Wednesday Fulham Stuff (02/04/14)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Loan ace issues Magath plea

Loan striker Darren Bent has confirmed that he is now fully fit and ready to try and help fire Fulham to Premier League safety.

The 30-year-old Aston Villa man was left on the bench for Sunday's 3-1 defeat against Everton at Craven Cottage which left the Londoners staring relegation in the face as they sit at the bottom of the table, five points off safety with only six games remaining. Fulham chief Felix Magath revealed that Bent failed to complete a training session at the end of last week and that was the reason why he was not involved in the starting XI. And while the England international confirmed that he did limp out of the session in question, he revealed that he was fully fit to face the Toffees and he now wants to be given the chance to start scoring some important goals for the Cottagers. Bent said in The Guardian: "I trained on Saturday. I'd taken a knock and limped off quite early in training on Thursday but I've trained since and felt fine on Sunday. "It is just disappointing. I was fine to play. I am disappointed not to feature, especially in games like the Everton match where you feel that you can definitely affect the game, when your team needs a goal. Over the years I've managed to produce quite a few of those. "When the team got back to 1-1 you are thinking: 'You can make a difference here'. But once again it was not to be. That part is disappointing. "When you are a substitute in any game it is disappointing. All you can do is stay positive and keep working. "It is getting difficult to see how I can contribute now as I can't play next week against Villa, because of the loan. "I am here, up for selection and more than willing to play. That is what I do, that is what I love to do. That will never change. At this stage of the season you need goals. You need firepower. If I am called upon, I am ready to go. If I start up front, I am ready to go."



Read more at: http://www.clubcall.com/fulham/loan-ace-issues-magath-plea-1719808.html?

[WhiteJC]

 
Top Of The Table Clash

It's first versus second when Liverpool arrive at Craven Cottage for a behind-closed-doors league fixture with Fulham's Under-21s on Tuesday afternoon (2pm).

The Whites have lost their last two games – a 3-0 reverse at Southampton was followed by a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland.

But Kit Symons' side remain second in the Barclays U21 Premier League table and would leapfrog leaders Liverpool with victory in SW6. The Reds are top on goal difference and also have two games in hand on Fulham.

The top four teams go through to a knockout stage to decide the overall champion in May.

Liverpool's Under-21s were last in action on Friday 21st March when they defeated Newcastle United 5-2 at Anfield.

Jack Dunn (2), Kristoffer Peterson (2) and Rafael Paez were on target for the Reds.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/april/01/top-of-the-table-clash?

[WhiteJC]

 
On Darren Bent

Following a quick exchange on Twitter ("Bent should be starting", "No he shouldn't") I thought I would check again for evidence.  Here is that evidence.

Darren Bent has been involved with 38 league games in the last two seasons, playing for both Fulham and Aston Villa.

He played all 90 minutes in 12 games

He started 6 games and was taken off in the second half (so in 1/3 of his starts).

He has appeared as a sub in 20 of those games.

In these 38 games he has scored 6 times.

Two of those goals came in the games when he started.

So in 1521 minutes as a starter he's scored two goals. That's one every 760 minutes, or every eight and a half games.

In 398 minutes as a sub he's scored four times. That's one every 100 minutes.

In conclusion, he's not exactly pulling up trees but is more likely to pull up a tree as a substitute.  Using him as a starter is tantamount to playing with 10 men as he doesn't add much to the team's overall play.

This is why he's not getting minutes.

There was a follow on Twitter discussion that Fulham are preparing for the Championship, hence the likes of Bent not playing.  I think this is nonsense, and that we're actually fielding our strongest available team now.  This includes young players.  Far better to try a hungry and able 18 year old than someone who has proven in the last season that he's no longer capable of contributing at this level.  I can't think of a single player who's missing out on first team minutes at the moment who deserves to be out there.  I really can't.


http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2014/04/01/on-darren-bent/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham midfielder lined up for UAE move



Kieran Richardson could be offered an escape route out of Fulham by Al Wasl.

The Cottagers, currently rock bottom of the Premier League, are almost certain to be relegated and will certainly slash their wage bill to prepare for life in the Championship.

Richardson, 29 has just a year left on his current deal and talkSPORT understands the UAE side have sounded out the former Manchester United academy product about a lucrative move to the Middle East this summer.

Al Wasl are looking for a new head coach following the departure of Hector Cuper in March and Richardson is being earmarked as part of the club's new project.



Read more at http://talksport.com/football/fulham-midfielder-lined-uae-move-14040185687#wIUshQIo7WtmtVcC.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Moussa Dembele: 'Fulham must keep fighting'

Fulham youngster Moussa Dembele has urged his teammates to "keep fighting" for Premier League survival until the end of the season.

The Cottagers are now five points from safety at the bottom of the table with six games to play following Sunday's 3-1 defeat at home to Everton.

