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Saturday Fulham Stuff - 30/01/21...

Started by WhiteJC, January 30, 2021, 12:20:11 AM

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WhiteJC


Kevin McDonald: Fulham midfielder considering loan options or move into coaching during January window

Fulham midfielder Kevin McDonald considering loan options or moving into coaching; Scotland international was not named in Fulham's Premier League squad for the current season; McDonald has been helping coach the club's under-23s


Kevin McDonald was not included in Fulham's Premier League squad this season

Kevin McDonald is weighing up whether to continue his playing career out on loan or retire and take up coaching full-time at Fulham.

The 32-year-old Scotland international was not included in the Whites' Premier League squad this season but has been helping coach the U23s at Motspur Park.

Several Championship clubs have enquired about his availability on loan but, with just over four days left of the January window, he is yet to have a concrete option.

Having been a considerable servant to the club, helping them win promotion to the Premier League twice, it is understood Fulham would not stand in his way if he opted to go elsewhere but are keen to keep hold of his experience helping their younger players.

McDonald has almost 500 senior appearances under his belt for seven clubs including Wolves and Sheffield United, and five caps for Scotland.

He is one of three central midfielders who were not named in the Fulham squad this season. The others were Stefan Johansen, who has joined QPR on loan, and Jean Michael Seri, who is close to a move to Bordeaux.




https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/12201993/kevin-mcdonald-fulham-midfielder-considering-loan-options-or-move-into-coaching-during-january-window

WhiteJC

Fulham midfielder Jean Michael Seri 'is set to join Bordeaux on loan for the rest of the season' after failing to break into Scott Parker's struggling side

    Jean Michael Seri is set to join Bordeaux on loan until the end of the season
    The midfielder has made just one start at Fulham this season in the Carabao Cup
    Seri, 29, also spent last season out on loan at Galatasaray rather than in London

Fulham midfielder Jean Michael Seri is set to head out on loan once again, this time at Bordeaux until the end of the season.

Seri, who was signed from Nice in 2018 for a reported club record £25million, is expected to head back to Ligue 1 and Jean-Louis Gasset's team, according to The Guardian.

The Ivory Coast international has made just one start for Fulham this season, in the Carabao Cup, and has not featured at all in the Premier League despite the club languishing in the relegation zone, five points from safety.

   
Jean Michael Seri (left) is to join Bordeaux on loan as Scott Parker (right) has no place for him


Despite being signed for a club record £25million, Seri has been a failure at Craven Cottage


Despite his much-touted signing three years ago, Seri has been a failure at Craven Cottage.

Fulham won a race to his signature that included the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham, with Barcelona having also shown an interest beforehand.

But the playmaker failed to live up to his billing in 34 appearances that season - with just one goal and three assists - which ended with Fulham's relegation from the Premier League. 

Having shown little desire to play in the Championship, Seri spent last season on loan at Galatasaray.

The Turkish club are understood to have shown interest in extending the deal, but Seri is expected to go back to France with Bordeaux. The 29-year-old has one year left on his contract at Fulham.

Seri's exit marks the latest move in Fulham manager Scott Parker's clear out, which has already seen Stefan Johansen join Queens Park Rangers on loan. The club are also listening to offers for Maxime Le Marchand.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9200835/Fulham-midfielder-Jean-Michael-Seri-set-join-Bordeaux-loan.html

WhiteJC

McDonald mulls retirement

Fulham midfielder Kevin McDonald is considering whether to move into the Championship on loan or call time on his playing career and stay on as a coach with the Cottagers.

The veteran Scottish midfielder, who is currently taking his coaching badges, has been working with both Fulham's under 18 and under 23 sides at Motspur Park since being omitted from Scott Parker's 25-man Premier League playing squad earlier this season. McDonald, a key component of Fulham's two promotion-winning teams, has not made a first-team appearance since coming as a substitute when the Whites beat Cardiff 2-0 in July 2020.

He has spoken previously of a desire to continue a playing career that has seen him make 529 senior appearances and, despite being offered the opportunity to leave on loan or on a free transfer in recognition of his contribution at Craven Cottage, has yet to receive a firm offer. A number of Championship sides have been credited with interest, but it is understood that McDonald is enjoying his work with Fulham's youngsters and remains popular at Motspur Park.

The 32 year-old joined Fulham from Wolves in July 2016, bringing to an end the Whites' long pursuit of his services. McDonald immediately tightened up Fulham's midfield, deployed in a deeper role than at any previous point in his career by Slavisa Jokanovic. He made 48 appearances as Fulham were agonisingly beaten at Reading in the play-off semi-finals and then was a virtual ever present when the Whites went one better the following year, beating Aston Villa in the play-off final at Wembley. McDonald, who has made 127 senior appearances for Fulham and scored six goals, has been largely overlooked on each of the club's two seasons in the top flight and it remains to be seen whether he will bring his playing career to be a premature end.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/01/mcdonald-mulls-retirement/


WhiteJC

Fulham Tried To Include West Ham Target In Swap Deal, Bordeaux Refused

Fulham tried to involve West Ham target Josh Maja in talks to sell Jean-Michael Seri to Bordeaux before agreeing to keep the two negotiations separate.

