Saturday Fulham Stuff - 06/08/22...

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Fulham U21s put three past West Ham

Goals from Sylvester Jasper, Ollie O'Neill and Callum McFarlane saw Fulham's under 21s start life back in the top flight with an impressive victory over West Ham United at Motspur Park this afternoon.

Steve Wigley's side were good value for a derby victory in the Surrey sunshine with the clinical finishing from a new-look outfit proving the difference against well-drilled opposition. The hosts settled quickest with Jasper looking lively down the left flank and having an early sighter bravely blocked by Angelo Ogbonna, who was looking to prove his fitness in attempt to ease the Hammers' injury crisis in central defence.

The visitors looked lively on the break with Divin Mubama and Ademipo Odubeko keeping Charlie Robinson and Connor McAvoy on their toes. The Hammers' front two really should have combined to put them in front with the pacey Odubeko bursting clear along the right wing and measuring a cross for Mubama, but the young striker somehow contrived to lift his finish over the crossbar.

Fulham made them pay for that glaring miss four minutes before half time after regaining possession from a West Ham throw. Jasper, who looked to have the beating of his man on every occasion, advanced in a shooting position and, although Levi Laing made an instinctive block, the winger was alert enough to steer the rebound beyond Krisztian Hegyi.

The young Whites might have doubled the lead just after the break but for a brilliant save from the Hungarian international goalkeeper who clawed away a Terry Ablade header from a fine free-kick by Ollie O'Neill. George Wickens made two smart saves at the other end to preserve Fulham's slender advantage – gathering a deflected shot from Dan Chesters and then spreading himself well to thwart Odubeko.

O'Neill scored Fulham's second midway through the second period, but the Irish under-21 international was the beneficiary of some good fortune after his cross from the right looped over Hegyi and into the far corner. The Hammers hit back within six minutes as Odubeko outsprinted Luciano D'Auria-Henry and Stefan Parkes to reach Chesters' through ball and lifted a lovely finish over the onrushing Wickens.

But substitute McFarlane made sure of all three points just four minutes after replacing Ablade – showing a poacher's instinct to steer an O'Neill cross into the bottom corner after stealing ahead of Laing.

FULHAM UNDER 21s (4-2-3-1): Wickens; D'Auria-Henry, Parkes, McAvoy, C. Robinson; Pajaziti (Williams 90+ 6); Dibley-Dias; Sekularac, Jasper, O'Neill; Ablade (McFarlane 71). Subs (not used): Allen, Bowat, Godo.

GOALS: Jasper (41), O'Neill (65), McFarlane (75).

WEST HAM UNITED U21s (4-4-2): Hegyi; Ashby (Simon-Swyer 77), Longelo (Clayton 49), Laing, Ogbonna; Potts, Appiah-Forson, Chesters, Oko-Flex; Odubeko, Mubama (Marshall 76). Subs (not used): Kurylowicz, Forbes.

GOAL: Odubeko (69).

REFEREE: Adrian Quelch.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/08/fulham-u21s-put-three-past-west-ham/

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The eight Liverpool players absent for Fulham clash - with rookie to be named on bench

Liverpool team news and injury updates ahead of the Fulham clash.

Liverpool start their 2022-23 Premier League season with a trip to Fulham today (12.30 BST).

The Reds are aiming for a strong start as they bid to usurp Manchester City's grip on the top-flight crown.

Jurgen Klopp's side finished just a point behind City last campaign in what proved to be a dramatic title race.

Now Liverpool prepare to once again challenge Pep Guardiola's outfit for the silverware once again.

Certainly, Kopites are in buoyant mood after the Reds defeated City in the Community Shield last week.

They'll be hoping to see £85 million summer signing Darwin Nunez make his Premier League debut after his match-winning cameo off the bench in the Community Shield.

But against Fulham, who romped to Championship glory last term, Klopp will be without six senior players.

Liverpool team news
Ibrahima Konate is set to be sidelined for a sustained period. He suffered an injury in the 3-0 pre-season loss to Strasbourg last Sunday.

Diogo Jota managed just one friendly outing after suffering a recurrence of a hamstring issue he first felt on Portugal duty in June.

The striker, who signed a new five-year deal earlier this week, is still a couple of weeks away from full fitness.

Meanwhile, Curtis Jones turned up at Anfield wearing a protective boot when he was set to start.

The homegrown midfielder reportedly has a calf problem and reportedly could be absent for at least two weeks.

