Monday Fulham Stuff - 15/12/25...

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Results

Sunday 14/12
Palace	0-3	Man City
Forest	0-3	Spurs
Sunderland	1-0	Newcastle
West Ham	2-3	Villa
Brentford	1-1	Leeds

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Opinion: What next for Scott Parker and Burnley after miserable Fulham defeat?
It's the 96th minute, the final minute of stoppage time, and the referee's whistle is about to blow.

A short throw is played to Marcus Edwards – the man tasked to come off the bench and bring the attacking quality that no-one else in this Burnley squad possesses – only his first touch lets him down and the ball trickles out of play, leading to audible groans across Turf Moor. Seconds later the Clarets were finally put of their misery.

If there's one moment that summed up Burnley's night – and perhaps even their current malaise at large – it was this.

If you want another metaphor to adequately capture Burnley's misery, we have to rewind another 20 minutes or so – and again Edwards was involved.

Fans housed in the Cricket Field Stand awoke from their slumber and cheered as the winger was given the signal to come off the bench, having previously been given precious little to cheer about.

But before the 27-year-old could take to the pitch, Fulham's Harry Wilson made it 3-1 to all but end the game as a contest. Any brief signs of hope and optimism were immediately vanquished and Turf Moor soon fell silent again – until the full-time whistle, that is, when the boos rang out.

Scrambling for answers
Whether you're Parker in or Parker out, you have to feel a huge amount of sympathy for the Clarets boss, who has tried virtually everything to end this current slump.

He's switched systems, he's switched personnel, he continues to roll the dice off the bench – even playing Mike Tresor as a deep-lying playmaker in his first league outing in 582 days – but nothing seems to be working.

Perhaps that's part of the problem, what are Burnley now? What's their approach? Do they have a strongest XI? All the changes, once a necessity, now make for a confusing, muddled mess.

Parker was told he needed to be more adventurous and make Burnley a more threatening attacking force. He listened.

The Clarets created their highest xG of the season against Fulham (2.52) and by some margin too. They dominated all the stats, producing 16 shots and eight on target.

While the home side ought to have scored more, missing two or three gilt-edged chances going through one-on-one, it wasn't their attacking play that let them down on this occasion, it was some horrific defending.

There's no need to even analyse Fulham's first goal, it's Sunday League stuff. In fact, you'd be fuming if your kid's Under-8 side had conceded a goal of this nature.

Allowing a player the simple task of a four-yard tap-in from a corner at any level, never mind the Premier League, is simply unforgivable.

Quilindschy Hartman was the guilty party, lazily wafting a leg and completely missing Wilson's delivery, but Hjalmar Ekdal can also be blamed for simply allowing Emile Smith Rowe to breeze past him before doing the rest.

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He wasn't the only one at fault though, the defending for Fulham's second – after Lesley Ugochukwu had levelled, finishing off a well-crafted move – was just as bad.

The visitors worked the second phase of a corner back into the Burnley box towards Wilson, who was afforded acres of space – and crucially time – to pick out his man, lofting up a cross for Calvin Bassey to power a header home, having brushed off Axel Tuanzebe far too easily. Lyle Foster also deserves scrutiny for his failure to apply pressure to Wilson.

The third goal, in fairness, is a little more understandable. Burnley were throwing bodies forward in a desperate attempt to get back in the game, resulting in pockets of space opening up on the break. Wilson – the major thorn in Burnley's side all evening long – capitalised just before the hour mark with a neat curling finish.

But on reflection, Parker will be bitterly disappointed to see the lackadaisical tracking back from Hartman, who made minimal effort to get goalside of the eventual goalscorer. You'd imagine Lucas Pires will come straight back in at Bournemouth.

What next?
Burnley huffed and they puffed and they set up something of a dramatic finish when substitute Oliver Sonne pulled a goal back, but they were unable to fashion any late chances to stop Fulham from ending their 74-year winless streak at Turf Moor.

Instead, the only winless streak that is being talked about right now is Burnley's, having slumped to a seventh straight Premier League defeat for the first time in the club's history.

Inevitable questions will be asked about Parker's future, but the suggestions are he's in little to no danger. Whether that is sustainable if the losses continue to occur, especially if more and more fans begin to turn, is a question only the board can answer.

The full-time whistle was inevitably greeted by boos by those supporters still in the ground. Those left in the Cricket Field Stand also let Parker know their feelings as he trudged off the pitch towards the tunnel.

Parker cut a lonely figure as he traipsed around the pitch at full-time, hands in pockets, his head bowed. Where does he go from here?

