrace those travelling supporters in celebration of his first professional goal.

"It was important for me to run straight over to the fans to celebrate," he explained. "Our supporters travel a long distance to get behind the team. It shows how committed they are and how much faith they put in us.

"It was only right that, when I scored, I run over to them to thank them for their support and we'll be trying our best to show our appreciation in the remaining games of the season.

"It was an important and special moment for me personally as I scored my first senior goal with Fulham. It was a hard game for us made more difficult when we were reduced to 10 men.

"We were being dominated by Huddersfield but we were able to remain focused in the game. We knew we were so close to a vital win and we were able to get the decisive goal in stoppage time."

Attentions now turn to this Friday's meeting with Brentford at Craven Cottage, with Fulham aiming for revenge after a deflected late goal earned the Bees victory in the reverse fixture.

Fofana was signed six days after that match, but he is fully aware of the significance of the local rivalry.

"Of course, the players and staff have talked about this game," he said. "It's an important game that we are preparing for as it's a derby for starters.

"We'll be doing everything to try to get the win and the players are excited about this game. The players that have come back this week are all eager to play this game and give everything from the first to the final whistle."

Mark Warburton's men have exceeded all expectations this season and are still well in contention for a Play-Off place, but Fofana promised his team will be doing all they can to put a dent in their promotion bid.

"Brentford have had a good season and congratulations to them," he stated, "but if they think they are going to come to Craven Cottage for an easy match they are very much mistaken. We are aware of what we need to do, we're at home and we'll be giving our all." 

http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/april/01/seko-well-give-everything

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Josh Passley disciplined by Portsmouth



Portsmouth manager Andy Awford says on-loan defender Josh Passley has been disciplined after turning up late for Saturday's game at Fratton Park.

The 20-year-old would have started the 2-0 defeat by Shrewsbury, but was left out of the squad entirely after arriving late to the ground.

"He's been disciplined internally," Awford told BBC Radio Solent.

"We've dealt with the situation with the full backing of Fulham [Passley's parent club]."

Awford confirmed the player would be available for Friday's game against Carlisle after he said sorry to the squad.

"He has apologised to the group so we draw a line under it and move on," added Awford. "He is available for Friday.

"It's not the first time it has happened. I'm all for giving people an opportunity and a chance and I've spoken to Josh."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32151273

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Fofana fires warning to Bees

Fulham midfielder Seko Fofana has warned Brentford not to expect an easy ride in Friday's west London derby. The Bees will be looking for another three points towards their promotion bid when they head to Craven Cottage to face a Fulham side floundering down in 20th place. But on-loan Manchester City teenager Fofana is well aware of the significance of the fixture and is determined to put an all too rare smile on the faces of the Fulham faithful. "Of course, the players and staff have talked about this game," he told the club's official website. "It's an important game that we are preparing for as it's a derby for starters. "We'll be doing everything to try to get the win and the players are excited about this game. The players that have come back this week are all eager to play this game and give everything from the first to the final whistle. "Brentford have had a good season and congratulations to them but if they think they are going to come to Craven Cottage for an easy match they are very much mistaken. We are aware on what we need to do, we're at home and we'll be giving our all."

Read more at: https://www.clubcall.com/fulham/fofana-fires-warning-to-bees-1764364.html

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Fulham v Brentford: Three key battles at Craven Cottage

We look at where the game between the Bees and Whites could be won or lost



Last time they met: Fulham's Ross McCormack takes on Brentford

Brentford and Fulham go head to head in the west London derby on Friday afternoon - but where will the game be won and lost?

There will be battles all over the pitch at Craven Cottage as the Bees look to continue their push for the Championship play-offs and the Whites look to climb the table.

The reverse fixture was an exciting 2-1 win for Mark Warburton's side back in November under the lights at Griffin Park.

Hugo Rodallega had put Fulham in front only for late fireworks as Harlee Dean levelled and Jota snatched the winner in the dying moments.

We are expecting another thrilling encounter when the pair, who have already been involved in a Twitter spat ahead of the fixture, renew their rivalry in two day's time.

