Saturday Fulham Stuff (24/09/11)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham win Sam race

PREMIERSHIP outfit Fulham have won the race to take a closer look at Eastleigh's 16-year-old strike prodigy Sam Wilson.

No fewer than five Football League clubs, including Saints, have enquired about the West End-based frontman, including two who wanted to take him on trial.

Eastleigh have turned down both those clubs for the time being, but have agreed to Fulham's request to take Wilson on a week's assessment, starting on Monday.

Wilson joined Eastleigh's youth set-up last season having spent a season at the Portsmouth Academy where he was initially coached by Mark Chamberlain, dad of ex-Saint Alex.

He left Wilderness School in the summer and was one of the first to sign up for the Spitfires' full-time player development scheme designed to funnel youngsters through to the pro game.

Eastleigh's director of football Dave Malone identified Wilson as one to watch during pre-season but didn't expect the live wire teenager to attract so much attention from so many clubs so soon.

Wilson, who turns 17 in a fortnight, has played just 150 minutes of football in his debut Blue Square Bet South season, making one start against Bromley and appearing seven times off the bench.

"Sam could have gone back to Portsmouth in the summer, but he decided to stay and I said to his dad that if he got anywhere near the first team, clubs would be swarming all over him," said Malone. "But I didn't anticipate it happening in six weeks!

"We said no to a couple of clubs because we can't see the benefit in him going there at the moment, but Fulham have been quite persistent and you can't deny a lad the chance to go to a Premier League club.

"But there's no guarantee that, come the end of next week, Fulham will say they want him or will come up with what Eastleigh and the lad himself will be happy with.

"If he were to join Fulham a fee would be applicable, but it's absolutely not the case that that's why we want him to go there. It's completely up to him if he goes or not."

Unlike Brett Williams, sold by Eastleigh for £50,000 to Reading in January, Wilson has some growing to do before he is ready for the professional game.

"Sam's a bit unusual given that most strikers in our league are 6ft 3in, 14 stone powerhouses," said Malone. "He's more of a Kevin Keegan than a Ron Davies size-wise. But if Fulham take him, it will be his potential they're investing in.

"He needs a couple of years to get stronger, but he's got balls, a bit of pace and he's not afraid of 9ft 3in defenders!"

Wilson is expected to be a part of Ian Baird's squad for tomorrow's BSB South visit of fellow strugglers Staines Town.




http://eastleighfc.blogspot.com/2011/09/fulham-win-sam-race.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+eastleighfc+%28Eastleigh+FC%29

[WhiteJC]

 
Have patience with Ruiz, Jol urges Fulham fans waiting for £10m man's first goal

Fulham manager Martin Jol insists Bryan Ruiz will come good in time.

The 26-year-old £10million deadline-day signing from FC Twente has yet to find the net for the Cottagers. And although he impressed in the Carling Cup tie at Chelsea in midweek, it was his spot-kick which hit the bar as Fulham exited the competition on a penalty shoot-out.

Despite the setback, which came shortly after he was hauled off at half-time on his debut at home to Blackburn, Ruiz claimed he 'felt really good' after the game at Stamford Bridge.


Didn't come cheap: Bryan Ruiz (left) was a £10m deadline-day signing

Jol insists there is no point in trying to rush things with any player new to the hustle and bustle of the Barclays Premier League.

'When he signed I said "give him three weeks" which was of course a joke. I feel 50 per cent of the foreigners will not do well, it is very difficult when you come to this country. There is a group of players who need a couple of months, or even a year,' Jol said.

'Bryan Ruiz is a quality player - don't forget Moussa Dembele needed seven or eight months to be the player he is now.'

Jol added: 'Of course I have to be patient with him and so do the fans - you have to have the same attitude with all the foreigners.


No cigar: Ruiz missed a penalty in the Carling Cup shootout loss to Chelsea

'We have got four good offensive players and Bryan can get all the time in the world if everybody is fine [fit]. It is not about Ruiz, it is about the team. If you look at all the good teams, they have six or eight offensive players.

'In a year's time, it is important for me that you can look at his statistics, his productivity and then you will see Bryan Ruiz will be up there with our best players.'

Fulham head into Saturday's match at West Brom boosted by last weekend's battling draw with Manchester City, where they had trailed 2-0 just moments into the second half. However, Jol's side have yet to record a league win, with two defeats from five.

The Cottagers are third from bottom, while West Brom prop everyone else up, with three points but an inferior goal difference.

Jol, however, is not concerned by the table at this point.


Slow start: The Costa Rica striker is still awaiting his first goal for the Cottagers

'I feel that we should have won our home games,' added the Dutchman. 'We had two points - two draws - instead of six points, but you play for the results and you need the results in the Premier League. If you don't get them, you have to battle and fight for better results, so we have try to do that at West Brom.'

Midfielder Steve Sidwell is under no illusions as to just how tough the top flight has now become.

'As the years go by and the Premier League gets stronger, three points is harder to come by - there are no gifts in this league so we have to work hard to get every point,' he told the club's website.

'The Hawthorns is always a tough place to go, and with them being at the bottom of the table their crowd's going to be right behind them and getting their players motivated.

'But that's an incentive for us to go there, quieten the home fans down a bit, to try and stamp our authority on the game.'




Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2041094/Bryan-Ruiz-come-good-Fulham--Martin-Jol.html#ixzz1YqjBhUPJ

[WhiteJC]

 
West Brom V Fulham – Match Preview

There will be no room for sentiment when Roy Hodgson welcomes his former club Fulham to the Hawthorns with his West Brom side needing a win take them off the bottom of the Premier League.

Hodgson's Baggies have begun the season terribly winning only one of their first five games and losing the remaining four. It's their worst start to a top flight campaign and a win is imperative if they are to remove from themselves from the foot of the table. It will be the first time Hodgson has faced the club he guided so heroically to the Europa League final two years and is sure to get a rapturous reception from the travelling Fulham fans. Sorting out a leaky defence that has kept only one clean sheet in the last 20 matches at home will be the Albion boss' main prerogative. Last week's 3-0 away at Swansea highlighted the West Midlanders defensive frailties as they were torn apart by the incisive Swans. Luckily Hodgson will be able to call upon his inside knowledge on the likes of Bobby Zamora and Andy Johnson and will set out his stall to combat Fulham side who could cause major problems for his back line. They may have to settle for a draw though with the fixture churning out 11 draws since the Cottagers won 3-1 in December 2000.

Martin Jol will also be hoping his side can take maximum points on Saturday and finally kick start his reign in West London. The Dutchman has failed to inspire confidence in Fulham fans after a series of drab displays from his side who find themselves in stuck in the relegation zone and looking likely to stay there unless they pick up. The deadline day signing of Bryan Ruiz has also failed to spark the Cottagers into life with the £10.6 million man struggling to adapt to English football. Last week's game at Manchester City was certainly a tale of two halves as they went in 2-0 behind at half time only to produce a remarkable comeback to snatch a point. Jol will be looking for the same intensity and fighting spirit this week although he will need to be wary of fatigue after taking Chelsea to extra time in the midweek Carling Cup fixture.

Aaron Hughes could return for the home side after missing the last three matches with Andy Johnson also likely to play some part after recovering injury.

West Brom could be without record signing Shane Long who has a bug. Gabriel Tamas is still suspended so Craig Dawson will deputise once again.

Key Players

Peter Odemwingie – With goals proving to be in short supply at the Hawthorns it will be up to the Nigerian to start hitting the back of the net. He scored the winner away at Norwich last week and will be looking to notch again at  Fulhams expense.

Danny Murphy – The skipper was inspirational in the second half against Man City pushing his side to up their game. He eventually scored the equaliser and Jol will be looking for much of the same from his main man in midfield.

Verdict: 1-1



http://www.footballfancast.com/2011/09/football-news/west-brom-v-fulham-match-preview?

[WhiteJC]

 
Premier League Preview: West Brom – Fulham

PROBABLE LINEUPS
WEST BROM
Foster
Reid, Olsson, Dawson, Shorey
Morrison, Scharner, Mulumbu, Thomas
Long, Odemwingie

FULHAM
Schwarzer
Kelly, Hangeland, Baird, JA Riise
Dempsey, Murphy, Sidwell, Duff
Zamora, Dembele
Chris Brunt and Zoltan Gera are approaching full fitness and could both start for the home side, but Gabriel Tamas will miss out as part of his ban for elbowing James Vaughan against Norwich.

Aaron Hughes is a doubt for Fulham after he had to be taken off during the first half of the game against Blackburn Rovers, while Bjorn Helge Riise may be unavailable due to the hamstring problem sustained after the game against RNK Split.

Dickson Etuhu missed the recent Europa League clash against Twente due to a thigh problem and is also a doubt for this fixture.

DID YOU KNOW?
In 33 matches at The Hawthorns between the sides, West Brom has 20 wins to Fulham's seven and 76 goals to Fulham's 37.
West Brom won 2-1 in this fixture last year.

Both sides are in the relegation zone after earning three points from five matches this season, with West Brom bottom and Fulham 18th.

In the last 12 meetings between the sides the away team has never left with three points, going way back to Fulham's win in the Midlands in 2000.

Fulham had 16 draws last season and already have three this year, all at Craven Cottage.

Fulham hasn't led in a single league game this year.

Martin Jol hasn't won a match in the Premier League since a 4-0 win against Derby County as Tottenham Hotspur manager on 18th August 2007.

Damien Duff needs one more goal for his 50th in the Premier League.

Peter Odemwingie (pictured right) and Shane Long hit 38 league goals for their respective teams last year, which was only 11 less than the entire Fulham side managed in the same time.

West Brom has lost double the number of games in five matches this season (four) than it lost in its final 13 last year (two).



http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=goal-premierleaguepreviewwestbro

[WhiteJC]

 
Game Preview - West Bromwich Albion (a)

Given that Roy Hodgson will be in one of the dugouts and the kick off is at 3pm on a Saturday, you could be duly forgiven for thinking we've actually stepped back a few years on the Fulham FC timeline when we visit West Brom tomorrow - but no such event has occured. Quite simply, Roy Hodgson has a new set of soldiers and we happen to have fell upon one of the few games on our calender that is actually being played out at the more traditional time.



