2022 Summer Transfer Window

I was going through the list of squad numbers and I got to #5 Shane Duffy - Shane Duffy?? When did he join the squad?! Oh! This morning!
https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/august/05/duffy-joins-on-loan/

I'm glad Fulham finally got a center back, but he does have some question marks over him since worked through a couple different injuries last season to close out with spotty appearances for Brighton.

Meanwhile on the squad numbers, the biggest surprise is the first one. Rodak gets the #1. Does this mean he might stay?
1. Marek Rodák
2. Kenny Tete
4. Tosin
5. Shane Duffy
6. Harrison Reed
7. Neeskens Kebano
8. Harry Wilson
9. Aleksandar Mitrović
10. Tom Cairney
11. Manor Solomon
12. Nathaniel Chalobah
13. Tim Ream
14. Bobby De Cordova-Reid
17. Bernd Leno
18. Andreas Pereira
19. Rodrigo Muniz
22. Paulo Gazzaniga
23. Joe Bryan
26. João Palhinha
33. Antonee Robinson
35. Tyrese Francois
38. Luke Harris
39. Marlon Fossey
43. Kevin Mbabu
65. Jay Stansfield

 

I was also surprised by Rodak's number. I don't know what to think about Duffy. We should give him a chance -- hopefully he doesn't get hurt and hasn't already lost a step since a couple of seasons ago.

Very glad to see Fossey, Harris and Stansfield get first team numbers. Being under 21, Harris and Stansfield won't count in the 25, meaning we can still add two without having to move anyone out, right? But I wouldn't be surprised if Rodak and Muniz decide to leave--either on loan, especially Muniz, or permanently (Rodak). I do think Gazzaniga is happy being a backup and a training partner and will not be looking to leave.

Wishing Onomah, Cavaleiro, Kongolo, and Knockaert well in their playing futures. I hope each finds a good fit on a team before the window closes, and frees up their wage bill.

That is a decently good team. If we add one or two more CBs--another attacker, like Kluivert, would be a cherry on top--we have a fighting chance to stay up and have some fun doing it.

 

Hoping we add another CB, but glad we did sign someone. Still only 30, but the fact that Brighton (not exactly a Champions League side) keeps loaning him out is a giant red flag.

 

A few thoughts before the season kicks off. Back in early May when this thread was started the first priority for me was new CB partner for Tosin. Well, 94 days later a new CB finally made it onto the squad, but Duffy wasn't quite what I had hoped for but he's better than nothing. I thought for certain back in May that Ream would never come close to starting and might not even make it onto the bench most weeks, but here we are hours from the Liverpool kickoff and I have to think he'll get the start. I'm just stunned Fulham has allowed this to happen. The lack of CB progress has really cast a cloud over the whole transfer window.

However, if I look at the other two things that were on my most-wanted list - an attacking midfielder and a goalkeeper - I can't complain. Getting Leno is fantastic, it would really be hard to expect any more (although I did entertain fantasies about getting Nick Pope). Pereira has looked really good in preseason and gotten me to feel positive about his signing. The other additions of Palhinha, Mbabu, and Solomon also appear to be good additions to the team.

If it weren't for the CB position, I'd feel that Fulham had done pretty well getting ready for the season, but probably still a little thin on the depth chart - something that could reasonably be fixed in the remaining weeks of the transfer window. My sense of dread all comes back to that one position that has been such a clear point of need.

Thinking about Fulham's chances this season I vacillate between "We're going down!" and "We'll make it to safety with a game or two to spare." Fulham will likely be right on the edge this season with its fate determined by some unresolved questions. Can a solid back line be constructed before the end of the window? Can Fulham stay healthy enough to not expose its lack of depth? Those are unknowns at this point.

Whatever happens tomorrow it will be too early to draw any conclusions. So I'm going to just try and enjoy the game and not overreact to anything.

 

Shane Duffy. OK. Hope it works out. Would have been nice if he’d managed to score or assist on a winner. Low risk/reward move.

