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Tuesday Fulham Stuff - 06/04/21...

Started by WhiteJC, April 06, 2021, 12:35:25 AM

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WhiteJC

Results


Monday
Everton
1-1
Palace
Wolves
2-3
West Ham

WhiteJC

Scott Parker urges Fulham to be "horrible" after their Aston Villa collapse

Fulham were due to climb out of the drop zone on Sunday at Aston Villa when they led through Aleksandar Mitrovic but ended up losing 3-1

Scott Parker says "innocent" Fulham must wise up swiftly and become "horrible" if they are to have any realistic chance of survival.

The Cottagers were set to climb out of the bottom three for the first time since before Christmas after Aleksandar Mitrovic put them ahead in the 61st minute at Aston Villa.

But Fulham still slumped to a fourth defeat in five games with just seven matches left after a shocking late collapse at Villa Park.

Sub Trezeguet scored twice in quick succession in the 78th and 81st minutes to stun the visitors.

Ollie Watkins sealed the win three minutes from time as Fulham fell apart from the moment Villa levelled.

Boss Parker reflected: "I am disappointed with the way it goes, there is an innocence to it.

"They get themselves back in the game at 1-1 and it is silly , easy goals.

"In certain moments you have to understand where you are as a team and what the game needs.

"We didn't manage that situation very well.

"Sometimes in football matches you need a grit and understanding and need to be horrible.

"You get your nose infront with eight games left and 15 on the clock.

"We put ourselves in an unbelievable position.

"But we were sloppy in those moments and didn't understand the dynamics of the game.

"For the last 15 minutes we were not good enough individually and as a team.

"It is a young team but there were some naïve, silly mistakes.

"At this moment where we are as a team and in this season we need to eradicate them.

"There is a way to lose football matches and I wasn't pleased with the way we lost.

"But there are seven games left and everything to play for."

Parker recalled Mitrovic and Serbian scored his first Premier League goal in 22 games.

"I thought his all round play today was very good," added Parker, who had to sub Ademola Lookman early in the second half with a hamstring issue.



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/scott-parker-urges-fulham-horrible-23853908

WhiteJC

Fulham on the edge over Lookman's hamstring-related injury, winger set to undergo tests

Fulham coach Scott Parker has provided an update on the injury suffered by RB Leipzig loanee Ademola Lookman during his side's 3-1 loss to Aston Villa in a Premier League clash on Easter Sunday.

The 2017 FIFA U20 World Cup winner looked dejected as he was substituted in the 47th minute after sustaining an injury.

The Cottagers fans' worst fears have been confirmed with Parker stating that Lookman suffered a hamstring-related injury and will be assessed on Monday to determine the severity of the ailment.

Speaking post-match to FFCtv, Parker stated : "It's more hamstring to be honest with you.

"It may be knee, it may be back of the knee but it's more hamstring.

"We'll assess that tomorrow and see where he is and then we'll make a call on that, hopefully not too bad but you never know at this moment in time."

Lookman has been a key player for Fulham in the Premier League, scoring four goals and providing his teammates with four assists in 28 appearances.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel



https://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=39478


WhiteJC

Fulham players need to be 'horrible' to avoid relegation after Aston Villa defeat, says Scott Parker

Fulham threw away a 1-0 lead as they were beaten by Aston Villa at the weekend


Parker has urged his players to win ugly
(Getty Images)


Fulham manager Scott Parker has told his players they need to be 'horrible' if they are to avoid Premier League relegation.

The Cottagers spurned a 1-0 lead against Aston Villa on Sunday, capitulating in the final 12 minutes to lose 3-1.

And Parker, whose side now sit three points off safety, called for a change in mentality from his players as they prepare for the final seven games of the season.

Speaking after the match, he said: "I am disappointed with the way it goes, there is an innocence to it. They get themselves back in the game at 1-1 and it is silly, easy goals.

"In certain moments you have to understand where you are as a team and what the game needs. We didn't manage that situation very well.

