Monday Fulham Stuff - 16/08/21...

[WhiteJC]

Silva's sense of adventure sets the pulse racing

If you wanted an early illustration of what Marco Silva has introduced to SW6 in a few short weeks, you could find it in west Yorkshire yesterday afternoon. The Portuguese head coach purred after the final whistle at the St. John's Stadium about Fulham's flowing football delivering a deserved result but one of his remarks – discussing how his side had responded to adversity on a remarkable afternoon – demonstrated the change of mindset since Scott Parker's departure. It would have been easy to sit on a two-goal cushion after Harry Wilson's sending off, but that simply isn't the Silva way. Instead, the visitors attacked with vigour and the results were glorious.

The signs were there from the starting line-up he picked to play Huddersfield. Fulham had surrendered a strong position on the opening weekend to only pick up a point against Middlesbrough and Silva's reaction was to sacrifice any semblance of a holding midfielder. It might have been harsh on young Tyrese Francois, but the elevation of Jean-Michael Seri, a player the new boss has admired since his spell Paços de Ferreira, proved pivotal as the Ivorian distributed the ball deliciously from the middle of the park.

The selection of Bobby Decordova-Reid was even more inspired. The Jamaican international, a willing wing-back under Parker, shone as Fulham's creative hub with the shackles removed on Saturday. He darted into dangerous positions from the left flank, ending up with three assists as he exploited the time and space afforded to him by a hapless Huddersfield defence. The flicked header that led to Josh Onomah nodding in from close range showed that Fulham might even be a threat from set plays this season but perhaps Decordova-Reid's most telling moment came just after the hosts had sparked hopes of a revival with a set piece goal of their own.

Onomah was involved again here, pinching the ball from a throw in and driving towards the edge of the box, before Decordova-Reid – having sprinted from the halfway line to join the attack – produced some sublime footwork in the area to find a few yards of space and pick out Fabio Carvalho. His peach of a pass to release Ivan Cavaleiro allayed any fears of a nervous final few minutes after Wilson's dismissal – and capped a complete display from the Bristol-born forward. He'll be a serious asset to Fulham's forward line this season.

Cavaleiro's own introduction was something of a statement from Silva. The former Wolves winger might have underwhelmed as a lone forward in the top flight, but put him in the right position and he can be devastating in the Championship. That he appeared off the bench at all, given the fact that Fulham had just been reduced to ten men, underlined how much has changed since the summer. Had Parker not packed himself off to the south coast, you could have envisaged Alfie Mawson and Joe Bryan being sent on to try and keep Huddersfield at bay. Instead, Cavaleiro came on to hit the home side on the counter – and he took both of his goals brilliantly. Imagine what a confidence boost that will be.

Sterner tests will certainly follow, perhaps as soon as the trip to the New Den on Tuesday evening. Huddersfield – weakened by coivd and Carlos Corberan's commitment to emulating Marcelo Bielsa's ideals seemingly without a suitable set of players – never really recovered from a dreadful start that saw Sorba Thomas and Ryan Schofield comically combine to gift the Whites a ridiculous opening goal. Their defensive vulnerabilities were ruthlessly exploited by Fulham's sense of adventure, epitomised by the brilliant break that led to that vital third goal. It would be sensible not to read too much into any August result, but seeing Fulham playing flowing football once again was simply superb.




https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/08/silvas-sense-of-adventure-sets-the-pulse-racing/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham will present offer for signing 'at beginning of week' – Interesting deal in works

Saturday was a very good day for Fulham as they thrashed Huddersfield Town 5-1 away from home.

The Cottagers had two Portuguese players in the goals, with Fabio Carvalho getting one, and Ivan Cavaleiro scoring twice. There's now the chance of them being joined by a compatriot, with Sunday's edition of Record saying a deal for Bruno Paz is in the pipeline.

A defensive midfielder, the 23-year-old is out of the picture at Sporting and the Lisbon club are willing to let him go. According to Record, Fulham will make an offer for the player 'at the beginning of the week', and an interesting deal could be agreed.

Fulham are said to be trying to convince Sporting to let Bruno Paz leave on a free transfer. Sporting could allow that, but there's conditions.

The Lions would want a buyback clause of €2.5m, and have a percentage of a future sale.

Fulham will likely be against inserting a buyback clause at such a low amount, yet they would be getting the signing for free.




http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-will-present-offer-signing-beginning-week-interesting-deal-works/

[WhiteJC]

Away Day Guide – Millwall

Following a superb away day result at Huddersfield on Saturday, the Whites head out on the road again, but this time it's a shorter distance to travel for a London derby against Millwall at the New Den on Tuesday 17 August, kick off 7.45pm.
TICKETING INFORMATION

Tickets are still on sale but, now that it is too late for them to be sent by post, the Fulham Ticket Office is selling by phone only (020 3871 0810) for collection at the Millwall North Stand Ticket Office from 5:30pm on Tuesday.

