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Saturday Fulham Stuff - 24/08/19...

Started by WhiteJC, August 23, 2019, 03:11:37 PM

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WhiteJC

Fulham loan man already keen on permanent move to Craven Cottage – if they win promotion

Speaking to the Evening Standard, Fulham midfielder Harry Arter has said that he has said he wants to spend the next few years at Craven Cottage, but admits he is desperate to return to the Premier League.

Since Bournemouth's promotion to the Premier League, Harry Arter has maintained a place in Eddie Howe's first-team plans, with the midfielder proving that he is of Premier League pedigree after rising up the Football League ladder.

After falling down the pecking order somewhat last summer, Arter made a loan move to Cardiff City and upon his return to the club this summer, he was sent out on loan again. He has linked up with Scott Parker in the Championship with Fulham, making the step down from the Premier League.

And, speaking to the Evening Standard, Arter has now said that he is keen to make a permanent move to Fulham at the end of his loan spell, but a big factor that could stand in the Cottagers' way of completing a deal is whether or not they can bounce back to the Premier League.

"I don't know what people think the deal is, but for me, the only way that I can definitely stay next year is if we get promoted.

"So I am desperate to go up, for me personally of course because I want to spend the next few years here. So promotion and staying is definitely in my mind of course.

"I've settled in really well. I've been coming to watch Fulham for the last five or six years so I kind of felt like a part of the club before I even joined. So that side of things has been easy."




https://the72.co.uk/143136/fulham-loan-man-already-keen-on-permanent-move-to-craven-cottage-if-they-win-promotion/

WhiteJC

Promotion-winning manager discusses Fulham's summer transfer business

Ian Holloway has praised the summer business that Fulham have done, with new recruits Ivan Cavaleiro and Anthony Knockaert starring in the recent win over Millwall.

Scott Parker's side completely dominated the Lions, having an incredible 85% of possession and they ran out 4-0 winners.

Two from Cavaleiro, one from Knockaert and an Aleksandar Mitrovic penalty sealed the impressive victory and it means the Cottagers have now won three of their first four games.

The new additions have made a big difference and Holloway told EFL on Quest that the Londoners have been brilliant in the market, although he picked out one new signing as the key man, and it's one that hasn't attracted the attention that some of his teammates have – midfielder Harry Arter.

"This summer, their signings have been outstanding. Ivan Cavaleiro, great goal, just fantastic. You've got Anthony Knockaert, unbelievable. You've got a clone of Sessegnon, his brother.

"He's (Arter) the bricks and water for me, he makes everything work. He keeps everything together and his fighting spirit is just like an image of Scott Parker himself, I'm delighted for him."


The Verdict

On paper, this Fulham side look formidable and most would agree that they have the best squad in the league, particularly with their options in the final third.

Of course, that counts for little and it's about delivering on the pitch but the early signs are positive and the dominant display in the week will really have pleased Parker.

Holloway is right in that Arter has been key too, with his work-rate and unselfish play crucial in helping those around him flourish. Now, it's about continuing on this bright start against Nottingham Forest this weekend.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/promotion-winning-manager-discusses-fulhams-summer-transfer-business/

WhiteJC

Why Nottingham Forest should have no fear against 'one of best teams in the league' in Fulham

Albert Adomah says the Reds should travel to Craven Cottage with 'confidence'


Albert Adomah celebrates scoring the equaliser for Nottingham Forest at Charlton Athletic (Image: Dan Westwell)

Nottingham Forest have nothing to fear when they take on high-flying Fulham at Craven Cottage, according to Albert Adomah.

The Reds face their second away game of the week in the capital tomorrow, when they come up against the recently-relegated side.

And while Sabri Lamouchi's men had to battle for a point at Charlton Athletic on Wednesday night - courtesy of Adomah's second half equaliser - Fulham cruised to a 4-0 win over Millwall.

It was the Cottagers' third Championship victory on the spin, following their opening day defeat at Barnsley, with plenty of pundits tipping them for an immediate return to the Premier League.

But Adomah says Forest can make the trip with confidence, as they look to lay down a marker in what they hope will be a promotion push of their own this season.

"Everyone knows Fulham," said the winger, who made the move to the City Ground this summer.

"I know they've just got relegated but they are a great Championship team.

"I've played against them several times in the past.

"We have to respect them but at the same time, if we play our best game, I think we can take the game to them.

"They always try to play from the back; passing football, movement.

"We're up for the challenge. It will be a different challenge than Charlton, but I think we can be positive there and get a result.

"I think they will be one of the best teams in the league, but at the same time, we believe in ourselves.

"We have to be confident and take the game to them.

"We have to respect them, but we don't have to be arrogant and we have to try to play our game."

And whether he starts the match or comes on as a substitute, Adomah is eager to make his own impact.

The 31-year-old says it is a sign of the strength the Reds have in their squad, that they have a number of players who can make a difference from off the bench.

Sammy Ameobi and Samba Sow, in particular, helped to change the game in their favour when they came on against Leeds United, while Adomah scored the equaliser just 13 minutes after entering the fray at The Valley.

The introduction of John Bostock just past the hour mark also helped the visitors to get a handle on the match against the Addicks, after they had come under pressure for much of the first half.

