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Saturday Fulham Stuff - 16/10/20...

Started by WhiteJC, October 16, 2020, 04:17:33 PM

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WhiteJC

Sheffield United vs Fulham preview, team news, kick-off

Rhian Brewster is set to make his Blades debut after his arrival from Liverpool, while new Fulham signing Joachim Andersen misses out after sustaining damage to his ankle ligaments; watch free match highlights shortly after full-time on Sky Sports' digital platforms and YouTube channel

Team news and stats ahead of Sheffield United vs Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday (kick-off 12pm).

Team news

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder will check on his returning international players before finalising his plans for the home game against Fulham.

The Blades have a Covid-19 issue with an unnamed player who has returned from the international break, as well as individuals nursing injuries after representing their countries.

Club-record signing Rhian Brewster is likely to make his debut following his arrival from Liverpool earlier this month. However, fellow striker Lys Mousset (ankle) remains out.

Fulham manager Scott Parker has been dealt an injury blow ahead of his side's trip to Sheffield, with both teams still searching for their first points of the season.

New signing Joachim Andersen sustained damage to his ankle ligaments in training and will join fellow newcomer Kenny Tete on the sidelines, with Parker unable to give a timescale on the recovery of either.

However, Mario Lemina has been training over the international break and could feature, while this weekend's fixture is set to come too soon for Harrison Reed.

How to follow

Follow Sheffield United vs Fulham in our dedicated live match blog. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after the final whistle.

Opta stats
    The home side has won both previous Premier League meetings between Sheffield United and Fulham, with the Blades winning 2-0 and the Cottagers winning 1-0 in the 2006-07 campaign.
    Fulham won both league meetings with Sheffield United the last time the sides faced in the 2017-18 Championship, winning 5-4 at Bramall Lane and 3-0 at Craven Cottage. A player from each side scored a hat-trick in the 5-4 triumph (Ryan Sessegnon for Fulham, Leon Clarke for Sheffield United).
    The home side has won 11 of the last 15 Premier League matches between the bottom two sides (D3 L1), with the only away win in that time coming for bottom placed Watford at Norwich in November 2019 (2-0).
    Sheffield United have lost their last seven Premier League games - they've never lost eight league games in a row in their history.
    Fulham have lost each of their four Premier League games this season, failing to score in three of them and shipping 11 goals in the process. They've never lost each of their first five games in a league season before in their history.
    Fulham and Sheffield United are the only sides yet to have led so far in the Premier League this season, while Fulham have been behind for a league-high four hours 40 minutes in 2020-21.
    Last season in the Premier League, Sheffield United conceded a goal every 98 minutes on average with Dean Henderson in goal (33 goals in 3240 minutes). Without Henderson in goal this season and last, the Blades concede on average a goal every 45 minutes (12 in 540 minutes).



https://www.skysports.com/football/sheff-utd-vs-fulham/preview/428884

WhiteJC

Klopp's wounded by 7-2 humbling, Jose's smug after big-scoring wins... and is Moyes still dancing around his home? Each Premier League boss will be in a VERY different mood as action resumes

    The Premier League is back after stars jetted off on international duty 
    The break will have given managers time to rethink their tactics and strategies 
    Sportsmail looks at the mood of Premier League bosses as club football returns

The international break has provided a breather for Premier League managers, albeit while they had everything crossed that their star players return to their clubs unscathed.

Some were flying high before the hiatus, but others desperately needed to push the reset button and rethink their strategy.

We're only four games into the top flight season but the Premier League title seems to be up for grabs after some shock results so far. Further down the table, there will be a desire to regroup. The likes of Fulham and Sheffield United have suffered terrible starts to the campaign but will be hoping to hit the ground running on their returns.

Sportsmail takes a look into Premier League managers' thinking as we return for another chapter of this unpredictable season.

Mikel Arteta - Arsenal

The Spaniard can have few complaints with how things have gone so far after three wins in four, and he'll certainly be returning to training with a spring in his step after the club landed midfielder Thomas Partey from Atletico Madrid on deadline day.

The Gunners had been after the Ghanaian star for the entire summer and Arteta finally got his man for £45million - a huge boost to a team that is already sparkling under his leadership.

With the highly-rated ball-winning midfielder in his ranks, Arsenal have a huge chance of continuing their rise up the table. Partey could be thrust straight into the action, but Arteta knows the Gunners have a stern task as they travel to Manchester City against his mentor Pep Guardiola on Saturday night. With City suffering an indifferent start to the season, Arteta will be quietly confident of getting a result.

Dean Smith - Aston Villa

Smith might still be floating around in the clouds after his players headed into the international break in the best possible fashion, demolishing champions Liverpool 7-2 at Villa Park. 

Villa's stock is exceptionally high at the moment after some smart transfer business saw them land names like Ollie Watkins, Ross Barkley and Emiliano Martinez, while the current hype around Jack Grealish - who was man of the match for England against Wales - can only be a positive for the club.

The Midlands outfit have only played three games so far but have won every single one of them. A big game against Leicester is coming up next - with Brendan Rodgers' side level on points with them - a win would make quite the statement.

Smith will be keen to keep his troops grounded, however, and should remind his stars that securing their top-flight status has to be the priority.

