Friday Fulham Stuff - 01/10/21...

[WhiteJC]

Mitrovic treble sweeps Swansea aside

Aleksandar Mitrovic might have had a hat-trick in stoppage time as Fulham stumbled at Ashton Gate on Saturday, but any doubts about the Serbian striker's predatory instincts were dismissed within 45 minutes as a sublime display of finishing steered Marco Silva's side past Swansea and back to winning ways tonight. Mitrovic delivered the ruthlessness that the Whites have lacked in recent outings, with his first half hat-trick lifting the Londoners up to third in the Championship table.

Fulham's number nine is already up to ten goals for the season having signed a new five-year contract at Craven Cottage last month. He is at the heart of a reshaped and adventurous side under Silva in stark contrast to the peripheral role he played as Scott Parker's side went down with a whimper last year. He opened his account inside twelve minutes and, though there was more than a hint of offside as he latched onto a forward header from Tim Ream, Mitrovic still had plenty to do. He turned Kyle Naughton effortlessly and picked his spot before rolling a low finish past Ben Hamer.

Silva's alterations from the deflating draw in Bristol all offered immediate plus points. Harrison Reed added energy to the heart of the midfield, Neeskens Kebano was a livewire down the left, whilst Joe Bryan – recalled to the starting line up after Antonee Robinson picked up a knee problem in training yesterday – offered the sort of quality crossing that Mitrovic thrives open. Bryan's first delivery saw the former Newcastle forward head straight at Hamer and, after Bobby Decordova-Reid lashed over from twelve yards, the full back and Kebano combined to set up Fulham's second. An eye-catching move saw the Congolese winger set free along the left flank and Mitrovic sent a low cross into the far corner – although he was far from the cleanest finish of his career.

Any suggestion that the home side were on easy street was soon shredded when Swansea scored from their first real opening of the evening. Joel Piroe did superbly to pirouette past three white shirts and thread the perfect ball between Tim Ream and Denis Odoi for Jamie Paterson, who kept his cool as Paulo Gazzaniga raced off his line, tiptoeing past the keeper and Odoi, who clattered into the Argentine into the box, and measuring a fine finish inside the far post. The goal galvanised Russell Martin's side, who played patient and pretty football throughout, but their hopes of mounting a comeback suffered a serious blow on the stroke of half time.

Fulham's third goal was a sublime move began at the back with Gazzaniga and Ream playing through Swansea's high press and Decordova-Reid releasing Denis Odoi into acres of space down the right flank. The Belgian whipped a low ball towards the near post, where Mitrovic rifled a first time finish between a helpless Hamer and his near post. He careered off to celebrate a second Fulham hat-trick, which he had completed just as Swansea were beginning to look threatening.

To the Welsh outfit's immense credit, they continued to threaten after the interval. Ethan Laird engineered a glorious chance for Flynn Downes within four minutes of the restart but the former Ipswich midfielder blazed badly over from twelve yards. The on-loan Manchester United full back typified Swansea's sense of adventure by taking on a left footed drive when he found himself in space 23 yards out – and his effort rattled the angle of post and bar having looped off Harrison Reed.

Bryan had to admit defeat just ten minutes into the second half after failing to run off a back problem picked up after a heavy challenge in the first period. Alfie Mawson's introduction against his former club necessitated a switch to a back three, which helped to negate the forward thrust provided by Swansea's enterprising wing backs, and Silva opted to withdraw both Wilson and Mitrovic with Saturday's trip to Coventry in mind. The hosts were never as threatening as in a rampant first period, but Hamer did produce a brilliant reaction save to deny Odoi when the Belgian burst into the area to fire Decordova-Reid's cross goalwards and substitute Rodrigo Muniz almost caught the goalkeeper off his line from inside his own half.

Swansea kept probing until the end, but apart from a scare when Gazzaniga came for and got nowhere near a corner, couldn't unlock the home defence to set up a grandstand finish. Silva, so dismayed by Fulham's wastefulness in Bristol, will be heartened by how ruthless the Whites were in the final third this evening. Mitrovic in this mood will be a menace for any Championship defence – and Fulham's focus will now switch to a lunchtime date with division's early surprise package on Saturday.

FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Gazzaniga; Odoi, Bryan (Mawson 56), Adarabioyo, Ream; Seri, Reed; Wilson (Cavaleiro 71), Kebano, Decordova-Reid; Mitrovic (Muniz 69). Subs (not used): Rodak, Hector, Onomah, Quina.

GOALS: Mitrovic (12, 32, 45).

SWANSEA (3-4-2-1): Hamer; Cabango, Naughton, Manning; Laird, Bidwell (Latibeaudiere 74), Downes (Cullen 68), Grimes; Ntcham (Smith 32), Paterson; Piroe. Subs (not used): Walsh, Fulton, Cooper.

BOOKED: Cabango.

GOAL: Paterson (38).

REFEREE: Josh Smith (Bedfordshire).

ATTENDANCE: 16,031.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/09/mitrovic-treble-sweeps-swansea-aside/

[WhiteJC]

Silva satisfied as Fulham return to winning ways

Marco Silva professed himself pleased as Fulham returned to winning ways after Aleksandar Mitrovic's hat trick saw off Swansea City at Craven Cottage tonight.

