Friday Fulham Stuff (01/11/13)...

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Hangeland will recover from poor start, says Fulham team-mate

Hughes reckons skipper's form has been due to ongoing injury problems


Injury woe: Brede Hangeland has struggled with a nerve problem in his leg
Aaron Hughes has backed Fulham team-mate Brede Hangeland to recover from his poor start to the season.

The Craven Cottage captain has struggled for the first three months of the campaign, with the towering Norwegian at fault for a string of goals.

However, Hangeland has been hampered by a nerve problem in his leg, which kept him out of the defeats against Southampton and Leicester.

But defensive partner Hughes, who has only just recovered from a torn thigh, says the Fulham skipper will bounce back.

He said: "Looking at it from the sidelines it was pretty obvious the injury has hindered him.

"I think in terms of his performances the injury was weighing on him; pushing off and getting up for headers, sometimes he couldn't do it. Hopefully he can get it sorted and get back in as soon as possible."


Struggling: Hangeland is beaten in the air by Crystal Palace's Adrian Mariappa earlier this month
Hangeland aggravated the sciatic nerve injury on international duty with Norway earlier this month, with the 32-year-old facing a race against time to be ready for Saturday's clash with Manchester United.

Hughes added: "He has been a massive miss for us. As much as the quality we have across the back four, you're always going to miss a player like Brede and his leadership.

"You definitely miss someone of his stature when you get out on the pitch."



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/hangeland-recover-poor-start-says-6259290?

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Preview: Fulham vs. Manchester United

Fulham host Manchester United on Saturday with both sides in need of the points to move up the Premier League table.

The Whites have won just one of three home league games so far this season and have lost two in a row in all competitions.

United have come in for criticism early in the season but their two most recent games have shown signs of improvement; they came from behind twice to beat Stoke City in the league before thrashing Norwich City 4-0 in the League Cup.

For Fulham Hugo Rodallega, who scored twice against Leicester City, is likely to miss out after coming off in the game while Brede Hangeland remains out.

United have Danny Welbeck pushing for a return, and there are likely to be a host of changes from both managers after resting names for their respective League Cup clashes.

Recent form

Fulham: DLLWWL

United: WLLWDW

Possible starting lineups

Fulham: Stekelenburg; Riether, Senderos, Amorebieta, Richardson; Sidwell, Parker; Ruiz, Berbatov, Kasami; Bent

United: De Gea; Smalling, Jones, Vidic, Evra; Januzaj, Carrick, Cleverley, Kagawa; Rooney, van Persie

Sports Mole says: 0-3



http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/preview/preview-fulham-vs-man-utd_114810.html

[WhiteJC]

 
I Want to Be Like Parker
   
Reading between the lines, it looks as if the arrival of Scott Parker may have upset the apple-cart as far as Steve Sidwell is concerned.

The tabloid press is reporting that when Scott arrived from Spurs the thirty-three year old midfielder was given a two year contract.

Now as we`ve mentioned before, probably several times, Sidwell`s contract is up this summer and there is something of a stand-off going on.

Sidwell is, so it is being reported, reluctant to accept a one year deal believing that, at thirty years of age, he should be rewarded with a similar length contract.

The big question being - Does Sidwell deserve a similar deal to that given to Scott Parker or are the club right in only offering him a one year deal?


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=337284#ixzz2jNex0bxN

[WhiteJC]

 
LAWRO'S PREDICTION

Fulham v Man Utd

This is a big game for both bosses - Fulham's Martin Jol and Manchester United's David Moyes.

I was at Old Trafford last weekend to see Manchester United's late fightback to beat Stoke and, until Wayne Rooney equalised for them in the 78th minute, United were in big trouble.

What was interesting was the part the United supporters played in getting their team going. United had been playing without any real urgency and it was really interesting to see how their fans let them know what they thought about that.

They booed loudly when Nani went off after 58 minutes - as in, they booed him. I was sat there thinking "whoa, where did that come from?" but that was the crowd showing their frustration.

They kept on doing it in the final half-hour, literally screaming at United's players every time the ball went out of play because they felt the team were just sitting back, and they were not having it.

People say Old Trafford can be quiet but I think United's supporters were instrumental in turning the tide in that game, and then the last few minutes we saw the old Manchester United.

Part of United's problem is that I don't feel they make the pitch feel as wide as they used to. This United team do not stretch opponents in the way their predecessors did.

The fans are not going to solve that, but they can still lift the players.

The Cottagers were well beaten by Southampton in their last league game, when they did the footballing equivalent of rolling over and have their tummies tickled.

Taking nothing away from Southampton, who are a very good team, it was just too easy.

I am a Jol fan but I look at the balance of the Fulham team and they are too easy to play against.

Lawro's prediction: 0-2

James's prediction: Both teams are in bad form. United are not much of a threat for Arsenal this season, which is excellent news, while Fulham boss Martin Jol will probably be off soon if he doesn't buck his ideas up. United to win 1-0.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24758848

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Be Part Of The Faithful

Your time to belong to Fulham FC is here. This season, your Fulham Membership has been packaged as the Fulham Faithful.

