Wednesday Fulham Stuff - 02/03/22...

[WhiteJC]

35 years ago today, Fulham Park Rangers merger scrapped

The short-lived Fulham Park Rangers merger – the brainchild of Marler Estates property magnate David Bulstrode – was killed off on this day in 1987. Bulstrode, whose plan to merge Fulham and Queens Park Rangers in a secret deal brokered after he acquired the ownership of QPR from Jim Gregory was first uncovered by the national press, backed down after furious protests from Fulham and QPR fans.

The death knell to the merger, which would have seen luxury flats placed on Craven Cottage after Bulstrode had admitted wanting to close down Fulham in favour of what he described as a west London superclub, came when the Football League and the Football Association opposed the proposals. This ITN report from the day succinctly sums up the story – and features Fulham fans picketing the decisive FA meeting and celebrating. 'Fulham 1, Bulstrode 0'.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/03/35-years-ago-today-fulham-park-rangers-merger-scrapped/

[WhiteJC]

Blackburn Rovers' sizeable ticket allocation for Fulham trip confirmed
Blackburn Rovers have confirmed they have sold out their ticket allocation for this weekend.

Blackburn Rovers are back in action on Saturday in the Championship's lunchtime kick-off away at Fulham.

Blackburn Rovers have confirmed they have sold out their ticket allocation for this weekend.

Blackburn Rovers are back in action on Saturday in the Championship's lunchtime kick-off away at Fulham.

🎟❌ Our allocation of tickets for this Saturday's away fixture against Fulham have 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁.

👏 Thank you for your incredible support, #Rovers fans!

🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/y7FVBUGvq9

— Blackburn Rovers (@Rovers) February 28, 2022

Blackburn back to winning ways?

Blackburn's triumph over the R's was a huge win and they will be delighted to have got back to winning ways.

It was a tough February in the end for Rovers and their goals seem to have dried up. They have won just once in their last six league games but will be hoping they have turned a corner now as they gear up for some huge games in the promotion race.

Mowbray's men are currently 4th in the league table, and despite being leapfrogged by in-form Huddersfield Town into 3rd place, they remain four points off the top two and four points inside the play-offs.

Fulham go into this weekend's clash in inspired form under Marco Silva and appear well on their way to a return to the top flight.

The Cottagers sit comfortably at the top of the table and are 11 points inside the automatic promotion places and are nine points above 2nd place AFC Bournemouth.

They are unbeaten in their last 10 league games in a run of form spanning back to their last loss at home to Sheffield United on 20th December.



https://the72.co.uk/264436/blackburn-rovers-sizeable-ticket-allocation-for-fulham-trip-confirmed/

[WhiteJC]

To 7-0 or not to 7-0? That is the question for Blackburn Rovers


Jan Paul van Hecke was sent off in Rovers' defeat at Fulham in

There will have been 122 days and 18 games, which have brought 10 wins and 11 clean sheets, since the now infamous 7-0 home defeat to Fulham.

While all that matters will be what happens when they meet again on the pitch come 12:30pm on Saturday, the rhetoric surrounding the fixture will be intriguing.

Tony Mowbray said in the wake of the defeat the result would live with himself, his coaching staff and the Rovers players for the rest of the careers.

Rather than confined to history, it has been inked into it under the heading 'record home defeat'.

The fact the previous two came in 1891 and 1947, 7-1 against Notts County and Middlesbrough respectively, means it won't be forgotten for a long while yet, nevermind 122 days.

Whatever happens this season, the Fulham defeat will undoubtedly be seen as a turning a point, even as disingenuous that is to the development of the players, the coaching the togetherness of the squad.

But it is hard to look beyond the fact that they trailed inside 90 seconds of their following fixture, only three days later, but responded with a 3-1 win against Sheffield United, the start of a run which has seen them average almost two points a game across their next 18 matches.

Fulham have only taken one more point than Rovers' 34 in the same timeframe, albeit having played a game fewer.

Mowbray has keen to point out a line in the sand was drawn from the very next morning when they painstakingly went through a re-run of the game.

'Why would you dwell on it?' asked Mowbray in his next press conference. 'That's not our team?'

Goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski added recalled: "It's a game that really hurt us, personally and for the team. There were things said obviously but what I remember from it was that we say what we had to say and the reaction was to put it right and let's stay together and show what we can do as a team."

They have answered that in the most convincing fashion.

Yet with Fulham on the horizon, how will Rovers approach it?

On the pitch, they will prepare for a free-scoring Fulham side running away with the division and with a player in Aleksandar Mitrovic who is breaking records with every goal.

It will be the biggest test of Rovers' defensive credentials since that dark night at Ewood Park in November.

Off it, how will they speak of that Ewood defeat? Will it be mentioned at all in the inner sanctum of Brockhall?

Outside it most certainly will, the question will be put to Mowbray in his pre-match press conference and the Sky Sports coverage on Saturday will likely centre about that night in question.

Speaking after the win at Bournemouth, Mowbray, when asked for the umpteenth time what had happened since the Fulham defeat, said: "It's about reacting. The analogy I used was if someone punches you in the face as hard as Fulham did you have to start swinging back and they have and continue to.

"They've shown what they're made of, they didn't hide, curl up in a ball and hope they didn't get selected and have to go on that pitch again.

"They stuck their chests out and three days after that defeat beat Sheffield United, who were in the Premier League last season, and are now pushing on."

If it is to be discussed, they should undoubtedly look at how far they have come in such a short period of time but not attribute it to that run.

Rovers' character has been unquestioned since, no signs of long-lasting scars of that night, so there should be no wounds to re-open when discussing it.

So rather than let it weigh them down, the response should be emphatic that Rovers head to Fulham fourth in the league on merit and ready to go toe-to-toe with the runaway leaders.

As easy as pointing to the Fulham game as being the turning point, so too could you pick out the formation switch for the 4-0 win over Peterborough United and the unavailability of Ben Brereton for the dip in form, and lack of goals, in February.

However, those are contributing factors, not undeniable facts.

The Fulham result remains there for all to see, but it's not a result that has defined this side, nor should the outcome of this weekend's game, simply part of the long-term development of this side.

Getting a result from Fulham will be a psychological boost, but not because of the result in the reverse fixture, but where it would leave Rovers' promotion hopes.

And that has to be the bigger picture in any talk about this weekend's meeting.



https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/19958792.7-0-not-7-0-question-blackburn-rovers/

[WhiteJC]

Aleksandar Mitrovic channeling Henrik Larsson as he closes in on Celtic legend's best ever goal haul for Fulham

The Serbian is one goal from equalling the Swede's remarkable 2000/2001 league total with 13 games to play


Aleksandar Mitrovic is closing in on Henrik Larsson's best ever Celtic goal tally (Image: Getty/SNS)

It says a lot about the season Aleksandar Mitrovic is having when you consider he's about to match Henrik Larsson's highest league goal haul - in March.

The Fulham striker has been in red hot form and has fired the Cottagers to the top of the Championship table.

Marco Silva's side are nine points clear of second placed Bournemouth and 11 ahead of third placed Huddersfield.

They look nailed on for automatic promotion to the promised land that is the English Premier League and a good bet to lift the title.

Mitrovic's goal return has been ridiculous, with the Serbian netting 34 in just 31 league fixtures and has already broken the Championship record for goals in a single season.

To put that into context, Celtic legend Larsson's best league campaign saw him bang in 35 in 38 games.

It was enough to land him the 2000/01 European Golden shoe with 52.5 points based on the league he was playing in and how many matches he played.

Mitrovic could equal that against Tony Mowbray's Blackburn Rovers this weekend.

But even if he doesn't, it's inconceivable that he won't surpass the Swede's tally between now and the end of the season.

Being a Championship player, Mitrovic can't win the award Larsson scooped over twenty years ago.

But he's comfortably outsourcing the continent's big name marksmen.

Robert Lewandowski leads the way on 28 goals for Bayern Munich, followed by Juventus' Dusan Vlahhovic, although the majority of his goals were scored for Fiorentina.

Euro 2020 scourge of Scotland Patrick Schick is third after netting 20 times for Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga.

