Sunday Fulham Stuff - 15/10/23...

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Fulham fans to protest over prices
Fulham fans are calling on supporters to demonstrate outside Craven Cottage before next month's home game against Manchester United over the club's "completely misguided" ticket pricing.

That home game against Manchester United features some truly eye-watering matchday ticket prices, including £160 in the new Riverside Stand with cheapest ticket in the Hammersmith End still a staggering £67. A huge jump on the same fixture from last season.

Supporter groups are now calling for action - Fulham Supporters' Trust and Fulham Lillies said this week that the club's ticket pricing was "alienating a large part of our core fan base to the extent that increasing numbers just can't afford to come to a game."
It seems to me that the club are disregarding long-term fans in favour of those who live in their affluent locality.

Read more here: https://thefsa.org.uk/news/fulham-fans-call-for-protest-over-ticket-prices/



https://footballeconomyv2.blogspot.com/2023/10/fulham-fans-to-protest-over-prices.html

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Tottenham Hotspur Stadium vandalised - man charged but 'not being treated as antisemitic incident'
Tottenham Stadium has been vandalised with a police investigation under way and one person charged.

Tottenham's £1.2 billion stadium was vandalised this week, while most of the first-team players were away on international duty.

LondonWorld has been told that Spurs' home ground has been targeted during the international break, resulting in parts of the ground being damaged. A person has been charged following the incident on Monday night.

The Met Police said the case is not being treated as an antisemitic incident, despite tensions due to the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The club has strong historical connections to London's Jewish community.

A police spokesperson said: "On Monday October 9 at 7.20pm officers were called to a report of a man causing criminal damage at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Tottenham. Officers attended the scene, and arrested a 30-year-old man on suspicion of causing criminal damage."

Charlie Chart, 30, of Fairview Close, was charged with causing criminal damage, he appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court on Wednesday October 11.

The stadium is regarded by many as one of the best in the world. It has hosted events from concerts by Beyoncé to boxing and NFL. The Baltimore Ravens play the Tennessee Titans on Sunday (October 15).

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has a seating capacity of 63,000, the largest in London and second only to Manchester United's Old Trafford in the Premier League.



https://www.londonworld.com/sport/football/spurs/tottenham-suffer-fresh-blow-with-one-arrest-made-in-latest-distraction-ahead-of-fulham-home-game-4372277

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Johnson, Solomon, Bentancur - Latest Tottenham injury news and return dates for Fulham
All the latest Tottenham injury news as updates arrive on some of Ange Postecoglou's key players that are rehabbing injuries

With the international break in full swing, Ange Postecoglou will be hoping that no more of his Tottenham players join the injury club over the next two weeks.

The Spurs boss is already dealing with a few key injuries but will hope that the period of Premier League absence can allow his players to get back to full fitness.

Star like Son Heung-Min have seen limited action so far for South Korea, leaving his fitness fairly well known after a few injury worries this season already. James Maddison also played 73 minutes in England's 1-0 win over Australia in a rotated Three Lions squad.

With that, here's all the latest news and return dates for those in the Tottenham injury room.

Brennan Johnson

The Welsh striker was left out of the Wales squad by manager Rob Page in order to not jeopardise his health, after he suffered a thigh injury against Arsenal in the North London Derby.

He's the likeliest of those out injured for Postecoglou to come back into the matchday squad after the international break but nothing is yet confirmed.

What has been said: "The communication between us and Tottenham has been first-class. It's about having mutual respect.

"Both managers want a talented player fit so it's about working together. I'm not going to insist that he has to come away and we're going to play him, jeopardise his safety and health.

"I wouldn't do that. But they also understand the importance of our games. We've had great conversations with them, but ultimately his injury will dictate whether he can meet up or not."

Possible return date:Fulham (H) - Monday, October 23

Rodrigo Bentancur

The Argentinian midfielder was a big loss towards the end of last season following his bad knee injury. Since then, he's been spotted in training, doing one-to-one drills and gym exercises but is still expected to be sidelined until mid-November at the earliest.

What has been said: "Ryan (Sessegnon) and Rodrigo are still well off [in terms of a return to action]."

Possible return date: Aston Villa (H) - Sunday, November 26

Ryan Sessegnon

Another star who is yet to feature under Postecoglou, Sessegnon has been recovering from a thigh injury and is likely to come back around the same time as Bentancur.

What has been said: "Ryan (Sessegnon) and Rodrigo are still well off [in terms of a return to action]."

Possible return date: Aston Villa (H) - Sunday, November 26

Manor Solomon

The Israeli winger was forced to have surgery on his knee after a recent injury in training has left him sidelined for the next few months at least.

It'll come as a blow to Postecoglou's side, which has seen Solomon fit in perfectly on both wings, with him grabbing two assists in the 5-2 win over Burnley.

What has been said: "Solomon has suffered a meniscus injury to his right knee in training [and] he underwent surgery the same day."

Possible return date: Manchester United (A) - Saturday, January 13

Ivan Perisic

The veteran full-back suffered a bad ACL injury last month and will do well to return before the end of the season. It's entirely possible that even if he does retain full fitness before May, he sits out until next season.

What has been said: "We can confirm that Ivan has suffered a complex Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury in his right knee. The experienced Croatia international sustained the injury in non-contact training and will undergo surgery."

Possible return date: June, 2024

Alfie Whiteman

The youngster suffered a long-term injury back in August and is unlikely to return for the club this season.

What has been said: "Alfie has undergone surgery following an injury sustained to his ankle whilst on pre-season tour. He will now begin his rehab with our medical team, and a date for his to return to training will be determined in due course."

Possible return date: 2024



https://www.football.london/tottenham-hotspur-fc/players/johnson-solomon-bentancur-latest-tottenham-27911211

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Spurs: Ange could unleash "complete" gem with 0 starts to ease Solomon blow
The Lilywhites will have to contend with the former Fulham loanee on the sidelines for the next few months...

