Tuesday Fulham Stuff - 12/01/21...

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Tosh Chamberlain (1934-2021)
Former club programme writer Michael Heatley pays tribute to a club great.

Born Trevor Chamberlain in Camden Town, Tosh – whose death was announced yesterday, 10 January 2021 – became a legend even to those who never managed to see him play. He left the Cottage for Dover in 1965, but his heart clearly remained in SW6 as he was a regular and welcome visitor to his only League club for the next five decades.

It was he who was asked to gauge the realism of the Johnny Haynes statue, for the simple reason that without him the Maestro would never have become a Fulham player. They played in the same District side as schoolboys, and Johnny spurned offers from Spurs and Arsenal to join the Lilywhites In 1950. He was Fulham's Number 10, Chamberlain Number 11; you couldn't get closer.

Unlike the much-capped Haynes, Chamberlain's international honours stalled at youth level; years later, he revealed to programme contributor Jim Sims that he once got a telegram summoning him to an England training camp, but it fell on his wedding day: 'I got my priorities right and never got asked again.'

In many ways Tosh was the perfect 'Fulhamish' player. Late FFC historian Dennis Turner memorably summed up his skills thus: 'He could hit a ball as hard as anyone in the club's history, but it did not always go where he wanted it to go.' Shades of AK47 or, slightly further back in history, Luis Boa Morte?

Nevertheless, a handsome percentage of attempts ended up in the back of the net – 64 in 204 games, including his first kick of his first start, against Lincoln in November 1954. The most prolific season was his third, 1956-57, with 15 goals in 41 games. The previous campaign had seen him notch 14 in 22, an even better strike rate; Scott Parker could certainly do with a player like that now.

He was only booked once, for failing to retreat from a free-kick against West Ham. Jimmy Hill, apparently, issued the instructions and Tosh complied, to his cost. But Ken Tucker, his West Ham counterpart, was so shocked he put an arm around the referee as they left the field and persuaded him to erase it!

Tosh Chamberlain was, by some distance, the oldest of the 15 players who contributed to my book Match of My Life (Pitch Publishing, 2012); his more famous pal was too modest, but did pen a short foreword. The game Tosh chose to recount was the FA Cup tie of January 1956 that finished Fulham 4 Newcastle United 5. He scored a hat-trick against the Cup holders, yet finished up a loser...not that it wiped the smile off his face for too long.

While Johnny Haynes was accorded a fitting send-off in 2005, Tosh tearfully delivering a wreath to the centre circle, we shall sadly not be able to gather and celebrate his memory in similar fashion. Yet in a world full of so-called 'national treasures', we can at least silently appreciate a Fulhamish treasure.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2021-01-11-tosh-chamberlain-1934-2021/

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Fulham could be asked to face Spurs on Wednesday

The Premier League are considering rescheduling Fulham's trip to Tottenham Hotspur for Wednesday night to replace Spurs' scheduled fixture against Aston Villa, which is in jeopardy due to the coronavirus outbreak at the Midlands Club.

Jose Mourinho's side are due to travel to Villa on Wednesday but that fixture is in grave doubt after the Villains shut their Bodymoor Heath training ground last week when fourteen members of their playing squad and coaching staff tested positive for the virus. Dean Smith had to field a youth team to fulfil their FA Cup third round fixture against Liverpool on Friday and the Premier League are expected to confirm the postponement of the Tottenham fixture today.

The Athletic's David Ornstein reports that the league's plan is to ask Fulham to travel to Tottenham and play a game that was originally scheduled for December 30th, when Fulham were afflicted by their own covid outbreak, on Wednesday evening. The Whites are said to be very unhappy at the potential development, especially having not received any advance notice ahead of their own FA Cup tie against QPR, which went into extra time.

Any additional fixture would likely see Fulham's local derby against Chelsea – due to take place at Craven Cottage on Friday night – moved by at least a day.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/01/fulham-could-be-asked-to-face-spurs-on-wednesday/

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Report: Aston Villa game set to be postponed; Fulham unhappy over late contact

Reports are emerging this morning which suggest that Tottenham Hotspur's upcoming Premier League fixture against Aston Villa could be postponed.

Tottenham are due to travel to Villa Park on Wednesday evening as they look to resume their top flight campaign following last night's 5-0 win against Marine in the FA Cup.

Spurs head coach Jose Mourinho was asked following the game about whether he expects to face Villa and claimed that the match was going ahead as planned.

Aston Villa have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic with ten players and four staff having tested positive for COVID-19 last week which saw their Bodymoor Heath training ground have to close its doors (Independent).

Villa fulfilled their FA Cup third round tie at home to Liverpool on Friday evening when they fielded a starting eleven made up of seven under-23 players and four from the under-18s (BBC).

