Monday Fulham Stuff (21.03.11)

[White Noise]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/3479814/Mark-Hughes-hoping-for-Bobby-Zamora-to-return-to-form-at-Fulham.html


Hughes: Let's have Zamora that

Published: Today


MARK HUGHES is delighted to have Bobby Zamora back - but frustrated at what could have been.

Zamora appeared for the last half hour to spark Fulham and they almost snatched a point.

It was only the striker's second run-out off the bench since breaking a leg in September.       

Boss Hughes said: "You saw the difference he makes. He gives a focal point to the attack and a physical presence we have lacked up there.

"He's not at a level that he was before the injury but he soon will be."

Fulham have lost 18 in a row at Goodison - the longest losing streak of any top flight club at a single ground.

Hughes added: "It can be psychological. We gave them too much respect."

[White Noise]

EVERTON 2 FULHAM 1: PHIL JAGIELKA NEEDING TO BE HEAD AND SHOULDERS ABOVE HIS RIVALS  


Monday March 21,2011


By Paul Joyce 


EVERTON 2 -- FULHAM 1


FABIO CAPELLO had left by the time Phil Jagielka craned his neck highest to repel one final attack from Fulham, but the England coach had probably already seen enough.

Rio Ferdinand's armband has already slipped from his grasp and by the time he returns to fitness, his place with the national team could be similarly under threat.

It is not just John Terry who knows there is an opening this week in the absence of Ferdinand for England's Euro 2012 qualifier with Wales, but those centre-backs anxious to step off the fringes and establish a new defensive order.

Opportunity knocks and Everton manager David Moyes believes the onus is firmly on Jagielka to hammer loudest.

"He needs to drive himself on," said Moyes. "He has to be the one who says, 'I want to overhaul John Terry and the others in front of me'.

"If he does that, he will help Everton, too. He should be looking at himself as a future Everton captain.

"Sometimes he suffers from self-doubt. He has some weaknesses that can be shown up at times and he needs to improve a lot of things to get to the very top. But he is a really good player."

Jagielka has already earned gushing praise from Capello, who labelled him the "driver" of his back four when, shorn of both Terry and Ferdinand, England began their campaign with wins over Bulgaria and Switzerland.   

Yet a hamstring injury in the build-up to the Montenegro game in October excused Capello from making the difficult decision of whether to stick with Jagielka and his momentum has stalled since.

He was shoe-horned into an unfamiliar right-back role against France and Tottenham's Michael Dawson, who was replaced after an hour by Bolton's Gary Cahill, started in the win over Denmark last month.

Jagielka is aware the competition is fierce but, fresh from signing a new contract until 2015, must meet the challenge.

"It is hard to make a bold statement like I need to cement myself in the England team when you see the players who are competing for the position," said Jagielka.

"If I am picked in the squad I do see this week as an opportunity, but so will the other lads who have played more recently. They will be higher up the pecking order and it is case of me doing what I can."

A resolute Jagielka helped Everton withstand Fulham's revival and ensured the week of Moyes' ninth anniversary at Goodison Park ended in the same scoreline against the same opposition as his first game in charge.

Seamus Coleman dispatched a brilliant header and Louis Saha drilled home a free-kick before substitute Bobby Zamora's instant impact allowed Clint Dempsey to halve Fulham's deficit.

After an enterprising cameo against Hungary at the start of the season, Zamora's own England career has been stymied by a broken leg but Capello will have been impressed by what he saw on Saturday.

"You saw the difference he makes," said manager Mark Hughes after Fulham slumped to an 18th consecutive defeat on a ground they love to hate. "He gives a focal point to the attack and a physical presence we have lacked up there.

"He's not at a level he was before the injury but he will be. There's no reason why he can't even exceed it but we need him back and firing."

Victory lifted Everton into eighth, level on goal difference with Bolton one place above them, and while that does not meet Moyes' lofty pre-season expectations, most neutrals would have placed them there.

