Saturday Fulham Stuff - 06/03/20...

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Nottm Forest	0-3	Millwall

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Scott Parker gives verdict on Fulham's Bristol City test

Fulham manager Scott Parker admits that Bristol City shouldn't be underestimated despite their poor recent run of form in the Championship.

The Robins found themselves within touching distance of the top-two under a month ago, but four matches without a victory has seen Lee Johnson's side slip to 7th in the standings, two points behind sixth-placed Preston North End.

As for the Whites, they've responded excellently to going three games without winning by dispatching both Swansea City and Preston North End at Craven Cottage in recent weeks – and the Fulham boss is hoping to continue their revival at Ashton Gate on Saturday lunchtime.

Parker told Fulham's official website: "Think you're always wary in that sense, but at the same time I think you realise what you're going into, and obviously they are on a bit of a bad run of form.

"But in saying that, they're also a team that can put runs together, like they did at the beginning and in the middle of the season.

"We understand we're going up against a wounded animal here and we need to keep pushing as hard as we can, silence the crowd a little bit, and keep going from where we've been leaving off over the last few weeks.

Bristol City were victorious at Craven Cottage earlier in the campaign and Parker is expecting another difficult test this weekend.

He continued: "They did a number on us in the home game and obviously beat us 2-1. I thought we played very well on the day and I remember having a penalty not given late on.

"They're a good side. They've navigated this division, been in and around it for a long time. They understand what's needed, and although they're going through a little bit of a tough patch at the moment, we realise the challenge ahead that faces us going to their place.

"It will be a tough game, but our away form over a course of games has been very good, and we'll go there hoping to get as many points as we can."

The Verdict

When you're chasing a side like Leeds United at this stage in the campaign, you know they'll give you chances to make up points. And with Fulham travelling to Elland Road a week on Wednesday, it's crucial that Scott Parker's men don't let the current gap of five points get any bigger by the time they arrive in South Yorkshire.

But despite their recent form – which includes defeats against West Brom and Leeds United – Bristol City are always dangerous opponents, although their awful home form of late suggests that Parker's men will have every opportunity of putting the pressure on the top-two in the early kick-off with what would be a huge victory.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/scott-parker-gives-verdict-on-fulhams-bristol-city-test/

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No Live Streams In March

Fans are reminded that none of Fulham's March fixtures will be streamed live on FFCtv.

When a match has been chosen for live television coverage, whether that's here on Sky Sports or on an overseas broadcast, we are not permitted to show the game live on Club channels.

Bristol City, Brentford, Leeds United and Queens Park Rangers have all been selected by Sky, and therefore will not be viewable live on FFCtv.




http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/march/06/no-live-streams-in-march

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'Very interesting' – Fulham ace opens up on what it will take to stop Leeds & promotion rivals

Fulham forward Aboubakar Kamara has commented on the Championship run-in, including the need to beat Leeds United in the upcoming clash at Elland Road.

The French attacker admitted that the Cottagers will need to take points off their promotion rivals such as West Brom, Bristol City and Nottingham Forest alongside the Whites.

Leeds did lose against Fulham back in December, but it was in controversial circumstances as it finished 2-1 at Craven Cottage.

Speaking to Fulham's official website on Thursday, Kamara admitted that every game will be a cup final for the Londoners.

"We know we need to approach each game with confidence," he said.

"Every game is a cup final because we play West Brom, Leeds, Brentford and Nottingham Forest. We need to win to stop them.

"We play them all so it's in our hands but they will think the same thing, so there's something in it for everyone which makes it very interesting."

Leeds are currently the in-form side in the Championship having won their past four games and managing to keep clean-sheets.

Prediction expert Nate Silver has revealed that the Whites currently stand a 97% chance of earning promotion the Premier League, compared to Fulham who only have a 28% of doing the same.

On that basis, Fulham desperately will need to collect all three points when they travel to Elland Road in two weeks time – a defeat could all but end their hopes of automatic promotion.



https://motleedsnews.com/news/very-interesting-fulham-ace-opens-up-on-what-it-will-take-to-stop-leeds-promotion-rivals/

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Michelle Owen: Will Bobby Reid's Ashton Gate return show Bristol City what they've been missing

The Sky Sports News presenter discusses the forward's departure as he prepares to play at BS3 again with Fulham


Bobby Reid celebrates scoring for Fulham against Huddersfield

Bobby Reid and Joe Bryan were reunited at Fulham this season. Both left Ashton Gate in the summer of 2018 when the lure of Premier League football was too good to turn down.

As it transpired the clubs they joined, Cardiff and Fulham, only lasted one season in the top flight but both made it to the promised land. However, now they are back on a level playing field with their boyhood club so could and should they have stayed?

Undoubtedly they both upped their wages. Reid went to Cardiff and is not a typical Neil Warnock player. His £9 million may have added some pressure and he was utilised in different ways.

He had been so successfully converted into a striker by Lee Johnson, but since leaving BS3 hasn't been used solely in this way at either Cardiff or now Fulham.

I bumped into him at The Vale a few times and he said he was enjoying and settling in but ultimately he left after just one season to join Fulham.

