Thursday Fulham Stuff - 19/12/19...

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Michael Hector sends personal message as Fulham debut edges closer

Fulham centre-back Michael Hector has given an update on his progress as his return to the pitch with the Whites edges closer.

Hector agreed a move to Craven Cottage back in the summer although the agreement with Chelsea was made too late, meaning the former Reading man has had to wait until January in order to register with his new club.

But he has been keeping himself in peak condition in training until then, and shared another update on Tuesday evening.

Writing alongside a photograph of himself in training, Hector said on his Instagram story: "3 months done. 3 weeks to go."

It is easy to see why Scott Parker was so keen to bring the Chelsea man in during the summer given his prowess in the second tier.

Last season saw him spend the campaign on loan with Sheffield Wednesday, where he mad 39 appearances and scooped the club's Player of the Season award in the process.

Fulham have hit another rough patch of form, losing their last two matches to Bristol City and Preston North End and are now on the brink of falling out of the play-off places.

They face another tough test against Leeds United this weekend as well, with Marcelo Bielsa's men currently sat in second place and 12 points better off than Parker's men.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/michael-hector-sends-personal-message-as-fulham-debut-edges-closer/

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Leeds star available for clash v Fulham after recovering from injury setback

Liam Cooper has confirmed that he will be available for Leeds United in their Championship clash away at Fulham on Saturday.

The 28-year-old has missed Leeds' last three fixtures with a calf injury but now looks as though he could start at Craven Cottage, most likely alongside Ben White in the heart of Marcelo Bielsa's defence.

Leeds United players attended Cash for Kids Mission Christmas on Wednesday and Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Lee Sobot has shared what Cooper told him about his injury.

"Liam Cooper says he's feeling good, has been training and available for selection against Fulham," Sobot said via his personal Twitter account.

In the three games Cooper has missed, Leeds have managed to preserve their unbeaten run but their winning streak did come to an end on Saturday as they drew 3-3 with Cardiff.

It was only the second time in the Championship this season where the Whites have conceded more than one goal in a match.

Young centre-backs Pascal Struijk and Olly Casey have both played in recent games when Cooper has been absent but it is likely that he will now return to the side with Struijk – who came off the bench versus Cardiff – dropping out.

It remains to be seen whether Cooper will start but Bielsa might be thinking about a defensive change after the shambles of last weekend and the Scotland international could well be thrown straight in.



https://motleedsnews.com/matchday/leeds-star-available-for-clash-v-fulham-after-recovering-from-injury-setback/

[WhiteJC]

Leeds United set for significant selection boost as Fulham test awaits

Leeds United have been handed a selection boost ahead of the weekend's clash with Fulham.

Liam Cooper has been struggling with a calf strain of late meaning that he's missed the last three fixtures for Marcelo Bielsa's side.

That includes Saturday's dramatic 3-3 draw with Cardiff City.

But with another huge clash coming up this weekend, the Whites have been boosted by the news that the skipper is set to return.

The news was revealed by Leeds Live editor Joe Mewis who took to social media to share the positive news.

He Tweeted: "Spoke to Liam Cooper who said he is available for selection on Saturday at Fulham. He'll be taking part in this afternoon's Murderball session."

The news of Cooper's return will be a massive boost to Marcelo Bielsa's side who will be keen to get back to winning ways against promotion contenders Fulham.

The verdict

Liam Cooper's imminent return is a real boost for Leeds United.

The defender is the ultimate leader for Marcelo Bielsa's side and his absence has certainly been felt during the last three fixtures.

The hope will be that his level of influence will help the Whites get back to winning ways against a dangerous Fulham side.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/leeds-united-set-for-significant-selection-boost-as-fulham-test-awaits/

[WhiteJC]

Last Chance For UK Delivery

Last chance to find the perfect gift this Christmas!

Supporters in the UK have until Friday 20th December, when choosing express delivery, to order their Fulham gifts online to ensure they arrive for Christmas. 

From Home & Away Kits, Training Wear or the new FFC x COPA collection and plenty of stocking fillers, you're certain to find the perfect gift for any Fulham fan this festive season.

