Friday Fulham Stuff (14/12/18)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham's attack would receive some much-needed help if this powerful 27-year-old joins them in January

Why Fulham should make a move for Wahbi Khazri in January

A win over Southampton in his first game in charge suggested that Claudio Ranieri might be the perfect man to guide Fulham away from the relegation zone. Three games and a point later, it is clear that Ranieri will have to do a miracle to keep the Cottagers in the Premier League.

Fulham are at the rock bottom in the table, having conceded 40 goals already this season. Surely, they are not in a good shape and the players are lacking confidence at the moment. The Cottagers have been in shambles defensively and toothless in the attack, so a defender and an attacking player should be prioritised by Ranieri in the transfer market.

Speaking about Fulham's attack, the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic, Andre Schurrle, Aboubakar Kamara and Luciano Vietto have contributed just 14 goals this season. With the attacking talent that Fulham have in their squad, they are capable of more but Ranieri has very little time to rely upon his players when they are not producing the goods.

That said, the Italian manager should bolster his attacking ranks by signing Saint-Etienne forward Wahbi Khazri. The 27-year-old has been in brilliant form since joining Saint-Etienne from Sunderland earlier this summer, scoring 8 goals and providing an assist in 15 Ligue 1 games. He has got back his mojo since returning to France and could be a fantastic addition to the Fulham side which is lacking goals.

An attacking midfielder by trade, Wahbi Khazri can also play on either wing, as a secondary striker and also as a false 9. He has the ability to lead the attack all by himself but he is more lethal when paired with an out-and-out striker as it helps him create space for himself as well as his teammates.

The Tunisia international is known for his ability to cut inside with pace and use his shooting ability to good effect to find the net from the edge of the box. He has a good first-touch and keeps exceptional close control, allowing him to use his dribbling to weave his way past the defenders. Khazri is also adept at link-up play and often plays short passes to combine effectively with his teammates down the flanks.

At 27, Khazri is set to enter the prime years of his career. He would add a different flavour to Fulham's attack, while also providing cover for Mitrovic. Khazri's previous spell in England with Sunderland makes him a gamble but his pace and power should fit very well with Fulham's style of play under Ranieri.

That said, Fulham should definitely make a move for Khazri to bolster the squad in January.



https://soccersouls.com/2018/12/13/fulhams-attack-would-receive-some-much-needed-help-if-this-powerful-27-year-old-joins-them-in-january/

[WhiteJC]

 
Sources at Portuguese club reveal complaint over Fulham presented to FIFA

Portuguese club Paços de Ferreira have taken legal action against Fulham and Nice over the transfer of Michael Seri.

Newspaper A Bola brings a story in which sources from the Primeira Liga club confirm that they have presented a complaint to FIFA about the case.

There's the suspicion that Fulham and Nice weren't straight about the player's transfer fee.

The plan they would have used was to increase the price of Maxime Le Marchand, who was also sold from Nice to Fulham in the last summer.

So even though Nice got a fair amount for the duo, the theory is they announced separate deals to make Seri look cheaper.

The clubs would have done that to decrease the profits that Paços de Ferreira and others would make with Seri's transfer, since the Portuguese club had 10% of a future sale agreed when he moved to Nice in 2015.

Now Paços de Ferreira are after their money.

This has already been covered in France, from the perspective of Seri and his agents missing out, and it's interesting that Paços sources now confirm they're also taking action.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/sources-portuguese-club-reveal-complaint-fulham-presented-fifa/

[WhiteJC]

 
More of the same from West Ham against deflated Fulham

West Ham will hop on the bus for a quick ride across London to visit Fulham as the Hammers look to continue their unbeaten streak in December. With nine goals, nine points, and three wins in their last three matches West Ham will need more of the same against a sluggish Fulham team.

Fulham proactively fired their manager Slavisa Jokanovic in recent weeks to try and right the ship out of the relegation zone and to Premier League safety. The move saw Leicester City league winning manager Claudio Ranieri offered the position and a lifeline back into the league.

It would be an understatement to say things haven't gone as planned for the cottagers under Ranieri, despite winning his first match 3-2 over relegation favorites Southampton. Since then Fulham have lost two and draw one, conceding seven goals while scoring only two.

West Ham have been, for the past few seasons, the team that would bust their opponents out of slumps similar to that of Fulhams, but no more. The solid spine of the Hammers has corrected the course of the ship and is sending the team towards Premier League stability with eyes on European competitions.

What West Ham can do to achieve these goals is take it one match at a time, and for their upcoming opponent Fulham, West Ham need to implement the game plan they used against Newcastle – shutdown their big striker, and stymy their aggressive playmaking midfielders.

The big is Aleksandar Mitrovic, and much like how Issa Diop and Fabian Balbuena shut down Salomon Rondon, they will be needed again to win the aerial duels here. Mitrovic has scored 7 of Fulham's 16 Premier League goals this season, four of which came from headers. If given space Mitrovic can hurt you with his right foot too, but overall he offers less when it comes to solo play than Rondon, who was previously pocketed by the centre-back duo.