There are incentives for everyone: adults can choose from packages from £20, with choices of a Ticket Priority Membership, to simply gain access to those all-important Barclays Premier League tickets, or our Digital Membership which, in addition to ticket access, comes with added benefits, including digital subscription to the Club Magazine, Fultime, which is out now!

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A Fulham Membership is one of the best possible ways to ensure you can secure your seat at Whites fixtures: this season, all Members have access to tickets at the same time as Season Ticket Holders, while Formation and Fulhamites Members can go free to any of Fulham's Premier League away games!

As a special offer to supporters, Fulham Faithful Digital and Junior Members are currently able to purchase a ticket to Fulham v Swansea City for just £10 in the Putney or Hammersmith End, a saving of £25 on the adult price and £5 on the junior price!

What's more, depending on your package choice, we can promise you'll gain access to a range of exclusive offers and benefits this campaign.

Find out more and buy online at fulhamfc.com/membership today!


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/october/31/be-part-of-the-faithful?

[WhiteJC]

 
Premier League: Josh Pritchard will return to Fulham in December


Josh Pritchard: Returning to Fulham from Tromso

Fulham midfielder Josh Pritchard has decided against a permanent move to Norwegian side Tromso.

The 21-year-old has featured in the Europa League for the Tippeligaen side and scored the winning goal in their play-off first-leg win over Turkish side Besiktas.

However, the Cottagers youngster has indicated that he wants to continue his development at Martin Jol's side.

"I will travel to England after the match against Sheriff Tiraspol in December," he told iTromso.

"This game will be my last for Tromso."



http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11681/9000809?

[WhiteJC]

 
Former Real Madrid midfielder Mahamadou Diarra in Panathainikos talks

Former Real Madrid and Fulham midfielder Mahamadou Diarra is in contract talks with Greek club Panathainikos.

The Mali international failed to earn a new contract at Craven Cottage following the 2012-13 season after an injury-plagued year.

A long-standing knee injury limited Diarra - who at one time cost Real Madrid £20million - to just 19 appearances for the Cottagers.

However, reports suggest the African defensive midfielder is now in line to sign a six-month deal with the Greek giants.

"I have contact with the Greek club and we will be talking again this week to agree something," he told Sky Sports.

"I think I can still play at a good level. They are in the Champions League and I can bring my experience to the team but nothing is done yet.

"I have enjoyed my time at Fulham, it is a friendly club and I would like to thank the club for everything they have done for me. I wish them good luck in the Premier League."

Panathainikos are currently fourth in the Greek Super League, behind Olympiakos, PAOK and Atromitos.


http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/9000930/?

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Bryan Ruiz v Wayne Rooney: Head-to-head analysis ahead of the clash between Fulham and Manchester United
Check out all the vital statistics concerning the two sides' forwards ahead of this weekend's Premier League meeting at Craven Cottage



Ahead of this weekend's Premier League meeting, between Fulham and Manchester United, see how the sides' forwards Bryan Ruiz and Wayne Rooney compare.



http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/bryan-ruiz-v-wayne-rooney-headtohead-analysis-ahead-of-the-clash-between-fulham-and-manchester-united-8916141.html

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The FourFourTwo Preview: Fulham vs Man United

Premier League | Craven Cottage | Sat 2 Nov | 3pm

Billed as
Under-pressure Moyes' chance to deflect the coffin-nail hammer somewhere else for once.

The lowdown
That Martin Jol is still in a job after Fulham's midweek 4-3 League Cup defeat at Leicester is, well, surprising. It's not that the Cottagers lost to a team harbouring hopes of the top flight, but that their cup exit is just the latest in a string of demoralising results for the west Londoners.

Fulham's woes aren't fresh (as we wrote in our weekend Debrief) – fortunes have spiralled the wrong way ever since Jol's excellent first season in charge, in which they finished ninth.
Wins over Stoke and Palace have kept them out of the relegation zone for now, but by the international break they may well find themselves back in it, with this fixture followed by a trip to Anfield.

At Southampton last time out, Jol's men were completely overrun in a dismal display where defending was treated with reckless abandon by the team's mavericks at the sharp end (yes they're daggers at you, Berba). Something has to give soon.

Man United, meanwhile, are spluttering and stumbling their way back into form – but Moyes will take it. In midweek they trounced sorry Norwich in the League Cup, after coming back to beat Stoke and eking out a narrow Champions League home win over Real Sociedad. 

So it's now six games unbeaten for the Reds – but they're not there yet. First of all they'll have to shape up at the back, where they've already conceded 12 times in the Premier League (the same as Fulham and Aston Villa). Moyes needs to settle on a centre-back pairing sooner rather than later, although the midweek returns of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand should solve that problem, fitness permitting.

United have won their last five matches against Fulham. Moyes needs to make sure Saturday brings a sixth.