The international break is always an interminable slog, but for Premier League table-toppers Tottenham Hotspur, it will feel like a lifetime after blitzing into form under the management of Ange Postecoglou.

Despite enduring a challenging 2022/23 campaign that resulted in an eighth-placed finish in the top-flight and the dismissal of Antonio Conte, the arrival of Postecoglou has stemmed the malaise and rekindled the fluidity that was so prominent during the days of Mauricio Pochettino.

The complete transformation has been commendable and the results are illustrated through the progress on the pitch, with there now a real sense that Spurs can compete against the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool for the league title.

James Maddison is the salient arrival, pumping inventive creativity into the centre of the pitch and earning adulation from pundit Jermaine Jenas, who said that he is "on the verge of being a world-class talent."

But he's not the only contributor to the revival, with a host of existing stars now tapping into their potential and looking every bit comfortable in a Premier League side targetting silver-laden success.

With six victories and two draws from the opening eight matches of the term, the Lilywhites are indeed flying, but Postecoglou will have to contend with several issues following the conclusion of the international sojourn.

Indeed, Tottenham secured victory over Luton Town last time out, but did so at a cost, with the industrious Yves Bissouma picking up a red card after Manor Solomon sustained a lengthy knee injury in training and is now sidelined indefinitely.

What happened to Manor Solomon?
Solomon announced himself on English shores with a prolific purple patch on loan with Fulham last season, scoring five goals in as many matches earlier in 2023 and earning praise for his "stunning" efforts by journalist Josh Bunting.

Such feats earned him a free transfer to Tottenham, having concluded his contract with Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk, and while he has not yet cemented a regular starting berth, the 37-cap Israel international has earned two assists - both against Burnley - from just five Premier League outings this season, starting twice.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 4% for goals scored, the top 4% for successful take-ons and the top 2% for tackles made per 90 - very much the protean threat.

The £60k-per-week gem offers a kind of dynamism that someone like Richarlison doesn't boast in the same regard, having been dubbed a "pocket rocket" by pundit Jamie Redknapp.

While Richarlison is indeed the first choice option on the left wing, he has not proved himself reliable despite improving on his dismal form from last season, and, as such, Postecoglou could use the current seasonal pause to assess his options and tinker at his team.

Heung-min Son, now club captain, has been exceptional this season and is thriving up front, having scored six goals across his last five Premier League matches, and while he will continue to serve in the role over the season, it might be wise for his manager to shift him back into his natural position on the left to accommodate summer signing Alejo Veliz.

How much did Tottenham pay for Alejo Veliz?
Several days prior to Tottenham legend Harry Kane's £86m plus add-ons transfer to Bayern Munich in August, young and exciting forward Veliz was added to the squad.

The 20-year-old Argentina prospect joined from Rosario Central for a reported £13m fee, signing a six-year deal with the London club and continuing the emphasis on fresh, younger arrival, reshaping and remoulding a Spurs side that has languished below the desired standard for some time now.

Fabrizio Romano hailed him a "talented" player and while he has yet to make his mark at Tottenham, he will likely get an increased opportunity over the coming months, with Solomon's absence something he could use advantageously to wedge his way into Postecoglou's plans.

How good is Alejo Veliz?
Last season, in the Liga Professional, Veliz plundered 11 goals and two assists from 23 matches, leading South American content creator Nathan Joyes to praise his "exciting" attributes.

Tall and imposing, Veliz has been noted for having the making of the "complete" centre-forward by talent scout Jacek Kulig, who also highlighted his "finishing, instinct, athleticism, movement."

So far, he has only made two appearances for Tottenham with both coming in the dying embers of the club's past two Premier League matches, but his natural prowess as a striker could be something well-placed for his outfit's success, especially during spells when Richarlison may fall out of form.

Son ranks among the top 15% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored per 90 and has posted 151 goals and 80 assists across 381 matches since joining the club.

Heung-min Son vs Alejo Veliz Stats Comparison (FBref)

Statistic (per 90)	Alejo Veliz	Heung-min Son
Non-penalty goals	0.55	0.37
Non-penalty xG	0.45	0.32
Total shots	3.03	2.47
Aerial wins	4.78	0.20

And given that Veliz has been firing at a greater rate than the 31-year-old over the past year while also dwarfing his impact in aerial situations, Postecoglou must now provide him with his very first starting berth since arriving on English shores a few months ago.

Obviously, Son has been in fine form over recent weeks and his rate of scoring illustrates that, but Veliz offers a different dimension to the centre-forward position and could thrive as the focal point with his towering presence.

And while Son is indeed flourishing at present, he's hardly unproven as a threat from the left channel, and could offer the kind of offensive security to allow Veliz to integrate into the rigours of Premier League football.



https://www.footballfancast.com/tottenham-hotspur-ange-postecoglou-manor-solomon-alejo-veliz-premier-league/

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Premier League Statement

Fulham Football Club is saddened by the events in Israel and Gaza, and we send our sympathies to the victims and their families. As a mark of respect, we will wear black armbands and observe a minute's silence ahead of our next fixture away to Tottenham Hotspur.

Premier League statement

The Premier League is shocked and saddened by the escalating crisis in Israel and Gaza, and strongly condemns the horrific and brutal acts of violence against innocent civilians.

We hope for peace, and our heartfelt sympathies are with the victims, their families and the communities impacted.

As a mark of respect for all those affected, Premier League players, managers and match officials will wear black armbands and observe a moment's silence at the fixtures taking place from Saturday 21 to Monday 23 October. The League will also make a donation to the British Red Cross to support the aid efforts helping those in urgent need.




https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2023/october/12/premier-league-statement/