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Jones A Doubt For Fulham

Centre-back Alfie Jones is a fitness doubt for Hull City's Championship trip to Fulham.

The 23-year-old defender, an ever-present in the league so far, is struggling with a groin problem and will be assessed today ahead of the match at Craven Cottage.

Head Coach Grant McCann said: "We're waiting on Alfie Jones, who's got a sore groin. He's 50/50 at this present time.

"The last thing we want to do is take a risk on anyone and lose them for a substantial period of time.

"It'll be a physio call, and Alfie's call, whether he can make the game."

Mallik Wilks (calf) and George Honeyman (ankle) won't be involved, nor will George Moncur as he serves the second of his three-match suspension, although Ryan Longman (groin) is nearing a return.

"Ryan is getting better," McCann commented.

"His scan has come back clear, which is good news for us. We were worried about that one, in case it was a long-term one.

"It's come back clear so it's just a case of when Ryan feels right. Saturday will probably be too soon for him but I imagine next week he'll be fine."



https://www.wearehullcity.co.uk/news/2021/august/jones-a-doubt-for-fulham/

Up next: Hull City (h)

Fulham return to Craven Cottage this week full of confidence after two commanding away displays. The Whites might have scored five goals at Huddersfield, but there's a strong argument to say that Tuesday night's performance at Millwall proved even more fluent – despite the fact that they were hanging on at the end after Benik Afobe's fluke. A look at the early table would make Marco Silva's side overwhelming favourites tomorrow, but Fulham would be wise to be wary of a Hull side who have a history of springing surprises at Craven Cottage and scored the most away goals in all four divisions last term.

Grant McCann remains something of a marmite manager among the Hull faithful. There were loud calls for his dismissal as City went down from the Championship, but eccentric owner Ehab Allam – himself far from popular with the supporters for many, many reasons – opted to keep the faith and McCann delivered an immediate return with a record-breaking title winning campaign that saw him rewarded for placing faith in a number of homegrown talents. The Tigers quickly demonstrated how dangerous they can be away from home, putting four past Preston on the opening day and demonstrating real resilience to come from behind.

McCann's men will want to bounce back from two disappointing defeats where they looked rather powderpuff going forwards. While the harsh realities of the Championship might be thought to be biting after losing to in-form QPR and doom-laden Derby, there were mitigating circumstances in midweek. Hull were always likely to miss a player of George Honeyman's class – and given that the former Sunderland midfielder will be absent for the trip to the capital as well, McCann will be in need of a solution to that particular conundrum. The return of Tom Huddlestone, whose name still brings many a Fulham fan out in a cold sweat after our 6-0 Christmas mauling in 2013 when he broke a substantial scoring drought, adds experience and knowhow, whilst local lad Kean Lewis-Potter looks a real livewire up front.

Silva will need no reminder of Hull's potential, of course, having almost kept them in the Premier League from what appeared an impossible position in his first job in English football. Fulham haven't won a home fixture since February – and there was a great sense of frustration after the Whites were pegged back by Middlesbrough on the opening weekend. Silva will want to put that right. We have seen ample evidence already of his preference for playing on the front foot, something even emphasised in the aftermath of Harry Wilson's red card at Huddersfield when he sent on Ivan Cavaleiro and Fulham scored two more goals instead of shutting up shop. There was a more pragmatic reaction following Millwall's late rally at the New Den in midweek, but it is still really refreshing to watch a Fulham side attack with pace, purpose and panache rather than the cagey, formulaic football that Scott Parker all too regularly served up.

Fulham's only selection puzzlers are the regular ones. Is Harrison Reed any closer to playing a part having seen his start to the season delayed by ankle problems? Josh Onomah was forced off at half-time on Tuesday after a couple of hefty challenges and, given how he has linked play offensively, losing his drive into the final third would be a blow. Jean Michael Seri's sudden seamless return to a deep-lying role where he looks able to dictate the play has been perhaps the biggest surprise of the past week – and Silva's insistence that the Ivorian wants to stay at Craven Cottage offers another timely option with Fulham a little light in the middle of the park.

Fabio Carvalho has blossomed beautifully behind a revitalised Aleksandar Mitrovic, with the pair mauling Millwall within eight minutes earlier this week. The teenager's electric burst of pace to create the first for the Serbian, who is finally playing with a smile on his face again, was almost as eye-catching as his assured finish that established Fulham's two-goal lead. Neeskens Kebano's contribution after coming in for Bobby Decordova-Reid in south east London was noteworthy – the pass to put through Carvalho was fantastic, but his continual beating of Scott Malone represented probably the Congolese winger's finest showing in a Fulham shirt. Silva certainly has a mouthwatering set of offensive options at his disposal.

The only place we could possibly quibble at present is with Paulo Gazzaniga in goal. The Argentine has let in three goals from five shots on target this season – and the concession of the last two, as well as his flapping at Jed Wallace's cross that nearly handed Millwall a stoppage time equaliser, makes his selection ahead of Marek Rodak – now available again after a finger injury – a genuine talking point. Gazzaniga hasn't impressed under the high ball to date and you can be certain that the rest of the Championship will be testing him out should he continue in the Fulham goal. It might be too early to make a change, but these sort of errors could be costly in tight games.

MY FULHAM XI (4-2-3-1): Rodak; Tete, Robinson, Adarabioyo, Ream; Seri, Onomah; Kebano, Decordova-Reid, Carvalho; Mitrovic. Subs: Gazzaniga, Mawson, Bryan, Francois, Anguissa, Cavaleiro, Stansfield.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/08/up-next-hull-city-h-2/

Docherty: We're Learning All The Time

Greg Docherty says he and his teammates are learning with each game as the Tigers' return to the Sky Bet Championship continues with a trip to Fulham on Saturday.

Grant McCann's side will be aiming to bounce back after consecutive home defeats against Queens Park Rangers and Derby County, and Docherty claims the team are learning more with each passing game.

"It has been a huge learning curve for us in what we've faced in the opening three Championship games," said Docherty.

"We had the highs of Preston and we really deserved that result. For QPR, we were on top and dominant for large periods, before conceding from a short set-piece and a deflection and from that point, the game has gone away from you. Then with Derby, it's a different one as I thought a draw would have been a fair result.

"Ultimately, the last two results have been disappointing; there's no point in hiding behind that. However, we'll learn from it and we can only take these experiences on board and keep trying to improve on it, starting with Fulham."

The 24-year old made 44 appearances for the Tigers in League One last season, as he helped secure the club's first league title in 55 years, and the midfielder is noticing the step up since joining the Championship.

"We know how ruthless and relentless this league is," added Docherty.

"We're coming up against a better calibre of player, but it's all about picking your moments of when we can press teams as we're a high energy team that wants to win the ball back in packs in dangerous areas.

"Everyone wanted to beat us last season as we were the big scalp, but now we've immediately switched to being the underdogs this season and that is going to take some time to get used to.

"I feel we can use last season's experiences as there is a great togetherness in this squad that I haven't experienced anywhere else. We are a tight-knit group and we're going to go to Fulham and show what we can do."



https://www.wearehullcity.co.uk/news/2021/august/docherty-were-learning-all-the-time/

Watch Fulham v Hull on FFCtv

Fulham return to Craven Cottage this weekend to take on Hull City, with the game available to watch live on FFCtv.

Exclusive to fans based outside the UK & Ireland, guarantee your ticket to watch all the action unfold on FFCtv, with a season-long pass (£170) or an indivdiual overseas Fulham v Hull City Match Pass (£10) available to buy now.

Our pre-match build up show begins from 2:30pm, with kick-off at 3pm BST on Saturday 21st August.

For Fulham fans overseas, our 2021/22 International Live Video Pass offers significant savings against purchasing individual match passes - providing access to watch all available Fulham games, as well as live audio at all fixtures and video on demand.

Supporters based in the UK and Ireland not attending the match can follow the game with our live audio commentary service hosted by Gentleman Jim and Jamie Reid. A monthly or seasonal FFCtv subscription is required, with coverage beginning from 2:45pm.

To watch or listen live, fans must have an active FFCtv subscription with the correct entitlements, as well as be logged in to their OneFulham Account.

FOLLOW THE ACTION ON THE MATCH CENTRE & APP

Watch or listen from the Fulham v Hull City Match Centre on desktop/laptop, or access the match via the Official Fulham FC App.

The Match Centre also holds the latest minute-by-minue commentary, team line-ups, stats and scores from around the grounds.

For matchday support, visit our streaming guide or contact [email protected]



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/august/Watch-Fulham-v-Hull-on-FFCtv/

Hull City ace Greg Docherty makes Fulham admission

City will hope to return from the capital unbeaten against in-form Fulham on the banks of the Thames

Hull City will relish the opportunity to take on Marco Silva and his Fulham side at Craven Cottage on Saturday, intent on busting the coupon of many, just as they did on their last visit where they won 3-0 two seasons ago.

That's according to Greg Docherty, who says there will be few giving the Tigers a chance against the stand-out promotion favourites, so far unbeaten in their opening three games of the season.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, Silva's Fulham are odds-on to beat the Tigers, and with Bournemouth to come next weekend before the first international break of the season, Docherty admits City have the perfect opportunity to cause an upset or two.

"You look at the next two fixtures on paper and people won't give us much of a chance, but these are the games and this is the unpredictability of this league that we're more than capable of going and getting a result at grounds like Craven Cottage, which is what Hull did the last they were there so there's no reason why not," the former Rangers man told BBC Humberside.

Defeats to QPR and Derby County have scratched the gloss of what had been a dream start to life back in the Championship for City, with a 4-1 win at Preston North End.

Those defeats to nil have brought Grant McCann's men crashing back down to earth with a bump, but City should not be deterred, he says.

"You've got to relish the challenge of playing against Premier League quality players, to go and test yourself and see where you are as a player yourself.

"It's one we're all relishing, we've all tried to get to this level and we want to kick on from here.

"We know how ruthless and relentless this league is," added Docherty.

"There's a lot more to come from us, myself included. We've started well but since then we've had two defeats and it's how we bounce back now."

