Pre-Season Preparation and Matches

All fairly low key. From 5-12th July, the Squad will be in Portugal for a training camp.

11th July ‘training’ match v Aston Villa at the Estadio Da Nora in Albufeira (Portugal) - no kick off time yet

18th July ‘friendly’ match v Crawley Town at the Checkatrade Stadium - kick off 3pm

1st August ’friendly’ match v Crystal Palace at the Cottage - kick off 3pm

 

Another warm-up game has been arranged (assuming, since it overlaps with 'Portugal', this one is mostly for the U21s)

8th July (Wednesday) Met Police v Fulham XI at Imber Court ko 19.45

Source: http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/metro...ers-to-visit-in-pre-season-game--1437992.html

 

The Club also have a mountain bike trip planned - to Styria in south-east Austria between July 20-26.

And have games pencilled in for the 22nd and 25th. These have yet to be finalised, but the plan is either to play the likes of top sides Sturm Graz or SV Kapvenburg based there, or visiting teams from abroad.

Source: http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-arnie-schwarzenegger-home-town-9413262




PS Isn’t it great when the information has to come from the local paper, and not the Club itself

 

For those not off somewhere with their country on International Duty .... it was back to Motspur Park to begin training in preparation for the Potuguese trip. Among them -


Matt Smith‏@mattjpsmith
Back to it today

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Hertha Berlin are also at a training camp in Austria and on their website they say that a friendly match against us has been arranged for 22nd July.

Source: http://www.herthabsc.de/de/teams/sommerfahrplan-2015/page/8241--45-45-.html


We played them back in season 2002/03 in our first sortie into Europe. As winners of the [I}Intertoto Cup[/I] we qualified for the UEFA, beating Hadjik Split over two-legs in round 1 and Dynamo Zagreb in round 2.

The first leg of our round 3 match was away to Hertha Berlin. There was little to shout about until the 25th minute, when Marcelinho struck a shot that was deflected over the bar by Alain Goma. From the resulting corner the Brazilian swung over a near-post cross that found the head of the unmarked former Aston Villa midfielder Stefan Beinlich to convert from close range. We equalised soon after the break, when Steed Malbranque crossed from the left and Martin Djetou rose to send a header looping over Gabor Kiraly [Yup, the very same]. Hertha looked to have escaped when the ball came back off the far post but Steve Marlet was on hand to force the rebound home. However, late on Facundo Sava [famed for his goal celebration, when he pulls a Zorro mask from his sock and straps it to his face] sliced a free-kick from Marcelinho into his own net and we went down 2-1.

In the return game at Loftus Road we totally dominated the first half; missed three golden opportunities and Alain Goma hit the bar. In the second we were still well on top and both Sean Davis and Juni Inamoto came close. As the game wore on we became more and more desperate - with that went the quality of our play. There was quality elsewhere though. Throughout we were frustrated by the impressive goalkeeping of Gabor Kiraly. And indeed, the Hungarian played the final 15 minutes with an injury after being clattered by Steve Marlet. So, it wasn’t to be. A 0-0 draw and Hertha went through on aggregate.

The team that day was:

Taylor; Finnan, Melville, Goma, Brevett (Goldbaek, 71); Malbranque, Djetou (Legwinski, h-t), Davis (Inamoto, 62), Wome; Marlet, Boa Morte.

 

Still nothing from the Club. However another fixture appears to have been arranged while we’re in Austria. Eintracht Frankfurt have announced that they will play us in a friendly on 25th July.

 

Spot the 'chubby ones', as Kit lays down the law:

 

Photos from this morning's training session as the Lads settle into their Portuguese training camp -

Link: http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2015/july/06/algarve-action


There are obvious absentees (Ruiz, Nando, LVC, Dembele) and one dubious miss-per (Mitroglou).

But “Where’s Scotty ?"

 

We drew 0-0 with Millwall in the Potuguese sun this afternoon. Obviously nothing more than a kick about, so unlikely to be any official feedback. Hopefully though, inveterate tweeters in the squad, like Cauley Woodrow, will post something.

 

The Sunshine Boys ... and a little bit about the Millwall game.

 

Mole’s Eye View …. Goals, Goals, Goals …. Portuguese style

 

There was so e very good finishing there!!!

 

Looks like Kit will be doing the time honoured pre-friendly thing of playing different teams in each half for the game against Villa tonight. The first half lot are:

Lonergan, Grimmer, Bodurov, Burn, Voser, Hyndman, Donnelly, Eisfeld, Woodrow, Kačaniklić, Smith

Do you reckon 4-4-2?

 

My guess is it's the diamond with Donnelly at the base, Hyndman left, Eisfeld right and Kaca at the top.

 

My first thought was three centre backs Burn, Donnelly and Bodurov with Voser and Grimmer as wing backs

 

It's a flat 4-4-2 actually with Eisfeld wide right Kaca wide left and Donnelly and Hyndman in the middle. Here's a link if anybody wants to watch: http://wiziwig.ru/soccer/watch-935582-aston-villa-vs-fulham

 

Apparently Woodrow missed a sitter but Smith has just scored

 

Thanks for the link FI. Doing all right. Players comfortable in positions?

 

As expected a lot of changes at half time, on paper the we look stronger after the break

 

And 1-0 up at half time thanks to the Matt Smith nip-in after Tom Eisfeld bumped the ball forward. Liam Donnelly had to go off with a head injury and Tunnicliffe is on. So, what changes for the second half? Not as many as I'd anticipated it seems. The remaining subs are:

Bettinelli, Rodak, Hutchinson, Pringle,Taggart, Kavanagh, Cole, Burgess, McCormack