Wednesday Fulham Stuff - 24/09/25...

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League Cup Result

Tuesday 23/09
Fulham	1-0	Cambridge Utd
Smith Rowe

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Fulham 1-0 Cambridge United

At a glance

    Emile Smith Rowe scores the only goal as Fulham narrowly beat Cambridge

    Both sides make wholesale changes

    Shayne Lavery has best chance for Cambridge

Fulham reached the fourth round of the Carabao Cup with a hard-fought win over Cambridge United at Craven Cottage.
Emile Smith Rowe tapped in Timothy Castagne's low cross in the 66th minute after Raul Jimenez's initial shot was saved.

Shayne Lavery had an effort blocked from close range in the first half before sending his second effort wide as the visitors pressed for the opener.

The hosts were largely frustrated by their League Two opponents until Smith Rowe's intervention and calm finish.

Jimenez headed over the bar in a game of few chances.

Analysis: Traore toils as Fulham players fail to take chance
It was a completely different line-up for the Cottagers as boss Marco Silva made 11 changes - but only a few took their chance to make their mark.

Fulham had 82% possession in the opening 45 minutes but did not make it count with just two successful crosses from 11 attempts.

Neither side got any of their four shots on target in a largely uneventful first half, with Cambridge defending stoutly.

Adama Traore, who has yet to start in the Premier League this season, started brightly as his cross picked out Jimenez, whose back-post header was pushed behind by visiting goalkeeper Jake Eastwood.

But the Spain international was well marshalled by the visiting defence and had two further crosses blocked, before he was substituted six minutes before Fulham took the lead.

Jimenez was lively and hooked an effort over from close range and headed another chance wide from a corner.

The hosts were eventually able to overcome their lower-league opponents, but Silva looked distinctly unimpressed with his side throughout the match.

What's next for these teams?
Fulham travel to Aston Villa on Sunday, 28 September (14:00 BST) in the Premier League, while Cambridge visit Tranmere Rovers in League Two on Saturday, 27 September (15:00 BST).



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cn5qe4ykx73t

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Post-Cambridge Press Conference
While satisfied to achieve the goal of reaching the Fourth Round of the Carabao Cup, Marco Silva knows the manner of getting there could have been better.

Despite having all of the ball, Fulham laboured in the first half against Cambridge United at Craven Cottage, though a much zippier second 45 ensured safe passage courtesy of Emile Smith Rowe's goal.

"Everything was slow first half, the way we play, the way we circulate the ball, the tempo in our possession," Silva said.

"Even if we have 80 per cent of possession, like we had, if you are not aggressive enough on the ball and with your moves, with your dynamic, it doesn't matter. You can have 90 or 95 per cent, you are not going to create anything.

"We had just one good chance first half. And it was our fault, of course. They tried to block, they sat back.

"We expected the game is going to be in our offensive half, like was our obligation, but everything was slow, and one of the things that I said to our players at half-time was that we clearly have to increase the tempo in our possession, to be much more aggressive, more dynamic as well.

"Clearly wasn't our most inspirational night for some of them, our most creative players, because in some moments in these type of games, you need the most creative players to create something.

"But in terms of tempo, the intensity, the aggressiveness on the ball, you have to do much quicker, and we did second half, and that was the reason why we scored and created more chances.

"But clearly it wasn't a good performance for us at all, not with the inspiration that we need to play football in some moments, too.

"We knew what was our obligation. Sometimes it's not easy to say and to use this word, obligation, but of course we were clearly the favourites to be in the next round. We had to make it happen, and we did it, we are going to play the next round."



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2025/september/23/post-cambridge-press-conference/

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On a Saturday night at the Cottage, Fulham and Brentford look like teams going in very different directions
Fulham (2) 3 v Brentford (1) 1

Premier League

Matchweek 5

Talking Points

By Kaz Mochlinski at Craven Cottage

There is definitely something special about reaching for records from a century ago, and Fulham equalled one which had stood for 96 years when beating Brentford 3-1 in the Saturday night meeting between West London's two riverside clubs.

It was the third consecutive league match won by Fulham against Brentford, and they had not achieved that feat since 1929, when the Cottagers were victorious in every one of the first three games they played with the Bees.

Fulham were much more aware of matching last season's unforgettable autumn comeback success at Craven Cottage over their neighbours with two stoppage time goals in the 92nd and 97th minutes for a 2-1 triumph.

They had managed that by half-time on this occasion, with the two-goal hero from a year ago, Harry Wilson, revelling in once again putting Fulham 2-1 ahead, to add to his folkloric status which had got him onto the front cover of the official match programme.

In November last year on that memorable Monday evening there were more than five minutes between Wilson's double strikes. This time only 98 seconds separated Fulham's two first half goals, in the 38th and 40th minutes.

Whereas the previous time Wilson had been the outstanding contributor in scoring twice, now Brentford's biggest tormentor was Alex Iwobi, who scored the equaliser and then provided the assist for his fellow Fulham winger to take them into the lead.

