Sunday Fulham Stuff - 01/05/22...

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Results

Saturday
Barnsley	1-3	Preston NE
Blackburn	0-3	Bournemouth
Blackpool	0-2	Derby
Bristol City	5-0	Hull
Cardiff	1-1	Birmingham
Coventry	1-2	Huddersfield
M'borough	3-1	Stoke
Millwall	3-0	P'borough
Forest	5-1	Swansea
Reading	0-1	West Brom

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Four-star Harris beats brave Burnley

Luke Harris capped an incredible first season in Fulham's under 23s by scoring four goals as Steve Wigley's side came from behind three times to beat Burnley 5-3 at Motspur Park tonight. The hosts just about edged an end-to-end eight goal thriller and lifted the Premier League 2 Division 2 trophy following the final whistle.

It looked like being a flat end to the campaign for much of the evening as Burnley appeared eager to take the scalp of the champions as they looked to secure a play-off spot. The Clarets began with real enterprise, seeking to press Fulham high up the pitch and attacked with plenty of gusto. They created an early opportunity for Max Thompson, whose mazy dribble was halted by a robust tackle from Terence Kongolo.

But Burnley were undeterred and took the lead after a stray pass from Jay Stansfield allowed Thompson to release John McGlynn behind a stretched Fulham back line and the intelligent forward, who had a fine game, lifted a lovely finish over an advancing Alex Borto. The hosts sought an immediately reply but a sweeping move featuring Adrion Pajaziti and Ollie O'Neill ended with Harris' effort from the edge of the box not having enough power to beat Lukas Jenson.

Burnley were well drilled in defence and able to soak up prolonged periods of Fulham possession. It took a moment of magic from seventeen year-old midfielder Harris to bring Fulham level. The Welsh youth international, who has become one of the first names on Wigley's teamsheet precisely because of his ability to make things happen out of nothing, sneaked in the area and found the corner with a fabulous first time finish from Luciano D'Auria-Henry's right-wing cross.

The home side might have headed into the interval ahead had Sonny Hilton's fierce drive not been bravely blocked by Dan Sassi. But Burnley were undeterred by losing their lead – and despite only needing a point to be sure of prolonging their league campaign, the Clarets came out on the front foot once again. They edged in front three minutes into the second half when Borto failed to hold Ne Jai Tucker's drive and Thompson tucked away the rebound.

Fulham gradually stepped up the tempo and equalised from a wonderfully worked corner. Hilton lifted a deep delivery to the back post where Harris had peeled off his marker into space and buried another excellent header to level matters. But parity lasted for only a minute. McGlynn did magnificently to beat Idris Odutayo and then slid a fine finish past the static Borto to put Burnley in front for the third time.

That meant Fulham had to chase the game again – and the white shirts poured forward in search of another equaliser. Jensen produced a marvellous reaction save to keep out a Stansfield strike, but he was beaten by another fine Harris finish. The teenager's emphatic volley from eight yards flew high into the net to complete another hat-trick after O'Neill and Hilton had kept things alive by keeping their cool in the penalty area.

Harris added a fourth – just like he had at Newcastle earlier in the season – when he finished a fine move down the left flank by guiding home a fine cross from Ziyad Larkeche in the 73rd minute. Burnley came close to clawing their way back into the contest when Benn Ward rattled the woodwork from long range. But Odutayo gave the home side some breathing space by converting a D'Auria-Henry cross having advanced into the Burnley box – and that proved to be the moment that broke the Clarets' commendable spirit.

FULHAM UNDER 23s (4-2-3-1): Borto; D'Auria-Henry, Larkeche (C. Robinson 76), Odutayo, Kongolo; Pajaziti, Dibley-Dias (Page 88); Hilton, O'Neill, Harris; Stansfield. Subs (not used): Allen, Bowat, Godo.

GOALS: Harris (36, 52, 64, 73), Odutayo (80).

BURNLEY UNDER 23s (4-4-2): Jensen; Armstrong, Dodgson, Sassi, Nartey (Rooney 71), Woods (Ward 77), Gomez (Hugill 61), Helm, Tucker; Thompson, McGlynn. Subs (not used): Thomas, Ratchford.

BOOKED: Jensen.

GOALS: McGlynn (8, 53), Thompson (48).



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/04/four-star-harris-beats-brave-burnley/

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How Marco Silva brought positional play to Craven Cottage and conquered the Championship – tactical analysis

By the end of the 2018/19 season, Marco Silva's stock was sky-high. Everton had just finished eighth in the Premier League after a strong end to the campaign, narrowly missing out on a UEFA Europa League qualification place by three points.

There was new-fangled confidence in the team and the coaching staff from the fanbase, an element that is desperately absent from the Goodison Park crowd today.

However, within four months of the 2019/20 season, Silva's reign unravelled at lightning speed. His stock plummeted lower than a Bear Stearns hedge fund and the former Olympiacos boss was dismissed by Farhad Moshiri's ruinous sleight of hand.

Silva did not enter work again until the summer of 2021 when the newly-relegated Championship side Fulham came knocking. The wounded 44-year-old rejected advances from Turkish giants Fenerbahçe to confirm his appointment to the dugout at Craven Cottage.

Silva still had a point to prove in English football and prove it he certainly has as a free-scoring Fulham have been promoted at the first time of asking, playing some of the most scintillatingly enchanting football in the country this season.

