Wednesday Fulham Stuff - 21/09/22...

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West Ham (A) Sold Out

Tickets for Fulham's trip to the London Stadium to take on West Ham United on Sunday 9th October have now sold out. Thank you for your fantastic support!

Should the Club receive any ticket returns, please register your interest below to join our waiting list for this fixture:



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/september/20/west-ham-waiting-list/

[WhiteJC]

Charity saves 1.4 tonnes of food from postponed football matches

A charity which prevents food from going to waste saved 1.4 tonnes worth of meals for needy Londoners when the capital's biggest football teams had games postponed.

The round of football fixtures on September 11-12 were called off across the country after Queen Elizabeth II died as a mark of respect, which left a lot of London football clubs in need of a quick solution to large amounts of surplus food.

Clubs including Fulham, Crystal Palace, Chelsea and QPR picked up the phone to charity City Harvest London, which made sure the food was not wasted.

The food saved from the cancelled match days went to people currently facing food poverty across London.

The football clubs donated a total of 1.4 tonnes of surplus food to City Harvest London, equating to 3,368 meals for Londoners who cannot afford to eat. 

Mike McSweeney, Fulham FC Foundation chief executive, said: "Since March 2020, when matches were postponed due to the pandemic, the Fulham Football Foundation, working with the stadium caterers and City Harvest, agreed a process to redistribute food to local food banks and charities.

"We were, therefore, ready to react when the Fulham v Chelsea fixture was postponed and with our stadium providers Sodexo, distribute more than 1,000 meals to people facing food poverty through City Harvest."

The Fulham FC Foundation, based at Craven Cottage, donated a total of 551kg of surplus food, collected by City Harvest drivers at the weekend.

The Whites' surplus was diverted to west London charity partners, including St Pius X Church food bank in Ladbroke Grove.

Parish priest Father Peter Wilson said: "The rather shocking fact is that, in London, we throw away more food than we consume.

"Fortunately, City Harvest bridges that gap and helps us to feed those who are in genuine need.

"That need can be both physical, as well as a need for social connection and community. Community is a rather wonderful thing."

Crystal Palace FC helped to ensure no good food was wasted by donating 312kg of fresh fruit and vegetables from last weekend's suspended matches.

By preventing fresh food from ending in landfill, the Eagles and City Harvest avoided more than a tonne of harmful emissions from contributing to climate change.

Chelsea FC's surplus food donations were redirected to City Harvest charity TREM Church in Fulham, providing enough food for more than 200 meals.

TREM helped parishioners and anyone in need by providing free community meals during the Covid pandemic and continues to do so as the cost-of-living crisis tightens its grip on Londoners.

City Harvest's longest-serving volunteer, Elena Hutchinson, is a key member of the TREM community.

She said: "The most important part of TREM is community outreach. We're currently giving out City Harvest food to more than 130 people every Saturday. We're seeing numbers rise again."



https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/charity-saves-1-4-tonnes-of-food-from-postponed-football-matches/

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What's happened to the 15 players that left Fulham this past summer?

Where has everyone who left Fulham ended up?

Fulham have made an impressive start to life back in the Premier League.

Marco Silva's side stormed to the Championship title last term.

They were busy bolstering their ranks over the summer and also let players head out the exit door.

Here is where everyone who left permanently have gone...

André-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Napoli
Napoli swooped to sign the midfielder on a permanent basis after he impressed on loan in Serie A in the last campaign.

He has since played nine times for the Italian giants this season.

Fabio Carvalho, Liverpool
Fulham agreed to sell the attacking midfielder to Liverpool back in May.

The youngster has since scored twice in seven games for Jurgen Klopp's side.

Jean Michael Seri, Hull City
Seri made the surprise move to Hull City following his departure from Craven Cottage over the summer.

The Ivory Coast international scored on his debut for the Tigers against Bristol City.

Alfie Mawson, Wycombe Wanderers
The defender dropped into League One after leaving the Cottagers.

He has returned to Wycombe which is where he had a loan spell as a youngster from Brentford back in 2014.

Cyrus Christie, Hull City
The Republic of Ireland international linked up with Seri at the MKM Stadium earlier this month.

He spent last term on loan in the Championship with Swansea City.

Michael Hector, free agent
Fulham decided to cut ties with the Jamaica international after their promotion and he is yet to find a new home.

Hector, 30, continues to weigh up his options.

Fabri, free agent
The goalkeeper struggled to make an impact in England and is yet to sign for a new team.

He played twice for the Cottagers before being shipped out on loan to Mallorca to get some game time.

Timmy Abraham, Walsall
The attacker was snapped up on a free transfer by League Two side Walsall having spent time away on loan at Plymouth Argyle, Raith Rovers, Bristol Rovers and Newport County over recent years.

Jacob Adams, Hayes and Yeading United
He has dropped into non-league and now plays in the Isthmian League South Central Division.

Xavier Benjamin, Cardiff City
The 18-year-old landed a deal with Championship outfit Cardiff until the summer of 2024 and has initially linked up with their development side.

Tyler Caton, FC Corinthian-Casuals
Caton, who joined Fulham from Queen's Park in Scotland, was snapped up by FC Corinthian-Casuals in early July.