Maja, a former Sunderland man, has been linked with a return to England this month with at least three clubs interested in bringing him back over the English Channel.

West Ham are looking at him as a potential forward target and West Brom are also interested in the Bordeaux striker.

Fulham are also interested and are in talks with Bordeaux to take Maja to Craven Cottage before Monday's transfer deadline.

According to French sports daily L'Equipe, they even tried to leverage Bordeaux's interest in Seri and tried to involve Maja in a potential swap deal.

The French club want the Fulham midfielder and the Ivorian has also made it clear that he wants to move to the Ligue 1 outfit despite interest from Galatasaray.

But Bordeaux request Fulham keep the two negotiations apart and the Cottagers have adhered to it and are working on the Maja trail separately.

The former Sunderland man is keen on a return to England and he could be back in the Premier League before the window shuts on Monday night.



https://insidefutbol.com/2021/01/29/fulham-tried-to-include-west-ham-target-in-swap-deal-bordeaux-refused/492083/

WhiteJC

Win A Virtual Mascot Place With Teng Tools


Our partners Teng Tools are proudly sponsoring our upcoming matchday versus West Ham United on Saturday 6th February, and as part of this are pleased to offer two lucky Fulham fans the chance to be virtual mascots for the fixture!

The virtual mascot package includes the following:

    Personalised digital letter from Scott Parker
    Personalised video message from a First Team player
    Personalised digital Matchday Mascot Certificate
    Unique code for 40% off any 20/21 Junior Home, Away or Goalkeeper Kits from the Online Store
    Your name and/or image to appear on the Craven Cottage LED display boards & big screen
    Your name and/or image to appear in the Official Matchday Programme and pre-match email
    Your name and/or image to appear on fulhamfc.com and social media channels
    A signed 2020/21 shirt from the FFC first team, provided by Teng Tools

Alongside this one runner-up will also receive a signed shirt.

The competition is open to all fans aged between 4- 12 years old and all you need to do to enter is fill in the below form. Winners will be selected at random when the competition closes on Monday 1st February at 12pm and will be contacted by email shortly after.

Good luck!



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/january/Win-A-Virtual-Mascot-Place-With-Teng-Tools/

WhiteJC

Staying at Plymouth Argyle was easy decision, says on-loan Jerome Opoku

The 22-year-old from Fulham will spend the rest of the season with Ryan Lowe's Pilgrims

Jerome Opoku can feel the support of the Plymouth Argyle fans even though they cannot attend games due to the continuing Covid-19 pandemic.

The on-loan Fulham defender is grateful for the way the Green Army have got behind him on social media during his time at Home Park.

It has not always gone smoothly for the 22-year-old since he signed for the Pilgrims in late September, both individually and as a team.

However, the Pilgrims have picked up some good results recently, winning four and drawing two of their last seven League One games, and Opoku has been playing regularly.

Earlier this week Opoku extended his loan to Argyle until the end of the season.

Opoku told Plymouth Live: "I'm delighted with that. It was an easy decision for me to be honest.

"With the run of form we have picked up, I'm going to keep my head down – the boys are too – and keep getting the three points when we can."

He added: "I'm really enjoying it. From my apartment, everything is just five minutes away.

"Obviously, the fans can't be with us but on the social media side they have always stuck behind me.

"You are looking at the stadium we have and if it was full it would be crazy, the atmosphere would be great.

"I'm getting used it to now (the behind closed doors games) and on the social media side they are still behind us.

"After the game I always go on my phone and communicate with the fans. It's good."

Argyle continue their League One campaign against eighth-placed Accrington Stanley at Home Park tomorrow (3pm).

Accrington are a club that Opoku knows well as he played on loan there last season.

The 6ft 4in defender made a total of 23 starts and two substitute appearances for John Coleman's side.

Opoku said: "It's my old team, but I'm here now so that's all behind me.

"I'm just going to go out with the same mentality we have been doing and hopefully we get the three points."



https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/sport/football/staying-plymouth-argyle-easy-decision-4942649


WhiteJC

Scott Parker: Fulham's season will not be defined by West Brom result

Fulham boss Scott Parker thinks it is too early for Saturday's game at West Brom to be described as a "must win".

Parker's side are 18th, one place and two points ahead of the hosts. Fulham are five points from safety, with a game in hand on the two sides above them.

"It's a big game for us," he admitted. "A massive game for us, and West Brom. [But] do I see it as a definer, do I see it as one which is going to define the season for us? No, I don't.

"There's 19 games left of this season, we're five points difference with a game in hand on Brighton, a game in hand and six points off Newcastle.

"I think we've seen in a real short space of time over the last few weeks, with teams getting results at places where you wouldn't expect to get them, that this season's still got a lot of legs, a lot of miles to go.

