Friends of Fulham

 
Aston Villa fans love to hate...Fulham Football Club


Here at 7500 Holte we bring you tactical previews, we bring you audio previews, we bring you in-depth general previews. And now, we bring you...previews that provide you even more reason to despise the team Aston Villa are about to face.

This week, Fulham.

No one hates Fulham. Fulham are the nice kids of the Premier League, the ones that are just kind of...there. The same way they've been for thirteen years. A brief spell of excitement surrounded the Cottagers when they made it to the Europa League final four years ago, but even that wasn't enough to make them enemies. Even London clubs often don't consider matches with Fulham as real derbies.

But Aston Villa are set to host them on Saturday and for that reason, they must be hated. At least temporarily. Let's see if we can find some reasons.

First, when Shahid Khan bought Fulham last summer, one of his first moves was to have the Michael Jackson statue removed from Craven Cottage. That, alone, is reason to despise Fulham. The MJ statue was the best thing about the Cottage, which just might have been the inspiration for "My Garden Shed."

My personal distaste for the Whites stems from one summer's day back in 2011, shortly after Aston Villa hired Alex McLeish to...do whatever he did. I made my way to the Cottage for the first game of the season, and wound up grateful for the multiple coffees I'd consumed that morning. Of course, the goalless draw was more likely the result of having that man in the dugout, but Fulham did barely anything except stand around and look nervous for the first 45 minutes.

Which, comes to think of it, sums up much of Fulham's 2013-2014 season. Just how have they been so horrible? Remember back in 2010, when they were in the Europa League finals? Now Fulham are dead last - mostly thanks to the new man in charge, who seems to have no trouble giving coaches the boot. And despite bringing in six players (seven if you count Clint Dempsey's brief, anonymous stint) during the winter window, the Cottagers have won just twice since the start of January.

Some people might feel sorry for such a side. Nah. It's ineptitude, pure and simple. Sympathy, in this case, is undeserved. This is a side, remember, that ponied up £11m for Kostas Mitroglou without even checking to make sure he was fit to start.

That may, of course, have something to do with Fulham's controversial new manager, their third this season. Felix Magath took over in mid-February, and the Whites have won just one since his appointment. But Magath, known for his dogged approach to physical fitness and his willingness to inspire terror in his players, keeps striding along, using 19-year-old Cauley Woodrow and 17-year-old Moussa Dembélé rather than the expensive Mitroglou and/or loanee Darren Bent. In fact, he's accused both players of a lack of fitness, something Bent took exception to.

On one hand, why not take chances, when relegation is almost certain? On the other, Magath's tendency to throw lineups at the wall and see which players stick must be exceedingly frustrating to Fulham fans. With six games left to go, they're five points from safety, and perhaps it might be reasonable to play an international striker who broke the club's record transfer fee. That is, if his season isn't over thanks to knee injury, one that's possibly been plaguinghim since before he joined the side.

Finally, Fulham also annoy because they have a slight advantage in head-to-head over the Villa. Overall, Villa have won 19 games, Fulham 20 and there've been 21 draws. All of the excitement seemed to occur in the mid-sixties, when Aston Villa won 6-3 at Fulham, with Fulham beating Villa 5-1 the next season.

Yeah. it's reaching. If that's not enough, just remember Fulham employ Steve Sidwell, and any time you watch the side, you're forced to look at his ugly mug. Isn't that reason enough?


http://7500toholte.sbnation.com/2014/4/3/5574462/aston-villa-hate-fulham? (http://7500toholte.sbnation.com/2014/4/3/5574462/aston-villa-hate-fulham?)

 
An Iranian In Fulham

There was a welcome sense of déjà vu when Ashkan Dejagah netted a venomous equaliser against Everton last weekend.

The ball flew in at the Hammersmith End seven minutes after the winger had entered the field of play as a substitute, exactly the same amount of time it took him to score against Newcastle United in our previous home game.

Sadly, though, the wonderfully executed strike proved to be in vain, as the Toffees hit back with two goals to sucker punch Fulham.

"Of course, I was happy for the goal but for the team as well because we worked hard in the game," Dejagah told fulhamfc.com. "But, if you see after the game, we have no points and that's why I was very, very angry afterwards.

"It was hard for us because I think it was a great performance from the whole team – we played very well. I think the first half was amazing; we had a lot of chances but we didn't score, which was the problem.

"They then scored a crazy goal early in the second half. That was unlucky but we came back and also after the 1-1 we had a big chance to score for 2-1, but then we made small mistakes. It was hard after the game for the whole team."

Next up for the Whites is a trip to Villa Park where they face a side intent on banishing memories of consecutive 4-1 defeats.

It's a fixture Dejagah knows will be a challenge and that Fulham will need to be more clinical in front of goal if they are to come away with a win.

He explained: "If you see the Everton game, we played very well and had a lot of chances, but you have to score goals. This is a problem in our team, we need to score goals.

"In a game you might not get many chances so, when you get some chances, you have to take them. If not, you have a problem.

"I think Saturday is a hard game because Aston Villa is the home team. They play very well in their home games – they beat Chelsea a couple of weeks ago – but this is football, we have to go there and take points. We need the points.

"We beat them at home 2-0, and why not away? We need an away win and we've had this week to work hard in the training, so we will see."

A new chant to have emanated from the stands in recent fixtures pays homage to our flying Iranian, and he admitted it gives him pleasure to hear the Fulham faithful singing his name.

"It's cool, I'm proud about this," he said of the song. "I try every game to give my best for the team, for Fulham, for the fans, so these things make me happy.

"There will be thousands of away fans there at the weekend and that gives us a big boost because they are very important for us. We need them – we need everyone. We are one team, all together, and hopefully we can come out together from this situation.

"The fans are very important for us. We know it is a hard situation for us. It's not easy to come out from this situation but we still have six games and it's still in our hands so we have to work hard every week."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/april/03/an-iranian-in-fulham? (http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/april/03/an-iranian-in-fulham?)

 
Inside Villa Park

Aston Villa supporter Jamie Baker gives us the lowdown on his club ahead of Saturday's meeting with the Whites.

Looking back on the 2013/14 season to date, has the campaign met your expectations in terms of what you had initially outlined for Aston Villa?

I think it probably has, the important thing was not to be in the mix at the bottom and, while it's still very tight, I think there's enough of a gap between ourselves and those that are currently fighting it out. When the season started, I'd hoped for a top-10 finish and that certainly isn't off the table.

With seven games remaining, what's the target now for Villa?

We're probably a couple of wins away from really cementing a mid-table place and we go into Saturday's game in 12th place and three points behind West Ham United with a game in hand. At this stage you just have to focus on the team directly above and see where that takes you. We've got a decent run of fixtures now, so hopefully we can break into the top 10.