Having been the big fish in the League One pond last term, City head to Craven Cottage as rank outsiders against a side backed to make an instant return to the top flight, but the midfielder says these are the games his side can prove just what they're made of.

"Everyone wanted to beat us last season as we were the big scalp, but now we've immediately switched to being the underdogs this season and that is going to take some time to get used to," said the 24-year-old.

"I feel we can use last season's experiences as there is a great togetherness in this squad that I haven't experienced anywhere else.

"We are a tight-knit group and we're going to go to Fulham and show what we can do."



https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/hull-city-ace-greg-docherty-5812667

McCann: Show More Bravery

Grant McCann has called for his side to show more bravery when Hull City take on promotion favourites Fulham at Craven Cottage.

The boss felt his players were "a bit safe" in their play during the 1-0 home defeat by Derby and wants to see them adopt their usual game against the Cottagers.

"I want us to go into this game with more bravery, more zest about our game," said McCann.

"We base our game a lot on counter-pressing, reactions. I didn't see enough of that on Wednesday night. We were a bit sloppy on that. We were a little bit safe in our game.

"We had some good moments, good periods of the game where we got into good areas at the top end of the pitch – four v threes, five v fours – where we didn't pick out the right pass.

"These are things we need to get better at in this division because when you get those opportunities, you need to take them.

"We're going to go there, embrace the opportunity, embrace the challenge and see if we can play with more bravery in our game."

Recently relegated Fulham have made a storming start under former Tigers boss Marco Silva, hammering Huddersfield 5-1 and winning 2-1 at Millwall following an opening day draw with Middlesbrough.

McCann is fully aware of the dangers they pose, with 2019/20 Championship Golden Boot winner Aleksandar Mitrovic a particularly potent threat, but says it's important not to show them too much respect.

"Fulham are a good team – there's no getting away from it," he said.

"They're a team that will probably expect to win the division. That's what we're up against.

"They've got good individuals. They've kept a lot of the group together from the Premier League and added some to it.

"It's a tough ask for us but we want to go there and stamp our mark on the game, get those things right that we didn't show on Wednesday night.

"We'll respect Fulham because they're a good team but we don't want to show them too much respect, which would hinder our performance.

"We want to go there, be really competitive and see if we can take the opportunities when they arise."



https://www.wearehullcity.co.uk/news/2021/august/mccann-show-more-bravery/

Fulham duo are fit for Hull game

Bobby Decordova-Reid and Josh Onomah have been passed fit for Fulham's game against Hull.

Decordova-Reid missed the 2-1 win over Millwall on Tuesday with a minor injury and Onomah was withdrawn at half-time after picking up a knock.

Harrison Reed is likely to remain sidelined along with Tom Cairney and Terence Kongolo.

Whites boss Marco Silva, who will face his former club, said: "Tom is still out. Harrison Reed started (training) with the team and is working with them. He's doubtful for this match and needs more time.

"But Bobby is available and Josh is 100% fine."



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/hes-100-fine-fulham-duo-are-fit-for-hull-game

Pre-Hull City Press Conference

Marco Silva has seen enough from Hull City to know that Saturday's meeting at Craven Cottage will be some battle.

The Tigers began life back in the Championship in emphatic fashion, winning 4-1 in Preston on the opening day, but they've failed to score in subsequent home defeats by Queens Park Rangers and Derby County.

"It will be a difficult game again," Silva said. "They had a very good first away match.

"Unfortunately for them they didn't achieve what they wanted to do in the next two matches as well, but last season they were really strong when they played away games.

"This season they started with an away game with a good score and a good win for them.

"We are playing at home and we want to get our first home win in tomorrow's match, but we have to respect them.

"We're looking at ourselves first of all, try to play at our best level because if we play at our best level we will be closer to winning the football match.

"We'll respect them, they are a strong team on the counter attack, they like to be compact and then counter attack.

"They have good players, fast players on the sides as well. They can play good football, they have this quality, and you have to be aware.

"A big part of the game will be under our control, but you cannot lose that balance, we can never lose our organisation.

"We want to be comfortable in the game, create chances to finalise the actions and to score, but in the meantime we cannot give them the chance to counter attack us because they are really strong in this moment."

Hull gave Silva his first job in the UK back in 2017, a time that our Head Coach remembers fondly.

"It will be a special game for me, definitely it will be a special game for me," he explained.

"It's a special club, a great club that I had the pleasure to work for when I first arrived in England to manage in the Premier League.

"It has special people, special fans as well. The way they welcomed us to that club was special and we'll never forget that situation."




https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/august/Pre-Hull-City-Press-Conference/

Fulham, Bournemouth target Michael Obafemi no longer on Blackburn Rovers' radar

Blackburn Rovers boss Tony Mowbray has stated Southampton striker Michael Obafemi has "fallen off" their transfer radar.

Blackburn Rovers are in the market for a new striker after selling star man Adam Armstrong to Southampton earlier this summer.

Saints ace Michael Obafemi has been heavily linked with the Ewood Park outfit, with a potential cash plus player swap deal reported at one point.

However, as Blackburn's search for a new striker goes on, it has been revealed that Obafemi is no longer on the club's radar.

As quoted by the Lancashire Telegraph, Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray has stated the Irishman is no longer on his radar.

Mowbray went on to add that there were never face-to-face talks with Obafemi, adding that he doesn't think a move will materialise into anything more serious.

Here's what he had to say on the matter:

"I think it's fallen off the radar, I would have to say.

"He's never a player that we got to the point that I met him or spoke to him.

"It felt as though it was something that could create a balance but it probably didn't suit either party and it doesn't look to me as though that one will materialise."

With their pursuit of Obafemi failing to develop into anything more serious, it will be interesting to see how the striker's situation pans out.

More Championship interest
Blackburn Rovers ending their interest doesn't fully rule out the possibility of a Championship move for the 21-year-old striker.

Fulham and Bournemouth have also been mentioned as potential suitors, so it awaits to be seen if this latest development piques their interest.

As for Blackburn...
Tony Mowbray still has some solid options in attack despite Armstrong's departure. Ben Brereton Diaz has enjoyed a thoroughly successful start to the season, while Sam Gallagher and youngsters Tyrhys Dolan and Daniel Butterworth are also options.

However, a new number nine wouldn't go amiss, with a good amount of money from the Armstrong deal available for reinvestment.



https://the72.co.uk/247171/fulham-bournemouth-target-michael-obafemi-no-longer-on-blackburn-rovers-radar/

Decordova-Reid and Onomah ready to return

Bobby Decordova-Reid and Josh Onomah are available for selection as Fulham look to continue their unbeaten start to the season against Hull City tomorrow.

Decordova-Reid missed the midweek win at Millwall with a minor knock sustained in training, whilst Onomah was withdrawn at half-time at the New Den on Tuesday after taking a number of heavy challenges. Fulham boss Marco Silva told his pre-match press conference that both players have proven their fitness and could feature in his starting line-up.

The Whites are still without Tom Cairney and Terence Kongolo and, although Harrison Reed has been training with the side again this week after his ankle issues, Silva says that he remains doubtful and 'needs more time'.

"Tom is still out. Harrison Reed started training with the team and is working with them. He's doubtful for this match and needs more time. But Bobby is available and Josh is 100% fine."

Silva is looking forward to facing one of his former sides at Craven Cottage tomorrow and won't be underestimating the challenge posed by Grant McCann's men.

"It will be a difficult game again. They had a very good first away match. This season they started with an away game with a good score and a good win for them. We'll respect them, they are a strong team on the counter attack, they like to be compact and then counter attack. They have good players, fast players on the sides as well. They can play good football, they have this quality, and you have to be aware."

It will be a special game for me, definitely it will be a special game for me. It's a special club, a great club that I had the pleasure to work for when I first arrived in England to manage in the Premier League. It has special people, special fans as well. The way they welcomed us to that club was special and we'll never forget that situation."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/08/decordova-reid-and-onomah-ready-to-return/

Fulham boss Marco Silva's message to Hull City ahead of Tigers reunion

The ex-Tigers boss comes up against his old club for the first time since leaving four years ago

Marco Silva admits facing his former club on Saturday will be a special occasion.

The Portuguese boss managed Hull City for a short spell at the end of the Tigers' last foray into the Premier League, suffering relegation before leaving at the end of the season despite winning six games in the final 18 - his first job in English football.

Since leaving City in May 2017, Silva has managed Watford and Everton before a spell out of the game was ended this summer when he took over at Fulham following their drop out of the top flight coupled with Scott Parker's exit for Bournemouth.

"It will be a special game for me, definitely it will be a special game for me," said Silva.

"It's a special club, a great club that I had the pleasure to work for when I first arrived in England to manage in the Premier League.

"It has special people, special fans as well. The way they welcomed us to that club was special and we'll never forget that situation."

City come into the game on the back of successive home defeats to QPR and Derby, but won their only away game thus far in emphatic style at Preston, and Silva says his promotion favourites must be wary of Grant McCann's men.

"They have good players, fast players on the sides as well," Silva said.

"They can play good football, they have this quality, and you have to be aware.

"A big part of the game will be under our control, but you cannot lose that balance, we can never lose our organisation.

"We want to be comfortable in the game, create chances to finalise the actions and to score, but in the meantime we cannot give them the chance to counter attack us because they are really strong in this moment."

McCann's side were free-scoring last term on their way to winning the League One title, notching up 48 goals away from the MKM Stadium, and that rich scoring form continued on opening day at Deepdale.

Their open, attack-minded way of playing must be treated with respect, Silva says, as he looks to make it three wins from their opening four games at the start if this season, and heap more frustration on his old club.

"It will be a difficult game again. They had a very good first away match.

"Unfortunately for them they didn't achieve what they wanted to do in the next two matches as well, but last season they were really strong when they played away games.

"This season they started with an away game with a good score and a good win for them.

"We are playing at home and we want to get our first home win in tomorrow's match, but we have to respect them.

"We're looking at ourselves first of all, try to play at our best level because if we play at our best level we will be closer to winning the football match.

