Wednesday Fulham Stuff(05/09/12)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Just How Thin Is Our Squad?
by LORK on SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

There's been a lot of uproar over Fulham's spectacular failings on transfer deadline day to fail to add competently to the squad – despite signing a genuine world class forward, a versatile and proven Englishman and a rated winger. No doubt this is a reaction to losing our two best players in Dembele and Dempsey, and although the club would have been doing their best, and we have some of the best working for us, I too am disappointed in our failure to replace Dembele, at least, in the centre of midfield.

But our squad is still impressive. Take the first and second choice 11s (I'll choose to deploy the 4-2-3-1 that Jol seems to favour, although I feel that may change in order to optimise the talents at our disposal):

Schwarzer

Riether – Hughes – Hangeland – Riise

Diarra – Sidwell

Dejegah – Ruiz – Richardson

Berbatov

vs

Stockdale

Kelly – Senderos – Baird – Briggs

Kasami – ?X?

Duff – Rodallega – Kacaniklic

Petric

We also have Davies, Trotta and Frei to help supplement the squad, and talented young players in Mesca, Minkwitz and Burn who are not far from the first team either.So you see, it's actually fairly deep, especially with our attacking options and our defensive positions are well stocked too. You also cannot understate the quality of Petric and Berbatov either, we should be very excited that they're here.

There is one big concern in the centre of midfield. We now rely a lot on Diarra keeping his fitness, an attribute that he's not been too consistent with over the last few years, and there's some doubt as to the quality of Sidwell; personally I think Sidwell is ok, and adequate enough to carry us over until January, but clearly we will miss the guile we used to have in that position provided by Dembele and Murphy before him. Not just that but our variety there is limited, so it will be difficult to change games with substitutions in that area, but as I say the problem there really isn't as bad as it's made out and elsewhere we should be fine, until January at least where we will no doubt be active in the transfer market with hopefully a bit more gusto than we demonstrated over the past two weeks.

~lork


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2012/09/just-how-thin-is-our-squad/?

[WhiteJC]

 
I'm not the bad guy! Dempsey disappointed at portrayal of Fulham exit

Clint Dempsey has admitted he is upset at the way his departure from Fulham was played out.

The United States international made a £6million deadline day move to Tottenham after making it clear his future lay away from Craven Cottage.

And the forward believes his exit should have been handled better.

"I'm disappointed in the way I was portrayed, in the end, with Fulham,' he told Sky Sports.

'I always wanted to play at the highest level possible. That was never a secret. That's something I always said.

'It would be a dream of mine to play Champions League and you want to play on the best team possible to try to get there.

'That's definitely a team with a lot of quality in it, but now it's all about the team that I'm with.'

He added: 'There were some things that were said that weren't true.

'That's in the past now. It's about looking toward the future and like I said, I'm looking forward to playing with Tottenham. It's a great team, a great club.

'I want to thank the fans of Fulham. It's been five great years.

'Some of my best memories in football have been there. I want to thank the chairman for talking a chance on me from MLS and I wish them well in the future.'



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2198052/Clint-Dempsey-upset-Fulham-exit-reports.html#ixzz25YxH8jlH

[WhiteJC]

 
Full Performance

Midfielder Mahamadou Diarra wants Fulham to learn from Saturday's defeat by West Ham United to guarantee we don't endure a similar opening 45 minutes again this season.

While the Whites enjoyed more of the ball at Upton Park, three first-half goals by the hosts gave Martin Jol's side too great a mountain to climb.

"You know in football now, it's not all about getting the ball and keeping possession of the ball," Mahamadou explained to the official website. "I think we have to be better to try to add the finishing touch to our play.

"Against West Ham we didn't start the game well, but we are definitely capable of performing better in the first half. We were really good in the second half and we had three or four good chances to make goals but it was not a good day in the first 45 minutes."

With the Whites having scored seven league goals already this season, Mahamadou has no doubt that we will find the back of the net on a regular basis throughout the campaign and he highlighted the talent we can now boast in the final third.

"Dimitar, Hugo and Petric can help the Team very well," he told fulhamfc.com. "They are three very good players and they will be very important for the Team.

"We saw against West Ham some of what they can do but, with time, they can be better and start scoring goals. We have to learn to play 95 minutes well, not only 45 minutes in the second half and, once the new players get settled, we will start scoring goals."

