Saturday Fulham Stuff (11/12/10)...

[WhiteJC]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=851548&sec=england&cc=5739

Hughes: Fulham won't sell Dempsey

Mark Hughes says Fulham will not listen to any offers for Clint Dempey, despite suggestions that Liverpool are preparing to make an offer in the January transfer window.

Dempsey is reported to be a target for former Fulham boss Roy Hodgson and has also been linked with Wolfsburg, managed by former England boss Steve McClaren.

However, Hughes has no intention of selling a player who has scored six goals in all competitions for the Cottagers this season.

"I'm sure there is interest in Clint. Most good players are mentioned at some point in time leading into a window," Hughes said. "There's been no contact from any clubs for Clint or any other player.

"Nor would we encourage it because Clint's very happy here, is enjoying his football and is having an impact for us. If there any enquires about Clint, they'll be getting short shrift."

[WhiteJC]

http://www.sportingpreview.com/matches/10111308.php?

EARLY TEAM NEWS

Asamoah Gyan and Craig Gordon are both doubtful for Sunderland's Premier League match at Fulham.

Striker Gyan has a toe injury and goalkeeper Gordon has sustained a hamstring problem but Bruce is holding out hope that both will figure in the game at Craven Cottage.

Titus Bramble, Fraizer Campbell and Michael Turner are all out with knee injuries.

Fulham left-back Carlos Salcido will return after recovering from an ankle injury.

Moussa Dembele is still struggling with his ankle problem but could be action next weekend, while Matthew Briggs has undergone a calf operation.

Neither Bobby Zamora and Phillipe Senderos are available for Saturday's clash.

Fulham Squad: Schwarzer, Kelly, Salcido, Hughes, Baird, Hangeland, Duff, Dempsey, Murphy, Davies, Gera, Etuhu, A Johnson, E Johnson, Stockdale, Pantsil, Kamara, Greening, Dikgacoi, Kelly.

Sunderland Squad: Gordon, Mignolet, Onuoha, Bardsley, Richardson, Angeleri, Ferdinand, Mensah, Da Silva, Cattermole, Riveros, Henderson, Malbranque, Elmohamady, Zenden, Bent, Gyan, Welbeck, Meyler, Adams.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/transfer-rumours/3606/7/hughes-moves-end-goalkeeper-confusion?

Hughes moves to end goalkeeper confusion

Mark Hughes has dismissed reports claiming Fulham have taken a Mexican goalkeeper on trial.

Guillermo Ochoa is Club America's 25-year-old keeper and a close friend of Fulham left-back Carlos Salcido and that is all Hughes claims to know about the shot-stopper.

Ochoa, whose Club America contract expires in June, is available for a cut-price deal and it was reported that he has been in west London discussing a potential January deal.

But Hughes said: "There has been a bit of confusion about that.

"I think he is actually on holiday here from Mexico and he knows Carlos but he hasn't been at the club and he hasn't trained."

A statement from the Mexican club recently released said: 'Our goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa has travelled to London after accepting the invitation he has received from Fulham and the manager Mark Hughes.'

The former Manchester City manager shot down those claims and it comes as no surprise as the club only secured the services of Arsenal target Mark Schwarzer, for another year, last week.

[WhiteJC]

http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2010/12/10/starting-lineups/?

Starting Lineups
Filed under: Analysis — timmyg 
This is still a work in progress, but I went back and looked at each team's different amount of starters so far this season and the data is below.

Also included is data (via football-lineups.com) from last year, and the teams placed 17-20th in the 2008-09 and 2007-08 seasons (no time to do each team for each season). Granted there are exceptions, but it seems that unless you're Manchester United, having 27 or more different starters is usually a damning sign.

I know some of this info will probably be outdated as of tomorrow, but it's still food for thought. And I only included players that started because adding substitutes would be too much of a variable.



(Boy, Derby sure were a basket case).

[WhiteJC]

http://www.footballtransfertavern.com/2010/12/premiership/spurs-celtic-fulham-all-in-for-argentine?

SPURS, CELTIC & FULHAM ALL IN FOR ARGENTINE STAR

Alas we are not in Carlos Tevez or Ricky Villa territory here.

