Monday Fulham Stuff (05/12/16)...

[WhiteJC]

 
SONE ALUKO SCORES IN FULHAM BIG WIN

Nigeria forward Sone Aluko was among the goals for his England Championship side Fulham in their 5-0 win over Reading.

Fulham are 10th on the table with 28 points from 19 matches.

Aluko scored in 68th minute to give his side a 3-0 lead on Saturday.

He has now scored four goals in the league this season.

The former Aberdeen star lasted for 76 minutes before he was replaced with Lucas Piazon.


http://africanfootball.com//news/668940/Sone-Aluko-scores-in-Fulham-big-win

[WhiteJC]

 
Martin: Fulham's big win 'fully deserved'
by DAN on DECEMBER 4, 2016

Chris Martin felt Fulham's five-goal margin was fully merited after the Whites matched their fine approach play with some flawless finishing to put promotion contenders Reading to the sword at Craven Cottage yesterday.

Such an emphatic result was the perfect way to bounce back from the disappointment of losing a lead at Brighton and Hove Albion last weekend and breathe new life in Fulham's own promotion aspirations. Martin, whose second half brace settled any nerves after the second half surrender at the AMEX, told BBC London that the home side's quality was really pleasing:

I thought it was fully deserved. I thought we were very good from start to finish, I think even before they had a man sent off, I think we dominated and I think that gave us that little bit of respite towards the end of the game, but I think arguably we played better stuff in the first half. The attitude, the willingness to work, the closing down, tempo, work rate, I think it had everything today, we really harried them – they've been a very good team so far this season and they're on a very good run of form, so we knew that, we knew we would have to start well, press them high, try and get in their faces and try upset their rhythm a little bit. I felt we did that, played some very good stuff ourselves and probably deserved to be more than a goal up after the first half, I would say.

The Scotland international, who has now scored six goals in 14 appearances during his loan spell at the Cottage, believes that his resurgence in form after a tricky start has come from greater game time and getting used to how a much-changed Fulham side like to operate.

It was probably getting more rhythm and timing from playing – I had obviously played a couple of games at the start of the season [with Derby County] but I didn't have a full pre-season in terms of games because I was slightly out of favour and I think just getting into the pace of things and getting really match fit. Getting to know the lads was part of it, it's been well documented the amount of changes that have been made at the club in terms of personnel coming in. I think we're now starting to see a slightly more settled team and I think that's paying out for myself, but also the team.

Martin also revealed that his team-mates had something of a heart-to-heart after the defeat against Albion last weekend with several Fulham players pointing out where things had gone wrong. The importance of retaining the high performance levels from the first period was reiterated at half-time yesterday to avoid a repeat – and Martin's goal early in the second half ensured there would be no slacking off.

Not going to lie, there was some stern words in the dressing room after [the Brighton game]. People weren't very happy, both with themselves and each other a little bit – and that happens in football. You've got to lay your cards out on the table sometimes, I think a few of us done, a few of the boys put their points across and we said it, especially this time around, you've got to learn from your mistakes, as we went at 1-0 today [at half-time] and that was brought up what happened last week, that we didn't start in the same manner. We certainly didn't do that, we started on the front foot, played football in their half I think second half, didn't give them a minute's rest and obviously happy to get the second goal, just to settle us down that little bit. After that, there was the sending off that probably kind of killed the game for them a little bit and we were able to go on and dominate and it's obviously very tough to play against a team with ten man. They found it difficult to live with us and we put some gloss on the scoreline.


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2016/12/martin-fulhams-big-win-fully-deserved/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham Tickets Available On General Sale

Tickets for Derby County's Sky Bet Championship away fixture at Fulham are available on General Sale.

Derby will make the journey to the Craven Cottage on Saturday 17th December 2016 (3pm kick-off).

Ticket prices for the game have been confirmed as:

£25 Adults
£20 Senior Citizens (65+)
£20 18-21s
£15 Under 18s

* Matchday ticket sales, if available, will incur a price increase

Derby have been given an initial allocation of 2,787 seats for the game.

Supporters can buy their tickets from the Ticket Office at Pride Park Stadium, by calling 0871 472 1884 (option 1) or by logging on to WeAreDerby.com.

