Wednesday Fulham Stuff - 26/02/20...

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Results

Tuesday
Cardiff	0-1	Nottm Forest
Huddersfield	2-1	Bristol City
Luton	2-1	Brentford
QPR	2-1	Derby
West Brom	2-0	Preston NE

[WhiteJC]

Fractious Fulham Slowing Themselves Down

I remember reading through a passage in a book a few years ago that analysed the great Porto team that won the Champions League in 2004 under José Mourinho. That section of text opened my eyes to a new football. Well, a new phrase. The "transition". It was big, it was shiny and it was certainly new in the early years of José. It was modern football before football was, well, modern.

Back then, José was a dark haired young man sprinting down the touchline at Old Trafford, having changed the philosophy of his Porto side. They would absorb and they would break lightning fast, straight for the jugular. Liverpool do the same now. So do Dortmund. Leipzig and PSG. It's modern football in a nutshell: speed and directness, sucker punches and clean breaks.

It is the exact opposite style of football that Fulham are at this moment in time. The Whites are lethargic, ponderous and too slow. You have to be able to play fast. It's having the best car on the grid and limiting it to half speed for no reason other than the driver cannot handle the power. Release the shackles, let the players free.

This is where reviewing the transitions plays it's part, as it magnifies the weakest part of this Fulham team. The squad filled with some of the brightest talents in the Championship has managed only six fast breaks this season so far (34 games).

Teams that play on the counter are slick, well drilled and they can decimate opponents in the blink of the eye. These sides are well-oiled machines, a failing of this Fulham side. All compartments of the pitch feel, and almost certainly are, compartmentalised. There are no linking players between the areas, so attacks become stuttering stop-start affairs.

Looking back to Jokanovic's reign is an easy route to take, but comparatively it makes sense. Scott and Slav's teams could not be further apart, despite largely sharing the same squad make up. Yes, Slavisa's team held the ball for the large majority of the game, but they were ruthless on the counter. Slick through the thirds, they probed wide areas and crucially they got behind defenses.

Scott's side, however, rarely target wide areas unless chasing the game (as we saw against Derby). They are incredibly slow to pick the correct pass and, ultimately, delay the game to the oppositions advantage.

Fulham's squad is a Rolls Royce waiting to be shifted out of first gear, but the driver doesn't know how to work the clutch.

The fluidity that we saw two years ago has evaporated in to a disjointed "to me, to you" hand off of responsibilities from defence, midfield and attack. Third man runs from midfield have disappeared, and wing-backs going beyond wingers are rarely seen in this system. Whilst this may be the philosophy of the manager, the side not asking probing questions makes it as easy as possible for the opposition to play against us.

Midfielders whose mercurial seasons took us to the promised land have slowed down, Tom Cairney looks a shadow of his former-self and seems to be ruined by "Parkerball", restricting the playmaker to sideways and backwards passing. (Note – see Marco's article on this subject).

The best striker in the league is supported by nothing apart from his legs more often than not, and were it not for the Serbian marksman dragging Fulham up off the canvas so often this year our quest for the play-offs would almost certainly be down to a judges decision.

Pep Guardiola once spoke about his Barcelona unit being covered by "distance", moving and shape-shifting as one to squeeze the game in both defence and attack.

Fulham, though, often play to "long" meaning that the gaps between the lines are exceedingly easy to play through, leaving players isolated and the rendering the press useless. Against Derby, for example, the forward line would push which would provide the midfield with impetus to do the same, however Arter wouldn't commit fully to the press therefore allowing Derby to pass out.

However, when playing out on the counter, it was obvious to see that the midfield did not provide enough movement to give a legitimate passing option to the defence and the same applies when the ball was won further up the pitch. This needs to change, Fulham need to become a unit and move together in order to create slicker, dangerous football.

Scott said at the start of the season that this team can only play a certain way; which makes a decision not to invest in a different type of player in January or the summer all the more ludicrous given that teams need to be adaptable in the Championship, let alone the Premier League.

The truth is that modern football is changing, the players are changing. Football is a picture of ruthlessness, teams will strike a knockout blow from the most unexpected places. Fulham and their squad need to adapt over the next dozen matches in order to keep pace, and really show this league how much of an impact the most talented squad can make.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2020-02-25-fractious-fulham-slowing-themselves-down/

[WhiteJC]

21-y/o in: The likely Swansea City XI Cooper is set to field against Fulham this week

Swansea City will be aiming to make a real statement of intent in their play-off push when they travel to face third-placed Fulham at Craven Cottage on Wednesday night.

Steve Cooper's side boosted their top-six hopes with a much-needed 3-1 victory over Huddersfield on the weekend, with this result ending Swansea's five-game winless run and seeing them move up to ninth in the Championship table.

The South Wales outfit now face a difficult test if they want to extend their unbeaten run to four matches, with Swansea facing a Fulham side who will be keen to get their promotion bid back on track after collecting one point from their last two games.

Scott Parker's side suffered a surprise 3-0 defeat against Barnsley in their last home outing before a 1-1 draw away to Derby, and the Cottagers must now seal a return to winning ways in order to keep the pace with second-placed Leeds.

This means Swansea will need to produce a strong performance in order to give themselves the best chance of sealing all three points in West London, with Cooper's men entering the match following an impressive display during the Huddersfield win.

Here, we take a look at the possible starting line-up that Cooper could name...

Freddie Woodman remains the undisputed first choice between the sticks for the Swans despite him having received some criticism of late, but his solid display against Huddersfield would have helped him regain some confidence.

There could be a slight tweak to Swansea's back four given Cooper is having to negotiate a three-game week, and this could see Connor Roberts return to the side in place of Jake Bidwell with Kyle Naughton switching to the left-back slot.

It then seems likely that Joe Rodon and Ben Cabango will reprise their partnership at the heart of defence following a strong performance against the Terriers, but Marc Guehi and Ben Wilmot will also be pushing for a spot in the side.

Matt Grimes and Jay Fulton seem nailed on the start in Swansea's central midfield roles against the Cottagers, while Conor Gallagher should start in the attacking midfield role after he added another assist to his tally over the weekend.

Cooper could opt to start with Jordon Garrick on the flank given he has now netted twice since his return from injury against Hull last week, with Aldo Kalulu then potentially replacing him from the bench in the second half after his display on Saturday.