Memories aside, though, Hodgson brings to the battle a fine set of tools and wisdom in his West Brom side who have, with a fair degree of bad luck, had a shaky start to the season. They've only recorded one win so far in the Premier League and that came over a beleaguered Norwich City side - albeit on their own turf. Despite their indifferent form, though, Hodgson has set up a side with resistive qualities and a curtailed potency up front - something we know quite well. Shane Long is their Bobby Zamora while Nicky Shorey and Zoltan Gera provide sterling examples of people that have literally followed Hodgson from Fulham to the Midlands.

Fulham themselves, meanwhile, have yet to achieve the goal of a win in the domestic front so far but still sit in a position above their opponents - who prop up the table. That said, Jol and his men have looked, at a minumum, respectable over their past couple of games. A fine comeback at home to Manchester City was uplifting while a cup defeat on penalties at Stamford Bridge certainly had its highlights. Pajtim Kasami's normal-time penalty miss perhaps not being one of them.

When we visited the Hawthorns last season we fell to a 2-1 defeat as Roberto Di Matteo sailed what was a steadily sinking ship. Mulumbu and Fortune provided their goals but they were to no avail with regards to the manager's job - he was replaced within months. In the reverse fixture we fired 3 goals past the Baggies at Craven Cottage without reply.

Shane Long looks likely to return for the home side, after illness kept him out of his side's midweek defeat to Everton. Gabriel Tamas is still suspended.

Aaron Hughes could plausibly start after coming back from a knee injury - although whether Jol will risk him is yet to be seen. Dickson Etuhu and Bjorn Helge Riise are still ruled out.

Predicted Line-Up: Schwarzer; Riise, Hangeland, Senderos, Baird; Dempsey, Murphy, Sidwell, Duff; Zamora, Dembele.

Score Prediction: West Brom 0 - 2 Fulham




http://www.cottagersconfidential.com/2011/9/23/2444652/game-preview-west-bromwich-albion-a?

[WhiteJC]

 
Squad sheets: West Bromwich Albion v Fulham

Fulham's impressive comeback from two goals down to draw against Manchester City last week, coupled with taking Chelsea to penalties in the Carling Cup, means Martin Jol's side will travel to The Hawthorns with more confidence than a record of being the only side in the Premier League yet to win might suggest. An Albion side much changed from last week's feeble defeat at Swansea played well in losing to Everton on Wednesday, giving Roy Hodgson plenty to think about as he searches for a combination to beat his former side and lift the Baggies off the bottom of the table. Richard Rae

Venue The Hawthorns, Saturday 3pm

Tickets £29 (0871 271 9780 )

Last season West Bromwich Albion 2 Fulham 1

Referee Stuart Attwell

This season's matches 3 Y12, R0, 4.00 cards per game

Odds West Bromwich 13-10 Fulham 21-10 Draw 9-4


West Bromwich Albion v Fulham: Probable starters in bold, contenders in light.
Photograph: Graphic

West Bromwich

Subs from Daniels, Fulop, Tchoyi, Jara, Morrison, Dorrans, Gera, McAuley, Cox, Jones, Fortuné, Bednar

Doubtful Gera (ankle), Long (illness)

Injured None

Suspended Tamas (last of three)

Form guide LWLLL

Disciplinary record Y11 R0

Leading scorer Long 2

Fulham

Subs from Etheridge, Somogyi, Baird, Sa, Kasami, Ruiz, Senderos, Kacaniklic, Frei, Grygera, Briggs, Dembélé, Gecov

Doubtful Hughes (knee), Johnson (ankle)

Injured Etuhu (thigh, 29 Sep), BH Riise (hamstring, 2 Oct), Davies (knee, Nov)

Suspended None

Form guide DDLLD

Disciplinary record Y00 R0

Leading scorer Zamora 2

Match pointers

• There has never been an away win in this fixture Premier League, just two draws, both at The Hawthorns

• Roy Hodgson has won 33% of games at West Bromwich, compared to 34% at Fulham, and 35% at Liverpool

• Fulham have their lowest points total after five games than in any other Premier League campaign

• West Brom have the worst goal conversion rate in the top flight, scoring with just 6% of their shots

• Fulham have won on only two of their last 20 trips to the Midlands



http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/sep/23/squad-sheets-west-bromwich-fulham?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theguardian%2Ffootball%2Frss+%28Football%29

[WhiteJC]

 
WEST BROM v FULHAM
BAGGIES NEED TO GET OVER SWANSEA NIGHTMARE

West Brom midfielder James Morrison has admitted that his side need to banish the nightmare of last Saturday's beating at Swansea.

Heading into Saturday's clash with Fulham, Morrison reckoned Roy Hodgson's side were "one dimensional" in the 3-0 defeat.


And he admitted: "It's early days but we don't want to be adrift from the pack in the table.

"I think we're a bit one-dimensional and we need to work on how we're going to cope with teams when they are causing us problems.

"Saturday was a disappointing day but we've got another game which is a good opportunity to put it right.

"Fulham are a team who are at a similar level to us and it will be a chance to show how good we are."



http://www.sportingpreview.com/football2012/11121097.php?

[WhiteJC]

 
Jol - Give Ruiz time
Deadline-day £10m man should not yet be written off

Fulham forward Bryan Ruiz should not yet be branded a transfer flow, according to manager Martin Jol.