We are talking about a decent enough prospect if your bag is back up goalies. The chap's name is Julian Speroni. He is currently at Crystal Palace but has attracted plenty of interest and has been scouted by Spurs, Fulham and our friends over Hadrian's, Celtic.

Projected transfer value? Perhaps £1.2M on a good day.

Projected excitement value? 3/10.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.sportingpreview.com/matches/10111320.php?

BIG MATCH STATS AND FACTS

There have been just two goals scored in the last four Premier League matches between Fulham and Sunderland.

• Fulham have won just one of their last six Premier League home matches.

• Sunderland have won just two of their last 26 Premier League away games but their last victory came away in west London against Chelsea.

• Only two goals have been scored in their last four Premier League meetings.

• This is a clash between two of the Premier League's draw specialists. Half of Sunderland's 16 games this season have ended level, whereas Fulham have drawn nine of their 16 to date.

• This is not the first time these two sides have met on this date. Sunderland recorded a 2-1 win over Fulham at Roker Park in an old second division match in 1971.

• Mark Hughes is unbeaten in all six previous Premier League home matches against sides managed by Steve Bruce. Hughes has won the last five in row, including his final game as Manchester City manager - a 4-3 win over Sunderland in December last year.

• Fulham have won just one of their last 12 Premier League matches.

• No player has attempted more shots without hitting the target in the Premier League this season than Sunderland's Ahmed Al-Muhammadi (14).

• 17 of the 32 games played by either Sunderland or Fulham in the Premier League this season have ended in a draw.

• Fulham have conceded more goals to African players than any other Premier League side this season (6).

• Mark Hughes has drawn 17 of his last 28 games as a Premier League manager.

• It's just one win in 12 Premier League games for Fulham.

• Fulham are equal bottom of the Premier League form guide with Wolves. Both clubs have accrued just three points from their last six games.

• If selected, Clint Dempsey will be making his 100th league start for the club, while Stephen Kelly could also make his 100th Premier League appearance.

• The Black Cats have won four of their last eight games and taken 14 of the 24 points available. They started the season with only one victory in their opening eight matches.

• Sunderland have recorded just one away victory this season, their superb 3-0 win at Chelsea, a ground just two miles from Craven Cottage.

• If selected, ex-Fulham midfielder Steed Malbranque will be making his 400th appearance in English football, while Kieran Richardson stands by for his 100th appearance in a Sunderland shirt.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/December/Advent11-SEATwatch.aspx?

Win a Casio SEAT Sports Watch

Win a Casio SEAT Sports Watch, courtesy of SEAT, Fulham's 'Official Car Partner'

In today's great Christmas offer, we are giving you the opportunity to win a fantastic Casio SEAT Sports Watch.

This yellow coloured Casio Wave Ceptor is perfectly suited to the SEAT Sport image with its striking appearance, hatched yellow / black leather strap, and bold yellow dial.

For your chance to win this great prize, enter our free prize draw below. By entering your details, you agree to allow the Club to contact you by e-mail regarding Club news and offers.

Terms and Conditions: Entry to the prize draw is free, no purchase necessary. All prize draw entries must be received by midnight on 20/12/10.  Draw to be independently made on 21/12/2010. The winner will be notified by 21/12/10. No cash or prize alternative. Decision of the Club is final. Details of the winners can be obtained by writing to Promoter: Fulham Football Club, Motspur Park Training Ground, New Malden. KT3 6PT, SEAT draw. Winners may be required to take part in advertising, including photographs. Staff of Fulham Football Club and their associated companies are excluded.

Christmas Competition from Fulham FC



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Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/December/Advent11-SEATwatch.aspx?#ixzz17mcMJKgl

[WhiteJC]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/dec/11/carlos-salcido-fulham?

