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

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Digital Programmes Available Now

It is almost time to get back to Sky Bet Championship action, with our first game on Saturday 20th June against Brentford.

So, don't forget to buy your Official Matchday Programme which is now available both online and a limited print edition.

There are four home fixtures remaining in the regular season, against Brentford, Birmingham City, Cardiff City and Sheffield Wednesday.

Each of these programmes will comprise the usual jam-packed 100 pages, full of great features, including notes from Scott Parker, opposition previews and the latest news from Fulham FC.

We will have a limited number of copies of the Matchday Programme on sale at the Club Store on Friday 19th June, from 2pm.

However, if you can't get to the Club Store, you can download the programme online now for just £1.99 now from our friends at Pocketmags.

Should you wish to pre-order a copy of the Official Matchday Programme for the games against Birmingham City, Cardiff City and Sheffield Wednesday and have them posted to you in time for the games, simply order online through our partners, Press Box Publishing.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/june/19/digital-programmes-available-now

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Kenny flags recall for McCarthy and Arter

Stephen Kenny has flagged an international recall for James McCarthy and Harry Arter as he hopes for more competition for places in his senior Ireland squad.

Kenny is now able to properly plan for the start of his career as Republic of Ireland senior team manager after UEFA confirmed the date for the Euro 2020 play-off in Slovakia, on October 8, after two games in the Nations League in September.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions Kenny has been unable to attend matches but the return of the Premier League in England has been welcome, with squad members Enda Stevens, John Egan, David McGoldrick and Conor Hourihane all in action on Wednesday evening when the league restarted.

Kenny had previously stated his desire to revive the international career of Robbie Brady and he has also namechecked two players who have not been involved for some time, while also opening the door for the uncapped Jayson Molumby.

"The squad is there on merit but it's great to have players available for selection and increase the competition," Kenny told FAI TV.

"James McCarthy is an exceptional talent, the fact that he's played 22 games for Crystal Palace this year, we want to increase our options and if he can get a run of games without injury that would be great for him.

"Harry Arter hasn't featured in the campaign, apart from a few minutes away to Gibraltar.

"Harry has been in the system since U-16s with Ireland, he's having a good season with Fulham and we'll see how they go between now and the end of the season, whether they get promoted or not.

"Jayson Molumby captained the U-21s, he's trying to get Millwall promoted at the moment and it's good to increase our options and it's good to have a level of competition.

"Competition drives people to be even better and that's very important, to have that element of competition is exactly what we want.

"Shane Long, for example, I saw Shane play for Southampton not long before the lockdown, he scored against Tottenham in the FA Cup in the new stadium and he scored a few goals in that period.

"So having the element of competition is important, we need competition in all areas," Kenny added.



https://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/kenny-flags-recall-for-mccarthy-and-arter-39297682.html

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EFL Championship 2019/20: Fulham vs Brentford – tactical preview

Over three months of debates, zoom meetings and general uncertainty around the EFL Championship's resumption has finally come to an end, as the second tier of English football resumes on Saturday. The first game back is a tasty West London derby between Fulham and Brentford. And although the derby feel will disappear instantly after you catch a glimpse of the empty stands at Craven Cottage, this is a game with huge ramifications for both clubs at the top of the Championship table.

The two teams are next to each other in the table. Fulham is third on 64 points, six points off second-placed West Bromwich Albion. The Bees are just below them on 60 points. They're five points clear of Bristol City, who lead the chasing pack of playoff hopefuls.

This tactical analysis will focus on the tactics most commonly used by these teams. Hopefully, it'll give you some things to look out for when the sides lock horns at 12:30 pm on Saturday.

Predicted lineups
It's pretty difficult to say for sure how both teams will set up, as only the players and coaching staff will know what physical state the players are currently in. Fulham usually line up in a 4-3-3 system, but that can also change into a 4-2-3-1 shape, with Tom Cairney or Bobby Decordova-Reid pushing up from midfield to support Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Marek Rodak is the number one goalkeeper. Joe Bryan and Dennis Odoi will most likely play as full-backs. Michael Hector has been outstanding since joining from Chelsea in January. He's likely to partner Tim Ream in central defence. Tom Cairney, Bobby Decordova-Reid and Stefan Johansen will probably start in midfield, with Reid breaking forward from midfield to support lone striker Aleksandar Mitrovic. Ivan Cavaleiro, formerly of Wolverhampton Wanderers, is likely to play on the left flank. Aboubakar Kamara is favourite to start on the right.

Thomas Frank regularly sets his team up in a 4-3-3, since switching from the 3-4-3 system he preferred to use earlier in the season. Their last outing was a 5-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday in March, so they could name an unchanged starting XI. David Raya has been an ever-present for them between the sticks, so he'll start in goal. Rico Henry and Henrik Dalsgaard will probably play as the full-backs, with Pontus Jansson and Ethan Pinnock likely to play in central defence. Christian Norgaard will probably play just in front of the back four, with Josh Dasilva and Emiliano Marcondes playing ahead of him. Reported Arsenal target Said Benrahma is likely to play on the left wing, with Bryan Mbuemo on the opposite flank. 22-goal striker Ollie Watkins is expected to lead the line.

A clash of styles
The thought of Championship football returning without the intensity of the crowds may take the excitement away, but if anybody can put on a show of good quality passing football in the circumstances, it's these two sides. Both teams have earned a reputation for playing slick, possession-based football, and the numbers back that up.

The Cottagers are second in the table for average possession, with 58.8%. Brentford are one place below their local rivals in both the league table and in the possession table, averaging 55.7% of the ball. The Bees average the second most progressive passes per 90 minutes (80.04) whilst Fulham average the fourth most (75.66.) In terms of PPDA against (average number of passes they complete before the opposition completes a defensive action), Fulham and Brentford lead the way in the division. Their scores are 13.78 and 12.99 respectively.