Several Whites players are now off on an international break before returning for our match with West Bromwich Albion, and midfielder Diarra is looking forward to meeting up with his Mali colleagues after a prolonged hiatus from the international scene.

"I am going back to join the national team," Mahamadou said. "I have been back before to speak to the team to try to create a special feeling in the squad, and now this is the first match I go back to play.

"I am fit and I feel very good, so now is the moment to help my country. I am really happy to go back after one year of suspension and injury, and I cannot wait to go and help my country.

"We have a lot of objectives to qualify for a World Cup for the first ever time, and to do well in qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations. It will be a good challenge for us against Botswana [this week], and if we win we will confirm our qualification for the Nations Cup next year."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/september/04/full-performance?

[WhiteJC]

 
Have Fulham shot their season in the foot?

Beating Norwich 5-0 on the opening day of the season was the worst start to the season Fulham could have had.

Before the transfer window shut on Friday night I had written a piece on how Fulham were going to be the dark horses of this season; They had totally outplayed Norwich and had given a very good account of themselves at Old Trafford.

At 11:01pm on Friday I pressed the delete button. In the last few days and hours of the Transfer Window, Fulham lost both Moussa Dembele and Clint Dempsey to London rivals Tottenham and the concern for me is those sales have scuppered any chance Fulham had of enjoying a decent season.


Losing both of those players left a big gap in Fulham's squad, a gap I feel that manager Martin Jol failed to suitably fill. The Amateur Theatre Production that is Sky Sport's Transfer Deadline Day threw up names such as Michel Bastos and Douglas Costa as possible replacements; indeed, they would have been adequate replacements.

Instead Fulham fans were left to ponder the arrival of Kieran Richardson from Sunderland and Dimitar Berbatov from Manchester United. I don't think these two players possess the quality to replace that of the two D's and consequently Fulham's season is now in danger of being a washout.

No disrespect to Richardson, but he is an average Premier League player at best; his unnoticeable Fulham debut at Upton Park on Saturday did nothing to change my mind on the matter. Richardson is a former left-midfielder turned left-back; In John Arne Riise and Matthew Briggs, Fulham already possess two very good left backs.

This means Jol must see Richardson playing further up the field and I don't think Richardson has the quality in the final third to make a real difference in the Premier League.

There is no doubting Dimitar Berbatov's obvious talent as a footballer and his signing could be seen as something of a coup for Fulham. However, Berbatov does not play for the club he is with, most of the time he plays for himself. The desire sometimes is not there with the Bulgarian and that has got to be a worry for Fulham who will be relying a great deal on Berbatov for goals this season.

Fundamentally, Fulham have got rid of an exciting young player in Dembele and a dependable highly talented player in Dempsey and have brought in a squad player in Richardson and an ageing talent in Berbatov. Fulham and Jol have not replaced like for like and because of this their season will suffer.

I am not suggesting for a second that Fulham are relegation fodder; they have some very good young players on their books such as Frei, Kasami, Petric and Ruiz and will still cause upsets this season. But had they kept hold of a few players this summer things could have been so different. A cup run looked a decent bet and a top eight finish wasn't too crazy-a-thought.

Now however, Fulham looked destined for a season of mid-table obscurity and that is a real shame.

Two decent performances at the start of the season had given the Whites momentum to push on and possibly enjoy their best campaign in the top flight.

After the weekend however and the loss of arguably their two best players coupled with a 3-0 defeat at the hands of West Ham, things now have a much more sombre feel to them down by the river.



http://hereisthecity.com/2012/09/03/have-fulham-shot-their-season-in-the-foot/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham star praises strikers despite West Ham blank

Mahamadou Diarra wants Fulham to put their 3-0 loss to West Ham behind them and insists it won't take long for their strikers to get back to scoring ways.

Fulham scored seven goals in their opening two Premier League matches but failed to find the net at Upton Park.

But former Lyon and Real Madrid midfielder Diarra says there is no reason to panic.

"Dimitar [Berbatov], Hugo [Rodallega] and [Mladen] Petric can help the team very well," he told Fulham's official website.

"They are three very good players and they will be very important for the team.

