Sunday Fulham Stuff - 06/02/24...

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Results

Saturday 3/02
Everton	2-2	Spurs
Brighton	4-1	Palace
Burnley	2-2	Fulham
		Palhinha Muniz
Newcastle	4-4	Luton
Sheff Utd	0-5	Villa

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Burnley 2-2 Fulham

Joao Palhinha's deflected header put Fulham ahead at Turf Moor

David Datro Fofana scored twice on his home debut as Premier League strugglers Burnley came from 2-0 down to draw with Fulham at Turf Moor.

The Clarets looked set for a 10th home league defeat of the season as first-half goals from Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Muniz put Fulham in complete control.

But Chelsea loanee Fofana changed the game after being introduced as a second-half substitute, cutting the deficit in the 71st minute before netting a stoppage-time equaliser and racing into the stands where he was mobbed by delighted Burnley supporters.

"We did well in the game, it was amazing for me," Fofana told BBC Match of the Day. "We are happy right now with one point."

On his celebration after the second goal, he said: "First I wanted to dance, but I was so happy that I wanted to celebrate with the fans."

The draw earned Burnley only a fifth home league point of the season and they remain in the relegation zone, seven points from safety, while Fulham have moved up to 12th.

Fulham took the lead after 17 minutes when Palhinha flicked on a near-post corner which deflected off Sander Berge and over Burnley keeper James Trafford.

Just three minutes and 45 seconds later, a long ball over the top beat the home offside trap, with left-back Vitinho slow to push out in Burnley's high defensive line, and Muniz was able to lob Trafford for his first Premier League goal.

Fulham had the biggest chances early in the second half too, Trafford doing well to push a Tosin Adarabioyo header over the bar and save from Muniz at his near post.

Those stops kept Burnley in the match and they pulled one back as Fulham keeper Bernd Leno misjudged a cross, allowing Fofana to head into an empty net.

And deep into stoppage time the Ivory Coast striker - who joined Burnley in January after spending the first half of the season on loan with Union Berlin - slid ahead of his marker to bundle in Wilson Odobert's low cross at the near post.

Fulham's winless away run in the top flight now stretches to 11 matches, and the Cottagers have not won a league match in Burnley since April 1951 - a run of 29 games.

"It's a really difficult one to take," Fulham manager Marco Silva said. "Overall our performance before 2-1 was at a very good level, everyone felt another goal was coming for us.

"The first goal we conceded gave them a boost, the crowd as well. As a team we were naive in that moment, and were punished."

Burnley show grit as new signings impress
No Premier League team has stayed up after taking just 12 points from their first 22 matches - Burnley's total before Saturday's fixture.

They realistically needed to start mounting their escape here, with an unkind fixture list featuring Liverpool away and Arsenal at home in their next two games.

And the Clarets started well - only a last-gasp Tim Ream tackle denied Odobert a glorious chance after eight minutes, while the young French winger shot just wide after weaving through the away defence later in the first half - but Fulham's quick one-two punch knocked the wind out of Vincent Kompany's side.

The introduction of Fofana helped to rouse the hosts, and there were also encouraging performances from Kompany's other January acquisitions to provide Burnley fans with some hope they can launch a survival bid.

Right-back Lorenz Assignon started after arriving on loan from Rennes and put in a lively display, while their other deadline day signing - central defender Maxime Esteve - provided stability after coming on at half time.

"It was all round positive from the players we recruited," Kompany told BBC Match of the Day. "Assignon against Willian played really well, and Fofana with his intensity gave us something different."

This draw marks the first time in 19 Premier League games where Burnley have avoided defeat after falling behind.

"The two goals we conceded, that's not something we can be happy about," Kompany added. "The second half we had a go, it was exciting, and a great contribution from the new boys.

"The fans are brilliant, they have stuck behind us. There is fight in this team, we are going to carry on. 15 games left, we'll go full steam ahead."

For Fulham, their away frustration continues - although a point ends a five-match losing run away from Craven Cottage in the league.

It was a good day personally for Brazilian forward Muniz, who started after Raul Jimenez was ruled out by a hamstring issue, while Armando Broja was on the bench having joined on loan from Chelsea on deadline day.

With his game time perhaps about to be severely restricted, Muniz seized his chance to demonstrate his qualities to manager Marco Silva and looked emotional while celebrating his goal.

"A very good performance from him," Silva said of Muniz. "A very good first half, good moments in the second half too. He's a young boy who works very hard."



