Friday Fulham Stuff - 27/08/21...

[WhiteJC]

Stoke City looking forward to benchmark Fulham game backed by sell-out following

Stoke City are taking on Fulham in search of their first win in London for seven years

Michael O'Neill is ready to embrace the challenge as Stoke City head to Fulham backed by a sell-out away following for one of their biggest tests of the season.

Stoke and Fulham both have 10 points from their opening four league games and both made major changes for mid-week Carabao Cup ties to keep a fresh squad for the weekend.

O'Neill expects a fierce test – but one that his squad will head south to take on with confidence for their final game before the first international break.

He said: "You have to play the stronger teams in the league and the teams who come down are always expected to be the strongest.

"Fulham have started the season well and it won't be easy by any means. They've got a lot of quality, a lot of pace in their team but I think we're ready for that test. It'll be a good benchmark for us and it's a game we can all look forward to."

He added: "You can see some teams find it more difficult, look at Sheffield United for example and we found it more difficult when we came down from the Premier League three years ago.

"West Brom and Fulham are above us in the league on goals. It'll be a good test for us.

"The good thing is that we'll have a fresh team to play on Saturday because we're going to have to work very hard. There'll be a good tempo to the game, Fulham have a lot of pace and a lot of direct players as well. We'll have to deal with that."



https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-stoke-city-championship-match-5833262

[WhiteJC]

Fulham face Leeds in League Cup third round

Fulham have been drawn at home to Premier League Leeds United in the third round of the League Cup.

Marco Silva's side made it into the hat with an impressive 2-0 win at Birmingham City on Tuesday night, with Jay Stansfield and Antonee Robinson scoring their first goals for the club. The tie is scheduled to be played in the week commencing September 20th.

Marcelo Bielsa's men beat Fulham home and away in the league last season.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/08/fulham-face-leeds-in-league-cup-third-round/

[WhiteJC]

Report: Fulham could add an eighth senior centre-back to their ranks as 29-year-old is eyed up

According to 90Min, Fulham are looking at loaning Manchester United's Phil Jones.

Jones would certainly be an interesting addition at Craven Cottage, and there's reason to believe he'd be a rousing success under Marco Silva.

Yes, Jones has become a bit of a joke figure at Manchester United in recent years, but away from the funny faces and injury problems, there's a very talented player in there. After all, you don't get 27 England caps and win the Premier League unless you've got something about you.

Fulham could probably do with a couple more additions before the deadline next week, but the reality is that it's hard to see them adding another centre-back to their ranks.

The Whites already have seven senior centre-halves at the club with Tosin, Tim Ream, Alfie Mawson, Maxime Le Marchand, Terence Kongolo, Michael Hector and Denis Odoi all contenders in that position.

An eighth centre-back would be overkill, but it's not every day you can sign a player like Jones when you're a Championship club.

Marco Silva's side would probably need to get a couple of players off the books before going ahead with this one, but this is certainly one to keep an eye on in the coming days.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2021/08/26/report-fulham-could-add-an-eighth-senior-centre-back-to-their-ranks-as-29-year-old-is-eyed-up/

[WhiteJC]

Fear and loathing at Craven Cottage – Volume 3: Hull City (h)

Any Saturday that starts with a Katsu Curry and finishes with us being top of the league cannot be classed as a bad one. In what felt like a continuing trend for the season my trip to the cottage went hand in hand with yet another wet and rainy walk through the residential streets of SW6. In anticipation of this my acquaintance and I had quadrupled down on our intake of high quality Japanese beer over said katsu in Central London prior to heading out west on the Piccadilly line instead of risking the uncovered but still packed beer gardens of Fulham Palace Road. There was however just about enough time to squeeze in one of Fulhams famous barely cold bottles of Carlsberg in the ground before finding our seats in the Hammersmith end.

As the wet Craven Cottage pitch received an additional soaking from the sprinklers before kick off it became clear that the club shop had been doing a roaring trade with their Boa Morte name printing in recent weeks. Our Assistant manager must be way ahead of everyone bar perhaps Mitrovic when it comes to fan shirt real estate. Being only the second game of the season I'm still to familiarise myself with my season ticket neighbours in H5 although luckily I'm already on first name terms with the concrete pillar that obscures my view. Off the back of 2 straight wins there seemed to be a real air of optimism among the crowd and while the weather had dampened the cardboard clappers it had certainly not subdued the atmosphere.


