Thursday Fulham Stuff (07/04/16)...

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'It's not time for a holiday' Slavisa Jokanovic calls for Fulham focus after Preston


Fulham Head Coach Slavisa Jokanovic looks on (Photo by Harry Engels/Getty Images)

Fulham moved seven points clear of the Championship relegation zone with their 2-1 victory over Preston on Tuesday night but manager Slavisa Jokanovic insists his side are far from safe.

Moussa Dembele's second-half effort proved to be the winner - extending Fulham's unbeaten run away from home to four games and all but ending Preston's slim hopes of a play-off place.

Ross McCormack had put the visitors in front in the first half before they were pegged back by Marnick Vermijl's leveller.

But Dembele reacted quickest after McCormack's free-kick had come back off a post to lift his side to 19th - seven points and three positions clear of MK Dons in the final drop-zone spot. "We are not safe.

With six games in front of us, now it's six points we don't have reason to think about a holiday," said Jokanovic.

"We need to do much for our away supporters who travel with us and push us towards safety.

"It's not time for holiday, we need to give these people something back because we haven't given them too many happy afternoons. We can fix that in these six games ahead of us.

"In this situation that we are in the only important thing for us is the points."

Dembele's strike was Fulham's 29th away goal this season - a league high. And Jokanovic admits his side's attacking talents are getting them out of trouble.

"We didn't play a brilliant game but we play like a team and in the end we were a little bit lucky and we had the quality in front of goal for scoring the goals that we always make," he added.

"This is Fulham. We have our strengths and weakness and one of the strengths is the more offensive players.

"Ross and Moussa give us many many points and many goals. Preston pressed and were very solid and very strong.

"It was good for us to be solid. We were fighting all together and we find the points we need which is more important at the moment for us."

Meanwhile Preston boss Simon Grayson was left scratching his head as to just how his side had slipped to their first home defeat since January 23.

"It was a frustrating night. Sometimes in games you don't get what you deserve," he said.

"I thought that was the case tonight. We were the better team, created the better chances. They got the early goal but we passed the ball better and there was only one team looking to win the game. We weren't helped by some of the tactics they used at times.

"McCormack and Dembele are the hottest property in the division but they are down near the bottom for a reason. They haven't got all the components right and massively underachieved, they should be nowhere near the bottom four or five."



Read more at: http://www.london24.com/sport/football/it_s_not_time_for_a_holiday_slavisa_jokanovic_calls_for_fulham_focus_after_preston_1_4484242
Copyright © LONDON24

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Fulham aren't safe yet, says Jokanovic
by DAN on APRIL 6, 2016

Slavisa Jokanovic called for focus from his Fulham players and insisted his side weren't safe from Championship relegation despite another crucial win at Preston North End last night.

Moussa Dembele's winner secured a second victory in four days to give the Londoners a seven point buffer between themselves and the drop zone but Jokanovic tempered talk of safety – pointing to the six critical fixtures to come.

We are not safe. With six games in front of us, now it's six points we don't have reason to think about a holiday. We need to do much for our away supporters who travel with us and push us towards safety.

It's not time for holiday, we need to give these people something back because we haven't given them too many happy afternoons. We can fix that in these six games ahead of us. In this situation that we are in the only important thing for us is the points.

The Serbian head coach admitted Fulham rode their luck for long periods, despite Ross McCormack's fifth minute opener, as Preston pushed for an equaliser but was content to add three points to the win over relegation rivals MK Dons on Saturday.

We didn't play a brilliant game but we play like a team and in the end we were a little bit lucky and we had the quality in front of goal for scoring the goals that we always make. This is Fulham. We have our strengths and weakness and one of the strengths is the more offensive players.

Ross and Moussa give us many many points and many goals. Preston pressed and were very solid and very strong. It was good for us to be solid. We were fighting all together and we find the points we need which is more important at the moment for us.


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2016/04/fulham-arent-safe-yet-says-jokanovic/?

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Moussa Hails Strike Partner

Fulham's matchwinner at Deepdale praised his partnership with Ross McCormack, after the pair's goals helped secure a consecutive 2-1 win.

After his heroics against Milton Keynes Dons, Moussa Dembélé had the final say again three days later as he pounced to secure a smash-and-grab victory at in-form Preston North End.

The pair have now scored a combined 39 goals in 2015/16, and Dembélé was full of praise for their on-the-field relationship. 

"Ross is a good player," he said. "He understands my position well and when I make a run he knows where I'm going and gives me the ball.

"It's the same for me; when I see his run I try to put the ball in the best position to score. We have a good partnership and hopefully we'll keep doing well for the team.

