Friday Fulham Stuff (14/04/17)...

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Going Back To The Roots? Why Arsenal Should Make This Fulham Sensation A Priority In The Summer

According to latest reports, Arsenal are hot on heels of the new Fulham sensation Ryan Sessegnon. The 16-year-old has caught numerous eyes with his composed and quality display in the left back's role and Premier League giants like Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United are keeping a close eye on his development.

The left back's position in the Arsenal squad is under extreme scrutiny this season with both the available players, Kieran Gibbs and Nacho Monreal immensely inconsistent. This has made team selection extremely difficult for the manager and the Gunners' downhill going season is evident of it.

With the club facing one of the worst seasons in their history, a massive overhaul is expected as soon as the season ends, and defence is one of their first priority.

Though Sessegnon is too young to compete at the top level, Arsene Wenger is known to give youngsters chance. And with increasing chances of the Frenchman signing a two-year extension, this deal looks quite possible this summer.

Of course, there is a bright future in the line with clubs treading very carefully with him, and Wenger is undoubtedly one of the best coaches to work under for such talents.

Sessegnon is currently playing under a youth contract with the Championship side club, and there are high chances of the player signing a professional contract at the end of the season.

However, the prolonged speculation regarding his future has been a hindrance to it.  Fulham aren't expected to force him in making a choice though they wouldn't want to miss out on their prized asset just now.

He has scored four goals and registered two assists in 22 appearances so far, which included many bench appearances. He was given half an hour of time to prove his mettle against Tottenham Hotspur in Fulham's FA Cup clash and he did impress.

He has also impressed national coaches and was first seen in the Under -17 England team for the Euros early in 2016. By October last year, he made his debut for the Under-19 side.

His pace on the ball and ability to dribble past opponents has led many to compare him to Real Madrid's Gareth Bale. Yes, if nurtured properly, the player has the potential to be that good in the future and Arsenal would definitely not want to miss out on him.

With Monreal seemingly Arsenal's first choice left-back, English international Kieran Gibbs is expected to make his way out of the squad at the end of the season. And Sessegnon could grab the opportunity as has been the case with Hector Bellerin.


http://the4thofficial.net/2017/04/going-back-roots-arsenal-make-fulham-sensation-priority-summer/

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Norwich City preview: Betting odds


Cameron Jerome is prominent in the betting for Norwich City's first goalscorer against Fulham. Picture by Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd

Norwich City's squad need to impress again with a big summer overhaul at Carrow Road. Fulham need the points after slipping two points behind Sheffield Wednesday in that duel for the sixth and final play-off spot in the Championship.

The Cottagers have lost only one of the previous 17 meetings between the clubs, but that came in the previous Carrow Road clash when City were too good in a 4-2 final day league win that propelled them into a memorable play-off triumph, that included a semi-final aggregate win over Ipswich Town before beating Middlesbrough at Wembley.

City remain slight favourites in the match betting for Good Friday's game, given their impresssive home form, and will be buoyant after smashing Reading 7-1 last weekend.

• Match Odds (Odds supplied by Sky Bet)

Norwich City: 13/10 Draw: 14/5 Fulham: 9/5

• First Goalscorer market

Norwich City

Cameron Jerome 4/1

Nelson Oliveira 11/2

Jacob Murphy 6/1

Steven Naismith 13/2

Yanic Wildschut 15/2

Wes Hoolahan 9/1

10/1 bar

Fulham

Chris Martin 5/1

Gohi Cyriac 6/1

Lucas Piazon 7/1

Sone Aluko 7/1

Tom Cairney 8/1

Floyd Ayite 17/2

9/1 bar


http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwich-city/norwich-city-preview-betting-odds-1-4975020

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Norwich City ready for Fulham onslaught

Fulham might be the Championship's pass masters but Alan Irvine senses Norwich City is in the mood to halt another of the play-off contenders.

City's inconsistent streak was summed up perfectly with a heavy defeat at top six outfit Huddersfield followed a few days later by a 7-1 hammering of Reading at Carrow Road.

