Friday Fulham Stuff (10/03/17)...

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Are Fulham Newcastle United's bogey side? The stats the Magpies are looking to change
Newcastle have not enjoyed the best of times against Fulham down the years, but can they change all that on Saturday?

As Newcastle aim to put more distance between themselves and their promotion rivals, they must learn how to make St James' Park a fortress between now of the end of the season.

The Magpies' strong away form is the reason they find themselves three points clear at the top but with six of their remaining ten fixtures being played on Tyneside, the need to put things right at home has never been greater for Rafa Benitez's men.

However, if history is anything to go by, Fulham will not be an easy task for Newcastle this weekend.

The Cottagers are in a good vein of form at present, having lost only one of their last eight league fixtures. They will also be buoyed by the result in the reverse fixture, as Matt Smith's header gave Fulham all three points when the sides met on the opening day of the season.

But looking back even further, Fulham could be classed as one of Newcastle's bogey teams.


A Matt Smith header brought Newcastle United a reality check on the opening day of their Championship campaign at Craven Cottage

In the last 11 meetings between the pair, Fulham have ran out winners on seven occasions, drawing one. They have also won four of their last six clashes against Newcastle.

In their last three victories over the Magpies, the South West London outfit have won by a single goal. However, Fulham fans will have fond memories of their 5-2 drubbing of Newcastle back in 2012.

Despite this, there is a statistic that Newcastle fans can take comfort in. 11 of the last 14 meetings between these two clubs has seen the home side emerge victorious.

To add to this, Newcastle have not lost at home to Fulham since 2009, when the away side on that day put another nail in the coffin of Alan Shearer's relegation-threatened side.

The sides have not met at St. James' Park since August 2013, where Hatem Ben Arfa scored the only goal in a 1-0 Newcastle win, taking his goal tally to three in as many games against Fulham.

Another reason for fans to be hopeful ahead of Saturday's clash also lies with Benitez. Despite the Spaniard losing to Fulham in his first Championship match, he has a good record against the club from his Premier League days.

Benitez has sent his side out to play the Lilywhites on 15 occasions, with 8 of those resulting in a win for his team.

During his time with brief stint with Chelsea, Benitez recorded one win and one draw against Fulham. While at Liverpool, he boasted a record of seven wins from 12 matches.

And Benitez may be familiar with Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic, who played for Tenerife from 1995 to 1999, leaving just before the ex-Real Madrid man took over at the club in 2000.


http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-newcastle-uniteds-bogey-side-12717498

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'We owe Fulham one': Captain Jamaal Lascelles calls on Newcastle to 'sort out' home form
Newcastle United host seventh-placed Fulham on Saturday, with the Magpies looking to replicate their away form on Tyneside

Jamaal Lascelles admits Newcastle United must "sort out" their home form in order to secure promotion - and insists the Magpies "owe Fulham one".

The Cottagers defeated Newcastle 1-0 at Craven Cottage on the opening day of the season as the Magpies made a slow start to the campaign and they visit Tyneside for the return fixture on Saturday.

Since that early-season stutter, however, Rafa Benitez's side have risen to the top of the table, with their promotion bid built largely upon their excellent away form.

Yet the Magpies' results at St James' Park have been patchy, with the likes of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers and, most recently, Bristol City having left St James' Park with at least a point.

And United captain Lascelles is desperate to see Newcastle start replicating their away form on Tyneside.

Newcastle are unbeaten in 11 games, but they face a seventh-placed Fulham side who have not lost in six and have a play-off spot within their sights.

"Of course," Lascelles replied when asked if he was looking forward to a home match following United's three successive away trips.

"We need to put things right back at St James' Park because in our last home game we didn't start too well.

"So against Fulham I want us to start well and get on the front foot early on.

"We're very positive we can extend our unbeaten run.

"It's about time we sorted out our home form and start really kicking on at St James' Park.

"We owe Fulham one as well - every game is massive for us, and all we're looking for is the three points.

"Hopefully that's what we can deliver."

A return of seven points from away trips to Brighton and Hove Albion, Huddersfield Town and Reading represented an excellent week's work for Newcastle.

And Lascelles believes those three results could play a potentially decisive role in the promotion race.

The 23-year-old centre-back added: "If somebody had said to us before these three away games, 'Would you take seven points?', we'd have grabbed their hands off.

"All three teams are tough sides, and they're all looking for promotion - the same as us.

"It's been a big week because it's not just been a case of getting three points - it's been a case of taking three points off other sides as well and creating that gap.

"We want that gap, we want to keep it and increase it.

