Wednesday Fulham Stuff - 10/06/20...

[WhiteJC]

RANKED Fears for Fulham, hope for Hull, and lucky Leeds? Difficulty of every Championship club's remaining fixtures rated

The Championship's return is now a step closer with the announcement of their fixture list.

The EFL released confirmation of the revised schedule for the rest of the season with Premier League promotion contenders Fulham and Brentford the first teams in action on June 20.


Fulham will help us get the EFL Championship back under way against Brentford

The Cottagers and the Bees will kick off the restart at Craven Cottage in a west London derby at 12:30pm, while Leeds and West Brom continue the title race with games against Cardiff City and Birmingham City, respectively across the weekend.

Each team has nine games to go but some teams have more difficult run-ins than others as the season heads into the final furlong.

With the help of SoccerStats, we've looked at how tricky every Championship club's remaining matches are, which helps paint a clearer picture of the task at hand for each team.

So, who has the most difficult remaining fixtures? Here's the table, with '24' being the easiest and '1' the hardest.

24. Derby County

Average points per game of remaining opponents = 1.61

Fixtures: Millwall (A), Reading (H), Preston (A), Nottingham Forest (H), West Brom (A), Brentford (H), Cardiff (A), Leeds (H), Birmingham (A)
23. Blackburn Rovers

Average points per game of remaining opponents = 1.56

Fixtures: Bristol City (H), Wigan (H), Barnsley (A), Leeds (A), Cardiff (H), West Brom (A), Millwall (H), Reading (H), Luton (A)
22. Barnsley

Average points per game of remaining opponents = 1.48

Fixtures: QPR (A), Millwall (H), Blackburn (H), Stoke (A), Luton (A), Wigan (H), Leeds (A), Nottingham Forest (H), Brentford (A)
21. Fulham

Average points per game of remaining opponents = 1.46

Fixtures: Brentford (A), Leeds (H), QPR (H), Birmingham (A), Nottingham Forest (A), Cardiff (H), West Brom (A), Sheffield Wednesday (H), Wigan (A)
20. Sheffield Wednesday

Average points per game of remaining opponents = 1.45

Fixtures: Bristol City (H), Reading (H), Middlesbrough (A), Hull City (A), Huddersfield (H), Cardiff (A), Fulham (H), Luton (H), Blackburn (A)
19. Charlton

Average points per game of remaining opponents = 1.42

Fixtures: Hull (A), QPR (H), Cardiff (A), Millwall (H), Brentford (A), Reading (H), Birmingham (A), Wigan (H), Leeds (A)
17= Preston

Average points per game of remaining opponents = 1.38

Fixtures: Luton (A), Cardiff (H), Derby (H), Huddersfield (A), Sheffield Wednesday (A), Nottingham Forest (H), Brentford (A), Birmingham (H), Bristol City (A)
17= Nottingham Forest

Average points per game of remaining opponents = 1.38

Fixtures: Sheffield Wednesday (A), Huddersfield (H), Bristol City (H), Derby (A), Fulham (H), Preston (A), Swansea (H), Barnsley (A), Stoke (H)
15= Swansea City

Average points per game of remaining opponents = 1.36

Fixtures: Middlesbrough (A), Luton (H), Millwall (A), Sheffield Wednesday (H), Birmingham (A), Leeds (H), Nottingham Forest (A), Bristol City (H), Reading (A)
15= Cardiff City

Average points per game of remaining opponents = 1.36

Fixtures: Leeds (H), Preston (A), Charlton (H), Bristol City (A), Blackburn (H), Fulham (A), Derby (H), Middlesbrough (A), Hull (H)
13= West Brom

Average points per game of remaining opponents = 1.35

Fixtures: Birmingham (H), Brentford (A), Sheffield Wednesday (A), Hull City (H), Derby (H), Blackburn (A), Fulham (H), Huddersfield (A), QPR (H)
13= Middlesbrough

Average points per game of remaining opponents = 1.35

Fixtures: Swansea (H), Stoke (A), Hull (A), QPR (H), Milwall (A), Bristol City (H), Reading (A), Cardiff (H), Sheffield Wednesday (A)
12. Brentford

