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Saturday Fulham Stuff (18/01/14)...

Started by WhiteJC, January 18, 2014, 07:57:41 AM

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WhiteJC

 
Fulham winger spurred on by Wolfsburg woes

Dejagah confident of avoiding the drop ahead of trip to Arsenal


Determined: Fulham winger Ashkan Dejagah
Ashkan Dejagah will draw on his Wolfsburg woes in a bid to keep Fulham in the Premier League.

The Iranian winger was part of the Wolves side that escaped the drop in Germany's Bundesliga by the skin of their teeth in 2011, with three wins from their final four games steering them to safety.

Dejagah faces another basement battle with the Cottagers this campaign after a poor first half of the season.

Rene Meulensteen's men travel to league leaders Arsenal tomorrow just a point clear of the relegation places.

But Dejagah insists he has the stomach for another survival scrap.

He said: "It's not a good situation for us at the moment. There are a lot of teams fighting against relegation. I was in the same situation once with Wolfsburg. It's hard, but we managed to stay up.

"We have a good team and good players. If we all concentrate we can do it."


No fear: Dejagah says the Cottagers won't go to the Emirates and shut-up shop
Fulham face an Arsenal side who have won four games on the spin to tighten their grip at the top.

But Dejagah says the Whites will take heart from their performance at the Emirates last season when they held the Gunners to a 3-3 draw.

"Arsenal are playing very good football this season," he said. "It's hard to play there but we drew last year so anything can happen in football.

"We have to fight and we'll go there and stick together. It's not easy to get points there - they have a chance to win the league this season.

"But we're not going into it expecting to lose. We want to get something from the game."

Brede Hangeland's return to fitness will help boost a struggling Fulham defence that has conceded 46 goals in just 21 games – the most in the league.

And Dejagah says Hangeland's comeback has given the whole club a massive lift.

He added: "Brede's an important player for us. He has a lot of experience and we need him. He showed against Norwich what a good player he is. He's a leader and we're happy he is back."



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-winger-spurred-wolfsburg-woes-6520655?

WhiteJC

 
LAWRO'S PREDICTION

Arsenal v Fulham

Arsenal have not beaten Fulham at The Emirates since 2010 but I just cannot see anything other than a Gunners win on Saturday.

Fulham beat Norwich in their FA Cup replay on Tuesday night but that was against an under-strength Canaries team and does not hide the Cottagers' own issues, particularly at the back.

They have been conceding a lot of goals recently. Brede Hangeland is back in the centre of the Fulham defence after injury and he will undoubtedly make a difference, but I am not sure that will happen straight away, and certainly not on Saturday.

Even teams who are well organised defensively going to The Emirates now might stop Arsenal scoring for a while, but they do not stop them winning.

Lawro's prediction: 3-0
Vic's prediction: 5-5


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25738132

WhiteJC

 
Is Fulham a banana skin waiting to happen?

It's typical that Fulham have their best win of the season just before they play against us.

We know from last season that they are capable of making life difficult.

The almost inevitable penalty miss by Mikel Arteta at the end was symptomatic of our season.

If you remember, we were 2-0 up and found ourselves losing with just over 20 minutes to go and to miss a gilt-edged opportunity to take the points felt as bad as a defeat.

Fulham have been dire this season, but to find their form and welcome back Brede Hangeland couldn't have come at a worse time for us.

The Premier League is tighter than a pair of extra small spandex trousers being worn by a sumo.

We all know how imperious City are at the moment and their squad looks so good that for them to NOT win the title would be something of a shock.

But, while in Spain and France, the most impressive squads always win, you only have to look at United's canter to the title last season with a squad that didn't exactly inspire to see how different things are over here.

Arsene Wenger said on Friday that we have to make sure we don't suffer any slip-ups against the lower-placed sides and our record this season against them has been decent.

We have to start beating the top sides to really keep our pursuit of the title going but on Saturday we have to ensure that Fulham's revival doesn't last more than one game.

It feels that we can't expect our rivals to drop any points at present - with Chelsea likely to beat United and City and Liverpool likely to beat Cardiff and Villa unless there is a shock.

We've never ever lost at home to Fulham, but we have drawn at home with them in the past two seasons.

I have this pessimistic feeling that the most likely side to buck the trend is us, so we have to make sure we don't repeat what we did on Monday and let sides back into games where we have been in absolute control.

The worry for now is that we keep losing players in every match.

The likely absence of Tomas Rosicky and Nacho Monreal further stretches a squad that is already struggling to cope - although cope it does - and the fact that we have Fulham and then Coventry could not come at a better time.

Whatever the rumours about Julian Drazler - and whether he will indeed be the next Ronaldo or turn into a Reyes/Nani clone, remains to be seen.

I've heard that Schalke need money and his stock has slumped this season, so selling now may suit all parties, but with Theo Walcott now out, we seriously need some pace and magic to help us break down the very toughest of defences.

With the exception of Serge Gnabry probably continuing instead of giving Lukas Podolski or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain a game, I can't see who else may come in to mix things up.

I'd love the Pod to be given a game upfront but I suspect Wenger will want Giroud to keep playing and hopefully retain his goalscoring touch that had abandoned him before Villa.

I really hope this isn't going to turn into one of those games but with the defence playing as they have done, it gives us a great platform.

Am I sounding like George Graham?