"Every game's a cup final and we're not going to take our foot off the gas at all.

"We've put in a great shift this past week - you can tell how tired the boys are.

"The midfield has been excellent this week, looking after the back four, but individually and collectively throughout the whole team I'm really pleased with how everyone has played.

"And now we prepare for Fulham."


http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/we-owe-fulham-one-captain-12719109

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Fulham boss misses out on Manager of the Month award - but is it a blessing in disguise?
Slavisa Jokanovic lost out to Huddersfield Town gaffer David Wagner, but has he also missed out on the curse that goes hand-in-hand with the award?

Slavisa Jokanovic has missed out on February's manager of the month award after the judging panel awarded Huddersfield Town boss David Wagner the accolade, but is it a blessing in disguise?

We all know about the so-called curse associated with this award, the one where the side whose manager wins it struggles the following month and plummets down the league quicker than a rock in water.

Wagner was awarded the gong for his Huddersfield side picking up 16 points from five games, including three home wins against promotion rivals Brighton, Reading and Leeds and the curse could already be having an affect on his side after they were beaten comfortably by Newcastle at start of March.

Tom Cairney has already said what a pivotal month March is going to be for Fulham - they play their game in hand next Tuesday against Blackburn in what is essentially a must-win game for the Cottagers, while a trip to Newcastle tomorrow and a home tie against Wolves complete the month.

It would've been nice for Jokanovic to have won the award and to be rewarded for what was a stunning February, where Fulham picked up 13 points from six games to climb to seventh, but maybe from a superstitious point of view it's better that he didn't win so the curse couldn't have an impact on his side's run to the play-off?



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-boss-misses-out-manager-12714754

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Newcastle's Jamaal Lascelles: It's about time we sort out our home form – starting against Fulham

Jamaal Lascelles says Newcastle United must mind the gap as they look to secure promotion to the Premier League.

The club leads the Championship by three points ahead of tomorrow's home game against Fulham.

Crucially, Newcastle are nine points ahead of third-placed Huddersfield Town, beaten 3-1 at the John Smith's Stadium by Rafa Benitez's side last weekend. That victory followed a 2-1 success over second-placed Brighton and Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium. United end a tough three-game run of away games with a goalless draw against fifth-placed Reading on Tuesday night. Captain Lascelles said: "It's been a big week, because it's not just been a case of getting three points. "It's been a case of taking three points off other sides as well and creating that gap. "We want that gap. We want to keep it and increase it. Every game's a cup final, and we're not going to take our foot off the gas at all.

"If somebody had said to us before these three away games 'would you take seven points?', we'd have grabbed their hands off. All three teams are tough sides, and they're all looking for promotion – the same as us." Newcastle had the better of the first half at the Madejski Stadium, but they tired after the break and Reading struck the crossbar in injury time. "I'm pretty happy," said Lascelles. "We had a lot of chances, but at the other end we defended very well, so as a defender I'm pleased with how the team conducted themselves. We've put in a great shift – you can tell how tired the boys are. "The midfield has been excellent this week, looking after the back four, but individually and collectively throughout the whole team I'm really pleased with how everyone has played.

"We had to make sure we left with minimum a point. "Reading are a good side, and they move the ball really well side to side, but I didn't feel like they could hurt us going forwards. "It's the Championship, though, so anything can happen, but we did all we could to counter them and I thought we were unlucky not to get a goal. But we go again on Saturday." United equalled a club record of 13 away wins with their victory over Huddersfield. Asked about the transformation away from home, Lascelles said: "Everyone knows their role and responsibility. "We always say we need to start the game brightly, let the other team know we're not here to mess about, and then we outwork the other teams.

"We had to make sure we left with minimum a point. "Reading are a good side, and they move the ball really well side to side, but I didn't feel like they could hurt us going forwards. "It's the Championship, though, so anything can happen, but we did all we could to counter them and I thought we were unlucky not to get a goal. But we go again on Saturday." United equalled a club record of 13 away wins with their victory over Huddersfield. Asked about the transformation away from home, Lascelles said: "Everyone knows their role and responsibility. "We always say we need to start the game brightly, let the other team know we're not here to mess about, and then we outwork the other teams. "It's about putting it in the back of the net, and teams find it difficult to do that against us." United, held to a 2-2 draw at home by struggling Bristol City, have fared better away from home than at St James's Park this season. "We need to put things right back at St James's Park, because in our last home game we didn't start too well," said Lascelles. "So against Fulham I want us to start well and get on the front foot early on." Newcastle, beaten by Fulham on the opening weekend of the season, are unbeaten in 11 league games. Lascelles added: "We're very positive we can extend our unbeaten run. "It's about time we sorted out our home form and really kick on at St James's Park. "We owe Fulham one as well. "Every game is massive for us, and all we're looking for is the three points. Hopefully, that's what we can deliver."