Jerome Opoku, Arouca
Portuguese top flight outfit Arouca landed the defender for nothing. He spent time on loan in Denmark last season with Vejle.

Julian Schwarzer, Azkals Development Team
The stopper has moved to the Phillipines to join ADT and they came 3rd last year.

His father, Mark, was a fans' favourite during his time at Craven Cottage.

Jaylan Wildbore and Eric Ameyaw, free agents
The above players remain free agents.



https://www.londonworld.com/sport/football/fulham/whats-happened-to-the-15-players-that-left-fulham-this-past-summer-3848784

[WhiteJC]

On Sale Now: October Fixtures

Don't miss out on our four Premier League fixtures at Craven Cottage during October with tickets for Fulham's upcoming matches now on sale.

Join us for action against Newcastle United on Saturday 1st October (KO 3pm) and on Saturday 15th October (KO 3pm) when Bournemouth visit Craven Cottage, with tickets for both fixtures on General Sale.

We're back at the Cottage the following week to face Aston Villa on Thursday 20th October (KO 7.30pm), before welcoming Everton to SW6 on Saturday 29th October (KO 5.30pm) for our final game of the month. Tickets for our fixtures against Aston Villa and Everton are now on General Sale as of 10am on Tuesday 20th September.

Ticket prices for all four fixtures start from £20 for juniors and £30 for adults.

HOW TO BUY
Fans can now secure their seats online at tickets.fulhamfc.com or by calling the Fulham FC Ticket Office on 0203 871 0810.

Please note, supporters will need to ensure they are logged in to their OneFulham Account and have linked their ticketing account in order to purchase online. For more information on the OneFulham Account, please click here.

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

*Please note, all ticket bookings will be monitored and any bookings made by supporters who live in the vicinity of opposition towns who do not hold a booking history with Fulham FC will be cancelled as these matches are on General Sale to home supporters only.

**Family Area Tickets must be purchased over the phone on 0203 871 0810.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/september/20/on-sale-now-october-fixtures/

[WhiteJC]

Arsenal earn top grades along with Brighton and Fulham... but Chelsea need to shape up after chaotic start - your team's early season rated in the first part of our Premier League report card

    The Premier League takes a back seat for two weeks of international matches
    Arsenal are the pacesetters in the top flight after six wins from seven
    But early season surprise package Brighton have also impressed in the top four
    Chelsea though need to improve after spending heavily in the summer
   
The fast opening to the early Premier League season comes to a halt following the final international break ahead of the World Cup and that offers a chance to reflect on the start of the season.

Just seven games in, there are already plenty of huge stories that have taken place this term, while others are offering the potential for slow burners for the rest of the season on what looks like being another highly exciting top-flight campaign.

Typically it's not been dull for any side though, so Sportsmail has looked at every club's first part of the season and given them a rating so far.

Here we go through Part 1 of our guide, featuring Arsenal up to Leeds United, with Part 2 to come later in the week.

ARSENAL
Position: 1st Points: 18

There was much focus on how Arsenal would start the season especially after their dramatic implosion at the end of the last campaign that saw them collapse and effectively giftwrap a Champions League place that looked in the bag to north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on the final day.

While Mikel Arteta's position as manager was not under threat, the former midfielder could ill-afford a slow start to the season, or even an inconsistent one given the frustratingly slow progress he has made as manager since taking over in 2019.

Tellingly, the board backed the Spaniard in the summer with a transfer budget of around £120million and their patience is paying off following a near perfect start to the season.

Heading into the international break the Gunners lead the way at the top of the Premier League following convincing wins over Crystal Palace, Leicester City, Bournemouth, Fulham, Aston Villa and Brentford.

However, they did fail their big test after crashing to defeat at a Manchester United side who are still in transition under manager Erik ten Hag. As a result, their mentality is still to be questioned in the biggest matches against big six rivals.

Nonetheless, it's been their only failure so far and some are even tipping the Gunners for a tilt at the title - including Brentford boss Thomas Frank, whose side were swept aside by the all-firing Gunners on Sunday.

Behind Arsenal's excellent start to the season is how well their new signings have settled. New striker Gabriel Jesus is thriving with the responsibility to lead the line up top while Oleksandr Zinchenko too has hit the ground running at left-back following their summer arrivals from Manchester City.

Fabio Vieira is getting up to speed in the midfield, and there has even been time to glimpse into the future with Ethan Nwaneri - who at 15 became the youngest ever Premier League player at the weekend, making the club's young stars like Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe look like veterans.

Another test waits after the international break with a derby with Spurs, but their home record against their rivals is superb and another victory would surely have many more other than Frank thinking that a title fight could be a target this term.

Grade: A

ASTON VILLA
Position: 15th Points: 7

It has been more than 10 months since Steven Gerrard took over at Aston Villa but the jury is still out on the Liverpool legend after he replaced the sacked Dean Smith.

By last November, Smith's side had gone into a nosedive after a respectable start to the campaign, but it is telling that Gerrard's team are three points worse off than at this stage last season.

Pressure was eased on Friday night when they secured a battling 1-0 victory over Southampton at Villa Park and that comes after also securing a big point at home to title favourites Manchester City, but Villa remain a club in flux even nearly a year into Gerrard's reign.

