Monday Fulham Stuff - 03/08/20...

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Hector's press conference

Michael Hector called on experienced heads to keep camp calm after his side navigated to their second Play-Off Final in three years.

Hector and Fulham were forced to dig deep to set-up a derby day final against Brentford after a deluge of pressure from Cardiff at Craven Cottage.

There was a sense of relief and focus in the defender's voice when speaking to the press.

"It was a tough game; we were buzzing to get through which was the main thing." He said.  "However, as a team we weren't happy that we lost the game, but the main objective was to get through and that's what we did. The lads in the changing room were buzzing to get through to Wembley.

"It was always going to be nervy when they just needed the one goal. They've got a lot of big players and kept throwing it into the box and we did well. Marek made a few key saves, but we dealt with it well."

Hector was quick to emphasise that attentions will be turned to Tuesday's end game at Wembley, with no time to dawdle on celebrations.

"We can't celebrate yet. We celebrate as a team in the changing room." He continued. "The job in hand is the one at Wembley on Tuesday. We got the job done on Thursday, but our focus is on that.

"As soon as you cross the white line you know what's at stake. We have to get ourselves motivated for this game, if you can't motivate yourself for this type of game, we have a serious problem.

"We've set ourselves up well to get us straight back up into the Premier League. This is what it means to try and get Fulham back to the Premier League."

There was some time for sentiment, with the 28-year-old receiving messages of support from loved ones as he strives to complete his dream of becoming a Premier League player.

"We had a lot of messages from friends and family. We need to focus on Tuesday, it's just recovery and treatments so we're ready to go. A few of the players have been here before and they're passing that experience onto the younger players or ones that haven't played here before. It's a big pitch so we're buzzing to get going."

"We feel we have momentum; Thursday was a blip, but we are toughening up. We have a good squad of players and we'll be ready."

The tough nature is a quality Scott Parker has been focussing on developing in his squad. A real grit and desire to see out games. Hector was quick to commend the work Parker has done to steady the ship.

"He's just emphasising on focus and hard work." He commented. "We know Brentford's strengths and weaknesses so it's all about putting that into practise now.

"Scott's done a great job; the Championship is a tough league playing Saturday-Tuesday throughout the season and this is his first big job in football. You see teams like Hull City and Huddersfield in relegation fights, so he's done an unbelievable job to get us into the Play-Offs. The mission is still to get promoted and he doesn't get the credit he deserves."

Parker has instilled a defensive solidity, with 18 clean sheets recorded this season. 11 of those have featured Hector since January, earning him comparisons to Virgil van Dijk AKA 'Virgil van Mike'.

"It's probably just a bit of banter with the fans!" He joked. "They were happy with my performances when I came in. Obviously, Virgil is a big centre back in the world so to be tarnished like that is a positive remark, but I try to play my own game."

Those performances have come down to a homeliness that the Jamaican defender has found at Fulham following his numerous loan spells. He expressed his gratitude to the staff and Tony Khan.

"Tony Khan has been fantastic. The Gaffer as well, wanting to get the deal done for me to be here. I trained with the lads beforehand which helped me and I'm grateful for the opportunity I've been given. I was still going into team meetings and watching the games back, so I felt part of the squad throughout.

"I always thought I could help them. The players we have here are frightening at times. I had to work hard to get into the XI and keeping my place in the team.

"I feel like I've found my home at Fulham. It's in London which is where my family is. I feel at home and I'm a bit wiser. The staff here have supported me very well."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/august/02/michael-hector-sunday-papers-press conference

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Brentford have proven Premier League credentials, says Raya

David Raya believes Brentford have already proven their Premier League credentials ahead of their promotion showdown with Fulham.

Raya will make his first Wembley appearance in Tuesday's play-off final with Fulham, in a meeting of the sides that finished neck-and-neck in the Championship table.

Both could have sealed promotion on the final day, and overcame Welsh opposition in the semi-finals, as the Bees overturned a 1-0 first leg deficit to beat Swansea 3-2 on aggregate, while Fulham suffered defeat on Thursday night, but still progressed to the final via the same scoreline over two legs.

Brentford signed off from Griffin Park on Wednesday, ahead of the move to their new 17,250 capacity stadium less than a mile away, and Raya feels the club is ready to make the next step.

