Bolton shoot to the front of SWP queue
Published 23:00 24/01/11
By Alan Nixon
(http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/match-centre/article642151.ece/ALTERNATES/gallery-large/.jpeg)
Bolton boss Owen Coyle has shot to the head of the chase for Shaun Wright-Phillips - because he is a FAN of the Wanderers style.
Coyle hopes to beat Fulham and Newcastle in the chase for the Manchester City star and his chances were boosted when he turned up to watch them from the VIP seats last night.
Wright-Phillips has been discussing a switch to Fulham for the past week but would prefer to join Bolton.
Coyle's footballing philosophy ticks the boxes with Wright-Phillips who is also happy in the north west and close pals with Bolton centre half Zat Knight.
Bolton would take Wright-Phillips for the rest of the season if City drop their demands for any deal to be a full-time sale or a loan with a guaranteed buy in the summer.
Coyle would also need City to sponsor some of little Wright-Phillips's king-size wages but the fact that the player is keen to join Bolton is in his favour.
The Wanderers chief has just landed David Wheater froM Middlesbrough and is waiting on an answer from Arsenal on his loan bid for Carlos Vela although the striker may prefer to go to Spain.
Coyle has two vacancies for Premier League loans and wants to use them to boost his paper-thin squad and stop them slipping down the table.
Read more: http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Transfer-news-Bolton-shoot-to-the-front-of-th-Shaun-Wright-Phillips-queue-ahead-of-Fulham-and-Newcastle-article681097.html#ixzz1C1iUnOop (http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Transfer-news-Bolton-shoot-to-the-front-of-th-Shaun-Wright-Phillips-queue-ahead-of-Fulham-and-Newcastle-article681097.html#ixzz1C1iUnOop)
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11681_6699447,00.html
Fulham fail in keeper offer
Trelleborg prepared to sell Noring for the right price
By Kent Hedlundh
Last updated: 24th January 2011
(http://img.skysports.com/10/08/218x298/CravenCottageview_2492461.jpg)
Swedish side Trelleborg have rejected an offer from Fulham for teenage goalkeeper Viktor Noring following a recent trial.
Noring trained with the Premier League club earlier this month and did enough to impress manager Mark Hughes to warrant an offer.
However, Trelleborg have turned down the Cottagers' opening gambit just a week before the January transfer window closes.
Trelleborg spokesman Stefan Nilsson has confirmed Fulham want to sign the 19-year-old before the end of the month, but is unsure if an agreement can be reached.
Nilsson told Sportbladet: "If we reach an agreement, they want him before the end of January, but it has to be right for all parties."
Meanwhile, Fulham striker David Elm is expected to sign a four-year contract to join Swedish club Elfsborg on Tuesday.
Liverpool's Ryan Babel's off to Hoffenheim but deal for Luis Suarez hits deadlock
By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 1:36 AM on 25th January 2011
Hoffenheim were closing in on a deal for Liverpool's Ryan Babel last night, heading off interest in the striker from Sunderland and Fulham.
The Holland star has made it clear his preference would be to rejoin Ajax but they have shown little interest in taking him as they push for £25million in straight cash from Liverpool for Luis Suarez.
Hoffenheim have now offered £7m, rising to £8m on performances and a deal worth £70,000 a week for the 24-year-old.
(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/01/24/article-1350236-0CE4BC66000005DC-121_224x423.jpg) (http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/01/24/article-0-0CD4ABE0000005DC-860_224x423.jpg)
Revolving door: Babel looks to be heading for the exit but will Suarez replace him?
The Anfield club accepted Hoffenheim's offer last week but the player had returned to Liverpool, where he resumed training.
Personal terms have now been settled, though, and a Liverpool statement last night read: 'Ryan Babel has agreed a move to Hoffenheim. The Dutch international will fly to Germany to finalise the deal.
'The move comes six days after Liverpool accepted a bid for the 24-year-old striker.'
Sunderland and Fulham will be disappointed as both strive to find suitable strikers. Sunderland were also rebuffed in a £3m offer for West Ham's Frederic Piquionne on Monday and continue to negotiate over Stoke's Ricardo Fuller.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are considering their options after talks over Suarez stalled and Babel could still figure in negotiations if the Hoffenheim deal collapses.
Damien Comolli, Liverpool's director of football strategy, held a brief meeting in Amsterdam with Ajax general director Rik van den Boog, who told him the Dutch club would not consider an offer below £25m for Suarez. Ajax claim Liverpool have offered only £12.7m.
An Ajax spokesman said: 'We'll have to wait for them to come back with something more respectful. If you compare the £12.7m Liverpool want to pay for Suarez with other transfers you can imagine that it's far too low for us.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1350236/Ryan-Babels-Hoffenheim-deal-Luis-Suarez-hits-deadlock.html#ixzz1C1jgRirt (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1350236/Ryan-Babels-Hoffenheim-deal-Luis-Suarez-hits-deadlock.html#ixzz1C1jgRirt)
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2011/01/24/2321650/official-striker-david-elm-joins-if-elfsborg-from-fulham (http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2011/01/24/2321650/official-striker-david-elm-joins-if-elfsborg-from-fulham)
Official: Striker David Elm joins IF Elfsborg from Fulham
Swede only managed one goal for Cottagers
By Alex Fisher
24 Jan 2011 23:27:00
Fulham have today confirmed that they have come to an agreement with IF Elfsborg over the sale of striker David Elm who has signed a five year contract with the Swedish club.
Elm arrived at Craven Cottage in July 2009 from Kalmar FF for an undisclosed fee but only made 10 appearances for the club, scoring one goal.
He has struggled to make an impact on the club's first team and with the return to fitness of Andy Johnson, combined with the form of Moussa Dembele, Diomansy Kamara and Clint Dempsey the Swede has found his opportunities further reduced and manager Mark Hughes has let him return to his homeland to gain regular first team football.
"Fulham Football Club can confirm the permanent transfer of David Elm to Swedish side IF Elfsborg as of February 1," they confirmed on their club website.
"We would like to thank David for his services and wish him all the best for the future."
http://hammyend.com/index.php/2011/01/gatesys-roundup-that-can-boogie/
Gatesy's Roundup That Can Boogie
by gatesy on January 24, 2011
A busy weekend of Premier League action with a surprisingly large amount of braces being scored by players left right and center. We managed to carry on our decent run of form since the shambles that was the Boxing Day defeat to Wham. David Stockdale continued his run of being unbeaten in all of his appearances this season. I imagine he'll attribute this fine run down to his now traditional night before the game ritual of visiting Nandos. The whole team put in a good shift, with our completed pass rate hitting 81% at full time – only the top four clubs managed to best that.
Dempsey causes the Potters problems.
Although Pennant failed to make the starting XI for Stoke, we should probably just be glad he remembered to show up for the game. After his failed time in Spain he returned to the midlands only to completely forget he'd left his £90,000 car in a station car park out there until the club reminded him about it. One fella who certainly did turn up was Potters Captain Ryan Shawcroft. Tony Pulis has long defended the centre back and stuck up for him saying that he's not a dirty kinda player.
"Ryan is a smashing lad, he comes from a lovely family. He is not that type of lad, not that type of player"
Fellow Stoke player Danny Pugh also backs up this club line, this time after he broke Arron Ramseys leg:
"There was no malicious intent from Ryan, he's not that kind of player"
The eagle eyed fans at the Cottage on Saturday may have spotted Shawcross picking up his third red card in 11 months. But he's not that kind of player. Honest.
Wham managed to pick up a point, which is good work considering they were leading Everton twice. Now it's quite unlike the club and their fans to whinge about anything, even when they have no reason to, but they've managed it again this weekend. After scoring what he thought was the winner, Piquenne leapt into the hordes of the gathered cockneys to celebrate. He was given a booking for his troubles, as Andrew Johnson was at Wigan, as the letter of the law says. However as this was his second booking of the game he was shown the exit. Much to my amusement. Not everybody had as much of a belly laugh at this as I did, with soon-to-be-Hammers-ex-manager Grant mouthing off saying:
"Next time I will tell my players to go to a funeral when they score...He scored a goal and went to celebrate with the supporters. He has not done anything wrong – he went to celebrate with the people who deserve to more than anybody. "
We'll ignore the fact that the rule is there to ensure the crowds safety and also ignore the fact that Grant has put his weight behind their move to the Olympic Stadium, where a player would have to use a connecting flight to bridge the running track and reach the supporters to celebrate with them...
Man Yoo continued to knock goals in for fun, and assist my charge up the HammyEnd fantasy football league, with a five-nil drubbing of Brum. While a lot has been made of Berbatov's goals, and the possibility of the reds going a season unbeaten the big story today was that midfielder Anderson has refused to cut his hair:
"There is no chance I would ever consider having all my hair cut off. My hair is my life. It's so important to me. If you cut off my hair, it is like cutting out my ear or cutting off my legs. I would cry for days and days"
Arsenal kept the pressure up on them with a 3-0 home win over Wigan, with Latics 'keeper Al Habsi playing a blinder and managing to keepthe score respectable. Man City Stumbled to a one-nil defeat to Aston Villa with Darren Bent scoring on his Villains debut after his move from Sunderland. And talking of him, Steve Bruce has said it's time for the Black Cats to move on and get over his departure:
"The one thing I have learned about the squad is that in adversity they will always respond,"
And that they did with a 2-1 win at Blackpool, with Kieran Richardson (remember him?!) scoring a brace. After the game it was all talk about a possible transfer for Charlie Adam after word got out of three transfer bids already turned down before the news on Monday that the player's asked for a move. This probably could have come at a better time, with the sea-siders set to face Man Yoo on Tuesday night. Back before the original fixture date, just after United had spanked Blackburn, they were pretty much thumbing their nose at the Reds giving it the big come on. Ian Evatt thought he'd set himself up for a fall by saying:
"I noticed Dimitar Berbatov scored five on Saturday. Let's see if he can score five against us. I don't think so"
Not finished there yet:
"United may have beaten Blackburn 7-1 but they have not come to Bloomfield Road yet"
He's either VERY confident or VERY stupid...
Spuds managed a last gasp equaliser at the other St James Park, while there were wins for both Liverpool against Wolves and Blackburn over the Baggies.
A female? At a football game? Has the world gone quite mad??
Overshadowing a lot of the action this weekend was Sky Sports' hairy handed presenter Richard Keys and Andy Grays discussing female lineswoman, Sian Massey. Now, I don't have a problem with, and actually encourage, the presenting team to make more sexy comments about officials, but with them both been suspended for tonight's coverage if I'm subjected to Redknapp Jnr fawning over his cousin I shall be most annoyed.
And the reason he may be doing that is because tonight's Monday Night Football (probably without sexy comments directed at the officials) is Bolton Versus Chelsea.
Wednesday night sees us travel up to Scouseland for our rearranged game at Liverpool. Handily re-scheduled for after Uncle Roy has left and just as they seem to be finding form again. Then it's Cup action at the weekend when the luckiest team in the world, Spuds visit our gaff. This'll be fun...
http://www.fulhamweb.co.uk/news/Fulham-visiting-Liverpool-~-Match-Preview.aspx
Fulham visiting Liverpool ~ Match Preview
last updated Monday 24th January 2011, 6:00 PM
These sides were due to meet just before Christmas and then Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson must have looked forward to the visit of his former club, as it would probably have been the only time he would have heard his name sung in a positive manner at Anfield - albeit from the away end.
His name is now but a bitter memory for Liverpool fans whose new saviour, 'King' Kenny Dalglish, showed signs on Saturday that he might be able to get the best out of an underperforming squad and help turn around one of the most disastrous seasons in the club's illustrious history.
Their display in the 3-0 win at Wolves was far from perfect, but the players showed a commitment, hunger and bite that has so often been absent this season. Even Fernando Torres rose from the doldrums to score twice in a performance that dampened rumours that he wants to leave.
Fulham's record at Anfield is derisory - not a single win in 29 visits and some fearful beatings along the way, including the infamous club record 10-0 thrashing 25 years ago.
But when the Cottagers were under the stewardship of Hodgson, and playing a brand of football that the Reds' faithful would go on to quickly despise, they eked out two successive 0-0 draws at Anfield. Manager Mark Hughes will be desperate for his side to go one better and finally end their Merseyside hoodoo, and they are well placed to do so given a recent run of form that has seen them win three of their last five league games.