Football journalist Alasdair Gold has claimed that the fixture against Villa looks set to be cancelled and instead replaced by the outstanding match against Fulham which was recently postponed in similar circumstances (Football.London).

Fulham are said to be unhappy at the short notice of the possibility of facing Spurs at Craven Cottage with both clubs having been informed of the fixture.



https://www.spurs-web.com/spurs-news/report-aston-villa-game-set-to-be-postponed-fulham-unhappy-over-late-contact/

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Fulham 'fuming over Premier League decision' as Tottenham fixture rearranged

Fulham's fixture list has seen drastic changes at short notice, with the Cottagers set to travel to Tottenham on Wednesday following a coronavirus outbreak at Aston Villa

Fulham have reportedly been left angered by the Premier League's decision to reschedule their fixture with Tottenham at short notice.

Top-flight officials got in touch with Fulham chiefs to discuss playing their postponed game with Spurs on Wednesday.

The fixture was due to be played in late December but was called off after a coronavirus outbreak at the Craven Cottage club.

Spurs faced another postponement after 10 Aston Villa first-team players tested positive for Covid-19 last week - forcing them to field academy players against Liverpool in the FA Cup.

The north Londoners were due to travel to Villa on Wednesday, but the fixture was called off and Fulham stepped in.


Fulham have reportedly been irritated by short-notice Premier League proposals (Image: Getty Images)

Spurs are still competing in four competitions and could scarcely afford another postponement, with the schedule jam-packed right through till summer.

But Fulham were left angered by the Premier League's last-minute decision to drastically change their fixture list, according to the Daily Mail.

The west London side were due to face local rivals Chelsea on Friday night and played 120 minutes in their previous fixture - a 2-0 FA Cup win over Queens Park Rangers. They will now host the Blues on Saturday evening.

It is understood Chelsea 'reluctantly' agreed to their match with Fulham being pushed back 24 hours to allow Scott Parker's men another day to prepare for the fixture.

Nonetheless, the timing of the Premier League's proposals angered Fulham, who sit 18th in the Premier League.

The Premier League outlined Fulham's fixture changes in a statement confirmed Tottenham vs Fulham had been postponed.

"As a result of this rescheduling, Spurs will now play their home match against Fulham in its place, on Wednesday 13 January at 20:15 GMT, live on Amazon Prime Video in the UK. The fixture was previously postponed on 30 December," reads the statement.

"With Fulham playing on Wednesday 13 January, their home fixture against Chelsea will be moved from Friday 15 January to Saturday 16 January at 17:30 GMT, and will remain live on Sky Sports in the UK."



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/fulham-premier-league-fixture-tottenham-23297391

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Tottenham to face Fulham on Wednesday as Aston Villa clash postponed

Tottenham have seen a second Premier League fixture called off after a major coronavirus outbreak at Aston Villa, but Fulham have stepped in to play their postponed December game

Tottenham's trip to Aston Villa in the Premier League has been postponed after 10 Villa players tested positive for coronavirus last week.

Instead, Spurs will host Fulham after the fixture - originally scheduled for late December - was called off following a Covid-19 outbreak at the Cottagers.

Spurs were due to travel to Villa Park on Wednesday night, but the fixture was thrown into doubt after Villa returned a total of 14 positive tests.

All first-team staff, including manager Dean Smith, were forced to self-isolate and Villa had to field a team of Under-23s and Under-18s for the FA Cup tie with Liverpool last Friday.

But Spurs could scarcely afford another postponement, as they are competing in four competitions and their progression to the Carabao Cup final means April's fixture away at Fulham will need to be rearranged.

Jose Mourinho said it would be "completely impossible" for another of his side's games to be called off - but the Premier League has struck a compromise in order to avoid an irretrievable fixture pile-up.

Spurs - who are still in the FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Europa League - will host Fulham on Wednesday, easing the pressure on schedulers.

To facilitate the fixture changes, Fulham's west London derby with Chelsea has been moved from Friday night to Saturday evening, allowing a second recovery day for Scott Parker's side.

Elsewhere, Aston Villa's home clash with Everton has switched from Saturday and Sunday to give the hosts an extra day to recover from the outbreak - which resulted in the closure of their Bodymoor Heath training ground.

In a statement, Tottenham wrote: "The Premier League informed us of the decision following a request by Aston Villa on the grounds of the number of their players and staff who have either tested positive for COVID-19 or have been placed in isolation.

"Everyone at Tottenham Hotspur sends their best wishes to Aston Villa for a safe and speedy recovery to all those who are affected.

"Details of a new date for our match at Villa Park will be confirmed in due course."