"I also understand that the weekend's game is big and we want to go in and win the game, we want to perform, we want to try and get three points."



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-fc-news-scott-parker-west-brom-b917912.html

WhiteJC

Mitro has my vote ahead of a new signing – here's why.
In his debut piece, Colm O'Donnell says maybe we don't need to delve into the transfer market this weekend.


Wednesday's game against Brighton made one thing clear. One thing that we all knew already.

That is if Fulham are to survive in the Premier League, they need to start scoring goals and they need to start scoring them this Saturday.

If we get a win against West Brom at the Hawthorns while Brighton and Newcastle both lose to Spurs and Everton respectively, we'll have all of a sudden reeled two teams within striking distance with a game in hand.

No time to bed in
The million-dollar question is, though, where are the goals going to come from? Do they hit the transfer market and take the risk of ending up with another Kostas Mitroglou in the hope that we might stumble upon someone who had the impact Pavel Pogrebnyak had in his first three games? In reality, we don't have a great history with strikers making immediate impacts. There was Pogrebnyak, who scored five goals in his first three games, but he then only ever scored one more for us after that.

Andy Johnson and Ross McCormack took a month and a half each to get their first strikes, while Bobby Zamora only scored twice in his first season. No doubt, the last three were brilliant for this club, but right now Scott Parker can't afford to allow someone time to settle in. We could be relegated by the time they're ready. Put simply, we need someone who is going to score about 10 goals in these last 19 games. It's a mammoth ask.

Oven-ready striker
We already possess a striker who can do that in Aleksandar Mitrović and Wednesday only reaffirmed my belief. Mitrović came on for the last 12 minutes and instantly made us look a much more dangerous team.

His first touch was to hold up the ball and start an attack. His second touch set Bobby Decordova-Reid in on goal. And most importantly, his strength was the key factor in creating the chance for Loftus-Cheek at the very end. If Mitro and Joe Bryan had started that game, I firmly believe we would have taken three points instead of just one.

Sure, Mitro had a poor spell for club and country after the Leeds game, but this is also the man who proved he could score in the Premier League last time around when he netted 11 times in a poorer side than this. He can't just be thrown to one side because of a bad spell. With Robinson coming back and his ability to get to the byline, paired with Lookman's ability to create something out of nothing, it's a perfect time to get Mitrović on the end of some of those balls to direct them into the net.

This squad is good enough to stay in this league, but they need to start turning these moral victories into actual points on the table. We're playing a fantastic brand of football, we are solid defensively and we have a top notch goalkeeper. The final piece of the puzzle is Mitro putting the ball in the net.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2021-01-29-mitro-has-my-vote-ahead-of-a-new-signing-heres-why/

WhiteJC

Can Allardyce continue unbeaten run against Fulham?

Team news

West Bromwich Albion winger Grady Diangana returned to training this week and could be in contention to face Fulham, while Robert Snodgrass (knock) is expected to be available.

Antonee Robinson is back in contention for Fulham having served a three-match ban, but Tom Cairney and Terence Kongolo remain sidelined.
Did you now?

Sam Allardyce has won six of his last seven home Premier League matches with Fulham, drawing the other, since a 2-0 defeat as Bolton manager in May 2004.

Each of the last 21 PL goals scored at The Hawthorns has been scored against West Brom. It is the longest run of goals at a stadium scored against a single team in the competition's history.

Fulham are without a win in their last nine PL matches (D6 L3). No side are currently on a longer run without a victory.

Fulham can keep consecutive away clean sheets in the PL for the first time since May/August 2013.
Match officials

Referee: Anthony Taylor. Assistants: Gary Beswick, Adam Nunn. Fourth official: Chris Kavanagh. VAR: Peter Bankes. Assistant VAR: James Mainwaring.



https://www.premierleague.com/news/1985523


WhiteJC

West Brom in race against clock to finalise late Jan deal after COVID test performed – report

West Brom are in a race against the clock to sign striker Mbaye Diagne from Galatasaray in time for him to play against Fulham on Saturday, according to The Sun.

The newspaper claims Diagne, 29, completed a medical in Istanbul on Thursday and has undergone COVID testing ahead of moving to the Black Country.

However, it is understood that the Senegal international's need for a work permit could scupper Sam Allardyce's chances of starting him against Fulham at The Hawthorns this weekend.

The Sun adds that Diagne is set to join the Albion on loan until the end of the season but the deal will be made permanent if Allardyce's men are able to avoid relegation.

Galatasaray manager Fatih Terim has also reportedly given his blessing to the move.

Fulham match too soon

It sounds like it's going to be a bit of a stretch for Diagne to be available to play against Fulham at The Hawthorns on Saturday to make his West Brom debut.

Karlan Grant has returned from injury and Callum Robinson hasn't been playing too badly as of late so Allardyce does have a couple of options to play up front.

It would be good for him to have Diagne available in time for the relegation six-pointer against Fulham but it doesn't seem likely.

