Saturday Fulham Stuff - 18/09/21...

[WhiteJC]

Dann, Moore and Rafael - Latest Reading FC injury news as Royals gear up for Fulham

Reading FC injury news as Veljko Paunovic prepares his side to take on high-flying Fulham at Craven Cottage in west London on Saturday afternoon

Reading could welcome back Rafael into the matchday squad for this weekend's trip to league leaders Fulham.

The Brazilian goalkeeper missed the midweek win over Peterborough United with a hand injury but it is not as bad as initially feared and he has returned to training.

Luke Southwood took his place against the Posh so Paunovic will have to decide if the academy graduate has done enough to be given another go between the sticks.

Royals are set to be without skipper Liam Moore who hobbled off early on Tuesday night while a number of other stars remain sidelined.

Here is the latest on the injury front ahead of the clash at Craven Cottage on Saturday afternoon.

Rafael - hand
The Brazilian suffered a hand injury in the aftermath of last weekend's draw with QPR and subsequently missed the game in midweek.

It was feared he had broken his hand but the 31-year-old confirmed that was not the case and he has returned to training.

Royals are likely to give him as much time as possible to be fit for the game.

Possible return:Saturday

Liam Moore - foot
Reading's captain had to leave the field just before half time against Peterborough with what looked like a foot injury.

He was seen in a protective boot and on crutches at the full-time whistle, suggesting he could face a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

The manager said after the game: "He was in pain and on crutches so that's an obvious indicator it's not a simple injury, so we'll see what the outcome of the scan is."

Moore has since posted a message to Instagram to say his injury is not as bad as it could have been, adding that while it is frustrating to be out, he will be "back soon."

Possible return:Unknown

Andy Rinomhota - ankle
Midfielder Rinomhota missed the past two games with an ankle injury and unlike Rafael, his injury is worse than first feared.

The 24-year-old is not expected back for a couple of weeks.

Paunovic said after the game in midweek: "Rinomhota with his ankle swelling, he still needs some time to remove the acute situation."

Possible return : Cardiff (October 2)

Danny Drinkwater - fitness
The Chelsea loanee is still awaiting his Reading debut having joined on a season-long loan deal.

The 31-year-old was not involved in the past two games and there is only an outside chance of a spot on the bench at Fulham.

After the Peterborough win, Paunovic confirmed the midfielder still needed to get in shape but was in the final stage of his work to reach match fitness.

Possible return : Middlesbrough (September 25)

Scott Dann - fitness
Like Drinkwater, the former Crystal Palace player is building up his match fitness before being thrown into match action.

Paunovic said on the pair this week: "Dann and Drinkwater need to get in shape and get their game fitness, but they are in the final stages of that process."

Possible return : Middlesbrough (September 25)

Tom McIntyre - foot
The defender limped off on the hour mark during the loss at Coventry City and he has subsequently been ruled out until later in the year.

McIntyre has a foot problem and he is now wearing a protective boot to help him recover.

He is set to be sidelined until November at the earliest.

Possible return : Late November

Femi Azeez - soft tissue
The youngster missed the defeat at Huddersfield prior to the international break with a soft tissue injury.

It's a huge blow to the 20-year-old who enjoyed a superb start to the season.

He is now sidelined for a similar amount of time as McIntyre, with a return anticipated towards the end of November at the earliest.

Possible return : Late November

Lucas Joao - hip
The striker underwent surgery on his hip problem which he suffered during the win over Preston North End on the second weekend of the season.

Regarding the injury, the manager said: "It's a long-term injury and we might have to wait until January to recover him so it's a big blow.

"He ripped the joint of his hip."

The loss of Joao is a crucial one for Reading as the former Sheffield Wednesday striker scored 22 goals last season.

Expected return : 2022

Yakou Meite - knee
The Ivorian is out long term having ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in his knee during the off-season.

He is expected to miss the majority of the season.

No time frame has been put on his return, but it is likely to be Spring 2022.

"He's going to be out for a long time and we'll have to discuss it again in November or December time to see how far he is away from recovering but it'll take some time," said Paunovic.

Expected return : 2022

Felipe Araruna - knee
Araruna had surgery on his knee injury which kept him out for most of last season.

The Brazilian is back training with the first team though and is working his way back to full fitness.

Paunovic said during the week: "Araruna is coming back from a long injury so he now needs to get in shape with the team and have a few weeks contact training so he can be ready.

"He will be somebody who will join the team later."

Possible return : October



https://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/reading-injury-news-fulham-moore-21203673

[WhiteJC]

Ex-Sheffield United, Fulham midfielder Kevin McDonald keen to return to the game
Ex-Sheffield United and Fulham midfielder Kevin McDonald is keen to return to the game.

The Scotland international has told BBC Radio 5 Live that he wants to find a new club.

McDonald, who is 32-years-old, had a kidney transplant in May.

Thankfully it went well and he has been training for the past three months as he builds up his fitness.
'The aim'...

McDonald has said: "The aim is to get back in and try and play football again. Whoever gives me the chance now I'll obviously be grateful to them. I know that I'm going to do a bit of a trial, but it is what it is.

"To have the chance to play football again is more than enough for me, so whatever needs to be done I'll do it to get back on the pitch."
Left Fulham

He has spent the past five years on the books at Fulham and made 127 appearances for the London club in all competitions.

Early career

McDonald started out at Dundee before moving to England in 2008 to join Burnley.

He went on to play 64 times for the Lancashire side, as well as having loan spells away from Turf Moor at Scunthorpe United and Notts County.
Blades

Sheffield United swooped to sign him in 2011 and he spent three years on the books at Bramall Lane.

McDonald made 91 appearances for the Yorkshire club and chipped in with five goals whilst they were in League One.

He then moved on to Wolves and spent three seasons at Molinuex before switching to Fulham.



https://the72.co.uk/250516/ex-sheffield-united-fulham-midfielder-kevin-mcdonald-keen-to-return-to-the-game/

[WhiteJC]

Portsmouth cast eye over Ryan De Havilland after Fulham release

Portsmouth are taking a look at Ryan De Havilland after his departure from Fulham, as per a report by The News.

Portsmouth are casting an eye over the youngster in training.

De Havilland, who is 20-years-old, was released by Fulham at the end of last season.

He has been a free agent for the past couple of months and will be weighing up his next move in the game.

Pompey have him in on trial and the youngster will be eager to impress the League One side to earn himself a contract.

'Really good footballer'...

Their boss, Danny Cowley, has said: "Ryan De Havilland is here. Ryan has been here for a lot of pre-season. He's a great kid, very technical and a really good footballer. He's a lovely footballer and he makes training better every day.

"He's between clubs, so he's helping us and we're helping him. It works for us both."

Career to date

De Havilland was on the books at Reading as a youngster before switching to Fulham.

He went on to make three first-team appearances for the Cottagers before they opted to release him, all of which came in the EFL Trophy.

The midfielder was a regular for their Under-18s side before making the step up to the Under-23s.

De Havilland made a total of 25 appearances in the Premier League 2, chipping in with two goals and two assists altogether.

What now?

Portsmouth have a decision to make as to whether to hand him a deal or not.

They could see him as an ideal long-term addition.



https://the72.co.uk/250520/portsmouth-cast-eye-over-ryan-de-havilland-after-fulham-release/

[WhiteJC]

EFL Championship sides furious with farcical fixture plans for next season due to Qatar World Cup

The 2022 World Cup will take place in November and December - giving clubs in the second tier a logistical nightmare when it comes to a mid-season break

Clubs in the EFL Championship may be forced into a shoehorned schedule next season as a result of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The tournament will be staged from November 21 until December 18 next year - the first-ever time that a World Cup has not taken place in the usual months of May, June or July, due to the intense summer heat experienced in the Gulf state.

