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Saturday Fulham Stuff (06.02.10)

Started by White Noise, February 05, 2010, 10:14:02 PM

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White Noise

They'll face heat of the Knight


By MARTIN BLACKBURN


Published: Today


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ZAT KNIGHT knows only too well that his old club Fulham will not fancy the trip to Bolton today - because they have always hated it.

The 6ft 5in centre-back spent eight years at Craven Cottage and admits the trip to the Reebok was one they dreaded every season.

Knight hopes it will be the case again today in a must-win game for Wanderers, who hover just above the drop zone.

Roy Hodgson's men lost five games in a row before scraping a 1-0 win over rock-bottom Portsmouth on Wednesday.

Knight said: "Obviously with me being at Fulham so long, they never liked travelling to Bolton. Not many teams like coming up here and, hopefully, we won't disappoint.

"If we are going to get anywhere decent in this league then we need to beat the likes of Fulham. They've not had a good run recently and we have to try and upset them."

Knight turned down a chance with Benfica to sign for Fulham - and is still reaping one benefit thanks to club owner Mohamed Al Fayed.

Even though he left West London in 2007, he still gets discounted shopping at Harrods when he is back in the capital.

He said: "Mr Al Fayed's a character, I take my hat off to him.

"I still get a good discount at Harrods. But I wouldn't say its free, he's not that generous!"



Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2842242/Fulham-face-heat-of-the-Knight.html?OTC-RSS&ATTR=Football#ixzz0ejq7Vgw1

White Noise

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/feb/05/squad-sheets-bolton-wanderers-fulham

Squad sheets: Bolton Wanderers v Fulham


guardian.co.uk, Friday 5 February 2010 17.35 GMT


After beating Manchester United in December, Fulham were touted as outsiders for a place in the top six, talk that was quickly dismissed by the manager, Roy Hodgson. Six weeks and five successive defeats later you could see why, and while Wednesday saw a welcome return to winning ways against Portsmouth, long-term injuries to Andrew Johnson and Clint Dempsey are still being digested. Survival is all that matters to Owen Coyle, but he will be without Ivan Klasnic, Gavin McCann and probably new signing Stuart Holden. Paul Chronnell

Venue Reebok Stadium

Tickets £20-28 (0844 871 2932)

Last season Bolton 1 Fulham 3

Referee M Clattenburg

This season's matches 19 Y58, R4, 3.26 cards per game

Odds Bolton 13-10 Fulham 12-5 Draw 23-10




Probable starters in bold, contenders in light. Photograph: Graphic BoltonSubs from Al Habsi, Bogdan, Samuel, Robinson, Riga, Gardner, M Davies, Cohen, Shittu, Harsanyi, Basham, A O'Brien, Wilshere, Vaz Tê, Weiss

Doubtful Holden (thigh)

Injured McCann (thigh, 13 Feb), Klasnic (calf, 20 Feb), Davis (knee, May), J O'Brien (knee, unknown)

Suspended None

Form guide LWLLDD

Disciplinary record Y48 R2

Leading scorer Klasnic 6

FulhamSubs from Stockdale, Zuberbühler, Riise, Stoor, Smalling, Elm, Nevland, Dikgacoi, Greening, Gera, Teymourian, Milsom

Doubtful Davies (ankle), Gera (knee)

Injured Konchesky (ankle, Mar), Paintsil (knee, Mar), Dempsey (knee, Apr), A Johnson (knee, May)

Suspended None

Form guide WLLLLL

Disciplinary record Y27 R1

Leading scorers Dempsey, Zamora 6

Match pointers• Six of the last 10 meetings between these sides in all competitions have ended with a 2-1 scoreline

• Kevin Davies has committed an average of 3.5 fouls per game this season, more than any other player

• Fulham have failed to win in 11 Premier League away games but have taken four points from their last two visits to Bolton

• Bolton have kept one clean sheet in their last 24 Premier League matches

• These sides met at Craven Cottage on this day exactly 50 years ago and drew 1-1

WhiteJC

http://www.tribalfootball.com/hodgson-fulham-fans-must-be-patient-okaka-624241
Hodgson: Fulham fans must be patient with Okaka
06.02.10 | tribalfootball.com
Roy Hodgson has urged Fulham fans to be patient with new signing Stefano Okaka.