MATCH FACTS
•Four of the nine Premier League games at Anfield between these sides have ended as goalless draws, including the last two.
•Liverpool have kept six clean sheets in their last eight meetings with Fulham.
•Fulham have yet to beat Liverpool at Anfield in 29 attempts.
•This will be the 60th time Fulham and Liverpool have met. Liverpool lead by 33 wins to 10, with 16 draws.
•Liverpool have conceded 31 goals in the league so far - they conceded a total of 35 goals in the whole of last season.
•This is the first time since the 1992-93 season that they have a negative goal difference after 23 league matches.
•Goalkeeper David Stockdale is proving to be a lucky omen for Mark Hughes's men - they have not lost in any of his eight appearances this season.
•Fulham have not won any on their previous 18 Premier League visits to Merseyside to play either Everton or Liverpool.
•There have been a total of 20 goals scored in the club's 11 matches away from home this season, which is fewer than in any other club's away games.
http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8201654
Senioroos should stay on: Schwarzer
By Liam FitzGibbon
14:50 AEST Tue Jan 25 2011
Amid calls for a rejuvenation of the Socceroos after the Asian Cup, Australia's oldest player Mark Schwarzer believes the side's veterans should be kept around to play an important part in the process.
The Socceroos march towards Asian Cup glory continues on Wednesday morning (AEDT) with a semi-final clash with Uzbekistan but some pundits are looking further down the track.
There have been calls for an overhaul of the squad after the tournament in Qatar in order to put the building blocks in place for the road towards the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Many expected the Asian Cup to feature more new faces but Socceroos coach Holger Osieck signalled his intent to win the tournament by picking a strong, experienced side.
And with several of the Socceroos' senior players signalling their intent to hang around for the next World Cup cycle, the immediate future of the squad remains unclear.
But goalkeeper Schwarzer, Australia's longest-serving national player, said he wanted to see the best players continuing to be selected regardless of age.
"I think it's important to pick players on merit," Schwarzer said.
"I get the idea of trying to look at the future and trying to build, but how far do you keep building for?
"How often do you keep changing and building for the future? You're always judged on each game.
"If you can bring in the odd young player here or there, and bleed them into the side and give them the opportunity to play at senior level with the senior players around them and the experienced players around them, that actually helps them.
"Far, far more than playing a side that is relatively inexperienced and are really struggling to come to terms with it."
Schwarzer, captain Lucas Neill, Tim Cahill and Brett Emerton are among a core group of senior players which has signalled its in intent to continue playing for Australia beyond the Asian Cup.
While it's highly unlikely all will be at the 2014 World Cup , should Australia qualify, Schwarzer believes they can still pave the road to Brazil and help develop new talent along the way.
"It's invaluable to have the senior players and experienced players there, provided they're still at the top of their game and they're there on merit," he said.
"I'm all for just picking players on merit, without a doubt, not just because of who they are and where they're playing."
While the Asian Cup has proved Australia's senior stars still have plenty to offer, there have also been encouraging signs of fresh talent.
Matt McKay and Mile Jedinak are among those that continue to develop in national colours while Osieck has also taken a handful of youngsters along for the ride including Nathan Burns, Robbie Kruse, Tommy Oar and Matthew Spiranovic.
http://www.fulham-mad.co.uk/news/prev/fm_preview_liverpool_v_fulham_26_jan_2011_624524/index.shtml
FM Preview: Liverpool v Fulham 26 Jan 2011
By Footymad Tuesday, 25th January 2011
This week FootyMad's match preview focuses on the game between Liverpool and Fulham at 20:00 on Wednesday, 26th January 2011 in the Premier League.
History of the Liverpool v Fulham fixture
Fulham face a trip to Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday evening, looking to break their duck against the hosts. The Cottagers have lost on no less than 20 of the 29 visits.
The most recent encounter between these two sides was less than a year ago, in April 2010, when they played out a goalless draw in a Premier League match.
For a detailed analysis of the head-to-head between the two sides, click here
Recent encounters between the teams:
2009/2010 Sun 11 Apr Liverpool 0 - 0 Fulham PREM
2009/2010 Sat 31 Oct Fulham 3 - 1 Liverpool PREM
2008/2009 Sat 04 Apr Fulham 0 - 1 Liverpool PREM
2008/2009 Sat 22 Nov Liverpool 0 - 0 Fulham PREM
2007/2008 Sat 19 Apr Fulham 0 - 2 Liverpool PREM
2007/2008 Sat 10 Nov Liverpool 2 - 0 Fulham PREM
2006/2007 Sat 05 May Fulham 1 - 0 Liverpool PREM
Recent respective form guides
Liverpool have been playing quite well at home, winning 3, drawing 2, and losing just 1. A total of 10 goals have been scored by the Reds in those games, with 4 conceded.
Fulham have an average recent record on the road, seeing them win just 1 and draw 2 of the last six. Only 4 goals have been registered in this time, with 5 leaked at the wrong end.
Liverpool see themselves just below half way in the Barclays Premier League, showing a record of 29 points from their 23 games played so far, Fulham find themselves struggling down in 14th position in the league having picked up 26 points from their 23 matches.
For a detailed analysis of team form guides throughout the leagues, click here
Current form guides: P W D L F A P
Liverpool 6 2 1 3 9 9 7
Fulham 6 4 1 1 14 4 13
FootyMad's prediction ...
Not a lot has been going right generally for Fulham on their travels as of late, but I can certainly see them gleaning a point from their game against Liverpool. No-score draw
Sequence statistics:
Liverpool No sequences of note
Fulham Not won in previous 2 away matches.
5 games since last defeat.
http://www.footballfancast.com/2011/01/football-blogs/would-new-regulations-rid-the-premier-league-of-some-of-its-charm
Would new regulations rid the Premier League of some of its charm?
Date: 24th January 2011 at 7:42 pm |
Written by James McManus
(http://www.footballfancast.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Fulham-Dressing-Room-300x225.jpg)
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson launched a stinging attack on the state of Fulham's facilities yesterday which begs the question – should there be a set standard for the whole of the Premier League?
The answer, in short, is of course yes. We are treated daily to the sycophantic media trotting out the same tired line that the Premier League is the best league in the world. A somewhat myopic view if you ask me. But surely if the Premier League is as good as everyone says that it is, then there has to be set standards and rules with which clubs have to adhere to if they are to retain their status in the top flight.
The lower down the leagues that you go, certain stipulations are put in place by the relevant authorities. Some leagues demand that a stand be put in place, temporary or otherwise. Others demand that floodlights are placed around the ground to allow the fixture scheduling the flexibility to play week games and evening fixtures. It would seem crazy that there are no set rules for the Premier League, especially considering the money on offer each season.
It's very rarely that I agree with Alex Ferguson, but he makes a valid point. The actual quotes attributed to him state: "Fulham's dressing rooms when we played there this season were an absolute disgrace. It really was ridiculous. The room you got was no more than eight square yards. I think there should be standards; they are in the Premier Division. No matter what the Blackpool dressing room is like, it will not be as bad as Fulham's."
There are of course instances of the home side deliberately giving the away side a rubbish dressing room – the thinking behind this being that it'll unsettle the bigger club's pampered stars. Of course, this seems to have worked as Man Utd threw away the lead in the dying embers of the game to draw 2-2 to the hosts. But such cases of gamesmanship have to be consigned not only to the past but the scrap heap too if the Premier League is to truly take the tag of the best league in the world.
Standards have to be set. Whether that means imposing a minimum stadium capacity upon entry to the league I'm not so sure. But the facilities have to be right in the modern game, that much is clear. Craven Cottage is the only ground in the Premier League where the managers have to walk across the pitch in order to take their seat at the dugout. This is an archaic way of going about things and it smacks of a lack of professionalism.
It's clear that Craven Cottage could do with a lick of paint and a degree of modernising, I'm not wholly condoning the state of the ground and facilities, but it does take a lot to prompt a Premier League manager to come out and criticise another club's facilities, even one as fiery as Ferguson. This odd state of affairs will hopefully ensure that the Premier League declares a minimum of what is required of it's members.
Does Ferguson make a valid point? Should the Premier League enforce a bare minimum when it comes to facilities?
http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2011/01/24/fulhams-dressing-room-et-al/
Fulham's dressing room, et al
Filed under: General — timmyg @ 6:30 pm
h/t to Bilet!
Okay, now I can see why Sir Alex complains about our dressing room. I don't agree with the whining, but my alma mater, the tiny Division 3 Goucher College, had a larger locker-room. My girlfriend said her high school's smallest locker-room was still bigger.
Anyway it just adds more charm to the sanctuary that is Craven Cottage. Oh, and are those training tops for sale at all? Wow they look sharp.
Interesting tidbit in today's Winners and Losers over at F365:
Fulham
Since the nadir of the Boxing Day defeat at home to West Ham, the Cottagers have bounced back with three wins in five. Their pass-completion percentage against Stoke finished at 81% – the highest of any top-flight side outside of the Champions League-qualifying places.
Perhaps it was the competition, or perhaps Hughes is truly having us playing "passing football"?
Lastly, and I could be wrong, but the current 4-point gap between us and the relegation zone is the largest since our win over Wolves in early September. Onwards and upwards...
(http://cravencottagenewsround.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/face.png?w=366&h=204)
(Rich here: rare face in the crowd moment – that's me in the red (Indianapolis Indians) hat, Martin to my left (I am pointing out Murph on the halfway line at this very moment), Mary the row in front of Martin, and Toby is under Clint's arm in the grey. Matthew (who spotted this) is hidden, poor man)
http://cottagers.blogspot.com/2011/01/last-on-motd-ful-2-0-sto.html
Last on MOTD - FUL 2 - 0 STO
(http://www.fulhamfc.com/CachedImage.axd?ImageName=%2fImages%2fMainNews%2fNewsPages%2fPhotoSpecial%2f1011%2fStokeHome%2fPA-10069539.jpg&ImageWidth=633&ImageHeight=500)
Took a friend to his first ever Premier League match this weekend and with two goals, one penalty, a red card and the ball crashing against a post and a crossbar and plenty of humourous chants - it seemed a pretty good introduction. As it was for new signing Steven Sidwell - who was given 25 minutes against a dispirited 10-man team already two down.
Stoke were a very disappointing side. Other than Jones making a bit of a nuisance of himself in the first 15 minutes (and a set piece header from Shawcross that skipped merrily wide) Stoke had nothing. They were creatively bankrupt and even having Tuncay up front failed to rectify the matter. In fact when the Turk came off for the newly loaned Carew (so newly loaned that he didn't make the programme) it was more of a act of kindness. The two forwards will likely start in each other's places for the next game, not that Carew did anything outstanding.
Once Aaron Hughes had regained his composure against Stoke's big men, they rarely threatened unless set up by wayward defensive headers, and it was Fulham's small men that did most of the damage - Duff and Johnson were very impressive with their movement, ably assisted by the showing of Dempsey and Dembele drifting around the pitch. Murphy once again pulled the strings, but Duff was the standout player, giving a torrid time to Stoke's makeshift left back.
The second half was made far easier by an early goal (and a red card). Dempsey, despite my continual criticisms of his first touch, wondrously pulled a pass out of the air to slip between the Stoke centre halves to go through on goal when Shawcross showed his appreciation of Rugby by completely hauling him down inside the penalty area. Pulis ridiculously suggested that Dempsey was already on the way down (not that he hasn't got previous) but it was as simple a decision as it was possible to make - even Stuart Atwell got it right.
Stoke's defenders were the most 'grabby' I've seen of a team in many, many months, but at least those sort of fouls aren't dangerous.
Once Demps had converted, that was about it. Stoke become a slight parody of themselves by throwing on a few more giants and taking off the small quick wingers and just launched the ball in the air. Expect Treebeard to sign for the Potters any day now. However they do need something extra if this is an example of a typical game for them. At 33/1 I see enough value in a small tinkle on them to get relegated so poorly did they play. Or maybe it was Fulham playing so well that made them appear so ordinary? With a handful of tricky matches ahead of them, Fulham will definitely be hoping that's the case.