To become an Away Membership Holder for the 2016/17 campaign and ensure you're in line to purchase away tickets first, visit WeAreDerby.com.

* Calls cost 13p per minute, plus your phone company's access charge.



Read more at http://www.dcfc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/fulham-tickets-available-on-general-sale-3446736.aspx#lWC0AwM3UGSMdVLM.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Danny Williams was sent off for Reading FC against Fulham FC

DANNY Williams has issued an apology for getting sent off in Reading FC's 5-0 thumping by Fulham FC yesterday, blasting the referee's decision in the process.

The Royals endured a dismal afternoon at Craven Cottage and could not continue their fine form after winning their previous five games in the league.

Things went from bad to worse in the early stages of the second half when Williams received his marching orders for violent conduct, which will rule him out for the Royals' next three games.

Referee Oliver Langford deemed that Williams kicked out at Fulham's Stefan Johansen, and the USA international was handed a straight red card.

Yet Williams revealed he felt the officials made the wrong call on the 54th minute of the match, saying officials need to have a "better understanding" of the game.

Speaking after the match, Williams took to his Instagram account to apologise to supporters that made their way to London to witness the capitulation.

"First of I would like to apologise to my teammates and the fans (who were fantastic today despite our bad performance) for my reaction after being stepped on my leg," asserted Williams.

"Personally I think it was a very very harsh decision and sometimes officials should have a better understanding of the game.

"I have never conceded a straight red card in my career and I definetely would never have the intention of injuring another player on purpose.

"We will bounce back from this defeat and we will come back stronger like we have shown in the past.

"Thank you again for your amazing support."

Williams will miss the next three games for the Royals, including Saturday's tie against Sheffield Wednesday at Madejski Stadium (3pm ko).


http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/sport/readingfc/14945331.Reading_FC__Williams_apologises_for_dismissal_and_says_officials_lacked_understanding/

[WhiteJC]

 
Right Royal thrashing

READING suffered another Craven Cottage nightmare as their five-match winning streak came to a painful end, beaten 5-0 by Fulham.

Royals fans thought it couldn't get worse than last year's 4-2 humbling in west London which sparked a dramatic slide down the table.

But this was every bit as disappointing as Jaap Stam's men crashed to their heaviest defeat of the season.

The ramifications will also be felt for weeks to come following a Danny Williams red card for violent conduct, ruling the USA midfielder out for the next three games.

Questions will also be asked of Reading's defence who were run ragged by the pacy Cottagers.

Stam's men had only conceded once in their previous five games, but here they were torn apart time and time and again and were in many ways flattered by the scoreline.

They could have fallen behind well before the sun got in Chris Gunter's eyes as he headed into his own net with 15 minutes gone.

Royals' goal led a charmed life until Chris Martin put Fulham 2-0 up in the 49th minute before goals from Sone Aluko on 68 minutes and Stefan Johansen three minutes later left the hosts in dreamland.

Hundreds of Reading fans had headed home long before Martin added a fifth in the 90th minute to compound the misery and secure Fulham's third straight league win against the Royals.

Yes, Liam Moore was out through suspesion, but Reading should not have missed the services of the talented centre-back this much.

Stam made one change from the side that beat Bristol City 2-1 at home a week earlier, with fit-again Joey van den Berg replacing Moore.

Fulham made two changes from the side that lost to Brighton as Ryan Fredericks and Tim Ream were recalled, while ex-Royals loanee Lucas Piazon had to settle for a place on the bench.

The Brazillian joined a packed Craven Cottage to observe a minute's silence for the Chapecoense football team, many of whom were among the 71 who lost their lives in the recent air disaster in Colombia.

Reading have been fast starters in recent weeks, but they were off the boil against the pumped-up Cottagers.

Their passing was sloppy, they were second best all over the pitch and their goal was immediately under threat.

The hosts went close in the sixth minute when Floyd Ayite's shot forced a decent save from Ali Al-Habsi after Stam's men had lost the ball in midfield.

Three minutes late Al-Habsi made an even better stop to keep the scores level, flying to his left to claw away Scott Malone's effort which had deflected off Gunter.

It was one-way traffic and another let-off followed when Ayite volleyed over from close range when he should have hit the target.

