Monday Fulham Stuff (01/10/18)...

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Results

Sunday
Cardiff	1 - 2	Burnley

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Fulham boss has blunt message for players after defeat at Everton

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic admitted his side face a race against time to adapt to the top flight after another defeat which suggests a relegation struggle could be on the cards.

The Whites went down 3-0 against Everton at Goodison Park, where they were brushed aside with relative ease in the second half.

Jokanovic said: "They (Everton) didn't do something fantastic or the perfect game from their point of view but with a bit more skill and power they easily scored three goals.

"We must understand where we are and that we could pay a really expensive price if we don't adapt ourselves to this.

"We are a seven games-old Premier League team and we showed some quality – we were brave and tried to follow our style.

"I can find both positives and negatives from today's game. We are in a kind of growing-up process. There is big room for improvement and we need to be more brave and more consistent and do everything to find a faster improvement."

To add to Jokanovic's woes, he revealed midfielder Joe Bryan is likely to be ruled out for a number of weeks after picking up a hamstring strain, while Timothy Fosu-Mensah faces tests on a shoulder injury which forced him off.

Jokanovic added: "Joe has a hamstring problem and will probably be a few weeks outside the squad. Tim has some kind of shoulder problem but we haven't assessed him yet."



http://londonfootballnews.co.uk/fulham/fulham-boss-has-blunt-message-for-players-after-defeat-at-everton/

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Home performances define Everton managers - and this win was crucial for Marco Silva

The national media have their say on the Blues' 3-0 win over Fulham

Everton have finally secured their second Premier League win of the season with a convincing 3-0 victory over Fulham at Goodison Park.

The Blues had been without a success in the league since the home game against Southampton in the second match of the term, but were victorious over Slavisa Jokanovic's side on Saturday.

A double from Gylfi Sigurdsson , despite the Icelandic international missing a penalty, and a header from Cenk Tosun were enough to seal all three points at a relieved Goodison.

The national media have had their say - and they all know how important a result this was for Marco Silva.

Dominic King, writing for Daily Mail, noted the murmurs at half time after what was a poor first half performance for the hosts - but the improved dynamism in the second half was what was key for the Blues.

He scribed: "But for long spells, there was enough doubt to think Everton wouldn't claim them particularly during a soporific first half. They should have trailed at the interval and were fortunate when Ryan Sessegnon's drive in the 42nd minute cannoned against the bar.

"Conceding at that point would have fractured Everton's brittle confidence. There was murmuring from the stands as the team left the pitch and the atmosphere had the potential to become uncomfortable. Winning was as much about soothing anxieties as it was collecting points.

"Fortunately for Silva, Everton's performance in the second period significantly improved. The crowd got behind the team and it was the catalyst for a 20-minute spell that took the contest out of Fulham's reach. Everton were dynamic and got their reward."

However, The Independent's Simon Hughes was focused on Silva, and how he should learn the lessons of the managers that came before him.

He wrote: "If it is true that it is home performances and results that define a manager's relationship with the club he represents, then this was an important and convincing victory for Marco Silva.

"His reign at Everton is only a few months old but he should take heed of the warning signs that ended up undermining three of his predecessors.

"Supporter impressions as much as the results of Roberto Martinez, Ronald Koeman and Sam Allardyce explain why Silva is now in place and so, he needs to build a trust.

"The quickest and simplest way of doing that is winning at Goodison Park. With Fulham dispatched here, it takes the pressure off Southampton's visit on Tuesday but only slightly because if Everton lose that one, the reminders about another missed opportunity to claim their first trophy since 1995 will follow and it does not take much for familiar exasperations to return."

Everton have a fantastic record over Fulham at Goodison Park, having never lost at home to the Cottagers in the Premier League.

And, because of that, The Times writer Nick Townsend believes we really should have seen Saturday's result coming.

He said: "History should have taught us this had only one outcome, and Everton duly obliged with their first victory in six weeks, and only their second this season, through a brace from Gylfi Sigurdsson and an effort from substitute Cenk Tosun.

"Fulham had been defeated in their last 21 fixtures here — a top-flight record for any side against the same opponent — and once Ryan Sessegnon spurned the best chance of a listless first half there was a sense that Marco Silva's men would always be liable to assert themselves.

"Perhaps just as crucially, the hosts did not leak a goal, not a common spectacle since Everton manager Marco Silva's arrival in the Premier League. He had not witnessed a clean sheet in 17 matches until this encounter."

And, finally, Chris Bascombe remembered in The Telegraph's report David Moyes' recent comments about him needing a quality striker to challenge for the title.

Now, he says, the Blues need one just to challenge for a top six place.

He said: "Former Everton manager David Moyes recently made the claim his Goodison side was a top class striker away from being title contenders. Times have changed at Goodison. Marco Silva is unlikely to challenge the top six until he signs one.

"Cenk Tosun ended his recent drought to help seal victory over Fulham, coming off the bench to double Everton's lead after a vastly improved second half. But judgment will not be clouded.

