Sunday Fulham Stuff - 10/12/23...

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Results

Saturday 9/12
Palace	1-2	Liverpool
Brighton	1-1	Burnley
Man Utd	0-3	Bournemouth
Sheff Utd	1-0	Brentford
Wolves	1-1	Forest
Villa	1-0	Arsenal

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Man United, Liverpool 'join race for Joao Palhinha'
Manchester United and Liverpool have reportedly entered the race to sign Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha.

The Portugal international, who arrived from Sporting Lisbon in 2022, looked to be heading out the exit door in the summer.

Bayern Munich were seemingly on the verge of securing his signature before the deal fell through on the final day of the transfer window.

After remaining at Craven Cottage, Palhinha has gone on to make 12 Premier League appearances this season, scoring in draws against Arsenal and Brighton & Hove Albion.

Although he is still a regular fixture in the Fulham side, Palhinha continues to be linked with a move away ahead of the January transfer window.

While it remains to be seen whether Bayern will pursue a winter deal, Arsenal are said to be considering a move for the 28-year-old.

However, there is a belief that the Gunners would wait until the completion of the 2023-24 season before pursuing a transfer.

According to TEAMtalk, Premier League rivals Man United and Liverpool are set to join the race for Palhinha's signature.

The Red Devils are believed to be in the market for a new midfielder, with the club reportedly open to selling Casemiro.

Donny van de Beek is also set to leave Old Trafford in the new year, while a decision is yet to be made on whether to convert Sofyan Amrabat's loan move into a permanent transfer.

Liverpool, meanwhile, overhauled their midfield department in the summer, bringing in Wataru Endo, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch.

While Jurgen Klopp can call upon several options in the middle of the park, Liverpool are still keeping tabs on potential targets, especially with Thiago Alcantara's contract set to expire in June 2024.

After Bayern all but agreed on a deal in the region of £60m to sign Palhinha in the summer, it could take a similar fee to prise him away from Craven Cottage.

However, there is some concern that Fulham could up their asking price, with Palhinha under contract until at least 2028 after signing an extension in September.

As the Cottagers prepare for Palhinha's potential departure, they are believed to be lining up Fluminense midfielder Andre as a possible replacement.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/man-utd/transfer-talk/news/man-united-liverpool-join-race-for-joao-palhinha_530955.html?newsnow

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Coufal: We want to continue building at Fulham
Vladimír Coufal wants to give the Claret and Blue Army many more nights like Thursday's at Tottenham Hotspur.

The Irons came from behind to complete a famous comeback win at their north London rivals, as Jarrod Bowen and James Ward-Prowse hit the back of the net to stun the home crowd.

Coufal was thrilled to claim a victory which extended the Hammers' unbeaten record to a sixth game and kept them within touching distance of the Premier League's top five.

With another away game to come this weekend at Fulham, Coufal is keen to keep his foot on the pedal and help propel his team further forward.
It's really good that we could thank our fans for their support with the win at Tottenham
Vladimír Coufal

"It was one of the most important games for the fans and also we are really happy we could please them with this victory," he explained.

"It's really good that we could thank them for their support like this.

"If we can win at Fulham too it would be something amazing. It's a tough game and we play again [quickly] so we will recover well and prepare for the game."

Coufal praised the all-round team effort in victory at Tottenham – one which required them to dig deep after a lightning-fast start from the home side saw them take an early lead through Cristian Romero.

But the Hammers did not wilt, and came back with an outstanding second half performance.

"We knew it would be a game like this probably, with a lot of them on the ball in a high position, and we would have to be compact, stick together and cover each other.

"We did an unbelievable job together defensively and we survived. The first 15, 20 minutes was like hell almost, to be honest, but we survived. We conceded just one goal – from a corner kick, which was not good enough from us – but in the second half we took our chances.

"We scored two goals and I think they didn't create a lot of chances in the second half.

"I'm not saying we controlled the game, but I think we were very solid, compact and difficult to play though. We played our game to full effect."



https://www.whufc.com/news/coufal-we-want-continue-building-fulham

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Match Preview: Fulham v West Ham
In his Fulham preview, Dan Coker looks back to a game in September 2008 and features a striker who represented both clubs...

Blast from the past
27th September 2008 – Kings of Leon were number one with 'Sex On Fire', Fame topped the UK box office, Gordon Brown was Prime Minister and, the day before, actor Paul Newman died aged 83. Meanwhile, West Ham United were recording a 2-1 win over Fulham in front of 23,946 at Craven Cottage.

Gianfranco Zola took charge of his first away league game as West Ham's new manager – the Italian had seen his side beat Newcastle at Upton Park in his first match in charge and had also overseen a midweek League Cup exit to Championship side Watford. Future Fulham player and manager Scott Parker was in the West Ham side, while former Fulham man Luis Boa Morte was on the Irons' bench. The west Londoners had former Hammers John Paintsil, Paul Konchesky and Bobby Zamora in their starting line-up, while Jimmy Bullard had also previously spent time at Upton Park without making a competitive appearance.

West Ham took the lead with two minutes of the first half remaining when 24-year-old centre-forward Carlton Cole (pictured above) was on hand to convert after Mark Schwarzer couldn't gather Matty Etherington's low cross from the right. The Irons doubled their lead right on half-time when Mark Noble expertly played a pass into the path of Etherington's run off the left flank and the winger poked the ball past the onrushing Schwarzer. There was still time at the end of the first half for the dismissal of Fulham striker Andy Johnson – already in the book for an awful challenge on Herita Ilunga, Johnson picked up his second yellow for a late tackle on Lucas Neill.

The ten men reduced the deficit just before the hour mark when Neill was adjudged to have handled in the penalty area and Danny Murphy sent Robert Green the wrong way from the resultant spot-kick. Zamora came close to equalising with a close-range header, while Hammers substitute Craig Bellamy saw a shot blocked on the line by Brede Hangeland, with the Welsh international firing the rebound over the bar. West Ham held on to secure a 2-1 victory. The action from this match can be viewed in my video below.

West Ham went on to finish the 2008/09 season in ninth place, while Roy Hodgson's Fulham closed the campaign in seventh position, two points clear of the Hammers. Cole was the Irons' top scorer with 12 goals in 32 appearances. Parker was voted Hammer of the Year, with Green runner-up. Manchester United won the Premier League title and Chelsea won the FA Cup after beating David Moyes' Everton in the Final at Wembley.

Fulham: Mark Schwarzer, John Paintsil, Brede Hangeland, Aaron Hughes, Paul Konchesky, Simon Davies, Jimmy Bullard, Zoltan Gera, Danny Murphy, Andy Johnson, Bobby Zamora.

West Ham United: Robert Green, Julien Faubert, Lucas Neill, Matthew Upson, Herita Ilunga, Valon Behrami, Mark Noble, Scott Parker (Luis Boa Morte), Matty Etherington (Hayden Mullins), Carlton Cole, David Di Michele (Craig Bellamy).

Club Connections
Alphonse Areola travels to his former club, while Issa Diop welcomes the team he departed in the summer of 2022. A decent number of players join the pair in representing West Ham United and Fulham over the years. These include:

Goalkeepers: Bill Biggar, Jan Lastuvka, Tony Parks.

Defenders: Paul Kelly, Bobby Moore, Tony Gale, George Redwood, Ryan Fredericks, George Horler, Kevin Lock, Jack Hebden, Rufus Brevett, John Paintsil, Paul Konchesky, Ian Pearce, Wayne Bridge, Jon Harley, Alan Stephenson, Andy Melville.

Midfielders: Luis Boa Morte, Dick Richards, George Carter, Papa Bouba Diop, Ray Houghton, Fergus Hunt.

