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Wednesday Fulham Stuff (07/04/10)

Started by WhiteJC, April 07, 2010, 07:48:01 AM

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WhiteJC

http://www.cottagersconfidential.com/2010/4/6/1408331/john-pantsil-returns-in-reserves
John Pantsil returns in reserves match for Fulham
The Fulham reserves  played a 1 - 1 tie tonight against Wolves. The bigger news was the return of John Pantsil to action. According to the Fulhamfc.com article, "Reserves 1-1 Wolves" , Pantsil was given a warm welcome by the Fulham fans.

John Pantsil has been out since December with a knee injury. He got injured in the second half against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Before he left that match with an injury in the second half, Fulham were beating Chelsea 1 - 0. After he left the match, Fulham gave up 2 goals and lost the match 2 - 1. I really appreciated the job Pantsil was doing that day against Drogba. Pantsil was having a nice season up to the injury, and was very solid at right back.  I am glad to see him on the way back.

Also, according to the Fulhamfc.com article "Reserves 1 - 1 Wolves" ,  people in attendance gave him applause once he left the match in the 60 minute mark. Again, this is great news for Fulham as hopefully Pantsil is close to a first team return. In my opinion, in his absence, Chris Baird and Stephen Kelly at different times have done a solid job at right back.

WhiteJC

http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/ReservesvWolves.aspx
Reserves 1-1 Wolves
Tuesday 6th April 2010



John Pantsil returned to action as Fulham impressed once again and continued their recent fine form – but were denied three points as a result of Sylvan Ebanks-Blake's free-kick.

Pantsil, appearing in a Fulham shirt for the first time since late December following a knee injury suffered against Chelsea, was warmly welcomed back by the Fulham faithful.

Out of action for more than three months, Pantsil's commitment and endeavour was as evident as ever, winning key tackles and bounding forward at every opportunity.

In a fairly even start to proceedings, it was Fulham's Neil Etheridge that was the busier of the two goalkeepers, racing out to deny Sam Vokes and taking a testing cross from Sam Winnall.

Keanu Marsh-Brown and Danny Hoesen threatened at the other end, although chances remained at a premium, as Sylvan Ebanks-Blake looked to stretch the Whites' defence.

Having wrestled control from the visitors, who had a more than lively opening 20 minutes, Hoesen forced Aaron McCarey into his first real moment of action with a stinging free-kick, before Alex Smith blazed over on the edge of the box.

With Captain Matthew Briggs driving forward at every opportunity the Whites went in search of the breakthrough, with Billy McKinlay's side beginning to settle and playing the type of football that has seen them unbeaten in eight matches.

Centre-back Cheick Toure almost got his head to one corner from the left, while Christopher Buchtmann, Rob Milsom and Pantsil all had shots blocked by a wall of gold shirts.

Pantsil found himself in sight of goal again, but with just McCarey to beat the Ghanian right-back headed over when well placed.

With half-time approaching and with Fulham on top, Michael Uwezu went close too, flicking the ball over Sam Griffiths and volleying narrowly wide from the left of the area.

Nevertheless Kyle Bennett should have sent Wolves in front at the break firing wide with the goal at his mercy, while Marsh-Brown missed an equally promising chance striking straight at McCarey.

Toure rattled the crossbar with a leaping header in the closing stages, with a first-half goal proving elusive for both.

The second-half opened in similarly positive fashion, with Hoesen denied by an excellent last ditch tackle from Griffiths. Briggs could well have done better from Buchtmann's resulting corner, but his downward header was easily claimed by McCarey.

But Fulham were rewarded following a fantastic move down the left with Briggs and Buchtmann combining to find Uwezu, who duly squared for Hoesen to slot home a confident first time finish 11 minutes in.

Wolves could have had an immediate leveller if not for Etheridge's athleticism, with the 'keeper making an outstanding save to keep out Bennett's fierce drive.

Those in attendance gave Pantsil a round of applause when he left the action just after the hour mark, with the Fulham favourite looking good for his evening's work.

However, it was the visitors that were cheering next, with Ebanks-Blake drawing his side level with a superbly taken free-kick on 70 minutes, with his low strike nestling into the bottom right corner.