Unlike Bear Stearns, Silva's stock is now on the up again, and so are the Lilywhites who will play in the Premier League next season, this time hoping to keep the ship afloat for at least another year.

But how did Fulham manage to win the Championship relatively unscathed? This article will be a tactical analysis of the Londoners under Marco Silva. It will be an analysis of the tactics that were key to their early promotion.

Formation and possession style

Despite being an adopter and an advocate of Vitor Frade's tactical periodisation model, made famous by the legendary Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho, Silva has been a proud proponent of the philosophy of the Spanish 'juego de posicion', more commonly known in England as positional play.

To play this style of football, a team needs to possess players with an abundance of technical quality. The side must also be set up in a formation that provides a lot of triangular passing connections such as the 4-3-3, the 4-2-3-1 or the 3-4-3 diamond.

Silva has been an exponent of the 4-2-3-1 throughout his time in England and this certainly has not changed since his arrival in London, deploying the conventional structure in 65 percent of his games in charge so far in all competitions.



However, Fulham certainly have been no stranger to the 4-3-3 or its more conservative brother, the 4-1-4-1.

Teams that generally adhere to the positional play blueprint of football dominate possession. This is because of the philosophy's insistence on ball retention and patient passing style. Fulham are no different.

The Cottagers are sitting pretty in second on the possession charts for the EFL Championship right now. Only Russel Martin's Swansea City are averaging a higher number in this campaign.



Silva's champions-elect are currently averaging 60.3 percent of the ball in every match. The style of football is undoubtedly possession-based.

Nevertheless, putting such an emphasis on ball circulation and retention can be rather underwhelming and tedious to watch at times. Louis van Gaal's Manchester United are perhaps the greatest example of this purposeless style.

But credit to Silva and his coaches, as well as the players executing the game-plan on a game-to-game basis, Fulham are anything but boring. In fact, they are the antithesis of uninspiring, scoring 99 goals so far. The team with the second-highest tally are Bournemouth with 69.

Plotting the total goals versus the total expected goals (xG) in one graph makes for a ludicrous and humourous site to see.


This graph was made before Tuesday night's fixtures and so the data is potentially slightly outdated. Fulham still remain on 99 goals, however.

Fulham are so far out of reach from the rest of the league in goals and xG that the plots resemble a flurry of flies fluttering towards a flickering light.

Purely by analysing the most basic of statistics, Fulham look like a wonderful side. Dominating games while scoring goals like they're going out of fashion. Now, let's take a look at the in-depth tactics behind their exuberant success.

Advancing forward from deeper areas

A predominant feature of the modern game is passing out from the back, trying to lure the opposition to press you during the build-up phase before exploiting the gaps in their pressure with calculated, precise short passes.

Fulham's approach is no different. However, irrespective of whether the Lilywhites set up in a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1, the shape always resembles the former in deeper areas. A noticeable element of their tactics in the build-up phase is that the players' positioning is very wide.



The side sets up this way because it stretches the opponent's press vertically and horizontally which creates gaps to play through. If the players are too narrow, it will be easy for the defending team to remain compact and defend the spaces. Too wide and it makes passes much more difficult because, by default, it is tougher for a pass to be accurate the longer the distance is.

As shown in the previous image, Fulham's midfield in particular remains very wide. The side maintain a single pivot and two '8's in this phase with the former sitting behind the opponent's first line of pressure. The two advanced midfielders will typically stay in the halfspaces and sit behind the defending side's midfield.

Further up the pitch, the wingers are then hugging the touchline to stretch the team once more, creating gaps.

Once the pieces have been assembled on Silva's chessboard, Fulham will try and progress further up the pitch in two manners. Firstly, the Cottagers play out to the wide areas and use combination play to bypass the press.



They do so by creating overloads down the sides. Using a 4-3-3 in possession gives the side the ability to form triangular and diamond-shaped passing structures around the ball.

Using the wonderful technical ability of their players, Fulham can play around the opponent's oncoming players and move the ball into more advanced areas.

If the overload isn't working, and the opposition are effectively preventing any forward access, Fulham will try to switch the play over to the ball-far winger who remains hugging the touchline.

Having players such as Tosin Adarabioyo at the back makes this an extremely efficient form of attacking. The ex-Manchester City academy star has a remarkable passing range, like the Championship's very own Virgil van Dijk, who can hit those cross-field switches.



The second method used by Fulham to develop their play up the pitch is by going direct. Beautiful football doesn't always come from elegant build-up play or sumptuous through passes into space.

There can be something charming about playing long to an aggressive and physical number '9', a simplistic passing pattern deep-rooted in the English game. Having a player like Aleksander Mitrovic certainly helps.

Serbia's all-time top goalscorer has been dazzling this season, bagging himself 41 goals in 43 appearances for Fulham. Not only has his goalscoring massively improved as well as his overall link-up play, but the 27-year-old has conserved his ability to be an aerial threat that his teammates can use to move up into the final third.



Again, having players with the excellent passing ranges of Adarabioyo or Harrison Reed makes this a lot more plausible.

This image displayed led to a goal for Fulham in a recent thwarting of Preston North End. The ball was lofted up to Mitrovic who peeled in front of Preston's right centre-back.

