Thursday Fulham Stuff (08/04010)

[WhiteJC]

http://www.eatsleepsport.com/fulham/cottagers-ace-could-face-wolfsburg-1048416.html
Cottagers ace could face Wolfsburg
Fulham may be able to call upon John Panstil for the Europa League clash in Wolfsburg after he played an hour for the reserves.

The Cottagers defender has been sidelined since December with knee ligament damage, suffered in the derby defeat to Chelsea, but is closing in on a first-team return.

Pantsil played 60 minutes of the second string's 1-1 draw with Wolves on Tuesday night and is now pushing for a place in the squad for Thursday's Europa League second leg in Germany.

The return of the Ghana international will come as a major plus for Roy Hodgson for the end of season run-in, with the manager forced to use three different players, Stephen Kelly, Chris Baird and Simon Davies, to cover Pantsil's absence in the last four months.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=194497
Fulham - Tomorrow Looms Large
I woke up this morning with the sorest of foreheads and the achiest of bones, and, in all honesty, little knowledge in the exact day of the week.

Upon prizing open my laptop though, it became apparent it's the 7th of April, which, I'm confident in saying is a Wednesday. One day before we face Wolfsburg in one of the biggest matches in this clubs fine, if not in-consistent, history.

It feels rather peculiar, following our infamous 4-1 victory over Italian giants Juventus, to even comprehend the idea that a bigger and better game could unfold tomorrow in Germany, yet, given a good performance and a good result, Fulham fans around the World may well scream that little bit louder and with a little more pride tomorrow evening than they did around 3 weeks previously.

Given the 'Fulhamish' nature of our club, the sheer thought that a Thursday night would offer my team a European quarter-final tie would have seemed ludicrous only a matter of years ago.

On the last day of the 2008 season, even after securing that oh-so-important extra year in the Premiership, anyone that had even mentioned European football would have been laughed off the terraces and maybe punched in the face for good measure.

Now though, I sit here queerly grinning at the prospect of defying the critics one more time and silencing the doubters yet again. Fulham Football Club have finally become a force to be reckoned with.

And reckon, Wolfsburg will. Come on You Whites!




Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=194497#ixzz0kUMWuvVD

[WhiteJC]

http://www.goal.com/en/news/11/transfer-zone/2010/04/07/1867605/roma-loanee-stefano-okaka-hoping-to-extend-fulham-stay
Roma Loanee Stefano Okaka Hoping To Extend Fulham Stay
Youngster happy at Craven Cottage...
On-loan striker Stefano Okaka is hoping that he can prolong his stay at Fulham beyond the current season.

The Roma-owned youngster joined the Premier League outfit in February on loan until the remainder of this term, but has made only a handful of appearances under manager Roy Hodgson.

The 20-year-old recently came off the bench to score the leveller against Wigan Athletic, before Brede Handgland ensured that three points were secured at Craven Cottage.

"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," Okaka told the Fulham Chronicle.

"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."

He added: "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://www.itv.com/sport/football/news/uefacup/previews/fulham-v-wolfsburg-750746638.html
Fulham v Wolfsburg
Hodgson wary of Wolfsburg

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson has no intention of taking Wolfsburg lightly as he attempts to guide his side into yet more unchartered territory.

Fulham's Europa League adventure has already seen them account for UEFA Cup holders Shakhtar Donetsk and Italian giants Juventus.

Wolfsburg may not be as quite as big a name as the Serie A giants but they are the Bundesliga champions and began the season in the Champions League - exiting the tournament after Manchester United beat them 3-1 thanks to Michael Owen's hat-trick.

Hodgson has dismissed suggestions they are any less of a threat to his side's chances of a historic place in the semi-finals.

"I wouldn't say that," he said. "Wolfsburg were in the Champions League, they won the German league last year ahead of Bayern Munich. And Bayern Munich have just beaten Manchester United - so we have no chance.

"What I've learned about Wolfsburg I have only learned since we were drawn against them. But I know they are a good team, they score a lot of goals, they have good attacking players and they are hard-working and well-organised.

"We know the task is a tough one but for me every one of the seven teams we could have played is a good team and a team capable of beating us."

Fulham have lost their last three matches since that epic night at Craven Cottage when Juve were hammered 4-1.

But Hodgson rested five key players in last weekend's defeat at Hull as he prioritised Thursday's first leg at Craven Cottage.

"I don't think our performances have been worthy of criticism but there is no doubt that, all the time we were in the cup competitions, they would be somewhat more of a priority than the league because in the league we are relatively safe," he said.

"We have put the cup matches in the shop window.

"We feel a sense of achievement and pride that we have overcome so many obstacles to get this far.

"But we are also conscious of the fact that the teams we are playing are more than capable of beating us so it's going to require another fantastic effort if we are going to continue this adventure."

