Questions from a Toffee to The Cottagers

[matt_the_toffee]

Greetings all! Firstly, Im not here to antogonize in anyway, just doing a piece for the forum i go to - www.toffeetalk.com . We take it in turns to 'interview' the upcoming opposition and I chose Fulham, so here I am! These things usually starts a nice bit of friendly banter on both sides and Ive not met any Fulham supporters before but Ive always had a soft spot for you guys. Anyway, without further a-do:

1/ I liked Martin Jol when he was at Spurs and think hes a good manager. But do you think he is good enough to take you to the next level?

2/ Danger men - who should we be looking out for and who are you worried about?

3/ If you could nab 3 of our players, who would they be?

4/ Do you expect any transfer activity in the January transfer window? If so, which area do you think you will try to improve on?

5/ The easiest question, following your stumble at Stoke, what do you think the score will be when the Blues visit the Cottage?

All the best for the rest of the season after the weekend too. Apologies to the admin here, I know I didnt get a response whether it was ok to start this or not but I thought I would risk it since theres only a few days left before the game.

[TonyGilroy]

1/ I liked Martin Jol when he was at Spurs and think hes a good manager. But do you think he is good enough to take you to the next level?

There is no next level for Fulham or Everton without an injection of £100M plus.

2/ Danger men - who should we be looking out for and who are you worried about?

Not worried at all. Our main danger men are Zamora, Johnson, Duff, Dembele, Dempsey, Kasami, Ruiz, Sidwell, Murphy, Riise, Hangeland, Baird, Etuhu, Hughes and Schwarzer.

3/ If you could nab 3 of our players, who would they be?

Define nab. I wouldn't want us to sign any of them.

4/ Do you expect any transfer activity in the January transfer window? If so, which area do you think you will try to improve on?

Players will be bought and sold in January but not necessarily by Fulham.

5/ The easiest question, following your stumble at Stoke, what do you think the score will be when the Blues visit the Cottage?


2-0

[BalDrick]

1/ I liked Martin Jol when he was at Spurs and think hes a good manager. But do you think he is good enough to take you to the next level?

Begging the question, what exactly is the next level for us? To keep us at the level Hodgson, then briefly Hughes, took us to will do. I think, in time, he's more than capable of that, and provided the funds are available, he could take us further. To where your club used to be in fact, sniffing at Europe, very little chance of relegation, hard place to go to if you need a point or 3 on the last day of the season (which is pretty well the level I'd like Fulham to get to and stay at, any higher than that is territory occupied by clubs I detest).

2/ Danger men - who should we be looking out for and who are you worried about?

There have been glimpses of the AJ you bought but saw all too little of, the fox in the box. Sub clause 3.2.7 requires that he will score against you on the former club ruling I think. (NB Saha doesn't qualify as he didn't go straight from us to you!) Sidwell is looking really good this season too.

3/ If you could nab 3 of our players, who would they be?

Not seen enough of your team of late, but I've always rated Coleman.


4/ Do you expect any transfer activity in the January transfer window? If so, which area do you think you will try to improve on?

Yep - up front. Not convinced AJ and Bobby are overly happy under Jol, nor he with them, funds permitting wouldn't be surprised to see a biggish money striker come in. The perennial 'who will replace the Murph?' question is getting louder and louder too. We may already have the answer to that in Sidders, not sure.

5/ The easiest question, following your stumble at Stoke, what do you think the score will be when the Blues visit the Cottage?

2-0 to the whites, though that probably won't reflect the game.

All the best to you lot too, barring our 2 games obviously.

[Andy_M]

 076.gif I'm always ok with a bit of friendly banter and my oldest school friend is a toffee so have been enjoying some banter with him this week already.

Nevertheless I offer my answers to your questions:

1. The jury is still out on Jol in my opinion. He's made some good changes and some odd ones, still a bit early really to judge him yet, perhaps ask this again when we visit you later in the season.

2. Zamora and Dempsey, although if Kasami comes on/plays he can be an interesting character has had some great performances but also some not so good ones, I think you could say our summer signings such as Kasami and Ruiz are still very much finding their feet in the Prem league. As for who I'm worried about your end, you'd have to be stupid not to answer that with Tim Cahill!

3. Tim Cahill, your new youngster Barkley and a fit Saha is good enough for any team in my opinion. Was a wonder of a player when with us!

4. I think we will see some activity, possibly some players leaving which will be replaced and if the right player is around to be the replacement for Danny Murphy I wouldn't be surprised if we snapped him up!

5. Tricky one, we always seem to do well against you at home and likewise you against us at home. So sticking with that theme I'm going for a 2-1 Fulham win!


Hope that's been helpful, and if you're going to the game Sunday enjoy the day and don't be too pissed off when you loose  065.gif

[AlFayedsChequebook]

1/ I liked Martin Jol when he was at Spurs and think hes a good manager. But do you think he is good enough to take you to the next level?