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68115069

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Post-Burnley Press Conference
Marco Silva admitted it was two points dropped at Turf Moor following a dramatic draw with Burnley.

His side had been cruising at 2-0 before two second-half goals – including one in added time – cancelled out the lead.

"There's frustration of course in our dressing room," Marco explained. "It's disappointing the way we lost the two points, and it was clear we lost two points.

"Until the moment they made it 2-1, we were the best team on the pitch, definitely. Great saves from their goalkeeper kept them in the game really.

"It was a good performance from ourselves. We were in control of almost everything on the pitch, but football is like that. We cannot switch off, we cannot be naïve in some moments like we were.

"I know that a goal always has an impact on the game and boosts the crowd. We were punished by mistakes from ourselves."

While the goals given away caused question marks to be raised over some of his players, the gaffer refused to point fingers.

"We were punished by mistakes from ourselves. It's not the first time it's happened, unfortunately, for us this season.

"The way we conceded the second goal, we have to be much more solid in those moments. The way we defend our box and the way we defend our right-hand side, in those situations we have to be much stronger.

"It's not about individual mistakes – I take responsibility. I'm the coach and of course we're going to work on it and improve."

Deadline day signing Armando Broja was brought off the bench for his debut, but Marco reported that the striker took a kick to the ankle on his debut.

"It's too early (to know the extent of any injury). We're going to assess him and see how he is. In that moment, he felt he could continue on the pitch and I kept him on."



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2024/february/03/post-burnley-press-conference/

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Fulham fans' ire is directed at board and they fully support manager and players
It has not been a good year for Fulham. In the first month of 2024 they were knocked out of both domestic cup competitions, plus they failed to win or even score a single goal in the league. But far worse is the growing disconnect developing between the club and its fans.


Large empty spaces around Craven Cottage for a weekend FA Cup game against Newcastle United were impossible to ignore, and prompted talk of supporters having staged a boycott. It should be of much more concern to the club hierarchy that there was no organised protest but instead simply a lot of disillusion.


Not that the Fulham fanbase are turning against the team in any way. Despite a run of 5 matches without a win - and only just scraping past Rotherham United 1-0 in the FA Cup third round for their solitary victory in January - the players and manager Marco Silva retain near-unanimous backing.


There is understandable perplexity at how the new year could have started so badly after some wonderful wins in December, which included 5-0 defeats of Nottingham Forest and West Ham United, before culminating in a first success over Arsenal since 2012.


Less than 5 weeks later Fulham find themselves just 6 points above Luton Town at the wrong end of the Premier League table, and the Hatters have a game in hand. That is in addition to the Cottagers being eliminated from both the League Cup and the FA Cup in the space of four days in two home matches.


Nevertheless, Marco Silva only endeared himself some more to the core support with his comments backing the terraces against the boardroom after the contrasting cup contests with Liverpool in the League Cup semi-finals and Newcastle in the FA Cup fourth round.


"I'd like to see... of course an agreement" stated Silva last Saturday. "You don't need the fans angry. We need the fans with us from the first moment until the last one, like they were on Wednesday [v Liverpool], when the stadium was bouncing. Tonight it was easier for Newcastle."


The official attendance announced by the club for Newcastle's visit was 18,960. That included a sold-out away section of 3,800 in the Putney End, but it was still well down on the 24,500 Craven Cottage capacity registered with the Premier League, and on the 24,320 crowd for the midweek match against Liverpool.


More contentiously, there was a significant number of free tickets given out by Fulham for the FA Cup tie to try to fill in the gaps as much as possible and make the attendance look more respectable. This damage-limitation exercise was then repeated for the Everton encounter which followed in the Premier League.


That was primarily carried out through the Fulham FC Foundation, helping to take the latest Craven Cottage crowd figure up to 24,376. But, according to a senior representative of the Fulham Supporters' Trust (FST), they had never previously seen a home league "sell-out" with so many seats left unoccupied.


A third game in seven days at the Cottage, all with evening kick-offs, would be enough to test the commitment of many fans, especially in economically-challenging times. And officially the club expressed themselves to be satisfied with the numbers in the stands, according to a statement they put out.


However, it is failing to acknowledge the unhappiness of many Fulham supporters, who believe that their voices are being increasingly ignored. The principal issue is ticket cost, with the FST involved in a campaign against recent steep price rises, which has gained widespread backing.


