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Tuesday Fulham Stuff - 26/11/19...

Started by WhiteJC, November 26, 2019, 08:18:06 AM

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WhiteJC

'Lost time' - Defender's mission ahead of Derby County's clash with Fulham

The Rams face Fulham at Craven Cottage in the Championship tonight

Craig Forsyth is eyeing a second start in a matter of days tonight and the Derby County defender is keen to make up for lost time.

The Scottish international made his first appearance in more than a year at the weekend when he lined up against Preston North End at Pride Park Stadium.

Derby won 1-0 to record a fifth consecutive home win and now they face Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Forsyth is back after a third serious knee injury.

Three times he has suffered ACL damage and it has meant him missing a lot of football in recent years.

He played in the 2014 Championship play-off final when Derby lost to Queens Park Rangers, but he missed out when the Rams reached the play-off final last season where they lost to Aston Villa at Wembley.

"It was frustrating, having been through it before. I've always said the Saturdays coming to watch is the worst part of the week (when you are out injured)," Forsyth said.

"I was buzzing seeing the boys do so well last season. But when you get that close, it's ultimately disappointing.

"I've missed a lot of football over the past three years. so I'm out to make up for lost time."

Derby's victory over Preston lifted them to 11th in the table, their highest position since August.

They are five points away from the top six. Is a challenge for the play-offs on again this season?

"That was our aim at the start of the season, and that's not changed. We need to sort out the away form," Forsyth said.

Derby have won their last five home matches. They have the second best home record in the division, but one of the worst away records.

Their one away win in the League came at Huddersfield in the opening fixture of the season. The Rams have collected only three points from 21 on the road since that victory on August 5.



https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/lost-time-defenders-mission-ahead-3576805

WhiteJC

Derby County reportedly tried to sign Fulham's Ivan Cavaleiro during the summer

According to a summer report by Wolves Bite, Derby County tried to sign winger Ivan Cavaleiro last summer but missed out on his signature to upcoming opponents Fulham.

The Rams travel to Craven Cottage to take on Championship opponents Fulham.

It will be the first time the two clubs have met since Fulham defeated Derby 2-1 on aggregate in the 2017-18 playoff semi-finals. The Cottagers went on to win promotion.

Fulham have had the better of Derby on the pitch in recent years. And, last summer, they struck another victory over the Rams by signing Ivan Cavaleiro.
How Derby County have missed a player of Ivan Cavaleiro's quality:

The £7 million winger was transfer listed by Wolverhampton Wanderers. He became surplus to requirements after Wolves established themselves in the top-flight.

Derby were on the lookout for a replacement for Harry Wilson. The Liverpool winger joined the Rams on loan last term and topped the club's scoring charts with 18 goals.

Cavaleiro had promotion experience with Wolves. The Portuguese international scored nine times in 42 games during the Molineux club's Championship winning campaign.

Derby, however, missed out as Cavaleiro instead opted to join promotion favourites Fulham – linking up with Aleksandar Mitrovic and Anthony Knockaert in a scary front three.

Cavaleiro, 26, has four goals and four assists in 16 Championship starts this term.

The Rams have missed a naturally gifted winger of his ilk this season. Deadline day signing Jamie Paterson has done OK, but Florian Jozefzoon has disappointed.

Derby will hope Cavaleiro doesn't haunt them on Tuesday. The Rams head to Craven Cottage looking for their first away win since the opening day of the season.



https://www.derbycounty.news/news/derby-county-reportedly-tried-to-sign-fulhams-ivan-cavaleiro-during-the-summer/

WhiteJC

Selection headache; Martyn Waghorn to start: Derby County's predicted line-up for Fulham clash

Derby County manager Phillip Cocu will have a selection headache ahead of his side's trip to Fulham following the injuries to Mason Bennett and Graeme Shinnie.

The Derby duo limped out of the first half against Preston North End on Saturday.

The Rams went on to the beat the Lilywhites 1-0 with substitute Martyn Waghorn grabbing the winner. However, it may not be enough for Waghorn to keep his place.

