Friday Fulham Stuff - 24/02/23...

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Paul Merson gives 'one step further' verdict ahead of Fulham vs Wolves

Latest Wolverhampton Wanderers news from BirminghamLive as Paul Merson looks ahead to Wolves' trip to Fulham

Paul Merson believes Wolves will suffer another defeat tonight as Fulham continue their quest for a European place.

Julen Lopetegui masterminded wins over West Ham, Liverpool and Southampton heading into last weekend's shock defeat to Bournemouth.

There had been a real sense of momentum at Molineux as Wolves' new signings helped propel the team away from the bottom three. But then came that 1-0 home defeat to the Cherries, leaving Wolves just three points above West Ham in 18th place.

Head coach Lopetegui will be demanding his players set the record straight at Fulham (8pm kick-off) but they face a tricky test against Marco Silva's form team.

A win on the road could potentially put Wolves level on points with Crystal Palace in 12th. But Fulham have their eyes on a more glamorous prize, sitting in sixth and just four points adrift of the Champions League qualification places.

Pundit Paul Merson has backed Fulham to add to Wolves' woes and continue their unlikely push for Europe.

"Fulham had a big result last Saturday, beating Brighton 1-0 at the AMEX. Fulham got dominated but stuck in there and got the result," Merson told Sportskeeda in predicting a 1-0 defeat for Wolves. "Meanwhile, Wolves had a shocking result, falling to a 1-0 defeat against Bournemouth.

"I'm going to go with Fulham. I expect them to win this game. Wolves have now been put back in the relegation fight with just three points separating them from the drop zone.

"Brighton and Fulham look well-placed to seal a berth in Europe next season. This game will take the Cottagers one step further towards that goal."



https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/wolves-paul-merson-prediction-fulham-26320346

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Fulham predicted XI vs Wolves as Marco Silva has some selection decisions to make

A look at how Fulham could line up this evening as they return to the action

Fulham take on Wolves on Friday evening as they look to keep their run of form going. Marco Silva's side picked up an impressive 1-0 away win at Brighton and Hove Albion last time out.

Manor Solomon scored the winner at the AMEX Stadium. Here is a look at how the Cottagers could line up against Julen Lopetegui's men...

GK: Bernd Leno: He has been Fulham's number one since his switch from Arsenal last summer.

RB: Kenny Tete: The right-back has competition for his place from winter addition Cedric Soares now.

CB: Issa Diop: He is in decent form under Silva and has adapted well to life at Craven Cottage since joining from West Ham.

CB: Tim Ream: The evergreen centre-back has formed a great partnership at the back with Diop.

LB: Antonee Robinson: He has been linked with the likes of Manchester City, Newcastle United, AC Milan and Inter Milan over recent times.

CM: Joao Palhinha: The Portuguese midfielder has been a key player for the Whites in the middle of the park this term.

CM: Harrison Reed: He has had an impressive season for Fulham so far.

RW: Manor Solomon: The winger scored the winner against Brighton and will be eager to hit some form now.

CAM: Andreas Pereira: He joined from Manchester United after Fulham's promotion from the Championship.

LW: Willian: The ex-Chelsea and Arsenal man has injected quality and experience into the Cottagers' side.

ST: Carlos Vinicius: He could be given the green light to lead the line up top.



https://www.londonworld.com/sport/football/fulham/fulham-predicted-xi-vs-wolves-as-marco-silva-has-some-selection-decisions-to-make-4040031

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West Ham (H) Tickets

Fulham take on West Ham United in the Premier League for another London derby in April, with tickets going on sale from 10am on Tuesday 28th February.

Fulham will be looking to avenge their defeat at the London Stadium in October when the Hammers visit SW6 on Saturday 8th April, kick-off 3pm.

Tickets for this fixture will go on sale to Members* (max. 1 per person) at 10am on Tuesday 28th February, to Season Ticket Holders (max. 4 per person) at 10am on Thursday 2nd March and to Supporters with a Previous Booking History at 10am on Monday 6th March (max. 4 per person).

Prices for this fixture start from £20 for Juniors and £30 for Adults. Family Area Tickets must be purchased over the phone on 0203 871 0810.

Further information on this fixture can be found here.
HOW TO BUY

Fans can now secure their seats online at tickets.fulhamfc.com or by calling the Fulham FC Ticket Office on 0203 871 0810.

