Sunday Fulham Stuff - 27/08/23...

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Silva salutes Fulham's 'determination'
Marco Silva praised Fulham's 'ambition and 'determination' after his side earned a point with ten men at Arsenal this afternoon.

The Whites equalised with three minutes to go through the returning Joao Palhinha having had Calvin Bassey sent off for two yellow cards – the first of which Silva described as a joke. The Fulham head coach was delighted with his side's adventure, which saw them hit the front in the first minute with a stunning strike from Andreas Pereira, and their response to last weekend's derby defeat by Brentford.

Silva told the BBC:

"[It is] strange, [I am] angry [but] it's a good point, I agree with that. A great reaction from ourselves from the last result. Many people said this would not be a good stadium to come to and show a reaction. We believed it could be the best place to come and show that. We did that from the first minute, the way we pressed them and took advantage of the mistake. Of course Arsenal come back with more chances and shots and corners – I don't need to see the stats.

"They push when they are losing. I have to mention the away fans as well, the way they support our team. They [Arsenal] created some moments, although not big, big chances in the first half. One of the things we need to improve is on the ball, we need possession to rest a bit more and breathe. It is tough physically to always be running back to the ball.

"Until the penalty, I thought the game was more or less under control. We have to be a bit more mature after they equalise. They score the second goal too quick and, in my mind, it was a foul on Calvin Bassey. At ten men we showed the ambition and determination, and a capacity to keep believing in ourselves. After we equalised, we were brave to defend our box with ten men."

The Portuguese head coach was scathing about referee Paul Tierney's decision to book Bassey for timewasting – pointing out that whilst seven Fulham representatives saw yellow, the official did not book anyone from the home side.

The first yellow card for Calvin is a joke. I have to say that yellow card is a joke. Of course we understand the new circumstances, they are taking all the emotion from the game. For sure, if a player from Fulham or another club came here to the Emirates and takes ten seconds to throw the ball in from a throw-in or a goal kick, it will be a yellow card.

For the other clubs, it's not the same. If you see one of the first throw-ins for [Thomas] Partey on my side of the touchline, it took much more time than Calvin with the goal kick. It was not a yellow card. Why? Because they were losing the game."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/08/silva-salutes-fulhams-determination/

[WhiteJC]

Palhinha praises Fulham's 'soul'
João Palhinha praised Fulham's 'amazing effort' as they made a mockery of their numerical disadvantage to claim a point at Arsenal this afternoon.

The Portuguese midfielder, making his first start of the season after damaging his shoulder during the summer tour of America, drove home an 87th minute equaliser to earn a share of the spoils for Marco Silva's side after the Whites had seen Calvin Bassey sent off with the Gunners leading 2-1.

Palhinha told BBC Sport:

"I came from an injury and it was tough for me this last month because I miss all the pre-season with my team-mates. It is really good to be back and to help my team-mates and finish the game like this. Unfortunately we didn't win but I think it is a good result. It is always tough to play against Arsenal. We came to try to win but the most important thing was the effort we showed until the end, even with ten men.

It was tough in the last ten minutes. I go to the back line and we tried to give our all until the end to defend the spaces and it meant we could achieve a good result. The manager said we needed to give better value to the ball and we gave up a little bit of possession. We have the quality to do better with the ball. The effort was amazing from all the players and that is the soul of this team."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/08/palhinha-praises-fulhams-soul/

[WhiteJC]

'We should have scored seven!' - Mikel Arteta says Arsenal must develop 'over my dead body' attitude after slip up against Fulham
Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal must develop an "over my dead body" attitude after their 2-2 draw with Fulham on Saturday.

    Gunners dropped points on Saturday
    Conceded late on to 10-man Fulham
    Arteta says they should have scored seven

WHAT HAPPENED? Arteta was left disappointed by the Gunners' draw with Fulham, insisting that his side could have scored seven goals, given the chances they created. Instead, they fell 1-0 down within a minute due to Andreas Pereira's goal, and fought back to 2-1 thanks to goals from Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah. Fulham defender Calvin Bassey was sent off in the 83rd minute, but Joao Palhinha was able to give the 10 men a point at the Emirates.

