Sunday Fulham Stuff - 23/02/20...

[WhiteJC]

Results

Saturday
Brentford	2-1	Blackburn
Barnsley	1-0	Middlesborough
Birmingham	3-3	Sheff Wed
Bristol City	0-3	West Brom
Charlton	3-1	Luton
Leeds	1-0	Reading
Nottm Forest	0-0	QPR
Preston NE	2-1	Hull
Stoke	2-0	Cardiff
Swansea	3-1	Huddersfield
Wigan	1-0	Millwall

[WhiteJC]

Scott Parker and Phillip Cocu praise Wayne Rooney after Derby and Fulham draw

Fulham boss Scott Parker saluted his former England team-mate Wayne Rooney after Derby's skipper marked his 500th English league appearance with a Panenka penalty in a 1-1 draw at Pride Park.

Rooney was the centre of attention as usual and he did not disappoint in a more advanced role, controlling the game with measured passes and dangerous set plays.

Parker acknowledged Rooney's influence when he said: "He's had a massive impact since he's been here, it's no surprise Derby's upturn in form has coincided with Wayne coming to the club.

"I have no doubt, I don't know looking in from the outside, but when you bring in a player of Wayne Rooney's calibre, you're not just talking about his technique because that's there for everyone to see.

"But you bring a player into the building that has a mentality of knowing what it is about and driving standards every single day and he's probably scooping a few up along the way.

"That's what you get and obviously at times tonight you see his quality as well. He's had to adapt his game but you often find that the world-class players can do that.

"They understand they can't do what they used to but they quickly work out and find a way to be effective and Wayne's certainly done that.

Matt Clarke was denied by Marek Rodak who turned behind a Tom Lawrence shot as Derby shaded the first half.

They went ahead in the 55th minute when Fulham were caught trying to play out and after Tim Ream was adjudged to have handled, Rooney cheekily beat Rodak.

But Aleksandar Mitrovic volleyed in his 22nd league goal of the season in the 71st minute before Rooney drove Derby forward again only for Rodak to make two more great saves.

Derby manager Phillip Cocu said: "Tonight Wayne played in a more forward position as a number 10. He showed great skill, great vision, technical ability and he's important in all aspects tactically.

"He can adapt if any changes have to be made during the game and that's always a pleasure for a manager or coach to have somebody who can do that.

"Also what he brings to the club, he helps the young players develop. He talks a lot to individuals, most of the days before training he's in the coaches' office to see how we work. He gives his input and his opinion so he knows exactly how we work.

"He can help us during a game in this way as well so for me it's a pleasure to have a player of his ability and quality but also his personality in the team."



https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/scott-parker-and-phillip-cocu-praise-wayne-rooney-after-derby-and-fulham-draw

[WhiteJC]

'Never a penalty' - Fulham fans share one voice after Derby County stalemate

Derby County news | The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in the Sky Bet Championship clash at Pride PArk on Friday night

Fulham fans have been giving their verdict on their side's draw with Derby County on Friday night.

The Rams had to settle for a point as the drew 1-1 with the Cottagers in the Sky Bet Championship clash at Pride Park Stadium.

Derby took the lead in the first half through a Wayne Rooney penalty, with the former England international chipping his spot-kick past goalkeeper Marek Rodak.

But Fulham equalised soon after though top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic, which left both clubs striving to find the winner in the closing stages.

The result leaves Derby in 12 place in the Championship table, while Fulham remain in third and two points adrift of the automatic promotion places.

Here is a selection of what Fulham fans had to say about Friday night's match.

Nicolas Jacquard: "Fortunately, we have Mitro to score and Rodak in order to save us."

Adam Riley: "A decent point from a game we could have lost. Don't think we look good enough for promotion tonight, let alone Premier League."

Carrie-ann Prior: "Outstanding Rodak."

Paul Brigden: "I think the name of the game is to score more goals then your opponents and that is not what we are doing we was lucky tonight."

Roy Tonkin: "Never mind 2nd place, we might miss the playoffs at this rate."

Geran Roberts: "New Centre back to replace ream, right back to replace odoi and a new centre mid is a must, Cav must start these next few games."

Alan Michael Ford: "Never a penalty, better second half. Fingers crossed for results to go our way tomorrow."



https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/derby-county-fulham-penalty-fans-3875610

[WhiteJC]

Opinion: I would rather have Aleksandar Mitrovic than Joelinton

Newcastle United should never have sold the Serbian, and have a 40 million pound disaster on their hands.

Forty million pounds. That is what Joelinton cost Newcastle United when he was signed last summer to become Newcastle United's new number nine. I was excited, ecstatic even to see that the club had invested in someone that my be able to bring a lot of talent to the pitch. Instead, I would rather have spent the money on buying Aleksandar Mitrovic back from Fulham, and using the rest to by a couple of younger players on the cheap.

