Tuesday Fulham Stuff - 07/11/23...

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Results

Monday 23/10
Spurs	1-4	Chelsea

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Exclusive: Fulham boss Marco Silva reveals 'most difficult moment' in English football came during Hull tenure
Just days into his first managerial stint in England with Hull City, Marco Silva experienced a moment that, speaking to TNT Sports, he described as his "most difficult" in the Premier League so far. Silva also addressed last summer's speculation over his future, revealing that the strength of the English top flight - "the best competition in the world" - was what kept him from leaving.

Marco Silva has revealed his "most difficult moment" in the Premier League came just 17 days into the start of his near seven-year managerial stint in England.
Silva, after spells with Hull, Watford and Everton, is now at his fourth top-flight club, Fulham, where he has delivered creditable results to date, with a promotion from the Championship in 2021/22 and a 10th-place Premier League finish last term.

But - as he revealed to TNT Sports - his start to life in England was laced with sadness.

He said: "From a personal point of view, the most difficult moment that I have had so far in England was the moment when Chelsea played against Hull City, the moment with Ryan Mason.
"He was my player at Hull. That is a personal thing, it was a really tough moment for everyone that loves football."
The moment Silva is referring to saw Mason suffer a serious injury from a clash of heads with Gary Cahill when Hull visited Chelsea in the Premier League on January 22, 2017.
Mason's skull was fractured and he underwent surgery involving the insertion of 14 metal plates, with a year-long rehabilitation programme following.

Regrettably for Mason, the Hull midfielder - who made one appearance for England against Italy in 2015, assisting Andros Townsend's equaliser in a 1-1 draw - was forced to retire from football in 2018, following specialist medical advice on the risks relating to his injury.
Silva's Hull were relegated from the Premier League that season, and the Portuguese added that meeting fans' expectations has been an overall, wider aspect of management he has found challenging.
He said: "At the end, we are in this sport to deliver to the fans what they expect. That is the main thing in football because they are the most important thing in all the clubs.
"The fanbase, the support, the moments that you enjoy with them, the good results and lots of enjoyable moments between the players and the fans as well.

"And the toughest moments are always those moments when you can't deliver what the fans expect in terms of results. I know that they look always for the results, sometimes they don't look behind the result much more because they are passionate with their football clubs, they love their football clubs.
"Always the most difficult moments in football is when you don't deliver for the fans what they expect from you."
In a sign of Silva's longevity in English football, at Hull he managed the likes of now Manchester United and England defender Harry Maguire, Liverpool's Scotland skipper Andy Robertson and West Ham and England forward Jarrod Bowen, the latter one of the top scorers in the Premier League this term.

Those three players were relative unknowns at that time, but - like them - Silva is hungry to achieve the most he can from his career, as he addressed last summer's speculation over his future.
He said: "I'm still young but it's been a long time [since 2017]. Four clubs already - if you ask me I would probably like not to have changed so many clubs in that time, but it's part of the business.
"But it's good to see that [my] relationship is very good with almost all of them [his former players]. It's nice to see when you have the first contact with some players and if the connection is so good like it was with the three you have mentioned [Maguire, Robertson and Bowen], but I can mention probably more than 50-100 players.

"When you are with them of course it's good to see them and I wish always the best for them, like I know that most of them wish for me as well.
"And for me of course what they have been showing, [how] they have been developing themselves is the demand that I put on myself and my staff as well.
"Every single day we have to try to be better, every single day we have to try to improve to be more prepared for this competition [the Premier League].

"It's seven years here because I wanted to be here, my ambition was to be here. Last season I had some offers to not be here and I tried to be here, two years ago the same.
"At the end it's where I want to be, to challenge myself in the best competition in the world, the most difficult one. Every single game is a really challenging one with the best players in the world around as well.
"This league demands so much from you that you have to be better every single week and every single day. That's what I want for me and my staff."



https://www.tntsports.co.uk/football/premier-league/2023-2024/exclusive-fulham-boss-marco-silva-reveals-most-difficult-moment-in-english-football-during-hull-tenu_sto9868548/story.shtml

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Listen to David Hamilton share his Fulham memories
If, like me, you are still sore about Saturday's stoppage-time ending, a great form of Monday motivation arrives in the shape of the excellent Football Ruined My Life podcast, co-hosted by our good friend Paddy Barclay.

Barclay, super-agent Jon Holmes and author Colin Schlinder, who penned the brilliant Manchester United My Life, have just released a wonderful walk down memory lane with the one and only 'Diddy' David Hamilton. The iconic broadcaster, and former Craven Cottage MC, talks through a lifetime of following Fulham and gives us plenty of brilliant stories about some of the game's greats, including how he once laid on a goal for Bobby Charlton on the hallowed Cottage turf.

David also shares his memories of how football used to be – plus his tales of getting to know the likes of George Cohen, Johnny Haynes, Ernie Clay, Mohamed Al-Fayed and many, many more. It's a great episode that will give us all a much-needed lift after a disappointing weekend.

Listen here if you like.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/11/listen-to-david-hamilton-share-his-fulham-memories/

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Iwobi: We Dominated

Alex Iwobi felt Fulham deserved to take something from Saturday's lunchtime meeting with Manchester United.

