Tuesday Fulham Stuff - 12/03/24...

[WhiteJC]

Results

Monday 11/03
Chelsea	3-2	Newcastle

[WhiteJC]

Birmingham City carry Jay Stansfield problem into crunch Middlesbrough clash
Latest Birmingham City news from BirminghamLive includes the disciplinary situation at the club


Birmingham City's top scorer Jay Stansfield has picked up nine yellow cards this season

Jay Stansfield will walk the disciplinary tightrope in Birmingham City's crunch match with Middlesbrough after avoiding a yellow card in the defeat to Millwall on Saturday.

The on-loan Fulham forward, who has scored 10 times for Blues this term, has accumulated nine yellow cards in the Championship. Stansfield must avoid a booking in Blues' match against Middlesbrough, otherwise he will face a two-game ban.

Ivan Sunjic is also at risk of suspension. Like Stansfield, Croatian midfielder Sunjic picked up his ninth yellow card of the season in the 1-1 draw with Hull City last week and avoided a 10th at The Den.

The final yellow card amnesty of the season comes in after Tuesday's match against Boro. Any player who reaches 10 yellow cards after match week 37 will no longer face a ban.

Krystian Bielik - who is also on nine yellow cards - is no longer at risk of a ban having suffered a stomach injury which looks set to rule him out until after the international break. Should Stansfield or Sunjic pick up a caution against Boro, they will miss Blues' matches with Watford (March 16) and Queens Park Rangers (March 29).

Dion Sanderson will serve the final match of his three-game ban after being sent off against Southampton. Here is the yellow card tally...
Blues' yellow cards

Jay Stansfield - 9

Krystian Bielik - 9

Ivan Sunjic - 9

Juninho Bacuna - 8

Jordan James - 8

Andre Dozzell - 5

Lee Buchanan - 6

Manny Longelo - 4

Emanuel Aiwu - 4

Siriki Dembele - 4

Koji Miyoshi - 4

Ethan Laird - 4

Alex Pritchard - 3

Cody Drameh - 2

John Ruddy - 2

Dion Sanderson - 2

Scott Hogan - 1

Lukas Jutkiewicz - 1

Gary Gardner - 1

Tyler Roberts - 1

Paik Seung-ho - 1



https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/birmingham-city-jay-stansfield-middlesbrough-28060442

[WhiteJC]

European giants yet to advance move to sign Fulham contract rebel ahead of Liverpool
AC Milan have made no progress over a potential move to sign Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo this summer.

Seeing Tosin Adarabioyo and Calvin Bassey form a centre back partnership of late has been both exciting and almost irritating.

After all, Adarabioyo is out of contract at the end of the season and could soon leave Fulham for absolutely nothing.

The 6ft 5in centre back continues to impress but that only means more interest from elsewhere and more chance of him leaving.

We would still love to see Adarabioyo stay put, but he continues to be linked with major European clubs...

Tosin Adarabioyo to AC Milan latest
Calciomercato now claim that AC Milan were presented with a chance to sign Adarabioyo in January.

It's now suggested that contacts haven't progressed since then but Milan are still weighing up a move.

The Italian giants seem to be focused on signing a free agent defender with Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly also wanted.

Kelly's injuries have put Milan off though and Adarabioyo is in the picture as an alternative.

We could hardly blame Adarabioyo for fancying a move to Milan, where he would have a chance to follow in the footsteps of defensive legends such as Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini and Alessandro Nesta.
Fulham FC v Arsenal FC - Premier League

Milan also have English talents in their ranks right now with Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Fikayo Tomori both getting their careers back on track in Italy.

Adarabioyo could yet join them but there is also interest from the Premier League.

The London Evening Standard noted in February that Liverpool are interested in taking Adarabioyo to Anfield this summer.

The Reds may release Joel Matip at the end of his contract and a bargain signing like Adarabioyo is seemingly appealing to them.

