Thursday Fulham Stuff - 30/12/21...

[WhiteJC]

Results

Wednesday
Blackburn	2-1	Barnsley
Blackpool	1-2	M'borough
Coventry	0-1	Millwall
Swansea	P-P	Luton
Birmingham	P-P	P'borough
Sheff Utd	P-P	Hull
Reading	P-P	Fulham

[WhiteJC]

Swansea City v Fulham – Let's talk about football

If all things remain equal then the Swans will be playing their first game in more than three weeks on Monday night when they entertain Fulham at the Swansea.com stadium in potentially our first game since defeat by Nottingham Forest at the same venue on December 11.

Games against QPR, Millwall and Luton have all been lost to illness in either the opposition or our own squad and whilst there remains some doubt over even this fixture going ahead it is time to start talking about games again despite the vast number of postponements taking place at the moment.

Fulham's midweek game against Reading, like ours against Luton fell foul of the Covid issue with Reading unable to fulfill the fixture which leaves Fulham now in 2nd place in the league having surrendered their lead to Bournemouth after a run that has not seen them notch a league win since 20th November with just four points from the last fifteen available being secured.

With Blackburn Rovers in sparkling form and right now on the heels of Fulham this is a time for their first real test of resolve this season and it will be interesting to see how they react to pressure particularly as they could be outside the top two come kick off on Monday evening.

Assuming the game does go ahead then Russell Martin will have his own headaches to deal with through injuries and also the Covid cases within his own camp which will have impacted his training plans for this week.  With more than three weeks since our last game that in itself creates a challenge and the Swans will also be looking slightly nervously over their own shoulders on the back of three straight league defeats and – like Fulham – a poor run of form that has now seen us win just twice since the end of October.

The game in itself will of course be played behind closed doors due to the Welsh government restrictions and was the planned second game of what the club hopes will be just three possible games that will have that restriction imposed.  The English government did not follow suit, as was expected they would, on ground closures which certainly leaves the Welsh sides currently at a disadvantage both from a passionate home crowd but also from a monetary perspective.

Both sides will be keen to try and get the game up and running but there remains a doubt over the Swans squad ahead of the game and the club are well aware of the rules and options available to them with regards to the number of fit personnel they need to have to fulfil the fixture itself.

As well as the midweek fixtures for both the Swans and Fulham, three more Championship fixtures have fallen by the wayside midweek and it is anticipated that there will be a similar, if not higher, number of games that fall foul on the weekend.

The lack of games has seen AFC Wimbledon write to the EFL to complain about the number of postponements with their written complaint saying "We want to take this opportunity to call on the EFL to undertake its due processes and implement the strongest-possible measures to ensure that – where a club is able to fulfil a fixture – it does so.

"Further, where it is found that a club was unable to fulfil a fixture, they must be held to account for all decisions which led to that position."

They have also suggested that the league should reinstate the five substitute rule for the foreseeable future.

It still remains to be seen whether this game goes ahead or not but what we do know is that there may not be a better time this season to play Fulham because of their form and a good chance for us to halt our own bad run – three weeks to stew on that is probably long enough.



https://planetswans.co.uk/2021/12/29/swansea-city-v-fulham-lets-talk-about-football/

[WhiteJC]

Gary Neville wades into Reading FC and EFL debate on social media after Fulham clash postponed

Reading FC had been due to host Fulham on Wednesday evening at the Select Car Leasing Stadium in the Championship but called the game off due to 'the ongoing Covid situation'

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has waded into the debate following the postponement of Reading FC's clash with Fulham.

Royals had been due to host the Whites on Wednesday evening at the Select Car Leasing Stadium in the Championship but called the game off due to 'the ongoing Covid situation' at the club.

It is the third successive game that Reading have had to postpone over the past 10 days.

Reading said both injuries and Covid were to blame, with a statement saying: "A significant number of ongoing COVID-19 cases continues to severely impact [our] already injury-hit first team and Under-23 squads at the club and, during such a hectic period in the festive fixture schedule, there has been insufficient time for enough players to safely return from their periods of isolation or recover from the symptoms of the virus.

"We approached the EFL to inform them about the current situation and it was confirmed that the fixture against Fulham would consequently be postponed."

The decision by Veljko Paunovic's side to call off the match, however, sparked plenty of debate over social media from supporters, journalists and pundits.

Talksport presenter Adrian Durham retweeted Reading's tweet by simply saying: "@EFL ??????" in reference to the organisation needing to do more to prevent games being called off.

He then tweeted on Tuesday afternoon (Adrian Durham @talkSPORTDrive) a picture of an extract of the guidelines surrounding the requirements for games to go ahead, saying: "Here @EFL rules on postponing games. Championship 1st team sqd + u23s = about 40 players. So 26 out?

"Possible but maybe games are being called off too easily, more scrutiny needed. If things aren't right points should be forfeited & costs paid to club robbed of a home fixture."

The post was then retweeted by former England and Manchester United defender Neville who took a similar view to Durham in that it has been too easy for clubs to call games off over the past few weeks.

"Completely agree Adrian," he wrote. "No way these clubs can't get a team out.

"We've seen in the PL (Premier League) when teams' requests are rejected they end up playing near on full strength line ups.

"Time for clubs to get on with it and trust their young players unless in exceptional circumstances."

Neville further emphasised his point on Wednesday morning, tweeting: "The PL and EFL (in particular) have got to stop these cancellations unless in exceptional circumstances.

"Each club has 40-50 players including youth team as a minimum. If it's the Carabao Cup or EFL Trophy they find a team without fielding the first 11. Get on with it."

An EFL statement issued earlier this month clarified the guidelines for clubs amid the rapid rise of the Omicron variant.