The summer had its share of turbulence following the bold decision to strip Tyrone Mings of the captaincy, but to Gerrard's credit as a manager, and Mings' professionalism, it's not harmed the club directly, at least, with the centre-back back in the side as part of the starting XI.

Gerrard has also had to deal with matters out of his hands as major signing Diego Carlos suffered a ruptured achilles and is now likely to miss the rest of the season.

There are concerns over Philippe Coutinho's role in the first team, with the playmaker still yet to provide an assist or a goal this season since making his move from Barcelona permanent in the summer after starring on loan at Villa Park.

A couple of interesting clashes come for Villa after the international break with trips to Leeds United and Nottingham Forest before a home meeting with Chelsea - and by that point the direction the West Midlands outfit are heading in under the former Rangers boss should be clearer.

Grade: C

BOURNEMOUTH
Position: 12th Points: 8

When looking at Bournemouth's start to the season it must be judged in context with many of the early season predictions for the Cherries, who were only promoted to the Premier League this term.

Namely before a ball had been kicked, many feared Bournemouth were doomed having spent little on the way of signings and showing a side that looked way out of its depth at Premier League level.

Since the season started, it has certainly not been dull and regardless of the high drama that's happened since, a mid-table spot on eight points is an excellent achievement so far even if it remains early days after just seven games.

Scott Parker had secured an opening day win but three straight defeats including the humiliating Premier League joint-record 9-0 defeat at Liverpool saw him depart just days later - although signs suggested there had been cracks between the former manager and the club's board over a lack of summer arrivals.

Gary O'Neil has been steadying the ship as interim boss, and has so far secured two draws and an excellent comeback win from 2-0 down at Nottingham Forest that could have huge implications come the end of the season in their potential battle to avoid relegation.

Having already played Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal there are concerns for Bournemouth, who have the worst goal difference in the league with -13 - with most of the damage coming from those three teams who collectively have beaten them 16-0.

That, though, offers up some kinder fixtures after the international break and a chance to build up a cushion above the relegation zone when they face a run of games against Brentford, Leicester, Fulham, Southampton and West Ham United.

Grade: B-

BRENTFORD
Position: 9th Points: 9

After making a bright start last season, momentum soon left Brentford during the second half of the campaign and it's not an outrageous suggestion to say they could have gone down had they not made the inspired signing of Christian Eriksen on a free transfer, whose sensational form helped keep the Bees out of trouble.

So once the Dane departed for Manchester United over the summer it was always going to be interesting to see how they would cope heading into the new season.

In a Premier League equivalent of sink or swim, Frank's side are so far showing excellent buoyancy with early season Premier League form marking them as a team not many will want to play rather than the pushovers perhaps many were expecting.

Admittedly, they head into the international break having been thumped 3-0 at home by Arsenal but there have been big wins too, namely the 5-2 victory over Leeds United and the stunning 4-0 demolition of Manchester United at home, of course.

Only the top three have scored more goals and it's led to Ivan Toney being called up to the England squad with his five Premier League strikes so far only bettered by goal machine Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Keeping goals out hasn't been as easy with 12 having already been conceded so far, and it's something boss Thomas Frank will have to address after the international break.

And that brings us to a new potential problem on the horizon. Frank has been linked with a move to Leicester should they dispense with Brendan Rodgers and if the highly popular manager does depart then Brentford will once again be entering new waters and another sink or swim situation.

Grade: B

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION
Position: 4th Points: 13

And among the early season Premier League title contenders are... (checks notes) erm, Brighton!

Of course, it's far too early to suggest Brighton could be serious challengers for a title shout but it does underline the excellent progress the club have been making since earning promotion in 2017.

While it's a surprise to see them in fourth spot, while still having a game in hand with the teams above them, this sort of burst of form has been coming for quite a while now following the groundwork put in by Graham Potter and his players.

Potter has got Brighton playing an excellent style of football and the only thing holding them back over the last year has been a star striker to finish off the abundance of chances they have been creating.

That striker still eludes them, but many players have stepped up in the interim to help fire the Seagulls into the top four. Their early season victories include a stunning 2-1 win on the opening day at Manchester United, as well as a 5-2 win over Leicester City at the start of September.

In many ways it's a shame to see Potter depart, not least because we will now never know just how far he could have taken this side, who have started to become a popular Premier League outfit among neutrals for their stylish play.

It reflects on Potter's abilities as a manager that Chelsea have taken the plunge to appoint him in a move that he really could not turn down as he looks to take a highly promising managerial career to another level.

Top four battles were never the target for Brighton despite their promising start - with or without Potter.

The relatively unknown Italian boss Roberto De Zerbi will take charge after the international break and he won't find a bigger test waiting for him than a trip to Anfield before hosting Tottenham.

Grade: A

CHELSEA
Position: 7th Points: 10

With a game in hand on their rivals, Chelsea's position in the Premier League is hardly disastrous but in the context ofheir summer business, form on the pitch and events off it, it's been nothing but chaos at Stamford Bridge.

Under new owner Todd Boehly the club backed Thomas Tuchel with a quarter of a billion pounds in the transfer window - and with that sort of outlay on players, Chelsea should have been a major force early in the season.

Instead, it's gone very flat, very quick. Successive summer striking flops Timo Werner and Romelu Lukaku have departed, being replaced in part by Raheem Sterling as well as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who arrived right on the deadline from Barcelona.