He did get to score in the Premier League which I can imagine is a huge aim for many players, but at the end of his spell he was linked with Bristol City.

Had he come back you would have imagined Johnson would once again use him up front and he could have played himself back into City fans' hearts after some, naturally, were aggrieved he left for the Severnside rivals.

At Fulham he is being used in various ways - sometimes in midfield - and has five goals in 32 games. If he had chosen City he could have been first-choice striker at a level where we know he can score goals.

Who knows, perhaps the promotion push could have been more prevalent with Reid at the helm. We are not privy to the reasons he chose Fulham but, if we are honest, they are in a better position than City to get over that promotion line this season.

Bryan served with Fulham in the Premier League and stayed when they went down. Injury forces him to miss the game on Saturday but I dare say he would have had a warm reception.


Bobby Reid and Joe Bryan pictured in 2017

Southampton and Watford were reportedly interested in the left-back in January, and I still believe has international potential.

Both players are shining examples of the great work Bristol City academy does, but also indicate how the club cannot keep hold of their best players. This leads me on to Johnson's comments after the Millwall draw last weekend.

Johnson said he could write three books on what has happened behind the scenes this season. Reflecting back to August he lost his best defender Adam Webster so late on, then in January it is understood he did not want to lose Josh Brownhill.

Now without being too presumptuous, it's safe to assume part of those three books (among other issues we don't know about) would be on losing his best players.

The Robins want to operate sustainably and cash in where they can, yet losing their best players undoubtedly damages promotion aspirations.

It has come to light just how key Brownhill was, Johnson knew this and although there was lots to be positive about when the window closed, it remains to be seen how the new signings will settle in.

Against Fulham this weekend you just hope Reid does not come back to haunt Ashton Gate. Form has slumped lately for the Robins, and a win at home would be the perfect and much needed way to mark 125 years. 



https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/michelle-owen-bobby-reids-ashton-3920528

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Bristol City v Fulham
SAT 07 Mar 2020  Championship
Venue: Ashton Gate

Niki Maenpaa was recalled for Bristol City's draw at Millwall

Bristol City are likely to be without goalkeeper Dan Bentley for the visit of fellow promotion contenders Fulham.

Niki Maenpaa will continue to deputise again as Bentley (groin) continues to recover. Niclas Eliasson and Nahki Wells are also pushing for recalls.

Fulham might opt to start with Aboubakar Kamara after some impressive performances off the bench, with Anthony Knockaert set to miss out.

Full-back Joe Bryan (hamstring) is out with Cyrus Christie set to replace him.

Match facts

    Bristol City have won five of their past seven matches against Fulham in all competitions (W5 D1 L1).
    Fulham are unbeaten in their past four away league games against Bristol City (W3 D1) since a 5-1 defeat in April 1990.
    Bristol City have taken just four points from their past six Championship games (W1 D1 L4) and are winless in their past four league games (D1 L3).
    Fulham have won just two of their past nine away games in all competitions (D4 L3), drawing their past two 1-1 away at Millwall and Derby.
    Since the start of December, only Hull City (six) have lost more home Championship games than Bristol City (five).
    Among players to appear in at least 500 minutes in the Championship this season, Fulham's Aboubakar Kamara has the best minutes per goal/assist ratio in the division, scoring four goals and assisting four in just 808 minutes (one goal/assist every 101 minutes).



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51685138

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Ally McCoist predicts which 2 Championship teams will get promoted, names side to just miss out

talkSPORT pundit Ally McCoist has predicted that Leeds United and West Brom will go up in the automatic promotion spots, while Fulham will just miss out.

That means he sees the Championship staying as it is at the moment, with Fulham five points behind Leeds going into this weekend's fixtures.

There are just 10 games left in the season now, with Fulham facing a tricky away trip to Bristol Cty on Saturday. Leeds play Huddersfield at Elland Road.

Talking on the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast show (talkSPORT, Friday, 8am), McCoist was asked who he was tipping for promotion.

"I still think the top two will go through. I look below them and I think that Fulham are the biggest threat to West Brom and Leeds.

"I love the league, I really do, there are only five or six points between first, second and the play-off places, but I think the top two will do enough to get there."

All the experts think that Leeds will get promoted this season but that won't make things any easier for the fans.

Nate Silver's prediction website FiveThirtyEight gives them a 97% chance of promotion, with just 5% of that being through the play-offs.

That's a 91% chance of ending in the automatic promotion spots.

The bookies also think it's a lock with odds as thin as 1/33 for Leeds to go up. To put that in real terms you would have to bet £33 to make £1 of profit if Leeds get promoted.

You won't find any Leeds fans betting on these odds and you won't find any Leeds fans thanking us for pointing all this out.

One game at a time is the refrain and it's Huddersfield on Saturday next.



https://motleedsnews.com/matchday/ally-mccoist-predicts-which-two-teams-will-get-promoted-names-side-who-will-just-miss-out-leeds-united/

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The right system, keeping control and options for Nagy: How Bristol City can beat Fulham

The Robins take on the third-placed Cottagers having stopped a run of three defeats at Millwall

With the 125 anniversary game against Fulham on the horizon, I've taken a look at Bristol City's last game, the 1-1 draw against Millwall, and in this piece I will highlight the tactical trends of this game, what City did well and not so well, and also aspects which may need to change for Saturday.

