Friday Fulham Stuff (29/11/13)...

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Barry Hayles column: Meulensteen will lighten the load at Fulham

Former Whites striker tells Lewis Deakin that picking up a result at West Ham is vital and the appointment of former Manchester United coach Meulensteen is a masterstroke


Barry Hayles
Saturday's trip to West Ham United is vital for Fulham - we've got to get something out of the game, especially against a team one place above us in the Premier League table.

Upton Park is a tough place to go, but so is any ground in the Premiership. It's going to be difficult match. West Ham play a certain style that not many teams adopt nowadays. But first and foremost – we've to stand up to that style. Hopefully, we can create some chances and win the match.

West Ham United started their last game against Chelsea, which they lost 3-0 without an out and out striker. They've scored twice in their last eight matches; because of this they have brought back Carlton Cole for a few months. He'll be their main attacking threat tomorrow afternoon.

Kevin Nolan needs someone to play off that is how he gets his goals. Kevin is good going forward, but he is still a midfielder. He's not someone, who will score 20 goals a season. When Kevin and Andy Carroll are in Sam Allardyce's starting 11 you see a big difference.

Fulham must be worried by their recent slump in form. Martin Jol's men have lost their last five matches, despite the squad being there.



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/barry-hayles-column-meulensteen-lighten-6349709?

[WhiteJC]

 
PSV poised to beat Fulham in race for winger



Fulham look set to miss out on Zakaria Labyad as the winger is poised to return to PSV Eindhoven, according to sources in Portugal.

talkSPORT told you earlier this month that Martin Jol is keen on the 20-year-old, who will be allowed to leave Sporting Lisbon in the New Year.

But Portuguese newspaper Record claim PSV are already in advanced negotiations with Sporting over a deal and the Morocco international is expected to move when the transfer window re-opens.

Labyad started out at PSV and impressed at the Eredivisie side before moving to Sporting in 2012, although he has failed to make an impact in Portugal.


Read more at http://talksport.com/football/psv-poised-beat-fulham-race-winger-13112869814#abhoC8pr1lZwzdh2.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Three Questions for West Ham

This week's three questions is with Iron Views. Be sure to go back there to read the Q&A I did with them.

This is a busy week for me. It's Thanksgiving in the US, so I'm going to be drinking and eating much more than I should. Hopefully Fulham gives me something to be thankful for. West Ham United have been playing just about as bad as Fulham. Neither team can score and neither is playing great defense. Of course that probably portends to a 4-4 shoot out.

CC: I haven't watched a ton of West Ham matches this year, but what I have seen has been even less attractive than usual. The 4-6-0 has been especially hard to watch. How have the supporters taken to the tactics that the club have used this year?

Iron Views: The 4-6-0 formation made its debut in a memorable 3-0 win away at Tottenham. On that day, the tactic worked beautifully to counter Spurs' attacking play, and resulted in Ravel Morrison scoring one of the best West Ham goals in recent years. Since then, however, we've only scored in 2 out of 5 games - both of which we've ended up losing. The problem with 4-6-0 is that it no longer has the surprise element that was crucial in our win at White Hart Lane. If the opposition team are able to prepare for the game knowing we're not going to field a recognised striker, it makes beating us on the day a lot easier. Can you imagine what a bonus it is for central defenders if they don't have to face off against a known target man? Moreover, the likes of Stewart Downing and Matt Jarvis are wasted in this system as their numerous crosses are fired into an empty box. I was open to the idea at first, but practically it just doesn't work. We're not Barcelona after all.
CC: West Ham are currently tied with Fulham on points, have scored even fewer goals, and are only ahead by goal differential. Aside from the Tottenham match, they have only scored 6 times. Fulham fans are clamoring for Martin Jol's head at this point, are West Ham fans feeling the same about Sam Allardyce?

IV: For the first time since taking over in 2011, Sam Allardyce finds himself on very thin ice. After a more than comfortable return to the Premier League, fans were anticipating a further push up the table during this campaign, with even a few whispers of Europe creeping into Upton Park. However, things have taken a turn for the worse since then. With our only wins coming against Cardiff and Spurs, many supporters are starting to vent their frustration rather aggressively, with Sam Allardyce acting as the target point for most of this uproar. As I mentioned, his tactical stubbornness is confusing many, including myself, as our style of play is clearly reliant on a big man in the box. His decision to keep Nolan as the first name on the team sheet has also earned him significant stick. Without a target man to feed off, the former Newcastle midfielder is completely ineffective, and Allardyce's failure to acknowledge this is only worsening his relationship with the West Ham faithful. There are reports of a three game ultimatum, so if he fails to win one of the next games against Fulham, Palace and Liverpool, he may well be on his way. At this stage I'm backing him to turn it around, but many fans are already demanding a change in tenure.
CC: How worried are the supporters about relegation at this point? Is there confidence that Andy Carroll coming back and Allardyce figuring things out with some reinforcements in January? Or is there a real fear that relegation could happen?

IV: The fear of relegation is slowly but surely edging up on West Ham fans. Personally, I'm confident things will turn around before things are too late. Andy Carroll should be back to full fitness in the next month or so, while there's already talks of a move for Jermain Defoe in January. Our next three games are vital, but as long as we keep our heads up we have the squad to move up the table. The side is far more equipped than our relegated team of 2010 - 11, and although some would have you believe otherwise, Allardyce is no Avram Grant. You also have to consider that it's only November and we're less than a third of the way into the season. Changes are needed, but I'm backing the club to make them. We'll be fine eventually. I hope.
Projected lineup, and score prediction

CH: Score: 2-1 to West Ham

Lineup: Jussi, Demel, Collins, Tomkins O'Brien, Noble, Nolan, Morrison, Diame, Downing, C.Cole



http://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2013/11/28/5149754/three-questions-for-west-ham?

