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Monday Fulham Stuff (31/01/11)

Started by WhiteJC, January 31, 2011, 06:53:43 AM

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WhiteJC

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2011/01/30/2330692/liverpool-defender-paul-konchesky-to-move-to-nottingham

Liverpool defender Paul Konchesky to move to Nottingham Forest on loan - report

Liverpool full-back Paul Konchesky looks set to move to Championship side Nottingham Forest on loan after a proposed move to his old club Fulham fell through.

Konchesky had looked set to move back to west London, but they were unable to offload Carlos Salcido who has failed to settle in England since his summer move from PSV Eindhoven, which could see the left back move to Forest for the rest of the season, according to The Times.

The Englishman was bought by previous manager Roy Hodgson and was the focus of much criticism during the early part of the season.

He has however not figured for Liverpool since Kenny Dalglish took over the reins with the Scot favouring even Glen Johnson to play out of position rather than Konchesky.

Fifa rules stipulate that no player can play for three different clubs in a single season and Konchesky has already played for both Fulham and Liverpool.

However Konchesky's move would be treated as an emergency loan and as such the rules do not come into force, much to the relief of the defender who has been out in the cold for a number of weeks now.

A three month loan deal is expected to be confirmed on Monday however there is no suggestion as yet that the move will include an agreement for the player to join permanently at the end of the season.

WhiteJC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/9379083.stm

BBC: Fulham   4 - 0   Tottenham

Fulham struck four times in a stunning first 45 minutes at Craven Cottage to destroy Tottenham's FA Cup ambitions.

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp watched in horror as his team - so impressive in the Premier League and the Champions League - were simply swept aside as a rampant Fulham had a fifth-round home tie against Bolton or Wigan safely wrapped up by half-time.

Tottenham's fate was sealed in the first 15 minutes as the home side's captain Danny Murphy scored twice from the spot after fouls on Clint Dempsey and Moussa Dembele by Alan Hutton and Michael Dawson respectively, the second bringing a red card for the England defender.

The Cottagers took heavy toll of a Spurs team in tatters and at a numerical disadvantage as Brede Hangeland turned in the third from a corner after 23 minutes and Dembele's solo effort made it four seconds before the interval.

The scoreline could have had an even more humiliating look for the visitors with Aaron Hughes hitting the bar with a header and Jermaine Jenas clearing off the line from Hangeland as he pounced on the rebound in the dying moments.

The north Londoners were without the injured Gareth Bale and Redknapp's decision to choose a midfield light on any physical presence backfired as Fulham overpowered Steven Pienaar and Luka Modric, allowing the pace and power of Dembele, Dempsey and Andrew Johnson to create havoc.

In contrast, the home side were vibrant and inventive from the first whistle as they produced a performance to support manager Mark Hughes' growing belief that his reign at Craven Cottage is finally taking shape.

Spurs still have the consolation of contesting major prizes at home and abroad, but this was a harrowing experience for a club and support that always cherishes the magic of the FA Cup.

Redknapp's team selection had a very attacking appearance. And a flawed combination of a lightweight midfield and shambolic defending was ruthlessly exposed by their opponents.

Dempsey had posted the warning signals by troubling the visitors twice in the air before a three-minute spell early on effectively decided the outcome of the tie.

The United States midfield man invited a reckless challenge from Hutton in the area after 11 minutes and Murphy demonstrated his usual composure from spot.

Fulham swiftly doubled their lead when the bustling Dembele harassed Dawson into conceding possession before the Spurs skipper attempted to haul him back by the shirt in desperation. Referee Phil Dowd allowed Dembele to get a shot in on goal before pointing to the spot and showing the defender a red card.

Murphy completed the formalities again and the visitors, two goals and a man down, were tumbling out of the FA Cup.
Redknapp attempted to stem the tidal wave of attacks sweeping towards the Tottenham goal by bringing on William Gallas for Sandro, but the momentum was all with Fulham and the switch failed to bring the desired effect.

Dempsey swept Johnson's cross on to the top of the bar and the striker saw a shot gathered at the second attempt by Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes. Dembele was also just off target before the Cottagers continued the rout with a third goal in the 23rd minute.

Johnson's flick from a corner found Hangeland completely unmarked at the far post and the big defender had time and space to snuff out any lingering prospect of a Spurs recovery with a simple finish.

