Friday Fulham Stuff (26/10/12)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Martin Jol explains why Fulham rejected Blackburn approach for Billy McKinlay

Fulham manager Martin Jol claims first-team coach Billy McKinlay might have been able to discuss the managerial vacancy at Blackburn had it been made clear he was the npower Championship outfit's number-one choice.

Jol confirmed McKinlay, who is also assistant to Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill, was the subject of a widely-reported rejected enquiry from Blackburn earlier this week

Rovers appear to have moved on to other targets in the wake of the rejection, with McKinlay's status as a managerial novice prompting further unrest among their fanbase following Steve Kean's troubled reign.

And having detected some hesitation in the advances of a Blackburn recruitment party headed by global advisor Shebby Singh, Jol turned down the approach.

"They asked us a couple of days ago if they can talk to him and we said no," he said.

"If you say yes it opens the door for other clubs to talk to my one of my staff members. There are always four to six other people involved, so why should I say yes?

"If I'm 100 per cent certain they'd take him I'd probably be a bit more positive.

"I need Billy, he's a good boy and is developing into a very good coach and manager.

"If they said: 'He's our number one choice', I'd probably tell them they can talk to him.

"But there are always big lists in football and I want Billy to stay.

"If I wanted someone I'd make a nice phone call, informal. With us it was formal - 'can we speak to him?' 'No'."

Blackburn have been without a manager since Kean's resignation last month.

Caretaker boss Eric Black led his charges to a first win at the fifth time of asking courtesy of an unconvincing 1-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday last night that moved them up to fifth in the Championship table.

PA


http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/martin-jol-explains-why-fulham-rejected-blackburn-approach-for-billy-mckinlay-8226772.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham boss Jol: Pogrebnyak move bothered me until I signed Berbatov
Cottagers manager admits he was frustrated to see Russian join Reading in the summer but those feelings eased when he signed the Bulgarian striker from Manchester United

Fulham boss Martin Jol has admitted he was bothered by Pavel Pogrebnyak's move to Reading but those feelings eased when he signed Dimitar Berbatov.

The Royals striker spent the last six months of last season at Craven Cottage and made quite an impression scoring six goals in just 12 Premier League appearances including a hat-trick against Wolves.

Jol had hoped to extend the 28-year-old's stay with the Cottagers beyond his six-month deal but was unable to do so, allowing the door to open for Brian McDermott and Reading to pounce for the striker.

The Dutchman admitted he was disappointed at the time, but felt better about his team when he brought in Hugo Rodallega, Mladen Petric and Berbatov, who have all starred for the Whites since their arrival at the club.

Jol told reporters: "I was bothered with it at the time but not anymore. I've got other players now and I'm happy with my players as Rodallega, Petric and, of course, Berbatov came in.

"I liked Pavel very much and he liked the club as well but he made the decision to go there. They made him a very good offer and he decided to go there but it was not an easy decision for him, believe me.

"I spoke to him a couple of times but he made that choice and, at that time, I was very disappointed but later on I thought that perhaps if Pavel had stayed, maybe Berbatov would not have been here.

"We've got three new strikers this season – Berbatov, Petric and Rodallega – and I'm ever so pleased with those three. I think, up front, we look better than ever before."

Jol feels that Reading haven't had much luck in their games so far this season, and have rarely been outplayed. With that in mind, he admits that his side will have to play well and work hard to get a positive result at the Madejski Stadium.

"If you see their results, it's always close," he added. "They've got a few players who can make a difference and they play like a team. I feel that Reading could be higher [in the table] but they need that little bit of luck.

"It's the same all the time, they need a result so I feel we will need to play well and work hard to get a result there. For them it's probably more important than to us as they really need a result to turn the corner."



http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2012/10/25/3477707/-?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham handed boost ahead of Reading clash


Damien Duff

Reading v Fulham

FULHAM are boosted by the return of Damien Duff and Bryan Ruiz for Saturday's trip to the Madjeski.

Duff (ill) and Ruiz (groin) missed last weekend's win against Aston Villa, but boss Martin Jol confirmed the duo are back in contention to face Reading.

Their return leaves the Dutchman with a welcome selection headache in attack, with Mladen Petric, Hugo Rodallega and Ruiz vying to partner Dimitar Berbatov in attack.

The Whites travel to the game on the back of some decent results on the road, and Jol admits Fulham's opponents in a false position.

He said: "They've got a few players who can make a difference and they play like a team. I feel that Reading could be higher [in the table] but they need that little bit of luck.