Strikers: Brian Dear, Alf Harwood, Jack Fletcher, Roger Cross, Iain Dowie, Fred Harrison, Billy Brown, Archie Macaulay, Danny Shea, Bill Davidson, Kenny McKay, Leroy Rosenior, Bobby Zamora, Mladen Petric.

Scott Parker played for both clubs and managed Fulham.

Today's focus though is on a player who had a successful spell with West Ham before joining Fulham later in his career. Johnny 'Budgie' Byrne was born in West Horsley, Surrey, on 13th May 1939 to Irish immigrants. He played youth football for Epsom Town and Guildford City while working as an apprentice toolmaker before his schoolteacher and ex-Crystal Palace and West Ham goalkeeper Vincent Blore alerted Palace manager Cyril Spiers to the teenage Byrne's talents.

Byrne signed a professional contract on his 17th birthday in 1956 and made his debut against Swindon while still on National Service – he played in the same Army XI as Alan Hodgkinson (Sheffield United), Bill Foulkes and Duncan Edwards (both Manchester United). Byrne became a first team regular, and was popular with the Palace fans. In the 1960/61 season, he scored 30 of Palace's 110 goals as the club reached the Third Division. Byrne played for England at both youth and Under-23 levels, becoming the first Fourth Division player to win an Under-23 cap while with Crystal Palace. He left Crystal Palace in 1962 for West Ham United having scored 85 league goals in 203 appearances.

Ron Greenwood paid a fee of £65,000 to take the 22-year-old 'Budgie' to West Ham United, a record fee between two British clubs – a jovial character, the nickname 'Budgie' was the result of Byrne's incessant, cheerful chattering. The fee was made up of £58,000 plus ex-Palace striker Ron Brett who was valued at £7,000. Brett was tragically killed five months after the move at the age of 24, when his car hit a lorry. Greenwood would later compare Byrne with Argentine footballer Alfredo Di Stefano. Byrne's Hammers debut came on 17th March 1962 in a 0-0 draw at Sheffield Wednesday. He played 11 games in his first season, scoring a single goal, in a 4-1 home win against Cardiff in April 1962.

Byrne might be described as a talented nearly man, missing out as he did on places in both the 1962 and 1966 England World Cup squads. First capped for the senior England team in 1961, for a game against Northern Ireland and while still at Third Division Crystal Palace, Byrne seemed likely to figure in the 1962 World Cup in Chile having been transferred across London for a sizeable fee in the months before the tournament. However, Byrne was involved in a post-match fracas with West Brom and former England right-back Don Howe in the tunnel at The Hawthorns on 31st March 1962. The story goes that influential figures at the Football Association – where a selection committee still carried great influence when picking the team – were unimpressed by this and consequently excluded him.

A new breed of striker, standing only 5'8 but weighing 11.5 stone, Byrne was adept at dropping off his marker and finding space before either assisting a team-mate with an inspired pass or using his own skill, speed and powerful right foot to create opportunities for himself. The 1962/63 season saw him score a hat-trick in a 6-0 League Cup win over Plymouth and end the season with 14 goals in all competitions, only one behind leading scorer Geoff Hurst.

Byrne beat runner-up Bobby Moore in the Hammer of the Year voting in 1963/64 as the Hammers won the FA Cup. Byrne had amassed 33 goals from 45 games in all competitions for this season, overtaking Hurst as top goalscorer. This included a league hat-trick in a 4-3 win over Sheffield Wednesday and FA Cup goals in the fourth round against Leyton Orient, the fifth round against Swindon and two in the quarter-final against Burnley. Byrne had notched his first England goals in June 1963 in an 8-1 away win over Switzerland but perhaps his finest Three Lions moment arrived in May 1964 when he scored three goals in Lisbon as England beat Eusebio's Portugal 4-3, Byrne clinching his hat-trick with an 88th-minute winner.

The 1964/65 season had opened with Byrne scoring as West Ham and champions Liverpool shared the Charity Shield having drawn the game 2-2. He also scored a hat-trick as the Hammers beat Tottenham 3-2 at Upton Park (his treble can be viewed in my video below). Byrne scored in the first round of the European Cup Winners' Cup against La Gantoise, the third round against Lausanne and in the semi-final against Real Zaragoza.

Byrne helped England beat Wales at Wembley while playing at inside-left and started in the same position at Wembley again in April 1965 for a 2-2 draw against Scotland, in a season he comfortably ended as West Ham's top goalscorer with 25 goals. For Byrne, a man with the world at his feet, one of the First Division's top forwards, on the verge of a European final and now having the chance to re-establish himself in the England team a year before the World Cup finals, this proved to be the last of his 11 international caps. England were reduced to ten men against the Scots when Ray Wilson was forced off by injury. With no substitutes allowed, Byrne slotted in as emergency full back – however, Byrne himself then suffered an injury to his knee but gamely battled on with the Three Lions effectively down to nine men. Byrne's injury, however, was serious with ligament damage to the knee and he had done himself no favours by playing on. He not only had to sit out the rest of the Hammers' triumphant European campaign, but he was still not fit come the start of the following season. Byrne returned but could only show glimpses of his previous form and was hindered by injury throughout the 1965/66 campaign. His exceptional talents were never in doubt but, although he scored eight goals for England in his 11 appearances, he never fully established himself at international level.

Three of Byrne's eight England goals can be viewed in my video below – the first two are against Uruguay in a 2-1 win at Wembley on 6th May 1964, while the other was scored against the Republic of Ireland in a 3-1 win in Dublin on 24th May 1964.

In the 1965/66 season West Ham were again involved in Europe as holders of the Cup Winners' Cup and also reached the 1966 League Cup Final. Byrne was on the scoresheet in the Cup Winners' Cup, in the second round against Olympiakos, the third round against Magedeburg and in the semi-final against Borussia Dortmund as the Hammers exited the competition. He scored five goals in six games in the League Cup including one in the first-leg of the final against West Brom which West Ham won 2-1. Albion won the second leg 4-1 at The Hawthorns though to take the trophy with a 5-3 aggregate win. Byrne finished the season with 17 goals in all competitions behind Geoff Hurst who, on the verge of his 1966 World Cup success, scored 40 goals in 59 games.

Byrne's last appearance for the Irons came against Sunderland on 11th February 1967 – in a fitting farewell, he scored alongside Hurst in a 2-2 draw. The 27-year-old Budgie returned to Crystal Palace, by now in the Second Division, in February 1967 in a deal worth £45,000 – his five years of service to the Hammers, consisting of 206 appearances and 108 goals, had ended up costing the club just £13,000.

My video below contains six of Byrne's 108 goals for West Ham United – his hat-trick against Tottenham on 12th September 1964, an FA Cup strike against Birmingham on 9th January 1965, a match-winning penalty against Arsenal on 27th March 1965 and a goal from the European Cup Winners' Cup Semi-Final second leg against Borussia Dortmund on 13th April 1966.

Byrne was proving to be past his peak as a player and, only a year after rejoining Palace, he was transferred to Bobby Robson's Fulham for £25,000 in March 1968. He couldn't keep the Cottagers in the top flight and they were relegated in 1967/68. Fulham signed 18-year-old Malcolm Macdonald in the summer of 1968 but Robson was sacked in November of that year. Bill Dodgin took over but couldn't prevent a second successive relegation. Byrne scored two goals in 19 league games for Fulham, with some of his appearances coming at half-back, before signing for Durban City in June 1969.

Byrne went into management at Durban City, who he led to South African League and Cup titles in the 1970s. Byrne would go on to manage Greek side Hellenic and was voted Coach of the Year in 1993, winning a trip back to England to watch Arsenal play Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup Final that year.

Bobby Moore was a close friend of Byrne's – according to acclaimed sports writer Brian Glanville, the two men once sat together on a warm South African night when Moore said, envisaging a partnership in management: "You and me, Budgie, you and me!" It was never to be. Moore passed away in February 1993 and Byrne died, aged 60, of a heart attack in Cape Town, South Africa on 27th October 1999. A minute's silence was held for Byrne and his former team-mate Dave Bickles, who had died five days after 'Budgie', at the 0-0 UEFA Cup draw against Steaua Bucharest at Upton Park.

