Saturday Fulham Stuff (10/12/16)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Inside Molineux

Wanderers fan and member of the London Wolves Supporters Club Peter Abbott gives his take on events at Molineux ahead of Saturday's game.

How did you come to be a Wolves fan?

I first got into football watching the 1966 World Cup as a 9-year-old. Exciting times for a young boy and the following season I started to look for football results and news. A pretty good player was mentioned many times, a certain Derek Dougan - The Doog. Wolves had caught the eye of this youngster living in the East End of London. I remember being asked at school who did I support and I always said Wolves, which of course brought unusual looks from classmates. I devoured everything I could about Wolves and in the late 60s I pestered my uncle to take me to watch a game, and in particular a fixture at Upton Park. 

In the early 70s, I was able to catch some Wolves games in London until I left school. I can also remember jumping on the District Line with school friends to watch other club games, and of course that included midweek matches at Craven Cottage, even to the extent that the only FA Cup Final I have ever watched "live" was Fulham v West Ham in 1975. I later found out all about, and then joined, London Wolves.

Tell us a bit about the London Wolves Supporters Club.

We are the oldest Wolves supporters club and enjoying our 50th anniversary this year. We've held celebratory events in the Wolves club museum, a wonderful dinner dance at The Valley, a meal in the club's corporate WV1 bar (on the exact date of the first organised trip 22nd October 1966), plus other get-togethers to reminisce about what that length of time has meant to our members and all the ups and downs that have happened to our great club. All our events are attended by former and current heroes and in all those years we've always enjoyed marvellous support and encouragement from the Wolves club itself.

Presumably Fulham away is quite a handy fixture for you then?

Yes, that is one of the supporters club's best attended fixtures. It also happens to have been a night game during the last couple of seasons and evening kick-offs in London are the members' favourites. Plus, over the years, I can't think of anyone having a bad word to say about a visit to Craven Cottage. Yes, sometimes an unfortunate result, but not the actual day or evening out.

Talk us through your season so far.

Wolves signed 12 new players from around Europe once Fosun, our new Chinese owners, took over the club in the summer and with Walter Zenga, the new "tinker man," then in charge, we slipped from exciting beginnings into some up and down performances and stopped winning. Talk was that Zenga didn't "know" the Championship. Paul Lambert certainly knows this league and Saturday will only be his fourth game in charge. He began by Wolves playing relatively well at Preston in his first game, drawing 0-0, however we slipped up badly against Sheffield Wednesday in his only game at Molineux so far. Then, with some good fortune, and in particular a good second half performance at QPR last week, we came away very happy with Paul's first win. Only four of the summer overseas signings have featured in that time, so we expect more ins and outs in the January transfer window.

Who have been your standout performers this term?

Benfica loanee, Helder Costa, would be most fans' player of the season at this stage. He's a cracking winger, loves to beat his man (and the next one or even two) en route to goal, and has amazing potential in the game. Sitting just in front of the back four is another of our summer signings, Romain Saiss, who I would say has already made his mark in our line-up. He is strong, quick and steady and seems to spot danger well before anyone else. Andy Lonergan, ex-Fulham of course, may play after replacing injured keeper Carl Ikeme in the second half at QPR last week. He's already made some important saves this season during an earlier spell in the first team.

What's a realistic target for Wolves?

Top-six has always been the aim, however we are a lot further back than where we would want to have been at this stage of the season, so current thinking from the fans may now only be top-10. Of course Paul Lambert and his players will still be aiming for top-six, and rightly so. Both clubs are aware of how changeable this league can be, so with a few consistent performances and wins, who knows?

Where can away fans go for a pre-match pint?

I believe that the Bluebrick pub close to the railway station is designated for away fans.

How do you see Saturday's game going?

Having beaten Fulham in all of our last four league meetings, and only losing that snowy FA Cup Replay at Molineux on penalties a couple of years back, we have to be pretty confident. However, I guess most Wolves fans will be concerned if we concede the first goal on Saturday, as we have only once this season won a league game from that position and that was back in August. Although Fulham have being scoring plenty of goals of late, we will be confident that we can avoid our disappointing October and November spell when we failed to win, particularly with Paul Lambert now in charge and on the back of last week's encouraging away win at QPR.

What score prediction are you going for?

Low scoring win, mainly because our recent results demand that we start to find our feet again and particularly stop letting in (early) goals - 1-0.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2016/december/09/inside-molineux

[WhiteJC]

 
Win with Coral

As part of our 12 Days of Christmas, Official Betting Partner Coral are offering supporters the opportunity to win a day at our Motspur Park training ground.