Talk us through your last game, the 4-1 defeat against Manchester United. Some have said it was a scoreline that flattered your opponents...

Possibly, there were certainly positives to be taken. But, at the end of the day, United took their chances – that's all that matters. Ashley Westwood got us off to a flying start with a brilliantly taken free-kick, but we just didn't build on the advantage.

Which of your players have impressed you most this season?

Christian Benteke hasn't had the form of last year, but the big man is certainly playing well at the moment. He went a little while without scoring, but he looks a real threat in front of goal again – on his day he's a danger to any defence. Fabian Delph has probably been our best player, though, he's an excellent ball-playing midfielder and if I was the England manager he'd be on that plane to Brazil come the summer.

Next up is Fulham at Villa Park – how do you see the game going and what's your assessment of the Whites as visiting opponents?

I'm surprised by the position that Fulham find themselves in and, like many out there, I've got a soft spot for the Whites. I always enjoy the games at Craven Cottage and I do hope they get themselves out of trouble. Felix Magath's side need the points, make no mistake so, for me, that makes them a dangerous proposition. I'm sure they'll see their trip to Villa Park as the game that will spark momentum moving forward and, for that reason, I think an exciting 90 minutes of football lay in wait.

You've highlighted the Villa players to watch but, likewise, who of the Fulham squad are you most wary of?

Ashkan Dejagah has made a bit of an impact of late, he looks to be the main threat going forward. Lewis Holtby is a superb talent and has the creativity to unlock the tightest of defences, while Steve Sidwell has arguably been Fulham's most consistent performer this term. Young players like Cauley Woodrow, Moussa Dembélé and Patrick Roberts have been brought in recently and these boys play without fear – their enthusiasm will definitely be a threat.


Do you have any stand-out memories from games between Villa and Fulham of the past?

There's a few but the one that stands out for me is our 3-0 win at Villa Park in December 2003. I love the Christmas fixtures and on that day we played some fantastic football. Darius Vassell broke a long barren run by scoring twice and Juan Pablo Angel (my favourite player at the time) got the other. I'd like to forget the time Fulham knocked us out of the FA Cup during the 1998/99 season, though, especially as the Whites were in Division Two back then!

Can you recommend a good place for Fulham fans to grab a pint before the game?

I think their best bet is anywhere in the city centre, just a short walk from the station. There'll be a lot to choose from, so take your pick.

For those Fulham fans making the trip to Villa Park, what are the best things about visiting the Villans' home?

I'm biased, of course, but I think the atmosphere is terrific at Villa Park. We're a passionate bunch and appreciate good football. I've heard the Fulham fans will be there in their numbers and that will only add to the atmosphere. Dotted around, you'll also find some decent pies on offer – all in all it's a decent away day and obviously not far for the Fulham fans to travel either.

And what's one song that our fans are bound to hear being sung loud and proud?

One of my favourites – Holte Enders in the Sky.

Score prediction:

I'll go with a 2-1 victory for Villa, but after Saturday I hope Fulham win all of their remaining matches.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/april/03/inside-villa-park? (http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/april/03/inside-villa-park?)

 
Remember Taarabt?
   
Since his loan spell, at Craven Cottage, was terminated early, it would appear that the career of Adel Taarabt has flourished.

Returning to Loftus Road, Taarabt headed off to AC Milan for a second loan spell of the season and the Moroccan appears to have found a stage for his undoubted, but difficult to harness, talents.

In fact the 24 year-old could be set to join the Serie A side on a permanent deal with a fee of £3 million being mentioned.

It kind of makes you wonder where it all went wrong whilst he was with us!


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=354972#ixzz2xqXxMAnv (http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=354972#ixzz2xqXxMAnv)

 
Mitroglou - Season Over!
   
Back in January, when an escape from our present circumstances seemed a lot more feasible than it does now, Fulham Football Club spent a club record fee bringing Costas Mitroglou to Craven Cottage.

Dipping into the cash reserves, Rene Meulensteen decreed that the fee of £12.4 million for the Olympiakos striker would be value for money with the general consensus being that his goals would rocket us to safety thereby ensuring our Premier League future.

Sadly, for everybody associated with the club, that ha snot been the case.

Our record signing has been plagued by injury and has, in fact, made just 2 appearances.

Now we understand that the club has sent Mitroglou to Italy to see a specialist about the nagging knee injury that is keeping him side-lined.

It would also appear that rumours are doing the rounds that infer Mitroglou will play no further part in our survival bid, which is totally against the mantra we were fed when the Greek international arrived here back in those rain-soaked days in January!


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=354973#ixzz2xqY6dWFD (http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=354973#ixzz2xqY6dWFD)

 
All Change (Again)?
   
With our proud club staring through the relegation trap-door needing a miracle to ensure we remain a Premier League club, there are mutterings about a sacking in the tabloid press.

Although Felix Magath, the first German to manage a Premier League club, remains confident that Fulham can beat the drop and that if we are relegated he`ll do his best to steer the club back to the top flight, one tabloid publication is intimating that the German may be in for a rude awakening.

Those sports journalists responsible for generating column inches at the Daily Star, reckon that steps are afoot, behind the scenes at Craven Cottage, to sack Magath after just six weeks in the job. The reason behind such a suggestion is that the tabloid reckons Magath has alienated the players with his training methods.

Or would it be churlish to intimate he`s taken them out of their comfort zone?

Ears to the ground on this one, I`m sure the truth will prevail if anything underhand is going on!


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=354974#ixzz2xqYIzcSr (http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=354974#ixzz2xqYIzcSr)

 
Congratulations Joe Munro

Congratulations to Joe Munro who has won four places in the Directors Lounge against Norwich City for being amongst the first to renew his Season Ticket on Wednesday.

Joe, who sits in the Johnny Haynes Stand, will be invited along to the Directors Lounge as guests of the Club.

Renew your Season Ticket today and go into the draw to win the chance to announce the Whites' team line-ups with 'Diddy' David Hamilton ahead of next weekend's match against Norwich.

Keep an eye out for other great prizes over the next few weeks.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/april/03/congratulations-joe-munro? (http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/april/03/congratulations-joe-munro?)

 
Felix Magath: Darren Bent has a big role to play in Fulham survival bid
FELIX MAGATH believes Darren Bent can still play a big role in Fuham's bid for Premier League survival.

Magath reckons The Cottagers need four wins to secure their place in the league, who are currently rock bottom of the table and five points from safety.

Magath's relationship with the former Sunderland striker was called into question after he insisted he was fit to face Everton last week.

Bent has not featured for Fulham since their 3-1 defeat at Cardiff on March 8 and has made just 10 starts for them this term.

But the German coach insists everything is fine.

Speaking ahead of Saturday's clash against Aston Villa, Magath said: "He stopped the training session on Friday and didn't resume training.

