Friday Fulham Stuff - 28/02/20...

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Sensory Accessibility Partnership

Fulham Football Club is delighted to announce a partnership with United States based non-profit organisation Kulture City, aimed at improving the matchday experience for supporters with sensory accessibility needs.

The partnership will include the provision of sensory packs, facility consultation and steward training.

Kulture City has been partnered with the National Basketball Association (NBA) since 2017, with their mission to make all NBA arenas 'sensory inclusive.' Kulture City is also currently partnered with several other professional sports teams and venues in the United States, including NFL (American Football) and NHL (Ice Hockey) franchises.

Kulture City has a connection to the Club having assisted in providing sensory services to Director of Football Tony Khan's All Elite Wrestling (AEW) events.

Speaking on the partnership, Tony Khan commented: "This is a really significant partnership for Fulham and I am personally really happy that Fulham is the first UK based sports club to partner with Kulture City.

"The organisation has done some amazing work in the US collaborating with teams to help deliver sensory inclusivity at major sports events. We are ready to start working with Kulture City at Fulham and to continue our commitment of making Craven Cottage a venue that is accessible to everyone.

"Come on Fulham!"

Uma Srivastava, Chief Operating Officer at Kulture City, stated: "Our communities are what shape our lives and to know that the Fulham Football Club is willing to go the extra mile to ensure that everyone, no matter their ability, is included in their community is amazing. We are thrilled that Fulham Football Club will be the first venue to be certified in the UK."

Any fan who would be interested in requesting a sensory pack should email [email protected]

Further information on Kulture City can be found at: https://www.kulturecity.org/  and @kulturec on twitter.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/february/27/sensory-accessibility-partnership

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The four penalty calls that went against Swansea City at Fulham and the six minutes that summed it all up

It was a hugely frustrating night for Swansea in the English capital

Steve Cooper was understandably livid when facing the media after Swansea City's 1-0 defeat to Fulham.

The Swans suffered a last-gasp loss as Aleksandar Mitrovic headed home a 93rd minute winner for the hosts shortly after having a penalty saved by Freddie Woodman.

Cooper and his coaching staff were hugely frustrated with a string of decisions made by the officials, in particular by referee Tim Robinson.

So we took a closer look at how the events unfolded.

The four penalty appeals

20 minutes - Andre Ayew

Conor Gallagher's flick sent Ayew through on goal, and the Ghanaian found himself in a one-on-one position with Marek Rodak after barging Tim Ream out of his way.

Ayew took a touch to move around the goalkeeper but then fell to the ground under the challenge of Rodak before Denis Odoi nipped in to take the ball.

Decision: No penalty

52 minutes - Joe Bryan

After a tough first half, Swansea improved after the restart.

Cooper's men enjoyed a decent spell after half time, and shortly after Aldo Kalulu's cross was cleared, Jay Fulton got into a good position on the right flank.

Standing just a short distance away from the 1,500 members of the Jack Army who packed out the away end, Fulton lifted the ball towards the box.

However, the onrushing Joe Bryan got back to block the ball, although replays showed Fulton's cross clearly struck the arm - which appeared to be in an unnatural position - of the Fulham full-back.

Decision: No penalty

83 minutes - Andre Ayew

By this point, Swansea had enjoyed more success in the final third following the introduction of Jordon Garrick.

Ayew had become an increasingly effective figure in the second half as Swansea carried more of a an attacking threat.

And the Ghanaian jinked his way through a number of bodies inside the box before once again hitting the deck as he was challenged by Odoi who lunged into the Ghana international in a desperate attempt to keep him at bay.

Decision: No penalty

87 minutes - Connor Roberts

Just five minutes after replacing Kyle Naughton, Connor Roberts was at the centre of arguably the biggest call from the officials.

Fulham whipped a cross towards the back post from the right wing.

The cross was over-hit, although Roberts and fellow substitute Neeskens Kebano collided and fell to the floor inside the box.

Wales international Roberts was in-front of Kebano when the alleged offence happened, although he was the man penalised for seemingly bringing down the Fulham replacement.

Decision: Penalty

What Cooper said about each penalty

"The first one was clear in the first half when the keeper brought him (Ayew) down. And in the second half when Denis Odoi brought him down," said Cooper.

"And then it's handball, the full-back, his arm was in an unnatural position, and then the one he gives, Connor (Roberts) doesn't even know where he is."

The six minutes that summed it all up

The penalty claim on 52 minutes when Fulton's cross struck Bryan proved to be the start of a torrid six minutes that summed up the performance of the officials.

That incident was the first of three handball offences committed in quick succession.

As already explained, the first one was not awarded, meaning Swansea missed out on the chance to have a crack at going ahead from the penalty spot.

On 55 minutes, Anthony Knockaert flicked the ball beyond Jake Bidwell on the right wing, and after it clearly struck the hand of the left-back - who could do little to move given that he was in such close proximity to the Fulham star - the assistant referee flagged for free-kick.