Andre Ayew will start on the right flank following his fantastic form for the Swans this campaign, and this will see Rhian Brewster lead the line for Cooper's side after a hard-working performance to help his side to victory over the weekend.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/21-y-o-in-the-likely-swansea-city-xi-cooper-is-set-to-field-against-fulham-this-week/

[WhiteJC]

All the Swansea City injury news ahead of Fulham clash this week

Swansea City will be aiming to secure back-to-back wins for the first time since mid-December when they travel to take on third-placed Fulham at Craven Cottage tomorrow night.

Steve Cooper's side injected a fresh lease of life into their play-off bid following their 3-1 win over Huddersfield over the weekend, and they can now make a real statement of intent with a success over the promotion-chasing Cottagers.

The Swans have also been handed the positive news that there are no fresh injury concerns within the squad ahead of Wednesday's clash, with Aldo Kalulu available to feature despite being forced off with tired legs against Huddersfield.

Cooper confirmed to WalesOnline that the Frenchman will be able to feature following his fine display against the Terriers, while there is also a "50/50" chance that Nathan Dyer could be involved after not featuring in the league since early December.

The Swans were also lacking the services of another wide man over the weekend as Wayne Routledge did not feature despite starting the previous match against Hull, and Cooper has revealed he will again be missing for the Fulham trip this week.

However, the Swansea boss did reveal that the 35-year-old is only battling a small injury problem and he is preparing to return to training on the grass next week, with this meaning he will also likely miss the trip to Blackburn over the weekend.

Swansea's final remaining absentee is experienced centre-back Mike van der Hoorn who has been absent since the Charlton clash at the start of the year, and Cooper told WalesOnline that the defender is still recovering from the knee problem.

"Mike is continuing his recovery. He's due a scan today (Monday)," Cooper said.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/all-the-swansea-city-injury-news-ahead-of-fulham-clash-this-week/

[WhiteJC]

Meet the opposition | Fulham

As Swansea City prepare to take on Fulham on Wednesday night, we take a closer look at the Cottagers.

What's their story?

London's oldest club, Fulham have competed in the top tier for 26 seasons throughout the club's history.

The Cottagers spent 13 consecutive seasons in the Premier League from 2001 until 2014, which saw them become an established top-flight team.

Under the guidance of Roy Hodgson, they reached their highest-ever league placing with seventh during the 2008-09 season, and reached the Europa League final in 2010 only to be defeated 2-1 by Atletico Madrid in Hamburg.

A turbulent campaign saw Fulham relegated at the end of the 2013-14 season, but they returned to the Premier League in 2018 via the play-offs.

However, it proved a brief stay on this occasion, as they were relegated back to the Championship.

How's their form?

Good. The Cottagers have lost just two of their last 10 Championship games -winning five - and are right in the thick of the battle for automatic promotion.

They suffered a shock 3-0 home defeat to Barnsley recently, and dropped points at Millwall, but they remain well placed heading into the final run-in.

Who's the boss?

Scott Parker. The former England international became Fulham manager on a permanent basis in May 2019 having hung up his boots in 2017.

The 39-year-old is making his first strides in management after a long career operating at the highest level.

Ex-midfielder Parker is the only player to have played for five London clubs in the Premier League. He started his career in south London with Charlton Athletic, and finished his playing career in west London with Fulham. He also played for the likes of Chelsea, Newcastle United, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur.

After his retirement, he started his coaching career with Tottenham's under-18s before joining Fulham in the summer of 2018 as first-team coach under Slavisa Jokanovic.

Parker became caretaker boss following the dismissal of Claudio Ranieri in February 2019. He was appointed as the permanent manager of the Cottagers in May after they suffered relegation from the Premier League.

Who are the key men?

Aleksandar Mitrovic has had an outstanding season to this point. The Serbian striker has scored 22 goals in the Championship this campaign, which sees him top the league's goalscoring charts.

Skipper Tom Cairney, has been a consistent player since joining the club in 2015 and is very much the heartbeat of the side. The skilful midfielder has averaged a pass accuracy rate of 90 per cent so far this campaign and has seven goals and three assists under his belt.

Well-known to Swans fans is Alfie Mawson, who missed a large part of the 2018-19 campaign through a knee injury, but it is the experienced Denis Odoi and Tim Ream who have been the preferred defensive pairing of late.



https://www.swanseacity.com/news/meet-opposition-fulham-0

[WhiteJC]

2019-20 Championship – Fulham vs Swansea Preview & Prediction

THE FACTS

When does Fulham vs Swansea kick off? Wednesday 26th February, 2020 – 19:45 (UK)

Where is Fulham vs Swansea being played? Craven Cottage

What TV channel is Fulham vs Swansea on in the UK? Sky Sports have the rights to Championship matches in the UK, so it is worth checking their schedule

Where can I stream Fulham vs Swansea in the UK? If televised, subscribers can stream the match live on Sky Go

Where can I get tickets for Fulham vs Swansea?

Fulham – https://www.eticketing.co.uk/fulhamfc/

Swansea – https://www.eticketing.co.uk/swanstickets/

What was the score in the last meeting between Fulham & Swansea? Swansea 1-2 Fulham

THE TEAM NEWS

FULHAM

Predicted line-up (4-3-3): Rodak; Odoi, Hector, Ream, Bryan; McDonald, Arter, Cairney; Kamara, Mitrovic, Cavaleiro

Unavailable: Mawson (Injured), Reed (Injured), Le Marchand (Injured), Kongolo (Injured)

Doubtful:

SWANSEA

Predicted line-up (4-2-3-1): Woodman; Naughton, Cabango, Rodon, Bidwell; Fulton, Grimes; Kalulu, Gallagher, Ayew; Brewster

Unavailable: Routledge (Injured), Van der Hoorn (Injured), Byers (Injured)

Doubtful: Guehi (Injured), Dyer (Injured), Kalulu (Injured)

THE PREDICTION

Following a run of three Championship matches without a win, the gap between Fulham and the automatic promotion places has extended to five points. Swansea are unbeaten in their last three league games and could well take at least a point from Craven Cottage with the hosts' morale currently dented.



https://www.thestatszone.com/football/english-championship/2019-20-championship-fulham-vs-swansea-preview-prediction-734060

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Tom Cairney assesses Fulham chances of reeling in West Brom and Leeds

Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney remains optimistic about his side's chances of catching the top two teams in the division.