WHAT THEY SAID: Arteta told BBC Match of the Day: "Right from the beginning, we gave an incredible goal away. You make life really difficult for yourself. But the team reacted really well. We dominated the game and created countless chances and should have scored five, six, seven goals easily. And when you have done the most difficult thing which is to get back ahead against a team that is well organised, you have to defend your box from one corner. It is the only chance they have and you get punished.

"Yet still you get another two chances and don't score - that is the story of the game. The amount of things we did to merit to win the game comfortably, we end up with one point.

"We have to show another level of commitment and desire and 'over my dead body'. With 10 men, you cannot concede a goal."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Arsenal won their opening two games of the season but now face a difficult run of fixtures that may make this draw feel all the more avoidable.

WHAT NEXT? Arteta's side face Manchester United on Sunday, and will then take on Everton before the north London derby against Tottenham.



https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/mikel-arteta-says-arsenal-over-my-dead-body-attitude-fulham/blt6ebfdc1c28332796

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Silva hails Fulham's resilience after dramatic draw
Fulham boss Marco Silva praised his players for the resilience they showed in their dramatic 2-2 draw at Arsenal.

Joao Palhinha scored a late equaliser shortly after the Whites were reduced to 10 men after Calvin Bassey was sent off.

Silva's side had to withstand pressure in the final minutes but held on to take a point.

Silva said: "After we equalised we showed the resilience, the braveness and the organisation to defend our box.

"Arsenal, in my opinion, are going to be even stronger than last season. The quality that they have for their squad is impressive and I have to say that they are going to be clear contenders again, but we showed the reliance."

Andreas Pereira put the Whites ahead in the first minute but two Arsenal goals in as many minutes in the second half turned the game in the hosts' favour before Bassey was sent off.

Bukayo Saka levelled just before Eddie Nketiah scored a controversial second for the Gunners.

Fulham were reduced to 10 men on 83 minutes after Bassey was dismissed on his full debut, but Palhinah's sweetly-struck half-volley brought them level in dramatic fashion.

It was a dream start for the visitors, who went in front after a mistake by Saka.

The England international from Ealing gave the ball straight to Pereira, who ran towards goal and slotted past keeper Aaron Ramsdale.

Saka atoned by equalising from the penalty spot after Fabio Vieira had been brought down by Kenny Tete.

And Nketiah netted soon afterwards, leaving Fulham with every reason to feel aggrieved.

When play was allowed to continue after Bassey was dragged down by Saka, the Fulham defender was adjudged to be playing Nketiah onside when the striker tucked away Vieira's cross.

Worse followed for Fulham and Bassey when he was given a second yellow card following a foul on Nketiah, but Silva's side hit back in fine style.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/silva-hails-fulhams-resilience-after-dramatic-draw

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Marco Silva rates Arsenal's Premier League title chances after Fulham comeback
Marco Silva has backed Arsenal to challenge for the Premier League title again this season despite their failure to beat his Fulham side on Saturday.

The Gunners looked to have completed an impressive comeback with two goals in three minutes from Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah, cancelling out Andreas Pereira's bizarre early opener.

Joao Palhinha, however, provided a late sting in the tail, sweeping home from 12 yards having been left virtually unmarked at a corner.

Arsenal nearly forced a winner during nine minutes of injury time but ultimately had to settle for a point which saw them surrender their 100% start to the season.

With Manchester United and Tottenham on the horizon, as well as a trip to bogey ground Goodison Park, Arsenal can ill-afford too many more slips at this stage of the campaign if they are to go one better than last season.

Silva, however, is confident Mikel Arteta's side is well equipped to prove a genuine rival to Manchester City's continued dominance of English football.

Speaking at his post match press conference, the Fulham manager said: 'We have great respect for Arsenal. In my opinion they are going to be even stronger than last season.