Carlos Salcido gives Fulham much-needed survival instinct
The defender has found a place in the relegation-threatened side having risen from abject poverty in his native Mexico


Carlos Salcido joined Fulham from PSV Eindhoven in August having impressed for
Mexico at the World Cup. Photograph: Martin Godwin for the Guardian

Carlos Salcido struggles to recall the names of the other members of his group, a lonely and fearful band of strangers huddled together in the desert at the dead of night, but the memory of their collective helplessness still haunts him. News had filtered through that the first party attempting to flee Mexico for California had been caught by the US border patrol. The teenage Salcido was in the second group. With the marshals on full alert, it would be two or three days at least before it would be safe to attempt another crossing.

He was afraid, hungry, virtually broke and dealing with his failure in something at which his elder brothers and sister had earlier succeeded. What money he had was spent in the morning telephoning his father, Pablo Salcido Rodríguez, in his hometown of Ocotlán. "We'd turned back, I had nothing left and was scared," Salcido Jr says. "I had to phone him and say: 'I'm broke. I'm not going to make it.' I thought he would be disappointed, but he told me to come home. 'No one dies from hunger in Mexico,' he told me." Such a story is not uncommon among impoverished Mexicans lured north by the promise of a new life in the US. Among Premier League footballers, it is exceptional.

Carlos Arnoldo Salcido Flores is anything but a typical top-flight defender. Fulham fans welcomed the 30-year-old's £1.6m signing from PSV Eindhoven, having been swayed by his performances at successive World Cups. Or even by the impression he made in a PSV side that eliminated Arsenal from the Champions League in 2007 and have regularly faced English opposition in that competition over the past four years. This is a player who has 81 caps for his country, was a runner-up in the Copa Libertadores with Chivas, and won successive Dutch league titles. He will take to the field against Sunderland this afternoon as a relatively new arrival, but with pedigree. Yet he is also a player who 11 years ago had never kicked a ball for a professional club and whose only source of income came from washing cars in a busy suburb of Guadalajara.

Youngsters are affiliated to Premier League clubs at the age of 10 or 11 these days. For Salcido, football was not an option back then. Carlos was the fifth of six sons and a daughter born to Pablo and María Flores Ruiz in Ocotlán, a small working town built around the timber trade. His mother died of cancer on 7 December, 1989, when Carlos was nine – he has a tattoo that reads "In memory of my mother RIP" on his left shoulder – and the family's wages that once paid for her medication were duly eaten up by the other debts accrued during her illness. By the age of 11, necessity had driven him into the town's timber trade. Three years later he was seeking illegal passage into the US just as his elder siblings, Erika María, Sergio, Francisco and Yahel, had before him.

"A lot of the family's debts fell on my father's shoulders when my mother died and I saw that I, too, would have to start working to pitch in," he says. "I'd work in the timber factories after school – I'd go to class in the morning, then to the factory at 1pm – and the money I earned paid for my clothes, my school books. Anything extra went to the family. We had hard lives, like a lot of Mexicans, and trying to get into the US was common. I tried when I was 14, in a group of nine or 10 people, but when that failed my father found a bit of money from somewhere and sent me to my aunt in Guadalajara.

"It was a while before I found regular work even there. I washed cars and trucks, but the rubber boots I had to wear reacted with the soapy water and took the skin off my feet. It was agony, so I had to find something else to pay my upkeep. I worked in a glassworks for a while, then in a mechanics in the old bus station building on Los Angeles. But when I was 19, the police raided our workshop – they hit a lot of the scrap metal places on the block – and arrested people for selling stolen parts. I was terrified and told my boss I didn't want to be a part of this, so he sacked me.

"That was on a Saturday and on the Monday, a few of my mates who played in an amateur team in Tlaquepaque [a suburb of the city] were a man short. I wasn't working, so I went along. I hadn't played since back in Ocotlán with my friends. I had no trainers, only my work shoes, and was wearing jeans. The other team agreed to let me play because I was so clearly just 'an amateur'. But my father had played for La Piedad, a second division team, and I'd inherited some of his ability. There was a scout at the game, Ramón Candelario from Gallos de Aguascalientes, and he asked me then and there if I wanted to play professionally.

