http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/london-sport/fulham-fc/2010/04/26/chris-smalling-set-for-manchester-united-starting-spot-says-sir-alex-ferguson-82029-26319070/
Chris Smalling set for Manchester United starting spot, says Sir Alex Ferguson
Apr 26 2010
By Paul Warburton
SIR Alex Ferguson has told Chris Smalling he will be in Manchester United's first-team next year – and leaving Fulham at the end of the season is not a gamble for the 20-year-old.
However, Smalling, who started in the reserves last August and became an £8million player in the space of seven games, admits the move has put pressure on him.
The defender was a solid replacement for Brede Hangeland in last week's 0-0 draw with Wolves when the Norwegian's wife went into labour on the morning of the match – and kept his place for Sunday's defeat to Everton.
But the smart money is on a young player warming the Old Trafford bench next season while the likes of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic command the first-team places.
But United's boss has reassured Smalling he stands just as much a chance of performing in front of 75,000 each week as the other two.
The defender said: "I'll definitely be starting on the front foot in terms of a first-team place. Sir Alex sat me down and explained where I am – and where I'll be going.
"You start off the season just hoping to get as many games as you can – and then you get an opportunity like this, and yeah, it does bring pressure.
"But it's a compliment and a chance to show what you are worth, and hopefully I can repay it."
http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/sport/football/8119518.Hodgson__Hamburg_clash_forced_Everton_changes/
Hodgson: Hamburg clash forced Everton changes
9:36am Monday 26th April 2010
By Simon Fitzjohn »
Roy Hodgson insisted he was right to field a much-changed side against Everton as Fulham prepare for Thursday's crunch Europa League clash with Hamburg.
The Cottagers will go into their semi-final, second leg showdown with everything to play for, having held the German side to a 0-0 draw last week.
And after resting eight regulars for Sunday's 2-1 defeat to the Toffees, Hodgson was in no mood to apologise.
He said: "I think I should be entitled to change the line-up, especially with the situation we find ourselves in.
"The game on Thursday is obviously a much bigger priority than the game at Everton.
"But to be honest, I am not at all convinced that the 11 players who started in Hamburg would have given as good an account as we did."
Fulham took an early lead through Erik Nevland, before the hosts struck back through a Chris Smalling own-goal and an injury-time Mikel Arteta penalty.
There was even talk of the £25,000 fine dished out to Wolves for fielding a weakened team being applied to the London side, but Hodgson brushed that talk aside.
He added: "We are going into very dangerous ground if the Premier League starts deciding whether a team is strong enough or not.
"I would be amazed if, after the performance we have given against a strong Everton team, whether people would have the temerity to discuss our team selection.
"The Premier League will make the decisions it wants to make, all I can do is answer the question on whether we have a case to answer for letting them down or favouring the opponents by fielding a weaker team.
"I can stand here quite happily knowing that we haven't done that."
Fulham's next three matches: Apr 29 Hamburg (EL, h), May 2 West Ham United (h), 5 Stoke City (h)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/apr/25/everton-fulham-premier-leagueEverton leave it late to beat weary Fulham and retain hopes of EuropeEverton 2-1 Fulham
Sachin Nakrani at Goodison Park guardian.co.uk, Sunday 25 April 2010 17.34
David Moyes's 47th birthday was ultimately one of great celebration. His side looked to be heading for a draw which, coupled with Aston Villa's and Liverpool's victories, would have meant the end of their hopes of qualifying for the Europa League, but they instead secured three points thanks to Mikel Arteta's stoppage-time penalty
A draw would have been a particular setback for Everton given that they came up against a Fulham side that contained nine changes from that which drew with Hamburg in their Europa League semi-final first leg on Thursday.
Roy Hodgson's decision to make sweeping changes to his side may irritate those who believe that such a decision denigrates the fairness of the Premier League, but it was hardly surprising given the relative meaningless of this fixture to the visitors as well as the fact that the second leg against Hamburg, which could see Fulham qualify for their first major European final, comes in four days' time. Tiredness was certainly an issue, too, given Fulham had to embark on a 17-hour trek by road to get to Germany.
Everton, therefore, were presented with the perfect opportunity to secure the victory that would maintain their chances of playing in the tournament next season and began in a manner that indicated that they would comfortably take up the chance.
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by Guardian Chalkboards
Mikel Arteta was the difference between Everton's victory over Fulham and their defeat earlier in the season. Everton's second-rank attacking players, like Leon Osman, simply do not have the Spaniard's range of passing Their pressing was relentless and their passing crisp, and it came as little surprise when a goalscoring chance was created as early as the second minute. Tony Hibbert swung over a cross from the right-hand side that found Diniyar Bilyaletdinov at the far post. The Russian controlled the ball well and hit a quick shot which looked to be sneaking in but instead clipped the post and went wide.
More chances came for the hosts but remarkably it was Fulham who eventually took the lead. They were, though, aided greatly by Everton and in particular Leighton Baines. The full-back played a poorly weighted back-pass to his goalkeeper, Tim Howard, on 36 minutes which Erik Nevland was able to intercept and chip over the out-rushing American.
Clint Dempsey should have made it 2-0 just before half-time but instead lashed his close-range shot over the bar and Fulham were made to pay for that wastefulness five minutes after the interval when the Everton substitute Victor Anichebe headed in Arteta's cross from close range.
Both sides had chances to win the game, with the clearest falling to Fulham's on-loan striker Stefano Okaka 13 minutes before the end. It looked, though, that there would be no further breakthrough. That was, however, until Chris Baird, one of two plays to survive from the midweek draw with Hamburg, brought down Tim Cahill in the area and Arteta hit the resulting spot kick low and beyond Mark Schwarzer in the Fulham goal.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/everton/7632196/Everton-2-Fulham-1-match-report.html
Everton 2 Fulham 1: match report
Read a full report of the Premier League match between Everton and Fulham at Goodison Park on Sunday April 25 2010.
By Graham Chase
Published: 7:00AM BST 06 May 2010
Even the Beatles felt a sense of anticlimax when they headed to Liverpool after memorable nights in Hamburg, but although their miserable spell on Merseyside continued, this trip to Goodison could have been far more productive for Fulham.
Following Thursday's goalless draw in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final in the German port, Roy Hodgson made nine changes, with Chris Baird, who is suspended for Thursday's return game, the only outfield player to keep his place.
But that tinkering made little difference and Fulham played with real purpose, taking the lead through Erik Nevland only for a Chris Smalling own goal to cancel that out before Mikel Arteta's penalty deep into added time earned Everton victory.
Hodgson claimed that he is "hopeful but not confident" that forward Bobby Zamora will overcome an Achilles injury to feature against Hamburg at Craven Cottage and he refused to make any apologies for his team selection.
"The game on Thursday is a much bigger priority than this one," said Hodgson, who was infuriated by the penalty award.
"We could afford to lose this one but on Thursday we don't feel we can afford to lose because we're so close to a final. The deserved point was stolen from us in injury time and it was sad way to end the game.
"We were taking a bit of a chance, with players that hadn't played much, but I had faith and confidence in them and they repaid that faith and confidence fully."
They also had a significant helping hand from Leighton Baines, who marred an otherwise impressive performance with a blind back-pass that allowed Nevland to lift the ball over goalkeeper Tim Howard.
Everton had already hit a post through Diniyar Bilyaletdinov but failed to bother the Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer until Victor Anichebe came on at half- time.
The striker got on the end of a wonderful cross from Arteta, evading an attempted overhead kick from Yakubu to head in off Smalling.
With Clint Dempsey excelling, there were further opportunities for Fulham, who should have restored their lead when Nevland played Stefano Okaka through, only for the forward to shoot weakly at Howard.
But with 23 seconds of three minutes of stoppage time remaining, Tim Cahill went down under Baird's challenge in the area and Arteta found the corner for his sixth goal in six matches.
It keeps Everton's hopes of a Europa League place alive, although they trail seventh-placed Liverpool by five points with two games remaining.
Arteta's contribution was all the more remarkable as he was suffering from dizziness after two robust first-half challenges. John Pantsil appeared to catch the Spaniard with an elbow before a collision with Kagisho Dikgacoi resulted in him having seven stitches above his eye.
"He feels a bit dizzy and I've told him he's Scottish," David Moyes joked. "He's not great. He needed stitches around his eye but he got a knock on his head before that.
"He kept his nerve and it was a big penalty. It was a really good penalty and kept his composure. We didn't get to the standards we've set in recent weeks but we got the result."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/everton/7633738/David-Moyes-admits-Evertons-European-chances-are-remote.html
David Moyes admits Everton's European chances are 'remote'
Everton manager David Moyes concedes his side's chances of European football next season are "remote" but has credited his players for a remarkable revival.
By Telegraph staff and agencies
Published: 8:57AM BST 26 Apr 2010
At the end of November Everton were languishing in 16th place in the Premier League with just 15 points from 14 games.
Moyes' side had just lost their third successive match, a 2-0 home defeat to bitter rivals Liverpool, and at that stage were staring at a potential relegation battle.
Remarkably, Everton have not lost at home in the league since that day, with Sunday's 2-1 win over Fulham stretching their unbeaten record in front of their own fans to 11 matches, their best run for over a decade.
If they can win their final two games they will equal their points haul of 63 from last season when they finished fifth, clinching a place in the Europa League.
Strangely, 63 points this season might only be good enough for eighth as Liverpool require just a point to guarantee themselves at least seventh, and with it the final European place.
Despite that, Moyes said: "Our chances are now remote, but if you'd said to me in October or November it was remote, I'd have said we'd no chance.
"So I can only pay credit to how well the players have kept going, in particular coming through a difficult February. We've won games and done really well.
"I admit we've found the last couple of home games against West Ham and Fulham more difficult than some others we've had this year, so it's something we need to think about.
"But I'm really pleased with what the players are doing. We might not have reached the standards we've set in recent weeks, but we've got the results."
Against a Fulham side showing nine changes to last Thursday's first leg of their Europa League semi-final in Hamburg, it looked like it was going to be a frustrating day for Everton.
After creating a host of opportunities, they conceded a 36th-minute opener when Leighton Baines' woeful backpass allowed Erik Nevland to take advantage for his fourth goal of the season.
But half-time substitute Victor Anichebe nodded Everton level just five minutes after his introduction, before Mikel Arteta stroked home a penalty with virtually the last kick of the game deep into injury-time.
"We kept going, tried everything to get a goal, threw the kitchen sink at them, and in the end it worked," added Moyes.
Fulham counterpart Roy Hodgson was left devastated by the penalty award for a Chris Baird foul on Tim Cahill, not least as the move that led to the spot-kick was sparked by a dubiously awarded throw-in.
"I thought the penalty decision was unbelievably harsh," said Hodgson. "It's a very sad way to end the game. We didn't deserve it because it was a very good performance from the team.
"To lose it so late in the game to a debatable penalty is a sad outcome for what was otherwise a very good occasion for us.
"I'm extremely depressed with the way a great result from a great performance was stolen from us in injury-time."
http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2010/04/25/everton-2-1-fulham-xi/
Everton 2-1 Fulham XI
Filed under: General,Match info — weltmeisterclaude @ 4:15 pm
Encouraging stuff. The Hamburg game on Thursday is super-important, so today Roy Hodgson took the opportunity to give the backups a run out. Given that this was EVerton, and Everton away at that, we might reasonably have expected a hiding, but no, we got an enjoyably open 2-1 defeat which was extremely harsh on Fulham; the game could easily have gone either way.
Everton started off like a team in a hurry, with a Cahill shot well saved and a Bilyetdinov volley striking the post. Fulham weren't getting much of a sniff, and wave upon wave of blue shirted attacks threatened to threaten. The whites held their collective nerve, and late in the half something strange happened: we went ahead.
Leighton Baines, England's prospective left back, rolled a careless backpass toward Tim Howard, and began to saunter upfield. Baines, you see, had not reckoned on the anticipatory skills of Erik Nevland, who was darting goalwards for just this eventuality. The ball could not have been better and Nevland dinked it past Howard and into the net. A fine, typical goal. We will miss him when he leaves in the summer.
The second half was a humdinger. Everton equalised, fortuitously but not against the run of play, when an Arteta cross was headed goalwards by Anichebe, but flicked off Chris Smalling and trickled into the net with Schwarzer wrongfooted. Nothing either of them could have done.
David Moyes threw on Louis Saha for Phil Neville, and went for the jugular. This gave our players more room to operate, and for a time it became the Dempsey and Dikgacoi show, the pair of them strutting through the midfield with authority and threatening to set something up somehow. The best chance came with a Dempsey pass through the gap to Nevland, who spied Okaka and passed across first time, only for Okaka to side-foot straight at Howard. It was a harder chance than it looked, Okaka having to take the ball at full-speed with perhaps too many options available, but he should have done better.