ADDICT XI

Szczesny

Sagna Mertesacker Koscielny Gibbs

Flamini Wilshere Cazorla

Gnabry Giroud Ozil


http://arsenaladdict.com/arsenaladdict-home/2014/1/17/is-fulham-a-banana-skin-waiting-to-happen?


WhiteJC

 
Gillespie Guest Post: A view from The Cottage

Struggling Fulham travel to the Emirates on Saturday, desperate for points, and with the fresh enthusiasm of our new management team being called into question.

Fulham are only two points off the bottom of the Premier League table, and in the eight league games Rene Meulensteen has overseen, our goal difference tally has dropped by 15. It doesn't sound great. But even so, most Fulham fans would probably admit they are rather enjoying Meulensteen being at the helm.

He greets the press after each game with the energy and enthusiasm typical of a new manager: drawing a surprising amount of positives following a 6-0 thrashing, or accidentally spilling too much information regarding Fulham's transfer exploits. But perhaps that naivety is what you need at a club whose confidence could not get much lower. A fresh face who can walk into the dressing room after a drubbing from a mid-table team, and tell them that we are not going to let this dampen our spirits. He seems wet behind the ears compared to his predecessor. But then again he hasn't faced the years of board meetings and fan abuse that inevitably result from poor performances. He seems like the over-excitable foreign exchange student who, despite not quite 'getting it', still turns up for school everyday with a large grin on his face.

Despite these public relations though, we are also being entertained ON the pitch. Whereas Jol was trying to mimic Arsenal by playing four CAMs, Meulensteen has taken us back to basics. He has brought an end to what was perhaps the laziest front four to have ever graced the Premier League (Ruiz, Berbatov, Taarabt, and Bent) and installed a solid base to midfield (Sidwell, Parker, Karagounis) with some pacey wingers (Kacaniklic and Dejagah). Meanwhile, Taarabt and Bent have been sent on personal fitness programmes, whilst Ruiz has been loaned to PSV. It is only Berbatov (for now) who remains, as our creative indulgence. Astute moves from the ex-Manchester United first team coach, and alleged mentor of Christiano Ronaldo.



So why are Fulham in such a tense position? Well firstly, because of the competition. At the time of writing, there have been five new managers re-appointed in the bottom half of the table. Another two look like they could be gone in a month. All squads seem to have responded impressively to fresh appointments, and all of these so called six-pointers have been impossible to predict. An audience of Gooners are unlikely to believe this, but some of this season's most exciting football is coming from the other end of the table.

Secondly, the issue that is of greater concern: Fulham's truly woeful defending. For all of the improvements going forward and pressing high, Fulham are so quickly undone by basic errors at set pieces, or the centre-halves being caught out from counter attacks. The number of times that Hughes, Senderos or Amorebieta have been in the wrong place, at the wrong time, is getting a bit silly. "Unfortunate" deflections my arse. The return of Hangeland this week was a relief, but it pains me that one of our other centre backs will still have to partner him. Joleon Lescott would be the perfect buy this January, but he doesn't seem tempted. And who can blame him.

In fact, a centre-back, left-back, long term striker, and box-to-box midfielders are desperately needed. This might sound like I'm calling for a squad overhaul in January, but leaving it to the summer may be too late. New owner Shahid Khan, has thoughtfully twiddled his moustache and brought in Alan Curbishley as Technical Director, and Ray "I'm 'ard" Wilkins as Assistant Manager. But otherwise, there has been no real evidence of him opening his wallet for some new players. Let's hope I'm wrong.

So what can you expect at the Emirates this weekend? Well, probably a really good game from your point of view. I imagine we will give it everything going forward, and waste some good opportunities in the first 10 minutes, only for Ozil to punish us, as he effortlessly provides a through ball for someone that can't believe they were not being marked. We have a knack of scoring after half time at the moment (good signs, Rene), but even when you play Arsenal with a tight defence and fit midfield, you eventually succumb to that pressure. An informed prediction might guess a 3-1 victory to Arsenal. But there's no fun in that, so I'm going to say 2-2. Arsenal with many more attempts, but denied by a surprise return to form by the Fulham defence, whilst Parker initiates a quick Kacaniklic/Kasami counter attack. Berbatov coolly finishes, reminding Arsenal why you don't need to run around in order to warrant a January bid from Arsene Wenger.

Hamish


http://gillespieroadramble.wordpress.com/2014/01/17/gillespie-guest-post-a-view-from-the-cottage/?

WhiteJC

 
Arsenal v Fulham

By Steve Wilson
BBC Match of the Day commentator


BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: Emirates Stadium Date: Saturday, 18 January


TEAM NEWS

Arsenal midfielder Thomas Rosicky could play in a protective mask following surgery on the broken nose he suffered against Aston Villa on Monday.

Nacho Monreal should be available despite a twisted ligament in his foot.

Fulham pair Maarten Stekelenburg and Fernando Amorebieta are doubts with respective ankle and knee problems.

Captain Brede Hangeland will make his first league start since October after returning from back surgery in the midweek FA Cup win over Norwich.

MATCH PREVIEW

Having notched four consecutive league victories since Christmas, Arsenal would seem to have little reason to fear a visit from Fulham.

After all, the Cottagers have never won a game at either Highbury or the Emirates. They have also conceded four goals to each of Everton, Manchester City and Sunderland and six to Hull in the space of the last month or so and have the fewest clean sheets and most goals conceded in the division.

