Tuesday Fulham Stuff - 17/12/24...

WhiteJC · December 17, 2024, 07:37:54 AM

Results

*Monday 16/12*
Bournemouth	1-1	West Ham

WhiteJC · December 17, 2024, 07:54:35 AM

Former Premier League referee issues verdict on key decision during Liverpool vs Fulham
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has had his say on a controversial moment during Fulham's draw with Liverpool.

The debate is raging after Fulham and Liverpool's entertaining 2-2 draw at Anfield on Saturday. The Cottagers picked up another huge point against one of the heavyweights thanks to goals from Andreas Pereira and Rodrigo Muniz that were cancelled out by efforts from Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota.

But the game was conditioned by a controversial decision that saw Andy Robertson sent off after just 17 minutes. The Scot took out Harry Wilson as the Welsh forward looked to break through against his former club.

The red card is certainly a debatable one, with Wilson arguably not in control of the ball, therefore not guaranteed a goalscoring opportunity, while one could also argue Robertson made the challenge with no expectation of getting the ball, which could take the challenge into red card territory.

As fans continue the debate, former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has had his say on the incident, telling Sky Sports News: "I have had a lot of chances to look at this again and I did not think it was a red card at the time, and I still do not. Robertson mis-controls the ball and Wilson nicks the ball. Is he in control of the ball? No.

"Is he going to gain control of the ball? Doubtful as the Liverpool player is going to get there first. Is he moving towards goal? No. there are too many variables and the 'O' stands for obvious. A more palatable decision would be a yellow card - if the ref [Tony Harrington] had whistled immediately, I think everybody would have accepted it."

Liverpool boss Arne Slot didn't complain too much about the red card, saying after the game: "I think Robbo might have been a bit too injured to keep going because normally he's faster than that," Slot said, referring to Robertson's mistimed recovery tackle on Wilson.

"It says a lot about his character that he wants to keep on going but it results in a red card. I think it's just whether it's offside. I was clear it wasn't going to be changed. It's maybe the only thing I didn't complain about today."

https://www.londonworld.com/sport/football/fulham/premier-league-referee-verdict-fulham-4910878

WhiteJC · December 17, 2024, 07:56:13 AM

Dermot Gallagher claims Liverpool were given raw deal by erroneous refereeing decision v Fulham
Dermot Gallagher feels that Liverpool were hard done by over one big decision in the 2-2 draw against Fulham on Saturday.

The former Premier League referee made his weekly appearance on Ref Watch for Sky Sports News on Monday morning as he looked back on some of the major talking points from the weekend's action.

He bafflingly agreed with Tony Harrington's decision to give Andreas Pereira a yellow rather than a red card for a nasty foul on Ryan Gravenberch's Achilles, but the ex-top flight whistler claimed that the Reds had a legitimate grievance over another call which went against them.

Gallagher says Robertson red card was wrongly given
Gallagher gave his verdict on Andy Robertson's dismissal for a foul on Harry Wilson which was perceived to be denial of a goalscoring opportunity (DOGSO), believing it to have been harsh on the Liverpool left-back.

He told Sky Sports: "I have had a lot of chances to look at this again. I did not think it was a red card at the time, and I still don't.

"Robertson doesn't know he's coming. He miscontrols the ball and Wilson nicks the ball. Is he in control of the ball? No. Is he going to gain control of the ball? Very doubtful because the Liverpool player is going to get there first. Is he moving towards goal? No.

"There's are too many variables and the 'O' [in DOGSO] stands for obvious and not possible. Then [Raul] Jimenez has a shot and the whistle actually goes when [Virgil] Van Dijk clears the ball so it adds a lot of complications to it. A more palatable decision would have been a yellow card.

"If you're going to give a red card then you whistle because once you whistle you're in control of the situation. If he thinks it's a red card then just blow. If the referee had whistled immediately then everyone would have accepted that."

Gallagher has a point
On initial viewing it had seemed as though Robertson prevented a goalscoring opportunity for Fulham, but upon looking back at the footage and hearing Gallagher's verdict, we're inclined to view it differently.

Van Dijk was indeed in the vicinity of the ball and succeeded in clearing away Jimenez's subsequent chip, at which point Harrington then called it back for a foul and showed our number 26 the red card.