He had a decent game. In the first half, with nothing much on, he saw Dempsey running into the box and scooped a delicious ball over the defence and perfectly into his colleague's path, only for Dempsey's volley to scream into the stands. And while his all around play can be erratic (it sometimes looks as if he's trying to trap a rugby ball), there is clearly much potential there. If we are to forgive Chris Smalling his misdemeanors, then we must be similarly sympathetic to Okaka's ascent up the learning curve. Hopefully we'll keep hold of him after the season. He could end up anywhere between Emile Heskey and Faustino Asprilla.
An increasingly frenetic finale saw Dempsey narrowly fail to put Fredrik Stoor through (!), and then it all went belly up. Saha passed the ball into touch, Everton, weirdly, were awarded the throw in, Chris Baird tried to clear it but booted Tim Cahill in the midriff, and Arteta slammed home the winning goal from the penalty spot, all with about 16 seconds left.
http://www.skysports.com/football/match_report/0,19764,11065_3268846,00.html
Arteta spot on in late win
Spaniard keeps Toffees in the Hunt
By Mike Barton Last updated: 25th April 2010
Man of the match: Victor Anichebe's introduction seemed to spark Everton into life and his driving runs and influence were extremely impressive throughout the second half.
Shot of the match: Mikel Arteta's goal may have been from the spot. But it was coolness personified and well converted to give the Toffees victory.
Save of the match: Mark Schwarzer keeping out Tim Cahill's header shortly after Everton drew level.
Talking points: Is it too late for Everton to beat their bitter rivals into the Europa League places? Or has Arteta's late strike now given the Toffees the impetus to make it? Fulham were very aggrieved over the decision to award Everton a throw-in the build-up to the penalty. Did they have a case?
Everton kept their hopes of beating local rivals Liverpool to a Europa League spot alive with a 2-1 victory over Fulham at Goodison Park.
In a game that looked to be petering out into a draw, with Fulham seemingly weathering Everton's final throw of attacks, Tim Cahill won a penalty in the 93rd minute to give Mikel Arteta the chance to seal all three points for the home side.
The Spaniard did not disappoint, smashing the ball low into the left-hand corner to send Mark Schwarzer the wrong way with what was practically the last kick of the game.
The victory was a welcome present for David Moyes, as he celebrated his 47th birthday with a win that keeps Everton in the hunt for seventh place, but Fulham's woes away from Craven Cottage continued in a game they were leading at half-time thanks to Erik Nevland's cool finish.
With Thursday's second leg of Fulham's semi-final against Hamburg in mind, boss Roy Hodgson made nine changes for this game, coming within seconds of ending a run of 16 successive defeats at Goodison Park.
Although Nevland gave Fulham a 36th minute lead against the run of play, Victor Anichebe hauled his side level five minutes after his arrival as a half-time substitute before Arteta stroked home a face-saving winner deep into injury time.
Changes
You can hardly blame Hodgson for making as many changes as he did, with arguably the most high-profile game in the club's history looming.
Hodgson rested eight players - Paul Konchesky, Aaron Hughes, Danny Murphy, Dickson Etuhu, Damien Duff, Zoltan Gera, Brede Hangeland and Simon Davies - with Bobby Zamora nursing an Achilles injury.
For the first 36 minutes of the game they were over-run and barely in the match as Everton created, and wasted, a host of chances.
The first of those came after 30 seconds as Mark Schwarzer, one of only two survivors from Thursday's goalless first leg in Hamburg, smothered a 20-yard snap shot from Tim Cahill, making his 200th appearance for the Toffees in all competitions.
That set the tone, yet remarkably Schwarzer was never called upon again until late in the first half when he stopped a deflected effort from Yakubu on the line.
However, the right-hand post came to his aid in the second minute as Diniyar Bilyaletdinov cracked a left-foot volley against the base after Tony Hibbert had floated over a right-wing cross.
One-way traffic followed with Cahill off target with a free header, Yakubu dragging a shot past the post after an error from defender Chris Smalling, whilst Cahill also drilled another low effort wide.
What would have been an untried Fulham rearguard defended stoutly, putting bodies in the way.
But then nine minutes from the break Fulham scored their first away league goal since a 3-2 defeat at Stoke on January 5, ending a blank seven-game run.
It came courtesy of a howler from Leighton Baines, who played a nonchalant pass to Tim Howard without looking, allowing Nevland to nip in and flick the ball over the advancing American goalkeeper.
Nevland's fourth this season also ended Fulham's goal drought on Merseyside - against both Everton and Liverpool - at nine hours and 14 minutes, with their last in a 4-1 defeat at Goodison in April 2007.
Fulham should have added a second shortly before the break when Stefano Okaka lofted a delightful chip into the area for Clint Dempsey to run onto, but with only Howard to beat, he volleyed over the crossbar.
At half-time boss David Moyes brought on Anichebe for Bilyaletdinov, which proved inspired as the striker levelled five minutes later.
Arteta, nursing a stitched cut over his left eye following an incident at the end of the first period, supplied a dinked cross from the left-hand edge of Fulham's penalty area.
Equaliser
Yakubu attempted a dramatic scissor kick, fortunately just avoiding Anichebe's head as he bravely nodded into the ground from six yards for what proved to be his second goal of the season as it took a slight deflection beyond Schwarzer's outstretched grasp.
Fortune then favoured Fulham as referee Lee Mason failed to spot an Anichebe cross hit Nicky Shorey's left arm in the area on the hour.
Ten minutes later Jonathan Greening's intercept to Tony Hibbert's right-wing cross flashed a yard beyond Schwarzer's right-hand post.
Then within a minute a goal-bound downward header from Louis Saha, on as a 61st-minute substitute for captain Phil Neville, bounced off Dempsey and inches over the bar.
It meant Fulham were still in the game, and they should have stolen victory, only for Okaka to shoot tamely into the welcoming arms of Howard after being played in by Nevland on a 76th minute break.
It was then Everton who had the chance to win it, but a defiant Schwarzer brilliantly saved from Cahill at point-blank range in the 80th minute, prior to a more routine stop from Arteta four minutes from time.
But with a draw on the cards, a Chris Baird foul on Cahill inside the area allowed Arteta to score from the spot with virtually the last kick of the game.
Everton
Team Statistics
Fulham
2 Goals
1
0 1st Half Goals
1
7 Shots on Target
3
7 Shots off Target
2
3 Blocked Shots
3
10 Corners
3
7 Fouls
15
1 Offsides
0
0 Yellow Cards
1
0 Red Cards
0
86.4 Passing Success
79.7
20 Tackles
28
80 Tackles Success
78.6
54.9 Possession
45.1
58.7 Territorial Advantage
41.3
http://www.cottagersconfidential.com/2010/4/25/1443221/fulham-lose-in-dramatic-fashion-2
Fulham lose in dramatic fashion 2 - 1 at Everton
by Russ Goldman on Apr 25, 2010 6:16 PM BST
Fulham lose in stoppage time 2 - 1 on a penalty kick. Mikel Arteta scored the penalty to give Everton the victory. Fulham had the lead at the half. Erik Nevland scored in the first half for Fulham. In the second half, in the opening minutes an own goal by Chris Smalling tied the game at 1 - 1. As stated earlier, very late in stoppage time Everton got their winning goal. There might be some controversy leading up to the final goal of the match. Right before the play that led to the penalty, it looked like Saha might have kicked the ball out of bounds. The assistant indicated that it went off Chris Smalling. This led to a throw in deep in the Fulham half. The play after the throw in saw a header by Saha inside the box go to Cahill. He was swiped by a kick from Chris Baird. A penalty was called and a goal was scored. Fulham lose 2 - 1 at Goodison Park.
Despite the result, Fulham fans should be proud of there team today. There were many changes made to the lineup. There were 9 changes to the starting team. Players like Bjorn Helge Riise, Erik Nevland, Kagisho Digkacoi, John Panstil, Nicky Shorey, Jonathan Greening, Chris Smalling, Stefano Okaka and John Pantsil got a chance to play. To their credit they played hard and gave a huge effort. Even though they did not come away with any points, you could tell the team battled the entire match.
The half began with some real good pressure from Everton. In the very first minute, Tim Cahill had a great strike from just outside of the box. It is saved by Schwarzer. In the second minute, Bilyaletdinov's strike hits the post. This was a from a great pass from Hibbert.
Fulham followed this up with decent pressure. They forced two corners in succession. This happened in the 8th minute of the match. However, shortly afterwards the flow of the game would go back to the advantage of Everton.
They had a few more chances in the first half. In the 11th minute, a cross from Arteta Leads to a header from Cahill. His header goes wide of the net. in the 21st minute, Chris Smalling loses the ball in the box. Thankfully for Fulham Yakubu's shot goes wide. In the 23rd minute, a shot by Cahill right outside of the box is wide.
Fulham would start to move slightly forward. In the 26th minute, a Nevland shot on the left side of the box is blocked by an Everton defender. In the 27th minute a Dikgacoi shot off of play from a corner just goes over the net.
Fulham's chances were not many in the first half. However, they would take advantage of an Everton mistake. In the 35th minute, Baines tries a pass back to Tim Howard. It is intercepted by Erik Nevland. He strikes the ball past Howard. Surprisingly Fulham are up 1 - 0. Fulham actually tried to make it 2- 0. In the 45th minute, an Okaka pass leads to shot by Clint Dempsey. He was right in front of Howard. Unfortunately his shot goes over the net.
There is no question that Everton controlled the play of the game in the first half. It took a mistake by Everton for Fulham to take the lead. Fulham lead at the half 1 - 0.
The second half began with great pressure from Everton. It did not take them long to get the equalizer. In the 49th minute, a ball is deflected off of Chris Smalling and into the net. The play started with a pass from Arteta that goes to Anichebe. Initially it looked like he headed the ball into the net. However, after a review of the play his header was then deflected to Smalling and the ball went into the net. The game was now tied 1 - 1.
Everton would have some great pressure in this second half. Fulham actually got very fortunate starting in the 70th minute. First, Jonathan Greening's header almost goes into his own net. If it did Fulham would have given up 2 own goals. The very next minute, a Saha header bounces off of Clint Dempsey and just goes wide. This was play off of a corner kick. Fulham were very lucky in both situations not to give up a goal.
Fulham now would have two great chances of there own to score. First, in the 74th minute, Clint Demspey makes a nice run. He runs into the box with the ball. He was defended well by Baines and did not get a shot off. He was led by a nice Erik Nevland pass. Second, Stefano Okaka had the opportunity of the match. In a counter attack, Fulham were flying down the field. The play was started by a great long pass from Dempsey that went to Eric Nevland. He then passed it to Okaka who probably shot it too quickly. Tim Howard ended up making an easy save. Okaka was one on one with Howard. He might have rushed his shot.
The action would lead up to the dramatic finish of this match in stoppage time. There would be 3 minutes added to the end of the game. Everton actually had one other great chance to score early in stoppage time . A Louis Saha header hits the side of the net.
As we were getting to the very end of the match a controversial play happened. It looked like Louis Saha knocked the ball out bounds deep in the Fulham half. The assistant said it went off of Chris Smalling. This led to a throw in. As the play went on Louis Saha headed the ball back towards the net. Chris Baird took a swipe kick and hit Tim Cahill. The referee called for a penalty kick. Mikel Arteta scored the final goal of the match past Mark Schwarzer . Fulham lost a heart-breaker 2 - 1.
Even though Fulham lost this match the club battled and played hard. They showed great effort today. It was an unfortunate result for the Cottagers.
Everton Photo Special
Sunday 25th April 2010
http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/EvertonPhotoSpecial.aspx
Everton 2 - 1 Fulham
It had been a testing yet positive week for Fulham following their now famous Hamburg road trip and subsequent performance in the Nordbank Arena - a result which put Roy Hodgson's side in an encouraging position ahead of Thursday's UEFA Europa League Semi-Final second-leg.
Roy Hodgson made changes, with only Mark Schwarzer and Chris Baird part of the midweek starting line-up on show at Goodison Park.
The trip to Germany had symbolically captured our epic journey in Europe, one that started on July 30th in Lithuania and has seen the team travel three quarters of the way around the globe. Prior to kick-off, Captain Danny Murphy had urged outsiders to adopt an "understanding" stance on the team selection.
Yet there would be little sympathy from the home side who. unbeaten in their last eight league games, started brightly, with Russian midfielder Diniyar Bilyaletdinov striking the post after just three minutes from Tony Hibbert's deep cross from the right.
A mazy run from Steven Pienaar also threatened to break the early deadlock, with only a last-ditch intervention from Baird breaking the South African international's stride.