The defender was originally marking Fulham's winger Neeskens Kebano but was forced to challenge Mitrovic, leaving Kebano to run in behind and latch onto a flick-on. The play developed further, and the Liverpool-bound attacking midfielder Fabio Carvalho eventually finished the move off. A truly glorious goal for football's anti-purists and one that the late Charles Reep would be proud of.

Positional domination

Fulham are so calculated and purposive in possession under Silva. Each player is given a specific function within the system and their positioning on the field changes depending on which side the ball is on.

For instance, Silva wants his fullbacks to perform the exact same function but at different times to each other. When the ball is over on the left side and the left-back has advanced up the pitch, the right-back tucks inside and creates a temporary back three alongside the two central defenders. This is mirrored when the ball is on the right-wing too.



This ensures that Fulham always have three men on their first line. As most teams generally use a two-man initial pressing line, it allows them to always have a 3v2 in this area. Numerical superiority is a key element of positional play.

This is very reminiscent of van Gaal's very own Totaalvoetbal which he has implemented in his third spell in charge of the Netherlands' national team. Speaking in an interview back in 2o21, the legendary manager compared the use of his fullbacks to a steering wheel.

"The fullbacks have to act like a steering wheel... if Dumfries goes forward, Malacia stays back. If Malacia goes forward, Dumfries stays back." This seems quite fitting for Silva's system at Craven Cottage.

Nevertheless, in true 'juego de posicion' embodiment, this does not always have to be the case. If the team's number '6' drops into the space beside or in between the centre-backs, both fullbacks can bomb on with the wingers inverting.



Marco Silva takes a very Pep Guardiola-esque approach to his 4-3-3 compared to a manager like Jurgen Klopp. Where Klopp instructs his wingers to invert into the halfspaces, Guardiola and Silva generally prefer their wide players to stay on the outside, allowing the number '8's to occupy these halfspace areas.

For positional play to be effective, a team needs to have positional superiority. Essentially, this is when a player is in an optimal position between the lines with both time and space to receive a pass and then release the ball to a teammate.

Fulham will always have at least three players positioned in the space between the lines, looking to gain this positional superiority by creating passing angles to receive the ball.



With their structure, the Lilywhites' shape resembles a lopsided 3-2-5/2-3-5 which, again, is very close to home for those who are familiar with Man City's positional structure in the attacking phases under Guardiola.

Having marvellously technical players such as Carvalho, Reed and Mitrovic in these areas certainly adds to the possibility of Fulham being able to pass the ball and create chances in these spaces.

Another benefit of having players in these zones, especially by positioning two '8's in the halfspace, is that it forces the opposition's defensive block to close up and remain compact as the defending team tries to prevent passes into these areas. However, in order to gain something, you must sacrifice another and so the opponent leaves space on the flanks which Fulham like to take advantage of.



This data visualisation displays the area of all 29 of the Londoners' positional attacks from a recent outing against Preston. 21 were on the flanks with just 8 coming through the middle.

Ultimately, Fulham create overloads in the wide areas as they look to create space to cross the ball. Once a crossing opportunity arises, there is just one instruction from the manager: Get that bloody ball to Mitrovic!



Mitrovic's movement in the box is stunning, educational, and downright impressive. There is not a defender in England that could handle the Serb on the form he is currently in and the service from the flanks has aided him in becoming one of the most prolific strikers in Europe this season.

Pressing and counterpressing

A manager being keen on ball retention cannot expect his side to execute this without having an efficient rest defence structure for moments where possession is lost. While attacking in the opponent's half of the pitch, Fulham push their entire structure very high.

Generally, the two centre-backs sit well inside the opposition's half and operate almost as two deep-lying playmakers in possession. This allows the team to counterpress effectively once the ball is lost as there are numerous players in close proximity to press.



In this instance, Cardiff City regained hold of the ball and were looking to transition quickly. The ball was played into the feet of the Welsh side's striker but Fulham's nearest centre-back Adarabioyo stepped up instantly, alongside several other teammates, and the Cottagers were able to win the ball back.

This was only made possible by the central defender being positioned so high up the field. Of course, there is an obvious downside to such an extreme rest defence structure which is that the team are susceptible to well-performed counterattacks.

Fulham press high in general. There is a clear emphasis from the manager that he wants his players to apply pressure to their opponents as high up the pitch as possible in order to stifle build-up play.

The Lilywhites' Passes allowed Per Defensive Action (PPDA) this season in the Championship stands at 9.59, the eighth-lowest in the league. Furthermore, they boast a challenge intensity of 6.6 which is roughly the division's average. Basically, Fulham do press high but not as intensely as a side like Luton or Bournemouth.



This is because Fulham use what can be labelled as space-oriented man-marking, or zonal man-marking. The players are each given a zone to defend on the pitch within their defensive structure and must man-mark any player from the opposition that moves into this space.

For example, Silva's men set up in a 4-3-3 against Cardiff recently but pressed in an awkward 4-3-1-2 shape to combat the Bluebirds' peculiar build-up shape. The structure changes depending on the opponent's formation and the players may be given a different area of the pitch to mark in each game.

As the team drop down into a lower block, Fulham's approach becomes much more Mourinho-like. Silva stays true to the Spanish and Dutch methodology of football in possession but prefers to revert back to his Portuguese roots in the defensive phases.