Should they do so, then Rovers would be due a six-figure fee on top of the £3m deal that took the Spaniard to Brentford last summer.

He said: "We're capable of being in the Premier League, we have shown it the whole season. We have a good group, a good team and play good football.

"It's a massive opportunity for us and we deserve to be in the final after how we won eight in a row.We were two points from automatic promotion and we can fight to get into the Premier League and then have a good go.

"I think we are able to go into the Premier League and achieve things but the important one is on Tuesday."

Brentford had lost three straight games before Tuesday's 3-1 second-leg win over the Swans.

A 1-0 defeat at Stoke before a 2-1 loss to Barnsley on the final day denied them an automatic promotion spot as West Brom stumbled over the line having failed to win any of their last four games.

But Raya insisted: "We learned from the Stoke and Barnsley games, we learned for the first leg against Swansea and then on Tuesday.

"We have to play like we did on Tuesday. We were brave, we were dominating the whole game.

"When West Brom lost against Huddersfield on the Friday before we played at Stoke we said it was an opportunity to take over. It didn't happen but Stoke stopped us playing.

"We went on an eight-game winning streak and in any league that's really difficult. It always has to end and it was frustrating and disappointing to miss the chance but that's the past."



https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/18622913.brentford-proven-premier-league-credentials-says-raya/

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Brentford vs Fulham, Championship play-off final preview: Prediction, kick-off time, TV, live stream, h2h, latest odds

Brentford or Fulham will be playing Premier League football next season as the London rivals meet in the Championship play-off final on Tuesday.

The Bees (third) and the Cottagers (fourth) reached the final after strong Championship campaigns, seeing off off Welsh competition in Swansea and Cardiff respectively in the play-off semi-finals.

Thomas Frank's Brentford have become one of, if not the most entertaining sides to watch outside the top flight, while Scott Parker's Fulham are attempting to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking since being relegated last season.

Date, time and venue

The Championship play-off final is scheduled for a 7:45pm BST kick-off on Tuesday, 4 August, 2020.

The match will be behind closed doors at Wembley Stadium with no fans due to be present due to government guidelines regarding coronavirus.

How to watch

TV channel: The match will be shown live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football, and is available via Now TV with a day pass for £9.99, or a three-month pass on offer for £25.

Live stream: Sky Sports subscribers can stream the match online via SkyGo and the SkyGo app, with a mobile month pass available for £5.99.

Prediction: Brentford 2-1 Fulham

Given Brentford have beaten Fulham twice this term already, the Bees are favourites here. Still, Frank's side showed nerves when losing their final two games of the season with automatic promotion so close, and Parker will look to exploit those potential frailties.

Head to head (h2h) history and results

Brentford have gotten the better of Fulham twice this season, winning 1-0 at Griffin Park in December and 2-0 at Craven Cottage in June.

Those results mean Brentford just edge this fixture historically, with 22 wins to Fulham's 21 - and 17 draws shared.

Betting odds and tips

    Brentford to win: 6/5
    Fulham to win: 3/1

Odds courtesy of Betfair Exchange. Click here to find out more.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/brentford-vs-fulham-championship-play-off-final-2020-prediction-team-news-tv-live-stream-h2h-odds-a4514516.html

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Michael Hector highlights Fulham man getting underestimated

Fulham defender Michael Hector has stated that manager Scott Parker doesn't get the credit he deserves after guiding the Cottagers to the play-off final.

Parker and his side will meet West London rivals Brentford on Tuesday as they look for an instant return to the Premier League, after an enthralling Championship campaign.

The Bees finished third in the division whilst Fulham came one place behind Brentford in fourth, and now the two sides will play for a chance of promotion to the top-flight.

Parker's Fulham side picked up in consistency over the final couple of months of the season, and the manager recovered well after the Cottagers were defeated by Brentford and Leeds United within the same week.

Hector has expressed that the manager has done a great job in a tough league, and that he deserves more credit then what he's getting.

Speaking to Fulham's official website, Hector said: "Scott's done a great job; the Championship is a tough league playing Saturday-Tuesday throughout the season and this is his first big job in football.

"You see teams like Hull City and Huddersfield in relegation fights, so he's done an unbelievable job to get us into the Play-Offs. The mission is still to get promoted and he doesn't get the credit he deserves."