Irvine expects the Whites to offer stiffer resistance, as they proved in the reverse fixture earlier this season in roaring back to earn a point at Craven Cottage.

"They are a very good. A really talented team," he said. "I believe the team with the most possession in the league over the course of the season. They have creative players in the middle of the park and two full backs who bomb forward time after time after time. They get a lot of players in and around your box and lads who can open you up with a pass or a dribble, plus a number of goals at the top end. They have their weaknesses, like other teams, and we aim to be able to cope with those strengths and exploit the weaknesses.

"That 2-2 at their place was the classic game of two halves. I thought we were very good in the first half and I can remember how Alex (Neil) was talking to the players at half-time and the things he warned them of and unfortunately we made a huge contribution to the first Fulham goal. We allowed them back into the game. That was disappointing. They were by far the best team in the second half but we gave them a leg up and created our own problems."

Irvine admits comparisons with Huddersfield's high tempo, high energy approach are not wide of the mark.

"They are very much on the front foot so in that respect you can compare with Huddersfield in many ways," he said. "Probably Huddersfield have been more consistent over the course of a season. Fulham have had some results which would have surprised you but also disappointed you on occasion.At their best they are capable of beating anyone in the league.

"This is a really difficult place to come. Hopefully the manner of the win over Reading showed anyone that as far as we are concerned the season is not finished. The players have a point to prove but I would be very, very surprised if anyone came here expecting us not to interested or up for it."


http://www.pinkun.com/norwich-city/norwich-city-ready-for-fulham-onslaught-1-4976386

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Norwich City midfielder Alex Tettey preparing for Fulham to pose tougher test than Reading did at Carrow Road

Fulham will not roll over in the abject manner Reading did at Carrow Road last weekend, Canaries midfielder Alex Tettey believes.

The tough tackler helped City to an impressive 7-1 triumph over the Royals but expects Fulham to offer a stronger attacking threat.

Slavisa Jokanovic's side are tied with Norwich as the Championship's second highest scorers on 72 goals, two behind title chasers Newcastle, and the 31-year-old expects a tough challenge this afternoon (3pm kick-off).

"They are a very good side, it is not going to be a Reading game, they are a team like Reading who have something to play for though," said Tettey, who is set to make his 150th appearance for City to move into the club's all-time top 100.

"I've just come from a meeting about their forward players and they are a threat going forward so we need to be on our toes."

The demolition of the Royals was the Canaries' biggest league win since an 8-1 success at Shrewsbury Town in September 1952 and the first time Carrow Road had seen the hosts score six goals in the first half.

The former Norway international, who retired from national duty earlier this year, accepts the freak scoreline is unlikely to be repeated again any time soon.

"It was a nice game and for once all the forward players, everything they tried went in, so that was very nice," he continued.

"We haven't performed against the top 10 teams this season so it was nice to have a win against one of them and with a lot of goals as well.

"But at home as we all know we have been doing well so we were not scared of them and were really confident going into the game."

City can enjoy the comforts of home again this afternoon, as the division's highest scorers on home turf with 48 goals in 20 games.

Allied with the recent arrival of sporting director Stuart Webber, who began his revamp of the club this week with the release of three senior staff members, confidence is returning for interim head coach Alan Irvine's staff.

Which means as Tettey prepares to celebrate his landmark 150th game – during which time the tough-tackler has picked up 49 yellow cards – he knows he is playing for his future.

"Personally I have one year left on my contract, if that is going to change, no one knows," the former Rennes and Rosenborg midfielder added.

"I am here now and we have five games to go and we will see when we come back. But if I am here it will be getting ready to go again."

He insists he is not worrying about what will happen this summer though, as he comes to the end of his fifth campaign with City.

"If something is not certain, you do not use a lot of energy on it," he continued. "That's where I am at now, I don't want to use energy on something that I don't know.

"So I'm just concentrating on now and what happens, happens."


http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwich-city/norwich-city-midfielder-alex-tettey-preparing-for-fulham-to-pose-tougher-test-than-reading-did-at-carrow-road-1-4976388