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/tottenham-fulham-aston-villa-postponed-23296496

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Premier League force Fulham to face Spurs this week after Aston Villa Covid outbreak

Fulham, Tottenham, Chelsea and Aston Villa have all been forced to change their immediate plans after an emergency change to Premier League fixtures

The Premier League have made emergency change to their fixture schedule that has altered the immediate plans of Tottenham, Fulham, Chelsea and Aston Villa.

Spurs who were due to take on Villa on Wednesday, will now be coming up against Scott Parker's men in a clash that was postponed from earlier in the month.

That fixture was one of two that was pushed back for the west Londoners, and they have been ordered to fulfil it with just two days notice following a outbreak in Dean Smith's squad.

In addition, their clash against Chelsea has been pushed back from Friday to Saturday.


Fulham are unbeaten in their last four Premier League fixtures (Image: Getty Images)

The Athletic add that Fulham are not happy with facing Spurs at such short notice because they had not been preparing for a midweek game.

Villa are the latest team to be effected by a string of positive tests, which forced the club to field a squad made up of teenagers to take on Liverpool in the FA Cup.

Despite their impressive performance, there is said to be concerns over fairness and integrity after previous outbreaks lead to the postponement of matches in the league this season.

Fixture switches...

🆚 Spurs - Wednesday 13 Jan, 20:15
🆚 Chelsea - Saturday 16 Jan, 17:30#FFC pic.twitter.com/ECALFhqKBv

— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) January 11, 2021

The full Premier League statement reads: "Aston Villa's match against Tottenham Hotspur, due to be played at Villa Park on Wednesday 13 January, has been rescheduled following a decision by the Premier League Board.

"Following Aston Villa's request to rearrange the fixture, and due to the number of players and staff who have either tested positive for COVID-19 or have been placed in isolation by the club, the Premier League had no other option than to reschedule the match.

"With the health of players and staff the priority, the League continues to work with Aston Villa on measures to ensure their League season resumes safely and at the earliest opportunity.

"The Premier League wishes those with COVID-19 a full and swift recovery and will rearrange Aston Villa's match against Spurs as soon as possible.

"As a result of this rescheduling, Spurs will now play their home match against Fulham in its place, on Wednesday 13 January at 20.15 GMT, live on Amazon Prime Video in the UK. The fixture was previously postponed on 30 December.

"With Fulham now playing on Wednesday 13 January, their home fixture against Chelsea will be moved from Friday 15 January to Saturday 16 January at 17.30 GMT, and will remain live on Sky Sports in the UK.

"Everton's match at Aston Villa will be rescheduled from Saturday 16 January 17:30 GMT to Sunday 17 January 12:00 GMT, and will remain live on Sky Sports in the UK.

"The Premier League, in consultation with its clubs, has enhanced its COVID-19 protocols, in addition to reimplementing a twice-weekly testing programme. The protocols, which strengthen key elements of the current guidance, came into immediate effect this week."



https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league-fulham-spurs-villa-23297433

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Fulham to take on Tottenham on Wednesday

Fulham's postponed trip to Tottenham Hotspur has been hastily rearranged for Wednesday night by the Premier League.

The League moved swiftly to reschedule the London derby, originally called off after Christmas when Fulham were hit by a coronavirus outbreak, after a similar outbreak at Aston Villa meant that Tottenham's visit to the Midlands was placed in jeopardy. The Cottagers are understood to be unhappy at the short notice provided to them about the possibility of the change in fixture – especially as they were expecting to have a free midweek slot to prepare for the forthcoming derby against Chelsea.

Scott Parker's side were taken to extra time by Championship QPR in the FA Cup at the weekend – eventually winning 2-0 – and Fulham have reportedly told the Premier League that they may have fielded an entirely different starting eleven had they known that this fixture switch was planned. The Whites are only just getting their first team squad back together after a coronavirus-enforced break, which saw fixtures against Spurs and Burnley postponed after Christmas.

The addition of the Tottenham fixture, which will kick off at 8.15pm on Wednesday night, means that the visit of Chelsea to Craven Cottage has been put back to 5.30pm on Saturday evening.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/01/fulham-to-take-on-tottenham-on-wednesday/

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London Derbies Rescheduled

Fulham's fixture away to Tottenham Hotspur – originally scheduled for December 30th – will now be played this week, on Wednesday 13th January, kick-off 8.15pm.

The match will be broadcast live on Amazon Prime Video.

Additionally, the SW6 derby has been moved back a day, so we will now host Chelsea at Craven Cottage on Saturday 16th January, 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/january/London-Derbies-Rescheduled/

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Premier League release statement on Tottenham vs Fulham fixture switch and Aston Villa match

The Premier League have made a decision a fixture tangle that involved Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham, Aston Villa and Chelsea

The Premier League have released a statement after Tottenham Hotspur's away match against Aston Villa on Wednesday was switched to a home game against Fulham for the north London side.

