Tuesday Fulham Stuff (02/05/17)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Football transfer rumours: Manchester United join Ryan Sessegnon scrum?


Will Ryan Sessegnon still be playing for Fulham next season, or will he move on? Photograph: Craig Mercer/CameraSport via Getty Images

Ryan Sessegnon transfer scrum latest: Manchester United now want English football's most talked-about teenager too, and according to the Mirror "hope their reputation of bringing through young players will be influential" when the young left-back comes to choose between United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham, remaining at Fulham or joining pretty much any team of his choice from the top flight of English football. Certainly Sessegnon can hardly avoid being impressed at the love and support United have given to the last emerging English left-back they spent lots of money on.

Juventus have been in touch with Monaco about their midfielder Tiemoué Bakayoko, only to be told to their apparent disappointment that agreement in principle over his transfer had already been reached with Chelsea. According to L'Equipe the only other member of the Monaco side whose goal-accumulating exploits have made them the Champions League's great entertainers this season who is likely to be allowed to leave this summer is Bernardo Silva, whose agents were recently rumoured to be in "advanced talks" with Manchester United.

Kasper Schmeichel has switched agents, with his new choice – Luca Bascherini, an Italian who operates out of London – leading the Sun to conclude that he might be on his way to Old Trafford, where Bascherini is always made to feel particularly comfortable, come the summer. United's pursuit might be fruitless, however, with Manchester City able to put forward "the intriguing possibility of Joe Hart being offered in exchange". One goalkeeper likely to be on his way from Manchester is Sergio Romero, who has only gone and bought a house in Milan.

Before we leave goalkeeping behind, news reaches the Mill that "Napoli could be a great destination for Wojciech Szczesny", according to no lesser source than the on-loan Arsenal shot-stopper's agent, Jonathan Barnett. "First of all," he also noted, "we have to see how Arsène Wenger's situation evolves."

According to the Spanish newspaper AS, Barcelona have decided their as-yet unappointed new manager will require two new full-backs and some kind of creative midfield presence to improve the side for next season, and have identified Arsenal's Héctor Bellerín as the man to play on their right flank, Atlético Madrid's Theo Hernández as the ideal left-back, and are weighing up the relative merits of Paris Saint-Germain's Marco Verratti – whose agent has already held talks with the Spanish club, apparently – and Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho for the midfield role.

Brighton are busy planning their summer upgrades as they prepare for life in the Premier League, and have made Chelsea's Tammy Abraham, a star on loan at Bristol City, their top attacking target. The Seagulls probably can't compete with some of the other clubs linked with the 19-year-old, a list that includes Everton and Leicester, but if instead of cashing in Chelsea choose to loan him out for another season they feel they could come to the fore.

Everton are also interested in another 19-year-old forward, in the shape of Henry Onyekuru, a Nigerian winger whose form for Belgian side KAS Eupen has already attracted Celtic, Southampton and Sevilla. "Everton have now been over the North Sea to try to close a move for Onyekuru, who could fill in for long-term crock Yannick Bolasie," reports the Sun. Liverpool, meanwhile, have taken a shine to Feyenoord's centre-back Terence Kongolo and the Atalanta right-back Andrea Conti, two players who were born within a couple of weeks of each other in early 1994. And talking of right-backs, this might be the perfect place to shoehorn in rumours that Brentford have agreed to pay Zulte Waregem just under £1m for their 27-year-old Hanrik Dalsgaard.



https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/may/01/football-transfer-rumour-mill-manchester-united-ryan-sessegnon

[WhiteJC]

 
Should Celtic make a move for Fulham's Ryan Sessegnon

Brendan Rodgers' Celtic side brought in Moussa Dembele from Fulham last summer.

Celtic's signing of Moussa Dembele from Fulham last summer will surely go down as one of the greatest transfers in the Glasgow club's history.

Dembele joined Celtic in a deal worth less than £1 million, and he has gone on to become one of the most sought-after forwards in Britain.

Celtic are now looking at making a huge return on their initial investment, when they do eventually decide to sell, and Brendan Rodgers' side could have a chance to repeat the trick this summer.

Fulham's Ryan Sessegnon has enjoyed a remarkable breakthrough season at Craven Cottage, which has attracted attentions from a number of the Premier League's leading sides.

Sessegnon is still not tied down to a professional contract at Fulham, meaning he could be available for below his market value in the summer.