"We saw against West Ham some of what they can do but, with time, they can be better and start scoring goals.

"We have to learn to play 95 minutes well, not only 45 minutes in the second half and, once the new players get settled, we will start scoring goals."



http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/fulham_star_praises_strikers_despite_west_ham_blank_1_1504047?

[WhiteJC]

 
FULHAM FANS DON'T KNOW HOW LUCKY THEY ARE

Fulham manager Martin Jol recently said of his new signing Dimitar Berbatov :-
"In this market he would be £30-40million. But even if somebody offered that we would never sell him. He reminded me a bit of Johan Cruyff when he started. He's a link-up player, he's a finisher, he's good in the air, he's a target man but he can move as well. He is complete."

Dimitar Berbatov was Manchester United's most exciting summer signing in 2008. He was known for his cool finishing, aerial threat, pin point through balls and not to forget the sublime first touch which is probably the best in the business. All this collectively had established him as one of the most feared strikers in the Premier League. And this is what Sir Alex Ferguson had to opine after he purchased Berbatov on deadline day from Tottenham Hotspur:

"Dimitar is a great player, you can see the quality. He is fantastic. There are very few players who can produce moments like he does in games. It can decide them."

In his first season with United, he was found competing against Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez. Yet he managed 36 starts scoring 14 goals and ministering another 9 goals for his team mates. Definitely not a bad return for someone who was nearly burnt out towards the end of the season after earning 50 starts for both club and country. The way he pirouetted past West Ham defenders to set up Ronaldo for the goal was top class and the incredible first touch to bring the ball down and score against Spurs' and another one to set up Tevez against City along with other mesmerizing performances, he had silenced most critics who had questioned the price paid for his transfer.

Berbatov's second season at Old Trafford saw United's top goal poachers, Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez, leave for Real Madrid and rivals Manchester City respectively. In addition, Antonio Valencia was bought from Wigan Athletic and Micheal Owen from a free transfer. Sir Alex Ferguson had decided to move back to his original 4-4-2 formation to inculcate a more direct attacking approach. Berbatov was mainly used as a deep lying forward starting the attack and feeding the ball to Valencia. Harshly criticized by many supporters for slowing up the play, Berbatov's ability to hold the ball well and wait for other attacking options to get ahead on the pitch was scintillating. The counter attacking display of Berbatov, Valencia and Rooney was a joy to behold.

The 2010-11 season saw the emergence of Nani and SAF moving from 4-4-2 to a more dynamic version of 4-4-1-1. Rooney occupied the position behind the striker while Berbatov became the focal point of the attack similar to his Spurs days. 21 goals in just 32 starts with a hat trick against Liverpool and 5 goals against Blackburn, Berbatov was having his best season yet. Berbatov regarded the club highly and has always been one of the great learners in the game as he said:-

"He [Sir Alex Ferguson] is one of the most successful managers in the history of the game. I write things down about the way we train and how he treats people. It is like a school. You work with the best manager and play with the best players. I try to learn. I am at the biggest club in the world. If I can learn anywhere it is here."

Berbatov helped United clinch their 19th Premier League title amongst the fuss regarding Rooney's contract situation. In the second half of the season, Berbatov started just 3 of the last 11 Premier League games. New signing, Javier Hernandez, was in a mesmerizing form in his first season at the club and Rooney, having solved the contract issues, had begun to find the net once again. SAF decided not to tinker with this partnership and Berbatov, unfortunately, had to pay the price. He, however, managed to win the Golden Boot with 19 goals in the Premier League but the fact that an always injured Michael Owen was selected ahead of him in the Champions League final was probably the final nail in the coffin.
Berbatov's fourth season at the club turned out to be a nightmare. Who knew that last season's highest goal scorer would be handed just 11 starts throughout the season. Berbatov had become United's fourth choice striker. Danny Welbeck's super start to the season and his understanding with Wayne Rooney didn't help Berbatov's case. Moreover, United were dumped out of other competitions at quite an early stage. The club basically played just one game per week which made it difficult for Berbatov to break into the final XI. Not once did the classy player speak against the club or the manager or even express his desire to leave the club. He has always acted like a true professional and just waited for things to happen his way, the kind of quality you won't find now days.

