Sunday Fulham Stuff (08/04/12)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Clint Dempsey revels in Fulham goals record

Clint Dempsey urges Fulham to "push on" and secure a top-half finish in the Premier League after he inspired his side to a 3-0 win at Bolton.

Dempsey scored an impressive first-half double to take his goal tally to 15 Premier League goals this season, a new club record.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17647419?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham’s Dempsey proves again why he is good enough for top four club

Premier League: Bolton 0 Fulham 3

Clint Dempsey struck twice as Fulham dealt relegation-threatened Bolton’s survival chances a blow this afternoon.

The American hit a superb free-kick and headed home a second before Mahamadou Diarra wrapped up a convincing Barclays Premier League win at the Reebok Stadium.

Bolton paid the price for a lacklustre first-half display and remain deep in trouble after their three-game winning run was brought to an end.

Martin Petrov had a cross deflected behind as Bolton made an early attack but otherwise the game’s opening exchanges were uneventful.

Swedish winger Alex Kacaniklic, making his first start for Fulham after being recalled from a loan at Watford, looked to cross for Bryan Ruiz but David Wheater intercepted.

Wheater was again on hand and headed behind as Damien Duff delivered a deep cross from the right.

Bolton’s first serious opportunity came on the counter-attack as David Ngog broke clear on the right but Ryo Miyaichi side-footed over from in front of goal.

Duff found space outside the area to hit Fulham’s first attempt on goal but his effort found only the side-netting.

Fulham’s Clint Dempsey turned the ball into the net after 24 minutes when a deflected shot rolled into his path but the flag was raised for offside.

Dempsey had better luck in lining up a free-kick 30 yards out following a foul by Pratley on Mahamadou Diarra after 30 minutes.

The American was keen to take it ahead of John Arne Riise and Ruiz and justified his confidence as he fired into the top corner for his 20th goal of the season.

Bolton were slow to respond and Fulham pushed them back again before Dempsey sliced well wide with an ambitious overhead kick.

Marcos Alonso came forward for Bolton but shot harmlessly at Mark Schwarzer from distance.

Petrov then looked for Ngog with a cross but Aaron Hughes cleared and Nigel Reo-Coker also shot at Schwarzer.

Fulham continued to look the more dangerous in attack and doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time as Duff beat Alonso on the outside and crossed to the back post for Dempsey to head his second.

Bolton boss Owen Coyle attempted to inject some urgency by sending on Davies and Chris Eagles for Pratley and Miyaichi at the start of the second half.

The rewards were almost immediate as Alonso was tripped just outside the area and Eagles curled a free-kick narrowly wide.

Eagles then had a fierce shot from the edge of the area blocked after the ball came back to him from a corner he had taken long.

Petrov tried to control an awkward ball from Davies but volleyed wide from 18 yards as Bolton continued to press for an opening.

Eagles clipped a cross into the area but Ngog collided with Davies and could not keep his header on target.

Bolton were almost caught out as Duff again tricked his way past Alonso to get a clear sight of goal but Adam Bogdan palmed away his low strike.

Ngog beat Brede Hangeland to race towards the Fulham goal but was bundled off the ball by Riise on the edge of the area and referee Mike Dean ignored his appeals for a penalty.

Dempsey spurned a good chance to claim a hat-trick when he shot wide after finding room just inside the Bolton box.

Bolton ignored an injury to Ruiz to continue an attack but Fulham held firm.

The Costa Rican received treatment when play was eventually stopped but was unable to continue and was carried off and replaced by Dickson Etuhu.

Fulham ended the game as a contest 10 minutes from time as Riise burst clear unchecked on the left and crossed low for Diarra to slide in a third.

Mousa Dembele threatened another with a good run in the closing moments but was crowded off the ball.



http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/fulham_s_dempsey_proves_again_why_he_is_good_enough_for_top_four_club_1_1343519?

[WhiteJC]

 
Goal machine Dempsey sets Fulham up for win at Bolton

CLINT DEMPSEY took his Premier League goal tally for the season to 15 as Fulham did neighbours QPR a huge favour by defeating one of the Loftus Road club's relegation rivals.

The USA striker - in superlative form all season - clipped in a free-kick on 33 minutes to put the Whites in front and added a second just before the break - turning in a cross from Damien Duff.