Wolfsburg manager Lorenz-Gunther Kostner told this side they will need to produce something "exceptional" to win following Fulham's giant-killing run so far.

Kostner said: "We need to come up with some extraordinary performances tomorrow.

"Roy Hodgson is such an experienced manager who had huge success with teams abroad.

"Here at Fulham he has built up a team that not only plays very good football but is also really tight and when they are at their best they are capable of beating any opponent."

Despite Fulham's recent stuttering form since their win over Juve, Kostner is wary they are unbeaten at home in Europe and this tournament is now their priority.

Kostner said: "The Juventus game was not a one-off. They have played Roma (drawing 1-1 at Craven Cottage) and other big teams," he said.

"When you look at Fulham as a club you have to respect them."

[WhiteJC]

http://www.cottagersconfidential.com/2010/4/7/1409141/my-5-keys-to-victory-for-fulham-in
My 5 Keys to Victory for Fulham in the Europa League against Wolfsburg - Match Preview

Fulham play tomorrow against Wolfsburg in Germany.  This is the second leg of the quarterfinals in the Europa League. The game takes place at 8:05PM UK Time and 3:05PM EST.  The game will be shown in the U.S. on Direc TV only.

Fulham won the first leg at Craven Cottage last Thursday 2 - 1. To move ahead to the semifinals,  Roy Hogdson's Cottagers need to either tie or win tomorrow against Wolfsburg. This will be a tough challenge on the road for the Cottagers. The German champions impressed me with their skill up front. Below are " My 5 Keys to Victory for Fulham in the Europa League against Wolfsburg.".

1. Fulham need to survive the first 20 minutes without ging up a goal . Mark Schwarzer and the defense need to be on top of their game. I see this game as similar to the Shakhtar Donetsk game on the road. Shakhtar came out real strong in the first 20 minutes. Fulham were able to survive the beginning stages of the match without giving up a goal. They were able to score a goal later in the first half and took control of the match. If Fulham can survive the beginning of the match, and then potentially score a goal they could be on their way to moving on in the Europa League.   

2. Fuham need Mark Schwarzer to play an exceptional match.  Mark Schwarzer has been great this year for Fulham. The goals Mark tends to give up are beyond his control. I hardly ever see him give up a soft goal. Similar to the Shakhtar Donetsk match on the road I think Schwarzer will be under constant pressure in the beginning of the match. Edin Dzeko is a real talent but he is not the only threat. Grafite is also a striker Fulham need to watch. For Fulham to move ahead in the Europa League Mark Schwarzer needs to be exceptional. I have a feeling he is going to need a few incredbile saves to deny Dzeko and company.   

3.  Fulham need to be near perfect on set pieces. Fulham at times have struggled against set pieces. In the first leg against Juventus , Fulham gave up a few goals that set pieces were involved. In the last match against Wolfsburg, the Germans scored off of a play starting from a corner kick.  After the corner kick, Zvjezdan Misimovic sent a great ball into the box that was headed in by Alexander Madlung. On the road Fulham cannot afford to give up a goal off of a set piece. Players like Hangeland and Hughes will be crucial during these plays. 

4.  Fulham need to take advantage of any opening Wolfsburg gives them to score. Like I mentioned prior I expect Wolfsburg to come out extremely strong with strong pressure.  If Fulham can get some counter attacks off of this pressure it could lead to a goal. I think there could be a few opportunities tomorrow to take advantage of Wolfsburg aggressive play.

5. Damien Duff needs to be dangerous tomorrow.  I have become a big fan of Duff. I think his ability to make some great runs could set up some serious scoring chances for Fulham. If he can feed the ball into Zamora and Gera I like Fulham's chances in scoring tomorrow. Also, if he has an opportunity to shoot he should let it fly. He has a rocket shot that can get by the goalkeeper.

Tomorrow night's game is just another great opportunity for Fulham to shine. This has been an incredible season no matter what happens tomorrow. Let's hope the Cottagers can find a way to the Europa League Semifinals

[WhiteJC]

http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=194514
Fulham - How Do You Beat Wolfsburg?
Taking a 2-1 lead away from home, in Europe, is always a precarious commodity!

The late, late goal Wolfsburg snaffled at Craven Cottage changed the whole outlook of the quarter-final, the Bundesliga side now have that crucial away goal leaving (Sir) Roy Hodgson with a difficult decision to make.

Should (Sir) Roy go for broke on Thursday night seeking that vital away goal that would cancel out that scored by Wolfsburg or should he play it cautious and defend the lead he has?

When it comes to the team selection, should Roy go with a lone striker and pack the midfield and try to stifle the German side or should he be bold and go for two up front?

As you can see, question after question needs answering, so what are you opinions?