At Millwall, Lee Johnson made six changes from the disappointing 2-1 defeat to Huddersfield, with Niki Maenpaa, Pedro Periera, Adam Nagy, Korey Smith, Callum O'Dowda and Andi Weimann coming in for Dan Bentley, Jack Hunt, Markus Henriksen, Tommy Rowe, Filip Benkovic and Nahki Wells.

The Robins set up in a 4-4-2 formation, with Diedhiou and Weimann leading the line, a natural winger in O'Dowda on the left and a roaming midfielder on the right in Paterson.

With Johnson dropping all three of his January signings, later explaining that this was because he wanted to pick players who had been here a while and therefore already knew his "identity" and "style", it gave an opportunity for Nagy and Pereira to cement their place in the first XI – with the latter scoring the Robins' only goal in this game.

Johnson also explained that part of his thought process when selecting the team was picking a "quick" defence. Millwall do regularly look to play long balls into the channels, plus they have pacey offensive players like Jed Wallace and Mason Bennett (who didn't start in the end), so it was a clever decision in the end to select pace to counteract this in Pereira, Tomas Kalas and Jay Dasilva.

And this did work to City's advantage in the game, as there were very few occasions where Millwall got in behind their back four. However, with the Fulham game coming up on Saturday, do City need to adopt a similar tactic?

In my opinion, it's less important for City to pick a "quick" defence against the Cottagers, as they're much more of a possession-based team and rarely look to catch teams off-guard with direct balls in behind the defence.

Plus, Ivan Cavaleiro is really the only attacker they have who has raw pace so it might be better idea to pick a back line who can deal with the physical Aleksander Mitrovic. Ashley Williams and Nathan Baker coped well against the Serb in the reverse fixture.

City started the game really well at the Den. They dominated possession in the first 15 minutes of the match, they were accurate with their passing and they weren't forced to go long too often.

This meant that the whole team were able to push up the pitch and play more in the opposition's half, with Nagy especially able to thrive by keeping the ball and helping make City tick.

However, his effectiveness wore off gradually as the game went on, and one of the main reasons for this was because he didn't have as many passing options ahead of him in the second half, meaning the only option he had at times was to go sideways and backwards.

As you can see from the above graph, City kept the ball well and were much more accurate in their passing in the first 15 minute period – most of this was before the opening goal – but then after that they really struggled and often resorted to clearing the ball (sometimes aimlessly) up the pitch in the hope that Famara Diedhiou would be able to hold it up and bring others into play and therefore help move City further upfield.

The gap between the defence and attack was too vast and City looked disjointed when in possession.

This was mainly because Millwall were pressing much more urgently after this – as they were a goal down at home – and City struggled to cope with their pressure and with the lack of passing options available due to the system they set up in.

Interestingly, as you can see from the above graph, City's pass accuracy improved following Millwall's equaliser just after half-time, which suggests that the players may have lacked the confidence and bravery to play out from the back when they were a goal up away from home.

Or, of course, it could've been an intentional tactic from Johnson to play direct and safe when leading to avoid making any costly mistakes at the back – which City have been prone to in recent weeks to be fair (see West Brom at home).

However, because City started playing longer and safer after they took the lead through Pereira, they couldn't sustain any real pressure on Millwall or push up the pitch into advanced areas.

The Robins didn't create any more real chances after that (the goal was their only shot on target), and Diedhiou just couldn't get into the game. The Senegalese striker had just two touches in the opposition box all game, in comparison Matt Smith had seven and Tom Bradshaw had 10 for the Lions.

In my opinion, City would've had much more of an attacking impact on the game if they'd carried on playing like the first 15 minutes. When you try to keep the ball for more than two passes at a time it does help you push up the pitch as a team, and from there you're in a much better position to create chances or put balls into the box.

If City play like this against Fulham, I fear that they'll fail to get any foothold in the game and the ball will just keep coming back towards their goal every time they try to go long to an isolated Diedhiou with no midfield runners around him.

City shouldn't expect to have a lot of the ball against Fulham – hardly anyone does – so when they do have it they need to be braver in possession. A great example of this would be City's second goal against Fulham in the reverse fixture. They played patiently through the thirds, with Diedhiou rounding off a move of around 11 passes in total.

Unusually, in the Millwall game, Paterson played off the right of midfield – something he has rarely done in a City shirt. The attacking midfielder was clearly instructed to roam infield and get into central areas, with the opposite wide man – O'Dowda – instructed to hold the width on the left-hand-side, as the below touch maps highlight.

The below image shows a time in the match where Paterson cleverly got into a pocket of space behind the midfield, and from here he was able to turn and run at the Millwall defence, and eventually won a corner.

This didn't happen often enough, though, which made it hard for City to play through the thirds, as Nagy and Smith had a lack of options in the middle due to the formation.

