Saturday Fulham Stuff (02/03/13)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham's Matthew Briggs in Watford loan



Watford have signed Fulham defender Matthew Briggs on loan until the end of the season.

The 21-year-old has made 11 Premier League appearances for the Cottagers, five of them this season.

He also featured four times during a loan move at Bristol City this term and has had previous spells at Peterborough United and Leyton Orient.

The left-back has been capped by England at numerous youth levels and has two under-21 caps.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21618606?

[WhiteJC]

 
Alex Kacaniklic: Fulham midfielder joins Burnley on loan



Burnley have completed the loan signing of Fulham midfielder Alex Kacaniklic for the remainder of the season.

The 21-year-old Sweden international is eligible to make his debut against Charlton at The Valley on Saturday.

Kacaniklic has played 19 times for Fulham this season but has not featured in the Premier League since 12 January.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21633938?

[WhiteJC]

 
Dimitar Berbatov, the silent assassin for Manchester United and Fulham



I am often in the company of current Manchester United players, especially on away trips and pre-season tours. I am still treated like one of the family, like I am still a player. It is an honour and a privilege. United may be a global football institution, but at the heart of that there is a family feeling which is a key to the success of the club.

I speak to nearly all the players, but there is one I never exchanged a single word with: Dimitar Berbatov.

Other players, especially strikers, like to talk football to me. They will talk about past games, ask how the club has changed.

Not Dimitar. I have passed him in hotel corridors and not exchanged glances. It did not bother me one bit.

When he arrived at Old Trafford in the club's record transfer deal, in 2008, several members of staff tried to make him feel at home by inviting him round for dinner. He did not accept one invitation, merely stating that doing such things "isn't me".

He was not one for mixing. If a team activity was arranged, he would stay in his room. Some could not get their head around him.

The United players called him "James Dean" and "Andy Garcia" (he looked like both), but they said he had "the swag" - swagger - and that he was the man.

Me, I thought he was one cool guy. I liked him and admired his talents. He was paid to perform on the football field, not talk about the weather.

He has been accused of being aloof and arrogant. Aloof, yes. Does that make him a bad person? No.

The British have a problem if you are different, if you are your own man. And he is definitely his own man, misunderstood by most. He has little time for small talk. What's wrong with that? He is a quiet man.

He is an unbelievably talented player and I was pleased when he signed for United. He had lifted an average Tottenham Hotspur team, he had so much talent, which he had shown at Bayer Leverkusen.

That is why Manchester City wanted him. He is proving it again now at Fulham, a club I also played for, who are anything but fashionable. Dimitar and I had much in common, not that we spoke.

He did well at United. He plucked the ball out of the air from 40 yards with a single touch. Do you realise how hard it is to manipulate a football like that? He scored an overhead kick as part of a hat-trick against Liverpool and five goals in one game against Blackburn Rovers. I scored five in one game for United once. Not that he wanted to talk about it.

Some said he was lazy because he did not have the work ethic of Carlos Tevez or Wayne Rooney. He is not that type of player and you cannot change a player's style.

He is a man who provides the magic, a man who plays the game at his pace and is good enough to slow the game down to his own tempo. That is an incredible quality to have in a league as good as the Premier League

The United team he played for was not considered the best, either, so he got a bit of stick for that, too, yet he was still a league champion, the top scorer in England.

He was not even on the bench for the 2011 Uefa Champions League final and that was the beginning of the end for him at Old Trafford.

He left for Fulham, a lovely club where players are looked after and everyone is happy if you finish near the top 10. I enjoyed my time there.

I laughed when I saw the "Keep calm and pass me the ball" T-shirt he was wearing underneath his shirt for Fulham recently. He showed it when he scored.

Arrogant? Of course. Brilliant? Yes. And absolutely true; the self-assured arrogance of a man with absolute belief in his ability. If his teammates did give him the ball then they would not have to run around as much, that is for sure.

He scored a fantastic goal for Fulham against Stoke City last Saturday, a first-time volley I doubt any other player in England could pull off. He looked nonplussed. That is his right.

