Thursday Fulham Stuff - 26/08/21...

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CARABAO CUP ROUND-UP: Fulham march on as Marco Silva delights in 'winning mentality', Aiden O'Brien bags hat-trick for Black Cats while Bolton suffer penalty heartbreak

    Marco Silva has delighted in the 'winning mentality' being fostered at Fulham
    The Cottagers made it four wins on the trot after their victory over Birmingham
    Lee Johnson lavished praise on Aiden O'Brien after his hat-trick for Sunderland
    Sheffield United got back on track with a 2-1 victory over Wayne Rooney's Derby

Marco Silva says he is trying to build a winning mentality throughout his entire Fulham squad after his much-changed side reached the third round of the Carabao Cup with a 2-0 win at Birmingham.

Jay Stansfield's 26th-minute goal on his full debut and one from his replacement Antonee Robinson in time added on gave the Cottagers a routine victory to secure their spot in Wednesday night's draw.

The win was Fulham's fourth in a row and continued the unbeaten start for the Sky Bet Championship leaders, even allowing for 10 changes.


Marco Silva has delighted in Fulham's 'winning mentality' after notching another victory

'I said to the players before the match that since we started the season we are creating something and we want to finish matches with a winning feeling and that winning mentality is really important,' said Silva.

'We were unbeaten in pre-season and it was really important to keep that momentum.

'I saw our team being serious in a different competition - all of the players involved showed big commitment and that was the main thing for me.'


The Cottagers' 2-0 victory over Birmingham means they have won four games on the trot

Birmingham failed to trouble goalkeeper Marek Rodak but head coach Lee Bowyer was optimistic after also making 10 changes.

'I'm disappointed because we lost and we're out of the cup, but I think there were a lot of positives for those lads playing against players who were in the Premier League last season,' said Bowyer.

Sunderland boss Lee Johnson was thrilled to see Aiden O'Brien take the limelight after his hat-trick fired his side to a dramatic 3-2 win at Blackpool.

The 27-year-old Republic of Ireland international completed a first hat-trick since 2015 in stoppage time to send the Sky Bet League One Black Cats into the third round at the expense of their Championship opponents, earning high praise from Johnson.

He said: 'I'm really delighted for Aiden. I thought maybe he didn't get the credit he deserved last season.

'Charlie (Wyke) finished the chances but he often played better.

'He deserved more of the credit for Charlie's (25 league) goals. We gave him that internally, he's a really good player.

Sam Surridge scored his third goal of the season to secure Stoke's progress as they claimed a comfortable 2-0 victory against Doncaster.

Tom Ince gave the Potters the lead after a fine spell of play late in the first half. Morgan Fox's shot from distance was too strong for Rovers goalkeeper Louis Jones, who could only parry the ball into Ince's path and he stroked it into the back of the net.

Stoke doubled their lead less than five minutes into the second half. Surridge took one touch to control before calmly slotting home from inside the six-yard box.

Sheffield United came from behind to beat Derby 2-1 and advance to the third round. Substitute Billy Sharp scored the winner after Luke Freeman cancelled out Louie Sibley's opener.

Preston went through edging out League One side Morecambe in a 4-2 thriller at the Mazuma Stadium while two goals in three first-half minutes from Murray Wallace helped Millwall come from behind to beat Cambridge 3-1 at The Den.

Rob Dickie scored a brilliant goal against his former club as QPR beat Oxford 2-0.

Dickie's 26th-minute opener - the centre-back's fourth goal of the season - and Leon Chambers-Parillon's own goal five minutes before half-time put Rangers in control.

Dickie has netted seven goals since joining from the League One club last year - and three of them have been stunning strikes from long range after striding forward from near the halfway line.

This time he played a one-two with Ilias Chair and sent an unstoppable right-footed shot beyond goalkeeper Simon Eastwood.

And Rangers' lead was doubled when Chair's shot from the left-hand edge of the penalty area hit the unfortunate Chambers-Parillon, diverting the ball into the far corner of the net.

Ian Evatt was left to reflect on the 'harsh reality' of Bolton's penalty shoot-out defeat at Wigan.

The two north-west neighbours - whose grounds are less than seven miles away from each other - produced a thrilling cup tie in front of almost 12,000 fans at the DW.

The only thing it lacked was a goal, with Wigan making the most of misses by Kieran Lee and Nathan Delfouneso to advance on penalties.

'It was a tight derby match, tight, not many chances at either end,' assessed Evatt.

'We probably had the best ones and we gave it our best shot. We are disappointed but that is the harsh reality of football.'