Team news
Striker Hugo Rodallega (groin) is doubtful after limping out of the defeat to Leicester, in which he scored twice. Defender Brede Hangeland (dodgy leg nerve) will be assessed after missing the Southampton trip.

Danny Welbeck (knee) is set to miss out once more, but Moyes' injury list doesn't stretch too far either.

Player to watch: Dimitar Berbatov (Fulham)
When he's on song, the Bulgarian can turn any game on its head. When he isn't he becomes the kind of player you'd happily pick up a four-year stadium ban for, just to slap him in the face.

But which Berba will turn up against his former club? Will it be the player capable of this, or the one who'll allow the opposition striker a free header moments after being told to mark him?

To the dismay of those at Craven Cottage, it's been more of the latter this season. Playing just off Darren Bent, the Bulgarian has scored only once in eight games (against Palace) and regularly cut a frustrated figure.

Against Southampton last weekend he completed just 16 of his 28 attempted passes, was successful with none of his four take-ons and received the ball inside the Saints' penalty area only once. To cap it all, he's averaging just a shot per game in the league this season. It doesn't help that wingers Pajtim Kasami and Bryan Ruiz aren't linking up with him well, though – and that must change.



The managers
Two men desperate for points in trying circumstances. Jol is hanging on to his job for dear life knowing full well that his side aren't expected to win either of their next two fixtures before a nervy week's break. And while there've been more reasons for cheer where Moyes is concerned in the last fortnight, the Scot is still far from winning around the Old Trafford masses.

It's he who holds a slender advantage in the head-to-head battle between the two, though, having won five games to Jol's four. Happily for the neutrals there's only been one draw in their 10 Premier League meetings.

Facts and figures
Fulham have scored a league-high four goals originating from corners this season.
Manchester United are unbeaten in each of their last 11 Premier League away games in London, last losing in May 2011 at Arsenal.
Fulham have lost each of their last five Premier League matches with United, their worst run since losing eight in a row between 2005 and 2009.
Four of United's last five Premier League defeats in London have come in the west of the capital (twice to Fulham, twice to Chelsea).
Both Fulham and United have conceded 12 goals in the Premier League this season.
Man United have delivered the most crosses in the Premier League this season (202) and three of their last five goals have come from wide deliveries.
Fulham have the worst cross completion rate in the top-flight (14%).
United have a league-high 21 yellow cards this season, only eight short of the total they recorded in the whole of the 1993/94 season.
Wayne Rooney has scored or assisted 11 goals in his last 15 Premier League away games.
Robin van Persie has scored six goals in his last seven Premier League away games.
Overall Van Persie has 16 goals in 22 away appearances for Manchester United in the top-flight.

FourFourTwo prediction
Last season's fixture produced an entertaining 1-0 win for the visitors, with Wayne Rooney bagging late on; you can expect a similarly tight encounter this time around. United to take it 2-0.



Read more at http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/fourfourtwo-preview-fulham-vs-man-united#e0X2FQqWG88UKjsr.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham v Man Utd: Tickets still available for Premier League clash
Fulham v Man Utd: Tickers are still available for Saturday's Premier League clash at Craven Cottage on viagogo!

Fulham host defending champions Manchester United at Craven Cottage on Saturday – and tickets for the Premier League clash are still available on viagogo!

Click here to buy tickets for Fulham v Manchester United on 2 November now!

David Moyes has found himself under pressure at Old Trafford since taking the reigns from Sir Alex Ferguson over the summer.

United have won just four of their opening nine games so far this season and are yet to string together back-to-back wins in the English top flight.

Moyes will be desperate to lead the visitors to victory in west London on Saturday before Arsenal and Liverpool do battle at Emirates Stadium later in the day.

Meanwhile, Fulham boss Martin Jol has found himself under some pressure of his own, with the Cottagers only having managed three wins this season and suffering a 2-0 loss to Southampton in their last outing.

So with plenty at stake for both teams in this intriguing Premier League clash, why not book you place at Craven Cottage for Saturday's game today?



http://www.thesportreview.com/tsr/2013/10/fulham-v-man-utd-tickets-still-available-for-premier-league-clash/?

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Fulham defender Aaron Hughes rallies around under-fire team-mate Brede Hangeland

The Northern Irishman defends the Norweigan after coming in for criticism following series of errors that have cost the Cottagers goals this season


Defending from the front: Hughes has maintained that Hangeland is a quality defender
getty images
Aaron Hughes has backed his Fulham team-mate Brede Hangeland to recover from his poor start to the season.

The Craven Cottage captain has struggled for the first three months of the campaign, with the towering Norwegian at fault for a string of goals.

However, Hangeland has been hampered by a nerve problem in his leg, which kept him out of the 2-0 defeat against Southampton on Saturday and the 4-3 reverse to Leicester in the League Cup on Wednesday evening.

But his defensive partner Hughes, who has only just recovered from a torn thigh, says the Fulham skipper will bounce back.

He said: "Looking at it from the sidelines it was pretty obvious the injury has hindered him.

