Dacourt's close to a deal as Fulham look to old heads

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Saturday's 3-1 win over Portsmouth, whose dreadful defending will almost certainly cost Tony Adams his job at Fratton Park, leaves Fulham relatively safe for the moment - in ninth position in the table.

But Hodgson today revealed the two players he was hoping to land before the transfer deadline were seasoned professionals and not teenage prospects like Leed's Fabian Delph, with whom he had been linked.

France midfielder Olivier Dacourt, the 34-year-old former Leeds and Everton player now with Inter Milan, was understood to be close to signing on loan.

But an ambitious attempt to bring former Fulham favourite Brian McBride back to Craven Cottage from his MLS club Chicago Fire appeared to have failed. "We're not looking for 19-year-olds like Delph who may be good some time in the future," said Hodgson. "The important issue is to stay in the Premier League and that's not a place for untried 19-year-olds. We need people with experience."

Luckily for Hodgson, should he fail to strengthen his attack, he already has Erik Nevland to call upon. The Norwegian scored a well-taken brace in the second half after Andy Johnson opened the scoring.