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Monday Fulham Stuff - 22/06/20...

Started by WhiteJC, June 20, 2020, 01:08:45 PM

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WhiteJC

Results


Sunday
Cardiff
2-0
Leeds

WhiteJC

"Disappointing overall" Fulham boss Scott Parker speaks about 2-0 defeat


It was a key game for both sides today at Craven Cottage. Home side Fulham were looking for three points to keep plugging away at the top two. Visitors Brentford made the six-mile trip to Hammersmith hoping to gain ground in the playoff battle.

As it was, Fulham were made to pay a late price with the Bees buzzing them with two late goals through Said Benrahma (88β€²) and Emiliano Marcondes (90+1β€²). It truth, if it hadn't been for the brilliance of Brentford stopper David Raya, the Cottagers could have been home and dry themselves.

That left Fulham boss Scott Parker to face the press in the traditional after-match press conference. Here are five things that he spoke about.

When giving his general assessment of the game: "Disappointing overall because obviously we've not won the game, not managed to get a result so it's bitterly disappointing in that sense. The game ebbed and flowed a little bit...So, overall disappointing, but we dust ourselves off and move on."

The absence of fans – any effect: "Without fans, you're always going to miss a bit of an edge to a football match. ..It's clear that an empty stadium is a bit strange, and you're not going to get what we've come to expect when we play football matches. But it is what it is at this moment in time, that's the world we're living in and you need to be adaptable and I thought the players adapted well to that."

How important is the Leeds game: "Of course, it's an important game, but today was important...They come no bigger (Leeds) because you're playing against a team who are top of the table, the challenge is there for us. Every week you have that. The games come thick and fast and they're tough games."

On an empty Elland Road atmosphere: "There's certain hostile atmospheres and environments that you can thrive off and Leeds is that place, the fans are superb up there so you can look at it both ways. You can look at it in that it could take the edge off them (Leeds), but at the same time you could look at it the other way."

Were Fulham distracted by Mbuemo absence: "Not really. Obviously, you expect certain players to play but I think Brentford have got a model there where if one player goes out, their recruitment is that the next player that comes in is very similar. So, in that sense, it didn't affect us in any way."

Big game next Saturday vs Leeds United – View from The72

Next Saturday's game could be a big one for both sides at Elland Road. Leeds, who play Cardiff City tomorrow in Wales, lead Fulham by seven points. A win away against a tricky Cardiff side would put the Whites 10 points ahead of Fulham.

Should they avenge their loss earlier in the season at Craven Cottage by beating Fulham, that would put them 13 points ahead; realistically condemning the Londoners to a playoff battle for promotion. In fairness, that's how they gained promotion from the Championship last time out.

Last time the two sides clashed, Parker stressed that Leeds United were good but their moves were 'scripted'. The Fulham manager will hope that he'd read the same version come next Saturday afternoon around 5pm.



https://the72.co.uk/174329/disappointing-overall-fulham-boss-scott-parker-speaks-about-2-0-defeat/

WhiteJC

Parker frustrated after Fulham's derby defeat

Scott Parker admitted his frustration after seeing Fulham lose the west London derby at home to Brentford in dramatic fashion.

The Bees emerged with a 2-0 victory, thanks to goals from Said Benrahma and Emiliano Marcondes in the final two minutes.

Brentford remain fourth in the Championship table – but Thomas Frank's men are now just one point behind their neighbours.

Fulham had looked lively for most of the game, with Bobby Decordova-Reid hitting the bar in the first half, but an inability to take their chances proved extremely costly.

And while Fulham boss Parker was understandably disappointed with the outcome, he remains positive.

"We've not won the game, not managed to get a result so it's bitterly disappointing in that sense," he said.

"I felt we had a very good spell in the second half where we had a goal disallowed from Mitrović, their keeper's pulled off a great save, and we had another couple of chances in and around their box where really, we probably just need one of them to go in and then try and see out the game.

"It was a bit of a killer blow, a sucker punch how they got in and scored their (first) goal, and then the second is obviously a runaway goal where we're going for it.

Parker added: "Overall, I was very pleased with the players application, their efforts. I felt we took it to Brentford. So, overall disappointing, but we dust ourselves off and move on."