Fulham use a zonal defensive block in the deeper areas of the pitch. If the team's base formation is a 4-2-3-1, it will become a 4-4-2 in these areas, whereas their 4-3-3 will become a 4-5-1.

There is no rush to press the opposition's centre-backs or fullbacks. The players are simply tasked with protecting the centre of the pitch, ensuring that the attacking side cannot gain access to anyone positioned between their lines.

Naturally, this will leave space on the flanks for the team in possession to try and create crossing opportunities. To combat this, Fulham's wingers drop back almost as auxiliary wingbacks and forge a temporary back six in the low block phase.



The side's defensive approach certainly works too as Fulham have conceded just 39 goals this season in the Championship which is the second-lowest behind Nottingham Forest. The Cottagers even boast the lowest expected goals against in the league with 42.47 over the course of the campaign.

Conclusion

England's second tier is arguably one of the most gruelling in European football. Earning promotion can be a slugfest where teams limp to the finish line. However, Fulham have achieved this feat with absolute aplomb.

Tactically, the side are a thing of beauty for the game's modern formalists. Silva has splashed the glass with some Spanish sparkle, a dash of poised Portuguese pragmatism and some bog-standard British belligerence, all blended into one stunning cocktail primed and ready for Premier League football.



https://totalfootballanalysis.com/head-coach-analysis/marco-silva-fulham-2021-22-tactical-analysis-tactics

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Marco Silva: a master of positional play

There have been plenty of words eulogising Marco Silva this season as Fulham have stormed to the top of the Championship – and we've written many of them. The Craven Cottage faithful have even combined their displeasure with Scott Parker and their love of his successor into a song that ends acclaiming the Portuguese head coach as a genius. Silva's success in transforming Fulham's football is brilliant chronicled in a fabulous piece over at Total Football Analysis this morning.

It takes a look at how he has imbued the Whites with the principles from the Spanish 'juego de posicion' philosophy, most frequently in the 4-2-3-1 that has allowed Fabio Carvalho to roam behind Aleksandar Mitrovic, as well as adapting elements of Louis van Gaal's Totaalvoetbal, where the legendary Dutch coach described his marauding full backs as a steering wheel. When Neco Williams goes forward, Antonee Robinson moves inside to form a back three that mirrors the 3-2-5 formation with the ball preferred by Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

Silva's Portuguese grounding is shown in how the Whites press high but zonally from front to back, with their wide players dropping in form a flat back six when under prolonged pressure. Fulham's front three don't place the centre halves or full backs under particular heat but cover the centre of the field blocking off the most direct routes forward. It has worked – and is the perfect amalgamation of continental and British tactical approaches.

I can't wait to see how Silva shapes up as he takes Fulham back into the top flight.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/04/marco-silva-a-master-of-positional-play/

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Sources: Fulham plot move to sign ex-Man City star Rabbi Matondo

Fulham are interested in Wales winger Rabbi Matondo following his electric loan at Cercle Brugge, Football Insider understands.

Matondo has been a revelation in Belgium this season following his loan arrival from Schalke, helping his new team to qualify for the Jupiler League play-offs.

A recruitment source has told Football Insider that Matondo is on Fulham's radar with manager Marco Silva an admirer of the player's pace and dribbling skills.

The 21-year-old has scored 10 goals and provided two assists in 27 games to help Cercle Brugge to their highest finish in the league in recent memory.

They ended the regular season in 10th, having finished no higher than 14th since their promotion to the top tier in 2018.

Matondo was Brugge's top scorer, with all but one of his goals coming in the league.

The Cardiff City youth graduate joined the Belgian outfit on loan last summer.

As confirmed by Schalke, Brugge have the option to turn Matando's temporary stay permanent.

However, Fulham are considering making a move to bring the electric winger back to England following their promotion from the Championship.

Matondo spent time in both Cardiff and Manchester City's youth sides but failed to make a senior appearance for either.

The nine-cap Wales international joined Schalke in January 2019 and made 32 appearances between the 2018/19 and 2020/21 seasons.

The Liverpool-born attacker returned to England in January 2021 to join Stoke City on loan.

Matondo played 11 times and scored once for the Potters before heading back to Germany and onto Cercle Brugge last summer.



https://www.footballinsider247.com/sources-fulham-plot-move-to-sign-ex-man-city-star-rabbi-matondo/

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Fulham weighing up transfer move for nine-cap international

Promoted outfit Fulham are currently keeping tabs on ex-Stoke City and current Schalke winger Rabbi Matondo ahead of the summer transfer window, as per this morning's report from Football Insider.

The 21-year-old has spent this campaign at Belgian top-tier side Cercle Brugge, recording nine goals and two assists in 26 league appearances during what has been a successful spell away from Germany, bouncing back after a frustrating time at Stoke City last term.

Hampered by injury troubles during his loan stay at the bet365 Stadium, the Welsh international has bounced back well and his progress hasn't gone unnoticed with Marco Silva's Cottagers thought to be interested in his services.

The west London side will be plying their trade in the Premier League next term after securing promotion earlier this month – and that could provide Matondo with a tempting opportunity to return to the nation where he was born.

However, his current loan club will have a big say on his future as they currently hold an option to sign him on a permanent agreement, though this may not be the 21-year-old's preferred option with parent club Schalke on course to return to the Bundesliga and this interest from Fulham.

