Tuesday Fulham Stuff - 16/06/20...

[WhiteJC]

Louis Saha: A brilliant striker, but never better than when at Fulham

Louis Saha didn't achieve as much in his career as he might have hoped, but for a while at Fulham he was truly sensational.

When Mohamed Al-Fayed took over Fulham in May 1997, the club had just been promoted from the Third Division.

He boldly promised Premier League football within five years and to turn London's also-rans into contenders. It seemed an ambitious aim, but it was achieved in style.

After a promising start, with Kevin Keegan steering them to the Second Division title in emphatic fashion, and being poached by England in the process, the project stalled.

While a crumbling Craven Cottage was overhauled, and expansive training facilities purchased, the instant results that Al-Fayed demanded on the pitch weren't being delivered.

Paul Bracewell had Fulham in the top half of the First Division for virtually all of his time in charge, but as they faded off the pace in the second half of the 1999-2000 season, he was dismissed.

Al-Fayed wasn't afraid to be ruthless and appointed Jean Tigana, a title winner in his previous role as Monaco manager, in his place.

It was the start of a revolution led by an aloof Frenchman and with a prolific young striker as its poster boy.

Louis Saha had experienced English football before, as a callow 20-year-old on loan to Newcastle United. He scored just twice in 12 games and returned to his parent club Metz for a similarly unproductive spell.

But in June 2000 a more mature Saha arrived at Fulham for £2.1million, money the Cottagers quickly recouped by selling Geoff Horsfield for a club-record fee.

And Saha had an immediate impact, grabbing 10 goals as Fulham won their first 11 games of the season, steaming to the top of the table. It was a position they never once surrendered.

Saha formed an effective strike partnership with the barrel-chested Barry Hayles. They were ably supported by Luis Boa Morte and Bjarne Goldbaek on the wings, while the veteran pairing of John Collins and Lee Clark bossed proceedings in the centre of the pitch. Sean Davis and Steve Finnan provided youthful energy.

Fulham utterly dominated the First Division under Tigana with their fast-paced attacking football. One of the most exciting teams there have been at that level, they picked up 101 points and scored 90 goals in the process.

Saha was the league's outstanding player and top scorer with 27.

He was one of a new breed of striker, combining the elements of a bullish old-fashioned target man – strength, power, hold-up play and heading ability – with explosive pace and exceptional technique.

Most importantly, he was capable of scoring all different types of goal and did so with alarming regularity.

Al-Fayed had aimed to reach the top flight in five years but did it in four.

His dream was to establish Fulham as the Manchester United of the south, and he looked to fulfill that promise by spending in excess of £30million on new players, including Edwin van der Sar, Steed Malbranque and Steve Marlet, in the summer of 2001.

On the opening day of their inaugural Premier League season, Fulham faced the real thing at Old Trafford and, despite losing 3-2, they impressed with a stirring performance.

Saha, meanwhile, announced his arrival by scoring twice. He lifted expertly over Fabien Barthez to give the visitors an early lead, and then after David Beckham's equaliser briefly put them back in front with a neat low finish.

This blistering start saw him named Player of the Month for August, and although both Saha and Fulham faltered at times as the season progressed, 13th place and a run to the FA Cup semi-final completed a smooth transition to the Premier League. Al-Fayed's statements didn't seem too outlandish after all.

The following season, having won the Intertoto Cup, Fulham got to play in Europe for the first time in their history, but it was the highlight of a largely disappointing campaign. On course for another lower mid-table finish and with Saha out of sorts, Tigana was sacked in April.

His departure, followed by Saha's in January 2004, signalled the end of an era for Fulham. Although success was enjoyed afterwards, most notably in the Europa League, it was never with the same cavalier spirit and sense of unbridled hope.

Those first five years under Al-Fayed was a remarkable period in the club's history and one unlikely to be matched anytime soon.

Move to Man Utd
Despite Fulham's reluctance to sell Saha after 15 goals in 22 games midway through the 2003-04 season, he joined Manchester United for £12.4million.

He scored at an impressive rate early on but was increasingly ground down by knee and hamstring injuries, playing sporadically across four-and-a-half seasons.