And, although Celtic would be in competition with the likes of Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur for the youngster's signature (Get West London), Sessegnon needs only to look towards Dembele to see how valuable a move to Parkhead could be.

Dembele has been a first-team regular at Celtic ever since joining, and he has developed as a result of gaining match experience at the highest level.

Celtic would be able to offer Sessegnon Champions League football, and although the 16-year-old may not spend his entire career at the Glasgow club, it could prove to be the best step for him as he looks to fulfil his obvious potential.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/05/01/should-celtic-make-a-move-for-fulhams-ryan-sessegnon/

[WhiteJC]

 
One Cottager in Championship Team of the Day

The 1-1 draw, against Brentford, might not have been the result Fulham wanted, but it was sufficient to ensure the Cottagers will play their part in the hugely anticipated play-off campaign.

The Cottagers enter the play-offs as the form team and the expectation levels that the club can reclaim their top-flight status remain high.

Following the round of fixtures at the weekend, those who compile the Sky Bet Championship Team of the Day, elected to select one Fulham player in their eleven - Tom Cairney, who, despite missing the penalty, had another outstanding game.

The full eleven selected for the Championship Team of the Day was:

Green (Leeds United)
MacDonald (Barnsley)
Morrison (Birmingham City)
Lynch (Queens Park Rangers)
Williams (Blackburn Rovers)
McGeady (Preston North End)
Cairney (Fulham)
Scowen (Barnsley)
Bannan (Sheffield Wednesday)
Freeman (Queens Park Rangers)
Russell (Derby County)

Our congratulations go to Tom on his inclusion.



Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=490119#ixzz4ftu7zWIu

[WhiteJC]

 
Should Fulham midfielder's signature be Newcastle United's top priority?

Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney is reportedly a target for Newcastle United.

According to a report in the Daily Mirror, Newcastle United are preparing a bid believed to be in the region of £10 million for Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney.

The Scottish playmaker, who joined Fulham in 2015 from Blackburn Rovers, has been in outstanding form for the Cottagers this season, scoring 11 goals and making 10 assists.

The report goes on to suggest that Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez, who signed a long-term contact with the club last summer, was present at Fulham's fixture against Huddersfield Town to watch the player. It also suggests that Cairney, 26, is their top summer target.

But should this be the case? Though they haven't run away with the Championship by any means, Newcastle United have been very impressive this season, and have not struggled to score goals from midfield.

Players such as Matt Ritchie and Yoan Gouffran have really stepped up for the Magpies, with the former scoring 11 goals this season. In the centre of midfield, Shelvey and Hayden have formed an impressive partnership too. So where does Tom Cairney fit in?

n truth, there are other areas of the side which require more work. Now the Magpies have secured promotion, a proven Premier League goalscorer could and should be at the top of their priority list.

Dwight Gayle has scored plenty of goals in the Championship this season, but his injury record will leave some Newcastle United fans concerned, especially considering that the back-up is under-performing Aleksander Mitrovic.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/05/01/should-fulham-midfielders-signature-be-newcastle-uniteds-top-pri/

[WhiteJC]

 
How the EFL Championship playoffs work
The Championship Play-Offs include the most valuable sporting event in the world, giving one team a slot in the Premier League. But do you know how they work?

Baring a historic makeup of goal differential, Fulham are in the playoffs. Being four points out of fifth place means Fulham are locked into sixth. We may not yet know are opponent, but we do know the playoff format.

Qualifications and Who's In?
The qualifications for the Championship playoffs are pretty easy to understand. The teams that finish in third through sixth place are the only teams that make the playoffs. Unlike some other leagues, there is no team from the top flight that competes with the lower division squads to go back up. The four teams for this year are Fulham, Huddersfield Town, Sheffield Wednesday, Reading FC.

Semi-Finals
The first round of the playoffs is held over two legs. On the first leg of the tie, the sixth place team hosts the third place team, while the fifth place team hosts the fourth place team. Since Fulham are locked into sixth place, the first leg of the semi-final will be held at Craven Cottage. The two semi-final games will happen on consecutive days, Saturday May 13th and Sunday May 14th. The second leg will be hosted by the team that finishes higher three days later (May 16th and May 17th). The winner of each semi-final is determined by the aggregate score of both games. In the case of a tie at the end of the second game, there will be 30 minutes of extra time. If there is still no winner, there will be kicks from the penalty spot. Unlike many other tournament formats, away goals are not a tiebreaker.