Perhaps if the referee blew immediately after the challenge, the visitors may have been enraged at him for not playing the advantage, but the decision to leave Liverpool a player light for all but the opening 17 minutes unquestionably had a massive impact on the game.

Rightly or wrongly, it means that Robertson is now suspended at an inopportune time for the Reds – with Kostas Tsimikas injured, it leaves Arne Slot without any natural senior left-backs available to him for the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Southampton on Wednesday.

One small mercy for us is that a direct red card for a DOGSO foul carries just a one-match ban (whereas violent conduct or serious foul play is three), so the 30-year-old will be free to play in our next Premier League fixture away to Tottenham in six days' time

https://www.empireofthekop.com/2024/12/16/gallagher-robertson-red-card-liverpool-fulham/

WhiteJC · December 17, 2024, 07:57:21 AM

Cobblers waiting on fitness of Matt Dibley-Dias and Tariqe Fosu after duo miss Rotherham defeat
Cobblers are still waiting to hear back from the physio regarding the latest injuries suffered by Matt Dibley-Dias and Tariqe Fosu.

Dibley-Dias made his long-awaited return as a second-half substitute in last Monday's derby victory over Peterborough United, but he did not feature in the squad that travelled to Rotherham at the weekend.

Fosu was also absent from the 18 that were involved at the New York Stadium, and assistant manager Marc Richards confirmed both players have picked up injuries. "Matt came back against Peterborough but he's probably suffered a small setback," said the former Town striker. "We need to wait for the physio's report on him.

"With Tariqe, he has a slight knee injury that we're not sure about at the moment but again we'll wait for the news to come back from the physio. Those two players are both very important for us and we need them back as soon as possible.

"That goes for all the injured players. We feel we have a really strong group and a really good group of characters. We signed all of those players and we want them to be out there and ready to go."

https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/sport/football/cobblers-waiting-on-fitness-of-matt-dibley-dias-and-tariqe-fosu-after-duo-miss-rotherham-defeat-4911599

WhiteJC · December 17, 2024, 08:00:05 AM

Aston Villa and Newcastle United consider shock January swoop for £16.5m Fulham star
Aston Villa are interested in signing one of Fulham's star players this January but face competition from Newcastle United.

Unai Emery is reportedly keen on acquiring the services of Fulham midfielder Andreas Pereira in the upcoming winter transfer window.

Villa are eager to sign a new versatile forward or attacking midfielder to add depth ahead of the second half of the campaign. Pereira fits the bill as he's capable of playing in central midfield, on the left flank or as a number 10.

Brazilian outlet Trivela reports Villa are among several Premier League clubs interested in Pereira, along with Newcastle and Tottenham Hotspur. Olympique Marseille have also been keeping tabs on the 28-year-old's progress.

Pereira has racked up 97 appearances for Fulham so far, scoring 10 goals and making 15 assists. Before joining the Cottagers in 2022, the midfielder was at Manchester United but he had to go out on loan to Granada, Valencia, Lazio and Flamengo to gain regular enough minutes to develop.

Now one of Marco Silva's key players at Craven Cottage, Pereira is enjoying playing alongside the likes of Emile Smith Rowe and Sander Berge, forming handy partnerships in a team hoping to be dark horses for European qualification.

With Fulham the first club to properly allow Pereira to settle, it may be tricky to convince the player to move away. Villa featuring in the Champions League is certainly a strong incentive, though, and Emery has a track record of ensuring players perform at an optimum level.

Newcastle don't have Champions League football but the project at St James' Park could prove temping, as could the potential of playing alongside international teammate Bruno Guimaraes. The next transfer window opens in just over two weeks, on January 1, 2025.

https://www.birminghamworld.uk/sport/football/aston-villa/aston-villa-newcastle-united-transfer-rumours-shock-january-swoop-fulham-andreas-pereira-4911968

WhiteJC · December 17, 2024, 08:01:19 AM

Not Pereira or Diop: Neil Mellor says Fulham player was 'lucky' to avoid red card v Liverpool
Some Liverpool fans might've felt that Fulham could've had two players sent off at Anfield on Saturday, and Neil Mellor pointed to another incident where a visiting player might justifiably have been given his marching orders.

