Wednesday Fulham Stuff (03.02.10)

[White Noise]

Ipswich 1-3 Fulham

Tuesday 2nd February 2010

Fulham FC

Goals from Reece Jones, Aaron Pierre and Marcello Trotta helped Fulham on their way to the Quarter Finals of the FA Youth Cup on Tuesday evening.

An evenly-matched first-half finished goalless but the Whites were stung into action in the second-half after Ipswich took the lead from the penalty spot.

Alex Smith got the Whites back in the game soon after and Fulham then took the lead when Aaron Pierre fired home from a well-delivered corner. Marcello Trotta rounded off the scoring with a penalty late in the game.

Looking back on Tuesday evening’s match, Academy Manager Gary Brazil was pleased with the win.

“We started a lot stronger in the first 20 minutes of the game before Ipswich came back into it and caused us some problem,” he said.  “That mainly came about through us not maintaining possession and losing the ball in bad areas.

“At half-time we knew the boys could play a great deal better, we told them to work hard, retain the ball better and stop Ipswich having so much time. They were putting the ball forward into good areas for both of their strikers, who were always a bit of a threat. 

“We probably needed to go a goal down to get ourselves in gear and really go for them. The response from the boys is something we’ve come to expect. Sometimes when we lack a little bit of quality, they make up for it with really big hearts and the desire to keep going.

“We were worth the win, we can play a lot better but I’m very pleased for the boys. It’s lovely that they’ve made the Quarter Final. We know that there are much better performances in them and we’re going to have to play better to get through the next round.

“It will be nice for the boys to play at the Cottage. The Cup run has been a marvellous experience for the lads anyway. That edge where you’ve got to win to stay in the tournament brings more out of certain players and you learn a lot more about them as individuals and collectively.

“As a collective group, they have a strong desire to win which is a lovely attribute to have. The perfectionist in me wants them to play better but I can’t fault them for their effort and endeavour. It’s really good for this Club and Academy that we’re in the Quarter Finals.”

The Whites will now face Aston Villa or Millwall at Craven Cottage in the next round with the tie to be played by Saturday, 13th February. 

Fulham : Bettinelli, Marquez-Sanchez, Kamau, Jones, Toure, Pierre, Marsh-Brown, Smith, Trotta, Peniket (Quinn 75), Harris


Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/February/IpswichYouthvFulhamYouth.aspx#ixzz0eRm4L7gq

[White Noise]

http://hammyend.com/?p=5131

Fulham to face Notts County in round five

by Dan on February 2, 2010

Sven-Goran Eriksson will be at Craven Cottage for the FA Cup fifth round after Notts County caused a major shock with a 2-0 win at Premier League Wigan Athletic in their fourth round replay tonight.

Defender Stephen Hunt put the League Two side in front on 75 minutes and an own goal from Gary Caldwell just three minutes later ensured that Wigan would progress no further in this year’s competition.

Notts County will face Fulham in the fifth round on Sunday 14 February, with the game kicking off at 3pm.

[White Noise]

http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2010/02/02/numb3rs/?


Numb3rs

Filed under: General — weltmeisterclaude @ 8:10 pm

Okaka gets 9, Shorey gets 7.   Best squad number allocation for new players ever?    I was always disappointed when Seol took the number 7, having grown up watching Kenny Dalglish use that particular number to devastating effect.   Shorey’s okay in 7, in a Steve Coppell type way.   True, he’s not a right winger, but the 7 gives him a cultured sheen, and I am hopeful it will lead to some lovely dangerous crossing.   Give a man 33 and he’ll play like a 33.   Give him 7 and he’s got to get his sh1t together.   (not that this aided Seol particularly, but then he should always have been a 37 or something).

The number nine is even more important, and it’s nice that Okaka gets to use this one straight off.   Go forth and score, young man, it seems to be saying.

Roy says that both will be playing tomorrow night, which will be fun.