And the dangerous Dembele left Fulham's fans almost harbouring a sense of disbelief when he made it 4-0 in first-half injury time. He was allowed freedom by Sebastien Bassong to race unchallenged at the heart of the defence and made them pay the price by sending a low, powerful finish past Gomes.

Redknapp introduced Peter Crouch for Jermain Defoe at the start of the second half, but the change was simply an illustration of the damage limitation exercise being mounted by Spurs after the horrors of the first 45 minutes.

Normal service was resumed after a spell of urgency from Redknapp's men, with Dempsey testing Gomes from long range before firing just over the top from an angle.

Tottenham barely mounted an attack worthy of the name after the break and Fulham will feel aggrieved they did not add to their goals tally with a flurry of opportunities in the closing moments.

Craven Cottage celebrated in style at the final whistle - but this was a game Redknapp and his badly beaten side will want to forget in a hurry.

WhiteJC

http://life.hereisthecity.com/2011/01/31/fulhams-variety-act-leaves-10-man-tottenham-in-disarray/?

Fulham's Variety Act Leaves 10-man Tottenham In Disarray

Status should come with a health warning. Tottenham Hotspur, for the first time in their history, are looking forward to a tie in the last 16 of the Champions League but it looked here as if everyday life had become a mystery to them.

So disoriented were they that Craven Cottage appeared even less familiar to Harry Redknapp's team than San Siro will be when they take on Milan. Fulham's disbelief over the outcome of this FA Cup tie must have been as great as that of the spectators.

This is the club's record victory over Tottenham, yet it looked all but unavoidable and not only because the captain, Michael Dawson, was sent off when the score stood at 1-0. Fulham advance to a fifth-round home tie with Bolton or Wigan. Tottenham, for their part, move into a period of self-analysis as they ask how they could have been so incompetent.

Mark Hughes's side caused such havoc from the outset that a startling result had the tone of an inevitability well before the close. The Fulham support was so much at ease that it relished early mockery when chanting "You might as well go home" to the visiting fans. The latter might have taken it as compassionate advice. Only the thought of further derision on the way to the exits kept them in their seats.

There was a tinge of clemency at least since the scoring had been completed by half-time. Blame can be pinned on Dawson for getting himself sent off in the 14th minute, but the captain, as he conceded a penalty, had no more than a severe case of the bewilderment that was everywhere in his team. That spot-kick was the secondfrom which Fulham prospered during the opening quarter of an hour.

Alan Hutton, the visitors' right-back, had signalled the general lack of concentration as he needlessly brought down Clint Dempsey. Danny Murphy then converted the first of the penalties after 11 minutes.

In theory the situation might just have been recoverable by Tottenham, bland as their three-man attack had been at that stage, but there was no substance in midfield to check Fulham for long. Tottenham's back four, for their part, were just too woozy to limit the damage.

The next penalty came three minutes later as Dawson took the witless decision to tug back Moussa Dembélé, who had run past him and into the area. After the red card for the defender, Murphy slotted home once again. For the sake of variety, the third goal arose from a different sort of set piece. In the 23rd minute Andy Johnson glanced on a Damien Duff corner and Brede Hangeland knocked the ball into the net.

The entire victory was as elementary as that goal. It looked effortless for Dembélé to go past Sébastien Bassong in first-half stoppage time, even if the shot that flew beyond Heurelho Gomes at his near post had remarkable power and accuracy. The Champions League representatives had not come to Craven Cottage with any notion that the varying merits of the goals they conceded would be a topic of conversation.

It was shaming that the Tottenham manager, Harry Redknapp, should even try to quibble by contending that the red card might not have been shown to Dawson since Dembélé had gone on to shoot.

By then, the referee, Phil Dowd, had blown for the penalty. Tottenham did try to regain a little self-respect in a largely bland second half but the contest finished as it had begun.

That last phase saw a renewed onslaught by a Fulham team professional enough to try to make the most of rare circumstances. An Aaron Hughes header hit the bar in the 86th minute and Gomes had to reach a Zoltan Gera shot soon after.

Redknapp's men have to recover before the Premier League match at Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday. Some effort will be made to dismiss this drubbing as a combination of ill-fortune and aberrations that the side will not repeat.

Such a theory might conceivably be well-founded but this was a jarring outcome. Tottenham would not claim that they had diluted the line-up all that much at Craven Cottage.