But I don't make the decisions around here, and thank God for that.

But in all seriousness, since leaving Newcastle United, Aleksandar Mitrovic has been the striker we originally wanted him to be for us. He practically single-handedly led Fulham to promotion, and then went on to score 11 goals in the Premier League. Despite being relegated, he continues to play for Fulham, knocking in goal after goal.

Sure, he's spent two seasons in the Championship with Fulham, and that's not exactly where the player thought he would be more than five years ago when he was named as one of the top young talents in Europe.

But his scoring rate has been far better than Joelinton's, and his passion was always there to see, whether it was good or bad. And that's what made the divorce even more painful for someone like myself, who is a huge Aleksandar Mitrovic fan.

We like to praise Rafa Benitez, and state that he was the best thing to have happened to this club since Sir Bobby Robson. And don't get me wrong, Rafa is an all time great, and I think he did the best with Newcastle with what he was given. But I definitely am willing to say that not only did Rafa get it wrong on Aleksandar Mitrovic, but he handled it terribly.

Looking at the talent around the club right now, I would venture to say that we have a better squad now than we did when Rafa was managing the club. And that's not to Steve Bruce's credit. I think we got lucky with some deals that Rafa may have been red flagging left and right. It's been said that Rafa was made aware that he could be given Joelinton, but he never wanted the player to begin with. But just look at our midfield now.

Sean and Matty Longstaff, Miguel Almiron, Allan Saint-Maximin, and now Valentino Lazaro. Throw Aleksandar Mitrovic upfront, and he has the striker mindset to put away the opportunities that would be endlessly afforded to him.

Joelinton's touches have been off the mark. His goals to chance ratio is abysmal, and the more he plays, the more I wish they'd move him into a winger slot, or just throw Dwight Gayle in because maybe he'd do something.

Don't mistake my criticism for hatred of Joelinton. I think he's a fine player, with a lot of ability to be a fantastic one. But striker is not his position, and he wanted to play it. Newcastle has let him have his fun, but it's time to put on a winning mentality, and not a wait and let's see if Joe can finally score mentality.

This is shaping up to be a very expensive disaster, when really, I think we let go of someone who could really have made use of the squad that was already being built under Rafa. The system wasn't fair Mitrovic's talents, but now, I feel like he'd thrive. It's a shame we'll never see it.



https://cominghomenewcastle.sbnation.com/2020/2/22/21148214/opinion-i-would-rather-have-aleksandar-mitrovic-than-joelinton

[WhiteJC]

With summer in sight, these 2 Fulham players will surely be eyeing a fresh start

Fulham could be set for a summer overhaul.

Depending on whether Fulham return to the Premier League next season, the club could see a lot of ins and outs over the summer.

They've done plenty of business already this campaign, bringing in the likes of Michael Hector and Josh Onomah, whilst making the stays of both Ivan Cavaleiro and Bobby Reid permanent.

There's plenty of first-team competition at Craven Cottage, but that might force some names out the door.

Here we take a look at two Fulham players could be eyeing up a fresh start in the summer:

Marcus Bettinelli
Bettinelli is all-but out of the Fulham door. The introduction of Marek Rodak earlier in the season has kept the 27-year-old on the bench since, and his departure was expected last month after the free signing of Jordan Archer.

He's been with Fulham since 2010 and has made 120 appearances for the club – he played over half the league games in Fulham's 2017/18 promotion-winning season, and made a handful in the Premier League last time round.

But Rodak's been hugely impressive. Forgetting about last week's horror show, Rodak has been a revelation for Fulham and looks set to be the no.1 at Craven Cottage for some years to come.

Being contracted to the club until the summer of 2021, Bettinelli might have to force his way out of Fulham in the summer – he remains a good, experienced keeper and he's got plenty of years left ahead of him. A lot of Championship and Football League club could be sniffing around him when the transfer window reopens.

Cyrus Christie
On his day, Christie is a fantastic wing-back. On that right-side he can be quality going forward, swinging in crosses and bombing up and down the touchline. But he's not really been favoured by Scott Parker this season, and this summer could spell the end of his Fulham career.

He became a surprise target of Roma's last month. Christie though remained at Craven Cottage having become more of a prominent feature in the run-up to Christmas, but having played in all but one of Fulham's games last month, he's been left on the bench for the previous three.

He's good enough to be first-team somewhere else in the Championship, but inconsistency has scuppered his time at Fulham. His season started on the wrong tracks after last year's calamity and it took him a good while to get into contention, but the likes of Denis Odoi and last week, Steven Sessegnon, are being preferred.