So where can Fulham fans find a few vestiges of hope to cling to before they hop on the District Line?

Well, Fulham have drawn each of their last two games at Arsenal, and were leading in both. You may recall Mark Schwarzer's penalty save from Mikel Arteta last season which, with the last touch of the game, kept the score at 3-3 and left Arsene Wenger ashen-faced and agitated.

Fulham are also fresh from a morale-boosting FA Cup replay success over Norwich in which they scored three goals for the first time since October. Even better, their towering defensive alpha male, Brede Hangeland, was back in the team having spent almost three months on the sidelines nursing a bad back. I know how he feels.

Then there is Steve Sidwell. Who, Sidwell? Steve Sidwell? The special one haired midfielder who sits in front of the back four breaking up opposition attacks? The 'wasn't quite good enough to make it at Arsenal and Chelsea' Sidwell? The guy who is solid and reliable, but functional and never flashy?

Yep, that's the one. That's the same Steve Sidwell who has just scored in three successive appearances for the first time since he was a twinkle in Reading's midfield a decade ago.

Throw in the laconic Dimitar Berbatov, who tends to raise himself to face the big clubs, the industrious Clint Dempsey, the ever-ready Scott Parker and a few Arsenal injuries and you have the makings of a bit of Fulham optimism.

But only a bit.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head
Arsenal have never lost at home to Fulham in any competition spanning 110 years (W22, D5).

However, Fulham earned a Premier League draw at the Emirates Stadium on each of their last two visits.

Arsenal
The Gunners are unbeaten in their subsequent nine home league matches since an opening-day defeat by Aston Villa, dropping just four points and conceding only three goals.
They have the joint best defensive record in the division, conceding 19 goals in 21 matches and keeping nine clean sheets.
Arsenal's total of 48 points after 21 matches is their highest since 2007-08 (50 points). They finished in third place that season.
No team has scored the first goal in more Premier League games this season than Arsenal (16).
Olivier Giroud has scored the opening goal on a league-high six occasions this season.

Fulham
Fulham have lost 14 of their first 21 top-flight matches in a season for the first time in their history.
They have conceded 46 league goals - 11 more than any other side in the division - and kept the fewest clean sheets (3).
The west London side have let in four goals or more in four of their last six league fixtures.
Steve Sidwell's goal against Sunderland last weekend was Fulham's seventh from a corner this season; a record matched only by Manchester City.
Darren Bent has scored seven goals in 11 Premier League appearances against Arsenal.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25693407?

WhiteJC

 
Do Fulham require Ravel?

This time last year, most Fulham fans would have bitten your hand off to even be linked to a player under the age of 28, let alone one on the cusp of the England set-up.

For what seems like years now we have been bemoaning our inability to find a replacement for the long departed Mousa Dembele in a creative midfield role but while the potential for Ravel Morrison to do exactly that is there, I find myself thinking that this really shouldn't be the priority right now.

As it stands we have the worst defensive record in the league and are not exactly banging them in at the other end either. Anyone who was present for the travesty that was Sunderland at home last week will tell you that the only two players fit to wear the shirt that day were Scott Parker and Steve Sidwell. I understand that Morrison is probably better than our current options to play in front of those two but it's not as if we don't have an abundance of choice in that area already with the likes of Pajtim Kasami, Adel Taarabt, Clint Dempsey and Giorgos Karagounis to name but a few.

There is no doubt that we would benefit from more creativity but when you are over half-way through the season and Steve "He should be playing for England" Sidwell is your top goalscorer then clearly there are bigger issues afoot.

The fee being touted around the potential transfer is no small change, especially for a club as tight with their money as we are, and I have no hesitation in saying that the same money would be better spent elsewhere. In what has to be a first for a Premier League club, of the back four that started against Sunderland, only Sascha Reither at right-back commanded a fee when joining the club, while the rest were all free transfers. At the other end our forward options consist of a loanee, a 32-year-old who will most likely leave in the summer, Hugo Rodallega, and an unproven youngster. Am I the only one deeply concerned that we seem to be focusing our dealing in the one area of the pitch that we could get away without strengthening?

Clearly Meulensteen thinks highly of Ravel and no one can deny that he is a talented player. He does however bring a reputation along with him and his off the field antics are certainly not in keeping with the image of the Fulham I know. What is for sure is that anyone coming in to the club needs to be ready for a scrap and willing to put in the yards. Nani is another rumoured target that does not inspire me with confidence and again is only a slight improvement on what we have the moment.

Hopefully the coming weeks will see us focus on more pressing areas of the squad and plug some of the holes created by years of neglect in our transfer dealings.



http://www.shoot.co.uk/do-fulham-require-ravel/


WhiteJC

 
Meulensteen stepping into unknown

Fulham manager Rene Meulensteen admits he has no idea what to expect from his team in Saturday's trip to Barclays Premier League leaders Arsenal.


Rene Meulensteen: Playing a deck of cards

The Cottagers head across to north London on the back of their midweek 3-0 FA Cup third-round replay win over Norwich.

However, Fulham will need to produce a much-improved display from the one they gave last time in the league when Meulensteen's men were thumped 4-1 at home by fellow relegation-battlers Sunderland.

But he cannot guarantee what Fulham will be able to produce, accepting he is still learning about his team, who he compares to a new set of playing cards.

"And that is the situation you get when you are thrown in and taking over at a club," said Meulensteen, "because you are playing a deck of cards that is not yours."