My team:  MS/SK-BH-AH-NS/BHR-DM-CB-DD/SO-BZ

With poor old Kagiso Dikgacoi (#34) having to wait it all out again.  Zoltan Gera is injured, as is Simon Davies.   Pity, as both are good players.

[TheDon]

Ipswich 1-3 Fulham

Tuesday 2nd February 2010


Fulham secured their place in the Quarter Finals of the FA Youth Cup on Tuesday evening with a fine win over Ipswich Town at Portman Road.

The Whites will now face Aston Villa or Millwall at home in the next round with the tie to be played by Saturday, 13th February.  

Report to follow...

Fulham : Bettinelli, Marquez-Sanchez, Kamau, Jones, Toure, Pierre, Marsh-Brown, Smith, Trotta, Peniket, Harris

http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/February/IpswichYouthvFulhamYouth.aspx?

no wonder we won we had 13 players

[BarneyTravers]

Back to back trips to the Cottage on the 13/14th February...that'll be a first.

Fulham for the cups!!

[White Noise]

FA Youth Cup Photo Special

Tuesday 2nd February 2010

Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/February/FAYouthCupPhotoSpecial.aspx#ixzz0eRmlKBFm

[White Noise]

Andy Johnson's troublesome knee could see Fulham striker out for the season

By Laura Williamson

Last updated at 12:45 AM on 03rd February 2010

Comments (0)


Andy Johnson could miss the rest of the season if specialists decide the striker needs surgery on his knee.

But Fulham boss Roy Hodgson heard the news only after allowing Diomansy Kamara to join Celtic on loan, a move he would not have sanctioned if he had known the seriousness of the injury.

Johnson, 28, will have an exploratory operation this week and Hodgson said: ‘If they find the problem is major, Andy would need an operation that would keep him out for the rest of the season. If we’re lucky it’s something wrong with the cartilage or something like that, then he might be back earlier.

‘One of the reasons we let Diomansy go was because we didn’t think the problem with Andy was anywhere near as grave.

‘If you said to me, “Would I like him (Kamara) back here?” then I would, but it’s too late.’

Hodgson’s side are at home to Portsmouth tonight, with loan signings Nicky Shorey, from Aston Villa, and Roma striker Stefano Okaka hoping to make their Fulham debuts.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1248114/Andy-Johnsons-troublesome-knee-Fulham-striker-season.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0eRnItK2x

[White Noise]

Wigan 0 Notts County 2: Sven Goran Eriksson's in heaven as Magpies fly through

By Chris Wheeler

Last updated at 11:34 PM on 02nd February 2010

Comments (0)

Notts County may face extinction, but the only club from League Two still in the FA Cup celebrated last night after stunning Wigan to book a fifth-round trip to Fulham.

Cash-strapped County, who face a winding-up order at the end of the month as they search for new investment, had not reached this stage for 18 years, but two goals in three minutes upset the Premier League side.

Director of football Sven Goran Eriksson said: ‘It’s fantastic, a wonderful night. But all the credit goes to the manager.’

Caretaker boss Dave Kevan deserves a pat on the back, but so does goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, who made a string of fine saves.

That enabled Stephen Hunt to put Notts ahead in the 75th minute as he rose unmarked to meet Ben Davies’ corner and score with a downward header.

Wigan’s hopes were killed off three minutes later when new signing Gary Caldwell turned Davies’ low cross into his own net.

Kevan, who may not even be in charge for the Fulham trip, said: ‘We were very disciplined and, when Wigan did break through us, Kasper was there to make some fantastic saves.
‘To see our supporters celebrating the victory makes everyone very proud. It’s a memorable night for us all.’

Schmeichel produced two great saves to deny Jason Scotland, including after 11 minutes when the Dane came out to block from the striker, who raced clear on to Jordi Gomez’s pass.
Scott Sinclair’s effort at an empty net clipped the post after Schmeichel collided with his own defender. But Vladimir Stojkovic was busy at the other end, keeping out Lee Hughes, Davies and Neal Bishop.