Dembele, who made his debut on the weekend, is confident that Fulham can stay in the top flight if they continue to produce the type of performance that they did against the Toffees.

"Of course, it was an unlucky defeat but we have to keep going and keep fighting for the next matches because there are still six games to go," he told the club's official website.

"We played very well against Everton and that gives us confidence because we know we have the quality and the potential to stay in the Premier League, and I believe we will."

Fulham return to Premier League action on Saturday when they travel to Aston Villa.


http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/relegation-battle/news/dembele-fulham-must-keep-fighting_147525.html

[WhiteJC]

 
FULHAM SOLD OUT

Canaries travel to Craven Cottage on Saturday, April 12

TICKETS for City's Premier League away trip to face Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday, April 12 (3.07pm) have now sold out.

This match will kick-off at 3.07pm, marking the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster.   

Club Canary coach travel is still available for customers who have already purchased match tickets, priced at £21 (£20 for season ticket holders). Coaches will leave Carrow Road at 9.30am on the day of the game. 

Don't forget, a limited number of tickets for City's upcoming matches against West Brom and Liverpool are available through the buy-back scheme. To register your season ticket for buy-back, or to check ticket availability, please contact the Ticket Office on 0844 826 1902.



Read more at http://www.canaries.co.uk/news/article/20140401-fulham-sold-out-1459954.aspx?#VuRXmydy1H2IwGWy.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Norwich Tickets

Tickets for our next home match against Norwich City (Saturday 12th April, 3.07pm) are now on sale to all supporters with a Booking History.

This fixture is the Club's Official Charity Match in aid of Shooting Star Chase.

Fulham v Norwich is also our Junior Members' Day, with a special offer on tickets for Fulhamite and Formation Members. Junior Members can buy up to two tickets for just £20 adults and £5 juniors*.

They'll also be able to pick up a free Goody Bag**, available for collection before the game! Junior Members' Day tickets are only available to purchase by calling 0843 208 1234 (option 3) between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

All other supporters can buy up to two tickets online or by calling 0843 208 1234, with prices starting from £35 for adults and £15 for juniors.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2014/april/01/norwich-tickets?

[WhiteJC]

 
Tony Gale pleased with Mahamadou Diarra return to Fulham

Former Fulham defender Tony Gale praised Mahamadou Diarra for returning to full fitness and re-joining the club.

The midfielder, 32, recently signed a short-term deal with the Cottagers until the end of the season.

Gale now hopes that Diarra, who spent just over a year at Craven Cottage before being released last summer, can help the team pull away from the bottom of the table in the final few weeks of the campaign.

"He's worked hard to get back to fitness and it gives us another body which we'll need in the run-in," Gale told the club's official website.

"Hopefully he can play a part having been out for so long. Fair play to him because some players might have called it a day but he refused to give up and the hard work has paid off."

Fulham continue their Premier League campaign this Saturday at Aston Villa.


http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/news/gale-pleased-with-diarra-return_147575.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Can Fulham bounce back with youngsters?

Sunday's 3-1 loss at home to Everton has left Fulham with an almighty battle to remain in the Premier League.

Match of the Day 2 pundit Michael Owen expressed the thought that relegation could be beneficial to the club.

The point he made was that Fulham could look to mirror what Southampton adopted following relegation back in 2005, and essentially breed new talent, which has seen them produced unprecedented success.

Strong

The London club have one of the best academies in the country, with the Under-21 side top of their league along with the Under-18s being third in their respective table and through to the FA Youth Cup semi-final.

Youngsters Cauley Woodrow, Dan Burn, Patrick Robers and Moussa Dembele have all made the leap to the first-team recently, and find themselves gaining substantial playing time in the top flight.

With Felix Magath stating he was looking to rely upon experience to keep the club up, it is a credit that such players have managed to stamp their authority in the squad.

Risky

However, whilst Owen makes some valid points, it is a huge risk to take, particularly in the Championship.

It has to be one of the hardest leagues to get out of, and by opting to hold faith in a relatively young squad is dangerous to say the least.

Having been relegated in 2005, it took the Saints a massive seven years to find themselves back in the top flight in 2012, which is an example of it failing to bring immediate success.

In this current climate, where TV money and gate receipts play a huge part in the progression of a club, I believe Fulham cannot afford to take their time.

Mixture

A balance is required to make a successful team conquer the Championship, and if there is a solid conjunction of experience and youth, it could help gain promotion.

The problem that they face is knowing how to play the Championship, particularly after being in the Premier League since 2001.

Many teams face relegation and sink like a stone, and that is one outcome which would not be deemed desirable to say the least.

An approach which is tailor made is one route, along with acquiring players equipped to the style of the league.

An example of failing to do so would be QPR, who have invested millions in an abundance of talent, but have failed to find a formula suitable for securing automatic promotion.