Kostas Tsimikas continues to recover from a knock he felt during the training camp in Austra last month. The Greek left-back is hopeful he may be back for the clash against Crystal Palace on Monday week.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain picked up a devastating hamstring injury during the friendly win over Crystal Palace in Singapore. He continues his rehab.

As does Caoimhin Kelleher, who has not been seen yet this campaign. The goalkeeper was left on Merseyside for overseas trips to Asia and Austria respectively.

There is good news, though, as Alisson Becker is now back fit from an abdominal issue and is set to start in goal.

Liverpool fans are still waiting to see summer signing Calvin Ramsay in action. The right-back, who was prised from Aberdeen for up to £6.5 million, has been struggling with an injury since arriving.

The Reds have been erring on the side of caution with the 18-year-old - along with 17-year-old winger Kaide Gordon.

Liverpool's lengthy injury list means that they have 19 senior players available for the trip to Craven Cottage as long as Naby Keita is recovered from illness.

It means that there's a spot up for grabs on the substitutes' bench.

The most likely candidate to take that berth is Sepp van den Berg. The 20-year-old defender spent the previous 18 months on loan at Championship club Preston North End.



https://www.liverpoolworld.uk/sport/football/liverpool/the-eight-liverpool-players-absent-for-fulham-clash-with-rookie-set-to-be-named-on-bench-3795830

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Fulham: Journalist shares update on Issa Diop deal

Reliable journalist Alan Nixon has revealed that Issa Diop is still very much a target for Fulham this summer.

The Lowdown: Fulham enter talks
The 25-year-old has enjoyed a somewhat successful four-year spell in the Premier League with West Ham United, but has recently found opportunities hard to come by.

This has seen the centre-back being linked with a move away from the London Stadium, with the Cottagers, alongside French outfit Lyon, credited with an interest.

Earlier in the window, it was widely reported that Marco Silva's side had opened talks with the Irons regarding a potential switch, though nothing has progressed much since.

The Latest: Fulham still keen on Diop

Asked during a fan Q&A on Twitter whether Fulham were still in for Diop, Nixon responded:

"One of a few options ... that include Vestergaard ..."

The Verdict: Ideal candidate

Silva is believed to be prioritising signing a new centre-back before the end of the window, and with Diop being a player that Fulham have held a long-standing interest in, you'd imagine that he'd be the one at the top of the boss' wish-list.

The Frenchman, dubbed a 'monster' by AS Roma manager Jose Mourinho, only made ten starts for the Hammers last season, but averaged 3.2 clearances and won 1.2 of his aerial duels per match, via WhoScored, highlighting the instant impact he can make.

Standing at 6 foot 3, the Frenchman could also add some much-needed height to the Portuguese's backline as he prepares his side for their exciting campaign back in the top flight.



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/fulham-fc-news/fulham-issa-diop-west-ham-nixon-silva-latest-transfer-news-rumours-updates/

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Up next: Liverpool (h)

Fulham are back in the Premier League and the long wait for the big kick off ends today. There might be more apprehension than anticipation given this (early) afternoon's opponents are Liverpool, who look well equipped to push Manchester City all the way at the top of the table again at the very least, and Marco Silva's warning about not being ready for the challenge due to a lack of summer signings. Since Silva adopted his best spiky Slavisa posture after last Sunday's draw with Villarreal, the Whites have supplemented their squad with the arrival of Bernd Leno and Shane Duffy but it still looks light for the increased demands of a packed Premier League schedule in a winter World Cup year.

Plenty of the pundits have picked Fulham to complete the yo-yo for third successive pair of seasons and most have tipped Liverpool to leave the Cottage having handed out a hammering. Silva is a shrewder operator than either of the two managers who began top flight seasons under the Khans and, for all of his talk of being bold and taking the game to Liverpool, the recruitment of Joao Palhinha showed that the Portuguese head coach recognised that he needed to tighten up what was a ridiculously open engine room in the Championship. Signing the Sporting schemer for a reported £17m seems a steal given the Portuguese international's potential and he could form a pivotal partnership with the effervescent Harrison Reed in front of the back four.

The composition of that defence remains an open question. You would expect Leno to gain the gloves from Marek Rodak after finally completing a protracted move from Arsenal. The 30 year-old has significant top flight experience in England – an improvement of the succession of goalkeepers brought in ahead of previous Premier League campaign – and is motivated to perform with a spot in the Germany World Cup party still up for grabs. It might be hard on Rodak, who has again been usurped after helping the Whites win promotion for a second time, but you can't argue with this sort of upgrade; especially as Silva has been championing the need for a new goalkeeper for most of the summer.