A goalmouth scramble almost gave Wolves a second going into the final 10 minutes, with Bennett and Vokes lurking in dangerous positions. Fulham were thankful for Briggs seeing the ball to safety.

Etheridge then had to be alert to get down well to a dipping strike from Bennett, while Toure showed his growing maturity to pick the pockets of Ebanks-Blake with the game closing out.

A quick-thinking free-kick from the African youngster then released Briggs on the left, and but his low centre edged passed the boot of Hoesen and then substitute Stefan Payne.

Payne then lashed over from a decent position in injury time, while Hoesen struck high from a free-kick on the left of the visitor's box.

Fulham certainly had chances, but this wasn't to be the victory that moments of their play suggested. That said, few would begrudge a lively Wolves a share of the points.

The draw keeps the Whites in third place, and does stretch an impressive unbeaten run to nine matches.

McKinlay's side travel to Barclays Premier Reserve League South leaders and last season's champions Aston Villa next Monday, before playing their last home fixture of the campaign at Motspur Park on Thursday, April 15th against Portsmouth, Kick-Off 7pm.

Fulham DS: Etheridge; Pantsil (Harris 64), Stoor, Toure, Briggs; Marsh-Brown, Milsom, Buchtmann, Smith; Uwezu (Payne 77), Hoesen. (Subs not used): Bettinelli, Pritchard, Pierre.

Wolves Reserves: McCarey; Davis, Griffiths, Dunleavy, Metcalf; Bennett, Castillo, Rooney, Winnall (Mendez-Laing 70); Vokes (Landell 90), Ebanks-Blake. (Subs not used): Gorman, Harris

Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/ReservesvWolves.aspx#ixzz0kOWpPAIz

WhiteJC

http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=194445
Fulham - Your Wigan MOTM Was?
Following on from the 2-1 victory over Wigan we asked you, our readership to vote for your man-of-the-match.

For once we had a close run affair with opinion divided, in fact there wasn`t that much too call between the top tow, but in the end it was Zoltan Gera that took the honours with 34% of the vote, closely followed home by the scorer of the winning goal, Brede Hangeland, with 23% of the vote.

Also worth an honourable mention with 15% of the vote, was Damien Duff.

Our thanks go to all those who took the time out to vote.



WhiteJC

http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/london-sport/fulham-fc/2010/04/07/roma-youngster-eyes-fulham-stay-82029-26185983/
Roma youngster eyes Fulham stay

LOAN-star Stefano Okaka has vowed to secure an extension to his stay at Fulham.

The Roma striker has had limited opportunities to shine for the Whites since arriving from Serie A on a short-term deal in January, but came off the bench to score in the 2-1 victory against Wigan on Sunday.

He said: "At this stage I don't know if there's a possibility of extending my stay here, but I feel really good here and it certainly wouldn't be a problem for me to stay.

"In fact, I'd like it very much, but we'll just have to see how it goes.

"It's really up to the manager in terms of team selection, but my ambition will just be to do my best between now and the end of the season and hopefully get more opportunities to show what I can do."

Okaka is determined to impress the Craven Cottage faithful and make a name for himself in English football.

"For me, it was a great opportunity to come here at 20 years of age and have the chance to open my mind to a different country and experience a different level of football," he added.

"It wasn't a case of limited opportunities at Roma; I've already played for quite a while. This is just something that came up and I was interested in.

"It's very different from Italy. There, it's more tactical and here it's more physical and of course I like that side of it. But I like both styles."

WhiteJC

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/SportsArchive/artikel.php?ID=179897
John Pantsil is back
John Pantsil returned to action as Fulham impressed once again and continued their recent fine form – but were denied three points as a result of Sylvan Ebanks-Blake's free-kick.

Pantsil, appearing in a Fulham shirt for the first time since late December following a knee injury suffered against Chelsea, was warmly welcomed back by the Fulham faithful.

Out of action for more than three months, Pantsil's commitment and endeavour was as evident as ever, winning key tackles and bounding forward at every opportunity.