After a low key first half, Marco Silva's men had much the better of the second period, but were punished by Bruno Fernandes' stoppage time strike.

And an expected goals figure of 1.17 to our opponents' 0.74 backed up Iwobi's assessment.

"Of course it's difficult to take," he said afterwards. "We had the opportunities to get a goal and we felt like we were on top of them as well, we dominated, especially in the second half.

"But we just have to go again, put this to rest, analyse and take the positives into the next game.

"We played well. The fighting spirit was there, we created many chances, we did well with the ball.

"Like I said, I feel like in the second half we dominated much more, so we just have to take that into the next game.

"We analysed them well and I feel like it was a good performance, but it's the small details that win the game and unfortunately Man United took all three points."

When asked what those small details were, Iwobi replied: "Maybe for us to stay composed in the final third.

"Especially in the second half, we created a lot of opportunities, and then probably the vital moment at the end, just to remain composed and just get rid of the ball.

"But everyone worked really hard, it was just that little bit at the end that made the difference."



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2023/november/06/iwobi-we-dominated/

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Heating Smart to sponsor Fulham trophy tie

The club is delighted to be welcoming representatives of Heating Smart to Priestfield for Tuesday's Bristol Street Motors Trophy tie against Fulham.



Heating Smart to be official sponsor for midweek trophy game.

The Gills host Fulham U21's at Priestfield on Tuesday November 7 and we are delighted that heatingsmart will be our official match sponsors.

Stephen Clemence takes charge of his first home game as the club's new First-Team Head Coach, having overseen a First Round FA Cup win away to Hereford this past weekend.

Representatives of Heating Smart will be with us as the official sponsor.

As a leading heating specialist in South East England, Heating Smart offer premium service for all your boiler replacement and heating needs.

Their new website, launching soon, will give you all the info you need on their products and services: https://www.heatingsmart.co.uk

As our Matchday sponsor, Heating Smart will be supporting the Gills in style with a full Matchday Hospitality experience.

They will enjoy a pre-match two-course meal in Priestfield's Great Hall, with full access to the Piano Bar for complimentary drinks, before taking their seat in the upper tier of The Magnus Search Medway Stand, giving them the best view of the action on the night.

After the game, they'll pick the `Man of The Match`, before presenting the player with a bottle of champagne in the Great Hall. They will then receive their own home shirt signed by the entire Gills first-team.

We look forward to welcoming Heating Smart to Priestfield on Tuesday evening, and we hope they enjoy their Matchday Sponsor experience.



https://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/news/2023/november/heating-smart-to-sponsor-fulham-game/

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Match-going fans are priceless to football - so don't price them out of the game
Fulham fans held a protest over the 18% rise in ticket prices since last season


Fulham fans could be seen holding up yellow cards during the game with Manchester United (Image credit: Getty Images)

That dreaded five letter word is back in the news at the moment due to the ongoing inquiry into the government's handling of the pandemic in 2020. And if football can take one thing from that Covid era it's that football without fans really is dreadful.

Games being played out in front of empty stands with flags draped over seats to try and add some colour to the drab backdrop of behind closed doors matches.

Broadcast companies and even some clubs were creating artificial crowd noises to try and make the experience for those of us watching or listening to the games at home more authentic. But the truth is as much as you tried to cover up for the fact that the stands were empty, the worse it was. The lack of fans in the stands left a huge hole in the game and while football returned and carried on to fulfil their obligation of keeping the leagues going it was not the same.

So you would think, or at least hope, that when restrictions were lifted and fans were allowed back through the turnstiles that clubs would welcome them back and cherish them. We had seen the reality of a season and a half without match going fans and it was not pretty.

Clubs need the match going fans as much as those fans need their fix of going to games.

So in this post-Covid world where we are trying to navigate through a cost of living crisis the fact that the price of going to football is high and continuing to rise is disturbing and extremely concerning.

On Saturday, Fulham fans held their own protest by holding up yellow cards with the words 'Please don't price us out' in the 18th minute (although for some unknown reason they actually held them up in the 19th minute) to protest at the 18 per cent price rises at Craven Cottage from last season.

As a Fulham season ticket holder since the mid-1990s, I saw my season ticket behind the goal go from £550 last season to £650 this. And looking ahead the future looks concerning too as that £650 that I paid this season was a renewal discount and any new season tickets bought in the same area of the ground were £830 and the worry is that will then become the price to renew next season (as long as Fulham are in the Premier League). So the fear is that in the space of three seasons the price goes from £550 to £650 to £830 (a potential further rise of 27 per cent on this season) and then where does it stop? And those prices are towards the lower end at Fulham.

If you want a season ticket in the still to be finished Riverside Stand then they start at £1,250 and rise all the way up to £3,000. I have no doubt that when the stand is finally complete that it will be very nice, but at the moment the facilities are far from adequate and Fulham being a middling to lower Premier League team at the moment those astronomical prices cannot be justified and are turning the fanbase against the club.


Fulham fans marched to Craven Cottage to protest the rise in Season Ticket and Matchday ticket prices (Image credit: Getty Images)

Matchday prices are no better, tickets for Saturday's defeat by Manchester United ranged from £67 all the way up to £160 for a single adult ticket. And people can point to that being a ticket to watch Manchester United on a Saturday, so to put it into perspective, tickets for a midweek game against Nottingham Forest in December range between £49 and £105.