Read more at: http://www.shieldsgazette.com/sport/football/newcastle-united/newcastle-s-jamaal-lascelles-it-s-about-time-we-sort-out-our-home-form-starting-against-fulham-1-8430077

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David Prutton predicts Newcastle v Fulham, identifies dangerman

David Prutton has predicted Newcastle to draw against Fulham at the weekend and has picked out Tom Cairney as the dangerman.

Rafael Benitez's side host Fulham in the Championship on Saturday and will be looking to increase their lead at the top of the table.

Newcastle are the current leaders of the Championship and are three points ahead of Brighton, but more importantly are nine points above third-placed Huddersfield in the race for automatic promotion.

Meanwhile, Fulham are seventh-placed and are trying to force their way into the play-offs.

Sky Sports pundit Prutton has tipped a 2-2 draw in Saturday's meeting and feels Fulham midfielder Cairney has real quality.

"This should be a good game with the way that Fulham approach it," Prutton told Sky Sports. "They have a lot of energy and pace in the wide areas, and in Tom Cairney have someone who showed his quality with the late goal against Leeds in midweek."

Newcastle will be wary of central midfielder Cairney, who has been a star player for Fulham this season.

The 26-year-old has made 38 appearances this season across all competitions, scoring eight goals and supplying 11 assists.

He managed to earn the Cottagers a 1-1 draw against Leeds in the last game, with a 95th minute long-range effort.

However, Newcastle will be confident of stopping the talisman and have the best defensive record in the Championship, conceding just 29 league goals.

They will be looking for revenge after suffering a 1-0 defeat away to Fulham on the opening day of the season.



http://www.footballinsider247.com/david-prutton-predicts-newcastle-v-fulham-identifies-dangerman/

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Newcastle United: Three keys to defeat Fulham

Newcastle United returns home to take on Fulham tomorrow.

After three, big away matches in a row, Newcastle United will be back at St. James' Park to face Fulham tomorrow. Fulham, currently seventh on the table, is coming off a 1-1 draw earlier this week with Leeds United. Newcastle also split points on Tuesday, finishing level 0-0 with Reading.

The Magpies sit three points clear of second place Brighton, and nine points ahead of third place Huddersfield Town. Here is how Newcastle can top Fulham tomorrow to move closer to promotion:

1. Showcase Shelvey

Jonjo Shelvey is arguably the best player in the entire Sky Bet Championship. But, February was a an up and down month for the English midfielder. He wasn't overly involved in a couple matches, and needs to be a central part of the attack to make his biggest impact.

Against Reading, Shelvey came out charged up. He had two of the better strikes for Newcastle, and did well moving the ball around. They need to get him the ball early, and often, to maximize the danger he has in the attack. If they can get a free kick in a dangerous area, that would be nice too. Fulham doesn't allow many goals on the road, 17 to be exact, tied for the second lowest in the Championship. Newcastle will need a top notch Shelvey to score, and getting him involved early is key.

2. Be where you're supposed to be defensively

DeAndre Yedlin is out for the next few weeks. He's been one of the best defenders in the Championship this season, and not having him available is a big blow. His main attribute is speed, and that allows him to make up for poor positioning sometimes on the back line. With Yedlin injured, Newcastle United cannot rely on his pace to bail them out.

It will most likely be Vurnon Anita or Jesus Gamez in his place, barring an outside the box move by Rafa, which can never be ruled out. Whichever player it is, they won't be as quick as Yedlin. That means Newcastle's defensive communication and movement will need to be top class. Jamaal Lascelles has not been great lately, and he will need to lead vocally, and by example, tomorrow.

3. Gayle's got to get a goal

As Newcastle United surged to the top of the table this season, a big piece of the puzzle was Dwight Gayle scoring goals seemingly every match. He scored in such a multitude of ways, and was such a headache for opposing defenses. His hamstring has failed him most of 2017, but he may be in line for a longer shift tomorrow against Fulham.

He scored a goal against Huddersfield Town, a howler by the keeper that he nodded forward and babysat as it rolled towards the goal. He will look to get move active offensively, and show why he led the Championship in scoring much of the season. One of Newcastle United's biggest issues is the finishing of the forwards who filled in for Gayle. Now that he's back, he should help alleviate that problem.


http://newcastletoons.com/2017/03/10/newcastle-united-three-keys-defeat-fulham/3/