The home side's head coach, Marco Silva, was unrestrained in his praise for Iwobi, but he also had positive news for Fulham fans about Wilson, as he believes that his first signing for the Cottagers is keen to stay and extend his contract beyond this season.

Silva could not help but recognise the immense improvement in the mood around the club within the space of one week. Never mind the successful turnaround against Brentford, the whole season could have hinged on a stoppage time own goal.

That lucky late winner to overcome Leeds United was built on in the subsequent encounter with Brentford seven days later. There was visibly growing confidence among the Fulham players as they determinedly battled back against the Bees.

Two victories in eight days make the Cottagers' season so far feel decidedly better. The contrast with the Brentford side on the night could hardly have been greater, as the visitors crumbled quickly, both on the scoreboard and in their self-belief.

This was only one match but it did not look good. Like in 2025 at Craven Cottage, Brentford scored first, midway through the first half. However, once Fulham had levelled, there did appear to be much of a further threat from the away team.

The hosts easily repelled all the set-pieces they faced, while at the other end repeated moments of indecision and panic meant that the final scoreline could have been distinctly worse than 3-1.



https://www.capitalfootball.co.uk/single-post/on-a-saturday-night-at-the-cottage-fulham-and-brentford-look-like-teams-going-in-very-different-dir

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Liverpool midfielder beats Iwobi to Premier League POTW as Fulham star's ranking is revealed
Fulham midfielder Alex Iwobi has been recognised among the Premier League's best performers in Matchweek 5, finishing sixth in the official Player of the Matchweek fan poll.

The Nigerian international earned six per cent of the total votes after registering a goal and an assist in Fulham's 3-1 victory over Brentford last weekend.

His contribution proved decisive in securing the London derby win, further underlining his growing influence in Marco Silva's team.

Despite not clinching the top honour, Iwobi's inclusion in the eight-man shortlist reflects the impact of his display and the consistency he has shown this season.

Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch ultimately secured the award with 31 per cent of the vote, thanks to his goal and assist in the Merseyside derby win over Everton.

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes came second with 20 per cent, while Anton Stach, Jeremy Doku, Nordi Mukiele, Martin Dubravka and Tyrick Mitchell rounded out the list of nominees.

For Iwobi, the ranking is a timely recognition of his hard work in midfield.

At 29, he continues to demonstrate maturity, composure, and tactical intelligence, seamlessly linking play between defence and attack.

His energy, pressing, and creativity have been vital for Fulham as they aim to secure a strong position in the Premier League table.

The nomination also highlights Iwobi's importance beyond club football, with Nigeria preparing for crucial World Cup qualifiers in October.

His ability to adapt across multiple midfield roles makes him one of the most dependable options for both Silva and Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle.

Wale Adejumo



https://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=57208

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Fulham 1-0 Cambridge
Fulham booked their place in Round Four of the Carabao Cup with a 1-0 win over Cambridge United on Tuesday evening.

The first half was an attritional affair against our League Two opponents, but our quality told in the second 45, crucially when Emile Smith Rowe tucked home a Timothy Castagne ball across the face.

Marco Silva named an entirely different XI to the one that started the win against Brentford three days earlier. That meant a full debut for Kevin, while Jonah Kusi-Asare made the bench for the first time.

An aggressive Cambridge setup meant Fulham had to be patient in fashioning chances, with the first glimpse of goal arriving in the ninth minute. Adama Traoré picked out Raúl Jiménez at the back post, who nodded back into the path of Smith Rowe, only for a brilliant Korey Smith intervention to take it off his toes.

At the other end, a positive run by Shayne Lavery was put to an abrupt halt by an inch-perfect Jorge Cuenca tackle, just as the U's striker threatened to pull the trigger.

Credit had to go to the visitors for how they were containing Fulham, restricting us to a couple of off target long rangers from Kevin and Cuenca.

As we approached the half hour mark, Lavery was presented with a couple of sighters of goal after finding space in the box. His first effort was well blocked by Issa Diop, and when the ball dropped back into his path he sent in a shot which may well have found the corner prior to a vital Cuenca deflection.

The Whites at least ended the half stronger and were almost presented with a gift when Cambridge 'keeper Jake Eastwood dropped Harrison Reed's free-kick after colliding with teammate Zeno Ibsen Rossi, but the visitors were able to hack the loose ball away before we could capitalise.

Fulham started the second half on the front foot, and after winning a corner inside the opening seconds, Kevin drew a good stop from Eastwood with a bouncing shot from distance, before Raúl hooked a clever effort a yard over.

We kept the pressure on following another corner soon after, culminating in Adama picking out the run of Reed at the far post, but the angle was too acute and the midfielder's volley was comfortably saved by Eastwood.

The U's number one was busier in the first six minutes of the second half than he was in the entirety of the first, this time called upon to beat away Adama's fierce effort at his near post.

Kevin and Raúl then both sent efforts off target from outside the box as we continued to turn the screw.