Positioning and aggressiveness helped Diop and Balbuena keep Rondon in check against Newcastle. Mitrovic is a bit nastier and more physical, but he will be isolated in a solo striker position which should allow the defenders to double team him when needed. As well, the offside trap will be needed to force turnovers just as West Ham did incredibly well against the Magpies.

The players in midfield West Ham will need to shut down are Ryan Sessegnon and Andre Schurrle, Fulham's playmakers and spark plugs.

Sessegnon was pegged for the limelight after an unbelievable season last year in Fulham's promotion campaign, however with just one goal in 16 matches this season he has been a flop for his team. There is no doubt that the 18-year-old will be a star for club and country in the future and that's why his skill set, built around his pace, cannot be overlooked in this match. Pablo Zabaleta is coming off of a terrific match shutting down Wilfred Zaha and should be primed to keep Sessegnon quiet as well.

Andre Schurrle was a terrific recruit for Fulham ahead of this season and has contributed five goals so far this season. Arthur Masuaku will have to keep close tabs on this player who likes to drift inside and get central in support of his striker. There should be plenty of support from Rice and Noble in midfield when they're not pressuring Tom Cairney and Jean-Michael Seri, Fulham's more central midfielders.

Much like Ayoze Perez and Kenedy from Newcastle, West Ham brought pressure on these attackers and lulled them into the offside trap when they could, forcing errors and turnovers to halt the Newcastle offense. This should be the game plan again in an attempt to disrupt the attack via structure and drilling.

Fulham have some impressive players I would love to have on West Ham, however, there has been so much turnover and turmoil this season for the club so far that gelling hasn't happened yet. West Ham need to stay relentless and pounce on a limping Fulham team to stay unbeaten. They have the game plan ready to go, now it's time to deploy it again.



https://greenstreethammers.com/2018/12/13/west-ham-inspired-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

 
West Ham United Tickets

There's still time to secure your seat at Craven Cottage for this Saturday's London derby as Fulham take on West Ham United.

The Whites are back in Premier League action when they face the Irons on Saturday 15th December, kick-off 5:30pm.

Season Ticket Holders, Members and supporters with a Booking History can all purchase up to four tickets each, priced from £30 adults & £20 juniors.

Don't miss out - get behind the boys and secure your seat now online, by phone on 0203 871 0810 (Opt 1) or in person from the Fulham Ticket Office.

Come On You Whites!



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/december/12/whu-tickets

[WhiteJC]

 
Journalist issues update on Reading's pursuit of Slavisa Jokanovic

Reading Football Club are not looking at former Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic to become the club's new manager, according to Football London journalist Jonathan Low.

Reports from The Daily Mail's live transfer blog on Tuesday afternoon (12:19pm) claimed that the Royals were interested in appointing the 50-year old as the club's new manager, after Paul Clement was sacked last week.

But Low, despite speculation linking the former Fulham manager with the vacant role at the Madejski Stadium, has played down these rumours on his personal Twitter page.

Jokanovic would be seen as the perfect appointment for many Reading fans – he led Fulham to promotion to the Premier League last season, playing some fantastic football in the process, and has also been successful at Championship level before with Watford.

Reading are in need of a lift to say the least – the Royals sit in the relegation zone having won just 4 out of 21 league games this season, and sit one point adrift of safety.

The Verdict

This is a huge blow for Reading – from my point of view, Jokanovic should be their number one target and Reading should be doing everything they can to get him to join. He's been successful at this level before playing some beautiful football along the way, and would definitely turn the tide around at the Madejski.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/journalist-issues-update-on-readings-pursuit-of-slavisa-jokanovic/

[WhiteJC]

 
Profit Players: Stefan Johansen

Celtic supporters have been pretty upbeat in recent times after seeing their team return to top spot in the Scottish Premiership over the weekend.

Brendan Rodgers' men went into their clash with table-toppers Kilmarnock on Saturday looking to get back to winning ways in the league after drawing 1-1 with Motherwell last time out, and knowing that victory would take them back to the summit of the division. And they picked up all three points in emphatic fashion at Celtic Park in sweeping aside Steve Clarke's team 5-1, with a brace from James Forrest as well as strikes from Odsonne Edouard, Mikael Lustig, and Ryan Christie inspiring the hosts to a tenth Scottish Premiership win of the campaign.

As such, there have been many thrilled Celtic fans up and down the country in recent times, several of whom are likely to be looking towards the January window in a bid for the reinforcements their side need to fend off Rangers to win an eighth straight league title.

And while manager Rodgers has on the whole impressed during his time at Parkhead, his decision to sanction the departure of midfielder Stefan Johansen to Fulham back in 2016 is one that certainly raised a few eyebrows.

And given how integral the £2.07 million signing (as per Transfermarkt) has been to the Cottagers over the years, it's pretty clear that the Premier League club have been the only real victors from Rodgers' decision.



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/features/profit-players/profit-players-stefan-johansen/

[WhiteJC]

 
Jack Wilshere to miss West Ham's trip to Fulham as he continues to struggle with ankle problem

    West Ham face Fulham at Craven Cottage in the Premier League on Saturday
    The Hammers are going in search of a fourth straight Premier League win
    Jack Wilshere is unavailable with an ankle injury and Lucas Perez is a doubt

Jack Wilshere's West Ham career is back on hold after manager Manuel Pellegrini revealed that his latest injury is more serious than first thought.