The Whites, who were beaten by Reading at home last weekend before going out of the League Cup on penalties and drawing with Bristol City, moved up to third in the Championship table after the Serbian striker's treble put them in a commanding position against the Swans. Silva told his post-match press conference:

"I am happy with the result. It was a very good first half from ourselves. In the first half we did so well, the way we beat the pressure, the way we analyse the actions. In our offensive transition as well, counter attacks, we had two fantastic moments, Bobby missed a big chance and the third goal from Mitro was our most perfect offensive transition. The way we built our attacks was really, really good. We knew that they like to press high. Without the ball, good organisation was a big part of the first half."

The Fulham boss conceded that Joe Bryan's injury affected their flowing football in the second half, but he was pleased with the way his side adapted to a change in formation.

"Unfortunately second half was different. We had one injury yesterday, we missed Robinson with an issue with his knee. Tonight was Joe Bryan. Without left-backs on the bench, we changed the formation and managed the game in a different way, not so much with the ball like we like, but we showed a good organisation and managed the game. The game was more balanced in the second half than the first. We deserved clearly to win the three points, we were the best team on the pitch."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/09/silva-satisfied-as-fulham-return-to-winning-ways/

[WhiteJC]

Modest Mitrovic praises Fulham supply line

A modest Aleksandar Mitrovic heaped praise on his Fulham team-mates for giving him great service after scoring the hat-trick that carried the Whites past Swansea.

The Serbian striker's second Fulham treble helped Marco Silva's side get back to winning ways after a week of disappointment and took him to ten goals for the season – but Mitrovic was eager to share the credit in his post-match interview with FFCTV:

"I think it was a good evening. A good win. It was a big three points after two games without a win. We showed both of our sides of our game. We showed in the second half that we could defend after scoring three goals and it was a big three points – so it was a good evening.

"I have never scored a first half hat trick before. It was good – and a very nice feeling. I always say when you have balls and good players around you, the goals will come. I had good service and the last game maybe I have been a little bit unlucky. I hit the crossbar three times, but today almost every touch went in. Today, almost every touch went in. I have to keep working, keep believing and we have one more big game before the international break. We have to use this momentum and try to win another one.

The players that play around me – Bobby, Kebano, Denis and Joe – we have played with each longer for a long time. We know each other well, we know how the other one is thinking and where we want the ball, so they were good balls, good assists and nice goals. The most important thing is the three points. Today was a perfect day."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/09/modest-mitrovic-praises-fulham-supply-line/

[WhiteJC]

'Excellent', 'Terrific team performance' – Many Fulham fans react to recent events

Many Fulham fans have taken to Twitter to react to their side's 3-1 home win over Swansea City last night.

Aleksander Mitrovic was once again the standout performer for his side on a chilly night in West London, with the Serbian striker helping himself to a hattrick under the lights at Craven Cottage against a defensive inept Swansea side.

The result sees Fulham into third place, with Marco Silva's men having only tasted defeat on two occasions in their opening 10 Sky Bet Championship games.

Naturally it didn't take long for the Fulham faithful to air their views on the result, with many taking to social media to provide their reaction to the home victory.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/excellent-terrific-team-performance-many-fulham-fans-react-to-recent-events/

[WhiteJC]

Marco Silva delivers update on condition of Fulham duo following Swansea City win

Fulham manager Marco Silva has revealed that Joe Bryan's injury does not seem too serious and added that they will assess whether Antonee Robinson is ready to return for the weekend.

Silva's side went into their game against Swansea City on Wednesday night without Robinson in their starting line-up after the left-back had suffered an injury during a training session ahead of the game.

That provided a chance for Bryan to come back into the side and make his second start in the Championship so far this season. However, the defender was forced off the field in the 56th minute of the game through injury.

Despite not having either of their two first-choice left-backs available for the final half an hour of the game, Fulham were still able to run out impressive 3-1 winners to get their campaign back on track after a recent dip in form.

Speaking to West London Sport following the win against Swansea, Silva revealed that Bryan's injury should not be too serious and he was taken off just because of the initial pain caused by the injury.

While he also added that Robinson will be assessed ahead of the weekend to see if he can return to action after missing the game.

He said: "It (Bryan's injury) doesn't look serious but it was painful in that moment and he felt he couldn't go through the game.

"He had a very good first half. We did very well down the left side – he and Kebano did really well.

"Antonee's knee doesn't look serious, he just felt something in the session yesterday and we will have to wait and see if he can play the next game."

The verdict

This is an encouraging update from Silva as does not suggest that either Bryan or Robinson are going to be on the sidelines for a prolonged period with their respective injury setbacks.

Bryan would have been very frustrated to have suffered an injury in what was his chance to really put down a marker to Silva and show that he should be starting matches week in week out in the Championship for them.

It is difficult to think of a squad in the league that has two better left-back options than what Fulham have to call upon and that means that there is also going to be one quality player who has to miss out on starting for them.

At the moment, Robinson seems to have the shirt when they are both fit. However, with the pair having both suffered injuries it might open the door for Bryan to force his way back in if he can recover quickly enough.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/marco-silva-delivers-update-on-condition-of-fulham-duo-following-swansea-city-win/

[WhiteJC]

Why Neeksens Kebano will be key this season
Jack Stroudley takes a look at the important role Neeskens Kebano could have this campaign.