Fulham remained unchanged from the Millwall game with the born again John Michael Seri anchoring Midfield alongside Josh Onomah and the boy wonder Fabio Carvalho. Gazzaniga, fresh off a mid week endorsement from Mark Crossley describing him as one of the best keepers in the league continued in goal despite my longing for Marek Rodak. Our opposition lined up in their tiger stripes with very few familiar names. The most recognizable being the aging figure of Tom Huddlestone warming up as a substitute. His long hair bringing back bad memories of that season in the Premier league when he vowed not to get a hair cut until he broke his goal duck which of course came during our trip to the KC and a horrific 6-0 defeat. Unlike Middlesbrough Hull seem to have struggled in selling their allocation given the Putney end only seemed at best two thirds full.


Fulham as usual started quickly with lots of possession but not much in the way of clear cut chances. A decent Onomah volley went wide of the post and Seri took what had to be one of the worst corners I have seen in a long time. It would have been one that even the king of hitting the first man Bryan Ruiz would have been proud of. Whether or not the delay to the game that saw Tim Ream hobble off injured and replaced by Alfie Mawson affected Hulls concentration I can't be sure but Mitrovic's headed opener from a much better Seri corner occurred before Ream had even made it down the tunnel.
As much as Ream has been good in the first few games I can't help but feel his tenure in the side has limited longevity should we achieve promotion and Alfie Mawson (If he is able to stay fit) could well still develop in to a solid Premier league level defender and deliver on that promise he once showed at Swansea. It has to be said that he was imperious in the air all game and I don't remember him losing a single header.

Barely ten minutes after the first we found ourselves two up with Carvalho yet again finding the net following some good work by Robinson. Alongside the obvious cheers this resulted in continued "sign him up" pleas from the Hammersmith end as we seemingly again run the risk of mismanaging a promising product of our youth academy out of the club.

Much like the first goal the second came only seconds after another enforced change for Fulham having had to replace Kenny Tete with striker come wide player come full back Bobby Reid who as per usual did everything that was asked of him. Despite every shot Fulham had seemingly going on target we once again struggled to kill the game off completely with a third goal. Cheers of "Shoot" when Tosin picked the ball up just outside of the box would usually have  resulted in a ball in the Thames but even this tested the keeper. Hull on the other hand offered very little going forward but as we reached half time the words of my acquaintance "a decent team talk and a swig of Lucozade and there is no reason they can't get back in this in the second half" suggested we still needed another to be certain of a result.

Evidently the Lucozade didn't help and a fairly uneventful 2nd half saw no change in the score line. I'm not sure what the referee had to drink but it certainly didn't result in Fulham getting many decisions going their way after the break. The closest we came to a third was a misplaced Mitrovic header from another better Seri corner.

The embarrassment of riches we have in our squad was highlighted again with the introduction of Anguissa for Carvalho after seventy minutes. As comfortable as we were with a two goal lead I certainly wasn't comfortable enough to embrace every Fulham pass with an "Ole" like many others and instead chose to keep tabs on the West Brom game ensuring that even at this early stage of the season our goal difference was enough to put us top of the pile. The noise from the away end never seemed to get going either. Not that there was much for them to cheer about but another flap at a cross from Gazzaniga in the final few minutes could on another day have resulted in a nervy run in.

It certainly wasn't a match that will live long in the memory. Just as two weeks on from the last home game the Riverside stand is a few more plastic seats towards completion, Fulham are another three points closer to where they want to be as well. The difference in style under Silva is slowly becoming more noticeable and was evident in one of Antonee Robinsons best performances I have seen in a while.

We departed the Cottage under cover of rain again having gained the win that was expected. The feeling of optimism has perhaps been replaced with entitlement and expectation already but it's not to say it wasn't enjoyable.
Upon arrival at Hammersmith we were greeted by a hoard of QPR fans more cocky and antagonistic than you would expect from people who had just witnessed a 2-2 home draw with Barnsley. Sometimes I take for granted the nature of our own fans when compared to other less desirable traits of our neighbours. It's easy to forget the pains of last season so perhaps we should enjoy the comfortable home wins while we can.


Needless to say Stoke will be a much tougher challenge on Saturday!



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/08/fear-and-loathing-at-craven-cottage-volume-3-hull-city-h/

[WhiteJC]

Sources: Fulham confident of sealing contract agreement with midfield star

Fulham are confident that a resolution can be found over Fabio Carvalho's contract and believe that a new deal will be sorted in due course, Football League World can reveal exclusively.

Carvalho has had an excellent start to this Sky Bet Championship season and very much looks as though he is set to play a key part in the Cottagers' bid to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Indeed, it's the latest emergence of a young talent at the club to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Ryan Sessegnon and, naturally, Fulham want to keep him and tie him down to a new deal.

Thus far this summer, though, they've not been able to reach an agreement with the attacking midfielder – though it sounds as though the Whites are not feeling negative over their chances of keeping him around.

