Monday Fulham Stuff (25/01/10)

[WhiteJC]

http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=185757
Fulham - Our Year?
The chances are, I was thinking the same thing at the same point last year. We would be just about to beat Kettering 4-2, and I would be wondering; Could this be the year we win the FA Cup?

Of course, in 2008/09, it was not to be, following a dramatic defeat to Manchester United. However, this year there is a certain buzz around Fulham when it comes the this glorious knock out competition.

Even the football pundits appear to be supporting us as an outside bet to be holding the trophy aloft come May.

I can't quite put my finger on why the feeling is so positive though. Perhaps it is the lack of 'big teams' left in the competition, or just simply the fact we have proven worthy opponents so far.

Hopefully though, the feeling is a correct one, and we will be chanting chants of a Wembley forthcoming.

Your thoughts please?

[WhiteJC]

http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=185739
Fulham - Beattie Keen on Move!
With Roy Hodgson probably having his hands forced, courtesy of our latest run of injuries, a new striker, as we reported last week, could be arriving at Craven Cottage.

According to the media, any proposed deal for James Beattie appears to be gathering pace.

Reports suggest that Beattie is keen to move to Craven Cottage and a loan deal may be done with the move becoming permanent at the end of the season.

Let`s hope this one comes to a conclusion soon, especially with a plethora of fixtures on the horizon!

[WhiteJC]

http://www.footballfancast.com/football-news/hodgson-hails-ten-man-reds?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ffc_Premiership_Blogs+%28FFC_Premiership_Blogs%29
Hodgson hails ten-man Reds
Date: 24th January 2010 at 12:43 pm | Filed under: Football News, Fulham, Premiership | Author: FFC News Desk |

image © Action Images

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson admitted his players had struggled to cope with the conditions before they ran out 3-1 FA Cup winners over League Two side Accrington Stanley.

Goals from Erik Nevland, Damien Duff and Zoltan Gera saw off ten-man Stanley at compact the Crown Ground.

However, Hodgson admitted the 42nd-minute dismissal of Darran Kempson for the League Two club proved decisive.

"I was pleased with the second half but we were aided and abetted by the fact that they had a player sent off," he said.

"They did go out and set about their task in a very aggressive manner so it wasn't a surprise to see a few yellow cards. I suppose it was fortunate for us that they went to the same player.

"In the first half they mastered the conditions and were aware of the conditions more than we were and it took us a while to get used to the fact that it was going to be very difficult to play the ball through midfield.

"When we started to get hold of the ball in midfield we started to cause them enormous problems and in the end the 3-1 victory was fully deserved."

[WhiteJC]

http://www.goal.com/en/news/9/england/2010/01/24/1759075/arsenal-to-bid-for-fulham-defender-chris-smalling-this-week
Arsenal To Bid For Fulham Defender Chris Smalling This Week - Report
Arsenal are set to make an offer to fellow London rivals Fulham later this week for youngster Chris Smalling, according to a report from The Daily Mail.
Jan 24, 2010 11:52:00 AM

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger admitted that the player was someone he admired, but discounted claims he was ready to move for him during the January transfer window.

The 20-year-old is currently valued at around £8 million by the Cottagers, whose manager Roy Hodgson insisted last week that there had been no enquiry from Arsenal about the player.

Wenger is also close to agreeing a new two-year deal with centre-back William Gallas, and would use Smalling as cover for the Frenchman and Thomas Vermaelen, with Sol Campbell providing experience.

Should Fulham reject the January offer for Smalling then Arsenal are expected to return for the player in the summer.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,16368,1775_5882333,00.html
All in the head for Hodgson
Roy Hodgson was thankful for the towering presence of his central defenders after Fulham came through a tough FA Cup tie at Accrington Stanley.
Goals from Erik Nevland, Damien Duff and Zoltan Gera wrapped up a 3-1 victory at the Crown Ground on Saturday to ensure the Cottagers' place in the last 16.

The win was comfortable enough in the end but Stanley caused plenty of problems for their visitors in the opening 45 minutes and were unlucky not to be ahead at half-time.