Graham Potter - Brighton

Potter might be alarmed when he looks at the Premier League table and sees the Seagulls in a lowly 15th after just one win this season, but you have to sympathise with the club and concede they've had a tough start.

Starting against a Chelsea side that spent £240m this summer, beating Newcastle away before somehow losing at home to United after the final whistle had been blown (due to a VAR intervention) and hitting the post FIVE times, and then coming up against the league's in-form side Everton.

He's got two winnable games against Crystal Palace and West Brom coming up -  offering a chance for his squad to show their real quality. For now Potter will be taking a cautious approach but certainly won't be overhauling his squad.

Sean Dyche - Burnley

Every year Burnley are widely tipped to go down and every year their man in the dugout pulls a rabbit out of a hat. Despite spending hardly any cash at Turf Moor - which has been the same against this term - Dyche still manages to operate outside his means.

This year, however, his streak is in danger of coming to an end. The claret-and-blue join Sheffield United and Fulham in the 'no wins' club and are in the relegation zone as things stand. With Dale Stephens his only major arrival, his side may not have the resources to pull off another miracle. 

With three goals scored and eight let in, Dyche will have been working hard on how his team will respond. He'll be aware that the team's best form may be yet to arrive as they prepare to travel to West Brom on Monday night. Lose there and the former Watford boss would start to lose a fair amount of sleep.

Frank Lampard - Chelsea

The 42-year-old Blues boss will be cursing his luck after his new goalkeeper Eduoard Mendy picked up a thigh injury while with Senegal - meaning its back to the drawing board and a forced pick between Willy Caballero and Kepa Arrizabalaga.

The £22m recruit from Rennes looked to have eased Lampard's worries in between the sticks after some calamity displays from Kepa, while Caballero hardly inspires confidence either.

But with Mendy possibly out for around two weeks, he'll have to decide which is the lesser of two evils as he faces the prospect of more chaos at the back. Mendy restored confidence to the back four in 4-0 win against Crystal Palace with a clean sheet, so his absence will be a huge worry to Lampard. Ben Chilwell's own injury niggles have also made an unwelcome reappearance.

Southampton will smell blood when they arrive at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with Danny Ings a massive threat for the Saints. Many tipped Chelsea to be battling for the title after splashing out over £200m on seven signings but it's been an up and down season so far.

Lampard's main concern will be ensuring new arrivals like Kai Havertz, Thiago Silva and Timo Werner - who is yet to score in the league - continue to gel after a slow start to their Chelsea careers.

Roy Hodgson - Crystal Palace

After masterminding a 3-1 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford on the opening day, Hodgson has been brought swiftly down to earth by back-to-back defeats against Everton and Chelsea.

But with some tough games to start the season, the veteran boss will remain optimistic after watching the potential of his side at Old Trafford. It was a 4-0 thrashing by the Blues last time out but the Eagles have a chance of recovery against Brighton, Fulham and Wolves next up.

Carlo Ancelotti - Everton

The Italian must feel as electric as his side's form after watching Everton rise to the summit of the Premier League - even though he is sure to play it as cool as ever on the outside.

Four games, four wins and top performances from just about every member of his new side make for a very happy manager. Striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin's name is on everyone's lips after bagging six goals in the league and scoring on his England debut against Wales. New signings James Rodriguez, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Allan look to be thriving in Ancelotti's recharged squad too.

The three-time Champions League winner has been around the block a few times, however, and will be wary that while Everton have played some superb football, they are yet to be properly tested. That will come next against old rivals Liverpool.

Everton have a miserable record in the Merseyside derby but couldn't have picked a better time to face Jurgen Klopp's Reds after their 7-2 humbling against Villa, but the Premier League champions are a wounded animal, so it's a perfect test to see whether Everton are the real deal.

Scott Parker - Fulham

Some bookmakers are already paying out on the Whites being relegated to the Championship and after four straight defeats and just three goals scored, it's easy to see why. Parker won't have spent his time away from his players relaxing - he'll be determined to stop the rot and get performances out of the team.

His job is to settle the team after a season of crisis so far and rediscover the form from their promotion season in 2019-20 - starting with a trip to fellow strugglers Sheffield United.

Some optimism came before the international break as Ademola Lookman arrived on loan from Bundesliga side Leipzig to bolster the squad. Parker will hope he can provide the firepower his side needs to wrest them away from the foot of the table.

Marcelo Bielsa - Leeds United

El Loco will be pleased with how his side started the season having gone into the break with a morale-boosting 1-1 draw at Man City, when his side easily could have left with three points.

Striker Patrick Bamford has scored three already to boost the team, while the quality that has been added to the team was evident after two Leeds stars - Diego Llorente and Rodrigo - started for Spain last week.

Other signings like Robin Koch have slotted nicely into the line-up, and the Argentine's aggressive tactics show his side are not willing to settle for a survival fight. The experienced manager will be hopeful of finishing in the top half but won't be brushing off the threat of relegation altogether.

Brendan Rodgers - Leicester City

Talk about blowing hot and cold. Rodgers will be fuming after his squad's fantastic early season form was cut short by West Ham, who ran away 3-0 victors at the King Power last time out in a shock result.

The Foxes had cruised to three successive wins beforehand - including a stunning 5-2 romp at Manchester City that earmarked his side as potential shock title contenders. 