The club will no doubt point to the fact that they are selling out games and these prices are not leaving empty seats. But it is depressing when you see footage of Bruno Fernandes' stoppage time winner and fans in the 'home' part of the Putney End jump up and celebrate.

To the club a pound is a pound and it doesn't matter where it comes from - Fulham fan, Manchester United fan or someone visiting London and wanting to go to a game, the colour of their money is all the same.

But it does matter.

Many fans now in their late 20s and 30s got into going to Fulham because of affordable ticket schemes put on by the club decades ago - such as 'Kids for a Quid' and became fans and now regulars at home and away games. And when a club like Fulham who have spent the last decade yo-yoing between the Premier League and the Championship - those are the fans who turn up regardless of division but the next generation of youngsters are being priced out and that is a huge concern.

Fulham are of course not alone in this and many other clubs have extortionate ticket prices too (I paid £32 to watch a League Two game earlier this season), but where does it end? Surely enough is enough and is it time for someone else to step in?

In 2016/17 Premier League clubs unanimously agreed to introduce a cap on away tickets at £30 - something that was welcomed by match-going fans.

With the domestic TV deal currently out to tender and with more games up for broadcast in the next four year cycle from 2026, Premier League clubs will hope to receive more than the eye-watering £5billion that they did for the last cycle.

This may be far too optimistic of me, but it would be nice if some of that money was ring fenced to cap the price of home tickets - or at least a significant percentage of tickets.

After all the broadcasters have experienced football without fans and they won't want to return to that if prices continue to rise so it is in their interest too. Match-going fans are priceless to football, so clubs must stop pricing them out of the game.



https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/match-going-fans-are-priceless-to-football-so-dont-price-them-out-of-the-game

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Fulham told 16-year-old academy star is 'one of the best' young midfielders in England
Fulham have been told that they have one of the best young prospects in England right now in the form of 16-year-old Josh King.

Posting on X, formerly Twitter, The Secret Scout account was highlighting some of the most exciting wonderkids in English football.

One of the players that the account wanted to highlight was Fulham youngster Josh King.

Marco Silva has shown in recent weeks that he's not afraid of giving young players at the club a chance to shine in the first team.

Defender Luc de Fougerolles was handed his full debut against Ipswich Town in the cup and did brilliantly.

There was even a late debut that evening for full-back Devan Tanton which was a proud moment for the 19-year-old.

Fulham have one of the best academies in England right now and Josh King is the latest player to make waves.

He's already been named one of the best youngsters in the Premier League this season.

At 16, he appears to have a huge future ahead of him, but that may not be at Craven Cottage.

Fulham told King is one of England's best
The Secret Scout was asked about the England youth international and said: "One of the best young midfielders in England.

"For his career, I think he should go abroad. He could easily go to top club in Spain. The ways he plays reminds me of those type of midfielders.

"He's playing u21 @ 16 so Fulham will need to push him soon."

One of the best young midfielders in England.

For his career I think he should go abroad. He could easily go to top club in Spain. The ways he plays reminds me of those type of midfielders.

He’s playing u21 @ 16 so Fulham will need to push him soon https://t.co/5qwzirtF31 pic.twitter.com/zc3YrcWC8O

— TheSecretScout (@TheSecretScout_) November 5, 2023

It says a lot about the player that King is becoming that he's been backed to succeed in Spain.

He's a very impressive technician in the centre of the pitch and looks very comfortable playing alongside players who are years older than him.

Fulham will need to make sure that King sees a future for himself at the club rather than leaving England for Spain.

The likes of Harvey Elliott, Fabio Carvalho and Matt O'Riley have gone on to star away from Fulham after starring in the academy.

Marco Silva has to make sure that doesn't keep happening and offering first-team chances to the club's best academy players is the best way to do that.

Alongside the likes of De Fougerolles, Tanton, Jay Stansfield and Luke Harris, King could be the latest star from that generation of players to get Fulham fans excited.



https://www.fulham.news/2023/11/06/fulham-told-16-year-old-academy-star-is-one-of-the-best-young-midfielders-in-england/

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Watch Upcoming PL2 Game Live!

Fulham Under-21s' upcoming PL2 game against Burnley on Friday evening (7pm) will be shown live on FFCtv.

Following a dramatic 2-2 draw at Chelsea, Hayden Mullins' lads will be eager to return to winning ways at Motspur Park.

The stream will begin at 6:45pm and is available for paid subscribers only.

BUY FFCTV PASS

https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2023/november/06/Watch-Upcoming-PL2-Game-Live/

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Fulham boss makes key point as Aston Villa go in search of special victory
Latest Aston Villa news from BirminghamLive as Fulham look to derail brilliant run of home victories with record-equalling success up for grabs at Villa Park

Marco Silva is looking for Fulham to be more ruthless in front of goal when they take on Aston Villa this Sunday (2pm kick-off).

Bruno Fernandes' added-time winner condemned the Londoners to a 1-0 home defeat to an ailing Manchester United team on Saturday, leaving Silva to rue the chances his team squandered.

Fulham, 15th in the Premier League with just one win to their name in their last five games, have yet to hit the heights of last season, and look prime candidates to add to Villa's impressive list of scalps on home turf.

