Saturday Fulham Stuff - 07/10/23...

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Silva: We'll have to work hard to beat Sheffield United'
Marco Silva insists his Fulham side will have to 'work hard' to beat the bottom side Sheffield United in their Premier League clash tomorrow afternoon.

The Blades have only collected a single point from their first seven fixtures after winning promotion back to the top flight last season, but Silva knows Paul Heckingbottom's men will be smarting from conceding ten goals in their last two outings – even if last week's defeat at West Ham was far tighter than the 8-0 hammering handed out by Newcastle United a week earlier.

"We will have to work really hard to win the game. That's the way that we have to think, is the way that our fans have to approach the game as well, and our players. We have to really respect Sheffield United, they want to really get a good result to achieve what they want from the match, and we want the same.

It's always tough against Sheffield United, we know how they come here always with the two strikers, in any moment of the game ready to try to punish you. They have the capacity, even if you press them high, to go more direct for one of the target men, and after to explore in behind. They prepare well for second balls and they are always a threat in set-pieces as well. We have to be really focused on the game and, of course, put the game in the areas that we are strong, and to play in our way.

For sure, they want to react from the last ones, but we want the same, we want to react from the last match against Chelsea and we want to fight really hard for the three points, and we want to play better than the last one. We cannot repeat that first half. Second half was completely different against Chelsea but we have to really start different and be more consistent during the 90 minutes instead of just reacting second half, which is what we want to see tomorrow on the pitch."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/10/silva-well-have-to-work-hard-to-beat-sheffield-united/

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Up next: Sheffield United (h)
Both Marco Silva and Tom Cairney have demanded a response following Fulham's dire derby display on Monday night and you'd imagine that winless Sheffield United, currently bringing up the rear of the Premier League table and without a win all season, might just be licking their lips at the prospect of this afternoon's trip to Craven Cottage. The Whites have looked about as far removed from the side that surprised everyone last season with the loss of Aleksandar Mitrovic turning them in a slightly more effective version of the side that struggled during Scott Parker's soporific final season in charge.

The statistics seem to bear that out – although, even without the hulking Serbian, you'd expect Silva's side to beat the nine league goals at the Craven Cottage by May. Precisely where they will come from, though, is a very good question. It is not too much of exaggeration to say that Fulham could have carried on playing against Chelsea throughout the we've just been through and may not have found the net. Raul jimenez has come in for plenty of brickbats but the Mexican has barely had a chance in his last couple of outings which makes it difficult to break his barren goalscoring run, which now stretches to thirty games. There's been a groundswell of support for starting Carlos Vincius but the Brazilian's all-round game isn't up to the level required to start as a lone striker in the Premier League and Rodrigo Muniz still looks too raw. The folly of falling to replace Mitrovic following his move to Saudi Arabia is, unfortunately, all too evident.

The lack of creativity in a Fulham side that was far too easily overrun by our out-of-form neighbours should lead to changes this afternoon. The Whites perked up once Tom Cairney was introduced from the bench and the Scot has already shown that he can be very effective in a side set up to play to his strengths. Fulham haven't held or utilised the ball effectively enough this season, so playing the club's most proficient passer would be a plus, especially with his penchant for prising open miserly defences. Paul Heckingbottom's side will probably opt to to operate on the counter-attack, which makes Cairney's eye for a pass all the more important. Who the captain comes in for would be up for debate, but I'd consider playing him in the deep-lying central midfield role alongside Joao Palhinha so he can dictate the pace of Fulham's attacks as well as being available to take the ball from the centre backs.

But mere changes in personnel won't be enough to get the Whites back on the right track. Silva's side were far too passive for a derby on Monday night – and the contest was effectively over after they conceded two goals in a minute. Fulham's football this term has been devoid of the intensity and thrust that put opponents on the back foot when they returned to the top tier. Think of the assertive and expansive play that rocked Liverpool in that outstanding display on the opening weekend of the season or even how easily the hosts cut through Leicester City in the closing weeks of the campaign. None of the three key figures behind Jimenez have cut the mustard: Willian still looks off the pace, Andreas Pereira seems a shadow of the busy number ten who became an automatic selection early in his Fulham career, and Harry Wilson has been too peripheral for a player of his undoubted talent. The work ethic of Bobby Decordova-Reid alone should earn the Jamaican another chance, whilst Alex Iwobi has surely done enough to get his first league start. The fluidity of Fulham's forward line was one of the reasons why the Whites were so successful last year – and shaking things up a bit, even though Silva has been loyal to his key players in the past, is surely merited.