"The broader issue was apparent prior to his introduction. Everton's goal threat comes from deep, demonstrated by Gylfi Sigurdsson's two goals in this 3-0 win."



https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/home-performances-define-everton-managers-15218299

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No clean sheet, no shots on target, two injury worries - Fulham talking points from Everton loss

Here's what reporter Ryan O'Donovan made of the game against Everton on Saturday

Changing formation 4-2-3-1

Slavisa Jokanovic attempted to curb defensive issues that have plagued Fulham's start to the Premier League by switching formation to a 4-2-3-1 that helped the side grab a point against Watford last week.

Jean-Michael Seri and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa were the men picked in the holding two, while an attacking front three of Luciano Vietto, Andre Schurrle and Ryan Sessegnon were used to provide support to the lone striker, Aleksandar Mitrovic.

They took a while to get into the game but for the last 25 minutes of the first half, Fulham played well and started to get control of the football and carve out attacking opportunities for themselves.

Sessegnon cracked the ball off the cross ball when he probably should have scored after a sweeping move by the away side cut Everton to ribbons as the hosts struggled to keep up with the intensity of their visitors.

However, those levels weren't kept up in the second half and Everton started to find space in the midfield, with Anguissa and Seri not having the same effect they had in the first half.

Midweek, we saw Jokanovic go 3-5-3, playing three centre halves in an attempt to add defensive stability to the side, while today he opted for two holding midfielders to provide a defensive shield in front of Tim Ream and Denis Odoi.

It worked for a part – but going forward Jokanovic needs to settle with a formation that his players can stick to throughout a game and not encounter problems like they did in the second half of yesterday's match.

Marcus Bettinelli captains the side

Marcus Bettinelli had his fifth start of the season and wore the captain's armband in the absence of both Tom Cairney and Kevin McDonald.

It represents a stark turnaround in the 26-year-old's fortunes this season.

Only last month, Bettinelli was dropped altogether from the squad in favour of new signings Fabri and Sergio Rico, but now he's played five games in a row, worn the captain's armband and had a call-up to the England squad.

There was very little he could do about the three Everton goals on Saturday – Gylfi Sisgurdsson's strikes were perfectly placed while Cenk Tosun's header was from yards out, although a clean sheet would be a welcome addition for Bettinelli this season.

He has yet to keep a clean sheet, with last week's draw against Watford the first time he's conceded less than one goal all season.

But for the way Bettinelli is performing at the moment, those defeats could be a lot heavier.

Tom Cairney's return from injury

Jokanovic spoke of taking some positives from the game, and one of those will definitely be the return of his skipper from injury.

Fulham have been without Tom Cairney since the 4-2 win over Burnley after he suffered an ankle injury, something that saw him pull out of the Scotland squad over the international break.

He returned to training this week and made his return to the side – something that will boost Fulham's chances of winning going forward from here.

They've coped reasonably well without him, but it's clear to see how much they miss his passing range and his ability to get on the ball and pick out his team mates.

Last season, Fulham had Oliver Norwood to fill that role as quarterback, but this season they don't have someone of a similar ilk, so having Cairney fit is huge for the side.

Any team with Cairney is a better one than a team without him, and with big games against Cardiff City and Bournemouth looming after the next international break, his return couldn't be more welcome.

Injuries to Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Joe Bryan

Aside from the result, the biggest negatives from the game was the injuries to Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Joe Bryan.

The Manchester United loanee, who has impressed for the most part since joining on loan in the summer, last just seven minutes at Goodison Park after injuring his shoulder in a collision.

He was stretchered off with oxygen being administered and was taken to hospital immediately to be further assessed by hospital staff.

Jokanovic was unable to give further details of the injury after the game, but it looks like the youngster could be out for some time.

And almost as if the football gods were playing some cruel joke after giving Tim Ream and Cairney back to Fulham from injury, they took Bryan too.

He limped off with a hamstring injury and he will now miss the next few weeks of the season, with it looking unlikely that he'll be back before the international break.

It will be two big misses for Fulham as Jokanovic looks to Cyrus Christie and other members of his squad to fill in at right and left back.

No shots on target

For a Fulham side full of attacking promise, the fact they had no shots on target against Everton is a real sore point.

Sessegnon hit the bar in the first half and Vietto should have scored in the second when he was played one on one by Schurrle, and he probably would have had his touch not been so heavy.

The side possess one of the league's top scorers in Mitrovic and scored for fun last season, but this is the first time in a long time that they've struggled to actually hit the opposition's goal.

We can write it off as a one-off, but if this was to become a more common occurrence, it would cause a massive worry, especially with their defensive concerns.

Fulham will score goals this season, but having no shots in a Premier League game against a defence that had conceded 11 goals before yesterday's game isn't good enough.

Yet another game with no clean sheet

Another thing that hasn't been good enough this season is the side's inability to keep goals out.

It's now 15 goals conceded by the side with no clean sheets in seven games – one of the worst records in the entire division.

Jokanovic has been keen to push that his side need time to gel, but for the most part today, four of his back five played in the Championship last season and know how his tactics work.