Indeed, Football League World has been exclusively told that Fulham remain confident over reaching an agreement with Carvalho, with fresh terms set to acknowledge the player's status as a first-team regular.

Of course, this is great news for Fulham with clubs starting to circle over head and, evidently, they'll be eager to get an agreement sorted and rubber-stamped as soon as.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/sources-fulham-confident-of-sealing-contract-agreement-with-midfield-star/

[WhiteJC]

Exclusive: Wolves make approach in bid to seal late swoop for Fulham star

Premier League side Wolves have made a late summer window approach to Fulham in a bid to sign defender Tosin Adarabioyo in the final days of the market, Football League World has been told exclusively.

The defender has started this campaign in fine fashion for the Cottagers, carrying on his form from last season where, despite the club's relegation, he still impressed in the Premier League.

Indeed, that said, Fulham have been naturally eager to see the summer market shut as soon as possible in terms of his future as they bid to keep him, and things had been looking on course to go in their favour with a reported £10m fee release clause expiring earlier this summer.

However, with just a few days left in the window, Premier League side Wolves have now made contact with the men from Craven Cottage over a potential move, Football League World can reveal exclusively, though Fulham are going to fight hard to keep him at this late stage and have increased his price tag in order to do so.

The Old Gold have stopped short of launching an official bid at this current stage, but it is clear they have genuine interest in the player as we head towards the transfer deadline.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/exclusive-wolves-make-approach-in-bid-to-seal-late-swoop-for-fulham-star/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham interested in Phil Jones

Fulham are interested in a deal to bring Phil Jones to Craven Cottage this summer.

What's the talk?

That's according to a report by 90min, who claim that Marco Silva's side are one of a number of Championship clubs interested in the Manchester United centre-back, who is also believed to be wanted by Premier League outfits Newcastle United and Watford.

The report goes on to claim that the most likely scenario would be a loan move, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side willing to pay a significant chunk of the 29-year-old's £110k-per-week wages to help get a deal over the line.

Big mistake

While it is undeniable that Jones was once a player who boasted an incredible amount of potential, with Sir Alex Ferguson claiming back in 2013 that the defender could go on to become United's "best ever player," this is something that, in reality, is far from the case.

Indeed, the £4.5m-rated man has not played a competitive game for Manchester United in 19 months, with his most recent appearance coming in the club's 6-0 win over Tranmere Rovers in the Carabao Cup back in January 2020.

Furthermore, in his two Premier League appearances that same season, the player Rio Ferdinand recently dubbed a "waste of time" failed to impress whatsoever, making an average of one interception, one tackle and losing possession of the ball 9.5 times per fixture.

These returns saw the 29-year-old earn a disappointing average SofaScore match rating of 6.75, something that, considering his two appearances came against Sheffield United and Burnley, perfectly demonstrates how far the centre-back has fallen.

As such, it could easily be argued that a move by Silva for the England international this summer would be the Portuguese manager's biggest transfer mistake of his Fulham career to date, as the centre-back looks unlikely to be an upgrade on any of the club's current options in the position, while he would also likely cost a substantial amount of money in wages.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-fc-transfer-rumours/fulham-the-cottagers-transfer-news-marco-silva-manchester-united-phil-jones-the-championship

[WhiteJC]

Club chief 'has had several contacts' with Fulham player's agent – 'Has asked for sale', wants out of Craven Cottage

Still in search of a midfielder following their failed efforts to sign Granit Xhaka from Arsenal, AS Roma are struggling to decide between two players.

Those are Denis Zakaria, currently at Borussia Mönchengladbach, and André Frank Zambo Anguissa, contracted to Fulham in the Championship.

The Cameroon international has only featured for 77 minutes spread over three of the first four games of the season, and the general feeling is he would like to leave Craven Cottage this summer if possible.

That's where AS Roma come in, with it reported by Corriere dello Sport that Tiago Pinto, the club's general director, 'has had several contacts with the agent of Zambo Anguissa', whose contract with the Cottagers expires in 2023.

Furthermore, as has been previously reported, the player 'has asked for the sale', perhaps explaining why he has been used relatively sparingly by Marco Silva so far.

The Portuguese manager has admitted he'd like to keep Anguissa around if he could, but we all know that if José Mourinho comes calling, few can resist the temptation.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/club-chief-several-contacts-fulham-players-agent-asked-sale-wants-craven-cottage/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham and West Brom dealt blow in transfer pursuit of 25-year-old

Spezia striker M'Bala Nzola is being considered by fellow Serie A club Genoa, as part of a swap deal that would include Mattia Destro and Kevin Agudelo moving the other way, as reported by Gianluca di Marzio.

Newly relegated Championship duo West Brom and Fulham, have previously been credited with an interest in the Angolan-born striker, with this latest update diminishing their chances of landing the front man.