Competing with Milan and Liverpool won't be easy for Fulham but Marco Silva may be hoping to convince the former Manchester City defender to stay in the coming weeks.



https://www.fulham.news/2024/03/11/european-giants-yet-to-advance-move-to-sign-fulham-contract-rebel-ahead-of-liverpool/

[WhiteJC]

What went wrong at Wolves?
Perhaps the joy of Old Trafford generated some unrealistic expectations amongst the Fulham fanbase. The Whites have had a pitiful away record for almost the entirety of their time in the Premier League, with last season's relative success under Marco Silva an anomaly. Beating Manchester United felt totemic, but given how far the 'world's richest club' have slipped in recent years, it actually isn't all that comparable to the seismic shock that Chris Coleman's charges delivered in 2003.

Fulham's second away league success of this season had plenty of the hallmarks of what became a frustrating afternoon at Molineux. Silva's side, without Joao Palhinha and Willian in their starting line-up, dominated the first half whilst failing to take several presentable chances and Alex Iwobi scored a superb goal deep into the stoppage time. But whereas the Nigerian's fine finish sparked sensational scenes at United, his instinctive flick in the Black Country only generated a serious sense of what could have been.

Silva was quick to credit Wolves for their indefatigability as Gary O'Neil's side battled through an extension to their crippling injury crisis and being outplayed in the first period to claim a precious three points that boosts their European bid. The hosts certainly were worthy of praise, especially for the way they adapted to adversity with teenage forward Nathan Fraser a particular pest on his first start and Rayan Alt-Nouri fulfilling a forward role after two of Wolves' most potent attacking threads had departed early, but Iwobi's identification of 'a missed opportunity' to procure a rare away win felt even more accurate.

It is no surprise that Fulham are not as potent in the final third without a certain Saudi Arabian-based Serbian. Rodrigo Muniz has put together a series of stunning showings that nobody outside Motspur Park saw coming and, whilst the Brazilian troubled the Wolves defence at times, others in Silva's starting line-up were culpable for Fulham's failure to make the most of some enterprising attacking play. Harry Wilson might still be shuddering at the way he passed up a presentable chance created by a gorgeous through ball from Iwobi, whilst Tosin Adarabioyo produced a centre half's finish when he found himself in a centre forward's position.

Silva was seething that his side ceded the initiative to their under-par opponents in the early stages of the second half. It looked like complacency had set in, but that might be a projection of the disappointment that emanated from the away end as the Whites went from a position of complete control to digging a real hole. That it was Tosin and Calvin Bassey, who have forged a fabulous understand at the heart of the back four, who were responsible for the sloppiness that ultimately cost Fulham so dearly was desperately disappointing. Bassey's tame header presented Ait-Nouri with a chance he simply couldn't miss, before Nelson Semedo's second deflected in off the behind of Tom Cairney – who couldn't influence proceedings in the manner that Silva had hoped when he summoned the skipper from the substitutes bench after the opening goal.

The head coach surprisingly endorsed the old adage of never changing a winning side, which would have been good for morale after the wins over United and a desperately poor Brighton and Hove Albion, but the same starting eleven eventually ran out of road. Silva's selection would have looked shrewder had Wilson and Tosin stroked the visitors into a comfortable lead, but Harrison Reed's impersonation of Joao Palhinha eventually conceded the free-kick from which the visitors went behind. Palhinha's tenacity couldn't tilt the contest back towards his side when he came on, whilst Willian's own arrival felt belated.

As Peter Rutzler reflected earlier, Silva and Fulham have done wonderfully well to move well clear of a relegation scrap that seems far less cut and dried than it looked in the earlier weeks of the season, but realising the head coach's ambition of writing a new chapter in the club's history depends on the Whites finding consistency that is currently all too elusive. Tim Sherwood, summarising the Molineux match on Soccer Saturday, pointed to the strength of Silva's bench and, whilst Iwobi is also right to suggest that his team-mates can feel confident of beating everyone on their day, success depends on this side hitting their stride.