Ahead of the game, we've taken a closer look at three key battles that could well decide who picks up the points at the Cottage.

Michael Turner v Andre Gray

Michael Turner pitched up at Fulham last month on loan from Norwich City and will be taking on the Bees for the third time this season.

A former Brentford player himself, Turner kept a clean sheet with the Canaries in a 3-0 win at Griffin Park last September before the Bees had their revenge at Carrow Road.

So the tall centre-half should know all about Andre Gray as he prepares to lock horns with the Griffin Park hotshot again on Friday.

Having stepped up three divisions when he moved from Luton Town to Brentford in the summer, Gray started slowly in the Championship.

And it did not help his cause that Scott Hogan, the man signed to be Brentford's main goal-getter, forced Gray to shoulder more of a burden up front.

But a purple patch between November and the end of December showed his class and a return of 15 goals from 41 games is a fine effort.

Scott Parker v Jonathan Douglas

One of the few to survive the cull of last season's disastrous relegation from the Premier League for Fulham, Scott Parker, who has 18 caps for his country, has been calming influence in the middle of the park for the Whites this season.

His experience has been crucial, especially in the turbulent times under former boss Felix Magath and the transitional period as Kit Symons took charge.

Jonathan Douglas has been one of Brentford's players of the season, playing an important role sitting just in front of the back four, always putting in a real shift in the engine room to keep the Bees train rolling along.

Despite his ability to act as a defensive shield, Douglas also has a keen eye for goal and has struck seven times this term.

Ross McCormack v James Tarkowski

Ross McCormack arrived at Craven Cottage for a hefty £11million transfer fee in the summer and a reputation as a goal-machine after his exploits for Leeds United last season.

While his tally of 12 Fulham strikes pales in comparison to the 29 he banged in for his old club last term, McCormack remains an influential figure and his creative flair can cause chaos.

Brentford are blessed with quality in the heart of their defence with Harlee Dean, James Tarkowski, Tony Craig and Liam Moore all battling for two spots.

Tarkowski had two months on the bench after he was suspended for picking up five yellow cards earlier in the season but his persistence paid off and has now regained his place.

Such is the pressure on his position, the former Oldham star has had to produce his best football to keep himself in Warburton's plans

http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-v-brentford-three-key-8963486

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Seko Fofana warns Brentford ahead of clash with Fulham


Seko Fofana: Man City loanee warns Brentford

Fulham midfielder Seko Fofana has warned Brentford not to expect an easy ride in Friday's west London derby.

The Bees will be looking for another three points towards their promotion bid when they head to Craven Cottage to face a Fulham side floundering down in 20th place.

But on-loan Manchester City teenager Fofana is well aware of the significance of the fixture and is determined to put an all too rare smile on the faces of the Fulham faithful.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11681/9784481

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Preview: Fulham vs. Brentford

Craven Cottage will play host to a West London derby on Good Friday as Fulham take on Brentford for the third time this season.

Both sides still have plenty to fight for at either end of the Championship table and could see their respective goals edge ever closer should they successfully negotiate an Easter period that sees two games in quick succession.


Fulham Manager Kit Symons attends the Sky Bet Championship match between Fulham and Brighton & Hove Albion at Craven Cottage on December 29, 2014

The Cottagers would have begun the season looking for an immediate return to the Premier League following their relegation from the top flight in the 2013-14, but they were quickly forced to reassess their goals and now the aim of the game is purely survival with seven matches of the season remaining.

An eight-point gap currently separates Kit Symons's side from the bottom three going into the final straight, but with Wigan Athletic showing signs of improvement in recent weeks, nothing is yet guaranteed for the Londoners.

Their saving grace could well be their run-in, with three of the bottom four still to come in successive matches later this month. Results in those games will determine whether that is a blessing or a curse, but Symons will be glad that his side have their fate in their own hands.

After Friday's clash with Brentford, Fulham's only remaining matches against teams currently in the top 10 of the table are their last two of the season, by which time they will hope to have their Championship status guaranteed for another term at least. Compare that to Wigan, who have four of the top eight still to come, and the advantage very much lies with Fulham.