"I think in terms of his performances the injury was weighing on him; pushing off and getting up for headers, sometimes he couldn't do it.

"Hopefully he can get it sorted and get back in as soon as possible."

Hangeland aggravated the sciatic nerve injury on international duty with Norway earlier this month, with the 32-year-old facing a race against time to be ready for Saturday's clash with Manchester United.             

Hughes added: "He has been a massive miss for us. As much as the quality we have across the back four, you're always going to miss a player like Brede and his leadership.             

"You definitely miss someone of his stature when you get out on the pitch."



Check out all the latest News, Sport & Celeb gossip at Mirror.co.uk http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/fulham-defender-aaron-hughes-rallies-2660941#ixzz2jNiHl9Ul
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Dimi one more chance: What happened to Fulham's star striker?

Here's the proof that Dimitar Berbatov was no stranger to finding the back of the net once upon a time

Lazy, arrogant and lethargic? Or a technical genius who made it look easy without breaking a sweat? The pub argument surrounding Dimitar Berbatov is fueled by passion, loyalty and normally a few too many shandies.

The Bulgarian Man of the Year 2009 (Yes, really) has been in the Premier League for over seven years and had spells at Tottenham, Manchester United and Fulham. He's a two-time Premier League winner, two-time League Cup winner and a record-breaking seven-time Bulgarian Footballer of the Year.

He even won Europe's Most Popular Footballer Among Currently Active Players in 2010 which puts to bed the argument about whether or not he is the 'banter king'.

Unfortunately, Berba is approaching his 33rd birthday and chipped in with just the one goal in his last eight Premier League matches. Fulham's captain has recently been branded 'gutless', 'typically non-existent' and a 'liability', but here's the proof that not too long ago, he was pretty deadly in front of goal.



In his four years at Old Trafford, Dimitar Berbatov managed a league goal every 153 minutes and racked up 18 assists for Manchester United. He notched four hat-tricks for the Red Devils and is the only non-Englishman to have scored five goals in one league game when United thumped Blackburn 7-1. That's a tidy nugget of info to save for tonight's pub quiz.

When he first arrived at Craven Cottage in August 2012 he bagged 15 league goals and had a conversion rate of 19 per cent in his first season. Not too bad considering he was relying on assists from Steve Sidwell and Damien Duff.

But it's all gone Pete Tong for good old Dimi this season. The striker has posted some simply awful statistics that wouldn't look out of place if the Opta lads started turning up at your local Sunday league games.

Games played: 8
Shots: 8
Shots on target: 3
Goals: 1
Conversion rate: 13%
Assists: 0
Pass success rate: 76%
Dispossessed: 17 times
Bleak reading for Bulgaria's all-time leading goalscorer.

This weekend Fulham face Manchester United at Craven Cottage with both teams needing a win to try to silence the critics in the papers, and the angry folk who tweet incoherent, but still pretty meaningful, abuse on Twitter.

In his career – at Bayer Leverkusen, Tottenham and Fulham – Berbatov has featured in nine games against Manchester United, losing six and drawing three of them. In slightly better news for Fulham fans, Berbatov has scored twice against the Champions and even he is probably quicker in a straight line than the pension-dodging Rio Ferdinand.

Berbatov is 10/1 to open the scoring in Saturday's match and 10/3 to find the back of the net at any time during the game. It is 11/1 that Berba gets himself on the scoresheet and Fulham win the game.



- See more at: http://blog.paddypower.com/2013/10/31/dimi-one-more-chance-what-happened-to-fulhams-star-striker/?#sthash.njfbgMrZ.dpuf

[WhiteJC]

 
Who Will Replace Jol Should Fulham Sack Their Man?

Loitering near the bottom of the Premier League table having made an indifferent start to the season, former Tottenham and Ajax boss Martin Jol is one top-flight manager edging precariously close towards the exit door

Following a string of bad results, including defeat to Championship outfit Leicester City in the League cup, Martin Jol's odds of becoming the next managerial casualty have been slashed to 4/7 by most bookmakers as the London club face a fierce battle to retain their Premier League status.
Although the cottagers have won just 2 games all season, former England striker and freebets columnist Matt Le Tissier says the London club can overcome their early season troubles if forward-duo Dimetar Berbatov and Darren Bent can garner a lethal goal-scoring partnership.
However, if results don't change quickly on the pitch for Jol's men he could soon become the Premier League's second managerial casualty following Paulo Dicanio at Sunderland.
With that eventuality in mind, we look at the most likely candidates to take up the Craven Cottage hot seat.

Martin O'Neill
Hot favourite to take over should Jol get the chop is Ulsterman Martin O'Neill who has been out of work since being sacked by Sunderland at the back end of last season. The 61-year old seemed to be found out at Aston Villa- after a bright start- with his dinosauric style of football and bizarre transfer policies ultimately accounting for his demise at the Midlands giants. However, O'Neill is an astute man and a great man-motivator so he could provide some stability.