The £100,000-a-week summer signing, 26, has played just five minutes since the start of September, when he had minor surgery on his left ankle.

He then hurt his right ankle in training before the home win over Cardiff on December 4.

Pellegrini said: 'Is it more serious than first thought? Maybe, because when he felt the pain it was in his "good" ankle — not the ankle where he had surgery.

'We hoped it was just a pain and he could adjust for two or three days but it has been longer than we expected. It is very difficult to know when he will be back.'

Pellegrini confirmed that free agent Samir Nasri, the former Manchester City midfielder, is set to sign on January 1.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6492139/Jack-Wilshere-miss-West-Hams-trip-Fulham-Saturday-ongoing-ankle-problem.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Team against West Ham 15/12
over on the forum we've been discussing who we would pick to play against West Ham, here are some suggestions....

whitejc
after the 1st half horror show against ManU the team played much better in the 2nd half, also getting a second goal in two games AK47 must have earned a starting place. Seri needs some time on the bench, he's a better player than we've seen so far, its just not working at the moment.

Subs: Betts, Ream, MLM, Cisse, Seri, Shurrle


come on over and join in the discussion...
http://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?topic=68825.0



http://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/?p=532

[WhiteJC]

 
In-Focus: Wolves U23s

Fulham Under-23s are back in PL2 duty as they face Wolves at AFC Telford tomorrow evening.

Craven Cottage hosted the Young Whites on Saturday, and Stoke managed to escape with a point after having Jake Dunwoody sent off. Nicolas Santos-Clase with the goal for Fulham before Tyrese Campbell's leveller.

Wolves find themselves back at the summit of the table after Reading's impressive unbeaten run came to an end.
Last time out:

Matt O'Riley's early penalty was enough to secure a first league win of the season back in September which pushed Wolves off top spot. Fulham held on to a precious three points at Motspur Park to stun a strong looking Wolves side.
View from the Staff:

Vic Bettinelli is impressed with how the younger players have stepped up to the challenge this season, and wants them to keep bettering themselves.

"We did ever so well with a young team to give that Stoke team more than a game." He told fulhamfc.com. "We went in front but should have held on. That's where we are at the moment, we need to get our noses in front and build on that so the boys can relax. At the moment, we seem to be chasing games whilst conceding a soft goal.

"I think it was nice for the boys to play at the Cottage, we had a couple of weeks at Reading so it was nice to be back. We are doing okay considering we are a bit short with a lot of our lads on loan, if they are going to progress it is better they're out in the football league. Playing in men's teams are crucial.

"I think if you ask anyone in the game, playing in the league is more beneficial than playing Under-23s football. We have Clubs looking at our boys so that's a testament to the lads.

"Wolves are very strong, they played three at the back against us last time and have good movement, that was our best defensive display this season. We edged it, it's under the lights in Telford and we often do better against sides that pass the ball around to play through the thirds. Both teams have similar styles so it will be a good matchup.

"If it was based on results, you'd say a little bit of a disappointing season having only won three or four games. However, lots of players are either out on loan or playing 23s for the first time. George Wickens on Saturday against Stoke being a first-year scholar and he was accomplished. Lots of teams who win this league have a 21, 22, 23-year-old team. We are doing well to create pathway and include younger players to come in and step up.
View from the Press:

The Birmingham Mail's Alex Dicken checked in with us to discuss how Wolves' season has unfolded.

Since we last spoke, how has Wolves U23s' season unfolded?

"It's been an incredibly positive first half of the season. Wolves secured a superb win over Manchester United in late October and whilst they've drawn a few too many games, Rob Edwards has been pleased. Several of the U23s now train regularly with the first team, which is testament to the work being done by Edwards and his coaching staff."

Which player has come out of the blue and become a real performer?

"Niall Ennis's emergence hasn't come out of the blue because just a couple of years ago he was the youngster being tipped for stardom. But a couple of horrific injuries set him back and it's only now that we're seeing his best once again."

"He was breath-taking in that win against United and scored one of the best goals I've ever seen to win it at the death. Since then his confidence has been sky high and he's taking on a leadership role within this group."

What is the expectation at the mid-point in the PL2 season?

"Coaches like to keep a lid on expectations, particularly where young players are concerned, but Wolves are aiming for promotion. The owners want the U23s in PL2 Division 1 so, whether it's this year or next year, that's the target."

Have any players caught the eye of Nuno Santo?

"Ryan Giles was recently named on the bench at Cardiff City and it's my understanding that he's one of four U23s who have been training with the first team virtually full-time of late - the others being Oskar Buur, Pedro Goncalves and Benny Ashley-Seal.

"Elliot Watt is another player who has impressed Nuno since making his first team debut in the 2-0 cup win at Sheffield Wednesday in August."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/december/13/u23s-wolves-preview

[WhiteJC]

 
Fredericks disappointed to miss Fulham trip

Former Fulham defender Ryan Fredericks says that he is hugely disappointed to be missing out on a return to Craven Cottage this weekend.

The Hammers right back is currently sidelined through injury and is expected to remain so until the New Year. As a result, Fredericks - who moved from Fulham to West Ham during the summer on a free transfer - will miss Saturday evening's trip to his former club.