Europe remains unlikely but Jagielka's new contract does not betray a lack of ambition, rather a show of faith.

"Maybe we need to freshen up in the summer but I don't see us going backwards," he said.

Everton (4-4-1-1): Howard 6; Hibbert 6, Jagielka 6, Distin 6, Baines 7; Coleman 8, Neville 6, ­Rodwell 6 (Bilyaletdinov 77, 5), ­Osman 7; Cahill 5 (Heitinga 69, 6); Saha 7 (Beckford 88). Booked: ­Osman, Hibbert. Goals: Coleman 36, Saha 50.

Fulham (4-4-1-1): Schwarzer 6; Baird 6, Hughes 6, Hangeland 6, Salcido 6; Duff 6 (Kakuta 75, 5), Murphy 6, Etuhu 6 (Zamora 60, 7), Dempsey 7; Dembele 6; Johnson 6 (Gudjohnsen 83). Goal: Dempsey 62.

Referee: M Oliver (N'thumberland).



Read more: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/235790/Everton-2-Fulham-1-Phil-Jagielka-needing-to-be-head-and-shoulders-above-his-rivals/Everton-2-Fulham-1-Phil-Jagielka-needing-to-be-head-and-shoulders-above-his-rivals#ixzz1HDVhgamo

[White Noise]

http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2011/03/20/loaner-report-32111/

Loaner Report 3/21/11

Filed under: General — timmyg @ 8:04 pm

Kagisho Dikgacoi started and played 90 minutes in Crystal Palace's 2-2 draw with Derby County.

Bjorn Helge Riise came off the bench in the 71st minute and promptly scored a goal in Sheffield United's 2-2 draw with Leeds United. Video of his goal is below:

Bjørn Helge Riise Goal vs Leeds Utd (19.03.11)

Eddie Johnson started and played 73 minutes in Preston North End's 2-1 win over Coventry City on Saturday. Last Tuesday he started and played 84 minutes in PNE's 3-0 win at Scunthorpe.

Lauri Dalla Valle started and played 59 minutes in Bournemouth's 1-0 loss at Carlisle.

Keanu Marsh Brown and MK Dons take on Peterborough on Monday.

[White Noise]

http://www.adifferentleague.co.uk/p6_2_6847_hughes'-talk-of-european-football-for-fulham-premature.html



Hughes' talk of European football for Fulham premature

By Matt Domm


Sunday 20 March 2011


Mark Hughes' recent comments regarding his aims for more European football with Fulham - with the FIFA Fair Play league being the best chance, despite holding an outside chance of a qualifying league finish - appear, at least on Saturday's evidence, quite a way off in reality.

The Welshman believes he can achieve more with the Cottagers than he did whilst at Blackburn Rovers, having inherited a stronger squad, although looking at the performance at Goodison Park his team are far from consistent enough to be considered regular top-10 finishers. As a manager, positive thinking should not be discouraged, but with his side still plenty of points away from safety, all efforts should arguably be focused on keeping the team a safe distance from the relegation spots.

A handful of away wins during a campaign is a must for a team to end the season in the European spots. Qualification through fair play is all well and good, but to win away, especially in game such as yesterday's where the home team is less than impressive, often robustness in the midfield and attack is required. Against Everton, the Whites were sluggish and lightweight throughout - at least until Bobby Zamora's introduction - and were never likely to get anything from the game.

Hughes' Blackburn side were swift, direct and powerful going forward, both home and away, with a hard-working midfield and skilful wide men. Hughes' claim to have inherited a stronger squad is questionable after yesterday's away performance, and indeed many before that. Enough areas require strengthening to make regular high Premier League finishes unlikely without additions and replacements to the squad.