The League Two outfit attacked from the first whistle and having fallen behind to Nevland's strike against the run of play, they took only four minutes to equalise through top-scorer Michael Symes' 14th goal of the season.

The sending-off of Reds defender Darran Kempson shortly before half-time changed the game, but Hodgson believes that up to that point, only the commanding performances of centre-backs Brede Hangeland and Aaron Hughes had kept Fulham in the match.

"You don't play against that many teams that never stop the ball at the back but just hoist it forward into your back line again," Hodgson said.

"I was happy that we have got two big centre-backs in that situation who can head the ball.

"Otherwise we could have been in even more difficulties."

An uneven playing surface also made life difficult for Fulham and Hodgson admitted the conditions his players have grown accustomed to in the Barclays Premier League meant they would inevitably struggle to adapt at first.

"You get very spoiled in the Premier League," Hodgson said.

"You can talk about these pitches and you can talk about these conditions, but until you actually get out there and experience them, it's only words.

"You need the actual physical experience on it because we're so unbelievably spoiled these days in the Premier League.

"Every pitch you play on is like a billiard table and it's so much easier to pass the ball."

Having been in the ascendancy with 11 men, Accrington faded after Kempson's dismissal and could offer little once Duff had put Fulham 2-1 up on the hour.

Stanley boss John Coleman's immediate reaction to the goal was to go for broke by bringing on-loan striker Billy Kee off the bench.

The visitors' dominance only grew though, with Gera netting the third 10 minutes from time.

Coleman, who is in his 11th year with Stanley, admitted afterwards that he had been too bold in the heat of the moment and vowed to learn from the experience.

Coleman said: "Maybe I put an extra forward on too quickly to try to get back in it. I have got to take the responsibility for that.

"I am learning and maybe next time it happens to me and I am up against a Premier League team with 10 men, I will take it on the chin for a bit and see if we can nick a goal elsewhere."

[WhiteJC]

http://hammyend.com/?p=4924
Roy last went to Accrington to play snooker
by Dan on January 24, 2010

I don't know what the source of the Star's slant on yesterday's Fulham win is but I could just imagine Roy strolling deliberatively round the table, measuring the angles, couldn't you?

[WhiteJC]

http://www.clubcall.com/fulham/hodgson-calms-chris-talk-1011840.html
Hodgson calms Chris talk
Fulham, 17:43, January 24, 2010

Roy Hodgson has dismissed rumours of an impending Arsenal bid for Fulham defender Chris Smalling.

The Cottagers boss says his relationship with Gunners boss Arsene Wenger and the fact that he has not called him over the ex-Maidstone man tells him all he needs to know.

"If Arsenal are interested then I guess they better get in touch with us," he said. "I have not spoken to Arsene at all. It has never been mentioned, and our chief executive has not spoken to their chief executive.

"Presumably that means they have got no interest, or the interest is being generated by someone else in the club or outside the club.

"Arsene made it clear to me with Brede Hangeland. He said, 'If I had been interested in signing Brede Hangeland, the first person I would have contacted would have been you'. I believe that, and fully expect when he wants to sign a Fulham player, I will be the first one to hear."
In Betfair you can either make a back bet (bet on who's going to win) or place a lay bet (bet against something happening). Betfair matches people on either side of the bet with the odds they agree. Simple. Use this £25 free bet and give it a try.

[WhiteJC]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/331777-arsenal-transfer-prospect-wenger-to-up-the-anti-on-chris-smalling-deal

Arsenal Transfer Prospect: Wenger To Up the Anti on Chris Smalling Deal
by Callum D'Souza

Featured Columnist

Written on January 24, 2010

Hamish Blair/Getty Images
After much speculation and denial that Arsene Wenger was to make an offer for talented Fulham defender Chris Smalling. Rumour has it that the Arsenal manager is set to offer £8 million for the talented youngster.

It was initially thought Wenger would not go after the 20-year-old but now it seems the Frenchman is extremely keen to snap up the Englishman. Smalling is a young and extremely talented center half who has already made a handful of appearances for the Cottagers.