Referee
Sunday's referee is 42-year-old Paul Tierney. The Lancashire-based official has refereed the Hammers on 16 previous occasions. His most recent Irons appointment was our 2-1 win at Luton in September. Prior to that he had refereed our 1-0 home win over Southampton in April; he also took charge of our 2-0 home win over Wolves in October 2022 and our 2-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace the following month. Tierney also refereed our 1-1 home draw with Burnley in April 2022, a match which saw him award the visitors a penalty which was fired wide by Maxwel Cornet. He also refereed our home victory against Tottenham in October 2021.

Tierney refereed our 3-3 draw at Tottenham in October 2020 and also took charge of our 1-1 draw at Manchester United in July 2020, awarding the Hammers a penalty which was converted by Michail Antonio. His first West Ham appointment was for the 1-1 draw with Everton in November 2015 which saw James McCarthy's tackle on Dimitri Payet put the Frenchman out of action for two months. His second Irons game was our 0-0 draw at West Brom in September 2017, when he chose to issue just a yellow card to Ben Foster for his late tackle on Javier Hernandez.

The VAR Official is David Coote.

Possible line-ups
Fulham are without the injured Issa Diop, while there are doubts over Adama Traore and Rodrigo Muniz. Fulham could win three consecutive home games in the Premier League for the first time since 2012. However, they have failed to score the last three times they have hosted the Hammers, drawing one and losing two.

West Ham United will be without Michail Antonio, while Alphonse Areola is a doubt. The Hammers are aiming for a fourth consecutive away win in all competitions.

Possible Fulham XI: Leno; Castagne, Adarabioyo, Bassey, Robinson; Palhinha, Reed; Iwobi, Pereira, Willian; Jimenez.

Possible West Ham United XI: Fabianski; Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Emerson; Alvarez, Ward-Prowse; Kudus, Paqueta, Fornals; Bowen.

Enjoy the game – Come On You Irons!



https://www.westhamtillidie.com/posts/match-preview-fulham-v-west-ham-632d58eb-ff77-49d3-b3db-a5f7ba80c7e7

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Liverpool now hold agent talks to beat Man Utd to 'perfect' £60m transfer
Liverpool have now held talks with the agent of Joao Palhinha as the Anfield natives look to beat Manchester United to the midfielder's transfer from Fulham in January.

That is according to TEAMtalk, which reports that Liverpool and Manchester United are now two of the teams targeting Palhinha. The 28-year-old has an array of suitors after starting his second season at Fulham in superb form. He also almost joined Bayern Munich this summer.

Fulham all but agreed to sell Palhinha to the record Bundesliga champions in an initial £60m move on deadline day. But the switch fell through at the last minute, despite the Portuguese expecting to sign for Der FCB. Bayern Munich also retain some interest in Palhinha's transfer.

Liverpool and Manchester United face a £60m fee for Joao Palhinha
But Palhinha could have his pick of the Premier League's elite to join in January with Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United all interested. Each club has also had talks with the 23-cap international's agent to check his situation. Yet Fulham will still expect to earn at least £60m.

Premier League teams are also fearful of Craven Cottage chiefs increasing their price tag for a mid-season deal. Palhinha agreed to sign a new contract through until June 2028 after his switch to Bayern Munich collapsed. He has also started 11 Premier League games this term.

Jurgen Klopp had Joao Palhinha scouted after his transfer to Fulham
Liverpool may not be too opposed to meeting Fulham's £60m price tag to secure Palhinha's transfer in January. Reds boss Jurgen Klopp has also eyed the Cottagers' £20m capture off Sporting Lisbon in July 2022 before. Palhinha impressed the coach after moving to England.

According to reports by Goal this July, Liverpool had their scouts track Palhinha regularly for some time. Clearly, Klopp retains his admiration for a player Clinton Morrison said in August would be 'perfect' for the German. But the Merseysiders may face a wealth of competition.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2023/12/09/liverpool-now-hold-agent-talks-to-beat-man-utd-to-perfect-60m-transfer/

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Hammers Set To Jingle All The Way From Tottenham To Craven Cottage
Oh what fun it is to see West Ham win away! This weekend's special glass half-full edition looks forward to Sunday's cross-town trip to Fulham

For your love, natural born bugie, Tottenham 1 West Ham 2. That's enough humble pie for now as we take the opportunity to bask in the glow of a rare and unexpected victory at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium on Thursday evening. What a delightful treat to find behind door number 7 on this year's advent calendar.

Wins against our pretentious North London neighbours are guaranteed to put a smile on the face of all but the most curmudgeonly West Ham supporter, no matter what the circumstances. Coming back from the dead – a goal down in a one-sided first half – made the win even sweeter. Direct evidence as to who had been naughty and who had been nice. For masterminding the victory, David Moyes is firmly in the driving seat for the Hammer's December Employee of the Month award.

The post-match comments of the two managers highlighted the contrasting perspectives of style. Having lost his early season midas touch, Postecoglou had come under media scrutiny for the first time in the wake of five games where his team scored first but failed to win – losing four of them. His magical powers seemingly overhyped by observers, he claimed his priority was to win games rather than simply to entertain. He had been let down by his team who were not clinical enough in their finishing. In truth, Spurs had few ideas and lacked a cutting edge in the face of the massed West Ham defence. They rarely turned superior possession into genuine goal scoring opportunities and without Maddison looked quite ordinary – reminiscent of Bilic's West Ham during the period Payet was missing through injury.

Moyes on the other hand reiterated (as if we didn't know) that his plan was to set up not to lose. Perhaps it was the right tactic for this game. In hindsight it is difficult to argue the approach wasn't the right one, although the binary nature of Moyesball continues to frustrate a large number of fans. With so many players behind the ball in the deepest of low blocks during the first half, it proved impossible to retain possession if and when the ball was won. Moyes observation on the first half performance included the now mandatory "we didn't play as well as we would have liked!"

The second half transformation offered glimpses of what a decent footballing side West Ham can be when let off the leash. Jarrod Bowen, Mohammed Kudus, and Lucas Paqueta each have creative potential to spare and with able assistance from James Ward Prowse and Emerson can cause problems for any opponent. When deployed further forward, JWP is a far more effective player than when marooned as a defensive midfield pivot. The one-two with the goalpost for the winner was classic showboating.

I read somewhere that West Ham's haul of 24 points from their opening 15 games is a best ever for a Premier League season. I don't know if that is true, but it is certainly beats (by two points) the position at the comparative stage of 2020/21, when they went on to amass a record 65 points. So, if we can sign Jesse Lingard in January, European qualification might be a possibility after all.

It has only been fleeting but a degree of positional fluidity has occasionally been observed in games of late. Bowen and Kudus switching roles, Paqueta doing a turn as the furthest player forward, JWP or Edson Alvarez popping up on the left wing, Emerson making surging runs into midfield. Are these planned moves or simply the result of independent player decisions? Are we seeing the influence from assistant manager, John Heitinga. While the other coaches at West Ham look best suited to putting out the cones or cutting the half-time oranges, the Dutchman might perhaps be experimenting with a touch of progressive continental flair – a peculiar Moyesball hybrid of sub-total football, perhaps.

Fulham will be West Ham's third London opponents of the week when the teams meet at Craven Cottage on Sunday afternoon. The home side have suddenly found their scoring boots after a mostly unconvincing start to the current campaign. Having relied heavily of Mitrovic's goals for the past few seasons they had struggled to find the net following his departure in the summer. But a run of 11 goals from the last three games will have given them added confidence – even if one of those games ended in a 4-3 defeat at Anfield.