The striker has arrived on-loan from Roma.

Hodgson said: "He doesn't speak a word of English.

"He's got to get to know his team-mates, he's got to know what they're thinking and doing on the training field.

"It's going to take lots of work but I'm sure he'll get better.

"But he's not the man that's going to come in and you'll say 'Well, don't worry, Andy Johnson's not around, you've got Stefano Okaka' that would be placing far too much responsibility on his shoulders.

"Now I may be looking at the rest of the season with a limited and inexperienced group of front players."


White Noise

http://blog.sport.co.uk/Football/592/Top_Ten_Non_League_to_Premier_League.aspx

8. Steve Finnan

The Irish full-back first turned out for Welling United, before spells with Birmingham and Notts County. Finnan then joined Kevin Keegan's revolution at Fulham in 1998 and was part of the team that got promoted to the Premier League. Five years later, he earned a move to Liverpool, where he won the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Champions League. Finnan is the only player to have played in the Blue Square Premier, all four professional divisions in England, the Europa League, the Champions League and the World Cup. He has won 52 caps for the Republic of Ireland and is still playing top-flight football for Portsmouth.

10. Chris Smalling

The most recent addition to the non-league to Premier League ranks, Smalling was playing for Maidstone United in the Isthmian League until June 2008, when Fulham took a punt on him. Despite making just 11 senior appearances for the Cottagers to date, the 20-year-old defender immediately caught the eye of both Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger and signed for Manchester United in a £12m deal last month. He will remain on loan at Fulham until joining the Red Devils in the summer. Smalling has already picked up three England Under-21 caps and looks to have the world at his feet as he prepares to head to Old Trafford.

WhiteJC

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/premiership/fulham/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/10/02/05/SOCCER_Fulham_Nightlead.html&TEAMHD=fulham&DIV=prem&TEAM=FULHAM&RH=Fulham&PREV_SEASON=

Hodgson - disappointed by form in January.


HODGSON SHELVES THOUGHTS OF EUROPE

By Paul Hirst, Press Association Sport

Fulham manager Roy Hodgson is happy to put a disastrous January behind him - a month which he believes has cost his side the chance to fight for a place in Europe next year.

Last season Hodgson brought European football to Craven Cottage after he guided his side to an unlikely seventh-place finish.

The Cottagers made a slow start to this season before going on a good run which culminated in a 3-0 victory over Premier League champions Manchester United the week before Christmas.

That shock win raised expectations that Hodgson's men could make Europe again this year, but a recent run of five straight defeats was only halted by Wednesday's 1-0 win over rock bottom Portsmouth at Craven Cottage.

Hodgson's efforts have been blighted by a series of long-term injuries to key players like Andy Johnson, Clint Dempsey and Paul Konchesky.

The former Inter Milan manager is hoping for an improvement in form and luck in February.

"I don't think we're looking at Europe this year. I think we dropped too many points in January," said the 62 year old.

"The teams that are going to be European this year, which is only the top six, they're already 10-12 points ahead of us.

"And furthermore, I think it's unrealistic. Had there been no injuries, had Johnson, Dempsey, (John) Pantsil, Konchesky, (Simon) Davies, (Zoltan) Gera, had all these players been fit all the time, then maybe we wouldn't have lost many games in January, and maybe would have had a few more points.

"But we didn't, we had to battle through January as we did with a really wounded team, and as a result, I think we've slipped too far away from the top six.

"Our chance of getting into Europe will be to win a cup competition."

In fairness to Hodgson, the teams to whom Fulham lost in January - Spurs, Chelsea and Aston Villa - are among the toughest in the league.