But Reading's luck ran out with 15 minutes on the clock.

Fulham were having plenty of joy down the flanks, and they worked their way past Jordan Obita before Fredricks whipped over a dangerous cross from the right.

All Gunter could do was head the ball past Al-Habsi from three yards out, the Welshman claiming he was blinded by the low, winter sun.

In truth, it was no more than Fulham deserved and they continued to push for a second.

It needed a crucial block by Tyler Blackett to deny Martin from inside the box. Then following a series of corners, Martin saw his header saved by the alert Al-Habsi.

Royals were a shadow of their themselves against a Fulham side who could have been out of sight.

They threatened in the 33rd minute, but Aluko blazed over on the angle when he should have passed to a team-mate.

The more the home side squandered their opportunities, the more hope it gave Royals.

Gradually, they began to play their way back into the game by maintaining better possession.

They even had a sniff at goal a minute before the break, though it was more in hope as van den Berg picked out Garath McCleary, who could only fire wide of the target from a long way out.

But things soon got worse after the interval when Fulham scored again four minutes into the second half.

Royals failed to deal with a routine long ball which Ayite flicked on to Martin. The former Derby man chested it down before racing towards goal unopposed and rifling the ball past Al-Habsi's right hand and into the far corner.


http://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/sport/football/football_reading/14945355.Right_Royal_thrashing/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham FC 5-0 Reading FC: Player Ratings
An awful start to December saw Reading put in their worst performance of the season. Jordan Cottle dishes out the dirt on the worst offenders.

Ali Al-Habsi: 5
Not much he could do with most of the goals, but will have to take some blame for Chris Martin's second, if you set your wall up on one side you have to protect the other. In addition his distribution was poor today and missed the calming influence of Liam Moore.

Chris Gunter: 4
Terrible own goal and was incapable of providing his usual threat going forward. Often left isolated against two in attack, but coped generally well with most of the threat coming down the other side.

Paul McShane: 4
Without Moore in the team there was a lot resting on the captain to keep the defence organised, unfortunately it didn't play out that way. Didn't close down Martin for his first and struggled to play out the defence.

Tyler Blackett: 5
I thought he performed slightly better than McShane on the day...slightly.

Jordan Obita: 3
Given a torrid time by Sone Aluko and Ryan Fredericks with most of the Fulham attacks coming down his side and he was incapable of stopping dangerous crosses going into the box. We saw the poor side to Jordan's game today, albeit he was given very little help from Beerens.

George Evans: 5
In his very specific job of always being available for the pass and distributing out from the back he did ok but was unable to get to grips with Fulham's excellent movement.

Danny Williams: 3
Part of a midfield that never got going. His role in the team is to pressure the opposition and drive his team forward, he did neither. Sent off early in the second half to effectively end Reading's chances of getting back into the game

Joey van den Berg: 4
Looked lost higher up the pitch and well short of match fitness. Also picked up a booking.

Garath McCleary: 5
Rarely beat his man, but at least gave Gunter some help at the back. Was forced deep by the marauding Scott Malone.

Dominic Samuel: 5
Worked hard but left very isolated up front. Had a good chance mid way through the second half to either hit the target or square the ball to Kelly but dawdled on it and the chance was gone.

Roy Beerens: 4
Whether it was a tactical decision or ill discipline he drifted infield leaving massive amounts of space for Fredericks to bomb into. His flicks and tricks never came off today and he needs to realise that sometimes its best just to get the ball down and play the percentage ball.

Substitutes
Liam Kelly: 5
Came on for Beerens after the sending off and did ok. A few nice passes and disciplined display in a wide left position. The suspension to Danny Williams could give him a run in the team which I hope he takes with both hands.

Yakou Méïte: 5
Came on late and ran around but the game was long gone.

Callum Harriott: N/A
Who was YOUR man of the match? Vote in our poll at the bottom of the page, and leave your thoughts in the comments section.