"He said on Saturday he felt better so I decided to put him on the bench because he's a player we need, but the risk for him to play was too high because he cancelled the training session on Friday."

Fulham have no fresh fitness worries ahead of their important weekend crunch clash where they will be without Bent, who is barred from facing his parent club, and Kostas Mitroglou, who will have to wait till next week to make his Fulham comeback.

Magath said: "We have no new injuries, (Mitroglou) is still injured so he will not be able to play.

"We have no more injuries but Scott Parker was back in training today, and Fernando Amorebieta will join us.

"So we could play the same team as last week and maybe Scott Parker will go with us.

"Yeah sure, [Mitroglou] will recover. With injuries you see day by day, nobody knows how it works. So I look forward every week and, at the moment, I think that he will join us next week."


http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/372647/Felix-Magath-Darren-Bent-has-a-big-role-to-play-in-Fulham-survival-bid (http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/372647/Felix-Magath-Darren-Bent-has-a-big-role-to-play-in-Fulham-survival-bid)

 
Magath's Villa Preview

There were enough positives to take from last Sunday's match against Everton to give Fulham confidence ahead of the weekend's clash at Aston Villa, according to Felix Magath.

The Whites put in a positive display last time out against Roberto Martinez's side only to go down to a 3-1 loss, but Magath was encouraged enough to believe his team are capable of leaving Villa Park with a win on Saturday.

"If you saw our game last week, we were very good at creating chances," he said in his pre-match press conference. "We had a lot of chances against such a good team as Everton, and that shows me we can work just as well against Aston Villa, also. So I think we are prepared to play as well as we did last Sunday against Everton."

With Fulham sitting five points from safety and with just six games remaining, many have written off our survival chances. But Magath refuses to throw in the towel and was also quick to refute the notion that some of his players had stopped believing.

He explained: "You see, you are not really confident if you are losing games but at the training sessions they are concentrated, they are eager to do their job. I don't think they have given up.

"They ran a lot in the last game, they ran more than Everton, so they are willing to fight against relegation. I think that four wins are enough to stay in the league and, with six outstanding games, we are able to do that."

Saturday's opponents are not entirely free from relegation concerns themselves, but Magath praised the job that Paul Lambert has done in his time at the Midlands club.

"He's built a very good team," he said. "Last year things didn't look so good; Aston Villa had a lot of problems and had lost some games and so they went through this dangerous and difficult period, and now they are much stronger than last year."

The Whites will be roared on in the Midlands by the better part of 3,000 travelling supporters – and Magath knows all too well the impact the Fulham faithful can have.

"If you want to be successful, you need all the support you can get," he admitted. "The fans are really important for us and that is maybe something that is more difficult for us than it is for Sunderland or Cardiff City, because they have the whole city behind the club.

"The whole city crosses their fingers and helps the club. Here in London you have six clubs [in the Barclays Premier League]. So in the whole city of London it's only a few people [by comparison] who care about Fulham. You don't have the same support as in smaller cities and therefore we have to do more and therefore our fans are more important for us than for everyone else."

The Fulham boss also responded to recent media reports that suggested he was set to depart the Club at the end of the campaign. It's a rumour that Magath completely dispelled.

"On Wednesday I had a telephone call with the Owner and everything is fine," he explained. "He knows the situation and he knows how things work so I have no doubt about my contract, so I don't worry about it.

"It's normal at clubs if things don't go well to have people making politics who call journalists and tell them they know what is going on, but I don't care.

"I told you, I'm here to build up a team. That was clear from the beginning. I like to develop teams, I like to develop players and therefore I am here and I will be here next season to do that at Fulham."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/april/03/magaths-villa-preview? (http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/april/03/magaths-villa-preview?)

 
FULHAM PLANNING TO SACK FELIX MAGATH

Fulham are planning to sack manager Felix Magath just six weeks after he was appointed, according to the Daily Star.

Magath is likely to be shown the door at the end of the season if the club suffer relegation, as is looking increasingly likely with every passing game.

The Cottagers are rooted to the bottom of the Premier League, five points clear of safety with just six games remaining.

Reports suggest the London club are ready to turn to Alan Curbishley for next season, with Under-21 coach Kit Symons promoted to work alongside him.

Former Bayern Munich boss Magath has managed just four points from six matches since taking charge, and looks as though he has failed to save the club from relegation.

The clubs American owner Shahid Khan had hoped Magath would be able to inspire a fight for survival, or at the very worst a push for promotion next season.

But such has been the level of unrest within the squad at his methods, the club are ready to axe their third boss in less than a year.


http://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/fulham/fulham-planning-to-sack-felix-magath? (http://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/fulham/fulham-planning-to-sack-felix-magath?)

 
Christian Benteke: Aston Villa striker out for six months

Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke has been ruled out for a minimum of six months with a ruptured Achilles tendon.

The 23-year-old Belgium international will have surgery on the injury sustained in training and will miss this summer's World Cup in Brazil.

Villa manager Paul Lambert said: "It's a terrible blow both for Christian and for the club.

"But he'll work hard because that's what he does and he'll come back for us stronger than ever next season."


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26878003 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26878003)

 
LAWRO'S PREDICTION
(http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/73910000/jpg/_73910900_aston-villa-fulham.jpg)
Aston Villa v Fulham

After beating Chelsea, Aston Villa have caved in with two successive 4-1 defeats against Stoke and Manchester United, and it feels a bit like they are back to square one.

Fulham have got bigger problems, however. They were very competitive for long spells against Everton last weekend and shaded the first half in terms of chances.

But then the Cottagers just collapsed in the second half, something which has really been the story of their season.

Felix Magath is picking players from Fulham's highly-rated Under-21 squad, and there are some positives to that. The youngsters who have made the step up have all done alright too.

But, although the experience will do them a lot of good and will speed up their development, they are not going to keep the club in the Premier League. For a few of them, the future looks bright, but it is the present that Fulham have got to worry about.

Lawro's prediction: 2-0


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26810322 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26810322)

 
Twelfth Man
by LYDIA on APRIL 3, 2014

Saturday is a massive day for Fulham. I'm sitting in my university library trying to get through the massive amount of work that needs to get done before I can even think about exams, but all I can think about is the Villa match on Saturday! This will be my first experience of a Fulham away match and, although the team finds themselves in a dire situation, I can hardly wait. I would love to get to see Fulham a lot more than I do but living in Scotland most of the year for University and spending the rest of it at home in Northern Ireland, it's not easy. I generally have to make do with streaming or watching any live games that Sky or BT choose to put us on.

This season has been hard. By 5pm on most Saturday evenings I have been frustrated by the performances that Fulham have been giving. What has happened off the pitch at Fulham this year has also been hard to take. Jol sacked, in comes Meulensteen, Curbishley and Wilkins before all three of them also get the sack and Magath comes in. It has been crazy. However I do feel that we have a quality manager in Magath and if we do go down, I think we will find ourselves straight back up again! But hopefully it doesn't come to that.