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/parker-frustrated-after-fulhams-derby-defeat


WhiteJC

Reed shines even as Fulham full short

Well, football is back. In a whirlwind few months we've been tortured with bad news on what feels like a daily basis. Admittedly, my mental health is imbalanced at best, periods of deep depression, hating my own existence and then disappearing to take time to myself (you'll notice I have a new Twitter account). I'm trying to surround myself with more positivity, more things that make me happy and the return of football was to help. Although Fulham's result today was more bad news to add to the list, as a lover of the game in general, it's been great to spend 90 minutes not thinking about life, just enjoying the game, analysing where they're won and lost. That's what makes me happy. So I'm not going to talk about the game negatively today, but I'm going to swoon over the return of special one haired midfielder Harrison Reed.

Having not played a competitive game since New Years Day, Harrison Reed came into the base of midfield today and put in a phenomenal performance. He patrolled in front of the back four with excellent energy, recovered the ball in an inspired manner and not only was tidy on the ball (highest passing accuracy of the 22 starters), he threaded through an excellent ball to Bobby Decordova-Reid for the biggest opening for Fulham in the 90 that the Jamaican forward crashed against the post.

It was the most impressive individual performance in the middle of the park for Fulham I've seen for a while (although perhaps my memory is dazed by the break). Reed put in the kind of performance that should've had Tony Khan scrambling for the phone to work out how to make the loan permanent. The 25 year old former England youth international showed everything that's required to play the holding role for Fulham, he was quick along the floor to break up play, intercept passes or divert second balls to a teammate. Whilst others were anonymous, Harrison Reed was undoubtedly the man of the match despite Sky's award to eventual match winner Emiliano Marcondes.

A youth teammate of Matt Targett at Southampton, Fulham cannot allow this loanee to get away. There was some debate leading to kick off about who should start at the base of midfield with alternatives being Kevin McDonald or Harry Arter, but Reed not only took that position with both hands today, it was the kind of performance that made you think he's absolutely undroppable for future fixtures.

I also felt Bobby Decordova-Reid showed more promise in that deeper position today. While Fulham were unable to get a real hold of midfield and create chances with much frequency, Bobby buzzed around midfield making a few ball recoveries but more notably looked to combine with Anthony Knockaert down the right hand side and offer some running in behind the opposition defence. Though his shot hit the bar early on in the tie, those positions running beyond Aleksandar Mitrovic as a 'free' player is how I see Bobby affecting games, more shots in the box and see him as a real option to help Aleksandar Mitrovic carry the load of scoring goals for Fulham.

Lastly, a congratulations to academy graduate Sylvester Jasper. He had already made his competitive debut earlier in the season at the Etihad but his fine performances for the U18s this season were rewarded with his first league game and he actually topped the Fulham side for successful dribbles despite few minutes on the pitch. Another milestone for the academy and it won't be the last we hear of 18 year old Sylvester Jasper.

So there we have it, I'm sure many of you will understandably be disappointed following today's results but a positive spin on today. Reed was absolutely marvellous.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2020/06/reed-shines-even-as-fulham-full-short/

WhiteJC

Time to tinker, Scott?

There is simply no getting around it. Brentford have our number. Perhaps the most disappointing part of yesterday's exceedingly underwhelming return to the Championship action was the predictability of it. Fulham did what they've done for most of the season. Play pretty, large low tempo football up until the final third and failed to take the chances that came their way. Our opponents were feisty, seemed to grow in both fitness and ambition as the match went on – and ruthlessly exploited Fulham's defensive naivety at the death.

The causes of such fragility feel like they have been done to death by this point. Far too many goals arrive down the Fulham left – and yesterday's devastating double blow was the perfect case in point. Joe Bryan was missing in action not just for the first goal, where Brentford utilised an overload that nobody in white appeared able to react too, but the second saw the Fulham left back caught horribly up the pitch as well. For all he adds going forward – and you understand why Parker might want to ask his full backs to push on given playing with inverted wingers – this liability is too much to bear.

What Bryan has going in favour are a distinct lack of alternatives in his position. Maxime Le Marchand has been less than impressive since his arrival from France last season – and there are rumours that a close season move to Lens might be close. Denis Odoi has experience as playing as a left back in Belgium – and occasionally in a Fulham shirt – but that would be a drastic step. Anyone who remembers Tim Ream's extremely reluctant sojourns forward from left back on his few appearances there won't exactly be clamouring to repeat the experiment.