As Christmas gets closer, the Stadium Store at Craven Cottage will run extended opening hours, and for supporters looking to shop online please pay attention to delivery deadlines in order to ensure your gifts arrive on time.

Happy shopping!

UK Final Posting Dates:

    Thursday 19th December - Royal Mail Standard (3-5 working days)
    Friday 20th December - Royal Mail Tracked (1-2 working days)

Stadium Store Opening Times

    Monday 16th December: 0900-2000
    Tuesday 17th December: 0900-2000
    Wednesday 18th December: 0900-2000
    Thursday 19th December: 0900-2000
    Friday 20th December: 0900-2000
    Saturday 21st December: 0900-1745 (Matchday: Fulham v Leeds United)
    Sunday 22nd December: 1100-1600
    Monday 23rd December: 0900- 1700
    Tuesday 24th December: 0900-1500 (Christmas Eve)



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2019/december/18/last-chance---christmas-store

[WhiteJC]

Win A Pair Of Season Tickets Every Day Until Christmas Eve

EVERY DAY until Christmas Eve, Sky Bet EFL Rewards are giving away a pair of Season Tickets and it's this easy to get involved...

1. Download the app if you haven't already done so!

2. Click the competition banner on the home screen

3. Fill in your details and choose someone special to split your pair of Fulham Season Tickets with

4. Share the competition with friends, family and fellow Whites fans to get them to enter and choose you too, for a maximum chance at bagging you both this incredible prize.

Best of luck!



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2019/december/18/win-season-tickets-every-day-until-christmas-eve

[WhiteJC]

'Ranieri mark 2', 'Uninspiring' – Plenty of Fulham fans react as fresh managerial debate is sparked

Fulham host Leeds United this weekend, as Scott Parker's side look to avoid a fourth-straight defeat in Championship.

Four-straight wins through November could well be followed by four-straight losses in December.

Despite their awful form entering the festive period though, Fulham have managed to hold on to a top-six spot, and go into their game against 2nd-placed Leeds in 6th – only two points separate the teams in the play-offs.

A lot of Fulham fans though think that a change is imminent. Parker could well be shown the door in his first full-season in football management if his side lose heavily on Saturday, and some have an idea of who they want to replace him.

One fan account on Twitter has suggested former Brighton & Hove Albion manager Chris Hughton – the 61-year-old has won promotion from the Championship as a manager with both Newcastle and Brighton and has been out of work since May.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/ranieri-mark-2-uninspiring-plenty-of-fulham-fans-react-as-fresh-managerial-debate-is-sparked/

[WhiteJC]

Festive Hospitality Offer v Reading

Watch Fulham in style this festive period, with hospitality packages available from just £130+VAT per person at Fulham Palace, as Fulham face three matches in seven days at Craven Cottage.

A range of packages are available to purchase at all three of our festive fixtures, as Fulham welcome Stoke City (Sunday 29th December) Reading on New Year's Day, and Premier League side Aston Villa in The Emirates FA Cup (Saturday 4th January).

Fulham Palace Hospitality Offer v Reading

Kick-off 2020 in style with Hospitality on New Year's Day and enjoy our special festive offer when Fulham host the Royals.

With pre-match Hospitality at Fulham Palace, you'll make your way to Craven Cottage to watch all the action unfold. At this match only, a pair of seats can be purchased for £250 (inc. VAT).

Your package includes:

    First Team Player appearance
    Lounge hosted by Fulham record goalscorer Gordon Davies
    Prosecco on arrival
    Hot and cold buffet served pre-match
    Pre-match inclusive beer, wine and soft drinks
    Seats in the Putney End to watch the match
    Matchday programmes and team sheets per guest
    Complimentary half-time drink from the Putney End concourse

For more information, please email [email protected] or call +44 (0) 20 8336 7555.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2019/december/18/festive-hospitality-offer-v-reading

[WhiteJC]

MOT View: Leeds can pile misery on Scott Parker as Fulham boss shows signs of pressure

Leeds United have a real chance to pile the misery on Fulham manager Scott Parker this weekend when they travel to Craven Cottage.

Fulham have lost three Championship matches in a row and have found themselves dropping from third in the table to sixth – 12 points behind second-placed Leeds.

