Friends of Fulham

 
Best Foot Forward

Fans and fundraisers are invited to join Fulham Football Club's Mascot, Billy the Badger, for a sponsored walk in aid of local children and teenagers with life-limiting conditions.

The event, which starts at Fulham FC's Training Ground in Motspur Park and ends at the iconic Craven Cottage on the banks of the Thames, takes place on Saturday 13th October.

The scenic stroll is a total distance of seven miles, achievable by all, and begins at 3pm. Participants, accompanied on the walk by Fulham FC's very own Billy the Badger, are expected to complete the route by approximately 7.30pm.  On arrival at Craven Cottage, all those taking part will be welcomed by Fulham FC and have the opportunity for refreshments at the stadium.

Participants are asked to contribute a joining fee of £10 for adults and £5 for children and raise a minimum of £50 sponsorship per entrant with all proceeds being split equally between Shooting Star CHASE and Fulham Football Club Foundation.

Shooting Star CHASE, the local children's hospice service, supports families with a child or teenager not expected to reach their 19th birthday.  The charity currently helps over 600 families within 38 boroughs in West London, Surrey and West Sussex. By providing expert care at two children's hospices, Christopher's in Guildford and Shooting Star House in Hampton, Middlesex; families can receive the essential support they need.

Fulham Football Club Foundation is a leading community sport charity that aims to build better lives through sport.  The Foundation uses the power of sport to deliver a variety of inspiring education, health, disability, social inclusion and football programmes in the community.

This brand new event is the first of a new partnership between Fulham Football Club and Shooting Star CHASE, which was announced at the club's recent fixture against West Bromwich Albion a fortnight ago.

The partnership aims to raise vital funds to support Shooting Star CHASE's hospice at home service, which provides expert care to families with a life limited child or teenager in their own homes, as well as funds to support all areas of Fulham FC Foundation's work.

Alex Robinson, Head of Corporate and Trusts at Shooting Star CHASE said:

"We are really excited to be launching this brand new event in conjunction with Billy the Badger and all at Fulham Football Club.  The twilight stroll is the first of its kind for Shooting Star CHASE and we hope to see as many people as possible joining us on the day, to help raise vital funds for children, teenagers and their families who rely on the support of Shooting Star CHASE."

Steven Day, CEO of Fulham Football Club Foundation added:

"This is a fantastic event with which to launch our partnership with Shooting Star CHASE.  It will be great fun for all the family and fans will have an opportunity to visit both of the club's sites at the start and end of the walk."

Places are limited so to join in, please so sign up today at http://ffctwilightstroll.eventbrite.com (http://ffctwilightstroll.eventbrite.com).



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/september/27/best-foot-forward? (http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/september/27/best-foot-forward?)

 
Nigel Reo-Coker - Football's most talked about free agent

Nigel Reo-Coker is still without a club, but has been linked with Fulham, Charlton Athletic, and even Fiorentina, it's a far cry from being tipped to join Arsenal by Ian Wright shortly over a year ago.

Ian Wright is one of football's most enthusiastic pundits, but he does get it wrong at times. One of his knee jerk reactions after Aston Villa beat Arsenal at the end of the 2010/11 season was to demand via his newspaper column in The Sun that Arsene Wenger snaps up Nigel Reo-Coker.

Wenger ignored his advice, and the midfielder signed a one year deal with Bolton, but left the club this year after their relegation, obviously hoping for a better opportunity than playing in the Championship. So far it is yet to arrive.


As October approaches, Nigel Reo-Coker is still without a club, at the age of 28 it is not a good situation for him to be in, for he should be at the peak of his career, not scratching around searching for an employer. Aston Villa paid £8.5 million for him in 2007 and he was even linked with Manchester United a year earlier, so it is fair to say he has been on a downwards spiral as of late.

Nevertheless he remains one of the more attractive free agents on the market to clubs, a former England under-21 international, and veteran of the Premier League and the Championship, where he played with West Ham.

Through this month he has been arguably the most talked about free agent, linked with a number of moves. Most recently he has been linked with Fulham, as a replacement for Mahamadou Diarra who has suffered a season ending injury.

Reo-Coker was first discussed as a Fulham target in early August, but nothing materialised. Now it seems they are likely to step up their pursuit, according to one report. Yet only last week it was reported he was 'on the verge' of signing for Charlton.

The source being the same - The Daily Mail- so Fulham fans should certainly take the link with a pinch of salt. The midfielder is keen on a move to the Premier League, which could be why he may have turned down the Addicks if approached, but if a move to Craven Cottage does not materialise he will have to consider the possibility.

Last month he was even suggested as a possible target for Fiorentina in Serie A, potentially a dream move for the player, but one which did not come off. An Aston Villa supporter even wrote into the Birmingham Mail this week urging the club bring him back to Villa Park.

So Reo-Coker should take solace that while he is out of sight for now, he is certainly not out of mind. While he remains the subject of discussion, there is hope that he may just secure a move to the Premier League after all, but if it doesn't happen by the end of the month, he would be advised to take whatever he can get in the Championship, because months without playing will only make him more unattractive to the top sides in the long run.



http://hereisthecity.com/2012/09/26/nigel-reo-coker-footballs-most-talked-about-free-agent/? (http://hereisthecity.com/2012/09/26/nigel-reo-coker-footballs-most-talked-about-free-agent/?)

 
Family Values

One man who will be watching Saturday's match at Craven Cottage with interest from Copenhagen will be former Fulham and Manchester City defender, Niclas Jensen.

After hanging up his boots in 2010, following a highly successful club and international career, Jensen made a seamless transition into his new role as a FIFA approved football agent.

On Saturday Jensen will be rooting for the Whites, and despite the fact his playing career at Craven Cottage didn't reach the heights he had hoped for, there's no doubting his respect and appreciation for the Club. 

"I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Fulham," Jensen told fulhamfc.com. "The atmosphere from day one at the Club was fantastic. I'm the type of person who places great importance on being happy in my place of work, and although I didn't play as often as I would have liked, I was really happy at Fulham.

"There were things at Fulham that I truly appreciated at the latter stages of my career that perhaps I didn't really recognise as important when I was a young professional. The fabric of the Club, how friendly and helpful everyone is, from the backroom staff to the administrative staff, it really was a wonderful place to work.

"For me, my happiness at a club was much more than just the size of the club or where I could earn the most money. Finding happiness at a football club comes from more important things. The happiness of my family was also crucial as well because if they're happy then you will naturally perform better for your team.

"When I was at Fulham I really appreciated going in to work every day and being able to play the game I love in such a fantastic environment. Football is not just about the glory and other aspects, such as the money, it's about being able to do what you love everyday surrounded by great people.

"Of course I'm still very good friends with Claus [Jensen], who was at Fulham with me, but unfortunately we don't get to see each other as often as we would like because we're both so busy. But when we do catch up we share a drink and talk about the good times at Fulham Football Club."

Jensen left Fulham in January 2007 to return home to FC Copenhagen, but the former Danish international has kept a close check on the Club's fortunes over the past five years and believes recent signings highlight the Whites' desire for even greater success in the future.

"Obviously after I left there were changes at the Club in terms of management from Chris Coleman to Lawrie Sanchez in what was a difficult period for the Club when relegation was a possibility," Jensen explained.

"Thankfully Fulham survived that and the Club has gone from strength to strength ever since. It's great to see them competing so strongly in the Barclays Premier League every year and finishing in the top half of the table regularly over recent seasons.

"It's been great to watch the success Fulham has achieved in recent years. It was different during my spell, but the Club is now an established top-10 team and what they achieved in Europe in 2010 was fantastic.

"The Club is now attracting some top players. Being able to attract a player of Dimitar Berbatov's calibre tells you exactly what direction the Club is heading in. It really sends out a signal when you sign a player like him and I've been very impressed with Fulham so far this season.

"They've started really well which is crucial in the Premier League and despite a number of players coming and going in the summer; the Team seems to have gelled very quickly."

One current Fulham player Jensen knows well from his second spell at Copenhagen is Norway international, Brede Hangeland, a friend he clearly holds in high regard, both on and off the pitch.

"Brede represents the values as a person and professional that I really believe in," Jensen explained. "His family, and their happiness, is the most important thing to him.

"He's a key figure in the Fulham dressing room and such a fantastic player. He has such a good spirit about him and he deserves every success that comes his way."

Jensen is hoping Saturday's match at Craven Cottage between his two former teams will be broadcast live in Denmark, and whilst he believes Fulham are in for one of the toughest challenges of the season, he is hoping Martin Jol's Team can record their third successive Premier League victory.

"I'm not sure if they'll be showing the match over here but I will definitely be watching if it's broadcast," said Jensen. "It's going to be fascinating because I think it will be a very close game between two evenly-matched teams this weekend.

"Facing a team like Manchester City is always going to be very difficult nowadays. It's a very different club from when I was there, but it's great that such passionate and committed supporters are enjoying the success the team is now achieving.

"They have key players all over the pitch that you have to be constantly aware of. I would love Fulham to win on Saturday but it will be a very tough match against a team full of world-class players.

"Also, they [City] are a little bit behind already in terms of the point tally they would like to be on. That, coupled with the fact that they lost in the League Cup on Tuesday night to Aston Villa, will make this a very difficult game for Fulham.

"City will be hungry to bounce back so there will be crucial battles all over the pitch on Saturday and with the strikers they have, Fulham's defence is going to have to be very wary - but I'm sure my friend Brede will be up for it!"



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/september/27/niclas-jensen-interview? (http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/september/27/niclas-jensen-interview?)

 
Fulham can continue City's woes by getting a result at the Cottage
Roberto Mancini will be concerned at his side's form and he may have a bit more to worry about when the champions visit south-west London on Saturday.

At what point does a slow start become something far more concerning? That is the question that Roberto Mancini and his staff are probably asking themselves after the latest setback in Manchester City's stuttering start to the season and there will be more than Tuesday's Capital One Cup exit at the hands of Aston Villa on the Italian's mind.

A 4-2 extra-time defeat to the Villans at the Etihad Stadium was not to be expected given Villa's poor form and if Mancini's touchline spat with with his opposite number Paul Lambert hints at a man who is not happy with how things are going, his frustrations are understandable.

For several months now, Mancini has cut an agitated figure: first as a summer transfer impasse saw Robin van Persie move to the red half of Manchester as the powers that be ordered he shift the dead wood from the squad before purchases were made, and then as the season began and a series of below-par performances have lifted the air of invincibility about his team.

Because that is precisely what has happened. Teams sense that the champions are vulnerable and they have every reason to believe so. Since their (slightly fortunate) 3-2 opening day win over newly-promoted Southampton, City have won just one of six fixtures in all competitions – a home match against the poorest of travellers in Queens Park Rangers.

Fulham have lost just one home league game in 2012 (to Swansea in March), which is a run of nine wins and three draws from 13 matches, a sequence that includes victories over Liverpool, Arsenal and Newcastle, as well as a draw against Chelsea.

Alongside the defeat to Villa, Mancini's side have not only failed to beat Liverpool, Stoke and Arsenal but were lucky to even come away with a point in at least two of those fixtures, while the manner in which they lost to Real Madrid in the Champions League (surrendering a 2-1 lead with five minutes left) cannot disguise the fact that Jose Mourinho's team were superior for most of the 90 minutes.

Yet to keep a clean sheet all season, City have looked a pale imitation of the side that steam-rolled most of what was put in front of it last season and the way they are playing, now is not the time to travel to a Fulham team that have been a thorn in the side of City for several seasons.

For all their travails, the Citizens are still the odds-on favourites at 4/5 with bwin to claim the three points, with the draw at 5/2 and Martin Jol's side a 17/5 chance, but on all the evidence so far you have to be siding with the Cottagers here.

