Sunderland are almost there

Fulham 1 Sunderland 3IT WAS hard not to feel sorry for Roy Hodgson. Rarely can a manager have cut as forlorn a figure as Fulham's did when he trudged, head bowed, across the pitch to a cacophony of jeers after this soul-destroying defeat.

"I've got to say I'm fairly low at this moment," he admitted. "I didn't come into this game thinking we were going to lose. Nothing in the first 40 minutes gave me the impression I was going to be standing here with tears in my eyes speaking to you now. But that's what I'm doing and that's where I am."

Yet, compassion for this honest and likeable man must be balanced by criticism of the negligible impact he has made since becoming a resident at the Cottage. Then, on December 30th, Fulham had 15 points from 20 games. They have won only nine from 13 since and remain six points adrift of safety. It is not easy, midway through the season, joining a club battling relegation but Hodgson has not done enough either acquiring suitable players for the task or inspiring those he inherited.

In between Fulham's first season in the Premier League, when Mohamed Al Fayed splashed out £33 million on players, and this, their seventh, the club recouped more money on transfers than it laid out. But Al Fayed did give financial backing this season to both the previous manager, Lawrie Sanchez, and Hodgson, the pair spending a combined £28 million. In Premier League terms that is not a huge amount perhaps but the products of their shopping have been substandard.

Sanchez's keynote signing was Diomansy Kamara for £6 million but the forward has scored only three league goals and was ineffective against Sunderland. Three of Hodgson's five acquisitions were not even involved here, and he may wish the other two had not been - Leon Andreasen metaphorically disappeared in midfield until he literally disappeared when substituted in the second half; Brede Hangeland was haplessness personified.

The centre-half was at fault for each of Sunderland's goals: Danny Collins lost him for the headed first, he was outjumped by the dominant Kenwyne Jones before Aaron Hughes's own failings were exposed by Michael Chopra's volleyed second, and Dean Whitehead surged past him and squared to Jones for the third.

Hodgson's use of Jimmy Bullard must also be questioned. He was substituted at Derby last week, despite being Fulham's most influential player in central midfield, and then shunted to the left for this match. He was still his team's most creative spark, at least until the substitute David Healy briefly delivered some hope with a tremendous 25-yard curler into the top corner, but he was unable to dictate the flow of the game from a wide position.

When asked how he could lift the players for Saturday's do-or-die fixture at Reading, Hodgson suggested disquiet in the squad caused by his team selections would make it difficult. Hodgson's downcast demeanour was in stark contrast to the grin of Roy Keane, whose improving team is now 10 points above the drop-zone. This was Sunderland's third successive win, the first time they have achieved that in the top flight since 2001, and Keane can already look forward to spending the £50 million he has demanded this summer to make further progress.

Keane wants his players to finish the job and he insisted that nothing is guaranteed yet - but Sunderland fans celebrated like they were staying up. "They've spent a lot of money over the years travelling up and down the country and not having the chance to celebrate," Keane said. "So let's not begrudge them that, and if they want to dance naked in the streets, good luck to them."

The Sunderland manager will turn his attention to summer transfer targets when safety is secured. "If, and it's a big if because we have to get over that finishing line, then I think we're in a better position to bring in a certain type of player," Keane added.

"I had great backing last summer and great backing since I came to the club. I've made a lot of changes, not just with the players but the staff too. I do believe that we haven't really got started yet so we have to try to improve the club on every level."