"It's the same all the time, they need a result so I feel we will need to play well and work hard to get a result there.

"For them it's probably more important than to us as they really need a result to turn the corner."



Read More http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-fc/2012/10/25/82029-32105051/?#ixzz2AOBAvOAQ

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Fulham defender made available for loan


Matthew Briggs

FULHAM boss Martin Jol plans to loan out young defender Matthew Briggs.

The 21-year-old left-back has been restricted to three appearances this season and is behind John Arne Riise in the pecking order, while Kieran Richardson and Stephen Kelly can also provide cover.

Peterborough and Watford are among the clubs that have shown an interest in Briggs in recent months, and Jol has given him the green light to go out and get regular games under his belt.

He said: "I feel the time has come that my youngsters who need games, like Briggs and [Marcello] Trotta, [go out on loan]."



Read More http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-fc/2012/10/25/82029-32105070/?#ixzz2AOBvVKzk

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Martin Jol says Dimitar Berbatov's arrival has countered Pavel Pogrebnyak's departure


Dimitar Berbatov: Has impressed at Craven Cottage since his arrival this summer

Martin Jol admits his disappointment in losing Pavel Pogrebnyak has been replaced with the satisfaction of bringing Dimitar Berbatov to Fulham.

Pogrebnyak impressed during a four-month stint at Craven Cottage before departing in May to join Reading, bankrolled by new Russian owner Anton Zingarevich.

But with the arrival of Berbatov since the Russian's departure, Jol believes the transfers have worked in his favour ahead of Fulham's trip to the Madejski Stadium this weekend.

"I was bothered by Pavel leaving at the time but not any more," said Jol.

"I liked Pavel very much and he liked the club as well, but he made a decision.

"Reading made a very good offer to him and he decided to go there. His ambition, like other professionals, is to do as well as possible and to earn as much as possible.

"It was not an easy decision for him, believe me, because I spoke to him a couple of times. But he made that choice.

"At that time I was very disappointed but later on I thought, 'if Pavel would have stayed maybe Berbatov would not have been here'.

"In hindsight Pavel was a good transfer for us. I would never blame him. We had a few good conversations and he did it with pain in his heart.

"Overall I would like him to do well because he is a great player and a great person. He gave everything and he wanted to score, he was eager and it was one of the best transfers I've made in the last couple of seasons."



http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11681/8194399?

[WhiteJC]

 
Q&A with Reading's The Tilehurst End blog


Mike Hewitt

We learn that the Royals are scared of Dimitar Berbatov and still hold a grudge over 2008.

Ahead of our match with Reading on Saturday, I put forward some questions to Dan from the Tilehurst End blog to catch up on all things Royal.

1. Obviously you haven't had the best start to the season. Why do you think this is? And what can be done about it?

I think the toughness and general irregularity of the schedule hasn't helped us one bit but I don't think many players will be able to hold their hands up and said they've performed as well as they should either. Facing Chelsea, Tottenham, Newcastle and Liverpool inside your first seven isn't easy and when you throw in trips to the Hawthorns and the Liberty Stadium you can't sit there and pick out many games where you'll fancy your chances of all three points! Reading's success last year and the year before that was built on getting into a rhythm but when you've had 7 games in 2 months and add in 8 new signings that becomes near impossible to do.

2. Now you've come into some money, would you like to see some major transfers in January and next summer, or would you rather your club played it safe and lived within its means?

While we've had an increase in investment I don't think we've got the type of money that you've seen Man City or Chelsea splashing around and the message from the new owners has always been that we'll be run sensibly but with increased investment in things like the academy, scouting etc. We have seen a minor increase in spending on wages and we're led to believe the money is there if we do need a new signing or two, something that it looks like we'll need to spend to ensure a more comfortable second half of the campaign. That being said I don't want us to go mad and bring in generic expensive players because as QPR have shown, that can sometimes do more harm than good!

3. What part of the field is strongest in the Reading line-up? And who's your best player?

Not the most glamorous position but I'd say we're blessed with three or four very good goalkeepers, so it's a shame we can only play one! Despite his high profile errors to start this season, Adam Federici is still an outstanding and relatively young 'keeper while Alex McCarthy has already won plenty of plaudits for some fine displays this season. Add in former Danish U21 goalkeeper Mikkel Andersen and former Man City and Arsenal No2 Stuart Taylor and we're certainly well covered in that area.