Nzola scored 11 times in 25 Series A outings last season, providing three assists in the progress, in what turned out to be 21 starts.

The 25-year-old joined Spezia in January 2020 with an option to buy clause placed, before putting pen-to-paper on a three-year contract in October of last year.

Nzola also made his senior debut for Angola earlier in the year. The striker's first and only match thus far with his national side was during a 1-0 defeat against Gambia in the African Cup of Nations.

The verdict

It is clear to see why both promotion-chasing Championship clubs have expressed an interest in the forward. He is a player that will cause problems in the division now and would be acquired with the Premier League in mind.

However, from Nzola's perspective, both moves may not appeal to him as much. West Brom have a set front three, who have started the season off brilliantly, whilst they now have Jordan Hugill to compete with them.

In Fulham's case, they have Aleksandar Mitrovic, and Marco Silva's tendency to operate with a single striker makes it difficult to see where the Angolan would fit in.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-and-west-brom-dealt-blow-in-transfer-pursuit-of-25-year-old/

[WhiteJC]

Roma chief's action revealed concerning potential Fulham deal

Roma general director Tiago Pinto has made contact with the agent of Fulham's Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa with the 25-year-old one of two midfielders being targetted by the Italian club, according to Corriere dello Sport.

Reports earlier this week indicated that the west London club are looking to sell Zambo Anguissa before the transfer window slams shut at the end of the month.

The midfielder has featured in Fulham's last three Championship games, with manager Marco Silva claiming he wants him involved in their push for promotion this term.

It seems the Cameroon international could be on the move this month, however, as Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness) has reported that Roma see him as one of two options in midfield after missing out on Arsenal's Granit Xhaka.

The Serie A club are understood to be struggling to decide between Zambo Anguissa and Borussia Mönchengladbach's Denis Zakaria.

The report claims that Roma's general director has been in contact with the Fulham player's agent on multiple occasions.

With two years left on his current deal, plus a 12-month option, the west London club are under no obligation to sell the midfielder at the moment.

The Verdict

It seems contact has been made between Roma and Zambo Anguissa's agent multiple times, which suggests that we could see movement concerning a deal over the next few days.

The west London club appear to be keen to cash in, while you can understand why Silva would want to keep a player of his quality around.

The 25-year-old was sent out on loan last time Fulham dropped down to the Championship but having him as an option this term should strengthen their promotion push.

If the midfielder doesn't want to be there, however, then it may be best to look to offload him and you feel Fulham could demand a significant fee given his age, ability, and contract status.

Silva will hope he gets a chance to reinvest that money if Zambo Anguissa does indeed depart.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/roma-chiefs-action-revealed-concerning-potential-fulham-deal/

[WhiteJC]

Preview: Fulham vs. Stoke City - prediction, team news, lineups

Fulham and Stoke City put their unbeaten records on the line when they meet in the Championship on Saturday afternoon.

Both clubs have collected three wins and a draw from their opening four fixtures, the Cottagers only sitting at the top of the standings on goal difference.

Match preview
Ahead of a return to the second tier, there would have been some Fulham supporters who had reservations about the appointment of Marco Silva.

However, after an indifferent start against Middlesbrough, the West Londoners have put together a four-match winning streak in all competitions, scoring 11 goals in the process.

While thrashing Huddersfield Town by a 5-1 scoreline remains the standout result, Silva will be pleased with how his side have dispatched Millwall, Hull City and Birmingham City respectively.

The latter result in the EFL Cup came with three prospects in the side, Jay Stansfield marking his first start for the club with a brilliantly-taken opener at St Andrew's.

Silva will revert back to his senior players for a game against potential title rivals, but the impact that they made on Tuesday evening only bodes well for the future.

As far as Stoke are concerned, Michael O'Neill worked wonders during the off-season to put together a squad which appears capable of challenging the best teams in the league.

The money brought in from the sale of Nathan Collins has been used to make five shrewd additions, and the ambition in the market has been rewarded with as many wins and a draw in all competitions.

Although promotion remains their sole priority this season, O'Neill will take encouragement from an entirely different team defeating Doncaster Rovers in the EFL Cup second round.

Six different players have already gotten on the scoresheet in the Championship, and last week's 1-0 triumph over Nottingham Forest came without top goalscorer Nick Powell in the side.

Fulham Championship form:

    D    W    W    W


Fulham form (all competitions):

    W    D    W    W    W    W

Stoke City Championship form:

    W    D    W    W


Stoke City form (all competitions):

    W    W    D    W    W   W

Team News

Fulham are sweating on the fitness of Kenny Tete, Tim Ream and Fabio Carvalho after they all sustained injuries against Hull.