'The quality they add for their squad is impressive and I have to say they are going to be contenders again because the quality they have and the manager they have and all of that stuff.'

Arteta, meanwhile, was left to rue a late defensive lapse that soured the mood inside the Emirates Stadium.

He said: 'Well, obviously within the first minute you made the mistake that we made and you just give a goal to the opponent, the game becomes much more difficult.

'The reaction straight after that even in the first half with the amount of situations and chances we created, we didn't give anything away, we controlled the game for full periods but we didn't score the goal and in the second half we made some changes.

'The dynamic changed and we had better relationships, I think the subs made a huge difference and great impact and I loved their determination and the confidence that they brought to the team. We went 2-1 up and then you have to defend the box with your life and you cannot concede that goal after that we've done because we should have scored five, six, seven, I don't know.'



https://metro.co.uk/2023/08/26/marco-silva-rates-arsenals-premier-league-title-chances-19401429/?ito=newsnow-feed

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Fulham: Transfer insider drops update as Silva eyes three Mitrovic replacements
Fulham are expecting a busy week before the transfer window's deadline at Craven Cottage.

Fulham are "hitting the transfer market next week" to secure an Aleksandar Mitrovic replacement at Craven Cottage, as transfer insider Dean Jones provides GIVEMESPORT an update on other areas of the pitch.

The Cottagers hope to bolster Marco Silva's squad before next week's transfer deadline.

Fulham transfer news – Latest
Last week, Fulham confirmed the departure of Mitrovic to Saudi Pro League outfit Al Hilal. The club stated they had received a club-record fee, reported to be £50m. Therefore, the Cottagers must begin to find a replacement before next Friday's transfer deadline.

Despite signing Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Raul Jimenez earlier in the summer, the MailOnline has reported that Fulham have approached Duvan Zapata. Reports claim that the Colombian is leaning towards remaining at his current club Atalanta, after a loan move to Roma broke down. However, the west London outfit are enquiring to see if he could be tempted by a move to the Premier League.

Meanwhile, Silva has confirmed that Fulham are not interested in signing Juventus centre-forward Moise Kean from Juventus. Jones has also confirmed that the Portuguese head coach was never expectant on a move for Chelsea's Armando Broja whilst providing an update on the club's search for a full-back.

Fulham signings - summer	Fee
Raul Jimenez (Wolves)	£5.5m
Calvin Bassey (Ajax)	£18.2m
Adama Traore (Wolves)	Free

All fees as per Sky Sports

What has Jones said about Fulham?
Jones told GIVEMESPORT: "Fulham are hitting the transfer market next week to bolster the squad and make sure they are safer from the threat of relegation.

"Zapata is being linked, and the feeling is that it could be tricky, so the early expectations of it happening are low. But they are touching base in the hope something could open up.

"Broja was always a very outside bet, and Silva was never that expectant on anything happening with that. There was the Kean interest too though, so we are seeing a picture being painted of the type of striker we can expect them to sign in terms of player profile and fit. Mitrovic is a very physical player, and Fulham are looking for someone to bring that to their attack again. It's very important in terms of how Silva lines up his team and builds play.

"Fulham are also looking at full backs, partly because there is a feeling that Kenny Tete has been open to a new club this summer. But also because they need reinforcements anyway. Timothy Castagne and Yukinari Sugawara are both players who have hit the radar, but there are others too. That particular position is still being explored, and Fulham fans have to stay patient because there is a chance this all goes down to the wire."


What next for Fulham this summer?
Fulham have several names on their transfer shortlist ahead of next Friday's transfer window deadline. The Cottagers are eager to bolster their squad and avoid a dice with relegation from the Premier League this term.

According to TEAMtalk, the west London outfit are stepping up their interest in Monaco left-back Ismail Jakobs, with Antonee Robinson being the club's only recognised player in that position. The Senegal star has emerged as a top target for Fulham, and the clubs are reportedly underway in discussions over the defender.

