Tuesday Fulham Stuff - 28/01/20...

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Sess: Whatever It Takes

Steven Sessegnon was pleased to get an opportunity to test himself against Europe's elite on Sunday, but won't be dwelling long on the events of the Etihad.

A trip to Manchester City was always going to represent a stern test of Fulham's credentials in the Emirates FA Cup – and the cause wasn't helped when we were reduced to 10 men with under six minutes played.

"It's an amazing stadium, amazing team, amazing manager," Sessegnon admitted. "It was definitely an experience I won't forget, but we need to move forward from here.

"We had a gameplan going into it, and when the sending off happens you know we've got to do something different to survive here.

"We tried, and I thought we did well considering, but it was a tough one for sure.

"It was going to be tough enough playing against them with 11 men, so the shift we had to put in ended up being 10 times harder."

Whites fans have predominantly seen Sessegnon slot in at right-back, but the 19-year-old occupied a role in the middle of the park at the weekend.

"It was something I'd done in my younger years, and I enjoyed every moment of it," he said. "Getting on the ball and getting up the pitch, things like that.

"It was good. Of course it was tough, but I did the best I could."

Now out of the cup competitions, full attentions turn back to the Sky Bet Championship campaign.

"We've narrowed the gap, and we've shown the last few weeks that we can do whatever it takes to win games, with some scrappy 1-0 wins," Sessegnon stated.

"Now we've got every reason to push on and pick up points to push us even closer to the automatics."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/january/27/steven-sessegnon-whatever-it-takes

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1 winner and 1 loser at Fulham if club clinches deal for versatile sweeper

Tottenham Hotspur youngster Cameron Carter-Vickers is seemingly a target for a host of Championship clubs this month, with Teamtalk reporting that the 22-year-old is of interest to promotion contenders Fulham.

The American defender previously spent the first half of the campaign on loan at Stoke City, playing regularly under the club's former boss Nathan Jones before subsequently falling out of favour under the stewardship of the newly installed Michael O'Neill.

A versatile defender, Carter-Vickers boasts a career to date that has been laced with Championship experience, with the sweeper getting game time for the likes of Ipswich Town, Swansea City and Sheffield United.

With regular minutes likely to be rarity under Jose Mourinho at Spurs, another temporary move seemingly beckons for the 22-year-old this month as he looks to maintain his presence in the American national team, for whom he has several caps.

Here, we take a look at ONE winner and ONE loser at Fulham if the club completes a deal for Carter-Vickers....

Winner

Denis Odoi
The defender would surely be the main beneficiary of any deal being agreed for Carter-Vickers as it would allow the 31-year-old to revert back to his preferred position of centre back, with the veteran having been deployed largely as a full-back by Scott Parker this term.

Carter-Vickers is capable of playing anywhere along the back four, meaning that he could potentially make the right back slot his own over the coming weeks if he doesn't get a foot hold at centre back for the Whites.

Loser

Steven Sessegnon
The young defender has already found his game time limited this term under Parker and the potential arrival of Carter-Vickers at Craven Cottage could put paid to the teenager being afforded more regular game time by his manager.

Sessegnon is sure to be aware that he needs to knuckle down in order to nail down a starting spot for the Cottagers over the coming months, otherwise he is at risk of slipping even further down the pecking order.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/1-winner-and-1-loser-at-fulham-if-club-clinches-deal-for-versatile-sweeper/

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Jean-Kevin Augustin: Leeds sign Leipzig striker on loan

Jean-Kevin Augustin has scored 18 goals in 62 matches for RB Leipzig

Leeds United have signed RB Leipzig striker Jean-Kevin Augustin on loan until the end of the season.

The 22-year-old came through the youth system at Paris St-Germain and made 28 appearances for the French champions before joining Leipzig in 2017.

He spent the first half of this campaign on loan at Monaco, but only started four games.

The France youth international has played in the Champions League and Europa League with Leipzig.

He is Leeds' third signing of the January transfer window along with Elia Caprile and Ian Poveda.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51267339

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Fulham's Automatic Promotion Push Back On According to Former Player

Former Fulham FC midfielder Robert Wilson believes his former side are right back in the frame for an automatic promotion spot.

Before Christmas it already looked set as to which sides were going up automatically from the Championship. Both West Brom and Leeds were breezing teams aside and the only question left was as to who would come out as champions.

However with West Brom winless in six in the league and Leeds winning just once in as many games, Fulham's bid for automatic promotion is back on again.