Finals
The Championship Play-off Final will take place at Wembley Stadium on May 29th. The two teams have almost two full weeks to sit and stew (and get healthy) before facing off in the final. There is no sporting event on Earth more valuable to the winners than this game. The last place team in the Premier League earns about £100M ($130M) in TV revenue for the following season. Because of the huge windfall to the winners, the loser of the final keeps 100% of the gate receipts from the final. The final is a winner take all match. If tied at the end of full time, there are 30 minutes of extra time (no golden goal). Once again, if there is no winner after extra time, kicks from the penalty spot will determine the winner.

Who is Fulham going to play?
With Huddersfield and Wednesday tied at 81 points, and Reading just one ahead at 82, the final positions of the teams will not be known until after the final day of the season. All of the league matches kick off at the same time on May 7th. Fulham of course travel to Wednesday. Reading travel to Burton Albion. While Huddersfield host Cardiff City. Neither Reading, Huddersfield, or Wednesday are facing a side with anything to play for, so it's very hard to predict the results. Wednesday are far superior to the other sides on goal difference, so they will finish highest in the event of any tie. Normally, you'd want Fulham to take it easy, and just get through their game without anyone getting hurt. However, most reasonable people would see Sheffield Wednesday as the most dangerous of the possible opponents in the playoffs. If Fulham beat them in the final match, they guarantee they can't face them in the first round. While it's hard to suggest a team throwing a match, Wednesday should also want to avoid Fulham in the first round. Could they throw out a weakened side to try to avoid that? Whatever happens on the final day, Fulham know what they have to do to get back to the Premier League. They've been effectively playing play-off games for the past month. They have one month and three games to go.



http://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2017/5/1/15500086/how-the-efl-championship-playoffs-work-england-promotion-premier-league

[WhiteJC]

 
Look at us! Look at us! 'Fulham love-in' has Sheffield Wednesday fans up in arms as they crave more attention
Everyone is talking about Fulham as the team to avoid in the play-offs

Fulham all but secured their place in the Championship play-offs with a draw at home to rivals Brentford on Saturday.

Leeds United's draw with Norwich City means that barring an eight-goal swing on the final day of the season, the Cottagers will take the final play-off place.

They could play Sheffield Wednesday, the team they play on the final day this Saturday, in the play-offs, if Wednesday beat Fulham and Reading fail to win at Burton Albion.

And the Sheffield Wednesday fans have voiced their displeasure at all the plaudits Fulham seem to be getting.

Many pundits have praised Slavisa Jokanovic's side this year, declaring them to be the best footballing outfit in the division.

And while the Whites are in great form - four wins and a draw from their last six games - Wednesday are the only side in better form, having won their last six games on the spin.

Many have tipped Fulham to be promoted via the play-offs and the ones to avoid in a two-legged affair, something that has got the Wednesday supporters up in arms.

Many Owls fans have been on Twitter moaning about all the interest in Fulham, rather than them, although you might think going under the radar would be a blessing.



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/look-us-look-us-fulham-12971121

[WhiteJC]

 
Brentford starlet: Draw with Fulham shows just how far we have come this season

Tom Field believes Brentford's 1-1 draw with Fulham proves how far the Bees have come this season.

Field and his team-mates were under the cosh early on, falling behind to Tom Cairney's eighth minute goal, and, at some stages in the campaign, they may well have folded.

But, in credit to Dean Smith's side, they stuck at their task and Nico Yennaris' equaliser, coupled with Dan Bentley's fine penalty save, earned the Bees a point that could have been three after a thrilling second half.

Field said: "They play nice football but it shows how good our character was defending. It shows how far we've come defensive wise."

The young full back made his debut this time last year against the same side and could see how much Fulham have improved over the past 12 months.

"It was two different teams the Fulham of last year and this year. They're a really good team this year," he added.

"They've got such quick players up front it's hard with overlapping full backs. We defended really well.

"They had to make changes as we were bottling them up."



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/brentford-starlet-draw-fulham-shows-12971409?service=responsive

[WhiteJC]

 
Ryan Sessegnon: The Manchester clubs will likely duel for the starlet

Manchester United have joined the hunt for Fulham's wonderkid Ryan Sessegnon, according to The Mirror.

The Red Devils have joined a long queue, however, as Premier League rivals vie for the left-back tipped to be the next Gareth Bale.

The Englishman has established himself as a first team player at Fulham and made the recent EFL Championship team of the season – at just 16 years of age, this is a staggering achievement.

Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham and Liverpool are all competing with United for Sessegnon signature; all clubs see him as a long-term replacement with the option to loan him back to Fulham included in most of the bids.

Who will get him? The Verdict
London-raised, Arsenal and Tottenham would both appeal to Sessegnon as he would not have to drastically alter his location – at a tender age, this might be a deciding factor.

But, the chance to work with Pep Guardiola certainly has some allure; whilst United's record for bringing in and nurturing youth products speaks for itself.

Too much change at Arsenal could derail their bid and Spurs might be reluctant to part with too much cash.

Therefore, it might well be another battle between the two Manchester clubs.



http://www.o-posts.com/teams/uk/manchester-united/ryan-sessegnon-manchester-clubs-duel-starlet/

[WhiteJC]

 
Reading Aren't The Only Ones With Play-Off Demons
While Reading have failed five times in five play-off campaigns, how do our potential opponents compare?

If you've been a fan of Reading for more than six years, you already know the taste of play-off failure. If like myself, you've had the misfortune to be a fan for 22 years or more, you've sat through no fewer than five painful play-off disappointments, that have left hearing the names Bolton, Walsall, Wolves, Burnley and Swansea forever generate a shiver of pain and discomfort.

We'll delve into our own miserable experiences over the next few weeks but Reading aren't alone in their play-off woes, as Sheffield United fans will quickly attest. They've watched their team strike out SEVEN times in the promotion play-off lottery and once when it was a promotion/relegation decider (no wonder they were so happy to win League One this year...). Likewise, our neighbours down the M4 at Brentford have also had to endure nothing but heartache, also sitting through eight dismal play-off campaigns without winning the big one.

So, we're by no means the worst but how do our potential opponents this season compare?

Fulham
Play-off success rate: 0%

Failures: 1988/89, 1996/97

This will be Fulham's first tilt at the play-offs in 20 years, dating back to a campaign that saw Micky Adams, Ray Wilkins and Kevin Keegan all take time in charge at Craven Cottage. That was the season which saw Mohammed Al Fayed buy the club and transform them into a Premier League side, a status they held from 2001 up to 2014.

Before that, the Cottagers only other appearance came in 1988/89, the first time they had been an all-promotion affair. That year saw then third tier Fulham lose 5-0 over two legs to Bristol Rovers, who went on to lose 2-1 in a two-legged final against Port Vale.

Huddersfield
Play-off success rate: 37.5%

Successes: 1994/95, 2003/04, 2011/12

Failures: 1991/92, 2001/02, 2005/06, 2009/10, 2010/11

Huddersfield are certified play-off veterans, with eight appearances over the past 26 years and three final victories to celebrate. The most recent came five years ago, when a team containing Reading loanee Sean Morrison beat Sheffield United on penalties to earn the Championship spot they occupy today. A win at Cardiff in 2004, one at the old Wembley in 1995 and 2012's triumph at the new National Stadium means that their fans have tasted success in all three major venues to have hosted the season defining game.

Yet if they have a weakness it's that Huddersfield have never been in a second tier play-off campaign, something that might just explain the seeming nerves that have crept in around the club in recent weeks.

Sheffield Wednesday
Play-off success rate: 33.3%

Successes: 2004/05

Failures: 2014/15, 2015/16

In contrast to Fulham and Huddersfield, Sheffield Wednesday do know all about the pain of the Championship play-offs. The past two seasons have seen Wednesday fall short after finishing in the top six, including defeat in last year's final to Hull. Whether those failures will inspire or generate nerves amongst the players and fans remains to be seen but as far as we're concerned, I hope they lay awake thinking about them 24/7...

Yet the Owls have shown they can win the big one. In 2004/05 they bested Hartlepool 4-2 after extra time in Cardiff to escape League One.

*****

So we may be scarred as a fanbase but each of our potential opponents have bagged of their own to take into this lottery. Whether it's the recent failures of Wednesday, the inexperience of Fulham, or the lack of Championship pressure Huddersfield have been under, we shouldn't let our own painful memories dominate the narrative. Each fanbase and set of players will have reasons of their own to be nervy, so let's just hope we can end this streak and finally win the big one ourselves.




http://thetilehurstend.sbnation.com/2016-17-analysis-opinion/2017/5/2/15505782/efl-championship-play-offs-2016-17-history-reading-fc-sheffield-wednesday-fulham-huddersfield