Eastwood saved his best stop for the 58th minute, when he got fingertips on Reed's rising left footer to just about tip it over the bar, with Raúl heading Reed's subsequent corner over.

That was the midfielder's final action of the night as he made way for Josh King, while Samuel Chukwueze was given his debut in place of Adama.

Eastwood had been keeping his team in the tie, and was unfortunate when he was eventually beaten as he had made a stunning stop to palm away Raúl's acrobatic volley, only for Castagne to square the loose ball to Smith Rowe for a tap-in.

We hadn't seen anything of Cambridge as an attacking threat in the second half until substitute Sullay Kaikai got plenty behind his strike having cut in from the left, but he lacked the direction to trouble Benjamin Lecomte.

Another sub, Kylian Kouassi, then had a couple of sighters – after failing to make contact with an overhead kick in a good position, he hit a firm shot on the swivel that Cuenca read well to block.

It looked like King might add some daylight in stoppage time when he was seemingly picked out by Rodrigo Muniz for a tap-in, but a heroic block meant we had to settle for the one-goal win.

Fulham FC: Lecomte, Castagne, Diop, Cuenca, Robinson, Cairney, Reed (King 60'), Traoré (Chukwueze 60'), Smith Rowe (Berge 82'), Kevin (Wilson 87'), Jiménez (Rodrigo Muniz 82')

Subs: Leno, Tete, Bassey, Wilson, Rodrigo Muniz, Berge, Kusi-Asare, Chukwueze, King

Cambridge U: Eastwood, Bennett, Jobe, Rossi, Bradshaw, Brophy (Knight 72'), McLoughlin, Smith (Ball 64'), Mayor (Kaikai 64'), Lavery (Kouassi 64'), Mpanzu (Kachunga 72')

Subs: Purrington, Ball, Watts, Kachunga, Kaikai, Knight, Kouassi, Hughes, Gibbons



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2025/september/23/fulham-1-0-cambridge/

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Fulham's second XI make heavy weather of it but eke out cup win against plucky Cambridge United
Carabao Cup Third Round

Fulham (0) 1 Smith Rowe 66

Cambridge United (0) 0

It won't go down as one of the great cup nights under the lights but Fulham did just about enough to sqeak into the next round of the Carabao Cup.

An Emile Smith Rowe strike midway through the second half denied League Two Cambridge what would arguably have been a deserved draw and the opportunity to carry out a giant killing though a penalty shoot out.

The near-miss of a couple of seasons ago when they lost to Liverpool in the semi-finals, showed that it might not take too much to hit the Wembley trail and when the cup draw has been obliging as this so far, why not dream of that first trophy in the club's history.

If Palace can do it.....

Regulation home wins against Championship Bristol City (2-0) and now Cambridge (Ok, not so regulation tonight) have put the Whites into the last 16 and another favourable draw could usher in a quarter-final appearance.

For the U's - once again under the guidance of Millwall legend Neil Harris - this represented a huge night and their fans packed the Putney End in impressive numbers and they were rewarded with a gutsy display. It was United's first visit to the Cottage for nearly 29 years, when the sides met in the bottom tier.

Marco Silva rested every one of the 11 who started Saturday's win over Brentford but had faith the back-ups would be more than good enough to get the job done. After all, they had the beguiling Kevin making his first start and would get to see sub Samuel Chukwueze for the first time. What could possibly go wrong\?

Well in the first half it very nearly did go wrong, with only a deflection denying striker Shayne Lavery an opening goal for the U's, who looked mostly untroubled as well as organised and highly motivated. They looked anything but a team a team three divisions below the Whites.

More intensity was required and Silva's demand to see an upping of the pace saw Adama Traore whistle a piledriver at keeper Jake Eastwood from an angle and Harrison Reed almost profited from a lucky ricochet - his rising left footer from the opposite side to Traore forcing the keeper into another save.

The build-up of pressure was starting to tell and soon after Cambridge made a triple substitution, the Whites finally found their shooting boots.

The keeper palmed away a volley from Raul Jimenez after Antonee Robinson had crossed from the left but Timothy Castagne followed up with a quick ball back into the danger zone for Smith Rowe to calmly put away.

The visitors' spirits never flagged and they kept getting players forward in numbers looking to grab a way back into a tight contest. Kevin struggled to make an impact in the way he had done in two previous cameo appearances and made way for Harry Wilson towards the end.

Whites: (4-2-3-1) Lecomte - Castagne, Diop, Cuenca, Robinson - Reed (King 60), Cairney - Traore (Chukwueze 60), Smith Rowe (Berge 82), Kevin (Wilson 87) - Jimenez (Muniz 82)

U's: (4-5-1) Eastwood - Bennett, Jobe, Rossi, Bradshaw - Mayor (Kaikai 64), McLoughlin, Mpanzu (Kachunga 72), Smith (Ball 64), Brophy (Knight 72) - Lavery (Kouassi 64)

Attendance: 16,254



https://www.capitalfootball.co.uk/single-post/fulham-v-cambridge-united

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Deadline day signing Chukwueze makes debut for Fulham in Carabao Cup win over Cambridge
Samuel Chukwueze made his Fulham debut as the Cottagers sealed a 1-0 victory over Cambridge United in the Carabao Cup at Craven Cottage.