Now he'll be hoping that loss to the Hammers was simply a blip, with a big test coming up at home to Dean Smith's Aston Villa, who have enjoyed a perfect start to their season.

Jamie Vardy and James Maddison have been two standouts so far for Leicester, while new signing Timothy Castagne has slotted in seamlessly. Rodgers will be eager to get his players back in to steady the ship and let them know that one result doesn't define their season.

Jurgen Klopp - Liverpool

Just when we all thought Liverpool were cruising to another Premier League title, along came Aston Villa to crush our expectations and make the league crown anyone's for the taking.

That crushing 7-2 defeat by the Villans was the worst possible way for Klopp's men to head off into the international break and the German boss will have to work out just how his side put in such an abject display.

It might be impossible for him to get his side back to their scintillating form from last year in this strange new era, but the cracks have been beginning to show from the start of the campaign after conceding three to newly-promoted Leeds.

He'll be concerned after some below-par recent displays from the previously reliable Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, but on the bright side he'll be able to call upon the quality presence of Thiago after the £20m man recovered from COVID-19.

Klopp's famously upbeat personality is rarely tamed too, and the international break will have given him time to recharge and fire up for a huge return game. New £45m signing Diogo Jota's brilliant form for Portugal will also have greatly encouraged Klopp, whose magnificent front line is getting even stronger.

The Reds face inspired neighbours Everton in the Merseyside Derby on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola - Manchester City

Just like Liverpool, Pep Guardiola's Manchester City have worries of their own with just four points from three games and signs that they aren't quite themselves at present.

Losing their first game at the Etihad 5-2 against Leicester was a real concern for the legendary Spanish boss, and he knows his side must be much improved when they welcome in-form Arsenal.

Despite splashing out hundreds of millions on defenders during his time at City, defence remains a problem area and something Pep would have been working on while his players jetted off to play for their countries.

Ruben Dias has come in from Benfica for a club-record £65m to add to his options alongside £40m Nathan Ake, but Guardiola won't be able to fix their woes at the back by simply throwing money around.

He'll also be anxious to resolve the future of Kevin De Bruyne, who says he is yet to be offered a new deal at the club. The Belgian is in sensational form and must be kept on at City. 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - Manchester United

Where to start? The Norwegian will be asking himself that same question after his side were humiliated 6-1 at home by Tottenham last time out. With the dust now settling on that result, he'll be hoping to come up with a strategy to lift the spirits and pull the team away from a cloud of negativity.

The upside to the crisis at Old Trafford is that he'll have fresh blood when his side return against Newcastle, with Edinson Cavani and Alex Telles arriving on deadline day - even if they weren't the players Solskjaer was after.

He'll be frustrated with the club's hierarchy after the failure to bring in stars like Jadon Sancho and Jack Grealish, but he has enough quality to work with for the time being to arrest their current slump.

The international break may have given him a chance to go over his line-up with several stars underperforming. Is this the chance for Donny van de Beek to prove his worth after his £40m move from Ajax?

And then there's arguably his biggest headache: what to do with Harry Maguire. His captain's form has been poor as one part of United's dismal defence, but it descended into the shambolic while away with England. Time to take Maguire out of the firing line, surely?

Steve Bruce - Newcastle

There's been plenty of uncertainty around the club's ownership throughout the season but Bruce has managed to crack on with managing the team and he'll be delighted to see his side level on points with the likes of Chelsea and Tottenham.

The Magpies have so far defied expectations for them to be relegation battlers with two wins and a draw at Spurs, while new forward Callum Wilson has given the side a new lease of life. They welcome out-of-sorts Manchester United next, with some tough games also coming against Everton and Chelsea. Bruce will hope his side can keep picking up results while flying under the radar.

Chris Wilder - Sheffield United

The Blades impressed us so much last year and made a bid for European football but look blunt so far this season. Four losses in a row has forced manager Wilder into the transfer window, bringing in Liverpool's Rhian Brewster for £23.5m.

Having scored just one goal this term there will be no eyebrows raised that he's decided to take action, with Oli McBurnie and David McGoldrick not pulling up any trees as of yet. Of course, the move is a huge risk with Brewster not yet proving he can be a hit in the top flight. Other than keeper Aaron Ramsdale, there haven't been too many other arrivals at Bramall Lane and Wilder may be forced to utilise his squad and rotate to find a winning formula.

Ralph Hasenhuttl - Southampton

This time last year the Austrian boss's head was on the chopping block after a horrendous start to the season, and he somehow survived despite a 9-0 thrashing by Leicester.

Since then he's transformed their form and kept the Saints in the league, and has now overseen a stable start to the season. He should feel confident after back-to-back wins against West Brom and Burnley, but Hasenhuttl will be aware the toughest days are yet to come as they prepare to play Chelsea, Everton and in-form Aston Villa.   

Jose Mourinho - Tottenham

The Special One rarely puts on a smile these days, but he'll have spent most of the last two weeks grinning from ear to ear - in private at least - after destroying his former employers 6-1 on their own patch.

That game saw Harry Kane score twice and continue his brilliant start to the season, and Mourinho pleaded with England boss Gareth Southgate to rest his star forward Harry Kane for the games against Wales, Belgium and Denmark.