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

BUY TICKETS ONLINE FROM TUESDAY

*Membership must have been purchased by 10am on Friday 24th February - New Members after this point would not be eligible to buy during the membership priority window.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2023/february/24/west-ham-h-tickets/

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How to watch Fulham vs Wolves – live

Wolves head to the capital and take on Fulham under the Craven Cottage light on Friday at 8pm. Find out how you can follow the game live online below.

Where to watch Fulham vs Wolves online
Supporters can watch all the build up to Fulham vs Wolves for free on Matchday Live Extra online via Wolves TV, the Wolves App, Wolves' YouTube channel and the official club Twitter account – @Wolves.

The 45-minute pre-match show will be available to view live ahead of kick-off, with host Mikey Burrows joined by former Wolves full-back Andy Thompson.

Matchday Live Extra will provide expert analysis, as well as bringing the latest team news and build-up ahead of the Premier League match.

Kick-off time and stream start time
Fulham vs Wolves kicks off at 8pm with the Matchday Live Extra stream beginning around 45 minutes ahead of kick-off at 7.15pm.

Live broadcast coverage
Live broadcast coverage of Fulham vs Wolves will be provided by Sky Sports in the UK on their Friday Night Football show.

Across the world, supporters can watch the match live via their local Premier League broadcast partner.

Live audio commentary
Live audio commentary of Fulham vs Wolves will be provided by Wolves TV and the Wolves App, as will every Premier League match throughout the 2022/23 season.

Commentator Mikey Burrows and former Wolves men Andy Thompson will be in position at Craven Cottage during Friday where they will provide supporters with full kick-by-kick commentary of all the action from the 8pm kick-off.

Live matchday blog
Live text coverage of Fulham vs Wolves is also being provided on Friday night as wolves.co.uk returns with the Matchday Blog, beginning two hours ahead of kick-off.

While @Wolves on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram will produce on the pulse updates throughout the day.



https://www.wolves.co.uk/news/mens-first-team/20230223-how-to-watch-fulham-vs-wolves-live/

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Five clubs who defied the odds to reach the Champions League as Fulham dare to dream

With Fulham four points behind Champions League qualification 24 games into the season, Daily Star Sport takes a look at five clubs who defied the odds to wear the famous badge

Fulham sit four points away from fourth-placed Tottenham following a blistering start to the season under Marco Silva - in sight of Champions League qualification.

Should the west London outfit do the unthinkable and reach the promised land having been in the Championship last season, it might just be the most unexpected arrival yet.

Having said that, there have been a handful of sides to defy the odds and contest with Europe's elite - who were like Fulham tipped by many for relegation.

Daily Star Sport have taken a look at five sides who reached the Champions League with little evidence they had what it takes before hand.

Newcastle 2001/02
Newcastle hadn't finished inside the top-half of the Premier League table for four seasons before their 4th place spot earned Champions League qualification in 2001/02.

Sir Bobby Robson and his stars rolled back the years to the 1996/97 campaign, where they had finished runners-up, finishing with 71 points and 21 wins.

Having to begin in the third qualifying round, Newcastle went all the way to the second group stage with wins over the likes of Juventus, and Feyenoord before losing out to Inter and Barcelona.

Everton 2004/05
Although Everton would go on to become a fixture in the top-half of the Premier League table - they finished 17th before shooting up to fourth in 2004/05.

Having claimed only 39 points the previous season under David Moyes, they climbed to fourth with 18 wins and entered the third round qualifying of the Champions League.

However, things didn't go will with 2-1 defeats both home and away against Villarreal to dump them out before the group stages - dropping down to 11th domestically.

Hearts 2005/06
Having finished fifth in the then-Scottish Premier League the previous season, Hearts climbed up to second in 2005/06 to book qualification for the Champions League second qualifying round.

Having finished above Rangers by a single point, they saw off the challenge of Siroki Brijeg before being toppled by AEK Athens 5-1 on aggregate.

Hearts have since been able to tackle the Europa League play-off round without success on three occasions, missing out at the second qualifying round in 2016/17.

Motherwell 2011/12
Motherwell's third place finish in the 2011/12 season turned out to be enough for a Champions League third qualifying round - thanks to Rangers.

Having finished second in the table with 73 points, the Ibrox side were liquidated and admitted to the Third Division to the advantage of Stuart McCall's men.

Having been drawn against Panathinaikos, a 2-0 defeat at home and 3-0 defeat away ended their campaign, losing to Levante in the Europa League playoff.