Tottenham will now play their previously postponed home game against Fulham, which was called off a fortnight ago after a Covid outbreak in the Cottagers' camp.

Now Villa have suffered the same problem and all parties have agreed to switch the fixture, which has a knock-on effect for other matches in the Premier League.

football.london understands that Tottenham Hotspur Stadium staff were made aware on Monday to change to working a home game on Wednesday night and now the league have confirmed the move for Jose Mourinho's men.

"Aston Villa's match against Tottenham Hotspur, due to be played at Villa Park on Wednesday 13 January, has been rescheduled following a decision by the Premier League Board," read a statement by the Premier League.

"Following Aston Villa's request to rearrange the fixture, and due to the number of players and staff who have either tested positive for COVID-19 or have been placed in isolation by the club, the Premier League had no other option than to reschedule the game.

"With the health of players and staff the priority, the League continues to work with Aston Villa on measures to ensure their League season resumes safely and at the earliest opportunity.

"The Premier League wishes those with COVID-19 a full and swift recovery and will rearrange Aston Villa's game against Tottenham Hotspur as soon as possible."

The statement went on: "As a result of this rescheduling, Spurs will now play their home match against Fulham FC in its place, on Wednesday 13 January at 8.15pm on Amazon Prime Video. The fixture was previously postponed on 30 December.

"With Fulham now playing on Wednesday 13 January, their home fixture against Chelsea FC will be moved from Friday 15 January to Saturday 16 January at 5.30pm, and will remain live on Sky Sports.

"Everton's away game at Aston Villa will be rescheduled from Saturday 16 January 5.30pm to Sunday 17 January 12pm, and will remain live on Sky Sports.

"The Premier League, in consultation with its clubs, has enhanced its COVID-19 protocols, in addition to reimplementing a twice-weekly testing programme.

"The protocols, which strengthen key elements of the current guidance, came into immediate effect this week."



https://www.football.london/tottenham-hotspur-fc/fixtures-results/premier-league-release-statement-tottenham-19602597

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Premier League shuffles midweek games due to Aston Villa coronavirus outbreak

Tottenham Hotspur will now face Fulham on Wednesday after their match with Aston Villa was postponed due to a coronavirus outbreak in the Villa squad.

The Premier League sanctioned a late change following medical advice that the situation at Villa Park had not sufficiently improved since the weekend, when 10 members of the first-team squad tested positive for COVID-19 with boss Dean Smith also among those self-isolating.

After closing their training ground, Villa were subsequently forced to field a team of under-23 and under-18 players in their FA Cup third-round defeat to Liverpool, losing 4-1.

And now Wednesday's game with Spurs is off -- but the Premier League have moved quickly to rearrange Tottenham's postponed fixture with Fulham for the same night.

"Following Aston Villa's request to rearrange the fixture, and due to the number of players and staff who have either tested positive for COVID-19 or have been placed in isolation by the club, the Premier League had no other option than to reschedule the game," a Premier League statement read.

"With the health of players and staff the priority, the League continues to work with Aston Villa on measures to ensure their League season resumes safely and at the earliest opportunity.

"The Premier League wishes those with COVID-19 a full and swift recovery and will rearrange Aston Villa's game against Tottenham Hotspur as soon as possible."

Fulham have a clear midweek but were due to play Chelsea at Craven Cottage on Friday. That game has been moved back to Saturday evening to give Fulham sufficient time to recover while also squeezing in a match originally due to take place on Dec. 30.

At that time, Fulham were struggling with an outbreak in their first-team squad but the situation at the club has since eased. Everton's away game at Villa also has been pushed back from Jan. 16 to Jan. 17.

Tottenham beat part-timers Marine 5-0 on Sunday evening, after which Mourinho was asked if he expected the Villa game to go ahead.

"Yeah," he replied. "Nobody told me that I'm not going to play so [on Monday morning] we start to prepare for that game, and the same Tuesday unless somebody tells us different."



https://www.espn.co.uk/football/english-premier-league/story/4285288/premier-league-shuffles-midweek-games-due-to-aston-villa-coronavirus-outbreak

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Premier League and EFL clubs including 'Covid clauses' in new contracts

Loan deals could be cancelled under new 'Covid clauses'; many clubs are trying to include small print in new contracts - for new and existing players - that would mean pay cuts, if games continue to be played behind closed doors beyond the end of this season

Premier League and EFL clubs are trying to include new legal guarantees in player contracts to cover themselves if the coronavirus pandemic worsens.