The prize, which will take place in the New Year, will involve watching the First Team train, and an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Motspur Park.

This competition is open to over 18s only. To enter, simply fill in your full name and Coral username below. Winners will be contacted in the New Year.

If you haven't got a Coral account, remember you can get £30 in free football bets when you sign up and bet £10 here.

(18+, T&Cs Apply)


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2016/december/09/win-with-coral

[WhiteJC]

 
Richard Stearman sits out for Wolves

Wolves are without Richard Stearman for the home clash with Fulham with the defender ineligible to face his parent club.

Goalkeeper Carl Ikeme is a doubt with an Achilles problem meaning Andy Lonergan and Kortney Hause are likely to come into the side for the missing pair.

Michal Zyro and Jordan Graham continue to recover from their long-term knee injuries, although neither are expected to return until next year.

Defender Mike Williamson is also out having been sidelined since January with a troublesome glute problem. Fulham can welcome back Denis Odoi from suspension.

The Belgian defender missed last weekend's visit of Reading after being booked for the fifth time this season.

However, boss Slavisa Jokanovic could opt to name an unchanged side following their thumping 5-0 win over the Royals.

Midfielder Kevin McDonald makes his first return to Molineux since his summer switch to Fulham.



Read more at: https://www.clubcall.com/fulham/richard-stearman-sits-out-for-wolves-1833464.html

[WhiteJC]

 
McDonald: Serious Business

Kevin McDonald caught up with some of his former Wolverhampton Wanderers teammates in London last weekend, but will be putting friendships aside when he returns to Molineux on Saturday.

The midfielder featured more than 120 times for Wolves and won Player of the Year during his time in the West Midlands, but now he's fully focused on taking three points away from his former stamping ground.

"I saw a couple of the boys on Sunday when I bumped into them at Winter Wonderland, so we had a bit of a laugh and a joke there," McDonald said when asked if he'd been in touch with his ex-colleagues.

"It's always the same, everyone has a laugh together but when it gets to Saturday there'll be no laughing and joking then, everyone will be serious, myself included.

"That's football at the end of the day, I've moved on from Wolves. I couldn't fault the place one bit, I had a fantastic three years there where I really enjoyed my time.

"I played with and met some amazing people, but I'm on the opposite team now, I'm on the other side, so I've got to go there and be professional and put in a good performance."

Fulham head into the game on the back of an impressive 5-0 victory over high-flying Reading, and McDonald wants to ensure that the momentum doesn't slip.

"It was a great performance last weekend, everything went our way," he stated. "So the mood and the spirits here have been high, as has been the case in recent weeks. It's a nice place to be and we'll take that momentum into this Saturday.

"Fingers crossed we can use the Reading win as a turning point and start moving further up the table to where we want to be. We feel that since Huddersfield we've played well in each game and haven't really dropped our standards as such.

"We let a poor goal slip against Brighton, but on the whole we've been really solid. Maybe Sheffield Wednesday was a bit of an off game from us, but we're hopeful we can kick on now."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2016/december/09/kevin-mcdonald-serious-business

[WhiteJC]

 
Former England striker Bobby Zamora confirms retirement

Former England striker Bobby Zamora has retired from football after failing to beat a long-term hip injury.

The striker was released by Brighton at the end of last season after the problem restricted him to 26 games in his second spell at the club.

And the 35-year-old, whose list of clubs includes Tottenham, West Ham, Fulham and QPR, has admitted his playing career is over.

"I think so, yes," Zamora said in an interview with former Albion team-mate Adam Virgo. "It was a frustrating time last year.

"My hip decided to let me down at the final hurdle. It resulted in just training on a Thursday and being in pain.

"It came to the end and I needed an op. I had the operation before the end of the season. It was frustrating but it was something I needed to do. I certainly couldn't play."

Zamora won two England caps, against Hungary in 2010 and Sweden the following year.


http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11741/10689149/former-england-striker-bobby-zamora-confirms-retirement

[WhiteJC]

 
Wolves v Fulham
SAT, 10 DEC 2016CHAMPIONSHIP
Venue: Molineux Stadium

Wolves keeper Carl Ikeme's Achilles problem would mean his second injury absence this season

BBC coverage
How to follow:
Commentary on BBC WM (DAB Black Country), BBC Radio London; live text/report on BBC Sport website

Wolves are expected to be without goalkeeper Carl Ikeme for the visit of Fulham to Molineux.

