Monday Fulham Stuff (30/06/14)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Away Days: Birmingham City

Every morning for 23 days we'll be providing a bite-size profile of our upcoming opposition in the 2014/15 Sky Bet Championship season. Next up is Birmingham City.


Date: Saturday 27th September (3pm)

Recent history: Things have not been particularly rosy at St Andrew's since Birmingham won the League Cup three years ago. Relegated later that season, they finished fourth in the Championship the following term but were beaten by Blackpool in the Play-Offs. The 2012/13 campaign saw them finish 12th, while last season they avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth courtesy of a 93rd-minute equaliser on the final day at Bolton Wanderers.

The manager: Lee Clark, appointed June 2012

Player to watch: Will Packwood, centre-back

Marathonbet odds for the title: 33/1

Head-to-head record: Fulham 23, Birmingham 27, Draw 24

Previous meeting: Birmingham 0-2 Fulham (Brede Hangeland 2) Premier League, May 2011

By train: London Euston – Birmingham New Street (approx. 1 hour 25 minutes)

Five who played for both: Papa Bouba Diop, Maik Taylor, Franck Queudrue, Hameur Bouazza, Geoff Horsfield


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/june/29/away-days-birmingham-city?

[WhiteJC]

 
Interest in Bent!
   
Last season, the exploits of Darren Bent hardly made his season long loan move a rip-roaring success.

Needless to say Fulham Football Club didn`t make too many enquiries about securing Bent`s services on a permanent basis.

Instead the 31 year-old returned to his parent club Aston Villa.

It appears though that the ex-England international won`t be hanging around at Villa Park for very long with it being inferred that two Turkish clubs, Trabzonspor and Fenerbache, are both willing to pay £4 million for the player!


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=362205#ixzz363EQY5kb

[WhiteJC]

 
QPR, Fulham, West Brom, Burnley and Crystal Palace favourites to sign England international

PLENTY OF FORMER CLUBS: Stoke City's Peter Crouch

QPR are favourites this morning to sign former England striker Peter Crouch.

The 33-year-old Stoke City striker is just a 5/4 bet with bookies to end up at Loftus Road this summer.

The England striker has racked up moves as regularly as international goals against footballing minnows - previously playing for Tottenham, Liverpool, Norwich City, Aston Villa, Southampton, Portsmouth and even Dulwich Hamlet.

If he decides against a move to another former club, QPR, he appears to have other options with a move to

Crystal Palace a 9/4 bet, Fulham a 10/1 bet, followed by Burnley (12/1) and West Brom (12/1).



Read more: http://www.eastgrinsteadcourier.co.uk/QPR-Fulham-West-Brom-Burnley-Crystal-Palace/story-21305475-detail/story.html?#ixzz363EwSVhO
Read more at http://www.eastgrinsteadcourier.co.uk/QPR-Fulham-West-Brom-Burnley-Crystal-Palace/story-21305475-detail/story.html?#jSf7v9gS2lUz3eGB.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Four Fixture Changes

There have been four changes to Fulham's fixtures for the 2014/15 Sky Bet Championship season.

The home game with Brighton & Hove Albion, originally scheduled for Sunday, 28th December will now be played on Monday 29th December with an 8pm kick-off.

Elsewhere, our Cottage derby with Brentford which was set to be played on Saturday 4th April will now take place a day earlier on Friday 3rd April with a 7.30pm kick-off.

Our away trip to Charlton Athletic has been moved from its original Easter Monday date to Tuesday, April 7th (7.45pm), while the home clash with Wigan Athletic will now be played on Friday 10th April (8pm) instead of Saturday 11th April.

Supporters should note that further fixtures are subject to change.

See Fulham's fixtures for the new season in full here.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/june/27/four-fixture-changes

[WhiteJC]

 
Greece player ratings v Costa Rica: Fulham striker can't do enough

Fulham striker Konstantinos Mitroglou had plenty of chances to win it for his team at the end of the match, but failed and Costa Rica went on to win the 1-1 draw on penalties.

Orestis Karnezis 7 - Did well in goal for Greece, couldn't do much about Ruiz' goal, but otherwise a good game.

Vasileios Torosidis 5 - Failed to deal with Costa Rica defensively every time they got forward and put his team in danger.

Konstantinos Manolas 6 - Only had to deal with Costa Rica in spurts and did well for the majority of the match.

Socratis Papastathopoulos 7 - Got the all illusive goal in the 91st minute, didn't stop playing and had a superb game.

José Holebas 6 - Leaked in Costa Rica defensively down the wings and never looked good going forward.

Georgios Karagounis 6 - The former Fulham man didn't stop trying for his team but was unable to deliver anything particularly special on this occasion.

Dimitrios Salpingidis 7 - Helped out his team lots going forward and was always a threat, just never produced anything cut throat.

Ioannis Maniatis 6 - Never seemed in the game and didn't help his team much in attacking options.

Lazaros Christodoulopoulos 8 - Always looked dangerous, skipped past players with ease and set up plenty of chances for his team mates.

Andreas Samaris 6 - Scored a goal last time out, but he didn't live up to being picked for the first time. Will be disappointed with his performance.

Georgios Samaras 5 - After his penalty he should have gone to score plenty more for Greece, but provided a dull performance.

SUBS

Konstantinos Mitroglou 4 - Terrible game, could have score a hat-trick when he came on, but took none of his chances.