Last night we saw Fulham getting back to winning ways, a silky and measured performance with a lot of plaudits rightfully going in the direction of Aleksandar Mitrovic.

However, one man who went about his business confidently was our charismatic and ever-loved Congolese winger, despite the inevitable rotation he's endured so far this season. Here's why I think the key to chance creation on the left-hand side falls to Neeskens Kebano.

A desire to create
Last season we became so accustomed to slow, turgid football with no one willing to bust a gut in order to create chances. Neeskens provides that in abundance; his constant willingness to drive forward and bring others into the game is something that Marco Silva needs to continue taking advantage of.

Kebano showed regularly last night his ability at this level, and he's someone who clearly loves the club. His loyalty to Fulham is a testament to his character and that, mixed with his evident talent, should be enough to warrant starting a fair chunk of games over the course of the season.

A dead ball specialist
On top of attributes stated above, one of the biggest components to Kebano's game has to be his ability from dead ball situations. We saw his unbelievable record at free-kicks during the tail-end of the 19/20 season, including an all important goal away at the Cardiff City Stadium during the play-offs. Neeskens almost stole the show at home to Leeds in the Carabao Cup where a free kick fell just wide of the post.

As well as free kicks I think he also has the composure and talent to be our regular penalty taker. We all know what Fulham are like from the spot. I think the Leeds shootout, as well as Mitrovic's missed penalty against Stoke, collectively reminded Fulham fans that our mishaps from 12 yards haven't gone away.

One man who scored a very well-taken penalty against Leeds was Kebano. As mentioned above, his composure in dead ball situations surely puts him in contention for penalty duties in the future.

Different options
It's worth also having a look at Neeskens' biggest rival in terms of competition at left wing. Ivan Cavaleiro has come under a lot of scrutiny among Fulham fans both this season and last. His inconsistencies at both Premier League and Championship level have left a lot of us disgruntled as to why he continues to play consistently.

However, despite me wanting Kebano to start on a regular basis, I think it would be incredibly naive to write off Cav just yet. Yes, his performances have been lacklustre for the most part, however he still clearly has a lot of talent at this level and will be a useful asset for Silva throughout the season, when fitness and injuries continue to take a toll.

Can he cut it?
Overall, I believe Neeskens Kebano has fully warranted a run of starts under Marco Silva. His abilities both on the ball and in dead ball situations is something we should use to our advantage regularly. As of right now we sit third in the table. If we were fortunate enough to get promoted again would Kebano cut it at Premier League level? That question is yet to be answered.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2021-09-30-why-neeksens-kebano-will-be-key-this-season/

[WhiteJC]

Club to make move for Fulham player in January – Have the nerve to ask for discount

André-Frank Zambo Anguissa has been a revelation at Napoli so far this season.

On loan from Fulham, the player has received endless praise from the Italian media. This week, one journalist even said he's the best midfielder in Serie A right now, and there's widespread agreement that Napoli got themselves a great deal.

Gazzetta dello Sport report the club have paid Fulham €400k for the loan, and they have a right of redemption next summer at €15m. That looks like great business for the 25-year-old, but Napoli have a plan to pay less.

Aurelio De Laurentiis, in typical Aurelio De Laurentiis style, believes that if his club moves to make the move permanent in January, instead of June, that Napoli can get a €5m discount from Fulham, so pay just €10m for Anguissa.

There's a belief relegation has created 'many problems' for Fulham's finances, and that the Serie A side can take advantage of that to push a cheap deal through.

Given there's a near certainty Napoli would pay the €15m next summer, and if they wouldn't then someone else will, it makes little sense for Fulham to offer a €5m discount just because the deal is brought forward.

Expect more games from De Laurentiis as the season goes on.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/club-make-move-fulham-player-january-nerve-ask-discount/

[WhiteJC]

Games for the Weekend 02/10...
this Saturday we're being sent to Coventry for a 12:30 kick-off.

Coventry City have designated this game as "Jimmy Hill Day" and £1 from every ticket sold for the game will be donated to the Jimmy Hill Legacy Fund.
Jimmy has a very special place in the hearts of both sets of fans, Fulham wouldn't have survived as a club without him.
Jimmy played over 290 games for Fulham from 1952-1961, he became Fulham Chairman in 1987 and stayed in the role until 1997.
For Coventry Jimmy became their manager in 1961, after he retired from playing, and remained their manager until 1967. Following a successful career in TV he returned to Coventry in 1975 as Managing Director and then Chairman leaving in 1983.
Jimmy's last public appearance was at the unveiling of his statue outside Coventry's ground.

Mitro's on fire! he's currently the leagues leading goal scorer with 10 in 10!
The first half against Swansea was us back on form, the second half wasn't quite as sharp however we managed to contain a very competitive Swansea, so it was a job well done.

Coventry will be smarting from their thrashing from Luton, 5-0, and I'm sure will be looking to keep their excellent home record in tact, Mitro may well have other ideas.

We've not played Coventry since the 1967/68 season and with both teams at the top end, 3 & 4, of the table, Coventry haven't lost at home so far this season, perhaps a score-draw would be a fitting result to remember Jimmy Hill?