Diarra stuck in the middle at Madrid as Spurs keep an eye and Fulham close in on Wright-Phillips
SHAUN WRIGHT-PHILLIPS
Manchester City to Fulham
THE INSIDER says: 4/5
(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/01/24/article-1350059-0C8C4958000005DC-32_306x435.jpg)
Newcastle and Bolton have been encouraged by news that Manchester City are willing to let the England winger go on loan.
They are both eager to bring in a wide player and have also both entered the bidding for Stephen Ireland at Aston Villa.
He will be allowed on loan to anyone willing to pay his £60,000 a week wages in full.
Wright-Phillips has shown a willingness to stay in the north west and that lifted Bolton who are also waiting on Carlos Vela from Arsenal, however, Fulham manager Mark Hughes remains confident he can lure Wright-Phillips back to London.
He knows the player well and will convince him he has a big role to play in the resurgence of the Cottagers who are looking to bring two more new faces and will be boosted further by Bobby Zamora's impending return from injury.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1350059/Lassana-Diarra-stuck-middle-Madrid--The-Insider.html#ixzz1C1qkuVMQ (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1350059/Lassana-Diarra-stuck-middle-Madrid--The-Insider.html#ixzz1C1qkuVMQ)
Youth Cup Confirmation
Monday 24th January 2011
Fulham's FA Youth Cup adventure continues on Wednesday 16th February when Kit Symons' team take on Watford at the Cottage in the 5th Round. The match will kick-off at 7pm.
Should Mark Hughes' Team defeat Tottenham Hotspur in the 4th Round of the FA Cup and subsequently be drawn at home in the 5th Round, Fulham's Youth Team match against Watford will be played on Friday 4th February (KO 7pm) at the Cottage.
Confirmation of the Youth Cup fixture date, ticket prices and further information will be announced on fulhamfc.com in due course. If Fulham's First Team can navigate their way past Spurs in the FA Cup, keep an eye on the draw this Sunday evening.
Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/January/YouthCupConfirmation.aspx#ixzz1C1rRHZg9 (http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/January/YouthCupConfirmation.aspx#ixzz1C1rRHZg9)
Sidwell's Start
Monday 24th January 2011
(http://www.fulhamfc.com/Images/MainNews/NewsPages/Players/Sidwell/General1.jpg)
Steve Sidwell made an impressive start to his Fulham career on Saturday, coming on as a second-half substitute for Dickson Etuhu. The Whites' most recent signing slotted in well alongside Danny Murphy as Fulham completed a league double over Stoke City courtesy of a 2-0 victory at the Cottage.
Speaking after the match, Fulham Manager Mark Hughes was pleased to see Sidwell putting in a promising display on his debut.
"He was able to have a nice, easy introduction against Stoke and acquitted himself really well," Hughes told fulhamfc.com. "He's going to be really important for us from now until the end of the season.
"He's very keen to get his career back on track, so we're pleased he's here. With the doubt over Dickson for Wednesday we're going to need him.
"He's always had the ability to get box to box - he's always had the energy to do that. Obviously he was hampered by injuries once he left Reading, and at Chelsea the opportunity to get on the field of play was a bit more difficult. But he wants get back playing; we know that we've got a good player. There were a lot of clubs in for him and that's because people understand what he can offer.
"What he needs is consistent football and the feeling that he's part of what the main team is doing. Maybe in the last two or three years he hasn't had that feeling.
"We've got a platform here that gives players an opportunity to get their career back on track because they're closer to the First Team. They've obviously got to perform and play well, if they don't then it's the status quo and they'll struggle with their career. But if they come here and work hard, there's a great platform for any player who wants to come and enjoy their football."
Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/January/HughesonSidwellDebut.aspx#ixzz1C1rhoOHU (http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/January/HughesonSidwellDebut.aspx#ixzz1C1rhoOHU)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/9370034.stm
Liverpool v Fulham
Wednesday, 26 January 2011
Barclays Premier League
Liverpool v Fulham 20:00
Barclays Premier League
Venue: Anfield Date: Wednesday, 27 January Kick-off: 2000 GMT
Coverage: Listen on BBC Radio 5 live and local radio; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles
TEAM NEWS
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard returns after serving a three-match suspension and is likely to take the place of Christian Poulsen.
Jamie Carragher remains on the sidelines with a shoulder injury.
Fulham will check on the fitness of Dickson Etuhu and Aaron Hughes, who both suffered hamstring injuries on Saturday.
Steve Sidwell is on standby to make his full debut for the club if Etuhu fails to recover in time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Liverpool
Injured: Carragher (shoulder)
Fulham
Doubtful: Etuhu & Hughes (both hamstring)
Injured/unavailable: Briggs (calf), Schwarzer (international duty), Senderos (Achilles), Zamora (broken leg)
MATCH PREVIEW
These sides were due to meet just before Christmas and then Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson must have looked forward to the visit of his former club, as it would probably have been the only time he would have heard his name sung in a positive manner at Anfield - albeit from the away end.
Your captain [Steven Gerrard] being available after missing three games will be a fantastic lift for everybody. He is a special person - he's not just a special footballer
Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish
His name is now but a bitter memory for Liverpool fans whose new saviour, 'King' Kenny Dalglish, showed signs on Saturday that he might be able to get the best out of an underperforming squad and help turn around one of the most disastrous seasons in the club's illustrious history.
Their display in the 3-0 win at Wolves was far from perfect, but the players showed a commitment, hunger and bite that has so often been absent this season. Even Fernando Torres rose from the doldrums to score twice in a performance that dampened rumours that he wants to leave.
Fulham's record at Anfield is derisory - not a single win in 29 visits and some fearful beatings along the way, including the infamous club record 10-0 thrashing 25 years ago.
But when the Cottagers were under the stewardship of Hodgson, and playing a brand of football that the Reds' faithful would go on to quickly despise, they eked out two successive 0-0 draws at Anfield. Manager Mark Hughes will be desperate for his side to go one better and finally end their Merseyside hoodoo, and they are well placed to do so given a recent run of form that has seen them win three of their last five league games.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• Four of the nine Premier League games at Anfield between these sides have ended as goalless draws, including the last two.
• Liverpool have kept six clean sheets in their last eight meetings with Fulham.
• Fulham have yet to beat Liverpool at Anfield in 29 attempts.
• This will be the 60th time Fulham and Liverpool have met. Liverpool lead by 33 wins to 10, with 16 draws.
606: DEBATE
Have your say on this match
Liverpool
• Liverpool have conceded 31 goals in the league so far - they conceded a total of 35 goals in the whole of last season.
• This is the first time since the 1992-93 season that they have a negative goal difference after 23 league matches.
Fulham
• Goalkeeper David Stockdale is proving to be a lucky omen for Mark Hughes's men - they have not lost in any of his eight appearances this season.
• Fulham have not won any on their previous 18 Premier League visits to Merseyside to play either Everton or Liverpool.
• There have been a total of 20 goals scored in the club's 11 matches away from home this season, which is fewer than in any other club's away games.
LEADING GOALSCORERS
Liverpool
Torres: 9 goals (9 league); Gerrard: 8 goals (4 league), Ngog: 8 goals (2 league)
Fulham
Dempsey: 9 goals (8 league); Kamara: 5 goals (2 league)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Lee Probert
Assistant referees: Ron Ganfield & Mick McDonough
Fourth official: Kevin Friend
LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS
Liverpool (W3-0 v Wolves, a): Reina; Kelly, Skrtel, Agger, Johnson, Kuyt, Lucas, Poulsen (Shelvey 73), Meireles, Maxi (Aurelio 81), Torres. Subs not used: Gulacsi, Cole, Pacheco, Kyrgiakos, Spearing.
Fulham (W2-0 v Stoke, h): Stockdale; Pantsil, Hangeland, Hughes (Halliche 75), Baird, Dempsey, Murphy, Etuhu (Sidwell 62), Duff, A Johnson, Dembele (Gera 75). Subs not used: Etheridge, Salcido, Kamara, Davies.
http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/11/01/24/manual_203412.html&TEAMHD=soccer (http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/11/01/24/manual_203412.html&TEAMHD=soccer)
AGENT: GERA COULD LEAVE FULHAM
By Juha Pal
(http://images.sportinglife.com/10/10/330/ZoltanGera_2512600.jpg)
Zoltan Gera's agent believes there is a "good chance" the midfielder will leave Fulham before the close of the transfer window.
The Hungary international has not started a game for Fulham since the Boxing Day defeat to West Ham and has become frustrated at his lack of opportunities.
Though he has appeared in 21 of the Cottagers' 23 Premier League games this season, Gera expressed his wish to move on earlier this month.
He is out of contract at the end of the season and Gera's representative Vladan Filipovic is reported to have met Fulham officials on Sunday to discuss a potential exit.
The transfer window shuts in a week's time and Filipovic is optimistic that he can find Gera a new club before the deadline.
"There's only one week left in the transfer window and Zoltan Gera has a good chance to sign for another team other than Fulham," Filipovic told origo.hu.
"He is wanted by English and various European clubs."
http://www.ealinggazette.co.uk/sport/football-ealing/fulham-fc-ealing/2011/01/25/man-city-defeat-was-fulham-s-turning-point-says-aj-64767-28046121/
Man City defeat was Fulham's turning point, says AJ
Jan 25 2011
By Paul Warburton
Andy Johnson
AS FAR as Andy Johnson is concerned Fulham's watershed was the crushing 4-1 home defeat to Manchester City.
The back-in-form striker who made his fifth start in nearly a year and by far his best in the 2-0 home canter over Stoke on Saturday – reckoned things have been on the up for him and the Whites since boss Mark Hughes ripped into the team following the City mauling.
Johnson also revealed the manager's stamp is slowly but surely making its mark on an upwardly mobile club.
He said: "We had a bit of a bad time against Man City – but we have worked on it.
"The new manager has his own theories and he's changed how I play a little bit – but you know those sort of things are going to happen. It was never going to be the same as it was under Roy Hodgson."
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/match/47954/liverpool-vs-fulham/preview
Liverpool - Fulham Preview: Steven Gerrard set to return to action after three-game suspension
By Sam Bisby
The home team have an almost full bill of health with just Milan Jovanovic (illness) and Jamie Carragher (shoulder) unavailable.
Captain Steven Gerrard returns from suspension and will be hoping to carry on the Merseyside club's positive progress since the second coming of club legend King Kenny.
Possible starting XI: Reina; Kelly, Skrtel, Agger, Johnson; Kuyt, Lucas, Meireles, Maxi; Gerrard; Torres.
Fulham
The visitors for the rescheduled match are without four players, all with long-term injuries, and include Dickson Etuhu (hamstring), Matthew Briggs (ankle), Bobby Zamora (broken leg) and Philippe Senderos (Achilles).
Also, Mark Schwarzer's Australia are through to the semi-finals of the Asian Cup and play on Tuesday night against Uzbekistan and so will not be available either, leaving goalkeeper David Stockdale to once again fill his boots.
Possible starting XI: Stockdale; Pantsil, Hughes, Hangeland, Baird; Dempsey, Murphy, Etuhu, Duff; A Johnson, Dembele.
Return of 'El Nino'
Fernando Torres is back to his scoring self it seems with three goals in two games for Liverpool and has shown solid signs of his early days at the Anfield outfit where 'The Child' was scoring goals for fun.
The two goals he scored at the weekend against Wolves marked his 62nd and 63rd on his 100th league appearance for the Red half of Merseyside. However, Torres has quite a bit to go to even start thinking about breaking into the top 10 goal scorers for the team with Jack Parkinson occupying 10th place with 130 goals and current team-mate and captain Steven Gerrard in ninth with 140.
New year, new Fulham
The opening month to 2011 has seen the west London club collect three wins and one draw in the five games that they have played so far since the New Year and is easily the best form they've had all season (even if one of the games was a 6-2 thrashing of League 1 side Peterborough).
Striker Andy Johnson has found himself some form after his comeback from injury and is playing some good football which included a goal against Wigan, his first in the Premier League for almost two seasons.
New signing Steve Sidwell made his debut on Saturday and impressed new manager Mark Hughes, but will have to wait until he begins to break into the Fulham midfield with squad staples such as Danny Murphy and Dickson Etuhu. However, don't be surprised to see him feature at some point during the game.
Ten of the best for Liverpool
Liverpool's second highest win in their history came against Fulham when they met in the second round of the League Cup in September 1986 with a final score of 10-0.