Teams who challenge for the European places generally have a combative and creative midfield, particularly in the centre. Without Steve Sidwell, who has shown tenacity since joining in January, Fulham's has lost all its robustness. Dickson Etuhu, for a man with such a surface area, has the tendency to avoid the physical work - particularly in comparison to Sidwell - and lacks the passing vision or ability of the former Aston Villa man. Against Everton, the central attacking responsibility was on Danny Murphy while Etuhu was largely a bystander, as opposed to when Sidwell chips in attacking-wise too. Murphy cannot and should not be expected to perform the job of two men every game, and the lack of depth in the other midfield slot looks a concern.

Further forward, Clint Dempsey does not mind getting stuck in, but he lacks the strength of Zamora, and alongside Andy Johnson the partnership will not overcome solid home defences. Similarly, Moussa Dembele is not a foil for the small front-man. Johnson, for all his running and energy, is unlikely to win a duel against a tough centre-back and therefore needs a Zamora to play off to be most effective. If Hughes, looking forward, intends to use a sole striker with a fluid three in behind, which is an option, Johnson might begin to struggle for a look in.

While Fulham should have enough about them to survive this year, without changes to a team that has not taken well enough to Hughes' style of football any talk of consistent top-half finishes appears somewhat hopeful.

[White Noise]

http://www.insidefutbol.com/2011/03/20/fulham-run-the-rule-over-juventus-alex-manninger/39189/

[White Noise]

http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2011/03/19/everton-2-1-fulham/


Everton 2-1 Fulham

Filed under: Match reports — rich @ 8:17 pm

Go north, try hard, lose.  The annual Goodison defeat is out of the way and we are now free to concentrate on more plausible opponents, such as Blackpool and Bolton Wanderers.

Fulham were poor in the first half.  We couldn't keep the ball, we didn't do especially well getting it off Everton.  Then they scored a poor goal to go ahead, the specifics eluding me at this point but for whatever reason Hangeland wasn't part of a back four that needed all four members at the time, and poor Carlos Salcido was left with Tim Cahill and Seamus Coleman to deal with.  Cahill was alone in the middle of the six yard box so Salcido probably had to go to him, but the ball soared on over them both and Coleman was free to do what he wanted, and his header back across goal was good enough to beat Schwarzer.  Bah.

Just as we thought a second half comeback might be on the cards, Louis Saha hit a rocket to make it 2-0.  The "rocket" descriptor is over-used in football, but seriously, this one did fly as if Saha had attached something explosive to the back of it.  The ball just *went*.  Wowzers.  There remains a good argument that if Saha could play 38 games a season he'd be about as good a centre-forward as there is.

Problems for Fulham then.  The second half was much better, but as we've said before, no use getting aggressive when the fight's over, is there?  Hughes introduced Zamora, whose first touch set up Dempsey, who slid a left footed drive past Howard from the edge of the box.  Nice.  But there was no more from there.  We had all sorts of possession, but Everton know what they're doing at the back and another always looked unlikely.

And so it went.  Hughes sent for Kakuta and Gudjohnsen to thoroughly overload the attacking end of the field, but still nothing.  Dembele screwed a shot wide, Zamora headed wide, but Everton weren't unduly bothered.  Salcido cleared off the line for a second time, Schwarzer made a couple of neat saves, but, well, anyway... we've lost at Everton again.  No sense getting upset about these things; it was never going to be any other way.

[White Noise]

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/19032011/63/hughes-deserved-point.html


Hughes: We deserved a point


Sat, 19 Mar 21:19:48 2011

Fulham boss Mark Hughes felt his side deserved to take a draw from their 2-1 defeat at Everton.

The result leaves Fulham with work to do to ensure they do not get dragged into a relegation battle and with eight games remaining, the Londoners are only three points above 18th-placed Wolves.

Hughes said: "It was difficult for us to get out but we can play better than we did in the first half.

"We showed that in the second half but conceded a very unlucky goal - it went through about three players' legs and Mark Schwarzer was unable to keep it out.

"We looked the better team because of that but you can't just play for 45 minutes. You have to play for the full 90.