Berbatov has now joined Fulham whose fans must be giddy with excitement. After RvP's arrival, Berbatov was down the pecking order to a fifth choice striker at the club. There was no other option than to move onto another club where he will play week in week out. He could walk into any top club's starting XI bar Madrid, Barcelona and may be City. Whether Fulham plays to his strengths remains to be seen but they have a wonderful striker in their team setup and Martin Jol knows very well how to extract the best out of Berbatov.



http://redflagflyinghigh.com/2012/09/blogs/fulham-fans-dont-know-how-lucky-they-are?

[WhiteJC]

 
Jol hints at changes after Dembele exit

MARTIN Jol admits Fulham may be forced to adapt their system following the departure of Moussa Dembele.

The Belgian star left Craven Cottage last week after Spurs triggered the £15million release clause in his contract, while Clint Dempsey also followed him to White Hart Lane on deadline day.

Fulham were short of options in the middle of the park for Saturday's defeat at West Ham, with new signing Kieran Richardson deployed in a central midfield position alongside Steve Sidwell and Mahamadou Diarra.

The Whites have bolstered their squad with the arrival of Dimitar Berbatov from Manchester United, but Jol hinted he may have to change his system to get the best out of the players at his disposal.

He said: "Dembele is in the same mould as Berbatov and you will see that in the future. He's one of the best players in the Premiership. Clint is more of a goalscorer, getting on the end of things in the box.

"You build teams around good players and Berbatov is quality. When I saw him I missed it for a couple of years but saw it again.

"We have to find the right balance. If Bryan Ruiz comes back we will be okay. Maybe we have to change the system because with Dembele it was different."



Read More http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-fc/2012/09/04/82029-31763917/?#ixzz25Yz2ZsIT

[WhiteJC]

 
Crystal Palace 3-4 U18s

Moussa Dembele scored a hat-trick as Fulham's Under-18s defeated Crystal Palace 4-3 at Motspur Park on Saturday.

Dembele put the Whites in front, only for Palace to level soon after.

But the Whites then regained their lead through Dembele, with Cauley Woodrow increasing our advantage from the penalty spot.

Demeble completed his hat-trick and made it 4-1 but Palace reduced the deficit with a free-kick, before ensuring a nervy finish with a header.

Fulham, though, held on to secure the points and a second win from as many games this season.

Steve Wigley said: "We should have been out of sight at 4-1 and we had other chances. Palace had a go and there were chances at both ends. It was a physical game, very robust, but we stood up to it well.

"It's great to get another win and I've been really pleased with the attitude of the players. There's a really good team spirit."

Fulham Team: Grainger; Donnelly, O'Reilly, Sambou, Evans (O'Halloran 65); Della Verde, Hyndman, Tankovic (Richards 46), Williams (Tieku 75); Dembele, Woodrow.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/september/04/palace-u18-highlights?

[WhiteJC]

 
View from the River: Don't panic over transfer fall-out

Once again it is hard to escape that fact that Fulham have woken up with a post transfer deadline day hangover.

In January earlier this year Bobby Zamora headed up the road to QPR and this time Clint Dempsey has moodily moved on to Spurs, along with the legend that is Moussa Dembele.

Despite the club's best efforts (and a few good signings) it's safe to say that we look short in midfield. This was compounded by a poor first half display at West Ham where the drama of the past few days (and a rampaging Andy Carroll) seemed to have taken their toll on the team.

While there is no doubt that we are a poorer team without Dempsey, and especially Dembele, it's vital that we don't panic. We have lost good players before and will do again. The club is always bigger than one individual and we need to keep faith with Martin Jol and the club. Plus, £21 million is good money for a pair of players with a year left on their contracts and Dempsey certainly wasn't going to sign a new one anytime soon.

While we are a central midfielder or two short the squad looks pretty decent in other areas with Dimitar Berbatov, Kieran Richardson and Dejagah give us some real quality up top and squad depth in other areas.

We looked markedly better in the second half at the Boleyn Ground after Berbatov came on. Also, it's not as if our away form was amazing last season (especially at West Ham) with Dembele and Dempsey in the side, so we've got no right to go there expecting to win without them.

Looking ahead, with Ashkan Dejagah coming in and Bryan Ruiz and Kerim Frei still to come back we will look pretty tasty going forward.