The 26-year-old Nigerian winger, who joined on a season-long loan from AC Milan on deadline day, came on in the 60th minute to replace Adama Traoré.

It was his first appearance for Marco Silva's side, having been an unused substitute in the 3-1 Premier League win over Brentford last weekend.

Chukwueze's move to Fulham is seen as a fresh opportunity to revive his career.

Once a highly rated prospect at Villarreal, he struggled to replicate that form after joining AC Milan in the summer of 2023.

Limited playing time and injuries affected his progress in Italy, but the Super Eagles international now hopes a switch to England can help him rediscover his best form.

Fulham secured their place in the next round thanks to a 66th-minute strike from Emile Smith Rowe, who finished smartly from close range after Timothy Castagne's cross.

Cambridge battled bravely but were unable to find a way back into the contest.

For Chukwueze, the evening marked an important step as he begins his journey in English football.

Wale Adejumo



https://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=57209

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Fulham edge past Cambridge in Carabao Cup thanks to Emile Smith Rowe winner
The much-changed hosts avoided an upset.

A much-changed Fulham were given a stern test by Cambridge but prevailed 1-0 thanks to a goal midway through the second half by Emile Smith Rowe as Marco Silva's side were spared embarrassment at Craven Cottage.

The ground was barely half full for the Carabao Cup tie and the hosts offered those in attendance little to get excited about before ultimately limping through to round four.

Smith Rowe's finish was a rare bright moment, turning home Timothy Castagne's delivery in the 66th minute following a string of impressive saves from vising goalkeeper Jake Eastwood.

Silva changed his entire XI from the side that beat Brentford on Saturday, which meant a full debut for Kevin, the 22-year-old winger signed from Shakhtar Donetsk on transfer deadline day for a club record £34.6million.

The Brazil Under-20 international, with his lightning quick footwork and incisive cutting-in from the flanks, was the only persuasive evidence in the first half that this was Premier League versus League Two.

Fulham defender Jorge Cuenca blasted high over the crossbar from 35 yards in what was the sum of his team's attacking threat in the opening 25 minutes.

Cambridge had the half's only real chance, Northern Ireland international Shayne Lavery squeezing a low shot wide at the second attempt via a deflection off Cuenca after the home side failed to deal with a ball into their box.

An uneventful 45 minutes took a descent into cabaret when, during a break in play, referee Ruebyn Ricardo endured several botched attempts to destroy a gold balloon thrown on to the pitch by visiting fans, each failure greeted with a mocking jeer of approval from supporters seemingly appreciative of having anything at all to respond to.

The pantomime was spoiled when Cambridge defender Liam Bennett showed the official the proper way to do it with a brutal two-footed stamp.

The second half began with an audacious attempt by Raul Jimenez to break the tedium and the deadlock with a volleyed back-heel that flew inches over the bar.

Adama Traore then sent over a cross for Harrison Reed to head goalward, from which fine handling from Eastwood was required to cling to the ball at his near post.

Reed went closer still with a drive from inside the box that Eastwood again had the measure of as Fulham began finally to play like a team three divisions higher in the pyramid.

Jimenez tried once more to inspire his side when he sprung into a leaping volley that was pushed out by the goalkeeper to Castagne, who delivered it straight back into the middle for Smith Rowe to spare Fulham blushes and shovel it home.

Cambridge still had ideas of taking the game all the way to penalties.

Sullay Kaikai almost caught out keeper Benjamin Lecomte, Fulham's 34-year-old summer signing recovering his position to keep out the winger's cross-shot.

Josh King made a final attempt to give the scoreline a more flattering hue in the final minute but he somehow failed to convert from virtually on the goal-line.



https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/emile-smith-rowe-fulham-cambridge-carabao-cup-raul-jimenez-b2832305.html

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Smith Rowe knocks Cambridge out in dull victory
Fulham's 1-0 win at the Cottage just enough to squeeze into the fourth round draw.

Fulham are in the last 16 of the League Cup! A second half goal from Emile Smith Rowe edged us ahead of a determined Cambridge United in a 1-0 victory at the Cottage. It was a mediocre game that took the hosts an age to click into gear in, arguably one Cambridge might wonder whether they'd have been able to sneak on penalties had they held on to parity a little tighter, but it matters not - the result has gone our way, and Marco Silva's ambition for silverware with the club lives on, however underwhelming the scoreline.

First half
We expect teams like Cambridge to be defensive, and they were - ostensibly playing a 4-4-2, they moved players between backline and midfield fluidly, Mayor and Brophy doubling up with their wing-backs to deny Fulham easy overlaps, McLoughlin and Smith taking turns to join the centre-backs to deny space in the box. Not groundbreaking, but they executed it professionally and adeptly, and Fulham needed to grace the game with a touch of quality to find the opening.