His feelings would only have intensified after hearing that his talisman had pulled up with a muscle problem in England training, and Southgate risked the wrath of Mourinho by playing Kane for the entire match against the Danes.

He was involved in a fair bit of rough and tumble at Wembley, and if he returns to Spurs unfit or injured then it would be a big blow for the Portuguese boss, who is looking to keep the momentum going after Spurs hit 13 goals in the last two games alone.

Kane has played a key role so far - scoring three goals and laying on six assists. But what will help Mourinho feel bullish - yes, even more so than usual - is that he finally has an understudy after the club brought in forward Carlos Vinicius on loan from Benfica.

And that passive-aggressive public argument with Southgate showed Mourinho very much has his mojo back - and is always spoiling for a fight.

David Moyes - West Ham

The former Manchester United boss has recovered from coronavirus after being forced away from West Ham's last two games, but he might be tempted to continue staying at home after the team secured back-to-back wins without him.

His assistant Alan Irvine claimed Moyes was 'dancing around his apartment' after their recent 3-0 win away at Leicester, but he'll be keen to ensure his players keep up their attention levels after returning to the fold.

Moyes will have a tough job of prolonging their run, however, with the Hammers facing three daunting fixtures - away at Spurs, at home to Man City and then a trip to Liverpool.

Slaven Bilic - West Brom

Bilic has had a rude awakening back in the top flight, with the Baggies finding things tough after winning just one point in four games. The Croatian has seen glimpses of ability from his unfancied players, particularly from the likes of Mathias Pereira and Grady Diangana, but his side still look like a work in progress.

He knows his side are in for a relegation scrap this season but will look to rediscover the team that scored 77 goals en route to promotion. Bilic has Premier League experience behind him, which should be crucial in a dogfight.

When he looks at the fixture list and sees upcoming games against Burnley, Brighton and Fulham - that should provide a morale boost.

Nuno Espirito Santo - Wolves

Last season Wolves were a shining example to clubs after a swashbuckling year that saw them establish themselves as a staple in the Premier League while also narrowly missing out on a place in the Europa League.

This term, however, has served as a reality check for Santo and his players. Starting the season with a win at Sheffield United and recently beating basement boys Fulham, Wolves have, however, faltered in between and were well beaten by West Ham in a surprise 4-0 loss.

Wolves had a late finish to last term as they took part in the Europa League finals, which could have impacted fitness levels. This season the club have added more proven European pedigree to their ranks, including Barcelona's Nelson Semedo and Lyon star Marcal, which will be a big help to Santo moving forward.




https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8830929/The-Premier-League-weekend-managers-feeling.html

WhiteJC

Scott Parker wants Ruben Loftus-Cheek to fulfil 'huge potential' while at Fulham

Fulham manager Scott Parker has backed Ruben Loftus-Cheek to succeed this season at Craven Cottage, hailing his "huge potential" following his loan move from Chelsea.

The 24-year-old had been struggling to find consistent playing time at Stamford Bridge after the coronavirus pandemic disrupted his return from an Achilles tendon injury.

The Cottagers are currently rooted to the foot of the Premier League table with no points from their first four matches, but Parker believes England midfielder Loftus-Cheek can give the squad a boost.

"He's settled in really well," the Fulham boss said.

"He's come into the club from around the corner really, so from those dynamics it's been a pretty easy transition for him, he's still living in the same house so that's really good.

"Obviously as a player and as a boy he's been first class. We've now had a good 10 days with him and he's worked hard and we've brought him here because we feel like he can help us, help the team and I'm sure he'll have a big season with us this year."

Loftus-Cheek was limited to nine appearances for Chelsea in the 2019-20 season following his return from injury, of which just two were starts.

When asked whether the move to Fulham was also an opportunity for the player, Parker said: "Yeah I do. I think you're right in saying he's got huge potential.

"He now needs to be consistent with that and take that step and I feel we can offer him something here and we can help develop him as well of course and give him a platform where if he does the right thing and shows his quality.

"We can give him Premier League football and we also feel like we can nurture him and develop him and help him get to where he needs to get to."

Parker has also been dealt an injury blow ahead of his side's trip to Sheffield United on Saturday with both teams still searching for their first points of the season.

New signing Joachim Andersen sustained damage to his ankle ligaments in training and will join fellow newcomer Kenny Tete on the sidelines, with Parker unable to give a timescale on the recovery of either.



https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/scott-parker-wants-ruben-loftus-cheek-to-fulfil-huge-potential-while-at-fulham-1602858082000


WhiteJC

Scott Parker backs Ruben Loftus-Cheek to fulfil "huge potential" at Fulham

Fulham manager Scott Parker has backed Ruben Loftus-Cheek to succeed this season at Craven Cottage, hailing his "huge potential" following his loan move from Chelsea.

The 24-year-old had been struggling to find consistent playing time at Stamford Bridge after the coronavirus pandemic disrupted his return from an Achilles tendon injury.

The Cottagers are currently rooted to the foot of the Premier League table with no points from their first four matches, but Parker believes England midfielder Loftus-Cheek can give the squad a boost.

"He's settled in really well," the Fulham boss said.

"He's come into the club from around the corner really, so from those dynamics it's been a pretty easy transition for him, he's still living in the same house so that's really good.