How can Fulham, once again, surprise the rest of Europe and carve out another memorable European night?

We`d be interested to hear your thoughts!




Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=194514#ixzz0kUOIwQah

[WhiteJC]

http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=194513
Fulham - Pantsil Back!
Great news for all Fulham fans!

John Pantsil, who suffered a bad knee injury and who has been out of action for several months now, is finally on the comeback trail.

The popular full back started in the reserves 1-1 draw with Wolves last night and was given a sixty minute run-out.

It was Pantsil`s first start since December and he was given a rousing reception by those in attendance.

Now we`re not sure if we`ll see John in a Fulham shirt before next season but his comeback augers well for his chances of participating in the 2010 World Cup.

Great to see you back John!




Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=194513#ixzz0kUOaHP6V

[WhiteJC]

http://football.fanhouse.co.uk/2010/04/07/wolfsburg-v-fulham-preview-roy-hodgson-still-annoyed-about-late/
Wolfsburg v Fulham Preview: Roy Hodgson Still Annoyed About Late Goal

EUROPA LEAGUE: VOLKSWAGEN ARENA , THURSDAY APRIL 8, 2010. KICK-OFF: 2005 BST

FULHAM:
You could tell that the mild-mannered and eternally upbeat Fulham manager Roy Hodgson was annoyed his men had conceded in the last minute of their Europa League quarter-final first leg tie against Wolfsburg.

Until Alexander Madlung scored to give the German side a vital away goal, Fulham looked to be dealing with their 52nd game of the season with ease.

Damien Duff and Bobby Zamora had scored and everything was progressing smoothly against the Bundesliga champions, but now they head to the Volkswagen Arena knowing Wolfsburg can go through with a single goal.

Hodgson is urging caution, claiming that even at 2-0 up with a minute to go, he didn't know whether they would have been classed as favourites over two legs.

He said: "Certainly at 2-1 you relinquish your chance of being called favourites because they can score once, shut up shop and go through on away goals."

Fulham have only won twice on the road in European competition this season. The first was way back in July last year, in their first game of the current campaign, when they beat Vetra 1-0. And they narrowly escaped from Basel with a 3-2 victory.

But Fulham have shown in their European adventure this season that their team is sometimes more than the sum of its parts. And if they can conjure the same team ethic that disposed of Juventus in the previous round – or even the single-mindedness which dealt with Wolfsburg last week – then they have a decent chance of getting to the semi-finals.

The only thing is that pesky late Wolfburg goal at Craven Cottage, which caused Hodgson to bite his tongue when assessing his defence in the first leg.

He said: "We just have to hope we defend as well as we did for large parts in the first leg. . I can't say we defended perfectly because otherwise we wouldn't have conceded the goal."

Strategy: Fulham have to keep their defence tight against Wolfsburg, who will be going all out to score the single goal that will send them through to the semi-finals – with Grafite the man they should look to shackle. The Brazilian has six goals in European competition this season – three in the Champions League and the rest in the Europa League. He has helped his team avoid defeat in all but one of their European games, with the one loss coming against Manchester United in the Champions League group stages. Fulham, who will feature fit-again Zamora in their ranks, should also be on the lookout for a counter-attacking goal, which would make their position infinitely stronger.

Injury Update: Zamora's missed the weekend's win over Wigan with a bruised Achilles tendon but that was more of a precautionary absence and there appears to be little doubt the forward will start. David Elm was hospitalised after suffering from the after-effects of a virus against Wigan while Andrew Johnson and John Pantsil are still unfit.

WOLFSBURG:
Unlike Fulham, whose Europa League progress has been at the expense of their recent domestic form, Wolfsburg head to the home leg of the semi-final on the up. They have lost just one of their last seven Bundesliga games and in their last outing ran out 4-0 winners against fellow mid-table side TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.

In fact they have won every one of their domestic fixtures since the middle of February barring a shock loss to bottom side Hertha. Striker Edin Dzeko is in dangerous form heading to the Volkswagen Arena game, having scored twice against Hoffenheim to join Kevin Kuranyi and Stefan Kiessling at the top of the Bundesliga scoring charts with 18 goals to their names.

[WhiteJC]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=767458&sec=europe&cc=5739
Wolfsburg want Dzeko to end Premier League talk
Wolfsburg coach Lorenz Gunther Kostner has called upon star striker Edin Dzeko to end speculation about a summer move to Chelsea or Manchester City by committing his future to the club.

Last season the Bosnia striker scored 26 goals in 29 league starts to help fire Wolfsburg to their first Bundesliga title in history. The 24-year-old pledged his future to the Wolves last summer by signing a new contract and rejecting overtures from Serie A giants AC Milan.