Steve McMahon scored four of the goals on that day with Ian Rush and John Wark both scoring two each and Ronnie Whelan and Steve Nicol scoring the other two.
The win remains Liverpool's best performance in any domestic competition and is still Fulham's worst ever defeat in their history.
Our provides the best breaking news online and our football fan community is unmatched worldwide. Never miss a thing again!
Field Report Liverpool Fulham Head to HeadEnglish Premier League (EPL) (EPL) 11 Apr 2010 Liverpool 0 - Fulham 0
English Premier League (EPL) (EPL) 31 Oct 2009 Fulham 3 - Liverpool 1
English Premier League (EPL) (EPL) 4 Apr 2009 Fulham 0 - Liverpool 1
English Premier League (EPL) (EPL) 22 Nov 2008 Liverpool 0 - Fulham 0
Last Five Matches22 Jan 2011 Wolverhampton 0 - Liverpool 3 EPL
16 Jan 2011 Liverpool 2 - Everton 2 EPL
12 Jan 2011 Blackpool 2 - Liverpool 1 EPL
9 Jan 2011 Manchester United 1 - Liverpool 0 FA
5 Jan 2011 Blackburn Rovers 3 - Liverpool 1 EPL
22 Jan 2011 Fulham 2 - Stoke City 0 EPL
15 Jan 2011 Wigan Athletic 1 - Fulham 1 EPL
8 Jan 2011 Fulham 6 - Peterborough United 2 FA
4 Jan 2011 Fulham 3 - West Bromwich 0 EPL
1 Jan 2011 Tottenham 1 - Fulham 0 EPL
Available Squads25 José Reina Paez Goalkeeper
2 Glen Johnson Defender
16 Sotirios Kyrgiakos Defender
37 Martin Skrtel Defender
3 Paul Konchesky Defender
18 Dirk Kuyt Striker
4 Raúl Meireles Midfielder
21 Lucas Midfielder
17 Maxi Rodríguez Midfielder
24 David Ngog Striker
9 Fernando Torres Striker
1 Mark Schwarzer Goalkeeper
4 John Paintsil Defender
18 Aaron Hughes Defender
5 Brede Hangeland Defender
3 Carlos Amoldo Salcido Defender
29 Simon Davies Midfielder
13 Danny Murphy Midfielder
20 Dickson Etuhu Midfielder
23 Clint Dempsey Midfielder
11 Zoltán Gera Striker
15 Diomansy Kamara Striker
Players to Watch Raúl Meireles
Position: Midfielder
Squad Number: 4
Games Goals YC RC
19 2 4 0
The Portugese midfielder had what was arguably his best game of the season at the weekend against Wolves and it will be interesting to see if he can carry his form into Wednesday's game, especially with captain Steven Gerrard returning to the squad.
Meireles seemed to have a more attacking role in the win at Molineux, but is a role Gerrard usually takes amongst the team and so may have a more conservative place on the pitch.
Clint Dempsey
Position: Midfielder
Squad Number: 23
Games Goals YC RC
23 8 3 0
Scoring two goals against Stoke has placed the American in a good state of mind for the game at Anfield and will be carrying much confidence.
Hopefully for Fulham, Dempsey will work well with the also in-form Andy Johnson and be on the front-foot of the visitors' creativity.
Probable Lineups 25 2 16 37 3 18 4 21 17 24 9 1 4 18 5 3 29 13 20 23 11 15
PredictionAlthough Fulham are currently in their best form all season, Liverpool have finally realised how to win under King Kenny and surely another win is in the bag, just.Editor's Prediction Liverpool 2 Fulham 1
http://paisleygates.com/?p=2418 (http://paisleygates.com/?p=2418)
BREAKING TRANSFER NEWS...Nope, it's just Fulham.
Posted: 25th January 2011 by steven.
(http://paisleygates.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/KennyandSammyPeanuts-300x219.jpg)
Kenny and Sammy do their Peanuts impersonation...
I've been so wrapped up in plotting ways to cajole Luis Suarez on a plane to Liverpool that I almost forgot that we've got a match tomorrow. Fulham's trip to Anfield should have already been done and dusted but some foul weather prevented Roy Hodgson from ever hearing his name sung from the terraces. It would have been the Cottagers singing it but never mind with that. Almost makes me happy the match was postponed; at least now we have a chance of taking away all 3 points. The 3-0 win at Wolves made for some must see TV and hopes are high that this is a trend, and not just one on Twitter, that's going to continue.
I've packed up some Advil and sent it to Anfield c/o Kenny Dalglish because a selection nightmare is going to looming. Steven Gerrard returns from his 3 match ban and with his slot in the squad all but a lock, the Gaffer is going to have choose wisely1 before selecting the squad so the balance that saw us wrap it up on the weekend isn't upset. Ryan Babel agreed to join Hoffenheim today, furthering speculation that the Suarez deal is dying on the table, but that's one body out of the equation even if it was unlikely he was going to figure anyways.
With all the talk of us in pursuit2 of a striker, Fulham on the other hand are shipping them out. Manager Mark Hughes has identified David Elm, who scored only a single goal for the Cottagers during a torrid spell, has been deemed surplus to requirements and is on the first plane out to IF Elfsborg. With Bobby Zamora still recovering from a broken leg, things haven't been going too well3 for the White team from London.
Our leaky defence has been a major cause for concern with Steve Clarke working hard to plug up the holes but for once I don't think we need to be too concerned. Fulham has one of the worst goal tallies in the League and with Daniel Agger back in the squad, we haven't conceded a goal in 163 minutes. With just under a week left in the transfer window, most eyes will be focused on the drama going on off the pitch as our pursuit of Charlie Adam4 and a certain Uraguayan striker heats to the point of breaking. Maybe, just maybe, we'll be able to take some time out of refreshing Google News to watch the sport instead of just obsessing over it's financials.
-steven.
http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2011/01/24/if-its-so-important-to-you-take-it/
If it's so important to you, take it
Filed under: General — rich @ 11:53 am
(http://cravencottagenewsround.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/cd1.png?w=559&h=331)
(http://cravencottagenewsround.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/cd2.png?w=559&h=327)
(http://cravencottagenewsround.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/cd3.png?w=558&h=328)
(http://cravencottagenewsround.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/cd4.png?w=558&h=330)
Captain Murph can barely contain himself before wandering back towards the half-way line....
http://www.fulhamfc.com/Images/MainNews/NewsPages/Players/AJohnson/AJClint.jpg
Top Form
Monday 24th January 2011
Fulham recorded their fourth victory in six games with a convincing two-nil win over Stoke City at the Cottage on Saturday and striker Andrew Johnson praised his Team's impressive start to 2011 ahead of Wednesday night's match against Liverpool at Anfield.
"It was a great result against Stoke," Johnson told fulhamfc.com. "In the last two or three weeks it's been coming together and we're looking good.
"It was always going to be a hard, physical game against Stoke but you've got to roll your sleeves up and I think our football shone through on Saturday.
"Three points in the Premier League is satisfying no matter who it is against. It's such a tight League and we're delighted to have taken seven points from three games."
After netting his first goal of the season against Wigan Athletic the previous weekend, Johnson put in another fine shift against Stoke on Saturday and the striker is clearly now feeling close to his best again.
"That was probably one of my better performances on Saturday and I'm pretty much fully fit now," Johnson explained.
"It takes a bit of time after being out for 14-15 months. It slowly started to come back and getting the goal against Wigan was like getting a monkey off my back.
"I've had a few niggles here and there as I've been coming back but I think I'm injury free now and clear to get a good run of games. My touch is getting better and my runs are getting better and I'm feeling sharper game by game. I've just got to continue doing that.
"I think going onto the pitch worrying about my knee or anything went four or five weeks ago when I first came back. I don't think about my knee at all when I'm out on the pitch."
Mark Hughes' side are back in action on Wednesday night at Anfield before Sunday's FA Cup clash against Spurs at the Cottage| and Johnson and company are evidently full of confidence ahead of two massive games this week.
"It's a big game on Wednesday night against Liverpool at Anfield," said Johnson. "We'll be looking to build on what we achieved on Saturday against Stoke - it's time to kick on now."
Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/January/AJStokeReaction.aspx#ixzz1C2KYrvYf (http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/January/AJStokeReaction.aspx#ixzz1C2KYrvYf)
http://www.eatsleepsport.com/fulham/city-mauling-sparked-us-johnson-1155009.html (http://www.eatsleepsport.com/fulham/city-mauling-sparked-us-johnson-1155009.html)
City mauling sparked us - Johnson
Last Updated: Tue, 25 Jan 2011 08:42
Andy Johnson claims Fulham's 4-1 home defeat against Manchester City in November helped spark their revival in fortunes this season.
The striker, who made his first start of the New Year in Saturday's 2-0 home win against Stoke following almost a year of injury problems, recalls how boss Mark Hughes tore a strip off the Fulham players after his former club dismantled them at Craven Cottage on November 21.
And, despite defeats to Arsenal, West Ham and Tottenham since then, Johnson feels they have steadily improved as they now sit four points clear of the relegation places in the Premier League.
He said: "We had a bit of a bad time against Man City - but we have worked on it.
"The new manager has his own theories and he's changed how I play a little bit - but you know those sort of things are going to happen. It was never going to be the same as it was under Roy Hodgson."
Fulham v Chelsea tickets
Barclays Premier League
Monday 14th February
Kick-Off 20:00
Tickets are selling fast for the Whites' upcoming match against current Barclays Premier League Champions Chelsea. Secure your seat now and don't miss out on this SW6 derby under floodlights.
On-sale dates
Season Ticket Holders On sale (Max 4 Tickets)
Fulham Club Members On sale (Max 4 Tickets)
Previous Purchasers On sale (Max 2 Tickets)
General Sale On sale (Max 2 tickets) Putney End only
Loyalty points: 2 (more info)|
Buy tickets now|
Hospitality Matchday Experiences
We have a limited number of places remaining for those wanting to enjoy the ultimate matchday experience on our River Thames Boat Cruise departing from the City.
Find out more about hospitality available or call 020 8336 7555 (Mon-Fri 9am to 5pm) to book your place.†
How to Buy Tickets
buy tickets online - 7 days a week, 24 hrs a day. Save on booking fees by booking online*
by phone on 0843 208 1234 (option 1) - 7 days a week, 24 hrs a day
in person from the Ticket Office: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; non-match day Sat 10am-12pm
by fax 020 7384 4810 (download printable form )
by postal application to FFC Ticket Office, Stevenage Road, Fulham, SW6 6HH enclosing a stamped addressed envelope (download printable form )
Seatwave - the official fan-to-fan ticket exchange * Lower booking fees compared to telephone booking
† Special offers and packages only available on advance bookings and not on the day of the match.
Prices
Category A prices apply to this match.
NB: Blocks A and AL are a designated Family Area and are not available to book online. To book, call the Ticket Office on 0843 208 1234 opt 3 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm).
Stand (Grade A) Block Adult Conc Junior
Riverside S, Z £60 £45 £30
J Haynes D, DL, G, GL £55 £40 £25
Hammersmith All Blocks £49 £38 £22
Putney Neutral £49 £49 £49
J Haynes B, BL, C, CL J, JL, H, HL £50 £38 £22
J Haynes A, K, AL, KL £45 £30 £20
Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Tickets/Games/ChelseaHome.aspx#ixzz1C2bDd6nL (http://www.fulhamfc.com/Tickets/Games/ChelseaHome.aspx#ixzz1C2bDd6nL)
LIVERPOOL v Fulham: Skipper Gerrard back from suspension to lead Reds
By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 9:11 AM on 25th January 2011
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard returns to the side against Fulham at Anfield on Wednesday after serving a three-match ban.
It is a boost for the club following the away win at Wolves on Saturday - Kenny Dalglish's first victory since becoming caretaker manager.
(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/01/25/article-1350300-0C56CB17000005DC-211_468x504.jpg)
Boost: Gerrard is set to take his place in the team after missing three games
Dalglish may be tempted to freshen things up and give a run-out to Joe Cole, who was an unused substitute at the weekend.
Milan Jovanovic could also return to the squad after missing the match at Molineux because of illness.