I'm assuming that Bryan won't be available, as he went off injured, and as Kebano normally has a really good game followed by a bad one, my team for this game would be...

Remember this is a 12:30 kick-off.

COYW's

Games of interest...
Friday 1st
Stoke v West Brom

Saturday 2nd
Coventry v Fulham
Barnsley v Millwall
Bournemouth v Sheff Utd
QPR v Preston NE

come on over to the forum and join in the discussion...
https://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?board=36.0



http://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/?p=1771

[WhiteJC]

Former Newcastle United striker Aleksandar Mitrovic is talk of Championship after 33 minute hat-trick

Newcastle United sold Mitrovic in 2019 and he is loving life in West London

Former Newcastle United striker Aleksandar Mitrovic is hoping to produce his best ever season in English football after bagging an extraordinary first-half hat-trick against Swansea City.

In fact, Mitro's treble came inside 33 minutes as he took his tally to double figures before the end of September.

And while he has some distance to go to until the 26-goal tally he grabbed in 2019/20 he has now notched over a half-century of goals since joining Fulham for £22million in 2019.

Mitrovic insisted his hat-trick was all part of a "team effort" last night but with Fulham now in third spot in the Sky Bet Championship he will be eager to get back into the Premier League next term.

His boss Marco Silva reflected on the hat-trick and said: "Sometimes strikers have three or four chances and score three goals, last game he scored once and had clear chances to score more.

"It's the life of strikers. It was good to see him scoring three goals tonight because it was good for him and for the team.

"For Mitro to score three goals means he had a very good night, but the way we put the ball for him to score - every striker in the world cannot score goals if the team doesn't produce for him."

It takes Mitrovic's tally to 80 goals in English football since joining Newcastle back in 2015.

During his stint on Tyneside he scored 17 goals in 36 starts for the Magpies.



https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/former-newcastle-united-striker-aleksandar-21720229

[WhiteJC]

3 things we clearly learnt about Fulham after their 3-1 win v Swansea

A fine first-half showing from Fulham ensured they got back to winning ways in the Sky Bet Championship on Wednesday night against Swansea City.

A hat-trick from Aleksandar Mitrovic set them well on their way in the first-half, with Jamie Paterson getting what would prove to be a consolation for the Swans when the score was 2-0.

Fulham, then, will be pleased they got their three points on the board after a couple of disappointing results and, that said, we're now taking a look at three things we learned about the Whites last night...

Fulham can dominate without the ball
37% was the share Fulham had of the possession and that goes to show you it's what you do with the ball, not how much you have it.

The Whites, of course, will dominate the ball in a lot of games this year but they were content last night to let Swansea have possession, with the Welsh side not offering that much in the way of threat it must be said.

Indeed, Fulham were clinical when they had the ball and that is exactly what Silva would have wanted after some wasteful performances prior.

Scintillating transitions
Crucial to their performance last night and their effectiveness when they did have the ball was how quickly they could turnover possession and get things moving up the pitch.

Time and again they'd win the ball back or wriggle free in midfield and suddenly things opened up for them, with Harry Wilson, Bobby Decordova-Reid and Neeskens Kebano all tearing forward to support Mitrovic.

Fulham were thrilling at times last night, and showed they're more than capable of fast build-up play as well as the more intricate stuff.

Width delivers the goods
Fulham got a lot of joy from the wide areas last night with the likes of Kebano and Wilson regularly beating their opposing defender and looking to get balls into the box, whilst Denis Odoi and Joe Bryan also regularly forayed forward from full-back.

It's no surprise that two of Mitrovic's goals last night came after crosses from out wide and that again underlined Fulham's swift movements in the attacking third.

Their success last night came from quick, instinctive thrusts that didn't allow Swansea to get into shape in time, and Marco Silva will have been pleased with what he saw.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/3-things-we-clearly-learnt-about-fulham-after-their-3-1-win-v-swansea/

[WhiteJC]

Talking Points: Swansea

First first half hatty

We've previously seen Aleksandar Mitrović take home the match ball – after hitting a treble against Luton Town at the Cottage – but has the big man ever struck a hat-trick in the opening 45 minutes before in his career? "No I don't think so!" Mitro told FFCtv. "It was a nice feeling. When you're getting those balls from the players around you, the goals will come. I had good service. Last game I was a little unlucky, hit the crossbar a few times, but this time almost every touch went in."

Kebano making his case

After adding significant attacking impetus to Fulham's game following his half-time introduction at Ashton Gate, Neeskens Kebano was rewarded with a start against Swansea, and he certainly justified his Head Coach's decision. Kebano was a real livewire against the Jacks, particularly in the first half. In addition to his assist for Mitrović's second, another memorable moment was when his outstanding footwork deep in his own half helped set off the beautiful move that culminated in a fine chance for Bobby De Cordova-Reid.

Glad to have participated in this great game tonight🔥🔥🔥! Mister Mitro👑
Once again, many thanks for your support🙌🏾👏🏾#FFC pic.twitter.com/DzL1zmLTKT

— Neeskens Kebano (@Neeskens_Kebano) September 29, 2021

No luck at left-back

With Antonee Robinson missing out with what Marco Silva later revealed was a problem with his knee, Joe Bryan was given the chance to impress at left-back – and he did just that. It was Joe's anticipation that helped create the crucial second goal, pinching possession before feeding Kebano. He was staking his claim well, and so you couldn't help but feel for him when injury saw him exit the action early in the second half.