The striker has repaid the faith shown in him by the German side by scoring 18 league goals to help rescue Wolfsburg's faltering league campaign.

Rumours of a summer transfer to the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City have surfaced recently, and Dzeko has said he would be keen to join a Premier League side at the end of the season. Kostner admits he is unsure whether Dzeko will stay at the Volkswagen Arena, but he admits he is desperate for the striker to remain at the club.

"Edin Dzeko will finish the season a Wolfsburg player, that's for definite, whatever happens after that is down to rumours,'' said Kostner.

"Edin Dzeko saying he will stay would be an absolutely huge sign for us. I can't tell you how important that would be for us, but that's neither here nor there. Right now we have to wait to see what happens in May.

"As his manager I can't have much influence on whether he stays or not. All I can say at the moment is that he is on absolute top form. He's really firing on all cylinders. He's doing fantastic.''

Dzeko will line up alongside his Brazilian counterpart Grafite against the Cottagers on Thursday as they look to overturn a 2-1 deficit from last week's first leg at Craven Cottage.

Fulham had looked to be coasting towards their first Europa League semi-final after opening the scoring courtesy of goals from Bobby Zamora and Damien Duff. Alexander Madlung's last minute header gave the German side a vital away goal though and Kostner has called on his team to give their all to set up a last four tie with either Hamburg or Standard Liege.

"Before the game in Fulham I said that we'd need two excellent performances to get through,'' the 58-year-old said. "We didn't give them two weak goals in the first leg but we made life easier for them by not concentrating for the two goals.

"Madlung's goal gives us a good chance now but what we need to do is to be determined. We have to have the will, be determined to give an absolutely excellent performance.

"We need everyone in this club, including the fans, to give a performance for 90 minutes, maybe longer and that's the way we'll get through to the semi finals.''

Kostner's side warmed up for the game with an emphatic 4-0 win over Hoffenheim to move up to ninth in the Bundesliga. The Wolfsburg manager has been boosted by the news that captain Josue and key defender Madlung should be fit for tomorrow's clash after overcoming hamstring injuries.

Fulham's 2-1 win over Wigan on Sunday was their first since February but Kostner has warned against taking the Londoners too lightly. "We can't go hell for leather tomorrow,'' said Kostner.

"Fulham are a compact dangerous team who are strong in defence and have big guys up front so that provides us with a dangerous situation.''

Arguably Fulham's most famous fan, Hugh Grant, is reported to be attending Thursday night's match but Wolfsburg midfielder Zvjezdan Misimovic has warned the actor that his trip to Lower Saxony may turn out to be an unhappy one.

"I've only just heard that he's a Fulham fan,'' said the 27-year-old, who set up Madlung's crucial goal last week. "Of course he's welcome to come to the game but come the final whistle he won't have much to laugh about.''

[WhiteJC]

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2010/0408/fulham_wolfsburg.html
Europa League: Wolfsburg v Fulham
A thigh injury to Clint Dempsey has left Fulham short of options up front for the second leg of Thursday's Europa League quarter-final against Wolfsburg.

The American suffered the injury in Sunday's Barclays Premier League win over Wigan and he will miss out along with fellow striker David Elm, who is sidelined through illness.

If Bobby Zamora (Achilles) fails to make it through tonight's training session, manager Roy Hodgson will have to turn to Erik Nevland to partner Zoltan Gera up front.

Fulham squad: Schwarzer, Konchesky, Baird, Riise, Hughes, Smalling, Etuhu, Duff, Murphy, Gera, Davies, Zamora, Zuberbuhler, Greening, Kelly, Hangeland, Stoor, Nevland.

Give me the grace to accept the things that I can't change and the strength to change the things that I can.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.teamtalk.com/fulham/6080611/Dempsey-injury-leaves-Fulham-short
Dempsey injury leaves Fulham short

Fulham are short on attacking options for Thursday's Europa League quarter-final second leg against Wolfsburg in Germany.

Clint Dempsey suffered a thigh injury in Sunday's Premier League win over Wigan and he will miss out along with fellow striker David Elm, who is sidelined through illness.

If Bobby Zamora (Achilles) fails to make it through tonight's training session, Roy Hodgson will partner Erik Nevland and Zoltan Gera up front.

Kick-off is at 8.05pm.

Cottagers (from): Schwarzer, Konchesky, Baird, Riise, Hughes, Smalling, Etuhu, Duff, Murphy, Gera, Davies, Zamora, Zuberbuhler, Greening, Kelly, Hangeland, Stoor, Nevland.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/matches/season=2010/round=2000040/match=2000959/prematch/preview/index.html
Köstner targets Fulham weak spots
Published: Wednesday 7 April 2010, 21.05CET
After a late goal at Fulham FC gave VfL Wolfsburg a foothold in their quarter-final, coach Lorenz-Günther Köstner wants to fully expose the English side's shortcomings in Germany.