Theofanis Gekas - N/A

Konstantinos Katsouranis - N/A


http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2014/06/30/greece-player-ratings-v-costa-rica-fulham-striker-cant-do-enough/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Ruiz guides Costa Rica into first World Cup quarter final

BRAZIL, Recife : Costa Rica's forward and captain Bryan Ruiz (L) scores during the penalty shootout after the extra time in the round of 16 football match between Costa Rica and Greece at Pernambuco Arena in Recife during the 2014 FIFA World Cup on June 29, 2014. AFP PHOTO / RONALDO SCHEMIDT

RECIFE, June 29, 2014 (AFP) - Bryan Ruiz calmly guided 10-man Costa Rica through a tense penalty decider against Greece on Sunday and into the World Cup quarter finals for the first time in the country's history.

The Ticos' captain scored the goal that put Costa Rica ahead and also put away his penalty as the Central Americans kept their nerve to win the decider 5-3.

The two sides were 1-1 after regulation time with Sokratis Papastathopoulos cancelling out Ruiz's goal in injury time to force extra time which also ended in deadlock.

Fanis Gekas missed Greece's fourth penalty and Michael Umana converted Costa Rica's fifth to seal the historic victory.

Costa Rica looked on target to pick off a new European scalp when in the 52nd minute Christian Bolanos found Ruiz on the edge of the penalty area and the skipper turned the ball into the net.

The shot by Ruiz, whose headed goal sank Italy in the key Group D clash, was not powerful. But Greek goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis and his defence seemed to stand still and watch it go by.

The goal brought Greece out of their shells and the pressure began to tell on the Costa Ricans. Oscar Duarte brought down Jose Holebas in the 62nd minute and his second yellow card meant his immediate expulsion.

Greece poured forward but still Costa Rica held on and believed the game was theirs when Papastathopoulos struck in the second minute of injury time.

Gekas fired in a low shot which Keylor Navas could not hold and the Borussia Dortmund defender hit in an easy rebound.



http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport/Ruiz-guides-Costa-Rica-into-first-World-Cup-quarter-final?

[HatterDon]

Away Days: Birmingham City

Every morning for 23 days we'll be providing a bite-size profile of our upcoming opposition in the 2014/15 Sky Bet Championship season. Next up is Birmingham City.


Date: Saturday 27th September (3pm)

Recent history: Things have not been particularly rosy at St Andrew's since Birmingham won the League Cup three years ago. Relegated later that season, they finished fourth in the Championship the following term but were beaten by Blackpool in the Play-Offs. The 2012/13 campaign saw them finish 12th, while last season they avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth courtesy of a 93rd-minute equaliser on the final day at Bolton Wanderers.

The manager: Lee Clark, appointed June 2012

Player to watch: Will Packwood, centre-back

Marathonbet odds for the title: 33/1

Head-to-head record: Fulham 23, Birmingham 27, Draw 24

Previous meeting: Birmingham 0-2 Fulham (Brede Hangeland 2) Premier League, May 2011

By train: London Euston – Birmingham New Street (approx. 1 hour 25 minutes)

Five who played for both: Papa Bouba Diop, Maik Taylor, Franck Queudrue, Hameur Bouazza, Geoff Horsfield


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/june/29/away-days-birmingham-city?

Is this the last match Brede scored for us? If not, it's at least his last headed goal for us.

[FPT]

Away Days: Birmingham City

Every morning for 23 days we'll be providing a bite-size profile of our upcoming opposition in the 2014/15 Sky Bet Championship season. Next up is Birmingham City.


Date: Saturday 27th September (3pm)

Recent history: Things have not been particularly rosy at St Andrew's since Birmingham won the League Cup three years ago. Relegated later that season, they finished fourth in the Championship the following term but were beaten by Blackpool in the Play-Offs. The 2012/13 campaign saw them finish 12th, while last season they avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth courtesy of a 93rd-minute equaliser on the final day at Bolton Wanderers.

The manager: Lee Clark, appointed June 2012

Player to watch: Will Packwood, centre-back

Marathonbet odds for the title: 33/1

Head-to-head record: Fulham 23, Birmingham 27, Draw 24

Previous meeting: Birmingham 0-2 Fulham (Brede Hangeland 2) Premier League, May 2011

By train: London Euston – Birmingham New Street (approx. 1 hour 25 minutes)

Five who played for both: Papa Bouba Diop, Maik Taylor, Franck Queudrue, Hameur Bouazza, Geoff Horsfield


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/june/29/away-days-birmingham-city?

Is this the last match Brede scored for us? If not, it's at least his last headed goal for us.

No, I think he scored at Blackpool in the FA Cup replay last year... 90th minute to take it to Extra Time.

[Northern Cottager]

Away Days: Birmingham City

Every morning for 23 days we'll be providing a bite-size profile of our upcoming opposition in the 2014/15 Sky Bet Championship season. Next up is Birmingham City.


Date: Saturday 27th September (3pm)

Recent history: Things have not been particularly rosy at St Andrew's since Birmingham won the League Cup three years ago. Relegated later that season, they finished fourth in the Championship the following term but were beaten by Blackpool in the Play-Offs. The 2012/13 campaign saw them finish 12th, while last season they avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth courtesy of a 93rd-minute equaliser on the final day at Bolton Wanderers.

The manager: Lee Clark, appointed June 2012

Player to watch: Will Packwood, centre-back

Marathonbet odds for the title: 33/1

Head-to-head record: Fulham 23, Birmingham 27, Draw 24

Previous meeting: Birmingham 0-2 Fulham (Brede Hangeland 2) Premier League, May 2011

By train: London Euston – Birmingham New Street (approx. 1 hour 25 minutes)

Five who played for both: Papa Bouba Diop, Maik Taylor, Franck Queudrue, Hameur Bouazza, Geoff Horsfield


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/june/29/away-days-birmingham-city?

Is this the last match Brede scored for us? If not, it's at least his last headed goal for us.

No, I think he scored at Blackpool in the FA Cup replay last year... 90th minute to take it to Extra Time.

He scored the winner and Richardson actually got the equaliser :)