News:

Use a VPN to stream games Safely and Securely 🔒
A Virtual Private Network can also allow you to
watch games Not being broadcast in the UK For
more Information and how to Sign Up go to
https://go.nordvpn.net/SH4FE

Main Menu


Thursday Fulham Stuff (11/10/18)...

Started by WhiteJC, October 11, 2018, 07:28:18 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

WhiteJC

 
Why former Swansea City skipper Alfie Mawson's start at Fulham really hasn't gone well

The centre-back left the Liberty in the summer but his move hasn't gone to plan so far

Once the final Premier League ball was kicked at the Liberty last season, you knew it would be the last time you saw Alfie Mawson in a Swansea City shirt.

Relegation would see Swansea's prized asset exiting stage right.

It was just a question of to who.

A protracted saga involving West Ham, Burnley, Leicester and the Cottagers played out in the media but the lure of London was always going to play a role in his move.

The defender revealed the motivation behind the £15million switch to the Cottagers.

Mawson was called up by England boss Gareth Southgate for friendlies against Italy and the Netherlands last March but he remained unused by the ex-Middlesbrough manager and missed out on World Cup selection.

The defender told the Daily Mail: "The last time I spoke to him I was at Swansea in the thick of things in the relegation battle and he said realistically if you want to get back into it obviously the Premier League is a must.

"My first and foremost thing is to get into this side and I'm sure if I do well and I play well then Gareth will make a decision. I respect whatever decision he makes but I've had a taste for it and I would like to get the full thing."

Mawson missed out on Southgate's latest squad and at present looks a long way outside the reckoning.

So what's gone wrong for him at Craven Cottage?

How has he done since he arrived?

It's been an iffy start for Alfie Mawson at Fulham. As Swansea fans will know, he came to West London with that knee injury he suffered at the end of last season and it took him a while to get over, not making his debut until the Exeter City game in the Carabao Cup.

I feel like he was rushed back into contention somewhat - he had only really started training again when he was picked for the cup game and he looked sluggish in the games after.

He missed the trip to Everton with a back injury, so his start to life here has been marred by injuries if you want, something that is less than ideal when trying to get on board with Slavisa Jokanovic's tactics in a new-look back line.

What happened against Watford that meant he was hooked at half-time?

In a nutshell, it looked like he'd never met Calum Chambers before, let alone played football with the Arsenal loanee.

Jokanovic used the pair on the opposite side of the centre-back pairing, so Mawson played right centre-back being left footed and Chambers played left centre-back.

It was a shambles, there was no communication between the two and their awful start just bred more nerves through the back four that wasn't sorted, to a degree, until Denis Odoi came on at half-time.

The whole 45 was a surprise considering how highly-rated Mawson, and Chambers, were before coming to Fulham.

Why isn't he starting?

I think it's mostly down to fitness and how well Odoi has done at centre-back. Like I mentioned previously, I think Mawson was rushed back a bit to try and cure the defensive issues, but at a cost to how good he could perform. Now Tim Ream is back from injury, he's slotted straight back into the centre-back role like he was always going to do after his performances last season, while Odoi has surprised everyone and started really well.

I do expect Mawson to win a place eventually, but only when Jokanovic feels he's fully fit and on board with the tactics.

Why have Fulham been so shakey at the back?

They had to completely rebuild the defence over the summer, with Matt Targett returning to Southampton after his loan spell and Ryan Fredericks moving onto West Ham. Ream got injured at the start of the season while Odoi was suspended for the opening two games, meaning Jokanovic had to play a new back four with players who had only been at the club a matter of days.

He's still trying to figure out who fits in where and what formation he should play, all things that are usually done in pre-season, but because there were 12 new faces with five of those arriving on deadline day, Jokanovic has had to do it on the fly and as a result, it's taking Fulham longer to get some solidity at the back.

Is Mawson suited to the style?

I think so - we haven't seen much of Mawson yet as a result of those injuries and being kept out of the squad, but Jokanovic has seemed happy enough with his centre back when I've spoken to him.

Like with any new style and system, it will take a player a while to get used to it, but having seen him for Brentford's development team, Wycombe Wanderers and Barnsley, I think Mawson will do just fine once he gets up to speed with how Jokanovic wants his players playing.

------------------------------------

Are Swansea missing Mawson? With one of the best defensive records in the league you'd have to question that, but there is no denying that if he was still here he would be the mainstay of the side.

The partnership between Joe Rodon and Mike van der Hoorn has flourished, and with Cameron Carter-Vickers as back-up, Graham Potter has options at the back. Whether they are enough is open to debate.

Mawson's move was inevitable once relegation was confirmed and he wasn't the only departure.

Federico Fernandez's Newcastle are struggling, like Fulham are, but the Argentine seems to have hit the ground running on Tyneside.