History will remember him as a top, top player, an immense talent. Critics claim he could have been even better, that he did not fulfil that talent because he was lazy. There is only one man who can answer that and he is unlikely to talk about anything, not least himself. And that, too, is his prerogative.

Andrew Cole's column is written with the assistance of the European football correspondent Andy Mitten.



Read more: http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/sport-comment/dimitar-berbatov-the-silent-assassin-for-manchester-united-and-fulham#ixzz2MLzjSoJT
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[WhiteJC]

 
Jol set to recall midfielder

Simon Davies could return to boost Fulham for the trip to Sunderland as Martin Jol has no new injury problems to contend with.

The 33-year-old Wales international has only made seven appearances in two seasons for the Cottagers because of a hip injury in addition to a myriad other problems, including a knee issue.

However, despite not wanting to rush him back too quickly, Cottagers' boss, Jol, has been pleased with his progress in training and could put him in the squad for Saturday's game at the Stadium of Light.

Fellow midfielders Kerim Frei and former Black Cats' ace Kieran Richardson have recovered from their respective pelvis and calf injuries but Mahamadou Diarra is out with a long-term knee injury.

Young midfielder Buomesca Tue Na Banga and Ajax loanee Eyong Enoh are also available after knee injuries.



- See more at: http://www.clubcall.com/fulham/jol-set-to-recall-midfielder-1554132.html?#sthash.ssXomUUl.dpuf

[WhiteJC]

 
Sunderland v Fulham: Tough to separate inconsistent pair
Martin O'Neill's men would hope to dispel any lingering relegation fears

With eight Premier League draws apiece recorded so far this season, a stalemate between Sunderland and Fulham looks the most likely outcome at 23/10.

The hosts are only five points adrift of the drop zone, after three consecutive defeats followed a brief upturn in form.

And their pressing need for a victory could lead some punters to side with them at 6/5, as could the 3-1 win they achieved at Craven Cottage earlier this season.

But against a side that has become difficult to beat on the road, having lost fewer than half of their away fixtures this term, the draw looks a more realistic result.

Three of the past six encounters of the pairing have ended level, and each finished with a 0-0 scoreline.

A goalless draw is 7/1 here, whilst a stalemate featuring less than 2.5 goals is a 14/5 hope.

Of course, those three draws saw nothing separate the sides at both half-time and full-time, and it is 4/1 that a repeat of that trend ensues here.

But whilst a stalemate appears the most likely outcome, punters may find some value in the 4/6 regarding Fulham in handicap markets.

The Cottagers are that price when giving up a goal head-start, which will appeal to cautious punters who fancy the visitors to take at least a point.

A bigger 9/4 to simply win the match, Martin Jol's side's record of only two away triumphs this term should be a deterrent to this price.

Although a low-scoring affair appears in prospect meanwhile, it may be worth noting that both teams have found the net on the past two occasions these sides have met.

It is 4/5 that each team registers in the match, whilst the score draw is a 16/5 prospect.

With both sides drawing blanks eight times this term though, and drawing that amount of games each also, the 0-0 draw looks the standout bet regarding this fixture, at that tempting 7/1.


http://news.ladbrokes.com/en-gb/football/premier-league/sunderland-vs-fulham-tough-to-separate-inconsistent-pair_142439.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Sunderland v Fulham

By Ian Dennis
BBC Match of the Day commentator
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: Stadium of Light Date: Saturday, 2 March

Sunderland pair Lee Cattermole and Danny Rose remain sidelined by injury.

Manager Martin O'Neill is expected to keep faith with the 4-4-2 formation he used last weekend, with Danny Graham partnering Steven Fletcher in attack.

Fulham's Simon Davies has overcome a knee injury and could play his first game in almost a year.

Kerim Frei and Kieran Richardson have recovered from their respective pelvis and calf injuries but Mahamadou Diarra is out with a knee problem.

MATCH PREVIEW

The projected target among clubs fighting for their Premier League survival is 38 points so this fixture carries greater significance for a Sunderland side still looking over their shoulders.