It is a straight choice between Kenny Tete, who has struggled for both form and particularly fitness since joining from Lyon two summers ago, and Mbabu, who provided the equaliser for Aleksandar Mitrovic in an impressive cameo off the bench last weekend. I'd edge towards the Swiss international, who is just as adventurous as Tete but probably shades the Dutchman defensively, but it is a very tight call. Antonee Robinson will start on the other flank, with his pace an asset at both ends of the pitch, as Joe Bryan recovers from his broken hand. It will be interesting to see whether Duffy, the sort of powerful presence – particularly aerially – that Fulham have lacked in the last few Premier League is paired alongside Tosin Adarabioyo straight away or if Silva keeps faith with Tim Ream.

The news that Harry Wilson will miss at least the first months of the campaign after being taken out by Tyrone Mings during a training game is a big blow. The Welsh winger was brilliant in his first season by the banks of the Thames and would have been buzzing at the prospect of taking on his old club. In Wilson's absence, the right wing slot will probably be filled by boyhood Liverpool fan Bobby Decordova-Reid, who was arguably Fulham's surprise package during the 2020/21 campaign, and scored a brilliant goal to give Scott Parker's side the lead over today's opponents at the Cottage that December. Decordova-Reid's dependability makes him an integral member of this squad – and his work ethic that sees him cover every blade of grass could be crucial today.

Manor Solomon is line for a first appearance in the white shirt after one of the most strung out transfer sagas in the club's history. The Israeli winger is now a Fulham player and will be available for selection, but whether he will be thrown from the start without match sharpness remains to be seen. Solomon's ability to produce a sublime moment out of nothing and his penchant for producing on the big occasion would make gamble, but there's a reason is why I'm compiling this preview rather than preparing a side for the big kick off. Andreas Pereira, who has a strong pre-season in the number ten role, should start off Mitrovic but possesses the profile to regularly join the Serbian in the penalty area as well as get beyond him at times.

The task before Fulham is formidable. Jurgen Klopp is one of the world's best managers and has recently extended his contract at Anfield, something said to be key in persuading Fabio Carvalho to move to Merseyside this summer. Liverpool have a squad packed to the brim with talent, even if a number of key personnel – including Ibrahima Konate, Diogo Jota, Kostas Tsimikas and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – will be missing. Alisson returns in goal, whilst Naby Keita faces a late fitness test, and the power of the Reds' attacking arsenal, featuring the likes of Mo Salah, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez, is awesome. Should they need fire the galling prospect of Carvalho or Harvey Elliott, two Fulham academy graduates, coming off bench to inflict pain on a weary Whites' defence is heart-wrenching.

Another wild ride is just about to commence. Let's be vociferous in our support of Silva's side this lunchtime, but chose not to follow the example of elements of the Manchester City support during the Community Shield last week – or much more surprisingly, Martin Tyler on Radio Four in midweek – and sing songs about 'murderers', Heysel or Hillsborough. The Hillsborough families are amongst the most courageous campaigners in the country, having lived with an injustice for decades, seen their loved ones smeared by the state without any ability to respond and justice still remains elusive. That is why the Hillsborough Law Now campaign launched by Steve Rotheram and Andy Burnham in January is vital, especially after the attempts to cover up the scandalous policing and stewarding of the Champions' League final in Paris. Fulham fans are better than to mock the pain of those who suffer, especially given how we still honour the memory of our own Matthew Fox. Justice for the 97 remains as crucial today as it ever was.

MY FULHAM XI (4-2-3-1): Leno; Mbabu, A. Robinson, Adarabioyo, Duffy; Palhinha, Reed; Decordova-Reid, Pereira, Solomon; Mitrovic. Subs: Rodak, Tete, Ream, Odutayo, Cairney, Harris, Kebano, Stansfield, Muniz.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/08/up-next-liverpool-h-4/

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Cairney loves the Cottage

After eight special years at Craven Cottage, Tom Cairney talks like a lifelong Fulham fan. In a brilliant interview with Henry Winter in today's Times, the captain describes just how unique the ground is:

    "It's one of the most beautiful stadiums, the walk as well through the [Bishop's] Park, it's special We have to move with the times, but at the same time we've still got the Cottage, the Johnny Haynes Stand, all wooden. I'm aware of the history, of course.

Our midfield master craftsman beams at being compared with his illustrious predecessor in Fulham's number ten jersey, Johnny Haynes.

    "That's a big compliment as he's Fulham's best ever player. He's got a statue and a stand, so he's obviously decent. Football wise, Fulham stands for attractive football, always had top players, like Berbatov. As a club, Fulham are just classy. They treat people with respect. Fulham stands for community. I don't think anyone hates Fulham. I never met fans or people that dislike Fulham as a club or the fans."

