Friends of Fulham – Page 27 – created by Fulham fans, for Fulham fans.

August 22, 2018April 15, 2020

Games for the Weekend 25/08

This weekend we’re back home at the Cottage to take on Sean Dyche’s Burnley

The game against Spurs showed improvement, this team will get better the more they play together. The inclusion of Anguissa came as a bit of a surprise however, he had a good game and showed signs of why we paid £20 million + for him.
Mitrović got his all important 1st goal, how often do strikers have to wait ages before breaking their duck?, and also displayed his ability to really worry defenders with his strength and speed.
Perhaps the most unexpected performance came from Le Marchand. Viewed by many as an ‘add on’ in the Seri deal he proved those doubters wrong with an outstanding performance in the back four.
Slaviša Jokanović will stick to his ‘football first’ philosophy however, over the years Burnley have been a bit of a ‘bogey’ team for Fulham and Sean Dyche is one of the highest regarded ‘young’ British managers, it should be an interesting and exciting game.

Games of interest

Saturday 25/08
Wolves v Man City
Arsenal v West Ham
Fulham v Burnley
Huddersfield v Cardiff
Liverpool v Brighton

Sunday 26/08
Watford v Palace
Newcastle v Chelsea

COYWs

August 15, 2018April 15, 2020

Games for the Weekend 18/08

Another trip to Wembley, this time its Spurs in the Premier League!

After a disappointing opening game against Palace this weekends game ‘on paper’ will be a far sterner test against a ‘top six’ side in Spurs.

The whole team needs a little time to gel but I don’t think that will take too long. There were lots of positives from the Palace game, Seri looks as good as his reputation suggested, Bryan looked comfortable and hopefully will prove to be a more than adequate replacement for Mattie Targett. Cyrus Christie showed why he was brought in as Freds replacement, if he can get some accuracy into his crosses then he’ll soon become a ‘fans favourite’. Mitro’ was Mitro’, and on another day would have scored a couple.

Games of interest

Saturday 18/08
Cardiff v Newcastle
Everton v Southampton
Leicester v Wolves
Spurs v Fulham

Sunday 19/08
Burnley v Watford
Man City v Huddersfield
Brighton v Man Utd

Monday 20/08
Palace v Liverpool

COYWs

August 15, 2018April 15, 2020

Team against Spurs 18/08

Over on the forum we’ve been discussing which team we’d choose to play against Spurs at Wembley this weekend, here are a couple of team selections…

WhiteJC

Although Fabri wasn’t as bad as some have made out, I think that we’ve loaned Rico to give both Betts and Fabri competition so I think he’ll get the nod against Spurs.

Assuming Ream and Bryan are fit I think this will be our regular starting back four until Mawson is fully fit.

The midfield three picks itself.

Harsh on Schurrle as I don’t think he did much wrong against Palace however, I’m going for AK rather than Schurrle as I like him, I think he’s going to get better and better as the season progresses. Sess further upfield is a no-brainer as is Mitro.

Not sure about the subs but I would probably choose

Fabri, Le Marchand, Schurrle, Vietto, Fosu-Mensah, Johansen, Kebano

Milo

Notable inclusions:

GK: Bettinelli
With the season well underway, we are forced to make a decision on our keeper after seeing them play for just 1-2 games. I would like to see Rico in the flesh, but until then Bettinelli takes the number 1 spot. Fabri was brought in for better distribution which we have not seen yet, but more worryingly we have seen his poor decision making coming off his line to take crosses, defend free kicks, and in 1 on 1s. I was disappointed by Marcus’s tweet, I think the more sensible approach would have been to let Fabri put the nails in his own coffin.

LCB: Ream
Hopefully he will be fit. I had read a few reservations about him stepping up to the Premiership on the forum, but having seen the Celta Vigo game he was faultless and will bring a great deal of solidity to our back four.

LB: Le Marchand
This was based on Bryan being injured. The Le Marchand we saw do well against Palace is not the player we saw in pre-season. That suggests to me that he struggles when out of position (ie not at LCB where Ream will return). That said, we either play MLM or Sess at left back. I do not think our full backs will get chance to go forward as much against Spurs so I have gone for the out-and-out defender.

