Friday Fulham Stuff (13/03/15)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Are Derby Extracting the Urine?
   
The reason I ask is that, today, the Championship side have featured in two pieces of gossip relating to taking a striker to Pride Park.

Chasing promotion back to the Premier League, it`s been implied that the club managed by Steve McClaren, made an enquiry for the Blackburn Rovers forward Jordan Rhodes this morning.

The word on the street is that any such enquiry was met with a muffled response from those in charge a Ewood Park.

Then gossip broke suggesting that to aid their promotion push, Derby were now looking at taking Ross McCormack, from Craven Cottage, to Derbyshire.

Now some might say that Derby are showing some initiative by trying to ensure they get the jump on the other promotion candidates.

However, by offering to take either of these players on loan, with the proviso that they will only purchase them if Derby are successful in gaining promotion this season, doesn`t sit well with me.

Like the article title says, it reeks of extracting the urine to me!


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=392122#ixzz3UC8qaK6h

[WhiteJC]

 
Another ramble, this time about Fulham's lack of attacking purpose

Curiously, I'm going back to the Grantland well.  This is an article I read the other day and is about basketball.  What?  No problem. The point is that in basketball there's a new emphasis on moving the ball quickly so as to create open three point shots (three point shots being those taken from distance):

NBA teams are increasingly addicted to 3-point shooting. That's been common knowledge for a while. The feeding of this addiction has changed the way entire offenses are run. Out with the ball-stoppers, in with the ball-movers.

The sneaky thing about NBA 3s is that they demand cooperation. While only 52 percent of the league's 2-point field goals involve an assist, 84 percent of 3s involve an assist. As the league increases its appetite for long-range shooting, it must also ramp up its passing. Moving the ball has never been more important, and systems that keep the ball in motion effectively have never been more successful.
What does this have to do with anything?

A lot, I think.  I haven't seen nearly as much of Fulham as I'd have liked this year, but my abiding image is of Ross McCormack taking stupid shots from miles out, shots which would have limited chances of success even if he had a clear sight of goal, which he generally doesn't have at the time.  And if we cast our minds back, remember Martin Jol's 4-2-3-1?  The defining experience as a spectator was to sigh with disbelief as the players' flexible attacking roles led to widespread confusion and a lack of penetration and cohesion.  Ponderous was another word.

A key part of football is, of course, space.  In defence you need to restrict it; in attack you need to make it.  Fulham have, for some time, not had it in them to counter attack.  Counter-attacks are a good way to find space: draw a team onto you, leaving space behind them, then hit them when they're on the front foot and kill them before they recover.  (This was the classic Eastern European philosophy in the 1970s and one of the best things I've ever read about football was an article in a book by Eric Batty about how the Czechoslovakie team of the 70s learned to counter attack.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSujPFUetqg#t=107

That's not the greatest example but I wasn't going to spend ages searching. Red Star Belgrade from 1991....

If you're not going to counter attack you need to find other ways to create space.  Under Roy Hodgson this was done through cohesive teamwork: lots of balls into Zamora, who would then bounce them into the path of a cutting Damian Duff (hard to defend moves played out with such rapid precision) or clever patterns in wide areas that either freed Konchesky to cross or created pockets of space for a Gera or a Dempsey or even a Davies. Hodgson's teams made space using pre-rehearsed routines that didn't find opportunities every attack but which were adaptable enough to be recycled into a second or third phase (Murphy outstanding here) to continue that precise probing.  There was a direction to it, a purpose.

A typical high speed Duff attack (what a player he was)

I mentioned coincidence football the other day and there's an element of the playground to proceedings.  Players playing off the cuff, improvising, seeing what they can see.  With no pace you're relying on moment of genius or accidents. Now, clearly not all goals under Hodgson or even under Jol were well crafted acts of beauty, but the trick was a decisiveness and a purpose that is entirely missing.  This is an area where you can absolutely point at the coach.  No, he doesn't have the Hodgson touch or Jol's Diarra-Dembele-Murphy-Dempsey-Zamora setup (did that combination play much? It ought to have done), but he can find ways to make more incisive attacks.