#AffordableFulham was established, with a supporters march to the ground ahead of the Manchester United match in November and the raising of yellow cards in the stands during the game - in the 18th minute to signify their objection to paying an average 18% more for tickets.


In the new Riverside Stand, the prices have gone up to £160 for standard non-corporate / hospitality seats. Inevitably, many season ticket holders in the old Riverside Stand, who were temporarily displaced during the building works, have been unable to afford to return there now.


The costs for cup ties are always lower, but there was some surprise that Fulham put them up from £40 for Liverpool to £45 for Newcastle (with a £2 discount for restricted view seats). Even with one being on a weekday in the League Cup and the other at a weekend in the FA Cup, it was still obviously opportunistic.


This feeling was reinforced by Sheffield United dropping ticket prices to £10 for their FA Cup match with Brighton & Hove Albion to ensure Bramall Lane was full and the side got as much backing as possible. Plus that game had a much more convenient and popular 3 o'clock kick-off.


On the same day, Fulham fans were being asked to turn up for an unconventional 7pm Saturday evening start time - following on from their previous home FA Cup tie having been switched to a Friday night. Such awkward alterations to the schedule are another huge cause for complaint at Craven Cottage.


That also feeds into ordinary people's problems bringing kids to watch football. While high prices exclude most families from being able to afford going together, so do inconvenient match times. Fulham offered cheap cup tickets for juniors, but then the late kick-off prevented many youngsters from attending.


With the Premier League's new television deal, the changes to kick-off times are only going to get worse. There will be even fewer 3pm games, and many supporters who decided against attending the Newcastle match are also now talking about not renewing their Fulham season tickets.


As the issue has grown, it has got the attention of not just Marco Silva but other clubs' managers as well, with Newcastle United's Eddie Howe signalling his awareness of what it means for fans, when his team's visit to London followed on from the Chelsea v Aston Villa FA Cup tie on Friday evening.


"Both are strange. It does look like a lack of care for the supporters. When you consider the loyalty and passion Newcastle supporters show, you know there's going to be a huge number that want to go to the game. We thank them for their support and sympathise about the travel arrangements."


Clubs like Liverpool and Newcastle have particularly devoted followings, so the FST put forward proposals on ticket sales to seek to maximise the backing for Fulham at these big cup games. When they were not listened to, it increased the chances of away fans getting into home areas of Craven Cottage.


For the FA Cup, season ticket holders were not even given the opportunity to reserve their own usual seats. That added to the frustration about the club's attitude to their fans, and it contributed to the absentees on the night. As well as opposition supporters, it also allowed in more football tourists.


Both cup ties had multiple late arrivals, with a large part of the first half each time disrupted by spectators struggling to get into the stadium and then to find their seats, especially at the Liverpool match. Inevitably, that is what occurs when there is more access for irregular / uncommitted ticket purchasers.


But Fulham and many other clubs' owners love football tourists. They spend larger sums of money on merchandise in the club shop. And they are prepared to pay higher prices for one-off tickets. It is for them and corporate buyers that premium seating is now being marketed in the new Riverside Stand.


The atmosphere at Craven Cottage has not been helped by the Riverside remaining largely unoccupied for a second successive season. But even if the appearance of the venue improves when the giant stand is fully opened, it has to be questionable how much backing the home team will get from those seats.


The delays in getting an apparently completed structure into use have further dented Fulham fans' impression of the club hierarchy. Licensing has been held up by the unresolved difficulties of getting in and out of a stand on the embankment of the River Thames.


A plan for guests to arrive by boat has been undermined by the club's application to put a pier into the river being challenged by all the local water sports organisations, who pointed out that it would impede one of the country's busiest rowing courses and events including the annual Boat Race from Putney to Mortlake.


The main option is for entry and exit through the adjoining Bishop's Park, but that is unsurprisingly very unpopular with a large proportion of the local community who use the public park - and therefore several politicians who represent them. It is amazing that this was not fully thought through prior to construction.


And how much do Fulham need extra income anyway? To help fund the Jacksonville Jaguars in the NFL, the owner's other sporting commitment? According to the Premier League's annual report, the club are a healthy tenth in the latest earnings table, above West Ham and even neighbours Chelsea.


Fulham's most recent Premier League payment amounted to £138.1million. Their total revenue from last season of €209.8million put them in 26th place in the Deloitte Football Money League of clubs worldwide. So any further pursuit of additional income without reinvestment in the team is hard to justify.