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9923949/CARABAO-CUP-ROUND-Fulham-march-Marco-Silva-delights-winning-mentality.html

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Fulham boss Marco Silva gives his verdict on 2-0 EFL Cup win over Birmingham City

Marco Silva was pleased with Fulham's performance as they progressed to the third round of the EFL Cup – and gave a special mention to Jay Stansfield.
The Whites beat Birmingham City 2-0 at St Andrews on Tuesday evening. Stansfield scored the opener with Antonee Robinson adding to their lead in second half injury time.
Silva said: "It was our aim to come here and match Birmingham, to try to get the job done and go through in the competition.
We made 10 changes, we deserved the win as we were the best team on the pitch. We respect our opponent, our attitude and commitment was there.
"It was not the best performance for both teams, for sure, but creating a winning mentality is really important for us, winning with a clean sheet again is really important as well. Job done, and we prepare now for the next one.
"He deserved the chance [talking about Jay Stansfield]. He's been working with me since I arrived at this football club.
"In some pre-season games he did really well. He's working really hard to get the chance, tonight he got it and he did well.
"He scored a really good goal, and we know he has the capacity to do that. In those areas, if he has the chance to finalise the action, he is really strong. And he did that. In that moment we pressed well as our opponents built up and we got the ball and finalised the action well."



https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/fulham-boss-marco-silva-gives-his-verdict-on-2-0-efl-cup-win-over-birmingham-city/

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Why we must use Jay Stansfield ahead of Rodrigo Muniz
After his debut goal last night, Drew says Silva must look to Stansfield to support Mitro this term.

It's hard to believe we only signed Jay Stansfield from Exeter City in August 2019. I don't know about you, but it feels like he's been banging in goals for the U18s and U23s forever.

During that time, Twitter's been awash with cries of "chuck Stansfield in" – particularly after he banged more than 20 goals in before the Christmas break in 19/20. 

His debut first-team strike in last night's Carabao Cup win at Birmingham, alongside his all-round composed performance, leads me to ask: surely his time is now? Jay's got to be ahead of new arrival Rodrigo Muniz in the pecking order.

Tough to compare
This isn't me bashing Muniz before he's even stepped foot inside Motspur Park. But let's look at the headline figures a minute. Muniz is 20 years old, Stansfield is still 18; three months shy of his 19th birthday. Fabio Carvalho, a week away from turning 19, has shown that these boys aren't ones for the future – they can take their chances today.

Stansfield was bagging for fun in the academy system since his arrival, bar a six-month injury last term, despite which he still managed to score eight goals. Muniz's record is harder to judge.

The Brazilian league system is peculiar in that it's sliced up into three parts: Serie A, Copa do Brasil and regionalised state championships. Serie A and the Copa run similarly to the Premier League and the FA Cup, for example, and the Copa in particular is fiercely competed for every year. But the outlier is the state championships, these are tournaments that are played between teams from larger cities across Brazil and feature teams from the top flight all the way down to Serie C and D.

The quality in this competition fluctuates wildly as highly-paid professionals take on near-amateurs in the early weeks of the season, hence why State Championships are regularly seen as a distraction for the larger teams as they swot away smaller outfits with ease, until the later stages where the heavyweights collide for the title. That skews Muniz's already modest goal tally; how many were against teams of quality?

We've also got to consider how long it could take Muniz to settle in. This isn't a move from Newcastle to the capital. Rodrigo's coming from the other side of the world to play in a league that, let's face it, he's not going to have heard too much about. Not to mention this all comes after he's finished quarantining and getting training sessions under his belt. It's a long game.

Jay's acclimatised, and he's proved he can step up.

Nurtured – but not born – in SW6
Now, let's not pretend Jay is 'one of our own'; many will be aware of the way we snatched the then-16-year-old away from Exeter City, a side he has a deep connection with thanks to his late father, and Grecians legend, Adam Stansfield.

Exeter chairman Julian Tagg lamented the move at the time: "We, like many clubs, feel the Elite Performance Player Plan's rules – which fix transfer fees between academies – is heavily weighted in favour of sides higher up the football pyramid and ignores clubs like Exeter City, which do a tremendous job in producing talented young footballers."

However, there's no doubting he's flourished under Huw Jennings and the academy team. So there comes a time when we have to start feeling proud of that. Lord knows we've had our fair share of youngsters taken from us in recent years.

A nice problem to have
Look, I'm not saying "let's start Stansfield against Stoke", or that he needs to be the first name on the team sheet going forwards. I'm saying that we bought Muniz as support for Mitro (who, thank God, has rediscovered his form), but we might well have had that support all along. And, at the very least, Jay should be given the first opportunity to fill that role.