As per the Football Insider report, Silva is a particular admirer of the winger with his speed and dribbling skills, the latest wide man to appear on their radar after previously being linked with Burnley's Dwight McNeil and Bolton Wanderers' Dapo Afolayan.

The Verdict:

This is an interesting link because Schalke may already be preparing for life without the Welshman and if he does return to the Veltins-Arena, the Cottagers may be able to negotiate a cut-price deal for his services.

If they can, this will help them to address other areas that need to be looked at over the summer as they look to remain in the top flight for the long term – because they will want to strengthen their goalkeeping department, their centre-back area, find a replacement for Fabio Carvalho and also look for an alternative to loanee Neco Williams.

On top of this, they may want to add more firepower to their attacking department to support and provide competition to the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic and Rodrigo Muniz, with the latter still reasonably inexperienced in English football.

Looking at Matondo specifically though, he holds one advantage each over fellow targets McNeil and Afolayan. Firstly, he has had a much more successful campaign than the former and this may tempt Silva to lean towards recruiting the Welshman.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/fulham-weighing-up-transfer-move-for-nine-cap-international/

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Fulham mull Matondo move

Fulham are hoping to sign Welsh winger Rabbio Matondo this summer after the former Manchester City man starred on loan at Cercle Brugge this season.

The 21 year-old, who has won nine senior international caps, enjoyed a superb season on loan in Belgium, scoring ten goals and creating two more in 27 appearances as the Green and Blacks finished tenth in the regular season, which was their best domestic league placing for a decade. Matondo finished the campaign as the club's top scorer – having made the temporary switch after playing just 32 times in three years at Schalke.

Cercle Brugge do have an option to turn their loan arrangement into a permanent deal this summer but Fulham are making a strong play to lure the right winger back to England after he spent spells with Cardiff City and Manchester City. The Liverpool-born wide man is believed to interested in a chance to play Premier League football and Fulham boss Marco Silva is an apparent admirer of Matondo's speed and dribbling ability.

The Whites are kind to add depth in the wide positions as they prepare to return to the top flight and Matondo would be a direct option as an understudy to his compatriot Harry Wilson, who enjoyed an outstanding first season at Craven Cottage.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/04/fulham-mull-matondo-move/

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Luton – Focussing On The Opposition – Fulham

Two games to go and there's more than an even money chance that Luton Town will be in the Championship play-offs.

Doing the mathematics, a point, away to Fulham, on the May Day Bank Holiday, could very well suffice.

Indeed, there is even a chance that we could make the shake-up by not having to earn any more points, although it all depends on how Middlesbrough, Blackburn Rovers and Millwall do in their final fixtures.

But, looking ahead to Monday's fixture there is a lot at stake for both teams, if Bournemouth don't slip up, Fulham may need a result to clinch the Championship title, while we all know what a point would do for little-old Luton!

Ahead of the game, I've taken the opportunity to look at how Fulham's season has gone.

The West London club, based right on the banks of the river Thames, have played 44 games, and have won 26 of those fixtures losing 9 and drawing 9.

When it comes to goals scored, they've netted a very respectable 99 times in the Championship, please don't let goal #100 come against us.

As for conceding, Fulham have only let in 39 goals, less than a goal a game, which gives them a goal difference of +60, the best in the league.

That record has seen them amass 87 points and leaves them sitting proudly on top of the Championship table.

However, we should point out that their recent form – LLWDL – has seen a dip in form with Cottagers only claiming 4 of the last 15 points available.

When it comes to a top scorer, look no further than Aleksander Mitrovic who has scored a remarkable 41 goals and is closing in, fast, on Guy Whittingham's record of 42.

Quite an achievement for a player who impresses in the Championship but has, previously, struggled to make an impact in the Premier League.

For those who have followed our ongoing 'They Played for Both' series, please find the link attached to revisit a previously published article – luton-they-played-for-both-fulham.

The fixture, which is being sown live on Sky Sports looks, on paper, to be a tough one, even more so when you consider Luton's ongoing injury problems.

But can we get that point that'll see us over the play-off finishing line?

To do so, I believe it'll need a monumental effort, even more so when you consider two factors:

1 – The unavailability of numerous players who would be starters if fit

And

2 – Will Fulham's recent poor form continue of will they raise their game to clinch the title.

However, let's not forget that it is games against the top teams, the likes of Fulham, that see us raise our game.

COYH's



https://luton.vitalfootball.co.uk/luton-focussing-on-the-opposition-fulham/

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Sources: Leeds, Crystal Palace and Fulham race to sign Timo Hubers

Crystal Palace, Watford and Fulham have joined Leeds United in the race to sign FC Koln defender Timo Hubers, Football Insider understands.

This site revealed last week (24 April) that Leeds watched the centre-back, 25, play in his team's 3-1 win over Bielefeld at home last Saturday.

A recruitment source has told Football Insider that Palace and Watford, as well as newly-promoted Fulham, are also keeping close tabs on Hubers.

The have been alerted to the 6ft 3in star's potential availability this summer, when he has a £6.7million release clause in his contract.

Koln are facing financial struggles after the pandemic but are determined to hold out for the full seven-figure fee.

Hubers is contracted to the German outfit until 2023, meaning he could leave on a free next year.