When Fulham fans patiently articulate this, it is clear why they are worried about what is happening to their club, which until recently was highly-regarded and well-liked in general, even by many opposition supporters. And it is undeniable that a lot of Cottage regulars are re-evaluating their loyalty to the club.


The FST are seeking to bring together the various different groups with different agendas, to try to speak and act in greater unison, pro-boycotters and anti-protesters alike, to increase the power of their campaigning. So far they emphasise that there have been protests, but no organised boycott.


Maybe it was just January, and the end of the month will be greeted with relief down by the riverside. After 3 home games in a week without a win, and only one goal, scored against Liverpool by Issa Diop, a defender, with a deflection off his thigh, playing away next might be the best thing for the team along with its fans.



https://www.capitalfootball.co.uk/single-post/fulham-fan-s-ire-is-directed-at-board-and-they-fully-support-manager-and-players

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Fulham, Newcastle United, West Ham United vying for Anton Stach

Premier League trio Fulham, Newcastle United, and West Ham United are keen on German midfielder Anton Stach ahead of the summer transfer window.
According to multiple reports on Sport Bild via Sport Witness, a host of Premier League clubs are keen on Anton Stach. The Hoffenheim midfielder could have Fulham, Newcastle United and West Ham United as suitors ahead of the summer window, as he remains open to playing in England.

Anton Stach is in high demand
Many Premier League clubs are still looking for solutions that strengthen their squad and will attack again when the summer window opens. The January transfer window was dominated by the lack of activity from Premier League clubs as FFP regulations curtailed the spending for most clubs.

When the summer transfer window opens, these clubs will have much more room to plan their squad, and they will likely attack for recruits. One of them could be Hoffenheim's 25-year-old German international Anton Stach.

The midfielder has seen interest from Fulham, Newcastle United and West Ham, who may have shown admiration in January. However, they will look for the 25-year-old German international again in the summer, with the report suggesting a price tag of around €15 million.

That alone would entice this trio of Premier League clubs to consider a transfer, as someone like Stach has shown enough talent to help these clubs improve their squad. However, while all three could express an interest, the chances of some dropping out could still be possible.

Fulham and Newcastle United are more realistic than West Ham United
West Ham United agreed on a deal for Kalvin Phillips, which does strengthen their midfield for the future. However, there is a chance the Hammers may not sign the midfielder on a permanent basis, which could leave room for someone like Stach to arrive in England International's place.

However, Fulham and Newcastle United are considered more realistic destinations for Stach to consider, as there's a clear need for a new midfielder at both clubs. The Magpies might lose Joelinton and even Bruno Guimaraes, which could make the 25-year-old German international a solid option for them to consider.

Similarly, Fulham might see a revamp of their midfield positions, as they might even lose Joao Palhinha to a European giant. Hence, the duo have more of a chance than West Ham to pursue Stach seriously in the summer.



https://thehardtackle.com/transfer-news/2024/02/03/fulham-newcastle-united-west-ham-united-vying-for-anton-stach/

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Burnley 2-2 Fulham: Chelsea loanee David Datro Fofana hits late double in dramatic draw
Ivorian outshines fellow Blues loanee Armando Broja as brace off the bench proves decisive

David Datro Fofana came off the bench to mark his home debut with two goals as his stoppage-time equaliser earned Burnley a point in a 2-2 draw against Fulham.

The Cottagers, without an away victory since the opening day of the season and winless in the league at Turf Moor since 1951, appeared to be cruising after goals from Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Muniz had them 2-0 up inside 21 minutes.

But on-loan Chelsea striker Fofana, on as a substitute just after the hour, got them back into it with a 71st-minute header before bundling in the leveller in the first minute of stoppage time - equalling in 20 minutes his number of league goals for Union Berlin in 17 games during a previous loan this season.

Vincent Kompany's side remain seven points adrift of safety, but this ended a run of 19 Premier League games in which Burnley had lost after conceding first, and the mood inside Turf Moor improved dramatically after Fofana's late intervention.

Kompany's side, whose last league win was away to Fulham on December 23, began well and kept the Cottagers inside their own half. After Lyle Foster dispossessed Tosin Adarabioyo it took a superb recovery tackle from Tim Ream to deny Wilson Odobert a clear shot at goal.