The Dutchman has won four, drawn one and lost five of his 10 matches in charge since taking over from Martin Jol.

"You look at it and you try to play the best hand in different situations and that is what I have done - I made nine changes against Norwich," Meulensteen said.

"You are still trying to get to the situation where you say 'now I know which cards suit best'."

Meulensteen has been impressed by the Gunners' consistency as they continue to stay just ahead of Manchester City in the championship race.

"Arsenal have got a very good chance compared to the previous seasons, but Arsenal have got no secrets and they have had no secrets for the last eight years. They play as they play - they won't change. That is the way they are," said the former Manchester United coach.

"For many seasons they have picked up the accolade of being the team that plays the most beautiful football.

"You know what you are going to be up against - you are going to be up against a very good football team, some very good individuals, but there are no secrets."

Meulensteen believes this season's title race is set for an exciting conclusion.

"The reason why Arsenal are very confident at the moment is because they are up there, when in recent seasons they haven't been," he said.

"Arsenal are at the top, then City are at the top, then Chelsea - it is like a revolving door and they know every game is so important to make sure they stay up there.

"Only time will tell which teams will sustain that. That is why it is going to be one of the most fascinating ends to the season."

Meulensteen could retain Darren Bent in Fulham's starting XI after he scored against Norwich.

The former Sunderland and Tottenham forward, on loan from Aston Villa, has netted eight times in his previous 10 appearances against the Gunners.

Meulensteen said of the 29-year-old former England striker: "Darren has still got that in him. It is that little game you play with a deck of cards - when is it best to play him?

"There is a validity in it, because certain players do always score in certain places and against certain teams."


http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/article/324/9120425/-?

WhiteJC

 
Running out of steam

Much of this season has been about pointing fingers. Indeed, one of the reasons I started writing again was that an awful lot of the online discussion revolved around how bad our attackers were and how the likes of Dimitar Berbatov were leading us to relegation.   I argued at the time that a bigger problem was in our defence and devoted a fair bit of energy here to pointing that out. (I concede of course that our attack isn't very good either but the defence felt like it ought to have been easier to fix).

Anyway, some more interesting things have been written on the internet this week.

In one, Michael Cox notes that defending is very much a team discipline.  We knew this of course, but his points are as ever, persuasively put.  It's one reason why I very much doubt that Brede Hangeland's return is much more than a psychological boost: he was looking pretty iffy before he got injured, too (although maybe that's because he was already injured. That could be it).

That's not to say that defending isn't important or shouldn't be celebrated, however, though defending is fundamentally more of a collective task. Superb defending isn't about outstanding individual contributions; it's about teamwork, organisation and positional discipline.

You cannot solve the Premier League's worst defence by introducing the world's best defender — there would still be positional problems and disorganisation elsewhere in the back four. However, transplant Cristiano Ronaldo into the league's worst attack and things would transform overnight. Ronaldo has the individual capacity to dominate games, create and score goals and to occupy multiple defenders thus creating space for others. His performance against Sweden, for example, was just remarkable — he completely dominated the game.


The other is by the Guardian's Sean Ingle and concerns the full-back position.  I've said it before but we used to sit in the Riverside by the Hammersmith End penalty box and would frequently look up to see a John Arne Riise run not being made.  The space was there, the opportunity was there, but John wasn't.

The additional physical demands are clear from Prozone's data. In 2003-04 Premier League full-backs made an average of 29.5 sprints – any movement greater than seven metres a second – over a game. This season that figure is exactly 50. A decade ago the average recovery time for a full-back between high-intensity activities – any movement greater than 5.5m/s, or a three-quarters speed run – was 56.4sec. Now it is 40.4sec.

As Prozone's Omar Chaudhuri points out, no other position in the last 10 years can match full-backs' percentage increase in high-intensity activities or sprints. "The increase in their physical demands has been above and beyond the increased demands of the Premier League as a whole," he adds. "And full‑backs continue to cover more ground than any other position except wide midfielders."


Anyway, given the points made in Sean's article, you do wonder about the wisdom of fielding two 30+ full-backs.  True, Riether's a good athlete, but even so.



https://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2014/01/17/running-out-of-steam/?

WhiteJC

 
Is Fulham boss Meulensteen right to label Arsenal predictable?

The Cottagers manager feels his club's chances may be helped knowledge of Arsenal's playing style as they go in hunt of a first Premier League crown since 2004.

Fulham manager Rene Meulensteen believes playing against Arsenal will be a hard challenge, but not a match in which the home side hold secrets.

The Gunners, despite sitting atop the table, are considered third favourites behind Manchester City and Chelsea to secure a first top flight success since the 'Invincibles' season of 2003/2004.

Meulensteen and his Fulham side visit the Emirates Stadium this weekend and while the Dutchman believes Arsene Wenger's side are firmly in the mix, he feels their well-documented playing style could see them fall short.

"They have got a very good chance of winning the Premier League compared to previous seasons," Meulensteen told reporters. "But Arsenal have got no secrets, they have not had any secrets for the past eight years.

"They play as they play and they will not change. That is what they are. You know what you are going to be up against, which is a very good team with very good individuals.

"I have always had a lot of respect for Arsenal as a club and the way they play football. Arsene [Wenger] has been there for many years, that is why there is not too many secrets we are going to be coming up against."