Cautious

Whilst it is a promising state of affairs to see such talents emerge from the Fulham academy, it would be reckless to go gung-ho in relation to a reliance upon their blossoming abilities.

Fans cannot be convinced by signs of quality to propel them back into the top-flight, and will have to accommodate a mixture to see themselves back in the Premier League.

Lest we forget, they are not dead and buried just yet, so this could all be in vein. Time will tell.



http://www.touchlinetalk.com/can-fulham-bounce-back-youngsters/88847/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham relegation will see Felix Magath's wages slashed by a massive 30 per cent

Rock-bottom Londoners have clauses in contracts of their manager and many players to automatically cut salaries if they suffer the drop


Jamie McDonald
That'll cost you: Fall to the Championship will be bad for Magath in financial and footballing terms
Fulham boss Felix Magath will be forced take a 30 per cent pay cut if they go down.

The west London club's players will also have their wages slashed if they fail in their battle against the drop into the Championship.

Relegation clauses have been built into all contracts to protect the club from a financial nightmare this summer. A string of stars are also out of contract at the end of the season.

A source told Mirror Sport: "A lot of players' contracts are up and all of them have relegation clauses. So the wage bill would drop by over half. And it would start with the manager."

Fulham are bottom of the Premier League after Sunday's home loss to Everton, five points from safety, going into a crucial period in their survival fight.

Of their remaining six games, they have still to play fellow relegation candidates Aston Villa, Norwich, Hull and Crystal Palace.

Ex-Bayern Munich boss Magath has already vowed to remain with the club in the Championship if they are relegated.



http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/fulham-relegation-see-felix-magaths-3337564#ixzz2xhIRLg6F
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[WhiteJC]

 
Reading U18s 2-2 Fulham U18s: Royals fail to capitalise on man advantage as 10-man Cottagers claim draw to leave FA Youth Cup semi-final in balance

A spirited second-half fightback by 10-man Fulham left their FA Youth Cup semi-final with Reading balanced on a knife-edge ahead of next week's second leg.

The Royals had taken what looked to be a decisive two-goal lead at the Madejski Stadium thanks to Rob Dickie's 20th-minute strike and a Tarique Fosu-Henry penalty after Fulham goalkeeper Marek Rodak had been sent off.

But Fulham summoned all their strength after the break and made light of their numerical inferiority, halving the deficit with a penalty of their own from Emerson Hyndman and then levelling the tie through Patrick Roberts late on.


Roar of joy: Fulham's Patrick Roberts celebrates after scoring against Reading to bring the sides level

Start of the recovery: Fulham's Emerson Hyndman started the comeback against Reading

It leaves this tie tantalisingly poised ahead of Monday's second leg at Craven Cottage, with the winners going through to face either Arsenal or Chelsea in the final.

Entertainment was assured at the Madejski, with Reading having launched a memorable comeback of their own in the last round to eliminate Liverpool on penalties after a scarcely believable 4-4 draw.

Fulham's progress had been far from serene as they beat Huddersfield Town 2-1 but coach Steve Wigley had a strong team at his disposal, including two players who had featured in the first team against Everton two days ago - Roberts and Moussa Dembele.

Reading dominated the opening exchanges, with Harry Cardwell, so influential against Liverpool, to the fore. His early strike took a deflection off Liam Donnelly and deflected out for a corner, to Fulham's great relief.

Out on the left wing, Nana Owusu wasn't shy in getting forward and when his cross was knocked out to Fosu-Henry, the winger could only curl the ball over the bar.

Moments later, Reading came closer still. Owusu bamboozled Ryheem Sheckelford and then found Cardwell, whose goalbound effort was hacked off the line by the well-placed Donnelly.

It took some time in coming, but Fulham finally created a chance when Roberts fed George WIlliams and his tempting left-wing cross was just inches away from being turned in by Dembele's stretched out leg.


Interested spectator: Fulham boss Felix Magath watches from the stands during the FA Youth semi-final, first leg match between Reading U18 and Fulham U18

Earning his stripes: Reading's Rob Dicke scored the first goal against Fulham at the Madejski Stadium

Their approach play was enterprising and eye-catching, but Reading's opener came from a more direct source. Liam Kelly delivered a corner from the left and Dickie rose to head the ball home at the far post.

It was a thoroughly deserved breakthrough for the Royals, who had their Premier League visitors on the ropes.

And it could have been two when Fosu-Henry raced through one-on-one with Rodak, only for Donnelly to recover and challenge in the nick of time.

The game's defining moment came just after the half-hour. Aaron Kuhl split the Fulham defence and Jack Stacey was clean through on goal. As he rounded Rodak, the goalkeeper brought him down and the inevitable red card was flourished.


Composure: Reading's Tarique Fosu-Henry scores from the spot against Fulham to put his side two goals up

Easy does it: Fosu-Henry wheels away in celebration after scoring a penalty against Fulham

It meant midfielder Dean O'Halloran was sacrificed as reserve goalkeeper Magnus Norman donned the gloves. His first act, though, was to pick the ball out of the net as Fosu-Henry placed the penalty into the top corner to put Reading two-up.