The big issue is in central midfield. The club tried and failed to bring in Brugge's Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe or Dnipro's Derek Boateng and rumours of moves to Tottenham's Tom Huddlestone and Stoke's Wilson Palacios came to nothing.

While Mahamadou Diarra continues to impress, the slot alongside him is very much up for grabs. There are a few free signings around at the moment that Jol may look at. Nigel Reo-Coker, Owen Hargreaves (if our physio is fantastic) and Michael Ballack are all available and, to varying degrees, could add depth and quality to the squad in a problem area. None of them are perfect but bringing in Ballack or Reo-Coker on a short-term deal could at least add some competition for places.

Looking past these players, we will need Steve Sidwell or someone else to come in and do a job until January. Sidwell is a decent hard-working player but suffers in some quarters for not being Dembele. Despite this he will do a job and, as supporters, we need to get behind him and hope that he can get back to the form of a few years ago before the injury issues of last season. Realistically he is going to be playing regularly unless Jol can make another Dembele-like transformation of one of our forward players and it's time for Fulham's 'special one Iniesta' to step up and show that way forward for Fulham's midfield and that we can cope without Dembele there to pull the strings.

Good luck Sidders and Come On You Whites!



http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/view_from_the_river_don_t_panic_over_transfer_fall_out_1_1504279?

[WhiteJC]

 
U21s 1-4 Crystal Palace

Fulham's Under-21s were beaten 4-1 by Crystal Palace at Motspur Park on Sunday.

Palace took the lead in the 12th minute through Kwesi Appiah, but Marcello Trotta levelled for the Whites on the stroke of half-time.

The Eagles, though, took just four minutes after the break to go back in front through Bayan Fenwick, with Ibra Sekajja making it 3-1 shortly before the hour mark.

Appiah then wrapped up the win with his second of the game to make it 4-1 on 75 minutes, before Trotta missed a late penalty to cap a disappointing afternoon for the Whites.

Fulham Team: Somogyi, Brister, Kavanagh, Pritchard (Minkwitz 65), Burn, Grimmer, R Williams, Smith, Trotta, Donegan (Dalla Valle 60), Banya. Subs (not used): Bettinelli, Altman, Islamovic.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/september/04/palace-u21-highlights?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fear and loathing in SW6: so long, Clint

Strange memories on this nervous night in Las Vegas. Five years later? Six? It seems like a lifetime, or at least a Main Era—the kind of peak that never comes again. San Francisco in the middle sixties was a very special time and place to be a part of. Maybe it meant something. Maybe not, in the long run... but no explanation, no mix of words or music or memories can touch that sense of knowing that you were there and alive in that corner of time and the world. Whatever it meant....

History is hard to know, because of all the hired bullpoo, but even without being sure of "history" it seems entirely reasonable to think that every now and then the energy of a whole generation comes to a head in a long fine flash, for reasons that nobody really understands at the time—and which never explain, in retrospect, what actually happened.

My central memory of that time seems to hang on one or five or maybe forty nights—or very early mornings—when I left the Fillmore half-crazy and, instead of going home, aimed the big 650 Lightning across the Bay Bridge at a hundred miles an hour wearing L. L. Bean shorts and a Butte sheepherder's jacket... booming through the Treasure Island tunnel at the lights of Oakland and Berkeley and Richmond, not quite sure which turn-off to take when I got to the other end (always stalling at the toll-gate, too twisted to find neutral while I fumbled for change)... but being absolutely certain that no matter which way I went I would come to a place where people were just as high and wild as I was: No doubt at all about that...

There was madness in any direction, at any hour. If not across the Bay, then up the Golden Gate or down 101 to Los Altos or La Honda.... You could strike sparks anywhere. There was a fantastic universal sense that whatever we were doing was right, that we were winning....

And that, I think, was the handle—that sense of inevitable victory over the forces of Old and Evil. Not in any mean or military sense; we didn't need that. Our energy would simply prevail. There was no point in fighting—on our side or theirs. We had all the momentum; we were riding the crest of a high and beautiful wave....

So now, less than five years later, you can go up on a steep hill in Las Vegas and look West, and with the right kind of eyes you can almost see the high-water mark—that place where the wave finally broke and rolled back.