Wigan have not reached the fifth round in 23 years, and manager Roberto Martinez said: ‘It’s a huge disappointment. We allowed ourselves to become frustrated with the performance. You expect them to get bodies behind the ball, but we still created enough chances.’


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1248064/Wigan-0-Notts-County-2-Sven-Goran-Erikssons-heaven-Magpies-fly-through.html#ixzz0eRnvndDm

[White Noise]

FULHAM v Portsmouth: Zoltan Gera joins Cottagers casualty list with knee injury

By Sportsmail Reporter

Last updated at 4:16 PM on 02nd February 2010

Comments (0)

Zoltan Gera is the latest Fulham player to suffer an injury ahead of the Barclays Premier League clash with Portsmouth.   

Gera has joined a long list of players in the treatment room after suffering a knock to his knee in training.   

Andy Johnson is still struggling with his knee injury while Paul Konchesky (foot), Simon Davies (ankle), Clint Dempsey and John Pantsil (both knee ligaments) are all out.   

Loan signings Nicky Shorey and Roma striker Stefano Okaka are both poised for their Fulham debuts.   

Provisional squad: Schwarzer, Hangeland, Shorey, Baird, Hughes, Stoor, Kelly, Duff, Murphy, Nevland, Zuberbuhler, Greening, Riise, Dikgacoi, Smalling, Elm, Zamora, Okaka. 


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1248008/FULHAM-v-Portsmouth-Zoltan-Gera-joins-Cottagers-casualty-list-knee-injury.html#ixzz0eRobPGF3

[White Noise]

Stephen Hughes header leaves toothless Wigan down and out


FA Cup Fourth Round replay

Wigan Athletic 0 
Notts County 2 Hunt 75, Caldwell (og) 78 

Paul Wilson at the DW Stadium

guardian.co.uk,

Tuesday 2 February 2010 22.08 GMT


Notts County are in fairytale land, though Wigan are in such dire form at the moment it is debatable whether beating them counts as a shock. Shocker, more like. This was such a terrible game on such a terrible pitch it was almost a mercy when two late goals allowed League Two County to dump Premier League opponents out of the Cup. It would have been harsh on the sparse crowd that turned up to have to sit through extra-time as well, particularly as the home side could have played until midnight without scoring.

County could hardly believe their luck at still being in the game as it entered its final 15 minutes, much less scoring two goals in three minutes to make light of a difference of 59 league places. Wigan had come back from two goals down in the first game but there was never any chance of that here, and had Roberto Martínez taken such a toothless attack to Fulham in the fifth round the Latics' Cup run would most likely have come to an end anyway.

Small wonder the Wigan manager has invested in Victor Moses, who was cup-tied for this replay. The former Crystal ­Palace striker cannot start work soon enough for the home fans, and Martínez will now be desperate for some fairly immediate improvement as well. Wigan dominated the entire second half without ever making their pressure count, then fell victim to two classic counters from a County side that had hardly ventured beyond halfway since the interval.

When Lee Hughes brought a sharp save from Vladimir Stojkovic just before departing on 73 minutes, it was just about County's only serious attack of the second half. Two minutes later they were in the lead, Stephen Hunt having nodded in at the far post following a corner from the excellent Ben Davies, and three minutes after that they were in the fifth round, another cross from Davies having been turned over his own line by Gary Caldwell.

"I thought we were very disciplined tonight," County's caretaker manager, Dave Kevan, said. "We contained Wigan very well and when they did break through Kasper Schmeichel was there with some fantastic saves. To see our supporters celebrating made everyone very proud, we've got a great group of players here."

Martínez, beginning to look haunted, must wish he could say the same. "We didn't take our chances, but we need to focus on the Premier League anyway," he said, after watching his team of internationals fail to beat bottom division opponents.

