Sunday Fulham Stuff - 23/08/26...

[WhiteJC]

Results

Saturday 22/08
Hull	2-0	Man Utd
Everton	2-0	Palace
Ipswich	2-1	Sunderland
Forest	0-1	Leeds
Brentford	3-0	Spurs

[WhiteJC]

Team News: Joa & TC absent for Chelsea
Álvaro Arbeloa will have close to a full complement of players to choose from for his first competitive game in charge of Fulham.

We will, however, definitely be without two of our most experienced pros for the SW6 derby on Monday evening, with Joachim Andersen serving the final game of his ban, and Tom Cairney recovering from surgery.

"We are in a very good moment," Arbeloa said when asked about the squad fitness. "It's just Tom who is injured – the rest of the players are available and they are working so hard.

"I can feel the commitment of the players, it's been so great, so now we are confident."



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2026/august/21/team-news-joachim-andersen-tom-cairney-absent-for-chelsea/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham vs Chelsea: Preview and Prediction
Fulham and Chelsea will kick-start their Premier League campaigns with a West London derby at Craven Cottage, with both clubs welcoming new managers.

Fulham have undergone significant changes behind the scenes following Marco Silva's departure after five years at the club. The Portuguese tactician has joined Benfica, with Alvaro Arbeloa appointed as his replacement. Arbeloa previously managed Real Madrid on an interim basis and succeeded Xabi Alonso at the Santiago Bernabeu, adding an interesting subplot to Monday's derby.

More importantly, Fulham have allowed key attackers such as Harry Wilson and Raul Jimenez to leave, while bringing in young talents Gonzalo Garcia and Cesar Palacios. Both players enjoyed spells with Real Madrid under Arbeloa last season.

Fulham have ambitious targets for the new campaign, with their main objective being to improve on last season's finish and potentially challenge for European qualification. However, they face a difficult opening test against their West London neighbours, Chelsea.

Like the Cottagers, Chelsea have also changed managers following a turbulent previous campaign. The Blues dismissed Enzo Maresca midway through the season before appointing Liam Rosenior, who was also relieved of his duties before the campaign ended.

Chelsea have now turned to Alonso, a manager the club believe can stabilise the team and lead them into a new era. The former Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid boss has taken charge and is gradually shaping his squad for the new season, with several important additions made during the summer.

Chelsea's primary objective is to qualify for the Champions League after finishing tenth last season. Alonso's squad has enough quality to challenge for the title, but it would be premature to consider them genuine contenders before seeing how the team performs over the opening weeks. For now, Alonso will focus on securing victory in the West London derby and making a strong start to the season.

Team News & Tactics

Fulham
Alvaro Arbeloa is expected to select a strong starting XI for his first competitive match in charge of Fulham, although he will be without at least two first-team players. Joachim Andersen is suspended, while Tom Cairney is unavailable after undergoing minor surgery.

Attention will focus on whether Arbeloa gives his young summer signings, Cesar Palacios and Gonzalo Garcia, starting roles against Chelsea. The Fulham manager could select both members of the former Real Madrid duo as part of an attacking reshuffle, allowing Alex Iwobi to move into central midfield alongside Sander Berge.

Palacios could operate on the left wing, with Oscar Bobb on the right. If Josh King and Garcia start alongside them, Fulham would field a very young attacking unit, which could prove risky in the Premier League. At the back, Jorge Cuenca is expected to replace Andersen and partner Calvin Bassey in central defence. Timothy Castagne and Antonee Robinson should occupy the full-back positions.

Probable lineup (4-2-3-1): Leno; Castagne, Cuenca, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Iwobi; Bobb, King, Palacios; Garcia.

Chelsea
Xabi Alonso faces the difficult task of selecting his first Premier League lineup, with several important decisions to make regarding established first-team players. The Spanish manager will be focused on building momentum and continuity, so his opening day eleven could offer an indication of his plans for the season.

Emmanuel Emegha and Jordan Henderson are in the treatment room, while Wesley Fofana is suspended. Based on recent tactical projections, Alonso is likely to begin with a back three and wing-backs. Summer signings Maxence Lacroix, Levi Colwill, and Jorrel Hato are expected to form the central defensive unit.

Marco Palestra and Reece James could operate as the wing-backs, while Alonso may select Chelsea's strongest midfield pairing of Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo. Joao Pedro, who recently signed a new contract, is expected to lead the line, with record signing Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer providing width and support.

Probable lineup (3-4-3): Sanchez; Lacroix, Colwill, Hato; James, Fernandez, Caicedo, Palestra; Palmer, Pedro, Rogers

Key Stats

    Fulham have failed to keep a clean sheet against Chelsea in their last seven competitive meetings.
    Chelsea have kept only one clean sheet in the Premier League since January.
    Fulham have won just four of their previous 38 Premier League matches against Chelsea.
    Chelsea finished last season with a club-record eight red cards in the Premier League.
    Fulham have won their opening game in just one of their last six Premier League seasons (D2 L3), beating Everton in the 2023/24 campaign. On the other hand, Chelsea have failed to win their opening game of the Premier League season in the last three seasons (D2 L1), last going four in a row without a win between 1995/96 and 1998/99.