Tim's second assist

Tim Ream has been such a dependable figure for Fulham during his six years at the Club, but you don't often see him setting up goals! It was his thumping header which teed up Mitro for the opener. "I just saw the ball kind of pop in the air," he said. "Joe wanted me to nod it down to him, but I thought if I get it wrong with the slick ball it could be trouble, so I just put it back in the mixer. I had a little peek and saw that there was a gap in their defence, and luckily for us Mitro was standing there." That was Ream's second assist for Fulham, with his first coming at Deepdale when his long raking pass set up Ross McCormack for the opening goal in a 2-1 win over Preston in 2015/16.

Muniz in the mood

The last time we saw Rodrigo Muniz, he looked absolutely heartbroken after missing the decisive penalty in the Carabao Cup against Leeds United. Everyone knew he would bounce back, though, and he was certainly not lacking in confidence after coming off the bench on Wednesday, getting the crowd on their feet when he attempted an audacious strike from his own half that had the opposition goalkeeper scrambling.

Confidence levels = 💯

🇧🇷 @RodrigoMuniz019 🇧🇷#FULSWA pic.twitter.com/u4kvT67nZy

— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) September 30, 2021

https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/september/Talking-Points-Swansea/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham: Aleksandar Mitrovic stole the show vs Swansea

With Marco Silva's Fulham side heading into Wednesday night's Championship clash in rather poor form, as the Cottagers' had picked up just seven points over their last five league fixtures, the 44-year-old manager would have undoubtedly been hoping for a positive result against Swansea City, in order to get the west London's side promotion push back on track.

And that is exactly what Fulham did, with Aleksandar Mitrovic's hat-trick securing a highly impressive 3-1 win over Russell Martin's side, a result which fired the Cottagers up to third place in the Championship table, just two points behind both West Bromwich Albion and AFC Bournemouth in first and second respectively.

Aside from the victory, the performance of Mitrovic will have also been a major boost for Silva, as the 27-year-old once again demonstrated that he is a player who has the ability to fire Fulham up this season.

Two key passes

Indeed, over his 69 minutes on the pitch against Swansea, Mitrovic reinforced his position as one of the top centre-forwards in the Championship with an incredibly dominant display.

The £14.4m-rated man scored three goals, hit the target with all four of his shots at goal, completed his one attempted dribble, made two key passes and created one big chance for his teammates.

The player Silva claimed an "important" player in his side also completed 100% of his 12 attempted passes, his one attempted long ball, won three of his four duels and made one interception against the Swans.

These returns saw the striker earn a near-perfect SofaScore match rating of 9.8, with no player from either side coming anywhere close to receiving a comparable rating to the Serbia international on the night.

As such, if Mitrovic can keep up this show-stopping level of performance for the remainder of the Cottagers' campaign, the club will undoubtedly be there or thereabouts concerning automatic promotion come the end of the season.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-fc-news/fulham-ffc-the-cottagers-team-news-match-report-marco-silva-aleksandar-mitrovic-swansea-city-the-championship

[WhiteJC]

Harrison Reed sends message to Fulham fans after his side's latest triumph

Fulham midfielder Harrison Reed has taken to Instagram to praise the club's fans for their support during yesterday's clash with Swansea City.

After being held to a draw by Bristol City, the Cottagers managed to get back to winning ways in the Championship as they sealed all three points in their showdown with the Jacks.

Aleksandar Mitrovic opened the scoring for Fulham as he fired past Swansea goalkeeper Ben Hamer.

The Serbian doubled his side's advantage in the 32nd minute before Jamie Paterson halved the Jacks' deficit.

Mitrovic completed his hat-trick on the stroke of half-time as he swept home from Denis Odoi's cross.

Whilst Swansea did create chances in the second-half of the fixture, Fulham managed to secure a 3-1 victory at Craven Cottage.

Having started for the Cottagers in this particular clash, Reed will be determined to help his side produce another eye-catching display in their meeting with Coventry City on Saturday.

Making reference to his side's latest triumph on Instagram, the midfielder praised the club's fans for their support.

Reed posted: "Back on track.

"+ 3, let's go.

"Great support last night."

The Verdict

Whilst Mitrovic was unquestionably the star of the show last night, Reed managed to deliver an assured performance in the heart of Fulham's midfield.

The 26-year-old completed 86.8% of his passes against Swansea whilst he also made three tackles as he registered an impressive WhoScored match rating of 7.10.

When you consider that Reed has now played 102 games at this level during his career, he will be confident in his ability to retain his place in Fulham's starting eleven for the foreseeable future as he knows exactly what it takes to thrive at this level.

The Cottagers will need to be at their very best against the Sky Blues if they are to end their opponents unbeaten record at the Coventry Building Society Arena on Saturday.

