Sunday Fulham Stuff - 08/10/23...

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Results

Saturday
Luton	0-1	Spurs
Burnley	1-4	Chelsea
Everton	3-0	Bournemouth
Fulham	3-1	Sheff Utd
De Cordova-Reid (53' minutes) Foderingham (76' minutes og) Willian (90'+2 minutes)
Man Utd	2-1	Brentford
Palace	0-0	Forest

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Fulham 3-1 Sheffield United

Sheffield United have conceded six goals in the last 15 minutes of Premier League games this season - no team has conceded more

Bottom side Sheffield United's search for a first win of the season continued as Tom Cairney's bizarre strike helped Fulham to victory in a match overshadowed by a severe injury to Blades captain Chris Basham.

The game at Craven Cottage was stopped for 13 minutes midway through the first half as Basham received treatment, the centre-back raising a thumb to the crowd as he left the field on a stretcher before being taken to hospital.

Bobby De Cordova-Reid eventually scored a deserved opener for the hosts after 54 minutes, slotting past Wes Foderingham following an excellent pass by Andreas Pereira.

United, far more competitive after regrouping at the interval, were rewarded for a positive response to that setback when Antonee Robinson diverted substitute Yasser Larouci's cross from the left into his own net.

But Foderingham was left helpless when Fulham substitute Cairney slipped as he took aim from the edge of the area, causing his attempt to loop up and hit the underside of the crossbar, before going in off the United goalkeeper.

Willian put the result beyond doubt in stoppage time as Fulham rose one place to 12th, while United remain rooted to the foot of the Premier League table after seven defeats in eight games.

Deserved win for wasteful Fulham
Fulham boss Marco Silva called for a response from his players following a passive performance in defeat by Chelsea on Monday.

While they produced a significantly more purposeful display here, for large periods a lack of quality in front of goal threatened to prove costly.

Making his first league start since joining Fulham from Everton in September, Alex Iwobi followed up his positive substitute appearance on Monday with an influential display in the hosts' midfield.

Creating chances was not an issue and Willian's movement caused United problems, but Pereira's rushed attempt from the winger's cutback epitomised a first half of frustration for Fulham.

Fortunately for the home supporters, their side managed to secure a deserved victory after the break - but only after Robinson's unfortunate own goal had brought further concern with 20 minutes of regular time remaining.

They got the luck they needed when Cairney's shot squeezed past Foderingham and, after Harry Wilson had struck the post, Willian's low drive ensured there would be no late drama and secured Silva his 50th win as a Premier League manager.

Blades' difficult start goes on
There can be no overestimating the impact Basham's injury will have had on the Sheffield United players.

The visitors had struggled to make an impact even before then. But, having managed to get to half-time level, they emerged from the break with renewed belief.

Paul Heckingbottom's side failed to attempt a shot in the first half as Fulham pushed for a deserved opener - and they were grateful to see Pereira blaze over at close range with the best chance before half-time.

Oli McBurnie had headed directly at Bernd Leno after being left unmarked at a corner, before Robinson's misfortune reignited hopes of a first victory.

Auston Trusty was adamant Carlos Vinicius should have received further punishment for grabbing his neck, but Fulham were deserved winners in the end.

And while this latest defeat added further pressure on Heckingbottom and his players going into the international break, it is the injury to Basham that will be of immediate concern.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66969159

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Post-Sheffield United Press Conference

It was three goals and three points for Marco Silva's side as they brushed past Sheffield United at the Cottage.

After a goalless first-half, Bobby De Cordova-Reid opened the scoring and – after an own goal briefly brought the scores level – strikes from Tom Cairney and Willian made it an enjoyable afternoon.

"Job done and well done in my opinion," Marco said. "We deserved three points, it was an important win for us and in some moments, very well played from ourselves.

"We analysed them (Sheffield United) of course, and in some games they play away from home, they have been tough to beat.

"We created a very good number of chances first-half. Unfortunately, again, we didn't score but the players, they believed, they kept the plan and after we scored in the second-half, they deserved the three points."

The first-half was marred by a serious injury to Blades captain Chris Basham, whose medical attention led to 14 minutes of additional time.

"Let's talk first about Chris Basham. A sad moment that he had in that situation. Myself and we as a football club, we wish him all the best and a fast recovery from the bad injury that he had.

"Of course, he's going to have the support from the most important people to him: that's family, friends and, of course, his football club."

Antonee Robinson's 68th-minute OG was preceded by an injury to Issa Diop moments earlier, which forced the centre-back to limp off.

"He heard a crack in his foot. They're assessing him. Let's see what's going to be in the report. It doesn't look good but we have to wait.

"We have to learn from that situation when Issa went down in that moment. We have to be much more ruthless in that type of situation. It was an unlucky moment from ourselves, but we should have done much better.

"But the reaction was good and congratulations to our players. They deserve the three points."

A fine day's work was capped off in the 92nd minute by Willian's goal, which kickstarted his personal tally for the season.

"He's a class player and you know the incredible quality he's got. I already know what he's capable of doing.

"It was probably one of his best games of the season so far and I'm really pleased for him. With the quality he has, we have to keep getting the best from him."



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2023/october/07/post-sheffield-united-press-conference/

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Sheffield United captain Chris Basham suffers a horrific leg injury against Fulham with veteran defender requiring oxygen before being taken away in an ambulance

    Chris Basham's lower leg appeared to snap during the game at Craven Cottage
    He was given oxygen before being placed on a stretcher and taken to a hospital

Chris Basham is set to be ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering a nasty ankle injury against Fulham during Sheffield United's defeat at Craven Cottage.

Midway through the first half, Basham's standing left leg gave way as he stretched to cross the ball with his right foot.

'No-one wants to see that ever and when you're involved in it and it's one of your players it's far far worse,' said Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom. 'There's no diagnosis (yet) but everyone's seen the pictures. It's terrible. It's horrific,' he added.

Play was stopped as United's medical team rushed onto the pitch, with Fulham's medical team also coming onto the field to help during a 13-minute stoppage before Basham was stretchered off and taken to St George's Hospital in London.

The full ground stood and applauded Basham - who was captain in the absence of John Egan - while the travelling support chanted 'There's only one Chris Basham' as he was receiving medical care. He managed to give a thumbs up as he was taken to the ambulance.

WARNING - GRAPHIC CONTENT

Sheffield United captain Chris Basham suffered a gruesome lower leg injury against Fulham
 

Physios and medics surrounded the stricken defender and players appeared visibly shocked

'He's where he needs to be, with the doctors and medics in hospital. It's something that you never want to see. Everyone knows how popular he is and everyone will be thinking about him,' Heckingbottom added.

'A sad moment for Chris Basham. Myself and we as a football club wish him all the best and a fast recovery from that bad injury that he had,' said Fulham manager Marco Silva. 'We wish him all the best.'


Basham was taken to an ambulance and escorted to hospital, where he will undergo tests
 

Veteran Basham was making his 394th appearance for the club but faces a lengthy spell out



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-12605255/Sheffield-United-Chris-Basham-leg-injury-Fulham-defender-ambulance.html

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Fulham 3-1 Sheffield United: Own goals galore as Basham blow overshadows Craven Cottage classic


Tom Cairney forced a late winner for Fulham

Fulham secured their third victory of the Premier League season and ensured Sheffield United remain winless in a game overshadowed by Chris Basham's injury.

Basham received oxygen and was stretchered off after suffering a sickening ankle injury in the first half at Craven Cottage.

'We send our best wishes to Bash, and will communicate updates as and when we have them,' Sheffield United said on social media.

The 35-year-old received treatment for around 10 minutes, which naturally contributed to neither side being able to establish much of a foothold or rhythm.