Would a different manager get a better tune out of this squad? Is the January transfer window Burnley's last hope? It all seems so futile.



https://www.burnleyexpress.net/sport/football/opinion-what-next-for-scott-parker-and-burnley-after-miserable-fulham-defeat-5441400

[WhiteJC]

Player Ratings: Burnley 2-3 Fulham
We take a closer look at Fulham's triumphant away day against Scott Parker's Burnley

Hallaluah! The 74-year curse at Turf Moor has finally ended as we've got Marco Silva, so Jeff off Scotty Parker. It's so much nicer writing after Fulham's triumphant win, rather than in my last column following that atrocious Everton performance.

That makes it two back-to-back away wins for the Whites. Let's take a look at that electric performance, as we hope to continue these away-day vibes going into our quarter-final at St James' Park on Wednesday.

Bernd Leno

Despite conceding twice, Leno put on a superb performance against Burnley, stopping three one-on-one opportunities with convincing saves by making himself big, as well as three extra divings saves to deny Burnley and extinguish any hope they had for the majority of the game. I'm still looking for a bit more of a commanding presence when it comes to incoming corners, but tonight he was a big part of our victory, besting the 2.96 of expected goals on target to concede. 8/10

Kenny Tete

A pretty average performance from Kenny for the standards he's set. Unusually for him, he found himself dribbled past on three separate occasions, losing more ground duels than he won. His highlight of the game for me was barging the Burnley defender out of the path of Smith Rowe for that superbly worked first Fulham goal - straight off the training ground! 6/10

Joachim Andersen

A fierce match-long battle with Armando Broja saw the young Albanian centre-forward eating Andersen's dust! This is where Joachim thrives, a less speed-based fight and more based in strength, awareness and intellect. Great defensive contributions and ball distribution to match as usual, a really positive display from our Danish captain. 6.5/10

Calvin Bassey

Calvin bossed and bullied his way across the entire pitch today, you could make an entire highlight reel for the season in those 90 minutes as he took no prisoners. Crowned his performance with an almighty header from Wilson's deft cross and would have had two if he didn't completely lose composure at the last moment, where he should have set up his team-mates, but I love the intention and drive. It's clear he and Jedi need to work on some positional awareness and discipline when you look back at the two goals conceded, but hopefully that will be re-instilled with more gametime together. 7.5/10

Antonee Robinson

Such a hot and cold performance and this may divide the fanbase a little, but overall i'm going positive with this one. There's no denying Robinson had a bad first half defensively, forcing a save out of Leno by passing the ball straight to the Burnley striker, poorly marking the wrong man for their first goal and some questionable marking at the back post for the second. However, he won the corner for Fulham's first goal with good attacking intent, and played a superb long through ball to Wilson for the second, with really positive playmaking. His athleticism and aggression going forward adds a huge threat to our attack and pinned Burnley back into their own half on a number of occasions which we've lacked so much this season. I'm giving him some grace on his first start for a long time after that injury. 7/10

Sander Berge

I really enjoyed this centre midfield partnership again and Sander's return to Turf Moor was a haunting experience for the home fans. It'll be no surprise to Fulham fans that Berge was the most accurate passer in the match with 93%, helping us to grasp the play, dominate possession and out-parkerball Scott Parker... with the added intent and flair of Silva to make it actually count, while being able to enjoy some sexy flicks and tricks. Played a superb through ball to Wilson who was unlucky not to do better, also some brilliant playmaking to setup the brilliant counter-attack which led to Fulham's third match-winning goal. 7.5/10

Alex Iwobi

Despite having a quieter performance compared to his fellow Nigerian teammates who he will be jetting off to Morocco with for AFCON, his understated display exuded class, composure and control, with silky touches and passages of play safeguarding the ball in the middle of the pitch alongside Berge. In this particular match the combination worked and the gameplan was executed very well. It'll be interesting to see what happens on his return in the middle of the pitch and whether this becomes the default for Fulham going forward. 7/10

Emile Smith Rowe

This is it, right? The player we've been holding our breaths for since our record-breaking signing was made has finally emerged this season. His positional awareness, intelligent runs, pinpoint passing, pressing and end product seem to have finally materialised. Today was another comprehensive performance, topped off with that fantastic first goal as he lost the entire Burnley defense with his great run from the corner to calmly slot it home for our opener. Minus one dreadful back-pass in the second half, which forced Leno into another one-on-one save, this was a superb outing. In my opinion, he's the man who should be owning that starting berth in central attacking midfield for the rest of the season. 7.5/10