Meanwhile, reports claim that Fulham have made an approach for Flamengo striker Pedro alongside Zapata. The 26-year-old wants to move to the Premier League, with the South American outfit turning down a £21m from Silva's side.



https://www.givemesport.com/fulham-duvan-zapata-transfer-news-update/

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Player ratings: Arsenal 2-2 Fulham

George Rossiter has the ratings after a topsy-turvy London derby.

Anger, frustration, tension, elation, relief. Just a few emotions I went through from the comfort of my own couch in just the second half alone, God knows what it was like for the thousands of fans travelling to North London. After a tense first half where Fulham led from the off, the second half was frantic and frenetic and resulted in both teams taking home a point, one that the Whites will be much happier with.

Bernd Leno
It does feel like most weeks, whilst I am ready to praise Leno, I also feel the need to point out how little he is at fault for the goals we concede. Another penalty plus a close-range Nketiah goal were beyond the German's control. Now onto the good stuff. Bernd made multiple first half saves, most notably a couple from scenarios where Martinelli cut inside and shot from the left hand side. In the nine, soon to be 11 added minutes in the second half, our keeper remained calm as Arsenal pushed for a winner, making two huge saves from Fabio Vieira. 7.5/10.

Kenny Tete
Judging Tete's first half was performance is difficult. By no means was the Dutchman poor but Martinelli did constantly find himself weaving into shooting positions beyond our right back. Regardless, until the 67th minute it was a fairly solid showing...then he had a rare rash moment. Tete's challenge in the box on Fabio Vieira was brain dead and cost Fulham after playing two thirds of the game and showing no signs of any lapses of concentration. While we did get back into the game, it went very wrong for the ten minutes after Tete's mad moment. 6/10.

Issa Diop
It's nice to see that last week's shocker hadn't effected the Frenchman's confidence this week. Diop was immense in the air throughout and never gave Trossard a sniff in the first half. From the moment Fulham went ahead in the opening minute, Arsenal bombarded our box and Diop dealt admirably with the pressure he came under, defending our six-yard area superbly. It was also positive to see that he didn't look shaky on the ball after the dreadful back-pass against Brentford. 7.5/10.

Calvin Bassey
Let's address the elephant in the room. His second yellow card was almost as stupid as Tete's challenge for the penalty, and the suspension will be annoying. However, the 83 minutes leading up to that moment were hugely encouraging. A lot has been said of Bassey's potential versatility and he showed reasons why that could be useful today, playing in the middle of the defence. His ability and strength on the ball, shown on one particular occasion when he bought the ball 60 yards up the pitch, is brilliant. Furthermore, he defended his own box incredibly well alongside Diop. Ream has serious competition. Small points knocked off for the red card, nothing drastic. 7/10.

Antonee Robinson
The first half was a mixed bag. While Jedi was positive defensively and tried to push Partey as far back as he could, when faced one-on-one with the skill of Bukayo Saka, he was sometimes beaten too often. That was the case less often in the second half as Robinson grew into the game defensively as Fulham came under more pressure in their own defensive third. Saka will cause more damage to better sides this season, so we can take that as a positive. 6.5/10.

Joao Palhinha
My goodness gracious me. This beautiful Portuguese man really does make a difference for our side. A lot has been said over the last week about how we replace Mitrovic, and that's fair enough, but Joao really has become the irreplaceable player at Fulham Football Club. His last-ditch tackling and use of his body to move the ball from our half to our opponent's in the transition is almost second to none in world football, and I don't feel that's an exaggeration. According to OPTA, his 6 tackles and 11 times winning possession from an opponent was more than any other player in the Premier League on Saturday. Just Joao things, he is a remarkable footballer. And that's not to mention the composure he showed in a crowded box to score a late equaliser. What a man. 8.5/10 – Man of the match.