Issa Diop escaped a first-minute red card after VAR looked at his robust challenge on Andy Robertson, and then Andreas Pereira somehow escaped with only a booking for a nasty foul on Ryan Gravenberch's Achilles.

LFC's left-back was dismissed in the 17th minute when he was adjudged to have denied the Cottagers a goalscoring opportunity, and his opposite number might well have been ejected from the game by Tony Harrington in the second half.

Mellor pinpoints potential Robinson red card
Taking to X on Monday, Mellor highlighted one incident where Antonee Robinson – who was already on a yellow card – appeared to pull back Gravenberch to prevent a Liverpool breakaway, although the Reds midfielder remained on his feet.

The former Anfield striker posted: "Fulham's Robinson was the best player on the pitch on Saturday – but he was a lucky boy here. Ryan Gravenberch didn't go down when Robinson pulled him back. Robinson was on a booking and this could easily have been a 2nd and 10 v 10 in 56th minute at 1-1!!!"

The 42-year-old analysed the incident in further detail on the Review Show on LFC's official YouTube channel (members only content).

Robinson got away with one
We never want to see players being sent off unnecessarily, but we can very much understand why Mellor drew attention to a moment which might've escaped some fans' attention amid the spate of other contentious incidents at Anfield on Saturday.

Harrington was within a couple of yards of Robinson when he pulled Gravenberch, and we suspect that the Fulham left-back (who was indeed outstanding for his team at the weekend) would've been shown a yellow card in the 56th minute if he weren't on one already.

It wasn't as heinous as Pereira's cowardly challenge on the Dutchman in the opening exchanges, but it still leaves Reds supporters with legitimate grounds to ask why the USA international got away with it.

We're glad that Liverpool's number 38 didn't go to ground in trying to get the American sent off, although that's something he shouldn't have to bring to the referee's attention.

There's nothing that can be done about it now, but it again shines a far from glowing spotlight on refereeing standards in the Premier League.

https://www.empireofthekop.com/2024/12/16/mellor-robinson-lucky-red-card-fulham-liverpool/

WhiteJC · December 17, 2024, 08:01:54 AM

Gandee Morgan fires Fulham to win at Barking
Stella Gandee Morgan scored the winner as Fulham Women came from behind to beat Barking this afternoon.

The Whites, seeking to finish the calendar year with a win and close the gap on leaders Dartford at the top of the London and South East Regional Premier Division, began brightly with experienced centre forward Ellie Olds going close with two early efforts. But the home side took the lead against the run of play when Laura Bunton clinically completed a Barking counter-attack by converting a ball from Ammarah Ali.

The visitors enjoyed large spells of possession for the remainder of the first half but struggled to break down a disciplined Barking defence. The closest they came was on the stroke of half-time when a cross from Olds was touched wide by Belle Taylor-Makepeace. But Fulham turned the game around within ten minutes of the resumption. There was a bit of fortune about Megalie Mendes' equaliser, which came directly from a corner, but Stella Gandee Morgan fired Fulham ahead five minutes later by producing a predatory finish from Madi Parsonson's cross.

Steve Jaye's side had chances to make the points safe after going in front. Ella Tagliavini was inches away from making it three with a volley from Parsonson's corner that only just cleared the crossbar and the unfortunate Olds ruffled the side netting just before the half mark. Barking came back into the contest in the closing stages but Fulham held firm to claim all three points and solidify their hold on third spot ahead of the Christmas break.

Dartford have 32 points from thirteen games having been held to a draw at Ebbsfleet United, whilst second-placed Dorking Wanderers are four points back on 28 from thirteen matches after a 2-0 win over Saltdean. Fulham have only played eight fixtures so far – largely owing to their progress in the Cup competitions – and have amassed 22 points. The Whites face Denham United in the League Cup on 5 January and will recommence their push for promotion with a trip to Newhaven on 26 January.

BARKING WOMEN: Ali, Blythe, Bunton, Cook, Landen, Langley-Wright, Meade, Pridie, R. Roberts, Salmons, Thomas. Subs: Finch, Pita.

GOAL: Bunton (32).