"In the end we couldn't get that equaliser that certainly our second half performance deserved."

[White Noise]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/3479179/Everton-2-Fulham-1.html

Everton 2 Fulham 1  


Published: 19 Mar 2011


Add a comment (1)


LOUIS SAHA struck the winner as Everton held off a spirited Fulham comeback.

Winger Seamus Coleman put the Toffees ahead before Saha doubled the lead shortly after the break.

But Clint Dempsey offered the Cottagers some hope with a 62nd-minute effort.             

However, despite a late flurry of chances, Mark Hughes' men could not find a leveller.

The win moves Everton up to eighth in the Premier League while Fulham are just three points above the relegation zone.

Coleman and Saha's goals meant David Moyes began his 10th year as Everton boss as his started his first — by beating Fulham.

The Scot said: "We let them back into it a little from 2-0, I don't know if we came off the gas or if Fulham upped their game.

"When they got the goal it was tough, they had a lot of the ball and we had to dig in but with the players we had out there in that situation we knew we could do that."

Moyes also had praise for Coleman. He added: "He's been a little bit up and down of late but he's growing and he's still a young boy in footballing terms.

The only sour note for Everton was the sight of Saha coming off on a stretcher after an awkward fall.

Moyes said: "He signalled to the bench just before about his hamstring, so I don't know if its something different."

The game lacked bite early on but Everton had the better of the play, with Leon Osman curling an effort over and Leighton Baines dragging a shot across goal.

Saha had an opportunity when he rose to meet a Baines corner but his header bounced and Salcido calmly headed off the line.

Baines then delivered a fine cross for Jack Rodwell but the midfielder's header did not test Mark Schwarzer.

Everton made the breakthrough after Tim Cahill had a shot blocked and the ball rolled out to Baines on the left.

Baines cut it back inside for Osman and the midfielder lifted a cross to the back the post for Coleman to place a firm header back across goal and beyond Schwarzer.

The game at last had the spark it needed but Fulham had to wait until first-half injury time for their first serious opportunity.

Dempsey shot narrowly wide after good work by Andy Johnson.

Everton took a firm grip on the game four minutes into the second half after Rodwell was brought down just outside the area by Etuhu.

Baines tapped the free-kick to Saha and the Frenchman blasted a low free-kick through the wall for his 10th goal of the season.

Fulham tried to respond but Etuhu's shot into a crowded area was blocked and Damien Duff fired the rebound straight at Tim Howard.

The tempo was much quicker than in the first half and Coleman forced a good save from Schwarzer with a strong run and shot from distance.

Hughes decided to make a change and was instantly rewarded after sending on Bobby Zamora for Etuhu just before the hour.

Zamora, with his back to goal, brilliantly laid off a cross from Duff and the inrushing Dempsey struck a powerful low shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

Phil Jagielka almost made the game safe for Everton with an inch-perfect header but Salcido did brilliantly to again head away from just inside the post.

Zamora failed to make the most of a headed chance at the other end after being picked out by Gael Kakuta.

Saha's afternoon ended in agony in the closing minutes after he landing awkwardly following an aerial challenge.

He was replaced by Jermaine Beckford, who spurned a good chance to add a third on the break in injury time.

Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Coleman, Rodwell (Bilyaletdinov 77), Neville, Osman, Cahill (Heitinga 69), Saha (Beckford 87). Subs Not Used: Mucha, Gueye, Anichebe, Baxter. Booked: Osman, Hibbert. Goals: Coleman 36, Saha 49.

Fulham: Schwarzer, Baird, Hughes, Hangeland, Salcido, Duff (Kakuta 75), Murphy, Etuhu (Zamora 60), Dempsey, Dembele, Johnson (Gudjohnsen 84). Subs Not Used: Stockdale, Kelly, Greening, Davies. Goals: Dempsey 62.

Att: 33,239

Ref: Michael Oliver (Northumberland).