Unai Emery's men are on a brilliant run at Villa Park where they are unbeaten since February and have already scored 20 Premier League goals this season. After 12 successive league victories, success again on Sunday will see them match the 13-game winning streak at Villa Park set by their 1983 side.

Nevertheless, Silva is confident Fulham can do better at Villa than their showing against United, explaining: "It was clearly our fault we didn't win the game, but now we have to look for the next one.

"I spoke with the players, they're all down, but it was our fault and we have to look at it like that.

"We arrived in dangerous areas so many times, and with better decisions we should have created even more. Even so, I think the chances we did create were enough for us to score.

"Second half we were the better team on the pitch, clearly. We created more chances and we should have scored. It is what it is, a tough one to take, but more because the way it happened."

His thoughts were echoed by Fulham midfielder Alex Iwobi. He told the Fulham website: "We just have to go again, put this to rest, analyse and take the positives into the next game. We played well. The fighting spirit was there, we had opportunities."

Villa's weekend was marred by a 2-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest, but they will be keen to make amends when they take on AZ Alkmaar (8pm kick-off) in the Europa Conference League on Thursday, and then against Fulham.



https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-boss-makes-key-point-28053567

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Iwobi feels Fulham 'dominated' Manchester United
Alex Iwobi was frustrated after Fulham 'dominated' much of Saturday's game with Manchester United but were beaten by Bruno Fernandes' stoppage-time strike.

The Nigerian international's dynamism and desire in midfield typified a terrific display from Marco Silva's side, which made the Whites' failure to take any points all the tougher to take. Iwobi told the club's official website:

"We had the opportunities to get a goal and we felt like we were on top of them as well, we dominated, especially in the second half. But we just have to go again, put this to rest, analyse and take the positives into the next game. We played well. The fighting spirit was there, we created many chances, we did well with the ball.

Like I said, I feel like in the second half we dominated much more, so we just have to take that into the next game. We analysed them well and I feel like it was a good performance, but it's the small details that win the game and unfortunately Man United took all three points."

The former Arsenal and Everton man echoed Silva's post-match assertion that his side needs to make better decisions in the final third.

"Especially in the second half, we created a lot of opportunities, and then probably the vital moment at the end, just to remain composed and just get rid of the ball. But everyone worked really hard, it was just that little bit at the end that made the difference."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/11/iwobi-feels-fulham-dominated-manchester-united/

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Barcelona, Fulham behind Tottenham, Real Madrid in Santiago Gimenez chase

Santiago Gimenez has recently been linked with a move away from Feyenoord, with Barcelona, Real Madrid, Tottenham and Fulham keen.

Dean Jones has told Give Me Sport that Barcelona and Fulham are keen on signing Santiago Gimenez. But they are behind the likes of Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur in the transfer chase. Tottenham and Real Madrid are believed to be in pole position as far as the 22-year-old striker's signature is concerned, and it will be interesting to see if they can secure his services in the coming months.

Dean Jones said, "Santiago Gimenez is causing all sorts of fuss at the moment, and a lot of recruitment teams across the Premier League are tracking his situation. From what I have been able to gather so far, a move to Tottenham would be a lot more plausible than a move to West Ham or Fulham because this is a player that is already used to the Champions League and feels he has a place at the very top of the game."

"But there are big teams that Spurs are also going to have to win over if they make their interest firm, including Real Madrid. I'm told they are more likely than Barcelona as a landing spot at this moment and, when we start talking about these sorts of things, it's pretty clear why a club like Fulham might have their work cut out to sign him. He's also going to cost big money – I think somewhere towards £60million. But Feyenoord don't even want to talk about that until the season is over."

The Mexican striker has proven his quality in the Eredivisie, and he helped Feyenoord win the league title last season. He managed to score 23 goals across all competitions. Tottenham could certainly use someone like him in their attack. They have not signed a quality replacement for Harry Kane, and Richarlison has not been able to step up and perform at a high level. Signing a striker in January could prove to be a wise decision.

Similarly, Real Madrid will need to bring in a quality long-term replacement for Karim Benzema, who left at the start of the season. Gimenez would be a superb acquisition for both clubs. But it remains to be seen whether they are prepared to pay the reported £60 million asking price.

Meanwhile, Barcelona will need to plan for a future without Robert Lewandowski, and the 22-year-old has emerged as a viable target. However, the Blaugrana are going through financial difficulties and it remains to be seen whether they can compete with other European clubs for his signature.

Fulham have been linked with the 22-year-old as well. But the striker might fancy joining a big club capable of challenging for major trophies. It would be quite a surprise if the West London outfit managed to convince him to move to Craven Cottage in the coming months.

It remains to be seen whether Feyenoord are prepared to sell their star striker midway through the season. Signing a player like him in January could transform all four clubs and help them finish the season strongly.



https://thehardtackle.com/transfer-news/2023/11/06/barcelona-fulham-behind-tottenham-real-madrid-in-santiago-gimenez-chase/

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Arsenal, Fulham and Liverpool sent scouts to watch Brazilian in Copa Libertadores final – Club expecting offers worth €35m+
Now that Fluminense are Copa Libertadores champions, it's time for the clubs who'd been chasing André to make their moves.

Globo Esporte today brings a fresh story claiming that Arsenal, Fulham and Liverpool are interested in his signing.