By sealing all three points on their travels, Fulham could use the momentum gained from this result to launch a push for a top-two finish in the Championship.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/harrison-reed-sends-message-to-fulham-fans-after-his-sides-latest-triumph/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham boss Marco Silva provides initial update on Joe Bryan after injury in Swansea City win

Fulham boss Marco Silva has said Joe Bryan's injury "doesn't look serious" after he was forced off in the second half of their midweek win over Swansea City.

The Cottagers secured their sixth win of the season on Wednesday night, with a treble from Aleksandar Mitrovic helping defeat Russell Martin's Swansea City 3-1 at Craven Cottage.

Joe Bryan started at left-back again after missing out in the ties against Reading and Bristol City, though he was forced from the action shortly before the hour mark through injury.

Now, following Fulham's win, manager Marco Silva has provided an update on the 28-year-old's injury.

With Coventry City up next for Fulham, there are some doubts as to whether or not Bryan will be ready to feature this weekend.

As quoted by West London Sport, Silva stated that Bryan's injury "doesn't look serious", but provided no assurances regarding his potential involvement against the Sky Blues. However, he praised the left-back for his stint while on and his lin-up play with Neeskens Kebano.

Here's what he had to say:

"It doesn't look serious, but it was painful in that moment and he felt he couldn't go through the game.

"He had a very good first half. We did very well down the left side – he and Kebano did really well."

It now awaits to be seen if Bryan can recover from his back injury in time to feature against Coventry, with Fulham hoping to use their momentum and follow up Wednesday night's win with another strong performance.

Differing fortunes
While Fulham cruised to a midweek win over Swansea, it was quite the opposite for Mark Robins' side in their Wednesday night tie against Luton Town.

The Hatters battered the Sky Blues 5-0 at Kenilworth Road. It comes as one of the Championship's biggest surprises so far this season, with Luton heading into the tie without a win in six.

On the other hand, Robins' Coventry side have enjoyed a thoroughly successful start to the season. Despite the result, they still sit in an impressive 4th place and will be determined to bounce back against Fulham.



https://the72.co.uk/251887/fulham-boss-marco-silva-provides-initial-update-on-joe-bryan-after-injury-in-swansea-city-win/

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Player Analysis: André Anguissa, Napoli's Energetic Midfielder

After missing out on the Champions League spot last season, Napoli have got off to a superb start in the 2021/22 Serie A campaign, winning six successive games and sitting top of the table with 18 points.

The Azzurri did not go crazy in the summer transfer market, signing just one player for whom they paid a transfer fee – Matteo Politano. The other addition acquired by Luciano Spalletti was Andre Zambo Anguissa, the 25-year-old Cameroonian central midfielder who arrived on loan from Fulham.

Anguissa was brought in to replace the departed Tiémoué Bakayoko who joined Milan on loan. Napoli have an option to buy the former Fulham midfielder for €15 million once the loan period expires.

In this analysis, we take a closer look at Napoli's latest signing and discuss his strengths and weaknesses.

André Zambo Anguissa Player Overview

Born on November 16, 1995 in Yaoundé, Cameroon, Anguissa began his senior career in 2015 at Marseille, where he spent three full seasons and made 106 appearances in all competitions.

The Cameroonian midfielder moved to Fulham in the summer of 2018, one of the many new signings made by the London club following their promotion to the Premier League. However, he only lasted one season in England as Fulham were relegated and Anguissa was subsequently loaned out to Villarreal.

The latest Napoli signing returned to Fulham for the 2020/21 season following the club's return to the Premier League from the Championship, where he became a first-choice player in midfield.


Graphical representation of Anguissa's transfer value over the years (Photo: transfermarkt.com)

André Zambo Anguissa Player Profile

André Zambo Anguissa is a 25-year-old Cameroonian central/defensive midfielder who has joined Serie A club Napoli. Standing at 184cm tall and weighing in at 78kg, the Napoli's latest addition has made 4 Serie A appearances so far this season, mostly playing on the right side in central midfield as part of the three.


Anguissa's 2021/22 Serie A season heat map (Photo: sofascore.com)

Anguissa is an energetic midfielder who some call a pressing machine. With his physique, he is able to perform his defensive duties with greater ease. Apart from his defensive skills, Anguissa is also good on the ball as he has the ability to keep it by using his outstanding dribbling skills and height to shield it. He is also capable of carrying the ball for certain distances.

Anguissa's role in Spalletti's team is that of a box-to-box midfielder. He is allowed to move forward and participate in the attacks, be it counter-attacks or attacks with a solid build-up, while he is also responsible for the defense, especially on the right side of the pitch.

Ball retention and ball progression are the 25-year-old's main strengths on the ball. Anguissa combines his quick feet, dribbling skills and physicality that allow him to keep the ball in tight spaces or get out of them. Coupled with his athleticism, this gives him the ability to move the ball and get past opposing players.

In build up play, Anguissa is able to win the ball as he knows how to hold it and beat his opponent when under pressure. In high tensed games, he is able to help his team take the pressure off as he is able to keep the ball under pressure. In progressive play, he can be used as a route, as he can carry the ball for long distances and sometimes influence play in the final third.

In fixed formation attacks, he can be positioned between the lines due to his technical ability, as he can get the ball in his feet in a rather comfortable way. On top of that, Anguissa's agility gives him a good turn radius, which makes it easy for him to receive the ball from half-distance.