Average points per game of remaining opponents = 1.34

Fixtures: Fulham (A), West Brom (H), Reading (A), Wigan (H), Charlton (H), Derby (A), Preston (H), Stoke (A), Barnsley (H)
10= Huddersfield

Average points per game of remaining opponents = 1.32

Fixtures: Wigan (H), Nottingham Forest (A), Birmingham City (A), Preston (H), Reading (A), Luton (H), Sheffield Wednesday (A), West Brom (H), Millwall (A)
10= Birmingham City

Average points per game of remaining opponents = 1.32

Fixtures: West Brom (A), Hull (H), Huddersfield (H), Fulham (A), Swansea (H), Stoke (A), Charlton (H), Preston (A), Derby (H)
9. Stoke City

Average points per game of remaining opponents = 1.31

Fixtures: Reading (A), Middlesbrough (H), Wigan (A), Barnsley (H), Leeds (A), Birmingham (H), Bristol City (A), Brentford (H), Nottingham Forest (A)
8. Queens Park Rangers

Average points per game of remaining opponents = 1.30

Fixtures: Barnsley (H), Charlton (A), Fulham (H), Middlesbrough (A), Wigan (A), Sheffield Wednesday (H), Luton (A), Millwall (H), West Brom (A)
7. Reading

Average points per game of remaining opponents = 1.29

Fixtures: Stoke (H), Derby (A), Brentford (H), Luton (A), Huddersfield (H), Charlton (A), Middlesbrough (H), Blackburn (A), Swansea (H)
4= Wigan

Average points per game of remaining opponents = 1.28

Fixtures: Huddersfield (A), Blackburn (H), Stoke (H), Brentford (A), QPR (H), Barnsley (A), Hull (H), Charlton (A), Fulham (H)
4= Luton Town

Average points per game of remaining opponents = 1.28

Fixtures: Preston (H), Swansea (A), Leeds (A), Reading (H), Barnsley (H), Huddersfield (A), QPR (H), Hull (A), Blackburn (H)
4= Bristol City

Average points per game of remaining opponents = 1.28

Fixtures: Blackburn (A), Sheffield Wednesday (H), Nottingham Forest (A), Cardiff (H), Hull (H), Middlesbrough (A), Stoke (H), Swansea (A), Preston (H)
3. Leeds

Average points per game of remaining opponents = 1.24

Fixtures: Cardiff (A), Fulham (H), Luton (H), Blackburn (A), Stoke (H), Swansea (A), Barnsley (H), Derby (A), Charlton (H)
2. Hull City

Average points per game of remaining opponents = 1.20

Fixtures: Charlton (H), Birmingham (A), Middlesbrough (H), West Brom (A), Bristol City (A), Millwall (H), Wigan (A), Luton (H), Cardiff (A)
1. Millwall

Average points per game of remaining opponents = 1.13

Fixtures: Derby (H), Barnsley (A), Swansea (H), Charlton (A), Middlesbrough (H), Hull (A), Blackburn (H), QPR (A), Huddersfield (H)



https://talksport.com/football/efl/714697/fulham-hull-leeds-difficulty-championship-run-in-remaining-fixtures-rated/

[WhiteJC]

'This is serious?', 'Corrupt EFL' – These Leeds fans react to key Championship development

The remaining Championship fixtures were announced on Monday and Leeds United have landed a less-than-ideal trip down to Cardiff for an early Sunday kick-off.

Plenty of Leeds fans are furious about the news with some doubts remaining about when the players will be able to travel.

Leeds' closest rivals play on Saturday as Brentford travel to Craven Cottage to play Fulham in the 12.30pm kick-off.

West Brom play Birmingham in a midlands derby in the 3pm kick-off on Saturday.

The good news is that all three games will be televised by Sky Sports.

And in the new footballing world, Leeds fans won't be heading down the night before or getting the first trains in the morning, but getting up and having a leisurely breakfast at home ahead of the game – that's if they can sleep at all the night before.