"As a striker my first job is to score. I'm a goalscorer, I like to score, and I've managed to do that when I've had the chance. It's all for the team and all for the Club."

Fulham more than matched their mid-table opponents in the first half, and nobody could say they didn't deserve their lead that McCormack had given them early on.

But Preston were the dominant force in the second half, deservedly equalising through Marnick Vermijl before Dembélé's suckerpunch.

"It was a hard match," the 19-year-old admitted. "Preston is a tough team to play and they were at home so it was even harder, but we showed some resilience and managed to score two goals away from home which won the game, so we're happy.

"It was an important win for us. We won Saturday and again at Preston which were two massive games for us, and now we go onto the next one on Saturday."

Victory against Cardiff City at the Cottage at the weekend would likely put even more daylight between Fulham and the bottom three.

That gap currently stands at seven points, and when asked if he thinks the Club are probably safe now, Dembélé replied: "I've always been confident of this.

"When I'm in training and when I'm in games I can see the quality of the team, there's no doubt about and I'm 100 per cent sure we'll stay in the league.

"As I said last week, every game is a final for us. We have to go out on Saturday and show everybody what we can do. We must fight 100 per cent for the Club, and I think that's what will happen Saturday."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2016/april/06/moussa-hails-strike-partner?

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Dembele praises perfect partnership
by DAN on APRIL 6, 2016

A modest Moussa Dembele heaped praise on Ross McCormack, crediting the Scottish international with making him a better player, after the pair scored the crucial goals that secured a second straight win for Slavisa Jokanovic's side at Preston.

The French teenager grabbed the winner at Deepdale last night, reacting quickest to turn McCormack's free-kick home from close range after it bounced back off the post and Dembele was quick to underline the importance of the duo's partnership that has delivered an astounding 39 goals in all competitions this season.

Ross is a good player. He understands my position well and when I make a run he knows where I'm going and gives me the ball. It's the same for me; when I see his run I try to put the ball in the best position to score. We have a good partnership and hopefully we'll keep doing well for the team.

As a striker my first job is to score. I'm a goalscorer, I like to score, and I've managed to do that when I've had the chance. It's all for the team and all for the club.

Fulham were forced on the back foot for large periods of the second half, but showed real character to cling onto their advantage under sustained bombardment from Simon Grayson's side throughout nearly ten minutes of stoppage time. Dembele admitted it was far from a perfect performance, but was delighted to claim a priceless victory.

It was a hard match. Preston is a tough team to play and they were at home so it was even harder, but we showed some resilience and managed to score two goals away from home which won the game, so we're happy. It was an important win for us. We won Saturday and again at Preston which were two massive games for us, and now we go onto the next one on Saturday.

Dembele, who has been heavily linked with a move away from Craven Cottage when his contract expires in the summer, believes Fulham have the quality to easily avoid the drop – a feeling only boosted by the fact the Whites are now seven points clear of the relegation zone.

I've always been confident of this. When I'm in training and when I'm in games I can see the quality of the team, there's no doubt about and I'm 100 per cent sure we'll stay in the league. As I said last week, every game is a final for us. We have to go out on Saturday and show everybody what we can do. We must fight 100 per cent for the Club, and I think that's what will happen Saturday.


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2016/04/dembele-praises-perfect-partnership/?

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Former midfielder confident Fulham will survive after MK Dons and Preston victories ease pressure at Craven Cottage

Steve Sidwell thinks this week's results have turned the tide and believes Karl Robinson's Dons will join Charlton and Bolton in League One next term


Battle for survival: Slavisa Jokanovic is leading the fight for Fulham

Steve Sidwell believes back-to-back wins this week have secured Championship football for another season at Fulham.

The Whites were victorious in a real six-pointer against MK Dons on Saturday and backed that result up with a superb triumph at Preston on Tuesday night.

Ross McCormack and Moussa Dembele continued their fine scoring sprees at Deepdale to ease the pressure on Slavisa Jokanovic's side.

That result, coupled with Rotherham's draw with Bristol City and the Dons' damaging defeat to Wolves, moved Fulham seven points clear of the relegation zone.

Karl Robinson's team now look likely to join Charlton and dismal Bolton in slipping out of the second tier with just six games of the campaign remaining.

Sidwell, who was Fulham's top scorer during the 2013-14 season and was linked with a return in January before moving to Brighton, thinks the bottom three is now set in stone.

"I think it is," came the response from Sidwell on Sky Sports News when asked if he thought the basement battle was all but over.

"You look at Fulham's last couple of games, getting back-to-back wins, that was massive.