"It's always positive to make an impact from the bench, just like last week when I came on - just like Sammy at Leeds, and Samba when he came on," said Adomah.

"It's always good when a sub comes on, makes an impact and helps the team.

"It's healthy competition in the squad and it keeps everyone on their toes.

"Myself, I've got (Joe) Lolley, I've got Cashy (Matty Cash), I've got Sammy - all younger than me!

"I have to produce something to play, but it's all good competition."

Lamouchi's men claimed their first league victory of the campaign last Saturday, when they thumped Birmingham City 3-0.

They showed the kind of attacking threat they are capable of producing that day, but have also demonstrated a different side to their game in the clashes against Leeds and Charlton, when their fighting spirit helped them come from behind to claim a result.

They have five points to show from their four matches so far, and Adomah says there are positives to take.

"It wasn't a bad point away from home," the ex-Aston Villa man said of the midweek 1-1 draw.

"Obviously we were disappointed not to get three points, but we got a point and didn't lose the game, so that's a positive.

"You have to give a lot of credit to Charlton.

"It was a game of two halves.

"First half they put a lot of pressure on us, but the second half was more our game. We had confidence in the second half to take the game to them."



https://www.nottinghampost.com/sport/football/football-news/nottingham-forest-should-no-fear-3242667


WhiteJC

Fulham's creative talent shows their destructive powers as Millwall suffer a rare heavy reverse

FULHAM 4
Cavaleiro 15, 63 Knockaert 32 Mitrovic 56 pen
MILLWALL 0
BY RICHARD CAWLEY AT CRAVEN COTTAGE

There were three or four workmen in Craven Cottage's closed Riverside Stand who took in the game for free on Wednesday night – it will be ripped down soon as part of an extensive rebuild. But Fulham's players decided to do a demolition job of their own on Millwall.

The white-and-black wrecking balls kept hammering away at the South Londoners with  passing so slick it could have induced motion sickness. The match was over as a contest before the hour mark.
During Neil Harris' time in charge of Millwall, games where they have been emphatically beaten have been a very rare occurrence.

But this can be added to that short list. Harris admitted post-match that the 6-0 defeat to Tottenham in the 2017 FA Cup quarter-final was the last time that a team have taken them apart so clinically.

Fulham's 84.5 per cent possession and 934 completed passes was the highest recorded in the Championship since Opta began collecting stats for that level in the 2013-13 season. Anthony Knockaert's goal was a 26-pass move in which all 11 home players touched the ball.

Millwall had only conceded once in 270 minutes before they headed to west London. There should be no huge over-reaction after just one match – and against opposition who have been brought together at huge expense.

The likes of Knockaert and Ivan Cavaleiro, who helped himself to a double, were worth every penny of their massive salaries. This was a night when everything clicked for the hosts.

Millwall couldn't live with them. They couldn't even get close. Fulham had pace, penetration, vision and the technique to do as they wished.

Could the Lions have done any more? Well, they didn't make the most of the set-pieces they won.

Harris tried to change things up at half-time as he brought on Matt Smith. Within seconds he had a chance inside the box but could not produce enough power – Marcus Bettinelli dropping on the only on-target shot mustered by the Lions.

The first five minutes after the restart was the best period for Millwall. Tom Bradshaw and Mahlon Romeo both had strikes blocked.

If the Lions had reduced the deficit, it would have been game on.

But instead, Fulham got a lucky break. Harry Arter's shot was heading wide but ended up in the path of Aleksandar Mitrovic – Bart Bialkowski's panicked attempts to snuff out the threat bringing down the Serbian, who then slammed home the penalty.

Knockaert and Cavaleiro are in that footballing limbo – excellent in the Championship but not seen as Premier League class. The same can be said for ex-Crystal Palace striker Dwight Gayle.

Cavaliero's first was a replica of his goal at Huddersfield. Everyone in the ground knew he wanted to cut inside on his right foot and let rip – but Mahlon Romeo and Connor Mahoney were helpless to prevent it from happening. Bialkowski stood no chance.

The on-loan Wolves man rounded off the scoring – and Bialkowski – just past the hour mark. Tom Cairney looped the ball over the top of a punch drunk Millwall backline and Cavaliero sidestepped the Lions number one before finishing.

Ben Thompson, forced into the role of an overworked trapper, was replaced in the 75th minute. Jayson Molumby came on and the Brighton loanee played two of Millwall's passes of the night.

Tom Bradshaw felt he had a consolation when he smartly headed in Murray Wallace's cross but the assistant referee's flag was up. Millwall had no joy, not even a little bit.

Added to that, Jiri Skalak suffered suspected ankle ligament damage. It means that the Czech Republic winger, who had come back after the summer intent on revitalising his fortunes, will join Jed Wallace in sitting out tomorrow's long trip to Middlesbrough.

It can't be emphasised enough that the Lions' season will not be determined by games against Fulham, certainly not away.

What seemed to get a little lost in the social media meltdowns immediately afterwards is that Millwall are ninth in the table. It has still been a good start.