Duff came close to making it 3-0 early in the second half as Fulham showed determination not to treat the match as an end of season formality. Keeper Adam Bogdan kept out his effort.

But Mahamadou Diarra's first goal for the club did made it three 10 minutes from time to settle the outcome.

It was only the third away win of the season for Martin Jol's men, who have finally reached double figures for goals away from Craven Cottage.



Read More http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/london-sport/fulham-fc/2012/04/06/goal-machine-dempsey-sets-fulham-up-for-win-at-bolton-82029-30711864/?#ixzz1rQPeY1tj

[WhiteJC]

 
Clint Dempsey's double gives Fulham rare away win over Bolton Wanderers

Bolton Wanderers 0    
Fulham 3   
Dempsey 30, Dempsey 45, Diarra 80


Fulham's Clint Dempsey scores his second goal against Bolton Wanderers
at the Reebok Stadium. Photograph: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

After three successive wins, Bolton Wanderers were dreaming of Premier League security, but they were yanked back to grim reality when Clint Dempsey overwhelmed their flimsy defences to leave them right back in the relegation mire.

Dempsey is coveted by bigger clubs than Fulham, and here was convincing evidence why. The USA striker scored twice in the first half to take his total for the season to 21 in 40 matches in all competitions. Fifteen of them have come in the league, breaking the club record set by Louis Saha in 2003-04. Martin Jol was clearly impressed, saying: "When you consider he has scored most of his goals operating from a wide position, his success is amazing."

Owen Coyle was named manager of the month for March after Bolton's three wins, but his team promptly regressed into defensive ineptitude and were emphatically defeated by the sort of opposition they need to be beating if they are to stay up.

Fulham were convincing winners despite the absence, injured, of Pavel Pogrebnyak, the striker who scored five goals in three games after joining on loan from Stuttgart in January.

Danny Murphy was another notable absentee, also unfit, and Jol gave a first start to Alex Kacaniklic, a 20-year-old Swede, on the left wing. Kacaniklic, who began his career with Liverpool, had impressed with a substitute's cameo against Norwich last week, but was unable to build on that, and most of Fulham's attacks were routed via Damien Duff's total mastery of Bolton's hapless left‑back, Marcos Alonso.

As is the case with the French rugby team, one tends to wonder which Fulham will turn up – the team that won three on the trot, thrashing Wolves 5-0 in the process, or their pale lookalikes who lost the next three. This time it was the real deal and they went in front at the half-hour mark when Dempsey took a free-kick from a central position, 25 yards out, and scored with a high-class strike. Adam Bogdan, reaching high to his left, got a hand to the ball but could not keep it out.

Bolton hurried and scurried in search of equality, but nobody in their starting lineup had scored more than three goals in the Premier League all season, and their shortcomings were evident whenever they came within striking range.

Fulham have no problems on that score, with Dempsey plus Pogrebnyak and Andy Johnson in reserve, and a minute into added time at the end of the first half it was 2-0 when the American, six yards out, headed home unchallenged from Duff's cross.

Leaving a player as good as Dempsey unmarked is negligent in the extreme, as Coyle ruefully admitted. "My biggest disappointment is the sort of goals we conceded. The second, on the stroke of half-time, was given away. Dempsey was allowed to run unmarked for a free header, which is hard to take," the Bolton manager said.

In extremis, Coyle went for broke, sending on Kevin Davies, Chris Eagles and Ivan Klasnic, but Fulham were always more dangerous on the break and Duff, who rounded poor Alonso at will, brought a couple of good, low saves from Bogdan.

Diarra completed the scoring after 80 minutes, sliding home John Arne Riise's centre at close range, and Bolton were booed off at the end. Facing Newcastle away on Monday promises to be tougher still. Fulham, safe from relegation, could be forgiven for taking their foot off the gas, and it is to their credit that they competed with such spirit and resolution.

Jol said: "We don't need to be looking over our shoulders at those below us, so the objective between now and the end of the season has to be to create a winning mentality and get as many points as possible.

