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Thursday Fulham Stuff - 16/05/19...

Started by WhiteJC, May 16, 2019, 08:34:10 AM

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WhiteJC

Club joins race to sign Fulham player, former Craven Cottage coach key to deal

Sabah's Fenerbahce journalist Volkan Demir claims the Super Lig club are interested in signing Fulham goalkeeper Fabri ahead of the summer transfer window.

The Spaniard has been linked with Fener's local rivals Besiktas in recent weeks after reports they could look to send Loris Karius back to Liverpool.

According to Demir's information, Fenerbahce's current goalkeeping coach Alper Boguslu will leave the Istanbul club to join the Turkish national team. Subsequently they will look to bring in former Fulham goalkeeper Jose Sambade as his replacement.

Sambade was the reason Fulham signed Fabri last summer, but he left shortly after the Spanish keeper's arrival at Craven Cottage, part of many coaching changes at the club last season.

The 31 year old didn't feature for the Premier League club after Sambade's departure and it seems the player will move on during the next transfer window.

Fabri has made just two appearances for Fulham and is under contract with the club until June 2021.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/club-joins-race-sign-fulham-player-former-craven-cottage-coach-key-deal/

WhiteJC

Crystal Palace join race for Mitrovic

Crystal Palace have entered the race to sign Fulham goal scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic who is set to leave the Cottagers following their relegation from the top flight.

The Serbian forward was one of Fulham's star players in a truly disappointing season for his side and it comes to no surprise that the striker will seek a move away.

The 24-year-old found the back of the net 11 times and also provided three assists as he did all he could to try and keep his team in the Premier League.

Mitrovic has also made 47 appearances for his national side, scoring 23 goals since making his international debut back in 2013.

According to the Evening Standard, West Ham and Crystal Palace are both in the race to sign Mitrovic as they each seek to improve their attacking options over the summer.

With Wilfried Zaha heavily linked with a move away from the club and Michy Batshuayi going back to Chelsea at the end of this month, Palace will need to start identifying replacements early.



https://readcrystalpalace.com/2019/05/15/crystal-palace-join-race-for-mitrovic/

WhiteJC

Tottenham may be delaying swoop for Ryan Sessegnon

Reports of Tottenham's impending move for Ryan Sessegnon may have been premature. Spurs could wait until June to swoop for the Fulham starlet.

Ryan Sessegnon may not be as close to his dream move to Tottenham as many people thought just 24 hours ago. It's now being reported that Spurs could wait until after their June 1st Champions League final match against Liverpool to make a concrete bid for the talented English U21 star.

The report from the London Evening Standard doesn't question Tottenham's interest in Sessegnon, but it does throw the timing of the swoop into question. Specifically, the English paper claims that Daniel Levy and company may wait until June to really enter into negotiations with Fulham.

There are several reasons why Tottenham may want to slow down the negotiations. Firstly, there's still a significant difference between Spurs and the Whites as to Sessegnon's transfer value. Fulham want to receive £40 million for their most prized asset while Tottenham are only prepared to offer £25 million at the moment. Anyone who's studied Levy's negotiating career will understand that finding a compromise could be a lengthy process.

There's also a chance that Spurs want to see if a Champions League title might cause more established players to set their sights on a move to North London. Sessegnon can help Tottenham next season, but he's nowhere near a finished product. It's easy to envision Mauricio Pochettino wanting to see more accomplished players join his squad to help close the league gap that exists between his club and the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool.

In the end, Spurs fans shouldn't be too shocked or disappointed regarding this development. They still sit in the driver's seat for Sessegnon and must be considered the favourites to sign him if they truly make him a priority. He may not be hours away from committing his future to Tottenham, but the move still seems to be on track.



https://playingfor90.com/2019/05/15/tottenham-transfer-news-ryan-sessegnon-fulham/


WhiteJC

Fulham 2018/19 Review: End of Season Report Card for the Cottagers

Fulham bowed out of the Premier League in dismal fashion last weekend as they were pummelled 4-0 at home by Newcastle United.