Muniz is here for five years – he's going nowhere. Competition breeds success, and having this pair duke it out is good for business. And, as a club that's not had the best track record in converting seemingly unlimited potential into first-team success (as I've written before), it's crucial to show Stansfield that there's a path to success in SW6. Or we risk watching him fulfil that potential in another club's colours.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2021-08-25-why-we-must-use-jay-stansfield-ahead-of-rodrigo-muniz/

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Stoke City injury blow ahead of tasty trip to Fulham

Stoke and Fulham have both picked up 10 points from their opening four games of the Championship season

Nick Powell will remain on the sidelines for Stoke City until after the international break.

The 27-year-old reigning player of the season suffered an injured thigh after coming in for some heavy treatment in a 3-1 win at Swansea last week.

He missed Saturday's win over Nottingham Forest and last night's Carabao Cup defeat of Doncaster Rovers.

And he has been ruled out of this weekend's trip to Fulham, who are also unbeaten after four games at the top of the early Championship table.

"No, Nick's not back in training," said Michael O'Neill.

"The injury Nick picked up means he'll be out for a few weeks. We won't see him this side of the international break."

Stoke have a fortnight off after the Fulham game before locking horns with Huddersfield Town at the bet365 Stadium.

O'Neill will still have plenty of options after Sam Clucas, Joe Allen and Mario Vrancic started in midfield against Forest and Adam Porter, Jordan Thompson and new loan signing Romaine Sawyers started last night.

Sawyers hadn't started a competitive club game since February for West Brom and got through 90 minutes in the middle of the trio.

O'Neill said: "It was important. Romaine has come in and to get him on the pitch on Saturday was a boost, I think he showed us his quality in that short cameo.

"Against Doncaster it was a different situation. We've not really had the chance to train as a team really and he's adapting to us but we know what he brings in terms of what he brings in terms of his quality.

"We work on how he we fit him into our team and what we expect from him in our team but it was certainly good to get 90 minutes into his legs."

There were 11 changes in all to showcase not just squad depth but competition in the squad.

O'Neill said: "You need competition. We always had a lot of players but I don't think we had enough competition. It's very streamlined. It's much more cost effective, which is very important as well.

"It's a hungry group of players. If you want to get out of this league, if you want to challenge in this league you need to be hungry for it and I think we've certainly got that in the club at this minute in time and it's something we have to hold onto going forward."



https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-stoke-city-injury-powell-5829571

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David Healy reveals the Fulham player who he thinks can help lead Cottagers to promotion

Ex-Fulham striker David Healy believes summer signing Harry Wilson will be the man who leads the Cottagers back to the Premier League at the first time of asking this season, speaking in an interview with the South London Press.

24-year-old winger Wilson arrived on a £12m deal from former Premier League champions Liverpool last month, signing a five-year deal at Craven Cottage in the most expensive deal in the second tier so far this summer.

Wilson is a fully established international player for Wales and represented his nation in this summer's European Championships – but was unlikely to get a chance over the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Diogo Jota at Anfield anytime soon.

And with 18-year-old Harvey Elliott arriving back on Merseyside after enjoying a successful temporary spell at Blackburn Rovers, the Reds' boss Jurgen Klopp has dubbed the winger as his 'new midfielder', making Wilson's and Xherdan Shaqiri's exits a possibility.

After going out on to Derby County, AFC Bournemouth and Cardiff City in the past few years, impressing at all three clubs, Wilson will be hoping to thrive in the Championship once again and has the perfect opportunity to do so at a club expecting to be pushing for promotion this term.

He scored seven goals and recorded 12 assists for the Bluebirds in his 37 Championship appearances last season – and has already managed to get on the scoresheet for Marco Silva's side in the 2021/22 campaign – but was sent off against Huddersfield Town in their second league game after kicking out at Levi Colwill.

Despite this, former Fulham forward David Healy believes the 24-year-old will be vital in their promotion push after his arrival from Liverpool and in an interview with the South London Press, he said: "I like the signings that they made, obviously Harry Wilson, who has ability and technically he's very good.

"Probably Harry will eventually go and be a Premier League player, because he's got all the attributes.

"He will help Fulham to get where they need to get to this year, to the Premier League. It's a tough league but it would be great if they get promoted."

The Verdict:

Harry Wilson lost his discipline for the second time in just a few months at Huddersfield, with the winger also being sent off late on against Denmark in the European Championships earlier this summer.

If he can retain his discipline, which will be a challenge to do considering the number of fouls he could potentially draw from the opposition this season, there's no doubt Marco Silva's side will be right up there come the end of the season.

The Cottagers' last two games against Millwall and Hull City shows they can cope without him, but the Welshman is different class and probably good enough to compete in the Premier League already after spending time on loan with AFC Bournemouth during the 2019/20 season and appearing regularly in the top flight.

This is why the 24-year-old is worth the eight-figure fee it took to bring him to west London. It may have been a risky move with Fulham now having to operate within the EFL's profit and sustainability rules and a reduction in revenue from Covid-19.

