Wednesday Fulham Stuff - 30/11/22...

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Fulham U21s score six at Hull
Fulham's under 21 side made it three wins from three in the group stage of the Premier League Cup by thrashing Hull City 6-0 in East Yorkshire yesterday afternoon.

Steve Wigley had to ring the changes with a number of his key players having travelled to the Algarve with the first team squad for Marco Silva's warm weather training camp, but the promotion of several under-18 stars and deploying the likes of Harvey Araujo and Luciano D'Auria-Henry out of position didn't disrupt the quality of Fulham's football. D'Auria-Henry, who began his career as a winger before being converted to a full back at Motspur Park, showed glimpses of his old finishing ability when he fired the Whites ahead inside two minutes after latching onto a searching pass from Martial Godo.

It was 2-0 just three minutes later. Aaron Loupalo-Bi continued his hot goalscoring streak by punishing some slack home defending with a terrific turn and finish inside the Hull box after a D'Auria-Henry cross had come through to him. Adrion Pajaziti made it three midway through the first half, with D'Auria-Henry involved along the right flank again, before the classy Kosovan midfielder finished emphatically. Loupalo-Bi grabbed his second of the game five minutes before the break, driving a lovely finish into corner of the net.

Hull would have been glad to hear the half time whistle, but the visitors weren't about to slack off in the second half. Ibane Bowat headed in a Pajaziti corner to put Fulham five goals to the good, before the sixth arrived courtesy of some calamitous City defending. Jevon Mills sought out his goalkeeper with a back pass but Thomas Macauley failed to control it and the ball rolled into his own goal. It was a slightly surreal way to end a sublime Fulham showing at the Dransfield Stadium.

The Whites now have nine points from three games and are three points clear of second-placed Nottingham Forest, who have played a game more. Wigley's side are in prime position to qualify for the knockout phase of the competition. They face Forest at Motspur Park in their next fixture on Friday 9 December.

HULL CITY UNDER 21s (4-4-2): Macauley; Emmanuel, Chorlton (Leake 45), Mills, Taylor; Wallis (Green 78), Wood, Hall (Leckie 78), Chadwick; Scott, Cannon (Lovick 61). Sub (not used): Voase.

BOOKED: Emmanuel, Wallis, Mills.

FULHAM UNDER 21s (4-2-3-1): Allen; Williams (de Fougerolles 72), Bowat, Odutayo, C. Robinson; Araujo, Okkas; D'Auria-Henry (Gordon 72), Godo, Okkas (Osmand 82); Loupalo-Bi (de Jesus 45). Sub (not used): McNally.

BOOKED: Williams, Pajaziti, Okkas.

GOALS: D'Auria-Henry (2), Loupalo-Bi (5, 40), Pajaziti (23), Bowat (69), Mills (o.g. 85).

REFEREE: Scott Jackson.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/11/fulham-u21s-score-six-at-hull/

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World Cup: Portugal Progress

João Palhinha and Portugal are into the knockout stages of the World Cup following their 2-0 victory over Uruguay on Monday evening.

In a clash low on chances, Uruguay could have gone into the break in front after Tottenham Hotspur's Rodrigo Bentancur danced his way into the box, but his shot was saved by Diogo Costa.

Portugal took the lead early in the second half when Bruno Fernandes' cross went all the way in without anybody getting a touch on the ball.

Uruguay had chances to equalise when Maximiliano Gómez hit a post and Luis Suarez sliced wide in a spell of pressure that led to the introduction of Palhinha in the 82nd minute as Portugal looked to see the game out.

And they managed to put the game to bed in stoppage time when a harsh VAR call went in their favour for handball in the area, with Fernandes coolly dispatching the penalty.

A point in their final match against South Korea will guarantee top spot in Group H for Portugal, though their superior goal difference means even defeat in that would likely leave them at the summit.

Posting on Instagram after the game, João said: "First objective achieved boys, we're in the round of 16 💪🏼 ! So proud to be living this dream ! Let's go for more Portugal 🇵🇹 🙏🏼"



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/november/29/world-cup-portugal-progress/

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Tottenham Hotspur (H) Tickets

Tickets for Fulham's Monday Night Football clash at Craven Cottage against Spurs will go on sale from Thursday 1st December.