Unfortunately, it isn't just left back where there are question marks for Parker. His whole midfield is something of a puzzler at this point. Harrison Reed might be the only man to emerge with any credit from Saturday's debacle – as dogged and determined as he was (see Frankie's exactly analysis for a more detailed explanation of why his return was so impressive), that rather tells its own story. I felt the intensity of a derby, where energy both in and out of possession is so important, would make Stefan Johansen indispensable, but he only appeared as a very late substitute when the game had gone.

There should be a case made for Kevin McDonald's experience here too. The Scottish international might not be the quickest, but his game was never based around explosive pace. McDonald's reading of the game is exceptional and seems something of a shame that he has been usurped by Harry Arter for much of this season, especially as his leadership qualities offer so much to a squad that might be suffering from a lack of belief around now. A combination of McDonald and Reed would at least make Fulham far tougher to play through now that the path to Premier League simply depends on winning.

The passive, possession-based football is nothing new, but its futility against a well-drilled defence stings when you are beaten with a couple of sucker punches. Parker's penchant for inverted wingers has been with us for a while, but it sometimes seems like our side is over-coached for the amount of flair players we field. Tom Cairney's creativity has been one of the shining lights of Fulham's time in the Championship, but he seemed to drift through the game just when we needed a spark to unlock the Brentford back four. Whether that was fitness or a tactical ploy is unknowable, but the end result was that Aleksandar Mitrovic was left horribly isolated, feeding on scraps up front.

Bobby Decordova-Reid began the game brightly in the number ten role, but you have to wonder whether Cairney will be the better fit in a position he has made his own over the years. Decordova-Reid should have scored the chance wonderfully fashioned by Reid early on – and it seems the story of his season that we'll be ruing the glorious chances he missed rather than reflecting on the goals he scored.

Parker was slow to make substitutions yesterday – not for the first time, I might add – and it arguably cost Fulham the game. A reinforcement in central midfield didn't arrive, whilst Ivan Cavaleiro was left waiting for seventy minutes on the sidelines before flattering to deceive when he did come on. For a squad full of attacking talent, Fulham were pretty one dimensional when things aren't going well – and that will need to change quickly, especially if our season comes down to a play-off shoot out as appears likely.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2020/06/time-to-tinker-scott/

WhiteJC

Late goals hand Brentford victory

Fulham 0-2 Brentford

LATE goals from Said Benrahma and Emiliano Marcondes gave Brentford victory at Craven Cottage, taking them to within one point of their West London rivals.

It leaves both sides now eyeing a date together at an empty Wembley Stadium when the play-off final takes place.

One might have expected Fulham to have the advantage of playing in a strange atmosphere. They had inadvertently prepared for the new no-fans coronavirus rules so early that they had played the whole season without the Riverside stand.

That stand has been turned into a great big building site separating the pitch from the river as Fulham strive to increase the stadium capacity at Craven Cottage.

There was a time in the late '80s when this West London derby could have opened its doors to the fans and still have abided by the social distancing rules.

But times have changed and now both teams are striving to reach the promised land of the Premier League.

This game was originally due to be played 99 days ago in front of a full house on the Friday evening that the football season was brought to a virus-induced halt.

Now it was a Championship game played with the sound effects of a Sunday League game (minus the swearing), hearing players yell each other's names and squealing for the ball.

When the team sheets were announced, there came an unneeded reminder of why football is being played in such eerie circumstances.

Brentford's 14-goal forward Bryan Mbeumo was forced to miss the game after testing positive for coronavirus. Before kick-off, there was a minute of applause for the NHS workers who have done so much. Then the players took the knee in support of Black Lives Matter. 2020 is going to be a year that no-one will forget.

As for the quality of the football match, it was low, which was probably to be expected after several weeks away. It didn't feel like an important derby at the tail end of a season.

Fulham manager Scott Parker lamented: "Without fans, you are always going to miss a little bit of edge to a football match."

Fulham had the best chance of the first half when Bobby Decordova-Reid hit the crossbar. The game ebbed and flowed in the second half, with the Championship's leading scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic having an effort ruled out for offside.

Brentford had the decisive moment – substitute Marcondes crossing for Benrahma to score on 88 minutes. Marcondes's day got better, snatching a breakaway goal in injury time as Fulham threw caution to the wind.

Looking ahead, Bees manager Frank said: "We know if we want to have a chance to achieve what we're dreaming about, [Benrahma] and some of our top players need to be in top form."



https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/s/late-goals-hand-brentford-victory


WhiteJC

Leeds United lose to Cardiff as Whites struggles in Wales continue

Leeds United entered this game hoping to get something out of it and take advantage ofΒ  Fulham slipping up against fellow playoff contenders Brentford. The Whites were level on points (71) at the top with West Brom, the Baggies taking top spot on account of goal difference.