Coach Lorenz-Günther Köstner promised VfL Wolfsburg were in for the long haul as they look to fight back from 2-1 down against Fulham FC, insisting on total commitment for as long as it takes to reach the UEFA Europa League semi-finals.

Alexander Madlung's late header at Craven Cottage last week gave the German champions a crucial foothold in the quarter-finals, and their coach is determined to make full use of that little bit of luck. "That last-minute goal brought us back into the tie," said the 58-year-old Köstner, who replaced Armin Veh in January. "Now we must show real desire to achieve something exceptional. We are all willing to give everything until the very end, whether that is 90 minutes, 120 or until after the penalty shoot-out."

Defender Madlung and team captain Josué both trained on the eve of the game, but the former in particular is rated doubtful for the match itself. However, while those potential absences would limit Wolfsburg's defensive options, Köstner believes he now has the measure of the Premier League side after a series of lapses at Craven Cottage lead to Bobby Zamora and Damien Duff scoring in the space of four second-half minutes.

"We are well prepared for Fulham," he said. "In the first leg we saw some weaknesses in their team which we did not exploit. This time we want to do better. We had Zamora well under control in the first leg up until their two goals, so we have to do better this time around. We will not take risks from the start, though. We have to be sensible."

Fulham, meanwhile, will be without injured midfielder Clint Dempsey and have concerns over Zamora's fitness too, as the striker is struggling with an Achilles injury. Team-mate Brede Hangeland said: "He's a key player and we don't look the same when he's not playing. Hopefully he'll be back and 100% fit to give their defence a few problems."

[WhiteJC]

http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/clubfootball/news/newsid=1190597.html?cid=rssfeed&att=
Dempsey injury hits Cottagers
A thigh injury to Clint Dempsey has left Fulham short of options up front for the second leg of tomorrow's Europa League quarter-final against Wolfsburg.

The US international forward suffered the injury in Sunday's Premier League win over Wigan and he will miss out along with fellow striker David Elm, who is sidelined through illness.

If Bobby Zamora (Achilles) fails to make it through tonight's training session, manager Roy Hodgson will have to turn to Erik Nevland to partner Zoltan Gera up front.

Provisional squad: Schwarzer, Konchesky, Baird, Riise, Hughes, Smalling, Etuhu, Duff, Murphy, Gera, Davies, Zamora, Zuberbuhler, Greening, Kelly, Hangeland, Stoor, Nevland.

[WhiteJC]

http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/cometh-the-hour/
Cometh the hour
Filed under: General — weltmeisterclaude @ 5:33 pm

Well, Nevland has come through at important moments in the past...

LONDON (AP) — United States foward Clint Dempsey will miss the second leg of Fulham's Europa League quarterfinal at Wolfsburg on Thursday because of a thigh injury.Fulham beat Wolfsburg 2-1 in the first leg last week. Dempsey was hurt in Sunday's Premier League win over Wigan.Dempsey's injury means Erik Nevland may play up front alongside Zoltan Gera, because first-choice Bobby Zamora is struggling with an Achilles' injury and David Elm is ill.

Yikes all the same.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.itv.com/sport/football/news/uefacup/previews/wolfsburg-v-fulham-951770060.html
Wolfsburg v Fulham
Kostner keen for Dzeko speculation to end

Wolfsburg coach Lorenz Gunther Kostner has called on star striker Edin Dzeko to end speculation about a summer move to Chelsea or Manchester City by committing his future to the club ahead of Thursday's crunch Europa League clash with Fulham.

Last season the Bosnia striker scored 26 goals in 29 league starts to help fire Wolfsburg to their first Bundesliga title in history.

The 24-year-old pledged his future to the Wolves last summer by signing a new contract and rejecting overtures from Serie A giants AC Milan.

The striker has repaid the faith shown in him by the German side by scoring 18 league goals to help rescue Wolfsburg's faltering league campaign.

Rumours of a summer transfer to the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City have surfaced recently, and Dzeko has said he would be keen to join a Barclays Premier League side at the end of the season.

Kostner admits he is unsure whether Dzeko will stay at the Volkswagen Arena, but he admits he is desperate for the striker to remain at the club.

"Edin Dzeko will finish the season a Wolfsburg player, that's for definite, whatever happens after that is down to rumours," said Kostner.

"Edin Dzeko saying he will stay would be an absolutely huge sign for us. I can't tell you how important that would be for us, but that's neither here nor there. Right now we have to wait to see what happens in May.

"As his manager I can't have much influence on whether he stays or not. All I can say at the moment is that he is on absolute top form. He's really firing on all cylinders. He's doing fantastic."