Sasa Lukic
I'm sure quite a few members of the fanbase had to take a second glance at the team sheet at 2pm when Harrison Reed's name appeared on the Fulham bench. However, for the third game in a row I think Lukic showed what he can offer. He ran and ran and ran in midfield and was brilliant alongside Palhinha in regaining possession on a number of occasions. The remaining worry is that he doesn't recycle possession at speed like you need to in the Premier League but I continue to believe that that will come with time. 7/10.

Andreas Pereira
Let's start at the beginning, that's a good place to start, especially when Andreas Pereira is scoring long range goals in the first minute of the game against a title contender. Admittedly, I think he's scuffed the shot, but we'll pretend he meant to catch Ramsdale off guard. His tactical positioning within the game was reminiscent of the start of last season where he pressed so high that Fulham were almost set up in a 4-4-2 formation, and it was effective. 7/10.

Harry Wilson
Wilson started the game more positively than he did in the opening weeks against Everton and Brentford. He looked more confident taking on his man and shooting from range, which was a positive. It has to be said though, that he was less effective as the game went on and is still yet to put together a 90 minutes that lives up to the form he showed both in the Championship and in the run-in last season. It'll come, I'm sure of it. 6/10.

Bobby De Cordova-Reid
Attacking wise, Bobby was fairly quiet in the first half before being slightly more aggressive after the break, nearly scoring from range when Fulham countered dangerously in the 52nd minute. Most importantly in this game, Bobby deserves immense credit for how he dealt with Thomas Partey. Marco Silva used the Jamaican and captain for the day superbly, playing him slightly more narrow to squash the effectiveness of Partey inverting into Arsenal's midfield and thus not allowing the home side from overloading us in the middle of the park. Playing wherever, whenever for this club and doing it to the best of his ability is why he was given the armband, a leader in every sense of the word. 7/10.

Raul Jimenez
Bloody hell, if that acrobatic, overhead style strike on 22 minutes had nestled into the top corner of Aaron Ramsdale's net, we'd be talking about a potential contender for the Puskas Award. Beyond that, Raul put in a tireless display, certainly his best in a Fulham shirt so far. Even when Fulham were under the cosh big time, he ran all over the park to help Fulham press from the front, chasing every single ball in the Arsenal half. His first half block in the six yard box from a Martinelli effort was courageous and potentially goal-saving. Lots of positives to take going forward from the Mexican. 7.5/10.

Substitutes
Tom Cairney
Subbed on after 62 minutes for Andreas Pereira
Fulham imploded for a 15 minute spell in the second half just after the skipper came on and as a result he struggled to see much of the ball, which continued as Arsenal attacked our box time after time in the closing stages. 6/10.

Harrison Reed
Subbed on after 70 minutes for Sasa Lukic
Ran and ran and often chased Arsenal shadows for what ended up being half an hour of play after he came on. Like TC, found it especially hard to get onto the ball, other than when he assisted Palhinha's equaliser, that'll do Reedy, that'll do. 6/10.

Adama Traore
Subbed on after 70 minutes for Harry Wilson
In news to absolutely nobody, the Spanish baby oil King is bloody quick. I don't even want to consider the scenes in the away end had his 97th minute strike nestled in the Arsenal net. He's gonna cause our opponents all sorts of issues this year. 6/10.

Tosin (subbed on after 89 minutes for Bobby De Cordova-Reid) came on too late to be fairly rated but nice to see him back involved with the matchday squad.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2023-08-26-player-ratings-arsenal-2-2-fulham/

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Silva suspended for Spurs
Marco Silva will be suspended for Fulham's League Cup second round tie with Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday night after picking up his third booking of the season at Arsenal this afternoon.

The FA's new charter on 'participant behaviour' strengthened the sanctions for players, managers and coaches before the start of the season and Silva serve a touchline ban at Craven Cottage after being booked at the Emirates as well as during the 1-0 win at Everton and in last weekend's defeat by Brentford.