Provisional squad: Reina, Kelly, Skrtel, Agger, Johnson, Lucas, Meireles, Gerrard, Kuyt, Cole, Rodriguez, Torres, Gulacsi, Aurelio, Kyrgiakos, Poulsen, Shelvey, Jovanovic, Ngog, Spearing, Pacheco.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1350300/LIVERPOOL-v-Fulham-Steven-Gerrard-lead-Reds.html#ixzz1C2cm4XoT (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1350300/LIVERPOOL-v-Fulham-Steven-Gerrard-lead-Reds.html#ixzz1C2cm4XoT)
Fulham fans make Gera plea
By Jacob Murtagh
Jan 25 2011
(http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/fulhamchronicle/jul2010/7/9/zoltan-gera-image-1-539814701.jpg)
Zoltan Gera
FULHAM fans have pleaded with boss Mark Hughes to keep Zoltan Gera at Craven Cottage.
The wantaway winger could leave SW6 in the next few days, according to his agent, Vladan Filipovic.
Gera's deal is due to expire in the summer, and the player is unlikely to reach the number of appearances required to trigger a contract extension.
Hughes is keen to keep hold of the 31-year-old, who is attracting interest from Greek giants Panathinaikos, but the Whites risk losing the player for nothing if they don't sell this month.
However, fans made their feelings plain during Saturday's victory over Stoke, singing the Hungarian's name throughout the game, and are reluctant to lose last season's player of the year.
Read More http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/london-sport/fulham-fc/2011/01/25/fulham-fans-make-gera-plea-82029-28049318/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter#ixzz1C2p06mKM (http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/london-sport/fulham-fc/2011/01/25/fulham-fans-make-gera-plea-82029-28049318/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter#ixzz1C2p06mKM)
High Regard
Tuesday 25th January 2011
(http://www.fulhamfc.com/Images/MainNews/NewsPages/Players/hangeland/GoalCeleb.jpg)
Brede Hangeland has been arguably as important to the Fulham cause as anybody in recent years.
At present his influence may not quite reach the same heights as some of our prominent legends of the past, but he has surely done enough to suggest that in decades to come his name will be held in levelled regard.
The memory of the great Johnny Haynes remains etched in the minds of all those lucky enough to have witnessed the Maestro play, while the contributions of the likes of Tosh Chamberlain, Bobby Robson, Graham Leggat, Fred Callaghan and George Cohen induce words of total admiration from an era in which Whites fans were spoilt for heroes of choice.
In the 1970s the Club had Alan Mullery, Les Barrett, Les Strong and the captivating triumvirate of Bobby Moore, George Best and Rodney Marsh, while the 1980s gave us the estimable Roger Brown, Ray Lewington and all-time record goal scorer Gordon Davies.
Simon Morgan and Sean Farrell gave the Fulham faithful hope during the turbulent early 1990s, and the performances of the likes of Chris Coleman, Lee Clark and Rufus Brevett among others did much to usher in an exciting new millennium.
The goals of Louis Saha encapsulated the first steps of the Noughties, however, it has been a player at the other end of the pitch that has been the embodiment of our recent progression.
Hangeland has been a formidable presence for the Whites ever since he bounded straight into a relegation scrap in January 2008, and since, he has grown to become one of the Premier League's most accomplished performers.
"I'm not someone who likes to be under the spotlight," admits Brede. "But of course, it is nice to be well thought of. Ever since I first came in I have just tried to give my best and do all I can to help the team.
"I will have been here for three years this month, and as I have said before, an awful lot has happened in that time. This is a club with great traditions and one that conducts itself in the right way, so I'm very happy to have played my part in helping move things forward."
With his elegance and unflappable demeanour, not to mention a steely resilience, the captain of Norway, alongside central defensive partner Aaron Hughes, has done much to eradicate a once soft underbelly.
"When you play in England, or to put it more precisely, if you want to be a central defender in the Premier League, you have to stand up to certain challenges," he explains. "I'm aware that I am comfortable with the ball at my feet, but at the same time, when required I can be physical too.
"I just get on with it, whatever the situation may be. Sometimes teams can give you a bit more time on the ball, which gives me the chance to bring it out from the back and look for a pass. Other times, you don't get that opportunity."
At the start of the campaign Hangeland said that he expected the season ahead to be a tight one; a consequence of a number of teams strengthening their squads and looking for their own progression.
What has transpired since has been fascinating with statistics and form seemingly counting for very little this season. As it stands, just five points separate Fulham from seventh-placed Blackburn Rovers.
"It's just such a competitive league this year – that is evident in every game that is played," highlights Brede. "It's difficult to predict how games will go because everyone is capable of beating anyone.
"I believe that's a good thing - it certainly makes it more exciting. There have been times in the past when people have said that the Premier League was predictable, but that's not the case now.
"It's a fine line between a win and defeat. Of course, we would have liked to have more points at this stage, but because of the nature of the league this season it has been difficult.
"People have different ways of looking at it though. I'm not someone who pays too much attention to the league table - for me that time comes at the end of the season. You just have to give your focus to the next game and make sure that the performance is right."
A player that always leads by example, Hangeland has been an unqualified success on the banks of the Thames. Few read the game with such cool assurance, while fewer still are as effective at both ends of the pitch, the Norwegian contributing three goals so far this term.
"As a defender I am always going to say that first of all it is our job to keep the goals out," he says with a smile. "But if we can help make a difference in front of our opponents' goal too then that is great.
"Perhaps this season there has been more of a need, what with the injuries we have had to our forward players, so at times it has been important that some of the defenders chip in with goals.
"I have to admit, though, that I am looking forward to the day that we have all of our strikers back and fighting for a place. We know that will happen very soon, and that bodes well for the rest of the season."
The repute in which Hangeland is held in SW6 is quite apparent. He is also well thought of outside of Craven Cottage, and the current transfer window serves as another reminder of the respect he now commands.
Fortunately, Hangeland doesn't let the attention affect him, having grown accustomed to ignoring the endless rounds of transfer gossip that this time of year often brings.
"Speculation is just part of the game," he confirms. "And believe me when I say that I am used to it by now. I've said it before, but I am very happy here and want to continue to do all that I can to help this Club.
"To be honest, this transfer window has been a relaxing one for me, my name hasn't been mentioned that much, which does makes a change. But perhaps that means I haven't been playing very well?!"
Far from it in fact, for Hangeland is as indispensible as ever.
Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/January/HangelandFeature.aspx#ixzz1C2pzLNUo (http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/January/HangelandFeature.aspx#ixzz1C2pzLNUo)
http://www.kickoff.com/news/19877/kagisho-dikgacois-agent-wants-his-fulham-future-sorted-out.php
Agent 'hell-bent' resolving Dikgacoi's future
Posted: 2011-01-25 12:43
Kagisho Dikgacoi's agent has admits he is 'hell-bent' on resolving the 26-year-old's future at English Premier League side Fulham.
The Bafana Bafana midfielder has played just five minutes for Mark Hughes' team this season but surprisingly saw his contract extended for another year earlier this month. And after he failed to make the match day squad for Saturday's win over Stoke City, agent Mike Makaab admits his concern that Dikgacoi continues to find himself out in the cold.
"At the end of the day, the most important thing is the player's career – we are hell-bent on finding a solution," he says.
"We would be absolutely prepared for him to go to a Championship club for him to get some game-time "
- Mike Makaab
"KG has spoken to Mark (Hughes) and been told that he remains in his plans. But the fact they didn't sit down and talk before they extended the contract is strange."
Makaab adds: "When KG joined Fulham, it was clear at that point in time that they didn't know whether he could play in the Premier League. But he played 17 games in his first season and showed he could compete. This time, he's been on the pitch for five minutes against Wigan and that's it."
With Pitso Mosimane preparing to name his Bafana Bafana squad to face Burkina Faso in Rustenburg on February 9, Dikgacoi's place could well be under threat as a result. But with several clubs in the English Championship believed to have registered an interest in taking him on loan, Makaab hopes the former Golden Arrows captain may be thrown a lifeline.
He says: "We would be absolutely prepared for him to go to a Championship club for him to get some game-time. If he can do well then I'm sure Fulham will re-assess his future at the end of the season. But the point is if he stays at Fulham and doesn't play then what are you doing to a 26-year-old international player?"
Any deal would not necessarily have to be completed by the end of the January transfer window as clubs in the Championship can still loan players between February 8 and March 24.
Here To Be A Success
Tuesday 25th January 2011
(http://www.fulhamfc.com/Images/MainNews/NewsPages/Players/Sidwell/SidwellAction.jpg)
Welcome to Fulham, Steve. What have been your first impressions?
Well, the move was a long time coming really, because I was hoping to come here in the summer, but for a few reasons it didn't happen. So I'm really pleased that it was something that the Club looked at again and I'm delighted to finally be a Fulham player. This is a great place, with top facilities and a good group of players. There's a good team spirit and, as a result, I've managed to settle in very quickly.
Were you disappointed that the deal didn't go through at the start of the season?
I was, yes. A fee was agreed, but when Roy Hodgson left suddenly everything was a bit up in the air, but that's what happens when you get a change of personnel. I got my head down though and kept my fingers crossed that something would happen in the future – which it did.
It was reported that you had other options this January – why did you choose Fulham?
I can't deny the fact that the chance to move back south – back home – was a key factor. It wasn't only that though, because this is a Club with traditions; it's run fantastically well and has made excellent progress in recent years. Fulham are well-known for playing good football, and that suits me. It's all about different experiences in football, and this is one I'm very much looking forward to.
With thoughts that a move to Craven Cottage might take place at some point, have you followed the Club's progress this season?
Well, still being a Villa player I remained professional and concentrated on the job in hand with them, but I did keep an eye out for Fulham's results, but to be fair, I have done for a while because I'm good friends with Bobby Zamora. I think it's been a steady season so far, and I think the Club has been really unlucky at times – but they've played some decent football. I hope I can be part of that now and help them move up the table.
So how did Bobby sell life at Fulham to you?
To be honest, he didn't really have to. I've played at the Cottage a few times over the years and it's always been a good place to come. I managed to get to a few games here last season too, and the Juventus game made for an incredible evening. I knew a lot about the Club anyway and quite a few of the other players as well so no one had to sell Fulham to me, it sold itself in the way it is run off the pitch and the way they play on it.
Now you're here – what are your aims as a Fulham player?
Obviously, I don't expect to go straight into the team, it's going to be hard work, I know that, but when given the chance, I will give my all to stake a claim. There are a lot of good players here and there is a lot of competition for places in midfield, but I'm confident in my ability and I've come here to be a success.
Upon your arrival at the Club, the Manager said that this was a chance for you to get your career back on track. Would you agree?
I would, definitely. Since I moved from Chelsea to Villa it has been a bit stop-start for me, and it's fair to say that things haven't quite gone to plan. I've had a few injuries as well which was frustrating, because I've always been quite lucky on that front – fingers crossed. I played every game at Reading and thoroughly enjoyed my time there. I was then given a fantastic chance at Chelsea and played a fair amount of games there, but now I'm looking to show what I can do again.
And you will be in good company, because a few of your new team-mates originally came here with similar aims and have since gone from strength-to-strength...
You're right, and that was another reason why I felt Fulham was the club for me. There are a few here that probably hadn't had the luck they had hoped for at their previous club, but have come here and gone on to be very successful. That shows what this place is all about and the opportunities that you are given. I believe that I will get the chance here and, hopefully, given that chance, I can prove myself and take it with both hands.
Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/January/SidwellQA.aspx#ixzz1C2rzUDv6 (http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/January/SidwellQA.aspx#ixzz1C2rzUDv6)
Impact Man
Tuesday 25th January 2011
(http://www.fulhamfc.com/Images/MainNews/NewsPages/Players/Dempsey/Celeb1.jpg)
Clint Dempsey took his goal tally to nine for the 2010/11 campaign with a brace last weekend against Stoke City at the Cottage. The American international gave Fulham the lead in the first-half when he converted Andrew Johnson's centre from close range before netting his second of the game from the spot, having won the penalty himself.
Fulham's usual penalty taker, Captain Danny Murphy, stepped aside allowing Dempsey to complete his brace.
"He's just playing with confidence at the moment," said Manager Mark Hughes as he reflected on Dempsey's performance. "He loves scoring goals and said that he was going to take it [the penalty]. We're delighted that it went in, it enabled us to see the game off very comfortably.
"He's been great for me since I've come here. He's always had an impact in almost every game he's been involved in. It's been a little bit hard on Zoltan Gera in fairness; it's probably affected him because I've chosen Clint before him on occasions. But because Clint's done so well for me, that happens."
