Match Reports

[White Noise]

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11681_6726264,00.html

Hughes pleased with progress


Fulham boss believes competition for places is helping good run


By Mike Barton - Follow me on Twitter @Ssports_mbarton  


Last updated: 5th February 2011
   

Fulham boss Mark Hughes was pleased that his side managed to win a point at Aston Villa and praised their spirit.

Hughes' team twice came from behind to draw 2-2 at Villa Park, with Andy Johnson and Clint Dempsey cancelling out a John Pantsil first-half own goal and Kyle Walker's brilliant strike.

The Welsh boss was happy his side did not allow Pantsil's unfortunate blunder to make their heads drop and felt that they had the better of the second half and could have won.

"I'm pleased with the performance, obviously we had a setback of an own goal early in the first half and that could have knocked us out of our stride," he said.

"But it didn't, we came back strong in the first half and for the last 20-25 minutes restricted them to very few chances.

"I thought we were excellent in the way we took the game to Villa and the way we came back twice shows great character and great resolve.

"That what we've been showing in recent weeks and from our point of view it's a good result. It's a difficult place to get a point but we did really well.

Stronger
"You see in our play we finish games stronger and that's a quality that's been growing since we've come into the new year.

"We're playing well, we're driving the game, we try and ask questions of the opposition home and away. And if you keep on knocking on the door then you'll get some reward

"We obviously have to keep picking up points because we want to get in the top half. If results had been a little bit more than expected then we could have got in the top ten."

Hughes also felt that with the additions of the likes of Steve Sidwell, Eidur Gudjohnsen and Gael Kakuta at Craven Cottage, the players were stepping up their game as competition for places gets stronger.


Competition
"I think it's helping the guys in that they know there is competition for places now and you have to perform," Hughes added.

"That's what you want at a football club. Just driving people on. Today saw some good performances. The two centre halves have been playing really well for a number of weeks now. I thought they were excellent again today.

"Clint Dempsey has reached double figures for goals and I don't think he's ever achieved that before, so he's had a great season, so a lot of positives."

[White Noise]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/feb/05/aston-villa-fulham-premier-league


Clint Dempsey denies Aston Villa as Fulham fight back for a 2-2 draw


Comments (7) Observer report

Aston Villa 2 Paintsil (og) 13, Walker 72 
Fulham 2 Johnson, A 52, Dempsey 78 

Barney Ronay at Villa Park guardian.co.uk, Saturday 5 February 2011 17.41 GMT Article history


James Collins of Aston Villa and Fulham's Clint Dempsey leap to challenge for the ball. Photograph: Matthew Lewis/Getty Images

A game that simmered and sputtered without ever really catching fire somehow produced four goals and even something resembling a grandstand finish as Aston Villa and Fulham belatedly sought something more than the point which leaves both still warily paddling above the relegation spots.

Villa started brightly, with the roving Ashley Young and Stewart Downing, stationed on the right, moving between the lines of Fulham's defence and midfield to good effect.

On 13 minutes Villa took the lead, Downing's expertly dinked left-footed cross from the right inducing John Pantsil to head neatly past his own goalkeeper from four yards out. Pantsil looked devastated, but not perhaps that surprised – he also scored an own goal here last season; and this was his third OG of the current campaign.

During a largely soporific first half, Villa were the more threatening team, with Downing in particular a menace on the counterattack. Fulham were restricted to a couple of long-range shots by Steve Sidwell, a composed presence against his former club; and it was from this source that they equalised, out of the blue, seven minutes into the second half.

Sidwell's hopeful shot from 20 yards squirmed away from Brad Friedel and Andrew Johnson headed the loose ball down and over the sprawling American.

Villa went ahead again on 72 minutes with an equally unexpected moment of inspiration from the impressive right-back, Kyle Walker.

Picking the ball up in central midfield, he dropped a shoulder, advanced into a generous pocket of space and shot low with his right foot from 20 yards, finding the corner to register his first league goal for the club.

Fulham were level again within minutes, Clint Dempsey heading in after Friedel failed to clear a corner, and might even have won it at the death, Johnson cutting inside expertly in the final minute to draw a fine low save from Mark Schwarzer.

[finnster01]

Is James Collins and Steve Sidwell related?  :hook:

[Senior Supporter]

"AJ drew a fine low save from Mark Schwarzer"  :tom:. What is AJ doing shooting at his own goal? It's bad enough JP doing it. 

[The Swan]

According to this reporter Fulham could have won the game at the death when Johnson cutting in expertly to bring a fine save from goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer. It makes you wonder if these reporters ever proof read their reports.