Thursday Fulham Stuff (27/01/11)...

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Liverpool 1 Fulham 0: Kenny Dalglish wins first game at Anfield since Reds return thanks to John Pantsil own goal


By John Edwards

Last updated at 11:30 AM on 27th January 2011


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There would have been little cause for celebration in Kenny Dalglish's playing days, or first spell as manager, for that matter, but a scrambled own goal was enough to light up Anfield with its favourite son's trademark beaming smile.

Nothing less than the title would do in Dalglish's time as player and rookie boss, but times have changed. Back in the hot seat, and surely detecting a perceptible rise in the temperature, one of the most revered names in the club's history is charged with reviving fortunes that have faltered alarmingly over the past 18 months.


Agonising: Fulham's John Pantsil scores an own-goal to put Liverpool 1-0 up


It has taken him a couple of games, but his magnetic personality is beginning to shine through and galvanise players whose talent had lain dormant for far too long.

A 3-0 win at Wolves set the recovery in motion, and it gathered momentum with a first home win under Dalglish at the second time of asking, albeit with a helping hand from Fulham defender John Pantsil and one or two needless scares near the end. Pantsil's 52nd-minute aberration was hardly a goal that would have graced Liverpool line-ups from the Dalglish era, but no-one cared. Not least, the great man himself.

A second straight win lifted Liverpool to seventh in the Barclays Premier League and, forgetting the fortuitous nature of the goal, contained enough encouraging pointers to suggest they can climb still higher.

Fernando Torres once more looks like a striker trying to work out where he can move in the opposition penalty area, rather than the transfer market, Raul Meireles is starting to show why Liverpool paid £11.5million for him and Steven Gerrard appears reinvigorated by the presence of his childhood idol at the helm.


Off target: Martin Skrtel rises over everyone but can't trouble the keeper

As an even more startling example of the change of mood, since Dalglish took over from Roy Hodgson, Christian Poulsen is in danger of winning over his arch-critics on the Kop.

The Denmark midfielder has been vilified for much of his brief stay on Merseyside but got a huge cheer from the Anfield audience when he made way for Fabio Aurelio after 80 minutes of honest endeavour.

There was much to be optimistic about, barely three weeks into Dalglish's second spell, and the passage towards three points might have been that much smoother, but for a linesman denying Torres an early breakthrough with a dubious offside decision in the sixth minute.

Liverpool's £21m record signing latched on to a through ball from Meireles and had already finished with aplomb by the time the linesman cut short the celebrations with the most marginal of rulings.


Rejected! Fulham goalkeeper David Stockdale denies Raul Meireles.

Just four days after the 'Linogate' affair was sparked about referee's assistant Sian Massey, linesman Mick McDonough ruled out the goal. But whereas Massey got her borderline decision correct in ruling Meireles onside before he set up Torres for the opening goal at Wolves on Saturday, McDonough flagged the striker offside.

Home fans taunted him with chants of 'There's only one Sian Massey'. Dalglish said afterwards: 'Fernando's goal was onside but we never got it. It's a great credit to the lads that it didn't get on their backs.'

Fulham doubtless consider Mark Schwarzer's untimely absence on international duty with Australia to be a blow to their defensive solidity, but they appear to have a capable deputy in David Stockdale, who added his name to the lengthy list of visiting keepers to excel at Anfield.

Meireles' header from Martin Kelly's 11th-minute cross looked goalbound, until Stockdale sprang to his right to turn it away and this was just one of many excellent saves.


Back in the dugout: Recently appointed Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish

The goal came when Dirk Kuyt intercepted a wayward pass and set up Torres for a low drive that deflected off Brede Hangeland and bounced back off a post. In the mayhem that followed, Pantsil did his best to clear but sliced the ball past Stockdale and over the line.

There was still time for Fulham to threaten an equaliser, not least when Hangeland had a header cleared off the line, but Liverpool stood firm. Dalglish admitted: 'To be perfectly honest Fulham will be feeling little hard done by. They'll think they deserved something from the game.'