[White Noise]

http://www.footballeconomy.com/content/fulham-fcs-losses


Fulham FC's losses up

Submitted by WG on Sat, 19/03/2011 - 19:01


Fulham FC's losses increased from £7.9m to £19m in the year ended June 2010.  This was in spite of earning an extra £12.5m from their run to the Europa League final.   Turnover was boosted to £76.4m, but write downs and amortisation from player trading boosted losses.

Mohamed al Fayed has made it clear that he is committed to providing the funds the football club needs.  It is now funded entirely from his offshore family trust structure.   A loan of nearly £13m was repaid in August of last year but the Fayed companies are still owed some £186m.  £100m of that is due to start being repaid next year at an annual rate of £10m.

[White Noise]

Hughes' Everton Reaction

Saturday 19th March 2011




Speaking after Saturday's Barclays Premier League defeat to Everton at Goodison Park, Manager Mark Hughes gave his post-match assessment.

"We gave ourselves too much to do," said Hughes after the game. "The manner of our first-half performance was too passive and Everton were allowed to dictate the game to us. In the second-half we were better in that respect but it was disappointing because we've played better than that lately.

"Invariably they [Everton] try to get out wide, they've got good quality in wider areas and they can get good quality balls into the box if you allow them to.

"Unfortunately that was the case for the first goal. The second one was just a freak goal from our point of view, it went through three people's legs and it was very difficult for Mark [Schwarzer] to adjust his position.

"At two-nil down it's a mountain to climb but we came back and showed a good response. We created a number of chances that, on another day, might have gone in for us. Unfortunately it wasn't to be and we ran out of time.

"In the second-half we engaged with them a lot more aggressively and stopped things at source which helped us. As a consequence, our performance improved in the second-half, but in the first-half we were too passive. If you don't start in the way you mean to go on then you can find yourself in a situation where you're behind in the game."

One bright note was second-half substitute Bobby Zamora, who made an immediate impact on proceedings, setting up Clint Dempsey's strike on 62 minutes.

"We made a change and almost instantly it paid dividends for us," Hughes said. "It's still early days for Bobby, he's still not quite ready to start games but he's going to benefit from a couple more weeks' training prior to our next Premier League game. By that time I would imagine he's very close to starting – so he just needs a little bit more work."


Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/March/HughesEvertonReaction.aspx#ixzz1H80Qzkks

[White Noise]

http://www.people.co.uk/sport/football/news/2011/03/20/fulham-want-mark-hughes-contract-talks-102039-23001873/


Fulham want Mark Hughes contract talks

Mar 20 2011 by Dave Kidd and Janine Self, The People



FULHAM want to open contract talks with manager Mark Hughes – amid concerns he could become a target for Aston Villa.

Villa boss Gerard Houllier is under severe pressure after a disastrous 1-0 home defeat by Wolves left them just a point above the relegation zone.

Hughes is known to have admirers in the Villa boardroom, although owner Randy Lerner is still loyal to Houllier.

The Frenchman was widely criticised for fielding an under-strength side when Villa were beaten by Manchester City in the FA Cup.

Sparky signed a two-year deal when he arrived at Craven Cottage last year and the club deny suggestions that he has a clause in the deal allowing him to walk away for nothing at the end of this season.

But there are fears at Fulham that Hughes could have half an eye on bigger jobs.

Hughes had been heavily fancied to succeed Martin O'Neill at Villa when the Ulsterman's rift with Lerner became apparent. But he took the Fulham job just a fortnight before O'Neill eventually left.

Lerner backed Houllier in the January transfer market and assured him he was willing to do so again in the summer but many more defeats could make his position untenable.

Defiant Houllier last night said: "I know what I'm doing. I understand the fans' frustration. Everyone is concerned that we are going through a tough period."