Fulham welcome Tottenham to SW6 in the New Year on Monday 23rd January, kick-off 8pm.

Tickets for this fixture will go on sale to Members* (max. 1 per person) at 10am on Thursday 1st December, to Season Ticket Holders (max. 2 per person) at 10am on Monday 5th December and to supporters with a previous booking history at 10am on Wednesday 7th December (max. 2 per person).  

FULHAM V TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR PRICES

STAND	BLOCK	ADULT	CONCESSION/YOUNG ADULT	JUNIOR
Hammersmith	All Blocks	£65	£60	£35
Putney	P1, P2, P3, P4	£70	£65	£50
Johnny Haynes	E, EL, F, FL	£90	£85	£70
Johnny Haynes	Family Area**	£30	£25	£20
Johnny Haynes	Remaining Blocks	£70	£65	£50
Riverside	Lower & Upper Tiers	£100	£100	£70

£2 discount on above prices for Restricted view seats. Adult members receive a £5 discount on the above ticket prices for an Adult Ticket, £5 discount for a 65+/ 18-21 Ticket, applies to 1 ticket per member per game.
HOW TO BUY

Fans can now secure their seats online at tickets.fulhamfc.com or by calling the Fulham FC Ticket Office on 0203 871 0810.

Please note, supporters will need to ensure they are logged in to their OneFulham Account and have linked their ticketing account in order to purchase online. For more information on the OneFulham Account, please click here.

BUY TICKETS ONLINE FROM THURSDAY

*Membership must have been purchased by 10am on Tuesday 29th November - New Members after this point would not be eligible to buy during the membership priority window

**Family Area Tickets must be purchased over the phone on 0203 871 0810



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/november/29/tottenham-hotspur-h-tickets/

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Things we've done well this season: crossing

In the first of a series, Sean Guest looks at tactical elements we've mastered in our first 15 games.

It probably won't come as any great surprise to learn that Fulham are among the Premier League leaders in crosses so far this season.

After all, when Marco Silva became manager he made a concerted effort to convince Aleksandar Mitrović to stay in the fold. According to Peter Rutzler of The Athletic, Silva "phoned the 27-year-old before arriving at Motspur Park, outlining his style of play and how integral he believed he could be."

Unlike Scott Parker, Silva built his team around the Serbian striker, combining his abilities as a target man with the pace and creativity of two wide men and two overlapping fullbacks as part of a 4-3-3 formation.

In the Championship it worked to great effect, resulting in a record-breaking season for Mitrović and a chant about him, Harry Wilson and Neeskens Kebano that's set to be a fan favourite for years to come. Not a great deal has changed this season either, as Fulham have continued to put balls into the box at a high clip, contributing to Mitro's nine goals from 12 games in the first half of this campaign.

In fact, Fulham have produced the fifth most crosses of all Premier League teams to date this season, racking up a grand total of 290 over the course of their first 15 games. This puts them up there with Champions League hopefuls Liverpool (326), Spurs (316), Man City (307) and Newcastle (288), as well as West Ham (310), who round out the top six, according to the Official Stats Centre.

Low returns?
Interestingly, analytics platform Soccerment published a piece of research in 2017 which revealed that, back then, only one of every 64 crosses (defined as 'an attempted/accurate pass from a wide position to a central attacking area', not including corners/free kicks) directly translated to a goal.

While the research may be old, it took data from 98 teams across the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga and Ligue 1, finding that the teams considered averaged 18.6 crosses per match resulting in an average cross accuracy of 23.5%. It also calculated that only 56% of all completed crosses actually led to an attempt on goal, while just 11.9% of key passes from crosses became a goal, meaning that the overall probability of scoring a goal from a cross that year was a measly 1.6%.

This season, Fulham have averaged 19.3 crosses per game, resulting in 5.3 accurate crosses (a cross that finds its intended target) and a cross success rate of 27.6% per game, which is fifth best in the Premier League according to data gathered by FOTMOB.

