Premier League - Brown: Pompey game now huge

Eurosport - Mon, 19 Oct 23:27:00 2009

Hull manager Phil Brown said this weekend's clash with bottom club Portsmouth has assumed huge significance after a 2-0 defeat at Fulham left the Tigers in the bottom three of the Premier League table.

Phil Brown, manager of Hull City - 0

Hull were poor defensively and stand only four points clear of Pompey, while West Ham - spaced equally between them on five points - have a game in hand.

"Now we've got a massive game against Portsmouth on Saturday and we have to do better," Brown said.

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson sounded a note of caution following the match at Craven Cottage, in which Bobby Zamora and Diomansy Kamara struck to help the Cottagers climb to 12th.

"It's been a decent start to the season but we've got to keep doing it," the veteran manager said. "There's a brief moment of joy then the next disappointment is waiting around the corner."

Fulham midfielder Danny Murphy suffered a knee injury and came off after an hour, with Hodgson pessimistic when asked about his captain's prognosis.

"It's a knee injury, which isn't good - but we won't know (any more) until tomorrow, when we have it checked out," he said.

Former Fulham favourite Jimmy Bullard was on the bench for Hull; he joined for £5 million in January but became injured on his debut and has only just returned to action.

He made an appearance in the second half to a cacophony of jeers from the home fans, something Hodgson had hoped would not happen.

Jonathan Symcox / Eurosport

Comment 1 - 11 of 11

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  1. PLAY UP POMPEY POMPEY PLAY UP

    From tony522251, on Fri 23 Oct 1:44AM

  2. Why does Brown insist on buying other teams failures

    From LESLIE C, on Tue 20 Oct 11:52PM

  3. Brown did well in getting hull promoted' but with­ such sorry results since march and on
    the last day of­ the season that was more luck than judgement that kept­ hull up and it
    seem's like brown is saying every­ game is crucial,but to who??him or hull??and­ "if" he
    want's to be remembered by hull­ fans he should do the best thing and walk away with­ some appreciation from the fans for effort he put into­ getting it wear it is and not
    have hull as a two season­ wonder...GOOD LUCK FOR THE SEASON FROM A CHELSEA FAN...

    From walt jabasco, on Tue 20 Oct 5:52PM

  4. I went the game last night - as a Tigers fan it really­ is not looking good. We looked static in every part of­ the field. Playing one up front alone we must have just­ surely just come for the draw. Mendy should have come­ on earlier its no good putting him when are two down.­ We are def missing midfield ie ashbee and up front we­ looked clueless. Mcshane tried his best ( as I think he­ always does) but every time he got the ball there was­ no one to cross to (the Dutch Fella cannot move) no­ running off the ball. If we go one down just what are­ current options ? What could we do with the present fit­ squad ?

    From Paul, on Tue 20 Oct 3:43PM

  5. after watching arguably the worst ninty minutes of­ football by a premiership club i now conclude that Mr­ Brown has to go as the players are just not being­ motivated and look totally uninterested , Portsmouth­ will have to much for us and you wonder where the next­ points will come from . come on Duffen get rid of Brown­ and give us some hope .

    From Mark B, on Tue 20 Oct 1:05PM

  6. It's a tough call for Duffen, he and Brown are­ great friends 'off the pitch' and have mutual­ interests in horse racing / ownership and are regular­ partners on the golf course.
    Last season Hull survived­ solely due to their early honeymoon period and once­ that bubble had burst there was no substance to­ rekindle any form. Brown was a victim of his own ego­ and once this was tested it fell away along with the­ respect of his players (yes, the b**locking on the­ pitch incident). Only way for survival is to wave­ goodbye to Brown and get somebody new in with the­ promise of few bob to spend in the January market. Even­ then it will take a small miracle but as Fulham proved­ a couple of seasons ago anything is possible.

    From pfy1101, on Tue 20 Oct 11:28AM

  7. Brown the pompey game is lost already your lazy unfit­ sqad are lke you unfit for purpose you lot would­ struggle in the old third div north just get things ­ together or just leave it to someone who can i've­ never seen the Tigers so poor in the fifty five years­ i've followed them it's now upto Mr Duffen to­ get it sorted

    From john.cooper.773, on Tue 20 Oct 9:09AM

  8. I think on the showing last night hull are doomed­ Portsmouth have been playing good football and i think­ will have too much for Hull.
    They have not won many­ games since they were at the giddy heights of 3rd then­ 8th in the prem everybody points to the stupid decision­ made by the manager to castigate his team on the pitch­ but the vast majority of that team were not on the­ pitch last night.
    I think the Hull chairman Paul Duffen­ is very weak or naive in sticking with the manager as I­ think he is well out of his depth now and its time to­ say thank you very much you did really well in the­ CHAMPIONSHIP but your not coping now

    From Alex F, on Tue 20 Oct 9:01AM

  9. This game is also massive for Pompey, and one that I­ believe we should win. We dominated against Spurs at­ the weekend and could easily have run out 5-2 winners.­ I know it is a very old statement and used rather a­ lot, but I really do believe that our league position­ doesn't reflect the way we have played this season.­ We have done EVERYTHING but score! Chance after chance­ has gone begging. The goals will come though, and they­ will start coming soon! I can quite honestly see us­ sitting safely in mid table come may!

    PLAY UP POMPEY!!

    From Lord Dambo of Purbrookshire, on Tue 20 Oct 8:44AM

  10. Wasn't you by any chance was it, TK??

    From Paperboy, on Tue 20 Oct 8:27AM

  11. On that photo he looks like someone has stuck a­ knitting needle in his eye.

    From Tony K, on Tue 20 Oct 7:48AM
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