Momentum can so often be a priceless commodity in football, though, and for that reason Fulham's 2-0 victory over Huddersfield Town could be worth its weight in gold come the end of the season.

Symons labelled it the most bizarre match he has ever been involved in, with Huddersfield striker Nahki Wells missing two penalties, the woodwork being struck three times and the referee sending the wrong player off before reversing his decision and eventually dismissing Sam Hutchinson.

Fulham certainly rode their luck to pick up the win, but they would argue that they were due a slice of fortune having been beaten 3-0 by Leeds United just days earlier in a match they controlled for long spells.

However the victory arrived, the most important thing for the Cottagers was the three points. It was only their second triumph in 14 matches and could be the catalyst to push them over the finishing line this season.

They have only managed back-to-back wins once since the turn of the year, though, and home form is also an issue with just one win from their last six outings in front of their own fans.

Recent form: WLLDLW



Brentford
Andre Gray of Brentford FC celebrates scoring the first goal with Mark Warburton Manager of Brentford FC during the Sky Bet Championship match between Brentford and Watford at Griffin Park on February 10, 2015

The odds at the start of the season would have had Brentford finishing not too far from where their London rivals and Good Friday opponents currently find themselves, but Mark Warburton's side have maintained their surprise promotion bid and remain right in the mix going into the final month or so of the season.

Victory on Friday would lift the Bees up to fifth place in the table for a few hours at least, with Ipswich Town and Derby County both involved in late kickoffs against fellow promotion candidates.

Just one defeat in their last five matches has enabled Brentford keep pace with those around them, although they have been helped in that regard by regular slip-ups above them.

Brentford slipped up themselves at home to Millwall in another London derby before the international break, although the 2-2 draw at Griffin Park could have been even worse. The Lions led 2-0 until the 85th minute and looked certain to give their own survival hopes a boost, but late goals from Alex Pritchard and Moses Odubajo rescued a point for the hosts.

It is now six games since the Bees kept a clean sheet, however, and in a playoff race so fiercely contested, the fact that they have the worst defensive record in the top eight could prove to be important in terms of goal difference.

Another area that could do with improvement is their away form, with last month's victory over Blackburn Rovers their first in four games on the road. Indeed, Brentford have lost more games on their travels this season than any other side in the top half.

Warburton's future at the club has already been decided, and he will be keen to extend his stay from seven remaining matches to 10 by reaching the playoffs and making it to Wembley.

Easter weekend could prove to be the most important yet in that regard, with Brentford facing playoff outsiders Nottingham Forest on Monday and all of the top eight apart from Norwich playing at least one other contender for promotion.

Recent form: LWDLWD

Team News



Kostas Stafylidis of Fulham during the Sky Bet Championship match between Watford and Fulham at Vicarage Road on March 3, 2015

Fulham were busy in the closing stages of the loan market and could name a number of debutants in their side for this match.

Danny Guthrie is in line for a start having arrived from Reading, while James Husband has also joined. Brentford loanee goalkeeper Richard Lee is not available against his parent club, however.

The Cottagers will have Kostas Stafylidis back available after he served a suspension last time out, but Hutchinson is banned following his dismissal against Huddersfield.

Top scorer Ross McCormack is expected to return to the starting XI having failed a late fitness test before the international break, but Symons must decide whether to partner him with Matt Smith, Cauley Woodrow or Hugo Rodallega up front.

Andre Gray replaced Chris Long in the starting lineup for Brentford's draw against Millwall and is expected to keep his place as the lone striker. Alan Judge and Tommy Smith are among those pushing for recalls, but Warburton could keep changes to a minimum.

January signing Lewis Macleod may be involved at some point having made his long-awaited debut in an Under-21 match last week following a three-month spell on the sidelines.

Fulham possible starting lineup:
Bettinelli; Grimmer, Bodurov, Turner, Stafylidis; Hoogland, Tunnicliffe, Guthrie, Kavanagh; McCormack, Rodallega

Brentford possible starting lineup
Button; Odubajo, Dean, Tarkowski, Bidwell; Jota, Pritchard, Douglas, Diagouraga, Dallas; Gray

Head To Head

This will be the third meeting between these two sides this season, with both clubs boasting one win apiece so far.