4. And what is your most fragile area?

Hard to say because each position has had its blips but right now I'd say we're looking light in the centre of the midfield. Mikele Leigertwood has had a miserable start to the year while Danny Guthrie hasn't fit in to the point he's said he doesn't fit in with our style of play on Twitter. Jem Karacan has been hit and miss and is now out for a month while Jay Tabb works hard but really he's a Championship player.

5. Your thoughts on Fulham?

Fulham are a team that constantly amaze me year after year as I've waited for the bottom to fall out and it never does! When Al Fayed stopped spending millions on the likes of Marlet (snigger) I wondered if maybe the jig was up for your guys but refreshingly you've managed to beat the odds and achieve great success with sensible management and some astute signings. The likes of Duff, Murphy, Hangeland, Schwarzer, Zamora and Berbatov have all been very shrewd bits of business over the years and you've got great seasons out of players many others had written off.

I've also heard nothing but good things from visiting fans about the atmosphere at the Cottage and many say it's their favourite place to watch a Premier League game. While part of me still remains skeptical about whether Fulham are 'big enough' to survive in the long, long term I'm more than happy to be proved wrong season after season as it gives hope for clubs like Reading that you can succeed in this division without spending millions.
All that being said I'll never forgive you guys for that sensational run to survival in 2008 that saw you stay up on goal difference at our expense!

6. And who are you most worried about facing from the Fulham squad?

Berbatov is a man who haunted us when he was at Spurs, memorably scoring four times in a 7-4 win at White Hart Lane in our relegation season. Players like Duff have been there and done it so their nous will be a constant threat and Steve Sidwell will want to put in a good showing against his former side.

7. Score?

We really need to win this one and Brian has been great at getting a reaction out of his team when the chips are really down. Fulham haven't got a great record on the road and despite our woes, only Spurs have beaten us at home this season so I'm going to be optimistic and say that Reading will come away with a 3-1 win.

Thanks very much to Dan and pop over to their website for some great content and, also, my own answers to their questions at The Tilehurst End.



http://www.cottagersconfidential.com/2012/10/25/3554810/q-a-with-readings-the-tilehurst-end-blog?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham U18s 0 – 1 Crystal Palace ~ Match Report
by LRCN on OCTOBER 25, 2012

Another great youth report from ElGreenio, who I'm pleased to say will be joining us on a permanent basis; this'll be the last time I'm used as a proxy.

LRCN

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The Under 18's returned to a wet Motspur Park after the international break, looking to get back on track after 2 defeats against winless Crystal Palace. The squad were buoyed by Sambou's return and the first official outing of Cameron Burgess, a giant Scottish centre back who joins from Aussie outfit Joondalup. Burgess started alongside Arthurworrey in a partnership that totalled a towering 12 foot 8 inches. Josh Passley deputised at right back for the absent Donnelly and Tom Richards started on the left. Lyle Della Verde started out wide on the right to allow the returning Sambou to take his place in the centre alongside American Emerson Hyndman. Jordan Evans, much to my liking was given his shot from the start to play in his natural left wing position. Up front Tankovic and Woodrow continued their 5 game unbroken duo in the wake of Dembele's continued injury. There were however, 12 Fulham players starting on the hallowed Motspur Park turf, as Derek Tieku on loan to Palace from the club started up front.

The players were eager to get going, a certain Swedish striker a little too eager, attempting an audacious shot straight from kick off to surrender possession straight to the away team. It wasn't long before the ball was back with the home side as Fulham adapted quicker to the tricky conditions, with Palace struggling to get any kind of passing going, though credit to the home side who pressured high up from the off. Evans didn't take long at all to start convincing Steve Wigley he should be playing forward more often, a lovely bending cross met by the head of Woodrow who had just strayed offiside. The striker had a second sighter moments later as he fired a shot just wide. Jordan Evans' capitalised on a poor touch from the Palace skipper for next foray down the left, which ended in a delicate cross to Woodrow who just peeled off the centre back allowing him to bring the cross down and place a left footed shot into the top corner of the net for an early Fulham lead. Fulham 1 Crystal Palace 0.

Evans, displaying his crossing ability cut onto his right foot and delivered a right foot whipped cross that was glanced just past the far post by Tankovic. The Eagles' first chance came moments later when a corner wasn't cleared fully and the nod back into the box was met by a Palace player on the turn, his shot trickling agonisingly wide of the Fulham goal.