Bobby Decordova-Reid, Alfie Mawson and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa are ready to deputise if Silva is forced into any changes.

Stoke boss O'Neill will almost certainly name the 11 players which started against Forest last weekend.

However, Sam Surridge put himself in contention for a recall with a goal against Doncaster in midweek.

O'Neill has revealed that Powell will remain on the sidelines until after the international break.

Fulham possible starting lineup:
Gazzaniga; Reid, Adarabioyo, Mawson, Robinson; Onomah, Seri; Kebano, Carvalho, Cavaleiro; Mitrovic

Stoke City possible starting lineup:
Bursik; Ostigard, Souttar, Wilmot; Smith, Clucas, Allen, Vrancic, Tymon; Fletcher, Brown

We say: Fulham 2-1 Stoke City

Stoke are well rested from last weekend and will fancy their chances of outfighting their hosts on Saturday. However, we feel that Fulham's marginal extra threat in the final third will make all the difference, leading us to predict a narrow home win.




https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/preview/preview-fulham-vs-stoke-prediction-team-news-lineups_460884.html?cQx=NN&newsnow

[WhiteJC]

'I wasn't aware of that!' Every word from Michael O'Neill as Stoke City head to Fulham

Stoke City head to Craven Cottage this weekend to take on a Fulham side which has also made a strong start to the season

Michael O'Neill is preparing Stoke City for one of the toughest fixtures of the Championship season this weekend as they head to Fulham - but they will go down with growing confidence.

The Stoke manager has held his pre-match press conference to deliver the latest team news and look ahead to an impending transfer deadline and international break.

Eleven changes in mid-week and self-belief around the squad is important?

I think it depends how you view the cup games. We didn't make changes thinking we would weaken the team, we made changes because we felt those players needed an opportunity to play. I felt we had a lot of good performances on Tuesday night.

Every player that we've brought in is with the intention that they're capable of playing in the first team. We've seen some of the younger lads like Adam Porter and Christian Norton play too and it's part of their development.

I would expect the team to go in and play as they did on Tuesday night and it keeps momentum going, good habits. It's good for the likes of Adam Davies to come in and keep a clean sheet, which is important for him and his confidence.

These players will all play a part during the season. We'll have injuries, we'll have suspensions, we'll have loss of form so it's your squad that gets you through the season.

Biggest test of the season will be at Fulham, a team full of quality and pace?

They seem to be everyone's favourites for automatic promotion. They've kept their squad together that they had last season in the Premier League.

It'll be a tough game, as tough as you can get in this league.

I don't think it will define us as a team, it'll give us an indication of where we are at this minute in time. It's a great game for us. They will present a challenge because they've got some very, very good attacking players but we carry our own threat as well.

It will be a challenge for us to limit them to opportunities and particularly Mitrovic. We've had three clean sheets out of six games, that's a nice habit to have, and hopefully we'll have more of the same on Saturday.

Do players and yourself relish big games like this?

You want to be playing every week with something at stake, that's important. We've had a good start to the season and with that you build a positive atmosphere around the club and expectation.

Expectation is a good thing, it's not something as a squad we should fear, we should relish it actually because it means we're at the right end of the table and doing a lot of things that are positive.

This is a good game. It's early in the season still, it comes at a good time just before the break for international football. We've got some players that will leave after this game but it will give us a good indication of where we feel we are at this minute in time.

Can you sense fans responding to a good start to the season?

It was great support mid-week down at Swansea. It was fantastic to see that.

I believe we've sold out the away end for the game on Saturday, which again is very positive.

Craven Cottage is a great place to go and play. Fans are very close to the pitch so there'll be a good atmosphere.

It's a quick pitch and it'll be a good game of football. That's what we want, particularly with supporters having been away and not being able to go to games for well over a year. Now they're able to come they've got a team that hopefully gives them a lot of things to be positive about.

We've got to enjoy these games. These are the games in the Championship that will test us and that's something we've got to do throughout the season.

Also, the support we've had in the home games has been excellent. We've got to continue to build on that.

It's no secret that it's been difficult for the club since we came back into the Championship and everyone is focused on trying to get back to the Premier League. We need a strong fan base behind the team to help us do that.

Are you aware that Stoke haven't won in London since 2014?

I wasn't aware of that! At the end of the day, that's not something I'll dwell on. The most important thing is that we're now in a nice little run.

We're playing against a very good team but a team I feel we can compete with and we'll see that on Saturday.

How are Stoke injury wise – is Nick Powell out for a fair while?

Nick will be out until after the international break. We've just got to monitor him for that period.

He has to go for an injection today which I think will help speed up his recovery.

It's a little bit more, I wouldn't say serious, but at first we thought he might just miss a game or two. He'll miss a bit more than that.