"Playing in Europe this season has left us inconsistent afterwards, and that's something we've got to address, but this was our 49th game and to compete as well as we did is very satisfying. Bolton had won three on the trot and are fighting for their lives, but we earned the right to play our football, and if you do that and then play good football you will score goals."



http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/apr/07/bolton-wanderers-fulham-premier-league?

[WhiteJC]

 
Jol not getting carried away
Fulham boss pleased with win


Martin Jol: Wants Fulham to finish the season well

Fulham boss Martin Jol was pleased with his side's 3-0 win at Bolton but refused to get too carried away.

With just six games remaining, Fulham are only two points off seventh place - which is where they finished in 2009, and is their best-ever finish.

Fulham outplayed Bolton for much of the match as they claimed a comfortable win courtesy of two goals from Clint Dempsey and one from Mahamadou Diarra.
And Jol admitted he was satisfied with the display, saying: "It is pleasing, especially when you know they have three wins on the trot.

"They have to fight for their lives and it is a different sort of feeling and I am very satisfied.

"I am pleased with all the guys, they played with two wingers and we did the same, and second half especially I was pleased, we earned the right to play our football.

"But I think we defended well and kept the ball well and you will create chances and score goals if you play good football."

Top-seven

Jol, though, refused to get carried away about their chances of pushing on to the top seven.

"We just want to play good football, you can't really say we are playing for Europe, we have too many points to look at the bottom so we just want to look at getting a winning mentality," he said of their end of season run-in.

"But today to win against them is quite good considering what confidence they had coming into the game.

"Considering it is our 49th game, we still look good."

Jol was pleased with Dempsey who has now broken through 20 goals for the season in all competitions.

"If you consider he has scored most of his goals from a wide position, that is outstanding," he said of his American forward.



http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/7656984/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Bolton Wanderers 0 Fulham 3: match report
Read a full match report of the Premier League game between Bolton Wanderers and Fulham at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday April 7, 2012.


Easy as one, two, three: Clint Dempsey (centre) is congratulated by Fulham team-mates John Arne Riise (left)
and Mahamadou Diarra after scoring in his side's straightforward defeat of Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok
Stadium Photo: ACTION IMAGES

Bolton’s recent revival came to a shuddering halt as Fulham essayed what in the end was a worryingly comfortable victory here at the Reebok Stadium.

Three consecutive Premier League wins for the first time since 2006 had lifted Owen Coyle’s team clear of the bottom three, but here was a dramatic return to their earlier, relegation-inviting form.

Clint Dempsey, who scored twice and should have celebrated a hat-trick, and his willing accomplice Damien Duff, who revelled in his duel with the unfortunate Marcos Alonso, were Fulham’s heroes in a fine team performance.

Dempsey’s 14th and 15th goals of the campaign gave him the best return by a Fulham player in the Premier League era – he has 21 in all – while Mahamadou Diarra completed the scoring 10 minutes from time.

Fulham manager Martin Jol, who thus saw his side pass the 40-point safety mark, said: “We felt that if we could get the ball out to Duff and to [Bryan] Ruiz on the left we could hurt them. We defended well and kept the ball at times. If you play good football, you score goals. It would probably have been his [Dempsey’s] first hat-trick away from home. He’s always on the end of things.”

Told that Dempsey’s tally in all competitions was now 21, he added: “If you consider that he scored most of his goals from wide positions, that is amazing.”

Bolton, who had played like a team inspired since their stricken team-mate Fabrice Muamba survived a cardiac arrest in the FA Cup tie at Tottenham, were never able to compete once they fell behind.

Coyle, having steered his side towards safety in recent weeks, admitted his disappointment: “We were looking to make it four on the trot, it was our chance to close the gap.”

Duff, who remained a threat throughout, cut in from the right to hit a low shot narrowly past Adam Bogdan’s left-hand post in an early warning that went unheeded.

Dempsey had the ball in the net after 23 minutes but was one of two players caught offside when Duff’s initial shot ricocheted in their direction.

The game at this stage was as lacklustre as the weather, a grey Reebok day that eventually benefited from pale sunshine, and Fulham’s football soon began to follow suit.

Dempsey, so often Bolton’s nemesis in the recent past, broke the deadlock with a finely-flighted free-kick after half an hour when David Ngog fouled Diarra 30 yards out. Bogdan had little chance to reach it. It meant Dempsey had scored in his last three games against Bolton.