"Obviously as a player and as a boy he's been first class. We've now had a good 10 days with him and he's worked hard and we've brought him here because we feel like he can help us, help the team and I'm sure he'll have a big season with us this year."

Loftus-Cheek was limited to nine appearances for Chelsea in the 2019-20 season following his return from injury, of which just two were starts.

When asked whether the move to Fulham was also an opportunity for the player, Parker said: "Yeah I do. I think you're right in saying he's got huge potential.

"He now needs to be consistent with that and take that step and I feel we can offer him something here and we can help develop him as well of course and give him a platform where if he does the right thing and shows his quality.

"We can give him Premier League football and we also feel like we can nurture him and develop him and help him get to where he needs to get to."

Parker has also been dealt an injury blow ahead of his side's trip to Sheffield United on Saturday with both teams still searching for their first points of the season.

New signing Joachim Andersen sustained damage to his ankle ligaments in training and will join fellow newcomer Kenny Tete on the sidelines, with Parker unable to give a timescale on the recovery of either.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/chelsea/news/scott-parker-backs-ruben-loftus-cheek-to-fulfil-huge-potential-at-fulham_418611.html

WhiteJC

Andersen suffers ankle injury

Fulham's Premier League survival bid has been dealt a huge blow after new signing Joachim Andersen suffered an ankle injury in training and is set to miss at least a month's worth of action.

The Danish international defender, signed on a season-long loan from Lyon earlier this month, picked up the injury this week at Motspur Park – meaning that his debut, anticipated to have been against Sheffield United in a crunch match at Bramall Lane this weekend, will now be delayed.

Fulham manager Scott Parker told his press conference this afternoon:

He's damaged his ankle in training over the last couple of days so he will be out for the foreseeable future really. I wouldn't want to put a timescale on it but it's going to be some weeks. We're disappointed of course because we had him for two days, we see his quality but we're going to be without him for a little time and hopefully we'll get him right, get him rehabbed and get him back to being part of the team.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2020/10/andersen-suffers-ankle-injury/

WhiteJC

Nottingham Forest sign Fulham's Knockaert on loan

Nottingham Forest have signed Fulham winger Anthony Knockaert on loan until January.

The former Brighton and Leicester wide-man only put pen to paper on a three-year contract in July in a deal potentially worth up to £15m after he helped the Whites return to the Premier League last season while on loan from Brighton.

Knockaert was signed by new Forest manager Chris Hughton for Brighton in 2016 and despite having added 13 new signings after missing out on the play-offs last season, the East Midlands club were keen to bring in another attacking player to a first-team squad that already boasts 30 players.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/nottingham-forest-sign-knockaert-loan


WhiteJC

Anthony Knockaert: Fulham winger joins Nottingham Forest on loan until January


Anthony Knockaert came off the bench in Fulham's Championship play-off final win against Brentford in August

Fulham winger Anthony Knockaert has joined Nottingham Forest on a loan deal until 7 January.

The Frenchman, 28, will be reunited with his former Brighton manager Chris Hughton at the City Ground.

Knockaert has not made a single appearance in the Premier League this season for Fulham but has started in three Carabao Cup ties.

He has won promotion from the Championship three times with Fulham, Brighton and Leicester City.

Knockaert also joins fellow Fulham team-mate Cyrus Christie at Nottingham Forest after the right-back agreed a season-long loan deal last month.

He made 45 appearances for Fulham in the Championship last season, scoring three times on their way to winning the play-off final against Brentford.

Meanwhile, Forest have also confirmed Steven Reid and Nick Colgan have joined as assistant coaches to Hughton.

Former Blackburn and West Brom midfielder Reid, 39, will combine his role of first-team coach with his ongoing commitments as one of Steve Clarke's assistant coaches with Scotland.

Colgan, 47, joins as goalkeeper coach having most recently worked with Wigan Athletic.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54576275

WhiteJC

Tony Khan's comments on Knockaert have already backfired

Fulham needed to get players off their books on deadline day, and they've managed to do just that as Anthony Knockaert has joined Nottingham Forest on loan until January, with the Midlands club holding an option to buy him in winter.

This move is somewhat perplexing, Fulham have only just spent over £10m on the winger back in July, but here we are in October and he's already been moved on.

To be fair, Knockaert didn't seem to be in Scott Parker's plans this season, failing to make a single appearance in the Premier League so far this term.

However, the question remains, why did Fulham bother purchasing him in the first place?

Tony Khan's comments when Fulham announced his permanent signing make it seem as though he thought he was a player who could help the club for years to come, but just 98 days later he's no longer with the club, and if with the Reds having the choice to make that loan permanent, he may never play for Fulham again.

"I'm pleased to announce that we've exercised our option to convert Anthony Knockaert's loan agreement to a permanent, and now Anthony will be with us at Fulham for the future!" Khan said.

"Anthony has become important to our squad since his arrival. Our loan deal with Brighton expired this month, and exercising our option ensures that Anthony will be with us for the remainder of our push for promotion this season and beyond!"

Unfortunately, 'this season and beyond' actually meant a handful of appearances at the end of the 2019/20 campaign and three games in the Carabao Cup this season. Of course, he could force his way back into the side in January, but the likelihood of that is slim considering he's not appeared once in the league this term.