[WhiteJC]

 
Aston Villa 0-3 Fulham U21s

Here are the goals as the Whites' late rally sent us storming into the next round of the Barclays Premier League U21 Cup.

Aston Villa 0-3 Fulham, Barclays U21 Premier League Cup

A trio of late goals saw Fulham run out 3-0 winners over Aston Villa in the Barclays Under-21 Premier League Cup on Tuesday evening to book their spot in the last-16.

It looked as though the tie would go all the way to extra-time at Villa Park as the two sides searched for a breakthrough, but the crucial opener arrived in the 83rd minute when Moussa Dembele's fine season continued with a composed finish.

Villa then saw a penalty claim fall on deaf ears and quickly found themselves two down when Dembele latched onto substitute Lyle Della Verde's pass before finding the back of the net once again.

And there was still time for French winger Ange-Freddy Plumain to add a third when he netted from close range in stoppage time.

The home side named a strong starting XI for the inaugural Cup game, with First Teamers Chris Herd, Nicklas Helenius and Jordan Bowery all involved from the off, whilst Fulham had David Stockdale in goal.

Fulham started the contest well but were just lacking an end product to match their neat build-up play, although Lasse Vigen Christensen and Plumain each drew a save from Jed Steer before Villa grew into the game as Bowery was twice denied by Stockdale.

Helenius then saw a chance come and go at the end of the first half and it was his side who came out the stronger following the interval, as he and Callum Robinson both squandered opportunities.

As the game became more open, it was then the Whites who enjoyed the better of the play in the subsequent moments, with Muamer Tankovic and Ronny Minkwitz seeing efforts deflect wide and saved, respectively.

With the final 10 minutes approaching, Plumain and Daniel Johnson both tried their luck, before the clinical Dembele popped up to grab the goal Kit Symons' boys needed. An excellent long diagonal pass from Minkwitz was killed by the striker's first touch before he finished coolly from 18 yards.

Villa looked for an immediate response and appealed for a penalty when Jordan Graham tumbled in the area, but the referee ruled no foul and booked Graham for his troubles.

It proved to be a crucial decision as with 88 minutes on the clock Dembele got in behind the Villa backline to collect Della Verde's clever pass and finish with aplomb.

And with Villa left deflated, Plumain was on hand at the death to notch from close range as Fulham ensured their name would be in the hat for the next round draw.

Fulham: Stockdale; Passley, Arthurworrey, Grimmer, Richards; Na Bangna (Della Verde), Vigen Christensen, Minkwitz, Plumain; Tankovic (Sambou); Dembele


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/november/28/villa-u21-video?

[WhiteJC]

 
Crewe sign QPR striker Hitchcock and Fulham winger Mesca on loan

Crewe Alexandra have signed young striker Tom Hitchcock on loan from Queens Park Rangers.

The 23-year-old goes straight into the Alex squad for Saturday's home game with Crawley after signing a deal tying him to Gresty Road until 7 January.

Crewe have also signed winger Buomesca Tue Na Bangna, 20, from Fulham.

Mesca, Crewe's second signing from Fulham in a week following the arrival of goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, is also signed up until 7 January.

Chelsea signed Bissau-born winger Mesca from Sporting Lisbon in May 2010 before moving him on to neighbours Fulham the following summer.

He made his Premier League debut against his former club at Stamford Bridge in September.

Hitchcock, son of former Mansfield and Chelsea keeper Kevin, has mostly been kept sidelined at Loftus Road since being signed by Mark Hughes from Blackburn in July 2012.

But he scored his first goal for QPR in a 1-0 win over Ipswich in August, coming off the bench seven minutes from time to hit a 90th-minute winner.

Hitchcock, who started his career with Plymouth Argyle, also went out on loan late last year with Bristol Rovers, scoring three times in seven games.

He signed a new one-year deal with Rangers this summer.

Crewe are light on attacking options, having so far spent the entire campaign without last season's top scorer Mathias Pogba.

In addition, Max Clayton looks likely to miss the rest of the campaign with a broken ankle and fellow teenager Ryan Colclough has endured a string of injuries.

Hitchcock should be available for seven matches during his five-week long stay in Cheshire.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25143072?

[WhiteJC]

 
LAWRO'S PREDICTION

West Ham v Fulham

Both these teams are on the same points yet there is more pressure on Fulham manager Martin Jol than West Ham boss Sam Allardyce.

That is because we know what the Hammers' problems are. It is not like their owners are thinking Sam does not know his best team; instead they are probably saying: "Well, we have not got a centre-forward, what can we expect?"

It is different with Fulham because Jol got pretty much all the players he wanted in the summer, but they have not fired at all.

It is games like this that will ultimately decide Jol's fate because, if Fulham get turned over easily by a West Ham side who are well known for not being able to score goals, then the pressure on him will get even more intense.

I don't see that happening, though. West Ham were kept at arm's length by Chelsea last week and were well beaten, so it is very difficult to tip either side to win this.

I look at West Ham and wonder who is going to score, then I look at Fulham and wonder how they are going to line up away from home.