The Verdict

Parker has guided Fulham to within 90 minutes of the Premier League, and he'll know that if they win on Tuesday, it will be a big step towards securing his long-term future at the club.

The game itself is massive, like it is every season, and Fulham have to be on top of their game if they're to prevent a Brentford side that is frightening going forward.

Parker does deserve more credit, but sometimes there's nothing wrong with going under the radar and keeping quiet.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/michael-hector-highlights-fulham-man-getting-underestimated/

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Preview: Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Final

After four fantastic Semi-Final games, we get down to the big one - the Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Final. Brentford are looking to reach the Premier League for the first time, while Fulham are looking to end just a one-year stay in the second tier of English football.

Brentford v Fulham - Tuesday 4 August (19:45)

It is a West London derby in this season's Play-Off Final; the Bees against the Whites under the Wembley arch. Just six miles separate the two grounds, but both sides will be keen to make sure that it becomes six miles and a league division between them.

This will be the third time we see the two meet in competitive action this season, with Thomas Frank guiding his outfit to maximum points during the regular campaign.

It might seem like a lifetime ago when Bryan Mbeumo netted the only goal of the game at Griffin Park in December in league action, sealing  their first three points of the season against Scott Parker's side.

Fulham fans won't really want to look back at their last game against Brentford either, as it was the late, late show at Craven Cottage in their first game back after the restart.

Two goals in two minutes sunk the Whites as Said Benrahma and Emiliano Marcondes netted in the 88th and 90th minute respectively.

Brentford were the first to secure their spot in this year's Final after overturning a first-leg defeat against Welsh side Swansea City.

After Andre Ayew's thunderbolt at the Liberty Stadium, Frank was in confident mood - stating before that second leg that his side would "100 per cent" win the game on Wednesday night.

With Rico Henry's red card getting rescinded from that first leg, Frank knew that his side had to be firing straight out of the blocks on home soil.

And that's exactly what happened.

Brentford's flair players clearly had the bit between their teeth as they scored two goals inside 15 minutes at Griffin Park, putting them in pole position for a Wembley place on Tuesday night.

The first goal was a counter-attack of pure brilliance from the hosts, it took 11 seconds from the ball being in goalkeeper David Raya's hands to being in the back of Erwin Mulder's net.

Raya's throw found Mathias Jensen in space on the right and his superb defence-splitting through-ball found danger man Ollie Watkins, who had broken through the Swansea backline, and the slotted the ball under the advancing keeper - taking his goals total to 26 for the season.

Emiliano then got in on the action; Jensen was again involved in the build-up as his pass found Benrahma in space - his dinked cross found the head of Emiliano who had found some space inside the Swans penalty area with his effort beating the flat-footed Mulder.

The action didn't stop there and, with the words of their Danish manager still ringing in their ears, the Bees set off in search of another goal to kill the game off.

With less than a minute gone in the second period, Brentford extended their lead once again, a delicious cross from Henry was swept into the bottom-left corner by Mbeumo.

The final 12 minutes of the game was not as plain sailing as the home side would have liked, as a mistake from centre-back Pontus Jansson led to Rhian Brewster having enough time to loop the ball over Raya's head.

But that proved to be the last significant moment for Steve Cooper's side in the game, who had performed magnificently to get to that final Play-Off spot.

Fulham made life a bit difficult for themselves in the second leg, but thankfully for them they had a 2-0 lead from the Cardiff City Stadium to fall back on, which helped them to secure their place in the upcoming Final.

Goals from Josh Onomah and Neeskens Kebano secured that victory on Monday night. Heading to Thursday night's game at Craven Cottage, the Whites made the worst possible start - on the flip side, it would have been the start Neil Harris would have been looking for from his side.

After eight minutes of the affair, Cardiff took the lead. A corner from the right-hand side was nodded home by advancing centre-half Cutris Nelson to hand the Bluebirds a lifeline in their hunt for a return to the Premier League.

But that jubilation did not last long and, as the old saying goes, 'you're most vulnerable when you've just scored'. After kicking off from conceding to finding the back of the Alex Smithies' net, it took Scott Parker's Whites just 24 seconds to level the game.