But it soon got even more frustrating for Cooper and his Swansea coaching staff.

On 58 minutes, Swansea looked to break and saw Rhian Brewster attempt to flick the ball beyond Bryan with the outside of his right boot.

However, the Liverpool loanee's touch saw the ball hit the hand of Bryan right in-front of the fourth official and the two benches, although, the free-kick was not given.

What happens next?

In his post-match press conference, Cooper revealed the club were set to go above and beyond the regular process when it came to giving their feedback on West Sussex official Robinson.

How exactly that will work remains to be seen, although Cooper indicated that the usual reporting process was not sufficient enough in this instance after a number of big calls went against his side in London.

"We've just said we have to report this further and beyond the normal reporting system of referees' performances which we do online, but we have to take it a bit further, because that cannot happen," explained Cooper.

"We're just looking at how that works. We need to help the game.

"If we don't share our feelings politely and respectfully, although that's quite difficult to feel at the moment, then we won't be helping the game."



https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/swansea-city-fulham-aleksandar-mitrovic-17822213

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Games for the weekend 29/02
This weekend we welcome Preston North End to the Cottage for a 3 o'clock kick-off.

So after a "last-minute" winner against Swansea we're back to winning ways at the Cottage, where would we be without Mitro?

Preston NE suffered a 2-0 loss at West Brom, no shame there, and are currently on a bit of a roll, sitting currently in 6th, if they were to win they'd still be a point behind us.

Our record against Preston is very good, 4 wins, 1 loss and 2 draws, should we win, and in the unlikely event Hull were to beat Leeds, we'd be 2 points behind 2nd place.

COYWs

Games of Interest...
Saturday 29th
Hull v Leeds
Blackburn v Swansea
Cardiff v Brentford
Fulham v Preston NE
Huddersfield v Charlton
Millwall v Bristol City
QPR v Birmingham City
West Brom v Wigan

Monday 2nd March
Middlesbrough v Nottm Forest

come on over to the forum and join in the discussion...
https://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?board=1.0



https://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/?p=1104

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'Immense', 'Best game for us by far' – These Fulham fans loved this 26-y/o's performance against Swansea

Fulham injected a fresh lease of life into their promotion bid last night as they clinched a 1-0 victory over Swansea City courtesy of Aleksandar Mitrovic's stoppage-time winner.

It had looked as though Scott Parker's side were to settle for a point when Swansea goalkeeper Freddie Woodman kept out Mitrovic's 88th-minute penalty, but the Serbian forward went on to seal the three points with a bullet header at the death.

The result means Fulham leapfrog Nottingham Forest into third spot in the table, with the Cottagers having produced a hard-fought display to overcome a resolute Swansea side who had two strong penalty appeals turned down in the second period.

Fulham's winning goal saw substitute Aboubakar Kamara pick out the head of Mitrovic with a terrific cross from the right flank, but it was Fulham defender Joe Bryan who started the move after his last-ditch tackle on Conor Gallagher at the other end.

Bryan raced back to sweep the ball from under Gallagher's feet as the midfielder surged through on goal, and this was just one example of excellent play from Bryan on the night in what was a fine defensive performance from the dependable 26-year-old.

Plenty of Fulham supporters took to Twitter after the match in order to praise Bryan for his man-of-the-match display against the Swans, while some Cottagers fans even suggested the full-back produced his best display in a Fulham shirt against the Welsh side.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/immense-best-game-for-us-by-far-these-fulham-fans-loved-this-26-y-os-performance-against-swansea/

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'Played with some heart' – Plenty of Fulham fans react to 29-year-old's display in Swansea win

Fulham beat Swansea City 1-0 in the Championship last night.

It took 93-minutes of football for Aleksandar Mitrovic to break the deadlock at Craven Cottage last night.

The Serb had missed a penalty only minutes before but rose high in injury time, smashing his header off the underside of the bar for the three points, and for his 23rd Championship goal of the season.

It was a frustrating performance from Fulham who arguably got lucky with a few refereeing decisions, but one Tom Cairney stood out for his side last night.

The Scot is a favourite at Fulham and gave a true captains performance last night – putting in tackles, getting up and down the pitch and creating goal-scoring chances for his teammates.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/played-with-some-heart-plenty-of-fulham-fans-react-to-29-year-olds-display-in-swansea-win/

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'Does absolutely nothing', 'Playing for himself' – These Fulham fans are fuming with attacker despite midweek win

Loads of Fulham fans have reacted to the midweek display of Anthony Knockaert after their narrow 1-0 win over Swansea City on Wednesday night.

Scott Parker's side were well on top during the opening half an hour with Knockaert, Ivan Cavaleiro and Bobby Reid all seeing efforts saved by Swans' shot-stopper Freddie Woodman.