The Fulham Ticket Office is open from 9am until 5pm on weekdays.

Prices are

    Adult : £30 / £29
    Age 62+, Aged 18-21 & Armed Forces : £21 / £20
    Under 18s : £17 / £16
    Under 16s : £15
    Under 12s : £10
    Under 6s : £5

Tickets are also available on the day of the match at the Millwall North Stand Ticket Office. Prices increase by £3 on matchday.
HOW TO GET TO THE NEW DEN
BY CAR

There are no parking facilities at the stadium, so driving is not recommended but the easiest way would be follow the signs from take the New Kent and Old Kent Road to St. James' Road. At the 'car pound' turning, turn right into Ilderton Road and Zampa Street, where the stadium is, is the seventh turning on the right. There is a small trading estate on the left as you drive past the New Den, but be aware of zealousy enforced street parking restrictions otherwise.
BY TRAIN

The nearest overground station is South Bermondsey – well served by regular trains from London Bridge – which is about five minutes' walk from the ground. Surrey Quays is about twenty minutes walk, whilst New Cross or New Cross Gate are closer to half an hour away.

Canada Water tube station, on the Jubilee Line, is about 20 minutes walk away from the New Den.

Various local bus services can take you close to the stadium. The 21, 53 and 172 all stop at the Old Kent Road, the P12 serves Ilderton Road, the 1 and 1381 reaches Rotherhithe New Road and the 47, 188 and 225 stop at Surrey Quays.
BY COACH

Coaches will depart from Motspur Park & Craven Cottage at 4.30pm on matchday priced at £13 (adults) and £5 (juniors) for season ticket holders and members. Prices for non-members or season ticket holders are £15 (adult) and £10 (junior).
AWAY PUBS

All the local pubs are home supporters only and it is not recommended that Fulham fans try to gain entry.

Fulham fans have traditionally enjoyed drinking at London Bridge before making their way to Millwall, although it is advisable to keep colours covered up. Several pubs close to the station are highly recommended, including

    The Shipwrights Arms (88 Tooley Street, Southwark, SE1 2TF)
    The Pomellers' Rest (196-198 Tower Bridge Road, Southwark, SE1 2UN)
    The George Inn (75-77 Borough High Street, Southwark, SE1 1NH)
    The Barrow Boy and Banker (6-8 Borough High Street, Southwark, SE1 9QQ)
    The Old Kings Head (King's Head Yard, Southwark, SE1 1NA)
    Bunch of Grapes (2 St Thomas Street, Southwark, SE1 9RS)
    The Market Porter (9 Stoney Street, Southwark, SE1 9AA)
    Redwood Sports Bar(Bridge Station, Southwark, SE1 9SP)

AFTER THE MATCH

If you are in a hurry after the match, it is worth being aware that leaving The Den can be quite a time consuming process as police routinely keep away supporters in the walkway leading from the ground until Millwall supporters have cleared the area. This often means missing the first few trains out of South Bermondsey.




https://www.fulhamsupporterstrust.com/news/2021/08/away-day-guide-millwall/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham in Paz pursuit

Fulham are hoping to complete the capture of Sporting Lisbon's defensive midfielder Bruno Paz next week, according to reports in Portugal.

The 23 year-old, who has seen his Sporting career disrupted by a succession of untimely injuries, would be a welcome recruit at Craven Cottage with Marco Silva short on holding midfielders as first choice Harrison Reed continues to battle an ankle problem. Negotiations between Fulham and Sporting Lisbon are at an advanced stage, Portuguese paper Record claims, with the Lions apparently willing to let Paz leave on a free transfer.

Sporting do want a buy-back clause of around £2.2m included in any deal should they waive their right to a transfer fee – something the Championship club are apparently resisting at present, but the Whites are agreeable to offering the Lions a sell-on clause. The Barreiro-born midfielder, who can also operate at right back or on the right side of midfield, has made most of his recent appearances for Sporting's B side in the Portuguese second division, having made his sole senior appearance as a substitute in the Europa League back in 2018.

Paz was a highly-rated Portuguese youth prospect who was part of the under-19 squad that finished runners up to England in the 2017 European Championship in Georgia. He has previously been linked with a move to Nottingham Forest and Reading and would be a cheap option to potentially solve Silva's shortage of options in the engine room before the closure of the transfer window.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/08/fulham-in-paz-pursuit/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham targeting deal for 23-year-old midfielder from top-flight club

Fulham are interested in a deal for Sporting Lisbon midfielder Bruno Paz, a report from Portuguese outlet Record, via Sport Witness, has claimed.

