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Wednesday Fulham Stuff (17.03.10)

Started by White Noise, March 17, 2010, 06:24:51 AM

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White Noise

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11681_6030991,00.html

Baird eyes Juve scalp


Northern Ireland international confident ahead of tie


By James Riach   Last updated: 16th March 2010   


Fulham defender Chris Baird believes his side has an excellent chance of overcoming Juventus in the Europa League on Thursday.

The Old Lady of Italian football travels to the banks of the Thames to face the Londoners at Craven Cottage, leading 3-1 after the first leg in Turin last week.

But despite not having the best of times in Northern Italy, Baird says the Cottagers can turn the tie around at home.

"The first match was a very tough game for us, we knew about the quality they had and they showed it in the first leg," he told the club's official website.

"But I still think we've got a great chance bringing them back to our place. We'll be up for the game and we're confident that we can get a result and keep going in this competition.

"It was nice to get back to 2-1 after what happened for their goals.

"Conceding that goal before half-time knocked us back a bit. But in all fairness, we came out in the second-half, played a lot better and created a few chances.

"If we can continue that, especially with the game being at home, I think we've got a great chance.

Intimidating
"Coming to places like Craven Cottage is intimidating for teams like Juve. We're looking forward to the game.

"We know the threat they're going to pose to us but it's another great game to play in and hopefully we'll get the right result for Fulham."

In what has been a fixture-filled campaign for Fulham so far, Baird has turned out an impressive 39 times for Roy Hodgson's side.

His versatility is seen as a plus point by the manager, and Baird admits he is enjoying his football.

"I've been all over the park this year but I've enjoyed every minute of it," he added.

"My confidence is high and hopefully I can keep that going. I'm really enjoying playing at the moment and hopefully the fans can see that."

White Noise

http://hammyend.com/?p=6004


What I gleaned from the Fulham reserves tonight

by NickW on March 16, 2010

My take on the Fulham reserve player performances from tonights match against Birmingham:

Etheridge: Good saves when called upon, commanded his area well, and distribution was excellent. Impressed me when I last saw him against Kingstonian in a pre-season game some eighteen months ago; delighted to see that he has progressed further.

Stoor: Showed keenness to go forward and to attack, but looked uncomfortable when players were running at him. Made some bizarre (and very poor) decisions in dangerous areas. I can see why Hodgson prefers to play Kelly. Was really hoping that Stoor would impress me tonight. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.

Toure: Certainly has all the raw attributes to be a good central defender. He's a big lad, with a fair amount of pace. Good in the air, made some good tackles too, including one superb last ditch sliding tackle to deny Phillips. Apparently this was only his second start for the Reserves. Very impressive, certainly more so than Pierre when I saw him against Arsenal in November.

Briggs: Just class. Good in the air and on the ground; quick; shepherded the ball out of play well. Excellent on the ball – not only good distribution, but a couple of runs upfield too, one of which forced a smart save from Doyle. There was a man in the stands in a Chelsea tracksuit. I just hope he wasn't there to try and poach Briggs. We won't miss Smalling too much if Briggs continues his development.

Marsh-Brown: Started off at left-back, and didn't really look too comfortable there. Much too right-footed to link up effectively with Buchtmann on the flank. Looked a lot better when switched to the right wing in the second half. Great pace and dribbling ability, frightening the life out of the Birmingham defence. I definitely think this boy has a future, but must be played on the right. Unless he was played there to try and improve his left-foot (which failed anyway, as he barely used it except for standing on).

Brown: Worked hard, didn't waste the ball, and looked to attack. Reminds me a fair bit of a slower version of Riise actually, with the only other difference being that Riise like to go wide and cross the ball, whilst Brown likes to cut into more central areas and shoot. Frequently swapped positions with Hoesen and played behind Okaka, and showed some nice touches. I don't think he can play CM in the first team (to the level of Murphy or even Greening), and unfortunately he's no better than what we have in the wide areas. Hope he makes it though.

Dikagcoi: Really impressed me tonight. Won the ball well, and showed some of his expansive passing range with some cracking passes to the front two and the wide men, and also recycled the ball well in tighter areas. Still prone to making needless gaffes though, and sometimes chooses a very silly option in dangerous areas, but could certainly make a difference in our first team. Would very much like to see what he can do alongside Murphy. Has all the physical attributes of Etuhu, but with Baird's passing.

[Replaced on the hour mark by left back Alex Smith, who looked more comfortable there than Marsh-Brown, and dealt very well with the impressive Nathan Redmond. Smith went to LB, Marsh-Brown to RM, and Brown to LM.]

Milsom: This boy really impresses me every time I see him play. Excellent pressuring in midfield, won the ball well, and distributed it nicely. Have now seen him play at left-back, left-wing and centre-midfield, and he looks comfortable all over the park. Such a shame he suffered such a nasty injury after he made his debut at Old Trafford last season, as Hodgson said he was heavily knocking on the first-team door at the time. Next year is a big one for him, but I think he can be a valuable and versatile squad member.