Fulham boss Mark Hughes said: 'We really took the game to Liverpool and not to get anything out of it is very disappointing, because we certainly deserved something.'


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1350833/Liverpool-1-Fulham-0-Kenny-Dalglish-wins-game-Anfield-Reds-return-thanks-John-Pantsil-goal.html#ixzz1CF6UjTAK

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Hughes ready to concede defeat on SWP

Published 12:45 27/01/11


By MirrorFootball



Fulham manager Mark Hughes is ready to concede defeat in his bid to sign Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips before the end of the transfer window.

Hughes brought the England international back to Eastlands from Chelsea when he was City manager in the summer of 2008.

He was hoping to sign the 29-year-old for the Cottagers but negotiations have hit a stumbling block - reported to be wages which City will not subsidise - which Hughes is not sure can be overcome.

"We've enquired, that is well documented, but it seems that it is becoming more and more difficult and more things are being put in our way to stop us being able to conclude that," he said.

Hughes has, however, brought in Chelsea forward Gael Kakuta on loan until the end of the season.

"He is an exciting young talent and we were pleased we were able to bring him to the club," the Cottagers boss added.

"He has got good technical ability and pace, which we maybe lack in certain positions."

Hughes has not ruled out making more signings before next Monday.

"We will look and see what is out there but in fairness we are getting close to the end of the window and anything we get in now we have to be certain it will make a real difference to us," he said.

"We have a good group here but if there are other players who have different skill sets who might enhance it we would look at it."



Read more: http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Fulham-transfer-news-Mark-Hughes-ready-to-concede-defeat-on-Shaun-Wright-Phillips-swoop-article683417.html#ixzz1CF9mvVBk

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Liverpool 1-0 Fulham: Slice of luck for Kenny


Published 21:49 26/01/11

By David Maddock

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It is too late, surely, to mount a top four challenge, but Liverpool at least emerged from a bizarre contest with the smell of Europe in their nostrils last night.

Victory, thanks to a quite surreal own goal from the hapless Fulham defender John Pantsil in a quite surreal game, moves the Reds into seventh in the Premier League, and reinforces the idea that King Kenny still has the Midas touch.

It was hardly the most convincing of wins, and Liverpool were left clinging on at the end as though they were facing Barcelona, not a side who have won 10 times in their last 107 away leagues games.

But no matter the manner of it, this victory gives Dalglish the best win ratio of any manager in the club's history - and suggests that the fates are sufficiently behind him to allow a viable attempt at a Europa League placing still.

It is not only the style of football that has changed under the new manager, with a brisker, more typical passing game at Anfield now. It is the atmosphere too, thanks to the return of this legendary figure in Liverpool's history.

Few would argue against his effect. After a fairly ordinary, subdued performance from his side last night, the luck that turned the contest Liverpool's way - and kept them ahead in a frantic finale - suggested even the Gods are on his side.

The goal, on 51 minutes, that eventually turned the game came after two deflections directed the ball fortuitously to Fernando Torres and even more fortunately onto a post, and then Pantsil somehow contrived to slice the ball into his own net in the ensuing scramble, when it would have been easier to stuff it up his jumper and smuggle it away.

If, as they have often complained, Liverpool have lacked luck this season, then it finally, spectacularly, took their side last night, and puts them into a position where a top six place - and interestingly, a higher placing that last season - now becomes a real possibility for Dalglish's men.

Given they are in the same position as Rafa Benitez finished last season and still hankering for more money to invest in an obviously under-strength squad, it is as though the brief Hodgson era in between didn't happen.

But there is a new found sense of optimism around the place, not least among the fans who can hardly be blamed for believing that everything the king touches really does turn to gold.

Earlier this season, the tension that gripped the crowd and the players themselves would have resulted in a disaster at the end. But somehow Liverpool rode their luck - even if they will wonder how this morning.

After taking that fortunate lead, they never really killed off their opponents, and then faced a barrage in the final 10 minutes or so, from a succession of corners, that the home side struggled to deal with.

Aaron Hughes almost scored from one, denied only by the athleticism of Pepe Reina, and then Raul Meireles cleared from the line when Brede Hangeland header goalwards from the next corner.