"It's frustrating because that was the first game I looked for when the fixtures came out," he said. "But these things happen, it's part of football. I'm sure both teams are going to be in the Premier League for a long time, so there'll be plenty more occasions for me to come back and play at the Cottage.

"Making the decision to leave was tough as I've only got good memories of Fulham, I met only good people, and I've not got a bad word to say about the club or anyone there. Everyone was amazing to me.

"It's just I was at the stage of my career where I wanted to push myself, and I thought going to West Ham would be best for me and my football. To improve as a player and not rest on my laurels, thinking that I was going to be playing no matter what because of what I'd done in previous years.

"It was a fresh start and a chance for me to kick on again. I'm always best when I'm tested and backed up against a wall, so that's the decision I made.

"The Fulham fans were always great with me. I think any fan is going to warm to you if you just do your best – and that's what I tried to do, run up and down in every game and give my all for 90 minutes even if things weren't going my way.

"Even if I wasn't having the greatest game I'd still put a good shift in, and I think they appreciated that. They understood what I could and couldn't do, and they were good about it."

However Fredericks' mind is very much set on West Ham now, and he admitted to being delighted at the club's recent improvement in form - even if he has been unable to personally contribute.

"It was a tough start, we had a lot of new players so it takes a few games," he said. "But we showed signs of it at the start even when we were losing, it just took a few games to start getting the wins under our belt. I think everyone's seeing now what we're capable of.

"And I've settled in well. All the lads here are proper good. It's a good bunch of lads, like it was at Fulham. There's a good core of boys who have been here for a while. Obviously it would have been nice to get a few more games, but I've settled in with the lads well."



Read more at http://www.kumb.com/story.php?id=133094#BRg6OUR2UYtSZto7.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham vs West Ham preview: Hammers aim to extend winning run
Watch in-game clips and match highlights on Sky Sports' mobile apps

West Ham will be looking for a fourth Premier League win in a row when they travel to Fulham on Saturday (kick-off 5.30pm).

The Hammers have beaten Newcastle, Cardiff and Crystal Palace to climb up the table - they are just one point outside the top half.

"We are improving without any doubt," said manager Manuel Pellegrini.

"The results say we are improving and scoring goals, which is not easy. It is not easy to win three games in a row and score three goals in each.

"We must be very careful. We must continue working in the same way. We must try to keep getting good results."

While West Ham are moving up the table, Fulham are bottom.

They have taken four points from four matches under new manager Claudio Ranieri, losing 4-1 at Manchester United last weekend.

Team news

West Ham have a number of injury problems.

Manuel Lanzini, Winston Reid, Andriy Yarmolenko, Carlos Sanchez, Sam Byram and Ryan Fredericks are all long-term absentees, while Marko Arnautovic and Jack Wilshere are unavailable.

Lucas Perez will be assessed due to a foot injury but Andy Carroll, who replaced Perez at half-time last weekend, is fit.

Fulham team news to follow

Match stats

Fulham have won three of their last four Premier League games against West Ham at Craven Cottage (L1), with each of those wins coming under a different manager (Roy Hodgson, Martin Jol and Rene Meulensteen).

West Ham have won 55% of their Premier League meetings with Fulham (11/20); their best win percentage against any London opponent in the competition.

The last time Fulham faced West Ham as a newly-promoted Premier League side was in April 2002, with Frederic Kanoute scoring the winner for the Hammers in a 1-0 win at Craven Cottage.

Fulham are now without a clean sheet in 20 Premier League games, conceding 51 goals since a 1-0 win against Norwich City in April 2014.

West Ham United haven't won any of their last seven Premier League away games against sides starting the day bottom of the table (D5 L2), drawing the last four. Their last such victory was against QPR in October 2012 (2-1).

West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini has won both of his previous two Premier League games against Fulham, with his Manchester City side scoring nine goals against them in the 2013-14 season (5-0 at home and 4-2 away).

West Ham striker Javier Hernandez has scored three goals in his last three Premier League games. His next goal will be his 50th in the competition, with all 49 so far coming from inside the box.

Merson's prediction

West Ham have turned the corner. They're on a roll. They've had a lot of hard games this season, and we judged them quite early on, but they've bounced back.

They have good individual players who can win football matches; Marko Arnautovic is injured, but Felipe Anderson has stepped up big time. Andy Carroll is coming back, and he'll provide another dimension. What an option to have.

But I've got to go West Ham here. I don't fancy Fulham one bit, I just think they're going to concede too many goals. I'd be shocked if they stayed up; they have to score two or three goals every week to win a football match.

PAUL PREDICTS: 1-3 (18/1 with Sky Bet)



https://www.skysports.com/football/fulham-vs-west-ham/preview/390919

[WhiteJC]

 
Premier League predictions: Lawro v former France winger David Ginola

Manchester United's past two visits to Anfield have resulted in drab and goalless stalemates - so will things be any different when they take on Liverpool on Sunday?

BBC Sport's football expert Mark Lawrenson certainly hopes so, saying: "This fixture usually sees United boss Jose Mourinho at his most obstinate, and it could be that Liverpool are the only team who want to try to play football.