Fulham found the breakthrough with a well-worked goal finished by Bobby Decordova-Reid, only for an Antonee Robinson own goal to restore parity a quarter of an hour later.

But the hosts restored their lead with an own goal of their own, far more fortuitous in circumstance as Tom Cairney's shot – which the midfielder slipped while taking – looped up, off the crossbar and in off keeper Wes Foderingham's back.

Willian added a third in stoppage time to help prolong Sheffield United's wait for their first win of the season.

The Blades were largely outfought, rarely had meaningful touches in Fulham's territory and their first-half performance in particular begged the question as to where their chances would come from. Their hosts always looked the favourite to get the first goal.

And Fulham should have done just that but they squandered the best chance of the match to that point during 14 minutes of time added on for the Basham injury.

Willian ghosted his marker with his explosive acceleration before he produced another exceptional cross to the feet of countryman Andreas Pereira who somehow found a way to sky his chance from six yards out.

Fulham's wasted chances were a reminder as to why their five league goals were the joint-lowest in the Premier League at the start of the day.

But in the 53rd minute the Cottagers took a deserved lead through De Cordova-Reid.

Fulham transitioned quickly and a splitting pass from Pereira set the Jamaica international through before he held his nerve to convert past Foderingham and give the hosts a 1-0 advantage.

But in the 67th minute Sheffield United forced an own goal to level the score at 1-1.

Fulham's Issa Diop went down injured but the Blades refused to kick the ball out and Yasser Larouci's dangerous cross cannoned off Robinson into his own net.

The goal was far from deserved but the Cottagers paid the price for their earlier missed chances which opened the door for the opportunistic visitors to strike.

However substitute Cairney bailed his side out when his long shot forced an own goal and gave Fulham the lead.

The Scot let fly, hitting the crossbar and the ball bounced on to the back of the well-beaten Foderingham and into the net as Fulham took a 2-1 lead in bizarre circumstances.

Willian got the goal he deserved in the eighth minute of stoppage time with a powerful shot that beat Foderingham and settled the game.



https://www.football365.com/news/match-report-fulham-sheffield-united-reid-basham

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Fulham up to 12th after beating Sheffield United

Fulham 3 Sheff Utd 1

Fulham secured just their third league win of the season, with goals from Bobby De Cordova-Reid, Willian and a Tom Cairney-inspired own goal from goalkeeper Wes Foderingham.

De Cordova-Reid opened the scoring early in the second half. With Sheffield United committing players forward, Fulham regained possession and counter-attacked through Andreas Pereira on the left who slipped in De Cordova-Reid who made no mistake with the finish – his second goal of the season.

The visitors equalised in the 68th minute in strange circumstances.

Issa Diop pulled up injured while in possession and United capitalised by collecting the loose ball and attacking down the left. Substitute Femi Seriki's dangerous cross was turned into the net by Fulham full-back Antonee Robinson.

Robinson's own goal was not the only one of the afternoon. Less than 10 minutes later, Cairney slipped while shooting from distance, with the ball deflecting off his standing foot and looping over the goalkeeper onto the crossbar before deflecting back into the net off Foderingham.

Willian capped off the win in stoppage time with a low shot from just inside the area which proved too hot to handle for Foderingham.

The game was halted for 11 minutes in the first half as Blades defender Chris Basham received treatment for what appeared to be a serious injury.

The win lifted Fulham to 12th in the table.
Fulham: Leno; Castagne, Diop (Bassey 71'), Ream, Robinson; Palhinha, Pereira (Cairney 71'), Iwobi (Reed 78'); De Cordova-Reid (Wilson 78'), Vinicius (Muniz 78'), Willian



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/fulham-up-to-12th-after-beating-sheffield-united

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'He is the master': Tony Gale says Fulham's academy players should all be watching £90k-a-week ace
Fulham put in their best performance of the season against Sheffield United on Saturday, and it was no coincidence that the Whites' return to form coincided with Willian's best performance of the campaign.

The £90k-a-week Brazilian was utterly brilliant for Fulham against the Blades after a slow start to the season.

He ran the show from that left wing as we saw all last term, and he capped off his brilliant performance with a late goal.

Speaking on SuperSport's coverage of the game, Tony Gale was full of praise for Willian after he netted his injury-time sealer, stating that he is the master of playing those wide roles, advising anyone in Fulham's academy to watch the winger going forwards.

Willian the master
Gale was full of praise for the attacker.

"His first touch is true, he can hit with his left foot or his right foot, if you're a young lad coming in from Fulham's academy, you should watch him because he is the master of the flanks, he is the master," Gale said.

What a player
He may be 35 years old now, but Willian is still one of the very best players in the Premier League when it comes to technical ability.

The former Chelsea star may not be as quick as he once was, but you never lose your footballing brain, and nobody uses their mind to so much affect like Willian does.

The winger is always just one step ahead of anyone else, and his goal on Saturday epitomised just that as he was able to anticipate Rodrigo Muniz's hold up play and get himself into the perfect position to fire past Wes Foderingham.

If Fulham are to have a strong season, then performances like this from Willian will certainly help.



https://www.fulham.news/2023/10/07/he-is-the-master-tony-gale-says-fulhams-academy-players-should-all-be-watching-90k-a-week-ace/

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Auston Trusty sends message and Tom Cairney fluke as Sheffield United luck is out at Fulham
The Blades thought they were heading home from Craven Cottage with a deserved point until a freak goal turned the game Fulham's way.

Sheffield United's winless Premier League run continues after a 3-1 defeat at Fulham. Bobby de Cordova-Reid slotted the home side in front on 53 minutes when the hosts punished United with a quick break but the Blades were back on track 15 minutes later when Antonee Robinson put through his own goal from Yasser Larouci's cross.

However, a freak goal from Tom Cairney restored the home side's lead before a late third from Willian completed the scoring. Here are the Sheffield United talking points from a seventh defeat in eight.

More dropped points
United arrived looking to head into the international break with a positive result to build from and must have thought they were good for a point until a fortunate goal turned the game Fulham's way. They came from behind after being undone on the break in the second half as Fulham produced a moment of quality.

United were looking to create an opening with a throw-in midway inside the Fulham half and Anel Ahmedhodzic was the one taking it but Fulham won possession and then put together a string of quick passes to break away and a simple ball across was slotted home by Bobby De Cordova-Reid, who had the run on Luke Thomas.

But this was much more like a United performance. Determination aplenty and no shortage of character and the response to going behind was positive. Heckingbottom made a double change, throwing on James McAtee and Yasser Larouci and the pair combined instantly.

McAtee picked up a loose ball to drive towards the edge of the area and slipped in the wing-back, who then produced an inviting ball across that Antonee Robinson, a one-time United transfer target, turned into his own net.

But typical of United's luck in the capital of late, a freak goal turned the tide again when Cairney slipped when shooting and his mis-hit effort looped up and over Wes Foderingham and came back off the crossbar before going in via the keeper's back.

Willian then completed the scoring drilling home a third in added-on time.

United looked good for a point, nothing more but given the need to become tougher to beat there was a nod towards that. It took a fluke goal to get Fulham back into it and, ultimately, it was another match that United could have taken something from but didn't.

New-look defensive line
A lot of focus was on United's defensive trio today given the number of goals conceded from the opening seven matches. John Egan's injury has opened the door for a new-look defensive line and Heckingbottom plumped for a three of Chris Basham, Anel Ahmedhodzic and Auston Trusty.

Jack Robinson can consider himself unfortunate to miss out given he has done little wrong this season and has been the more consistent performer of United's back three. However, Heckingbottom clearly feels Ahmedhodzic is the better of the options for the centre and he also wanted to give Trusty his first chance having shown in training he was ready for the opportunity.