Part of this lament relates back to the age old point about balance: if your defence is weak you end up over-compensating by pulling back too many attacking players.  That said, Fulham have uniquely in recent times managed to get neither correct.  This was Martin Jol's genius, or lack thereof: give the team a more attacking outlook without scoring more goals (but conceding lots more!).  We've never got that hard-to-beat vibe back, and are presently in a hapless battle for control of football matches that invariably ends with the team being outshot and outscored.  You don't conced five goals five times if you can defend, but arguably you don't concede five goals five times if you can attack, either.

As the initial article pointed out: "systems that keep the ball in motion effectively have never been more successful."  Fulham have got away from this.


https://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2015/03/11/another-ramble-this-time-about-fulhams-lack-of-attacking-purpose/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham Boats – New departure time and a second boat

Our first boat has now sold out and names are being taken for a second vessel. Due to the tides the boats will now depart from Kew Pier at 10:30


We are running a boat(s) to our local Derby clash away to Fulham on Good Friday 3rd April

The first boat has been booked to take us down river from Kew Peir, which is located on the (South side of Kew Bridge) will now due to the tides, depart at 10:30 (not at 11:00) and arriving at Putney Pier (South side of Putney Bridge) between 13:00 and 13:15.

This could be a vital match in Brentford's push for promotion so make sure you are amongst the five thousand plus Bees there.

If you are going, there's no better way to go than a boat trip down the Thames and a chance to see all the famous landmarks – Houses of Parliament, London Eye, HMS Belfast.

There will be a pay bar on board and there should be sausage and bacon butties available. Please note that the boat is one way and you will have to make your own arrangements for the return journey.



Prices are £10 adults.


For those that have booked please catch Jim Walsh before the Cardiff or Millwall games. £10 each please!!

If you are interested please email the travel co-ordinator Jim Walsh on [email protected]


http://bias.org.uk/2015/03/11/fulham-boats-new-departure-time-and-a-second-boat/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Sheffield Wednesday: Smith primed for Hillsboro' return


Flashback: Lee Probert show's Matt Smith the red card for his challenge on Reda Johnson

Should Matt Smith be selected up front for Fulham this weekend, the big striker will be hoping to stay on the pitch longer than he did the last time he played at Hillsborough.

Almost fourteen months ago, the 6ft 6ins forward was dismissed by referee Lee Probert within 60 seconds of coming on as a substitute in the Owls' 6-0 thumping of Leeds United for an aerial challenge on skipper Reda Johnson.

After Smith's red card, Leeds went on to concede four more goals as Wednesday recorded their biggest-ever Yorkshire derby victory against their local rivals.

Leeds appealed Smith's sending off but the decision was not overturned by the Football Association.

Now, having opened his Fulham account on his Craven Cottage debut in their 5-1 mauling at the hands of Bournemouth, Smith hopes his second-halfperformance will persuade manager Kit Symons to hand him a starting spot.

Smith, who enjoyed a productive loan spell at Bristol City earlier this campaign, said: "I made my Cottage debut and it didn't go the way I would have wanted it to go.

"But you've got to take the small positives and move on collectively as a group and make vast improvements in time for Sheffield Wednesday."



http://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/sheff-weds/sheffield-wednesday-smith-primed-for-hillsboro-return-1-7150736

[WhiteJC]

 
Sheffield Wednesday: Gray's mean backline close in on club-record

Sheffield Wednesday will be bidding to equal their club record of 17 clean sheets in a league season when they entertain under-achieving Fulham this weekend.

The Owls boast the second meanest defence in the Championship, having conceded 34 times in 36 fixtures. Only Middlesbrough (26) have shipped in fewer goals.

If Wednesday blunt Fulham and Wolves' forward lines in the next two matches, Stuart Gray's men will surpass the previous record of 17 clean sheets set by Jack Charlton's team 36 years ago. Indeed, the Owls have recorded an impressive 18 shut-outs in all competitions.