A wicked, drilled cross from former Bluebird Bobby Decordova-Reid was guided home by Kebano to make it 1-1 on the night and 3-1 on aggregate.

Neil Harris reacted after the break, clearly looking for a creative spark to kick-start their second-half comeback. The introduction of Lee Tomlin was a masterstroke from his perspective, as the 31-year-old found the net within two minutes of the restart.

Cardiff huffed and puffed but they couldn't break Fulham down again, and despite losing on the night, the Whites ensured that they will be facing their West London counterparts in Tuesday's Final.

No matter what happens in that Final, both sides can look back at their campaigns with a huge sense of achievement - Parker leading his side to a Play-Off Final in his first full season as Fulham manager, and Frank turning Brentford a mid-table side to the division's top scorers.



https://www.efl.com/news/2020/august/preview-sky-bet-championship-play-off-final/

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Michael Hector determined to finally realise Premier League dream with Fulham

Fulham defender Michael Hector hopes to fulfil his Premier League dream as he finishes his topsy-turvy season with a Wembley play-off final.

Hector missed the first half of the season as his £8million move from Chelsea came a few days after the summer transfer window.

But the Jamaica international feels that break benefited him – and Fulham – in the long run as he got to know his new team-mates on the training ground and in meeting rooms before entering the heat of Sky Bet Championship battle.

Hector has since been a stand-out player as Fulham have progressed to a Wembley date against London rivals Brentford on Tuesday.

"It was a strange time not signing in the summer window," said Hector, who Fulham fans have compared to Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk and christened 'Virgil Van Mike'.

"But training with the team from September to January helped me settle in.

"Before I've been in (situations) where I've had to go straight into the team and not found out players' strengths and weaknesses.

"But I was able to going to team meetings when I wasn't playing and that helped me find out about my team-mates.

"I was watching what they were doing in games and watching the games back with them. I felt when I did come in I could help them with certain aspects of the game, whether that was talking a bit more or making tackles."

Hector has had a curious career with no fewer than 10 loan spells after starting out at Reading and signing for Chelsea in 2015.

Aldershot, Barnet and Shrewsbury may be unglamorous stops, but there have been high points along the way.

There was a play-off goal for Cheltenham and an FA Cup semi-final appearance for Reading against Arsenal at Wembley.

And for Eintracht Frankfurt there was a German Cup final appearance in 2017 and the task of keeping Christian Pulisic and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang quiet in a game Borussia Dortmund won 2-1.

"I loved it, the atmosphere was crazy," Hector said.

"But it's about playing the game, because sometimes people can get caught up in the occasion and get lost in it.

Borussia Dortmund v Liverpool – UEFA Europa League – Quarter Final – First Leg – Signal Iduna Park

"You don't really take it in. If you do take it in, that's when it hits you.

"Don't play the occasion and that's when you play well. But when I look back at it, then it was special moments playing at Wembley and Berlin."

Hector joined Chelsea for £4m in 2015 but failed to break through at Stamford Bridge.

As well as Eintracht, he was loaned out to Reading, Hull and Sheffield Wednesday before making the short journey across west London.

"All my loans were learning curves," Hector said.

"I learned the hard way with certain mistakes, but it's all part of the game and I've become a better player for it.

"I've not played in the Premier League – it wasn't to be at Chelsea, the team I supported and signed for – and it would be a dream to do that.

"Growing up you strive to do that and we're just 90 minutes away."

Brentford finished above Scott Parker's Fulham on goal difference to take third spot.

The Bees also claimed a Championship double over Fulham, including a 2-0 win at Craven Cottage when football resumed after the coronavirus lockdown in June.

"Brentford are a high-scoring team and you have to respect that," Hector said.

"But we go into the game full of confidence. With the team we have, we back ourselves to beat anyone on the day."



https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/michael-hector-determined-to-finally-realise-premier-league-dream-with-fulham-1596317457000

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Josh Onomah explains why he struggled to make the breakthrough at Spurs

Josh Onomah has admitted that he did not have the mentality required as a young player to make an impact at the highest level.

The Spurs academy graduate was very highly thought of in North London and on the back of his impressive cameos for the first-team and his performances for England Under-21s, he was expected to follow in the footsteps of Harry Kane and Harry Winks.