In just over 24 hours, the match will kick-off in the West Midlands and in that time, Diagne needs to get a work permit, fly into the UK, finalise whatever paperwork that is left over and get ready to slot straight into Big Sam's squad.

It just doesn't sound plausible.

West Brom have a massive couple of fixtures on the horizon with a trip to Yorkshire to play Sheffield United coming up on Tuesday.

It's far more likely that Diagne will feature at Bramall Lane.



https://www.westbromnews.co.uk/2021/01/29/west-brom-in-race-against-clock-to-finalise-late-jan-deal-after-covid-test-performed-report/

WhiteJC

'It was all weird... no one really spoke': Ex-Fulham star Sean Davis claims England's golden generation didn't talk to each other and squad was split between northerners and southerners... and says he 'HATED' his only senior Three Lions call-up

    Sean Davis was given his only call-up for the England senior squad in 2003
    England fell to a 3-1 loss to Australia and Davis admits he 'hated' the experience
    He says the players didn't speak and he went home instead of staying at the hotel
    Davis also claims Sven-Goran Eriksson said nothing after their Australia defeat
    He admitted having a better time going to a nightclub after the game took place

Former Fulham star Sean Davis has admitted he 'hated' his one and only experience of being called up to the senior England squad.

The retired midfielder was called up by Sven-Goran Eriksson for England's shock 3-1 friendly defeat by Australia at Upton Park, back in February 2003.

Davis says he left the team's hotel in Canary Wharf and returned the following morning and that he had a 'better time' going to a nightclub after the game.


Sean Davis was an unused sub in his only England call-up but played at Under 21 level


The former Fulham midfielder 'hated' the experience of being called-up to the senior side


'I hated it, I hated the experience,' Davis said in the latest On the Judy Podcast.

He added: 'So they pick you up ago to a hotel in Canary Wharf. It was all weird, no one really spoke.

'I'm looking around thinking this is my first time in the England squad, no one really came up to me and said anything.

'So I'm thinking this is a weird situation so I actually went home, stayed at home and came back in the morning. I didn't stay in the hotel as you were rooming up by yourself anyway.

'Not like you were allowed to do that but I was just like "you know what this is long I don't want to be sitting in a room by myself".

'I went home, came back, went down for breakfast. All the southerners on one side of the table, all the northerners on the other side of the table.

'It's not me being bitter this is just how I saw it. And then we trained but not everyone trained and then the next day we did a little pattern of play - wasn't involved in that.

'There was 24 players, three didn't play which I think was me, maybe Scotty Parker and Matt Upson. But then after the game they lost 3-1, people were just getting changed and going home.

'I don't think I even heard Eriksson say anything. So I was just alright, get in the shower and straight out.

'All of my family were there and I felt sorry for them as they travelled to Upton Park from south London which is a bridge of a drive. I ended up having a better time going to a nightclub after.'

Davis was an unused substitute in the defeat by Australia as Eriksson played an experimental side, where he changed the entire team at half-time.

Arsenal striker Francis Jeffers scored for England, but goals from Tony Popovic, Harry Kewell and Brett Emerton handed the Socceroos the victory.

It was the one and only call-up for Davis who would go on to play 198 times for Fulham, before going on to have spells at Premier League sides Tottenham, Portsmouth and Bolton.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9201567/Sean-Davis-claims-England-players-didnt-talk-HATED-senior-call-up.html

WhiteJC

Robinson revved up for return

Antonee Robinson is raring to go on his return to the Fulham side – after serving his three-match suspension having been sent off against Chelsea.

The American international admitted his spell on the sidelines had been frustrating and that his immediate reaction to his red card in the narrow derby defeat was that it was harsh. The left back told FFCTV:

I've obviously missed playing so much. It hurts not being able to help the lads out, but thankfully my suspension's over and I can get back out there. I feel ready to go straight back in if I'm needed. Hopefully, that is the case and I can get straight back involved and try and help the team to get more points. The rest has been good for me.

I thought it was harsh at the time, but it is more just the shock because I've never been sent off in my whole life playing football. It wasn't the first time I'd seen red. I was just shocked. I didn't think it was that hard a tackle to be getting a red for it, but I've just got to learn and move on.

Robinson believes Fulham were unlucky not to pick up more points in the two league games that he missed but is hopeful of a stronger second half of the season.

I think it was unfortunate. I don't think we played the best that we could play, but hopefully going forward, now that we've played everyone in the league, it should help with confidence, we know we can do well and now we know we have to get results.

The former Wigan defender believes Fulham are well placed to take on West Brom on Saturday in another crucial clash.

I'm sure they'll be set up a lot differently. I'm pretty sure the gaffer will be really going through how we're going to go against them. He's analysed them well, so I think we have to focus on our game and how we're going to break them down. I've got full faith in the team. The coaching staff here are really good at highlighting opposition strengths and weaknesses and tinkering with how we're going to play to exploit that, but I feel like we've got the players and the togetherness and the fight to go and try get points and we've got to put it into play now.

He is echoing manager Scott Parker's mantra about concentrating on each individual match and believes that if Fulham can continue their improved performances then vital points can follow.