Silva told the press after the thrilling draw in north London:

"It is really difficult not just for us, think it is for the referees and players. The guidelines are there. Consistency is a problem. About myself, of course, I have to adjust. Probably the best way to adjust is to be sitting on the bench. I have to tell you, that is almost impossible for me because my players need me. But if it is going to be the only solution, I have to leave because I want to be on the bench. I don't want to be in the stands. The emotion is almost impossible to take from the manager."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/08/silva-suspended-for-spurs/

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Spirited Fulham grab late point to deny Arsenal another win
LONDON: Joao Palhinha surprised sloppy Arsenal with a late equaliser as 10-men Fulham came back to claim a dramatic 2-2 derby draw in north London and end their hosts' perfect start to the Premier League season.

Fulham did not have the best of luck with decisions. Calvin Bassey was sent off for two yellow cards while Arsenal's Bukayo Saka escaped being penalised for an apparent foul on the defender down in the build-up to Eddie Nketiah's goal.

Earlier Saka had inadvertently set up Andreas Pereira for Fulham's opener within the first minute and Palhinha was handed the freedom of the penalty area to score the visitors' equaliser.

Saka made amends for his error by scoring a second-half penalty and Nketiah put the hosts ahead with their controversial second before Palhinha hit back.



http://keirradnedge.com/2023/08/26/spirited-fulham-grab-late-point-to-deny-arsenal-another-win/

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Marco Silva makes early Premier League title admission with Arsenal prediction
Arsenal news: Marco Silva has predicted the Gunners to be amongst the teams challenging for the Premier League title again this season

Fulham boss Marco Silva has backed Arsenal to compete for the Premier League title race once again.

Mikel Arteta's men were held to a 2-2 draw by Fulham on Saturday afternoon in a frustrating afternoon in north London, meaning they have started the 2023/24 campaign with two wins and a draw.

Having fallen 1-0 down within the first minute thanks to Andreas Pereira, goals from Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah put Arsenal 2-1 ahead and on course to make it three consecutive victories. However, Portugal international Joao Palhinha scored an 87th minute equaliser to share the points at the Emirates Stadium.

Next up for the Gunners is the visit of Manchester United before a trip to Everton after the international break and the first north London derby of the season against Tottenham towards the end of September.

Despite holding Arteta's men to a draw, Silva has insisted that they are well-equipped to challenge Manchester City for the Premier League title this season. "We have great respect for Arsenal. In my opinion they are going to be even stronger than last season," he said.

"The quality they add for their squad is impressive and I have to say they are going to be contenders again because the quality they have and the manager they have and all of that stuff."

After the game, Arteta rued his side's missed chances, claiming they could have scored more than two. "Obviously when in the first minute you make the mistake we made and give a goal to the opponent, the game becomes much more difficult," the Spaniard said.

"The reaction straight after that, even in the first half, the situations and chances we generated, we didn't give anything away. We controlled the game for full periods but we didn't score the goal.

"In the second half we made some changes, the dynamic changed, we had better relationships. The subs made a huge difference, great impact, I loved the determination and the confidence that they brought to the team.

"We made the most difficult thing, go 2-1 up. Then you have to defend the box with your life, you cannot concede a goal after everything we did. We should have scored five, six, seven, I don't know."



https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/news/arsenal-premier-league-title-prediction-27602289

[WhiteJC]

Furious fans DEMAND Arteta be SACKED after Fulham debacle!
Okay, so no, they didn't. Well, a few did. They're the same "fans" who demanded Arteta be sacked after we stumbled to fifth place two seasons ago, after we failed to win the Prem last season, and after we lost to Man U over the summer. There are some fans whose emotional stability matches that of a ping pong ball in a bouncy house. Yes, on paper, we really should have trounced Fulham. That we ended up narrowly escaping with a point offers cold comfort. Arteta does deserve the lion's share of the blame.

I say "lion's share" because, let's face it, the lads seemed more interesting in seeing how many passes they could put straight to a Fulham player rather than to a teammate. Time and time and time again, misplaced passes killed us, whether it was Saka's brilliant through-ball into space for Fulham's Pereira to score or any of the countless others. We were careless, and we got punished.