Expect Christie to seek the exit in the summer, and expect a lot of clubs to be interested in taking him on. At 27-years-old he too has a few years left in him, and they likely won't be spent at Fulham.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/with-summer-in-sight-these-2-fulham-players-will-surely-be-eyeing-a-fresh-start/

[WhiteJC]

Scott Parker issues honest assessment of Fulham's draw at Derby

Fulham drew 1-1 with Derby County in the Championship last night.

Scott Parker took his side to Pride Park yesterday looking to close a three-point gap to Leeds United in second.

They'd made up an 11 point deficit to the top-two with some good wins over the festive period, but a 3-0 defeat at home to bottom-club Barnsley last weekend allowed Leeds to reopen the gap with a win over Bristol City.

Speaking to www.fulhamfc.com after the game, Parker was pleased to take a point back down to London:

"For large parts we had a real control about us and dominated. I felt like first half we had a lot of control but lacked a little bit of impetus.

"But in saying that, we're coming to a place where they've lost two all year, they're second in the league for home form, so we knew it would be a tough place."

After a goalless first-half, Derby took the lead soon after the restart through Wayne Rooney. England's all-time leading goalscorer, and an ex-England teammate of Parker's, converted from the spot.

Tim Ream handled the ball inside his own penalty box and Rooney, on his 500th appearance in English League football, scored with a Panenka to take his Rams tally to three in the Championship.

"Their goal comes out of nothing really, and then after that my team showed unbelievable character, unbelievable mentality, something which we've struggled with this year at times when we've gone a goal down," explained Parker.

"But I saw a team that wanted to get back in the game, and then at 1-1 there's some big chances that fall our way, and it's a different story if they go in."

Fulham equalised through Aleksandar Mitrovic in the 71st-minute, the Serb with his 22nd Championship goal of the season, but have goalkeeper Marek Rodak to thank for the win.

He claimed the Man of the Match award after some top-drawer saves to keep Derby to the one goal last night.

"Late on of course Derby come a little bit, get some corners and put us under a bit of pressure, but overall I'm pleased with the way it panned out," said Parker.

"It's a point gained for us, we go into two home games now in a busy week, and I'm happy."

The point keeps Fulham in 3rd-place of the Championship table, two points behind Leeds and six behind league leaders West Brom. But Parker's side could drop as low as 5th after the weekend, with only a two-point lead over both Brentford and Forest behind them.

The verdict

Fulham once again dominated the possession stats, had plenty enough chances to score, but still left with only a point. These are the types of games that have to be won by teams chasing automatic promotion, and Parker shouldn't be happy with just a point.

If they fall further down the top-six this weekend then it'll mount even more pressure on the manager – he's starting to be found out nearing the end of his first full-season in charge, and fans are getting increasingly frustrated.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/scott-parker-issues-honest-assessment-of-fulhams-draw-at-derby/

[WhiteJC]

Scott Parker heaps praise on Fulham player after Derby County clash

Fulham drew 1-1 with Derby County in the Championship last night.

Scott Parker took his side to Pride Park looking to rectify their 3-0 defeat at home to bottom-club Barnsley last weekend.

The defeat scuppered all of the good work that Fulham had done in recent weeks to finally get back on level points with Leeds, but they were embarrassed by the Tykes, and were lucky to leave with a point last night.

Wayne Rooney gave Derby the lead from the spot in the second-half, with Aleksandar Mitrovic equalising with his 22nd Championship goal of the season.

The Man of the Match though was Marek Rodak – the man at the centre of last week's calamities gave his best performance of the season, and saved Parker from defeat last night.

Speaking to www.fulhamfc.com, Parker had high-praise for the Slovakian:

"He had a bad afternoon on Saturday and made two errors, which is obviously unlike him. He's a young keeper, a young boy, but I knew he'd be fine because of the character of him.

"He had two options after the weekend; to go into his shell and sink, or he had an option to come in Monday morning and stand up, go again, be brave, take responsibility for the mistakes he made. And that's what he did, and that's why you get that performance tonight.

"I'm delighted with him and I'm delighted that he has that concrete head that means even during the little adverse times he had last week, he can front up and keep going, because that can sometimes be difficult in the world we're in."

Rodak pulled off several top-drawer saves last night to keep Derby out, and it's not the first time this season that fans have been impressed by the 23-year-old.
Replacing Marcus Bettinelli earlier in the season, bringing Rodak into the first-team was a risk by Parker, but one that's ultimately paid off – he looks set to be a top goalkeeper for Fulham in the future.

The verdict
Fulham were again reliant on one or two individuals to drag them through a difficult away day in Derby. Parker is coming under real pressure now as the top-two starts to pull away again, and plenty were unhappy with last night's performance.
For all their possession and shots, the football they play is boring to watch, and ultimately ineffective. A few more disappointing results and Parker will really be under the spotlight.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/scott-parker-heaps-praise-on-fulham-player-after-derby-county-clash/

[WhiteJC]

'What a player', 'Brilliant response' – Plenty of Fulham fans heap praise on 23-y/o after Derby County display

Marek Rodak claimed the Man of the Match award last night, as his Fulham side drew 1-1 with Derby County in the Championship.