"Sometimes in football matches you need a grit and understanding and need to be horrible. You get your nose in front with eight games left and 15 on the clock.

"We put ourselves in an unbelievable position. But we were sloppy in those moments and didn't understand the dynamics of the game.

"For the last 15 minutes we were not good enough individually and as a team. It is a young team but there were some naïve, silly mistakes. At this moment where we are as a team and in this season we need to eradicate them.

"There is a way to lose football matches and I wasn't pleased with the way we lost. But there are seven games left and everything to play for."

Fulham face a tough run in as they still have to play the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United.

But it will be fixtures such as Wolves, Burnley and Southampton as well as a mouthwatering final day clash against Newcastle that will likely decide whether or not they avoid the drop.

Next up for Parker's men is a home match against Nuno Espirito Santo's Wolves side on Friday.



https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/fulham/premier-league-form-scott-parker-b1826799.html

WhiteJC

Jack and Loz Not at the Cottage - Blog 174

Date: 4th April 2021

Opposition: Aston Villa

Score: 3-1

Fulham goal scorer: 🔥

MOTM: you're kidding, right?

Snacks: Loz - Rhubarb crumble and cream; Jack - raisin whirl

We've been here before. Teetering nervously on a creaky trap door, disenchanted and uncertain, waiting for the heartbreak of the drop. One time we escaped, thanks to one man's brilliance and eleven men's hard graft and belief; last time we didn't and we didn't deserve to.

This time, our fate is still unknown but hope grows dimmer with every point we throw away. If we fall this time, we become what we despise - a yo-yo club, destined to hover in no man's land for ever, churning through players, picking managers off the merry-go-round and paying them off months later.

What is so frustrating is that we are so near yet so far. The players have worked hard so claw their way back over the gulf that developed between us and safety; our defence became impenetrable and we are in touching distance of Newcastle and even the teams above. For a few minutes on Sunday we were there - not exactly home and dry but seventeenth and fighting, believing again.

And then it all went horribly, Fulhamishly wrong.

For a Must Win Game, Scott Parker picked a strong line-up. Mitro, pretty much literally on fire following his stellar performance for Serbia during the international break, started and our favourite back four were in operation. Frankly, we were surprised not to see Frank. As for RLC, he's still the weak link but who else was going to play there?

For a Must Win Game, though, there was little urgency in the first half. Mitro had a couple of sighters and Bobby and Lookman looked lively but the midfield was too easily overrun and the defence were living dangerously with their faffing around at the - sorry [checks Scott Parker's playbook] - playing out from the back. Frankly, Lemina looked poor and Harrison Reed couldn't impose himself. This was surely a game which Frank could have grabbed by the scruff of the neck, controlled and dominated. Instead, there was space in the middle for Villa to exploit and they used it - at no point did they look like the weakened team.

The drama of the penalty shout and VAR riding to the rescue should have been a wake-up call. Whilst it definitely wasn't a pen, Lemina was asking for trouble by being too casual and slow. And we don't want to single him out - everyone was making mistakes, giving the ball away in risky positions, giving free kicks away in even riskier ones (albeit these were not always fairly won or given thanks to the precarious balance of the Villa players and the gullibility of the ref).

But we got to half time at 0-0 (one of the cardinal rules of the aforementioned playbook) and if we didn't come out fighting we did come out composed and determined, but unchanged in midfield.

A word now on Aleksandar Mitrovic, Serbia's all time top scorer with 5 goals in 3 matches for them - all 5 extremely good. Mitro is many things - troubled, emotional, hot-tempered on the debit side, unselfish, loyal and hard working to his credit. Most of all though, Mitro is a battler, a predator, and a force of nature. Of course, this wasn't a classic goal but it was only a simple tap-in because Mitro made it look easy. He had been menacing Mings all match, he forced the mistake and took advantage of it. There is only one positive from this game - Mitro is back.

