Friday Fulham Stuff (20/04/18)...

[Twig]

Football Welcomes

Fulham Football Club is proud to be participating in Amnesty's Football Welcomes initiative this weekend to celebrate the contribution refugee players make to the beautiful game.

For many refugee players, football helped them adjust to a new country and culture and as they and their families rebuilt their lives in safety. Supported by a range of Premier League clubs, the EFL, the FA Women's Super League, and a number of non-league and grassroots teams, Football Welcomes also highlights the role clubs can play in welcoming refugees and asylum seekers and promoting integration.

Fulham FC Foundation is proud to support Football Welcomes, alongside FFC. We recognise the tremendous contribution that refugee players make to the game, as well as our unique position to support refugees and asylum seekers within our community.

In collaboration with local organisations including Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers and South London Refugees Association, we launched 'Sporting Welcome,' providing sport, language support, and training opportunities for Refugees and Asylum Seekers in South and South West London. With consistent support from the Club and First Team, we're proud to be engaging more than 50 young people each week in life changing provision.

Many other clubs around the country will be taking part in the Football Welcomes weekend - giving free tickets to a match for refugees and people seeking asylum living locally, arranging player visits or stadium tours, or organising a match or tournament for refugees and asylum seekers in their community programmes.

Naomi Westland, Football Welcomes Manager at Amnesty International UK, said:

"We are delighted Fulham Football Club is taking part in Football Welcomes this year. With so many clubs across the country participating, the message from football is clear - refugees are welcome in the UK. At a time when hate-filled rhetoric so often fills our newspapers and social media timelines, this shows that there is another story to be told.

"Football can give people a sense of purpose and belonging, and football clubs are at the heart of our towns and cities and have an important role to play in welcoming refugees and helping to promote respect, understanding and integration."

Football Welcomes is part of Amnesty International's I Welcome campaign for a better international response to the global refugee crisis. The campaign encourages local communities to work together to create a more welcoming environment for people fleeing conflict and persecution.

To find out more visit www.amnesty.org.uk/footballwelcomes

http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/april/20/football-welcomes

What a wonderful idea. Well done FFC for participating.

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham boss confirms plan to sign Mitrovic – but there's TWO big reasons it probably won't happen

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic has admitted he is looking to sign Aleksandar Mitrovic permanently this summer – suggesting the striker is keen to stay too – however a deal is out of his hands and something not nearly as straightforward as some may think.

Before I look at a few reasons why his permanent move to Craven Cottage may fail to materialise this summer, here's Jokanovic's latest comments on the Serbian – confirming his intentions but admitting that he is still a Newcastle player:


    "He made a great job for us, club took the right decision to bring him to help us.
    "I don't know what will happen in the future, first of all he is a Newcastle player and ahead of him is the World Cup.
    "I know he is really happy with the team, with the club, with the city and for another side he knows I am satisfied with level he offer us.
    "Everything is open, part of another side if you ask me about if I want him with us, yes I want.
    "If you ask if they want to stay it's probably a yes, but in realistic life we are going to see.
    "This job is for another side and not under my control."


So, everyone at Fulham and Mitrovic's party seem like they're ready to get a deal done, but there's still a few doubts hanging over the deal from my perspective.

1 – Would Rafa sell to a rival? History suggests no – and why should he..

If Fulham get promoted (which looks very possible) then they will be a Premier League rival of ours next season.

Remember when Brighton and West Brom wanted Mitrovic in January? Rafa made it clear that he had absolutely no intention in selling a player of Mitrovic's ability to a direct rival. Whilst you'd hope we'll be looking to push on in the top 10 next season (not compete for safety with Fulham), they are still going to be a team competing with us all season.



http://www.nufcblog.co.uk/2018/04/20/fulham-boss-confirms-plan-to-sign-mitrovic-but-theres-two-big-reasons-it-probably-wont-happen/

[WhiteJC]

 
Preview | Millwall v Fulham

Blockbuster night in store at The Den...

Millwall welcome Fulham to The Den on Friday night for a blockbuster Sky Bet Championship clash LIVE on Sky Sports (kick-off 7.45pm).

With just three games remaining in the regular League season, The Lions sit in sixth place, one point clear of Derby County in the race for the Play-Offs, whilst The Whites are currently in third, chasing automatic promotion to the Premier League.

This particular encounter boasts the two clubs with the longest unbeaten runs in the country - Millwall are on a 17-game run without defeat in the League, whilst their opponents haven't lost in 21 matches.

A sold-out Den awaits both teams, with the warmer-than-usual temperatures looking to add all the ingredients needed to make it a special night in SE16.

Byron Webster remains the only absentee in a squad that otherwise picks itself.