The 26-year-old £10million deadline-day signing from FC Twentehas yet to find the net for the Cottagers.

And although he impressed in the Carling Cup tie at Chelsea in midweek, it was his spot-kick which hit the bar as Fulham exited the competition on a penalty shoot-out.

Despite the setback, which came shortly after he was hauled off at half-time on his debut at home to Blackburn, Ruiz claimed he "felt really good" after the game at Stamford Bridge.

Jol insists there is no point in trying to rush things with any player new to the hustle and bustle of the Premier League ahead of Saturday's match at West Brom.
Patient

"When he signed I said 'give him three weeks' which was of course a joke. I feel 50 per cent of the foreigners will not do well, it is very difficult when you come to this country. There is a group of players who need a couple of months, or even a year," Jol said.

"Bryan Ruiz is a quality player - don't forget Moussa Dembeleneeded seven or eight months to be the player he is now."

Jol added: "Of course I have to be patient with him and so do the fans - you have to have the same attitude with all the foreigners.

"We have got four good offensive players and Bryan can get all the time in the world if everybody is fine [fit]. It is not about Ruiz, it is about the team.

"If you look at all the good teams, they have six or eight offensive players.

"In a year's time, it is important for me that you can look at his statistics, his productivity and then you will see Bryan Ruiz will be up there with our best players."




http://www.skysports.com/story/0,,11681_7197003,00.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
No Pussyfooting

With both in the bottom three Fulham at West Brom won't merit the day's banner headlines. But how the two managers need a win to keep the fans off their backs

Back to the bread and butter for an early season six-pointer at the Hawthorns. Too early maybe to call this a relegation battle, but for sure Woy has inked this one onto his wall chart where he'll have calculated the Baggies can take points from fragile Fulham. Why not? When it comes to our phobia of being any kind of force on the road, Uncle Roy should know - he wrote the manual. Although Jol might pay lip service to turning us into a more vibrant force eventually, there's been no sign of it so far. Zero points to date from trips to Newcastle and Wolves, and an all too predictable timid approach in both games. QPR's wonderful win at Wolves last week putting our own pitiful performance there firmly in perspective.

West Brom themselves have hit the skids after a bright start and have their fans well worried. They were toothless at Swansea last time out and just like us, don't look to be brimming over with attacking ideas. Both sides lost narrowly this week in the Carling Cup, making it five defeats already this season for West Brom...and losing can quickly become a habit. Though we have clawed our three points from three draws, just one lucky break in both the Villa and Blackburn games would see us in the top half of the table.

But you can't argue with the stats. We need a win, we need to score more than one, and we need to start seeing progress and positivity from Jol's new tactical plan. Man for man we have the ability to best Albion, my biggest fear is that they beat us on attitude and approach rather than ability. It really is time to lose this tag of being 'Southern softies.' Encouraging though it was to see the kids doing well at the Bridge, we lacked that psychological edge and maturity to boss the game and nail the win. Look at the way our three senior pros put away their pens compared to Kasami, Dembele and Ruiz? It was all so typically Fulham to throw away the advantage. For the second time in 7 months penalty misses saw an opportunity to stick it to our bitterest rivals spurned. Believe me, chances to put one over on Chelsea only come along about once a decade. It may only be the Carling Cup but...

There's been some lazy press today in London papers about Carling Cup teams looking to the old guard for progress. Gerrard, Bellamy, Lampard, Terry, while from across the water I hear a groundswell of opinion that Beckham's now past it and can't quit the MLS scene quickly enough. Such a shame the local journos here in the Smoke haven't yet got round to eulogising some of the terrific young talent coming through at FFC. There was real excitement Wednesday to see the potential from Frei in particular. No player can deny the march of time and this has to be the season Jol considers a cull of sorts with our ageing squad.

Assuming Ruiz is going to come good sooner rather than later, it has to be a straight fight between Moussa and Duff for that third position up behind Bobby. Although Zamo himself is nearing 31, we still have no ready-made successor to BZ in the ranks. As I said this week on L.A. worldfootballdaily's podcast, with Bobby absent, as he was at Wolves and Newcastle, our potency in attack is down 40%. This, along with our ageing midfield playmaker, are the two major issues Jol has to address. Should he not do so, and we continue to struggle, the gaffer may well be having his collar felt by our owner come Christmas.

Could it come to that? The Deuce has affirmed the side are anxious to nail that first win, but that the table is irrelevant until 10-15 games in. Knowing it is an away game Saturday, and despite the stirring comeback against Man City, it would be all too Fulhamish for us to curl up at the feet of Shane Long (due a goal!). I confess to being nervous about this one. It's a nightmare for the punter, because all three results are quite possible.

It all depends on what Fulham team turns up. Most senior pros sat Wednesday out. Just because Hughes is fit again that does NOT mean Martin you should be sticking him back in at RB. He plays centre-half for his country and Fulham FC. Is that clear! AJ is still out with an ankle, Etuhu thigh strain, but these are both players facing a future on the bench methinks. Would be a nice statement of intent to see both Sa and Frei named among the subs too. We'll see.

Sorry I had only two hours notice of my slot on U.S. radio but there'll be more in the future. You can catch the podcast via this link: copy and paste the following in your browser to retrieve file. The link will expire on September 29, 2011 19:20 PDT.
https://rcpt.yousendit.com/1233139244/49d57bc366aad3ca2b005afe5c3619cf



http://blogs.soccernet.com/fulham/archives/2011/09/no_pussyfooting.php?

