Thursday Fulham Stuff (24/11/11)...

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Blackburn, Fulham encouraged in bid for Ajax striker Mounir El Hamdaoui

Blackburn Rovers and Fulham are being encouraged in their pursuit of Ajax striker Mounir El Hamdaoui.

Despite massive injury problems in attack, Ajax coach Frank de Boer refuses to consider the former Tottenham forward.

El Hamdaoui has had it made clear he's not in De Boer's plans, as former Ajax star Johnny Rep declared: "A fit El Hamdaoui is not an option. For him, he can just train to keep fit."

Blackburn and Fulham are eager to take El Hamdaoui off Ajax's hands in January.



http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/blackburn-fulham-encouraged-bid-ajax-striker-mounir-el-hamdaoui-2202981?utm_source=taxonomy_landing_page

[WhiteJC]

 
Trotta Loan

Fulham Football Club can confirm that Marcello Trotta has joined Wycombe Wanderers on a youth loan for one month.

The 19-year-old will train with his new team-mates for the first time on Thursday and could make his debut in Saturday's match against MK Dons.



Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/November/TrottaLoan.aspx#ixzz1ed29pgpV

[WhiteJC]

Cardiff face battle to keep ex-Villa winger Whittingham

Cardiff City fear losing winger Peter Whittingham in January.

The likes of West Bromwich Albion, Fulham and Blackburn Rovers have been linked with ex-Aston Villa junior.

Ex-boss Dave Jones said: "Cardiff have the Championship's best player. They'll have a fight on their hands."




http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/cardiff-face-battle-keep-ex-villa-winger-whittingham-2202401?utm_source=taxonomy_landing_page

[WhiteJC]

 
Arsenal V Fulham – Match Preview

Arsenal host London rivals Fulham at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday hoping to make it six Premier League wins on the spin and move into the top four.

Arsene Wenger's side have won five in a row since being beaten by rivals Tottenham in last months North London derby with that good run of form aiding supporters in wiping a dreadful start to the reason from their memory. Amazingly the Gunners were touted as candidates for relegation after their 8-2 thrashing at the hands of Manchester United in August only to see their form and league position improve dramatically on the back of eight wins from their last 10 games. An erratic opening to the campaign could be owed large in part to the departure of key players with the squad looking unsettled and weaker than it did the season before. Thankfully Wenger has steadied the ship with his summer signings starting to come good and key players beginning to put in the sort of performances expected. The return to form of Robin Van Persie has been a major bonus to the Arsenal side with the Dutchman scoring 33 goals during 2011 and proving to be a source of consistent inspiration at the Emirates. His sparkling form seems to have rubbed off on others with winger Theo Walcott also putting in a series of dazzling displays on the wing whilst Aaron Ramsey and Mikel Arteta are striking up a telling partnership in midfield. Incredibly the Gunners much maligned back four has started to come good with the return of Thomas Vermaelen from injury aiding in the adjustment of Per Mertesacker who looks to be growing in confidence with each passing game. The squad now looks settled and resilient and they displayed that against Norwich last week after going a goal down in the first half. The manner in which they responded and showed a steely resolve to come back and win the game is a quality not many teams possess. It's up to Wenger now to keep confidence high and his team believing they can go out there and beat anyone placed in front of them with Fulham coming to town.