Nevertheless, the Cottagers still looked below par against Avram Grant's side in midweek, and will have to up their game against a Bolton outfit who are fighting for their lives just above the relegation zone.

A home fixture against Burnley follows Saturday's clash before the Cottagers host League Two side Notts County in the FA Cup.

Hodgson is now hoping for a good run so his side can regain their confidence and edge away from the relegation zone.

"The Portsmouth result will buoy us up and will give us momentum," Hodgson added.

"If we can get something from the game and then something from the game against Burnley, we'll have started February well and, once again, we'll be nosing towards the top end of the table, and leaving the bottom half of the table behind us."

Stefano Okaka could start up front with Bobby Zamora despite a glaring miss on his debut on Wednesday.

Hodgson is hopeful that Davies (foot) and Gera (knee) will recover from knocks to face Owen Coyle's side, who are looking for only the second league win since the Scot took charge.

The Cottagers have not won an away league game since the opening day of the season and Hodgson is braced for a tough match.

He said: "It's another away game, always a difficult game, and even the top three or four teams in the country, with no injury problems, don't find it easy going to places like Hull and Bolton.

"They're desperate for points, they're going to be fighting for their lives.

"But, if we show the type of character and courage we showed against Portsmouth, we'll give them a very good game."

White Noise

http://www.teamtalk.co.za/football/story/0,16368,1786_5920260,00.html

Barnes sets sights on Albion debut


Giles Barnes is hopeful of making his West Brom debut within weeks after putting pen to paper on a permanent deal at The Hawthorns.

Barnes is on his way back to fitness after suffering a ruptured Achilles in August and the 21-year-old believes a full return is not too far away.

He said: "I am short of game practice and I'm not going to hide that but as soon as I get one or two reserve games behind me then I'll be ready for selection.

"My Achilles feels fantastic, I don't have any pain or swelling from it at all so that's good news.

"I think it might, and I hope it will, be weeks rather than months before I am back."



White Noise

http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,16368,1863_5920503,00.html


Kamara brushes aside title talk



Diomansy Kamara insists it is wrong for Celtic to be talking about winning the SPL while they remain 10 points adrift of Rangers.


Kamara endured a disappointing debut for his new club on Tuesday night when they slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Kilmarnock, wasting the game in hand they had over their arch rivals.

The aftermath of that defeat saw manager Tony Mowbray and Kamara's fellow forward Marc-Antoine Fortune claim overhauling Rangers was still possible.

But Kamara reckons Celtic should put talk of winning the league to one side while the gap at the top continues to get wider rather than narrower.

"At the moment, it's not good to say, 'Yes you can win the title', because we're 10 points behind," the on-loan Fulham striker said.

"We just need to win, win, win and see what happens.

"The title at the moment, it's so hard.

"If we won on Tuesday, we'd be seven points behind."

Kamara, 29, believes Celtic were unlucky to lose at Rugby Park after they created and missed a host of chances for the umpteenth time this season.

And the new arrival is keen to help them make amends in Sunday's Active Nation Scottish Cup fifth-round tie at Dunfermline.

"The good thing is we have a game on Sunday and Wednesday," said Kamara, who admits the cup is now the club's most realistic chance of avoiding ending the season empty-handed.

"This is the target," he said.

"You need to win something and this kind of thing you can win."

And Kamara hopes his own poor record in cup competitions does not prove an omen this weekend.

He added: "When you're at Celtic, we're ambitious to win the trophy because we need to win something this year and I think the cup is a good thing."

One of eight transfer-window arrivals at Parkhead, Kamara pleaded for patience to allow the new faces to gel.

"Two or three new players were playing on Tuesday," he said.

"You just need a bit of time for everyone to play like this or like that.

"And I think after two or three games, the team will be at a high level."

And he is fully behind the vision of manager Tony Mowbray, who he worked under at West Brom for most of the 2006-07 season.

"He's a very good coach with the players," he said.

"He talks a lot with the players and I love his sessions.