Reading continued to pour forward but couldn't add to their advantage before half-time, allowing Fulham to regroup at the turnaround.
Early in the second-half, Lewis Ward, largely redundant to this point, made a good low save to deny George Williams but the flow of the match continued to be in Reading's favour.

A Samuel Karl Fridjonsson goal was ruled out for offside, Cameron Burgess cleared off the line to deny Dickie a second goal and Norman saved well from Owusu at his near post.


Tussle: Reading midfielder Fosu-Henry is challenged by Fulham's Dean O'Halloran

He had been quiet for the most part, but cometh the hour, Roberts strode forward to save Fulham. The England youth international showed a good bit of skill in the box before being fouled and Hyndman smashed home the resultant penalty.

And it got better for the visitors 15 minutes from time. Evans carried the threat forward and found Williams in the box. When his shot was blocked, Roberts read the play to drag the ball away from the keeper and finish coolly beyond the defenders for 2-2.

There was time enough for a winner but none was forthcoming. The tie will instead by decided in west London on Monday and, it's fair to say that Fulham will enter it in the happier frame of mind.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2594676/Reading-18-2-2-Fulham-18-Match-report-Royals-fail-capitalise-man-advantage-10-man-Cottagers-battle-draw-thanks-goals-Emerson-Hyndman-Patrick-Roberts.html#ixzz2xhJaLhp4
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[WhiteJC]

 
Whites head for Premier League exit

Fulham's latest defeat, their 22nd of the season, leaves only a fanatical few still believing the current team has what it takes to beat relegation. The statistics are climbing to a frightening level, and set surely to get even worse before the final game of the season.

Ironically, that is likely to be a meaningless matchup against Crystal Palace. Consider this. Fulham, a side boasting Holland's World Cup keeper Maarten Stekelenburg and the Rock of Copenhagen, the giant Brede Hangeland at centre-back, have now conceded 73 goals so far this campaign after Everton added another three to the debit column on Sunday. Promoted side Palace, a side Fulham despatched 4-1 at Selhurst Park last October, have to date let in just 39.

Ian Holloway had cobbled together a bits and pieces squad of very average players over the summer. Fulham's win hastened his departure. But without breaking the bank, Tony Pulis since has somehow got this modest outfit organised to the point where they can beat title contenders Chelsea. I fully expect them to stay in the top flight.

How can Fulham with the players at their disposal now contrive to trail seven points behind Crystal Palace?

Exactly one year ago, Fulham were beating QPR 3-2 at the Cottage. That win was about the last cup of cheer I remember lifting. Virtually safe, Martin Jol's side then managed to lose six of their last eight. The decline before supporters' very eyes was palpable. Yet the board chose to sit on their hands and retain trust in a manager running on empty.

The rot set in over a year ago and the rapid turnover of managers and advisers since has only added fuel to the flames. I genuinely feel that had Rene Meulensteen been backed after the narrow loss to Liverpool, the club would have more points on the board now, and perhaps still be in with a fighting chance. Instead we got the St. Valentine's Day massacre.

Felix Magath said his charges could pull off another Great Escape if they won their home matches. Privately, maybe he even believed it. So the team for Everton was another bold –- or foolhardy -- experiment with youth (take your pick). Academy prodigy Moussa Dembele was sent out as a lone raider to carry the fight to Sylvain Distin, Gareth Barry, Tim Howard and the rest.

With a little more luck, the kid might have marked his full team debut with a goal during a first half dominated by a lively Fulham showing. The Whites were the better side and would have led had Pajtim Kasami, Lewis Holtby, John-Arne Riise or Kieran Richardson had their shooting boots on. But, as has been the case all season, there was nobody to finish off the approach play.

Fulham left the pitch to a standing ovation, their desire to go down fighting both evident and much appreciated by the crowd. The second half, however, followed an all-too-familiar pattern. It is not the kids who have dragged Fulham to the bottom of the pile. It is the senior pros and, let's admit it, a combination of flawed picks in the transfer market plus dead-weights in the management structure.

Keystone cops defending gifted Everton the lead, the panic defending inside the box being a hallmark of this nightmare run. Magath understandably gambled on going for the win, but yet again, just as we'd seen at West Brom, Cardiff and home to Liverpool, Fulham achieve parity (terrific strike from Ashkan Dejagah) only to lose concentration over the closing minutes of a match. That's been the Achilles heel all season, a direct result of picking players over the hill. What the brain is sending out, the rest of the body can no longer deliver.

With so many missed opportunities under Martin Jol, it reduces me to tears of rage to see the likes of Patrick Roberts, Cauley Woodrow and Dembele pitched onto the funeral pyre of failure now, instead of having been integrated intelligently into first-team affairs.