The Cottagers make the short from West London on Saturday hovering just above the relegation zone having lost three of their last five Premier League games. It's been a tough start to life on the Thames for Martin Jol with the boss counting the cost of Fulham's Europa League excursions. Fatigue has been a real issue for the Dutchman and his compact squad and their domestic form has suffered because of it. Despite starting well in games Fulham fade badly and it was something that was highlighted at Sunderland in their 0-0 last week where they begun boldly but ended the game looking like they'd ran a marathon. Exhaustion has certainly affected their ability to perform on the road and their  form has been sketchy with one win from a possible six and finding the net only three times. Jol's midfield and attack looked sapped of energy in the latter stages at the Stadium of Light with Clint Dempsey blowing their golden chance to win dragging a sluggish shot wide of goal with a few minutes remaining. With such a small group of players at his disposal it's been difficult for Jol to rotate his squad in order to keep everyone fresh and away from the clutches of tiredness that is threatening to get the better of them. Having five key players out injured doesn't help neither does a trip to face an Arsenal side on the up and possessing pace in abundance – something that could prove to be too much for the weary Fulham legs. It's up to Jol to get his players thinking logically on the ball, retaining possession and playing their game at their own pace. Should they have to chase the Gunners all over the field it could do more damage to their hopes of a pleasant festive period.

Arsenal – 7th

Last Five: Won 2-1 v Norwich (A), Won 3-0 v West Brom (H), Won 5-3 v Chelsea (A),  Won 3-1 v Stoke (H), Won 2-1 v Sunderland (A)

Potential Starting X11: 13. W. Szczesny 6. L. Koscielny 4. P. Mertesacker 5. T. Vermaelen 11. A. Santos 17. A. Song 14. T. Walcott 8. M. Arteta 16. A. Ramsey 27. Gervinho 10. R. Van Persie [C]*

Injury News: Wenger had no new injury worries despite having five first team players currently in the treatment room although none of them look like returning any time soon.

Key Player - Robin Van Persie

There is no one else for Arsenal at the moment other than their inspirational Dutch skipper. Van Persie has been in red hot form in 2011 33 in his last 30 games with two coming against Norwich last week. Since taking the armband from Cesc Fabregas the striker has taken his game to new levels and is now a regular match winner for the Gunners. He is oozing confidence and will be expecting to continue his fine form against lowly Fulham on Sunday.

Match Fact

Arsenal have hosted Fulham 25 times since their first meeting in an FA Cup tie in 1903 and have yet to taste defeat on their own soil in 25 games recording 22 victories and three draws.

Fulham – 16th

Last Five

Drew 0-0 v Sunderland (A), Lost 3-1 v Tottenham (H), Won 2-0 v Wigan (A), Lost 3-1 v Everton (A), Lost 2-0 v Stoke (A)

Potential Starting X11: 1. M. Schwarzer 6. C. Baird 18. A. Hughes 5. B. Hangeland 3. J. Riise 16. D. Duff 13. D. Murphy [C]* 4. S. Sidwell 23. C. Dempsey 30. M. Dembele 25. B. Zamora

Injury News: Key midfielder Steve Sidwell is a doubt after he suffered a hernia injury whilst defender Stephen Kelly is also struggling to be fit with a groin injury. Fulham could welcome back Simon Davies though after he spent the last four month's out with a knee injury.

Key Player: Danny Murphy

The Fulham skipper has been as inspirational as ever this season putting in a number of playmaking displays from the centre of midfield. Despite being 34-years-old Murphy has the ability to dictate the tempo of a game and that skill will be needed if the Cottagers are to preserve their low energy levels at the Emirates. His guile on the ball will be key to opening up an Arsenal defence that is still susceptible to a mistake or two.

Match Fact: Fulham have never beaten Arsenal in the Premier League on 10 visits to North London and have managed only three draws in games at Highbury and the Emirates Stadium.

Last Time at the Emirates Stadium

Premier League 4 December 2010

Arsenal 2-1 Fulham

Nasri, 14, 75.

Kamara, 30.

Attendance: 60,049

Referee: Chris Foy

PREDICTION

Arsenal have been superb over the last month or so winning five in a row and putting themselves back into contention for  top four finish. The form of Van Persie and Walcott has been a godsend to the Gunners with the duo proving to be a handful when they're in sync and flying towards goal. Pace and power could prove to be a vital ingredient if they want to overcome a Fulham side who are struggling to find the energy to win games and look strong candidates for a relegation dog fight. The Cottagers have the players and talent to fight to finish lot higher but fatigue continually gets the best of them. Their short trip to North London will probably end in another defeat and push them close to the drop zone.