The hosts continued to impress with their pass and move football, and a clever break down the right needed a commanding claim from Schwarzer to deny the head of Yakubu. With Mikel Arteta growing in confidence, further chances looked forthcoming.
And one such opportunity fell to Yakubu again, with 20 minutes gone, with the striker pouncing on a mistake from Chris Smalling before dragging his shot from the right of the box wide.
Fulham replied with their first real spell of possession, with an Erik Nevland strike deflected out for a corner, and Kagisho Dikgacoi blazing over from the subsequent corner.
At the other end Phil Neville's low cross from the right flashed across the goalmouth, where the returning John Pantsil had to be alert to shoe a timely clearance to safety, and Yakubu lurking once more.
However, for all the hosts' attacking intent it was Fulham that opened the scoring with nine minutes of the first-half remaining, and it was that man Nevland that proved the difference once more, ghosting on to Leighton Baines' nonchalant back pass and dinking the ball over Tim Howard.
It was a Fulham goal that had been a long time coming. Prior to kick-off it had been eight hours and 38 minutes of league football since they had last scored a goal on Merseyside (against Everton and Liverpool) – when Carlos Bocanegra scored in a 4-1 defeat at Goodison in April 2007.
And the Whites really should have had a second going into the break, when Okaka's wonderfully scooped pass fell into the path of Dempsey who had slipped the previously close attentions of Phil Jagielka. But our Juventus goal hero volleyed over from close range.
Everton certainly had their moments, but in a half of graft and zeal, it was Fulham that had ultimately proved the most effective.
However, that lead would be short lived, with Arteta finding space down the left and chipping an enticing pass into the Fulham box. Substitute Victor Anichebe was waiting, and his downwards header bounced beyond a sprawling Schwarzer and into the bottom left corner with five minutes gone.
With the momentum behind them Everton pushed for an immediate second, with Schwarzer doing well to hold Tim Cahill's header and then diving at the feet of a well-placed Yakubu.
With the Toffees searching for a further breakthrough, the Fulham fans in attendance would have been wary of the introduction of former Cottage favourite Louis Saha on the hour. The talented hitman scored 53 goals in 117 league games for the Whites between 2000 and 2004, but since his departure, has made a habit of scoring against his former club – most recently in Fulham's visit to Goodison last season.
Anichebe accelerated in from the right and drove at Schwarzer, while a Jagielka intervention denied Okaka a decent opening as both sides tussled for a crucial second. Everton went even closer when Jonathan Greening's header almost dropped into his own net, with captain for the day Schwarzer making an expert save, tipping Arteta's resultant in-swinging corner over the ball.
Saha met the following corner, but fortunately for the Whites his glancing header bounced off the unsuspecting head of Dempsey and out to relevant safety.
Dempsey almost converted a chance at the other end moments later racing on to Nevland's perfectly weighted pass, but the impressive Jagielka proved his equal doing just enough to deny the American's advancement.
Okaka had an even better opportunity on 76 minutes, with Nevland the architect once more. With free sight on goal the Italian U21 international strode on to Nevland's pullback, but could only find the arms of Howard when his first-time strike should have perhaps done more.
Inside the final 10 minutes Schwarzer made a fantastic stop to keep out Cahill following a fabulous flowing move, while Pienaar showed his quality at the other end of the pitch, getting his body in the way of Dempsey's powerful strike.
Dempsey fired a free-kick straight at Howard from 30 yards, while from a bit further in, Arteta arrowed his set piece straight at the grateful Fulham wall.
With three minutes of injury time announced the home crowd pressed their team forward, but their cheers of encouragement turned to gasps of despair when Saha headed wide with the goal at his mercy.
But when Cahill went down in the area moments later, the referee pointed to the spot. In a late twist, the composed Arteta stepped up and dispatched a confident finish to the right of Schwarzer to hand Everton's boss a very happy 47th birthday.
It was a disappointing end to a very memorable week for Roy Hodgson however, but with our European dreams firmly intact, his side have the opportunity to bounce back in style come Thursday.
Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/MatchAndTeam/MatchCentre/Matches/0910/Premiership/EvertonAway.aspx#ixzz0mCIkzk8a (http://www.fulhamfc.com/MatchAndTeam/MatchCentre/Matches/0910/Premiership/EvertonAway.aspx#ixzz0mCIkzk8a)
http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/HodgsonEvertonReaction.aspx
Hodgson's Everton Reaction
Sunday 25th April 2010
Fulham FC News
Speaking after Sunday's narrow Barclays Premier League defeat at Goodison Park, Roy Hodgson gave his assessment of the game.
"I thought the penalty decision was unbelievably harsh," said Hodgson.
"We had a similar situation with Clint Dempsey and I didn't make too much of a fuss about it.
"But when that penalty decision goes against you, I wondered why I wasn't more upset about the one we should have had.
"It's a very sad way to end the game. We didn't deserve it because it was a very good performance from the team.
"To lose it so late in the game to a debatable penalty is a sad outcome for what was otherwise a very good occasion for us.
"I'm extremely depressed with the way a great result from a great performance was stolen from us in injury time.
"The changes improved us because the players that played in Hamburg would have found it very hard to produce that level of performance.
"We were taking a bit of a chance with players that hadn't played much, but I had faith and confidence in them and they repaid that faith and confidence fully."
Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/HodgsonEvertonReaction.aspx#ixzz0mCJ4f4tp (http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/HodgsonEvertonReaction.aspx#ixzz0mCJ4f4tp)
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_6116150,00.html
Hodgson gutted with defeat
Fulham boss bemoans penalty decision
By Mike Barton Last updated: 25th April 2010
Roy Hodgson admitted that he was bitterly disappointed to see his Fulham side taste defeat after a 2-1 loss to Everton at Goodison Park.
Mikel Arteta's last minute penalty won the day for the Toffees in a game Fulham seemed to be taking a share of the spoils from after coping with most attacks Everton threw at them.
But a late throw in the lead up to the penalty decision caused controversy after appearing to come off an Everton player before going out of play, leading to Sylvain Distin's long throw in the box and Chris Baird bringing down Tim Cahill for the spot kick.
Hodgson was clearly annoyed by the decision, and made his feelings very clear about how unlucky his side were to lose.
"It's very hard to take," he said.
"It will take me a while to calm down and get over it but that's football I suppose.
"First of all I thought it was our throw in and I don't think it's a penalty it was very harsh to give it for that."
The Fulham boss praised his side's hardworking performance, where Erik Nevland's opening goal gave his side a half time lead before a Chris Smalling own goal restored parity to proceedings.
Gutted
However he also praised Everton for their fighting spirit and confessed that any side he put out would have found it difficult despite fielding a somewhat weakened team ahead of their Europa League semi final second leg against Hamburg on Thursday.
"We were playing against a good team who are on a remarkable run and I think we were going to find it difficult whatever team we decided to field today," Hodgson added.
"I'm just really gutted that we've lost a very valuable point and a very well deserved one in such a fashion."
With Thursday's encounter at Craven Cottage against the German side deadlocked at 0-0, Hodgson will know that his team will need to score in what will go down as one of the biggest matches in the club's history.
Zamora
However while the 62-year-old confirmed that he had no fresh injury worries ahead of the fixture, he did concede that key striker Bobby Zamora may face a race against time to be fit.
"We hope everybody will be fit for Thursday but the only major doubt we have was Bobby Zamora. He was the one who certainly wouldn't be able to play under the circumstances today," he said.
"Whether time will allow him to get fit for Thursday we'll have to wait and see but everyone else was ok."
http://www.toffeeweb.com/season/09-10/comment/editorial/15049.html
From my seat: Fulham (H)
By Ken Buckley : 25/04/2010 : Comments (4) :
Another three points that give us the faintest of chances to join the Euro train from a game that at times resembled a training match with the exciting bits being reserved for the start and finish of the second half — albeit excitement in the scoring of two home goals to give us the points that paled into insignificance regarding the rumours sweeping Goodison regarding a investor/buyout of the club that meets the Chairman's right and proper person criteria... plus the insignificant one regarding Gerrard, his missus, a 15-year-old girl, and a Derby County player. Just as well these rumours were circulating as it masked a day out in brilliant sunshine interrupted by the outbreak of a truly unmemorable game.
Fulham made nine changes and understandably so in light of their progression in Europe and a look at our bench made me realize just how far we are behind Fulham in the squad size stakes that makes so much difference in a successful season on the important fronts.(Fulham?).
The Blues started brightly and no sooner had the game started Cahill had a shot smothered smartly by Schwarzer, a pity it didn't go in as it was Cahill's 200th appearance for us. Just two minutes later Bilyaletdinov smashed one against the post with keeper beaten after a superb Hibbert run and cross.
The half continued with the Blues in control and it seemed a matter of time before we punctured the Fulham reserves who were no more than getting bodies behind the ball and defending well as time after time we saw good approach play particularly down the right with Hibbert contributing well only for a lack-lustre final third approach to be our downfall. We passed when we should have shot and shot when we should have passed.
Our effort in that final third was abysmal and the crowd were getting ever restless. Surely a goal would come and it did on the 36th minute mark when a cute passing movement at the back saw Baines put in a pass, without thought or looking, toward Howard that merely fed Nevland who gleefully and adroitly chipped over Howard leaving the hapless Baines with his head in his hands and a wag near me to yell 'Baines for England' — the irony being he was a Scotsman.
This really deflated both players and fans and in the period to half-time we were lucky not to go further behind when a chip into the box saw Dempsey sky over with only Howard to beat. Arteta was felled and left the field for what looked like a stitching job.
Half-time, and the chat was not so much of what changes the manager might make but more of an acceptance that, no matter the outcome, the season was just being played out and the hope both rumours were true. (How sad...)
The manager did make a change for the second half, introducing Big Vic for Bilyaletdinov — a move I applauded as I am still bewildered as to what exactly the Russian brings to the team or indeed what his role is.
Big Vic isn't the most accomplished of players but he has a strength and willingness to run at people and, after just four minutes of the second half starting, he found himself in the box as Arteta jinked one in which the Yak had an extravagant bicycle kick at that almost beheaded Big Vic as he headed into goal despite desperate efforts from Schwarzer.
Cahill had a power shot parried by the keeper as we dominated. On the hour mark, a great shout from both players and fans for a penalty when Big Vic crossed and it was handled by Shorey but the Ref Mr Mason was as indulgent has he had been about any contentious decision all match.
Hibbert once again got forward down the right and his flashed cross hit a defender and whistled just wide of the post. Neville then came off (must have had a knock) and Saha came on and within minutes missed a sitter when he headed over off a defender when very well placed.
We then almost paid a heavy price as, from our attack, Fulham broke quickly and the nippy Nevland put in Okaka with only Howard to beat but fortunately produced no more than a back-pass to the keeper. A big let off.
Ten minutes from the end, another move involving the impressive Hibbert saw Cahill blast one from close range that Schwarzer somehow parried away, it really was point blank range. With time running out Arteta tried his luck but only produced a routine gather from the keeper.
With the board showing 4 mins of injury time, many were leaving the ground but the Blues kept attacking and yet another move down the right saw a ball into the box in the very last minute, Cahill burst forward and seemed to be bundled to the ground, the Ref didn't bottle this one as it seemed so blatant and immediately pointed to the spot. Up stepped Arteta, sent the keeper the wrong way and hey-ho three points.
The Ref blew his whistle for the restart then immediately blew again for time up – it was that close.
Overall, not a game to write home about but we did play the joined-up stuff up to that 18-yd box then it was less than convincing as we just don't seem to have that all important urgency and nous where it matters. With proven strikers like Yak and Saha, it is a bit disappointing to be looking to Cahill to nip in all the time.
MotM was difficult today as variously quite a few shone then faded throughout the game so I give mine to Hibbert, who I thought played his position better over 98 mins than anyone else played theirs.
Stoke next and the away end is once again sold out so I hope the players hang on to just the faintest hope of securing the European entry slot of 7th and give us a performance to match. It's improbable but not impossible in footy world and what an end to the season usurping our city cousins would be.
With prayer beads in hand, I dream...
UP THE BLUES
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/everton-fc/everton-fc-match-reports/2010/04/26/everton-2-fulham-1-greg-o-keeffe-s-verdict-on-everton-s-late-triumph-over-the-cottagers-100252-26317082/
Everton 2 Fulham 1: Greg O'Keeffe's verdict on Everton's late triumph over the Cottagers
Apr 26 2010 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool Echo
THE candles on the cake were blown out, the cork was forced back into the champagne bottle, and any celebrations for David Moyes' 47th birthday yesterday were firmly on hold.
But then, just when it seemed like a terse Sunday night was in store for the Moyes family, Mikel Arteta delivered a late present which put a smile back on the birthday boy's face.
