Friends of Fulham

Joe Gelhardt potentially injured for Leeds v Fulham

Leeds United wonderkid Joe Gelhardt once again made all of the headlines for the under-23s on Sunday.

The young Whites dismantled Liverpool's academy in Kirkby 4-0, with the former Wigan talent scoring two wondergoals.

The first was a strike from the halfway line, with his second smashed into the top corner from over 30 yards out.

This wonderful performance has led to many calls for Gelhardt to finally earn his senior debut in the Carabao Cup against Fulham tomorrow.

Worryingly, that may not be able to happen.

Posting on Instagram after the game yesterday, Gelhardt sarcastically thanked Cody Drameh for knocking his back during celebrations.

"Thanks, lad backs killing," he wrote.

Sarcastic.

Fingers crossed that this is all just one big joke and Gelhardt will be ready for Craven Cottage tomorrow.

The young forward has been sensational this season already, and no one deserves it more than him tomorrow evening.

Thankfully, this was in the first half and Gelhardt went on to smash home another wonder strike in the second period.

Based on that, he recovered quickly and if the knock to his back didn't flare up overnight into this morning, we should be seeing his name on that team sheet.

With numerous injuries in the squad, Marcelo Bielsa could be relying heavily on his under-23s to make the difference tomorrow.

Gelhardt will hopefully be one of them alongside many of his younger teammates as they look to make a huge impact on the first team.



https://motleedsnews.com/news/joe-gelhardt-potentially-injured-for-leeds-united-v-fulham/

Report: Celtic looked at move for Fulham's Anthony Knockaert this summer

Celtic were one of several clubs that took a look at Fulham winger Anthony Knockaert this summer, according to Football League World.

The report claims that the Hoops kept tabs on his situation along with West Brom and QPR respectively.

Football League World reports that the player's wages became an issue in any deal. It's unclear as to how far Celtic wanted to progress with a move for the Frenchman.

However, Knockaert could become available once again in the January transfer window. The report states that there's an acceptance that he needs to find a new club. Both the player and the club are working on a solution.

Celtic managed to recruit both Jota and Liel Abada as their wide options this season. This leaves the club with two options down either flank for cover. With Mikey Johnston back and James Forrest closing in on a return, we're well stocked for now.

Knockaert, meanwhile, has only managed one appearance all season for Fulham. But with 224 Championship appearances and 72 EPL outings to his name [Transfermarkt], he definitely carries plenty of experience with him.

Celtic unlikely to move for Anthony Knockaert given current options

You won't find many Celtic supporters that don't think we need extra options in January. The rebuild is far from complete and we still need to upgrade in several positions. But right-wing, where Knockaert regularly plays, isn't one of them.

The last thing we need is to halt the development of Abada. The 19-year-old Israeli is still trying to find consistency. It makes extremely little sense to take him out and throw in Knockaert, for example. Not when there isn't much between the pair when it comes to talent.

This January, the priority has to be in central midfield and perhaps even the centre-forward position. Celtic are short in numbers in both areas. Unless we encounter a major injury at right-wing, it's difficult to see us taking another look at Fulham's Frenchman.

Not to mention that question marks will arise over how we get a deal done in the first place. If wages proved to be a stumbling block in the summer, wouldn't they be so once again in just a few months? Knockaert will hardly want a lot less just because we're several months down the line.

He's undoubtedly a talent. His career in England has shown that. And if we were in a different situation, it would be worth taking another look.

But even if he is available in January, will Celtic be itching to pick him up? It feels unlikely at best.



https://www.67hailhail.com/transfers/report-celtic-looked-at-move-for-fulhams-anthony-knockaert-this-summer/

Leeds United handed timely boost as Fulham without key attackers for Carabao Cup clash

The Cottagers have several high-profile names on the treatment table

(https://i2-prod.leeds-live.co.uk/incoming/article21616551.ece/ALTERNATES/s810/0_Carvalho.jpg)
Fabio Carvalho will miss Tuesday's match against Leeds United.

Leeds United return to Carabao Cup action on Tuesday night hoping to continue their winning run in the competition.

The Whites haven't managed a Premier League win as yet but did defeat Crewe Alexandra in the second round at Elland Road.

Championship promotion chasers are next up the in shape of Fulham, who have made a strong start to the season under Marco Silva despite their relegation last term.

Fulham did suffer their first home defeat of the campaign against Reading on Saturday and have several injury concerns heading into Tuesday's match.

That's an issue Leeds know only too well and with that in mind, here's a look at Fulham's injury list.

Rodrigo Muniz

Fulham's new signing came off the bench to reduce the arrears against the Royals on Saturday but that came at a price.

Muniz picked up a knock during his cameo outing and could miss the match against Leeds, as a result.

"He had a strong knock in the last 10 minutes, he couldn't run, but we had to keep him on the pitch because we didn't have any more changes," Silva admitted after the match.

Tom Cairney

Fulham's talismanic captain has been sidelined for 10 months after playing a bit-part role in their Premier League campaign.

Cairney is still fighting to return to full fitness after a knee injury, which Silva has admitted is taking longer than expected.

"It's longer than what Tom, myself and my medical staff thought. No one expected this long period," he said last week.

"How much longer will he be? I don't know. But the aim for us now is to have Tom 100 per cent fit, and enjoying his football."

Fabio Carvalho

The Fulham youngster was linked with a move to Leeds in the summer window after an impressing start with the Cottagers.

The 18-year-old has missed Fulham's last three league games, two of which have ended in defeat.

"Fabio because of his injury in the Hull City game, he did a big effort to play against Stoke but he felt it again the week after," Silva said.

"We have to let him recover as much as possible, as fast as we can."

Kenny Tete

The Fulham right-back is out with a hamstring injury that could leave him on the sidelines for months rather than weeks.

Tete's injury means 33-year-old defender Denis Odoi is most likely to play on the right side of defence, which could be a match made in heaven from a Leeds perspective.

"The injury to Kenny Tete changes our plans. We didn't expect to have to get someone in, but we have to try and get someone in for that position," Silva said at the end of August.

"Kenny is going to be out longer than we thought. It's more serious than we first thought."



https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/leeds-united-fulham-key-attacker-21616525

   
The former Wales, Sunderland and Fulham manager spotted at Portsmouth's Cambridge United loss

Former Wales, Sunderland and Fulham manager Chris Coleman, who has been out of a managerial post since 2019, was reportedly in attendance for Portsmouth's Fratton Park loss to Cambridge United

Former Wales, Sunderland and Fulham manager Chris Coleman was reportedly at Fratton Park for Portsmouth's defeat to Cambridge United.

The 51-year-old, whose last management role was in charge of Hebei China Fortune, was seen in the stands sat next to Blues chief executive Andrew Cullen.

It has been suggested by Dean Adams on Twitter that Coleman was among those watching on as the Blues fell to a 2-1 loss to Mark Bonner's side, their third straight defeat in League One.

A potential reason could be that he wanted to see his godson and Pompey winger Ronan Curtis in action.

The 25-year-old marked his 150th appearance for the club with a second half goal for the Blues, his first strike of the campaign and his 41st for the club in all competitions.

An interested spectator at Fratton Park on Saturday was ex-Wales boss Chris Coleman, who sat with our new CEO #pompey

— Dean Adams (@deanoadams) September 19, 2021

Since taking up his first management post in 2007, Coleman has 426 games under his belt across club and national sides.

Among his most successful managerial roles came between January 2012 and November 2017, where Coleman managed Wales. As part of that stint, he took Wales to the semi-finals of Euro 2016.

Coleman's last spell in England was with Sunderland, where he departed after just over five months having been relegated out of the Championship with the Black Cats.



https://www.hampshirelive.news/sport/football/wales-sunderland-fulham-manager-portsmouth-5940642

Why Denis Odoi is the ultimate Fulham cult hero
Amid yet another resurgence in a white shirt, Charles tells us why Odoi has to go down as one of our all-time greats.

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Saturday's result aside, it really feels like the dawning of a new era at Fulham. There's a new manager, a youthful squad and a sense of optimism and excitement that we haven't had for years.

However, there are still a few of our old favourites playing their part in Silva's side, and it's time to pay tribute to one of the best: Denis Odoi.

Bright start
From day one you could tell Odoi was going to be a fan favourite.

He was arguably our Man of the Match against Newcastle on his debut, he produced a masterful performance at right-back against the best team in the division, and that touch with his back to turn Paul Dummett inside out remains up there with the greatest pieces of skill we've ever seen at the Cottage.

Fans immediately took to him, and the love has only grown since.

That season was so memorable. Slavisa Jokanovic took us from being relegation battlers to promotion contenders and Odoi had a huge part to play in what was a brilliant debut campaign.

Reinventing himself
Has any Fulham player in recent memory been as unshakeable as Dennis Odoi?

Like a dog with a bone, the defender just won't give up his place in the squad, no matter how much of an uphill task he seemingly has.

Ryan Fredericks, Tomas Kalas, Cyrus Christie, Steven Sessegnon and Alfie Mawson are just a few names who've tried to take Odoi's spot in the team, but every year he somehow manages to work his way back into the XI.

Odoi's ability to re-invent himself is one of his best attributes. From a marauding right-back to a ball-playing centre-half, The 33-year-old does whatever is asked of him and he does it to an good standard.

No matter how frustrated we, and his managers, have been with him at times, he always seems to work his way back into our hearts and his gaffer's plans.

That header
We can't speak about Odoi's Fulham legacy without mentioning that goal against Derby County.

For a man who stands at just 5 ft 10, Odoi is unbelievable in the air, and that was never more apparent than in our play-off semi-final back in 2018.

We've all seen the clip hundreds of times, with and without the Titanic music played over it, and it still gives us goosebumps more than three years later.

A tale of two finals
If anything sums up why Odoi is such a hero at Fulham it's our two play-off final trips to Wembley in recent years.

Perhaps the biggest indicator of how much our fanbase loves Odoi is the fact that he was sent off in a play-off final and nobody seems to hold that against him.

All we remember from Denis on that day is 70 minutes of being a brick wall and then dancing on the crossbar amid the celebrations.

Two years on Odoi was once again climbing the frame of the goal, and he'd done so after one of the most mature performances of his Fulham career. He'd pocketed Said Benrahma and played a huge part in getting us over the line against Brentford.

One of a kind
Odoi has given so much to Fulham since joining in 2016, and the reality is that we may never see a player like him again.

The thing that makes the Belgian so charming is his uniqueness.

He's an absolute character off the pitch, and an total maverick on it.

On paper, Odoi is a footballer that shouldn't work, He's a long-range shooting centre-back, a 5 ft 10 aerial monster who uses his back to take on full-backs, and on his day, he is impossible to get past.

He has such a unique blend of strengths, and many of them don't suit playing in defence, but somehow, it all comes together to form a beautifully endearing footballer who was always destined to be a cult hero.

Odoi may not be the best player we ever see at Craven Cottage, but he will certainly go down as one of the most memorable.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2021-09-20-why-denis-odoi-is-the-ultimate-fulham-cult-hero/

18-year-old starts: The predicted Fulham XI to face Leeds tomorrow

Fulham welcome Leeds United to west London on Tuesday evening as they look to bounce back from Saturday's defeat to Reading and earn a place in the fourth round of the EFL Cup.