New "Covid clauses" are being included in many loan deals which mean they can be cancelled and fees at least in part recouped if coronavirus leads to further interruptions in the football season, Sky Sports News has been told.

These clauses have led to more complex negotiations between clubs than ever before.

Many clubs are also trying to future-proof themselves by including legal small print in new contracts - for new and existing players - that would mean pay cuts, if games continue to be played behind closed doors beyond the end of this season.

Aston Villa's scheduled Premier League match against Tottenham on Wednesday is the fifth to be postponed because of Covid-19.

The Premier League has not discussed the possibility of a circuit break for the season despite the growing number of positive cases.

A season-high 40 positive coronavirus cases were recorded last week.

The EFL reported 112 positive tests from its strategic league-wide testing programme last week.



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12185015/premier-league-and-efl-clubs-including-covid-clauses-in-new-contracts

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Fulham to play Tottenham at two days' notice after Spurs v Aston Villa called off

    Coronavirus outbreak hit Villa's first team last week
    Fulham unimpressed and have Friday game moved too

Tottenham will play Fulham, rather than Aston Villa, in the Premier League on Wednesday night with the Cottagers' subsequent fixture against Chelsea pushed back a day in a complex piece of rescheduling that shows the challenge of continuing elite sport during the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Premier League confirmed Aston Villa had requested their match against Spurs be postponed following a substantial coronavirus outbreak at the club. The league accepted that request, then asked Fulham to fulfil the fixture instead. That match-up will go ahead, despite Fulham's misgivings, as will their west London derby with Chelsea, albeit on Saturday rather than Friday

A chain of dominoes was set in motion after Aston Villa were forced to close their Bodymoor Heath training ground last week, when nine first-team players tested positive for Covid‑19 before their FA Cup tie against Liverpool. Villa fielded a team of youth and under-23 players for the Cup tie and lost 4-1, but felt unable to complete the league fixture this week.

Villa's request to postpone meant Fulham were approached to fill the vacancy. Fulham are believed to feel they received the short straw, having been asked to step up only after they had played their own Cup tie – a 2-0 win over QPR – with a team in which a number of first-team regulars were selected because they were not expecting another match so swiftly. Clubs are able to make representations to the league in the face of such a request, but the ultimate decision is taken by the Premier League board and the game was approved to go ahead.

Chelsea then agreed to delay their match with Fulham to give their west London rivals more time to recover. Rather than being played on Friday night the game will now take place at 5.30pm on Saturday. Villa's weekend fixture against Everton has also been put back, from Saturday teatime to noon on Sunday.

Fulham have had to close their training ground in recent days and received notification of positive tests within their ranks. Some at the club feel they would not have been asked to play had they been fighting for the title, rather than against relegation, but it would appear that the interests of individual clubs are to be put to one side as the league concentrates on the more considerable challenge of keeping the competition as a whole on the road. José Mourinho said it was "impossible" for Spurs to be without a midweek game this week given potential fixture congestion ahead.

Chelsea will face Fulham despite having to shut their academy training centre because of a coronavirus outbreak believed to involve as many as 20 cases. Youngsters have been told to stay away while the site undergoes a deep clean after a number of positive tests were returned over the weekend, but first-team facilities remain open.

The academy is housed at Chelsea's training ground in Cobham but is separate from the first team's site. It will remain shut for the rest of the week, with those who tested positive isolating for 10 days. The development game against West Ham on Friday and the under-18s match against Brighton on Saturday will not take place.

Chelsea have ensured the situation has not impacted their first team. There are separate bubbles for the senior, academy and women's squads. The under-23s have been training inside the first-team bubble and have not been affected.

Chelsea are believed to be one of the few Premier League clubs to test their under-23 players, also going above and beyond the protocols by testing players in lower age-groups. There will be another round of testing before the academy site reopens.



https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jan/11/fulham-to-play-tottenham-at-two-days-notice-after-spurs-v-aston-villa-off-chelsea

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Spurs to play Fulham instead of Villa on Wednesday

Tottenham's match against Aston Villa has been postponed after Fulham confirmed they would now take on Spurs this Wednesday instead.

The west Londoners' game with Tottenham on December 30 was postponed due to a coronavirus outbreak at the Craven Cottage club.

Fulham's derby versus Chelsea has been put back from Friday night to Saturday teatime, the club also confirmed.

Spurs' fixture against Villa had been in doubt since it emerged last week that there had been a Covid-19 outbreak at the midlands club, with 10 of their first-team players testing positive.

However, Fulham's acceptance of bringing the match against Tottenham forward to this week means Spurs' backlog has remained the same, rather than got even worse.

Villa were forced to shut their training ground and fielded a youth team in the FA Cup third-round tie against Liverpool last Friday.