Fulham manager Roy Hodgson is very eager to keep the up and coming star at Craven Cottage but with Wenger prepared to offer £8 million for the youngster, things may happen.

It was only months ago when Arsenal were after another Fulham defender in Brede Hangeland. Arsene Wenger is in need of another defender after Philippe Senderos was given to Everton on loan. Arsenal current center halves, William Gallas and Thomas Vermaelen, have been in terrific form and also avoided injury.

However with only Sol Campbell and Mikael Silvestre the only spare central defenders, who are both over 30. Smalling could be a useful asset and put some much needed pressure on Gallas and Vermaelen.

The former Maidstone United defender is strong and powerful with a great leap and good feet. Smalling is over 6'4" so he offers great aerial threat from set pieces in both attack and defence. Smalling is also still at a tender age 20 and has a huge future ahead of him.

With Wenger mentor the youngster and the likes of William Gallas and Sol Campbell around him. An Arsenal move could be wise.

[WhiteJC]

http://hammyend.com/?p=4925
Home to Notts County or Wigan
by Dan on January 24, 2010

I'd say that Fulham being drawn at home to the winners of the Wigan Athletic-Notts County replay is a good draw.

The tie will be played on the weekend of February 12-13th.

FULL FIFTH ROUND DRAW

Wolverhampton Wanderers or Crystal Palace v Aston Villa
Manchester City v Stoke City
Derby County v Birmingham City
Bolton Wanderers v Tottenham Hotspur or Leeds United
Chelsea v Cardiff City
Fulham v Notts County or Wigan Athletic
Reading v West Bromwich Albion
Southampton v Portsmouth

[WhiteJC]

http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/January/FixtureNotice.aspx
Fixture Notice
Friday 22nd January 2010
Fulham FC News Powered by 

Fulham's game against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday 13th March has been selected by Sky Sports.

The game against the current Barclays Premier League Champions will now kick-off at 12.45pm.


Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/January/FixtureNotice.aspx#ixzz0dbsdZDAK

[WhiteJC]

http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=185782
Fulham Get 5th Round Home Draw!
After conquering Accrington Stanley in round 4 Fulham were given a fantastic opportunity to march on in the competition this year.

With Arsenal falling by the wayside and joining Liverpool and Manchester United as big guns who have fallen early, Fulham were given a home draw against the winners of the Notts County and Wigan replay.

However, with Chelsea having also been drawn at home, we await details of whether we`ll be playing on either the 13th or 14th of February.

As for the other games:-

Wolves / Palace v Aston Villa

Man City v Stoke City

Derby v Birmingham

Bolton v Spurs /Leeds

Chelsea v Cardiff City

Fulham v Notts County / Wigan

Reading v West Brom

Southampton v Portsmouth

[WhiteJC]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1245739/Accrington-Stanley-1-Fulham-3-Sorry-Cottagers-deserve-dressing-says-David-Bumble-Llloyd.html?ITO=1490
Accrington Stanley 1 Fulham 3: Sorry Cottagers deserve a dressing down
By David Lloyd Sportsmail columnist and Stanley fanatic reflects on his club's big day
Last updated at 1:03 AM on 25th January 2010

Come on lads, play the game, you simply have to muck in when it comes to the FA Cup. Fulham contributed to a fantastic day for my beloved Accrington Stanley on Saturday and made our little town buzz but snubbing the use of the dressing rooms was a little disrespectful.

There was absolutely no need to get changed before arrival at the Crown Gound and the fact they chose to, then cleared off straight after the final whistle, put a bit of a dampener on it for me. I know where Fulham is and it's flash but they came somewhere that ain't flash.


Cup fever: The players walk out in front of more than one man and his dog
The only time I have ever known a cricket team do that was on England's 1996-97 tour of Zimbabwe — and that was thrust upon us. For some reason all the rubbish from the opposition dressing room was tipped into our room every morning and we had no running water, so we had to shower and change at the hotel.