Score 3-0



http://www.footballfancast.com/2011/11/football-news/arsenal-v-fulham-match-preview?

[WhiteJC]

 
Waddock signs up Trotta

Wycombe Wanderers long pursuit for a striker has ended with the capture of Marcello Trotta from Premier League Fulham.

He joins the Blues on a one-month 'youth' loan and will hopefully be the answer to the clubs' goalscoring problems. To date they have scored 17 goals in 18 League One matches which unsurprisingly leaves them second bottom of the table.

The 19-year-old was born in Santa Maria Capua, Italy and joined the Cottagers from Napoli back in 2007. He signed professional forms in 2009 and has represented his country at both U18 and U19 level.

He has scored more than 25 goals in each of the past two seasons and was named Fulham's Academy Scholar of the Year. This season he has bagged five goals for the clubs' development squad in a 7-0 thumping of Bolton Wanderers and then hit four goals in a 6-2 thrashing of Norwich City.

Under-pressure Wanderers' boss Gary Waddock told the clubs' official website: "He's a goalscorer, a natural finisher who comes alive in the box. That's one ingredient we've been missing recently."

The 6'2' front-man, who will wear the number 25 shirt, will have just three first team games to impress with his loan due to end after the long trip to Carlisle United on Saturday 17th December. Let the Only Fools and Horses gags commence.



Read more: http://www.wycombe.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=263462#ixzz1edJ3ohev

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham's Marcello Trotta joins Wycombe Wanderers


Trotta started out at hometown club Napoli

Wycombe Wanderers have signed Fulham striker Marcello Trotta on a month's youth loan.

The Italy Under-19 international has scored nine times in seven games for Fulham's reserves this season.

He joined the Cottagers from Napoli in 2009 and has scored 25 goals in each of the last two youth-team campaigns.

"I'm looking to play some first-team football and my target is to score goals for the team," the 19-year-old told the club website.

"Every time I get the ball I look to do something positive."

Boss Gary Waddock added: "We've been watching him for a while and we are delighted that Fulham have allowed us to add a quality player to the group.

"He's a goalscorer, a natural finisher who comes alive in the box. That's one ingredient we've been missing recently."



http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15875044.stm?

[WhiteJC]

 
Youth Cup Update

Fulham's FA Youth Cup match against Carlisle United on Tuesday 13th December at Motspur Park will now kick-off at 6pm instead of the original time of 7pm.

Ticket Prices

Adults £3
Under 16s & Over 65s £1


Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/November/YouthCupUpdateCarlisle.aspx?#ixzz1edikZ6pn

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Lustig lifts lid on Cottage snub

Mikael Lustig claims the lure of success and regular action helped Celtic see off competition from clubs like Fulham for his signature.

Cottagers boss Martin Jol had been heavily linked with the 24-year-old Sweden international defender with a view to signing him on a pre-contract agreement from Norwegian side Rosenborg as he was set to fall out of contract next summer.

However, Celtic have beaten the Londoners and several other interested parties to Lustig's signature as he says the lure of first-team football and a chance to win silverware appealed more to him than a bigger pay packet.

"This moves feels good," Lustig said in the Daily Record.

"I'm joining a club where people believe in me and that will help me develop my game.

"I'm aware Celtic were following me for a long time and that means this was not a panic transfer.

"That means a lot and is one of the main reasons I've joined. That and the fact they are a huge club.

"The thought has been in my mind for a long time that I was leaving Norway and I had to be careful and think long about my next club.

"If it had just come down to money there were chances for me to go somewhere else and get a better contract in a better league.

"But I wanted playing time and I wanted to feel I'd be valued."


http://www.clubcall.com/fulham/lustig-lifts-lid-on-cottage-snub-1341025.html?