It was a poor first half for Fulham though, and Eastwood had little to do in goal. Possession was slow; Cambridge were content to let Cairney and Reed knock ponderous passes about knowing they could organise quicker than any penetration could take place. The excitement of Robinson and Kevin flattered to deceive - our left-back still looks nervous and couldn't connect his runs into a composed cross, while the new signing was too single-minded, putting shots hideously off-target or tamely into defenders. Jimenez was drowned out among the forest of Cambridge defenders - the few times he touched the ball in the box were comfortably blocked. Perhaps the weakest was Traore; there are only so many times we can watch him sprint ahead of a full-back, slow down and smack the ball out of play.

Our opponents were winning their defensive battles; Rossi heading balls away, Jobe shepherding players out of play, Fulham denied an easy route into the box by the numbers Cambridge had swarmed around them. It lifted their confidence with each successful intervention - indeed, it was our end that saw the closer chances as the visitors smelt our hesitancy.

They were pragmatic about it, too. Mayor's long throws were difficult to deal with - one towards the end of the half was fumbled by Robinson and led to two shots for Lavery that needed blocking. Quick passes out of their congested half let Lavery and Mpanzu run at a vacant defence. A well-timed tackle from Diop was needed to stop one Lavery run turning into a shot at Lecomte, a combination of an underhit pass from Reed with a wayward slide from Castagne needed Cuenca's body to block an actual shot, and by the end of half Reed was willing to take a yellow card to stop Mpanzu bursting into our half.

Second half
Worrying stuff - but the half ended 0-0, and Fulham had the chance to reset after the interval. You'd imagine Silva had some stern words for them too, because there were some nippy moves at the start of the second half. Kevin sprinted into action, forcing Bennett into duels along the left and winning corners for his efforts. Similarly Traore tried to sharpen up, moving a little deeper to play a few crosses without Bradshaw or Mayor on top of him. Though the aerial balls were still being repelled, chinks in the armour were starting to show - a Kevin cross saw Jimenez had a backwards volley fly just over the bar, and Reed put a Traore cross on target from a tight angle for Eastwood to save.

It wasn't quite enough though, and time was ticking away. A pair of misses from Jimenez - one hopeless shot from distance, and a header from a Cairney corner that really ought to have been on target - led to Silva making his changes, taking off a disappointing Traore and cautioned Reed for debutant Chukwueze and King. It put some much-needed energy into the final third, and gave us the movement to create attacking space and shooting opportunities. At last, we had the avenue to our goal. Cairney fed a smart pass to Robinson down the left, who despite an uneven stride lofted the ball over Bennett and Brophy into Jimenez's path, who leapt on the turn to volley at goal. Eastwood dived quickly to produce a decent save, but Castagne was the first man to the loose ball, playing an intelligent pass back into a manic box for Smith-Rowe, sat unmarked in the six-yard-box to put the ball into the goal.

1-0 might have been the catalyst for Fulham to cruise to victory - we'd introduced a playmaker with regular Premier League gametime and a winger with games across European competitions. Cambridge were far from deterred though - having matched us for much of the game, their substitutions were positive and ambitious. A triple change had already put Ball, Kaikai and Kouassi on, and Knight and Kachunga made it clear Fulham would be facing an assault of pace and power to see out the game.

It was a nervy watch, in truth. Kaikai was rapid, surging beyond Castagne easily to get into our final third. One shot, a cutback away from Diop, fizzed through the defence, fortunately curling away from the goal. Another move saw him strike a fine cross, headed back across by right winger Knight for regular striker Kouassi to take - his acrobatic overhead kick didn't connect at all though, sparing us the ignominy of a sensational equaliser. We have our centre-backs to thank for staying alert with such a precarious lead - Cambridge had taken control of the ball, passing smartly into our final third and through our wilting outfield. A smart triangle with Knight and Kachunga forced Cuenca into blocking Kouassi's low effort, and with our players preoccupied left-back Bradshaw had the freedom to make a marauding run of his own - a cross-like shot was smothered tentatively close to the line by Lecomte.

However, it wasn't enough. Perhaps the gulf in divisions gave Fulham enough to see out the game, riding the storm, introducing yet more international-tier footballers and getting back on the ball towards the end. King might even have doubled our lead - a good run by Wilson led to a grounded cross by Muniz, and but for a goal-line block from Rossi the young starlet would have scored. It didn't matter though - the game came to a close, and passage had been secured.

A strong showing for Cambridge
There's a temptation, something all fans of top flight clubs are guilty of, to read a matchup like Fulham vs Cambridge and treat it as though Pep Guardiola's Barcelona are playing a local school side. I'll be the first to admit I was hoping for a chance to see Kevin to rip a defender or two apart, Jimenez to score a blinder, and Fulham's squad players to enjoy a thrashing. The reality is football doesn't always end as simply as that. Even in League Two, a decent coaching team can organise proficient athletes into a unit that can frustrate - even beat - sides several tiers and wealth-brackets richer than them.