If Paterson and Weimann got into the above types of positions more often in the game, City would have been much more dangerous and more able to play line-breaking balls which take players out of the game and put the opposition's defence on the back foot.

This lack of forward movement, in my opinion, is why the criticism Nagy receives is sometimes unfair.

Nagy is originally a deep-lying midfielder who loves receiving the ball from the defence and making the team tick. He always looks for and attempts to play forward passes between the lines, but in a lot of cases the passing options aren't there in advanced areas, meaning he has to play sideways and backwards passes in order to retain possession.

This is then met with groans from the supporters, but if there were players to pick out in the half-spaces, he would be able to find them and therefore look a much a better player in the City team.

In my view, Nagy, and the whole team in general, play better with a midfield three – whether that's in a 3-5-2 or a 4-1-4-1 – as it just gives them more passing options in the middle, allowing them to build attacks more easily and not look so wide open every time they lose possession.

I also have my doubts on whether the 4-4-2 will work on Saturday against the possession-dominant Fulham.

Their midfield three would naturally outnumber City's two which will mean one of the strikers will need to drop in and work extra hard in cutting the passing lanes to Harry Arter or Tom Cairney, the two likely deep-lying midfielders on the day, otherwise the defensive pressure Fulham will put on City will make it even harder to win the ball back and then get out of their own half.

Therefore, the best system to play in my view would be the 4-1-4-1.

It matches their three in midfield, with the sitting midfielder able to plug gaps between the midfield and defence (where a certain Bobby Reid likes to play), and it also gives an additional midfield passing option for when City do have possession, meaning they'll be able to keep the ball for more than a few seconds before going long to Diedhiou – with a huge gap between the defence and attack, like what happened in the second half at the Den.

However, City did play in a 4-4-2 at Craven Cottage in December and managed to win 2-1. So Johnson could well go with it again.



https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/right-system-keeping-control-options-3921419

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'It's that close now' – Phil Hay predicts what Leeds United need to do to pip Fulham to Premier League football

Phil Hay believes that it will take Leeds United another six victories in their remaining 10 Championship fixtures to finish ahead of Fulham and secure a long-awaited Premier League return.

Leeds have dusted themselves down after a poor run of form at the start of 2020, with four wins on the bounce brining four clean sheets, which has helped Marcelo Bielsa's side retain their five-point lead over Fulham and the chasing-pack in the play-off places.

There are 10 games left for the Cottagers to grapple promotion from Leeds' grasp, with Scott Parker's side set to head to Elland Road later this month.

Yet, with the finishing line in full view, many people are breaking down just how many victories it will take for Leeds to get them back into the Premier League.

That was a topic on the Phil Hay Show this week, with The Athletic reporter predicting that six Leeds wins would leave Fulham needing to produce a near-flawless run-in.

"I think that six wins would be about right on the basis of what clubs below them would have to do to stop them going up," Hay told his podcast.

At that point you get to talking about almost flawless form.

"You'd be looking for Fulham to do what Slavisa Jokanovic used to do which was to pull the string and them to win about 12 games on the bounce – and before you know it they were up and into the play-offs.

"It's that close now."

This weekend, Leeds host Huddersfield Town in an intriguing West Yorkshire derby, whilst Fulham are on the road and travelling to Ashton Gate to take on Bristol City.

The Verdict 

This looks like a fairly solid prediction and if you scan over the fixtures awaiting Marcelo Bielsa's side, you can see where they might get the six victories from.

Four of the bottom five teams in the Championship have got to visit Elland Road between now and the end of the season, whilst Leeds take on just one of the top-six in Fulham.

Fulham's run-in is a lot trickier, with Parker's side banking on Leeds hitting another blip, which coincides with their trip to Elland Road, where three points in looking a must.

It'll be interesting to see which of the two holds their nerve.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/its-that-close-now-phil-hay-predicts-what-leeds-united-need-to-do-to-pip-fulham-to-premier-league-football/

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The latest Fulham injury news ahead of Bristol City clash

Fulham travel to Bristol City in the Championship tomorrow.

Scott Parker's side head to Ashton Gate tomorrow lunchtime, as they look to keep the heat on the top-two. After some contested results last month, Parker was coming under some strong criticism from fans but with back-to-back wins to nil, Fulham are back on track.

They sit in 3rd-place of the Championship table going into their early kick-off with Bristol City, who sit in 7th – nine points behind Fulham.

For the clash at Ashton Gate, Fulham will be without Terrence Kongolo and Josh Onomah.

Kongolo had played just ten-minutes of Championship football for Fulham before being ruled out for the remainder of the season with a foot injury.

Onomah, on the other hand, was enjoying a good run in the starting line-up before picking up a knee injury in the 3-0 loss to Barnsley last month – he required surgery, and is ruled out for at least another five weeks.

Both Maxime Le Marchand and Harrison Reed are nearing their returns to action though. Le Marchand has been the club's long-term casualty this season, having missed nearly five months of football with a back injury.

Fulham also face a late fitness test on Joe Bryan – the left-back was forced off with a hamstring injury in the last outing against Preston, and his presence tomorrow is doubtful.