It was time for the Fulham right to come alive, Josh Passley's extra pace and trickery down the right this week paying dividends as countless times he outpaced the Palace winger, and full back to get to the byline. Unfortunately on the day his final ball was cut out too many times but you cant help but admire the way he glided past the opposition continuously whilst Fulham enforced their dominance on the game. One of Passley's encouraging runs ended in a Della Verde free kick whipped towards the far post in that corridor of uncertainty, evading everyone and forcing a reflex save from the Palace keeper. The resulting corner offered the first moment of controversy in the game, the high ball meeting an upstretched Palace arm for what (in my unbiased opinion of course) could have easily resulted in a penalty kick.

The first 35 minutes was all Fulham, Woodrow striking a volley at the keeper after more work from Passley, as well as Hyndman finding that regular space on the edge of the box after Woodrow's work to strike just over the bar. The remainder of the half, and unfortunately for Fulham the rest of the game swung in the away sides favour, with Fulham really struggling for rhythm. Steve Wigley heard shouting countless times "we've lost all rhythm in the game". It didn't take long for Palaces' new found spark to force a chance, with a corner not cleared by Burgess only for him to redeem himself and clear off the line seconds later. Fulham did well in keeping Palace chances to a minimum without the attacking players managing to create many more openings, Burgess in particular winning many if not all of his aerial battles. It should also be said that the Palace forwards and wingers were offside too much to take advantage of their undoubted pace advantage, though Tieku was ironically looking the most likely of the Palace team to create anything.

HALF TIME : Fulham 1 Crystal Palace 0

Fulham's start of a half was again encouraging, Tankovic going close from a tight angle, but chances for the home side became even rarer as Palace had a succession of corners, resulting in goalmouth scrambles, a Tieku shot fired straight at Oberschmidt and also a header missed from a few yards out. The constant pressure on the Fulham defence told after a Palace free kick wasn't cleared and the resulting cross from the left was met by Jake Gray to head home when any of 3 players at the far post could have finished. Fulham 1 Crystal Palace 1

The equaliser sparked Steve Wigley into action, Tom Richards making way for George Williams. Williams came into left midfield with Evans dropping back to his familiar left back role he's played this season. The game became stretched at this point with Tieku having a shot at one end and Evans with another lovely cross cleared at the back post for a corner, which resulted in a Woodrow chance. The striker just had to stretch too far and couldn't keep the ball under the bar.
Palace took the lead with good work down the left, Sullay Kai-Kai cutting inside and curling a beautiful effort into the top corner leaving Oberschmidt with no chance. Fulham 1 Crystal Palace 2.

The players frustrations were starting to surface with Hyndman cursing himself for a misplaced pass and Woodrow shown a yellow card for launching the ball away after being penalised for a foul. Solomon Sambou, who gave his usual 100% all-action performance, was then replaced by Dan O'Reilly who took up the holding midfield role. The infectious wayward passing was spreading throughout the Fulham team, with no player able to say they were faultless in the game. It could have been worse for the home side as Palace had a 3rd goal disallowed, the Palace player adjudged to have pushed for space in the box from a corner. The one half chance that fell to Fulham in the remaining moments found Passley at the far post but the right backs scuffed shot was easily cleared off the line.

FULL TIME : Fulham 1 Crystal Palace 2

Fulham : Oberschmidt; Passley, Arthurworrey, Burgess, Richards (Williams); Della Verde, Hyndman, Sambou (O'Reilly), Evans; Tankovic, Woodrow. Subs not used : Grainger (GK), Sheckleford

Crystal Palace : King; Gordon, Gabsi, Croll, Williams; Innis, Gray, Dymond, Kai-Kai; Palmer (Johnson-Cole), Tieku (Hoare). Subs not used : Berkeley-Agyepong, Gregory (GK), Toms


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2012/10/fulham-u18s-0-1-crystal-palace-match-report/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Arsenal Set to Sign £25 Million Shirt Deal With Adidas; Fulham Deal Close Too: The Nightly EPL

Arsenal are on the verge of signing a £25 million-a-year kit deal with Adidas, according to The Daily Telegraph tonight.
Arsenal's deal with Nike ends after the 2013-14 season, so a new deal for Gunners would be a welcome boost to the club's coffers. The Telegraph is also reporting that an Adidas deal with Fulham is close to being finalized.

Nike's designs have run out of gas recently in the soccer department, so it'd be a welcome change to see Adidas get more involved at the top level as long as they stray away from their template designs.


http://epltalk.com/2012/10/25/arsenal-set-to-sign-25-million-shirt-deal-with-adidas-fulham-deal-close-too-the-nightly-epl/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EPLTalk+%28EPL+Talk%29

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PREVIEW: Accrington Stanley vs Bristol Rovers

DAVE Beasant believes the sky is the limit for Bristol Rovers' on-loan goalkeeper Neil Etheridge.