Jol has got Dimitar Berbatov, Darren Bent and Bryan Ruiz to pick from but needs to find a blend in his team. The problem he has got is that none of them are hard-working. If you are playing in a struggling team, that is the very least you have to be.

Jol needs to get things right quickly, because every game is a big one for him now.

Lawro's prediction: 1-1
McGowan's prediction: 3-1



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25073500?

[WhiteJC]

 
No Need to Panic!
   
Although there`s no disputing that our current predicament leaves us fearful of relegation, after all we are firmly entrenched in the bottom three, one of our squad is reticent that there`s no need to panic (yet).

Kieran Richardson, speaking ahead of our trip to West Ham United this Saturday, is confident that things will improve, remarking,

"We feel we will turn things around. We have a lot of experience and players who have been in similar positions before and know what it takes."

"It`s still relatively early on and no-one in the changing room is panicking. I only really start looking at the table after the Christmas period."

Well, unless the squad can turn things around quickly, Kieran Richardson might be in for a shock when he, finally, takes a long hard look at the Premier League table come the festive season!


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=340175#ixzz2m1GSidzf

[WhiteJC]

 
Jol Determined to Keep Dembele
   
After producing performances of a nature that have alerted other clubs to his abilities, Fulham are hoping to stave off interest in young Moussa Dembele.

The 17 year-old striker, signed from Paris St Germain, has attracted interest from both Manchester United and Liverpool whilst also making the Fulham bench for a recent fixture.

However, Martin Jol is confident that Moussa Dembele will remain at Craven Cottage declaring to the media,

"He is under contract for two years. The only thing we`ve got to do is keep him here."

But one can only ponder what might happen if a big offer came in for a player who clearly has a decent future in this wonderful game of ours!


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=340176#ixzz2m1GgqBoK

[WhiteJC]

 
Cole Looks Ahead to Fulham
   
After the shocking display of last weekend, whereby we simply laid down and let Chelsea roll all over us, the Upton Park faithful will be hoping that the Hammers can get back on track when we play Fulham this weekend.

Although it may still only be November, the Premier League table infers that this fixture is already one of those legendary six-pointers.

Fulham, just like ourselves, are not having the best of times and if my research is right will be arriving at Upton Park on a run of five successive Premier League defeats.

Joe Cole, who had a disappointing outing against his previous club Chelsea last time out, has spoken about the belief in the fact that the squad believe they can turn things around this Saturday, remarking to the media,

"We face an important game against Fulham and I have seen from training this week how much the lads want to win it."

"If we can get three points that gives us the perfect platform to go into the away game at Crystal Palace three days later and get a little run going."

I`d like to think we can beat a side as poor as Fulham and also go to Selhurst Park and pick up three points. If we do that then the situation, at the bottom of the table, wouldn`t look half as bad!


Read more: http://www.westham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=340174#ixzz2m1GvF01M

[WhiteJC]

 
Liverpool And Manchester United Monitoring Fulham Wonderkid

But boss Jol is determined to keep the Frenchman in the capital.

Premier League strugglers Fulham face a fight to keep hold of attacking starlet Moussa Dembele at Craven Cottage in the face of interested in the youngster from both Manchester United and Liverpool, according to reports in GetWestLondon.

The France Under-17 international already has a huge reputation at the west London club, so much so that under-pressure head coach Martin Jol has even decided to fast track Dembele into the Cottagers' first team of late, with the forward being chosen on the substitutes' bench for last Saturday's home clash with Swansea City in the Premier League.

However, the experienced Dutch manager is also well aware of growing interest in his wonderkid from the likes of both the Premier League champions and the Merseyside giants as well, and with Dembele's current contract in the capital now only lasting until June 30 2015, Fulham are desperate to keep hold of the Frenchman who they bought from Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain in 2011.

"Dembele came in two years ago and is still under contract," said Jol of the highly rated 17-year-old.

"He's only 17 now, but he's strong and scores goals every match. I took him up to the Under 21s already.

"The boy loves it here. The only thing we've got to do is in the next couple of years to keep him here."

Dembele, who has the exact same christian name and surname as the former Fulham and now Tottenham Hotspur midfield player, has managed to register an impressive five goalsand one assist so far in his four U21 Premier League matches this season.



http://www.caughtoffside.com/2013/11/28/liverpool-and-manchester-united-monitoring-fulham-wonderkid/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Preview: West Ham United vs. Fulham

Two of the Premier League's struggling sides clash at Upton Park on Saturday as Sam Allardyce's West Ham United take on Martin Jol's Fulham.

West Ham are without a win in five, with Allardyce beginning to come under pressure for his decision to play without a recognised forward.

Jol's side have slumped to four miserable defeats in a row, and the input of new head coach Rene Meulensteen did not have an immediate effect as the Cottagers went down 2-1 at home to Swansea City.

The hosts will remain without Andy Carroll and Winston Reid, the latter being a long-term absentee, but there could be space for Mladen Petric to make an appearance against his old club.

For Fulham, captain Brede Hangeland is unlikely to return to fitness, but Ashkan Dejagah could be tried on the right flank to provide width.

Recent form

West Ham: WLDDLL

Fulham: WWLLLL

Possible starting lineups

West Ham: Jaaskelainen; Demel, Collins, Tomkins, O'Brien; Collison, Noble; Nolan, Morrison, Downing; Petric

Fulham: Stekelenburg; Zverotic, Hughes, Amorebieta, Richardson; Boateng; Dejagah, Parker, Kasami; Berbatov; Bent

Sports Mole says: 2-1



http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/west-ham-united/preview/preview-west-ham-vs-fulham_120818.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Could Martin Jol realistically keep his job if Fulham lose to West Ham?


