Saturday Fulham Stuff (17/08/13)...

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Bent reveals why he chose Fulham over Crystal Palace

Darren Bent admits he decided to join Fulham over Crystal Palace because he wanted to be reunited with Martin Jol.

The Aston Villa striker penned a season-long loan deal with the Cottagers this morning having been strongly linked with London rivals Palace.

Eagles boss Ian Holloway was dismayed to see Bent opt for Fulham, but the 29-year-old says he couldn't resist the opportunity to link up with his old Tottenham boss Jol.

"It was a difficult day yesterday with the medical and so much speculation," he told Fulham's official website.

"There is no hiding the fact that Crystal Palace were interested in me. I respect Ian Holloway and it's a fantastic football club.

"But for me at this moment in time, knowing Martin [Jol], Fulham was the only place I really wanted to go.

"After having one conversation with Martin I knew it was where I wanted to be.

"He signed me when I was a Tottenham. I didn't get to play with him that much because he left the club so it's nice to be back here now.

"He has shown faith to come and get me and hopefully I can repay that with good performances through the season."



http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/bent_reveals_why_he_chose_fulham_over_crystal_palace_1_2340659

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BENT SEALS FULHAM SWITCH

ASTON VILLA LOAN ENGLAND STRIKER DARREN BENT TO FULHAM FOR A SEASON
England striker Darren Bent has joined Fulham on loan from Aston Villa until the end of the season.

Bent, aged 29, links up with his former Tottenham Hotspur manager Martin Jol at Craven Cottage, and the Dutchman is delighted to have secured the services of the forward.

Jol said: "Darren Bent is a striker I have always admired. He has shown in the Barclays Premier League that he is composed and clinical in front of goal but, even if he is not scoring, he is involved in some good link-up play, creating opportunities for his team-mates.

"I'm delighted that he has joined us, he gives us pace up front and I am confident that he will add to our goals scored tally this season."

Through his Twitter page, Bent said on Friday: "Delighted to be joining Fulham and really excited about getting started. It's an exciting new challenge for me and one that I'm relishing."

Bent, who has scored four goals in 13 internationals, will be hoping to force his way back into the England squad after last appearing for the Three Lions against Sweden in November 2011.



Read more at http://www.thefa.com/england/News/2013/bent-seals-fulham-switch?#a4Wq1f9pRh5qMbMB.99

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PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW – SUNDERLAND V FULHAM



When you consider how badly the Cottagers have struggled on their Premier League travels down the years, their record of two wins, five draws and two defeats from nine trips to Sunderland actually starts to look quite impressive. Despite their decent results on Wearside, however, we make Fulham the underdogs (31%) against a new-look Black Cats team.

Paolo Di Canio has been busy reshaping his squad over the summer, with current Italian international Emanuele Giaccherini and former Hull striker Jozy Altidore the most high-profile arrivals. This influx of players makes it hard to gauge exactly what to expect, but five draws from eight home fixtures suggests that another one is a distinct possibility (27%).

That said, under 2.5 goals (55%) is definitely the bet to go for here. This has been the case in five consecutive Sunderland matches at the Stadium of Light, as well as in four of the previous five Fulham away games. Ironically enough, it was a 2-2 draw in this fixture last season that preceded the current run of low-scoring encounters in this part of the North East.

Best Bet: Under 2.5 Goals (55%) @ 87/100 with Betfair



http://www.kickoff.co.uk/6318/premier-league-preview-sunderland-v-fulham/?

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Double boost for Cottagers
Fulham have signed Darren Bent on a season-long loan from Aston Villa and agreed a new two-year deal with Sascha Riether.

Fulham have signed Darren Bent on a season-long loan from Aston Villa and agreed a new two-year deal with Sascha Riether, the club's player of the year last season.

Manager Martin Jol stole in ahead of Crystal Palace to land Bent, who was Villa's record signing when he joined from Sunderland for £18million in January 2011 but has since fallen behind Christian Benteke in the pecking order.

Jol admitted last season that he missed out on the chance to recruit Belgian international Benteke and he was clearly not prepared to make the same mistake with Bent.

Palace manager Ian Holloway revealed this week he thought Bent was en route to Selhurst Park when Fulham stepped in to seal the deal.

"Darren Bent is a striker I have always admired," said Jol, who signed the England international for Tottenham from Charlton in 2007.

"He has shown in the Barclays Premier League that he is composed and clinical in front of goal but, even if he is not scoring, he is involved in some good link-up play, creating opportunities for his team-mates.

"I'm delighted that he has joined us, he gives us pace up front and I am confident that he will add to our goals scored tally this season."

Bent found his opportunities limited last season and scored just six times in 23 appearances for Villa, but his career record is a goal every other game.

The 29-year-old is one of seven summer signings made by Jol, including Riether whose loan move from from Cologne was made permanent two months ago.

The German defender has now signed a new two-year deal, with the option of a third season.

"I'm happy to have got the deal done," Riether told the club's official website.

"I like it here - I love Fulham, I love the fans, I love the club and I'm happy that we could close this deal now.

"It's the start of the season and we are well prepared so I'm looking forward to the future."


http://sport.bt.com/sportfootball/football/double-boost-for-cottagers-S11363825551020?

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Kacaniklic doubtful for opener

Alexander Kacaniklic is a doubt for the big kick off at Sunderland because of a hamstring injury, but Darren Bent is ready to start.

Bent, who left the Stadium of Light in acrimonious circumstances two-and-a-half years ago, is available for his Fulham debut after joining on loan from Aston Villa. Goalkeeper David Stockdale is struggling with a thumb problem, but new signing Maarten Stekelenburg is the club's number one choice in the position. Adel Taarabt, a loan signing from QPR, is short of match fitness but will be included in the squad.



Read more at: http://www.clubcall.com/fulham/kacaniklic-doubtful-for-opener-1617690.html?

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LAWRO'S PREDICTION


Sunderland v Fulham

Sunderland have signed 10 players but not many of them have any Premier League experience and it is difficult to know exactly what to expect from the Black Cats on Saturday, or over the coming season.