At least Fulham's fans were certainly taking it all in the right spirit, though, stood open to the elements in front of the gypsy camp. I know because most of them tweeted me.

It was a shame that Accrington's early pressure did not tell with the first goal and there had been more activity in my Twitter inbox than in our box when Fulham went ahead.

One or two of the Stanley lads will have given their careers a real shot in the arm with the way they responded to the club's biggest day in modern history and striker Michael Symes, who scored the quickfire equaliser, will go for a fair amount of money, I am convinced of that.


Off the mark: Fulham goalscorer Erik Nevland is mobbed
They gave it a real ding-dong-do and when we got to one each, I thought 'we're in here, hitting downhill second half' but the sending off of centre half Darran Kempson knocked the stuffing out of us.
It failed to blunt my appetite, though, and minutes later I was tucking into a Clayton Park potato pie with crust (accompanied by red cabbage and pickles) which seems to have ousted Holland's in these parts as the pie of choice. No mean feat that, because Holland's is a multi-national company. Unfortunately, though, the theme of the little guys winning was not extended when the match resumed.


Elation: Stanley's Michael Symes celebrates scoring

Even without a few of their main men, Fulham are a good footballing side and our 10 were always going to be stretched against Premier League players after the interval. Danny Murphy ran the game in the second half, constantly exploiting the space where our man was missing.

Stanley had to find their own way of playing and as that Brede Hangeland chap stands 9ft 6in, they had to dink it down either side of him to drag him out. Our young lads harried and hustled for openings and matched Fulham for fitness, only fading at the very end.


Relief: Damien Duff celebrates scoring the second

They did us proud and deserve greater attention in the local area. On the way to the ground, news on the billboards said it all to me: not Stanley's first FA Cup fourth-round tie for 51 years but Fred the dog getting hit with an ASBO. An equally rare event, I grant you, but surely for once we were worthy of top billing.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/duff-on-target-as-brave-accrington-give-fulham-a-fright-110475.html
Duff on target as brave Accrington give Fulham a fright
Accrington Stanley 2 Fulham 4
By Alex Shaw

Monday, January 25, 2010


WHO said romance was dead?


For an hour, Accrington Stanley dared to dream of causing an FA Cup upset against Fulham, hassling and harrying with a tenacity that befitted this tumultuous tie. Class eventually told, but Stanley emerged with credit.

In typical FA Cup fashion, the game pitted two sides separated by 70 places in the football league pyramid. It was princes versus paupers – Europa League competitors against Johnston's Paint Trophy also-rans.

Accrington almost went out of business last year. They survived, just, but times are still hard. The club have already been subject to two winding up orders this season and new chairman Ilyas Khan has bailed the club out twice. A transfer embargo still shackles the club, who owe £50,000 to the Professional Footballers' Association.

Their dreams of a crucial £90,000 payday were in the balance after Michael Symes equalised for the minnows following Erik Nevland's opener, but Republic of Ireland winger Damien Duff and Hungary's Zoltan Gera ensured there was to be no fairytale ending.

The prize money will be small change to Fulham – it would have been life-changing for John Coleman's side. They have amassed a much-needed cash injection following their run to the fourth round for the first time in 51 years, but there will be regrets.

The tie turned on its head just before half-time, with the teams level. Darran Kempson, already on a yellow, recklessly challenged Gera right in front of referee Stuart Attwell. On a red letter day for Stanley, the red mist descended and Kempson trudged off.

Coleman opted against berating the referee, instead focusing on his side's resilient display. He said: "I thought it was a travesty to be at 1-1 at half time – we played them off the park.

"I am not going to comment on the referee because I might get in trouble. I'm disappointed, I reckon if we had 11 men, we could have won it."

Stanley held out until the 60th minute as Duff profited from a momentary lapse in concentration to squeeze his shot past Dean Bouzanis. Gera then gave the scoreline a flattering outlook when he volleyed home on 81 minutes.

"Our inclination was that they would be a 'long ball' type of team but they were not," said Fulham manager Roy Hodgson.