The main differences between the two sides are that Fulham prefer to play more crosses per 90 minutes (17.11 vs 15.36) and they'll press higher up the pitch. Fulham's PPDA (average passes allowed per defensive action – the reverse of the metric we just looked at) is 8.16, whereas Brentford's is 10.66.

Brentford preventing the short goal kick
That doesn't mean Thomas Frank's side will never press high though. It just suggests that they're selective in terms of when they press. This should play into their hands because, after a three-month absence, it's very unlikely that any team will be able to press their opponents relentlessly for the full 90 minutes. However, this analysis will now focus on the times where they pressed highly in their last meeting with the Cottagers.

Fulham like to play out of defence. At times, they've been so insistent in doing so that it's harmed them. The Bees sought to disrupt their ability to progress the ball from the back in their last meeting.



As you can see in the image above, Fulham's two central defenders were in their own box for the goal kick, so they could receive the ball in a bit of space. However, receiving the ball in your own penalty area is always risky, particularly when the opposing team are looking to press high. Two of Fulham's central midfielders had also dropped to the edge of the area to make themselves available for the short pass. Brentford's front three all pressed right on the edge of the area, so in the penalty area and zone 14 (the space just outside the area), Fulham had a numerical advantage of five versus three, if you include the goalkeeper.

However, the Brentford players managed to cover those four outfield players by marking zonally. The two wingers remained close to both the central midfielder and central defender on their side, so if the goalkeeper played the ball to them, they were immediately under pressure. Striker Ollie Watkins stayed in between the two central midfielders for the same reason. Eventually, Marek Rodak ends up playing a lobbed pass out to left-back Joe Bryan (see below).



Because of the slow speed of a lobbed pass, right winger Bryan Mbuemo has time to race back and press Bryan, alongside central midfielder Josh Dasilva. The pressure, alongside the fact that Bryan had to bring down an aerial pass, means that it's difficult to keep the ball in that situation. Brentford forced numerous high turnovers in their last meeting, because they were successful in stopping Scott Parker's side from playing out of the back.

How Fulham can play over Brentford
If Brentford do step up and press high when Fulham have a goal kick, then the Cottagers could look to play a few more direct balls into Mitrovic. It's not their favourite way of playing, but it proved effective in the second half of their last home game against Preston. Striker Mitrovic is an excellent goalscorer, but he's also a physical presence with good hold-up play.

He's won 39.94% of his aerial duels this season, which places him in the top 20 out of all strikers in the league for this metric. He also has the third-highest passing accuracy out of all out-and-out strikers (82.03%). His forward passing accuracy of 65.29% places him in the top 15. However, in the last meeting between Fulham and Brentford, Mitrovic only touched the ball 26 times. This was because they struggled to progress the ball through the Bees' press.

On Saturday, they could look to mix their goal kicks up, by sometimes playing short, but also being prepared to go long up to Mitrovic. If the defenders and midfielders drop deep like they did in their last meeting, they could invite the press from Brentford. This could look like the image below.



If Brentford's defensive midfielder joins the press, Fulham's attacking midfielder could start from a deeper position, but then break forward and get closer to the striker if the goal kick goes long. Mitrovic could start beyond the halfway line, dragging the Brentford defensive line back. This would result in the Bees being stretched vertically, and there would be a lot of space between their defensive and midfield lines for Fulham to exploit. If Mitrovic wins the header in this scenario, Fulham could have a 4v4 situation in their favour after playing over Brentford's pressing lines.

The Cottagers did mix up their game a bit more in their recent home game against Preston, and they weren't afraid to play direct balls into Mitrovic if they had to. This resulted in the Serbian striker touching the ball 56 times, so he was much more involved in that clash than in their defeat at Griffin Park.

Fulham look to create overloads out wide
As we mentioned earlier, Fulham look to put in plenty of crosses from out wide. They try to work the ball into crossing positions by creating 3v2s in wide areas. You can see an example of this positional play below.



Their left-back Joe Bryan is holding a fairly advanced, very wide position. Winger Neeskens Kebano is just out of shot, but he's occupying the same vertical line as Bryan. They're trying to stretch the play as much as possible. The central midfielder, on this occasion Stefan Johansen, was in the half-space. This creates a problem for the opposing full-back and winger in deciding what to do. If they stay narrow, they'll concede space in wide areas, but if they get closer to the touchline, they'd be leaving the half-space more open for Fulham to exploit.

As a side note, keep in mind Brentford's high defensive line in the image, which we'll come to later.

The central defenders do typically look to progress the ball into the half-space, like in the image below.



Tom Cairney is receiving the ball in the image above. He can then run into the space between the full-back and ball-near central defender, with the option of slipping the ball through to Ivan Cavaleiro on the wing.

Brentford managed to cope with this well in their last meeting, by committing bodies into wide areas to defend against potential overloads.



In the image above, Brentford committed no fewer than four players to press the Fulham winger. But will they have the energy to do that on Saturday? It will be extremely difficult to play at that intensity after such a long break.

Brentford caused Fulham problems on the counter-attack
Brentford's game wasn't all about high pressing. When Fulham had the ball in the middle third, the Bees' line of engagement was less aggressive. The two wingers dropped to form a midfield block of five, and Brentford kept a high line to retain vertical compactness. This meant Fulham had little space to play in. You can see this in the image below.



By dropping off a little bit, Thomas Frank's side invited Fulham onto them. The full-backs hugged the touchline and took up advanced positions, which left them exposed on the counter. The black circle in the bottom left corner represents the left-back, who is just out of shot.