While United racked up the trophies, including the Champions League, Saha was usually absent for the big occasions

His international career was affected too. Saha didn't make his debut for France until 2004, scoring in a 2-0 win over Belgium ahead of that summer's Euros. In the end he won just 20 caps, spread over an eight-year period.

An incredibly pure striker of the ball, in total Saha scored over 100 league goals but never quite became the player he threatened to at Craven Cottage.

When on form there were few better, but injuries ultimately dragged Saha down, depriving him of a yard of pace, forcing him to modify his game and play within himself.

Otherwise, he could have become a true great of the Premier League era.



https://www.planetfootball.com/nostalgia/louis-saha-brilliant-striker-never-better-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

Opinion: For all his worth, Fulham could be so much more without Aleksandar Mitrovic

The Serb has 23 goals for Fulham in the Championship this season – 34 for club and country. But Scott Parker and indeed the Fulham fans have become addicted to Aleksandar Mitrovic, creating an overly-one dimensional 'team' in the process.

Having watched Fulham this season, it's clear to the viewers that Parker has been trying to implement his own brand of football at the club – 'Parkerball'. Fans have used the phrase jokingly throughout his maiden season in management, as they watch their team play 50 or so little passes before looking to feed Mitrovic inside the box, get countered, and end up playing out a dull 0-0.

That is unless, Mitrovic can pinch a late goal. Fulham's sole source of goals this season has come from him – he's scored nearly half of Fulham's 52 Championship goals this season, with Tom Cairney chipping in with a commendable eight, and summer signings Ivan Cavaleiro and Bobby Reid with six and five respectively.

Fulham have become so predictable. Parker has a fine group of players at his disposal, especially in the attacking department with players like Cavaleiro, Reid, Anthony Knockaert and many more proven Championship names. Yet everything they've done this season has been centred around Mitrovic. Everything has to go through Mitrovic for it to be effective.

It's as though Parker is scared to lose Mitrovic. He and likely many Fulham fans fear a side without Mitrovic leading the attack. They've become over-reliant on his goals and given the amount of times he's bailed them out of trouble this season, one can understand why. But the glaringly obvious fact is that Mitrovic actually strangles this Fulham side – there is no Fulham 'team' with Mitrovic in it, only him.

That above ideology can be seen in most any game that he's started. 'Parkerball' has often turned into playground rules – 'give the ball to your best player and see what he can do'. Mitrovic, when he gets the ball within 30 yards of the goal, has only one thing on his mind – 'bundle my way into the box and score', which is great. A striker needs that kind of mentality. But what about his teammates?

What about players like Cavaleiro? Many Wolves fans were sad to see a proven Premier League player leave for good last January, and Reid – a proven finisher at Championship level who had to wait three months for his first Fulham goal. Knockaert who's proven at both Championship and Premier League level, but even he has had a largely subdued season.

It's no surprise that Fulham's attacking department has had a misfire season – with the exception of Mitrovic of course. It's impossible for players like Cavaleiro and Knockaert, who often play on the left and right of Mitrovic in a 4-3-3, to get a look in when all they're told to do is contribute to the mindless passing, and when they get the chance to feed it into Mitrovic and let him do the rest.

It's hard, if not impossible to imagine a Fulham side without Mitrovic. His perceived absence would strike fear into any manager or fan. But for all his worth, Fulham could be so much more without him. Parker plays a nice brand of football and in all fairness, he's had a good first season with Fulham. He needs to let that football blossom. Right now it is contained in a Mitrovic-shaped box, and only he has the key to it.

A summer move has long seemed likely for the Serb. Despite his love for the club and his content towards playing in London and in the Championship, Fulham might do well to cash in on him this summer. The ideal replacement would of course be one who scores goals, but also one who brings his teammates into play. Fulham have a tremendous squad of talent, and it's about time that Parker showed his Fulham – rather than Mitrovic's – to the world.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/opinion-for-all-his-worth-fulham-could-be-so-much-more-without-aleksandar-mitrovic/

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Official : Timmy Abraham Returns To Championship Club Fulham

With a statement on their official website, EFL League One club Bristol Rovers have announced their retained and released list following the conclusion of the 2019-2020 season.