The worst miss though, came two minutes from time, when another corner saw the ball drop at Mousa Dembele's feet, but criminally, the striker shot too weakly at Reina from barely four yards out.

It wasn't the Fulham forward's only crime of the night. Just before the interval he wasted another glorious opportunity to have sent his side into the break in the lead - and a chance to further quieten the nervous crowd.

Like Clint Dempsey before him, he shot too close and too tamely to Reina, leaving it as the story of Fulham's night. For Liverpool, that lack of a clinical finish was the fate they needed.

Mind you, it wasn't the only time the fates contrived on the evening. There is an unspoken rule in football that suggests if fate can deliver some delicious irony in the game, then it inevitably will.

Whether it is fate, or Karma, or just plain coincidence, it was surely inevitable that this match would be underscored with a controversy surrounding a referee's assistant, given the furore that surrounded Sian Massey's competent running of the line at Wolves on Saturday.

There, Liverpool enjoyed a victory in part because of her correct call on marginal offside decisions, despite the questions in some Neanderthal quarters about her knowledge of the rule.

Here, of course, they were denied what seemed a perfectly good goal on six minutes by a linesman getting his call wrong, when Fernando Torres was clearly onside as he raced onto a Raul Meireles through ball, and coolly stroked home, only for play to be called back.

The irony would not be lost on Ms Massey, surely, given it was the official's eyesight, not his gender, that was called into question.

Somehow, that mistake seemed to set a tone for much of the rest of the game, where Liverpool passed the ball rather more fluently than they have previously this season, but still possessed the inexplicable lethargy that has dogged their campaign.

David Stockdale in the visiting goal saved well from Meireles and then Glen Johnson, but that was it for the home side, and they had some good fortune and some bad finishing to thank for this latest chapter in Kenny's legend - but it is still a record-breaking win in the history books.

**

Liverpool: Reina 7; Kelly 7, Skrtel 6, Agger 6, G Johnson 6; Gerrard 7, Poulsen 7 (Aurelio 80); Kuyt 6 (Shelvey 66, 6), Meireles 7, Maxi 6; Torres 6.

Fulham: Stockdale 7; Pantsil 6, Hughes 7, Hangeland 7, Baird 6; Duff 6 (Gera 63, 6), Murphy 7, Sidwell 6, Dempsey 6; A Johnson 6, Dembele 5.

Referee: Lee Probert 6.

Hero: Pepe Reina made three important saves for his side to keep them level when the crowd were restless, and ultimately set up victory

Villain: John Pantsil will undoubtedly end up on Soccer AM's Taxi For.... section, after the most horrendous error to someone score an own goal from one yard.

Match stat: The only Fulham player to score a hat trick against Liverpool is Elton John's uncle, Roy Dwight, back in 1956.



Read more: http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Liverpool-1-0-Fulham-Slice-of-luck-for-Kenny-Dalglish-as-John-Pantsil-own-goal-puts-Reds-up-to-seventh-article682963.html#ixzz1CFAglpOg

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Liverpool 1 Fulham 0


By PHIL THOMAS

Published: 26 Jan 2011



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KENNY DALGLISH may have spent much of his second coming bemoaning Liverpool's fortune.
But today he will be thanking his lucky stars thanks to a gift-wrapped winner mixed with last-ditch defending and comic finishing.

The goal, seven minutes after the break, was fitting for the game as a whole, scrappy as it was.

Fernando Torres' edge-of-the-box strike ricocheted against a post off Brede Hangeland and spun back across goal.

John Pantsil tried to clear but merely sent it arcing into the air and David Stockdale made a frantic grasp to smother.

The Fulham keeper got his fingertips to it, but that was enough to stop Pantsil getting a proper connection and the full-back watched as his miscue bounced into his own net.

If that alone was not fortunate enough for the Reds, you can throw in a goal-line clearance, a couple of fine stops from Pepe Reina and a woeful open goal attempt from Moussa Dembele.

Not that anyone with a Liverpool shirt allegiance was about to complain.