But the revenue they generated from their time in the Premier League has seemingly paid dividends with this deal – and it will be an exciting prospect to see him light up the Championship again.

Wilson has been consistently fit in recent seasons, so there's no reason why he shouldn't play a big part in their promotion charge.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/david-healy-reveals-the-fulham-player-who-he-thinks-can-help-lead-cottagers-to-promotion/

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Fulham interested in signing Phil Jones before transfer deadline

Manchester United defender Phil Jones could still leave Old Trafford before next week's transfer deadline following interest from Championship club Fulham.

Jones hasn't played a competitive game for United for 19 months, largely because of long-term knee trouble, and faces an impossible task of establishing himself back in the team.

The 29-year-old, once billed as a future England captain, has only twice played more than 26 games in all competitions in a single season since joining United a decade ago and not at all since 2014.

Jones did play part of United's recent closed warm-up game against Burnley and has been tipped for a role as the squad's fifth centre-back this season. However, that is unlikely to yield much playing time and despite regaining fitness he still didn't even make the bench at the weekend.

90min understands that Fulham are among a handful of Championship teams showing interest in Jones. The most likely scenario would be a loan, with United still paying the majority of his wages, but it could give him the kind of regular playing time he needs to resurrect his stalled career.

Despite a total lack of competitive football since the start of the last calendar year, Jones is also still commanding Premier League interest from the likes of Newcastle and Watford.

This week, ex-United defender Rio Ferdinand, a former teammate or three seasons between 2011 and 2014, has given a very honest assessment of the situation, telling Jones to find a new club.

"He's taking up a youth team player's position in that squad right now," Ferdinand said in a video on his own YouTube channel.

"He's had too many injuries. I was in the same team as Phil Jones, he came from Blackburn as a young kid, everyone was saying he was going to be this great player. Huge potential but injuries have absolutely annihilated his career and then confidence issues at certain times as well.

"He's never been able to fully establish himself in the team. Whether it's injuries, lack of form, lack of confidence. I think he should've gone ages ago. He should've gone before Chris Smalling went. Find a new club and play some football."



https://www.90min.com/posts/man-utd-transfer-news-phil-jones-fulham-interest-championship

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Fulham eyeing swoop for Manchester United man

Fulham are interested in signing Manchester United centre back Phil Jones on loan, a report from 90Min has claimed.

Jones has fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford drastically in recent times, and that, combined with a number of injury issues, means the 29-year-old has not made a competitive appearances in more than a year-and-a-half.

Football League World exclusively revealed earlier this week that Jones would be open to a Championship loan move in order to try and get his career back on track.

Now it seems as though interest in the defender, who has been capped 27 times by England, is starting to attract interest from the second-tier.

According to this latest update, Fulham have shown an interest in a deal for Jones, although it seems the Cottagers are not alone with their desire to sign the centre back.

It is thought that a number of other Championship clubs, as well as Premier League duo Watford and Newcastle, are also looking into a potential deal for Jones.

Given Jones significant salary packet at Manchester United, it has been suggested that the most likely deal is a loan deal for the defender, with the Old Trafford club paying the majority of his wages.

The Verdict

This is an interesting one to consider for Fulham if they are to pull it off.

Despite his injury issues, Jones still has plenty of ability, and you feel he could still be a more than reliable option in the Championship, especially with the experience of top level football he offers.

Indeed, given the level of interest their is in Jones, you feel winning the race for the centre back would be something of a statement of intent from the Cottagers following their relegation from the Premier League at the end of last season.

However, Jones may not be cheap even if United do cover a portion of his wages, while with the likes of Tosin Adarabioyo, Tim Ream, Alfie Mawson, Michael Hector, Maxime Le Marchand and – when fit – Terence Kongolo – on the books, you have wonder whether another centre back is something they desperately need at Championship level.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-eyeing-swoop-for-manchester-united-man/

[WhiteJC]

2 knock-on effects at Fulham if club strikes transfer agreement with Man United

Fulham are said to be interested in taking Manchester United centre back Phil Jones on loan this summer, as per a recent report by 90min.

The 29-year-old former England international has endured a torrid last few years at Old Trafford and now appears keen to take on a new challenge in an attempt to revive his stuttering career with the Red Devils.

A handful of Sky Bet Championship sides are said to be interested in the Premier League winner, with Fulham exploring the possibility of taking him on loan.

It is stated further in the same report that the most likely scenario would be the player heading out on a temporary basis, with United paying the vast majority of his wages.

Here, we take a look at TWO knock-on effects at Fulham if the club strikes an agreement with United for Jones...

Tosin Adarabioyo gets sold
The talented centre back has been linked with a move away from Craven Cottage this summer and the arrival of Jones could well pave the way for the 23-year-old to secure a departure from the West London club.