It was a defensive line that was working OK with Trusty producing a number blocks and Foderingham called into action only once to deny Willian before Basham suffered a horrific suspected leg break. Trusty then moved inside as Robinson came in on the left and Ahmedhodzic moved out to the right.

Robinson was immense when he came on, getting in numerous blocks and tackles also. There can be no question of the defending today. They were on course for a point before a fortunate second turned the game and Willian's fine strike at the death.

Auston Trusty
A full debut for the US international who United signed from Arsenal in the summer. The most expensive defender in United's history at £5m, Heckingbottom could not ignore the defender for much longer having shipped 19 goals and sat bottom of the table with a -14 goal difference.

He had only featured twice in the Premier League as a substitute before today and although he started against Lincoln in the Carabao Cup it was the first real chance to have a look at the summer signing as a Premier League player.

He was immediately into the action, heading behind for a corner inside the opening 30 seconds as Fulham attacked from the kick-off and got down the right wing with ease. He then produced a huge header on five minutes with Antonee Robinson's cross looking to pick out Carlos Vinicius six yards out for what would have been the opening goal but Trusty got in front to head away.

He was on hand seconds later to deny Bobby Reid a tap-in when Robinson's cross found the forward but Trusty got in a vital block. Man of the match for United by a country mile.

Midfield protection
Heckingbottom dropped James McAtee for Oliver Norwood and went for a more defensive-minded midfield. Concerned at how open his side was at West Ham last week for the two goals, the Blades boss gave his defenders more protection here.

Having faced 156 shots in the seven matches before today, the most of any team in the division, Heckingbottom had to address that to give his side any chance of competing this season. McAtee was the one who made way.

While opting for two number 10s in the Championship at times last season with Iliman Ndiaye and McAtee, United's defence has been exposed with McAtee and Hamer together in attacking roles. Norwood was the obvious choice to come in alongside Souza to tighten up the space in front of the defence.

With the way West Ham cut through the middle of United for both goals with unmarked runners this was much better in terms of protection with Fulham forced to go out wide to create their openings. The opening goal coming on the break as United had a throw-in in the attacking third and then a fluke of a second before Willian showed his class for the third.



https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/football/news/sheffield-united-tom-cairney-fluke-27863674

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Fulham beat Sheffield United 3-1 after horror injury to Basham
LONDON, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Fulham secured a comfortable 3-1 win over Sheffield United at Craven Cottage on Saturday to leave the visitors bottom of the Premier League table, in a game overshadowed by a horrible injury to United's Chris Basham.

Fulham wrapped up the game in added time when Willian first attempted a cross and then gathered the headed clearance in the visitors' area before getting his shot away which the keeper got a hand to but couldn't prevent finding the bottom corner.

"A class player and incredible to get the goal. I know what he is capable of doing," Fulham manager Marco Silva said about Willian.

Fulham went 2-1 up in the 76th minute when Tom Cairney appeared to slip as he shot from distance and his looping effort hit the underside of the bar before going in off the back of keeper Wes Foderingham.

That goal came eight minutes after the visitors had levelled through an own-goal by Antonee Robinson, which came in controversial circumstances.

Issa Diop pulled up injured when in possession but the visitors' James McAtee gathered the ball before playing it out wide to Yasser Larouci, and his ball across the face of the goal was turned into his own net by Robinson.

"I thought our reaction was good to the goal and we deserved the three points. We played at a good level," the Fulham boss said.

After a scoreless first half, Fulham broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute when Andreas Pereira played a perfect ball into the path of Bobby Decordova-Reid who bided his time before firing past Foderingham.

The first half saw Basham go off seriously injured after going over on his ankle when attempting a cross. The medical staff were on the scene immediately and there was a lengthy stop in play before United's captain was taken from the pitch.

"He's where he needs to be, in the hospital with the doctors. No one wants to see that ever, I have been on the pitch with a team mate, when it's one of your players it's tough," United manager Paul Heckingbottom said.

The opening half saw little in the way of clear-cut chances, but it was the home side who seemed the likelier to score.

Fulham's best chance in the first half came in the 19th minute when Carlos Vinicius showed his strength in holding off Anel Ahmedhodzic before teeing up Willian, but his shot after a good first touch brought a fine save from Foderingham.

United failed to create a single attempt on goal in the first half, and although they improved after the break, it wasn't enough and they remain without a win and with just one point.

"You get what you deserve and at the minute things are going against us and there is only us who can get ourselves out of it," Heckingbottom said.

Fulham's third win of the season sees them move on to 11 points.

Reporting by Trevor Stynes Editing by Toby Davis



https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/fulham-ease-3-1-win-over-sheffield-united-2023-10-07/?rpc=401&;

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Fulham 3-1 Sheffield United: Cottagers pile the pressure on under-fire Paul Heckingbottom in a gutsy win on a nightmare afternoon for the Blades

    Marco Silva's side picked up their second home victory of the campaign 
    Blades' Chris Basham went down with a horror ankle injury in the first half
    Sheffield United suffered their seventh defeat in eight games and sit bottom

For Sheffield United, this is a season that is very quickly threatening to become a nightmare.

They will head into the second international break of the season still without a win and rooted to the bottom of the table after they fell to a seventh defeat in eight, in a game that was overshadowed by a horrific ankle injury to Chris Basham.

'We can't blame that (the injury). Of course, it'll affect us for the rest of the season but I don't think it affected us (in the game),' said Heckingbottom. We've still got a naivety at this level and that's probably the difference. I can't fault the effort of the players. We're where we deserve to be but at the minute, the things that can go against us are going against us,' he added.

United have been unlucky at times, falling to late defeats against Nottingham Forest, Man City and Tottenham but the numbers do not lie. The last top-flight side to lose seven of their first eight league games was the Blades themselves in 2020-21. That season, they were relegated with six games remaining.

With clashes against Man United and Arsenal after the international break, it may get worse before it gets better for Heckingbottom and his side, who were outplayed again.


Sheffield United defender Chris Basham went down with a horror ankly injury in the first half

Bobby De-Cordova Reid put the home side ahead eight minutes into the second half

Fulham defender Antonee Robinson volleyed the ball into his own net to level proceedings

Marco Silva's Fulham were dominant from the outset but when Antonee Robinson horribly volleyed into his own net after Bobby De-Cordova Reid's opener, the visitors were level.

Given the circumstances after losing their captain midway through the first half, it would have felt like three had they held on.

But eight minutes later, Fulham's Tom Cairney slipped as he struck the ball from outside the box and as the ball looped and hit the underside of the bar, it hit Wes Foderingham and went into the net.

Willian wrapped up the three points in added time.

For Silva's side, it was somewhat fortunate but no less than they deserved.

'Job done and well done,' said Silva.' A well-deserved three points and an important win for us,' added the Fulham boss, who got his 50th win as a Premier League manager.

Yet for the Blades, it was the hardest of luck on a painful day. With one point from their first eight games and now without two senior figures in captain John Egan, who limped off last week, and Basham, already it looks like they have a mountain to climb to survive relegation.

Going into this clash, these two sides had the fewest attempts on goal out of all the teams in the Premier League so this was hardly going to be a glamorous affair yet Fulham peppered Foderingham's goal with 20 attempts. For context, they had managed 66 across their first seven games.

The home side failed to take their chances in the first half as Auston Trusty did well to get in the way of De Cordova Reid's goalbound effort before Foderingham did well to deny William from point-blank range.

Midway through the first half, Basham went for a cross and turned awkwardly on his ankle. Fulham's Robinson who was closest to the action was close to tears after seeing Basham's injury and following a 13-minute stoppage, the 35-year-old was stretchered off.