In the space of six days, Fulham goalkeeper Rodak has given his best and worst performance for the club. His worst came last weekend when he was at the centre of Fulham's 3-0 defeat at home to bottom-club Barnsley, but his best came at Pride Park last night.

The Slovakian made several impressive saves last night, and of all different types. Diving low to his left, to his right, running back towards his own goal to swipe the ball of the line, keeping corners from swinging over his head – he really did everything last night.

Despite the overall performance coming under the spotlight, Fulham fans were quick to praise Rodak. He's a been a favourite at Craven Cottage since coming into the first-team earlier this season, and here's what fans had to say about him after last night's showing:



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/what-a-player-brilliant-response-plenty-of-fulham-fans-heap-praise-on-23-y-o-after-derby-county-display/

[WhiteJC]

Notes from February meeting with FFC

On Monday 10th February at 12:30, the Fulham Supporters' Trust met with Fulham FC at Motspur Park.

The Club was represented by:

    Alistair Mackintosh (CEO)
    Katy Brecht (Head of Ticketing)
    Nicola Walworth (Supporter Relations Manager)
    Carmelo Mifsud (Communications Director)
    David Daly (Non Executive Director)

The Trust was represented by:

    Dan Crawford
    Hayley Davinson
    Sue Couch

HOW IT WORKS
Each topic below is raised by the FST in an attempt to discuss issues raised primarily by a number of our members. Individual questions from members are sent to the Club outside the meeting, and we encourage members first to raise these directly with the Club via [email protected].

If any member has raised an issue that it has not been possible to discuss in the time available then please do contact us again in good time before the next meeting.

We encourage members to provide us with as much detail as possible (e.g. time, duration, date etc.) when raising issues either with the Trust or directly with the Club.

TOPICS DISCUSSED
The Trust began the meeting by congratulating Katy Brecht and enquiring who would be covering her role during her maternity leave (from May 12th). Interviews are currently taking place, and Tracey will also be on hand in the ticket office with her wealth of experience.

Congratulations were also offered to Javier Perreira upon his return to the club. We asked about this new role. The club explained he has joined the current team of directors to add strength and depth to key areas of the Academy, recruitment, and in particular support for transition for those arriving into the first team squad.

The following topics were then raised and discussed:

    Safe Standing
    Gamble Aware
    Communications
    Away Travel
    Home matchdays – congestion & catering
    Twitter
    AOB

SAFE STANDING
Due to recent announcements of reports finding in favour of Safe Standing areas and that they are likely to gain approval in law, the Trust asked the Club what their current views were in respect to building Safe Standing into any future plans at Craven Cottage. An issue that has been discussed between the Club & Trust previously, the Club explained that they have been looking into different scenarios for which the possibility of Safe Standing could be an option. This would not be a return to previous terracing but would resemble this as described by the FSA in this link. The Club are aware there is desire from certain fans for it, and upon overarching agreement that it should be put in place, most fans would support the move.

We reminded the Club that our 2019 survey showed a 73% support for Safe Standing in principle, though many of these responders would not choose this option themselves.

The Club is examining various scenarios and considering a wide range of factors, although there is no immediate plan to implement Safe Standing, neither by the government with regards to changes in the rules nor the Club in making these changes. As and when there is more information, the Club and the Trust will discuss further. 

GAMBLE AWARE
The FSA recently wrote to the FST and to the Club for discussion and promotion of the 'Gamble Aware' campaign, and the Trust asked what the Club's current views are on this topic. They told us they do comply with all requirements around gambling and have a proactive campaign in all areas where betting sponsorship is visible. They look to work with companies (as betting sponsor or main sponsor) who aim to be responsible betting companies and will continue to do this.

The Club said they will respond in writing to the letter from the FSA.

The Trust subsequently asked the Club if they can look to utilise the Gamble Aware hub material in the same way as a number of other clubs have agreed to do.

COMMUNICATIONS
The Trust had received emails about news from the Club:

    Requesting more content in the matchday programme about youth players, which the Club took on board. They asked us what content is most interesting to fans – please let us know what you would like to see featured, and we will feed it back to the Club.
    We shared a request for the Forever Fulham half time interviews to be put up on the website and discussed a possibility of doing a longer interview before or after the game without the pressures of time constraints, specifically for the website.
    For those wanting more video content, please note that Fulham Fix is free to view via the Club website.
    Alfie Mawson – Scott Parker updated in his pre-match interview.
    Bowie – The Club announced this signing as soon as it became official.
    Harvey Elliott's fee – there is no news. There is not an expected timeline for resolution of this, which is en entirely normal scenario.
    Issues and problems with FFCtv had been reported to us and have been handed to Carmelo Mifsud for him to take further.