Timmy Abraham, younger brother of Chelsea number 9 Tammy, is one of four loanees who have returned to their parent clubs.

The 2000-born striker was loaned out by Fulham in the January transfer window and went on to make four appearances off the bench for the Pirates in the League One, logging 75 minutes in total.

Eligible for England and Nigeria, the uncapped Abraham met with Nigeria Football Federation supremo Amaju Pinnick in September 2017, but has yet to be called up to any of the national teams.

Meanwhile, former Arsenal youth-teamer Abu Ogogo is among the players retained by Bristol Rovers, meaning he is contracted to the club for the 2020-2021 season.

An influential member of the Bristol Rovers squad, Ogogo started 30 games in all competitions in the 2019-2020 campaign.

Igho Kingsley



https://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=36444

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Championship Clubs' Chances of Promotion to the Premier League - Ranked

The Championship is a notoriously tough division to escape from and this season has been no exception.

Heading into the restart, the two automatic promotion spots look to be locked up, but there are no less than 11 teams still battling for the four playoff spots, including eight sides separated by just six points.

The run-in promises to be full of more of the same excitement we are lucky enough to be treated to every season, so here's a breakdown of the sides with the best chance of making it to the Premier League.

13. Derby County (51 points)
oughest Fixtures: Millwall (a), West Brom (a)
Key Player: Chris Martin

Derby are already facing an uphill battle to get into the playoffs, and judging by their remaining fixtures, they might be waiting until next year to seal promotion.

Seven of their remaining nine fixtures will come against teams above them in the table, including five of the current top six sides. It's not looking good.

12. Swansea City (53 points)
Toughest Fixtures: Millwall (a), Nottingham Forest (a)
Key Player: Andre Ayew

Currently sitting 11th and three points behind the playoffs are Swansea City, who will have some good chances to climb a little higher in the coming weeks as they come up against Middlesbrough and Luton Town.

They will meet two other sides in the bottom ten, but the Swans will endure a tricky final few games as they face three of the top seven. The gap looks like it'll be too big this year.

11. Cardiff City (54 points)
Toughest Fixtures: Leeds (h), Bristol City (a)
Key Player: Sean Morrison

Two tough fixtures against Leeds and Preston will make for a nervy start for Cardiff, but they should still have enough about them to at least stay in the race for a playoff spot.

It could all come down to whether they can avoid defeat against the big boys - Leeds, Preston, Fulham and Bristol City - but that's easier said than done.

10. Blackburn Rovers (53 points)
Toughest Fixtures: Leeds (h), Cardiff (a)
Key Player: Adam Armstrong

Blackburn have some fixtures which look like guaranteed victories and others which look like near certain losses. When you're already behind in the promotion race, that's not ideal.

Rovers were on a tricky run of form - three draws and a defeat - before football was postponed, so they'll have that slump to overcome as well.

9. Queens Park Rangers (50 points)
Toughest Fixtures: Fulham (h), Millwall (h)
Key Player: Eberechi Eze

One of the most intriguing storylines of the Championship could involve QPR. They might be down in 13th, but they have perhaps the kindest run of fixtures remaining.

They will face six of the current bottom ten, with only Fulham, West Brom and Millwall likely to cause much concern as the season wraps up.

QPR will be feeling good, but there may yet be too much ground to make up.

8. Bristol City (55 points)
Toughest Fixtures: Nottingham Forest (a), Swansea (a)
Key Player: Niclas Eliasson

Like many others on this list, the rest of seventh-placed Bristol City's fixtures are a real mixed bag.

Nottingham Forest, Cardiff, Swansea and Preston will all be out to cause major problems, but Sheffield Wednesday, Hull, Middlesbrough and Stoke probably won't be.

Consistency (often a rare thing in the Championship) will be the key.

7. Millwall (54 points)
Toughest Fixtures: Charlton (a), QPR (a)
Key Player: Jed Wallace

Don't take your eyes off Millwall. They're currently eighth but could be far higher when the season comes to a close.