The skipper has aggressively defended Aleksandar Mitrovic against uninformed critics and he takes up the cudgels on behalf of our Serbian scoring sensation here too.

    "He's a killer. Scoring 43 goals in the Championship last season is a joke. If Harry Kane came to the Championship and scored 43 goals they'd still say it was a great achievement. I can't understand how people say, 'Oh, can he do it in the Premier League?' People forget the first season in the Premier League Mitro scored 12. Ivan Toney had an unbelievable season last season for Brentford, and there was talk about him going in the England squad and he was very, very good. He scored 12. The second season, Mitro didn't really play. We played a counterattacking way, five at the back, and it's not his strength. His strength is in a possession-based team like he is for Serbia. His international record is also sensational. He's Serbia's top goalscorer and he's only 27. In and around the box if he gets a chance I'd back him to score."

Henry has been a supporter of this website since our inception so I don't want to take liberties with quoting from his piece. It is well worth going and grabbing a copy of the Times today to read all of Cairney's illuminating insights.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2022/08/cairney-loves-the-cottage/

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Fulham: Silva could form deadly duo with Ludovic Ajorque swoop

Fulham sailed their way back into the Premier League after a rather impressive Championship campaign in 2021/22.

One aspect of their season which will have thrilled many supporters of the west London club was the number of goals they had to celebrate throughout. Across 46 games, Marco Silva's team found the net 106 times, which was 32 more than second-placed Bournemouth.

One man who played a significant part in seeing the Cottagers find the net so often is Aleksandar Mitrovic.

In 44 league appearances, the striker scored 43 goals, along with racking up more shots at goal (198), shots on target (91) and a higher rate for shots per 90 minutes (4.66) than any other player in the division.

Now that Fulham start their Premier League campaign with a tough fixture against Liverpool, Silva and the Craven Cottage faithful will undoubtedly be hoping that Mitrovic and bring his brilliant goalscoring efforts from last season into this one.

However, with the summer transfer window still open, this could give the manager the chance to add even more firepower to his squad and bring someone in who could form a potentially scary duo alongside the Serbian.

One man who has been mentioned with a move to Craven Cottage and who could fit this bill is Ludovic Ajorque.

After scoring 20 goals and providing seven assists in 70 appearances for his previous club Clermont Foot, the 28-year-old joined his current side Strasbourg in 2018. Since then, the €15m-valued (£12.6m) centre-forward has gone on to score 50 goals and supply 19 assists in 138 appearances.

To further highlight his attacking credentials, the Frenchman ended the previous Ligue 1 campaign with the joint-highest number of shots on target (25) at the club.

This shows just how deadly a partnership Fulham could have if they get both him and Mitrovic in the team.

Labelled a "complete" player by his manager Julien Stephan, Ajorque could be an ideal addition to Silva's squad and give the Cottagers a great chance of avoiding relegation, especially if he and Mitrovic can hit the ground running in terms of goalscoring.



https://www.footballfancast.com/fulham-fc-news/fulham-marco-silva-ludovic-ajorque-transfer-news-ffc-premier-league-update-gossip-rumour

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Fulham looking to bring winger back to the Premier League

Fulham are considering bringing former Arsenal and Chelsea winger Willian back to the Premier League.

Willian spent around eight years in the Premier League with Arsenal and Chelsea, but returned to Brazil last year, joining Corinthians.

The Brazilian enjoyed a successful time in England, mainly for Chelsea, and he could be set to return to the Premier League this summer.

According to GOAL, Fulham are showing an interest in Willian, who has a release clause in his contract meaning if a European club comes in for him, he will be allowed to leave.

Willian has struggled upon his return to Brazil, scoring just one goal.

At 33 years old, signing Willian might not be the smartest move for Fulham. The Brazilian is likely to be on high wages, and was released from his contract at Arsenal due to underperforming.

His poor form continued when joining Corinthians, so it's clear to see he isn't the player he once was when at Chelsea.

However, Fulham will be desperately trying to secure Premier League survival going into the new season, so maybe bringing in a player with vast experience could help them.



https://www.caughtoffside.com/2022/08/06/fulham-looking-to-bring-brazilian-back-to-the-premier-league/

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Bournemouth, Fulham And Southampton Boosted In Joshua Zirkzee Chase

Bayern Munich striker Joshua Zirkzee, who is a target for Fulham, Southampton and Bournemouth prefers a move to England should he leave the German giants in the ongoing window.

