Saturday Fulham Stuff (19/09/15)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Hutchinson to miss Fulham clash

Sam Hutchinson will be sidelined through suspension this weekend as the Owls host Fulham.

The combative midfielder picked up his fifth caution of the season during the midweek clash with Bolton and will now serve a one-match ban.

While disappointed not to have the 26-year-old available this weekend, Carvalhal says there are plenty of options to continue the good dynamic in the team.

He said: "We have players who can come in and do very well. If you ask me do I want Sam to be in the squad, of course.

"I would wish him to be in the 18 but he is not so let's give confidence to the players we have who will come in and do a fantastic job.

"I'm very happy with Sam at this moment with how he is performing but this week, he is not in the squad, I'm sorry for him because he wants to play.

"We must make this change in the midfield, that is for sure, but because we are happy with the dynamic, we'll not move the team too much.

"We believe with this kind of dynamic we are near to doing good things."


Read more at http://www.swfc.co.uk/news/article/hutchinson-to-miss-fulham-clash-2695697.aspx#dobAq5iQSCDUwSW8.99

[WhiteJC]

 
James Husband's Fulham loan likely to be extended, says Aitor Karanka

Boro boss Aitor Karanka says he prefers left-back to continue his development at Craven Cottage


James Husband in action for Boro during pre-season

James Husband's loan with Fulham looks like being extended.

The 21-year-old Boro left-back joined the London club on August 28, initially on a one month short-term contract.

However, Aitor Karanka hinted that he would like Husband to stay beyond that point to gain matchday experience.

The Boro boss has tended to give squad players a run-out in Capital One Cup ties but, ahead of Tuesday's home third round tie against Wolves, he says he already has cover for George Friend in the shape of Fernando Amorebieta.

Asked if he had plans to bring Husband back in the near future, Karanka said: "I don't know. It depends if we have injuries or if he is not happy there so.

"If everything goes in the same way I don't think we are going to change a lot of things.

"With Fernando we have cover for that position so I prefer for James to be playing at Fulham than to stay here and play just one game per month. So, for his development, it's best to play."


http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/james-husbands-fulham-loan-likely-10080264?

[WhiteJC]

 
McGugan back in the frame

Carlos Carvalhal has confirmed that Lewis McGugan will return to the squad for the visit of Fulham on Saturday.

The midfield man was omitted for the trips to Burnley and Bolton but will feature when the Owls hosts the Cottagers this weekend.

Carvalhal said: "Lewis will be back in the squad tomorrow. He has trained better than ever before and has given the correct answers after not being in the squad.

"We have two players for every position and that means players will be left out of the squad.

"But this is not a problem, it is normal to me and normal to football clubs all over the world.

"If you want a quality squad, you accept that good players will not be able to make the 18."

Carvalhal underlined the fact that such is the competition, no player will relish being left out of any matchday squad.

By the same token, the head coach stressed the positive reactions in the camp when such inevitabilities occur.

He added: "I have to say that all the players have given positive reactions. That is what we want to see.

"The training has been fantastic since the beginning of the season. Everybody wants to play, everybody wants to be in the squad.

"For those who do not play, I want to see reactions and that is what I am getting."


Read more at http://www.swfc.co.uk/news/article/mcgugan-back-in-the-frame-2696383.aspx#ePCljWTDtkFzekoO.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Sheffield Wednesday Factfile

Fulham head to Yorkshire looking to make it a hat-trick of league wins when we take on Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on Saturday (3pm).


The opposition
After a winning start to the new season under new manager Carlos Carvalhal, the Owls have gone off the boil a bit, and have failed to register a league win since. The opening day victory over Bristol City filled the Wednesday faithful with optimism but their patchy form since has seen them drop to 18th in the table.

The Owls are winless in six with three defeats and three draws in that time, and come into the Fulham game on the back of a 0-0 draw away at Bolton Wanderers in midweek.