After looking a cut above in the opening few weeks of the Championship season, the Cottagers have come unstuck a little since the international break – losing two of their last three games.

The arrival of Marcelo Bielsa's Whites looks likely to provide Fulham with a tough test but victory could give them a huge boost in confidence and help them put an end to their recent wobble.

With that in mind, can expect to see Marco Silva make a few changes to his starting XI for tomorrow's game while ensuring that it still contains enough quality to get past Leeds.

Here is our predicted line up for Tuesday night's clash...


Summer signing Paolo Gazzaniga has been Silva's first choice goalkeeper this season but Marek Rodak got the nod in the EFL Cup tie against Birmingham City a few weeks ago and looks likely to feature once again.

The Fulham boss has some quality options at centre-back, so you'd imagine it is an area where making changes won't reduce the strength of his team too much.

Michael Hector and Alfie Mawson have mostly been restricted to the bench this term but could both start tomorrow evening, with Joe Bryan on the left and Dennis Odoi at right-back.

Shifting to a 4-3-3 helped Fulham take all three points against Birmingham in midweek and it would be no surprise to see them do the same against Leeds to shore things up centrally.

Harrison Reed is a doubt, so a midfield trio of Josh Onomah, Tyrese Francois, and Domingos Quina could make sense if Silva is keen to change things up.

This game may well have been earmarked as a chance for Rodrigo Muniz to make his first start but the summer signing picked up a knock on the weekend and you'd imagine Silva won't want to risk him, meaning 18-year-old Jay Stansfield may be called upon if Aleksander Mitrovic is rested.

The teenager scored in the last round of the EFL Cup and could be joined by the likes of Bobby De Cordova-Reid and Neeskens Kebano with Fabio Carvalho still missing due to injury.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/18-year-old-starts-the-predicted-fulham-xi-to-face-leeds-tomorrow/

2 tweaks Marco Silva could make to the Fulham XI to face Leeds United tomorrow

Fulham will be looking to bounce back from their recent defeat at the hands of Reading when they host Leeds United at Craven Cottage in the third round of the League Cup tomorrow.

Marco Silva's side set up a clash with the Whites by securing a comfortable 2-0 victory over Birmingham City last month.

Whilst the Cottagers will enter this clash as underdogs, there is no reason why they cannot cause an upset by beating their Premier League opponents if they perform at their very best.

When you consider that Fulham's priority this season is to secure an immediate return to the top-flight, it wouldn't be at all surprising if Silva opts to make some alterations to his team on Tuesday.

Here, we take a look at TWO tweaks that the 44-year-old could make to his starting eleven for this fixture.

Josh Onomah is brought back into the club's starting eleven
After featuring in Fulham's opening six league games of the season, Josh Onomah missed the club's recent clash with Birmingham City due to a knock.

Having made his return to action as a substitute during the Cottagers' defeat to Reading, the midfielder could be in line to start against Leeds.

Onomah may be brought in as a replacement for Jean Michel Seri if Silva decides to rest the 30-year-old ahead of the club's upcoming clash with Bristol City.

An impressive performance against Leeds may allow Onomah to push on in the coming months as Fulham look to launch a bid for a top-two finish in the Championship.

Michael Hector is given the chance to impress
Yet to feature for Fulham in the Championship this season, Michael Hector may be given the chance to impress by Silva in the club's clash with Leeds.

The defender delivered an assured performance during the Cottagers' 2-0 victory over Birmingham in the second round of the League Cup as he recorded a respectable WhoScored match rating of 6.88 in this fixture.

If he helps his side keep another clean-sheet against Leeds tomorrow, Hector may be able to win over Silva's trust.

By providing the likes of Tim Ream and Tosin Adarabioyo with some added competition at centre-back, Hector may force this particular duo to step up their performance levels which could have a positive impact on the club's fortunes in the second-tier.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/2-tweaks-marco-silva-could-make-to-the-fulham-xi-to-face-leeds-united-tomorrow/

Stansfield eager to seize first team chance

Jay Stansfield to determined to make the most of another opportunity to impress when Fulham take on Leeds in the League Cup tomorrow night.

The teenage striker scored a stunning goal on his first senior start for the Whites in the second round against Birmingham City and was namechecked by head coach Marco Silva in the aftermath of the defeat by Reading as a 'fantastic' talent. With Rodrigo Muniz picking up an injury at the weekend, Stansfield is in line to feature up front against Premier League opposition at Craven Cottage.

He told FFCTV:

"I'm buzzing obviously. It's a chance that I can go out and prove what I can do again. These chances don't come along very often; so when they come, I have to take the chance and hopefully we can get a result and go into the next round and carry on.

Stansfield says the superb strike at St. Andrew's gives him plenty of confidence as he approaches another chance to shine in the senior set up.

I obviously won't be greedy and if there's someone else in a better position, I'll obviously use that, but if there's a chance for me to shoot and get another goal, I'm going to take that chance."

The former Exeter City forward believes the future is bright for Fulham's young talents, with a number pushing for regular gametime in Silva's squad.

"It's good. There's obviously a couple of us that are breaking into the first team, coming up from the academy and training with them all day, every day. The pathway is looking bright at the moment with the players that are around the academy and coming up to the first team. I think we just need to keep working hard. It's been shown that the chances will come, so when the lads get the chance, you just have to take it."

Stansfield certainly isn't underestimating the gravity of the challenge that Fulham will face against Marcelo Bielsa's side but believes the Whites could spring a surprise.

"It's going to be a tough game. We're all excited and ready for the fight. We've had plenty of time, we're properly prepared and we're ready."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/09/stansfield-eager-to-seize-first-team-chance/

Carabao Cup Tickets: Leeds

Fulham return to action on Tuesday evening for Carabao Cup action and there's still time for you to secure your seat!

Be there to see the action unfold at Craven Cottage, as Marco Silva's side go head to head with Leeds United for a place in Round Four of the competition.

Tickets for the match on Tuesday 21st September, kick-off 7:45pm remain on sale to Season Ticket Holders, Members and supporters with a previous Booking History.

Prices for our Round Three tie are £20 for adults, £15 for 65 & over, £15 for 18-21 and £10 for 17 & Under. All prices increase by £5 on matchday.

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

Please note, everyone attending this fixture will either have a paper ticket or print at home ticket - Season Ticket Cards and Membership cards will not be valid for entry. If using a print at home ticket, please ensure this has been printed before arriving to Craven Cottage. Printing facilities are not available at the ground.




https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/september/Carabao-Cup-Tickets-Leeds/

Should Marco Silva drop Paulo Gazzaniga?
Cam looks at whether the clamour for Rodak to start against Reading has merit.

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This, for so many supporters, is a burning issue, so let's cut straight to the chase: should Paulo Gazzaniga be dropped? On the surface, the Argentine's eight-game stretch between the sticks in the Championship hasn't been calamitous, although observationally, something's amiss, and as we've a tried and trusted 'second-choice' 'keeper in Marek Rodak, would it be proactive for Marco Silva to switch things up in the shot-stopping department?

Gazzaniga arrived on a free transfer in the summer transfer window and almost instantly, the former Tottenham Hotspur man was viewed to be our undisputed number one. A towering figure with Champions League experience, Paulo was certainly an intriguing acquisition, he'd understudied Hugo Lloris at Spurs and upon his sporadic outings for the North Londoners, he'd garnered a dependable reputation, albeit a surplus one, and we jumped at the chance to lure him to SW6.

(http://big%20reputation)
He joined Fulham, presumably, to demand a starting spot, to endear himself to our expectant fan base, to safeguard us towards a siege for the title, but as it stands, midway through September, the jury's still out and there's plausible reason to argue against his starting status, as some would openly testify.

With two clean sheets and seven goals shipped, Gazzaniga has, indeed, manned the target competently, although if you throw a little perspective on his record, it's middle-of-the-road fodder in comparison to the nine 'keepers that are ahead of him in the clean sheet running. Birmingham City's Matija Sarkic is top of the tree with four shut-outs, only two more than Paulo, of course, however for a team that's tipped as marginal favourites to win the entire competition, our defence has to become watertight and that ultimately begins with the man with the gloves. Gazzaniga's gloves, though, haven't necessarily been the securest of tools, and neither have his adidas Predators, if we're being flagrantly honest.

At set-pieces, the 29-year-old isn't overly convincing as he attempts to rid his penalty area of danger. He claws at crosses, he occasionally misjudges the flight of the ball and toe-to-toe, particularly at corners despite his stature, he's often overpowered. Something just isn't sitting right.

We've seen him hurl himself from one upright to the next in order to deflect goal-bound efforts to safety, with a dead ball, he's able to pick passes and also find teammates past the halfway line with relative precision, he is a fairly reliable option, there's no denying that, but his pitfalls are prominent and unsightly to say the very, very least.

Technical glitches?
Goalkeepers nowadays are expected to operate as an auxiliary, deep-lying playmaker and rotating possession swiftly and effectively is paramount. As the Whites build patterns to relinquish pressure from the opposition, Paulo's trusted to dispense the ball pragmatically but first, he has to tame the bounce and quite regularly, he makes an unsavoury meal of simple scenarios. It's fundamental, take a touch and utilise the easiest escape route although periodically, he's prone to hashing elementary passes.

Less-than-fancy footwork should be the least of a 'keeper's worries, and it's a small blemish, although larger scars have been inflicted and Blackpool away is a prime example. The Tangerines could've pounced multiple times as a direct result of Gazzaniga's dodgy distribution but being beaten at the near post by a strike that was telegraphed, before it had even left Josh Bowler's boot, was a detrimental gouge in his armour. His capabilities had been questioned prior to our trip to Bloomfield Road and his outing on the west coast only amplified those faint doubts further.

Reading at home, Ovie Ejaria registered a sumptuous brace, worthy of winning any game, no matter the magnitude however, for the sake of this article, could Gazzaniga could've done better? Without clutching at straws here, Ejaria's first strike was sensational, his second could've been closed down a lot sooner. Maybe Paulo wasn't expecting the trap to be sprung so rapidly but he was dozing, flat-footed, and following Fulham's recent shortcomings, the South American's yet to have won me over, not when we've a terrific Slovakian waiting patiently in the dugout.

Return of the Rod?
We've all seen more than enough to have made our minds up, he's showcased his best qualities and his not-so admirable deficiencies, and perhaps it's unfair to drag his reputation through the mud after only a matter of weeks, but we've also witnessed changes happen in other departments for experimental purposes, so why can't we reintroduce Rodak?

It's not as if we're consistent at this juncture of the campaign, we're going through the motions of a revamp under Silva and remedying our flip-flopping form could rest on one final tweak. We know Paulo can pull ridiculous saves out of nowhere, we remember Marek's 2019/20 heroics and we've caught glimpses of his expertise in the Carabao Cup, so what's the harm in giving a recently capped Slovakia international the nod, in place of a man who could actually benefit from concrete competition for supremacy?

We don't name the squads, but we can voice our opinions and I'm seriously tempted by the prospect of restoring a forgotten custodian to his former mantle, and I see no lasting damage in hooking Gazza to accommodate that appealing possibility, to mix things up, for Marco to dip his toe in waters we've complete confidence in. So, what say you, readers? Do we stick? Or do we twist?