Confidence and belief should not be eroded by one heavy loss, no matter how emphatic it might have been.



https://www.londonnewsonline.co.uk/fulhams-creative-talent-shows-their-destructive-powers-as-millwall-suffer-a-rare-heavy-reverse/

WhiteJC

Sunflower Lanyards

The Club, in conjunction with the Fulham Disabled Supporters Association (DSA), is pleased to announce the introduction of a new scheme aimed at improving the matchday experience of supporters with hidden disabilities.

The scheme which was first trialled at Gatwick Airport in 2016 has now been introduced at several other international airports in the UK, including London Heathrow and Manchester. Tesco and Sainsbury's supermarkets are also trialling the scheme.


The lanyards are bright green in colour and club branded. The lanyard is completely optional and is designed as a way for the stewarding and matchday staff at Craven Cottage to discretely identify supporters with hidden disabilities and provide the appropriate assistance. Access to facilities such as disabled bathrooms will not require use of the lanyard.

Fulham DSA Secretary Iain Davie, who has first-hand experience of caring for a junior with hidden disabilities, said: "We are really pleased to launch this with the Club as this will allow stewards and officials at Craven Cottage to recognise that you have a hidden disability, without the need to declare it. We hope that those who wish to wear them will feel independent and secure whilst in and around the ground knowing that you can find help and support should you need it."

Fulham DSA Chairman Mark Davies commented: "We are delighted to launch the FFC Sunflower Lanyard scheme. This is another example of how the Club and the DSA are working together to try and offer the best matchday experience possible to everyone."

Fulham FC Supporter Relations Manager Nicola Walworth stated: "We are pleased to launch this. We have met monthly with the DSA since December 2018 and it is great to see that our dialogue has resulted in an initiative which will improve the matchday experience for our supporters with hidden disabilities."

Any supporter who would like to make use of the Sunflower Lanyard scheme should email [email protected], or call 0343 208 1222, and the Club will post one out. Please note proof of eligibility may be required.

The Fulham FC DSA will be officially launching at the Nottingham Forest fixture on Saturday 24th August, and they can be followed on twitter: @FulhamDSA



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2019/august/23/sunflower-lanyards

WhiteJC

Sabri Lamouchi delivers positive Nottingham Forest player news pre-Fulham

Nottingham Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi has confirmed first-team star Joe Lolley only has a "knock" and could be fit for their Championship clash with Fulham on Saturday.

Lolley missed the Reds' 1-1 draw against Charlton in midweek because of a foot injury.

The 26-year-old picked up the injury in the pre-match warm up ahead of Forest's 3-0 win over Birmingham City on the weekend but still played every minute of the game and provided an assist.

The Englishman was a key player for the Reds last season, featuring in every Championship game and grabbing 11 goals and 11 assists.

Speaking to The Nottingham Post, Lamouchi suggested he was optimistic that Lolley could play against Fulham tomorrow.

He said: "Before Birmingham, he took a knock, but he played very well.

"But for three days it was difficult for him to walk, let alone run. He didn't make training with us.

"He was much better today, but not enough to play (against Charlton). We will see for the next game.

"Yes, of course, he is here and in my thoughts (for Saturday)–but not only him, the whole squad because we need to be all together for the next three days."

Lamouchi's side travel to Craven Cottage to face the London side on Saturday.

The Verdict

Forest will be hoping Lolley can return tomorrow because Fulham have started the season well and it looks as if the Frenchman will need all his best players if he is to get a result.

Scott Parker's side have won three games on the bounce after their opening weekend loss to Barnsley and should be high in confidence after their 4-0 destruction of Millwall.

Fulham have not conceded at home this season and have put six past their visitors, so it looks as though Forest have a tough task ahead of them.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/sabri-lamouchi-delivers-positive-nottingham-forest-player-news-pre-fulham/


WhiteJC

David Prutton predicts what will happen in Fulham's clash with Nottingham Forest

Sky Sports pundit, David Prutton, is predicting Fulham to continue their wining streak when they take on Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

The Cottagers come into the game after three straight victories. Scott Parker's side find themselves third having lost just once, on the opening day of the season.

Fulham were impressive on Wednesday night, thrashing Millwall 4-0 at Craven Cottage with all three forwards scoring at least one goal.

The Reds, however, have had an interesting start under new boss Sabri Lamouchi. They've only lost once, but have had a tough set of fixtures. A good draw at Elland Road was backed up with a 3-0 victory over Birmingham, before another stalemate at unbeaten Charlton.

They are proving tough to beat, but it'll be their biggest test when they travel to Parker's Fulham side.

Prutton has predicted Fulham to come away with all three points, winning 2-0. In his Sky Sports column, he said: "What a performance from Fulham against Millwall on Wednesday night. They were so dominant it was unbelievable, and the front four has the potential to be the best we've seen for a while at this level.

"Nottingham Forest have had an okay start under Sabri Lamouchi, but they still have a bit of work to do to prove whether they have top-six credentials. Home win for me."

The Verdict

It's a tough game for Nottingham Forest. A trip to Craven Cottage right when Fulham are starting to click is not what Lambouchi would have wanted. Their opening fixtures have been really tough.

The Whites will be looking for another win, and it'll be close. I think it will be closer than what Prutton is predicting, Lambouchi seems to have his side setup well away from the City Ground.