AWAY TRAVEL
There have been requests for further subsidies, or even free travel especially for far away games and those which are being covered on TV and therefore risk losing out on fans making the effort to go because of cost and logistics.

We understand that any possibility of this will depend on the timing and location of specific games. An assist from the Club for travel to Leeds is potentially on the cards because people will not be able to get home by public transport. The Club told us they appreciate that travelling support and travelling supporters themselves are important.

Problems with coaches for Manchester City away. It was acknowledged that the failure to properly inform travelling fans was an oversight by the Club and they will ensure that this does not happen again. The Club travel stewards are to do further checks on both sides of bridge in future.

'Sit where you like' at Charlton etc, which caused problems for fans who had bought front row tickets so that they would be able to view without having to stand – The Club were not informed that this was going to happen. Sometimes this is a decision by the home club, made for a variety of reasons.

MATCHDAY – CONGESTION & CATERING
With regard to the regular complaints of congestion at half time, the Club say they continue to look for ways to improve the situation. They tried hawkers selling hot dogs to take away from the queues but uptake has been low. With the lack of ability to change the structure of Johnny Haynes or Hammersmith End, there is little that can be done physically.

People are standing at half time on stairways in the Johnny Haynes stand, presumably to avoid the crush but this does not help, and stewards are still blocking handrails especially in Hammersmith End. The Club say they will again emphasise that this needs to be conveyed to stewards at their briefing.

The Trust suggested  that the Club should install signage reminding not to block stairways and handrails – which would also remind stewards to keep them clear, especially the newer stewards.

We reported that queues for food and drink have improved and more beer is available, but someone had reported that too many were poured at once and therefore people were not picking up the older pints. All the above issues are continually under review.

TWITTER
We told the Club we are aware from conversation and social media that some people have received banning orders because of the nature of their Twitter posts about players. We asked what is the Club's policy about this. They replied as follows:

Essentially, the Club is free to make decisions of this nature. The Club has a duty to protect its staff and this includes the players. Although supporters have the right to comment on the team and the players, we have a responsibility to ensure that our staff do not receive unfair abuse.  One of the tests we use is whether or not the comments about a player would be acceptable in the workplace (i.e. meaning FFC, not that of the person making the comments).

The Club will monitor social media accounts and forums, particularly when they are reported by a player or another third party. The Club has the right to take action if it feels that the line has been crossed or the comments are discriminatory.

AOB
Barnsley incident – some people had asked for an update. The Club is aware that the case was dropped.

A request for a common meeting space in the new stand, such as previously existed on the river front between Riverside and Hammersmith End, was noted.

London living wage status of Fulham FC. The Club and all their contractors comply with LLW.  Accreditaton is en-route.

Diggers that were seen at the old BBC ground were for separate work nearby by Network Rail.


The meeting opened at 12:30 and closed at 14.15




https://www.fulhamsupporterstrust.com/news/2020/02/notes-from-february-meeting-with-ffc-2/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham's Promotion Hopes Are Slipping Away As They Have To Thank Goalkeeper Rodak For Gaining A Point Against A Mediocre Derby Side

Following last weeks' 3-0 home defeat by bottom club Barnsley, Fulham's young goalkeeper Rodak earned man of the match with at least four spectacular saves against a rather tame looking Derby County side.

Yet again the Cottagers started the match with no purpose other than to keep possession and stop this 'irrepressible' (Parker's pre-match warning) Derby side from scoring. This they managed for the first 45 minutes in a boring fashion, with Rodak keeping the score-line blank.

Within ten minutes of the restart, Ream was guilty of an unlucky ball to arm which led to Derby being awarded a penalty. Up stepped Wayne Rooney to send Rodak the wrong way before chipping the ball into the opposite corner of the net.

It wasn't until the 65th minute before Knockaert and Johansen were replaced by Cavaleiro and Kamara that Fulham began to move forward and try to attack Derby. Within five minutes of the substitutions, Kamara provided a perfect cross that leading scorer Mitrovic calmly placed in the left corner of Derby's net to equalise.

The game suddenly came to life with both sides going for the winner. It was Derby that ended the match stronger and Fulham had Rodak to thank for some wonderful saves to take a point.

For all watching the match, this display from Fulham has shown (together with recent performances) that this team is not promotion material, especially using the tactics they have been ordered to deploy. A team seeking a place back in the Premier League need to move the ball much quicker forward. They rarely find leading scorer Mitrovic, who has kept his side in a position in the table they hardly look like deserving.