Leicester 2015/16
Having gone on to win the Premier League title during their astonishing campaign under Claudio Ranieri, Leicester went on to have a fine Champions League run.

Their European campaign became a welcome distraction from their miserable league form with four wins from six group matches, with Ranieri sacked after the defeat to Sevilla in the round of 16 first-leg.

With Craig Shakespeare guiding the Foxes to a aggregate victory, they went down fighting against Atletico Madrid who lose to eventual winners Real Madrid.



https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-champions-league-surprise-clubs-29302935

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Fulham identify summer transfer target but face competition from two clubs

Latest news on the transfer front involving Fulham emerges

Fulham are reportedly interested in FC Nordsjælland midfielder Jacob Steen Christensen. The Denmark youth international is being linked with a switch to Craven Cottage in the summer.

According to Italian news outlet CalcioMercato, the Cottagers have been mentioned as a potential suitor for the youngster at the end of this season. However, there is competition for his signature with Serie A pair Atalanta and Spezia also in the frame.

Fulham could see the 21-year-old as a long-term option in the middle of the park. His contract is up in late June and he could be available for next to nothing.

Christensen, who is from Copenhagen, started out at local side Akademisk Boldklub before joining his current club at the age of 21. He has since risen up through the youth ranks over recent years and has now made 141 appearances in all competitions, chipping in with a single goal and nine assists.

Fulham have got their recruitment spot on since sealing their return to the Premier League and will be keeping a tentative eye on the summer now, with European football a possibility next term. They are back in action this evening at home to Wolves as they look to extend their run of form.



https://www.londonworld.com/sport/football/fulham/fulham-identify-summer-transfer-target-but-face-competition-from-two-clubs-4040477

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Marco Silva passion play is driving high-flying Fulham to new levels as risks pay off

Intense approach is working wonders as Cottagers battle for European qualification

While Chelsea fans gauge whether their manager is animated enough to inspire his players, Fulham have no such concerns about Marco Silva.

Newly-promoted Fulham are sixth in the Premier League. If they beat Wolves on Friday, they would go level on points with fifth-placed Newcastle.

It has been a meteoric rise, their 45-year-old manager leading them through it all. They won the Championship in his first season and now occupy a European spot in the world's most unrelenting League less than a year on.

Silva went straight into management after retiring as a player, helping Estoril to the Portuguese title in his first season, securing European qualification. Fulham supporters will read that with interest.

In 2014, a 36-year-old Silva led Estoril to a first home league defeat for Porto since 2008. The ever-exuberant Silva was sent off for two touchline bookings midway through the historic win.

Fulham will recognise their head coach in that story: intense, often disagreeable, but able to guide his teams to places they have seldom been.

After stints at Hull, Watford and Everton, Silva arrived at Fulham. They romped to Championship glory, with Aleksandar Mitrovic breaking the League's goals record for a single season, hitting a staggering 43 in 44 games. Fulham scored 106 and the Premier League awaited.

Of every club's summer acquisitions, Fulham's were surely the shrewdest. In came Bernd Leno from Arsenal; Carlos Vinicius, Andreas Pereira, Issa Diop and Manor Solomon followed; then Joao Palhinha, the defensive midfield revelation from Sporting. Manchester United wanted Palhinha last summer, but Silva used his Portuguese charm to guide him to Fulham. He has been their player of the season.

Fulham have lost just eight of their 24 League games, two being stoppage-time defeats by the Manchester clubs before the World Cup. They push everyone close, something that could not be said about them under any of their managers since Roy Hodgson.

The club is also into the FA Cup fifth round, where they host Leeds on Tuesday. Silva was suspended from Fulham's 3-2 fourth-round replay win at Sunderland after clocking up four yellow cards for remonstrating with referees.

"Passionate," he said, when asked how he would describe his managerial style. "I like to be there every session with my players, to coach them in every moment. [We have] to try to control our emotions, and I'm trying to do that, but I'm trying to be as passionate as I can."

Why have he and Fulham excelled together? "There are no secrets," he said. "It's the way we work, and it's not the first time I've worked in this way."

When Mitrovic missed last weekend's win at Brighton, Silva did not play striker Vinicius, instead moving Bobby Decordova-Reid there. It did not work, and Vinicius will likely start on Friday.

