Saturday Fulham Stuff (07/10/17)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Ticket Office Bulletin [06.10.17]: Be here to back the boys against Fulham

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Aston Villa
Sky Bet Championship
Saturday October 14
Kick-off: 5.30pm
Molineux
SOLD OUT
Coach travel will depart at 3.30pm and costs £11 per person

Aston Villa v Fulham
Sky Bet Championship
Saturday October 21
Kick-off: 3pm
Villa Park
Prices: £20 to £33 (adults), £15 to £20 (concessions), £10 to £17 (U21s), £5 to £10 (U16s), £45 to £55 for a Family Package (two adults and two U16s)
Wheelchair bays: Available by calling the Ticket Office on 0333 323 1874
NOW: On general sale on phone and in person
Only tickets purchased before 3.30pm on Thursday September 21 will be posted to supporters. 
All tickets purchased after this deadline will be available for collection only - or you can Print at Home if you book online and have access to a printer.
Supporters are advised to collect their tickets as early as possible to avoid the disappointment of missing kick-off.   
Tickets can be collected from the Villa Village Ticket Office up to 12.30pm on matchday after which point, tickets can only be collected from the Trinity Road Ticket Office which will be open from 1pm.
All Pride Rewards members will receive 20 points upon purchase. However, points will not be awarded for additional purchases made by other supporters.
In person: Villa Park
On phone: 0333 323 1874
Buy online: ONLINE BOX OFFICE.



https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2017/10/06/ticket-office-bulletin-06-10-17

[WhiteJC]

 
Are Fulham Slowly Beginning Their Promotion Push?

At the start of the season, many people fancied Fulham to mount a push for the Premier League, but so far they have failed to live up to the hype. However, with two good away wins recently, are we now beginning to see Fulham start to set out their promotion credentials?

Having spent 13 seasons in the Premier League between 2001 and 2014, Fulham know what it feels like to be in a big time, and fans want that feeling back. Their first two seasons back in the Championship were very poor and nearly resulted in relegation to League One, although since then, things have been much better.

After finishing sixth last season, the feel-good factor has been back at the club, although it did put a tremendous amount of pressure on the club to succeed again this season and we saw Fulham drawing a lot of games they should have won. However, now that pressure has eased a little, is this the time for Fulham to flourish?

The international break has probably come at the wrong time for Fulham, who recorded two terrific away wins prior to the break. A fantastic 3-1 victory away at Nottingham Forest on September 26 kick-started their good run, and just three days later they put in another excellent performance. That game resulted in a 2-1 victory, this time over Queens Park Rangers, to take Fulham's winning run to two and leaving them with just one loss from their last five games.

Those two games were the first sign of Fulham really coming to life and a break for two weeks is hardly ideal for them. However, when they do come back from the break, they have a crucial run of fixtures that could propel them up the table even further. Three of their four games in October come at home, and three out of four are against teams who are just above them on the table as it stands now. To say October is a month of opportunity for Fulham is an understatement.

Fulham continue their campaign on October 14, when they face Preston North End at home. Preston are currently in sixth, just three points ahead of the Cottagers, and they have only lost one game all season. They will certainly offer a tough test for Fulham, mainly because the Lancashire side have conceded just six goals in 11 games. In their first game back, this will be a tough game for Fulham and a test of how far they have come since the start of the season.

The most stringent game on paper looks to be Fulham's second game of the month when they visit Aston Villa for their only away trip of the month. Villa have come to life recently, and just like Fulham, they will be looking to use the month of October to propel themselves up the table. This has the potential to be one of the best games of the month in the Championship, and one that should be great for the neutrals to watch.

Fulham return home on October 28 for what looks to be the easiest game of the month for them when they face Bolton Wanderers, who are currently bottom of the Championship. Bolton have struggled to adapt to life in the Championship after promotion from League One last season, and they remain winless this season.

The final game of the month is another tough one for Fulham, as they face Bristol City at home, another team who are slightly above them in the league. Like Preston, City have also lost just one game this season and sit three points ahead of Fulham right now, so this is likely to be another tough test. By the time Fulham reach this game, this could be very crucial and could help them around the month off in great style so that all eyes will be on them in this one.

The one problem Fulham have had so far, and something that could hold them back has been their ability to keep clean sheets. As successfully predicted by Oddschecker in their last game against Queens Park Rangers, both teams scored in the game, and despite the Whites playing well, they continue to concede goals.

Overall this season, the picture doesn't look much better. If you take a look at the stats from the season so far, Fulham have managed to keep just two clean sheets from eleven Championship games. If the Cottagers are to make a real push for promotion, then this is something they need to address quickly, preferably in time for those tough games they have in October.