Jol hasn't quite got to grips with Fulham's away-day blues just yet (I'll need more convincing proof than a mere win at Wigan), but what he has done is continue the club's fine form at Craven Cottage and that means City have it all to do on Saturday.

Fulham have lost just one home league game in 2012 (to Swansea in March), which is a run of nine wins and three draws from 13 matches, a sequence that includes victories over Liverpool, Arsenal and Newcastle, as well as a draw against Chelsea.

Two wins from two this season against Norwich and West Brom have been as comprehensive as possible – eight goals scored, none conceded – and Fulham will fancy their chances against City given their recent record.

In the last five seasons, City have won just three of the ten league meetings between the sides and the even money on Fulham getting another result is a price that I like.

Mancini's team are not playing well enough to back at odds-on away from home and with the spine of the team – Joe Hart, Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero – underperforming to varying degrees, Fulham have to be the bet to extend their great home record by avoiding defeat again.

Recommended bet: Fulham to avoid defeat @ Evens



http://bwinbetting.com/leagues/premier-league/fulham-continue-citys-woes-result-cottage,25387.html? (http://bwinbetting.com/leagues/premier-league/fulham-continue-citys-woes-result-cottage,25387.html?)

 
Premier League preview: Fulham v Manchester City

Fulham manager Martin Jol will be confident of his options up front as his team prepares to host reigning champions Manchester City.

Jol has signed three strikers during the European summer transfer window and all three, Mladen Petric, Hugo Rodallega and Dimitar Berbatov, have scored for Fulham this season.

Rodallega struck the opening goal for Fulham in their 2-1 win away to Wigan last week after being set up by Berbatov.

A flowing move down the right culminated in the ball arriving at Berbatov's feet and the Bulgarian crossed to the six-yard box, where Rodallega leapt highest to thump a header into the net.

Fulham are joint top-scorers in the English Premier League with 12 goals from five games, matched only by second-placed Manchester United.

The London-based club have won both their home games this season without conceding a goal and considering Manchester City's defence has looked quite shaky in the league so far, Jol will have belief Fulham can snatch a win on Sunday.

The reigning champions showed their defensive frailties in the League Cup on Tuesday as they were knocked out 4-2 by Aston Villa and although captain Vincent Kompany should return against Fulham to strengthen the back four, City remain suspect in defence.

Manchester City have not kept a clean sheet in any competition this season and have conceded two goals per game on average.

Sunday's clash pits sixth-placed Fulham against seventh-placed Manchester City and a victory could see Jol's side move into second if Manchester United lose to Tottenham and other results go the London club's way this weekend.

While attack looks good for Fulham, midfield is a problem area for Jol as Mahamadou Diarra, Simon Davies and Kieran Richardson are all out injured, prompting the Dutch manager to reportedly look at former Bolton midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker as a possible free signing.

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini could have Samir Nasri back in action for the trip to London after the French midfielder missed his club's past two games with a hamstring injury.

But Mancini's side will face a tough task at Fulham as the home side have scored eight goals in two games on their own turf in the EPL.



http://uk.soccerway.com/news/2012/September/27/premier-league-preview-fulham-v-manchester-city/? (http://uk.soccerway.com/news/2012/September/27/premier-league-preview-fulham-v-manchester-city/?)

 
Jol eyes moves for club-less stars

Fulham boss Martin Jol is ready to pick up more free agents to bolster his depleted squad if he can find players with proven ability.
Jol is desperate to add new faces to increase competition for places with midfield a particular area for concern after the departures in recent months of Danny Murphy, Dickson Etuhu and Moussa Dembele.

The Dutchman's options in the middle of the park have been further hampered by Mahamadou Diarra's knee injury which is set to keep him out of action for up to six months.

The Cottagers manager has already swooped to sign veteran Greek international Giorgos Karagounis since the close of the transfer window and further moves could be afoot with the likes of Nigel Reo-Coker, Thomas Hitzelsperger and Owen Hargreaves all still seeking new clubs.

Steve Sidwell and Chris Baird have filled the central midfield spots in the wins against West Brom and Wigan, but Jol would dearly like additional personnel to challenge them for their shirt.

He said: "As you know when there was an opportunity with Karagounis we did that, there was an opportunity last year with Diarra and we did that. If there's an opportunity to get a good player in we will do that."



http://www.eatsleepsport.com/Fulham/Jol-eyes-moves-for-club-less-stars-1475813.html?#.UGVOZkK_wds (http://www.eatsleepsport.com/Fulham/Jol-eyes-moves-for-club-less-stars-1475813.html?#.UGVOZkK_wds)

 
Is Jol just getting desperate?

With Fulham's manager admitting that he is happy to delve back into the free agent market, after 2 signings in the past year, is it a sign that Fulham are getting desperate?

If you were on the outside looking in, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Fulham are in their own, self-imposed crisis. Steve Sidwell, over the past two fixtures, has been our only natural central midfielder in the starting eleven and with Mahamadou Diarra's knee injury still to be fully diagnosed, things could get far, far worse for Martin Jol and his selection headache.

And with that, comes the disguised desperation; Jol's unashamed hunt for some quick, free fix to add to the numbers and broaden the depth. The names of Nigel Reo-Coker, Thomas Hitzelsperger and, perhaps most worryingly, Owen Hargreaves, have all been linked with Fulham over previous days and Jol himself has suggested that he is certainly not afraid to dab into the unattached market and pull out a rare bargain.

After all, it has worked in the past. Diarra, the now unfortunate centre of this whole fiasco, was a free transfer just after the closure of the January window last year and has proven himself to be the solid, smart player of old. His Real Madrid days are far behind but he is still showing glimpses of that palpable ability.

Clearly, the fortune of Diarra's arrival and subsequent upturn in form has given our Dutch manager a certain confidence in the free transfer market - a confidence that defies the widely-held belief that, simply, if these players were any good, they'd already have a club.

Often, though, it's not quite as brazenly straightforward as that. Fallouts with managers, sordid injury records, being too old - they all lead to that place of footballing wilderness that no-one wants to be in and everyone wants to be out of. Michael Owen, Demba Ba, Sol Campbell and Brad Friedel have all been there.

So is there any harm in pursuing these potential saviours? Inevitably, you have to question the longevity of these deals. Will Giorgos Karagounis - someone else that we have already signed up this season - really be around at Craven Cottage for any extensive period of time? It seems severely unlikely.

And, also, with the lack of initial signing on fee comes the burden of inflated wages. Agents know that, without a price attached to their client's head already, they can push any given club for that little extra in salary.

But, even so, if one of these players can do the job sufficiently then there is no major downside. Of course, of the three mentioned, Hargreaves comes with a greater injury risk but, if one of the other two can, at the very least, hold fort until January, when spending can yet again begin to flourish, then the investment becomes increasingly worthwhile.

As it is, the squad is too bare to cope. Sidwell, Baird and Karagounis can all fill in but, beyond that, where is there any strength? Pajtim Kasami considers himself more naturally gifted when behind a striker and, even so, Jol has openly admitted that the best option for the youngster, for now, is to find first team football elsewhere on loan.

In a vain attempt to cover up our deadline day failings, our manager even tried to persuade fans that Kieran Richardson was, in fact, signed to add quality into the centre of the park. Who is he kidding? He's a winger and there's not much more to it.

So yes, maybe we are desperate. Yes, maybe we are clutching at some weary straws. But we've proven in the past that diamonds can be cut from this undervalued market and we may well prove so in the future.



http://www.cottagersconfidential.com/2012/9/27/3416838/jol-desperate-reo-coker-hargreaves? (http://www.cottagersconfidential.com/2012/9/27/3416838/jol-desperate-reo-coker-hargreaves?)

 
Off The Mark

Having scored his first goal for the Club last Saturday, Hugo Rodallega is determined to play his part in front of goal this season.

The 27-year-old opened his account against his former club as Fulham secured an impressive 2-1 defeat of Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium, with the striker a constant threat throughout.

"I was at Wigan for a long time, so of course, they are a club close to my heart," admitted Hugo. "It was strange going back there, and even stranger scoring against them. But I'm a Fulham player now, and it meant a lot to get my first goal. You never forget your first goal for a club.

"It was an important win for us, we're showing a lot of quality at the moment which is good. We've started the season well and, as a result, we're in a good position in the league. But as we know there's a lot of football to be played."

Despite getting off the mark, the Colombian international refrained from celebrating his goal out of respect for his former teammates and fans. Fulham supporters will have to wait to see his trademark thumb-sucking celebration.

"I will celebrate my next goal, that's a promise," he explained. "Hopefully there will be a lot more. It just didn't feel right, I hope the Fulham fans understood that. I was treated really well at Wigan – they were the club that gave me the chance to play in the Premier League."

His partnership with Dimitar Berbatov also provided one of the game's talking points, with the Bulgarian providing an exquisite cross for Rodallega to head in Fulham's opener.

"Berbatov is a fantastic striker, he's been one of the best for many years now," said Hugo. "It's a pleasure to play alongside him, and I think we work well together. He doesn't just score goals, but he creates them too.

"That said, the Club has a number of talented attacking players with Mladen Petrić and Bryan Ruiz also fighting for a place. The competition for a starting spot is really high, but it's a challenge I enjoy facing."

Barclays Premier League champions Manchester City are up next for Martin Jol's side, and Rodallega believes his new team can continue their impressive start to the 2012/13 season with another positive showing on Saturday.

"We all know the players that they have and how good they can be," he added. "But there's no reason why we can't get the result that we want. We're at home and want to add another three points to what we already have.

"I have a good feeling about the campaign ahead, and I think we could be the surprise of the season. Fulham have achieved a lot in the past few years and that has inspired the Team to do well, if not better.

"We are a very ambitious group and on top of wanting to do well for the fans, we want to make it a season to remember."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/september/27/off-the-mark? (http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/september/27/off-the-mark?)

 
Opta Stats: Goals for both as Fulham host Man City

Manchester City should end a tough week with victory at Craven Cottage, but are unlikely to keep a first clean sheet...

Fulham v Manchester City (Saturday, 15:00)
The Whites have won just one of their ten Premier League home games against Man City (W1 D5 L4); only against Chelsea (W1 D5 L5) do Fulham have a worse home record
If Roberto Mancini is feeling the heat then this fixture should provide the necessary cooling effect for the Italian given his side's record at Craven Cottage. City are unlikely to have it all their own way however, especially considering they have not kept a clean sheet yet this season. Both teams have scored in this fixture going back nine seasons in the Premier League.



http://betting.betfair.com/football/opta/opta-stats-back-goals-at-the-cottage-270912-579.html? (http://betting.betfair.com/football/opta/opta-stats-back-goals-at-the-cottage-270912-579.html?)

 
Fulham star makes goalscoring vow

Fulham star Hugo Rodallega has insisted that he will celebrate his next Premier League goal.

The forward refused to celebrate when he scored against former club, Wigan because he had too much respect for the Latics.

"I will celebrate my next goal, that's a promise," he explained. "Hopefully there will be a lot more. It just didn't feel right,

"I hope the Fulham fans understood that. I was treated really well at Wigan – they were the club that gave me the chance to play in the Premier League."



http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/fulham_star_makes_goalscoring_vow_1_1532303? (http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/fulham_star_makes_goalscoring_vow_1_1532303?)

 
JOL'S LIST OF MIDFIELD TARGETS TOPPED BY £7M U21 INTERNATIONAL

Atletico Madrid midfielder Raul Garcia is on Fulham's radar as Martin Jol looks to strengthen his depleted midfield.

The Cottagers boss was one of several managers interested in the 26-year-old during the summer transfer window but was put off by Atletico's £7 million asking price.