Back to Saturday; this is a game that we can win. Villa are not the same team that they were back under O'Neill and despite them having a number of quality attacking players in Benteke and Agbonlahor, I think that Villa Park could be the place to start a miraculous come back, or at least the start of a 'going down fighting' run. Hopefully the former! Dejagah is in decent form at the minute, Holtby has been quality both in desire and ability and we have had a breath of fresh air with some of our youngsters coming in. It will be interesting to see if Magath sticks with a youngster or will he give Bent another go? We made chances against Everton but we couldn't convert them. This will be something that needs to be address if we are to have a chance.

From what I hear we have a massive crowd going to Birmingham on Saturday and I really do believe that we can help drive the team to success. The players and manager often talk about the influence of the fans and in an away match we need to make our voices heard. We need to be that twelfth man because the players need our support! You never know, maybe this will be the match that turns things around (remember City 2008?)

COYW


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2014/04/twelfth-man/? (http://hammyend.com/index.php/2014/04/twelfth-man/?)

 
Premier League: Felix Magath dismisses doubts about his Fulham future

Fulham manager Felix Magath is confident his job is safe after holding talks with owner Shahid Khan.

Fulham's position in the Premier League has become increasingly desperate and the club remain rock-bottom, five points adrift of safety, with just six games remaining.

Reports have suggested that Khan could call time on Magath's short spell in charge, which has yielded only four points in six games.

But Magath has dismissed claims that his position is in peril.

"I had a phone call with the owner (on Wednesday) and everything is fine. He knows the situation, he knows how things work," he said.

"I have no doubt about my contract. I don't worry about it.

"It's normal if things in clubs don't go well. There is politics, people who call journalists and tell them 'I know that is going on', but I don't care.

"Sure I'll be here next season. I'm here to build a team. That was clear from the beginning.

"I like to develop teams, I like to develop players so therefore I'm here. I will be here next season and I will do that here."

Fulham will be without £12m striker Kostas Mitroglou for Saturday's trip to Aston Villa as the Greece international remains sidelined with a knee injury.

Fears have been raised that Mitroglou could be ruled out for the rest of the season, but Magath expects him to play a part as they pursue a survival target of four victories.

"Kostas will recover before the end of the season. We check him day by day. I hope he'll join us next week," Magath said.

"Four wins are enough to stay up and we are able to do that.

"We need to win now. Winning a game is the most important thing. We have to win and that will help us a lot.

"The players haven't given up. You are not confident if you're losing games, but at the training sessions they are concentrating and eager to do their job."


http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11661/9246683? (http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11661/9246683?)

 
Gabby a doubt for Villa's match against Fulham after sickness bug

Agbonlahor has been suffering with a sickness bug and manager Paul Lambert will check on the Brummie striker tomorrow
Gabby Agbonlahor is a doubt for Aston Villa's match against Fulham after missing training through illness.

Agbonlahor has been suffering with a sickness bug and manager Paul Lambert will check on the Brummie striker tomorrow, before deciding if he is fit to face the Cottagers on Saturday.

Midfielder Karim El Ahmadi is likely to miss the game with a thigh injury which kept him out of last weekend's 4-1 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford.


http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-gabby-agbonlahor-doubt-6915728? (http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-gabby-agbonlahor-doubt-6915728?)

 
Fulham owner Shahid Khan deserves praise for Craven Cottage ticket price drop despite hint at relegation acceptance

(http://metrouk2.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/1000x6603.jpg?w=650&h=429&crop=1#038;h=660)
Fulham owner Shahid Khan deserves credit for dropping season ticket prices by £100.
(Image: IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images)
You can't please everyone all of the time and in football, that concept is magnified several times over.

On Wednesday, Fulham announced they would be cutting £100 off the cost of season ticket prices, bringing the cheapest deals down to £99 for juniors and £299 for adults.

Somehow, in many quarters, this was met with derision.

'They've merely accepted we're going down,' said some; a fair point, in truth, and probably applicable. It doesn't make it a bad offer, nonetheless.

'It's not enough of a discount,' cried others. I'm not quite sure what planet they're on, however.

Regardless of our division, and regardless the opposition, a £100 discount on season tickets is significant. Compared to many other Championship clubs, it looks hugely affordable.

If we stay up, it will be terrific value while, if we go down, there are more games for your money. A pragmatic, yet sensible perspective.

More importantly, though, this piece of news hasn't come across as a simple ploy to win us disgruntled fans over. It seems more like a genuine gesture of goodwill to those that have endured this terrible season and are willing to undergo the pain again.

For all the criticisms that have been launched the way of Shahid Khan over this past year, he certainly deserves credit in this instance.

And, also, for the discounted tickets for this coming Saturday's visit to Aston Villa, as well as the heavily subsidised coach travel we've been able to enjoy throughout the season.

I know some of this is forced upon clubs by governing bodies who are keen to appear as one with the common-or-garden fan, but Fulham have gone that extra mile.

That is testament to who we are as a club. No relegation, no foreign owner and no haphazard transfer spending is going to change that.

So, while our minds inevitably turn to the fight on our hands, lets appreciate the length this club is prepared to go to for its fans.

We can moan all we want, and we inevitably will, but there's nothing wrong with a bit of praise every now and then.


http://metro.co.uk/2014/04/03/fulham-owner-shahid-khan-deserves-praise-for-craven-cottage-ticket-price-drop-despite-hint-at-relegation-acceptance-4686674/? (http://metro.co.uk/2014/04/03/fulham-owner-shahid-khan-deserves-praise-for-craven-cottage-ticket-price-drop-despite-hint-at-relegation-acceptance-4686674/?)

 
Magath next? Fulham can't curb their enthusiasm for new bosses
The Cottagers are preparing to relieve Felix Magath ahead of drop to the Championship

Fulham are preparing to axe current manager Felix Magath if the German fails to keep the west London club in the Premier League.

And, in a bizarre twist, the Cottagers are said to be lining up a return for Alan Curbishley – who had a brief stint as Technical Director earlier this term – as their new boss.

The Craven Cottage outfit are currently rock bottom of the Premier League and priced at 1/7 to be relegated and even the most hopeful of Whites fans would be reluctant to take the 9/2 about a great escape.

Magath arrived in west London with a reputation for being something of a survival master, having avoided the drop with Nurnberg, Werder Bremen, Frankfurt and Wolfsburg in Germany, but has failed to deliver thus far with just four points from his six games in charge.

With away trips to Aston Villa, Tottenham and Stoke still to come it is looking increasingly likely that  Fulham will be playing Championship football next term and 'Curbs' is the primary choice to lead a promotion push.