FULHAM WOMEN: Webber; Newman, Beaver, Taylor, Tagliavini, Mendes, Stormer, Gandee Morgan, Parsonson, Taylor-Makepeace, Olds. Subs: Gibbs, Barron-Clark, Sophia Roberts, Stead.

GOALS: Mendes (50), Gandee Morgan (55).

REFEREE: David Dice.

ATTENDANCE: 40.

https://hammyend.com/index.php/2024/12/gandee-morgan-fires-fulham-to-win-at-barking/

WhiteJC · December 17, 2024, 08:03:34 AM

Two Chelsea players could miss Fulham clash because of Premier League rule as Cole Palmer close to tightrope
Chelsea moved within two points of Premier League leaders Liverpool with a 2-1 in over Brentford on Sunday night

Chelsea have reignited the Premier League title race in recent weeks after London derby wins over Tottenham Hotspur and Brentford. The Blues came from 2-0 down to beat Spurs 4-3 earlier this month and close the gap to Liverpool, who were not in action due to their clash with Everton being postponed. Prior to those games, Liverpool had drawn 3-3 at Newcastle United while Chelsea won 5-1 at Southampton.

The Reds could only draw with Fulham on Saturday, giving Chelsea the chance to cut their lead to two points and Enzo Maresca's side obliged with a 2-1 win over the Bees. The upcoming festive schedule looks a kind one for Chelsea, who travel to Everton this weekend before games with Fulham, Ipswich Town and Crystal Palace. However, two of their squad are currently on a disciplinary tightrope having picked up four yellow cards.

Premier League rules state that players who receive a total of five yellow cards in a club's first 19 matches will be given a one-match suspension. As things stand, Nicolas Jackson and Robert Sánchez are on four cautions each. With Chelsea having played 16 games, the pair have three matches to avoid a booking that would result in a suspension. Both are at risk of missing the Boxing Day derby against Fulham as a yellow card against Everton for either of the two will result in a ban.

Sanchez was last booked in the 4-3 win over Spurs while Jackson has had a clean disciplinary record for the last five games, with his last caution coming in the 1-1 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford on November 3. Meanwhile, key midfielder Cole Palmer is on three yellow cards and has three matches to avoid reaching the five caution mark. The former Manchester City player was last booked against Nottingham Forest back in October. He has been in fine form of late, scoring four goals and providing one assist in three games prior to the Brentford fixture.

One Chelsea player already facing a suspension is left-back Marc Cucurella, who was sent off against Brentford on Sunday. The Spaniard was shown his second yellow card after the full-time whistle at Stamford Bridge and is suspended for the trip to Everton. He has been yellow carded six times this season and is four cautions away from a two-game ban, as any player booked 10 times within a club's first 32 matches will be suspended for a longer period.

Addressing the incident that saw Cucurella sent off, Maresca said: "The referee said the second yellow card was for bad attitude. I was with the coaching staff celebrating so I didn't see anything. We could do many things better. The way to manage some moments, probably this is one of the moments we can improve. The spirit of the team, sometimes you can receive some yellow cards, probably the second one is not the correct thing to do. It's things that we need to improve. Cucu will be suspended and there'll be another one in his place. Pedro (Neto) was suspended tonight and Noni (Madueke's) performance was top. When they are suspended, another one will play."

https://www.londonworld.com/sport/football/chelsea/two-chelsea-players-could-miss-fulham-clash-because-of-premier-league-rule-as-cole-palmer-close-to-tightrope-4910687

WhiteJC · December 17, 2024, 08:06:43 AM

Sheffield United and Burnley will look at Fulham success with envy
Fulham have emerged as one of this season's surprise packages in the Premier League, three seasons on from their most recent promotion out of the Championship, and sit just four points below the top-four following Saturday's 2-2 draw at Liverpool.

The Cottagers will be somewhat disappointed that they twice led the Reds, who were reduced to 10 men when Andy Robertson was sent off in the 17th minute, but came away with just one point rather than all three.

However, Saturday's draw means that Marco Silva's men have avoided defeat in consecutive games against Premier League title contenders, as they also drew with Arsenal on Sunday 8th December.