Buchtmann: Certainly has talent. Nippy player, with excellent pace and dribbling skills. Reminds me of a young Damien Duff at times actually. Likes to cut into central areas as well. With both him and Brown fond of this, I wonder if there would be benefit in playing them on their "reverse flanks", much in the way that Duff and Dempsey are utilised in the first team. If we got him as cheaply as reported, we got one hell of a bargain. Less effective when moved to CM after the departure of Dikagcoi.

Hoesen: Quick and certainly has some excellent ball skills. One particular highlight was when Hoesen nutmegged two Birmingham players in succession, in the space of about three seconds. Composed finish. Replaced soon after Dikagcoi by the equally rapid Stefan Payne, who closed down defenders well, but other than one snapshot, didn't really have any chances.

Okaka: A class above everybody else on the pitch. Certainly the strongest. Shrugged tacklers away, so difficult to dispossess. Equally adept at running off the shoulder of the last defender as he is dropping deep and linking up play. Looks more comfortable than he did at the start of his spell – whether that's to do with Hodgson's training or simply settling into a foreign culture, he's clearly improved. Would like to see him get more game time with the first team in the future.

White Noise

Reserves 3-0 Birmingham


Tuesday 16th March 2010


Fulham FC News

A sparkling opening 15 minutes proved decisive for Fulham, whose ruthlessness in front of goal made the telling difference against a lively Birmingham City.

Despite a positive start, the visitors found themselves three down after a quarter of an hour, with Danny Hoesen breaking clear and opening the scoring, finishing confidently under the dive of Colin Doyle.

Recalled from his loan spell at Bristol Rovers, Wayne Brown then doubled the Whites' lead by cutting inside Luke Rowe on the right of the visitor's box and firing in at the near post.

Two then became three following a break on the counter, with Hoesen eventually winning a corner down the right. Christopher Buchtmann then supplied the delivery, with Stefano Okaka turning home captain Matthew Briggs' clever knockdown.

Briggs, another who has spent time out on loan in recent weeks, went close to a fourth moments, later drilling a low shot at Doyle, while Fulham's 'keeper Neil Etheridge denied Kevin Phillips with a smart stop.

Hoesen mistimed an opportunity on the half hour mark, with Freddie Stoor and Okaka linking well on the right, before the latter powered through the City defence, only to be denied by an excellent block from ex Fulham man Franck Queudrue.

With more chances falling for the hosts, Hoesen drew a fine save from the hands of Doyle, while Kagisho Dikgacoi almost found the net with an ambitious overhead-kick.

Birmingham certainly enjoyed their share of possession, but for all their intricate one-twos, the visitors were swept back with Briggs marshalling his defence with composed authority.

As a result Fulham deservedly entered the interval three goals to the good, and manager Billy McKinlay no doubt pleased, with his side organised, confident and forward thinking.

Birmingham started the second-half in spirited fashion, suggesting there could well be a few twists and turns in store for the home side.

Teemu Tainio tried his luck from distance, while James O'Shea skewed a chance wide when well-placed in the right of the Fulham box.

O'Shea's cross for Phillips then flashed across the Whites' goalmouth, before Cheick Toure robbed the veteran striker of a chance with a brilliant last-ditch tackle.

With the final 15 minutes approaching Queudrue tested Etheridge with a fierce low strike, before the Frenchman fired narrowly wide from 20 yards following an intelligent lay-off from Jake Jervis.

Despite the visitors seeing more of the ball, Fulham looked content and with Okaka an outlet on the break the Birmingham defence were continually forced into action.

At the other end, Briggs and co. kept their cool to register a fourth consecutive clean sheet.

Birmingham may have entered the match on the back of three straight victories, but it was the Whites who stretched their unbeaten run – which now stands at seven games.

That impressive form will certainly be tested again next week, with Billy McKinlay's side facing derby rivals Chelsea. A win at Motspur Park next Tuesday March 23rd, Kick-Off 7.05pm, would see Fulham leapfrog the Blues to third in the Barclays Premier Reserve League South table.

FULHAM DS:

Etheridge; Stoor, Marsh-Brown, Briggs, Toure; Dikgacoi (Smith 65), Milsom, Brown, Buchtmann; Okaka, Hoesen (Payne 71). (Subs not used): Bettinelli, Pierre, Harris.

BIRMINGHAM CITY RESERVES:

Doyle; Ozturk (Dunphy 69), Rowe, Kerr, Queudrue; Michel (Sammons 75), Tainio, O'Shea, Shroot; Phillips ( Redmond 75), Jervis. (Subs not used): Butland, Asante .


Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/March/ReservesvBirmingham.aspx#ixzz0iPeEXdCF


White Noise

http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/clubfootball/news/newsid=1181774.html?cid=rssfeed&att=


Juve injury woe gives Fulham hope

(AFP)

Wednesday 17 March 2010


An injury crisis at Juventus has boosted Fulham's hopes of overturning a 3-1 deficit in their UEFA Europa League last 16 second leg match against the Italians on Thursday.