The fact that the points took them into seventh - their highest position of the campaign - speaks volumes about what has gone on around Anfield these past few months.

Yet Pantsil was not the only one to drop a clanger as the officials threatened to become the talking point once more.

Just six minutes were on the clock when Raul Meireles slid the perfect pass for Torres and the Spaniard finished with a flourish.

Yet those celebrations were cut short by the raised flag of linesman Mike McDonagh - late at that - whose decision was instantly proved wrong by TV replays. Where's Sian Massey when you need here, eh?

It was cruel, too, on Meireles, whose Anfield career has arguably taken off more than any other since Dalglish returned.

Yet while his radar was spot-on with his stunning volley at Wolves, last night it was slightly off beam but still good enough to force a fine Stockdale save to keep out his header.

Mind you, the Portuguese midfielder's most crucial intervention came at the other end as Fulham had Liverpool fighting to hang on in the closing minutes.

Aaron Hughes and Clint Dempsey had already tested Reina when Hangeland powered a header goalwards.

This time the Liverpool keeper was nowhere, but fortunately Meireles was on the spot as he turned away Hangeland's effort under the shadow of the crossbar.

Throw in a pitiful first-half shot from Dembele, firing tamely straight at Reina when unmarked just 10 yards out, and little wonder Mark Hughes was left cursing.

What a difference it was to the last occasion Fulham visited Anfield to face a Reds side managed by King Kenny.

That had ended in a 10-0 League Cup drubbing back in 1986 - still the Reds' record domestic victory.

Last night was never going to come close, even though Kop fans had every reason to expect an easier time of things than in reality.

After all, Fulham had NEVER left Anfield as winners in 29 previous visits.

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If Torres' early strike had been allowed of course, we could have been talking of a far different story.

It certainly will not be a tale Pantsil looks back on with any fondness and a stricter referee than Lee Probert could well have given him his marching orders.

He was lucky to escape a card for squaring up to Steven Gerrard after nothing more than a robust but legal touchline challenge.

And then he did land in the book as he followed up a trip on Glen Johnson by trying to burst through a crowd of players with arms flailing.

Flailing almost as much as those desperate Reds defenders in the closing minutes.

Do not be fooled into thinking King Kenny's golden touch has rubbed off just yet.

He may have sprinkled a little magic dust around but there is still a heck of a lot more to be covered.

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/9377834.stm


Fulham v Tottenham (1630 GMT)

Fulham are playing well at the moment and they were unlucky not to leave Anfield with a point, at the very least, on Wednesday night. Spurs, on the other hand, saw off Charlton easily enough in the Cup in round three but they have now gone three games without a win in the league.

This is the sort of game I would love to go to, especially as it is at Craven Cottage, because I think it is a great place to watch football. With it being an all-London clash, there should be a really feisty atmosphere, with Fulham coming out on top.

Prediction: 2-1

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http://fulham.theoffside.com/david-stockdale/the-one-that-got-away.html


The One That Got Away...


By: Jason Gatties | January 27th, 2011

     
So close.

Missed opportunities and one ugly own goal prevented Fulham from picking up a point at Anfield yesterday as the Whites fell 1-0 to Liverpool.

Perspective is amazing to me. I spent last night reading various Liverpool blogs to gauge their reaction to yesterday's match and the way many of those bloggers viewed the match differs from what I watched on television. In my view, not only did Fulham "hang" with the Reds for much of the match, I believe we actually outplayed Liverpool during certain stretches of the match, including the final 10 minutes or so. I hate "moral victories" as much as any supporter, but yesterday felt less like a loss and more like one that got away.

Liverpool pressured the boys early on and tested David Stockdale (who was a beast yesterday). Fernando Torres had a disallowed goal early on due to the offside flag being raised. Yeah, the goal should of counted but get over it Reds fans, that's football.  Clint Dempsey & Moussa Dembele tested Pepe Reina's resolve early on, but the Reds keeper stepped up to that challenge.  The back and forth action continued until the half, where the score was knotted at 0-0.