In a fairly even start to proceedings, it was Fulham's Neil Etheridge that was the busier of the two goalkeepers, racing out to deny Sam Vokes and taking a testing cross from Sam Winnall.

Keanu Marsh-Brown and Danny Hoesen threatened at the other end, although chances remained at a premium, as Sylvan Ebanks-Blake looked to stretch the Whites' defence.

Having wrestled control from the visitors, who had a more than lively opening 20 minutes, Hoesen forced Aaron McCarey into his first real moment of action with a stinging free-kick, before Alex Smith blazed over on the edge of the box.

With Captain Matthew Briggs driving forward at every opportunity the Whites went in search of the breakthrough, with Billy McKinlay's side beginning to settle and playing the type of football that has seen them unbeaten in eight matches.

Centre-back Cheick Toure almost got his head to one corner from the left, while Christopher Buchtmann, Rob Milsom and Pantsil all had shots blocked by a wall of gold shirts.

Pantsil found himself in sight of goal again, but with just McCarey to beat the Ghanian right-back headed over when well placed.

With half-time approaching and with Fulham on top, Michael Uwezu went close too, flicking the ball over Sam Griffiths and volleying narrowly wide from the left of the area.

Nevertheless Kyle Bennett should have sent Wolves in front at the break firing wide with the goal at his mercy, while Marsh-Brown missed an equally promising chance striking straight at McCarey.

Toure rattled the crossbar with a leaping header in the closing stages, with a first-half goal proving elusive for both.

The second-half opened in similarly positive fashion, with Hoesen denied by an excellent last ditch tackle from Griffiths. Briggs could well have done better from Buchtmann's resulting corner, but his downward header was easily claimed by McCarey.

But Fulham were rewarded following a fantastic move down the left with Briggs and Buchtmann combining to find Uwezu, who duly squared for Hoesen to slot home a confident first time finish 11 minutes in.

Wolves could have had an immediate leveller if not for Etheridge's athleticism, with the 'keeper making an outstanding save to keep out Bennett's fierce drive.

Those in attendance gave Pantsil a round of applause when he left the action just after the hour mark, with the Fulham favourite looking good for his evening's work.

However, it was the visitors that were cheering next, with Ebanks-Blake drawing his side level with a superbly taken free-kick on 70 minutes, with his low strike nestling into the bottom right corner.

A goalmouth scramble almost gave Wolves a second going into the final 10 minutes, with Bennett and Vokes lurking in dangerous positions. Fulham were thankful for Briggs seeing the ball to safety.

Etheridge then had to be alert to get down well to a dipping strike from Bennett, while Toure showed his growing maturity to pick the pockets of Ebanks-Blake with the game closing out.

A quick-thinking free-kick from the African youngster then released Briggs on the left, and but his low centre edged passed the boot of Hoesen and then substitute Stefan Payne.

Payne then lashed over from a decent position in injury time, while Hoesen struck high from a free-kick on the left of the visitor's box.

Fulham certainly had chances, but this wasn't to be the victory that moments of their play suggested. That said, few would begrudge a lively Wolves a share of the points.

The draw keeps the Whites in third place, and does stretch an impressive unbeaten run to nine matches.

McKinlay's side travel to Barclays Premier Reserve League South leaders and last season's champions Aston Villa next Monday, before playing their last home fixture of the campaign at Motspur Park on Thursday, April 15th against Portsmouth, Kick-Off 7pm.

Fulham DS: Etheridge; Pantsil (Harris 64), Stoor, Toure, Briggs; Marsh-Brown, Milsom, Buchtmann, Smith; Uwezu (Payne 77), Hoesen. (Subs not used): Bettinelli, Pritchard, Pierre

WhiteJC

http://theflatbackfour.blogspot.com/2010/04/how-does-west-ham-compare-to-fulham.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theflatbackfour+%28The+Flat+Back+Four%29
How Does West Ham Compare To Fulham This Season?

West Ham as a football club have officially lodged a complaint to the Premier League over Fulham fielding a weakened team against Hull City on March 27, 2010. Fulham lost that game at the Kingston Stadium 2-0 to Iain Dowie's Hull which put them level on points with the Hammers.