The 22-year-old Fulham player and Philippines international has created an excellent impression since being signed by Mark McGhee last month and will again be between the posts at Accrington Stanley tomorrow.

Beasant, the club's part-time goalkeeping coach, rates Etheridge, pictured, a top prospect and has not been in the least surprised by how quickly he has settled in.

"I have known Neil for years from when I was at Fulham and he was coming through the youth ranks," said the man whose illustrious playing career spanned 23 seasons and brought two England caps plus a famous FA Cup final victory for Wimbledon against Liverpool in 1988.

"I actually spoke to him before the start of this season to see if he was available for loan and since he has come to Rovers he has demonstrated what a good keeper he is.

"Neil has good agility and natural spring and his reactions are very sharp. He is a decent size for a keeper and when he moves around his goal he is compact, with the ability to go down and get up again quickly.

"He has good hands and bags of confidence. It's not arrogance, but when you come from a Premier League club, as Neil has done, you want to show why you are at that level.

"I look at him and don't necessarily see a fault there, but I am living proof that you never stop learning at this game.

"Even when I was still playing at 42 there were new experiences for me every week so you never should reach the stage where you are not prepared for something to surprise you."

Etheridge has already appeared in nearly 40 internationals for the Philippines, one of them a South East Asia Cup semi-final against Indonesia drawing a six-figure attendance.

"Neil keeps telling everyone about that 100,000 crowd – that's when he is not talking about his modelling career," smiled Beasant.

"He has a lot of international experience for a 22-year-old and, while it is a long way to go to play football at that level, it will certainly benefit him as his career progresses."

Beasant believes Etheridge has done the right thing in dropping temporarily into League Two at a time when he would at best be playing reserve football for Fulham.

"Coming to Rovers will be great for Neil because he is in an environment where he will play plenty of first team games," he said.

"It's all very well being at a Premier League club for the profile it brings and the money, but the type of experience he needs only comes from playing in competitive matches.

"You can work hard in training, which is what we do, but the decisions you have to make in fractions of a second as a goalkeeper, like coming for crosses or advancing to a forward who is clean through, can only be learned about in actual match situations.

Beasant is loving every minute of his association with Rovers, which began in August.

"Mark McGhee is great and I worked with Shaun North before at Portsmouth so I've known him a long time," he said.

"It's nice to be involved at a club. I've often said that when I came in to training each day as a player I always had a smile on my face.

"There are still a lot of smiles here, even though we all recognise that things could be going better. Hopefully, when all the injuries clear up we will see a big difference."



http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/story-17186266-detail/story.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Reading v Fulham – Match Preview


Reading will continue to go in search for their first Premier League win of the season when they take on Fulham at the Madjeski Stadium on Saturday.

Brian McDermott has seen his side slip to second bottom of the table following another defeat last weekend, going down 1-0 at Anfield, whilst Martin Jol has guided Fulham to a comfortable 8th place after a solid start to the season.

McDermott was pleased with his sides second half display at Anfield, which saw them limit Liverpool to just the one goal whilst creating a couple of clear cut openings themselves, only to be denied by deputy goalkeeper Brad Jones.

McDermott will be hoping to build on their second half performance, and alongside home advantage will feel quietly confident of picking up a positive result.

Chris Baird scored the only goal as Fulham beat Aston Villa last time out, in a largely forgettable game at Craven Cottage. Their last away game was also with a newly promoted side in the form of Southampton, where they earned a battling 2-2 draw.

Reading have no new injury concerns, and could field an unchanged team from the defeat at Anfield, whilst Martin Jol is expected to go with a front three of Hugo Rodallega, Mladen Petric and Dimitar Berbatov.

Prediction: Reading 1-1 Fulham



http://www.footballfancast.com/football-news/reading-v-fulham-match-preview?

[WhiteJC]

 
Reading v Fulham


Reading do not have enough quality in enough areas of the field to turn games, which is the key to staying in the Premier League

I hate the term but this is a must-win game for Reading.

The Royals are not a bad side, but at the moment they just look like a good Championship outfit to me.

They are well coached by Brian McDermott and are not short of determination but they do not have enough quality in enough areas of the field to turn games, which is the key to staying in the Premier League. You also look at them and wonder where the goals are going to come from.

You knew Reading would lose a few games against the bigger teams following promotion but games like this are the ones they have to win to stay up.