As an energetic central midfielder, Anguissa is able to be utilized defensively. He has the ability to recover possession from all kinds of pressures. Anguissa averages a 5.00 successful pressing recoveries per 90 minutes, which equates to 29.9% of all pressures applied. Apart from this Anguissa is also able to win duels, make tackles due to his physique, and ultimately position himself in order to block passing lanes and space.

Anguissa is capable of blocking the spaces around the inside channels and plays a pass to the player between the lines who stands in the half-space. When Anguissa protects the wide spaces and half-spaces, he likes to close down the players who position themselves on the touchline. This makes it easier for him to stop an attack or win back possession as the ball carrier has limited vision, space, time and decision making.

Although Anguissa is an extremely skillful midfielder when he is on the ball, the Cameroonian international is not flawless. He tends to take heavy touches from time to time, making him prone to losing the ball. Although he can recover the ball with his long legs, this can often result in him losing possession, which can also lead to dangerous transitions from the opposing team.

Another reason for losing the ball is the decisions he makes when trying to hold the ball or when carrying it. Anguissa tends to do too much by dribbling too much instead of making a simple pass or trying to make that extra yard when taking the ball when a simple combination play would be a better option.

Conclusion
To summarize, Anguissa has shown tendency to play aggressively out of possession, roaming to pressure and harass opposition players. He often lays off to attackers in the final third rather than going for goal or making key passes. The tactical maturity Anguissa shows in his decision making and positioning is extremely impressive too.



https://cultofcalcio.com/player-analysis-andre-zambo-anguissa-napolis-energetic-midfielder/

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Two Fulham fixtures selected by Sky

Two of Fulham's November matches have been selected for live broadcast by Sky Sports.

The trip to Ewood Park to play Blackburn Rovers will be screened by the satellite broadcaster, but will still kick off as previously scheduled on Wednesday 3 November at 7.45pm. Fulham's visit to Deepdale to play Preston North End has been brought forward to 12.30pm on Saturday 27 November to facilitate live television coverage.

A third game in November is also subject to alteration. Fulham's home game against Derby County has been switched to Wednesday 24 November so as not to clash with Chelsea's Champions League home tie against Juventus on its originally scheduled Tuesday date.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/09/two-fulham-fixtures-selected-by-sky/

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Fabio Carvalho's situation at Fulham: What do we know so far? Is a new contract likely to happen?

Fabio Carvalho's future at Fulham remains an uncertain one, though there remains hope at the club that the young star will sign a new contract and put speculation around him to bed sooner rather than later.

The attacking midfielder has emerged on the scene with some top performances in the white jersey of Fulham, and that has naturally attracted interest from a number of big clubs both here in the UK and in Europe.

Indeed, the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid are among those to have been linked with him and that just underlines the quality and potential he has, plus it's naturally an attractive deal given that the fee involved to potentially sign him would be lower than Fulham would like because his contract is up in the summer.

For more reasons than one, then, the Whites want to get this deal sorted but the understanding is that the club remains confident that an agreement will be reached eventually, to at least protect them from losing Carvalho on the cheap – and obviously boost their chances of having him around for longer than this season.

Carvalho isn't far from a return to first-team action after injury, meanwhile, and the hope will be both on and off the field he delivers what Fulham fans are so hopeful that he can in the coming weeks.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fabio-carvalhos-situation-at-fulham-what-do-we-know-so-far-is-a-new-contract-likely-to-happen/

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OFFICIALS: Referee Watch Versus Fulham

Gavin Ward will be the man in the middle...

The EFL have confirmed that Gavin Ward will be the man in the middle of the Sky Blues clash with Fulham this weekend.

Mark Robins side take on Fulham in Sky Bet Championship action at the Coventry Building Society Arena with kick-off scheduled for 12:30pm.

It will be the first time that Gavin has taken charge of a game involving the Sky Blues this season, with his last outing coming during City's 2-2 draw with Bristol Rovers back in January 2020.

This year will mark Gavin's 15th season as a referee in the Football League.

This season so far, Gavin has awarded 39 yellow cards and two red cards in the eight games he has officiated across the Championship and League One.

Eltringham will be assisted by James Wilson and Andrew Dallison whilst Geoff Eltringham will act as the fourth official.



https://www.ccfc.co.uk/news/2021/september/officials-referee-watch-versus-fulham/

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Fulham rediscover their ruthlessness

The headlines following last night's win over Swansea City were always going to belong to Aleksandar Mitrovic. The Serbian's superb first half hat trick – the first by a Fulham player since Ross McCormack's against Nottingham Forest six years ago gave the Whites a commanding advantage and took the peerless number nine above the likes of Clint Dempsey, Gary Brazil, John Mitchell, Jimmy Temple and Johnny Arnold in the all-time Fulham scoring charts. So simply did Mitrovic take his goals you were minded to file away his failure to finish off Bristol City at the weekend as an aberration.

Mitrovic, who appears to be pretty modest and unassuming off the field, was quick to credit his team-mates for creating his chances afterwards and, whilst the former Newcastle forward, was the clearest difference between the victors and Swansea, who are still in transition following the appointment of Russell Martin, he was right to highlight the outstanding displays of three stalwarts who have been bit part players under Marco Silva so far.