Villa's league match against Everton – due to be played on Saturday evening – has been pushed back to Sunday, kicking off at noon, the Premier League said.

"Following Aston Villa's request to rearrange the fixture, and due to the number of players and staff who have either tested positive for Covid-19 or have been placed in isolation by the club, the Premier League had no other option than to reschedule the game," a league statement read.

"With the health of players and staff the priority, the league continues to work with Aston Villa on measures to ensure their league season resumes safely and at the earliest opportunity.

"The Premier League wishes those with Covid-19 a full and swift recovery and will rearrange Aston Villa's game against Tottenham Hotspur as soon as possible.

"As a result of this rescheduling, Spurs will now play their home match against Fulham in its place, on Wednesday January 13 at 8.15pm on Amazon Prime Video. The fixture was previously postponed on December 30.

"With Fulham now playing on Wednesday, January 13, their home fixture against Chelsea will be moved from Friday, January 15 to Saturday, January 16 at 5.30pm, and will remain live on Sky Sports.

"Everton's away game at Aston Villa will be rescheduled from Saturday, January 16 5.30pm to Sunday, January 17, 12pm, and will remain live on Sky Sports."



https://www.football365.com/news/spurs-fulham-premier-league-fixture-reshuffle-aston-villa

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Burnley receive relegation survival boost after Premier League make Tottenham vs Fulham decision

Burnley's relegation rivals Fulham will now face Tottenham Hotspur in a rearranged match on Wednesday night as a consequence of Aston Villa not being able to fulfil their fixture with Jose Mourinho's side

Burnley have been handed a potential boost in their fight for survival after relegation rivals Fulham's hectic fixture schedule was added to today.

Fulham will now travel to Spurs on Wednesday before welcoming Chelsea on Saturday, with the Cottagers facing a fixture pile-up as a consequence of Aston Villa's inability to face Tottenham in midweek due to a Covid-19 outbreak at Bodymoor Heath.

Following the Cottagers' own Covid troubles at Craven Cottage last month, Jose Mourinho's men did not face Scott Parker's side on December 30, four days before the Clarets were scheduled to face them.

There is no rearranged date confirmed for that clash yet, with Sean Dyche's men still playing catch-up to the rest of the Premier League in terms of fixtures played.

Fulham's meeting with their other London rivals, Chelsea, was originally set to be played on Friday but has been pushed back almost 24 hours so that the Cottagers avoided a hectic schedule of two games in three days.

The Clarets, on the other hand, host Manchester United at Turf Moor tomorrow night before travelling to West Ham on Saturday, meaning Dyche's squad have more time between their two matches than Parker's players.

Burnley currently sit five points above Fulham in the Premier League table - who are in the final relegation zone spot - but tomorrow evening could see the Clarets move eight points clear of the Cottagers if they stun the Red Devils, even if they would have then played an extra game.

Dyche's team would also have the chance to move further ahead at the weekend, playing a few hours before Parker and his side in London in another advantageous situation.



https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/football-news/burnley-fc-news-tottenham-fulham-19603252

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PSG players attempt more dribbles than ANY other side in Europe's top five leagues with Lyon and FULHAM in the top three in figures released by CIES... but which Premier League outfit are rock-bottom of the charts?

    Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Co manage a dribble once every four minutes
    That puts PSG above their rivals Lyon in the CIES Football Observatory list
    Fulham are level with Lyon with a dribble every four minutes seven seconds
    Barcelona, Manchester City, Wolves and Borussia Dortmund all sit in the top 10

Paris Saint-Germain have attempted the most dribbles of any side in Europe's top five leagues this season, according to figures released by CIES Football Observatory.

The Ligue 1 champions' squad includes the skilful Neymar and the pacey Kylian Mbappe, and a member of Mauricio Pochettino's squad attempts a dribble once nearly ever four minutes.

That sees last season's Champions League finalists come above Ligue 1 rivals Lyon as well as Premier League strugglers Fulham, whose players look to go on a dribble every four minutes and seven seconds.


Neymar and his PSG team-mates attempt a dribble roughly every four minutes, according to CIES Football Observatory


That sees them edge out Memphis Depay and Lyon who sit joint-second in the list released


The Ligue 1 side are surprisingly joined in second by Andre-Frank Anguissa and Fulham

Barcelona, Manchester City, Wolves and Borussia Dortmund all sit in the top 10 of the list released in fourth, sixth, seventh and ninth respectively, but for Serie A sides, it is 16th-place Cagliari who top the rankings in 15th, two places above champions Juventus.

Meanwhile, the success rate percentage at club level ranges between 70.6 per cent for Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg, who just edge Aston Villa's 69.4 per cent and a low of 48.4 per cent for Werder Bremen.