Juve bossed the first leg in Turin last week and looked to be on the brink of the last eight but injuries to a raft of players have given the Londoners a glimmer of hope. First-choice goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and his under-study Alex Manninger have both been ruled out with thigh injuries, meaning third-choice keeper Antonio Chimenti is in line to make his UEFA club debut.

Giorgio Chiellini, Martin Caceres, Amauri, Sebastian Giovinco and Michele Paolucci are also injured, while central defender Nicola Legrottaglie is suspended, and midfielder Hasan Salihamidzic says the visitors will have to be on their toes at Craven Cottage. "It'll be very hard over there because it's a small ground," said the Bosnian.

"They play with a great tempo at home and we'll have to be very careful. But if we put them under pressure, the sort of pressure we did in the first leg, it will be really hard for them to play well."

Fulham are without a win in their last five matches but striker Bobby Zamora says their home form could give them an edge. "It's going to be a tough game, we know that, but we've got a good home record," said the England FIFA World Cup™ hopeful. "We've beaten Manchester United and Liverpool at home this season and I see no reason why we can't beat Juventus."

Juventus are one of three sides taking a 3-1 advantage into the second leg, with Standard Liege and Hamburg similarly well placed against Panathinaikos and Anderlecht respectively. The other five ties are more finely poised, with Lille on the verge of a famous upset after defeating five-time European champions Liverpool 1-0 in the home leg of their tie last week.

"We're holding all the cards. But at the same time, we should keep our feet on the ground because if we can win at home then so can they," warned Lille coach Rudi Garcia. "It'll be a true battle and we'll need to give it our all. But even if we concede three at Anfield and go out, I'm sure we'll have done our best."


Portuguese league leaders Benfica visit Marseille needing to score after Hatem Ben Arfa's last-minute header earned the French side a 1-1 draw in the first leg. Benfica, though, are the competition's second-highest scorers behind Werder Bremen and Brazilian international midfielder Ramires has faith in his side's attacking ability.

"Of course we can score over there," he said. "We just have to stay calm and focus. We've played the first half and now the second half is coming up. We'll be very focused."

Valencia are in the same position as Benfica, travelling to last season's runners-up Bremen after a 1-1 first-leg draw. The Spanish side, currently third in La Liga, boast the talents of Spain internationals David Villa, David Silva and Juan Mata, and Bremen centre-back Naldo has urged his side not to lose their focus during the game.

"If you face players like Villa, Silva and Mata you cannot leave them any space to work in," he said. "Our grand objective is to win this trophy because it was a blow to lose the final last season. However when we finished the first game in Valencia we were reminding ourselves we are not in the quarter-finals yet. We still need to concentrate."

Bremen's cause has been helped by suspensions to Valencia midfielders Ever Banega and Pablo Hernandez, while Villa is a doubt with the shoulder injury that kept him out of the 3-0 defeat at Barcelona on Sunday.

In Thursday's remaining games, German champions Wolfsburg host Russian counterparts Rubin Kazan with the aggregate score 1-1, while Sporting Lisbon's tie with Atletico Madrid is yet to feature a goal. The draw for the quarter-finals takes place on Friday.

White Noise

http://hammyend.com/?p=6013

Is Konch the answer to England's left back problems?


by Dan on March 16, 2010


Even as a Fulham fan, I'd probably say no and would put Nicky Shorey ahead of him, but the Castrol Ratings appear to suggest otherwise.

This month's Castrol Rankings show Fulham defender Konchesky has risen nine places to 378, while Aston Villa's Stephen Warnock and Everton's Leighton Baines – the other main contenders for a place in England's squad for World Cup 2010 – are at 419th and 420th, respectively.

England coach Fabio Capello is looking for cover at left-back ahead of the World Cup Finals in South Africa, following a broken ankle for Chelsea's Cole and Manchester City's Bridge announcing his retirement from international football.

Konchesky's defensive qualities are underlined by an outstanding tackle success rate of 84 per cent, significantly better than his rivals for the position. In contrast, Baines' strength is going forward and delivering crosses into the penalty box. This is reflected by the fact that the Everton man has delivered 310 crosses for David Moyes' side.

Interesting – but I'm almost certain it won't happen.

White Noise

http://hammyend.com/?p=5999

Fulham Reserves see off Birmingham


by NickW on March 16, 2010

Just got in from Motspur Park, where the Fulham Reserves comfortably beat their Birmingham counterparts 3-0.

Fulham lined up in what was more  a 4-2-2-2 formation than the more familiar 4-4-2 that the first team play. Neil Etheridge was given a chance in goal, protected by the strong-looking defensive units of Cheick Toure and Matthew Briggs, flanked by Fredrik Stoor and Keanu Marsh-Brown on an unfamiliar left-hand side. Kagisho Dikagcoi and Robert Milsom sat quite deep in midfield, hounding and hassling the Birmingham midfielders when not in possession; and recycling the ball intelligently when they did. Wayne Brown and Chris Buchtmann playing in advanced positions on the flanks; Stefano Okaka and Danny Hoesen were given a go up front, where they made intelligent runs and dropped deep with effect.

