Monday Fulham Stuff (18/09/17)...

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Burton Albion defender Stephen Warnock praises 'belief' in Brewers squad after Fulham win

The defender got on the scoresheet in Albion's 2-1 win over the Cottagers

Burton Albion defender Stephen Warnock has praised the 'belief' in the Brewers squad following their 2-1 win over Fulham on Saturday afternoon at the Pirelli Stadium, and reckons that his side are pulling together in the same direction.

Warnock notched his first goal in over three years as his side earned their second win of the season after Lucas Akins' penalty won it for Albion following Oliver Norwood's long-range equaliser for the Cottagers.

"It was team-work," Warnock replied when asked what was at the heart of the Brewers' Fulham win.

"I think that's one thing you'll find, or that I've found since coming through the building. It's hard work, it's team-work.

"We haven't got the biggest budget, we know that - we probably haven't got as good players as some squads - but we feel that within our squad we have a lot of belief in what we are doing.

"We believe in our squad and we believe in everything that we do on the training pitch, and that comes out on the pitch as well.

"I think you can see that we're an honest group of lads and sometimes that can be a big favour to us playing against teams, and we've got to rise to the challenge and enjoy it."

The Brewers took points off yet another team that can expect to be challenging for promotion following Tuesday night's 0-0 draw with Norwich City, and the atmosphere after the final whistle on Saturday felt a far cry from that time last week.

Albion had just trudged off the pitch following a 5-0 battering by Leeds United, but Warnock - among the most experienced players in the division with over 500 career appearances to his name - knew they had to pick themselves up and show that belief in their own abilities that saw them earn the right to compete at this level once again last term.

Perhaps most tellingly of all, the 35-year-old spoke of needing a different frame of mind going into the visit of Fulham, and how his manager instills the high-tempo pressing game that was exhibited with the desired effect on Saturday.

Not that is was all plain sailing for Albion - the Whites had their chances, with Sheyi Ojo crossbar-rattling effort and Norwood's close-range sitter the pick of the bunch.

"The mind-set's just got to be different (from the Leeds defeat) going into it," Warnock added.

"The manager's on top of us all week, telling us how we needed to get in and around people and get in their faces often and sort of put pressure on them.

"The thing is, you're going to have to ride it every now and again. They're going to get on top of you, they're going to play well and they're going to create chances and you need your goalkeeper to save you at times, which he did today.

"You need lads to throw their body on the line, which they did, and sometimes you need a little bit of luck."

"I think you look at the games here of late, the Birmingham game (2-1 Burton), the Sheffield Wednesday game (1-1), we know that we're strong at home, we've got to ride it out as quick as possible and put our stamp on the game and i thought we did that today."



http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/burton-albion-defender-stephen-warnock-488908

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Ream: Not Good Enough

After a disappointing defeat at the hands of Burton Albion, defender Tim Ream used three words to sum up the mood in the Fulham camp: "Anger, disappointment & regret".

Fulham went behind early on after Stephen Warnock was on hand to poke in a failed clearance on 12 minutes but Oliver Norwood drew the Whites level before the break.

The Brewers earned three points with a second half penalty from Lucas Akins as Fulham failed to convert a number of chances throughout the game.

"We didn't play anywhere near what we are capable of playing and we paid for it, simple as that," Ream told fulhamfc.com.

On that first goal, the American defender recalls the moments leading up to the goal which set the Whites back early on.



"I think Tomas [Kalas] tried to cut that one out and either slid or slipped and Ollie [Norwood] came in to cover him and as he has gone to tackle him he has really just tackled it right into their left back, Warnock, who was just sitting there waiting for a tap in.

"It was a pretty frustrating goal to concede, there were a couple of areas which could've been cut out. Obviously in any division you pay for your mistakes and there you go."

Having been involved in a goal at the wrong end, Northern Ireland midfielder Norwood redeemed himself with a beautiful strike to earn his first goal for the Club just after the half-hour mark.

However Ream revealed that his teammate was left frustrated after missing another big opportunity to score early on.

"He [Norwood] strikes a good ball," said Ream. "But before that he should have scored with his left from about six yards out, and he will be the first person to tell you that.

"He was more frustrated with that than he was happy with his goal. We know he can strike a ball and if you give him time and space he can do it."

When referee Steve Martin awarded a penalty in the 51st minute Ream was left as confused as the away travelling support when it came to understanding what had gone on.

"I haven't seen a replay yet and I couldn't tell from the other side of the goal.

"I was marking my man and I just saw four or five of our guys around their one man. I don't know if there was contact or not, like I said I haven't seen it and I didn't have a good angle during the play.

"It's not even that it didn't go our way today, we just didn't play well. As I said at the beginning when we don't play well and we are off, it gives teams chances to steal points and to come away with all three points.

"We did have a few chances, I think we hit the crossbar in the second half, but our chances weren't clear cut enough and towards the end the accuracy of the passing and the crossing was just woeful.

"There is no way around explaining that so it just wasn't a good day overall for everybody," said Ream.

"The fans were excellent today, even in the warm-ups we heard them over there. It's a shame for them and I feel bad for them because we didn't play well and for them to travel all this way it's not good enough and I can only apologise for the way that we played and the result.

"But like I said they were excellent and they are always excellent no matter where we go or how far we travel, they are always there in fine voice urging us on."

Fulham's next opponents are Middlesbrough who sit just outside of the play-off spots and Ream insists Fulham will be gunning for them on Saturday afternoon.

"Middlesbrough have come down having been relegated from the Premier League and they want to be promoted at the first time.