Brentford's wingers remained in the half-spaces instead of tracking back. This helped the team to remain compact horizontally. It also meant they were in a great position to break if Fulham lost the ball. When this happened, they used their pace to burst forward in transitions. The Whites' full-backs couldn't get back on time, so the Brentford wingers were often running one versus one against the slower central defenders on the break.

Brentford won the game 1-0, and the goal came from a counter-attacking situation.

Conclusion
As far as unpredictable games go, this is right at the top of the list; a West London derby between two teams who sit next to each other in the table, but haven't played a game in over three months. Oh, and there's the added caveat of it being behind closed doors as well. Different players and teams will respond differently to that, so it'll be interesting to see who thrives and who struggles in such extraordinary circumstances.

Due to Brentford's ability on the break, they might just nick a 1-0 victory on Saturday.



https://eflanalysis.com/analysis/efl-championship-2019-20-fulham-vs-brentford-tactical-analysis-tactics

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Preparing Craven Cottage

Fulham's Chief Operating Officer Darren Preston explains the logistical challenges the Club has had to contend with recently, and details the measures that will be in place at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

What's the process been for the Club during lockdown?

Firstly, we opened the doors of Motspur Park for the players to do individual training, the sort of stuff that the rest of us were doing in the park, but we felt it was safer for the players to do their running at the Training Ground. We then worked through Step One and Step Two with regards to a return to proper training, and now we're on Step Three which is the return to competitive matches.

What's the preparation been like for the games?

It's surprisingly difficult to operate a stadium in behind-closed-doors mode. You'd think it would be easy, but all the measures of socially distancing the press and directors of both clubs is actually really complex. The number of people in the stadium depends whether we're on Sky or not, as the TV broadcasters bumps us up a little bit. We've got a red zone – the pitchside and tunnel areas – where only 100 people maximum can go. Anyone who goes in there has to have a COVID antigen test a couple of days before the game.

How does it work with positioning the media?

This Saturday we've got approximately 64 guests from the press and the two clubs. Those will be housed in the Johnny Haynes Stand, and the two other stands will have some photographers in them, and the broadcast cameramen will be dotted around as well. They all need to stick to their seat, because otherwise every spot they occupied would have to be cleaned down. We had to consider their route to their seat, does their two metre bubble bump into someone else's, are they too close to a gangway where someone could get too close to them? So all of a sudden, there aren't as many available seats as you'd think, as you need to consider in front and behind you, as well as to the side.

How many people will actually be at the game on Saturday then?

We've also got the streets to man, to look after the visiting coaches and all those sorts of things. But within the stadium it will be around 150-200 people. It will be a bit strange because the Johnny Haynes Stand has gone from a capacity of around 5,000-odd, to a capacity of about 60, just because you can't have two people anywhere near each other.

How will the team be getting to matches?

Social distancing will be a theme for the coaches or any other forms of transport that the team may use, or if we stay at a hotel. The players have to be socially distanced in all of those environments. It just means more of things, so either more coaches or bigger planes.

The same rules presumably apply to the changing rooms as well?

With social distancing, we end up with a situation where our changing room used to house our squad of 18 players, but now holds five at a push, while we're now operating across all three floors of the Cottage. The away team are operating out of the away dressing room in the Cottage, but they've also taken over the press lounge and part of the Johnny Haynes concourse.

Will the players' entrance to the pitch be staggered?

The protocol is the away team will come on first, they'll have their equipment checked by the officials in the tunnel, then on the pitch they'll actually go into their starting XI positions at the end they warmed up at. The home side then does the same and lines up at the opposite end. The referee will invite the captains to join him for the coin toss to see whether we change ends or kick-off. In terms of the teams coming off, they will do their best to socially distance and come off before the officials.

What about the dugouts?

There'll be a lot of separation there. We'll have a number of different seats and benches for the technical staff and the substitutes, along the touchline by the Riverside hoarding. Of course, that's another problem we've had to solve, because every other club can expand their technical areas into the empty stand. We don't have that luxury. Our guys are within three-and-a-half metres of the touchline, so both teams will be sitting tight up against the Riverside construction site boundary. We already had some limitations that other clubs don't contend with. We don't have any car parking, which is a very useful space for clubs. I read about Everton and Manchester United building changing rooms in car parks. We can't do that with Craven Cottage as we're locked in on four sides, so it's been very complicated to work out how the site will operate in behind closed doors mode.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/june/19/preparing-craven-cottage

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David Prutton issues verdict on Fulham v Brentford clash

Quoted in his returning Sky Sports prediction column, David Prutton has offered his take on the west London derby between Fulham and Brentford and is backing an away win.

The two sides look more than capable of earning a play-off place in the coming weeks in the Sky Bet Championship but Fulham are closest to the top two and will want to pile the pressure on with a win in the lunchtime fixture.

However, the Bees have got some fine firepower and will go into this one with confidence, as they look to get one over Scott Parker's men.

Indeed, for David Prutton, it is the away side that is going to emerge victorious at Craven Cottage, as the game rings in the season restart.

He said:

"One thing I do know is that Fulham need a win if they are to pile the pressure on Leeds and West Brom, and a defeat for Brentford will all-but entirely put them out of the automatic promotion race. It will be tight, but I'm going to back the Bees. 1-2."

The Verdict

Both will have hopes of a win enhancing their top two credentials tomorrow lunchtime and with both liking to dominate the ball and impose themselves in matches, this could be a top way to start the second portion of this campaign.

You could see any result getting thrown up in all truth, and the betting odds reflect that but you do feel anything but a Fulham win tomorrow could pretty much assure our top two this season will be Leeds and West Brom – providing they win their games this weekend.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/david-prutton-issues-verdict-on-fulham-v-brentford-clash/

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How the Championship Golden Boot race is shaping up

Having witnessed the Premier League get back underway with two matches on Wednesday night, it is now the turn of the EFL as the 24 Championship teams look to fulfil their remaining nine fixtures.