I doubt very much that Sunderland boss Paolo Di Canio knows his best team at this stage and the only thing we can say for sure is that we will see more of his touchline antics over the next few months, that is a given.

Fulham have a new American owner in Shahid Khan and they have made some decent signings over the summer. It looks like Martin Jol is about to take Darren Bent from Aston Villa and he has already signed Adel Taarabt from QPR and Dutch keeper Maarten Stekelenburg from Roma.

I would back them to have another solid season under Jol, starting with a point at the Stadium of Light.

Sudeikis says: "Sunderland is going to beat them, just because of Kiefer and Donald Sunderland. And it will be 24-0 because of Kiefer Sutherland, I mean Sunderland."

Lawro's prediction: 1-1


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23667286

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Burton Ticket Update

Tickets for our Second Round Capital One Cup tie away to Burton Albion on Tuesday 27th August will go on sale to Season Ticket Holders with 300+ loyalty points from 2pm on Monday 19th August.

Remaining Season Ticket Holders will be able to purchase from Tuesday, with any leftover tickets available for Members and on General Sale on Wednesday.

Visit the match centre for a full breakdown of prices and on-sale times and dates.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/august/16/burton-ticket-update?

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Why Fulham are Set to Surprise in 2013-14

While many of you would probably have expected to me say Sunderland, Southampton or West Ham as the next most likely club to surprise this season, I have to give full respect to Fulham and the smart work that Martin Jol continues to do in the transfer market.

The manager released a healthy dose of players at the end of the season and over the summer seeing a vast majority of the over 30 group let go. Many of them including Simon Davies, Mladen Petric, Chris Baird and Mahamadou Diarra did not have a full season's worth of playing time combined.

With the addition of Maarten Stekelenburg from AS Roma the club looks to have moved for another Dutch keeper in the mold of Edwin Van der Sar when he was a major part of Fulham's success before moving to Manchester United.

Securing Sascha Reither for only £1.3 million sees the Cottagers retain their top rated defender from 2012-13 on the cheap while the loan signing of Adel Taarabt from QPR provides some much underrated flair to the midfield support of Dimitar Berbatov.

Taarabt was the top rated player for Queens Park Rangers last season and his 76 chances created may have only ended in four assists and five goals, but with a poacher like Berbatov to support he is likely to have a much more important season at Craven Cottage.

Having tasted the frustration of relegation he will also be more even more determined this year to prove he has what it takes to make it in the top flight. His abilities were seen squandered many times at QPR while Martin Jol is likely to use him as the driving force of his midfield attack.

Additionally the news that Darren Bent has arrived this afternoon also sends another potential chill up the spine of any club that knows all to well the sting of an upset. Although he never rose to the heights of success at Aston Villa that he did in terms of prolific goal scoring at Sunderland and somewhat at Tottenham, Bent has something to prove.

The 29-year-old scored 36 goals in 63 appearances for the Black Cats and has scored 25 in 63 for Villa over two and a half years of injury plagued and non-selection frustration at Villa Park. Seeing him join the ranks of Dimitar Berbatov could see them be a fierce attacking force. Add in the ability of on loan signing Taarabt and Bryan Ruiz's ability to pick out a pass and it gets more interesting for the Cottagers top-half hopes.

Much like Norwich the Cottagers were an upper mid-table middle of the road club, but a shrewd summer of business could potentially see the West London club break the top eight and jump into the middle of the upper portion of the table and with a likely injection of transfer funds from new ownership in January, there could be big things on the horizon for Fulham.


Read more at http://swol.co/why-fulham-are-set-to-surprise-in-201314/29535?#z5kXl6YZizz3TXLD.99

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Sunderland v Fulham: squad sheets

Darren Bent, newly arrived at Fulham on loan from Aston Villa, is available to feature but the striker may not recognise his one former club. Paolo Di Canio, Sunderland's manager, says he has presided over a "complete revolution" this summer. Embracing much enhanced discipline and fitness it is intended to have given the team a "new identity" courtesy of more attractive football, played from the back and 10 new summer signings. Louise Taylor

Kick-off Saturday 3pm

Venue Stadium of Light

Last season Sunderland 2 Fulham 2

Referee N Swarbrick

Last season G18 Y61, R0, 3.4 cards per game

Odds H 5-4 A 12-5 D 12-5


Sunderland v Fulham: Probable starters in bold, contenders in light.
Illustration: Graphic

Sunderland

Subs from Mannone, Diakité, Cuéllar, Ba, Karlsson, Wickham, Mandron, Ji, Egan, Laing, Knott, Lynch, Mitchell

Doubtful None

Injured Brown (knee, 24 Aug), Fletcher (ankle, 31 Aug), Cattermole (fitness, Sep), Bardsley (foot, Oct)

Suspended Gardner (last of three), Vaughan (one match)

Form guide (last season) LDDLWW

Disciplinary record Y62 R3

Leading scorer Fletcher 11

Fulham

Subs from Etheridge, Stockdale, Riise, Briggs, Hughes, Senderos, Kasami, Kacaniklic, Frei, Karagounis, Rodallega, Trotta, Dejagah, Bent

Doubtful Kacaniklic (hamstring), Stockdale (thumb)

Injured None

Suspended None

Form guide (last season) WLLLLL

Disciplinary record Y48 R3

Leading scorer Berbatov 15



http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/16/sunderland-fulham-squad-sheets

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Premier League Preview – Fulham

Last season: The Cottagers had a mediocre season as they finished in 12th place, just one point ahead of Stoke.

Martin Jol's team only managed to win 11 out of 38 games and lost an astonishing 17, with nine of them being at Craven Cottage. This shows that the home advantage didn't work very well for the Whites as they also just won seven matches in their own stadium. The away games were not very different as they lost half of them and won only four.