However, Jol looks set to renew his interest in the former Spanish under-21 come January, given his lack of options in the middle of the park. A host of midfielders left Craven Cottage in the summer, Dickson Etuhu and Danny Muphy both departed as well as the high profile transfers of Moussa Dembele and Clint Dempsey.

With Mahamadou Diarra a long term lay off, a dependable, experienced central midfielder is vital. With three wins from the opening five games it's been a solid, if unspectacular start for Jol's side. Fulham have looked impressive in their victories, particularly going forward.The Dutchman completed two shrewd signings in the form of Dimitar Berbatov and Mladen Petric over the summer, which gives him a number of exciting attacking options.

Added to that is Bryan Ruiz and Hugo Rodallega and with such players at their disposal Fulham have the potential to have a successful season. But a midfielder, if not two, will be important if the forwards are to prosper.

With European experience Garcia could be a big asset for Fulham. Creative, yet a solid presence at the heart of midfield his ability to protect the back four whilst also providing the front men with the chances to get the goals they are clearly capable of getting.

Nigel Re0-Coker and Thomas Hitzlesperger are two names who are rumoured to be on their way to London, with the former Bolton man seemingly a more likely option. Neither are spectacular signings, but they are both available immediately and at this stage getting numbers on board is the most important thing.

That said, both have Premier League experience. Reo-Coker in particular, with his tireless work rate and bite in the tackle, is good value as there is no transfer fee involved.

With a solid defence and an impressive attack Fulham look as if they will be difficult to beat this season. Given their summer departures few will have expected them to do well. But with a bit more assurance in midfield a promising season is on the cards.


Read more at http://www.footballtransfertavern.com/2012/09/premiership/jols-list-of-midfield-targets-topped-by-7m-u21-international?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TransferTavern+%28The+Transfer+Tavern+Home+Page%29#cvHMpu1QSx3UooPs.99 (http://www.footballtransfertavern.com/2012/09/premiership/jols-list-of-midfield-targets-topped-by-7m-u21-international?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TransferTavern+%28The+Transfer+Tavern+Home+Page%29#cvHMpu1QSx3UooPs.99)

 
Phoenix Musa reject loves life at Fulham

(http://static.stuff.co.nz/1348739530/214/7740214.jpg)
Photosport

JAMES MUSA: His cameo against Egypt at the Olympics now has him signed with English Premier League club Fulham until January.

On Tuesday, Whanganui's James Musa was marking Dimitar Berbatov at Fulham training.

It rammed home the reality of a remarkable career transformation for the Phoenix reject, who was slogging away for Team Wellington five months ago.

But professional football is a fickle business, and a 35-minute cameo for New Zealand against Egypt at the Olympics was enough for the athletic centre back to catch the eye of Fulham's head scout.

Musa is signed with the English Premier League club until January and, although he is yet to play a game, is in the frame to debut against Liverpool in an under-21 fixture on Tuesday.

"It's just a massive eye-opener, you know, like I was at home a month ago, watching the Premier League on TV, now I'm at Fulham training with the likes of Berbatov," Musa said from west London.

"It is pretty crazy. You've got everything you could want, ice baths, massages, people there to cut your nails, it's top notch."

Musa hasn't yet indulged in a manicure, nor does he hold a grudge against the Phoenix, who released him after playing three games in the 2010-11 A-League.

Now 20, Musa simply says "everything happens for a reason".

After an initial period of confusion, he is grateful Team Wellington allowed him the platform to refocus towards his goals of playing at the Olympics and the under-20 World Cup.

Musa has had three weeks training with Fulham but his opportunities for game time with the under-21s have been blocked by the likes of senior pros Philippe Senderos and Zdenek Grygera, bidding for returns to the first team.

"It is frustrating but you can understand why," Musa said.

"I'm not angry about it. I had a chat to the coach the other day and he just said keep battling on and your chance will come. So I'm not taking it as a negative, because I know the players coming down are Premier League players."

He has ideal role models just across town in Ryan Nelsen and Winston Reid, who have been starring in the heart of defence for Queen's Park Rangers and West Ham United respectively.

"I've been watching them but they've been away on internationals so it's hard to get hold of them," Musa said. "But I got an email from Neil Emblen to say Ryan wants my number so I think we're going to get in touch. QPR is quite close to where I am so I think we'll meet up one day."

An average day at Fulham starts at 9am and ends at 4.30pm.

A team breakfast is followed a "pre-activation" warmup - "they're really big on glute exercises" - before an intense field session complete with GPS and heart rate monitors.

Once lunch settles, players hit the gym again before another hour-long field session to work on technique and specifics such as shooting or passing.

"After that you shower up and have a meeting or review the game.

"It's quite a long day but it's everyone's dream to do something that you love and earn a living doing it. I'm not trying to make millions of pounds right now. I'm just happy to get the opportunity and the money will come later."



http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/sport/football/7740220/? (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/sport/football/7740220/?)

 
Jol weighing up Hargreaves swoop

Martin Jol is once again prepared to turn to free agents to solve his mounting problems in midfield, and is understood to be interested in Nigel Reo-Coker, Thomas Hitzlsperger and Owen Hargreaves.

Having failed to properly reinforce the area after the exits of Danny Murphy, Dickson Etuhu and Moussa Dembele in the summer window, the Fulham boss then saw Mahamadou Diarra ruled out for up to six months with a knee injury.

That has resulted in both Steve Sidwell and Chris Baird filling in, with Jol also bringing out-of-contract Greek veteran Giorgios Karagounis to the club.

With growing talk of his interest in the trio, Jol confirmed that he would have no problem going back into the free agent market again.

"As you know, when there was an opportunity with Karagounis we did that," he said. "There was an opportunity last year with Diarra and we did that. If there's an opportunity to get a good player in we will do that."

Fulham currently have 22 names on their Premier League squad, meaning they can still add up to three free agents.



Read more at http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/172180.html?CMP=OTC-RSS#vcR0GpyKqSupVBvS.99 (http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/172180.html?CMP=OTC-RSS#vcR0GpyKqSupVBvS.99)

 
Fulham vs. Manchester City: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

(http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/001/909/542/hi-res-138201257_crop_exact.jpg?w=650&h=440&q=75)
This game should be an exciting one down to the finish.
Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Manchester City is looking to get back to top form as they take on Fulham in Saturday's English Premier League match. Fulham has surprised nearly everyone with how well they've been playing, whereas Manchester City looks to be slowly falling from the top.

You would probably laugh if somebody were to tell you that Fulham would have three wins, zero draws and two losses through their first five games. Now it appears as though that person would be laughing at you for not believing them, because that is exactly how Fulham is doing. They're currently on a two-game winning streak, with one of the wins coming against West Bromwich Albion, who are sitting at No. 4 in the EPL standings.

Manchester City started the year out with a shaky win over Southampton and haven't done much since. They are No. 7 in the standings and have two wins, three draws and zero losses. Not losing a game so far is impressive, but their inability to close games is concerning.



Where: Craven Cottage, London, England

When: Saturday, September 29, 10:00 a.m. ET

Live Stream: foxsoccer2go.com

TV Information: Fox Soccer Channel, 10:00 a.m.-11:45 a.m. ET

Manchester City Needs to Pick Up Their Level of Play

Manchester City's two wins have come against Southampton and Queens Park Rangers, the No. 16 and No. 19 teams in the EPL standings, respectively.

Their draws have come against Arsenal, Liverpool and Stoke City. Only Arsenal is in the top 12 of the standings, which brings up questions about if Manchester City can play well against good teams.

On the bright side, they aren't losing games that they shouldn't be losing. Every game this year has ended in a win or a draw, and even though the team isn't beating all of the bad teams that they've played, they still aren't losing to them, either.

Tom Sunderland, Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report, wrote an article on why this year's team could actually be better than last year's. One of his reasons was because of their English Premier League unbeaten streak:

It isn't always possible to come out with 100 percent of the points 100 percent of the time, and draws are a common component of a title-winning campaign, even if not the most glamorous route.

Manchester City have picked up draws against Liverpool, Arsenal and Stoke City already this season, and while many Citizens will be disappointed not to have come out of those fixtures in the best way possible, an unbeaten streak is still something to be proud of.

It's obviously way too early for Manchester City to panic or to lose sight of the bigger picture. They also haven't played poorly enough to take themselves out of the title race.

That being said, it is extremely important for the team to get back on track, and a win against Fulham would do just that.

(http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/article/media_slots/photos/000/559/012/hi-res-150723447_crop_exact.jpg?w=340&h=244&q=85)
Don't be surprised if Fulham starts out the game with a quick goal or two.
Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Is Fulham a Legitimate Threat?

Fulham opened their season with a bang by beating Norwich City by a score of 5-0. Could that have been a sign of things to come?

It's absolutely possible, as they've gone on to win against Wigan Athletic and the previously mentioned West Bromwich Albion. Their two losses can't be viewed as anything too disappointing, either.

West Ham United shut them out, but Fulham also barely lost a close one to Manchester United in their second game of the year.

When it comes to playing Manchester City, Fulham will have one key advantage.

They will be playing at home.

In this season's two home games, Fulham has scored eight goals and their opponents are scoreless. The level of competition certainly hasn't had the same type of offensive firepower that Manchester City possesses, but it's still something to look for.

Beating a successful team is necessary if Fulham wants to be considered as one of the top squads in the EPL. Maybe that win could come against Manchester City.



Fulham vs. Manchester City Will End in a Draw: 2-2

Look for Fulham to take an early lead in this one, as Manchester city will be trying to play catch up for most of the first half.

A promising start won't be enough, as Manchester City is too strong on offense to not tie this game up with some time remaining. From there it becomes a race to the next goal.

There's only one problem: not every race is finished.

Neither team will be able to score the deciding goal and this game should end in a draw.

That would still be a positive result for Fulham, but chances are that a draw would only add fuel to questions about how Manchester City is playing.



http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1350146-fulham-vs-manchester-city-date-time-live-stream-tv-info-and-preview? (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1350146-fulham-vs-manchester-city-date-time-live-stream-tv-info-and-preview?)

 
Opposition view: Fulham

Ahead of Saturday's game at Craven Cottage Bluemoon caught up with Kyle from Fulham's Finest blog to get the lowdown on the opposition...

What are your expectations for this season?

It's a bit of a funny question.  With the roller coaster that's been the beginning to this season, expectations have kind of gone up and down with the peaks and valleys of the emotions.  I would say at the moment, the preseason expectation of top-10 finish is attainable.  It's going to be a struggle with a real lack of a midfield, but as long as the club can limp its way to January, we should be fine. I'll discuss more on this in a bit.

Are you happy with the manager?

Yes. Martin Jol has done a phenomenal job.  The transfer window didn't exactly go as planned for him or for us (more on that later) but a lot of it wasn't his fault.  He's quite possibly one of the most adaptable managers I've ever seen, so to have him on our side during this time where the midfield is in question is a real strength.  We've already seen it in our last two wins.  He not only adapts to the players he has available and what their strengths are, but also adapts to the opponent.  Against Wigan last week, despite having a lack of midfield players, Jol knows it's practically impossible to get anything up the wings at Wigan, so all our attacks were made centrally and on the counter.  The week before against West Brom, almost everything came up the wings, and he used the full backs to his advantage on the attack.  It's been really fun to watch.

Who are your key players?

Well at the moment anyone with the letters "CM" next to their name is a key player! In all seriousness, our key player at the moment without a doubt is Dimitar Berbatov.  The entire attack now revolves around him, and rightly so.  He's one of the biggest signings in this club's history, and he's been nothing but a positive addition so far. It's been a while since we've been able to say we have a true, consistent goal hawk at the front.