[White Noise]

http://www.people.co.uk/sport/football/football-hotline/2011/03/20/diomansy-kamara-in-talks-with-leicester-and-cardiff-about-fulham-exit-102039-23001327/


Diomansy Kamara in talks with Leicester and Cardiff about Fulham exit

Mar 20 2011

by Alan Nixon, The People


Fulham striker Diomansy Kamara wants a full-time move and is in talks with LEICESTER and CARDIFF.

The Senegalese striker has been told he can go on loan and is discussing terms but wants a permanent deal as part of the switch.

Sven Goran Eriksson's Foxes were leading the chase but are reluctant to commit beyond the end of this season – especially as Kamara, 30, is on £24,000 a week.

Cardiff will consider a permanent transfer but are also concerned about signing Kamara, on loan at Celtic at the end of last season, on those terms.

[White Noise]

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/pro_sports/other_sports/118317089_Clint_Dempsey_sets_record.html


Clint Dempsey sets record

Sunday, March 20, 2011


The Record


Clint Dempsey became the first American to score 10 goals during a Premier League season, but could not prevent Fulham from losing at Everton, 2-1, Saturday.

Fellow American, midfielder Stuart Holden, sustained a deep knee gash during Bolton's 1-0 loss to first-place Manchester United.

Dempsey struck a powerful low shot from the edge of the penalty area, beating U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard in the 62nd minute. Seamus Coleman and Louis Saha had put Everton in front and the home team held on.

Dempsey topped the American mark set by Brian McBride, who scored nine times for Fulham in the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons.

Holden was taken off the field by stretcher to a hospital. His left knee was cut after a cleats-up challenge by United defender Jonny Evans in the 76th minute . Evans drew a red card.

Dimitar Berbatov capitalized on Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen's error to score the winning goal in the 88th minute for his league-high 20th of the season.

[White Noise]

http://blogs.soccernet.com/fulham/archives/2011/03/are_we_making_progress.php




Are We Making Progress?


Posted by Phil Mison 2 hours, 44 minutes ago


We asked for 'fearless' and got 'feeble.' The end of term report is being prepared and lessons it seems are still to be learnt. The latest away loss at Everton was all too predictable.

Watching Fulham away from home can be dispiriting to say the least. You are gatecrashers to an uninvited party, trampling your muddy boots across the carpet and arriving without any booze under your arm. Snog all the available birds, challenge anyone who objects to a fight, rubbish the music selection and maybe rip the gate off its hinges when storming out having relieved yourself in the bushes. That's how you approach an away game on enemy territory!

OK, maybe it's a few years since I did any of the above...except perhaps the last one. Ah yes, I've just described your typical West London student party circa 1971, with perhaps a smidgen of exaggeration. Only the names have been changed to protect the guilty.

Was the guilty party Saturday evening the men in white or the manager who prepares the team? As previously blogged the initiative was with Everton from the off, Moyes having been given clear indication 48 hours before the match how we would set up. Distin could have played in his carpet slippers. With Gudjohnson having gone public weeks ago with his desire to land a permanent move, why not suggest in the press call you might be 'going with more height in attack' to vary our attacking options? That Fulham were going to 'shake things up' to break their dismal record on the road, and at this venue. Psychological mind games maybe, but why not try any trick in the book?

What sort of bench was that to exclude Pantsil and Gera? Unless they had knocks, and I've found no evidence to suggest that, Kelly should never be above these two stalwarts in the pecking order. Baird endured a torrid first-half. He's entitled to have an off day. Having Pantsil in reserve would have been the perfect option. John thrives in pressure games, his three own goals this season, calamitous and unfortunate, should not mask his generally solid displays over time. Gera for Dembele from the start would have given us a different rhythm - other posters are now picking up on something I posted last month, Dembele needs to rediscover his mojo in the reserves. Since the Spurs cup tie he has looked ordinary and blunt up front.

