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Tuesday Fulham Stuff - 14/09/21...

Started by WhiteJC, September 14, 2021, 12:02:31 AM

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WhiteJC

The wake up call

Fulham's seaside excursion turned into something of a nightmare on Saturday. The convenient excuses about the international break, injuries or even the impact of Marco Silva being named manager of the month don't account for why Blackpool were quite so dominant at Bloomfield Road. Neil Critchley's side, without a league win before the weekend, thoroughly merited the three points. They were first to every ball, energetic in their hassling and harrying that disrupted Fulham's passing game and looked dangerous in attack from the outset. As bad days at the office go, this was a disaster.

Silva, who has had something approaching the perfect start since he was installed as Scott Parker's successor at Craven Cottage, has to take a good deal of the blame for Fulham's first defeat. He has seen his squad strengthened so that it bears comparison with any other in the division, but eschewed the opportunity to freshen up his starting line-up after the likes of Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson only returned from central America late on Thursday. Both looked ropey and should have snuffed out the danger for the decisive goal. Surely Alfie Mawson and Joe Bryan would have been chomping at the bite for a chance.

There should be concern too about the ongoing vulnerability of Paulo Gazzaniga in goal. The statistics show that the Argentine conceded from the Tangerines only shot on target and he should never have been beaten at his near post by Josh Bowler's improvised finish. The winger was Blackpool's most potent threat all afternoon – and, although the defending that allowed him to saunter in from the right flank completely unattended left a lot to be desired, Gazzaniga has now conceded several soft goals in a season where Fulham's defence has yet to be put under concerted bombardment.

The ugly truth is that the home side could – and perhaps should – have been well ahead before half time. Fulham's game is built on solid distribution from the back, something that was sorely missing on Saturday. They continually coughed the ball up in dangerous areas, with one such mistake from Ream requiring Gazzaniga to slide tackle Tyreece John-Jules well outside his area, and the previously peerless partnership of Josh Onomah and Jean-Michael Seri seemed sedate when comparison with Blackpool's busy Ryan Wintle and Kevin Stewart.

Fulham were flat on the flanks and up front as well. Ivan Cavaleiro set the tone for another below average afternoon when he spurned a good chance from a swift counter-attack in the third minute by firing wildly wide of goal and Neeskens Kebano's exclusion appears harsh when he has delivered some of the consistent displays in a white shirt under Silva. You'd have to file Domingos Quina's debut in 'the quickly forgettable' pile, although plenty of players have recovered from shocking starts to become heroes even in recent history. Perhaps the only bright spark came from Rodrigo Muniz, who looked lively in his ten minutes off the bench, but even the Brazilian spurned a couple of chances as Fulham belatedly laid siege to the Blackpool goal.

It was clear that the Whites badly missed the creativity of Fabio Carvalho, still struggling to shake off the ankle problem first sustained last month, and Harry Wilson, who couldn't be risked after a head injury that saw him substituted for Wales. The pair have added an energy and zest to Fulham's forward play that was badly lacking last season, but it was still disconcerting to see how disjointed our approach play became in their absence. Aleksandar Mitrovic was left feeding on scraps again – and you couldn't possibly make a case for the visitors deserving anything on a day when they were comprehensively outplayed.

The good thing is that opportunities to put such an insipid display in the past come around quickly in the Championship. The smugness that accompanied Fulham's awesome August in some quarters can now be set aside – as we've referenced countless times already during this campaign, nothing is won in the early weeks of the season. Silva has spoken about this being a learning opportunity for his squad and we'll learn a lot about their desire and capacity for responding to adversity against in-form Birmingham on Wednesday. Fulham can't afford a second slip up.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/09/the-wake-up-call/

WhiteJC

Troy Deeney shares Birmingham City message ahead of Fulham clash

Birmingham City forward Troy Deeney has taken to Instagram to express his delight about making his debut for his boyhood club.

The forward was brought on as a substitute in the Blues' 2-0 victory over Derby County last Friday by manager Lee Bowyer.

Although Deeney was unable to mark his first appearance for Birmingham with a goal, he did help his side seal all three points by producing a relatively encouraging performance at St Andrew's.

Certainly no stranger to life in the Championship, the 33-year-old knows exactly what it takes to deliver the goods at this level as he has featured on 225 occasions in this division during his career to date.

With Birmingham set to face Fulham on Wednesday, it will be intriguing to see whether Bowyer decides to hand Deeney his first start in this particular fixture.

Whereas Scott Hogan is likely to keep his place in the Blues' side after scoring his third goal of the season against Derby, fellow forward Lukas Jutkiewicz could potentially be replaced by Deeney.

Reflecting on his recent bow for Birmingham, Deeney took to Instagram to share his thoughts on his debut.

The forward posted: "Honoured to make my @bcfc debut, this team is growing day by day and I'm buzzing to be apart of it.

"Thanks @andyshaw16 for the shots and @bwbootsuk for the great job getting my city on the boots."