So for a few short minutes we were in seventeenth and the world should have seemed a happier place. But there are few things more stressful than watching Fulham cling on to a one goal lead, and few things more predictable than watching them lose it.

Predictable, yes. Inevitable, no. The team didn't have to unravel like that. There were chances for a second but no one grabbed them. Passing became nervy, possession dubious. Villa reacted well and so did their manager and his ghastly side kick - their subs changed the game in their favour.

Our subs - where the hell were are subs???? Where was Frank to bring some order and stability to midfield? Where was Joe Bryan to swing some crosses in to Mitro once Lookman limped off? Why was Lemina still on the pitch? Whilst the injury to Lookman may have disrupted Scott's game plan, the other subs were far too little too late. We've all been asking to see Mitro and Maja play together. But not like this.

There is little more to say. We needed to win this game - all the more so after Newcastle's draw - but we lost it. And we lost it partly through individual mistakes and lack of concentration and partly through naive mismanagement. And partly, of course, because we still can't score more than one goal a game.

All of this is worrying but in particular the capitulation of the defence which has been our one huge strength through this difficult season. If the new Thames Barrier has fallen, all hope is lost.

Random musings:-

- so much for thinking the international break came at a good time for us

- the celebration for the goal was team wide and passionate. Mitro's popularity with his teammates was never in doubt

- it was nice to see Matttttt Ttttargettttt again and his comforting hug for Mitro at the end

- it was a lot less nice to see Jh T*y again. And was Scott chatting to him as they walked off the pitch????

- of course we also saw the Triangle of Doom again, and that is never welcome

- if Ruben Loftus-Cheek was as unselfish as he is strong he would be a much better player

- really hoping Lookman's injury isn't serious

We are in a two club league with a points disadvantage, more games played and a decent goal difference which is rapidly eroding. But despite the doom and gloom, Scott still believes and we must too. Mitro is back and the flames are flickering.

This result doesn't mean we are relegated. What it probably does mean is that the best we can hope for is what we wanted to avoid - a last day showdown at the Cottage in the biggest Must Win Game of them all.



https://werdsmith.com/p/J4xqAVHva9vK7

WhiteJC


Scott Parker says Aleksandar Mitrovic return to form is timely boost for Fulham
The striker marked his first start for two months with a goal and an impressive display in the defeat against Aston Villa.


Aleksandar Mitrovic celebrates scoring on his Fulham return against Aston Villa (Richard Heathcote/PA)

Fulham boss Scott Parker has welcomed the timely return to form of Aleksandar Mitrovic as his side fight to retain their Premier League status.

Mitrovic's recent exploits for his country earned him his first club start for two months against Aston Villa on Sunday – the 26-year-old became Serbia's all-time record scorer thanks to his five goals during the international break.

Clearly buoyed by his time away with Serbia, Mitrovic took that confidence into the game at Villa Park where he was a constant goal threat and menace to Villa's central defenders before opening the scoring just after the hour mark.

Fulham lost 3-1 after conceding three times in 10 minutes late in the game, but Mitrovic's performance was the big positive to take for Parker heading into the remaining seven matches of the season.

The icing on the cake for him was his goal. It bodes well for us going forward
Scott Parker on Aleksandar Mitrovic

"I thought he was brilliant. He's come off international duty with goals. Strikers, their main confidence source is goals," said Parker, whose team are three points adrift of safety.

"So he'd earned the right to start and I was very pleased with his all-round game. People will judge him for his goals, I judge him for his all round play, his work ethic for the team, and I thought he was exceptional in that.

"The icing on the cake for him was his goal, it's just a shame it wasn't a goal which got us some points, but it bodes well for us going forward."

The capitulation at Villa Park saw Fulham miss another chance to climb out of the bottom three, following a home defeat to Leeds prior to the international break, but Parker insists his players will respond.

"As always this year, when we have had bumps and a little adversity, we've come back. We've got another massive game (against Wolves) which we'll be ready for, prepared for, hopefully better," said the Cottagers boss.