Head coach Gray told The Star: "We've kept 16 clean sheets and that's a fantastic achievement but we've got to stick the ball in the net at the other end a little bit more, especially at home."

With skipper Glenn Loovens and Jose Semedo sidelined by injury, you could have forgiven Wednesday if they had struggled to pick up positive results without two of their most experienced players. However, the team have coped admirably without the pair and Gray has praised the squad's togetherness.

"We've got some big characters missing but the guys who have come in have done well," he said. "The boys just don't know when they are beaten."

Gray hopes Wednesday have learned from the defensive mistakes they made against Blackburn Rovers in their last Hillsborough outing. Jordan Rhodes and Adam Henley punished slack marking to put Rovers two nil up after 26 minutes. Those strikes left the Owls with too much to do, although they reduced the deficit after the interval through substitute Chris Maguire.

"We had a 10 minute spell against Blackburn where we gave them a two goal lead," said Gray. "We can't allow slow starts like that and end up having to chase a game.

"I'm still a little annoyed we didn't get anything out of the Blackburn game as I thought we did enough to get a draw at the end.

Wednesday take on fourth-from-bottom Fulham, relegated from the Premier League last season, chasing a fourth victory from their last five matches. Saturday's hard-fought triumph at Blackpool lifted Gray's men up to 10th in the table with 10 games remaining.

The gap between the Owls and the top-six is 13 points, but Gray refuses to give up hope of a late promotion tilt.

"Until it is mathematically impossible, we will keep going as there are enough games and points to play for," he stressed. "My challenge to the players is let's see where this run can take us.

"We've got to keep believing. I want us to finish as high as possible.

"I don't want the season to fizzle away and the players won't allow that to happen."


http://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/sheff-weds/sheffield-wednesday-gray-s-mean-backline-close-in-on-club-record-1-7150212

[WhiteJC]

 
Sheffield Wednesday: Hutchinson winning Fulham fitness battle

Combative midfielder Sam Hutchinson is winning his battle to be fit to face troubled Fulham.

The Owls player was taken off in the 18th minute of Saturday's hard-fought victory at Blackpool after suffering a foot injury.

Ex-Chelsea youngster Hutchinson left Bloomfield Road wearing a protective boot, with Wednesday boss Stuart Gray saying his foot was "very tender" and "swollen", prompting the club's medical team to send him for a scan.

But The Star understands Hutchinson will take part in first-team training today as he looks to prove his fitness ahead of this weekend's Hillsborough clash with relegation-threatened Fulham.

It would be a major plus for Wednesday if Hutchinson is available for selection, given midfield enforcer Jose Semedo remains on the sidelines because of a foot problem.

Gray said: "Jose [Semedo] is struggling to put weight on his foot so it sounds like it's going to be weeks rather than days."

If Hutchinson fails to shake off his foot knock, Gray could hand a first-team recall to Marnick Vermijl and move Kieran Lee into the middle of the park.

Filipe Melo, an unused substitute against Blackpool, was given a run-out in the Owls' development squad's goalless draw at Coventry City yesterday. The midfielder, who has played just once since arriving from Portugese side Moreirenses last month, featured along with Lewis Buxton and Rhys McCabe.


http://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/sheff-weds/sheffield-wednesday-hutchinson-winning-fulham-fitness-battle-1-7150893

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham Set To Sell Out: Massive Demand For Easter Clash

Brentford fans have ensured that there will be an almighty turnout at Craven Cottage on Good Friday, having snapped up more than 4,000 tickets in just 72 hours.

The Bees travelling red and white army have been outstanding this season, travelling all over the country in impressive numbers to get behind the side, and witnessing some outstanding wins along the way... But Fulham is going to be extra special as we look to complete the Double over our rivals.

Fulham have put aside 5,100 away tickets in total for the highly anticipated derby, but it appears that these may completely sell out after the home game with Cardiff this weekend... If not before. This will leave some still demanding a ticket.