Ikeme pulled up with an Achilles injury in the 2-1 win at QPR - and ex-Fulham keeper Andy Lonergan is set to deputise against his former club.

Fulham's Belgian defender Denis Odoi is available again after suspension.

But Slavisa Jokanovic could name an unchanged side after they convincingly beat third-placed Reading 5-0 last Saturday at Craven Cottage.

New Wolves boss Paul Lambert will look to build on his first victory since he took charge, as his team, in 20th, take on 10th-placed Fulham, who have won three of their past five games.

Match facts

Wolves have won their past four league games against Fulham, netting exactly three goals in each of the last three.
Fulham are winless in their last nine league visits, since a 4-0 victory in April 1985 - but the Cottagers did knock Wolves out of the FA Cup at Molineux in a third-round replay two seasons ago.
Wolves have conceded 10 goals in the opening 15 minutes of Championship matches this season - the highest of any side in the division.
Fulham have completed the most passes of any side in the division this season (8575).
Wanderers have lost four consecutive league matches at Molineux for the first time since April 2012 (during a run of nine games without a win).
Fulham full-back Scott Malone has attempted the most crosses from open play of any player in the league this season (92).


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38192220

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham and ex-Spurs Scott Parker warms to idea of retiring at 40
Ahead of the away day at Wolves where the former England international will take a place on the bench in an unchanged team - the midfielder explains his longevity


Leaders among men: Slavisa Jokanovic (L) and Scott Parker

Scott Parker has been twice the player he was last season - not least because for the first time in 18 months he's injury free.

In fact, a decent pre-season has seen the 36-year-old with a new lease of life at Fulham.

Although he had the decency to laugh when Get West London told him we've predicted his retirement at least three times - he was deadly serious that he could keep going next season as well.

His boss reckoned Parker is a 'coach in football boots' - such is Parker's influence on and off the pitch.

Slavisa Jokanovic has already declared his midfield maestro the equivalent of Donato Gama da Silva - or Donato, as everyone knew the former Spain international at Deportivo La Coruna.

Joka played there with the Brazilian in the 1990s, before Donato eventually retired at 41.


Model: Donato shows Leeds' Alan Smith a clean pair of heels

Right now, that doesn't look too far fetched for Parker.

"I've had a full pre-season and not come off the back of surgery," he said.

"Last year I was chasing my tail, but now I feel fit and feel sharp.

"If you'd have asked me the retirement question last year, I would have said it's not too long. But this year I feel I can contribute and as long as I can do that in any way I love being around.

"I've been here four years obviously it's not been the best with me not being in a struggling side some times.

"But being in a successful team would be a massive highlight.

"Yeah, I want to try and carry on."


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-ex-spurs-scott-parker-12299353

[WhiteJC]

 
Poppy Shirt Auction

The poppy shirts worn in our 1-1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday have been signed by the players and are now available for fans to bid on.

Supporters can head to skybet.com/poppy to bid on their favourite player's signed shirt, with the auction open for 10 days and proceeds going to the Royal British Legion.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2016/december/09/poppy-shirt-auction

[WhiteJC]

 
Parker keen to keep playing
by DAN on DECEMBER 9, 2016

Scott Parker has played down the prospect of hanging up his boots at the end of the season – as he is enjoying being a part of this year's Fulham squad too much.

The veteran former England captain has been largely injury free this year – in a stark change to his past two previous seasons at Craven Cottage – and, although he might not be as a much of a first team fixture this term, it is clear that Fulham head coach Slavisa Jokanovic greatly values his influence. Parker, now 36, admits that he had previously considered retirement at the end of this year but says he is greatly enjoying mixing with his team mates and passing on the benefit of his experience to the younger players.

Parker, who signed a one-year deal last summer, told GetWestLondon that wants to 'try and carry on' playing for as long as possible:

I've had a full pre-season and not come off the back of surgery. Last year I was chasing my tail, but now I feel fit and feel sharp.

If you'd asked me the retirement question last year, I would have said it's not too long. But this year I feel I can contribute and as long as I can do that in any way I love being around.

I've been here four years. Obviously it's not been the best with me not being in a struggling side sometimes. But being in a successful time would be a massive highlight. Yeah, I want to try and carry on.

The former Charlton, West Ham and Tottenham midfielder, who has already completed some of his coaching badges with the FA at St. George's Park in anticipation of the next stage of his career, has made 18 appearances so far this season and is expected to be included in Fulham's squad for tomorrow's trip to Wolves. He missed the recent away defeat at Brighton and Hove Albion due to suspension.