Birmingham gave starts to Kevin Phillips, Teemu Tainio and ex-Fulham defender Franck Queudrue, but other than these three, this was an inexperienced line-up.

Fulham opened the scoring in the early stages of the game:  Dikagcoi played a long pass over the Birmingham defence; Hoesen timed his run brilliantly to beat the offside trap, and slotted the ball calmly past Colin Doyle in the Birmingham goal.

Minutes later, Fulham doubled their lead. Milsom, Buchtmann and Okaka linked up well in position, before Wayne Brown received the ball on the right hand side. Brown cut inside and shot – crucially, it took a big deflection, taking it past the helpless Doyle.

And before the quarter of an hour mark had passed, Fulham found themselves three goals up. Buchtmann's deep corner from the right-hand side was nodded back across the face of goal by Briggs, leaving Okaka with the simple task of poking the ball home.

What was rather strange about this game is that other than this burst of three goals, it could be claimed that Birmingham were in fact the better side. They certainly had more of the ball, with the impressive Michel Madera demonstrating his broad range of passing. Phillips too looked dangerous, dropping deep and linking play well. However, on the one occasion he found himself through on goal, he also found Etheridge making a very impressive stop to deny the ex-England striker.

The second half was much of the same. Birmingham had most of the ball, especially once Dikgacoi departed and Buchtmann moved into the centre, but were unable to break through a stubborn and hard-working Fulham side. How often we have seen this with the senior side, allowing the opposition to keep the ball and do nothing with it; pressing them and not letting them create anything like a decent chance; before Fulham break away, attacking with intent and incision. Indeed, it says much of the game that whilst Birmingham had plenty of the ball, Etheridge wasn't overly troubled. The best chance of the half went to Fulham, Okaka teeing up Brown on the left-hand side, forcing Doyle to make a super save.

All in all, a convincing and comfortable win, with impressive performances all over the pitch. Whilst Birmingham had a lot of the ball, it was Fulham who looked the more dangerous side. And much of that was down to the excellent work by Dikagcoi and Milsom in the centre of midfield.

FULHAM RESERVES (4-2-2-2): Etheridge; Stoor, Marsh-Brown, Briggs, Toure; Dikgacoi (Smith 65), Milsom, Brown, Buchtmann; Okaka, Hoesen (Payne 71). Subs (not used): Bettinelli, Pierre, Harris.

GOALS: Hoesen (9), Brown (14), Briggs (18).

BIRMINGHAM CITY RESERVES (4-4-2): Doyle; Ozturk (Dunphy 69), Rowe, Kerr, Queudrue; Michel (Sammons 75), Tainio, O'Shea, Shroot; Phillips (Redmond 75), Jervis. Subs (not used): Butland, Asante.


White Noise

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/fulham/7460178/Win-tickets-to-see-Fulham-take-on-Manchester-City-at-Craven-Cottage.html


Win tickets to see Fulham take on Manchester City at Craven Cottage

Telegraph Sport has teamed up with Barclays to give away one pair of Premier League tickets to Fulham v Manchester City this Sunday (March 21).

Published: 11:02PM GMT 16 Mar 2010

Telegraph Sport has teamed up with Barclays, title sponsor of the Barclays Premier League, to offer one lucky reader the opportunity to win a pair of tickets to the Fulham v Manchester City Premier League clash at Craven Cottage on Sunday (March 21).

To enter simply email your full name, address and a contact telephone number to [email protected] before 11am this Thursday (March 18).

Sport on television Please title your email 'Fulham ticket competition'.

*Tickets are for the home supporter's section. The prize does NOT include travel/accommodation.

Winners will be announced by Friday afternoon, but don't worry if you're not successful, you can always net a pair by visiting your nearest Barclays ATM. Match tickets are up for grabs EVERY 90 minutes, every day, throughout the 2009/10 season.

To be in with a chance of winning, simply request a receipt from the ATM or visit www.barclaysticketoffice.com to enter - you don't even have to be a Barclays customer.

Further information and terms and conditions are available from www.barclaysticketoffice.com.

Terms and conditions

1. This prize draw is open to residents of the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Republic of Ireland aged 18 years or over, except employees of Telegraph Media Group Limited and Barclays, their families, agents or anyone else professionally associated with the draw.

2. Details on this advertisement form part of the terms and conditions. It is a condition of entry that all rules are accepted as final and that the competitor agrees to abide by these rules. The decision of the judges is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

3. Entries, to include your full name and contact telephone number, must be submitted via email to [email protected] and entry is restricted to one per person.

Late, incomplete or corrupt entries will not be accepted. No responsibility can be accepted for lost entries and proof of transmission will not be accepted as proof of receipt.

The winner will be drawn at random from all entries received by the closing date. The winner's name and county can be obtained by sending an sae to Telegraph Barclays Spaces for Sport Ticket Competition Winner, Telegraph Sports Department, 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 0DT.