Mawson is a quality player but he seems a little off the Premier League pace at present.



https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/former-swansea-city-skipper-alfie-15260157

WhiteJC

 
Shad Khan's Wembley letter to FA Council obtained by Sky Sports News

Read Shahid Khan's Wembley letter to the FA Council obtained by Sky Sports News.

Dear FA Council Member:

I thank you for the opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Shahid Khan and this month you will take under consideration my proposal to the Football Association to purchase Wembley Stadium. I am humbled to have earned the faith of the FA to advance the discussion to the FA Council next week in London, and I thank you for taking a moment to hear from me ahead of the hearing.

I first want to say that while I know your service to football is certainly appreciated by the FA and your FA Council constituents, it is also true that I deeply respect your personal commitment to the mission of the FA and to every level and facet of the game. Thank you for all you do.

I also want to assure you that I thoroughly understand the significance of what this means to everyone who celebrates football in England, from its history and traditions to the game today and its long-term future. And that's why, as I explored the possibility of private ownership of Wembley Stadium under my stewardship, I was inspired and even driven to present a worthy financial offer to the FA that would provide vital, remarkable and tangible benefits to the game and everyone who plays or simply loves it, for generations to come. I have tried my best to accomplish that and am confident that if my proposal is accepted, the positive impact the FA can make in all areas of the English game will be immediate and lasting.

This must not be merely about funding for football, however. I owe it to you to be a responsible owner and operator of Wembley Stadium, which under my guardianship will at all times be three things - the national stadium of England, the traditional home of English football, and one of the world's finest venues for sport and entertainment. It will always be Wembley Stadium, and it will have no peer.

I will also owe it to you to be an outstanding neighbour and citizen. It's all I know and, I promise, it is who I will be in my care for Wembley Stadium. I take my citizenship responsibilities seriously wherever I call home or conduct business, from dozens of cities around the globe where I operate automotive plants, to my experience in Jacksonville with the Jaguars, and most recently here in London with Fulham Football Club, which offers some similarities to today's storyline with Wembley Stadium.

When I was privileged to become chairman of Fulham in 2013, I immediately encountered rumours as to what this meant for the future of our home ground of Craven Cottage and, for that matter, the Club itself. My word at the time was I would invest in the Club and the renovation of Craven Cottage so it would always be the lifetime and spiritual home of Fulham, but only in a manner that would be respectful of the neighbourhood while also delivering economic and quality of life benefits that would serve all Londoners every day of the year. Committing to doing the right thing, and then doing it right, was the only path I would consider.

I am happy to say that after years of careful planning and communication with every stakeholder imaginable, the necessary approvals have been granted and work on the new Riverside Stand at Craven Cottage will begin in May, as pledged, ensuring stability and sustainability for our Club and a future on the banks of the Thames longed for and deserved by our supporters. While it may appear that Craven Cottage and Wembley Stadium have little in common, in fact both have histories that should always be honoured as well as challenges capable of threatening their respective futures.

Gratefully, a new era for Craven Cottage is on the horizon but with Wembley Stadium, we must acknowledge that certain elements of the venue are already a stage or two behind newer stadiums that have opened recently in Europe alone. Wembley Stadium must be the global standard in every sense - technology, hospitality, the visitor experience, the athlete expectation and much more. As I've done with my investment in the NFL stadium in Jacksonville and we are about to see with Fulham and Craven Cottage, I will protect what we all agree is wonderful about Wembley Stadium and be steadfast, and respectful, in making sure the Wembley Stadium of the future will never have an equal. I owe that to the home of English football, to the FA, to London and to all of England.

I also owe it to you to be your partner. Through the national asset that is Wembley Stadium, together we have the opportunity if not the obligation to collaborate on initiatives that can deliver resources and benefits to the game that transcend the proposal in front of you this month. I'll count on you to help all of us determine what those ideas or community programs may look like, and then we can work together toward making them a reality.

As an example, I'd like all of us to explore a committee of FA Council members who would play a meaningful advisory role on all FA-related stadium matters to guarantee that your voice and counsel will always be heard and respected. I'd ask for your input as to how such a committee would be selected and governed, or we can certainly entertain other ways to ensure that FA Council members remain active and involved. In summary, it goes without saying that you and all FA Council members will always be welcomed as our guest for FA events at Wembley. But more than being a guest, I hope you'll arrive as our partner.

No one knows better than you that this is a matter of exceptional public interest, so to what degree I can be of assistance in the days ahead, please know I am always here for you. A bright tomorrow for the game of football in England will require teamwork and partnership, to which I am fully committed.

Above all, I am sincerely grateful for the consideration you have afforded me today and throughout this process. Thank you very much and my best regards to you and your fellow members of the FA Council in the important days ahead, and always.

Sincerely,

Shahid R. Khan



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/12016/11523227/shad-khans-wembley-letter-to-fa-council-obtained-by-sky-sports-news