However, as fans saluted the side for their gallant, but ultimately fruitless endeavours, we must now look to Magath and the Academy boys to build a bright new future for London's oldest football club. The German says he's willing to stick around to sample the Championship. That will be a whole new ballgame for a coach who swept the board with Bayern Munich.

We'll leave what I feel is required to come through that campaign among the top three for another day. As ever, and feeling for too long like a pariah baying for firm direction from those at the top, do let me know your thoughts on where you think it has all gone so badly wrong.


http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/fulham/id/2033?&cc=5739

[WhiteJC]

 
Ghana midfielder Derek Boateng linked with Barnsley move

English Championship side Barnsley would make a summer move for Ghana midfielder Derek Boateng who is surplus to requirement at Fulham.

The 30-year-old has made just 3 Premier League appearances for Fulham since joining them from Ukrainian side FC Dnipro at the start of the season and is eager to move where he can secure enough playing time.

Watford and Charlton Athletics have all been linked a move for the former Getafe midfielder last July but the move could not  materialise.

Barnsley, who are trapped in the Championship relegation zone would try to acquire the experienced midfielder at the end of the season if they are able to beat the drop.


http://www.ghanasoccernet.com/ghana-midfielder-boateng-linked-barnsley-move/?

[WhiteJC]

 
SURVIVAL INSTINCTS? FULHAM AND CRYSTAL PALACE LIVING ON THE EDGE

Two consecutive Saturday afternoons; two London clubs battling to avoid relegation; two games against a Newcastle side out of form and with little to play for. Ideal circumstances in which to assess the current predicaments of Fulham and Crystal Palace – and their chances of Premier League survival.

* * * * *

He may no longer be Fulham's owner but, as someone obsessed with car crashes, there's a good chance that Mohammed Al-Fayed has still been closely observing events at Craven Cottage this season. For the past eight months the Cottagers have, like the man whose statue Al-Fayed erected outside the ground, become synonymous with one short word: bad.

As exemplified by their concession of six second-half goals without reply at Hull, Fulham's problems have been, essentially, twofold: a shot-shy attack and a defence that contravenes the Trades Description Act. It's not a combination conducive to winning many games of football. New owner Shahid Khan's trigger finger has been as itchy as his moustache is luxuriant, first replacing Martin Jol with fellow Dutchman Rene Meulensteen in December before then binning the latter too and hiring Felix Magath. Meulensteen, who was initially brought to the club as a coach, lasted just two months – though that must have felt like a purgatorial eternity compared to his sixteen-day managerial reign at Anzhi Makhachkala.

The club's transfer dealings have been no less embarrassing. Take Ryan Tunnicliffe, for instance, who was signed in January from Man Utd by Meulensteen, his former coach at Old Trafford. Just two first-team appearances later and Meulensteen was sacked, his replacement Magath deemed Tunnicliffe surplus to requirements and he was packed off to Wigan on loan. At the same time, Fulham have had to look on as Adel Taarabt – the sporadically brilliant but more frequently infuriatingly Moroccan they had on loan from fellow Londoners QPR during the first half of the season, who made little impact – not only scored himself an improbable move to Milan but has flourished in his new surroundings.

Relegation battles often call for experience, and that's one thing the Cottagers certainly don't have in short supply. You've heard of the Chelsea Pensioners – well, meet the Fulham Fogies. Craven Cottage has become established as the national headquarters of Help the Aged, a retirement home for Premier League footballers: Dimitar Berbatov (until recently), Scott Parker, John Heitinga, Darren Bent, John Arne Riise, Damien Duff, Kieran Richardson, Hugo Rodallega. Add to that lengthy list thirtysomethings like Derek Boateng, the previously imperious but increasingly fallible Brede Hangeland, the recently re-signed Mahamadou Diarra and Giorgos Karagounis, the most capped player in Greece's history, and you start to appreciate that creaky knees are as much of a problem as squeaky bums. Given their average age, perhaps it's little wonder that apparently the players didn't know where they were.

Quite how the news of Magath's appointment was taken by these senior pros is unclear, though it does seem reasonable to assume that their egos wouldn't exactly allow them to roll out the red carpet for a manager once dubbed "the last dictator in Europe". He had had previous spells at Stuttgart, Bayern Munich, Wolfsburg (twice) and Schalke, but had never worked outside Germany, and so despite his reputation as a firefighter, the appointment nevertheless represented a considerable gamble on Khan's part.

Nevertheless, even a seasoned Premier League manager would struggle to know what to do with the dog's dinner of a squad that Magath inherited, and so it's hardly surprising that he doesn't seem to have a clue as to what his best side might be. Following the 3-1 defeat to relegation arch-rivals Cardiff, he took the bold move of dropping Dutch international 'keeper Maarten Stekelenburg for David Stockdale, but the decision was arguably vindicated by the latter's display against Newcastle, during which he pulled off two vital saves from Papiss Cisse, the second just seconds before Fulham took the lead. Meanwhile, Konstantinos Mitroglou was omitted from the squad altogether – a staggering move, given that the January purchase from Olympiakos is the club's £12m record signing and has been brought in specifically to score goals.

