Monday Fulham Stuff - 26/10/20...

[WhiteJC]

Results

Sunday
Southampton	2-0	Everton
Wolves	1-1	Newcastle
Arsenal	0-1	Leicester

[WhiteJC]

"We were too safe" – Fulham boss Scott Parker highlights key problem in derby loss to Palace

Scott Parker admitted that Fulham made too many 'safe' passing options in yesterday's 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace.

Tom Cairney produced a superb late strike for the west Londoners with Ademola Lookman hitting both posts in the first half.

But Fulham struggled to create too many openings despite having 64 per cent possession – with the Eagles having a serious threat on the counter.

Parker said: "There were some tempo issues, definitely.

"You're playing against a team that often you're up against nine, 10 players in front of you. You've got to move the ball, take them to the sides of the pitch – bring them from one side to the other to make gaps that aren't there in the first phase. All of a sudden make them [the gaps] a bit bigger and then try and pierce them.

"When you do that and break between the lines then you've got to make good decisions. You've got to be clinical in those moments and not turn down certain attacks because before you know it another pass back, a wrong detail in the pass or how you receive the pass – you're up against the block again.

"I felt we got into them moments but probably didn't push enough. We were a little bit safe at certain times. The goal probably epitomises that. Tom Cairney steps in and hits one from 25 yards and it goes in. That's a big learning today."

Fulham struggled to contain Wilfried Zaha, who provided the assist for Jairo Riedewald's first career goal. He then slide in at the back post to convert Michy Batshuayi's low cross from the right.

Zaha had the beating of Whites right-back Ola Aina all afternoon.
Parker said: "He's a world-class player who you see most weeks causes teams and individual players a lot of problems. That's the quality he has. It's what you're going to face in a very good player."

Michael Hector was once again missing from the Fulham matchday 18.

And Parker confirmed it was his decision not to inclue the centre-back.

He said: "No, Michael's not injured. He's just not around it at this moment in time."



https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/we-were-too-safe-fulham-boss-scott-parker-highlights-key-problem-in-derby-loss-to-palace/

[WhiteJC]

Strange decisions and a gulf in class – worrying signs for Fulham in their latest defeat

Fulham suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace – their third reverse at Craven Cottage that leaves them rooted to the foot of the Premier League.

They started OK, but then things went wrong. Again.

'The difference between GCSE and A-level maths'

This was Scott Parker on Thursday describing the gulf between the Premier League and the Championship.

Tosin Adarabioyo would agree.

You can play three dozen plus games for Blackburn as the central defender did last season, but it doesn't compare to the speed of thought needed in the top flight.

Adarabioyo was a spectator when a clever Wilfred Zaha inside pass bisected both the Fulham player and Mario Lemina for 1-0.

It's a learning curve that needs to be absorbed as soon as possible if more of the same doesn't get landed in Fulham's lap.

Loftus-Cheek on the right?

Manager Parker was adamant his Chelsea loanee would play down the centre and not the flanks as he did at Stamford Bridge on occasion.

But when you need to plug a problem gap that Ivan Cavaleiro failed to fill, who else is there?

Mario Lemina has played there in the past – but Parker didn't fancy that.

Abou Kamara is all energy, but subtlety and control are not his strengths. Staying on the pitch was beyond him as well, after getting sent off for a foul on Eberechi Eze.

So RLC it was, and did he look happy until substituted deep in the second half? Not a bit.

A mixed bag from Tom Cairney

Yes, he hit a cracker of a goal deep into added-on time to make the last minute interesting, but it papered over the cracks.

A few minutes earlier the midfielder skied a shot from a neat lay-back from Ola Aina that somewhat betrayed the rest of his match.

At the moment, a very good player can't pick out the incisive pass or make a telling dribble past a defender on a regular basis.

One hates to say it about a talent who has been pivotal to Fulham in the recent past – but Cairney's contribution in the last three games borders on the peripheral.

No cutting edge

The passing game is there, the movement is fine, the control and the intent are all present and correct – the incision is not.

When Palace held up just short of the Fulham penalty area, they waited for the runner; the exact millisecond before the telling pass and could have been 4-0 up before Whites netted a consolation.

Fulham seemed to run out of ideas when they get in the same position.

Ademola Lookman almost has to go it alone for them to look dangerous.

Otherwise, a flash across the box or a hopeful punt up to Aleksandar Mitrovic appears the default hope.

And hope it is rather than precision and cutting edge.

Strange decision

Rather than pretend there were any positives – is there anyone else wondering what the referee was told by his VAR official that led to Kamara's red card?

In the end, maybe justice was done when the Fulham forward caught Eze on his Achilles and was dismissed after a delay.

But it was a delay in which the man in the middle spent more time watching TV than it takes to watch an ad break.