Furthermore, Fulham managed to score just 50 goals in total and conceded 60, which proves to be a very problematic figure for the 2010 Europa League runners up who also managed just four clean sheets. The club though did manage to win both legs against West Brom and one away match against Spurs but also lost both games to Liverpool, Man City and Man Utd.

Transfer Ins:

Maarten Stekelenburg (Roma)

Sascha Riether (Cologne)

Fernando Amorebieta (Athletic Club)

Derek Boateng (Dnipro)

Transfer Outs:

Mark Schwarzer (Chelsea)

Simon Davies

Mladen Petric

Corey Gameiro (Sydney)

Chris Baird

Csaba Somogyi

Alex Smith (Swindon Town)

Mahamadou Diarra

Richard Peniket (Tamworth)

Player to watch: One would assume that the Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov will, for one more season, steal the show at Fulham. The Bulgaria international is no stranger to high positions in the goal scorers' list as he finished on 7th place with 15 goals along with Southampton's Ricky Lambert and Chelsea's Frank Lampard and Demba Ba.

This is a player that has plenty of experience in the Premier League as he was extremely vital for Spurs, during his time at White Hart Lane, as well as Manchester United, during his time at Old Trafford.

The 33-year-old made 33 appearances for the Whites and had three assists. He will be expected to score the tough goals for his team and also hold a leading role this season at Craven Cottage. He could be the player that, thanks to his goal-scoring abilities, could change Fulham's image and push them to higher positions in the league. The right-footed forward will need help from his team though to get the job done.

Player needing to improve: Hugo Rodallega was signed from Wigan last year and made 112 appearances with the Latics and netted 24 goals. However, in Fulham he played 27 games but scored only 3 goals for the Whites. This year can be a huge opportunity for the Colombian to improve as Berbatov could need some help up front and the team might need to fight harder to avoid the danger zone.

Prediction: The numbers of last season certainly don't look promising for Fulham however the owner Shahid Khan looks to be trying to create some improvement for the team. For example the signing of Holland international goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg from Roma can be very important for Jol as the team had a problem with maintaining clean sheets.

Nevertheless, the Cottagers need to improve their game in order to hit the higher places and cause damage to the big clubs that finished on the first seven places last season. They need to make the most out of the home games as well as reducing the losing ratio.

But for now, FFC can't see Fulham going to Europe the season after this one and can still see them somewhere around the middle just like last year.

Our prediction: 13th place.



http://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/fulham/premier-league-preview-fulham?

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Barry Hayles column: Saha was my favourite striking partner

I was shocked to hear the news that my former team mate Louis Saha has decided to retire.

Louis I wish you a happy retirement. You were my favourite striking partner. You had it all. You were good in the air, had two quick feet and most important of all an eye for goal.

It was such a shame that a terrific player like you picked up, so many injuries later on in your career. Your hamstrings unfortunately held you back. However, the Fulham fans will always remember you as a club legend.

You were a key player for the club scoring 64 goals in 144 games, which is no mean feat.

Fulham bought you for £2.1 million and later sold you on to Manchester United for £12.8 million.

Louis you clearly paid back your transfer fee and left the club in a healthier state than when you arrived.

Enjoy your retirement you have earned it.

A new chapter is set to begin this year at Fulham, as Shahid Khan takes over from Mohamed Al Fayed.

It is testament to what Mr Fayed did for the club that he now felt able to walk away from Craven Cottage.

You're always going to get changes in football - it's inevitable. He took Fulham to the highest point by making them a stable Premier League club.

Mr Khan has now taken over the mantle and let's hope he steers Fulham onto the next level.

My old team travel to Sunderland on the opening day and I'm confident we will get the three points.

However, we must play to our strengths and keep the crowd quiet for the first 20 minutes.

Their manager Paolo Di Canio will have his players fired up from the first to last whistle.

Sunderland have a massive following and their fans will come out in force to cheer on their team.

If we keep the ball and create plenty of chances for both Dimitar Berbatov and Bryan Ruiz then we will win the game.

Sunderland has always been a memorable fixture for me.

I scored my first ever Premier League goal for Fulham against the Black Cats. I remember coming off the bench and scoring in a tight match. We went on to win 2-0. It was a brilliant feeling and I was proud to play a part in Fulham's first win in the Premier League.

Barry Hayles was speaking to Lewis Deakin.



Read more: Fulham Chronicle http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-fc/2013/08/16/82029-33737114/?#ixzz2cD2iPJRM

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Sunderland vs. Fulham: Key Premier League Battles to Watch


Victor Fraile/Getty Images

The Stadium of Light will see a number of key battles during Sunderland's Premier League opener with Fulham. Both sides have worked extensively across the summer to improve their squads and will be eyeing three points at the first attempt.

Which key battles will define the game? Who will come out on top: Sunderland's Paolo Di Canio or Fulham's Martin Jol? Let's consider exactly that.


Paul Gilham/Getty Images

Sunderland's Interchanging Attack vs. Fulham's Powerful Defence

Paolo Di Canio has worked diligently to stamp his authority into a struggling Sunderland squad. The team have rarely played free-flowing, attack-minded football across the last few years, but the Italian boss is looking to change that.

Jozy Altidore enters the Premier League season in fine form. His hat-trick during USA's 4-3 comeback win over Bosnia and Herzegovina is the perfect confidence booster ahead of the campaign.

Expect the battling forward to lead the line with Emanuele Giaccherini and Adam Johnson in a front three that possesses real incision. With Stephane Sessegnon sitting behind Altidore, the Black Cats finally have a threat that will make knees tremble.

Fulham's new-look defence has to hit the ground running on opening day. The commanding abilities of Brede Hangeland will be vital to the London club's success in the north of England. Hangeland's relationship with new signing Fernando Amorebieta is crucial. Although John Arne Riise and Sascha Riether are used to the Premier League threat, Amorebieta needs to settle immediately in the Cottagers' back four.

Both Hangeland and Amorebieta are immensely powerful centre-backs. They can suffocate Altidore's space if the American forward doesn't receive immediate support. Giaccherini and Johnson must pull the Fulham defence apart with speedy runs up the pitch and need to deliver an array of balls towards the box.