Cairney's shot deflected off the back of a helpless Wes Foderingham to give Fulham the lead

Willian made the victory safe with a third goal in added time at the end of the second half

Paul Heckingbottom is one of only two managers not to have tasted victory in the Premier League this season

Marco Silva's side climbed to 12th place with the win, seven points clear of the drop zone

Fourteen minutes were added on to the end of the first half and when Andreas Pereira skied over from a few yards out, it looked like it would be another frustrating day for the Cottagers.

The dangerous Pereira wasted another chance as he dragged his shot wide at the start of the second half but minutes later, he delivered a wonderful ball into the path of De-Cordova Reid, who slotted past Foderingham to give Silva's side the breakthrough.

United hit back and drew level in the 68th minute, when Issa Diop gave the ball away as he pulled up with a cramp and substitute Yasser Larouci's left-footed cross was bundled by Robinson into his own net.

Yet just when Heckingbottom must have finally felt like he and his side finally had the slightest bit of luck, substitute Cairney restored Fulham's advantage in bizarre circumstances before Willian sealed the three points with a right-footed strike in injury time.



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-12605409/Fulham-3-1-Sheffield-United-Cottagers-pile-pressure-fire-Paul-Heckingbottom-gutsy-win-nightmare-afternoon-Blades.html

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Fulham's Willian too hot to handle for Sheffield United
Willian rolled back the years as Fulham cruised to a 3-1 victory over Sheffield United.

The 35-year-old Brazilian produced a stunning display, cementing his side's win with a third goal following Bobby De Cordova-Reid's strike and an unfortunate Wes Foderingham own goal.

United's only goal also came when Antonee Robinson put into his own net.

Fulham – looking to bounce back from their 2-0 defeat to west London rivals Chelsea on Monday – started strongly and in the sixth minute Willian picked the ball up on the left and beat his man on the outside before De Cordova-Reid failed to convert his inch-perfect delivery.

Willian was off the pace on Monday but he looked to make up for it with surging runs forward, one which nearly set up Vinicius before his own shot inside the box was saved by Foderingham after 19 minutes.

Play halted for an extended period after Blades skipper Chris Basham suffered a serious ankle injury which saw him carried off on a stretcher with the score at 0-0.

But the Willian show resumed immediately and Fulham went close when the former Chelsea winger combined with Vinicius on the break before a quality defensive tackle denied the hosts taking the lead after 40 minutes.

Sheffield United were being outfought, they rarely had meaningful touches in Fulham's territory and their first-half performance begged the question as to where their chances would come from. Their hosts always looked the favourite to get the first goal.

And Fulham should have done just that but they squandered the best chance of the match so far during 14 minutes added-time.

Willian ghosted his marker with his explosive acceleration before he produced another exceptional cross to the feet of countryman Andreas Pereira who somehow found a way to sky his chance from six yards out.

Fulham's wasted chances were a reminder as to why their five league goals are the joint-lowest in the Premier League this season.

But in the 53rd minute the Cottagers took a deserved lead through De Cordova-Reid.

Fulham transitioned quickly and a splitting pass from Pereira set the Jamaica international through before he held his nerve to convert past Foderingham and give the hosts a 1-0 advantage.

But in the 67th minute Sheffield United forced an own goal to level the score at 1-1.

Fulham's Issa Diop went down injured but the Blades refused to kick the ball out and Yasser Larouci's dangerous cross cannoned off Antonee Robinson into his own net.

The goal was far from deserved but the Cottagers paid the price for their earlier missed chances which opened the door for the opportunistic visitors to strike.

However substitute Tom Cairney bailed his side out when his long shot forced an own goal and gave Fulham the lead.

The Scot let fly, hitting the crossbar and the ball bounced on to the back of the well-beaten Foderingham and into the net as Fulham took a 2-1 lead in bizarre circumstances.

Willian got the goal he deserved in the eighth minute of stoppage time with a powerful shot that beat Foderingham and settled the game.



https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/fulhams-willian-too-hot-to-handle-for-sheffield-united/a306203140.html

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'A job well done' – Fulham boss Silva on win over Sheffield United and Diop injury setback
Marco Silva was pleased that Fulham got back to winning ways with a deserved 3-1 victory against Sheffield United at Craven Cottage.

A Wes Foderingham own goal and a late Willian strike earned the Whites their first Premier League win in three matches after an Antonee Robinson own goal had cancelled out Bobby De Cordova-Reid's 53rd-minute opener.

The victory is Silva's 50th in the Premier League across spells at Watford, Everton and Fulham and he saw plenty of positives as his side saw off the Blades.

"Job done and well done," was the assessment of the Fulham head coach. "It was an important win for us.

"We analysed them (Sheffield United) in some of their away games and they have been tough to beat.

"In the first half we created a good number of chances and didn't score but the players kept believing in the plan. After we scored in the second half, we deserved the three points.

"I am much happier this afternoon because we are creating more [chances to score]."

Fulham were the dominant side throughout against the club that are bottom of the Premier League, earning their third win of the season.

The victory was in doubt midway through the second half when Issa Diop went down injured, allowing Sheffield United to break away and equalise through Robinson's own goal.

It was a rare lapse in an otherwise controlled Fulham display, and was something that Silva does not want to see repeated.

"We have to learn," he said. "In the moment when Issa went down, it was an unlucky moment but we should have done much better in that situation.

"We didn't let them create anything until that moment, but the reaction was good."

Silva revealed that Diop felt a "crack in his foot" that caused him to fall to the floor and added that the injury "doesn't look good".



https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/a-job-well-done-fulham-boss-silva-on-win-over-sheffield-united-and-diop-injury-setback/

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Player ratings: Fulham 3-1 Sheffield United

George Rossiter is back with the player ratings.

Fulham bounced back from the derby defeat to take all three points against Sheffield United on a sunny afternoon at Craven Cottage. A two goal victory that could have been more on another day should help fill Marco Silva's side with confidence heading into the international break. Our best wishes go to Chris Basham and we wish him a speedy recovery after his awful injury in the first half.

Bernd Leno

Honestly feels like Leno either has nothing to do in a game or is the best player on the pitch because he's probably been given too much to do. The man had zero saves to make in the first half and barely had a touch of the ball. The second half wasn't much different bar an easy save from an Oli McBurnie header and the away side's goal which deflected off about four men before finding it's way into the German's net. 6/10.

Timothy Castagne

Always looked calm and confident on the ball, showing his quality throughout. Defensively Castagne had very few shaky moments and never allowed Sheffield United any joy down the left, other than their goal which ended in an unfortunate deflection. Linked well with Bobby down the right and to be honest he just doesn't feel like a player with a nuclear moment in him which is really promising. 7/10.

Issa Diop

For all of his shaky moments and mistakes we've seen on occasion from Diop, the Sheffield United goal was nothing but bad fortune, and hopefully it's not a bad muscle injury that keeps him out for a while. While he was on the pitch he defended the box well and looked far too strong for their forwards, especially in his duels with Cameron Archer. 7/10.

Tim Ream

Just the 8th man to make 300 appearances for the club, that is some achievement. He continues to show just why he's been trusted to play all of those games across his near decade at the club. In play, he was superb defensively. His challenge in added time in the first half was good, but to stand up and instantly spray a pinpoint 60-yard pass to Bobby on the wing was spectacular. His instant compassion for Chris Basham by calling over the medical staff and staying with the Sheffield United defender to reassure him until they came, was a sign of the man he is. We are so lucky to have that man as a leader at our football club. Here's to the next 300 (maybe). 7.5/10.

Antonee Robinson

In the week, Jedi was left out of the next USA squad, apparently to allow him to rest and deal with a developing sporting hernia. The fact he is still able to play as well as he is with that sort of thing happening to his body is borderline ridiculous so fair play to him. When Fulham are the dominant side in the game and on the front foot, there can't be many better attacking full backs in this division, his early cross for Bobby into the six yard box was evidence of that too. 7/10.