Fulham manager, Marco Silva's career has alternated between someone destined for great managerial things and one struggling to maintain momentum against the odds. Given the resources available, it is difficult to see anything better for his Fulham team than mid-table obscurity. It may be good enough to meet expectations but may not enhance Silva's prospects.

West Ham have won three and drawn one of their last four encounters with Fulham. They were one of just two teams who the Hammers did the double over last season – an own goal from Harrison Reed settling the equivalent fixture in West Ham's favour. 

With the Europa League group decider against Freiburg coming up next Thursday, will Moyes be tempted to rest any key players from tomorrow's selection? It feels unlikely and barring any last-minute injuries it will be the same eleven that started at Tottenham. The fitness and restricted mobility of Kurt Zouma is particularly worrying but the defence looks a good deal more solid when he is at its middle.

We are used to cagey openings to almost every West Ham game these days, and this weekend will doubtless be much the same. We should expect a game decided by the odd goal with Fulham bossing possession around 60-40. If West Ham take the lead, then one eye will be on Thursday's game, and they will drop deep to defend it. It would be great to follow up the Spurs win with another one at Fulham – and for Bowen to maintain his on-the-road goalscoring form. It would be better still to see even more of what the players an do with the ball at their feet. The bubbles are flying high after Thursday night and putting in a top performance will provide the measure of our dreams. COYI!



https://westhamway.net/2023/12/09/hammers-set-to-jingle-all-the-way-from-tottenham-to-craven-cottage/

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Bayern Munich target (?) João Palhinha to stay in English Premier League?
What a back and forth...

Bayern Munich fans will remember vividly how Portuguese midfielder João Palhinha was walking with his head down through the Munich airport back in the summer. What a heartbreaking scene. Anyone who hoped for an immediate happy ending in the upcoming winter transfer window will be disappointed as the latest news surrounding the 28-year-old Fulham FC player is very confusing, to say the least. According to talkSPORT as captured by @iMiaSanMia, Palhinha may stay in England.

    "João Palhinha's advisers have been sounding out several top Premier League clubs about a potential January move. Bayern are set to revive their interest in the upcoming transfer window. Liverpool are among the clubs believed to have been alerted to Palhinha's potential availability and it could be that the Portuguese would prefer to stay in England"

Though preferences in the world of football could change quickly and drastically, it seems a bit surprising that Palhinha would rather stay in the English Premier League after a near-complete transfer to Bayern just a few months ago. As tempting as offers from Arsenal FC or Liverpool FC. may be, moving to Germany's Rekordmeister would make sense on so many levels. Despite the age of 28, Palhinha would be a fantastic addition to Bayern who obviously lack depth, and, perhaps, quality for Thomas Tuchel's notorious "Holding Six" position.

What are your thoughts on João Palhinha? Could he increase our chances to win the Champions League? Let us know in the comments below!



https://www.bavarianfootballworks.com/2023/12/9/23993768/bayern-munich-joao-palhinha-fulham-england-premier-league-liverpool-arsenal-tuchel-bundesliga

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Donnell earns point for Fulham U21s
Chris Donnell's second half equaliser secured a point for Fulham's under 21s against Brentford as the young Whites consolidated their position at the top of their Premier League Cup group at Motspur Park last night.

Brentford took an early lead when Val Adedokun punished a defensive error to feed the in-form Iwan Morgan, who fired his second goal three days into the top corner. But the Bees were indebted to an outstanding goalkeeping display from Vincent Angelini, who denied a dominant Fulham side an equaliser until after the interval, and then made several superb stops to prevent the hosts from finding a late winner.

Angelini's first save saw him claw away a Donnell header as Ali Melloul's side looked to find an immediate equaliser and then thwarted the lively Lemar Gordon before excelling himself with two inspired interventions in swift succession. He pushed away a speculative drive from George Okkas before denying Luke Harris with his feet from the rebound despite being wrongfooted.

Brentford also capitalised on their custodian's magnificence by snatching a second but Borto brilliantly saved a long-distance volley from Max Dickov. Connor McManus rattled the woodwork with a powerful header that had the American stopper beaten but Fulham finish the first period on the front foot, with Luke Harris disappointed to send his own header off target.

Dickov was denied by Borto earlier in the second period, but Fulham enjoyed the lion's share of possession and their probing was rewarding when Donnell, who demonstrated his versatility by filling in at right back, picked out Okkas, who finished impeccably to bring the Whites level ten minutes into the second half. Borto dashed off his line to prevent Morgan from swiftly restoring Brentford's lead and the home side held the ascendancy once Ollie O'Neill was brought off the bench.

The Republic of Ireland under-21 international wasted a glorious chance to put Fulham in front when he wasted a one-on-one and then saw a doubly deflected effort from distance cannon back off the crossbar. Callum Osmand headed wide and Harris skied an effort at the death as the young Whites had to make do with a share of the spoils.

FULHAM UNDER 21s (4-2-3-1): Borto, Donnell, Williams, Araujo (O'Neill 62), Odutayo; King (Nsasi 85), Okkas; Harris, Gordon (Lanquedoc 63), Sekularac; Loupalo-Bi (Osmand 71). Subs (not used): McNally.

BOOKED: Donnell.

GOAL: Okkas (56).

BRENTFORD B (4-3-3): Angelini; Farr, Adedokun, Zabeli, Kim Ji-Soo; McManus, Owen (Waruih 82), Yogane; Hay, Dickov (Brierely 82), Morgan (Holland 76). Subs (not used): Booth, Laidlaw.

GOAL: Morgan (8).

REFEREE: Gary Parsons.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/12/donnell-earns-point-for-fulham-u21s/

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'I had an opportunity to get a hat-trick' - Iwobi admits he wanted to stay on against Nottingham Forest
Alex Iwobi has admitted that he wanted to stay on the pitch for the entirety of Fulham's 5-0 win over Nottingham Forest in a Premier League game on Wednesday, December 6.

The Nigeria international broke the deadlock in the 30th minute, side-footing the ball into the bottom corner after a cross from Willian, and got his brace and Fulham's fourth in the 73rd minute when he swept home.

However, Iwobi and Raúl Jiménez were denied a chance to get a hat-trick when they were substituted in the 76th and 79th minute respectively.

The Hale End Academy graduate netted his first-ever Premier League brace in the big win versus Nottingham Forest in what was his 234th appearance in the division.

Reacting to his first-ever brace, Iwobi told Fulham's official webpage: "I've come close before, I feel like I could have got a hat-trick as well but to get my first brace was nice and for us to win as well that's the main thing."

With the game against West Ham United coming up so quick, it was nice to see Marco Silva give Iwobi a rest by taking him off with fourteen minutes left on the clock, but the Nigeria international has insisted that he would have loved to stay on as he had the potential to score his first hat-trick as a professional.

"Of course every player wants to stay on and I had an opportunity to get a hat-trick so I'm sure both of us wanted to complete that but it is what it is.

"Sharing the minutes is the main thing but also getting the three points," he added.

Iwobi has mustered four goals in thirteen appearances for Fulham since returning to London on deadline day.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel



https://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=49729

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Fulham without five players for West Ham clash in big blow for Marco Silva
Fulham are set to play host to West Ham United at Craven Cottage in the Premier League tomorrow afternoon.

West Ham United are flying high after our Premier League win over Tottenham on Thursday night, and the same can said for Fulham after they put Nottingham Forest to the sword with a 5-0 victory on Wednesday night.

It should be an absolutely cracking contest at Craven Cottage tomorrow, and Hammers boss David Moyes will be desperate for his side to rack up another three points.

Marco Silva's side will represent a very stern test for West Ham though, and we cannot afford to underestimate them – that should go without saying in all fairness.

That said, Silva will seemingly have limited options tomorrow when it comes to his team selection for the Hammers clash.