The win against Stoke continues Fulham's fine run of form, with the Whites having won four of their last six games in all competitions.
"We're delighted with the way we're playing and the results we're getting," said Hughes. "We're more confident leading into games rather than having a bit of apprehension, because we weren't getting the results our performances deserved.
"We needed to get key personnel back and we needed to get points on the board. We were playing reasonably well, we all felt that but we weren't getting any results. We're always judged by results and obviously that wasn't good enough. We just needed a cutting edge and in recent games we've added that to our good play."
The Whites are next in action on Wednesday evening when they make the trip up to Anfield to face Liverpool. The Reds secured their first win under new boss Kenny Dalglish last weekend, courtesy of a 3-0 victory over Wolves at Molineux, and Hughes is anticipating a challenging encounter.
"They've had a change, Kenny Dalglish has gone in and he's a huge figure there," said the Fulham Manager. "Everybody seems to be back on board. Maybe it's not the easiest time to go there because everyone's on a high, but so are we and we're playing well away from home. We're picking up points and we don't concede many goals, so we can go there and play well because we know that we've got the ability to cause them problems."
Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/January/ConfidenceinClint.aspx#ixzz1C2sJ717D (http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/January/ConfidenceinClint.aspx#ixzz1C2sJ717D)
Bobby Will Bounce Back
Tuesday 25th January 2011
(http://www.fulhamfc.com/Images/MainNews/NewsPages/Players/Zamora/EnglandGeneral1.jpg)
If there is one player at Fulham that can truly appreciate the pain and frustration Bobby Zamora has felt over the past four months, it is his strike partner Andrew Johnson.
Having recovered from his own injury trauma to return to peak form in 2011, Johnson has clearly missed the England international, both on and off the pitch.
"Bobby helped me when I was injured and was sending me texts all the time and I've done the same," Johnson told fulhamfc.com. "We're close mates on and off the field.
He's a top, top guy and he's a great character to have around theTraining Ground. The boys have missed him on and off the field."
Zamora's road to recovery is a path Johnson knows only too well, and as his strike partner nears the latter stages of his rehabilitation, AJ is now looking forward to forming a formidable strike force for Fulham in the near future.
"Once you've got through that middle period (of rehabilitation] and you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and you're back on the training field, you get through it.
"He's done the most difficult part of being in the gym for two or three months and now he's going to bounce back. He was in such great form [before his injury] and we've missed him dearly.
"He's not back training with the group yet and he's still doing his own stuff but we're looking forward to having him back. No one can really put a timescale on it but we're all looking forward to seeing him come back."
Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/January/AJonBobby.aspx#ixzz1C3HSuJjg (http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/January/AJonBobby.aspx#ixzz1C3HSuJjg)
http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2011/01/25/the-more-things-change-2/
The more things change...
Filed under: General — rich @ 12:45 pm
Just reading Jim White's excellent "Manchester United: The biography" (no, really). Dave Sexton, who taught Roy Hodgson, has just been dismissed:
For the players, though they liked the manager and admired his knowledge of the game, there was a sense of anticlimax, a feeling that somehow the voltage about the place had been reduced. Training became less like playtime and more like being back in the classroom. Lou Macari recalls one session in which Sexton spent an age explaining a complex choreographed move he wanted to put into effect at corners. After failing to enthuse his enervated players into the routine, Sexton looked despairing.
"We're all shaking our heads at this point," recalls Macari. "Then Big Gordon (McQueen) pipes up, "I've got an idea, Dave. It's not as clever as yours, but you never know, it might work. Why doesn't someone cross the ball, I get my big stupid head on it and put it in the back of the net then we can all **** off home.""
Martin Edwards: "It was very hard to do it, it really was, because Dave was such a very, very nice man and full of integrity," says Edwards. "But it wasn't really happening, we weren't progressing and the crowd was getting restless. They were. But mostly I didn't feel the tradition was being upheld. There is such thing as the United way. That is the character of the club, and the supporters demand it.
Spooky. Sexton had taught Hodgson at one point, and Hodgson certainly looked up to him.
http://www.anfield-online.co.uk/match-preview/2011/match-preview-fulham-h/
Match Preview: Fulham (H)
Kick Off: Wed 26th January 2011 at 8:00 pm
Anfield
Liverpool take on Fulham on Wednesday night, in a game rearranged from before Christmas when Liverpool was hit with an overnight snowstorm.
As a result of the postponement, and with some irony, the only Premier League team that Roy Hodgson did not get chance to manage the reds against is Fulham.
In the last ten years, the reds only spent one weekend out of the top 7 in the second half of the season. This year, the club have never made it in that bracket, although if Liverpool can grab all three points they will move to 7th, 6 points behind Spurs in 5th and 9 points behind Chelsea in 4th.
Team News
Liverpool could welcome back Jovanovic in to the squad after the player missed the trip to Wolves due to illness. Joe Cole is another option available to Dalglish as the King looks for his first win at Anfield in his second period of managership. The reds only absentee is Jamie Carragher who is still out with injury.
The reds also see the return of Steven Gerrard – yet to play in a league game under Dalglish due to his 3 match suspension picked up at Old Trafford.
Fulham are without Zamora, Senderos, Etuhu and Briggs, with keeper Mark Schwarzer still involved in the Asian Cup.
Possible XI:
Liverpool: Reina; Kelly, Skrtel, Agger, Johnson, Kuyt, Lucas, Meireles, Maxi, Gerrard, Torres.
Fulham: Stockdale; Pantsil, Hughes, Hangeland, Baird, Dempsey, Murphy, Etuhu, Duff, A Johnson, Dembele.
Form
Whilst a Liverpool win would send the reds in to 7th, Fulham have the opportunity to leapfrog the reds if they manage victory. After a difficult start for Mark Hughes, Fulham have hit a richer vein of form in recent weeks, picking up 10 points out of the last 18 available, compared with Liverpool's 7.
The reds however have good home form, picking up 13 points in the last 6 home games – a record scarred only by last week's draw against Everton and the defeat at the end of December to Wolves.
Fulham have a handy away record in recent months – avoiding defeat in 3 of their 6 away games.
History
The reds have only managed one victory over Fulham in the last 4 attempts at home and away, and the last two league games at Anfield have been 0-0 draws.
Fulham have never won at Anfield.
Odds
Liverpool start as favourites at 4/7. The draw is 3/1 and Fulham can be backed at 6/1.
Torres is a measly 3/1 for first goalscorer. Raul Meireles and Andy Johnson can both be priced at 10/1.
Torres first goal and a 3-0 victory for the reds can be had for a whopping 26/1.
Pardew confident Nolan will return at Fulham
by Lee Ryder, Evening Chronicle
Jan 25 2011
ALAN PARDEW is confident that his "lieutenant" Kevin Nolan will be back and feeling 100% at Fulham in eight days' time.
The Toon skipper was today shaking off the remaining effects of a throat infection on Newcastle's mid-season sunshine break in Portugal.
Pardew was keeping tabs on the latest transfers from his Faro base as the transfer window heads into its final week.
But he hopes that his inspirational leader Nolan is no longer feeling under the weather by the time the trip to Craven Cottage comes round.
Pardew told the Chronicle: "Kevin is such a big player for us.
"He's the lieutenant for Newcastle United as far as I'm concerned and he doesn't give up.
"That rubs off on the rest of the players. People like Kev, you have to play.
"Even if he's 85% or 90% he still plays because he's such a great influence.
"He's one of those. I like him because he's a great organiser of the team.
"He was exasperated at the end because we gifted Tottenham a goal in the 1-1 draw on Saturday.
"He's important to this group."
Pardew has shrugged off reports that 11-goal top scorer Andy Carroll will be out until April.
But with the Geordie striker due back either for Fulham or the home game with Arsenal, he admits he can't wait to see him back in action – along with Cheik Tiote, who will be back from suspension for the February 6 home clash with Arsenal.
Pardew said: "I want our star players back in the side.
"Cheik and Andy are star men for us and we want them back, even if the lads who came in for them did well."
Meanwhile, United will not risk any of their Academy starlets in tomorrow night's reserve clash with Manchester City.
The game at Hyde United's Ewen Fields comes just 24 hours before the Magpies' FA Cup Youth Cup clash with Grimsby Town at St James' Park on Thursday (7pm). Admission will be via the East Stand for the fourth-round match.
:: THE Chronicle understands that Birmingham City offered £1.5m for United striker Shola Ameobi – but the club swiftly turned the bid down.
Read More http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/newcastle-united/nufc-news/2011/01/25/pardew-confident-nolan-will-return-at-fulham-72703-28049273/#ixzz1C3IPVMJp (http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/newcastle-united/nufc-news/2011/01/25/pardew-confident-nolan-will-return-at-fulham-72703-28049273/#ixzz1C3IPVMJp)
http://football365.com/story/0,17033,8750_6699964,00.html
F365`s Top Ten Premier League Keepers
Posted 25/01/11 09:30
English keepers are rubbish, aren't they? We all know that. Well, not according to us, as we have three homegrown stoppers in our top five goalies doing their thing in the Premier League...
NB: This is based on a combination of form this season and general performance over the years. So bear that in mind before serving up your outraged abuse...
10 - Jussi Jaaskelainen
It might look a touch daft to include a keeper who, a mere 12 hours before this column is being (hastily re-) written, waved four goals in against a team struggling for form. Especially when Jaaskelainen should probably have done better with three of them. However, one bad evening does not undo a decade of excellent work by a keeper who has long been a favourite in F365 Towers. There is also plenty to be said for a man who has seemingly shown a fair degree of loyalty to Bolton, despite the offers of slightly shinier prospects that have no doubt come in over the years.
9 - Mark Schwarzer
Like Ben Foster at Birmingham, Fulham's below-par season thus far has been largely caused by worries in attack, rather than a leaky defence. Schwarzer could have been forgiven for being thrown into a right old tizz by the shenanigans surrounding the (admittedly rather dull) 'Will they, won't they' flirtation with Arsenal in the summer, which went right up until the final hours of the transfer window. However, despite this and suggestions that whipper-snapper David Stockdale could even take his place, Schwarzer got on with things, began performing in the same old manner and finally signed his new contract in December.
8 - Craig Gordon
It's been something of a turnaround for Gordon this season. A summer elbow injury meant the impressive Simon Mignolet started the season in goal, and such was the Belgian's form that even after Gordon returned to fitness, he had to bide his time and warm the bench for a few weeks. However, since returning to the number one spot, Gordon has looked like the keeper Roy Keane paid the ugly end of £9million for in 2007. At times in the intervening years the Scot hasn't looked worth anything near that price, but a string of phenomenal saves - particularly the instinctive stop from Zat Knight that did as much to earn Sunderland's 1-0 win over Bolton as Danny Welbeck's goal - have proved his worth this season.
7 - Ali Al-Habsi
The spanking handed out to Wigan by Arsenal at the weekend was Al-Habsi's season in microcosm. Sure, he let in three goals and Wigan lost, but it could've been so much worse. Al-Habsi, who started the summer as second-choice at Bolton, stepped in for the third game of the season after Chris Kirkland had shipped ten goals in the opening two games. At the time it looked like something of a punt by Roberto Martinez, but he clearly knew better. Al-Habsi has conceded 25 goals in his 19 appearances, which is perfectly respectable for a struggling club, especially considering the rotating cast of clownish centre-backs that have nominally been providing him with protection.
6 - Petr Cech
Ropey though Chelsea's form has been in the past couple of months, their 'goals against' column is still the joint-lowest in the Premier League. He may not be the keeper he was (a decline that has just as much to do with his calamitous performance against Turkey in 2008 as it does with his head injury), but Cech is still one of the most imposing stoppers in the Premier League.
5 - Paul Robinson
He still seems to have that odd trigger-movement/hop thing in his footwork that has seen a number of long-rangers fly past him over the years, and the ill-timed retirement from international football still sticks in the throat rather, but Robinson has been incredibly impressive this season. A couple of flying saves from Jerome Thomas in their win over West Brom on Sunday were the latest in his canon of fine stops. For a season or two either side of his departure from Spurs, Robinson looked as if his best years were behind him, but now it seems they could be yet to come.