4. All entries must be received by 11am this Thursday (March 18).

5. The winners will be notified by telephone or email on Thursday March 18 and must reply before 1pm the same day, otherwise we will have to select a different winner.

6. The prize is non-transferable and there are no cash alternatives.

7. The winner may be required to participate in publicity.

8. Events may occur that render the prize draw itself or the awarding of the prize impossible due to reasons beyond the control of the Promoter and accordingly the Promoter may at its absolute discretion, vary or amend the promotion and the entrant agrees that no liability shall attach to the Promoter as a result thereof.

9. The Telegraph is responsible for the first part of the promotion, which is the publication and adjudication of the prize draw. All other facilities connected with the provision of the prize are the responsibility of Barclays.

Promoter: Telegraph Media Group Limited, 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 0DT.

White Noise

http://www.adifferentleague.co.uk/p6-1_1941_club-focus-fulham-from-craven-cottage-to-fortress-fulham.html

Club Focus - Fulham - From Craven Cottage to Fortress Fulham


By Matt Domm

A trip to Old Trafford to face the best player in the Premier League on current form, sandwiched in between the two legs of arguably the biggest tie in Fulham's history was hardly a game to expect any points from. In truth, the 3-0 defeat does not hurt all that much. The fans' minds are already elsewhere.

No defence has the ability to stop Wayne Rooney, let alone a Whites side, away from home and sans-Brede Hangeland for much of the second half. The fact that all three Manchester United goals came in the second half suggest a last-45 capitulation, but in reality both halves were even, in that United pressurised constantly, with the home side's force inevitably telling - Mark Schwarzer, as well as he played, cannot possibly keep everything out. Yes, Bobby Zamora was in Nemanja Vidic's pocket the entire game, Danny Murphy let his hatred of the Red Devils get the better of him, and all tested wingers - Simon Davies, Clint Dempsey and Damien Duff - failed to make an impact on proceedings. But this was Fulham away from home, where they have not won in the league since day one, against a 30-goal forward. The winnable game comes this Thursday evening.

While getting soundly beaten by a far better side does not teach many lessons, one thing Fulham must improve upon against Juventus is how to deal with the big man/little man combination, which Roy Hodgson himself likes to implement. Alessandro Del Piero, like Rooney, hit two goals at the weekend, and if selected against the Whites will pose a very similar threat. Likewise, the probable starter David Trezeguet has similar attributes to Sunday's man of the match, Dimitar Berbatov. Even when Hangeland was playing, Berbatov frequently got the better of him, which is no easy task, and Trezeguet's threat was all too clear in the first leg in Turin. Having said that, Hodgson's team has two completely different sides to it - one has just nine points from their league travels, and the other has an exceptional home record. It is the latter that means Fulham are not out of the Europa League, as a 2-0 win is certainly attainable. This solid home record includes a shut-out of Rooney, no goals for most big men - such as Peter Crouch - and a remarkable nine goals conceded in 14 league fixtures. Another clean-sheet against the Italians and two goals is a manageable achievement, and the players can again look at the Old Lady's most recent league game as their inspiration.

Del Piero got his two goals, yes, but at the other end they let in as many as the Whites did. But whereas Fulham suffered a very expected defeat to the champions of England, Juventus dropped two points against the team at the bottom, who are four points from safety. If Siena can put three past Juve's third-choice goalkeeper, then the Whites should be able to grab a couple. However, as discussed, the clean-sheet is the priority. Zamora has scored plenty in the tournament so far, and Zoltan Gera has been very impressive, and while the recent lack of goals has been a concern these blanks have been drawn mainly away from home. Back at Craven Cottage Fulham have not been goal-shy, and they have been very hard to break down.

Nicky Shorey will again be replaced by Paul Konchesky, and whether the former West Ham defender can find his feet quicker than he did in Turin could be vital to the Whites' chances. His rustiness last Thursday combined with his teammates' shocking set-piece marking to gift the advantage to the Italians, but this week's fixture is set to be a completely different story. The away-day enigma does not look likely to be cracked any time soon, but on Thursday it is Fulham in their fortress banging on the door of the visitors. To knock it down, Zamora will need to be more clinical when provided with a chance. Against United he had a more-than-half chance in the first 45 minutes which was comfortably missed, before a golden opportunity fell his way in the second to level the scores. Somehow he allowed the less-than rapid Vidic to catch up and win the ball, and if he, or indeed any of his teammates, misses a similar chance against Juventus then the Italians will begin to shut up shop early, as only they know how.

Whichever way the result goes, a full Cottage will witness what could be the biggest night in the club's history.

White Noise

http://www.lincoln.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=191862&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Fulham Midfielder Sincil Bound

Chris Sutton will keep Fulham youngster Matt Saunders until at least April 17th unless we desperately need him for the last 3 games of the season. That means he will play in the vital game at Torquay on Saturday , Northampton (H-27/3, the Cheltenham 6 pointer (A-3/4), Morecambe (H- 5/4), Bournemouth (H-10/4 ), Notts Count (A-13/4) and Shrewsbury (A 27/4). This is a very shrewd move from the Chessman ensuring we keep the youngster for another 7 matches in a hectic month that includes Easter.