The Dutchman is currently at the Allianz Arena following a successful season on loan at Belgian outfit Anderlecht.

Zirkzee is unlikely to earn game time on a regular basis at Bayern Munich and has been attracting interest from abroad, with a trio of Premier League clubs keen on him.

Premier League new boys Fulham and Bournemouth along with Southampton are all keen on snapping up starlet.

Although there is strong interest in Zirkzee's services, Bayern Munich are yet to hold talks with any of his potential suitors.

However, the likes of Fulham, Southampton and Bournemouth have received a boost in their hopes of landing Zirkzee, as according to German broadcaster Sport1, he is keen on moving to the Premier League, should he leave his current side.

Zirkzee's agent Kia Joorabchian has a lot of connections in England and is known for facilitating Premier League moves for his clients.

The 21-year-old is in the final year of his contract at Bayern Munich and he has his heart set on playing regularly this season, which he is likely to be able to do should he sign for any of his Premier League suitors.



https://insidefutbol.com/2022/08/06/bournemouth-fulham-and-southampton-boosted-in-joshua-zirkzee-chase/571854/

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6 Liverpool players ruled out of Fulham clash but €60M star is back in contention to start in thrilling 4-2-4

Jurgen Klopp already has a considerable injury list to contend with as Liverpool launch their Premier League campaign today.

Arsenal played the first game of the season, beating Crystal Palace 2-0 on Friday evening in an engaging encounter at Selhurst Park.

The Reds will be able to field a close to full-strength side for the game despite their injury list growing over the last week.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is out for 2-3 months while Curtis Jones is out for 2-4 weeks which has strengthened Liverpool's need for a new midfielder.

Diogo Jota will still miss today's game but he has been ruled out for a while already with Caiomhin Kelleher, Calvin Ramsa, and Ibrahima Konate are also to be absent from the matchday squad.

Liverpool will be hoping for a win and while it's far too early to be looking at goal difference in the grand make-up of the season, the Merseysiders can go top of the Premier League with a 3-0 win over the Cottagers.

Despite the mounting injury concerns, Klopp can still name a fantastic 4-2-4 side to face Marco Silva's men.

Up front, I expect Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah to start for Liverpool today.

We should get our first look at the new boy, Nunez, who scored on his official debut for the Reds in the 3-1 win over Manchester City in the Community Shield.

In midfield, Klopp could lineup in a number of ways. Whether or not he opts for Fabio Carvalho or Harvey Elliott in the wide midfield roles remains to be seen but it's most likely he goes for Thiago, Fabinho and Jordan Henderson.

Naby Keita could start over Thiago or Henderson depending on whether or not Jurgen Klopp wants to manage their minutes this early in the season.

At the back, we will most likely see Robertson, van Dijk, Matip and Trent Alexander-Arnold with Alisson returning between the sticks, replacing Adrian.



https://www.anfieldcentral.co.uk/posts/liverpool-fulham-team-news-6-players-ruled-out-but-e60m-star-is-back/

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Sources: Fulham agree deal to sign Leicester City star Jannik Vestergaard

Fulham have agreed a deal with Leicester City over the signing of defender Jannik Vestergaard, sources have told Football Insider.

The Foxes have accepted a bid for the Denmark centre-back, 30, just one year after he joined from Southampton.

Leicester have now granted Fulham permission to discuss personal terms with Vestergaard.

Should a full agreement be secured, the transfer could be completed soon.

Vestergaard, who joined Leicester last summer (2021) for a reported £15million, made just six league starts in the 2021-22 campaign.

He has amassed 82 appearances in the English top flight following his arrival at Southampton in 2018.

Fulham are desperate to improve their centre-back options as they aim to survive instant relegation from the Premier League following last season's Championship title success.

Football Insider broke the news of Shane Duffy's loan arrival on Friday (5 August), while Marco Silva's side have also made approaches for Eric Bailly, Issa Diop, and Malang Sarr.

Leicester need to raise funds through player sales in order to do any transfer business of their own this summer.

The Foxes are presently the only Premier League club yet to make an addition during the window.

Brendan Rodgers is also fielding interest in another centre-back, with Wesley Fofana a reported £85million target for Chelsea.

Vestergaard would become Fulham's sixth summer arrival, with deals already completed for Duffy, Andreas Pereira, Manor Solomon, Bernd Leno, Kevin Mbabu, and Joao Palhinha.

Fulham start their Premier League campaign against Liverpool on Saturday (6 August).



https://www.footballinsider247.com/sources-fulham-agree-deal-to-sign-leicester-city-star-jannik-vestergaard/

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