As is typical with any second-tier campaign, there is still much to be decided at both ends of the table, while the race for the four playoff spots is as hotly contested as ever.

Away from team matters, a number of players still have ambitions with regards to the Golden Boot, particularly the two attackers who have broken away from the rest of their rivals and, coincidentally, feature in the first fixture on the new schedule.

Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at how the battle to be top scorer is shaping up.

As it stands, Fulham forward Aleksandar Mitrovic has got his nose in front of Brentford counterpart Ollie Watkins by just the one goal, netting 23 times from his 34 appearances.

However, the Serbia international perhaps deserves more credit for remaining ahead of the Bees striker having started three games fewer and featured for 270 minutes less than his rival.

The two frontmen have recorded one hat-trick apiece, both of which came before the end of October, but Watkins has four doubles to his name in comparison to two for Mitrovic.

Nevertheless, that arguably puts Mitrovic in a better light, with the physically-imposing 25-year-old having contributed a goal in 19 of his 34 outings.

Although both players have failed to keep up with their earlier ratios in front of goal since the turn of the year, Mitrovic still has five from 10 outings and Watkins seven from 12.

The pair have still been able to maintain a clear advantage over the chasing pack, which is headed by Nottingham Forest's Lewis Grabban.

While 17 goals have come from 36 appearances, the 32-year-old has been far from consistent this season, netting just once from his eight most recent starts for the East Midlands side.

Grabban has only scored in consecutive matches on three occasions, while two of his four doubles for the season came over the Christmas and New Year period.

With Jarrod Bowen out of the running because of his January transfer to West Ham United, Karlan Grant and Nahki Wells are the next two players on the list.

Grant's return of 16 goals for Huddersfield Town is all the more impressive due to over half of his appearances coming out on the left flank, with the 22-year-old also chipping in with four assists.

Meanwhile, having switched from Queens Park Rangers to Bristol City in January, Wells has registered a total of 15 strikes for two different clubs.

All but two of those goals came during 26 games for QPR, meaning that a return of just two efforts from eight matches for the Robins is considerably down on his previous ratio.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/feature/how-the-championship-golden-boot-race-is-shaping-up_402925.html

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 Championship play-offs 2020: Dates, kick-off times, venues, live on Sky Sports
Sky Sports to broadcast Sky Bet Championship play-offs from July 26; coverage of all five games to be shown exclusively live

When are the 2020 Sky Bet Championship play-offs?

The Sky Bet Championship play-off schedule has now been confirmed, with all five fixtures to appear live on Sky Sports.

The semi-finals will take place over five days in July, with the final to take place at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday 4 August.

First legs

6th vs 3rd - Sunday 26 July, 6.30pm

5th vs 4th - Monday 27 July, 7.45pm

Second legs

3rd vs 6th - Wednesday 29 July, 7.45pm

4th vs 5th - Thursday 30 July, 7.45pm

Final: Tuesday August 4

Winner semi-final A vs Winner semi-final B - 7.45pm, Wembley Stadium



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11688/12010272/championship-play-offs-2020-dates-kick-off-times-venues-live-on-sky-sports

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 Brentford boss Thomas Frank eyeing Fulham and West Brom wins as Bees target automatic promotion

Standard Sport assesses the state of play for each of London's Championship clubs as the season resumes

Brentford boss Thomas Frank says his side's first two matches of the Championship restart will be make or break for their automatic promotion hopes.

The Bees are currently 10 points adrift of the top two with just nine games left to play this season and could hardly be facing two more pivotal fixtures as they resume their campaign against third-placed Fulham in Saturday's west London derby before hosting West Brom - currently sitting second - at Griffin Park next Friday.

"Normally I'm pretty harsh on, 'No, focus on Fulham and then focus on West Brom'," Frank said. "But I think now that we've had time to really refresh, we know that these two games are essential if we want to have a chance to go directly up.

"Let's still start with the first game. Can we win that? That'll give us an opportunity in the next one. If we don't win that then there's no reason to speak about the West Brom game."

While Brentford have a mountain to climb to reach the Premier League automatically, they do at least have some breathing space as far as the play-offs are concerned, with a five-point cushion to seventh-placed Bristol City.

The premature end to the seasons in Leagues One and Two has seen contenders thrust straight into play-off action after the coronavirus shutdown and Frank is relieved that even if automatic promotion proves too big an ask, his side will have time to get up to speed before what could be some of the most important games in the club's history.

"We all know the history of the Championship play-offs, and [the importance of] what kind of momentum you are going into the semi-finals with," Frank added.

"Is it where you've been on a high and you've barely missed out on the two automatic promotions and you just slide in and you continue, or have you been there for a long time so you're fresh?

"It's two games where everything's at stake and it's different to everything else."

Brentford beat Sheffield Wednesday 5-0 before the shutdown, but had gone five without a win before that.

The friendly win over Arsenal will not have done any harm to morale, while Pontus Jansson's return to fitness is a major boost.

Here's the state of play regarding the rest of London's Championship sides as the action resumes this weekend...

Charlton

The Addicks have had as many owners as Championship wins in 2020, which sums up the worrying situation on and off the pitch at The Valley.

They were sliding towards relegation after just three victories this year before the season was suspended and Lee Bowyer has a tough job to keep them up.

That task was made harder after top scorer Lyle Taylor refused to play out the rest of the season because he does not want to risk injury ahead of a lucrative summer move.

His decision leaves Charlton short of firepower and Bowyer needs someone to step up with some goals, starting in their crunch game at relegation rivals Hull on Saturday.