Player to Watch

Morgan Rogers
Rogers is expected to play a major role for Chelsea following his record-breaking move from Aston Villa during the summer. The Englishman has an excellent opportunity to make an immediate impression in a local derby and begin establishing himself among the Chelsea supporters.

Given his quality, Rogers will be one of the players to watch at Craven Cottage. It remains to be seen whether he can make a strong start to his Chelsea career. Fans will also be eager to see how the front three of Rogers, Cole Palmer, and Joao Pedro develop. Their understanding could be crucial if Chelsea are to mount a serious title challenge.

Prediction

Fulham 1-3 Chelsea
Fulham have a poor Premier League record against their West London rivals, although they have occasionally produced surprises against Chelsea. However, such an outcome may be difficult to envisage this time because of the major changes at the club.

Chelsea are expected to begin the campaign strongly under Alonso and should be favourites to defeat Fulham on Monday night. With a strong squad that combines experienced players with established quality, the Blues have enough to control the match and collect their first three points of the season.



https://thehardtackle.com/round-up/2026/08/23/fulham-vs-chelsea-preview-and-prediction-3/

[WhiteJC]

Five things to look out for ahead of Fulham v Chelsea
Keep your eyes peeled for these as the SW6 derby kicks off 2026-27.

There really is no better curtain-raiser than a match against your biggest rivals, and this season Fulham open their campaign against neighbours Chelsea.

The same Chelsea who've spent £1.5bn over the last two years to finish 10th and miss out on Champions League football (I had to get the dig in early!).

This summer has been interesting for both clubs; Fulham moved on from Marco Silva, appointing the relatively untested, but exciting Alvaro Arbeloa – bringing with him two Real Madrid starlets and a different brand of football.

Chelsea moved on from Liam Rosenior, once of this parish, to Xabi Alonso who Arbeloa replaced at Real Madrid. Once World Cup winning teammates, this is going to be an exceptionally exciting tactical battle, and here are five things to look out for on MD1.

1. A higher intensity from Fulham
Under Marco Silva, the Whites had cemented themselves as one of the Premier Leagues rare mid-block sides – but, now under Arbeloa expect Fulham to press high, try to win the ball further up and get quicker through the transitions.

We've seen the seeds of this through pre-season; particularly in the games against Crystal Palace and Stuttgart. And while the ingredients are there, the press has looked incohesive at times.

The last two windows have seen the arrival of younger, fresher legs and we could see players like Kevin, Oscar Bobb, Gonzalo Garcia and Palacios capitalise on mistakes in the Chelsea backline. Expect to see a Fulham that try to play on the front-foot for longer periods, a side that will build the ball from the back using their wide-players and look for Sander Berge to have a more impactful role from deep.

2. Chelsea's new 3-4-3
The Alonso era is the latest under BlueCo, but they've bought-low on a coach that delivered an undefeated Bundesliga campaign with Bayer Leverkusen just two years ago.

Their nine summer signings have signalled the change in formation that Alonso will bring. Morgan Rogers, Maxence Lacroix and even Danny Welbeck bring all the ingredients for a possession-heavy 3-4-3 that the Spaniard favours. But, Chelsea have struggled to be effective in the defensive third of the pitch during preseason, conceding 11 goals in six games, keeping just one clean sheet.

Three of the goals against came at the hands of Johor Darul Ta'zim (Never heard of him? Me neither). Their wingbacks have struggled to settle; Joao Pedro has been doing a lot of the heavy lifting in the attacking third and Lacroix has been shaky. It feels as though Chelsea are there to be attacked, even with more than £300m of talent arriving through the door.

3. King x Palacios link-up
These two young bucks are going to be a fun watch this season, that's for sure.

Throughout preseason, Arbeloa has been using King in a second-striker role, deploying him in a more advanced role and that's seen him play closer to Palacios, who loves to drift inside.

Palacios's arrival has bought an element of silkiness that only Spanish football can breed. His ability to flow with the ball, and ability to pick passes has been a real headline this summer. The delightful reverse-pass during the game against Stuttgart was a small taste of what we have to come across 38 games. This preseason has seen green shoots of a blossoming partnership between the two, and their contribution will play a huge role in Fulham's new press and attacking identity.

4. A rejuvenated left
Antonee Robinson had an injury-plagued campaign last year, despite high-hopes going into the 2025-26 season after the American full-back had registered 10 assists previously. By all accounts, it was a barren outing last term; zero assists and solitary goal from 22 appearances under some strong competition from Ryan Sessegnon and Timothy Castagne.

A return to form for Robinson, and a developing Kevin could be a lethal tandem down the left-hand side. Kevin looked exciting last year, albeit certainly raw at times. His fantastic goal against Manchester United outlined his brilliance, but amazingly the Brazilian is yet to play a full 90. If not Kevin, then Sessegnon has certainly shown flashes in pre-season finding the net twice... maybe the Sess Scoring Touch is returning! Throw in Palacios and Bobb, who had a fun World Cup, and Fulham could be dangerous in wide areas again.