With the remaining games left, Fulham will be lucky to finish in the top six. Maybe until the side changes tactics/manager it would be best to stay in the Championship. I would rather get promoted with a team that looks capable of holding their own in the Premier League, rather than one like
last season.



https://fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/fulhams-promotion-hopes-are-slipping-away-as-they-have-to-thank-goalkeeper-rodak-for-gaining-a-point-against-a-mediocre-derby-side/

[WhiteJC]

'Stealing a living' – Plenty of Fulham fans slam key figure after Derby draw

Fulham drew 1-1 with Derby County in the Championship last night.

After last weekend's embarrassment at the hands of bottom-club Barnsley, Scott Parker needed a huge reaction from his side at Pride Park last night.

Seeing through a goalless first-half, Fulham were soon behind after the break. Tim Ream handled the ball inside his own box and Wayne Rooney, on his 5ooth appearance in English League football, scored a 'Panenka' to put Derby ahead.

But Aleksandar Mitrovic as he so often does, dragged Fulham through a difficult fixture and scored his 22nd Championship goal of the season to level things.

A decent point at a tough venue, but fans are becoming increasingly impatient with Scott Parker.

He has some of best players at his disposal, but his side are falling further away from the top-two and looks destined to settle for a top-six spot, if that.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/boring-football-stealing-a-living-plenty-of-fulham-fans-slam-key-figure-after-derby-draw/

[WhiteJC]

Five Thoughts: Derby County 1-1 Fulham

A 1-1 draw against Derby County at Pride Park is no reason to be downbeat or crestfallen as our unbeaten record on Friday evenings is still very much intact. A small triumph, you could say, and amongst the Wayne Rooney rectum sniffing fest, the Whites managed to restore face, kind of, after last Saturday's gale force flogging.

Scott Parker, toe-to-toe with another former great of the game, Phillip Cocu, somehow managed to wring a bead of bravery from his dampened squad to salvage a point, but from his Dutch adversary's perspective, I'd imagine sharing the spoils feels every bit like a smash and grab robbery, with your club being the victim jewellers on the corner.

It wasn't overly pleasant viewing and we're certainly not out of the woods just yet but, looking at the result in another light, I'll settle for it. Ahead of us is Swansea City, who are also within touching distance of the play-off berth, so anticipate more drama under the lights Wednesday night as the plot thickens.

Predictable Patterns Persist
After Barnsley, I'd said that Fulham were in deep trouble due to their uninspired, flat offensive strategy and I still stand by that statement. You can't deny it, the Whites made very hard work of simple passing sequences and couldn't split Derby's stubborn defensive shape. With very little invention, even with Tom Cairney and Stefan in the middle, there's nothing to suggest, at all, that we've resurrected the lingering issues that have beset our free-flowing regard. Predictable patterns suppressed our approach and Derby were quite happy to let us dab the ball tamely across the back four, with no penetration.

I don't want to dig him out repeatedly, but Cairney slowed the game down and couldn't influence the game in a progressive sense. I can't even clearly remember an instance where he actually fed the ball forwards but he and Bobby Decordova-Reid did alternate. When the Jamaican dropped deeper to collect possession, our rhythm did increase slightly although we were still blunt and pedestrian in the final third. TC has is undoubtedly ruined in this system and that in itself is a reprehensible offence. To put it into basic context, the Whites racked up 570 passes overall with 60% possession but, of the 17 shots we registered, only 5 were on target. I'm not a statistician, a George Singer, if you will, but I'd say with the attacking powerhouses we have at our disposal, that's pretty discouraging. What do we have to do to get the likes of BDR and Ivan Cavaleiro firing again? All we seem to do on the ball is pick up uniformed positions and shuffle from one flank to the other. We're reserved and shy of incision.

The game opened up towards the latter stages and both camps had credible chances to lodge a winner, though. The desire to slam home a winner stimulated the hosts but Fulham were still markedly sterile whilst countering. In order to relieve pressure, Fulham pumped long balls out of their 18-yard area. Aboubakar Kamara and Cav' chased the ball as it skipped off the surface but Derby mopped up comfortably and if that's genuinely what we have to resort to, we are stuffed as a cohesive unit. We're awful at hitting teams on the break and we've only netted a tiny pinch of goals after retrieving possession. Rather than surging out, we're now programmed to brush the ball about in a docile manner, which allowed Derby to regroup for the next incoming wave of regulated, lobotomised 'Parker ball'. Let the handbrake off, take a few risks and please, please play to our personnel's strengths. We need a fast, sharp, devastating outlook, not this dull, lifeless, exhausting nonsense we've surrendered to.

Rodak's Reactive Redemption
I wanted good, honest answers and Marek Rodak supplied them in abundance. His performance against Barnsley was nothing short of a disservice to the club and himself, but the agile 23-year-old proved his worth in Derbyshire with an extensive album of top-shelf saves, forget top drawer. We're talking x-rated debauchery between the sticks, not Mills and Boon softly-softly blather. There's no real in between with Rodak, he's either outstanding or abysmal but we've only seen the latter twice this term. He's a man that ultimately takes his standing in the squad extremely seriously and we benefit of his dedication, more often than not. Last week was so far out of character for the young stopper and he atoned for his calamitous errors superbly.