Joao Palhinha

It's actually quite a nice luxury for Joao Palhinha to not have to do much. Like it's great seeing him at his best taking the game to his opponent but when he doesn't have to it's a good sign that Fulham are performing well and being the more positive side in a game. When he was called upon he was nothing but solid, with a number of good tackles and interceptions, as we've come to expect by now. 6.5/10.

Alex Iwobi

Nice to see the Nigerian make his first start in the Premier League and showed a lot of promise in it. He's a completely different profile of midfielder to Harrison Reed and offers a hell of a lot of pace through the middle, which was useful in counter attacking scenarios. Nothing quite fell his way on the day but it wasn't for the lack of trying, and some of the positions he got into were very promising. 7/10.

Andreas Pereira

Andreas' brilliant pass for Bobby's opener almost made everything else about his game all the more frustrating. The ability always seems to be there but it's far too rarely on show. For all the promising running, his long-range efforts went nowhere. For all the good areas he got in, the correct pass was lacking far too often. The Brazilian should offer so much more output wise for what he has in the locker. A run of games for Tom Cairney may be the kick up the backside he badly needs. 6/10.

Bobby De Cordova-Reid

Bobby's play for the opening goal was brilliant, his movement to find the space in the final third was superb and the finish was inch perfect. And it should have been his second, with an early chance from a Robinson cross not quite finding the net. BDR added a lot of variation to our attacking play, finding space out wide as well as inside of his full-back. He never lets the side down and proved his worth again here. 7.5/10.

Willian

Early on the Brazilian had a great chance to shoot from range with Wes Foderingham well off his line...but he didn't. If that was a sign that Willian's confidence was at rock bottom, the rest of the game proved otherwise. Finally this season, we saw him run at defenders with pace like he did so often last year, causing Jayden Bogle and co so many issues. Everything he did was at twice the speed of recent weeks and his goal late on was the cherry on top of a really reassuring performance. 8/10. – Man of the match.

Carlos Vinicius

Vini finally got his opportunity after weeks and weeks of Raul Jimenez struggling to make an impact on this side, and did well in place of the Mexican. His hold-up and link-up play were both very good throughout and were pivotal in the making of the opening goal, as he held off a Sheffield United player to release a counter attacking opportunity. Not many goal scoring chances came, but when they do we can be confident that he'll have a good chance of taking them. 7/10.

Substitutes

Tom Cairney
Subbed on after 70 minutes for Andreas Pereira

It made such a difference to have a player playing the ball forward from midfield and looking to be positive. His 'goal' is one of the funnier ones I have seen, described by Fulham's twitter as a 'ferocious strike'...enough said. 7.5/10.

Calvin Bassey
Subbed on after 70 minutes for Issa Diop
Instantly made efforts to defend on the front foot and made no mistakes in doing so. Was brilliant in pushing Fulham up the field and building attacking momentum, even eventually ending up on the right wing himself momentarily. 6.5/10.

Rodrigo Muniz
Subbed on after 78 minutes for Carlos Vinicius

Every single time he comes onto the pitch he gives 110% which is always refreshing to see. Got into some promising positions and did well to fight off a defender to get Willian the ball back for the third goal. 6.5/10.

Harry Wilson
Subbed on after 78 minutes for Bobby De Cordova-Reid

Added energy in the wide areas late on and had a fantastic area bounce off the post after cutting inside to shoot from distance. 6.5/10.

Harrison Reed
Subbed on after 78 minutes for Alex Iwobi

Made some really good passes into good areas in the dying minutes and helped to up the tempo as Fulham went onto seal the win. 6.5/10.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2023-10-07-player-ratings-fulham-3-1-sheffield-united/

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Cairney clinches vital victory
As absurd it sounds so early in the season, it felt like a six-pointer at Craven Cottage this afternoon. Sheffield United would have felt Fulham away merited a good chance of recording their first Premier League win or adding to their solitary point since promotion, especially following the Whites' leisurely SW6 derby display on Monday night. Marco Silva was just as displeased with the capitulation to Chelsea, making three changes, but as has been the cause this term, his side took an awfully long time to break down stubborn opposition.

Unlike earlier in the week when local bragging rights were at stake, Fulham – enlivened by the presence of Alex Iwobi in midfield and Bobby Decordova-Reid's tireless running along the right flank – made all of the early running. It took six minutes for the home side to threaten the goal guarded by their former academy goalkeeper Wes Foderingham. Antonee Robinson, not fit enough for international duty but able to play for his club after two years of constant football, linked up well with Willian and found the clever run of Decordova-Reid at the near post but the Jamaican international's side-footed shot was bravely blocked by Auston Trusty.

Foderingham then saved smartly from Willian after the veteran winger had taken advantage of excellent hold-up play from the recalled Carlos Vinicius and Robinson dragged the follow up past the far post. Fulham's head of steam was disrupted when Chris Basham sustained a horrific foot injury as he tried to wrap his foot round a cross from the right wing. The Sheffield United stalwart was comforted by Tim Ream before stretchered into a waiting ambulance – and after a lengthy stoppage – the game restarted. Towards the end of fourteen minutes added time, Andreas Pereira blazed over from six yards having been picked out by Willian.

The same pattern continued after the interval. Pereira looked odds on to break the deadlock when he sauntered clear of the Sheffield United rearguard having won possession back himself but he shot disappointingly wide having carried the ball into the box. Iwobi then saw a shot deflected wide after Willian had ventured infield, but Paul Heckingbottom's side failed to heed the warning. They were punished for committing too many men forward eight minutes into the second period when Vincius spun and spread play out to the left before Pereira pierced the Blades defence, producing an inch-perfect ball to put Decordova-Reid clear and the former Bristol City forward found the bottom corner beautifully.

The Blades had threatened sporadically on the break, but their best openings came from set pieces. With the game goalless, Ollie McBurnie had squandered a free header from Ollie Norwood's corner by heading into the grateful arms of Bernd Leno. But the German was utterly helpless midway through the second half when a comedy of errors in the Fulham defence gifted the visitors an equaliser. Issa Diop did well to intercept a hopeful ball forward from Gus Hamer but he collapsed to the turf in agony after suffering a serious foot injury. James McAtee found fellow substitute Yasser Larouci, whose low cross was sliced into his own net by a jittery Robinson.

The equaliser survived a lengthy VAR check for offside and forced Silva to send on Tom Cairney. The Scottish midfielder immediately received the captain's armband from Tim Ream, who made his 300th appearance for Fulham this afternoon, and then restored Fulham's lead – although there was more than a bit of good fortune about the goal. Cairney won the ball back in a central area, strode forward and lined up a 30-yarder on his favoured left peg. The ball deflected off his standing foot and looped over Foderingham to hit the crossbar and bounced back off the unlucky goalkeeper into the net. They've always said Cairney's right foot is for standing on – and perhaps we now know why.

Harry Wilson almost extended the hosts' lead after being introduced from the bench, with the Welsh winger's curler leaving Foderingham motionless as it struck the far post, but the Whites could breath a sigh of relief when they made sure of all three points in the second minute of added time. Willian darted infield again and, when the ball broke back to him inside the area, he drove a powerful shot through Foderingham and to clinch a crucial victory.

FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Leno; Castagne, A. Robinson, Diop (Bassey 71), Ream; Palhinha, Iwobi (Reed 79); Decordova-Reid (Wilson 78), Willian, Pereira (Cairney 71); Vinicius (Muniz 78). Subs (not used): Rodak, Ballo-Toure, Lukic, Jimenez.

BOOKED: Palhinha.