It was a summer of change at Hillsborough, with Carvalhal bringing in no less than 15 new players, as 14 departed. New owner Dejphon Chansiri has backed his manager, with new arrivals Fernando Forestieri. Marco Matias and Lewis McGugan reportedly costing the club over £5m.

Team news
Sam Hutchinson will miss the game after picking up his fifth booking of the season in midweek, but first choice goalkeeper Kieren Westwood could return after missing the last six games with a side strain.


Tickets
Tickets can be bought from Hillsborough on the day of the match. Prices are £33 for adults, £23 for over-65s, £17 for under-17s and £14 for under-11s.


Weather
It is expected to be dry with sunny spells, with possible early morning mist and fog patches. Temperatures will be around 15 degrees come kick-off.


How to get there
Sheffield station is situated in the town centre, three miles from the ground. Trains run directly from London St Pancras and take around two hours.


Pre-match

The Railway Hotel on Penniston Road (the main A61 that runs by the stadium) welcomes away fans, and The New Barrack Tavern, on the A61 just before McDonalds on the way to the ground from the city centre, is also a favourite amongst travelling supporters.


Coral match odds
Sheffield Wednesday: 21/20

Draw: 11/5

Fulham: 12/5

Previous meeting
The two sides met back in March at Hillsborough; Matt Smith scored late on as Fulham fought back to earn a 1-1 draw.

After a poor first half in which substitute Stevie May missed the best opportunity, the Owls took the lead in the 55th minute. May met Lewis McGugan's cross and sent a header beyond Marcus Bettinelli and into the far corner.

But Fulham hauled themselves level with 15 minutes left, the impressive Ryan Tunnicliffe doing brilliantly to scoop the ball up while lying on the ground and into the path of Smith who couldn't miss from close range.

http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/september/18/sheffield-wednesday-factfile?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham defender can't go to Sheffield United - Dan Burn needed back at base

Whites centre-back needed as cover


Blades blunted: Dan Burn

There will be no loan for Dan Burn to Sheffield United.

His Fulham boss made it plain he needs all hands on deck at Craven Cottage, especially as two of his central defenders and a right-back have pulled up injured this week.

Kit Symons admitted the 6ft 7ins centre back was in demand, and hinted if it was down to Burn, he would be off to Bramall Lane for a stint.


In demand: Burn (R)

Symons said: "Dan's a good player, and there's interest from clubs.

"What I'm conscious of is doing the right thing by every player, but that goes with doing the right thing by the club.

"Dan came on for us on Sunday, and will be involved this Saturday. He's a top character who wants to play football.

"One training session or one day and you can lose players as we've found recently, and I can't do anything that would hurt the club."

The arrival of Tim Ream and Richard Stearman has pushed Burn down the pecking order, even though the Geordie has featured in five games so far this campaign.

Shaun Hutchinson, Nikolay Bodurov and Ryan Fredericks are the trio currently receiving treatment that's hit Fulham options in the back four.


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-defender-cant-go-sheffield-10082212?

[WhiteJC]

 
Sheffield Wednesday v Fulham preview


Sam Hutchinson will miss the game with Fulham

Team news for Saturday's Sky Bet Championship clash between Sheffield Wednesday and Fulham.

Hutchinson received his fifth booking of the season in Tuesday night's goalless draw at Bolton and will sit out a one-game ban so Lewis McGugan is expected to return to the squad after being omitted for the last two matches.

Goalkeeper Kieren Westwood could return to the starting line-up in place of teenager Joe Wildsmith after recovering from a side strain that had sidelined him since mid-August.

There will be a minute's silence before kick-off and both teams will wear black armbands in tribute to former England and Wednesday goalkeeper Ron Springett, who died last week.

Fulham will be without Ryan Fredericks for the game at Hillsborough.

The defender, recently recruited from Bristol City, is unavailable having sustained a hamstring injury while defenders Shaun Hutchinson and Nikolay Bodurov will be assessed.