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2016/12/parker-keen-to-keep-playing/

[WhiteJC]

 
McDonald relishing Wolves return
by DAN on DECEMBER 9, 2016

Kevin McDonald is looking forward to returning to Molineux with his new club Fulham in a crucial Championship clash tomorrow afternoon.

The Scottish midfielder made well over 100 appearances during a three-year spell with Wolves and was named the club's player of the season before being frozen out by Kenny Jackett. He helped the Midlands club win the League One title and was a key part of the side that pushed for a place in the Championship play-offs the following season, but is now firmly focused on trying to pick a vital three points for the Whites.

Speaking to Fulham's official website, McDonald says he has already had a chance meeting with some of his old team-mates last week:

I saw a couple of the [Wolves] boys on Sunday when I bumped into them at Winter Wonderland, so we had a bit of a laugh and a joke there. It's always the same, everyone has a laugh together but when it gets to Saturday there'll be no laughing and joking then, everyone will be serious, myself included.

That's football at the end of the day, I've moved on from Wolves. I couldn't fault the place one bit, I had a fantastic three years there where I really enjoyed my time. I played with and met some amazing people, but I'm on the opposite team now, I'm on the other side, so I've got to go there and be professional and put in a good performance.

McDonald hopes that Fulham can build on the quality of last weekend's 5-0 thrashing of third-placed Reading and replicate the high standards that they set that day.

It was a great performance last weekend, everything went our way. So the mood and the spirits here have been high, as has been the case in recent weeks. It's a nice place to be and we'll take that momentum into this Saturday.

Fingers crossed we can use the Reading win as a turning point and start moving further up the table to where we want to be. We feel that since Huddersfield we've played well in each game and haven't really dropped our standards as such.

We let a poor goal slip against Brighton, but on the whole we've been really solid. Maybe Sheffield Wednesday was a bit of an off game from us, but we're hopeful we can kick on now.


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2016/12/mcdonald-relishing-wolves-return/

[WhiteJC]

 
Brian McBride talks MLS Cup final, Jordan Morris and USMNT



Brian McBride, former Columbus Crew, Fulham and USMNT star discusses the MLS Cup final, Jordan Morris and the state of the USMNT.

The MLS Cup final presents an interesting matchup between two teams that on the surface look much alike, and yet on the pitch are likely to look very different. Toronto FC and the Seattle Sounders are two of MLS's most well-supported clubs, and both sets of fans harbor the disappointment of years worth of near-misses heading into their first finals.

But they come into the match on the back of very different seasons — Toronto mostly strolled through the regular season and have averaged over three goals a game in the playoffs. Seattle, meanwhile, just about clawed their way into the postseason and have won four of their five playoff games by a single goal.

Ahead of the match, I had a chance to talk to Brian McBride, formerly of the Columbus Crew, Chicago Fire and Fulham, and owner of 95 caps for the USMNT, who in the buildup to the final participated in an Allstate community soccer event in Seattle held in tandem with the US Soccer Foundation's Passback program and designed to collect and distribute soccer equipment to underserved communities around the country.

"It's something I've been very fortunate and blessed to be a part of," McBride said of the program. There's over 1300 donations that we've collected throughout the year. Allstate also donated 1100 uniforms and also 4100 soccer balls, which has benefitted a lot of the soccer programs around the US. It's been a lot of fun. A unique way Allstate makes sure they give back, the outreach and the grass roots community. And then for me, I also get to be a part of the community events. Today we're going to be in Seattle and we'll go out and do a little clinic, have some fun and get an underserved community some new equipment."

As for the final, McBride is looking forward to an open contest, but suggests we're unlikely to see another game like Toronto's extraordinary 5-2 win over Montreal in the Eastern Conference finals. "I think it's going to be a good soccer game," he said. "They're good teams that both like to play pretty open soccer. Certainly I don't think you'll see a game like the one in Dallas or the one in Toronto in the sense that it's going to be very defensive. I don't think it's going to be a wide open game either. This is the final ... all the time for both sides to prepare it probably won't be as open as you'd expect if it was during the regular season.

The key to the game is no real secret given Toronto boast, with all due respect to new MLS MVP David Villa, the league's best player in Sebastian Giovinco.

