Fulham boss 'disappointed' after Sunderland draw - but insists Whites can win replay

Symons bemoans missed opportunity against Black Cats

Fulham's manager was disappointed his side didn't finish off 10-man Sunderland - but Kit Symons insists the Whites will finish the job off at home.

The Whites, playing in black at the Stadium of Light, earned a Cottage replay on February 3 - and might have spared themselves the trouble had sharpshooting been a lot more deadly even though Hugo Rodallega struck the post in the last four minutes.

Jack Rodwell's dismissal on 66 minutes left the home side light and the Blacks, pressing forward - but it was not to be.

"After the sending off you'll never have a better opportunity to beat a Premier League team away from home than today, but we'll play at Craven Cottage and I fancy us in that now," Symons said.

"Our quality in the final third has been quite good in recent weeks but it wasn't quite there today. We had a few opportunities, a few openings but our quality wasn't quite as good as it has been recently, so that was a little bit disappointing.


Attempt: Cauley Woodrow takes aim
"But to come to a Premier League side and acquit yourself as we did today, I think we should be very proud. So I'm a little bit disappointed but overall I'm very proud of my players – they put a real shift in for the Club."

Marcus Bettinelli made two top-drawer saves to deny Jermain Defoe in the second half - but the Fulham manager reckons it was all in a day's work for a keeper rising in stock by the match.

"It's a funny one with Betts now because I expect him to do that week in, week out because he's been tremendous for us, he's been really, really good," Symons admitted.

Fulham started by leaving midweek hat-trick hero Ross McCormack on the bench - but there was a very good reason as the gaffer revealed.


Foot in: Sunderland's Liam Bridcutt receives attention from Seko Fofana
"He's got a little bit of a grumbling Achilles problem and it just made sense to rest him up today, and I expected the game to go like it did," Symons added.

"It was the plan for us to be very much in the game and to be able to make the subs. The rest of the game plan was to go and win it, so we didn't quite manage that but it sort of went to plan.

"But I was confident before the game and I'm equally, if not more confident now."


http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-boss-disappointed-after-sunderland-8511885?

 
Poyet: 'We need to be more creative if Defoe is to start scoring'


FRUSTRATING DAY: Jermain Defoe (back) was unable to make a breakthrough as Sunderland drew 0-0 with Fulham

SUNDERLAND boss Gus Poyet has admitted that his side will have to become more creative if they are going to get the best out of new signing Jermain Defoe.

Defoe made his home Black Cats debut in yesterday's goalless draw with Fulham, and while he fired in a couple of second-half efforts that tested opposition goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli, he never really looked like scoring his first goal in a Sunderland shirt.

Poyet's new-look 3-5-2 formation is an attempt to increase his side's attacking threat, but yesterday's performance was as laboured as anything Sunderland have produced all season, and means they have recorded just two home victories in all competitions this term.

Poyet said: "He (Defoe) will get in the right positions, but it is up to us. If you don't play forward and you don't really push in wide areas, he is not going to have the chances.

"That is why at the end there was more and more because Patrick (van Aanholt) started crossing the ball more."

Sunderland's task became more difficult when Jack Rodwell was dimissed midway through the second half for preventing Bettinelli from releasing the ball inside his own area.

Given that Rodwell had already been booked for a crude challenge on Konstantinos Stafylidis, it was a particularly senseless way to be dismissed, but Poyet refused to condemn the midfielder.

He said: "The referee probably had no option than to send off Jack, but I'm not bothered because that is the actions of football. People who play football at the highest level know sometimes you can do things.

"It was nothing that bad to worry about. I'm sure Jack will know, so it is nothing else.

"It is a problem for him because we are looking for the team to click and win. And if we win on Saturday (against Burnley) he will struggle to get back in."


http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/football/sunderland/11748035._/?

 
Fuham Youngster MK Dons Bound?
   
Reports in one Sunday tabloid infer that Fulham are going to loan out one of their promising youngsters to enable him to get more first team match time.

Patrick Roberts is a fantastic talent who has emerged through the youth ranks and has already tasted life in the first team.

But, at 17 years of age, he`s not yet ready for Championship football on a regular basis and that is the reason why Fulham are keen on an offer from the MK Dons boss, Karl Robinson, to take him to Buckinghamshire for the remainder of the season, on loan.

Roberts, an England youth international has, since coming through Fulham`s youth system, interested both Liverpool and Arsenal who have both had the youngster watched on numerous occasions.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=385827#ixzz3PrPJFQjp

 
£2.5 Million Could Buy Ruiz
   
Sadly, it is only a matter of time before the talented Bryan Ruiz leaves Craven Cottage.

Our status, as a Championship side, means that his cost to the club remains high salary wise.