Malky Mackay
The Cardiff City manager's future is in doubt following the dismissal of one of his close allies and trusted scouts: Iain Moody. Moody was replaced by a 23-yearold intern with no football experience, who is now responsible for the Bluebird's transfer policy, much to the dismay of Cardiff fans and coaching staff.
MacKay was voted LMA Championship Manager of the Year last season for his exerts in leading the Welsh club into the Premier League for the first time and the Fulham executives will be keeping a close eye on the Scot should his post become untenable.

Roberto Di Matteo
After managing West Bromwich Albion and then guiding Chelsea to their first Champions League victory in their history, Roberto Di Matteo (RDM) was a little unfortunate to be relieved of his duties as Stamford Bridge boss a few months later.
However, RDM hardly is an ambitious man looking for another shot at the big time so Fulham could fall slightly below his aspirations.

Ole Gunnar Solksjaer
Seemingly linked to every Premier League job that opens up, the Manchester United legend is working wonders at Norwegian club Molde; winning the national league title for 2 consecutive seasons.
The baby faced assassin looks certain to grace a Premier League touchline sometime soon but it's just a matter of when and where?



Read more at http://worldsoccertalk.com/2013/10/30/who-will-replace-jol-should-fulham-sack-their-man/#tH72ZubrmvlJuGh1.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Pressure on Fulham Boss as Mildly Rejuvenated Manchester United Sense Vulnerable Prey

FULHAM v MANCHESTER UNITED 15:00; Craven Cottage 



Back-to-back wins for Fulham had seen them spring up the table and with a glut of goals to boot at Crystal Palace, but last weekend's defeat at Southampton, compounded by a midweek League Cup exit at the hands of second-tier Leicester, has piled the pressure right back on to Martin Jol.  The Cottagers home form is normally solid but they've won just once in their four games so far this season and that was late and barely deserved against Stoke.  If they're to beat United they'll be in need of top performances from their forwards and some defensive tightening up.



David Moyes could be forgiven for privately expressing relief at getting away from Old Trafford, where the media scrutiny seems to be particularly intense, after four consecutive home matches in three different competitions.  While United have won three of those matches, and handsomely in the latest case against Norwich in Tuesday's 4-0 League Cup rout, the two league games against Southampton and Stoke were largely anxiety-ridden affairs that left a lot to be desired.  The Red Devils have not been much better on their travels but know they must be going to places like Fulham and picking up victories if they are ever to become title contenders this season.



What to watch out for: Dimitar Berbatov – can he show United they were wrong to sell him and make amends for the careless set-piece defending that Southampton took advantage of last week.

Possible line-ups:

Fulham – Stekelenberg; Riether, Senderos, Amorebieta, Richardson, Ruiz, Parker, Sidwell, Kasami, Berbatov, Bent

Man Utd – De Gea; Rafael, Evans, Jones, Evra, Nani, Cleverley, Carrick, Kagawa, Rooney, Van Persie

Recent form: Fulham – DLLWWL; Man Utd – WLLWDW

Prediction: 0-2


http://www.footymatters.com/articles/english-football/premier-league/manchester-united/pressure-on-fulham-boss-as-mildly-rejuvenated-manchester-united-sense-vulnerable-prey/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Preview: A Hope For the Best, Prepare For the Worst Look at Fulham v Manchester United


Laurence Griffiths
Fulham host Manchester United Saturday in a match that sees the two clubs in the odd position of having quite a lot presently in common with one another. The chorus of "Jol out" has grown to a raging cacophony after a defeat to Leicester City dumped the Cottagers out of the League Cup. Can Martin Jol tease the best from his squad and right the ship before it's too late?

Over a long enough timeline, Manchester United and Fulham don't have too terribly much in common. United can count themselves among the royalty of international club football, while Fulham occupy a more modest niche as every Premier League supporter's second favorite club. United are 80,000 seat, state-of-the-art Old Trafford. Fulham are 25,000 seat, historical monument Craven Cottage. United win titles, lots and lots of titles. Fulham lost the Europa League final in 2010 (But oh, what a night it was!).

Take a snap shot of right now, however, and the similarities abound.

Both sides find themselves well below the standards, both in results and performances, their respective levels of talent dictate.

Both sides are essentially comprised of the exact same players who donned the clubs' jerseys in the 2012/13 campaign, save one hoped for missing link. Manchester United have added Marouane Fellaini and Fulham have added Darren Bent.

Both sides are headed up by managers who could generously be described as not presently the most popular men among each clubs' respective fans.

In the last five Premier League matches, Manchester United have lost, lost, won, drawn, and won.

Fulham have lost, lost, won, won, and lost.

Both David Moyes and Martin Jol will be desperate for a win Saturday. United need to make up ground on the clubs at the top of the table if they have any hope of making the Champions League next season, and Martin Jol surely cannot afford a heavy defeat at home after Tuesday night's League Cup debacle at Leicester City.

A word or two regarding the Leicester match:

I actually agree with Jol's team selection. It was a good mix of veterans who have not played much of late and younger players who need to be evaluated and given the experience of being in the match day squad with the first team.