The knock-on effect is that there will be a month-long break from action for clubs in the second tier, due to the international call-ups.

A report in the Mail suggests that the 2022-23 Championship season would come to a halt on November 12 before returning on December 10 - when the World Cup is at the quarter-finals stage.

But the month off would mean an earlier start date (July 30), with teams having to cram in their first 21 league matches before the November hiatus. That is before the possibility of Carabao Cup games are added in, which could swell the total to as many as 24 games.

The tight timeframes are to ensure the season ends as planned in May, allowing the play-offs to take place in their usual bank holiday slot at the end of that month.

The 2019-20 season saw the Championship, like every other league, halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It returned in June with remaining fixtures played out up until August, which delayed the start of the 2020-21 season.


The Championship is experiencing its first season with normal dates and timeframes since the start of the 2019-20 season

This summer was the first real break for many players but the proposed plans for next season would mean little rest time.

A Championship executive told the Mail : "The 46-game season and all the cup matches that come with it is brutal.

"Last season, albeit thanks to Covid, was the worst we have experienced. We thought we would never see anything worse and yet here we are with these proposals that can only be described as madness.

"Players are shattered from last season and now we want to shorten the summer break and cram it into a normal end-date? Why not extend the season? It doesn't make sense."

An EFL spokesperson said: "The league has been in consultation with its clubs over the past two years as we seek to find the most sensible and practical solutions to the calendar for next season."

Last summer saw 22 players from the Championship head to Euro 2020, across nine competing countries.



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/efl-sides-furious-world-cup-25006472

[WhiteJC]

Three game week ends in Fulham

Our preview of Saturday's day in the capital

The Royals will be hoping to take the momentum of a midweek win over Peterborough United into the weekend when they travel into London to face Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday 18 September (3pm kick-off).

Veljko Paunovic's side recorded a second win of the campaign against the Posh, and have so far made an unbeaten start to September - one they'll hope to continue against the Cottagers - who themselves come into the game on the back of a 4-1 win over Birmingham City.

Fulham sit top of the table after seven games, and will without doubt offer stern opposition, but the new month has shown that there's plenty of confidence within the Royals camp.
Tickets

Tickets for our trip to Craven Cottage have SOLD OUT - and the team will be back by an away end full of 1,697 Royals fans, so thank you for your brilliant support!

Please do not travel to Fulham unless you have a ticket for the match.
Travel

Fans travelling by car should be aware that the M4 is closed both ways between J6 and J5 all weekend for smart motorway works. Please factor extra time for the diversion into your journey.

There are ongoing works on the District Line towards Putney that could affect the travel time of Royals fans making their way to Craven Cottage on Saturday - so please plan ahead and allow more time for your journey.

Royals fans arriving in London Paddington can get a Hammersmith and City train to Hammersmith, which is a 30-minute walk from Craven Cottage.

There is also a number 27 bus from Paddington Station (Stop F), that runs to Hammersmith Bus Station - where you can change to a number 220 bus that will take fans to Kingwood Road, which is just a 7-minute walk from the ground.

The opposition
Former Everton and Watford boss Marco Silva has enjoyed the kind of start you might expect to life at Fulham, a side who've retained many of their star men since returning to the Championship this season. The Cottagers have lost just once this season, recording five wins from seven in the process to sit pretty at the league summit at this stage.

Last time out, our London hosts saw off Lee Bowyer's Birmingham City on Wednesday evening - Silva's side hit four at St Andrews to put a first defeat of the season at Blackpool behind them. Dennis Odoi, Aleksandar Mitrovic (2) and Harry Wilson all found the net for Fulham in the Midlands.

Our Saturday opponents have both the best defensive and scoring records in the division in the early stages - and they have already recorded comfortable victories over the likes of Huddersfield Town, Stoke City, Hull City and Millwall.

Wilson was just one of five faces to link up with Silva's first-team over the summer, he was joined by Rodgrigo Muniz, Paul Gazzaniga, Nathaniel Chalobah and Domingos Quina, in arriving at the Cottage.

One to watch: Aleksandar Mitrovic
Having recently signed a new five-year deal to extend his time with Fulham, Mitrovic has already found himself in red hot form, netting six goals in seven games - a  start that finds him behind just the one player, John Swift in the goalscoring charts at this stage.

The Serbian international, who grabbed two against Birmingham during the week, has been with Fulham for over four years now, since arriving at Craven Cottage on an initial loan from Newcastle United during the 2017-18 season.

The 26-year-old striker then signed permanently with Fulham in July 2018 for a significant fee, and he has since gone on to score almost 50 goals in just short of 120 appearances.

A man with 43 goals in 66 international outings, Mitrovic began his career with Partizan Belgrade, where Veljko Paunovic once plied his trade. The Serb progressed through the ranks at Partizan to represent his boyhood team, before moves to Anderlect and Newcastle followed for the prolific front man.

Head-to-head
The Royals have won two and drawn one of their last five meetings with Fulham, including their last clash with the Cottagers, from which the Royals ran out 2-1 winners at Craven Cottage in January 2020.

Midfielders John Swift and Charlie Adam both found themselves on the scoresheet to seal a vital three points for Reading.

There's been plenty of meetings between the sides in recent years, perhaps the most memorable of which for Royals fans, would be the two legs of our Championship Play-Off semi-final against Fulham during the 2016-17 - as a Yann Kermorgant penalty sealed a place in the final for us in RG2.

There have been a total of 57 clashes disputed between the two since 1905, of those Reading have won 19 and drawn 16.

Ref watch
Stephen Martin will be officiating proceedings in the capital on Saturday when we take on Fulham.

Martin has already taken charge of six fixtures this season, the last three of which have been in the Championship.

To date, Martin has shown 20 yellow cards and a single red, and at the weekend, he'll be supporting by Robert Hyde and Mark Russell, who will be his assistants.

While, the position of fourth official will be held by Lee Venamore.

Finally, a very safe journey to all Royals fans joining us at Fulham!



https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2021/september/Three-game-week-ends-in-Fulham/

[WhiteJC]

Could Chalobah be the Championship signing of the summer?
Rhys takes a closer look at Fulham's latest stellar investment after his exemplary debut.

Born in Freetown, Sierra Leone back in December of 1994, Nathaniel Chalobah would go on to make his name in the youth academy at Chelsea following a short spell on the books at Fulham.

During the 16-year period between his first and second spells at Craven Cottage, Chalobah made 205 career appearances for seven different clubs, won the Premier League, and became a full England international.

Although many wouldn't have expected the talented midfielder to be back in the second tier after helping Watford into the top flight last season, his latest switch feels like the start of a productive relationship.

Old Friend
Marco Silva couldn't believe his luck when the chance to sign Chalobah on a free transfer arose on the final day of the window, admitting that it was an offer far too good to ignore.

Another aspect of the deal was the instant replacing of Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa following his loan to Napoli, a side whom Chalobah played nine times for during 2015/16 while on a temporary move from Chelsea.

"Chalobah is a player I know very well from Watford," said Silva.

"We signed him from Chelsea and he was called up by England before he suffered an injury.

"To sign a player like Chalobah for free, for zero, where we don't pay anything, with his quality and with his profile after losing Andre-Frank Anguissa, it was a very good opportunity for us."

A very good opportunity indeed.

Initiation
It didn't take long for Chalobah to show fans of his worth in a promotion-chasing Championship side, slotting effortlessly into Silva's team as they bounced back from a shock defeat against Blackpool to brush Birmingham aside on Wednesday evening.

Finishing third in the Man of the Match vote behind the immovable Tosin and exuberant Harry Wilson, Chalobah is the sort of midfielder that can either provide a defensive anchor or be deployed further forward to free up his keen eye for creating chances.