The urgency and determination that had informed Bolton’s three previous league games was missing, and the crowd became noticeably restive well before the first half was finished.

Fulham dominated possession while Bolton struggled, and the visitors always looked likely to carve out another opportunity for Dempsey. It came almost on the stroke of half-time, the American unmarked as he headed in another good cross from Duff.

Substitute Chris Eagles curled a free-kick past the far post after the restart, but Bolton could not muster the kind of recovery that was required to rescue a point.

Dempsey spurned the chance of his hat-trick after a smart one-two with Alex Kacaniklic, while Duff, making Alonso’s afternoon a misery, almost scored at the near post.

But it was not until the 80th minute that John Arne Riise’s low driven cross was converted by Diarra, sliding in from close range, to start the home stands emptying.

Match details
Bolton (4-5-1): Bogdan; Ricketts, Wheater, Ream, Alonso; Miyaichi (Eagles h-t), M Davies, Pratley (K Davis h-t), Reo-Coker, Petrov; Ngog (Klasnic 60). Subs: Jaaskelainen (g), Steinsson, Knight, Sordell.
Booked: Ricketts.

Fulham (4-4-1-1): Schwarzer; Kelly, Hughes, Hangeland, J A Riise; Ruiz (Etuhu 72), Diarra, Kacaniklic (Trotta 88), Duff (Frei 83); Dembele; Dempsey.
Subs: Stockdale (g), Baird, Senderos, S Davies.
Referee: M Dean (Wirral).


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/9188672/Bolton-Wanderers-0-Fulham-3-match-report.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Clint Dempsey scores 21st goal in win over Bolton

Clint Dempsey's red-hot run of form shows no sign of slowing down.

The American international scored a pair of goals for Fulham in an easy 3-0 road win over Bolton on Saturday, his 20th and 21st overall of his season.

In the 30th minute, Dempsey opened the scoring with a fantastic free kick, curling a 30-yard effort over the Bolton wall and past a diving Adam Bogdan.

Just before halftime, Damian Duff played an inviting cross from the right side of the box, which Dempsey duly converted with a close-range header for his second of the match. Mahamadou Diarra rounded off a comfortable win with a goal in the 80th minute.

Dempsey's goals were his 14th and 15th of the season in the Premier League, putting him alone for fifth place in the scoring chart. Only Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney, Sergio Aguero and Demba Ba have more league goals.

Dempsey has scored three FA Cup goals and three Europa league goals for a total of 21 on the season, which is fast becoming one of the greatest an American Abroad has ever had.



http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=goal-clintdempseyscoresstgoalinw

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham outplay Bolton



Clint Dempsey struck twice for Fulham as they overcame Bolton 3-0 at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Bolton looked like they were really up for the game when the whistle went, but failed to create anything meaningful after an early attack saw a cross from Martin Petrov deflected out for a corner.

The hosts did have the first real chance of the game though when David Ngog broke away on the right side of the pitch and squared the ball to Ryo Miyaichi, but he could only direct his effort over the bar.

Fulham started to come into the game more as the half progressed, with Damien Duff finding the side-netting and Clint Dempsey having a goal ruled out for offside.

Dempsey did get his name on the scoresheet just a few minutes later though with a well struck 30 yard free kick. The American stepped up ahead of John Arne Riise and Ruiz and slotted the ball over the wall and into the top corner to give the visitors the lead.

Fulham continued to press forward and were rewarded on the stroke of half time with their second goal of the game.

Duff did well to beat substitute Marcos Alonso and pick out Dempsey at the back post, who headed in from close range to socre his 21st goal of the season and put Fulham 2-0 up going into the break.

Bolton looked a different side when they emerged for the second half, with substitue Chris Eagles making an instant impact. The midfielder curled a free kick just wide of the target from the edge of the box, and then had a fierce shot from the edge of the area blocked by the Fulham defense.

Bolton continued to press, but were almost caught out when Duff broke free of Alonso once again, but his low shot was well saved by Adam Bogdan.

The hosts continued to press, but their hopes of making a comeback were dashed 10 minutes from time thanks to Mousa Dembele.