Adarabioyo enjoyed a great season in the Premier League last term and was most recently said to be of interest to Southampton.

The player himself hasn't given any indications that he would live to depart the Championship side, however his head could be turned by the chance to return to the top flight.

In short, Jones arriving at the club could increase the likelihood that Adarabioyo will depart for pastures new.

Maxime Le Marchand to be moved on?
The French defender is said to be of interest to Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb this summer, as per a recent report by BFMTV, and could well see his expected departure accelerated if Jones arrives.

Le Marchand spent part of last season on loan with Royal Antwerp in Belgium and is seemingly surplus to requirements at Craven Cottage.

He has largely failed to impress since joining from Nice back in 2018 and is widely predicted to move on as Marco Silva looks to trim his squad.

The defender is now into the final 12 months on his contract and the signing of Jones could well seal his fate.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/2-knock-on-effects-at-fulham-if-club-strikes-transfer-agreement-with-man-united/

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Fulham's flourishing youngsters can profit from new pathway

After flying over from Portugal to take over at Fulham, Marco Silva had to quarantine for a week in a central London hotel. The new head coach made it clear to his staff that they would make the most of the unusual circumstances to be clued up on all the resources that were soon to be at their disposal. Silva's first request was for a detailed player profile on each member of the club's category one academy. Having digested the assessments compiled by Steve Wigley, Huw Jennings, Colin Omogbehin and Dan Thomas, Silva then set up a series of inter-squad games to test some of the leading young talent when he was able to take training at Motspur Park.

The benefits of that quickly became apparent in Silva's first few weeks in the job. Several of the club's brightest young starlets quickly established themselves as players of real potential when joining in with first team training. The emergence of Fabio Carvalho into the starting number ten might not have been much of a surprise – especially considering his mature Premier League displays at the end of a forgettable season – but there's no doubt that the way the attacking midfielder was considered integral to Silva's plans in pre-season has helped him take the Championship by storm. The progress made by Tyrese Francois was such that the Australian midfielder was handed a league debut on the opening weekend of the season and he certainly didn't look out of place.

The League Cup has become a breeding ground for the next generation in recent years. Whilst the youthful faces didn't quite match the way Slavisa Jokanovic blooded several academy graduates at Leyton Orient five years ago, there were notable displays at St. Andrew's last night from two regular stars in Fulham's youth sides over the past couple of seasons. We know plenty about Jay Stansfield, whose outstanding first season after signing from Exeter saw him handed a first team debut by Scott Parker. The teenage striker's development might have been hindered by a bad ankle fracture, but the young Stansfield has dealt with plenty of adversity in his life to recognise that waiting to make his mark on professional football was not the worst thing in the world. The quality of his finish against Birmingham – high into Neil Etheridge's top corner – after making the most of a bit of space outside the box spoke to his almost limitless potential. It was an emotional moment, given that Jay's father Adam was a lower-league striker of real repute before bowel cancer took him far too soon at the age of 31.

Stansfield's striking first senior goal hogged the headlines, but quietly Kosovan midfielder Adrion Pajaziti had an efficient and composed debut at the heart of a youthful midfield – alongside Francois. The classy ball-player's potential has been an open secret at the Fulham academy for some time, with the confidence that the club's coaches had in his ability underlined by the fact that he made his debut for the under 18s as a fifteen year old in 2018. He captained that side last season, but his progression was so stark that Pajaziti, a perceptive passer and willing worker in the engine room, actually made more appearances for the under-23's last term. What was so stark about his first senior start was the fact that he dealt so adeptly with any attempt to rough him up – always showing for the ball and keeping it moving with a modicum of fuss. Silva elevated Pajaziti into his starting line-up because of concerns about the number of minutes wracked up by Jean Michael Seri and Josh Onomah recently and he didn't let anyone down.

The story of how Alistair Mackintosh tempted Huw Jennings to what he described as 'London's heritage club' in 2009 and the construction of one of English football's most successful academies has been well chronicled. There was a sense, however, over the past eighteen months that too many young talents were passing through the formative years of their footballing education unfulfilled. The pathway that had provided a route to senior football for the likes of Marcus Bettinelli, Ryan and Steven Sessegnon, Patrick Roberts, Harvey Elliott and Moussa Dembele had become blocked. Several under-23s players were disappointed by the fact that they were not given the senior game time they had been promised, with a few opting to leave.

That explains, at least in part, why Fulham restructured their academy set up over the summer. Jennings moved from academy director to become the club's new head of football development and Omogbehin, who had previously coached the under 23s alongside Mark Pembridge, was given a new position as first team development coach, designed to help guide some of the best young talent towards the first team. The early signs – coupled with Silva's enthusiastic embrace of the goal of getting more homegrown youngsters into his senior squad – are promising.

