Saturday Fulham Stuff - 27/04/24...

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Willian fit to face Palace
Willian has been passed fit to face Crystal Palace this afternoon having returned to full training at Motspur Park following a groin complaint.

The veteran Brazilian winger was badly missed during last Sunday's 3-1 defeat to Liverpool and head coach Marco Silva feels the Whites are a much stronger side with Willian available.

Silva told his pre-match press conference yesterday:

"He's probably going to be involved, going to be involved in the match. He trained last few days with us and the reaction has been good from him. We are going to assess him, we just finished the [training] session, and after we have to take the decision for the game, but probably we are going to see him there.

He's a really important player for us. Any team in this league would be stronger with Willian in their team, despite his age. He doesn't look like he is 35 or 36. Even I do not know his age because it is not important, what is important is the way he plays and trains. He is a really important piece to our football club and last season was the same. He is always professional and looking to help the team and himself to be better."

Silva reiterated that he will be doing his best to keep the former Chelsea and Arsenal star at Craven Cottage this summer.

"I'll do my best to keep him here. There are no developments now, but we will have that conversation with him at the end of the season. I have been speaking with him about it and It was the same at the end of last season, we sat down together and had the conversation about his future, and he wants to do the same this season again. He wants to analyse his season and decide his future. I will speak with him about that and after that it is up to him to make his decision."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2024/04/willian-fit-to-face-palace/

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Up next: Crystal Palace (h)
Fulham will look to bounce back from the disappointment of a rather meek second half capitulation to Liverpool last Sunday when an in-form Crystal Palace side come to Craven Cottage this afternoon.

The Eagles appear totally transformed under the management of Oliver Glasner and have won their last three league fixtures with the return of star players Ebere Eze and Michael Olise to their midfield proving particularly pivotal. Glasner's influence has also extended to getting a tune out of striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, who has found the net eight times since the Austrian was appointed as Roy Hodgson's successor at Selhurst Park in February.

An impressed Marco SIlva waxed lyrical about both Glasner's start in the Premier League and the quality of Palace's attacking talent during his pre-match press conference yesterday, but the Fulham head coach typically insisted that the London derby will likely be decided by whether his side are able to hit their 'top level' – something they fell short of again last weekend. The Whites have looked far more formidable at home than away from the Cottage this season but they have suffered back-to-back league defeats for the first time since last season.

Silva's side sorely missed the influence of the experienced Willian on the left flank against Liverpool. The Brazilian veteran's availability after suffering a minor groin strain in the lead up to last weekend's fixture is a real boost – even as the head coach contemplates how to keep the former Chelsea and Arsenal man at Craven Cottage beyond this summer. Willian's game intelligence and his ability to retain possession in tight areas of the field, as well as to float beyond defenders, gives Fulham's attack another outlet and, as Silva suggested yesterday, they look far stronger with him on the field.

That may not be the only alteration after the Whites failed to match Liverpool's intensity after the break last Sunday. Tosin Adarabioyo's declaration that he will be rejecting Fulham's 'bumper' contract extension offer and leaving Fulham on a free transfer at the end of the season might persuade Silva, who has been really consistent in pairing the former Manchester City man with Calvin Bassey at the heart of his back four, to reintroduce Issa Diop to his defence. Adarabioyo's form has waned badly in recent weeks so a change would not solely be related to the defender's decision to seek pastures new.

Fulham probably also need a bit more creativity in the middle of the park to pose problems for a well-drilled Palace outfit. Sasa Lukic has been brilliant alongside Joao Palhinha in the engine room, but the craft of Tom Cairney's passing and his guile is often limited when he comes on late in games. The Scottish international could have a real impact in helping the home side get through the lines and find more space for Andreas Pereira in the number ten possession as well as keeping the visitors wary of committing considerable numbers forward in the early stages. Such a move might make the game a little open – but that is in keeping with Silva's adventurous style.

Other personnel changes are possible but Silva really needs a shift in mentality from his players to avoid another strong season petering out before the end of the campaign. There have been signs of sloppiness creeping in over the past few weeks. There's no doubt that Fulham have done brilliantly to avoid being dragged into the relegation dogfight for two seasons in a row and emphatically avoided the constant yo-yoing between the top division and the Championship that had previously characterised Shahid Khan's tenure by the banks of the Thames, but a winner like Silva will want more. His side have shown that they can compete with the very best on their day, but consistency is the key – and a strong end to the season could convince a number of key players not to follow Tosin out the door over the summer.

MY FULHAM XI (4-2-3-1): Leno; Castagne, A. Robinson, Diop, Bassey; Palhinha, Cairney; Iwobi, Willian, Pereira; Muniz. Subs: Rodak, Tete, Ream, Reed, Lukic, De Cordova-Reid, Wilson, Traore, Jimenez.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2024/04/up-next-crystal-palace-h-2/

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Aston Villa 'keen' to snap up promotion winner amid Newcastle United, Crystal Palace and Fulham links
Latest Aston Villa news and rumours as they gear up for their upcoming Premier League clash

Aston Villa are back in action on Saturday evening with a home clash against Chelsea as they look to keep their push for Champions League football on track. They won 3-1 against AFC Bournemouth at Villa Park last time out.