Other than that we're fine. Campbell is still on his recovery and back training with the squad, which is good. Tashan Oakley-Boothe is back training with the squad, which is good.

It's good to have those two young boys back around it. They're still a fair bit away from playing but it's nice to have them back in the squad training. Things like that are all very positive.

Is there anything else you're likely to get done in the transfer window?

We're still looking but we won't just add players for the sake of adding them, really.

We've assessed the market really consistently since the season finished last May. We're not in a position where we can go and buy a player. I don't think we're in that situation, we have to look at loan options or possibly free agents at this minute in time – and the better ones in that scenario are typically already gone.

If there was something we felt was the right thing to do and would strengthen the squad, we would consider doing it – but if the squad stays as it is we would be happy with that as well.

Are you concerned about Covid as players go away for international duty?

Yes, I am concerned. I do feel at times a little hypocritical talking about this given that I was previously in international football. I think it's an incredibly difficult time for international football associations with the complications of Covid.

We're monitoring the situation all the time. We know the players we have away and the countries they are going to be visiting during the international window. We'll have to keep on top of that.

We've seen what's happened in the Premier League and I know the EFL have made a statement as well. Between now and the players meeting up we have to be very aware of what's going on and make the right decisions around that.

You must be happy with competition in the squad?

We want competition for places and we want flexibility in the squad.

The fact we were able to change the back three and bring in James Chester, Danny Batth and Morgan Fox who have all played a lot of games for us in the past 12 to 18 months is an indication of the strength we have in that area.

We've had to rotate the three strikers and we've really good competition in the middle of the pitch as well. On the sides, I think Tom Ince showed he can challenge Tommy Smith to play in the right wing-back area as well.

There are a lot of positives from Tuesday night and that's what we need. We need that if players step into the team, the team won't be weakened. It's something we've had to work very hard on.

We're a lot less in numbers than we were previously, which helps. I think every player believes they have a realistic chance of playing, which helps with the mood, which is very important.

We're pleased with how the lads' focus has been and the competition we have in the squad at this minute in time.

And 11 changes means you must be pleased with strength in depth?

I felt it was the right game, the right opportunity, to give players minutes.

It means we can be as fresh as possible for the game on Saturday as well. That's very important as well, particularly away from home against a team of Fulham's calibre.

It's important you approach the game right. The players' attitude was very good, as it was against Fleetwood, and they recognise that if they come in and do well it strengthens their case to stay in the team.

At this minute in time, because the team has getting good results in the league since the start of the season, it's difficult but that will change over time. There will be periods when we have to react to defeats. If that means changing the team then the players who come in have to be ready to play.

Fulham made changes too in mid-week, is it hard to gauge how they will line up?

We look predominantly about what they've done in the league, to be honest. We're aware of the changes they made and they changed their system from what they've played in the league so we'll expect them to follow more what they've done in previous league games.

Similar to how they'll look at us. While we didn't change our system in mid-week, we changed personnel.

Look, teams fairly know each other inside out at this point in the season so we know what to expect from Fulham on Saturday.

What's your verdict on the Carabao Cup draw, away at Watford?

It's a tough draw, it's a good game for us. It's a team we played last season and were a bit aggrieved, certainly down there, to lose the game, the nature of how we lost it.

It'll be a good test for us. When you go up against Premier League opposition you try to raise your game and try to prove you can play at that level, whether that's on an individual level and as a team as well.

We'll look forward to that game when it comes around but our focus in the interim period is certainly going to be on the league.

As well as bringing in new signings, what's the secret to getting existing players to play with a new swagger?

If you look at the period we've had at the club, it was difficult to play with a swagger when we were fighting to stay in the league in the first period.

Then last season I felt there were times particularly in the first half of the season, when we were around the top six for the majority of that period, that it felt like we had made good progression. Obviously the second half of last season was more difficult for us.

I think it helps with the transformation in the squad as much as anything else. Players respond to that. There's been a big turnaround of players in this window in particular. We tried to turn it over soon but it was difficult.

We've got a much more streamlined squad, a much more cost effective squad and I believe we've got a hungrier squad with a better team. The players we've inherited here have responded to that as well as the players we've brought in.



https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/stoke-city-fulham-michael-oneill-5834885

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Chairman issues message on Siriki Dembele plan should 'Fulham for instance' come calling

Siriki Dembele has attracted plenty of Championship interest this summer, as well as catching the eye north of the border too.

The 24-year-old first turned heads when he submitted a transfer request in January of this year, however, he stayed with Posh, playing an integral role in the club's eventual promotion.

Dembele netted 11 times and provided a further 12 assists last time out, and has since started to answer questions about whether he could do it in the Championship, by scoring twice in three games for Darren Ferguson's side.

