Wednesday Fulham Stuff (01/01/14)...

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Mid-season report: Fulham

Fulham are not having a good season. Currently occupying 18th place in the table and boasting the worst goal difference in the Premier League, the Cottagers are in serious danger of being relegated come May.

The ageing squad has been sluggish and passive this season, has been struggling for goals as Dimitar Berbatov has failed to perform to his usual standards, and has lost by three or more goals on four occasions – no worse than the 6-0 defeat at the hands of promoted Hull City. Martin Jol has already paid for poor results with his job, but Rene Meulensteen has not been able to mastermind a revival.

Bryan Ruiz and Pajtim Kasami have stood out for Fulham, but unless Meulensteen is able to inject youth, pace, vibrancy and toughness in his squad, there is a good chance that they will be playing in the Championship next season.

August

Fulham's season began well, with a 1-0 defeat of Sunderland. A week later, they were beaten by Arsenal 3-1 at Craven Cottage, before avoiding one of the greatest cup shocks of all time by the skin of their teeth just three days later. Burton Albion took the Premier League club all the way in the Capital One Cup, drawing 2-2 before losing 5-4 on penalties.

The month finished with a 1-0 defeat at Newcastle, courtesy of Hatem Ben Arfa's late goal.

September

A 1-1 draw against West Bromwich Albion started the month off, while the West London derby away at Chelsea resulted in a 2-0 win for the Blues.



Fulham did progress in the Capital One Cup at home to Everton, winning 2-1 - their first victory at Craven Cottage since April - but capitulated 2-1 to Cardiff in the league just four days later thanks to a Jordon Mutch winner in injury time.

October

Darren Bent came off the bench to score the only goal in the win against Stoke City, before a wonderful effort by Pajtim Kasami set the Cottagers on the way to a 4-1 victory against Crystal Palace after the international break.

Later in the week, Fulham's trip to Southampton ended in a 2-0 defeat, England candidates Ricky Lambert and Jay Rodriguez netting the goals. They then suffered a cup upset, losing 4-3 to second-tier Leicester City in the Capital One Cup.

November

Fulham didn't earn a single point in November, losing each of their four league games in the month. The Cottagers were unlucky to play Manchester United and Liverpool consecutively, and lost 3-1 and 4-0 respectively.



Up next were Swansea, who won 2-1 thanks to Jonjo Shelvey's late goal, before the result that led to Martin Jol's sacking, a 3-0 defeat to West Ham.

December

Jol was replaced at the helm by his assistant, Rene Meulensteen, on the first of the month.

A 2-1 loss at home to Tottenham, the seventh defeat in a row for Fulham, was followed up by a much-needed win, seeing off Aston Villa 2-0 and gaining ground on the teams outside the relegation zone.



The feel-good effect didn't last, however, as the Cottagers were dispatched 4-1 by Everton at Goodison Park. The following week, four more goals were conceded by the Fulham defence as they went down 4-2 against Manchester City.

A Boxing Day victory against Norwich City provided more precious points, but, in a game which Meulensteen described as "shocking", the Cottagers were routed 6-0 by recently-promoted Hull City.



http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/mid-season-2013-14/news/mid-season-report-fulham_127413.html

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Fulham duo Dimitar Berbatov and Adel Taarabt face late fitness tests ahead of West Ham six-pointer

The two Premier League strugglers meet tomorrow at Craven Cottage, both in desperate need of the three points


Return? Berbatov faces a late fitness test after missing the Cottagers last three
Paul Gilham
Dimitar Berbatov and Adel Taarabt face late fitness tests before Fulham's relegation clash with West Ham tomorrow.

West Ham will enter the six-pointer without any recognised centre-backs with James Tomkins also joining the injury list.

But Fulham are struggling to send out the attackers to punish them with talisman Berbatov missing the their last three games with a groin strain.

Head coach Rene Meulensteen said: "We have a few niggles to look at. Dimitar and Adel are facing fitness tests with Dimitar with his groin issue and Adel with his ankle.

"Dimitar is very important to us. Every week and every game he has a late fitness test and we have been very, very aware with all the games coming close together that there is a risk we could lose him for more games."

The Cottagers suffered a 6-0 defeat at Hull on Saturday - and have now conceded 15 goals in four games.

Meulensteen added: "You don't lift the players - the players have to lift themselves. I think for every player, it is an embarrassing experience but it has gone.

"You can't live in the past. A defeat is a defeat. If you lose 1-0, you lose three points. You lose 6-0, you lose three points.

"At the end of the day, it is the same thing. The most important thing is that you learn from it, you brush it off and you look forward.

"It is not a trend. The trend over the weeks has been very, very good. The performances have been good and we didn't always get what we deserved out of the games.

"The problem is that we have lost too many easy goals. As I said after the match, I didn't see that coming at all. It is inexplicable and unacceptable that we crumbled in the way that we did."



Check out all the latest News, Sport & Celeb gossip at Mirror.co.uk http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/fulham-team-news-dimitar-berbatov-2975217#ixzz2p8l8uU9X
Follow us: @DailyMirror on Twitter | DailyMirror on Facebook

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Fulham handed boost ahead of crunch West Ham clash

Parker and Senderos return to the fold to face Hammers

Fulham are boosted by the return of Scott Parker and Philippe Senderos for tomorrow's crucial clash with West Ham.