Martin Jol is under huge pressure at Fulham
(Picture: Getty)
Saturday's tie at West Ham is very much a case of the last chance saloon for Martin Jol.

Even the most patient of chairman – and that is something we most certainly possess – cannot continue to condone such an appalling record.

Since the back end of last season, Fulham have won just four Premier League games out of 20 – and put in a genuinely solid, 90-minute performance in precisely none.

We've lacked balance, lacked cohesion, lacked passion. Simply put, we're short of every quality you'd need to battle your way out of a relegation dogfight – something we are most definitely now in.

And yet, individually, this squad has all the attributes you could want; a wealth of creativity, a smattering of doggedness in midfield and some brutish presence in defence. Granted, there are significant holes that require filling, but not so severe as to warrant such dire form. So Jol must take the blame.


Jol just can't seem to get the best out of his squad
(Picture: Getty)
Yet, while we fans continue to berate Jol for the abysmal job he is doing, pulling Fulham back into the abyss, the board seem reluctant to act, as though they themselves have been sucked in to the self-proclaimed illusion that we are lucky to have the Dutchman at Fulham.

I'm happy to say he is a good manager who has worked wonders elsewhere, but it is quite clear that his methods are not progressive enough for Craven Cottage.

He is still being given a chance by Shahid Khan, though, and on some levels at least, that is admirable.

On most, though, it is downright foolish and the longer it continues, the more culpable he becomes in this sorry mess.

If Khan is to give Jol more time to prove himself, surely this Saturday is the deadline. We face a team with similar fortunes in West Ham and for that, a victory becomes more vital.

If the typical Fulham turn up, and we gift our rivals yet another three points, then time has to be called on Jol. Or it won't be just the manager who the fans turn on.



http://metro.co.uk/2013/11/28/could-martin-jol-realistically-keep-his-job-if-fulham-lose-to-west-ham-4205971/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham ready to let Riise move on

Fulham are ready to let John Arne Riise leave the club in January.

The 33-year-old defender appeared close to leaving Craven Cottage in the summer after falling behind Kieran Richardson in the pecking order.

He ended up staying but has barely featured in the Whites' woeful start to the season, making only three league appearances.

And manager Martin Jol expects the former Liverpool man to move on in the new year.

Jol said: "John is such a good guy and a good player, so he deserves to play.

"I can't give him that [left-back] space because I feel Kieran is more energetic and I need a bit of energy.

"Riise is not playing and I feel he is at an age where he should be, and that is his idea as well.

"He is a left-back who can only play at left-back and I want players on the bench who can play in different positions."

Riise, who has won 110 caps and scored 16 goals for Norway, has played 80 times for Fulham since his move from Roma in the summer of 2011.

He had a seven-year spell at Liverpool in which he was a Champions League winner in 2005.



http://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/former-liverpoolfc-man-riise-set-to-leave482721?

[WhiteJC]

 
Train With The Academy!

Calling Fulhamites and Formation Members; enjoy an Academy coaching event, led by Fulham legend and current Under-21s Manager Kit Symons!

Join Kit, our Academy coaches and members of the Under-21s squad on Saturday 14th December, 10.30am–1pm, for a coaching session just for you at our Motspur Park Training Ground.

Following a 30-minute Q&A with Kit and his team, participants will take to the turf and learn how to improve their game, showcase their talent, and above all have some fun alongside our esteemed Academy players and coaches!

Places for this event are extremely limited, and two separate sessions will be run exclusively for Fulhamites* and Formation Members.

Each attending child may bring one parent, and tickets will be allocated on a first come first serve basis.

To confirm your place at the coaching session, simply call the Ticket Office on 0843 208 1234 (option 3) between 9.30am-5pm Monday to Friday, and register with your Membership details.

To join either the Formation (11-15 years) or Fulhamites (0-10 years) Junior Membership packages, priced at just £5 each, visit fulhamfc.com/membership today.

*Due to the nature of this event, all Fulhamites must be a minimum of 5 years old.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/november/28/train-with-the-academy?

[WhiteJC]

 
Tactically speaking - Fulham
A tactical look at West Ham United's Barclays Premier League clash with Fulham on Saturday

Tactically Speaking
The Official Website takes an in-depth look at how visitors Fulham could line up on Saturday, while also focusing on the contribution of West Ham United midfielder Mark Noble.

West Ham United


WhoScored.com tell usWest Ham United are undefeated in their last six home Premier League meetings with London rivals Fulham. They have studied the numbers ahead of this weekend's clash with the Cottagers and you have to go way back to November 2001 to find Fulham's last victory at the Boleyn Ground, a 2-0 win.

Martin Jol's side make the short trip across the capital on Saturday on a worrying run of form. Fulham have lost their last four league encounters, conceding eleven goals in the process. As a result this run has seen their 'goals against' column rise to a 21. Only Norwich (23) and Sunderland (24) have conceded more goals this season. Fulham currently sit in 18th place in England's top tier.

West Ham will, therefore, draw on the confidence of their recent results against Fulham in east London as they aim to secure all three points. When the two teams met at the Boleyn Ground last season, the Hammers romped to an impressive 3-0 win, comfortably dispatching of their Premier League counterparts. The goals scored by Kevin Nolan, Winston Reid and Matt Taylor.