5. Refurbished Hammy End toilets
This might just be the biggest news of the summer, to be honest.

The days of your trainers getting soaked in God-knows-what might be over! The club confirmed that the Hammy End toilets had been renovated over the summer with upgraded cubicles, toilets, new floor and most importantly upgraded plumbing.

May you all enjoy an upgraded bio-break. COYW!



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/p/five-things-to-look-out-for-ahead

[WhiteJC]

Liverpool dealt signing blow as Fulham deal already agreed
Liverpool's attempts to sign Endrick will be blocked after Real Madrid let Gonzalo Garcia join Fulham, sources have told Football Insider.

The Reds are looking to add more firepower to Andoni Iraola's ranks before the summer window closes on 1 September.

Iraola has admitted that his squad is "quite thin" and Liverpool will "definitely sign some players" before the deadline passes.

Endrick has emerged as a target for the club in the last week amid uncertainty around his role at Real Madrid for this season.

However, as I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider's Transfer Insider podcast, Madrid have no intention of letting Endrick go due to a shortage of depth caused by Garcia's move to Fulham.

The Spanish striker followed Alvaro Arbeloa to Craven Cottage in early August after Fulham agreed a £34million deal with Los Blancos.

Liverpool must move on from Endrick as Jose Mourinho blocks move
Endrick impressed out on loan at Lyon in the second half of last season and will play his part in Mourinho's squad in this campaign.

Liverpool may have the chance to revisit their interest in the 20-year-old if he struggles for regular game time in the first half of the season by the time the January window rolls around.

Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, I explained: "They've (Real Madrid) obviously sold Garcia to Fulham already. That's one forward gone out of Madrid, so it's an ambitious possible target for Liverpool to strengthen their attacking resources.

"Endrick is a top player, so I just don't think Real Madrid will be willing to let him go, and definitely not on a permanent. I think it's probably more likely that they will look at it in January for a loan deal if he's not been playing a lot of minutes at the Bernabeu in the first half of the season."

Liverpool to stand in the way of Cody Gakpo joining Spurs
Links to new attackers have raised doubts around Gakpo's future at Anfield, especially with Tottenham reportedly interested in his services.

The Dutchman was criticised by fans for some poor showings last season, as he registered nine goals and six assists in 52 appearances.

Iraola is a fan of his game, though, and sources have revealed to Football Insider that Liverpool are planning to keep Gakpo as Tottenham now move onto other targets.



https://www.footballinsider247.com/liverpool/liverpool-dealt-signing-blow-as-fulham-deal-already-agreed

[WhiteJC]

Xabi Alonso makes exciting Cole Palmer injury revelation ahead of Chelsea's trip to Fulham
Xabi Alonso has been speaking about the fitness of Cole Palmer ahead of the new season starting after an injury-disrupted 2025/26 campaign for the Chelsea attacker

Xabi Alonso believes Cole Palmer has turned a corner in relation to his injury troubles and has tipped the "world-class" Chelsea star to shine in the new season.

The 24-year-old scored just 11 goals for the Blues across 34 matches in all competitions last term, which by the standards he has set during his time at Stamford Bridge is below-par. Such form led to Palmer being omitted from England's World Cup squad this summer.

While that was devastating news for Palmer, Chelsea could reap the benefits from one of their star attackers being allowed an extended break. Palmer struggled throughout the 2025/26 season with a recurring groin injury, one that sources described as complex and needing day-to-day management.

Palmer was a prominent figure for Alonso in the Spaniard's first pre-season as Chelsea manager and is expected to start when the Blues make the short trip to Fulham on Monday night for their Premier League opener. Alonso is tipping Palmer, who he described as "world class", to have a much better season this time around.

"Cole is determined to enjoy his football," said Alonso. "He wants to be fit, he wants to feel healthy.

"He wants to have a good connection with the players around him. We have this goal.

"If we are able to reach him and he feels that flow in the game and connects well with the players, I'm sure his level is top, top class, world class, and that he will have a great season."

Palmer's struggles last season can be put down to a number of things, but most obviously, it seems as if the aforementioned groin problem played a significant role. Alonso detailed how the England international has been working hard to avoid similar issues in the new campaign.

When asked if the fitness problems from last season have gone, Alonso responded: "I've seen that. I think that sometimes you need to go through a moment with an injury or whatever to learn from that.

"Cole has gone through a difficult period with an injury and now he's working really hard to have the prevention to not feel those symptoms back. Since the first day, he's been working really hard to avoid that."

Elsewhere, new signing Danny Welbeck will be assessed this weekend ahead of the trip to Craven Cottage. The 35-year-old striker has been carrying a knock in recent days but Alonso said he expects the former Brighton man to be fit.

Alonso would not clarify whether Mykhailo Mudryk will be in the squad. Sources close to Chelsea have hinted a loan move could be on the cards for the Ukrainian, who recently returned to football after his anti-doping ban was lifted.

"We will see," replied Alonso when asked if Mudryk will be in the squad. "We don't have to rush on decisions. At the right time, we will take that decision."



https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/news/xabi-alonso-cole-palmer-chelsea-34495949