It would appear that requests would then have to be made for an even bigger allocation for a match that, judging by the sales figures to date, could attract over 7,000 away fans if tickets can be secured... Either way, just like we did at Brisbane Road last season... the Bees will be turning up, and taking over.


http://beesotted.co.uk/?p=15306

[WhiteJC]

 
Bas Dost: Former Fulham Boss Felix Magath Reduced Us To Puddings

Wolfsburg striker Bas Dost has revealed that former Fulham manager Felix Magath is a hard task master and his training methods test the resolve of even the fittest of players.

Magath was appointed to lead the then Premier League outfit Fulham to safety in February last year, but the German couldn't help the club in their quest for continued top division status and they were eventually relegated.

The 61-year-old was in charge of the London outfit for a few months in the Championship before he was relieved of his duties in September, following a disastrous start to the season.

The German manager has the reputation for being a hard task master, whose training regime often test the resolve of the fittest of his players and his time in England wasn't bereft of such charges.

Magath was instrumental in bringing the current Bundesliga sensation Dost to Germany, as he signed the Dutchman for Wolfsburg during his time at the helm of the club in 2012.

And the Dutchman has revealed that Magath is indeed a very hard task master who always likes to be in control of everything.

"Magath wants to have control of everything", Dost exclusively told Inside Futbol.

"The players never know what will happen next and this confusion is his power.

"I remember my first training camp with Wolfsburg. We were in Glucksburg, on the Baltic Sea. At 7am the phone rang. My muscles were full of pain after the previous day's training.

"We went with the bikes to an athletic track. We were split into groups of four and then we had to do two laps as quickly as possible.

"After two rounds, 800 metres of reckless riding, we got a minute's break. Then we had to start again. We did it another eight times.

"At the end we were like puddings."

Dost is currently on fire at Wolfsburg and has scored 13 goals in his last ten games, including an impressive brace against Bayern Munich.


http://www.insidefutbol.com/2015/03/12/bas-dost-former-fulham-boss-felix-magath-reduced-us-to-puddings/194447/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Zat Knight signs for the Royals

Experienced defender arrives at Hogwood Park

Reading Football Club have signed experienced defender Zat Knight until the end of the season.

The central defender, 34, has made more than 430 career appearances, with in excess of 350 in the Premier League.
He is also a two-time England international and will supplement Manager Steve Clarke's defensive options between now and the end of the campaign.

Welcoming Zat to the club, Clarke said, "With the team currently in the middle of a really hectic schedule I felt it was prudent to bring another experienced defender to help share the load. When I heard that Zat was back in the UK and looking for a club I felt he would be a perfect fit. He brings a wealth of experience, good attributes as a defender and good references from previous clubs. It's a sensible deal for both club and player and we look forward to Zat playing his part in helping the team to finish the season on a high note"

Zat began his football career in London with Fulham, playing more than 150 times for the Cottagers. He then moved to Aston Villa for £3.5million, spending two years in his native Midlands before a £4million move to Bolton. He spent five successful years in the North West before a move to the MLS with Colorado Rapids.

We await international clearance from the football authorities but are hopeful this will come through soon – and we would like to wish Zat the best of luck here at Madejski Stadium.



Read more at http://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/article/zat-knight-signs-for-reading-football-club-2329483.aspx#ccmCmd0v35mJQHlu.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Defeat For De La Torre

Luca De La Torre's United States Under-17s will need to go through a play-off match to secure their spot at the 2015 FIFA World Cup after losing 1-0 to Jamaica in the CONCACAF U17 Championship on Wednesday.

De La Torre played 72 minutes of the game before being replaced by McKinze Gaines, by which point Jamaica had already struck the winning goal when Nicholas Nelson converted from the penalty spot following a handball by Hugo Arellano.

United States and Jamaica finished level on points in Group A, but the head-to-head record between the two sides saw the Reggae Boyz finish above their opponents in the standings.

America now have to wait and see who they face in Sunday's play-off.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/march/12/defeat-for-de-la-torre?