Echoing Tony's thoughts above, I dont think there is a 'next level' for us and with Spurs and Man City splashing the cash, unfortunately it looks like you will be joining us in mid-table purgatory for the forseeable future too.

2/ Danger men - who should we be looking out for and who are you worried about?

Zamora if he is in form, and of course Clint Dempsey. If Dembele is fit, expect him to be pivitol in the way the game pans out. Worried about Saha, Cahill and Coleman (who had a great game against us last year)

3/ If you could nab 3 of our players, who would they be?

Ross Barkley, Jack Rodwell and Baines

4/ Do you expect any transfer activity in the January transfer window? If so, which area do you think you will try to improve on?

I think we will be in the market for some more strikers, esp if AJ keeps flattering to deceive.

5/ The easiest question, following your stumble at Stoke, what do you think the score will be when the Blues visit the Cottage?

We really need to win this game with our upcoming schedule, so I will plump for 2-1 to Fulham. Would not be surprised if you grabbed a point though since your luck at the cottage in recent years has definitely changed.

[matt_the_toffee]

For me the next level for you is the same as for us; to push for Europa. Im still optimistic/naive enough to think this can still be done without the massive injection of cash, Ive seen it even in recent years! Yes money can be thrown at the situation but it never buys a spirit, it only buys egos and thats not a team that will win for me. City have finally done it but it was 400m, not 100m and 4 years. Why? Because they bought the "best" players for a position instead of buying players to make the best team. Spurs have splashed a bit of cash and are slowly sliding down (like we did when we got to 4th in 04/05). Redknapp isnt a good enough manager to keep them a top 4 team.

Im surprised neither of you have mentioned Baines, that might be down to his dip in form, or Felliani for that matter. Coleman wouldve been one of the last people I wouldve expected!
edit - someones seen sense since i posted!

Unfortunately I dont get to go to many games as I moved abroad and travel a lot for work. To be honest, I wouldnt want to watch recently, weve been terrible, or rather Moyes' tactics have been terrible! I at least hope for a competition this weekend rather than a shut up shop, hope for a point performance that weve done in the last few games (Liverpool being the exception, we were cheated out of that game after 20 mins).

[ClarksOriginal]

Hello Matt,

If you don't mind I'll put my 2 cents into the hat?

1/  I like Martin too, he's been a good manager in 3 of Europes top leagues with credible results and achievments for all teams that he has managed. I think with the right investment he can take us forward, some of the signings we have been able to pull in this summer have been fantastic. Although results haven't shown a progression so far at times we have looked fantastic, obviously the result against QPR stands out, but against Manchester City, particularly in the second half we looked fantastic. they were rocking. So, in short, with time and investment Jol will take us on.

2/ I think the 3 players you should be looking out for are probably 1: Bobby Zamora - He's a fantastic hold up player, can do alot with the ball and has great vision. 2: Clint Dempsey - clever on the ball, good in the air, can score goals from nothing. 3: Danny Murphy (if he plays) - still has one of the greatest football brains in the country, he has tremedous vision and his passing is fantastic. Everton wise, I'd be wary of Tim Cahill, Leighton Baines (what a fantastic name by the way) and Saha.

3/ I'd take Ross Barkley - amazing player and massive potential , Tim Cahill - goes without saying really Leighton Baines - Always liked him at Wigan, he is solid, has a peach of a left foot and has a massive work rate.

4/ Yes, I expect us to go looking for another striker in January, probably back in for Gignac from Marseille, and possibly another winger. Other than that we are looking solid at the moment.

5/ Craven Cottage is a fortress for us and we have a good record against the Blues, so I think a 2-1 win would probably fit well



Can I just also add that I really do admire Everton and have done for many many years, they are a really great team, like us working on a nominal budget who play some really great football. Your fans are always top class and your manager is top drawer. I really hope Everton can find some new owners to drive them forward.

Best of luck for the rest of the season, barring Sunday obviously  :dft012: 065.gif

[licker]

Nice one lads, he only needs replies from LB, logical man, and Mr_Ska and he should have enough replies.

Sorry i wont be able to get down there for this one this season, so I wont be sharing any pints with you lads.

[elgreenio]

wrote this when there weren't any replies so you're having it  :011:


1). I agree with your thinking that Jol is a good manager and will leave us in no worse a situation than we had under Hughes and Hodgson. However, to go to the next level takes more than just a manager and I believe that's more down to how willing Al Fayed is to back him in the transfer market. If he's backed, then yes I can see us squeezing into the Europa League more often than not.