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2021-09-20-should-marco-silva-drop-paulo-gazzaniga/

Under-23 report | Wolves 2-1 Fulham
Wolves 2 (Hesketh 7, Campbell 81) Fulham 1 (Hilton 89 (pen))

Wolves under-23s continued their impressive start to the 2021/22 season when they made it four wins from four at Aggborough by picking up three points against Premier League 2 Division 2 leaders Fulham.

It was the visitors who almost opened the scoring with the first attack of the game as Terry Ablade was played in behind Jack Scott and Pascal Estrada on the Wolves left, and having taken a touch, he fired high into the net past Louie Moulden. But fortunately for the side in gold and black, the assistant referee's flag went up for offside against the Fulham number nine.

But Wolves took the lead within the opening 10 minutes as Chem Campbell used his skill and pace to race down the left, taking the ball past several Fulham men. Having reached the penalty area, the winger cut inside and fired at George Wickins' goal, but the keeper could only parry the ball to the feet of Hesketh who tapped into the empty net from close range.

James Collins' side were given another let off in the first-half, when Ablade once again picked up the ball ahead of the Wolves defence, and having taken the ball around Moulden and with the goal gaping, the striker could only slot his effort wide of the post as Rafa Nya managed to get back on the goalline.

Fulham continued to press after the break, but Moulden's goal was not largely troubled thanks to a resolute Wolves defence which stayed strong to deny a side who had scored for fun in the Premier League 2 so far this season.

But the development side were not going to allow Fulham to equalise and instead extended the lead themselves, with the scorer and assister for the opening goal switching for Wolves second, as Hesketh laid the ball into the path of Campbell, who fired a powerful low drive into the far corner.

Substitute Lee Harkin was causing a nuisance of himself for the Fulham defence late in the contest, and it required a clever goalline clearance to deny the Irish striker from adding a third after he neatly clipped the ball over the onrushing Wickins before the ball was turned around the upright as it looked to be heading in.

Fulham believed they had halved the deficit with three minutes of the 90 remaining when Sonny Hilton corner ended up heading straight into the net, but after a moment of consultation, a free-kick was given in Wolves' favour for a foul on Moulden.

But from an almost identical situation, Fulham were handed a route back into the game when Nya was penalised for a foul inside the penalty area from another Hilton corner, and the Fulham man found the bottom left corner having beaten the outstretched Moulden from the spot.

Despite the late drama, the men in gold and black stood strong to claim the three points to lift themselves up to joint top - alongside Fulham, Norwich and Aston Villa - in the Division 2 table.



https://www.wolves.co.uk/news/under-23/20210920-under-23-report-wolves-2-1-fulham/

Pre-Leeds Press Conference

Marco Silva is anticipating an entertaining clash when Fulham host Leeds United in the Carabao Cup.

With both teams preferring to play football on the front foot, it could be an exciting affair at the Cottage on Tuesday evening.

"I think so and I hope so," Silva replied when asked if the two teams' styles bodes well for a good game.

"We have to be aggressive, we have to match their intensity because they have a lot of individual and collective quality.

"They always have a high intensity on the pitch, they have very good pace in their front players as well, and a very good manager.

"We want to match them. We like this competition and we want to do well in this competition."

The cup tie gives Silva the opportunity to have a tactical battle with Marcelo Bielsa, someone he holds in high regard.

"It will be a tough game against a very strong side with a very good manager," he said. "Marcelo as a coach has always had many different ideas with the way he likes to play. It's always a really intense game, their press is always really high.

"If you want to match them and fight for the result, then the intensity of the game will be higher 100 per cent, but it's up to us to match it, and after to show our quality as well.

"It will be a really tough one, but we are here, we play at home and want to show our fans that we are here to fight and try to go through in the competition."



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/september/Pre-Leeds-Press-Conference/

Fulham v Leeds United: Ideal opportunity for United's youth to show they can step up
It was never the intention when Stanley Rous and Alan Hardaker came up with the idea in the late 1950s, but the League Cup has become as much a test of squad depth as anything.

It is not a competition big clubs take especially seriously, yet still the last eight finals have been won by either Chelsea or the two Manchester clubs flexing their super-squads.

Depth is not a strength of Leeds United's, nor something coach Marcelo Bielsa even seems that keen on. He has always liked to work with a small group of players but it is getting uncomfortably tight.

It is the nature of modern English football that even the weakest Premier League squads have more beneath the surface than most Football League XIs, yet in round two it took the introduction of Patrick Bamford to make it past a Crewe Alexandra side yet to win in League One at that stage of the season.

Helped by a parachute payment after relegation from last season's top-flight, Championship Fulham's is not far off a Premier League squad.

Even though a fully-committed Leeds would have a good chance of reaching their first major final since reaching Wembley in this competition 25 years ago, defeat at Craven Cottage is unlikely to perturb Bielsa too much but whilst that Crewe victory remains Leeds's only success of 2021-22, a victory would be very reassuring in the away end.

More than anything, it would be nice to know there is some real strength bubbling beneath the first team because it is likely to be needed in a game Leeds will be far more fussed about, at home to West Ham United in the Premier League on Saturday.

It is not entirely true to say the Whites have neglected their reserves. They have spent the last 14 months or so hoovering up under-23 talent but few have made the jump to regular first-team football yet and there is little bridging the gap to the tight band of senior players Bielsa relies on.

In his first three seasons it has not been much of an issue - except perhaps when they ran out of steam in early 2019 - but Leeds finished Friday night's game at Newcastle United with Liam Cooper their only fit centre-half after even stand-in Luke Ayling picked up an injury.

When squads are small, Sod's Law not only dictates more injuries, but they also tend to cluster.

Tyler Roberts finished the game as an ill-fitting right-winger with 19-year-old Crysencio Summerville making an understated debut on the left after Jack Harrison became the third Elland Road player in a month to contract Covid-19, and Raphinha went off with a hip injury. "We have four centre-backs and Ayling is a fifth," said Bielsa that night. "To resolve the absence of four of them will be complicated.

"The same with the wingers. We count on (Dan) James, Harrison, Raphinha and Summerville. To lose two of them will make it difficult to resolve. I always have confidence we will find the solutions."

Stuart Dallas can play just about any position, but only one at a time.

It is self-inflicted.

Leeds's nine-man bench at St James' Park had 17 Premier League starts between them, 14 for Roberts, three for Jamie Shackleton, none for the rest. Some of them might be hoping they get the chance to change that with a good audition in west London tonight but much-needed game-changing options were sparse by the Tyne.

Arguably Leeds's first-team squad got weaker in the summer. Junior Firpo should in time be an upgrade on Ezgjan Alioski at least as a left-back, but Kristoffer Klaesson is a much less experienced back-up goalkeeper than Kiko Casilla. Dan James was a big summer signing, but two wingers - Helder Costa and Ian Poveda - left on loan. Pablo Hernandez and Gaetano Berardi - bit-part players last season, but numbers nevertheless - were not replaced.

The hope is that Adam Forshaw fills the central midfield hole identified in the summer of 2020 by playing some league football this season but after nearly two years without, it is a lot to bank on.

On the flip-side, the strata of under-23 players is a year older, and Dutch under-19 international Summerville is presumably thought to have overtaken Poveda. Others might be close to ripening.

It is the type of gamble a risk-taking coach like Bielsa revels in but those of a shakier disposition - some even in the boardroom - are less comfortable with.

A big performance from Summerville, 18-year-old centre-back Charlie Cresswell, 19-year-old forward Sam Greenwood or one of the others one injury or false positive PCR test from a Premier League debut would go some way to calming the nerves.

A big defeat could set them jangling.

Last six games: Fulham LWLWWW Leeds United DLDWDL

Referee: T Robinson (West Sussex)

Last time: Fulham 1 Leeds United 2, March 19, 2021,



https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/fulham-v-leeds-united-ideal-opportunity-for-uniteds-youth-to-show-they-can-step-up-3390175

Crysencio Summerville could be involved for Leeds United clash v Fulham tonight

Crysencio Summerville could be handed another chance to shine in the Leeds United senior side when they play Fulham on Tuesday night, according to The Mirror.

The newspaper report via their print edition [September 21, page 55] that after earning his Leeds debut against Newcastle on Friday, the 19-year-old winger "could be given a greater chance tonight".

Jack Harrison and Raphinha are both reportedly out of the Carabao Cup clash at Craven Cottage, opening the door for Summerville to potentially start against Marco Silva's side.

Huge opportunity

With Marcelo Bielsa boasting the likes of Raphinha, Harrison and Daniel James in his wide options, now is as good a chance as any for Summerville to make his mark.

The Dutch winger isn't going to get too many opportunities to shine in the Leeds first-team this season but this is a huge one for him and we hope he grabs it.

We've got high hopes for the teenager, who joined from Feyenoord last year and lit up Premier League 2 with the Whites' Under-23s squad.

Last season, Summerville scored six goals and supplied six assists in 12 Premier League 2 appearances while this term he's started off with two goals in four outings prior to his senior debut on Friday at Newcastle.

Ex-Leeds striker Noel Whelan has dubbed Summerville as someone who's "electric, brilliant on the ball, very direct, quick feet" [Football Insider].

We really cannot wait to see what he can do against Fulham if he's handed a start by Bielsa at Craven Cottage on Tuesday night.



https://motleedsnews.com/matchday/crysencio-summerville-could-be-involved-for-leeds-united-clash-v-fulham-tonight/

The highest-rated Championship players on FIFA 22

The release of FIFA 22 is coming soon and the ratings for EFL players are out now.

Here are the highest rated players in the Championship –

10.  Philip Zinckernagel, Nottingham Forest, 75

He is on loan at Nottingham Forest from Premier League side Watford and sneaks into the top 10.

9. Harry Wilson, Fulham, 75

Eyebrows were raised when he dropped back into the Championship this past summer from Liverpool.

8. Lewis Cook, Bournemouth, 75

The ex-Leeds United midfielder has some useful midfielder stats such as 77 for dribbling and 75 for passing.

7. John Fleck, Sheffield United, 75

He just edges ahead of Cook with 76 for dribbling, 75 for physical and 75 for passing making him a stalwart in the middle of the park on FIFA 22 for the Blades.

6. Robin Olsen, Sheffield United, 76

The Sweden international rocked up at Bramall Lane late last month on loan from Roma having spent last season with Everton in the Premier League.

5. Jack O'Connell, Sheffield United, 76

He is the highest rated Championship defender on the new FIFA.

4. Sander Berge, Sheffield United, 76

The midfielder stayed with the Yorkshire side over the summer despite rumours he could leave after their relegation from the top flight.

3. David Brooks, Bournemouth, 76

He has 79 for dribbling and 73 for pace and is rated the best outfield player in the EFL on the game.

2. Sam Johnstone, West Brom, 77

The Baggies stopper stayed put in the last transfer window and most notably has 79 for reflexes and 79 for diving.

1. Paulo Gazzaniga, Fulham, 77

Fulham's goalkeeper is the highest rated Championship player on FIFA 22. The former Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur man has 79 for diving, 79 for reflexes and a huge 85 for kicking.



https://the72.co.uk/250845/the-highest-rated-championship-players-on-fifa-22/

Bielsa to mix things up for Cottagers visit

Good Morning. It's Tuesday 21st September, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road

Bielsa to mix things up for Cottagers visit

There are a lot of absentees for Leeds United at Fulham tonight with Koch, Llorente, Ayling, Harrison all ruled out. Patrick Bamford also took a knock in the second half at Newcastle and is not expected to play. Forshaw has a chance of featuring though. Jamie Shackleton, Adam Forshaw, Crysencio Summerville, Dan James and even Charlie Cresswell are all expected to be including in the starting line up at Craven Cottage this evening. It could be a chance for in form striker Joe Gelhardt to start following his brace against Liverpool U23a but Elland Road sources claim that Tyler Roberts will instead occupy the number nine role.