The Cottagers fell to a 4-0 away defeat in the FA Cup away to Premier League champions Manchester City but ex-Fulham player Robert Wilson is upbeat about the rest of their season:

"I know what Scott's like and I'm sure he'd have liked to have made a better representation of ourselves in terms of going go toe-to-toe with them.

"But the focal point of the season, with a good run and the bad run of West Brom and Leeds has got us back into the frame.

"One defeat in eight and we've got a very big February coming up. Seven games in twenty-nine days, four at home and three away and we've got some very winnable games there especially at home. We need to keep the pressure on them two above us and likewise Brentford who are in and around us.

We've got ourselves back in the situation where the top two was completely out of our grasp probably maybe six or seven games ago but with their [Leeds and West Brom] downturn of form it gives us an opportunity.

Fulham's recent run of 10 points from their last five games, which sees them just three points off second-placed Leeds, comes without some of their best players.

"With the squad we've got and the injured players coming back to play in the coming weeks like Mitro, Kamara and Knockaert, and possibly an odd signing or two in the next week or two, we're right back in the frame."

Listen to The Final Whistle on Love Sport Radio, every Sunday 6-8 PM.



https://www.lovesportradio.com/news/love-sport-exclusives/fulhams-automatic-promotion-push-back-on-according-to-former-player/

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Derby, Fulham, Huddersfield and Middlesbrough interested in Tottenham's Cameron Carter-Vickers

According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham Hotspur's Cameron Carter-Vickers is attracting attention from four Championship clubs.

The defender spent the first half of the campaign at Stoke City, but has returned to Tottenham in the hope of securing a move elsewhere. Carter-Vickers lost his place in the Potters setup under new manager Michael O'Neill, and hadn't been involved in the matchday squad since November.

Fulham, Derby, Huddersfield and Middlesbrough have all been reportedly linked with a loan move for Carter-Vickers, with all four clubs looking to tighten up at the back for different reasons. With Fulham chasing automatic promotion, Derby and Boro hoping to make a late surge for the Play-Offs and Huddersfield hoping to stay in the division.

A number of clubs across Europe are also scouting the 22-year old, however, it is believed he would be ideally looking to stay in England. He has played for Championship teams in each of the three last seasons, with loan moves away to Sheffield United, Ipswich Town, Swansea City and most recently Stoke City.

Another temporary move away from Spurs could become a permanent one too, with Jose Mourinho prepared to let the centre-back depart if their asking price is met.

He is far down the pecking order at present, with Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld, Davinson Sanchez, Juan Foyth and new boy on the block Japhet Tanganga ahead of him.

Despite being born in Southend, Carter-Vickers is an eight-time United States international, and more regular playing time could help him to build on that tally.



https://the72.co.uk/155694/derby-fulham-huddersfield-and-middlesbrough-interested-in-tottenhams-cameron-carter-vickers/

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'This shouldn't be a priority' – Fulham eye Tottenham player as deadline looms: The verdict

This article is part of Football League World's 'The Verdict' series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Fulham are in the running to sign Cameron Carter-Vickers on loan from Tottenham but reportedly face competition from the likes of QPR, Derby County and Middlesbrough, according to TEAMtalk.

The centre-back was recently recalled from a loan spell at Stoke City and is expected to go back out on loan as he appears to have no future at Spurs, where he is well down the pecking order of centre-backs under Jose Mourinho.

So would Carter-Vickers prove a good signing for Fulham and is he needed by Scott Parker's side?

We discuss.........

Ben Lang
"Carter-Vickers has proven in previous loan spells that he can provide solid depth for Championship sides, but I'm not convinced the Tottenham man is what Fulham need at the moment.

"The Cottagers may have looked shaky at the back at times during the first half of the season, but they have already strengthened their defensive ranks this window by adding Michael Hector and Terence Kongolo.

"Hector's presence has made Scott Parker's back line look much more stable in recent weeks, so it is somewhat surprising to see the West London outfit targeting another defensive figure before the end of the month.

"However, if Fulham deem that they need another centre-back before the window slams shut then Carter-Vickers would be a solid option to provide cover for the current defenders at the club."

Ned Holmes
"Carter-Vickers is a quality defender but I'd question whether this is a deal that Fulham need to get done.

"Michael Hector became available for them at the start of January and has made an impressive start to life at Craven Cottage.

"In Tim Ream and Alfie Mawson, Scott Parker has two solid Championship central defenders, while Denis Odoi is comfortable providing cover at the position and Terrence Kongolo has joined on loan.

"The arrival of Carter-Vickers would certainly provide them with more depth but I'd question whether he goes straight into the starting XI and whether his addition is necessary.

"If I'm honest, I don't think it is!"