Fernando Amorebieta, a summer recruit from Athletic Bilbao, was signed to prevent them and, according to Fulham blog Craven Cottage Newsround, enjoyed "one of his best games for the club" against the Magpies. That speaks volumes about the Venezuelan's performances in previous matches, as personally I thought he looked shakier than a hypothermia-stricken Shakin' Stevens operating a pneumatic drill; he just had the good fortune to come up against a pair of hopelessly out-of-form strikers in the form of Cisse and Luuk de Jong. No such luck in the Cottagers' next fixture, as they went down 5-0 at Man City – Amorebieta conceding two penalties and earning a straight red card for the second foul.

Against Newcastle it wasn't all doom and gloom, though. After all, Fulham won the match – their first three-point return in ten games – courtesy of a second-half goal from Ashkan Dejagah. The Iranian, accustomed to Magath's coaching methods from his time at Wolfsburg, took up where Alex Kacaniklic had left off in terrorising Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa with pace and directness, the visitors' makeshift right-back making the fatal error of inviting the winger to cut inside onto his favoured right foot and a partially unsighted Tim Krul allowing the skidding drive to slip under his dive. (It typified Fulham's fortunes, though, that the substitute then had to be substituted himself due to injury.)

In central midfield, one loanee (Dane William Kvist) looked a bit of a liability, presenting Cisse with a golden opportunity to open the scoring shortly before Dejagah did so at the other end; but the other (Spurs' Lewis Holtby) proved his worth, scampering about energetically and testing Krul with a vicious curling shot in an otherwise largely uneventful first half.

Both Kvist and Holtby are short-term, stop-gap solutions, though – what hope is there for the future? On the surface of it, not much – the club are bottom of the league and have a largely geriatric squad. But against the Magpies a couple of young players gave the home crowd reason to be cautiously optimistic. The aforementioned Swede Kacaniklic offered a threat on the flanks, and though Pajtim Kasami was mostly ineffectual (that goal against Palace looks increasingly like a fluke) his strike partner Cauley Woodrow showed considerable promise. Having only made his debut the previous weekend in that ignominious defeat to Cardiff, Woodrow retained his place and proved himself a willing runner, leading the line with maturity beyond his tender years. When Heitinga's shot bounced down off the underside of the crossbar onto the goalline and stayed out by a matter of millimetres, he was sufficiently alert to follow up, only for the goal to be cruelly (though rightly) chalked off due to an offside flag. From being recalled from a disappointing loan spell at League Two side Southend to selection ahead of Mitroglou, Bent and Rodallega for his Premier League parent club – what a difference (less than) two months makes.

Fulham appear to be particularly blessed in terms of young strikers. While Woodrow was dropped for yesterday's meeting with Everton, his place was taken by French-born Moussa Dembele (not to be confused with the club's former favourite Mousa Dembele), who already has several goals for the U21s to his name, and 17-year-old Patrick Roberts made an appearance from the bench. Meanwhile, Italian Marcello Trotta had sufficient character to return to Brentford on loan after a first stint ultimately clouded by controversy and catastrophe. Not that all of their youngsters are forwards, though – Dejagah's replacement against Newcastle was Dan Burn, a hulking 6ft 7in central defender born on the Magpies' doorstep. His loan period at Birmingham didn't coincide with any improvement in Blues' defensive form, though, and the jury is out.

Sadly for Fulham, the same can't really be said for their chances of survival, which look even slimmer after losing to Everton.

* * * * *

While Fulham were busy giving themselves false hope with that 1-0 victory at Craven Cottage, Crystal Palace had travelled to the north-east to take on fellow relegation candidates Sunderland. The Eagles' desire to win appeared secondary to their desire to avoid defeat – indeed Tony Pulis admitted as much afterwards – and the result was a goalless draw devoid of anything remotely resembling quality or entertainment.

Perhaps Palace's caution was misguided – after all, in their opening twelve matches of the season in all competitions, the Black Cats were the only team they managed to beat. By the time that second victory came around, at Hull on 23rd November, the man who had secured them promotion had already been gone a month.

Even on the first day of the new campaign, Ian Holloway cut an uncharacteristically dejected and disconsolate figure. In the end a Roberto Soldado penalty was all that separated his side, just finding their feet in the top flight for the first time since 2005, and illustrious visitors Spurs, for whom Champions League qualification was the minimum target – and yet Holloway was already angrily poking the FA in the eye by complaining that referees favour certain teams. "It's going to be a long, hard season for me with these people", he added.