But the scheduling has angered Leeds fans.

One said, "Players not allowed a full night's sleep before key away games – it's in the modified EFL rules."

Another supporter was more direct and said the "corrupt EFL will do anything that will give them a chance of messing us up."

However, Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth said he thought that Leeds would find a way to travel the day before the game.

And we hope that's the case – otherwise a midday kick-off in Cardiff is totally unreasonable.



https://motleedsnews.com/fans-view/this-is-serious-corrupt-efl-these-leeds-fans-react-to-major-championship-development/

[WhiteJC]

Confirmed : Former Fulham Striker Extends Stay At League Two Club Walsall

EFL League Two club Walsall have published their retained and released list following the cancellation of the 2019-2020 season.

One of the decisions taken by the Saddlers was to activate their option to extend the contract of Nigerian striker Elijah Adebayo.

The 22-year-old initially penned a one-season deal with Walsall last July following his release by Fulham, where he spent twelve years at the academy.

His performance in his maiden season at Walsall convinced the club to hand him a new deal, having found the net eight times in 30 games in the fourth-tier.

Including Adebayo's seven matches in Cup competitions - EFL Trophy, FA Cup and EFL Cup, he was in action for
1,931 minutes over the course of the season.

He enjoyed loan spells at Cheltenham Town, Swindon Town, Slough Town, Bognor Regis Town and Stevenage during his Fulham days.

Igho Kingsley



https://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=36389

[WhiteJC]

How did Zambo Anguissa turn it around at Villarreal?



The Cameroon star has bounced back from relegation with Fulham to become one of La Liga's leading midfielders, reportedly wanted by Real Madrid

Just last summer, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa suffered the ignominy of relegation with Fulham after a bitterly disappointing Premier League campaign that promised so much, yet delivered little.

The Cottagers managed to go through a 38-game season with three managers as they desperately tried to avoid the inevitable. Slavisa Jokanovic, the coach who took them up, was sacked in November to be replaced by Claudio Ranieri who only lasted three months at the helm.

Scott Parker took charge in an interim capacity for the rest of the season and has since been appointed permanently. The West London outfit currently sit third in the Championship and could gain instant promotion to the big time automatically or via the playoffs if the campaign is completed after its expected resumption on June 20.

So where did it go all wrong for Zambo Anguissa at Fulham in 2018/19?

Interestingly, the west London club's disastrous campaign could be traced to their heavy summer spending of 2018 in which the Cameroon midfielder moved to Craven Cottage from Olympique Marseille, alongside nine other permanent signings. Five more players joined the club temporarily, taking the club's influx of new players to a staggering 15.

Before a ball was kicked, observers predicted an uphill task in getting so many new faces to harmonize on the pitch, and so it proved as the Cottagers struggled for cohesion and consistency all season.

An ankle injury suffered in late November disrupted an already chaotic campaign for the defensive midfielder, who returned in early February with the side still second-bottom.

Ranieri was soon sacked with Parker coming in, and the African midfielder started eight of the final 10 fixtures. However, the sinking ship couldn't be rescued and they were relegated after a season in the top flight.

Javier Calleja rescued the former Marseille man from his Prem hell with the dynamic midfielder switching to Villarreal for the 19/20 season on loan. He's featured in 69 percent of minutes for the Yellow Submarine and has played a part in their transformation from a side flirting with relegation last year to competing for a place in Europe this term.

Despite three losses pre-pandemic leaving them in eighth place, seven points behind Atletico Madrid, their marked change this season has been noteworthy.

Largely alongside Vicente Iborra in a midfield partnership, the Fulham loanee has thrived at El Madrigal, despite not posting incredible goals and assists stats (one each).

Zambo Anguissa, though, makes the most tackles per game (2.2), second behind Iborra for interceptions (1.2) and is one of the side's top passers with about 33 passes per match at an accuracy of 86 percent, joint-second in the side.

Incredibly, he leads the way for successful dribbles per game (2.4) at a success rate of 83 percent, which stands as the highest for La Liga's top 10 dribblers.