Fulham were tipped as one of the main challengers to Leeds and West Brom in the automatic promotion spots but consecutive defeats at the hands of Bristol City, Preston and Brentford has really dented that theory.

Now, the Cottagers face a tough clash against Leeds, who are unbeaten in their last 11 matches and will no doubt be eager to bounce back after their disappointing draw with Cardiff on Saturday.

Ahead of that match, Parker has shown signs that there could be a bit of pressure getting to him due to Fulham's faltering bid to secure an instant return to the Premier League.

"In football you can lose two on the bounce or three on the bounce but the perception and maybe the world we are in today, it's one loss and fingers are pointed," said Parker, as quoted by LeedsLive.

"You can see there's a little bit of a confidence issue at this moment in time.

"But I'm not going to point a finger at any one of those players. It's a slight blip. The reality is we still sit sixth in the league, three points off third."

Fingers are certainly being pointed by a section of Fulham fans lately.

Some supporters of the London club have taken to Twitter to call for the manager's head amid this poor run of form with faith being lost in him to take the side back to the top-flight.

Even though it is a tough game against Leeds, unforgiving Fulham fans may grow louder at the weekend if the Yorkshire club picks up all three points at Craven Cottage.

It is Leeds' job to ensure that happens.

Although the Whites dropped to second on Saturday to fall behind West Brom in the race for the Championship title, there is still a 10-point gap between them and third-placed Preston.

There is no pressure on Leeds just yet and that gap, even though it is on the middle of December, is certainly a healthy one.

The pressure will be on Fulham this weekend, not Leeds, and Marcelo Bielsa's men need to take advantage of that.



https://motleedsnews.com/comment/mot-view-leeds-can-pile-misery-on-scott-parker-as-fulham-boss-shows-signs-of-pressure/

[WhiteJC]

3 Fulham youngsters who could make a breakthrough in 2020

The New Year is fast approaching and plenty of young footballers up and down the country will be hoping that 2020 be their year.

Fulham's festive period couldn't have got off to a worse start – Scott Parker's side have played three games this month and have lost all three, and next play host to 2nd-place Leeds United at the weekend.

January will mark a fresh start for Parker and his side and they'll be hoping to recover from this losing form, and reassert their stance in the Championship's top-six which has grown ever-tighter.

But will we see any new stars make a mark at Craven Cottage next year? Here we take a look at three Fulham prospects who could make a breakthrough in 2020:

Steven Sessegnon

Twin brother of Tottenham's Ryan, Steven has been in and out of Parker's first-team this season. He's made eight Championship appearances so far this season, having featured for the development squad on occasion after persistent injuries have hindered his opportunities in the first-team.

Everyone at the club rates him very highly. He's similar to Ryan in that he's a full-back with plenty of attacking prowess but he's not quite lived up to the hype that Ryan did in his time at the club, and fans are eagerly awaiting to see him in action more often.

2020 could well be his year at Fulham, and he'd give the whole crowd a massive boost if he has half the ability of his brother.

Jay Stansfield

One Fulham youngster who's caused a bit of a stir this year is Jay Stansfield. The 18-year-old scored 17 goals in 11 appearances for the club's U18 side before being promoted to the development squad, where he scored on his debut at the end of last month.

Plenty of Fulham fans have taken notice of the striker and many think that he's worth a punt in the first-team. Still a juvenile footballer though, Fulham will want to take their time with Stansfield's progression and 2020 may be the year that he makes his highly-anticipated debut for Fulham.

Marlon Fossey

A teammate of both Stansfield and Sessegnon, right-back Marlon Fossey has now been involved in the Fulham development squad for the past three seasons.

The Los Angeles-born Fossey is a representative of the USA at U20 level and now aged 21, is looking to make his mark on the first-team at Craven Cottage.

He missed most of last season's Premier League 2 campaign having picked up a long-term injury at the beginning of the season, but he's worked hard on his recovery and having featured three times for Fulham U23 this term, is edging towards that his debut for the Fulham first-team.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/3-fulham-youngsters-who-could-make-a-breakthrough-in-2020/

[WhiteJC]

FFCtv Festive Bundle

Overseas supporters can watch a live stream of Fulham's next four fixtures, for the special price of just £15!