Samuel Chukwueze

While I'm looking forward to seeing Kevin take his opportunity, we're going to miss this man so much during AFCON. His confidence and competence in possession is astounding, as he demands control of the ball in dangerous positions while having the cahunas to take players on, coupled with the ability to actually beat them. His on-the-ball prowess meant he drew numerous free kicks for Fulham, and the well-worked counter attack saw Samu earn another fully-deserved assist to set up Harry Wilson for the winner. Can be criticised for misplacing key passes on four separate occasions, including a criminally heavy through ball to Iwobi, but overall massively positive and filling me with hope for the season. 7.5/10

Harry Wilson

Unplayable. The thought that we nearly let him transfer to Leeds United on deadline day is now a harrowing one as Harry is in the form of his life, which we started to see glimpses of last season. His direct involvement in every goal this match with two assists and his scintillating strike into the bottom corner is testament to his ability and fanatical form. He deserves his moment in the limelight and I hope he grasps it with both hands, as one of Fulham's longest serving players, it's a genuine pleasure to see that smile on his face. I'm not saying he is single-handedly saving Fulham's season but... just thank you Harry. Wow. 9.5/10 - man of the Match

Raul Jimenez

Not a 'Raully' strong outing today from the Mexican, at least not in an attacking perspective. Positionally he was all over the pitch, making some excellent defensive contributions and link up play. But ultimately never looked like scoring, and as per usual when that 70-minute mark hit he looked finished. I'm not knocking his work rate, it's just when you don't have a single shot or win any aerial duels, you're not going to have much impact. 6/10

Substitutes
Sasa Lukic

Came on for Iwobi in the middle of the pitch and threw himself about. Provided a good amount of energy and aggression to have an impact and was a key factor in helping us to see out the game. 6.5/10

Josh King

Raul needed to come off, but watching Josh play upfront against Burnley's big centre-backs was nothing short of tragic, even if it was short-lived. He couldn't get a sniff of the long balls when they were played his way as he just doesn't have the physicality to compete. Much improved when Adama was brought on and he played back in his natural position, began linking up play and getting involved defensively. 5.5/10

Adama Traore and Timothy Castagne brought on during the 86th minute.

Marco Silva

This match was an excellent display of how Silva-ball is superior to Parker-ball and Marco managed the game almost perfectly. The setup was strong, as there was a distinct intensity to Fulham's play throughout the whole match and the intention to attack with potency seemed ever-present. I appreciated that Silva didn't jump into unnecessary early substitutions while we maintained momentum, waiting until the 77th minute to begin making changes, which worked reasonably well.

There's still a lot of work to be done to reduce the amount of chances and goals we're conceding, but I'm hoping with Robbo back, with a bit of gametime, we might start to see those stats improve over time. In a fairytale world where the Khan's back Silva in the transfer window early January in an attempt to secure his services, we could see Fulham's season take a turn in the right direction. If we can make it to the League Cup semi-final after Wednesday, the narrative of our season could shift too. Perhaps I'm a little too optimistic, but what's supporting Fulham without a little hope? 8.5/10



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/p/player-ratings-burnley-2-3-fulham

[WhiteJC]

Marco Silva says Fulham attacker is 'in the best moment of his career'
The Cottagers returned to winning ways thanks to another decisive display from one of their forwards.

Marco Silva spoke about the performance of his players in a 3-2 win for Fulham against Burnley.

Emile Smith Rowe rewarded a fast start from the Cottagers, who bounced back from a Lesley Ugochukwu leveller to go 3-1 ahead thanks to finishes from Calvin Bassey and Harry Wilson.

Oliver Sonne scored a second goal for the hosts to make sure of a nervy ending for Fulham at Turf Moor, but Silva's side held onto the three points to push up in 13th place in the Premier League

"We started very well, which was important for us. The execution from the players was brilliant in that corner for Emile's goal.

"They equalised in a moment where our back line should be much more narrow, more compact. But we were clinical in the first-half, the way we scored the goals, and another good execution from Harry Wilson, the way he kept the ball to assist for [Calvin Bassey].

"Second-half we had two or three moments where we should have scored to make it 3-1. We scored a very good goal in a fast attack from us, and it was clear that every time we were able to connect passes between ourselves, we were able to create chances.

"Clearly in my opinion, [Harry Wilson] is in the best moment of his career so far. Both assists were top and his goal was a top, top level. Off the ball, he's working very hard to help the team. What a night from him – decisive again.

"I didn't have any doubts. [Antonee Robinson] is a great athlete, we know what he's capable of and he showed that. He's a very important player for us.