I definitely think it is one game at a time. Obviously, we're aware that we're playing against a team who are below us in the table so it would be nice to get three points and get that cushion but overall there's however many games left in the season now so we're not to going down if we lose this game, we're not going to stay up if we win this game – we've just got to focus on trying to put the points together and trying to win games.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/01/robinson-revved-up-for-return/


WhiteJC

West Bromwich Albion v Fulham


Winger Grady Diangana joined West Brom from West Ham ahead of this season
TEAM NEWS

West Bromwich Albion winger Grady Diangana is back in training following a hamstring injury and could feature for the first time since 2 January.

Conor Townsend is in contention to make a first appearance since November after recovering from a knee injury.

Fulham full-back Antonee Robinson is available following a one-match suspension.

Terence Kongolo and Tom Cairney remain out with respective thigh and knee injuries.

LAWRO'S PREDICTION

Fulham have not won since the end of November but their improvement has been evident - this could be the win they have been waiting for.

Prediction: 1-2

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

    West Brom are winless in 10 league matches against Fulham.
    However, the Baggies have lost only one of their past nine home games against Fulham (W3, D5).
    Fulham's 2-1 triumph in 2013 is the only away victory in all 17 Premier League meetings.

West Bromwich Albion

    West Brom have 11 points after 20 matches. The only Premier League team to have 11 or fewer points at this stage and still avoid relegation was Albion themselves in 2004-05.
    They have won only two of their 20 league games this season (D5, L13).
    Albion have lost five straight top-flight home matches by an aggregate score of 22-1.
    The 22 league goals conceded since Sam Allardyce's first game in charge on 20 December is 10 more than any other side during that period.
    They have let in 29 goals in 10 Premier League home matches this campaign. Only Aston Villa, who let in 31 in 1935-36, have conceded more in their opening 10 home fixtures of a top-flight season.
    Allardyce has won six of his past seven home Premier League meetings with Fulham, drawing the other game.

Fulham

    Fulham have won just two of their 19 Premier League matches, and none of the last nine.
    That nine-game winless run is the current joint-longest in the division, along with Newcastle.
    Fulham can keep consecutive Premier League away clean sheets for the first time since August 2013.
    They have scored only four goals in their past nine league fixtures.
    Fulham are unbeaten in all five games versus bottom-five teams. They have drawn four and beat West Brom in the reverse fixture.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55769170

WhiteJC

Fulham player facing career dilemma following Championship transfer interest

Experienced Fulham midfielder Kevin McDonald is weighing up whether to move on from the Cottagers in the final few days of the transfer window – but he could sensationally end up retiring instead, per Sky Sports.

The 32-year-old has been a stalwart for many clubs in his career so far, including Burnley, Sheffield United and Wolverhampton Wanderers, and he's made 116 league appearances for Fulham since 2016.

But game-time has been harder to come by in recent years, with just 31 of those appearances coming since the start of the 2018/19 campaign, and he wasn't registered in Fulham's Premier League squad this season due to the competition in the engine room.

McDonald has only made one Fulham appearance of any kind this season – for their under-23 squad back in November – and Lyall Thomas of Sky Sports has revealed that several second tier clubs have made loan enquiries for the Scottish international.

But there could be another option on the table for McDonald – he could retire from playing and take up full-time coaching at Craven Cottage, with the club apparently valuing his experience very highly when it comes to teaching the younger players.

32 would be a relatively young age for McDonald to retire and he surely has a few more years left in his legs, but if a Championship move doesn't come to fruition, he may not have many more options.

The Verdict

There are plenty of Championship clubs who could do with a player like McDonald to sit in-front of the defence and dictate play.

The thoughts of retirement are surely all-too premature, even though he has been playing regular first-team football since the age of 16 when he was at Dundee, it's still baffling to think he may already be done.

Now that his name is out there as being available, there will surely be at least one Championship outfit who will make their move for McDonald before the window shuts at 11pm on February 1 – he has far too much quality to be sitting on the sidelines.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-player-facing-career-dilemma-following-championship-transfer-interest/

WhiteJC

Allardyce targeting change of fortunes on home soil

Sam Allardyce has challenged his players to change their fortunes at The Hawthorns and pick up "three big points" against Fulham.

The Baggies will be hoping to secure their first victory in B71 since late November when they host the Londoners on Saturday afternoon (ko 3pm).

Fulham sit one place and two points above the Baggies in the Premier League table, with both looking to claw back ground on the clutch of teams sitting just outside the danger zone.

Allardyce admits this weekend's clash is a hugely important one in the battle for survival and hopes Albion can rediscover the winning feeling on home soil.

He said: "We've been finding it difficult to win on our home turf. We need to put that to bed.

"We have to try and put that right in such a big game on Saturday.

"It's a six-pointer. Everybody knows that. We want to come away with three points. It would be a big win for us.

"I'll be telling everyone not to chase the game. We can't lose our focus. If we don't lose our focus and we play to our strengths, then we have an opportunity to beat Fulham.