Our FFCtv Festive Bundle – which is on sale now – gives you full access to live video streams of Fulham's EFL Championship games against Leeds United, Luton Town, Stoke City and Reading.

Save against purchasing individual Match Passes for these fixtures and guarantee your ticket to watch all the festive action unfold, with the passes beginning at Fulham v Leeds United from Saturday 21st December until Wednesday 1st January, for the Fulham v Reading fixture.

Fans will be able to watch matches on their desktop/laptop online at tv.fulhamfc.com, and on their mobile/tablet via the FFCtv App – available to download on the Apple App Store & Google Play Store.

Secure your Festive Bundle now online at tv.fulhamfc.com

The Festive Bundle covers the above dates and will not auto-renew at the conclusion of the subscription. As usual, individual Match Passes will become available closer to each fixture. Festive Bundle available to overseas fans only.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2019/december/18/ffctv-festive-bundle

[WhiteJC]

'Big news' – Exclusive: Whelan claims Bielsa plotting 'Huge' change to Leeds XI

Liam Cooper will be restored to the Leeds United starting XI against Fulham on Saturday, according to Noel Whelan.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-United striker claims the skipper will replace Gaetano Berardi in the team "without a shadow of a doubt".

The Whites skipper has missed United's last three games with a calf strain but the centre-back revealed today, as quoted by Leeds Live, he has been training for the past two days and is in contention to feature at Craven Cottage.

"It's a huge boost to have Liam back," Whelan told Football Insider. "He will come straight back into the side, without a shadow of a doubt.

"We are very much lacking a top header of the ball at the back and that was the killer against Cardiff last Saturday.

"Cardiff knew Leeds' weakness was balls into the box from crosses and set-pieces, and they were far more dominant in those areas.

"It's big news that Liam's fit again. He is more aggressive and dominant in the air than the other Leeds defenders.

"Berardi will drop out of the team, and Liam and Ben White will pair up again to combine in what is the best centre-back partnership in the Championship."

Cooper has started 13 of United's 22 league matches this season, and come on twice as a substitute.

But he has suffered a series of niggling injuries over the past two months, which has forced Bielsa to regularly reshuffle his defence and pair Ben White with Berardi.



https://www.footballinsider247.com/whelan-claims-bielsa-plotting-huge-leeds-united-change/

[WhiteJC]

Rarely-seen Leeds duo in training ahead of Fulham clash

Leeds United go into the clash against Fulham on Saturday looking to bounce back from the disappointment against Cardiff City.

Marcelo Bielsa's men threw away a three-goal lead in the final half-an-hour at Elland Road to draw against the Bluebirds 3-3.

The winning run may have come to an end, but Leeds still remain unbeaten in 11 games, having not lost since October against Millwall.

Now the Whites are entering the most important stage of the season over Christmas. Leeds have games against Fulham, Preston North End, and West Brom in the space of three weeks.

Leeds released a video on their official LUTV app on Tuesday inside their training, and it was two academy stars that caught the eye.

Both Jordan Stevens and Leif Davis were involved in the first-team build-up ahead of the trip to Fulham on Saturday. The likes of Jack Clarke and Robbie Gotts were nowhere to be seen despite their recent inclusions on the bench.

Marcelo Bielsa was seen giving out instructions as captain Liam Cooper also returned to training and looked sharp in the three-minute video.

Davis has come off the bench on three occasions this season towards the end of games, but Stevens has yet to feature at all for the first-team in this campaign.

We were at the Lancashire FA Stadium on Monday as the under-23s swept aside Bolton 5-1. Davis was not included but Stevens completed 45 minutes, which could both be signs that they will at least be on the bench at Craven Cottage.



https://motleedsnews.com/players/rarely-seen-leeds-united-duo-in-training-ahead-of-fulham-clash/

[WhiteJC]

91 appearances for Fulham between 2008-11: What's John Paintsil up to these days?

John Paintsil is a name that'll resonate with Fulham fans – he played 91 times for the club between 2008 and 2011. But what's he up to now?

A right-back with pace, power and a fine right-peg, Paintsil was a defender before his time.

