Tuesday Fulham Stuff (28/05/19)...

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Cenk Tosun explains what Fulham star told him about £5m Craven Cottage transfer

The Spanish goalkeeper has struggled for regular football at Craven Cottage.



Fulham's scattergun approach to the transfer window last summer did not help them in their quest for Premier League survival. Despite spending big money on players across the pitch, the Cottagers ended up being relegated back to the Championship.

One area where they improved was between the posts. Fulham brought in two Spanish goalkeepers over the summer, Sergio Rico and Fabri.

Fabri arrived from Besiktas in a deal worth around £5 million, according to BBC Sport. It seemed as though he was set to be the first-choice stopper at Craven Cottage. The 31-year-old started the first two games of the season. However, he soon lost his place to Marcus Bettinelli and ended up the third-choice with Rico also ahead of him in the pecking order.

It seems that has left him fairly perplexed at life in London. That is, according to his former team-mate and Everton striker Cenk Tosun.

He told TRT Spor this week of how Fabri explained his misery at Fulham to him when the two clubs met earlier this season.

    "I spoke to Fabri, 'it was the biggest mistake that I came here. I wish I had stayed in Besiktas' he said...He played 2-3 matches, and then didn't even make the squad. He's unhappy. Is able to return to Turkey, 'would love to return,' he says.

    "Now they (Fulham) are in the second league, hopefully he will play there."

Fulham will no doubt need to trim their squad and wage bill before the start of next season and Fabri is likely to be on the chopping block.

From the sounds of it, he would happily wield the axe himself.



https://tbrfootball.com/cenk-tosun-explains-what-fulham-star-told-him-about-5m-craven-cottage-transfer/

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Player Reviews: The Keepers

Now this depressing season has finally finished, the Fulhamish lads have taken a look back at how each player has performed across the season. In a year to forget, can any of the players hold their head high and be proud of their performances? Armed with your average player rating scores, we take a look!

Sergio Rico
Player Grade: C+

Average Player Rating: 6.03

Writer: Nik Macnee

It's been a season of ups and downs for Rico. He impressed after his initial start as Fulham's no.1, and never relinquished the position, but that doesn't really tell the whole tale. Like many of the squad, he regressed horribly towards the end of Claudio Ranieri's reign, but improved once Scott Parker picked up the reigns. In particular, there were very impressive shot-stopping performances in Fulham's three game win streak against Everton, Bournemouth and Cardiff.

It's easy to see what made Rico such an exciting talent a few years ago at Sevilla. His shot stopping talent is as good as any goalkeeper's on his day, as is his kicking, but it's simply a flip of a coin whether he'll have a good day or not. This is probably why he hasn't progressed to a higher tier of goalkeeping standards. His tendency to punch in non-pressurised situations from crosses (admittedly, this is something more to do with different GK teachings in other countries) drove many a Fulham fan nuts, although the sarcastic cheering when he did claim a ball was too over the top.

In a sense then, it's hard to really judge Rico as a player. Is he the non-confident, shaky one that Ranieri had towards the end of his tenure? Or is he the keeper that pulled off miraculous save after save in the three game win streak? The answer, like many things, is probably in the middle, but with his loan return to Sevilla confirmed we may never find out.

Marcus Bettinelli

Player Grade: D+

Average Player Rating: 5.7

Writer: Nik Macnee

I thought it was harsh to replace Betts instantly with Fabri, and later Rico, after promotion to the Premier League. Whilst Fulham certainly had glaring holes that needed to be replaced in their promotion squad (the likes of Stefan Johansen and Abou Kamara come to mind) I'd thought Bettinelli had done enough to at least warrant a starting day role as Fulham's no.1. But alas, here we are.

After Fabri was binned, Betts' return coincided with a Fulham win – something which didn't happen again until he was dropped. In the seven games Fulham did play him, his shot stopping (his supposed strength), let him down badly. Fulham conceded 19 non-penalty goals in the 7 games Bettinelli featured, giving up 13.75 non-penalty xG. Betts therefore conceded over 5 goals more than expected – a pretty poor rate. Whilst the rest of his numbers were strong, for someone who has prided himself on his shot-stopping ability, this was not a good outing for him. Compared to Rico (52.06 non-pen xG conceded, 50 non-pen goals conceded), you have to wonder whether Bettinelli just really struggled in the Premier League because of that porous defence in front of him or it was a genuine regression.