Expected line up: Meslier, Shackleton, Cresswell, Cooper, Firpo, Forshaw, Klich, Dallas, James, Summerville, Roberts

Anxious wait on Ayling

Leeds face an anxious wait to find out whether Luke Ayling has suffered knee ligament damage during the closing stages of last Friday nights clash at St James Park. Should the versatile defender have damaged his Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL - The ligament, located in the centre of the knee, that controls rotation and forward movement of the tibia), he could be sidelined for most of the season! Former player, and Leeds Utd Foundation Officer Noel Whelan expressed his concern...

We are already struggling with centre-halves. Ayling's didn't look the worst to me at the time. He just came in and blocked a challenge, that dangling leg just got caught. It looked like he may have tweaked a knee ligament, which would be the last thing Bielsa needs. They will have a look and hopefully it isn't too bad.

Leeds should have been awarded penalty - Gallagher

Veteran referee, now pundit Dermot Gallagher has stated that Leeds should have been awarded a penalty for Joe Willock's challenge on Dan James last Friday night at St James Park. The 64 year old ex Premier League referee was asked whether the Toon were lucky to escape a spot kick, to which Gallagher replied...

    I think Mike Dean thinks Dan James has run into Willock. I think maybe he's too close and doesn't have a clear view. I think it's a foul and penalty – he puts the ball by, and there, Willock goes in and stops him. I think that's as high on the tolerance level before the VAR reviews.



https://motforum.com/article.php?page=42130

2 conundrums Marco Silva has at Fulham right now that need to be fixed

After their 2-1 home defeat to Reading at the weekend, Marco Silva's Fulham face a tough home fixture against Leeds United tonight in the Carabao Cup, before they can redeem themselves in returning to Championship action on Saturday afternoon.

They travel to Bristol City at the weekend against a side who have failed to win any of their four league games at Ashton Gate so far this season, claiming just three points from a possible 12 and faring much better on the road.

In the Cottagers' last away game, they hammered Birmingham City 4-1 with Aleksandar Mitrovic and Harry Wilson proving to be the vital duo in their victory.

And they can also take great heart from the fact they remain in second place despite last weekend's setback against Reading, as they look set to be one of the favourites to win automatic promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

The likes of Tosin Adarabioyo at the back and Mitrovic up top will give them the best possible chance of achieving that aim, although if their recent defeats to Blackpool and Reading are anything to go by, there will be challenges to face throughout the 2021/22 campaign.

Even with Saturday's loss behind them, there are dilemmas Marco Silva faces in the present moment and we have listed just two of those.

What to do with Jay Stansfield
This may not seem like the biggest issue for Marco Silva to deal with in the short term, but how the 44-year-old handles teenage striker Jay Stansfield could be vital in the long run.

There's no doubt the 18-year-old is talented, but he can only develop to a certain point without a sufficient amount of first-team football.

He scored a cracker against Birmingham City in the Carabao Cup this season and has appeared on the bench in two league games for the Cottagers during 2021/22 – but has failed to gain any Championship minutes and isn't likely to be heavily involved this term.

Aleksandar Mitrovic is unlikely to be dropped barring injuries, suspensions or a loss in form, Bobby Decordova-Reid is someone the second-tier side are probably going to persist with and new signing Rodrigo Muniz will be ahead of the teenager in the pecking order.

A couple of injuries could change everything and Stansfield will have benefitted from training with the first team, but they need to make a choice on the forward in January.

After scoring 22 times in 14 Premier League 2 appearances during the 2019/20 campaign and recording nine goal contributions in ten matches in the same competition last term, it feels as though he's already hit his ceiling in youth football.

But would a loan in the lower leagues knock his confidence if he fails to adapt to the physicality of senior football? He played well at Birmingham last month, so there would be no harm in shipping him out temporarily.

It's a decision they need to make now to avoid uncertainty in the lead up to January.

How to keep their central midfielders happy
Ideally, you would stick with the same two at the heart of midfield to retain familiarity and consistency, which usually helps performances on the pitch in turn.

However, they have four extremely talented central midfielders who would get in most Championship sides' starting lineups every week. Unfortunately for them, there are only two spots up for grabs.

After Jean Michael Seri's re-emergence at Fulham, he's a firm favourite to keep his place in central midfield, although manager Silva will be reluctant to drop Nathaniel Chalobah after only just securing his signature at the end of last month.

The duo started last weekend, with Harrison Reed and Josh Onomah also available as two options to the Fulham boss.

If he hasn't already, the 44-year-old needs to be in regular dialogue with each of the four to try and keep them happy, because all four would have been expecting to start more often than not now they're back in the second tier.

This is even excluding Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa who signed a one-year contract extension to keep him at Craven Cottage before heading out on a season-long loan deal to Napoli. The Cameroonian isn't a short-term to deal with because of this loan, but it certainly gives Silva food for thought on his central midfield area.

Having all these options is exciting, but the cost that comes with that is potential unhappiness and this will only be detrimental to their promotion chances.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/2-conundrums-marco-silva-has-at-fulham-right-now-that-need-to-be-fixed/

Wolves U23s beat Premier League 2 Division 2 league leaders Fulham

Wolves' Under 23 side were in action last night, taking on Fulham at Aggborough.

Fulham went into the match top of the Premier League 2 Division 2 table having not lost a game.

But that unbeaten record was ended by James' Collins side, who won 2-1 thanks to goals from Owen Hesketh and Chem Campbell.

That makes it four wins from four home matches in all competitions for Collins' side this season.

It was a hugely impressive result against a table-topping side who were unbeaten.

Wolves conceded late on and had to withstand Fulham pressure but did exactly that to get the job done.

Chem Campbell was the star of the show, laying on Hesketh's goal with a stunning assist before bagging a goal himself.

Wolves have loaned out a host of young players this season too, meaning that Collins' squad is young.

But they're looking strong, especially on their own patch, and last night they provided an eye-catching result and sit joint top of the league now, on 10 points along with Fulham, Norwich and Aston Villa.



https://www.molineux.news/match/wolves-u23s-beat-premier-league-2-division-2-league-leaders-fulham/

Phil Hay: Patrick Bamford unlikely to play in Leeds United clash v Fulham due to knock

Patrick Bamford is unlikely to play for Leeds United when they take on Fulham in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night due to a knock, according to Phil Hay.

Writing via his personal Twitter account on Tuesday morning, The Athletic's Leeds correspondent reported that Bamford, 28, suffered a minor setback in the draw at Newcastle on Friday and is unlikely to be involved at Craven Cottage this week.

Robin Koch, Diego Llorente, Luke Ayling and Jack Harrison are understood be ruled out due to injury while Pascal Struijk is suspended.

Hay adds that Adam Forshaw could be involved for the clash against the Championship high-flyers after he played for the Under-23s in their 4-0 win against Liverpool on Sunday.

Hopefully not serious

Marcelo Bielsa is facing an injury nightmare right now and it could not have come at a worse time.

Leeds are still without a win in the Premier League and have some very favourable fixtures on the horizon.

While West Ham is a tough game this weekend, after that, the Whites play Watford, Southampton, Wolves and Norwich.

Going into those games, having as many players unavailable as we do is a worry and if Bamford misses any league games too, that will be just our luck.

It doesn't make sense to risk Bamford against Fulham in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night.

While we'd love to see Bielsa take the Yorkshire giants on a run in the cup, we can understand that he's facing major injury issues at the moment and could be forced into play fringe and Under-23s players at Craven Cottage.

Fulham have lost two of their last three Championship games so they're not in the best of form.

But hopefully we can still win this without Bamford and co.



https://motleedsnews.com/matchday/phil-hay-patrick-bamford-unlikely-to-play-in-leeds-united-clash-v-fulham-due-to-knock/

Phil Hay underlines five-fold Leeds United blow ahead of Fulham trip; one positive emerges - LeedsAllOver

Leeds United look set to be without several first-team players when they make the trip to Fulham in the Carabao Cup this evening.

Kalvin Phillips' rise at Leeds

Kalvin Phillips has enjoyed a meteoric rise at Leeds United. From helping United to promotion in 2020 to representing England at the Euros a year later. Relive his story.

That's according to The Athletic's Phil Hay, who does add that Adam Forshaw could be involved in the cup once again.

Despite the fact we are still in the early stages of the season, fitness issues are already starting to take a heavy toll on Leeds.

That is something that looks set to have a big say on Marcelo Bielsa's team selection at Craven Cottage, as his side look to secure a place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.

Providing an update on availability ahead of that game, Hay identified five Leeds players – Robin Koch, Diego Llorente, Luke Ayling, Jack Harrison and Patrick Bamford – who are set to be absent from the match in London.

Leeds do however, look set to be handed one boost, with the news that Adam Forshaw could be in contention to feature against Fulham.

The midfielder has so far made one senior appearance – in the cup win over Crewe this season – and could now get another run-out here, as he continues his recovery after almost two years out through injury problems of his own.

It could be argued that we will only see how big Leeds' injury concerns are when it comes to their Premier League clash with West Ham on Saturday.

While there can be no denying those five players will be missed against Fulham, the league will no doubt take priority over the cup, particularly after such a slow start to the season.

As a result, you wonder whether those five key players might have been rested for this game anyway, to focus on trying to pick up a long awaited three points this weekend.

However, the potential return of Forshaw tonight is a positive. The midfielder has waited a long time to play regularly again, and a decent run out this evening would be another big step towards that for him.



https://www.leedsallover.com/phil-hay-underlines-five-fold-leeds-united-blow-ahead-of-fulham-trip-one-positive-emerges/

Preview: Fulham vs Leeds United

Midweek Carabao Cup action for the Whites.

Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds United side take on Sky Bet Championship opposition on Tuesday evening, when they travel to face Fulham (7:45pm).

The Whites head to Craven Cottage looking to progress into Round Four of the Carabao Cup, having previously beaten Crewe Alexandra at Elland Road, in Round Two. The hosts got to this stage by beating their league rivals, Birmingham City.

This is only the second time the two teams have faced one another in what is traditionally know as the 'League Cup', with Leeds winning on that occasion, a one-nil success in the 1969/70 season.

The Cottagers are flying high currently in the second tier of English football, as their good start has them in second place. Five wins, one draw and two losses from their opening eight matches is a good return for Marco Silva, having taken charge in the summer.

The goals have been flowing for Aleksandar Mitrovic, a striker who needs no introduction. He has six to his name up to now and will be a familiar opponent to the Whites, if selected to play.

In the previous round, the goals came from 18-year-old Jay Stansfield, who netted his first for the club, and USA international full-back, Antonee Robinson, also getting his first for Fulham.

For Leeds, Jack Harrison will still be missing from the squad which is a blow, after his two well-taken goals last time out in this competition put the gloss on what was an excellent display from the winger. The other goalscorer vs Crewe, Kalvin Phillips, is available if selected.

The draw for Round Four of the competition will take place around the time of 10pm on Wednesday evening at Potton Bowls Club in Sandy, Bedfordshire, following the conclusion of Manchester United's clash with West Ham United.