Saunders, a Sutton new years resolution has been a massive hit at the Bank with box-to-box performances that have threatened a goal or two long before Fridays scintillating Sincil show. An injury in January meant he had to return to Fulham however he has been an ever present since replacing Oakes on February 16th in a 2-1 win. Matt has the engine of a Mercedes and goes box to box for 90 minutes. Always an outlet for his teammates he has that defensive midfield lynchpin knack of being in the right place at the right time. Comfortable on the ball he is clearly a consistent two footed player with pedigree. Don`t expect him to stay beyond this season however as Matt is very highly though of at Fulham. Many feel he will be the next graduate to make it to the first team and to ensure his rapid progress is maintained he needs Championship or Premiership football.

Thanks Matt, we will treasure you while we can and savour the magic moments as you brilliantly keep us up this season. Undoubtedly you will be gracing some famous grounds over the course of a glittering and rewarding career.


39 Matthew Saunders
Appearances 9 L2- 7 (+1) FAC- 1
Goals L2- 2 FAC-0
Assists - 1
Yellows - 0
Shots on - 2 Shots off - 4
Fouls - 6 Fouled - 6
Minutes on Pitch - 758



White Noise

http://fulhampatsfan.blogspot.com/2010/03/10-things-i-think-about-fulham-football_16.html


10 Things I think about Fulham Football Club this week March 15th


The past week was a disappointing week for Fulham Football Club. Last Thursday, Fulham lost 3 - 1 against Juventus in the Europa League. Now, Fulham will have to win in convincing fashion this Thursday in the second leg at Craven Cottage. They will probably have to score at least 2 goals and probably hold Juventus scoreless. Fulham also lost on Sunday to Manchester United 3 - 0. They will need to bounce back next Sunday when they take on Manchester City at Craven Cottage. Below are the 10 things I have been thinking about Fulham.

1. I think the 3-1 loss to Juventus could have been a closer scoring difference. There is no question that Juventus dominated in the first 30 minutes. Maybe the Fulham players came out too tentative. They found themselves down 2 -0. Fulham rallied and scored in the first half to make it 2 -1. They also had a great chance to tie the game up in the first half. It took a great save to deny Fulham that second goal. In stoppage time they gave up the third goal. I think the third goal could have been prevented. They need to play better defense at the end of the half. Fulham should not be giving up any goals in stoppage time. Goals late in the half change games. The momentum now was completely with Juventus. If they don't give up that third goal, Fulham's chances on Thursday would be much greater.

2. I think the Juventus fans really don't care about the Europa League. I was shocked to see the small crowd that was at Turin. I could also see that a decent amount of the crowd were Fulham fans. I know Juventus are probably one of the greatest teams in the world. Their fans expect them to be in the Champions League. I get all of that. What I don't get is you only have a limited amount of games to see your team. Why wouldn't you go to this game?

3. I think it is great that Fulham fans sold out the game against Juventus. To me this shows just how important the Europa League means to Fulham and the fans. The Europa League to me is a reward for the hard work the team has put in the last couple of years. Both the team and the fans deserve this game. Hopefully with the crowd behind them Fulham can pull an upset.

4. I think Fulham were a different team against Manchester United with Danny Murphy in the lineup. Last week I wrote that I thought Fulham missed Murphy. I think this point was proven in the Manchester United game. I thought his passing was great and times I thought he controlled the first half of the match. I guess sometimes you don't appreciate a player until he is not there. I certainly appreciate Danny Murphy.

5. I think Roy Hogdson's changes in the starting lineup for the Manchester United game were effective. Stephen Kelly at right back I thought worked for the most part in the first half. Replacing Dickson Etuhu with Chris Baird in midfield seemed to work as well. I also liked having Clint Dempsey up front . Zotlan Gera being in midfield was another change Roy made. It is really good that Roy can move players around and the team can still keep its shape.

6. I think Clint Dempsey being back early is a huge boost. I was shocked to see him come in as a substitute during the Juventus match. I think it will take him a few more games to get back up to speed. I think he brings some added quality and goal scoring potential that the team needs now.


7. I think Fulham definitely have a chance against Juventus of advancing. Juventus have some injuries coming into the match at Craven Cottage. The goalkeeper Alex Manninger will be out. They are also coming off of a 3 - 3 tie against Siena. Fulham have an opportunity to advance. It might be slim, but it is there for the taking. With the injuries and the below average form from Juventus in their last match, hopefully Fulham can capitalize and come out strong. An early goal by Fulham and the game is on.


8. I think Fulham have a very good chance at beating Manchester City. Fulham have played Manchester City very tough lately. If Manchester City play how they played in the first half against Sunderland they will lose. I just don't think this is a team that intimidates Fulham. They have more talent than Fulham, but do they have the better team? I think we will find out this weekend.