The west London outfit's injury list is mounting heading into the clash with West Ham tomorrow afternoon...

Fulham injury problems ahead of West Ham game
According to the Premier League's official website, the Cottagers will be missing five players tomorrow – Rodrigo Muniz, Issa Diop, Matthew Dibley-Dias, Adama Traore and Tyrese Francois.

In fairness, Silva still has a fairly big squad to pick from, and he'll still be able to select a fairly strong lineup.

I just want to see West Ham play on the front foot with a high tempo against Fulham – just like we did in the second-half against Tottenham a couple of days ago.

On paper, the Hammers should be wiping the floor with teams like Fulham, but we all know that London derbies away from home are never easy.

Each and every player Moyes selects has to turn up tomorrow, and put in 100% effort, because we will have to earn the right to play against what is a dogged Cottagers side.

Fulham vs West Ham kicks off at two o'clock tomorrow and three points would be a great early Christmas present.

Taking Fulham's current injury problems into account, I'm going for a hard-fought 2-1 Hammers win. COYI X



https://www.hammers.news/news/fulham-without-five-players-for-west-ham-clash-in-big-blow-for-marco-silva/

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Before The Whistle: Fulham v West Ham United

A midweek fixture takes you back to the frenetic pace of the Championship, but we're back in Premier League action against West Ham.

And we should be going into this game full of confidence after our showing on Wednesday. The Hammers got a huge victory against Spurs in North London too, so they'll come to the Cottage feeling like they should bag all three points.

As expected, our injury list hasn't really progressed since Wednesday, though Silva notes he'll make a final call on Adama Troare and Rodrigo Muniz closer to the game.

They'd both have to settle for a place on the bench anyway; with 11 goals in our last three games, including two from a revived Raul Jimenez, our attacking options are finally starting to show their true talent following 10 goals in our previous 12 games.

Tosin came in alongside Bassey against Forest and though they admittedly didn't have a huge amount to do, they kept a clean sheet. So that'll continue. At right-back, Silva resisted the urge to push Kenny Tete too hard, despite his impressive Anfield showing. It remains to be seen if he'll be back in on Sunday.

One man who will surely keep his place, despite having a similar requirement for managed minutes, is Tom Cairney. Our captain has been too influential of late to be ignored. Another influential character is Andreas Pereira, who showed on Forest that he can be the creative force we so desperately need in the 10.

Since our return from the international break we've looked mustard. The Hammers, while impressive, aren't a millions miles away in terms of points on the board or places in the table. So we should be aiming for the maximum on Sunday. You Whites.

ℹ️ MATCH DETAILS

Kick-Off: Sunday, 2.00PM
Stadium: Craven Cottage
Competition: Premier League
TV Channel (UK): None
🚦 LEAGUE FORM

Fulham: ⬜ ❌ ❌ ✅ ❌ ✅
West Ham: ❌ ❌ ✅ ✅ ⬜ ✅

⚖️ MATCH PROBABILITY

Fulham: 36.5%
Draw: 29.2%
West Ham: 34.3%
🥊 MOST RECENT MATCHES

Apr 23: Fulham 0-1 West Ham
Oct 22: West Ham 3-1 Fulham
Feb 21: Fulham 1-1 West Ham
Nov 20: West Ham 1-0 Fulham



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2023-12-09-before-the-whistle-fulham-v-west-ham-united/

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Fulham vs West Ham: Prediction and Preview
We look ahead to another London derby for David Moyes' side with our Fulham vs West Ham prediction and preview. Who will secure bragging rights in the capital?

Fulham vs West Ham Stats: The Quick Hits

    An even Premier League contest is expected at Craven Cottage, with the Opta supercomputer predicting a Fulham win in 36.5% of simulations and a West Ham triumph in 34.3%.
    However, Fulham are without a win in their last 11 London derbies in the Premier League (D4 L7), since a 2-1 win over Chelsea in January last season.
    West Ham's Jarrod Bowen has scored in seven straight Premier League away games, only Robin van Persie has ever enjoyed a longer such run.

Match Preview
West Ham United will be looking for back-to-back London derby victories to keep the pressure on the top six in the Premier League when they visit Fulham at Craven Cottage. Sunday's game is a renewal of rivalries in the capital after impressive results for both in midweek.

Fulham responded to a thrilling but agonising 4-3 defeat at Liverpool last weekend with a 5-0 hammering of struggling Nottingham Forest at Craven Cottage on Wednesday. Alex Iwobi's first Premier League brace on his 234th appearance in the competition, as well as a double for Raúl Jiménez – who has scored three goals in his last four top-flight appearances, the same amount as he managed in his previous 47 – and a strike from captain Tom Cairney, was enough to down Steve Cooper's out-of-form side.

That victory moved Marco Silva's side up to 12th in the league table, just a point behind neighbouring rivals Brentford and Chelsea heading into Matchday 16, after Fulham recorded their biggest top-flight win since August 2012 – also a 5-0 win over Norwich City.

The Cottagers must improve their derby record, though, as they are without a win in their last 11 London derbies in the Premier League (D4 L7) since a 2-1 win over Chelsea in January last season. At home, they have lost five of their last six league games against fellow clubs from the capital (D1), failing to score in each such defeat.

West Ham fell behind to Cristian Romero's early opener on Thursday but battled back to a 2-1 away victory over Tottenham Hotspur as Jarrod Bowen levelled proceedings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before James Ward-Prowse's 74th-minute winner. Bowen, who did not manage a goal away from London Stadium in the league last season, has now scored in each of his last seven Premier League away games. Only former Arsenal striker Robin van Persie can better that run in the competition's history, scoring in nine consecutive away games between January and May 2011.

Bowen will be out to make it eight in a row at Craven Cottage as West Ham, who are ninth in the table heading into MD 16, aim to chase down Brighton, Newcastle United, Manchester United and Tottenham – the latter in fifth but just three points clear of Moyes' men.

As for team news, Silva has little in the way of injury worries to consider for Sunday's lineup, with the fitness of Adama Traoré, Issa Diop and Rodrigo Muniz all being assessed in training before kick-off at Craven Cottage. Fulham can at least call upon Jiménez, who has four goals in his last five league starts against West Ham – only against Everton and Southampton (both five) has the Mexican managed more in the competition.

Hammers goalkeeper Alphonse Areola missed the trip to Tottenham with a wrist injury but should return to the West Ham lineup for Sunday's kick-off, while Michail Antonio remains absent with a knee issue as the visitors look to extend their four-game unbeaten Premier League run.

Fulham vs West Ham Head-to-Head
West Ham will be aiming to secure local bragging rights against Fulham, who have lost five of their last six Premier League games against the Hammers (D1) dating back to a 2-1 win on New Year's Day in 2014.

Indeed, West Ham have won 16 Premier League matches against Fulham – they have only beaten Southampton (20) and Tottenham more often in the competition.

David Moyes also enjoys facing the Craven Cottage side, having not lost in 13 Premier League meetings with Fulham as a manager across his time at Everton, Manchester United and West Ham. Only against Aston Villa (14 – 2011 to 2023) and Sunderland (15 – 2002 to 2012) has he enjoyed longer league unbeaten runs.

Moyes' side were 3-1 victors at London Stadium last season, with Bowen, the now-departed Gianluca Scamacca and Antonio proving Andreas Pereira's opener redundant, before West Ham also sealed a 1-0 win at Craven Cottage thanks to Harrison Reed's own goal in April.



Recent Form
Sunday really does appear to have been a day of rest for both sides in recent times, with Fulham losing 10 of their last 13 Premier League Sunday games (W1 D2), while West Ham have lost seven of their last nine league away games on that day (W1 D1), losing each of the last four in a row since beating Bournemouth 4-0 in April.