The Ivorian-born attacker started his youth career in Scotland with Dundee United, before joining the Nike Football Academy.

After a year with the academy, Dembele joined Grimsby Town, scoring four goals in 36 appearances for The Mariners.

The young forward then joined Peterborough in 2018, going on to feature over 100 times for the newly-promoted Championship club.

Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthonty spoke about the 24-year-old's current situation on his podcast, the Hard Truth Podcast, and said: "We also have a plan in place in case Fulham, for instance, come in with a substantial offer for Siriki Dembele. It would have to be seriously substantial because he's shown he can rip up the Championship already, but if it happens we have to react to it."

The verdict

Dembele has proved to be quite an exciting player in the Championship and certainly has the ability to ply his trade at the top end of the division.

It remains to be seen if any late or additional interest comes in for the 24-year-old, and it would be a big blow for Peterborough and their chances of staying up if he does depart.

Posh have made a steady start to the Championship, and sit in 17th place after four second-tier games thus far.

This latest update indicates that it will take a very large fee to even tempt Peterborough into selling, especially when there is such little time left in the transfer window.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/chairman-issues-message-on-siriki-dembele-plan-should-fulham-for-instance-come-calling/

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Fulham's new signing made unusual request for shirt number – Had first and second choices blocked

Even though Rodrigo Muniz is already signed and has been presented by Fulham, we continue to get interesting claims from the Brazilian media about the transfer.

Journalist Venê Casagrande, who was on the money when reporting the Whites' battle to sign the striker, now has some information on the shirt number used by the player.

Rodrigo Muniz has already taken the #19, but according to the claims, he requested another one.

It's said the Brazilian initially wanted number 9, which is already taken by Aleksandar Mitrovic. He asked for 99, and was told by Fulham that he couldn't take any number over 50, so he went for the 19.

Rodrigo Muniz reportedly joined Fulham in a deal worth €8m, while Flamengo will keep 25% of a future sale. The Brazilian media repeatedly claimed Middlesbrough were also in the race for his signing, but his contacts with Marco Silva were crucial for the player to push for a move to Craven Cottage.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulhams-new-signing-made-unusual-request-shirt-number-first-second-choices-blocked/

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Transfer News: Manchester United defender Phil Jones wanted by Fulham

Manchester United defender Phil Jones has reportedly emerged as a target for EFL Championship club Fulham late in the transfer window.

According to a report from 90min.com, Manchester United outcast Phil Jones could finally be offered an escape route from Old Trafford as EFL Championship outfit Fulham are keen on signing him before the transfer deadline day.

Jones has been with Manchester United since the summer of 2011, arriving from Blackburn Rovers. Tipped as a future captain by then-manager and club legend Sir Alex Ferguson, the 29-year-old has struggled to live up to the billing as injuries have ravaged his career with the 20-time English champions.

To date, Jones has featured 224 times for Manchester United, scoring six goals and setting up 10 more. However, the England international has not featured in over eighteen months due to fitness problems.

With Manchester United signing Raphael Varane already this summer, Jones has fallen further down the pecking order at the club, with little prospects of regular first-team football even though he has now returned to fitness. Now, he could be offered a way out of Old Trafford, with Fulham said to be keen on signing him up.

The report adds that apart from the London outfit, there are several other EFL Championship clubs who are keen on landing Jones. However, it is claimed that any move would only be a loan stint with Manchester United paying the major share of his wages.

There has been some interest from the Premier League as well, with Newcastle United and Watford keen, while West Ham had also been linked with the 27-time capped England international. However, the Hammers are unlikely to act on their interest in him, as they are on the verge of signing Kurt Zouma from Chelsea.

There have also been reports claiming that Manchester United may end up keeping Jones in the squad as the fifth-choice centre-back. However, a move away to a club where he can play regularly would serve the former Blackburn Rovers ace well as he looks to resurrect his career.

With less than a week left for the transfer window to close, it remains to be seen if Fulham or any other club make an attempt to sign Jones from Manchester United.



http://www.thehardtackle.com/news/2021/08/26/transfer-news-manchester-united-defender-phil-jones-wanted-by-fulham/

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Fulham rebuff Wolves' Adarabioyo approach

Fulham are understood to have rebuffed a Wolverhampton Wanderers approach for centre back Tosin Adarabioyo.

The Premier League side reportedly made an enquiry over the availability of the former Manchester City defender to see whether they could complete a possible signing in the final days of the summer transfer window. Adarabioyo, who was so impressive in his first taste of top flight football despite Fulham's relegation after moving to Craven Cottage, would have been available for £10m earlier this summer under the terms of the deal that took him to west London but that relegation release clause expired in July.