I think it'll either be 1-1 or Fulham will edge it, but don't be surprised to see the Reds come away with a point on Saturday.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/david-prutton-predicts-what-will-happen-in-fulhams-clash-with-nottingham-forest/

WhiteJC

Fulham v Nottingham Forest
SAT 24 Aug 2019   Championship
Venue: Craven Cottage



Joe Lolley played in all of Forest's 46 Championship fixtures last season, scoring 11 goals

Fulham midfielder Josh Onomah could feature for the first time after his summer move as part of the deal which saw Ryan Sessegnon join Tottenham.

Defender Denis Odoi is still a doubt for the Cottagers, having been out for two games with a knee injury.

Nottingham Forest hope winger Joe Lolley (foot) will be fit after he missed the draw at Charlton Athletic.

Albert Adomah, who scored against the Addicks after coming off the bench, is pushing for a starting place.

Match facts

    Fulham have won their past three league matches against Nottingham Forest, last winning four in a row between 1948 and 1952.
    Nottingham Forest have won just one of their previous 10 away matches against Fulham in all competitions (D5 L4), a 3-1 win in April 2016.
    Fulham are looking to win four consecutive league games for the first time since April 2018, also in the Championship.
    Nottingham Forest have lost just one of their past seven Championship matches (W4 D2), after losing their previous four such games.
    Lewis Grabban has faced Fulham more times without scoring (including play-offs) than he has against any other team in the Championship (6).
    Anthony Knockaert's 32nd-minute goal for Fulham vs Millwall in midweek ended a sequence of 26 passes and involved all 11 of Fulham's players on the pitch - the longest sequence for a goal in the Championship in 2019-20 so far.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49378596

WhiteJC

Fulham v Nottingham Forest: Team News, Match Preview, Tickets and TV

Competition: Championship Date: Saturday 24th August 2019 Venue: Craven Cottage  Kick-Off: 15:00 BST Referee: Peter Bankes
Team News

Nottingham Forest will sweat on the fitness of influential forward Joe Lolley. He missed the game at Charlton with a minor foot injury.

Joao Carvalho has travelled to London with the squad, although this game could come too soon for his return to action.

Albert Adomah scored after stepping off the bench and could be recalled to the starting eleven for the Reds.

Fulham demolished Millwall on Wednesday night and will probably be unchanged for the visit from Forest.

Denis Odoi is definitely still missing from Scott Parker's ranks.

Match Preview

Forest fought back from a goal behind and a miserable first half to claim a decent point from Charlton in midweek.

It took Sabri Lamouchi's men to three games unbeaten and will keep their confidence high ahead of the trip to promotion hopefuls, Fulham.

With so many new additions added to the ranks in the summer, the Forest boss is busy trying to find the winning formula.

As the season progresses his team should settle down and that should bring a few more wins for Forest.

Fulham have won three on the spin since losing to Barnsley on the opening day of the season.

The Cottagers were in superb form in the week. They hit Milwall for four and finished the game with 84.5% possession to their name.

Scott Parker has built a quality outfit and this will arguably be Forest's toughest game of the season so far.

Predicted Line-ups

Forest: (4-3-3): Muric; Jenkinson, Worrall, Dawson, Robinson; Watson, Semedo, Sow; Adomah, Grabban, Lolley

Fulham: (4-3-1-2): Bettinelli; Sessegnon, Mawson, Ream, Bryan; Arter Johansen; Knockaert, Cairney, Cavaleiro; Mitrovic

One to watch

It really is a case of taking your pick from seven or eight members of the Fulham squad.

Anthony Knockaert is the one though. The on-loan Brighton winger chose to drop down a division during the summer and has so far been in fine form.

A proven Championship winger, he is paid £35,000-a-week by Brighton (Spotrac), highlighting just how much he was once valued at the AMEX Stadium.

Forest will have to be at their very best to stop the threat of the lively Belgian.

Tickets

Forest supporters have snapped up their full allocation of 1900 tickets for the trip to West London.

No further tickets will be available on the day of the game.

TV and Radio

The game is not televised live, which feels like a rarity for Forest so far this season.

As always full match commentary will also be live on BBC Radio Nottingham via frequency 103.8.



https://seatpitch.co.uk/2019/08/23/nottingham-forest-fulham/


WhiteJC

FourFourDrew: He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother

It's Steven Sessegnon's time now. And the scene's been set just right for him to shine, as Drew Heatley explains.


For most sets of twins, their main battle in life is to be seen as individuals and not one half of a duo.

For Steven Sessegnon, it's about emerging from the shadow of his brother Ryan. Steven's famously a few minutes older than his twin – and as an elder brother myself I struggle with the idea of my younger sibling taking the limelight and plaudits. Behind the obvious pride and happiness, there must be a niggling sense of jealousy (professionally, at least) – and a burning desire to prove yourself in your own right.

The stage is now set for Steven to do just that. Rumours that Scott Parker sees him as our first-choice right-back this season rumbled along during the summer, and when Ryan departed for North London, leaving Steven behind, those whispers got louder. Injury to Denis Odoi means we're still unsure as to whether that berth is Steven's full-time now or not, but after a man-of-the-match-winning debut against Huddersfield and another solid performance this week against Millwall, surely only a mad man would drop him.

