Thursday Fulham Stuff - 23/09/21...

[WhiteJC]

Fulham's Rodrigo Muniz responds to Tim Ream's message after Leeds United defeat

Fulham's Rodrigo Muniz has taken to Twitter to respond to a message of support from his teammate Tim Ream after the Brazilian missed a penalty against Leeds United last night in the Carabao Cup.

The Whites performed well against their Premier League opponents at Craven Cottage and were arguably unlucky to end up as the losing side on a night when both clubs made wholesale changes from their weekend league games.

Muniz was one of the men to come into the starting line up in what was only his first start since arriving from Flamengo this summer in what was a much publicised transfer.

The 20-year-old striker should have probably scored in normal time but unfortunately let a few chances pass him by as Marco Silva's men struggled to hit the front against Marcelo Bielsa's side.

In the end the game went to penalties, with Muniz ultimately missing the decisive spot kick for his side, which led to this interaction with Ream on social media after the game:

Give that man @RodrigoMuniz019 some love tonight @FulhamFC fans. Our guy could hardly walk after Saturday and to get through 90 minutes tonight says a lot about his character 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼 #strongertogether

— Tim Ream (@timream5) September 21, 2021

Despite only being young, Muniz has already made a bright impact for Fulham since moving over to England and is sure to learn heavily from the experience of last night.

He has a very strong and supportive squad around him and a manager who believes in his ability, so the key now is how he bounces back from this setback.

Considering he has already hit the goal trail for his new side speaks volumes and it shows that he is already adapting to the demands of the Sky Bet Championship.

If he can continue to find consistency in his play between now and January, Muniz could soon find himself being a regular starter at Craven Cottage, as he offers something completely different to that of his teammate and fellow striker Aleksander Mitrovic.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulhams-rodrigo-muniz-responds-to-tim-reams-message-after-leeds-united-defeat/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham handed Fabio Carvalho contract boost

Fulham have been handed a major boost in their bid to keep Fabio Carvalho at Craven Cottage.

What's the talk?

That's according to a report by Football League World, who claim that sources close to the club believe the Cottagers are exceedingly confident that the attacking midfielder will go on to put pen to paper on a new deal in west London, something which would help to dampen the growing interest in the 19-year-old.

Previous reports have claimed that both Real Madrid and Barcelona are keeping tabs on the teenager, while West Ham United, Norwich City, Leeds United and Porto are also reported to be keen on the former England U18 international, whose current contract at Craven Cottage is set to expire at the end of the season.

Fans will be buzzing

Considering just how impressive Carvalho has been for Marco Silva's side so far this season, in addition to the fact that teams as big as Barca and Real are thought to be interested in the attacking midfielder, the news that Fulham appear confident of tying the 19-year-old down to a new deal is sure to have left fans buzzing.

Indeed, while injury has kept the £225k-rated younger on the sidelines in recent weeks, over the five Championship fixtures he has appeared in so far this term, Carvalho has scored three goals, provided 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 player Silva himself described as a "fantastic" talent average a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.30, ranking him as the club's fifth-best player in the Championship.

As such, it is clear for all to see that losing the services of the teenager come the end of the season, especially on a free transfer, would come as a huge blow to everyone involved with the club, while it is also obvious just how good the news is that the Cottagers believe they will be able to convince the starlet to remain at the club into next season and beyond.



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

[WhiteJC]

'He may have just won us the league' – Many Fulham fans react to player's display v Leeds United

Fulham were edged out of the Carabao Cup by Leeds United last night, with the pair playing out a goalless draw in normal time.

With the outcome of the tie coming down to sudden death penalties, Illan Meslier denied Rodrigo Muniz from 12 yards to ensure that the Premier League club would reach round four of the competition.

Muniz, who joined The Cottagers in the summer from Brazilian club Flamengo, scored his first Championship goal at the weekend when he nodded home to halve the deficit as Fulham fell to a 2-1 defeat against Reading.

The 20-year-old received his first start of the campaign against Leeds yesterday evening, putting in an impressive display in West London.

Proving to be a physical presence, whilst having the attacking intelligence to make runs in behind, it is clear to see that the young forward has a lot of potential.

Missing a decisive penalty as a young player is always extremely difficult to take, but his team will help pick him up, and he should also take confidence from his overall performance.