After all they are yet to prove they are one of the small number of clubs that places a low priority on the FA Cup because they have faith in a grander destiny. The task is to ensure that contamination of this embarrassment is contained. Fulham, after four home wins in a row, may start to believe they can achieve a higher standing.


Rambling_Syd_Rumpo

I loved reading all of the above-thanks for posting :clap_hands:,I enjoyed it that much I might just read it again! :yay: :yay:

WhiteJC

http://www.imscouting.com/global-news-article/Fulham-in-talks-with-Juventus-over-Amauri-/13067/

Fulham in talks with Juventus over Amauri

Fulham are in talks with Juventus FC Torino about bringing striker Amauri to Craven Cottage, according to Italian sources cited by the German 4-4-2 Web site.

The 30-year-old Brazil-born player, who has also been linked with Aston Villa, is contracted to Juventus until 2012 and the Turin club are valuing him at €7.5M-10M.

Amauri is a strong striker with a good technique and heading ability. He lacks a bit of speed, but he is a very talented forward with a good eye for goal.

Juventus bought the player in 2008 from Palermo, where he exploded, scoring 15 goals in the 2007/2008 season.

He has found the net 21 times in his last two seasons at Juventus, and has scored three goals this term, all coming in the UEFA Europa League.

Amauri won his only cap for Italy in August 2010 in a 1-0 friendly defeat to the Ivory Coast.

WhiteJC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/philmcnulty/2011/01/craven_cottage_harry_redknapp.html?

Hughes reign takes shape as Spurs suffer
Phil McNulty

Craven Cottage

Harry Redknapp described his low-slung vantage point at Craven Cottage as "the worst viewing position I have ever been in my life." On this day it was a blessing in disguise.

The less Redknapp saw of Tottenham being taken to the cleaners by Fulham on the banks of the Thames the better - from first to last this was an eyesore of a performance.

If Fulham's impressive passage into the FA Cup fifth round marked the high point of Mark Hughes' fledgling tenure as manager, it was a rare low in Redknapp's reign at Spurs.

Fulham's 4-0 victory margin, with all goals scored in a spectacular first 45 minutes, was an understatement of their superiority and almost constituted a light escape for dismal Spurs.


Dembele scores Fulham's fourth as Spurs go 4-0 down before half-time

Redknapp hardly needs to start sounding alarm bells on the back of one dreadful performance and he rightly pointed out that bad days have been few and far between since his arrival rejuvenated a club on its knees.
I have watched Spurs impress so often this season that even 90 minutes as harrowing as this should not dampen the optimism and hope Redknapp has restored to White Hart Lane.

But as the final day of the transfer window approached he was willing to express his concerns about threadbare defensive resources and players "running on empty" as he contemplates the future challenges of the Premier League and Champions League.

He admitted: "We've had a tough, tough season and we could do with freshening up one or two but we haven't got the people to do it."

Indeed, the more mischievous among us might even suggest the evidence that unfolded at Craven Cottage might just give Redknapp the added leverage he needs to apply some extra persuasion to Spurs chairman Daniel Levy before the window closes at 2300 GMT on Monday.

It would now be no great surprise if Spurs made their trademark contribution to the last dash for reinforcements this season as they were linked with a variety of names from Andy Carroll to Scott Parker and Sergio Aguero, not forgetting Everton's Phil Neville.

This was a meltdown made from many factors, not least the vibrant pace and power of a Fulham side which has manager Hughes believing the adjustments he made to Roy Hodgson's formula are coming to fruition, more of which later.
,
Add an utterly catastrophic Spurs defensive showing, a lightweight midfield overloaded with natural talent in Luka Modric, Steven Pienaar and Aaron Lennon but devoid of physical presence and all the ingredients were in place to have Fulham's ecstatic fans suspending belief as they were four goals up at half-time.

Michael Dawson, normally so reliable, had a 14-minute nightmare. He played a part in the move that led to Alan Hutton's needless foul on Clint Dempsey, allowing Danny Murphy to score from the spot.

He then tugged obviously and desperately at Mousa Dembele after conceding possession in the area, earning a red card in the process and allowing Murphy to once again demonstrate his penalty expertise.

Fulham's further goals from Brede Hangeland and the outstanding Dembele decorated a display that delighted Hughes and will have increased his stock among any supporters still sceptical about his ability to replicate Hodgson's fine work.

It was only on Boxing Day that Hughes felt the fury of Fulham's fans when they lost at home to West Ham United, creating pressure and speculation about his future less than six months after his arrival.