Were you happy with the business conducted during the transfer window?

Yes and no. A lot of this wasn't Martin Jol's fault, but the Clint Dempsey saga was definitely a distraction and losing Moussa Dembele hurt a ton. He was the most important player on the squad at the opening of the transfer window, so to subtract a creative mind like his was killer.  It's a big reason why my biggest fear right now for this club is getting the ball to Dimitar.  I'll talk more about this in a moment, but it's left the club with a real hole in the middle of the pitch.  Jol had lined up replacements, but with everything happening so late, and a few things not falling into place, nothing materialized. However, the Berbatov signing obviously quelled many fears, and we have yet to see a promising young winger from Wolfsburg Ashkan Dejagah. The kid can flat out cross the ball like you've never seen.  It's his strength, and something this club lacks is a good crosser (outside maybe Damien Duff). Dejagah is currently injured, and was at the time of his transfer, but he's a great player.

Are there any rising stars in the squad that we might not have heard of?

A few weeks ago I would have pointed out Alex Kacaniklic as someone you probably haven't heard of but will in a little.  Well it's been a little while and now he's performed consistently on the biggest stage and locked down the left wing position for the time being.  He came over to Fulham in the hilarious-in-hindsight deal sending Paul Konchesky to Liverpool.  He's one of the bigger creative threats on the club with Dembele gone, and has developed somewhat of a partnership linking with Berbatov in their short time playing together.  Keep an eye out for Kacaniklic making runs from the left wing into the box and then looking to set up the ex-Manchester United star.

Your Achilles heel?

Midfield, no question.  Jol has planted Chris Baird into the central midfield and he's performed admirably the last two matches, along with Steve Sidwell. However, I can't imagine that lasting long term, and sometime soon one or both will come back down to Earth and there will be serious issues.  Giorgos Karagounis is an option as well, but a 35-year old option at that.  Otherwise, it's thin. We learned recently that Mahamadou Diarra, who had defied his age and shown he has a lot left in the tank, will be having knee surgery and could be out the rest of the season, and that's a massive blow. Kieran Richardson is versatile but has been poor in his short time at Craven Cottage. That's literally it. Sidwell, Baird, Karagounis, and Richardson. It's going to be a struggle long-term to make it to January unscathed, but they're off to a good start.

If you could have any City player in your team who would you choose?

If you asked me this question in person, you'd realize how sure of my answer I am because I'd cut you off before you finished the question. It's Sergio Aguero. He has a sixth sense for where the goal is, can set his teammates up, and has such a positive attitude, he flat out makes everyone around him better.  You can't ask for much more than what he brings to City.

What is your perception of City as a club?

I like City.  They're confident, but it's more of a "we know we can perform at a high level and expect to do so on a regular basis" confident, rather than a "we deserve to win the league because we're Manchester United" confident. Oops, did I say that out loud? Sorry United fans...

Likely starting XI for the game, and score prediction?

Don't expect too many changes from the last two weeks, it's been working. Starting XI: Schwarzer; Riise, Hangeland, Hughes, Riether; Sidwell, Baird, Duff, Kacaniklic; Ruiz, Berbatov.  Expect Berba to play up front, and Ruiz to sit just behind him.  Bryan hasn't played in a while due to injury, so hopefully he's not too rusty.  As for a prediction, I expect it to be a close, hard-fought game since Fulham always do well at home.  City have struggled recently, but I don't see that as an advantage to Fulham, because with a club like Man City, they don't stay down for extended periods of time, so they should bounce back soon (hopefully not this weekend!).  I think it will be 2-1 to City, but I wouldn't be overly shocked with a draw. That may be wishful thinking though.



http://www.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/Blog/index.php/2012/09/27/opposition-view-fulham/? (http://www.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk/Blog/index.php/2012/09/27/opposition-view-fulham/?)

 
Berbatov is a 'pleasure to play alongside', says Rodallega
The Colombia international believes that Fulham will be the "surprise of the season" and points to the quality of his new attacking team-mate as a significant reason why

Fulham striker Hugo Rodallega says that it is a pleasure to play alongside fellow new signing Dimitar Berbatov.

The Colombia international was one of three forwards to join the club over the summer, with the Bulgarian and Mladen Petric also arriving at Craven Cottage.

Rodallega scored his first Fulham goal when deployed alongside the Bulgarian against Wigan and has hailed the quality that the former Manchester United player has to offer.

"Berbatov is a fantastic striker, he's been one of the best for many years now," he told the club's official website.

"It's a pleasure to play alongside him, and I think we work well together. He doesn't just score goals, but he creates them too.

"That said, the club has a number of talented attacking players with Petric and Bryan Ruiz also fighting for a place. The competition for a starting spot is really high but it's a challenge I enjoy facing."

Fulham host Manchester City on Saturday and Rodallega has set his sights on collecting three points from the defending champions, describing the Cottagers as the potential "surprise of the season".

"We all know the players that they have and how good they can be," he said of Roberto Mancini's team.

"But there's no reason why we can't get the result that we want. We're at home and want to add another three points to what we already have.

"I have a good feeling about the campaign ahead, and I think we could be the surprise of the season. Fulham have achieved a lot in the past few years and that has inspired the team to do well, if not better.

"We are a very ambitious group and on top of wanting to do well for the fans, we want to make it a season to remember."

Rodallega decided against celebrating against Wigan, his previous club, but promised to display his happiness next time around.

"I was at Wigan for a long time, so of course, they are a club close to my heart," he explained.

"It was strange going back there, and even stranger scoring against them. But I'm a Fulham player now, and it meant a lot to get my first goal. You never forget your first goal for a club.

"I will celebrate my next goal, that's a promise. Hopefully there will be a lot more. It just didn't feel right, I hope the Fulham fans understood that. I was treated really well at Wigan – they were the club that gave me the chance to play in the Premier League."



http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2012/09/27/3408011/-? (http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2012/09/27/3408011/-?)

 
Fulham star thinks 'ambitious' Cottagers can upset Man City

Hugo Rodallega has backed Fulham to maintain their perfect home record when champions Manchester City come to Craven Cottage on Saturday.

Fulham thumped Norwich City 5-0 on the Premier League's opening day in west London and beat West Brom 3-0 two weeks ago.

And former Wigan striker Rodallega, who scored his first goal for Fulham in their 2-1 victory over his old club last weekend, thinks they have nothing to fear against Roberto Mancini's side.

"We all know the players that they have and how good they can be," he told Fulham's official website.

"But there's no reason why we can't get the result that we want.

"We're at home and want to add another three points to what we already have."

Rodallega believes Fulham have the quality and ambition to be dark horses this season.

"I have a good feeling about the campaign ahead, and I think we could be the surprise of the season," he said.

"Fulham have achieved a lot in the past few years and that has inspired the team to do well, if not better.

"We are a very ambitious group and on top of wanting to do well for the fans, we want to make it a season to remember."



http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/fulham_star_thinks_ambitious_cottagers_can_upset_man_city_1_1532547? (http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/fulham_star_thinks_ambitious_cottagers_can_upset_man_city_1_1532547?)

 
LAWRO'S PREDICTION
(http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/63065000/jpg/_63065834_fulham-man-city.jpg)
Fulham v Man City

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini won't have been too impressed by his side's defending against Aston Villa on Tuesday but the Capital One Cup was their fourth priority this season and I don't think he will be too sorry not to have to worry about it anymore.

Fulham picked up a good away win over Wigan last week, especially when you consider that their form on the road is usually their biggest problem.

Martin Jol's side are very strong at home and Dimitar Berbatov is bedding in very nicely - he and Hugo Rodallega looks like a very promising partnership - but Craven Cottage is the sort of place City will enjoy going to.

It is a great old ground, a bit like Goodison Park but without the same intimidation for the players.

City haven't got going yet, but neither have Manchester United, and they are still up there near the top of the table and still undefeated so there is nothing for Mancini's men to worry about. It is almost inevitable that they have made a slow start after winning the title.

Prediction: 0-2


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19696253 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19696253)

 
Fulham vs. Manchester City: Complete Preview, Team News and Projected Lineups

Manchester City are in a rather frustrating rut at the moment. Their last three games between three competitions have told the tale of a club that has a lot more to be desired across the board.

Starting last week with what looked set for an amazing upset against the run of play in Madrid, the English champions shipped away two leads against the run of play to give Real Madrid an opening-day victory in the UEFA Champions League.

The Citizens followed up that performance with another of similar fashion when they hosted Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, September 23rd. Once again City went top first, but their defensive mistakes eventually cost them the full three points against the visiting Gunners who look set to challenge the defending champions for their crown this season.

Last but not least, there is no excuse for the poorness that was seen out of the side against Aston Villa in Tuesday's Capital One Cup match at home. City got off to a great start, taking the lead just 27 minutes into the match. However, an unfortunate defensive blunder saw a Gareth Barry own goal bring the Villains level.

Aleksandar Kolarov managed to secure a brief lead once again only to have Gabriel Agbonlahor cancel it out to force extra time. That would prove to be the death of City as continued defensive failings would see Charles N'Zogbia and Agbonlahor wrap up a 2-4 victory away from home to embarrass Roberto Mancini.

Fulham got to spend the week preparing for City after having been knocked out of the Capital One Cup by Sheffield Wednesday back in August. After two straight league wins over West Bromwich Albion and Wigan Athletic, Martin Jol's side continues to look much improved from last season.

The addition of Dimitar Berbatov has added a world-class attack that Fulham was usually not known for in the past, and his abilities to find the back of the net with his rather nonchalant style could be just the kind of approach that disrupts City's back line.

However, Jol could be looking to still add further reinforcements to his squad, according to ESPN, as the free-agent pool could yet be tapped by Fulham in the coming weeks.



Projected Lineups

Fulham: Mark Schwarzer; John Arne Riise, Brede Hangeland, Aaron Hughes, Sascha Reither; Chris Baird, Steve Sidwell, Damien Duff, Alexander Kacaniklic; Hugo Rodallega, Dimitar Berbatov



Manchester City: Joe Hart; Gael Clichy, Joleon Lescott, Vincent Kompany, Pablo Zabaleta; Yaya Toure, Gareth Barry, Javi Garcia, David Silva, Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez.




http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1345307-fulham-vs-manchester-city-complete-preview-team-news-and-projected-lineups? (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1345307-fulham-vs-manchester-city-complete-preview-team-news-and-projected-lineups?)

 
Luis Boa Morte on trial at Portsmouth with Akos Buzsaky

Former Arsenal, West Ham and Southampton forward Luis Boa Morte is on trial at League One Portsmouth.

Boa Morte, 35, has 28 international caps for Portugal and had been playing Major League Soccer with Canadian side Toronto FC.

West Ham paid £5m in 2007 for Boa Morte, who joins Hungarian midfielder Akos Buzsaky on trial at Fratton Park.

Meanwhile, defender Josh Thompson suffered an ankle injury in training and could be out for six weeks.

Pompey manager Michael Appleton also confirmed that striker Luke Rodgers is set for a lengthy lay-off.

But Appleton, whose entire squad are on one-month deals, says he is hopeful of being able to sign at least two players on loan before Saturday's game.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19747616 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19747616)

Interesting to see the first comments about a six month lay off for Diarra. Have to say had the injury been a twinge, a cartilage issue or a patella injury he would be on the physio bench by now. It looks like surgery is being assessed and the first we will hear, formally, is that it has been done and he is out for the duration.

 
Fulham set to complete Chris David signing in January
Time ran out on the young striker's switch to the Premier League in the summer but he now appears to be moving closer to a move when the next transfer window opens

(http://u.goal.com/206800/206855hp2.jpg)
Getty Images

Fulham are set to complete the signing of FC Twente striker Chris David in January after missing out on the 19-year-old's signature in the summer transfer window.