Over the course of our first 15 games, we've scored 24 times, which equates to approximately one goal for every 12 crosses produced. By my reckoning, eight of our goals have actually come from crosses, which means, in real terms, we're actually scoring one goal from every 36.25 crosses delivered.

Significant contributors
According to Squawka, the key contributors are Andreas Pereira (92), Antonee Robinson (41), Bobby De Cordova-Reid (29), Harrison Reed (20) and Kebano (20), who have supplied the bulk of our crosses. Of these players, Pereira has the greatest crossing accuracy percentage (38.04), although he's only produced five successful crosses from open play thus far. Robinson and De Cordova-Reid have supplied fewer crosses with less accuracy (24.39% and 27.59% respectively) and yet both have been responsible for more successful crosses (10 and eight respectively), illustrating just what a crapshoot crossing can be.

To further contextualise this, that group has created just four goals from crosses (one assist apiece for Pereira, Reid, Reed and Kebano while Robinson is yet to register one), despite producing a total of 202 between them – that's a goals-per-cross ratio of one goal per 50.5 crosses from our most productive crossers of the ball.

It's also worth noting that Kenny Tete and Wilson – two of last year's most effective creators of goal scoring opportunities – have recorded just 25 crosses between them this season due to injury, resulting in only one assist (Tete's against Liverpool on the opening day).

Key to success?
While the numbers above put the overall effectiveness of crossing into perspective, it is worth reiterating that four of the league's current top six – Liverpool, Spurs, Man City and Newcastle – appear in the top six for crosses. The other two, Arsenal and Man Utd, buck the trend, however, sitting outside it in 15th and 18th respectively, proving that you don't necessarily need to adopt a cross-heavy approach to succeed in the Premier League if you're set up to score goals in other ways.

Fulham's approach is, however, further validated by the fact that right beside those two teams, in 16th and 19th place respectively, sit Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth, our promotion mates from last season. Like us, neither side can realistically compete with the likes of Arsenal and Man Utd in terms of creativity or quality and yet both attempted considerably fewer crosses than we did during the first half – Forest logged 222, while Bournemouth managed just 186. While there may not be a direct correlation, it is worth pointing out that Forest scored just 11 goals in that span while Bournemouth scored 18 (compared to our 24), leaving them 14th and 19th respectively in the league table going into the break.

While this isn't solely due to a lack of crossing, it does suggest that there is value to be found in Fulham's cross-heavy approach, which has been the source of a third of our goals scored to date, particularly when Mitrović is on the pitch.

Hopefully Silva will continue to exploit this value in the second half of the season, while attempting to improve the quality of our crossing. And who knows, if Wilson and Tete come back from the World Cup break fit and firing, there may even be room for improvement in this particular area of our game.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2022-11-29-things-weve-done-well-this-season-crossing/

[WhiteJC]

Mitrovic's Serbia vs Cameroon is 1 of 5 highest-scoring World Cup draws

Fulham ace Aleksandar Mitrovic scored once as Serbia and Cameroon drew 3-3 at the 2022 World Cup. The Group G tie is one of the highest-scoring stalemates in tournament history.

Both teams would have benefited from a win in Al-Wakrah to boost their hopes of making the Round of 16. Cameroon had lost 1-0 to Switzerland in their opening game, whilst Brazil beat Serbia 2-0. Now, they must win their last ties for any chance of making the knockouts.

Only two games across the previous 21 World Cups and at Qatar 2022 so far had ended as 3-3 draws after 90 minutes before Cameroon and Serbia met. Two games have also ended as 4-4 draws after 90 minutes since FIFA first held its quadrennial tournament during 1930.

Serbia will wonder how they did not beat Cameroon in a 3-3 draw at the World Cup
Serbia will wonder how they did not beat Cameroon after the two nations played out a 3-3 draw at the 2022 World Cup. Mitrovic got his nation's third goal at Al Janoub Stadium after 53 minutes on Monday. But Cameroon replied after their 1-0 lead turned into a 3-1 deficit.