Perhaps in an attempt to go unrecognised or to see whether the Samson effect works in reverse, Jason Scotland has ditched his topknot in favour of a close crop, so he now looks like Titus Bramble playing up front. Unfortunately, he still finishes like a centre-half. When Jordi Gómez played him in with a perfectly weighted through ball. Scotland only had the goalkeeper to beat but, possibly mindful of missing the target completely in similar situations against Everton on Saturday, he shot almost apologetically straight at Schmeichel, who deserved credit for closing him down quickly.

"That first chance was critical, because if we score there it changes the whole game completely," Martínez said. "But we can't score the first goal, and then we get frustrated."

Wigan opened the second half with a better move than they had managed in the previous 45 minutes, with Paul Scharner picking out Gómez with a lofted crossfield pass, though when the ball came in Scotland was unable to summon enough power for his header to beat Schmeichel. Bramble took his eye off the ball for a moment and almost left Hughes a clear run behind him before Martínez beefed his side up a little with the introduction of Charles N'Zogbia and James McCarthy.

Though N'Zogbia's arrival did energise Wigan they still lacked a cutting edge and only two long shots from Gómez bothered Schmeichel. It was the story of their night. By the end, with Hugo Rodallega sent on far too late to change anything, Wigan were lucky not to concede a third when Luke Rodgers shot just too high.

[RidgeRider]

Dude, you deserve a raise for getting up as early as you do to get this stuff posted so when everyone wakes up, the Fulham news is spoon fed to you.

[White Noise]

Dude, you deserve a raise for getting up as early as you do to get this stuff posted so when everyone wakes up, the Fulham news is spoon fed to you.

Cheers fella. I am sure when Roy gets his Knighthood he will give me a mention! ;)

[White Noise]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/feb/03/crystal-palace-wages

Guilfoyle retains the option to loan players out this month to reduce the wage bill. Warnock denounced the clubs who had offered paltry sums for many of his players as "vultures". Wolves bid for the full-back Nathaniel Clyne, Southampton made an offer for Neil Danns, and Warnock claimed Chelsea and Fulham made approaches to secure some of Palace's academy prospects.

"Yesterday was a long day for me," said Warnock. "Everybody knows that Clyne almost went yesterday and I was disappointed with the offer we accepted. But the money we would have got for him, we'll get from a cup run anyway. You can't blame Wolves. But it's a disgrace, really. I think Fulham offered £30,000 for three of our best academy players. And I think we're bigger than Fulham, aren't we? I've had to bite my tongue, which is not easy. But it's my job to get the best out of what I've got."

Those comments followed on from the manager's programme notes, in which he had written: "Some of the offers we had were quite disgusting. We had Fulham and Chelsea trying to sign some of our younger players ... Pathetic offers for such promising players."

[White Noise]

http://www.tribalfootball.com/fulham-boss-hodgson-we-must-stop-rot-against-portsmouth-617981

Fulham boss Hodgson: We must stop rot against Portsmouth

03.02.10 | tribalfootball.com

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson is aiming to "stop the rot" against Portsmouth.

Fulham are looking to end an unwelcome run of five straight Premier League defeats against the division's bottom club.

Hodgson said: "We have to stop the rot by winning but we know it will not be easy. Portsmouth are a better team than their league position shows and we saw that when they played Manchester City on Sunday.

"You don't stop the rot by talking about it, you do it by playing and winning. We need that win.

"We have not been playing that badly, but we have made mistakes and we have been punished by those mistakes and at the other end we have not scored enough goals. That is what we have been guilty of, because in terms of football play over the 90 minutes, we have not been that bad at all.

"The morale and spirit is good but confidence takes a hit when you are not winning. We have to accept that situation because we want to win and we need to win."

[White Noise]

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/grant-hits-out-at-owners-false-promises-1887503.html


Grant hits out at owner's false promises

Pompey manager angry after Al-Faraj goes back on his word to buy four players

By Mark Fleming


Wednesday, 3 February 2010


Avram Grant, the Portsmouth manager, yesterday launched a bitter attack on the club's owner Ali al-Faraj and accused him of breaking promises made when Grant took over two months ago.