Manager/head coach:

Fulham: Marco Silva

Leeds: Marcelo Bielsa

Carabao Cup Round Two result:

Birmingham City 0

Fulham 2 (Stansfield 26', Robinson 90')



Leeds United 3 (Phillips 79', Harrison 85', 90')

Crewe Alexandra 0

Top scorer (all competitions):

Fulham: Aleksandar Mitrovic (6)

Leeds: Raphinha (2), Jack Harrison (2)

Head to head

Fulham: 19

Draws: 15

Leeds: 25

Last win at Craven Cottage:

Friday 19th March, 2021

Premier League 

Fulham 1 (Andersen 38')

Leeds 2 (Bamford 29', Raphinha 58')

Team news:

Marcelo Bielsa and Marco Silva will both have plenty of decisions to make ahead of the game. Changes are expected from each side with opportunities possible for some of the younger players on the books in both West London and West Yorkshire.

The main changes for the Whites are expected to be in the defensive line, with a number of key players missing through both injury and suspension. Fulham are likely to still be missing Tom Cariney, Terence Kongolo, Kenny Tete and Fabio Carvalho on the night.

Officials

Referee – Tim Robinson

Assistant Referee 1 – Nigel Lugg

Assistant Referee 2 – Andrew Fox

Fourth Official – David Rock

Players to watch:

Jay Stansfield vs Crysencio Summerville

Two young players who have tasted first team action recently and will be hoping to get another chance on Tuesday evening in the cup. Stansfield scored last time out for Fulham in this competition against Birmingham, whilst Summerville's impressive performances and record at Under-23s level saw him play against Newcastle in the Premier League on Friday night. If selected, both players will be looking to make an impact and help their side into the draw for Round Four.

Latest odds

Fulham: 7/4

Draw: 23/10

Leeds: 7/5

How to watch

The match has not been selected for live UK broadcast. Match commentary is available via LUTV.



https://www.leedsunited.com/news/team-news/27878/preview-fulham-vs-leeds-united

Patrick Bamford & Luke Ayling to miss Fulham trip

Duo miss out with injury.

Patrick Bamford and Luke Ayling will both miss tonight's Carabao Cup game with Fulham following injuries picked up in Friday night's match against Newcastle United.

Bamford has an ankle injury, whilst Ayling was withdrawn with a knee injury.

Both will continue rehabilitation at Thorp Arch before Saturday's Premier League game against West Ham United at Elland Road.



https://www.leedsunited.com/news/team-news/28632/patrick-bamford-luke-ayling-to-miss-fulham-trip

Marco Silva offers message on Rodrigo Muniz at Fulham

Rodrigo Muniz opened his account for Fulham in their 2-1 defeat to Reading on Saturday.

The 20-year-old Brazilian is biding his time providing a backup option to Aleksandar Mitrovic at Craven Cottage, but Muniz's manager Marco Silva remains bullish that the former Flamengo man has what it takes to make it in England.

The Portuguese manager made this clear, speaking with The Athletic.

He said:  "He's a young player who needs time to adapt. It's a new country, culture, language and competition. But he's 20 years old and scored important goals for a big club in a tough, tough competition in Brazil.

"He's a player that I have no doubts will be important for our squad in the present and the future."

With Mitrovic's pedigree at Championship level it will be difficult, barring an injury, for Muniz to find regular first team action.

However, Silva is evidently happy with him as a backup option and will want to give him the exposure so he can develop into a valuable player next season if the Cottagers achieve promotion to the Premier League.

It is a nice environment in attempting to prove himself in England for Muniz, you can guarantee chances will be provided in every match with the quality creative contingent Fulham have for second tier level.

The Verdict

It will be very tough to dislodge Mitrovic this season, hopefully for Muniz's sake the Cottagers play two up front at some point or the 20-year-old can break into the side in another role.

It will be interesting to see Muniz's involvement in Tuesday evening's cup tie against Leeds United, Silva may well give the striker the chance to kick on from his first goal and Premier League opposition provides a unique opportunity to judge his credentials.

The Muniz versus Mitrovic battle may be an ongoing one this season, so far so good for Fulham in their quest for automatic promotion.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/marco-silva-offers-message-on-rodrigo-muniz-at-fulham/

Fulham next up for the Robins
Tickets remain on general sale for City's Sky Bet Championship clash with Fulham.

The Robins host Marco Silva's side at Ashton Gate on Saturday (September 25th, 3pm) off the back of four unbeaten league matches.

An attendance of around 18,000 is already guaranteed with tickets priced from £30 for Adults and Under-12s from £10.

Bristol City Members are reminded they can take advantage of £5 off their match ticket.

Saturday's fixture is only available on Robins TV to overseas subscribers, as per EFL regulations, with coverage starting from 2.30pm.



https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/fulham-next-up-for-the-robins/

Getting to the Gate: Fulham

City return to Ashton Gate this Saturday (September 25th) for the visit of Fulham and here's some important travel information for the day.

Fans travelling from within Bristol are advised to use a new bus service from Temple Meads, Broadmead and The Centre. The AG3 connects with bus routes from across the city and is also suitable for those arriving in Bristol by train or bus.

For those travelling from outside Bristol, free parking is available at the Portway and Brislington Park & Ride sites with the AG1 and AG2 matchday bus services.

These subsidised services offer return travel from just £1.80 per person. Tickets are valid across the First Bus Bristol Zone so you can connect to other services without paying extra.


Pre-Match Timings

    AG1: buses depart Portway Park & Ride every 15 minutes between 12:45 and 14:45. Journey time approx 15 minutes
    AG2: buses depart Brislington Park & Ride every 20 minutes between 12:45 and 14:25. Journey time approx 20 minutes
    AG3: buses depart Temple Meads every 15 minutes between 12:45 and 14:45. Journey time approx 20 minutes from Temple Meads and 15 minutes from The Haymarket and the Centre

Post-Match

    Buses depart from Winterstoke Road regularly after the final whistle with the last departure at 18:30 on all routes
    AG1 departs from outside The Robins Pub
    AG2 departs from outside South Bristol Retail Park
    AG3 departs from outside Trust Ford

Tickets, Pricing and Further Details

More information including tickets, pricing and stop details are available here.

For other travel options, click here.



https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/getting-to-the-gate-fulham-1/

Up next: Leeds United (h)

After two defeats in three league games deflated Fulham's early season optimism, Marco Silva may well be glad of the break from the unforgiving grind of a Championship promotion campaign this evening. The Fulham head coach has already indicated that rotation will be the order of the day as Premier League Leeds United roll into town for a League Cup tie that should allow some of the fringe players to press their own claims for a first team spot without the pressure of three league points to play for.

A noticeably weaker under-23 side than normal lost to Wolves at Kidderminster last night, suggesting that several of the key players in Steve Wigley's previously unbeaten outfit – who still top the table on goal difference – might be the beneficiaries of changes to Silva's usual starting line-up. Perhaps the most interesting selection conundrum of all could be at right back where a selection of the club's younger prospects may be competing to replace Denis Odoi in that position given the extended absence of Kenny Tete through injury.

With Cyrus Christie out of favour, it is likely that Silva will turn to one of Steven Sessegnon or Marlon Fossey this evening. Sessegnon has the first team pedigree having been handed a few league starts in the early part of last season by Scott Parker after getting a taste of senior football in the cup competitions by Slavisa Jokanovic. Injury disrupted a loan spell at Bristol City designed to get him more game time last season – and you get the feeling it is approaching crunch time for his Fulham career. Fossey has also had dreadful luck with injuries but his sense of adventure from right back will appeal to Silva. The American has featured prominently for the under-23s, linking up with Sonny Hilton and Jay Stansfield successfully down the right.

Adrion Pajaziti impressed in central midfield at Birmingham in the last round of the League Cup and may well get another opportunity in the engine room tonight. Tyrese Francois made a real impression in the summer on Silva and did well on his first senior side on the opening weekend against Middlesbrough. Irish youth international Ollie O'Neill, so impressive in recent years during his rise through the academy, may also feature having been left out of the under-23 game last night and his creativity has really shone in a successful period for the youth sides.

Jay Stansfield, scorer of a stunning first senior goal at St. Andrew's, is likely to get the nod to lead the line tonight. The teenage striker may be a potent penalty area poacher but has shown that there is more to his game than just scoring goals – and may be line for further first team football after Rodrigo Muniz, who looked bright in grabbing a goal off the bench against Reading at the weekend, sustained an injury on Saturday. He may a totally different proposition to Aleskandar Mitrovic, both in stature and style, but Stansfield offers a different type of threat to defences and has scored goals at every level in youth football.

There is some debate about how strong a side Marcelo Bielsa might field at Craven Cottage tonight. There could be a return for Cody Drameh, who left for Leeds last summer, and the visitors have an academy set-up that has produced a succession of outstanding talents in recent years. Whatever the composition of the Leeds line-up this evening, it will be a stern test for some of Fulham's brightest youngsters on the big stage.

MY FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Rodak; Fossey, S. Sessegnon, Mawson, Hector; Francois, Pajaziti; Kebano, Quina, Knockaert, Stansfield. Subs: Gazzaniga, Robinson, Adarabioyo, Onomah, Chalobah, Cavaleiro, O'Neill.




https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/09/up-next-leeds-united-h-2/

Adam Forshaw set for rare appearance in Leeds United clash v Fulham

Adam Forshaw is set to make a "rare first-team appearance" for Leeds United on Tuesday when they play Fulham in the Carabao Cup, according to the Express.

The newspaper reports via their print edition on September 21 [page 53] that Forshaw, 29, is in line to make his second start of the season for the Whites when they take on Marco Silva's side at Craven Cottage.

It is understood that due to an injury crisis at Elland Road, Crysencio Summerville may also be handed a start by Marcelo Bielsa.

(https://motleedsnews.com/static/uploads/3/2021/09/expresspg53.jpg)

Big test for fringe players

Due to the injuries mounting up at Leeds, Bielsa is going to be forced into naming a much-changed starting line-up at Craven Cottage.

He also needs to keep one eye on the game against West Ham this weekend with the Whites yet to win in the Premier League this season.

Even if Bielsa has to name a side made up of fringe players and Under-23s stars, it should still be a team that is capable of beating Fulham.

Fulham have not been in the best of form lately, losing two of their last three Championship fixtures at the hands of Blackpool and Reading.

Silva's squad is still quite similar to the one that featured in the Premier League last season but Leeds are still capable of beating their first and second string squads with a weakened side of their own.

There are some very talented young players at Elland Road while the experienced head of someone like Forshaw, who has a point to prove after almost two years of being injured, is also going to help out massively.

We're dying to see a good cup run under Bielsa and hopefully this season offers us that.



https://motleedsnews.com/matchday/adam-forshaw-set-for-rare-appearance-in-leeds-united-clash-v-fulham/

Leeds United: Marcelo Bielsa must start Crysencio Summerville vs Fulham in the Carabao Cup

Amid a difficult start in the Premier League, Leeds United will be hoping for a bit of a lift when they take on Fulham at Craven Cottage in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night.

Marcelo Bielsa's side were held to a 1-1 draw last Friday against Newcastle United, and amid a torrent of injuries, the Whites boss had to turn to one of his club's rising stars in the second-half of that match: Crysencio Summerville.