The Cottagers could only draw at Derby County on Friday night meaning that Leeds United's victory over Reading on Saturday sent them five points clear of them.

West Bromwich Albion are the other side who sit in the automatic promotion places, although they're nine points ahead of Fulham and are flying, especially after their 3-0 victory at Bristol City on the weekend.

Fulham now have two massive games coming up this week, as they host both Swansea City and Preston North End at Craven Cottage, two play-off contenders who will provide tough tests.

Cairney has expressed his thoughts on the race for promotion and has insisted that nothing is decided yet.

Speaking to the Sky Sports EFL Podcast, Cairney said: "I see a lot of teams thinking and probably saying the same things as I'm saying.

"We can say we're chasing the top two but at the same time seventh is a few points off us as well so two losses can shoot you up the table or shoot you down.

"I don't think it's ever been this tight at this stage of the season. It was a weird Christmas period and New Year and we made up a bit of ground."

Asked if he thought Leeds and West Brom were uncatchable at the start of the year, Cairney said: "A bit, yeah.

"I remember watching them and they were both playing really well but at the same time with the experience that I've had in this league anything can happen.

"I remember a few years ago Leeds were 12 points ahead of us in the play-off places in February or March time, and we ended up beating them into the play-offs.

"It'd be nice if something like that could happen again, but we'll see."

He added: "It's too early to say that West Brom are up.

"They've got a nice cushion and have played really well lately so they deserve their place, so you always look for the next team, really.

"We're probably looking at Leeds rather than West Brom, but I don't think any team can say 'we've made it' just yet."

The Verdict

It could still be very tight at the top but a lot depends on Leeds' next few games, as on paper they're very winnable and could see them move further ahead.

It is important to remember that Fulham and Leeds still have to play each other this season so a lot could change from now until the end of the campaign.

At this point, West Brom look well set to win the league and it would take an almighty collapse for them to miss out on promotion.

The run-in is always great in the Championship and it'd be no surprise to see some more twists and turns in the coming games.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/tom-cairney-assesses-fulham-chances-of-reeling-in-west-brom-and-leeds/

[WhiteJC]

USMNT GM McBride Heads to Europe for Face Time With Americans Abroad
Brian McBride took charge as USMNT general manager in January, and part of his role includes being a regular presence for U.S. players and their clubs on a year-round basis.

The U.S. men's national team is heading abroad in late March to play friendlies against the Netherlands and Wales, in what will be the squad's first trip to Europe under coach Gregg Berhalter. Those games will be preceded by a month by a visit from new USMNT general manager Brian McBride, who departed Monday evening for a week-long swing through London, Amsterdam and Germany.

It seems that a lot of McBride's job will revolve around creating or strengthening connections—those between the senior team and the rest of U.S. Soccer, and those between the federation, its players and their clubs. Earnie Stewart held the GM role for a year before his promotion to sporting director. It now falls to McBride to breathe life into the nascent position, which he'll be doing at an accelerated pace this week. To clubs, he'll become the increasingly familiar face and spokesman for American men's soccer. To players, he'll aim to be a conduit, sounding board and resource as they navigate their careers.

"It's something I look forward to doing. The trip isn't just two-fold. It's probably four- or five-fold. But for the most part, it's about me making sure I start building relationships with some of the clubs I haven't talked to yet or been a part of. And more importantly, to start building relationships with some of our European players," McBride told SI.com just before departing Chicago.

Getting in front of as many teams and players as possible in just a few days presents a scheduling challenge and multiple moving pieces. McBride will begin in London, where he'll visit with Christian Pulisic–who remains out injured–on Tuesday and see Chelsea face Bayern Munich in their UEFA Champions League round-of-16 opener. On Wednesday, it's a short trip to more familiar ground–Craven Cottage–where the Fulham icon will watch the Cottagers (and Tim Ream) play Swansea City.

From there, McBride will head to Amsterdam, where he intends to chat with newly-minted senior international Sergiño Dest and attend the Ajax-Getafe Europa League match on Thursday evening. Then it's on to Germany, where McBride will meet with Schalke 04 and Weston McKennie (the club also employs reserve team player Nick Taitague), before going to games at Fortuna Düsseldorf (home to Zack Steffen and Alfredo Morales), FC Köln (which has U.S. youth goalkeeper Brady Scott and plays against Schalke), and Werder Bremen (home to Josh Sargent). The trip will conclude with a visit to RB Leipzig and Tyler Adams.

McBride said he's looking forward to meeting the likes of Pulisic, McKennie and Sargent for the first time. And he said he wished time and logistics were more forgiving.

"There are a ton of games, and a ton of games in short order, then things can change because we have a few injuries. I wish I could meet with every single player, meet with every single club," McBride said. "The names [of individual players] aren't really the important part. They're all important to the national team."

What matters going forward, he said, is establishing processes and lines of communication that didn't exist before Stewart joined U.S. Soccer in June 2018. The national team coach couldn't monitor every player, their club situations, career trajectories, fitness, potential dual-national issues and place in the national team pyramid from a broader, long-term perspective all while planning for specific camps and opponents. It just wasn't done to any significant length. Likewise, talking to clubs about players' health, availability and progress couldn't be as frequent. Stewart, McBride and women's GM Kate Markgraf are responsible for changing that.

"I want to create a level of comfortability. It's more making sure we're there for the player," McBride explained. "If there's something we can provide them, then we want to do that. If they need to express something of concern, we want to be there for them. If there's something they're building on, we want to make sure we help them build on it."

One player he'll miss in person this week is Borussia Dortmund's Gio Reyna, whose promising Champions League debut whet the appetite in the USA while reminding others how many countries he's potentially eligible to represent at the senior level. It could be as many as four. The Athletic UK reported Sunday that there are "steps being taken" by the English FA to see if Reyna, 17, might be interested in representing the country of his birth. He was born in Sunderland while his father, Claudio, was a midfielder for the Black Cats, but Gio doesn't have a British passport.