Silva might not be too concerned by his side's lack of Sunday best, though, as Fulham have won their last two at Craven Cottage – against Wolves and Nottingham Forest – last winning three consecutively at this level between April and September 2012 (four in a row).

Expect another free-flowing and high-scoring outing, too, given Fulham's last three Premier League games have seen 17 goals scored (11 for, six against). However, they haven't netted 3+ goals in four consecutive top-flight matches since October 1961.

Meanwhile, after the Tottenham win followed up a triumph against Burnley at Turf Moor, West Ham have won successive Premier League away games for the second time this season, previously doing so in August/September against Brighton and Luton Town – they only did so once in the entirety of 2022-23.

Fulham vs West Ham Opta Player Ratings
The Opta Player Ratings are something we introduced ahead of 2023-24. For a quick primer on how they're calculated, you can check our explainer here.

Before kick-off in this match, here are the top five performing players from both teams in the 2023-24 Premier League according to the Opta Player Ratings:

Fulham
Bernd Leno: 69.9 (out of 100)
Alex Iwobi: 64.7
Willian: 63.4
João Palhinha: 62.8
Bobby De Cordova-Reid: 60.1

West Ham
James Ward-Prowse: 79.8 (out of 100)
Jarrod Bowen: 76.6
Mohammed Kudus: 72.6
Emerson: 67.1
Vladimír Coufal: 66.9

These Opta Player Ratings also power our set of brand-new, free-to-play gaming experiences, which you can play on Opta Analyst all season long.

Opta Power Rankings
The Opta Power Rankings are a global team ranking system that assigns an ability score to over 13,000 domestic football teams on a scale between zero and 100, where zero is the worst-ranked team in the world and 100 is the best team in the world.

Ahead of kick-off on Sunday, here is the Opta Power Ranking for both sides.

23	WEST HAM UNITED	89.8
46	FULHAM	86.6

Fulham vs West Ham Prediction


This will be the closest Matchday 16 encounter according to the Opta supercomputer's predictions for the weekend fixtures, with Fulham winning 36.5% and West Ham triumphing in 34.3% of 10,000 data-powered simulations.

A draw will not exactly suit either side, but there is a 29.2% likelihood of it happening.

West Ham's top-six chances in the Premier League jumped to 12.5% after their impressive comeback win at Tottenham, while Fulham's most likely league-table position is 12th, exactly where they sit heading into the weekend as the two teams prepare for another London derby on Sunday.



https://theanalyst.com/eu/2023/12/fulham-vs-west-ham-prediction/

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Fulham vs West Ham United Preview: Probable Lineups, Prediction, Tactics, Team News & Key Stats

Fulham host West Ham United at Craven Cottage on Sunday, and they will look to build on their thumping win over Nottingham Forest.
Fulham are 12th in the Premier League table, and they will look to push towards the top half with a victory over West Ham United. The 5-0 win over Nottingham Forest will have given them an immense confidence boost, and the London outfit will look to grind out all three points here.

Meanwhile, West Ham are ninth in the standings, and they will be chasing Europa League qualification this season. The Hammers are in impressive form right now, with three wins and a draw in their last four league matches. They picked up an away win over Tottenham in their last outing and will be confident of grinding out another positive result here.

West Ham have done quite well against Fulham in recent years and they will be the favourites heading into the game. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.

Team News and Tactics
Fulham
The home team will be without Issa Diop, who is ruled out with an ankle injury. Rodrigo Muniz remains sidelined with a knee injury, and Adama Traore misses out with a hamstring strain.

The home team are likely to shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Bernd Leno in goal. Kenny Tete and Antonee Robinson will start as the full-backs, and they will look to contribute at both ends of the pitch. Calvin Bassey and Tim Ream should form the central defensive pairing.

In the midfield pivot, Harrison Reed will start alongside Joao Palhinha. The two players will look to add defensive cover to the side and break up opposition attacks. Harry Wilson and Alex Iwobi will be deployed as the wingers here.

The wide duo will look to create goal-scoring opportunities with their pace and trickery. Finally, Raul Jimenez will lead the line for Fulham with Andreas Pereira behind him in the central attacking midfield role.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Leno; Tete, Bassey, Ream, Robinson; Palhinha, Reed; Iwobi, Pereira, Wilson; Jimenez

West Ham United
The Hammers will be without Michail Antonio, who is ruled out for another week with a knee injury. Alphonse Areola has a wrist issue, and he will return to action in the next game.

The Hammers will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Lukasz Fabianski in goal. Vladimir Coufal and Emerson Palmieri will start as the full-backs, and they will look to protect the central defence and help out in the attack.

Kurt Zouma will start alongside Nayef Aguerd at the heart of the defence. In the midfield pivot, Edson Alvarez will be the defensive midfielder and he will look to break up opposition attacks and protect central defenders. James Ward-Prowse will start alongside him as the deep-lying playmaker and he will look to create opportunities with his vision and long-range passing.

Mohammed Kudus and Lucas Paqueta will start as the wingers here and they will look to add creativity and control in the final third. Jarrod Bowen is likely to lead the line for West Ham with Said Benrahma starting as the central attacking midfielder.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Fabianski; Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Palmieri; Ward-Prowse, Alvarez; Bowen, Paqueta, Benrahma; Kudus

Key Stats

    Fulham have scored at least three goals in their last three matches in the Premier League.
    Fulham are winless in their last six matches against West Ham.
    The two sides have conceded 25 or more goals in 15 Premier League matches this season.
    West Ham are unbeaten in their last four Premier League matches.

Key Player
Jarrod Bowen
The 26-year-old has been in fine form this season, scoring nine goals and picking up one assist in 14 Premier League matches. He has contributed with a goal or an assist in four of his last six outings. He will look to add to his goalscoring tally here, and he will be instrumental to West Ham breaking down the Fulham defence.

Prediction
Fulham 1-2 West Ham United

The Hammers will be the favourites heading into this contest, and they will look to continue their unbeaten run of form in the Premier League. In addition to that, they are unbeaten in their last six matches against Fulham and they will be full of confidence here. West Ham are certainly the better team on paper as well, and they should be able to grind out a narrow away win here.



https://thehardtackle.com/round-up/2023/12/09/fulham-vs-west-ham-united-preview-probable-lineups-prediction-tactics-team-news-key-stats-2/

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West Ham star reveals feelings over new Hammers nickname – And why he's "very excited" for Fulham clash
West Ham United midfielder Edson Alvarez has revealed he has no problem with everyone at the club electing to call him Eddy, even if he's not quite sure where it came from.

The Mexican held a short interview with Paramount Plus this week following the 2-1 win over Tottenham, where he was again a key player for David Moyes' side.

He's quickly established himself in the heart of West Ham's midfield since a move from Ajax in the summer, when the Hammers sought him out as a replacement for Declan Rice.

He's managed to fill that void well so far, putting in a series of composed performances in the heart of West Ham's midfield that have ensured they're not sorely missing their former star at this moment in time.

It's been a big change for the Mexican, who has had to quickly adapt to life in a brand-new country after four years in the Netherlands and the early parts of his career in his native Mexico.

One thing he's had to learn to get on with is his new nickname, something he insists he's more than comfortable with even if he's not sure why it exists.

"Yes, it's all true, everyone calls me Eddy," he responded when asked about the rumour.

"I don't know where it came from, I think it's short for Edson. The truth is that it doesn't bother me. I mean, it doesn't matter. I like being called that."

On the subject of Mexico, this weekend should prove to be a special occasion for the midfielder as he comes up against international teammate Raul Jimenez.

He's currently playing for Fulham, with West Ham travelling to Craven Cottage on Sunday to take on Marco Silva's side.

It means there will be a rare Mexican flavouring to this particular London derby, something Alvarez admits he's more than excited for.

