Saturday Fulham Stuff (11.09.10)

[White Noise]

http://www.givemefootball.com/premier-league/fulham-vs-wolverhampton-wanderers-sat-11-sep-2010


Fulham Vs Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sat 11 Sep 2010


Fulham Vs Wolverhampton Wanderers: Match Preview


By GMF Editor  September 10, 2010


DATE:Sat 11 Sep 2010

TIME:15:00

VENUE:Craven Cottage


Fulham striker Bobby Zamora is available for the Barclays Premier League clash with Wolves after recovering from a thigh injury.

New signing Carlos Salcido will not be considered due to visa delays and Damien Duff is a doubt because of a calf problem.

Keeper Mark Schwarzer will start after overcoming his back problem but back-up stopper David Stockdale will be out for up to a month with an ankle injury.

Philippe Senderos (Achilles), Andrew Johnson (knee) and Diomansy Kamara (foot) are long-term injury absentees.

Mark Hughes is happy to have revised his opinion of Zamora and believes the Fulham striker has yet to reach his peak.

Zamora, a target for Liverpool and Birmingham during the summer transfer window, signed a new four-year contract on Friday that will keep him at Craven Cottage until 2014.

It continues a remarkable transformation for the 29-year-old England striker who only last November was being jeered by a section of his own fans.

Hughes admits to failing to appreciate Zamora's influence until his own arrival in south west London but having been converted, he was determined to keep him at all costs.

"Bobby's a good player and I've been really impressed with what I've seen," he said.

"Maybe I underestimated his ability like many other people have.

"But having worked with him on a daily basis I've been very impressed with the way he brings team-mates into the game.

"He's a big lad who can look after himself, which is important, and when he's in full flow he's difficult to stop.

"He's a big part of our focus as an attacking team. I like his personality and he's very popular.

"There's more to come from him. He's 29 and that's when strikers reach their best.

"They mature and understand how they can be effective in games, which only comes from experience.

"We think we'll get his best years and that's why we've signed him until 2014.

"To get him signed up again is a feather in our cap. He's happy here and is happy with the environment.

"There was interest from other clubs in Bobby because he's a good player but he was never going to leave."

Zamora won his only cap as a second-half substitute in last month's 2-1 victory over Hungary and Hughes insists he can become a regular for England.

"Bobby's made the international breakthrough and he did really well in the cameo he had," he said.

"If he keeps his current form then he'll get other chances because there seems to be a window of change with England at the moment."

Wolves will include Marcus Bent in their squad for the first time.

The striker was signed on loan from Birmingham before the transfer window closed.

Jelle Van Damme has recovered from the ankle injury suffered in a challenge by Newcastle's Joey Barton a fortnight ago.

But fellow defender Ronald Zubar is ruled out of the clash with the Cottagers with a hamstring injury.

Mick McCarthy believes the expectation levels of the Wolves fans have risen above settling for mere Barclays Premier League survival.

Wolves will be looking to defend their unbeaten start to the campaign when they take on Fulham.

It has followed on from a successful end to last season which guaranteed top flight status after Wolves had been tipped by many pundits as relegation certainties.

McCarthy revamped his squad during the summer and feels the supporters are right to aim their sights higher.

McCarthy said: "I guess maybe there was a doubt in people's minds as to whether we could stay up last year after being promoted.

"Now our fans expect us to stay up - and rightly so based on what they saw last season and how we have started this season.

"But, first and foremost, if we can beat what we did last season, it will be fantastic."

McCarthy added: "We've made a good start. The first game (against Stoke) was a good performance and a good win.

"We had to grind out a result (draw) at Everton and it was similar against Newcastle.

"Newcastle have a good, experienced team and made it very difficult for us.

"We managed to stay unbeaten and five points from three games is a good start for us.

"But there are tougher tests ahead and there are a lot of them coming. I always say 'every point is a prisoner' but we've done all right so far."

[White Noise]

 
http://www.adifferentleague.co.uk/p6_1_4368_club-focus-fulham-fine-tuning-required-for-hughes-to-register-first-league-win.html


Club Focus - Fulham - Fine-tuning required for Hughes to register first league win


By Matt Domm


Friday 10 September 2010


When Fulham fans took their first look at the fixture list for the 2010/11 season, in truth the Wolves fixture was the first they would have pointed out as an expected three points. A point in any away game, particularly at the always tricky Reebok Stadium is a bonus, a draw - home or away - against Manchester United would be gladly accepted by most and, despite Blackpool being the weakest team on paper in the league, the Cottagers' away record combined with an excitable first home game in the Premier League for the Tangerines makes that a decent point too.

Fulham's record at Craven Cottage is the polar opposite to that when visiting other teams. As such, Saturday's fixture presents Mark Hughes with a very different challenge to the ones he faced during his new side's largely tricky opening three games. Indeed to be undefeated - albeit without yet registering a win - is an achievement, and one that should the Whites pick up the three points against Mick McCarthy's men will make for a very impressive start to the campaign. Against both United and Blackpool, Fulham showed they were capable of goals, and the weekend's match is an opportunity to continue the pleasing performance in the attacking third. Of course, with the unlocking of the offensive door means the back line have to adapt to the system as well, and lapses such as John Pantsil's two against Blackpool must be cut out in order for the same amount of goals to not go in at the other end.