There is said to be a growing concern from within the club that certain players are revolting against Magath's strict training methods and the club's American owner Shahid Khan appears hesitant to continue with the German should relegation become a reality.

Curbishley, who has been put of management since his two-year spell in charge of West Ham ended in 2008, could be the ideal man to guide the Cottagers back to the big time, having secured two promotions during his 15-year spell at Charlton.

The 56-year-old has only ever managed in London and has been waiting for the right opportunity to come along for a return to the game.

With Fulham hurtling toward demotion and in need of managerial stability, that opportunity looks set to come about in the coming weeks.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.


http://news.ladbrokes.com/en-gb/football/premier-league/fulham-cant-curb-enthusiasm-bosses_192791.html (http://news.ladbrokes.com/en-gb/football/premier-league/fulham-cant-curb-enthusiasm-bosses_192791.html)

 
All square as Reading and Fulham draw in Youth Cup Semi

Ten-man Fulham fought from two goals down in their FA Youth Cup Semi-Final first leg to earn a 2-2 draw against Reading.

Strikes from Robert Dickie and Tariqe Fosu put the Royals youngsters in front with little more than half an hour played.

Emerson Hyndman pulled one back with 30 minutes remaining before Patrick Roberts levelled matters to take a draw back to Craven Cottage.

A lightning start to the game saw Reading take the lead after 20 minutes through Dickie's powerful header.

They quickly doubled their lead with Fosu's penalty after Fulham goalkeeper Marek Rodak was sent off for bringing down Jack Stacey.

Stacey beat the offside trap and went around Rodak but hit the ground under contact from the Slovakian goalkeeper. The referee had little choice but to send off the 17-year-old who prevented a goalscoring opportunity.

Dean O'Halloran was sacrificed for substitute goalkeeper Magnus Norman, but Fosu duly slotted home from 12 yards out.

Fulham survived the rest of the half unscathed but looked out of the contest when they headed in for the break.

This was a first appearance in The FA Youth Cup Semi-Finals for both teams and Reading dominated their west London opponents.

But remarkably, the Cottagers rallied in the second half and grabbed a goal back on 61 minutes through Hyndman, who also netted from the penalty spot.

Patrick Roberts was tripped by Reading defender Dominic Hyam and Hyndman was able to provide Fulham with a lifeline.

The home side had chances to kill the game off throughout the second half but failed to make them count.

And with 15 minutes left Fulham levelled through England U17s forward Roberts, who drilled home to seal a fantastic turnaround.

Ryan Williams played a cute pass through to Jordan Evans whose blocked shot fell to Roberts, and the Fulham starlet composed himself to slot past Lewis Ward.

Last month Roberts made his Premier League debut after impressing first-team boss Felix Magath. He has now given his club every chance of making their first FA Youth Cup Final.

Fulham left the Madejski Stadium elated after stifling Reading's pressure in the closing phases.

The two sides return for the second leg at Craven Cottage next week in front of the ITV4 cameras with the tie wide open.


Read more at http://www.thefa.com//news/competitions/fa-youth-cup/2014/apr/reading-2-2-fulham-semi-final-first-leg?#09h8zBRL2TTIGRYM.99 (http://www.thefa.com//news/competitions/fa-youth-cup/2014/apr/reading-2-2-fulham-semi-final-first-leg?#09h8zBRL2TTIGRYM.99)

 
Premier League Preview: Aston Villa v Fulham

Fulham will be hoping to take advantage of Christian Benteke's absence when they visit Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday.

Villa announced on Thursday that the Belgium international will miss at least six months with a torn Achilles - ruling him out of the remainder of the season as well his country's FIFA World Cup campaign.

Benteke has scored 10 of Villa's 34 top-flight goals this term, and finished as the club's top marksman in 2012-13 - his first campaign at the club following his move from Genk.

But while the 23-year-old's injury represents a huge blow for Villa, it boosts Fulham's hopes of picking up one of the four wins from their remaining six matches that Fulham manager Felix Magath has targeted for survival.

The German is Fulham's third manager this season, after Martin Jol and Rene Meulensteen, but the Craven Cottage faithful have seen no change in fortunes since his arrival in February as they remain rooted to the foot of the table.

With 32 games played and just one win in their last 12 league games, Fulham are five points from safety and Magath has set his players a goal to avoid dropping into the Championship.

"I think that four wins are enough to stay in the league and, with six outstanding games, we are able to do that," the former Bayern Munich boss said.

That would appear to be a big ask of a side that has won just seven times all season, although their run-in sees them come up against just one team in the top half, Tottenham, who have been in inconsistent form in recent weeks.

This weekend sees Fulham visit Villa Park, looking to reverse a trend of disappointing results on the road, with just two points taken from seven matches since a 2-1 win at Norwich City on Boxing Day.

Fulham can take some comfort from the fact they are facing a Villa side who have been thumped 4-1 on their last two outings - at home to Stoke City and away at Manchester United - after taking early leads in both games.

Following a run of one point from four matches, back-to-back wins over Norwich City and Chelsea looked to have turned the tide, before those two heavy losses dampened spirits - with the news about Benteke only likely to have soured the mood at Villa Park further.

Currently sitting 12th, eight points clear of the bottom three, Lambert's men look safe from the threat of relegation, but will be keen to take maximum points on Saturday to kick-start a strong finish to the campaign.

As well as the blow regarding Benteke, Villa have doubts over Karim El Ahmadi (thigh) and Gabriel Agbonlahor (illness).

The visitors will be without Darren Bent, who is ineligible to play against his parent club, but Fernando Amorebieta is available again after serving a one-match suspension.

Magath said on Thursday that midfielder Scott Parker could return after a knee injury, but Kostas Mitroglou remains sidelined with a knee problem of his own.



http://uk.soccerway.com/news/2014/April/03/premier-league-preview-aston-villa-v-fulham/ (http://uk.soccerway.com/news/2014/April/03/premier-league-preview-aston-villa-v-fulham/)

 
Fulham relegation could lead to years outside Premier League warns their annual report

Fulham have warned that massive cost-cutting will leave them struggling to win promotion back to the Premier League if they are relegated this season.

We revealed earlier this week that manager Felix Magath and all players will take a 30 percent cut if the Cottagers drop into the Championship.

Now, the west London club 's latest annual report states 67 per cent of revenue comes from the Premier League – and going down will also cause a player exodus.

Chief executive Alistair Mackintosh wrote in the report: "In the event of relegation from the Premier League, the company's revenues would fall and the company would therefore have to take action to significantly reduce operating costs.

"Such action could prevent the maintenance of a playing squad capable of gaining promotion back to the Premier League.

"Therefore, the company's main aim is to prevent this risk becoming a reality."

Fulham spent £66.5m on wages - a staggering 89.6 per cent of revenue - while making a £21.5m profit on player sales.