Chalobah is not shy in the opposition box, playing a key role in each of the opening three goals as a clinical Fulham brushed aside Lee Bowyer's Blues in a debut that was more assured than most.

Influential
His first key moment included a quite-obviously telegraphed block of Jeremie Bela that gave Denis Odoi the freedom of St Andrews to hand the visiting side a handy opening goal after just 10 minutes.

Minutes later, Fulham's new No. 12 expertly flicked Harrison Reed's short pass through the legs of Ivan Sunjic before reclaiming it inside the box before being tripped by Harlee Dean – Aleksandar Mitrovic doing the honours from the spot.

His third contribution was a direct one, slotting the clinical Wilson through on goal with a curving through-ball after more tidy work from his midfield partner Reed.

Multitalented
On his style of play, Chalobah told FFCtv: "I try to go forward as much as I can, depending on certain points of game. Today the game was quite open and the spaces were always going to be in behind."

Adding of his pass for Wilson's goal: "I've seen clips of Harry before and I know he likes making that run inside so I already saw the image in my head and I was screaming for the ball so I could play him in."

In helping Watford to automatic promotion last season, despite a change of manager in December, Chalobah even wore the armband and received notable praise from Xisco Munoz for leading by example.

London Calling
The reason for his departure? Summer arrivals of Imran Louza, Juraj Kucka, Moussa Sissoko, Peter Etebo and Ozan Tufan gave Chalobah the chance to find a new challenge, and it seems he was immediately drawn to the Fulham project.

Using that word in his first message to supporters, his Instagram offering following this debut victory hinted a bit more emotion that might've been expected.

He wrote: "About last night. Solid from the team and a wicked feeling to finally put the shirt on in front of our fans. On to the next."

Targets
Looking forward, Chalobah looks set to a play a key role in a midfield that has eyes on automatic promotion, with connections already building with both Reed and Jean Michael Seri.

Although there is uncertainty over Tom Cairney's fitness woes, Josh Onomah and Fabio Carvalho are further midfielder options that will hand Silva a plethora of welcomed selection possibilities.

Chalobah, though, already looks a rather smart addition on a free transfer with a two-year contract and club option for a further year, and looking back at the end of the campaign – don't be surprised if we're calling him the signing of the summer.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2021-09-17-could-chalobah-be-the-championship-signing-of-the-summer/

[WhiteJC]

Bryan starts: The predicted Fulham XI to face Reading on Saturday

Fulham will be looking to continue their fine start to this Sky Bet Championship season on Saturday as they play host to Reading at Craven Cottage.

The Whites ran out as resounding 4-1 winners against Birmingham City earlier in the week and once again showcased exactly why they are many people's favourites for promotion in the second tier.

Harry Wilson has settled in seamlessly in West London, whilst Aleksander Mitrovic continues to prove to be the best striker in the league after hitting several goals already this term.

Marco Silva will now be looking for his side to put in another impressive performances against a Reading side who have been very inconsistent so far.

Here, we take a look at the predicted Fulham starting eleven that could face the Royals tomorrow afternoon.

Paulo Gazzaniga will once again be between the sticks for the Whites as he continues to be a commanding presence at the back.

In defence, Joe Bryan and Denis Odoi should once again continue as the full backs, with Tim Ream and Tosin Adarabioyo once again keeping things tight at the heart of the backline.

In midfield Harrison Reed will act as the main ball winner, with the likes of Jean Michael Seri and Nathaniel Chalobah playing in the more advanced roles of the three.

Out wide, Bobby Decordova-Reid and Wilson will look to provide much of the creativity for their side, with both players liking to equally cut inside onto their favoured foot or drive down the flank to put in a cross.

Meanwhile Mitrovic will once again act as the lone striker as he looks to add to his tally of six goals in his opening seven league games.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/bryan-starts-the-predicted-fulham-xi-to-face-reading-on-saturday/

[WhiteJC]

Wilson wants to maintain momentum

Fulham winger Harry Wilson wants to take the momentum from Wednesday's thumping win at Birmingham into tomorrow's clash against Reading at Craven Cottage.

The Welsh international returned to the starting line-up with devastating effect at St. Andrew's in midweek – scoring one and making another as the Whites stormed back to the top of the table in style. Wilson told FFCTV that Marco Silva had left the players in no doubt that he was expecting a response after the disappointing defeat at Bloomfield Road and he felt Fulham delivered:

"The manager was stressing to us that we needed a reaction and I thought the reaction was top class. From the start, we were at it. We started well, got the goal and managed to get the second before half time. They had a couple of half chances but I felt we kept them quiet and dealt with their threat really well.

"It was a bit of a frustrating one to miss Blackpool. With the head injury that I had with Wales, I felt I could could have played. I felt fine but with the protocols in the game now, I had to follow a step-by-step guide for five days so I missed Blackpool but I was desperate to get back out there on Wednesday. Individually, I felt I had a good game and I thought collectively as a team we were solid and deserved the win.

Wilson admitted to be pleased with a strong start to his Fulham career – he has scored three goals and contributed four assists in five appearances – when he has been able to get on the pitch, with consistency proving difficult following suspension and injuries.

"I'm happy with my numbers so far. It's a bit frustrating missing the Blackpool game with an injury and the red card that I picked up, which was completely my fault, so I haven't played all the games that I would have liked. The games I have played I feel my performances have been good and we're winning games.

He certainly won't be underestimating the Royals, who pose a real threat in attack, and knows just how important picking up back-to-back wins is in such a demanding division.

"Every time I play Reading I always think they are going to be a good footballing team. I know a couple of their players and they have players who like to get on the ball, play passes, interchange positions. We know it is going to be a tough game. I think their goal record this year is one of the best in the league, especially in the last few games – I think they scored three pretty much every game they've played. We know what threat they are going to have, but we know we can cause them problems as well. We'll watch the videos on them and come up with a plan that we think will win the game.

"You're never going to go through the Championship unbeaten. The league's too hard – you're playing Saturday, Tuesday most weeks. It is about how you react to those defeats. We reacted well on Wednesday and we'll be making sure that we can put another few wins together to keep on top of the league."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/09/wilson-wants-to-maintain-momentum/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham vs Reading: Everything you need to know

Reading look to make it consecutive wins for the first time this season as they make the short trip to West London to face league leaders Fulham at Craven Cottage.

A 3-1 victory over newly promoted Peterborough United was a much needed three points for Veljko Paunovic after a run of just one win in six up to that point.

A stunning free-kick from in-form John Swift was almost outshone by a brace for new loan signing Tom Dele-Bashiru as the Royals scored three in the final 30 minutes.

However having still just won two games in seven, Paunovic remains under scrutiny from the stands as the start to the season has been less than satisfactory.

Meanwhile for the Cottagers life back in the Championship could not have gone much smoother.

Five wins and a draw in their opening seven sees them a point clear of Bournemouth at the summit of the league table and nine points clear of Saturday's opponents.

In midweek, Marco Silva's men confidently dispatched of Birmingham City 1-4 at St Andrews to bounce back after a shock 1-0 defeat to Blackpool last weekend.

Team News

The hosts may be without teenage starlet Fabio Carvalho after the 19-year-old sustained a toe injury, however face no fresh concerns since the midweek win over Blues in the Second City.

It is a different story for the Royals as up to nine first team players remain on the treatment table.

One piece of positive news though is that the knock goalkeeper Rafael Cabral picked up in the 3-3 draw with QPR last week is not as bad as originally thought, and the Brazilian is back training.

But after a strong performance in midweek, Academy graduate Luke Southwood would be disappointed to return to the bench so quickly.

Also, captain Liam Moore limped off just before half-time on Tuesday after a nasty collision damaged his ankle. Youngster Tom Holmes is likely to start in his place on Saturday.