Neeskens Kebano, restored to the starting line-up after his lively cameo as a substitute at Ashton Gate, would have a compelling case for man of the match were it not for Mitrovic's laser-like finishing. The Congolese winger looked full of confidence from the outset looking to take on the visiting deference and he gave poor Ben Cabango, dropped from the Welsh squad for next month's internationals, a torrid time. Having played a part in the first goal by digging out a cross that was sent back into the danger area by Tim Ream, his purposeful running and precise delivery allowed the hosts to establish a crucial two-goal lead and Kebano, as has become customary, never stopped running in a perky performance.

So potent was his running and effective the end result that Silva must be close to considering the former Genk man as a possible regular in his side. Kebano has never been offered a consistent run in the side, starting just 32 league fixtures in his five years at Craven Cottage, but he seized his chance to stake a serious claim for the left wing spot with a dominant display that brought to mind his mesmerising evening at Millwall last month. With Bobby Decordova-Reid appearing off colour of late and Ivan Cavaleiro hardly pulling up any trees, Kebano looks like the most consistent option at present.

He linked well with Joe Bryan for the second goal, the pair combining fluently down the flank after the full back had nipped in to intercept an ambitious pass from Ethan Laird. The fact that Bryan succumbed to a back problem early in the second half was the only real negative of a successful night, especially when you consider that Antonee Robinson injured a knee in training on Tuesday. With Silva forced to introduce Alfie Mawson and adopt a back three, Fulham's second half display was one of containment rather than command – but the head coach would have been pleased with the way his side, who have let advantages slip away a little too easily at times this season, saw the game through having soaked up several prolonged spells of Swansea possession.

Denis Odoi shrugged off the setback of being doubly culpable for the goal that briefly threatened to bring the visitors back into the contest by injecting both pace and precision into a brilliant break that culminated in Fulham's crucial third goal. Silva suggested back in August that the experienced Belgian was not the ideal 'profile' to replace the injured Kenny Tete in his line up, but the versatile defender showed a sense of adventure to drive deep into the Swansea half and send in the perfect low cross for Mitrovic to majestically complete his treble. That it came shortly after Odoi had lost his man and then clattered into Paulo Gazzaniga in an attempt to make amends for his error as Jamie Paterson bore down on goal was a reflection of the 33 year-old's resilience.

Swansea's admirable commitment to Martin's preference for both pretty and attacking football was arguably their outdoing in SW6 last night. It allowed Fulham to re-establish their credentials as one of the Championship's most effective counter attacking sides and, in a pulsating first half display, the hosts looked like scoring almost every time they ventured forward. Achieving this when Harry Wilson, easily Fulham's most creative player in the absence of Fabio Carvalho, was kept relatively quiet proved particularly cheering. Silva's side are set up to punish sides on the break and, in this sort of mood, Fulham look fairly formidable.

There are still some wrinkles to iron out as the Whites head to Coventry this weekend, with Harrison Reed understandably a little light on match sharpness having hardly had any pre-season, and the composition of Fulham's best midfield still up in the air. But this was an encouraging return to form following three recent setbacks and, as Silva always stresses, consistency will ultimately bring the biggest reward.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/09/fulham-rediscover-their-ruthlessness/

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Coventry City defender has message for fans ahead of big Fulham test

The 34-year-old centre-back is also desperate to address the Sky Blues contrasting home and away form

Kyle McFadzean admits he and his Coventry City team-mates let down the fans with their midweek performance at Luton Town.

The Sky Blues were so far off the pace that they ended up feeling the full force of a rampant Hatters' side who were 4-0 up at the break, and added a fifth early in the second half.

City's stand-in skipper and centre-half has prided himself on outstanding personal form this season and insists the team will be doing everything in their power to bounce back against Fulham on Saturday.

"To lose anywhere 5-0 is embarrassing and we need to move on quickly and forget about it," he said, reflecting on the 5-0 thumping at Kenilworth Road.

"We'll address it during the international break.

"I just feel disappointed because we've let the fans down. They have travelled in their numbers so we need to put it right on Saturday. It's going to be a tough game, don't get me wrong, but we've been good at home.

"We are just gutted really. But we know what football is like and it swings round quickly and we have got a big game on Saturday now.

"We have to forget about this for now and address it next week.

"We know what went wrong and we just have to put it right now.

"We didn't deal with the first ball. We got told about it enough times and knew what their game plan was going to be. But we didn't deal with it and weren't good enough. It's simple, not good enough."

Given City's flying start to the campaign they actually went into the game as favourites.

"That's the Championship for you," he said.

"You can't come here thinking it's going to be an easy game. They were 3-0 up on Saturday and drew 3-3, but to lose 5-0 is not good.

"We had the best defence until tonight but we have to do it all again now. We have got another ten games to come in the next block so we'll see if we can get that back, and pick up as many points as we have in the first ten games."

The heavy defeat further highlighted the contrast between City's home and away form – an anomaly that has plagued the club in recent seasons.

"We need to pick up our away form because it's not good enough," said the 34-year-old defender.

"We've won one, drawn one and lost three now, and this latest one is embarrassing."



https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/football/football-news/coventry-city-kyle-mcfadzean-luton-21727472