"In some moments, some great moments of football. In other moments, not so well. But we won the game, and it was very important to get the three points. Let's move on."



https://www.vavel.com/en/football/2025/12/13/fulham/1244571-marco-silva-says-fulham-attacker-is-in-the-best-moment-of-hiscareer.html

[WhiteJC]

Royal Caribbean Legend of the Match Result: Burnley
Unsurprisingly, Harry Wilson has been voted Royal Caribbean Legend of the Match following his excellent performance in Fulham's 3-2 win over Burnley.

Currently enjoying a rich vein of form, the forward claimed two assists before adding a goal of his own in the second-half. That means he's notched an impressive six goal involvements in his last four matches.

Speaking post-match, his manager Marco Silva said: "Clearly in my opinion, he's in the best moment of his career so far. Both assists were top and his goal was a top, top level. Off the ball, he's working very hard to help the team. What a night from him – decisive again."

Our number eight sealed the win by a huge margin, claiming 66 per cent of the votes, with 26 per cent making Bernd Leno their choice after a string of important saves. Finally on the podium, Emile Smith Rowe earned four per cent.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2025/december/14/royal-caribbean-legend-of-the-match-result-burnley/

[WhiteJC]

How to watch Newcastle vs Fulham: Date, time, live stream and TV channel
Fulham will head on their travels for Wednesday's EFL Cup quarter-final against fellow Premier League side Newcastle United.

The Cottagers required penalties to see off Wycombe Wanderers in the previous round, while the Magpies recorded a 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the quarter-finals.

Here, Sports Mole provides details of how to tune into the quarter-final tie.

What time does Newcastle vs. Fulham kick off?
The EFL Cup clash will get underway at 8:15pm on Wednesday evening.

Where is Newcastle vs. Fulham being played?
The game will take place at Newcastle's St James' Park, which can hold up to 52,305 spectators.

The Magpies have already beaten Fulham on home turf this season, claiming a 2-1 victory in October's Premier League clash thanks to Bruno Guimares 90th-minute winner.

How to watch Newcastle vs. Fulham in the UK
TV channels

The cup tie is available to watch on the Sky Sports Premier League channel. However, do not worry if you are not a Sky customer because you can catch the game on ITV1.

Streaming

Alternatively, you can stream the game on ITVX, Sky Go or on the Sky Sports app.

Highlights

If you are unable to watch the match live, you should be able to access highlights by heading over to the Sky Sports app or the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel.

What is at stake for Newcastle and Fulham
Newcastle are bidding to win the competition for a second successive season after beating Manchester United in March's final to lift the EFL Cup for the first time in their history.

The game takes on extra importance following Sunday's disappointing derby result, with Eddie Howe's side looking to bounce back from their narrow 1-0 defeat to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

In contrast to their hosts, Marco Silva's charges should head into the midweek fixture in high spirits after recording a 3-2 away win over Burnley on Saturday.

Fulham are targeting their second EFL Cup semi-final appearance in three seasons, as they continue to dream about winning this competition for the very first time.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/newcastle-united/league-cup/feature/how-to-watch-newcastle-vs-fulham-date-time-live-stream-and-tv-channel_587815.html

[WhiteJC]

Wilson: I feel really good
Harry Wilson is excellent at football.

Our number eight has six goal involvements in his last four matches, playing a starring role in Saturday's 3-2 victory at Burnley – our first win at Turf Moor in almost 75 years.

First providing for Emile Smith Rowe and Calvin Bassey to give us a 2-1 half-time lead, the Wales international got in on the act after the break with a trademark left-footed finish.

"I feel really good at the minute," Wilson said post-match. "As an attacking player, it's always good when your numbers are good and it was nice to get a couple of assists – especially the first one because that's something we've worked on in training.

"It was a great move (for my goal) starting in our right-back position and then playing it up the pitch.

"Jedi (Antonee Robinson) and Chukwu (Samuel Chukwueze) combine well and he finds me at the back post, and then it's all about composing myself and trying to find that far corner. When I saw it go in, it was a great feeling."

Wilson's goal against Tottenham Hotspur – another sublime finish – earned three points in our last away game, with back-to-back wins on the road particularly satisfying.

"After the Spurs game a couple of weeks ago, we wanted to back it up with another away win after a couple of disappointing results at home – although we played quite well in the majority of them games.

"It was massive for us to come here today and get the win, and we're delighted that we did that.

"It's something we talk about – improving our away form. I think we started with a point at the start of the season (at Brighton) and then we've dipped since then, so to win our last two is really pleasing."



