Source: SKY_Sports
Hodgson targets strong finish
Roy Hodgson hopes Fulham can maintain their good form until the end of the season, although he is not thinking about Europe at this stage.[LNB] Having guided the Cottagers to safety in dramatic circumstances last season, Hodgson's priority for this term was to ensure the club avoided relegation again.[LNB]That target has been achieved comfortably and Fulham are currently ninth in the table on 40 points.[LNB]Finishing seventh would almost certainly clinch a UEFA Europa League place but Hodgson is not losing sleep over such matters and only wants his men to keep performing as they have been.[LNB]"My major concern now, having reached a position of relative safety, is that we keep the levels of performance up in the last seven games to give us the position in the table that we would like," he explained.[LNB]"All season we have been very cautious, we've said all along that our major concern is safety.[LNB]No relaxing"But I think now we have reached 40 points at this stage of the season we can forget about relegation.[LNB]"There are seven games left which is about 20 per cent of the season and we want to make the last 20% of the season as good as the first 80 per cent.[LNB]"We want to make certain that we finish well and not leave a bad taste in our mouths by not keeping up that level of performance and allowing ourselves to relax.[LNB]"I think Europe will be something that just happens to one team. I don't think any of the teams who could finish seventh are saying they want to be in Europe.[LNB]"It's more a question of seeing how well we play the last seven games. If we got to two or three games left and the goal was in sight then teams might say 'we fancy it', but with seven games to go most of us will wait and see.[LNB]"If it happens it happens and we'll be very glad - but let's make certain we don't let the season degenerate."[LNB]Murphy praiseDanny Murphy has been a star performer for Fulham this season and Hodgson has paid a lavish tribute to his skipper.[LNB]"All the credit goes to him. All we can do is make sure we prepare him well for games and make sure he is comfortable with the role we give him," said Hodgson.[LNB]"Danny has always been a very thoughtful player. He analyses his own game and likes to analyse the games of opponents and what his own team-mates are doing.[LNB]"The environment here and the way we approach football coincides very well with Danny's philosophy."[LNB]