The stats don't make Mitrovic a better striker than Larsson - only the most blinkered Fulham fan or Serbian would claim it did.

But his numbers in a league that isn't dominated the way the Scottish Premiership has been by Celtic over the years are seriously impressive.

Larsson finished his Golden Shoe-winning season with 52 goals in all competitions.

With 13 Championship games left to play, there's every chance Mitrovic could at least equal that as well if he keeps going the way he is.



https://www.footballscotland.co.uk/spfl/scottish-premiership/aleksandar-mitrovic-channeling-henrik-larsson-23247197

[WhiteJC]

Fulham U23s face Newcastle in Premier League Cup quarter final

Fulham's under 23s have been drawn at home to Newcastle United in the quarter finals of the Premier League Cup.

The tie will take place at Fulham's Motspur Park training ground this Friday, 4 March, with a 2pm kick off. Steve Wigley's side, who clinched the Premier League 2 Second Division title with victory over Aston Villa, won 6-1 at Newcastle in the league last month with sixteen year-old Luke Harris scoring a hat trick inside eleven minutes.

Fulham qualified for the knockout stages of the Premier League Cup by winning five of their six matches and finishing top of the group – only dropping points in a goalless draw at Colchester. Newcastle, who reached the final of this competition in 2019, qualified from their group with a game to spare – finishing second on ten points.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/03/fulham-u23s-face-newcastle-in-premier-league-cup-quarter-final/

[WhiteJC]

Williams and Mitrovic in Championship team of the month

Fulham pair Neco Williams and Aleksandar Mitrovic feature in the Sky Sports Championship team of the month, as selected by the analysts at Who Scored.

Williams has enjoyed a fabulous start to life on loan at Craven Cottage from Liverpool. The Welsh international has picked up his instinctive understanding with compatriot Harry Wilson down the right flank and supplied two assists for Mitrovic in his first two league outings. The right back has also helped Marco Silva's side keep three clean sheets in five Championship matches – the latest of which came at Cardiff on Saturday.

Mitrovic was probably almost an automatic selection up front. The Serbian striker moved to 34 goals for the season with his winner in Wales at the weekend. That was one of six goals last month for Fulham's number nine – more goals than anyone else in the Championship – and a measure of his confidence can be shown that he had 24 shots in January, also the most in the division.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/03/williams-and-mitrovic-in-championship-team-of-the-month/

[WhiteJC]

Sky Sports pundit weighs in on the Premier League debate concerning Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic

Pundit Don Goodman believes Fulham talisman Aleksandar Mitrovic is more than good enough to compete in the Premier League with his current side next term, opposing the Serbian's critics as he spoke on the Sky Sports EFL Podcast.

The 27-year-old has been in scintillating form under Marco Silva this term, adapting back to the Championship well and recording 34 goals in 31 league games this term, breaking Ivan Toney's record with 13 second-tier games still remaining.

Appearing as one of the first names on the teamsheet this term, he has richly benefitted from great service from the likes of Fabio Carvalho, Harry Wilson, Bobby Decordova-Reid and Neeskens Kebano.

However, Mitrovic must also take a lot of credit for his current goal tally having been extremely clinical, playing a huge part in why the Cottagers have the best attacking record in the division this season as things stand.

Not only has he been prolific with his feet – but also his head with the 27-year-old showcasing a range of finishes to get to his current tally – and he will be looking to get to the 40-goal milestone sooner rather than later as he continues to maintain his current rate of scoring more than one goal per game.

Things haven't always been smooth in the English capital for the forward, with the Serbian international recording just three goals in 27 top-tier displays last term, and was even open to leaving the club amid a strained relationship with former boss Scott Parker.

He is thriving under his current manager though – and Sky Sports commentator Goodman believes claims that he isn't good enough to compete in the top flight are nonsense.

The 55-year-old said (14:24): "There is this myth that he's not good enough for the Premier League.

"I totally do not agree with that. I think his first season in the Premier League with Fulham, he got 11 goals as I recall in a team that got relegated so that's not somebody that can't play in the Premier League.