"We'll respect them, they are a strong team on the counter attack, they like to be compact and then counter-attack."



https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/marco-silva-fulham-hull-city-5813706

Fulham, Bournemouth and Celtic dealt blow in transfer pursuit of Tottenham player

Football League World exclusively learned last week that Tottenham Hotspur were considering Fulham as a potential destination for Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Before that update, Bournemouth had emerged as an interested party after the 23-year-old spent the season with the south coast club last time out, as reported by The Athletic.

Newcastle United and Celtic have also been credited with an interest in the young centre-back, as previously reported by American journalist Larry Henry Jr.

However, the latest update comes as a big blow for those in pursuit, as the defender has twisted his ankle, and as reported by Craig Hope of the Daily Mail after a conversation with Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo, the injury does not look good.

Carter-Vickers is yet to feature in the league for Spurs and has embarked on six loan spells since 2017. The defender featured 21 times for The Cherries last time out, spending the previous campaign with Luton Town and Stoke City.

Carter-Vickers' father is an American citizen, and as a result, the centre-back has gone to represent the USA at international level, making eight appearances with the senior side, adding to his 31 from U17 to U23 level.

The verdict

Carter-Vickers has proved to be an excellent defender at Championship level, with his six months with Luton, and last time out with Bournemouth, completely proving that.

It is no surprise to see teams at the top end of the Championship interested in the USA international, whilst it is also not much of a shock to see a Premier League club in Newcastle register an interest.

Possessing all the physical attributes necessary to be a top defender, Carter-Vickers is also a composed figure when in possession.

However, his injury is a big blow for all involved, and could be very detrimental in Tottenham's pursuit of selling the defender.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-bournemouth-and-celtic-dealt-blow-in-transfer-pursuit-of-tottenham-player/

Mark Crossley makes claim over Fulham's new signing

Ex-Fulham shot-stopper has labelled Cottagers goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga as one of the best in the second tier after his summer move, with the 52-year-old speaking to Football FanCast.

The Argentine arrived at Craven Cottage last month on a free transfer, having been released from Tottenham Hotspur earlier in the summer on the expiration of his deal in north London.

He moved to Spurs from Southampton in 2017 but only made 37 competitive appearances in four seasons as he found himself stuck behind established keepers Hugo Lloris and Joe Hart in the pecking order.

Gazzaniga has been given a new lease of life under Marco Silva and a starting spot, with previous loanee Alphonse Areola returning to Paris St-Germain when his loan in west London expired and has since joined West Ham United.

Despite Areola inevitably being a miss, Mark Crossley believes they have taken a brilliant step in recruiting someone of Paulo Gazzaniga's calibre and speaking about Fulham's summer recruit in an interview with Football FanCast, he said: "He's taken his time to get to where he needs to be. He's certainly got the quality, I really like him as a goalkeeper, I think he's a top signing.

"I think he could have had a better chance if it wasn't for Lloris being a top goalkeeper. You look at all the goalkeepers in the Championship, would you put him in the top three? I would."

The 29-year-old has made a great start at Craven Cottage, helping his side to take seven points from a possible nine but is yet to keep a clean sheet and will be desperate to secure his first at the weekend.

They take on Hull City at home tomorrow afternoon and although the Tigers scored four at Deepdale against Preston North End on the opening day, they haven't managed to get on the scoresheet in their last two league games. With this in mind, Gazzaniga may not get a better chance to keep his first clean sheet for the Championship side.

The Verdict:

This is a bold prediction from Crossley – but there's a reason why the likes of Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur retained him even when he wasn't playing a lot of football and Fulham could benefit hugely from having someone like the Argentine between the sticks in their quest for promotion.

West Bromwich Albion's Sam Johnstone has to be up there as one of the best in the division as well after attracting interest from the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal this summer, even being the subject of a bid from West Ham United.

QPR's Seny Dieng also deserves a mention after being touted as a potential replacement for Arsenal-bound Sheffield United star Aaron Ramsdale, with Bournemouth's new signing Orjan Nyland also up there if he can stay on his A-game.

The great thing for Gazzaniga is the fact Marek Rodak will be keeping him on his toes as the 29-year-old's understudy at Craven Cottage – and it would be interesting to see how he bounces back from errors after becoming a first-choice goalkeeper all of a sudden.

The more games you play, the more mistakes you're likely to make. That's just part and parcel of being a goalkeeper – but how bounces back from these setbacks will determine how successful his career in the English capital will be.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/mark-crossley-makes-claim-over-fulhams-new-signing/

Birmingham Away Tickets

Tickets for Fulham's trip to St Andrew's to face Birmingham City in the Second Round of the Carabao Cup are now on sale to 2021/22 Season Ticket Holders & Members.

The Whites make the trip to the Midlands on Tuesday 24th August, kick-off 7.45pm and have received an allocation of 1,000 tickets.

Tickets for the fixture are priced as below.
Birmingham City v Fulham Ticket Prices
Age Category    Season Ticket Holder Price    Non-Season Ticket Holder Price
Adult    £10    £12
Senior    £5    £8
Under 18    £3    £3

Tickets can be purchased online at tickets.fulhamfc.com or by calling 0203 871 0810 (Mon – Fri, 9am-5pm) with fans able to purchase a maximum of two tickets per person.

Tickets for this fixture will be on sale until 2pm on Monday 23rd August. After this time, tickets will be returned to Birmingham City.

Further Information

    Due to the late arrival of receiving these tickets from Birmingham City FC, we will not have sufficient time to post out tickets for this fixture. Instead, fans should collect their tickets from the Away Car Park at St Andrew's on Tuesday evening.
    Please note, if you have purchased a ticket over the phone or online you will not be able to collect this from the Fulham FC Ticket Office.
    The Ticket Office will be open from 9.30am on Saturday 21st August to personal callers. Fans will be able to purchase a ticket and take  their ticket away with them.
    This fixture is all ticket. There will be no sales on the day.
    Non-standing seats are available to purchase over the phone only in the front rows.
    Supporters will receive 3 loyalty points for this fixture.

Disabled Supporters Information

    21 pairs of wheelchair disabled tickets are available as priced above, with carer free of charge if required.
    Ambulant disabled tickets are to be taken out of the standard allocation, priced as above with carer free of charge if required.

Coach Travel

    Coaches will depart from both Craven Cottage & Motspur Park on matchday at 3.15pm.
    Coach tickets priced at £13 for adults and £5 for juniors if you are a Season Ticket Holder or Member. £15 for adults and £10 for juniors if you are not.


Please note, supporters will need to ensure they are logged in to their OneFulham Account and have linked their ticketing account in order to view and purchase online. For more information on the OneFulham Account, please click here.




https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/august/Birmingham-Away-Tickets/

Three games in, why Hull City boss Grant McCann should be cut some slack

After a thumping opening day win at Preston, the knives have started to come out once again for the Tigers head coach

The River Thames provides the backdrop for Hull City's first venture of the new campaign to the capital this weekend, when they take on Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Fulham are everybody's favourite to secure an instant return to the Premier League, and in Marco Silva, have a manager Tigers fans know only too well, and still hold a great degree of affection for.

In what will be City's most challenging away day since leaving the Championship last July, Grant McCann will be hoping the step-up in quality inspires his charges to mount a comeback after successive home defeats.

Here, Hull Live looks ahead to the 3pm kick-off...

Cut him some slack...

It's fair to say that Grant McCann holds a threadbare relationship with some Hull City fans.

Despite last season's promotion and league title, the Ulsterman is yet to convince some sections of the fanbase about his ability as a Championship manager, given what happened the season before.

While the critics were quietened somewhat after the opening day win at Preston, they've been out in force following the two home games since which have both ended in defeats, albeit very different defeats but defeats nonetheless.

McCann's managing at this level because he proved himself last term and earned the right to do so.

In three Championship games against three very different types of opposition, City haven't been well beaten by any of the three well-drilled, experienced teams.

Yes, the QPR result looks like a hammering but anyone watching that knows how different it could and should have been, such are the fine margins at this level, at any level.

The Derby game was a poor display, we can all agree on that with the Tigers falling straight into their trap, and to a degree, maybe fell for all the pre-match noise about the Rams being in crisis, having all sorts of problems when in actual fact, were still able to name a strong and competent side that wasn't nearly as bad as some made out.

Like it or not, City are also operating without two of last season's most influential players, in George Honeyman and Mallik Wilks.

If you were to take Wilks' goals plus his ability to stretch teams and run at players, Honeyman's assists and overall importance out of any side, they'd feel the pinch particularly at a level like the Championship is, add to that Ryan Longman and George Moncur also sitting it out then suddenly, you're not far off half the outfield team being unavailable – and it will be at Fulham with Alfie Jones added to that list.

It's also only fair to point out that McCann's working with one of the lowest budgets in the division which also happens to be subject to a transfer embargo.

He's restricted in what he can and can't do when it comes to bringing in better players, so it could be said he's a manager working with both hands tied behind his back and actually doing a fair job of it.

Yes, Derby wasn't great, but some of the rhetoric we've seen on social media in the hours Wednesday night has been an overreaction to say the least - not that social media should be used as the gospel guide.

We're three games into a new season and perspective is needed, as is the ability to look a little further down the line and see a bigger picture.

To change or not to change?
Matt Ingram has endured a couple of difficult moments in the last two games, and again, it shows just how fragile the life of a footballer can be.

The hero at Deepdale for making crucial saves early in the second half, Ingram then gifted a goal to QPR and Derby, mistakes which had a direct impact on the momentum within the game and ultimately the result.

Unfortunately for a goalkeeper, when a mistake is made, nine times out of 10 it leads to a goal and that's the cut throat nature of the position, though few remember the good saves he made prior to that error.

And even fewer comment on the dozy defending of those in front of him who all stood flat-footed and watched Sam Baldock at the age of 32 and without a goal in 23 appearances for Reading last season, dating back to July 2020, react quickest to take advantage.

Ingram has credit in the bank, he ousted George Long last season and while he made the odd error, he wasn't punished quite so emphatically as he has been so far this season.

There wouldn't be too many raised eyebrows if Nathan Baxter were to take the number one shirt later in the campaign, but to change now would be too early, and potentially damaging to Ingram.