Graham Scott was initially happy to dish out a yellow card to Kamara for a clumsy challenge rather than a malicious one.

So, we have to assume the VAR official told Scott he needed to take a look.

Intent? Definitely not. Awkward? Yes.

When slowed down the tackle looked vicious – it wasn't.

Maybe replays should be shown in actual time only.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/strange-decisions-and-a-gulf-in-class-worrying-signs-for-fulham-in-their-latest-defeat

[WhiteJC]

Fulham's fortunes may have changed if they'd signed Lewandowski in 2010

Every club has stories of players they almost signed whether it's Alex McLeish claiming that he almost signed Lionel Messi or Arsene Wenger saying that he almost signed Kylian Mbappe, but in Fulham's case, they almost landed a future world superstar when he was just 21 years old.

Indeed, Robert Lewandowski was set to sign for the Whites back in January 2010 on a loan deal with an option to buy, and it's scary to think of what could have been had the Whites landed the future Champions League Golden Boot winner.

Lewandowski would certainly have added something to Roy Hodgson's side that possessed Bobby Zamora and Andy Johnson as main striking options, but if the £54m-rated striker had signed, he may have completely changed the course of the club's history.

The Bayern Munich star would have been arriving at Craven Cottage in the midst of their historic Europa League run that saw them lose a cruel final in extra time to Atletico Madrid, but if the Whites had a young and hungry Lewandowski rather than a semi-fit Zamora starting that final up front, you can't help but feel that things could have turned out so differently.

Of course, winning a Europa League could have had a huge domino effect on the next decade at Craven Cottage.

The Whites have been a much more lucrative destination for any potential signings and the impending sale of the club to multi-billionaire Shahid Khan may have gone a different way if the club were consistently challenging in the top-half of the table with one of the best strikers in the world developing at the club.

However, for one reason or another, that loan deal never came to fruition and neither did the option to buy. Fulham would get their striker that winter in the shape of future Watford flop Stefano Okaka, not the future world-beater they had lined up in Lewandowski.

This is certainly one of the most painful transfers that didn't come to fruition to look back on in hindsight.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-fc-news/fulham-transfers-update-news-lewandowski-hodgson

[WhiteJC]

Scott Parker faces questions over Fulham future after Crystal Palace loss: 'I can't control that'

Fulham manager Scott Parker admits his future at the club is "out of his hands".

The Cottagers have endured a torrid run since earning promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt courtesy of an extra-time victory over west London rivals Brentford in the Championship play-off final at Wembley in August.

An opening day thrashing by Arsenal was followed by further defeats to Leeds, Aston Villa and Wolves, while Parker's side were also humbled by Brentford in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.

While a 1-1 draw against fellow strugglers Sheffield United last weekend offered brief respite and at least saw Fulham get a point on the board, the losing swiftly resumed on Saturday as goals from Jairo Riedewald and Wilfried Zaha saw Crystal Palace emerge 2-1 winners at Craven Cottage.

Such a woeful start has provoked inevitable comparisons with Fulham's miserable 2018/19 campaign, when they were relegated despite spending in excess of £100million in the transfer market.

Questions over Parker's future are sure to grow louder if swift improvements are not forthcoming, with one point from six matches and 14 goals conceded ranking among the worst-ever starts to a top-flight campaign.

"I can't control that," Parker told Sky Sports when asked if he feared for his job.

"What I can do is what I have normally done throughout my career and life, during these hard times, it is the time to front up and keep working as hard as I can to get the rewards that I deserve.

"It is out of my hands but I will keep working hard."



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-fc-news-scott-parker-future-crystal-palace-a4572882.html

[WhiteJC]

Scott Parker Concedes Decision on Fulham Future Is Out of His Hands

Fulham manager Scott Parker has admitted that he has no control over his future at Craven Cottage after a 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace made it six games without a win in the Premier League.

The Cottagers were comfortably second best against Palace as goals from Jaïro Riedewald and Wilfried Zaha condemned them to a third home defeat of the season.

Matters were made worse towards the end of the match as Aboubakar Kamara was sent off for a high challenge on Ebere Eze, and a stunning late goal for Tom Cairney was the only consolation for Parker.

There is no suggestion that Parker, who last season steered Fulham to promotion from the Championship after a dramatic play-off win over Brentford, is running out of time to save his job.

But with Fulham bottom of the table, having taken just one point all season, Parker is aware that his future may be called to question - but he was (via Sky Sports) quick to point out that he can't control his future, and can focus on working hard to win matches.

"I can't control that," Parked said, when the Englishman when quizzed about his job security. "What I can do is what I have normally done throughout my career and life, during these hard times, it is the time to front up and keep working as hard as I can to get the rewards that I deserve. It is out of my hands but I will keep working hard.