Martin Jol's men had an agreement in place with the Eredivisie side on the final day of the window and a move almost went through for a nominal fee until time ran out on the deal.

David's move will be resurrected in January though, with reports in the Netherlands suggesting he has undergone a medical with Fulham already in preparation for the New Year switch.

After the striker refused to sign a new contract with Twente, he has not been included in first-team matches and he is planning talks with the Dutch club to smooth things over for his remaining time with Steve McClaren's team and ensure he is allowed to move to England in January.

Twente's domestic rivals Ajax were also in the race to sign David but have missed out to the pulling power of the Premier League side.

Fulham had a busy transfer deadline day, completing deals for Dimitar Berbatov, Kieran Richardson and Ashkan Dejagah.

As well as missing out on David, they also saw moves for Lyon left-back Michel Bastos and Ghanaian midfielder Derek Boateng fall through in a frantic day of transfer market trading.



http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2012/09/28/3408883/-? (http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2012/09/28/3408883/-?)

 
Fulham Focus - Baird could be unlikely midfield stop-gap at Craven Cottage

As Fulham welcome Manchester City to Craven Cottage this weekend, Martin Jol will know that despite the champions' stuttering form defensively, it is their midfield which brings them their success. The likes of Chris Baird will have to stand up to the power and athleticism of Yaya Toure, as well as the vision and guile of David Silva and Samir Nasri ahead of him.



On the face of it Fulham could struggle to compete in the middle of the park, particularly with the Cottagers not only shorn of the talents of the departed Moussa Dembele, but now without Mali international Mahamadou Diarra for a prolonged period due to injury. Manager Jol has cast his net wide and brought in Giorgos Karagounis to offer some creative spark but the Greek veteran is yet to appear for his new club.

However, despite the apparent hole in their midfield, the Cottagers have rallied and produced two of their best performances of the season to take maximum points at home to West Brom and more impressively, away at Wigan in their last encounter. Dimitar Berbatov of course gets the headlines and rightly so but perhaps more importantly ahead of Fulham's toughest of midfield tests, the efforts of Steve Sidwell and Chris Baird have gone under the radar.

While Sidwell has often been in and around the Cottagers' first team, Chris Baird's arrival has coincided with his side's return to form. The Northern Irishman is clearly in the twilight of his career at 30 years of age and is never likely to produce a defence-splitting pass or beat two or three players in the manner of the departed Dembele. Indeed, Baird's spells in defence often had Fulham fans wondering where the next mistake was coming from.

However, what Baird offers in a holding central midfield role is simplicity. His role is simply to shadow, track back, tackle and when with the ball pass it on as quickly as possible to Fulham's more creative talents. It may not get the headlines but away from home where Fulham were often left exposed due to their desire to go forward, particularly when Dembele, who would be one of only two central midfield players, would also go forward.

Now, it may be less exciting and explosive but with Baird and Sidwell acting as a double defensive pivot, Fulham can let their attacking talents loose to flourish without any defensive constraints. Berbatov in particular thrives on this.

The last time City came to the banks of the Thames, the would-be champions raced into a 2-0 lead courtesy of Sergio Aguero only to be pegged back by goals from Bobby Zamora and Danny Murphy to drop their first points of the season. Both those players may have departed but the message was clear - on their day, Fulham can compete with the very best and with Baird and Sidwell doing such a good job, who would bet against Berbatov and co. pulling off a similar upset one year on.


http://www.adifferentleague.co.uk/p6_1_16903_fulham-focus-baird-could-be-unlikely-midfield-stop-gap-at-craven-cottage.html (http://www.adifferentleague.co.uk/p6_1_16903_fulham-focus-baird-could-be-unlikely-midfield-stop-gap-at-craven-cottage.html)

 
Hugo Rodallega confident Fulham can beat Manchester City

Fulham striker Hugo Rodallega is undaunted by the prospect of taking on Barclays Premier League champions Manchester City at Craven Cottage tomorrow.

The former Wigan forward opened his account for his new club against his old employers last weekend.

That 2-1 win means Martin Jol's side go into the City game in sixth place, one spot above their opponents who had endured a difficult start to the campaign.

Rodallega told Fulham's official website: "We all know the players they have got and how good they can be.

"But there's no reason why we can't get the result that we want."

Tottenham striker Gylfi Sigurdsson has hailed his new side's attacking intent as they prepare to travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United.

Sigurdsson, who scored the final goal in Spurs' 3-0 midweek Cup win at Carlisle, told Tottenham's official 'Hotspur' magazine: "Once we click we will be clinical.

"The signs are all there in our build-up play and the next step, consistent finishing, will be key."

Adam Johnson is facing a race against time to be fit for Sunderland's clash with Wigan at the Stadium of Light, while the Black Cats have captain Lee Cattermole suspended.

Boss Martin O'Neill said: "Adam went for more scans - thankfully they have not shown up anything fresh. Obviously we would like to get him playing as soon as possible."

Wigan have doubts over striker Franco Di Santo who is struggling to shake off a calf problem, while defender Antolin Alcaraz is definitely out.

Newcastle head to struggling Reading buoyed by boss Alan Pardew's new eight-year deal, and with Papiss Cisse pushing for a return to the starting line-up after coming off the bench to score in midweek Capital One Cup loss to Manchester United.

Resurgent Southampton will aim to test Everton's excellent start to the new campaign at Goodison Park, although they must do so without Jack Cork, who is out for up to six week with a knee injury, and Japan international Tadanari Lee.

Norwich will have to look for their first league win of the season over Liverpool without on-loan Harry Kane, who suffered an ankle injury in the midweek win over Doncaster that is expected to keep him out for up to six weeks.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis is refusing to panic as his side look for their first league win of the season at home to Swansea.

"We need to win a game and once we do that it can be an exciting season," said Pulis.

"We are just hoping and praying we get that bit of luck. If we keep playing the way we are, it will come."

West Brom face a full-back crisis for Sunday's short trip to Aston Villa after Liam Ridgewell limped out of the Cup loss to Liverpool, while Alejandro Faurlin is a doubt for QPR's Monday night clash with West Ham.



http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/hugo-rodallega-confident-fulham-can-beat-manchester-city-8189464.html (http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/hugo-rodallega-confident-fulham-can-beat-manchester-city-8189464.html)

 
Neil Etheridge's journey from Manila to the Memorial Stadium

(http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/63161000/jpg/_63161469_etheridge_getty.jpg)

Bristol Rovers' loan signing of Fulham goalkeeper Neil Etheridge earlier this month may have slipped under a lot of people's radars but he is, by his own admission, kind of a big deal.

At the tender age of 22, Etheridge has 37 international caps for the Philippines, a contract with a Premier League club, 100,000 followers on Twitter and an army of female fans - thanks to his ventures in the world of underwear modelling.

And all of this despite the fact he only made his professional league debut last weekend.

He has even been held in the same esteem as boxer-come-actor-come-politician, and national hero, Manny Pacquiao.
"The Philippines is a very passionate country," he told BBC West Sport. "With me playing over here in England they see me as a big deal.

"But there are bigger stars than me. Manny is the biggest star."

Yet Filipino football's poster boy has gone relatively unnoticed in the English game.

A graduate of Chelsea's academy set-up, London-born Etheridge has been an understudy to Mark Schwarzer at Craven Cottage for the past two seasons and until his arrival at the Memorial Stadium, his only league games were with non-league minnows Leatherhead.

He was playing for England schoolboys when he was asked to switch allegiances to the Philippines - for whom he qualifies through his mother - and had never kicked a football for Fulham's first team.

Aged just 18, Etheridge made his international debut in the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup game against Brunei.

He has gone on to claim the number one shirt, and played an integral part in one of their biggest adventures - in the South East Asian Cup in 2010.

"We weren't even meant to qualify, but we did, and we were drawn in the hardest group against the highest-ranked teams [Vietnam and Singapore]," he said.

"We beat them both and went through to the semi-finals. We lost to Indonesia over two legs but both games were played away because we didn't have the facilities.

"We played in front of 85,000 in the first leg and 100,000 in the second leg - it's something I'll never forget.

"People will think it was a strange decision to make at such a young age but I've loved every moment of playing for them.

"I want to take football forward over there."

It seems a bold statement for such a young player, but his pop star-like fame has helped raise the game's profile in his mother's homeland.

"Basketball is the number one sport and football is quite far behind," he said.

"But the funding is slowly coming in and there's a lot of hard work going on to try and push football.

"I'm trying to be an ambassador over here and over there. I've been called that a few times. It doesn't put any pressure on me and, in fact, it gives me confidence."

And although confidence is something which oozes from the young keeper, he admits to being apprehensive about making his Football League debut, which came in Rovers' uneventful 0-0 draw with Fleetwood, in front of a humbling 5,000 fans.

"It's kind of crazy what I've done before but I was still nervous for my first game," he said.
"You try to blank it out and try and get on with the job in hand.

"There were nerves there but they seemed to calm down once I stepped on the pitch. It was a good result for us and hopefully I can carry on in the right direction."

His image is as famous as his ability between the sticks in some parts of the world, and Etheridge is happy to continue living his life in the spotlight.

"Modelling isn't really my forte," he says, coyly. "But I like endorsing products - it comes with the sport.

"It puts me in a good light as well. The people I work with help people in the Philippines as well, so it's not just for myself, it's for others as well."



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19741354? (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19741354?)

 
Sing When You're Winning – Fulham Look Good Value To Spring A Surprise This Weekend

This week's treble comes from the Premier League with a couple of surprise selections included, the pick of which, is Fulham to upset Man City at Craven Cottage.

The other upset is predicted to come in the form of Chelsea who can maintain their good start to the season by landing attractive odds at the Emirates.

In the third and final selection, we're going for Martin O'Neill's Sunderland to finally end a run of four draws from their first few games with victory at home to Wigan .

Fulham v Man City – Home Win @ 7/2

Fulham have played two and won two at home in the Premier League so far this season, scoring eight and have yet to concede in the process. Whilst the visit of Man City on Saturday will be their toughest game to date, Martin Jol's side should be confident enough about making it three wins from three, even if it against the defending champions.

With Dimitar Berbatov seemingly somewhere close to being back to his best with two goals in two games, the Cottagers will be a match for anyone whilst the Bulgarian is on song and at 7/2 they look reasonable valuable for the win.

Man City are not finding the defence of their title particularly easy going and have produced a somewhat mixed bag of results from their opening five games, in fact, they have not won a match since 1st September and were dumped out of the League Cup this week by an inconsistent Aston Villa side.

It will only be a matter of time before City rediscover their winning formula but whilst they are not on song, we're happy to call a shock result in this game.


http://www.itsroundanditswhite.co.uk/2012/09/28/sing-when-youre-winning-fulham-look-good-value-to-spring-a-surprise-this-weekend/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sing-when-youre-winning-fulham-look-good-value-to-spring-a-surprise-this-weekend (http://www.itsroundanditswhite.co.uk/2012/09/28/sing-when-youre-winning-fulham-look-good-value-to-spring-a-surprise-this-weekend/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sing-when-youre-winning-fulham-look-good-value-to-spring-a-surprise-this-weekend)

 
iPhone App Launches!

The official Fulham Football Club app is now available on your iPhone! It's all you'll need to keep in touch with all-things Fulham throughout the season.

Featuring all the latest news and updates from Fulham, including exclusive player interviews, team news, match reports and much more, you can also see what other fans are reading about most or look back at updates from the past month at the touch of a button.