"I don't know how long it has been since two Mexicans face each other in the best League in the world. I'm also very excited," he added.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/west-ham-star-reveals-feelings-new-hammers-nickname-hes-excited-fulham-clash/

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Let's applaud for Matty Edwell against West Ham

A lifelong and fanatical Fulham fan, Matty Edwell, sadly lost his life at the start of last week. Matty was a wonderfully loyal, generous and fun friend. He looked after people as well as running a successful business and was a passionate follower of the Whites.

His desperately sad passing aged only 45 shocked his family, friends and all those who followed Fulham alongside him over many years. Matty's friends would like to remember him during the 45th minute of tomorrow afternoon's match at Craven Cottage with a minute's applause. In addition, prior to the match, some of Matty's friends will be meeting in Bishop's Bar (previously known as Bloom), 399 Fulham Palace Road from 11am to celebrate his life and walk to the ground together from at 1.15pm.

We'd like to do our part in spreading this message both on our website and via social media as well as offering our sympathy and prayers to Matty's friends and family at this difficult time. May Matty Rest in Peace.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/12/lets-applaud-for-matty-edwell-against-west-ham/

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Oppostion Q&A with Fulham
Fulham fan Joe Potter gives us his thoughts on everything Fulham and the weekend's big match...

After a pretty woeful performance against Crystal Palace last weekend, West Ham got their mojo back with that momentous victory at Spurs on Thursday night.  The games are coming thick and fast, and this weekend's we again stay in London as we journey up the District Line to Fulham (strictly speaking Putney Bridge), attempting to win three away games on the bounce for the first time since... Dan? Ahead of the game I chatted to Fulham fan Joe Potter to get his take on the game and the season.

Hi Joe, the last time we chatted about this fixture was back in 2018/19 when you were relegated, after that, you had a couple more yo-yo seasons being promoted and relegated under Scott Parker, then being promoted again under Marco Silva.  Were you surprised you managed to have such a successful season last year, when you ended up in the tenth spot?

I think most Fulham fans were pleasantly surprised. We'd have taken staying up by the skin of our teeth, so doing so comfortably was brilliant. Having said that, a lot of the building blocks were in place from being so dominant in the championship and buying really well in the summer.

I think most Fulham fans were resigned to Scott Parker being sacked when you were relegated.  What went wrong under Parker?

It depends who you ask! I was personally disappointed when he left as I saw his conservative tactics as pragmatic, and we picked up some big results before collapsing. Lots of my mates hated his football and were glad to see the back of him. It definitely felt like he was keeping an eye out for other jobs toward the end, which always leaves a sour taste for fans.

Marco Silva, after 2 excellent seasons at the helm, seems well settled into the job as manager.  What are his particular qualities that have made him stand out?

He's tactically very astute, and more flexible than he's given credit for. We played expansive, beautiful football in the championship and never really needed a Plan B. In the Premiership he's been much more pragmatic - playing it long to Mitrovic a fair bit last season.He also gains the trust of players and importantly he improves them, which is always the sign of a good coach.

What will be a good season for Fulham fans, and what are our minimum expectations of Marco Silva?

A good season will be comfortable survival, considering we lost Mitrovic and came very close to losing Palhinha just before the window closed.

Fulham did not exactly break the bank during the summer transfer window, getting in most notably Alex Iwombi, Calvin Bassey, and the Wolves pair of Jimenez and Traore.  How have these fitted into your team's style of play, and do you think your squad is strong enough?

I think we'll have enough. Last summer was about keeping Mitro and Palhinha.  Unfortunately, we only kept one and seemed to open to Palhinha leaving too, which was bizarre.  Iwobi has probably been the standout of the players who came in. He's a bit more dynamic than our other midfield options, good running on and off the ball, creative, and chipping in with goals too. Traore hasn't really had a run in the team yet, and despite his brace against Forest Jiminez is a big downgrade on Mitrovic unfortunately. However, there are positive signs that the team is adapting to attacking in a different style with Jiminez as the spearhead.

Who have been the outstanding players for you so far this season, and who have yet to reach the standards expected of them?

Palhinha by quite a distance. For as long as we have him we'll enjoy it.  Leno is a quality, calming presence in goal. One of the league's outstanding keepers who goes under the radar. Tom Cairney is having a renaissance in a deeper role in recent weeks.

Taking a glance throughout the league, which three players (one each from defence, midfield, and attack) do you most admire?

Tough one!  I really like Eze at Palace. He played at the Cottage for QPR a few seasons ago and was the standout player. Saliba at Arsenal seems to becoming a complete defender. And the way Rice has stepped up into Arsenal's midfield after leaving your lot has been impressive.

The Premier League is a bit more open this year, and Arsenal currently sits at the top of the table.  Can they sustain this until the end of the season, or will they get hauled back?  Who are your picks for the top four places when all the knockings of the season have been done?

I think the financial might of City will probably pull them through in the end. However, I think it would be great for the league for Arsenal to do it. We need a bit of variety. My top 4 would be City, Arsenal, Liverpool, and depending on how they spend in January, maybe Newcastle.

Conversely, at the bottom, it already looks like the three promoted teams are in great difficulty, can you see past these three for the relegation spots?

Unfortunately not. Though Forest looked a shell of a team against us in the last game. There is normally one team who looks comfortable and then goes into free fall.

Where do you think Fulham will finish come the end of the season?

I reckon 12-15th. Could hope for higher if Jiminez starts scoring regularly and we keep Palhinha after January

I expect you raised a glass to West Ham at the end of last year when we picked up the Europa Conference.  Although pleased, were you surprised to see us have this success?

I was definitely surprised!  Fulham came close to winning the Europa League, losing to Atletico Madrid in 2010, and we know how hard it is to get to a European final, let alone win the whole thing. It was good to see a club outside of the usual suspects do it

How do you rate David Moyes as our manager, and where do you think West Ham will finish?

I think West Ham will be comfortably top ten. Not sure how that will be viewed by your fans.  Moyes comes across as a manager from another era, but it's difficult to argue with his achievements at West Ham. I know he's not always been popular with your fans, but be careful what you wish for!

How will Fulham line up against us on Sunday?  (Players/Formation)

I reckon we'll line up in a 4-2-3-1: Leno    Tete, Ream/Tosin Bassey, Robinson.  Palhinha, Reed.  Willian, Iwobi, Periera.  Jiminez

Finally, can Fulham prevent West Ham from getting three successive away victories for the first time for god knows how many years?  Prediction for score?

I'll go 2-1 Fulham. But it'll be a close game between two teams with confidence.

Well, many thanks to Joe Potter once again for his time and thoughts.  Can we really win three away games on the bounce?  Why not?  Following on from my correct prediction of the score against Spurs, I think I'm going to go for another 1 - 2 victory to West Ham.  COYI!



https://www.westhamtillidie.com/posts/oppostion-qa-with-fulham

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'I think'... Peter Crouch has now predicted the result of Fulham vs West Ham
Fulham face West Ham this weekend and both sides will come into this side confident of a win.

Indeed, both teams picked up brilliant results in midweek. Fulham won 5-0 in emphatic fashion against Nottingham Forest, While West Ham picked up a big win away at Tottenham.

It's tough to call this one as both Fulham and West Ham have been wildly inconsistent this term, but speaking on his podcast, Peter Crouch, along with Steve Sidwell has had a go at predicting this one.

Crouch makes Fulham vs West Ham prediction
The pundit shared how he sees this one playing out.

"I'm going to go for a close one, I'll go for a draw, 1-1," Sidwell said.

"I've leaned towards Fulham here, West Ham are probably going better than them, they're only eight points above the relegation zone, but I think they'll get a win at home here, 2-1," Crouch said.

Bogey team
Usually, off the back of a 5-0 win, we'd be fairly confident of another good result at home here, but it's hard to ever back Fulham against West Ham.

The Hammers are, quite simply, Fulham's bogey team.