The Spaniard's ice-cool conversion of a penalty awarded with 23 seconds of injury time left, just about keeps Everton's dreams of European football next season alive.
Liverpool's victory over Burnley means Europa League qualification is still the longest of long shots for the Toffees.
The Reds appear unlikely to suffer the two defeats necessary for Everton to overtake them into seventh place.
But at least Moyes' men now go into the final two games of the season with something to play for.
Just as against Blackburn, the Toffees started impressively, suffered a shaky slump which appeared to be fatal and then snatched all three points by refusing to abandon their belief as the clock ticked down.
Everton had signalled their intent within seconds, as Tim Cahill fired a low effort at Mark Schwarzer. Then Diniyar Bilyaletdinov volleyed a first-time Tony Hibbert cross against the post.
Unsurprisingly, given the relative weakness of Fulham's starting side, Everton were enjoying all the early possession.
Predictably, Roy Hodgson made nine changes from the team which drew in the Europa League semi-final last week, including eye-brow raisers like Kagisho Dikgacoi, try saying that after half a shandy, and John Arne Riise's brother, Bjorn Helge Riise.
It began to have the hallmarks of a leisurely stroll in the sunshine. Steven Pienaar looked as if contract woes were the last thing on his mind, when he delightfully jinked past a trail of Fulham defenders before falling over in the area.
Everton's passing was crisp and purposeful.
Both full-backs were joining in effectively, and a goal constantly seemed moments away.
But as those moments continued to elapse, Goodison became agitated.
Fulham's ambitions seemed to amount to simply not being steam-rollered,
as the home fans sensed a cricket score.
So, when all Everton's possession went unrewarded, the frustration factor began to rattle around the ground.
Surely a goal was on the horizon? It was, and with the half in its closing stages, somehow it went to Fulham.
Leighton Baines has had more assists than any other defender in the Premier League, but this was one he will not recall fondly.
The usually immaculate left-back dallied on the ball in the area under only a modicum of pressure, and chose to slip a back pass to Tim Howard.
Unfortunately he failed to spot the lurking Erik Nevland who gratefully latched onto the poorly weighted pass to slot home.
Right on cue, the sunshine made way for grey clouds over Goodison.
It was one of only two half chances Fulham had created
Only contrary Everton could go a goal behind in a game like this, when everything so compellingly pointed to a home win.
Fulham have never won at Goodison Park in the league, and the Blues have taken all three points from their last 16 meetings.
Yet, it could have been worse. Stefano Okaka's clever chip played in Clint Dempsey just before the break, and the American volleyed a decent opening high into the Park End.
It would be a cold-hearted individual who didn't feel some sympathy for Everton's players as they trudged into the tunnel.
They were not exactly set for high fives and plaudits.
Bilyaletdinov didn't make it back out, replaced on the right flank by Victor Anichebe.
And for the second game running, Moyes had made a change which reaped almost instant rewards.
Roared on by a home support indignant at being behind to such a soft goal, Arteta and Pienaar linked up deftly, and the Spaniard's cross to the far post found Anichebe's head, and the ball bobbled past Schwarzer.
It was Anichebe's first league goal at Goodison since 2007, and hardly the sumptuous strike which Everton's bright opening suggested, but enough to hand them back the momentum.
Tim Cahill was denied by a point-blank Schwarzer stop moments after.
Soon Louis Saha appeared on the sidelines. But just when it seemed as if Yakubu's afternoon was over, Phil Neville instead made way for the French striker, as the Blues boss went for the kill.
Fulham were playing for the point, defending stubbornly and relying on the solidity of Mark Schwarzer.
Their only real attacking threat Nevland was replaced, and yet they still found the occasional opening as the Blues pushed forward.
Okaka squandered a clear opportunity to give his side the lead. Then when Schwarzer denied his compatriot Cahill again, after fine work by Yakubu, the three points which Everton needed so badly began to seem beyond them.
That feeling of dread was only reinforced when Saha nodded a gilt-edged chance wide from a deep Baines cross.
But then Chris Baird's clumsy block on Tim Cahill saw Phil Dowd point to the spot.
Step forward Mikel Arteta, with the birthday gift for his boss that money can't buy.
http://swsix.blogspot.com/2010/04/fulhams-new-income-stream.html
Fulham's New Income Stream?
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_AWDzbQv6Of0/S9VBcBGqxLI/AAAAAAAAAIo/Ab7zjVBM5yc/s400/100325_)
What mystery is this? Has Mr. Al Fayed, eager to find a new source of revenue, begun drilling for oil in the sedimentary rock deep beneath the London clay?
Are barrels of 'Egyptian Crude' about to become a hot commodity on the international financial markets?
Whatever the explanation, this curious rig has recently appeared a few metres west of Putney Bridge and, seemingly, directly on the boundary between boroughs.
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11681_6117221,00.html
Hodgson fears Zamora absence
Europa League semi-finalists have fingers crossed over forward
Last updated: 26th April 2010
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson is not confident that star striker Bobby Zamora will be fit for Thursday's Europa League semi-final second leg against Hamburg.
The Premier League side are preparing to welcome their opponents to London after a 0-0 first-leg draw in Germany last week.
England World Cup hopeful Zamora started that match, but limped off early in the second half after aggravating his troublesome Achilles problem.
Hodgson hopes that his 19-goal forward, who has said he is desperate to play, will be available, however, the Fulham boss admits it is touch and go after he sat out Sunday's league defeat at Everton.
"I'm not confident Bobby will be ready for Thursday," said Hodgson in the Daily Mirror.
"I am hopeful, but that is all. He is having treatment and we will have to keep our fingers crossed."
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=777355&sec=europe&cc=5739
Hamburg coach under fire ahead of Fulham tie
By Soccernet staff
April 26, 2010
A 5-1 defeat by Hoffenheim has placed Hamburg coach Bruno Labbadia under intense pressure just days before the club's Europa League semi-final second leg against Fulham, although he is adamant he still retains the support of his players.
Bruno Labbadia was under scrutiny after defeat to Hoffenheim
A heavy defeat leaves Hamburg in seventh place in the Bundesliga so Thursday's fixture at Craven Cottage is key to salvaging something from their season, with the Europa League final due to take place in their home stadium.
Labbadia will hold talks with the club's hierarchy prior to the Fulham tie, which remains delicately poised following a 0-0 draw in Germany, and chairman Bernd Hoffmann appears reluctant to fully back his coach.
"We are going to speak together with the coach and ensure we do what is right for Thursday," Hoffmann said. "That is our last chance to leave a route into Europe next season open. There is not really much more that I can add to that."
Labbadia, appointed as Martin Jol's replacement last summer when deciding to leave Bayer Leverkusen, says he is confident he has not lost the dressing room.
"If a team were to play against their coach, then they would also be playing against themselves," Labbadia said. "That would make no sense."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article7107748.ece
Mikel Arteta makes Roy Hodgson and Fulham pay for rotation policy
Everton 2 Fulham 1
Tom Dart
Mikel Arteta left Goodison Park with seven stitches and Fulham departed feeling stitched up by the officials.
With Thursday's Europa League semi-final, second leg against Hamburg in mind, Roy Hodgson made nine changes, but while the names were different, the result was familiar. Fulham have gathered ten points on their travels this season, the same as Portsmouth, the only team they have beaten away in the Barclays Premier League.
Entering the game, David Moyes's side were on a run of ten home league fixtures without defeat; Fulham had last scored away in the league on January 5. Everton had won their past 16 league games at Goodison Park against yesterday's opponents, who had not found the net on Merseyside for more than three years.
They put that right after 36 minutes. Leighton Baines's crass back-pass was intercepted by Erik Nevland, who finished low past Tim Howard. The lead lasted until the 49th minute when a soft header from Victor Anichebe, a substitute, went in after taking a significant deflection off Chris Smalling. A disputed penalty by Arteta four minutes into injury time settled the contest. The Basque's aim was impeccable even though he was woozy after sustaining a head wound in a first-half collision with Kagisho Dikgacoi.
Hodgson felt that a throw-in was wrongly awarded to Everton in the build-up and disagreed with the penalty, although it did appear that Chris Baird's leg made contact with Tim Cahill's midriff as the pair chased a loose ball.
Hodgson rotated like a centrifuge set to maximum spin. "The changes improved us because players who travelled to Hamburg would have found it hard to reproduce that level of performance," he said. "This was one we could afford to lose." One change was forced by Bobby Zamora's Achilles tendon injury. "I'm not confident he will be ready for Thursday," Hodgson said.
While Fulham wait on their key striker, Everton's Glaswegian manager, on his 47th birthday, was grateful for Arteta's powers of recovery. "He feels a bit dizzy," Moyes said. "I've told him he's Scottish."
Everton (4-4-1-1): T Howard 6 — A Hibbert 6, P Jagielka 6, S Distin 6, L Baines 5 — S Pienaar 5, P Neville 5 (sub: L Saha, 61min 5), M Arteta 6, D Bilyaletdinov 5 (sub: V Anichebe, 46 5) — T Cahill 6 — Yakubu Ayegbeni 5 (sub: J Baxter, 87). Substitutes not used: I Turner, J Yobo, P Senderos, J Wallace. Next: Stoke City (a).
Fulham (4-4-2): M Schwarzer 8 — J Paintsil 6, C Baird 7, C Smalling 6, N Shorey 7 — B H Riise 7, K Dikgacoi 6, J Greening 6, C Dempsey 5 — S Okaka 5 (sub: F Stoor, 89), E Nevland 6 (sub: D Elm, 78). Substitutes not used: P Zuberbühler, S Kelly, A Teymourian, C Buchtmann, M Briggs. Booked: Paintsil. Next: West Ham United (h).
Referee: L Mason. Attendance: 35,578.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/european-dream-still-alive-after-evertons-late-escape-1954246.html
European dream still alive after Everton's late escape
Everton 2 Fulham 1
By Tim Rich
Monday, 26 April 2010
It was David Moyes's 47th birthday and, when it comes to presents, most football men would settle for a last-minute penalty.
Not since 1959 had Fulham earned so much as a point at Goodison and they were 23 seconds away from achieving another when Chris Baird's extended leg thudded into Tim Cahill's chest. Mikel Arteta, his eyebrow laced with seven stitches and his brain still pounding from a first-half clash of heads, converted the spot-kick.
The man from the club's official website who had written that Everton's faint hopes of overtaking Liverpool to qualify for the Europa League were now "extinguished" was forced, like the rest of us, to revise his judgement. It is just possible there will be European football here next season, but it is not something Moyes dwells on.
Roy Hodgson, who had made nine changes to the Fulham side that had travelled to Germany by coach and fought Hamburg to a goalless stalemate, was angry and deflated.
"I thought it was unbelievably harsh and I thought the move began with what should have been our throw-in," he said. "It is very difficult for me to be anything other than depressed when a great performance is taken from me in the 95th minute." The Fulham manager added that he was not confident that Bobby Zamora would be fit for the second leg of their Europa League semi-final.
Mark Schwarzer, most assuredly will and the Fulham keeper's heroics carried on seamlessly from where he had finished in the Nordbank Arena. Perhaps the best of his saves was the finish to a thrilling Everton move, in which Louis Saha's back-flick was played on by Yakubu to Cahill, only for the Australian midfielder to be denied by his countryamn at the near post.
At the interval, Moyes had replaced Diniyar Bilyaletdinov with Victor Anichebe and four minutes later the Nigerian's soft header bounced twice and sneaked into the very corner of Schwarzer's net. It was judged by some to have been an own-goal, although this would have been overly harsh on Chris Smalling, who may have been participating in a shadow side but demonstrated why Sir Alex Ferguson thought him worth bringing to Manchester United next season.
Nursing an outfit whose season began in July in Vilnius and facing an improbable European semi-final on Thursday, Hodgson made extensive changes but Fulham nonetheless performed with verve and discipline. They had, however, not scored in the league away from Craven Cottage since January and required a dreadful back-pass from Leighton Baines to break through. As Baines's face wore the look of someone who has just realised he had forgotten to pick the kids up from nursery, Erik Nevland tucked the ball home and ran over to celebrate with Fulham's fans – all 142 of them.
Everton (4-5-1): Howard; Hibbert, Jagielka, Distin, Baines; Pienaar, Neville (Saha, 60), Cahill, Arteta, Bilyaletdinov (Anichebe, ht); Yakubu (Baxter, 87) Substitutes not used: Turner (gk), Yobo, Senderos, Wallace.
Fulham (4-4-2): Schwarzer; Pantsil, Baird, Smalling, Shorey; Riise, Greening, Dikgacoi, Dempsey; Okaka (Stoor, 88), Nevland (Elm, 78). Substitutes not used: Zuberbuhler (gk), Kelly, Adranik, Buchtmann, Briggs.
Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire).
Booked: Fulham Pantsil.
Man of the Match: Schwarzer.
Attendance: 35,578.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2946583/Everton-2-Fulham-1.html
Everton 2 Fulham 1
From PHIL THOMAS at Goodison Park
Published: 25 Apr 2010
AS David Moyes celebrated his 47th birthday he never expected his most welcome gift would come from the officials.
OK, it may not have been accompanied by a card or tied up and wrapped in a bow.
But 25 seconds from the end of added time, ref Lee Mason pointed to the spot, up stepped Mikel Arteta and suddenly that European dream lived on for a week longer.
Fulham chief Roy Hodgson may have disagreed, but there was no doubting Chris Baird had bundled Tim Cahill to the ground - and Arteta's penalty was despatched clinically into the corner.
Hodgson did have a point in feeling his side should have been given a throw-in in the build-up.
But complaining about the spot-kick itself? Sorry Roy, you are wrong on that one.
Yet for so long it seemed the only present on show was going to be the gift-wrapped 36th-minute goal which Leighton Baines teed up for the visitors. Baines - in front of England assistant Franco Baldini to boot - never so much as glanced backwards as he slid a pass to Tim Howard.
Erik Nevland was in so much space he could have watched the EastEnders omnibus before dinking his shot over the Everton keeper.
Even the travelling Fulham fans - all 142 of them - looked stunned.
The Cottagers simply do not score on Merseyside. Their last was from Carlos Bocanegra in a 4-1 defeat at Goodison three years ago.
Nevland's neat finish was the first time in an astonishing 670 minutes - since a last-minute goal at Stoke on January 5 - they have scored away in the league.
And on the stroke of half-time they could have doubled their lead.
Stefano Okaka, one of NINE changes to the side which put one foot in the Europa League final in Hamburg last Thursday, lofted a superb ball over the top but Clint Dempsey's volley flew over. Up to the break Everton's only serious effort came from Diniyar Bilyaletdinov's volley which rattled the woodwork.
After half-time it was a different story.
The Blues clawed their way level on 50 minutes after Bjorn Helge Riise - brother of former Liverpool hero John Arne - coughed up possession carelessly.
Arteta stood up the cross and sub Victor Anichebe got ahead of Chris Smalling to nod down and see his header bounce almost apologetically into the corner.
From then on it was virtually one-way traffic. Cahill almost celebrated his 200th start with a goal and Jonathan Greening nearly found his own net with a looping header.
Then referee Mason awarded Everton the throw-in after the ball bounced out off Louis Saha's knee.
And what a crucial decision it proved to be. For when Saha's flick bounced for Cahill, Baird bundled him over and Arteta did the rest.
At least Fulham did not suffer quite like Hamburg, who visit Craven Cottage in the second leg of the Europa League semi-final on Thursday with the sides locked at 0-0.
The Germans crashed to a 5-1 Bundesliga defeat against Hoffenheim yesterday and had Tolgay Arslan sent off late on.
SUN STAR MAN - MIKEL ARTETA (EVERTON)
EVERTON: Howard 7, Hibbert 6, Jagielka 7, Distin 6, Baines 5, Bilyaletdinov 4 (Anichebe 7), Neville 7 (Saha 6), Arteta 8, Pienaar 7, Cahill 7, Yakubu 6 (Baxter 6). Subs not used: Turner, Yobo, Senderos, Wallace.
FULHAM: Schwarzer 7, Pantsil 7, Smalling 6, Baird 6, Shorey 6, Dempsey 7, Dikgacoi 7, Greening 6, Riise 6, Okaka 6 (Stoor 6), Nevland 7 (Elm 6). Subs not used: Zuberbuhler, Kelly, Teymourian, Briggs, Buchtmann. Booked: Pantsil.
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2946583/Everton-2-Fulham-1.html#ixzz0mCNWyNQO (http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2946583/Everton-2-Fulham-1.html#ixzz0mCNWyNQO)
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2946949/Roy-raging-after-late-pen-pain.html
Roy raging after late pen pain
By PHIL THOMAS
Published: Today
ROY HODGSON'S week to remember ended on a sour note - and with a blast at the officials who sent Fulham crashing.
The Cottagers boss made NINE changes to the side that drew their Europa League semi-final first leg in Hamburg on Thursday.
And they were just 25 seconds from snatching the unlikeliest of points at in-form Everton when ref Lee Mason handed the Toffees a penalty, which Mikel Arteta drilled home for the winner.
Hodgson's protests against the spot-kick were wrong.
But he had every reason to fume that David Moyes' men were given a throw-in during the build-up, when it should have gone to the visitors.
Hodgson insisted: "It was definitely our throw-in in the run-up to the goal - and the penalty was an unbelievably harsh decision too.
"It was a very sad way to end the game and we didn't deserve it. To lose so late on to a debatable penalty is a sad outcome from what would've been a great occasion for us."
Only keeper Mark Schwarzer and centre-back Chris Baird - the man who fouled Tim Cahill for the penalty - remained from the side that held out for that 0-0 midweek draw in Germany.
Yet Hodgson has no fears about landing in hot water for his much-changed side.
He added: "I'll be amazed if the changes are questioned by the Premier League.
"After 90 minutes in Hamburg, it would've been very hard for us to reproduce that performance here - and the second leg was always going to be my priority."
Moyes was more concerned with hailing Arteta, who needed seven stitches to a head wound after a clash with Kagisho Dikgacoi and an earlier flailing arm off John Pantsil.
The Spanish midfielder was still reeling after the match and Moyes joked: "I've told him he's Scottish!
"Mikel was very groggy, because he also got a bang on the head a few minutes earlier. It was a big penalty and, in the end, it was a deserved victory for us.
"I certainly thought it was a penalty. The only debate was whether it should've been our throw-in."
The win allows Everton to dream a little longer of a Europa League place, after Victor Anichebe's earlier goal cancelled out Erik Nevland's 36th-minute opener.
Moyes, who was celebrating his 47th birthday, said: "The penalty and win means it will probably be a lot easier to enjoy tonight than it would have been.
"Overall, it will probably be the same night, with a glass of wine. And it will go down a lot better now!"
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2946949/Roy-raging-after-late-pen-pain.html#ixzz0mCPGneau (http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2946949/Roy-raging-after-late-pen-pain.html#ixzz0mCPGneau)
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Everton-2-1-Fulham-Mikel-Arteta-s-last-gasp-penalty-keeps-Blues-in-hunt-for-Europe-The-Daily-Mirror-match-report-article405897.html
Everton 2-1 Fulham: The Daily Mirror match report
Published 23:00 25/04/10
By David Maddock
Everton left it so late for victory yesterday that even the fat lady had packed up her songsheet and waddled off home.
But who knows how priceless Mikel Arteta's penalty – awarded with precisely 25 seconds of added time remaining – may yet prove in their push for the final European place.
Certainly, it means they can at least keep snapping away at Liverpool's ankles in the race for seventh for another week. And given that their local rivals' next match is against Chelsea, perhaps until the final weekend.
That is the minimum David Moyes' side deserve for their incredible run of form since the end of November, which has seen them lose just two League games, and rise from the relegation zone to the fringes of the European battle.
Again, against an impressive Fulham side they showed the incredible spirit that is under-pinning that form, even if they hardly showed the quality of recent months.
Indeed, the home side almost echoed their entire campaign in this one, ultimately entertaining contest. Complete rubbish in the first half, they rolled up their sleeves for much of the second before turning on the style in the latter stages.
In the end, they were worth a victory – just – that came only after they'd turned around a first-half deficit. But if Moyes deserves great credit for keeping his side going at this stage of the season, then what about his counterpart at Fulham? Moyes is right – Roy Hodgson is a shoe-in for manager of the year.
The Craven Cottage boss has performed miracles this season in not only taking his modest club to the verge of the Europa League final, but also maintaining his side's level in the Premier League.
Here, he did that even after making nine changes from the side that performed so well in Hamburg in midweek. And, for much of the game, Fulham were more than worthy of a point, with their astute manager instilling impressive tactical discipline.
That explains Hodgson's disappointment afterwards, especially for an essentially young reserve side he felt deserved far more reward for so bravely stepping up to the plate.
"When you get such a debatable decision as that, then it is a sad outcome to a match when my side deserved much more," he said.
"To lose in the 95th minute under such circumstances is painful when we gave everything – especially with a harsh decision like that. I'm extremely depressed."
While Hodgson is right to say the decision was debatable, defender Chris Baird did make contact with Tim Cahill, when the Everton man was about to go clear on goal. So even if the fall was theatrical, the award was understandable.
It capped a rousing comeback for Everton. They were completely disinterested in the first half, and when Fulham opened the scoring on 37 minutes, it was no surprise.
The manner of it was though. Leighton Baines has been composed all season, so to see him hit a shocking back-pass that Eric Nevland fed on to finish with style, it was a complete shock.
So was the home side's lethargic response, as they almost fell further behind when Clint Dempsey was clear but volleyed over, and Stefano Okaka shot tamely when clean through.
But Moyes' men gradually rallied, creating chances through Cahill, Yakubu and Arteta – all wide – before Victor Anichebe rose to head a fine Arteta cross into the net, with the help of a big deflection off his shoulder and then Chris Smalling.
That set up the exciting finale, and Arteta showed again he was the outstanding player on the pitch by converting under massive pressure.
The Spaniard was woozy after needing seven stitches in a head wound following his painful, first-half collision with John Pantsil.
It left Moyes happy, and not just because it was his 47th birthday. "I don't think you can deny we deserved victory, we kept going, never gave in and risked a lot. In the end we got a reward for the chances we created," he said.
"Arteta had stitches in his eyebrow and still feels a bit dizzy after getting a knock in the eye, but he kept his composure, and did incredibly well."
As for Fulham, they can now look to Thursday, when they entertain Hamburg in the Europa League semi-final second leg. Bobby Zamora could be crucial to the outcome, but Hodgson admitted it is touch and go for his fitness.
"I'm not confident Bobby will be ready for Thursday," he said. "I am hopeful, but that's all – he's having treatment and we will have to keep our fingers crossed."
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion/columnists/3pm/3PM-column-Uruguay-outed-in-World-Cup-shocker-plus-German-TV-interviewer-misses-his-Mark-Schwarzer-and-Sunderland-boss-Steve-Bruce-is-having-a-scarf-article405111.html
Interview of the week came on live German TV, where a Fulham player received lengthy congratulations from the locals for the way he had foiled Hamburg and kept striker Ruud van Nistelrooy at bay during their Europa League clash.
"Finally," said the questioner, "can you tell us what it will be like to keep goal for Australia against Germany at the World Cup?"
Replied the interviewee: "No, because Mark Schwarzer's over there. I'm Brede Hangeland."
Everton 2 Fulham 1: Battered Arteta on the spot to rock Hodgson's braves
By John Edwards
Last updated at 11:46 PM on 25th April 2010
He was battered and bruised after an uncompromising aerial assault by John Pantsil, but Mikel Arteta gathered his scrambled senses just in time to keep alive Everton's slender European hopes at Goodison Park.
Arteta sent keeper Mark Schwarzer the wrong way with a penalty in the final minute of added time, just as a Fulham side showing nine changes threatened to dash Everton's chances of staying in touch with the pack chasing Europa League places.
The pressure was immense, given the late juncture and Everton's desperate need for points.
Arteta had been forced to leave the field before half-time after being clattered by Pantsil. The Fulham right back was booked after charging into Arteta and leaving him in need of lengthy treatment, but the midfielder had his revenge, as Everton launched one last attack, in the fourth added minute.
Chris Baird was judged to have fouled Tim Cahill, as headers from Tony Hibbert and Louis Saha kept a throw-in arcing towards the area, and Arteta calmly stroked home a harsh-looking penalty award.
It was the perfect birthday present for manager David Moyes, 47 yesterday, and he said: 'Mikel was really groggy and has had seven stitches in his eyebrow. That was great composure to convert the penalty. It was a big penalty, with so much riding on it, but he kept his nerve.
'We're not looking at Liverpool and wondering if we can catch them. We're concentrating on ourselves.'
Fulham boss Roy Hodgson was almost inconsolable after seeing his patched-up side run Everton so close following Thursday's goalless Europa League away to Hamburg, who lost 5-1 away at Hoffenheim yesterday.
They went ahead in the 36th minute after Leighton Baines turned to roll a back pass to Tim Howard. Erik Nevland read his intentions and helped himself to a gift, lifting an assured finish over the advancing keeper.
Everton were level in the 49th minute when Steven Pienaar's backheel allowed Arteta to float in a cross and Victor Anichebe scored with a looping header.