GOALS: Decordova-Reid (53), Foderingham (o.g. 76), Willian (90+2).

SHEFFIELD UNITED (3-5-2): Foderingham; Basham (J. Robinson 35), Ahmedhozic, Trusty; Bogle, Thomas (Larouci 66), Hamer (McAtee 66), Souza, Norwood; McBurnie, Archer (Brewster 79).

BOOKED: McBurnie, Norwood.

GOAL: A. Robinson (o.g. 68).

REFEREE: Sam Barrott (Halifax).

ATTENDANCE: 24,361



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/10/cairney-clinches-vital-victory/

[WhiteJC]

Silva: 'A job well done'
Marco Silva was pleased to register his 50th win as Fulham head coach after the Whites eventually saw off a spirited Sheffield United side at Craven Cottage this afternoon.

Bobby Decordova-Reid gave the Cottagers the lead eight minutes into the second half, but the Blades were buoyant when Antonee Robinson turned Yasir Lamouci's cross into his own net. Substitute Tom Cairney put Fulham back in front when his long-range effort cannoned off the crossbar and into the net via an unfortunate Wes Foderingham before Willian sealed the three points in stoppage time.

Speaking to the press after this welcome victory, Silva said:

"It was a job well done. It was an important win for us. We analysed Sheffield United in some of their away games and they have been tough to beat – like at Tottenham. In the first half we created a good number of chances and didn't score but the players kept believing in the plan. After we scored in the second half, we deserved the three points. I am much happier this afternoon because we are creating chances".

The Fulham head coach felt the Blades' lifeline came as a result of defensive naivety that needs to be stamped out.

"We have to learn. In the moment when Issa went down, it was an unlucky moment but we should have done much better in that situation. We didn't let them create anything until that moment, but the reaction was good."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/10/silva-a-job-well-done/

[WhiteJC]

Transfer News: Could Fulham or Nottingham Forest sign the best player in Europe this season?
Nottingham Forest have impressed since returning to the Premier League, showing great resiliency against difficult opponents with the kind of resolute defending necessary to survive the top flight.

Meanwhile, Fulham were in contention for European football during the 2022/23 season, outperforming expectations and easily clearing the relegation fight.

They were buoyed by star striker Aleksandar Mitrović, whom they later sold to the Saudi Pro League for a tidy profit. The Cottagers never replaced him, and now they are stumbling without a proven goal-scorer.

Meanwhile in 2023/24, Forest are showing signs of getting stronger, with Bundesliga investment Taiwo Awoniyi paying off at striker.

The former Union Berlin standout is off to a hot start in the 2023/24 campaign with three goals and two assists.

However, Forest seem to be eyeing more attacking firepower from that very league, knowing for its exciting attacking football, in the form of a potentially even more prolific forward. The Cottagers, begging for goals, are right there with them.

According to a report from BILD's Christian Falk and Julian Agardi, Nottingham Forest and Fulham are showing interest in VfB Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy, who is off to an absurd start in the 2023/24 Bundesliga season.

Better yet, he has a release clause of just 20 million euros, which is something both clubs could easily afford.

How absurd? Well, Guirassy just scored another hat trick this weekend, making it two on the season and his fifth brace in seven matches.

Guirassy has scored a total of 13 goals, averaging nearly two per game. At 27 years old, he is the kind of late breakout star at striker we have never seen before.

Nobody in Europe's top five leagues has scored as many goals than Guirassy, but the wild thing is that it isn't just about the goals with him.

Guirassy is also averaging two key passes per game with 2.6 fouls drawn per match. He only failed to score in one match, which was a 2-0 win over Köln.

And in that very match, Guirassy created four chances for his teammates with four fouls drawn. In other words, without scoring, he was excellent.

It's unknown if Guirassy can keep up this hot streak, but he's been so hot that he already has a season's worth of goals in seven matches. Last season, nobody in the Bundesliga scored 20 goals.

This season, Guirassy, at this pace, may only be three games away from matching 2022/23 leading scorers Niclas Füllkrug and Christopher Nkunku. Both players, by the way, earned major transfers in the summer.

Forest are holding steady in 13th, safe from the relegation battle in the Premier League. Could you imagine if they secured a transfer for Guirassy in the winter and he kept up this pace?

Forest would end up with one of the best strikers in the world – not just the biggest breakout star of the first months of the season.

How about Fulham? If they could sign a striker with Guirassy, provided this run is not a mirage, then couldn't that be enough to elevate them to a shock run in Europe?

Their status in 12th is a slip from where they were through much of the last season, but it's not far off from the top half.

There's a lot of "ifs" there, and Guirassy and his agents are surely smart enough to know to wait until the full season plays out to secure a deal.

They can stand to make a lot of money because of what is left over after the release clause that clubs can pay directly to them. You know, like what Erling Haaland did with Manchester City.

But Forest and Fulham are wise to be in the race early. You never know. Maybe Awoniyi and Guirassy could form the next great Premier League striker duo in 2024/25. Forest fans can dream, right?

As for Fulham, they have a decent supporting cast. A player like Guirassy could elevate those around him, too, given his chance-creation so far for Stuttgart. Fulham fans have every right to dream, too.



https://thetrivelaeffect.com/transfer-news-could-fulham-or-nottingham-forest-sign-the-best-player-in-europe-this-season/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham 3-1 Sheffield United: Player ratings
Even if it took a long time to break down the Blades, this was a lot more like it from Fulham. They had the lion's share of the ball against Sheffield United, did plenty with it and, mercifully, the goals eventually came.

Bernd Leno: Brilliant Bernd Leno, unquestionably Fulham's player of the season so far, had little to do this afternoon. The German – determined to make it to a home European Championships in the summer – had absolutely no chance with the calamaitous own goal that brought the Blades back into the game having been a virtual spectator up until that point. Oli McBurnie will feel he should have made more of the header from a corner that required the simplest of saves, but Marco Silva will be delighted that the goalkeeper he describes as among the top three in the divison was underemployed. 6

Timothy Castagne: Another solid display from our new Belgian arrival was only undermined by the visitors' equaliser, although Castagne could hardly have predicted the fate that befall Issa Diop as the Frencman strode out of defence with the ball. He might have got tighter to Yasser Larouci to prevent the cross that Antonee Robinson turned into his own net, but on the flip side he dovetailed well with Bobby Decordova-Reid down the right flank and drove forward with real purpise. 6

Antonee Robinson: Robinson's shaky stab at Larouci's cross felt rather unneccessary even if McBurnie was waiting behind him. The danger seemed mininal and the full back's reaction reeked of panic rather than the reassurance he had displayed for much of the afternoon. It was something of a surprise to see the American in the starting line-up at all, given that he had been excused from international duty due to a developing hernia problem, but Robinson might light of that with several promising surges down the left. One of them nearly led to an early goal for Decordova-Ried. 6

Issa Diop: Diop had an excellent game until the moment that might have tilted the match against the Whites. He was strong in the tackle, won the physical battles with McBrunie and Cameron Archer, and wasn't afraid to come forward with the ball – as evidenced by one storming run forward in the first half. That proved his downfall, literally, in the second half when he collapsed after carrying the ball out from the back. It was instantly disastrous and could be a problem in the long run with the 'crack in his foot' likely to lead to a long spell down the sidelines. 7

Tim Ream: Plenty of people were calling for Ream to be dropped after the Chelsea horror-show, but the veteran centre half responded in the way he knows best with a calm performance to mark his 300th appearance for the Whites. His reading of the game is superb and Ream's importance to Silva's side was underlined in stoppage time when he eased the nerves of the Hammersmith End by recovering to win a vital challenge against Archer and, in the blink of the eye, set up a Fulham attack with a 60-yard ball into the path of Bobby Decordova-Reid. But the moment of the match was how he took the time to comfort a clearly disconsolate Chris Basham after the Blades' stalwart's terrible injury – holding his opponents hand in a gesture of sympathy as the physios and medics got to work. What a man. 7