Fans can also head to the Match Centre for up-to-the-minute updates from each Fulham game, including line-ups, match statistics, text commentary and audio commentary from the legendary Gentleman Jim.

Purchasing match tickets and hospitality has also never been easier; with direct access to our mobile ticketing service you'll never miss out again. Plus, get your official Fulham FC merchandise with access to our Online Store, optimised for use on your mobile device.

Fans can also view upcoming fixtures for the current season, including league and cup games, which are all updated to reflect any fixture changes throughout the term, as well as peruse First Team player profiles and view individual statistics for the current campaign.

Can't remember who scored on the opening day of the season, or looking to see how we performed in our last game? Check out the previous results from the current season and see statistics and more for each game.

Whether you're visiting Craven Cottage for the first time and need directions, want to read about the history of the Club or find out more about our Chairman, Mohamed Al Fayed, the Visit section will provide you with all of the answers.

And - coming soon; meet up with Fulham fans the world over by discovering new places to watch and chat about the game.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/september/28/iphone-app-launches? (http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/september/28/iphone-app-launches?)

 
EXCLUSIVE: Hugo Rodallega says Fulham can be the surprise of the season
Striker sees no reason why Fulham cannot stun their rivals to reach Champions League, starting with City tomorrow

When Hugo Rodallega suggested securing a place in the Champions League ought to be within the scope of Fulham's ambition this season, it was important to check that nothing had been lost in translation.

Rodallega, not a single hair out of place among those trademark braids and a tight tee-shirt revealing the outline of a lean torso, was relaxing after the last intensive training session before tomorrow's Premier League clash with Manchester City at Craven Cottage.

Maybe the Colombian was a little too relaxed. After all, with an interpreter helping with his Spanish, this was Fulham he was talking about. The friendly little club down by the Thames, traditionally content to celebrate Premier League survival and whose fans are still wondering if that joyous march to the Europa League Final two-and-a-half years ago was just a dream.

But a glance at the Premier League table five games into the season shows Fulham a high-flying sixth, one place above Roberto Mancini's cash-rich City for whom the Champions League is a necessity, not an aspiration.

At this point last year, Fulham had not won a game. That was when they were playing to type. This season Fulham are a different proposition.

Rodallega, a canny summer signing by manager Martin Jol after the striker's contract with Wigan had expired, said: "I didn't expect this at all. It is a good surprise and I hope we can continue this trend.

"With how the team have been playing at the start of the season, we're very ambitious. The supporters feel it, the club feel it, and that is important for us players.

"We want to do more than just stay up. We want to change the history of the club and who knows what can happen? Maybe we can be the surprise of the season. Maybe we can get into the Champions League. We want to leave our mark."

The Champions League? Really? Our Spanish interpreter, who happened to be a Barcelona fan and so knows all about the tournament, was prompted to ask Rodallega if he was serious.

The absence of a smile confirmed the 27-year-old was definitely not joking. "We want to be the best we can be," he said. "If that means qualifying again for the Europa League, that's great. If it means the Champions League, even better. We have trust in the club, we have confidence in the club, so we are willing to fight for it. It will be a very long season but we certainly have good players to aspire for something big."

Before Rodallega made his Fulham debut as a substitute in the season-opener against Norwich, it looked like the loss of some very good players — Mousa Dembele, Clint Dempsey and captain Danny Murphy were either gone or in the process of departing — had already dealt a death blow to any European aspirations Fulham may have harboured.

But a debut brace by Mladen Petric in the 5-0 romp over Norwich, along with the two goals by Dimitar Berbatov in his first start for Fulham against West Brom, suggested that Jol's new boys could compensate for the high-profile exits.

All it needed was for Rodallega to show the form that saw him hit 24 goals in 92 League games for Wigan. It was a long time coming. Five appearances came and went without a goal and ahead of last Saturday's game at the South American's former club, Jol admitted that he had to make a big decision over whether to start with his misfiring star.

Jol decided that the player would be inspired by his return to the DW Stadium and his faith was rewarded with Rodallega's first goal for the club.

Rodallega said: "I'd had my chances before that game but they just didn't go in. It did worry me a bit, especially as my team-mates Damien Duff, Petric and Berbatov were scoring goals. But now I have got my first one, I just want to score more."

The partnership with Berbatov, who is being used in a roving role which produces both goals and assists, looks promising. Rodallega said: "Berbatov is an experienced player who has been at amazing clubs such as Manchester United and Tottenham. That inspires me to play.

"I want the combination to work as good as possible. I know the loss of Dempsey and Dembele was a big thing but with my partnership with Berbatov I want to make up for that loss."

Tomorrow's game against City will indicate whether Rodallega's ambitions have real substance. He said: "We all know the players they have but there's no reason why we can't get the result that we want."

The Colombian connection

Hugo Rodallega (above) is only the fifth Colombian to play in England — but how did his fellow countrymen fare in the Premier League?

Faustino Asprilla (Newcastle 1995-1998)

Champions League hat-trick against Barcelona ensured hero status on Tyneside. HIT



Hamilton Ricard (Middlesbrough 1998-2002)

£2m signing from Cali averaged a goal every three games but lacked consistency. MISS



Juan Pablo Angel (Aston Villa 2000-2007)

Cost a club record £9.5m and hit 74 goals in 205 games. Now playing across the Atlantic in the MLS. HIT



Jhon Viafara (Portsmouth 2005-2006; Southampton 2006-2008)

Played 90 games for south coast rivals before returning to Once Caldas due to 'homesickness'. MISS



http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/exclusive-hugo-rodallega-says-fulham-can-be-the-surprise-of-the-season-8189421.html (http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/exclusive-hugo-rodallega-says-fulham-can-be-the-surprise-of-the-season-8189421.html)

 
Jol set to reignite striker deal

Martin Jol will look to take FC Twente's 19-year-old striker Chris David to Fulham in January after just missing out in the summer.
The Cottagers boss looked set to snap up the highly-rated forward on the August 31 transfer deadline day after coming to an agreement with the Dutch Eredivisie side.

However, the deal did not go through before the 11pm cut-off point which left David consigned to spending the first half of the campaign with his current club.

But reports in the Netherlands suggest that David has already had a medical with Fulham and is poised to make the switch to Craven Cottage when the January window opens for business on New Year's Day.

In the meantime David has not featured for FC Twente this season as coach Steve McClaren clearly feels there is no point utilising a player who will be departing in three months' time. Therefore he will need to build up his fitness levels before Jol will be able to consider him for first-team action should he complete a move to the Londoners.


http://www.eatsleepsport.com/Fulham/Jol-set-to-reignite-striker-deal-1476078.html?#.UGWqKkK_wds (http://www.eatsleepsport.com/Fulham/Jol-set-to-reignite-striker-deal-1476078.html?#.UGWqKkK_wds)

 
Fulham v MAN CITY: Nasri back in contention after two weeks out with hamstring injury

Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri has recovered from a hamstring injury and is available to play at Fulham on Saturday.

The Frenchman was substituted in the first half at Real Madrid on September 18 and missed last weekend's draw with Arsenal and the midweek League Cup defeat to Aston Villa.

(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/09/28/article-0-1515A0EF000005DC-318_468x318.jpg)
Hamstrung: Samir Nasri was injured in the Champions League fixture with Real Madrid but will return at Fulham

Jack Rodwell is missing however after injuring his groin in the warm-up before the Villa match. Right-back Micah Richards (ankle) is back in training but is short of fitness.

Provisional squad: Hart, Pantilimon, Wright, Maicon, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, K Toure, Nastasic, Kolarov, Clichy, Milner, Sinclair, Y Toure, Barry, Garcia, Nasri, Silva, Aguero, Dzeko, Balotelli, Tevez, Razak.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2209944/Manchester-City-team-news-Fulham-match.html#ixzz27lvpxrwn (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2209944/Manchester-City-team-news-Fulham-match.html#ixzz27lvpxrwn)
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Be The Best

Back home in Colombia during the summer months, free agent Hugo Rodallega considered an array of offers on the table for him following his departure from Wigan Athletic.

Rodallega was certainly not short of admirers, but following conversations with Fulham Manager Martin Jol, the striker was convinced professional and personal fulfilment would be found on the banks of the Thames.

"I had to consider my position a lot when I was on holiday back in Colombia," Rodallega explained of his move to Craven Cottage. "There were other clubs interested, in England and abroad, so it was a decision that needed to be taken in a very calm manner.

"I spoke a lot with Martin Jol – he told me that Fulham was a good club and I would like it here. I would be fighting with a lot of ambition and that motivated me. I would also be starting a new life here and I'm really enjoying it.

"London is a very big city so I'm still getting used to everything. When I was in Colombia I heard many things about London and how it was the place to be. My family are enjoying it too and if they're happy it means I can be more focused on my career here at Fulham."

Rodallega has struck up an instant rapport with Dimitar Berbatov at Craven Cottage and the respect he showed towards his former employers when scoring for Fulham last weekend was widely applauded, as the forward was evidently desperate to open his account for his new club.

"I'd had a few chances [to score] in the games before and it did worry me for a little bit, especially after seeing my colleagues Dimitar Berbatov and Mladen Petrić score," said Rodallega. "It's my obligation to score so now I've got that first goal I'm itching to score more.

"I want the combination between Dimitar and I to work as well as possible for the benefit of the Club. Dimitar is a very experienced player who has been at some amazing clubs. That really inspires me and there is good communication between us as we're good friends off the pitch."

The striker's next goal is helping his Team achieve a third consecutive win this weekend against Manchester City and retaining a top-six position, but Fulham fans will be enthused to hear Rodallega speak of what he hopes to achieve at Fulham, both this season and in the years to come.

"I didn't expect to be in the top six at all but it's a nice surprise," said Rodallega. "Fulham have always been good but at the start of the season we're doing really well which makes me very happy. I'm enjoying my time here and I hope we can continue our winning form.

"We want to do more than just stay up. We're very ambitious. The supporters feel that, the Club feel that and that's important. We want to change the history of the Club and maybe we can be the surprise of the season.

"We don't know what's going to happen but we certainly want to leave our mark. The Club made it to the UEFA Europa League Final a few years ago and that has made Fulham aspire for more."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/september/28/rodallega-interview? (http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/september/28/rodallega-interview?)

 
Fulham v Man City preview
Team news ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash between Fulham and Manchester City at Craven Cottage.

City midfielder Samir Nasri has recovered from a hamstring injury and is available to play against the Cottagers.

The Frenchman was substituted in the first half at Real Madrid on September 18 and missed last weekend's draw with Arsenal and the midweek League Cup defeat to Aston Villa.

Jack Rodwell is missing however after injuring his groin in the warm-up before the Villa match. Right-back Micah Richards (ankle) is back in training but is short of fitness.

Fulham team news to follow......

Man City (from): Hart, Pantilimon, Wright, Maicon, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, K Toure, Nastasic, Kolarov, Clichy, Milner, Sinclair, Y Toure, Barry, Garcia, Nasri, Silva, Aguero, Dzeko, Balotelli, Tevez, Razak.


http://www.football365.com/match/3518094/preview? (http://www.football365.com/match/3518094/preview?)

 
Jol reveals Fulham close to midfielder signing

Fulham manager Martin Jol expects to sign a midfielder on a free transfer in the 'next couple of days' - but not Owen Hargreaves or Nigel Reo-Coker.

Jol's squad is light in midfield after both Clint Dempsey and Mousa Dembele left during the transfer window, while Mahamadou Diarra has been ruled out for a month with a knee injury.

And the manager says that he is close to bringing in a new face, although he was not willing to reveal who it is.

It was put to Jol that he may be talking about Hargreaves or Reo-Coker, both high-profile midfielders who are available on a free transfer.