Having said that, Arteta did himself no favours with his squad selection. For one, I think we've all tired of Partey as an inverted full back. It's not a role that suits him, it disrupts the midfield rhyhtm, and it denies Saka the support he gets from White. It's one thing to ask a DM to play RB; it's quite another to ask him to play this newly invented role on the fly. Partey often looked flummoxed and hesitant.

Deprived of any real support or service of the kind White offers him, Saka played like a man possessed, for good and for bad, veering into late-stage Sanchezian heroball. For as often as he rinsed Robinson, he also wasted chances by shooting when he should have passed (a problem compounded by the fact that he so often had no one to pass to). Partey either wouldn't or couldn't get high up enough to support him, and White had too much to worry about dealing with Jimenez and our tendency to cough up the ball, leading to quick Fulham counters and long balls.

Kiwior, a CB by trade, was pressed into service ahead of Tierney, whose exclusion continues to baffle even as a move to Real Sociedad develops. The Scotsman is no inverted fullback, but we shouldn't need such bells and whistles against Fulham. Kiwior performed reasonably well but never looked comfortable, and Arteta really should have subbed Zinchenko in far sooner than the 56th minute.

None of this is doing Rice or Havertz any favours, either. Rice does seem to have settled in nicely, but he's hardly dazzled or done anything to justify that astronomical fee. The situation with Havertz is somewhat worse even if the fee is somewhat lower. Having just left an unsettled, chaotic situation, he looks ill at ease, and fans are starting to turn on him. One misplaced pass elicited groans, and he was subbed off soon after.

The continued exclusion of Magalhães continues to baffle. Why exclude one of your best CBs, move your best RB to CB, one of your other CBs to LB, and your DM to RB? That's just too many letters shifting around. We could pretend that it's tactical, with Saliba the better ball-carrying CB and faster runner (as shown by his footrace with Traore in stoppage time), but it still doesn't add up. All of Arteta's tinkering has discombobulated the squad. There's no chemistry, and each of these three matches has felt like we're wearing someone else's shoes...and they're on the wrong feet to boot. Arteta has got to stop overthinking it and get back to basics. Keep it simple, sweetheart.

On a larger level, part of what we're experiencing is the difference in expectations from last year to this. No one expected us to be anywhere close to the top of the table for any stretch of the season, much less spending 248 days there. It's one thing to play the role of the dark horse coming out of nowhere, defying expectations, and surprising opponents and pundits alike. This time through, though, we're more of a known quantity. We've lost some of that element of surprise, and, what's more, we've lost some of the hunger and determination that came with having something to prove. Arteta should have anticipated that (and maybe he did), but all of this tinkering after all of that spending suggests that he's gotten himself in over his head.

Hell, when Paul Tierney awards you a penalty and sends off an opponent, and you're at home to Fulham, you really should come away with all three points. For it to feel like we were fortunate to come away with a draw feels rather damning. Arteta had better get back to what worked so well last year. Anything less than a confident, comfortable win next week, and I get the sense that certain sections of the fanbase may start warming tar, plucking feathers, and sharpening pitchforks.



https://woolwich1886.com/2023/08/27/furious-fans-demand-arteta-be-sacked-after-fulham-debacle/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham: Cottagers considering move for Walker-Peters
The Southampton full-back could make an immediate return to the Premier League...

Fulham are now considering a move for Southampton right-back Kyle Walker-Peters, as a potential alternative to their top target, who has been revealed in a new report.

Who are Fulham signing this summer?
Ahead of the September 1st transfer deadline, Marco Silva is prioritising bringing in some new options at full-back, with Football Insider reporting the manager is keen on bringing in a new player on either side, as he is keen to have competition for places.

Antonee Robinson is currently the Cottagers' first-choice option on the left, while Kenny Tete has been playing on the right, but a new signing could yet change that, and several potential options have been identified on either side, including Leicester City's Timothy Castagne.