They have lacked consistency all season but the key question is whether their confidence has dipped after suffering three straight league defeats for the first time under Martin O'Neill.

This time last year the Black Cats were five points better off in 12th position, but right now they are within sight of the troubled clubs below so this week's rallying call from John O'Shea   is well timed.

Fulham have four points fewer than at this stage last term, but what is identical is their away record - two wins, five draws and six defeats. Their poor form on the road will offer a degree of hope for any worried Wearsiders.

In fact, in the corresponding fixture in November it was Sunderland who banished their away day woes with a 3-1 victory, claiming their first league win on the road for nine months.

I was at Craven Cottage that Sunday afternoon and the turning point was undoubtedly the first-half dismissal of Brede Hangeland. Fulham had the edge until his red card for a two-footed lunge on Lee Cattermole, and even with 10 men they still forced Simon Mignolet to make two important late saves.

Sunderland must rediscover their touch for scoring goals at home after three successive blanks at the Stadium of Light in league and cup, but last week's change of formation will offer encouragement.

Danny Graham partnered Steven Fletcher in attack at West Brom, with Stephane Sessegnon switched to the right. Any strike pairing needs time to gel but the early signs were promising.

I witnessed Sunderland's last home match against Arsenal and if they can start how they finished that day then Fulham could be in for a busy afternoon.

Martin Jol's men are themselves not totally safe from the threat of relegation but if they can add to their away wins at Wigan and West Brom then any lingering fears will surely fade away.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head
Sunderland's 3-1 victory at Fulham in November was their first win in seven league games against the Whites.

Only once before have the Black Cats beaten Fulham home and away in a top-flight season - that was in 1949-50, when they went on to finish third.

Sunderland
The Black Cats have lost three successive Premier League games for the first time under Martin O'Neill. They are enduring their worst run since suffering four consecutive defeats between March and April 2011 under O'Neill's predecessor Steve Bruce.
Sunderland have won only one of the 12 league games in which they conceded the opening league goal this season, losing 10 of those matches.
They have kept nine clean sheets so far - Liverpool (10) and Manchester City (12) are the only sides with better records in the top flight.
Craig Gardner is set to make his 200th appearance in English football (including matches for Aston Villa and Birmingham), while James McClean is one shy of 50 Premier League games (all for Sunderland).

Fulham
The Whites are yet to lose a Premier League match in which Dimitar Berbatov scored for them (W4, D3).
Berbatov has scored seven of his nine league goals this season in the first half of matches.
They have kept back-to-back clean sheets. The last time they recorded three successive shut-outs was in February 2010.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21556900?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham boss Martin Jol challenges Simon Davies to earn new deal


Simon Davies: Fulham midfielder challenged to earn new deal

Fulham manager Martin Jol has challenged midfielder Simon Davies to prove he has got what it takes to earn a new deal.

The 33-year-old has been dogged by injury problems for the last 18 months, restricting him to just seven appearances in that time.

But Davies - out of contract in the summer - is back in the frame for Saturday's trip to Sunderland, and Jol wants him to grab the opportunity.

"The situation with Simon is that we would like players to be productive, and he's been injured half of the time, maybe more," said the Fulham boss.

"Hopefully he can stay fit and I've got an idea that he can still prove himself again.

"I have to make a decision (on whether he features). I have a lot of players now but it may be about having him in the squad.

"That's what he did in the past because he's a big player for Fulham."

Another man in the frame for the weekend is the on-loan Emmanuel Frimpong, and Jol added: "It would be quite expensive to take him permanently, but if there was an opportunity to take him on loan again, I would probably do that.

"He is an Arsenal player. He is one of the few players who has been at Arsenal since a young age.

"I think Sunderland away would suit him. His fitness is getting better and better.

"He did well when he played for us against Norwich. He is fully fit now so I can play him from the start if I want to."



http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11681/8531594?

[WhiteJC]

 
Philippe Senderos: Fulham have "turned a corner"

Fulham centre-back Philippe Senderos believes that the club have "turned a corner" with recent results and that they can now push up the Premier League.