Fulham

Scott Parker's men return with a west London derby like no other before. While there will be no raucous atmosphere to greet Parker's side when they face Brentford on Saturday, the stakes remain high.

Fulham are six points shy of the automatic promotion places and are still to face Leeds and West Brom, the top two, so any dropped points will deal a blow to their hopes of avoiding the play-offs.

Parker has an almost full-strength squad available to him for the Championship's resumption, while all their loan players have agreed to see out the season at Craven Cottage.

Of the players out of contract this summer, such as Denis Odoi, all bar one — a youngster — will stay on.

Millwall

The Lions were so determined to complete the campaign, they offered to foot the bill for coronavirus testing on their Championship rivals if they were promoted.

They resume two points off the play-offs and do not face a single team above them in the table in their remaining nine games.

Their preparations have been rocked by the departure of assistant manager Callum Davidson to St Johnstone this week, while adjusting to the loss of The Den's infamous 12th man will be a significant challenge for boss Gary Rowett.

QPR

The club have been one of the most vocal critics to football's comeback, with CEO Lee Hoos saying earlier this month that QPR were "vehemently opposed" to the return on June 20.

The storm has duly calmed since then and now QPR can focus on a surge for the play-offs. Prior to football's suspension, they were unbeaten in their last six games.

Eberechi Eze is undoubtedly likely to be key to their hopes of a strong finish. The 21-year-old, who is admired by Premier League clubs, has scored 12 goals this season.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/brentford-thomas-frank-fulham-west-brom-automatic-promotion-a4474036.html

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Fulham boss Scott Parker hopeful fake crowd noise could provide boost in Championship promotion race

Scott Parker hopes the use of fake crowd noise at Craven Cottage during the final games of the season can give his Fulham side an edge in their promotion push.

The west Londoners have been trialling the use of artificial crowd noise over the past week as they look to replicate a matchday atmosphere in an empty stadium.

Fulham host rivals Brentford on Saturday in the Championship's first game back as they look to remain within six points of the top two, and Parker thinks a bit of buzz in the background could hand a little advantage.

"Yeah I liked it, we used it and tested it at the Cottage," Parker told Standard Sport. "I liked it, it brought a bit more of an atmosphere into the stadium and I think it could be a slight advantage, even if it is just a little bit of noise in the background.

"It is something we are looking at and will make a call on in the next day or so and see where we go."

With no supporters present to back his side, Parker will also look to the leaders in his squad to ensure motivation levels don't drop across the crucial final nine games.

"That is going to be the most key thing," he said. "The drivers, the energisers, we're going to need them more than ever in these moments.


Manager Scott Parker is hopeful that it could give his side an advantage in the race for Championship promotion (Getty Images)

"All of a sudden now, those energisers - we don't look at them as much in the day-to-day or in full stadiums, you look at other facets of the team or other places where you want to develop.

"Now all of a sudden we're looking at them because that is what you will need. The personalities and characters, you always need them, but now more than ever."



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-scott-parker-fake-crowd-noise-craven-cottage-promotion-boost-a4474126.html

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Scott Parker plotting how to maximize home advantage before Fulham's crunch clash with Brentford

The players at Craven Cottage may still hear cheering supporters in tomorrow's crucial Championshp derby


(Image: GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)

Fulham are considering playing crowd noise over the public address system during tomorrow's Sky Bet Championship game against Brentford at Craven Cottage following a test that left manager Scott Parker impressed.

With the second tier returning behind closed doors after more than 100 days off because of coronavirus, clubs are trying to ensure that they can maintain some home advantage and Parker said that a decision will be made today whether to use synthetic atmosphere.

Both sides maintain hopes of automatic promotion, with third-place Fulham likely to end their neighbours' chances with a home win.

They must also face the top two, Leeds United and West Bromwich Albion, in their final stretch of games.

Wary of the Bundesliga's example of home advantage being wiped clean with fans banned from attending, Fulham are one of a small few clubs to have tried recorded crowd noise.

"I liked it to be fair," Parker said. "We tested it out at the Cottage and I liked it. It brought more of an atmosphere into the stadium and could bring a slight advantage.

"Even if it's there it is more of a noise in the background. It is something we are looking at we'll make a call on that in the next day or so and see where we go with it."

If not then Parker, in his first full season of management, feels that there will be an onus on his senior players to rev up their younger team-mates.

"It's going to be the most important thing, to be honest," he added. "The drivers, motivators, energisers - you're going to need them more than ever. You're going to need growing men."



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/scott-parker-plotting-how-maximize-18448737

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

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

Team news

Fulham are at full strength for the visit of London neighbours Brentford to Craven Cottage on Saturday lunchtime. A number of players have been able to recover fitness during the suspension of competition during the coronavirus pandemic, including Josh Onomah (knee), Alfie Mawson (unspecified), Maxime Le Marchand (back) and Joe Bryan (hamstring).

Cottagers boss Scott Parker said on Thursday that the club have managed to extend all loan deals, which had been due to expire on June 30, until the end of the Championship season, which means Terence Kongolo, Harry Arter, Harrison Reed and Anthony Knockaert will be available for the remainder of the campaign. Three Fulham players tested positive for coronavirus in the initial rounds of testing, but all are now back in training.

Pontus Jansson is in contention for Brentford after being out since January with a hip problem, as is Mathias Jensen who was sidelined by an unspecified injury prior to the shutdown. Sergi Canos and Nikos Karelis (both knee) are in training but have not featured in the club's warm-up friendlies.

Karelis and Kamohelo Mokotjo have signed contract extensions to keep them at the club beyond June 30. A member of staff at Brentford is still self-isolating after the club confirmed on Wednesday he had tested positive for coronavirus.