But it fell apart very quickly. Kompany gave a debut to Lorenz Assignon, who arrived on loan from Rennes on deadline day, but the right-back needlessly conceded a 17th-minute corner when he shepherded the ball out of play rather than hook it clear.

The mistake was instantly punished as Andreas Pereira whipped the ball in and Palhinha turned it goalwards, with his header beating James Trafford with the help of a deflection off Sander Berge.

It got worse four minutes later when Antonee Robinson's long punt up field turned into the perfect ball for Muniz to score his first Premier League goal.

The 22-year-old Brazilian, starting in place of the injured Raul Jimenez with new boy Armando Broja on the bench, was played onside by Vitinho as he got goalside of Hjalmar Ekdal, running at Trafford before lifting the ball over the exposed goalkeeper to a chorus of boos from the Turf Moor crowd.

Ekdal was hooked at half-time as Maxime Esteve, Burnley's other deadline day signing on loan from Montpellier, came on for his debut.

Josh Brownhill, making his 100th Premier League appearance, had a shot which picked up a deflection on its way to Bernd Leno, but it was Fulham who continued to probe to the frustration of the home fans.

Willian's curling low shot was pushed aside by Trafford, who then repelled Adarabioyo's powerful header from the resulting corner. Soon after, the goalkeeper made a smart save to deny Muniz at his near post.

Fofana came on for his home debut alongside Johann Berg Gudmundsson just after the hour, and soon set up Brownhill, who blazed wastefully over.

Moments later, the Ivorian was celebrating his first Burnley goal. Assignon led a breakaway down the left, and sent in a cross which sailed over Leno to leave Fofana to head into an open goal.

Marco Silva responded by giving Broja his debut but his decision to reinforce the defence with Kenny Tete backfired.

The Dutchman missed what looked a routine interception of Gudmundsson's ball forward and it ran through to Odobert to send in a low cross, and Fofana beat Ream to the the near post to divert it home.

The goal survived a VAR check for handball, to the delight of the home crowd and the relief of Kompany.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/burnley-vs-fulham-fc-premier-league-result-2024-today-b1136830.html

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Fofana double punishes frail Fulham
Just when it felt like Fulham would take three points home from Turf Moor for the first time in 73 years, super-sub David Datro Fofana came off the bench to inspire a brilliant Burnley fightback with two goals in twenty minutes. Marco Silva's side appeared to be cruising after two goals in the space of four minutes from Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Muniz but the visitors squandered several great chances to kill the game in the second half before some distinctly dodgy defending gifted the Clarets a route back into the contest.

Silva made three changes to the eleven that had drawn with Everton in midweek but opted to introduce deadline day signing Armando Broja from the bench. Muniz replaced the injured Raul Jimenez up front, whilst Tim Ream returned at the heart of the defence for Issa Diop, who also tore his hamstring on Wednesday. Harrison Reed added bite to the Fulham midfield in place of club captain Tom Cairney.

Burnley, who brought in Lorenz Assignon and Aaron Ramsey to the side that had been beaten at his former side Manchester City in midweek, began brightly with Lyle Foster to the fore. The striker pinched possession high up the pitch and looked to have put Wilson Odobert in the clear only for the covering Ream to intervene just in the nick of time. Sander Berger, a scorer in Burnley's surprise success at Craven Cottage before Christmas, then tried his luck from long-range again but Bernd Leno managed to stop the Norwegian's low drive this time.

Fulham's first opening arrived when Andreas Pereira's cross from the right was headed wide by Timothy Castagne but the visitors went in front from a corner moments later. Pereira's delivery into the near post was perfect and Palhinha guided a header past James Trafford at the near post having easily eluded Odobert. Muniz scored his first Premier League goal with an impudent chip over Trafford having been played onside by Vitinho as he chased a forward ball from Antonee Robinson.

The home side looked rampant at this point. Only Trafford's fingertips denied Pereira a third when the Brazilian playmaker latched onto another pass from Robinson and the home side's only riposte saw Odobert screw a shot wide from a tight angle after the winger profited from a ricochet in the Fulham box having sneaked in down the left flank. To Kompany's fury, Reed was only cautioned for a late lunge over the ball that left Odobert on the turf in agony and his side at least began the second half with more of a sense of adventure.

