Thursday Fulham Stuff - 24/09/20...

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Parker pleased as Fulham progress

Scott Parker professed himself pleased with a good night's work as Fulham overcome a slow start to see off Sheffield Wednesday and book a place in the fourth round of the League Cup.

The Fulham manager opted to field a strong side featuring a number of first-team regulars, perhaps with an eye on a crucial clash with Aston Villa in the Premier League on Monday. The hosts took a while to settle but first half goals from Aboubakar Kamara and Bobby Decordova-Reid were enough to secure victory in an open game.

Parker told his post-match press conference:

Overall it was a really good performance. Defensively we looked very good, a clean sheet is obviously good to build on. We got the two goals for the win, but on another day it probably could have been a lot more. We had some real big chances that we've not managed to put in the back of the net, but overall I'm very pleased. We got some minutes in players' legs who needed it, as well as still progressing as a team, so overall a lot of boxes ticked tonight.

The Fulham boss was pleased with the contributions of his two goalscorers, who he hopes can ease Fulham's reliance on Aleksandar Mitrovic for goals going forward.

We realise this year we're going to have to try and move the goals around the team a little bit more than we did last year, when we relied a lot on Aleks. I'm pleased now that Bobby's got two in two, and that Abou is now off the mark tonight with a goal as well. Like I said, there were some good chances created by our front half players which, on another night, could have gone in.

Parker singled out the performances of Tyrese Francois and Fabio Carvalho, who came off the bench to make his senior debut in the second half.

I thought they were brilliant. They did really well, to be fair. They've trained really well with us over the last few weeks, I thought they were positive when they came on, and they created a few chances as well, so I was really pleased for those boys. Tyrese and Fabio, two very good football players who I'm sure will have a bright future here.

The win sets up another local derby with Brentford, just eight weeks after the Whites won the play-off final at Wembley.

It's a derby in the next round of the cup, so of course it's a big game for both sides, and we're looking forward to it. The last time we played was certainly a lot bigger than the one we're going to be playing next week. That's not to put the game coming up down in any way, it's the reality. But as always, when it's a London derby, when you're up against your rivals, there's always a little bit more of an edge to it. We're looking forward to playing against a very, very good Brentford side.

Parker refused to drawn about Fulham's transfer dealings when asked about press reports that suggested they were close to signing Ademola Lookman and Marlon.

It's all speculation really and players are owned by other teams so I wouldn't want to comment on them. I think it's clear we want to do some business but as for those individuals it's not for me to comment really.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2020/09/parker-pleased-as-fulham-progress/

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Kamara's goal and Onomah's assist send Fulham into EFL Cup fourth round

The Franco-Mauritanian and Anglo-Nigerian played their part in ensuring the Cottagers had no issues getting past Sheffield Wednesday

Aboubakar Kamara scored a goal while Josh Onomah provided an assist as Fulham got the better of Sheffield Wednesday in the third round of the EFL Cup at Craven Cottage.

Scott Parker's men are back in the Premier League after a year's absence and have started on a bad note with back-to-back defeats against Arsenal at home and away to fellow-promoted side Leeds United.

In between this was a 1-0 win at Ipswich Town in the previous round of the EFL Cup, Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrovic netting the only goal of the game.

There was however none of that on Wednesday night as Kamara gave them a ninth-minute lead having been assisted by French striker Anthony Knockaert.

Fulham got their second in the 32nd minute via Jamaica international Bobby Reid, Onomah delivering the ball to the 27-year-old. Reid had scored for the Cottagers in their 4-3 loss at Leeds United at the weekend, with 24-year old Cameroon international Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa providing the assist.

Kamara was on for 70 minutes with his goal being his only shot on target. He also had two touches, 14 accurate passes at 67% and two key passes.

Onomah's assist was his only key pass in the game and he also produced 34 touches, 19 accurate passes at 76% and one successful dribble from a single attempt.

Both Kamara and Onomah had a hand in a combined 14 goals (seven goals, seven assists) last season with the Cottagers ultimately making it into the top-flight by getting the better of Brentford, 2-1 after extra time in the promotion-playoff final at Wembley.

Fulham will now face Everton – who saw off Fleetwood Town, in the fourth round of the EFL Cup. Before that, they will be hoping to bag their first Premier League win when they tackle Aston Villa at Craven Cottage next Monday.



https://www.goal.com/en/news/kamaras-goal-and-onomahs-assist-send-fulham-into-efl-cup/1px14cmzzye2v1qoy3cx2ff0mq

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Dynamo Anguissa deserves better than another relegation battle with Fulham

The Cameroon midfielder posted a defiant performance as the Cottagers went down at the weekend, but his skills could be better utilized elsewhere

Fulham's second promotion in three seasons has been accompanied with an avowed desire to avoid the mistakes of their last misadventure.