And, after watching him make his debut at St James' Park, Leeds' U23s boss Mark Jackson said: "Proud to see any player step up and make a debut. I was watching the game, Cry's worked extremely hard.

"He's been one of them players, like I said with Amari (Miller), the new players, it takes time to gel but I spoke to him yesterday at the training ground. I said 'that's your little taste of it, now the hardest part is trying to establish yourself in the team for any player."

Hailed as a "bag of tricks" by Chris Powell, his former coach when he was a teenager at Dutch side ADO Den Haag, the 19-year-old was in superb touch for the youth sides last season netting an impressive six goals and providing a further six assists in just 12 Premier League 2 games.

And, against Guiseley during pre-season earlier in the summer, it was Summerville who put in the kind of performance that had people raving.

After watching his goal-scoring display, Leeds Live's Joe Donnohue said on Twitter: "Cody Drameh and Crysencio Summerville were great together down the right flank for Leeds' U23s last season. Seems like more of the same this year. Drameh an excellent carrier, weightless going forward. Summerville a wriggler, impossible to handle."

Meanwhile, Jackson added: "With regards to a set of tools that a player has: pace, trickery and the strength now, he's got the tools hopefully to make an impact. Like I said with every young player we don't want to get too carried away with them, we want them to understand that it's just the first step being involved in and around the first-team, and that it takes a lot to maintain your place there."

Given that Bielsa showed enough trust in him to bring on him against Newcastle, Summerville should surely get his first opportunity to start for Leeds tonight.

And with that combination of pace and trickery like Jackson says, he could really terrify Fulham tonight.



https://www.footballfancast.com/leeds-united-news/leeds-united-marcelo-bielsa-crysencio-summerville-fulham-premier-league-carabao-cup-team-news-elland-road-match-preview

Fulham boss Marco Silva makes Leeds United admission and hails Marcelo Bielsa's work with Whites
Fulham boss Marco Silva has outlined his plan for tonight's Carabao Cup clash against a "very strong" Leeds United side, under a "very good" head coach.

The Cottagers and Whites will go head to head in Tuesday night's third round tie at Craven Cottage as a place in the competition's last 16 awaits the winners.

Fulham were relegated last year but sit second in the Championship table having won five of their first eight league games.

Leeds are still seeking their first victory of the new Premier League season and sit fourth bottom but Silva says he is braced for a hard test and an 'intense' game against Marcelo Bielsa's Whites.

"It will be a tough game against a very strong side with a very good manager," said Silva, speaking at his pre-match press conference and as quoted by fulhamfc.com.

"Marcelo as a coach has always had many different ideas with the way he likes to play.

"It's always a really intense game, their press is always really high.

"If you want to match them and fight for the result, then the intensity of the game will be higher 100 per cent, but it's up to us to match it, and after to show our quality as well.

"It will be a really tough one, but we are here, we play at home and want to show our fans that we are here to fight and try to go through in the competition."

Asked if the two teams' style of play would make for a good game, Silva said: "I think so and I hope so."

"We have to be aggressive, we have to match their intensity because they have a lot of individual and collective quality.

"They always have a high intensity on the pitch, they have very good pace in their front players as well, and a very good manager.

"We want to match them. We like this competition and we want to do well in this competition."



https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/fulham-boss-marco-silva-makes-leeds-united-admission-and-hails-marcelo-bielsas-work-with-whites-3390612

Leeds United suffer double injury scare ahead of Fulham cup clash

Ahead of their important Carabao Cup tie against Fulham on Tuesday evening, according to recent reports, Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa has suffered a double injury scare and maybe without two key players.

That's according to a recent report from Football Insider, who claims the Whites may have to navigate their way past Championship side Fulham without the help of striker Patrick Bamford and full-back Luke Ayling.

It has been noted that the pair have picked up injuries ahead of the cup clash – with Bamford failing to travel with the squad at all.

Elsewhere, Ayling was seen hobbling off during his side's 1-1 draw against Newcastle United in last weekend's Premier League match.

Should the pair fail to Bielsa's matchday squad to face Fulham at Craven Cottage, Bielsa will likely be forced to call upon the services of Rodrigo and Stuart Dallas, both of whom can act as competent replacements, however, the news is far from ideal.

Fulham vs. Leeds United in the Carabao Cup's third round is scheduled to kick-off at 7.45pm (UK time) and will be played live from Craven Cottage.



https://www.caughtoffside.com/2021/09/21/leeds-united-suffer-double-injury-scare-ahead-of-fulham-cup-clash/

Leeds United: Fans react as Phil Hay drops injury news

A lot of Leeds United fans have taken to Twitter to share their concerns ahead of their Carabao Cup clash against Fulham following Phil Hay's latest update.

According to the Leeds correspondent, there will be a lot of players missing from Marcelo Bielsa's side to face Championship side Fulham on Tuesday night.

As well as a number of senior players who were already out through respective injuries including the likes of Luke Ayling and Diego Llorente, Patrick Bamford is also set to miss the clash at Craven Cottage following a knock he picked up against Newcastle United on Friday.

Leeds fans flocked to Hay's tweet as he provided the latest injury update as they showed their worries ahead of the clash against Marco Silva's Cottagers.

What exactly did these Leeds fans have to say?

"Haha Spain without the S"
@Yorky2860
"One injury-free season is all I ask for..."
@bethgabriel_
"Praying that Bamford one is just a small knock and nothing serious"
@MOTweets1919
"All our players are made of glass, the slightest knock and they're out for 2 weeks. Is this the type of player we want?!"
@Adventu02457903
"Will be another loss, this"
@tom28542744
"There aren't many clubs with a waiting list to see the physio."
@MrPaulRobinson

On top of the injuries within the Leeds squad, Pascal Struijk will be serving the second of his three-game ban following his red card against Liverpool at Elland Road.

With a clash against West Ham United at the weekend coming up, it seems these fans will be hoping some of the stars listed by Hay will be back in time for the game at Elland Road.



https://thisisfutbol.com/2021/09/blogs/premier-league/leeds-united/leeds-united-fans-react-as-phil-hay-drops-injury-news/

Carabao Cup fourth round draw details as Leeds United look to progress against Fulham

Leeds United and Fulham will battle it out for a place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday

The winners of Tuesday's clash between Fulham and Leeds United will not have to wait long to discover who they will face in the fourth round of the competition.

Leeds booked their place in the third round of the competition with a convincing win over Crewe Alexandra but will face a much sterner test against Championship promotion-chasers Fulham.

Now led by former Everton boss Marco Silva, they have made a promising start to the 2021/22 campaign, in contrast to Leeds who have yet to pick up a single Premier League victory.

The fourth round draw will take place on Wednesday and will be shown live on Sky Sports Football following the conclusion of the televised meeting between Manchester United and West Ham United.

The location of the draw may surprise some, as it will take place at Potton Bowls Club in Sandy, Bedfordshire.

58-year-old Arsenal fan Gary Gunn was the winner of the EFL's 'Win the Draw' competition, meaning the draw will take place at the bowls club he is a member of.

Sky Sports pundits Micah Richards and Jamie Redknapp will be picking teams for the draw, and TV personality Mark Wright will also be part of the coverage.

Leeds have not fared particularly well in the Carabao Cup in recent years, but did field a strong starting XI for the visit of Crewe last month.

However, doubts over the fitness of key figures such as Diego Llorente and Raphinha may force Leeds to draft fringe players into the starting XI.

There may even be an opportunity for some members of the under-23 squad to be handed senior appearances, after several were named as substitutes for the 1-1 draw against Newcastle United.

Leeds will be taking on a Fulham side which boasts a plethora of talent but can frustrate supporters with unpredictability.

Across their last four league matches, they have swept aside Birmingham City and Stoke City but also suffered shock defeats to Blackpool and Reading.



https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/carabao-cup-fourth-round-draw-21612991

Marcelo Bielsa likely to start Roberts ahead of Bamford v Fulham - report

Tyler Roberts will reportedly lead the line for Leeds United in their Carabao Cup clash against Fulham later today (Tuesday).

According to LeedsLive, he is likely to start this game as Patrick Bamford has not travelled with the squad to London, but is not injured.

Roberts, who is yet to start a Premier League game this term, started the cup game versus Crewe in August and is likely to be handed another spot in Bielsa's eleven in London.

Speaking on the Phil Hay Show, The Athletic journalist stated that he needs to deliver soon as he could be sold should he not perform up to the desired standards.

He said, "There had been a general loss of patience with [Helder] Costa. I got the sense that the fanbase reached the view that it was never going to happen.

"Roberts is kind of the next in line as the player who needs to start clicking properly. He never gets on a roll. He does need to have a good season I feel."

Make the most of it

Roberts isn't Bielsa's go to option in attack despite him showing plenty of promise since arriving at the club from West Brom in 2018.

That's probably because he hasn't delivered goals and assists on a regular basis and has found himself falling down the pecking order at Elland Road.

With Dan James arriving, he's possibly the fourth-choice wide attacker for the Whites and even in the striking positions, Bamford and Rodrigo are the preferred options.

This should be a game that Leeds should win and it's time he steps up or he could end up being shown the door at the club.

Bielsa is known to make clinical decisions about players who he doesn't deem worthy enough to be a part of his squad and the 22-year-old could have the same fate.

Hopefully, he can turn things around quickly and find himself starting some more games than he is currently.



https://motleedsnews.com/matchday/marcelo-bielsa-likely-to-start-roberts-ahead-of-bamford-v-fulham-report/

Leeds United's predicted line-up vs Fulham in the Carabao Cup

Leeds United take on Fulham in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night hoping to get back to winning ways after a tough run of results in the Premier League.

Marcelo Bielsa's side head into tonight's contest at Craven Cottage off the back of an enthralling 1-1 draw against Newcastle United last Friday, and the Whites boss will have to deal with some major injury issues against the Cottagers.

That could see a number of fringe players being given their chance to shine, while a couple of academy starlets will no doubt be banging on the door to make a rare appearance too.

And with that in mind, below is a look at how Leeds might line up when they make the trip down to London to face Fulham in the Carabao Cup.


In goal, Illan Meslier is likely to keep his place especially with there being numerous injuries to the defence in front of him.

The likes of Diego Llorente, Robin Koch and Luke Ayling will all be missing through injury, while Pascal Struijk will serve the second of his three-game suspension for his challenge on Liverpool's Harvey Elliott a couple of weeks ago.

That could see 19-year-old Charlie Cresswell come into the side to make only his second appearance for the seniors, partnering club captain Liam Cooper at the back.

Speaking after signing his new contract earlier in the summer, Crewsswell himself said: "I'm confident, I'm a leader, I like to play and I like to head it! There's lots of players in the first team that I look up to, the likes of Coops, Bill, they lead by example and that is what I want to try and follow."

Dubbed a "dying breed" for his leadership and communication skills at the back, Leeds U23's boss Mark Jackson added: "Charlie's got that, he understands how to lead and we've been working with him a long time, in the academy even, when he first broke through in the 18s as a 16-year-old, (working) on his leadership skills.

"Even on the bench in the second half, he's still talking behind me so that's a positive because you don't find many of them these days and we've got to try and embrace that, he's got to try embrace it and develop it as well – and that's a real positive within his game."

Further forward, the likes of Jamie Shackleton and Adam Forshaw could make rare appearances in the first-team, with the latter of course having only recently come back from a very long-term injury.