Clubs that are successful in the Championship tend to have excellent defensive records, and that is something Fulham will aim for. Preston are a typical example of a team they should be looking at replicating after their fantastic defensive start. PNE have conceded just six goals so far this season and kept six clean sheets; joint-best in the division.

Fulham do have a lot more attacking flair than most of the other teams in the division, but they need to get those players also playing responsible defensive play if they are to reach the next level. While scoring 14 goals so far this season is good, it is far from the best record in the league and to keep moving up the table they need more from both ends of the field.

In defence, their two central defenders Tim Ream and Tomas Kalas will be asked to perform better and hold the team together as much as possible. These two haven't been hugely at fault for any of the goals conceded by Fulham, but they spearhead the defence and can lead by example in an attempt to bring other players up to standard. Goalkeeper David Button has plenty of experience at this level, and he too needs to get involved more to ensure everyone is on the same page defensively going forward.

In attack, Fulham have an abundance of riches, and that is shown by the fact that nine different players have already scored goals for them this season. Striker Aboubakar Kamara signed for £6 million in the summer, and he has two goals for Fulham this season. He will be looking to add more to that, and if he clicks in the Championship, he is going to be a real threat to any defence. He has a great supporting cast behind him, and Fulham can afford to keep players fresh, such is the quality of their squad.

The month of October is going to be a crucial one for Fulham and their push for promotion. Many expected them to challenge from the offset, but a combination of players settling at the club and pressure on them to perform straight away left them with a less than impressive start. After steadying the ship in September, now is a great time to push on and with so many big games coming up they have a great chance to stamp their authority on the league by picking up points.

Defensively, Fulham will have to improve, and that is going to fall on the shoulders of many different players. They have kept just two clean sheets this season, something they must improve on and that could be the missing piece of the puzzle as far as their promotion push is concerned.

Keep your eye on Fulham over the coming weeks; we could see the promotion contenders really flourish this month and come to the fore in the Championship. They have some tough games, but they also have the potential to make up ground on a lot of teams above them.



https://www.sportscourant.com/are-fulham-slowly-beginning-their-promotion-push.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Advice given to Fulham's loan star from Arsenal midfielder's father over international future

Fulham's Sheyi Ojo is likely to be contacted to play for Nigeria instead of England

Arsenal star Alex Iwobi's father Chuka Iwobi understands it might be hard for some English-born players with Nigerian family backgrounds to decide on who they want to represent.

Fulham's on-loan winger Sheyi Ojo is reportedly wanted by Nigeria's senior team, having played for the young Lions so far in his career.

Ojo is currently out with a long-term injury and back at parent club Liverpool receiving treatment.

Nigeria are keeping tabs on a number of English-born talent in Aidy Boothroyd's U21 squad who won the U20 World Cup earlier this year.

Now, there could be a tussle to persuade the likes of Ojo, Tammy Abraham and Ademola Lookman to remain with England in the near future.


Fulham's Sheyi Ojo leaves the field on a stretcher after picking up an injury at Loftus Road, London. Photo credit should read: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire. (Image: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire)

"The simple answer is there is a lot of misconceptions trying to do that. We also saw it when we first switched," Iwobi's father said.

"For a player who has been in abroad for the better part of his years there are always going to be so many difficulties.

"My answer has always been come and see for yourself and don't make assumptions. We came, we saw and we are here.

"Obviously there are ways to improve on but it's not about that and the positives surpass the negatives.

"I'm sure every father will be proud to see his son play for his country of birth."



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/advice-given-fulhams-loan-star-13726233

[WhiteJC]

 
Chippenham seal the deal for former Fulham midfielder Josh Smile

CHIPPENHAM Town boss Mark Collier has snapped up former Fulham midfielder Josh Smile.

The 20-year-old has previously represented Oxford United and was captain of the U23 side at Craven Cottage last season.

The youngster started his career at the Kasam Stadium, before switching to the London club in 2011.

During his spell at the club, the midfielder enjoyed comparative success as helped the U19 side to second place in the Dallas Cup last year.

The Chippenham manager says the youngster can prove to be a key player for the National League South.

Striker Jake Andrews, who was on loan from Championship side Bristol City, returned to his parent club last month, leaving a gap in the squad for a forward thinking player.

"Josh has been training with us for a couple of weeks and has been impressive, he is quick, bright and can play in several positions," said Collier.