Striker Matt Smith is nearing a return after his knee problem but Saturday's match comes too soon, and midfielder Scott Parker is still not yet ready for the first-team as he continues his recovery from ankle surgery.

Fulham are looking for a third straight league win after beating Rotherham and Blackburn in their last two outings.


http://www.skysports.com/football/sheff-wed-vs-fulham/preview/339625?

[WhiteJC]

 
Sheff Wed v Fulham

SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP
Venue: Hillsborough Date: Saturday 19 September Kick-off: 15:00 BST
Coverage: Updates on BBC Radio 5 live and BBC local radio; text commentary on the BBC Sport website

TEAM NEWS
Sam Hutchinson's fifth booking of the season in the draw at Bolton rules him out for the Owls this weekend.

Lewis McGugan is expected to replace him. Goalkeeper Kieren Westwood, back from a side strain, could start.

Fulham will be without Ryan Fredericks, who has a hamstring injury, and Shaun Hutchinson and Nikolay Bodurov are all facing late fitness tests.

Matt Smith (knee) may be back up front after recovering but Scott Parker is still not ready after ankle surgery.

MATCH FACTS
Five of the last six league meetings between these two sides have ended in a draw.
Fulham have scored in all but one of their last 13 league games against Sheffield Wednesday.
Wednesday are winless since their opening day victory over Bristol City (D3 L3).
Fulham last won three league games in a row in March 2012, while in the Premier League.
Sheffield Wednesday have scored in each of their last 10 home league games, but the last time they scored more than twice at Hillsborough was in April 2014.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34229725

[WhiteJC]

 
Show what we're all about

Having joined the Owls ahead of back to back away fixtures, Michael Turner is confident Wednesday can return to winning ways when they host Fulham this weekend.

The experienced defender joined late in the transfer window and enjoyed a productive two weeks training with the club during the international break.

Wednesday returned to action at Burnley, where Turner watched from the bench before he made his debut next time out away at Bolton.

The two games over the Pennines have filled the 31-year-old with confidence and he said:

"Fulham have picked up in the last couple of games and had a couple of wins.

"But we're at home and we need to show what we're all about and continue the performance levels from the last two games.

"I'm confident we can get a result."

Last season the towering defender made nine appearances during a loan spell with the Cottagers and on facing his former club, he continued:

"I really enjoyed my time at Fulham, they are an excellent club. I was only there for two months and thoroughly enjoyed it.

"But that time has been and gone, it's a new chapter now for me and I'm looking forward to building on my first game last Tuesday."


Read more at http://www.swfc.co.uk/news/article/show-what-were-all-about-2697162.aspx#o7ZfiMSW2zgmLb6S.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Tunners: Good Competition

As fulhamfc.com puts it to Ryan Tunnicliffe that he must be pleased his reintroduction to the side has coincided with a hat-trick of victories, Tom Cairney overhears and chimes in: "That's why we're getting the results, because he's been playing!"

"That's the consensus around the camp," Tunnicliffe replies with a smile. "Obviously I wasn't in the team at the start but I thought we were playing quite well so I couldn't have any complaints.

"Even if the results weren't quite there, the midfield was doing well so I didn't have any grounds to complain about not getting in. But I got my chance and took it quite well. I'm still in the team at the moment so hopefully we can keep going and getting wins."

There's real strength in depth in the middle of the park at the Club these days, something that's spurring Tunnicliffe on to maintain his current high levels of performance.

"Jamie [O'Hara] has been there and done it at the top level so he's obviously a good player," he said. "We've got Lasse [Vigen Christensen] who's another good player, and then there's Scotty P coming back.

"I spent six months with Tom last year and I knew as soon as we bought him what a great player he was so I was excited to be working and playing with him again.

"So there's real competition for places in midfield and if I'm playing I've got to perform well to try and keep my place."

The 22-year-old has not scored for the Whites yet, but the signs this season suggest that first goal might be getting closer after he rattled the woodwork against Sheffield United and drew a fine save from the keeper in the Blackburn Rovers win.