Alert at every given instance, or when Wayne Rooney weighed up a pinpoint cross into the 18-yard box, the Slovakian thwarted the Rams with his palms and fingertips to ensure a point. Parrying driven efforts away from danger, batting swirling corners out from under the crossbar, clawing Curtis Davies' shinned stumble off the line in the 89th minute, Rodak was on hand, quite literally, to deny the Rams on a series of separate occasions, testament to his vigilance and attentiveness. We gazed upon something truly special from the aspiring stopper, and I've never had more faith in a first-choice stopper since Mark Schwarzer, and in terms of his optimum capabilities and understanding of his duties, Rodak is still developing.

Still earning his stripes, Rodak exhibited a strong-willed professionalism, coming back stronger than ever after blemishing his judgement against the Tykes. Rodak was Man of the Match by some distance and is just as valuable as Aleksandar Mitrovic. A loss would have been detrimental but Rodak ensured a point away from home with virtually no support from his defensive colleagues. Having a dependable, sturdy 'keeper is so important and I'm made up for him – Rodak could have dropped off the face of the earth following last week's debacle, but his courageous exploits in his place of work verified his credentials as our undisputed starting stopper. Like we were in any doubt.

Arter's Actually Annoying
I'll try to keep this short and sweet as possible, but I'm not entirely sure what Harry Arter really brings to the fold other than reckless challenges, punchable facial expressions and needless yellow cards. Paired alongside TC and StefJo – a versed master of the dark arts – the Republic of Ireland international tore around the middle of the park without actually doing anything worthwhile. Basically, Arter doesn't fit the bill for me, and when you have Kevin McDonald on the bench, who eventually replaced him in the 81st minute, it feels like an injustice that he's getting anywhere near our matchday XI.

Our midfield's needed intensity, a competitive edge, although Arter gets far too invested in the physical battle and also gets sucked into mind games and handbags. I get it, a nasty element is usually favourable, but the 30-year-old only antagonises himself. Opposing players smirk at his petulant gesticulations and protests and once he reaches that point, there is no turning back. Head's gone, he's a burden.

I miss Harrison Reed. He does everything Arter should do with a composure and he's actually a constant driving force throughout. The AFC Bournemouth loanee misplaced routine passes, had a little moan and allowed the game to pass him by because he couldn't hold his position. Do not let his banger against Aston Villa fool you, he's an bang average midfielder with a temper. If KMac's going to be involved, start him. In the 10-14 minutes he was on, he effected the game so much more than Arter did at both ends and he's a leader, not liability.

Super Serb's Supremacy
It's been said before, numerously, but all Mitrovic ever requires is one opportunity to beat the keeper and, other than his harmless header in the first half, the Serb restored parity with a volley of supreme quality in the 71st minute. The technique was exquisite and his movement was even better. Certain things are promised to us, such as death and taxes and if our wide components get their heads up and float a tempting ball into the penalty area, Mitro' will score. In a game where he was handled by Davies and Matthew Clarke with limited time and space to make his presence known, the prolific 25-year-old left his mark.

That's now 22 for the season and counting. There's nothing intricate or complex about Mitro's game, he's just an old-school taget man that thrives on shoulder-to-shoulders and crosses of all varieties. Wedge it behind him, he'll still find a way to defy the laws of biomechanics and he did as he rattled the equaliser past Ben Hamer. Feeding off scraps has now become part of Mitro's hunting ritual, but just imagine if we offered him endless service from both channels? We've the players to do so and the man that found Mitro' was Kamara, an erratic attacker with finite vision and footballing intelligence. Just goes to show, he isn't picky about where and who it comes from, as long as it's there to be hit, it's all the same.

Mitro' is the exact reason why we're still vaguely in the hunt for automatic promotion. We'd be woeful, middle of the road and nowhere near the company we currently keep if he wasn't on our books, even in the Championship. We heavily rely on his deadly expertise and yet again, after bamboozling our way into a very troublesome predicament, the productive striker bailed us out. You only get one phone call, and we know just the person. He is our get out of jail free card, that final Who Wants to Be a Millionaire lifeline, and I dread to think what hole we'd be in without him fighting our corner. Sharks will be circling in the summer, so best make the most out of him while we can.