The Verdict

When you consider that Deeney has a huge connection with Birmingham, it is hardly a surprise that he was overjoyed to finally feature for the club.

After producing some unforgettable moments in a Watford shirt during his time at Vicarage Road, the forward opted to call time on his stint with the Premier League side in order to clinch a move to the Blues last month.

Providing that the forward is able to maintain his fitness over the course of the 2021/22 campaign, there is no reason why he cannot make a positive impact for Birmingham as they look to push on under the guidance of Bowyer.

Deeney's presence could also force the likes of Hogan and Jutkiewicz to step up their performance levels which in turn may help the Blues to reach new heights in the Championship.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/troy-deeney-shares-birmingham-city-message-ahead-of-fulham-clash/

WhiteJC

Fulham: Marco Silva drops worrying Fabio Carvalho injury claim

Marco Silva had dropped a worrying claim regarding the fitness of Fulham attacking midfielder Fabio Carvalho.

What's the latest?

Speaking following the Cottagers' 1-0 Championship defeat to Blackpool on Saturday, the 44-year-old manager revealed that the 19-year-old's absence from the fixture was due to an injury the youngster picked up against Hull City back in August.

Silva also confirmed that summer signing Harry Wilson missed the match as a result of fatigue from his time on international duty with Wales, although suggested that the 24-year-old could be back for the trip to Birmingham City on Wednesday.

In his comments regarding the duo, as cited by the Fulham website, the Portuguese boss said: "It's different situations – Fabio because of his injury in the Hull City game, he did a big effort to play against Stoke but he felt it again the week after. We have to let him recover as much as possible, as fast as we can.

"Harry Wilson was because of his time with his national team, let's see. Let's hope he can play the next game."

Fans will be devastated

Considering just how impressive Carvalho has been for Fulham so far this season, Silva's suggestion that the attacking midfielder could be set to miss the club's upcoming clash against Birmingham – and potentially further games – is sure to leave the Craven Cottage faithful devastated.

Indeed, over his five Championship appearances so far this term, the £225k-rated man has already bagged three goals, registered one assist and created two big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.4 shots and making 2.2 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the youngster Silva dubbed a "fantastic" talent average a SofaScore match rating of 7.30, ranking him as the club's fifth-best performer in the second tier – a rather remarkable feat considering his age.

As such, it would undoubtedly appear the sooner the England U18 international recovers the better for Fulham, something which the club's first loss of the season last weekend perfectly illustrates.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-fc-news/fulham-ffc-team-news-injury-update-marco-silva-fabio-carvalho-the-championship


WhiteJC

Southampton B in 3-0 defeat at Fulham, David Horseman reacts

SAINTS B continue search for first win of Premier League 2 season after heavy defeat at Fulham which David Horseman admits is "hard to take."

The Cottagers, armed with first-team players such as Steven Sessegnon, ran out 3-0 winners over a Saints side that had 16-year-olds again featuring amid injury.

The Daily Echo understands that Caleb Watts and Ryan Finnigan both missed out through injury, with the likes of under-18 regular Kamari Doyle replacing them, while they were also without captain Oludare Olufunwa.

A Jay Stansfield brace and Kieran Bowie strike completed the victory for the table-topping hosts, but Horseman insists it's a critical learning curve for such a young Saints side.

He told the club website: "Yeah I just said it's hard to take.

"What the biggest learning point coming out of the game for the 16-year-olds that played tonight is playing against England under-21s, people who have played in the Championship and Premier League, they felt the level you have to play at to get there.

"They will probably learn more from that than the games we've dominated recently, okay we haven't taken our chances but we have dominated for large periods, that will be the biggest learning curve that comes out of that.

"I love the fact that they were experienced, we've got to get the boys ready for the Premier League so the more teams that come like that the quicker they will learn.

"They have to learn and develop quicker to get into our first team."

The result means that Saints are bottom of Premier League 2 Division Two, following relegation from Division One last campaign, with just one point in four matches.

Horseman added: "We had some big chances, but we didn't quite get it right, a little bit late on the jump, bits and pieces like that.

"There were large parts that were even and large parts that were good, some individuals who are very young so for them to be able to do it at this level is really pleasing."



https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/19576523.southampton-b-3-0-defeat-fulham-david-horseman-reacts/

WhiteJC

Fabio Carvalho named EFL's Young Player of the Month for August

Fulham attacker Fabio Carvalho has been chosen as the EFL's Young Player of the Month for August.

The 19-year-old has enjoyed an impressive start to the campaign, chalking up three goals in five games across the course of the month, quickly cementing his place in the Cottagers team and establishing himself as a cornerstone to Fulham's promotion bid.

And although the winger has been recognised for his individual qualities, Carvalho reaffirmed his focus is firmly on the Cottagers' collective goal to bounce back to the top-flight, after suffering relegation from the Premier League last season.

"It feels good to be recognised not just by Fulham but the whole League," he said. "It's been an amazing start for me individually and the team which is the most important thing, and we'll just look to keep going and keep striving to progress.