Reed meanwhile hasn't featured since New Year's Day after picking up a calf injury, but was this week pictured in first-team training, and fans are excited about his potential return.

Lee Johnson is a man under pressure right now and having not won in four Championship games, Parker will be hoping to take advantage of their poor form, and to keep on pushing towards 2nd-place Leeds United.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/the-latest-fulham-injury-news-ahead-of-bristol-city-clash/

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Manager vetoes transfer deal for Fulham player – Looking at other options

Fotomac report Besiktas manager Sergen Yalcin has vetoed the transfer of Fulham goalkeeper Fabri as he's decided to look at other options.

The Black Eagles will soon part ways with their current first-choice goalkeeper Loris Karius, who's set for a return to Liverpool at the end of the season.

Subsequently the Turkish club will need to find a replacement for Karius, and Fabri's name has been reported as a serious option in Turkey.

The Spanish goalkeeper moved to Fulham from Besiktas after two very successful seasons with the Istanbul side, helping them to win a league title, and was also key in their 2017/18 Champions League campaign.

However, things haven't gone as well as expected for him at Fulham after making just two appearances last season. A loan move to Mallorca followed at the start of this campaign.

Despite returning to Spain he's not been getting regular game time with the La Liga side, and it's likely he will need to find a new club this summer.

His contract with Fulham will expire at the end of June 2021.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/manager-vetoes-transfer-deal-fulham-player-looking-options/

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Birmingham City Tickets

Tickets for next months Craven Cottage clash with Birmingham City go on sale to 19/20 Members at 10am on Monday 9th March.

Tickets then go on sale to 19/20 Season Ticket Holders at 10am on Wednesday 11th March with any remaining tickets going on General Sale at 10am on Friday 13th March.

Supporters can purchase a maximum of 6 tickets per person for this fixture.

Fans are advised that all tickets for sale are available in home areas of the ground only. The Putney End blocks P1, P2, P3, P4 are designated home seating areas, and away supporters identified in home areas at Craven Cottage will be ejected.

Tickets can be purchased online at fulhamfc.com/tickets, by phone on 0203 871 0810 (opt. 1) or in person from the Fulham Ticket Office.

Adult tickets are available from £35 with junior tickets from just £15. More information can be found on our match centre page here.
Booking fees, Terms & Conditions apply.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/march/06/birmingham-city-tickets

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Parker, May We Have Some More (Goals), Please?

Eamon explains the difference between "finding a way to win" and consistently struggling in the final third.

Consistently Clean
Ah, the splendor of the 1-0 win. The "grind it out" victory. Little else brings elation like the referee bringing the final whistle to his lips at the end of such a contest.

Fulham 1-0 Stoke City

Hull City 0-1 Fulham

Fulham 1-0 Middlesbrough

Blackburn 0-1 Fulham

And most gloriously, Fulham 1-0 Swansea

Winning one goal to nil has long been a statement of quality. The greatest teams hear praise for their fluid movement and spectacular skill but are also lauded for their ability to remain disciplined and strong when the ball just won't find the target. They remain calm, unfazed and know one special moment will bring them victory, a reward for 90 minutes of defensive gusto. They have once again "found a way to win."

Fulham have appeared especially adept at grinding out victories this season. While Jankovic's motto was, "score more," Parkerball has brought us, "concede less." The majority of the White's matches play out as so: standing resolute and limiting opponent's chances with one moment of Cavaleiro or Mitro magic taking the cake. But that's exactly the problem, there are far too many games won in this fashion for a team as talented as ours.

The "grind it out" cake involves three key ingredients. First, the opposition must be worse than the winning side, evident by clear domination of possession and play on the pitch. Second, the winning side must have opportunities to score only denied by trivial causes such as individual technical mistakes. Third, this style of winning must occur infrequently. This is a direct result of the first ingredient – if the winning side is far better than the opposition, then they will win by more goals more frequently.

While it may appear that Fulham excel at the "grind it out," victory, there is a lot of deception at play. We can confirm our cake is full of the first ingredient. Fulham are often the better side, dominating the ball and putting together smooth passing moves. However, our cake quickly leaves the five-star restaurant and makes its way into the amateur's kitchen when tasting for ingredients 2 and 3. Fulham rarely have many offensive opportunities and far too often find themselves holding onto slender leads. Parker's side aren't good at finding ways to win, our offense is just poor and if that doesn't change, our hopes of promotion will quickly shrink.

More Goals > Less Goals
Understanding whether a side is pulling out the 1-0 victory because the offense is occasionally struggling or because it consistently fails to create offensive production is crucial. This understanding allows the manager to know what aspects of his side to work on and tells him how good his team really is. So, what should Parker determine?

Fulham just aren't very good. We don't create clear cut chances, and when we score it's because we rely on individual skill, not team play. Last week the opposition had to score our goal for us! These one-goal victories are not the disciplined, resolute, stand-strong-until-the-ball-finally-goes-in wins that great sides occasionally must gut out. They are evidence of poor play and needed improvement.