Fulham had just played Saturday and limply surrendered to Southampton in what, come May, may very well be the most underwhelming performance of the season by any team. A rest and perhaps a message sent seemed before the match as equally sensible dual motivations. A manager can't run his first XI out in all competitions and expect them to last the entire season, and he especially cannot do it if said first XI know they are and always will be the first XI. For a side looking for all the world as if it will entertain an extended flirtation with the drop zone this campaign, I actually thought Jol made very sensible team selections.

But then it backfired. 4-3. Out of the League Cup.

I'm sure Martin Jol must have anticipated entering the Manchester United match coming off a win against Leicester and a berth in the next round of the League Cup. Instead, calls for the Dutchman's ouster have never been louder and now he's facing a United side coming off a second half awakening against Stoke and who surely sense blood in the water along the banks of the Thames.

I expect Jol to roll out essentially the same XI he's fated himself to all season. There's a principle in psychology called loss aversion that basically says the desire to avoid the loss of something valuable (ie one's job as the manager of a Premier League club) is greater than the willingness to risk something - anything really - at the expense of acquiring gains.

In other words, scrapping the underperformers or fiddling with the tactics probably isn't going to happen. Jol will be praying Berbatov is up for the match.

Moyes also will be averse to fiddle too much with his 4-2-3-1. He's fielded this same formation in the last three matches and one gets the sense he's just trying to decide on the right personnel. Width is provided by Patrice Evra and Smalling or Rafael. Some combination of Cleverly, Carrick, and Fellaini plays the two holding positions in the middle of the park. Rooney plays just beneath Robin Van Persie and largely dictates the pacing and direction of the United attack. A rotating cast of Adnan Januzaj, Shinji Kagawa, and Nani has provided the starters for the other two midfield spots.

It should be noted that this is essentially the same system Southampton deployed to such devastating effect last weekend, although at times Pochettino's men play a more traditional 4-3-3 and the Saints' pressing game is much more aggressive than that of Manchester United.

If I'm David Moyes, and mercifully I'm not, I'm tempted to plant a healthy Marouane Fellaini right in Dimitar Berbatov's balletic little orbit and force Martin Jol's questionable tactical hand from the outset.

Hopefully, a few dropped names from the match day squad and a hiding by Leicester City will have served to stoke the fighting fires in the Fulham squad and focused Martin Jol's attentions to rectifying the side's deficiencies. Anything less would surely end Fulham's brief period of commonality with Manchester United and brand the the Cottagers as relegation candidates - perhaps manager-less ones at that.

I'm hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.


http://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2013/10/31/5052378/preview-a-hope-for-the-best-prepare-for-the-worst-look-at-fulham-v?

[WhiteJC]

 
Predicted Fulham XI to play Manchester United

Match to be played on Saturday 2nd November 2013 at 15:00. Venue: Craven Cottage, London.

Fulham boss Martin Jol is expected to name the same 11 that suffered defeat against Southampton last weekend when they take on Manchester United on Saturday afternoon.

Jol made nine changes to the team for their late 4-3 cup exit to Leicester City on Tuesday evening with just goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg and defender Philippe Senderos keeping their place, but the Dutchman is expected to return to the team that lost 2-0 at St Mary's but had previously beaten Crystal Palace 4-1 when they take on the champions at Craven Cottage.

Despite John Arne Riise returning against the Foxes on Tuesday, he should drop to the bench with Kieran Richardson coming back in at left-back.

Brede Hangeland remains the only absentee so Senderos, who scored in the win at Selhurst Park ten days ago, partners Fernando Amorebieta in the heart of defence with Sascha Riether at right-back.

Former Tottenham manager Jol should stick with an attacking front four of Bryan Ruiz and Pajtim Kasami on the flanks with Darren Bent upfront and former United striker Dimitar Berbatov just behind him. Scott Parker and Steve Sidwell will look to shore things up in the centre of midfield.

The Cottagers will be looking to change their fortunes against United after losing seven of their last eight meetings in all competitions. The other was a 2-2 draw in the Premier League back in 2010 with the last Fulham win coming back in December 2009, when goals from Danny Murphy, Bobby Zamora and Damien Duff gave them a memorable 3-0 victory.

Predicted Fulham team: Stekelenburg, Riether, Senderos, Amorebieta, Richardson, Ruiz, Parker, Sidwell, Kasami, Bent, Berbatov



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Scouting – Fulham

Finally United are building some momentum. For the first time under David Moyes, United have won three games on the bounce.

Having beaten Real Sociedad 1-0, more comfortably then the scoreline suggests, and then a battling comeback to defeat Stoke City 3-2, having played poorly for 70 minutes of the match and most recently strolling to victory in the League cup with a 4-0 against Norwich.

The home victory against Norwich was for me, the first time United have dominated a match and run out comfortable winners under our new boss, and the result was also very satisfying due to the fact the squad was rotated.