Fulham at Craven Cottage are a difficult proposition. The former Premier League side are full of quality, while Derby's away form has really been poor of late.

Here is how we believe the Rams will line-up:


The back five will no doubt remain unchanged. Max Lowe and Craig Forsyth were jointly named Men of the Match against Preston, forming a decent partnership.

Graeme Shinnie's injury should see George Evans come into midfield.

Cocu's selection headache will be in the final third. Duane Holmes tired against Preston, while £5 million 2018 signing Waghorn is out of position on the right.

But should Waghorn be dropped after scoring the winner against Preston? He is afterall Derby's leading goal scorer this season and the Rams have been goal-shy on the road.

Fulham have an abundance of quality down their left. Joe Bryan and Ivan Cavaleiro are an attacking force. This is where Cocu could consider playing Andre Wisdom at right-back and Jayden Bogle further forward. Either option is likely to prompt questions from supporters.

Cocu could also consider Kieran Dowell or Florian Jozefzoon to beef up the midfield. But the duo are out of form and right now out of the first team picture for a reason.



https://www.derbycounty.news/analysis/selection-headache-martyn-waghorn-to-start-derby-countys-predicted-line-up-for-fulham-clash/


WhiteJC

Max Lowe issues confident message ahead of Derby's clash with Fulham

Derby County defender Max Lowe believes that the Rams' fine recent form at home should provide Philip Cocu's side with the confidence needed to start addressing their away form, ahead of the Rams' trip to Fulham.

The Rams secured a fifth successive home league win on Saturday securing an impressive 1-0 win against high-flying Preston North End, which saw Cocu's side move up to 11th place in the Championship table and close the gap on the play-off places to five points heading into the midweek fixtures.

However, Derby's form on their travels has been far less impressive, with the Rams losing three successive Championship games away from home, which has halted Cocu's side from being able to build any real momentum from their excellent home form.

Speaking to Derby's official club website ahead of the Rams' trip to Fulham, Lowe suggested that the Rams need to start replicating their home form on their travels and that the confidence they have gained from the home wins should allow them to do that, saying: "It is annoying for us as it is for the fans. Every time we play at home, we are itching to get on the pitch and we want that feeling when we play away.

"We have some tough fixtures coming up, but we are all confident that we can pick up points – so why not start by doing that tomorrow.

"They have got a strong squad at Fulham, but we believe our squad can match anybody's.

"We have competition all over the pitch in positions so we are really confident in ourselves.

"It is no secret that we need to start picking up points away from home so hopefully this can be the start."

The Verdict

Lowe is right to suggest that Derby should be full of confidence heading into their trip to Fulham, with the Rams having produced arguably their best performance of the season on Saturday to pick up a deserved win against an in form Preston side, who were looking to move back into the automatic promotion places.

Cocu's side need to start taking their home performances onto their travels, and the trip to Fulham represents a chance to show that they can do just that – and a win would see them secure another vital three points against a side currently in the Championship's top six places.

If Derby do not address their away form very quickly then they will find themselves unable to really mount any sort of real push for the play-offs this season, but there are signs that the Rams are beginning to gel under Cocu and if the Dutchman can start to get his side keeping clean sheets on their travels as well as at home, then they will have a chance of managing a top six push.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/max-lowe-issues-confident-message-ahead-of-derbys-clash-with-fulham/

WhiteJC

3 factors that will decide Fulham's clash with Derby County

Fulham host Derby County tonight, as Scott Parker's side look for a third-straight win in the Championship.

A fine comeback win over QPR last time out put Fulham 4th in the table. It was expected to be a long night on Friday when the R's travelled to Craven Cottage with Aleksandar Mitrovic suspended, but Parker's side held their nerve to secure back-to-back wins.

They next host a Derby side who've slowly crept up the table under Phillip Cocu having won four of their last seven in the Championship, their last being a commendable 1-0 win at home to Preston.