Fulham eliminated Brentford in the second round of the League Cup at Griffin Park back in August, with McCormack getting the only goal of the game, but the Bees got their revenge in the league as two goals in the final 10 minutes saw them come from behind to win 2-1.

They had not met since 1998 before this season, but Fulham have won just one of their last 10 home matches against Brentford and none of their last four.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DljXcVdnlY

Hit play below to see what the Sports Mole Sofa had to say about this encounter:

Sports Mole Logo 40px height
We say: Fulham 1-2 Brentford

Both sides need a win in this one, but the international break may have robbed Fulham of any momentum gathered from their victory over Huddersfield. Both have struggled to keep the opposition at bay this season, and we can see goals at either end of the field, but Brentford should just nick it to give their playoff hopes a boost.

Who will win Friday's Championship clash between Fulham and Brentford?

http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/on-the-sofa/preview/preview-fulham-vs-brentford_214650.html

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Fulham in Top 50 Clubs?

Having tumbled out of the Premier League and then stumbling around in the Championship, without any real success, does the below surprise astound or amuse you?

Thought this made for an interesting talking point on Vital Football ! < b>The Daily Mail Online... have done a list of what they believe to be the 50 biggest clubs in the land... I'm sure some will agree and some will disagree!



Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=394671#ixzz3W8fSG3Rk

You can also see the all time top flight league table via: www.myfootballfacts.com

However SportsMail took into account more. They looked at:

1) Crowds, both now and historically
2) Global fanbase looking at social media platforms
3) Trophies
4) Average league finish since the 1888/89 season
5) Player quality
6) Income

I'm not sure there can be that many arguments - we at Vital Football stand to be corrected - on the top really?

Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa. For a start all but Manchester City are the only ever presents in the Premiership and a few have pulled right up in the ranks thanks to massive money spends during the Prem years.

Then comes Newcastle and Sunderland, where some other clubs might start saying, hang on, what about us?!

So, come on.... do you feel you are there or thereabouts in the right place on the list? If not, why not?!?!?!

Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=394671#ixzz3W8fhocjP

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Fulham's on-loan Man City midfielder buzzing for Bees clash

Seko Fofana believes signing off with a win before the international break was important ahead of Friday's west London derby with Brentford at the Cottage



On a high: Fulham's Seko Fofana celebrates after scoring at Huddersfield

Seko Fofana hopes Fulham can pick up where they left off before the international break when Brentford come to town for Friday's west London derby.

The Whites signed off with a 2-0 victory over Huddersfield on March 21 and then left to join up with their respective countries for friendlies and qualifiers.

It was a bizarre match against the Terriers as Nahki Wells missed two penalties and referee Richard Clark was involved in a red card mix-up in the second half.

Fofana was on target as the 10-man Whites claimed all three points and the on-loan Manchester City midfielder thinks it was important to go away having recorded a win.

He told Fulham's official website: "It was good to go into this break with a victory in our last match. There were many players that went away with their national teams.

"I think now, we have all come back together this week with clearer objectives to move us forward and to be able to perform well at home in our next match.

"It was an important and special moment for me personally as I scored my first senior goal with Fulham. It was a hard game for us made more difficult when we were reduced to 10 men."

Brentford turned the tables on Fulham at Griffin Park back in November and completed a 2-1 rescue mission in the dying moments.

The Bees are pushing for promotion to the Premier League and Fofana insists Fulham's players have been well drilled in how to approach the derby game.

He added: "Brentford have had a good season and congratulations to the but if they think they are going to come to Craven Cottage for an easy match they are very much mistaken.

"We are aware of what we need to do, we're at home and we'll be giving our all.

"We'll be doing everything to try to get the win and the players are excited about this game.

"The players that have come back this week are all eager to play this game and give everything from the first to the final whistle."

http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulhams-on-loan-man-city-midfielder-8965629