4 - Edwin van der Sar
With their defence, Manchester United have rarely needed anything more than a solid keeper between their sticks. And Van Der Sar is the very definition of solid, cutting his errors to an absolute minimum and providing the quiet reassurance that no doubt helps Vidic, Ferdinand et al do their jobs so well. Interestingly, if this means anything to anyone, Times scribe Patrick Barclay picked Van Der Sar as the best United keeper of the Premier League era, over the seemingly unimpeachable god of goalies, Peter Schmeichel.
3 - Ben Foster
Rotten they may be at present, but Birmingham's problems have largely been at the other end of the pitch. The drubbing at Manchester United aside, shoeings have been few and far between for the team fourth bottom of the table. Plenty of credit can be given to the centre-half pairing of Scott Dann and Roger Johnson (although it will be interesting to see how they fare without the former for the rest of the season), but Foster is maturing into an excellent keeper.
2 - Joe Hart
There's something about Hart that just exudes class. His is an immensely reassuring presence in goal for both Manchester City and England, so much so that one forgets he is still only 23. His occasional errors can be excused/explained by his youth, and perhaps more importantly given that keepers do not tend to reach their peak until their early thirties, his best may be years ahead of him. In a team that cost hundreds of millions, arguably City's most important player cost roughly what Yaya Toure earns in three weeks.
1 - Pepe Reina
Another to file under 'Where would they be without him?' Sure, Reina is prone to the occasional slapstick error, but he has saved Liverpool many more points than he has cost. A much underrated element of Reina's game is his ability to start counter-attacks with his bullet-arm. Liverpool's problem is that they often don't have enough pace in their team to take advantage, but perhaps with Kenny Dalglish's new gung-ho ways, that will become more threatening. He is also clearly just a good guy to have around. He appears settled in at a club that - based on current league form and European involvement - he is too good for, he comes across as sensible and considered in interviews, and at a very basic level the almost child-like enthusiasm and passion he shows is heart-warming.
Nick Miller
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/25012011/58/premier-league-matchpack-liverpool-v-fulham.html
Liverpool v Fulham Preview: Fernando Torres Holds Key to Reds' Revival
25/1/2011 9:09 AM GMT
By Chris Brereton
PREMIER LEAGUE: ANFIELD WEDNESAY JANUARY 26, 2011. KICK OFF 2000 GMT
Fulham will visit Liverpool cursing December's bad weather and the return of Kenny Dalglish to Anfield.
The arctic conditions last month ensured this match was originally postponed and back then, in the Roy Hodgson days, Fulham may have fancied their chances of at least securing a point against a Liverpool side that looked uninterested and disjointed.
However, fast forward a month and the outlook at Anfield is quite different.
Dalglish has replaced Hodgson at Liverpool and given the club a huge shot in the arm in terms of confidence and morale.
Although he has only won one of his first four games in charge, the King is back and it has had a massive impact on the Liverpool squad as the brilliant 3-0 victory at Wolves at the weekend underlined.
Fulham are yet to really click under Mark Hughes and too often have seemed to be a different side to the one that reached the Europa League final this season although they have shown recent signs of improvement.
They are hovering at the wrong end of the table and need to start picking points up quickly. However, the Dalglish factor means it seems unlikely that they will start that mission on Merseyside.
Form Guide: Liverpool won at Molineux on Saturday to underline they are a better side than their current league position suggests but Fulham are unbeaten in their last four games and come into this contest on the back of their 2-0 victory over Stoke City at the weekend.
Key Match-up: Fernando Torres v Brede Hangeland: Torres looks back to his best at the moment and Hangeland - a former Liverpool target under Hodgson - will have his work cut out to try and keep the Spaniard happy. But the Norwegian defender is no idiot and will be hoping to do just that, as well as provide a goal threat from set-pieces.
Odds: Liverpool 8-15, Fulham 8-1, Draw 6-1
Tweeter Facebook FourSquare iPhoneLIVERPOOL:
Dalglish has been effusive in his praise for Torres - but is still convinced that he can get better.
Torres is starting to look like the striker of old and looks far hungrier than the bored looking passenger he was during Hodgson's reign.
Dalglish is delighted with his recent progress yet maintains that he can never stop learning and improving.
He said: "Certainly since I have come in here he has been nothing short of fantastic for us in the way he has applied himself in training and on the pitch.
"Apart from his goals, he's worked tirelessly up front to try and help us. I can only - and will only - assess what he's done since we've come in, and we've been absolutely delighted with him and the other players as well. I hope his best is yet to come.
"Fernando comes into the same bracket as many others - that they're doing better now than they were before and more like their old selves than they were before, which is a great credit to them."
After tasting his first victory as manager at the weekend, Dalglish has also praised the collective spirit at Anfield and is hopeful that it can only improve the longer he is in charge.
He added: "When things aren't going as well as they could do for a football club and for individuals, it's very difficult to turn it around - but they've turned it around and it's great credit to them."
"As I've said before, we stick as one. We need the fans help at times and we've got to help them at times. If we go forward together, we should be all right.
"Together, we will move forward - as individuals we won't get anywhere, so we'll stick together as a unit and will concentrate on our football club and see what benefit that brings us."
Strategy: Get the ball to Torres. The Spaniard is on fire at the moment and looks like a new-born player under Dalglish. With Steven Gerrard back from suspension, Torres will be even more confident of top-notch service and Gerrard, Maxi Rodriguez, Dirk Kuyt and Raul Meireles should do everything they can to get Torres through on goal.
Injury Update: Jamie Carragher (shoulder) is Liverpool's only real absentee as he has a shoulder problem. Paul Konchesky has been ill but is expected to be fit.
FULHAM
Hughes is heading to Anfield with renewed confidence after his side recorded four wins in their last six games.
Hughes was under pressure to halt the Cottagers' slide towards to bottom three but has stemmed those poor results.
He is now hoping Fulham maintain their good form while welcoming back players such as Mousa Dembele and Bobby Zamora to full fitness.
He told the club's website: "We're delighted with the way we're playing and the results we're getting.
"We're more confident leading into games rather than having a bit of apprehension, because we weren't getting the results our performances deserved.
"We needed to get key personnel back and we needed to get points on the board. We were playing reasonably well, we all felt that but we weren't getting any results.
"We're always judged by results and obviously that wasn't good enough. We just needed a cutting edge and in recent games we've added that to our good play."
And, mindful of the Dalglish effect, he added: "Liverpool have had a change. Kenny Dalglish has gone in and he's a huge figure there. Everybody seems to be back on board.
"Maybe it's not the easiest time to go there because everyone's on a high, but so are we and we're playing well away from home.
"We're picking up points and we don't concede many goals, so we can go there and play well because we know that we've got the ability to cause them problems."
Strategy: Hughes is unlikely to change a winning formation and is likely to stick with the 4-4-2 system that was used to beat Stoke City 2-0. Andrew Johnson will partner Dembele in attack while Steve Sidwell could make his first Fulham start in place of Dickson Etuhu, who has a hamstring injury.
Injury Update: Euthu is ruled out with his problem while Zamora is not quite ready to return to the first team squad. Philippe Senderos is sidelined with a calf problem
EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR
Manchester City to Real Madrid
THE INSIDER says: 4/5
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1350364/Emmanuel-Adebayor-heading-Real-Madrid--The-Insider.html#ixzz1C424K6ur (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1350364/Emmanuel-Adebayor-heading-Real-Madrid--The-Insider.html#ixzz1C424K6ur)
(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/01/25/article-1350364-0BD6AE00000005DC-256_306x459.jpg)
It is the deal that Jose Mourinho has wanted and now he looks to have won his battle with the Real Madrid hierarchy he hopes they can conclude business.
Adebayor has been courted by many clubs this window but the figures for the 26-year-old have made negotiations difficult.
Tottenham, Liverpool, Fulham and Everton all showed interest but City did not want to do any of the Premier League rivals any favours and their owner insisted that if the Togo international was to go clubs had to pay up.
Monaco came close to agreeing a £9million transfer and £100,000 a week tax free but ultimately the deal didn't fit Adebayor.
He held out for Madrid and they will today look to agree a loan deal until the end of the season with a permanent in the summer. Ruud van Nistelrooy will not be happy.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1350364/Emmanuel-Adebayor-heading-Real-Madrid--The-Insider.html#ixzz1C40hi7c6 (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1350364/Emmanuel-Adebayor-heading-Real-Madrid--The-Insider.html#ixzz1C40hi7c6)
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12874_6700986,00.html
Kakuta in Fulham medical
Hughes close to landing Chelsea starlet
By Pete O'Rourke
(http://img.skysports.com/09/11/218x298/GaelKakuta_2389026.jpg)
Last updated: 25th January 2011
Sky sources understand Chelsea forward Gael Kakuta is undergoing a medical at West London rivals Fulham ahead of a move to Craven Cottage.
Fulham boss Mark Hughes revealed last week that he was interested in taking the highly-rated Frenchman on loan for the remainder of the season.
Kakuta has been unable to force his way into Carlo Ancelotti's first-team plans as a regular, making just four starts this season.
Ancelotti is open to the idea of loaning out Kakuta as he looks for the player to gain some more valuable first-team experience.
The move has stepped closer with Fulham now putting the skilful forward through a medical as they look to tie up a deal for the 19-year-old.
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2011/01/25/2322582/diego-maradona-manchester-citys-owners-allow-carlos-tevez-to
Diego Maradona: Manchester City's owners allow Carlos Tevez to call the shots & I rejected an offer to take Mark Hughes' job at Fulham
Football legend airs outspoken views
25 Jan 2011 14:49:00
By Wayne Veysey | Chief Correspondent
Diego Maradona has mocked Manchester City's Abu Dhabi owners for allowing Carlos Tevez to call the shots at the club.
The Argentine legend said his countryman, who he managed at the World Cup last summer, "does what he wants with these Arabs".
In an outspoken interview, Maradona also claimed that Fulham wanted to appoint him as manager earlier this season but he rejected their interest and personally assured Mark Hughes on his last trip to London that he is not looking to take his job. However, Fulham today denied that they had offered the 50-year-old the manager's position.
Maradona, who believes he will return to coach Argentina one day after voicing his disapproval at the way he was removed from the job after the quarter-final defeat to Germany, remains in regular contact with Tevez.
He believes the striker has a hold over City's Abu Dhabi owners and that the player, who submitted and then withdrew a transfer request last month, dictates everything when it comes to contracts and personal terms.
"Carlitos is amazing," Maradona said in an interview with Argentinean TV station TyC Sports. "He does what he wants with these Arabs, you know. He says to them, 'I want to go to Buenos Aires,' and they reply 'No, Carlitos, stay here, we will give you more money.' And he receives more money."
Maradona was recently quoted in his homeland saying that a Premier League team was interested in him, although he stopped short of naming them.
But speaking on TyC Sports, he said: "I have been called by some clubs since the World Cup ended. For example, I was told that Fulham was interested in me.
"But I didn't want to speak with them as they had a boss who was working at the club. I have learned something in my life - if you want to be respected, you have to respect.
"So, I will not talk with any club if they already have a manager. It is true that I went to see Fulham play Manchester City in November. There, I talked with Roberto Mancini, and then I asked if I could see Mark Hughes.
"I told him, 'Listen, Mark, I came here because I wanted to see how Carlitos was doing, not because I wanted to know anything about Fulham.'
"I added, 'Believe me, I don't want your job at all.' I don't care if Mohamed Al-Fayed wanted me, I will not talk with him nor anyone else if they have a coach."
Maradona, 49, has never denied wanting to work in England and has often talked up the facilities available to players and staff in the Premier League.
He recently said he would travel to London next month to talk to a top flight club, believed to be Blackburn, about taking over as their manager.
At that point, Rovers had not appointed a successor to Sam Allardyce but have since installed Steve Kean as manager on a permanent basis.
Local sources in Argentina believe there is a chance Fulham could come back with an offer for their national hero if they dispense with Hughes.
But the west London club today denied that they have held talks with Maradona. "Fulham has not, at any point, discussed its managerial position with Diego Maradona," the club's communications director Sarah Brookes told Goal.com UK. "He attended the Manchester City game at Craven Cottage in November as a guest of the Club, as he was in the country at the time."
http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-and-hammersmith-news/local-fulham-and-hammersmith-news/2011/01/25/fulham-fc-s-oldest-fan-dies-after-100-years-spent-visiting-craven-cottage-82029-28052939/? (http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-and-hammersmith-news/local-fulham-and-hammersmith-news/2011/01/25/fulham-fc-s-oldest-fan-dies-after-100-years-spent-visiting-craven-cottage-82029-28052939/?)