Dropping your goalkeeper so early in the season is a huge, huge call and can have a huge impact on the defensive solidity of the side, and given the Tigers are likely to be without Alfie Jones at Fulham, they could do without making another change at the back.

That change may well happen, but McCann knows how important stability is and he'll believe that in Matt Ingram, he has a goalkeeper with enough character to respond in a positive manner and he deserves that chance.

A chance to impress...
Randell Williams was given an opportunity to show his talent in midweek, and despite a poor team showing, gave a good account of himself and will expect to have done enough to remain in the side at Craven Cottage.

Di'Shon Bernard will be the next one to get his chance to stake his claim for a regular place, when he likely comes in to replace the injured Alfie Jones.

Bernard, on loan from Manchester United, impressed on his debut against Wigan Athletic in the Carabao Cup earlier this month before rather cruelly missing the key spot-kick in the shoot-out.

Having performed well at Accrington Stanley last term, Bernard will been keen to show he belongs at this level, and you'd fancy he'll have quite the busy afternoon facing Fulham's attacking arsenal.

No expectations?
Just as they didn't two years ago, City will arrive at Craven Cottage with few giving them any hope of beating west London's aristocrats.

Fulham's squad has largely been untroubled by relegation from the Premier League, and in Marco Silva, have a manager City fans know well.

An opening day draw against Boro was a bit of a surprise, though a thumping 5-1 win at Huddersfield Town followed by a 2-0 victory at Millwall in midweek was less so, and they'll be keen to record a home win over the Tigers, themselves on a bit of a downer after their last two defeats.

Is this a free-hit for City?

Possibly, not that I subscribe to such sentiments because in this division and yes, it is a cliché, but anyone on their day can beat anyone else and City have more than enough in their camp to get a result.

A quick check of the odds will tell you that all the smart money is firmly on a home win, but that can work to City's advantage, McCann will use that 'us against the world' mentality so effective last season at Craven Cottage and you wouldn't bet against it working.



https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-hull-city-match-preview-5814574

Exclusive: Ex-Fulham ace tips Mitrovic for huge Championship season

Former Fulham goalkeeper Mark Crossley believes that Aleksandar Mitrovic can be one of the best strikers in the Championship this season.

The Cottagers have dropped into the second-tier after a poor campaign in the Premier League last term.

Mitrovic perhaps did not contribute as much as he would have liked to last season, scoring just three goals in 27 Premier League outings.

However, this term, he has already scored twice in three games, netting in the 5-1 thumping of Huddersfield Town and the 2-1 win over Millwall.

Fulham, of course, also drew 1-1 with Middlesbrough prior to Saturday's clash against Hull City, so it really has been a bright start to the campaign.

Crossley insists that the club can win promotion back to the Premier League and he thinks that Mitrovic will play a key role in that run.

The Serbia international has an exceptional record in the Championship, scoring 44 goals and laying on 10 assists in 85 outings for both Fulham and Newcastle United going into that fixture versus Hull.

Speaking exclusively to This Is Futbol, he said: "I've just been looking through the squad, I think it's got enough. I think at the beginning of the season, at 5/1, I have to admit, I had a little tickle on Fulham getting promoted and again, if he can keep hold of the likes of Mitrovic.

"That guy shouldn't be playing in the Championship, although he didn't perform too well in the Premier League last season, I see him in the Championship as being one of the main men."



https://thisisfutbol.com/2021/08/blogs/championship/fulham/exclusive-ex-fulham-ace-tips-mitrovic-for-huge-championship-season/

Fulham duo set to return vs Hull City

Fulham have started their 2021/22 Sky Bet Championship campaign under Marco Silva in a series of performances that underline their class.

Fulham's unbeaten over their opening three games sees them in 2nd place in the table – one of six sides on seven points.

Last time out they beat fellow London side Millwall by a 2-1 scoreline at the New Den.

Tomorrow sees the Cottagers at home and facing the challenge of newly-promoted Hull City.

The Tigers bounced back to the Championship at the first time of asking after relegation the season before.

Per West London Sport, Fulham boss Marco Silva has some mixed news on the injury front.

Three out but two in for Fulham
It's a mixed bag of news for Fulham fans regarding player availability for tomorrow's encounter.

Fulham boss Silva confirms that three players are likely to miss out: Harrison Reed, Tom Cairney and Terence Congolo still on the treatment table.

However, what will be better news for Cottagers fans is confirmation that key duo Bobby Decordova-Reid and Josh Onomah are available.

Decordova-Reid missed the Millwall game with an injury and Onomah was taken off at half-time with a knock.

On their availability, Silva confirmed that "Bobby [Decordova-Reid] is available and Josh [Onomah] is 100% fine."

Thoughts?
The three players definitely not featuring in the Hull City game are a big loss for the Cottagers.

However, news that Decordova-Reid and Onomah are available is a boon for Fulham fans. Decordova-Reid has three assists this season already and Onomah one goal and one assist.

Both players will be vital on Saturday as Fulham look to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.



https://the72.co.uk/247173/fulham-duo-set-to-return-vs-hull-city/

Hull Matchday Preview

Fulham v Hull City | Saturday 21st August 2021 | 3pm | Craven Cottage | #FULHUL

The opposition

    Hull found themselves at the top of the Championship on matchday one after coming from behind to defeat Preston North End 4-1 at Deepdale.
    But things haven't been plain sailing since. They've had three home matches, and after losing on penalties to Wigan Athletic in the Carabao Cup, the Tigers were beaten by both Queens Park Rangers and Derby County, failing to score in either game.
    Hull announced the signing of their former midfielder Tom Huddlestone this week. He made his second debut for the club against another old side in Derby on Wednesday, his first competitive match in more than 18 months.

Fulham team news

Josh Onomah was substituted at half-time in our win at Millwall on Tuesday but is fit for the weekend, as is Bobby De Cordova-Reid who missed the trip to the Den. Harry Wilson is denied the opportunity to face a former loan side through suspension, while there is no further update on the other players in the treatment room.

Hull team news

Alfie Jones has a 50-50 chance of making the match according to his Head Coach Grant McCann, after the centre-back picked up a groin strain. Mallik Wilks, Ryan Longman and George Honeyman are all definitely out, as is George Moncur who is serving a three-game ban.

Tickets

Fans can still purchase General Sale tickets for this fixture. Please be advised that prices will go up by £5 on matchday.

Weather

There is a decent chance it could rain in SW6 on Saturday afternoon so make sure you come prepared! Temperatures will still be a muggy 19 degrees, though.

FFCtv

International fans with a valid subscription will be able to watch the game live on FFCtv. Live commentary is available to domestic supporters.

Matchday FAQs

Fans can familiarise themselves with our 2021/22 matchday FAQs here.

Mascots

James, Sebastian and George will be backing the Whites in their roles as our virtual mascots this weekend!


Player insight

Neeskens Kebano believes that if Fulham can match Hull's tenacity, then we stand a good chance of getting the points on Saturday.

Speaking to FFCtv, he said: "The promoted teams often try to be very aggressive because they know that for most of the game we will have the ball, so they will come with their weapons and we will have to match their aggression and show our quality on the ball.

"I think if we do things right, we'll get the positive result. It's the second game at our home with our fans, so hopefully we can get them a win."

orm

Fulham: DWW

Hull: WD*LL

*Lost on penalties

Pre-match quotes





https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/august/Hull-Matchday-Preview/

Club will let 'young Drogba' join West Brom; Fulham once bid £11.5m

Championship rivals West Brom and Fulham both hope to snap up M'Bala Nzola as the striker appears to have no future at Italian outfit Spezia, according to Italian publication Citta della Spezia. 

If it wasn't for the late-blooming Angola international, Spezia might not even be a Serie A side this season.

Nzola's 11 goals in 25 games ensured the Aquilotti avoided relegation quite comfortably last season, a dramatic winner in the 2-1 victory at Napoli in January earning the striker a place in Stadio Alberto Picco folklore.

According to reports coming out of Liguria, however, a change of manager has resulted in a change of circumstances for Nzola.

The strapping centre-forward had an excellent relationship with Vincenzo Italiano before one of the country's brightest tactical minds upped sticks for Fiorentina.

And Italiano's replacement, former Inter Milan and PSG playmaker Thiago Motta, doesn't appear to share his enthusiasm for a man who shouldn't be short of offers from elsewhere between now and 1 September.

Then again, when you consider Motta once planned to introduce an experimental 2-7-2 formation – with a goalkeeper doubling up as a deep-lying playmaker – it should be no surprise he has no time for a striker who wouldn't look out of place in a bygone era.

West Brom eye long-term Fulham target M'Bala Nzola

Citta della Spezia claims West Bromwich Albion and Fulham are watching the situation closely. And Spezia won't stand in Nzola's way should the Baggies or Cottagers firm up their interest.

Interestingly, Fulham offered £11.5 million for Nzola in January – a fee Spezia deemed insufficient at the time. 

A physical, old-school target man, Nzola could be the perfect fit for Valerien Ismael's highly effective brand of long ball at West Brom.

The Championship's early table-toppers have also been linked with similarly muscular strikers in the shape of Liam Delap, Mateo Cassierra and Ismael's former Barnsley talisman Daryl Dike.

"(Nzola) is is a fast striker, good at attacking the box and making the team play well. I see a young Drogba in him," Italiano once said of a man who models himself on Chelsea's £97 million superstar Romelu Lukaku.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2021/08/20/west-brom-nzola/

Fulham PL2 3 Albion PL2 0

Albion's PL2 side suffered their first defeat of the season against Fulham at Motspur Park on Friday evening.

Terry Ablade's double and Sonny Hilton's close-range finish gave the home side a strong lead at the interval.

The Baggies pushed to turn the tide of the game in their favour after the break, but the Cottagers held firm to see out the win.

Fulham began the game on the front foot and showed their effectiveness on the counter-attack regularly during the night.

The Baggies were forced into a lot of early defending and were caught out by a splitting through ball for the first goal of the night. Ablade's movement allowed him to go in-between Caleb Taylor and Saul Shotton, before rounding stopper Palmer to poke home the opener.