Crysencio Summerville could get the nod out wide with Dan James on the other side, while Tyler Roberts could come in up front to allow Patrick Bamford to sit out and recuperate.

Predicted XI: Meslier; Dallas, Cresswell, Cooper, Firpo; Forshaw, Shackleton, Klich; James, Summerville, Roberts.



https://www.footballfancast.com/leeds-united-news/leeds-united-fulham-carabao-cup-marcelo-bielsa-premier-league-team-news-elland-road-predicted-lineup-xi

How has Fulham's Timmy Abraham started to life on loan at Newport County?

Timmy Abraham is probably best known for being the younger brother of new Roma signing Tammy Abraham.

He started his youth career at Charlton Athletic before moving to Fulham in 2017.

The 20-year-old has had difficult loan spells at Bristol Rovers, Plymouth Argyle and Raith Rovers where he was unable to score in any of his 14 games.

The forward has had a brief spell in the Fulham's U23 side where he  scored two goals in the EFL Trophy in 2019. Timmy is quite far down Fulham's pecking order of strikers but knows there is a chance if he can find his scoring touch like Jay Stansfield, who is the most recent young forward to get his chance in the first-team.

In the summer of 2021, Abraham sealed a season-long loan move to League Two side Newport County. The Welsh side who missed out on promotion in last season's play-off final currently find themselves in 12th-place with 11 points to their name.

Abraham has appeared in every league game, bar the most recent where he was an unused substitute. He is yet to score in the league this season, but has found his scoring touch in the cup competitions.

His first start of the season saw him score the only goal in a 1-0 away in the EFL cup against Ipswich Town. His side progressed into the Second Round of the cup but that was the furthest they would go as they were on the end of an 8-0 thrashing to Southampton.

Abraham's second goal for the club came in the EFL Trophy where he scored the second in a 2-0 win over former club Plymouth. With Timmy only starting three of the seven games this season he will be hoping to make more of an impact in the coming games.



https://the72.co.uk/250895/how-has-fulhams-timmy-abraham-started-to-life-on-loan-at-newport-county/

Predicted Fulham XI to face Leeds United as Silva gives injury update on his squad

Fulham will be hoping to progress into the Fourth Round of the Carabao Cup as they face Leeds United at Craven Cottage.

They come into the game following a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Reading. As for Leeds they played away to Newcastle United and picked up a point, following a 1-1 draw.

Manager Marco Silva who completely changed his starting 11 in the last round of the Cup is expecting to do the same as his side face a busy period.

Silva who spoke to Pete Rutzler from the Athletic, gave his immediate injury news following the Reading game:

"Let's see the situation with Harrison Reed. (Reading) was a risk. He had a small issue that's still there. Let's hope he can be ready for Tuesday. The others are injured. Joe Bryan will be OK for Tuesday."

He also mentioned post-Reading that Muniz had a knock, and gave his verdict on whether any youth players could be involved:

"Let's see. It's a possibility of course, we will check the players. Of course you want to to play with a strong side. The best players in the best physical conditions, they will start for sure."

Fulham's U23 side faced Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday which ended in a 2-1 defeat for the London side. Jay Stansfield and Adrion Pajaziti who featured in the last round of the cup did not make the trip North and are expected to feature against Leeds.

With Fulham facing Bristol City on Saturday we expect them to make a plethora of changes to the starting 11, here is how we predict them to line up against Leeds:

(GK) Rodak

(RB) Odoi

(CB) Mawson

(CB) Hector

(LB) Bryan

(CM) Francois

(CM) Quina

(CM) Onomah

(LW) Kebano

(RW) Decordova-Reid

(ST) Stansfield

We expect to see nine changes from the side that faced Reading and anticipate seeing a few youngsters on the bench.



https://the72.co.uk/250929/predicted-fulham-xi-to-face-leeds-united-as-silva-gives-injury-update-on-his-squad/

'It's up to us' – Fulham boss looks ahead to Leeds United test
Fulham will be hoping to make amends from their disappointing defeat to Reading as they face Leeds United in the Carabao Cup this evening.

Fulham will be playing their third game in just six days and manager Marco Silva is expected to make a host of changers to help freshen up his side.

Silva who spoke to Pete Rutzler from the Athletic was asked about changes to his side following this busy period.

"We will do, not just because of knocks. Four games in 10 days, it's almost impossible to keep the same players," he said.

Silva saw his side lose their first home league game of the season, thanks to two goals from Reading winger Ovie Ejaria and expects a tougher challenge for his side.

"The intensity of the game will be higher, but it's up to us to match it," he continued.

"We are at home and we want to respond from (Reading) and show our fans that we are here to fight and go through in the competition."

Fulham, who currently find themselves second in the Championship, two points behind Bournemouth face Bristol City on Saturday and will be hoping to return to winning ways in the Cup to help gain momentum.

Silva's side currently find themselves the top scorers in the league and will be hoping to put this to good use against Premier League side Leeds.

Leeds, who currently find themselves in 17th place are one of five teams yet to win in the league, their only win this season came in the Carabao Cup and was a convincing 3-0 win against Crewe Alexandra.  With Leeds yet to keep a clean sheet in the League, Fulham will be hoping to find the breakthrough against a shaky defence.

As for Fulham they have also played one game in this competition – goals from Jay Stansfield and Antonee Robinson previously saw off Birmingham City 2-0.



https://the72.co.uk/250925/its-up-to-us-fulham-boss-looks-ahead-to-leeds-united-test/

Fear and loathing at Craven Cottage – Volume 5: Reading (h)

It had been a few weeks since our last trip to the Cottage. In addition to the delay of an  International break we approached the game against Reading no longer under the illusion that "HMS Piss the league" wouldn't be without a few icebergs along the way, as recently experienced while docking in Blackpool. A more convincing mid week jaunt to Birmingham however meant that optimism on route this Saturday in the sunshine was still pretty high.

Sure we were still without the boy wonder Fabio Carvalho and Harrison Reed was a doubt but ours is a squad that should on paper have had enough to cope with such absences. The pre match analysis also reminded us that Tom Cairney and Terrance Kongolo were unavailable but as the sun had indeed risen that morning (and The Pope was still a Catholic) I naturally assumed that to be the case anyway.


Having loaded up on Ramen and soft shell crab tempura before the game I met my  acquaintance for the day at Hammersmith station and popped in to the Duke of Cornwall on the way for a swift pint, made all the more bitter as it was accompanied by Brenford on the TV comfortably dispatching Wolves in the early kick-off. In hindsight this afternoon was never destined to recover from such an early blow.


My guest was an Everton fan who also happens to play for the same Sunday league Veterans team as myself and having recently cracked a rib in a committed challenge for said team I felt a first ever trip to The Cottage may well by the tonic to brighten up his weekend. The downside to meeting in Hammersmith of course meant there was no red carpet treatment for that introduction to the Craven Cottage experience with the Bishops Park walk but I did my best to give a brief tour of the key sights prior to settling in for the kick off in H5. I will apologise to the person stuck behind my guest who in addition to having to contend with the stadium structure restricting their view would also have struggled to see much over his 6'6 frame. Given the result however it may be you who owes me a gratitude of thanks.


Having spent much of the pre game talking up the impressive job Marco Silva had done in transforming Fulham's attacking intent to an Everton fan, I was left feeling that the team really weren't holding up their end in supporting my argument as the first half went on. Our left hand side with Robinson and Cavaleiro were particularly guilty of loose passing while Harry Wilson was completely anonymous for at least forty minutes. The attacks that did result in us registering shots on target seemed to be exclusively limited to being straight at the keeper and with little to no conviction.

Reading who had brought along a good following given the short 30 minute journey into Paddington played some neat football but were by no means on top. It would be unfair to say that Ovie Ejaria's opener in the 20th minute was against the run of play but nevertheless it still came as a shock to the system. I haven't been shy in airing my disapproval at Gazzaniga being our first choice keeper but there was very little he could have done with that one. Instead I found comfort in staring hopefully at Rodrigo Muniz warming up who I noticed for the first time in front of the Riverside stand.


It was hard to put a finger on exactly what was going wrong for Fulham but the centre of midfield seemed to lack any sort of balance. Seri was doing his thing and unlike everyone around him rarely misplacing a pass but BDR never really seemed to get a foothold in the game and Chalobah was a bit of a headless chicken. Even now I can't work out if he had a good or bad game. Neither seemed to be in sync with Mitrovic who, considering he was playing in a team that registered a total of 25 shots in the game, seemed to cut a fairly isolated figure. Just before the break Antonee Robinson produced his obligatory one good cross only for Mitro to hit the bar when he should have done better. I certainly wasn't ready to surrender but being surrounded by so many waving white flags in the Hammersmith end it just felt like it may be one of those days.


Whether or not the team received a half time ticking off is a mystery but the second forty five started quickly with Cavaleiro doing more than he had done in the whole of the first half and getting a good shot away following some tricky work down the left. That lifted the crowd for all of eight minutes until Reading promptly went down the other end and scored a second following yet another loose pass and some fairly suspect defending alongside little to no effort by the now manbunless Gazzaniga to prevent Ejaria from scoring again.


A host of Fulham changes seemed to do very little to turn the tide. Kebano was brought on at right back for Odoi in an attempt to give us a threat down the right wing given that Wilson was having without doubt his worst performance so far in a Fulham shirt. Onomah replaced Seri in midfield but only served to add further imbalance and confusion around who was doing what while Muniz made his Craven Cottage debut coming on for BDR as we went with two up top for the final thirty minutes.


There were definitely signs of a partnership with both Muniz and Mitrovic combining together a few times although it remains to be seen how often we would actually play two up top outside of sheer desperation. Muniz's first goal gave us hope and but for an excellent save Onomah may well have equalized late on but it never felt like it was going to be our day.


For the first time this season we departed The Cottage without any points and a little unsure if this season would be as smooth sailing as we first thought. I suspect if it were anyone other than Scott Parker's Bournemouth ahead of us at the top of the league we would be more content with sitting second after eight games. Whether complacency had set in after the Birmingham game I couldn't say but there were plenty of poor performances to suggest as much.

The novelty of a mid week League cup fixture against Premier League opposition felt like a pointless distraction in the wake of another defeat and the need for a good result at Ashton gate next Saturday was the major point of discussion as we trudged down Stevenage road.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/09/fear-and-loathing-at-craven-cottage-volume-5-reading-h/

Leeds Matchday Preview

Fulham v Leeds United | Tuesday 21st September 2021 | 7.45pm | Craven Cottage | #CarabaoCup
The opposition

    It has been a testing start to the season for Leeds, who currently sit 17th in the Premier League table, having taken just three points from a possible 15.
    Their sole win of the campaign came in the Carabao Cup, when late goals from Kalvin Phillips and Jack Harrison (2) saw off a resolute Crewe Alexandra side.
    Having played on Friday night, United will have had an extra day of rest going into this cup tie, but that draw at Newcastle United also saw them pick up a couple of injuries which will play a factor in team selection.


Fulham team news

Marco Silva has suggested changes will be made to his side, but because of the quick turnaround of matches rather than devaluing the Carabao Cup, a competition he rates highly. Joe Bryan could be back in contention after missing the weekend, but Harrison Reed and Rodrigo Muniz are doubts.