"Gio has been a great representative of our youth national teams. His father was one of the best players to have ever played for the national team. Those are factors," McBride said. "We think extremely highly of him, and I think you'll see that soon."

McBride's other priority in recent weeks has been helping Berhalter and U-23 coach Jason Kreis prepare for the Concacaf Olympic qualifying tournament, which runs March 20-April 1 in Mexico. The fact that it starts earlier and ends later than the upcoming FIFA international window is one headache, and that almost surely will rule out the likes of age-eligible players like Pulisic and McKennie. The other is that clubs aren't obligated to release anyone for youth national team duty. This is where the sort of relationships McBride is trying to enhance come in handy.

"I've been working with Jason, Gregg and Earnie to communicate to the clubs the importance of qualifying for the Olympics in this country and the experience you get from playing at the Olympics," said McBride, who participated in the 2008 Games as one of three overage players. "We're grateful to the clubs that have been somewhat receptive. Jason and Gregg have worked tirelessly to put the pool together and right now it looks pretty positive. Certainly some clubs have said, 'We're going to hold on to our players,' and we've got to understand things like that."



https://www.si.com/soccer/2020/02/25/brian-mcbride-trip-europe-americans-abroad-usmnt-gm

[WhiteJC]

Past meetings | Fulham v Swansea City

As Swansea City prepare to face Fulham on Wednesday evening, we take a look back at some memorable previous meetings between the sides at Craven Cottage.

Here we recall past games in the Premier League and Division Two

Fulham 1 Swansea City 2

Premier League - November 23 2013

Jonjo Shelvey came off the bench to net the winner to secure the Swans' first win in six matches, leaving Fulham in the Premier League relegation zone.

Aaron Hughes put the ball into his own net in the 56th minute to sum up a frustrating start to the season for Fulham.

The Cottagers' captain Scott Parker scored his first goal for the club with a curled effort to cancel out Hughes' own goal just eight minutes later.

Shelvey then fired home the winner when he made space on the edge of the box to slot past Maarten Stekelenburg.

The Swans finished the 2013-14 season in 12th position in the Premier League and reached the Europa League knockout phase.

Fulham 1 Swansea City 2

Premier League – December 29 2012

Michael Laudrup's Swans recorded their first win in five Premier League games courtesy of goals from Danny Graham and Jonathan de Guzman.

Playing in place of Swansea's injured top scorer Michu, Graham gave the Swans a first-half lead against the run of play after David Stockdale failed to collect a cross from Nathan Dyer. Graham was on hand to net his first Premier League goal in four months from close range.

De Guzman doubled the Swans' advantage, netting after Stockdale's clearance was deflected off Brede Hangeland. 

Fulham pulled a goal back after the break through Bryan Ruiz after the ball fell to him from a Dimitar Berbatov effort which cannoned off the bar.

The Swans finished the 2012-13 season in ninth position in the Premier League, and also secured the club's first major honour by winning the League Cup.

Fulham 0 Swansea City 3

Premier League – March 17 2012

Swansea City moved up to eighth place in the Premier League thanks to a brace from Gylfi Sigurdsson and a Joe Allen goal.

The Iceland international met Scott Sinclair's pass in the area and put the Swans ahead when he beat Mark Schwarzer with a diving header.

Sigurdsson struck again after the break with a controlled finish from a Wayne Routledge cut-back.

The three points were secured when Allen fired home an 18-yard strike after he capitalised on some sloppy play from the hosts.

The win saw the Swans collect a third away win in four attempts and Brendan Rodgers' side would end the 2011-12 campaign in 11th place in the Premier League.

Fulham 1 Swansea City 2

Division Two – February 23, 1980

Tommy Craig's penalty saw Swansea City pick up a first win in five games as they edged out Fulham at Craven Cottage.

John Toshack's side had taken the lead on the half-hour mark through Robbie James, only to be pegged back by a Kevin Lock penalty.

However, a wonderful run from David Giles ended with the Swans midfielder getting fouled in the area with 21 minutes to play, and Craig made no mistake from the spot.

The Swans would go on to finish 12th in the table, before going on to claim an historic promotion a year later.




https://www.swanseacity.com/news/past-meetings-fulham-v-swansea-city

[WhiteJC]

Fulham v Swansea City
WED 26 Feb 2020  Championship
Venue: Craven Cottage

Aboubakar Kamara came off the bench against Derby to set Aleksandar Mitrovic up for his 22nd goal of the season

Third-placed Fulham have no new injury concerns ahead of the visit of play-off hopefuls Swansea City, but boss Scott Parker may look to shuffle his squad after last week's 1-1 draw with Derby.

Aboubakar Kamara is pushing for a start, having come off the bench to set up their equaliser against the Rams.

Swansea boss Steve Cooper says Wayne Routledge (knee) is out, while Nathan Dyer has a "50-50" chance of featuring.

Aldo Kalulu is available despite suffering a knock against Huddersfield.

Mike van der Hoorn, meanwhile, continues his recovery from a knee injury that has kept him out since early January.

Match facts

    Fulham are looking to complete a league double over Swansea for the first time since the 1996-97 season.
    Swansea have won their past three away league matches against Fulham, though these wins all came in the Premier League between March 2012 and November 2013.
    Fulham are winless in three league games since beating Blackburn earlier this month (D2 L1), last enduring a longer wait for a win back in September (run of four).
    Only Bristol City (five) have won more away Championship games in London since the beginning of last season than Swansea City (four), though they lost their last such match at Brentford in December.
    Aleksandar Mitrovic - the Championship's top goalscorer this season with 22 goals - has netted each of Fulham's last four league goals with Joe Bryan assisting three of those. In fact, Byran has assisted Mitrovic six times this season, more than any player has assisted another in the competition in 2019-20.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51533034

[WhiteJC]

3 Fulham weaknesses Swansea City must look to exploit this week

Swansea City will be aiming to get their play-off push firmly back on track when they travel to face Fulham on Wednesday night following their 3-1 win over Huddersfield on Saturday afternoon.

Steve Cooper's side brought their five-game winless run to an end against the Terriers as Andre Ayew, Jay Fulton and Jordon Garrick all hit the target for the Welsh side, with this seeing Swansea climb up to ninth in the Championship table.