As a route to Fulham's goal, the central battle is going to be vital.


Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images

Can John O'Shea halt Dimitar Berbatov?

Former Manchester United teammates John O'Shea and Dimitar Berbatov both have key roles to play in this encounter.

Much like the aforementioned Hangeland, O'Shea is Sunderland's dictator at the back. He will shout his men into position, berate any mistakes and ensure Di Canio's tactics are adhered to. Berbatov is Fulham's most likely route to goal, and it's O'Shea who needs to halt him.

This won't be a lively battle.

Unlike relentless energy at the other end, Berbatov is more likely to stroll around the area than blitz through it. O'Shea needs to get in his face, stop the Bulgarian from turning on the ball and bringing others into play. Berbatov is best when he gets time to control, look up and think about his next move. If O'Shea needs to nip at Berbatov's heels and cynically rough him up to get a decent result, Di Canio won't be disappointed.


Victor Fraile/Getty Images

A Tale of Two New Teams

As estimated by John Ley of The Telegraph, around nine new players could make their competitive debut in this match. Such a dramatic change is likely to make this battle immensely exciting, especially when you consider each of the new talents will be itching to make an impression.

While this result is unlikely to shape either side's season, both Di Canio and Jol should take the opportunity to lay out the foundations for the road ahead. With players such as Cabral and Derek Boating lining up against each other in midfield, transitional play needs to be thoughtful and accurate.

Fitness won't be up to scratch at this stage in the season, so players need to ensure they aren't creating additional work for their teammates.

With so many new signings readying themselves to appear, it's likely we'll witness the birth of an instant hero. Can Di Canio open the season with a morale-boosting win in front of the home crowd, or will Jol spoil his progress?



http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1740394-sunderland-vs-fulham-key-premier-league-battles-to-watch?

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Next up: Sunderland (a)
by DAN on AUGUST 16, 2013



This might have been a fine sporting summer – Andy Murray finally triumphed at Wimbledon, the Lions saw off Australia down under and England retained the Ashes faster than anyone would've anticipated – but there's a special sense of anticipation ahead of the start of a new football season. Fulham begin their 2013/2014 Premier League campaign at Sunderland tomorrow afternoon and, after the announcement of Darren Bent's arrival on loan at lunchtime, there will be a palpable excitement amongst the Fulham fans making their way up to the north east ahead of the big kick-off.

Martin Jol has always been a footballing romantic, who promised to bring his own brand of total football to Fulham after replacing Mark Hughes at Craven Cottage. Some of his selections – and even signings – might have been hard to fathom, but as this excellent article on Football 365 earlier this week attested, Jol has stubbornly refused to retreat towards the conventional method of management. Throughout Fulham's horrible winter slump, which saw the side come far too close for comfort to the scrap for relegation last season, there was a feeling that with Berbatov and Ruiz in the side, there were too many artisans and not enough grafters in the team. Jol might have recruited Derek Boateng to add a bit more grit, but he's also brought in the mercurial Adel Taraabt, who he bought to English football when he was in charge of Tottenham. There can be no doubt that Jol's attacking instincts will always win out. It's a seismic change from the risk-averse years of Roy Hodgson.

Jol's summer additions make it quite difficult to predict which eleven players will walk out to face a re-shaped Sunderland at the Stadium of Light tomorrow. Maarten Stekelenburg is certain to make his debut in goal after the departure of Mark Schwarzer, as a thumb injury appears to have ruled David Stockdale out of contention. Stockdale has spoken of his desire to challenge the Dutch international for a starting place, but the former Ajax custodian will be keen to revive his career after a disappointing spell in Serie A and starts the season as Jol's clear number one. Fernando Amorebieta arrives with a real pedigree from La Liga and his height alongside captain Brede Hangeland should ensure Fulham are far less fallible in the air – a deficiency that has proven their undoing so regularly in the past.

Midfield is the intriguing area. If Jol persists with his favoured 4-3-2-1 formation, he'll face some tough decisions. It looks like Steve Sidwell, who has seemingly atoned for his two dismissals that so infuriated Jol at the tail end of last season, will partner Boateng in central midfield. The dynamic between this two busy footballers – neither of whom are averse to putting their foot into a challenge – will be fascinating to watch. In pre-season, Sidwell has become more of the bustling, box-to-box midfielder that we saw in his earlier career, with Boateng assigned to a deeper, more disciplined role in front of the back four. The Ghanaian's arrival will offer more protection for the defence, although should these two start together regularly, Fulham's usual spot towards the top of the Fair Play table might be a thing of the past.

Ahead of the central midfielders, Jol has some decisions to make. Bryan Ruiz has divided opinion during his first two seasons by the Thames. Undoubtedly a gifted footballer, whose technical ability is on a par with anyone at the club, Ruiz's detractors cite his inability to regularly grab a game by the scuff of the neck as the mark of someone who too regularly underperforms. I feel Ruiz gets a raw deal, but Jol's decision to bring in Taarabt on loan is a direct challenge to the Costa Rican, who has previously been the sole contender for the number ten role behind a loan striker. Should he not perform, Ruiz could find himself shunted out to the wings or – worse – benched.

Jol's task will be to find a way of fitting Taraabt, Ruiz, Bent and Dimitar Berbatov into the same side. Berbatov's 15 league goals were priceless last season – they were probably the difference between a lower mid-table finish and relegation to the Championship. Unless Berbatov is to play in the slightly deeper that he fulfilled during his first few games with Fulham, Jol will need to change the system to accommodate his other loan signing alongside the Bulgarian in attack. Whether Bent, who trained with his new team-mates this morning, is fit enough to start against one of his old clubs tomorrow remains to be seen.