It'll be another exciting fixture for football fans tonight, and here we take a look at three factors that could decide the game:

Mitro's back

With 12 goals in the Championship this season, 21 for club and country since the start of August, Derby's defenders will be dreading the return of Aleksandar Mitrovic for Fulham tonight.

Aboubakar Kamara did better than expected in his absence against QPR, but there's little to no chance that it'll keep the Serb from starting tonight.

He's been a match-winner for Fulham on so many occasions and he could easily be the man who wins it tonight.

Fulham's midfield-three

Parker has now named the same midfield-three of Stefan Johansen, Harrison Reed and Tom Cairney for the last three games and with each one, they seem to be forming more of an understanding.

The win over Birmingham before the international break and then the one against QPR, Fulham's midfield often doesn't get enough credit with all the attacking talent in their team.

Against QPR, Johansen, in particular, had a fine performance that went slightly under the radar – he assisted Kamara for the winning goal and kept the likes of Ebere Eze quiet all game.

Rams on the road

Derby have picked up just six points on the road this season, and find themselves 20th in the away table of the Championship. Derby have been particularly bad away from Pride park under Cocu and have lost their last three away trips.

Craven Cottage is a place that Derby fans don't like too much either  – the Rams have won just once there this century, a 5-2 win in the EFL Cup Round of 16 in 2014.

Fulham and Parker will be looking to take full advantage of Derby's inept form both on the road and at Craven Cottage, and hope for another win which could see them leapfrog Preston and into 3rd.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/3-factors-that-will-decide-fulhams-clash-with-derby-county/

WhiteJC

25-y/o in: The likely Fulham XI that Parker could name against Derby

Fulham host Derby County in the Championship tonight, as Scott Parker's side look for a third-straight win.

Fulham moved up to 4th in the Championship table with a fine comeback win over QPR last Friday. A brace from Aboubakar Kamara cancelled out Jordan Hugill's early goal for the away side, and the Cottagers are now one of four teams on 29 points.

Derby head to Craven Cottage without an away win in the league since the opening day of the season, having lost their last three on the road.

It'll be an exciting encounter tonight, and here we take a look at the probable Fulham line-up:


The back-four for Fulham has been barely changed all season – expect to see Joe Bryan in at left-back and Dennis Odoi on the right, with Tim Ream and Alfie Mawson in the middle.

Marek Rodak should keep his spot in goal too. Fans have quickly warmed to the 22-year-old in goal, and kept his side in the game against QPR with some fine saves in the first-half.

In what will more than likely be a 4-3-3 formation for Fulham, the midfield-three also looks pretty settled for the season now – Harrison Reed sitting a bit deeper in the middle, allowing Stefan Johansen and Tom Cairney to pull the strings a bit further up.

Probably the only change from the team that faced QPR will be the reintroduction of Aleksandar Mitrovic. The league's top-scorer this season will surely make his way back into the middle of the front-three.

Ivan Cavaleiro and Anthony Knockaert have been the two joining Mitrovic for most of the season so far but with both struggling for form in front of goal, either could be dropped tonight – Kamara could make an unlikely start on either side after his performance on Friday.

It wouldn't be a surprise to see Kamara replace Knockaert for the fixture tonight and Fulham fans would surely get behind him.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/25-y-o-in-the-likely-fulham-xi-that-parker-could-name-against-derby/


WhiteJC

Craig Forsyth makes honest Derby County admission ahead of club's clash with Fulham

Derby County defender Craig Forsyth has opened up about his recent struggles with injury ahead of the club's clash with Fulham tonight.

The 30-year-old, who joined the Rams on a permanent deal in 2013 from Watford, missed the majority of the previous campaign due to ligament damage in his knee.

Forced to watch on from the sidelines, Forsyth was powerless to prevent Derby from suffering defeat in the play-off final in May at the hands of Aston Villa at Wembley Stadium.

Having made a number of appearances for the club's Under-23 side in recent months, the defender returned to Derby's first-team last Saturday against Preston North End.