"My aim is to perform well this season and help Fulham get promoted which is what we collectively aspire to do. On an individual basis, try to win as many awards as I can, score goals and help the team with my performances."

Carvalho, who progressed through the ranks at Craven Cottage and inked his first professional deal with the Championship Club in May 2020, has represented England at Under-16s, Under-17s and most recently, Under-18s level.

Away from the international stage, the starlet has set the EFL alight and he is thoroughly enjoying Fulham's unbeaten start to the season in August.

The Cottagers recorded four wins on the bounce, kicking off the 2021/22 season with a 1-1 stalemate with Middlesbrough and rounding off the month on a high with an emphatic 3-0 triumph over Stoke City.

"I'm loving it, I feel like - not just now but in general with my football - I have to play with a smile on my face because that's when my best football comes out," he continued. "To be able to do something at a high level you have to be able to enjoy it as well and that's what I'm trying to do."

"Throughout my career I've always made a step higher than where I should be for my age group which has felt natural and I've had to be able to adapt to keep performing."

High flying Fulham appointed Marco Silva – who claimed the Sky Bet Championship Manager of the Month for August – as the Cottagers' head coach ahead of the current campaign, and Carvalho praised the boss for the role he played in the youngster's development.

"My transition to the first team has been made easier with the help and support of my team-mates. The players, manager and staff have always been helping me," Carvalho added.

"Hopefully this is just the start. I always tell myself that this is just the beginning of what's to come and I can always improve and I can always get better and I'll be working hard to achieve more for the team and individually as well.

"I'm looking forward to keeping helping the team through my performances and hopefully we'll get more wins and go on to achieve big things."



https://www.efl.com/news/2021/september/fabio-carvalho-named-efls-young-player-of-the-month-for-august/

WhiteJC

Talking Points: Blackpool

International hangover?

With Fulham claiming wins left, right and centre, it was a shame we had to wait so long for our next match, with Blackpool gratefully putting an end to our unbeaten beginning to the campaign. Five of our starting XI were off on their travels the past two weeks, but Marco Silva said afterwards that he would not for one second be using the international break as a reason for the performance. "We won't make excuses, because if you want to have international players, you know the schedule," he said. "I'm not thinking about the international break. We must do more during the game, and it's not because of that [that we lost]. Some players arrived midway through the week, some a little bit later, but that's part of the game. If I decided to play some of them it's because I felt they were ready."

Debuts

Not an easy match to make your debut in, but Saturday saw us officially welcome Domingos Quina and Rodrigo Muniz into the family. With Fabio Carvalho injured, Quina slotted in at number 10, while Muniz came on for a last throw of the dice when he replaced right-back Denis Odoi. The Brazilian had a number of half chances after putting himself about well, but unfortunately nothing clean cut enough for him to take advantage of.

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Paralympians in attendance

With the fixture computer giving us Blackpool away while the last days of summer (sort of) are still with us, there was always going to be a strong following to the seaside for this one. Around 1,500 of the Fulham faithful were in attendance at Bloomfield Road, two of whom were recently in Tokyo for the Paralympic Games. Chad Perris and Thomas Young – who won gold in the T38 100 metres – are huge Whites supporters and both made the trip to back Marco and the boys.

Bump in the road

We came up against a very organised and hard working Blackpool side, and it won't be the last time we find ourselves in that sort of situation this season. One defeat from six is a strong start to the campaign, and it's important not to get carried away. "It's fine, it's a learning curve for us," Bobby De Cordova-Reid said. "It's just a bump, and we'll be back from it. We've got to dust ourselves off and go again Wednesday."

Making it count

The statistics emphasise how dominant Fulham were in the match, with 70 per cent possession, 17 efforts on goal to Blackpool's eight, and four times as many shots on target. However, those numbers don't tell the full story, as many of those attempts were half chances at best. The fact that our Expected Goals figure was our lowest all season (0.87) demonstrates how tricky we found it to carve out good openings.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/september/Talking-Points-Blackpool/


WhiteJC

'Looked a threat', 'Love this lad' – Many Fulham fans react to player's performance v Blackpool

Many Fulham fans have taken to Twitter to react to Rodrigo Muniz's first appearance for the club after signing for the Whites this summer.

The Brazilian forward completed his much publicised move from Flamengo to Craven Cottage this summer and only made his bow in a white shirt at the weekend as he played 11 minutes in the defeat to Blackpool on Saturday.

Despite starting on the bench, Muniz still managed to make a lasting impact on the travelling Fulham supporters and will now be looking to become a regular starter under Marco Silva in West London after signing a five year deal with his new club.

Naturally it didn't take long for the Fulham faithful to respond on social media when the forward took to Twitter to put up a post after the game, with many responding to the player.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/looked-a-threat-love-this-lad-many-fulham-fans-react-to-players-performance-v-blackpool/

WhiteJC

Carvalho claims EFL young player of the month award

Fulham teenager Fabio Carvalho has won the EFL's young player of the month award for August after an outstanding start to the season.