Flattering to deceive on the road has been a Fulhamish characteristic for much of the club's history. The Cottagers could justifiably head to Bramall Lane at the end of the month with confidence, given how Sheffield United have slumped to the bottom of the table, but you certainly couldn't rule out a capitulation to rank alongside the way the Whites succumbed on the final day of the 2021/22 season having secured the Championship title by smacking seven goals past Luton. Between now and then there is a stern test in the shape of Tottenham Hotspur, who thrashed Aston Villa on their own patch yesterday. Upsetting Ange Postecoglou will need Palhinha back at his best from the beginning and for Fulham to take their chances. Moving on from a miserable Molineux experience swiftly is absolutely essential.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2024/03/what-went-wrong-at-wolves/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham's Super Eagles playmaker Iwobi sets record for most chances created in a PL game this season
Super Eagles playmaker Alex Iwobi broke the record for most chances created from open play in a  Premier League game this season during Fulham's 2-1 loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux on Saturday evening.

According to  Whoscored.com, the 27-year-old created seven chances in the encounter which is the most that has been recorded by any player in a Premier League game this season.

It was a record-breaking day for the Nigeria international whose 98th-minute strike for the Cottagers was the 87th goal scored in the 90th minute or later in the English top-flight this season, the most in the competition's history.

Iwobi is enjoying a new lease on life at the Craven Cottage and has already exceeded his highest goal tally in the Premier League, with five goals registered already.

He has become one of the first names on Marco Silva's team sheet, failing to start just five of the games he has featured in the league this term.

Per Whoscored.com, the Hale End Academy product has been the 4th best player for Fulham since the start of the campaign, with only Anglo-Nigerian defender Tosin Adarabioyo, departed Aleksandar Mitrovic, Antonee Robinson, and João Palhinha ranked higher than him.

Abdulkareem Abdulhamid



https://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=50765

[WhiteJC]

West Ham Have Tosin Adarabioyo Back on Radar for Summer Move
West Ham United have Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo in their sights ahead of the transfer window reopening

    West Ham United are in the hunt for Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo once again after also previously showing interest in luring him to the London Stadium.
    The 26-year-old is on course to be available without the Hammers having to fork out a fee as his contract is due to expire at the end of June.
    Technical director Tim Steidten has outlined the heart of the West Ham defence as an area that needs strengthening ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

West Ham United have reignited their interest in Fulham star Tosin Adarabioyo after prioritising a move for a new central defender ahead of European action potentially returning to the London Stadium for a fourth consecutive season, GIVEMESPORT sources have revealed.

Although there is uncertainty over whether boss David Moyes will remain in the dugout, thanks to the Scotsman admitting that he will not entertain signing a new contract until the campaign has reached its climax, Hammers technical director Tim Steidten is making plans before the transfer window reopens for business in the summer.

West Ham bolstered their backline with the £20million addition of Konstantinos Mavropanos from Bundesliga side Stuttgart in August, resulting in captain Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd having more competition for places, but a 2-2 draw with Premier League strugglers Burnley last weekend highlighted that fresh options may be needed.

Adarabioyo Contract Situation Intriguing for Steidten
Fulham Defender Returns to Hammers' Shortlist
Adarabioyo is back on West Ham's radar ahead of the summer transfer window after his contractual situation at Fulham has resulted in there being plenty of intrigue and Steidten taking note of a potential opportunity to pounce for his services, according to GMS sources.

The 26-year-old entered the final six months of his Craven Cottage deal at the turn of the year, which allows him to pocket £40,000-per-week, and the west Londoners have failed to persuade him to pen fresh terms despite enjoying an impressive campaign under Marco Silva's tutelage and posting better statistics than Zouma this season.

Tosin Adarabioyo's statistical averages per 90 minutes compared to Kurt Zouma in the Premier League this season

	Tosin Adarabioyo	Kurt Zouma
Pass completion percentage	84.7	82.7
Percentage of aerial battles won	72.1	57.6
Percentage of dribblers tackled	71.4	57.1
Interceptions	1.50	0.90
Tackles	1.33	0.59

Statistics correct as of 11/03/2024

Adarabioyo has been able to sign a pre-contract agreement with overseas suitors since January, but he has not held successful negotiations with any sides outside the Premier League at this stage and is on course to become a free agent at the end of June if he does not commit his long-term future to Fulham.