Stand-in skipper Parker and centre-back Senderos both missed the 6-0 drubbing at Hull on Saturday, but are back in the squad to face the Hammers.

However, strike duo Dimitar Berbatov (groin) and Adel Taarabt (ankle) both face late fitness tests.

Keeper Maarten Stekelenburg is still sidelined with an ankle problem, so David Stockdale will continue to deputise in goal, while defender Brede Hangeland is also out.

Boss Rene Meulensteen said: "We have a few niggles to look at. Dimitar and Adel are facing fitness tests.

"Dimitar is very important to us. Every week and every game he has a late fitness test and we have been very, very aware with all the games coming close together that there is a risk we could lose him for more games."

Fulham will be looking to bounce back from the hammering at Hull when they take on a West Ham side just a point and a place below them in the drop zone.

Meulensteen added: "You don't lift the players - the players have to lift themselves. I think for every player, it is an embarrassing experience but it has gone.

"You can't live in the past. A defeat is a defeat. If you lose 1-0, you lose three points. You lose 6-0, you lose three points.

"At the end of the day, it is the same thing. The most important thing is that you learn from it, you brush it off and you look forward.

"It is not a trend. The trend over the weeks has been very, very good. The performances have been good and we didn't always get what we deserved out of the games.

"The problem is that we have lost too many easy goals. As I said after the match, I didn't see that coming at all. It is inexplicable and unacceptable that we crumbled in the way that we did."



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-handed-boost-ahead-crunch-6457569?

[WhiteJC]

 
Injury-hit Hammers would be happy with draw

WEST HAM'S injury crisis means taking a point from fellow strugglers Fulham on New Year's Day would be a good result for the Hammers, according to assistant manager Neil McDonald.

With no fit recognised centre-back and attacking players such as Ricardo Vaz Te, Stewart Downing and Andy Carroll all missing, West Ham are down to the bare bones as they look to escape from the Premier League relegation zone.

A trip to Craven Cottage tomorrow follows an enthralling 3-3 draw at home to West Brom at the weekend and, with a treatment room full of first-team regulars, McDonald believes another stalemate would suit the Hammers.

"Not to lose the game is important, that's for sure," McDonald, who was on media duties as manager Sam Allardyce was busy preparing for January transfer window activity, said when asked if the Fulham clash was a must-win game.

"When you're playing a team in and around you that is the thing to do.

"We've scored three goals against West Brom but conceded three, we need to stop conceding and keep scoring. We are creating chances but it is difficult when you haven't got your defenders playing.

TIGHT

"In this scenario, a win is great and puts you right up to the table but it's important not to lose.

"If we had beat West Brom it would have pushed us up the table and then a win at Fulham would have moved us towards halfway.

"That is how very, very close it is and how tight it is and how important it is to pick up points and respect the point if you get it, it could take you further up the league."

With club-record signing Carroll missing since the start of the season it has been in attack where Allardyce's side have struggled most this season.

But, with James Collins, Winston Reid and James Tomkins all out, it is more options in defence which McDonald believes is the manager's immediate priority.

"We need some reinforcements to boost the players we have here so he (Sam) is working behind the scenes ... His phone is going non-stop."



http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/injuryhit-hammers-would-be-happy-with-draw-29878562.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham v West Ham United: match preview
Read a full match preview of the Premier League game between Fulham and West Ham United on Wednesday Jan 1, 2014, kick-off 15.00 (GMT).

Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Fulham v West Ham United
Craven Cottage
Kick-off: 15.00 GMT.
TV: Highlights, BBC ONE Match of the Day.

Fulham (Possible, 4-4-1-1): Stockdale; Riether, Senderos, Hughes, Riise; Karagounis, Sidwell, Parker, Dejagah; Kasami; Rodallega.
Out: Stekelenburg (ankle), Hangeland (leg).
Tests: Berbatov (groin), Taarabt (ankle).

West Ham (Possible, 4-3-3): Jaaskelainen; Demel, O'Brien, Rat, McCartney; J Cole, Diame, Nolam, Noble, Jarvis, C Cole.
Out: Tomkins, Collins (both groin), Reid (ankle), Carroll (heel), Vaz Te (shoulder), Downing (calf), Petric (thigh).

Referee: Mark Clattenburg. (Matches12, R0 Y42)

Betting: Home 11-8, Away 7-4, Draw 23-10.

Team News
Dimitar Berbatov and Adel Taarabt face late fitness tests ahead of Wednesday's Premier League clash with West Ham at Craven Cottage.

Defender Phillipe Senderos and midfielder Scott Parker are both fit to play.

Fulham manager Rene Meulensteen is expected to continue with Hugo Rodallega up front should Berbatov and Taarabt both miss out.

Goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg is also still missing, meaning David Stockdale continues after leaking six goals in defeat at Hull last weekend.

West Ham, meanwhile, will be without any recognised central defenders.

James Tomkins was forced off early in the 3-3 draw with West Brom with a groin injury and joins fellow defenders James Collins and Winston Reid on the sidelines, although midfielder Ravel Morrison could return.

Andy Carroll is back in training following a long-term heel injury but is not in contention whilst Ricardo Vaz Te, Stewart Downing and Mladen Petric all miss out.

Match Notes
If both teams could lose a football match, this is surely what would happen.

Fulham lost 6-0 at Hull last time out, while West Ham, without a win in six league games since they beat Fulham 3-0 a month ago, are worse off after 19 games than in their relegation season of 2010-11, and without a single fit centre-half.