Villa substitute Trezeguet changed the whole complexion of the game on Sunday, scoring his first two goals of the season in the space of three second-half minutes.

The Egyptian told the club website: "I am very happy for the goals, but I believe in myself.

"I believed it was coming because I work really hard with the team and individually. I train every day and work on anything I might be missing to get better.

"Sometimes things don't go your way, but as long as you work hard, it will come. It just takes time, but it will come."



https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/scott-parker-says-aleksandar-mitrovic-return-to-form-is-timely-boost-for-fulham-40276395.html


WhiteJC

Five Thoughts: Aston Villa 3-1 Fulham
Scott Parker's "Putney River Rats" were drowned out in the closing stages by Dean Smith's resilient European contenders and with Newcastle United scrounging a last-ditch draw against Tottenham Hotspur, salvation is still marginally out of reach, shelved by a north African assailant and an England debutant at Villa Park. It all went a little wrong for the visitors, jeers soon muted cheers and on Easter Sunday, a day of sweet rejoicing and diabetes, a sour taste loitered in the mouths of Fulham's gobsmacked disciples.


We've now lost 4 of our last 5 outings, we've played one more game than the Toon and are still 3 points behind but with a slightly favourable goal difference, hope is eminent. Both the Magpies and the Whites have toilsome run-ins to endure, neither road is without its obstacles and with 4pm, May 23rd upon the horizon, the footballing Gods are scheming to concoct a judgement day showdown at Craven Cottage between two foes that are currently separated by one lone victory. This relegation scrap is going to be tastier than your da's charred leg of lamb, believe that.

Trézéguet Triggers Implosion
For 78 minutes, just 12 minutes from claiming a hard-earned victory on the road, Fulham's defensive shape and composure was commendable. A clean advertisement to the fortitude and togetherness Parker's striving to instil into his camp, we were hanging onto a slender lead as Villa retaliated but one lapse, one solitary mistake from Tosin Adarabioyo proved to be costly and from then onward, the Whites' resolve turned to poo. It appeared that as proceedings neared completion, and as Villa's desire for an equaliser increased, we lost sight of just how close we were to escaping the drop zone, defensively, Fulham have been one of the division's sturdiest in weeks gone by, so the manner in which we imploded, as Tosin allowed possession to stray, is reprehensible and significant, because while we've burgeoning leaders in Joachim Andersen and Harrison Reed, we were powerless to resist the hosts' detectable passages, an unnerving recount to our early-season fragility. Admittedly, Villa's goals were cutely crafted and executed to perfection, but it's nothing Fulham couldn't handle. We've been pressed and probed harder before, although Trézéguet's energy unsettled the Whites' composition at the back and we had no answer to the Egyptian's impulsiveness.

At 1-1, Fulham were clearly rattled, we were holding a deeper line as Villa regained territory and with no viable outlet, the Villans constrained and inflicted further misery, expertly. Hospital passes from both Joa and Tosin compromised security and Villa identified the pairing's insistence to live life a little too dangerously as an exploitable weakness. Ollie Watkins, backed by John McGinn and Bertrand Traore amongst others, hunted in packs, isolating Fulham's passing lanes and as it's too easy for the Whites to simply play it safe in times of impending jeopardy, Villa goaded errors and intercepted meticulously. 15 minutes of sheer pandemonium ensued, Fulham capitulated abruptly, structured defensive lines dissipated and within a mere quarter of an hour, the Whites degraded from a prepared, equipped collective to a periled, shell-shocked rabble, barren of cause, endurance and objective. Football isn't always a straightforward, predictable narrative and as we unceremoniously rediscovered, the game will abuse and manipulate if a side, like Parker's on Easter Sunday, refuses to heed ominous warnings. Clear your lines under duress, pick your passes wisely and when the going gets tougher than you'd bargained for, respect the threat and uphold a defiant discipline. Heading into our meeting with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Parker has to reassemble his men and get back to basics.