"He changes his training all the time and you improve with him.

"This is most important.

"When you come here, you know you can do something to improve."

The Senegal international added: "He's not a liar.

"He's straight and I like this.

"When he wants to tell you something, he tells you to your face and that's most important."


White Noise

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/bolton_wanderers/s/1191709_bolton_v_fulham_preview



Bolton v Fulham: Preview


February 05, 2010

Matt Taylor admits the pressure is on Bolton to beat Fulham at the Reebok.

The Wanderers kick-start a run of four crucial games in 12 days against Roy Hodgson's men, but have lost three of their four league matches since Owen Coyle took charge.

"It's another vital stage in the season for us and time to kick on," said the Trotters midfielder. After the Fulham game, Bolton face City (away), Tottenham (home) and Wigan (away).

"We have some very important games coming up and we are getting into the back end of the season. We need to start picking up points.

"I wouldn't say we will be preparing in any different way to recent matches.

"But we are at home and it's a game we would expect to get points from."

Taylor was speaking during a Premier League 'Places for Players' initiative involving 15 local high school pupils.

The former Portsmouth star and team-mate Sam Ricketts attended the students' 'Challenge Club' session aimed at team building and raising self-esteem levels.

"Fulham are a good team and we did well down there to come away with a point," added Taylor.

"They are in a decent position but we need to pick up points and climb the table.

"Roy Hodgson has signed some very good players.

"But if we play like we have in the last four games, I don't see us coming away with anything but a good result."

On-loan striker Ivan Klasnic misses out with a calf problem and midfielder Gavin McCann is still sidelined by an ankle problem.

However, Arsenal's on-loan England Under-21 international Jack Wilshere will make his home debut.

Hodgson is still without a series of key players for the game.

Simon Davies (ankle) could return after missing Wednesday's win over Portsmouth, but long-term absentees Andy Johnson (knee), Paul Konchesky (foot), Clint Dempsey and John Pantsil (both knee ligaments) are all out.

Hodgson is hoping Zoltan Gera overcomes a knee injury while Erik Nevland has fully recovered from a toe injury and could replace Stefano Okaka alongside Bobby Zamora up front.

Bolton Wanderers (from): Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Knight, Robinson, Gardner, Weiss, Cohen, Taylor, M Davies, Wilshere, McCann, Muamba, Lee, K Davies, A O'Brien, Al Habsi, Samuel, Elmander, Ricketts, Holden.

Fulham (from): Schwarzer, Hangeland, Shorey, Baird, Hughes, Stoor, Kelly, Duff, Davies, Gera, Murphy, Nevland, Zuberbuhler, Greening, Riise, Dikgacoi, Smalling, Elm, Zamora, Okaka.

Bolton league form:DLLWL

Fulham league form: LLLLW

Key opponent: Bobby Zamora - striker is having a decent season

Prediction: Bolton 2 Fulham 1 - if they keep trying to play football Bolton should get their rewards

White Noise

#28
http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2010/02/06/more-evidence/?

February 6, 2010


More evidence



Filed under: General — weltmeisterclaude @ 9:47 am



Dikgacoi on after 55 mins.  Here are our passes before then, and after.    Did well.





White Noise

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/wanderers/wanderersnews/4992832.No_favours_for_old_boys_from_Zat/


No favours for old boys from Zat


9:40am Saturday 6th February 2010

By Marc Iles »


ZAT Knight loved every minute of his time at Fulham — but that won't stop him trying to put one over on his former club.

Wanderers welcome the west Londoners to the Reebok this afternoon desperately in need of points as they look to move clear of the relegation zone.

Knight knows the visitors better than most having spent nine enjoyable years at Craven Cottage.

He looks back on his time there with a great deal of affection after the club gave him his big break back in football.

The giant defender was playing for non-league side Rushall Olympic in 1999 when Kevin Keegan, the then Fulham manager, offered him his first professional contract in a deal which saw 30 tracksuits heading in the opposite direction.