Expect plenty of goals, then, with neither team good enough to keep a clean sheet.

Stat of the game: Carlton Cole has scored seven goals in his last nine Premier League games against Fulham.

Jonathan Liew's prediction: Fulham 2 West Ham United 2.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/10495679/Fulham-v-West-Ham-United-match-preview.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Meulensteen: Hull defeat was unacceptable and embarrassing... but now the players – not me – have to lift themselves

Fulham manager Rene Meulensteen has described his side's 6-0 hammering at Hull on Saturday as 'unacceptable' and 'embarrassing' – but insisted he is not concerned.

The Dutchman's side play West Ham in a crucial relegation clash on Wednesday and says his players have to 'move on' from a stunning defeat that has left them in the bottom three.

He said: 'You don't lift the players - the players have to lift themselves. I think for every player, it is an embarrassing experience but it has gone.


Bemused: But Fulham manager Rene Meulensteen believes his side have been making progress

'You can't live in the past. A defeat is a defeat. If you lose 1-0, you lose three points. You lose 6-0, you lose three points. At the end of the day, it is the same thing. The most important thing is that you learn from it, you brush it off and you look forward.'

Meulensteen has lost four of six games since he took over the job from Martin Jol – he won the other two against Aston Villa and Norwich – and is adamant that their hammering at Hull is not indicative of a wider problem.

He added: 'It is not a trend. The trend over the weeks has been very, very good. The performances have been good and we didn't always get what we deserved out of the games.


Heavy defeat: Hull surprisingly put six goals past Fulham to send the Cottagers into the bottom three
   
New-look coaching team: Alan Curbishley (left) and Ray Wilkins have recently joined Fulham

First-team return? Key forward Dimitar Berbatov faces a late fitness test ahead of the West Ham clash

'The problem is that we have lost too many easy goals. As I said after the match, I didn't see that coming at all. It is inexplicable and unacceptable that we crumbled in the way that we did.'

Meulensteen is hopeful of having Dimitar Berbatov fit again after a groin problem.

He said: 'We have a few niggles to look at. Dimitar will have a fitness test. He is very important to us. Every week and every game he has a late fitness test and we have been very, very aware with all the games coming close together that there is a risk we could lose him for more games.'



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2531742/Meulensteen-Fulhams-defeat-Hull-unacceptable-embarrassing.html#ixzz2p8mfUpjl
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

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Fulham boss explains how Wilkins and Curbishley can aid January transfer push

Rene Meulensteen has confirmed he will not make any further additions to his Fulham backroom staff.

Meulensteen replaced Martin Jol as full-time Fulham boss on December 1.

The former Manchester United coach has since recruited Ray Wilkins as assistant head coach and Alan Curbishley as first team technical director, to complete his management line-up.

Now Meulensteen hopes his experienced backroom duo can help persuade owner Shahid Khan to invest in new signings during the January transfer window.

He said: "I think I've done really well already, so no, I'm very happy with the situation we have at the moment.

"I felt he (Curbishley) strengthens my team, It's so important to have the right people around you, and that's what we've been doing.

"We've got a nice, dynamic staff around me, with some young guys that I know from a long time ago that understand my principles and values, and I've got Alan Curbishley and Ray Wilkins in as two people with vast experience in management.

"All that can only contribute to making sure we've got a better chance of staying in the Premier League.

"Any successful manager in any walk of life gets the right people around them.

"And I've felt I needed some more people with good expertise, with good experience around me, and I think both of them fit the bill perfectly."

Confident Khan will free up funds for new recruits in the transfer window, Meulensteen said he will draw on Curbishley and Wilkins to convince Fulham's new owner to dig deep.

He said: "I've been assured I'm going to get the support I need.

"Whatever funds I don't know, we haven't really spoken about that.

"The most important thing is that we've had good, open and honest discussions with the owner.

"He knows how important it is for us to stay in the Premier League, and with the additions of Alan and Ray it will make our case even stronger, that if we do think we need to improve and we need support, that we can put an even stronger case forward.

"And I'm sure he will support that.

"We just have to look at what's possible and what's available.

"We might have a wish-list to some extent, but it may very well not be possible.

"We'll look at every opportunity, and everything that will improve us, we'll put a case forward for it.

"We have to be realistic about how this disappointing start to the season has occurred, after the changeover of owners, and to some extent Martin Jol has been caught in the middle of that."

Dimitar Berbatov and Adel Taarabt will face late fitness tests ahead of the New Year's Day Barclays Premier League home clash with West Ham.

Meulensteen has backed stand-in goalkeeper David Stockdale to shrug off last weekend's 6-0 humbling at Hull, with Maarten Stekelenburg still sidelined.

He said: "That's why you make sure you reassure the boy.

"I thought he was excellent against Norwich, and I had a chat with him before that.

"I said: This is what number two goalkeepers do, they train day in day out, not knowing whether they'll play or not, and this is what you train for'.

"Now it's making sure you stand up, command your area, deal with things in a proper way and I thought against Norwich he was excellent.

"I think David just fell victim to what was unfolding in front of him, yes we could have defended some of them better, but some of the strikes were excellent.