[WhiteJC]

 
Michael Turner: Fulham sign Norwich City defender on loan

Fulham have signed Norwich City centre-back Michael Turner on loan until the end of the season.

The 31-year-old former Hull and Sunderland man has made 24 appearances for the Canaries this season but has not featured since 7 February.

"As soon as I learned of Fulham's interest I wanted to come here straight away," Turner told the west London club's website.

"I just want to try and make a big influence on the team."

Fulham are 21st in the Championship table, eight points above the relegation zone.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31860959

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham delighted with speculation over ex-Leeds striker

Mac boost from Derby link


Bring it on: Ross McCormack linked with a move
Fulham boss Kit Symons is only too happy £11m forward Ross McCormack has been linked with a move to Derby.

The rumour mill has it Rams are keen to remove the Scotland international from Craven Cottage and boost a side with Premier League ambitions. Apparently, Derby have been turned down over an approach for Blackburn's Jordan Rhodes.

The Whites gaffer offered an emphatic single-word 'no' over any move for the club's top scorer, looking to add to his 12-goal tally at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday - but admitted it was encouraging his player is in demand.

"If there is speculation it gives players a bit of a boost, really - and I'm sure that's the case for Ross," offered Symons.

"It makes them feel wanted. Certainly, Ross is very wanted here. He's never mentioned it, and he's been the same in training and for games, and long may it continue."

Fulham and McCormack hope to bounce back from the horror show of a 5-1 defeat to Bournemouth last Friday when they run out on the dodgy Hillsborough surface.

Symons said: "The last three games, there were excellent performances in two out of the three against three very good sides.

"Bournemouth was a really poor performance and a shocking result. We beat Derby deservedly, and should have got something out of Watford.

"There is a lot of reports that the pitch is not conducive to silky soccer, and we'll take that into account - and have a game plan to get a result."


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-delighted-speculation-over-ex-leeds-8827092?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham to sign new defender as Kit Symons shoots down Ross McCormack loan talk
FULHAM are on the verge of landing a defender with "Premier League experience" on loan, according to Kit Symons.


NO CHANCE: Kit Symons has played down speculation Ross McCormack could leave on loan [GETTY]
The Cottagers lost 5-1 to Bournemouth at Craven Cottage last Friday and only rock bottom Blackpool have conceded more goals this season.

Symons takes his side to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday and the new man should be available for selection.

When asked about loan signings at his pre-match press conference, Symons said: "We're hopeful for one today. Fingers crossed that all the paperwork gets sorted today.

"We're looking at bringing in a defender with good Championship and Premier League experience."

Shock reports emerged this week suggesting striker Ross McCormack could leave the club on loan before the end of the season.

The Scot has been influential for Fulham since signing from Leeds last summer and Symons insists the transfer talk is rubbish.

He added: "You look to keep your best players and Ross is one of them for us.

"Speculation gives the players a bit of a boost because it makes them feel wanted.

"Certainly Ross feels very wanted here but when you see it about other people, even if it is just speculation, it gives them a bit of a boost.

"He's never once mentioned it and he's been exactly the same in training and in games for us and I expect that to continue."


http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/430355/Fulham-sign-new-defender-Kit-Symons-shoots-down-Ross-McCormack-loan-talk

[WhiteJC]

 
Derby County handed blow in race to sign ex-Leeds United striker

Derby County have been handed a significant blow in their pursuit of Fulham striker Ross McCormack, according to the Daily Star.

Fulham boss Kit Symons has ruled out a loan move away for McCormack, and has rubbished speculation linking the ex-Leeds United forward with a move to Derby County.

FLW reported the news that Steve McClaren's Derby County were eyeing a move for the forward, however it now seems that a move will not materialise.

Speaking to the Daily Star, Fulham boss Kit Symons said:

"You look to keep your best players and Ross is one of them for us.

"Speculation gives the players a bit of a boost because it makes them feel wanted.

"Certainly Ross feels very wanted here but when you see it about other people, even if it is just speculation, it gives them a bit of a boost.

