Saturday Fulham Stuff (09/12/17)...

[WhiteJC]

 
U23 REPORT: FULHAM 1 ALBION 1

    Albion draw 1-1 with Fulham at Motspur Park
    Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson gives the hosts the lead
    Max Sanders levels for Albion in the second half
    The Seagulls are now six games unbeaten in the league

Brighton & Hove Albion's under-23s came from behind to extend their unbeaten streak in the Premier League 2 Division 2 to six games, as they drew 1-1 with Fulham at Motspur Park this evening.

A wonderful strike from Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson just before half-time put the hosts in front, but after a positive second-half display from the Seagulls, Max Sanders found the bottom corner with a cool finish to secure another point away from home.

Simon Rusk called upon first-team players Connor Goldson, Jamie Murphy and Jiri Skalak at Fulham's training ground, while Robert Sanchez made a return from injury between the sticks.

There was little in terms of goalmouth action inside the opening ten minutes of the game, with a George Cox cross cleared at the back post before Tyler Forbes intervened to prevent Fulham getting a shot away up the other end.

Goldson was needed when a Rafael Soares cross caused trouble inside Albion's penalty area, as the Albion defender got to a loose ball and swept up after Sanchez was unable to gather.

Michael Elstone came close to giving his side the lead when his hanging cross worked its way towards goal, but Sanchez was pleased to see the striker's misplaced cross clip the crossbar and go behind.

Albion's Spanish goalkeeper then made a remarkable fingertip save from Thorsteinsson's effort which looked destined for the top corner, before Alzate almost got on the end of Cox's low cross for the Seagulls.

But on the stroke of half-time Sanchez could do nothing to stop Thorsteinsson's next effort, as the Fulham winger picked out the top corner with a sublime effort to give the Cottagers a 1-0 lead at the break.

Elijah Adebayo tried adding another for Fulham soon after the re-start but Sanchez comfortably claimed, before Skalak fired a powerful effort into the hands of Luca Ashby-Hammond from 25 yards.

The Czech then curled a free-kick just wide of the Fulham shot-stopper's right-hand post, as the Seagulls enjoyed a dominant spell in the second half as they continued to look for an equaliser.

Their pressure told in the 79th minute when the ball found its way to Sanders on the edge of Fulham's penalty area, and the midfielder picked out the bottom corner to deservedly pull Albion level.

A Thorsteinsson cross caused chaos inside Albion's six-yard box in the closing stages, but Sanchez managed to claw the winger's looping delivery away from goal, and that proved the final piece of action at Motspur Park.

ALBION: Sanchez; Forbes (Mateju 46), Goldson, Hall, Cox; Sanders, Collar; Tilley (Bjordal 64), Murphy, Skalak (Ahannach 75); Alzate.

Subs not used: Vose (GK), J.Davies


https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/news/2017/december/match-report-for-fulham-pl2-vs-brighton-and-hove-albion-pl2-on-08-dec-17/

[WhiteJC]

Cairney: 'I love playing football at Fulham'
by Dan on December 8, 2017

Tom Cairney used an interview with the Evening Standard this afternoon to insist he was loving playing his football at Craven Cottage and distanced himself from rumours linking him with a move to Newcastle United during the January transfer window.

The Fulham captain, who has recently recovered from a serious knee injury to return to the Whites' starting line-up, told the Standard that 'you can't put a price on happiness' and reiterated that he had every intention of honouring the four-year deal he signed this summer. The 26 year-old told journalist James Benge:

    You can't put a price on happiness. Last season I was extremely happy on and off the pitch and that's when you play your best football. I wanted to show my happiness to the fans, let them know that I want to be here and try to take Fulham forward.

    I love playing football here. That's what I want to do. I feel a responsibility to Fulham. It's been great ever since I arrived. I enjoy playing football, I really enjoy playing it at the Cottage and long may it continue.

The 26 year-old playmaker did admit to being flattered by the reported interest from Magpies boss Rafa Benitez, saying that plaudits from successful managers showed he was performing well.

    It's a massive accolade that Rafa Benitez wants me. It's a pat on the back to myself I guess, to know that other managers appreciate what I'm doing.

Cairney scored a sensational long-range strike in Fulham's 4-1 win over the Championship winners at St. James' Park last season. The Scottish midfielder has warned the Whites' Championship rivals that, after a slow start, Fulham are close to hitting their best form:

    We've still got the fear factor. Teams still respect us and if we win two or three on the bounce they'll start worrying we're back to that peak from last season. I don't think we've hit our best form yet but to be fair we hit our peak quite late last season as well. The second season is always the hardest. Teams set up differently for us now. Last year we shocked a lot of teams with our style of football. This year we're a scalp.