"We are a young team, still trying to gel but there were some big positives today and this is when the chips are down you have to face up and keep working hard and I am sure we will come out of the other side.

"I felt we need to learn from exactly how this game panned out. We had a dominance but at times in the final third lacked a real intensity about us."

The Cottagers' have a huge opportunity to pick up points in their next Premier League outing when they host Slaven Bilic's West Brom - who were also promoted from the Championship last season.



https://www.90min.com/posts/scott-parker-concedes-fulham-future-out-of-his-hands

[WhiteJC]

Cottage Talk Post Match show: Fulham Lose 2-1 To Crystal Palace

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

In this episode, Mike Gregg and Max Cohen shared their views on the 2-1 loss for Fulham against Crystal Palace. Also, the guys talked about who is to blame for the loss, and also what Fulham might do in the future.


You can also listen to the show by following this link...
https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2020/10/25/21532931/cottage-talk-post-match-show-fulham-lose-2-1-to-crystal-palace

[WhiteJC]

Sheffield Wednesday interest in former Cardiff City international defender

According to the Yorkshire Live portal, Sheffield Wednesday are being linked with former Cardiff City and Fulham and defender Jazz Richards who was released by the Bluebirds at the end of last season.

14-cap Wales international Richards, whose story in football began at Swansea, has been a free agent since July 1 after being cast loose by Cardiff City after the lockdown-extended season drew to a close.

After making the breakthrough at Swansea, Richards saw loan duty out at clubs such as Crystal Palace, Huddersfield and Fulham before the Cottagers paid the Swans around £630,000 for his permanent signature.

Now, Yorkshire Live's James Smailes gathers in the news that the Owls are looking to bring in the experienced right-back as they lok to continue the march away from the 12-point penalty they began the season with due to FFP infringements.

Smailes writes that Wednesday are not alone in their interest for the former Bluebird, also citing that League One and Two sides such as MK Dons, Salford City and Fleetwood Town have all expressed degrees of interest.

Wednesday have chipped away at that 12-point deficit to parity and currently stand on -4 points after seven games. That total places them eight points adrift of safety with 21st place and Barnsley currently in their sights.

They face the next three games without first-choice centre-back Joost van Aken after his sending off against Luton Town at the weekend. Bringing in someone of Jazz Richards experience would be something that you'd hope Sheffield Wednesday would be seriously considering if you were an Owls fan.



https://the72.co.uk/197964/sheffield-wednesday-interest-in-former-cardiff-city-international-defender/

[WhiteJC]

It may be time for Fulham to drop Aleksandar Mitrovic

Fulham are in free fall at the moment.

The Whites have just one point after six games in the Premier League, and it's no coincidence that their poor run of results have coincided with Aleksandar Mitrovic's worst run of form since joining the club.

The Serbian has scored just once from open play this season and in his last two games, he's been arguably the Whites' worst player.

Against Sheffield United he missed a penalty and gave away a spot kick at the other end, while against Crystal Palace he was completely ineffective, placing each of his five shots off target.

The £19.8m-rated striker is undoubtedly Fulham's biggest attacking threat, winning the Championship Golden Boot last season, but he's not been at the races in recent weeks and perhaps he needs a spell on the sidelines to rediscover his best form.

Scott Parker will undoubtedly face some opposition if he decides to drop his star man, but Fulham's record without the Serbian last season speaks for itself.

Mitrovic missed six league games last season and Fulham didn't lose any of them, winning five and drawing one, and while it'll be difficult to replace him after Aboubakar Kamara's red card on Saturday, Bobby Decordova-Reid is there ready to step in.

The Jamaican international can be a brilliant goalscorer on his day, he netted 19 for Bristol City in the 2017/18 season and he's already got as many goals from open play as Mitrovic this term.

The Serbian may well be in need of a rest as well. He wasn't fully fit to start the season, hence why he was benched against Arsenal on the opening day, and the international break provided him with no respite as he had to travel across Europe to play for Serbia.

Fulham need to get Mitrovic firing again if they're to get out of this mess, and perhaps the best way to do that is to drop him to give him some rest and refocus him.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-fc-news/mitrovic-fulham-parker-tactics-drop

[Jim©]

When Palace held up just short of the Fulham penalty area, they waited for the runner; the exact millisecond before the telling pass and could have been 4-0 up before Whites netted a consolation.

4 nil? Harsh, I'm not sure anyone who watched that would have thought 4 nil was fair?

[alfie]

We hit the post twice so we could say we could have been 2-1 up.

[Woolly Mammoth]

Our scores are improving slowly. Last 3 have been  0 1, 1 1, 1 2. So all is not lost we are moving in the right direction.