The Cottagers have so far signed just two players this summer following their relegation from the Premier League at the end of last season, with attacker Harry Wilson and goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga joining on permanent deals from Liverpool and Tottenham respectively.

Now, with little more than two weeks remaining in the window, it seems Fulham are still keen to get some more deals done, one of which could be for Paz.

According to this latest update, Fulham will make an offer to Sporting Lisbon for Paz at the start of next week, and it seems the circumstances could be falling into place for a deal to happen.

It is thought that Sporting are willing to let the 23-year-old leave this summer, and that Fulham are trying to convince the Portuguese giants to let Paz move on a free transfer.

For their part, it is said that Sporting could allow Paz to leave on a free, but that they would want a €2.5million buyback clause in the deal, and a percentage of any future sale.

A graduate of Sporting's academy, Paz has so far made just one first-team appearance for the club, in the Europa League in 2018, and he currently has two years remaining on his contract with the Primeira Liga club.

The Verdict

This could prove to be a rather useful signing for Fulham to make you feel.

A midfielder has seemingly been on the agenda for the Cottagers this summer, and it does seem as though they could benefit from some extra reinforcements in that position.

Given his recruitment by a club the size of Sporting, it could also be argued that Paz has the potential to make an impact in the Championship, while it seems clear this deal would be affordable for a club such as Fulham.

At 23, Paz is also at an age where he will surely be wanting to start to make a name for himself at first-team level, so it does seem as though this could yet prove to be a deal that works well for all involved.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-targeting-deal-for-23-year-old-midfielder-from-top-flight-club/

[WhiteJC]

Will Marco Silva spark the redemption of Ivan Cavaleiro?
After his impressive substitute display in West Yorkshire, Rhys Daly predicts bright things for Cav this campaign.

Ivan Cavaleiro's clinical cameo against Huddersfield has fired him to the top of the Championship scoring charts – but the nonchalant nature of his goals raise more questions than answers as Rhys Daly looks at his inconsistent spell in West London.

During what turned out to be turbulent trip to Huddersfield for a Fulham side that failed to win their opening game of the season – the composure of Ivan Cavaleiro helped Marco Silva's men to a comprehensive victory.

Having been limited to a seven-minute cameo against Middlesbrough during last weekend's draw, Cavaleiro was given 13 minutes to shine at the John Smith's Stadium despite the dismissal of Harry Wilson.

Gone seem to be the days of two extra central defenders coming off the bench, and Cavaleiro was the first to benefit from fresh legs in forward areas, grabbing a fourth and fifth goal in impressive fashion.

Consistently inconsistent
Those classy finishes marked the first time that the 27-year-old has scored twice in a game since Fulham's sweeping 4-0 victory over Millwall during the fourth fixture of the 2019/20 campaign.

Looking back to his first season at the club, many supporters including myself wondered why the two-time Portugal international was allowed to leave Wolves on loan, but the inconsistency that followed cleared up that particular mystery.

While it's important not to get too carried away with his fleeting display on Saturday, the dismissal of Wilson could also work in favour of Cavaleiro ahead of Fulham's trip to Millwall on Tuesday.

Time is of the essence
The stage is well and truly set for the treble winner with Benfica back in 2013/14, who subsequently cost Monaco £13.5million, to make a notable impact in West London.

Following the arrival of his compatriot, Cavaleiro told Portuguese outlet Record that the only goal was automatic promotion – stating in no uncertain terms that Fulham are a Premier League team.

While that statement has certainly raised my own confidence in his desire to help Fulham out of the division, he needs his feet to continue doing the talking as the fixtures come thick and fast with little respite.

History maker
Cavaleiro's return of 11 goals and seven assists for the Whites across 85 appearances pale in comparison to his 19 and 20 respectively for Wolves across 106 outings.

But with Fulham winning by a margin of four goals away from home for the first time since a trip to Norwich in September of 1999, Cavaleiro also made history of his own as a goalscoring substitute.

He became the first Fulham sub to score a double in an away match since Diomansy Kamara against Manchester City in the great escape season of 2007/08.

SuperSub
The chest control and flick over Ryan Schofield for his first was reminiscent of a prime Luis Boa Morte – and the shot dummy and unerring left-footed drive for his second was just as satisfying.

Cavaleiro's two strikes across just 20 minutes of Championship action this season give him a goals per match ratio of 9.00 – he has also only had two shots at goal in that time.

With Wilson on the sidelines following his red card, that gives Cavaleiro a golden opportunity to make his place in the team a starting one – and don't be surprised to see him taking more chances with aplomb thanks to his sharp rise in confidence.

Seal of approval
Silva noted after the fixture that his side were unfortunate to only score once at home last week, but lauded the players for making up for that in abundance with five on the road in West Yorkshire.