Arteta then decided matters with the spotkick that Hodgson found so hard to take. The manager also stoutly defended his decision to retain just Schwarzer and Baird from Thursday's Euro starting line-up.
He said: 'It was an unbelievably harsh penalty. I find it difficult to be anything other than extremely depressed at seeing a point stolen after our performance.
'But I'd be absolutely amazed if the Premier League question today's team selection, because the changes actually improved us and gave us a better chance of winning. The players who put in 90 minutes against Hamburg would have found it incredibly difficult to produce that level of performance.
'We're so close to the Europa League final, and surely no-one can blames us for trying to make sure all players are fully fit for the return leg. I'm hoping Bobby Zamora fits into that category, but I can't say I'm confident.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1268675/Everton-2-Fulham-1-Mikel-Arteta-spot-stoppage-time-Toffees-faint-hopes-qualifying-Europe-alive.html#ixzz0mCRjc85Y (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1268675/Everton-2-Fulham-1-Mikel-Arteta-spot-stoppage-time-Toffees-faint-hopes-qualifying-Europe-alive.html#ixzz0mCRjc85Y)
45 Damien Duff (Fulham)
Often cutting a forlon figure at Newcastle, Duff's career has been re-ignited since his move to Fulham and he's played a crucial part in the team's most successful season in their history.
He has scored more goals this season than during his entire three-year spell at St James' Park.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1268694/THE-LIST-Sportsmails-50-players-Premier-League-season-Nos-50-41.html#ixzz0mCS7dwSk (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1268694/THE-LIST-Sportsmails-50-players-Premier-League-season-Nos-50-41.html#ixzz0mCS7dwSk)
http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/796344/Arteta-keeps-his-cool-as-Toffees-leave-it-late-at-Goodison-Park.html
LAST-GASP TOFFEES ENJOY THE ART OF MOYES
Everton 2 Fulham 1
25/04/2010
THIS was a home banker on paper with Roy Hodgson making nine changes to his line-up ahead of arguably the most important game in Fulham's history on Thursday.
Instead, the Cottagers took a shock lead through Erik Nevland and only a late penalty from Mikel Arteta handed Everton a hard-fought victory.
David Moyes wants his side to keep pushing for a Europa League place and his decision to throw Victor Anichebe on at half time paid off within five minutes when the young striker bagged the equaliser.
Everton dominated as Mark Schwarzer was worked by Tim Cahill inside 30 seconds but the keeper was not tested again until keeping out a deflected effort from Yakubu Aiyegbeni just before the break.
However, he was lucky when Diniyar Bilyaletdinov's volley came back off the post after two minutes and wayward finishing from the hosts ruined all their good approach work.
So it was a real surprise when, completely against the run of play, Leighton Baines' sloppy backpass to Tim Howard was seized upon by Nevland and the predatory Norwegian flicked a composed finish over the USA international.
Incredibly, it could have been 2-0 before half time but Clint Dempsey volleyed over Stefano Okaka's clever chip.
Moyes acted decisively and replaced Bilyaletdinov with Anichebe and the Nigerian was soon bravely heading home as Yakubu tried to execute a scissor kick from Arteta's inviting cross.
Lee Mason didn't award a penalty when Nicky Shorey appeared to handle inside the box and Jonathan Greening almost put through his own net from a Tony Hibbert cross as the pressure increased.
Louis Saha, against his old club, had a header deflected just off target by Dempsey after coming on as a substitute for Phil Neville.
Fulham managed a dangerous breakaway but Okaka shot straight at Howard after a nice pass from Nevland and it was to prove a costly miss.
Schwarzer saved superbly from Cahill with 10 minutes left and also kept out Arteta as the clock ticked down.
It looked to be a case of points dropped for the home side but Chris Baird fouled Cahill inside the box in injury time and Arteta kept his cool to steer in the winner.
Hodgson complained about the spot-kick award afterwards.
"I thought the penalty decision was unbelievably harsh," he said.
"We had a similar situation with Clint Dempsey and I didn't make too much of a fuss about it.
"But when that penalty decision goes against you, I wondered why I wasn't more upset about the one we should have had.
"It's a very sad way to end the game. We didn't deserve it because it was a very good performance from the team.
"To lose it so late in the game to a debatable penalty is a sad outcome for what was otherwise a very good occasion for us."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article7107781.ece
St Pauli in a world of their own making
A club who reflect the alternative lifestyles of their supporters are closing in on a return to the Bundesliga
Nick Szczepanik
After trekking across northern Europe to watch their team draw 0-0 with Hamburg in the Europa League on Thursday, it is a pity that more Fulham fans did not stay on an extra day to watch the club that offer the most refreshing antidote to Uefa's corporate football ideal.
St Pauli, based in the German port's red-light district, beat Koblenz 6-1 on Friday evening and the entertainment did not stop at the touchlines, the fans not so much a backdrop as part of the experience.
The core of the club's support is left wing, anarchic and hedonistic, including many with "alternative" lifestyles that reflect the area. "We like to feel we are underdogs, fighting against big money," Uwe, a magazine seller, said. "Antiracist, antifascist and internationalist."
If a Clash reunion tour were possible, this would be its audience, except that they do all the singing. Often in English, it lasts the full 90 minutes and includes nods to the Beatles, who spent their early years around the corner at the Kaiserkeller and the Star-Club. The choirmasters are four fans with megaphones, perched on the perimeter railings behind the goal in a manner that would give British safety officers heart failure.
Attending a match at the Millerntor is like stepping back 20 or 30 years into a slightly altered, improved football universe: the old Den without the menace. With beer and smoking allowed on the terraces — yes, standing remains part of Germany's football landscape — it even smells like an old ground. In a good way.
The motto "Non-established since 1910" says everything about the club whose team wear brown and are cheered on by fans waving the skull and crossbones. Its centenary will be celebrated not with a prestige friendly against a mega-club but against FC United of Manchester.
St Pauli could also be celebrating promotion back to the Bundesliga after relegation in 2002 was followed by several years in regional football. One win from two remaining matches will ensure that Bayern Munich and the rest will be visiting the Millerntor again next season.
They will find that the tatty but atmospheric ground is being rebuilt to hold 28,000 rather than the present snug 23,000, but it will never be confused with Hamburg's Uefa five-star venue. The standing areas are being expanded rather than replaced by seats.
"It was a hard fight to keep standing areas in the 1990s," Sven Brux, a former fanzine editor, now a club administrator, said. "You gave up too easily. It wasn't standing that killed people at Hillsborough, it was mistakes by the police. That's why so many British fans come here. English football is boring."
This was anything but. For the first 40 minutes after the teams took the field to AC/DC's Hells Bells promotion jitters were evident as St Pauli missed a penalty and a retake. But the crowd sang on as if they had scored and two goals in as many minutes just after half-time settled the nerves.
After the final whistle, celebrations spilt on to the nearby Reeperbahn, while 500 or so headed for their traditional watering hole, the Jolly Roger pub, to continue drinking and talk about the match and the plans for the rest of Friday night.
What they did not discuss was whether success will change St Pauli. How could it, when Corny Littman, the president, is a theatre and nightclub-owner and one-time performer in gay cabaret? "I've been president for seven years but a fan for 30, so I understand what they want," he said. "I believe in the identity and you have to take care of it."
"You only have to look around to feel the atmosphere, to understand the flair of St Pauli. I'm not afraid that we'll lose it, even in the Bundesliga. I don't really want to talk about it because we're not there yet. If we are, we may change the atmosphere of the Bundesliga, but it won't change us."
Europa: The English Europa Final
Europa League: Semifinals 2nd Leg. 29.04.2010 - 29.04.2010.
By Joe, BettingExpert.com | Published 00:44 26.04.10
Steven Gerrard will make an impression on Thursday when Atletico Madrid comes to play the second leg of the Europa League semifinal. Liverpool are no stranger to these high pressured games and one that could go down as a famous European nights. Fulham will play Hamburg in the other semifinal at Craven Cottage and Roy Hodgson could take Fulham into their first ever European final.
Fulham vs. Hamburg
The first leg ended 0-0 at the Nordbank Arena and that is not a surprise if you are a follow Fulham's form away from Craven Cottage. If you are looking forward to see Fulham in the Final then you will have to turn your attention to Manager Roy Hodgson. He rested a few players in the 2-1 defeat to Everton over the weekend. Despite the score line, it was a narrow defeat in which Fulham lost on a Mikael Arteta penalty in the extra injury time of the game. Expect a health lineup on Thursday night when Roy Hodgson announces his team. He will have Clinton Dempsey, Pantsil and Erik Nevland available but all eyes will be on Danny Murphy and Bobby Zamora to bang in the goals.
Despite what is going on domestically for Hamburg, things are in a different state when it comes to the Europa League. Hamburg drew 0-0 at home in the first leg which lead to many questions over the lack of cynical finishing in front of goal. Further misery was done over the weekend, they lost 5-1 away to Hoffenheim and much to Manager Bruno Labaddia disgust. The team will have to rally in time for the travel to Craven Cottage on Thursday. Hamburg are in poor form and poor shape ahead of the clash with Fulham.
If we were to go by what we saw last week in Hamburg then Fulham are certainly a team that is hard to break through. They are well disciplined and organized in the back four and certainly that could win them the next round ticket. Never underestimate the Germans and that you can quote when it comes to international scenes. All there is left for Hamburg this season is the Final and that is their only silverware chance. All signs are pointing on Fulham and chances are they could go through for their first European final in history. However, one away goal can take Hamburg into the Final.
Liverpool vs. Atletico Madrid
Liverpool have officially announced that their club is for sale and what more than to attract suitors by getting into the Europa League Final. The Reds have lost Fernando Torres up in the attack for a few weeks and it is most likely that he will not be ready for the Final, if they make it. Manager Rafa Benitez might still be fuming over the 20 hours of travel to Madrid and also resulted into a 1-0 defeat in the first leg. Benitez will be looking to overturn that deficit and Anfield have seen a lot of good results in the past. It could be that Liverpool could still salvage their season with silverware and ahead of the game, a 4-0 away win over Burnley will boost their confidence.
Atletico Madrid won 3-1 in the weekend at home against Tenerife and that will take them into two consecutive wins running up to the Thursday clash in Liverpool. The red half of Madrid will be happy to see E. Salvio and S. Aguero ready in time for the big clash. The 1-0 advantage might be not the ideal lead but certainly enough to take them into the next round. They will need to defend that lead but that is not Atletico Madrid style. They will attack when they have the chance at Anfield and they know they can play up to the opposition on the night. A strong playing Atletico Madrid team will be require if they want a Final in Hamburg on the 12th of May.
The last time Atletico Madrid was at Anfield they got a 1-1 draw and a repeat of this result will get them through to the Final. However European night at Anfield has a reputation of being one of the fiercest ground in Europe when it comes to European football. If Rafa Benitez wants something this season then silverware will have to be the main goal but only a win will get them there. Steven Gerrard returns to the scoring sheet in the weekend with two goals so it could be that he will play the grand role once again. Atletico Madrid will have to defend but it will be a matter of time they break and counter. A share of goals could be in store at Anfield and expect fireworks with an epic finish to the semifinal on Thursday.
Read more: http://www.bettingexpert.com/league_preview.php?id=658#ixzz0mCWvxm15 (http://www.bettingexpert.com/league_preview.php?id=658#ixzz0mCWvxm15)
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/hamburg-may-sack-coach-before-fulham-clash-1954576.html
Hamburg may sack coach before Fulham clash
PA
Monday, 26 April 2010
Hamburg coach Bruno Labbadia faces a decision over his future ahead of Thursday's Europa League semi-final second leg against Fulham.
The northern German side were hammered 5-1 at Hoffenheim yesterday to heap the pressure on the under fire boss.
The tie against Fulham, which is level at 0-0 after the first game in Germany, is Hamburg's last chance to rescue a desperate season, and club chairman Bernd Hoffmann is to hold crisis talks with Labbadia.
"We are going to speak together with the coach and ensure we do what is right for Thursday," said Hamburg chairman Bernd Hoffmann.
"That is our last chance to leave a route into Europe next season open.
"There is not really much more that I can add to that."
Labbadia, though, insisted suggestions he had lost the backing of his players were absurd.
"If a team were to play against their coach, then they would also be playing against themselves," he said.
"That would make no sense."
But the coach did admit his side were woeful against Hoffenheim.
"It was a depressing performance," he said. "I am very disappointed. This is a bitter moment."
The defeat left Hamburg five points behind sixth-placed Stuttgart with just two games remaining.
http://www.goal.com/en/news/15/germany/2010/04/26/1895668/hamburg-sack-head-coach-bruno-labbadia-report
Hamburg Sack Head Coach Bruno Labbadia - Report
The Europa League hopefuls have reportedly given their manager the sack...