The big boost here is that Fluminense and André have an agreement for him to leave at the end of the year, so they shall now wait for the offers.

It's said Liverpool already had a €30m bid turned down in the summer. Not only the Reds, but also Arsenal and Fulham, sent scouts for the Copa Libertadores final on Saturday.

According to the story, André's performance against Boca Juniors was praised by representatives. That's why Fluminense now expect that an offer worth over €35m will arrive in January.

It's not clear whether it's Arsenal, Fulham or Liverpool who's most keen on making that kind of investment in the player. The midfielder has recently made his debut for Brazil, so we wouldn't be surprised to see more clubs joining that race as well.

Such a scenario can only be positive for Fluminense and their chances of getting the level of transfer fee they desire.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/arsenal-fulham-liverpool-sent-scouts-watch-brazilian-copa-libertadores-final-club-expecting-offers-worth-e35m/

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'A lot more plausible': Reporter claims £60m West Ham target now more likely to join Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur appear to be leading Fulham and West Ham United in the race to sign Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez.

Santiago Gimenez would prefer a move to Tottenham Hotspur over the likes of Fulham or West Ham United in 2024.

That is what reporter Dean Jones has suggested to Give Me Sport whilst attempting to gather information on Gimenez's future.

Tottenham have been utilising Son Heung-min as a striker this season with the South Korean ace thriving more of a central role.

Ange Postecoglou may still want more of a classic centre forward in his ranks though with Gimenez believed to be a target.

Tottenham thought to be leading Premier League race for Santiago Giminez
Gimenez has been in outstanding form For Feyenoord this season, racking up 15 goals in 13 games this season, also chipping in with three assists.

The Mexican is likely to be in demand in 2024, whether that is in the summer or even in January.

Reporter Dean Jones now claims that, from the information he has gathered, Tottenham lead the way in terms of Premier League interest.

Jones claims that, whilst Fulham and West Ham United are keen on Gimenez, a move to Spurs is 'a lot more plausible' as things stand.

That's because Gimenez wants to play in the Champions League and Tottenham have a better chance of offering that than Fulham or West Ham.

Gimenez is also wanted by Barcelona and Real Madrid though, meaning Tottenham still face a real battle for a £60million deal.

"Santiago Gimenez is causing all sorts of fuss at the moment, and a lot of recruitment teams across the Premier League are tracking his situation," said Jones. "From what I have been able to gather so far, a move to Tottenham would be a lot more plausible than a move to West Ham or Fulham because this is a player that is already used to the Champions League and feels he has a place at the very top of the game."

"But there are big teams that Spurs are also going to have to win over if they make their interest firm, including Real Madrid. I'm told they are more likely than Barcelona as a landing spot at this moment and, when we start talking about these sorts of things, it's pretty clear why a club like Fulham might have their work cut out to sign him. He's also going to cost big money – I think somewhere towards £60million. But Feyenoord don't even want to talk about that until the season is over," he added.

My view: Spurs must push for Gimenez move
Tottenham decided not to sign a like-for-like Harry Kane replacement, instead moving Son up top.

Adding somebody like Gimenez – a strong hold-up and link-up player who also has the pace to get in behind – would be a smart addition.

Hailed as a 'goal machine' by Fabrizio Romano on YouTube, Gimenez will be familiar to Tottenham after previously targeting his Feyenoord boss Arne Slot.

Beating Real Madrid won't be easy here, but Tottenham must push to land the Mexican as a player who can bolster Postecoglou's attack for years to come.

£60million is a hefty price tag but Gimenez is now proving himself in the Champions League and appears to be exactly the kind of player Tottenham would want in their new era.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2023/11/06/a-lot-more-plausible-reporter-claims-60m-west-ham-target-now-more-likely-to-join-tottenham/

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Portsmouth FC Women Tickets

Secure your seat for Fulham FC Women's home fixture against Portsmouth FC Women this Sunday!

Join us back at Motspur Park as Fulham FC Women face Portsmouth FC Women in the First Round Proper of the Women's FA Cup on Sunday 12th November, kick-off 2:30pm.

This will be Fulham FC Women's final fixture ahead of their return to Craven Cottage on Sunday 19th November.

Tickets for both fixtures are priced at £5 for adults and just £1 for juniors!

PORTSMOUTH TICKETS

Supporters can purchase tickets online at tickets.fulhamfc.com, by calling the Fulham FC Ticket Office on 0203 871 0810 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm), or in person from the Ticket Office (Mon-Fri, 9:30am-4:30pm).

https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2023/november/06/portsmouth-fc-women-tickets/

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Fulham face crucial transfer question as major problem becomes clear
A lack of goals is becoming a key issue for Marco Silva, who must surely be pondering another striker addition in January

As Andre Onana sprang up to produce acrobatic saves from Harry Wilson and Joao Palhinha, many Fulham fans will have sensed where this narrative was heading.

Sure enough, Manchester United clung on, Bruno Fernandes mustered a stoppage-time winner and history repeated itself.

Fulham manager Marco Silva said he wanted his team to "write a new story", but it was same old, same old at Craven Cottage. For the fourth time in a season-and-a-half, Fulham were the dominant side against the Red Devils but lost.