Having Ream back was huge – his calmness on the ball and his ability to win duels gave the other defenders an example to follow, but one man can't solve Fulham's defensive problems on his own.

Fulham can't go on conceding goals either.

There's no point having a strong attacking unit if your defence leaks goals every game, and it's an issue that needs to be sorted sooner rather than later.

The daunting prospect of Arsenal next Sunday is followed by a two-week long international break, which represents another good opportunity for Jokanovic to drill his defence.

Everton got their first clean sheet of the season yesterday and the relief of Marco Silva's face was clear to see after the game.

We need to see that relief on Jokanovic's face, and soon.



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/no-clean-sheet-no-shots-15218414

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Former Fulham star pinpoints what the Cottagers need to do to survive after defeat at Everton

Danny Murphy has been speaking about his old side after the defeat at Goodison Park

It was an afternoon to forget for Fulham yesterday as they lost out 3-0 against Everton at Goodison Park.

The Cottagers suffered a fourth defeat in seven games so far this season, leaving them 16th in the Premier League following their promotion from the Championship last season.

And former Fulham midfielder Danny Murphy has been speaking about what his old side need to improve upon as the season goes on.

"They have conceded 16 I think already, and that's too many; they need to tighten up a little bit," he said, speaking on BBC programme Match of the Day.

"Their home form is going to be crucial, but it's always the same when you come up."

Meanwhile, fellow pundit Martin Keown highlighted how Gylfi Sigurdsson made the difference for Everton during the clash at Goodison Park.

The Icelandic star scored twice against the Cottagers, and also missed a penalty, but the former Arsenal and Everton defender was full of praise for the calmness and quality he showed.

"He is very important now to everything that Everton do," he said.

"It has been a tricky time for Everton having lost the last two matches, and there were a few grumblings in that first half.

"But he has got a real character and he is someone that Everton can build around for the future.

"He is coming into that confidence you need and he is a firm favourite."



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/former-fulham-star-pinpoints-survive-15218269

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Cottage Talk Post Match Show: Everton vs. Fulham
Take a listen to a podcast that focuses on Fulham Football Club.



This is our post match show of the 3-0 loss for Fulham against Everton. During the show, co-hosts Max Cohen, and Yannis Tjanetis, analyzed the key moments of this match.

We also talked about the idea behind "FDS" which is "Fulham Demise Syndrome". Do you suffer from this? You will have to listen to the start of the show to hear all about.


you can listen to the podcast here...
https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2018/9/30/17920022/cottage-talk-post-match-show-everton-vs-fulham

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Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Joe Bryan suffer injuries

Fulham have struggled to find their feet in the Premier League this season, with another defeat coming against Everton yesterday.

The Cottagers are yet to replicate the form that they displayed during the second half of last season as they find themselves near the bottom of the table. And, to make matters worse, it looks as if they're going to be without two of their first team players, as according to Football.london, Joe Bryan came off nursing a hamstring injury and Timothy Fosu-Mensah was forced off with a shoulder injury.

Fulham duo Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Joe Bryan were taken off as a result of injuries in the 3-0 defeat to Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday afternoon.

Sadly, the Manchester United loanee lasted just seven minutes of the tie before he was forced off with a shoulder injury, while Bryan came off in the final ten minutes nursing a hamstring injury.

And, it's thought that the left-back will be out for a few weeks, while the right-back will be further assessed.

THE VERDICT:
Both players have impressed so far this season and will no doubt play a huge part in the London club's campaign, but they'll have to go on without them for now after yesterday's horrors.

This certainly won't help Slavisa Jokanovic's side find their feet in the Premier League as they'll have to work extra hard on ensuring defensive solidity from now on.



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league/timothy-fosu-mensah-and-joe-bryan-suffer-injuries/

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From Germany: Player told why it's best to join club like Fulham over Liverpool

Borussia Dortmud appointed Lucien Favre as their new manager in the summer and since he took charge at the Signal Iduna Park, Mario Gotze has not played even a minute in the league this season.

The attacking midfielder, who rejoined BVB from Bayern Munich in 2016, still has two years left on his contract, but based on his current situation he is unlikely to stay until the deal runs down.

German website Sport1 have looked up at the clubs that he could consider joining, while ruling out a move within the country because of his €7m-a-year salary.

A move abroad will be the best option for the 2014 World Cup winner and a possibility of joining Liverpool is mentioned, where his former manager Jurgen Klopp is in charge. It's also claimed that Gotze's lack of playing time with his current employer may make it difficult for him to join the Merseyside club.

This is when Sport1 suggest the player to find a mid table or lower league club in England like Fulham to revive his career, where his compatriot Andre Schurrle is on loan from Dortmund. If he makes a switch to Craven Cottage, it is likely to help him play regular football and also provide him an opportunity to prove his worth in a foreign league.

A move to Espanyol and Genoa has also been mentioned, but it could be difficult for them to pay anywhere close to what he is earning at Dortmund.

It would be interesting to see where Gotze would end up, if there is no further improvement in his situation as he is more likely to push for a move in January. A few years ago, suggesting Fulham as a destination for the player would have been absurd, but not so much now.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/120024-2/