Defeat at the hands of the Magpies saw Scott Parker's cohort finish 10 points adrift of Brighton in 17th position, the club's long-anticipated relegation having been confirmed in early April. Here's a look back at a troubling season for the Cottagers.

League Performance
Premier League - 19th
​Fulham were rather spendthrift in the summer transfer window, their total outlay stretching beyond the £100m mark. It did little to keep them afloat in the top flight, however, as they were sent back to the ​Championship after a single season amongst England's elite.


Unfortunately for supporters, there were too many moments throughout the campaign where the Londoners looked disinterested and resigned to their fate. They were lacklustre for much of the year, with woeful home defeats to ​Bournemouth and ​Arsenal in October appearing to knock their already fragile confidence.

Under Slavisa Jokanovic they were bland, but under Claudio Ranieri they were truly dire. The Italian left them weak and demoralised, with Fulham failing to win a single league game for almost three months over the winter period.


At least they showed spirit and determination over the final month, collecting a hat-trick of victories over ​Everton, ​Cardiff City and the Cherries respectively.

Domestic Cup Performance
Carabao Cup - Fourth Round

The Cottagers performed relatively well in the League Cup as they were eliminated by eventual winners ​Manchester City after winning their first two fixtures in the competition. Aboubakar Kamara bagged a brace during a 2-0 win over Exeter City, with a youthful lineup then securing a 3-1 win at Millwall.

That set up a showdown at the Etihad Stadium with a place in the quarter finals at stake. Regrettably for Jokanovic, the dazzling feet of Brahim Diaz sent the hosts through to the next round.

FA Cup - Third Round

The season then unravelled during Ranieri's extremely short, extremely disappointing tenure, the former ​Chelsea boss' nightmare stay at Craven Cottage summed up by their humiliating FA Cup exit to League Two Oldham Athletic in west London.

The fact that the ​Premier League side led with less than 15 minutes remaining and still managed to crash out is simply unforgivable.

Best Player

This is a mightily tough one; no one truly deserves to be given such an accolade following a campaign filled with turmoil, frustration and regret. Despite the awful time they had back at the top table, there were some shining lights.

Teenager Ryan Sessegnon held his own, Tom Cairney found form towards the back end of the season and loanee Calum Chambers showed plenty of grit and passion. However, it is impossible to look past the sterling efforts of Aleksandar Mitrovic.

The hitman fired in 11 goals in all competitions, a respectable tally for a striker in a struggling side. He proved himself to be more than just a goal threat, though, demonstrating maturity and leadership as he let Kamara take a crucial spot-kick against ​Huddersfield Town to avoid the Frenchman having a meltdown in front of a disbelieving Fulham crowd.

Worst Player

How long do we have? Summer signings failed to gel, several players downed tools and there was a worrying lack of urgency among many members of the squad. Having three different coaches tinkering with formations and personnel unsettled and irked many, though one individual stands out as the villain of the year.

The aforementioned incident against Huddersfield was an embarrassment. Kamara acted like a petulant child in his attempts to keep the ball away from designated penalty-taker Mitrovic - the 24-year-old's subsequent miss making the whole fiasco even worse.

His Serbian teammate came to the rescue that day with a stoppage-time winner, though there was no saving Kamara when he was arrested on suspicion of bodily harm and criminal damage weeks later.

Quite miraculously, the ex-Monaco forward managed to fit in another debacle between his infamous failure from the spot and incarceration, as he clashed with Mitrovic during a yoga session.

The Manager(s)

Slavisa Jokanovic, until 14 November

The Cottagers hierarchy hardly showed loyalty to the man that secured their Premier League return, axing Jokanovic within half a year of their playoff final victory over ​Aston Villa. They may justify their decision by pointing to the precarious position he left them in.

Without a win in seven matches and rooted to the foot of the table, the 50-year-old departed during one of the darkest moments of a gloomy campaign. The belief and optimism that comes with promotion and exciting purchases had long since faded away, and the Fulham faithful woke up to a sobering reality.

Claudio Ranieri, 14 November to 28 February

As one might expect, there was a slight upturn in form as Ranieri took to the dugout in his gleeful and kindly demeanour. But it didn't last long. A pulsating 3-2 triumph over ​Southampton in his first game in charge was followed by one win in 11 fixtures, as the new manager beginning to realise the size of the task before him.