The attacking midfielder has quickly established himself as a first team regular under Marco Silva and his vibrant displays were crucial in helping the Cottagers get off to a flying start following relegation from the Premier League. The nineteen year-old scored three goals and made another as the Whites stormed to the top of the Championship table – although he missed Saturday's defeat at Blackpool with a recurrence of an ankle injury.

Carvalho said:

"It feels good to be recognised not just by Fulham but the whole league. t's been an amazing start for me individually and the team which is the most important thing, and we'll just look to keep going and keep striving to progress.

My aim is to perform well this season and help Fulham get promoted which is what we collectively aspire to do. On an individual basis, try to win as many awards as I can, score goals and help the team with my performances.

I'm loving it, I feel like – not just now but in general with my football – I have to play with a smile on my face because that's when my best football comes out. To be able to do something at a high level you have to be able to enjoy it as well and that's what I'm trying to do.

My transition to the first team has been made easier with the help and support of my team-mates. The players, manager and staff have always been helping me. Hopefully this is just the start. I always tell myself that this is just the beginning of what's to come and I can always improve and I can always get better and I'll be working hard to achieve more for the team and individually as well.

I'm looking forward to keeping helping the team through my performances and hopefully we'll get more wins and go on to achieve big things."

Fulham will make a late decision tomorrow whether Carvalho can return to the starting line-up for Wednesday's trip to Birmingham City.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/09/carvalho-claims-efl-young-player-of-the-month-award/

WhiteJC

Harrison Reed sends message to Fulham fans in wake of Blackpool defeat

Fulham midfielder Harrison Reed has taken to Instagram to post a message to the club's supporters in the wake of their 1-0 defeat away to Blackpool on Saturday.

The Whites largely struggled to create or take their chances against the Seasiders and were punished in the second half as Josh Bowler scored a brilliant individual effort to hand Blackpool their first Sky Bet Championship win since 2015.

Marco Silva's men had previously been unbeaten heading into the game on the North West Coast and will now be seeking to bounce back this week as they prepare to take on Birmingham City away from home at St Andrew's on Wednesday night.

Despite the defeat, Reed was quick to take to social media and thank the Fulham faithful for making the long journey up to Lancashire to support the team as he posted the following message:

The former Southampton midfielder has become a key component of this Fulham side since leaving the South Coast for West London back in August of last year and will now be looking to establish himself as a regular starter under Silva in the months ahead.

Reed came on as a substitute during the game against Blackpool and will no doubt have become frustrated with being being largely kept out of the starting line up under the new manager so far at Craven Cottage.

Under the previous manager Scott Parker, the 26-year-old was a regular in the starting eleven and played a vital role in helping the club to get back to the Premier League during the 2019/20 season.

However there is now an increased competition for places in the midfield at the West London side and that is something that Reed is going to have to adapt to if he wants to regain his place on the team sheet.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/harrison-reed-sends-message-to-fulham-fans-in-wake-of-blackpool-defeat/


WhiteJC

Fabio Carvalho reveals his main aim at Fulham amid Real Madrid transfer interest

Fulham starlet Fabio Carvalho has revealed that he is looking to help the club seal promotion to the Premier League by delivering the goods consistently at this level for the rest of the 2021/22 campaign.

The attacking midfielder's promising displays during the opening stages of the current term resulted in him being named as the EFL's Young Player of the Month for August earlier today.

After demonstrating glimpses of his talent last season, Carvalho has established himself as a key component on Marco Silva's side following the club's return to the Championship, and, these performances have garnered transfer interest from the likes of Real Madrid.

The 19-year-old managed to find the back of the net in three consecutive games against Huddersfield Town, Millwall and Hull City before featuring in Fulham's 3-0 victory over Stoke City.

Sidelined for the Cottagers' 1-0 defeat to Blackpool due to injury, Carvalho will be hoping to make a swift recovery from this particular issue.

Fulham will be looking to respond to this aforementioned setback by securing a positive result in their meeting with Birmingham City on Wednesday.

Speaking to the EFL's official website about his plans for the season, Carvalho admitted: "It's been an amazing start for me individually and the team which is the most important thing, and we'll just look to keep going and keep striving to progress.

"My aim is to perform well this season and help Fulham get promoted which is what we collectively aspire to do.

"On an individual basis, try to win as many awards as I can, score goals and help the team with my performances."

The Verdict

It is hardly a surprise that Carvalho is aiming to play a crucial role in helping Fulham secure an immediate return to the Championship as he is clearly brimming with confidence.

An extremely exciting young player, the midfielder has already demonstrated that he is more than capable of competing at this level.

As well as providing four direct goal contributions in five appearances for the Cottagers, Carvalho is also averaging an extremely impressive WhoScored match rating of 7.59 in the second-tier.

Providing that he is able to push on when he makes his return from injury, it wouldn't be at all surprising if Carvalho ends up achieving his goal for the season next year.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fabio-carvalho-reveals-his-main-aim-at-fulham-amid-real-madrid-transfer-interest/

WhiteJC

Fulham teen sensation Fabio Carvalho lands top award amid Real Madrid interest

The Cottagers' youngster has been in impressive form, leading to him being named the EFL Young Player of the Month for August

Fabio Carvalho was a name that most fans had probably never heard of, up until a month ago.