HST, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Clint Dempsey arrived as a young, confused, talented player, and left at the apex of his powers, having been along for all of the trip that was Fulham Football Club 2007-2012.  When we look back on these years we will see Roy Hodgson, Brede Hangeland, Danny Murphy, Mark Schwarzer, Aaron Hughes, Bobby Zamora. Zoltan Gera. But most of all we will see Dempsey, screaming wild and real.

"Fulham goalscorer, number 23, Cliiiint Dempsey!" will ring in our ears.



https://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2012/09/04/fear-and-loathing-in-sw6-so-long-clint/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Dempsey Reflections
   
Clint may now be playing for a club in North London, but there is a right old furor going on up on Merseyside.

Although Brendan Rodgers cleared the decks, for Clint`s arrival, by moving eight players out of the club, it transpires that Liverpool were, according to some sources, only willing to pay £4 million for a play Fulham wanted £6 million for.

Now on the surface, £6 million for a player that scores 20 goals a season, from midfield, looks a bargain but it appears that the Liverpool owners were not prepared to commit to the purchase believing Clint wasn`t worth that sort of cash.

Following the closure of the transfer window, Liverpool`s owner, John Henry, wrote an open letter to the supporters informing them that times were changing and he`d not put the club`s future in doubt by cavorting with financial dangers.

But, in our opinion, if he can`t see that Clint Dempsey was worth £6 million of anybody`s money then the problems at Liverpool Football Club run far deeper.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=292560#ixzz25Z0P2DST

[WhiteJC]

 
Do I detect an air of acrimony?
   
Whilst we`re delighted to have Dimitar Berbatov on board, it would appear, from some comments printed in the red-top press, Dimitar still has trouble coming to terms with his departure from United.

His comments, would appear to indicate that he sees one man, an done man only, as being responsible for his departure, with that man being Sir Alex Ferguson, or as Dimitar puts it,

"I`m very disappointed in Ferguson."

"The success speaks for him and how good he is."

"But I don`t respect him any more because of the way he treated me."

"I`m proud of myself but I`m a little disappointed by Ferguson as a person."

"I don`t know if he thinks well for me now."

"And I was ready to sign a life long contract with United."

It should be interesting when we meet United home or away, some old scores to settle methinks.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=292563#ixzz25Z0a1dXw

[WhiteJC]

 
Ashwater Press – Tales From the Riverbank part 3

Well, it's been an age since I posted anything on here and I'm not entirely sure I can remember how to do it. I've also left this reminder of Ashwater Press' new book a little late in the day. They go to press very soon so if you'd like to pre-order and have your name printed in the book as a subscriber you'll need to do so before THIS Sunday (9th September). There will be a limited number of part three of the Riverbank books printed, so don't hang around if you want to get a copy (I can highly recommend them from the previous two volumes).

With over 125 photographs (many of these pictures never seen before), this 224-page hardback book is a breathtaking and detailed insight into two more turbulent seasons at Craven Cottage (1969-70 and 1970-71). It's a time when Fulham start their climb back to respectability. Every game, every goal, all the comings and goings on and off the pitch; every detail relating to life at Fulham FC at that time – well over 100 matches are covered. What's in this volume? Well ................

The shock departure of Malcolm Macdonald / Fulham go crazy with eight goals at Halifax Town / Fulham score sixteen goals in just three league games / The Doncaster Rovers thugs come to town / Johnny Haynes gets the Fulham goalscoring record / The Luton Town floodlight failure / George Cohen's testimonial match / The first round FA Cup knock out at Fourth Division Exeter City / George Cohen takes charge of the juniors / The Bristol Rovers leaflet protest / John Richardson scores one of the goals of the season in a rare Fulham TV appearance / Johnny Haynes' final Fulham game / Fulham's two wins in eighteen games, and morale at rock bottom / A great revival and Fulham push on to fifteen league games unbeaten / The Fulham youth, victorious in Düsseldorf / Jimmy Conway and Steve Earle head the league's goalscoring charts / The departure of Johnny Haynes and the arrival of Jimmy Dunne / Barry Lloyd made captain at twenty-one / The Watney Cup thriller with Derby County / All five forwards score against Bradford City / Rodney Marsh's first return to the Cottage and Rangers being rattled out of the League Cup / Cup specialists Swindon Town become Fulham's next League Cup victims / Another fifteen game unbeaten run / Stan Brown's testimonial match / Dad winning the FA Cup duel of the Dodgins / League Cup quarterfinal heartache at Ashton Gate / The Gillingham pantomime on ice / Three goals in eight minutes at Priestfield / The Fulham champagne promotion party at Bradford City / The Preston North End final letdown / Fulham Town Hall celebrations / The Riverside stand gets the go-ahead. ..........................phew! That's just a thumbnail summary.