The Swans produced an impressive performance against the Terriers which signalled they could still be in contention for a top-six spot this term, but they must now follow this up with another bright performance at Craven Cottage tomorrow evening.

Fulham are in the running to seal an immediate return to the top flight following their relegation last term, but Scott Parker's side have been set back in their automatic-promotion bid in recent weeks after claiming one point from their last two games.

Here, we take a look at three Fulham weaknesses that Swansea can look to exploit tomorrow...

Fulham's football has been too lethargic
Fulham may still be in the mix for a top-two spot as we enter the final weeks of the Championship season, but Cottagers supporters have not been too happy with their side's style of football during a largely successful campaign so far.

The West London outfit have struggled to develop much fluidity in their performances during Parker's maiden managerial campaign, and this is a weakness that Cooper and Swansea will definitely be aware of heading into their clash.

Swansea must look to quickly close down Fulham whenever they get on the ball, particularly seeing as Parker's men have been so slow picking out passes for much of the season, and this could then permit Swansea to launch counter-attacks.

They rely far too heavily on Aleksandar Mitrovic
Mitrovic's exceptional quality in front of goal will obviously be one of the biggest threats that Swansea must attempt to handle on Wednesday night, but it should be noted that the Cottagers have leant so heavily on Mitrovic's goalscoring ability this term.

Therefore, Swansea can approach this game in the knowledge that they can eliminate the majority of Fulham's attacking threat if they can keep Mitrovic quiet on Wednesday night, even though this will a difficult task given his 22 goals this season.

It seems likely Joe Rodon will be presented the task of dealing with Mitrovic when the two sides face on Wednesday night, and it would be a major boost to the Swans' chances of winning the game if Rodon can cut out Mitrovic's threat in the clash.

The flanks can be exploited
Fulham seem to lack an attacking game plan when they work play into their opponents' final third, and this often means Parker's men fail to really attack either flank effectively as they sometimes struggle to create space on the channels.

The Cottagers' lack of incision out wide means Swansea could aim to exploit the flanks when launching quick attacks, particularly if the likes of Jordon Garrick and Aldo Kalulu are deployed to capitalise on pockets of space on the wings.

This would be a case of Swansea both utilising their own strengths while capitalising on Fulham's weaknesses, and it could end up producing strong results if Cooper gets his selection and tactics right at the Cottage tomorrow night.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/3-fulham-weaknesses-swansea-city-must-look-to-exploit-this-week/

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Fulham vs Swansea preview: Championship clash live on Sky Sports Football Red Button
Watch live on Sky Sports Football Red Button and the Sky Sports app from 7.40pm on Wednesday; kick-off is at 7.45pm


Ivan Cavaleiro could return to the Fulham starting line-up after Bobby Reid started ahead of him in the 1-1 draw with Derby

Fulham face Swansea in the Sky Bet Championship on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports Football Red Button and the Sky Sports app.

Team news

Fulham boss Scott Parker has no new injury concerns but could make changes to his side as they host Swansea. Josh Onomah was dropped for Friday's 1-1 draw against Derby having come in for criticism following his display in the defeat to Barnsley. Stefan Johansen replaced him and could keep his place.

Aboubakar Kamara impressed as a substitute against the Rams and is pushing for a start, while Bobby Reid was preferred to Ivan Cavaleiro and it remains to be seen who gets the nod to play alongside Aleksandar Mitrovic. Alfie Mawson (unspecified), Maxime Le Marchand (back) and Harrison Reed (calf) are all expected to miss out for the Cottagers once again.

Nathan Dyer faces a late fitness test as he looks to return to the Swansea starting line-up following his recent injury. But boss Steve Cooper is still without Wayne Routledge, who has suffered a knee injury which is likely to keep him out for another week.

Mike Van Der Hoorn is making steady progress on the knee injury that has kept him out since the start of January. But Cooper has Aldo Kalulu available despite the Frenchman being forced off midway through the weekend win over Huddersfield.

Recent form

Though they are right in the promotion mix, Fulham are without a win since February 8 having drawn two and lost one of their previous three games. The most recent game saw them held to a 1-1 draw in Wayne Rooney's 500th English league game.

Swansea got their promotion push back on track with a 3-1 victory over Swansea at the weekend, having previously failed to win any of their previous five league fixtures.

Opta stats

Fulham are looking to complete a league double over Swansea for the first time since the 1996-97 season.

Swansea have won their last three away league matches against Fulham, though these wins all came in the Premier League between March 2012 and November 2013.

Fulham are currently winless in three league games since beating Blackburn earlier this month (D2 L1), last enduring a longer wait for a win back in September (run of four).

Only Bristol City (5) have won more away Championship games in London since the beginning of last season than Swansea City (4), though they lost their last such match at Brentford in December.

Aleksandar Mitrovic - the Championship's top goalscorer this season with 22 goals - has netted each of Fulham's last four league goals with Joe Bryan assisting three of those. In fact, Byran has assisted Mitrovic six times this season, more than any player has assisted another in the competition in 2019-20.

Prutton's prediction

Since the turn of the year, Fulham have only scored more than one goal once in nine games. It's quite a puzzling figure for a side with their attacking talent, but Scott Parker has found a way to grind out results when they need them most and they are right in contention for promotion.

Twelve goals have been scored in Swansea's last two games, but they are struggling for form at the moment and have only won one of their last six, so you can appreciate how hard this one is to predict!

David Prutton predicts: 1-0 (7/1 with Sky Bet)



https://www.skysports.com/football/fulham-vs-swansea/preview/409757

[WhiteJC]

2 January transfer targets that Fulham should move for again in the summer

Fulham had an impressive January transfer window.

The year started with Michael Hector's arrival from Chelsea. The move had been in the works since the summer, but Hector didn't officially make the move until New Year's Day.

He's since become a key player for Fulham, who've also made the stays of Bobby Reid and Ivan Cavaleiro permanent, whilst bringing in Jordan Archer for free and Terrence Konoglo on-loan.

The Dutchman has since been ruled out for the remainder of the season though, having played ten minutes of Championship football for Fulham, and limiting their defensive options for what's going to be a high-pressure run-in as they chase promotion.