"He's never once mentioned it and he's been exactly the same in training and in games for us and I expect that to continue."

Fulham currently sit in 21st position in the Sky Bet Championship, having accumulated 39 points from 31 league games.

It has been an abysmal season for the London club, and it is no surprise to see the Fulham boss come out and say McCormack will be staying.

The Scotland International has failed to reach the sort of form he showcased at former club Leeds United, with the Fulham striker only managing to score 12 goals this season.


http://footballleagueworld.co.uk/derby-county-handed-blow-in-race-to-sign-ex-leeds-united-striker/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Kit's Sheffield Wednesday Preview

Kit Symons has said that the Whites are ready to put up a fight when they travel up to face Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday (3pm).

"The tempo [in training] has been very good," said Symons in the press conference ahead of the trip up to Hillsborough. "People are aware of our situation, where we are, but also I am fully aware that the way to get out of it is roll your sleeves up and have a right go. And that's what we're doing."

Following the run against three teams all vying for promotion, which resulted in one win and two losses, Fulham find themselves in 21st position in the Sky Bet Championship table with a lot of work still to do as they go into a spell of three games in eight days.

"We just haven't been winning the games," said Symons. "Some of the football's been very good. Some of our chance creation now has risen. It's just both ends of the pitch obviously and that's what we're focused on going into this run of three games now."

With matches against Sheffield Wednesday on the weekend, Leeds United at the Cottage on Wednesday night and then Huddersfield Town away on 21st March (3pm), Symons is hoping to come away with the points he knows the team are capable of taking.

"I'm confident going to every game," he Symons. "You look at the last three games. Two out of the three have been excellent performances. Bournemouth was a very poor performance and a shocking result but we beat Derby, deservedly so, and should have got something against Watford.

"They're very good teams. So I feel confident going into every game. But I'd like us to have a few more points than we got for sure. Of course I would. But we're more than capable of getting those points."

The return of Matt Smith, who scored after coming on at half-time against Bournemouth, has impressed the Whites manager.

"He's done great, Matt. He's a real good lad and a good character," said Symons. "I thought he did well when he came on against Watford and when came on at half-time against Bournemouth he took his goal very well. He could have had another one. He played well for us. So I've been delighted with him since he's been back."

In another piece of news to boost the team, Symons talked about a new loan signing: "We're looking at bringing in a defender with good Championship experience and Premier League experience as well," he said


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/march/12/kits-sheffield-wednesday-preview?

[WhiteJC]

 
Brentford to receive additional allocation of Fulham tickets with approaching 5,000 sold.

More tickets made available for Brentford fans for West London derby
Brentford FC have received an additional allocation of tickets for the Sky Bet Championship West London derby away to Fulham with more than 6,000 now available to Bees fans.
The Bees will travel to Craven Cottage for the derby on Good Friday, April 3.
The match will kick-off at 3pm.
Brentford were given an initial allocation of just over 4,000 tickets and a further 1,100 were sent as Season Card Holders snapped up the first batch in the opening three days of sales.
With demand remaining high, Brentford asked for more tickets to be sent and the total allocation available is now in excess of 6,000.
Sales are approaching 5,000 and tickets are on sale now to all Season Card Holders and Club Members.
Each person will be entitled to a maximum of two tickets.
They will then go on General Sale, again at two per person, at 10am on Monday, March 16.



Read more at http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk/news/article/fulham-v-brentford-ticket-news-2330224.aspx#gAB806VDKwCfWvsQ.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham fly player to Germany for treatment

Whites Dane is done for regards appearance at Sheff Wed


Out: Lasse Vigen Christensen (L)
Fulham have flown midfielder Lasse Vigen Christensen to Germany for treatment on a troublesome hamstring injury.

The Whites midfielder has been in the wars with setbacks to hamstrings on both legs that saw him miss a cluster of games since the New Year.

The Danish U21 international limped off just before half time in the 2-0 win over Derby two weeks ago, and the manager admits the 20-year-old is a miss they could do without against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.