The Blades have had a brutal start to their return to the top flight. Paul Heckingbottom's plans will have been thrown into disarray by the depature of Iliman Ndiaye, scorer of their stunning winner in SW6 two seasons ago, and it is no surprise that they have lacked the killer instinct up top in the aftermath of the Senegalese international's move to Marseilles. United, who could certainly do with Benie Traore finding the form that saw him score twleve times in fourteen league outings for Hacken earlier this year, will be cheered by the fact that record signing Rhian Brewster made his return at West Ham last week after eleven infuriating months on the sidelines with a groin injury. The Premier League is as unforgiving as it comes, but Heckingbottom's side have been far more competitive than their results suggests – cruelly having three points snatched away from them in stoppage time at Spurs last month.

Questions over Heckingbottom's future seem exceptionally harsh since he put the Blades back on track for promotion after Slavisa Jokanovic's abrupt departure from south Yorkshire admist plenty of boardroom uncertainty. He should be lauded for his sense of adventure, too, having picked Gus Hamer, James McAtee and Cameron Archer in his recent line-ups, even if it hasn't yet had the desired effect. That's far more refreshing than parking the bus and hoping for the best. United have also been dealing with a lengthy injury list, to which John Egan's name has to be added after the centre half limped off at the London Stadium. Heckingbottom is already without George Baldock, Will Osula, Rhys Norrington-Davies, John Fleck and Max Lowe whilst Tom Davies, introduced from the bench in the Blades' last three fixtures, is doubtful.

Both Silva and Heckingbottom agree that it is far too early for fixtures to be deemed must-wins – even if these does feel like a bit of a six-pointer already, merely for the boost in confidence it would deliver to the victor.

MY FULHAM XI (4-2-3-1): Leno; Catagne, Ballo-Toure, Diop, Ream; Palhinha, Cairney; Decordova-Reid, Iwobi, Pereira; Jimenez. Subs: Rodak, Bassey, de Fougerolles, Reed, Lukic, Wilson, Willian, Vinicius, Muniz.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/10/up-next-sheffield-united-h-2/

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Lanquedoc brace fires Fulham U21s past Foxes
Imani Lanquedoc ended twelve months of injury frustration with a brilliant brace in his first academy start since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament as Fulham's under 21s earned immediate revenge for last week's defeat at the hands of Leicester City by thrashing the Foxes 4-0 in the Premier League Cup last night.

This dominant victory, coupled with the 6-1 walloping of local rivals Brentford at Woking last month, means Hayden Mullins' men sit top of Group G after two games – having hit ten goals – and head into the international break in high spirits having put the disappointment of their first defeat of the season well and truly behind them. Lanquedoc was in an attacking starting line-up alongside sixteen year-old midfielder Josh King, who marked his debut at under-21 level with a goal of his own, and the Whites took the attack to their opposition from the outset.

An open encounter saw the in-form Ollie O'Neill test the reactions of Leicester keeper Arlo Doherty from a Devan Tanton cross before the recalled Alfie McNally produced a superb save to prevent Silko Thomas from heading the visitors into the lead. Instead, the Whites went in front through Lanquedoc who headed majestically into the net after a prodigious leap saw him connect with another dangerous Tanton delivery from the right flank.

The goal sparked an intense period of concerted Fulham pressure with Luke Harris going close on two ocassions and O'Neill being thwarted by a fine goal-saving challenge. The visitors did well to hold firm, but could do nothing to prevent the talented King, whose energy has enlivened the under-18s midfield for Fulham and England already this season, getting on the scoresheet with a venomous volley after Lanquedoc turned provider on the quarter hour mark. The schoolboy could easily have scored another when he surged onto a lovely Lanquedoc pass just before the half hour but King's shot was bravely blocked by a Foxes defender.

Kristian Šekularac, operating as a lone striker again, should have made it three just before the break following a flowing move that featured the vision of O'Neill and Harris but the former Juventus youngster fired fractionally over the crossbar. Half time provided some respite for a beleaguered Leicester defence, but Mullins' men increased their lead three minutes after the interval. Doherty saved well from Lanquedoc but could only parry the ball into the path of Harris, who slotted into the unguarded net from the follow-up.

The Welsh midfielder somehow shot against the bar when it seemed simpler to score a couple of minutes later after being teed up by the unselfish Šekularac – but Harris kept his emotions in check far better than a frustrated Thomas. The Leicester striker was shown a straight red card for lashing out at a Fulham defender and the hosts quickly made their numerical advantage pay as Lanquedoc capped the perfect return by a converting a Šekularac pass to make it 4-0.