"The biggest thing for me is going to be whether or not Seattle is able to not allow balls into the feet of Giovinco and Jozy [Altidore]," McBride said. "And I know that [Ozzie] Alonso is a very good player, one of the best defensive midfielders in the league, but it's a lot to ask. Him and [Roman] Torres and [Chad] Marshall, if they're able to shut those two down I think Seattle has a great opportunity to do this with [Nicolas] Lodeiro and Jordan Morris. But for me, if I had to pick, it would be Toronto just nicking it."

In less than half a season with the Sounders, Lodeiro has shown enough to suggest he could become Seattle's own Giovinco. The playmaker, bought from Boca Juniors in July, was decisive in turning Seattle's regular season around — they were in ninth place in the East after Lodeiro's first match, a 1-1 draw with the LA Galaxy on July 31 — and has been arguably their best player in the playoffs.

But the spotlight may be shining even brighter on Jordan Morris, the 22-year-old MLS Rookie of the Year, who has improved steadily over the course of his debut season and stepped up impressively after Clint Dempsey's year was ended with an irregular heartbeat. McBride has liked what he's seen from the forward so far.

"It's great to see his growth and I think he's going to continue to grow. I think the fear was when he decided to stay in Seattle and MLS, he was going to take the easy route. But you can see that's not the case," McBride said. "He's very motivated, he has continued to get better throughout the season, so I'm really excited for him. It shows that he understands that it's not just about scoring goals and being there for your teammates. It's also about understanding the game and learning the game, dealing with the ups and the downs and being very focused on that and I think that shows a lot of maturity so far this year and I don't expect that to change."

The MLS Cup playoffs have been fascinating so far, and the final has the makings of an excellent match, but the drama of the postseason was put to the side last month as the US soccer community reacted to the firing of USMNT manager Jurgen Klinsmann.

The decision was well received on the whole, certainly among the majority of MLS writers, and while McBride thinks Klinsmann improved the program in certain areas, he highlighted what appeared to be a disconnect between manager and players.

"As far as the change, I said this on ESPNFC ... [US Soccer President] Sunil Gulati and [US Soccer CEO/Secretary General] Dan Flynn felt afterwards in the questions they asked the players, the questions they asked Jurgen ... if they didn't mesh, if they weren't sort of on the same page I think there was a bigger issue. And I don't know if that happened, but that's the way I would look at it. It's never great if anyone loses their job but it was a difficult spot for US soccer to be in.

But while the decision itself was hard to argue after an extremely poor start to the Hex, does Klinsmann leave any sort of positive legacy?

"I think his legacy is going to be more about the infrastructure he built," McBride said. "He moved the behind the scenes needle a lot more than on the field as far as consistency ... The improvement I'm talking about is more the amenities. The US national team having every bit of what a top class club would have, whether that's the medical side of things, the physical training and sort of an infrastructure that is always there rather than depending on what city you go into, whether you have those things available or not. The consistency for players when they go into camps, for them to know what kind of facilities and what kind of surroundings you're going to have. I think Jurgen was good at implementing and making sure the players have all that. And it doesn't sound like a lot, but I can tell you it is. It's a big deal."

To take the team forward, US Soccer decided to look back, hiring Bruce Arena, who previously served as manager from 1998-2006, to replace Klinsmann. McBride played under Arena during two World Cups and is optimistic his matter-of-fact approach will have a positive impact on a team that seemed to lack direction in the final phase of Klinsmann's tenure.

"I think you're going to see good things," McBride said. "I think you're going to see a team that understands the way he wants the team to play. I think you're going to see people being held accountable but also feeling a sense of place rather than ... I think there was a lot of inconsistency that came out in the public that didn't necessarily need to come out and that sort of rips at the fabric of your group. I expect Bruce to do very well."

The concern with Arena is that he's a backward-looking appointment, a steady hand perhaps, but not the man to revolutionize the program in the way US Soccer seemed to hope Klinsmann would. But World Cups, in both the qualifying phase and the tournament proper, are strange beasts, where the line between success and failure can be deceptively thin.

McBride saw that up close, playing in one extremely successful campaign under Arena in 2002, when the US could well have made it to the semifinals if not for an unpunished goal-line handball by Germany in the quarters (the US ended up losing 1-0), and another extremely disappointing one in 2006, when a 3-0 opening game loss to the Czech Republic was followed by a draw against Italy and a loss to Ghana that dumped them out of the tournament.

McBride thinks both experiences will serve Arena well has he attempts to guide the team to what would be his third World Cup.