One player who impressed that day was Mark Noble, with the midfielder garnering a WhoScored rating of 7.9 in the encounter. The 26-year-old may not have been awarded the man of the match in the win, the honour bestowed upon Jussi Jääskeläinen (9.3), but he turned out a first-rate performance nevertheless.

Noble has again showcased his talents in the middle of the park this season, making 12 appearances so far this term, scoring one goal and providing one assist. His average rating of 7.29 has been bettered only by currently injured centre-back Winston Reid (7.52). The all-action midfielder will be expected to pull the strings from deep once again and reinforce his statistically calculated WhoScored strength of 'key passes'.

Noble has played 22 key passes in 12 appearances this season, the most of any West Ham player. This is expected to benefit Sam Allardyce's side as they push for victory, with a weakness of Fulham's being 'stopping opponents from creating chances'.

It is not just offensively that Noble excels, as he is also averaging 2.4 tackles per game, with no West Ham player performing better in that respect. This contributes to his WhoScored strength of 'tackling'.

He will hope to nullify the attacking threat of Fulham, with the west London side having had just 96 shots on goal this term, the fewest in the Premier League. With Noble screening the defence, the Cottagers may find it difficult to add to this, given how they have struggled for creativity this season. However Fulham have scored eleven goals this season compared to West Ham's nine, which suggests a low-scoring game is in the offing.

West Ham will hope Fulham's poor run of form continues at the weekend and if Noble carries out his role to his full capability, then he will potentially be the key man when the Cottagers travel across London on Saturday.

*WhoScored.com is a website and one of the fastest growing in the sports industry, specialising in the in-depth analysis of detailed football data. Follow @WhoScored on Twitter.

Fulham
Possible starting XI

Stekelenburg
Zverotic  Hughes  Amorebieta  Richardson
Boateng
Parker  Kasami
Ruiz
Bent  Berbatov

NO single player has started all 12 Barclays Premier League matches for Fulham this season, making predicting their starting XI this afternoon a difficult task.

Injuries and indifferent results have caused manager Martin Jol to shuffle his pack on numerous occasions.

In goal, Dutchman Maarten Stekelenburg injured his shoulder in the opening-day win at Sunderland, missing two months before returning in mid-October. A huge presence, 6'6" Stekelenburg comes for crosses with confidence, makes good decisions and is a strong distributor of the ball with his right foot.

Right-back Elsad Zverotic has deputised for the suspended Sascha Riether in recent games. The Montenegrin is a compact and alert defender who is neat and tidy in possession. Left-back Kieran Richardson is a converted winger who is speedy and mobile, but can be caught out in defensive situations.

Brede Hangeland's absence through a back injury has seen Aaron Hughes and Fernando Amorebieta form an experienced partnership in the centre. At 34, Hughes remains a composed, reliable figure who still has a bit of pace to deal with more mobile attackers. Summer arrival Amorebieta is a more physical centre-back, left-footed and strong in the air.

In front of them, Ghanaian Derek Boateng was drafted into the side against Swansea City last weekend. Tidy in possession, Boateng is more likely to break up play with interceptions than dive into tackles. Boateng was substituted against the Swans and could be replaced by the more forward-thinking Steve Sidwell. An all-action player, Sidwell works hard for the team, keeps possession and can pop up with the odd goal.

A third option in the defensive midfield position is Greece veteran Giorgos Karagounis. At 36, Karagounis is stocky and mobile and still retains a great appetite for the game.

West Ham fans know what Scott Parker can do. At 33, Parker has adapted his game a little, but he still wins the ball back and uses it intelligently from his central midfield position. Last week, he showed he can still score the odd goal, too.

Swiss youngster Pajtim Kasami is a tall, mobile attacking central midfield player who can run with the ball at pace, tackle strongly and shoot with either foot.

In front of them, Costa Rican Bryan Ruiz is one of a number of enigmatic talents Fulham possess in attack. Blessed with a fine left foot, Ruiz can pick a pass, deliver wicked set pieces or score himself, but his defensive impact is usually limited. Should Jol opt to change his starting XI, Ruiz is most likely to drop out, with Sweden winger Alex Kacaniklic the most likely to come into the side. If he gambles, Jol could even select the unpredictable Adel Taarabt, who scored an outstanding long-range goal against the Hammers for Queens Park Rangers last season.

If Fulham opt for two strikers, they will be Dimitar Berbatov and Darren Bent. Berbatov has a languid style that makes him appear lazy, but he is deceptively quick over the first few yards, can hold the ball up and has decent aerial ability. The Bulgarian's technique has never been in question, of course. Bent is an out and out goalscorer. Big, strong and fast, Bent looks to run in behind and finish accurately, usually with his right foot, and West Ham will have to cut out balls to him down the right channel.

Tactically, Fulham are almost split into two groups - the defensive eight and the front three. However, the attackers' movement and reluctance to defend does mean they are a constant threat to the opposition.

Defensively, the above, combined with the narrowness of the midfield, means the Fulham full-backs have been left exposed in recent matches, so this is an area West Ham may attempt to exploit.



http://www.whufc.com/articles/20131128/tactically-speaking-fulham_2236884_3554684?

[WhiteJC]

 
Eye on the enemy – Fulham

Our second London derby in as many weeks brings a new instalment of 'eye on the enemy', with a twist...the answers come from across the pond (yep, we're broadening our horizons!) This week we have got the lovely guys at Cottagers Confidential – @CottagersC – involved: so as always a massive shout out and thanks to them for their time and answers.