It looked an ideal signing for Tuchel with the striker he had worked with at Borussia Dortmund, yet after just an hour of game time the German was incredibly sacked following a 1-0 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League.

The result, while a shock European defeat, was only a small factor in his dismissal, with Tuchel and the Chelsea board having not been on the same level of understanding throughout the summer.

That begs the question of why the club would then still back him with funds, but Premier League form has not been convincing either, with narrow wins only coming against struggling sides Everton, Leicester City and West Ham, while they lost at Southampton and heavily at Leeds United.

The Blues also conceded a stoppage time equaliser at home to Tottenham in a bad-tempered clash that saw Tuchel earn a post-match red card after a scuffle with counterpart Antonio Conte. With over £250million spent, it's just not been good enough for a team who should be strong title contenders.

Potter is now in the hotseat following Tuchel's exit. His challenge will be getting results quickly - an interesting mission brief considering the Englishman's methods appear to rely on his side slowly progressing to his style of management.

Time will tell if he can get Chelsea firing quickly or if he will be given time to enforce his authority on the squad, but watching the experiment play out will be a fascinating story for the rest of the season.

Grade: D

CRYSTAL PALACE
Position: 16th Points: 6

It's not looking good for Crystal Palace in the early stages of the season, with just one win from their opening six games - yet there are plenty of reasons for Eagles fans to remain optimistic.

Firstly they have a game in hand on those around them. Another three points would see them into the top 10 so it's fine margins we are dealing with in the early stages of the season.

It may not look like the start of the season compared to the high praise manager Patrick Vieira was receiving last term, yet curiously Palace are only one point worse off at the same stage having played one game fewer.

Then you have to look at the fixtures that Palace have already played.

They have only suffered two defeats including a home loss by Arsenal on the opening night, as well as a 4-2 beating at Manchester City - and let's face it not many teams are going to go to the Etihad Stadium this season and leave with many points.

The sole win came at home to Aston Villa but probably the most impressive display so far has been the 1-1 draw secured at Anfield against Liverpool.

That means after just six games, Vieira's side have played half of the 'so-called' big six and have arguably already cleared the two hardest games of the season in trips to Manchester City and Liverpool.

There wasn't too much transfer business in the summer, with Cheick Doucoure arriving and settling well into the midfield.

Hard games continue to come after the international break, but the meeting with Chelsea is scheduled to be their last against a 'big six' team for the rest of 2022, giving Vieira's side a good chance of putting a strong set of results to push them up the table. They are certainly better than their current standings suggest.

Grade: C+

EVERTON
Position: 13th Points: 7

It's amazing to see the direction Everton have travelled over the last year. After seven games last term, the Toffees were two points off the top and flying under Rafa Benitez - hardly believable when you consider they ended the season having to perform a great escape to stay up under Frank Lampard.

So it's disingenuous to compare Everton now in terms of 12 months ago, but in isolation Lampard's outfit look a curious team this term.

To his credit, he has made Everton hard to beat following back-to-back defeats at the start of the season by Chelsea and Aston Villa.

The Villa game represents the only fixture where Everton have conceded two goals this term, and that any hard work on defending is paying off. Only Brighton have conceded fewer than their six goals.

Phase two now focuses on trying to score goals. Just the five have come so far, which is why they only won their first Premier League game of the season on Sunday as they beat West Ham 1-0.

Encouragingly, it was summer arrival Neal Maupay on target and he has big boots to fill following the £50million summer exit of talisman Richarlison to Tottenham Hotspur.

Still, after the dramatic escapades last term that helped them stay up, there are signs of progress under Lampard, with the team now looking much more organised - demonstrated by a well-battled point earned at home in the Merseyside derby against Liverpool.

It's not good enough for Everton but from the low base Lampard has had to start from it's certainly foundations to build on and you sense around the Toffees that fans are now starting to fully get behind the manager and his side as they look to continue their gradual improvement.

Grade: D+

FULHAM
Position: 6th Points: 11 

Fulham have been bouncing up and down between the top two divisions for the past five seasons now so their main hope is going through a Premier League season without getting relegated for the first time in a decade.

So far, it's all gone rather well. They enter the international break in sixth place and while that has caveats of teams below them having played one game fewer it is certainly a fair reflection on just how well they have started the season.

Not least because the fixtures have been tough, and yet they have only lost two games - even those were close affairs in defeats at Tottenham and Arsenal. In the latter they were good value for a point after taking the lead before conceding four minutes from the end.

But they have also played and held one of the early season title favourites to a 2-2 draw on the opening weekend of the season.

So having been given some serious tests already, Fulham are already holding their own on their return to the top flight - at least much more than any of their previous returns within the last five years.

Speaking of new found Fulham trademarks, there is more resilence to them this term too - most recently seen at Nottingham Forest where after going behind they responded after half-time with three goals in six minutes on their way to a 3-2 victory.

Despite their high placing early on in the season, the target is still to avoid yet another relegation from the top flight but the signs of achieving that are as good now as they have ever been.

Grade: A-

LEEDS UNITED
Position: 11th Points: 8

After escaping Premier League relegation on the final day of last season and having parted company with Marcelo Bielsa, Leeds fans will be under no illusion this could be a season of transition at Elland Road.