Recent form

With a little over 100 days since the last round of Championship fixtures, recent form will count for little in the nine games that remain. However, prior to football's suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic in March, Fulham drew 1-1 away to Bristol City, with Brentford thumping Sheffield Wednesday 5-0 at Griffin Park.

What the managers said...

Fulham's Scott Parker: "Lockdown and football ending didn't come at a good time for us or Brentford. We were top of the form table in the last 16 games, Brentford were second. We were the form teams. That's why it was anticipated as a tasty clash, with the added edge of a derby

"The facts are we're having to go back into it after three months. I understand what this means and what it means to the fans. It'll be a tough game against a very good side. It'll be a big challenge and Brentford will be feeling the same."

Brentford's Thomas Frank: "Our aim is to get promoted. We are in a good position in the league. We don't take anything for granted but we trust ourselves and believe in ourselves. As long as there is a chance we will go for that [top two spot].

"We are in a better place because we have all our injured players back. Everybody is fit and ready for selection which is very positive. When we can play our strongest team, plus having the next in line, then we are very strong."

Opta stats

Fulham have won just one of their last 18 home games against Brentford in all competitions (D10 L7), a 1-0 victory back in April 1990.

Brentford are looking to complete a league double over Fulham for the first time since the 2014-15 season.

Fulham have won more points at home this season than any other Championship team (38).

Fulham have registered 506 sequences of 10+ passes in open play this season, 153 more than the next highest side which is Brentford (353).

Brentford have won just two of their last 10 away games in the Championship (D4 L4).

Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, who is the Championship's leading scorer this season (23 goals), has won more points with his goals than any other player in the competition in 2019-20 (23 pts won).

Prutton's prediction

We are back! And what a game we have to resume proceedings in the Championship! The word unprecedented has been used a lot in the last few months, and this is certainly an unprecedented time in the world of predicting results!

Usually you have a look at the form guide to give you some indication of where these teams are at, but this may be a lot more like trying to predict the result of the first game of the season - but with only nine games to go!

One thing I do know is that Fulham need a win if they are to pile the pressure on Leeds and West Brom, and a defeat for Brentford will all-but entirely put them out of the automatic-promotion race. It will be tight, but I'm going to back the Bees.

David Prutton predicts: 1-2 (9/1 with Sky Bet)



https://www.skysports.com/football/fulham-vs-brentford/preview/409794

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Mourinho shows his bad side

Jean Tigana

Fulham, 2000-2003

"You can see that Zidane is really comfortable in his role. He has a natural authority"

Jean Tigana, a title-winner in France as both player and coach, reveals the modern-day coaches he most admires. Speaking exclusively to The Coaches' Voice, the former Fulham and Monaco manager also contrasts the serenity of Zinedine Zidane with the confrontational style of José Mourinho, one of Zidane's predecessors at Real Madrid.

https://www.coachesvoice.com/mourinho-shows-us-only-his-bad-side/

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Programme Peek

The show can't always go on. Fulham were in fine fettle and due to face Saturday's opponents Brentford at the Cottage when the coronavirus outbreak brought football to an abrupt halt in March.

The league was put on indefinite hiatus, but just over three months later, Fulham are preparing to face the Bees once again. This time, however, things will look and feel decidedly different.

"I can't lie, it was hard to stay motivated at the start when no one really knew what was going on and whether football was going to return," Tom Cairney tells the official matchday programme. "Going back to normality seemed so far away. It's only natural you take your foot off the pedal a little bit fitness-wise then. But then when you get some light at the end of the tunnel, you need to get back out there again and blow the cobwebs off.

"It is going to be weird playing in an empty stadium. But you like to think that because of what's on the line - teams going for promotion or relegation - will stop it feeling like a pre-season friendly."

To read the full interview with Tom, get your hands on a copy of the official matchday programme.

Other highlights include interviews with Shahid Khan, Scott Parker, Ivan Cavaleiro, Jay Stansfield, Roger Cross, Glenn Cockerill and Gordon Davies, plus the usual array of top-drawer features.

For £1.99, the 100-page programme is available as a digital download on your iPad, iPhone, iPod, PC or Mac via Pocketmags from 9am on the day of the game.

Should you wish to pre-order a printed copy of the official matchday programme for the games against Birmingham City, Cardiff City and Sheffield Wednesday and have them posted to you in time for the games, simply order online through our partners, Pressbox Publishing.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/june/19/programme-peek

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Final Reminder: FFCtv Live Streaming

Season Ticket Holders who opted for live streaming as part of their rebate option are urged to redeem their voucher code before Saturday's clash with Brentford.

All Season Ticket holders were sent their unique voucher code this week by email and postal letter allowing them access to watch all nine of Fulham's remaining EFL Championship matches - home and away.

We encourage all Season Ticket Holders to redeem their code as soon as possible to avoid any issues on matchday as we cannot guarantee resolving issues if there are a large number of queries just before kick-off.

Fans can redeem their codes by visiting tv.fulhamfc.com and can view a step-by-step guide on how to do this by clicking here.

Once their code has been redeemed, supporters will be able to view a test video to ensure their code has successfully worked.

For FFCtv support please contact [email protected].
Redeem Your Voucher Code



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/june/19/final-reminder-live-streaming

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Fulham defender admits he's aware of transfer speculation – Insists there's been "no real discussions yet"

Fulham defender Maxime Le Marchand insists he is yet to talk to Lens about a move, but could be tempted into joining the French side.

Le Marchand has been with Fulham since 2018 when he joined in a £3.6m deal from French side Nice, having spent his entire career in France.

He proved to be a regular for Fulham last season, making 29 appearances in all competitions as they were relegated from the Premier League.

This year has been an entirely different story, with him managing just nine appearances and 269 minutes of football in total as injuries have kept him out for large periods of the campaign.