While the former Manchester United first-team coach's observation rings true about the Gunners in previous seasons, their ability to hold onto leads and show a steelier defensive resolve has led many to look at Arsenal in a different light.

The vulnerability at the back which would almost certainly prove their downfall in the past appears just that, a thing of history, and no longer looks the slight on an otherwise impressive team.

Their goalscoring prowess may have taken a hit because of that, but that is exactly why the Gunners have proven to be the polar opposite of predictable this year, scoring a wider variety of goals - if not as many - with the presence of a physical spearhead in Olivier Giroud offering more options to the team.



http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2014/01/17/tmb-is-fulham-boss-meulensteen-right-to-label-arsenal-predictabl/?


WhiteJC

 
Fulham boss Rene Meulensteen may start Darren Bent against Arsenal


Darren Bent: Fulham striker was on target against Norwich in the FA Cup

Darren Bent's record against Arsenal could save him from Rene Meulensteen's latest reshuffle on Saturday.

The Fulham manager admits he still getting to grips with his squad 10 games after succeeding Martin Jol.

Meulensteen struck gold when he restored Bent to the side against Norwich last week as the striker scored in a 3-0 win, and it is not lost on the Dutchman that Bent has eight goals in his last 10 games against Arsenal.

"Darren has still got that in him," he said. "It is that little game you play with a deck of cards - when is it best to play him?

"There is a validity in it, because certain players do always score in certain places and against certain teams.

"You look at it and you try to play the best hand in different situations and that is what I have done - I made nine changes against Norwich.

"You are still trying to get to the situation where you say 'now I know which cards suit best'."

Arsenal's form this season has impressed Meulensteen, but he goes to the Emirates confident he knows the leaders inside out.

He said: "Arsenal have got a very good chance compared to the previous seasons, but Arsenal have got no secrets and they have had no secrets for the last eight years.

"They play as they play - they won't change. That is the way they are."



http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/9120536/?

WhiteJC

 
Fulham don't care for Arsenal's title-push, they go there to 'FIGHT'

Cottagers midfielder vows to go to title-challenging Arsenal and return to West London with points.

Fulham midfielder Ashkan Dejagah cares not for Arsenal's pursuit of Premier League honours, nor the precarious position at the summit of the division where the Gunners lead gap-closing Manchester City by a solitary point, as the 27-year-old - who debuted against Arsenal in the 3-3 draw last season - has vowed to once again take a result away from a meeting with one of the country's top teams.

Fulham's status in England's top tier is perilously close to the relegation zone as they, with a 19-point haul, are just one point clear of Cardiff City, in 18th place, and a brace of points above the foot of the table, as Crystal Palace have collected 17.

Arsene Wenger has oft spoken this year of his side's fighters, echoed by tenacious midfield terrier Mathieu Flamini, with boxing terminology often printed on the club's official website... now Fulham have responded in kind, with Dejagah quoted to have said on fulhamfc.com: 'We go there and fight together.'

He continued: 'We stick together as a team. We know it's a hard game, it's not easy to take points there. Arsenal have a chance to win the league this season but we don't want to lose there so we will try to take points and hopefully we can.

'We have a good team, we have good players and if every player concentrates on the pitch then we're capable of playing good football, but we have to do this in every game. Arsenal have been playing very good football this season. It's hard to play at the Emirates but we played last year there and it was 3-3 so anything can happen in football and we have to fight on Saturday.'


http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2014/01/17/fulham-dont-care-for-arsenals-title-push-they-go-there-to-fight/?

WhiteJC

 
Arsenal v Fulham: Tomas Rosicky could feature despite broken nose as Arsene Wenger welcomes back fit-again Aaron Ramsey

Rosicky had surgery on his nose after clashing with Aston Villa's Gabriel Agbonlahor while Ramsey should return to action having recovered from a thigh strain

Tomas Rosicky has undergone surgery on the broken nose he suffered during Arsenal's 2-1 victory over Aston Villa on Monday night, but he could still feature in Saturday's Premier League encounter with Fulham. The Czech Republic captain has been fitted for a protective mask that would enable him to play a part in the match, although whether Wenger would choose to start the 33-year-old is unknown as he has shown a preference to rotate his midfield this season.

Rosicky caught a stray elbow from Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor when the pair contested a header, but Wenger has confirmed that he could play a part when London rivals Fulham make the short trip to the Emirates.

"Rosicky had surgery with a general anaesthetic for a broken nose in two places," revealed Wenger. "With a mask he may be available but we have to monitor it closely."

Rosicky wouldn't be the first to wear a protective mask in the Premier League, with Chelsea strike-duo Fernando Torres and Demba Ba taking the same precautionary action after suffering similar injuries.

Wenger did confirm that they are likely to be without left-back Nacho Monreal this weekend. Despite initial fears that he had broken a metatarsal proving false, he has suffered a twisted ligament in his foot that is likely to keep him sidelined for a short time.

"Monreal looks a doubt for Saturday, a big doubt, because he twisted his foot in the kick," Wenger continued. "It is not the bruise, he turned and twisted the ligament."

Wenger can call upon the services of Kieran Gibbs though, as the Englishman made his return to action from a minor calf injury in the Villa victory. The 24-year-old is likely to return to the starting line-up in the Spaniard's absence, having been Wenger's preferred choice throughout the season so far.