Gary Rowett's men are currently ahead of all of their upcoming opponents in the table, although not all of their games are guaranteed wins. There are potential six-pointers against Derby, Swansea, QPR and Blackburn which could go a long way towards deciding things.

6. Preston North End (56 points)
Toughest Fixtures: Nottingham Forest (h), Bristol City (a)
Key Player: Daniel Johnson

Can Preston - who have not been in the top flight since 1961 - hold on to sixth spot for a playoff berth?

They have some comfortable-looking games against some of the league's bottom half, but meetings with Nottingham Forest, Bristol City and Brentford could decide the Lilywhites' fate.

5. Nottingham Forest (60 points)
Toughest Fixtures: Derby (a), Swansea (a)
Key Player: Lewis Grabban

Blessed with a four-point cushion and a relatively comfortable fixture list, Nottingham Forest (currently fifth) will already have one eye on the play-offs.

A lot of their fixtures will come against mid-table sides or those in a relegation battle, and despite tough tests against Fulham, Bristol City and Preston, Forest should be alright.

4. Brentford (60 points)
Toughest Fixtures: Fulham (a), West Brom (h)
Key Player: Ollie Watkins

Nobody has a tougher start to their remaining fixtures than Brentford, who must get past West Brom and Fulham before they can focus on racking up points.

Fortunately, after that, the Bees have some comfortable games, including three of the bottom five, so they should have enough about them to make it through to the playoffs at least.

3. Fulham (64 points)
Toughest Fixtures: Leeds (a), West Brom (a)
Key Player: Aleksandar Mitrovic

Even with a tricky run of fixtures coming up, to see Fulham drop from a comfortable third to seventh would be a major shock.

The Cottagers might not get third, especially since they have to face Leeds, West Brom and Brentford, but they've probably done enough hard work to book a spot in the playoffs already - where they have recent experience.

2. West Bromwich Albion (70 points)
Toughest Fixtures: Brentford (a), Fulham (h)
Key Player: Matheus Pereira

Automatic promotion shouldn't be a problem for West Brom. They're comfortably in second and will be confident of avoiding defeat in any of their remaining fixtures.

In terms of their title hopes, Brentford and Fulham might have something to say about that, and there are a few other sides who will be going all-in in search of victory.

It's nothing too problematic, but still a challenge which cannot be overlooked.

1. Leeds United (71 points)
Toughest Fixtures: Fulham (h), Blackburn (a)
Key Player: Kalvin Phillips

Sitting pretty in the top spot are Leeds, who will know that automatic promotion is a near-certainty and the league title should follow suit.

On paper, their only real test looks to be Fulham, and with all of the bottom three left to face, Marcelo Bielsa's men can probably start preparing for life in the Premier League.



https://www.90min.com/posts/championship-clubs-chances-of-promotion-to-the-premier-league-ranked?utm_source=RSS

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'I really like this one' – Birmingham City eye ex-Fulham manager: The verdict

This article is part of Football League World's 'The Verdict' series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Birmingham City have their eyes on former Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic, as per The Sun's Alan Nixon.

Nixon claims the 51-year-old is the club's 'ideal choice' but is not the only one being considered for the top job, with Lee Bowyer and Nigel Clough also in the frame to replace Clotet.

So, would Jokanovic be a good addition at Birmingham? Can you see it happening?

The team here at Football League World offer up their views.....

Alfie Burns

Jokanovic would be a huge appointment for Birmingham and is Blues got their hands on the former Fulham boss, it would be the sort of addition that'd got the Championship talking.

His work with Fulham was excellent and the promotion that's sitting on his CV stands out massively.

However, is the job at Birmingham something that will appeal to Jokanovic? He won't have a sea of funds available to him and things are hardly settled in terms of boardroom/crowd relations.

That is part of the reason why I think it would be such a surprise to see Jokanovic rocking up in Birmingham.

A real coup if it happens, but a little bit unrealistic given the hurdles parties would have to overcome.

Ned Holmes

I really like this one.