"There's not too much that David could have done about it, in my opinion."


http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/fulham_boss_explains_how_wilkins_and_curbishley_can_aid_january_transfer_push_1_3163393

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Fulham eye £6m deal for England youngster

Fulham manager Rene Meulensteen will look to strengthen his side and enhance the clubs chances of remaining in the top flight with the signing of West Ham United player Ravel Morrison, according to The Daily Mail.

Morrison is a gifted young footballer who is showing promising signs of getting the call up to the England squad in the future.

He was first scouted by Manchester United's academy by former United coach Phil Brogan. He turned professional for the club on his 17th birthday in 2010

The youngster moved to West Ham on the 31 January 2012 for an undisclosed fee. The deal was a three-and-a-half year contract.

He was given his first England under-21 cap on 10 October 2013 in a 4-0 away win against San Marino and scored his first goal for them in a 5–0 UEFA Euro 2015 qualifying win over Lithuania.

The move

According to the newspaper, Meulensteen is willing to put an offer of £6million to get hold of the England under-21 player.

The manager believes that the player will fit perfectly in the squad, and will have an opportunity to learn and grow as a player at Fulham.

The hot prospect is currently in West Ham manager Sam Allardyce's plans. He has had 18 games for the Hammers. scoring five goals so far this season.

This will make it hard for Meulensteen to convince Morrison to leave West Ham to join The Cottagers.

Fulham face West Ham on New Year's Day, a game for which Morrison is doubtful with a groin injury.



http://www.touchlinetalk.com/fulham-eye-6m-deal-england-youngster/80602/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Meulensteen promised funds by Fulham owner Shahid Khan



The club currently sit 18th in the Premier League and have been linked with a move for West Ham midfielder Ravel Morrison

Fulham head coach Rene Meulensteen has been assured funds will be available to improve his squad in January by owner Shahid Khan.

The club have slumped into the Premier League's bottom three at the halfway stage of the season, with only 16 points secured from 19 matches.

Fulham's latest outing in the top-flight came in a 6-0 defeat at Hull City, with all six goals coming in the second half.

Meulensteen has busy working on his backroom team in recent weeks with Alan Curbishley appointed first team technical director, and Ray Wilkins hired as assistant head coach.

He said: "We've got a nice, dynamic staff around me, with some young guys that I know from a long time ago that understand my principles and values, and I've got Alan Curbishley and Ray Wilkins in as two people with vast experience in management.

"All that can only contribute to making sure we've got a better chance of staying in the Premier League.

"I've been assured I'm going to get the support I need. Whatever funds I don't know, we haven't really spoken about that.

"He [Khan] knows how important it is for us to stay in the Premier League, and with the additions of Alan and Ray it will make our case even stronger, that if we do think we need to improve and we need support, that we can put an even stronger case forward.

"We might have a wish-list to some extent, but it may very well not be possible. We'll look at every opportunity, and everything that will improve us, we'll put a case forward for it."


http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2892/transfer-zone/2013/12/31/4513658/-?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham v West Ham United preview

West Ham United face the short trip across London to face Fulham tomorrow in their New Year's Day clash.

The Hammers desperately need the points as they sit in the relegation zone heading into the second half of the season.

Sam Allardyce's side were held at home to West Brom in their last match on Saturday while Fulham were thumped 6-0 at Hull.


http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/sport/westham/westhamnews/10905927._/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Clint Dempsey's Move to Fulham Essential for USMNT Success in 2014 World Cup

On Christmas Eve, after weeks of speculation, Fulham FC officially announced the move of Clint Dempsey to the club on winter loan—a move which should be of tremendous benefit to the USMNT and essential to the team's success in the World Cup next summer.

As the most consistent goal scorer for the United States men's national team over the past two years (12 goals in 19 games), the form and fitness of Dempsey is critical to the U.S.'s World Cup hopes in 2014.

Dempsey himself admitted as much in a recent interview in which he said he made the move to Fulham because he "wanted to get back to playing at the highest level, get back to top form...Going into a World Cup year you want to get to that top form."

Since setting an American record for goals scored in a European season during the 2011-12 campaign with 23 goals in all competitions (a record that has since been broken by Jozy Altidore), Dempsey has struggled to hit a consistent run of good form.

In the summer of 2012, Dempsey's long drawn out transfer saga saw him shut out of Fulham's preseason camp and even their games in the month of August. He finally transferred to Tottenham on deadline day, but the lack of a preseason meant Dempsey did not play a competitive match between June 12, 2012 and September 7, 2012 (both matches for the USMNT).

The long delay in the transfer resulted in a slow start for Dempsey with Spurs and, combined with a number of other factors, Dempsey's 2012-13 season was less successful than the 2011-12 season had been—he only scored 12 goals in all competitions with his new club.

Following his season with Tottenham, Dempsey resumed his national team duties this summer, leading the squad to a friendly victory over Germany and captaining the squad to World Cup qualifying wins over Panama, Jamaica and Honduras. Those CONCACAF wins put the USMNT on the brink of locking up their spot in the 2014 World Cup.

However, another series of long spells without competitive matches awaited Dempsey.

As the summer moved on, it became obvious that he would be surplus to requirements with Tottenham as they began spending their Gareth Bale transfer money on a number of attacking midfielders. Dempsey once again missed pre-season training and eventually decided to leave the Spurs, coming back to America and Major League Soccer with the Seattle Sounders.

His first game with the Sounders was not until August 11, nearly two months after his last competitive match (the U.S.'s World Cup qualifier against Honduras on June 18).