"I told him I made 700 pesos [£35] and needed to pay my board at my aunt's and send money back to Ocotlán. He reached into his pocket, gave me 1,000 pesos and said: 'This proves I'm serious.' I still can't get my head around how far I've come since. I made my debut in the third division for Gallos and, 18 months later, I was playing for Chivas and, soon after, for Mexico. I'd stumbled on a career, going from washing cars in the streets to having people stop me for photos and my autograph on those same streets overnight. My life has been a whirlwind ever since."

He excelled at Chivas and with the national side, most naturally as a stocky and combative centre-half but also as a marauding full-back with a vicious shot and an accurate delivery. International scouts were alerted by a wonderful end-to-end extra-time goal scored against Argentina in the 2005 Confederations Cup in Germany. Arsenal looked at him extensively, though when he was lured to Europe it was by Ronald Koeman's PSV. "I didn't know where Holland was, what the weather would be like, or what type of football I'd encounter," he says. "But my father told me: 'Here, or in China, football is always football.'

"I'd always had that survival instinct in me, that need to improve, especially after my mother's death. That had really toughened me up. Once I was at PSV I settled quite quickly. Ronald Koeman spoke perfect Spanish, which helped, and I was joining a winning team. I played alongside Alex, who's now at Chelsea, at centre-half and we had huge success, winning the league twice and competing regularly in the Champions League. I had a little entourage of friends from back home who I'd fly over when we played Internazionale, Arsenal and Liverpool. They lived this dream with me, and still are."

Salcido was impressive again in South Africa over the summer as Mexico matched their performance from Germany by reaching the second phase, where they were eliminated by a heavily fancied Argentina, with the chance to play in England he had long craved eventually offered by Fulham. Mark Hughes had lost Paul Konchesky to Liverpool, the full-back following Roy Hodgson to Anfield. Salcido, even at 30, represented a bargain. There was an assist on his debut against Blackburn Rovers and a consistency of performance thereafter to suggest he was adjusting well until Aston Villa's Luke Young ploughed into a horrible tackle at Craven Cottage that went ignored by the referee but took its toll on the Mexican's ankle ligaments.

Even so, an injury that would normally keep a player out for a month sidelined the defender for only a fortnight, even if he may have regretted a return against an uncharacteristically expansive Manchester City who ran riot at Craven Cottage. Yet the full-back appears to be a player who will thrive in this league as a high-profile member of a flurry of Mexican imports to these shores. Giovani dos Santos and Carlos Vela remain on the fringes of Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal respectively. Pablo Barrera is finding his feet at West Ham. Javier Hernández has already caught the eye amid the glitz and glamour at Manchester United.

Vela and Celtic's Efraín Juárez are currently banned by their national federation after members of the squad allegedly held a party in a Monterrey hotel after the 1-0 friendly win over Colombia in September. Salcido, along with Hernández, Dos Santos and Barrera, was fined £2,500. "We all learned from that experience – the players, the directors, the staff – and a lot of changes have come in since then," Salcido says. "But it shouldn't be allowed to affect the progress of the new generation of players coming through.

"These guys who have come over here to England are younger than me, but I'd still consider them my idols. A lot of them are playing in very big teams, and they're still learning. They're skilful, talented and have a great opportunity ahead of them. Give them time. I'm sure they can establish themselves, improve and progress. If I'm honest, I wish I'd come to the Premier League when I was younger. My advice to these guys would simply be: take advantage of this chance."

Salcido is a player who took an unexpected opportunity and has gone on to forge an unlikely career. Back in Ocotlán, he is considered an idol.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/216805/No-festive-frolics-at-Fulham?

NO FESTIVE FROLICS AT FULHAM

FULHAM players have cancelled their Christmas party as they are hovering above the relegation zone and in no mood to celebrate.

They entertain in-form Sunderland today looking for only a third win of the season under manager Mark Hughes, after a run of draws – nine from 16 games – left them feeling Scrooge-like for the festive period.

Officially, there is no suggestion Hughes banned the bash even if he seemed lukewarm on the idea. "I loved them as a player but I think there's a time and a place for them," said Hughes, who will be in better spirits if his team win today.

To do that, he conceded that his side will have to find goals from somewhere.