The question I want to ask is how does the West Ham squad compare with the Fulham squad as a whole? This is my assessment of West Ham against Fulham's squad this season.


Goalkeeping:
Rob Green (WHU) is an England international and quite possibly England's no. 1 in the World Cup.

Mark Schwarzer (FUL) is Australia's no. 1 and will also be in the World Cup this summer.
Not much difference between the two in terms of goalkeeping strengths.


Defence:
James Tomkins, Matt Upson, Danny Gabbidon, Jon Spector, Julien Faubert, Ilunga, Daprela (WHU) - All internationals. However, Spector and Faubert are suspect defensively and the fullback area is the weakest part of West Ham's squad. The right fullback position sorely need reinforcements. Gabbidon looks past his best, and strangely, Upson does as well.

Chris Smalling, Hangeland, Konchesky, Aaron Hughes, Shorey, Baird, Pantsil (FUL) - Smalling is the best young defender in England without a doubt. Fulham's defenders have the edge as they have the defensive toughness and the experience of top-flight Premiership football.


Midfield:
Diamanti, Parker, Noble, Behrami, Kovac, Dyer, Stanislas, Collison (WHU) - a great midfield on paper, lots of pace, strength, creativity and tackling bite, sadly this group have underperformed this season.

Duff, Murphy, Gera, Dempsey, Simon Davies, Etuhu, Greening, Bjorn Riise (FUL) - apart from Murphy and Dempsey, the rest of the midfielders are journeyman players at best and yet they have been punching above their weight in the league and in Europe.


Attack:
Cole, Franco, Mido, Ilan, Hines, McCarthy (WHU) - the lack of depth and striking quality have meant that that when Cole was injured, there was no other experienced striker in the West Ham squad, The additions of Mido and McCarthy have not worked. However, Cole, Franco, Hines and Ilan can still be a fearsome quartet if West Ham stay up this season.

Zamora, Nevland, Andrew Johnson, Stefano Okaka (FUL) - again a strikefore which should not be feared. Johnson is no longer the player he was at Everton. Nevland is another journey squad player. Fulham's reliance on the excellent Zamora is at the same feverish level as Rooney's importance to Manchester United.


So you see, Fulham's squad is not as talented nor as international-laden as West Ham's. This further emphasizes just how frustrating and disappointing this season has been for the Hammers. The much travelled Roy Hodgson have performed wonders at Craven Cottage, bringing out the best in a Fulham squad which is not as talented as West Ham's.


Hmmm, I wonder what West Ham could have achieved with Hodgson at the helm.



WhiteJC

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/schwarzer-ready-for-huge-game-1937481.html
Schwarzer ready for 'huge' game
By Brian Homewood

Fulham, playing in the quarter-finals of a European competition for the first time, take a 2-1 lead to German champions Wolfsburg tomorrow determined to continue a Europa League run that has captured the imagination of their supporters.


Liverpool host Benfica trailing 2-1 from the first leg, as do Standard Liège who entertain Hamburg. Valencia did it the hard way in the previous round, knocking out Werder Bremen with a 4-4 away draw, and they believe they can repeat the trick at Atletico Madrid.

All four ties are delicately poised in a competition that is often dismissed as the poor relation to the Champions League but in which there have been some outstanding games in the knockout stages this year.

Fulham are delighted with their progress, having reached the last eight at the expense of Juventus. "It is huge what we have already accomplished for the club and as players we want to continue it," said goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer.

"You need to ask the chairman and the fans how big an achievement they think it is, but as players we are on the verge of something huge."

The match at Anfield will feature two of the teams who appear to be least excited about the competition. For Liverpool, the Europa League is a mere consolation in a season during which they exited the Champions League at the group stage and were out of the Premier League running by January.

Their opponents are more interested in winning the domestic league for the first time since 2005, having seen their bitter rivals Porto walk off with the title in the subsequent four seasons.

Valencia, held 2-2 at home by Atletico last week, find themselves in a similar position to the previous round, when they drew 1-1 at home to Werder Bremen and went through on away goals after an eight-goal thriller in the return. "We did it the difficult way in Germany and we are capable of repeating that in Madrid," playmaker David Silva said.