However, the 23-year-old never quite managed to live up to his talent at Tottenham and after a disappointing loan spell at Aston Villa last season, Spurs decided to sell him to Fulham as a part of the Ryan Sessegnon deal.

Onomah has been in excellent form since his move to Craven Cottage and has been a crucial part of Fulham's quest for promotion.

The midfielder's brilliant solo effort in the first leg of the play-off semi-final win over Cardiff City resulted in some Spurs fans questioning if the club were too hasty in moving him on.

Onomah has now admitted that he did not put in the hard work he needed to as a youngster due to the natural ability he possessed.

When asked why he struggled to make a breakthrough, he told Sky Sports (30/07/20 at 7:20 pm): "I would say mentality, really. I was someone who didn't have to work hard as a youth. I was naturally blessed and I trusted my ability.

"It sort of caught up with me and when I was out on loan. I had a few injuries. I thought that played a part aswell.

"But I believe everything happens for a reason and I am thankful for everything that has happened and I have just got to take my chance now."

Spurs Web Opinion

Given how knee-jerk some Spurs fans can be with their reactions on social media, I knew as soon as Onomah scored that brilliant goal against Cardiff that some fans would be having a go at the club for selling the 23-year-old last summer.

From the outside looking in, it seemed like Mauricio Pochettino rated Onomah quite highly. Perhaps the Argentine did not think the midfielder had the discipline and the work ethic needed to deserve first-team opportunities. Only time will tell if selling him was the right or the wrong decision.



https://www.spurs-web.com/spurs-news/josh-onomah-explains-why-he-struggled-to-make-the-breakthrough-at-spurs/

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Journalist reveals Bright Osayi-Samuel situation with Fulham, Leeds United, Leicester City on standby – Crystal Palace drop out

Queens Park Rangers' Bright Osayi-Samuel has been linked with a host of Premier League clubs, but the 22-year-old is said to be 'taking a break' before he decides.

It's been a hectic few weeks for the QPR man. He's been pictured on private planes, rumoured to be in Belgium signing a deal with Club Brugge, all whilst being the reported target of several Premier League and Championship clubs.

All of Brighton, Burnley, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Leeds United, Leicester City and West Brom are, or have been in the race for Osayi-Samuel, but journalist Alan Nixon has provided an update on his situation:

So in the next week, a deal should be finalised for Osayi-Samuel. Brugge allegedly tabled a £4.7 million bid for the winger, but then came the Premier League interest, and his move has since been suspended.

Now though it seems that Crystal Palace might be dropping out of the race:

Palace have today been linked with Watford's Ismaila Sarr after the Hornets' relegation into the Championship, and after Wilfried Zaha was told he could leave by the club.

Osayi-Samuel then still has plenty of options, but as Nixon points out, the youngster is taking some days rest before decided – hopefully in the next seven days we'll know where his future lies.

The verdict

It's a huge decision for a young footballer to make. Moving abroad, moving up into the Premier League – all of these things take a lot of careful consideration and it's not surprising that the move is still pending.

One thing looks certain though and that's that he won't be at QPR for much longer. He's shown this season that he's one of the best and most dynamic wingers in the league, so expect a big future from Osayi-Samuel.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/journalist-reveals-bright-osayi-samuel-situation-with-fulham-leeds-united-leicester-city-on-standby-crystal-palace-drop-out/

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Championship Play-off Final.
Fulham face Brentford at Wembley on Tuesday evening to decide who gets to play in the Premiership next Season.

I'm guessing that it's the final that most of us would have predicted from the four teams contesting the semi-finals? Swansea certainly gave Brentford a scare and Cardiff very nearly fought back against Fulham, but both of the London teams triumphed in the end.

Brentford appear to have the upper-hand, as far as playing Fulham is concerned, with 5 wins, 2 losses and 3 draws, they won both of this season's league games 1-0 & 0-2, so I'm sure they'll be going into this full of confidence.
However, both teams finished the season on 81 points, Brentford had a superior goal difference, also both teams won one and lost one of their semi-finals both going through 3-2 on aggregate. So I'm sure that it'll be a tighter game despite what some "pundits" are predicting?
26 goals gave Mitro the golden boot for this season, Brentford's Ollie Watkins wasn't too far behind although he played 540 more minutes than Mitro, due to injuries and suspension, so I imagine that both of them will want to add to their tally for this season, lets just hope Mitro comes out on top and that he gets on the pitch after his recent injury.