Wilfred Zaha impressed on his Old Trafford bow, and Adnan Januzaj ran the game in a free role behind Javier Hernandez, who also scored two on the night, and is surely pushing for a starting spot in the League. These positives are all great problems for Moyes to have, with three more important games round the corner.

Next are trips to Craven Cottage to face Fulham, then away to Spain against Sociedad and then home again to face current league leaders Arsenal.

Fulham are a team that are struggling at the moment, with whispers that manager Martin Jol's neck is on the chopping block. I think the rumours are founded more on the fact Fulham have recent acquired a new owner in the form of American billionaire Shahid Khan, having recently bought the club for a deal reportedly worth £150m-200m, from long time owner Mohamed Al-Fayed.

The Cottagers have won two of their last six league matches, with a 1-0 home win against Stoke, and a comprehensive 4-1 win at Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace which featured some stunning strikes from Steve Sidwell, and most memorably Kasami's touch and volley straight over a strand Julian Speroni.

Their only other point in this time was a 1-1 draw at home to West Brom, but all other League games in this period ended in defeat, 2-0 away at Chelsea and at Southampton, and a home defeat 2-1 at home to a last minute Jordan Mutch stunner for Cardiff.

Their only other fixtures in the last two months have been in the Capital One Cup, in the third round with a second half comeback to triumph over Everton, and then an epic fourth round defeat to Championship Leicester City going down 4-3 on Tuesday evening at the King Power Stadium.

Normally Fulham's home form is the cornerstone of their usual mid-table existence, with many sides, often United coming unstuck in West London, most memorably when Fergie's injury hit side went down 3-0 and the Reds ended the match with 9-men after Scholes and Rooney saw red.

Yet this season Fulham have only won once at the Cottage, winning narrowly against former boss Mark Hughes' Stoke side.

They currently sit in 14th in the League, a position which could deteriorate further if results go against them at the weekend. after nine games, the Cottagers sit only two points above Norwich in 18th.

United will be well aware Fulham's main threat comes from former United hitman Dimitar Berbatov, with the Bulgarian Fulham's top scorer in his first season with the London club. He may be partnered in attack by on-loan Villa striker Darren Bent who has a proven Premier League record. The Cottager squad also contains an aerial threat in the form of giant Norwegian Brede Hangeland, and the trickery of Costa Rican Bryan Ruiz.

If Moyes has any hope of emulating his illustrious predecessor, he will need to press on now, and build more momentum. He needs another comfortable win against Fulham and I believe United can oblige him on Saturday afternoon. It will also increase the players confidence heading towards what could be a massive match against current League leaders Arsenal, with Moyes desperate to beat a top team in the League, to improve his fledgling record against other top teams as Reds boss.


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Time is surely running out for Jol

As Giorgos Karagounis smashed in what looked to be a late equaliser for Fulham on Tuesday night, most Cottagers fans would agree that there was an unhealthy sense of anticipation of a very late response from the home side, and they duly obliged through Lloyd Dyer in the 89th minute.

Such a crushing turn of events would render most football fans inconsolable, but even the most fanatical of Fulham followers have become somewhat immune to rather predictable outcomes of disintegration.

Unfortunately, the midweek loss to Leicester City in the Capital One Cup was just another in a long line of disappointing endings to fixtures, with late goals conceded away at Newcastle United and at home to West Bromwich Albion and Cardiff City already this season.

Surrender

Surrendering points at will has become an epidemic on the banks of the Thames, and the frustration is fairly evident with many supporters feeling the need to relieve Martin Jol of his duties.

Saturday's abysmal display on the South Coast culminated in one shot throughout the 90 minutes, which lead to ironic cheers and celebration from the away following.

Fulham's display was so bad that it lead pundit Stan Collymore to describe it as one of the worst away performances of the Premier League era, which many people would find hard to contest.

Predictability and lack of effort has been the general consensus amongst the Cottage faithful, and this was ever present at Southampton; they showed an inability to string more than two consecutive passes together, and struggled to close down a fluid Saints side whenever they got on the ball.

Lacklustre

Discontent has been growing since the end of last season; the West London club went on a run of six defeats in their last eight Premier League games.

Such form has crept into the new season despite new recruits, and with the talent the squad has to offer, it is clear that Fulham are underachieving.

The ageing squad has yet to have been addressed, with a weakened and supposedly "younger" side at Leicester producing an average age of just over 29 years old.

Possessing one of the best academies in England, the lack of youth inclusion in the first team squad has been a major frustration, with only a select few managing an appearance for the senior side.

The handling of Kerim Frei left fans disappointed; the Turk appeared to have a bright future at the club, only for the player to decline and swiftly be sold to Besiktas.

Constant unpredictability surrounding Dimitar Berbatov has left everyone disillusioned with his efforts on the field. Not to mention his attitude, which is childish to say the least at times.

All too frequently, Fulham fans have seen the Bulgarian stroll across the pitch, bark orders and moan at fellow teammates, whilst looking rather disinterested with game; there's also that sense of arrogance coming across in his body language.

Despite being the club's top goalscorer last season, he has become increasingly frustrating to watch, and Jol's persistent siding with the striker has undermined the fans.