Birmingham are looking for someone that can take them to the next level and given his success with Fulham in the past, Jokanovic could be that person.

Things didn't work out for him in the Premier League but the success he had in the Championship is exactly the sort of thing the Blues will be hoping for over the next few seasons.

Jokanovic could be a great option but Birmingham need to take their time to ensure he is the right man for the job.

They've got some time to feel out what a move would mean and they need to make sure it's the right next step.

George Dagless

Potentially, yes.

Jokanovic is a good manager and obviously one that would be in high-demand whenever available to come to the Championship.

What he did with Fulham was fantastic and he's also done a good job elsewhere during his career.

Could he do the same at Blues? There's potential in the squad but I think he'd need a bit of time and some spending power to get the kind of side he would want, it remains to be seen if he would get either.

It would be an appointment that fans would love and I can understand why, I just don't think we'll be seeing it happen when you consider everything that needs to fall into place.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/i-really-like-this-one-birmingham-city-eye-ex-fulham-manager-the-verdict/

[WhiteJC]

5 days to go: What happened the last time Fulham played Brentford?

All eyes will be on west London on Saturday lunchtime, as Fulham host Brentford at Craven Cottage in what will be the first Championship game for more than three months.

It looks set to be an unusual west London derby and though fans won't be present for the behind-closed-doors clash, both sides will be determined to restart their season with a win, in a top-six clash that could prove vital in the play-off race.

The Bees are one place and four points back from Fulham in third, with both teams hoping to close the gap on the Championship's top two.

Scott Parker's side will be hoping to get some revenge after suffering a 1-0 defeat at Griffin Park in December, while beating the Cottagers for the second time this season would be the perfect way to get things back underway for Brentford.

The Bees' victory earlier this season helped them leapfrog Fulham and climb to fourth, while also handing their west London rivals a third successive defeat.

Neeskens Kebano almost gave Parker's men the perfect start that day but saw his low driven effort rebound off the outside of the post.

It was Brentford that took the lead, though, with Bryan Mbuembo arriving at the back post to smash home Said Benrahma's floated cross and score for the fourth game in a row.

The hosts had chances to extend their lead before the break but first Ollie Watkins and then Pontus Jansson saw their efforts denied by the woodwork.

Brentford's dominance continued in the second half and they nearly had a second through midfielder Mathias Jensen. The Dane's curling long-range attempt was palmed onto the inside of the post by Marek Rodak and then rolled along the goal line allowing the Fulham goalkeeper time to dive on the loose ball.

The Bees' second never came but they did come away with the all-important three points, something they'll be determined to do again when the two sides meet on Saturday.

A west London derby win would be the ideal confidence booster heading into the Championship run-in and both sides will undoubtedly be determined to restart their promotion push in the best possible way.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/5-days-to-go-what-happened-the-last-time-fulham-played-brentford/

[WhiteJC]

Games for the Weekend 20/06
Well footie is finally back, at least games "behind closed doors", and we kick-off the Championship's return with a game against Brentford.

As we're effectively starting the season again, previous matches and form probably won't mean a great deal, never the less here's what I thought about our "last" game...

In other circumstances an away draw at Bristol would have been a good result, especially after going a goal behind, but if we're aiming for automatic promotion it must be seen as 2 points dropped? Having said that we played well and it looks as if Captain Cairney is back to his best, Tom had his best game in an age, lets hope he continues.

Brentford are scoring goals for fun, 5-0 against Wednesday, they also beat Hull 1-5 earlier in February, our defence will have to be on top of their game for this one.

Brentford are another team who like playing us, they've won 5, drawn 3 and only lost 2 against us in recent games. They are currently on 60 points, 4 behind us, so with a win we could stretch that gap to 7 and move ourselves closer to West Brom and Leeds.

COYWs

Games of Interest...
Saturday 20th
Fulham v Brentford
West Brom v Birmingham
Hull v Charlton
Luton v Preston NE
Millwall v Derby
QPR v Barnsley
Sheff Wed v Nottm Forest

Sunday 21st
Cardiff v Leeds


come on over to the forum and join in the discussion...
https://bit.ly/2UDAjaY



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