RW: Kamara
Controversial. You’ve got to get the Sessegnon balance right – haul him off after one quiet game and you may affect his confidence. He is a level-headed young player though and will not let his head drop. I would much rather he came on with 20 minutes to go and pop up in the right place at the right time as we all know he can. On to Kamara, he is a real handful. Not at all what we all thought we were buying last summer, instead of the nippy striker we have got a battering ram. In the final few games of last season he suddenly developed a great first touch, good close control and passing. I think he will be an important player this season.

have a look at the forum to read this and other discussions about FFC…
http://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?board=1.0

August 9, 2018April 15, 2020

Games for the weekend 11/08

Fulham are back in the Premier League!

For our first game of the season we welcome Roy Hodgson and Ray Lewington back to Craven Cottage with his Crystal Palace team.

In a nice bit of symmetry our last Premiership game, 4 seasons ago, was against Palace, funny how this turn out sometimes?

So after the excitement of the, so frustrating at times having to wait for some of the deals to crawl over the line, transfer window we now get to see the ‘new look’ Fulham in action in a game that really matters.

What a transfer window we’ve had starting with Seri and Le Marchand, both from Nice, showed the calibre of player(s) we were targeting, Seri especially surprised many having been previously linked with a host of top European sides.
Fabri arrived next from Besiktas were he was a firm fans favourite making eleven appearances in the Champions League, and six in the Europa League, while he was also voted as the best goalkeeper in the Super Lig for the last two years in a row.
Mitro arrived after what seemed like an interminable wait, didn’t we all think he’d be the first through the door? But I guess dealing with Newcastle Utd was never going to straight forward was it?
Mawson, another protracted signing?, his medical seemingly was never ending, but he’s here now and once fully fit (September?) and ‘match sharp’ I’m sure will prove to be a fantastic signing for the Whites!
Schürrle came in on a two year loan, a World Cup winner with Germany in 2014, he played in six of Germany’s seven matches, famously scoring twice in the 7-1 thrashing of Brazil in the Semi-Final.

It’ll be interesting to see how well Seri, Schürrle, Mitrović, Sessegnon and Cairney work/link with each other, I can’t wait.

On transfer deadline day we manage to secure a number of deals, Sergio Rico, Joe Bryan, Andre Zambo Anguish, Luciano Vietto and Timothy Fosu-Mensah. (at time of writing only the Rico & Bryan deals have been confirmed on the club website)
If any of these will be ready for Saturday remains to be seen?

With Odoi banned for this game and the next game, following his red card at the play-off final, the back four should also be interesting, will they line-up as for the friendly against Celta Vigo? Christie, Ream, Le Marchand, R. Sessegnon or will Slaviša go with a different line-up? will he include Calum Chambers having joined so recently and perhaps allow Ryan to play further up-field? or will Joe Bryan and Tosu-Mensah get a run out?

Also will Betts, Fabri or Sergio Rico get the shout as goalie, according to some reports Bettinelli has been carrying an injury for most of the closed season?

COYWs

GAMES OF INTEREST…

Friday 10th
Man Utd v Leicester

Saturday 11th
Newcastle v Spurs
Bournemouth V Cardiff
Fulham v Crystal Palace
Wolves v Everton

Sunday 12th
Southampton v Burnley
Arsenal v Man City

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July 5, 2018April 15, 2020

Fantasy Kits

So while we wait for Fulham to “pull their finger out” and release next seasons kit(s) we’ve been having some fun over on the FoF message board…

http://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?topic=66073.0

here are some of the design ideas…

home kits

kits based on the World Cup

away kits

3rd kit

ALL of these are “wishful thinking” if any bear any relation to the final kits I’d be amazed at the coincidence, these are just a bit of fun however, I don’t understand why Fulham are always amounts the last to release their new kit every season?

I can’t help thinking that the club is loosing sales due to the continual late release of the kit(s)?

What’s more baffling is the “new” designs would have been agreed last November/December?

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May 16, 2018April 15, 2020

Play-Off FINAL

Wembley, Wembley, we’re the oldest team in London and we’re going to Wembley

We overturned the 1 goal deficit against Derby County with a 2-0 win at Craven Cottage which gives us the opportunity to go to Wembley for the play-off final to decide who’ll be playing Premiership football next season.

Aston Villa will be out opponents, they beat Middlesborough 1-0 over the two legs.