"With Jake Andrews returning to Bristol City it was important to add to the squad, it's vital we keep a competitive squad in keeping with quality and numbers"

The midfielder will be in contention for the club's away clash with Welling United on Saturday afternoon.



http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/sport/chippenhamtown/15581982.Chippenham_seal_the_deal_for_former_Fulham_man/

[WhiteJC]

 
Bristol City star and £9 million man in: 2 players Fulham should look to sign in January

Fulham's start to the season has been solid, if not inspirational, and Slavisa Jokanovic's men lie in tenth place after eleven rounds of Championship action.

The Serb's men are beginning to pick up points after a lacklustre start, and certainly have a squad capable of launching a second successive push for playoff football.

Tom Cairney is nearing a return from injury, with the influential midfielder undoubtedly one of the stars of the division last year, and his introduction back into the team will be a huge boost to the Cottagers in the coming weeks.

Fulham should be knocking on the playoff door at least by the time the January window rolls around, and Jokanovic may use the window to inject new life into his squad ahead of the second half of the season.

The Londoners missed out on several transfer targets this summer, but should consider returning for two of them when the winter window opens...

Aden Flint


Bristol City are playing some excellent football this season, and Aden Flint has been central to the success the Robins have enjoyed on the pitch.

The defender came close to a move away in the summer, but City's valuation of the player was never met, and a January offer could convince Lee Johnson to part with the player if it is one the young boss cannot refuse.

Fulham look light at the back, and another solid addition would do the squad the world of good, and a leader such as Flint would certainly ensure Fulham secure a top six finish.

Whether Johnson will want the big defender to leave halfway through the season remains to be seen, especially if Bristol City remain in the hunt for a promotion spot, but money could certainly talk at this level.

Dwight Gayle



Fulham had been linked with a big money move for Gayle in the summer, and could return for the prolific forward when the January window opens.

£9 million rated Gayle has made just two starts in the Premier League this season, with four appearances from the bench, and his value could have decreased since the summer due to a lack of playing time.

If Newcastle are struggling in January, then it is likely Benitez will look to new men to save his side from the dreaded drop.

If he can gather a near £15 million fee for a bit-part player such as Gayle to invest in new faces, then the former Crystal Palace man will certainly be on the market.

Secure his signing, and Fulham could genuinely secure the missing piece of their promotion puzzle.

Fulham fans and Jokanovic will be desperate to secure promotion this season having come so close last year, and the January transfer window could make all the difference.

Bringing players of this calibre in in January won't be easy, but the board should back Jokanovic if promotion is a distinct possibility, so these moves are not as unlikely as they may appear.




https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/bristol-city-star-and-9-million-man-in-2-players-fulham-should-look-to-sign-in-january/

[WhiteJC]

 
Store Opening Signing Session

Celebrate the opening of our newly refurbished Stadium Store as we hold a signing session with Head Coach Slaviša Jokanović and three First Team players!

The newly refurbished Stadium Store will re-open its doors at Craven Cottage on Friday 13th October, and fans will have the opportunity to not only check out the new store but also meet Slaviša and squad members between 6pm and 6:45pm.

Your new Stadium Store - open from 9am on Friday 13th - will provide an improved layout to aid customer flow and service, as well as decrease queuing times, and also incorporates the Club's heritage by bringing the Johnny Haynes Stand design into the store.

Owing to preparations for Saturday's fixture against Preston North End, the signing session will begin promptly at 6pm and last 45 minutes. Supporters are encouraged to arrive early to avoid disappointment. More information, including the three players joining our Head Coach will be announced next week.

We look forward to welcoming you to our new Store!

Signing Session Terms and Conditions

    Signing Session 13/10/17 timings 6pm – 6:45pm
    Please arrive early to avoid disappointment
    Due to time restrictions only one item per person will be signed
    Head Coach and 3 First Team player appearance is subject to last minute changes or cancellation
    First Team players to be announced w/c 9th October
    Due to limited time we cannot guarantee everyone will be seen



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/october/06/store-opening

[WhiteJC]

 
Millwall midfielder Ryan Tunnicliffe on his shot at first-team action – and why Brentford and Fulham are special fixtures

Ryan Tunnicliffe is determined to make the most of his opportunity to stake a Millwall starting spot – with Shaun Williams' injury opening the door for midfield rivals.

The Lions suffered a setback this week with the news that the Irish midfielder will be out for the next three months with knee ligament damage.

Tunnicliffe, signed just before the Championship campaign started following his release earlier in the summer by Fulham, replaced Williams for Saturday's 3-1 defeat to Barnsley.

"You never like to see a team-mate go down injured – especially with a bit of a long-term one," said Tunnicliffe, 24. "I do feel for him, because he has been playing well.