Morgan Rogers, Moussa Diaby and Leon Bailey got their goals against the Cherries. Here is a look at some of the latest news and rumours coming out of the club...

Midfielder targeted
As per a report by Gazzetta Dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Aston Villa are keen on Inter Milan midfielder Valentin Carboni, who has been linked with fellow Premier League sides West Ham and Brentford recently. He has spent this season on loan at Monza in Serie A to get some experience under his belt.

The 19-year-old, who is an Argentina international with one cap to his name to date, joined his parent club back in 2020 and they have a decision to make on his future when he returns to the San Siro. He has made 27 appearances in all competitions in this campaign, chipping in with two goals and four assists.

Promotion winner eyed
Aston Villa have again been credited with an interest in Leicester City Wilfred Ndidi along with Newcastle United, Brentford, Crystal Palace and Fulham via a report by TBR Football. Unai Emery's side are one of a few teams 'keen' to snap up the Nigerian midfielder on a free transfer in late June when his deal at the King Power Stadium runs out.

Ndidi has helped the Foxes win promotion from the Championship this term at the first time of asking under Enzo Maresca and their fate was sealed after Leeds United were battered 4-0 away at QPR on Friday night. However, his future is up in the air amid reported attention from other teams.



https://www.birminghamworld.uk/sport/football/aston-villa/aston-villa-keen-to-sign-promotion-winner-amid-newcastle-united-and-fulham-links-4607430

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Glasner on tactical approach, Ozoh progress and more pre-Fulham
Oliver Glasner spoke to the media before Palace's trip to Craven Cottage on Saturday as they look to make it four straight Premier League wins – check out his key quotes below...

On the most important changes...
"Of course we have an idea how we want to play, and we know what it needs there for in training. I think we increased the intensity in training.

"You can't do this on that level, coming [into the job] three days before the Burnley game, and saying now we change everything, because you risk injury, you risk that the players are not fitted, the most important thing is always having the best shape of the week, when the referee whistles.

"When he whistles tomorrow at 3pm, every player must have his best shape, and this is the most important thing. It's always how we prepare them.

"I don't know what they did before, I never judge what they did before, if it's right or wrong, it's just we have a picture how we want to play, and we know what we have to do for it in training.

"This we started to implement, and I think this was a change, because every manager has his idea of playing football, and every manager has his idea of how he trains.

"Then we have to take care of many injuries, players coming back after injury, it's always a lot of communication with the whole staff here, but I think the whole organisation did it really well.

"If I wasn't convinced that there's a lot of quality, and character and mentality in this team, I wouldn't have come. I watched the games before, I could see it, and then it was first getting the players fit for playing, after the injury. Many Premier League teams are suffering from many injuries this season, this was a key, but yes, I was totally convinced of the quality and character of the team."

On starting mid-season...
"It was the big challenge for all of us. I've never experienced this starting during the season, and we tried to do it in a soft way, so that you can't come and say we changed everything from the first day, but implement it slowly: where you want to go, and the way of training, and some things you have to change quickly, and some things you have to implement over weeks and months.

"So it's the same: we're not at the end, it's not everything implemented where we want to end, but it's always a process. I think there will never be an ending. It's always growing as a group, growing as an organisation, always adapting what we can do, what we want to do on the pitch, of course we have an idea, we have a common pathway defined, and now it's to go this way together."

On David Ozoh's progress...
"It's a little bit similar to Jes [Rak-Sakyi]. David was not injured, so he's doing really well in training. We have a very competitive training now, and the players have to show that they are ready to help the team to win a game, and it's the same in centre midfield.

"When we see Adam Wharton and Will Hughes, on what kind of level they are playing, also we miss Jeff Lerma, who played excellent before. So showing your ability, showing your quality in every training, is the best way to get the minutes, and he does it.

"But they perform at the moment on such a high level, so it's difficult for every other player to play there. But be ready. It's always being ready if the team needs you, that you can help the team, and he does, so he also doesn't get the minutes in the games, now he's really doing really well in training, and he's always focused, very ambitious, and so I appreciate it – but it's also what we expect from every single player.

"Maybe you or many were surprised, that [Nathaniel] Clyne can play centre-back, but I see the profile of a player, and then I think I know what kind of profile we need for the positions, and then I have my idea, discuss it with my coaching staff, and then I take a decision.

"David has the profile for different positions, he's physically extremely strong, he's tall, he has a good pace, and then it's OK, where this fits best in our way of playing.

"Maybe for the centre-midfield, he has to be a bit more...when you see now, for example, Adam or Will, how quick they can solve situations, which want two touches, so we're getting this pre-orientation, and get out of the pressure, the opponent's pressure.

"So I think he has to improve to play in the middle of the pitch. This makes it a little bit easier in the back, because you always have the game in front of you, and you're never with the back to the game, so that's what makes it more difficult.

"I think he can play in the back three, and I think he can play in the two positions in midfield, but he's still 18, but only in a good way."



https://www.cpfc.co.uk/news/first-team/oliver-glasner-embargoed-press-conference-pre-fulham/

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