Pressure increased on Albion's back-line after the Cottagers made the breakthrough, with midfielder Jonathon Page and Ollie O'Neill having shots blocked as they searched for a second goal.

But Albion hit back instantly as Robert Snodgrass' well-timed volley was palmed wide by Fulham keeper Luca Ashby-Hammond, before forward Jovan Malcolm was denied from close-range.

Despite the Baggies' best efforts, Fulham extended the lead further when Ablade netted a carbon copy of the first goal, weaving between the lines to round the keeper and score his second.

And Hilton made sure the home side had breathing space at the interval when a sweeping move down the right ended with the midfielder firing the ball under Palmer, increasing their advantage to 3-0.

The second half saw plenty of fight from Albion's youngsters as they looked for a response. Substitutes Owen Windsor and Rico Richards came inches away from finding the net, but the goals wouldn't come as Richard Beale's side fell to defeat in the capital.

Albion: Palmer; Shotton, Taylor, Delaney; Ingram (Richards 60), Snodgrass (Andrews 46), King, Gardner-Hickman; Fellows, Faal (Windsor 60), Malcolm.

Substitutes: Hollingshead, Ashworth.



https://www.wba.co.uk/news/fulham-pl2-3-albion-pl2-0

'It's all just noise' - Swansea City's Matt Grimes comments on transfer links amid Fulham interest as Russell Martin says 'nothing's changed'

Swansea City skipper Matt Grimes has been linked with a move away from the club this summer

Matt Grimes says speculation linking him with a move away from Swansea City is "all just noise around me".

The Swans skipper's future has been subject of intense debate this summer, with Fulham the frontrunners tracking him.

Swansea head coach Russell Martin has made no secret of his desire to keep hold of his captain, saying Grimes would love to play the way he wants his teams to set up.

Grimes, though, kept his cards close to his chest when asked about his future following the 1-0 win over Bristol City on Friday night - a game in which he excelled once again in Martin's system.

"No, it's all just noise around me at the moment," he told Sky Sports when asked if he could provide any comment on his future.

"I'll give everything I can for this club every time I step foot on the pitch, and that's all I can say about it really."

Martin, speaking after the match, hammered home is stance over Grimes and his hopes for after the window closes.

"He couldn't believe he got the man of the match award, he's very humble," Martin said.

"He's been great for us since we've come in, not just on the pitch but off the pitch as well, the way he conducts himself, he's the captain for a reason, and he takes big responsibility on the pitch. He was a bit tired towards the end because he's played just about every minute for us

"Nothing's changed, really. He's our player, we haven't had a bid, he's really happy here, as is his partner, who loves the area.

"So as far as I'm concerned he's ours.

"And until someone tells me different I'll enjoy working with him."

"Yeah, course (happy if he stays)," he added.

"He's a fantastic footballer and we just hope we can add a few ourselves to help him and the others around him."



https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/its-just-noise-swansea-citys-21367103

Title contenders Fulham sign Brazilian Rodrigo Muniz from Flamengo... with the 20-year-old forward set to challenge 2019-20 Championship top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic for a spot in the starting XI

    Rodrigo Muniz has scored 11 goals in 38 games during his fledgling career
    Muniz praised the club's fans and his new boss Marco Silva upon joining Fulham
    The Cottagers signed Paulo Gazzaniga and Harry Wilson earlier this summer
     Fulham sit second in the Championship having suffered relegation last season

Championship title contenders Fulham have strengthened their attacking options with the arrival of Rodrigo Muniz from Flamengo for an undisclosed fee.

The 20-year-old forward, who has scored 11 goals in 38 games to date during his fledgling career, will provide competition for talisman Aleksandar Mitrovic, who was the top scorer in England's second tier two seasons ago with 26 goals and already has two strikes to his name this term.

(https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/08/20/23/46922637-0-image-a-20_1629500334052.jpg)
Rodrigo Muniz has joined Fulham to bolster Marco Silva's attacking options at Craven Cottage

(https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/08/20/23/46922209-9913509-image-a-3_1629499272475.jpg)
The 20-year-old is set to challenge talisman Aleksandar Mitrovic for a spot in the starting XI

(https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/08/20/23/46922409-9913509-image-a-4_1629499324253.jpg)
The Serbian was Championship top scorer in 2019-20 and already has two goals this term

'I've always dreamed of playing in Europe, in a league like the Championship, and I'm very motivated to do a great job.

'Fulham is a very important club in England with much history. They presented me with an excellent proposal and a career project that was fundamental in my decision.

'Fulham is a traditional club in England, over 140 years old, and had great players who made their careers in different teams worldwide. It has a sensational structure and a passionate crowd.

'Marco Silva is a great coach, young and with great potential. He likes to work with young athletes, and I know that I will evolve a lot with him daily, together with my teammates. I hope to learn a lot from him, his staff, and my teammates as well.'

Muniz is currently midway through a 10-day quarantine period in Spain, but should be able to fly to England early next week. 

His signing is the latest of a busy summer transfer window for Fulham, who have already bought Paulo Gazzaniga on a free transfer after his Tottenham contract expired, and Harry Wilson, who arrived at Craven Cottage on a loan deal with an obligation to buy.

The departure of Aboubakar Kamara earlier this week freed up space and money for Muniz's arrival, with the Cottagers sitting second in the table behind West Brom on goal difference.

Silva's men started their campaign with a draw against Middlesbrough before successive wins on the road against Huddersfield and Millwall as they target an immediate return to the Premier League following relegation last season under Scott Parker. Their next match is at home to Hull on Saturday.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9913509/Championship-high-fliers-Fulham-sign-Rodrigo-Muniz-provide-competition-Aleksandar-Mitrovic.html

Muniz Joins Fulham

Fulham Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Rodrigo Muniz from Flamengo for an undisclosed fee.

The exciting young striker has signed a five-year deal, with the Club holding an option to extend by a further year.

After finalising the deal, Muniz said: "I am pleased about this new challenge. I've always dreamed of playing in Europe, in a league like the Championship, and I'm very motivated to do a great job.

"Fulham is a very important club in England with much history. They presented me with an excellent proposal and a career project that was fundamental in my decision.

"Fulham is a traditional club in England, over 140 years old, and had great players who made their careers in different teams worldwide. It has a sensational structure and a passionate crowd.

"Marco Silva is a great coach, young and with great potential. He likes to work with young athletes, and I know that I will evolve a lot with him daily, together with my teammates.

"I hope to learn a lot from him, his staff, and my teammates as well."


Tony Khan added: "I'm very happy to welcome Rodrigo Muniz to the Fulham family, he's an exciting young player with great potential and attributes that make him capable of scoring a variety of goals.

"Rodrigo will strengthen our squad, and there was strong competition against other clubs that were interested in signing him in this window, so I'm delighted that he's joining us now as we continue working to earn promotion this season.

"Come on Fulham!"

With his off-the-ball movement and ability to score all types of goals, the 20-year-old gained admirers from a host of clubs across Europe, but has chosen Craven Cottage as the ideal location to continue his football journey.

He came through the youth system at Desportivo Brasil, but was snapped up by Flamengo and subsequently went on to help them enjoy one of the most prosperous periods in their history, as they won the top-flight in both 2019 and 2020.

Muniz had enjoyed a good 2021 campaign for Flamengo to date, scoring three Série A goals having started the same number of matches.

He's also netted for Flamengo across two cup competitions this season.

Last year, Muniz spent a month on loan at fellow top-flight side Coritiba, where he scored once in three starts.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/august/Muniz-Joins-Fulham/

Rodrigo Muniz: Fulham sign Brazilian striker from Flamengo

Championship club Fulham have signed striker Rodrigo Muniz from Brazilian Serie A side Flamengo for an undisclosed fee.

The 20-year-old Brazilian has agreed a five-year contract, and the Whites have the option to extend the deal by a further 12 months.

Muniz becomes the west London club's third signing of the summer.

"He's an exciting young player with great potential," vice chairman Tony Khan told the club website.

"There was strong competition against other clubs that were interested in signing him in this window, so I'm delighted that he's joining us now as we continue working to earn promotion this season."

Fulham, who were relegated from the Premier League last season, are unbeaten in three league games at the start of the 2021-22 campaign under new boss Marco Silva.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58286996

Fulham v Hull City: Grant McCann refusing to panic after double setback
In failing to even score a goal, let alone earn a point from their opening two home games of the season, it could be said that Hull City have missed a trick.

Winning the League One title last term as they secured an immediate return to the Championship, then beating Preston North End 4-1 away on the opening day of 2021-22 meant there was a long-overdue feel-good factor about the MKM Stadium when Tigers fans were finally able to return this week.

There was an opportunity to build further momentum as Queens Park Rangers and Derby County visited East Yorkshire, though City ended both games empty-handed.

Head coach Grant McCann has acknowledged that harnessing the positive energy which he and his players have worked so hard to create is important, but insists that, although untimely, Hull's back-to-back defeats do not represent reason to panic.

"It's definitely something we want to harness. The atmosphere in the two home games was brilliant, the fans have been excellent. We're disappointed we never gave them anything to shout about," he said ahead of this afternoon's trip to high-flying Fulham.

"I think it's important not to get carried away, we're three games into the season. There's going to be ups, there's going to be downs.

"There will be times when we lose two in a row like we've just seen. We can't get reactive. It's a long season and we saw it last year when a lot of people wrote us off after some defeats. We've got a group who can bounce back.

"We know that football is fickle. You win one and you're the best, you lose one and you're the worst. It's a case of not getting too flustered and the group sticking together, which they do. We've got a very good changing room and we're just looking forward to the Fulham game."



https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/football/hull-city/fulham-v-hull-city-grant-mccann-refusing-to-panic-after-double-setback-3354803

Hull City told where they must improve ahead of Fulham test

The Tigers will hope to replicate their 3-0 win in November 2019 when they head to the Cottage this afternoon

Greg Docherty says Hull City must be more streetwise as they prepare to take on their toughest challenge since leaving the Championship a year ago.