That, coupled with the fact his contract expires in two years, has fuelled rumours that he could leave Craven Cottage in the summer, with Lens thought to be keen.

Le Marchand has now been asked about those rumours and says he is not entirely opposed to the idea.

"I saw it on social media," he told Onze Mondial.

"Maybe there might be some interest, but there are no real discussions yet because I think Fulham are waiting to finish the Championship, and we'll see afterwards.

"I could, of course (be seduced). There are a lot of things to consider. You would have to talk with the coach, the sports director, know the philosophy, what they want to do...

"A lot of things come into play. But first of all, Lens is still a big name in the French league, that's for sure."



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-defender-admits-hes-aware-transfer-speculation-insists-theres-no-real-discussions-yet/

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Life after lockdown begins with a derby like no other

I'll level with you now. My appetite for writing about football, Fulham and – almost anything – diminished beyond compare as coronavirus gripped the country. I was in two minds over whether to write this, on account of it being much more emotional than the measured offerings we usually like to put before you. But, in the pained aftermath of Danny Fullbrook's passing a few years ago, I promised that this site would endure in his memory, so here goes.

Football – and the resumption of a promotion push – seems rather trite when you consider the human cost of a pandemic that has challenged us all. Unfortunately, there are people who won't celebrate another last-gasp win, savour another walk through Bishop's Park or a gasp at one more piece of frankly Fulhamish defending. There are more who are still fighting the disease – or shielding in their homes to prevent themselves and others from catching it. The concept of heroes is overused in modern society (we are as guilty of it here when discussing the boys in black and white), but the sacrifices made by our carers, cleaners, nurses, doctors, surgeons, paramedics, ambulance staff, police officers, teachers and so many more key workers underline who the most deserving in society are. We should never forget the people who stepped up – and put themselves in harms way – when the rest of us stayed at home.

At its most prosaic, football – indeed, all organised sport – is something of a distraction from the stresses and strains of modern life. We are waited for its return patiently and there is still an argument about whether it is right to play now. Nobody knows whether there will be a second wave – when the culmination of a Championship season will seem a pretty silly thing to be bothered about – or even how long the virus will be with us. All we know is that life will be considerably different for sometime to come.

That means our experience as supporters will be an alien one probably well into next season. All our usual routines are indefinitely suspended. For me, that means that a Saturday will be sent in front of the television or the computer when I would have been at the ground. When it comes to a venue as unique as Craven Cottage, you will feel that sense of loss a little more acutely. We know there's very little to match our own little piece of history – even though we'll have to smile as the wags assert that there might be as much atmosphere tomorrow inside the ground as they would be with it full to capacity.

Football is more than just the ninety minutes, of course. For me, they'll be no catching up with my group of mates at the Chancellors, just a Tom Cairney pass away from the Thames. I'm usually in there quite early to catch up with people I've not seen for a while, wondering what the line-up will be over a pint and a burger and chips. I won't have the chance to say hello to David Lloyd in TOOFIF corner before heading into the Hammersmith End and hoping for three points. All your own pre-match rituals will be replaced by new ones for the weeks ahead.

Hopefully, everyone will stay safe and at home tomorrow, which will make for an eerie early kick-off as the Championship resumes. Nobody quite knows how things could pan out after such a prolonged break – it will probably make even one of Europe's most unpredictable divisions susceptible to yet more unfathomable twists and turns. Scott Parker's talked a good game in the lead-up, suggesting that his squad are as ready as they can be after a few weeks training, even if Cairney himself has admitted that Fulham's margin for error should they wish to catch the top two is almost nil.

One of the things the Jokanovic side did brilliantly in that ridiculous run at the end of our last promotion season was not to look too far ahead. Right now that means focusing only on our next opponents. Brentford are an excellent side, who play lovely football, and have a potent forward line (Benrahma, Mbeumo and Watkins are a serious handful). They also hold something of an Indian sign over Fulham – having not lost at Craven Cottage since April 1990, some nine meetings. The Bees will arrive full of heart and having arrested an alarming blip that might have jeopardised their own promotion ambitions.

Despite the poor omens from recent history and an understandable nervousness about how a side who rarely hit top gear under Parker might shape up after such a lengthy lay-off, there are real reasons to be positive. Fulham appear a far sturdier defensive proposition than they were at the start of the season. Marek Rodak looks like one of the league's leading goalkeepers having usurped Marcus Bettinelli as Fulham's number one – a new contract is just reward for his outstanding displays – and Michael Hector has made an assured start since slotting in so impressively at centre back in January.

Fulham still possess the division's most eye-catching playmaker in Cairney, whose timely equaliser at Bristol City reminded everybody of an eye for goal that is just as unerring as his ability to unlock the tightest of defences. Perhaps the trump card remains Aleksandar Mitrovic, who still appears far too good for this level. The Serbian has scored a league goal every 133 minutes – notching 23 times in his last 33 appearances, whilst being in a rich vein of form for his country as well. His ability to grab a goal from nowhere could prove vital when it comes to settling even contests.

Who knows what will happen tomorrow lunchtime? Fulham could do a derby day success to at least put some pressure on the top two, but achieving a rare victory over the Bees will be far easier said than done. Football might be back, but we should take a moment to remember all those who won't be watching what they love.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2020/06/life-after-lockdown-begins-with-a-derby-like-no-other/

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All the latest Fulham team news ahead of Brentford clash

Fulham will be hoping they can put together a positive run of results when this year's campaign gets back under way in the Championship this weekend.

The Cottagers are currently sat third in the Championship table, and will be eager to keep the pressure on the top-two heading into the final nine matches of the season.