Getting rid of any player you've signed just three months after his arrival is going to be seen as a dodgy decision, but it's made that much worse when Khan's comments talk about how much he will help in the future.

It's yet another black mark against the Fulham Director of Football's record, and another indicator that he may just be making it all up as he goes along, just as we said when he betrayed his transfer vow about developing others' players earlier this month.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-fc-news/knockaert-forest-fulham-transfers-tony-khan

WhiteJC

'Absolutely clueless' - Fulham fans react to Nottingham Forest move for Anthony Knockaert

Fulham have agreed to let the winger move to the City Ground on loan until January and the former Brighton player is reunited with boss Chris Hughton as Reds seal deadline day swoop

Nottingham Forest have completed the loan signing of Fulham winger Anthony Knockaert as Chris Hughton made his first signing as manager.

Hughton managed Knockaert during his reign at Brighton and adds much creativity to a Reds attack that has struggled to score goals this season.

Knockaert, who has signed on loan until January, has won promotion three times but is yet to feature in the Premier League this season for Fulham.

His arrival is the 14th signing since the end of last season in what has been a lavish outlay on transfers by owner Evangelos Marinakis as the Hughton era gets under way at Blackburn on Saturday.

But some Fulham fans have questioned the decision to allow him to leave Craven Cottage.

We took to Twitter to see what they had to say.

Cheese FFC: "Unpopular opinion, this is an L if we dont bring in an attacker."

George: "Unpopular opinion: We should've kept him.

Stuart Briers: "Amazing that £10m was spent only a few months ago, hope he does well at Forest but that £10m could have been used a lot wiser."

Morgan Calton: "Personally I'm disappointed he's gone. Think he's a better option than Kamara, Kebano and BDR on the wing, but then who am I to judge!"

James Howson: "Stupid decision this , they barely have enough as it is let alone letting one of their few creative players leave."

FFC2727: "Absolutely clueless decision. Our options out wide were poor enough without letting one go with no replacement. Shocking."

George Conroy: "Let one of our only right-wingers leave with no one coming in to replace him? This is not a good transfer imo."

Brendan Cronin: "I'd have him over Cav every day over the week."

Louis: "Sign him permanently at the start of summer just to ship him out at the end of it. Banter club us."

50-0 TBE : "Should never have signed him in the first place and now he's off within a year. Shambles."




https://www.nottinghampost.com/sport/football/football-news/absolutely-clueless-fulham-fans-react-4615213


WhiteJC


Anthony Knockaert: Nottingham Forest sign winger on loan from Fulham

Knockaert only joined Fulham in £10m deal in July; Terence Kongolo rejoins Cottagers from Huddersfield in £4m deal

Anthony Knockaert has joined Nottingham Forest on loan from Fulham until January.

The 28-year-old winger's move sees him reunite with Chris Hughton, who took charge at the City Ground earlier this month.

Knockaert played under Hughton at Brighton, where they won promotion to the Premier League together in 2017.

Fulham only signed Knockaert on a permanent deal in July, paying Brighton £10m following a successful loan spell.

The former France U21 international played 46 times for Fulham on their way to winning the play-offs last season, but had not made a Premier League appearance for them so far this campaign.

A Fulham statement read: "Everyone at Fulham would like to wish Anthony the very best of luck during his time in Nottingham."

Knockaert joins Cyrus Christie, the Fulham right-back who joined Forest on loan earlier in the window, at the City Ground.

Kongolo rejoins Fulham

Fulham have re-signed defender Terence Kongolo from Huddersfield for an initial fee of £4m plus add-ons.

Manager Scott Parker was keen to strengthen his defence following a poor start to life back in the Premier League.

Defenders Tosin Adarabioyo and Joachim Andersen joined Fulham on Deadline Day from Manchester City and Lyon respectively.

But Parker has moved once again to bolster his options with the signing of Kongolo.

The 26-year-old joined Fulham on loan in January but suffered a broken foot and returned to Huddersfield after making just one appearance for the Cottagers.

Kongolo began his career in his native Netherlands with Feyenoord and made over 130 appearances for the club before moving to Monaco and then to Huddersfield.

He made 45 Premier League appearances for Huddersfield during their two-season stint in the top-flight.



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/12105957/anthony-knockaert-nottingham-forest-sign-winger-on-loan-from-fulham

WhiteJC

Fulham complete pre-deadline signing of Kongolo

Fulham have signed Terence Kongolo from Huddersfield in a £4m deal.

Kongolo, 26, moved to Craven Cottage on loan in January but suffered an injury soon afterwards and did not start a league game for the Whites.

He returns on a four-year contract with the option of an additional year.

"I'm really happy. It's been a while, been waiting the whole day, but the end result is I can play for Fulham," he told the club website.

"I'm proud to be here and I will give everything for this club."

The deal to sign him was pushed through before Friday's domestic transfer deadline – hours after news that recent signing Joachim Andersen has been sidelined by an ankle injury.

The arrival of another centre-back is a boost for boss Scott Parker following the loss of Andersen, who recently arrived on loan from Lyon.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/fulham-signing-of-kongolo-updated

WhiteJC

TRANSFER: TERENCE KONGOLO JOINS FULHAM

Defender departs Huddersfield Town

- Terence Kongolo leaves Huddersfield Town
- Defender joins Fulham for an undisclosed fee
- Comments from Head of Football Operations Leigh Bromby

Huddersfield Town defender Terence Kongolo has today completed a move to Premier League side Fulham for an undisclosed fee.

