Monday Fulham Stuff (04/01/16)...

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Slavisa Jokanovic sets new targets for Fulham after Sheffield Wednesday defeat


New Fulham head coach Slavisa Jokanovic (Photo by Simon Hofmann/Getty Images)

Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic admitted he is delighted to be back in England following his arrival at Craven Cottage earlier this week.

The Serbian arrived from Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel, but had previously guided Watford to the Premier League last season before moving abroad.

It was the first time since 1995 that a manager had guided a side to England's top division and not been in charge for the following campaign, but Jokanovic was full of enthusiasm when asked what it was like to be back in the country.

"I am very happy and excited to be back in England," he began.

"Many people sent me nice messages on social media and I know they believe I can help this club. I am really happy with how the accepted me and my appointment.

"I can tell them only that I'm going to work hard and push for them because of their nice messages. It's a great time for me and I am just disappointed that we didn't get anything from the game today."

His arrival means that he is the fifth man to take charge of the Whites in two years, and insists that he and everyone at the club must be realistic in what they can achieve during the remainder of the campaign.

"I have only been here for a few days, and I need to discover everything this side needs to improve.

"It isn't time to talk about promotion; we must live in real life. We can look at where we are right now, and the simple way to move forward is to look ahead to the cup game next weekend against Sheffield Wednesday."

"We must be brave and be strong, and work hard to fix our problem. I have said before, I am not a magic guy and like everyone I need a little bit of time.

"I understand we're fully into the season now and so I may not have too much time, but in my opinion within the next few weeks we can be clearer and the players will get my philosophy and may way of playing to try and improve our performance. "



Read more at: http://www.london24.com/sport/football/clubs/fulham/slavisa_jokanovic_sets_new_targets_for_fulham_after_sheffield_wednesday_defeat_1_4365375
Copyright © LONDON24

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Four top clubs chasing £12 Million teenager including Tottenham and Liverpool

Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal and Man Utd are all reported to be interested in signing Fulham teenager Moussa Dembele, according to the latest transfer rumours.

Liverpool are said to have the strongest interest, but they are far from certain to win the race to sign the 19 year old forward.

Dembele has already scored 10 goals from 25 appearances for the Championship club and will reportedly cost a cool £12 Million, not an insignificant figure for a teenager unproven at the highest level, but also not an amount that would put any of his suitors off.

Tottenham had previously been linked with the youngster, but it seems that Liverpool are the ones that are the most serious, though it has to be said, that is based on the opinion of unnamed sources at the Mirror.

And of course, it would be folly to rule out Arsenal or Man Utd, both very attractive propositions for a teenager wanting to play for a big club and not many clubs are bigger than those two.

It certainly looks like it could be an interesting battle between some of the Premier League's biggest clubs for the young French sensation.


http://footylatest.com/four-top-clubs-chasing-12-million-teenager-including-tottenham-and-liverpool/66727?

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Mattila: Frustrating Day

Sakari Mattila cut a frustrated figure and admitted that Sheffield Wednesday prevented the Whites finding their free-flowing attacking rhythm following the 1-0 home defeat.

After going ahead through Ross Wallace's 29th thunderbolt, the Owls locked down the Sky Bet Championship's most potent attack and Fulham could only muster one shot on target despite their 68% of overall possession.

"We're very disappointed because every game we play here at home we should win," Matilla told fulhamfc.com

"Their eleven men stood behind and, really, we were too slow to penetrate them. That's the reason we didn't get any chances and that's the reason we need to improve.

"We need to keep on improving and doing what we have done well this season. We've done that very well this season but [against Sheffield Wednesday] we didn't so we need to execute better.

"It was very well defended and they approached an away game this way. They succeeded but we need to be faster and we need to go forward with bigger ambition, and I think that's where we made the mistake."

The decisive goal was an unstoppable effort from over 30 yards, but Mattila believes the Whites had a chance to cut off the supply to towering target man Atdhe Nuhiu before the ball was worked out to Wallace.

"We could have avoided it a little bit if we had won the first ball to the striker, which was an extremely hard job," he continued. "But they won the second ball, played it wide, then the strike was extraordinary. There was nothing Lonners could do."

Mattila was assigned a protection role in front of a four-man defence in Slaviša Jokanović's first game in the home dugout and he stuck to the task admirably.

"My role was really clear, to just sit in front of the defence and try to cover their balls to the striker," added Mattila.

"I tried to make it a hard day for him but otherwise it's my natural role, I was really happy to get the chance but unfortunately we lost the game."