But the Fulham youngster is certainly making a name for himself now, having enjoyed a fine start to the new season.

The 19-year-old has been the star of the show for the Cottagers, contributing to a positive start as they look for an immediate Premier League return.

The youngster scored in three successive league games last month as Fulham made an unbeaten start to life back in the Championship.

But an injury has seen him laid low since the international break and Marco Silva's side suffered a shock loss last weekend, going down 1-0 to newly-promoted Blackpool.


Fabio Carvalho has three goals already for Fulham this season

Despite that, Carvalho's feats have been recognised as he was named as the EFL's Young Player of the Month for August.

It comes after a recent report in the Mail stated that Real Madrid are keeping close tabs on Carvalho, while a number of Premier League clubs are also interested.

The youngster, who was born in Portugal but represents England at youth level, is happy with the recognition and hopes he can continue to help Fulham in their quest for promotion.

He said: "My transition to the first team has been made easier with the help and support of my team-mates.



"The players, manager and staff have always been helping me.

"Hopefully this is just the start. I always tell myself that this is just the beginning of what's to come and I can always improve and I can always get better and I'll be working hard to achieve more for the team and individually as well.

"I'm looking forward to keeping helping the team through my performances and hopefully we'll get more wins and go on to achieve big things.


Despite the blip against Blackpool, Fulham have largely fared well since returning to the Championship

"My aim is to perform well this season and help Fulham get promoted which is what we collectively aspire to do.

"On an individual basis, try to win as many awards as I can, score goals and help the team with my performances."

His deal at Craven Cottage expires at the end of this season, but it remains to be seen whether he will sign a new deal or be moved on in January. If it is the latter and his current form continues, Fulham will surely be able to negotiate a handsome fee with potential suitors.

Fulham travel to Birmingham City on Wednesday night.



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/fulham-carvalho-award-real-madrid-24972517

WhiteJC

Games for mid-week 14/09...
Another away game as we travel to Birmingham for a Wednesday evening kick-off.
Well Saturday didn't go quite to plan did it.
I'm sure there were plenty of reasons, curse of the Manager of the Month award, international break, missing players, 3 games in 8 days, extended travel etc. but the result shows that anyone can beat anyone in this league.
Blackpool out played us when we weren't quite on our game, had to happen some time and, if you needed reminding, this is Fulham we're talking about, so for long time supporters it'll not come as too much of a surprise.

It seems like only two of three weeks ago we played Birmingham in the League Cup, different circumstances I know but let's see how this game will go.

Our record against Birmingham is 6 wins, 5 losses and 4 draws, Birmingham will be desperate to get back into the playoff places so we should be in for a good game.

Saturday saw debuts for Quina and Muniz, will we see Chalobah in the squad against Birmingham? I'm going to assume that Wilson will be unavailable but that Carvalho will be back, and once again I prefer Rodak to Gazzaniga, here's my team.


COYW's

Games of Interest...
Tuesday 14th

Bournemouth v QPR
Sheff Utd v Preston NE
West Brom v Derby

Wednesday 15th
Birmingham v Fulham
Swansea v Millwall


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=1700


WhiteJC

Lee Bowyer to make this Troy Deeney decision - predicted XI as Birmingham City take on Fulham

Blues face Fulham at St Andrew's on Wednesday night - with Lee Bowyer tipped to make just one change to the team which beat Derby

Birmingham City face the hardest challenge of the embryonic Championship season on Wednesday night when Fulham visit St Andrew's.

Lee Bowyer believes Marco Silva to possess the best squad in the league – but has backed his Blues team to cause them problems.

Indeed, Fulham's shock 1-0 defeat at Blackpool last Saturday underlined the old Championship adage that anyone can indeed beat anyone on their day.

A Blues victory over the visitors wouldn't be as surprising – but it would further confirm the growing belief that there's something a little bit different about this season.

But with a trip to Peterborough on Saturday to consider, Bowyer might be tempted to freshen his line-up – or could be tempted to retain the side which beat Derby last time out.

Blues writer Brian Dick tries to predict the starting XI.

Formation

Fulham are expected to arrive in a 4-2-3-1 shape, spearheaded by Aleksandar Mitrovic. The Rams did likewise last time out and Bowyer opted for a 3-4-3, as he has tended to do this season.

Expect something very similar if not identical, perhaps with Tahith Chong deployed in a five man midfield and a 3-5-2.

The head coach equated the challenge to be similar to that posed by Bournemouth a few weeks ago – when Chong and Jonathan Leko played just behind Lukas Jutkiewicz, it would be no surprise to see a similar shape so I'll go for 3-4-1-2 in possession and 3-5-2 without the ball.

Most of the team picks itself but there are a couple of selection debates.

Who partners Ryan Woods?