Andre Ayew and Jake Bidwell came the closest to finding the net for the visitors but it always looked like it would be Fulham who nicked a result, if anyone was going to.

But when Aleksandar Mitrovic saw his 88th minute penalty saved by Woodman, after Neeskens Kebano was fouled by Connor Roberts, it looked like that would be that – only for the Serbian to fire home a brilliant header in the fourth minute of stoppage time to claim all three points.

So another excellent shift from Fulham's star marksman, but another lacklustre one for Knockaert. The Frenchman has been out of form for a while and was withdrawn on the 83rd minute of this one, replaced by Aboubakar Kamara.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/does-absolutely-nothing-playing-for-himself-these-fulham-fans-are-fuming-with-attacker-despite-midweek-win/

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High-profile Fulham figure sends message to fans following midweek drama

Fulham owner Tony Khan has sent a message after his club struck late to beat Swansea City 1-0 at Craven Cottage on Wednesday night.

It is a result which keeps them in third place and five points behind Leeds United, who currently occupy the final automatic promotion spot, and it was a win that clearly pleased Khan.

Taking to Twitter, he wrote alongside a series of photographs from the match: "Thank you very much to all @FulhamFC supporters & thank you to the squad & staff for that amazing win at the Cottage! At the death! I love the players & the club & everyone there so much, this was such a huge win for the team & I'm so happy for everyone involved! Come on Fulham!"

Scott Parker's side were well on top during the opening half an hour with Anthony Knockaert, Cavaleiro and Bobby Reid all seeing efforts saved by Swans' shot-stopper Freddie Woodman.

Andre Ayew and Jake Bidwell came the closest to finding the net for the visitors but it always looked like it would be Fulham who nicked a result, if anyone was going to.

But when Aleksandar Mitrovic saw his 88th minute penalty saved by Woodman, after Neeskens Kebano was fouled by Connor Roberts, it looked like that would be that – only for the Serbian to fire home a brilliant header in the fourth minute of stoppage time to claim all three points.

The verdict

It is clear to see why Khan is so happy with this win as anything else would have led to quite a lot of anger amongst the fans.

Having hit a rocky patch, any sort of win tonight will have done and doing it in such dramatic circumstances is bound to give everyone connected with the club a real boost.

Next up is a tough clash with Preston North End and it is crucial that these positive vibes remain for that match.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/high-profile-fulham-figure-sends-message-to-fans-following-midweek-drama/

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4 tackles: This Fulham favourite reminded fans of his class last night

Fulham beat Swansea 1-0 in the Championship last night.

Scott Parker's side returned to 3rd-place in the Championship table with a hard-fought win over the Swans. After an hour-and-a-half of back-and-forth football, and some controversial refereeing decisions in favour of Fulham, it was Aleksandar Mitrovic who broke the deadlock.

The Serb had missed a penalty only minutes earlier but in the third minute of injury time, smashed a header against the underside of the bar for his 23rd Championship goal of the season.

It was Tom Cairney though who reaped fans' praise after the game. He put in a thoroughly rounded performance to help Fulham on their way to victory, giving a real captain's effort to keep his side in the hunt for automatic promotion:

Now in his fifth season at Craven Cottage, Cairney has once again proved his importance to the side. He's scored seven goals in the Championship this season and after a slight downturn in form after New Year, he reminded fans of his class last night with a complete midfield display.

He put in four tackles throughout, denying Swansea any real scoring opportunities in the middle of the park, and made three key passes. The attacking side of his game rarely goes unnoticed, but his defensive side does – he proved last night that he's just as effective going backwards as he is going forward.

The only thing missing from his game last night, and what would've capped one of his best performances of the season, was a goal. Cairney has scored just the one goal since New Year, scoring only once in his last 15 appearances.

Fulham's goals have dried up a bit of late and if it weren't for Mitrovic nicking late goals so often, they'd really be struggling for firepower. Parker will want exactly the same from Cairney for the remainder of the season, and if he can rediscover his scoring touch, then Fulham could still have a chance of a top-two finish.

The verdict

Cairney is adored at the Cottage and rightly so. This season has been a slog for some players, and of late, Cairney hasn't been performing at his very best. Last night's showing though will give him a world of confidence, and put him in good stead to finish the season strongly.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/4-tackles-this-fulham-favourite-reminded-fans-of-his-class-last-night/

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'Made that difficult' – These Fulham fans react to win over Swansea City

Fulham got back to winning ways on Wednesday evening as a last gasp Aleksandar Mitrovic strike sealed a 1-0 victory over Swansea City at Craven Cottage.

After having his 88th minute penalty saved by Swansea goalkeeper Freddie Woodman, the Serbian bounced back to provide the final blow under the lights in west London.

The forward got his head onto Aboubakar Kamara's cross in the fourth minute of stoppage time to seal the three points for the Cottagers.

Fulham dominated large parts of the contest, and will feel the win was fully deserved considering how the game panned out.