He moved to Fulham from West Ham in 2008 and would go on to enjoy his best career spell at Craven Cottage, playing an important role in the Fulham side that reached the final of the 2010 Europa League under Roy Hodgson.

Paintsil's also one of Ghana's most capped players with 89 to his name between 2001 and 2013, having reached the last 16 of the World Cup in 2006 and the quarter-finals in 2010.

After leaving Fulham in 2011 upon the expiry of his contract he was snapped up by Sven-Goran Eriksson's Leicester City where he endured a tough campaign blighted by injury, before moving to Israel with Hapoel Tel Aviv in 2012.

A short stint in Israel brought Paintsil back to Africa where he signed for South African side Santos at the end of 2013.

His time at Santos was again short-lived and he signed for Maritzburg United in 2014, also in South Africa's Premier Soccer League.

That proved to be Paintsil's last transfer and after an alleged training ground dispute with the Maritzburg manager, Paintsil was released by the club in early 2016 and soon after retired from playing.

But no less than three days after doing so, Paintsil would have a new role – assistant manager at four-time South African champions Kaizer Chiefs, a position which he still holds today.

A memorable name of the game and one that seemingly disappeared of the face of the footballing world, but Fulham fans will be pleased to see that he landed on his feet.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/91-appearances-for-fulham-between-2008-11-whats-john-paintsil-up-to-these-days/

[WhiteJC]

3 reasons why Fulham are right to stick with Scott Parker

Fulham have had an indifferent first-half of the campaign, and they would have probably hoped to have been higher in the table then what they currently are.

The Cottagers have lost their last three games in all competitions and that has seen them drop down the table from 3rd to 6th. Pressure is starting to mount on manager Scott Parker as expectations at Craven Cottage are sky high after their summer transfer business.

With Saturday's game against high-flying Leeds another tough fixture, here's THREE reasons why Fulham are right to stick with Parker...

Stability is key
In any job in football the key for success is stability, Fulham have had a habit in recent years of changing their manager around and hopefully they don't do the same this season.

Parker is still learning and finding his feet within the game, he'll make mistakes, as will his players but he's already shown in his brief stint as manager that he can bounce back from a brief poor run of form.

Give him the January window
With the January transfer window coming up, it is vital to allow him to have this time and see what he can do potentially change the squad ahead of huge next five months.

Parker will now know the squad better than anyone else at Fulham, and in football nowadays you have to be given some time to sort out the problems that are occurring. If he can bring in a couple of players in various positions to help out the cause, then that could see them start picking up results again.

Michael Hector coming in
Many supporters are forgetting that he's technically already done some Championship business and one of those coming in is Hector. He was very impressive at Sheffield Wednesday last season, and will be a massive boost for the Cottagers.

Alfie Mawson and Tim Ream have come in for some criticism of late, but with the defensive prowess of Hector, that might just end up being a season defining addition.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/3-reasons-why-fulham-are-right-to-stick-with-scott-parker/

[WhiteJC]

Referee for Leeds United's trip to Fulham confirmed - and it's a familiar face

Could this appointment be a good omen for Leeds United?

The referee appointments for the weekend have been released and Leeds United fans looking for a good sign following the disappointment of the draw with Cardiff can take some comfort in the form of the official who will take charge at Craven Cottage.

The man in charge on Saturday will be Tim Robinson from West Sussex. This will be the seventh time he has been the referee during Marcelo Bielsa's tenure and the Argentine is yet to lose a game that Robinson has taken charge of.

During the last two seasons he has overseen four wins and two draws, most recently the goalless draw against Sheffield Wednesday at Elland Road in October. He was also the man in black for Leeds United's 4-0 home victory over West Brom last season.

In the total of 12 games he has taken charge of involving Leeds United since the 2013/14 season, he has never sent off a Whites' player and has shown them 23 yellow cards.

It's not all good news though - Leeds United's trip to Birmingham on 29 December will be refereed by Keith Stroud. Fans still haven't forgiven the Hampshire-born official for failing to award a penalty after Patrick Bamford was fouled in the crucial game against Brentford last season.



https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/referee-leeds-uniteds-trip-fulham-17440318

[WhiteJC]

3 errors that Fulham have made in 2019

Despite starting the season strongly under Scott Parker, Fulham have experienced a slight dip in form in the past few weeks.