The even play continued in the 2nd half until the 52nd minute, when a string of errors lead to an own goal, which would provide Liverpool's margin of victory. Dempsey sent a sloppy back pass back towards the box, which was promptly collected by Torres, who fired a shot past Stockdale that deflected off the post. After a few comedic moments (which wasn't funny at all) where the ball seemed to hover just in front of the goal with the Cottager defense attempting in vain to clear the ball, John Pantsil finally did the deed, taking a slice to clear it but instead, sending the ball into the back of the net.

URRRRGH

Fulham would come back strong thanks to the play of Dempsey & Andy Johnson as Fulham looked to even the score. Dembele had an absolute brilliant chance late right in front of goal, only to kick the ball straight to Reina.  The match would end 1-0 and Fulham supporters worldwide would walk away proud of the way our boys played, but frustrated over what might have been.

Fulham didn't deserve a point yesterday, they deserved three. We must wait for our first Anfield victory but we can move forward with the knowledge that we out played the Reds in front of a hostile crowd. I wouldn't want to be Spurs on Sunday.

COYW!

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http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/football/article-23918029-fulham-are-heading-in-the-right-direction-despite-unlucky-defeat-says-mark-hughes.do


Fulham are heading in the right direction despite unlucky defeat, says Mark Hughes

David Smith


27 Jan 2011


Mark Hughes today chose to seek solace in Fulham's improving form rather than dwell on the implications of a defeat at Liverpool that has plunged his side back into the thick of the Premier League relegation fight.

An own-goal by the unlucky John Pantsil leaves Fulham just four points above the drop zone and they have played more games than West Brom and Birmingham immediately below them.

Yet having previously banked 10 of a possible 15 points, Hughes insisted that Fulham's players can remain buoyant going into Sunday's FA Cup derby at home to Tottenham, not least because they out-performed Liverpool and gave Kenny Dalglish little reason to celebrate his first home win since replacing former Craven Cottage boss Roy Hodgson earlier in the month.

Hughes said: "This doesn't dent our confidence at all because we're playing well at the moment. Everybody at Anfield saw that we're a good side, an accomplished side.

"We know where we're going, we're growing as a team and we're getting stronger. We know what we're trying to achieve and we'll get there.

"The frustration is that it seems, in some games, any mistake we make is punished and we don't quite get the run of the ball when things need to run for us in the box.

"In this game we had a number of those opportunities where the ball didn't quite fall nicely for us, in comparison to how it fell nicely for Liverpool. We were shaking our heads in the dressing room. I've been involved in many teams as a player and as a manager at Anfield and been totally dominated. But it was the complete opposite in this game.

"It was the most one-sided performance from one of my teams. Unfortunately, we didn't get any reward for it. As the away side, to come here and take the game to Liverpool and not get anything out of it is disappointing, because we did deserve something.

"Apart from a spell five or 10 minutes after half-time, when maybe we invited a little bit of pressure and unfortunately conceded the goal, I think we were by far the dominant team."

To the unbiased eye, that was probably stretching it. After all, Liverpool were denied a goal in the sixth minute when an otherwise impotent Fernando Torres ran onto a neat through ball provided by the impressive Raul Meireles and cooly beat David Stockdale only for assistant referee Mick McDonough to flag for offside.

However, where the much-discussed Sian Massey got a close call right in Liverpool's win at Wolves on Saturday, McDonough clearly got it wrong last night leading to vocal Scouse wisecrackers questioning the ability of this particular male to understand the offside rule.

More Liverpool pressure forced three great saves from Stockdale who first blocked Dirk Kuyt from close range, then parried Meireles's flicked header, and finally palmed a dipping, swerving long-range shot from Glen Johnson over the bar.

Stockdale's form - last night's match was the first in nine competitive starts this season that the youngster had been on a losing Fulham side - will give Hughes a selection headache when Mark Schwarzer returns from Sunday's Asian Cup Final in Qatar between his Australian Socceroos and Japan.

Hughes said: "It's a decision to make but I don't have to do it yet. Mark is our number one keeper but David has done exceptionally well. We've got an outstanding young keeper and that's reassuring. But we've got a very accomplished senior keeper as well."