Some will argue that winning this way is a display of organized and disciplined play – why is it better to score more than concede less anyway? A win is a win, no?

The problem is the consistency of the White's inability to score as well as the poor quality of opponent they are struggling against. If we can't sweep aside teams in the lower reaches of the table how can we expect to beat sides around us? This is especially prevalent given that our run-in includes every team currently in the top 7.

The Whites' psychology shows how poor their attack is. The players know scoring is hard to come by. If they go up a goal, they immediately enter a defensive mind-set. Their domination of the ball halts and waves of attack are replaced by fearful thumps up field.

Additionally, winning 2-0 is better than winning 1-0, full stop. No team would choose to win by one goal given the chance to score a second. Parker hasn't instructed his players to stop scoring after one goes in, we just haven't been good enough to score more.

Save the Sliding
One-nil slogs should not receive the high praise that they do. On occasion, sturdy defensive play is required to bail out a struggling offensive unit, but consistent low scores are nothing to be happy about. Booting balls into the sky and sliding through the mud to block shots time and time again has become a timeless signifier of passion and resilience. Football fans love displays of guts and nothing is more passionate than sacrificing your body to block a shot in the final minutes to preserve a precious three points. But they also indicate poor play because they aren't necessary if your side scores more goals or can retain possession.  In his post-match comments, Parker often comments on the fight, character and gusto his side showed to pull out the win – if you look closely, you can even see a tear caress his cheek.

But Fulham's wins aren't the same victories great teams are occasionally required to perform. These victories are nothing more than simply not playing well enough to score more. If Fulham want success, they need to score more goals. The best teams in the division will put the ball past Rodak regardless of how organized we are or how hard our players fight. Our only hope is to increase offensive productions.

Watching the Whites has at times become exhausting. While one expects the net to bulge every time Liverpool or City attack, there is little belief the same will happen when Cairney or Knockaert dribble forward. This isn't to say Fulham should be as good as the English champions, but relative to the teams in their respective divisions, they should be closer. Scoring shouldn't be so exhausting. For the players or the fans.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2020-03-06-parker-may-we-have-some-more-goals-please/

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"It's free and there's nothing to lose" | EFL Fans on the Rewards App

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http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/march/06/efl-rewards-free-and-nothing-to-lose

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Bristol City have extra incentive to upset Fulham and provide Leeds United with chance to kick eight points clear
A FAVOUR from Lee Johnson at an Ashton Gate party could give Leeds United the chance to move seven or even eight points clear in the automatic promotion places.

Marcelo Bielsa's second-placed Whites have a five-point cushion in the division's automatics with ten games remaining and nine of those fixtures are against sides placed eighth or lower.

Third-placed Fulham, however, still have five remaining games against sides in the top seven - including a trip to Leeds - and also Saturday lunch-time's fixture at Bristol City which holds extra significance for the Robins.

Formed in 1894 as as Bristol South End, the Robins have chosen to use Saturday's clash against Fulham to celebrate the club's 125th-year anniversary after passing the landmark last year.

Lee Johnson's side have picked up just one point from their last four games but remain very much in the promotion race in sitting two points off the play-offs.

City also won 2-1 at Craven Cottage in December's reverse league tie but Fulham have lost just one of their last ten in the league.

The Cottagers are consequently 23-20 favourites to win at Ashton Gate in the 12.30pm kick-off and a three-point haul would close the gap on Leeds to two points ahead of United's 3pm kick-off against Huddersfield Town.

Yet if Scott Parker's side drop points, United will kick-off against Saturday's visitors Huddersfield Town at 3pm with a chance to move seven or even eight points clear in the event of a Fulham defeat.

And either way, the day could end with Leeds top of the division with leaders West Brom away at ninth-placed Swansea City in another 3pm kick-off and with the Swans only four points off the play-offs.

The Baggies - who are one point clear - will be looking to bounce back from last weekend's shock 1-0 loss at home to Wigan Athletic but Swansea have lost just one of their last five - drawing three - and Steve Cooper's side have lost just one of their last eight home games (to Derby County).

As far as the other teams closest to the automatic promotion spots are concerned, fourth-placed Nottingham Forest host tenth-placed Millwall on Friday night and victory for the Tricky Trees would take them ahead of Fulham on goal difference and also five points behind Leeds.

Fifth-placed Brentford - who have now fallen 11 points behind Leeds - welcome 12th-placed Sheffield Wednesday for a Saturday 3pm kick-off while sixth-placed Preston North End who are one point behind the Bees host 14th-placed QPR in another Saturday 3pm game.

Really, though, it will be all eyes on Ashton Gate where for 90 minutes United's followers will be cheering on Lee Johnson's Robins.

SATURDAY:

12.30pm: Bristol City (7th) v Fulham (3rd)

3pm: Swansea City (9th) v West Brom (1st)

3pm: Brentford (5th) v Sheffield Wednesday (12th)

3pm: Preston North End (6th) v QPR (14th)


   
https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/bristol-city-have-extra-incentive-upset-fulham-and-provide-leeds-united-chance-kick-eight-points-clear-2177113
   

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'Come back' – Plenty of Fulham fans react to former face's update

Fulham fans have reacted to ex-manager Slavisa Jokanovic's recent Twitter post.