It should be said that these are challenging times for youth development. Plenty of clubs are cutting down on the funding of their academies or closing them altogether, dissuaded by both the post-Brexit complexities of scouting international talent and the all-too-familiar prospect of the vultures circling to sign their prized assets for a pittance. Jennings now holds responsibility for reshaping Fulham's recruitment both domestically and overseas in a difficult post-pandemic environment, with the difficulties of signing up youngsters from further afield all too apparent but Fulham are not about to turn away from their academy. The club's hierarchy believe it remains one of their biggest assets and, with a manager eager to give the cream of its crop regular exposure to senior football, the future looks very bright.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/08/fulhams-flourishing-youngsters-can-profit-from-new-pathway/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham linked with Jones loan move

Fulham have been linked with an audacious loan move for Manchester United defender Phil Jones, according to reports this morning.

90min.com claims that the Whites are amongst a clutch of Championship clubs interested in taking the former England centre half on loan before the end of the summer transfer window with Jones eager to build up his match fitness having not played any competitive football for nineteen months following a serious knee injury. The 29 year-old, who played in a recent behind-closed-doors friendly against Burnley, is unlikely to make Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad on a regular basis after the summer signing of Rafael Varane.

The former Blackburn defender, who has made 224 appearances for United, is understood to be open to the idea of a loan to the second tier as he seeks regular football to reignite his career. His last senior appearance came at Tranmere in the FA Cup last January and Fulham may be interested in some central defensive cover should Tim Ream's back injury prove severe, with Maxime Le Marchand expected to leave Craven Cottage before next week's transfer deadline.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/08/fulham-linked-with-jones-loan-move/

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Stoke City receive irritating injury news as Fulham showdown looms

Stoke City will be without Nick Powell this weekend against Fulham, with the playmaker's return scheduled for the other side of September's international break.

Powell has sat out Stoke's last two fixtures – a win over Nottingham Forest in the Championship and League Cup clash with Doncaster Rovers – and Michael O'Neill isn't counting on him ahead of this weekend's meeting with Fulham.

As quoted by the Stoke Sentinel, O'Neill said of Powell's thigh injury: "Nick is not back training.

"The injury Nick picked up means he'll be out for a few weeks. We won't see him this side of the international break."

Powell, 27, has scored twice and registered an assist in only three Championship appearances so far this season, contributing to a strong start to the campaign for O'Neill's side.

Currently, they sit as joint leaders with West Brom and Fulham, having collected 10 points from their opening four fixtures.

This weekend, they face Marco Silva's Fulham, in an early season top-of-the-table clash.

Fulham and West Brom, of course, dropped out of the Premier League last season, whilst Stoke are building back after a couple of seasons of struggles in the Championship.

The Verdict

Powell missing Saturday is a little irritating for Stoke. He's a key player in the side and someone that, on his day, can be amongst the best players in the Championship.

This weekend, although early in the season, will give us a good idea of whether or not Stoke are genuine contenders this season.

Fulham will be up there and if they can match them, it points to a very successful campaign on the horizon.

That's harder to do without Powell, but the Potters have it in them.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/stoke-city-receive-irritating-injury-news-as-fulham-showdown-looms/

[WhiteJC]

Games for the Weekend 28/08...
Another 3 o'clock Saturday start at the Cottage, this weekend we welcome Stoke City.

I must admit to not believing much of the hype before the start of the season, about how good Fulham are and how they're favourites to get automatic promotion however, after four games we're top of the league!
It's far too early to get carried away but I really like the unexpected, for a life-long Fulham fan, feeling of winning, and winning with style, long may it continue!

We've finally signed the young Brazilian, Rodrigo Muniz, I'd be surprised if we get to see him this game, after all he only arrived in the country Tuesday? also he'll need time to acclimatise to both new surroundings and team mates. It would appear that, unlike some previous additions, the manager specifically wanted this player, so I do expect to see him take to the field sooner rather than later.

We'll have to see if the injuries to Ream, Tete and Carvalho prevent them from playing this weekend, we've got quite a list of injured players, if it continues it could become more of an issue, however once everyones fit and available for selection then Marco will have some difficult choices, a "nice headache".

This should be a good game, as Stoke are also in a good run of form, they have the same number of points as us, we're ahead on goal difference, Mitro's back on fire! So far this season we've both played 5 games (including EFL Cup), won 4 and drawn 1, we've scored 3 more than Stoke, fingers crossed we can increase that margin this weekend.

Stoke also won their EFL Cup game 2-0 earlier in the week but I'm not sure if the results will have any influence on this league game? "B" teams playing and all that.

Our record against Stoke is remarkably even, 8 wins and losses with 1 draw, and with both teams in good form it should be a close game.

For my team selection I've assumed that none of the injured players, nor Muniz, are available...