Kit Symons added: "He's over in Germany getting some treatment at the moment, and he's not close at all (to a return)."

Wide-man Alex Kacaniklic is likewise sidelined for the second match running, but Jazz Richards is expected to resume at right-back after missing the forgettable 5-1 defeat to Bournemouth last Friday.

"We're very hopeful Jazz will be fine," Symons added.

The manager is expected to name a couple of changes for Hillsborough, not least a loan defender 'with Championship experience' expected to be announced imminently.


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-fly-player-germany-treatment-8829744?

[WhiteJC]

 
Turner Joins On Loan

The Club is delighted to confirm the signing of Michael Turner on loan from Norwich City for the remainder of the 2014/15 season.

The centre-back has featured in 24 matches for the Canaries this term, and has made more than 400 appearances across a career that's seen him take in spells at Brentford, Hull City and Sunderland.

He was a key member of the Hull squad that won promotion from the Championship via the Play-Offs in 2008.

Turner would be eligible to make his debut against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday. He has been assigned the number 18 shirt.

Speaking from the Club's Motspur Park Training Ground, Turner said: "I'm very pleased to have the deal done. As soon as I learned of Fulham's interest I wanted to come here straight away. I just want to come in and try and make a big influence on the team."

Be sure to check back later for a full interview with Michael Turner on fulhamfc.com.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/march/12/turner-joins-on-loan?

[WhiteJC]

 
Turner heads to Cottage

Fulham have completed the loan signing of defender Michael Turner from Norwich.

The 31-year-old has agreed a deal until the end of the season and will be eligible to make his Cottagers debut at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday. Turner told the club website: "I'm very pleased to have the deal done. As soon as I learned of Fulham's interest I wanted to come here straight away. "I just want to come in and try and make a big influence on the team."


Read more at: https://www.clubcall.com/norwich-city/turner-heads-to-cottage-1762110.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Can Michael Turner save Fulham's defense?

Fulham's defense has been poor. Very poor. No combination of players has been very effective. Could a loan of a veteran center back be the answer to Fulham's struggles?

Fulham have conceded 64 goals this year. Let me repeat that, Fulham have let their opponents score 64 times. That is unacceptable. They have gotten slightly better under Kit Symons, but as the 5-1 drubbing against Bournemouth shows, there's still a lot of improvement than can be had. Fans have been suggesting many things to improve the defense: switching to a flat four midfield, bringing back Dan Burn, playing more stay at home fullbacks. Each of those solutions has other problems however.

A flat four in the midfield means that one of the two best players Fulham has will either be on the bench or played out of position. It's very hard to see both Bryan Ruiz and Ross McCormack fitting into that sort of formation.

Dan Burn could help, or he could not. I don't see these players in training every day, but Kit Symons does. If he doesn't think Dan Burn is worth playing, he probably is doing so with much more information than any of us.

Playing stay at home fullbacks could work, but it also kills what little width Fulham have had in the diamond formation. And if the Bournemouth match shows it isn't necessarily a fix. Both Hoogland and Amorebieta are much more stay at home than the fullbacks that have generally plaid, and they couldn't stop that debacle from happening.

So, if the players you have aren't good enough, and you can't change your formation to help them, what do you do? You bring in someone better. The question though remains, is Michael Turner better?

He's played 22 games for Norwich this year. That squad has only give up 39 goals. If he can be a large part of one of the best teams in the division, shouldn't he be able to improve the worst defense on one of the worst teams? You would have to think so. He also has much more experience at the top levels having spent the last six years in the Premier League. Just his leadership and experience at the back should be a big help.

The one big pause behind all of this is his age. Central defenders can usually play longer than other positions, but he is 31 years old. I think we all remember the cliff Brede Hangleand fell off in his last two years at Fulham. I'd be worried about a similar fall if Turner were to become a permanent move.

With that one caveat aside, it's hard not to like this move. Even if he isn't the answer can he possibly make the defense worse? It's hard to see how.


http://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2015/3/12/8202171/can-michael-turner-save-fulhams-defense