"I was a part of '02 and '06 and I've had conversations with Bruce about what the differences were and I think he's exactly right. He understands what he can let the players get away with and what players cannot get away with. The issues we had in '06 was not coming out and being prepared for that first game. It was basically, it was our fault. There was just not enough focus on preparation and it was more individualistic rather than team and I think Bruce is one of the best at that, and we've seen that with most of his LA teams. You're playing for your group, not for yourself. I think in '06 we probably had a little bit too much playing for yourself rather than the group, which we had in 2002, where everybody felt like they were brothers."


http://fansided.com/2016/12/09/brian-mcbride-talks-mls-cup-final-jordan-morris-usmnt/

[WhiteJC]

 
Thanks for the memories, Bobby Zamora
by DAN on DECEMBER 9, 2016

Suggesting that Bobby Zamora might have sparked differing opinions amongst the Fulham fanbase is like suggesting the Iraq War was controversial. You might actually accused of understating it. Zamora's announcement this afternoon of his retirement from professional football after his aching body finally gave in to the injuries that have plagued his latter career brought to mind the many columns I wrote defending his contribution to the side Roy Hodgson was trying to build in the first season after the Great Escape – when the goals weren't flowing and some supporters were frustrated at our new striker's lack of potency.

In hindsight, of course, that remarkable European run ended all debate about Zamora's effectiveness in a Fulham shirt and must secure him a pretty high place in club folklore. The memories from that magical season, from an early summer's afternoon in Vetra, all the way through to those crucial goals in Basel, the still jaw-dropping strike against Shahktar Donetsk at a time when the holders had us right under the cosh, the way he brutalised Fabio Cannavaro to spark the unbelievable comeback against Juventus and the artfulness of his turn and cool finish in the first minute in Wolfsburg, come flooding back in droves when you consider the incongruity of what Hodgson's band of merry men achieved that year.

Such was Zamora's impact that he went from a man who's finishing ability was widely ridiculed to on the cusp of the England squad for a major tournament. Only the forward's honesty prevented him from setting aside another injury to be part of Fabio Capello's squad for the World Cup in South Africa – and sadly another opportunity was never really forthcoming. We can only what a fully-fit Zamora could have done against Atletico Madrid in Hamburg, too, as the patched forward was nursed through sixty painful minutes in what became an unexpectedly tight and tense final. Zamora's partnership with Andy Johnson showed signs of real promise but due to the ex-Everton forward's misfortune with injuries we only saw flickers of what they could have mustered together – such as when the pair cut QPR to ribbons on a sunny afternoon at the Cottage in 2011.

Bobby's goals will live long in the memory – I still vividly recall the joy of one of his last, a powerful last-minute winner against ten-man Arsenal to steal a precious win – but they really only tell part of the story. Part of Zamora's immense value was the absolute monstering he would give some of the country's best centre halves on a weekly basis. He relished the physical battle with a marker, getting close to him and turning him inside out, holding the ball, shielding possession and buying precious seconds of respite for our defence, and on his day few had any answers. His powerful performances were integral to Fulham's outstanding home record for the duration of Hodgson's tenure – and he completely dominated the Manchester United and Liverpool defences in several memorable Craven Cottage victories.

Strikers might be judged ultimately on the goals they scored, but you only had to listen to Zamora's team-mates testimony about how important his all-round play was to see there was more to it than putting away chances. Zamora's strength, hold up play and his ability to locate nearby team-mates with a clever pass or a switch of play was one of the major reasons why Fulham's season didn't go off the rails when Johnson was 'literally banjoed' by an Amkar Perm defender – and played a massive part of the emergence of Zoltan Gera as a very modern 'number ten' in the revamped 4-4-1-1 system. The pair struck an almost telepathic understanding that was perfectly suited to the continental game as Fulham surprised everyone by reaching Hamburg twice in 2010.

For all of Zamora's spirit on the pitch, you got the sense he was a sensitive soul. You didn't need to be a physiologist to interpret the sub-text to his frequent riposte to his Hammersmith End critics during his goalscoring celebrations in the early days and he always seemed to play better when he had a point to prove or a score to settle with an opponent. You can quibble with the manner of his eventual departure after a fall-out with Martin Jol, but there was little doubt that Zamora left it all out on the field – especially after that horror tackle from Karl Henry which horrifically broke his leg and robbed him of some of that crucial acceleration and strength.