"They played good football and this was a good experience for us. We are spoiled with our pitches in the Premier League so it was good to sample this sort of test. Their goal was bad from our point of view as it came from a mistake but we composed ourselves in the second half and thankfully it turned out okay."

ACCRINGTON STANLEY (4-4-2): Bouzanis; Kempton, Edwards, Winnard, Lees; Procter, Miles (Joyce 85), Ryan, McConville (Kee 63); Grant, Symes

FULHAM (4-5-1): Schwarzer; Kelly, Hangeland, Hughes, Kallio; (Elm 56)Baird, Gera, (Davies 84), Murphy, Duff (Dikgacoi 68), Riise; Nevland.



This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Monday, January 25, 2010



Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/duff-on-target-as-brave-accrington-give-fulham-a-fright-110475.html#ixzz0dbvnSXZi

[WhiteJC]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jan/25/accrington-stanley-fulham-fa-cup
Fortunate Fulham live to tell the tale of Accrington experience
Accrington Stanley 1 Symes 25 
Fulham 3 Nevland 21, Duff 59, Gera 80 

There was irony in Accrington's manager, John Coleman, bemoaning the lack of a level playing field as the FA Cup's lowest-ranked team made their exit. After all, the portents for a giant-killing heading into this fourth-round tie were good, with the undulating surface at the Crown Ground further corrugated by a combination of collapsed drains and the cold snap.

Indeed, it was the cash-strapped League Two side who adapted best to conditions underfoot, outfoxing opponents 70 rungs higher up English football's ladder at kick‑off with some slick interchanges, only for the most telling passing to be that of Stanley's centre-back Darren Kempson, dismissed shortly before half-time for a second bookable offence. Undeterred by going behind, Accrington were level at that point.

"We absolutely played them off the park in the first half and it was a bit of a travesty we only went in level," said Coleman. "If it had been 11 on 11 there is no way on earth we would have lost the game. But they are not a Premier League side because of luck. They have some very good players and with the space available to them against 10 men you would expect them to exploit it."

Fulham's decision to snub the use of the rickety changing rooms simply added to the comic menace of Accrington's first foray this far in the FA Cup since 1959. "Welcome to hell," chuckled a septegenarian wag among Stanley's support, as the visiting players sauntered on to the pitch for their pre‑match routines, having arrived in full kit. "Be warned when you enter that dip in the corner, you have to go uphill again to get out."

The inhospitable atmosphere, added to by lingering fog, made for a real thud-and-blunder affair but it was from well-crafted openings that Accrington twice tested Mark Schwarzer early on. However, after Erik Nevland stabbed in from close range with Fulham's first chance, it was a Schwarzer gaffe, the ball squirming out of his grasp as he tried to prevent a corner, which allowed Michael Symes to slide in his 14th goal of the season.

Fulham, without a handful of regular starters, inevitably lacked their usual fluency and it was not until the second period when spaces opened up that they began to orchestrate incisive raids, assured finishes from Damien Duff and Zoltan Gera ending Accrington's hopes of a replay.

"You can talk about these pitches and these conditions but until you are actually out there experiencing them it is only words," said the Fulham manager, Roy Hodgson. "We are so unbelievably spoilt these days in the Premier League; every pitch you play on is like a billiard green and it is so much easier to pass the ball."

Man of the match Michael Symes (Accrington Stanley)

[WhiteJC]

http://www.tribalfootball.com/fulham-boss-hodgson-happy-hand-riise-elm-cup-chance-596961
Fulham boss Hodgson happy to hand Riise, Elm Cup chance
25.01.10 | tribalfootball.com

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson was pleased to hand several fringe players their chance in the FA Cup win over Accrington Stanley.

The likes of Bjorn Helge Riise are using the Cup run to establish himself at the Cottagers.

Hodgson told fulhamfc.com: "I'm also pleased that people like Bjorn Helge Riise and David Elm got their chance because they're going to need this type of experience and practice because for a long time they've been sitting on the sidelines watching other people play."