Fulham FC's oldest fan dies after 100 years spent visiting Craven Cottage
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Fulham FC's oldest fan – whose father Walter White began playing for the club back in 1910 – has died six months after celebrating her 100th birthday at Craven Cottage.
Rachel Hunt lived an entire century at her Danehurst Street home after moving to the borough aged three months, when her Scottish father, known as 'Wattie', transferred from Everton.
Wattie played 203 times for the Whites, scoring 18 goals before retiring in 1923, but his longevity and commitment were outdone by his daughter, who never tired of watching matches or visiting the Stevenage Road ground.
The club cafe was the scene of an emotional surprise party in July, when Mrs Hunt, who had recently suffered a fall, was greeted on her birthday by family, friends and Fulham FC representatives, who presented her with a vintage-style football and special home shirt bearing the number 100.
Mrs Hunt had no children of her own but forged close ties with her Danehurt Street neighbours, the Worleys, who became her adoptive family, and who organised last year's birthday bash.
Grandson Matthew Worley said at the time: "Rachel has brought a lot of love and pleasure into our lives. She used to come down to Craven Cottage as a young girl and would bunk off school to watch her dad play football here. If she'd have been born a man, she would have definitely played for Fulham."
A funeral service was held for Mrs Hunt at Mortlake Crematorium on Thursday, and an obituary appeared in the programme for Fulham FC's match against Wigan Athletic.
A club spokeswoman said: "Fulham Football Club was saddened to hear of the passing of Rachel Hunt. She was a great fan and a remarkable lady, who will be fondly remembered by all involved with the club."
Thanking everyone for bringing her to Craven Cottage on her 100th birthday, Mrs Hunt said: "I can't thank you enough for what you've done. I didn't know where I was going today, I couldn't have come to a better place."
Read More http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-and-hammersmith-news/local-fulham-and-hammersmith-news/2011/01/25/fulham-fc-s-oldest-fan-dies-after-100-years-spent-visiting-craven-cottage-82029-28052939/?#ixzz1C4BYluGf (http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-and-hammersmith-news/local-fulham-and-hammersmith-news/2011/01/25/fulham-fc-s-oldest-fan-dies-after-100-years-spent-visiting-craven-cottage-82029-28052939/?#ixzz1C4BYluGf)
http://thechelseablog.org/2011/01/25/kakuta-off-to-fulham-do-youngsters-really-figure-in-carlos-plans/? (http://thechelseablog.org/2011/01/25/kakuta-off-to-fulham-do-youngsters-really-figure-in-carlos-plans/?)
Kakuta Off To Fulham: Do Youngsters Really Figure In Carlo's Plans?
Back in April 2009, there was lots of interest around Gael Kakuta, then slightly more attention in September of that year when FIFA slapped their ridiculous transfer ban on us for some nonsense Lens fed them. Did we let him go then though? Nope, we held onto him until now, when our squad is already far smaller than it should be.
As ever though, Chelsea being the law unto themselves that they are, are letting him have a medical right now in preparation for a loan move to Fulham for the rest of the season.
Now I'm not suggesting he'd be a regular for us right now or even get much in the way of playing time - god forbid we should really take our youngsters seriously - I just find it mystifying that we continue to keep farming players out on loan without considering our already depleted resources.
I'm sure Kakuta himself is happy enough, he's only managed 4 starts this season for us anyway, but knowing what usually happens once a player of ours goes out on loan, you'd have to wonder about his long-term future at Chelsea now.
http://www.footymad.net/storytext.asp?article=3571382 (http://www.footymad.net/storytext.asp?article=3571382)
FULHAM DUO IN FITNESS RACE
Dickson Etuhu and Aaron Hughes are both doubtful for Fulham's Barclays Premier League clash at Liverpool.
Midfielder Etuhu and defender Hughes both limped out of Saturday's 2-0 win over Stoke, with the former the biggest concern as he is suffering with a hamstring injury.
If he fails to make it, that would likely see Steve Sidwell handed a full debut by manager Mark Hughes.
The Cottagers are still without Bobby Zamora (leg), Philippe Senderos (Achilles) and Matthew Briggs (calf), while goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer is away on Asian Cup duty with Australia.
Source: PA
http://blogs.soccernet.com/stokecity/archives/2011/01/no_industry_at_the_cottage_1.php? (http://blogs.soccernet.com/stokecity/archives/2011/01/no_industry_at_the_cottage_1.php?)
No Industry At The Cottage...
Stoke turned in one of their poorest performances for some time as we lost to Fulham by two goals to nil on an afternoon that many would be happy to forget.
The less said about the game itself the better, so I'll get straight into the talking points;
Team Selection/Set up – The team remained unchanged from the Bolton victory aside from Collins coming in for the injured Higginbotham, Pulis keeping faith with the side that ground out a result against Owen Coyle's men the week before. Once again Pennant was on the bench meaning Delap was on the right, which again illustrated our lack of attacking intent down that side. I'm sure the team is told the same things most weeks but in this game we saw a quite obvious step backwards to our earlier days in this league with woeful possession and use of the ball, our back line was so deep they were virtually on Asmir's lap and the you could have driven a 747 through the gap between midfield and attack. It seems that Pulis is trying his best to accommodate Wilson, despite his poor showing the week before, and today was much the same as the game passed him by. By playing Wilson, Pulis abandons the concept of two wingers, which means Delap on the right, which means our out balls are restricted to hoofs up field or down the left to an out of sorts Matty who is often double marked with the awful Collins behind him adding insult to injury.
Shawcross – I don't think Ryan should be Captain. I think he will be a great Captain one day but not at the moment, he's not a talker and since he has had the burden of the armband his game seems to have suffered considerably. This game was his worst for some time and if we're honest he has been well below par this season, certainly not at the level of his defensive partner Huth. This was compounded by his silly challenge which gave away a penalty and led to his sending off meaning he will miss the next two games including a tricky away trip to Anfield.
Collins – I feel like a broken record on this one, He was turned inside out by Duff time and time again and alas once again played his part in us conceding with a bizarre toe poke back into his area for Johnson to set up the first goal. I've almost lost the energy to get annoyed on this one, I remain steadfast in my wish that he never plays for Stoke again in any capacity. Pulis clearly has his own doubts as following Ryan's sending off he took off Collins and brought on Faye, himself a peripheral figure who has seen better days. Left Back is the position that needs the most attention this window, I would sooner see Wilko cover over there, as indeed he did admirably today, and play Shotton at Right Back, but I'm hoping that Pulis addresses this in the next week or so to finally sort this troubled area out.
Wilson – The Wilson experiment, for me, is over. As I have said above, it seems his inclusion has upset the balance entirely, benching Pennant, putting pressure on the rest of the team and it's shape. The game passed him by again and he has shown nothing to me to warrant the negative impact he is currently having so I plead with the Manager to leave him on the bench or to gamble by leaving him in and bringing Pennant back. I genuinely believe he will be a good player and we do have a chance to bed him in but I think we'll only do this if Jermaine comes back in as with two wingers the opposition's midfield is pushed back allowing Wilson the space and time to sit in front of the back four in the quarterback like role he showed us he was capable of at Old Trafford.
Fuller – Ric is my favourite player, the best player to have played for Stoke, in my opinion, in my 25 years of supporting the team. When I heard there was a possibility of him leaving I felt physically sick and feared the worst, that we would lose the one player we have who can singlehandedly change and win a game for us. Ric is our talisman and has been vital to the way we play for years now and despite murmurings to the contrary, we still base our game largely on that and to consider selling him when that's the case, especially with an unhappy Tuncay in the background, is tantamount to wishing a relegation battle on ourselves. That said, the pragmatist and businessman in me also thinks that the club may well have good reason to consider selling Ric, his age, his injuries, his attitude and perhaps most importantly his rumoured demands of £60,000/week. I don't begrudge Ric one last payday, and I know he has been harping on about an extension for some time but his demands, if true, simply can't be met by Stoke and I think the talks with Sunderland are a subtle way of the club playing their hand as best they can by letting Ric realise exactly that. What I hope will happen will be that no-one will take him with those demands and he comes back to Stoke, where he is idolised, to see out his career with a modest but realistic extension/pay rise in recognition of his value to the team and club as a whole. Whilst he remains at the club we can continue our search for his replacement, one such option being Ba who sadly failed a medical with us but remains an option longer term having shown a willingness to join the club. To me it's important that we have Ric and his successor at the same time so we can have a period of experimentation to understand whether or not any replacement can fill the big man's shoes as well as we hope.
Carew – I feel sorry for John, no sooner had he signed than we were reading negative comments about him on the club's forums that I think were more to do with the poor timing of the revelations of Ric than the actual signing of a striker with considerable pedigree. Carew, who is out of contract at the end of the season, has been Villa's top goal scorer for the last 3 seasons, he has played for a number of high profile teams , has Champions League experience and is a perfect fit for our direct style. John is NOT a Fuller substitute so I hope that he is not lumbered with the stigma of being the catalyst for Ric discussing his exit, we were looking for a successor to our mercurial Jamaican well before Carew entered the fray. I'd like to welcome John to the club, hopefully it will give Jones a kick up the backside as in his brief appearance he showed how to trap, protect and use the ball better than I have seen for some time from the inconsistent Kenwyne. It remains to be seen how we will use John, my bet will be that he will play as the deep striker behind Kenwyne in the hope of the latter rediscovering his goal scoring touch further up the pitch.
http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=229554 (http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=229554)
Fulham - SWP Shock!
Some you win and some you lose!
After being in, reportedly, pole position to sign Shaun Wright-Phillips, it appears we may be about to lose out.
Reports filtering through infer that Wright-Phillips has a preference for Bolton Wanderers, seemingly preferring their style of football (?).
The suggestion is given further foundation by the fact that Wright-Phillips was spotted at the Reebok Stadium last night watching Bolton take on Chelsea.
Now we could cling on to faint hopes that he was merely watching his old team and we could hope that he`d be dissuaded from remaining in the north-west, but, if he`s not that keen to return to West London then perhaps we`d be better off without him!
Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=229554#ixzz1C4EAFraS (http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=229554#ixzz1C4EAFraS)
http://www.itv.com/sport/football/news/previews/liverpool-v-fulham-74391/? (http://www.itv.com/sport/football/news/previews/liverpool-v-fulham-74391/?)
Liverpool v Fulham
Gerrard return lifts Reds Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard returns to the side against Fulham at Anfield after serving a three-match ban.
It is a further boost for the club following the away win at Wolves on Saturday - Kenny Dalglish's first victory since becoming caretaker manager.
Dalglish may be tempted to freshen things up and give a run-out to Joe Cole, who was an unused substitute at the weekend.
Milan Jovanovic could also return to the squad after missing the match at Molineux because of illness.
Martin Kelly is set to stay at right-back after receiving from glowing praise from Dalglish.
The 20-year-old Kelly had made just two league appearances this season before Dalglish's arrival.
"Martin's done very well for the club," he said.
"He's like a new signing for the club because that's four on the spin he's played now.
"He's earned it and it doesn't matter what age you are, if you are performing you'll have a chance of playing.
"It is impressive when you come into a team that isn't playing as well as it can and you play as well as he has done.
" Dickson Etuhu and Aaron Hughes are both doubts for Fulham.
Midfielder Etuhu and defender Hughes limped out of Saturday's 2-0 win over Stoke, with the former the bigger concern with a hamstring injury.
His failure to make it would likely see Steve Sidwell handed a full debut by manager Mark Hughes.
Sidwell could not hold down a first-team spot at Chelsea or Aston Villa but is hoping for better luck at Craven Cottage.
He said: "There are a few here that probably hadn't had the luck they had hoped for at their previous club, but have come here and gone on to be very successful.
"That shows what this place is all about and the opportunities that you are given.
"I believe that I will get the chance here and, hopefully, given that chance, I can prove myself and take it with both hands.
" Hughes remains without Bobby Zamora (leg), Philippe Senderos (Achilles) and Matthew Briggs (calf), while Mark Schwarzer is on Asian Cup duty with Australia.