Pep Guardiola's City have the lowest percentage of any side in the top 10, with 57.2 per cent, while Scott Parker's Fulham have the highest of that select group with 66.2 per cent.

The current top two in the Premier League this season - Liverpool and Manchester United - sit 20th and 19th respectively in the table, with players averaging a dribble around every five minutes.

Real Madrid sit 33rd in the charts, while Bayern Munich and Chelsea rank 53rd and 54th and only four top-flight English sides sit below Arsenal.

West Brom, Sheffield United and West Ham are three of those teams that sit below Mikel Arteta's men, but it is Burnley that finish bottom of the pile of all the teams in the continent's top five leagues, with Sean Dyche's men's average stuck at eight minutes 46 seconds.

Osasuna are the lowest-ranked LaLiga side, while the same applies for Union Berlin in Germany, Benevento in Serie A and RC Strasbourg in France.

Burnley however do have a respectable 60 per cent completion rate when any of the members of their squad attempt a dribble, while 19th-place LaLiga side Osasuna's ranks at 53.1 per cent

The frequency of dribble attempts per league vary between two minutes 33 seconds in Ligue 1 and two minutes 59 seconds in LaLiga. 

The news comes after the same organisation reported that Manchester United star Marcus Rashford is the world's most valuable player and worth a staggering £150m.

Dortmund's Erling Haaland (£137.3m), Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold (£137m) and United attacking midfielder Bruno Fernandes (£135.1m) come in the top four, with Mbappe fifth at £135m.


Sean Dyche has seen his side attempt a dribble once every nearly nine minutes this season



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9134725/PSG-players-attempt-dribbles-Europes-five-leagues-Fulham-surprisingly-three.html

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Onomah Targets First Team Spot

After a successful return to First Team action, Josh Onomah now has his sights set on regular football once again.

The midfielder has missed a big chunk of the season so far through injury, but played the full 90 plus extra-time on Saturday, even claiming an assist as Fulham saw off Queens Park Rangers.

"I've been working hard for the last two months trying to recover from my injury," Onomah told fulhamfc.com. "I want to thank all the staff involved with that, and my teammates, for helping me through that.

"It was good to get back, especially to do it with a win in the FA Cup, so I was buzzing all round.

"It was crazy playing 120 minutes for my first game back. I loved every minute, it just felt so good to be back out there playing with the lads and helping us get the win.

"As I said, full credit goes to the staff who've helped me over the last couple of months. They've kept me in good nick, and I felt really strong out there."

Onomah's injury meant he missed out on Scott Parker's initial 25-man squad, but January rules stipulate that the list can be amended on a match by match basis until the transfer window closes.

The target now for the 23-year-old is to get as many minutes as possible and show the form necessary to force his way into the Head Coach's plans.

"100 per cent, that's my main focus now, to prove to the Manager that I'm fit enough to make the 25-man squad," he explained. "When the opportunity arrives I've got to make sure I take it.

"We've got two games in four days coming up so I'm just looking to be available and up for selection.

"I'll be ready whenever the Gaffer needs me to try and do my part and help the team get some points."

Some late fixture rescheduling means that Fulham will travel to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this Wednesday – a game that Onomah has had his eye on for some time.

"When the fixtures first came out, that was the first team I was looking for," he admitted. "It would be good to play against them, a team that I had been with basically my whole life.

"It would be quite weird because Tottenham is all I'd known for a long time, but now that Fulham is my home I can't wait to go back there and hopefully come away with a win.

"Both teams have got positive momentum. Spurs have won a few recently but we've been doing well, too.

"Speaking to the lads, everyone is up for it, especially after not playing for a couple of weeks with everything that's happened, so the lads can't wait to get back playing Premier League football."



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/january/Onomah-Targets-First-Team-Spot/

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Fulham vs. Chelsea pushed back a day as Premier League makes last-minute schedule change
COVID scramble

Chelsea's next match, against Fulham at Craven Cottage has been pushed back a day as the Premier League scrambles to deal with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The two friendly neighbors were set to play Friday night, but will instead play on Saturday afternoon (5:30pm local time). This gives Chelsea one less day to prepare for the match against Leicester City the following Tuesday.

As annoying as that may be, it's not nearly as bad as how the league's treating Fulham, who now have an added game dropped into their schedule on short notice. The reason our game is being pushed back is because the Premier League decided to hold the previously postponed (on December 30) Spurs vs. Fulham match on Wednesday now. Fulham just finished playing 120 minutes on Saturday in the FA Cup, and now have Spurs to deal with before taking on Chelsea on Saturday. Ouch. They are "understood" to be "unhappy" about the situation, which one can certainly understand.