As it turned out, Holloway's season with the Eagles was indeed hard but certainly not long. The crushing 4-1 home defeat by Fulham, in which Kasami's wondergoal sparked a devastating comeback from the Cottagers, was the final straw and, bereft of his customary enthusiasm and questioning his own abilities, he left by mutual consent on 23rd October, admitting "I just feel pretty worn out". Asked to identify why the team had lost to every single opponent except Sunderland, he explained: "We tried to change too quickly. It's really important that you keep your dignity. With the changes in the squad I have to hold my hand up: we didn't keep that spirit that got us up, we lost some very important parts of it. Some of the new lads, their attitude and where it is, I'm finding it slightly annoying and that ain't right."

That candid assessment validated what many, myself included, had thought of their summer transfer activity. Spending was scattershot, and the only discernible strategy appeared to be to sign a whole team of forward-thinking midfielders with Premier League experience from the fringes of other squads; how else to explain the arrivals of Jerome Thomas, Barry Bannan, Jimmy Kebe, Jason Puncheon and Adlene Guedioura? Marouane Chamakh and Cameron Jerome may have been strikers, but both were also serial top-flight benchwarmers. The one real coup looked to be Sevilla's former Spanish U19 captain Jose Campana – but he mustered just six appearances before being shipped off to 1. FC Nurnberg on loan.

Unlike Magath, who has made no discernible difference to Fulham's performances, Holloway's replacement Pulis effected a remarkable revival when he arrived at Selhurst Park. Largely this was thanks to the sort of defensive fortitude and meanspiritedness exhibited on Wearside, though in truth two clean sheets in his last two games in charge mean some of the credit is due to caretaker manager Keith Millen. The Eagles' renaissance under Pulis was founded on their home form (the 3-0 pre-Christmas defeat to Newcastle a solitary blip, until recently), and specifically home wins over fellow strugglers with whom they're jostling for position. What will now be worrying the baseball-capped former Stoke man is the fear that the impact of both his appointment and his January signings appears to be wearing off with Palace still deep in trouble. Was the revival just a dead cat bounce?

One of the aforementioned January purchases was defender Scott Dann, who has displaced the vastly experienced Danny Gabbidon in the starting XI. Palace will be praying he can form as watertight a partnership with Damien Delaney as he did with Roger Johnson at Birmingham. Peter Ramage, a stalwart of the promotion side, was deemed not good enough for the Premier League (as a Newcastle supporter I readily concur) and packed off to Championship outfit Barnsley on loan, so central defensive options are limited.

Much the same is true at left-back; with Jonathan Parr injured and question marks hanging over Dean Moxey's ability at the highest level, Joel Ward has been asked to switch flanks. The former Portsmouth man has been a revelation, and indeed the fact that Palace are competing in the Premier League at all is as much thanks to his injury-time goalline clearance in the play-off final against Watford as to Kevin Phillips' late strike. Against Newcastle, he looked relatively comfortable handling tricky substitute Hatem Ben Arfa, who played into the right-footer's hands by repeatedly cutting inside – until deep into stoppage time, that is, when the Frenchman teased in a curling cross from which Cisse scored the winner.

Central midfield is one area bypassed by the ill-advisedly sweeping summer changes bemoaned by Holloway. At best a bit-part player for Fulham, South African Kagisho Dikgacoi has established himself as Australian captain Mile Jedinak's regular partner in the Palace engine room. While the pair have provided the defence with protection and the attack with a solid platform on which to build, they don't offer much in the way of creativity. The contrast with their opponents was stark. Man of the match Cheik Tiote may be the home side's destroyer, but he nevertheless ensured he was always in space and available to receive the ball, and had several efforts on goal, including a stoppage-time blast that smacked Julian Speroni's crossbar. Alongside him, Vurnon Anita busily prompted and probed in a creditable attempt to paper over the cracks left by the sale of Yohan Cabaye in January.

Such is the quantity of attacking midfielders at Pulis' disposal that his formation of choice is not the rigid, old-fashioned 4-4-2 he deployed at Stoke but the 4-2-3-1 currently favoured by Chelsea. However, it's far from clear to him (and me) who his best trio might be. January signing Joe Ledley was unimpressive, and Puncheon – recently fined for mouthing off about Neil Warnock on Twitter, something that should be rewarded not punished – was quiet, not afforded the opportunity to launch another spot-kick into the stratosphere as he did at Spurs. Both Bannan and Guedioura came on to no great effect, while Tom Ince didn't make it off the bench. Ince had his pick of lower-half Premier League teams in January so Palace must have been delighted to get his signature, and, like Ledley, he scored on his debut as they beat West Brom; but he hasn't yet become the hero the faithful were craving, hauled off at half-time against Swansea and dropped for the match against Southampton.

