Sunday Fulham Stuff (13/03/16)...

[WhiteJC]

 

Saturdays Results
Blackburn	1-2	Leeds
Bolton	1-2	Preston
Cardiff	1-0	Ipswich
Fulham	1-2	Bristol City
Huddersfield	1-3	Burnley
Hull	1-1	MK Dons
Nottm Forest	0-3	Sheff Wed
QPR	3-0	Brentford
Rotherham	3-3	Derby

[WhiteJC]

 
Struggling Fulham beaten by last-minute goal

Fulham 1 Bristol City 2

Fulham remain in trouble after Lee Tomlin's 90th-minute free-kick condemned them to defeat to their fellow strugglers.

Ross McCormack had given the Whites the perfect start after just three minutes when he guided a lob over the goalkeeper from a wide angle.

But Bristol City emerged in the second half with more purpose and intent and equalised on 70 minutes when Marlon Pack drilled in from 20 yards.

And moments after Robins keeper Richard O'Donnell had denied McCormack, Tomlin curled in a superb set-piece to win it.

Fulham were much the better side in the first half, buoyed by a moment of inspiration from top scorer McCormack.

He was sent clear by Michael Madl's ball and showed tremendous vision to guide the ball over O'Donnell and in at the far post.

He tried a similarly ambitious effort when he sent a free-kick from more than 30 yards just wide and Scott Parker and Tom Cairney both had shots from distance saved rather unconvincingly by O'Donnell as Fulham continued to play with confidence.

But City looked a different side when they brought on new signing Peter Odemwingie at half-time.

He set up Tomlin with one of his first touches, and the midfielder forced a good save from Andy Lonergan, while Ryan Fredericks did well to block Odemwingie's shot.

Pack deservedly levelled with 20 minutes to play when he cut inside Parker and hit a shot which took a slight deflection on its way in.

Fulham pressed late on, with McCormack and fit-again substitute Cauley Woodrow having shots blocked in quick succession, but Madl's foul proved costly as Tomlin expertly executed the free-kick.

The final whistle produced loud boos around Craven Cottage and Fulham players slumped to the ground, knowing they had let crucial points slip from their grasp.

Fulham: Lonergan; Madl, Burn, Amorebieta; Fredericks, Parker (O'Hara 78), Tunnicliffe, Cairney, Garbutt (Ream 76); McCormack, Dembele (Woodrow 85).
Subs not used: Bettinelli, Richards, Hyndman, Smith.


http://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/football-wls-struggling-fulham-beaten-in-last-minute-by-bristol-city

[WhiteJC]

 
Head Coach Reaction

Slaviša Jokanović called for his Fulham side to stand up and be counted in the remaining nine games of the season after the hammer-blow of a 2-1 defeat to fellow strugglers Bristol City.

After Ross McCormack had put Fulham in front with a sublime chip, the Robins hit back in the second half, levelling through Marlon Pack before Lee Tomlin's free-kick won it with a minute left.

"We started the game very well and played good football," said Jokanović. "We didn't control the second half; we started very confused and made many mistakes. They put us in big trouble with a simple push and we started to be scared at set-pieces.

"It's disappointing for us and our supporters. We needed to go to war for the last 10 games and we didn't go to war today. We need to be stronger and show more fight as we're in trouble.

"We played with a different mentality in the second half and without enough power. I tried to make some changes but they didn't do enough. We need to be men in this situation."

The defeat, coupled with Rotherham United's 3-3 draw at home to Derby County, leaves Fulham a point above the drop zone. The Whites travel to promotion-chasing Birmingham City on Saturday.

"Our fans are unhappy, we have to be ready for the Birmingham game," continued Jokanović. "We're in a relegation battle, this is very clear. We're in trouble, it's evident.

"It's not acceptable. But our obligation is to start thinking about the Birmingham game. This game is done and I say sorry to the Fulham fans; they push us and they try and help us and we didn't give them enough today for their support. In the next game we need to be brave. I don't want to think about relegation, everything is in our hands."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2016/march/12/jokanovic-reaction-burnley

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham boss apologise to fans for gutting Bristol City defeat

Joka admits Whites are in deep trouble after losing to a fellow relegation candidate and are now just a point off the relegation spots


Bad day: Slavisa Jokanovic takes in the scene against Bristol

Fulham head's coached suffered like the majority of the 20,000-plus fans at Craven Cottage when his side lost a game they should have won.