Leeds team news

Patrick Bamford and Luke Ayling both picked up knocks at St James' Park and will miss the trip to the capital, as will Jack Harrison, Robin Koch and Diego Llorente. Pascal Struijk will also be absent through suspension.

Tickets

Tickets will be available to purchase from the ground up until kick-off, but fans are encouraged to buy online and print at home in advance.


FFCtv

We are not permitted to stream Carabao Cup matches, but live commentary will still be available on FFCtv.

Weather

A dry but cloudy evening is forecast in SW6, with temperatures around 19 degrees.

Permutations

If the scores are level after 90 minutes, a penalty shoot-out will take place. The Round Four draw will be held following the conclusion of Wednesday's fixtures.

Player insight

After scoring in Round Two against Birmingham City, Jay Stansfield is hoping to get a chance for another runout, this time in front of a home crowd.

"I can't wait," he told FFCtv. "Obviously it was good to play at Birmingham and there was a good number [of away supporters] there, but to be back at the Cottage in front all of the home fans, hopefully I can show what I can do, and what we can do as a team, and hopefully we can get the win."

Form

Fulham: WWLWL

Leeds: DWDLD

Pre-match quote




https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/september/Leeds-Matchday-Preview/

Phil Hay confirms Leeds United injury setback to Luke Ayling before Fulham clash

The Athletic's Phil Hay has revealed that Leeds United defender Luke Ayling is among a number of players who will be missing from tonight's Carabao Cup clash against Fulham.

What's the story?

Writing on Twitter, the journalist revealed: "A lot of absentees at Fulham tonight – Koch, Llorente, Ayling, Harrison etc. Bamford took that knock in the second half at Newcastle so not expecting him to play. Forshaw has a chance of featuring though. #lufc"

This was then confirmed by the club's official website, which posted: "Patrick Bamford and Luke Ayling will both miss tonight's Carabao Cup game with Fulham following injuries picked up in Friday night's match against Newcastle United.

"Bamford has an ankle injury, whilst Ayling was withdrawn with a knee injury. Both will continue rehabilitation at Thorp Arch before Saturday's Premier League game against West Ham United at Elland Road."

Bielsa will be worried

While Ayling being ruled out for a third round Carabao Cup clash away at Championship side Fulham is hardly likely to have Bielsa sweating buckets, the Leeds manager will certainly be worried about how significant the 30-year-old's injury is going forward.

With Llorente, Koch and Struijk all out either through injury or suspension, centre-back has suddenly become an area of real concern for Bielsa after initially being a position of strength.

Whilst he may not be the most glamorous or eye-catching name on the team-sheet, there's no questioning that Ayling has been one of the manager's most trusted lieutenants over the past couple of seasons.

The £45k-a-week ace played the full 90 minutes in every single Premier League game last season bar one, and even that was when Bielsa took him off to try and find a goal in the last 20 minutes against ten-man Arsenal.

Ayling also wore the captain's armband on 12 occasions last year, and his leadership at the back is something the Whites could desperately use when you consider that other first-choice defenders such as Llorente, Koch and Struijk are also ruled out.

Described as a "great technician", his presence in the side cannot be underestimated, with Bielsa saying after Leeds' 3-0 victory over Aston Villa back in late October that the right-back "transmitted serenity to the rest of the team".

The Leeds boss even once said that Ayling was someone "who can solve any problem", and that's exactly why Hay's update is a body blow for Bielsa and the club.



https://www.footballfancast.com/leeds-united-news/leeds-united-marcelo-bielsa-phil-hay-luke-ayling-fulham-match-preview-team-news-elland-road-predicted-xi-lineup

Fulham dealt Rodrigo Muniz injury blow

Fulham have been dealt a blow regarding the fitness of Rodrigo Muniz ahead of their upcoming Carabao Cup clash.

What's the latest?

That's according to a report published on the club's official website, which revealed that the centre-forward is a doubt for the clash with Leeds United on Tuesday night due to a knock the 20-year-old picked up in the Cottagers' 2-1 defeat to Reading on Saturday.

Speaking shortly after the weekend's loss, Marco Silva discussed the Brazilian's injury, stating: "He had a strong knock in the last 10 minutes, he couldn't run, but we had to keep him on the pitch because we didn't have any more changes. He's in pain now, but we have to wait and check."

The report added that Harrison Reed is also a doubt for the visit of the Whites, while Joe Bryan could make a return to the side after missing the Reading game.

Silva will be gutted

Considering how little Muniz has featured for Fulham since his £7.2m move from Flamengo earlier this summer, the fact that the centre-forward now looks set for a spell on the sidelines is sure to have left Silva gutted.

Indeed, having made his debut for the Cottagers' in their 1-0 loss to Blackpool towards the start of the month, featuring for 11 minutes against the Seasiders, the 20-year-old then failed to get on the pitch in the 4-1 victory over Birmingham City last week.

However, after being introduced in the second half of the Reading game, Muniz did manage to score his first goal for the club, although subsequently it also appears that the forward picked up an injury.

As such, it looks as if Silva will have to make do without the Brazilian against Leeds tonight, something which will undoubtedly come as a blow to the Portuguese manager, as the Carabao Cup fixture very much seemed to be the perfect opportunity to test out the striker from the start.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-fc-news/fulham-ffc-the-cottagers-team-news-injury-updates-marco-silva-rodrigo-muniz-carabao-cup-the-championship

Fulham Super Fan previews Leeds United clash

This is part of a regular series from our panel of Super Fans on upcoming Leeds United games. Ahead of Tuesday's League Cup game against Fulham, we caught up with @FulhamFanTV, a Cottagers fan account with over 47,000 followers on Twitter.

Leeds United travel to Craven Cottage to face Fulham in the third round of the League Cup on Tuesday night, and they will be keen to win.

Having started the Premier League campaign on an underwhelming note, with Marcelo Bielsa's side yet to pick up a win in five games, victory against the Championship side will come as a much-needed boost.

The Whites secured a 3-0 win over Crewe in the last round of the competition, while Fulham won 2-0 against Birmingham.

Marco Silva's side are currently second in the Championship table after picking up five victories in eight games, and tonight's clash could be a tough one for the visitors.

Ahead of the game, we spoke to @FulhamFanTV, a Cottagers fan account with over 47,000 followers on Twitter, to gauge the mood amongst the away supporters.

What have you made of Leeds at the start of the season?

Starting the season, it has been a bit of a slow burner but that doesn't mean to say things won't pick up. We would predict a comfortable mid-table finish this season.

Who will cause you the biggest issues?

Kalvin Phillips is always a solid player, a little underrated if you ask us. It all depends on how Leeds lineup today as both teams will make a fair few changes to the squads.

What have you made of your start to the season?

Fulham have been absolutely flying with the aim being finishing in the top-two in the league. At the moment, we are on track to reach that goal, averaging around two goals a game thus far. Big hitters Stoke couldn't cope with us, so that shows we can even perform against the teams in the league.

Who should Leeds watch out for?

There will be changes to our side today with the biggest threat coming from our wingers. They are very fast and with the right attacking picks tonight we could be a real threat. We are a fast team who like to pass out from the back.

Is Marco Silva likely to make any big changes to the side?

Marco should make a few changes as our goal is promotion this season. The most obvious change will be our goalkeeper, Marek Rodak will most likely take the starting place.

We also think Aleksandar Mitrovic will be on the bench with Bobby Reid taking the attacking stage. It would be great to see Harrison Reed have more playing time but we'll see.

Are there any particular weak links in the Fulham side you fear may get exposed?

Fulham's main weakness is the lack of finishing in the attacking third. Most of the time we can get into good positions but we lack the finishing touch.

Score prediction/what type of game will we see?

This will be a great game for Fulham to see what level they are. Fulham will be happy to with a draw but I can see it being a low scoring game overall. Probably a 1-0 or 2-0 type of game.



https://motleedsnews.com/news/fulham-super-fan-previews-leeds-united-clash/

'He's going to have to bide his time' – Rodrigo Muniz's starting chances at Fulham this season: The verdict

This article is part of Football League World's 'The Verdict' series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more

Rodrigo Muniz netted on his home debut against Reading on Saturday, but his 86th minute strike did not spark a late comeback for The Cottagers.

The 20-year-old, who joined the West London club from Brazilian club Flamengo this summer, came on with 35 minutes to play against The Royals, adding to the 11 minutes on the pitch he received away to Blackpool.

Scoring three times and assisting once for Flamengo this season, Muniz played nine times during this campaign, before swapping South American for England.

Muniz put pen-to-paper on a contract with The Cottagers in late August, and whilst he is yet to start in the league, he has opened up his Fulham account in just 46 minutes of football.

We have asked three of our writers here at FLW to share their thoughts on whether or not Muniz can emerge as a regular starter at Fulham...

Adam Jones

Easily.

He won't get in the starting lineup ahead of Aleksandar Mitrovic or Harry Wilson barring injuries, suspensions or a drastic loss in form, but he could sneak his way into the starting lineup if Ivan Cavaleiro and Bobby Decordova-Reid continue to put in performances like they did on Saturday.

Cavaleiro was just poor all round and Decordova-Reid missed a golden opportunity at the end of the first half against Reading – and you have to say both were completely ineffective. Wilson and Mitrovic won't be able to step up every game – they're only human after all – so that's when you need someone like Muniz to come in and shake things up.

Muniz did that with his consolation goal at the weekend, although he will either need to be in a central role with Mitrovic or start out wide if he wants to break into the first 11.

The Cottagers also spent a considerable amount of money on him this summer – and he will only prove with more minutes on the pitch – so you would think Silva sees him as a regular starter.

But his place isn't guaranteed and he will continue needing to perform well in training and match or improve his scoring record at previous side Flamengo.

Ben Wignall

It depends on whether or not Marco Silva is going to tactically flexible this season or if he's going to consider playing two strikers together.

Aleksandar Mitrovic seems un-droppable having scored six goals in his first eight Championship games of the season, and you can add three assists to that tally as well so in a lone striker system, Muniz is going to have to bide his time.

But if Fulham keep dropping points like they have done the last two weekends with defeats to Blackpool and Reading, then Silva may have to switch things up and play Muniz and Mitrovic alongside each other which is what they've done when the Brazilian has come off the bench.

I think the next few months will be a learning curve for Muniz and it will all boil down to how quick he adapts to the demands of English football, but I see no reason why he can't end up being a strike partner for Mitrovic in a 4-4-2 or a 3-5-2.

A 4-2-3-1 is the preferred system right now though so if Muniz is going to become a regular he's going to have to bide his time or perhaps become an option cutting in from the left flank, where he could be quite useful.

Ned Holmes

There's certainly a chance Muniz could get a run in the side but it's hard to see him becoming first choice in Aleksandar Mitrovic keeps up his current form.

The 27-year-old may have struggled to make an impact in the top flight but his quality as a Championship goalscorer is beyond doubt.

He's bagged six goals and provided three assists in eight games this term, so he's shown no sign of slowing down yet.

Mitrovic dominates opposition defences at this level and it's hard to see his form dropping given the quality of the other attacking players alongside him at Craven Cottage.

That said, it's not out of question that he could pick up an injury or will be used as a rotation option.

Depth is important in the Championship and Muniz gives Fulham just that.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/hes-going-to-have-to-bide-his-time-rodrigo-munizs-starting-chances-at-fulham-this-season-the-verdict/