However, there is likely to be much interest in his signature come the end of the season.

Leeds are in the market for defensive reinforcements this summer and have had scouts in attendance watching Hubers this season.

Jesse Marsch's men have been joined in the hunt by Palace, Watford and Fulham.

They all see Hubers as an affordable option who could make the switch over to English football.

Hubers has spent his entire career in Germany, having come through the youth ranks at Hannover.

He initially joined Koln as a teenager in 2015 but returned to his boyhood club a year later.

The defender made a total of 39 appearances for Hannover before re-signing for Koln last summer.

He has featured 20 times this term, with 17 Bundesliga appearances under his belt.

Hubers has helped Koln push for European football next season, with the club currently sitting seventh in the table.



https://www.footballinsider247.com/sources-leeds-crystal-palace-and-fulham-race-to-sign-timo-hubers/

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Jamie Carragher directs blame for Everton mess, notes painful 'irony' on former Toffees manager

Farhad Moshiri is to blame for most of the mess at Everton, but the players must be responsible for being in the relegation battle, says Jamie Carragher.

The club owner has been in charge for six years and has overseen a massive turnover in players, managers and other staff, to the tune of hundreds of millions of pounds.

But the major downturn in form on the pitch this season has left the Toffees in genuine danger of a first ever relegation from the Premier League, with six games to go.

In his column for The Telegraph Carragher said: "The conservative estimate is that Moshiri has invested £500 million on the squad and assortment of managers. The more the team has stood still – and now gone backwards – the clearer it has been that the problem has been as much about his erratic ownership style as the coaches.

"No-one can ignore the irony if Marco Silva – an emerging, promising young manager who was desperate for more time at Goodison Park – leads Fulham into the Premier League and takes Everton's place.

"Every aspect of the football operation Moshiri as kept chopping and changing has failed.

"The recruitment from the top down and the lack of a structure facilitating on-field success has created a mess.

"Moshiri's failings have been well-documented, but even amid all the valid criticism of him it is difficult to look beyond the players for Everton's situation this season."

Race to the bottom

It is more likely a build up of cumulative factors that has led the club to the point it is at now, rather than any one trigger.

But as the man in charge of the decisions, or in charge of those who make the decisions, all rounds eventually lead to Moshiri.

The players' form has not been good enough, clearly, but better groups of players than this one in the history of football have had a major dip in form due to the environment they were operating in.

The point about Silva only partially stands up, as when he left there were a number of similarities to the current situation under Frank Lampard.

The club had just lost the Merseyside derby, were in the relegation zone, and were in bad form despite mitigating factors when the Portuguese was sacked in December 2019.

It sounds very similar to now, but the crucial point then was there was plenty of time to rectify the situation.

Lampard is supposed to be the man who rectifies the Rafael Benitez situation this year, but he is fast running out of time.

Injuries and refereeing decisions have worked against him, but the fact that the club is repeating such negative positions when Moshiri is the common denominator suggests he is primarily responsible.



https://www.goodisonnews.com/2022/04/30/jamie-carragher-directs-blame-for-everton-mess-notes-painful-irony-on-former-toffees-manager/

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A magical night at Motspur Park

Motspur Park has long been one of those places steeped in mystique where the magic happens. The success story that recounts the revamp of Fulham's academy from a place of aspiration to one of the leading youth set-ups in the country, prompted by Alistair Mackintosh enticing Huw Jennings and Malcolm Elias to a sleepy part of Surrey to write the next chapter of London's original football club, has been told many times. But the blot on the copybook of a category one academy that churns out considerable talent was the fact that Fulham's under 23s languished in the Second Division.

It took a revamp and persuading Steve Wigley, winner of back-to-back titles at under 18 level, to step up an age group to begin to put that right but nobody could have envisaged in the summer that the young Whites would storm to the title in such style. Wigley is well known as a proven developer of young talent, who demands the application and standards to match, but even he has been surprised at swiftly Fulham's fortunes have turned around. The under 23s had clinched promotion with four games remaining and made sure of the title weeks ago. The crowning glory came last night – with a thrilling victory over Burnley, who made the Whites sweat for much of an eight-goal encounter.

All the elements of this sensational side were on display. There was the character to come from behind three times, consigning several setbacks to the sidelines quickly and returning to the first principles of Fulham's play: progressive passing and a desire to attack at pace, a philosophy that runs through all of the teams at the club since Marco Silva assumed control of the senior side in the summer. The key players in this team were on form: the Welsh wonderkid Luke Harris reprised his four-goal haul against Newcastle with an incredible evening in front of goal, but there was Sonny Hilton, a skipper who leads by exceptional, creating a couple of crucial goals and Jay Stansfield, leading the line again after having been deployed as a number ten regularly this term, the ever willing runner up front. Ollie O'Neill roamed in field frequently from the left, allowing the adventurous Ziyard Larkeche to push forward down that flank, whilst Adrion Pajaziti keep things ticking over in central midfield.

This was my first visit to Fulham's training ground for the best part of two and a half years and there were a couple of insights into the culture behind this special team. Before the kick off, the club had arranged for a presentation to be made in honour of a loyal supporter's landmark birthday: the under-23s had all signed a shirt for this fan, who has followed them around the country, to receive before the action got under way. After Hilton had lifted the trophy, the joyous celebrations featured both George Wickens and Conor McAvoy, who had been asked by the team to join the party in recognition of their own contributions prior to heading out on loan at Wealdstone. Wigley, a serial winner, was quietly allowing his youngsters to jump around with the trophy and the music before being ordered over to take centre stage by the team – a demonstration of just how highly they think of their no-nonsense coach.