Off-the-field events had previously called a halt to fixtures in the second tier, but competitive action is set to return to the sporting calendar in the near future.

Fulham kick things off with a mouth-watering clash against promotion rivals Brentford at Craven Cottage, as both sides go in search of a crucial three points to aid their promotion bid.

We take a look at the latest Fulham team news ahead of the game against the Bees.

Joe Bryan:
The full-back has been a key player for Scott Parker's side this season, having chipped in with one goal and eight assists in his 38 appearances to date for the Cottagers.

Bryan had been nursing a hamstring problem before the season was called to an abrupt halt, but has returned to training ahead of the game against their promotion rivals on Saturday.

Josh Onomah:
The 23-year-old hasn't quite hit the heights expected of him with Fulham just yet, and he'll be eager to prove himself at the earliest of opportunities.

Onomah missed Fulham's last four league matches after knee surgery, but has returned to training in recent weeks, and is available this weekend.

He'll be hoping to make up for lost time with Fulham from now until the end of this year's campaign.

Alfie Mawson:
Mawson had previously been struggling with an injury before the break from competitive action, but he is another player that has returned to training, and is now available for selection against Brentford this weekend.

The centre-back faces a tough test to force his way back into the starting XI though, with the performances of Michael Hector catching the eye since the turn of the New Year.

Maxime Le Marchand:
Le Marchand has struggled for consistent game time with Fulham this season, and will find it tough to get regular minutes from now until the end of the season.

But the Frenchman has been ruled out of action since November with a back injury. However, he has returned to training in recent weeks, and could be a useful option to call upon for Scott Parker ahead of the promotion run-in.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/all-the-latest-fulham-team-news-ahead-of-brentford-clash/

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Leeds United confirm 5 new extended deals as Championship prepares restart

Leeds United fans have been starved of football since March 7 and a 2-0 home win over rivals Huddersfield Town. That win saw them enter the Covid-19 lockdown on top of the Championship pile and with a healthy gap to Fulham in 3rd who head the playoff pack. Now a return is just two days away and fans have news from the club of five deals that will help them along the way.

Whilst there are obviously no new players incoming to Elland Road, Leeds United deliver the news of the quintet of players who have signed extended deals with the Whites. These deals will take them through to the end of the current season. This is necessary as loan deals have a traditional end of June 30.

Leeds' news confirms that three loanees in Jack Harrison, Ben White and Illan Meslier have all had their loan deals extended until this season ends. The club also confirmed that defender Gaetano Berardi, who has made 150 appearances for the Whites, has also signed a new, short-term deal.

Helder Costa (above) has also been confirmed as staying at Elland Road in a deal that will see his initial loan this season convert to a permanent deal.

However, amongst the news of these five signing extended deals is the fact that one big name is missing – Jean-Kevin Augustin. The French striker's name is more than conspicuous by his absence from this list.

Augustin is on a half-season loan deal from Bundesliga side Red Bull Leipzig, Leeds paying £2.6milllion as a loan fee. This temporary deal is due to turn into an obliged permanent deal upon Premier League promotion with the total deal said to be in the region of £22.5million.

He's injured at the moment, the second injury in his short time at Elland Road. The Athletic's Phil Hay spoke earlier on his podcast that Augustin and Leeds United might not have the appetite for a permanent move, something written about here on The72 in more detail.

The next few days will be interesting as more news on this subject becomes more readily available.



https://the72.co.uk/174148/leeds-united-confirm-5-new-extended-deals-as-championship-prepares-restart/

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Fulham youngster Matt O'Riley to leave club amid Championship, Dutch and Belgian interest

Matt O'Riley is set to leave Fulham on July 1 after rejecting a new contract offer.

The 19-year-old England youth international was offered a three-year, first-team deal plus the option of a fourth but has turned it down.

He wants more regular football and a number of clubs in the Championship, as well as others from the Netherlands and Belgium, are said to be keen to sign him.

The midfielder has been with the Whites for 11 years and has been considered one of their brightest academy prospects - so the club would be due compensation from his next club.

Manager Scott Parker confirmed on Thursday that all but one of their out-of-contact players had agreed to stay at least until the end of the season, as well as loanees Anthony Knockaert, Harry Arter and Harrison Reed.

"Regarding the players out of contract, there has only been an issue with one young player, who we have not come to a conclusion with," he said.

"Everyone else is here for the remaining nine games and it's all hands to the pump. "It's very important to have kept hold of the loan players.

"Contracts-wise it's pleasing to know we are in a situation we can use everyone. It's nine games in 30-odd days and we are going to need the depth of the squad to get through this run."



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/12010655/fulham-youngster-matt-oriley-to-leave-club-amid-championship-dutch-and-belgian-interest

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O'Riley to leave Fulham in summer

Fulham midfielder Matt O'Riley will leave Craven Cottage in the summer after rejecting a new contract, according to a Sky Sports report this evening.

The former England youth international has turned down a proposed three-year deal and decided to move elsewhere in search of more first-team football. The 19 year-old has been tracked by a number of European clubs over the past few seasons and is understood to have grown frustrated by a lack of senior opportunities this term. Having played in Fulham's League Cup defeat by Southampton in August, he came on as a first-half substitute in the Whites' 2-1 home defeat by Reading on New Year's Day, only to be substituted by Scott Parker in the closing stages.

O'Riley had been one of Fulham's mostly highly-rated young prospects having joined the club at the age of eight. He was handed a professional debut by Slavisa Jokanovic as part of a youthful side that faced Wycombe in the EFL Cup in August 2017, but has struggled to kick on as Fulham signed midfield reinforcements. The talented midfielder has been watched by a number of German clubs this term and also has interest from Belgium as well as several Championship sides.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2020/06/oriley-to-leave-fulham-in-summer/