Since then the signs of progress have been obvious and Craven Cottage could not contain its delight as Spurs were ripped apart on a regular basis by Fulham's pace, power and range of attacking options.

With Murphy calmly controlling affairs from midfield and Fulham effectively allowed free reign to probe the soft underbelly of Spurs' defence, the game was up within 15 minutes.

Hughes' hand has been strengthened, as he insisted it would be, by the return to fitness and form of Andrew Johnson. The former England striker, industrious as ever, ran Spurs into submission.

He had a willing assistant in the powerful Dembele, also making his way back from injury but still possessing enough to suggest Hughes did a shrewd piece of business when he paid AZ Alkmaar £5m for his services.

Hughes cited mitigating circumstances surrounding his slow start and the forthcoming return of Bobby Zamora will add more potency to a Fulham side that is solid at the back and creative in midfield.

And Fulham have no worries about their manager's hunger for the fight, wounded as he was by his unceremonious bundling out of Manchester City.

Hughes is winning growing acceptance at Craven Cottage and a victory of this stature will spread confidence. For Redknapp, it was a game when even his obstructed view could not blind him to his side's failings - but hardly a day for panic in a season with so much promise ahead.


WhiteJC

http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/2114206?UserKey=

Fulham earn their spurs with rout of Tottenham

DANNY Murphy scored twice from the penalty spot as Fulham tore 10-man Tottenham apart with a destructive first-half display in their FA Cup fourth-round tie at Craven Cottage yesterday.

Murphy's spot kick put Fulham ahead 12 minutes in after Alan Hutton hacked down Clint Dempsey, before the Cottagers captain made it 2-0 by converting from 12 yards after Dawson was sent off for pulling Moussa Dembele back inside the box.

Brede Hangeland nipped in at the back post to stab home a third before Dembele's 20-yard strike capped a superb first half for the home side. There was no way back for Spurs.

Cesc Fabregas came off the bench to net another late penalty as 10-man Arsenal laboured into the fifth round with a 2-1 home victory over League 1 Huddersfield.

The Gunners took the lead when Nicklas Bendtner's angled shot deflected off Terriers captain Peter Clarke on 22 minutes. Arsenal's Sebastien Squillaci was shown a red card by referee Mark Clattenburg for blocking Jack Hunt's surging run. Alan Lee headed an equaliser for the Terriers, but Fabregas won it from the spot.

Edin Dzeko's first goal for Manchester City 10 minutes from time earned them a 1-1 draw with Notts County and a replay in three weeks.

West Ham's Victor Obinna scored a hat-trick in a thrilling 3-2 defeat of Nottingham Forest at Upton Park. Robert Huth's late goal earned Stoke a 1-0 win over Wolves at Molineux.



Read more: http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/2114206?UserKey=#ixzz1CbLynOR2

WhiteJC

http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/sports-breakfast/blog/2011-01-31/bowen-kakuta-and-sidwell-are-great-acquisitions-fulham?

Bowen: 'Kakuta and Sidwell are great acquisitions for Fulham'

Fulham assistant manager Mark Bowen has told talkSPORT the Cottagers have finished their January transfer shopping.

The west London club have brought in Gael Kakuta on loan from Chelsea and signed Steve Sidwell from Aston Villa and are now happy with their squad - providing no-one makes moves for any of their players on deadline day.

Bowen also insists that, even when the club dropped into the bottom three over Christmas, they never felt they were in relegation trouble.

WhiteJC

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2011/01/31/2331099/fulham-target-amauri-is-open-to-leaving-juventus?

Fulham target Amauri is open to leaving Juventus
Striker isn't happy in Turin, says agent

Juventus striker Amauri's agent has admitted that his client wishes to make a move away from Turin.

The 30-year-old forward has had a difficult time in Serie A this season, underlined by the fact that he has not scored a single goal in the club's league campaign.

The Brazil-born hitman has been linked with moves away from his current employers, and his representative concedes that he could switch allegiances to another club.

"In the next few days opportunities could present themselves," Gianfrano Pocetta told ilsussidiario.net.

"He would like to stay at Juve and prove his worth, but he needs to be happy and he isn't in Turin. He might be somewhere else."

Now The Times has reported that Fulham have approached the Italian outfit over the possibility of signing the out-of-favour forward.

Amauri has made one appearance for Italy.