WhiteJC

http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/WolfsburgScreening.aspx
Wolfsburg Screening


Following last week's 2-1 victory over Wolfsburg in the UEFA Europa League Quarter-Final at Craven Cottage, Roy Hodgson's side play the second leg in Germany this Thursday (8th April, Kick-Off 8:05pm BST).

If you can't make it to Wolfsburg, why not enjoy the next best thing by joining fellow Fulham fans at Craven Cottage for a live screening of the match?

We also have some great value food and drink offers, so make sure you get down to the Cottage this Thursday!


Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/WolfsburgScreening.aspx#ixzz0kP5xLfzv

WhiteJC

http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/HangelandWiganWolfsburg.aspx
Maintaining Momentum



Fulham returned to winning ways in the Barclays Premier League last weekend with a hard-fought victory over Wigan Athletic at Craven Cottage. The win helped push the Whites over the 40 point mark and winning goal scorer Brede Hangeland was certainly pleased with the result.

"We were really happy with the win against Wigan," he said. "We've struggled a bit recently in the League and we were desperate to get past the 40 point mark and we've finally done it.

"We just have to try and win as many matches as we can now and hopefully finish in the top 10. That would be a great achievement especially considering the amount of games we've already played this season.

"It's tiring physically and mentally but we should always remember why we're playing all these extra games - because we've done well and to come this far in the Europa League and do well in the FA Cup is a good achievement for this Club."

The win over Wigan also has the added benefit of taking Fulham into their UEFA Europa League Quarter-Final second leg match against Wolfsburg with added momentum.

"I think we've played quite well away from home in the Europa League this season," Hangeland assessed. "Although it was disappointing to concede a goal at the end in the home leg we still know they need to beat us and that's going to be a difficult task for them.

"Hopefully we can go through. It's a narrow lead but they're playing at home which is an advantage so it's wide open and hopefully we can put in a good performance and go through to the Semi-Final"

Bobby Zamora was unavailable for selection last weekend after an aggravation to his Achilles tendon; however Hangeland is hoping Fulham's leading scorer will be in line for a return to the First Team on Thursday evening.

"He's [Zamora] a key player and we don't look the same when he's not playing. Hopefully he'll be back and 100% fit for Thursday to give their defence a few problems."


Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/HangelandWiganWolfsburg.aspx#ixzz0kPV31RRm


WhiteJC

http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/ThroughtheRanksFrei.aspx
Through the Ranks




In the past 18 months the Whites' Academy has made considerable progress in its direction and development with high profile appointments made off the field and exciting signings on it.

One player that falls into the second bracket is talented playmaker Kerim Frei, who arrived in SW6 from Grasshopper Zürich in January. The 16-year-old is extremely well-thought of, with the Club securing his signature ahead of a number of Europe's leading sides.

It's a signing that signifies our Academy's intent, and their ability to contend in what is undoubtedly a very competitive industry.

"There were a few options for me," admits Kerim. "But I have no doubt that I made the right decision choosing Fulham because this is a very good club, and from the moment that I came in I knew it was the place for me.

"I saw a bright future here, and I would love to progress and do all I can for the Club. I left my home, which is a big step, especially when you move to a foreign country.

"It was important to feel comfortable in my new surroundings and I did. When I first trained with the U18s I felt that my style suited the way they played football and that is was a good match. Hopefully I can show what I can do."

Three goals in seven games highlight the immediate impact the youngster has made with Gary Brazil's squad, even though Frei is still eligible to play for Mark Pembridge's U16s. With an abundance of creativity and vision beyond his tender years, he looks set to become an important player for the Academy.

"I could play for the U16s," he explains. "That's the level that I played in Switzerland, but I think it is doing me a lot of good playing with older, stronger players. It has been difficult, but I think I'm playing better with every game.

"Of course, it is a lot more physical over here and that is something that I have to get used to quickly. I'm not going to change the way that I play though, I will always try and make things happen for the team – I love having the ball at my feet and taking players on."

Raised in Switzerland, having been born in Austria to a Turkish father and Moroccan mother, Frei's footballing education began at St. Gallen before four eye-catching years at Grasshoppers.