Bent will struggle to recognise Sunderland under Paolo Di Canio, though. The Italian has undertaken what he calls 'a complete revolution' of his playing staff, bringing in no fewer than ten new faces as he attempts to build on the momentum of last season's exhilarating climb away from the drop zone. Vito Mannone, who starred in a narrow Arsenal victory at Craven Cottage in September 2009, should make his Sunderland debut in goal whilst the former Juventus winger Emanuele Giaccherini and American striker Jozy Altidore, who will hope to improve on his last Premier League experience with Hull City, should also start. Wes Brown and Steven Fletcher are sidelined through injury, whilst Craig Gardner is suspended.

Fulham have a good recent record at the Stadium of Light. The Whites are unbeaten in their last four visits, but did surrender a two-goal lead to draw at Sunderland back in March, and will look to be much tighter at the back on this occasion. The beginning of Jol's bright new dawn isn't far away – it should be a thoroughly absorbing ride.

MY FULHAM XI (4-2-3-1): Stekelenburg; Riether, Richardson, Hangeland, Amorebieta; Sidwell, Boateng; Dejagah, Ruiz, Berbatov; Bent. Subs: Etheridge, Hughes, Briggs, Karagounis, Duff, Taarabt, Rodallega.


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2013/08/next-up-sunderland-a/?

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Fulham boss admits finances force him to gamble on QPR loanee

Martin Jol accepts that signing Adel Taarabt is a gamble, but insists the financial constraints at Fulham force him to take risks.

Moroccan forward Taarabt has arrived on loan from QPR with the reputation of being a gifted playmaker capable of moments of genius, but also erratic and inconsistent.

Jol, who signed the 24-year-old when Tottenham manager in 2007, admits Fulham's limited budget means he must be creative in the transfer market, a fact underlined earlier today when Aston Villa striker Darren Bent arrived at Craven Cottage on a season-long loan.

"They say necessity is the mother of invention. I could leave it or I can gamble," Jol said.

"Maybe in six months' time or a year you will say I gambled too much, but believe me sometimes I have to gamble.

"That's what I have to do as we don't spend £5million or £6million on players."

Taarabt will be included in the squad for tomorrow's Barclays Premier League opener at Sunderland, but his lack of match fitness means he is unlikely to start.

Jol believes the African's ability to change matches makes him a useful addition to the squad, even if his roller-coaster form must be addressed.

"There aren't many players with his talent in Europe, but he needs to do it on a consistent basis and he needs confidence," Jol said.

"Adel is settling in. He hasn't played for months and we had to start somewhere. Hopefully he's ready.

"He's certainly a player a club like us could do with in the squad. He gives us that extra dimension.

"Hopefully he can improve and he'll become a player who scores eight, nine or 10 goals and produces more assists. I need goals and creativity up front.

"With Bryan Ruiz, Dimitar Berbatov, Adel and other creative players, if things are not going well people tend to blame them. I will too!

"I need to find the right balance between ball players and work horses."

Jol, meanwhile, has rejected suggestions that the Premier League has slipped behind Germany's Bundesliga and Spain's La Liga as the game's finest domestic competition

"I think the Premier League is even better than before. People talk about Spain and the Bundesliga and of course they are strong," he said.

"But I don't believe there is any league in Europe as strong in terms of spending power and capacity of the clubs.

"It's even stronger now than it was, especially the top five."



http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/fulham_boss_admits_finances_force_him_to_gamble_on_qpr_loanee_1_2341021

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Preview: Sunderland v Fulham – New Signings Mean This Clash Could Be A Belter

Sunderland – Fulham

Date: Saturday 17th August

Venue: The Stadium Of Light

KO: 3pm

Having undergone drastic changes over the past three months, Sunderland finally get a chance to test out their new squad in a competitive atmosphere this weekend as the Black Cats play host to Fulham. Paolo Di Canio has been swift and without remorse in his Stadium of Light revolution, leaving the imagination quite open as to just how the club will fare under the Italian.

The 2013 summer has been one of change for the Cottagers also, who replaced former owner Mohamed Al-Fayed with Shahid Khan, a Pakistani-American businessman. Last season, Sunderland managed to maintain an unbeaten record against their West London opponents, winning 3-1 in the English capital before seeing out a 1-1 draw back in the northeast. With a more talented attack now at his disposal, Di Canio can hope to improve further upon that success, beginning with his Premier League campaign opener.

Team News: Sunderland
There are a number of injury doubts and suspensions for Di Canio to deal with ahead of Sunderland's Premier League opener, although he will be thankful that none of his shiny new signings have been ruled out. Instead Sunderland will be lacking the English workhorses who may well not be in Di Canio's plans anyway – Lee Cattermole and Phil Bardsley are both injured while David Vaughan and Craig Gardner are carrying suspensions from last season. Steven Fletcher will be a miss while Ji Dong-Won's absence will hardly be the cause of sleepless nights for Di Canio.

Team News: Fulham
Martin Jol will be relieved to head into a new season with a clean bill of health. However there are doubts over Alex Kacanikilic who will face a late fitness test.

Recent Form
Pre-season has gone remarkably well for both teams set to compete on Wearside this weekend, although Saturday's hosts would appear to have fared slightly better from their managerial change. Upon his arrival in the northeast, Di Canio made it clear that fitness was one of the main concerns with his new team and in that regard things have certainly improved. Winning four of their five pre-season outings, losing just the one fixture to Manchester City in the final of the Barclays Asia Trophy, things have looked promising for the Black Cats.

Fulham haven't looked shabby either, but have finished their summer preparation looking far weaker than they began. Martin Jol's men won the first three of their friendlies before losing to Werder Bremen, drawing with Real Betis and then losing to Parma at home. The 2012-13 campaign saw Sunderland score the third-lowest goal tally of any Premier League side, closer to that of a side that warranted relegation, whereas Fulham's attacking prowess was actually more deserving of a top half finish. This time around, the hosts have a beefed up an offence ready to right those wrongs, with Fulham the first competitive guinea pigs.



Player to Watch:
Sunderland – Sebastian Larsson
With Emanuele Giaccherini coming onto the Sunderland flanks, Sebastian Larsson has been pushed into a central midfield role this summer, as Di Canio looks to enforce a more technically proficient squad.