Puzzling

Personally, I feel Mr. Jol should look to refrain from participating in post-match interviews, as the Fulham faithful have become somewhat puzzled by the Dutchman's comments after the whistle.

Excuses have been top of the agenda, with lacklustre performances being blamed on irrelevant circumstances on and off the pitch.

In a bizarre turn of events, following the injury time defeat at home to Cardiff, Jol hit out at fans booing the team by blasting their expectations for the club, saying "we're not a top six club". He also played the "lack of money" card despite claiming to have brought in all of his targets over the summer.

The constant need to blame financial restrictions on the squad's performances, despite the club acquiring a new owner willing to spend, shows signs of a lack of diagnosis and knowledge of what exactly is going wrong.

Fixtures in the next few weeks don't look too promising for the Whites, with Manchester United and Liverpool to come in the next fortnight.

I am still up in the air in regards to whether I am pro Jol, with the general atmosphere rather toxic at this point in time.

One side of me would like to see us remove this negativity surrounding us, which might mean letting the Dutchman go, but the other side feels longevity is a positive thing to maintain at our wonderful club.

It is clear that time is running out for Martin, but luckily for me, the decision doesn't lie in my hands.



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Three Key Battles: Fulham vs Manchester United

Just four clubs separate these two as they enter the 10th round of fixtures for this season, a statistic which Manchester United will not be best pleased with.

Fulham have had an up and down past four games in the Premier League with two wins sandwiched in between two defeats, most recently against Southampton, in which the London-based club lost 2-0.

Manchester United have somewhat picked up form since their rather embarrassing defeat at the hands of West Bromwich Albion at the end of September. They have won two out of the three games since, with a draw breaking up those two victories.

A win against Real Sociedad in the middle of last week has also improved confidence for David Moyes' men.

Manchester United are expected to enter this game with a complete squad bar the long term absentee, Darren Fletcher.

Fulham do have a complete squad with no injuries to report from their loss against Southampton last weekend.


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Crystal Palace: Geoff Thomas backs Chris Coleman for the manager's job

PALACE legend Geoff Thomas has thrown his weight behind former team-mate and friend Chris Coleman for the current managerial vacancy at Selhurst Park.

Coleman, who is the current Wales manager, still has property in East Surrey from his playing and managerial days at Fulham, and Thomas believes someone with a connection to the Eagles should be appointed.

"I would love to see Chris at Palace if I'm honest," Thomas said.

"I know Chris personally – he's got the passion and the experience. A manager like him has learnt a lot from his time at Fulham.

"International football is totally different but he would be in tune to all the players around now and he'd be able to nurture that current squad to get better and better with confidence.

"He is someone I'd really like to see in charge. He's never changed, Chris. What you see is what you get with him. He's a top guy."

Meanwhile, Palace co-chairman Stephen Browett says there has been a "mixture" of applications for the Selhurst Park hotseat, admitting the majority have experience of the Premier League.

However, he says that while the club would prefer a manager with top flight credentials, he hasn't ruled out the idea of having someone from abroad either.

"There have been quite a few people applying," said Browett.

"There are no current Premier League managers interested in the job, but quite a few ex-Premier League managers have applied.

"But it's Steve (Parish) and Phil (Alexander) who are doing most of the talking. It's more a case of people talking to people, who are then talking to other people.

"The plan is to have someone with Premier League experience, but if somebody comes along who blows us away, who is either a foreign coach or a young one who hasn't actually been in the Premier League, we wouldn't rule anything out.

"Ideally, you'd want someone who has handled the pressures of the Premier League and knows the league, knows the players and knows the opposition."

A suggestion put forward is the idea of having an older figure appointed to sit in between the board and new manager, potentially in a director of football role and helping with player recruitment.

One man who has already hinted his desire to do that is former boss Neil Warnock.

And Browett revealed he and the board of directors have discussed having someone in a similar position.

"I definitely think Neil Warnock has got a soft spot for Palace but I get the impression that he's not interested in being a manager again," said the co-chairman.

"Steve Coppell does a similar sort of role at Crawley Town. It's a link between the chairman and overseeing the scouting.

"We can't say if we need that though as it depends on what type of manager we get.

"We have talked about getting a younger manager with an older and more experienced guy, a bit like what Dougie Freedman had with Lennie Lawrence, or like Richie Barker has with Steve Coppell.

"It is possible, but then if you bring in a very experienced manager who knows everything, he maybe doesn't need that, or he might be the kind of guy who wants to run everything."

Tony Pulis has been strongly linked with the vacancy and Parish admitted last week that he would look to speak to the former Stoke City boss following Ian Holloway's departure.

And Browett says Holloway has put Pulis forward to the board, further hinting that Parish has indeed spoken to the 55-year-old about taking the job.

"Ian suggested we spoke to him because he's one of his best mates and his son's godfather," said Browett. "But Steve's been speaking to other people as well to take advice, like Mark Bright and Steve Coppell too."



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