Mitro Is Risen
Scoring 5 goals in 3 games for his nation during the March international break, Aleksandar Mitrovic became Serbia's all-time top goal scorer with 41 goals, a befitting gong for a striker of immeasurable proficiency, although his season in a Fulham shirt, as we know too well, has flattered to deceive. He hadn't netted since September, his outings hit rock bottom and he was ultimately cast out of Parker's plans but amid conjecture, speculation and suspicion, Mitro showcased a desire to set the record straight in Birmingham and, though his opportunistic opener wasn't a match-winner, the rejuvenated hitman, adorning international supremacy, endeavoured to reignite an all-but extinguished fire on the domestic stage. Donning a trim fresher than his new-found amore for the dark arts, Mitro tested Emiliano Martínez's target early, spinning and striking venomously on the parameter of the 18 and with that sudden expulsion of improvised menace, the 26-year-old's brow dipped as his courage soared.

The predator, exiled from top-flight conversation and debate, was alive and kicking. Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa's partnership at the heart of the Claret and Blues' defence has attracted plaudits, with some saying it's practicability could benefit Gareth Southgate's national set-up but I'm not entirely convinced. Mitro thrives on jugular confrontations, locking horns is innately attributed and the baleful marksman had Villa's central duo on Hovis. His presence alone apprehended, Konsa buckled in the physical duels and Mings thrashed at routine passes and in a game where independent faults shaped the result, the imposturous England representative was solely accountable for the game's opener. Lurking, poised, Mitro seized Mings' flaccid dab and homed in on the target and with an onrushing Martinez to neutralise, the attacker's shoulder sunk and his left foot swung the ball into an unsupervised net. The customary "speaker box" celebration made its long-awaited return, a grin of relief curled from cheek to cheek and regardless of what eventually happened to the Whites after he tallied his third of the campaign, Mitro relished his overdue shot at redemption. Chances were in short supply, we're still failing to utilise his brutish services to full effect but I'm adamant that for the remaining 7 fixtures, Serbia's king amongst men is going to rule unsuspecting defensive departments tyrannously, as he seeks to restore his tarnished reputation to its revered status in SW6. He, our rightful saviour, is risen.

RLC's Sharpened Awareness
Every once in a blue moon, an ice age or a millennia, Ruben Loftus-Cheek switches on to the occasion and becomes a combative element, prepared to graft under pressure and sharp-minded under similar circumstances and behind Mitro, whilst being loosely marked by Douglas Luiz and Morgan Sanson, the Chelsea loanee initiated counter attacks and sparked alluring sequences instantaneously. RLC was aware, enlivened and invigorated in custody of the ball, sharper, stronger than he has been in recent months so I've no shame in eating my words, backtracking previous criticisms because in England's "second city", the former Three Lions international was unmistakably first-rate.

Running with possession, we don't see it nearly enough, at all, from Loftus-Cheek and I was thrilled to witness the 25-year-old retrieve and siege, marauding through oncoming dispossessors and slaloming deceptively, traits of which have been dormant since his arrival at the Cottage from the Bridge. At long last, RLC used his frame to his advantage, buffeting markers, shielding and prolonging Fulham's limited spells on the ball and if he somehow manages to incorporate strength and invention, the scapegoated midfielder's potential is boundless. He won fouls, he lured infringements and he carried counters with an insurgence. It's a tall ask for RLC to miraculously morph into the man that won himself a plane ticket to the 2018 World Cup Finals, but we have caught glimpses, albeit fleetingly, of his underlying ability and the reason we, as Fulham fans, are so gravely peeved by the inconsistent prodigy of yesteryear is precisely that. He's doing himself a disservice, not just our club, and if he's really going to muscle his way into Thomas Tuchel's Blues next term, if he's going to truly reinstate his credibility as a unique, one-of-a-kind innovator, he's got to promote himself compatibly for the remainder, emulating his accomplishments at Villa Park.