Jokanovic guided Fulham to promotion in 2018, but was sacked after only 12 games in the Premier League, amassing five points in that time and sitting bottom of the table.

Seven months later he was unveiled as the new manager of Qatari side Al-Gharafa.

It prompted a response from plenty of Fulham fans, who'd love to see him come back to Craven Cottage. Fulham are 3rd in the Championship table and only four points behind what Jokanovic's Fulham were at this stage during their promotion season.

But fans have been growing unhappy with Scott Parker. Results have been contested at times this season, and they've suffered some heavy defeats at the Cottage.

But they remain on the brink of the automatic promotion places, and in with a very real chance of playing Premier League football next season.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/come-back-plenty-of-fulham-fans-react-to-former-faces-update/

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Fulham forward Aboubakar Kamara looks ahead to final 10 games

Fulham forward Aboubakar Kamara wants to play a big part in their promotion push, whether that's starting or coming off the bench, as per their official club website.

The Frenchman was part of the Cottagers' side who were promoted from the Championship two years ago under Slavisa Jokanovic and has his sights set on another one this term.

Kamara, who is 24 years old, has made 24 appearances in all competitions this season and has chipped in with four goals and four assists.

He has only played 61 minutes over the past three games for Scott Parker's side and is eager to play more of a part for the rest of the campaign.

He has said, as per their website: "I don't know if I'm worthy of a start yet. When I come in, I play for the team. If I do well, that's good for everyone. If I start, I'll be ready to do my job and help everyone out."

"We have 10 games left and we want to win every game. We have to win in Bristol (City), just like any game. We play a lot of the top sides, and if we win every game we will go up. We have to gain momentum."

He added: "We know we need to approach each game with confidence. Every game is a cup final, because we play West Brom, Leeds, Brentford and Nottingham Forest. We need to win to stop them. We play them all so it's in our hands but they will think the same thing, so there's something in it for everyone which makes it very interesting."

Fulham are currently 3rd in the league and five points behind Leeds United in the automatic promotion places with 10 games left to play.



https://the72.co.uk/158490/fulham-forward-aboubakar-kamara-looks-ahead-to-final-10-games/

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Feature: How Scott Parker has brought the return of the Fulham Way

The manner in which Fulham were unceremoniously dumped from the Premier League last season was unbecoming of the side that excited so much during their promotion campaign a year prior.

Slavisa Jokanovic's side were brilliant to watch in the 2017/18 season and while things did not play out as planned on their return to the top-flight, it was somewhat unedifying to see how their style of play escaped them under Claudio Ranieri.

Unable to pull off another miracle, Ranieri left and what has followed under Scott Parker has been a pleasant surprise.

While no one can question the quality of Aleksandar Mitrovic, Tom Cairney, Anthony Knockaert and Ivan Cavaleiro at Championship level, the style with which Parker has got his side challenging at the sharp end at has been mighty impressive nonetheless.

With only Leeds United having more possession of the ball than Fulham this season, the London side have returned to a possession-based game and it has brought the most out of the group.

Fulham also have the best passing accuracy of any side in the league, are tied for the most goals scored from open play and are sixth in terms of goals scored overall.

Sat in third place and just five points off the automatic promotion places, they have also made a decent fist of returning to the Premier League at the first time of asking, especially given the fact that it is Parker's first managerial position.

Not necessarily renowned for his aesthetic qualities as a player, Parker built his reputation on hard graft.

While he could shoot from distance and spray a raking cross field pass from time to time, the majority of his success at the top level came as a midfield destroyer alongside a more expressive distributor.

It is a role he performed ably for Tottenham Hotspur and then England, but it did not single him out as a coach whose philosophy would be built around possession.

One thing that was evident from his time as a player though was his work rate and willingness to extract every ounce of his ability and it is likely he is also taking this attitude as a coach.

In an interview with the FA Parker gave while studying for his coaching badges, he discussed how creating a player-friendly environment was one of the most important things a manager could do.

Having worked under Roy Hodgson, Jose Mourinho and Sam Allardyce, this is a philosophy that perhaps goes against that of some of his coaching mentors, but it has clearly struck a chord with this Fulham squad.

A team with players in the style of Bobby Decordova-Reid, Cairney and Cavaleiro are best suited to a laissez-faire approach, where expression is valued over rigid system.

Both Decordova-Reid and Cairney struggled last season under Neil Warnock and Ranieri respectively, unable to adapt to their tactical demands.

Fast forward a year though and both are contributing regular goals and assists under Parker, playing next to each other in one of the Championship's most dominant midfield setups.

Of course, the drop down in level is a factor to take into account, but it is clear that Parker has been able to allow each player to reach something like their potential.

Now, whether the former England midfielder can take the next step and re-establish Fulham as a Premier League side is hard to say.

For a manager with so little experience it is almost impossible to judge how he will adapt in different circumstances, while England's top-flight brings with it a range of unforeseen challenges.