Riise burst forward unchecked on the left side of the pitch, and his low cross was inch perfect for Dembele, who slotted the ball home and secured all three points for Fulham.


http://www.setanta.com/ie/Articles/2012/04/07/Fulham-outplay-Bolton/gnid-137639/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Diarra's Delight

Fulham produced a brilliant away performance to leave the Reebok Stadium with maximum points on Saturday afternoon after Clint Dempsey’s brace set the Whites on their way to an impressive 3-0 victory.

The final goal came courtesy of midfielder Mahamadou Diarra’s first for the Club when he got on the end of an inch-perfect John Arne Riise cross with 10 minutes remaining of the match.

“I’m happy to score my first goal for Fulham but most of all I’m happy with the three points,” the Malian told fulhamfc.com after the game. “I think we started the game really well; the first 30 minutes was really, really good and we were really compact with the ball.

“I also thought that we were really strong in the air which is important so we were happy with the first half but we knew in the second half they were going to try to put us under a lot of pressure to come back into the game. They wanted to get an early goal but we kept the ball well and stopped them playing. I had the chance to get the third goal so I’m really happy for the Team.

“We needed to win today to reach our target of getting six points from two games [following the Norwich victory]. That was my sixth game and the first time that we’ve won when I’ve been in the starting 11 so I’m really happy that we won three points.”

After securing consecutive victories, Chelsea are the next opponents when we welcome our neighbours to SW6 on Easter Monday and Mahamdou sees no reason why we can’t take this form into the game.

“Today’s result sets us up well for Chelsea,” he said. “We’ll be trying to keep the same mentality and the same attitude in that game. We will try and keep the ball and play our football and if we do that we know we’ll have a chance against them.”



Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2012/April/DiarraBoltonReaction.aspx?#ixzz1rQS7s3Cx

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham may have turned a corner - Bolton 0-3 Fulham

There were two goals for Clint Dempsey as Fulham walked away from the Reebok Stadium with a comfortable 3-0 victory but while the American will take the deserved plaudits, there was a distinctly impressive team performance behind it. The Cottagers, for the first time in what has seemed like an age, appeared to grasp the necessities of victory from the very first minute and they never really let it go. It would seem that Jol's legacy is finally being written.

Mahamadou Diarra scored the other goal that hauled Fulham to within one point of Liverpool and two points off of seventh place and there was a composed nature to the Whites display that bodes well for the plausibility of a top ten standing. Chelsea come next and the confidence is high here.



There was no striker on the pitch with Pavel Pogrebnyak failing to recover from an ankle injury sustained last week and, as such, the away fans thought they were in for a dull afternoon. Alex Kaciniklic was handed his full debut, though, while Dempsey led the line.

The opening was cagey and arguably fell in Bolton's favour, yet there was a palpable spice to Fulham's play with Moussa Dembele, Dempsey, Bryan Ruiz and Kaciniklic combining well. Damien Duff was embarrassing Bolton's Marcus Alonso and the circus would continue all afternoon.

Duff was allowed space too regularly by the home side's left back and twice the Irishman managed to get a shot away. Neither found the target but the prognosis was concerning for the Owen Coyle's relegation threatened men.

Dempsey seemed to have opened the scoring not long after but his attempt was judged offside before the deadlock was officially broken by the same man. The Texan-born midfielder rifled a free kick into the top right hand corner and, in truth, Adam Bogdan never stood much of a chance.

It was Dempsey again who doubled the lead, but it was Duff's work on the right hand side that deserved the acclamation. Again, the winger ghosted past a hapless Alonso and his cross was met astutely by Dempsey, yet again proving his aerial prowess.

In the second half, it was clear that the home manager Coyle needed to change things and he responded in such a manner. Kevin Davies and Chris Eagles were introduced at half time but the effect was minimal. Fulham continued to dominate.

Only Bodgan kept Bolton in the game, denying Duff twice before Bryan Ruiz was stretchered off the field after suffering what is, as yet, an unknown injury. We can only hope it wasn't as worrying as it looked.

Dickson Etuhu replaced him and the assumption was that the deed was done. Not so, however, as Diarra rounded off a brilliant display from the Whites. John Arne Riise was the provider as he raced down the left and crossed for the Malian to slide home.