Average Rating: 4.4
Best and worst performances from 2016/2017:

6.7 - Preston North End H (W 1-0)

6.6 - Wigan A (W 3-0)

6.6 - Brighton & Hove Albion (W 2-1)

6.0 - AVERAGE

5.2 - Wolverhampton Wanderers A (L 0-2)

4.7 - Brentford A (L 1-4)

4.4 - Fulham A (L 0-5)

Season's Ratings:

http://thetilehurstend.sbnation.com/2016/12/4/13832664/fulham-fc-5-0-reading-fc-player-ratings-efl-championship-2016-2017

[WhiteJC]

 
Stefan Johansen Scores Nice Goal in Fulham's 5-0 Win.. Fans Rave About Him



Stefan Johansen scored a nice goal for Fulham yesterday before fans hailed the midfielder's impact at the club.

The Norwegian man looked a shadow of the player he once was at the start of this season with Celtic.

He struggled to get into Brendan Rodgers' team and was quickly sold to the English Championship outfit in a £2million deal at the end of August.

But Johansen hasn't struggled at Fulham – he's been instrumental in the 11 games he's played for the Craven Cottage club so far.

Fulham sit 10th in the table and will be enjoying their Sunday after beating Reading 5-0 yesterday.

Johansen added a nice 71st-minute strike to help the Cottagers on their way to a big three points:

And that appeared to simply top what was another brilliant performance from the Norwegian playmaker.

Fans have taken to Twitter to hail Johansen for what he's brought to the team since signing:

Celtic don't look to be missing out on Johansen, as Scott Brown, Stuart Armstrong and Tom Rogic dominate their midfield.

But maybe Johansen's strong form will see him reach the Premier League with Fulham or with another big move.


http://www.talkingbaws.com/2016/12/video-stefan-johansen-scores-nice-goal-in-fulhams-5-0-win-fans-rave-about-him/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham - Just the One?

Reading arrived in West London yesterday; the Berkshire side had won their previous five games.

But just like another high-flying side that arrived in our neck of the woods a couple of weeks ago, Huddersfield Town, they were on the receiving end of a 5-goal rout.

To me it was the Championship performance of the day which makes it strange there wasn`t more of our side who were considered good enough to be nominated for the Championship Team of the day.

Instead we`re represented by just one representative - Stefan Johansen, with the full starting eleven being:-

- Ruddy (Norwich)
- Bree (Barnsley)
- Dunk (Brighton)
- Taylor (Leeds)
- Brady (Norwich)
- Johansen (Fulham)
- Hourihane (Barnsley)
- Freeman (Bristol City)
- O`Grady (Burton)
- Van La Parra (Huddersfield)
- Winnall (Barnsley)

COYW`s


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=470694#ixzz4RwmFblHH

[WhiteJC]

 
Resounding win puts Fulham back among the chasing pack
by DAN on DECEMBER 4, 2016

Thumping 5-0 victories over promotion contenders are becoming commonplace at Craven Cottage. For Huddersfield, sitting in third place when they brought their flowing football to south west London, see Reading, who were demolished just as comprehensively yesterday afternoon. Both teams, managed by continental managers, made the same mistake. They were eager to play expansive games, opting to play football from deep in their own half and took risks against the emerging Fulham high press. It proved to be a disastrous strategy.

As well as transforming Fulham's goal difference (which might come to be crucial when the points are totted up in May), the manner of these wins over sides that could directly threaten the Whites' top six aspirations will boost the reserves of confidence around Motspur Park. The re-establishment of the Cottage as a place where opponents fear to come is a crucial part of Slavisa Jokanovic's project – so much so that the Serbian head coach afforded himself the merest of smiles when he told the assembled press pack that he would 'try to be satisfied' with the absolute mauling Fulham dished out after the final whistle.

But there is a still gaping disparity between Fulham's results when they face sides willing to play football against them – thus opening up the space for the home side's forward movement – and those who set up to stifle, frustrate and nullify. The games that upset Fulham's early season rhythm – against Birmingham, Burton Albion and Queens' Park Rangers – all played out to a familiar pattern. Plenty of possession but little penetration against sides resolutely focused on breaking up the play and keeping Fulham's most adventurous performers shackled. It was striking yesterday that Kevin McDonald and Tom Cairney, both pivotal to the fortunes of this emerging Jokanovic team in very different ways, were afforded the freedom to express themselves.