Justly Judging Joe
I've seen enough and made up my mind, Joe Bryan is a left winger, not a left back. This war of positioning has rumbled on and the adventurous fullback much more comfortable and effective in higher reaches. All he wants to do is skim tantalising crosses into the danger area for Mitro' to lunge upon, he doesn't want to be wasting his and our time by tracking Jason Knight of all people. Bryan's been active on social media, jesting with the fans and mocking his defensive capability but it's true, he can't defend and I say we cut that leash loose. 'BuT He StiLl CanT DefENd.' You said it, Joe.

Thrashing at the ball led to Derby's penalty and, of course, Rooney's opener. It should have been a common, everyday clearance but he just looks so unnatural whilst attempting to shield possession at the back. Whilst attempting to dispossess Knight, Bryan would fizz into the 19-year-old and be left high and dry because he didn't read the situation. Tim Ream wasn't covering, so all he had to do was stunt Knight's movement. He was bypassed smoothly along the left, leaving acres for Derby to appropriate. Not convincing in the slightest.

Get him in advances areas, though, you've got yourself a different animal. He springs into life with overlapping runs and instantaneous 1-2 combinations but if he is to accommodate a spot at left wing, are we really going to sacrifice Ivan Cavaleiro or BDR for that matter? He's being played at left-back out of necessity, because on paper he's a defender, although Denis Odoi can fill that void if he is to graduate to an offensive locality. His persuasive connection with Mitro' may suggest he's a worthy candidate, after all, but it means upsetting the apple cart, and I'd rather keep that particular wagon happy for the time being at least. Maybe he's at danger of becoming surplus – I don't want it to be the case but perhaps a complete transformation, at the expense of a few weeks on the bench, would be a beneficial route for the Whites to consider.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2020-02-21-five-thoughts-derby-county-1-1-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

Cottage Talk Post Match Show: Fulham's 1-1 Draw Against Derby County

Take a listen to a podcast that focuses on Fulham Football Club.

In this episode, Max Cohen, Yannis Tjanetis, and Mike Gregg discussed all of the key moments in this 1-1 draw for Fulham.


You can also listen to the show by following this link...
https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2020/2/22/21148576/cottage-talk-post-match-show-fulhams-1-1-draw-against-derby-county

[WhiteJC]

U18 Report: Saints 1-3 Fulham

Southampton's youngsters suffered a 3-1 defeat to leaders Fulham at Staplewood Campus in the Under-18 Premier League.

The Cottagers maintained their position at the top of the South section standings with an impressive display as they applied plenty of pressure throughout.

They came close to breaking the deadlock midway through the first half, only for Will Tizzard to make a fine block from the dangerous Jay Stansfield, as he was picked out by a Sylvester Jasper cutback.

But it was only a temporary reprieve for Saints, as, shortly after, an Idris Odutayo cross from deep on the left flicked off the head of a home defender and fell into the path of Stansfield, who controlled and prodded past home keeper Oliver Wright.

Fulham had a chance to make it 2-0 almost immediately, as Lewis Payne was harshly judged to have tripped Fabio Carvalho just inside the area, but Wright guessed correctly from Stansfield's penalty and held on to make the stop.

In the 58th minute, though, he couldn't deny the striker his second goal, as a slick move saw Jasper chip a ball through for Carvalho to square into Stansfield's path for a tap-in.

Oliver O'Neill then made it 3-0 to the visitors on 65 minutes, as he finished after being played in by Jasper, and, although Jack Turner pulled one back when he flicked in substitute James Morris's late free-kick, the points were claimed by the visitors.



https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2020-02-22/under-18s-report-southampton-1-3-fulham-u18-premier-league

[WhiteJC]

It Was Eleven Points – Former Leeds Star Wants Whites Not To Look At Lead Over Fulham

Former Leeds United star Ben Parker has warned the Whites not to become complacent despite pulling away from third placed Fulham.

Wobbly form for the Whites led to the errosion of their cushion over teams outside the top two in the Championship and the gap was completely gone earlier this month.

Back to back wins over Bristol City and Reading though have seen Leeds take full advantage over other clubs' inconsistencies and they now have a five-point lead over Fulham, considered by many to be their main threat for a top two finish.

Parker is delighted with the cushion that Leeds have built up, but has urged the side to ignore it given how their previous advantage fell away.

"Five points, it's a good cushion, but it was eleven before", Parker said on LUTV after the win over Reading.

"So it just shows, don't look at the gap, keep looking at the next game.

"That's the key, get three points again on Wednesday, keep putting the pressure on the other teams around us."

Leeds next travel to Middlesbrough on Wednesday night and will face a Boro outfit that have not won since New Year's Day and are in a battle to stay out of the drop zone.

However, Middlesbrough have lost just one of their last eleven games at home across all competitions, something which will give boss Jonathan Woodgate hope.



Read more: http://www.insidefutbol.com/2020/02/22/it-was-eleven-points-former-leeds-star-wants-whites-not-to-look-at-lead-over-fulham/452748/#ixzz6Eiz2mJQG