Hit by injuries to his leading strikers, he said: "Our 'goals for' column is what's holding us back. On 'goals against' we stand comparison with some of the better sides – there are only about seven clubs who have conceded less.

"Clint Dempsey and Joe [Diomansy] Kamara have scored for us but, in terms of goals scored at the business end, we need to improve.

"We will always create chances – that's a given with this group of players. But it's about taking them.

"We have goals in this side but it's about making sure we convert them when they present themselves.

"What I don't want to see this weekend is a repeat of Birmingham here, where we had the majority of the possession but were unable to unpick the locks."


Read more: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/216805/No-festive-frolics-at-FulhamNo-festive-frolics-at-Fulham#ixzz17mfFE79n

[WhiteJC]

http://www.sportingpreview.com/columns/10110195.php?

THE ANDY GRAY COLUMN
SATURDAY CORRECT SCORE PREDICTIONS

This is a weekend of Premier League football that could have a huge impact on where the title ends up come May. A struggling Chelsea side travel to White Hart Lane whilst Manchester United play host to bitter rivals Arsenal at Old Trafford.

One thing is for certain, whoever comes out on top in those two matches will feel very good about life at the moment and be bullish about their chances of going all the way. These aren't easy matches to call this weekend, far from it, but let's try and use what we've seen so far and what we know, to make another profit this week...

Fulham v Sunderland
I don't expect this to be the first game shown on Match of the Day but I do expect it to be a tight game so bet accordingly.

Recommended Bets: Back the draw at 3.3; 1-1 at 7.2

[WhiteJC]

http://articles.squarefootball.net/squarefootball/2010/12/fulham-v-sunderland-black-cats-target-a-west-london-double.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Squarefootball+%28Squarefootball%29

Fulham v Sunderland: Black Cats target a west London double

What a week it has been to be a Sunderland fan. You've seen your boys climb to within six points of a Champions League place with victory over West Ham United, laughed as Newcastle United sack their boss and hire Alan Pardew and now you're off to west London – the scene of your most famous, and only, away victory of the season.

But while Wearside has been full of smiles and jokes, Craven Cottage has been weighed down with talk of relegation. Mark Hughes's men played well at the Emirates on Saturday, but two sublime goals from the man-of-the-moment Samir Nasri secured the points for the Gunners. That defeat was the sixth game in a row that Fulham had failed to win and despite overseeing a decent start to his time at the Cottage, Hughes knows he has to turn around the club's fortunes sooner rather than later.

Fulham have acquired just three points from a possible 18 and only a favourable goal difference keeps them out of the bottom three. Hughes has suffered with injuries to key players this season but he must motivate the squad and get a result soon.

Sunderland travel to the capital looking to repeat their 3-0 annihilation of the champions but they have only won once at the Cottage in Premier League history.

Fulham, along with Birmingham, are the draw specialists in the top flight and the Panel seems to be edging towards that outcome here, although there is support for a Fulham win.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.sportingpreview.com/columns/10110231.php?

THE MIKE NORMAN COLUMN
SATURDAY'S PREMIER LEAGUE 3.00pm KICK-OFFS PREVIEWED

Mike Norman expects Man City to keep up their title challenge when they visit West Ham on Saturday, whilst Villa and Everton could get back to winning ways. Best Bet: Back Everton HT/Everton FT at 2.22 v Wigan.

Fulham 2.24 v Sunderland 3.9; The Draw 3.3

Fulham are another side struggling at the wrong end of the table and perhaps a game against a dogged and hard-to-beat Sunderland side isn't the ideal opportunity to arrest the Cottager's slide. Just one win in 12, and two wins all season, mean Mark Hughes is another manager under pressure and he won't get any favours from his opposite number and former team-mate Steve Bruce.

Fulham's problem of late has been scoring goals - they've scored more than one in a single game just the once since the beginning of September. The Black Cats may average just over one goal per game themselves but they've kept seven clean sheets already this season and that could be the deciding factor here. Under 1.5 Goals looks worth a wager at 3.2, but if you don't think Fulham can win then you will get better average odds by backing the 0-0 (9.2) and 0-1 (11.0) options in the Correct Score market.