But Scott Parker missed out on a few names over January, and here's two that he should move for again in the summer:

Connor Goldson



The Rangers man has continued his impressive form from the first-half of the season and could well head to the Cottage in the summer. He was heavily linked with a number of English clubs last month, but Fulham looked the likeliest to land him before they secured the loan-deal for Kongolo.

But now with Konoglo unlikely to ever play for Fulham again, Parker will be in the market for another centre-back in the summer. Goldson, 27, is very similar to Hector in his style of play – tall and commanding, good on the ball and an overall leader.

He'd make an excellent signing and given Rangers dip in form, there could be a few players looking for the Ibrox exit come May.

Goldson wouldn't come as too much of an expense for Fulham, but his age might put them off – they've been looking to bring in more youthful players of late and Goldson doesn't really fit that bill, despite being a good fit for the first-team.

Zain Westbrooke



Westbrooke, 23, became a late transfer target of Fulham, Charlton and QPR on deadline day last month, but ultimately remained at Coventry. It's made the possibility of a summer departure all the more likely, and Westbrooke would be a fine addition to Fulham's team

The Sky Blues could well be a Championship side themselves next season, and in that case Westbrooke may choose to remain at the club. Nevertheless, Parker could reignite his side's interest in the midfielder, who's score four goals in 23 League One appearances this season.

He plays as an attacking midfielder and would be a good player to have on either side of the midfield-three that Parker implements. He scores goals, creates them and gives the team an overall boost in attack, but game-time at Fulham may be limited for him if he joins, especially if they're promoted to the Premier League.




https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/2-january-transfer-targets-that-fulham-should-move-for-again-in-the-summer/

[WhiteJC]

Leeds United Have Signings Worth £45m Lined Up For If They Get Promoted: Good Additions For Bielsa?

After a few weeks of stumbles, Leeds United have managed to open up a five-point gap on the second spot over Fulham. The Whites are unbeaten in their last three games, winning two of those. Promotion once again looks within grasp of Bielsa and his men and the fans will hope that they can go through to the Premier League without any hiccups. Leeds will have to spend and add reinforcements to the squad if they go up. Phil Hay of the Athletic revealed that Leeds United have signings worth £45m lined up for if they get promoted to the top tier.

The Yorkshire side are obligated to sign Helder Costa for £15m next season. Jean-Kevin Augustin is also on a similar boat, but his clause worth £17m would only be triggered if United achieve promotion. Bielsa also has an option to sign Harrison for £8m according to Hay. However, the Whites are not obligated to get the Harrison deal over the line. Illan Meslier who impressed in some of his appearances has also got an option to move permanently for £5m.

We try to look at whether they will be worth the price.

Helder Costa

This is a transfer which Leeds United cannot turn their back on, and they will have to spend £15m for the Portuguese. It is fair to say that he hasn't lived up to expectations but has shown glimpses of his capability. Many would agree that Wolves are getting a better deal here, but if Costa can turn things around then, this might look like a decent deal. Costa is still 26, so he is in his prime. We believe that he needs to show a bit more quality to be worth the price tag.

Jean-Kevin Augustin

We have seen far too little of him in United colours to pass judgement on whether he would be worth going for £17m. The Premier League will be a big step up, but if Augustin manages to settle in at Elland Road, then he can be a handy player. At the moment, it is impossible to pass judgement on the January arrival.

Jack Harrison

Harrison has quite often been United's best attacker this season. He has almost two years of experience of playing under Bielsa, and we think that the Whites will likely try to bring him in for £8m. However, we believe that Harrison would only be good enough to be a backup at the Premier League level, and the Whites should not rely on him to be the first choice left-winger. Given his age and experience of playing under Bielsa, £8m price tag sounds just about okay for the Whites.

Illan Meslier

£5m for him could turn out to be a massive bargain in a few years. This is one deal where we believe that Leeds don't need to think much. The French goalkeeper has everything to his game which a modern-day goalkeeper needs and United should look to get him in the summer.



https://the4thofficial.net/2020/02/leeds-united-have-signings-worth-45m-lined-up-for-if-they-get-promoted-good-additions-for-bielsa/

[WhiteJC]

Second Best

Stylish Fulham End PL Cup Hopes

ARGYLE bowed out of the Premier League Cup after suffering a 4-1 home defeat to an impressive Fulham side at Home Park on Tuesday night.

Victory would have seen the Greens qualify from a group that included Championship Fulham and Premier League duo Everton and Watford, but first-team coach Kevin Nancekivell conceded his young Pilgrims were second best on the night.

After falling 2-0 behind, a goal from Charlie Miller midway through the second period briefly gave Argyle some hope but a penalty for the visitors from the next attack effectively killed the game.

"They [Fulham] were far better than us tonight, we were second best," said Nance. "We had a young team and some young boys who will be far better for the experience. Credit to Fulham, their movement and their pace off the ball was very good and, at times, we struggled to deal with them.

"Fulham are a good team, we got ourselves back into it and you think we can maybe have a go but for them to go up the other end and score within 60 seconds was a hammer blow."

Despite this defeat, the Premier League Cup group stage has  been a tremendous learning experience for Argyle, who qualified for this stage after defeating Yeovil in a preliminary tie.

"We were pleased to get through the preliminary game to get into this group stage and we want to improve every year on our performances," said Nance. "We've come up against three good teams in Everton, Watford and Fulham.

"We will keep working, we've got some boys knocking on the door [of the first-team] but we want more than one or two, we want six or seven. It's going to be difficult but that's what youth football is all about.

"It's imperative we keep pushing for qualification in these tournaments because we're only going to get better if we're up against them [top sides]. If we shy away from it, we'll never get better.

"We have to take it on the chin and say this is the standard we want to get to. All the coaches in the Academy are working really hard and we have to continue to get better. Youth development is ongoing and the boys have to keep working hard to develop in their careers."

The final positive from the night was a full game for senior trio Conor Grant, Joel Grant and Dom Telford, who have come through fit and ready for the weekend trip to Bradford in Sky Bet League Two.