With a number of international options, he chose to represent his father Murat's country of birth and is subsequently part of a talented crop of Turkish youngsters.

"Even though I lived in Switzerland for most of my life and was born in Austria, Turkey is my country," details Kerim. "It was where my father was born, and it has been an honour to play for them. One day I hope to pull on the shirt of the senior team - that would be an unbelievable moment.

"Switzerland is a good country to learn the game though. Football is taken very seriously there and in recent years a lot of very good players have been developed. Grasshopper was a great place for me, and I learned a lot there both mentally and technically."




Manager Roy Hodgson is certainly familiar with Swiss football, having led the nation to the 1994 World Cup and Euro '96. At one point, under Hodgson's guidance, Switzerland were ranked third in the FIFA World Rankings.

"I was too young to remember what Roy Hodgson did with Switzerland," reflects Kerim. "But of course, people have since told me. In fact, he is very well respected back home. I think that was Switzerland's best era.

"He's a coach that is respected wherever you go though, and I have heard really good things about him. Hopefully, one day I will get to work and play for him. But I have a long way to go yet."

Whether Frei goes on to represent the First Team remains to be seen, though he has the potential to suggest he could give it a real go. The Academy coaching staff talk positively about what the youngster has to offer, with a fair bit of excitement surrounding his arrival in SW6.

"I haven't been here very long, but I already feel that I have developed my game further in a lot of ways," he says. "The coaches work you very hard here, but in a good way. You know what you have to do and where you need to improve. If you ease up, they soon tell you.

"I have been pleased with my progress so far, and I've had some good feedback. It's nice to hear such things, and hopefully I can impress in the months and seasons to follow."

Frei cites his move to England as a long-held ambition, having grown up watching the English Premier League. He also recognises the impact the First Team's success has had, particularly in attracting exciting talent from around the globe.

In the last 12 months Fulham's Academy has signed one of Italy's brightest striking talents, Marcello Trotta, a Spanish youth captain in Cristian Marquez-Sanchez, the highly-rated Ivorian Cheick Touré and one of Scandinavia's most promising goalkeepers Jesse Joronen.

"To play football in the Premier League has been a dream of mine for a very long time," reflects Kerim. "I'm very lucky that I have got the opportunity at an English club so early. For me this is the league where the best players want to test themselves.

"There are chances here for young players, so this is a good club to be part of. Of course, with the First Team doing so well in the league and in Europe, that attracts players, and that applies to the Academy as well.

"The Club have brought in some very talented young players, not just from this country, but from all over the world. It's a really exciting time to come to Fulham, and we have a lot of potential within the Academy. Hopefully, we can continue to show that, progress up into the reserves and then into the First Team. That is our goal."

Kerim Frei Up Close
A strength of mine is my ability to dribble the ball. I have good vision also.

Although my weakness is definitely my heading. I'm not so good at that.

People say that I play most like Andrés Iniesta of Barcelona. He's actually one of my favourite players, alongside Ronaldinho.

The biggest influence on my career has been my father, Murat. He's helped me a lot over the years and made me the player that I am today.

My favourite Fulham player is Damien Duff. He is very quick, excellent on the ball and scores some important goals. I like the way he plays.

Growing up my idol was Ronaldinho. When he was at Barcelona he was unstoppable. He's still a very good player, but a few years back there was no one better.

Five years from now I'll be playing in the Fulham First Team and an established member of the squad.



Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/ThroughtheRanksFrei.aspx#ixzz0kPW6CLQ3

WhiteJC

http://www.oddspreview.com/category/Football/Wolfsburg-v-Fulham-betting-preview-201004070023/
Wolfsburg v Fulham betting preview
Cottagers should be wide awake in the Volkswagen Arena!

Roy Hodgson was getting a little bit annoyed on Sunday, despite his team coming from behind to beat Wigan 2-1. The Cottagers made a slow start to the game, which saw some home supporters shouting for the players to wake up, something which must be especially galling after such a successful season.