Grant said he had been told he would be able to buy four players during the January window when he was appointed manager in November after Paul Hart had been sacked. Instead he has seen defender Younes Kaboul and goalkeeper Asmir Begovic sold behind his back to pay bills. What is more, the Premier League has siphoned off £2m from those sales to cover money owed to Chelsea and Watford.

The only players to join were former Arsenal striker Quincy Owusu-Abeyie on loan from Spartak Moscow, and Jamie O'Hara on loan from Tottenham. Grant is also hoping to recruit former Spurs defender Ricardo Rocha, who is a free agent after being released by Standard Liege.

Grant considered resigning over the transfers last week but has stayed in the job because he recognises his departure would only make things worse. The club, who play Fulham at Craven Cottage tonight, have debts of £60m, have not paid their players this month, and face a winding-up order from HM Revenue and Customs a week today. Pompey yesterday failed to meet a deadline to repay £9m owed to former owner Sacha Gaydamak.

Grant said: "I'm not a quitter and I'm not afraid of problems. But I'm very, very disappointed with the situation off the pitch and that people cannot do what they promised me.

"When I came to the team, I knew the situation was not good with the football side, but they promised me everything was good with the financial side and that we would bring four players more. We needed to bring in players so that the squad could be good, especially as we had a lot of injuries in the team. There was a lot of pressure on a very short squad and we didn't have time to let players who were coming back from injury ease their way back into the squad. We've had injuries, as we thought we would have, and instead of bringing in two players, we sold two players."

Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie admitted last week he and Grant felt like quitting over the decision to sell Kaboul and Begovic. In press conferences Grant has always maintained that Portsmouth can still avoid relegation, despite being five points adrift at the foot of the Premier League table. But yesterday he was far more pessimistic.

Grant said: "I will not speak about this [whether Portsmouth can survive]. I said from the beginning that if we followed our programme, we finished December five points behind the team just outside the relegation zone, and we brought in four players, we would stay in the League. Now I can promise that we will do everything to win every game we play, but we will not think about the end of the season."

[White Noise]

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11675_5913762,00.html

Blackwell saw Spurs right-back Kyle Walker recalled from his loan at the last minute on deadline day, while Fulham left-back Toni Kallio was not registered in time to feature and Craig Morgan then limped off with an injury.

"I was a bit surprised myself by that performance, but we had mitigating circumstances," said Blackwell.

"Yesterday we had a back four lined up of Kyle Walker, Nyron Nosworthy, Chris Morgan and Toni Kallio which looked as good as anything out there and I've ended up with nothing like that on the pitch at the end of the game.

[White Noise]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/feb/02/alexandre-gaydamak-portsmouth-administration

Alexandre Gaydamak's patience saves Portsmouth from administration• Former owner could have called in debts yesterday

Jamie Jackson and David Conn

guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 2 February 2010 23.00 GMT

Alexandre Gaydamak will not force Portsmouth into administration even though the club missed last Sunday's deadline to pay their former owner a £9.5m instalment on the £30m he claims he is owed. Gaydamak is keeping a watching brief and will decide future plans as the position at Fratton Park develops.

His decision will be welcome relief to Portsmouth's owner, Ali al-Faraj, and the club's hierarchy, after Avram Grant admitted that since taking over as manager in late November he had experienced "the most emotionally and mentally difficult period of my life".

The Israeli considered resigning over the weekend but decided, for now at least, to stay. However, another key figure at the club, the executive director, Mark Jacob, is considering his position after the £3.25m sale of Asmir Begovic to Stoke City went through without his approval.

One option open to Gaydamak had been to call in the defaulted payment immediately once Sunday's midnight deadline passed. That, though, would almost certainly have forced Portsmouth into administration.