Or to put it another way, it's another season of trying not to get relegated following a summer where key stars have left the club.

England international Kalvin Phillips couldn't resist a high profile move to Manchester City, while Barcelona swooped in to snatch key attacker Raphinha, leaving Leeds a little blunted in attack while also lacking some midfield quality.

Bielsa's replacement in the dugout Jesse Marsch then has his work cut out but it's been a solid enough start to the season for the Elland Road outfit.

With the near £100million they have banked following the exit of Phillips and Raphinha, Leeds have strengthened with nine summer signings, and they are settling well with a headline result coming in the 3-0 victory over Chelsea.

Results so far suggest Leeds could tread water this term and if that means sticking in the lower reaches of mid-table that's not a terrible season - certainly an improvement on the last Premier League campaign.

Having lost key players in the summer it could be considered a success even, as the club enters a post0-Bielsa era while trying to maintain their top flight status they spent nearly two decades trying to get back after returning in 2020.

Grade: B-

Report cards for Leicester City, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers will be published in Part Two on Wednesday.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11230311/Your-teams-early-season-rated-Premier-League-report-card.html

[WhiteJC]

2022 World Cup: England's predicted XI from 2017 hasn't aged well

England's XI for the 2022 World Cup out in Qatar will be predicted by many over the next couple of months.

We're now tantalisingly close to the latest edition of sport's biggest tournament, which means fans and pundits alike will be weighing in with their opinions on who Gareth Southgate should field for the Three Lions' first group game against Iran.

It's always tough making such predictions, especially when you're making them five years before the tournament actually kicks off.

But that's exactly what The Mirror attempted in 2017. The publication named the 'brilliant' England XI for the 2022 World Cup and unsurprisingly, it hasn't aged well.

Let's run through their prediction...

GK – Jordan Pickford (Everton)
Okay, not the worst start. Pickford is currently England's number one goalkeeper thanks to his fine form at Everton and has previously shined for his country at major tournaments, Euro 2020 in particular.

RB – Joe Gomez (Liverpool)
Injuries have curtailed Gomez's career at both club and international level. The versatile defender has 11 England caps to his name, but hasn't represented the Three Lions since 2020 and will likely miss out on a spot in Southgate's World Cup squad.

CB – Dael Fry (Middlesbrough)
Fry was a regular in England's youth teams, however, he's yet to make the step up to senior level. The giant centre-back is also hasn't played a single game in the Premier League, having spent the vast majority of his career at Boro – aside from a short loan spell at Rotherham.

CB – Joel Latibeaudiere (Swansea City)
Like Fry, Latibeaudiere is yet to make an appearance in the Premier League, however, he does have an international cap to his name for Jamaica after switching allegiances earlier this year. The former Manchester City man may become a regular with the 'Reggae Boyz' in the near future.

LB – Kyle Walker-Peters (Southampton)
Not the worst shout to be fair. Walker-Peters has two England caps under his belt thanks to some fine displays in a Southampton shirt of late, but it's highly unlikely he'll be on the plane to Qatar later this year.

CM – Nathaniel Chalobah (Fulham)
Chalobah is currently one of England's one-cap wonders thanks to his brief cameo against Spain in 2018. But the chances of the Chelsea academy graduate earning a second are slim to none, although in football, we've learned not to rule anything out.

CM – Josh Onomah (Fulham)
Onomah represented England from U16 level all the way up to U21 and for a while, he was also excelling at Fulham after joining from Tottenham Hotspur. Now, the midfielder can't even get a game at Craven Cottage. He has at least been included in the club's 25-man Premier League squad list, though.

CM – Dele Alli (Besiktas)
In 2017, you'd have sworn Alli would go on to earn 100 England caps, but that hasn't turned out to be the case. After years of decline, the former Spurs midfielder is now playing for Besiktas and it's likely we'll never see him in a Three Lions jersey again.

CAM – Phil Foden (Manchester City)
A rare great shout in the XI. Foden is both the present and future of the England team, with his performances at City over the past year or so likely to secure him a starting berth at the 2022 World Cup.

ST – Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
England's current captain and soon-to-be record goalscorer. Yeah, we don't really need to say much more than that. Fair play, The Mirror...

ST – Rhian Brewster (Sheffield United)
So after two brilliant predictions, we finish with a dreadful one. Brewster was a star in England's youth ranks and was tipped for big things when he completed a £20 million move to Sheffield United from Liverpool. Sadly, he's scored just four goals in 56 games for the Blades, which is a truly damning stat...



https://www.givemesport.com/88060281-2022-world-cup-englands-predicted-xi-from-2017-hasnt-aged-well

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Reporter provides update on when Elliot Anderson will return for Newcastle

Newcastle United will hope that Elliot Anderson returns from injury in time to face Fulham next month.

When the teamsheet was released on Saturday for the game against Bournemouth, it was a real shock to see that Anderson was missing.

The teenager has been a real bright spark this season, leading to calls for him to be included in Eddie Howe's starting XI.

However, Anderson wasn't involved at all against the Cherries. After the game, Howe confirmed that the 19-year-old had a minor injury.

He was a real miss, with Newcastle having no game-changers in reserve. The Magpies need to create more chances in their next game, an away trip to Craven Cottage on October 1st.

