Fulham v Stoke preview

Posted Wednesday, May 05, 2010 by sportinglife.aol.co.uk

Top Ten Finish is Target for Bjorn Helge Riise

PREMIER LEAGUE: CRAVEN COTTAGE, WEDNESDAY MAY 5, 2010. KICK-OFF: 2000 BST

FULHAM
Roy Hodgson's side find themselves in the enviable position of still having targets to aim for at this late stage of the season.

The looming Europa League final with Atletico Madrid inevitably dominates thoughts, but the prospect of securing a second successive top ten finish provides additional incentive ahead of the final two league games of the season.

Hodgson had every right to be pleased by his side's response to last week's stirring European semi-final victory over Hamburg by beating West Ham on Sunday when a number of fringe players made the most of a rare starting opportunity.

"It was nice to play 90 minutes and nice to win," Bjorn Helge Riise told fulhamfc.com. "There were a lot of players who haven't played a lot recently so to beat West Ham 3-2 is a very positive result. I enjoyed it a lot and hopefully I'll get to play a bit more in the last three games.

"Now it's important to beat Stoke on Wednesday to secure 10th place. We want to be in that top 10 so that when we look at the table on TV we're there in the top half. And to achieve that after the season we've had, and getting to the Europa League Final, would be a very good season."

Fulham's success has raised questions about Hodgson's long term position at the club with the manager linked with a move to Liverpool this summer, but the primary aim for manager and players is not to lose focus ahead of one of the most important weeks in the club's history.

"We don't want to lose games," added Riise. "Especially in the last weeks of the season and especially when we have a Final. Our aim is to get that 10th place and if we beat Stoke on Wednesday I think we will be close to achieving that."

Strategy: Fulham's approach has rarely changed this season whether they have been facing Juventus or one of their more physical Premier League rivals like Stoke. One of Hodgson's successes this season has been to maintain togetherness within a squad to ensure his fringe players have remained anxious to impress when called upon, rather than itching for a move. That desire to catch the manager's eye will only intensify now with Europa League final places up for grabs and the Cottagers should be able to take full advantage against a Stoke side that has appeared less than united in recent weeks.

Injuy update: Bobby Zamora's achilles injury means the striker will again be missing but Zoltan Gera could return to the line-up after being rested against West Ham.

STOKE
Stoke manager Tony Pulis is preparing for a substantial revamp of his squad this summer but one player who appears to be staying is winger Matthew Etherington.

Tony Pulis has revealed Etherington has had talks over a new contract with chief executive Tony Scholes and is set to agree a four-year extension at the Britannia Stadium before the end of the season. The 28-year-old has had another excellent season with the Potters, with his form even leading to a clamour from Pulis for a call-up to the England squad.

That call almost embarrassed Etherington and now appears rather doubtful but he will be somebody who survives a summer cull to take his place for Stoke's third season in the Premier League.

Pulis told Fanhouse: "We've had talks with Matty over the last week and I expect the contract to be agreed before the end of the season.

"He's an important part of our future and somebody we very much want to keep. We want him to stay here for a very long time. He's got two years left on his contract at the moment so there have never been any fears we would lose him. But he has been one of our better players since we signed him and the sooner we can get him signed up the better."

Strategy: Stoke are preparing for two tricky away games this week, starting at Europa Cup Finalists Fulham tonight before ending the campaign at Manchester United.

And striker Ricardo Fuller has admitted Stoke face a real battle to beat last season's points tally of 45 points, with the club currently on 44. He said: "A lot of people say that teams in the middle of the league have nothing to play for, but you try telling that to us and the lads at Fulham.

"We are desperate to go out there and get the win. Our pride was hurt after what happened at Chelsea, but we restored it against Everton. Now we just want to get that win to take us on to 47 points. That would be a great achievement for this football club and put us in a great position to go to Manchester United at the weekend and hopefully put in a good performance."

Injury Update: Thomas Sorensen is still out with a dislocated elbow, so Asmir Begovic will make a second Premier League start.