Ruiz`s contract expires this summer and interest in the Costa Rican has been expressed by a trio of clubs but with the interest from Boca Juniors becoming prominent.

Although upon joining us in 2011 Ruiz cost £10.6 million, it is suggested that with his contract set to expire in the summer, Ruiz could be sold for as little as £2.5 million to ensure Fulham at least recover a percentage of the fee paid out.

As the closure of the transfer window approaches, we`ll be monitoring any further news relating to the subject that might surface.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=385829#ixzz3PrPVo4fq

 
LVC: Whites Deserved Win

There was a touch of disappointment in the away dressing room after Fulham's 0-0 draw at Sunderland in the FA Cup Fourth Round, according to Lasse Vigen Christensen.

The visitors were more than a match for their top-flight opponents at the Stadium of Light, taking the game to the hosts from the off, much to the frustration of the home support.

And the Whites almost earned a win at the home of the Black Cats, who had Jack Rodwell sent off with 25 minutes left, when substitute Hugo Rodallega crashed a shot against the post in the dying embers of the tie.

"We showed that we could come out and play with one of the big boys," Christensen told the official website. "From the kick-off we were probably the best team throughout. They had a couple of little spells where they could have got a goal but it was that kind of game, second half especially, where both teams had a few good possibilities.

"The feeling in the dressing room is that we should have won it. That's a good feeling to have considering they're a division higher. We should have come away from their ground with a result so we're disappointed but also happy that we showed we can perform against a top-flight team.

"We almost nicked it at the end with Hugo. He hit it very well. It was one of those games with a little bit of extra luck and a little bit of extra quality and we could have won it."

The two sides now go again in the Replay at Craven Cottage on Tuesday 3rd February (7.45pm) and Christensen is relishing the chance to take on Gus Poyet's men on home turf.

"We need to just come out like we did at their place and not give them too much respect," said Lasse. "We can show them what we can do. We had a young team today but the two boys up front [Cauley Woodrow and Moussa Dembélé] worked hard, kept the ball and caused Sunderland problems all day long.

"We changed the starting XI a bit but it showed we have a strong team. Sunderland will need to be at their best at the Cottage to get a result."

Christensen made a welcome return to Fulham's side after four games on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.

"I felt good, although I'm a bit tired now!" said the Dane. "You lose that little edge when you've been out for a few weeks. The medical boys have given me a hard time and kept me fit but sitting on a bike in the gym is never going to be the same as playing actual games. I'm not feeling my hamstring, though, and I've got 90 minutes in my legs.

"I tried to come back too soon and had to go off against Wolves. You learn as a player with those kind of injuries and I'd never really had one before. So I had a bit of extra time on the sidelines and did some more prevention work to make sure I was fully fit. The medical boys have done really well with me and I feel strong. I maybe just need a few more games before I'm back at 100 per cent."


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/january/25/lvc-we-deserved-to-win?

 
Fulham after Bolton Centre Back
   
This morning one Sunday tabloid has Fulham Football Club interested in acquiring the services of the Bolton centre-back Matt Mills.

Mills, 28 years of age, has yet to accept a new contract offered by Bolton Wanderers and is out of contract in the summer.

The report suggests that Kit Symons tried to bring Mills to Craven Cottage on loan but that Bolton were not interested in such a deal.

However, the report goes on to infer that Symons might try and force Bolton`s hand by offering Bolton a fee to influence their decision making.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=385840#ixzz3PrPzZ1jo

 
Could Berbatov be Heading Back to London?
   
If the rumours are true it seems so!

One Sunday tabloid publication is suggesting that the Bulgarian striker who wore our colours before heading off to French football with AS Monaco, want a London Premier League return.

Now 33 years of age, Berbatov is being linked with a return to London with Queens Park Rangers who might just perceive the Bulgarian as providing the flair that could see the yet escape relegation from the Premier League.

However, my view is that when you`re set to plummet through the relegation trap door you need players who can dig deep and put themselves around to help you survive and not someone who can be, to be polite, a little surly and lazy.


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=385846#ixzz3PrQGNZd6

 
Sixer's Fulham Soapbox: Should've gone to Shields v Shildon

Malcolm Dawson writes......I couldn't get to this game being otherwise occupied on the Fylde coast. Phew – got away with that one. Of course Pete Sixsmith gets to every home game and most away matches too but even his patience is being tested. The euphoria felt at Old Trafford and Sid James' Park isn't making up for the amount of dross and drivel he is being served up on a far too regular basis. Already he has taken the decision to cut down on the number of times he follows the Lads to away grounds and it sounds like he is not far from choosing to leave his seat at the Stadium of Light unoccupied. He'll be back next week, as will I, but his commitment is being pushed to the limit. With many of the fancied teams now out of the competition the F.A. Cup offers us a realistic chance of silverware. Not, according to Pete, on yesterday's performance. Here's his somewhat downbeat assessment of the goings on on the banks of the River Wear yesterday.