Reading have more of these sort of matches coming up against teams who are around them in the table - they play QPR, Norwich, Aston Villa and Wigan in November and, if they can pick up a win going into that crucial period, it could make a big difference for them.

Fulham will not just roll over and they deserve to be in the top half of the table for their performances at Craven Cottage this season.

But their only away win came at Wigan and their best player Dimitar Berbatov does not always travel well either, which is why I am backing Reading to get their first three points of the season. It might be quite a nervy victory though.

Prediction: 2-1



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20048383

[WhiteJC]

 
Cardiff City sign young Turkish winger Kerim Frei from Fulham on loan

Cardiff City have signed young Turkish winger Kerim Frei from Fulham on loan.

The 18-year-old winger, who plays for Turkey's national side, has been signed as cover for injured players Craig Bellamy and Tommy Smith.

Austria-born Frei, who made 25 appearances in the Premier League last season, has yet to feature for the Cottagers this season after picking up a pelvic injury on international duty with Turkey.

He has been back in training for the last month and is said to be highly rated at Craven Cottage.



Read More http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnation/football-news/2012/10/26/91466-32108651/?#ixzz2AOTsuiRD

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham star returns for Reading clash

Team News: Reading v Fulham

Fulham winger Damien Duff is available for tomorrow's Barclays Premier League clash at Reading after recovering from an illness.

Midfielder Simon Davies is still sidelined with a hip problem and misses out.

Otherwise boss Martin Jol has a fully fit squad to select from.

Provisional squad: Schwarzer, Stockdale, Riether, Kelly, Hangeland, Hughes, Senderos, Baird, Smith, Riise, Briggs, Sidwell, Duff, Diarra, Richardson, Kacaniklic, Kasami, Karagounis, Frei, Dejagah, Ruiz, Berbatov, Petric, Rodallega, Trotta.



http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/fulham_star_returns_for_reading_clash_1_1670655

[WhiteJC]

 
Reading star may return for Fulham as midfielder misses out

Reading forward Noel Hunt could make his comeback from a heel injury in tomorrow's Barclays Premier League game against Fulham.

Royals boss Brian McDermott must decide whether to stick with Alex McCarthy or recall Adam Federici in goal.

Midfielder Jem Karacan is absent with a knee injury.

Provisional squad: Federici, McCarthy, Taylor, Gunter, Cummings, Gorkss, Pearce, Mariappa, Shorey, Harte, McAnuff, Guthrie, Leigertwood, Tabb, McCleary, Kebe, Pogrebnyak, Le Fondre, Hunt, Robson-Kanu, Church, Roberts


http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/reading_star_may_return_for_fulham_as_midfielder_misses_out_1_1670679

[WhiteJC]

 
Cardiff City Land Fulham Starlet On Loan
   
Cardiff City have acted swiftly to secure cover following midweek injuries to Bellamy and Tommy Smith and have brought in young Turkish winger Karim Frei on loan from Fulham.

Frei is only 18, but made a number of appearances for Fulham in the Premiership last year including high profile outings against the likes of Man Utd and Chelsea. He quickly made a name for himself with some silky running and showed superb pace.

The Austrian born winger is a product of Fulham's academy, and he has played most of his football as a right-sided winger. That position is one we look a little under strength in following injury to Smith - with Noone and Conway more comfortable on the left, and Don Cowie not a natural wideman.

Although a boost, this loan deal raises even more doubts about the futures of Kim Bo Kyung and Kadeem Harris in particular. Midfielder Kim is yet to break into the first team, despite his obvious pedigree while Kadeem Harris has been with ther Bluebirds almost a year but has yet to play at all - he is also a pacy right winger.

Frei will go straight into contention for Saturday's clash with Burnley but is lacking in match fitness having suffered a hip injury earlier in the season.


Read more: http://www.cardiff.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=297692#ixzz2AOV70WlA

[WhiteJC]

 
Reading v Fulham preview
Team news ahead of Reading's Premier League game against Fulham at The Madejski Stadium on Saturday.

Reading forward Noel Hunt could make his comeback from a heel injury.

Royals boss Brian McDermott must decide whether to stick with Alex McCarthy or recall Adam Federici in goal.

Midfielder Jem Karacan is absent with a knee injury.

Fulham winger Damien Duff is available after recovering from an illness.

Midfielder Simon Davies is still sidelined with a hip problem and misses out.

Otherwise boss Martin Jol has a fully fit squad to select from.