By Stefan Coerts
Apr 26, 2010 11:10:00 AM
According to several reports from Germany, Bundesliga outfit Hamburger SV have sacked head coach Bruno Labbadia in the aftermath of the club's heavy 5-1 league defeat against Hoffenheim on Sunday.
The 44-year-old Labbadia left Bayer Leverkusen for Hamburg last summer and made a good start to life at the Rothosen. However, HSV have been far from impressive since the winter break and currently sit only seventh in the league table.
HSV lock horns with Fulham later this week in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final, but the German side's direction was seemingly no longer confident Labbadia was the right man to guide HSV to European glory. The German coach's contract was due to expire in the summer of 2012.
The Bundesliga side have reportedly appointed Ricardo Moniz as caretaker boss until the end of the season. The 45-year-old Dutchman already worked at Hamburg as a coach.
Hamburg have yet to confirm the departure of Labbadia, but an official statement is expected to be released later on Monday.
http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/ShoreyEvertonReaction.aspx
Tough To Take
Monday 26th April 2010
Fulham FC News
Fulham left-back Nicky Shorey described Sunday's defeat at Everton as a "bitter loss" but insisted there were still positives to be taken.
An Erik Nevland strike gave the Whites a half-time lead, although a Victor Anichebe header which deflected off Chris Smalling's shoulder brought the hosts level shortly after the restart.
Clint Dempsey and Stefano Okaka both saw chances come and go, while Mark Schwarzer made an incredible stop to keep out Steven Pienaar.
Searching for their first league win at Goodison Park in 22 visits, periods of play suggested Fulham could well have taken something. Even after Everton's leveller, the Whites would have been relatively content with what would have been a valuable point on the road.
However, in a cruel late twist, the home side were awarded a penalty deep into injury-time following Chris Baird's challenge on Tim Cahill. Mikel Arteta stepped up, and broke Fulham's spirits with a confident strike.
"It was a tough way to lose, right at the end and in that way," explained Shorey, talking exclusively to fulhamfc.com. "But unfortunately, from time to time it can happen – that's football. That doesn't make it any easier, because this was a bitter loss, and shows that until that final whistle is blown you just don't know what will unfold.
"It was difficult to accept, and obviously very disappointing. It's horrible to lose any game but when it comes so late, it's hard to swallow. It looked like we had done enough, but it just shows doesn't it?"
Manager Roy Hodgson made nine changes to his team, with only Mark Schwarzer and Chris Baird starting from the line-up that faced Hamburg days earlier.
Kagisho Dikgacoi, Jonathan Greening, Stefano Okaka and Bjørn Helge Riise were all among those recalled, while there was a welcome start for John Pantsil, who was making his first appearance of 2010. Teenage hopefuls Matthew Briggs and Christopher Buchtmann were also included on the bench.
"It was difficult because the team that took to the field against Everton hasn't seen a lot of action lately. That's hard, because at this level the tempo is so high right from the off and you don't really get a chance to settle.
"But I thought those that came in adapted to the situation and coped relatively well. In fact, I think we matched them for large parts of the game.
"We have to look at the positives. The fact that we played well shouldn't be overlooked and I think we gave Everton, who are a very strong team, a good game. It's a difficult place to go, even more so when they are on such a good run, and we went very close. They're a top, top team, with a lot of talented players.
"It was good for some of the players to get a game and it was also good experience for the younger boys to come in and travel with the squad. We were competitive and did create chances and matched a near enough full-strength Everton for long periods.
"I think we showed that this team does have depth, and considering so many changes were made, those that came in showed what they could do and I don't think we let the team down.
"It was nice to get back out there, and with the season drawing to a close now, it would be great to be involved in a few more games. To be fair, I think quite a few of the boys that played against Everton will be thinking the same."
Thoughts return to the UEFA Europa League now, with Thursday's visit of Hamburg arguably the Club's most eagerly anticipated match, with the Whites potentially 90 minutes away from a European final.
"Well that's the focus now," added Shorey. "Obviously we want to do well in the league and finish as high as possible. But this is without doubt a very big game for us. Unfortunately I'm not eligible so won't be part of it, but I do wish the lads all the best.
"They've done fantastically well in Europe and deserve to be in this position. They're very close now, so hopefully they can get the result and get the Club to the Final – which would be a marvellous achievement."
Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/ShoreyEvertonReaction.aspx#ixzz0mCcTs2LP (http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/ShoreyEvertonReaction.aspx#ixzz0mCcTs2LP)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/f/fulham/8643408.stm
Roy Hodgson defends Fulham selection against Everton
Roy Hodgson said he would be "amazed" if the Premier League took action against Fulham for fielding a weakened team in their 2-1 loss to Everton.
The Fulham boss rested eight players ahead of their second leg Europa Cup match against Hamburg on Thursday.
Wolves were given a £25,000 fine in February for naming a weaker side in a 3-0 loss to Manchester United.
"If anything was to happen in that respect, I would be absolutely amazed," Hodgson told BBC Sport.
"We are going into dangerous ground when the Premier League decide whether teams are strong or not.
The game on Thursday is a much bigger priority than this one
"I believe Hull City made six changes to their team [a 1-0 defeat by Sunderland] on Saturday, so I think I should be entitled to change players when I want to change them, especially given the situation we find ourselves in."
The Cottagers are one match away from reaching the Europa League final following an 0-0 draw in the first leg in Germany last week, made the more impressive following a 17-hour train and coach journey because of the air travel restrictions caused by the Icelandic volcanic ash impact.
For Sunday's match, Hodgson opted to rest key players Paul Konchesky, Aaron Hughes, Danny Murphy, Dickson Etuhu, Damien Duff, Zoltan Gera, Brede Hangeland and Simon Davies, while striker Bobby Zamora was sidelined with an Achilles injury.
However, Premier League rules state a full-strength side must be played in all top-flight games.
Wolves were adjudged to have broken those rules following in December after manager Mick McCarthy had made 10 team changes.
On Sunday, Fulham took the lead at Goodison Park through Erik Nevland, but a header from Victor Anichebe and an injury-time penalty from Mikel Arteta earned Everton all three points as they chase a Europa League place for next season.
Hodgson added: "The game on Thursday is a much bigger priority than this one.
"But I'm not at all convinced that if the same 11 players that played here had played in Hamburg whether we would have given a good an account of ourselves as we did.
"I would be amazed if, after the performance we have given against a strong Everton team, whether people would have the temerity to discuss our team selection.
"The Premier League will make the decisions it wants to make, all I can do is answer the question on whether we have a case to answer for letting them down or favouring the opponents by fielding a weaker team.
"I can stand here quite happily knowing that we haven't done that."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/8632312.stm
Everton 2 - 1 Fulham
By Kevin Darling
Mikel Arteta's last-gasp penalty against Fulham kept alive Everton's slim hopes of a European place.
Leighton Baines' poor backpass allowed Erik Nevland to score for the visitors, who rested nine players ahead of their Europa League match against Hamburg.
Everton levelled just after the break when Victor Anichebe's header deflected in off Chris Smalling's shoulder.
Arteta then fired in a dramatic injury-time winner from the spot after Chris Baird's clumsy challenge on Tim Cahill.
While Fulham's much-changed line-up indicated they were more focused on Thursday's momentous semi-final second leg, Everton came seconds away from seeing their own Europa League ambitions extinguished.
Arteta's spot-kick, coming well after the three minutes of injury time had elapsed, was virtually the last kick of the game and rescued an Everton side who had struggled to break down their opponents.
The win means the Toffees remain one place and five points behind city rivals Liverpool, who currently occupy the final Europa League qualifying spot, with two games to play.
But the result was slightly harsh on the determined visitors who, despite fiercely protesting the penalty and also the award of a throw-in that lead to the spot-kick, have now lost on 17 successive league visits to Goodison Park.
Fulham's chances of ending that run looked unlikely when the team-sheets were revealed and it was no surprise when Everton made the brighter start - with Diniyar Bilyaletdinov's superbly executed left-footed volley rattling the post after just two minutes.
Anichebe made the difference - Moyes
Sloppy defending from Fulham's unfamiliar backline twice presented chances to Yakubu, who scuffed wide after Smalling's error and then charged down a goal-kick from a hesitant Mark Schwarzer.
An Everton opener looked inevitable, but it was the visitors who took the lead totally against the run of play.
The goal arrived courtesy of a terrible backpass from Baines, who failed to spot the onrushing Nevland, allowing the striker to gratefully latch onto the ball inside the box and prod past Tim Howard.
Tim Cahill almost replied instantly for Everton but headed wide from Yakubu's cross and Fulham could have doubled their lead when Stefan Okaka set up Clint Dempsey with a wonderful scooped chip over the defence, only for the American winger to volley over from 10 yards out.
Dempsey was left to rue that miss shortly after the restart when another piece of poor defending saw Everton level the scores.
After Bjorn Helge Riise gave the ball away, Arteta sent in a teasing cross that Everton substitute Anichebe managed to head home via Smalling's shoulder, with a helpful bounce deceiving Schwarzer.
Minutes later, the hosts almost completed a lightning-quick turnaround when Cahill's powerful effort from Arteta's corner was well-parried by the Fulham keeper.
Everton failed to build on that spell of pressure but went close again when Jonathan Greening almost looped a header into his own net from Tony Hibbert's cross.
Hodgson devastated after 'harsh' loss
Okaka should have put the visitors back in front but he fired straight at Howard after being set up by Nevland, while at the other end Cahill was denied by the legs of Schwarzer as the game opened up in the closing stages.
It seemed Everton's chance to win it had gone when Saha sent a header agonisingly wide but in the last throes of the match, Cahill burst on to a knock-down 12 yards from goal and went down in heap under Baird's challenge.
Referee Lee Mason waved away the Fulham protests and Arteta slammed home a spot-kick that could yet prove crucial in an intriguing Merseyside battle for seventh spot.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Everton manager David Moyes:
"I don't think you could deny we deserved the victory. We went for it.
"The goal we lost was poor and I think it put everybody down. But we never gave in and kept going.
"I thought it was a penalty. I think the argument is 'was it a throw in?' in the lead-up to the penalty."
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson:
"I thought the penalty decision was unbelievably harsh, we didn't deserve it.
"I'm extremely depressed with the way a great result from a great performance was stolen from us in injury time.
"It's a very sad way to end the game but we could afford to lose - the match on Thursday is a much bigger priority."
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1268908/Fulham-fillip-Europa-League-rivals-Hamburg-sack-manager-Bruno-Labbadia.html?ITO=1490
Fulham fillip as Europa League rivals Hamburg sack manager Bruno Labbadia
By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 12:37 PM on 26th April 2010
Hamburg have fired boss Bruno Labbadia just three days before their Europa League semi-final second leg against Fulham.
The Bundesliga side axed Labbadia following a 5-1 defeat by Hoffenheim on Sunday.
The result saw Hamburg drop to seventh after a disappointing second half of the season in which they have won only four of their 15 league games since the winter break.
Labbadia fell out with some of the club's top players and his assistant coach Ricardo Moniz will take charge of the team until the end of the season.
Moniz's first game will come at Craven Cottage on Thursday. Hamburg face Fulham having drawn the first leg of their Europa League clash 0-0.
At stake is a place in the final at the Germans' own Nordbank Arena against either Liverpool or Atletico Madrid.
http://www.watford.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=196548
Helguson wants Watford stay
Heider Helguson helped secure Championship footie for Watford on Saturday and now insists he`d "like to stay" at Vicarage Road for the foreseeable future..
The Iceman - on loan from those not-so Super Hoops of QPR - has netted 11 goals in 26 starts during his 2nd spell with the Hornets and reckons that the yellow shirt brings out the very best of him.
(and here at VitalWatford we`re not sure that fans of Fulham, Bolton or QPR would argue with us when we say he somehow always finds his form - and shooting boots - in WD18!)
H told SkySports "I suppose I have played my best football here [at Watford] so staying up means a lot to me....I 'd like to stay here".
And the legendary frontman added "I`ve spent the majority of my time in England here [at Watford]. I have got a good rapport for the fans and everyone here".
Read more: http://www.watford.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=196548#ixzz0mD0pd49j (http://www.watford.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=196548#ixzz0mD0pd49j)
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/132490/Hull-s-Jimmy-Bullard-cannot-be-sold/
HULL'S JIMMY BULLARD CANNOT BE SOLD
26th April 2010
By Jeremy Cross
HULL'S financial crisis is so bad that the relegated outfit cannot sell record signing Jimmy Bullard – because they haven't paid for him yet.
The Tigers have debts of £36m and face financial meltdown in the wake of their pending relegation to the Championship.
