Hodgson rues Zamora injury

Fulham manager Roy Hodgson was left to lament a serious injury sustained by Bobby Zamora during his side's 3-2 defeat to Stoke.

Zamora, who has been in a rich vein of form in front of goal, was forced off with a shoulder problem after a challenge with Abdoulaye Faye.

Hodgson fears Zamora dislocated his collar bone which would rule him out of action for several weeks.

"It is a bad day when you lose and it is a bad day when you lose Bobby Zamora to possibly a dislocated shoulder. It is a very expensive game for us," bemoaned Hodgson.

"It is a suspected dislocated collar bone. He had had ones before on the other side and the same thing happened to Andy Johnson this year so it is our year for that type of injury.

"It is very disappointing because Bobby is playing so well, we can only hope it doesn't keep him out for too long.

"I don't know what the diagnosis is going to be we will have to wait for the scans."

Brede Hangeland also had to be replaced at the break because of a knee knock and Hodgson is hoping the big defender does not face a spell on the sidelines.

"It is a very expensive day for us. We were forced to replace Hangeland at half-time with a recurrence of his knee injury and we lost Zamora early in the second half and we have also lost the game," added Hodgson.

Praise

Hodgson was also happy at the way his side responded from going 3-0 down at half-time.

Goals from Damien Duff and Clint Dempsey set up a dramatic finale and Hodgson felt with a bit more time his side could have got something out of the game.

"I thought we did well to come out in the second half after conceding those disastrous goals in the first half," noted Hodgson

"You know when you come to Stoke set-plays are going to be their major goalscoring weapon.

"The players have shown a lot of character to make a game of it in the second half.

"I didn't think we were particularly outplayed in the first half but 3-0 in any league is a very difficult deficit to come back from.

"I thought we gave it our best shot and I just wish the game had gone on for another 10 minutes - who knows we might have sneaked one in."