So far in pre-season, though, the Swede has looked slightly uncomfortable in his new position, struggling to adapt to life in the engine room. However, having been successful in 63 of his 79 tackling attempts last season, Larsson would appear to have the potential to play here, while his playmaking ability clearly evident in the 39 scoring chances he created for his side. On top of that, Larsson completed 84% of his passes, only 81 of which were long balls, showing that he has a knack for interlinking play.

That being said, Saturday will be the first real test of the set-piece specialist's resolve in that area, as Fulham's Derek Boateng and Steve Sidwell have the potential to majorly upset the Swede in the middle of Sunderland's pitch.

Fulham – Adel Taarabt
The mercurial Moroccan may well have found the perfect home at Craven Cottage. Alongside Berbatov and Bryan Ruiz, Taarabt will have fellow creatives fitting of his ability to feed off of. The result could be beautiful, or it could go wrong in a seismic manner. Perhaps a case of "too many lazy players with a nice touch spoils the broth". It will be interesting to observe, especially with Tarrabt's sulking skills to consider. Taarabt was QPR's best performer last season, with a very good performance score of 1240.



Prediction:
Sunderland's mass of squad changes could end up working well for the club, but will take its time in meshing the side together. That being said, Fulham's fairly similar-looking squad is out of form and coming up against a team that looks far more threatening than it did last term. If Di Canio's pre-season regime works to full effectiveness, Sunderland's fitness should see them control the fixture from the offset, although a strong Fulham forward line will be fearsome on the break.

Sunderland 3-1 Fulham



http://squawka.com/news/2013/08/16/preview-sunderland-v-fulham-new-signings-mean-this-mid-table-could-be-a-belter/2013081617674?

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Riether Future Doubts Ended
   
Any doubts relating to the Fulham future of Sascha Riether have now been ended.

During the last few weeks there has been the hint of a suggestion that Riether was bound for a Bundesliga return.

However, the 30 year-old German has scotched those rumours by putting pen-to-paper on a deal that ties him to Craven Cottage until 2016.

The defender appears jubilant at the news remarking on the official site,

'I'm happy to have got the deal done. I like it here - I love Fulham, I love the fans, I love the club, and I'm happy that we could close this deal now. It's the start of the season and we are well prepared so I'm looking forward to the future.'

One of the best signings of the summer I`d say!


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=328897#ixzz2cD4gJ3F1

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Fulham Sign Bent – But Is There Room In The Cottage For Both Him & Berbatov? Transfer Scouting Report

Football can be a game of frustration at times. And while many spectators, myself included, feel little sympathy for those cast out by their clubs because of the lavish lifestyle they live and the stupendous amounts of money they receive, it still sparks irritation when a popular player is left to rust on the bench. Darren Bent is a proven topflight goal-getter, with over 100 goals between Ipswich, Charlton, Tottenham, Sunderland and current club Aston Villa in the Premier League. Despite scoring freely for every side he's played at he has found himself playing second fiddle at the latter. Now, at 29 years of age, Bent's search for playing time has lead him to a season long loan at Fulham.

He played just 16 games last season for the Villains in the league, only six of these being full games, and he still mustered three goals. Paul Lambert's preference for youth saw Christian Benteke lead the line for the large majority of the season – justified by the Belgian's 19 goals.

Bent has made his name by sitting on the shoulder of the opposition defence and exploiting the space behind with his rapid bursts of pace and his coolness in front of goal. He's scored four goals in 13 England appearances but his lack of confidence last season saw his stump up a measly shot accuracy of just 47%.



Sunderland's Player of the Year 2009/10 is arriving into an attack lead by former Manchester United hit-man Dimitar Berbatov, with Hugo Rodallega and Bryan Ruiz all offering their services around the Bulgarian. So with Martin Jol setting up with the lone front man where will Bent fit into the Cottagers' side?

Berbatov has the intelligence and the guile to operate in the space behind the target-man which would allow the England international to run beyond him. Bryan Ruiz is traditionally a deeper attacker, so would presumably take up a role just behind to the right, with Damien Duff on the left.



There are few more predatory in the penalty area than Berbatov - all 15 of his goals last year came from inside the box - and to ensure his form didn't nosedive Jol has to be careful with his tweaks. His nonchalant approach doesn't compliment everyone that he plays with, but if Fulham can get them ticking then fans at Craven Cottage will be in for a treat in the upcoming season.



http://squawka.com/news/2013/08/16/darren-bent-bent-bent/2013081617774?

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EXCLUSIVE: Ex-Aston Villa man says the departure of Darren Bent to Fulham is a mistake
FORMER Aston Villa defender Alan Wright believes the departure of Darren Bent could be a huge loss for the club after the striker completed a move to Fulham on a season-long loan today.


Bent has joined Fulham on a season-long loan deal from Villa

Bent, who only made eight first-team starts under Paul Lambert, was told at the end of last season he was free to leave the club for pastures new.

Wright, who made over 300 appearances for the club, still finds it difficult to understand why Bent was frozen out at Villa Park.

"It is a bit of a myth, Villa were struggling for goals in parts during the season and Darren never really got a look in," he exclusively told the DailyStar.co.uk.


Wright is unsure why Bent was not given a chance under Paul Lambert last season


The 29-year-old only scored six times for Villa during the last campaign


Bent celebrates a goal for Villa against West Brom

"He is going to be a loss because he will always get goals and that is the hardest thing in the game"
Alan Wright

"Darren is always going to get you goals, he has done that throughout his career.

"The fact that when Villa were crying out for goals and he was not involved makes you think something behind the scenes has happened.

"He is going to be a loss, because he will always get goals and that is the hardest thing in the game."

The England international joined Villa, under the management of Gerard Houllier, for a club record £24m from Sunderland two-years ago.

In his first full season the 29-year-old netted 10 times in 25 appearances as the club finished a disappointing 16th in the Premier League.