"But surely this game surely cannot be as bad as those two, so I am going to go for some goals this time. I think Liverpool will find a way to score - but Mourinho's record in big games means you can never write his side off."

Lawro is making predictions for all 380 top-flight matches this season, against a variety of guests.

This week's guest is David Ginola, who worked under Lawro when he was a coach at Newcastle United in the 1990s.

"Mark wasn't really keen on my game because obviously he was a defender, and he liked the striker and the forwards to track back and try to win the ball back," Ginola said.

"Obviously my French flair and my style of playing football didn't suit him very much - I could see it.

"But maybe it was a bit of jealousy as well because I could do things with the ball that he tried very hard to do, but he never succeeded. That is the difference between someone very skilful and someone who is not."

Lawro agrees - well, sort of. "David was an absolutely fantastic talent," he recalled. "In his own mind.

"He was unbelievable actually, but I think his captain Alan Shearer would have a view on his work-rate - or lack of it."

The flamboyant former France winger will be appearing on BBC Sports Personality 2018 at 19:00 GMT on Sunday on BBC One and the BBC Sport website.

Ginola says his own personal sporting highlight of 2018 was France winning the World Cup.

"I was watching at home in London and it was a very proud moment," he told BBC Sport. "We made a very slow start but, as the tournament went on, everything built up.

"The players, the team spirit - everything was getting stronger until the final against Croatia, and then we found a way to win it.

"We have a bunch of very talented players there, and hopefully we are going to do the same in the European Championship in 2020."

LAWRO'S PREDICTIONS
Fulham v West Ham (17:30 GMT)

I was at Old Trafford last weekend to see Fulham lose to Manchester United. It was far too easy to score goals against the Cottagers and I was a bit perplexed by their attacking approach too.

They have got a big striker up front in Aleksandar Mitrovic but you knew they were going to struggle when they had three free-kicks around 40 yards from the United goal, and played the ball backwards each time.

With Mitrovic to aim for, you have got chuck the ball into the box in situations like that - and you never know what might happen.

Cottagers boss Claudio Ranieri changed things around at half-time with his side 3-0 down and there was a glimmer of hope for them when they pulled a goal back - but generally they were outclassed.

Ranieri has fared rather better at Craven Cottage since taking charge, however, taking four points from two games so far.

West Ham will arrive on the back of a run of three straight runs wins they are a team that can suffer a hiccup from time to time - and it would not surprise me if Fulham find a way of winning this one.

Lawro's prediction: 2-1

Ginola's prediction: 0-1



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46555484

[WhiteJC]

Cottage Talk: View Of The Opposition - Bob Ballard Breaks Down West Ham
Take a listen to a podcast that focuses on Fulham Football Club.

This episode is an interview with Bob Ballard, who is a radio and television broadcaster, and he also happens to be a West Ham supporter.

During the intervew, he shared his views on West Ham so far this season. We ended the show with Bob sharing his thoughts on this upcoming the match, and he gave a prediction. This is our preview show for this match.


You can also listen to the show by following this link...
https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2018/12/13/18139499/cottage-talk-view-of-the-opposition-bob-ballard-breaks-down-west-ham

[WhiteJC]

 
Referee announced for Fulham vs West Ham and Hammers fans will be rolling their eyes

His name will immediately striker fear into both sets of fans in all honesty, not just those of a West Ham persuasion

West Ham take on Premier League basement boys Fulham this weekend at Craven Cottage and Mike Dean is the man who will be taking charge of proceedings in west London.

That name is often enough to strike an eye roll into both sets of fans as the official can be somewhat notorious for making the game more about himself than the people he is trying to keep in check on the pitch.

This season, Dean has already dished out five red cards in 14 games which is only one less than what he brandished in the entire 2017/18 season, for example.

The Wirral official is probably the most high-profile referee of those who take charge of Premier League games but he is not a famiiliar face to West Ham necessarily, taking charge if only one Hammers match so far this season.

It was a positive result though as Dean was the man in the middle for the 0-0 draw with Chelsea at the London Stadium back in September as the Hammers were in the middle of a four-game unbeaten stretch.

He only took charge of two Hammers matches last season too and they were both against Tottenham Hotspur, the 3-2 win in the EFL Cup and a 1-1 draw in the Premier League. So you could say it's good news for the Hammers fanbase as they haven't lost when Dean has been in charge of their last three games.

Dean did have a run in with West Ham and the supporters the season before last though when he sent off Sofiane Feghouli just 15 minutes into a 2-0 loss to Manchester United at the London Stadium, a decision which pundit Gary Neville called "disgraceful."



https://www.football.london/west-ham-united-fc/fixtures-results/mike-dean-referee-west-ham-15537403

[WhiteJC]

 
Notes from December meeting with Fulham Football Club



DECEMBER MEETING NOTES

HEADLINES

    ·         Buckingham Group appointed as lead contractor for Riverside Stand
    ·         Planned two year project with completion for 2021/22 season
    ·         FFC will play in reduced capacity Craven Cottage for duration of build
    ·         FST/FFC working group to plan relocation of Riverside season ticket holders
    ·         FST will provide input to decision-making process regarding 2019/20 ticket prices
    ·         Season ticket exchange scheme will be announced in New Year by FFC
    ·         FFC will decide on modification to season ticket upgrade policy shortly

ATTENDEES

On Monday 10 December 2018, Alistair Mackintosh (AM, Chief Executive Officer), Carmelo Mifsud (CM, Media Relations Manager), Katy Brecht (KB, Head of Ticketing), Rob Paddon (RP, Head of Match Day Sales), David Daly (DD, Non-Executive Director), Sean Davies (SD, Head of Retail and Licensing), Peter Spartin (PS, Head of Commercial Development) and Nicola Walworth (NW, Supporter Relations Manager) of Fulham Football Club met with Tom Greatrex, Ian Clarke and Dan Crawford of the Fulham Supporters' Trust at Motspur Park as part of the ongoing structured dialogue between both parties.