Reading (from): Federici, McCarthy, Taylor, Gunter, Cummings, Gorkss, Pearce, Mariappa, Shorey, Harte, McAnuff, Guthrie, Leigertwood, Tabb, McCleary, Kebe, Pogrebnyak, Le Fondre, Hunt, Robson-Kanu, Church, Roberts.

Fulham (from): Schwarzer, Stockdale, Riether, Kelly, Hangeland, Hughes, Senderos, Baird, Smith, Riise, Briggs, Sidwell, Duff, Diarra, Richardson, Kacaniklic, Kasami, Karagounis, Frei, Dejagah, Ruiz, Berbatov, Petric, Rodallega, Trotta.


http://www.football365.com/match/3518389/preview?

[WhiteJC]

 
One out for Cottagers' Royals trip

Midfielder Simon Davies is Fulham's only absentee as Martin Jol has a near full strength squad to pick from for the trip to Reading.

Davies has been sidelined with a hip problem and will not be fit for Saturday's game at the Madejski Stadium, but veteran winger Damien Duff is back from the bout of illness which forced him to miss last week's 1-0 win against Aston Villa.

Boss Jol said: "Everything is fine; almost everyone is back in contention. Simon Davies is still out, but that's it."

The Royals, who won the Championship title last season as they returned to the Premier League, are still looking for their first win of the campaign. But Jol has warned his players against complacency going into the game.

He told his pre-match press conference: "If you see their results, it's always close.

"They've got a few players who can make a difference and they play like a team. I feel that Reading could be higher [in the table] but they need that little bit of luck.

"It's the same all the time, they need a result so I feel we will need to play well and work hard to get a result there. For them it's probably more important than to us as they really need a result to turn the corner."


http://www.clubcall.com/fulham/one-out-for-cottagers-royals-trip-1490028.html?

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Reading - Fulham Preview: McDermott looks to kick-start the season on home soil
The Royals are still looking to register their first win of the campaign but face stern competition for the spoils from Martin Jol's side, who sit two points off the top four

PROBABLE LINEUPS

READING
McCarthy
Cummings, Mariappa, Gorkss, Shorey
Kebe, Guthrie, Leigertwood, McAnuff
Pogrebnyak, Le Fondre

FULHAM
Schwarzer
Baird, Hughes, Hangeland, Riise
Duff, Ruiz, Sidwell, Richardson
Berbatov, Rodallega

With Brian McDermott in desperate need of the three points, this game could see the home side adopt a system with two strikers rather than the 4-5-1 tactic they employed against Liverpool last week.

Adam Le Fondre might well be the man chosen to partner Pavel Pogrebnyak up front, with Jem Karacan sidelined due to a serious knee injury he picked up against Liverpool.

Noel Hunt picked up a knock ahead of the Royals' clash with Liverpool and will be assessed again ahead of this one.

Martin Jol has almost a full complement of players to choose from and the big changes are expected in the middle of the park where midfield duo Damien Duff and Bryan Ruiz are set to be welcomed back from injury.

Simon Davies (hip) is the Cottagers' only major concern, and will definitely not feature at the Madejski Stadium.

After a clean sheet last time out against Aston Villa, Fulham are set to remain unchanged at the back but striker Mladen Petric could be sacrificed for an extra man in midfield away from home.

   DID YOU KNOW?
Danny Murphy's 76th minute equaliser against Portsmouth on the last day of the 2007-08 campaign not only ensured Fulham's survival but also effectively relegated Reading from the Premier League that year

Pavel Pogrebnyak (pictured right) scored six goals in 12 appearances for the Cottagers last season and had the option to remain at Craven Cottage this year but eventually opted for a move to the Madjeski stadium

Pogrebnyak has an impressive strike rate in the Premier League, scoring a total of eight goals from just 11 shots on target
Fulham have conceded six goals from set-pieces this season, that's more than any other team in the league

These sides have been almost impossible to separate in the past, each winning two of the last four encounters with the number of yellow cards received each (five) also distributed evenly.

There has never been a penalty scored whenever these two teams have met in the Premier League.



http://www.goal.com/en-gb/match/80907/reading-vs-fulham/preview

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Damien Duff available to Fulham for short trip to Reading



Fulham winger Damien Duff is available for tomorrow's Barclays Premier League clash at Reading after recovering from an illness.

Midfielder Simon Davies is still sidelined with a hip problem and misses out.

Otherwise boss Martin Jol has a fully fit squad to select from.