And the Athletic's Chris Waugh has provided an update on whether or not Anderson will be involved versus Fulham.

Waugh on when Anderson will return
On the latest episode of the Athletic's Pod On The Tyne, Waugh discussed when Newcastle's injured players will return.

It doesn't sound good regarding Allan Saint-Maximin, but we should be seeing Callum Wilson and Anderson soon after the international break.

"I think Saint-Maximin – maybe another game or two, but Callum Wilson will be back [against Fulham]," he said.

"Elliot Anderson's injury is minor so he should be back involved hopefully as well. So that's a significant positive."

Newcastle really need Anderson during ASM absence
With the Magpies likely set to be without Saint-Maximin for the game against Fulham and possibly the fixture after, it's vital that Anderson returns from injury.

The academy graduate is a creative spark who is capable of creating chances. He's done exactly that in every Premier League cameo he's enjoyed this season.

That's what Newcastle were missing against Bournemouth, with Howe's side unable to break down a stubborn Cherries team.

If Anderson had been involved, perhaps the outcome could have been different. But instead fans watched on as Miguel Almiron, Ryan Fraser and then Jacob Murphy failed to have impact in the final third.

Newcastle were limp in attack at the weekend, and the continued absence of Saint-Maximin is a real issue. Hopefully the return of Anderson can ease some of our attacking concerns.



https://www.geordiebootboys.com/news/reporter-provides-update-on-when-elliot-anderson-will-return-for-newcastle/

[Deeping_white]

This one is from the Athletic today and it's about Willian so I thought I'd drop it into here as well:

Willian on walking away from Arsenal, studying to be an agent and playing at 40

Willian has spent an hour talking about some of the stories from his remarkable career when he reveals what he wants to do after he retires from football.

"I want to be a football agent," he tells The Athletic. "I have started studying, just slowly. I can't do too much now because I'm still playing. But I am learning so when I finish I will go into that.

"I have had a lot of experiences I can take with me into the profession. It's hard for young players and I want to help them. I want to give my advice, to explain what to do in certain situations."

Fulfilling that ambition is still some way off — Willian is loving being back in the Premier League having just signed for Fulham, his third London club — but few players are better equipped to become an agent, given the variety of events he has been through.

It's the 2019-20 season and Willian is performing as well as ever for Chelsea. Talks about a new contract break down, though, because the club are offering only a two-year deal whereas rivals Arsenal are prepared to pay him a weekly wage of £200,000 ($228,000) over three years to join them as a free agent.

Despite seven very happy years at Stamford Bridge, he opts for the extra security Arsenal provide. Within 12 months, though, he decides to walk away for nothing, saving Arsenal millions.

"I think I'm maybe the only player who has done something like this," he says with a self-deprecating smile. "Any other player in my situation would have stayed until the end of the contract and kept picking up the money. But I'm not like this. Money is not the most important thing in the world. I have to feel good, to feel motivated to go to training. I wasn't having that there so I decided to leave."

Statistics aren't the only way to judge a player but a return of one goal and seven assists in 37 appearances was way down on the kind of numbers Willian was expected to produce in north London.

The 34-year-old doesn't want to go into all the details over why the move didn't work out but did provide one of the causes for his struggles.

"For most of the season, we were playing without fans (because of COVID-19)," he says. "I didn't see Arsenal fans. Maybe I needed to feel the buzz of the crowd, that it was something I missed. It was a difficult moment not just for me, but for everyone in the world. To play without fans at a new club is not easy.

"On my last day there, I spoke with the manager Mikel Arteta. I thanked him a lot for what he had done for me, for bringing me to Arsenal. I just wished him all the best. He is a good manager and I have great respect for Arsenal. They are doing well, they have good players. They can achieve good things this season."


The chance to go back to his first club, Corinthians in Brazil, was another factor behind the decision to walk away from the lucrative agreement he had with Arsenal. Still, those close to him, including wife Vanessa, needed some convincing it was the right thing to do.

"It was a really long conversation with her," he admits, breaking into laughter at the memory of the exchange. "A lot of people said to me, 'Are you crazy?! You have to stay, you can't lose this money'. There were a lot who told me this, even people from Brazil. They'd say, 'Don't come, don't come, you have to stay! You're crazy!'. But it was something I wanted to try, to play for Corinthians, the club I grew up playing for. So that's why I left. I was comfortable with my choice."

Unfortunately, this decision didn't pay off either. Corinthians fans weren't satisfied with his tally of one goal and six assists in 45 games, although Willian is adamant he was judged unfairly.

"I was playing well at Corinthians," he says. "The numbers weren't the ones I expected in terms of goals and assists, but I still think my performances were good. I had some problems with injury and adapting to a different country. There were a lot of games, every three days. I had no time to rest. Also the pitches there were not the best, not like here. I had some difficult moments but, in terms of helping the team and doing the things I usually do, it was the same Willian from the Premier League. But people there just looked at the goals and assists. They didn't look at what I was doing for the team.

"Football is not just about goals and assists. These days, it seems people are just looking for that in terms of judging a player. For example, sometimes you can play unbelievably, and you don't score or make an assist. People then just say, 'You played horribly' or 'You're not good enough'. Sometimes you can have a player who touches the ball just five times, scores twice and it's like, 'This guy was amazing, blah, blah, blah'. It is like this in football, especially in Brazil."