 

And, between Onomah, Cavaleiro, Knockaert and Kongolo, the only decision to part ways that bothers me is Onomah. I was really impressed with his footwork, dribbling, passing and shooting inside the 18 and the 6 yard boxes. He scored some pretty amazing goals down the stretch during our ‘19-‘20 run back to the playoffs and ultimate re-promotion at Wembley over Brentford. I really though the kid had some X factor, intangible skill sets in that regard that you really can’t teach. He just had them. Guess I was either a) wrong or b) flawed on my assessment. But I agree with the general sentiment. Happy trails to them all.

 

Yes, this would be a decent addition. Jason Denayer has also been linked, though I don't know how reliable this is. https://www.footballinsider247.com/...on-denayer-after-leicester-city-bid-accepted/

I feel like we still need one more high-quality striker as cover for Mitro. When he stayed on the ground for a few seconds in the first half on Saturday, my heart skipped a beat. Zirkzee? Haven't seen anything new about that in a few days.

Five more questions:
Are Francois and Chalobah sufficient cover for Reed and Palhinha?
Is Bryan sufficient cover for Jedi?
Do we need offensive midfield cover for Pereira (and the injury-prone Cairney)?
Do we need one more winger? (Kluivert?)
If the answer to more than one of the above is yes, who among the players who got first team numbers is still likely to leave (loan or permanent) before the window closes?

 

Josh is an interesting one. He's very much a solid/jack of all trades type that fit in the nebulous Parkerball, but because he's not a solid number 10 or 8 (and there are better players in those roles),Silva never really warmed to him after that debacle in Coventry last October. Disappointing it hasnt worked out for him, especially considering he was the trade bait from Spurs for Ryan Sess.

 

Yes. A related thing I can't figure out. If these four weren't getting squad numbers, why put them up on the website and wearing the new shirt? Just in case Silva eventually decides to keep one of them? Seems unnecessarily cruel (as in, hey here you are; psych, you get no number).

 

Based on rumors:

1 DM - Haven’t heard a single rumor. I think we have who we have and they will have to be good enough.

2 LB - A lot of smoke here. If anything it is likely to be a deadline bargain deal.

3. AMF - I think Cairney & BDR are the primary backups with the possibility of Wilson or Solomon in a pinch.

4. Yes.

5. Joe Bryan sold and/or Muniz loaned. Both for potential upgrades.

 

Do we need one more winger? Yes for sure since it appears Manor Solomon injured his knee during a practice game on Sunday against the Chelsea reserves. An MRI is supposed to happen today, but there are worries he could be out for an extended period.

The best source on this I could find is in Hebrew:
https://sport1.maariv.co.il/israeli-soccer/israelis-abroad/article/927999/

On the plus side, when the BBC says someone is joining then it is certainly going to happen. In this case they say that Diop is on his way to Fulham:
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/62478215

 

Could be the bad karma for screwing over Shakhtar. (Yes, I know it is not.) I really feel for Manor. Hoping the MRI shows just minor damage, but even that will take time to come back from.

I hope that there is some truth to the Kluivert rumors.

 

Diop is official

 

Relief. Diop is officially in. https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2022/august/10/issa-diop-signs-for-fulham/

By my math, including Diop, we now have 23 senior players (over 21) and still need at least one more winger (because of the injuries) and preferably 2, a striker (cover for Mitro, unless Silva has confidence in Muniz), and a left back because Bryan would not be able to cover for Robinson in the Prem. One more CB would be helpful because Tim isn't young by soccer standards (but a boy compared to me). We need 3 to 5 but have only 2 open roster spots. Something will have to give.

 

https://metro.co.uk/2022/08/10/form...for-shock-premier-league-return-17157677/amp/


34 years old, but can still contribute.

 

So Solomon is toast for a few months. Marco says he’s going to have knee surgery.

Difficult to predict what the club will do. Doesn’t make sense to include him in the 25 for the fall part of the season. But I hope we don’t simply terminate the loan because that would be doubly wrong, especially if it gets Shakhtar stuck with paying the wages of a player hurt while with us.

I don’t hate the idea of Willian as a temporary solution, though at 34 he could go down with his own injury pretty quickly. I do hope we snag Kluivert, too, as well as Zirkzee. The tiny silver lining here is that Solomon’s situation opens one more spot in the 25.

 

I'm not sold on Willian either, but a free transfer is nice so I won't complain too much about his decline in form over the last two years.

 

Willian update

 

If Willian can still run, I hope this goes down. COYW