    The play-offs aren't a million miles away, we just need a run. Back-to-back wins can do so much for you in this league.

The popular skipper also had encouraging news for Fulham fans about the long-term situation regarding his troublesome knee injury, believing that he's over the worst of it – having admitted to striving too swiftly to be ready for the start of the new season back in August.

    My injury was weird. On the scan there was no damage but there was pain I couldn't get rid of. It's not completely gone now but I can deal with it. In hindsight, I definitely wouldn't have rushed back. As stupid as it sounds, at least if you break something you can see the injury and you know how long you're going to be out.

    With this there were no timescales. The physios didn't know. No-one knew what the best thing was to do so I kept coming back and trying to force it.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2017/12/cairney-i-love-playing-football-at-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

Jokanovic won't be underestimating Blues
by Dan on December 8, 2017

Fulham head coach Slavisa Jokanovic says he won't be underestimating Saturday's visitors Birmingham City despite the injury-hit Blues languishing in the Championship relegation zone as the Whites seek to bounce back from last week's derby defeat.

Jokanovic is desperate to deliver a more complete performance than the one his side served up at Griffin Park last weekend but knows that Steve Cotterill's men will come to Craven Cottage determined to arrest their worst run of form away from home since 1978-79. The Serbian knows that Blues will be dogged opponents who could be hard to break down, as he told this afternoon's pre-match press conference at Motspur Park.

    They want to change their situation. At the moment they are not successful, but they are a competitive, big, physically strong team and, like always, we expect a tough game.

The Fulham boss believes he knows how most Championship teams will line-up against his outfit, attempting to stifle the Whites' creativity and patient passing game.

    We more or less know how different teams are going to try and play against us. They're a team who aren't going to combine so much. We know we must be strong in the challenge and be ready in the second phase. They are not going to give us much space for an offensive transition. We want to play many minutes in the last third of the pitch, and we must show patience, precision, quality, and show the killer instinct, be clinical in this situation.

Jokanovic knows his side will need to begin pick up regular wins as the season ticks around to the busy festive period.

    We are going step by step and we're going to see how we manage this kind of situation. At the moment it's still a quiet period where we have a week between our next two games. The end of December and the beginning of January is a very tough schedule with many games.

Fulham will have to do without the suspended Denis Odoi and injured Lucas Piazon for tomorrow's clash, although he expects the Brazilian to resume full training with the first-team squad following next weekend's trip to Sunderland after eight months on the sidelines after having his leg broken in a robust challenge at Leeds.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2017/12/jokanovic-wont-be-underestimating-blues/

[WhiteJC]

 
Slavisa Jokanovic praises Liverpool loanee Sheyi Ojo's form since returning from injury

The 20-year-old dislocated his shoulder in September but has been in fine form since returning in the 5-4 win over Sheffield United

Slavisa Jokanovic is pleased with how Sheyi Ojo has performed since returning to the Fulham squad after recovering from a dislocated shoulder.

The 20-year-old suffered the injury in the west London derby win over QPR back in September, but scored twice on his return in the thrilling 5-4 win over Sheffield United, where everything he touched seem to turn to gold.

Fulham have only lost once when the Liverpool loanee has been on the pitch, and despite what some sections of the support think of the forward, the side look much better going forward when he is in the side than when he isn't.

And his head coach believes Fulham can be satisfied with how Ojo has done in a Fulham shirt since returning from the physio room.

He said: "It's good, he's a player who is very fast and attacks very well in the space - in the last three games that he played, against Sheffield United and Brentford for example, he was one of the more offensive players.

"He scored some goals against Sheffield United and created chances working hard and we can be satisfied with how he started after his shoulder problem that he suffered against QPR."



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/slavisa-jokanovic-praises-liverpool-loanee-14013635

[WhiteJC]

 
Konami Gift Ball Boy and Girl Places

Christmas has come early for eight youngsters who have been invited to take on the role of ball person at Fulham's match against Birmingham City, made available by FFC Partner Konami Digital Entertainment, creator of Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) in support of the Official Charity Matchday today.

Fulham Football Club Foundation, together with Konami, recognised pupils at Normand Croft Community School for their consistent leadership and teamwork within their P.E. lessons. Getting into the festive spirit early, pupils were gifted PES 2018 games for Xbox and PlayStation. Little did the pupils know that the biggest surprise was yet to come.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/december/09/konami-gift-ball-boy-and-girl-places