Wright believes Lambert must have had his reasons for letting Bent leave the club

And though Wright is not of the same opinion of Lambert, he feels the current Villa manager must have his reasons for letting such a prolific striker leave.

"For me I do not think it is the right thing to do, but obviously Paul's got his reasons," he said.

"If he saw Darren as not part of the squad, then it was time for him to move on."

The future of star man Christian Benteke had also been in doubt during the summer, with Tottenham and Chelsea interested in acquiring the Belgian forward.

However the reassured commitment to the club from the 22-year-old, who signed a new contract last month, has delighted Wright.

"The fact that he has stayed, it can only be good for the club," he said.

"If they had lost him for the season, it would have been another big loss.

"It is great business on Villa's part to keep him contracted and tied up for the next few years."


Benteke signed a new contract with Villa in the summer despite huge interest in him from Tottenham and Chelsea


The Belgian scored 23 times in competitions for the club last term

Despite the departure of Bent, the 41-year-old believes his old club's young side can build on the momentum gained towards the end of last season.

Villa won five of their last 10 matches as they escaped relegation to the Championship with youngsters Ashley Westwood, Joe Bennett and Matthew Lowton key to that revival.

"If they get off to a fairly good start you could see them finishing mid-table, maybe just above half-way," he said.

"They are still very inexperienced for the group, but the fact that they have kept hold of Benteke is a massive plus.

"The way they rallied together at the end of last season will put them in good stead. So I think they will be alright, but I do not think it will be a stroll in the park.

"Realistically if they grow on what they achieved, mid-table would be considered quite a successful season for them."


http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/332902/EXCLUSIVE-Ex-Aston-Villa-man-says-the-departure-of-Darren-Bent-to-Fulham-is-a-mistake

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2013/14 Fulham Season Preview: Apprehension Abound As Fulham Aim for Mediocrity

New kits and a new season are upon us.

It's been a while since I've felt this nervous about the Fulham squad.

Actually...come to think of it..no it hasn't.  I felt this way in March and April when Fulham started dropping points after points after points to get themselves sucked into a relegation battle.

With new owner Shahid Khan, Fulham are still same old Fulham – Khan's focus on "sustainable success" is pretty much how Mohamed Al Fayed ran things.  The new Riverside stand is sucking money from the transfer kitty, and it would seem Fulham are about £2 million short of just about all of their transfer targets' valuations, and nobody wants to budge.

Therefore, it's been very difficult to build on a squad that last year was barely good enough for 12th.  In fact, Jol's brought in six new additions, but only two he's  paid a transfer fee for: Sascha Riether (who was part of last season's squad) and Maarten Stekelenburg.

Jol has, thankfully, improved on the squad's depth in the midfield, something that was terribly lacking last season. With Steve Sidwell's mind-boggling consecutive red cards, the midfield both on the creative side and defensive side down the stretch was thin.  Georgios Karagounis's 36-year-old body tired heavily, but there was nobody to cover for him with loanee Eyong Enoh playing alongside.

Now, Derek Boateng and Adel Taarabt will come in to provide added depth, and Sidwell and Karagounis are rested and ready to go.  But that's not even close to enough.  Last year's midfield loan squad of Enoh, Emanuel Frimpong, and Urby Emmanuelson are gone, and these four will not be enough to traverse the grind of an entire season.  Jol needs to add at least one more central midfielder, either on the creative or defensive side, and it needs to happen in this transfer window.  (Footnote: getting Mahamadou Diarra back due to returned fitness doesn't count).

What Jol and Alistair Mackintosh have done so far this transfer window, though, can't be underestimated.  He hasn't grabbed 50984459874 players like Paolo Di Canio, but he's filling holes.  Fernando Amorebieta was massive to grab on a free.  While we do and always shall love Mark Schwarzer, Maarten Stekelenburg looks like an obvious upgrade between the sticks.  Darren Bent will add goals to an otherwise stagnant offense.  Adel Taarabt adds a spark plug to the midfield or wing.  There's still work to be done (LB, CM at the least), but he's making things happen.

Finally, I would like to – as I did on Twitter – express my disappointment at Martin Jol's admission a few days ago of the club's aim of 12th in the table.  I understand that this season's aim is all about survival until next year when the youth squad can start making its way up to the top (more on that later).  But why are we admitting the side's mediocrity to the public? It's disappointing to hear the club not striving for best case scenario.  I don't think there's anyone here that, with a few additions, doesn't believe the best-case scenario for this club is somewhere around 8th place if everyone gels right away and Jol picks the right players at the right times.  Obviously it's more realistic to look around 12th-14th, but why aren't we aiming towards the best we can achieve? It's a shame, and almost feels like Jol's admitting defeat before the season even begins.

Now for the fun part, predictions. I did a rundown of how I thought the league would shape up for ProSoccerTalk here, but things have changed since then.  Southampton's huge grab of Pablo Osvaldo – while ridiculously overpriced – will propel them out of the relegation battle.  I've also been convinced by those on Twitter and elsewhere that Spurs will indeed eclipse Arsenal no matter what happens with Gareth Bale, both due to Spurs' fantastic buys in the market (which are being overshadowed by Bale) and the Gunners' desire to sit and stare at their piles of cash rather than use them.

League winner: Manchester City

Top 4: Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur

Relegation: Sunderland (sorry Jozy, I still love you), Hull City TIGRES *rawrrrrr*, Crystal Palace

Most impressive mid-table side: Swansea City

Most disappointing mid-table side: Stoke City

Fulham's finish: 13 – can obviously be improved as the transfer window goes on, but right now this is a bottom-half side at best)

Fulham's Player of the Year: Dimitar Berbatov – he's the best player on the squad, and while Riether continues to impress, Berbatov is MVP of this side in my opinion.  Without him, we are nothing.