The result moved Scott Parker's side into third place in the Championship, ahead of Nottingham Forest and five points behind Leeds United.

It was also Fulham's first win in four league games, drawing two and losing one of their previous three.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/made-that-difficult-these-fulham-fans-react-to-win-over-swansea-city/

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Scott Parker reveals what 'pleases' him after Fulham's last gasp Swansea win

Scott Parker has praised the never-say-die mentality that his side had during their 1-0 win over Swansea City last night.

The Cottagers missed a crucial penalty in the 89th minute when striker Aleksandar Mitrovic had his effort from 12 yards pushed away by Swans keeper Freddie Woodman.

The tie appeared like it would end 0-0 but Mitrovic made amends for his error earlier in the game when he headed in a cross from Aboubakar Kamara with 94 minutes on the clock.

Fulham's last gasp win lifts them up to third in the table as they continue to chase down second-placed Leeds United who are five points ahead of them. Marcelo Bielsa's side beat Middlesbrough 1-0 last night.

Speaking to West London Sport, Parker said: "When you miss a penalty late on you sometimes think it's not your night but full credit to the team and the whole squad.

"I've been in this for a year and speak to players and how they want to play and talk about mentality and how to build a never-say-die attitude.

"We've had difficult results lately and have fallen short. But what this team do is to miss a penalty late on, there was then an option for Mitrovic to miss the desire to put it in the goal. That's what pleases me the most."

The Cottagers have been on a good run of form lately having lost once in their last five games following a dip in form across the festive period.

Central midfielder Tom Cairney has stated that himself and the Fulham squad are eyeing up the automatic promotion spots as they try to avoid the pressure of the Championship play-offs and a return to Wembley.

The Verdict

Fulham have a winning mentality about themselves that has been instilled by manager Parker due to his own experiences while playing.

The Cottagers never know when they are beaten and they constantly battle until the final whistle as they look for an immediate return to the Premier League.

It would have been easier for Mitrovic to drop his head when missing the penalty last night but he kept going and scored the crucial goal that got three points in the end.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/scott-parker-reveals-what-pleases-him-after-fulhams-last-gasp-swansea-win/

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Memory match: Preston North End ended Fulham's unbeaten start at Craven Cottage
Preston North End caused a real stir when they beat Fulham 1-0 at Craven Cottage in October 2000.

The Cottagers had won their first 10 league games of the 2000/01 season, a run ended by a 0-0 draw with Wolves four days before PNE came to London.

But a mighty fall came at the hands of North End who inflicted a first defeat on Jean Tigana's men.

The midweek contest's only goal came directly from a corner.

Michael Appleton was the man to deliver it, his flag kick staying low and deceiving goalkeeper Maik Taylor at the near post.

Fingers were pointed in Taylor's direction at it being an own goal but Appleton was having none of it.

Appleton said: "It was my goal, I'm claiming it.

"I curled it straight in from the corner, the keeper tried to get it but by the lads near to it said it had already crossed the line. I'm having it!"

Fulham were under the management of former France international Tigana and had assembled a strong squad ready for a promotion push.

Their flying start to the season was impressive to say the least but North End were not daunted.

David Moyes' men were new to the section following their Second Division title win earlier in the year.

Moyes was able to recall Jonathan Macken to the PNE attack after the striker had missed seven games with a hamstring injury. Macken was paired up front with Erik Meijer who was on loan from Liverpool.

The front pair presented the Fulham defence with a real physical battle throughout the evening.

North End should have taken the lead with just 44 seconds played.

Meijer flicked on a long ball to release Mark Rankine clear on goal.

Rankine lifted a shot over Taylor but the ball dropped agonisingly wide of the post.

Fabrice Fernandes had a couple of chances for the home side, while Barry Hayles went close with a shot across the face of goal.

Louis Saha hit an effort straight at PNE goalkeeper David Lucas as Fulham looked for a way through.

The Lilywhites' winner came in the 68th minute.

Rankine worked himself into a shooting position in the box but Sean Davies got a touch on his shot to take it behind for a corner on the left.

Appleton was on corner kick duty, delivering it right-footed into the box. It went through a crowd of legs at the near post and ended up creeping over the line 
despite Taylor's efforts to scoop it out.

Not the prettiest of goals but what a significant one.

Preston set about holding on to the lead and ended up doing so without too many scares.

Sean Gregan, operating alongside Colin Murdock at the heart of the defence, was a colossus.

In midfield, Rankine and Paul McKenna never stopped working, supported by Lee Cartwright and Appleton from the flanks.

Steve Robinson came on to replace Macken for the last 18 minutes, adding another body to midfield .

North End's win toppled Fulham from the summit, with Watford going top.

Moyes left his assistant Kelham O'Hanlon to conduct media duties afterwards.

"It was an absolutely massive win for us," said O'Hanlon.