"You have an idea, and the players are buying that idea," he told the club website.

"It's not just my ideas, it's Fulham Football Club's idea. They are buying that idea, they believe that it gives us more chances to win football matches. In the meantime, we are enjoying what we are doing.

"But it's the Championship, sometimes you see the quality we saw this afternoon.

"Those moments come from desire, commitment, and you have to have all these things in the same package for us to be stronger and stronger."



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2021-08-15-will-marco-silva-spark-the-redemption-of-ivan-cavaleiro/

[WhiteJC]

Talking Points: Huddersfield

Playing with the handbrake off

Having to play more than 20 minutes with 10 men, even with a two-goal advantage, is far from ideal, but you would not have known Fulham were a man light after Harry Wilson's dismissal. In fact, Marco Silva threw caution to the wind and introduced Ivan Cavaleiro to the action, who went and scored our fourth of the afternoon a mere 30 seconds after coming on, before grabbing a second deep into stoppage time.

Bobby's hat-trick of assists

Bobby De Cordova-Reid marked his first start under Silva with a trio of brilliant assists. They demonstrated the many strings to his bow, too, with each of them completely different. His first came when he escaped his marker and leapt highest to nod Wilson's corner onto Josh Onomah, number two showed deft footwork – including a cheeky nutmeg – to tee up Fabio Carvalho, and his third was a Xabi Alonso-esque ball over the top for Cavaleiro's first.

Mitro off the mark

While pessimists will point to the fortunate nature from which Aleksandar Mitrović's opener came about, it wouldn't have happened had the Fulham number nine not chased down what could have been seen as a lost cause. He also had to adjust his body position to try and direct the ball towards the goal, and he managed a correct enough angle to send it into the net. In addition to his goal, his all-round performance was excellent, and Silva was understandably pleased with his contributions: "He scored once but he had lots of good moments, he helped the team and he did good work in the side. That's the most important thing for me."

Fans rewarded

Travel to and from Huddersfield wasn't plain sailing for the Fulham faithful, with flat tyres and cancelled trains to contend with, but hopefully the 800+ who made the 400-mile round trip will feel it was more than worthwhile! It was the first away day for our supporters since Bristol City 15 months ago, and the team certainly put on a show for them.

Biggest away win for 22 years

The last time Fulham won by a four-goal margin on the road came under Paul Bracewell early on in the 1999/00 season, when we won 4-0 at Carrow Road against Norwich City in the League Cup. Paul Peschisolido gave us a half-time lead that night, and efforts from Lee Clark and Wayne Collins followed Adrian Coote's own goal to put us in control of the two-legged tie, which we would go on to win 6-0 on aggregate.




https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/august/Talking-Points-Huddersfield/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham boss Silva: We had chances to win by even bigger margin at Huddersfield

Marco Silva was pleased with Fulham's performance after they thrashed Huddersfield Town 5-1 on Saturday.

Goals from Aleksander Mitrovic, Josh Onomah, Fabio Carvalho and a double from Ivan Cavaleiro wrapped up the victory for the Cottagers.

Whites head coach Silva said: "We deserved the three points, we were the better team on the pitch again, as well as last week.

"Unfortunately last week we didn't score more goals, but this afternoon we got five. We had some luck with the first one, but we had clear chances to score more and more.

"In the end it was a fair result, we were the best team, the players did well and it was a good performance.

"We were up against a good side who we know like to play out from the back. We took some advantage and our pressure was good from the first minute of the match.

"We've taken many positives, not just because we got the result and scored five goals, but some things we saw on the pitch. It's a good feeling for us. You need to win matches to give yourself confidence.

"We had some good challenges today, after we made it 2-0 they scored but then straight away we scored the third goal.

"After the red card we made some changes to create a different shape on the pitch.

"We had some fast players to the side, Bobby right and Ivan on the left, and more power with Frank Anguissa inside with Seri.

"We scored two more goals after we took a risk to play more and put more players against their backline.

"If you have a good shape and keep the organisation in our team then good moments can come on the counter attack."



https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/fulham-boss-silva-we-had-chances-to-win-by-even-bigger-margin-at-huddersfield/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham could have won by more, says Silva

Marco Silva believes Fulham could have scored more than five at Huddersfield yesterday as the Whites ran riot to record his first Championship win.

The Londoners shrugged off the second half sending off of Harry Wilson, who was dismissed for violent conduct, by adding two late goals through substitute Ivan Cavaleiro after Aleksandar Mitrovic, Josh Onomah and teenage midfielder Fabio Carvalho had given them a 3-1 half time lead.

Silva was delighted with the fluidity of Fulham's attacking play and told his post-match press conference at the St. John Smith's Stadium that his side thoroughly deserved the three points.