Head to Head

Two sides very acquainted with each other over recent times, the sides have met every year for the last decade.

The most recent meeting was a successful one for the travelling supporters as Mark Bowen's side won 1-2 on New Year's Day 2020, however that was the first win at the Cottage since 2013 and just their seventh win at the ground in 27 attempts.

With a 26% win percentage in Fulham, this is only bettered against 10 other sides in the Championship; such as 41% at the John Smiths Stadium in Huddersfield and 42% at Pride Park against Derby County.

Overall Fulham lead the head-to-head; winning 22 and Reading winning 19 of the 57 encounters since 1905.

Odds

According to Sky Bet at the time of writing, the hosts are 4/11 to win and remain top of the table, with a draw 19/5 and a Reading win 15/2.



https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/19588024.fulham-vs-reading-everything-need-know/

[WhiteJC]

Carvalho out and Reed might also miss Reading game

Fulham will face Reading without Fabio Carvalho, while Harrison Reed is a doubt.

The teenage midfielder is also unlikely to face Leeds in the EFL Cup on Tuesday, but may be back against Bristol City on Saturday week if his toe problem heals in time.

Reed has also been nursing an injury.

"It's nothing serious," said boss Marco Silva.

"He (Reed) didn't have much of a pre-season and he has an issue with his leg, but we'll have to see tomorrow (whether he can play).

"Tuesday for Fabio looks difficult but he might be all right for the game after that."

Long-term injuries to Tom Cairney and Terence Kongolo rule them out, but Harry Wilson, who went off early in the 4-1 away thumping of Birmingham on Wednesday, is fine.

"Harry and Harrison went off because they were really tired in that moment," Siva explained.

"But Harry looks OK, and it's different from Harrison."

Josh Onomah, who sat out the Birmingham game, is also available again.

The Whites take on a Reading side pointless away from home, and nursing a potential 10 injuries, but Silva is wary.

"Their previous results mean nothing," he said.

"A team that has scored six goals in their last two performances suggest they can create chances and score goals. It will be a tough game."



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/carvalho-out-and-reed-might-also-miss-reading-game

[WhiteJC]

Marco Silva shares update on Fulham quartet ahead of Reading clash

Fulham manager Marco Silva has revealed that whilst Fabio Carvalho and Tom Cairney are both set to miss the club's clash with Reading, Josh Onomah will be available for selection.

Meanwhile, Harrison Reed is facing a race to be fit for the clash.

The Cottagers will be looking to back up their recent victory over Birmingham City by sealing all three points in their showdown with the Royals tomorrow.

Currently top of the Championship standings, Fulham could potentially extend their advantage over the chasing pack this weekend depending on the outcome of results elsewhere.

After providing four direct goal contributions in five league appearances for the Cottagers last month, Carvalho has recently been forced to watch on from the sidelines due to an issue with his foot.

Meanwhile, fellow midfielder Cairney has yet to feature for the club this season as he continues to recover from a serious knee injury.

Reed helped Fulham secure victory on St Andrew's earlier this week by playing 65 minutes of their clash with Birmingham before being replaced by Domingos Quina.

Onomah will be looking to make his return to action in the club's showdown with Reading after missing Wednesday's meeting with the Blues.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference (as cited by the club's official Twitter account) about this aforementioned quartet, Silva said: "We have doubts over Harrison [Reid] but it's not serious.

"Fab [Carvalho] is still out, so is TC [Tom Cairney].

"Josh [Onomah] will be available."

The Verdict

Whilst it would be a blow for Fulham if Reed is not fit enough to feature at Craven Cottage on Saturday, Onomah could potentially fill the void left by the 26-year-old.

Particularly impressive during his side's 3-0 victory over Stoke City in August, Onomah managed to record a WhoScored match rating of 7.99 in this fixture as he made four tackles and completed 85.4% of his passes.

If he is able to replicate this display tomorrow, the midfielder could play a key role in helping his side seal another win.

As for Carvalho and Cairney, Silva may find it beneficial to ease this duo back into action when they recover from their respective issues in order to prevent the possibility of any further injury setbacks.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/marco-silva-shares-update-on-fulham-quartet-ahead-of-reading-clash/

[WhiteJC]

Reed remains doubtful for Reading

Harrison Reed may miss Fulham's meeting with Reading tomorrow after limping out of Wednesday's win at Birmingham City.

The central midfielder made his first start of the season for the Whites at St. Andrews but was substituted midway through the second half of Fulham's 4-1 victory having suffered a leg injury. Head coach Marco Silva told today's pre-match press conference:

"It's nothing serious. didn't have much of a pre-season and he has an issue with his leg, but we'll have to see tomorrow."

There is better news regarding Harry Wilson, who was substituted towards the end of the Blues clash. Silva said that the Welsh winger was withdrawn due to tiredness and that he will be available to face Reading. Josh Onomah, who missed the midweek trip to the Midlands, is also fit to play.

Teenage playmaker Fabio Carvalho remains sidelined with a toe injury and Silva revealed that it is too early to say whether he will be able to return at Bristol City next weekend.

"Tuesday for Fabio looks difficult but he might be all right for the game after that."

The Fulham boss is reading nothing in Reading's disappointing start to the season and knows that the Royals will be determined to end their winless away run.

"Their previous results mean nothing. A team that has scored six goals in their last two performances suggest they can create chances and score goals. It will be a tough game."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/09/reed-remains-doubtful-for-reading/

[WhiteJC]

Marco's Pre-Reading press conference

Marco Silva is aware of the threat a free-scoring Reading team can pose to his side but is equally as aware of the qualities his team have at its disposal.

Reading visit Craven Cottage having scored 13 and conceded 17 already this season.

"We must respect Reading, it'll be a tough game," he said. "What they have or haven't achieved so far means nothing. We saw what happened in our other away game at Blackpool, they didn't have a win either.

"Reading have the capacity to score goals, they can create us problems. We must be compact and start fast. We'll play quick where we can, we'll create strong bits of pressure and exploit spaces.

"I'm pleased to see how we are growing as a team and how we are performing. We are matching all of our opponents both home and away. We always want to match our opponents and come away with three points.

"We knew we weren't at our best against Blackpool and we bounced back with a solid performance on Wednesday. We just want another three points against Reading."

Silva is content with the way Fulham have started the season, and the way they've been pliant enough to take new ideologies on board.

"The team is different now," he stated. "You will see new ideas, new technical elements and new players as well. We are working to implement the best idea for our Club. This is the Fulham Football Club idea not just the Marco Silva idea. It's clear to the players on the idea we're building. We are a better team now than at the beginning of the season."

Nathaniel Chalobah was singled out by many in midweek for his stellar debut, this comes as no surprise to the Head Coach who was already well aware of the qualities Chalobah possesses.

"Nathaniel Chalobah is a player I know very well. He was one of the first signings we made when I was at Watford. He's a great character with personality and I was 100 per cent sure of the quality he could add to our squad.

"He's an ambitious guy and it's now down to him to compete with his teammates. He struggled from a physical point of view, but he will only improve as he gets fitter."

When asked to provide an update on his team, Silva was unsure on the status of Harrison Reed, who has a minor knock and admitted Tom Cairney and Fabio Carvalho will miss out. There will be a return for Josh Onomah, however.

"Some players we have doubts over tomorrow. We have a few hours to decide on them, to shake them and recover them.

"We have doubts over Harrison Reed, but it's nothing serious. It's natural with a player who didn't have a full pre-season. Fabio Carvalho is still out injured, so is Tom Cairney. We expect Josh Onomah to be available."