43 year ago Fulham had a disappointing visit to the “old” Wembley loosing to West Ham in the FA Cup Final after the longest FA Cup run in history, it’s a funny coincidence that Villa and West Ham have the same shirts? however I’m looking forward to a better result this time.

Our record against Villa this season:
21 Oct 2017 Villa 2-1 Fulham
17 Feb 2017 Fulham 2-0 Villa

COYW’s

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May 6, 2018April 15, 2020

the Play-off’s

so after a record breaking unbeaten run we slip-up at Birmingham, unfortunate but what a run that was!

We now face Derby County to see who progresses to the play-off final.

Should you need a reminder of our two league games against them they were…
(home) 1-1 November
(away) 1-2 March

…so we’ve a reasonable record against them for this season.

The first game will be away at Pride Park on Friday evening 11/05, kick-off 19:45

The return leg will be the following Monday evening 14/05, kick-off 19:45, at Craven Cottage

I’m sure that Joka’ and the lads are disappointed that we didn’t get automatic promotion but with the run of form we’re in we’ve no-one to fear.

Derby’s last five results…
14/04/18 – Burton 3-1 Derby
21/04/18 – Derby 1-2 Middlesborough
24/04/18 – Derby 3-1 Cardiff
28/04/18 – Aston Villa 1-1 Derby
06/05/18 – Derby 4-1 Barnsley

whatever the result(s) we’ve had a fantastic season and this calendar year the lads have done us proud week in-week out.

I’d love a trip to Wembley

COYWs

May 1, 2018April 15, 2020

Championship “Play Offs”

love ’em or loath ’em it’s play off time

dates for the games are as follows…

1st Round

Friday 11th May – 19:45

Saturday 12th May – 17:15

2nd Round

Monday 14th May – 19:45

Tuesday 15th May – 19:45

the Final

? v ?
Saturday 26th May – 17:00

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May 1, 2018April 15, 2020

Games of interest for the last “full” day of the season 06/05

Fulham travel to Birmingham for the last “proper” game of the season

Even though it’s a “full card” on Sunday when all games are played at the same time, in truth there’s only two games of interest to us?, Birmingham v Fulham and Cardiff v Reading. If Cardiff fail to get a better result than us then we’ll get automatic promotion however if they beat Reading then for us its 3rd place and the play-offs!

We’re still unbeaten after 23 games, thats better than Man City! in any league that’s a fantastic achievement and we’ve played some beautiful stuff as well as grinding out a result or two. Cardiff have won 3, lost 3 and drawn 1 in the last 7 games (all in April) however their home form has been formidable, they’ve only lost 4 games all season (we beat them 2-4) while Reading’s away form has been ‘indifferent’ they’ve only won 5 away games so far this season.

So assuming Cardiff get the win then there are some other games that will have an impact on who gets the last top six and therefor a play-off place. Derby (72) are currently in 6th, Preston NE (70) are 7th and Millwall (69) are 8th with no other teams able to catch Derby.

games of interest include…

SUNDAY 6TH MAY

Birmingham v Fulham

Cardiff v Reading

Derby v Barnsley

Millwall v Aston Villa

Preston NE v Burton Albion

COYWs

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April 25, 2018April 15, 2020

Games of interest for weekend 27-29/04

Fulham welcome back “Cookie” and his Sunderland team to Craven Cottage for our last home game of the season

This will be our 3rd televised game in a row and the 2nd on a Friday evening, I’m sure that moving the game to a Friday will have upset many, many supporters arrangements. With the game move and Sunderland’s demotion to the 3rd tier, I can’t think of it as division one, I’m guessing that the away support will be a lot lower than it would of been, after all Sunderland’s not just around the corner is it!?

Last weeks game against Millwall showed how good we can be, if we win, tempting fate I know but I do think that we’ll get the result we need, or get a draw we’ll then beat Man City’s record of unbeaten games! not bad for little ol’ Fulham. With Cardiff loosing mid-week against Derby, their “game in hand”, the last couple of games of the ‘season proper’ are going to be really, really interesting!

games of interest this weekend include…

FRIDAY 27TH APRIL

Fulham v Sunderland

SATURDAY 28TH APRIL

Aston Villa v Derby

Hull v Cardiff

Nottm Forest v Bristol City

Middlesborough v Millwall

Sheffield Utd v Preston NE

Wolves v Sheff Wed

COYWs

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