The situation is less drastic for Spurs, as they already had a midweek Premier League match scheduled, against Aston Villa. That game's been postponed due to the outbreak at Villa, so Spurs will instead play their previously postponed Fulham match instead. Football in a pandemic!

(At least we don't have to worry about ticketed fans being upset, ey?)




https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2021/1/11/22225001/fulham-vs-chelsea-pushed-back-a-day-as-premier-league-makes-last-minute-schedule-change

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Onomah eyes first-team return

Josh Onomah was delighted to have made his long-awaited return from injury at QPR on Saturday and is hoping to force his way into the Fulham first team over the coming weeks.

The elegant midfielder, who finished last season in such style, has endured an injury-ravaged campaign and hadn't featured in a senior fixture since October before Saturday. Onomah successfully came through 120 minutes in Shepherd's Bush – helping to set up the second goal as Scott Parker's side booked a spot in the fourth round – and was pleased to be back in action.

He told the Fulham official website:

I've been working hard for the last two months trying to recover from my injury. I want to thank all the staff involved with that, and my teammates, for helping me through that. It was good to get back, especially to do it with a win in the FA Cup, so I was buzzing all round.

It was crazy playing 120 minutes for my first game back. I loved every minute, it just felt so good to be back out there playing with the lads and helping us get the win. As I said, full credit goes to the staff who've helped me over the last couple of months. They've kept me in good nick, and I felt really strong out there.

Onomah, who was left out of Fulham's 25 man Premier League squad on account of his injury problems, now hopes to give Parker a selection headache as Fulham gear up for a crucial run of games in their battle to stay in the top flight.

100 per cent, that's my main focus now, to prove to the Manager that I'm fit enough to make the 25-man squad. When the opportunity arrives I've got to make sure I take it. We've got two games in four days coming up so I'm just looking to be available and up for selection. I'll be ready whenever the Gaffer needs me to try and do my part and help the team get some points.

Having come through the ranks at Tottenham, Wednesday's rescheduled trip to the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is a fixture that Onomah has been focused on since the start of the season.

When the fixtures first came out, that was the first team I was looking for. It would be good to play against them, a team that I had been with basically my whole life. It would be quite weird because Tottenham is all I'd known for a long time, but now that Fulham is my home I can't wait to go back there and hopefully come away with a win.

Both teams have got positive momentum. Spurs have won a few recently but we've been doing well, too. Speaking to the lads, everyone is up for it, especially after not playing for a couple of weeks with everything that's happened, so the lads can't wait to get back playing Premier League football.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/01/onomah-eyes-first-team-return/

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Onomah Admits It Will Be Weird Playing Against Tottenham Hotspur In Fulham

Anglo-Nigerian midfielder Josh Onomah admits it will be a weird feeling facing Tottenham Hotspur, where he spent fourteen years of his career before joining Fulham on a permanent deal in the summer of 2019.

Spurs battle the Cottagers in the Premier League on Wednesday, January 13, and the 2017 U20 World Cup winner is in contention to make his first appearance in the top-flight since September 19 after recovering from a long-term injury.

Onomah was one of Fulham's standout players in his comeback game last weekend, helping Scott Parker's side register a 2-0 road win vs Queens Park Rangers in the third round of the Emirates FA Cup.

"When the fixtures first came out, that was the first team I was looking for. It would be good to play against them, a team that I had been with basically my whole life," Onomah said to Fulham's official webpage.

"It would be quite weird because Tottenham is all I'd known for a long time, but now that Fulham is my home I can't wait to go back there and hopefully come away with a win.

"Both teams have got positive momentum. Spurs have won a few recently but we've been doing well, too.

"Speaking to the lads, everyone is up for it, especially after not playing for a couple of weeks with everything that's happened, so the lads can't wait to get back playing Premier League football."

Onomah appeared in 32 official games for Tottenham Hotspur, scoring one goal, before ending his association with the north London club.

Igho Kingsley



https://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=38586

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Fulham drawn against Burnley in FA Cup fourth round

Fulham have been drawn against fellow Premier League strugglers Burnley in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

The Whites beat local neighbours Queens Park Rangers in round three on Saturday, but needed extra time to secure the bragging rights with goals from substitutes Bobby Decordova-Reid and Neeskens Kebano sealing the victory. Sean Dyche's men narrowly avoided a third round shock beating MK Dons on penalties after a late equaliser from Matej Vydra saved their bacon.

The all-Premier League clash will take place at Craven Cottage on the weekend of January 23rd. The two sides have yet to meet in the league this season after last week's scheduled meeting at Turf Moor was called off following a coronavirus outbreak amongst the Fulham squad. The winner will face Bournemouth or Crawley Town at home in the fifth round.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/01/fulham-drawn-against-burnley-in-fa-cup-fourth-round/