He said that he is also pleased to be part of a much less leaky Fulham defence that has kept two clean sheets in a row.

"Obviously it's good to be back in the starting lineup and playing again," he told the club's official website. "That was the target, and it's been a nice run.

"It's been a good month or so for us, beating West Ham United and Stoke City. Our form has definitely picked up after a difficult run of results; it was a period where we knew that we should have done better. I think we've turned a corner, and in picking up some good points we have to continue that now.

"We've kept two clean sheets in a row, and of course, that is great for Mark Schwarzer, the other defenders and myself, but it's also an achievement for the whole team."

Senderos has made 12 appearances this season for Fulham.



http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/news/senderos-fulham-have-turned-a-corner_71844.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Senderos Signs

The Club is delighted to confirm that Philippe Senderos has signed a one-year extension to his contract, keeping him at Fulham until the summer of 2014.

The Swiss centre-back has made almost 50 appearances for the Whites since signing from Arsenal in 2010, and has played every minute of our last four matches, in which time only two goals have been shipped.

"I'm delighted to extend my stay with the Club by a further year," Philippe told fulhamfc.com after putting pen to paper. "I've thoroughly enjoyed my time at Fulham so far and I love playing for this Club.

"I'm relishing playing first-team football and I'm confident that we can continue our recent good form and end the season strongly. A top-10 finish is certainly achievable."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/march/01/senderos-signs?

[WhiteJC]

 
Preview: Fighting For Points Versus Fulham

Sunderland host Fulham tomorrow, looking to bounce back from a run of three consecutive defeats. The Black Cats registered their first win over The Cottagers in six attempts back in November, and will be looking to complete the double over Martin Jol's men this weekend.

Sunderland Team News

Sunderland's injury situation remains much as it was prior to last week's defeat at West Bromwich Albion.

Danny Rose remains sidelined through hamstring trouble, Wes Brown - a perennial absentee - shows no signs of overcoming his knee problem any time soon, while Lee Cattermole's own knee problem appears only to be worsening. Reports emanated today that the Black Cats' skipper has received an injection for the issue that has plagued him since November and, should that see no easing to his pain, he could well need surgery.

Despite a mixed bag of a performance at The Hawthorns last week, it is highly likely that Martin O'Neill will persevere with a front two of Steven Fletcher and Danny Graham. David Vaughan may displace Seb Larsson in central midfield, where the latter was particularly poor last weekend.

Fulham Team News

Martin Jol is largely looking at people returning from injury ahead of tomorrow's tussle at the Stadium of Light. Simon Davies, who hasn't played first-team football for almost a year, appears to have made a full recovery from his knee problem. With Alexander Kacaniklic looking set to seal a loan move to Burnley, Davies could very well feature from the start.

Jol also looks likely to have two other midfielders made re-available for selection. Kerim Frei is rumoured to have recovered from a pelvic injury, while ex-Sunderland man Kieran Richardson made a return to training prior to last week's defeat of Stoke, and will hope to line up against his former side. The likelihood, though, is that Richardson will only start the game as a substitute.

However, Mali national team captain and dominant midfielder Mahamadou Diarra remains on the sidelines with knee trouble.

Predicted Lineups

Sunderland: Mignolet; Gardner, Colback, Bramble, O'Shea; Johnson, Sessegnon, N'Diaye, Larsson; Fletcher, Graham

Fulham: Schwarzer; Reither, Riise, Senderos, Hangeland; Dejagah, Davies, Sidwell, Duff; Ruiz; Berbatov

Key Matchup: John O'Shea vs Dimitar Berbatov

Without doubt, the Bulgarian striker is Fulham's star man. His rifling volley in first half stoppage time at home to Stoke last week was of stunning quality, a goal worthy of winning any game. Back in November, Berbatov tormented the Sunderland backline, registering numerous attempts in the opening half and showing movement that repeatedly outwitted John O'Shea and Carlos Cuellar.