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/september/Marco-s-Pre-Reading-press conference/

[WhiteJC]

Marco Silva confirms multiple Fulham injury setbacks ahead of Reading FC clash

Marco Silva has provided a full update on his squad ahead of Saturday's clash with Reading FC as the Royals prepare to head to Fulham to face the Championship table toppers

Fulham boss Marco Silva has provided a full injury update ahead of this weekend's clash with Reading at Craven Cottage.

The Championship table-toppers could be without four first-team players for Saturday's match with Harrison Reed, Fabio Carvalho, Tom Cairney and Terence Kongolo all currently in the injury room.

Reed could still return against the Royals, described as being 'a doubt' by Silva, but with kick-off fast approaching, Cairney, Carvalho and Kongolo have all been ruled out.

"We have doubts over Harrison, but it's not serious," he explained.

"Fab [Carvalho] is still out, so is TC (Tom Cairney). Tuesday for Fabio also looks difficult but he might be alright for the game after that."

On Reed's injury, Silva explained: "It's nothing serious. He didn't have much of a pre-season and he has an issue with his leg.

Kongolo will almost be missing for the Cottagers but there was one boost ahead of the weekend as Silva confirmed that Josh Onomah will be back in the mix and is available to feature.

Harry Wilson has been cleared to play after he was forced off last time out with Silva adding: "Harry and Harrison went off because they were really tired in that moment. Harry looks OK, and it's different from Harrison"



https://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/silva-fulham-injury-reading-fc-21602066

[WhiteJC]

Up next: Reading (h)

Fulham might have allayed fears that their awesome August was a false dawn following the shock defeat at newly-promoted Blackpool by battering Birmingham, but that victory owed more to clinical conversion in the final third than the utter dominance that had characterised the Whites' early season wins. Marco Silva seemed content that the St. Andrew's success served as a satisfactory response to the dismal display at Bloomfield Road, but key Fulham figures have been quick to assert that the midweek victory means little if it is not followed up with another tomorrow.

Stringing together early wins will construct the kind of commanding position towards the top of the table that has eluded Fulham since they dropped back into second tier in 2014. Previous Fulham sides have been left scrambling for the play-off places on account of slow starts and any suggestion that the below par Blackpool performance was a precursor of a similar malaise needed to be stamped down on hard. The fact that Silva's side showed stomach for the battle on Wednesday – with Birmingham more than matching their visitors in what, despite the scoreline, proved to be a pretty even first half – was almost as encouraging as the final result.

Silva's tactical and personnel changes leave the head coach with a few headaches ahead of their return to Craven Cottage this weekend. Joe Bryan delivered the kind of composed and disciplined display that we have come to expect from someone with significant Championship experience – managing to keep Tahith Chong relatively quiet – and may now make it difficult to Antonee Robinson to come back into the side. Injuries necessitated both a change in shape and faces in central midfield, with Nathaniel Chalobah knitting together an impressive debut. As worrying as Harrison Reed's leg problem sounds, the immediate return of Josh Onomah would allow Chalobah and Jean-Michael Seri to be joined by someone who has ample experience now of operating in a Silva midfield – and will stiffen up the central area in the continued absence of Fabio Carvalho.

The responsibility for creativity and verve in the final third will rest largely on Harry Wilson without the teenager as a precocious foil for Aleksandar Mitrovic. The Welsh winger showed an ample appetite for the task at Birmingham and could easily have bagged a hat-trick before coolly converting a gorgeous Chalobah pass to put the visitors out of sight. Wilson himself remarked today that his only frustration with his fine start at Fulham has not being able to put together a consistent run of starts and there is no arguing that he looks devastating in this division.

It is difficult to know quite what to make of Veljko Paunovic's side after Reading's rather indifferent start to the season. The Royals have been ravaged by injuries and could be missing as many as ten first-team players for the trip to south west London tomorrow. The Serbian will have a decision to make in goal as Rafael Cabral's hand injury appears not to be as serious as initially thought, although replacing Luke Southwood would be incredibly harsh after the academy graduate deputised very capably in the 3-1 win over Peterborough at the weekend. That success sees the Royals heading for Craven Cottage in good spirits after just one win in six games, with loanee Tom Dele-Bashiru proving particularly devastating.

Fulham will know that they will need to keep a close eye on former Chelsea midfielder John Swift, whose stunning free-kick set Reading on their way to a first win in five fixtures on Saturday. The 26 year-old has been one of the Championship's most effective creators in the last few seasons as Reading have rather laboured under the radar and he has already scored seven times in seven appearances this season, adding three assists for good measure. Swift scored when Mark Bowen's men saw in the New Year with a stunning win at the Cottage last year – and will be crucial to Reading's hopes of a repeat.

This could be a much stiffer test than the pundits have predicted. Reading have scored thirteen league goals already this term – only Fulham and QPR have managed more – and will be more confident that before their recent dismal run, with a desire to end a nine-game winless streak on their travels. Blackpool have proven that Fulham can't take anyone for granted, however impressive their first month under Silva has appeared, and the Whites will need to show the same battling qualities they displayed at Birmingham from the first whistle.

MY FULHAM XI (4-3-3): Gazzaniga; Odoi, Bryan, Adarabioyo, Ream; Seri, Chalobah, Onomah; Wilson, Decordova-Reid, Mitrovic. Subs: Rodak, Mawson, Robinson, Quina, Kebano, Cavaleiro, Muniz.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/09/up-next-reading-h/

[WhiteJC]

Notes from September meeting with FFC

On Monday 13 September at 13:30, the Fulham Supporters' Trust met with Fulham FC via video conference.

The Club was represented by:

    Alistair Mackintosh (CEO)
    David Daly (Non-Executive Director)
    Darren Preston (Chief Operating Officer)
    Nicola Walworth (Supporter Relations Manager)
    Charlie Harris (Communications Assistant)
    Matt Lowery (Marketing Director)
    Apologies : Carmelo Mifsud (Communications Director)

The FST was represented by Board Members:

    Ian Clarke (Vice Chair)
    Simon Duke (Secretary)
    Hayley Davinson (Board Member)
    Owen Smith (Board Member)

HOW IT WORKS

The Trust asks any questions that it judges are of interest to supporters, based on responses from Trust Members to the advance notification of the meeting, and by generally interacting with the wider supporter base. There is no restriction placed on which questions the Trust choose to ask or points raised with the Club. These notes are then sent to members only, in advance of being posted on our website at a later date.

If any member has raised an issue that it was not possible to discuss in the time available, then please do contact us again in good time before the next meeting or alternatively we can seek to raise it between meetings if that is more appropriate.
TOPICS DISCUSSED

    Women's game and female fans
    Ticketing
    Ground
    Covid Certification
    AOB

WOMEN'S GAME AND FEMALE FANS

The meeting began with a detailed discussion of the Trust's and Club's mutual desire to support the growth of Fulham FC Women and also to increase the diversity of attendance amongst all Fulham teams, in particular providing support to female supporters on matchdays.
Fulham Women

The Trust asked for the Club's perspective on the progression of Fulham FC Women and its goals for the team.

The Club said that it is excited that so many people are now focussed on promoting the women's game and explained that, following the excellent work undertaken by the Fulham Foundation, Steve Jaye and the Fulham Women's team have now moved to the performance side of the Club under Huw Jennings to oversee the next stage of its evolution and promotion. The Club highlighted, however, the importance of ensuring that nobody is left behind and they are still focussed on all those who have been a part of the progress of Fulham Women to date.

The Trust asked about promoting Fulham Women by using the Arena pitch at Motspur Park and possibly Craven Cottage for matches.