So far it's mostly been Ivan Sunjic, with Gary Gardner coming off the bench to very good effect. Sunjic has been the veritable Energizer bunny so far this season, and while he might need a recharge at some point, I doubt it'll come against one of the best teams in the division. Expect Sunjic and Woods to line-up again.

Strike pairing

Troy Deeney's shadow looms over the long-standing partnership of Jutkiewicz and Scott Hogan – and he'll start plenty of games – but how soon?

Bowyer is likely to want Hogan's pace to get in behind Fulham and his poaching instincts whenever the ball drops in the box. After scoring his 50th Championship goal at the weekend – expect the Republic of Ireland international to continue.

But Jutkiewicz or Deeney? I suspect the head coach will want to start with the latter against a team that was in the Premier League a few months ago. So, full debut it is – with a bit of Juke on the hour.

Predicted line-up

BLUES (3-4-1-2): Sarkic; Roberts, Dean, Pedersen; Colin, Woods, Sunjic, Bela; Chong; Deeney, Hogan



https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/birmingham-city-fulham-predicted-team-21558149

WhiteJC

Albion U18s 2 Fulham U18s 0

Albion's Under-18s secured their first win of the U18 Premier League season thanks to a 2-0 triumph over Fulham on Saturday afternoon.

Striker Reyes Cleary continued his fine early season form by netting both goals for manager Peter Gilbert's men.

A confident run followed by a smart finish saw the Baggies attacker open the scoring, before hitting a stunning free-kick into the top corner from distance to seal all three points.

It was a fast start to proceedings from Gilbert's side, who netted the game's first goal in the opening five minutes.

In-form Cleary was on-hand to provide the spark as he dribbled past two Fulham defenders, before guiding a fine finish into the net to give Albion the lead.

And the game was wrapped up within the first 45 minutes when Cleary found the net again, but this time in far more emphatic fashion.

Despite being awarded a free-kick from distance, the Baggies forward wasn't fazed as he sent an unstoppable strike into the top corner to move Albion up to 10th place in the U18 Premier League table.

Cleary's brace also meant he'd netted an impressive six goals in his first four U18 matches.

Gilbert's side will face Wolverhampton Wanderers for a local derby in their next match on Saturday, September 18 (ko 11pm). 



https://www.wba.co.uk/news/albion-u18s-2-fulham-u18s-0

WhiteJC

Details of Fulham's transfer agreement with club explained – Didn't want 'exaggerated' terms

On deadline day, Napoli took André-Frank Zambo Anguissa from Fulham on a season-long loan deal with a 'right of redemption'.

Monday's edition of Corriere dello Sport have come out with a report, providing further details of the agreement between the Serie A side and the Cottagers.

Cristiano Giuntoli, the sporting director of the Italian club has followed the midfielder from his time at Villarreal. However, a deal then couldn't take shape due to 'budgetary reasons'.

The global pandemic has changed the market and with Fulham relegated from the Premier League, the 25-year-old became a 'luxury' for the English club.

Napoli tried to take advantage of this situation and decided to take the Fulham owned player on an onerous loan deal of €500,000.

In addition to this, the Cameroon international's salary is to be shared between the two sides [around €1.5m each] and an 'acceptable, not 'exaggerated' figure of €15m for redemption.

The newspaper states: 'Once upon a time, perhaps, the rich Fulham bosses would have slammed the door or perhaps politely they would have whispered a "no, thanks"...'

This time, however, 'the chat lasted a moment', and they also 'prepared the medical examinations in great secret'.

If Anguissa shines for Napoli, they may well consider making his stay permanent for an acceptable figure of €15m.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/details-of-fulhams-transfer-agreement-with-club-explained-club-didnt-want-exaggerated-terms/


WhiteJC


Championship football live: How to watch midweek matches live on Sky Sports

All midweek Sky Bet Championship games will be shown live across Sky Sports throughout September and October. Here is how you can watch your team play via TV, online and the Sky Sports app

Here is how you can watch midweek Championship matches live across Sky Sports in September and October.

Every game taking place on Tuesday September 14, Wednesday September 15, Tuesday September 28, Wednesday September 29, Tuesday October 19 and Wednesday October 20 will be available live to Sky Sports customers on the Sky Sports Football Red Button - alongside the featured game being shown live on Sky Sports Football.

Sky Sports Football customers can also see each match streamed live on the Sky Sports app - simply sign in with your Sky iD to view and make sure you have the latest version of the app.

For Sky Q customers, the matches on the Red Button will be available in HD quality and the service comes at no extra cost. All games, including those on the Red Button, will also have their own commentators.

Midweek matches are also available to NOW Month members. However, they are not available with a NOW Day pass or in Sky pubs.

Please note: We can only show rescheduled, displaced midweek games or games taking place away from Saturday at 3pm that aren't part of a regular midweek round on the Red Button where respective clubs stream them on their iFollow app.

Here are the rounds of midweek games currently confirmed to be shown live on the Sky Sports Football Red Button and the Sky Sports app. Red Button coverage gets under way five minutes before kick-off.