A 4-2 victory against ​Brighton offered a brief glimmer of hope, before five successive losses saw club officials sack another coach, with growing discontent in the Fulham ranks sealing his fate.

Scott Parker, after 28 February

With the pressure off and relegation looming, Parker was handed the reins to show what he is capable of. Out of the trio of managers, he can probably be proudest of his achievements leading a broken side.

There was once again a purpose and drive within the Cottagers' squad, narrow defeats to Chelsea and ​Liverpool proving that there were talented individuals in the team. Parker only took nine points from the 10 league games he oversaw, though significantly he did instil courage and pride in his men.

Overall Grade

There were a handful of moments to cherish over the course of 2018/19, but they were few and far between. This was a backwards step for the club and a painful watch for supporters, though they look to be in good hands, assuming Parker is handed the job on a full-time basis.

E



https://www.90min.com/posts/6368723-fulham-2018-19-review-end-of-season-report-card-for-the-cottagers?utm_source=RSS

WhiteJC

HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens

Fulham will take an academy team to Hong Kong to compete in the HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens tournament for the first time

This will be the Young Whites' debut in the tournament which will run from May 17th- 20th and this will mark the 20th anniversary of the competition. The format of the game is a seven-a-side competition on smaller pitches, but normal sized goals. They are made up of two ten-minute halves.

We have been drawn in Group A alongside Portuguese debutants Portimonense, West Ham and a local team, HKFC Captain's Select.

Newcastle United are the holders of the tournament after beating Rangers in the final last year. Fellow English sides Brighton, Aston Villa, Leicester and Wolves will also compete in a unique location and venue that will prove a tough test in the humidity.

The squad travelling is as follows:

Taye Ashby-Hammond

Cody Drameh

Moritz Jenz

Jerome Opoku

Connor McAvoy

Timmy Abraham

Jayden Harris

Nicolas Santos-Clase

Sonny Hilton

Tyrese Francois



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2019/may/15/hong-kong-7s-preview

WhiteJC

Bundesliga club has Fulham player 'in their sights', €20m needed for transfer

After Huddersfield Town, Fulham became the second club to be relegated from the Premier League in the 2018/19 season.

The Cottagers had a torrid campaign and will return to the Championship.

It's likely they could see a few of their first team players leave the club in the summer and if reports coming out of Germany are to be believed, Bayer Leverkusen are looking at Aleksandar Mitrovic.

According to SportBild, the Bundesliga side are planning to reinforce their attacking division, which is why the former Newcastle United striker is 'in their sights'.

The German outlet suggests the Serbia international would cost at least €20m in the summer as he still has four years left on his contract at Craven Cottage.

Last summer, Fulham made Mitrovic's loan move permanent and he scored 11 goals and registered three assists this term.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/club-fulham-player-sights-e20m-needed-transfer/


WhiteJC

Johansen's Play-Off Defeat

Stefan Johansen wasn't able to maintain his play-off success as West Brom were cruelly dumped out on penalties at the hands of Aston Villa.

The midfielder was substituted due to injury on 70 minutes after picking up a booking into the second half.

Craig Dawson's header from a long throw-in gave The Baggies a win over the 90 minutes, but the 2-1 deficit from the first leg meant the tie went to extra time. Much like this first leg, Chris Brunt was dismissed, forcing the hosts to play the final ten minutes and extra time with ten men.

Tammy Abraham's spot kick proved the decisive one as Villa reached Wembley with a 4-3 penalties victory over their Midlands rivals.

Johansen will now prepare to return to Fulham ahead of the 19/20 Championship season.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2019/may/15/stefan-johansen-round-up

WhiteJC

How Spurs can turn Sessegnon into Bale 2.0

Gareth Bale changed the game.

Ever since he made the move from left-back to left winger, the world has been on the lookout for the next player capable of making the switch. A talent wasted as a full-back. A talent who if unleashed further forward could do a lot of damage.

There have been a number of false dawns and lazy comparisons aplenty. But Ryan Sessegnon could be the one.