"Last season, it didn't really feel like he was given a run of games to get into the groove of being in the Premier League.

"One thing is for sure, when Fulham get in the Premier League I'm sure he will be given more of an opportunity by Marco Silva."

The Verdict:

If given a sufficient chance to thrive, the Serbian international will take it and if the Cottagers do go on to secure promotion, you would certainly back the 27-year-old to get into double figures in the top tier.

Last season was a blip in what has been a glittering career for the striker and now he's playing in a system he's comfortable in under a manager he seems to admire, there's no reason why he will replicate his poor statistics from the 2020/21 campaign.

That season is now firmly behind him and if he can continue scoring between now and the end of this term, that will give him the momentum needed to thrive at the start of 2022/23. That will hopefully give him the confidence to continue firing.

There will come points where he will experience bad patches of form – but how he overcomes that will determine how successful he will be in the future. At 27, there's still a real chance he can go on and play European football.

But under a manager he's happy to work with and with teammates he seems to have built a real understanding with, leaving Craven Cottage now may end up proving to be a poor choice if he wants to seek opportunities elsewhere.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/sky-sports-pundit-weighs-in-on-the-premier-league-debate-concerning-fulhams-aleksandar-mitrovic/

[WhiteJC]

Sky Sports' Don Goodman makes Blackburn Rovers claim as club prepare for Fulham encounter

Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman has admitted that he believes that Blackburn Rovers will need to use their recent victory over Queens Park Rangers as a catalyst heading into their upcoming fixtures.

Tony Mowbray's side managed to get on track in the Championship last weekend by sealing all three points in their showdown with the R's.

Reda Khadra netted what turned out to be the winning goal in this fixture in the 77th minute as he fired a free-kick past QPR goalkeeper David Marshall.

As a result of this victory, Blackburn moved up to fourth in the Championship standings.

Rovers will be looking to use the confidence gained from this triumph to seal a positive result in their showdown with Fulham this weekend.

Blackburn may feel as if they have a point to prove in this clash as they suffered a 7-0 defeat to the Cottagers at Ewood Park earlier this season.

Ahead of this encounter, Goodman has shared an honest verdict on Blackburn's current situation in the Championship.

Speaking on the latest episode of the Sky Sports EFL Podcast about the club's latest triumph, Goodman said: "I think it's a massive boost.

"I think the fact that it was against one of the other contenders will also help their confidence and of course they have Fulham away next but then they've got a run against Millwall, Bristol City, Derby all at home and home is really where they've done their damage and the reason that they are as high in the table as they have been.

"They have one of the best home records in the league.

"So, it needs to be a catalyst for them, it's okay sort of liking the look at the run of the fixtures that is to come but you have to produce the goods and I think Saturday highlighted that they are capable."

The Verdict

Goodman's comments are spot-on as Blackburn really should be looking to push on following their triumph over QPR.

Whereas Rovers know that they will need to be at their very best in order to avoid defeat in their showdown with Fulham, they ought to be confident in their ability to cause the Championship leaders some issues in this fixture.

With top-scorer Ben Brereton-Diaz set to be out of action for several weeks due to an ankle injury, the likes of Khadra, Sam Gallagher and Tyrhys Dolan will need to step up to the mark in his absence.

Set to play three home games this month, it wouldn't be at all surprising if Blackburn cement a place in the play-offs by securing positive results in these fixtures as they have already accumulated an impressive total of 36 points at Ewood Park this season.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/sky-sports-don-goodman-makes-blackburn-rovers-claim-as-club-prepare-for-fulham-encounter/

[WhiteJC]

Report: Fulham want a striker who's been sent off more times than Mitrovic

According to Turkish outlet Star, Fulham are interested in a summer move for Mario Balotelli.

Balotelli is a player known by fans across England for his stints with Liverpool and Manchester City as well as his goal against the Three Lions at the 2014 World Cup.

The striker is undoubtedly an incredibly talented footballer. He's a former European Golden Boy winner, while he's scored plenty of goals in Serie A, Ligue 1 and in the Premier League.

However, as many know, when you sign Balotelli, you're getting more than just a talented footballer.