Bristol City hit the winner for 2-1 in the 90th minute through a Lee Tomlin free-kick after Marlon Pack cancelled out a sublime Ross McCormack free-kick after just three minutes.

Slavisa Jokanovic had no real answer to why his side start like trains, and then get derailed when the going gets tough - but he admits time is running out for a side now only a single point off the drop zone.

"This is a relegation battle and 10 big battles have now become nine," he said.

"The last three games and the mistakes made in them have cost us. I can say sorry to Fulham fans, because they pushed and helped us all the way, but it's us on the pitch who have to do it.

"Nobody is going to arrive to help us. We are alone, and it depends on us and us alone.

"We started the game really well. But the second part of the second half, they put us in big trouble with set pieces.

"But we need to be men and mentally stronger and not play scared."

Fans let it be known what they felt when City went ahead with hundreds making for the exit even with five minutes of injury time. Those who remained let out a chorus of boos at the City winner - and again on the final whistle.


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-boss-apologise-fans-gutting-11031006?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham and the five major reasons they lost to Bristol City

The obvious answer is City scored twice and Whites only once - but it goes deeper than that. Do you agree with these points?


Shhh... Ross McCormack of Fulham silences the 4,000 Bristol fans behind the goal for 1-0

Fulham lost 2-1 to Bristol in the six-pointer at Craven Cottage - and here's why.

Fulham lack mental strength when backs are against the wall
That's not us talking - that's the Whites head coach. Slavisa Jokanovic can be forgiven for his English slip of demanding the team should be 'more stronger' mentally - but anyone who saw the game knows what he means.

They had the game in the palm of their hands and like sand through fingers it slipped away.

For 20 minutes, Fulham looked like Championship title winners, and then...
....the wind gets taken out of their sails. It was the same at Reading last week.

They led in that game and this, but then things start to go astray. If they could do it for even 70 minutes, they would be thinking about promotion rather than looking over their shoulders.


Juggle: Aaron Wilbraham (L) is put under pressure by Michael Madl

If you're going to lose the ball - don't do it in your final third and dead centre to goal
We mean you Luke Garbutt.

You're a very good player in the making, but City's equaliser was easily avoidable and no surprises when the Everton loanee was subbed a few minutes later. Lesson learned, hopefully.

The biggest crowd of the season came out when the chips were down
Fulham have nudged a few high 19,000s for games this season, but 20,316 was the best yet - even if there were nearly 4,000 from the west country. Fair play, those of you in white-and-black - you deserved better.

Scott Parker is the glue that holds Fulham together
Were he 25 rather than 35, Fulham would have lost the former England midfielder to a Premier League club some time since.

He bought them time and space against City, and his positional sense is key - even if he can only manage 80 minutes. the goals of McCormack and Dembele will be vital, but Parker over the last nine games is going to be just as important.


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-five-major-reasons-lost-11030118?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham facing 'nine wars', says Jokanovic



Slavisa Jokanovic apologised to Fulham's fans after the home defeat to Bristol City – and demanded his players go to 'war' in the final nine games of the season.

Fulham, who led 1-0 at the break, allowed fellow strugglers City to leapfrog them in the Championship table after an equaliser by Marlon Pack and a 90th-minute free-kick from Lee Tomlin.

A loud chorus of boos sounded around Craven Cottage on the final whistle and Jokanovic admitted the performance had not been good enough.

He said: "I can say sorry to Fulham fans because they have been, all the time, with us.

"They push us, they tried to help us, but we didn't give them enough for this support.

"Generally we started the game very well. We played good football and scored the goal.

"But we didn't control the second half. We started really confused and made many mistakes."

Fulham are now only a point clear of the relegation zone with nine games remaining and Jokanovic admitted his players will need to roll up their sleeves and drag themselves out of the perilous situation they find themselves in.

He said: "We are in a relegation battle, this is now really clear. It's nine wars in front of us, we need to be ready for this kind of situation.

"Nobody is going to arrive from outside to fix this problem. It depends on me, it depends on my players.

"We need to play with more mentality and be men. Being scared is not good for nothing."


http://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/fulham-facing-nine-wars-says-jokanovic?