Granted, while his debut campaign in the Premier League wasn't anything to shout about, the soon to be 19-year-old showed glimpses of his potential in a struggling Fulham side. Enough to convince a number of the top six, according to recent reports, that he could be worth the best part of £40million.

Manchester United are supposedly keen on the England Under-21 international, while Liverpool's interest in the youngster is long-standing. But the strongest links recently have been with a move to Tottenham Hotspur.

The Champions League finalists are perhaps the perfect club for Sessegnon to hone his craft.

There are no guarantees if he moves to Old Trafford. He won't be playing in the Champions League. He'd be up against the reborn Luke Shaw for a left-back role and at times United don't even operate with a left winger given they use a diamond formation. It limits his opportunities.

Liverpool are an interesting option but he's unlikely to usurp Andrew Robertson anytime soon while a starring role in attack isn't something he can expect anytime soon.

But with Spurs, the youngster has options. Mauricio Pochettino isn't married to a certain system. At times he's used a back five, he's used a diamond in midfield and he's used a normal 4-3-3 shape.

Sessegnon could play as a wing-back. He could play on the left of an attacking three or on the right. Érik Lamela is the only naturally left-footed player in attack. The Argentine is not the most reliable in terms of fitness meaning, at times, the Spurs attack isn't truly balanced, and it lacks an option, even off the bench, to correct that.

Sessegnon's flexibility is an asset for a team like Tottenham. And under a manager like Pochettino, he could truly fulfil the abundance of potential he has.


His heatmap, shown in the graphic above, suggest he's a player comfortable in the final third as much as he is in the defensive third. His 0.07 goals per 90 isn't anything to shout about but we'll get to that later.

The fact he's averaging 1.25 dribbles shows he can beat a man, an invaluable trait in the Premier League with so many teams now looking to sit behind the ball and make like difficult. Furthermore, in a team that gets him the ball with greater regularity, this stat is likely to improve. For context, Sessegnon averaged 42 touches last season compared to Heung-min Son's 56.

On the surface of it, Sessegnon's touches in the area may seem low but Son only averaged 5.07 per 90 in the Premier League and this was while playing in one of the best teams in the league. It's another stat that will likely improve if he did make the move.

What is encouraging to see is that Sessegnon managed to create the same amount of big chances as Son while averaging a higher expected assists per 90 total.


The above graphic shows Sessegnon's shot map for his season in the Premier League. He didn't take many shots, granted, but all but five came inside the area. It highlights that he's good at getting into dangerous areas and that he's frugal with his shot selection. For an 18-year-old to have this side to their game is remarkable.

While he may have struggled for goals in his debut campaign in the English top flight, he won't have trouble throughout his career if he continues to get into these areas.

Sessegnon is an adept dribbler who can also pick a pass. He's got the pace and the intelligence to cause all sorts of problems, in a similar manner to Bale.

However, unlike other players of that ilk, he also has an eye for goal. He's already a well-rounded winger with the instincts of a goalscorer. If developed properly, he could be as good as the best wide forwards in the world today.



https://www.footballwhispers.com/blog/ryan-sessegnon-new-gareth-bale?utm_medium=affiliates&utm_source=news-now

WhiteJC

Former Chelsea team-mate Wayne Bridge backs Scott Parker to be a success at Fulham: 'He lives and breathes football'

Wayne Bridge is confident Fulham have a bright future under Scott Parker.

The former Cottagers left-back played alongside Parker while the pair were both at Chelsea.

And Bridge believes his good friend's inherent leadership, which he witnessed first hand, could contribute to him being a success at Craven Cottage.

Indeed, he mentions he has barely seen Parker since he took the helm at Fulham.

"He was always a good player, he was always a leader," Bridge told Yahoo Sport UK.

Parker was renowned for his leadership qualities during a playing career which saw him captain West Ham United as well as Fulham.

Bridge insists those traits are already serving the 38-year-old well in his fledgling coaching career.

He added: "From what I've heard from people when he's been doing his badges, whenever he has been coaching, he has been spoken of very, very, very highly."

Having suffered relegation with the west Londoners in 2014, Parker remained as a player until hanging up his boots in 2017.