The Club agreed that these are both possible and there had been pre-pandemic plans to host a men's/women's double header game at Craven Cottage. Plans are currently in place to recruit a new hire to the Fulham Communications team with specific responsibility for the women's team and the use of the Arena pitch is part of a plan to encourage more support for the team. It is recognised that the audiences for the men's and women's teams are not necessarily the same and the Trust and Club reiterated our joint desire to help advertise and promote these games.
Gender balance at Fulham matches

In relation to female supporters, the Club said that it remains committed to improving the gender balance of supporters of all Fulham teams, and sees the Fulham Pier project as a key part of this plan.

The Trust and Club agreed to talk jointly to the campaign Her Game Too with a particular focus of ensuring that female fans feel welcomed and respected equally at football.

TICKETING

The Trust thanked the ticketing team for their hard work over recent months in migrating away from the previous Ticketmaster platform to SecuTix, which provides, amongst other facilities, the long-requested facility to select specific seats for away fixtures and has recently been enhanced to provide better seat selection capabilities at home matches. We asked a number of specific questions raised by members relating to ticket sales and the new ticketing system as follows.
Cup matches

In previous seasons, season ticket holders have been able to commit to buy a ticket for all home cup ties by registering a credit card with the Club ('Home Cup Tie Scheme') but this was not available for the Leeds United fixture. The Club explained that it was not possible to implement this facility before the start of the season and so would remain unavailable until 2022/23. Season ticket holders will still have first priority on tickets for cup fixtures.

Following on from this, the Trust asked why Putney End season ticket holders were unable to buy their seats for the Leeds fixture and whether this would be the same for future cup games. The Club said that, with the expectation of a very high number of Leeds supporters, it was considered best to allocate the Putney End of the ground to visiting supporters for safe segregation. Allocations for future home cup fixtures will be made on a case-by-case basis, but could return to the more normal use of the Putney End.
Ticket Office opening

Asked whether the Ticket Office will be re-opened to personal callers, the Club said they intended to do so, but did not have a date to share at this point.
Web site 'user journeys'

Following a number of detailed questions asked by supporters about timely access to tickets and information through the official web site and app, particularly for away games, the Trust undertook a piece of work to understand the navigation required (so-called 'user journeys') and highlighted some difficulties encountered. The Club offered to host a separate meeting to walk through the issues and make improvements where necessary.
Away ticket availability

The Trust relayed comments from many supporters about the late availability of tickets for various away games at the start of the season, including Millwall and Birmingham. The Club explained that in each case tickets had arrived very late from the home club, and noted in particular that Birmingham has issues at St Andrew's that have been well publicised.

The Trust asked the Club to provide as much advance notice of away tickets as possible to allow supporters to plan, noting the continuing dependency on the home clubs but suggesting that even estimated and continuously updated availability times are better than none.
Loyalty points and earlier purchase history

The Club explained that all of the loyalty point and purchase history data has been uploaded to the new system but is not yet visible to supporters. Work continues to provide this information.

GROUND
Riverside completion

The Trust welcomed the continuing video updates being provided on the official web site, the latest of which was published on the morning of the meeting. Following on from this, we asked for an update on the estimated completion date. The Club confirmed that the stand will be complete and fully available for the start of the 2022/23 season.
Permission for use of 4,000 Riverside seats

The Trust asked the Club for its plans in respect of the permission being sought to use 4,000 seats in the Riverside Stand this season. The Club explained that its first concern is to sell out the current capacity on a regular basis. The permission being sought for the use of additional seats this season is only in the event of extra capacity being required for specific matches and there are no detailed plans for their use at present. The Club reaffirmed its commitment to provide first priority to return to the Riverside Stand next season to those who migrated to the Putney End.
Riverside Stand floodlights

A number of supporters raised a concern with the Trust that the new floodlights in the Riverside Stand were dazzling them in blocks C/CL in the Johnny Haynes Stand making it hard to see games, although other supporters situated nearby and known to the Trust reported no such difficulties. The Club said that they had received one email directly on the subject but that they are happy to speak to anyone with concerns and asked the Trust to forward the additional correspondence which we will do. The Trust asked whether any further calibration of the lights was planned and the Club said that this was not the case. Nonetheless, details of the impacted seats have been passed to the Club's operations team who will investigate, as will Trust board members who sit nearby.
Safe standing

Following the installation of rail seating at some clubs, including Manchester United and Chelsea, the Trust asked whether the Club has any similar plans. The Club reaffirmed that it does not, at this stage, intend to install rail seating, with all focus remaining on the Riverside Stand. The Trust reiterated support for safe standing, as indicated by the results of the recent fan surveys.
Hammersmith End congestion

The Trust highlighted that supporters remain concerned about congestion on the Hammersmith End concourse, which particularly inhibits access to the lower concourse area where the toilets are located. The Trust has, in the past, made a number of recommendations as to ways to alleviate the problem, including the addition of extra stairs linking the upper and lower levels, but the Club explained that a very fine balance has to be struck to provide the current capacity of the stand and that small changes in one area can have big knock-on effects in another.

We asked for the Club to continue to seek even small solutions in the hope that the opening of the Riverside Stand will alleviate pressure further. The Club was able to confirm that there will not be a physical barrier between the Hammersmith End and the Riverside Stand, although there will still be a stewarded ticket check line.

The Trust also asked whether any additional space might be made available should the Hammersmith End hospitality all move to the Riverside Stand. The Club said that this would not be the case.
Flood risk

The Trust asked, on behalf of a member, whether flood risk assessments were undertaken at Craven Cottage, which the Club confirmed were part of the Riverside planning conditions. Additionally, the latest update video makes reference to 'attenuation crates' as part of the flood protection at the river wall.

COVID CERTIFICATION

Following mixed messages from UK Government relating to the requirements for Covid certification at large events (the latest being that they would not be required) the Trust asked for the Club's views. The Club explained that they are not in favour of Covid certificates and will only implement such a scheme if mandated to do so by Government or the football authorities.

Asked whether they are aware of any identified cases of Covid transmission at Fulham matches, the Club stated that they are not.

AOB
Annual Celebration Day

The Trust and Club are jointly working on plans for an Annual Celebration Day in January 2022 and agreed to continue discussions outside of the regular monthly meetings. Further information will be made available shortly.
Facebook moderation

The Trust raised the concerns of members who use the Fulham Facebook pages and are worried in particular about the number of illegal streams advertised on the site. The Club said it is aware of the issue but, although there is a moderator, they are not able to remove these links on matchdays when there are other priorities.
FFCtv technical issues

A small number of members continue to encounter technical issues with FFCtv and have raised them with the Trust. The Club confirmed previous advice that technical problems are almost always local issues with browsers or bandwidth and that these should be the first things to check. Further support is available from [email protected].
Access to FFCtv videos

Some supporters have flagged to the Trust that they no longer visit the Club web site as much of the video information is behind the FFCtv paywall. The Trust asked on their behalf whether some of the shorter offerings can be made available to season ticket holders. The Club said they will consider this, but needed to be fair to those paying for the FFCtv service.
Coventry City fixture – Jimmy Hill Day

The Trust expressed support for Coventry's Jimmy Hill Day activities at our upcoming fixture and asked whether the £1 per ticket donation to the Jimmy Hill Legacy Fund applied also to tickets purchased by Fulham supporters. The Club said that it thought it did.

We are in touch with the Sky Blue Trust at Coventry City with a view to jointly marking the contribution of Jimmy Hill to Fulham and Coventry on 2nd October. Further details will be provided nearer the time.
Fulham and Chelsea clashing fixtures

The Trust asked whether there have been any changes to the arrangement that Fulham and Chelsea home fixtures do not take place on the same day. The Club replied that this was still generally the case, but that on occasion the police will allow Fulham and Chelsea fixtures to clash, notably for Chelsea's European games.
Christmas celebrations

Some Trust members have asked whether the Club plans to hold Christmas celebrations involving players and fans this year. The Club said that it did, but will have to monitor the Covid situation nearer the time before final decisions are made.