Joao Palhinha: The Portuguese midfielder was far from his imperious best at the heart of Fulham's midfield, but he protected the back four with his customary zest and there seemed a better balance about the engine room with Alex Iowbi alongside him. He crunched into a couple of crucial tackles, with one well-timed challenge earning an almost immediate response in the form of a centre forward's tackle from McBurnie, but was content to give the ball to the home side's more creative operators to great effect. 7Alex Iwobi: After a succession of superb substitute appearances, the Nigerian got his opportunity in place of Harrison Reed – and made the most of it. Iwobi added some drive, but crucially, invention and guile to a midfield that was able to break through Sheffield United's packed engine room regularly. Iwobi feels a much more natural fit in the advanced central midfield role than Reed, with his speed of movement and thought pivotal to Fulham's pace on the break. Could have had a deserved goal in the second half but for a deflection that took his shot into the side netting. 7

Bobby Decordova-Reid: This performance showed exactly what Bobby Decordova-Reid brings to the side. The Jamaican international is allways industrious but he influenced the game from the right flank in a way that Harry Wilson has failed to do so far this season. He could have scored as soon as the sixth minute when a clever run saw him connect with Antonee Robinson's cross only for Auston Trusty to make a massive block. But Decordova-Reid was at the heart of Fulham's play and showed customary coolness to roll the Whites in front early in the second half – racing onto Pereira's pass and tucking away a fine finish. He offered protection for Castagne, but threatened on either side of Luke Thomas, who simply couldn't stop him. 8

Willian: This was a much improved showing from the Brazilian, who has been badly off-colour for much of an undwerwhelming first few months of the season. He posed a constant threat to the Sheffield United defence, keeping Jayden Bogle occupied in his own territory for much of the afternoon, and his understanding with Robinson is still very sound. He looked a real threat throughout, surging into shooting positions with the turn of pace that still surrpises even those of us who watch him regularly, and got a deserved goal in stoppage time – even if Wes Foderingham probably shouldn't have found that shot too hot to handle. 8

Andreas Pereira: Andreas is something of an enigma. He'd had an ineffectual afternoon as the fulcrum of Fulham's attack, summed up by two bad misses either side of half time, before he laid on the opening goal with a peach of a pass for Decordova-Reid. Fulham should have been home and hosed by that point but Pereira blazed over when it seemed simpler to score from Willian's cross and then shot wide having sauntered clear of the Blades defence. It was no surprise that Cairney replaced him after the equaliser – and he couldn't complain if Silva left him out going forward. 6

Carlos Vinicius: Silva's patience with Raul jimenez finally run out – seemingly so badly that the Mexican didn't even get on the pitch. In his place was Carlos Vinicius, who toiled manfully without ever really looking like he was going to trouble the scorers. But he had to deal with Anel Ahmedhodzic almost constantly tugging his shirt and set up two good chances that way before spinning superbly on the halfway line to set Pereira away down the left for the opening goal. The only frustration was that he didn't get into too many goalscoring positions, but he proved the perfect foil for others. 7

Substitutes:

Tom Cairney: We can't quite give him the goal given that his looping shot went in off Wes Foderingham via the crossbar – and Cairney couldn't even take the credit for engineering the crucial deflection to his own effort off his right knee, but the captain was a calming influence when a comfortable win looked like turning into another frustrating afternoon. His distribution of the ball remains brilliant and there is a feistiness to his cameos, particularly in winning back possession, that suggests he would be a fine replacement for the off-colour Andreas if that troublesome knee could cope with starting regularly in the top tier. 7

Calvin Bassey: Our big-money defensive addition has had to wait for an opportunity since his scandalous red card at the Emirates but stepped seamlessly into the back line after Diop limped off and set his stool out immediately: showing his power in several duels with the Sheffield United forwards and breaking forward with the ball. Bassey should get an opportunity to show us more after the international break. 6

Rodrigo Muniz: It was surprising to see Muniz replace Vincius rather than Raul when a goal might have done plenty for the Mexican's diminished confidence, but the former Flamengo forward was certainly lively when he came off the bench. He could have scored with a header but his bite in the tackle proved crucial in winning back possession for Willian in stoppage time. 6

Harry Wilson: The Welsh winger has had a tough start to the season but showed his class in one moment where he was exceptionally unfortunate not to break his duck – curling a classy effort past the statesque Foderingham only for it to come back into play off the far post. 6

Harrison Reed: Reed might have been raging at being left out but he contributed to making the win more comfortable in the closing stages, popping up in the penalty area and adding some intensity in a forward-focused showing from the subsitutes bench. 6



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/10/fulham-3-1-sheffield-united-player-ratings/

[WhiteJC]

Tim Ream's instant reaction to Chris Basham horror injury speaks volumes
Fulham defender Tim Ream was the first person to comfort Sheffield United's Chris Basham after the veteran defender suffered a horrific injury on Saturday afternoon


Tim Ream was the first person to console Chris Basham following his serious injury (Image: SportImage)
Fans on social media have praised Tim Ream for his actions after Sheffield United veteran Chris Basham sustained a serious injury against Fulham on Saturday.

Basham, 35, was left in agony at Craven Cottage and required oxygen before being stretchered off the pitch. The defender was taken straight to hospital following a lengthy delay which saw referee Samuel Barrott add 14 minutes of stoppage time at the end of the first half.

Fulham went on to win the match 3-1 but Basham's injury overshadowed the rest of the afternoon. In the aftermath of the injury, the actions of Ream have earned plenty of plaudits from fans of both sides after a picture of him comforting Basham on the pitch went viral.

The American defender was the first person to reach Basham and can be seen with his arm on the midfielder, who has his own arms over his head. Sheffield United physios can also be seen in the background rushing over to tend to Basham.

Speaking after the match, Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom was unable to divulge much detail on the injury but did confirm that Basham was in the best possible place.

"He's where he needs to be, in hospital with the doctors and the medical team," Heckingbottom told reporters. "No-one wants to see that, ever, and when you're involved in it and it's one of your players it's far far worse.

"I've been on a pitch with a teammate and involved when it's someone else but when it's one of your players its tough and you can see that with the players. No [diagnosis] but you guys have seen the pictures, it's terrible, it's horrific.

Taken the injury out because it’s genuinely horrific but look at Ream. Comforting him as he’s lying there, that is a proper top notch bloke. https://t.co/qVbatg47M5 pic.twitter.com/5ui0InasdY

— 𝒞𝒽𝓇𝒾𝓈𝓉𝒾𝒶𝓃𝑒 (@urghbusani) October 7, 2023

"We've lost a good player, had to made changes we didn't want to change. We can't blame that. It's going to affect us and it's going to affect us for the season. I don't know what the next step will be, but he's where he needs to be and that's the most important thing. Everyone could see he needs to be in hospital."

Fulham manager Marco Silva joined Heckingbottom and fans on social media in wishing Basham well. He said: "It was a sad moment for Chris Basham that he had in that situation.

"Myself and we as a football club wish him all the best and fast recovery from that bad injury that he had. We wish him all the best for the future. Of course he is going to have the support from the most important people for him; his family, friends and Sheffield United Football Club."



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/chris-basham-injury-tim-ream-31133675

[WhiteJC]

Jay Stansfield = £4m: Predicting the transfer value of Birmingham City's 5 best players
We have guessed how much Birmingham's best players are worth. Do you agree with these picks and valuations?