Owner Russell Bartlett is set to hold a fire sale in a bid to reduce their crippling wage bill. Bullard is the club's highest earner after signing a five-year deal worth £45,000 a week.
But he doesn't have a clause in his contract that allows the Tigers to reduce his wages in the wake of relegation, meaning he could still pocket more than £6m if he stayed.
Now it has emerged that the midfielder, who has made just 15 appearances for the club due to serious knee injuries, cannot be sold to the highest bidder because Hull haven't paid for him in full.
It is understood they still owe Fulham around £1.2m of the £5m transfer fee – agreed between the two clubs when Bullard left Craven Cottage in January 2009 and former chairman Paul Duffen was in charge at the KC Stadium.
(http://api.ning.com/files/T4Gu*kn8q4n80jjySAt90kHo8-uTCdGYyJ*hCFsvRH3jtNSegMvP41uEzd1iV71Tw1juh85eR5C6IBUmaLAILx847RiY1Cyu/RL1859_Clint_Dempsey_Emailer_rev.jpg)
http://football.fanhouse.co.uk/2010/04/26/bruno-labbadias-sacking-at-hamburg-should-serve-as-a-warning-to/
Bruno Labbadia's Sacking at Hamburg Should Serve as a Warning to Fulham
26/4/2010 8:14 AM GMT By Mike McGrath
Fulham know all about the mentality of being an underdog, in fact they have spent the last two campaigns looking to upset the odds.
Some tipped them for relegation last season but they qualified for Europe. Then they were given little hope against the biggest names in the Europa League, yet they have stormed into the last four of the competition.
Skipper Danny Murphy, who won the trophy at Liverpool, admits it is different being at Craven Cottage "because the expectation of the club is not to get this far".
So they will be wary of events in Germany this weekend. With their semi-final against Hamburg poised at 0-0 at the halfway stage, the Bundesliga side sacked their head coach Bruno Labbadia following the 5-1 defeat to Hoffenheim.
It would normally lead to Fulham being installed as overwhelming favourites – but whether they want to be seen that way is another matter.
Just getting out of a group containing Roma and Basel was a small shock. Defeating Shakhtar Donetsk, the holders of the trophy, was seen as a impressive giantkilling.
Then came the famous tie against Juventus. The odds of progressing to the quarter-finals were extremely long when they conceded an early away goal in the second leg, making it 4-1 on aggregate to the Italian giants. Cue a stunning comeback to win 5-4.
Even Wolfsburg were expected to be too strong for Roy Hodgson's men, yet they fought through to the penultimate round.
So Fulham have every right to be cautious of any team labelled as outsiders and will know how much Hamburg will be relishing the chance to prove people wrong having already been written off in this semi-final.
The beginnings of a siege mentality are likely to be forming at the Nordbank Arena among a squad that has under-performed since the turn of the year but still possesses quality throughout. They have pace in Jonathan Pitroipa, experience in Ze Roberto and a proven goalscorer in Ruud van Nistelrooy while the return of Mladen Petric ahead of schedule following a groin injury has provided an additional lift.
Losing a manager often sparks a response from players in their next games. It happens so often with teams in a poor run of form. They go week after week without winning then a change in the dug-out leads to a change in fortunes.
Sometimes it is only short term, and there is hardly time for the news to sink in before they will be kicking off at Craven Cottage. Fulham have been warned.
Quote from: White Noise on April 26, 2010, 10:15:11 AM
http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/london-sport/fulham-fc/2010/04/26/chris-smalling-set-for-manchester-united-starting-spot-says-sir-alex-ferguson-82029-26319070/
Chris Smalling set for Manchester United starting spot, says Sir Alex Ferguson
Apr 26 2010
By Paul Warburton
SIR Alex Ferguson has told Chris Smalling he will be in Manchester United's first-team next year – and leaving Fulham at the end of the season is not a gamble for the 20-year-old.
However, Smalling, who started in the reserves last August and became an £8million player in the space of seven games, admits the move has put pressure on him.
The defender was a solid replacement for Brede Hangeland in last week's 0-0 draw with Wolves when the Norwegian's wife went into labour on the morning of the match – and kept his place for Sunday's defeat to Everton.
But the smart money is on a young player warming the Old Trafford bench next season while the likes of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic command the first-team places.
But United's boss has reassured Smalling he stands just as much a chance of performing in front of 75,000 each week as the other two.
The defender said: "I'll definitely be starting on the front foot in terms of a first-team place. Sir Alex sat me down and explained where I am – and where I'll be going.
"You start off the season just hoping to get as many games as you can – and then you get an opportunity like this, and yeah, it does bring pressure.
"But it's a compliment and a chance to show what you are worth, and hopefully I can repay it."
:005: all the way to the bank. Plus it better's are chance to beat them.
Seat Release Announcement
Monday 26th April 2010
Fulham FC News
Season Ticket Seat Release Date Announced
The Club has been busy processing an unprecedented number of renewal applications over the past week but is now pleased to be able to confirm a seat release date whereby all non-renewed 2009/10 Season Ticket seats will be released to the general public. This will include some of the best seats on offer at Craven Cottage.
On Wednesday 28th April at 9am, all non-renewed seats will be available for online purchase (General Sale).
Fans will be able to view which new seats have become available and even select the exact seat they want for 2010/11 by logging in to our online ticketing system from 9am Wednesday.
Adult and Concession Season Tickets for the 2010/11 season start at just £285, and Junior Season Tickets from just £95 – that's only £15 and £5 per game respectively! We even have a limited number of FREE Season Tickets for Under 8s if booked at the same time as a full paying Adult Season Ticket.
Any supporters who have yet to renew their seat should note that due to a number of priority moves which the Ticket Office is currently handling, the Club can no longer guarantee your seat will be available prior to Wednesday's Seat Release.
Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/SeatReleaseAnnouncement.aspx#ixzz0mDX43eI6 (http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/SeatReleaseAnnouncement.aspx#ixzz0mDX43eI6)
Matchday Programme
(http://www.fulhamfc.com/Images/MainNews/NewsPages/Merchandise/Programmes/0910/Hamburg.jpg)
With a place in the UEFA Europa League Final potentially just 90 minutes away, Thursday evening's visit of Hamburg is not to be missed – the biggest match ever staged at Craven Cottage.
With the tie finely balanced, another electrifying night is expected on the banks of the Thames, with Fulham fans having already played an important part along what has been an unforgettable European adventure.
Unbeaten at home in Europe so far, our famous old stadium will hopefully provide the backdrop for another memorable occasion, where victory could take us to our greatest stage.
So on a momentous evening, be sure to pick up the Special Edition, semi-hardback matchday programme commemorating what could well be the most famous night yet in our long history.
With its special design and in-depth features, Thursday's collector's edition includes:
Exclusive insight from Manager Roy Hodgson.
Danny Murphy's views on recent action in his Captain's Column.
An exclusive interview with Fulham goal hero Bobby Zamora on what the UEFA Europa League has meant for him and his team-mates.
Plus a look back on all of Zamora's European goals.
WIN an exclusive LG prize in our lucky programme number draw.
A Q&A with former Fulham striker and World Cup winner with Germany Karl-Heinz Riedle.
George Cohen, Les Strong, Gordon Davies and Rufus Brevett in our Legend's European tour special.
A look back at Fulham and Hamburg's Road to the Semi-Final.
Fan stories from our quarter-final win over Wolfsburg and the epic journey to Hamburg for the semi-final first leg.
All the stats and stories from the tournament in our UEFA Europa League round up.
Plus, so much more besides!
The brilliant matchday publication will be on sale in and around the ground from two-hours before kick-off and at half-time.
If you miss your copy outside then look out for sellers on the Putney and Hammersmith Terrace, or at half-time from the programme room situated inside the Johnny Haynes Stand by Block E (opposite Turnstile 24).
Buy Matchday Programmes online|
Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Fanzone/FFCMatchdayProgramme.aspx#ixzz0mDXTQz4Y (http://www.fulhamfc.com/Fanzone/FFCMatchdayProgramme.aspx#ixzz0mDXTQz4Y)
Fulham v West Ham United
Barclays Premier League
Sunday 2nd May
Kick-Off 15:00
Our penultimate Barclays Premier League home match of the season sees West Ham United visit Craven Cottage in another exciting London derby!
Season Ticket Holders and Members can now buy up to four tickets for the match. But hurry, tickets are in great demand so buy yours now to avoid missing out!
On-sale dates
Season Ticket Holders On sale (maximum 4 tickets)
Fulham Club Members On sale (maximum 4 tickets)
General Sale TBC
Buy tickets online
|
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 0870 442 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
Thomas Cook - match breaks for all Fulham FC home games
* Lower booking fees compared to telephone booking
Prices
Category A+ prices apply to this match.
Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Tickets/Games/FulhamvWestHam.aspx#ixzz0mDYA6h43 (http://www.fulhamfc.com/Tickets/Games/FulhamvWestHam.aspx#ixzz0mDYA6h43)
http://www.sportinglife.com/football/scottishpremier/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/10/04/26/SOCCER_Celtic_Nightlead.html&TEAMHD=scotspremiership
KAMARA: HOOPS HAD TO TAKE SECOND
By Ronnie Esplin, Press Association Sport
Diomansy Kamara admits second spot in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League was a necessity for Celtic following their shock Active Nation Scottish Cup exit to Ross County.
This month's 2-0 defeat against the Irn-Bru First Division side at Hampden ended any realistic hopes of the Parkhead club winning a trophy this season and dented the chances of interim boss Neil Lennon getting the job on a permanent basis.
However, recent weeks have shown a marked improvement and a fifth SPL win in a row against Dundee United at Tannadice on Sunday confirmed second place behind champions Rangers.
Kamara scored the opening for the visitors and a late Robbie Keane penalty ended United's hopes of leapfrogging the Hoops in the final weeks of the season.
"We won't win a trophy this season but I think we have a good squad," Kamara said.
"The target was to get to the final of the Scottish Cup but we lost the semi-final.
"The target then was to qualify for the Champions League and we have qualified.
"I think the performance against United was terrific.
"We played well against a good team, beat them and left them 10 points behind.
"So we have qualified for the Champions League and that is the most important thing."
On another day, Kamara may have had a hat-trick but the wide midfielder was simply glad to take all three points.
He said: "I had a few chances. I scored one and missed a good chance at the start of the second half but the most important thing was to win the game."
United boss Peter Houston and Lennon were at loggerheads after the Irishman claimed only his side wanted to win the rather tetchy game.
Houston also claimed referee Iain Brines sent off substitute Jennison Myrie-Williams by mistake, believing him to be Prince Buaben when he handed out his second yellow card.
Kamara, on loan from Fulham, admits the encounter was a bit more physical than he would have liked.
"Dundee United are a very good team and they wanted to beat us," he said.
"It was a good Scottish game and I enjoyed it.
"There were eight or nine yellow cards and a red card but English and Scottish football is physical.
"I think it was too physical but the most important thing that we won the game."
http://fulham.theoffside.com/player-news/loaner-report-42610.html
Loaner Report 4/26/10
By: timmyg | April 26th, 2010
Eddie Johnson was an unused substitute in Aris Thessaloniki's 1-0 loss vs. Panathinaikos in the Greek Cup final on Saturday.
Diomansy Kamara started, played 90 minutes, and scored a goal in Celtic's 2-0 win at Dundee United. Here is a video of his goal:
David Stockdale started and played 90 minutes in Plymouth Argyle's 3-0 loss at Nottingham Forest on Saturday. He registered 7 saves.
Toni Kallio did not dress in Sheffield United's 2-0 win over Swansea City on Saturday.
Matthew Saunders started and played minutes in Lincoln City's 1-0 win over Bury on Saturday.
Wesley Foderingham started and played 90 minutes in Bromley's 6-3 win at Thurrock on Saturday. Bromley finished the season 12th place in the Conference South as Foderingham made 9 league starts for the club.
Danny Hoesen and HJK Helsinki take on FC Haka tonight.
Robert Milsom and TPS Turku take on FC Honka tonight.
The Guardian's 'Football Weekly' podcast has got Rafa Honigstein talking about Fulham V Hamburg - their leaky defence and their departed manager -
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/audio/2010/apr/26/football-weekly-podcast-chelsea-manchester-united
Reserve Game Moved
Monday 26th April 2010
Fulham FC News
Supporters should note that Fulham's Barclays Premier Reserve League fixture against West Ham on Tuesday 27th April will now be played at Upton Park - and not at Bishop's Stortford FC. Kick-off is still at 7pm.
Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/ReserveGameMoved.aspx#ixzz0mDhgmnqz (http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/ReserveGameMoved.aspx#ixzz0mDhgmnqz)