[WhiteJC]

 
FOUR FAB OPTA STATS
ARSENAL v BOLTON, LIVERPOOL v WOLVES, WEST BROM v FULHAM, NORWICH CITY v SUNDERLAND

Michael Lintorn has examined the Opta stats to pick out four fab facts that he believes point in the direction of certain bets in the Premier League this weekend...

West Brom v Fulham (Saturday, 15:00)
Fulham haven't scored the opening goal in a game this season - the only team in the Premier League not to do so

A fixture that looked set to be significant for Roy Hodgson's first reunion with Fulham is instead more notable for the fact that it pairs two of the clubs joint-bottom of the table. The Cottagers are the sole side yet to register a victory and the above Opta stat is a major reason for their struggles. Having netted only twice in five trips to the Hawthorns, another uphill task awaits.



http://www.sportingpreview.com/football2012/11121117.php?

[WhiteJC]

 
MARTIN JOL: GIVE BRYAN RUIZ TIME TO SETTLE

MARTIN JOL admits it could be months before £10m signing Bryan Ruiz hits his peak.

The Fulham boss swooped to sign the Costa Rica striker from Dutch side FC Twente.

But he has been used sparingly in his two Premier League outings and suffered the agony of missing the crucial penalty in Fulham's Carling Cup defeat at Chelsea in midweek.

Jol insists he will come good but warned it will take time for the him to find his feet in England.

"When he signed I joked. 'Give him three weeks'," said Jol.

"It is very difficult when you come to this country.

"There are some players who need a couple of months, or even a year.

"Bryan is a quality player. Don't forget Mousa Dembele needed seven or eight months to be the player he is now."

Dembele has come good at Fulham after a slow start following his switch from AZ Alkmaar at the start of last season.

Jol admitted Ruiz might be similar.

He added: "Of course, I have to be patient with him and so do the fans. You have to have the same attitude with all the foreigners.

"In a year's time, it is important for me that you can look at his statistics, his productivity, and then you will see Bryan Ruiz will be up there with our best players."

Jol's side are still waiting for their first league win but skipper Danny Murphy believes they can break their duck against former boss Roy Hodgson at West Brom.

The midfielder said: "It will be a little bit strange to come up against Roy.

"It will be nice to see him. I've great memories of Roy and his time with us, but on match day we will be looking to put one over on him."



http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/212540/Martin-Jol-Give-Bryan-Ruiz-time-to-settle/?

[WhiteJC]

 
FULHAM'S REUNION WITH ROY HODGSON IS NOW A DOGFIGHT

CHRIS BAIRD believes that Fulham's reunion with Roy Hodgson today is already a relegation six-pointer.

Northern Ireland defender Baird has been surprised to see Hodgson's West Brom struggling at the bottom of the Premier League under a manager whom he rates as one of the best in the business.

Baird cannot understand how a manager who was so important to his career at Fulham, and who led the club to the Europa League final and seventh in the Premier League in his spell at Craven Cottage, can be having such a hard time.

Having played under Hodgson for three years, until his 2010 departure for Liverpool, Baird said: "Both teams are desperate for points. We are 18th and they are 20th, it's a six-pointer already.

"I am a little surprised to see West Brom struggling under Roy, if I'm honest. He did wonders for Fulham and is up there with the best managers I have worked with.

"West Brom are like us, a good footballing side, in Roy's mould. We are still benefiting from his time with us at Fulham, especially in the Europa League.

"Roy never left any stone unturned in his preparation. Every detail of information we needed about the opposition was there.

"It'll be nice to see him again and have a chat – but after that I hope we turn them over."

Fulham have yet to win in the league this term and their traditionally poor away form does not offer much hope of victory at The Hawthorns – which Hodgson will know only too well.

Baird said: "It's terrible. Whether it's lack of concentration I don't know. It's something we have to turn around."



http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/273330/Fulham-s-reunion-with-Roy-Hodgson-is-now-a-dogfight?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham defender Chris Baird ready for Roy Hodgson reunion at West Brom



THERE will be no sentiment on the pitch tomorrow when Fulham take on West Brom - but Chris Baird admits he owes Albion boss Roy Hodgson a huge debt of gratitute.

The Whites defender's career was seemingly on the skids until former boss Hodgson took over at Craven Cottage in 2007 and after showing such faith in the Northern Ireland international, the player became one of his most consistent performers.

"I was in the team and played 52 games under him. He gave me my opportunity in the team and I'm thankful for that," Baird told the Chronicle.

"You can speak to him about anything - about football or off-the-pitch stuff. He's such a nice man.

"I think my career developed under him. In a way he transformed it by giving me the run of games that I needed and I was grateful to him for playing me in all these positions - right back, centre half and midfield. I was just happy to be part of his team and his plans."

Fulham travel to the Hawthorns still seeking a first win of the season and are in the bottom three along with Albion, who sit at the foot of the table.

But the bare statistics do not make either side poor, according to Baird, who is wary of any Hodgson team.

He is also upbeat following Fulham's hugely uplifting fightback against Man City on Sunday.