Promoted with a canter in 2018/19, the Cottagers proceeded on a transfer spending spree for the ages. On top of a squad that had romped the Championship, nine first-team signings were added on a permanent basis, in addition to six loans. This much churn completely undermined what had served the London side so well the season prior, and contributed to a calamitous campaign that culminated in relegation.

So far this year, there have been only five new additions to the team. The approach appears to be more considered, albeit working from a weaker base. However, aside the reality of highly plausible relegation yet again, another thing seems fairly obvious: in much the same way as two seasons ago, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa is much too good for Fulham's level.

The Cameroon international was a part of that initial recruitment drive, joining Slavisa Jokanovic's project for €25 million from Ligue 1 side Marseille. Having played an integral role in the French club's run to the Europa League final in 2018 – where Rudi Garcia's side lost 3-0 in Lyon – Anguissa came with a sizeable reputation as a dominant presence in the heart of midfield, capable of carrying the ball forward against pressure.

Nevertheless, he was helpless to stave off Fulham's slide toward the bottom.

For one thing, it was simply too much too quickly in terms of incomings, and three managers during the course of the campaign did little to address the ensuing lack of cohesion.

On a personal level as well, Anguissa was unable to display his best qualities, hobbled as he was with an ankle injury that put him out of commission for over two months either side of Christmas.

He would return in February, and was an important cog as Fulham put together a three-game winning run in April that ultimately proved too little, too late.

As an acknowledgement of his abilities, while Craven Cottage once more opened its doors to Championship opposition, Anguissa went off on loan to perennial European campaigners Villarreal. This tacit endorsement was justified emphatically by an excellent season for the Yellow Submarine, in which the 24-year-old was instrumental in their league finish within the Europa League places.

Anguissa finished the season with just two goals and two assists in 36 matches, but to consider his season in these terms would be to miss his brilliance.

His 2.4 successful dribbles per 90 placed his top for central midfielders in La Liga, and fourth overall (behind Fabian Orellana, Nabil Fekir and a little-known upstart going by the name Lionel Messi), and he was joint-ninth in the division for tackles per game at 2.1. Generally leaving the task of ball retention and circulation to midfield partner Vicente Iborra, the on-loan dynamo concentrated on retrieving the ball, before dragging his team up the pitch.

Fulham's immediate return to the Premier League has nevertheless given him an opportunity to make a more wholesome impact in England, where theoretically his all-action style should be a good fit. However, the manner in which Scott Parker's side have begun the campaign leaves little scope for optimism; once more, it seems Anguissa might find himself tainted by association.

If a hapless 3-0 home reverse against Arsenal on the opening day presaged a difficult season in store, the Cottagers' 4-3 defeat at the hands of Leeds United at Elland Road did nothing to allay fears of calamity. For the opening hour, the hosts were firmly in the ascendancy, and looked to be running away with it at 4-1, before Fulham rallied, scoring twice in the space of five minutes to make the scoreline somewhat respectable.

Key to their belated defiance was Anguissa, who came into the side following the meek acquiescence of the previous weekend. In a side adrift, swept up by wave upon jarring wave of Leeds attack, the Cameroon midfielder was the sole bulwark. It was his ability to wriggle away from the suffocating Whites' press that helped the visitors pull one back, as he stepped past highly-rated England international Kalvin Philips, before slipping a through ball inside the full-back for Bobby Decordova-Reid to sweep inside the far corner.

As a performance, it seemed oddly microcosmic. This, it seems, is the very best Anguissa can hope to expect: a tragedy with himself cast as the protagonist, doomed to certain defeat but bravely making a solo fist of it as his craven colleagues lie supine, both unwilling and unable to resist the inevitable.

The question, then, is whether this is the best use of his gifts, whether his appetite for the fight might not be better employed in a more cohesive, defiant squadron.

Recent reports have seen Anguissa linked with moves away, most notably to AC Milan. Fulham also reportedly turned down an offer from Villarreal to make his loan deal permanent, so clearly there is no shortage of interest in his abilities on the continent.

However, even in England, dynamic defensive midfielders of his ilk are in demand.

At some point during their chastening defeat at the hands of Liverpool at the weekend, Chelsea will no doubt have wished they had a commanding presence in the middle of the park capable of holding his own amid the maelstrom of passing and movement from the reigning champions.

Arsenal have spent the summer chasing Thomas Partey, and Manchester United cannot continue to rely on a creaking Nemanja Matic for much longer.

The specific set of skills Anguissa possesses would certainly find better use in a European challenge than it would vainly toiling away in yet another ill-starred relegation battle.



https://www.goal.com/en/news/dynamo-anguissa-deserves-better-than-another-relegation/1gslg315a67ub1i9i7qqclm9n0