Dempsey's lack of form with the Sounders was obvious right from the start, as it took him two and a half months to score his first goal for the club. Dempsey also missed nearly a month of his already shortened MLS season with a hamstring strain and played his last five MLS games of the 2013 season with a shoulder strain that clearly prevented him from being at his best.

In total, he finished the 2013 MLS season with one goal in 12 games.

With Dempsey available to start playing with the Cottagers on January 1, he will have the ability to get back into top form before the MLS season starts on March 8 and, thus, be in top form for the U.S. come next summer.

Over the last 18 months, Dempsey has spent over eight months sidelined by summer breaks, transfer drama and injuries. His club form has clearly suffered and despite being the crux of the USMNT for the past two years, Dempsey has not scored a goal in open play for the U.S. in over 475 minutes—a stretch going back over five games to June 2.

In his current form, Dempsey may not play much for Fulham in January and February, but nonetheless, the experience of training on a daily basis with an EPL club should be enough to help him get off to a good start in MLS in 2014—the exact type of start he needs to get back to his best.

As the U.S.'s leading scorer, as well as the team's captain and preeminent player, Dempsey will need to be in top form if the U.S. is to have any chance of success in Brazil.



http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1907100-clint-dempseys-move-to-fulham-essential-for-usmnt-success-in-2014-world-cup?

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René Welcomes Staff

René Meulensteen firmly believes that the arrivals of Alan Curbishley and Ray Wilkins to his backroom staff can only enhance Fulham's prospects this season.

Curbishley arrived on Christmas Eve as First Team Technical Director, while Wilkins was appointed six days later in the capacity of Assistant Head Coach, and they're both arrivals that Meulensteen was delighted to get through the door.

"From experience I know that it's so important you have the right people around you, and that's what we've been doing," the Dutchman stated. "We've got a nice, dynamic staff around me now.

"There are some young guys that I've known for a long, long time who understand my principles and values in training, and I've got Alan Curbishley and I've got Ray Wilkins who are two people who have got a vast experience in management.

"Ray was obviously at Chelsea working with top, top players, so all that can only contribute to making sure we've got a better chance of staying in the Premier League."

When questioned as to whether or not the duo were brought in to compensate for his own lack of experience leading a Barclays Premier League team, Meulensteen stated: "No, not at all."

"I just think that any successful manager, in any walk of life, needs the right people around him and I felt that I needed some more people with good expertise, with good experience, around me. And I think both of them fit the bill perfectly.

"I got to know Ray really well during my time at Manchester United when we clashed with Chelsea and I've had loads of opportunities to speak with him. I've always respected him for the job he was doing and I always felt he talks a lot of sense.

"He knows the game, he's played the game and I think he's very, very good at managing players on a one-to-one basis."

With two new faces at Motspur Park during a busy spell of fixtures, Curbishley and Wilkins will aim to familiarise themselves with their surroundings quickly and Meulensteen explained that they will each offer something different in their roles.

"Ray is going to be very hands on, with me, in the dressing room and Alan will have a bit more of a wider range of support," he said. "There are discussions going on with regards to what we've got in front of us, who we're playing against, what players have we got available, what ideas have we got – just bouncing off each other.

"The reason why I brought them in is that I don't want to overlook anything. I've been in a situation [at United] which is different to what I'm facing now. I've always been in a situation where we pick a team, we train a team, we win the next game and we move on, we win the next game, we go into the next final.

"This is different. This is a relegation scrap so I don't want to overlook anything. Alan has been there, he can give a different slant to it. Ray comes from a similar top level, he knows what it takes.

"I want to make sure that wherever I go, whatever I do, I'm well prepared and know that I've not overlooked anything, I've listened to all the opinions that are there and I'm happy with it."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/january/01/rene-welcomes-staff?

[WhiteJC]

 
Relegation Crunch Clash Analysis – Fulham vs West Ham

It may be too soon for the term "six pointer" to be bandied about, but Fulham and West Ham's New Year's Day clash is a crunch one. The sides are 18th and 19th respectively, and while the Cottagers have recently changed managers, Hammers boss Sam Allardyce may start to feel the pressure with another bad result.



On paper, you'd think Fulham have the attacking firepower to survive. The likes of Dimitar Berbatov and Darren Bent have plenty of Premier League goals between them, while Brian Ruiz, Adel Taarabt, Pajtim Kasami and Damien Duff offer a great threat. This wasn't always visible under Martin Jol, and although the arrival of new manager Rene Meulensteen has seen a greater attacking emphasis, they have also conceded a staggering 16 goals in the last six games.

Up until last weekend, he could have pointed to the fact that his team's defeats were coming against high flyers Everton and Manchester City, and that they were getting victories against the sides around them. However, the thrashing at Hull City – with all six goals conceded in the second half – would have been a crushing disappointment and morale could be at a real low.

Until recently, West Ham's problem wasn't conceding goals. With eight clean sheets in their first 15 games, they had one of the tightest defences in the league, but they have conceded three goals in each of their last three games, and defenders are now dropping like flies through injury. A longer running issue for them has been scoring goals. Andy Carroll, the player most ideally suited to an Allardyce team, has been out injured and sorely missed, while the manager's tactics over the last couple of months have restricted scoring opportunities.