Impressive throughout this particular fixture, Forsyth helped his side secure a 1-0 victory in front of their own supporters at Pride Park.

With the Rams set to take on Fulham tonight, the Scotland international will be determined to build upon his recent display by producing another eye-catching performance in the Championship.

Speaking to the Derby Telegraph ahead of the clash about his injury issues, Forsyth said: "It was frustrating, having been through it all before.

"I've always said the Saturdays coming to watch is the worst part of the week (when you are out injured).

"I was buzzing seeing the boys do so well last season.

"But when you get that close, it's ultimately disappointing.

"I've missed a lot of football over the past three years, so I'm out to make up for lost time."

The Verdict

Having had awful luck when it comes to injuries during his time at Derby, Forsyth will be hoping that his latest comeback will allow him to play regularly over the coming months for the Rams.

With 182 appearances to his name at Championship level, the defender knows exactly what it takes to succeed in this particular division.

Therefore, by giving him a sustained run in the Rams' starting eleven, manager Phillip Cocu could potentially reap the benefits if Forsyth can hit the ground running in the second-tier.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/craig-forsyth-makes-honest-derby-county-admission-ahead-of-clubs-clash-with-fulham/

WhiteJC

Fulham's Scott Parker issues thoughts on team selection ahead of Derby clash

Fulham's manager Scott Parker has given his thoughts on the current selection headache that he faces ahead of his side's clash this evening against Derby County at Craven Cottage.

The Cottagers will hoping to achieve their third straight win in the Championship, against a Derby County side that sit seven places below them in the table.

Scott Parker's side come off the back of a 2-1 win against QPR in the West London Derby last Friday, where Aboubakar Kamara shone on his first Championship start in over four months, netting a crucial brace.

With Aleksandar Mitrovic back available after serving his one-game suspension, Scott Parker is now left with a selection headache upfront.

Speaking to the club website ahead of the clash, Parker talked about how the conundrum in the striking department for him is in fact a positive.

"It's a perfect situation for me and any other manager sitting in that position, and obviously having a selection headache of players doing well and proving they should be in the starting team is a problem that I want every single week," Parker said.

"It's a good problem for me to have as Mitro [Aleksandar Mitrovic] comes back into the squad and Abou [Kamara] with his performance [against QPR] along with a few other lads."

The Verdict

This is indeed a headache for Scott Parker, as Kamara showed his quality in front of goal against QPR. However, Mitrovic has been Fulham's talisman this season, and is currently top of the goal scoring charts in the Championship.

With Parker's reluctance to play two strikers, it will mean that one of the two forwards will have to drop to the bench against Derby.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulhams-scott-parker-issues-thoughts-on-team-selection-ahead-of-derby-clash/

WhiteJC

Parker: Momentum Is Key

Scott Parker is aware of the importance of stringing wins together if Fulham's promotion campaign is to continue moving in the right direction.

Consecutive victories have lifted the Whites into fourth spot, and another one against Derby County could leave us sitting just two points off the automatic promotion places.


It's important to build on these wins," Parker told FFCtv. "I feel like we're in a good place – mentally we're in a good place, I feel the whole vibe around the team and the football club is in a good place. It's felt like that for the majority of this season.

"Momentum is key in this league and momentum is key for this team, and we go into Tuesday night's game against a good side who, on their day, can cause teams problems.

"They've got match-winners in their team and some good individual players as well, so I think we realise it's going to be a challenge but, in saying that, it's another opportunity for us to get a positive result."

Derby's patchy away form sees last year's Play-Off Finalists occupying a mid-table position, but Parker knows they have plenty of quality in their ranks.

"They're a good, technical, possession-based team," he explained. "They play in the right way and they're going to cause us some problems, of course they are.

"They use attacking full-backs, players inside the pitch, and they've got individuals who can cause any team in this league problems. We're going to have to be aware of that, certainly.