[WhiteJC]

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/huge-relief-for-hodgson-2030014.html
Huge relief for Hodgson
Roy Hodgson was a relieved man after Fulham came through a tricky FA Cup tie at Accrington Stanley thanks to goals from Erik Nevland, Damien Duff and Zoltan Gera.

The win was comfortable enough in the end but Stanley caused plenty of problems in the opening 45 minutes and were unlucky not to be ahead at half-time. The League Two outfit attacked from the first whistle and, having fallen behind to Nevland's strike against the run of play, they took only four minutes to equalise through top-scorer Michael Symes' 14th goal of the season.

Stanley defender Darran Kempson was sent off shortly before half-time and that changed the game, with Hodgson conceding that, up to that point, only the commanding performances of centre-backs Brede Hangeland and Aaron Hughes had kept Fulham in the match.

"You get spoiled in the Premier League," Hodgson said. "You can talk about these pitches and you can talk about these conditions, but until you actually get out there and experience them, it's only words."

Irish Independent

[WhiteJC]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/facup/7067180/Darran-Kempson-sabotages-Accrington-Stanley-FA-Cup-efforts-against-Fulham.html
Darran Kempson sabotages Accrington Stanley FA Cup efforts against Fulham
Fulham did enough to avoid being embarrassed by the lowest ranked team left in the competition.
Yet for almost half of Accrington Stanley's first fourth-round appearance in 51 years the League Two side matched their Premier League guests with a positive and aggressive approach that spilt over to ultimately sabotage their efforts to provide the day's biggest FA Cup upset.

The dismissal three minutes from half-time of defender Darran Kempson for a second yellow card was the catalyst of a tie in which the home side had wiped out the 21st-minute lead Erik Nevland had given Fulham against the run of play, leading scorer Michael Symes delivering his 14th goal of the season.

"That was the first time they had been in our box," said Accrington manager John Coleman who was equally dismissive of the cautions Kempson had received for challenges on Nevland and Zoltan Gora whose third goal 10 minutes from the end followed a second by Damien Duff that took the wind out of Stanley's sails.

Fulham's rally followed a half-time pep talk from manager Roy Hodgson who had been taken by surprise at Accrington's approach. "I was led to believe they were a passing team, but I was surprised at the number of long balls they played and we didn't cope in the first half.

"However, we sorted it out at half time and I was pleased with the second half although we were helped by the fact they had a player sent off. Accrington did set about their task in a very aggressive manner so it wasn't a surprise to see a few yellow cards. It was fortunate for us that they went to the same player."

Hodgson admitted: "It took us a while to get used to the fact that it was going to be difficult to play the ball through midfield. When we did get hold of midfield we started to cause problems and in the end victory was fully deserved although credit to Accrington for the fight they put up and the problems they caused us throughout the game."

Despite three successive league defeats, Fulham remain in the top half of the table and are still actively involved in the Europa League meaning a fifth-round tie compounds the problems for an already stretched injury list.

However, Hodgson took the opportunity to provide chances for Bjorn Helge Riise and David Elm, both of whom were involved in the last two match-defining goals. Hodgson added: "I'm pleased they got their chance because they are going to need this type of experience."

For Accrington there remains the satisfaction of a profitable cup run that will enable them to again wipe out current debts that once more threatened their existence. Having recently returned to the Football League following their demise in 1962, they survived a further winding up order last November and continue to boast they are the club who wouldn't die.

[WhiteJC]

http://community.footballpools.com/blog/2010/01/25/alan-hansens-premier-league-preview-tottenham-v-fulham/
Alan Hansen's Premier League Preview: Tottenham v Fulham
Tottenham were very disappointing in their 2-0 defeat at Anfield following on from another failure to score against Hull at home. Another poor result against Leeds at the weekend has put Spurs under increasing pressure. Harry Redknapp will be more than aware that his side needs to get back on the winning trail and fast, although they won't find Fulham an easy prospect particularly without Aaron Lennon who has been their main creative threat this season.