Just to confirm, we are holding the price at the same level as six years ago, despite increases in printing costs. Regrettably postage is now a bit more, but that aspect is out of our control! Tales from the Riverbank Part 3 will be available early into the new season (early to mid October). It will be possible to collect books from both Ascot and Twickenham and for two games outside the Craven Cottage ground (Aston Villa and Everton games).

We can now definitely confirm that we will be producing an Ashwater Desk Diary for 2013 later this year after the great feedback we received regarding last year's diary. We will print more this year, as we know many were disappointed that we sold out. We will also be producing an Ashwater Wall Calendar for Christmas as well. We will send out another update in a couple of week's time when the details are finalised.

To order your copy / copies of Tales from the Riverbank Part 3:

Visit www.ashwaterpress.co.uk (Click link)

Where you can pay and subscribe using PAYPAL

Or where you can download an order form and pay by cheque using the post.

For any other information, please E mail: [email protected]

Or telephone: 01344 – 624231



http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2012/09/04/ashwater-press-tales-from-the-riverbank-part-3/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham continue action against Liverpool over Dempsey approach
The Cottagers are set to press ahead with their official objection to the Anfield club's pursuit of their former America international midfielder, despite his move to Tottenham

Fulham will continue to seek action against Premier League rivals Liverpool over their pursuit of Clint Dempsey.

The 29 year-old was the subject of intense interest from the Reds throughout the summer transfer window before eventually signing for Tottenham just hours before the window closed.

However, despite not joining the Anfield club, the Cottagers are determined to see the Merseysiders held to account for what they deemed an illegal chase of their player.

A Premier League statement confirmed: "We have received a complaint from Fulham regarding comments made by Liverpool FC officials and are looking into the matter."

The case relates to comments made by Brendan Rodgers during the club's pre-season tour of America on the same day that Fenway Sports Group's official website erroneously claimed that Dempsey had joined the Reds.

Rodgers admitted Liverpool had made an approach for the USA international stating: "Clint is a player we've inquired about, it is as simple as that.

"Ian Ayre, our managing director, has spoken with the club to see what the position is. That is where we're at. He's a very talented player but we don't like to talk about other clubs' players."



http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2012/09/04/3354434/-?

[WhiteJC]

 
EXCLUSIVE: Reds used Henderson, Enrique and Downing in Dempsey deal

Brendan Rodgers' determination to land Clint Dempsey has been laid bare after it was revealed he attempted to broker the deal by offering several Liverpool stars in exchange.

Rodgers had agreed a swap in principle with Fulham for Jordan Henderson but it now appears that Stewart Downing and Jose Enrique were also mentioned as possible departures.

Agents circulated the players' names to rival Barclays Premier League clubs in the hope of raising the money that would clinch a deal for the United States forward.

Liverpool's manager was also attempting to land an experienced left back — either as a rival to Enrique or as his replacement — as the clock ticked down towards the end of the transfer window.

The moves came to nothing as Dempsey agreed a late switch to Tottenham,  scuppering Rodgers' attempt to land one of his prime  targets of the summer.

However, Joe Allen, one of his main captures, said that his move to Anfield had given him confidence to perform at the highest level he can. 'The level of faith shown in me has been flattering,' said the 22-year-old midfielder.

'It inspires me to go out and perform. From a confidence point of view, it's been beneficial.

'What I have seen is that you have to be confident,  bordering on arrogant, and you see the difference it makes to the top players.

'I told myself at the start of the season that I'm going to give it everything I can for club and country. I can't really do any more.'


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2198396/Brendan-Rodgers-tried-swap-Stewart-Downing-Jose-Enrique-Jordan-Henderson-Clint-Dempsey.html#ixzz25Z1bD9Iv

[btings]

"The Future of US Soccer: The Unlikely Rise of Clint Dempsey"

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/36064/the-future-of-u-s-soccer-the-rise-of-clint-dempsey

NFR, really, except that it's about how Dempsey is sort of an oddity in the US -- the sort of spontaneous, self-made player that other countries produce a lot more frequently than we do.