WhiteJC

http://www.goal.com/en/news/11/transfer-zone/2011/01/31/2331121/juventus-attempt-last-minute-moves-for-royston-drenthe?

Juventus Attempt Last-Minute Moves For Royston Drenthe & Alessandro Matri; Amauri Rejects West Brom & Fulham
Juventus at work to squeeze in some final deals before transfer window deadline.

Juventus are taking urgent action on the transfer market as they attempt last-minute moves for Hercules wide man Royston Drenthe and Cagliari forward Alessandro Matri.

The 23-year-old Dutchman, owned by Real Madrid, could be a Bianconero tonight, with La Gazzetta dello Sport, and Corriere dello Sport both claiming a final squeeze is possible.

Giuseppe Marotta and his sidekick Fabio Paratici are trying to push Madrid to let Drenthe leave on loan for free with the option to buy him in the summer.

Drenthe is on loan at Hercules, but the latest reports are claiming Madrid could turn him towards Juve.

A similar deal is being designed for Matri. Despite denials from Marotta, Juventus still appear to be seeking forward players. And the club have been at work with Cagliari, with dialogue expected to continue.

Cagliari are reluctant to allow a loan deal, as they want €18 million plus half of Lorenzo Ariaudo's rights.

Tulio Tinti, Matri's agent, is in Milan and is reportedly holding talks between the clubs.

Meanwhile, Amauri's agent Ernesto Bronzetti confirmed reports his striker had rejected Premier League interest.

"He rejected Fulham and West Bromwich Albion," he told Sky Sport Italia, as reported by Calcionews24.it.

"Those clubs who have requested him are West Bromwich Albion, Fulham and Zaragoza, but because they have a lower profile than Juventus, they are not welcomed destinations for the player."

WhiteJC

http://www.eatsleepsport.com/liverpool/forest-seal-konchesky-loan-deal-1158332.html?

Forest seal Konchesky loan deal

Kenny Dalglish has allowed Paul Konchesky to join Championship promotion hopefuls Nottingham Forest on loan until the end of the season

The 29-year-old only moved to Anfield five months ago from Fulham but has endured a difficult time with the Reds. He has started 18 matches for the club but fell out of favour when Roy Hodgson was replaced by Dalglish earlier this month.

Konchesky started his career at Charlton Athletic and featured in 149 matches for the Addicks before joining West Ham United in a £1.5million deal in July 2005.

After spending two seasons with the Hammers, Konchesky was snapped up by Fulham for £2million, making 97 Premier League starts for the Cottagers before moving to Liverpool.

Forest are currently fifth in the Championship table and were knocked out of the FA Cup by West Ham United at the weekend.

Meanwhile, Dalglish, who has allowed Daniel Ayala to join Derby County on loan, refused to comment on Fernando Torres' proposed transfer to Chelsea but reiterated the club's position had not changed since Friday.

WhiteJC

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11681_6713721,00.html?

Amauri shuns Prem duo
Juve striker won't consider moves to WBA or Fulham

Juventus striker Amauri has turned down moves to Fulham and West Bromwich Albion.

The Italian international has struggled to force his way into Luigi Del Neri's plans this season and he is being tipped to move away from Turin.

Both West Brom and Fulham have asked about him, but his agent Ernesto Bronzetti was dismissive of both Premier League clubs.

"The truth is that we have said no to two English clubs: West Bromwich and Fulham," Bronzetti told Sky Italia.

"These two clubs are not at his level.

"Why would Amauri and his family go to England for teams like these, in a country where they do not even know the language?"

Interest

Bronzetti confirmed that both Real Zaragoza and Lazio have showed an interest in the Brazilian-born front-man.

"Then there was Real Zaragoza which I have recommended to the player to refuse because it is a club with many problems.

"Lazio was also interesting while with Fiorentina there was nothing."

One option that does appear likely is a possible move back to his former club Palermo.

"A return to Palermo? I talked with (Palermo's owner, Maurizio) Zamparini three days ago and he told me he's not able to take Amauri at this time," he continued.

"But (Juventus' CEO, Giuseppe) Marotta also said that, then if Zamparini changed his mind in these days for his reasons we are here ready to listen."

Palermo chief Zamparini confirmed his willingness to take Amauri on loan, telling Radio Anch'io Lo Sport: "If Juventus give us Amauri on loan for six months, we'll take him.

"I want to continue to demonstrate that he is a champion. But we need Juventus to pay the salary."