Both Zamora and John Pantsil, who arrived in a combined deal from West Ham that was derided by the tabloids for the money Fulham splashed on two 'misfits,' became cult heroes at the Cottage. Their personalities had much to do with it, even if the eccentric Ghanaian's seemed far more sunnier than Bobby's. But Zamora's contribution to Fulham's most successful side is immense and for the multitude of memories – never likely to be replicated by one of our sides again – he deserves all our gratitude. As one of a rare breed, a modern footballer with a social conscience (he has a social housing enterprise with his former West Ham team-mates and has taken a leading role in the development of Sadiq Khan's plans to tackle the London housing crisis), he also deserves recognition well beyond the profession he leaves behind. Thanks for everything, Bobby.


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2016/12/thanks-for-the-memories-bobby-zamora/

[WhiteJC]

 
We must be ready for 'tough Wolves test,' says Jokanovic
by DAN on DECEMBER 9, 2016

Slavisa Jokanovic has warned his Fulham players to be fully prepared for a very different type of test to what they have faced recently when they tackle Wolverhampton Wanderers tomorrow afternoon.

Confidence is high at Craven Cottage after a thumping victory over Reading last weekend moved the Cottagers closer to the Championship top six, but the Serbian head coach has made sure that Fulham's focus is firmly on the task in front of them at Moulineux. He has told his side to expect a physical and robust contest from Kenny Jackett's side, who were also desperate for some precious points to arrest an alarming slump in front of their own fans.

Jokanovic told FulhamFCTV:

Our preparation has been the same as for all the other games. We know what is going to be in front of us is a tough game. We need the points, Wolves need the points too. It can be a little bit tricky – they have not been so successful in the last game that they played at home. But we know what we can expect. It is a very solid, strong team, they will try bombing us with long balls and they will press us very strongly. We have to be ready for that and I believe we are very read. We have to believe in ourselves, push hard and try to put ourselves closer to the top six.

The Fulham head coach also says he wants to marry the flair that Fulham showed against Reading with the defensive solidity that earned them a fifth clean sheet of the campaign, which he believes has been unremarked upon.

If you compare our last two, we played a similar game against Brighton to what we played against Reading. But we found two completely different results. What has changed is that we didn't make the important mistake and we were more clinical against Reading. All the papers were taking about how we scored five goals, but I am really happy because we kept our fifth clean sheet and this is important news for us.

I expect we are going to try and find our style against Wolves. I repeat I expect a different kind of game to the ones who played in the last two games and we have to be ready for this kind of game. We need to believe in ourselves, try and find this kind of intensity, try and find the style that we have step-by-step been doing in our last game and I genuinely believe we have more chance to win the game if we play good football.

Jokanovic has spent time this week explaining to his players what he expects them to deliver tomorrow against a Wolves side and is confident that he will not have to make too many tactical tweaks.

If they are going to play a long ball style and be physical, we have to be clever enough to find our way and find out how we can be dangerous for them. I don't think we can be physical – I don't think we have players with the characteristics to play long ball and the second phase – but we have to clever. When you difficulty because somebody is pressing you, you have to have confidence and you have to believe [in our ability].

This cannot be tough for us. We need to believe in ourselves and when somebody presses us, this is not a signal for us to kick the ball outside of the stadium. Sometimes it is completely legal but if they press us with two or three or four players, spare men will exist elsewhere in the field. We have to find them.

The Fulham head coach also said he is not paying too much attention to the current league table and is preferring to focus solely on what is necessary to pick up three more important points.

I am not thinking about top six, top eight or something like this. I am thinking about three new points and this has to be our target. That's it. It is so early ... I know people have observed the classification, I am doing the same thing, but I prefer to be quiet. My players know what is our target. They know what is our long-term target but very clearly what is in front of us is to win the game [against Wolves].


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2016/12/we-must-be-ready-for-tough-wolves-test-says-jokanovic/

[WhiteJC]

 
Up next: Wolverhampton Wanderers (a)
by DAN on DECEMBER 10, 2016

With Burnley now plying their trade in the top flight, Moulineux must be right up of their as one of the most unhappy hunting grounds Fulham will visit this season. The Whites haven't won a league game at Wolves since a handsome four-goal victory in April 1985 and lost their last four league games against this afternoon's opponents – with Wolves scoring three times in all of the last three fixtures. The few hardy souls who almost froze watching Kit Symons' side squeeze through an FA Cup replay on penalties two seasons' back might not know precisely how lucky they were.