However, in the short term at least, Parker has brought some of the joy back to Fulham that looked to be lost.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/feature-how-scott-parker-has-brought-the-return-of-the-fulham-way/

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Bristol City vs Fulham preview: Championship clash live on Sky Sports Football
Watch live on Sky Sports Football from midday on Saturday; kick-off is at 12.30pm

Bristol City face Fulham in the Sky Bet Championship on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Football.

Team news

Bristol City goalkeeper Daniel Bentley is likely to miss out again when they face Fulham in Saturday's Sky Bet Championship clash. Niki Maenpaa will deputise again and look to build on his maiden league appearance of the season against Millwall.

Aberdeen loanee Zak Vyner is back in full contact training but the club are taking a cautious approach with his shoulder injury. Marley Watkins is also back in training having been absent since January due to a calf tear. Benik Afobe has returned to training after the devastating anterior cruciate ligament injury which he sustained in September causing him to miss the majority of the Championship season. Frank Fielding, Shaun Williams and Ben Thompson remain unavailable.

Fulham may need to shuffle their defence around as former Robins full-back Joe Bryan limped off in the ninth minute against Preston due to a suspected hamstring injury. Josh Onomah will not be available after being ruled out for six weeks following knee surgery in February.

Fellow midfielder Harrison Reed is back in training and hoping for a first appearance since picking up an injury against Reading on New Year's Day. Alfie Mawson (unspecified) and Maxime Le Marchand (back) are both expected to miss out again.

Recent form

Bristol City come into this game without a win in almost a month. They drew 1-1 with Millwall last weekend, but were beaten by Huddersfield, West Brom and Leeds in the previous three, scoring just once and conceding six.

Fulham, meanwhile, are searching for a third straight league victory. Those have been against Preston and Swansea, both at Craven Cottage, while they have taken five points from their last three away trips.

Talking point: The race for promotion to the Premier League

Just 10 games remain in the Sky Bet Championship and these two sides are right in the mix for promotion to the top flight. Though they have faltered recently, the Robins could move into the top six with victory, while Fulham could increase the pressure on current top two Leeds and West Brom should they take the three points.

But if the hosts do take it, the Cottagers could get dragged right back into the play-off picture, which becomes a whole lot more complex, with nine teams still jostling for just four places in what remains of the season. An interesting afternoon awaits.

Opta stats

Bristol City have won five of their last seven matches against Fulham in all competitions (W5 D1 L1).

Fulham are unbeaten in their last four away league games against Bristol City (W3 D1) since a 5-1 defeat in April 1990.

Bristol City have taken just four points from their last six Championship games (W1 D1 L4) and are winless in their last four league games (D1 L3).

Fulham have won just two of their last nine away games in all competitions (D4 L3), drawing their last two 1-1 away at Millwall and Derby.

Since the start of December, only Hull City (six) have lost more home Championship games than Bristol City (five).

Among players to appear in at least 500 minutes in the Championship this season, Fulham's Aboubakar Kamara has the best minutes per goal/assist ratio in the division, scoring four goals and assisting four in just 808 minutes (one goal/assist every 101 minutes).

Prutton's prediction

Bristol City can't buy a win at the minute, although they did manage a draw at Millwall last time out and did perform an awful lot better than in recent weeks.

Fulham have the chance to get a win in the early game at Ashton Gate and pile a little bit of pressure on the top two. It will be tight, but I think they will just get over the line.

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



https://www.skysports.com/football/bristol-c-vs-fulham/preview/409783

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No autographs for fans as Bristol City detail extra measures to combat coronavirus at Fulham match

The EFL had earlier confirmed that fair play handshake between players and match officials will not be taking place

Bristol City have detailed prevention measures against the spread of the coronavirus for Saturday's game at Ashton Gate against Fulham.

Last weekend it was revealed that Premier League club Southampton had banned players from stopping for selfies, autographs or shaking hands with fans and City have followed suit in the wake of the outbreak, with more than 100 confirmed cases in the UK.

The club had adopted a "no handshake" policy at Failand but that has now been extended to Ashton Gate on matchdays, as City look to protect the health of its employees and fans.

In a lengthy statement on bcfc.co.uk, City urge supporters attending BS3 to try and engage in "optimum hygiene practices" with information posters to be displayed throughout the stadium.

The disease, or in its official name COVID-19, can cause severe lung issues, has now reached at least 40 countries since it was first detected in China late last year.

"COVID-19 can be spread via droplets from the nose and mouth and can be transmitted on to the hands and passed on via a handshake," a club statement read.

"City players will therefore not be shaking hands, signing autographs or stopping for photographs on arrival or departure from Ashton Gate Stadium.

"While regular attendance by players in the Family Area in the Lansdown Stand is an important element of City's community engagement on matchdays, this will not take place until further notice.

"Mascots for the games will continue with the players encouraged to walk out on to the pitch with their hands on the mascots' shoulders rather than holding their hands.

"We trust that supporters will understand the circumstances leading to this decision."

Earlier on Friday, the EFL confirmed they had advised their sides not to take part in the handshake before games from this weekend.



https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/no-autographs-fans-bristol-city-3923987