That was something managers who had done their homework would have been at pains to avoid. Cairney, so gifted and gorgeous when in full flight, has looked lightweight when up against some of the division's more physical and robust sides, especially when he has faced not one but two defenders detailed to prevent up from drifting inside and influencing proceedings higher up the pitch. Reading's goose might have been cooked once Danny Williams stamped on Stefan Johansen – but the Royals had already paid the penalty for failing to diligent disrupt Fulham's rhythm.

The question about whether this Fulham side has matured enough to be able to unlock the most miserly of defences remains unanswered. There have been signs of late – witness Scott Malone's very late equaliser against Sheffield Wednesday – that Jokanovic's men have the belief to keep trusting their football until the last whistle goes, but the more astute tacticians will want to close down the space in which Fulham's wingers – so electric yesterday – like to operate. The oceans of room into which Fulham were able to stroke the ball around in front of Reading prior to Johansen's lovely curler simply won't be there against the majority of sides in the league, who will be far quicker to snap into a tackle.

You would expect a far more feisty encounter at Wolves next weekend for example. Paul Lambert earned his first win a few miles away at QPR on Thursday night – and the Midlands club were good value for that success in Shepherd's Bush. Lambert's sides have a reputation for being easy on the eye, but a gnarly old holding midfielder like the Scot, will also imbue his teams with plenty of steel and a good degree of game management. The likes of Dave Edwards and Conor Coady simply won't be accommodating enough to give Johansen and Cairney the sort of room to pick out passes and try little tricks – the tempo will be quicker and the challenges carrying a fair bit of bite.

All of this is not to dismiss the way in which Jokanovic's side have dismantled two sides that were the talk of the Championship fairly recently. Huddersfield's form had taken them to the brink of the automatic promotion places and they were swatted aside with disdain, whilst Reading looked nothing like the team that were on a five-match winning run. Consistency is vital in the Championship and Fulham have spent the past two years searching for a modicum of it. If Jokanovic's boys can replicate the high levels they touched during this display on a regular basis, Fulham could yet climb higher than the sixth place they currently covet.


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2016/12/resounding-win-puts-fulham-back-among-the-chasing-pack/

[bill taylors apprentice]

Danny Williams was sent off for Reading FC against Fulham FC

DANNY Williams has issued an apology for getting sent off in Reading FC's 5-0 thumping by Fulham FC yesterday, blasting the referee's decision in the process.

The Royals endured a dismal afternoon at Craven Cottage and could not continue their fine form after winning their previous five games in the league.

Things went from bad to worse in the early stages of the second half when Williams received his marching orders for violent conduct, which will rule him out for the Royals' next three games.

Referee Oliver Langford deemed that Williams kicked out at Fulham's Stefan Johansen, and the USA international was handed a straight red card.

Yet Williams revealed he felt the officials made the wrong call on the 54th minute of the match, saying officials need to have a "better understanding" of the game.

Speaking after the match, Williams took to his Instagram account to apologise to supporters that made their way to London to witness the capitulation.

"First of I would like to apologise to my teammates and the fans (who were fantastic today despite our bad performance) for my reaction after being stepped on my leg," asserted Williams.

"Personally I think it was a very very harsh decision and sometimes officials should have a better understanding of the game.

"I have never conceded a straight red card in my career and I definetely would never have the intention of injuring another player on purpose.

"We will bounce back from this defeat and we will come back stronger like we have shown in the past.

"Thank you again for your amazing support."

Williams will miss the next three games for the Royals, including Saturday's tie against Sheffield Wednesday at Madejski Stadium (3pm ko).


http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/sport/readingfc/14945331.Reading_FC__Williams_apologises_for_dismissal_and_says_officials_lacked_understanding/

So what exactly is he saying ? Seems like gobbledegook to me!

In pleading his case against being sent off is he saying, I reacted to being "stepped on"  and the "officials need to have a better understanding of the game" because my reaction i.e. violently stamping back should not be seen as a red card?

I saw it clearly and am willing to accept Johansen made sure he fell on Williams (clever gamesmanship in today's game, some would say) but its always been the case that violent reactions of this type are likely to result in a red card Q.E.D.

He may of been provoked but that counts for nothing and I saw the red mark on Johansens body when he lifted his shirt to examine the damage.

He lost his temper and he's now trying to rewrite what happened, silly man !