Supporters and players mingled on the sidelines long after the trophy had been held aloft. It was emotional for me, someone who had watched Adam Stansfield play for Exeter as a university student, to see his son – a very different striker in a lot of ways – clutch his medal in delight after coming through another difficult season with injury. Jay's commitment to the club is not in doubt after he signed a contract extension earlier in the year – and he will be a fixture in the first team squad before long. His dad would be beaming with pride: as know so many of Jay's inspirational family are today.

There are so many stories to tell about this collection of mature young men. Luciano D'Auria-Henry, who provided two terrific assists last night, has battled back from a period on the sidelines to step into the right back spot vacated by Marlon Fossey as if he has never been away. Idris Odutayo has been a commanding figure at the heart of the defence – improving with every outing – and he relished a tough battle against two brilliant Burnley forwards, even adding a goal to ensure there was no late drama. Adrion Pajaziti's own season has had plenty of highs – even if he is humble enough to still admit that he pinches himself at being a professional footballer. London's Kosovan community is immensely proud of Pajaziti, whose ambassadorial qualities are just as good as his precise range of passing.

Developing young footballers isn't as easy as following the coaching manuals, ticking all those FA boxes and splashing the cash. There is all the work that goes on behind the scenes, expertly orchestrated by an outstanding academy secretary in Charlotte Bellamy. The educational efforts to ensure that those who don't make it at Fulham have the life skills to support their next chapter shouldn't go unnoticed either. Fulham's academy is arguably something the club should shout about even more – but these boys are letting their flawless football do the talking. Last night was very special, but if Wigley, Jennings and Mike Cave have anything to do with it, it is just the start.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/04/a-magical-night-at-motspur-park/

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"You have this information that Ream leaves?" Fulham boss Marco Silva ends American exit speculation

Marco Silva has not ruled out that Tim Ream will still be Fulham player next season.

The Portuguese waxed lyrical about his American skipper, who has arguably been one of Fulham's standout performers this campaign.

Ream, who joined Fulham from Bolton Wanderers in 2015, cemented his place in the club's history after reaching the impressive milestone of 250 appearances earlier this month.

And he also played a key role in helping them to THREE consecutive promotions to the Premier League.

But Silva, who led the West Londoners back to top-flight at the first attempt, stopped short of responding if next Tuesday's home game against Luton Town would be the 34-year-old's 'last' at home for the club.

Speaking to Capital Football, he said: "You have this information that he will leave?

"Maybe he wants to surprise you.

"Don't be worried about Tim. He's had a fantastic season and he's been leading by the example."

But Silva urged his players to go up a gear if they want to finish the season as "champions", having now lost three of their last five.

The ex-Hull City, Watford and Everton boss added: "We have been the best team in this competition and we really want to get the job done.

"Now we want to be champions and get the title. And we will fight for it.

"But for us to achieve it we have to be much better."



https://www.capitalfootball.co.uk/single-post/you-have-this-information-that-ream-leaves-fulham-boss-marco-silva-ends-american-exit-speculation

[WhiteJC]

Preview: Fulham vs. Luton Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Fulham will be looking to win the Championship title when they welcome playoff-hopefuls Luton Town to Craven Cottage on Monday evening for a huge match in the second tier of English football.

The home side are currently five points clear of second-placed Bournemouth with two games left, while Luton sit fifth in the table, two points ahead of seventh-placed Middlesbrough.

Match preview
Fulham have still not been confirmed as Championship winners, with the Cottagers managing to triumph in just one of their last five league matches, losing three times in the process, and Bournemouth's win at Blackburn Rovers on Saturday has kept the race alive, for the moment.

Marco Silva's team would be confirmed as winners with a victory over Luton, though, and it would be staggering if they passed up on first from this position, especially as they have been the outstanding team at this level for almost all of the campaign.

Fulham picked up a point at Bournemouth on April 23 before suffering a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest last time out but securing promotion back to the Premier League was always the priority this term, and they will once again operate at the top level next term.

Silva's side have the best home record in the Championship this term, picking up 43 points from their 22 matches, but they will be welcoming a Luton outfit with the fifth-best away record, and it would be fair to say that the visitors have plenty to fight for in this match.

Fulham have been held to draws in their last two league games against Luton, but they are unbeaten against Monday's opponents since October 1998 and will be desperate to secure the title with a game to spare, particularly as their final match of the campaign is away to Sheffield United.

Luton will not be in the mood to hand out any favours, though, as Nathan Jones's side know that a win on Monday evening would secure their spot in the Championship playoffs.

As it stands, the Hatters, who finished 12th in the Championship last term, are fifth in the table, two points ahead of seventh-placed Middlesbrough, who have played a game more.

A victory on Monday would move Luton onto 75 points; they cannot catch either fourth-placed Huddersfield Town or third-placed Nottingham Forest but are level on points with sixth-placed Sheffield United, who only have one match of the regular season left.

The visitors have picked up seven points from their last three Championship matches, beating Forest and Cardiff City in back-to-back fixtures before playing out a 1-1 draw with Blackpool on April 23.