Sunderland v Fulham FA Cup (H)
I could, and perhaps should, have driven off at 2.05 and headed for North Shields in order to watch Shildon put their Northern League challenge well and truly back on track with a 1-0 win against the then league leaders. Why 2.05? That was when Nick Barnes and Gary Bennett read the team out for this FA Cup Fourth Round game. First of all they said that McCormack and Rodellega were on the bench for Fulham, suggesting that the Cottagers were not over fussed about this game.

Bennett suggested to Barnes that Giaccherini was almost certain to be part of a midfield three with Larsson and Rodwell and that hopefully the one time Italian international would be able to spark some creativity and create chances for new arrival Jermaine Defoe.

Then came the team news; no Giaccherini, no Alvarez but a three of Rodwell, Bridcutt and Larsson. There was a sharp intake of breath from Bennett – and from the driver's seat of the trusty Mazda. "Where is the creativity going to come from," said the pundit. "Should I head for North Shields," said the fan.

I made the wrong decision – which was several less than Gus Poyet made on a truly wretched afternoon, which did nothing to assuage the mood amongst the support that bothered to turn out -that we were sliding towards the bottom three and that the miracle of 2014 was unlikely to be repeated in 2015. The lack of tempo and pace at the start was frightening as we allowed a competent and well organised Fulham side to settle. The Dog and Duck could settle against us as we pass the ball sideways, backwards, anywhere but forwards, putting minimal pressure on whatever opponents we are facing.

To many of us it was patently clear that the ball was not going to reach Defoe or Fletcher quickly and that when it did eventually reach them, the Fulham defenders were ready and waiting. It also became apparent that a week on the training ground is not sufficient to bed the players into this new 3-5-2 formation. They argued with one other, asked what they were supposed to be doing and generally looked as if they had little idea of what was expected of them. Of course, it helps if you can actually pass the ball to one of your team mates and this basic requirement seemed to be beyond too many of them, particularly those charged with the responsibility of driving the team forward. Only Larsson of the midfield three looked comfortable in this set up, drawing on his huge reserves of energy to push Fulham back and win the ball. His two colleagues showed little inclination to match him.

Bridcutt was, to put it mildly, poor but one expects little from a player who is clearly suited to the Championship. It is Rodwell who seems to encapsulate the problems that Sunderland AFC have at the moment. Hailed as a good signing by many (including this scribe), his first six months at The Stadium of Light have been distinctly underwhelming, culminating in a performance where the team actually looked better once he had been sent off. He could have gone in the first half, because the challenge that earned him his first yellow was as close as you will see to being a red. It was made after he had lost the ball, leading to him losing his temper and going in with his foot off the ground on Staflyidis. He then committed two more fouls which drew a quiet word from referee Anthony Taylor, before he got himself a mandatory yellow for obstructing the goalkeeper. "Idiotic", "stupid" and "does he ever actually think" are words that spring to mind.

He had every right to be frustrated as his performance had done nothing to justify the large fee that Manchester City took off us for his registration. He struggled to keep up with the pace of the game which, for a man who is supposed to be a "box to box" player, is just not good enough. He appears to be yet another player who has come to Sunderland to maintain his lifestyle and who, on what we have seen so far, will not be an asset to the club and will bail out should we be relegated at the end of the season – something which is looking likelier as the weeks pass by and we show no pace, tempo or the ability to fashion chances.

The support is rapidly becoming disillusioned with the football being played. A single home win all season in the league does not inspire. Chelsea apart, the games have been dull and uninteresting and there seems to be an inexorable slide towards relegation. There is an old adage that players are more important than systems and that good players will fit to whatever the coaching staff wants them to do – as long as they buy into it. Look at our players – fractious, unsure of themselves and seemingly not convinced by what they are being asked to do. They know that we are going into a series of home games that will define our season and will either propel us to mid table safety and obscurity or dump us in the bottom three, possibly for the rest of the season.

Some flair and imagination are required for the Burnley game on Saturday. Johnson should return and hopefully Cattermole, whose drive and energy has been sorely missed. If Defoe is to flourish, he needs players who will get the ball to him quickly and take advantage of his ability to make his own space against defenders. Whether Fletcher, who mysteriously spent much of his hour on the field in a wide position, is the man to play alongside him, remains to be seen. As does the ability of Messrs Poyet, Tarrichio and Oatway to get our season moving. Burnley could well be their make or break game.



- See more at: http://salutsunderland.com/2015/01/sixers-fulham-soapbox-shouldve-gone-to-shields-v-shildon/?#sthash.QY0Y5qDi.dpuf

 
Fulham Chase Out-of-Contract Matt Mills

Reports on Sunday suggest Fulham are closely monitoring Matt Mills' status at Bolton, with his contract set to expire at the end of the season.