That goes some way to explain what happened tonight, I feel. There are teams in the Premier League that have barely managed Kevin's trickery, Robinson's runs along the left, or Fulham passing their way into the goal - Cambridge didn't frustrate us through fluke, it was well-executed tactics and application as a team. The centre-backs Rossi and Jobe were a strong pairing, Bennett was diligent and refined at left-back, the defensive support from midfield, particularly from Mayor, was a fine example of what good communication with a backline can accomplish and the forwards - both the starting pair and the eventual replacements - gave Fulham serious questions at varying stages of the game. Sometimes you face opponents that know what they're doing, and tonight was one of those nights - throw a few moments the other way, and they'd easily have made it to the next round.

But let's not forget that they are still a League Two side, and we shouldn't be in the position we were in tonight, needing defenders to throw themselves in front of shots to just about keep ourselves ahead. We can justifiably be disappointed with more than a few starters tonight, who wasted an opportunity to advertise their talents to Silva, and there may need to be a few questions asked of them.

Frustrating Fulham
Traore is the easy target for criticism, because his failings are known to everyone - once he's made his run, the end-product ranges from middling to abysmal. With new wingers at the club now his place in the pecking order will surely be slipping if he doesn't improve soon. But just as poor was Jimenez tonight, who wasted several goal-scoring opportunities with wayward, often appalling finishes, and barely touched the ball for large passages of the game. Can the wingers be blamed when the striker isn't of any presence? Smith-Rowe gets criticised for similar reasons - we expect a player of his quality to stand out in a game like this, after all. But he scored the goal today and was quietly effective in the first half, where he was connecting dots between misfiring teammates and popping up in decent positions. His usual chemistry on the left wasn't functioning properly for him - Robinson is still on the road to recovery and Kevin, though still a deeply exciting talent, played far too selfishly and flashy when removed from the cameos he's had so far.

I think Reed is a tricky one to judge. The yellow card felt a little unnecessary, and at times you can see that his ballwork is a little rough, but he read the game well and at least tried to instigate more in the second half. He suffers from having a gap in quality to Cairney, who can thread positive moves together in matches like this because of his patience and composure on the ball. Chukwueze didn't get to do a lot today but liberated from the doldrums of today's match we ought to see his speed contribute to some special moments. King, as he's done thus far in the season, took the ball forward when he got the opportunity, taking the game away from Cambridge really nicely.

Perhaps we should instead celebrate the defenders. Cuenca has grown into a decent centre-back for us and was critical today at a number of junctures involving Cambridge's forwards, and Diop showed his experience at the back as well - a promising sign for Fulham if we are to take this cup run seriously. Though Castagne started to wilt when Kaikai came on his attacking contributions were among the stronger ones of the game, with some important deliveries into the box, and despite Robinson's struggles across the game the only way we'll see him back to his best is if he can start to complete 90 minutes again, which he managed today. And of course, Lecomte did his job when required and has another clean sheet to celebrate as reward.

The fourth round awaits - nothing to sniff at, given the state of our cup fortunes pre-Silva. Though it's too early to get euphoric, especially after a performance like today, Fulham should at least be given credit for turning around a rubbish first half, doing enough to get ahead of Cambridge and then avoiding the calamity of a late equaliser (and an embarrassing penalty shootout exit). Whilst we're still in the cup, does it truly matter that we sauntered through a Tuesday night game in Round three? Our only serious concern should be for Kevin - it would be a huge disappointment if injury felled his bright start to life at the Cottage. Let's be pleased that we're in the draw, and trust Silva and the team to recalibrate themselves for our trip to Villa Park this weekend.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/p/smith-rowe-knocks-cambridge-out-in

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Fulham: Kevin could miss Aston Villa clash after injuring shoulder in impressive debut
The Brazilian made a positive impact, but could be made to wait before returning to the pitch

Marco Silva has confirmed Kevin has injured his shoulder following Fulham's 1-0 win over Cambridge United in the Carabao Cup.

The 22-year-old went down in the 79th minute following a challenge from Cambridge right-back Liam Bennett and received treatment on the pitch.

Kevin played on until his substitution in the 87th minute, but Silva says Fulham's club-record signing will now be assessed ahead of the weekend's trip to Aston Villa.

"We'll have to see in the next few hours. It is located in the shoulder and we'll see if it's something serious or not," Silva said at full-time.

"Right now it's full of pain there, and we have to wait to see if he goes to a scan or not, and to be more clear with you and to have a clear feedback to give you.

"Right now, let's see what's going to happen, but not something that he didn't feel after. He keeps feeling the pain there and we have to wait."

Kevin made a positive impression on his full debut, linking up well with left-back Antonee Robinson, but Silva said the winger still needs time to adapt, having arrived at the club on Deadline Day from Shakhtar Donetsk.

"Kevin is in the process," Silva continued as he bemoaned the lack of creativity on show from his side.