City head to Fulham on Saturday afternoon looking to inflict a first defeat on the Cottagers when they come up against former boss Marco Silva, who has so far masterminded two wins and a draw from their opening three games, which included a thumping 5-1 win at Huddersfield Town.

A stunning 4-1 opening day victory at Preston North End has since been followed by two successive home defeats against QPR and Derby County with Grant McCann's men failing to find the net, as the reality of life back in the second tier of English football began to bite.

Docherty admits the opening three games have been something of a tough baptism of fire for his teammates, and one they must learn from quickly if they're to pick up points in the coming weeks.

"It has been a huge learning curve for us in what we've faced in the opening three Championship games," he told BBC Humberside.

"We couldn't have asked for three more different experiences to learn about this league.

"We had the highs of Preston and we really deserved that result. For QPR, we were on top and dominant for quite a long time in the game and then you're done by a simple set-piece and a deflection and before you know it, the game has gone away from you.

"Then with Derby, it's a difficult one, if anything I think it should have been a draw."

The Scottish midfielder, so impressive last season following his summer move from Rangers, says it's important City don't dwell on those disappointing results, and in particular, the uncharacteristically poor display on Wednesday night.

"These are the games you can't get too down in, there's things to improve on, we weren't at our best and we're not denying that - we'll be honest with each other and we'll learn from it," he said.

"Ultimately, the last two results have been disappointing; there's no point in covering the cracks, two home games we really wanted to pick up points I, especially on the back of Preston.

"However, we'll learn from it and we can only take these experiences on board and keep trying to improve on them.

"We need to be a bit more streetwise, we're coming up against a better calibre of player, but it's all about picking your moments of when we can press teams as we're a high energy team that wants to win the ball back in packs in dangerous areas and I think we need to get back to that as a team."



https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-vs-hull-city-championship-5812571

Fulham announced they have landed land Flamengo's €8-million starlet

After weeks of negotiating, Fulham FC has finally landed the striker they've been pursuing.

Brazilian club Flamengo announced the departure of Rodrigo Muniz, who will be heading to the Championship side as they look to earn a promotion to the Premier League. TNT Sports Brazil reports that the deal will be for €8-million, with Flamengo receiving 25-percent from a future sale.

Muniz is the third striker on the depth chart for Flamengo, but he impressed during the absences of Gabigol and Pedro. The 20-year-old scored three goals and registered one assist in nine games for the South American giant.

For Flamengo, selling the third player at a deep position is good business since he wouldn't see much playing time with Gabigol and Pedro ahead of him. Fulham spent last season in the Premier League but was relegated, and now Muniz is tasked with helping them score goals to earn a spot in England's top-flight league next season.



https://www.caughtoffside.com/2021/08/21/fulham-announced-they-have-landed-land-flamengos-e8-million-starlet/

Ablade brace beats West Brom

Fulham's under 23s continued their excellent start to the new PL2 campaign with a second successive victory as they beat West Bromwich Albion 3-0 at Motspur Park last night.

A brace from striker Terry Ablade and another fine finish from the in-form Sonny Hilton saw Fulham's youngsters ease into a three-goal lead before half-time on another encouraging night for the club's academy. Cyrus Christie gained some minutes at the heart of a reshaped defence, replacing Idris Odutayo after the see-saw win at Sunderland on Monday night, and Luca Ashby-Hammond came in for his brother Taye in goal.

It took the hosts just eleven minutes to hit the front. Young Luke Harris, who scored the under 23's first goal of the season up at Sunderland earlier this week, produced a peach of pass to unlock the Albion defence and Ablade effortlessly rounded stranded goalkeeper Alex Palmer and slotted home the opener. The visitors responded spiritedly with veteran Robert Snodgrass seeing a free-kick cause a few moments of panic in the Fulham area and Taylor Gardner-Hickman and Snodgrass, on two occasions, coming very close to levelling matters. Ashby-Hammond also produced a strong reaction save to deny Jovan Malcolm.

But Fulham doubled the lead on the half hour as Ablade added a similar second to the goal he had already grabbed. Harris played another perfect through ball between the retreating West Brom defenders and the 19 year-old Finnish forward confidently cantered around the goalkeeper to extend the hosts' lead. Christie, who had saved his side with a smart defensive header as Albion looked to fight back, floated a fine ball over the Albion backline to release Hilton and the attacking midfielder fired in another fantastic finish right on the stroke of half time.

Ablade missed a chance to complete his hat-trick eight minutes after the interval when he burst clear along the left flank and beat the onrushing Palmer to ball but could only stab a finish wide. The away side had more chances in a quieter second period, with both Rico Richards and Owen WIndsor going close to grabbing a consolation goal but Kieron Bowie and Ablade missed good opportunities to extend Fulham's lead right at the death.

The comprehensive victory means Fulham's under 23s are level on points with Aston Villa, who they face in their next fixture at Bodymoor Heath on Friday night, at the top of the early table.

FULHAM UNDER 23s (4-2-3-1): L. Ashby-Hammond; Fossey, Larkeche (Odutayo 89), Christie, McAvoy; Page (Bowie 51), Pajaziti; O'Neill, Hilton, Harris; Ablade. Subs (not used): Las, Davis.

GOALS: Ablade (11, 30), Hilton (45).

WEST BROMWICH ALBION U23s (3-4-2-1): Palmer; Shotton, Taylor, Delaney; Ingram (Richards 60), Snodgrass (Andrews 45), King, Gardner-Hickman; Fellows, Malcolm, Faal (Windsor 60). Subs (not used): Hollingshead, Ashworth.

BOOKED: Gardner-Hickman.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/08/ablade-brace-beats-west-brom/

Is Fulham's financial might really the problem?

In the wake of Fulham's fine start to the season, the relative strength of the Craven Cottage squad and the club's financial might has been subject of much comment in the media and on one particular podcast. The situation is more complex that the suggestion that the Whites have spent twice as much as anyone else in the division, so I thought it was worth examining in detail. The amount of money splashing around in this transfer window has been reduced following the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, so a fuller analysis needs to take a longer view.

In my previous article, I discussed the spending of a number of clubs such as Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Looking back through the years from when the Whites first competed back in the Championship in 2014/2015 until now, I've compiled a list of the most expensive Championship signings as well as looking at the major club spending and who has made the biggest loss.

The record signing in the Championship is currently the Portuguese midfielder Ruben Neves, who moved to Molineux for £16m and enjoyed a remarkable campaign as Wolves stormed to the title and was nominated as the EFL player of the year and young player of the year. A list of the other nine most expensive transfers in the division over this period – using the data compiled by Transfermarkt – makes for instructive reading:

1st. Ruben Neves, £16 million to Wolverhampton Wanderers

2nd. Britt Assombalonga £15 million to Middlesbrough.

3rd. Joaõ Carvalho £13.5 million to Nottingham Forest.

4th. Hélder Costa £13.5 million to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

5th. Ross McCormack £12 million to Aston Villa

6th. Harry Wilson, £12 million to Fulham (although this has been widely reported as being an initial loan from Liverpool).

7th. Benik Afobe £12 million to Stoke City.

8th. Jonathan Kodjia £11 million to Aston Villa

9th. Isaac Mbenza £11 million to Huddersfield.

10th. Andre Gray £11 million to Burnley.

I have now looked at the transfer income received and spent by each Championship club season-by-season since 2014/15 to look at who really have been the big spenders.

In 2014/15;

Fulham spent: £15.69M, income: £16.11M – profit £420k.

Middlesbrough spent: £10M, income: £5.53M. – loss £4.47M.

Norwich spent: £18.32M, income: £17.44M. – loss 876K.

Watford spent: £8.10M, income: £0.495K. – loss £7.61M.

QPR spent: £12.74M, income: £16.57M. +£3.8M in profit.

2015/16 season;

Burnley spent: £23.13M, income: £16.63M. -£4.5M in loss.

QPR spent: £15.67M, income: £10.62M. -£5.05M in loss.

Middlesbrough spent: £30.06M, income: £6.39M. -£23.67M in loss.

Derby spent: £30.65M, income: £0. -£30.65M in loss.

Sheffield Wednesday spent: £13.91M, income: £1.22M. -£12.69M in loss.

Fulham spent: £7.80M, income: £8.57M. +770k in profit.

Brighton spent: £12.12M, income: £0. – £12.12M in loss.

2016/17 season;

Newcastle spent: £57.83M, income: £90.79M. +32.96M in profit.

Norwich spent: £23.81M, income: £33.03M. +£9.23m in profit.

Aston Villa spent: £76.95m, income: £41.22M. -£35.73M loss.

Derby spent: £15.54m, income: £14.63m. -905k loss.

Sheffield Wednesday spent: £9.81m, income: £0. -£9.81m loss.

Birmingham spent: £9.08m, income: 180K. -£8.90m loss.

Wolves spent: £32.49m, income: £2.69m. -£29.80m loss.

Fulham spent £23.00m, income: £21.40m. -£1.59m loss.

2017/18

Hull City spent: £17.86m, income: £40.65m. +22.79m in profit.

Middlesbrough spent: £50.09m, income: £48.87m. -£1.22m loss.

Reading spent: £12.69m, income: £1.86m. -£10.83m loss.

Sheffield Wednesday spent: £13.68m, income: £0m. -£13.68 loss.

Fulham spent: £18.15m, income: £16.38m. -£1.77m loss.

Leeds United spent: £25.59m, income: £15.75m. -£9.84m loss.

Cardiff City spent: £11.40m, income: £2.39m. -£9.02m loss.

Wolves spent: £22.15m, income: £5.69m. -£16.46m loss.

Bristol City spent: £12.09m, income: £2.97m. -£9.12m loss.

Birmingham spent: £15.89m, income: £4.23m. -£11.66m loss.

2018/19 season

Stoke City spent: £56.61m, income: £27.14m. -£29.48m loss.

Aston Villa spent: £17.19m, income: £14.54m. -£2.66m loss.

Middlesbrough spent: £19.35m, income: £43.28m. +£23.93m in profit.

Nottingham Forest spent £24.69m, income: £1.08m. -£23.60m loss.