Luton were a Conference team as recent as 2014, so it would be some achievement if they managed to secure a spot in the Premier League for the first time in their history, but there is a lot of football to be played before then.

Fulham Championship form:

    W    L    L    W    D    L

Luton Town Championship form:

    D    D    L    W    W    D


Team News
Fulham will again be missing Terence Kongolo through injury, but the league leaders are otherwise in excellent shape heading into the contest with Luton.

Head coach Silva could potentially make two changes to the side that started against Forest, with Tom Cairney and Kenny Tete bidding to return to the first XI.

There are unlikely to be many alterations, though, especially in the final third of the field, with Harry Wilson and Fabio Carvalho both set to start, while Aleksandar Mitrovic will be looking to add to the 41 league goals that he has already scored during a remarkable campaign.

As for Luton, Sonny Bradley and Elijah Adebayo are fresh injury concerns for the visitors, who are missing a number of first-team players at the worst possible stage of the campaign.

Indeed, Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu, Fred Onyedinma, James Bree, Jed Steer, Gabriel Osho, James Shea and Reece Burke are also on the sidelines ahead of this match.

Henri Lansbury could feature in a midfield area for Luton, while Cameron Jerome might hold off competition from Danny Hylton to start alongside Harry Cornick in attack.

Fulham possible starting lineup:
Rodak; Tete, Adarabioyo, Ream, Bryan; Cairney, Reed; Wilson, Carvalho, Reid; Mitrovic

Luton Town possible starting lineup:
Isted; Lockyer, Naismith, Potts; Kioso, Lansbury, Campbell, Bell; Snodgrass; Cornick, Jerome

We say: Fulham 1-0 Luton Town

Fulham's recent form has been patchy at best, but Luton's injury problems are difficult to ignore when picking a result here. We are expecting it to be a tight match on Monday evening but believe that Fulham's superior quality will shine through to confirm their spot at the top of the Championship table.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/preview/preview-fulham-vs-luton-prediction-team-news-lineups_484714.html?cQx=NN&newsnow

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Report – Taylor Foran scores stoppage time winner as Arsenal U18s beat Fulham

U18 Premier League

Arsenal 2 (Ibrahim 89, Foran 90) Fulham 1 (Okkas 19)

Taylor Foran scored the winner in the fifth minute of stoppage time as Arsenal U18s secured a 2-1 win against Fulham in their final home game of the season.

Coach Dan Micciche made three changes to his team, with Alex Kovacevic, Mauro Bandeira and Tino Quamina starting in place of Remy Mitchell, Ethan Nwaneri and Mathaeus Roberts. Ismail Oulad M'Hand wasn't involved.

Kovacevic

Robinson-Foran-Jeffcott-Quamina

Vigar-Sweet-Bandeira-Ibrahim-Cozier Duberry

Sagoe Jr

Subs: Roberts (for Quamina, 17), Nwaneri (for Vigar, 68). Not used: B. Okonkwo, Green.

Fulham took the lead through Georgios Okkas in the 19th minute.

Just two minutes prior to that Arsenal had been forced into a change as Roberts replaced Tino Quamina.

Schoolboy Ethan Nwaneri was brought on in the second half but it looked as though Arsenal were going to be beaten.

However, Bradley Ibrahim equalised in the 89th minute before Foran's decisive intervention deep into injury time.

Arsenal, who remain sixth in the table, conclude the season next weekend with an away game against Tottenham Hotspur.



https://arsenalyouth.wordpress.com/2022/04/30/report-taylor-foran-scores-stoppage-time-winner-as-arsenal-u18s-beat-fulham/

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Fulham identify Cercle Brugge loan star Rabbi Matondo as summer transfer target

Fulham are said to have identified Cercle Brugge loan star Rabbi Matondo as a potential transfer target ahead of the summer window.

Fulham are preparing for life back in the Premier League, and this time around, the Cottagers will be hoping they can stay up and cement a place in the top tier.

Marco Silva's summer transfer business will be crucial in their bid to do so, and Football Insider has now claimed Wales international Matondo is a player on the Portuguese boss' transfer radar.

Fulham are said to be eyeing up a move to bring Matondo back to England after his successful stint in Belgium. The winger has managed 10 goals and two assists in 27 outings while on loan with Cercle Brugge, impressing on loan away from German outfit FC Schalke.

The Jupiler Pro League side hold the option to sign Matondo on a permanent basis, which could be a hurdle for Fulham in their reported bid to sign the former Manchester City youngster.

Vast improvements

Matondo spent a short spell on loan with Stoke City in the second half of the 2021/22 campaign in which he managed only one goal in 11 games, so it's clear to see that the youngster has taken a big step forward over this season.

His form saw him earn a spot back in the Wales squad for the recent March internationals, playing 71 minutes in a 1-1 draw with the Czech Republic while remaining an unused substitute against Austria.

Fulham will be hoping to take significant strides forward this summer in a bid to prepare themselves for Premier League football. This season will certainly stand them in good stead for a top-flight return, but Silva and co will know it is vitally important that they strengthen where possible to avoid dropping back to the Championship immediately.



https://the72.co.uk/271907/fulham-identify-cercle-brugge-loan-star-rabbi-matondo-as-summer-transfer-target/