Willian in action for Corinthians
Willian's time at Corinthians last season was disrupted by injury (Photo: Alexandre Schneider/Getty Images)
Like many players judged to be underperforming in modern times, Willian was on the receiving end of abuse on social media. Some of it took a more threatening and sinister turn.

"The situation in Brazil was difficult when we lost a few games," he says. "In one game, I didn't have my best performance and people started to go on social media and attacked my family. From there, I started to think about leaving Corinthians and going back to England. I have friends here, players I played with, telling me to come back. I also knew the Premier League was the best in the world.

"The past year in Brazil I did a lot of thinking — do I want to live there or in England? I have no doubts about that now, I have to live in London. My family loves it here, I love it here. I have friends, everyone is here. London is my home. It is the place I love to be. I have everything here.

"As a family, we feel we can enjoy life here. If you have a bad result, it's not going to have a bad impact on your personal life. In Brazil, if you lose a game you can't leave your house. You have to stay home, you can't go to a restaurant afterwards. That's the difference."

It takes some bravery to admit you've made a mistake, as Willian did in successive years over those transfers to Arsenal and Corinthians. But then this is a man who showed from an early age a willingness to make a big call.

Willian had just turned 19 when he left the home comforts of Brazil and Corinthians for the first time. Despite only one full season of regular first-team football, there were already a few offers from clubs abroad. One of those came from Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine. Understandably, the teenager took some convincing.

"I had played just 10 months as a pro," he explains. "I remember I was in a conversation with my dad about some offers from Europe. Shakhtar was one of them. I told him, 'I don't want to go to Ukraine, it's too cold there!'. But Shakhtar kept insisting I should visit, just to see what it was like. So I went there with my dad for three days to see the training ground and the city.

"We liked it, the project, everything. They were playing in the Champions League every season, there were other Brazilians playing there like Luiz Adriano and Fernandinho. On my last day, they could see I still wasn't sure. A director saw my face and could see the doubt. He asked, 'What do you want to stay, more money or what?'. I said, 'It's not about money, it's such a big move to make from Brazil to Ukraine. It is so different'. But I decided to sign the contract because I was thinking it was the best place to play in the Champions League and then I could go somewhere else afterwards, like England or Spain. It's a good door there to go to a big league.

"I ended up staying five and a half years. It was supposed to be just two, that was the target set in my mind. It took me one year to adapt to everything, the language, the cold, the training. It was difficult. The winter was brutal, it would be -20C (-4F) outside. But it was a good time. We had a very good team. We beat Chelsea in the Champions League (in 2012). I won so many trophies (eight — four league titles, three Ukrainian Cups and the UEFA Cup)."

Shakhtar haven't played a game at their own ground in Donetsk since 2014 due to Russia's attack on Ukraine, a conflict that increased in ferocity earlier this year. They play their home domestic fixtures in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv now but have remained competitive. They qualified for this season's Champions League and picked up four points from their first two group games (home matches are being played in Warsaw, Poland).

Naturally, Willian is thinking about his former club and what they're going through. "I still know a few of the people there," he says. "I played with Darijo Srna and he is director of football there now. A few of the players are still there, the captain Andriy Pyatov and Taras Stepanenko.

"It is a difficult situation for them. I feel sad for them and Ukraine because there are good people there — it's a good country, a country that wants to improve. It's a very difficult situation."

Willian didn't get the move to a bigger club from Shakhtar in the end. He had a brief spell at Russia's Anzhi Makhachkala first. But then the Premier League came calling in 2013.

He must have been asked about it numerous times but Willian continues to take great delight in discussing how he ended up choosing Chelsea over Tottenham Hotspur. He is also very much aware Chelsea supporters turned the saga into a chant.

Spurs were convinced Willian was going to become their player but somehow lost out to their rivals at the 11th hour. So what exactly happened? The 34-year-old was more than happy to reminisce.

He says: "I was in London for two weeks, waiting, waiting for Tottenham to decide because they were in a situation where Gareth Bale was in the process of leaving them to join Real Madrid. Liverpool were also interested. I wasn't sure about Chelsea. They'd shown interest but it wasn't so firm at first.

"Chelsea came on the day I was going to sign the contract with Spurs. I was at Tottenham's training ground to finalise the deal when the call came. My agent said to me, 'Chelsea just called me and they want you'. I said, 'OK, I want to go there!'. Then I left the training ground and went back to the hotel. It was a difficult situation because I'd agreed more or less to join Spurs. But in my mind was only Chelsea. Once the deal between Anzhi and Chelsea was agreed, I only wanted to go there. It was the best decision of my career."

Willian's most successful time in England came during seven years with Chelsea between 2013 and 2020 (Photo: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
Such a statement is justified. He won five major trophies, including their most recent two Premier League trophies in 2015 and 2017. There was also a very credible 63 goals and 62 assists in 336 appearances — better than one goal involvement every three games.

Willian was accustomed to Chelsea going through lots of changes, playing under five head coaches in seven years. But seeing what's transpired there in 2022 has taken some getting used to, with owner Roman Abramovich selling to the Todd Boehly-Clearlake consortium after being sanctioned by the UK government in March. Influential director Marina Granovskaia has gone too.