"We deserved the three points, we were the better team on the pitch again, as well as last week. Unfortunately last week we didn't score more goals, but this afternoon we got five. We had some luck with the first one, but we had clear chances to score more and more.

"In the end it was a fair result, we were the best team, the players did well and it was a good performance. We were up against a good side who we know like to play out from the back. We took some advantage and our pressure was good from the first minute of the match."

The Fulham boss feels that a number of ideas he has been working on down at Motspur Park are now beginning to come to fruition.

"We've taken many positives, not just because we got the result and scored five goals, but some things we saw on the pitch. It's a good feeling for us. You need to win matches to give yourself confidence. We had some good challenges today, after we made it 2-0 they scored but then straight away we scored the third goal."

Silva was also pleased that his adventurous response to going a man down paid off.

"After the red card we made some changes to create a different shape on the pitch. We had some fast players to the side, Bobby right and Ivan on the left, and more power with Frank Anguissa inside with Seri. We scored two more goals after we took a risk to play more and put more players against their backline. If you have a good shape and keep the organisation in our team then good moments can come on the counter attack."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/08/fulham-could-have-won-by-more-says-silva/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham manager hopes to keep Anguissa

Fulham manager Marco Silva has said that he wants to keep Cameroonian midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa despite links with a move to the Premier League.

The Indomitable Lions player hopes to leave the Cottagers, who were relegated to the Championship at the end of last season, with Aston Villa and Arsenal emerging as potential suitors according to the Athletic.

Anguissa's future was thrown into the spotlight last weekend after he was left out of Fulham's squad to face Middlesbrough, but the midfielder is very much in Silva's plans this season, according to the Portuguese.

"It's something we will keep inside our football club. With Frank and all the others, I want them 100 per cent involved," Silva is quoted by Birmingham Live.

"I want all of them with a desire to work and win football matches in this shirt. All the other things are for us to talk about inside our club."

While Villa have been touted as a likely destination for the Cameroon international, manager Dean Smith has expressed satisfaction with their recruitment and squad readiness.

"No, I think we're quite satisfied where we're at at the moment, we've got a really healthy squad. Some good numbers in there and there will be some outgoings on loan before the window closes," said the Villa boss.

Anguissa has also played for Olympique Marseille and Villarreal in his senior club career.



https://africanfootball.com///africanfootball.com/news/788033/Fulham-manager-hopes-to-keep-Anguissa

[WhiteJC]

Games for mid-week 17/08
Our first mid-week game of the season takes us to the Den to face local rivals Millwall.

After an eventful weekend we've another away game although this time we don't have to travel too far for our first London derby against Millwall.

The team must be absolutely buzzing after Saturday's game, I wonder if we'll contest Wilson's red card?
I thought Mitro' was close to his old self, a bizarre goal however if your not in the right place you don't get them!, and it was good to see him with a smile on his face again.
Overall it was a very good team performance, Cavaleiro showed just how good he can be when he's played in the correct position. Bobby Decordova-Reid was my "man of the match", with 3 assists and I don't think he stopped running and causing problems all game.

Millwall have given a good account of themselves over the past couple of seasons and look to become an established Championship side.
The Den can be an intimidating place to visit however we've a good record against Millwall with 1 loss, 4 wins and 2 draws

If we play at the Den like we did a couple of seasons ago, and carry on from Saturday, we could have a very nice visit to the Den, and it would be nice to remain top of the league!

my team against Millwall would be...

COYW's

Games of Interest...
Tuesday 17th
Millwall v Fulham
Reading v Bristol City

Wednesday 18th
Birmingham v Bournemouth
Middlesborough v QPR
West Brom v Sheff Utd

come on over to the forum and join in the discussion...
https://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?board=36.0



http://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/?p=1681

[WhiteJC]

Marco Silva drops claim on Fabio Carvalho's Fulham future

Fulham manager Marco Silva has called for Fabio Carvalho to extend his stay at Craven Cottage.

What's been said?

In recent comments cited by West London Sport, the Cottagers manager stated his belief that, following the winger's rejection of a new contract offer from the club, Fulham is the best place for the 18-year-old's development, and that he should put pen to paper on an extension in west London.

The Portuguese manager said: "I think it's important for us that he signs, and to be honest with you, it's important for him. He came from the academy and Fabio is performing well. He is in the team. But I need him to concentrate on his football."

The former England U18 has been linked with a number of clubs this summer, including the likes of West Ham United, Norwich City, Leeds United and Porto, as he is entering the final year of his current deal at Fulham.

Music to the ears of fans
Considering the sheer amount of potential Carvalho appears to possess, the fact that Silva seems extremely eager for the forward to extend his stay at the club will undoubtedly be music to the ears of Fulham fans.