Dzeko will line up alongside his Brazilian counterpart Grafite against the Cottagers as they look to overturn a 2-1 deficit from last week's first leg at Craven Cottage.

Fulham had looked to be coasting towards their first Europa League semi-final after opening the scoring courtesy of goals from Bobby Zamora and Damien Duff.

Alexander Madlung's last-minute header gave the German side a vital away goal though and Kostner has called on his team to give their all to set up a last four tie with either Hamburg or Standard Liege.

"Before the game in Fulham I said that we'd need two excellent performances to get through," the 58-year-old said.

"We didn't give them two weak goals in the first leg but we made life easier for them by not concentrating for the two goals.

"Madlung's goal gives us a good chance now but what we need to do is to be determined. We have to have the will, be determined to give an absolutely excellent performance."

The Wolfsburg manager has been boosted by the news that captain Josue and key defender Madlung should be fit for Thursday's clash after overcoming hamstring injuries.

Duff, meanwhile, is hoping to bury his memories of World Cup heartbreak by guiding Fulham to Europa League glory.

Duff's hopes of making his second appearance at a World Cup finals were dashed in November after Thierry Henry's handball helped France seal a 2-1 aggregate play-off win over the Republic of Ireland.

The Cottagers' winger lashed out at officials for failing to notice Henry's foul afterwards, but he admits his bad memories have been put to the back of his mind, partly due to Fulham's European success this year.

Roy Hodgson's side have gone on an incredible run in the Europa League this season.

They have accounted for the likes of UEFA Cup champions Shakhtar Donetsk and Juventus to make the quarter finals, and Duff admits he is desperate for the Cottagers to end the season by lifting the trophy.

"Will winning the Europa League make up for losing out on the World Cup? Yes, that and more," the 31-year-old said.

"It has been an amazing journey, and in a way that night in Paris is a distant memory now.

"We've played so many games since then and they seem to be getting bigger and bigger. To get to a final and win would be just unbelievable."

A thigh injury to Clint Dempsey has left Hodgson short of attacking options at the Volkswagen Arena.

Zamora is struggling with an Achilles injury while David Elm has not travelled with the squad after going to hospital to have checks on the recurrence of a virus he picked up in Turin last month.

Zamora trained on Wednesday night but if he misses out Hodgson will have to pair midfielder Zoltan Gera with veteran striker Erik Nevland up front.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/overseas/germany/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/10/04/07/SOCCER_Fulham_Nightlead.html&TEAMHD=germany
DUFF HOPES TO ERASE PLAY-OFF HEARTACHE

Damien Duff is hoping to bury his memories of World Cup heartbreak by guiding Fulham to Europa League glory.

Duff's hopes of making his second appearance at a World Cup finals were dashed in November after Thierry Henry's now infamous handball helped France seal a 2-1 aggregate playoff win over the Republic of Ireland in Paris.

The Cottagers' winger lashed out at officials for failing to notice Henry's foul afterwards, but he admits his bad memories have been put to the back of his mind, partly due to Fulham's European success this year.

Roy Hodgson's side have gone on an incredible run in the Europa League this season.

They have accounted for the likes of UEFA Cup champions Shakhtar Donetsk and Juventus to make the quarter finals, where they hold a 2-1 lead going into tomorrow's second leg against Wolfsburg.

The Cottagers will set up a semi-final against Hamburg or Standard Liege should they progress and Duff admits he is desperate for the Cottagers to end the season by lifting the trophy.

"Will winning the Europa League make up for losing out on the World Cup? Yes, that and more," the 31-year-old said.

"It has been an amazing journey, and in a way that night in Paris is a distant memory now.

"We've played so many games since then and they seem to be getting bigger and bigger. To get to a final and win would be just unbelievable.

"When we started out in the summer nobody would ever have thought we'd get this far so bring it on."

A thigh injury to Clint Dempsey has left manager Roy Hodgson short of attacking options for tomorrow night's clash at the Volkswagen Arena.

Bobby Zamora is struggling with an Achilles injury while David Elm has not travelled with the squad after going to hospital to have checks on the recurrence of a virus he picked up in Turin last month.

Zamora trained tonight but if he misses out Hodgson will have to pair midfielder Zoltan Gera with veteran striker Erik Nevland up front tomorrow.

Hodgson, who is already without Andy Johnson for the rest of the season, is confident his side will be able to perform even if Zamora does not play.

"We've played quite a lot of games without Bobby this season so I don't think I had any fears. We needed to prove we could win without him," said the 62-year-old.

"We've been stretched up front all season.

"We lost Andy Johnson in the first week in January, so that limited us.

"Dempsey took a knock against Wigan and he could be out for some time.

"That means resources are even more stretched than they have been but Gera has partnered Bobby up front and together they've done a very good job for the team."