9. I think Fulham fans should check out the reserves tonight against Birmingham City. The game is tonight at Motspur Park at 7PM UK Time. I would love the opportunity to see Christopher Buchtmann and see if he is the "real deal". Sine I am in the United States I can only read about it. This is a chance to see up and coming players for the team.

10. I think Fulham have a chance to match their league point total from last year of 53. They currently have 38 points. They need 15 points in the last 9 games. I just looked at the schedule and there are several games which I think they can win. Home games against Wigan, Stoke, Wolves and West Ham are all games the team should win. They can also potentially win at Hull. I know it will be tough, but if they could match that total to me it would be an incredible achievement.

Again, these are just 10 things I think about Fulham Football Club as of this week March 15th. It should be another fun week.

Posted by Fulham-Pats Fan at 7:34 AM

Tom

Quote from: White Noise on March 17, 2010, 06:26:54 AM
http://hammyend.com/?p=6004


What I gleaned from the Fulham reserves tonight

by NickW on March 16, 2010

My take on the Fulham reserve player performances from tonights match against Birmingham:

Etheridge: Good saves when called upon, commanded his area well, and distribution was excellent. Impressed me when I last saw him against Kingstonian in a pre-season game some eighteen months ago; delighted to see that he has progressed further.

Stoor: Showed keenness to go forward and to attack, but looked uncomfortable when players were running at him. Made some bizarre (and very poor) decisions in dangerous areas. I can see why Hodgson prefers to play Kelly. Was really hoping that Stoor would impress me tonight. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.

Toure: Certainly has all the raw attributes to be a good central defender. He's a big lad, with a fair amount of pace. Good in the air, made some good tackles too, including one superb last ditch sliding tackle to deny Phillips. Apparently this was only his second start for the Reserves. Very impressive, certainly more so than Pierre when I saw him against Arsenal in November.

Briggs: Just class. Good in the air and on the ground; quick; shepherded the ball out of play well. Excellent on the ball – not only good distribution, but a couple of runs upfield too, one of which forced a smart save from Doyle. There was a man in the stands in a the dark side tracksuit. I just hope he wasn't there to try and poach Briggs. We won't miss Smalling too much if Briggs continues his development.

Marsh-Brown: Started off at left-back, and didn't really look too comfortable there. Much too right-footed to link up effectively with Buchtmann on the flank. Looked a lot better when switched to the right wing in the second half. Great pace and dribbling ability, frightening the life out of the Birmingham defence. I definitely think this boy has a future, but must be played on the right. Unless he was played there to try and improve his left-foot (which failed anyway, as he barely used it except for standing on).

Brown: Worked hard, didn't waste the ball, and looked to attack. Reminds me a fair bit of a slower version of Riise actually, with the only other difference being that Riise like to go wide and cross the ball, whilst Brown likes to cut into more central areas and shoot. Frequently swapped positions with Hoesen and played behind Okaka, and showed some nice touches. I don't think he can play CM in the first team (to the level of Murphy or even Greening), and unfortunately he's no better than what we have in the wide areas. Hope he makes it though.

Dikagcoi: Really impressed me tonight. Won the ball well, and showed some of his expansive passing range with some cracking passes to the front two and the wide men, and also recycled the ball well in tighter areas. Still prone to making needless gaffes though, and sometimes chooses a very silly option in dangerous areas, but could certainly make a difference in our first team. Would very much like to see what he can do alongside Murphy. Has all the physical attributes of Etuhu, but with Baird's passing.

[Replaced on the hour mark by left back Alex Smith, who looked more comfortable there than Marsh-Brown, and dealt very well with the impressive Nathan Redmond. Smith went to LB, Marsh-Brown to RM, and Brown to LM.]

Milsom: This boy really impresses me every time I see him play. Excellent pressuring in midfield, won the ball well, and distributed it nicely. Have now seen him play at left-back, left-wing and centre-midfield, and he looks comfortable all over the park. Such a shame he suffered such a nasty injury after he made his debut at Old Trafford last season, as Hodgson said he was heavily knocking on the first-team door at the time. Next year is a big one for him, but I think he can be a valuable and versatile squad member.

Buchtmann: Certainly has talent. Nippy player, with excellent pace and dribbling skills. Reminds me of a young Damien Duff at times actually. Likes to cut into central areas as well. With both him and Brown fond of this, I wonder if there would be benefit in playing them on their "reverse flanks", much in the way that Duff and Dempsey are utilised in the first team. If we got him as cheaply as reported, we got one hell of a bargain. Less effective when moved to CM after the departure of Dikagcoi.

Hoesen: Quick and certainly has some excellent ball skills. One particular highlight was when Hoesen nutmegged two Birmingham players in succession, in the space of about three seconds. Composed finish. Replaced soon after Dikagcoi by the equally rapid Stefan Payne, who closed down defenders well, but other than one snapshot, didn't really have any chances.