"If we don't beat them, we need to make sure we don't lose.

"I've been preaching that since I arrived, but we haven't managed to crack it yet apart from results against Liverpool and Wolves.

"We haven't been as resilient as we should have been and we have let in far too many goals.

"We've lost our concentration during games and that has cost us dearly. That's something I have to keep working on.

"Between Man City and now there hasn't been too much time.

"The recovery for the players is the key factor, physically and mentally.

"There's not been a huge amount of action on the training pitch because we cannot expend too much energy on the training ground.

"We need every ounce of energy for Saturday's game against Fulham."



https://www.wba.co.uk/news/allardyce-targeting-change-fortunes-home-soil


WhiteJC

Up next: West Bromwich Albion (a)

Fulham face another tricky away trip tomorrow afternoon, heading to the Hawthorns to take on relegation rivals West Bromwich Albion in what is already a make-or-break game at the foot of the Premier League.

The Baggies will be looking for an immediate response after their humbling at the hands of Pep Guardiola's Manchester City on Tuesday night. The visitors found it all too easy, a combination of their own silky skills, and some abject Albion defending leading to a five-star stroll. Prior to that humiliation, however, West Brom seemed to be on something of an upturn under Sam Allardyce. After crashing out of the FA Cup on penalties at League One Blackpool, Allardyce's men travelled to local rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers and took all three points – coming back from 2-1 down to win 3-2 at Molineux. They were unlucky to lose at Allardyce's former club West Ham and pinched a point in his first match as manager at Anfield.

Albion will want to rediscover home comforts having lost all four games at the Hawthorns since the ex-England manager replaced Slaven Bilic in December. Allardyce hasn't been able to carry them out of the relegation zone having recorded just one win in charge and nor has he been able to stop his new charges from conceding goals at an alarming rate. New signings are planned, although it is unlikely that the imminent arrival of Galatasaray striker Mbaye Diagne will come in time for him to face Fulham. Instead, Allardyce will make personnel changes to the team thrashed by Manchester City – with Matt Phillips and Conor Gallagher likely to come back in. Lively winger Grady Dianagana is an injury doubt and Albion's most potent threat is likely to be the mercurial Matheus Pereira, a star in the Championship, who has scored five goals and made three more this term.

Fulham are sorely in need of victories – Wednesday night's stalemate at Brighton was their sixth draw in eight games – and goals, having scored just four in their last nine league matches. The most likely solution to that problem, in the absence of a new striker, is probably Aleskandar Mitrovic. The Serbian has just three to his name this season and has had been short of confidence having missed the pivotal penalty in his country's failure to qualify for the European Championships and been overlooked as Scott Parker changed his system. But Mitrovic scored 26 goals in the Championship last year, scored eleven in a desperately poor Fulham side that was relegated in 2019, and showed encouraging sharpness as a substitute at Brighton. If restored to lead the line tomorrow, Mitrovic would bring a presence that has been missing from Fulham's attack potentially alongside a livewire in Ademola Lookman, who already has three goals and three assists, and Bobby Decordova-Reid, who opened the scorer in the reverse fixture at Craven Cottage.

Parker will be able to call upon the services of Antonee Robinson, the American international who has been so impressive since arriving from Wigan in the summer, after his suspension for that sending off against Chelsea. Fulham looked badly unbalanced when the head coach opted to play Decordova-Reid at left wing-back on the south coast and Robinson's desire to drive forward with pace and power could provide a new attacking option. Their only persisting injury worries are around Tom Cairney, who has just began a new course of treatment to overcome his knee problem, and Terence Kongolo, whose latest setback is a thigh strain.

Fulham can't afford to be cut adrift at the bottom. For that reason, Parker needs to be more adventurous at the Hawthorns and back the quality in his side to cause West Brom problems. He should be bold and recall Mitrovic because a win would make such a difference to our survival bid.

MY FULHAM XI (5-3-2): Areola; Tete, Andersen, Tosin, Aina, Robinson; Anguissa, Reed, Loftus-Cheek; Lookman, Mitrovic

@ffcSeb's score prediction– West Bromwich Albion 0-2 Fulham FC



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/01/up-next-west-bromwich-albion-a-2/

WhiteJC

Premier League: Crystal Palace v Fulham will be shown live on BBC on 28 February

Crystal Palace's home match against Fulham on Sunday, 28 February will be broadcast on BBC One, the BBC Sport website and iPlayer.

The match, which kicks off at 12:00 GMT, could prove crucial to Fulham's chances of survival with Scott Parker's side currently five points from safety.

All Premier League fixtures up to and including the last weekend of February will be televised live in the UK.

Matches will also be shown on Sky Sports, BT Sport, Amazon Prime.

Fulham's away game at West Brom on Saturday, 30 January is available across the BBC.

All English top-flight games have been televised live in the UK since June, when the 2019-20 season resumed behind closed doors after a three-month suspension forced by the coronavirus pandemic.