Talks have already been held with the Foxes over a deal for the Belgian right-back, who has been out of favour under Enzo Maresca, and Fulham are also in ongoing discussions to sign AS Monaco's Ismail Jakobs, who plays on the opposite flank.

In a new report from The Evening Standard, it is detailed that a plethora of options have been picked out, with AC Milan's Fode Ballo-Toure, Union Berlin's Josip Juranovic, and Rennes' Arthur Theate being considered, although Castagne is the priority.

The report also names Walker-Peters as one of the players under consideration, with the Cottagers chasing two full-backs, so they have no shortage of options in the final week of the summer transfer window.

At the moment, the interest in the Southampton right-back appears to be tentative, with no formal approach being made, and he is not said to be among the Londoners' top targets, but a move could still be on the cards, if they settle on him as the right man.

However, there could be competition from one of the Premier League's top clubs, as Arsenal have also been named as potential suitors for the defender, following Jurrien Timber's recent injury.

How good is Kyle Walker-Peters?
If Fulham are keen on bringing in an expansive full-back, who is capable of providing a threat in the attacking third, the 26-year-old could be their man, given that he is a keen dribbler of the ball, ranking in the 92nd percentile for successful take-ons in the past year.

Although the Saints were ultimately relegated from the top flight last season, the £23k-per-week defender received praise from former manager Ruben Selles, who said:

"I think Kyle is an extraordinary player.

"His ability in positions, but also to understand the system we are playing has big value for us. Kyle has been really good in the Premier League for the last four to five years."

As pointed out by Selles, the London-born full-back has proven himself in the top flight, having made 115 appearances in the competition, which could make him a reliable option for Silva, as opposed to taking a risk on a foreign player.

The two-time England international, who has been compared to Germany legend Philipp Lahm by former Southampton boss Ralph Hassenhuttl, could be a top signing for Fulham, and he may well be keen on an immediate return to the top flight, making this one to keep an eye on.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-premier-league-kyle-walker-peters-transfer-news-rumours-updates/

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Nottingham Forest had to fight off Fulham to sign 26-year-old star
Nottingham Forest beat Premier League rivals Fulham to the signing of defender Gonzalo Montiel earlier this week. The player rejected other offers to pen terms at the City Ground.

According to Estadio Deportivo, the Reds had to fight off a late charge from Fulham for his signature. However, Montiel had his heart set on a move to Forest and they won the race.

It's the first time in the club's history that a World Cup winner has played for Forest. Montiel scored the winning penalty as Argentina defeated France in the final back in December.

The 26-year-old has a bit of a reputation when it comes to taking penalty kicks. He also scored the winning penalty as Sevilla defeated Roma to win the Europa League Final at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

Fulham did well in the Premier League last season. As a result, it perhaps highlights that Forest are still an attractive proposition for new signings given that Montiel chose Nottingham over London.

The player arrives at Forest as a player with lots of big game experience to his name. Not only has he won the World Cup and Europa League but he was also part of the Argentina team that won the Copa America.

Forest beat Premier League rivals Fulham to Montiel signing
If there was any doubt before this signing, Nottingham Forest are back. Two years ago the Reds were languishing in bottom place in the Championship yet now, they're signing World Cup winners!

Steve Cooper has overseen a ridiculous turnaround at the football club. Behind the scenes, it's starting to become apparent that the people in charge of recruitment have worked tirelessly this summer.

George Syrianos has returned on a consultancy basis. He, along with Ross Wilson, have been busy in recent days and the Forest squad looks like being much stronger than it was 12 months ago.

It promises to be a busy few days for the Reds leading up to the transfer deadline. Hopefully, Cooper will get his wish and Forest can sign a few more before the window slams shut.



https://www.nottinghamforest.news/2023/08/27/nottingham-forest-had-to-fight-off-fulham-to-sign-26-year-old-star/