For a long time, Allardyce seemed intent on playing with a false nine, which worked on nobody other than an out of form Spurs side. Thankfully for West Ham fans, he seems to have realised that his side aren't quite ready to imitate Barcelona yet, and is now playing a more traditional system. Carlton Cole, Modiba Maiga and Ricardo Vaz Te have only scored two goals between them  – but crucially these have both come over this festive period. With Kevin Nolan also returning to the scoresheet, they may be about to witness an upturn in goalscoring fortunes. If they can get back to the mean defence they had before, you can easily see them climbing out of danger.




Fulham return – Clint Dempsey



The January transfer window will probably be key for both sides. Fulham have secured a deal for old favourite Clint Dempsey to return. This will add to their attacking options, particularly if Berbatov gets his way and leaves, but there are other areas that need strengthening.

The defence, as mentioned, needs tightening up. With Brede Haangeland's fitness uncertain (he may return at the end of January but back injuries are always troublesome), a defender or two is a must. There is also a lack of invention in the middle of the park at times, which goes against Meulensteen's way of playing. You wonder how much he will be given to spend though, given his lack of experience and the fact that there is still uncertainty over whether he is a long-term appointment.



The Hammers have shown in the past that they are not afraid to splash the cash, although there may be a "sell before buying" policy. There are rumours of Ravel Morrison being cashed in on to fund some signings – this would be a bit of a surprise, as he has been one of their standout players. However, if it came down to a choice between him and a proven goalscorer, it may be an easy decision for Allardyce.

A fit and in form Nolan and Joe Cole are still capable of getting goals and assists from midfield, and with Morrison's value on the up, a sale would be a significant boost to the club coffers.

The January 1 clash won't decide anything, but a win for either side would give them real confidence to go on a run. January signings will be key, and when you consider West Ham's greater ability to do deals, as well as Allardyce's proven Premier League nous, they are a far better bet to stay up.



http://www.footymatters.com/articles/english-football/premier-league/relegation-scrap-analysis-fulham-vs-west-ham/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Which Fulham Side Will Turn Up As Hammers Head West For Relegation Battle?

FULHAM v WEST HAM UNITED 15:00; Craven Cottage

It's a mystery what happened to Fulham in between their well-earned win at Norwich on Boxing Day and their humiliating 6-0 drubbing at Hull on Saturday, but Rene Meulensteen's men looked like two completely different sides. Injuries to central defenders Philippe Senderos and Brede Hangeland limit Meulensteen's options of shaking up a defence that has conceded 41 goals already this season, nine more than the team with the second worst record.

As bad as Fulham have been, West Ham still find themselves one place below them in the table despite having a considerably superior goal difference. The Hammers haven't won in six matches, but can perhaps draw encouragement from their 3-3 draw with West Brom on Saturday, which at least brought the home fans some festive excitement.

What to watch out for: Fulham should be ready to fight tooth and nail to make up for their Hull nightmare and start the new year on a winning note. They were also limp performers in a 3-0 loss at West Ham at the start of December – the last time the Hammers won.

Possible line-ups:

Fulham – Stockdale; Riether, Hughes, Amorebieta, Riise, Karagounis, Parker, Sidwell, Dejagah, Berbatov, Kacaniklic

West Ham – Jaaskelainen; Demel, Tomkins, McCartney, Rat, Diame, Morrison, Nolan, Noble, Diame, Maiga, Jarvis

Recent form: Fulham – LWLLWL; West Ham – LLDLLD

Prediction: 2-2



http://www.footymatters.com/articles/english-football/premier-league/which-fulham-side-will-turn-up-as-hammers-head-west-for-relegation-battle/?

[WhiteJC]

 
We Need Good Result Against Fulham – West Ham Defender Razvan Rat

West Ham United left-back Razvan Rat has urged his side to come up with a positive result in their upcoming away clash against Fulham today.

The Hammers, who drew 3-3 with West Bromwich Albion at the weekend, are currently languishing in 19th place in the Premier League standings with 15 points from 19 outings, just a point and a place behind the Cottagers.

And Rat, who understands that West Ham are in great need of points, wants his side to take home a decent result from Craven Cottage.

The defender further added that he is trying to adapt to playing three games in a week, with the Romanian international already featuring against Arsenal and West Brom on Boxing Day and Saturday respectively.

"We need a good result against Fulham because we really need points", Rat explained to his club's official site.

"It's true that it's very close and we've had three games in a week, but I'm trying to adapt and I will do my best."

Rat, who joined West Ham from Shakhtar Donetsk during the summer transfer window, has thus far made 15 appearances in all competitions for the club.



Read more at http://www.insidefutbol.com/2014/01/01/we-need-good-result-against-fulham-west-ham-defender-razvan-rat/117221/#gg3tx2TXKBiXFYps.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Another six-pointer for the Hammers

A New Year brings a new beginning, that's what Fulham and West Ham United will hope as they meet at Craven Cottage tomorrow.

Both sides have endured a wretched end to 2013 and will want a fresh start when 2014 rolls in at midnight tonight, both clubs find themselves at the wrong end of the Premier League table and will hope to turn things around in the New Year.

The Hammers find themselves in 19th place and staring relegation in the face, but Sam Allardyce, who couldn't take yesterday's press conference due to negotiations on the transfer front, will look to bring new bodies in to breathe new air into his beleaguered Hammers.

It may look like the perfect time to play the Irons for a Fulham side bereft of confidence following their 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Hull City on Saturday.