GMS sources understand that attracting a new centre-back to the London Stadium is high on the agenda for West Ham ahead of beginning their shopping for next season and beyond, and the former England under-19 international has worked his way onto their shortlist of potential acquisitions after they previously mulled over whether to attempt to lure him away from his current employers.

West Ham Facing Competition Ahead of Summer Window
AC Milan Keeping Tabs on Adarabioyo Amid Long-Term Uncertainty
AC Milan are monitoring Adarabioyo's situation after scouring the Premier League for a low-cost defender, according to Italian media outlet Calciomercato, but they have stopped short of making progress in discussions after initially turning down the opportunity to make a move during the winter window.

The report suggests that the Rossoneri were alerted to the former Manchester City academy graduate during the early stages of 2024 before deciding against lodging a proposal, but he is still being assessed after making 19 appearances in all competitions this season and their interest in Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly has waned due to his injury issues.

Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth recently told GIVEMESPORT that Adarabioyo's future is in his own hands as he edges closer to becoming a free agent, while his contract situation would have resulted in Fulham seriously considering whether to cash in if a suitable offer was tabled ahead of the winter window's February 1 deadline.

It is understood that Tottenham Hotspur, Monaco, Atalanta, Lyon and Roma have also been suitors of the 6 ft 5 colossus in recent months, but a deal failed to come to fruition midway through the season and there could be a tussle for his signature in the coming months.

Fulham chief Silva has made no secret of his wish for Adarabioyo to resist the temptation to embark on a fresh challenge and, instead, sign a new contract as the Portuguese tactician has described him as 'special'.

All statistics courtesy of FBref and Transfermarkt



https://www.givemesport.com/west-ham-united-transfer-news-tosin-adarabioyo-back-on-radar-summer-move-london-stadium/

[WhiteJC]

West Ham United: Tim Steidten ready to 'pounce' on Tosin Adarabioyo amid Fulham contract issue
West Ham technical director Tim Steidten is ready to "pounce" on a move for Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo, according to GIVEMESPORT.

The publication reported on its website on Monday (11 March) that the Hammers have prioritised signing a new centre-back in the summer transfer window.

Adarabioyo will see his Fulham contract expire this summer, with GIVEMESPORT adding that the club have failed to persuade him to sign a new deal.

Can West Ham persuade Tosin Adarabioyo to come to the London Stadium?
Adarabioyo has missed a large chunk of the current campaign due to injury, but the 26-year-old is now back on the pitch and impressing for the Cottagers.

The West London side should be keen on extending his deal at Craven Cottage, but they may just be fighting a losing battle as his contract rapidly draws to a close.

The Hammers did strengthen in central defence last summer, bringing in former Arsenal defender Konstantinos Mavropanos.

But the Greek international hasn't quite managed to convince every West Ham supporter, at least not to the extent that fellow summer arrivals James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez have.

Steidten may not always see eye-to-eye with manager David Moyes, but the pair must come together this summer in order to strengthen the side, particularly with another European campaign on the cards.

The technical director has done a great job so far at the London Stadium, with his profile set to rise further should he bring in Fulham ace Adarabioyo.



https://www.westhamzone.com/transfers/west-ham-united-tim-steidten-ready-to-pounce-on-tosin-adarabioyo-amid-fulham-contract-issue/

[filham]

Hard to see how we can keep Tosin, we really should be giving Diop more game time to see if he and Bassyare good enough to become our first choice centre backs next season.

[St Eve]

We should, and hopefully are, doing everything we can to keep Tosin

[Bassey the warrior]

The fact we're playing Tosin tells me his mind's still not made up but I can't see him staying.

[btffc]

Saw a report today we are offering him a new bumper contract which is a positive