The Gunners will also have Aaron Ramsey back after he missed nearly a month of action due to a calf injury he picked up in the Boxing Day triumph over West Ham. Ramsey has been in tremendous form this season, leading the club's scoring charts after netting 13 times in all competitions – with eight of those coming in the league.

The Welshman's return will be a timely boost for Wenger as he is unlikely to be able to call on the services of vice-captain Mikel Arteta, with the Spaniard struggling with a calf injury that forced him to miss the trip to Villa.

However, his manager stressed that he will show caution in selecting Ramsey in order not to overexert the midfielder, meaning he could be named on the bench rather than be thrown stright into the starting line-up.


http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/arsenal-v-fulham-tomas-rosicky-could-feature-despite-broken-nose-as-arsene-wenger-welcomes-back-fitagain-aaron-ramsey-9067846.html


WhiteJC

 
Premier League: Ashkan Dejagah believes Fulham can avoid relegation


Ashkan Dejagah: The winger believes Fulham are good enough to stay up

Fulham winger Ashkan Dejagah believes that his side have the quality needed to beat the drop this season.

The Cottagers sit just one point above the relegation zone and have had mixed fortunes since Rene Meulensteen replaced Martin Jol, winning three of their last eight Premier League following his arrival.

Dejagah successfully avoided relegation at Bundesliga side Wolfsburg three years ago, and he is now hoping to draw on that experience.

"It's not a good situation for us at the moment," he told the Fulham and Hammersmith Chronicle.

"There are a lot of teams fighting against relegation. I was in the same situation once with Wolfsburg. It's hard, but we managed to stay up.

"We have a good team and good players. If we all concentrate we can do it."

Meulensteen's side travel to league leaders Arsenal, a game in which Dejagah believes must be approached with a positive outlook.

"Arsenal are playing very good football this season," he said.

"It's hard to play there but we drew last year so anything can happen in football.

"We have to fight and we'll go there and stick together. It's not easy to get points there - they have a chance to win the league this season.

"But we're not going into it expecting to lose. We want to get something from the game."



http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11681/9120727?

WhiteJC

 
Birmingham City's 'good guys' praised for role in developing Whites defender

Birmingham City boss Lee Clark has been praised by Fulham's head coach Rene Meulensteen for his work with Dan Burn.

The 21-year-old defender enjoyed a successful loan spell at the Championship club and they were hopeful that he would be allowed to return.

But after Burn impressed against Norwich in the FA Cup, Meulensteen has decided to keep him at Craven Cottage.

And he said: "I have to give credit to Lee Clark and Steve Watson at Birmingham for what they've done for him. It's what you want loans to be.

"They are good guys there. I know them really well and they keep me in the loop.

"Dan has done very well. He has matured a lot. He has impressed me since he came back as we've had more access to him, seeing him train.

"He did extremely well against Norwich and it shows his loan at Birmingham has worked."


http://www.westlondonsport.com/football/birmingham-citys-good-guys-praised-for-role-in-developing-whites-defender

WhiteJC

 
Arsenal v Fulham: match preview
Read a full match preview of the Premier League game between Arsenal and Fulham at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday Jan 18, 2014, kick-off 15.00 (GMT)


target man: Fulham striker Dimitar Berbatov faces Arsenal but could be a January transfer window target for Arsene Wenger
Photo: GETTY IMAGES


Saturday, January 18, 2014
Arsenal v Fulham
Emirates Stadium
Kick-off: 15.00 GMT.
TV: Highlights, BBC ONE Match of the Day.

Arsenal (Possible, 4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Sagna, Mertesacker, Kosclieny, Gibbs; Flamini, Wilshere; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Özil, Cazorla; Giroud.
Out: Arteta (calf), Bendtner (ankle), Diaby (knee), Ramsey (thigh), Sanogo (back), Vermaelen, Walcott (both knee).
Tests: Monreal (foot), Rosicky (broken nose).

Fulham (Possible, 4-4-1-1): Stockdale; Riether, Senderos, Hangeland, Riise; Duff, Parker, Sidwell, Dempsey; Taarabt; Berbatov.
Out: Briggs (hernia), Etheridge (thigh).
Test: Stekelenburg (ankle).

Referee: Lee Probert. Matches: 10, R2 Y13.

Betting: Home 2-9, Away 12-1, Draw 5-1.

Team News
Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky is set to play in a protective face mask against Fulham following surgery on a broken nose, but full-back Nacho Monreal (foot) is doubtful.

Midfielders Mikel Arteta and Aaron Ramsey are still out, along with captain Thomas Vermaelen.

Forward Nicklas Bendtner is closing in on a return, while Yaya Sanogo continues his rehabiliation. Abou Diaby and Theo Walcott are long-term absentees with their respective knee injuries.

Meanwhile, Fulham defender Fernando Amorebieta is a doubt because of a knee problem.

Captain Brede Hangeland could make his first league start since October after returning from back surgery in the midweek FA Cup third-round replay win over Norwich.

Forward Darren Bent is pressing for a start after scoring against the Canaries, when manager Rene Meulensteen had made sweeping changes.

Goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg remains a doubt.

Match Notes
Arsenal will have to overcome injuries to Aaron Ramsey, Mikel Arteta and Thomas Vermaelen if they are to remain Premier League leaders with victory against relegation-threatened Fulham.

They hardly want for confidence after four league wins in succession, while Rene Meulensteen's team find themselves in a tailspin, just one point above the bottom three.