"Rotherham are on a fantastic run since [Neil] Warnock has gone in there and taken change. The gap is just too much to catch up."

Former QPR manager Ian Holloway, no stranger to a relegation battle himself, isn't so sure you can write off MK Dons just yet.

However, the outspoken character reckons this weekend's scrap between the Buckinghamshire outfit and fellow strugglers City could spell the end.

"There's one big game left," Holloway added. "If Rotherham can win this game then MK might be doomed.

"But it's not over yet. You've got to take your hat off to Neil Warnock because he's given that group belief."

Fulham host Cardiff City at the Cottage weekend while Charlton play Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's Rangers and Bolton travel to Derby County.


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/former-midfielder-confident-fulham-survive-11146232?

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Coral's Half-Time Challenge

Fancy 15 minutes of fame with £1,000 thrown in? Step forward for the Coral Half-time Challenge...

Get your name down for the Half-time Challenge and you could be demonstrating your ball skills in front of the Craven Cottage faithful this Saturday.

Simply enter the Free Prize Draw and you could win:

Two Hospitality Tickets to the Cardiff match, in the Coral box.
A home shirt signed by the team.
Plus the chance to pass your way to £1,000 worth of Free Bets!
Winners will be invited to take to the pitch at half-time and show off their passing ability!

A unique Bullseye will be placed in the middle of the pitch, covering the entire centre circle. If you can accurately pass a ball from the edge of the penalty area into the Bullseye you will win up to £1,000 worth of Free Bets.

If your pass finds the smaller inner ring you'll win £500. Hit the Bullseye and you'll walk away with the full £1,000 in Free Bets, all courtesy of our official betting partner Coral.

So if you fancy yourself as a pass master, let Coral put their money where your mouth is! The competition always draws plenty of encouragement from the home crowd – and usually attracts the interest of both teams' subs warming up!

You'll need a Coral account to enter, but if you don't already have one you can sign-up here. It's absolutely free and only takes a couple of minutes.

Then simply enter your username and daytime phone number – and start practising your passing!


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2016/april/06/corals-half-time-challenge?

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Junior Club Day

Local clubs have until Friday 8th April to secure their tickets for our annual Junior Club Day against Cardiff City (Saturday 9th April, 3pm).

Join us at Craven Cottage as the Whites and the Bluebirds go head-to-head for the first time since the opening day of the 2015/16 campaign. What's more, we've got our Fun Day in Bishop's Park for fans to enjoy before kick-off.

To claim their special offer on tickets, players, managers and parents of Surrey FA Charter Standard Clubs must download and return their application form, which can be found with further information, online here.

Applications can be returned via email on [email protected], or directly to the Fulham Ticket Office.

More information can be found by phoning the Fulham Ticket Office on 0843 208 1234 (opt.1).


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2016/april/06/cardiff-on-sale?

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Head Coach Reaction

Slaviša Jokanović knows his side rode their luck at times against Preston North End, but cared little as Fulham left Deepdale with a 2-1 win.

Ross McCormack scored his 23rd goal of the season with just five minutes played, but a rejuvenated Preston took control of the second half and equalised through Marnick Vermijl.

They looked the most likely winners as they continued to dominate, but Moussa Dembélé turned home the loose ball after McCormack's free-kick hit the post to make it back-to-back wins for the Whites.

"The only important thing at this moment for us is winning points," Jokanović admitted. "We didn't play a brilliant game, but we played like a team. At the end we were a little bit lucky but we had quality in front of goal with Ross and Moussa, as always.

"We have our strengths and weaknesses, like every team. Our strength is our more offensive players. We have [Cauley] Woodrow and Matt Smith too in this offensive line. I use what I think is best for us, and they give us many, many points, and many, many goals.

"[Preston] tried, they pressed, they were solid and very strong. It's good for us because we were solid too. It's not our best characteristic in the team, but today we were fighting all together and in the end we found the points that we needed."

Results elsewhere went in Fulham's favour and seven points now separate us from the drop zone, but Jokanović is keen to secure as many wins as possible in the remaining sextet of matches.

"We are not safe," he insisted. "There's six games in front of us. We haven't made many things to make us happy this season. It's not time for us to think about holidays.

"We need to give our supporters something back as we haven't given them so many happy afternoons in home games and away games. We'll try and fix this problem in the six games that are in front of us.

"It's not a moment for us to be satisfied and so happy. Okay, it's an important result for us today, but the next final is the game against Cardiff.

"Our last game at home we played in front of fantastic support, and it's our chance to give these people something back. It's a chance to win a third game in a row."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2016/april/05/head-coach-reaction?