The two clubs have only met 43 times previously, with Fulham three in front in the all-time stakes 17-14. Oliver Norwood was on target from the penalty spot in the meeting at Craven Cottage earlier this season in a controversial 1-0 defeat for The Lions, with three of the last four meetings at The Den ending in stalemate.

Millwall's last home win over Fulham came in April 1982, when Dave Martin's goal accompanied Dean Horrix's hat-trick in a 4-3 win.

There will be no Family Fun Zone on Friday night, but a DJ will be on hand to entertain the masses by the SE16 Bar from 6pm.

Due to the large crowd, Millwall strongly urge supporters wishing to collect tickets to do so in good time prior to kick-off to prevent lengthy queues building.

If you are unable to make it to The Den on Friday night or just fancy sitting out in the garden and making the most of the weather, full match commentary will be available on iFollow Millwall from 7.40pm.

Due to the match being shown LIVE on Sky Sports, international subscribers will be unable to watch all the action on iFollow.



https://www.millwallfc.co.uk/news/2018/april/preview--millwall-v-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

 
Exclusive: Millwall feeding their unbeaten run with steak and chips/Mario Kart diet

Millwall and Fulham put their unbeaten records on the line at The Den on Friday night.

The Lions are unbeaten in 17 Championship matches and have climbed into sixth place while London rivals Fulham have not tasted defeat in 21 outings and need a win to reclaim second sport from Cardiff City.

Yahoo Sport's Mark Lawford caught up with Millwall skipper Steve Morison and attacking midfielder Jed Wallace ahead of the match.

They both revealed that the mood in the Millwall camp is calm and that despite the importance of the encounter, it will not be the end of the world if they lose.

Looking back at the incredible 4-3 win at Leeds that kickstarted this incredible rise up the table after failing to win in their opening 13 away games, Morison and Wallace also predict a clash of styles against Fulham as well as revealing the change of diet and leisure that has also coincided with this amazing charge for the Premier League.



https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/exclusive-millwall-feeding-unbeaten-run-steak-chipsmariokart-diet-132518124.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Ryan Sessegnon issues comments on Fulham's approach for Millwall clash

Fulham won't change their style for their tough game against Millwall.

The Cottagers handed the advantage to Cardiff City for the second automatic promotion spot after they drew with local rivals Brentford.

However, they will be aiming to keep up the pressure on the Bluebirds with wins in the remaining games.

Millwall will be a tough side to overcome because their success has been built on defensive reliance as well as a direct style of play which contrasts completely with how Slavisa Jokanovic's side play.

Ryan Sessegnon has been a key part of the expansive, short passing possession-based style that Fulham have used over the past two seasons, which was recognised with his five awards at the EFL awards as well as his PFA Young Player of the Year nomination.

Here's what he had to say about the match, according to the official site: "Every team we've faced this season has had their own style of play. A lot have been physical against us but we just need to focus on ourselves and play the way we play."



"Neil Harris is doing a tremendous job with Millwall. He's really set up a way of playing. They know how they like to play, and it's working for them."

"We have to respect them but we'll be going there and trying to play our own game, and going there to win."

The Verdict

Fulham are right to be confident in their approach because it has served them well so far this season, although it wouldn't be a surprise for Jokanovic to make some subtle tactical tweaks in order to deal with certain threats or nullify areas of strength for Millwall.

This should be an entertaining game between two sides completely confident in their wildly different styles with nerves playing an important part. It will be an intimidating atmosphere for Fulham, but they should be able to deal with it and are likely to just edge a tight game.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/ryan-sessegnon-issues-comments-on-fulhams-approach-for-millwall-clash/

[WhiteJC]

 
Three Players to Watch: Matchday 44 vs. Millwall
Will anyone's unbeaten run come to an end?

One minute.

That's how much more time Fulham needed to see the game through against the most underrated team in the Championship in Brentford and they would have stayed second in the league. Granted, we all knew Cardiff had a game in hand, but after last week's result, we have give the ball is now in their court instead of ours, so to speak. "I just want to go home and cry" shouted Jamie Reid moments after the final whistle. I guarantee you will never hear that level of honesty in sports radio commentary at a professional setting in the United States, let alone England. That's how painful a DRAW was. But what if I told you Fulham didn't deserve all three points?

After all, Brentford previously had a disallowed goal that was deemed offside even though replays showed Tim Ream kept Ollie Watkins on side. Another potential Brentford goal was not awarded via the penalty spot despite a almost deliberate ball by Stefan Johansen off of a laser of a free kick by Yoann Barbet. If for anything else, the Bees should have scored at least once in the first half.

While the second half was much better by Fulham, it wasn't enough to look like the bestter side for the entire 90 minutes of play. By games end, the good guys were out-shot 17-11 and only had 48.8% possession of the ball. It should come as no surprise to see Brentford having the expected goals advantage of 1.4-0.8 as a result, according to Ben Mayhew of Experimental361. As mentioned all season, if this team were to ever get their shooting boots on, Brentford would be one of the best clubs in the Championship. They finally are playing like one, but they may not have enough time to put such a marker for them to make it into the top six.