For a fourth time this season the club is late paying its players – staff were told today that they would be paid by the end of the day or Wednesday at the latest. Portsmouth also owe Balram Chainrai, the Hong Kong businessman, at least £17m and on 10 February face a Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs winding-up petition in the high court.

Gaydamak could choose to join the petition but he has described himself as a soft creditor who has no wish to increase Portsmouth's difficulties. The club is appealing against the high court's decision to throw out their challenge to the petition, with the hearing scheduled before 10 February.

Portsmouth have sold Begovic, to Stoke, and Younes Kaboul, to Tottenham for £5m, as part of the battle to stabilise their finances. Club sources confirmed that the deals were negotiated by Daniel Azougy, an Israeli former lawyer and convicted fraudster who is working on the finances at Fratton Park.

Jacob is understood to have been convinced Portsmouth should have secured more for Begovic, the 22-year-old goalkeeper who had been keeping David James out of the first team. Jacob would not sign the deal off and the paperwork is understood to have been ultimately authorised by the chief executive, Peter Storrie, although he has complained about being sidelined at the club.

Grant is also angry over the club's winter transfer dealings, saying the club had broken promises made to him when he agreed to become manager. "The players that are here are doing their best, but I am not happy with the other situation. When I came to the club I knew the situation was not good on the football side but they told me everything was OK financially," he said, referring to Faraj and his advisers, who include Azougy.

Grant, who takes his team to Fulham tomorrow evening, added: "I was told we could bring in four players more in January and all the squad would stay – this is why I came to the club. So we thought to take the next step to stay in the league would be to make some signings but that has not happened." He is also "very disappointed" the Premier League lifted Portsmouth's transfer embargo only three days before the window shut and restricted him to loans and free signings. "I'm not a quitter and I'm not afraid of problems," he added. "But I am disappointed with what people promised me."

[White Noise]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article7012888.ece

Sven-Göran Eriksson rewarded by Notts County’s stunning upset

Wigan Athletic 0 Notts County 2

Even Sven-Göran Eriksson was on his feet in excitement. Notts County, a week after surviving a winding-up order, with a transfer embargo still in place as they chase promotion from Coca-Cola League Two under the caretaker management of Dave Kevan, deservedly beat Wigan Athletic, their Barclays Premier League opponents, to reach the last 16 of the FA Cup for the first time since 1992.

The former England head coach, County’s director of football, was celebrating from on high at the DW Stadium on Tuesday night as his loyalty for remaining at Meadow Lane amid the sequence of crises this season was rewarded by an audacious display, with Ben Davies, creator of both late goals, and Kasper Schmeichel, their stand-out performers.

“It’s a wonderful night for the club,” Eriksson said. “But all the credit must go to the manager.” Peter Schmeichel, the County goalkeeper’s father, sat behind Eriksson in the directors’ box as 700 fans from Nottinghamshire celebrated their pinch-me moments. Having beaten one top-flight side County will travel to Fulham a week on Sunday.

“It was a fantastic night for everyone involved,” Kevan said. “The lads were very disciplined and when they did break through, Kasper was there to make some great saves. It makes us all very proud. I’m just here, keeping things going, and if the investment comes in, I’m pretty sure there’ll be a new manager.”

Kevan stepped into the breach when Hans Backe resigned in December. Even without being able to bring in any new players, Kevan, with Eriksson’s support, has steadied the ship and led the team back to within reach of the automatic promotion places.

Undefeated throughout Kevan’s two spells as caretaker manager in this tumultuous season, County had been 2-0 up in the initial tie at Meadow Lane. Since then, Blenheim 1862, County’s parent company, has been to the High Court and saved from a £324,206 winding-up petition from Revenue & Customs by the eleventh-hour intervention of the latest mystery backers, who have until February 24 to show the colour of their money.