He returned to the club the following summer, eventually becoming interim manager in February after a disastrous start to the season under Slavisa Jokanovic and Claudio Ranieri.

Parker could not prevent relegation, which had appeared almost inevitable before he took the reins, but he did reinvigorate supporters by winning three consecutive matches.

"It was always going to be a tough job for him to do anything with Fulham," Bridge confesses.

That minor resurgence was enough to convince the Cottagers' hierarchy to give him a crack at the Championship.

And Bridge hopes more clubs offer chances to ex-players taking their first steps into the dugout.

Bridge added: "Young managers, ex-players, they do deserve chances. Give a younger manager a chance.

"You're not guaranteed anything whatever manager you sign, whether you sign a big name or someone who has done alright."

Parker's Fulham will be targeting an immediate return to the Premier League after a meagre showing.

It will be a tough ask, with only six teams managing it in the last decade.

"Hopefully, I've got my fingers crossed for him, they will be back up next year," Bridge said. "And he will do well.

"He is a good coach, he loves football, he lives and breathes football. I'm sure he'll do well."

His advice to his fellow former England international is simple; make your players fight for you.

Bridge joked: "Like me when I went to Brighton, get some Premier League players that can help you out near the end of their career.

"It's just a tough league, it's a grind. I think it's just getting the right players, you have to make sure your players are going to work hard and match other teams' work ethic. I think a lot of it can be a battle.

"If they battle enough, they have enough quality to go and romp that league really."

Could the former West Ham and Southampton man join his compatriot on the job?

"He did say to me about getting my coaching badges and maybe coming along, but I'm not sure it's for me."

Bridge, who made 87 appearances for Chelsea, retired following spells with both Reading and Brighton in the second tier.



https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/former-chelsea-wayne-bridge-backs-scott-parker-success-at-fulham-142853898.html?


WhiteJC

Mika & André Up For Award

Jean Michaël Seri and André Schürrle are in contention to win the Premier League's Goal of the Season competition.

Both goals came against Burnley – Seri with a thunderbolt at the Cottage and Schürrle's sublime volley at Turf Moor – with Fulham the only side to have more than one nominee in the list.

The pair are up against Daniel Sturridge, Aaron Ramsey, Son Heung-min, Andros Townsend, Fabian Schär, Anthony Knockaert, Eden Hazard and Vincent Kompany.

Voting is now open and you can show your support for Mika and André at the below link, with the public's votes combined with those of a panel of football experts to decide the winner.

The vote will close at 5pm on Friday, with the winner announced next Tuesday.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2019/may/15/goal-of-the-season-nominees-seri-schurrle

WhiteJC

Fulham's Jean Michael Seri's stunner against Burnley shortlisted for Premier League Goal of the Season

The 27-year-old Cote d'Ivoire international could be awarded for his audacious strike against the Clarets in August

Fulham's Jean Michael Seri's wonder-strike against Burnley has been nominated for the 2018/19 Premier League Goal of the Season.

The Cote d'Ivoire international fired home a long-range stunner past goalkeeper Matthew Lowton for his only goal of the season in their 4-2 victory over the Clarets at Craven Cottage on August 26.

The Ivorian's effort has been shortlisted along with his teammate's strike Andre Schurrle, as well as goals from Liverpool's forward Daniel Sturridge, Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min and Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey for the top award.

Seri joined Fulham at the start of last season in a big-money move after snubbing interest from Arsenal, Chelsea and Napoli.

The 27-year-old made 34 appearances across all competitions but his contribution was not enough to save his side from relegation.

Seri will hope to play a key role for Ivory Coast in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, which kicks off on June 21.

The Elephants are in Group D alongside South Africa, Morocco and Namibia.




https://www.goal.com/en/news/fulhams-jean-michael-seris-stunner-against-burnley/2fnyimqonzud1bzxfmcl7w8e5

WhiteJC

Mitrovic and Arnautovic would be a combustible duo for West Ham next season

Aleksandar Mitrovic and Marko Arnautovic are two of the most unpredictable players in the Premier League and reports suggest they could both be at West Ham next season.