RIVERSIDE STAND

Further to the discussions at the previous two monthly meetings, the Trust asked a number of questions in relation to the Riverside Stand development. AM confirmed that the Club had signed an agreement with Buckingham Group as lead contractor for the project, and subject to final agreement, expected to make that public within the next day. In response to further questions, AM also reiterated that work is planned to commence at the end of the current season, and will mean two seasons with reduced capacity while construction is underway, but there will be no relocation of Fulham Football Club during the build. It is anticipated that the new stand will become operational in time for the start of the 2021/22 season. AM confirmed that the Club are looking at how to make the most of the reduced capacity during the build, with the ground capacity during the build to be finalised following detailed consideration with the contractor. 

The Trust raised issues in relation to the relocation of Riverside Stand season ticket holders and related transitional arrangements, following preliminary conversations with PS on this issue. AM and PS stated that there were limited options for the relocation of existing Riverside season ticket holders, and agreed to convene a working group with relevant Trust members to discuss this in more detail. Given the urgency, with work starting at the end of the season, it was agreed this should happen in the early part of January, and that the Club would refer to this in the statement announcing the appointment of lead contractor.

The Club confirmed that work is ongoing to scope the use of catering and other facilities in the new stand on non-matchdays, and there has been interest expressed by a number of restaurant and other outlets, including from a micro-brewery. The Club are open-minded about what will feature in the commercial units but anticipate commercial units to be suitable for both matchday and non-matchday use. The Trust referred to the work underway with DD to suggest ways in which the fabric of the new stadium can also reflect the history and heritage of the Club, and committed to providing more detailed suggestions in due course.

The Trust will continue to work with Fulham Football Club during the coming months to ensure that fans' views around the new Riverside Stand are represented through our ongoing structured dialogue. We would like to hear from Trust members who have season tickets in the Riverside Stand who are willing to be part of the small working group on relocation and related issues.

TICKET PRICING

The Trust asked about matchday ticket pricing and concerns expressed by some fans about affordability and frequency of attendance, particularly relating to category A games (London derbies, top six clubs). AM and KB confirmed that the Club's matchday ticket prices for the remainder of this season have been set. AM said that decisions relating to pricing of season tickets would be taken by the Club towards the end of January, and match day pricing would be considered at around the same time. The Trust reiterated the concerns that feature heavily in our feedback from members and the wider supporter base, and advised the Club that the Trust would be preparing options that would alleviate some of that concern and would present that in January. The Club confirmed they would welcome input ahead of decisions being made, but that there is complexity in the overall approach to ticket pricing which needs to be factored in to final decisions.

NON-STANDING SEATS

The Trust thanked the Club for their pro-active work on putting together the non-standing seat option for Fulham's recent away matches at Chelsea and Manchester United, following discussion with the Trust over recent weeks. The Trust had received lots of positive feedback from supporters and KB confirmed that the option would continue to be trialled. KB said that Fulham liaises with the home club in advance of the scheduled fixture to identify the most suitable seats. Non-standing seats are sold from the front so that if they don't sell out then standing supporters don't subsequently occupy the front rows.

The Trust requested that information regarding the non-standing seat option could be added to the slip of paper that is included when tickets are send out to supporters and KB confirmed that the Club would action this. The Trust and Club noted that there had been isolated incidents of standing in the non-standing area at Stamford Bridge and agreed that the scheme could only be successful in enabling choice for away fans if supporters who buy tickets in the area respect the reason for creating it. Both the Trust and the Club will continue to monitor the scheme's effectiveness.

OTHER TICKETING MATTERS

The Club's proposed season ticket exchange scheme is nearing implementation and should be launched in the New Year. It is intended that the scheme will allow season ticket holders to sell their seat for a particular fixture if they are unable to attend, and subject to an overall sales threshold for each match. KB, RP and AM confirmed that the Club will announce full details in the near future.

KB promised to provide the Trust with a response on the season ticket upgrade issue shortly following internal discussion. RP and KB said that the Club hopes that some of the frustration regarding the current upgrade policy could be eased when season ticket holders are able to make use of the ticket exchange scheme for fixtures where there is heavy demand for tickets.

There was also discussion of supporters with the highest number of loyalty points getting the poorest seats for away games. The Club reiterated that they have to sell seats in the order dictated by the home club and that the Club loses money if it takes away blocks that don't sell. KB pointed to the fact that the Club lost money as a result of Fulham not selling their full allocation at Old Trafford last weekend.