Tuesday, September 14

    Blackburn vs Hull (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Arena, Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
    Blackpool vs Huddersfield (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
    Bournemouth vs QPR (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football & Sky Sports app
    Sheffield United vs Preston (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
    Reading vs Peterborough (8pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
    West Brom vs Derby (8pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app

Wednesday, September 15

    Birmingham vs Fulham (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
    Bristol City vs Luton (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
    Coventry vs Cardiff (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
    Nottingham Forest vs Middlesbrough (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
    Stoke vs Barnsley (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football & Sky Sports app
    Swansea vs Millwall (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app

Tuesday, September 28

    Cardiff vs West Brom (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
    Huddersfield vs Blackburn (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
    Hull vs Blackpool (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
    Middlesbrough vs Sheffield United (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football & Sky Sports app
    Preston vs Stoke (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
    QPR vs Birmingham (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app

Wednesday, September 29

    Barnsley vs Nottingham Forest (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Arena, Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
    Derby vs Reading (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
    Fulham vs Swansea (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football & Sky Sports app
    Luton vs Coventry (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
    Millwall vs Bristol City (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
    Peterborough vs Bournemouth (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app

Tuesday, October 19

    Bristol City vs Nottingham Forest (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
    Derby vs Luton (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
    QPR vs Blackburn (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
    Sheffield United vs Millwall (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
    Stoke vs Bournemouth (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football & Sky Sports app

Wednesday, October 20

    Fulham vs Cardiff (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
    Huddersfield vs Birmingham (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
    Hull vs Peterborough (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
    Middlesbrough vs Barnsley (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
    Preston vs Coventry (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app
    Swansea vs West Brom (7.45pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football & Sky Sports app
    Reading vs Blackpool (8pm) - Live on Sky Sports Football Red Button & Sky Sports app



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11673/12105601/championship-football-live-how-to-watch-midweek-matches-live-on-sky-sports

WhiteJC

What went wrong for Fulham at Bloomfield Road?

Fulham would have travelled to Blackpool in good spirits following the international break after completing the first month of the season unbeaten, with Marco Silva winning the Championship manager of the month award and the Whites sitting at the top of the table. Predictions of a comfortable Cottagers victory were misplaced as the Whites' air of invincibly evaporated at the seaside, with former Fulham youngster Josh Bowler scoring the only goal of the goal at the start of the second half to give the Tangerines a thoroughly deserved first win of the new campaign.

Fulham set up in the familiar 4-2-3-1 formation that Silva has deployed since taking over at Craven Cottage. Domingos Quina was handed a debut after joining from Watford on transfer deadline day, replacing the injured Fabio Carvalho, who proved to be a significant loss. Ivan Cavaleiro came in for Harry Wilson, who was still suffering from the concussion sustained with Wales on international duty. The visitors struggled to get going at all in the game, unable to permeate the Blackpool press, with the tigerish home side putting in 21 tackles in the game – more than they've made in any other match so far this season.

Blackpool began in a 4-4-2 and they put their high-flying opponents under the pump from the outset. Neil Critchley's outfit were relentless in their pressuring, rushing around the white shirts and regularly forcing mistakes high up the pitch. Towards the end, with a deserved lead to hang onto, the hosts set up a lot more defensively with two deep banks of four – almost sitting deeper and challenging Fulham to break them down.

SERI CHANCE

Jean Michael-Seri had one of Fulham's few half chances in the first half. As the ball was switched out to Decordova-Reid, we saw Antonee Robinson driving forward down the left flank, fixing Blackpool right-back Jordan-Lawrence Gabriel in position and allowing Decordova-Reid the opportunity to drive inside and take on the second Blackpool midfielder who tracked back to try and cover the threat from the former Bristol City forward.



Decordova-Reid beats his man to link up with Mitrovic as Fulham hit a point in the attack where they often find themselves in around the edge of the opponents box. Decordorva-Reid tries to drift in behind the Blackpool back four, but the pass from Mitrovic can't get through. This is because Blackpool worked hard to stay compact and get numbers behind the ball making it extremely difficult to get any pass in behind them, forcing Fulham to shoot from range on multiple occasions.



When the rebound from Mitrovic through ball falls kindly for Seri on the edge of the box, the Blackpool defence are quick to close him down by throwing bodies in front of the ball. Seri is limited to either shooting from range first time or trying to make a fifty-fifty pass to Cavaleiro, who is well marked by Luke Garbutt. The option for the shot isn't a bad one due to the pressure from the defence, and the Ivorian midfielder was unlucky as his effort flew fractionally wide.



BLACKPOOL 1-0 FULHAM (BOWLER 49)

Fulham successfully defended a Blackpool free-kick at the start of the second half looked set for a promising counter-attack led by Robinson, Seri and Quina. But the move petered out as sloppy passing surrendered possession to the home side inside the Fulham half. Blackpool could new exploit a vulnerable defence with four white shirts out of position.