Muniz will be hoping to see regular first-team football with The Cottagers, but he might have to bide his time with Aleksandar Mitrovic already firing this year.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/he-may-have-just-won-us-the-league-many-fulham-fans-react-to-players-display-v-leeds-united/

[WhiteJC]

Talking Points: Leeds

Sweeping changes

Such was the cohesion in the team performance, you wouldn't have known that there were 11 changes to the side that started against Reading at the weekend. The players who came in will certainly have given Marco Silva a selection headache, with strong performances across the park. "Because of that I am really pleased," he told FFCtv. "I have to congratulate our players. They are unhappy, they are disappointed with the result as they feel they deserved something more, but they did their best. They showed to me something I knew before the game, that they are more than ready if I decided for them to start."

Outperforming Prem opposition

Fulham are used to having the lion's share of possession, but while this was not the case on Tuesday, we still managed to fashion a greater number of chances than Marcelo Bielsa's side. We had 15 efforts on goal to Leeds' 12, while also having twice as many shots on target. Illan Meslier was in good form throughout, though, with perhaps his best save keeping out Josh Onomah's rocket in the second half.

A rare shoot-out at the Cottage

Tuesday night was only the second time in our history that we've contested a penalty shoot-out in an FA or League Cup tie at Craven Cottage. Club Historian Alex White has the details: "I have found only one occasion where there has been a penalty shoot-out at Craven Cottage. This came in a First Round Second Leg Coca Cola (League Cup) tie on the 23rd August 1994. The first leg at Luton ended in a 1-1 draw and the second leg at Fulham also ended 1-1. Fulham won the penalty shoot-out 4-3." Jim Stannard was the hero in the shoot-out, saving from Dwight Marshall. There was one further instance, in the Autoglass Trophy Semi-Final against Wycombe Wanderers in 1994, when after a 2-2 draw at the Cottage, the Chairboys booked their place in the Southern Final with a 4-2 win on penalties.

Rallying around Rodrigo

Poor Rodrigo Muniz looked distraught after his penalty was saved, but every member of the team immediately ran to console the youngster. Muniz was dead on his feet after giving everything for 90 minutes, and was the unfortunate man to miss the decisive kick. But the response from every Fulham fan has been completely supportive, and we have no doubt the Brazilian will bounce back quickly.

Desire to play

After picking up a knock against Reading on Saturday, Muniz was a considerable doubt for the Leeds game. But Silva revealed that his eagerness to feature, along with Harrison Reed, saw him earn a starting berth. "He made a big effort to play in this game," Silva explained. "The way he finished the last game, if you'd asked me on Saturday if I could count on Rodrigo to play, and Harrison Reed as well, I would say straight away no. But they showed big professionalism, they showed that they really wanted to play, and they gave a big effort. I was really pleased to see both."



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

[WhiteJC]

Club looking to buy Fulham player earlier than originally planned – Will ask Cottagers 'for discount'

Napoli completed André-Frank Zambo Anguissa's signing on the deadline day of the last window.

The midfielder arrived at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on a loan deal from Fulham. As a part of the deal, the Serie A side retain an option to make his transfer permanent at the end of this season.

Last week, Napoli expert Ciro Venerato stated Luciano Spalletti's side raised the buying option from €12m to €15m and asked the Cottagers to pay part of his wages during his temporary stay with them.

The €15m figure is backed up by Sport Mediaset, who then provide the Naples club's plan for the Cameroon international.

Having made his Napoli debut in their league win over Juventus, the Fulham owned player has since made two more starts for his new club.

According to Sport Mediaset, the Italian side are 'very happy' with the former Marseille man's arrival.

It's even stated Napoli could 'anticipate the timing of redemption', suggesting they could buy him earlier than originally planned.

To do that, the report says Spalletti's side will ask 'for a discount' from Fulham.

Whether or not the Championship side will provide any concession, however, remains to be seen.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/club-looking-to-buy-fulham-player-earlier-than-originally-planned-will-ask-cottagers-for-discount/

[WhiteJC]

2 Fulham players who could do with being loaned out in January

Fulham have made an impressive start to life back in the Championship with Marco Silva's men looking every bit automatic promotion fodder.

The club have assembled a breath-taking squad for second tier level and therefore it is going to be very tough for Silva to keep everyone happy playing time wise.

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa is the most high profile loan departure at Fulham, he joined Napoli towards the end of the transfer window however there are four others gaining experience elsewhere. Goalkeeper George Wickens is at Wealdstone, Jerome Opoku has joined Vejle Boldklub in Denmark, Timmy Abraham is at Newport County and Sylvester Jasper has joined Colchester United.

Silva has made it clear who his favourites are and to what extent players are likely to be involved in the first team picture in this opening stretch. So there will come a time in the next few months when the Cottagers are discussing further loan outgoings ahead of the January transfer window.

With that in mind, we have taken a look at two players who could do with being loaned out in January...