"We've had a short turnaround going into this game, but we go into it fully focused, the lads are as prepared as well as they can be to try and get a result."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2019/november/26/scott-parker-momentum-is-key


WhiteJC

'They play the right way': Fulham boss Scott Parker highly complimentary of Derby County ahead of showdown

Fulham manager Scott Parker believes Derby County are a technical side with plenty of quality which will cause his side problems on Tuesday evening, Fulhamfc.com report.

The Rams travel to the capital looking for their first away win since the opening day.

Phillip Cocu's side have struggled on their travels this season. However, five straight home wins at Pride Park should give the Rams confidence going forward.

Derby are improving. There is no doubt about that. And Fulham boss Scott Parker believes the Rams play football the right way before predicting a difficult game.

    They're a good, technical, possession-based team. They play in the right way and they're going to cause us some problems, of course they are. They use attacking full-backs, players inside the pitch, and they've got individuals who can cause any team in this league problems. We're going to have to be aware of that, certainly.

Fulham head into the game having beaten Queens Park Rangers 2-1 at the weekend. That victory lifted the west London side up to fourth in the Championship.

Derby have a poor recent record in the capital. The Rams have already lost at both Brentford and Charlton Athletic by a disappointing 3-0 score line this season.

But the Rams, despite losing their last two away games, played well at Hull City and Nottingham Forest. A positive away result is surely just around the corner.

Derby will be without the injured Graeme Shinnie and Mason Bennett. It's expected that midfielder George Evans and forward Martyn Waghorn will come in.

The last time Fulham and Derby met was in the 2017-18 playoff semi-final. The Cottagers won 2-1 on aggregate, advancing to the final where they beat Aston Villa.



https://www.derbycounty.news/news/they-play-the-right-way-fulham-boss-scott-parker-highly-complimentary-of-derby-county-ahead-of-showdown/

WhiteJC

'Both on' - Fulham fans send Scott Parker selection message ahead of Derby County clash

Derby County latest | The Rams continue their Championship journey against Fulham this evening - but how will Scott Parker's side line up as they look to strengthen their top-six place?

Derby County are gearing up for a Championship trip to Craven Cottage to take on Fulham tonight (7.45pm).

Phillip Cocu's Rams made it five straight home wins at the weekend by beating Preston North End - but they are without a League win on the road since the opening weekend of the season.

Fulham, meanwhile, sit fourth in the division after a 2-1 victory at home to west London rivals Queens Park Rangers on Friday night.

Aboubakar Kamara scored both goals for the Cottagers in that game after Jordan Hugill's third-minute opener for QPR.

That was Kamara's first Championship start since August, as he replaced the suspended Aleksandar Mitrovic in the starting XI.

Mitrovic has 12 Championship goals to his name so far this season and is likely to come back into the team to face Derby.

Ahead of the contest, Fulham fans have been having their say on whether Kamara should retain his place, alongside Mitrovic or not.

Steven Robertson: Gotta start AK47 and Mitro up front tonight. COYW!!

Stephen Fulham Wheatley: Put them both on!!

Barry Oates: Mitro back leading the front tonight

Michael Carnegie Howard: Mitro now has to fight for his position.



https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/both-on-fulham-fans-send-3579947

WhiteJC

Chairman Provides Riverside Stand Update

The Chairman reveals an exciting new project - Fulham Pier.

Welcome to Craven Cottage for not only an important match under the floodlights against Derby County, but also for a latest look at the almost complete disappearance of the Riverside Stand.

As you can see now, the only structures remaining of note are the temporary gantry for television and broadcasting, and the dugouts at pitchside. You'll probably feel somewhat of a chill from the Thames that was once blocked by the old Riverside Stand and one thing is for certain – everyone at Fulham Football Club appreciates your patience and support during this period of transition, occasional hardship and anticipation of what awaits all of us in the summer of 2021.

And, what you can expect in 2021 is what Fulham supporters, the neighbourhood and all of London have waited for and unquestionably deserve – nothing less than a signature destination befitting our world-class city. For this edition of my programme notes, I want to share my thoughts on the Riverside Stand project and particularly focus on the concept of destination, which was my vision from the moment I was privileged to become your chairman in July 2013.