And Saturday's was the most worrying of Fulham's recent defeats by United. The hosts failed to score from 18 shots, and it was their wastefulness, rather than anything else, that cost them on a day when their overall performance was spot on.

Aleksandar Mitrovic scored 14 Premier League goals last season, and his £46million summer exit to Al-Hilal has left Fulham toothless. The Serbian has not been adequately replaced.

Only Burnley have scored fewer than Fulham's nine goals in the Premier League so far this term.

Equally concerning for Silva is that only five of Fulham's league goals so far this season have been scored by attacking players, and only one by an out-and-out striker - Carlos Vinicius's winner against Luton back in September.

Raul Jimenez has still not scored for Fulham since his £5.5m summer move from Wolves - in fact, he's not netted in 33 Premier League games now - and has looked off the pace in the majority of his 10 appearances to date.

Vinicius, Jimenez and promising Brazilian Rodrigo Muniz have failed to score on all of their combined Premier League starts this season, and there is no leading No9 among them.

It begs the question: do Fulham need to enter the transfer market for a new striker in January?

On signings such as Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey, Fulham spent a total of £59.3m over the summer, outweighing what they got for Mitrovic.

While that figure may suggest the Mitrovic money has already been spent, it is unlikely that Silva would have signed his recent contract extension if he had not been given assurances that he would be financially backed in the transfer window.

"It is a remarkable achievement that Fulham are as high as 15th given their woes up front"

Fulham owner Shahid Khan and sporting director Tony Khan have, after all, been watching the same faltering forward line each week that Silva has been presiding over. They too are aware that teams without reliable goalscorers are often unreliable themselves.

If anything, it is a remarkable achievement that Fulham are as high as 15th given their woes up front. But it is not sustainable.

Pivotal as they enter a tough run of fixtures is that the manner of the United defeat on Saturday does not become a pattern.

Three of their next six league games are against Aston Villa, Liverpool and Newcastle, and then comes a quarter-final at Everton on December 19, with Fulham's fanbase rightly viewing the Carabao Cup as a huge opportunity for silverware.

The recent performances of the likes of Iwobi, Palhinha, Willian and Bassey show there is so much right at Fulham.

The problems are clear. They don't have a goalscorer, and they don't score goals.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-fc-transfers-striker-goals-b1118369.html

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23-year-old Fulham man admits he's still getting used to playing new position
Fulham defender Calvin Bassey has admitted he's still trying to get used to the new position he's playing under Marco Silva.

Bassey was speaking to Capital Football after a gutting 1-0 defeat to Manchester United at the weekend.

Calvin Bassey was starting his fourth match on the bounce after his summer move from Ajax.

Marco Silva hasn't had to deal with too many injuries this season, but centre-back has become a problem area recently.

Tosin Adarabioyo hasn't been fit enough to play all season, while Issa Diop picked up an injury in the build-up to Sheffield United's goal last month.

It has meant that Calvin Bassey and Tim Ream are Fulham's only fit senior players in this position.

Silva did hand Luc de Fougerolles a debut in the Carabao Cup last week to give Ream a break and he performed admirably.

But, Bassey has admitted that it's taking him time to get used to playing on the right-hand side of a centre-back partnership.

The Nigerian international typically plays as either a left-back or a left-side centre-half.

His lack of experience in this role has told on several occasions already.

Fulham defender Bassey admits he's improving in new position
Asked about his new role in the squad, Bassey said: "The Premier League's one of the best leagues and when you make a mistake – like two mistakes in the Tottenham game, it's two goals.

"But I just get better each time and I'm just happy that the manager still trusts me.

"I'm just trying to improve and get better each game. I just back myself really to give my best. It's good here.

"The boys are top. As I've said before, it's like a family, and we try to keep the family together.

"Of course, it's different [in my new position]. With each game, I think it's getting better you know – picking which passes to make, when to make them.

"Obviously when I'm opening up on my dominant side, it's a bit less natural, so it's about picking the times when to open up when to play the short one or go a bit longer."

It's encouraging for Fulham that Bassey thinks he's already getting more used to his new position.

He was culpable for the goals conceded against Tottenham and did look slightly uncomfortable letting the ball run across onto his right foot.

However, he also wasn't blessed with options on either occasion he gave the ball away.

Against Manchester United, Bassey played much better, reading the game really well and looking so comfortable in possession.

He did still give the ball away a few times trying to play out from the back, but on the whole, was provided more support by Timothy Castagne and Alex Iwobi.

Tosin and Diop will be getting closer to full fitness, but Bassey will almost certainly have another tough task to deal with at Villa Park on Sunday.



https://www.fulham.news/2023/11/06/23-year-old-fulham-man-admits-hes-still-getting-used-to-playing-new-position/

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Exclusive: Everton, Brighton, Fulham to battle for Barnsley star in January after FA Cup wonder strike
TEAMtalk can exclusively reveal that Brighton, Everton and Fulham are keeping a close eye on Barnsley youngster Fabio Jalo ahead of the January transfer window.

Brighton have a record of plucking superstars out of nowhere for cheap fees, and our sources have confirmed that the talented 17-year-old is the next player on their shortlist.

Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella and Karou Mitoma are just three examples of how successful the Seagull's scouts have been over the last few years.