"It is bad for the squad but it is an opportunity for me.

"The proper heads-up that I was starting on Saturday was when the boss named the side. We did a bit of team shape before that, which gave me an idea. I'd also spoken to Willo, so I knew his knee was not too great. That made me think I was in with a shout.

"It was an exciting one for me, my first start at home.

"It's hard to say how I did. We lost 3-1 at home, which isn't great. We've all been away thinking about the game and result in the last few days.

"It's one that sticks in the mind. You think 'could we have done any better?' For my first start I was alright, but there is a lot to improve on."

Williams has been one of the standout performers for the Lions  in the first two months of the campaign, although his understated style of play does not always attract plaudits.

"I've had that in my career at times with the way that I play," said Tunnicliffe.

"Running around and doing the dirty stuff for the team. You don't get the same limelight as the guy scoring goals. Willo is a vital cog in what we like to do.

"Hopefully I can fill the void. I've been sitting waiting. I'll be trying my hardest to keep Willo out of the team when he is back fit, if that is something I can do. It's up to me to put in the performances to make the gaffer pick me.

"I knew when I first came here it wasn't going to be easy to force my way into the team. I've played against Willo and Sav [George Saville] a few times and know they are good players. I've stayed professional and patient. This feels like my chance now."

Millwall go to Brentford next weekend. When Tunnicliffe was on Fulham's books it was a west London derby. It is not long – November 25 to be exact – before he is set to return to Craven Cottage.

"Brentford was a game that was always circled on the calendar," said Tunnicliffe.

"It was one I looked forward too, because it's my type of game where you need to put a few tackles in.

"I'm sure there are still bragging rights for the fans here if we pick something up.

"Fulham is one that I have circled this year. I spent three years there and still have some good mates at the club. To go back and get a good result would be perfect for me.

"We are solid defensively and don't fear any team. We feel we can turn up, keep clean sheets and nick the odd goal here and there."



https://www.londonnewsonline.co.uk/31498/millwall-midfielder-ryan-tunnicliffe-shot-first-team-action-brentford-fulham-special-fixtures/

[Twig]

Bristol City star and £9 million man in: 2 players Fulham should look to sign in January

Fulham's start to the season has been solid, if not inspirational, and Slavisa Jokanovic's men lie in tenth place after eleven rounds of Championship action.

The Serb's men are beginning to pick up points after a lacklustre start, and certainly have a squad capable of launching a second successive push for playoff football.

Tom Cairney is nearing a return from injury, with the influential midfielder undoubtedly one of the stars of the division last year, and his introduction back into the team will be a huge boost to the Cottagers in the coming weeks.

Fulham should be knocking on the playoff door at least by the time the January window rolls around, and Jokanovic may use the window to inject new life into his squad ahead of the second half of the season.

The Londoners missed out on several transfer targets this summer, but should consider returning for two of them when the winter window opens...

Aden Flint


Bristol City are playing some excellent football this season, and Aden Flint has been central to the success the Robins have enjoyed on the pitch.

The defender came close to a move away in the summer, but City's valuation of the player was never met, and a January offer could convince Lee Johnson to part with the player if it is one the young boss cannot refuse.

Fulham look light at the back, and another solid addition would do the squad the world of good, and a leader such as Flint would certainly ensure Fulham secure a top six finish.

Whether Johnson will want the big defender to leave halfway through the season remains to be seen, especially if Bristol City remain in the hunt for a promotion spot, but money could certainly talk at this level.

Dwight Gayle



Fulham had been linked with a big money move for Gayle in the summer, and could return for the prolific forward when the January window opens.

£9 million rated Gayle has made just two starts in the Premier League this season, with four appearances from the bench, and his value could have decreased since the summer due to a lack of playing time.

If Newcastle are struggling in January, then it is likely Benitez will look to new men to save his side from the dreaded drop.

If he can gather a near £15 million fee for a bit-part player such as Gayle to invest in new faces, then the former Crystal Palace man will certainly be on the market.

Secure his signing, and Fulham could genuinely secure the missing piece of their promotion puzzle.

Fulham fans and Jokanovic will be desperate to secure promotion this season having come so close last year, and the January transfer window could make all the difference.

Bringing players of this calibre in in January won't be easy, but the board should back Jokanovic if promotion is a distinct possibility, so these moves are not as unlikely as they may appear.

https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/bristol-city-star-and-9-million-man-in-2-players-fulham-should-look-to-sign-in-january/

Sorry but if Gayle is 9 mil rated why would we pay 15 m for him? Confused!