Steven Sessegnon

Steven Sessegnon's contract at Craven Cottage ends in the summer with the club reserving the option to extend it for another year. The 21-year-old has only been involved in Premier League 2 so far this term, compared to the experience he gained with 18 appearances for Bristol City last season a return to U23 football is a backward step.

The England U21 international should find another Championship club or team who play a similar style that Silva is looking to implement at Fulham to go to and get some game time, clearly the opportunities are not forthcoming this season so Sessegnon should go on loan for the second half of the campaign.

Marlon Fossey

Marlon Fossey, 23, is the oldest player in the Fulham U23 squad and spent some time in League One last season with Shrewsbury Town.

The right back made nine appearances for the Shrews at the beginning of the 2020/21 campaign before picking up a knee injury, his recovery seems to have gone well having recently chipped in with two assists from four outings in Premier League 2 this term.

Fossey will be hoping for some more senior football experience this season once he proves his fitness and January could come at the right time to facilitate a temporary exit.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/2-fulham-players-who-could-do-with-being-loaned-out-in-january/

[WhiteJC]

Tiehi signs two-year Fulham deal

French striker Jean-Pierre Tiehi has rejoined Fulham after signing a two-year contract this afternoon, the club have confirmed.

The forward, who had initially rejected a contract offer from the Championship club over the summer when his previous deal expired, told Fulham's official website:

"I'm very happy to be back after coming to an agreement with the club I love. I'm enjoying this moment but I'm ready to get back to work and perform well for Fulham, who have put their faith in me and allowed me to return.

Tiehi is excited to feature for Fulham's under 23s, who have made a terrific start to the new campaign and are currently top of the table on goal difference.

"I've been following the guys, who have started really well in the league. I'm hoping I'll be a good addition to the team and I want to bring my personality and abilities into the side. We want to keep performing the way we have been all season."

Fulham's head of football development, Huw Jennings, said:

"We're delighted that Jean-Pierre has re-signed at the club. At the end of last season, he was thinking long and hard about what he wanted his future to be and in the end he's decided to commit his future to us. We're really pleased to have him back. We've been a little thin resources wise as we've been playing a lot of younger players at first team level. Jean-Pierre's been part of a project of developing strikers for the future and hopefully he can come back, get himself up to speed as quickly as possible and progress from there."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2021/09/tiehi-signs-two-year-fulham-deal/

[WhiteJC]

Games for the Weekend 25/09...
We're off to Bristol for this weekend game

Two defeats from the last three games doesn't sound like a team playing well, however we're still 2nd and half a better goal difference than any other team.
A plus point from last Saturday's game was that Muniz scored his first goal at the Hammersmith End, may it be the first of many in his Fulham career. A really nice aspect was that Mitro' set him up, the master and apprentice.
Chalobah continues to impress, what a bargain he's proved so far, along with Wilson they may well prove to be the best signings of the Championship for this season?
After Tuesday's game Mawson and Hector must be very close to starting and I can see a central partnership of Tosin and Mawson getting an outing in the not too distant future.

Our record against Bristol City isn't too good, 5 losses, 2 wins and 2 draws, so this will probably be another difficult game.

I'm assuming that neither Carvalho, Cairney, Tete and Kongolo will be available, so my team would be...

COYW's

Games of Interest...
Friday 24th
West Brom v QPR

Saturday 25th
Bournemouth v Luton
Bristol City v Fulham
Forest v Millwall
Sheff Utd v Derby

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=1704

[WhiteJC]

Marco Silva identifies key Fulham area for improvement after Leeds United defeat

Fulham manager Marco Silva had admitted his side needs to be clinical in front of goal after their goalless tie against Leeds United last night, speaking to Sky Sports last night.

The Cottagers will now be focusing on the Championship, where they currently sit second in the league after being knocked out of the Carabao Cup by the Whites on penalties.

They would be first if they had won their tie against Reading at the weekend, but missed chances proved to be costly as they fell to a 2-1 defeat via an Ovie Ejaria brace and now sit two points behind Scott Parker's AFC Bournemouth.

They hit both the post and the crossbar against Veljko Paunovic's men on Saturday and were unlucky in stages, but had 25 shots in total, converting just one, and had a further 15 against Leeds United as they failed to make the breakthrough yesterday evening.

One goal in 40 shots is something they will be desperately wanting to improve – but considering they have the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic, Harry Wilson and Rodrigo Muniz at their disposal and hit Birmingham City for four at St Andrew's last week – this lack of potency all of a sudden is something of a mystery.

Marco Silva spoke about this in his post-match interview with Sky Sports, saying: "We have to be more clinical.

"Of course, creating so many attempts in two games, not just in two games, since the beginning of the season, being more clinical of course, some results [would have been] completely different.