"I think he [Hodgson] will be hard to beat, that's one thing you can say for sure," Baird said.

"He worked wonders here, but we'll be going there to get the three points off him, that's the most important thing for Fulham.

"I think if we show the quality we did against Man City, we'll be more than happy. We need to climb that table quicker rather than later.

"It's not really been a big issue [looking for a first win]. Obviously, it's a little bit frustrating, but to come back from 2-0 down against that lot [Man City], with the quality they've got, it's a massive achievement.

"I know and the players know that if we stick together and play like that, then we'll be more than fine."



http://www.ealinggazette.co.uk/sport/fulham-fc-ealing/2011/09/23/fulham-defender-chris-baird-ready-for-roy-hodgson-reunion-at-west-brom-82029-29472624/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Can Viking raider Hangeland plunder with late repeat?
Hangeland to score last at 20/1 is a tempting long shot given his exploits last season, says Luke Garner.


Roy Hodgson welcomes a club he guided to within a whisker of winning the Europa League just three years ago to the Hawthorns, looking to pry his current side West Brom from the relegation doldrums. Fulham seem to be a world away from the side which lost to Atletico Madrid and are the only outfit in the league yet to record a win.

The proverbial cow is likely to be sleeping easy come the final whistle as neither of these struggling sides are likely to hit his backside with a banjo any time soon. Indeed, they have amassed a paltry seven goals between them in ten outings. For the game to end goalless is 27/4, but there are positive signs.

The Cottagers may not have recorded a victory yet but recent form presents good omens. A come-from-behind draw against big spenders Manchester City was followed by a narrow loss to Carlo Ancelotti's Chelsea in the Carling Cup.

With that in mind Fulham could get their season underway and looking to get his name on the scoresheet again is Bobby Zamora, who is 6/1 to break the deadlock.

West Brom, meanwhile, have earned a reputation as the ultimate yo-yo club in recent years and have been going down only to spring back up more often than Cristiano Ronaldo. Impressively the Midlands club are the only side in Premier League history to have been bottom at Christmas and survived the drop. Despite a restrictive budget there is plenty of time to improve and they enjoy home advantage here.

Perhaps tellingly the Baggies are unbeaten in the last five meetings between these clubs at the Hawthorns, so backing top scorer Shane Long to give the Baggies the lead looks tempting at 11/2, especially considering they have only registered in the first half all term.

The hosts perhaps need to learn to pace themselves as they have yet to score after the break since May, so expect Martin Jol's Fulham to be close until the end. Backing the Lilywhites' towering Norwegian defender Brede Hangeland to have the final say, just as did the last time these two met, could be the best longshot of the weekend.

At odds of 20/1, a successful £25 free bet on Hangeland to score last would pay out £625.




http://bwinbetting.com/viking-raider-hangeland-plunder-late-repeat,7160.html?

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Ruiz may be rubbish for months admit Fulham



Fulham boss Martin Jol admits it could be a YEAR before £10million summer signing Bryan Ruiz is showing his best form.

Jol made a deadline day move back to his Dutch homeland to lure the Costa Rica striker from FC Twente.

However, Ruiz has been used sparingly in his two Premier League appearances and missed the decisive penalty in a Carling Cup shoot-out loss to neighbours Chelsea in midweek.

Jol is sure his forward will come good, but warned it will take time for the South American to find his feet in the Premier League.

Ruiz is likely to drop back down to the bench for the game at fellow strugglers West Brom on Saturday.

"When he signed I joked, 'Give him three weeks,'" said Jol.

"It is very difficult when you come to this country. There are some players who need a couple of months, or even a year.

"Bryan Ruiz is a quality player. Don't forget, Mousa Dembele needed seven or eight months to be the player he is now."

Dembele is now a key man for Fulham after a slow start following his switch from another Dutch side, AZ Alkmaar, at the start of last season, and Jol admitted Ruiz might follow a similar path.

"Of course, I have to be patient with him and so do the fans - you have to have the same attitude with all the foreigners," said the manager.

"We have got four good offensive players and Bryan can get all the time in the world if everybody is fit.

"It is not about Ruiz, it is about the team. In a year's time, it is important for me that you can look at his statistics, his productivity and then you will see Bryan Ruiz will be up there with our best players."

Jol's side are still looking for their first league win, but skipper Danny Murphy believes they can break their duck against former boss Roy Hodgson at the Hawthorns.

The midfielder said: "It will be a little bit strange to come up against Roy, as we spent so much time with him.

"It will be nice to see him, though. I have great memories of Roy and his time with us, though on match day we will be looking to put one over on him.

"And I think we'll have an idea of how they're going to play. They will be well organised, work hard and have a good shape. I am just glad he is still in the game - he is a man of wisdom."



Read more: http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Bryan-Ruiz-may-struggle-for-months-as-he-adapts-to-English-football-admits-Fulham-boss-Martin-Jol-article803321.html#ixzz1YqpnK4hU
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West Brom    v    Fulham

Barclays Premier League
Venue: The Hawthorns Date: Saturday, 24 September Kick-off: 1500 BST Coverage: Watch highlights on Match of the Day; listen on BBC Radio 5 live and local radio; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles

TEAM NEWS
Fulham defender Aaron Hughes is expected to return from the knee injury that has sidelined him for their past three matches.