The meeting ended at 14:30



https://www.fulhamsupporterstrust.com/news/2021/09/notes-from-september-meeting-with-ffc-2/

[WhiteJC]

Joachim Andersen claims Crystal Palace CAN upset Liverpool at Anfield as £17m man settles into life at Selhurst Park under 'good guy' and 'joker' Patrick Vieira

    Joachim Andersen joined Crystal Palace from Lyon for £17million this summer
    Last week Palace won 3-0 against Tottenham who were in the race for Andersen
    Patrick Vieira's side travel to Anfield on Saturday for their next league clash
    Andersen was at Fulham when they beat the Reds 1-0 at Anfield last season
    Liverpool beat AC Milan in the Champions League in a five goal thriller this week

When he got the call to join new manager Patrick Vieira's Crystal Palace revolution, Joachim Andersen knew just the man to call.

'Of course, I'm also doing my research before I am moving to a place,' centre-back Andersen said.

'I played against him with Lyon when he was at Nice so I also know what he stands for and my good friend [Denmark teammate] Kasper Dolberg was his striker [at Nice] so I talked with him about how he was and everything, what kind of training they did and so ... what I expected is also what I can see now, so that was a good picture Kasper gave me of him.'

One of the Premier League's all-time greats and a formidable, fearsome midfielder as a player, is Vieira similar as a manager?

'Err, no, he is actually a really, really good guy,' Andersen smiled.

'I would say he is a joker. He wants to joke with the players, to be close to his players so that's a little bit different from the managers I had recently. Scott Parker was also a little bit like that but when I was in Italy and France there was, like, a distance from the manager. I like that you can talk with the manager, joke around.

'He asked me what I was doing yesterday and the other way round so to build the relationship is nice.'

Andersen, a £17m signing from Lyon, was one of the headline arrivals in a big summer of ins and outs at Selhurst Park.

Andersen, who turned 25 in May, fitted the mould of younger player Palace wanted for Vieira's new-look team.

As well as the average age, Palace's style is changing too. 'I also know Palace from different seasons under Roy Hodgson and it is a totally different way of playing,' Andersen said.

'It's a way I like to play football, from the back, aggressive in the pressure, press high, just be on the front foot and when you have the ball more, for me it is easier to defend, you feel better in the game, you feel like you are in the game. It is a big change because Palace the last couple of seasons have been more like a counter attacking team, have kind of sat back and now it is totally different.

'That's my style of football and why I came here. I want to play with the ball and use my strengths with the ball and my knowledge so of course that was the main reason I came here.'

Last week's 3-0 win against Tottenham has been the high point so far, a rousing victory against a team who, for much of the summer, led the way in the race to sign Andersen.

'It was a big, big wish for me to stay in the Premier League,' Andersen said when asked about the significant interest in him following his loan spell at Fulham last season which also came from elsewhere in the Premier League.

'And when Palace came with this project I was really hooked on the idea with Patrick coming in, new philosophy, new playing style. Bringing in some interesting players, new players, young generation.'

And offering him the chance to play regularly too. Watching Andersen shine last season, even during a season that ended in relegation for Fulham, it was a mystery he was available, firstly on loan and then to buy this summer.

'I wanted to play every game but he [then Lyon manager Rudi Garcia] changed a lot which I was unhappy with but that is football sometimes,' Andersen explained.

'Sometimes we have different ideas and I was really enjoying my time there, it is a fantastic club so I have nothing bad to say about them and it brought me here so I am happy.

'I like to see a project be presented for me and to hopefully play a big role in that building up.

'I'm 25 years of age. I need to play football. I need to learn, improve so that's the only way you improve by playing football and use my strengths as well and that I could see here. I am here to take Palace to a good place hopefully.'

Palace's next destination is Liverpool on Saturday and there was more research for Andersen on Wednesday.

He was an interested spectator, especially during the first half of Liverpool's Champions League opener against AC Milan, when the Italians scored two counter-attack goals to briefly lead 2-1.

And Milan's goals had hallmarks of how Fulham experienced some joy against Liverpool last season, drawing at Craven Cottage and then beating them 1-0 at Anfield.

'They are some of the things we always have to be good at, to take our chances, when you play against the best.

'Liverpool is a team who wants to be really aggressive, press high and some of the things that we succeeded with Fulham against them was we were able to beat the first pressure, we were calm in our build up phase and if we manage that again we will have a lot of space to bring our forwards into one against one situations where we have so much quality up front.

'Hopefully we will be able to do that and I just think with the players we have we can really hurt them.

'Liverpool is one of the best sides in the world so we have to be sharp, do the same things like we did against Spurs. I feel good, the team feel good and we are ready to compete.'

For all the Palace positivity and excitement about the next phase of his career, when the conversation turned to his Denmark teammate Christian Eriksen and the traumatic events against Finland during Euro 2020, Andersen said something nobody would argue with: 'Football doesn't matter anymore when something like that happens.'

Andersen has taken some comfort in Eriksen's recovery following his collapse, caused by a cardiac arrest the former Spurs playmaker suffered on the pitch.

ut even via zoom, understandably the mood changes. Finding the right words on a raw, sensitive subject takes a little longer with Andersen clearly choosing his carefully as he recalls the incident and aftermath.

'It was a difficult situation. It is still a difficult situation,' Andersen said. 'What happened with Christian was terrible but he is in good hands, healthy again.

'Enjoying his time with his family and trying to understand what he wants so for the moment I just don't want to talk too much about Christian because I know he is happy, in good hands so that makes me relaxed and really happy in my head as well so that's good.'

Somehow, from that harrowing near tragedy, Denmark summoned the spirit to embark on an emotional run to the semi-finals, ended by England at Wembley, and have won their first three World Cup qualifiers of this season.

Andersen said: 'Everyone in the country was on high emotions and it really brought everyone together and I still think we are riding a little bit on that emotions.

'When we got back to the hotel the days, the weeks after, people saw sides of each other that we never saw before so of course that brought us closer together and I think that also helps on the pitch.

'We have to be happy for who you have got close with you because in a moment life can be gone. Luckily he is still here but it could have been worse.'



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10002761/Joachim-Andersen-claims-Crystal-Palace-upset-Liverpool-Anfield.html

[WhiteJC]

Sources: Fulham working on player's exit after Celtic, West Brom and QPR interest fails to materialise

Fulham are working on a solution to Anthony Knockaert's situation at the club after failing to move him on during the summer transfer window, Football League World understands.

Knockaert is yet to feature for Marco Silva in the Championship this season. His only minutes under the new regime have come in the League Cup, which Fulham continue this coming week against Leeds United.

Football League World understands that there's an acceptance the 29-year-old needs to find a new club and a move away from Craven Cottage. The two parties are working together to find a solution.

It's also been explained that there was a fair amount of interest in Knockaert over the summer. Celtic, West Brom and Queens Park Rangers all had a look at a potential deal, as well as Nottingham Forest, who had the winger on loan last season and reunited him with Chris Hughton.

Ultimately, though, the winger's wages proved to be a major obstacle for all those looking to reach an agreement for his services.

Knockaert made 35 appearances across all competitions for Forest last season under Hughton, scoring three times. He also helped Fulham reach the Premier League during the 2019/20 campaign, featuring 45 times, scoring three goals and adding four assists.

Yet, Knockaert has struggled to reach the heights he did earlier in his career with Brighton and Hove Albion, who he made 139 appearances for and helped establish in the Premier League.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/sources-fulham-working-on-players-exit-after-celtic-west-brom-and-qpr-interest-fails-to-materialise/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham vs Reading: Match Preview 2021/22

Can the Royals get at least a point against all odds?