Jean-Charles Castelletto prodded home at the rear post from a flicked-on corner to give his central African country the lead in the 29th minute. But Cameroon failed to mark Strahinja Pavlovic in the first minute of first-half stoppage-time as he headed in Dusan Tadic's cross.

To make matters worse for Les Lions Indomptables, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic buried Andrija Zivkovic's pass in the third minute of stoppage time, as well. Then came Mitrovic to make it 3-1 in the 53rd as the Fulham star made up for his host of misses earlier on in the game.

Yet not to be beaten, Vincent Aboubakar came off Les Lions Indomptables' bench to halve the deficit on 66 minutes. The striker might have thought he was offside – but he was not – as Aboubakar chipped Vanja Milinkovic-Savic. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting then got a third.

Cameroon collapsed in first-half stoppage time to let Serbia carry a two-goal lead into the break. They could ill-afford to lose the tie, though, and responded in stunning fashion with Choupo-Moting getting a 66th-minute equaliser. Neither side could then find the winner.

Now, Cameroon and Serbia's 3-3 stalemate has gone down as one of the highest-scoring World Cup draws of all time to date. So, HITC Football has taken a look at the other high-scoring stalemates through 90 minutes across the 22 editions of FIFA's quadrennial event.

Brazil beat Poland 6-5 after extra time at the 1938 World Cup after a 4-4 stalemate
Brazil needed extra time to boot Poland out of the 1938 World Cup in the Round of 16. The teams played out a 4-4 draw through regular time at the Stade de la Meinau in Strasbourg. Two goals from Leonidas in the additional half-hour proved enough for the Selecao to win.

Ezi did not give up Poland's fight, though, as the Katowice native hit his fourth goal of the tie in the 118th minute. His hat-trick had also forced the last 16 encounter into extra time after firing in the 89th. While his first two goals had drawn the tie level at 3-3 in the 59th.

A penalty by Fryderyk Scherfke initially drew Poland level after 23 minutes after Leonidas broke the deadlock inside 18 minutes. Yet Romeu Pellicciari and Jose Peracio restored the South American's advantage before the break. Peracio also scored to make it 4-3 to Brazil.

The USSR and Colombia played out the highest-scoring draw in World Cup history
The USSR and Colombia played out the highest-scoring game in World Cup history to end as a draw in 1962. FIFA drew the nations to face each other in Chile during Group 1 at the Estadio Carlos Dittborn in Arica. It was also the second of their three first round fixtures.

Valentin Ivanov got the USSR off to the ideal start when the centre-forward scored inside eight minutes. Igor Chislenko and Ivanov again then added to their advantage to lead 3-0 after just 11 minutes. Yet German Aceros gave Colombia a slim window for a comeback.

But when Viktor Ponedelnik scored 11 minutes into the second half, it appeared the USSR would avoid any collapse. Not that it stopped Marcos Coll (68'), Antonio Rada (72') and Marino Klinger (86') plugging away and securing a 4-4 draw for Los Cafeteros' only point.

England and Belgium played out a 4-4 draw after extra time at Switzerland 1954
FIFA allowed group stage games at the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland to go to extra time and finish as draws. But just two games required an additional half-hour and each ended as stalemates. Brazil drew 1-1 with Yugoslavia, while England and Belgium also drew 4-4.

Pol Anoul broke the deadlock for Belgium just five minutes into their Group 4 match with England. Yet when the centre-forward scored his second of the game in the 71st minute, the Three Lions led 3-2. Only for Rik Coppens to beat Gil Merrick and send the tie to extra time.

Coppens' 76th-minute goal struck out the lead Ivor Broadis (26' and 63') and Nat Lofthouse (36') had built England. An own goal from Jimmy Dickinson in the 94th minute then struck out the lead Lofthouse had just given the Three Lions when he turned Broadis' pass home.

Portugal and Spain opened their 2018 World Cup campaign with a 3-3 draw
Portugal and Spain opened their 2018 World Cup campaign with a 3-3 draw in Group B en route to both making the knockout rounds. The Selecao would ultimately finish second to La Roja on goals scored. Both won one tie and drew twice but Spain scored one goal more.