The ball-playing 23 year-old centre half has made 38 appearances for Fulham and has quickly established himself as one of Marco Silva's first choices at the heart of the defence as the Whites have made an unbeaten start to their Championship campaign. The Londoners are understood to be keen to hold onto the former England youth international, who is under contract until at least 2023.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/08/fulham-rebuff-wolves-adarabioyo-approach/

[WhiteJC]

Ream and Robinson named in USA squad

Fulham defenders Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson have been named in the USA squad for their September international fixtures.

American national team coach Gregg Berhalter has announced a 26-man for his side's first three World Cup qualifiers next month. The USA travel to face El Salvador on Thursday 2 September before hosting Canada in Nashville on Sunday 5 September and finish with a clash against Honduras on Wednesday 8 September.

Ream, who has captained Fulham in the absence of Tom Cairney so far this season, has won 45 caps for his country whilst Robinson – hoping to establish himself at left back in the international side – has made twelve appearances at international level.




https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/08/ream-and-robinson-named-in-usa-squad/

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Robinson eyes another home win

Antonee Robinson is eyeing another home win but knows Fulham will face a stern test of their Championship credentials against Stoke this weekend.

Two of the league's early pacesetters meet at Craven Cottage on Saturday with Michael O'Neill's men also unbeaten this season, having won three of their first four games. The American international knows that the Potters will be tough opposition and told FFCTV this afternoon that maintaining Fulham's strong home form is a top priority:

"It will be a difficult game. They've got a lot of good players and they've got off to a really good start so that will be a real challenge for us. Hopefully, before the international break and hopefully the lads can put in a good performance and show the league what we're about. You want your home games to be a banker. The fans' support has been fantastic and hopefully they keep willing us on to get points at home and make it a repetitive thing that teams don't look forward to coming here."

The left back reflected on a fine week that saw him provide his first assist in Fulham colours for Fabio Carvalho against Hull and follow that up with a first goal for the club as the Whites progressed to the third round of the League Cup with a win at Birmingham on Tuesday.

"It is really nice. That's obviously something I want to add to my game contributing with goals and assists and last season, even though I felt I had created some good chances and got into some good positions I didn't get any goals, so it will give me a good confidence boost going forward. I've always been an attacking full back and love getting forward so to be able to chip with a few goals and assists will help us achieve the goal of getting promoted."

Robinson has been delighted with the way Fulham have started the season under new boss Marco Silva – believing that the tweaks in the side's style have helped add more attacking threats to their game.

"I think it has been a very good start. Obviously when new management staff come in it will take a bit of time to adjust to their style and we've had players coming back from loans who weren't with us last year, so all that seems to be bedding in quite nicely. Obviously we didn't get that win against Middlesbrough but we haven't lost a game even in pre-season so it has been all about trying to build that winning mentality – and it has been a really good start for us.

He makes it really clear when he wants us to do. He's really intense on the pitch, trying to show you what his ideas area. He just wants to drill it into us so it becomes automatic and we don't even have to think what we're doing. Hopefully, our quality will takes over in games and we win if we are putting the effort in. The work on the training ground is reflected on the pitch in a positive way at the moment."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/08/robinson-eyes-another-home-win/

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Le Marchand Joins Strasbourg

The Club can confirm that Maxime Le Marchand has joined RC Strasbourg for an undisclosed fee.

The defender joined Fulham from OGC Nice three years ago, and now returns to Ligue 1 having made just shy of 50 appearances for the Whites.

Le Marchand was part of the side that won promotion to the Premier League via the Play-Offs a year ago, featuring in our Second Leg meeting with Cardiff City, and the Final against Brentford at Wembley.

Everyone at Fulham would like to thank Max for his efforts during his time at the Club, and wish him the very best of luck back in France.

"I want to wish Maxime all the best for the next step of his career at Strasbourg," Tony Khan said. "He's a talented defender, and he's also a very kind person, earning the moniker of 'nicest man in the world' from his teammates and our staff.

"We very much enjoyed and value his contributions to Fulham since he first joined us in 2018; he'll be missed. Good luck Max!"



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/august/Le-Marchand-Joins-Strasbourg/

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Le Marchand signs for Strasbourg

Fulham defender Maxime Le Marchand has joined Strasbourg on a permanent basis, the club have confirmed this evening.

The French centre back, who spent the second half of last season on loan with Royal Antwerp in Belgium, has signed a two-year contract with Strasbourg, who have made defensive reinforcements a priority in the final week of the transfer window as they prop up the Ligue 1 table after a poor start to the season.

Le Marchand, who failed to feature under new boss Marco Silva, leaves Fulham having made 48 appearances in three years at Craven Cottage.



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