"But again, last Saturday, off the post, crossbar, the balls are going in the same direction but in the future will come for us, I don't have doubts.

"We just have to keep working, keep improving our players, improve our last decision definitely, our last pass, our finishing as well. Of course, we need to keep working on that."

The Verdict:

They may be going through a bit of a tough time in attack right now, but there should be no doubts over how effective Aleksandar Mitrovic, Harry Wilson and Rodrigo Muniz will be for the Cottagers this term as they return to the Championship.

Ivan Cavaleiro and Bobby Decordova-Reid were both disappointing on Saturday, but they are also likely to chip in at some point and no second-tier side would want to face the duo when they're in top form.

It's a shame the west London side don't have the injured Tom Cairney at their disposal, because he would also be an important source of goals from midfield if he was fit.

They can't afford to rely on Mitrovic, Wilson and Muniz all season though, so they will need to be dangerous from set-pieces with the midfield also needing to chip in. This is why getting the midfield selection right is vital.

Which two out of Jean Michael Seri, Nathaniel Chalobah, Josh Onomah and Harrison Reed will chip in with the most goals? Onomah could be a decent threat, but it remains to be seen whether the rest can contribute in a meaningful way going forward.

This lack of potency in front of goal will give Marco Silva a selection headache, but it only seems like a matter of time before they're back and firing again.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/marco-silva-identifies-key-fulham-area-for-improvement-after-leeds-united-defeat/

[WhiteJC]

Away Day Guide – Bristol City

Fulham return to Championship action on Saturday 25 September with a trip to Ashton Gate to take on Bristol City (kick off 3pm). Here's our away day guide.
TICKETING INFORMATION

Fulham have been allocated 2,300 tickets for this fixture priced at £33 for adults, £30 for senior citizens and under 25s, £26 for under 22s, £15 for under 19s and £10 for under 12s.

Please note that this is an all-ticket fixture and there will be no sales on the day.
GETTING TO ASHTON GATE
BY CAR

Come off  the M5 at Junction 18 and head along the Portway (A4) following the signs for the Bristol Airport/Taunton (A38). As you come over the swing bridge (Brunel Way), veer left into Winterstoke Road and the ground will be visible on your left hand side. There is very little parking near the ground, save for the Bedminster Cricket Club on Clanage Road (£10).
BY TRAIN

The nearest station is Parson Street, which is served by two trains an hour from Bristol Temple Meads on Saturday afternoons. It is about twenty minutes from Parson Street to the ground.

Bristol Temple Meads is more than two miles from Ashton Gate and would take a good three quarters of an hour on foot. Taxis from the station should cost around £8. Alternatively, there is a shuttle bus for £2 return from opposite the station – although only three buses are allocated and they tend to fill up quite quickly.
BY COACH

Coaches will leave Motspur Park and Craven Cottage at 10.30am. They will cost £20 for adult season ticket holders and £15 for junior season ticket holders. The price rises to £25 for adults and £20 for juniors if you don't have a season ticket.
AWAY PUBS

    The Nova Scotia (1 Nova Scotia Place, Bristol, BS1 6XJ) is a nineteenth century public house situated on Spike Island adjacent to the Cumberland Basin in Bristol Harbour.

    The Rose of Denmark (6 Dowry Place, Hotwells, Bristol BS8 4QL) has afforded a warm welcome to visiting fans in the past and offers a good selection of real ales as well as British and Spanish cuisine. Both The Nova Scotia and The Rose of Denmark are about a fifteen minute walk from the ground.

    The Cottage Inn (Baltic Wharf, Cumberland Rd, Bristol, BS1 6XG) has traditionally been popular with Fulham fans. A Victorian venue with a lovely terrace on the harbourside the pub services local real ale and plenty of proper pub food.

    The Orchard Inn (12 Hanover Place, Bristol BS1 6XT) is also about ten minutes away from the ground and has previously been voted Britain's best cider pub, with at least 24 different varieties to try.

    The Tobacco House (Raleigh Road, Southville, Bristol BS3 1TF) is the closest pub to the stadium that welcomes away fans and both sets of supporters have mixed here in a friendly atmosphere in the past.

    Supporters heading to the ground from Temple Meads Station might want to try the nearest Wetherspoon's option, which is The Knight's Templar (1 The Square, Redcliffe, Bristol, BS1 6DG), which is just two minutes' walk from the station.