Marcello Trotta was introduced in the dying minutes but he couldn't find the net. The away following won't be disappointed, though, as it seems we may finally have turned a corner.



http://www.cottagersconfidential.com/2012/4/7/2932553/fulham-may-have-turned-a-corner-bolton-0-3-fulham?

[WhiteJC]

 
Winning in Style

Following Saturday's 3-0 away win over Bolton Wanderers, Martin Jol was both satisfied with the final result and the manner in which his Team achieved victory. 

'They [Bolton] had three wins in succession before today's game. They're fighting for their lives which is a different sort of motivation so I'm very satisfied with the result and the players did really well.

'I'm pleased with all the guys. Bolton played with two wing players and we did the same and Damien Duff looked dangerous in the first part of the game.

'We scored from a free-kick and the second goal was a very good attack. The second half was pleasing because we earned the right to play our football and that was good to see.

'We defended well and kept the ball well and when you play good football you will create chances and score goals.

'Our aspiration is to play good football and we've got too many points to look behind us now so now we have to create a winning mentality and get as many points as possible.

'This was our 49th game of the season and we still look good so I'm satisfied.'

Clint Dempsey added a brace to his remarkable goalscoring feats on Saturday, taking his tally in all competitions this season to 21 goals, and Jol was full of praise for the US international star after the game.

'He [Dempsey] will always be on the end of things, like he was for his second goal, because he's always eager to score. With Andrew Johnson and Pavel Pogrebnyak unavailable he [Dempsey] was our only solution today [in attack].

'If you consider that he's scored most of his goals from a wide position this season it's quite amazing how many goals he's scored.'



Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2012/April/JolBoltonReaction.aspx?#ixzz1rQSecpao

[WhiteJC]

 
Jol desperate to keep Dempsey at Fulham

Fulham boss Martin Jol has revealed he is desperate for Clint Dempsey to commit his future to the club.

The American striker has been the subject of interest from north London side Arsenal, with manager Arsene Wenger believed to be lining up an offer in the region of £10m.

And he did his options no harm at all as he struck twice in Fulham’s 3-0 win against Bolton to take his tally for the season to 21 in all competitions.

But Jol has laid his cards on the table, claiming that he wants Dempsey to stay at the club and that Fulham have made him a very good offer in order for him to do so.

“I can’t foresee the future,” Jol said when asked about Dempsey’s future. “We want to keep him and hopefully he wants to stay.

“We have offered him a very good contract so he knows that he is very appreciated at our club and hopefully he will stay.”



http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/transfer-rumours/120407/jol-desperate-keep-dempsey-fulham-169122?

[WhiteJC]

 
Bolton 0-3 Fulham



Just as Wanderers fans were starting to get comfortable with the good results, and, dare I say it, actual points, Bolton pulled what can only be described as a Bolton. Of course after pulling off 3 wins in a row, Bolton had to capitulate. Obviously just as I was starting to believe Bolton will be safe from the drop this season, the team puts in a performance like that. This is by no means the end of the world that some of the more dramatic fans are making it out to be, but it is still a disappointment. Bolton remain in 16th place for today, but if they want to stay there, they'll have to stop putting in performances like today's.



The game got off to a rather scrappy start, as it took both teams time to settle in. Unfortunately for the home side, Fulham seemed to settle in much more effectively and made themselves right at home. The first fright cam in the 23rd minute when Clint Dempsey slammed the ball home, but was called back for offside. The near goal only whetted his appetite though, and just 6 minutes later he got on the score sheet with a beautifully curled free kick that gave Adam Bogdan no chance.

The goal did wake Bolton up to an extent, but as so often happens any coherent attack failed to prove anywhere close to lethal once it reached the box. The Wanderers looked like they could have gotten a foot in the game, but Clint Dempsey's second goal just before halftime took the wind out of Boltonian sails. Damien Duff once again beat Marcos Alonso, who was doing his best Paul Robinson impression throughout the match, and Dempsey headed his cross home.

Unusually Coyle made 2 changes at halftime, putting Kevin Davies on for Darren Pratley, changing the formation from 4-5-1 to 4-4-2, and also Chris Eagles on for Ryo Miyaichi. The substitutes did manage to breathe some life back into the home side, but were unable to translate that into goals. David Ngog made a good run into the box, but was pulled down in what on another day might have earned a penalty. In the 80th minute Mahamadou Diarra put the game to bed from close range.