Under the three-year UK television deal that began in 2019, only 200 of the 380 Premier League matches per season were originally contracted to be shown live.

So when last season resumed, the extra live games were divided up among the four UK television rights holders, including the BBC.

In October, the Premier League introduced pay-per-view broadcasts - at £14.95 - for all matches not selected for live coverage by Sky, BT and Amazon under their existing contracts.

However, after significant protests among fan groups, the scheme was scrapped in November, with all extra live games once again shared out among the UK rights holders.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55860087

WhiteJC

Has there been any further updates in Fulham's reported pursuit of Siriki Dembele?

Siriki Dembele is a man in-demand this month, with a host of clubs from England and Scotland tracking the diminutive Peterborough United attacker.

Dembele handed in a transfer request earlier in January, a ploy which Posh owner Darragh MacAnthony laughed off as being agent-driven, with the winger/striker still committed to the club by contract until the summer of 2022.

It came at a time where a number of different clubs were being linked, with Newcastle United, Scottish duo Celtic and Rangers and Nottingham Forest all name-dropped by different reports – the latter even tried to swap Tyler Walker in the summer for Dembele but were turned down, according to Barry Fry.

Fulham are the latest name to be linked with the 24-year-old, who has scored five times and assisted seven goals (transfermarkt) in League One this season.

Are the Cottagers likely to move for the League One man with a few days remaining of the window though?

Simply put, no they won't.

That's the words of Posh Director of Football Fry, who was in discussions with Fulham chief scout Brian Talbot as he attended Peterborough's 1-0 win over Ipswich to specifically watch Dembele.

Fry detailed his text conversation with Talbot post-match, telling the Peterborough Telegraph: "Fulham have watched Siriki five times. Brian was at the game on Saturday and he sent me a message after the game to say they wouldn't be making an offer during the current transfer window.

That's not to say they won't be back in the summer when clubs' finances are clearer.
"There is no money about right now and certainly not enough for us to part with Siriki.

"It's getting too late in the window now anyway. We wouldn't have time to get a replacement."

Peterborough fans can rest easy until the summer now as it seems pretty clear that they will not be letting Dembele go, but they will be resigned to losing him before the 2021/22 season starts as he will only have a year left on his contract and it doesn't look like he wants to stick around at London Road.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/has-there-been-any-further-updates-in-fulhams-reported-pursuit-of-siriki-dembele/


WhiteJC

Why haven't Fulham signed anyone yet?

First things first, I know that as soon as this article, the club will announce a signing. That's just sods law. But the question still remains, why haven't Fulham signed anyone?

First of all, let me just explain that a lack of signings isn't merely a Fulham problem, with just seven permanent fee-paying deals made so far with just two days to go. The Premier League and the rest of the footballing world has found itself in a rather unusual situation in this winter window, as has the world has for the past 11 months, lacking the usual busy month filled with extortionately priced transfers. In fact, the number of players that Fulham have been linked with this time around can probably be counted on both hands. For most clubs, the answer is due to COVID-19, of course, but Fulham seem to find themselves a bit deeper down the rabbit hole than others.

COVID-19 has obviously had a major impact on every football club and at every level. Matchday revenue, which is the most important revenue stream for football clubs as its regularity allows the payment of operating costs, has been eliminated due to the restrictions but in place to combat the virus. This has led to many clubs having to live off of the broadcasting and commercial revenues, that while much larger, come only once or perhaps twice per season. Consequently, clubs are reluctant to spend these revenue streams on more transfers and higher wage costs, with the Whites being no exception, whilst also demanding high transfer fees to sell any players to cover their costs, leading to a turgid transfer market.

Fulham may also be suffering from a lack of targets to pursue, especially with inflated prices and a lack of cash. Having been linked to relatively few players, it seems as though Fulham are in the hunt for a fairly rare player – a cheap, quick and prolific striker that is capable at the elite level. This is especially hard to find given the club's favourability towards a loan deal, due to the risk of relegation, as the loaning club wouldn't not even be compensated upfront to lose the player, other than perhaps a small loan fee, so cannot replace them themselves.

Therefore, the only affordable market at the moment for most clubs seems to be France. This is due to the collapse of the Ligue 1 TV deal, which some estimate will lose the league a total 1.3 billion Euros, with an average loss of 65 million Euros per team. With French clubs ready to offload star players to account for these losses, this is the reason why we have seen Fulham linked to Boulaye Dia, Moussa Dembele and now Josh Maja.

However, where Fulham differentiates from most clubs is the proximity in which the club seems to be operating close to the Financial Fair Play limit. Without going into too much detail and bamboozling everybody, the main costs that Fulham faces are 'total staff costs', mainly player wages, as well as the amortisation of transfer fees. Amortisation is how an initial cost is split over a set period of time, in this case a transfer fee split over a player's contracted years at the club and if their contract is extended, the remaining amount is spread over the extension period.