It read: "Clubs will be expected to play where it has 14 players including a goalkeeper available from the club's registered squad list, under 21 players not on the squad list but have played one League match, or any other contracted player not on the squad list but otherwise would have been eligible to play.

"The EFL will assist clubs in their deliberations."

Reading's extensive injury list has been well documented all season and includes a number of long-term absentees.

Yakou Meite is not due back until the spring, while Lucas Joao, Michael Morrison, Tom McIntyre and Andy Rinomhota are not expected to be back until the New Year.

Ovie Ejaria, John Swift, Femi Azeez and Danny Drinkwater also had minor injuries over recent weeks although it is not known when they are due to be back in action.

The latest Reading statement added: "We wholeheartedly apologise for the inconvenience and understandable disappointment this postponement causes to both home and away supporters.

"We have worked extremely hard to ensure we would be able to fulfill this fixture, so this decision was reached reluctantly by all at the club.

"This is an entirely unprecedented situation. However, we have to appreciate that these are unprecedented circumstances we live in.



https://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/gary-neville-reading-efl-fulham-22592472

[WhiteJC]

Three In A Row As Fulham Game Off

Reading's home game against Fulham scheduled for Wednesday 29 December has been postponed due to on-going Covid cases at Reading FC. The game is Reading's third straight Championship game to be called off due to the high number of Covid cases at the club.

The latest postponement is thought to be a combination of Covid cases and the high number of injuries the club have - meaning there are not enough fit players in the squad to fulfil the fixture. It had been reported that the game was expected to be played as most players have now recovered from Covid but the league allowed the Royals to postpone the game.

Reading's games against Luton Town on 18 December and at Peterborough on Boxing Day were both also called off, meaning our last fixture was way back on 11 December. Our next game is expected to go ahead at planned when Derby County visit the Select Car Leasing Stadium on 3 January 2022 for the first game of the new year. With such an extensive injury list in December, Reading will be hoping that when they return to action they will have players back available for selection - hopefully giving us a big boost in the relegation battle we are facing this season.



https://www.royals.org/news/948/Three_In_A_Row_As_Fulham_Game_Off

[WhiteJC]

Fulham away sold out

Tickets for our January trip to Craven Cottage have now sold out.

Bristol City supporters snapped up 1,687 tickets for the journey to face Fulham on Saturday, January 15th (3pm).

A limited number of wheelchair and carer tickets remain, these are available by contacting 0117 963 0600 by Tuesday, January 14th, 2pm.

Please Note – Ticket collections will be available from the Bristol Sport store on Tuesday, January 4th.
Coach Travel

    Season Card Holders - £15.00     
    Non-Season Card holders - £20.00

Coaches will leave the Winterstoke car park at 10.30am, parking will not be available on site due to Bristol Bears vs Stade Francais taking place at Ashton Gate.



https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/fulham-away-sold-out/

[WhiteJC]

West Ham keen on Fulham defensive duo Antonee Robinson and Tosin Adarabioyo

West Ham want to sign Fulham defensive duo Antonee Robinson and Tosin Adarabioyo, according to ExWHUemployee.

The Hammers trusted source claims that the club are very keen on the USA international left-back, 24, and are looking to make a move in the summer.

The Nigerian centre-back, 24, is also admired by the Irons, but it remains to be seen whether they will look to make a firm move for him when the January transfer window opens.

Solid options

Left-back and centre-back are two departments that West Ham need to strengthen going forward given their current injuries.

Aaron Cresswell is expected to spend time on the sidelines alongside Angelo Ogbonna and Kurt Zouma, and the trio's replacements have not particularly convinced.

Arthur Masuaku is struggling to deliver, and ExWHUemployee claimed that the Irons are very much open to cashing in on him in January.

Robinson will be a massive upgrade on the Congolese, but landing him at the end of the season could prove difficult if Fulham end up sealing Premier League promotion.

With Issa Diop and Craig Dawson not able to produce the type of five-star performances both Zouma and Ogbonna delivered before injury struck, West Ham could do with Adarabioyo right now.

Dubbed "quality" by Pep Guardiola while he was just 18 and with Manchester City, the defender has featured in 19 out of the 23 Championship games the Craven Cottagers have played this term, and luring him away next month would be very hard.



https://www.westhamzone.com/news/west-ham-keen-on-fulham-defensive-duo-antonee-robinson-and-tosin-adarabioyo/

[WhiteJC]

Reading FC confirm new date for Peterborough United fixture plus Fulham and Luton Town updates

Reading FC had been due to take on fellow Championship strugglers Peterborough United on Boxing Day afternoon but the match had to be postponed because of a Covid outbreak

Reading FC have confirmed they will travel to fellow Championship strugglers Peterborough United in the middle of February.

The Championship clash between the two sides was due to take place on Boxing Day but Royals were forced to call the game off due to a Covid outbreak in the squad.

As a result, the match has now been arranged to take place at the Weston Homes Stadium on Tuesday, February 15 with kick-off at 7.45pm.

Tickets that were bought for the Boxing Day game remain valid for the rearranged fixture and supporters can also request a refund if they are unable to make the new date.

In both circumstances, the club is asking supporters to keep hold of their tickets.

Supporters wanting refunds should be aware tickets need to be received by the ticket office by 12pm on Tuesday, February 15.

Meanwhile, the club says it is working with Luton Town and Fulham to find new dates for the games against them.

Both of Reading's games against the pair - on Saturday, December 18 and Wednesday, December 29 respectively - were also postponed.

Royals have three clear weeks in January as things stand so at least one of the games could take place then.

New dates and ticketing information will be circulated as soon as possible.

Reading are next due back in action on Monday afternoon when they welcome Derby County to the Select Car Leasing Stadium.



https://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/reading-peterborough-fixture-luton-fulham-22599065