Fulham were in control for the majority of last week's first leg at Craven Cottage and they should have gone 3-0 up before Alexander Madlung scored what could turn out to be a vital away goal for Wolfsburg.

Tomorrow night's clash in Lower Saxony will be the Cottagers' 54th match of a long season which began with a win over Lithuanian minnows Vetra in July.

Hodgson's side have complained of tiredness, but he is adamant that both he and his players will not be suffering from fatigue tomorrow.

"These sort of games fire you up even more and they remind you why you still want to be involved at the very top level," said Hodgson, who took Inter Milan to the UEFA Cup final in 1997.

"We've had some great games in the Europa League, we'll have another one tomorrow night and another one (against Liverpool in the Premier League) at Anfield on Sunday."

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http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11681_6080746,00.html
Dempsey blow hits Fulham
Hodgson to make late decision on Zamora's fitness

Clint Dempsey will miss the second leg of Fulham's Europa League quarter-final against Wolfsburg, while a late decision will be made on Bobby Zamora.

USA international Dempsey suffered a thigh injury in Sunday's 2-1 win over Wigan Athletic in the Premier League and has been ruled out of Thursday's European encounter.

Roy Hodgson fears Dempsey may be out for 'some time' and it leaves the Fulham boss short of options, particularly with Zamora struggling to shake off an Achilles injury.

Zamora trained on Wednesday evening and could be supported in attack by Zoltan Gera if fit, while Erik Nevland is an option to start as David Elm is absent due to illness.

Stretched
"We've played quite a lot of games without Bobby this season so I don't think I had any fears. We needed to prove we could win without him," said Hodgson, whose team take a 2-1 lead into the second leg.

"We've been stretched up front all season.

"We lost Andy Johnson in the first week in January, so that limited us.

"Dempsey took a knock against Wigan and he could be out for some time.

"That means resources are even more stretched than they have been, but Gera has partnered Bobby up front and together they've done a very good job for the team."

Fulham were in control for the majority of last week's first leg at Craven Cottage and they should have gone 3-0 up before Alexander Madlung scored what could turn out to be a vital away goal for Wolfsburg.

The return on Thursday will be the Cottagers' 54th match of a long season, but Hodgson is adamant that both he and his players will not be suffering from fatigue.

He added: "These sort of games fire you up even more and they remind you why you still want to be involved at the very top level.

"We've had some great games in the Europa League, we'll have another one tomorrow night and another one (against Liverpool in the Premier League) at Anfield on Sunday."

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http://soccernet.espn.go.com/preview?id=290200&cc=5739
Kostner keen for Dzeko speculation to end
Wolfsburg coach Lorenz Gunther Kostner has called on star striker Edin Dzeko to end speculation about a summer move to Chelsea or Manchester City by committing his future to the club ahead of Thursday's crunch Europa League clash with Fulham.
Last season the Bosnia striker scored 26 goals in 29 league starts to help fire Wolfsburg to their first Bundesliga title in history.

The 24-year-old pledged his future to the Wolves last summer by signing a new contract and rejecting overtures from Serie A giants AC Milan.

The striker has repaid the faith shown in him by the German side by scoring 18 league goals to help rescue Wolfsburg's faltering league campaign.

Rumours of a summer transfer to the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City have surfaced recently, and Dzeko has said he would be keen to join a Barclays Premier League side at the end of the season.

Kostner admits he is unsure whether Dzeko will stay at the Volkswagen Arena, but he admits he is desperate for the striker to remain at the club.

"Edin Dzeko will finish the season a Wolfsburg player, that's for definite, whatever happens after that is down to rumours,'' said Kostner.

"Edin Dzeko saying he will stay would be an absolutely huge sign for us. I can't tell you how important that would be for us, but that's neither here nor there. Right now we have to wait to see what happens in May.

"As his manager I can't have much influence on whether he stays or not. All I can say at the moment is that he is on absolute top form. He's really firing on all cylinders. He's doing fantastic.''

Dzeko will line up alongside his Brazilian counterpart Grafite against the Cottagers as they look to overturn a 2-1 deficit from last week's first leg at Craven Cottage.

Fulham had looked to be coasting towards their first Europa League semi-final after opening the scoring courtesy of goals from Bobby Zamora and Damien Duff.

Alexander Madlung's last-minute header gave the German side a vital away goal though and Kostner has called on his team to give their all to set up a last four tie with either Hamburg or Standard Liege.

"Before the game in Fulham I said that we'd need two excellent performances to get through,'' the 58-year-old said.

"We didn't give them two weak goals in the first leg but we made life easier for them by not concentrating for the two goals.

"Madlung's goal gives us a good chance now but what we need to do is to be determined. We have to have the will, be determined to give an absolutely excellent performance.''