The Foxes still tried to play their way back into the contest with McNally called upon to hold a deflected shot from Amani Richards, who had impressively accelerated away from Brad de Jesus, and then repelled a fine effort from the lively winger before making way for another debutant Oscar Varney in the closing stages of what was a fine return to winning ways for the young Whites.

FULHAM UNDER 21s (4-2-3-1): McNally (Varney 88); Tanton, de Jesus, de Fougerolles (Okkas 64), Esenga; Dibley-Dias (Donnell 64), King; Lanquedoc (Williams 64), O'Neill, Harris; Šekularac. Subs (not used): Osmand.

GOALS: Lanquedoc (10, 57), King (15), Harris (48).

LEICESTER CITY UNDER 21s (3-4-2-1): Doherty; Nelson, Wilson-Brown, Appiah; Cartwright (Hughes 78), Raikhy (Godsmark-Ford 45), Cover, Hill (Pennant 59); Richards, Wayna Marçal (Ewing 79); Thomas. Subs (not used): Young.

BOOKED: Appiah.

SENT OFF: Thomas.

REFEREEE: Matthew Russell.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/10/lanquedoc-brace-fires-fulham-u21s-past-foxes/

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Fulham dressing room verdict on Sheffield United speaks volumes amid Blades' struggles
Sheffield United head to Fulham bottom of the Premier League and with the worst defensive record in the division

No team in the Premier League has faced more shots (156) than Sheffield United this season. Despite Wes Foderingham's best efforts in goal, the Blades boast the worst defensive record in the division.

Three successive defeats has left United rooted to the foot of the table. They were trounced 8-0 by Newcastle United at Bramall Lane a fortnight ago and lost 2-0 at West Ham United last time out.

Paul Heckingbottom's team head to the capital to take on Fulham this afternoon still seeking their first win of the season. But Cottagers midfielder Tom Cairney is refusing to take United lightly.

"I think everyone has seen the result they had against Newcastle," he said. "Sometimes you get those freak results.

"Bournemouth did last year against Liverpool away, it was 9-0. Everyone tipped them to have a really bad season, but they ended up having a really good one.

"Any Premier League team is going to be hard to beat, but we've got to look at ourselves and hopefully go into the international break with a win."

Cairney hopes United will still be suffering a hangover from their thrashing at the hands of Newcastle United. The 32-year-old, a one-time Blades transfer target, said: "It's got to affect your confidence a bit. It has to — it's a big defeat. But at the same time, it can inspire them to make sure that doesn't happen.

"When I've played Sheffield United over the years, they've always been a hard team to play against. I don't think Saturday will be any different. It'll be a tough, tough game. The spine of their team is still quite old. They've been there a while."

Heckingbottom will have to make one enforced change to his starting XI, with John Egan facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to injury. Striker Rhian Brewster is pushing for a start after his West Ham cameo.

On facing Fulham, Heckingbottom said: "They've not changed since the season they went up in terms of approach, there have been subtle changes to it more around the personnel because they have gradually improved the squad.

"They were very strong in the Championship when they went up, improved and did really well in the Premier League and tried to improve again this season as well. We pretty much know the tactical set up of how it's going to be. A good team with some good players so we're going to have to be very strong without the ball and also really good with it to have our moments."



https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/football/news/fulham-dressing-room-sheffield-united-27857053

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City's Development Squad Beaten By The Cottagers
Fulham Under-21s emerged as 4-0 victors in Friday night's Premier League Cup clash with Leicester City's Development Squad.

The Foxes returned to Motspur Park exactly a week on from defeating the West London side 3-1 in Premier League 2, recording a first away triumph of the season in the process.

This time around, it was the home side who came out on top, with Imani Jamal Lanquedoc opening the scoring 10 minutes in. Josh King added a second on the quarter-hour mark to double the advantage.

Just three minutes after the interval, Luke Harris put the game beyond doubt and Silko Thomas' red card did not help matters for the side coached by Ben Petty. Lanquedoc completed his brace before the hour-mark to round off the scoring.

The result leaves City bottom of Group G, yet to get off the mark in the Premier League Cup following two matches. Attention turns to the EFL Trophy on Tuesday, with Tranmere Rovers the opposition at Prenton Park on matchday two (7pm BST kick-off).

The details
City: Doherty; Nelson, Appiah, Wilson-Brown; Cover, Raikhy (Godsmark-Ford 46'), Cartwright (Hughes 78'), Hill (Pennant 59'); Richards, Marçal (Ewing 79'), Thomas.

Sub not used: Young.



https://www.lcfc.com/news/3725971/citys-development-squad-beaten-by-the-cottagers?lang=en

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