Everton are looking to take on a similar approach with their transfer business. Interestingly, the Toffees agreed a deal to appoint former Brighton talent spotter Lee Sargeson in a senior recruitment role in February.

Therefore, the Merseyside club will be hoping to find some Caicedos and Mitomas of their own.

Fulham, on the other hand, are looking to bring in some young talents over the next couple of transfer windows as Marco Silva aims to build a formidable team for the future.

With that in mind, we could potentially see all three of the Premier League sides make an offer for Jalo in January.

Brighton, Everton, Fulham eye move for Fabio Jalo
Jalo joined Barnsley from Portuguese giants Benfica aged just 16 in the summer of 2022. He made his senior debut in August that year, becoming one of Barnsley's youngest players of all time.

The now 17-year-old scored his first goal for the Tykes in their FA Cup draw with Horsham on Friday, with a spectacular strike from the edge of the box that found the top corner.

Now, TEAMtalk can exclusively confirm that Brighton, Everton and Fulham are among several English clubs showing an interest in the highly-rated winger.

Our sources suggest that along with the Premier League trio, Leeds United and Sunderland are also amongst the sides showing a real interest.

Fábio Jaló. Remember the name.@BarnsleyFC#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/AG6kYKN1lH

— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) November 4, 2023

Sporting Lisbon back in Jalo's native Portugal have also been checking on his progress, so a return to his homeland could also potentially be on the cards.

Jalo is only under contract with Barnsley until the end of the season. Therefore, the Yorkshire club could be forced into selling him in January if they are unable to tie him down to a new contract.

It will be interesting to see if Brighton, Everton or Fulham do make a concrete bid for Jalo this winter.



https://www.teamtalk.com/news/exclusive-brighton-everton-fulham-battle-for-barnsley-star-january-after-fa-cup-wonder-strike

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Liverpool face competition from Premier League rivals for Copa winning Brazilian ace

Liverpool face competition from Premier League rivals for Andre

The name Andre Trindade has been making waves in the football world, and the player's stock soared even higher following Fluminense's victory in the Copa Libertadores final. As the Brazilian midfielder's reputation grows, a long list of suitors is forming, with Liverpool at the forefront. However, several Premier League clubs, including Fulham, West Ham, Tottenham, and Arsenal, have also joined the chase.

Liverpool's interest in Andre Trindade is no secret, and the club has long seen themselves in the hot seat to secure his signature. Trindade's performances have not gone unnoticed, and his role in Fluminense's success in the Copa Libertadores has only enhanced his desirability as a player.

While Liverpool are certainly keen on adding the Brazilian talent to their ranks, they face stiff competition from other Premier League clubs as earlier mentioned.

Fulham, West Ham, Tottenham, and Arsenal have all thrown their hats into the ring, hoping to acquire Trindade's services. That is according to Brazilian journalist Janjao Brandao via ECHO. The Gunners, however, are not looking to make an offer during the upcoming January transfer window. This development may provide Liverpool with a short-term advantage in their pursuit of Andre.

Andre to Liverpool?
The Reds, even though they have reinforced their midfield with top-quality players, could do with the services of an additional defensive midfielder and Andre seems like the player who would fit the bill.

His recent accomplishments in the Copa Libertadores highlight his ability to perform on the biggest stages. His role in Fluminense's triumph in the prestigious South American competition showcased his composure under pressure and his capacity to rise to the occasion.

Another aspect of how Andre could help Liverpool a great deal is by allowing us to play Alexis Mac Allister in his preferred central midfield role instead of putting in a shift as a 6. Andre coming in would take that burden from Macca and help the players around him play naturally.

The competition for Trindade's signature should not be underestimated. Fulham, West Ham, Tottenham, and Arsenal are all formidable clubs with their unique appeals. His decision will hinge on various factors, including the role he envisions for himself and the ambitions of the club that offers him a contract. At the Reds though, he could start more often than not compared to other clubs given the lack of depth when it comes to the defensive midfield aspect of things.



https://thekoptimes.com/2023/11/06/liverpool-face-competition-from-premier-league-rivals-for-andre/

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#AffordableFulham – what next?

Mondays are never the best when they arrive on the back of a Fulham defeat, and with our loss to Manchester United coming so late in the game, this one was particularly hard to take. But, as you know, Saturday was about a whole lot more than just the match.

We'd like to thank all of you who took part in our activities to shine a light on the unacceptable escalating ticket prices at Fulham and help us in our campaign to create an #AffordableFulham. This was truly a team effort from all concerned and whether you distributed or waved a yellow card, took part in the pre-match walk, spread the word on social media or gave us your support and encouragement in other ways we would like to say a big thank you.



One of the aims of Saturday was to raise awareness of the issue, and we have certainly made a good start there with a significant amount of coverage on TV, in the print media and online. We won't try to reference everything written, but would like to draw your attention to some of our favourites.

In the Guardian match report Jonathan Liew said:

"A final word to the Fulham fans, who devised pretty much the politest protest ever seen at a Premier League ground, even if it sprang from a deep well of resentment. A sea of yellow cards appeared around the ground in the 18th minute, as supporters expressed their disgust at the 18% rise in season ticket prices that is Shahid and Tony Khan's latest attempt to turn Craven Cottage into the exclusive playground of the rich. United may have picked their pockets yesterday. But their own club has arguably been pulling off the same trick for years."