"Kevin arrived in our football club 22 days ago or 23 days ago. I think it's a normal process. The first 15 days, almost 10 days, he was training with 11 players just in the training ground. You can imagine how long it will take.

"Of course, all of you agree that the reason why we brought him to our football club (is) that he's very talented. He has something in terms of profile, something different.

"If you look at our squad, he's definitely very aggressive, one-on-one player. It's something we're looking to strengthen in our squad."

Kevin faces competition for minutes from Alex Iwobi, who scored and assisted during Fulham's 3-1 win over Brentford at the weekend, with Silva going on to say the Brazilian was not a guaranteed starter.

"He needs time to understand. He needs time to understand his teammates, to understand the type of football he's going to play.

"Football is the same everywhere. 11 against 11 with the ball there, but other teams they are different in the Premier League and in England for sure than in some of the other countries.

"It's good to see him playing almost 90 minutes. He's been involved in almost all the games he's been with us. Step by step, he's going to understand better everything.

"He has strong, strong competition in the wide areas on the pitch. For example, the performance from Alex Iwobi last game.

"It's always good to see him playing. As more minutes he's going to have, the quicker he's going to adapt to our football club."



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-kevin-injury-latest-silva-b1249313.html

[WhiteJC]

Record signing Kevin needs time to adapt, says Fulham boss Marco Silva
The Brazilian showed glimpses of his talent against Cambridge in the Carabao Cup.

Fulham manager Marco Silva says it will be "a process" to get the best out of club-record signing Kevin after the 22-year-old made his full debut in the 1-0 Carabao Cup win over Cambridge.

A half-full Craven Cottage endured an uninspired display as a team featuring 11 changes limped into the fourth round thanks to Emile Smith Rowe's goal midway through the second half, although their new Brazilian winger offered glimpses of his talent, coming in off the flanks with some clever touches and incisive runs.

The £34.6million signing was substituted late on with what appeared to be a shoulder injury, a worrying sign ahead of Saturday's trip to Aston Villa.

"Let's see what's going to happen," said Silva. "He kept feeling the pain there.

"Kevin is in a process. He arrived 23 days ago. The first 10 days, he was training with 11 players here (during the international break). You can imagine how long it will take.

"He's very talented, he has something different in terms of profile. He needs time to understand his team-mates and understand the kind of football he's going to play. Football is different here to in other countries.

"He knows he has strong competition in the wide areas of the pitch. The more minutes he has, the more he is going to adapt."

Smith Rowe's goal in the 66th minute helped spare Fulham from an embarrassing potential upset, although they could have had little complaint if the League two side had clung on to take the game to penalties.

Raul Jimenez had produced the only moment of Premier League quality up to that point, leaping into a back-heeled volley that just cleared the crossbar at the start of the second half.

Harrison Reed was twice denied by Cambridge goalkeeper Jake Eastwood, who gave a worthy personal account.

Neil Harris' side might have gone in at half-time in the lead but for a deflection on a Shayne Lavery shot from Jorge Cuenca that carried the Northern Ireland international's effort inches wide.

"Everything was too slow first half," said Silva. "We had 80 per cent possession, but if you're not aggressive enough on the ball and with your dynamic, you can have 90 per cent possession, you're not going to create anything. We had only one good chance first half.

"Clearly it was not our most inspirational night for our creative players."

Cambridge boss Harris was full of praise for his team's brave showing.

"First half, our shape and discipline, the desire to defend our goal was superb," he said. "We had the best opportunity from Shayne Lavery. We were delighted. We knew Fulham would move the ball quicker in the second half

"We stood strong and our goalkeeper made some great saves. Ultimately they were going to wear us down and they did.

"The pleasing thing is we were still there with 75 minutes gone. We just couldn't find what we needed to push it to penalties."



https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/marco-silva-kevin-record-fulham-carabao-cup-b2832371.html

[WhiteJC]

Fulham injury news: Marco Silva delivers Kevin fitness update following EFL Cup win
Fulham boss Marco Silva has revealed that Kevin sustained a shoulder injury in Tuesday's EFL Cup win over Cambridge United.

The Cottagers had to remain patient in their efforts to see off their League Two opponents, with Emile Smith Rowe's 66th-minute effort proving decisive in the third-round clash.

Kevin made his first Fulham start in the 1-0 victory following his club-record move from Shakhtar Donetsk in the summer transfer window.

Unfortunately, the winger was unable to make it through the game unscathed, picking up an injury following a challenge from Cambridge's Liam Bennett.

Silva delivers Kevin injury update
Kevin received treatment and was withdrawn less than 10 minutes later, making way for Wales international Harry Wilson in the 87th minute at Craven Cottage.

Silva explained after the game that the winger sustained a shoulder issue, which will require further assessment to establish the full extent of the problem.

"We'll have to see in the next few hours. It is located in the shoulder, and we'll see if it's something serious or not," Silva said as quoted by The Standard.

"Right now it's full of pain there, and we have to wait to see if he goes to a scan or not, and to be more clear with you and to have a clear feedback to give you."