The 25-year-old joined Town in January 2018 on loan from AS Monaco before signing permanently the following summer. During his time with the Terriers, the defender made 56 appearances, scoring once.

Terence, who joined the Cottagers on loan last season, has now re-joined Scott Parker's side on a permanent transfer.

Huddersfield Town's Head of Football Operations, Leigh Bromby, commented:

"Terence has a desire to play in the Premier League and he is a player we knew would have options to do so.

"He impressed Scott Parker during his loan spell at Fulham at the end of last season, so we are happy we could come to a deal that made sense for both clubs. In the current window and financial climate, we believe this deal represents good value for the player."



https://www.htafc.com/news/2020/october/transfer-terence-kongolo-joins-fulham/


WhiteJC

Fulham sign Kongolo

Fulham have completed the permanent signing of Huddersfield Town defender Terence Kongolo for an initial fee believed to be around £4m.

The Dutch international defender, who can play at centre back or at left back, had a short spell at Craven Cottage last season, which was cut short after he broke his metatarsal during his league debut at Blackburn. Kongolo made just two appearances for Fulham, starting in an FA Cup defeat at Manchester City and then coming on as the Whites closed out a narrow victory at Ewood Park, but Fulham kept tabs on the defender as he recovered from his injury over the course of the summer.

After completing the move, Kongolo told FFCTV:

"I'm really happy. It's been a while, been waiting the whole day, but the end result is I can play for Fulham! I'm proud to be here, and I will give everything for this club."

Kongolo has Premier League experience having starred as the Terriers survived their first season in the top flight, finishing 16th. He made seventeen appearances helping to steady the Town defence before completing a club-record deal to make the move from Monaco permanent over the course of the summer. The 26 year-old was a regular in the side as Huddersfield went down in 2018/2019 and moved to Craven Cottage on loan last January having indicated he would like to move on.

The move for Kongolo, who has won four senior caps for his country and was part of the Dutch squad that finished third at the 2014 World Cup, became all the more critical after recent signing Joachim Andersen injured his ankle ligaments during training earlier this week.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2020/10/fulham-sign-kongolo/

WhiteJC


Cottage Talk Preview: Sheffield United vs. Fulham

Take a listen to a podcast that focuses on Fulham Football Club.

In this episode, we discussed the breaking news with Fulham on Friday, which included the injury to Joachim Andersen, and the reported signing of Terence Kongolo. Later on, we talked about Project Big Picture, along with the Pay Per View controversy. We ended the show by previewing the upcoming match for Fulham against Sheffield United.


You can also listen to the show by following this link...
https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2020/10/16/21520064/cottage-talk-preview-sheffield-united-vs-fulham

WhiteJC

Fulham Confirm Terence Kongolo Signing

Fulham Confirm Kongolo Signing

Poor Premier League Start

The Cottagers could not really be worse off in their first season back in the Premier League. They are dead last in the Premier League, having gotten zero points from the first four matches. Fulham have also conceded 11, and the only three goals they have scored have come in one match against Leeds, so they've blanked in their other three fixtures.

Obviously, a lack of chance-creation has been at the heart of their issues, but so is a consistent defence. Since their last match, they have since signed Chelsea's Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Man City's Tosin Adarabioyo, and Joachim Andersen, all on loan.

Loftus-Cheek will look to help create from midfield, and the latter two will try to shore up the defence. However, Fulham owners have deemed it not enough, so Kongolo has signed from Huddersfield as well.

They play the similarly-struggling Sheffield United next on Sunday, so will they finally get their first points of the season, or will they continue in their poor vein of form?

Champions League Pedigree

Surprisingly enough, Kongolo has actually played in Europe's top competition before. Having come up in the Feyenoord academy, he then moved to Monaco in 2017, where he played for a year before moving on to Huddersfield.

In that year, he played the full 90 minutes of a group stage game against Porto as Monaco bowed out of the competition unceremoniously in what ended up being a very underperforming season by their standards.

Yes, his team may have lost, but he gained the very valuable experience of playing in the Champions League, which every young footballer dreams about. Hearing that historic anthem is something every player hopes to accomplish at some point in his career.

He will look to bring some of that top-flight experience to Fulham, as he will look to help his new side continue their Premier League stay.

What Was Said?

Speaking to the club website after putting pen to paper on the deal, Kongolo said: "I'm really happy. It's been a while, been waiting the whole day, but the end result is I can play for Fulham! I'm proud to be here, and I will give everything for this Club."



https://lastwordonsports.com/football/2020/10/16/fulham-confirm-terence-kongolo-signing/


WhiteJC

Kongolo completes move to Fulham

Fulham has confirmed the signing of Dutch defender Terence Kongolo from Huddersfield Town.

The 26-year-old was loaned to Fulham from Huddersfield Town last season, but only played once due to an injury.

Fulham has now moved to sign the Dutch international on a permanent deal. The versatile defender has signed a four-year deal.

Kongolo started his career with Feyenoord and made over 100 appearances for the club before joining Monaco. He then joined Huddersfield Town in 2018.





http://www.football-oranje.com/kongolo-completes-move-to-fulham/

WhiteJC

Fulham complete pre-deadline signing of Kongolo

Fulham have signed Terence Kongolo from Huddersfield in a £4m deal.