The report is for the year ending June 30, 2013 - before US tycoon Shahid Khan bought the club from Mohamed Al-Fayed.

How the bottom of the table stands
   Played   Won   Drawn   Lost   Scored   Conceded   Goal diff.   Points
Aston Villa   31   9   7   15   34   46   -12   34
Swansea   32   8   9   15   45   48   -3   33
Hull   32   9   6   17   33   40   -7   33
Norwich   32   8   8   16   26   51   -25   32
Crystal Palace   31   9   4   18   20   39   -19   31
West Brom   31   5   14   12   36   48   -12   29
Cardiff   32   6   8   18   29   61   -32   26
Sunderland   30   6   7   17   28   48   -20   25
Fulham   32   7   3   22   31   73   -42   24


Fulham's run-in Saturday: Aston Villa (A). Saturday, 12 April: Norwich (H). Saturday, 10 April: Tottenham (A). Saturday, 26 April: Hull (H). Saturday, 3 May: Stoke (A). Sunday, 11 May: Crystal Palace (H).



http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/fulham-relegation-could-lead-years-3363661#ixzz2xvXKHTBh (http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/fulham-relegation-could-lead-years-3363661#ixzz2xvXKHTBh)
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Paul Lambert: No way back for Bent despite Benteke blow

Boss reiterates Darren Bent has no future at Aston Villa and will not be recalled despite season-ending injury for Christian Benteke

Darren Bent has no future at Villa, Paul Lambert has re-iterated, despite Christian Benteke's shattering injury blow.

Even with Benteke out for the rest of this season and the start of next season, Lambert will not consider recalling the record signing.

Lambert insists Villa have "moved on" from when Bent was an important member of their squad.

Bent, who is ineligible to play for Fulham at Villa Park on Saturday under the terms of his loan, will return to Villa in pre-season for the final year of his contract.

But, as if it needed stating, Lambert has confirmed that the £24 million former England striker's Villa career is over.

Asked if Bent will be part of his plans during the final year of his contract next season, Lambert replied: "No, the club's moved on.

"Darren has not really played for me for two years. Obviously he's been on loan at Fulham, here we've had Christian's form and that's football. Whatever happens at the end of the season will happen."

Lambert confirmed Fulham did not have an option-to-buy Bent built into his season-long loan.

"No, he comes back. If they want to buy Darren it's an avenue they can go through, so we'll just wait and see."

It is hoped Villa can find a taker for Bent this summer at a vastly-reduced price either permanently or on another long loan. The futures of Bent, Shay Given and Alan Hutton will be on the agenda when Lambert meets chairman Randy Lerner to discuss his playing budget this summer.

Bent and Hutton have a year left on their contracts, while Given has two years remaining, even though the trio of top earners are surplus to requirements.

"I think the money and the wages will be a conversation I have with Randy at the end," added Lambert.

"When it's all finished and done and dusted I'm pretty sure him and I will sit down somewhere and discuss what's going to happen."

Bent has been over-looked for selection by Cottagers boss Felix Magath in recent weeks despite insisting that he is fit for duty.

Lambert is not concerned in the slightest whether Villa's biggest buy plays any part in the bottom club's battle against survival.

"I don't know," said Lambert. "You're better off asking Felix Magath.

"He'll be the one that will decide if Darren will play or not. He's the manager of their club and he'll make the choice for himself."

Benteke's crushing absence, with a ruptured Achilles heel that requires surgery, could give on-loan targetman Grant Holt a chance.

Holt has been used sparingly since arriving from Wigan in January on a short term deal until the end of the season, originally as cover for injured Libor Kozak.

The 32-year-old striker has been on the substitutes bench most weeks ahead of young forwards Nicklas Helenius and Jordan Bowery.

With Gabby Agbonlahor also battling a sickness bug ahead of Saturday's home match against Fulham, teenage rookie Callum Robinson could get game time to offer striking support to Andi Weimann.


http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-no-way-back-6916803? (http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-no-way-back-6916803?)

 
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger sets his sights on Fulham starlet Patrick Roberts
Fulham teenager Patrick Roberts, who made his senior debut as a substitute away at Manchester City last month, is a target for Arsenal

(http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02872/patrick-roberts_2872118b.jpg)
Tyro: Patrick Roberts (right) in action for Fulham reserves Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Arsenal are chasing Fulham teenager Patrick Roberts, who is considered one of the best young talents in the country.

Roberts made his Fulham senior debut as a substitute away at Manchester City last month and also played nine minutes of the 3-1 defeat to Everton.

The 17-year-old forward only signed his first professional contract with Fulham in February. That deal runs until 2016, but it has not put off Arsenal.

Roberts can play behind a central striker or come in from the right and has impressed Arsenal scouts with his dribbling and technique. Manchester United are also big fans.

Arsenal signed Theo Walcott in a deal worth a revised £9.1m and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for £15 million as teenagers from Southampton, and club scouts believe Roberts can be just as good.

Despite making a substitute appearance for Fulham's first team against Everton on Sunday, Roberts played in the FA Youth Cup first-leg semi-final draw with Reading on Tuesday night and scored the equalising goal.

Having stepped up from the Under-16s, Roberts has scored four goals in nine appearances for England's Under-17s.

Despite the fact Fulham are bottom of the Premier League table, manager Felix Magath has made it clear he will give Roberts plenty of first-team experience – whether it is in the top flight or the Championship.

"Pat is a very big talent and he will have a great career in front of him, so I think it is good for him to make the experience now in the Premier League, so he will get used to it," said Magath.

"He will be a player that we need in the future."

Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger has confirmed he has been handed an injury boost ahead of Sunday's vital Premier League game against fifth-placed Everton.

Aaron Ramsey, who has been out since Boxing Day with a thigh injury, has returned to full training and is expected to be in the Arsenal squad that travels to Goodison Park.

"Aaron and Nacho Monreal are back training with the squad, so that is good news," said Wenger.

"Hopefully they will be available for Sunday. Diaby is back on the pitches, so that is good news.

"At the moment that is all because the other injured players are not back, not Jack Wilshere, not Mesut Ozil. *Laurent Koscielny *is still out. The earliest he will be back is next week, the latest is the week after.

The FA Cup will be too soon for Özil, but he will hopefully be back soon


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/10743671/Arsenal-manager-Arsene-Wenger-sets-his-sights-on-Fulham-starlet-Patrick-Roberts.html (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/10743671/Arsenal-manager-Arsene-Wenger-sets-his-sights-on-Fulham-starlet-Patrick-Roberts.html)

 
Felix Magath insists he has no problem with Fulham star Darren Bent
FELIX MAGATH has held clear-the-air talks with Darren Bent.

The Fulham striker hit out at his boss after last Saturday's 3-1 defeat at home to Everton insisting he was fit to play.