Regardless, after Rico replaced him, Betts wasn't seen again this season and ultimately opted to have a knee surgery in January. The concerns I have with this are:

    This is his second major knee surgery, after the first one came in a collision with Matt Smith at Hull away in the early half of the 2015/16 season. After this, It took a long time for Bettinelli to recover back to his best.
    Betts plays a position where athleticism is of the upmost importance. When keepers make saves, catches & punch crosses, they rely heavily on their leaping ability. Strangely enough, you need your knees for this. Having to repair them twice in a big way is the opposite of good.

Simply put, while we might see Bettinelli back for August, how long will it take for him to fully recover from such a lengthy surgery and hit the high standards that he reached towards the end of Fulham's promotion campaign? All signs point to January 2020, and with Fulham gearing up for an immediate promotion, will they have the patience for Betts to grow back into the role?

Fabri

Player Grade: N/A

Average Player Rating: 5.5

Writer: Nik Macnee

Here's what I'm actually going to say about Fabri: He made a lot of saves in the two games he was Fulham keeper, was very short for a goalkeeper, and is going to leave in the transfer window this summer.

That's it.

Here's what I'm going to actually say about the process behind the signing and management of Fabri: Jokanovic, why are you OK with:

    Letting your GK coach (Jose Sambade) recommending a signing
    Getting this signing through the door
    Deciding you don't like the signing
    Dump both the signing and the coach

It's absolutely horrific management at any level to know nothing about an incoming player filling one of the most crucial roles in your team. In the end, the move screwed over Jokanovic, Betts, Fabri, and Sambade.

Like many things from this season, this signing in particular should be held up as a giant "Do not do this!" plaque when it comes to transfer management.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2019-05-27-player-reviews-the-keepers/

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Calum Chambers named Fulham's Player of the Year

A bad season for Fulham, but a good season for Cal.

Fulham supporters voted Calum Chambers their player of the season this week. The Arsenal loanee garnered almost 50 percent of the vote, three times more votes than the second place finisher. Somewhat surprisingly, he made his mark at Craven Cottage as a central midfielder, sitting in front of the defense at the base of the midfield, and not as a center back.

Chambers led the Cottagers in interceptions, was second in tackles, third in dribbles, aerial duels, and passes (all on a per-match basis). Of course, leading Fulham, the side that surrendered the most goals in the Premier League and was relegated, in defensive categories is like being the winner of Food Network's Worst Cooks in America. But hey, it's something.

It's unclear what role, if any, Chambers will play at Arsenal next season. The Gunners are in the market for a centerback, but Fulham moved him to the midfield because he struggled in a back four. As a defensive midfielder, he'd be no better than fourth on the depth chart, behind Granit Xhaka, Lucas Torreira, and Matteo Guendouzi.

With the roster in flux this summer window, Chambers could be on the way out. It's an open question whether he is good enough for Arsenal, and his homegrown-player status makes him an attractive option for the middling Premier League clubs. That status could also be the reason he stays in North London — the Gunners have quotas to make as well.

I don't think it's time to cut bait with Chambers. He's only 24 years old, and while some will tell you footballers are who they are going to be at that age, my anecdotal opinion is that defensive players take a bit longer to develop. It wasn't until this season that he was an every-week player, and he made the most of the opportunity. He deserves a shot to make it at Arsenal. Additionally, the Gunners are a side that desperately needs to get younger — selling a 24-year old, obviously, doesn't help that aim.

If he does end up staying, he'd fit right back in. He got a season's worth of experience playing in a defensive role on a team that needed to be much better defensively than it was. He'd also allow Unai Emery to play four defensive midfielders at once, something that might cause the manager to dissolve, Wicked Witch of the West style, into a puddle of joy in the technical area.

In all seriousness, congratulations to Cal. He got far more playing time at Fulham than he would have at Arsenal this season and seems to have made the most of it. Hopefully the experience helped him develop as a player so that he can either be a contributor at the Emirates next season or be a more attractive asset when other clubs come calling.



https://theshortfuse.sbnation.com/2019/5/27/18640638/arsenal-loanee-calum-chambers-fulham-fc-player-of-the-year-premier-league

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Exclusive: Tottenham want to wrap up first summer signing before CL final after development

EXCLUSIVE By Harry Talbot

Tottenham want to wrap up the signing of Fulham sensation Ryan Sessegnon before the Champions League final this weekend, Football Insider understands.