     Birmingham City made several permanent signings this summer, which will allow them to generate future profits from sales of those players.
    The club's owners need to abide by financial rules while investing in the team to achieve on-field success.
    Jay Stansfield, Lee Buchanan, Ethan Laird, Krystian Bielik, and Dion Sanderson are key first-team players with increasing transfer values.

Birmingham City will be happy with the work they did this summer, with John Eustace able to bring in several permanent additions.

This will allow Blues to generate money from sales in the future, with many of those that came in during the previous transfer window likely to generate a profit for the club in the future.

That will be crucial for them because their owners will be desperate to continue abiding by the EFL's financial rules, whilst also investing as much in the team as possible to give the Midlands outfit the best chance of achieving on-field success.

On-field success is much-needed at St Andrew's because the club struggled under its previous ownership.

Manager John Eustace has played a big part in helping Blues to get back on its feet - and supporters will be hoping Tom Wagner and his team can help to bring the good times back to the Midlands.

Their summer business was a good start to Wagner's reign - but there's plenty more to be done in the coming months and years to get the club back to the Premier League.

Excellent first-teamers will be needed to give them the best chance of sealing a top-flight return and speaking of top-quality players, we have predicted the transfer value of Birmingham's best 5 first-teamers, in no particular order.

Jay Stansfield - £4m
Fulham loan man Stansfield has been a real asset for Blues this term, scoring against Plymouth Argyle, Millwall and Preston North End this term.

His goalscoring record isn't a surprise considering he recorded nine goals and seven assists in 36 league appearances for Exeter City last season.

And with the striker putting pen to paper on a new contract this summer to extend his stay at Craven Cottage until 2027, that has only increased his valuation and put the Cottagers in a strong position at the negotiating table.

He has only fully proved himself in League One so there's only a limited amount the Cottagers can demand for him.

However, he's been one of Blues' best players so far this season and he's also versatile, which can only increase his value.

Lee Buchanan - £4m
Buchanan being out of action is a massive blow because he was one of the club's most integral players during the early stages of the campaign and fully deserves his place on this list.

Breaking through at Derby County at a reasonably early age, he then secured a move to German side Werder Bremen and that will have enhanced him as a player and a person before his return to England in the summer.

He signed a five-year contract in the summer which will allow Birmingham to demand a big fee for him - but he probably needs to improve his assists record to be worth more than he currently is.

Ethan Laird - £6m
Maxime Colin was a long-serving player on the right-hand side and this is why Laird had big shoes to fill when he came in.

However, he did a great job during the early stages of the season and it's a shame he has been out of action since because he's a talented player.

He has shown before in the EFL that he can be a real asset going forward and because he's been a better assister during his career than Buchanan, he is probably worth slightly more.

And at 22, he's likely to become more and more valuable in the coming years.

Krystian Bielik - £3.5m
The Poland international would probably be worth more if he managed to be fit more during his time at Derby County.

He would probably be in the Premier League if it wasn't for his injury struggles - but he's currently doing well at St Andrew's and the fact they managed to bring him in permanently during the summer was a real boost.

At 25, he may have slightly less room to grow than others, but he shouldn't be at his peak yet so it will be interesting to see how he develops further in the next two or three years.

Dion Sanderson - £5m
Sanderon has enough Championship experience under his belt to command that type of fee.

Appearing for the likes of Birmingham, Queens Park Rangers and Cardiff City on loan in the second tier over the years, Sanderson will be glad that he has finally managed to find a permanent home.

That can only help his developing and considering he's only 23, there's plenty of time for him to develop.

His potential increases his valuation, as well as the fact his deal doesn't expire until 2027.



https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/jay-stansfield-4m-predicting-the-transfer-value-of-birmingham-citys-5-best-players/#dion-sanderson---pound-5m

[WhiteJC]

Redoutable Ream reaches 300 not out
There was a superb symmetry in Tim Ream becoming only the twenty first man to make three hundred appearances for Fulham Football Club in yesterday's win over Sheffield United. It was against the Blades eight years ago that he made his debut after a surprise move from Bolton Wanderers. That August fixture finished 3-0 and we all wondered if Kit Symons had cracked by pairing an American with top flight experience alongside Richard Stearman. The Wolves hero never replicated his Molineux magnificence in SW6, but Ream was been a constant – alongside twenty partners at the back – through some grim times, especially when both Slavisa Jokanovic and Scott Parker had appeared to call time on his Fulham career. His enduring excellence, eventually recognised by Gregg Berhalter in time for last year's World Cup, is one of the English game's underwritten stories but, as is his way, the St. Louis native shuns the limelight even when recognition is long overdue.

Ream has been written off more times than most in a Fulham shirt but he keeps coming back. He proved Jokanovic wrong when the Serbian suggested he wasn't the right centre back for the possessed-based side he was trying to build. The method was simple: a conversation with a coach who was determined to go in a different direction led to a summer of hard graft that impressed Jokanovic and he soon became an ever-present in the team that went 23 games unbeaten and won that glorious play-off final at Wembley against favourites Aston Villa, overcoming the adversity of Denis Odoi's red card.

The articulate defender will freely admit he found the top flight tough in a year when Fulham were woefully underequipped for the challenge and lurched suddenly from Jokanovic's expansive football to Claudio Ranieri's catenaccio before turning to Parker with hope virtually extinguished. He wasn't the only one – and his anger at some of the new signings who failed to put in the hard yards had told everyone we were in serious trouble even before Jokanovic was unceremeniously sacked. Ream was one of those players consigned to the periphery by Parker, whose approach sucked the life out of a side who should have stayed up whilst he was flirting outrageously with Bournemouth.

That the man now linked with the Glasgow Rangers rescue job felt Ream, Cairney and Mitrovic couldn't do the job in the top flight seems staggering with every passing day but there was no posturing or hystronics from Ream, an erudite and humble man whose hinterland allows him to recognise that he is lucky to be playing professional football. The American, who has never failed Fulham in his eight years of unstinting service, found a first-team return easier than expected once Marco Silva arrived and followed up a fine promotion campaign with the best form of his career aged 35. That Indian summer earned him an impeccably timed international recall and the admiration of the likes of Pep Guardiola.

The passing of time hasn't been as damaging to Ream as it could have been a more modern centre back because his performances have always been informed by a reading of the game that reminds you of Bobby Moore. High praise, indeed, but given Ream's endurance it is more than merited. Never having had pace to burn, it is the timing of his challenges, the determination to remain on his feet – remisicent of Aaron Hughes – and his composure in possession that makes him a fine defender in an age when distribution feels more important than tough tackling. But Ream's determination to make the most of his ability reminds me of the last man to reach the three hundred mark. You'd be hard-pressed to find a man more revered for his service to London's oldest professional side than Simon Morgan, whose selfless service to the club saw him drop into the bottom tier before being leading the revival under Micky Adams and then lifting trophies once Mohamed Al-Fayed's millions arrived, but Ream is a worthy successor to 'Mr. Fulham'.

He's a leader in his actions rather than being ostentatious and that was enscapulated by how quickly he came to the aid of Chris Basham yesterday. The compassion which saw Ream holding his opponent's hand after that awful injury shines through in his off-the-field activities, running his own global education organisation, and his advocacy for equality initiatives both in football and wider society. There's no room for sentiment in sport – as evidenced by the number of times this fine Fulham servant has been pensioned off – but it is wonderful when good people do well. And, the way Tim Ream's going, he'll wrack up a lot more than 300 games for the Whites.

Long may he continue to grace the Craven Cottage turf and hear the unmistakable cry of 'Reeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaammmmmm'. For an understated figure in a sport that generates an awful lot of unheralded hype, Fulham's classy centre half has plenty to be proud of. Thanks for giving us absolutely everything, Tim.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/10/redoutable-ream-reaches-300-not-out/