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2025/december/14/wilson-i-feel-really-good/

[WhiteJC]

Americans Abroad: Antonee Robinson makes long-awaited return for Fulham, while PSV's Ricardo Pepi strengthens his USMNT striker case
GOAL reviews the major takeaways from Americans playing in Europe, including the USMNT's star left back returning in style for Fulham.

It was a largely positive weekend for Americans Abroad, even if the winter grind across Europe continued to produce mixed results. With fixture congestion testing squads across the continent, consistency remains hard to come by - and that tension was evident once again this weekend. Christian Pulisic, for one, turned in a tired 70-odd minutes as AC Milan drew against Sassuolo.

Elsewhere, though, times were good. Antonee Robinson, after being wrapped in cotton wool as he recovered from injury, returned in fine fashion for Fulham as they held off   Burnley. Ricardo Pepi got himself on the scoresheet again, offering further proof that U.S. Men's National Team manager Mauricio Pochettino might have a bit of a selection headache ahead of March friendlies and going forward.

And Gio Reyna, who has been rather eased into things for Borussia Monchengladbach, started his third straight game for the German side - even if his material impact wasn't entirely evident. There will be twists and turns to come here as the soccer calendar pushes its players once again. Still, this was a good one.

Robinson offers USMNT hope in return
Following the final whistle, a chant rang out from the away section at Turf Moor. That chant? "Antonee Robinson" over and over and over.

What a moment this was for the USMNT defender, who made his first Premier League start since May in the 3-2 win over Burnley. It was his second start of the season, with the only other one coming in the Carabao Cup back in September. Since then? He'd played just 10 minutes prior to Saturday's return as his long-term injury issues continued to take their toll.

Saturday was an indication that Robinson is just about back, though. He played all 90 minutes in the win and looked very much like his old self. He had four tackles, two interceptions, nine clearances, and a shot. He was, as usual, all over the field, even providing a hockey assist on Fulham's second goal.

It's been a while since we've seen a fit version of Robinson. He limped through the second half of last season after proving himself as one of the game's top left backs during the first half of the campaign. It's worth being patient with him, of course, particularly with the World Cup coming soon, but Saturday's performance offered some long-awaited hope that the USMNT star, who was named the 2024 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year award, is getting back to something resembling his best.

Pepi rewarded with penalty goal
The thing about goals is that they all count, right? And yes, that even means those for the penalty spot. What was most notable about Pepi's finish from the spot, though, was that he was trusted with taking it as he continued to run up his goal total in the Eredivisie.

The penalty was just the third he's taken in PSV colors and the first since September of 2023. When PSV were awarded the chance against Heracles, though, there was little doubt that Pepi was the man for the moment given his recent run of form. It wasn't the best penalty, but it was effective, as he slid his shot right past the diving goalkeeper and into the back of the net.

Pepi now has four goals in his last four games and six in total in the Eredivisie. That's despite the fact he's played just 600 league minutes this season, having only recently claimed his spot in the starting XI. He's making the most of that return to the lineup, though, as the USMNT striker continues to light up every team in his path. Whether it's from the spot or from open play, Pepi is getting his goals, and that's great news for the USMNT and PSV.

A special shoutout, too, to Sergino Dest, who also made his mark with an assist. Level at 3-3 in the 81st minute, Dest's tee-up of Guus Til, ultimately, is what won PSV the match. With that win, their lead atop the league is up to nine on Feyenoord, who still have a game to play. As things stand, though, PSV are rolling with the club's Americans doing their part.

Reyna starts again
Reyna had not started three consecutive club matches during this World Cup cycle. In fact, he hadn't done that since 2021. That's behind him, though, as the American midfielder was in the Borussia Monchengladbach XI once again this weekend.

It wasn't a good game, to be fair. Gladbach lost, 3-1, to Wolfsburg at home and were totally and completely outplayed. There is that silver lining, though, for Reyna, who is finally playing meaningful minutes on the club level. More specifically, he's played 194 minutes over his last three league games. For comparison, he played just 350 minutes last season, 280 the year before that, and 235 in the campaign before that. He's already up to 255 minutes this season, and it's still mid-December.

Baby steps, yes, but at least they're steps forward. Now, the conversation can focus on what Reyna does on the field, not his inability to get onto it. For a player who remains a key piece of the USMNT's future, that is a victory.



https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/americans-abroad-antonee-robinson-makes-long-awaited-return-for-fulham-while-psv-s-ricardo-pepi-stre/blt6fabaa7399afd00e?utm_id=fa3iys5y8hyz9ezk&utm_source_platform=newsnow