Inspired by Stockdale, Fulham started to play Liverpool at their own passing game, and played it much better.

Clint Dempsey did not have one of his better nights but still forced Pepe Reina to make two attempts at a rasping left-footer in the 28th minute.

Two minutes later Andy Johnson repeated his trick against Stoke on Saturday, which resulted in the first of Dempsey's brace, by turning the ball back from the goal-line, this time for Mousa Dembele to swivel and shoot first time straight into Reina's arms.

Dembele then had another shot bundled away by Reina, Aaron Hughes saw his header palmed round a post and Brede Hangeland had his own header cleared off the line by Meireles.

But by then Liverpool had stolen a 52nd-minute lead when Dempsey carelessly lost possession just inside his own half and Stockdale deflected the resulting Torres effort onto his left-hand post.

The shot rebounded into the goalmouth where Pantsil got entangled with his keeper and cruelly diverted the ball into his own net.

Hughes admitted: "There were things prior to it becoming an own goal that we could have addressed and nipped in the bud. Unfortunately we didn't and that's a disappointment."

At least he can now look forward to calling on France teenager Gael Kakuta, loaned from Chelsea until the end of the season, against Newcastle at Craven Cottage next Wednesday - the winger is cup-tied and cannot play against Spurs this weekend.

Hughes said: "Kakuta is an exciting young talent and we're pleased that we're able to bring him to the club. He's got good technical ability, he can take people on and he's got a little bit of pace as well, which maybe we lack in certain positions."

But interest in Manchester City's Shaun Wright-Phillips has cooled.

Hughes said: "We've inquired, that's well documented. However, it is becoming more difficult - there are things being put in our way to stop us being able to conclude anything."

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1351068/Wright-Phillips-Fulham-Man-City-hits-rocks.html

Wright-Phillips' Fulham move hits the rocks as Man City refuse to help pay his wages


By Sportsmail Reporter


Last updated at 2:03 PM on 27th January 2011


Fulham manager Mark Hughes is ready to concede defeat in his bid to sign Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips before the end of the transfer window.

Hughes was hoping to sign the 29-year-old for the Cottagers but negotiations have hit a stumbling block with City not willing to subsidise Wright-Phillips' wages as part of the deal.
Hughes brought the England international back to Eastlands from Chelsea when he was City manager in the summer of 2008.
Stranded: Shaun Wright-Phillips may have to spend longer on the Man City bench after his Fulham move hit a snag
'We've enquired, that is well documented, but it seems that it is becoming more and more difficult and more things are being put in our way to stop us being able to conclude that,' he said.

Hughes has, however, brought in Chelsea forward Gael Kakuta on loan until the end of the season.

'He is an exciting young talent and we were pleased we were able to bring him to the club,' the Cottagers boss added.

'He has got good technical ability and pace, which we maybe lack in certain positions.'
Still in the market: Mark Hughes hopes to add to his squad before the transfer window closes on Monday night
Hughes has not ruled out making more signings before next Monday.

'We will look and see what is out there but in fairness we are getting close to the end of the window and anything we get in now we have to be certain it will make a real difference to us,' he said.

'We have a good group here but if there are other players who have different skill sets who might enhance it we would look at it.'



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1351068/Wright-Phillips-Fulham-Man-City-hits-rocks.html#ixzz1CFovic8Z

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http://blogs.soccernet.com/fulham/archives/2011/01/an_opportunity_missed.php

An Opportunity Missed


Posted by Phil Mison 3 hours, 6 minutes ago


© Getty Images


That Anfield hoodoo will have to live on for another year. We're well used to Fulham losing on the road, because let's face it, we do it so often, but defeat in such a manner does hurt.
'King' Kenny gave his honest assessment on the final whistle. "Fulham probably deserved something from the game. They did a good job on us."

For the first time this season I failed to see the game nor followed it on TV/internet. I had a long-standing public speaking engagement before the date got rearranged. I would be doing a disservice to come on this blog and start levelling criticism of the performance, though I have caught some video highlights and monitored all today's other forums.