"The lads worked so hard and we deserved to win the game."



https://www.lep.co.uk/sport/football/preston-north-end/memory-match-preston-north-end-ended-fulhams-unbeaten-start-craven-cottage-2000151

[WhiteJC]

Five Thoughts: Fulham 1 – 0 Swansea

Football. Bloody hell. At the 89th minute of Wednesday evening's clash, I had this article mostly written out in my head. A story of frustration, tactical obscurity, and 2 points dropped. However, these plans were thrown up in the air (along with the Hammy End's clappers), as a certain super Serb headed home a 90+4th minute winner. Let's take a look at the 5 main talking points.

Mitro Makes Amends
It's almost become a cliché in itself to say "The word legend is overused these days". However, Aleksandar Mitrovic is already well on his way to becoming a club legend in South West London.

When some players have extraordinary ability, and a certain X Factor (especially at a young age) this can so often go to their heads. They can become arrogant, lazy, and believe others are beneath them. It's therefore so refreshing to see players like Mitrovic who are none of these things.

Time and time again, the Serb just refuses to lie down. He just refuses to walk off the pitch without scoring, a mindset which transfers to the players and fans around him.

We saw this again last night, with Kamara's pinpoint cross meeting Mitro deep into the box, even deeper into injury time. Let's be honest, there was no way he was going to miss, was there?

Now the Championship's top scorer, with 24 goals, he's undoubtedly the most valuable player in the League. God knows what we'd do without him, but whilst he continues to single-handedly win us points, does it really matter?

Penalty Pressure Proved
As Fulham cranked the handle, and increased the pressure on the Swan's defense in the dying minutes of the match, some kind of mistake from the visitors was inevitable.

In the end, it was forgotten man Neeskens Kebano who drew the mistake – going down in the box under a challenge from Connor Roberts.

There was no way that Mitro would let a repeat of Huddersfield last season happen, where Abou famously defied orders to take (and miss) a last minute penalty. Mitro held the ball tightly to his chest, and it seemed certain he was ready to right those wrongs and slot home.

In the end, Woodman guessed correctly, diving to his right to push the tame penalty away, and the Swans reacted quickly to block the rebounded shot.

Is Fulham's penalty jinx continuing?

Defence holds firm
Whilst no Fulham fan will be happy with how our defence has been playing this season (we concede 2 more shots per game than Leeds), we shouldn't ignore how unlucky we've been with injuries this season. Reed, Sessegnon, Mawson and Kongolo have all been affected with long term injuries, and therefore creating a settled back line is not a luxury we've been afforded this season.

Therefore it's so pleasing that Rodak, Ream and Hector are starting to build a great relationship between themselves.

The attacking brand of football we play is going to leave holes at the back, an inevitability we have to accept, however the composure the trio showed with last ditch tackles to deny the Swans in the box was a joy to watch.

Both Odoi and Bryan need to be praised for this too, with the latter's tackle being crucial to set up the chance for Mitro's winner. Hopefully this is the catalyst for more clean sheets in the future!

Awesome atmosphere
There's something about watching football at the Cottage under the lights which is truly special. We're not the loudest of fans, but when the floodlights are on the crowd create the kind of energy the players can feed off. It's therefore no wonder that some of our best recent & historic performances have come under the lights.

In the previous game at the Cottage, the 3nil loss to Barnsley, the atmosphere quickly turned very toxic. Fans got on the players backs, with understandable frustration, which only bred further nerves and mistakes – particularly at the back. Somehow we never tend to see this kind of atmosphere at night games.

Whilst fans do get frustrated whenever matches are rescheduled, and moved from 3 O'clock to midweek evenings, perhaps next time we should be more grateful!

Tactical Trepidation
Whilst as fans should enjoy the highs, we also need to realise where certain events paper over underlying cracks. There's an element of this with yesterday's result.

Wednesday was not the first time this season we've seen Fulham dominate possession, yet really struggle to create good chances. So many of our attacks result in poor percentage shots from outside the box, and our attacks seem fully reliant on just expecting our star men to create some magic with their individual brilliance.

In this regard, I'd like to see more of an emphasis of a clear plan of how we'd like to attack, and players moving according to this plan. So often our attackers become static, something which can be simply stopped by a well organised deep block.

If Scott can improve in this area, there's no reason we can't catch up in the race for automatic promotion.

COWY!!



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2020-02-27-five-thoughts-fulham-1-0-swansea/

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Scott Parker hails Fulham mentality after Aleksandar Mitrovic's winner keeps them in automatic promotion hunt


Mitrovic nets again | The Championship's top scorer struck late on to sink Swansea at Craven Cottage ( Getty Images )

If Fulham do make an instant return to the Premier League, then Wednesday night's 1-0 win over Swansea could prove to have been a hugely significant juncture in their season.

For Scott Parker, a match which long threatened to be another example of his side's frustrating inconsistency was ultimately evidence that his players are beginning to adopt the necessary mindset for another tilt at the top-flight.