Yet Silva said he would consider trying it again. His success has afforded him the chance to experiment — and most of his risks pay off.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-fc-marco-silva-premier-league-b1062899.html

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Wolves: Lopetegui should unleash Podence vs Fulham

Wolverhampton Wanderers return to Premier League action on Friday night as they take on Fulham at Craven Cottage and Julen Lopetegui should unleash Daniel Podence in his starting lineup.

After back-to-back victories over Liverpool and Southampton, the Old Gold looked to be favourites when they took on relegation rivals Bournemouth at Molineux last week.

However, a narrow 1-0 defeat, in which Wolves' problems in the final third were once again exposed, has dragged Lopetegui's side right back into the battle at the bottom of the league.

Therefore, the Midlands club will be desperate to pick up points against an in-form Fulham side this evening, but face a tough ask, given that Marco Silva's side have kept clean sheets in each of their last three Premier League fixtures and look a real contender for a European spot this season.

Wolves are still the lowest scorers in the top flight and looked toothless in attack against the Cherries last time out, so Lopetegui must consider reinstalling Podence into his starting 11.

The Portuguese winger is the joint-top scorer with central midfielder Ruben Neves on five goals this term, while he also ranks among the top five players in Wolves' squad for shots and key passes per game, which emphasises the attacking quality that he can provide in the final third.

The Old Gold cannot afford to play things safe at this point in the season and will need a creative spark to unlock a resolute Fulham defence, so he must be preferred on the wing after Adama Traore and Pablo Sarabia failed to deliver against Bournemouth.

Ex-Wolves man Dave Edwards summed up what Podence can bring to Wolves in a column for the Express and Star, suggesting that he "never plays safe" and is "always looking to affect the game."

Meanwhile, his former boss Bruno Lage also praised the Portuguese threat last season, saying:

"He is very clever. With him, we can play better between the lines and can have different strategies.

"He understands his role and the game inside and outside. The main point is that I try to play where he starts and then create the moments he knows and the dynamic he has."

Given that Podence ranks far higher than someone like Traore for shots and key passes per game, Lopetegui should consider sacrificing the counter-attacking threat and instead add quality in the final third, in the hope that the former Olympiacos winger can do the business in another important fixture this evening.



https://www.footballfancast.com/wolves-news/wolves-julen-lopetegui-daniel-podence-fulham-chalkboard-molineux-wwfc-old-gold

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Fulham target admits big career dream after claims Marco Silva's side scouted him in January

Fulham target Milan van Ewijk has admitted he wants to win the Ballon D'or in future, despite that being "impossible" for a defender.

Van Ewiijk is currently starring for Heerenveen in the Eredivisie after joining them in a €600,000 deal from Ado den Haag in July 2021.

His performances have not gone unnoticed in Europe and reports in the January transfer window made it clear that Fulham were considering a move.

Those reports made it clear that they had sent scouts to watch the defender to get a closer look at him, with Van Ewijk later commenting on the apparent interest and then admitting he would be interested in the switch to Craven Cottage in the summer.

That would certainly go someway to helping Van Ewijk achieve a career dream, winning the Ballon D'Or.

"The Brazilian Cafú is my great example," FEAN Online report him saying.

"I have watched many of his matches. But also Cancelo from Manchester City, Alexander Arnold from Liverpool and Chelsea player (Reece) James.

"One day I want to win the Ballon d'Or, the Golden Ball for the best footballer of the year. As a defender, that is almost impossible and therefore an extra nice reward. Or be in the Eleven of the Year with the greatest players in the world . That would be great!"

Whether Fulham return to offer him his chance of Premier League football in the summer remains to be seen.

They were presumably keen on him in January as an alternative to Kenny Tete, with Kevin Mbabu having struggled since his arrival in the summer and eventually returning to Switzerland on loan.

Cedric Soares eventually arrived from Arsenal to fill that spot, with Fulham manager Marco Silva sharing his delight at getting that deal over the line this week.

That would suggest they won't be looking at Van Ewijk in the summer and he may need to look elsewhere to start his path to Ballon D'Or glory.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-target-admits-big-career-dream-claims-marco-silvas-side-scouted-january/

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Crunching the numbers: Why fantastic Fulham are soaring under Silva

Many thought Marco Silva's time in the top flight of English football had come to an end when he was sacked by Everton at the beginning of December 2019.

The Portuguese had taken charge of the Toffees in the summer of 2018 and enjoyed a respectable first season in charge, leading them to an eighth-placed finish.