Vladimir Stojkovic, the Wigan goalkeeper, had to parry Lee Hughes’s powerful blast and then shovel the ball behind when the talented Davies followed up. From the ensuing corner, Scott Sinclair cleared off the line from Neal Bishop.

“We’ve got more fans than you,” sang the travelling hordes, mocking Wigan for their dearth of either history or support. However, early in the second period, Wigan remembered their present status as Jason Scotland’s header required a brilliant diving save from Schmeichel.

County rode the storm, before, incredibly, scoring twice. Luke Rodgers, the substitute, won a corner in the 75th minute that Davies dispatched for Stephen Hunt to head in. Then, three minutes later, as Wigan left space at the back, Davies sent over a superb centre that Stojkovic failed to claim and Gary Caldwell inadvertently turned into his own net.

“We allowed ourselves to get frustrated,” Roberto Martínez, the Wigan manager, said. “You know what you’re going to get in these kind of games, and when you can’t get the first goal, you know you’ve got a lot to lose. But this is a day for Notts County to celebrate and for us to learn our lessons.”

Wigan Athletic (4-2-3-1): V Stojkovic — E Boyce (sub: H Rodallega, 86min), G Caldwell, T Bramble, M Figueroa — P Scharner, M Diamé (sub: J McCarthy, 61) — J Gómez, J Koumas (sub: C N’Zogbia, 61), S Sinclair — J Scotland. Substitutes not used: M Pollitt, A Amaya, H Thomas, B Watson.
Notts County (4-1-4-1): K Schmeichel — J Thompson, M Edwards, S Hunt, J Jackson — J Clapham — C Westcarr (sub: K Hawley, 73), R Ravenhill, N Bishop, B Davies (sub: M Hamshaw, 90) — L Hughes (sub: L Rodgers, 73). Substitutes not used: R Hoult, G Lee, B Fairclough, A Akinbiyi. Booked: Ravenhill.
Referee: K Friend.

Upsetting times
County join other famous giant killers from the bottom division to have knocked out top-flight clubs in the FA Cup
1971 Colchester United 3 Leeds United 2 Two goals from Ray Crawford, a 34-year-old veteran, brought down the first division leaders
1992 Wrexham 2 Arsenal 1 Mickey Thomas, 37, the former Manchester United winger, scored a brilliant free kick before Steve Watkin secured a late winner
2003 Shrewsbury Town 2 Everton 1 Two goals by Nigel Jemson enabled Kevin Ratcliffe, the former Everton captain, to return to the limelight as Shrewsbury manager

Words by Peter Lansley

[White Noise]

http://hammyend.com/?p=5123


Roy: Okaka will play against Portsmouth

by Dan on February 2, 2010

Tucked in at the bottom of the Pompey preview on the offal is the confirmation that Stefano Okaka will make his Fulham debut tomorrow night. Nicky Shorey will start at left back too by the sounds of it.

Both of them will play tomorrow. He’s [Okaka] a great talent and has potential because he’s an Italian U21 international. He hasn’t played that many games for the Roma team but he has played some important matches for them and made a very important contribution as a substitute.

He’s a strong player and has an eye for goal. He’s a determined type of goalscorer and we hope in our current situation, with Andy Johnson out for a further considerable time, he will help us up front to score some goals.

We’ve been struggling at left back since Paul Konchesky got injured because we’ve not had that player that can cover on the left hand side. We’ve not had a natural left footer and we’ve tried to play right backs there and they’ve struggled.

Toni Kallio has been injured for a long while and has now been allowed to leave for Shefffield United. The reason I let Toni leave is because we were able to bring in Nicky Shorey who is a very similar player to Paul Konchesky who I am hoping will do a similar great job to the one Paul has done.

[White Noise]

http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8750_5913060,00.html

Fulham


* Only Portsmouth have had a longer losing run than Fulham's five-game streak this season.

* The Cottagers' only away win of the season came on the opening day against Portsmouth.

* They have lost their last three games by a 2-0 scoreline.