COYW's

Games of interest...
Saturday 28th
Fulham v Stoke City
Hull v Bournemouth
Luton v Sheff Utd
Millwall v Blackpool
QPR v Coventry

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=1696

[WhiteJC]

Gillett in charge at Craven Cottage

    Match officials confirmed for Saturday's match
    City head south to take on Fulham in West London
    Australian referee no stranger to Michael O'Neill's side

Jarred Gillett will referee his first match of the 2021/22 season when Stoke City face Fulham at Craven Cottage this weekend.

The Australian official was promoted to the list of Premier League referees at the end of last season after shining in just over two years in the EFL.

Over the past couple of seasons, Gillett has overseen five matches involving the Potters, resulting in four wins and a draw for Michael O'Neill's side.

His only previous Cottagers fixture was their 1-0 away victory over Birmingham City in 2019/20 as they ultimately gained promotion via the play-offs.

In 32 matches across the EFL in 2020/21, Gillett issued 102 yellows and three reds. He pointed to the penalty spot on no fewer than 10 occasions.

Assisting Gillett in West London on Saturday afternoon will be Bhupinder Gill and Ian Cooper. Carl Brook will act as the fourth official.



https://www.stokecityfc.com/news/2021/august/Gillett-in-charge-at-Craven-Cottage/

[WhiteJC]

'One that should be avoided' – Fulham eyeing swoop for Manchester United player: The verdict

This article is part of Football League World's 'The Verdict' series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more

Fulham are interested in signing Manchester United defender Phil Jones on a loan deal, according to 90min.

Football League World exclusively broke the news that Jones was considering dropping down to the Championship this summer, as he looks to gain regular game time away from Old Trafford.

The 29-year-old has featured 224 times for United, but failed to make a single appearance for the Red Devils in any competition last season.

It has now emerged that Fulham are among the Championship sides interested in taking the centre-half on loan this summer, as per 90min.

Here, we discuss whether he would be a good signing for the Cottagers, as Marco Silva's side look to go straight back up to the Premier League this term...

Chris Thorpe

Bringing Phil Jones in would be somewhat of a shock for Fulham fans but it's a signing that I think has a good chance of proving to be a masterstroke.

His career has come to a standstill over the past few years and he really needs this move in order rejuvenate his love for the game.

He's almost certain to be a regular starter at Craven Cottage if he can stay fit and I think he has experience that is so hard to come by.

He will provide good cover to their current first choice options initially and would undoubtedly be pushing for a spot in the starting eleven if he performs well consistently.

It's a potential signing that has come out of the woodwork but no one should write Jones off just yet.

Marcus Ally

This feels like a bit of a strange transfer. Phil Jones has played hardly any football in the last few years and would take up a large spot on the wage bill at Fulham.

The only logical reason to bring him in would be if Marco Silva would like to play a back three and therefore more depth could be required at centre back.

The Cottagers already have sufficient depth in my opinion, even if they desire to deploy a back three system and so this rumour comes as a bit of a surprise.

Tosin Adarabioyo, Tim Ream, Michael Hector, Terence Kongolo, Maxime Le Marchand and even Dennis Odoi are all competent centre backs for the level, so I am struggling to understand the benefit of this deal.

Jones is not an attractive proposition for another Premier League side anymore and therefore the level of which he could be an effective defender again feels about right, but Fulham do not need a player with his pay packet and low confidence right now.

Ned Holmes

This is a hard one to call.

Phil Jones has been out for so long that it's really hard to predict how good of a signing he will be.

In the past, he's been a fantastic defender but the last time he put a significant run together was 2018/19 and he's likely to cost a fair bit.

I'm not convinced that Fulham need this right now with the options available to Marco Silva, particularly with Michael Hector now back.

It's one that should be avoided, in my eyes.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/one-that-should-be-avoided-fulham-eyeing-swoop-for-manchester-united-player-the-verdict/

[WhiteJC]

2 areas Fulham should look to bolster before deadline day

Fulham have enjoyed a fine start to the new season – but will we see anymore transfer activity from the London club?

Marco Silva's side currently sit top of the Championship table, ahead of both West Brom and Stoke City on goal difference with all three sides tied on 10 points.

The Whites have made some promising signings in the summer in Paulo Gazzaniga, Harry Wilson and Rodrigo Muniz, but here we look at two areas where the club should look to bolster before deadline day.

Striker

Despite having arguably the most prolific Championship striker in Aleksandar Mitrovic and newboy Muniz, Silva could still do with another proven name up front.

Should Mitrovic become injured then it'll present a host of problems for Fulham with Ivan Cavaleiro or Bobby Decordova-Reid probably the next best options to fill that lone striker role.