Although Jokanović had only spent three days with the Team ahead of the game, Mattila believes there were early signs of the new gaffer's physical approach.

"I think everybody saw a little bit of his concept," Mattila said. "It's really aggressive and really on to the ball and on to the players.

"You find yourself often one-against-one in the way that he wants us to defend and I think we executed that well. We were aggressive and we were fighting for every ball. Maybe a little bit more aggressive than usual."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2016/january/03/mattila-reaction?

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McCormack on Wanted List

Although Fulham, as a side, are struggling to make the impact perceived, back in August, in the Championship, the form of our strike force, after all we are the highest scorers in the division, continues to attract attention.

Already today we`ve covered the reported interest in our talented young French striker, Moussa Dembele, from the likes of Manchester United and Juventus, with Moussa having already scored ten goals in the Championship this season whilst also approaching the end of his current contract.

But it also seems that the sparkling form of Ross McCormack has also seen interest expressed in taking him away from Craven Cottage.

Reports appearing in the Daily Mail/a> intimate that AFC Bournemouth are interested in taking the striker to the Premier League whilst Premier League bound Middlesbrough, who top the Championship, are also said to be sniffing around.

I fear that in this transfer window we could lose McCormack who has shown, season after season that he is a prolific scorer at this level and could, quite possibly, replicate it in the top-flight.

All we can do is hope that the board are not tempted by a huge offer.


http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=428715

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Moussa Dembele wanted by Liverpool and Premier League trio

Fulham's Moussa Dembele is a wanted young man. The 19-year-old, who has scored 10 goals in 25 appearances this season, appears to be on the radar of a number of the elite clubs in the Premier League.

In fact, according to the Mirror, Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal are all prepared to battle Tottenham for the player's signature.

The report suggests that Liverpool are the keenest club to secure the signing of the £12 million-rated forward.

At 19, the talented French ace is recognised as one of the most exciting players starring in the Championship, so it looks set to be an interesting few weeks for him.

Of course, Dembele is far from the finished product, but he'd certainly prove a coup for the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and Co. in their pursuit of long-term success.


http://www.givemesport.com/683934-moussa-dembele-wanted-by-liverpool-and-premier-league-trio?autoplay=on

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3 things we learned from Fulham's 1-0 home defeat to Sheffield Wednesday

New Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic watched his side sink to a 1-0 defeat at home to Sheffield Wednesday in his first game in charge of the club at Craven Cottage yesterday.

Ross Wallace scored the only goal of the game with a fierce 30-yard shot to secure all three points for the Owls. This has moved Wednesday within four points of the play-offs.

The home defeat leaves Fulham in 19th, only six points above the relegation zone.

Ross McCormack thought he had equalised, but it was chalked off for offside, after he had been put through by Moussa Dembele.

Fulham could not make the breakthrough and the game finished 1-0.

Despite the defeat, there was some promise from the Fulham team that should give the Whites fans hope for the remainder of the season.

FootballLeagueWorld writer Anthony Yeo identifies three things that we learned from yesterday's match...

1) Ross Wallace
He was a constant threat in the match, as he had the beating of the Fulham defence and his crosses caused mayhem in the Fulham box.

Wallace scored a fantastic goal from outside the penalty area, which gave Fulham keeper Andy Lonergan absolutely no chance.

Wednesday have a chance of making the play-offs if they can keep this dynamic winger fit.

2) There is hope for Fulham
Despite the defeat and being 19th in the league with only a six point cushion between them and the drop, there is reason for optimism for Fulham fans.

They were unlucky not to get back into the game – in fact they probably should have been 1-0 up before they conceded.

All in all, they played reasonably well and made a game of it with a team hoping to finish in the top six.

There are three teams worse than Fulham in the Championship.

3) Fulham need Ross McCormack
McCormack was below par, yet he still looked dangerous.

He did seem a little off the pace yesterday, with maybe all the transfer talk of him moving on playing on his mind.

He was still the stand out forward on the pitch and, although he may have drifted in and out of the game, you can see his class.

Fulham would miss him if he left and you wonder if Dembele would be able to step up if McCormack was temped away.


Read more at http://footballleagueworld.co.uk/3-things-we-learned-from-fulhams-1-0-home-defeat-to-sheffield-wednesday/?#AfKEAi0OkkVZ2Srb.99

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Can Slavisa Jokanovic's tough talking turn ailing Fulham around... or is the club set for ANOTHER rebuild?
Fulham have rebuilt twice since relegation to the Championship in 2014
Despite talk of a promotion push, the Cottagers are nearer the bottom six
Enter Slavisa Jokanovic, a tough talker who has promised to turn it around

Since Fulham's relegation in 2014, there has been a lot of talk at the club about a return to the Premier League.