With his side down to ten men in the second half, Berbatov's role was diminished, but he still showed real quality in a deeper role. John O'Shea, often solid, showed his penchant for lapses in concentration last week when he foolishly dove in on Romelu Lukaku, setting in motion a set of events that resulted in West Brom's crucial second goal. If O'Shea can remain disciplined in the tackle and strong in the air, it could go some way towards negating The Cottagers' biggest attacking threat.

Recent Form: LWLDW

Loss: Manchester United 4-1 Fulham (Giggs 3 (pen), Rooney 50, Hernandez 52, 66; Hughes 77)

Win: Fulham 3-1 West Ham United (Berbatov 10, Rodallega 49, O'Brien 90+1 (OG); Nolan 48)

Loss: Fulham 0-1 Manchester United (Rooney 79)

Draw: Norwich City 0-0 Fulham

Win: Fulham 1-0 Stoke City (Berbatov 45+2)

Last Time Around: Sunderland 0-0 Fulham, 19/11/11

It's telling of how poor the game was when Fulham last visited the Stadium of Light that I - a sad, sad individual with an almost encyclopaedic recollection of Sunderland games since I began following us way back in 1996 - struggled to recall the scoreline. As it were, 0-0 was an accurate result, in a dour game that Sunderland nevertheless felt they should have nicked all three points.

With Steve Bruce steering a rudderless ship into an oncoming storm - his final failing, the 2-1 home defeat to Wigan Athletic, would come just a week later - Sunderland struggled to score past The Cottagers for the fifth consecutive game. The Wearsiders edged proceedings, and Fulham stopper Mark Schwarzer was required to make a stunning save from Jack Colback when the young midfielder looked certain to have scored. Yet, for all their pluck, the home side could not convert. In what became the story of Bruce's final half season in charge, a promising opening half was followed by a dour second. Indeed, the manager's dismissal may have came a week earlier had Lee Cattermole not cleared a Dickson Etuhu effort off the line in the closing moments.

The Ref: Mark Halsey

51-year-old Halsey has officiated both of tomorrow's sides in the league already this season. His one game in charge of Martin Jol's Fulham came in September's home defeat to reigning champions Manchester City, where he awarded The Cottagers a tenth-minute penalty which Mladen Petric duly converted.

He has overseen Sunderland twice this term. First, he took charge of the dour 0-0 draw at Stoke City, booking Danny Rose and Craig Gardner along with two Stoke players. Then, in December, he oversaw Chelsea's 3-1 win on Wearside, where he awarded the visitors a penalty for Seb Larsson's reckless challenge on Ramires.

What The Managers Said

Martin O'Neill:

The win at Fulham earlier in the season was an important one in the context of things at that particular time.

Now, following the Wigan game we were on a high but had a stodgy game against Swansea at the Stadium of Light followed by three fixtures I feel we should have got something from.

It's a big game. There's a lot of games still to be played, but it's an important fixture for both teams.

Fulham had a great win last weekend and afterwards I heard their manager saying it was an important one as they have been looking over their shoulder.

Any side in the bottom half of the table should still be doing that.

One result can inspire confidence and they will feel they are capable of taking on anyone, but it really is up to us.

We have the wherewithal and the drive and determination to see the last third of the season through as strongly as possible. That necessitates winning some matches.

On Lee Cattermole's injury:

[Lee] went to see the specialist and he has given him an injection. At this moment, he is hoping in the next couple of weeks that that would cure things.

But if it doesn't, then we might have to have another look at things, so we will see how it goes.

[Surgery] has been mentioned, but we will see.

I wouldn't start to draw too many conclusions from that at the moment, but that might be the case.

Martin Jol:

Like a lot of other teams, we set a target that we would like to have 40 points.

Then we can relax maybe a bit more and, from then on, try to get as high up the table as possible.

If you see the league over the last five or six years, you will see the same situation. There are three of four clubs down there but, at the end of every year, you always see one or two teams dropping into trouble.

Wigan, for example, are almost specialists at getting out of trouble, so there will always be one or two clubs dragged into it and we don't want to be one of those clubs.

Our first target was to stay in the league because that's important for the club. If you look at the resources all the clubs in the Premier League get at the end of the year, it's vital for us to stay in the league. And then even 12th or 11th would be fantastic for us.