One of the west London side's most important players this term so far has been midfielder Sander Berge, who was signed from Burnley for a fee of £25m last summer, after the Clarets were relegated from the top-flight.

Burnley and Sheffield United will be envious of Berge's Fulham form
Berge only spent one campaign with the Clarets, after joining from Sheffield United ahead of the 2023/24 season, and the Lancashire outfit had hoped that his services could help them survive in the top-flight, after they had won the Championship title.

However, under the stewardship of former boss Vincent Kompany, the Turf Moor side faced immediate relegation back to the second tier as they landed 19th place, while ironically, only his former club fared worse as they finished bottom of the pile.

The Norway international also endured relegation from the Premier League during his Blades days, following a torrid 2020/21 campaign, and his best days in South Yorkshire certainly arrived in the Championship.

But right now, Berge is showing just how good he can be in the top-flight, when surrounded by a more gifted squad than that of the Clarets or Blades groups he was a part of.

The 26-year-old plays a key role towards Fulham's ball retention when his side are in possession, and boasts an impressive pass accuracy of 90.1% in the Premier League, as per FotMob.

He is also vital for the Cottagers when out of possession too, as demonstrated by the fact that he has won 61.5% of tackles he has attempted, as well as winning 57.7% of duels, according to FotMob.

Both the Blades and the Clarets will look at these exploits with envy, as Berge was unable to help them stave off the threat of relegation in recent years, yet he is currently proving his class while plying his trade for a Fulham side who could be in contention for a European spot come the end of the campaign.

Blades supporters will have better memories of Berge than Burnley fans
While the Norwegian suffered relegation from the Premier League with both the Clarets and the Blades, it is the Bramall Lane faithful who will have better memories of the midfielder.

He only spent one campaign in Lancashire, and was unable to help Burnley survive in the top-flight, while he spent three-and-a-half seasons in South Yorkshire.

Berge did endure relegation with the Blades following a woeful 2020/21 season, but he did also arrive at Bramall Lane mid-way through the 2019/20 campaign, and helped Chris Wilder and co to an unlikely ninth-place finish in the Premier League.

He subsequently played his part as the Blades won automatic promotion alongside the Clarets in 2023, after scoring six goals and creating five assists in 37 Championship outings.

However, the Bramall Lane side will still be just as envious of his successful Fulham exploits as the Clarets, as he is performing in the Premier League like never before.

https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/sheffield-united-burnley-will-look-at-fulham-sander-berge-success-with-envy/

WhiteJC · December 17, 2024, 08:08:47 AM

Marco Silva issues verdict on exit-linked Fulham star amid Man Utd contract claim
All the latest news and transfer rumours surrounding the Premier League as the Carabao Cup takes centre stage.

Another round of Premier League fixtures is in the books, and most will already be looking ahead to this weekend. Though, we do have some Carabao Cup fixtures first up, with Arsenal, Crystal Palace and Tottenham all in mid-week action.

Arsenal and Palace actually face each other as they look to secure a spot in the semi-finals, also facing off in a Premier League rematch this weekend. In the meantime, we have rounded up all the latest news and transfer rumours surrounding the top flight.

Glasner confident in Palace
Oliver Glasner believes Palace can be competitive against every Premier League team, saying after Sunday's win over rivals Brighton: "It was an important win for the table to reduce the gap to the teams in front of us. But I don't look at the table every day. For me, it's important what I see on the pitch and what I see in training from the players.

"Do they try the things we are doing in training? Are they getting more of the automatism in their minds and bodies? This is what we are looking for. We know the better we perform, the better the results will be, the more points we will have, and the position in the league will be better. It makes no sense to keep looking at the table, saying 'we want this and this and this' and forgetting what you have to do for it. So, we have to work hard in training, we have to play like we did today as a team. We know, and this isn't new, that we will be competitive against any team in the Premier League."

Silva backs Robinson
Marco Silva believes Antonee Robinson is one of the best left-backs in the Premier League amid reported interest from some of the big boys. "You are asking a Fulham manager but of course I am going to say yes," he said.

"I don't want to talk too much about him because I know in January the same story is going to follow about Robinson. I don't want to go in that direction. He's really focused in the way he plays, so let's keep him like that. It's crucial for us. If he's the best or not, that's not for me to decide, my players are always the best!"