With that, I am very proud to announce London's next great destination – Fulham Pier.

An explanation is in order. Yes, there will be a new Riverside Stand, of course, one that will deliver additional capacity to our beloved home ground. Financial sustainability is critical in football, and especially so for a small but mighty club like ours. The new Riverside Stand will represent a major stride forward in ensuring that Fulham will operate successfully and properly, right here at Craven Cottage where it has since 1896 and for generations to come.

The magnificent new Riverside Stand will sit within Fulham Pier, which will be a year-round destination for everyone – football fans, Londoners and visitors to our neighbourhood from near and far. Never has this stretch of the Thames been brought to life, and its full potential realised, until Fulham Pier.


In April of 2014, I shared news in a letter to Season Ticket Holders that the Board of the Port of London Authority granted your Club a river works license that permitted us to move forward on the project I am describing today. That was an important accomplishment, but just one of many required to see this journey through. And, along the way, we have been unapologetically patient to ensure that the design and purpose of a new Riverside Stand met the very highest standards as we know them today but would also stand the test of time – just as Craven Cottage itself. The by-product of this deliberate process is Fulham Pier and, with the new Riverside Stand as its centrepiece, I am overjoyed at what the future holds for all of us.

I am confident that Fulham Pier will be everything that everyone had asked or hoped for, and much more. And it may be difficult to see it now, but the future is becoming reality with each day that passes. The piling in the river bed has now commenced in order to create a wooden boardwalk. This will be open to all on non-matchdays, providing a picturesque and uninterrupted stroll along the river for the first time ever. It will be here that you, your friends and family will find places to eat, drink, meet, exercise, learn new activities, take in special events or simply enjoy the waterfront. I envision a vibe that will blend nostalgia with contemporary, always alive, and always respectful of the Club, neighbourhood and city.

To fully appreciate what is in store, I encourage you to visit www.fulhampier.com where you will find a video and numerous renderings that will touch on everything Fulham Pier will embody and offer well beyond Fulham match days. In fact, the very essence of Fulham Pier is to be a unique destination every day of the year – mornings, afternoons and evenings – that will further enhance and complement what has long been a spectacular London neighbourhood where Craven Cottage has been shaped in part over the years every bit by the historic and beautiful parkland to the south, just as it has by the River Thames to the west.

A reinvented and reimagined destination, and a new way of life, will be here soon at the home of Fulham Football Club. You can be certain that we will have frequent updates throughout 2020 and into 2021, and at all times we welcome your questions or comments related to the project or your Club.

Now, back to football! Congrats to Aboubakar Kamara for his role on Friday night in a massive win for us against Queens Park Rangers, and to all of his teammates who were every bit as important in showing the resiliency and commitment to our game that will be essential in our promotion mission.  We now have the opportunity tonight to win three straight games for only the second time this campaign, and this wouldn't have been possible without our strong response midway through the first half that carried us through the balance of the match. Well done, everyone!

To all visiting fans from Derby, welcome back to Craven Cottage and thank you for making Fulham a road destination in support of the Rams. And to everyone who supports Fulham, thank you as always for your loyalty here at Craven Cottage and on the road as well. We are continually impressed and always grateful!

Thanks for reading. Come on, Fulham!



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2019/november/26/chairman-provides-riverside-stand-update


WhiteJC

Fulham v Derby County: Three point preview for clash at Craven Cottage

Fulham host Derby County in the Championship tonight, as Scott Parker's side look for third-straight win in the league.

Consecutive wins against Birmingham and QPR have landed Fulham in 4th-place of the Championship table for tonight's visit of Derby.

Parker went through a period of scrutiny last month but he looks to be winning Fulham fans over again, and they face a Derby side tonight who've not won a league game on the road since the opening day.