Their solitary comfort is that their two most recent visits to the Emirates have ended in draws

Stat of the game: Fulham have never won at Arsenal, in 27 league and cup attempts.

Oliver Brown's prediction: Arsenal 2 Fulham 0.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/10566779/Arsenal-v-Fulham-match-preview.html


WhiteJC

 
Arsenal primed for four-star thrashing of struggling Fulham
The Cottagers have conceded a quartet of strikes in five of their last 15 games

Few football watchers will be expecting anything but an Arsenal win at home to Fulham, with the Gunners priced up as skinny 2/9 favourites.

The west Londoners have never won away to the Gunners and have lost all of their matches against the current Premier League top ten so far this season, which suggests this clash is the home banker of the weekend.

Arsene Wenger's side made sure the bookies suffered a bloodied nose with their 2-1 win against Aston Villa, as they became the seventh top-seven side to win during gameweek 21, but that narrow scoreline masked Arsenal's true dominance in the Midlands.

Wenger's charges helped themselves to 64 per cent of possession against Paul Lambert's Villans, who didn't manage a shot on target until after the break, by which time they were two goals down to the cruising visitors.

Arsenal eased off in the second-half, with a pair of substitutions disrupting their flow before Christian Benteke's 76th-minute consolation, but they'll be focused to the final minute back in front of their own fans.

Fulham have conceded four or more goals in a match on six separate occasions since the end of October, with Arsenal's top-four rivals Liverpool, Everton and Manchester City each putting exactly that amount past the Cottagers during the last two months of 2013.

Even relegation-threatened Sunderland – who travelled to Craven Cottage as the joint-lowest away scorers in the league – slammed four past Rene Meulensteen's men last time out in the league and Arsenal are taken to go one better than in their 3-1 stroll in west London earlier this season by bagging four or more in this fixture at 11/5.

Olivier Giroud returned to action in rude health at Villa Park, having missed the Gunners' previous pair of outings through illness, and struck his side's second goal a minute after Jack Wilshere had slid in for the opener.

The French international looks a likely candidate at 5/2 to break the deadlock in a Premier League match for the sixth time this season, with fellow forwards Nicklas Bendtner and Yaya Sanogo still out injured.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.



http://news.ladbrokes.com/en-gb/football/premier-league/arsenal-primed-for-four-star-thrashing-of-struggling-fulham_184161.html

WhiteJC

 
Fulham target told to let his football do talking

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has told Ravel Morrison to let his football do the talking after Fulham claimed he wanted to move to them.

Fulham have had one bid turned down for the talented England Under-21 international who believes he is due a big pay day after breaking into the Hammers first-team on a regular basis this season. West Ham have still yet to make Morrison the firm offer of a new contract or a pay rise to his £15,000-a-week wages, which put him among the lowest earners in the first-team squad. Morrison is fit again and available to return but Allardyce has warned the midfielder that he needs to do his talking on the pitch now.

The West Ham boss told www.thisislondon.com: "Ravel Morrison has been in the news again this week, particularly following [Fulham boss] Rene Meulensteen's comments. "I am unable to talk specifically about Rene's remarks because they are subject to a Premier League investigation but I can speak about the player in general. "From our point of view, it's about making sure that, when selected, Ravel returns to the sort of form we saw from him earlier on this season. "He has had a few niggling problems with his groin in recent weeks and that has caused a dip in his performances.

"He will get his opportunity again and is in the squad for tomorrow's game against Newcastle but when that chance comes, he has to grasp it the same as all the players here. "In the position we're in, no player can be guaranteed his place in the team unless he's playing his best.

The Hammers boss believes there has been far greater media attention on Morrison than his career and experience warrants and far more than other young, talented players like Southampton's Luke Shaw have had to endure.

"Ravel is certainly a budding talent but not proven as yet," added Allardyce. "His contract situation, which is under negotiation like with any other player, has only added fuel to the fire."

Read more at: http://www.clubcall.com/fulham/fulham-target-told-to-let-his-football-do-talking-1696623.html?

WhiteJC

 
Fulham transfer round up: Berbatov not joining Arsenal, Dembele could return plus a different Paulinho?



Bulgarian maverick could stay put, ex-Cottager may be on his way back plus a Brazilian striker could arrive on loan.

Dimitar Berbatov's much-touted move to Arsenal appears to be off after Arsene Wenger made a bid seem unlikely, according to London 24.

The veteran striker has been tipped to fire the Gunners to title glory but Wenger said: "Do I rate Berbatov as player? Highly. Have we made any approach to sign Berbatov? No.

"I don't think [we would look to sign Berbatov] because we have [Nicklas] Bendtner who is coming back, we have Yaya Sanogo who is making very good progress in training.

"Of course we have lost Theo Walcott and that for us was a big blow. Hopefully we can compensate, but we have not made any approach [for Berbatov]."

This will come as a huge boost to Rene Meulensteen who will be banking on the Bulgarian's goals to ensure Fulham can stay in the Premier League.

Mousa Dembele could make a surprise return to Craven Cottage after a year and a half at Tottenham Hotspur, according to Ladbrokes News.

The Belgian midfield maestro cost Spurs £15m but has struggled to hold down a first team place.

With manager Tim Sherwood preferring to play only two central midfielders and the emergence of youngster Nabil Bentaleb, Dembele could be forced out of the door at White Hart Lane.

The 26-year-old would represent a huge coup if Meulensteen could convince him to return.