Okaka: A class above everybody else on the pitch. Certainly the strongest. Shrugged tacklers away, so difficult to dispossess. Equally adept at running off the shoulder of the last defender as he is dropping deep and linking up play. Looks more comfortable than he did at the start of his spell – whether that's to do with Hodgson's training or simply settling into a foreign culture, he's clearly improved. Would like to see him get more game time with the first team in the future.

Thanks for the great report White Noise. I really appreciate everything you do. I really want to see Okaka play more and we better bring him back for next season.
Fulham for life!

White Noise

http://www.football-italia.net/mar16p.html


Decimated Juve travel to Fulham

Tuesday 16 March, 2010

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Juventus are missing eight players for their Europa League trip to Fulham, including both first choice goalkeepers.

The Bianconeri won the first leg 3-1 in Turin, but travel to Craven Cottage for Thursday's tie with an injury crisis on their hands.


Shot-stoppers Gianluigi Buffon and Alex Manninger are both out of action for the next couple of weeks at least, so two youth team players are drafted in.


Carlo Pinsoglio, who turns 20 today, and even 18-year-old Marco Bonassi make the trip.


Veteran Antonio Chimenti is the only realistic option to start between the posts in London.


Other absentees are Giorgio Chiellini, Martin Caceres, Amauri, Sebastian Giovinco, Michele Paolucci and suspended defender Nicola Legrottaglie.


"Going into the next round of the Europe League against Fulham is a key objective. We will immediately respond to the setback with Siena," argued Legrottaglie.


Juventus were leading 3-0 after 10 minutes on Sunday afternoon before ending the game 3-3 against the bottom of the table side.


"Hopefully we'll be the ones to give Italian football some satisfaction in Europe this season."

Juventus squad: Felipe Melo, Cannavaro, Grosso, Salihamidzic, Marchisio, Iaquinta, Del Piero, Chimenti, Zebina, Camoranesi, Trezeguet, Poulsen, Grygera, Sissoko, Candreva, Diego, De Ceglie, Marrone, Pinsoglio, Bonassi.



White Noise

Quote from: Tom on March 17, 2010, 06:42:54 AM


Thanks for the great report White Noise. I really appreciate everything you do. I really want to see Okaka play more and we better bring him back for next season.
[/quote]

Cheers Tom. The excellent writing is all Nick W's but I agree with you about Okaka. I can't believe Roy would have gone to all the trouble without giving the lad a chance.

White Noise

Chelsea get it all wrong with battle cry to fans as they ask home crowd to 'raise the temperature' for crunch clash with Inter Milan


By Nick Metcalfe

Last updated at 5:50 PM on 16th March 2010

Comments (19)

Liverpool supporters taunt their Chelsea counterparts with the chant 'You ain't got history' while some question how many supporters have joined the bandwagon since Roman Abramovich rode into town with all those rubles.

Fans of the London club naturally bristle with indignation at the jibes - but honestly, the club doesn't always help their cause.

Have a look at this edict from the official website as Stamford Bridge gets ready to welcome the aristocrats from Inter Milan.

'Flags or scarves will be laid out at seats around the stadium for tonight's game but please bring your own colour and singing voices, and please arrive early to raise the temperature ahead of kick-off'

Yes, you read it right folks - it really does say 'raise the temperature'.

Can you honestly imagine Manchester United fans needing such instruction before one of those famous European nights at Old Trafford?

I doubt very much the Anfield crowd will ever need to be whipped up into any manufactured frenzy for the big occasions - indeed Chelsea know to their cost how loud that ground can be after that 2005 European Cup semi-final.

I don't even think London's 'lesser lights' would need such encouragement. Certainly not West Ham. Probably not Fulham either.

So as you settle down to watch live coverage of the big Champions League match, or listen in your transistor sets, try and gauge the temperature for yourself.

Check to see if the punters have brought their singing voices, and look out for the necessary colour.

It sounds like dear old Inter Milan won't know what has hit them.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1258364/Chelsea-wrong-battle-fans-ask-home-crowd-raise-temperature-crunch-clash-Inter-Milan.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0iPkQT6Sj

Tktd

Quote from: White Noise on March 17, 2010, 06:49:18 AM
Quote from: Tom on March 17, 2010, 06:42:54 AM


Thanks for the great report White Noise. I really appreciate everything you do. I really want to see Okaka play more and we better bring him back for next season.

Cheers Tom. The excellent writing is all Nick W's but I agree with you about Okaka. I can't believe Roy would have gone to all the trouble without giving the lad a chance.
[/quote]

What did I say about Okaka on my board thread! I guarenteed that Hodgson wasn't risking Okaka this season and will more then likely sign him for the season long loan nxt season. This season or half a season is for Okaka to get used to the Premiership Physically and also to get used to the culture and his team-mates.  Roy wouldn't want to risk a couple of good performances between now and the end of the season (less than 10 games now) if it'd mean he'd do well and other teams would see him doing well in the premiership. He's very much a hidden gem.