Indeed, the word enigmatic doesn't come close to describing the Italian.

On the pitch, he's a maverick with a rough edge, and off of it, he's one of the game's most notorious characters.

He's been noted for setting off fireworks inside his own house, driving around Manchester with wads of cash and even throwing darts at youth players.

It's fair to say that Balotelli is something of a loose cannon, but, with all due respect, the same could have been said about Aleksandar Mitrovic before he arrived at Craven Cottage.

Indeed, the Serbian himself was no stranger to controversy before joining Fulham. He was sent off five times in his career before joining the Whites, while his on-field bust-ups during his debut season at Newcastle immediately made him infamous in the Premier League.

However, since joining Fulham, he's calmed down. He's not been sent off once in four years since joining the Whites, and while he's still had the occasional fight with a teammate during a yoga session, he's mellowed.

If Fulham can do the same with Balotelli, who has actually been sent off more times than Mitrovic in his career, they could form one of the most outrageous, but brilliant, strike partnerships we've ever seen.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/03/01/report-fulham-want-a-striker-whos-been-sent-off-more-times-than-mitrovic/

[WhiteJC]

The Sean Davis Column

It was a great atmosphere at the Cottage last week against Peterborough. It's always a pleasure to come back and do the commentary with Jim and Jamie. We had technical difficulties so we literally had to run around the stadium from the gantry to the press box, and we just made it in time for kick-off.

The scoreline might suggest otherwise, but I thought we were very, very comfortable. They sat behind the ball and made it difficult, like we knew they would. We put them under relentless pressure and created some decent chances. Harrison Reed will be disappointed he didn't score, but he played an important part in the big moment of the game when his nice flick was read very well by Aleksandar Mitrović who then sucked the defender in with some great chest control into his path, and that gave him the opportunity to break the record from the spot.

He stuck his penalty away brilliantly, and then got another one for good measure. He backed it up as well by going away to Cardiff and scoring the winner, again showed that he's not going to settle and be content with what he's got. Now he'll have Guy Whittingham's record within his sights, and the way he's going, you wouldn't bet against him reaching that 42 goal mark. It's unbelievable really. Hats off to him, and the team, as without the team he wouldn't have scored those goals, but he deserves the highest praise.

The main aim now is to go on and win the league. The good thing about this team is the way they respond to knockbacks. We've managed to do that throughout this season, whether that's been with big wins or grinding results out. It's in our hands now, if we do our job and keep averaging a minimum of two points a game until the end of the season then we'll be crowned Champions, and those players will go down in history. 

It's been pleasing how we're coming out on top of these tight away games recently. You can't beat everyone 7-0 or 6-2 every week. You need to know how to win a different way. Against us, teams are going to set themselves up to be hard to beat and put a lot of men behind the ball, try and hit us on the counter attack. Not many teams are going to try and outplay us. I remember when we scored seven goals away at Blackburn and then went to Peterborough and it was a really difficult match. That's what the Championship's all about. There's a lot of games coming thick and fast this month, it's all about getting three points whichever way we can, and then moving onto the next one.

Our Fulham team in 2000/01 was in a similar position, in that promotion was ours to lose. We didn't get carried away, though, and I know this group won't either. It's boring to say really but it honestly is just one game at a time. Play what's in front of you. In any league in the world, you can't dictate where you're going to get points, and where you're not going to get points. The Manager's come in and been fantastic, and his staff deserve so much credit. Boa's been there and done it as a player. None of them are going to let any of the players take their foot off the peddle. We're in March now, and when you get this close you can almost taste it. You just want to get over the line, but you've got to be patient. Take each game as it comes, try and stay as fit and healthy as possible.

Blackburn Rovers will present a good test on Saturday, as they've got promotion aspirations of their own. I'm not sure many people saw that coming after our 7-0 win at Ewood Park, but sometimes a heavy defeat can spark you into life. Tony Mowbray has been there a while now and he's done a great job. I know they've had difficulties scoring goals since they lost Ben Brereton Diaz, but they're still right up there. There's a real fight there for the Play-Offs, and some of those sides will also be trying to gatecrash the top-two.

https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/march/01/the-sean-davis-column/

[WhiteJC]

Cyrus Christie sends Swansea City message after impressive win at West Brom

Cyrus Christie praised the Swansea City support as the side secured three points at West Brom last night.