Provisional squad: Schwarzer, Stockdale, Riether, Kelly, Hangeland, Hughes, Senderos, Baird, Smith, Riise, Briggs, Sidwell, Duff, Diarra, Richardson, Kacaniklic, Kasami, Karagounis, Frei, Dejagah, Ruiz, Berbatov, Petric, Rodallega, Trotta.

PA



http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/damien-duff-available-to-fulham-for-short-trip-to-reading-8227682.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Inside The Madejski

Reading fan James Christmas provides visiting supporters an insight into Saturday's trip to the Madejski Stadium – discussing his side's search for a first win, the best place to get a pint, and Pavel Pogrebnyak.


First thing James, a Reading win in the Premier League has so far proved elusive. Are you one of the fans that feel it is only a matter of time though, having played some good football so far? We've actually played really well in most of our games this season, I just think that our lack of experience against top players at this level has hindered us so far. It definitely looks like a win is coming, and hopefully it will click sooner rather than later so we get the win that our performances have deserved. 

Your team is seven games into the season, there's a long way to go yet, but what's your assessment of the campaign so far? I think we've played like you would expect a promoted team to. We've had some tough games and played teams in good form, and we certainly haven't been outclassed in many of them. Our performances have warranted more points than we've got, but we started slowly last season and won the Championship title!

Coming up as Championship winners, what was the aim for the 2012/13 campaign? The aim is always survival, and I think it will remain that way all season. Beyond that, I think we just need to prove that we deserve to be playing at this level - I think having Liverpool under the cosh for 20 minutes at Anfield shows we're here to play.

Indeed, and that has been highlighted with some impressive football to date, so what should Fulham fans expect on Saturday when they make the trip to the Madejski Stadium? We always play at a high tempo, we use the wings well and play on the break. I think you guys could be in for a bit of an onslaught as our players will be desperate to take control of the game. We mix it up between passing and playing the channels too, and this might cause some problems.

The eyes of the travelling Fulham fans will of course be on one Reading player in particular – Pavel Pogrebnyak (pictured top right) – how has he settled? He has looked very good, it's clear to see the amount of quality he has, and although he's had to play a bit differently this season, he's shown how he can hold the ball up and bring other players into play. He also bullied John Terry and Gary Cahill and scored a great goal at Chelsea, as well as a decent goal against Swansea. He looks like a great signing.

Your skipper Jobi McAnuff is another who has started brightly, who else do you think stands out for Reading? McAnuff has done well since becoming club captain at the start of last season, and he and Jimmy Kebe are always troublesome on the wings. An unsung hero is Jem Karacan in midfield; he's a hard worker and holds the team together. There's also Adam Le Fondre, who is likely to come off the bench but he's always a goal threat and he can find space in a sardine tin.

And likewise, which Fulham players do you think could provide the biggest threat to Reading's chances of taking three points? I really rate Hugo Rodallega, and Steve Sidwell is still popular here after he played for us. But I think the main danger is Dimitar Berbatov; he just oozes class and he always looks like he can create something out of nothing.

Do you have any previous standout memories from games between Reading and Fulham of the past? We played at your place during the 2006/07 season and won 1-0; I remember that game well because it was the moment I realised that we were a proper Premier League team! It was also one of the only times I've ever seen Reading defeat Fulham.

For our travelling fans, what is the best and worst thing about a trip to the Madejski Stadium? Well you are always guaranteed to get a good view of the pitch which is important and there's plenty of leg room - but you won't get a good view of the scoreboard because it's behind the away fans! But there's a friendly atmosphere and it's an ideal first away trip for children and families.   

And where should travelling fans get a pint? The ground is out of town, but if you're coming by train, The Three Guineas is right next to the station and is about a three-second walk to the shuttle buses that take fans up to the stadium. Other than that, the hotel adjoining the stadium welcomes away fans and the Atrium Bar inside is a classy place to enjoy a pre-match drink.

And what chant/song are we most likely to hear? We've come up with some good ones in the past couple of years. The Hal Robson-Kanu 'Heartbeat' chant is original and popular. We don't really have an anthem but there is a very enthusiastic drummer in the corner. We also have a variation of the Duck Sauce song 'The Big Bad Wolf' so you might hear some howling from the home fans!

Score prediction? I think everything has been building up for three points, and we've been playing really well too. Our players will see this game as the start of the rest of our season, and we'll be going all-out from the first whistle. I think (well, hope) we might just have too much for Fulham so I'll go for a hard-fought 2-1 win for Reading.   


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2012/october/26/inside-madejski-stadium?