There are no downsides to Steven's emergence. We get to recycle our "one of our own" and "Fulham loves you more than you will know" chants, we get another badge-tapper (no mentions of passion merchants, please) and Steven solves our long-running right-back problem. This column isn't about Cyrus Christie (this one, however, is), but suffice to say he wasn't the replacement for Ryan Fredericks we needed. In Steven, we have a full-back who's as comfortable going forward as he is defending, and who's truly comfortable in the role, unlike his brother who was always more at home on the wing.

Crucially, there's no indication in the way Steven's played so far that shows he's in any way haunted or weighed down by his twin's success, and subsequently the pressure put on his last name. I saw a tweet this week asking why the powers that be at Fulham have "held Steven down" for so long when he's clearly good enough. I'd argue it was a stroke of genius.

I don't think it's any coincidence we never saw the coveted "double Sess" in the league, when – let's face it – it'd not have done us any harm to do so at the tail-end of last season. We knew Ryan was on his way – it was the worst-kept secret in football. I reckon we wanted to give Steven room to breathe in the first team on his own, free of any direct comparisons – and free from his brother's shadow. I might be reading too much into all this, of course, but if I'm not – it's got to be seen a masterstroke.

Modern football is choc-a-block with "narratives" – and this is a story line we can all sink our teeth into. Good things come to those who wait. Make no mistake: Steven – and we – have been patient.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2019-08-23-fourfourdrew-he-aint-heavy-hes-my-brother/

WhiteJC

Fulham fans are going to like what Cardiff's Neil Warnock is saying about them

Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock has compared his squad to fellow relegated side Fulham, but believes they are much better placed to bounce straight back up.

The Cottagers lost players like Ryan Sessegnon, Jean Michael Seri and Ryan Babel this summer, but after an opening day defeat have responded with three straight wins, and now sit third in the table.

Tom Cairney has shown why he is so effective at this level, whilst Aleksandar Mitrovic has rediscovered his goalscoring touch and new signing Ivan Cavaleiro has proved a match-winner.

Speaking ahead of Cardiff's clash with Blackburn, as reported by WalesOnline, Warnock tipped the London side for promotion:

"Fulham, I think their team now is better than they were in the Premier League. Knockaert, Cavaleiro, Mitrovic. What a contract he's got. We're not in that league. I think we'd have been fine with Camarasa, Arter, and Gunnarsson."

Cardiff lost the three players Warnock lists over summer, with Harry Arter actually joining Fulham on loan, where he has already impressed.

The Bluebirds were busy in the transfer market in terms of both ins and outs, and so far have had a mixed start in the Championship – losing their two away games but winning both home matches.

The Verdict

Fulham were tipped by many to go straight back up and so far Scott Parker has done all the right things, and as Warnock says they have some top players for this level.

Parker already seems to have found his preferred starting XI and they have gelled well, with Cavaleiro and Mitrovic grabbing the headlines so far.

Despite putting the attention on Fulham, Cardiff should be very competitive at this level. They have many quality players and with Warnock's experience they should be challenging at the top end of the table.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-fans-are-going-to-like-what-cardiffs-neil-warnock-is-saying-about-them/

WhiteJC

Fulham winger has a warning for Nottingham Forest and the rest of the Championship

Ivan Cavaleiro is in confident mood ahead of Saturday's game

Ivan Cavaleiro has warned the rest of the Championship that Fulham are only going to get better.

Fulham have rattled off three wins since an opening-day defeat at Barnsley and many expect Scott Parker's side to make an instant return to the Premier League.

Cavaleiro scored twice in the 4-0 midweek thrashing of Millwall and the Portuguese forward now has three goals since making his loan switch from Wolves.

"I hope we can continue doing this in games," Cavaleiro told the official Fulham website ahead of Nottingham Forest's visit on Saturday.

"Keeping possession, being aggressive, and with this attitude I think we can go far in the Championship.

"I've worked hard on the pitch to achieve this, and I hope I can contribute to the team like this in every game."

Fulham trail early-season pacesetters Leeds and Swansea by a point.



https://www.nottinghampost.com/sport/football/fulham-winger-warning-nottingham-forest-3244925


WhiteJC

A parachute helps Fulham and smothers Millwall

ANYONE who watched Fulham's calamitous 2018-19 season probably felt there was no way the team constructed by the club's owner and his son was "too good to go down". Certainly, even if the players bought in the summer of 2018 – an example of scatter gun team construction – underperformed because of a lack of cohesion, Fulham's record was still poor and relegation was on the cards from October onwards. It was a campaign of bad judgement, over £ 100 million of bad judgement.

It is therefore difficult to look upon Fulham and get the immediate feeling their current squad is far too impressive for most opponents. In football, there is always a danger that people fail to look beyond the Premier in forming their opinions about teams and players. The torrent of publicity and media exposure means the focus is all too often centred on the top clubs. Therefore, if a team gets relegated, there is a natural assumption that it is because that particular squad is not good enough for the top flight. If a team only narrowly gets relegated, it is reasonable to assume a decent promotion campaign can be launched, but Fulham were 10 points off the 17th-placed club, Brighton.