Nevertheless, Fulham have performed miracles to stand on the verge of the Europa League semi-finals and they are favourites with many bookmakers to go through at the expense of Wolfsburg. Paddy Power go as short as 4/5 that the west London side wind up facing Hamburg or Standard Liege in the final four, despite conceding that late away goal on Thursday which could well come back to haunt them.

Stan James offer 11/10 if you want to get the best price on Hodgson's team going through and the Volkswagen Arena will hold no fear for them after eliminating Shakhtar Donetsk and Juventus in previous rounds. The Wolves are 10/11 (Paddy Power) if you think that Alex Madlung's late header has swung the balance of the tie in the German champions' favour.

It's been a strange season for the team that topped the Bundesliga last season. They were unable to make it past the group stages of the Champions League and sit mid-table domestically, having lost more than they have won on home soil. However, a 4-0 victory against Hoffenheim on Sunday means they're in good form for Thursday's crunch game and can be backed at 8/11 (Stan James) to win in ninety minutes.

Let's not forget that Fulham's away form in the Premier League is pretty shocking again this season, with just one win from their sixteen road trips this term. While Bobby Zamora (15/2 bet365) has lit up the tournament in previous rounds and will also be a strong attacking outlet, the lion's share of the possession will surely be Wolfsburg's, who will look to feed Edin Dzeko (4/1 totesport) and Grafite (5/1 Coral). The former is angling for a move to Milan in the summer and this is an ideal shop window opportunity

WhiteJC

http://hammyend.com/?p=6786
Okaka keen to stay at Fulham
by Dan on April 7, 2010

Bit late on this one, but Stefano Okaka was featured in my local paper last week saying he'd be keen to extend his loan spell with Fulham. I imagine that clever equaliser against Wigan at the weekend won't have done his hopes any harm at all, either.

At this stage I don't know if there's a possibility of extending my stay here, but I feel really good here and it certainly wouldn't be a problem for me to stay. In fact, I'd like it very much, but we'll just have to see how it goes.

It's really up to the manager in terms of team selection, but my ambition will just be to do my best between now and the end of the season and hopefully get more opportunities to show what I can do. For me, it was a great opportunity to come here at 20 years of age and have the chance to open my mind to a different country and experience a different level of football.

It wasn't a case of limited opportunities at Roma; I've already played for quite a while. This is just something that came up and I was interested in.

It's very different from Italy. There, it's more tactical and here it's more physical and of course I like that side of it. But I like both styles.



WhiteJC

http://hammyend.com/?p=6788
Hangeland hopes to keep hitting the heights
by Dan on April 7, 2010

Brede Hangeland hopes Fulham can take the momentum gained by a come from behind win over Wigan on Sunday into tomorrow's Europa League quarter final in Wolfsburg.

We were really happy with the win against Wigan.

We've struggled a bit recently in the League and we were desperate to get past the 40 point mark and we've finally done it.

We just have to try and win as many matches as we can now and hopefully finish in the top 10. That would be a great achievement especially considering the amount of games we've already played this season.

It's tiring physically and mentally but we should always remember why we're playing all these extra games – because we've done well and to come this far in the Europa League and do well in the FA Cup is a good achievement for this Club

It's tiring physically and mentally but we should always remember why we're playing all these extra games – because we've done well and to come this far in the Europa League and do well in the FA Cup is a good achievement for this Club.
I think we've played quite well away from home in the Europa League this season. Although it was disappointing to concede a goal at the end in the home leg we still know they need to beat us and that's going to be a difficult task for them.
Hopefully we can go through. It's a narrow lead but they're playing at home which is an advantage so it's wide open and hopefully we can put in a good performance and go through to the semi-final.

WhiteJC

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11681_6079858,00.html
Reds eye French starlet
Youngster set for Anfield trial

Liverpool have emerged as favourites to sign French starlet Moussa Kouyate.

The Reds are one of a host of clubs chasing the highly-rated 15-year-old, who is currently with Paris FC.

But now Liverpool have offered Kouyate a trial and skysports.com understands the young defender will link-up with the club later this week.

Both Manchester City and Fulham have also shown an interest in Kouyate, but Liverpool look to be heading the chase for his signature.

French champions Bordeaux, Paris Saint Germain and Lens are also believed to be keen.