The Trust thanked the Club for continuing to provide away ticket information on the website, including the order in which individual blocks will be sold and updated sales numbers. KB and CM confirmed that the Club will make sure that the relevant information appears across all of the Club's communication channels, including Twitter and the Club's website, and will be regularly updated.

MERCHANDISING

Sean Davies, the Club's head of retail and licensing, introduced himself briefly to the Trust. Sean has been in post for around eighteen months at Fulham having spent fourteen years in a similar role at Chelsea. He helped to oversee the redesign and reopening of the Club's stadium store and is in constant communication with the stadium store staff. SD wants merchandise to be fresh and has brought contacts with him from his previous roles.

SD said he is sometimes constrained by suppliers' minimums, but tries to ensure that there is a wide array of merchandise available. He has introduced a wider range of children's and baby items as well as prioritising the retro range and the stocking of relevant Fulham books. All products, except some of those reduced for clearance, will now be available online and in store, and both SD and his team are particularly interested in supporter feedback. The 'click and collect' option has been very popular, both at the stadium store and at Motspur Park, but some customers do not collect their items for a long period of time.

The meeting finished at 2.45pm

N.B. These notes represent a summary of topics discussed during the meeting. If your feedback to the Trust has not been specifically mentioned, please be assured that the Trust has listened to your concerns and they are the subject of further discussion between the Trust and the Club.



http://fulhamsupporterstrust.com/news/2018/12/13/notes-from-december-meeting-with-fulham-football-club.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Claudio Ranieri backed to save Fulham from relegation by John Arne Riise

Claudio Ranieri has been backed by former Fulham full-back John Arne Riise to save the club from relegation, although he believes the Cottagers must beat the likes of upcoming opponents West Ham to rescue their season.

Fulham remain rock bottom in the Premier League standings despite the appointment of Ranieri as Slavisa Jokanovic's replacement in November, with the club having lost twice, won once and drawn once since the Italian arrived.

Jokanovic had been criticised for constantly changing his defence but, while Ranieri has played a more settled back line, the club have still let in nine Premier League goals in their last four matches.

The challenge of steering Fulham back to winning ways gets no easier for Ranieri as a resurgent West Ham team - who have scored nine goals in their last three games - visit Craven Cottage on Saturday.

But Riise, who worked under Ranieri at Roma, is confident the 67-year-old can still save Fulham and thinks a win over London rivals West Ham could kick-start such a turnaround.

"I was lucky to have Ranieri at Roma, for over a year. I love the man," Riise told Standard Sport.

"I was really happy for him at Leicester and I was really happy when he took over at Fulham now because he's the right manager for them. He's a great person - he's a people person, he likes to talk to you, he likes to help you and he loves a challenge.

"Fulham have conceded a lot of goals this season, they won their first game but are still conceding a lot of goals. The main target now is to keep the team in the Premier League for next season and then build on that.

"He's got a great future ahead of him, he's done so much for football but he wants to prove himself once again for Fulham.

"You need to win the games against the teams around you or the derbies because they mean so much for the fans. It can give confidence to the players and belief to the fans."

Riise, who spent three years at Fulham, added: "I know the Fulham fans have been really disappointed of this season so far, especially when they spent so much money before the season and how they played last season in the Championship.

"I think Fulham fans really want to win that game, and then they can build on that for the rest of the season."

John Arne Riise attended 90's Serie A themed bar Golazio in South London for the launch of his autobiography, Running Man. The book is out now in all good bookstores and online at decoubertin.co.uk/Riise RRP £20.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham/claudio-ranieri-backed-to-save-fulham-from-relegation-by-john-arne-riise-a4016631.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Match Preview: Fulham v West Ham

Blast from the past

Easter Monday, 6th April 1953 – Winston Churchill was Prime Minister, The Stargazers were number one with 'Broken Wings', the BBC introduced its iconic Watch with Mother brand for children's programming and West Ham United secured a 3-2 Second Division victory over Fulham in front of 19,270 at Craven Cottage.

Legendary Hammers left-back Noel Cantwell made his league debut in this match, the Irons' third over the Easter period – the Hammers had been defeated 2-1 by the Cottagers at Upton Park on Good Friday and lost 4-1 away to Swansea on Easter Saturday. The match was also 33-year-old Geordie right-back Ernie Devlin's 70th and final league appearance for the club – he had made his debut in May 1947. Indeed, of the Hammers side that day, four hailed from the North East (Devlin, Southren, Dixon and Hooper) and three from Ireland (Cantwell, McGowan and O'Farrell).

This win in West London came courtesy of first goals in claret and blue for Dave Sexton, who scored once on what was the day of his 23rd birthday, and 23-year-old Tommy Dixon (pictured), who bagged a brace. Geordie centre-forward Dixon had only made his league debut two days previously in the defeat at Swansea and would go on to be the Hammers' top scorer the following season, 1953/54, with 19 goals in 32 matches. He was also the first player to score for West Ham in a floodlit first team match at Upton Park, ten days after his double against Fulham, in a friendly match against First Division Tottenham. An Aircraftman in the RAF, Dixon had never played football before when an officer asked him to play left-back for the unit team while in Singapore in 1951. He passed away on 6th February 2014 at the age of 84.