Harry praised his Croatian midfielders Luka Modric and Niko Kranjcar before the defeat at Liverpool but both were poor on the night. Neither is particularly physical and were simply bullied out of the match by Liverpool's aggressive tackling. Both players are very good technically but have similar strengths in terms of wanting to be on the ball and cutting inside rather than forcing their way down the flanks like Lennon does.

Spurs lacked width at Anfield as both Croatians went looking for the ball rather than hugged the touchline leaving the defence without an out ball apart from hitting it long to Peter Crouch. An option for Harry would be to reinstate David Bentley on the right but he seems way down the Spurs pecking order so unlikely to be involved. Roy Hodgson has made Fulham a very well organised outfit and these encounters have been very tight in recent years with the last two meetings finishing goal-less. I wouldn't be overly surprised if this was another repeat as neither of these sides are full of goals at the moment.

The Cottagers have a pretty poor record at White Hart Lane. They have not won there since August 2003 (three wins & two draws since). That remains Fulham's only league victory at the Lane in 62 years. They've also only scored one goal in their last five visits so it doesn't look prmising for them this midweek. Despite Spurs recent barren run in front of goal which has seen them fail to score in three of the last four league games, I cannot see Roy's team winning this one.

[WhiteJC]

http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/sport/football/4869283.Hodgson_targets_cup_progress/
Hodgson targets cup progress
9:37am Monday 25th January 2010
By Simon Fitzjohn »


Roy Hodgson has targeted FA Cup glory after seeing his Fulham side given a home tie in Sunday's Fifth Round draw.

The Cottagers were drawn against either Notts County or Wigan in a tie to be played on the weekend of February 13/14 after seeing off League Two side Accrington Stanley 3-1 on Saturday.

And, having made the quarter-finals last season before exiting at the hands of Manchester United, Hodgson has set his sights on more success.

He said: "We had a really good run last year and it would be great if we could go even further this time around.

"It may sound obvious but to have a good cup run you have to keep winning your matches and we are well equipped to do that, especially with a home draw next time round.

"The Accrington game was a real banana skin for us, and now we can look forward with confidence."

Erik Nevland, Damien Duff and Zoltan Gera grabbed the goals for the Londoners as they held Accrington at bay.

And Hodgson reckoned it was an ideal test for his side.

He added: "That experience will do the players the world of good.

"There are a lot of players here, especially the foreign ones, that will not have encountered a pitch or atmosphere like that before and it is all part of the learning curve.

"I thought for the first 20 minutes or so we really struggled to get going and we made a lot of wrong decisions.

"All credit to Accrington Stanley for the effort they put into it and they made things very difficult for us.

"We are just happy that the game is behind us and we can move on to further challenges, both in the FA Cup and the Premier League."

Fulham's next three matches: Jan 30 Aston Villa (h), Feb 3 Portsmouth (h), 6 Bolton (a)

[WhiteJC]

http://www.clubcall.com/fulham/cup-draw-delights-hodgson-1012095.html
Cup draw delights Hodgson
Fulham, 10:39, January 25, 2010

Roy Hodgson is setting his sights on an extended run in the FA Cup after seeing Fulham handed a home tie in Sunday's Fifth Round draw.

The Cottagers were drawn against either Notts County or Wigan in a game to be played on the weekend of February 13/14.

Hodgson's men weren't at their best in the previous round, particularly in the first-half against Accrington Stanley, but they eventually came good to see off the League Two side 3-1 thanks to goals by Erik Nevland, Damien Duff and Zoltan Gera.

Fulham reached the quarter-finals last season before going out to Manchester United and it would that defeat is a driving motivation for the manager this term.

He said: "We had a really good run last year and it would be great if we could go even further this time around.

"It may sound obvious but to have a good cup run you have to keep winning your matches and we are well equipped to do that, especially with a home draw next time round.

"The Accrington game was a real banana skin for us, and now we can look forward with confidence.

"That experience will do the players the world of good.

"There are a lot of players here, especially the foreign ones, that will not have encountered a pitch or atmosphere like that before and it is all part of the learning curve."