It was most certainly an afternoon to forget for the Trotters, but it was not the worst match of the season either. Bolton must now look to Monday's match with Newcastle and focus on getting back to winning ways.



http://www.lionofviennasuite.com/2012/4/7/2932398/bolton-0-3-fulham?

[WhiteJC]

 
Jol Remains Hopeful Amid Arsenal Interest

Arsenal are keeping tabs on Fulham’s Clint Dempsey with a view of a summer move, according to the Daily Express.

The American has been in sparkling form this season with 20 goals from midfield and with Dempsey stalling over a new deal at Craven Cottage, the Gunners are looking to the 29-year-old to bring another dimension to their midfield.

While Dempsey has certainly not hinted of wanting to leave Craven Cottage, the prospect of playing Champions League football next season would certainly be attractive as the American has made no secret in the past of his desire to one day play in the competition.

Reports suggest that Fulham will be holding out for at least £10m for Dempsey, who has 18 months remaining on his current deal. Martin Jol has confirmed that Fulham have offered him a two-year extension to his existing deal and is attempting to talk him into committing his long term future to the club.


http://www.footballfancast.com/2012/04/premiership/arsenal-premiership/jol-remains-hopeful-amid-arsenal-interest

[WhiteJC]

 
Jol hails 'amazing' two-goal hero Dempsey as Fulham trounce Bolton
The Dutchman also revealed he wants to foster a winning mentality away from Craven Cottage while Bolton boss Owen Coyle lamented his side's lack of concentration in defence


Getty

Fulham manager Martin Jol reserved special praise for Clint Dempsey after the striker netted twice to his help his side to a 3-0 win over Bolton.

The American opened the scoring after 30 minutes with a long-range free kick before doubling his tally just before half-time with a simple header.

With other strikers out injured, such as Pavel Pogrebnyak, Jol was delighted that the 29-year-old stepped up to steal the show at the Reebok Stadium.

“He will always be at the end of things, of crosses, like he did with the second goal,” Jol told reporters.

“[Pogrebnyak] was not there, Andy Johnson was not there, so he was the only solution for us.

“If you consider that he’s scored most of his goals from a wide position then it’s quite amazing.”

Dempsey’s goal now leaves him on 15 in the league this season - the highest total for a Fulham player in their Premier League history - but the former Tottenham boss highlighted other crucial performances in their victory.

He added: “I’m pleased with all the guys. We looked dangerous with Duff in the first part of the game then we scored with a free-kick.

“Very good attacking with the second goal, and especially the second half was pleasing because normally if we get under pressure we tend to play in a different style.”

The Cottagers sit 10th after the win, and although they cannot qualify for continental football, Jol believes his players can build on their back-to-back wins to help foster a winning mentality.

“Our aspiration is to play good football because you can’t say that we play for Europe,” he added.

“The only thing is trying to create a winning mentality and to get as many points as possible, and that won’t be easy as this was - though it is simple to say - probably our easiest game of the games we still have to play."

Meanwhile Bolton boss Owen Coyle was not pleased with some of the defensive marking by his side.

“Yeah, I don’t think there’s any doubt about that,” Coyle said when asked if the home defeat was disappointing.

“Coming into the game, and being at home, we were looking to make it four wins on the bounce. I thought the game, to be fair, was an even start, there wasn’t a lot in it.

“The second goal [was] right on the stroke of half time, we’ve given it away. It was a poor pass under no pressure and we’ve then been got caught on the counter-attack.

“Clint Dempsey’s out there, unmarked, with a free header, so it’s certainly hard to take.”

The loss leaves Bolton hovering tentatively at 16th in the table and Coyle feels it is an opportunity missed for the Trotters to push away from their fellow relegation-threatened clubs.

He added: “We certainly came into the game trying to win and I think the way a couple of results went today it was a chance to open up a gap.

“It’s certainly disappointing. The first goal I always feel in the Premier League is vital and that really turned the game on its head today."



http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2012/04/07/3020445/jol-hails-amazing-two-goal-hero-dempsey-as-fulham-trounce?