Aleksandar Mitrovic and Maxi Gomez are wanted by West Ham to make up a new-look attack ahead of next season, according to the Evening Standard.

They report that with uncertainty over the futures of Javier Hernandez and Lucas Perez, with Andy Carroll already all but gone, Manuel Pellegrini wants to go big for new hitmen.

Maxi Gomez has apparently been on the Hammers' radar for quite some time now, but the situation of Marko Arnautovic has impacted West Ham's willingness to force through a move.

And Mitrovic is reportedly in the frame too – and would there be a more unpredictable pairing in the top flight than the Serbian and Arnautovic?

Whether that's what West Ham need is another debate – but it would be a high risk, high reward approach for Pellegrini, who would back his own calmness to tame the pair.

Arnautovic has shown both sides of his character this season and a side like West Ham needs consistency and perhaps an added dose of level-headedness.

On the other side of the coin, Hammers fans love a player who puts his all in and Mitrovic has captured the hearts of Fulham fans by doing exactly that.

Perhaps Mitrovic could take on Arnautovic's talismanic mantle if China beckons again, but Pellegrini's credentials will be tested either way.



https://tbrfootball.com/mitrovic-and-arnautovic-would-be-a-combustible-duo-for-west-ham-next-season/


WhiteJC

Report: West Ham face Bundesliga battle for £17.5m striker Aleksandar Mitrovic

West Ham striker target Aleksandar Mitrovic is wanted by a German club. According to Sport Bild via Sport Witness, Bayer Leverkusen have entered the race for Mitrovic.

Fulham striker Mitrovic looks set to leave Craven Cottage this summer. Despite scoring 11 goals, Mitrovic could not prevent Fulham's relegation to the Championship.

The Serbia international has offers from a host of clubs this summer. West Ham are one team interested in Mitrovic, according to The Telegraph.

The hunt for Aleksandar Mitrovic
Alongside West Ham, Premier League club Southampton want to keep Mitrovic in the top-flight. According to The Express, the Saints are planning a £30m bid for the physical centre-forward.

Another report by The Express claimed that Mitrovic was set for a £50m move to the Chinese Super League. He would earn £300k-per-week out there.

But this report by Sport Bild pushes his transfer value right down. It claims that Bayer Leverkusen want Mitrovic and it would cost them €20m (around £17.5m).

At this price, West Ham might consider a swoop. The 24-year-old is now at the right age to start pushing on. And with 40 goals in four years in England, the ex-Newcastle and Anderlecht striker is showing signs of progression.

As West Ham search for a new striker again this summer, can they win the race for Mitrovic?



https://www.hammers.news/transfer-news/report-west-ham-face-bundesliga-battle-for-17-5m-striker-aleksandar-mitrovic/

WhiteJC

Transfer news: Manchester United in a four-way battle for £30m English prodigy

Man United competing with Tottenham to sign Fulham teenager Ryan Sessegnon

Manchester United have joined the race to sign Tottenham's primary target Ryan Sessegnon, as per Telegraph UK. The £30million-rated winger is also watched by PSG and RB Leipzig.

Sessegnon – an up and coming English starlet

Though the Cottagers have been relegated from the Premier League this season, Sessegnon's performances didn't go unnoticed as the teenager worked his heart out in every single game.

The 18-year-old played around 40 matches this season with 2 goals and 6 assists across all competitions.

In fact, Sessegnon's 24-goal haul last season helped Fulham achieve a place in the Premier League. His contract is due to expire at the end of next season.

Why should United make a move for Sessegnon?

The Red Devils just ended their disastrous season with no much positives to be considered. Anthony Martial struggled all along since becoming injury-prone.

Given that, Sessegnon would be a great addition for Solskjaer to fortify his attack in the upcoming season.

The Cottagers teenager can also play as a left-back but it will be difficult for him to beat the likes of Luke Shaw for a place in the team. Besides that, Sessegnon can also play as wide midfielder on the left flank, which would be an added advantage.

United are due to play in the Europa League qualifier next season after finishing sixth in the table.




https://weallfollowunited.com/2019/05/16/transfer-news-manchester-united-in-a-four-way-battle-for-30m-english-prodigy/