Mills joined Wanderers in a £2million from Leicester City in July 2012 and has since gone on to make 82 appearances for the club, scoring six goals. He was named vice captain at Macron Stadium last summer, but has taken possession of the armband due to Jay Spearing's lack of match action since October.

The 28-year-old, who has previously played for the likes of Southampton, Bournemouth and Reading, has recovered from a difficult start to life at Bolton to become one of the most consistent performers at the club, but he has yet to commit to a new deal.

The Sun on Sunday report that Fulham had enquired about the possibility of taking Mills on loan for the remainder of the campaign, but, with Wanderers not interested in such an arrangement, Cottagers boss Kit Symons may be tempted into making a cut-price offer instead of holding out hope of landing his target in a free transfer in July.


http://www.burndenaces.co.uk/2015/01/25/fulham-chase-out-of-contract-matt-mills.html

 
Fulham youngster offered to Nimes on loan

Fulham's 19 year old French midfielder Ange-Freddy Plumain has been offered to Nimes on loan, GFFN can confirm. The former French under-18 international has been playing in the U21 league for Fulham this season, but wants to loaned out in order to gain some first team experience.

Nimes have now been offered the player on loan, but it is unclear as to whether they will take this up. Plumain signed for Fulham from Lens in 2013 in a deal believed to be worth around £400,000.


http://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2015/fulham-youngster-offered-to-nimes-on-loan/?

 
Sunderland fans stuck in past, says Gus Poyet after Fulham stalemate

Gus Poyet has accused Sunderland supporters of "living in the past" and claims they are pining for the sort of "kick-and-rush" football played by the side once spearheaded by Niall Quinn and Kevin Phillips.

It is a highly contentious assertion which overlooks the reality that many Sunderland fans crave midfield creativity of the variety which has been largely absent since Andy Reid left the club four years ago.

Their problem with Poyet – who has presided over only two home wins this season – is his reluctance to name a creative midfielder such as Emanuele Giaccherini or Ricardo Álvarez in his starting XI. The need to deploy the recently arrived Jermain Defoe in an attacking pairing has seen Sunderland's manager switch to a back five. Against Fulham the defensive mindset was further compounded by a midfield trio of Sebastian Larsson, Liam Bridcutt and Jack Rodwell.

Frustrated that Giaccherini, particularly, and Álvarez remained on the bench for a tie against mid-table Championship opposition, the fans booed Poyet's team off at half-time, at the final whistle and sporadically when they passed backwards or sideways.

"The fans are still living in the past," said Sunderland's manager referring to the era, around 15 years ago, when Peter Reid led the team to two seventh-place Premier League finishes. "They want Niall Quinn and Kevin Phillips back but I'm sorry, I can't bring them back. You can't live in the past. Football's completely different today.

"Quinn and Phillips was kick and rush and it worked perfectly but it's impossible now, you'd never get the ball back. I understand the fans booing at the end and half-time probably, but during the game I don't. You have to be very strong to play here and that's creating a little bit of a problem. My message to the fans is patience."

It was a commodity in short supply on a day when the initially anonymous, service starved, Defoe did well to force Marcus Bettinelli into two decent second half saves after connecting with penalty area scraps, Jack Rodwell was sent off in the 66th minute for a ludicrous second booking and Kit Symons' well-organised side nearly won it when Hugo Rodallega's late shot hit a post.

In the process the disconnect between Sunderland and their public widened. "It worries me a lot," said Poyet who believes the crowd were partly responsible for his players retreating into their shells and handing Fulham a replay. "It's up to me to find a solution. I understand it's not nice to watch us at the moment but I promise I'll try to find a way to bring more excitement to the stadium."

Man of the match Marcus Bettinelli (Fulham)


http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jan/25/gus-poyet-sunderland-fulham-fa-cup-match-report

Fulham Aiming To Beat Out AC Milan For Brescia Starlet H'Maidat

H'Maidat BresciaEnglish outfit Fulham are closing in on a move for Brescia's young ace Ismail H'Maidat.

The 19-year-old Dutch midfielder, of Moroccan descent, has blossomed into first-choice for the Serie B outfit this season – which has alerted the attention of bigger sides around Europe.

Tuttomercatoweb report that the Championship outfit are prepared to take advantage of Brescia's precarious financial situation to try and land the talented midfielder this month.

AC Milan have also been accredited with interest in H'Maidat, and developments are set to accelerate in the final week of the transfer window.

H'Maidat has made 19 appearances for Brescia across all competitions this season.

http://forzaitalianfootball.com/2015/01/fulham-aim-to-beat-ac-milan-for-brescia-starlet-hmaidat/