Lemina's Reckless Judgement
He either serves up solid 8/10 performances or, as it was at Villa Park, Mario Lemina drops deplorable 3/10 clangers. Average, ordinary outings are unfamiliar to Lemina, the 27-year-old scales the brink of competitive assertion and curtailing clumsiness and throughout, as he scrambled haplessly in retreat, the Gabon international conceded multiple set-pieces, bulldozing into commonplace altercations and, I get it, a sufficient, competitive midfield department requires an instigator, an antagonist, but that's all the awkwardly uncoordinated rabble-rouser was good for and his foolhardy exploits stunted our momentum and invited the hosts to grow in confidence.

Reed patrolled standardly, RLC aimed to construct whereas Lemina, who's blown hot and cold for the duration, hamstrung our control and judgement. Taking his preservative duties maybe a bit too seriously, nobody was safe, not even his teammates, when he thrust into action. Lemina's exertion's were erratic, untimely and persistently reckless. The jury's still out in relation to Villa's penalty shout, VAR's footage suggests that Lemina did in fact make contact with the ball milliseconds before Watkins tumbled from the follow through but that particular episode in Lemina's eventful afternoon summarises the Southampton loanee impeccably – he either wakes up craving cooperation, or he rolls out on the wrong side baying for blood. There's no need for him to plunge into anodyne instances, leaving a little extra on his man isn't always necessary and for me, though other notable names also spring to mind, the one predominant insidious villain that sticks in the forefront of my recollection is Mario. His over-animated compulsions meddled with an equilibrium that was already highly strung and his redundant weightiness in ordinary, unremarkable scenarios tipped our spine out of balance.

Cup Final Cliché
If Fulham are to clamber out of the relegation zone, with 7 games to go, I feel this side has to ride each remaining fixture with the do-or-die attitude that saw us claw back a 10-point deficit, in our darkest period of the campaign. From an observational standpoint, the Whites do not appreciate the gravity of the task ahead and mentally, perhaps the Whites believed they'd done enough to snatch three points on the road against a club that rallied immediately after falling behind. We haven't been able to widen a winning margin for the duration of the season, we're unable to stamp our authority whilst in command so, in order to gain the results we desperately require to survive, establishing a narrative where we're forced to almost chase games is possibly the only plausible solution. I adore footballing clichés, and every game from now on is a cup final, so let's rekindle that everlasting psychology that's enabled us to triumph under the arch twice in 4 years.

I'm not imploring us to concede first, obviously, nor am I begging for passive, submissive game plans, I'm purely challenging the squad to adopt a persuasion that provokes and encourages a brave reaction, similar to Villa's enthused response. With Parker at the helm this year, Fulham have not been able to comfortably dominate games and in the ascendency, the Whites are nervous, tense and anxious. Our brand hinges on ball retention, grinding the opposition down and once we go ahead, we revert into a defensive, paranoid shell, reluctant to wield the cutlass. This was exactly the case against Villa, we were taken aback by Mitro's goal but up until that point in proceedings, we were relevant and good value for the victory, or at the very least a draw. Of course, the hosts regrouped and reciprocated, although we'd managed to keep them at an arm's length for nearly 80 minutes, so why does our strategy have to regress? For 90 minutes, I'm calling for Fulham to start on the front foot and finish with authority, we've the personnel to withstand changing tides, to smooth ebbs as the game flows but for Parker, I guess he's damned if he does, and damned if he doesn't. There's no ground-breaking formula and I'm not a professional coach, but losing in the disgrace of which we did at Villa Park was wholly accredited to a declining state of belief and this can surely be remedied tactically. Think progressively, you'll function progressively.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2021-04-05-five-thoughts-aston-villa-3-1-fulham/

WhiteJC

Exclusive: Fulham hero Clark urges Loftus-Cheek to seek Chelsea playing assurances

Fulham legend Lee Clark believes Ruben Loftus-Cheek must have a serious think about his future when he returns to Chelsea this summer.