Kongolo, 26, moved to Craven Cottage on loan in January but suffered an injury soon afterwards and did not start a league game for the Whites.

He returns on a four-year contract with the option of an additional year.

"I'm really happy. It's been a while, been waiting the whole day, but the end result is I can play for Fulham," he told the club website.

"I'm proud to be here and I will give everything for this club."

The deal to sign him was pushed through before Friday's domestic transfer deadline – hours after news that recent signing Joachim Andersen has been sidelined by an ankle injury.

The arrival of another centre-back is a boost for boss Scott Parker following the loss of Andersen, who recently arrived on loan from Lyon.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/fulham-signing-of-kongolo-updated

WhiteJC

Kongolo Signs


The Club is delighted to announce the return of Terence Kongolo to Fulham on a permanent deal.

The 26-year-old has signed from Huddersfield Town for an undisclosed fee and agreed a contract until the summer of 2024, with a Club option to extend by a further year.

An unfortunate injury in just his second appearance for the Whites curtailed his loan spell last season, but his performance in his one start at Manchester City gave fans a glimpse of his quality.

Speaking to FFCtv after signing, Kongolo said: "I'm really happy. It's been a while, been waiting the whole day, but the end result is I can play for Fulham! I'm proud to be here, and I will give everything for this Club."

Tony Khan added: "I'm thrilled to announce the return of Terence Kongolo to Fulham FC on a permanent transfer from Huddersfield Town!

"It's great to bring back Terence, a gifted defender with Premier League experience whom we know from experience will come in and fight for our Club.

"Terence had joined us on loan in January, but unfortunately for everyone he was injured in a match not long after his arrival and he wasn't able to finish the season with us.

"Thankfully he's now made great progress towards his return, and we're excited to have Terence back on the pitch soon! Come on Fulham!"

Born in Switzerland but raised in the Netherlands, Kongolo has four full Dutch caps to his name, and was part of the squad that came third at the 2014 World Cup, aged just 20.

Primarily a centre-back who can also operate on the left, Kongolo rose through the youth ranks at Feyenoord, and was given an Eredivisie debut by Ronald Koeman in April 2012.

By the 2013/14 season he had established himself as a first choice defender in the Feyenoord backline, with his form earning him a place on the plane to Brazil.

Despite considerable interest in his services, Feyenoord managed to keep hold of Kongolo, and he played a major role in their successes over the next three seasons – most notably winning the KNVB Cup in 2016, and a first Eredivisie title in almost 20 years in 2017.

Kongolo then joined French champions AS Monaco for a reported £13.5m fee, where he was given a first taste of Champions League football.

A move to the Premier League was next, and Kongolo played a key part in helping Huddersfield retain their top-flight status in the second half of the 2017/18 season.

His form convinced the Terriers to make him their club record signing for £18m in the summer, and he departs having made 43 appearances for the West Yorkshire outfit.




https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2020/october/Kongolo-Signs/


WhiteJC

Terence Kongolo: Fulham sign defender from Huddersfield for reported £4m


Kongolo made one appearance on loan at Fulham last season

Fulham have signed centre-back Terence Kongolo from Huddersfield on a four-year deal for a reported £4m.

Kongolo, 26, joined the London side on loan in January but suffered a broken foot and returned to the Terriers after making just a single appearance.

The Dutchman joined Huddersfield from Monaco for a club record £18m fee in 2018 and played 60 games for the club.

Scott Parker's Fulham are bottom of the Premier League, without a point from four games after conceding 11 goals.

Kongolo said: "I am really happy. It has been a while, been waiting the whole day, but the end result is I can play for Fulham. I am proud to be here, and I will give everything for this club."

Meanwhile, Fulham's new Danish defender Joachim Andersen, who joined on loan from Lyon on deadline day, has been ruled out for at least a few weeks with an ankle injury.

Although the transfer window closed on 5 October for Premier League clubs to sign players from abroad, they were allowed to conduct business with Football League teams until 17:00 BST on Friday.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54578809

WhiteJC

Done Deal: Fulham bolster their defence with the late signing of ace with Premier League experience

The biggest problem for newly promoted sides always comes in both boxes, where they often struggle to find the back of the net and find that their defenders aren't good enough to deal with the added quality coming the other way.

Fulham have certainly had that problem so far since coming up and they've conceded a lot of goals, so Scott Parker will be hoping a new addition and some added time to work on things might improve things.

Terence Kongolo has spent a couple of seasons in the Premier League with Huddersfield, and it's been confirmed that he's made a late move to Fulham on a permanent deal:

He actually went to Fulham on loan last season but he picked up a bad injury in his second game which ended his season, so he'll be looking to make up for lost time.

There may be concerns that most of his top flight experience came with a team who were comfortably relegated, but he's a solid all round defender who also looks happy with the ball at this feet.

It's also handy to have defenders who are left footed so he can go out to full back if needed, and it will be interesting to see if he's able to help shore things up at the back going forward.



https://www.caughtoffside.com/2020/10/16/done-deal-fulham-bolster-their-defence-with-the-late-signing-of-ace-with-premier-league-experience/