WhiteJC

http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/January/SchwarzersFinalDefeat.aspx?

Schwarzer's Final Defeat

Mark Schwarzer suffered heartbreak in the Asian Cup Final when Australia lost out to Japan after a late winner from substitute Tadanari Lee. The Samurai Blue secured the trophy for the fourth time in their history.

During a tense Final, Japan had goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima to thank for a string of saves before Lee's 109th minute volley in the Khalifa Stadium in Qatar. Fulham goalkeeper Schwarzer will now return to Fulham ahead of Wednesday night's game against Newcastle United at the Cottage.



Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/January/SchwarzersFinalDefeat.aspx?#ixzz1CcGVlIBB

WhiteJC

http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/localsport/8822717.Fulham_game_moved_but_will_Reading_clash_/?

FA Youth Cup game with Fulham moved to this Friday but will Watford's clash with Reading be rescheduled?

Watford's FA Youth Cup clash with Fulham has been moved forward to this Friday after the Londoners' first team beat Tottenham Hotspur yesterday and were drawn at home.

The Hornets Under-18s were scheduled to play in the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup on Wednesday, February 16 but Fulham's 4-0 victory over Spurs resulted in a home tie for Mark Hughes' men against either Bolton Wanderers or Wigan Athletic the following Saturday.

So as previously agreed, Watford's FA Youth Cup game at Craven Cottage has now been moved to this Friday. Kick-off will be 7pm and tickets will be £3 for adults and £1 for concessions.

It is still unclear whether the Watford first team's Championship game with Reading on Saturday, February 19 will go ahead as planned.

Reading are through to the fifth round of the FA Cup which meant their home game with the Hornets was expected to be postponed, with the Royals set to face either Chelsea or Everton.

But international fixtures and Chelsea's Champions League commitments mean the fourth round replay is pencilled in for the 19th, which could see Watford's game with Reading go ahead as scheduled.

Watford have said they will not be selling tickets for the Reading game until the date is confirmed.

WhiteJC

http://www.thefa.com/England/News/2011/POTY_Bobby-Zamora?

POTY: Bobby Zamora



The Fulham frontman made his Senior bow in 2010.

Bobby Zamora
Age 30 Date of Birth 16.01.1981
Career caps 1
Caps in 2010 1
Fulham

It had been over seven years since Bobby Zamora last pulled on the Three Lions. Having picked up five caps at Under-21 level, the Fulham forward finally made his debut at Senior level in August 2010, in England's first post World Cup fixture.

Taking on Hungary at Wembley, the 6'1" frontman came into the action as a half-time substitution and provided Fabio Capello's men with a more physical presence after a goalless first half.

Although Hungary managed to grab the lead through Vladimir Koman in the second period, Zamora's work rate and industry proved valuable as the Three Lions fought back to win 2-1 thanks to a Steven Gerrard brace.

Zamora was unlucky not to make England's margin of victory even greater, having two excellent efforts that were smartly thwarted by the Hungary 'keeper. It proved to be a memorable week for Zamora, however, who also became the proud father of twins just days before his debut.

To vote for Bobby, or any other England player, click here


WhiteJC

http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/FACompetitions/TheFACup/NewsAndFeatures/2011/4RPFulTottHughes?

Hughes eyes decent Cup run

Fulham boss makes FA Cup a 'priority'.

Fulham 4-0 Tottenham Hotspur
The FA Cup sponsored by E.ON
Fourth Round Proper
4.30pm, Sunday 30 January 2011
Craven Cottage, Fulham FC

Mark Hughes says The FA Cup is a 'priority' for Fulham this season and it would be 'fantastic' to reach The Final.

His comments came after the Cottagers emphatic 4-0 victory over London rivals Tottenham Hotspur to earn a home tie in the Fifth Round against either Bolton Wanderers or Wigan Athletic.

Four goals in the first forty-five minutes ensured that victory was virtually secured by half-time. Danny Murphy scored twice against his former club from the penalty spot, defender Brede Hangeland fired in from close range and Belgium striker Mousa Dembele put the victory beyond doubt with a fine strike.

Fulham's task was made considerably easier after Spurs and England defender Michael Dawson was shown the red card for pulling despairingly on Dembele's shirt in the penalty area. With only ten men for the majority of the game, the absence of Welsh sensation Gareth Bale and Rafael van der Vaart uncharacteristically subdued, the North London team were facing an uphill battle. "We made an incredibly bad start. Everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong," said Redknapp.