West Ham's injury list is at an all-time high, after James Tomkins limped off on Saturday it left the Hammers playing four full backs across the back four. It forced the Irons to recall in form Pelly Ruddock from his loan spell from Conference club Luton Town much to the annoyance of the Hatters faithful.

But West Ham in general have a sensational record against Fulham, and have already beaten the Cottagers 3-0 earlier on in the season, and the Fulham faithful will be wary of one man in particular, Carlton Cole, who always seems to grab a goal against the West London side.

It is important that the Hammers attack on Wednesday as with a weakened back four, attack may well be the best form of defence, as we saw on Saturday the game ebbed and flow and ended with a six goal thriller. The message from the bench may well be "outscore the opposition and we will win this. "

In terms of the starting eleven Allardyce will have to choose between Carlton Cole and Modibo Maiga for the starting berth, with many Hammers fans calling for both.

Although Carlton Cole may well have to hoodoo sign over Fulham, Maiga is finally hitting his straps and his impact on Saturday was crucial to the side picking up a point.

The Irons must be wary of a Fulham backlash, as they looked to put a wrong, right in front of their own fans. Fresh from a humiliating 6-0 defeat at Hull, Fulham will realise they must put things right in this massive six pointer. They have experienced players who will want to stand up and be counted in Scott Parker, Philippe Senderos, Brede Hangeland and Dimitar Berbatov, with a point to prove they will be a dangerous side.

The winner of this clash will go a long way to aiding their survival, and three points for Fulham will mean they pull further clear of the struggling Hammers. And with West Ham's makeshift back four they have players who can hurt the Hammers.

Berbatov and Adel Taarabt have silky skills and a hard shot which will cause the Hammers problems we saw at Upton Park how dangerous Taarabt could be, on the day he just lacked that final finish or ball.

A back four that could consist of Razvan Rat, George McCartney, Joey O'Brien and Guy Demel will have to be on their toes and use all of their experience if the Irons are going to keep their ninth clean sheet of the campaign.

What a way to start 2014 with a massive six pointer and the Hammers will have to find their scoring boots again to win this one. Fulham are a tough side to beat at Craven Cottage and the Irons will want a quick start to calm the nerves.

What the players are saying:

Kieran Richardson told the Fulham Official site: "We need to get the points against West Ham, we know that. It's a big game for us and that's where the focus is. The game at the Cottage follows Saturday's match very quickly, so it helps us move on from that performance."

"It's a chance for us to put some distance between ourselves and the two clubs below: West Ham and Sunderland – our next two opponents in the league. It's a crucial period because we're playing against teams that are in a similar position in the table

Joey O'Brien told WHUFC.com: "Every game, not just the last one or the next one are all massive games when you are in the position we are in. The manager with his record knows what it takes to get out of it. It is not yet two years yet since we were in the Championship, then got promoted and had a really solid season back up last year and now we are having this dip which we are working hard to get through."

"But we know that we can only get out of it by winning more games and the objective for us right now is to go to Fulham and play our best to get three points."

Team News:

James Tomkins picked up a groin injury against West Bromwich Albion and joins fellow centre backs James Collins (calf) and Winston Reid (ankle) on the sidelines.

Andy Carroll has resumed training but is not yet fit enough to feature whilst Ricardo Vaz Te (shoulder) and Stewart Downing (ankle).

Maarten Stekelenburg could return for the Cottagers after David Stockdale deputised in place of the Dutch stopper against Hull City.

Dimitar Berbatov could also be in line for a return after missing the last three games.

Overall record v Fulham (all competitions) W 39 D 20 L 29

TFL News:

·         District: Part closure

·         Bakerloo: Good service

·         Central: Good service

·         Circle: Good service

·         DLR: Good service

·         H'smith & City: Good service

·         Jubilee: Good service

·         Metropolitan: Good service

·         Northern: Good service

·         Overground: Good service

·         Piccadilly: Good service

·         Victoria: Good service

·         Waterloo & City: Good service

Bowdenwhu Predicts: Fulham 2 West Ham 3

Come on you Irons!



http://foreverwestham.com/2014/01/blog-topics/another-six-pointer-for-the-hammers?

[WhiteJC]

 
Eye on the enemy – Fulham

This proves to be the first return fixture we've had for this weekly article; and I'm pleased to say I was able to get hold of the guys across the pond again from cottagersconfidential.com (@CottagersC) to get their take on the game a month after the reverse fixture at Upton Park. As always a massive shout out and thank you to them for getting involved, for the second time this season!

The roles are reversed for this return fixture, we are now below Fulham by just the one point. How comfortable are the Fulham fans now since our first meeting? You've played better since Jol's departure but you're still very much involved in the relegation battle, not much has changed per say?

Before the Hull game, the fan base was pretty comfortable. The team had generally played well and even in defeat had looked good and always seemed to have a plan. He's also using players in positions that suit them rather than trying to shoe horn what might be the best 11 into positions where they can't succeed. I think the results in the second half will be better than the results in the first. If they can make some smart purchases, I think they may stay up.

How demoralising was the recent result again Hull City? You'd picked up some points before that so it must have been a massive sucker punch for the fans and the players to be on the end of a thumping like that?