Even though the hosts had a few chances, mainly through Callum Robinson, Russell Martin's were good value for the victory as they controlled play for large parts and had clear opportunities of their own.

However, they didn't make the breakthrough until the 79th minute through Joel Piroe. Then, Christie would seal the win, after finishing off another smart move from close range.

And, the full-back took to Instagram to reveal his delight at how the game went.

"➕3️⃣ Clean sheet on the road. Away support was class 🦢💥 Goal and a nice assist from the boy Korey Smith."

The result keeps alive the extremely faint hopes that the Swans have of finishing in the play-off places, as they're 13 points away from sixth position, but they do have one game in hand on Luton who occupy that final place.

More importantly, the win saw the Welsh outfit bounce back impressively after their heavy 4-0 loss at Sheffield United last time out.

The verdict

This was a fine performance from Swansea, even if Albion were very poor once again.

Martin's tactics worked, with the visitors able to keep the ball and that allowed the wing-backs to be a constant threat, including Christie who is right to be delighted with how the night went.

That was his second goal for the club and it continues what has been a positive start to life at Swansea for the Ireland international.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/cyrus-christie-sends-swansea-city-message-after-impressive-win-at-west-brom/

[WhiteJC]

Wolves had lucky break with Ivan Cavaleiro transfer exit

Wolves have been rather active during the transfer windows over the past few years since Fosun took charge of the club back in July 2016, both in terms of bringing new players to the club and moving some on elsewhere.

One player that left the Midlands club on a permanent basis in recent years that can now be seen as a good decision from the Old Gold is Ivan Cavaleiro, who made the move to Fulham in the 2020 January transfer window in a deal worth around £15m.

The Molineux outfit originally signed the Portuguese attacker from French club AS Monaco in August 2016 for a fee of £7m before eventually loaning him out to the west London club in the summer of 2019.

During his time as a Wolves player, the 28-year-old managed to score 19 goals and provide 20 assists in 106 appearances across all competitions.

Since joining Fulham, the winger's attacking prowess seems to have depleted somewhat with just 11 goals scored and eight assists provided in 101 appearances.

This could be why his overall market value has also decreased since leaving Wolves. In June 2019, Transfermarkt rated his market value listed at £9m whereas it now stands at just £4.05m, showing a whopping decrease of 55%.

Despite Fulham's impressive season in the Championship with 21 wins out of a possible 33, things haven't been particularly positive for the former Wolves attacker from an individual point of view either.

WhoScored have given him an overall performance rating of only 6.52/10, making him the second-lowest rated player to start more than one league game.

Taking all of this into account, it's safe to say that not only did Jeff Shi make the right decision in letting the £24k-per-week Cavaleiro join Marco Silva's side but also how well they did by receiving a transfer fee bigger than what they had originally paid for him.

Having been slammed for his "pathetic" actions in trying to get Cardiff City player Perry Ng sent off during Fulham's recent 1-0 win against the Welsh club by Steve Morison, it's not hard to say that the winger wouldn't have been a big miss for Wolves this season, even though scoring goals hasn't been their strong point in this campaign.



https://www.footballfancast.com/wolves-news/wolves-ivan-cavaleiro-transfer-fulham-premier-league-championship-news-molineux

[WhiteJC]

Sky Sports pundit issues "disappointed" claim amid Fulham star's goalscoring milestone aim

Pundit Don Goodman believes Fulham forward Aleksandar Mitrovic will be disappointed if he doesn't strike the 40-goal mark before the end of this season, speaking on the Sky Sports EFL Podcast.

The Serbian international has already broken Brentford striker Ivan Toney's record, registering 34 goals in 31 league games this term as one of the first names on the teamsheet at Craven Cottage.

Previously open to leaving the club in the summer amid a strained relationship with ex-boss Scott Parker, he has turned his fortunes around under successor Marco Silva with the likes of Fabio Carvalho, Harry Wilson and Neeskens Kebano playing their part in feeding the 27-year-old.