The platform therefore is thrown open to you guys to let me know what you thought of defeat at Liverpool, where it seems we failed to make the most of our opportunities. I have to say, the goal was a real comedy of errors, instigated by Dempsey's foolish back pass, and Dembele might have shown more conviction in front of goal. I certainly appreciated all the pre-match posts we got from Liverpool fans, having dared to criticise their shortcomings. They are the ones with bragging rights today having soared to a lofty 7th in the league, but to my mind they remain a mid-table side. It wasn't the pasting for Fulham some of their more rabid fans predicted and Liverpool were hanging on at the end.

So I'm relying on my army of regular posters to redress the balance and give us some perspective. I guess the bottom line is - and it's been our problem season on season in the Prem - if you don't score away from home you can't win. Where did we go wrong?

I will however elaborate on the issue of Dembele's failings yesterday to put the ball away on a couple of plays. The guy is not an out and out striker, and in the current set-up is probably not playing in his preferred position. Examine his playing record prior to Fulham and he's never been prolific. A goalscoring machine like Gordon Davies in his prime would have won you the game yesterday.

Players such as Owen in his pomp, Fowler, Andy Cole and Shearer all possessed an instinct for finishing that cannot be taught. Our Gordon was also part of that special breed. While modern players have tactics rammed down their throat to 'hold up the ball,' 'track back' or 'work the channels' once Davies was on the pitch football to him could not have been less complicated. He spent the whole 90 minutes looking to beat the keeper. Sometimes from out by the corner flag, at the back post in a goalmouth melee, or letting fly on the run from 25 yards.
He was never afraid to have a pop, even if the fans jeered. "You can't score if you don't shoot," he said to me on countless occasions.

That's why he ended his career as Fulham's all time top scorer, and I count myself lucky to have seen a vast majority of those goals. They went in from everywhere and in any old fashion. I well recall the one that levelled Haynes record at home to Mansfield, as scruffy as you like from a tight angle at the Putney End in front of 4,000 odd people. In our 'so nearly' year of 82/3 under Malcolm McDonald we were scintillating in a 4-1 win at Newcastle early in the season. Davies scored what everyone agreed had to be the BBC's 'Goal of the Season.' Cravenly, Beeb bosses decreed it could not go to a '2nd division side' so Davies effort got politically demoted to runner-up. Supermac, no stranger to banging in the goals himself, turned to his staff on the bench that famous day at St James Park and muttered, "How on earth did he score that?"

So let's not be too harsh on Moussa. I sensed the cogs turning in that congested goalmouth as the bill skipped along the 6 yard line towards him. He stuck out a boot without conviction...the chance was squandered. You can make a comparison with golf here. Stand on the tee looking to crack a drive way down the middle and the more you contemplate all the variables that may be out of alignment, hips, shoulder turn, wrists, weight, stance...the worse the shot will be.
Eradicate all those thoughts, swing sweet and free as the professionals are grooved to do, and watch that ball go. It's instinctive when it's right. As close to Zen as you get in sport.

That's the quality that makes the natural goalscorer such a prized asset. Andy Johnson at his best and untroubled by injury has the quality. Never let self doubt invade your precious inner mental chamber. Do that and genie flies from the bottle in a flash. Ask Owen. Gordon never had any doubts.

So we put the Liverpool result behind us and have lost no real ground in our battle to steer clear of the drop. After the recent round of games I see stormclouds gathering for both Wolves and Wigan, sense West Ham may still have some fight in them, though their defence is woeful, Villa are on the up, Birmingham should be worried, and - for all their plucky displays thus far, I wonder if Blackpool might be in for a tricky final third of the season?

Build up to the big Cup tie with Spurs on Sunday to follow this week. Will be a cracker! I think some of our American friends are heading over soon for upcoming games. Let me know.

COYW - here's to a memorable end of season. Twitter@fulhamphil

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http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/football/853899-niko-kranjcar-eyed-by-fulham-after-shaun-wright-phillips-move-collapses

Niko Kranjcar 'eyed by Fulham after Shaun Wright-Phillips move collapses'

Fulham manager Mark Hughes is rumoured to have switched his attention to signing Niko Kranjcar from north London rivals Tottenham after attempts to bring in Shaun Wright-Phillips fell through.