The Hull result was a bit unsettling. It was a very Jol like game. However, there were some extenuating circumstances. Our first choice RB, two of our CB's, and our first choice GK were missing. That back line had played zero minutes together. To make matters worse, Scotty Parker was also missing.  I think Meulensteen almost treated it like a throw away. He had gotten all three points on boxing day. With the next two league fixtures being home against West Ham and Sunderland, he knew this was a match he could afford to drop points in. He appeared to be playing for a nil-nil draw. It worked for about 50 minutes. But once the wheels feel off, he didn't really have an answer.

It has recently been rumoured that the world-beater that is Mladen Petric has been released due to him not featuring at all for us due to injury. Have we missed out on much there, or are we better off without him at the club?

Mladen had a lot of the same issues at Fulham. When he played and was healthy he looked quite good. But he kept getting injured. There was simply no way to count on him. He's still got a lot of quality, but if he can't stay healthy, he's hard to keep around. Especially when you are struggling with other injuries.

You tipped both teams to stay up prior to our earlier meeting, do you still feel that way inclined or have you moved the goalposts somewhat?

I still think both teams will stay up. I don't believe there's enough quality at Palace or enough investment to improve the squad to save them. Pulis might be an upgrade, but I don't think they'll stay up. Cardiff could quickly turn into a dumpster fire the way their owner is behaving. I think Norwich are much, much poorer than they're point total and could actually regress. And everyone keeps waiting for Sunderland to turn things around, but there's a real possibility they are just bad and don't ever turn the corner. That doesn't even take into account a lot of the other bottom of the table. I think the biggest plus that Fulham and West Ham both have is the financial ability to invest. And boards who aren't crazy.

Final question – again – heart and head, what do you predict for the match at the Cottage?

My heart and head are pretty much in agreement. I think Fulham pull this out three to one. I believe Berbatov comes back up top. We play with a better back four. And the Hull game becomes a distant memory. If Fulham loose this game though, I might be ready to panic.



http://www.ironviews.com/eye-enemy-fulham-2/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Boss: Fulham too good for drop
Fulham boss Rene Meulensteen believes his squad is too good to go down as he prepares for massive games against West Ham and Sunderland.


Rene Meulensteen: Looking for points against the Hammers and Black Cats

Meulensteen took over at Craven Cottage on 1 December after previous boss Martin Jol was axed following five consecutive league losses.

He has overseen two wins and four losses in his first six games in charge, with the latest defeat a 6-0 mauling at Hull City on Saturday.

But the Dutch tactician has quickly moved on that result as his third-from-bottom side prepare to face second-from-bottom West Ham on New Year's Day and then rock-bottom Sunderland, with an FA Cup clash at Norwich sandwiched in between.

The former Manchester United first team coach told the Daily Express: "This squad is too good to go down. There is enough quality and expertise. We have got plenty of experienced people here who know how to get out of this situation.

"The next two games, against West Ham and Sunderland, are going to be vital.

"The thing about the result against Hull was that you have to put it in perspective.

"It was a freak result, not a trend. I have learned over the years not to get too carried away with the highs, or the lows.

"At United alongside Sir Alex Ferguson I saw us lose 6-1, and there is nothing you can do about it.

"You just have to say it's happened, so you park it, and move on. It's the only way."



http://www.football365.com/fulham/9096564/-?

[WhiteJC]

 
West Ham Tickets Limited

A limited number of tickets are still available for today's London derby direct from the Ticket Office on Stevenage Road.

Prices start from just £40 adults and £20 juniors so round up your friends and family and head down to Craven Cottage today to show your support for the Whites!



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/january/01/west-ham-tickets?

[WhiteJC]

 
Crucial Craven Cottage

Following a tough start to his reign in charge of Fulham, and a disastrous 6-0 defeat against Hull at the KC Stadium, Rene Meulensteen has marked the next two Premier League games over the festive period as crucial in our season and ones that could make or break our chances of escaping the relegation quagmire.

Boxing Day saw us pass the first test with flying colours having overcome Norwich at Carrow Road but following the heavy loss against the Tigers, Fulham face fellow strugglers West Ham and Sunderland next, and the club must focus on the challenges that lie ahead.

Arguably the performance against Norwich was a lot less convincing than the showing against Manchester City a week before but importantly we ground out a result when it was needed. Having seen the line-up I couldn't help but feel disappointed that following a few weeks of relative consistency in terms of selection and taking big steps to building some key relationships within the team, it appeared that when it finally came to a game we could take something from we had made multiple alterations.

Granted a number of those were forced given the injuries to Maarten Stekelenburg and Philippe Senderos but I just couldn't understand the inclusion of Damien Duff on the right ahead of Ashkan Dejagah. Some have said that the Iranian was actually granted a rest ahead of the next few games although it was his introduction towards the end of the game that pushed the result in our favour.

Adel Taarabt has not exactly set the world alight this season although his work rate and performance against City was a dramatic improvement on anything we have seen previously. He worked hard again against Norwich although his presence in leading the line just doesn't seem to compliment the two wide men in the same way that Dimitar Berbatov or, even to a lesser extent, Hugo Rodallega did when he was introduced.

We face a tough run of fixtures throughout February and it is vital that we capitalise on the next few games against teams around us. Both West Ham and Sunderland at home are games we must be winning and how we will react to Hull and perform in those two fixtures will be the best indication of how far we have come under Meulensteen in a relatively short period.

COYW!


http://www.shoot.co.uk/crucial-craven-cottage/