The real star of the show as far as Palace were concerned was the only forward to start who came up with the club from the Championship. While it must be galling for Palace to see former favourite Wilfried Zaha lining up for their relegation rivals Cardiff, Yannick Bolasie has been able to step out of his shadow. Pace is his chief asset, more than enough to frighten Yanga-Mbiwa and Paul Dummett on the other flank, and he was certainly more direct than the route he took to the Premier League. Us home supporters couldn't quite believe our luck when, having come closest to giving the visitors the lead with a shot that flicked the top of Krul's bar, he was withdrawn.

Up front, Palace have problems. Marouane Chamakh has morphed from the daftly-coiffed showpony he was at Arsenal into someone who can actually score goals, but is injured – as is £6m speed demon Dwight Gayle who, like Bolasie, has gradually climbed the league ladder for his shot at Premier League defences. That meant Glenn Murray's return from a long-term injury sustained in the play-off semi-final was particularly timely; he scored thirty goals last season, so there are hopes he might take to life in the top flight with the same ease as other players in a similar mould, such as Grant Holt and Rickie Lambert. The ex-Brighton man had to be content with a substitute's role, though, Pulis preferring loanee Cameron Jerome as his solo frontman. That pair's reunion must have been decidedly frosty, given the striker's sharp comments about his former manager at the Britannia, but the hatchet appears to have been buried and Jerome was bustling and hardworking, running the channels to good effect and keeping Mike Williamson and Fabricio Coloccini occupied.

Nevertheless, neither he nor his replacement Murray could score, and the Eagles drew a blank for the third consecutive game. While Cisse's 94th-minute headed winner was perhaps harsh in terms of the timing, it was arguably merited on the balance of play, punishment for Palace's lack of ambition. The game was clearly there to be won but, unlike Fulham the previous weekend, they never seized the opportunity.

The same charge certainly couldn't be levelled at Pulis' men on Saturday, when they upset the odds and capitalised on a distinctly sub-par performance from Jose Mourinho's Chelsea. While the players' work rate and determination were phenomenal, up against the side that was at the time top of the league, they still had to rely on John Terry to score the decisive goal. The three points have given them a fighting chance of staying up, but there remains much hard work to do.

* * * * *

So which club has the most to fear from relegation? Instinctively, you'd have to say Fulham. The average age of their squad would necessitate an almost complete rebuild, and Shahid Khan may not have the appetite or patience to continue to bankroll a Championship side. Losing their top-flight status for the first time since 2001 would probably mean they would disappear even further into the long shadows cast by nearby Stamford Bridge. In many ways it's remarkable they've survived this long.

Palace, by contrast, pitched up in the Premier League against the odds, and back in August many fans would, I suspect, have seen survival this season as just as much of an unexpected though pleasant surprise as promotion was last. However, the board haven't been shy in sanctioning relatively substantial transfer fees for the likes of Gayle and Ince, and the club's overall spending level suggests a determination to insure against demotion. Should that short-term strategy fail, it could prove extremely costly in every sense.

Fulham host Palace on the final day of the season. It promises to be quite a game.


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The Perfect Opportunity

With Fulham's fate hanging in the balance and with many predicting that the Cottagers' Premier League days are numbered, Saturday's game offers the Villans the perfect opportunity to grab three points.

The Villans must take to the pitch in the belief that they can win this game in a comfortable manner, despite the nervy atmosphere that this fixture is destined to create. Prior to the last disappointing couple of weeks, the players have shown that they can deliver convincing performances and they desperately need to deliver this Saturday.

There is little doubt that this match will be difficult, with the visitors fighting for their lives. However, this Villa team can thrive on the pressure and seize the opportunity to steer clear of the bottom six and begin to look upwards rather than down.

The 4-1 Norwich victory stands out in my mind as we gained a momentum which brought four goals that ultimately knocked Chris Hughton's players off their feet. If we pile pressure on Fulham's back four as we did against Norwich then you have to fancy us to score, bearing in mind that Fulham have conceded seventy-four goals so far this campaign.

With Villa's defensive issues all too apparent in the last two games, I'm hoping for a huge improvement in our defensive department and expect to find evidence that the errors which have seen us concede eight goals in two games have been addressed.

Lambert needs to rally his team for this game. The deflation caused by the previous two results needs to be banished for us to have any real opportunity, as tentative performances from players will cause errors that could prove to be very costly.

I'm also hoping that Lambert will make changes. In particular, I would like to see Matt Lowton re-introduced at right-back after a tough couple of weeks for Leandro Bacuna. I would also like to see Andi Weimann dropped due to his invisibility of late. Fresh faces could prove to be a positive factor. I expect Nathan Baker and Karim El Ahmadi to make the starting line-up if they can overcome their respective injuries and would welcome the work-rate and commitment they can add to the side.

If there is a repeat of the side's agonising 2-0 defeat to the Cottagers back in December then I fear that we may be sucked right back into the dreaded relegation battle so here's to three points.


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