The midfield was again woeful. Too deep, missed tackles all afternoon, and conceding two very poor goals. Yes, our venerable now 34 year-old captain was responsible for both, compounded by Etuhu's soft foul leading to Saha's free kick. Do players actually watch the kicker's set up? I knew exactly where that free-kick was going. Saha even steppd up to the ball and flattened the turf for his standing left-leg. Having done that, and with the shape of his run, you knew it had to be arrowed into the near, not far post. What was the wall doing? Through it went, Schwarzer unsighted.

Charlton went out of the Prem when relying on Matt Holland for one season too many, Fulham will go the same way if sentiment gets in the way of accepting our captain's days are now well and truly numbered. Much as I'm willing him to come good, even the motivation of no doubt wanted to show Everton fans what he can still do, failed to lift AJ to his previous deadly heights. Yes, people say he's not getting the service, and that's a valid point. But come on, since he returned in October, where are the goals? I'm sorry but this summer next stop for AJ, coming up to 30, has to be one of the bigger sides in the Championship, one of the relegated three (WBA would be an obvious fit) or one of the promoted three (in tandem with Heidar at QPR might give him a new lease of life). AJ's replacement will hopefully be ready by next autumn - he's currently completing his apprenticeship on loan at Bournemouth. Yes, you know who I mean.

And talking of strikers...Bobby had to be on for the start of the 2nd half. What was Hughes thinking of not to have made the switch in the interval? Even the gaffer had to come out and admit we had been poor in the first 45. So BZ lumbers on when the game is lost at 0-2, sets up Clint for a terrific goal with his first meaningful touch - congrats to Demps for that 10th league goal of the campaign - and then for the last 15 minutes Everton get nervy and we're in with a sniff of a point. If the medical staff say Bobby can't physically handle 90 minutes, I don't care! Stick him out there for nuisance value alone and to tie up two defenders. He doesn't even have to break sweat as far as I'm concerned, anything's better than what we're stuck with at present.

Wanna know why Blackpool on the road this season have been so hard to handle? From one week to the next you never quite know what Holloway's going to do. Refreshing, unpredictable, aggressive. Compare their away points tally to ours. They've done it by being bold and willing to take the game to the opposition - and they don't care if it's Man United or Wigan. By golly, our game against them in April's going to be a humdinger. Care to predict the score anyone?

I really hope Blackpool survive. But then of course we don't want it to be at Fulham's expense. We've another two weeks to get it right before our date with Holloway's warriors. It's a massive relegation scrap now pure and simple after our failure to take any points at the weekend.We must pray that Sidwell is back on schedule and fit for this one, otherwise Adam may play us off the park on his own (my Player of the Season vote, though of course he won't get it).

Let's finish on a bright note by congratulating Clint on his landmark goal. It was a beauty and we all saw what it meant to him, even in a losing cause. If any Bayern Munich representatives were in Liverpool at the weekend I bet that short list's been hurriedly re-drafted...

Come on Fulham, let's see a reaction to this latest road trip surrender with a strong final two months of the season. As the chairman said after the Man City debacle in November, relegation is NOT an option.

Twitter@fulhamphil

[Mr Fulham]

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12876_6828167,00.html

Gera attracts overseas offers

Spanish and Italian clubs approach Fulham forward



Zoltan Gera's agent has revealed that his client is considering approaches from Spain and Italy.

The Fulham forward is set to drop into the free agent pool this summer, with his contract at Craven Cottage running down.

He is in a position to discuss possible pre-contract terms with overseas suitors, with it clear that he will not be extending his association with the Cottagers.

The Hungary international's representative admits Gera would prefer to remain in England if given the choice, but claims he is willing to consider all offers.
Challenge

Vlada Filipovic told skysports.com: "Zoltan is free in the summer and a few clubs from Italy and Spain have recently made enquires as he can sign a pre-contract abroad.

"There was interest and offers from clubs in the January window to take him but the manager [Mark Hughes] wanted to keep him.

"Of course he would like to remain in the Premier League but he is also open to a new challenge abroad.

"Zoltan is away with the national team at the moment. Once he is back we will have a discussion and start looking towards his future."