IronViews: You come into the game below West Ham on goal difference, with both sides lurking perilously close to the relegation zone; what do you make of your poor start to the season?

CottagersConfidential: There was always a chance for a poor start. The Fulham squad had quite a few additions in the off season, and the additions while mostly of high quality didn't all make sense. That being said, there are only a few results that have been particularly bad. The draw at home to West Brom and the home loses to Cardiff and Swansea were fairly galling. If Fulham had just taken care of business and collected six points in those fixtures, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

IV: With both sides at the wrong end of the table, both Martin Jol and Sam Allardyce are firmly in the spotlight – both splitting fan opinion firmly. What's your view on both, and what they have done at Fulham and West Ham respectively?

CC: Jol is an interesting character. He isn't super tactically aware, and he seems to focus on bring in players that he has previously coached and who are super cheap. The problem is we have no idea how much say he has in the transfer dealings. Hopefully the hiring of Rene Meulensteen will address the tactics.

As to Allardyce, I don't have a very high opinion of him. I'm not a fan of his tactics or playing style. I feel like that if he wasn't English, he'd be labouring at much smaller clubs. The problem is that replacing him is hard. Moving from that style to another can be quite difficult.

IV: With Darren Bent and Dimitar Berbatov playing their trade at Fulham you must be somewhat surprised that you suffer from not being able to win games with two strikers of that calibre in your team?

CC: The biggest problem Fulham have had (both this year and last) was the giant hole left by the departure of Moussa Dembele. Scott Parker, while a quality player, is not the same kind of central midfielder that Dembele is. With the Parker/Sidwell and Parker/Boateng pairings, Fulham have struggled to move the ball into attack. It's no good to have strikers if you can't get them the ball.

This is confounded by the acquisitions that have been made. Ashkan Dejagah, Bryan Ruiz, Adel Taarabt, Patjim Kasami, and Alexander Kacaniklic are all attacking midfielders. They all tend to occupy a lot of the same space. This also happens to be the same space that Dimitar Berbatov likes to pop up in. Having depth is great, but when your squad is so thin in other areas (CB, LB, CM), it doesn't make sense to have 10 options for attacking midfield.

IV: Kasami has been something of a revelation for you this season; providing some youthful excitement to your team, how highly is he rated by the Fulham faithful?

CC: Kasami has been someone Fulham fans have been calling to get time for a while now. Fulham is currently full of players like that. One of the things that is most infuriating about Jol is his refusal to give young players shots. Alexander Kacaniklic shows great promise, is already a mainstay on the Swedish National team, and still getting yanked around by Jol. Kerim Frei couldn't get playing time and had to go to Turkey. Fulham's academy is currently one of the best in England. The U-18′s have won the league two years running and are currently top of the table again. The U-21 squad is fighting neck and neck with West Ham to win that league as well.

IV: On the topic of young players, I went to school with Matthew Briggs, how is he rated by the fans after going on loan a few times and also playing a fair few games under Jol?

CC: Briggs is another youth player that has gotten yanked around by Jol. Jol can't decide if he's a LB or a LM. He's looked decent in the few chances he's gotten, but Jol hasn't given him that many. With John Arne Riise completely out of favour, this was his best chance to get first team football. Unfortunately, he picked up an injury and hasn't been able to take advantage of the opportunity. I still think he has a bright future, but someone needs to convince Jol of that.

IV: There have been a fair few players who have been at both the clubs in their careers; Bobby Moore the most iconic – so what do you make of your most recent ex-Hammer in Scott Parker along with West Ham youngster Kieran Richardson?

CC: Scott Parker has been one of the two best players on the club so far this year and as already earned the captain's armband. My only issue with him is that my wife is in love with him, and that makes him hard to look at.
Richardson has been much better at LB than he had been when used in the midfield. I'm perfectly fine with him at LB, but there are a lot of Fulham fans who want an upgrade there.

IV: On the flip side we recently signed Mladen Petric, what was your view on his time at Fulham as his record for the most part was pretty solid if not spectacular?

CC: Mladen Petric was a consummate pro, but suffered from untimely injuries. I feel that if he and the club had it to do over again, he'd probably be at Fulham now.

IV: Where do you feel your deficiencies lie within your team?

CC: Central Midfield and Central Defence. Brede Hangeland has been injured and may have lost some ability. The drop to Aaron Hughes and Philipe Senderos is quite large. Almost all of the goals have been the result of really poor defence. I've already touched on the issues with Central Midfield. When word came out that Dembele wanted to leave Spurs, the chorus among Fulham fans was to get him back at any price.

IV: What comes to mind when you think of West Ham United?

CC: I'm an American, and West Ham don't get a lot of coverage over here and when it does, it's generally not very positive. So to be honest, the first thing that comes to mind is hooligans and coins being thrown at Frank Lampard. I feel bad for saying it, but you did ask. Most of my experience with the club came from the movies Green Street Hooligans and The Firm.

IV: What do you make of our securing, and future move, into the Olympic Stadium?

CC: I find it all quite humorous. In America, stadium fights are rather common. They aren't so much overseas. I do wonder though if West Ham is going to be able to sell out a stadium that large consistently. And if not, will they be able to set up a system of taping off sections that doesn't kill the atmosphere.

IV: Hypothetical time. Money isn't an issue, if you could pick a few players from our club, who would you pick to play for Fulham and why?

CC: Mohamed Diame has always been a favourite of mine. While I don't think he's as good as Moussa Dembele, I feel that he could plug that hole.