But Tunnicliffe doesn't mind if he's not putting it in the net, as long as someone else is.

"I've not scored as many goals as I would have liked throughout my career but I'll leave that to the likes of Rossco [McCormack] and Moussa [Dembélé] and Cauley [Woodrow]," he stated. "I'm not too concerned about goals.

"Obviously if I can chip in with a few here and there then that's better for the team, but I'm just focused on working hard for the team, getting wins, and trying to set up Rossco for goals."

Saturday's trip to Sheffield Wednesday will see the Whites looking to make it four wins on the bounce in all competitions, but Tunnicliffe anticipates a difficult test against the Owls.

"We've watched clips of them and they're decent," he admitted. "The pitch looks better than it was last season so it should be a better footballing game which will suit us as we'll be able to play.

"But they've got some decent players and they've looked pretty good from what we've seen so I'm expecting a tough game and a good footballing game."

Three points at Hillsborough could see Fulham go as high as seventh in the Sky Bet Championship, with a game in hand on those above them.

And when asked if that would represent a good start to the season, Tunnicliffe replied: "Yeah, I think so. The performances had been there earlier on, but we didn't have the luck; Brighton getting a penalty in the last minute, Cardiff equalising so late on.

"But I think we rode our luck against Blackburn in the second half, and obviously Cauley got a late goal against Huddersfield, so the luck seems to be coming for us which we didn't have before. It's coming with wins now so hopefully we can keep going and keep firing ourselves up the table."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/september/18/tunners-good-competition?

[WhiteJC]

 
Under-18s Host Gunners

Fulham will be looking to get back on track in the Barclays U18 Premier League when they take on Arsenal at Motspur Park on Saturday (11am).

The Whites went down to an unfortunate 2-1 defeat away at Southampton last time out despite going ahead through Dennis Adeniran. The visitors dominated proceedings but left empty handed in a harsh defeat.

Despite the loss, Steve Wigley's side have started the season well with three wins from five, but face a tough task when they take on Arsenal.

The Gunners have also started the campaign brightly and sit one place above the Whites having only tasted defeat once so far this season.

The North Londoners come into the game off the back of two straight wins over Brighton & Hove Albion and West Ham United, and will be eager to make it three on the spin when they face the Whites at Motspur.

Photo courtesy of Southampton FC.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/september/18/under-18s-host-gunners?

[WhiteJC]

 
FULHAM HAD PLAYERS PARTICIPATE IN THEIR OWN WWE ROYAL RUMBLE DURING PRACTICE

So there doesn't seem to be any video of this and quite frankly, I don't think I want to see any video because imagining this is so much better, but Fulham apparently organized a "Royal Rumble" for players when Felix Magath managed the team in 2014. This nifty tidbit of info came about when a fan asked the Fulham Twitter account who in the squad would win in a fight.

For non professional wrestling fans, the Royal Rumble is a yearly event every January in which wrestlers come into the ring every couple minutes and are eliminated by getting thrown over the top rope and both their feet touch the floor.

How this applies here, I have no idea. I highly doubt Fulham wheeled in a wrestling ring onto the training ground. But was this a situation where the team marked off a 10×10 foot area and the players tried to push each other out of the square as some sort of physical exercise? Was this a training exercise where if you kick the ball out of the square, you're eliminated? Either way, I have no clue what went on here and maybe, we don't want to know.

If there's anything to get out of this story, it's that to not mess with Fernando Amorebieta, no matter what this was.


http://bloguin.com/32flags/england/fulham-had-players-participate-in-their-own-wwe-royal-rumble-during-practice.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fulham-had-players-participate-in-their-own-wwe-royal-rumble-during-practice

[WhiteJC]

 
Wednesday in need of a home win

Owls Vs Fulham: Team news & preview

Sheffield Wednesday host Fulham on Saturday as they look for their first league win since the opening game of the season.

In the past week the Owls have produced encouraging displays at Burnley and Bolton but those 2 games yielded just 1 point and highlighted the need to be more clinical when on top.