Scoring at a rate of over a goal per game, he will be looking to set his sights high and not only secure more goals for himself – but also ensure that the west London club finish with the best attacking record in the division for the 2021/22 campaign.

He still has 13 league games left to break more records if he can remain fit, though it remains to be seen whether Silva's side can maintain their current performance levels with promotion now in their sights.

For Mitrovic personally though, Sky Sports commentator Goodman believes he will be upset if he doesn't reach 40 goals, even with everything he has already achieved this season.

He said (13:49): "I mean you would be disappointed now if you were him and you weren't able to get to 40.

"And then if he gets to 40, then he will have an eye on Guy Whittingham's most modern record of 42.

"I looked at the montage of all 34 of his goals the other day and I have to say there was every conceivable type of finish that you could wish to see.

"Lots of creativity in his finishing but sensational with his head. He's scoring some headers that he's really got no right to be scoring."

The Verdict:

He's already scoring at a rate of over a goal per game, so he would be extremely disappointed if he doesn't end the season in the same vein of form he's been in consistently throughout this term.

The 27-year-old is only human, after all, but how he finishes this season may be an indication of how successful he is next term – and maintaining his good form until May could help to provide him with plenty of confidence.

Considering the Cottagers will most likely be competing in the Premier League, this confidence will be especially important and this is why he needs to keep his head, with promotion not in the bag yet either.

Mitrovic seems like a team player so he would definitely prefer promotion for his side above anything else – but he will want to play a big part in that and he inevitably will if he can retain his concentration.

That may be quite a difficult task for him considering how successful he's been – but he can reminisce on his achievements at the end of the campaign when promotion and his 40-goal milestone are sealed.

Now is the time to remain professional though – and you would certainly back the Serbian to maintain his cool.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/sky-sports-pundit-issues-disappointed-claim-amid-fulham-stars-goalscoring-milestone-aim/

[WhiteJC]

Ryan Fredericks has been rinsing West Ham for 191 weeks

Having joined West Ham United on a free transfer back in the summer of 2018, it initially appeared as if the club had secured themselves something of a bargain on Ryan Fredericks – a 25-year-old right-back who had highly impressed for Fulham in the season prior.

Indeed, over his 44 Championship appearances in 2017/18, the £1.8m-rated defender was in remarkable form for the Cottagers, helping his side keep 14 clean sheets, registering seven assists and creating eight big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of one key pass, 0.7 interceptions, 1.7 tackles, 2.6 clearances and winning 5.2 duels per game.

These returns saw the former England U19 international earn a seasonal SofaScore rating of 6.97, ranking him as Fulham's ninth-best performer in the second tier of English football.

As such, Manuel Pellegrini's comments upon the right-back's signing may well have been echoed by many of the Hammers fanbase, with the Chilean manager stating: "Ryan has good experience, with more than 150 senior appearances already but, at 25, he is still a young player with his best years ahead of him."

However, after handing the defender a four-year deal on a reported £75k-per-week, three and a half years on, the signing of Fredericks had proven to be something of a nightmare for West Ham, as the now-29-year-old never managed to ever truly establish himself as a first-team regular at the London Stadium.

Indeed, the player who Football.London's Tom Clark claimed had a "shocker" in his last outing against Newcastle United has started just 44 Premier League games in three and a half seasons in East London – making a further 16 appearances from the bench.

Furthermore, over his three complete league campaigns for West Ham, the defender has earned well below-par seasonal SofaScore match ratings of 6.67 in 2018/19, 6.78 in 2019/20 and 6.75 in 2020/21, as well as averaging an extremely disappointing 6.27 match rating over his four top-flight outings in the current campaign – ranking him as David Moyes' worst performer in the league.

As such, considering all of the above, in addition to the fact that Fredericks has cost the Hammers roughly £14.5m in wages over his 191 weeks at the club, there is, unfortunately, no conclusion to draw other than Pellegrini had a nightmare when signing the right-back back in 2018 – as the 29-year-old has been rinsing the Irons for the best part of four years.



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