But Hughes paid tribute to the manner in which his team reacted to the sending off. "Circumstances today made it easier for us," he said. "But even so, sometimes those situations are difficult to do correctly and be professional about. But certainly that's what we were."

It was also a record victory for Fulham against Spurs and a result that Hughes felt 'was coming'. Having lost twice to them in the Premier League already this season, games in which even Harry Redknapp admitted Spurs were fortunate, Hughes was pleased with his team's determination. He added: "We managed to force a few errors from their defence and we capitalised on those situations."

The victory was in no short way down to the contributions of captain Murphy, who gave Fulham a timely boost before the fixture by signing a new contract committing his immediate future to the club. Murphy had previously won the The FA Cup with Liverpool in 2001 and it was his commanding role in central midfield ably assisted by recent signing Steve Sidwell that left the opposition little room to play their usual attacking football.

Spurs could of course be forgiven be for being distracted by their upcoming Champions League game against AC Milan at the San Siro. However Redknapp's team selection gave little indication that The FA Cup was a lesser priority as the north Londoners were in search of the trophy they last won 20 years ago in 1991. But Redknapp will now be concerned by the lack of defensive options available to him for the trip to Italy. He added: "We're down to two centre backs now. We've got nobody else to play there."

Hughes, on the other hand, will now be looking forward to the Fifth Round of The FA Cup and a home tie against Premier League opposition. Having now scored ten goals in the last two rounds, the Fulham manager feels there is little to fear. He said "We've got a home draw and have no apprehension about taking on anyone here."

Fulham
Stockdale, Salcido, Hangeland, Hughes, Pantsil, Duff, Sidwell, Murphy (Greening 74), Dempsey, Dembele (Davies 81), A Johnson(Gera 68)
Substitutes not used Etheridge, Kelly, Kamara, Dikgacoi

Goals Murphy 11 (pen), 14 (pen), Hangeland 23, Dembele 45

Tottenham Hotspur
Gomes, Hutton, Dawson, Bassong, Assou-Ekotto, Van der Vaart (Jena 66), Sandro (Gallas 17), Modric, Pienaar, Lennon, Defoe (Crouch 46)
Substitutes not used Cudicini, Pavlyuchenko, Kranjcar, Corluka

Referee Phil Dowd

Attendance 21,829

WhiteJC

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11714_6713962,00.html?

Tigers look to Greening
Championship outfit consider loan for Fulham midfielder

Skysports.com understands Hull City are lining up a loan move for Fulham midfielder Jonathan Greening.

The 32-year-old has only started four Premier League games for the Cottagers this season and the Tigers are set to swoop for his services.

Nigel Pearson's side are struggling for midfielders following the departure of Jimmy Bullard on loan to Ipswich and Ian Ashbee's possible switch to Preston.

The Hull boss is understood to have targeted Greening as an ideal man to fill the void in the centre of the park as he looks to push on between now and the end of the campaign.

Greening, formerly of Manchester United, Middlesbrough and West Brom, will be an attractive option for Championship clubs as he has a wealth of experience in the Premier League and the second tier.

He signed a two-year contract with Fulham last summer but under new boss Mark Hughes has found first-team opportunities hard to come by.

WhiteJC

http://www.spursodyssey.com/1011/shame.html?

Spurs Odyssey comment - The Shame of it

Where do you start?

Do you start with the fact that yesterday's FA Cup defeat at Craven Cottage was our worst ever defeat against this team since both teams have been in the Football League? It's Fulham's biggest win over Spurs since February 1965, when they won 4-1 at The Cottage. Spurs finished top six, and Fulham were bottom three, but they weren't relegated until 1968, when they finished bottom of Division One.

You have to go back to January 1905 for a bigger victory by Fulham against Tottenham. That wasn't even in both teams' main league – The Southern League, in which Spurs did lose both games 1-0 – but in the Western League, in which Fulham did manage a 5-0 win.

Do you start with the fact that this was Spurs' worst defeat in any game since losing by the same margin at home to Manchester United in February 2007? As a matter of interest, two weeks later we beat Fulham by the same margin at their place in the fifth round of the cup we now have not won for 20 years. This is the same cup we used to cherish, and used to brag about winning so often and "when the year ends in one"

Do you start with the fact that Spurs are starting to make a habit of having players sent off, often for stupid undisciplined and unnecessary reasons? Michael Dawson became the fifth Spurs player to be sent off this season (so far of course), and will miss just one game for his offence. We've suffered enough with injuries to key players, without having to cope with absences caused through either stupidity, or genuine foul play. In fairness to Spurs, the term foul play rarely applies to this team we love through thick and thin.