Carlos Carvalhal has hinted that the Owls are set to go with a 4-4-2 approach with Forestieri playing as the 2nd striker behind either Atdhe Nuhiu or Lucas Joao. Keiren Westwood could return in goal and midfielder Lewis McGugan is in contention having had a spell out of the team. Holding midfielder Sam Hutchinson will not play as he serves a 1-match ban for picking up 5 yellow cards already this season.

Fulham are without defender Ryan Fredericks as he has a hamstring injury, striker Matt Smith remains sidelined with a knee injury and veteran midfielder Scott Parker is not yet fit to return following ankle surgery.

Former Rotherham midfielder Ben Pringle is likely to feature for the visitors and alleged Owls transfer target Ross McCormack will be a key man in the Fulham attack.

Wednesday have picked up only 3 points from 6 games since the opening day of the season and they have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 3 home league matches.

Fulham got off to a slow start but are unbeaten in 4 matches in league and cup and have won 3 matches in succession.

They last met at Hillsborough in March; a match resulting in a 1-1 draw but the Owls suffered a 4-0 defeat at Craven Cottage last season, just before Christmas.


http://www.sheffieldwednesday-mad.co.uk/news/tmnw/wednesday_in_need_of_a_home_win_870592/index.shtml?

[WhiteJC]

 
Half Time Shoot Outs

Those fans that stayed in their seats during half-time last weekend would have seen 12 young participants from Fulham Soccer Schools 'Skills Club' take part in a half-time penalty shoot-out on the Craven Cottage pitch.

Our half-time shoot-outs are coordinated by the Fulham FC Foundation, the charitable arm of the Club, which aims to build better lives through sport. The half time penalty shoot-out is a perfect way to celebrate a birthday, or to treat your football team to the experience of a lifetime!

Each group must consist of between six to eight players and comprise of junior teams (4-12 year olds). Each group will be provided with junior tickets for each participant and two accompanying adult tickets, as well as two Fulham FC chaperones to look after the group on the day. Further information on current availability is listed in the table below.

If you are interested in booking an upcoming half-time shoot-out, or require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact Fulham FC Foundation on 0870 442 5432 (Calls will cost 7 pence per minute plus your telephone company's access charge) or email [email protected].


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/september/18/half-time-shoot-outs?

[WhiteJC]

 
Wednesday v Fulham: five key battles

Fulham will be looking for a third consecutive league win when they take on Sheffield Wednesday this weekend. Here are five potential battles we think could be vital to their chances at Hillsborough.

Ross McCormack v Tom Lees
Fulham's top scorer has four goals in his last three games. Lees, an ex-Leeds centre-back who has played every minute for Wednesday this season, might have his hands full.

Jamie O'Hara v Fernando Forestieri
O'Hara has made a fine start to his Fulham career and is likely to have a key role for them in this game. Italian forward Forestrieri, who helped Watford win promotion last season, likes drop deep and can cause problems if he isn't picked up.

Tom Cairney v Daniel Pudil
Summer signing Cairney has been a spark down the right for Fulham and is likely to come up against another of last season's Watford side in Pudil, who is on a season-long loan at Hillsborough. Pudil likes to get forward, so Cairney could exploit any space left in behind.

Jazz Richards v Barry Bannan
Another of Wednesday's late additions was Scotland midfielder Bannan, formerly of Aston Villa and Crystal Palace. Richards was caused major problems by Blackburn's Craig Conway, whose left-wing deliveries worried the Whites. Richards will hope to do better against Bannan, who also has a useful left foot.

Ryan Tunnicliffe v Lewis McGugan
The suspended Hutchinson has played an important defensive role in midfield for Wednesday so far this season and they could miss the former Chelsea man. Tunnicliffe might therefore have some joy as he looks to provide support for forwards Ross McCormack and Moussa Dembele.


http://www.westlondonsport.com/features-comment/football-wls-sheffield-wednesday-v-fulham-five-key-battles