The 25-year-old, who has been with Chelsea since the age of eight, joined their rivals Fulham on a season-long loan last summer.

It has the second time Loftus-Cheek has temporarily left Stamford Bridge, having spent a successful campaign with Crystal Palace in 2015/16.

Like his time at Selhurst Park, Loftus-Cheek has shown he is more than capable of playing at the Premier League level.

A rangy attacking midfielder, the London native has started 12 of Fulham's last 13 league matches, and former Cottagers midfielder Clark thinks he has been pivotal to the club being just two points from safety.

At the international level, Loftus-Cheek has won 10 caps for England but is behind the pecking order in Gareth Southgate's midfield stocks.

And Clark says the Englishman should consider leaving Stamford Bridge if he is not guaranteed playing time in order to further his domestic and international career.

"For me, Ruben Loftus-Cheek is an outstanding player," Clark wrote in his Tribalfootball.com column.

"He's got terrific attributes and is technically very gifted with great ability. He can see a pass, go past people, great vision, can deliver the pass short or long.

"And if he goes back to Chelsea and it's difficult for him to break through, then yes, I think he has a decision to make.

"He has got to decide for his own future, for his career, for his England career. He's already got caps but he can get a lot more if he's playing regularly. Ruben has got to play in the Premier League week in, week out, and be one of the first names on the team-sheet."

Clark added that he would like to see Loftus-Cheek add more goals to his game, with the attacker scoring just once in 21 league matches this season.

"His ability is good enough to make sure he does that, he just needs to add the little bits to the end of it because he's certainly got the ability to score double figures in terms of goals. I think that's the missing ingredient at the moment.

"I've been really impressed by him and young Ademola Lookman at Fulham. The two lads have played a big part in Fulham's resurgence.

"The key for Loftus-Cheek is to add more goals to his game and speak to Chelsea and find out if he has got a position there as a regular. If not then he has to, in my opinion, find a club who can give him that."



https://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/exclusive-fulham-hero-clark-urges-loftus-cheek-to-seek-chelsea-playing-assurances-4364990#popup-sso

WhiteJC

Scott Parker pinning hopes on 'exceptional' Aleksandar Mitrovic to boost Fulham's bid for survival

The Serbian forward scored in the defeat to Aston Villa, which gives his coach optimism for the run-in

Fulham boss Scott Parker is excited by the return of striker Aleksandar Mitrovic with the Cottagers desperate for points in their battle against relegation from the Premier League.

Mitrovic showed his potential with Serbia in the recent international break, hitting five goals to earn a first start for the Londoners in two months in the loss to Aston Villa.

Mitrovic justified his inclusion from the start, netting the opener, while causing havoc for Villa's central defenders.

And although Fulham lost 3-1, Parker remains upbeat, with seven matches to go and three points separating them from Newcastle, and hopeful Mitrovic can fire his side to safety.

"I thought he was brilliant. He's come off international duty with goals. Strikers, their main confidence source is goals," said Parker, whose team are three points adrift of safety.

"So he'd earned the right to start and I was very pleased with his all-round game. People will judge him for his goals, I judge him for his all round play, his work ethic for the team, and I thought he was exceptional in that.

"The icing on the cake for him was his goal, it's just a shame it wasn't a goal which got us some points, but it bodes well for us going forward."

The capitulation at Villa Park saw Fulham miss another chance to climb out of the bottom three, following a home defeat to Leeds prior to the international break, but Parker insists his players will respond.

"As always this year, when we have had bumps and a little adversity, we've come back. We've got another massive game (against Wolves) which we'll be ready for, prepared for, hopefully better," said the Cottagers boss.

Villa substitute Trezeguet changed the whole complexion of the game on Sunday, scoring his first two goals of the season in the space of three second-half minutes.

The Egyptian told the club website: "I am very happy for the goals, but I believe in myself.

"I believed it was coming because I work really hard with the team and individually. I train every day and work on anything I might be missing to get better.