But the 2019-20 campaign started poorly and when Everton took a 5-2 beating at the hands of their city rivals Liverpool, it became clear that Silva's position had become untenable.

He lost his job – the third time in English football that he had ended his time with his employer acrimoniously after previous stints in charge of Hull City and Watford.

Eighteen months later, however, the opportunity to replace Bournemouth-bound Scott Parker at Craven Cottage arose and Silva chose to take it.

Since then, he has led Fulham on a magnificent ride, restoring them to the Premier League and repairing his reputation in the process.

Bouncing back
Both Fulham and Silva bounced back in a big way in 2021-22. The former were keen to restore their Premier League status at the first time of asking following a humbling relegation and they did just that.

The Cottagers took 13 points of their first 15 and became the first English club to score 19 goals over three matches in the month of January, becoming the first side since Chester City did so in 1933.

They won the Championship by beating Luton Town 7-0, rounding off a high-scoring campaign that saw them clock up 106 goals – a feat only bettered by Manchester City back in 2001-02.

Silva's Fulham looked lean and mean, dancing in the bright lights of west London and determined to right previous wrongs. The man himself looked like someone who had learned from his mistakes.

All of that would have meant nothing, of course, had his team floundered upon their return to the Premier League and gone straight back down. Thankfully for them, however, that certainly has not happened.



Flying high
Fulham are sixth in the Premier League ahead of this weekend's action having taken 38 points from their opening 24 fixtures and look certain to avoid the drop.

But that is not what they are focused on. The Cottagers stand a real chance of securing European football for 2023-24 and look capable of capitalising on what has been a poor year for Chelsea and Liverpool.

The battle for a Europa League place looks like it will be fought between themselves, Brighton and Brentford, as well as the usual suspects.

Their position in the table is fully deserved. Silva's Fulham are a serious prospect – capable in the final third, tenacious in midfield and more than capable of running a tight ship at the back.

In terms of their underlying metrics, they rank highly Premier League-wide in several key categories – third for defensive duels won (991), third for loose balls won (385) and fourth for clean sheets (eight).



Collective and individual quality
Fulham are superbly coached, it is clear to see. Silva has been working on himself and refining his techniques during his time out of the game and it is evidently beginning to pay off.

But they also have a great deal of individual quality to go along with this collective coherence. Bernd Leno has kept seven clean sheets between the posts, serving as an important building block for their defence.

João Palhinha has made a team-high 272 successful defensive actions as well as winning 115 interceptions and 134 defensive duels. The Portuguese is the glue that holds their midfield together.

Andreas Pereira has contributed two goals and a team-high six assists from his position in attacking midfield. The Brazilian, returning to English football after a spell back home in Rio de Janeiro with Flamengo, has also completed 24 dribbles, made 29 progressive runs and taken 41 touches in the box.



And then, of course, there is Aleksandar Mitrović. The Serbian has always been considered too good for the Championship and not good enough for the Premier League but he has dispelled that myth in 2022-23 – contributing a team-high 11 goals and two assists for Fulham.

And that makes for a potent combination. Fulham have a point to prove and they are led by a man and a group of players in a very similar boat. They are most certainly proving it this year.



https://www.twenty3.sport/crunching-the-numbers-why-fantastic-fulham-are-soaring-under-silva/

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Fulham midfielder to leave the club as new club swoops in

Latest news on the transfer front involving Fulham emerges

Fulham midfielder Adrion Pajaziti is reportedly close to joining FK Haugesund. The youngster is being given the green light to head out the exit door to get some more game time under his belt.

According to reporter Fabrizio Romano on Twitter (see tweet below), the 20-year-old will link up with the Norweigen side on loan. The deal will also include an option to buy.

https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1629133820963311617

Fulham have a whole host of options in midfield such as Joao Palhinha, Harrison Reed, Tom Cairney and new signing Sasa Lukic which has blocked the Albanian youth international's pathway into the first-team. He has been on the books of the London club since the age of 12.

He has since risen up through the academy ranks at Craven Cottage and has been a regular at various youth levels over recent years. The Cottagers handed him his first professional contract back in October 2020 and he made his only senior appearance to date a year later in a fixture away at Birmingham City.



https://www.londonworld.com/sport/football/fulham/fulham-midfielder-to-leave-the-club-as-new-club-swoops-in-4040909