Football Insider revealed a fortnight ago that Spurs had opened preliminary talks over a deal for Sessegnon and they have now tabled an offer of more than £20million for the 18-year-old wide attacker.

The Champions League finalists are in dialogue with Fulham over the structure of a deal that would make the teenager their first summer signing.

A Spurs source has told Football Insider that the club are keen to put the finishing touches to the transfer this week, although they are likely to wait until after Saturday's showdown against Liverpool before making an announcement.

RB Leipzig, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United are also keen to sign Sessegnon, but the Londoners are hopeful the groundwork they have laid will be enough to swing the deal their way.

Fulham accept they will lose Sessegnon this window with a year remaining on his contract after talks over an extension collapsed.

Sessegnon has had a mixed debut campaign in the Premier League after winning the Championship player of the year gong in 2017-18 for his central role in the club's promotion season.

The wide man, who is principally a left winger but can also play on the right side of the attack as well as at left-back, scored two goals and assisted six others from 38 appearances in all competitions this season.



https://www.footballinsider247.com/exclusive-tottenham-want-to-wrap-up-first-summer-signing-before-cl-final-after-development/

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Spurs want to complete Sessegnon deal before CL final

Tottenham want to complete a deal for Fulham teenager Ryan Sessegnon before the Champions League final on Saturday, according to Football Insider.

Talks have been ongoing for over two weeks now and Tottenham are now locked in dialogue over the structure of the deal that would represent their first summer signing.

The report claims that RB Leipzig, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United are all interested too but that Spurs are hopeful that they have done the work needed to get the deal over the line.

FI state that while Tottenham want to get the deal done this week, they are unlikely to announce Sessegnon before the Champions League final on Saturday evening.

OPINION

Daniel Levy is renowned for leaving his business until the end of the transfer window, but there are definite positives for swooping early. In this instance, Sessegnon is a player who has been linked with Tottenham for a while and with other teams interested, it makes sense to try and get a deal done as soon as possible. After making no transfers for two windows, it would be an absolutely incredible start to the summer if Tottenham announced a £20m+ deal for Sessegnon after winning the Champions League. That would be a script that even the most hardened Tottenham fan would have thought improbable, but it's a few days away from being a reality. If Spurs do the Sessegnon deal, we don't expect the teenager to be the only new name in at north London, but he will be one of the most exciting. He didn't have a standout season for Fulham but his potential under Mauricio Pochettino will have every Tottenham fan licking his lips. Sessegnon has been around the first-team for a while and it's incredible to think that he's still only 18-years-old. His future and the future of Tottenham are very bright indeed.



https://thisisfutbol.com/2019/05/blogs/spurs-want-to-complete-sessegnon-deal-before-saturday/

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Aston Villa promoted: Every Championship team Charlton, Fulham & QPR will face next season

Aston Villa's victory over Derby County saw the Rams confirm their place in next season's Championship.

Aston Villa secured promotion to the Premier League with a 2-1 victory over Derby County.

Goals from Anwar El Ghazi and John McGinn secured the win at Wembley which saw the Villains secure their spot in the top flight, while simultaneously condemning Frank Lampard's side to another season in the Championship.

That means that the full set of 24 teams has now been confirmed.

Fulham's relegation from the Premier League means that they will join the likes of Queens Park Rangers, Brentford and Millwall in the Championship.

They join Cardiff City and Huddersfield Town who were also relegated.

Charlton Athletic take the tally of London clubs up to five this term after their last gasp League One play-off final victory over Sunderland.

They will join Luton Town and Barnsley in the Championship after leading the ranks in League One.

Here's the full list of teams set to compete in the Championship next term.
Barnsley
Birmingham City
Blackburn Rovers
Brentford
Bristol City
Cardiff City
Charlton Athletic
Derby County
Fulham
Huddersfield Town
Hull City
Leeds United
Luton Town
Middlesbrough
Millwall
Nottingham Forest
Preston North End
Queens Park Rangers
Reading
Sheffield Wednesday
Stoke City
Swansea City
West Brom
Wigan Athletic



https://www.football.london/championship/who-charlton-fulham--qpr-16337990