Kevin at risk of missing Aston Villa clash
Silva will be pleased that his side avoided a repeat of last season's third-round exit to Preston North End.

However, the Fulham boss now faces a nervous wait to learn whether Kevin's injury will sideline him for any considerable period of time.

The Brazilian is already an obvious doubt for Sunday's Premier League meeting with Aston Villa at Villa Park.

The Cottagers will then travel to the Vitality Stadium for a game against Bournemouth in the final round of fixtures before the Premier League break.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/injury-news/news/fulham-injury-blow-silva-delivers-kevin-update-following-efl-cup-win_582134.html

[Bill2]

Fulham 1-0 Cambridge
Fulham booked their place in Round Four of the Carabao Cup with a 1-0 win over Cambridge United on Tuesday evening.

The first half was an attritional affair against our League Two opponents, but our quality told in the second 45, crucially when Emile Smith Rowe tucked home a Timothy Castagne ball across the face.

Marco Silva named an entirely different XI to the one that started the win against Brentford three days earlier. That meant a full debut for Kevin, while Jonah Kusi-Asare made the bench for the first time.

An aggressive Cambridge setup meant Fulham had to be patient in fashioning chances, with the first glimpse of goal arriving in the ninth minute. Adama Traoré picked out Raúl Jiménez at the back post, who nodded back into the path of Smith Rowe, only for a brilliant Korey Smith intervention to take it off his toes.

At the other end, a positive run by Shayne Lavery was put to an abrupt halt by an inch-perfect Jorge Cuenca tackle, just as the U's striker threatened to pull the trigger.

Credit had to go to the visitors for how they were containing Fulham, restricting us to a couple of off target long rangers from Kevin and Cuenca.

As we approached the half hour mark, Lavery was presented with a couple of sighters of goal after finding space in the box. His first effort was well blocked by Issa Diop, and when the ball dropped back into his path he sent in a shot which may well have found the corner prior to a vital Cuenca deflection.

The Whites at least ended the half stronger and were almost presented with a gift when Cambridge 'keeper Jake Eastwood dropped Harrison Reed's free-kick after colliding with teammate Zeno Ibsen Rossi, but the visitors were able to hack the loose ball away before we could capitalise.

Fulham started the second half on the front foot, and after winning a corner inside the opening seconds, Kevin drew a good stop from Eastwood with a bouncing shot from distance, before Raúl hooked a clever effort a yard over.

We kept the pressure on following another corner soon after, culminating in Adama picking out the run of Reed at the far post, but the angle was too acute and the midfielder's volley was comfortably saved by Eastwood.

The U's number one was busier in the first six minutes of the second half than he was in the entirety of the first, this time called upon to beat away Adama's fierce effort at his near post.

Kevin and Raúl then both sent efforts off target from outside the box as we continued to turn the screw.

Eastwood saved his best stop for the 58th minute, when he got fingertips on Reed's rising left footer to just about tip it over the bar, with Raúl heading Reed's subsequent corner over.

That was the midfielder's final action of the night as he made way for Josh King, while Samuel Chukwueze was given his debut in place of Adama.

Eastwood had been keeping his team in the tie, and was unfortunate when he was eventually beaten as he had made a stunning stop to palm away Raúl's acrobatic volley, only for Castagne to square the loose ball to Smith Rowe for a tap-in.

We hadn't seen anything of Cambridge as an attacking threat in the second half until substitute Sullay Kaikai got plenty behind his strike having cut in from the left, but he lacked the direction to trouble Benjamin Lecomte.

Another sub, Kylian Kouassi, then had a couple of sighters – after failing to make contact with an overhead kick in a good position, he hit a firm shot on the swivel that Cuenca read well to block.

It looked like King might add some daylight in stoppage time when he was seemingly picked out by Rodrigo Muniz for a tap-in, but a heroic block meant we had to settle for the one-goal win.

Fulham FC: Lecomte, Castagne, Diop, Cuenca, Robinson, Cairney, Reed (King 60'), Traoré (Chukwueze 60'), Smith Rowe (Berge 82'), Kevin (Wilson 87'), Jiménez (Rodrigo Muniz 82')

Subs: Leno, Tete, Bassey, Wilson, Rodrigo Muniz, Berge, Kusi-Asare, Chukwueze, King

Cambridge U: Eastwood, Bennett, Jobe, Rossi, Bradshaw, Brophy (Knight 72'), McLoughlin, Smith (Ball 64'), Mayor (Kaikai 64'), Lavery (Kouassi 64'), Mpanzu (Kachunga 72')

Subs: Purrington, Ball, Watts, Kachunga, Kaikai, Knight, Kouassi, Hughes, Gibbons



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2025/september/23/fulham-1-0-cambridge/

nobody seems to mention that Cambridge set up with eleven men behind the ball. They shut any space down very efficiently and it was not until Marco's half time tema talk that we managed to deal with it.

[ffcne]

Played for Penalties