Friday Fulham Stuff (25/08/17)...

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Ipswich Town v Fulham match preview: Cottagers seemingly suffering from a play-off hangover

Ipswich Town could make history when they host Fulham in a Championship match at Portman Road tomorrow. STUART WATSON previews the game.

History in the making

Ipswich Town are looking to win their opening five league games for the first time ever in their 81 year professional history.

This is only the fourth time the Blues have won their opening four league games, having previously done so in 1936/37 (Southern League champions), 1953/54 (Division Three South champions) and 1974/75 (third in the top-flight).

There's a chance to leapfrog Cardiff (home to QPR) and go into the international break top of the Championship.

Opposition focus

Fulham were by far and away the best team Town face last season. Their midfield trio of Tom Cairney, Stefan Johansen and Kevin McDonald passed the Blues off the park when winning 2-0 at Portman Road on Boxing Day, while marauding full-backs Scott Malone (sold to Huddersfield in the summer) and Ryan Fredericks did the damage in the 3-1 victory over the Blues at Craven Cottage in April.

Slavisa Jokanovic's men were heavily tipped to win the play-offs after finishing sixth, but lost to eventual winners Reading in the semis and now appear to suffering from a bit of a hangover.

They are yet to register a league win following draws against Norwich, Reading and Leeds, as well as last weekend's 1-0 home defeat to Sheffield Wednesday, though that was always a tough start on paper.

Boss Slavisa Jokanovic changed his entire team for Carabao Cup action on Tuesday night and they duly suffered a 1-0 home defeat to League One side Bristol Rovers after extra-time.

Goals

Clinical Town are the division's top-scorers with nine and new strikers Joe Garner (3) and Martyn Waghorn (4) have netted seven of those between them.

Fulham, meanwhile, have scored just twice in the league and drawn blanks in their last three outings across all competitions. They look to be missing striker Chris Martin, now back at parent club Derby, with new Portuguese No.9 Rui Fonte – a £9m signing from Braga – still finding his feet.

Defence

It will once again be a back four made up entirely of full-backs for Town. Dominic Iorfa, Jordan Spence, Jonas Knudsen and Myles Kenlock coped well in last weekend's 2-0 home win over a mobile Brentford side.

Fulham are in the same mould as the Bees. Town are likely to be second best in the possession stats once again, but look to catch their hosts on the break.



http://www.greenun24.co.uk/ipswich-town/ipswich-town-v-fulham-match-preview-cottagers-seemingly-suffering-from-a-play-off-hangover-1-5163430

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Ipswich Town v Fulham
SAT, 26 Aug 2017Championship
Venue: Portman Road

David McGoldrick has scored three goals in four appearances for Ipswich this season

Ipswich striker David McGoldrick is likely to be absent again awaiting the birth of his child as they look to make it five Championship wins from five.

Boss Mick McCarthy is likely to ring the changes after picking a team of youngsters for the EFL Cup in midweek.

Fulham counterpart Slavisa Jokanovic also made wholesale changes as they lost to Bristol Rovers.

Goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli hopes to keep his place ahead of David Button, but loanee Rafa Soares remains unfit.

SAM's prediction
Home win - 30%   Draw - 27%   Away win - 43%

SAM (Sports Analytics Machine) is a super-computer created by @ProfIanMcHale that is used to predict the outcome of football matches.

Match facts
    Ipswich are winless in their last three games against Fulham in the league (D1 L2), following a four-match winning run

    In 2016-17, the Whites won both home and away in a single season against the Tractor Boys for the first time since 1958-59

    Ipswich have won their opening four league games for the first time since 1999-00. They have never won their first five in a league campaign

    Fulham have failed to score in their last two league games; they haven't been goalless in three successive games in a row since January 2015

    The Cottagers have lost just one of their last 10 Championship league games on the road (W6 D3), unbeaten in their last five (W3 D2)



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40983498

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New Fulham man Rui Fonte to use idol and older brother Jose as inspiration to fire the club into the Premier League

The two brothers are extremely close and new Fulham signing Rui is looking to take advice from his older brother as he hopes to fire Fulham into the Premier League

New Fulham man Rui Fonte will be looking to his older brother and idol Jose for guidance as he embarks on the latest challenge in his career.

Jose, who won the Euros with Portugal in 2016, has played in England since 2007 when he joined Crystal Palace on loan before making the move permanent before signing for Southampton and then for West Ham - something that was a big factor in Rui choosing to make the switch back from Portugal to England.

Family is important for the new Fulham man, and the chance to be close to his brother and nephews was motivation enough for him to sign for the Cottagers, but the challenge of getting promoted with the club is also something that excites a man that is made for a challenge.

Rui has already played in England, first as a youngster with Arsenal and then on-loan at Crystal Palace, so the culture will come as no surprise to the 27-year-old old, but he will be still be looking up to his football icon for guidance and advice as he looks to fire Fulham into the Premier League.

He said: "Jose is my idol in football, he's the one I look up to so I will take anything he says to me on board."


On the attack: Rui Fonte (Image: Paul Burgman/Press-Photos.com)

"He was one of the main reasons I came, apart from the club, it was a big reason because I have my brother and two nephews who I'm really close to, so it was just one more motivation to come.

"He played in the Championship so he advises me, even when I was in Portugal he would advise me, so in the Championship he'll be able to help more.

"It's an amazing club with a great structure and great history and story - to be part of this club is a big challenge for everyone, footballers are made of challenges and this is an exciting one for me."

Fulham take on Cardiff City at Craven Cottage on Saturday September 9, 3pm kick-off. Tickets are now on general sale priced at £20 adults and just £1 for junior supporters in all areas of the ground.

To book your tickets call the Fulham FC Ticket Office on: 0203 871 0810 or online at: www.fulhamfc.com/tickets.



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/new-fulham-man-rui-fonte-13527357

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Ipswich v Fulham preview

David McGoldrick: Could miss out for Ipswich

Ipswich forward David McGoldrick could miss the visit of Fulham as his wife is close to giving birth.

Boss Mick McCarthy is set to recall his regular starters following the midweek Carabao Cup defeat at Crystal Palace as Town aim to win their opening five league games for the first time.

Midfielder Cole Skuse has been struggling will illness, but is back in training. Tom Adeyemi (calf) and Luke Hyam (ankle) are stepping up their recovery, although Emyr Huws is set for Achilles surgery.

Captain Luke Chambers (ankle), defender Tommy Smith (hamstring), Adam Webster (ankle) and midfielder Teddy Bishop (hernia) all continue their rehabilitation, while Andre Dozzell is expected to miss most of the campaign having suffered a torn cruciate ligament in his knee.

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic made 11 changes as his side crashed out of the Carabao Cup to Bristol Rovers in midweek.

The likes of Tomas Kalas, Ryan Sessegnon, Tom Cairney, Kevin McDonald and Sone Aluko are set to return to the starting line-up at Portman Road.

However, fit-again goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli will hope he did enough against Rovers to keep his place ahead of David Button.

New loan signing Rafa Soares will not be fit until after the international break due to an ankle injury and Lucas Piazon is out with a broken leg.



http://www.skysports.com/football/ipswich-vs-fulham/preview/374674