United had looked slick in training, full of intent and powerful running. However, as well as being something of a bogey team to Leeds, Cardiff are no mugs. They are marshalled well as a side under tenacious manager Neil Harris.

First half: Cardiff City 1 – 0 Leeds United

It was a half where visitors Leeds started somewhat slowly but soon got into the swing of things. Cardiff applied the early pressure, asking questions of Leeds at the back and the Whites had a lot of defending to do.

Once Leeds got the ball, they started to work openings of their own, applying their own pressure and creating a series of corners and half-chances. However, the Whites may have had Cardiff creaking but they never really had them rocking too badly.

Leeds did have their chances with Liam Cooper (20β€²) nodding over and Luke Ayling (32β€²) having a header hacked off the line. Four minutes later, Cardiff took the lead against the run of play.

Kalvin Phillips tried to flick a ball in midfield and it was picked up by Cardiff. Junior Hoilett rant at a retreating Leeds defence before lashing a 20-yard shot past young keeper Illan Meslier to put the hosts in front. The last flurries of the half saw a slew of yellow card for Helder Costa and Kalvin Phillips with Cardiff pair Albert Adomah and Hoilett.

Second half: Cardiff City 2 – 0 Leeds United

Leeds started the second 45 as they played the first – in possession and looking to make control of the ball count. However, Cardiff weren't going to park the bus and Callum Paterson (52β€²) glanced a header just wide of the Leeds United goal.

Leeds has Ben White carded (57β€²) but still pressed and looked for an equaliser. Alex Smithies came to the Bluebirds rescue (61β€²), throwing himself in front of the ball with Tyler Roberts looking to get on the end of a deft nod down from Patrick Bamford.

It was Cardiff City who extended their lead (71β€²) with Liam Cooper's pass selling Gjanni Alioski short. The ball was worked to Cardiff's giant sub Robert Glatzel who took it into the area and smashed it past Meslier and in off the post.

That brought Ian Poveda on for his Leeds United debut (77β€²), the former Manchester City youngster replacing Costa on the right flank. Six minutes later (83β€²) Robbie Gotts came on, replacing Mateusz Klich. Cardiff rode a few late Leeds flurries to see the game out and claim all three points on offer.



https://the72.co.uk/174485/leeds-united-lose-to-cardiff-as-whites-struggles-in-wales-continue/

WhiteJC

Leeds United and Fulham defeats not the only positive for West Brom this weekend
Despite draw with rivals Birmingham City, Baggies boss Slaven Bilic was able to rest a number of big players ahead of busy run-in

West Brom's failure to mark the return to action with all three points was tempered not only by defeats suffered by their closest rivals Fulham and Leeds over the weekend but also by the team selection Slaven Bilic was able to make.

Despite the expansion of match day squads to 20 players, the Albion manager named one that did not include names such as Chris Brunt, Gareth Barry, Kamil Grosicki and Conor Townsend.

With Albion facing eight games in 26 days between the trip to Brentford and the end of the current campaign, that strength in depth could prove pivotal.

"That's one of the benefits we have at this club," said defender Darnell Furlong.

"We've got a really strong squad and we've got a lot of numbers who are there to help out the team. So whoever is picked is ready to go, 100 per cent.

"You just have to try and do your best to stay in the team. Everyone can go out there and do the job, it's just a case of what is chosen in the moment.

"A lot of things have been running through our heads the last three months, you're thinking are we going to play again, are we not? What are they going to do with the league if we don't play again?

"But we just had to have it in the back of our minds that we're coming back, regardless, and the boys worked hard in lockdown."

Birmingham manager Pep Clotet, who will leave the club at the end of the season, handed 16-year-old prodigy Jude Bellingham the chance to showcase his versatility by moving the highly-regarded teenager from wing to central midfield – a role he performed impressively at The Hawthorns.

"I wanted to see Jude play in there because he played there early in the season," said Clotet. "In my opinion Jude can play there but as a wing he will have offensive freedom and opportunity to show his play.

"As a central midfield he needs to be very disciplined and to work hard with the other midfielder. But, he can do both."



https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/west-brom-news-leeds-united-fulham-championship-table-452067

gang

Did WBA players really need a rest after all the football they have been playing recently?
That must have been our problem, ahh their tired.