"Fulham will always have a place in my heart," admitted Knight, who joined Wanderers from Aston Villa in the summer. "I started my career there and they are always one of the first results I look for.

"I had trials at Benfica, Birmingham and West Brom, but I chose Fulham. Some people wondered why I chose Fulham when they were in the Second Division at the time, but I thought I had more of a chance of getting in the team.

"Kevin Keegan was manager at the time. I was only down there for a week's trial but on my second day he offered me a three-and-a-half year contract, so I took his hand off.

"I really enjoyed it even though Keegan wasn't there for too long because he went on to become England manager.

"Sean Davis was already down there. He'd been down there as a schoolboy and, when I joined at the age of 17, we were flatmates for a few years.

"When Keegan was there we won the Second Division and then the First Division under Jean Tigana and then stayed in the Premiership.

"We used to share the Bank of England training ground where England used to train and use the BBC's ground at Motspur Park. We never really had our own training ground.

"But me starting down there gave me a good perspective on life. I see myself as a grounded person and my heads never really been up in the clouds, even though I am six foot six inches.

"Sometimes you can go to the top and be around the best facilities and you don't really appreciate things. But I really do appreciate what I have got and where I am today." And it was a move which proved equally beneficial off the pitch for Knight, with Mohamed Al Fayed the multi-millionaire owner of both Fulham and luxury department store Harrods.

"We got a good discount at Harrods," said the 29-year-old centre-half, who has been capped twice by England. "Al Fayed comes across as a serious because of being in the position he is, but he is a funny guy.

"When he is around the boys he is a character. And what he has done for the club is fantastic. He has brought it up to where it is today and you have to take your hat off to him." But, despite his debt of gratitude to his former employers, Knight is totally focused on ensuring Roy Hodgson's side return south empty-handed as Wanderers aim return to winning ways following last weekend's defeat at Liverpool.

"If we are going to finish anywhere decent in this league - and we want to get up to mid table, which we are capable of doing - we need to beat the likes of Fulham," said .

"They haven't had a good run in the league so far and, even though they beat Portsmouth on Wednesday, we need to upset them again and get a few wins under our belts.

"Being at Fulham so long, I know they never liked travelling to Bolton. I don't think a lot of teams like coming up here so hopefully we won't disappoint.

"Since the manager (Owen Coyle) has come in we've mixed our style; playing when we need to and knocking it long when we need to.

"We just need to get that right blend. Fulham didn't play that well the other night but we know they are going to come here and try to upset us and give their manager a bit of belief.

"The last few games I think we've done well apart from maybe the Liverpool game. At times, we didn't cope with it too well.

"But if we can get back to the type of football we played against Arsenal then I think we can beat anyone."


WhiteJC

http://www.tribalfootball.com/dikgacoi-knows-he-has-battle-win-fulham-place-624731
Dikgacoi knows he has battle to win Fulham place
06.02.10 | tribalfootball.com
Kagisho Dikgacoi is determined to establish himself in Fulham's midfield.

The South Africa midfielder admits he's struggled to find a place in Fulham's impressive engineroom since his arrival.

Dikgacoi told fulhamfc.com: "It was, and you have to react to that. As a sportsman you have to except that at the highest level competition is going to be high.

"I knew that it was going to be difficult, especially making the move from South African football. Danny Murphy, Jonathan Greening, Dickson Etuhu and Chris Baird are all very good players and I've learned a lot from them. But I have to keep working hard if I'm going to get a place in the team."


WhiteJC

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/boltonsport/4992834.Whites_to_have_the_edge__says_Hansen/
Whites to have the edge, says Hansen
Fulham may have ended their four-match losing run with a 1-0 home win over bottom club Portsmouth in midweek but they face a tough trip to the Reebok Stadium today.

To be fair, any away trip is difficult for the Cottagers at the moment as they've been unable to win on the road since August, a run of 11 away trips without a victory.