The Wolfsburg manager has been boosted by the news that captain Josue and key defender Madlung should be fit for Thursday's clash after overcoming hamstring injuries.

Duff, meanwhile, is hoping to bury his memories of World Cup heartbreak by guiding Fulham to Europa League glory.

Duff's hopes of making his second appearance at a World Cup finals were dashed in November after Thierry Henry's handball helped France seal a 2-1 aggregate play-off win over the Republic of Ireland.

The Cottagers' winger lashed out at officials for failing to notice Henry's foul afterwards, but he admits his bad memories have been put to the back of his mind, partly due to Fulham's European success this year.

Roy Hodgson's side have gone on an incredible run in the Europa League this season.

They have accounted for the likes of UEFA Cup champions Shakhtar Donetsk and Juventus to make the quarter finals, and Duff admits he is desperate for the Cottagers to end the season by lifting the trophy.

"Will winning the Europa League make up for losing out on the World Cup? Yes, that and more,'' the 31-year-old said.

"It has been an amazing journey, and in a way that night in Paris is a distant memory now.

"We've played so many games since then and they seem to be getting bigger and bigger. To get to a final and win would be just unbelievable.''

A thigh injury to Clint Dempsey has left Hodgson short of attacking options at the Volkswagen Arena.

Zamora is struggling with an Achilles injury while David Elm has not travelled with the squad after going to hospital to have checks on the recurrence of a virus he picked up in Turin last month.

Zamora trained on Wednesday night but if he misses out Hodgson will have to pair midfielder Zoltan Gera with veteran striker Erik Nevland up front.

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http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/HodgsonPreWolfsburg.aspx
Europa Team News



Roy Hodgson revealed on Wednesday evening that Bobby Zamora could return for Fulham when the Whites challenge Wolfsburg for a place in the Semi-Final of the Europa League in Germany on Thursday night.

Stephen Kelly, who has recovered from a recent injury, has joined Zamora in the travelling party. However it was not all good news ahead of the game, with Hodgson confirming that Clint Dempsey would not be available for the game due to injury.

"He's [Bobby Zamora] with us but he hasn't trained yet. He will train this evening [Wednesday] and we'll see what happens in the training session and how he reacts tomorrow, but we're hopeful he'll play.

"Clint Dempsey has not travelled with us. In the very last minute of the game against Wigan he was, in our opinion, fouled in the penalty area. Not only did we not get a penalty - we also lost a player because he was injured in the challenge.

"Unfortunately he's going to be out for a period of time - certainly tomorrow and on Sunday against Liverpool and possibly longer. The scan has shown there is a muscular injury and it's going to keep him out for a period of time.

"Stephen Kelly has recovered but David Elm has not recovered from the virus that took him out of the game at half time against Wigan."

The loss of Dempsey once again limits Hodgson's attacking options, but this has been a familiar scenario for Fulham's Manager this sesason, who took time to praise an attacking partnership that has blossomed for Fulham during the current campaign.

"We've been stretched all season to be perfectly honest," said Hodgson. "We lost Andrew Johnson in the first week of January and took Stefano Okaka on loan but he is cup tied.

"The loss of Dempsey means our resources up front are more stretched than they had been, but fortunately for a long period now, Zoltan Gera has partnered Bobby Zamora and they've done an extremely good job.

"We know we've got to give a good performance on Thursday evening. What Wolfsburg did with the late goal in the first leg tie is make the game very interesting but we come here knowing to go through we need a positive result."



Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/April/HodgsonPreWolfsburg.aspx#ixzz0kUT9Zoc6

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http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11681_6080785,00.html
Duff aims to bury heartbreak
Winger wants to finally forget World Cup pain

Fulham winger Damien Duff wants to win the Europa League in order to bury the lingering remains of his World Cup heartbreak.

The Republic of Ireland international was a part of the team who were eliminated from a World Cup qualifying play-off by France after the infamous Thierry Henry handball in Paris last November.

Duff has managed to calm the pain from the defeat with his country by concentrating on Fulham's marathon season, which currently stands at 53 games in all competitions, but the memory remains.

Roy Hodgson's side's next match is Thursday's Europa League quarter-final second leg at Wolfsburg and Duff wants to progress and lift a trophy to finally erase the last hurt of the defeat to Les Bleus.

Ahead of the match in Germany, which Fulham are preparing for with a 2-1 aggregate advantage, the wide-man said: "Will winning the Europa League make up for losing out on the World Cup? Yes, that and more.

"It has been an amazing journey, and in a way that night in Paris is a distant memory now.

"We've played so many games since then and they seem to be getting bigger and bigger. To get to a final and win would be just unbelievable.

"When we started out in the summer nobody would ever have thought we'd get this far so bring it on."