Chris Thorpe
"This shouldn't be a priority.

"There isn't really a big need for Fulham to strengthen in this area of the pitch, as they have already acquired the likes of Michael Hector and Terence Kongolo, who will both in turn compete for a starting spot with Tim Ream and Alfie Mawson.

"Carter-Vickers is a talented player but it would be fair to say that he would be better suited to going on loan to a side where he is going to be guaranteed regular game time.

"His versatility and reading of the game makes him a good addition for most Championship sides, however a move to Craven Cottage seems highly unlikely at this stage.

"Scott Parker should focus on strengthening in other key areas if he is to see his side achieve their goal of promotion this term, particularly as we head into a congested list of fixtures."



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/this-shouldnt-be-a-priority-fulham-eye-tottenham-player-as-deadline-looms-the-verdict/

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Parker Cannot Blame Ream For The Game Plan Going Out Of The Window After Five Minutes

It was there for all to see in the opening minute that the Fulham captain for the day Tim Ream looked on edge.

His very first touch almost gave Manchester City a very early lead. Four minutes later he was left totally out of place in the defensive line, and instead of putting some trust in his keeper Rodak to keep Jesus from opening the scoring, he lost his head and dragged his opponent to the deck. What could he have been thinking? Was this really the same Tim Ream that Fulham fans have known for many years for having such a cool persona?

If he had allowed Jesus to shoot, maybe he may have missed. Maybe Rodak would have made a great save, or at worst we would have gone a goal behind. So what? That was inevitable anyway. No, Ream does the unthinkable, gets a straight red card, City score the penalty and he leaves his team-mates a man short for virtually the whole match.

After the match, the Fulham boss Scott Parker quickly blamed the incident for ruining his gameplay. Absolute rubbish. Fulham played exactly the same way they would have played had they not lost a man. Back to this constant playing out from the back, against one of the best teams in the world. He may get away with it (sometimes) in the Championship, but the players we have, cannot compete in this fashion against world-class opponents.

With ten men, we needed Cavaleiro up front as a target man. The ball needed to be played quickly and needed a higher line defensively. Maybe Parker is trying to display his qualities as a manager that believes he will be managing a top side soon. You can only play to the strengths of the players you have available.

All four goals conceded were from player errors. Too many short intricate passes. Manchester City were not really on their game this afternoon. That turned out lucky for Fulham, as the result could have been far worse.

My congratulations today must go to Shrewsbury Town. They earned the right to a 4th round home tie against the mighty Liverpool. It must have come as somewhat as a let down though for their supporters when they saw the team Klopp decided to field from the start. Most of the big names left out.

It came back to hit Klopp in the face as Liverpool luckily held out for a 2-2 draw, forcing the match into a replay. Exactly what the Reds boss didn't want. I say it served him right. Well done to the Town!



https://fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/parker-cannot-blame-ream-for-the-game-plan-going-out-of-the-window-after-five-minutes/

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Aston Villa: Fans discuss potential move for Aleksandar Mitrovic

Aston Villa fans have been discussing on Twitter a move for striker Aleksandar Mitrovic this transfer window.

This comes after Villa news Twitter account @AVFC_News shared a post on their page that included an article from Birmingham Live who relayed information originally published in a report by the Daily Star.

The report claimed that Championship side Fulham have put a price tag of £40 million on the Serbian international.

The Villa Twitter post then asked their followers for their thoughts on this news.

The post then gathered a lot of replies from Villa fans who were eager to share their opinions on Mitrovic's reported price tag.

The 26-year-old has scored 18 goals in 26 appearances in the Championship this season (per Transfermarkt). Now that news has emerged that Fulham have valued their striker at £40 million, some Villa fans have been put off by this valuation.

One fan even compared him to Dwight Gayle and explained that both players have struggled to replicate their Championship form in the Premier League. Indeed, Gayle has produced 21 goals in the Premier League in 108 games, compared to 60 goals in 101 Championship game. Similarly, Mitrovic has produced 34 goals in 68 games in the Championship, whereas he's only managed to find the back of the net 21 times in 77 top-flight appearances.

What do we think?

Mitrovic's record this season has proved that he is a prolific goalscorer. But would he be able to pull off the same numbers in the Premier League? In his 72 Premier League appearances for Newcastle United, Mitrovic managed to register just 17 goals and 10 assists (per Transfermarkt). Despite this poor record in his last Premier League outing, maybe his latest experience in the Championship would help the striker find his feet again in the top tier of English football.



https://thisisfutbol.com/2020/01/blogs/premier-league/aston-villa-fans-discuss-potential-move-for-aleksandar-mitrovic/