Indeed, the 18-year-old made a considerable impact for the club over his four Premier League appearances last season – which came against Chelsea, Southampton, Manchester United and Newcastle United – scoring one goal and creating one big chance for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.3 shots and making 0.5 key passes per game.

These returns saw the £225k-rated man earn a highly impressive average SofaScore match rating of 6.95, ranking him as the Cottagers' fifth-best performer in the top flight of English football – albeit with a limited sample size of games.

And, after being afforded starts in both of Fulham's Championship fixtures so far this season, Carvalho has continued his impressive form for the club, scoring one goal and creating one big chance for his teammates, averaging a SofaScore match rating of 7.00.

As such, it would certainly appear as if the winger has an extremely exciting future ahead of him in the game, and the fact that Silva appears intent for the youngster to spend at least a little bit more of this future at Craven Cottage is sure to delight fans.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-fc-transfer-rumours/fulham-transfer-news-fabio-carvalho-marco-silva-the-championship

[WhiteJC]

Don't hold back, let's get carried away
Dan Cooke tells us to start dreaming about just how good this season could be.

As a lover of data, I am meant to be rational and measured. However, we've just trounced Huddersfield 5-1, so who cares about being rational?

Last year was tough; negative, turgid football exacerbated by only being able to observe from our homes. Yesterday was the polar opposite. We were there. For the first time since Bristol City on the 7th March 2020 we were able to follow Fulham away, and Marco Silva's boys decided to put on a show.

That performance wasn't just for those at the John Smith's Stadium, it was for everyone. Everyone who had to endure last season, wherever you were watching from. Yesterday was a throwback to the days that we look back on with wistful nostalgia, and it felt so good.

"We Want Five"
The team selection was bold, it signalled a continuation of the attacking intent we saw against Middlesbrough. The midfield trio of Seri – Onomah – Carvalho certainly left us vulnerable defensively at times, but God it was exciting.

We had 32 touches in the Huddersfield box. We averaged 21.6 touches last season and only managed more than 32 touches on three occasions. We had an attacking plan; we went at Huddersfield, and they simply could not handle it.



After the red card, you would be forgiven for expecting us to completely shut up shop and try and keep it at 3-1. Not under Marco, not this Fulham team. We made a double substitution to rebalance the side in midfield, and pretty much instantly scored a fourth. Chants for a fifth goal went up from the away end, and our boys obliged in the final minute. In our first away game of the season, we managed to score over a quarter of the away goals we managed in the whole of last season.

"Eelectric" Talent
There are no two ways about it, the squad we have is a joke at this level. Jean Michaël Seri and André-Frank Zambo Anguissa playing alongside each other in the Championship? It's ludicrous. Kenny Tete bombing up and down the right flank, Tim Ream – The Championship Cannavaro – marshalling the back four. Bobby De Cordova-Reid being set free of the shackles of Parkerball, allowed to roam free and create chances at will. All spearheaded by our man who bleeds Black & White, Mitro. As if it wasn't exciting enough, we have also got two of our own in Fabio Carvalho and Tyrese Francois. And we've still got Harrison Reed to come back from injury.

We don't know whether Zambo is staying, but even without him, this squad is title-winning material, with a manager who is ready to allow them to express themselves.

Soak It In
As I write this, I unfortunately have to remind myself that although we are top, we have actually only played two games, and only won one of them. We looked good yesterday, especially in the second half, but we definitely aren't the finished article yet, and that's exciting.

Tuesday brings Millwall and undoubtedly a sterner test. However, until then, forget rationality, sod being realistic. Watch the short highlights, watch the extended highlights, and then watch them again. Watch Mitro wheeling away towards the corner flag, Fabio burying his first-ever championship goal and the scenes in the away end after Cav dinked in the fourth.

Allow yourself a week of daydreaming, you deserve it.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2021-08-15-lets-get-carried-away/

[WhiteJC]

Revitalised Mitrovic is off and running

There was plenty of angst after the opening weekend about the future of Aleksandar Mitrovic. He looked sluggish, he wasn't getting into goalscoring positions, maybe it was time to cash in – wrote some forum correspondents following the frustration of the draw with Middlesbrough. We counselled that it would be wise to keep the faith in our Serbian number nine and, lo and behold, he opened his account at Huddersfield.

The goal went viral within minutes on account of its ugly nature. It might be the scrappiest strike Mitrovic has ever scored, but he gave it the full celebration all the same. Once you take the comedy value of how it arrived out of the equation, it is worth considering just how important Mitrovic's tireless running was to giving Fulham the lead. He chased the definition of a lost cause with commendable gusto, putting a clearly nervous Ryan Schofield under pressure, and reaped the remarkable rewards.