On the whole the defence has impressed too, with few mistakes being made. David Stockdale has been a big part of that, but the knock he picked up against Blackpool is set to keep him on the sidelines for some time, which means Hughes is likely to have to call upon Mark Schwarzer. The Australian is, by all accounts, unhappy about being blocked a move to Arsenal, but at the same time it is refreshing for a smaller club to put its own needs before those of another team, which is exactly what Hughes has done. Whether he will regret that decision in time remains to be seen - even though Schwarzer has always come across as a model professional - but with only the two goalkeepers in the 25-man squad, an unhappy No 1 is better to have than just the one, relatively untested, stopper. The 37-year-old impressed during the international break, and the blocked transfer could well mean he is at the top of his game in order to prove himself - even if his intentions are to impress potential suitors.

An unfortunate absentee from international week was Bobby Zamora, who finally made his England debut before being forced to miss out on a competitive game due to injury. Fulham's leading man will be another out to prove himself should he play against Wolves, which bodes well for home fans and Fabio Capello, but perhaps not for the visitors. A Zamora with a point to prove is an incredibly dangerous prospect for any defence. For Zamora at least, the platform is a decent one to impress, and although Fulham should win on paper, the reality is that in such games where they are favourites they can - and do frequently - fall short. McCarthy's side took four points from the Whites last year, and just the season before now-relegated Hull City took all six, the win at Craven Cottage being their single victory in the entire second half of the season.

So while the prospect of goals is mouth watering, with Zamora, Moussa Dembele and Dickson Etuhu playing together fantastically well, the need to take what can be a very dangerous team (particularly when underestimated) seriously is evident. Hughes has a few selection choices to make - the decision whether to introduce Carlos Salcido, who again was impressive for Mexico in midweek, or stick with the Premier League experienced Stephen Kelly is just another. All tactical question marks regarding the Wolves game hang over the defence, and these are questions Hughes will have to answer correctly if his players are to send the Cottage faithful home happy - as they may expect to be in the build up to this game.

This fixture could go a long way to showing how well the manager can blend his inherited, ageing squad, with his new acquisitions into a system that benefits all. That is all while trying to wrestle a supposed want-away goalkeeper. It is set up intriguingly, to say the least.

[White Noise]

http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/london-sport/fulham-fc/2010/09/10/fulham-new-boy-targets-starting-spot-82029-27236882/

Fulham new-boy targets starting spot

Sep 10 2010



By Paul Warburton


RAFIK Halliche insists he joined Fuham to claim one of the coveted central defensive slots.

The Algerian World Cup star helped keep England at bay in the 0-0 draw in South Africa in the summer, and after his £1.5 million transfer from Benfica is ready to usurp either Brede Hangeland or Aaron Hughes from the Whites backline.

Halliche said: "At the end of the day, the best player is the one picked – not the one who is favourite.

"I think those games in the World Cup helped me, and I think I had a good performance against the likes of Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard – but maybe I can do even better when I play them in the Premier League.

"I had options all over Europe before deciding on Fulham. But they were the first club from the Premiership to ask about me, and I was immediately attracted to them."

[White Noise]

http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/london-sport/fulham-fc/2010/09/10/chris-baird-close-to-new-fulham-contract-82029-27243433/


Chris Baird close to new Fulham contract


Sep 10 2010

By Jacob Murtagh


CHRIS Baird is set to sign a new deal at Fulham.

The Northern Irish utility man is out of contract at the end of the season, but boss Mark Hughes is keen to keep him at Craven Cottage.

He said: "We're working through them, and we hope to tie things up with Chris next week."

[WhiteJC]

http://www.sportingpreview.com/columns/10110123.php?
THE ANDY GRAY COLUMN
CORRECT SCORE FORECASTS FOR SATURDAY'S PREMIER LEAGUE MATCHES

Fulham v Wolves

This is the sort of fixture that Fulham have made a very good habit out of winning in recent years and I can't see that changing on Saturday.

Correct score: 2-0 at 10.0

[WhiteJC]

http://www.givemefootball.com/premier-league/hughes-is-zamora-convert?
Hughes is Zamora convert

Mark Hughes is happy to have revised his opinion of Bobby Zamora and believes the Fulham striker has yet to reach his peak.

Zamora, a target for Liverpool and Birmingham during the summer transfer window, today signed a new four-year contract that will keep him at Craven Cottage until 2014. It continues a remarkable transformation for the 29-year-old England striker who only last November was being jeered by a section of his own fans.

"Bobby's a good player and I've been really impressed with what I've seen," he said. "Maybe I underestimated his ability like many other people have."

He added: "But having worked with him on a daily basis I've been very impressed with the way he brings team-mates into the game.

"He's a big lad who can look after himself, which is important, and when he's in full flow he's difficult to stop.

"He's a big part of our focus as an attacking team. I like his personality and he's very popular.

"There's more to come from him. He's 29 and that's when strikers reach their best.

"They mature and understand how they can be effective in games, which only comes from experience.

"We think we'll get his best years and that's why we've signed him until 2014.

"To get him signed up again is a feather in our cap. He's happy here and is happy with the environment. There was interest from other clubs in Bobby because he's a good player but he was never going to leave."

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