Vitinho advanced along the left flank and his cross was initially scuffed goalwards by Josh Brownhill. The midfielder's effort was diverted on target by Ramsey but lacked the power to really trouble Leno. The hosts were nearly the architects of their own downfall at the other end when Brownhill threw the ball straight to Muniz, but Berge read the danger superbly to bail out his team-mate. Trafford then kept his side in the game by making three vital saves. He turned aside a low drive from Willian, tipped over Tosin Adarabioyo's header from a corner and thwarted Muniz at his near post.

Those stops became vital when two of Kompany's January signings combined to halve the deficit. Assignon burst down the left flank and whipped in a cross that Leno came for but failed to collect, allowing Fofana to head his first Burnley goal into the unguarded net. The Clarets pushed for a late leveller but had created precious little until the start of stoppage time when Kenny Tete made a mess of a routine clearance and Fofana beat Ream to bundle home Odobert's low ball at the near post. There was a VAR check to adjudicate on whether a touch off the Ivorian forward's hand was decisive – but the goal stood to the delight of the home fans.

The Clarets poured forward in search of a third but Kompany will be delighted with his side's determination to battle to the end. Fulham's capitulation from a commanding position was compounded by the sight of Tosin Adarabioyo limping off with what looked like a hamstring strain which will leave the Whites short of centre backs when Bournemouth come to Craven Cottage in a week's time.

BURNLEY (4-4-2): Trafford; Assignon (Massengo 90), Vitinho (Bruun Larsen 87), O'Shea, Ekdal (Esteve 45); A. Ramsey (Gudmundsson 64), Berge, Brownhill, Odobert; Amdouni (Fofana 64), Foster. Subs (not used): Muric, Al-Dakhil, Cullen, Trésor.

BOOKED: Berge, Fofana.

GOALS: Fofana (71, 90+2).

FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Leno; Castagne, A. Robinson, Adarabioyo, Ream; Palhinha, Reed; Willian, De Cordova-Reid (Cairney 74), Pereira (Tete 85); Muniz (Broja 74). Subs (not used): Rodak, Ballo-Toure, de Fougerolles, King, Lukic, Sekularac.

BOOKED: Reed, Pereira.

GOALS: Palhinha (17), Muniz (21).

REFEREE: Darren Bond (Lancashire).

ATTENDANCE: 20,203



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2024/02/fofana-double-punishes-frail-fulham/

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Silva: We failed to keep our focus
A disappointed Marco Silva said Fulham failed 'to keep our focus' after watching his side surrender a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with relegation-threatened Burnley at Turf Moor this afternoon.

The Whites looked well on their way to registering their first win at Burnley since 1951 when Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Muniz put them in a commanding position with two goals in four first half minutes. But Fulham folded after Vincent Kompany introduced Chelsea loanee David Datro Fofano from the bench, with the striker scoring twice in the final twenty minutes to pinch a point for the Clarets.

Silva told BBC Sport after the final whistle:

"It's a really difficult one to take and it is not the first time this has happened. Overall, our perfomance [to go 2-0 up and even at] 2-1 was at a very good level, everyone felt another goal was coming for us. The first goal we conceded gave them a boost, the crowd as well. As a team we were naïve in that moment, and were punished. We were fresh enough on the pitch, it is just we don't keep focus and are naive in some moments. These are details that will punish us hard this season."

The one bright spot for Fulham was a first Premier League goal for Rodrigo Muniz, who Silva selected to start up front ahead of deadline day signing Armando Broja.

"[It was] a very good performance from him. A very good first half, good moments in the second half too. He's a young boy who works very hard."




https://hammyend.com/index.php/2024/02/silva-we-failed-to-keep-our-focus/

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Chelsea's David Fofana pegs Fulham back in 2-2 draw at Burnley
Burnley 2-2 Fulham

Goals: 17' Palhinha (F), 21' Muniz (F), 71' and 91' Fofana (B)

Chelsea loanee David Fofana earned himself 'local' bragging rights after coming off the bench to haunt his former (and future?) next-door neighbours Fulham in 2-2 draw with Burnley.

While Chelsea are struggling for goals right now, the Ivorian is doing it for their closest rivals. And this while still on their wage bill.

But Fulham should be kicking themselves for failing to kill the game off and make it a first win at Turf Moor in 73 years when 2-0 up at half-time. Early on a Joao Palhinha header following a corner and a Muñiz chip looked to have secured all three points.

Marco Silva's Cottagers were in charge while the Clarets sat on their hands and looked like rabbits in the headlights each time Fulham played the odd long ball in behind.