"All three of them have had 90 minutes, which will put them in good stead for the remaining games," said Nance. "All three of them worked really hard and came through unscathed."



https://www.pafc.co.uk/news/2020/february/second-best/

[WhiteJC]

 Tom Cairney interview: Fulham captain eager to avoid Championship play-offs
Watch Fulham vs Swansea live on Sky Sports Football Red Button and the Sky Sports app from 7.40pm on Wednesday; kick-off is at 7.45pm



On May 26 2018, Tom Cairney scored the winner in the Sky Bet Championship play-off final to send Fulham back to the Premier League after a four-season absence.

Less than two years down the line, he's looking to lead the Cottagers back to the top flight once more. But this time he's hoping to do it without the need for a make-or-break Wembley showpiece, in front of the eyes of the world.

"It's strange, as weird as that sounds," he told the Sky Sports EFL Podcast. "It was the best day of my career and I think the day will never be beaten, as a whole.

"But you're trying your best to not get into that situation again. To be honest, I don't want to go back there and have a chance of ruining the memories! Hopefully we can try and catch the top two."

Fulham's remaining fixtures against current top six

Date	Opponent
February 29	Preston (H)
March 7	Bristol City (A)
March 13	Brentford (H)
March 18	Leeds (A)
April 10	Nottingham Forest (A)
April 25	West Brom (A)

Ahead of Tuesday's home clash with Swansea, which is live on Sky Sports Football Red Button, Scott Parker's team sit fourth in the table, five points behind second placed Leeds and 12 behind leaders West Brom, with 12 games to play.

Every outcome remains feasible, particularly when you glance back at the club's results in the second half of the aforementioned promotion campaign, when a 23-game unbeaten run helped them to a third-place finish.

There's a sharp intake of breath from the Fulham captain as he attempts to assess the promotion race in its current state.

"I see a lot of teams thinking the same things and probably saying exactly the same things that I'm saying," he said.

"You can say you're chasing the two top, but at the same time I think seventh are a few points off us as well so two losses or two wins can shoot you up or shoot you down. I don't think it's ever been this tight at this stage in the season, but there was a weird Christmas period, we caught a bit of ground.

"West Brom and Leeds had a really big lead [earlier in the season]. I remember watching them and they were both playing really well, but then at the same time, with the experience I've had in this league, [I know] anything can happen.

"I remember a few years ago Leeds were 12 points ahead of us in February or March time and we ended up catching them and beating them to the play-offs. It would be nice if something like that could happen again.

"You talk about it among your team-mates and how nice it would be to have the extra few weeks off! The play-offs are a great occasion to be involved in; the semi-finals were amazing. When you're in it it's special and you do enjoy it but if you are in it, you have to win it. It's a lot of pressure."

A shift in approach in recent weeks has seen Fulham firm up at the back, but also score a significantly lower number of goals than fans have grown accustomed to and Cairney believes it has put them in a better position to challenge at the top of the table.

He added: "I think we got quite a few clean sheets and that was quite rare compared to the start of the season where we'd concede goals but outscore teams. We won a few games 1-0 which is not very 'Fulham-ish'.

"I remember Hull away we won 1-0, [1-0 at] Blackburn away and they hadn't been beaten at home since September, I think it was. We put in a business-like performance and I think that was the key, really.

"I think we'll always create and score goals, that's what we say before games. We'll always get a chance and with our striker [Aleksandar Mitrovic], you fancy us to score a couple. So if we have that solid foundation and keep a clean sheet, we always fancy ourselves to win games.

"I think the style of play is different [to that of the promotion side] but there are some similarities: we try to keep the ball, keep possession, dominate games. We went on that crazy run the season we got promoted - we went half a season unbeaten - but at this stage we are in a better position than we were before so there's been a few more positives this year."

In many ways, it's been a season of transition. A transition back to the rigours of the second tier and, more prominently, a full transition into management for Parker, who took over from Claudio Ranieri a year ago this coming Friday. "The conversations have changed," said Cairney with a chuckle.

"It is a little bit strange from when you share a dressing room with someone, you play with them and then all of a sudden they are your manager but you used to have conversations with them that stay in dressing rooms and now you can't really have those conversations!

"It's a bit strange in that sense, but the respect's always there. The respect on my part as a player when he was playing was big; he's got a good presence and he was one hell of a player. I played with him at the end of his career but he was a top, top player and to be fair, when he joins in training now he's still the best player, which is a bit embarrassing.

"It's tough. He's got arguably one of the best squads in the Championship to manage in his first managerial job. It's a good job but it's also a tough job at the same time so to be in the position he's at at the minute, I don't think he gets enough credit he deserves.

"Teams don't always bounce straight back [to the Premier League] so to be in the position we're in is a credit to him and his staff really."

With that in mind, does Cairney believe dreams of automatic promotion are feasible?

He said: "I think it's too early to say West Brom are gone but they've got a nice cushion and they've played really well lately and deserve it - but you always look for the next team. We probably are looking at Leeds more than West Brom at the minute but I don't think any team can they've made it just yet.

"It's an amazing league for the fans, for the neutral people and to play in it is quite special as well. We got beaten by bottom of the league and it doesn't happen in many other leagues. It's great to be involved in and the play-offs are special but hopefully we're not in them."



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/11942420/tom-cairney-interview-fulham-captain-eager-to-avoid-championship-play-offs

[WhiteJC]

3 Swansea weaknesses Fulham must look to exploit tonight

Fulham host Swansea City in the Championship tonight.

Scott Parker's side had managed to close an 11-point gap to Leeds United in 2nd-place, but after a couple of dismal displays they've now gone five points behind.

Automatic promotion should still be the aim for Fulham though and they've a good chance tonight to keep the heat on Leeds, hosting a Swansea side who've been inconsistent throughout.

They started the season better than anyone, but results soon took a hit and they've since been loitering just below the top-six. A play-off finish for them is still the objective, but here's three Swansea weaknesses that Fulham must look to exploit tonight:

Inexperienced
For all the promising young talents that Swansea have brought in this season, they remain a side with relatively little Championship experience. The likes of Rhian Brewster, Conor Gallagher and Marc Guehi all joined on-loan last month, and as good a signing as they all are, they're all in their first season in the second-tier.