The west London side have lost three of their last five league outings, thus seeing them slip further down the Championship standings, albeit it still remaining within the play-off places.

Much of their poor form has been down to various defensive defects, with the Cottagers having been guilty of giving the ball away far too often within their own half.

Add to this their over-reliance on star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic to score the goals, and the Whites certainly have some obvious weak areas that need addressing ahead of the second half of the campaign.

Here, we take an in-depth look at THREE errors that Fulham have made throughout the year of 2019...

Not selling on some of their deadwood
One error that Fulham have made in particular is not making more of a concerted effort to offload some of their high earners this term, with the likes of Jean Michael Seri and André Zambo Anguissa still on the west London club's books after largely ineffectual showings in the Premier League last term.

Parker should look to address this issue in the January transfer window by offloading these high earners, as it will, in theory, free up more wages for the Fulham boss to utilise when looking to negotiate deals for new signings.

Failed to establish who is their number one goalkeeper
The Whites are still yet to really establish which man is to be their number one goalkeeper this term, with the likes of Marcus Bettinelli and Marek Rodak having both been given runs in the side under Parker so far this campaign.

This leaves obvious question marks over which keeper is considered to be the club's first choice and it will be something that the manager will want to establish, as the consistency of having a clear number one has been proven to considerably aid a side's promotion bid, as we saw with the Whites when they got promoted back in 2018.

Hasn't reinforced at centre back
Despite bringing in Michael Hector from Chelsea, it is fair to say that the Whites haven't made enough of a concerted effort to reinforce their backline, with only Messrs Alfie Mawson, Maxime Le Marchand and Tim Ream having been available to the Whites boss so far.

Le Marchand has been woeful since arriving at Craven Cottage and Parker may wish to bring in a more experienced central defender to add some much-needed leadership qualities to proceedings, with the Whites often found lacking in terms of organisation in defence.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/3-errors-that-fulham-have-made-in-2019/

[WhiteJC]

Cooper to start? Predicted 4-1-4-1 Leeds XI to face Fulham

Leeds United vs Fulham Prediction: Leeds United line-up

Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds United travel to Fulham on Saturday hoping to bounce back to winning ways in the Championship.

The Whites threw away a three-goal lead against Cardiff City last weekend to play out a 3-3 draw at Elland Road in the Championship. They still sit second in the table and boast a ten-point advantage over third-placed Preston North End.

Fulham, meanwhile, come into this contest on the back of three consecutive defeats, with the last one coming at Brentford last weekend.

Team News

Liam Cooper has missed the club's last three games with a calf strain but is likely to be fit for the upcoming fixture.

Leeds United players celebrate after scoring against Charlton Athletic. (Getty Images)

Jamie Shackleton and Tyler Roberts are recovering from muscular and hamstring injuries respectively, while Adam Forshaw's hip injury has lingered on.
Probable Leeds United XI
Formation: 4-1-4-1
Manager: Marcelo Bielsa
Kiko Casilla (GK)

Casilla was at fault for Cardiff's opening goal last weekend, which started the visitors' comeback. The Spaniard will look to redeem himself against Fulham.
Luke Ayling (RB)

Ayling has been in good form and deserves to keep his place at right-back.

Ben White (CB)

One of Leeds' best players this season, White will have to be at his best to keep the Fulham attackers at bay.
Liam Cooper (CB)

Cooper is expected to be fit after missing the last three games. He'll walk straight back into Leeds' starting XI.
Stuart Dallas (LB)

Given his current form, Dallas just cannot be dropped from the starting XI.
Kalvin Phillips (CDM)

A smart player, Phillips is indispensable to Bielsa and that should see him retain his place in the holding role.
Jack Harrison (LW)

Harrison has been in really good form of late and will be keen to deliver the goods against Fulham.
Mateusz Klich (LCM)

Klich adds a lot of energy to the Whites' engine room. He's also a goal threat and must keep his place in the team.
Pablo Hernandez (RCM)

The veteran Spaniard is a creative player who'll be crucial in opening up Fulham's defence.
Helder Costa (RW)