Niko Kranjcar is surplus to requirements at Spurs (Pic: EPA)


Hughes was keen to bring in Wright-Phillips on loan but Manchester City's refusal to pay a wage-subsidy has led to Hughes backing out of the deal.


'We've enquired, that is well documented, but it seems that it is becoming more and more difficult and more things are being put in our way to stop us being able to conclude that,' Hughes said.


Kranjcar's future at White Hart Lane has been left to deteriorate and with Steven Pienaar joining the squad, the 26-year-old is now even further down manager Harry Redknapp's pecking order.

Bundesliga side Werder Bremen are understood to have expressed interest in the Croatian, but a move across town to Craven Cottage has also been suggested.


Hughes said any new player would have to add a new dimension to the squad and Kranjcar's ability to fashion something from nothing could be his ticket back to winning Premier League game time.

MORE: Spurs transfer news

'We will look and see what is out there but in fairness we are getting close to the end of the window and anything we get in now we have to be certain it will make a real difference to us,' he said.


'We have a good group here but if there are other players who have different skill sets who might enhance it we would look at it.'

MORE: Fulham transfer news

Kranjcar joined Spurs from Portsmouth in 2009 and has made 29 appearances netting six goals.


Both Paul Konchesky and Kranjcar will be prime targets for Hughes after he secured Chelsea attacker Gael Kakuta on-loan until the end of the season. 



Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/football/853899-niko-kranjcar-eyed-by-fulham-after-shaun-wright-phillips-move-collapses#ixzz1CFtO5dOx

[White Noise]

Up for the Cup


Thursday 27th January 2011




David Stockdale has set his sights on a place in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup sponsored by E.ON as Fulham face Tottenham in the Fourth Round at Craven Cottage on Sunday|.

The young goalkeeper has produced a number of impressive performances for the Whites in Mark Schwarzer's absence - with his most recent display at Anfield against Liverpool drawing wide praise.

Tottenham have already recorded two league victories over the Whites this season and whilst Stockdale is anticipating a challenging Cup encounter, he believes a win is an attainable outcome.

"I don't like to think of games as hard," he explained. "I believe in my team-mates and that they'll pull through. All games are hard in different ways, the Manager's told us to treat every game like a big game and that's what we're doing at the moment.

"We just focus on ourselves and not what's coming against us – we know they've got a lot of good players. You can't pick individuals out with the amount of talent they have in their team. We need to think about what we did at their place and build on that."

Looking to his own performances and the imminent return of Mark Schwarzer, Stockdale is hoping that his displays will give Manager Mark Hughes a selection headache.

"I've got ambitions but I don't like to think about it too much or get ahead of myself," he said. "I'm just trying to give the Manager a dilemma here at Fulham when Mark comes back from international duty. That's all I'm thinking about at the moment."


Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/January/StockdaleSpursCupPreview.aspx#ixzz1CFu4nFOx

[White Noise]

ZOLTAN GERA

Fulham to Blackpool

THE INSIDER says: 1/5


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1351094/Celtic-set-sights-Stoke-defender-Abdoulaye-Faye--THE-INSIDER.html#ixzz1CFwKUvmQ



Gera's representatives have held talks with Fulham who have expressed a desire to trigger a clause in his contract where he extends his stay at Craven Cottage for another season.

However, the Hungary international wants to play more and, conscious that manager Mark Hughes is looking to bring in two more attack-minded please before Tuesday believes a move away is in his best interests.

Sampdoria and Genoa have shown interest and outlined possible £1million offers but neither have come to fruition.

Wolfsburg are juggling several targets while Blackpool are also mooted to be interested.

The latter would be difficult to pull off as Blackpool are unlikely to break their wage ceiling of £10,000 a week and at 31, Gera is looking for a better contract rather than one that would see him take a substantial cut.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1351094/Celtic-set-sights-Stoke-defender-Abdoulaye-Faye--THE-INSIDER.html#ixzz1CFw0wqrg