Despite not being that much better than Fulham in modern history, Fulham have won just twice against the Hammers since 2004, with the last victory coming almost 10 years ago.

Of course, these records don't necessarily mean anything, but David Moyes does seem to have Marco Silva's number as he managed to get the better of him twice last season despite the fact West Ham didn't play particularly well in either game.

Fulham will be confident heading into this game off the back of a big win, but it would be typical for West Ham to come and spil the party for the Whites this weekend.



https://www.fulham.news/2023/12/09/i-think-peter-crouch-has-now-predicted-the-result-of-fulham-vs-west-ham/

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Hammers can move above Man United with Fulham win
Moyes looking to move above Man United

It has been a truly bizarre week for Premier League football, with many unpredictable results. As early pacesetters Manchester City and Tottenham continue to slide, others, such as Aston Villa, are positioning themselves to contest the top positions.

Such has been the fluctuations in results, it's easy to conclude that fixture congestion and fatigue are playing their part in the musical chairs nature of the league. So, West Ham travels to Fulham tomorrow with the possibility of moving ahead of Manchester United and into 6th place.

Clearly, we have to win the game, which won't be an easy task against a Fulham team that has recently put five goals past Nottingham Forest. However, there is a genuine opportunity for David Moyes' men, who must put fatigue to one side and win. The Hammers' gaffer alluded to squad rotation in his pre-match press conference, and it's clear that he's a manager who rotates less than most.

As a result, I'd expect most managers to change under normal circumstances, but I doubt Moyes will. I'd expect something approaching a full-strength team to start against Craven Cottage, but players will tire. If we get it right, we could be 6th and level on points with Tottenham, which would be a remarkable achievement.



https://www.claretandhugh.info/hammers-can-move-above-man-united-with-fulham-win/

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Bayern Munich 'cool interest in Joao Palhinha'
Bayern Munich have reportedly cooled their interest in Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha.

The Portugal international was on the verge of signing for Bayern in the summer after travelling to Germany in the closing stages of the window.

As it proved, the proposed transfer ultimately fell through on deadline day, ensuring Palhinha remained with Fulham for the first half of the 2023-24 campaign.

After failing to secure Palhinha's services in the summer, Bayern are still looking to bring in a new defensive midfielder.

While Palhinha continues to be linked with the Bavarians, Sky Sports News are reporting that Thomas Tuchel's side are unlikely to pursue a January move for the Fulham man.

Although Bayern are still keen to sign a number six, the report suggests they are unwilling to go all in on Palhinha.

There is a belief that Fulham's financial demands have played a role in Bayern's decision to consider alternative targets.

Palhinha still faces an uncertain future at Craven Cottage amid speculation linking him with a move to several top Premier League clubs.

A recent report claimed Arsenal were among his admirers, although the Gunners could wait until the end of the season before pursuing a deal.

Meanwhile, Liverpool and Manchester United have also joined the race to sign the Portuguese midfielder, who has a long-term contract with the Cottagers after signing an extension in September.

Palhinha's current Fulham deal runs until the summer of 2028 with an option for the club to extend by a further year.

The 28-year-old has been a regular fixture in the Fulham side this season, starting 11 of his 12 Premier League appearances.

Palhinha is expected to be involved when Fulham face fellow London side West Ham United at Craven Cottage on Sunday.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/man-utd/transfer-talk/news/bayern-munich-cool-interest-in-joao-palhinha_531006.html?newsnow

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Arsenal have 'higher priorities' than Joao Palhinha signing
Arsenal are among the sides looking to lure Joao Palhinha away from Fulham after a summer move to Bayern Munich fell through

    Arsenal are among a host of clubs being linked with Fulham defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha ahead of the January transfer window.
    The Portugal international was on the verge of joining Bayern Munich before a deal fell through in September.
    Palhinha has given his admirers hope of tempting him away from Craven Cottage by admitting he is unaware of where his future lies.

Arsenal could pull off a 'surprise' by luring Fulham star Joao Palhinha to the Emirates Stadium next month, but journalist Paul Brown has told GIVEMESPORT that boss Mikel Arteta has 'higher priorities' heading into the winter transfer window.

Having missed out on the Premier League title by five points last season, the Gunners were not afraid to splash the cash as they parted with more than £200million during the summer in a bid to strengthen their squad and go one step further.

Among those arrivals was Declan Rice, who sealed a club-record £105million switch from London rivals West Ham United, but Arteta appears to have his eye on acquiring another defensive midfielder in the coming weeks.

Palhinha attracting widespread interest
Multiple Premier League clubs are preparing to battle it out with Bayern Munich to land Palhinha, according to the Telegraph, after his admirers have not been put off by his decision to sign a new Fulham contract in September.

The report suggests the reigning Bundesliga champions remain keen on signing the Portugal international, having agreed a deal worth in the region of £55million before the deal collapsed during the final stages of the summer window, but they are facing fresh competition ahead of potentially trying their luck again at the turn of the year.

It has emerged that Arsenal are among the sides keen to offer Palhinha a route out of Craven Cottage after he has adjusted to the rigours of the Premier League seamlessly, although it is more likely that they will wait until the end of the season before possibly heading to the negotiating table.

The 28-year-old is also on Newcastle United's radar, having previously featured on head of recruitment Steve Nickson's list of targets, as they look to find a replacement for Sandro Tonali after he was handed a 10-month ban for breaching betting regulations.

But transfer insider Dean Jones recently told GIVEMESPORT that Palhinha is eager to complete a move to Bayern next month, with his representatives being confident that a switch to the Allianz Arena is on the horizon after being left frustrated on Deadline Day in September.

The former Sporting man has given his admirers hope of being able to tempt him away from Fulham after casting doubt over his future by conceding he is unaware of what the future holds despite signing a contract extension a matter of months ago.

Paul Brown update - Joao Palhinha
Brown is puzzled by Arsenal being in the hunt for Palhinha's signature as he has similar attributes to England international Rice and would cost a considerable sum after Fulham initially slapped a £90million price tag on him during the summer.

The respected reporter believes Arteta should be focusing on strengthening his options in other areas of the pitch instead of attempting to swoop in for the defensive midfielder, whose £80,000-per-week contract has more than four-and-a-half years to run.

"It makes no sense to me that Arsenal would want Joao Palhinha. They bought Declan Rice in the summer for a huge amount of money, and he is a very similar profile of player.

"Palhinha would cost them almost as much, and I don't think there is a huge need for another player like that in the Arsenal team.

"I think there are higher priorities that Arsenal should be focusing on, so it would surprise me if they were to put down a big bid for Joao Palhinha at this point."

Arsenal face stumbling block in Luiz pursuit
Arsenal will have to shatter their transfer record if they want to acquire Douglas Luiz as Aston Villa are attempting to fend off suitors by demanding £110million, according to FootballTransfers, but the north Londoners are unwilling to meet that figure.

The report suggests the Gunners had been hoping to strike a deal for the Brazilian, who has been on the Villans' books since sealing a £15million switch from Manchester City in 2019, after they were informed by their Premier League counterparts that they could alter their stance over whether to cash in if a lucrative fee is put on the table.

Although it is understood that Arteta and sporting director Edu are long-term admirers of Luiz, an additional strumbling block is likely to come in the form of their target being committed to his current employers at this stage.

Arsenal attempted to lure the defensive midfielder away from the Midlands during the final hours of last year's summer transfer window, but Villa held firm and rejected three bids worth up to £25million, resulting in them having to turn their attentions elsewhere.

But, in a potential boost for the Gunners, Sunday People chief sports writer Neil Moxley recently told GIVEMESPORT that Luiz's head could be turned if a side regularly challenging for silverware heads to the negotiating table.



https://www.givemesport.com/arsenal-transfer-news-higher-priorities-joao-palhinha-signing-emirates/