Paul Lambert has gradually begun to a steady a ship that seemed to be sinking listlessly once the heady early days under Walter Zenga wore off. Confidence will be buoyed by a spirited showing at QPR last Thursday night – where Lambert's side came away with a hard-fought 2-1 – and Lambert will be hoping that success, which leaves his side two points above the relegation zone, could be the springboard to halt a run of four straight home league reverses. With Fulham's fabled generosity and appalling recent record at Moulineux, there can't have been any better opponents for the Midlands club to target an end to their barren run.

Lambert, whose managerial career stalled after a strange decision to follow his ousting at Villa Park by inhibiting the Venkys-shaped straitjacket at Ewood Park, will have to decide how many changes to make to the side that was successful at Loftus Road. Enforced alterations are likely to see former Fulham goalkeeper Andy Lonergan, who left Craven Cottage after a single season with the club, replace Carl Ikeme after the Wolves number one picked up an Achilles injury at QPR (whether we'll see a succession of long shots to test the aversion to fielding efforts from distance Lonergan appeared to pick up in the capital remains to be seen) and the highly-rated Kortney Hause come in for Richard Stearman, whose loan deal makes him ineligible. The likes of Dave Edwards and Conor Coady will look to control the midfield, whilst the pace of Ivan Cavaleiro, a surprise starter at Loftus Road last week, could test Ryan Fredericks' defensive diligence.

Slavisa Jokanovic talked Fulham's miserly display against high-flying Reading yesterday – highlighting their fifth clean sheet of the season – and central to continuing that solidity at the back will be nullifying the physical presence of Nouha Dicko. The French forward insists he is getting back to his best after a long injury lay-off even though he hasn't scored in his eight league outings this year, although he has always proven a handful for the Fulham defence in the past. Dicko is likely to lead the line on his own, with Icelandic striker Jon Dadi Bodvarsson having not found the net since August.

Jokanovic was just as strident in his pre-match interviews about the need for Fulham to impose their own style on proceedings as he expects a fairly robust contest. Much has been made in the Midlands of the return of Kevin McDonald, who will be eager to prove a point, and the Scottish schemer has been integral to freeing up Tom Cairney and Stefan Johansen to be more adventurous just in front of him. You wouldn't expect a Lambert side to offer any of Fulham's attacking players the sort of luxurious room Reading afforded them last week – so precise passing and sharp minds will be crucial in providing the sort of service upon which Chris Martin has started to thrive.

Consistency has been the most difficult thing to find for Fulham this season. Just when the talk about a potential top six finish appeared to have been dashed by Brighton's second half revival, along came another five-goal destruction of a promotion rival to start it back up again. Jokanovic is too streetwise to allow his players to be carried away by any euphoria after that dismal Reading defending – but, just as at the AMEX, this game represents a useful yardstick against which Fulham's early promise can be measured. If the visitors can play the type of incisive, breaking football that put them in such a great position on the south coast, it will likely leave the natives restless – and a positive result on a weekend when most of the sides above the Whites play each other would keep the momentum rolling along nicely.

MY FULHAM XI (4-1-2-3): Button; Fredericks, Malone, Kalas, Ream; McDonald; Johansen, Cairney; Ayite, Aluko, Martin. Subs: Bettinelli, Madl, Sessegnon, Odoi, Parker, Piazon, Smith.


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2016/12/up-next-wolverhampton-wanderers-a/

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham's play-off credentials will be tested in next few games

As Fulham prepare for another play-off push, their next few fixtures will certainly test their credentials.

Fulham have never really threatened the idea of promotion back to the Premier League following their relegation from the top flight, but with a current squad full of talent and a hungry fan base they look set to challenge once again.

In the next week the London based side will face a wide range of opposition, with each posing a different challenge as you would come to expect in the Championship. First up is a trip to Molineux to face a Wolves side that are looking to shoot up the table with Paul Lambert, making their unpredictability a tad concerning.

Fulham's Matt Smith scores their first goal

Then there comes a home tie against a poor Rotherham side and whilst many will put it down as a guaranteed three points, you never know when a team in the bottom three is going to pop up out of nowhere with a surprise result.

Then comes the big one at home to Derby County, who are on a hot run of form under Steve McClaren as they look to finally claim that long awaited promotion.

They are potentially one of the most dangerous teams in the league right now, and if Fulham can frustrate them from the first whistle and slow the pace of the game down they may be able to come away with the victory.

Fulham's Sone Aluko celebrates opening the scoring

Three games that could not be more different, yet three games that may well determine just how far Fulham can go this season.


http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2016/12/09/hk-fulhams-play-off-credentials-will-be-tested-in-next-few-games/