Second-from-bottom Burnley were not at the races until the hour-mark while Fulham kept laying siege at James Trafford's goal. Yet without success.

And there will be many "if onlys" crossing Silva and his disappointed players' minds tonight.

At 2-0 down, keeper Trafford made four excellent saves to deny Willian twice down his left, a bullet Tosin Adarabioyo header and Muñiz at his near-post.

Where would Burnley have been without their young prodigy in goal today? It's never a good sign when your keeper is the MVP but his tsunami of saves proved monumental in the economy of the game as it sowed the seeds for a late revival.

With 20 minutes still to play, Fofana reduced the arrears after getting on the end of Denis Franchi's cross.

Fulham were sailing close to the wind but just when they thought they'd won it, the Ivorian bundled home the 2-2 equaliser in the 91st minute.

Tim Ream, trying to intervene, came a split second too late as Burnley maintain their unbeaten record over the Cottagers.

And what a huge point it could prove to be come the end of the season.

As for Fulham, they can do with a Blues loanee of their own in the name of Armando Broja to try and find the goals Aleksandr Mitrovic used to deliver on match-daily basis.



https://www.capitalfootball.co.uk/single-post/chelsea-s-david-fofana-pegs-fulham-back-in-2-2-draw-at-burnley

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'We should won easily,' admits Willian
Winger Willian admitted Fulham's collapse from 2-0 up at Burnley was 'completely our fault'.

The Whites let a precious three points slip at Turf Moor despite being two goals to good through Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Muniz after 21 minutes. Burnley substitute David Datro Fofana scored twice – the equaliser coming in the first minute of stoppage time – to deny the Whites a first win at Burnley for 73 years, but Willian knew exactly where the blame lay.

The Brazilian veteran told Premier League Productions after the final whistle:

"I am completely disappointed, we should win this game. It was completely our fault as well. The game was under control for 90 minutes, we should have taken the three points for sure. To concede two goals like we did is really disappointing."

Willian, who also revealed that head coach Marco Silva told his players 'need to improve in every aspect' in the dressing room afterwards, was pleased that his compatriot Rodrigo Muniz broke his Premier League duck.

"He got a little bit emotional, he was playing well. I'm really happy for him, he deserved his goal."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2024/02/we-should-won-easily-admits-willian/

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Silva admits Fulham were 'naive' after dropping points at Burnley
Fulham boss Marco Silva accused his players of being "naive" after they squandered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at Burnley.

On-loan Chelsea forward David Datro Fofana scored twice on his home debut – including an injury-time equaliser – as the Whites were punished for some slack defending.

Silva said: "It is a difficult one to take. Overall our performance until it was 2-1 was at a very good level. We were leading 2-0 and everyone was feeling that the third goal was coming for us.

"The first goal we conceded gave Burnley the belief and the crowd as well. The way we conceded the second goal cannot happen. We were naive.

"You have to keep focused in those moments and not be naive, because you can be punished for that."

Two goals in as many minutes put Fulham in control by half-time.

They opened the scoring when João Palhinha's header from Andreas Pereira's corner went in via a slight deflection off Sander Berge.

And Rodrigo Muniz doubled the lead with his first Premier League goal, lobbing keeper James Trafford after chasing Antonee Robinson's ball over the top.

Trafford produced saves to prevent Willian, Muniz and Tosin Adarabioyo adding a third, and after that Burnley found a way back into the match.

Fofana headed home following a short-corner routine after keeper Bernd Leno misjudged flight of the ball, and in the final stages he bundled in Wilson Odobert's low cross at the near post to extend Fulham's run without an away win to 11 matches.



https://www.westlondonsport.com/sport/silva-admits-fulham-were-naive-after-dropping-points-at-burnley

[WhiteJC]

Down to the bare bones
Whilst good teams never know when they are beaten, once you get out of the winning habit it can be difficult to get over the finishing line. Yesterday's surrender from 2-0 up at a bedraggled Burnley was particularly Fulhamish. Marco Silva's side were in total control until conceding a sloppy goal twenty minutes from time which turned a routine away win into edge of your seat stuff. Given Fulham's wretched record at Turf Moor, there was inevitability about Burnley's stoppage-time equaliser – scrambled in by super-sub David Datro Fofana – that made extended the Whites' winless run to six matches in all competitions.