Experience of the "big day" will definitely be in Fulham's favour with most of our current squad taking part in the final a couple of seasons ago.
Fulham players who took part in the 2018 final include Bettinelli, Odoi, Christie, Ream, Cairney, McDonald, Johansen, Kamara(AK47) and Mitrovic, all of these can rightly say...

"been there, done that, WON IT!"

Beating us twice, being the "more attacking" team will probably make Brentford the favourites however with Fulham's recent experience don't write us off too soon.

Playing in an empty Wembley Stadium will be different for everyone, we can only provide a 'virtual white-wall' and listen to Gentleman Jim and Jamie with our fingers crossed and hope for revenge for the two games earlier in the season.

Whatever happens on Tuesday evening, whichever league we're playing in next season, doesn't matter all that much to me, we are FULHAM the oldest team in London and will be wearing the famous 'black and white' with pride whoever the opposition.

COYWs

come on over to the forum and join in the discussion...
https://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?board=1.0



http://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/?p=1272

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Rodák: Fond Wembley Memories

Like several of his teammates, Marek Rodák knows what it's like to win a Final at Wembley Stadium.

The day after Tom Cairney and Kevin McDonald lifted the Championship Play-Off trophy in 2018, Rodák was under the arch as his loan side Rotherham United defeated Shrewsbury Town to claim the League One equivalent.

"It was probably the biggest win in my career at that point," said Rodák, who was just 21 at the time. "But if we did it on Tuesday then that would definitely be the biggest as it's a league higher up.

"It's a great memory. It's not every week you play at Wembley, you know? You need to have achieved something to get to play there, so it's always such a special occasion.

"Tuesday will be very different to my experience two years ago. It's going to be weird in an empty stadium, but you just need to get on with it, concentrate on the game and hopefully get that win.

"You do feel for the fans as they would obviously love to be there, but it is what it is."

Rodák is something of a Fulham veteran these days, having first arrived in SW6 more than seven years ago.

Understandably, it would be a very special moment for the young goalkeeper to help his side win promotion.

"Obviously it would mean a lot to go back to the Premier League, especially for me because I've never played there," he explained. "It would be a big thing to achieve and that is 100 per cent a big motivation for me.

"Coming back this year, it's my first season playing here since I came up through the Academy. It's going to be a big game, and it would be a massive thing to get this Club back into the Premier League.

"Brentford have beaten us twice in the league but obviously the Play-Offs are different, especially at Wembley.

"It's a one-off game, we start at 0-0 and we just have to do our thing, if we play like we can then we know we've got enough to win the game."

Rodák was in stunning form in our Second Leg against Cardiff City, so is he hoping to take that confidence with him into Wembley?

"100 per cent, but everyone should be confident and looking forward to it," he said. "Why not? We've been playing well, we're a confident group and we back ourselves.

"Obviously we lost the game against Cardiff but we still went through. That was a bit weird to be fair, but we had a job to do, got through it, and the vibe is good in the camp. Everyone is excited and looking forward to Tuesday."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/august/02/marek-rodak-wembley-memories

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 Championship play-off final: Fulham fear Brentford, says Emiliano Marcondes
Brentford face Fulham in the Championship play-off final on Tuesday, live on Sky Sports Football from 7pm; Kick-off 7.45pm

Brentford's Emiliano Marcondes says Fulham fear facing his side ahead of the Sky Bet Championship play-off final.

The Bees missed out on automatic promotion after successive defeats in their last two matches of the regular season had halted an eight-game winning streak during the run-in.

But Thomas Frank's side bounced back to book their place at Wembley by overcoming Swansea 4-2 on aggregate in their play-off semi-final.

"I think Fulham are fearing us because we have won against them two times (this season) and they haven't scored," said attacking midfielder Marcondes.

"I think we are favourites. We have won twice against them this season so I don't see why we shouldn't be favourites."

Brentford beat their west London rivals 1-0 at Griffin Park in December and 2-0 at Craven Cottage in their first match back after the season had resumed in June.

"They are a bigger club, but we have played very well against them," the 25-year-old Dane said.