Scored the opener against Cardiff last weekend and will be aiming to get himself on the score sheet again.
Patrick Bamford (ST)

Bamford scored a brace against Cardiff that had Leeds flying before the visitors stunned Elland Road by pinching a point. Nonetheless, he is expected to lead the attack on Saturday.

https://soccersouls.com/leeds-united-vs-fulham-prediction-leeds-united-line-up/

[WhiteJC]

Aleksandar Mitrovic's strengths and weaknesses - and how Leeds United can stop him

United face the Championship's top scorer this season, but how can they limit his threat


Aleksandar Mitrovic is Fulham's dangerman

Leeds United's festive schedule kicks off this weekend with a tough trip to Fulham, as Marcelo Bielsa's men look to bounce back from the disappointing 3-3 draw with Cardiff City last time out.

An uncharacteristically sloppy final half hour against the Bluebirds saw Leeds ship in three goals as Neil Harris' side left West Yorkshire with a point.

Leeds still boast the best defensive record in the Championship, but they will again be tested this weekend when they make the trip to Craven Cottage where they will face the division's leading goalscorer in Aleksandar Mitrovic.

The Serbian international has been on target 16 times this season, but what should Leeds be expecting from him?

And how can they stop him?

We take a closer look.

Strengths

Standing at 6ft2in, Mitrovic is an imposing figure and acts as the perfect target and focal point of Fulham's attacks.

Despite his height, he isn't necessarily a player that you look to solely play lofted balls towards, although he does boast a decent aerial duel success rate of 37.5% which ranks 16th out of the 65 Championship strikers who have played 500+ league minutes this season.

But Fulham tend to play a possession focussed game, and Mitrovic is integral to that. His link-up play is superb, and he is apt at receiving passes, using his strength to hold off opposition defenders before laying the ball off to supporting team-mates around him.

In fact, his pass success rate of 84.68% is the highest of any of those aforementioned 65 Championship strikers this season.

Whilst his build-up play is noteworthy, it is, of course, his goal-scoring abilities that really stands out. His tally of 16 league goals is the best return in the Championship this season.

A key reason for this high goal return is due to the frequent number of shots he takes per game. His average of 3.41 shots per 90 minutes is the highest average number of shots from any striker in the division.

Weaknesses

As a striker, Mitrovic boasts a well-rounded game. However, there are some notable flaws that Leeds can look to use to their benefit.

One of which can be taking advantage of his overzealous nature when he is looking to win the ball back. Fulham are one of the most aggressive pressing sides in the division, meaning that Mitrovic will often be relied upon to be the first man pressing the ball when his side look to win possession in advanced areas.

However, his robust nature in actioning the same does sometimes see him give away cheap fouls. In fact, his average of 1.8 fouls conceded per 90 minutes ranks him inside the top 20 most penalised Championship forwards. These fouls can relieve pressure on the opposing defensive line and take the sting out of Fulham's pressing game.

As already alluded to, Mitrovic is skilled in terms of his link-up play, however he doesn't possess a great amount of dribbling ability. His average of 3.54 attempted dribbles per 90 minutes is mid-ranking when compared to his fellow forwards in the division.

This means when the Serbian is isolated, he can struggle to carve open goal scoring opportunities for himself.

Additionally, the forward is extremely one-footed, almost always favouring shots with his right foot and not his left. This is highlighted by the fact that not one of his 16 league goals this season have come from his least favoured left foot.

How Leeds can stop him and which player is best suited to the task

Based on the above, it would seem the best cause of action to limit Mitrovic's threat would be too pressure him on the ball and look to cut off his passing angles. Leeds are statistically the best pressing side in the division so they should do this in a relatively accomplished manner.

When he is isolated away from team-mates, it will be important to try and show him onto his left foot, thus limiting his shooting threat.

It will also be crucial to identify the best Leeds defender to battle with Mitrovic in 1v1 duels both on the ground and in the air.

The player best suited on the day to deal with his threat will most likely be Liam Cooper. The Leeds captain has missed the last three matches with a calf strain but will be a welcome return on the weekend.

The 28-year-old has been United's top-performing defender according to the data this season.