Whilst in an eye-opening piece for iNews, Stefano Hatfield declared

"The most loyal fans are being priced out of watching their football team – it's a disgrace"

and reminded us that

"Fan protests can work. The £30 away ticket price cap on Premier League games was introduced in 2016 after campaigns to ensure away fans, and the atmosphere they bring, could be sustained [...] If price inflation persists, then football will kill its own golden goose."

If you are a subscriber to the Athletic, Peter Rutzler's detailed article is well worth a read, as is Dom Smith's report in the Evening Standard.

And perhaps a final word to former Fulham (and Manchester United) defender Paul Parker, extensively quoted in this piece in The Sun:

"The die-hard [Fulham] fans are among the best I played for during my career. I am angry because I feel they deserve to be treated better. I'm delighted they held up yellow cards in protest during the game against the price hikes – and I was pleased to see the Manchester United fans joined in too."

What next?
Now that the strength of feeling on this issue has been clearly demonstrated by the Fulham family, we will be writing to the Club this week to further express our opinions on ticket pricing and to ask to participate in a full review of ticketing policy.

We will ask that the review includes:

    Season ticket pricing
    Match day ticket pricing
    Concessions
    Membership packages
    Loyalty points.

You may be aware that our friends from Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust have recently sought, and been offered, a full ticketing review and we would like Fulham to commit to one too. As supporters, we have a wealth of experience and insight into ticketing that we can bring to the table, both to try to make prices more affordable and also to prevent scenes like we saw on Saturday where many Manchester United fans can be seen openly celebrating their winning goal in areas of the ground that should only have been on sale to Fulham fans.

We have also written to Lucy Fraser, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and Thangam Debbonaire, her shadow, and will continue to make representations both locally and nationally in partnership with our sister Trusts and the Football Supporters' Association.



Club meeting
You'll know that the topic of ticket pricing is regularly on the agenda for Club meetings and it will remain there until we can make progress towards an #AffordableFulham.

The November meeting was originally scheduled for this Wednesday, 8th November, but because of unavailability of key Club staff on this date and of Trust board members on alternative dates offered by the Club, we have jointly agreed to postpone until Wednesday December 13th.

We should stress that this change in date became clear towards the end of last week and is not as a result of the weekend's activities. This doesn't mean that there will be no communication with the Club before then; we will continue to make representations specifically on ticket pricing and will also liaise directly on other issues originally planned for the agenda this week.

Moving the meeting to December will also let us seek further detailed feedback from our members at our AGM on 16th November at 7pm. If you are a Trust member and haven't yet done so, you can register using the link provided to you by email and f you aren't a Trust member yet but would like to attend the AGM, you can join here.

At this pivotal time, we thank you for your continued support and are always happy to hear your thoughts (and see any great photos you may have from the Yellow Card display on Saturday).

Thank you

FST Board



https://www.fulhamsupporterstrust.com/news/2023/11/affordablefulham-what-next/

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Fulham now interested in January move for teenage attacker with 'real quality'
Fulham are one of several clubs interested in a move for young attacker Fabio Jalo in January.

A report from TEAMTalk has suggested that Marco Silva's side could try and sign the teenager in the upcoming transfer window.

There's been a big problem at Craven Cottage this season and that's been in front of goal.

Carlos Vinicius's tap-in against Luton Town is still the only league goal a centre-forward has scored for Fulham in the Premier League.

Fellow Brazilian Rodrigo Muniz led the line well against Manchester United at the weekend but picked up an injury and there's no news yet on how long he'll be unavailable for.

Fulham have been linked with strikers already in January and there's a lot of pressure on the club making the right addition to avoid being dragged into a relegation battle.

Despite this need for an immediate fix, the club are still looking to the future in the transfer window.

Fans have been treated to seeing the likes of Luke Harris and Luc de Fougerolles come through the academy in the past 18 months.

Fulham are now interested in Barnsley's young winger Fabio Jalo to add to their impressive young cohort.

Jalo's contract runs out at the end of the season which means he could be available for a bargain price.

However, the likes of Brighton, Everton, Leeds and Southampton also have an eye on the 17-year-old.

Fulham interested in January move for Jalo
The report from TEAMTalk has suggested that Fulham are 'keeping a close eye' on Fabio Jalo.

Already an under-19 international, Jalo would fit in well in a squad full of Brazilian and Portuguese players who speak his native language.

Jalo scored his second senior goal against Horsham in the FA Cup last week, and manager Neill Collins said at the start of the season: "I was really pleased with him. He showed moments of real quality, he always looks a goal threat and linked up quite well with Max (Watters).

"We might see him prior to Bradford (the next trophy game in November) but I am looking forward to different opportunities that might arise for him.

"Right now, Fabio will stay here and see what opportunities come. He's not that far away from getting in the first team depending on injuries and form."

Fulham may be interested in signing Jalo but when they come up against teams like Brighton who are synonymous with developing young talent, convincing him to make the move to West London might not be easy.

However, Silva's reputation among Portuguese players and the style of play he demands from his team makes him a very enticing manager to work with.

Jalo shouldn't be Fulham's priority signing in January, but he would be a very astute addition.



https://www.fulham.news/2023/11/07/fulham-now-interested-in-january-move-for-teenage-attacker-with-real-quality/