However, Magath left him on the bench as a precaution after he pulled up in training the day before.

And the German revealed: "Darren came to me on Tuesday and we talked together. It's fine for me.

"It's normal you have discussion about such things. He stopped training on Friday.

"He left the pitch to go to the medicine staff and he didn't train. On Saturday he was better and he told me 'I'm fine' so I decided to take him on the bench. He is a player we need.

"The risk was to let him play was too high because he cancelled the training on Friday."

Magath might have missed a trick, though, as Bent can't even face his parent club Aston Villa tomorrow.

The Villa loanee has struggled for both form and fitness this season - scoring just six goals in 28 games.

And the rift with Bent isn't the only fight Magath faces.

The German's job is on the line if he fails to keep the Cottagers in the Premier League this season and as they sit rock-bottom with six games to go that looks like an impossible task.

But Magath insists he and owner Shahid Khan remain united in their ambitions for Fulham.

He added: "Yesterday I had a phone call with the owner and everything is fine.

"He knows the situation, he knows how things work. I have no doubt about my contract. I don't worry about it.

"It's normal if things in clubs don't go well you have everywhere people who make politics, who call journalists and tell them "I know that is going on," but I don't care.

"I'm here to build up a team. That was clear from the beginning. I like to develop teams, I like to develop players so therefore so I'm here. I will be here next season and I will do that here at Fulham."


http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/372767/Felix-Magath-insists-he-has-no-problem-with-Fulham-star-Darren-Bent (http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/372767/Felix-Magath-insists-he-has-no-problem-with-Fulham-star-Darren-Bent)

 
Six cup finals to go.

by andersons11.

Fulham haven't been well known for winning much, anyone who has watched Fulham for a bit will be able to tell you this. Even a cursory glance at a Google search will confirm this. That being said Fulham are about to embark upon the most important six match run in recent history. Whether we will see shades of 07/08 or go out with a whimper is yet to be seen.

Villa, Norwich, Spurs, Hull, Stoke and Palace is an easier run in that that of our opponents in the relegation table, but based on the way the squad has played this season it is not enough. All of these matches are winnable, and while in seasons past you could pick a few of these matches for Fulham to be a dead cert winner, this year some of the matches have been lost before a ball has been kicked.

Under a few matches of Rene's ill-fated term and the past few of Felix's, notably Everton, the squad seems to have reinvigorated themselves, which is a good sign. However, we have yet to see matches to the whistle, a bit worrying considering our position. That being said, it is exactly this that is why we are bottom of the table.

In the end it's the effort that counts. We all know that Fulham won't win every match and that's part of why a surprise away win at Arsenal or a blow out of Norwich at home. For most of the season the effort put forth by our players for lack of better terms has been appalling, and even then that is tame for some of the matches we have witnessed.

We just want our squad to fight to the last minute, show passion and effort. It's not too much to ask for people who take home in a few weeks what many of us make in a years' time? Throughout this season very few of our players have shown this. Sidwell is the exception, every minute on the pitch he personifies what any Fulham supporter would try to do in his position. What really makes you think, and it's a bit sad really is our most passionate player in the most recent weeks will be packing his bags and returning to White Hart Lane at the end of the season.

Six matches to go which will determine the future of London's oldest top flight club and regardless of what happens at the end of the season, who comes in and who goes, we the supporters will remain. In the end, in this new age of football, it is really the supporter who makes the club. There are days when I yearn for Haynes, to look on the pitch and think "Yes, he is one of us" and with the youth coming up, we might just have someone like that. Those are the types of players who, while not necessarily English will bleed for the White.

Six to go, and win, lose or draw at the final whistle versus Crystal Palace. Let's hope that the eleven players on the pitch make us proud of their effort and give us memories. Here's to hoping the effort that is put forth become yet another famous date in our club's long history. West Ham in 75, Portsmouth in 08, the entirety of our Europa league campaign in 2010 in recent history. If by some miracle we stay up Palace will become another "I was there" said with pride, rather than disdain.

Supporters will surely be there, but will the players be?


http://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/?p=482 (http://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/?p=482)

 
Villa Win Will All But Condemn Fulham To Relegation

ASTON VILLA v FULHAM 15:00; Villa Park

Villa were well beaten at Old Trafford last weekend, but it might have been different had they not wasted a few very presentable opportunities that came their way, or, specifically, to striker Christian Benteke.  The defeat shouldn't make a great deal of difference to Paul Lambert's young team: they have an eight-point lead over the bottom three so shouldn't be in any danger now; but they'll be disappointed they've followed up their excellent win over Chelsea three weeks ago with two defeats.  They have the chance to cement their top flight position and kill off the survival hopes of another for good with the visit of Fulham.

The loss of Benteke for up to six months to a ruptured Achilles injury is a big blow for Villa and the player himself.  It means Grant Holt may get a rare start up front.  Midfielder Karim El Ahmadi is a doubt due to a thigh injury.



The home defeat to Everton last Saturday suggested Fulham's players have themselves lost belief in the team's ability to escape relegation.  Although they cancelled out Everton's opening goal with a stunning strike from Ashkan Dejagah, there seemed an inevitability about defeat once Everton regained the lead eight minutes later.

Their third manager this season, Felix Magath, has pledged to stay at the club beyond the end of this season, no matter if they are relegated, which at least provides the club with some continuity ahead of the challenge of winning promotion straight back from the Championship.  Considering the extent of the Cottagers' struggle this season compared with any of their previous campaigns in an impressive 13-year stay in the Premier League, it makes one wonder if they'd be in this predicament if they'd kept Martin Jol as manager.



What to watch out for: This fixture has a tendency to produce drab affairs, with only six goals scored in the past five meetings.  Fulham have won none of their last 14 games at Villa Park and have not shut out an opponent away from home in 15 games.  Villa should edge it by the odd goal.

Possible line-ups:

Villa – Guzan; Bacuña, Baker, Vlaar, Bertrand, Westwood, Delph, Albrighton, Weimann, Agbonlahor, Holt

Fulham – Stockdale; Riether, Hangeland, Heitinga, Richardson, Dejagah, Sidwell, Holtby, Diarra, Kacaniklic, Woodrow

Recent form: Villa – DLWWLL; Fulham – DLLWLL

Prediction: 1-0


http://www.footymatters.com/articles/english-football/premier-league/premier-league-preview/villa-win-will-all-but-condemn-fulham-to-relegation/? (http://www.footymatters.com/articles/english-football/premier-league/premier-league-preview/villa-win-will-all-but-condemn-fulham-to-relegation/?)