What's particularly impressive about his passing and dribbling is the positive nature of both.

The criticism of players with high numbers in those metrics focuses on the direction of their passes or dribbles. Anguissa may not be directly involved in goals, but his ball-carrying nature often sees him beat the press in his defensive third, advance with the ball in motion before picking out a better-placed teammate.

When he's unable to drive forwards with the ball, the former Marseille man showcases his impressive passing range by switching play with diagonals, leading to a one-vs-one for his wideman or the continuation of an attack for Calleja's troops.

Interestingly, a dive into the midfielder's numbers in last year's collective disaster at Fulham shows he isn't doing much differently this season. He led the way for tackles per game (2.2) and made 1.5 interceptions per match, third behind Callum Chambers and Maxime Le Marchand.

Zambo Anguissa was also the Cottagers' top dribbler (1.9 per match with a 78 percent success rate) while he played the third-highest passes per game with 87 percent finding its intended target.



Unfortunately, Fulham's malaise meant the 2018 Europa League runner-up was underappreciated in an underperforming team. Curiously, however, doing the same things at Villarreal this term has led to transfer links to Real Madrid, which the midfielder denied in May .

Notwithstanding, the 24-year-old needs to sharpen his influence in the opposition half if his game is to go to the next level. His meagre return probably contributed to a lessened involvement before football's suspension in March.

The Cameroon midfielder hadn't started a game since January 19, with Calleja opting to go with the more creative pair of Santi Cazorla and Manu Trigueros flanking Iborra in his midfield three. Whenever the coach opted for two in midfield, the latter two were preferred with Santi playing further forward in the hole, meaning Anguissa had to make do with a bit-part role before the hiatus.

Still, it is to his credit that rumours of a switch to Los Blancos have been gathering pace in the last few weeks, even if a move may not materialise in the end.

A transfer to Zinedine Zidane's Real seems far-fetched, however, Fulham's potential promotion may yet give Zambo Anguissa another Premier League shot after a disastrous first try in 18/19.



https://www.goal.com/en/news/how-did-zambo-anguissa-turn-it-around-at-villarreal/1uxmsa6ycxsce12hwqxobgy1nt

[filham]

That ranking list is a bit adrift. Surely 1.Millwall has to be the easiest with lowest points per game of opponents. Also our fixtures not right, West Brom not shown for instance.

[General]

That ranking list is a bit adrift. Surely 1.Millwall has to be the easiest with lowest points per game of opponents. Also our fixtures not right, West Brom not shown for instance.

It did strike me as odd that we were considered to have one of the easiest run ins with Leeds, Brentford and West Brom to come. Don't know how they got their results. West Brom are included.. our fixtures are under us, not above us.

They finish just above where it says 20: West Brom

[Twig]

That ranking list is a bit adrift. Surely 1.Millwall has to be the easiest with lowest points per game of opponents. Also our fixtures not right, West Brom not shown for instance.

They have it wrong way round, 24 hardest to 1 easiest.

[bill taylors apprentice]

I rarely if ever bother to read these fixture/result so called analysis because its just a guess.
I know Fulham can win away at Leeds and just as easily lose at home to Brum so whats the point of any deep thinking, just take one game at a time.

[filham]

I rarely if ever bother to read these fixture/result so called analysis because its just a guess.
I know Fulham can win away at Leeds and just as easily lose at home to Brum so whats the point of any deep thinking, just take one game at a time.

So right, they would say we had an easy run in if we had  a couple of games against Barnsley left to play, and we all remember those two results.

[SuffolkWhite]

I rarely if ever bother to read these fixture/result so called analysis because its just a guess.
I know Fulham can win away at Leeds and just as easily lose at home to Brum so whats the point of any deep thinking, just take one game at a time.

So right, they would say we had an easy run in if we had  a couple of games against Barnsley left to play, and we all remember those two results.

I think we will play better against the top teams but we still have Brentford and the Hahaha's to play and they will treat those games as cup final's as usual. One game at a time as said above.