"I couldn't believe it when this situation happened," he says. "For me, when you talk about Chelsea, you just see Roman and Marina. It's been difficult for everyone inside the club.

"But this is where (former team-mate) Cesar Azpilicueta will help. He is a very good player, an important one for the club. He's been there for 10 years. With his experience, he can help the young players that play there at the moment."

This month saw another change of manager, with Thomas Tuchel replaced by Graham Potter. Willian believes Azpilicueta's presence will help during this upheaval as well.

"He knows what to do in this situation," Willian continues. "Chelsea is a big club, one of the best in the world. Every year, Chelsea are fighting for something, even if they change a manager. They are always there. In the seven years I was there, I had Jose Mourinho, Guus Hiddink, Antonio Conte, Maurizio Sarri and Frank Lampard. It almost become normal. But it didn't stop us, we always fought for something.

"It's hard to win the Premier League. It's even harder now because of Manchester City. It is the team everyone wants to beat, Liverpool too. But this season there are a lot of teams who have improved, so it will be harder for everyone."

On February 4, Willian is due to play at Chelsea, form and availability permitting, for the first time since he left in 2020. He was an unused substitute when Arsenal won 1-0 there last year.

Fulham fans will be desperate for victory. It is arguably their biggest fixture of the season, given the lack of regard they hold for their neighbours, who reside a few miles away from Craven Cottage.

They shouldn't worry about Willian having split loyalties. "I won't have a problem," he says. "If I have to score against them, I will score. I won't celebrate, I have to respect them. I was there for seven years, I have big respect for the club and the fans. But I will still play my hardest against them and do my best for Fulham. The supporters have made me and my family feel so welcome. I really appreciated the response I got from them when I signed. I want to repay them."

After being hounded out of Corinthians, what kind of Willian can Fulham expect?

It was Fulham who made the biggest push to sign Willian when he opted to leave Corinthians this summer. After initially training with them for a few weeks, both parties were convinced it was a move they wanted to happen.

One of the things that helped convince Willian was seeing the fine football they're playing under Marco Silva at close hand and the way they have started the Premier League season. Most pundits predicted them to be relegated but they are in sixth place, one point above Chelsea.

Willian is already making an impact. On the Brazilian's first start for his new side, he helped them secure a 3-2 win at Nottingham Forest. He delivered the corner that Tosin Adarabioyo headed home to level the scores at 1-1 and then played a crucial role in the build-up for Joao Palhinha's strike to put Fulham in the lead. It was his off-the-ball run that helped create space for Harrison Reed's goal in the 60th minute, too.

"The first two or three sessions at Fulham were very different and something I had to get used to again," he says. "They were different from what I was doing in Brazil. Over there, the football is calmer. Here it is more strong, fast. I had to adapt again but it's been great for me. I am very happy to be here.

Willian is playing for his third London club and feels at home in England's capital city (Photo: Simon Johnson)
"Before I signed, I had some conversations with the manager about everything — the positions I can play, the way the team is playing. He is a very good coach and also a nice guy. I can play everywhere, on the left flank, the right and as a No 10 as well. At Chelsea, I played more on the right but I don't have a problem where I play.

"We are doing well at the moment, the team is playing good. It's a club that can't keep going up, down, up and down again. This year, Fulham can do good things, first of all by staying in the Premier League and then fighting for a good position in the table.

"One of my motivations is to help them become an established team in the Premier League. I'm a player who always wants to compete, fight for something. That's why I also want Fulham to fight for something."

One of the reasons Fulham have begun so well is striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, who has scored six goals in seven Premier League matches. Willian already likes what he sees from the Serbian.

"Aleksandar is a very good player," he says. "He reminds me of Didier Drogba and Diego Costa. He is strong, he can hold the ball, can attack space and can score goals like them. We have an understanding already and are trying to build it even more. Every week and every game we play together, it will come."

Fulham gave Willian only a one-year contract but if he does well then an extension is possible. He knows there are doubters who think his best days are behind him after his spells with Arsenal and Corinthians. But he is convinced he can play for some time yet, pointing to Brazil team-mate Thiago Silva, who is excelling at Chelsea (he turns 38 this week) as an example to follow.

"I have a lot more to show," he says. "I can still play at a good level. That's why I wanted to come back to England because I know I can play for at least another two or three years here. I'm 34 now but still have a lot to offer.

"My primary focus is not proving it to those who doubt me. I need to prove it to myself and the people around me, my family and friends. I want to prove myself every day, in training, every game, that I can still play at a high level.

"How long do I think I can play for? Maybe until I'm 39-40. I'm going year by year. Playing in the Premier League is difficult to play until you're 40. But I look at Thiago Silva. He's 38. He's playing good. He is an inspiration for me. We are close and we will hang out in London together now I am back."

The chances of prolonging his career will be helped by no international football. Willian won the last of his 70 caps for Brazil in 2019 and although he hasn't officially retired or given up on making the World Cup squad, he accepts it is very unlikely he will feature for them again.

But as our conversation comes to an end, you can see just how much he is looking forward to making England his permanent home. He has British citizenship, which requires a test, so can stay for as long as he wants. It took three attempts to pass the exam but it was clearly well worth it.

"This is where I belong," he concludes. "The family is happy and I want to protect my family. They are the most important people in my life."