At Craven Cottage as well, Derby don't have the best of records – in ten visits to Fulham this century Derby have won just once, when they put five past Fulham in the EFL Cup in 2014.

Fulham will still have to be in good shape to take the win tonight, and here we preview the game in three points:

Striker headache for Parker?
In Aleksandar Mitrovic's absence on Friday, Fulham turned to Aboubakar Kamara. The Frenchman made his first league start for the club since August and nobody expected much from him against QPR.

But against the odds he won the game for Fulham, with two well-taken goals either side of half-time securing the points.

Mitrovic is available again for tonight, and whilst there's almost zero chance that Parker will leave a man who's scored 21 goals for club and country this season on the bench in place of Kamara, the latter could well join him up-front.

It might mean a slight change in tactics for Parker, but it'll be interesting to see what attack he opts with tonight.

How involved will Reid be?
Bobby Reid has struggled at Fulham this season, but he came off the bench for Fulham against QPR and changed the game. Signing on a season-long loan from Cardiff City in the summer, Reid is yet to score in 15 Championship games for Fulham.

He's been a regular starter for Parker in both midfield and up-front, but lost his starting spot for the London derby last Friday.

Now with Kamara pushing on the door for a starting spot, and the midfield-three of Stefan Johansen, Harrison Reed and Tom Cairney looking solid, Reid may well be used as a substitute again.

Leaky at the Cottage
Although Fulham have taken 17 points from nine home games this season, it's not been as much of a 'fortress' lately as Parker would hope.

Almost two-thirds of goals that Fulham have conceded this year have come at Craven Cottage – in their last two home games before the visit of QPR, Fulham lost 3-0 to Hull and conceded two to Luton.

It should give hope to a Derby side that, have not only lost their last three games on the road, but haven't scored in any of them either.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-v-derby-county-three-point-preview-for-clash-at-craven-cottage/

WhiteJC

The unsung Fulham man who's becoming integral to the team: Comment

Fulham beat Queens Park Rangers 2-1 in the Championship last Friday, and one player's performance went under the radar of most.

Scott Parker's Fulham resumed their Championship campaign with a win against London rivals QPR at Craven Cottage.

Aboubakar Kamara stepped in for the suspended Aleksandar Mitrovic and scored either side of half-time to seal the comeback win for the Whites.

It's a second-straight win for Fulham in the Championship and it's elevated them to 4th – they're now one of four teams on 29 points for the season.

Tonight they'll look for a third-straight win in the league when they host Phillip Cocu's Derby County.

Fulham showed their gritty side to come back from behind to beat QPR. Without their star man and falling behind after just three minutes, Fulham could easily have crumbled under the Craven Cottage lights and lost the game.

But they showed great character to come from behind, and proved that they have a whole team of top players. One of those players whose performance went slightly under the radar that night was Stefan Johansen's.

The Norwegian played on the left of the midfield-three and in that central position, the work that players do can often go unnoticed.

Throughout the ninety, Johansen was putting in tackles, starting attacks and generally just holding the Fulham team together really well – a typical Scott Parker midfield display if you like.

His highlights included keeping Ebere Eze quiet all game, and setting up Kamara for his and Fulham's second of the game.

The 28-year-old joined the club from Celtic in 2016 and has since been an ever-present in the side, bar from the second-half of last season which he spent on-loan at West Brom.

He's now made over 100 appearances for the club and scored 21 goals, whilst making over fifty appearances for Norway.

Going into the season, his spot in the Fulham side wasn't guaranteed. They signed a host of midfielders in the summer and it looked like Johansen would be used as more of a rotational player.

But 17 games in and Johansen has played 13 times in the Championship, starting the last three and looking like he's cementing his place in that midfield-three alongside Harrison Reed and Tom Cairney.

His contributions to the team definitely warrant more praise but it won't go unnoticed by Parker's watchful eye, and fans expect to see Johansen working the midfield for Fulham a lot more regularly this season.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/the-unsung-fulham-man-whos-becoming-integral-to-the-team-comment/