Andrew Johnson could also be involved, but Dickson Etuhu and Bjorn Helge Riise are injured.

West Brom striker Shane Long has had a flu bug but the club are hopeful he will be fit to play.

Defender Gabriel Tamas is still suspended so Craig Dawson will continue to deputise.

MATCH PREVIEW
I'm absolutely certain Roy Hodgson will get a terrific reception from Fulham fans at the Hawthorns as he faces his former side for the first time as West Bromwich Albion manager. I'm equally convinced that Martin Jol will receive a warm welcome from the home supporters, as a former Baggies player.

However, all sentiment will end after kick-off. A victory is vital for both sides, who have made their worst-ever starts to a Premier League campaign.

West Brom have kept just one clean sheet in their last 20 Premier League matches at home; it was last May, and I was there for Match of the Day when they beat Everton 1-0.

I'm told that Roy Hodgson won 34% of his matches as Fulham manager, compared with 33% so far with West Brom - the defeat at Swansea last weekend was the heaviest they have suffered since he took charge, so they desperately need a first home win since that day back in May.

Fulham haven't opened the scoring in any of their Premier League matches so far, but they were fantastic in coming back to draw against Manchester City last Sunday.

I'm looking forward to seeing their new signing Bryan Ruiz for the first time. The Costa Rican missed the decisive penalty in the shoot-out that saw Fulham go out of the Carling Cup at Chelsea in midweek, while West Brom lost at Everton. Will the fact that both teams played extra time on Wednesday night play a part this weekend?

Recent history tells you that West Brom should win, simply because the away team in this fixture hasn't won in the last 11 meetings. If I did the Pools I'd be tempted to put this match down as a draw.

MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head

No away side has won this fixture in 11 league matches since Fulham won 3-1 at the Hawthorns in December 2000.
The clubs have met 76 times in all, with West Brom leading by 36 wins to 25.
West Brom boss Roy Hodgson will take on his former side Fulham for the first time as Baggies boss.
West Brom

West Brom have the worst conversion rate of shots to goals in the top flight, scoring with just 6% of their attempts on goal.
Their 3-0 defeat to Swansea was the heaviest defeat of Roy Hodgson's reign as manager.
Ben Foster has made only 10 saves in five matches this season and six of those were against Chelsea.
Fulham

Fulham have failed to win any of their first five top-flight matches of a season for only the second time in their history. They also failed to win in their first five league matches in the 1951-52 season, and also lost the sixth.
Danny Murphy has created more scoring chances for his side (21) than any other player in the top flight.
Fulham are the only team in the Premier League who have not scored the opening goal in a match so far this season.
They have drawn four of their last six league games.



http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/14958167.stm

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Premier League trio chasing Championship starlet

Fulham, Aston Villa and Manchester City are all understood to be interested in signing Brighton central defender, Lewis Dunk.

The 19 year-old has impressed this season for the Championship high-flyers, and is attracting a host of top flight suitors.

The 6ft 4inch centre-back is now expected to be involved in a heap of January transfer speculation, sparking a bidding war between the three clubs.

Dunk now has 13 appearances under his belt starring for Albion, and may jump at the chance to play for  a Premier League side.



http://www.footybunker.com/premier-league-trio-chasing-championship-starlet/11829

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Up next: West Brom (a)
by DAN on SEPTEMBER 24, 2011

Fulham return to league action today with a trip to West Bromwich Albion, who currently sit at the foot of the Premier League table. The Baggies have had a stuttering start to the new campaign, although there were impressive in two narrow defeats to Manchester United and Chelsea in their opening games. The press have been busy building this up as a six-pointer and, even if players and managers tell you that they don't bother looking at the tables at this early stage, both sides will desperate to win their first league game of the season.

It will be an afternoon of reunions at the Hawthorns. Martin Jol spent spent two years at West Brom in the early 1980s, helping the Baggies to the semi-finals of both domestic cup finals in 1981-82. Roy Hodgson will manage a side against Fulham for the first time since leaving Craven Cottage in July 2010, after guiding the Whites to the Europa League final. Unfortunately, injury prevents Zoltan Gera – still highly regarded at Fulham for these crucial European goals – from making his second West Brom debut against his former club. Both managers should receive good receptions from the respective fans, but the sentiment certainly won't extend to the pitch come 3pm.

Jol insists he's unruffled by Fulham's position in the league table, but the statistics are worrying. The last time Fulham didn't win one of their first five league games they were relegated from the top flight in 1951/52. That year they were beaten in the sixth fixture, although Jol will be hoping that his side are buoyed by their terrific comeback against Manchester City last Sunday and a gutsy performance by the second string at Chelsea in the Carling Cup in midweek. Indeed, the strength of some of the youngsters' displays at Stamford Bridge presents the Fulham boss with something of a dilemma. Does he return to the side that Hodgson will know so well or throw in a couple of the new boys who were so impressive on Wednesday?