[WhiteJC]

 
FULHAM 25-MAN PREMIER LEAGUE SQUAD NAMED

Each Premier League side has, in accordance with Premier League rules, named a squad containing no more than 17 players who do not fulfil the home grown player criteria, with remainder of the party being home grown.

The teams can name up to 25 squad members, not including under-21 players.

Schwarzer
Somogyi
Stockdale
Etheridge
Riether
Kelly
Hughes
Hangeland
Senderos
Riise
Duff
Dejagah
Davies
Baird
Sidwell
Diarra
Ruiz
Richardson
Petric
Rodallega
Berbatov



http://www.sportingpreview.com/football2012/2012538.php?

[WhiteJC]

 
Under 18s 3 Fulham 4

Crystal Palace under 18s were edged out in a seven goal thriller against London rivals Fulham who had Moussa Dembele to thank after the young striker put the Eagles to the sword with a hat-trick.

After a bright start to the game from both sides Palace's Reise Allassani forced a good save from Fulham goalkeeper Billy Grainger. Then at the other end Lyle Della Verde dragged his effort wide of the post from close range. Before Palace captain Ryan Inniss thought he had opened the scoring only to see his header from a corner cleared off the line.

The opening goal wasn't long in coming, midway through the first half, when George Williams intercepted an attempted cross field pass and released Dembele, who had the composure to slot pass David Gregory and give the visitors the lead.

That advantage was short lived as Palace were awarded a penalty when Sullay Kai-Kai was brought down in the area and Allassani stepped up and made no mistake from the spot to equalise for the home side.

But Fulham re-took the lead minutes before half-time as Dembele grabbed his second of the game, heading home Williams' inch perfect cross restore the advantage for the Cottagers.

It got better for them just before half-time when they were awarded a spot-kick of their own and Cauley Woodrow made no mistake to extend the lead further.

The visitors began the second half the stronger and went close to adding a fourth, minutes after the restart, when Della Verde whistled a effort just over the bar. Then Williams steered his effort inches wide of the far post, following a swift break.

Dembele netted another to complete his hat-trick and make the game safe after he expertly tucked home Woodrow's cross then Williams went on a solo run but was only denied by a smart save from Gregory. It should have been five soon for the visitors soon after when Woodrow was clean through on goal, with time to spare, but his shot was the wrong side of the post.

That miss seemed to rejuvenate the young Eagles and Kai-Kai reduced the defecit with a wonderful free-kick that curled into the top corner with Grainger stranded. Palace almost had another moments later but substitute Will Johnson-Cole somehow managed to hit the post from a yard out as they raised the tempo.

Captain Inniss then headed a free-kick home to make it 4-3 and set up a tense end to the game, but it was the Fulham youngsters who were celebrating at the end as they held on to secure all three points.



http://www.cpfc.co.uk//news/article/under-18s-v-fulham-353526.aspx?

[WhiteJC]

 
Loan Watch

Fulham youngster Marcus Bettinelli's highly successful loan spell with Dartford continued on Tuesday night with a man-of-the-match performance as the newly-promoted Blue Square Bet Premier side secured their fourth successive victory courtesy of an injury-time winner against Newport County.

The triumph over pacesetters Newport County made it two wins in four days following last weekend's emphatic 5-1 victory over Alfreton Town. Dartford's winning form has seen the Club move up to eighth place in the Blue Square Bet Premier League table, just five points behind leaders Forest Green.

This weekend, Bettinelli and company will travel to Gateshead, hoping to secure a fifth-successive victory and leapfrog Saturday's opponents. 

In the same division, Under-21 striker Richard Peniket came close to scoring for Kidderminster Harriers on Tuesday night as they moved off the foot of the table following a 1-1 draw away to Braintree Town.

Peniket headed against the bar with Kidderminster a goal behind, before Mickey Demetriou scored a last-gasp equaliser to secure a valuable point. On Saturday, Kidderminster will look to build on Tuesday night's draw when they entertain Southport at home.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/september/05/loan-watch?