His defensive duel success rate of 78.9% betters his centre-back team-mates, as does his prowess in the air, boasting an aerial duel success rate of 59.83%. His role on the day could be huge in terms of stunting the threat of Fulham's key danger man.



https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/aleksandar-mitrovics-strengths-weaknesses-how-17438884

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BBC pundit expects Leeds to make this switch in Fulham clash

Saturday's 3-3 draw was the first time where Leeds United would have accepted that they missed Liam Cooper in his latest absence.

That isn't a complaint towards the Scotsman. It is more praise towards Gaetano Berardi who played vital roles in wins over Hull City and Huddersfield Town.

Cardiff's aerial dominance came into play in the recent collapse though, and many believed that would not have happened should Cooper have been fully fit.

Noel Whelan admitted that he expects Leeds' captain to return immediately to the starting line up on Saturday against Fulham.

"It's a huge boost to have Liam back," the BBC pundit told Football Insider.

"He will come straight back into the side, without a shadow of a doubt.

"We are very much lacking a top header of the ball at the back and that was the killer against Cardiff last Saturday. Cardiff knew Leeds' weakness was balls into the box from crosses and set-pieces, and they were far more dominant in those areas.

"It's big news that Liam's fit again. He is more aggressive and dominant in the air than the other Leeds defenders.

"Berardi will drop out of the team, and Liam and Ben White will pair up again to combine in what is the best centre-back partnership in the Championship."

There is no doubting Cooper's relationship with Ben White – the duo at the heart of Leeds having the best defensive record in Europe's top five divisions and the football league.

Whelan is spot on to suggest that he will come straight back into the side at Craven Cottage. Leeds lacked leadership against Cardiff last time out, and that is exactly what the 28-year-old brings in abundance.



https://motleedsnews.com/players/bbc-pundit-expects-bielsa-to-make-this-leeds-united-switch-in-fulham-clash/

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Parker set up to struggle at Fulham this season back in the summer: Comment

Scott Parker is staring down the barrel of a fourth-straight Championship defeat at Fulham and with his future on the line, it's time to reflect on the 'impossible job' that he took on.

There was no grace in Fulham's fall back down to the Championship this season – it was more of a plummet if truth be told. Parker was the unlucky man who was given the task of firing Fulham straight back into the promised land but as the season nears its midway point, the size and severity of the job has quickly been realised.

It was a promotion that'd been years in the making. Fulham, a once-proud Premier League team had spent one season too many in the second-tier and sang their hearts out like never before as they edged Aston Villa in the 2018 play-off final.

Their four-year hiatus in the Championship seemed like a scuff on their otherwise illustrious 140-year history and to ensure it remained just that, the Khan's of Fulham spent over £100 million on players.

That's right – the Khan's were the ones who brought the likes of Zambo Anguissa, Jean Michael Seri and Alfie Mawson to Craven Cottage, not Slavisa Jokanovic, the man who actually got Fulham into the Premier League... and that's where the problems began for Fulham.

Jokanovic was sacked in November last year with his (or rather Tony Khan's) Fulham side winless in seven and dead last in the Premier League, only to be replaced by Claudio Ranieri and eventually Scott Parker before relegation, and the latter is the unfortunate one who's been left to pick up the pieces.

Fulham's calamitous transfer dealings in the last 18-months has succumbed them to a Championship future with no end in sight and Parker, a club legend, was thrown into the ring to take the inevitable backlash of their short-comings.

Parker was set-up to fail the minute he took the job and now, ten months and 33 games into his tenure, it looks like he could be heading on his way if results don't differ.

His summer preparations were focused on how many he could get out of the club rather than in and because of that, he's been forced to make full use of the loan-market. Whilst the likes of Ivan Cavaleiro and Anthony Knockaert have come in for the season and talisman Aleksandar Mitrovic has stayed for another, it's still not 'Parker's Fulham'.

If Parker were to be sacked on Monday it wouldn't come as much of a surprise to Fulham fans – he's given it a good go under the circumstances but at the end of the day, the Khan's run the rule at Craven Cottage.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/parker-set-up-to-struggle-at-fulham-this-season-back-in-the-summer-comment/