Owen Coyle's appointment has not yielded a huge turnaround in results as Bolton have only won one of his four league games in charge.

However, this is hardly a fair judgement on his work as the three Trotters defeats have come away at Liverpool and in two defeats to Arsenal. This match will be viewed as one the home side would expect to win or at least get a point from. Personally, I think they will pick up all three points.

Bolton don't possess the best of records against Fulham in recent seasons. In fact, the Trotters have not been able to beat the Cottagers in the last five league clashes. That run includes three Fulham wins. Coyle's team should be aware that the Londoners won 3-1 at the Reebok last season and drew there the year before that.

Owen is obviously trying to put his own stamp on the current Bolton team with his trio of youthful loan signings and they will add to the quality and enthusiasm of the current team. He will not want to rapidly alter the team he inherited especially with a relegation battle on his hands, but gradually we may see Bolton's style of football changing. At times Bolton have been criticised for being too direct but I am sure Owen is pragmatic enough to use the players he has available whatever his preferred style.

Kevin Davies's aerial ability is a useful weapon in Bolton's armoury, so don't expect Coyle not to continue to use his strength to the club's advantage. I'd be surprised if the Bolton boss threw the likes of Jack Wilshere, Stuart Holden and Vladimir Weiss straight into the side but they all have the talent to add more creativity to a physically strong team.

The home side have also had more time to prepare for this one while Fulham played in midweek which could have a bearing on this result. Particularly as I expect the match to be played at a high tempo from the off. The Cottagers have also brought in a couple of loan signings with experienced Nicky Shorey and Roma's Stefano Okaka arriving.

I just feel Bolton will have a little bit too much for Fulham on the day, the Cottagers are a nice neat organised team but their away form is not good whilst Bolton's home win over Burnley should give the players belief.

The Trotters will miss the injured Ivan Klasnic but their expensive Swedish star Johan Elmander may prosper from the passing style Owen Coyle is trying to produce in his new team. Therefore, with a £30,000 estimated Premier 10 jackpot to be won this weekend, I am backing a home win for Bolton.

WhiteJC

http://www.fulham-mad.co.uk/news/tmnw/dikgacoi_inspired_by_lucas_492464/index.shtml
Dikgacoi Inspired By Lucas
Fulham midfielder Kagisho Dikgacoi says there's plenty of South African players he looks up to with Lucas Radebe right up their.

Dikgacoi is in his first season in Europe and admits Leeds United legend Radebe is someone who inspired him as a youngster.

He told fulhamfc.com: "Radebe is what you would call a 'legend' in the game and someone that inspired a lot of young people to follow in his footsteps, certainly players like myself, Steven Pienaar [of Everton], Benni McCarthy [of West Ham] and Aaron Mokoena [of Portsmouth]. He has been an inspiration and a good ambassador for South Africa.

"But I think the current generation of South African footballers are also doing a good job and helping to take the game forward."

WhiteJC

http://www.clubcall.com/fulham/hodgson-down-bare-bones-1018368.html
Hodgson down to the bare bones
Fulham, 11:29, February 6, 2010

Fulham striker Andrew Johnson will not play again this season following exploratory knee surgery in the United States.
The 28-year-old has been plagued by injuries this term which has seen him make just 13 appearances for the Cottagers, suffering a shoulder injury at the start of the season before a groin problem in November.

Johnson had travelled to Colorado to consult renowned American surgeon Dr Richard Steadman to try and correct his latest knee problem but, following the operation, he has been advised not to return until the latter part of pre-season.

Boss Roy Hodgson, who may have also lost John Pantsil for the remainder of the season, had been hoping Johnson would be back for the run-in but must now contend with his absence.

He said: "I am disappointed in that, because I was still believing he was going to come back and it would not be that long.

"Now I may be looking at the rest of the season with a limited and inexperienced group of front players."

The former England international has not played since the defeat at Blackburn last month but with Zoltan Gera and Clint Dempsey sidelined at the moment, the squad is down to its bare bones.