That Fulham allowed Vincent Kompany's side back into the contest was unforgivable. It is supremely ironic that until the 71st minute there was much to like about this performance. Silva reintroduced Harrison Reed into the midfield – a move that meant the engine room had a bit more bite about it – and his other big call, picking Rodrigo Muniz ahead of Armando Broja up front, paid of handsomely when the Brazilian bagged his first Premier League goal. The defence coped well with the absence of Issa Diop until an aberration from Bernd Leno, with the home side hardly threatening. It made the dropping of two precious points all the more galling.

The sight of Tosin Adarabioyo hobbling off holding his hamstring made a maddening ending much worse. As it stands, Tim Ream – badly beaten to the ball for Burnley's equaliser – will be Silva's only fit senior centre half for the visit of Bournemouth to Craven Cottage next weekend. That could prompt a first Premier League start for Luc de Fougerolles, who was on the bench in Lancashire, the redeploying of Joao Palhinha in central defence, where he has played for Portugal, or some other tactical tweak that doesn't immediately occur to me. Whatever the resolution, it isn't a good situation to be in.

Silva's squad is small enough at the moment after Fulham failed to strengthen significantly in the summer or add bodies during the January transfer window. The lack of options at his disposal were evident with so many youth prospects on the bench yesterday. We've been fortunate to see a bit of de Fougerolles, who shone on his first taste of first-team action in the Summer Series in America, and certainly didn't look out of place against high-flying Ipswich in the League Cup earlier this season. But glimpses of Josh King, a dynamic teenage central midfielder, and the talented former Juventus youngster Kristian Sekularac have been the preserve of those fans fortunate to catch a fair bit of the academy sides down at Motspur Park. The lack of depth in the squad has undermined Silva's side already this season and, as he hinted after the final whistle, might yet do some again.

I've made the point before that the age profile of the first team squad will need looking at as early as the summer. Several stalwarts of this side are now well past thirty. Ream is 36, Willian 35, Tom Cairney is now 32 – the same age as Raul Jimenez – and Bobby De Cordova-Reid turned 31 last week. Fulham already have the oldest squad in the top flight and, whilst you can see the logic in adding experience to a squad that had been battered by regular regulations from the top tier, there must be a better option that putting your faith in veterans and flooding the bench with callow youngsters.

The optimism of early January, when the Whites could justifiably look up the table after a thrilling victory over Arsenal whilst anticipating the League Cup semi-final against Liverpool, has given way to the realisation that the remainder of the campaign will be a grind towards the elusive 38 point mark. Fulham should have enough to limp towards safety – but Silva will have to do so whilst making the most of meagre resources. It's hardly what he signed up when extending his contract in October.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2024/02/down-to-the-bare-bones/

[WhiteJC]

Melloul: FA Youth Cup is 'great opportunity'
Fulham under 18s head coach Ali Melloul believes this afternoon's FA Youth Cup fifth round tie at Liverpool will be an intriguing contest.

The Whites are likely to include several players who featured in last weekend's under-21 defeat in Kirkby and Melloul is excited ahead of a mouth-watering tie. Melloul told the club's official website:

"It's definitely going to be a competitive game and this is exactly what we want for our players. It's an important stage of their development and these types of games provide an excellent opportunity to learn and gain more experience. We have actually played Liverpool already this season in the Premier League Cup and a number of our lads were involved in the under-21 squad who played Liverpool last week. Both teams will have a clear idea of what to expect."

Fulham were comfortable winners at Swansea City in the last round and Melloul feels that experience will stand his players in good stead.

"The boys performed really well on the night, but the most pleasing thing was their ability to travel twice in two weeks and remain focused on the task. I think we have been drawn away in the FA Youth Cup for every round since 2019!"

You can watch all the action from Merseyside live on FulhamFCTV from 12.55pm with commentary from 'Gentleman' Jim McGullion.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2024/02/melloul-fa-youth-cup-is-great-opportunity/

[filham]

seems as if Tosin and Broja may have picked up injuries at Turf More.
Oh dear some of us were predicting that Broja could be a sick note.

[alfie]

seems as if Tosin and Broja may have picked up injuries at Turf More.
Oh dear some of us were predicting that Broja could be a sick note.

He got kicked on the ankle, hardly a "sick note" situation, not much he could do about it.

[hovewhite]

seems as if Tosin and Broja may have picked up injuries at Turf More.
Oh dear some of us were predicting that Broja could be a sick note.

He got kicked on the ankle, hardly a "sick note" situation, not much he could do about it.

centre forwards get that every week .