2019/20

Cardiff City spent: £16.21m, income: 17.82m. +£1.61m in profit.

Fulham spent: £33.30m, income £25.65. -£7.65m loss.

West Brom spent: £19.35m, income: £33.54m. +£33.54m in profit.

Derby spent: £7.38m, income: £1.22m. -£6.17m.

Bristol City spent: £29.66m, income: £43.86m. +£14.21m in profit.

Brentford spent: £31.19m, income: £36.83m. +£5.64m in profit.

Birmingham spent: £9.25m, income: £21.42m. ++£12.17m in profit.

Reading spent: £11.61m, income: 765k. -£10.85m loss.

2020/21 season

Nottingham Forest spent: £13.45m, income £14.18m. +£729K.

The spending in this current season has obviously not finished – we are not even at the end of the summer transfer window yet. Middlesbrough have spent around £6.86m. Some outlets have suggested that Fulham have already spent £20m but when the club's only signings have been Paulo Gazzaniga (on a free transfer from Tottenham) and Harry Wilson on an initial loan (which could eventually rise to as much as £12m) you realise that there are some inaccuracies involved. The impending arrival of Rodrigo Muniz for a fee believed to be eventually more than £6m will increase the club's spending, but you also have to factor in the departures of Aboubakar Kamara – for around £4m – and Stefan Johansen (reportedly sold for an initial £600,000 to QPR) and whether any other players will depart before the end of August.

I have also selected a set of sides, including Fulham, comparing how much they've spent, how much income they got from transfers and if they made profit or a loss since 2014/15 – bearing in mind, that like the Whites, several clubs have been promoted and relegation in this period.

Aston Villa

Relegated to the championship for the 2016/17 season until promotion took them back to the Premier League for the 2019/20 season.

Spent in total: £96.66m, income in total: £71.81m. They made a total loss of -£24.85m in their three years in the championship.

Birmingham City

Spent in total: £46.72m, income: £54.68m. They made a total profit of +£7.96m

Derby County

Spent in total: £83.77m, income: £55.66m. They made a total loss of -£28.11m.

Reading

Spent in total: £47.51m, income: £33.765m. They made a total loss of -£13.745m

Sheffield Wednesday

Spent in total: £41.639m , income: £9.32m. They made a total loss of -£32.319m

Nottingham Forest

Spent in total: £65.06m, income in total: £80.92m. They made a total profit of +£15.86.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

From 2014 until promotion in 2018

Spent in total: £66.52m, income: £23.6m. They have made a total loss of -£42.92m.

Fulham

This will be broken down into two sections as Fulham have been up and down between championship and PL – 2014-18, 19-20

From 2014-18 they have spent in total: £64.64m, income: £62.46m. This marks a loss of -£2.18m.

in 2019/20 they spent £33.30m, income: £25.65m. This marks them at a loss of -£7.65m.

in total they have spent: £97.94m, income: £88.11. In total loss of -£9.83m.

Middlesbrough

From 2014 until promotion from the Championship at the end of 2015/16 season.

They spent in total: £40.06m, income: £11.92m. They made a total loss of -£28.14m.

Following their relegation they were back for the 2017/18 season.

Since 2017/18

They have spent in total: £75.31m, income: £105.286m. They made a profit of £29.976m.

Meaning they are in total profit of £1.836m.

As you can see from the detailed lists above, Fulham's spending is not an outlier when we consider the recent finances of Championship clubs. There is probably a legitimate argument about whether the financial structures of English football create an even greater gulf between the have and have nots – something that is arguably only enhanced by the parachutes payments that clubs who drop down from the Premier League receive. There is no doubt that the instability of a number of clubs is also caused by the game's lax governance and the unsuitability of the ironically named fit and proper person's test for owners and directors. Reigning in rampant spending would be a laudable aim but it requires the powers that be to take action. Until they do, clubs will try to use any advantage possible to put them in the strongest position on the pitch.




https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/08/is-fulhams-financial-might-really-the-problem/

From The Opposition Stand – Hull City (h)

Ahead of this afternoon's return to Craven Cottage, I got the lowdown on our visitors from Hull City supporters' website Tigerlink, including their thoughts on the new Fulham head coach Marco Silva, whose first spell in English football came when he took charge of this afternoon's opponents.

What are your expectations of Hull this season?

    Winning the League One title has given Hull City momentum, but a solid mid table finish would be more than acceptable with survival the clear priority.

    Despite promotion, the Club's ambitions are severely limited by our owners the Allams who run the Club almost on League One wage levels, won't spend money and have alienated many diehards over recent years with bizarre anti-fan policies. Large numbers of Hull City supporters won't attend games until the Allams sell up and leave. As a result our membership and attendances are very poor, we desperately need change at the top to unite the fanbase and fill our stadium again.

What have you made of Hull's opening to the season?

    A fine 4-1 away victory at Preston on the opening day was followed a week later by a down to earth 3-0 home defeat to QPR. We then lost narrowly 1-0 at home to struggling Derby County last Wednesday but failed to impress and so far we appear to be struggling with the step up in class.

What are your thoughts on Hull manager Grant McCann

    Manager Grant McCann won over many Tigers' fans by winning League One last season but he is still unproven at Championship level (he took us down from the Championship to League One the previous year and presided over one of the worst losing runs in our history) so it's a very important year for him and some fans still need to be convinced he is up to management in the Championship

Who is Hull's player to look out for?

    Key players George Honeyman and Mallik Wilks are likely absentees on Saturday due to injury. We are missing them badly.

    Tom Huddlestone played for us in our Premier League days, he has re-signed and debuted this week, he may feature at Fulham. But look out for midfielder Greg Docherty who has a touch of class and Keane Lewis-Potter a lively young attacker with a bright future.

What is your opinion on the Fulham team and ex Hull manager Marco Silva?

    Marco Silva was Hull Manager in the early part of 2017 and narrowly failed to keep us in the Premier League. He had notable wins against Liverpool and Manchester United during that time.

    His stock has plummeted since so he will be very keen to be successful again and it would be no surprise if the Cottagers bounced straight back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

    We reckon Fulham will make the play offs at the very least

How do you expect the game on Saturday to go?

    Fulham have managed to hold on to many of their Premier League squad. They have started very well and have players of proven quality. In contrast Hull City have an exciting young team but this is the first taste of the Championship for many of our squad and and we look low on experience and quality.

    We expect a gutsy performance and we are cautiously optimistic about our attacking threat, but we may struggle defensively

    If our former players Harry Wilson and Tom Cairney are missing from Fulham's line-up it may help our chances.

And finally, what's your score prediction?

    Fulham 3-1 Hull City

MY PREFFERED FULHAM STARTING XI (4-2-3-1): Gazzaniga, Tete, Ream (C), Tosin, Bryan; Seri, Onomah; Carvalho, Kebano, Cavaleiro; Mitrovic.

@FFCSeb's Score Prediction– Fulham FC 1-0 Hull City (I've only got one right so far this season!)

Many thanks to Tigerlink for taking the time to answer our queries ahead of this weekend's meeting at Craven Cottage. Do check out their informative Twitter feed for their take on Hull City's fortunes and other events across East Yorkshire. We'd like to wish Hull City all the best for the remainder of the season.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/08/from-the-opposition-stand-hull-city-h/

Fulham complete deal for Brazilian striker Rodrigo Muniz

Fulham have signed Rodrigo Muniz from Flamengo for an undisclosed fee.
The Brazilian, 20, has signed a five-year deal at Craven Cottage, with the club holding an option to extend by a further year.
Muniz said: "I am pleased about this new challenge. I've always dreamed of playing in Europe, in a league like the Championship, and I'm very motivated to do a great job.
"Fulham is a very important club in England, with much history. They presented me with an excellent proposal and a career project that was fundamental in my decision.
"Fulham is a traditional club in England, over 140 years old, and had great players who made their careers in different teams worldwide. It has a sensational structure and a passionate crowd.
"Marco Silva is a great coach, young and with great potential. He likes to work with young athletes, and I know that I will evolve a lot with him daily, together with my teammates.
"I hope to learn a lot from him, his staff, and my teammates as well."



https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/fulham-complete-deal-for-brazilian-striker-rodrigo-muniz/

David Prutton delivers his verdict on Hull City's chances of Fulham result

The Sky Sports presenter anticipates a stern test for the Tigers in the capital.

David Prutton expects Hull City to struggle away at Fulham in his latest round of Championship predictions.

The EFL presenter and Hull-born ex-midfielder claimed that the optimism at the MKM Stadium has faded slightly following back-to-back defeats against Queens Park Rangers and Derby County.

Their upcoming opponents, on the other hand, are enjoying contrasting emotions following consecutive victories against Huddersfield Town and Millwall.

Writing in his weekly predictions column for Sky Sports, Prutton highlighted that Craven Cottage is one of the last places City will want to be visiting as they look to get back to winning ways.

He said: "It's been a good week for Fulham. A massive win at the weekend, and then a good win at Millwall in midweek that probably ended up being closer than it should have been. They won't struggle to score goals in this league.

"Hull started the season with such a positive result, but back-to-back defeats has seen that optimism ebb away a little. This is not a good place to go to try and get back on the horse. Home win."

Claiming that the home side will come away with a 3-1 victory, the 39-year-old expects Grant McCann's side to get on the scoresheet but cannot see them coming away with any points.

In their first three games of the season, the Tigers have enjoyed more success on the road, albeit in only one match, where they comfortably beat Preston North End 4-1 on the opening day.

They will take some confidence from that performance at Deepdale ahead of their trip to London where they will be desperate to score a goal for the first time in over 180 minutes.



https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/football/david-prutton-delivers-verdict-hull-5811477

Exclusive: Mark Crossley tips Fulham to win promotion despite summer of change

Mark Crossley is certain former club Fulham will seal an immediate return to the Premier League.

The Cottagers went into the new campaign following a summer of change, with boss Scott Parker departing by mutual consent and taking on the Bournemouth job.

Following relegation to the Championship and Parker's exit, Marco Silva was appointed as head coach on a three-year deal having already managed Hull City, Watford and Everton in the Premier League.