Maguire on new deal
Harry Maguire has held 'positive' contract talks with Manchester United despite spending much of the last two seasons being linked with an exit. The 31-year-old's current contract is set to expire at the end of this season, though the Red Devils have the option of tacking on an extra year.

Maguire said after Sunday's win over Manchester City that talks have been held and that they indicate a possible new deal. He said: "All the signs are positive at the moment and the chat that I'm having is really positive."

https://www.londonworld.com/sport/football/crystal-palace/marco-silva-fulham-man-utd-4911286

WhiteJC · December 17, 2024, 08:09:55 AM

Craven Cottage sleepout raised £13,000
The second Craven Cottage sleepout – run by the Fulham Foundation – raised a record more than £13,000 for vulnerable members of the local community, the club have revealed this afternoon.

The Foundation partnered with SPEAR, a homelessness prevention charity in south west London, to raise valuable funds for individuals at risk of homelessness. The event, based on a long-running initiative introduced by Chelsea, heard from legendary Fulham forward Barry Hayles, who answered questions from fans as well as 1975 FA Cup hero Les Strong, and was supported by one of the club's corporate partners in Nepresso.

Fiona Pugh, SPEAR's communications manager, said:

We were so grateful for the opportunity to partner with the Fulham FC Foundation for the Stadium Sleepout this year. This event not only raised vital funds but also helped us to raise awareness of the issue of homelessness in South-West London.

"The number of people sleeping rough in London is at a record high, with 4,780 people recorded as sleeping rough in London between July and September this year. And since the sleepout, the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol has been activated on three nights when temperatures fell below freezing.

"The support from Fulham FC fans and participants will help us provide essential services and support to some of the most vulnerable in our community. We'd like to thank everyone who took part and braved sleeping in the Putney Stand!"

https://hammyend.com/index.php/2024/12/craven-cottage-sleepout-raised-13000/

Bill2 · December 17, 2024, 09:14:39 PM

Quote from: WhiteJC on December 17, 2024, 07:54:35 AMFormer Premier League referee issues verdict on key decision during Liverpool vs Fulham
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has had his say on a controversial moment during Fulham's draw with Liverpool.

The debate is raging after Fulham and Liverpool's entertaining 2-2 draw at Anfield on Saturday. The Cottagers picked up another huge point against one of the heavyweights thanks to goals from Andreas Pereira and Rodrigo Muniz that were cancelled out by efforts from Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota.

But the game was conditioned by a controversial decision that saw Andy Robertson sent off after just 17 minutes. The Scot took out Harry Wilson as the Welsh forward looked to break through against his former club.

The red card is certainly a debatable one, with Wilson arguably not in control of the ball, therefore not guaranteed a goalscoring opportunity, while one could also argue Robertson made the challenge with no expectation of getting the ball, which could take the challenge into red card territory.

As fans continue the debate, former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has had his say on the incident, telling Sky Sports News: "I have had a lot of chances to look at this again and I did not think it was a red card at the time, and I still do not. Robertson mis-controls the ball and Wilson nicks the ball. Is he in control of the ball? No.

"Is he going to gain control of the ball? Doubtful as the Liverpool player is going to get there first. Is he moving towards goal? No. there are too many variables and the 'O' stands for obvious. A more palatable decision would be a yellow card - if the ref [Tony Harrington] had whistled immediately, I think everybody would have accepted it."

Liverpool boss Arne Slot didn't complain too much about the red card, saying after the game: "I think Robbo might have been a bit too injured to keep going because normally he's faster than that," Slot said, referring to Robertson's mistimed recovery tackle on Wilson.

"It says a lot about his character that he wants to keep on going but it results in a red card. I think it's just whether it's offside. I was clear it wasn't going to be changed. It's maybe the only thing I didn't complain about today."

https://www.londonworld.com/sport/football/fulham/premier-league-referee-verdict-fulham-4910878

Gallagher is woefully wrong, Harry nicked the ball and Robertson was on the floor. While Harry had pushed the ball away he was still odds on to get the ball as there was no Liverpool player near him who could have covered the ground to get the ball before he did. Straight red any day of the week.