No matter how this is spun, however, Fulham and their fan base can not afford to be sitting in a pit of misery for too long. Tonight's opponents are in the thick of a playoff race that sees just four points separate fifth and 11th. With a win at home, Millwall will not only take a further step towards playing more football after 46 games, but they could be a matchup nightmare towards anyone the likes of which Reading were last season.

Simply put, no one expected the Lions to be this good this early after they were promoted from League One via the playoffs. They still play an "English" 4-4-2 system where fullbacks stay back, wingers cross the ball and center forwards collect and shoot. They also have George Saville as their go-to engine in center midfield and can really carry an attack when necessary. Lastly, they too are on an unbeaten run that almost no one saw coming, including the data.

Consider that up until February 3rd, Millwall were practically in line with their miniscule actual and expected goal differential of +2. Since then, despite expected to being outscored 17.4-21.8 over the past 12 fixtures, they have actually outscored the opposition 19-6 with six clean sheets to boot! Now Fulham have been going on the same vein of form during their unbeaten run. Since January 11th, the club have outscored the competition 33-8 in 17 fixtures and seven clean sheets despite being expected to only outscore the opposition 25.1-14.5. Again, the best football clubs make do with the luck that is given to them, but some of these bits of data are outrageous! Fulham really need to be able to dictate the tempo of this game and be mentally tough in one of the most battle hardened venues of English football. Otherwise, we might be talking about a club that could be losing confidence coming into the playoffs.

But enough of that type of thinking. Let's take a look at the three most important players to watch from Millwall.

Shaun Hutchinson

First up is a player Fulham fans will be quite familiar with. Now at 27, Shaun Hutchinson has gone from being a player that never was going to be able to suit Fulham if they were to be promoted to a key figure in Millwall's aspirations towards reaching the Premier League. As shown from his radar, he hasn't really changed his game all that much, so you know what you will get out of him. That doesn't mean Fulham can take him lightly either. Of all the defensive attributes, shot blocking is clearly his biggest strength. Attacking the Motherwell Academy product with speed will be crucial to have their chances at goal count against him.

Jed Wallace

All data from whoscored.com

Since we talked about George Saville the last time Millwall was previewed, let's go ahead and take a look at their next best influential player on both sides of the pitch. With six goals and nine goals into his account this season, no other Millwall player contributes more in scoring or creates more chances for his teammates to score goals better than Jed Wallace.

At 24, he is hitting the peak of his powers surely must be happy to have the opportunity to make his mark in the Championship after not being able to do so in his previous stint with Wolves. Before hand, Wallace was an academy product with Portsmouth where he did his best to help the club during their lean years. But after putting in 17 goals in all competitions in 50 appearances, Wallace gave it a go in the Championship before Wolves shipped him out to Millwall in both years of his two-year spell with the club. Needless to say, Wallace and Millwall are happy to have crossed paths.

Jordan Archer
Lastly, no club can get in a season-long run of good defense without a strong goalkeeper. This is especially considering that Millwall have recently been expected to be outscored all season, but have instead have a +15 actual goal differential. Along with that, Millwall have only given up the joint third best goals against tally in the league with 40. This is considering that Millwall are only 12th best in total shots against and ninth best in shots on target against.

With those in front of him giving such a challenge, Jordan Archer has handled it well and more all campaign long. You will be hard pressed to not only find a goalkeeper that has saved better than 76.5% of his shots faced, but also been able to complete more than 37.8% of his long ball passes. He won't even dare be the sweeper keeper that you see most modern versions do these days as only 3.1% of his attempted passes have been deemed short ones. However, he is the embodiement to Millwall's identity and how they would like to play. At 24, I will be expected more from Archer for seasons to come as well as many more Scotland call ups for him.



https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2018/4/20/17260808/three-players-to-watch-matchday-44-vs-millwall

[WhiteJC]

 
Chelsea pay tribute to Bentley after legend passes away

Chelsea legend Roy Bentley has died at the age of 93.

The former striker won the 1955 league title during an eight-year spell at Chelsea, during which he made 367 appearances for the Blues, scoring 150 goals – making him the joint-fifth highest scorer in the club's history. He was also their first trophy-winning captain.

"A Chelsea legend in the truest sense of the word, his importance in the club's story never has, and never will be, forgotten," Chelsea said on Friday.

Bentley, who joined Chelsea in January 1948, played 12 times for England and was part of their squad at the 1950 World Cup.

After leaving Stamford Bridge he had a four-year spell at Fulham and spent two years at QPR, where he ended his career in 1962.



http://www.westlondonsport.com/chelsea/chelsea-pay-tribute-bentley-former-blues-fulham-qpr-striker-dies-93