Dembele's fellow Spurs midfielder Paulinho won't be following him, but somebody with the same name could be making an appearance in the white of Fulham soon, according to Tutto Mercato.

The Italian website reports that Livorno striker Paulinho, 28, is a target for Meulensteen.

Fulham have approached the Serie A strugglers about a possible loan bid for the Brazilian who has 48 goals in 130 games for the club since joining in 2005.

He has previously impressed out on loan at Grosseto and Sorrento.

Cottagers target Ravel Morrison has attempted to distance himself from the speculation surrounding his possible move, according to the BBC.

The midfielder said: "I always try to keep my focus on the next game and show people with my performances that I want to do well for West Ham United.

"I've been working really hard over the past few weeks to get back to full fitness after missing a couple of recent games with a groin injury.

"I'm feeling fine now and I'm hoping to be involved in Saturday's important game with Newcastle and then the Capital One Cup semi-final with Manchester City on Tuesday."

Fulham are still waiting to hear from the Premier League about any possible punishment following West Ham's complaints after Meulensteen claimed Morrison wanted to move to Craven Cottage.

Meanwhile, the Daily Express have reported that Meulensteen is also trying to lure Mohamed Diame from Upton Park.

The bid which the Fulham manager said was "knocked back" was reported to be a £7.5m offer for both midfielders, something which West Ham were clearly reluctant to accept.

It would be a major shock if Sam Allardyce's team agreed to let two regular first-team players depart for their relegation battle rivals.

Fulham have also been knocked back in their approach to Leicester City for Liam Moore, according to the BBC .

The 20-year-old centre-back has featured in 22 of the Foxes' 25 league games this season and is extremely highly rated by the Midlands club.

Elsewhere Bryan Ruiz completed his loan move to PSV Eindhoven for the rest of the season according to the Mirror.

The 28-year-old Costa Rica captain had struggled to impress this season and Meulensteen decided it was for his own good that he goes somewhere to play regularly ahead of the World Cup.

Finally, Fulham have missed out on target Ryan Bertrand, who completed a loan move to Aston Villa from Chelsea, according to Sky Sports.

image: © nicksarebi



http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2014/01/17/jp-fulham-transfer-round-up-berbatov-not-joining-arsenal-dembele/?


WhiteJC

 
Transfer news: Fulham offer extension to Muamer Tankovic as interest grows

Fulham have offered a contract extension to Swedish attacking midfielder Muamer Tankovic as the 18-year-old generates interest across Europe.

Tankovic moved to Craven Cottage from Swedish club IFK Norrkoping in the summer of 2013 and made his first-team debut in Fulham's 3-0 FA Cup replay victory over Norwich on Tuesday.

The highly-sought after forward came on to replace compatriot Alexander Kacaniklic three minutes from time and Fulham are now keen to fight off European clubs.

With only six months left on his present contract, Tankovic's agent, Fabio Alho, claims several clubs have registered interest, with Premier League rivals Arsenal and Tottenham said to be preparing a move for the talented playmaker.

Despite all the speculation, Alho insists Fulham are eager to secure Tankovic's services and have offered him an extension.

"Fulham are very pleased with Tankovic and consider him to be a big prospect for the future," Alho told Sportbladet.

"They certainly want to keep him. We will meet them and negotiate."

Although media reports continue to link Tankovic with a move away from Fulham, Alho refused to confirm which clubs have made contact.

"I do not want to talk about that, but it does not sound impossible," he said.


http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/9120901/?

WhiteJC

 
Three targets who Fulham should spend their Ravel Morrison war chest on
This talented trio would be of greater benefit to the Cottagers' team than the West Ham man.

Fulham have recently risked the wrath of Sam Allardyce by going public about their £10m bid for Ravel Morrison.

Such a frittering of cash would be unwise for a club in the Cottagers' – evens to be relegated from the Premier League this season – position, with the player well short of the required level to carry an endangered side to safety by himself.

Much more than one arrival is required, so blowing a chunk, if not all, of the transfer kitty on one man is too risky.

Instead, we've sounded out three men that would improve every aspect of their side that, collectively, would likely cost less than the fortune they're prepared to pay for Morrison.

Martin Kelly
The Liverpool youngster has had his progression curtailed by a knee injury last term, but made his return to the first-team fold in the recent FA Cup win over Oldham.

In the 16 Premier League games that Kelly has started, the Reds recorded seven clean sheets.

He boasts an excellent positional sense to compensate for a lack of pace and his commitment is exactly what the club require in their fight for survival.

A loan move would benefit both the player and his club.

Robert Snodgrass
The Scottish winger can provide the much-needed midfield vibrancy and creativity that Rene Meulensteen hoped his top target would add.

Averaging 38 passes per game, he's got an eye for fashioning chances, and the 2.6 key balls he plays each time he takes to the field is double the number of Fulham's leading orchestrator, the outbound Bryan Ruiz.

Demba Ba
Widely tipped to depart neighbours Chelsea this winter, the Senegalese hitman is well worth Shahid Khan getting his wallet out for.

The 28-year-old thrives as the big fish in an under-sized pond and pairing him with Dimitar Berbatov could be the tonic to cure the club's goalscoring woes.

Fulham to be relegated @ Evens


- See more at: http://bwinbetting.com/leagues/premier-league/targets-fulham-spend-ravel-morrison-war-chest,50970.html?#sthash.Ba6OLbeX.dpuf