IV: For both sides, which individuals do you think will turn the game in their respective sides way?

CC: For Fulham, I think it's Berbatov. If he shows up and plays well he's always dangerous. The question will be what Berbatov will we get. For West Ham, I'm frightened of Ravel Morrison. Anyone with pace seems to be able to shred this defence apart; and he has both pace and skill.

IV: In relation to Fulham's start to the season, how do you rate West Ham's start to the season?

CC: I actually thought you'd be better off. With Allardyce I never expect much, but like Tony Pulis' time at Stoke, it seems like he'll always do just enough to keep them safe. Never too high: but always safe. I could see a scenario in which West Ham goes down, and I never thought I'd see that this year.

IV: We've been essientially playing a 4-6-0 for the last handful of Premier League games, how do you personally view a formation where there is no recognised striker in the side?

CC: I'm not a fan of the 4-6-0. It can work, but you need someone super creative in the "False 9″ position. Plus, I feel that you need super inverted wingers who can burn with their pace and cut inside to be dangerous. If you have that, it can work well, but not many teams do. With most teams, you end up just clogging up the midfield making, the game messy, and hoping to get lucky on a set piece or counter.

IV: Where do you think Fulham will finish this season and likewise, where do you think West Ham will finish?

CC: I still think Fulham will stay up. Before the year I was thinking they'd finish somewhere 9-12. Now, I'd be happy with 17th. If they spend right during the window, I could still see them threatening the top 10. But if they don't spend, or spend poorly, they could easily go down.

I had West Ham pegged to finish somewhere around 15th, with 10th a possibility if things fell right. As it stands now, I'm guessing 16th or 17th is much more realistic.

IV: Final question, heart and head, what do you predict for the game?

CC: My heart says that another week of Meulensteen, players getting healthier and more familiar, and getting away from some of the negativity at the cottage causes an inspired performance with Fulham winning 2-0. My head says that as long as Fulham can keep from conceding early, they have a shot. With West Ham's scoring troubles I see Fulham going up 1-0 and then giving up a late goal as they try to bunker too early, ending in a 1-1 draw.



http://www.ironviews.com/eye-enemy-fulham/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Premier League: West Ham v Fulham match preview

A look ahead to the weekend's fixture at Upton Park

Further spice has been added to this London derby as both sides need the win even more, locked on 10 points in 17th and 18th place.

West Ham have only won twice all season and Fulham have lost four games on the bounce, meaning both sides are desperate for a win to take them away from the relegation places. The issue of West Ham playing without a recognised striker has been highlighted a lot this season and this is reflected in their lowly goal total of nine. Fulham have scored 11 but conceded a hefty 21 and have lost seven of their last 10 Premier League games. They've conceded 11 goals in their last four games, meaning Martin Jol is inevitably under more pressure to produce results. One bright spark for the Hammers this season has been the breakthrough of Ravel Morrison, and they will hope he can carry on his great form and inspire them to victory at Upton Park.

West Ham have a host of injuries including Andy Carroll, Ricardo Vaz Te, Winston Reid and Matt Taylor. Fulham are without Brede Hangeland, Damien Duff and joint top scorer Hugo Rodallega, and will also greatly miss Sascha Riether who is suspended. Both teams could theoretically be in 14 place with a win, which will serve as a big incentive to both sets of players.

KICK-OFF: 3.00pm

PAST THREE MEETINGS

Fulham 3 (Berbatov, Rodallega, O'Brien (OG) West Ham 1 (Nolan), Premier League, January 2013

West Ham 3 (Nolan, Reid, Taylor) Fulham 0, Premier League, September 2012

Fulham 1 (Hughes) West Ham 3 (Cole 2, Piquionne), Premier League, December 2010

STATS

There have been 22 goals in the last 6 Premier League encounters between these two teams.

West Ham have scored the same amount of goals (9), than 9 place Tottenham Hotspur, and Fulham have scored 2 more (11).

Both teams have another London derby in their next Premier League game – Fulham host Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham travel to Crystal Palace.

ODDS

West Ham: 1.9

Draw: 3.5

Fulham: 4.0



http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/premier-league-west-ham-v-fulham-match-preview-8970611.html

[WhiteJC]

 
A dose of positivity
by FPTAYLOR on NOVEMBER 28, 2013

I always like to think of myself as a positive thinker, a forward thinker and this past weekend was evidence of this as my views on Fulham's 2-1 loss against Swansea was different against the majority of supporters. I like to think what will happen in two weeks time, or a months time and so on, and I think this vision I have may be the reason I have never been Jol out, or never worried about our position. I can feel the looks of the negative, without use of a better word, flaming through your computer screen thinking "Who is this idiot, and why is he still backing that idiot?"

Without meaning to be disrespectful, we've got to look at taking baby steps, and I think the result on Saturday clouded the positives of which was an improved Fulham performance on the majority. Take the first 20 minutes for instance, Fulham had 6 shots whilst maintaining 60% possession; Fulham were looking fluid, adopting different systems and shape going from the intended diamond in midfield, to the Christmas tree, to the clubs favoured 4-2-3-1. The midfield was controlling the play and not allowing a very good Swansea side to get into the game. Within this 20 minute period, Fulham could have been 2-0 up through Darren Bent, which on another day or with more luck in our favour, he puts those chances in and it all looks rosy and we're talking about how we've turned it around thanks to new head coach, Rene Meulensteen; not now still discussing Martin Jol's departure, which by the way, is quite unlikely to happen so booing and crying Jol out will change nothing.