"Sometimes things don't go your way, but as long as you work hard, it will come. It just takes time, but it will come."

PA



https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/fulham/scott-parker-aleksandar-mitrovic-b1826907.html


WhiteJC

These Comments From Former Roma Owner Show Newcastle Are Still An Attractive Option

Sunday marked a good day for Newcastle fans for once. Not only did we pick up an unexpected point in an excellent performance against Tottenham but Fulham collapsed after taking a 1-0 lead at Aston Villa conceding three goals in the final 12 minutes.

Newcastle now hold a 3 point edge over The Cottagers with a match in hand. Hopefully, the lads can carry some newfound confidence to Burnley and find a way to get our first win in seven matches.

Even if Newcastle are able to hold off Fulham off and keep in the league next season, there's no reason to expect much of anything to change if Mike Ashley can't find a buyer for this club.

Steve Bruce could remain in charge but with a very limited transfer budget. There are claims that it would cost Ashley more than £4m in compensation to sack Bruce this summer if he keeps us up. So we could be in for another season of toil in which survival is the goal, though likely with fans back at St. James' Park.

The hope remains that Ashley finds a buyer or can somehow resurrect the Saudi-backed takeover. Though at this point that seems like a longshot with the Premier League firmly against the Saudi PIF having a stake in the league.

However, there will be interest in Newcastle at some point in the future. Newcastle are a sleeping giant just ripe for a proper owner, or ownership group, to come along. When that will happen is anyone's guess but with Ashley desperate to sell, let's hope it's sooner rather than later.

To show how tempting a club Newcastle could be for any potential buyers, The Athletic has published the following comments from former Roma owner James Pallotta about his pursuit of a new club:

    "I do think that if there's a place that makes sense for me, it's the Premier League.

    "I think there are interesting teams in the Premier League that have great history.

    "And it would be nice to see them getting back to it. The Newcastles of the world. Great, GREAT fanbase. Those are the kind of things I think would be interesting to be a part of with a good group (of investors)."

Pallotta sold his stake in Roma this past summer and had been linked with an interest in Newcastle since last January in the Italian press. Whether he will pursue Newcastle is unclear but his comments reveal that Newcastle remain an attractive proposition for potential owners.



https://www.nufcblog.com/2021/04/05/377815/

WhiteJC

Billionaire NFL owner quietly buying up thousands of acres of Illinois farmland

An Investigate Midwest investigation shows Shahid Khan has snapped up 24,000 acres in recent years, but is staying mum about his next steps.

This story was co-published by CU-CitizenAccess.

Illinois billionaire Shahid Khan is known for building the automotive parts company Flex 'N Gate, based in Urbana, IL, into a global manufacturer with 69 facilities around the world.

He also is known as the owner of the National Football League team Jacksonville Jaguars and the UK's Fulham F.C. soccer team.

In addition, he has given millions of dollars to his alma mater, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and millions to other charitable causes.

In recent years, he has added to investments by quietly purchasing farmland through a company he owns called Baloo Enterprises LLC. A spokesperson for Khan confirmed earlier this month that Khan has purchased roughly 24,000 acres of farmland in central Illinois.

    "What's different is that as other investments have either gotten riskier or there's a shortage of safe assets, farmland really holds the market position pretty well."

"He sees farmland as a good investment and legacy asset," said Jim Woodcock, the spokesperson. "He's not a stranger in investing in Illinois, where he has spent a good portion of his life."

Woodcock did not respond to questions about where else Khan, whose wealth has been estimated at $8 billion by Forbes Magazine, may be buying farmland.

A review of county property records identified about 8,400 acres of the Illinois purchases in 10 central Illinois counties. Baloo bought the parcels of land for about $84 million, according to a review by the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting. Baloo, based in Urbana, made those purchases beginning in 2015, which is also when the company was created.



https://thecounter.org/illinois-billionaire-shahid-khan-investing-farmland-baloo-enterprises/