Preseason

Love seeing these two names on the scoresheet.

 

I concur with the right honorable gentleman from Warrick.

 

Really hope Carvalho gets a good run in the team this season. I'd like to see Silva give a few of the youth team a chance to prove themselves actually.

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Fulham 1 - Southampton 1

https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/july/Southampton-1-1-Fulham/

 

Highlights from the Fulham YouTube channel (what a pleasant surprise!)


I was surprised Fabri played the whole match and he didn't look too shabby in these highlights. Could he possibly be staying or is Fulham just reminding potential buyers that he still has a pulse? Or is Rodak (who wasn't even on the roster) still unavailable after Euros?

Cairney was missing from the roster. Anyone hear any reason why?

At least in this match he was the only person to play the full 90 other than Fabri. Stansfield and Ablade from the U23's also saw time.

 

https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2021/july/Fulham-1-0-Charlton/

Carvalho with the goal. I think you are going to get your wish @FulhamTX

 

Cairney and Kongolo are not fit enough yet. Silva said so in an interview.

 

Spent the 5 quid to watch the match. It was a decent outing. I was thoroughly impressed by Tyrese Francois. He made one significant mistake and faded toward the end, but for about an hour he was the best player on the field. Everything ran through him, and his pass to Carvalho for the goal was world class. Carvalho was almost as influential, and maintained his high level for the full match. Everyone did well or at least ok, except for Mitro and Knockaert.

The bad Mitro, acting distracted and lumbering, showed up. He's only 26, and never was a sprinter, but he has lost not one but two steps. I'm at a loss to diagnose what's going on with him. Parker isn't here anymore, and presumably Mitro is intended to be the focus point of the attack for Silva. If he doesn't improve, I don't see him starting more than a handful of games if we find another striker before the window closes.

Knockaert did his usual chicken running with a head cut off routine. Can't be faulted for lack of effort, but just doesn't have sufficient technical ability. Of the two starting wingers, Kebano gave us more in the final third, but also isn't a world beater; I think playing like he did today is his ceiling. Still, a skillful, honest player. But can Robinson move up higher on the left? He may be able to offer more than either Kebano or Knockaert, and Bryan could slot in as LB, instead.

 

Short highlights from Fulham (that you'll have to go to YouTube to watch) including that truly world-class pass from Francois that @daddude7 mentioned:


The starting lineup was
Gazzaniga
Tete, Adarabioyo, Ream, Robinson
Anguissa, Francois, Carvalho
Kebano, Mitrovic, Knockaert

I wonder how close that will be to what we see in the opening match next weekend. Given that most of them put in a standard length shift I have to think Silva was giving his first choices a full run and this will be very close to the team that comes out against Middlesbrough. Francois and Carvalho certainly proved their worth. I didn't think Anguissa would stay with Fulham this season, but I'm starting to think he might. Gazzaniga, Kebano, and Knockaert are the three who I'd be the least surprised to see on the bench next week.

 

For what it’s worth, Twitter rumors are that Reed, Cairney, and Cav were all missing due to fitness but are likely to be available next week.