But despite rebuilding the squad twice in successive summers under Felix Magath and Kit Symons they have not come close to mounting a promotion challenge.

Their soft underbelly has been exposed too many times this season and they have been left closer to a relegation battle than the top six.


Ross Wallace's spectacular 30-yard strike confounded Slavisa Jokanovic to defeat in his first game in charge


Wallace (right) of Sheffield Wednesday celebrates with Atdhe Nuhiu after scoring at Craven Cottage


Jokanovic was appointed earlier this week after Fulham brought an end to their 49-day search for a manager

They have the second-worst defensive record in the division, conceding 43 goals — 17 from set-pieces. They have taken just 16 points from 13 home games and won only twice on the road.

But now in Slavisa Jokanovic they have a man in charge who certainly talks a good game, and if a team are a reflection of their manager then Fulham are about to get a lot tougher.

The Londoners' new head coach, who led Watford to promotion last season, is keen to get across the fact that he is in charge and things will be done his way.

His first big call for Saturday's 1-0 defeat by Sheffield Wednesday was to drop Cauley Woodrow, who scored twice in Tuesday's win over Rotherham, and replace him with rising star Moussa Dembele.

The decision had a few around Craven Cottage scratching their heads, but Jokanovic bullishly said: 'I am the manager. I make the decisions that are good for my team. I always have a reason and that's it.'

Jokanovic told his players at Watford that football 'is a job for real men' and while he may have been in the job at Fulham for less than a week, he is already getting his message across. Midfielder Sakari Mattila said: 'He wants us to be more aggressive when we are defending, to tackle and be tougher. He wants us to get in their face.

'We need to keep doing things well going forward and he's bringing the tough-man side in. He wants us to press the ball quicker.'

Any club hoping to take advantage of the fact that Fulham are under an embargo for this month's transfer window to poach Ross McCormack or Dembele are in for an equally strong response.

'I am not thinking about selling my key players like McCormack or Dembele,' said Jokanovic. 'This is not in my plans.'

Defeat on Saturday to a stunning 30-yard strike by Ross Wallace left Fulham 14 points off the play-off places with 21 games remaining.

For all his tough talk Jokanovic is a realist, and he knows another rebuilding job may be needed at Craven Cottage.

'This is not the time for talking about promotion,' he said. 'We need to be brave, be strong and work hard. I need a little bit of time, I'm not a magician. But my team will soon start to understand my way, my philosophy and things will be better.

'I have confidence and I believe in my job. We work hard and we push on together and we find the right way forward for Fulham Football Club.'

Jokanovic may be no magician, but if he is given time for his methods to work then he could be the man Fulham need to do more than just talk about promotion.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3382989/ON-ROAD-Slavisa-Jokanovic-s-tough-talking-turn-ailing-Fulham-club-set-rebuild.html#ixzz3wGKMtt00
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Jokanovic Well Aware Of The Task At Hand

Fulham 0

Sheffield Wednesday 1

by Kaleem Aftab

at Craven Cottage

A glorious 35-yard strike from Ross Wallace on Saturday ensured that new Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic's first game ended in defeat at Craven Cottage.

Fulham dominated possession in wet conditions but it was Sheffield Wednesday that created all the best chances and the home side had goalkeeper Andy Lonergan to thank for keeping the score down as he made smart saves from Atdhe Nuhiu and Gary Hooper.

Jokanovic didn't need another abject Fulham display to know the size of his job. "I have come here for hard work and am not going to change the fortunes of the team in two days," he said.

The transfer window offers Jokanovic only a limited scope to make changes as Fulham have fallen foul of financial fair play rules and can only make loan signings. "I will bring some players in but also I shall keep our important players like Ross McCormack and Moussa Dembele."

Dembele has been the source of much speculation recently and Jokanovic opted to choose the striker, who has only just returned from injury, over Cauley Woodrow who scored a brace in the midweek win over Rotherham.

Indicating the ruthless approach that he displayed at Watford, Jokanovic stated: "I am the manager and make the decisions."

In contrast, Carlos Carvalhal is now trying to temper the expectations on Sheffield Wednesday reaching the play-offs after their first win in six away matches. "We are in good position," he said.

"I don't want to talk about play-off as we are still outsiders but we will fight game by game and even today we missed eight or nine players who are important to us."

Even with so many injuries Wednesday were far too good for Fulham.


http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-f4d7-Jokanovic-well-aware-of-the-task-at-hand?#.VootRkvkolc