But the Dutchman said: "I hope to sign a central midfielder in the next couple of days. He will be on a non-contract basis and from abroad.

"Diarra is out for about four weeks. He had some bone removed from his knee. It is not as bad as we thought."



Read more at http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/transfer-rumours/120928/jol-reveals-fulham-close-midfielder-signing-181949?#fDegutlql3SeFsql.99 (http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/transfer-rumours/120928/jol-reveals-fulham-close-midfielder-signing-181949?#fDegutlql3SeFsql.99)

 
Fulham vs Man City

Martin Jol's Fulham host Premier League Champions Manchester City at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

The Citizens have drawn their last two league games 1-1 and are still yet to register a clean sheet all season. And to make matters worse they were dumped out of the League Cup in midweek after a 4-2 extra time defeat at the hands of Aston Villa.

Fulham welcome Roberto Mancini's side off the back of two league victories and come into this game as joint highest scorers with twelve goals in five games.

Vincent Kompany will resume the captain's duties for City after he was rested in midweek while Pablo Zabaleta is expected to remain at right back due to injuries to Maicon and Micah Richards. Scott Sinclair will keep his first-team place with Samir Nasri still out injured.

The Cottagers are expected to name the same side that beat Wigan last weekend, with new signing Giorgos Karagounis likely to feature.

A good home performance could see Fulham heap further pressure on Mancini after an unconvincing start to the season that see's the his side occupy seventh place on the table, one place behind Fulham on goal difference.



http://www.football411.com/story/0,22162,14287_8116043,00.html? (http://www.football411.com/story/0,22162,14287_8116043,00.html?)

 
Fulham v Man City

(http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/63147000/jpg/_63147425_berbatov.jpg)

BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: Craven Cottage Date: Saturday, 29th September

TEAM NEWS

Fulham must cope without Dimitar Berbatov, who suffered a hip/thigh problem in training on Thursday.

Kieran Richardson and Philippe Senderos are back in training but are not yet ready for first-team action.

Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri has recovered from a hamstring injury but Jack Rodwell is missing with a groin injury.

Right-back Micah Richards is back in training after an ankle injury but is a couple of weeks short of fitness.

MATCH PREVIEW

Sometimes the week's events cause questions and conundrums to just pop into your head at the strangest of moments.
I was putting petrol in my car when I started wondering if Lee Cattermole had more career red cards than goals; later, at the supermarket, I asked myself whether there really used to be a third-place play-off in the FA Cup. In the shower I was troubled by whether Soccer AM is still on the telly, and on the school run it was when Manchester City last went five matches without a win.

The answers are: yes, yes, nobody knows and December 2008.

If City don't win at Craven Cottage, they will repeat that sequence of almost four years ago when Mark Hughes was the manager and the first of the marquee signings, Robinho, had just arrived.

Fulham will fancy their chances. Martin Jol's side have lost only one of their last 13 home games (winning 10) and came back from 2-0 down to draw this fixture a year ago, the first points City had dropped that campaign.

Then there is Dimitar Berbatov - perhaps the best value-for-money signing of the summer. Jol knows his faults and foibles but loves him anyway, and he will give the Bulgarian the kind of leeway to express himself which he never had at Old Trafford. The swagger is back in Berbatov, and that makes him a threat to anyone, especially when ably supported by Hugo Rodallega and a revitalised Damien Duff.

Yes, I know that City can boast half-a-dozen talents like Berbatov in their squad - but they will have the Champions League visit of Dortmund in the back of their minds, and it's just possible that Fulham can improve on last season's City draw.

The question then would be when Fulham last beat City at home; the answer - November 2005.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head
Manchester City are unbeaten in their last six Premier League matches against Fulham (their last seven meetings in all competitions).

City are unbeaten on their last six visits to Craven Cottage.

City have scored in each of their last 16 league matches against Fulham since a 0-0 at home in March 2004.

Fulham have not kept a clean sheet in their last 14 top-flight home matches against Manchester City since a 1-0 win in old Division One in December 1960.

Fulham
Fulham have registered three league wins already - they had to wait until the beginning of December to achieve that last season.

Martin Jol's side have nine points from their opening five matches, their second best points total at this stage of a Premier League season, and the best since they had 10 points in 2002-03.

Fulham's tally of 12 goals is the top flight's joint-highest (along with Man Utd).

Fulham have won their last four league home matches. They last won five top-flight home matches in a row between November to December 1966 in the old Division One.

Players from 14 different countries have represented Fulham in this season's Premier League, more than any other team.

Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer has made a league-high 30 saves this season.

Manchester City
City dropped just two points from the first 36 available last season; in 2012-13, they have already dropped six from the first 15 available.

The champions have scored 10 goals in their first five league games; at the same stage last season, they had scored 17 times.

City have drawn their last two matches - the last time they drew three in a row was in October-November 2009 when they drew seven on the trot - manager Mark Hughes was sacked the following month.

Roberto Mancini's side have lost their last two Premier League matches in London - 1-0 at Arsenal in April, and 2-1 at Chelsea in December 2011.

If City concede against Fulham, they will become the first reigning Premier League champions to concede in each of their first six matches of the following season.

City have had 33 corners, more than any other top-flight team.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19684404? (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19684404?)

 
Fulham to inflict Manchester City's first defeat of the season

(http://thepremierleagueowl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/63052629_hugo_rodallega_getty.jpeg)

A little bit speculative, but at 7/2 this is worth a punt.

Manchester City aren't quite right at the moment, and they look far less metronomic than they did last year. As the season goes on, it's inevitable that they'll eventually click into gear and start steamrolling sides on a weekly basis. But not yet.

A lot has been made of Fulham's potential decline in the wake of Moussa Dembele and Clint Dempsey leaving the club, but it hasn't really materialised – they've won two out of three since the window closed.

Craven Cottage is traditionally a place where sides get found out if there out of form, and expect something like that tomorrow – Fulham will play with a lot of intensity, and in Dimitar Berbatov they now have a player who can trouble every defence in the country. It's not a good time for City to visit.

Maybe it's because of Sergio Aguero's prolonged absence and the subsequent lack of familiarity in the side, or maybe it's because of Roberto Mancini's insistence on altering the tried and tested tactical formula from last year, but this is not a City side to be afraid of yet – and Fulham, with enough intensity and incisiveness, can hurt them at Craven Cottage.

Fulham are 7/2 for the win, dropping to a still very generous 2/1 on a Draw No Bet.



http://thepremierleagueowl.com/fulham-to-inflict-manchester-citys-first-defeat-of-the-season/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fulham-to-inflict-manchester-citys-first-defeat-of-the-season (http://thepremierleagueowl.com/fulham-to-inflict-manchester-citys-first-defeat-of-the-season/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fulham-to-inflict-manchester-citys-first-defeat-of-the-season)

 
Premier League: Fulham v Manchester City match preview
A look ahead to this weekend's Premier League fixture at Craven Cottage

Fulham have won both of their home games this
season without conceding a goal and considering Manchester City's defence has
looked quite shaky so far this season, Martin Jol will have reason to believe
Fulham can cause an upset on Saturday.

City's defensive frailties were there for all to see in the League Cup on Tuesday as they were eliminated 4-2 by Aston Villa and although captain Vincent Kompany should return against Fulham to strengthen the back four, City's defence remains suspect.

With all three of Jol's new strikers scoring already this season, midfield is a problem area as Mahamadou Diarra, Simon Davies and Kieran Richardson are all out injured, prompting the Dutchman to reportedly run the rule over former Bolton midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker as a possible free transfer.

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini could have Samir Nasri back in action for the trip to Craven Cottage after the Frenchman missed his club's lastt two games with a hamstring injury.

KICK OFF: Saturday, 3pm



PAST THREE MEETINGS...

Manchester City 3 (Aguero, Baird OG, Dzeko) Fulham 0, Premier League, February 2012

Fulham 2 (Zamora, Kompany OG) Manchester City 2, (Aguero 2), Premier League, September 2011

Manchester City 1 (Balotelli) Fulham 1 (Duff), Premier League, February 2011



STATS...

Fulham are joint top-scorers in the English Premier League with 12 goals from five games, matched only by second-placed Manchester United

Manchester City have not kept a clean sheet in any competition this season and have conceded two goals per game on average

Fulham, as the home side, have scored eight goals in two games on their own turf in the league this season



ODDS...

Fulham to win: 4.33

Man City to win: 1.80

Draw: 3.60


http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/premier-league-fulham-v-manchester-city-match-preview-8189947.html (http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/premier-league-fulham-v-manchester-city-match-preview-8189947.html)

 
Under-18s Face Reds

Steve Wigley's side host Liverpool on Saturday with our in-form Under-18s looking to maintain top spot in Barclays Under-18 Premier League Group Three.

Defeat of Manchester City last weekend made it four wins from four and 19 goals in the process, as the Under-18s continued their impressive start to the 2012/13 season.

Cauley Woodrow was on target once more, and enters this weekend's action with seven goals to his name. At the other end, Stephen Arthurworrey – who has made an impressive return from injury in recent weeks – could be up against Liverpool's own fine striking prospect in the shape of Jerome Sinclair who made his senior debut in Liverpool's 2-1 Capital One Cup defeat of West Bromwich Albion.

Steve Cooper's Liverpool come to Motspur Park searching for their first win of the season, having drawn their matches against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Crystal Palace and lost their previous two encounters against Manchester City and second-placed Chelsea.

"Like Manchester City last weekend, we're going up against another of the best academies in Liverpool," said Wigley to fulhamfc.com. "They have a good reputation at this level and in recent weeks we have seen quite a few of their young players step up and play for the first team.

"We know it will be a tough test, but we've started the season well and have been doing a lot of things right. If we can continue to do that, then we know what we can do. I don't think too much about winning four from four, but of course, in football momentum is important."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/september/28/under-18s-face-reds? (http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/september/28/under-18s-face-reds?)

 
Fulham v Manchester City: match preview
Read a full match preview of the Premier League game between Fulham and Manchester City at Craven Cottage on Saturday Sept 29, 2012, kick-off 15.00 BST.

Saturday, September 29
Fulham v Manchester City
Craven Cottage
Kick-off: 15.00 BST
TV: Highlights BBC1 Match of the Day.

Fulham (Possible, 4-4-1-1): Schwarzer; Riether, Hughes, Hangeland, Riise; Duff, Baird, Sidwell, Kacaniklic; Rodallega; Berbatov.
Out: Davies (hip), Dejagah (unspecified), Diarra (knee). Frei (pelvis), Richardson (thigh), Senderos (match fitness).

Manchester City (Possible, 4-4-2): Hart; Zabaleta, Kopany, Lescott, Clichy; Garcia, Y Toure, Silva, Sinclair; Dzeko, Aguero.
Out: Richards (ankle), Rodwell (groin).

Referee: Mark Halsey. Matches: 2, R2 Y4.

Team News
Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri has recovered from a hamstring injury and is available to play at Fulham.

The Frenchman was substituted in the first half at Real Madrid on September 18 and missed last weekend's draw with Arsenal and the midweek League Cup defeat to Aston Villa.

Jack Rodwell is missing however after injuring his groin in the warm-up before the Villa match. Right-back Micah Richards is back in training but is short of fitness.

Match Notes
If Fulham score on Saturday, City will become the first reigning Premier League champions to concede a goal in each of their opening six matches.

Fulham are joint top scorers in the division, unbeaten at home since March, and victory today would represent their best start to a Premier League season.

City have not lost at Craven Cottage since 2005, but have won only two out of eight games this season, and none of the last four

Betting: Home 16-5, Away 4-5, Draw 5-2.

Stat of the game: City have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their opening five Premier League games for the first time.