In the continued absence of Aaron Hughes, Philippe Senderos should partner Brede Hangeland in the centre of Fulham's defence. Senderos has hardly put a foot wrong so far and was at his calm and accomplished best at Stamford Bridge in midweek. John Arne Riise, who sat out the local derby, should return at left back on his birthday, while Jol has a decision to make at right back. Chris Baird, who anchored the midfield superbly against Chelsea, should return to the full-back role that he made his own under Mark Hughes but Stephen Kelly's good run in the side of late makes it difficult to leave the Irishman out. Then there's new signing Zdenek Grygera, who looks like a shrewd acquisition after a solid debut against Twente and an even more pleasing evening against Chelsea at centre back.

Skipper Danny Murphy will come back into the midfield after being rested in the League Cup and look to build on his good start to this campaign. His deflected equaliser against Manchester City was his first goal of the season, but Murphy has already laid on more chances for his team-mates – 21 – than any other Premier League player. He'll likely be joined in central midfield by Steve Sidwell, although the former Aston Villa man will have noted how assured young Marcel Gecov looked on his debut. Clint Dempsey and Damien Duff should return to the starting line-up, but whether Bryan Ruiz will be given another start is an unanswered question. The Costa Rican had a far more effective game at Chelsea than on his debut against Blackburn, but had to battle both fatigue and a groin strain as the game went into extra-time. Kerim Frei's brilliant performance on Wednesday had the fans salivating but it's unlikely that the 17 year-old will be included after that energy-sapping 120 minutes.

A much-changed West Brom side were unfortunate to exit the Carling Cup after Phil Neville's extra-time winner in midweek, with Hodgson pleased by the response of his side to their meek capitulation at Swansea last week. The Baggies have shown signs of still adjusting to the 4-4-2 that Hodgson has employed this season, perhaps because it would be the best way to harness the potency of Peter Odemwingie and new signing Shane Long. If the former Reading man, who has already scored against Manchester United and Chelsea this season, fails to recover from a flu bug, Hodgson may switch to a 4-5-1 system, which Paul Scharner says has been employed in training this week. The Austrian midfielder and Youssouf Mulumbu make for a hard-working midfield partnership, while Fulham will also need to shackle the creativity of captain Chris Brunt and Jerome Thomas, who was rumoured to be a transfer target in the summer. With the likes of James Morrison and Graeme Dorrans also available, Hodgson has plenty of options in midfield.

You have to go back to May 2002 for Fulham's last win at the Hawthorns, when Steve Marlet's header settled an FA Cup quarter-final. The Whites haven't managed a Premier League win there – with their last success coming in their promotion season in an impressive 3-1 win, when a double from Sean Davis was followed by a debut goal from Andrejs Stolcers. What Jol would give for a repeat performance.

MY FULHAM XI (4-2-3-1): Schwarzer; Baird, J. A. Riise, Hangeland, Senderos; Sidwell, Murphy; Duff, Dempsey, Dembele; Zamora. Subs: Etheridge, Kelly, Grygera, Gecov, Kasami, Ruiz, Sa.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2011/09/up-next-west-brom-a-2/?

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WEST BROM v FULHAM
UPDATED TEAM NEWS

Fulham defender Aaron Hughes could be back for this afternoon's trip to West Brom after recovering from a knee injury.

Forward Andrew Johnson could also be in contention and Brede Hangeland, Damien Duff, Clint Dempsey and captain Danny Murphy are all set to feature after being rested for the midweek Carling Cup penalty shoot-out defeat at Chelsea. Midfielder Dickson Etuhu and defender Bjorn Helge Riise remain out injured.

West Brom manager Roy Hodgson will revert to his first-choice side after he made nine changes for the midweek Carling Cup defeat at Everton.

Defender Gabriel Tamas remains suspended following his red card against Norwich, but striker Shane Long could return after illness ruled him out of Wednesday's game.

West Brom Squad: Bednar, Brunt, Cox, Dorrans, Fortune, Foster, Fulop, Jara, B Jones, Long, McAuley, Morrison, Mulumbu, Odemwingie, J Olsson, Reid, Scharner, Shorey, Thomas, Tchoyi, Daniels.

Fulham Squad: Schwarzer, Hughes, Hangeland, Baird, J Riise, Kelly, Sidwell, Duff, Kasami, Murphy, Dempsey, Dembele, Ruiz, Zamora, Etheridge, Senderos, Briggs, Grygera, Frei, Gecov, Sa, Johnson.



http://www.sportingpreview.com/football2012/11121190.php?

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A Six Pointer?

Is it too early to use such a title?

With both teams sat in the relegation places, albeit with only five games played, it probably is, but both teams know that a win today will lift them out of those feared three places.

Chris Baird, speaking about the importance of the fixture, has had this to say,

"We are 18th and they are 20th, it`s a six-pointer already."

"I am a little surprised to see West Brom struggling under Roy, if I`m honest. He did wonders for Fulham and is up there with the best managers I have worked with throughout my career - and I`ve had a lot of managers."

"West Brom are like us, a good footballing side in Roy`s mould. We are still benefiting from his time with us, especially in the Europa League this season."

"He never left any stone unturned in his preparation. Every detail of information we needed about the opposition was there."

"In his first season he saved us, then got us to seventh an dinto Europe. We reached the final of the Europa League and nearly won a trophy, while finishing a respectable 12th."

"He`s a very intelligent man and I`ve got huge respect for him."

It`ll be nice to see Roy again and have a chat but then I hope we turn them over.



Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=256686#ixzz1Ys01zcVB