"I talk about mentality more than anything, about building a never-say-die attitude," Parker said after Aleksandar Mitrovic scored with practically the last touch of the game.

"Top teams do what we've done. What we've done is more important than a result."

Mitrovic's 23rd Championship goal of the season came via a towering header from substitute Aboubakar Kamara's cross, minutes after the Serbian's penalty was saved by his former Newcastle team-mate Freddie Woodman.

The result ensured Fulham remain five points behind second-placed Leeds and arrested a run of three matches without a win, during which Parker had been concerned by the Cottagers' flakiness and fragility.

Swansea's visit threatened to follow a similar pattern to the chastening 3-0 defeat to Barnsley in their last home match, with the hosts dominating possession and chances but unable to find a breakthrough against Steve Cooper's well-drilled side, who remain five points shy of the play-off places.

Fulham kept plugging despite Mitrovic's miss from 12 yards after substitute Neeskens Kebano had earned a fortuitous late spot-kick for colliding with Connor Roberts.

Parker felt the precious late winner showed the penny is starting to drop with his squad and hopes to use the moment as a springboard for the run-in.

"If you want to build a team full of top players with top mentality, it's moments like this you need to grab," he said.

"There was an option for Mitrovic to feel tonight was his moment and not to have the desire and the mentality [to score]. That's what pleases me most. That's a big moment for me.

"It's moments like this that reinforce your words. If you don't have these moments your words can sometimes fall short."

Until Mitrovic's goal, which owed plenty to Joe Bryan's saving tackle seconds earlier, the Championship's top scorer had been more wasteful than anyone in white, bullying Swansea's defenders with his strength but snapping at half-chances.

The 25-year-old's crucial intervention was further evidence that he can always make the difference at this level and Parker believes he still has "loads" of room for improvement.


Parker was particularly pleased with Mitrovic's reaction on Wednesday night (PA)

"I'm trying to change the mentality of the team and individuals, and I include Mitrovic in that because he is still so young still, he does have a young mentality at times," Parker added.

"Top strikers have a mentality about them. They normally bear a lot of weight on their shoulders and they thrive off that. Mitro sometimes lacks that belief.

"He needs to understand, you can miss a penalty, lose a game, have a bad performance and what makes a top team is how you react. And that's what he did."



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/scott-parker-hails-fulham-mentality-aleksandar-mitrovic-winner-promotion-hunt-a4373271.html

[WhiteJC]

Scott Parker praises Fulham's never say die attitude

Fulham kept their automatic promotion hopes alive with their last-gasp win over Swansea City last night.

It looked like the Swans were going to hold the hosts to a frustrating draw at Craven Cottage but the Whites' top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic headed home in injury time to give his side a huge three points.

The Serbian striker missed an 87th minute penalty but made it for it at the death to keep Scott Parker's side in the race for the top two.

Fulham are five points behind Leeds United in 2nd with 11 games left of the season to play.

Parker has heaped praise on his players after battling to the end to overcome Steve Cooper's Swansea, as per the Cottagers' official club website: "When you miss a penalty late on obviously you feel a bit like it's not your night, but full credit to the team. Full credit to the whole squad."

"I've been in this job now for a year and we often speak to the players about the detail in the way we want to play and the technical side, but I talk about building the mentality more than anything, building a never say die attitude."

He added: "I thought the way we played tonight was very good, I thought we were exceptional. Over the last few games we've had a control about us but probably not moved the ball as quick as I'd like, but certainly in the first half today I've seen a team that was really forward thinking."

Next up for Fulham is another home game against Preston North End as they look to keep the pressure on West Brom and Leeds.



https://the72.co.uk/157880/scott-parker-praises-fulhams-never-say-die-attitude/

[WhiteJC]

'It just had to be!', 'Redemption' – Loads of Fulham fans went crazy for this attacker's dramatic midweek display

Loads of Fulham fans have reacted to the dramatic midweek performance of Aleksandar Mitrovic as they beat Swansea City 1-0 on Wednesday night.

Scott Parker's side were well on top during the opening half an hour with Anthony Knockaert, Ivan Cavaleiro and Bobby Reid all seeing efforts saved by Swans' shot-stopper Freddie Woodman.

Andre Ayew and Jake Bidwell came the closest to finding the net for the visitors but it always looked like it would be Fulham who nicked a result, if anyone was going to.

But when Mitrovic saw his 88th minute penalty saved by Woodman, after Neeskens Kebano was fouled by Connor Roberts, it looked like that would be that – only for the Serbian to fire home a brilliant header in the fourth minute of stoppage time to claim all three points.