Bristol City sometimes station a small alcohol and catering unit outside the away end for the use of visiting supporters. Alternatively, alcohol will be available inside the ground with Fosters, Butcombe Bitter, Guinness and Thatchers Cider all priced at £4.



https://www.fulhamsupporterstrust.com/news/2021/09/away-day-guide-bristol-city/

[WhiteJC]

'Devastating': £13m star thriving with new club after reported Arsenal and Aston Villa interest

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa has been thriving since joining Napoli on a season-long loan from Fulham this summer, following reported rival interest from Arsenal and Aston Villa.

The Cameroon international sealed a Deadline Day move to the Serie A outfit as Luciano Spalletti sought late midfield reinforcements. Reports by the Daily Mail claimed the Azzurri boss was thrilled to have acquired the 25-year-old after missing out on Tiemoue Bakayoko.

The British tabloid also cited considerable Premier League interest in the Cottagers ace this summer. Arsenal, Aston Villa and Everton – while Carlo Ancelotti was in charge – explored signing Anguissa following Fulham's relegation, but the Cottagers issued a £20m valuation.

Napoli eventually agreed a deal with Fulham for Anguissa to spend the season at the Stadio Diego Armanda Maradona. They also have a €15m (£13m) option to buy if the 29-cap star impresses, per Fabrizio Romano. Which, judging by Fabio Rossitto's early impression, he is.

Rossitto, a former Napoli winger and Udinese icon, has waxed lyrical over Anguissa's start while speaking with TuttoMercatoWEB. The Cottagers loanee has started each of the two Serie A games available since his move, plus the Azzurri's Europa League tie with Leicester.

"Devastating," Rossitto exclaimed. "He's a dam, an impressive shutter, he can do everything. Play simple and look ahead, orderly and difficult to overcome."

Will Arsenal or Aston Villa regret not signing Napoli new boy Anguissa from Fulham?

Anguissa has instantly impressed Rossitto with his ability to take command of games from Spalletti's engine room. He has helped to victories over Juventus and Udinese in the league and held Leicester to a draw.

Arsenal and Aston Villa may rue not signing Anguissa before he left Fulham if he maintains his early Napoli form. The Gunners have struggled to take control of games this term, while Villa have had a mixed start. Both have only won two of their opening five league fixtures.

Mikel Arteta and Dean Smith have also not fielded consistent midfield partnerships in the top-flight. The Arsenal boss has already used Granit Xhaka, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Martin Odegaard, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Thomas Partey in deep-lying roles.

The Villans, meanwhile, have rotated between Marvelous Nakamba, John McGinn, Douglas Luiz and Jacob Ramsey. Carney Chukwuemeka and Ashley Young have also featured once.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2021/09/23/arsenal-aston-villa-fulham-napoli-anguissa-rossitto/

[Bassey the warrior]

Fulham handed Fabio Carvalho contract boost

Fulham have been handed a major boost in their bid to keep Fabio Carvalho at Craven Cottage.

What's the talk?

That's according to a report by Football League World, who claim that sources close to the club believe the Cottagers are exceedingly confident that the attacking midfielder will go on to put pen to paper on a new deal in west London, something which would help to dampen the growing interest in the 19-year-old.

Previous reports have claimed that both Real Madrid and Barcelona are keeping tabs on the teenager, while West Ham United, Norwich City, Leeds United and Porto are also reported to be keen on the former England U18 international, whose current contract at Craven Cottage is set to expire at the end of the season.

Fans will be buzzing

Considering just how impressive Carvalho has been for Marco Silva's side so far this season, in addition to the fact that teams as big as Barca and Real are thought to be interested in the attacking midfielder, the news that Fulham appear confident of tying the 19-year-old down to a new deal is sure to have left fans buzzing.

Indeed, while injury has kept the £225k-rated younger on the sidelines in recent weeks, over the five Championship fixtures he has appeared in so far this term, Carvalho has scored three goals, provided 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 player Silva himself described as a "fantastic" talent average a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.30, ranking him as the club's fifth-best player in the Championship.

As such, it is clear for all to see that losing the services of the teenager come the end of the season, especially on a free transfer, would come as a huge blow to everyone involved with the club, while it is also obvious just how good the news is that the Cottagers believe they will be able to convince the starlet to remain at the club into next season and beyond.



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

It's the hope that kills you. Until he signs on the dotted line I'll fear the worst. Can't help but suspect he's not playing because he won't sign.

[filham]

Pleased to read that Marco Silva has recognised that we have a shooting problem, I think every fan has been aware of this for a long long time. It will be interesting to see what he is going to do about it. I just hope that if we are without a goal after 6o minutes at Bristol he doesn't bring Cav. off the bench as this has been seen not to work many times. He would perhaps do better to replace the full backs and bring on Christie and Bryan with instructions to attack at every opportunity.