Cristiano Ronaldo accounted for all three of Portugal's goals as the Selecao held Spain to a 3-3 draw. He broke the deadlock from the penalty spot after just four minutes and scored again in the 44th. Diego Costa drew La Roja level in the 24th and scored again in the 55th.

Nacho wasted little time in building on Costa's second as the Madrid native gave Spain the lead for the first time on 58 minutes. His goal seemed like it would be enough for the 2010 champions to hold on and win. But Ronaldo emerged two minutes from time to fire again.

The Sochi showdown is the only World Cup tie in which Ronaldo has scored multiple goals over 19 career appearances. Even though the 193-cap Selecao icon is now the first player to score goals at five World Cups. He scored once in 2006, 2010, 2014 and so far in 2022.

Now, the 3-3 draw between Cameroon and Serbia – led by Mitrovic of Fulham – is also one of the highest-scoring draws in World Cup history with Portugal and Spain at Russia 2018.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/11/29/mitrovics-serbia-vs-cameroon-is-1-of-5-highest-scoring-world-cup-draws/

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Aleksandar Mitrovic and Tim Ream among Fulham stars up for Fans' Footballer of the Year award

Which of these players should be named Fulham's Fans' Footballer of the Year? Cast your votes in our annual award below...

It's been an action-packed 2022 for Fulham, with the Cottagers celebrating promotion back to the Premier League before an impressive start to the season.

Marco Silva's style of play has meant Fulham's return to the Premier League this season has been a far cry from their previous recent appearances at this level. Sat ninth when the Premier League paused for the World Cup, it has been a 2022 to remember for Fulham fans, with a number of thrilling performances lighting up Craven Cottage.

As part of our third annual Fans' Footballer of the Year award, four players have been nominated as the Cottagers' best player this year. From a free-scoring striker who has given penty of defenders a sleepless night to a long-serving veteran who remains one of the first names on the teamsheet, all of these players have captured the limelight in one way or another during a year that will live long in the memory.

So, who should be crowned Fulham's Footballer of the Year? Have your say in the widget above or by clicking here, with the results announced in late December. Keep an eye on our website for regular updates and stories around the award, and join the debate in the comments section below.

In the widget above, you'll also have your chance to vote on the main Fans' Footballer of the Year Award, where you'll decide who has been the best player in England over the last 12 months.

Aleksander Mitrovic

The Serbian has been in the form of his life recently and broke several long-standing Championship records with his goalscoring as Fulham won the title in style. Some doubted his form would translate to the Premier League but Mitrovic has nine goals in 12 games for the season so far, making it 30 league goals in 33 games for 2022.

Harrison Reed

The 27-year-old established himself as an integral part of Marco Silva's team last season and is just as important to how Fulham play this season in the Premier League. Has added goals to his game and is thriving even more thanks to the summer arrival of Joao Palhinha.

Tim Ream

Fast approaching 300 games for Fulham and heading to his first World Cup with the USA at the age of 35, Tim Ream is enjoying the fruits of years of hard work and commitment to the cause. He remains one of the first names on the team sheet and will be a big miss on and off the pitch if he leaves when his current deal expires in June.

Harry Wilson

A cruel injury ruled him out of the start of the 2022/23 season, but such has Harry Wilson's impact been on Fulham this year that he still makes the shortlist. A key member of the title-winning team, the Welshman provided 13 assists and scored four goals in 21 Championship games in 2022.



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/fulham-football-of-year-2022-25625613

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Fulham and West Ham joined by Swansea City in pursuit of Scottish starlet

Fulham and West Ham joined by Swansea City in pursuit of Scottish starlet.

Fulham and West Ham have reportedly been joined by Swansea City in pursuit of Partick Thistle winger Aidan McGinlay. The London pair have competition from Wales in the chase for the youngster.

According to the Daily Record, the Swans are keeping 'close tabs' on the Scotland youth international. He is being tipped for a bright future in the game and his current club will face a battle to keep hold of him in the future.

Fulham and West Ham could see him as a decent long-term option as they both keep one eye on the January transfer window. The Cottagers were promoted from the Championship last season under Marco Silva and have since adapted well to life back in the top flight, sitting in 9th place right now.