It was yet another match-winning display from the Serbian and one which kept the Whites in the promotion race.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/it-just-had-to-be-redemption-loads-of-fulham-fans-went-crazy-for-this-attackers-dramatic-midweek-display/

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Joe Bryan reacts as Fulham secure last gasp win over Swansea

Fulham got back to winning ways on Wednesday night at Craven Cottage as they secured a last gasp victory over Swansea City with seconds to spare.

An Aleksandar Mitrovic header in the fourth minute of stoppage time from an Aboubakar Kamara cross proved to be enough, as Fulham climbed back up to third place.

The Serbian made up for his missed penalty in the 88th minute, which was saved by Swansea goalkeeper Freddie Woodman.

The Cottagers had their share of possession during the course of the clash, and imposed themselves on Steve Cooper's side. Despite that, they will feel fortunate that all of Swansea's penalty claims were turned down by referee Tim Robinson.

The result also ends Fulham's three-game run without a win in the Championship.

One man who had an excellent game in defence for the Cottagers was Joe Bryan, who made a total of 99 touches on the left hand side, also making a crucial last-ditch tackle to keep the scores level.

The 26-year-old posted a simple message on Instagram following the important 1-0 victory.

It was one of his better performances in a Fulham shirt, and he will hope to channel that for the remainder of the season for his club.

The Verdict

Bryan showed what he is capable of on Wednesday night, after a series of recent performances which weren't up to standard, notably against Barnsley.

According to WhoScored, he made two successful dribbles, won three aerial duels and made three tackles during the course of the game.

With two difficult matches on the horizon against Preston and Bristol City, Scott Parker will hope that the defender can maintain his level.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/joe-bryan-reacts-as-fulham-secure-last-gasp-win-over-swansea/

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Exclusive: Fulham's Cody Drameh talks Sessegnon, Wan-Bissaka and the Championship title

Championship promotion-chasers Fulham have another promising young full-back on their hands - England youth star Cody Drameh.

These days, any budding young talent making their way at Fulham will have to endure inevitable comparisons with a man who tore the Championship apart at an age where most teenagers are fretting over A-levels and UCAS points.

They have a certain Ryan Sessegnon to thank for that.

But, for 18-year-old Cody Drameh, the rapid rise of Tottenham's £30 million star is an inspiration above all else.

"I've seen what Ryan can do so I'm always thinking 'how has he done that?'. Ryan's broken into Fulham's first team so I look up to him a lot," says Drameh, speaking exclusively to HITC, as facilitated by Colossal Sports Management.

While a 17-year-old Sessegnon shot to fame with 16 goals and eight assists during a remarkable breakthrough campaign in 2017/18, Drameh is more renowned for his abilities at the other end of the pitch.

It's telling that, in an age where full-backs are more adventurous and attack-minded than ever before, Fulham's latest teen sensation idolises a man who embraces the old-school ways.

"For his defensive qualities, Aaron Wan-Bissaka (is someone I look up to). The way he holds his own, he's also calm with the ball and not many players can get past him," he says.

That is not to say, however, that Drameh is unaware of the responsibilities placed on a modern-day full-back.

"My strengths are defending, interceptions and, in general, reading the game well. I think I can improve on my attacking output, crossing and making assists in the future," he says, naming Borussia Dortmund's turbo-charged wing wizard Achraf Hakimi as an inspiration.

Having set up five goals for Fulham's reserves this season, Drameh is certainly working on his weaknesses. And it seems only a matter of time before he is barrelling down the same path that saw not just Sessegnon but also Moussa Dembele and Harvey Elliott become first-team stars long before their 20th birthday.

"Hopefully the manager sees something in me to give me the chance of first-team football," says an NBA fanatic whose imposing athleticism owes much to hours spent on the basketball court as well as the football pitch.

"I've had a few interactions with (Scott Parker), he just talks to me about what I can improve on."

Like all young players, Drameh dreams of lifting 'Old Big ears' high into the night sky one day, enchanted by the prospect of those infamous European nights at Anfield or Dortmund. But, for now, the focus remains on the Championship rather than the Champions League.

Namely, winning the thing.

'It's all about consistency'

"We've got a very good chance. It's all about consistency for us," says a Dulwich-born defender who names fellow Fulham youngsters Jay Stansfield (below) and Fabio Carvalho as ones to watch in the future.

"We can go on a five-game run but then we'll lose the odd match. There are teams around us that are also slipping up so we can definitely push for the automatic places or even win the Championship."

There is another iconic white shirt that Drameh holds close to his heart. The lung-busting Londoner was handed his England youth debut in March of last year, the culmination of years of blood, sweat and relentless hours on the training pitch.

"I'd been waiting for this moment for about five or six years so, when I got that call-up, it was amazing. I was so proud of myself and my family was proud of me (too)," he gushes.

With Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker, Max Aarons and Wan-Bissaka too all enjoying superb campaigns in the Premier League and beyond, this is something of a golden era for English right-backs.