Silva reacted by boosting his squad with the £12million arrival of Wales international winger Harry Wilson from Liverpool and ex-Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga heading to west London.

Fulham have got their campaign off to a promising start and went into the weekend undefeated after three outings back in the second tier of English football.

Crossley, who featured between the sticks for Fulham during his playing days, is adamant Silva and his squad are capable of enjoying success this season.

He exclusively told TIF: "I can't see them being outside of the top six all season. I think they will definitely get promoted because they've got the squad and the manager.

"I can only see good things coming out of Fulham."



https://thisisfutbol.com/2021/08/blogs/championship/fulham/exclusive-mark-crossley-tips-fulham-to-win-promotion-despite-summer-of-change/

Fulham fans' guide to Hull City clash – Injuries, expected line up, how to watch

Fulham will be looking to make it three wins in a week with the visit of Grant McCann's Hull City at Craven Cottage this afternoon.

With two convincing away wins at Huddersfield and Millwall, Marco Silva will be hoping to get his first home victory of the season and keep this undefeated record going.

Hull, who started the season with a fantastic 4-1 away victory at Preston, have struggled to kick on from that result and find themselves still on three points. A poor defeat in midweek to Wayne Rooney's Derby County sees themselves in 18th-place.

Injuries
Josh Onomah was substituted at half-time in Tuesday's game with Millwall, the midfielder sustained a slight injury with his knee and may not be risked tomorrow.

There is still no news on Bobby Decordova-Reid who took no part in the game at The Den. Fulham will still be without defender Terence Kongolo and skipper Tom Cairney.

Harrison Reed has been back in training since Monday and is yet to feature in a match day squad. We could still have to wait to see the 26-year-old midfielder whose first minutes could come against Birmingham City next week in the Carabao Cup.

On the back of two wins we do not expect to see many changes to this Fulham side. Here is our we expect them to line-up.

Predicted line up: (4-2-3-1)
GK) Gazzaniga

(RB) Tete

(CB) Tosin

(CB) Ream

(LB) Robinson

(CM) Seri

(CM) Anguissa

(RW) Kebano

(CAM) Carvalho

(LW) Cavaleiro

(ST) Mitrović


How to watch
If you are unable to attend the game in person, audio is available on Fulham's Official website and can be bought as either an Audio Match Pass or part of the Audio Season Pass.

Fans outside of the UK are able to purchase a Match Pass to watch the game.



https://the72.co.uk/247121/fulham-fans-guide-to-hull-city-clash-injuries-expected-line-up-how-to-watch/

Fulham: Silva must unleash Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa vs Hull

Marco Silva's reign at Craven Cottage has so far got off to a fine start, with the 44-year-old's Fulham side remaining unbeaten in the Championship after three games played and the Cottagers having secured a number of impressive signings in the summer transfer window.

Having said that, it would be naive to ignore the fact that there is still a considerable amount of interest reported in a couple of Fulham's biggest stars – none more so than Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, who was absent from the Portuguese manager's matchday squad on the first day of the season as a result of his reported desire to leave west London.

However, with Silva revealing that he has no intention of sanctioning the sale of the 25-year-old this summer, and subsequently reintroducing the midfielder to his side in the form of two substitute appearances against Huddersfield Town and Millwall, today's clash with Hull City would appear to be the perfect opportunity for the 44-year-old to unleash the Cameroon international from the off.

With Josh Onomah picking up an injury in Tuesday's win at The Den, there is a spot which needs filling in Fulham's midfield. Considering how well Anguissa performed in place of the 24-year-old, it would seem advisable for Silva to stick with the 25-year-old against Hull.

Indeed, over his 45 minutes on the pitch last time out, the £22.5m-rated man completed 95% of his attempted passes, created one big chance, completed five of his seven attempted dribbles, made one key pass and won six of his nine duels.

These returns saw the man who Scott Parker dubbed a "superb" talent earn a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.4, ranking him as Silva's third-best player to feature in the match.

As such, from this performance it would certainly appear as if Anguissa's focus is back on doing all he can to ensure that Fulham have the best chance of securing an immediate return to the Premier League this season, with the midfielder's commitment to the cause potentially being a real game-changer not only in the Hull clash but also for the Cottagers' campaign as a whole.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-fc-news/fulham-team-news-hull-city-marco-silva-andre-frank-zambo-anguissa-the-championship

Matt Grimes sends clear message on his Swansea City future amid Fulham claims

Swansea City captain Matt Grimes has played down reports linking him with a move away from the Welsh club during the summer transfer window.

Grimes' future has been the subject of much speculation this summer, with reports from The Daily Mail claiming that Fulham are closing in on a deal to sign the 26-year-old.

Now however, it seems as though Grimes has now interest in those claims, with his focus fully on helping Swansea's cause in the Championship.

Speaking about his future after his side's 1-0 win over Bristol City on Friday night, Grimes was quoted by Wales Online as telling Sky Sports: "No, it's all just noise around me at the moment. I'll give everything I can for this club every time I step foot on the pitch, and that's all I can say about it really."

As things stand, Grimes is now into the final year of his Swansea contract, meaning this could yet be Swansea's final chance to receive a fee for the midfielder.

That win over Bristol City was Russell Martin's first in the league as Swansea manager, and leaves the club with four points from their opening four games of the Championship season.

The Verdict

You feel that these comments from Grimes will be a big relief to those of a Swansea City persuasion.

The midfielder obviously has a huge influence on the club, both with the ability he possesses with the ball, and his leadership abilities in his role as captain.

It would therefore be a big loss if he was to move on, so the fact he does not seem to even be considering a transfer this summer, is obviously a good thing as Swansea look to find their feet under Martin.

However, it does still leave the club in a slightly precarious situation with regards to his contract, as they will not want to let a player of his calibre leave for free next summer, so you imagine a new deal for Grimes ought to be something of a priority for the club.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/matt-grimes-sends-clear-message-on-his-swansea-city-future-amid-fulham-claims/

West Brom and Fulham handed boost in transfer pursuit as club's transfer stance outlined

Spezia are going to be willing to allow in-demand forward M'Bala Nzola to leave the club before the transfer window closes as Cagliari and Udinese enter the race for the 25-year-old, according to Citta Della Spezia.



Spezia are going to be willing to allow in-demand forward M'Bala Nzola to leave the club before the transfer window closes as Cagliari and Udinese enter the race for the 25-year-old, according to Citta Della Spezia.

It has already been reported that both West Brom and Fulham are interested in making a potential move for Nzola before the transfer window comes to a close.

Both sides are believed to have made contact with Spezia over a possible move for the 25-year-old.

It is also believed that Nzola could be available for a fee of around €7 million (£6 million) and that there are also clubs from Turkey and Portugal that are interested in his services.

The latest report from Citta Della Spezia, has now revealed that Spezia are willing to allow the forward to leave the club before the window closes with him no longer featuring heavily in their plans for this season.

That comes despite the 25-year-old scoring 11 goals in 25 league appearances last term.

It is believed that both Cagliari and Udinese have now been alerted to his potential availability and that they are ready to rival Fulham and West Brom for his signature.

The verdict

This is something of a blow to West Brom and Fulham's chances of signing Nzola in the sense that they are now facing competition from clubs in Serie A for his signature.

The 25-year-old will therefore potentially have a major decision to make over whether to remain in the Italian top-flight or to the Championship.

Both Cagliari and Udinese should have the finances to meet the £6 million fee that Spezia could demand for the forward.

However, it remains to be seen whether West Brom or Fulham are willing to move to that level of transfer fee to secure his signature.

It is a surprise to see Spezia not be keen to keep hold of Nzola considering that he managed to star for them last season in Serie A with his attacking output.

It might be a case of them needing the financial injection from his sale as opposed to not valuing him on the field.

West Brom and Fulham should be encouraged by this update in the sense that it at least seems like Spezia are not going to stand in his way of a potential exit.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/west-brom-and-fulham-handed-boost-in-transfer-pursuit-as-clubs-transfer-stance-outlined/

Russell Martin delivers update on future of Swansea City ace as Fulham and Bournemouth circle

Swansea City manager Russell Martin has insisted that the Swans have not got any bids on the table for midfielder Matt Grimes and that he is happy to remain with the club.

Grimes' future has been in doubt throughout the summer transfer window and the midfielder was heavily linked with a potential move to Fulham.

There were even reports that the 26-year-old was close to completing a move to Craven Cottage at one stage, but the after-effects of Covid-19 prevented him from having a medical.

The likes of Bournemouth, Brighton and Watford have also been credited with an interest in Grimes during the summer window. However, at this stage none of those three clubs have come in with a concrete offer for his services.

Speaking to Wales Online following Swansea's 1-0 win at Bristol City on Friday night where Grimes starred, Martin insisted that the midfielder had not attracted a transfer offer at this stage and that he was confident that the 26-year-old is happy with the Swans.

He said: "He's been great for us since we've come in, not just on the pitch but off the pitch as well, the way he conducts himself, he's the captain for a reason, and he takes big responsibility on the pitch. He was a bit tired towards the end because he's played just about every minute for us

"Nothing's changed, really. He's our player, we haven't had a bid, he's really happy here, as is his partner, who loves the area.

"So as far as I'm concerned he's ours.

"And until someone tells me different I'll enjoy working with him."

The verdict

This is excellent news for Swansea supporters to here because it is essential that they manage to keep hold of Grimes this summer.

The midfielder has been in brilliant form since the start of the campaign and he has adapted brilliantly to the way that Martin wants to get his side playing in the Championship this term.

It had been looking likely that Grimes could potentially leave the club before the transfer window closes with Fulham at one point looking close to securing his signature.

The 26-year-old would have been a huge loss given that they have already lost a number of key players from their squad this summer.

From these comments, it seems that Fulham's interest has died down somewhat and also that the likes of Brighton, Watford and Bournemouth have yet to test their resolve over the midfielder.

That suggests that there is a strong chance that Swansea will be able to keep hold of one of their most influential performers and that will be huge if they can do so.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/russell-martin-delivers-update-on-future-of-swansea-city-ace-as-fulham-and-bournemouth-circle/