There was a distinct lack of Fulham pressure down the Blackpool right. Bowler made good progress down that flank and an overlap from Gabriel dragged Robinson slightly wider to track the run of the full back, opening up a pocket of space between Seri and the American international for the winger to drive into.



A lapse in communication between Robinson and Seri means that by the time Seri realises that he has to stop Bowler's run, the wide man was already past him and the Ivorian couldn't make a challenge to cut him off. Tim Ream could have also realised the danger slightly earlier in the attack and come across to help deal with the threat that Bowler posed. The American veteran wasn't marking anyone and could have stepped into the space putting more pressure onto Bowler making it much more difficult for Bowler to get the shot off.



There are also question marks about Paulo Gazzaniga's goalkeeping here. It never looks good for a goalkeeper to be beaten at the near post – but this one looked particularly poor.

KEY TACTICAL TAKEAWAYS

The biggest obstacle Fulham failed to overcome was playing through the Blackpool press with the visitors' midfield proving particularly culpable. Seri and Josh Onomah are extremely talented footballers, but they don't have the pace and energy that Harrison Reed can inject from the base of midfield. As a combination, they might be too leisurely, which can result in a rather laboured tempo when faced with a high press. On reflection, this felt like a fixture that would have suited Reed, who could have made a real difference in curbing Blackpool's breaks as well as moving the ball more quickly to stretch the home defence.

Going forward, Fulham sorely missed the creativity of Fabio Carvalho and Harry Wilson. They created far fewer chances than in previous games and never seriously looked like scoring. The pair would have changed the angle of attack and asked more questions of the Blackpool defence. Fulham only had four shots on target, a significant reduction of the nine they managed against Stoke before the international break.

None of this is meant to detract from a brilliant Blackpool performance. Critchley's side were extremely effective in stopping Fulham from playing and proved clinical in front of goal when Bowler got free down the right flank. This game reiterates the difficulty and competitiveness of the Championship, but as long as both Silva and Fulham can learn the lessons from a frustrating afternoon swiftly, they can be still of confident of a strong season.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/09/what-went-wrong-for-fulham-at-bloomfield-road/

WhiteJC

Portugal look to tempt Fabio Carvalho into switching allegiance from England as the country of the Fulham star's birth could offer the teenager the opportunity to be fast-tracked into the country's Under-21 set-up

    Fabio Carvalho has represented England from Under-16 to Under-18 level
    The attacking midfielder left Portugal in 2014 to join Fulham's academy
    He scored his first senior goal for the Cottagers against Southampton in May
    And the 19-year-old has shone in the Championship this term under Marco Silva

England are facing a battle to keep hold of Fulham attacking midfielder Fabio Carvalho as Portugal plot a move to secure the 19-year-old's future.

Sportsmail understands the Portuguese FA have been monitoring Carvalho  since last season, hopeful they can persuade him to switch allegiance, and could fast-track the Fulham academy graduate into their Under-21 set-up to bag his long-term services.


England face a battle on their hands to retain Fabio Carvalho amid interest from Portugal


The 19-year-old was born in Lisbon but moved to England to join Fulham's academy in 2014


The FA are keen to tie him down given his undoubted ability, but the lure of playing for his homeland could be appealing to Carvalho.

The teenager scored his first goal for the Cottagers in the 3-1 defeat to Southampton in May, with the team's relegation to the Championship already confirmed.

He then followed up that notable milestone by starting his match as a professional against Manchester United at Old Trafford and had a chance the opener, rushing his effort as Scott Parker's side claimed an unlikely 1-1 draw.


The teenager scored his first professional goal in the Premier League against Southampton


He has since emerged as one of the brightest young talents in the Championship this season


Carvalho has been in Marco Silva's plans from the outset this season, netting in wins against Huddersfield, Millwall and Hull, as well as bagging an assist against the south-east Londoners.

Fulham lost their first game of the campaign on Saturday as Josh Bowler's strike saw them slip to third.

It was also the first game that Carvalho had missed this term as he nurses a slight injury.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9987391/Portugal-look-tempt-Fulhams-teenage-star-Fabio-Carvalho-switching-allegiance-England.html


WhiteJC

Portugal plotting to lure Carvalho away from England

Portugal are plotting to lure Fulham midfielder Fabio Carvalho away from England duty as the battle over his international future hots up, according to a Daily Mail report this evening.

The talented teenager is already a man in demand at club level with Fulham facing a fight to keep him at Craven Cottage beyond this season. Carvalho, who has scored three goals in five appearances during a sensational start to the club's Championship campaign, has reportedly turned down a contract extension and has attracted interest from the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and at least ten Premier League sides.

Carvalho, who was born in Portugal and started his career with Benfica before moving to England aged thirteen, has been capped up to under-18 level by England. The Mail suggests that the Portuguese FA have been extremely impressed by his displays for Fulham this season under new boss Marco Silva and are planning to tempt the youngster to switch his international allegiance to the land of his birth. Carvalho was surprisingly left out of England's youth sides during the latest round of international fixtures last week.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/09/portugal-plotting-to-lure-carvalho-away-from-england/