Roker Report Predicts

Form would go against either side picking up a positive result here. Sunderland have lost their last three league games, failed to win in each of their previous three home games in all competitions, and have won only one of six games against Fulham. The visitors, meanwhile, have won just one of their previous ten away games.

That said, this is the first time under Martin O'Neill that the Black Cats have lost three consecutive Premier League games, and the manager will be looking for a response. Fulham's form this season has been erratic and, following a good result last weekend, it would be hardly surprising if they were to perform poorly this time around.

Sunderland's profligacy in front of goal was never more clearly evident that last week at West Brom, so any victory for them tomorrow will be a narrow one. Expect a slim home win or a draw.



http://www.rokerreport.com/2013/3/1/4041204/preview-fighting-for-points-versus-fulham?

[WhiteJC]

 
Premier League: Sunderland v Fulham match preview
A look ahead to this weekend's Premier League fixture at the Stadium of Light



Sunderland sit just five points above the drop zone and will be desperate to stop a run of three consecutive league defeats against poor travellers Fulham.

Martin Jol's side have won just twice away from home this term, but will be looking to put that statistic behind them to win back-to-back games for the first time since September.

Dimitar Berbatov, who scored a brilliant volley in their 1-0 win over Stoke, is expected to start for the visitors.



KICK-OFF: Saturday, 3pm



PAST THREE MEETINGS...

Fulham 1 (Petric) Sunderland 3 (Fletcher, Cuellar, Sessegnon), Premier League, November 2012

Fulham 2 (Dempsey, Dembele) Sunderland 1 (Bardsley), Premier League, May 2012

Sunderland 0 Fulham 0, Premier League, November 2011



STATS...

Sunderland have won only one of the last seven games between the two sides.

Sunderland have scored fewer headed goals than any other team this season (2).

Fulham have not lost this season when Dimitar Berbatov has scored.

Sunderland have failed to score in six of their last nine games against Fulham.



ODDS...

Sunderland to win: 2.44

Fulham to win: 3.35

Draw: 3.35



CLASSIC MOMENT...

Stephane Sessegnon produced a moment of brilliance, unleashing a 25 yard effort that went in off the post to give Sunderland a 3-1 win over ten man Fulham at Craven Cottage earlier this season.



TV: Highlights on BBC1 at 10.25pm, Saturday



http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/premier-league-sunderland-v-fulham-match-preview-8517254.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Briggs Becomes A Hornet

The Club can confirm that Matthew Briggs has joined Watford on loan.

The left-back, who has made eight appearances for the Whites this season, will remain with the npower Championship side until the end of the season.

Fulham Manager Martin Jol said: "If you look at the competition for places in my team at left-back, you've got John Arne Riise, Kieran Richardson and Urby Emanuelson who can play there.

"Briggs is there too and he's making good steps, but I feel that in the next four weeks he will only play two games probably and for him it's important that he gets games under his belt.

"So that is the idea behind sending Briggs on loan to Watford."

The Hornets currently sit second in the Championship table.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/march/01/briggs-becomes-a-hornet?

[WhiteJC]

 
Kaca Joins Clarets On Loan

Fulham youngster Alexander Kačaniklić has joined npower Championship outfit Burnley until the end of the season.

The Sweden international winger has made 19 appearances for the Whites this season, scoring three times.

Burnley currently sit in 13th position in the Championship table, eight points off the Play-Off places.

Kačaniklić is no stranger to the Championship, spending three months on loan at Watford last season under Sean Dyche, who is now in charge of Burnley.

In addition, Richard Peniket has joined his Fulham Under-21 teammate Tom Donegan at Blue Square Bet South Farnborough, with the striker signing a one-month loan deal.

And defender James Musa has extended his stay at Conference side Hereford United until 4th April.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/march/01/kaca-joins-clarets-on-loan?

[Count Berbatov]

Lovely piece on Bebrs by Andy Cole. Shows the immense respect so many have for the man who plucks the ball out of the sky and the only man who can play the game walking