Irish centre-forward Freddie Kearns would be the Hammers' top scorer for the season with 12 goals from 23 appearances. Ted Fenton's Hammers went on to finish the 1952/53 Second Division season in 14th place, while Bill Dodgin's Fulham ended up eighth. Sheffield United topped the Second Division, Arsenal won the First Division title and Blackpool won the FA Cup in the 'Matthews Final'.

West Ham United: Ernie Gregory, Ernie Devlin, Noel Cantwell, Danny McGowan, Malcolm Allison, Frank O'Farrell, Tommy Southren, Dave Sexton, Tommy Dixon, Jimmy Andrews, Harry Hooper.

Club Connections

Ryan Fredericks is unavailable for the trip to his former club. Scott Parker played for both clubs and is currently assistant manager at Craven Cottage. A decent number of players join the pair in representing West Ham United and Fulham over the years. These include:

Goalkeepers: Bill Biggar, Jan Lastuvka, Tony Parks.

Defenders: Paul Kelly, Bobby Moore, George Horler, Tony Gale, George Redwood, Kevin Lock, Jack Hebden, Rufus Brevett, John Paintsil, Paul Konchesky, Ian Pearce, Wayne Bridge, Jon Harley, Alan Stephenson, Andy Melville.

Midfielders: Luis Boa Morte, Dick Richards, George Carter, Papa Bouba Diop, Ray Houghton, Fergus Hunt.

Strikers: Johnny 'Budgie' Byrne, Brian Dear, Alf Harwood, Jack Fletcher, Roger Cross, Iain Dowie, Fred Harrison, Billy Brown, Archie Macaulay, Danny Shea, Kenny McKay, Leroy Rosenior, Bobby Zamora, Mladen Petric.

This week's focus though is on a player who spent a couple of months with West Ham before later playing for Fulham. Alexander Davidson (known as Bill) was born in West Lothian, Scotland on 22nd September 1878. He started his career with Scottish side Third Lanark before attracting the attention of English clubs. Bill moved to Glossop North End in November 1899, with a low point arriving when he was suspended for one month for striking two Nottingham Forest players after a match at the City Ground on 13th January 1900. He joined Manchester City, then Reading and it was from the Elm Park club that he joined the Hammers in December 1902.

Described as "a fearless player but rather erratic", centre-forward Davidson (pictured) made his Hammers debut in a 2-1 home defeat to Southampton on Christmas Day 1902 at the Memorial Grounds. He scored his first goal for the Irons in his fourth match, a 3-0 home win over Wellingborough in the Southern League First Division on 10th January 1903, and scored again in a 3-2 home win over Northampton two weeks later. He made his final appearance for the club in a 1-0 home win over Tottenham on 14th February 1903. After two goals in nine appearances for West Ham United, Davidson moved to Luton in February 1903 after just two months in East London.

Davidson moved on again, signing for Fulham for the 1903/04 season, making two appearances without scoring. He went on to represent New Brompton (now known as Gillingham), Kilmarnock, Aberdeen, Stockport, Atherton Church House, Bolton, Wigan Town, Nelson and finally Macclesfield. Bill Davidson passed away between October and December 1929 at the age of 51.

Referee

Saturday's referee will be Mike Dean; 2018/19 is Dean's 19th as a Premier League referee. Since West Ham United achieved promotion back to the top flight in 2012 Dean has refereed 22 of our league matches, officiating in nine wins for the Hammers, seven draws and six defeats.

Dean refereed our final match at the Boleyn when we famously triumphed 3-2 over Manchester United. His decision to send off Sofiane Feghouli just 15 minutes into our 2-0 defeat to the Red Devils in January 2017 was later rescinded. Dean's three Hammers appointments last season were the 3-2 win over Tottenham in the League Cup fourth round at Wembley in October, the 2-1 defeat at Manchester City in December, our 1-1 Premier League draw with Tottenham in January. He most recently refereed our goalless home draw with Chelsea in September.

Possible line-ups

Fulham are without the suspended Andre Zambo Anguissa, while Calum Chambers, Kevin McDonald and Floyd Ayite are injury doubts.

West Ham United will be without Ryan Fredericks, Winston Reid, Carlos Sanchez, Jack Wilshere, Manuel Lanzini, Andriy Yarmolenko and Marko Arnautovic, while Lucas Perez is a doubt. Pablo Zabaleta is one yellow card away from a one-match suspension.

Possible Fulham XI: Rico; Fosu-Mensah, Ream, Mawson, Bryan; Chambers, Seri, Cairney; Schurrle, Sessegnon; Mitrovic.

Possible West Ham United XI: Fabianski; Zabaleta, Balbuena, Diop, Masuaku; Snodgrass, Rice, Noble, Anderson; Chicharito, Carroll.

Enjoy the game – Up The Hammers!



https://www.westhamtillidie.com/posts/2018/12/14/match-preview-fulham-v-west-ham

[filham]

Surely the suggestion that an in form Khazri would be a good January signing for us has set  a number of red warning lights flashing. He is a player who failed at Sunderland but has regained form only after leaving English football.


A number of our summer signings from overseas have so far failed us, in January we need a couple of players who are well known to the manager and are proven in the Premier league, players who are likely to hit the ground running.