Before I go onto to further discuss Fulham positives, I will discuss the Swansea goals. Firstly, we did fall asleep for the free kick, but you can take nothing away from that delivery from Alejandro Pozuelo, it was inch perfect, although there was a bit of fortune with Aaron Hughes getting his legs in a bit of a twist and putting the ball in his own net. The second, you simply cannot afford to give a player of Jonjo Shelvey's shooting ability that amount of space on the edge of the area, and you feel should he had been on the pitch, Derek Boateng would have been there to protect the back four, something we've lacked all season. I will discuss Boateng later on in the article but that's my view on Swansea's goals.

After the 20 minute mark, Swansea grew into the game and showed the importance of the circulation of possession, something Rene Meulensteen, according to Adel Taarabt has attempted to drill into the squad in his first week at Craven Cottage, "the sessions he puts on are amazing. He understands the Premier League and how important it is to keep possession of the ball." He also commented on the need to control games, pressing the opponents and defending as a team. It appears that new head coach Rene Meulensteen has impressed the players so far and I really do believe that as his influence grows on the training ground, the players would subsequently impress us.

I have an idea that many would perhaps call me an absolute muppet for; Can we, as supporters, have the mentality that our season starts now? By the sounds of it, we've spent all summer and the first 3 months of the season with a poor quality of coaching, and now we've appointed a top quality coach in Rene Meulensteen, we can begin to see improvement in the clubs fortune. We must also remember, we've been poor; that's something we can all agree on, and we're still only 5 points from 10th, we have enough time to turn it around, and I would bank on us to do it.

Now that I've discussed the positives of the last game, I thought I look towards our next game, a visit to historical bogey side West Ham United. If we give the unorthodox 6 man midfield of the Hammers space in between our midfield and our defence, they have the quality to cause us so many problems, and have chances like the Shelvey goal, this is why I am plugging for Derek Boateng to start again in midfield for us. Although he may be a tad over zealous at times, he's happy to protect the back four, something Parker or Sidwell has failed to do, providing the opponents space in the final third and leaves us open for the counter attack. I also believe that Parker and Boateng is, at the current time, our best central midfield partnership as it allows Parker more freedom to influence the game further forward and show some of the qualities which saw him named FWA Footballer of the year just two years ago.

Another call fellow supporters may disagree with is the inclusion of Adel Taarabt behind Dimitar Berbatov. Some will point out his "greedy" nature, but personally, that's what I like about him. His decision making may not be as good as former hero Clint Dempsey, but his willing to beat a man and take a shot is something we have not had since the American jumped ship to join Tottenham. I believe we have had the fewest shots in the Premier League this season, but although we have one of the highest shots on target to goal ratios in the league, we need to test the opposition keeper more, something our on-loan Moroccan is happy to do; his previous record shows he has a decent record of it as well. He has an aggression going forward that we don't have in any other player, and something that can make a difference to our side.

My side for next week would be to keep Maarten Stekelenburg in goal, we're forced to keep Elsad Zverotic at right back for one more game. I would also reunite the Thames Barrier of Aaron Hughes and Brede Hangeland should our Norweigian be fit, moving Fernando Amorebieta at left back. As you would probably have guessed, I am going to have a central midfield partnership of Derek Boateng and Scott Parker; and the three behind Dimitar Berbatov would be Ashkan Dejagah, Adel Taarabt and Pajtim Kasami, I felt we lacked width and pace outwide this past weekend so I would bring Dejagah in to be give an actual test to West Ham's Joey O'Brien.

So a final point from me, let's give Rene Meulensteen some time for his practices to really instill into the players and start afresh. Let's forget our form this season and look forward to hopefully a fruitful winter period. The positives were visible after just a week of training with our new head coach, so let's see how it goes next week, and the week after.


http://hammyend.com/index.php/2013/11/a-dose-of-positivity/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Christmas Spirit



We're already getting into the festive spirit this year as we present supporters with an early Christmas gift.

Take advantage of a generous £10 off purchases at the Stadium Store when you present this voucher and spend more than £50!*

Download your voucher today and get started on your Christmas shopping!

Terms and conditions:

Voucher expires on 24th December
One per transaction
Valid at Stadium Store only
Valid on spend of £50 or more
Print and bring to Stadium Store to redeem, or show on your smartphone



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/november/28/christmas-spirit?

[WhiteJC]

 
Mesca's Crewe Loan

Fulham youngster Buomesca Tué Na Bangna has joined Crewe Alexandra on an emergency loan until Tuesday 7th January.

The highly-rated winger, who made his Whites debut as a substitute in the 2-0 loss at Chelsea in September, teams up with the Railwaymen as they attempt to move out of the Sky Bet League One relegation places. The Alex, who are 23rd in the table and without a win in six games, are at home to Crawley Town on Saturday (3pm).

There will be a familiar face for the player known as Mesca at Gresty Road in the form of Whites goalkeeper Neil Etheridge who is also on loan at Crewe from Fulham.

Fast and dangerous on the ball, Na Bangna joined Fulham from Chelsea in August 2011. As well as Etheridge, Na Bangna joins Dan Burn (Birmingham City), Marcello Trotta (Brentford), Marcus Bettinelli (Accrington Stanley), Ryan Williams (Oxford United), Cauley Woodrow (Southend United) and Charles Banya (Woking) in currently gaining valuable experience out on loan from SW6.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/november/28/mescas-crewe-loan?