It was the sort of tireless running that Scott Parker reckoned Mitrovic couldn't manage in the top flight. It might not be the first thing you associate with the hulking forward's game but he's clearly an unselfish player – and Fulham look far more formidable with him in the side. He bullied a hapless Huddersfield defence into submission and might have had a hat-trick before half time. Mitrovic's reaction told you he felt he should have scored when he reached a Tosin header instead of slamming a shot against Schofield shortly after putting Fulham in front and he might have gone for goal instead of backheeling for Fabio Carvalho just before half time. He also had a trademark bullet header from Harry Wilson's cross chalked off after a marginal offside call.

Seeing the Serbian with a smile on his face after the toughest year of his career was another filip on a quite incredible day. Mitrovic could conceivably have been playing his football elsewhere this weekend had Scott Parker remained in the Craven Cottage dugout – such was the deterioration in their relationship as Fulham dropped out of the Premier League with a whimper as our most effective forward was considered an afterthought. Keeping Mitrovic in SW6 was the most pressing matter in Marco Silva's in-tray this summer and, on yesterday's evidence, the new head coach has revitalised our talisman.

This was most clearly illustrated in the way that Mitrovic created Fulham's fifth in the final minute of added time. He spun in possession just short of the halfway line and released Ivan Cavaleiro down the left flank with a glorious switch of play that Bobby Decordova-Reid, the visitors' assister-in-chief yesterday, would have been proud of. The creative side of the Serbian's game is sometimes overlooked given his astonishing goalscoring record but, as well as occupying centre backs throughout, Mitrovic is adept at fashioning opportunities for his team-mates. He looked hungry at Huddersfield – and that can only be a good thing as Fulham plot a path out of the Championship.

Silva's reshaping of this Fulham side as an attacking force will only serve to benefit Mitrovic, who has been starved of the sort of service he thrives upon in the past eighteen months. The hope, of course, is that he can replicate the sort of blistering form that delivered 26 goals in a Parker side that was far more ponderous by comparison. The early signs after one of the all-time great Fulham away days look pretty promising. Mitrovic's all-round game looks in very good nick. Championship centre backs will be terrified.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/08/revitalised-mitrovic-is-off-and-running/

[WhiteJC]

Decordova-Reid delighted with 'dynamic' display

Man of the match Bobby Decordova-Reid was delighted with Fulham's 'dynamic' display as the Whites recorded their first victory of the season in style at Huddersfield.

The Jamaican international played a starring role on his first start under Marco Silva setting up three of Fulham's five goals in a stunning showing at the St. John Smith's Stadium. Decordova-Reid told FFCTV of his team-mates' desire to set aside the disappointment of the opening draw with Middlesbrough by laying down a marker in Yorkshire:

"I think everyone enjoyed it. To score five goals in one game is always nice. We showed some character when they scored their goal to score straight after that. I think it shows what we've been working on – we're dynamic and when we need to attack, we're going for it. We said in the changing room before – 'Today's the day we get three points on the board' and we've done in a good style. Hopefully, we can bring it into Tuesday.

The former Bristol City forward admitted he was chomping at the bit to show the new Fulham head coach what he could do – and he has probably played himself into the first eleven for some time to come with a sensational performance.

"I was itching to get into the starting line-up, to be honest. I just want to play football and enjoy it. To get three assists, to help the team with the win, was perfect. Today was my time with the assists, next time it will be probably be someone else. It was nice to get some assists on the board and the goals have been shared out as well, which is good. I think attacking wise we're doing okay."

Decordova-Reid is one of a number of Fulham's forward players enjoying being let off the leash under the new regime – and highlighted the performance of a number of fringe players at Huddersfield.

"Definitely. I think for the rest of the attacking players as well, players that didn't start and players that are coming on. You could see Cav was on for literally fifteen minutes and getting two goals. Everyone's on the same wavelength, everyone's on the same page. If we can stick together and get more results like that, I think we'll be okay."

The 28 year-old hailed Fulham's resilience in shrugging off Harry Wilson's second half dismissal and putting the game to bed through substitute Ivan Cavaleiro's late double.

"We had to dig in. It's always difficult when you go down to ten men. We knew had a job on our hands and we had to stay focused and resilient. Cav came on and changed it a bit for us – stretched it. Hence why he's got his two goals as he hit them on the counter."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/08/decordova-reid-delighted-with-dynamic-display/

[Twig]

Games for mid-week 17/08
Our first mid-week game of the season takes us to the Den to face local rivals Millwall.

After an eventful weekend we've another away game although this time we don't have to travel too far for our first London derby against Millwall.