"We are 3-0 up in the two games and I'm very confident saying that because I know we are the better team.

"We are so ready. We're so full of energy, we've been dreaming of playing this game the whole season.

"We know we had the chance to go (up) directly, but it was our aim to get in the top six and play in the play-off and get to the final. So we are very ready."

Marcondes spent three months on loan at Danish side FC Midtjylland until the end of December, but has featured in every Championship game since his return.

Brentford have not been in the top flight of English football in 73 years and are hoping to launch the 2020/21 season in their new Brentford Community Stadium in the Premier League.

"I've watched the Premier League since I was a little boy," Marcondes added. "I think it's the best league in the world and it would put us in with some of the best teams."

Who will win the Championship play-off final?
Ahead of the Championship play-off final, Scott Minto and Andy Hinchcliffe discussed the Wembley showpiece on the Sky Sports EFL Podcast.

"I think this is going to be one of the best play-off finals for years, that's what I will predict," said Minto.

Ninth time lucky in the play-offs for Brentford?
Since the 1990/91 season, Brentford have lost in all eight of their play-off campaigns.

It's an unwanted statistic that has lingered over the West London club for decades, but after overcoming Swansea in the semi-final, Thomas Frank's men have the chance to set the record straight and banish the streak to the history books.

Here, we take a look at how the Bees have come up short and whether they can make it ninth time lucky at Wembley on Tuesday August 4.

Jansson: I believe in Brentford's 'solid unit'
Pontus Jansson believes in the strength of Brentford's squad, describing it as a "solid unit".

"Thomas [Frank] had a major part as to why I wanted to come as well, but also the squad, I believe a lot in the squad," the 29-year-old said.

"One of the most important things when I came was that they could tell me that the squad would be good enough to compete as a top team in the Championship.

"We made some really good signings who have shown now during the season how good they are and I really believe in it."

Watch Brentford face Fulham in the Sky Bet Championship play-off final on Tuesday, live on Sky Sports Football from 7pm with kick-off at 7.45pm.



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11748/12040976/championship-play-off-final-fulham-fear-brentford-says-emiliano-marcondes

[WhiteJC]

Cottage Talk: We Are On To Wembley

Take a listen to a podcast that focuses on Fulham Football Club.

In this episode, Max and Yannis shared their views on the second leg for Fulham. Later on in the show, they gave their predictions for the Championship Final.


You can also listen to the show by following this link...
https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2020/8/2/21351955/cottage-talk-we-are-on-to-wembley

[WhiteJC]

Premier League promotion at stake for Tim Ream and Fulham on Tuesday

Wembley Stadium crowns champions, as it did Saturday when Arsenal defeated Chelsea, 2-1, for the FA Cup trophy. The iconic venue in northwest London also provides a grand stage for the most lucrative match in English soccer.

On Tuesday, Fulham will face west London rival Brentford in the promotion playoff final (2:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+). The winner will move up to the Premier League from the second-flight Championship, a jump worth an estimated $215 million annually in broadcast and commercial revenue by joining the sport's most popular league.

In both the FA Cup and promotion match, Americans are involved. Three days after Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic scored an early goal, defender Tim Ream will aim to lift Fulham back into the Premier League after a one-year hiatus.

In the regular season, the Cottagers finished fourth among 24 teams and entered a four-team playoff for the last promotion ticket. (The top finishers, Leeds and West Brom, earned automatic berths.)

In the playoff semifinals, third-place Brentford overcame a 1-0 defeat in the first leg at Swansea City with a 3-1 victory at home (3-2 aggregate). Fulham won, 2-0, at Cardiff City, then survived a 2-1 home defeat to advance on a 3-2 aggregate.

While Fulham has spent most of the past 20 years in the top flight, Brentford is seeking its first appearance since 1947. As recently as 2009, the Bees were in the fourth division.

Ream, 32, moved from the New York Red Bulls to Bolton in 2012 and joined Fulham in 2015. This season, he has started 46 of 48 matches, the most on the club. U.S. midfielder Luca de la Torre, 22, also plays for Fulham, but he made just two first-team appearances this season and scored five goals in nine matches with the under-23 squad.



https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/08/02/premier-league-promotion-stake-tim-ream-fulham-tuesday/