Do you start with the fact that Harry Redknapp's Spurs teams seem to be making a habit of embarrassing and/or limp exits from domestic cup competitions. This season we've managed to beat only a team two divisions below us (Charlton), and that only happened after Luka Modric came on at half-time and inspired us to a 3-0 win.

We failed to compete against our arch-rivals, who will be visiting Wembley in the Carling Cup Final, in a lame home league cup defeat, and, you know, I think we should start with Harry Redknapp's team selection and tactics for yesterday's game.

On paper, we started with a strong team, considering the enforced absence of Gareth Bale. Other key players such as Tom Huddlestone and Ledley King have been out for ages now, so it is not relevant to include them in any injury-related excuse.

Now, I thought one of the reasons for signing Steven Pienaar was to offer some cover for Bale, and despite the fact we knew he can play right across the midfield, Harry thought he'd be best played in the middle, with Lennon on the left and VDV on the right, although perhaps he had more freedom to play "in the hole" and try and link up with Jermain Defoe. Lennon is surely best used on the right – right?

The game was effectively lost in those disastrous early minutes, when we conceded two penalties (scored by former Spur Danny Murphy to add to the shame), and lost our Captain, but I am saying that Harry didn't set the team up right in the first place.

To be honest, it's not the first time in a domestic cup game under Harry's leadership that I've felt a lack of commitment to the cause by the team. Last season's quarter-final exit at Old Trafford in the League Cup, and that weird semi-final defeat against Portsmouth, of all teams, in the FA Cup are amongst examples I would offer.

So, where we do start, and finish, is with my suggestion that domestic cups currently hold much less importance to Spurs than they hold for us fans. Last year, we forgave that semi-final defeat on the night we beat Manchester City to gain the right to qualify for a place at Europe's top table. Now we have fifteen Premier League "Cup Finals" in which to secure that right again, plus at least two games in the Champions League.

Only if Harry Redknapp does lead us back into the Champions League can I forgive him for the shame of yesterday's FA Cup defeat.


WhiteJC

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/football/article-23919011-danny-murphys-law-rules-at-the-cottage-says-brede-hangeland.do?

Danny Murphy's law rules at the Cottage, says Brede Hangeland



Brede Hangeland today hailed Danny Murphy as the inspiration behind Fulham's shock FA Cup demolition of Tottenham and their climb out of the relegation zone.

Murphy celebrated signing a contract extension that will keep him at Craven Cottage until the summer of 2012 by netting two early first-half penalties in the 4-0 win that earned Fulham a fifth-round tie at home to either Bolton or Wigan.

Hangeland, who scored his side's third goal yesterday, said: "Danny's form in recent weeks has been one of the main reasons why we've done so well. He's instrumental in the middle of the park. He looked really composed taking the two penalties and his overall game was fantastic."

Fulham boss Mark Hughes added his praise to 33-year-old Murphy, saying: "Danny is a big influence, a good captain and a good leader. We're pleased he's staying."

According to Hangeland, that influence extends away from the pitch. He added: "When Danny has something to say, it's best to listen. He's not one to shout too much but leads by example and when he does have something to say, it's always sensible."

Fulham have lost just one of their last six matches and Hangeland believes the side are finally coming to grips with the difference in style under Hughes, who succeeded Roy Hodgson just before the start of the season.

He said: "It took us a while to understand the way the new manager wants us to play but it seems to be coming together now. We've definitely looked stronger since Christmas. We used to be camped round our own box last year and the year before that. Now we try to engage higher up the pitch and take the game to our opponents."

Hangeland insisted that bullish approach will be good enough to take Fulham through to the FA Cup quarter-finals, whether they play Bolton or Wigan next.

"We'll fancy our chances against both of those," he said.

But ahead of Wednesday's home game against Newcastle, whose manager Alan Pardew was present at the Cottage yesterday, Hangeland stressed that Premier League survival must take priority over cup glory.

Fulham hover just four points above the relegation zone and Hangeland said: "The League is more important. We're too close to the bottom and looking to get away from there as soon as possible."