A tough test awaits Reading this afternoon as they travel to Craven Cottage to face promotion favourites Fulham this afternoon, hoping to build on their victory against Peterborough United in midweek.

However, Marco Silva's side also enjoyed great success in midweek, winning 4-1 at St Andrew's against a usually-solid Birmingham City side and redeeming themselves after suffering a 1-0 last away at Blackpool last weekend.

In front of their home fans and against a side who only picked up their second win of the 2021/22 campaign in midweek, they will be the favourites to take all three points, with star attackers Harry Wilson and Aleksandar Mitrovic both expected to start for the Cottagers once again. Can the Royals get anything from this game against all odds though?

We can't answer that, but we can give you all the facts and stats you need to know ahead of this afternoon's clash in the capital.

What? Championship Matchday 8

Season? 2021/22

Who? Fulham

Where? Craven Cottage

When? Saturday 18th September

Time? 15:00

Opposition Manager? Marco Silva

Pre-Match Thoughts
Fulham:
They may not have added the 19 players League One side Ipswich Town did over the summer, but they still recruited strongly and brought in five top-quality players who will be vital in their quest to get back to the Premier League. Rodrigo Muniz may be something of an unknown quantity in England, but the likes of Domingos Quina, Nathaniel Chalobah, Harry Wilson and Paulo Gazzaniga are all known for their time at previous respective English clubs. Quina is perhaps the less established of the four with his lack of game time at Watford - but he did fire a rocket past us in the Carabao Cup a few seasons ago. Chalobah is also a former loanee, so it will be interesting to see him in action.

They may have lost 1-0 at Blackpool last weekend, but they have been pretty much faultless apart from that and after their thumping win in midweek, you would think they'd be favourites for the Championship title as things stand. Bournemouth have climbed into the automatic promotion spots and look good, but West Brom's draws are currently stifling the Baggies' progress and Sheffield United only just seem to be clicking into gear.

Thankfully for the Cottagers, Wilson's red card against Huddersfield Town didn't cost them in the following three games. And considering they have the likes of the Welsh international and Aleksandar Mitrovic available as options in the Championship, it would be hard to see them not getting back up automatically. Anything less may be seen as a failure, so this game will be important.

Reading:
The midweek win against Peterborough United was much-needed, although there is still much room for improvement after a disappointing first hour. One big positive we can take from the game is the *slight* improvement in defence. Liam Moore was half-decent before his injury, Michael Morrison improved on his performance from QPR and Tom Holmes came on and did a stellar job when the former went off injury. Tom Dele-Bashiru also stepped up to the plate and proved to be crucial - and Baba Rahman has made a big difference as a natural left-back. Let's hope we can keep him fit.

Two discussion points from Tuesday night to analyse: George Puscas and zonal marking. On Puscas, the vast majority of people were supportive and rightly so, he didn't really put a foot wrong against Peterborough - and let's be honest - the men behind him weren't exactly supplying him with the best service. It was also great to see him grab an assist for the second goal.

On zonal marking, that wasn't at fault for the goal. Ovie Ejaria was man-marking Nathan Thompson and he will know he should've dealt better with the cross. Personally, I prefer man-to-man marking - but maybe I'm old-fashioned. Everyone has a man, everyone has to take accountability for their man and everyone knows where they stand. But I have to be fair. That goal on Tuesday was an individual error, not Veljko Paunovic's fault.

One To Watch: Harry Wilson
Aleksandar Mitrovic may have been the obvious option after his brace in midweek - but Harry Wilson's ability to pick up goals AND assists potentially makes him the most dangerous player for Fulham on the pitch. The 24-year-old arrived at Craven Cottage for a hefty £12m fee in the summer, potentially a bargain if he can replicate the form he showed on loan at Cardiff City last term.

It looks like he will at this stage, recording a goal and/or an assist in all but one of his four Championship appearances so far this season. After being sent off for Wales against Denmark in the summer and then being shown a red card at Huddersfield last month, he does need to work on his discipline. But he's definitely a talented player and will hurt the Royals if they don't keep an eye on him this afternoon.

Considering the Royals' defensive record so far this season, I'm almost dreading seeing him in action but hopefully Paunovic and the coaching staff have a particular plan to stifle him, whilst also keeping tabs on Mitrovic who will be a constant threat up top. Any chance of Scott Dann being available this weekend?

The Last Meeting
Fulham 1-2 Reading:

TE Stats
    Fulham have kept just two clean sheets in seven league games so far this season. A chance for the Royals to grab one or two?
    However, they haven't conceded more than one in each of these games, so a clean sheet might be imperative if Reading want to upset the odds and take all three points.
    Reading have scored more goals (13) than any of the teams outside the top seven of the Championship.
    However, they have conceded 17, the joint-worst record of any team and need to improve on this if they want to climb up the table.

Predictions
My Reading lineup: Southwood, Rahman, Morrison, Holmes, Yiadom, Laurent, Dele-Bashiru, Hoilett, Swift, Halilovic, Puscas.

Luke Southwood starts in goal again after a decent showing against Peterborough. Barring one tiny error, the academy graduate was exceptional and pulled off two great saves to keep the game at 0-0. Even if Rafael is fit, it's the 23-year-old who gets the nod between the sticks. The Brazilian did pull off a triple save the last time the Royals visited Craven Cottage - and Southwood may have to pull off something similar.

Baba Rahman also starts on the left again, with Yiadom on the right. The latter has been very good at points this season - and hopefully he can put in a good performance again. In Liam Moore's likely absence, Tom Holmes comes in with Michael Morrison, although it would be good to see Scott Dann at some point if he can get to match fitness. It's been a blow not having him available so far - and with Moore's injury - he will be a much-needed figure at the back.

In midfield, it has to be Tom Dele-Bashiru again alongside Josh Laurent. Laurent hasn't been as great this season as he was in the last, so seeing him put in a good performance against a team like Fulham would be a great source of encouragement for me. And John Swift also starts, don't have to explain that one!

On the left though, Junior Hoilett comes in for Ovie Ejaria. This isn't because of Peterborough's goal, but because of the fact it felt like we needed something different going forward against Darren Ferguson's men. Let's not forget we were poor for the first hour, so Hoilett could prove some much-needed width. He needs to come in for either Ejaria or Halilovic.

And up top, George Puscas starts again. A goal at Craven Cottage would really boost his confidence - but it probably won't be enough against a Fulham side who are in very good shape. I'm going with a 3-1 defeat in this one.

Score Prediction: Fulham 3-1 Reading



https://thetilehurstend.sbnation.com/2021/9/18/22679623/fulham-vs-reading-match-preview-2021-22-cottagers-royals-silva-paunovic

[WhiteJC]

Fulham considering Knockaert departure options

Reports this morning claim that Fulham are considering various exit options for Anthony Knockaert after failing to engineer the winger's exit during the summer transfer window.

Football League World's story suggests that, despite interest from the likes of Celtic, West Brom, Nottingham Forest and Queens Park Rangers, the 29 year-old's high wages proved a significant stumbling block to a deal. Knockaert is considered surplus to requirements at Craven Cottage by new head coach Marco Silva and his only appearance this season came in the League Cup win at Birmingham City last month.

Forest opted not to sign Knockaert on a permanent basis following his loan spell at the City Ground last season, where he scored three goals in 35 appearances. The French winger has been a disappointment since arriving in London from Brighton and Hove Albion, initially on a season-long loan that was then converted into a £10m transfer. He has made 50 appearances, scoring four goals for the Whites, but has fallen down the pecking order following the acquisition of Welsh international Harry Wilson from Liverpool. The former Leicester wide man has a further two years to run on his current Fulham contract.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/09/fulham-considering-knockaert-departure-options/