Jay Stansfield is available and scored in last night's win v Fulham. The 18-year-old though didn't feature at all in the Premier League last season and hasn't featured in the Championship this time round – he made one Championship appearance in the 2019/20 campaign.

Attacking midfield

Fulham have a new hero in Fabio Carvalho. The 18-year-old has scored in his last three Championship outings and looks to be a real asset to the team after his breakthrough at the end of the last Premier League season.

He's filled the no.10 role well but again, Silva is fairly light in numbers there – Reid is an option and a good one at that, and Wilson too, though he seems to be preferred on the left.

Silva really does have quality and a decent amount of depth in all positions but up front and in behind, one or two more quality and prove names wouldn't go amiss as they vie for yet another immediate return to the top flight.



https://the72.co.uk/248146/2-areas-fulham-should-look-to-bolster-before-deadline-day/

[WhiteJC]

From zero to hero: How Marco Silva is getting the best out of Jean Michaël Seri at Fulham

A couple years ago you would not be thinking that former Barcelona target Jean Michaël Seri would be bossing the Championship.

Seri joined the club at the beginning of the 2018/19 Premier League season where he signed from Nice, part of a deal which saw him and Maxime Le Marchand join on the same day.

His only goal that season came in a 4-2 home victory over Burnley – a long-range effort into the top corner which was awarded Premier League Goal of the Month for August.

Part of the £100million haul that summer, Seri and others were unable to prevent Fulham from staying in the league and disappointingly finished the season on 26 points.

Following relegation the midfielder has spent time in Turkey and France, with Fulham fans believing they had seen the last of him. However, manager Marco Silva has insisted that "he wants to stay and hasn't told me anything otherwise."

Despite not appearing in Fulham's first game of the season, the midfielder has started the Whites' three most recent league games and they have all ended in wins.

Seri came into the team against Huddersfield where he saw his side score five away for home – the club's biggest away win since 1999.

After another dominant performance at The Den, the 30-year-old started his first game at Craven Cottage since 17th March 2019 and picked up the Man of the Match award.

The Ivorian set up the first for Aleksandar Mitrović from a well worked corner and continued to boss the game with a 92% pass accuracy.

As Seri is getting more and more game time under his belt, he could easily secure his place in the Fulham midfield and be one of the first names on the team sheet.

With the west London side still being without captain Tom Cairney and Harrison Reed, it will be interesting to see how Silva lines his team up in upcoming games.



https://the72.co.uk/247957/from-zero-to-hero-how-marco-silva-is-getting-the-best-out-of-jean-michael-seri-at-fulham/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham fretting over injured trio for Stoke clash

Marco Silva says it is too soon to say whether any of Fulham's injured trio will be available for Saturday's meeting with fellow Championship pacesetters Stoke City.

Speaking after watching his much changed side book a place in the League Cup third round by winning at Birmingham last night, the Fulham head coach admitted that Tim Ream, Kenny Tete and Fabio Carvalho all remained serious doubts for the game against Michael O'Neill's side at Craven Cottage this weekend. All three were forced off with injuries during Fulham's 2-0 over Hull City last weekend. Ream jarred his back in awkward fall, Tete appeared to injure his hamstring and teenage sensation Carvalho twisted an ankle after a late challenge by Richard Smallwood.

Silva told the Athletic's Peter Rutzler after the final whistle at St. Andrew's:

"They are three in doubt to be honest with you. It's possible Kenny will be out. The other two let's see but I cannot be sure about the three for next Saturday."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/08/fulham-fretting-over-injured-trio-for-stoke-clash/

[WhiteJC]

Le Marchand set for Strasbourg

Fulham defender Maxime Le Marchand is set to seal a permanent switch to Strasbourg by the end of the week, according to reports from France tonight.

The former Nice defender is close to agreeing a two-year contract with the Racers, according to Le10Sport. Julien Stéphan has moved to strengthen his defence following Strasbourg's dreadful start to the new Ligue 1 campaign, which has left them bottom of the table having taken just a single point from their first three matches.

Le Marchand, who was loaned to Belgian side Royal Antwerp for the second half of last season, has not featured under new Fulham boss Marco Silva and is now considered surplus to requirements at Craven Cottage. The 31 year-old has made 48 appearances in three years with the London club.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/08/le-marchand-set-for-strasbourg/

[WhiteJC]

Carabao Cup: Round Three draw made

Opposition confirmed.

Leeds United have been drawn against Fulham in Round Three of the Carabao Cup.

The tie will be played at Craven Cottage during the week commencing Monday 20th September 2021.

Our last meeting with Fulham came back in March, with goals from Patrick Bamford and Raphinha securing the Whites a 2-1 victory in West London.

A confirmed date for the match, along with ticket details will be announced in due course.



https://www.leedsunited.com/news/team-news/28597/carabao-cup-round-three-draw-made