When Fulham hosted Millwall, the south London side were unbeaten and above a Fulham team that was clicking into gear after two wins. The visit of Millwall raised the security aspect of the game – dozens more stewards, a few police dotted around and a few anxious faces beneath the stand before the game and in the surrounding streets. Millwall's reputation for being an army of hooligans is largely overstated and built on the past when mobs fought each other, although they seem to be the one group of fans who actually revel in being considered fierce and frightening. Hence they sing "no one likes us, we don't care". I naively followed Chelsea to Millwall in 1976 and went home a nervous wreck, vowing I would never return to the old Den. I didn't.

However, it sounds strange, but a visit to the new Den is something of a throwback to the days when fans could create an unwelcoming, intimidating atmosphere that could put a visiting team off its game. I've actually enjoyed my visits to Millwall in recent years.

Millwall's away following at Craven Cottage was noisy, as one would expect. Their single note yell, which seems to grow louder by the minute, is as chilling as the Zulu battle cry in the 1964 film starring Michael Caine. It was a bizarre experience – one half of the Putney End passive, ready to watch TV or cinema, the other a maelstrom. A tinder box waiting to be sparked. Some of the Fulham fans on the end of each row looked a little nervous, almost as edgy as the stewards and police that were keeping an eye on the visiting contingent.

Fulham's fans were soon treated to an exhibition of football. Millwall started well, but soon faded. Once Scott Parker's side quelled the Lions' enthusiasm, they passed them to death. "We've got our Fulham back," said one fan, referring to the team that won promotion in 2018.

Fulham went ahead after 15 minutes when Tom Cairney set-up on-loan winger Ivan Cavaleiro who cut inside and sent his shot from the edge of the area past Bartosz Bialkowski. Cavaleiro, an impressive acquisition, crossed for Anthony Knockaert to score with a stooping header in the 32ndminute to make it 2-0. Millwall looked beaten at that point, but Fulham kept going with their possession football and intensive passing movements. In the 56thminute, they scored a third from the penalty spot, Aleksandar Mitrović being brought down and confidently converting the spot-kick. The goalscoring was completed by Cavaleiro, who controlled the ball well and rounded the keeper to slot home after 63. The Fulham fans lapped it up, a 4-0 victory that underlined their promotion credentials.

There was big gulf between Fulham and Millwall and people – particularly opposition fans – were assuming the home side's financial clout was the big difference between the two sides. They saw the front line of Mitro, Knockaert and Cavaleiro as a sign that Fulham have far more money than Millwall. Of course, Fulham can afford to hire-in players like Knockaert and Cavaleiro, not least because they do receive compensation for being relegated in the form of parachute payments. In 2019-20, Fulham will receive more than £ 40 million, which may not buy many players, but could allow the club to be more than competitive with their wage bill. It's strange that a club like Fulham is being looked upon as one of the big spenders, especially as they've always been South West London's poorer relations (Chelsea on their doorstep, after all).

From a footballing perspective, Fulham's performance was exhilarating. Millwall manager Neil Harris had to admit that his team had been hammered, "they were much, much better than us".

The stats confirmed the chasm between the two teams – Fulham had 84.5% possession, an astonishing figure that someone like Pep Guardiola would have been proud of.

So the home fans were happy, singing "Super" Scotty Parker's praise and putting last season's misery into the memory bank. On the evidence of the first few weeks, Fulham are in for an interesting season. As for Millwall, they were unfortunate to come up against a team that is coming together nicely. Neil Harris said quite a few teams will get this type of treatment at Craven Cottage. He could be right.

@GameofthePeople



https://gameofthepeople.com/2019/08/23/a-parachute-helps-fulham-and-smothers-millwall/

WhiteJC

Fulham: Fans react as youngster Tyrese Francois scoops academy award

Fulham fans are getting behind youth product Tyrese Francois after the youngster was given the Johnny Haynes Academy Player of the Year award.

Voted for by academy players and staff, Francois received the award pitchside during the interval of the team's 4-0 win over Millwall earlier in midweek.

The 19-year-old took to Twitter to thank his peers for the award, where fans responded by congratulating the versatile midfielder for scooping the accolade, with plenty of high hopes for the teenager among the comments.

Fans are in full support of Francois' progression, with some hoping he can follow in the footsteps of Ryan and Steven Sessegnon, while others feel his award will be the first of many.

Having made a couple of non-competitive appearances for the first team, there is certainly a promise about Australian-born Francois' career – and fans seem glad that a player of such prospective talent is learning his trade at their club:



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league/fulham/fulham-fans-react-as-youngster-tyrese-francois-scoops-academy-award/

WhiteJC

Lots of Forest fans pessimistic ahead of this weekend's clash with Fulham

One of the joys of midweek football, is that you don't have to wait as long between games.

It's almost like the World Cup in a way, where you only have to wait a couple of days before your team plays again rather than waiting a whole week. Forest come into this Saturday's game on the back of a four-game unbeaten run, their only defeat so far coming on the opening day of the season.

Meanwhile, opponents Fulham took their opening day defeat a lot better than Forest and have managed to turn it into three wins on the spin, including an impressive 4-0 victory over Millwall on Wednesday night.

And Forest fans have been predicting how they think the game is going to pan out. So how do you respond when your team is on a four-game unbeaten streak, and you've scored four goals in your last two games?