That inexperience has seen them lose games from winning positions, go to Hull City and conceded four and not take advantage of teams they should be doing so. Swansea though remain a side with real attacking threat, and despite their lack of time in the game, the youngsters will be hoping to run riot at the Cottage tonight

Leaky defence
Steve Cooper hasn't really settled on a standard, regular centre-back partnership this season. Ben Wilmot has been the most involved throughout and he's recently been partnered by Guehi. This is a new-found partnership though, and the one that let four go in at Hull earlier in the month.

Freddie Woodman in goal as well has seen a slight decrease in his form, and that'll bode well for the league's top-scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic. The Serb has once again been in prolific form with 22 league goals this season, and he'll really put Swansea's back-line to the test tonight.

Lack of physicality?
Swansea are a side with really good technical players, but they don't have an enforcer. They don't have a player who's going to fly into 50/50s or go toe-to-toe with Mitrovic, and Fulham's physicality could well see them to a victory.

Aside from the likes of Guehi and Wilmot, Swansea have a very short, and very slight team. Scott Parker could identify this as a possible means to victory and field a more physical side than usual, and look to pepper Swansea with high balls into the box.

It wouldn't be a pretty victory by any means, but a victory nonetheless, and one against a side who are right in the mix with Fulham for a top-six spot – Parker is starting to come under the spotlight again, and another disappointing showing tonight could set him up for a potential exit before the season's out.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/3-swansea-weaknesses-fulham-must-look-to-exploit-tonight/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham team news: BBC say Parker could change squad vs Swansea, fringe man may start

Promotion chasers Fulham are due to face off against top-six candidates Swansea City in a Championship clash at Craven Cottage on Wednesday night.

The Cottagers enter the clash in indifferent form after having failed to register a victory during their previous three Championship games.

Swansea by contrast have won one out of their previous three league games and enter the contest on the back of a 3-1 win against Huddersfield Town.

The two teams last met at the Liberty Stadium in November and Fulham won 2-1 following a brace from Aleksandar Mitrovic.

The Cottagers have no major injury concerns ahead of the game against the Swans, though manager Scott Parker may look to make changes to his squad following their 1-1 draw against Derby, according to a report by BBC Sport.

After contributing an assist during the Fulham game against the Rams, Aboubakar Kamara could be set to be rewarded with a start by Parker. 

If the Cottagers manage to win the game, they would have completed the double over Swansea for the first time since the 1996/97 season.

Parker's Fulham side need to start providing key player Mitrovic with more assistance in terms of getting goals if they want to stand a chance of winning promotion this season.

The Serbian is currently the top scorer in the second-tier with 22 goals. He has also scored the club's last league four goals, with Joe Bryan contributing three assists.

A win for Parker's Fulham side will ensure that they maintain the pressure on second-place Leeds United.

However, the Craven Cottage side dropped to fourth place in the standings after Nottingham Forest beat Cardiff City on Tuesday night



https://ninetyminutesonline.com/fulham-team-news-bbc-say-parker-could-change-squad-vs-swansea-fringe-man-may-start/

[WhiteJC]

The likely Fulham XI Parker is set to field v Swansea tonight

Fulham host Swansea City in the Championship tonight.

Two of the league's new, British managers go head-to-head tonight as Steve Cooper takes his Swans side to the Cottage to face Scott Parker's Fulham.

Both have received mixed reviews about their tenures this season, but both sit in the top-ten of the Championship table going into these midweek fixtures, and both have every chance of a top-six finish.

Fulham will have their sights set on Leeds United in 2nd, after the gap reopened to five points at the weekend. Tonight's clash could go either way though, and here we take a look at the likely starting line-up that Parker will field:

Marek Rodak has had the best and worst game of his season in the space of a week – his horror show against Barnsley was forgotten with a Man of the Match performance v Derby last time out, and he'll no doubt keep his spot in goal.

In what'll be a 4-3-3 for Fulham, expect Michael Hector and Tim Ream to continue their partnership at the back, with Joe Bryan on the left and Cyrus Christie on the right – that right-back position has been the most contested for Fulham this season, and after Denis Odoi gave a relatively lacklustre performance there against Derby, expect to see Christie given a go.

In the midfield-three, Kevin McDonald will keep his spot as the holding midfielder, with Tom Cairney to his left and Josh Onomah on the right, coming in for Stefan Johansen. Parker has favoured Onomah a lot of late, and expect his physicality to be there from the start tonight.

Upfront, Aleksandar Mitrovic will sit in the middle of a front-three. The two either side of him has changed between Ivan Cavaleiro, Bobby Reid and Anthony Knockaert all season, and who'll start of the three tonight is anyone's guess.

Knockaert had a decent game against Derby, so expect him to keep his spot. Cavaleiro started on the bench last time though, so expect him to start tonight in place of Reid who's hit some average form of late.

Another poor performance would really put the fans on Parker's back. He's held Fulham in and around the top-two all season but it looks like his side are starting to be figured out by the opposition, and tonight will be another huge test for him and his Fulham side.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/the-likely-fulham-xi-parker-is-set-to-field-v-swansea-tonight/

[WhiteJC]

The main talking points from Cooper's Swansea City press conference ahead of Fulham clash

Swansea City travel to Fulham on Wednesday night aiming to build on their 3-1 victory over Huddersfield Town on Saturday.

Speaking ahead of the game at Craven Cottage, Steve Cooper revealed he is heading into the game in a confident mood after the victory on the weekend. He was adamant that it is still all to play for regarding the play-off places, as his side sit just five points off sixth place.

He also opened up on some positive injury news for the Swans, as he revealed that there were no fresh injuries ahead of the game against Fulham. Cooper said that Aldo Kalulu will be fit for the trip to West London, despite having gone down injured on Saturday.

Cooper also discussed the unpredictability of the Championship and the fact that their full focus is on themselves and not on the opposition. He's also claimed that there may be one or two changes on Wednesday but whoever he picks will be up for the challenge of defeating Fulham.

He didn't shy away from the fact that it would be a tough game against a good side but also expressed that if his side want to be successful then it's these games where they must try and pick up points.

It's going to be an interesting fixture, and if Swansea can play like they did against Huddersfield on the weekend then they'll give themselves a good chance of coming away with some points.

It could well be a pivotal game for both sides in the race for both promotion and the play-offs.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/the-main-talking-points-from-coopers-swansea-city-press-conference-ahead-of-fulham-clash/