Gerry Cox's prediction: Fulham 2 Manchester City 2.



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/9570525/Fulham-v-Manchester-City-match-preview.html (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/9570525/Fulham-v-Manchester-City-match-preview.html)

 
Dimitar Berbatov Injured; Won't Play Against Manchester City

Bad news for Fulham fans [and Fantasy Premier League managers who own the red hot Dimitar Berbatov]. Great news for Roberto Mancini as Manchester City look for a road clean sheet and away win.

Dimitar Berbatov won't feature for Fulham tomorrow against Manchester City due to injury, according to Martin Jol.

Berbatov has been inspirational for Fulham in just a few short weeks at the club, but manager Jol will surely look to one of Petric or Rodallega to lead the line against Manchester City this weekend.



http://www.nevercaptainnickybutt.com/2012/09/dimitar-berbatov-injured-wont-play-against-manchester-city.html? (http://www.nevercaptainnickybutt.com/2012/09/dimitar-berbatov-injured-wont-play-against-manchester-city.html?)

 
Arsenal targeting Fulham defender Brede Hangeland with Cottagers career in limbo

(http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_width/hash/0c/8e/0c8ee0c0b1622d8b0ecaa8f9cd1e134c.jpg)

Arsenal continue to look at ways to improve their defense despite already seeming to be in a lot better shape this season that last. According to Metro the club are said to be looking at the potential signing of Fulham's Brede Hangeland as the Norwegian international is in the middle of failing contract negotiations with the other London club.

The Gunners are in need of a strong defensive center half that can stand on the same level of performance as both Per Mertesacker and Thomas Vermaelen. With the injury issues that Arsenal have seemed to struggle with defensively in the past few seasons, the signing of Hangeland could potentially be all that much more of a good move.

Hangeland has proven to be capable of excelling as a defender in the league even when he was not surrounded by a massive amount of high dollar talent. A move to a club like Arsenal could see him blossom into an even better defender with stronger support around him to allow him that much more freedom to employ his skill and experience.



http://www.examiner.com/article/arsenal-targeting-fulham-defender-brede-hangeland-with-cottagers-career-limbo? (http://www.examiner.com/article/arsenal-targeting-fulham-defender-brede-hangeland-with-cottagers-career-limbo?)

 
Jol's City Update

The big news to emerge from Martin Jol's press conference on Friday afternoon was that Dimitar Berbatov will be missing from Fulham's matchday squad for the visit of Manchester City on Saturday (3pm).

The Bulgarian pulled up in training on Thursday, although there was better news concerning the severity of Mahamadou Diarra's knee problem.

"Unfortunately Dimitar is injured now and can't play on Saturday so that is the disappointing thing," Jol told the gathered media. "He will be out for the next two weeks.

"In his session he was looking good, as usual, and then his final shot he felt something and he had to go in and stop training. It appears he had – not a tear – but a sort of problem with his hip and upper thigh so we couldn't take the risk to involve him against City.

"Diarra had a minor operation but he will still be out for the next four weeks at least. They removed a few little pieces of bone from his knee and that was it so that was pleasing. There was not a lot of damage.

"If there had been more damage with his knee with his ligaments or his cruciate then he could have been out for a lot longer but it was exactly what we thought it was. But it's still four weeks."

Our Manager shed some light on our other occupants of the treatment room and revealed that several players are not far away from a return to First Team action.

"Ashkan [Dejagah] started training on Thursday," he said. "But it's not my habit to involve players two days later, because he was out for four weeks so he first has to prove he is match fit, like Kieran Richardson, like Philippe Senderos.

"They are all fit and trained on Thursday with us but they are not involved in the squad because they need maybe 45 minutes for the Reserves or maybe a bit more training next week or maybe we organise a friendly next week for the Club to give them some match practice.

"[Giorgos] Karagounis is getting fitter and fitter now. He played 60 minutes for the Reserves [on Monday] so he will be strongly involved tomorrow. [Kerim] Frei came back on Thursday and looked good so he will be involved in the next couple of weeks and compete for a place with Alexander Kačaniklić."

The visit of City will provide a real threat to the Whites' perfect record at Craven Cottage this season and Jol expects a stern test against a side challenging for the Barclays Premier League title once again.

"I think all the teams in England last year knew that Manchester City, along with Manchester United, were the favourites and in the end they nicked it," he explained. "We know they've got all the money to spend, they've got all the good players in Europe so everybody knows they will probably be the biggest title contender this year.

"Roberto Mancini is a winner and he wants to win. He must win as well because if you are at Man City then you have to win as every game is a must-win game. So that puts a bit more pressure on him probably, although in the Premier League there's pressure on all the managers."

The Dutchman also commented on his desire to further bolster his midfield as he looks to add another anchorman to his side – although he distanced himself from the names currently being touted in the media as potential signings.

"We're trying to do something in the next couple of days but not with Nigel Reo-Coker or Owen Hargreaves," he said. "It will be a central midfielder from abroad and we will have to test him to see if he's fit and then we will talk to him. I'm confident of having the deal sorted next week."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/september/28/jols-city-update? (http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/september/28/jols-city-update?)

 
Fulham v Man City: Champions eagerly awaiting Cottage visit
Mancini's men are strong at Fulham where they have scored for fun in recent seasons

Man City will be thankful that their difficult week-and-a-half is scheduled to end at Craven Cottage -they haven't lost here since 2005.

Their bad results culminated in elimination from the Capital One Cup at Aston Villa's hands and they travel to west London in desperate need of a win. The only outcome that will suffice for Roberto Mancini's men can be backed at a very generous 4/5.

City have scored eight times in their past three visits to Fulham, with their Argentinean contingent particularly enjoying themselves.

Sergio Aguero was rested for the cup defeat to Villa with this game in mind and the striker netted twice in last season's 2-2 draw here. Carlos Tevez has bagged three in as many visits here in a City shirt and even Pablo Zabaleta has helped himself to a goal at the Cottage.

Aguero is the 4/1 favourite to break the deadlock in this one with Tevez a close second at 9/2, whereas Zabaleta is a 12/1 shot to add to his five City goals at any point in the clash.

The consummate ease with which City find the back of the net here makes the price of 15/8 that they'll win the game with three or more goals scored a tempting prospect.

Martin Jol's side, however, have made a strong start to the campaign and have been merciless in front of their own fans. The eight goals scored and none conceded in just two outings helps explain City's price, but they are yet to face a side of Premier League champions' calibre.

The draw, at 5/2, is their most realistic hope of a result and is certainly something they would take if it was offered now. The Fulham win or draw with more than three goals scored in the match is a good option for punters looking to get behind the underdog, given that City have netted 17 goals in eight competitive games this term.

It's too difficult to imagine Fulham keeping a clean sheet, in spite of their strong home record and, as history suggests, there is likely to be more than three instances of a keeper picking the ball out of his net here. This interesting alternative bet is available at 3/1.


http://news.ladbrokes.com/en-gb/football/premier-league/fulham-v-man-city-champions-eagerly-awaiting-craven-cottage-trip_119007.html (http://news.ladbrokes.com/en-gb/football/premier-league/fulham-v-man-city-champions-eagerly-awaiting-craven-cottage-trip_119007.html)

 
Berbatov to miss Man City and Southampton clashes with injury

Fulham manager Martin Jol has revealed that former Manchester United star Dimitar Berbatov has suffered an injury in training that will keep him out of action for two weeks.

The 31-year-old will miss the visit of champions Manchester City tomorrow, and their trip to newly promoted Southampton next weeked.

The news comes as a big blow for the Cottagers, as the Bulgarian had made a superb start to life at Fulham, scoring twice on his full debut against West Brom.

"Unfortunately Dimitar is injured now and can't play on Saturday so that is the disappointing thing," said Jol

"He will be out for the next two weeks.

"In his session he was looking good, as usual, and then his final shot he felt something and he had to go in and stop training. It appears he had – not a tear – but a sort of problem with his hip and upper thigh so we couldn't take the risk to involve him against City."

Elsewhere for the Cottagers, Mahamadou Diarra (knee) remains out but his injury is not as bad as first feared and he could be back in a month.

Kieran Richardson, Ashkan Dejagah and Philippe Senderos are all back in training but will not feature tomorrow according to manager Martin Jol.

Provisional squad: Schwarzer, Stockdale, Riether, Kelly, Hangeland, Hughes, Baird, Smith, Riise, Briggs, Sidwell, Duff, Kacaniklic, Kasami, Karagounis, Ruiz, Petric, Rodallega, Trotta.



http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/berbatov_to_miss_man_city_and_southampton_clashes_with_injury_1_1534948? (http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/berbatov_to_miss_man_city_and_southampton_clashes_with_injury_1_1534948?)

 
FULHAM v Man City: Berbatov out after injuring thigh with final shot of training

Fulham striker Dimitar Berbatov will miss Saturday's Barclays Premier League clash with Manchester City after sustaining an injury in training.

The Bulgarian will miss the next two weeks after sustaining a problem with his hip/upper thigh yesterday in the final shot of practice.

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Last-gasp injury: Dimitar Berbatov will miss Saturday's match with Man City with a thigh problem

Mahamadou Diarra (knee) remains out but his injury is not as bad as first feared and he could be back in a month.

Kieran Richardson, Ashkan Dejagah and Philippe Senderos are all back in training but will not feature according to manager Martin Jol.

Provisional squad: Schwarzer, Stockdale, Riether, Kelly, Hangeland, Hughes, Baird, Smith, Riise, Briggs, Sidwell, Duff, Kacaniklic, Kasami, Karagounis, Ruiz, Petric, Rodallega, Trotta.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2210015/Fulham-team-news-Manchester-City-match.html#ixzz27m0v7kMp (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2210015/Fulham-team-news-Manchester-City-match.html#ixzz27m0v7kMp)
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Fulham FC v Manchester City: Premier League preview

Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri has recovered from a hamstring injury and is available to play at Fulham.

The Frenchman was substituted in the first half at Real Madrid on September 18 and missed last weekend's draw with Arsenal and the midweek League Cup defeat to Aston Villa.

Jack Rodwell is missing however after injuring his groin in the warm-up before the Villa match. Right-back Micah Richards (ankle) is back in training but is short of fitness.

Fulham striker Dimitar Berbatov will the game after sustaining an injury in training.

The Bulgarian will miss the next two weeks after picking up a problem with his hip/upper thigh on Thursday in the final shot of practice.

Mahamadou Diarra (knee) remains out but his injury is not as bad as first feared and he could be back in a month. Kieran Richardson, Ashkan Dejagah and Philippe Senderos are all back in training but will not feature tomorrow according to manager Martin Jol.

Fulham FC (from): Schwarzer, Stockdale, Riether, Kelly, Hangeland, Hughes, Baird, Smith, Riise, Briggs, Sidwell, Duff, Kacaniklic, Kasami, Karagounis, Ruiz, Petric, Rodallega, Trotta.

Manchester City (from): Hart, Pantilimon, Wright, Maicon, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, K Toure, Nastasic, Kolarov, Clichy, Milner, Sinclair, Y Toure, Barry, Garcia, Nasri, Silva, Aguero, Dzeko, Balotelli, Tevez, Razak.

What team would you send out against Fulham? Have your say.

Fulham league form: WLLWW

City league form: WDWDD

Key opponent: Hugo Rodallega - dangerous customer and scored last time out

Prediction: Fulham 0 Manchester City 1 - the Blues are desperate for a clean sheet and Mancini will be looking for a tighter performance



http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/sport/football/manchester_city/s/1589964_fulham-fc-v-manchester-city-premier-league-preview? (http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/sport/football/manchester_city/s/1589964_fulham-fc-v-manchester-city-premier-league-preview?)