Well, it looks as if Fulham's annihilation of Millwall has given a lot of Forest fans pause for thought, as they seemingly aren't as positive about picking up one point let alone all three as they have been in previous weeks.



https://forest.vitalfootball.co.uk/lots-of-forest-fans-pessimistic-ahead-of-this-weekends-clash-with-fulham/


WhiteJC

Nottingham Forest player has the perfect opportunity to make big impression – opinion

Sabri Lamouchi is adjusting to life in the Championship and has got off to a reasonably good start considering the turbulent summer at City Ground.

The Frenchman arrived shortly before pre-season so had little time to get used to his new surroundings before undertaking training and assessing the squad at his disposal.

He would be forgiven for starting slowly both on and off the pitch given it is his first experience in English football, but despite a turnover of 11 players leaving and 12 new arrivals, Forest have impressed on the pitch.

There will be hope in the Midlands that Forest can once again challenge for the play-offs, and although the bookies place them as outsiders for the top six, they have shown signs of promise early on.

They earned their first win in a 3-0 dismantling of Birmingham, in which Joe Lolley and Lewis Grabban underlined how key they could be to Forest's chances of promotion this season.

Then, just a few days later, they put in a battling display at The Valley to draw with in-form Charlton, who are unbeaten at home in league competition since October.

Despite a significant change in personnel over the summer, familiar faces like Lolley, Grabban, Matty Cash and Joe Worrall – who has returned from his loan spell – have been the stand-out performers so far, and the weekend clash against Fulham should be a good test for Lamouchi's side.

Lolley, in particular, will be keen to impress. He put in a terrific display against Blues in which he got on the scoresheet and grabbed an assist, and is viewed as many as not only Forest's best player, but one of the best players in the division.

An equally impressive display against Fulham would, therefore, send out a statement of what he is capable of, and a win at Craven Cottage would be a huge confidence boost for him and his teammates – but few in the squad possess his quality, so he will feel a level of responsibility.

Fulham are flying at the moment. They have won three in a row and in the midweek match against Millwall broke an Opta Championship record for possession – having had 84.5% against the Lions in their 4-0 win.

As a result, Lolley may not get too many opportunities to express himself, although that will make any potential impact all the more remarkable, and show the rest of the division he means business once again this season.

The visit to Fulham promises to be a tough fixture and it could show a lot about Lamouchi and his style. Forest showed resilience to rescue a draw against Charlton and if they can maintain that against Fulham and the rest of the season then they should be successful.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/nottingham-forest-player-has-the-perfect-opportunity-to-make-big-impression-opinion/

WhiteJC

Contract Updates

The Club is delighted to confirm the following activity with regards to the contracts of Stefan Johansen, Tim Ream and Denis Odoi.

Johansen has agreed a new contract which keeps him at Fulham until 30th June 2022. His current deal was due to expire next summer.

Ream's current deal gave the Club an option to extend it by a further year. We have now taken this option, tying Ream to Fulham until the summer of 2021.

Odoi has agreed a new deal that now sees the Club hold an option to extend his time at Fulham. An option was already activated earlier this summer which keeps Odoi at Craven Cottage until 2020, but the Club can now activate a clause which extends that deal by a further 12 months.

Tony Khan said: "This summer, in addition to adding experienced new players into Fulham's squad to help us push for promotion, it was also important for us to retain key players who were involved in our promotion two seasons ago.

"Stefan Johansen has made significant contributions at Fulham since he joined us three years ago. He was a vital presence in our midfield in our promotion to the Premier League. He's proven that he'll fight for this club, and I'm glad Stefan is staying for the fight ahead of us.


"Denis Odoi has set high standards at Motspur Park for hard work and professionalism since his arrival at Fulham three years ago. Denis is a versatile and experienced defender, and he provides an intelligent and thoughtful presence within the squad, and I'm glad he'll continue to be a leader for the club.


"Tim Ream was Fulham's Player of the Year two seasons ago in our promotion campaign. He loves this club, and he's a leader for us on and off the pitch. The experience and resolve that Tim brings to our defence will be important to the club this season as we're fighting to get back to the Premier League.

"Come on Fulham!"




http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2019/august/23/contract-updates

WhiteJC

Fulham: Stefan Johansen, Tim Ream & Denis Odoi sign new contracts


Stefan Johansen, Tim Ream and Denis Odoi all started for Fulham in their Championship play-off final win over Aston Villa in May 2018, with Odoi shown a red card

Fulham midfielder Stefan Johansen and defenders Tim Ream and Denis Odoi have all signed new deals with the club.

Norway international Johansen, who is in his fourth season at Craven Cottage, has extended his stay until June 2022.

Fulham have activated clauses in the contracts of United States international Ream and Belgian Odoi to retain them until the summer of 2021.

Vice-chairman Tony Khan said it was "important" to keep "key players" that helped win Premier League promotion.

Ream was Fulham's player of the year when they were promoted from the Championship in 2017-18.

Khan said Johansen has "proven he'll fight" for the club, and added that Odoi has "set high standards" since arriving in London from Belgian club Lokeren in July 2016.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49453017


WhiteJC

Match preview: Fulham vs Forest

Nottingham Forest face their second game in London this week as they take on Fulham at Craven Cottage tomorrow (kick-off 3pm).