 
Premier League: Aston Villa v Fulham match preview

It's crunch time for Fulham. Defeat by Everton at Craven Cottage last Sunday left Felix Magath's side five points from safety with just six Premier League games to play. Add their poor goal difference to the mix, plus that relegation rivals Sunderland, West Brom and Crystal Palace all have games in hand and it's clear to see why bookmakers believe Fulham's 13-year stay in the Premier League will come to an end at the end of the season. Put simply, it's time to win. Now.

Fulham have conceded 73 goals in the league - more than any other side - and have struggled in attack too, averaging less than a goal a game. In recent weeks, Magath has picked youngsters Cauley Woodrow and Moussa Dembele up front, leaving Darren Bent - ineligible against his parent club this weekend - on the bench.

While Fulham have disappointed, Aston Villa have been consistent and will feel they need at least three more points to ensure Premier League safety. Paul Lambert's side were impressive against Chelsea in mid-March, but have conceded eight goals in their last two fixtures - at home to Stoke and away at Manchester United.

Christian Benteke has scored three in his last four games, and should have been on target at Old Trafford last weekend too. Villa's top scorer has scored 10 league goals and could prove the difference against a leaky defence.

KICK-OFF: Saturday, 3pm

PAST THREE MEETINGS:

Fulham 2 (Sidwell, Berbatov pen) Aston Villa 0, Premier League, December 2013

Aston Villa 1 (N'Zogbia) Fulham 1 (Delph og), Premier League, April 2013

Fulham 1 (Baird) Aston Villa 0, Premier League, October 2012

STATS:

Fulham have not won at Villa in their last 12 attempts. Their last success was in January 1999, a 2-0 FA Cup fourth round win.

Felix Magath's reign at Fulham has yielded only four points from six games.

Victory for Villa would see them match their home points tally from last season (20).

Villa have won out of their last three home matches.

ODDS:

Aston Villa to win: 1.90

Fulham to win: 4.00

Draw: 3.60

TV: Highlights on BBC1 at 10.25pm.


http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/premier-league-aston-villa-v-fulham-match-preview-9237580.html (http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/premier-league-aston-villa-v-fulham-match-preview-9237580.html)

 
Preview: Having never lost to Fulham at Villa Park in the Premier League, is Lambert going to achieve what no manager before him has?

Christian Benteke will be out of action for around 6 months with an Achilles tendon injury, inflicted during training on Thursday afternoon. Benteke will now miss the rest of the domestic season and this summer's World Cup in Brazil, proving both a blow for Villa and Belgium respectively.

This will now provide Lambert with a selection dilemma for the Fulham game and the vital run in to the end of the season:

"It's a terrible blow both for Christian and for the club. He will miss the rest of the season, obviously, and also the World Cup."

Villa have maintained a similar line up for the majority of the season with a front three of Agbonlahor, Benteke and Weimann, with Kozak playing a cameo role before his leg break.

With Benteke and Kozak on the long term injury list, Gabby missing Thursday's training session with illness and Jordan Bowery on loan at Doncaster, what attacking trio will Lambert line up with against bottom of the table Fulham?

We can expect that Lambert will have Marc Albrighton and Andreas Weimann as two thirds of Villa's attacking trio.

But will we see Weimann pushed into the middle as the main striker? If so, will we see the return of the underperforming Aleksandar Tonev on the wing?

Or will we see the premature return of Gabby because of the lack of, or, unproven talent? Or will Grant Holt make just his second start in claret and blue since his January loan move? Or will Lambert give a chance to academy graduate Callum Robinson?

A lot of questions on the lips of Aston Villa fans
Our opponents, Fulham, will be boosted by the news of Villa's attacking injuries. However, they haven't had much luck in the attacking department themselves this season. Since the turn of the year, Dimitar Berbatov has joined Monaco, Darren Bent and Hugo Rodallega have slipped down the pecking order and Kostas Mitroglou has struggled to settle since his January transfer from Olympiakos.

This has seen Magath hand out two debuts to teenagers Cauley Woodrow and Moussa Dembélé (not to be confused with the Spurs midfielder) in his short tenure as Fulham manager.

Despite Bent being unable to play in Saturday's clash because of his loan move restrictions, would he have played if these restrictions had not been in place? Bent has been in disappointing form, reportedly being unsettled and struggling with fitness, despite him rubbishing these reports.

Talking of players struggling for form, since his magnificent performance to keep Eden Hazard quiet, which is not an easy feat, Leandro Bacuna has showcased why he is not a right back. I'm a huge fan of the Dutchman and he has been a magnificent stand in while doubt has hung over the head of Matthew Lowton.

However, the past two games have shown why he is not a right back. Eight goals conceded in 2 games and giving away a rash penalty at Old Trafford are the prime example.

Me, and I'm presuming a lot of other Villa fans, would rather see Lowton back in at right back and see Bacuna push forward to play on the right side of a middle three, in place of Karim El Ahmadi.

Before these two games, optimism was growing around Villa Park after the results, and the performances, of the 4-1 and 1-0 wins over Norwich and Chelsea respectively. Villa have failed to kick on and there is now a feeling of uncertainty going into the business end of the season.

Back to back 4-1 defeats against rivals Stoke City, and a struggling Manchester United, have put Villa back to square one, when they had the chance to make ground on relegation rivals in the same fashion that Stoke have done.

Prior to the Stoke game, both sides were in the exact same position, of mid-table obscurity on 34 points. Now, two games on, Stoke have hit the 'magic' number 40 and are 14 points off the relegation zone essentially guaranteeing safety, something which Lambert will be aiming for.

With 34 points, 7 games to go, struggling with form and star striker Benteke out, Lambert will want to hit the ground running against Fulham. Despite it being widely known that Villa's home record this season has been notoriously inconsistent, such as losing to Crystal Palace 1-0 on Boxing Day to beating high fliers Chelsea 1-0 midway through March, Fulham could be the perfect team to play.

Although Fulham have Premier League survival to spur them on, along with an arguably easier run in of fixtures compared to other relegation rivals, they have really struggled this season.

Since the turn of the year, Fulham have only one Premier League win to their name, a 1-0 win against Newcastle at home during March. The once usual stable and placid club have had a season of turmoil and misery.

Fulham have seen three managers in one season, there is uncertainty over Magath's future and rumours of Alan Curbishley taking over at the end of the season, despite only just being recently sacked as technical director, after only just two months in the role.

Ageing and underperforming players, such as John Arne Riise and Scott Parker, coupled with terrible January transfer window signings, has seen Fulham's misery worsen. Deadline day signings, Larnell Cole and Ryan Tunnicliffe, made by then manager Rene Meulensteen, have already been shipped out on loan by Magath, while £12.4 million club record signing Mitroglou, has failed to score and only made two appearances for the club.

With doubt surrounding both clubs at the moment, one thing for certain is that this will be a fiercely competitive contest with both sides desperate for the three points. Villa have never lost to Fulham at Villa Park in the Premier League, and Lambert will be hoping to extend this run.


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