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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