The Reds have stayed down in the capital since their draw with Charlton on Wednesday night, training at Crystal Palace's complex ahead of the clash with The Cottagers.

Forest have picked up two draws in their away games so far this season and come up against an in-form Fulham side who will be looking to make an immediate return to the Premier League.

Tale of the tape
Nottingham Forest

    Forest are unbeaten in their last four games in all competitions, winning two and drawing two
    The Reds have failed to score just once in their last four visits to Craven Cottage

Fulham

    Fulham won three straight games after losing their opening match of the season
    In their two home games this season, Fulham have scored six goals, keeping two clean sheets

Team news
Joe Lolley could return to the side having missed the midweek draw at Charlton. The winger was close to featuring in the game at The Valley but was not risked.

Forest have no fresh injury concerns ahead of the game at Craven Cottage.

Forest thoughts
Head to head


Forest wins   Draws    Fulham wins
League 28   25    37
FA Cup 0   0    1
League Cup  2   3    2
Total 30   28    40

From the opposition

Ivan Cavaleiro has been in fine form for Fulham at the start of the season and he is looking to keep it up this weekend.



Speaking after the 4-0 win against Millwall in midweek, he said: "Of course I'm very happy to score two goals for the team. I've worked hard on the pitch to achieve this, and I hope I can contribute to the team like this in every game. The more victories we have, the happier I'll be.

"I think we played very well to achieve this win, and I hope we can continue doing this in games; keeping possession, being aggressive, and with this attitude I think we can go far in the Championship.

"The fans have supported us since the beginning. I think they liked the way we played against Millwall, and with this quality we're showing it's normal that the fans are happy with us. We must continue with this and keep making them happy.

"We have difficult games coming and I think with this attitude, like I said, we can win games. We respect Millwall, we respect Nottingham Forest, but every game we play we go to win."

Ticket news
Tickets for the clash at Craven Cottage have sold out.

Forest supporters snapped up all 1,900 tickets available for the game and no further tickets will be made available.

Coverage
International subscribers to iFollow Forest will be able to watch the whole game live, either by subscribing or purchasing a match pass. Full details can be found here.

Audio commentary provided by BBC Radio Nottingham is also available, and fans can also follow the action by keeping up to date with the club's official social media channels and the Match Centre.

Other fixtures
To be played at 3pm on Saturday unless otherwise stated:

Derby vs West Brom (12.30pm)
Barnsley vs Luton
Blackburn vs Cardiff
Charlton vs Brentford
Huddersfield vs Reading
Hull vs Bristol City
Middlesbrough vs Millwall
Preston vs Sheffield Wednesday
QPR vs Wigan
Stoke vs Leeds
Swansea vs Birmingham (Sunday, 12pm)



https://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/news/2019/august/match-preview-fulham-vs-forest/

WhiteJC

3 ways Nottingham Forest can hurt Fulham this weekend

Nottingham Forest have undoubtedly had one of the toughest starts to the new Championship campaign.

Their upcoming trip to Fulham comes after having hosted West Bromwich Albion and visited Leeds United inside their first five fixtures.

Fulham are beginning to hit form themselves, though, with three consecutive wins and a 4-0 hammering of Millwall to all but set them up perfectly for this Championship clash.

But for all of Fulham's quality, how can Forest escape the same fate as Millwall and prevail against the league's favourites in their own back yard.

We take a look at three ways the Reds can hurt them...

High press

Having had their blip against Barnsley at the start of the season, Fulham are beginning to hit free-scoring form with eight goals in their last three games. The attacking prowess of Ivan Cavaleiro, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Anthony Knockaert is one of the finest front three combinations the league has ever seen.

Their defensive four, however, is not and are susceptible to mistakes as we saw against Barnsley. Forest have to force these mistakes though; they will not come naturally. Barnsley made a habit of pressing the defence and winning the ball high up the pitch which inevitably lead to their winning goal.

Players like Alfa Semedo and Samba Sow have already shown this season that they are willing runners this season and have a responsibility to show this again. Having two powerful midfielders press this high may be the key to Fulham's undoing.

Won on the wings

For all of his quality, Joe Bryan is a very attack-minded left-back which can leave spaces in behind the high Fulham backline. Likewise, Steven Sessegnon is also a defender that likes to venture forward.

Forest's best chance of winning this game and hurting Fulham is using Matty Cash, Albert Adomah and Joe Lolley – some of the division's best wingers – to take advantage of Bryan and Sessegnon's high attacking drive.

However, they have to be equally aware of the danger the two full-backs can cause when they do get into those attacking positions; the quality of their deliveries into the box have already amounted to numerous goals this season.

Physically stronger

The Championship has always been and will remain a physical league. The Reds have, at their disposal, one of the most physically challenging teams in the division this season.

Sow and Semedo are quick, powerful and both reach over 6ft in the heart of midfield. In attack, they have Sammy Ameobi – measuring at nearly 6ft 5in –, Adomah at 6ft 1in and Grabban who stands at 6ft. For big players, they are unbelievably quick and a nightmare to defend against.

If the likes of Ameobi, Adomah and Grabban can peel to the back post and be found by the pinpoint delivery of Cash and Lolley, Fulham will find themselves in trouble more often than not.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/3-ways-nottingham-forest-can-hurt-fulham-this-weekend/