The team must be absolutely buzzing after Saturday's game, I wonder if we'll contest Wilson's red card?
I thought Mitro' was close to his old self, a bizarre goal however if your not in the right place you don't get them!, and it was good to see him with a smile on his face again.
Overall it was a very good team performance, Cavaleiro showed just how good he can be when he's played in the correct position. Bobby Decordova-Reid was my "man of the match", with 3 assists and I don't think he stopped running and causing problems all game.

Millwall have given a good account of themselves over the past couple of seasons and look to become an established Championship side.
The Den can be an intimidating place to visit however we've a good record against Millwall with 1 loss, 4 wins and 2 draws

If we play at the Den like we did a couple of seasons ago, and carry on from Saturday, we could have a very nice visit to the Den, and it would be nice to remain top of the league!

my team against Millwall would be...

COYW's

Games of Interest...
Tuesday 17th
Millwall v Fulham
Reading v Bristol City

Wednesday 18th
Birmingham v Bournemouth
Middlesborough v QPR
West Brom v Sheff Utd

come on over to the forum and join in the discussion...
https://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?board=36.0


http://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/?p=1681

Who are Cavelho and Cavalerio?  Two new signings?

[WhiteJC]

Fulham boss shares transfer stance on Andre-Franck Zambo Anguissa

Fulham manager Marco Silva insists he is keen on keeping Franck-Andre Zambo Anguissa at Craven Cottage this summer, despite interest from Arsenal, Aston Villa and from abroad.

Anguissa, 25, made his first Championship appearance for Fulham over the weekend. The former Marseille man who cost Fulham £30million back in 2018 has only ever featured in the Premier League for his club but played the last 14 minutes of the 5-1 win at Huddersfield Town on Saturday, after being left out of the Boro draw on the opening day.

Silva didn't want Anguissa involved amid growing transfer links to the likes of Arsenal and Aston Villa, with Roma and Valencia having also been linked (Il Messaggero via Football News Italy) this month and Everton too.

But speaking to Birmingham Live, Silva has now insisted that he wants the midfielder to stay at Fulham and help them in their bid for another immediate return to the top flight. Silva said:

"It's something we will keep inside our football club. With Frank and all the others, I want them 100 per cent involved.

"I want all of them with a desire to work and win football matches in this shirt. All the other things are for us to talk about inside our club."

Price tag?
Fulham are understood to want to recoup the bulk of that record £30million fee should they sell Anguissa this summer.

Previous reports have claimed that the club have a £25million price tag, but this was before Silva said he wants to keep the midfielder at the club.

To sell or not to sell?
Silva finds himself is a difficult scenario with Anguissa – Fulham keep on getting promoted and then relegated at first ask and Anguissa won't want to go around this cycle for too long. He proved himself in the Premier League last year and spending a season in the second-tier could really damage his transfer value should he not reach the heights he did in the Premier League.

With two weeks of the window left, we really could see anything happen regarding Anguissa with so many clubs having been linked with an interest.



https://the72.co.uk/245524/fulham-boss-shares-transfer-stance-on-andre-franck-zambo-anguissa/

[WhiteJC]

Millwall defender Hutchinson unlikely to face former club Fulham at The Den tomorrow

Shaun Hutchinson looks set to miss the visit of his former club Fulham tomorrow night – with the Millwall centre-back set for a scan today on his quad injury.

The 30-year-old Geordie sat out the 1-1 draw against Blackburn Rovers at The Den at the weekend.

And Lions boss Gary Rowett is set to find out the full extent of Hutchinson's issue this week.

"I imagine Hutchy is going to be a doubt. I think he'll go for a scan tomorrow [Monday]," Rowett told the South London Press yesterday. " We don't think it is anything too serious but we don't want to risk him this early in the season and end up with him out for a long time.

"It's obviously a blow that he's unavailable at the moment and disappointing it happened so close to the game.

"He felt his quad on Friday and pulled out of the training session midway through as a precaution.

"He still felt his quad on Saturday but felt a lot better. He went outside at the training ground and did a little bit of fitness test and pitched it still at about 70 or 80 per cent running.

"If you remember previously he had his calf issue where he felt something, played on and ended up pulling his calf and being out for six weeks. It's probably in the back of Hutchy's mind to make sure rather than keep playing.

"The scan will tell us a little bit more Monday and we'll have a clearer picture.

"Hutchy is an influential player for us, one of our most important players over the two years we've been here. We don't want him to be out for a long time by rushing him into something when we're not sure what it is.

"Maikel [Kieftenbeld] was a little bit tight after the [Blackburn] game with his calf. It will be more fatigue-based with one or two of the others, whether they can go three games in a week on the back of a pre-season – it might mean we need to freshen up one or two areas.

"I'll know a little bit more once I've seen the players train. We're going to need energy against Fulham, because they are a good side.



https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/millwall-defender-hutchinson-unlikely-to-face-former-club-fulham-at-the-den-tomorrow/