Fulham's surprise player: Alexander Kacaniklic – ok, not a massive surprise, but the kid has come so far, and I think will become an absolutely vital piece of this team alongside Ashkan Dejagah.  The wings for Fulham are one of the bright spots, and they will be charged with overshadowing the lack of creativity in the middle.  Kaca receiving the number 11 is huge, and I'm excited for him to inject both youth and talent into what this club has going forward.

Biggest question mark at Fulham: How will Martin Jol piece together this mish-mash of new players? And more importantly, where does Bryan Ruiz best fit in/does he at all? Darren Bent's addition creates an interesting selection headache for Martin Jol. Does he play Berbatov and Bent up top together with Ruiz behind supporting? It leaves the back of the midfield very exposed.  Does Jol play Berbatov behind Bent and Ruiz on the wing? That removes a winger from the picture, so who of Dejagah/Kacaniklic/Duff/Taarabt gets the axe? Does Jol sit Ruiz? The club has invested a lot – £11 million and a preseason trip to Costa Rica – in the playmaker.  And finally, where does Adel Taarabt come in? Does he start in the midfield? On the wing? On the bench as a super-sub? Nowhere at the moment? Jol has some big decisions to make.

Final word: I'm nervous about how this current squad will hold up, but with a few more players for depth (not just anybody *cough* Scott Parker *cough*) we can make it through this year unscathed.  My expectations, as I believe those at Fulham are striving towards, are simply to make it through this season intact, and then start the seemingly never-ending line of incredible talent from the youth squad into the first team. There's a sea of talent at the lower youth levels, and in a season or two we'll really begin to reap the benefits of their success and development.  So until that time comes, let's work towards ensuring our safety in the league, pass Dimi the ball, and COME ON YOU WHITES!



http://fulhamsfinest.com/2013/08/16/201314-fulham-season-preview-apprehension-abound-as-fulham-aim-for-mediocrity/?

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FFC U21s 1-0 Boro U21s

Alex Brister's sublime strike earned Fulham Under-21s a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough in the Barclays Under-21 Premier League on Friday evening.

Following an even first half, Boro came close after the interval when they hit the woodwork, but Brister's wonderful effort shortly after was worthy of winning any game.

It took six minutes for either side to threaten the goal and the chance went the way of the visitors as Ryan Brobbel beat Jack Grimmer to a clever through ball, only to see Marcus Bettinelli rush out quickly to smother the angle and make a comfortable save.

Two minutes later and Fulham went closer following a corner kick. The set-piece was sent in by Sean Kavanagh and Josh Passley met Lasse Vigen Christensen's nod back with a downward header from close range, only for Luke Coddington to make a fantastic reaction stop.

Some lovely play in the area by Muamer Tankovic on 24 minutes saw him turn his man with ease before cutting the ball back for Tom Richards on the six yard line. The winger got his shot away but the covering Boro defender bravely got in the way of the shot.

That chance seemed to bring the visitors to life as they immediately went up the other end with a quick move that culminated in Luke Williams going through one-on-one, but Bettinelli was there again to make a fine save.

A neat chipped ball over the top from Kavanagh on 28 minutes almost found the run of Vigen Christensen but the Dane couldn't get a foot around it. The vocal home support appealed that the covering defender shepherded it back to his 'keeper with his hand, but the referee was having none of it.

In what was a fragmented game, it wasn't until the 41st minute that another chance was mustered and it was speculative at best as Chris David bent one wide from 35 yards.

Fulham were caught flat footed following a stoppage time corner as three Middlesbrough forwards countered with just Brister back. Thankfully the Whites right-back read the situation maturely and his positioning tempted Brobbel into a difficult shot which he bent over the angle of post and crossbar.

Kit Symons' side started the second period the stronger but the Teesiders went close to breaking the deadlock on 48 minutes when Andrew Halliday wobbled Bettinelli's crossbar with a thumping effort from distance.


But it was the Whites who took the lead through a world class strike from Brister when a long ball over the top found him at a tight angle just inside the penalty area. He allowed time to steady himself before unleashing an incredible first time effort with the outside of his right foot that bent inside and kissed the far post before nestling in the back of the net.

The goal gave the home side confidence and a Brister cross found Marcello Trotta in the box on 57 minutes. The Italian controlled well before hitting a shot on the swivel that Coddington parried to safety.

A minute later and Boro backs were against the walls once more, this time to deflect Trotta's fierce effort from Vigen Christensen's cross over the bar.

With 20 minutes remaining, Andrew Halliday tested Bettinelli once more with a firm shot on the turn, but he found the Fulham stopper to be alert as he claimed the effort with minimal fuss.

The game was becoming quite stretched as Boro tried to turn the screw, and they came within a whisker of finding an equaliser on 83 minutes when substitute Jordan Jones found space in the area before lashing narrowly wide with Bettinelli beaten.

Andrew Halliday was next to try his luck two minutes later but his header from Jonathan Burn's cross sailed well over the bar.

Matthew Dolan sent a free-kick the wrong side of the post for Boro and Fulham sub Dino Islamovic crashed an effort wide in the closing stages, but no further goals were forthcoming as the Whites held on for a solid win.

Fulham: 1. Bettinelli, 2. Brister, 3. Kavanagh, 4. Vigen Christensen, 5. Arthurworrey, 6. Grimmer (C), 7. Passley, 8. David (16. Minkwitz, 77 mins), 9. Trotta (15. Islamovic, 81 mins), 10. Tankovic (14. Woodrow, 62 mins), 11. Richards

Subs: 12. Joronen, 14. Woodrow, 15. Islamovic, 16. Minkwitz, 17. Buatu

Middlesbrough: 1. Coddington, 2. B Halliday, 3. Burn, 4. Jackson (C), 5. Meling, 6. Dolan, 7. Brobbel, 8. Morris (15. Bennet, 84 mins), 9. Williams (16. Jones, 76 mins), 10. Waters (12. Kneeshaw, 62 mins), 11. A Halliday

Subs: 21. Fryer, 12. Kneeshaw, 14. Weledji, 15. Bennet, 16. Jones



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/august/16/ffc-u21s-boro-u21s?