Sooner rather than later, it might be time to add Drameh's name to that list.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/02/27/do-exclusive-fulhams-cody-drameh-talks-sessegnon-wan-bissaka-and/

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Former Fulham player admits automatic promotion will be 'difficult'

Ex-Cottager Rob Wilson has conceded that catching West Brom and Leeds will be an uphill battle for Fulham this season.

Fulham currently sit third in the Championship, five points behind Leeds and cast even further adrift from league leaders West Brom who have a nine-point cushion between them and Scott Parker's side.

The Cottagers have Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrović to thank as his scintillating form has helped propel his side up the table. His latest effort being a last gasp header to beat Swansea at home last night.

LISTEN TO THE FULHAM FANS SHOW EVERY WEDNESDAY FROM 9PM ON LOVE SPORT RADIO

Fulham's number nine is the Championship's leading marksmen with 23 goals so far, though he had a golden opportunity to add one more to his tally in last night's clash.

Mitrovic showed the kind of mental strength all top strikers posses; despite seeing his late spot-kick saved he responded with a bullet header to ensure his side's faint hopes of automatic promotion remain alive.

Speaking to Love Sport Radio after the game, former Fulham midfielder Rob Wilson claimed Mitrović's penalty taking style came as a surprise to him, but ultimately praised Craven Cottage's man of the hour.

"Yeah I don't think I've seen him do that style previously, he's probably been watching one or two of the big boys, notably Rooney last week strolling up to the ball and dinking his one but it was a bit of a cat and mouse situation.

"I think you know penalties, just put your head down and make sure you know where you want to take it. He's obviously made up for it with a fantastic header in that last minute".

Wilson also went on to admit that his former side will struggle to secure automatic promotion status, though that won't stop them fighting until the last whistle.

"We were on a nice run of six unbeaten whilst West Brom and Leeds dropped points, we managed to get ourselves back in the possible automatic promotion and then we've hit a blip recently whilst Leeds and West Brom have kicked on a bit.

"Yeah, it's going to be difficult, but we're still chasing the dream of catching both sides, we just need to make sure we stay in contention."



https://www.lovesportradio.com/news/love-sport-exclusives/former-fulham-player-still-dreaming-of-premier-league/

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'Classy performance' – These Fulham fans react to this player's performance after Swansea win

Fulham got back to winning ways in the Championship on Wednesday night, as Scott Parker's side saw off Swansea City 1-0 at Craven Cottage.

A last-gasp strike from top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic was what separated the two sides, with the Serbian meeting Aboubakar Kamara's cross with a header in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

It was his 23rd league goal of the season for the Cottagers.

He made up for his earlier penalty miss in the 88th minute of the contest, which was saved by Swansea goalkeeper Freddie Woodman.

The result moves Fulham back up to third place ahead of Nottingham Forest.

Another player that had an excellent game for Parker's side was Joe Bryan, who produced an accomplished performance on the left-hand side of defence.

A few of his teammates took to Instagram to praise the 26-year-old, and here is what they had to say:

Fulham fans also shared their thoughts on Bryan's performance, and here are the best responses:

george.rossiter8: Unreal tackle to cap off a fantastic performance Joe. Love it ❤⚫⚪

luca245petrenko: That was a classy performance Joe 👏👏

a.savva_: Joe you were my MoTM no doubt

laflin23: That challenge at the end 👌😍

tkeane.3: That tackle won us the game

love4ffc: One of your best matches so far this season mate. Keep up that and who knows, maybe 2nd

clarkollie: Top performance ⚫⚪



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/classy-performance-these-fulham-fans-react-to-this-players-performance-after-swansea-win/

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Ticket Information: Fulham Away

Preston North End's trip to face Scott Parker's Fulham at Craven Cottage at the weekend is completely sold out for Lilywhites supporters.

The full allocation of 1,964 tickets in the Putney End – behind the goal – sold out in less than a week.

Should any tickets be returned, these will be available for sale but please be aware that there is a waiting list, those on the waiting list will be contacted first before any tickets are made available for general sale and these must be sold before 4pm on Friday.

While the main allocation is sold out, there are a handful of tickets available to wheelchair users, to purchase these please contact the ticket office. These tickets are priced as follows: Adults £12.50, seniors (65 and over) and 18 to 21-year-olds £10 and U18s £7.50.

    The carer ticket is free of charge if one is required, those in receipt of DLA higher/middle rate or PIP are entitled for a free carer ticket.

Coach travel is also still available and is priced at £25 per person with coaches departing both Deepdale and Leyland at 7.30am. Please note that there is now only very limited availability on coaches from Deepdale.

Any tickets that are to be collected, should be done so from the collections booths which are situated in front of the Johnny Haynes Stand, between the ticket office and Johnny Haynes Statue.

There are two booths one for A to K and one for L to Z and tickets will be there after the official coaches arrive at the stadium, approximately 90 minutes before kick-off.



https://www.pnefc.net/news/2020/february/ticket-information-fulham-away/