Should Fulham stay up this season, the FFP limit for next season is an £83 million loss over the 3-year period. However, should Fulham be relegated, this will drop to just a £61 million loss over the 2019/20-2021/22 period. While this seems like a large amount, in footballing terms it is not. It is understood that Fulham may be operating close to this limit which explains the shrewd summer spending as well as the lack of transfers this window.

Hopefully the club is able to get someone in before the deadline on Monday, with a loan being preferable.

What are your opinions on the potential Josh Maja deal? And what other options would you consider?



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/01/why-havent-fulham-signed-anyone-yet/

WhiteJC

It's the start of a big five weeks for the Baggies

I'm always hesitant to describe a game as a "must win" when there are so many games left in a season, but Saturday's visit of Fulham is certainly one that Albion cannot afford to lose.

It is the first in a series of seven games in five weeks when the Baggies will meet all five of the other teams in the bottom six plus Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United. Having averaged a little over 0.5 points per game for the first half of the season, Albion need to push that up towards 1.5 for the remainder of the season if they are to have any chance of staying up, and that means winning eleven points from those seven games. However, given that the need to take points off the teams around us is paramount, the more taken in those five specific games, the better.

Those of you that read my report on the City game will know that I felt that Allardyce got it wrong on Tuesday night, although that does not absolve the players from criticism as some of the social media comments suggested. I just felt that his team selection made it more difficult for the players, but the level of performance produced was well below the minimum expected and Big Sam was right to read the riot act in the dressing room afterwards.

There have been suggestions since that the decisions to leave out Kyle Bartley and Conor Gallagher, the two players that I think would have made a difference on Tuesday, was more about saving them for this more important fixture, although there has been no explanation as to why Karlan Grant was played on the wing.

Steve Madeley in The Athletic not only indicated that Gallagher and Bartley would come into the side against Fulham, but that Sam Field is in contention as well. He also suggested that Allardyce was attempting to form a "fire break" between the City game and what came before, and the remainder of the season by having the post-match "debrief" on Tuesday evening and letting the players spend Wednesday with their families.

There certainly needs to be a reset and we can hope that it has the desired impact on Saturday. But Albion cannot afford any more false dawns – encouraging displays against Liverpool and Wolves promised much but were followed by successive defeats and this run of games needs a series of consistent performances and, of course, results.

As the author of a blog, I will offer my opinion on players' abilities and performances, but I try to avoid personal criticism as I do not feel that any player is deliberately trying to play badly and, just because someone earns a lot of money as Premier League footballers do, it does not make them immune to the pressures both on and off the field that affect performance. Unfortunately, there are many that are happy to subject players to personal criticism via social media and at least one individual took that to the next level and decided to racially abuse Romaine Sawyers on Twitter during the City game on Tuesday evening. I'm sure that any genuine Albion fan would agree with me in the belief that such views have no place in society let alone in following a club that has a history of promoting racial equality. I hope that the individual can be identified and prosecuted to the full extent of the law, and I also agree with Sam Allardyce's comments that social media platforms need to do more to prevent this type of abuse.

Back to the football, one of Big Sam's constant gripes this month has been his inability to bring new players in, and he is laying the blame firmly at the hands of those above him at the club. Andy Lonergan and Robert Snodgrass remain the only new faces at the time of writing, although hopes are high that striker, Mbaye Diagne, will join on loan from Galatasaray but perhaps not in time to play against Fulham. Having wanted several more new players a couple of weeks ago, it looks like Allardyce will have to settle for Diagne and one more, probably a defensive midfielder.

As for Saturday's opponents, Fulham have become harder to beat in recent weeks but are currently on a run of nine Premier League games without a win since they surprisingly beat Leicester City at the end of November. They have, however, picked up six points from those nine games and remain two points ahead of the Baggies. That does mean, of course, that a win for Albion would move them out of the bottom two for the first time since early December.

Scott Parker's side have managed to do what Albion haven't, and stop conceding buckets of goals. Since conceding ten in their opening three Premier League games, they have only conceded more than two on one occasion since then. Indeed, they have only let in six goals in their last eight league games, a stat that Sam Allardyce could only dream about. Only Burnley and Sheffield United have scored fewer goals, however, although their tally of 15 in the "for" column is the same as Albion's.

Parker will be without long-term absentee, Tom Cairney, and defender Terence Kongolo for Saturday's game, while Antonee Robinson, the full back that Albion were interested in over the summer, will serve the last of his three match ban for a red card against Chelsea a fortnight ago.

Allardyce could have Grady Diangana and Conor Townsend available after injury. Townsend is yet to feature under Big Sam having picked up his injury in the 1-0 win over Sheffield United in November while Diangana is looking for his first action since the 4-0 defeat to Arsenal at the beginning of the month.

This game will be historic in that it is to be televised on the BBC at 3pm on a Saturday, and I suspect the last time that happened for to a Baggies match was in May 1968. I'd take the same result but whoever is the modern day Jeff Astle for the day needs to find the net before the 90 minutes is up!



https://brummieroadender.com/baggies-preview/its-the-start-of-a-big-five-weeks-for-the-baggies/