"It is a solid team as most are in this division, if they are not a good footballing side then they are a physical, scrappy, hard side to play against so you are going to get a difficult game every week.

"Anyone can beat anyone and we don't fear anybody or look past anybody, we're not worried about them coming down from the Premier League and being better than us, we are a very good side on our day, when we play the way we are capable of playing."




http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/september/17/ream-burton-reaction

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Fulham failed with £10m Deadline Day bid for Championship forward

According to the Birmingham Mail, recently-sacked Birmingham City manager Harry Redknapp has revealed that Fulham launched a £10m Deadline Day bid for Che Adams.

As Slavisa Jokanovic looked to bolster his attacking options, he reportedly turned his attention to the 21-year-old but saw his approach rebuffed by the Blues.

Adams has gone on to sign a five year deal at St Andrews and Redknapp has now been sacked, as if any more proof was needed of just how quickly things can change in football.

The Blues are currently managerless and just one place above the foot of the Championship, so there is a chance that Adams might rue his decision to stay, although Fulham have not enjoyed such a good weekend themselves, losing 2-1 against Burton.

Adams is currently out injured with a hamstring injury, and Redknapp clearly feels that having the former Sheffield United forward available would have helped his side avoid such a poor start to the season.

Adams has seven goals in 44 appearances for the Blues and has proved to be a popular player with the fans since his arrival from Brammall Lane, adding pace, aggression and versatility to a frontline that has looked pedestrian and one-paced at times in recent seasons.

Adams also has 2 England Under 20 caps to his name, having made his debut in 2015 and will hope to earn future international recognition in the future.

The Verdict:

Adams is exactly the type of player Fulham should have been in the market for – pacy, versatile and with an eye for goal.

Redknapp can point to the fact that he has been unavailable as a factor in his side's poor start to the season but he has also blocked a move that might have seen Adams in with a better chance of becoming a Premier League player, only to be sacked weeks after the window closes.

If he returns from injury and finds his form again, and Birmingham continue to struggle, there is no reason why Fulham should not go back in again for Adams in January.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-failed-with-10m-deadline-day-bid-for-championship-forward/

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'Our best result since promotion' – Burton boss Clough speaks after Fulham win

Nigel Clough was delighted with the performance of his players in Saturday afternoon's 2-1 home win over promotion chasing Fulham, calling it 'possibly [their] best result since getting promoted, according to the club's official website.

A first half goal from Stephen Warnock and a penalty from Lucas Akins on 51 minutes secured the victory for the Brewers, who recovered well from Ollie Norwood's equalising goal just past the half hour mark.

Clough was elated with the result, especially after the Whites won 2-0 in the corresponding fixture last season.

"I thought we were magnificent today from start to finish. We had to weather some pressure late on but I thought we deserved our win for our effort and honesty," Clough revealed. "It was a brilliant performance – to a man.

"We didn't want to suffer the same kind of defeat as last year, where we dominated and we never really got in the game. We had shots today, chances today and I hope it shows that we have improved as a team," he continued, clearly aware that second season syndrome is a very real threat to his side's prospects this season.

Showing his understandable excitement, the manager said, "This is possibly our best result since getting promoted. Fulham can carve you open almost at will at times but they found it tough to create clear cut openings against us. We dug in and did our jobs extremely well."

The Verdict:

I'll admit to being among those who thought Burton would really struggle in their second season in the second tier, thinking that teams would figure them out and that they would be unable to carry on punching above their weight.

There is no guarantee that won't still be the case but results and performances yesterday show that Clough can legitimately claim he has moved his team on and that they can mix it with the very best in the division on any given day.

Clough has every right to be pleased with yesterday's result and his players deserve every credit for a very impressive win.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/our-best-result-since-promotion-burton-boss-clough-speaks-after-fulham-win/

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Birmingham City rejected huge Fulham offer for youngster

Birmingham City rejected a £10 million transfer offer from Sky Bet Championship rivals Fulham on Transfer Deadline Day for youngster Che Adams according to Get West London.

The 21-year-old Leicester born frontman is also thought to have been the subject of interest from Derby County on Transfer Deadline Day but the player instead opted to sign a new five-year contract at St Andrews.

It has now been revealed that Birmingham City rejected a transfer bid from Fulham as well as Derby County prior to the closure of the transfer window.

With The Blues struggling at the wrong end of the Sky Bet Championship table, it was crucial that Birmingham City did not sell one of their most promising young talents and persuading Adams to sign a new long term deal provided the club with a huge boost.

Sky Bet Championship rivals Fulham are in need of a greater attacking threat with the club having averaged just a goal a game in their first eight league matches. The Whites were defeated by Reading in the Play-Off Semi-Finals last term but already find themselves five points adrift of the top six this term.

Slavisa Jokanovic's men suffered their second league defeat of the season on Saturday as they fell to a 2-1 defeat to Burton Albion at The Pirelli Stadium.



http://the72.co.uk/91831/birmingham-city-rejected-huge-fulham-offer-youngster/

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Crystal Palace boss cites Fulham example as he retains belief the Eagles will get out of trouble

Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson has likened the Eagles' current plight to the situation he inherited at Fulham in December 2007.

Back then, the Cottagers were bottom of the table and odds-on for relegation, with the results still not improving in the early stages of his tenure at Craven Cottage.

But Hodgson got a tune out of his players and results eventually improved, with Fulham taking 12 points from their last five games to secure their survival on the final day of the 2007/08 season.



http://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/crystal-palace-boss-cites-fulham-example-as-he-retains-belief-the-eagles-will-get-out-of-trouble/story-30514634-detail/story.html