As for the Hammers, they finished 7th last term and are having to balance European football with league action once again which is proving tricky for David Moyes' men.

McGinlay is a player who Partick Thistle won't want to lose but the prospect of joining a team down the border to boost his development is something that could potentially turn his head. Swansea are the latest club to be mentioned and they are currently 8th in the Championship table.

Russell Martin is their manager these days and he has caught the eye with his attractive possession-based style of play. The Welsh outfit are only outside the play-offs on goal difference at the moment.



https://www.londonworld.com/sport/football/fulham/fulham-and-west-ham-joined-by-swansea-city-in-pursuit-of-scottish-starlet-3935485

[WhiteJC]

'Athletic, fast': Tottenham ace admits he's been impressed with player Everton sold for just £2m

Tottenham Hotspur's Matt Doherty has hailed Fulham full back Antonee Robinson having impressed the Irishman at the World Cup.

The United States have given themselves a chance of qualification out of their World Cup group after draws with Wales and England.

Two points from two games isn't ideal but it leaves them just one point behind Iran and two behind England.

Win against Iran tonight and USA will be through to the last 16 of the World Cup – and they may even top the group if England can't beat Wales.

Matt Doherty has hailed Fulham full back Antonee Robinson
Gregg Berhalter will be calling upon his star players to turn in big performances tonight.

Christian Pulisic springs to mind but the midfield trio of Tyler Adams, Yunus Musah and Weston McKennie will be vital too.

Then there is left back Antonee Robinson, who has been having a strong tournament without making many headlines.

Fulham star Robinson has been flying up the left flank to pose an attacking threat whilst also being very strong defensively.

Bukayo Saka didn't get much out of Robinson during England's draw with USA on Friday, showing the left back's quality.

Robinson has been so good in Qatar that The Sun claim Inter Milan are interested in a £20million swoop to bring him to Italy.

This looks ridiculous for Everton fans now.

The Toffees sold Robinson to Wigan Athletic for just £2million in 2019, seemingly believing that he wouldn't make the grade at Goodison Park.

Oh how Everton would love to go back and not make that decision.

Tottenham ace Matt Doherty has now moved to praise Robinson in the latest edition of his daily World Cup diary on the Spurs official website.

Doherty has picked out Robinson as his 'player to watch' for today., praising him as a 'good player' whilst noting his pace and athleticism up the left flank.

"Not an easy one today, but I'm going to go with Antonee Robinson of the USA, left-back, athletic, fast. He looks a good player," said Doherty.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/11/29/tottenham-matt-doherty-fulham-antonee-robinson/

[WhiteJC]

Leeds United: Pundit slams Dan James after first half moment in Wales v England

Danny Gabbidon has slammed Dan James after the Leeds United loanee was on a different "wavelength" during a first half incident in Wales' World Cup clash against England.

James was booked for a late tackle on John Stones with the winger's struggles continuing on the international stage.

Gabbidon felt the 25-year-old wasn't on the same page as his teammate Kieffer Moore, as Wales crashed out of the World Cup at the first hurdle.

"Just late into the tackle Daniel James. The touch from John Stones invited the tackle. He's not on the same wavelength there as he looked to play a first-time ball to Moore," said the former Wales defender (BBC Sport commentary, 19:29, 29 November).

Outclassed
It was a tough experience for James against England, but the winger must take the whole experience as a big positive. Representing your country at an international tournament is a momentus achievement and one James should be proud of.

However, it was abundantly clear this Wales side are lightyears behind the World's elite when it comes to quality. Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey are well past their best and Wales have been far too reliant upon them in recent years. Let's hope the pair retire from international football and allow for the likes of James to get more minutes for Wales.

The 25-year-old has endured a tough season after leaving Elland Road for Fulham. His loan agreement comes to a close in the summer of 2023 and his future could be a talking point in the coming months.

He certainly needs a stronger second half of the season if he really wants to stake a claim for Jesse Marsch's side.



https://motleedsnews.com/news/leeds-united-pundit-slams-dan-james-after-first-half-moment-in-wales-v-england/