2). Bobby Zamora up front can be a real presence and impossible to play against on his day. Your centre backs need to be up for a fight if you're to shut us out. Beyond Zamora be wary of Dempsey and Dembele, our two most gifted players, both capable of beating a couple of men and producing something out of nothing. It would be wise to give the same treatment to Murphy as you did to Daivd Silva at Eastlands, as the majority of our attacking verve and flow comes through him

3). I've always been an admirer of Marouane Fellaini and think he could be the perfect yang to Danny Murphy's ying. Before the summer I would have said Leighton Baines in a heartbeat, now we have Riise and Briggs coming through i'd think twice but still probably take him. A danger from set pieces and somebody who can pick out a cross to meet our aerial threat. Thirdly, and a bit of a curveball, i'd take Ross Barkley. We're quite set in terms of current players but our youth pool still needs adding to and Barkley is an exciting prospect i'd love to have at the club.

4). I don't believe we'll see too much unless we're fighting off relegation come January. We'll probably see a striker come in on loan, maybe adding a few youngsters to the group and Jol trimming some of what he sees as dead wood from the squad (Halliche, BH Riise).

5). We're a completely different team on our own patch and one you'd be lucky to beat. Still, I feel both teams are similar and will go with the most common outcome between these two sides, a home win. It'll be by the odd goal as well.



Hope that gives you something to go on.

[Burt]

Welcome Matt,

Always had a soft spot for Everton, and have some banter going already with a couple of mates who go to Goodison regularly (although one was born and still lives in Bristol - still trying to figure that one out!).

1. Jol is a good manager with a proven pedigree but he has had a slow start. It always takes time for a new gaffer to get used to the squad, and vice versa. He has new tactics, new backroom staff, new signings, etc. so this is inevitable. I would be disappointed if we hadn't got 2 or 3 more wins under our belt over the next few weeks. Fortunately we have a chairman in Al Fayed who doesn't poke his nose in on day-to-day management decisions, and he also gives them time to prove themselves. If Jol can cure our piss-poor away form from the last few seasons whilst maintaining our strong showing at the Cottage then there is no reason why we can't be top 10 rather than 11-15.

2. Our danger men are obviously Zamora, Johnson (assuming he maintains his current form) and Dempsey.

3. Players I would nab? Cahill for sure. Baines is dependable and puts in a good shift. Saha? Hmm...I loved him when he was here but he left on bad terms so not sure I would have him back. So for my third, and with an eye to the future, I would go for young Conor McAleny, a definate hot prospect in my view.

4. I still think we lack poke up front so would like to see that strenghened in the January window. And as the other guys have mentioned, a Murphy replacement needs looking at.

5. Stoke was a blip hopefully, and as we have a good record against Everton at the Cottage then I would be disappointed with anything less than a win! 2-1 methinks.

All the best to Everton this season. Moyes has done a stellar job with next-to-no resources. Move over King Kenny  :dft011:

[matt_the_toffee]

thanks again guys! Im surprised Zamora is still such a popular figure, but then ive not watched him week in and week out. Dempsey Id have in a heart beat, I think hes a cracking player and im amazed the likes of Utd/Arsenal/Liverpool havent come sniffing. Dembele would be another if we didnt already have sooooo many defensive midfielders and right now id swap you Jagielka for Hangeland

I need to get back to work now, will pop on and off over the week.

[AlFayedsChequebook]

thanks again guys! Im surprised Zamora is still such a popular figure, but then ive not watched him week in and week out. Dempsey Id have in a heart beat, I think hes a cracking player and im amazed the likes of Utd/Arsenal/Liverpool havent come sniffing. Dembele would be another if we didnt already have sooooo many defensive midfielders and right now id swap you Jagielka for Hangeland

I need to get back to work now, will pop on and off over the week.

Think you would be a bit underwhelmed by Dembele if you played him in Def Mid, since he is an attacking winger/inside forward!

[matt_the_toffee]

thanks again guys! Im surprised Zamora is still such a popular figure, but then ive not watched him week in and week out. Dempsey Id have in a heart beat, I think hes a cracking player and im amazed the likes of Utd/Arsenal/Liverpool havent come sniffing. Dembele would be another if we didnt already have sooooo many defensive midfielders and right now id swap you Jagielka for Hangeland

I need to get back to work now, will pop on and off over the week.

Think you would be a bit underwhelmed by Dembele if you played him in Def Mid, since he is an attacking winger/inside forward!

Doh! sorry, completely screwed that up. Cant think who im getting him mixed up with though!

[ClarksOriginal]

thanks again guys! Im surprised Zamora is still such a popular figure, but then ive not watched him week in and week out. Dempsey Id have in a heart beat, I think hes a cracking player and im amazed the likes of Utd/Arsenal/Liverpool havent come sniffing. Dembele would be another if we didnt already have sooooo many defensive midfielders and right now id swap you Jagielka for Hangeland

I need to get back to work now, will pop on and off over the week.

Think you would be a bit underwhelmed by Dembele if you played him in Def Mid, since he is an attacking winger/inside forward!

Doh! sorry, completely screwed that up. Cant think who im getting him mixed up with though!

Dickson Etuhu?

[matt_the_toffee]

thanks again guys! Im surprised Zamora is still such a popular figure, but then ive not watched him week in and week out. Dempsey Id have in a heart beat, I think hes a cracking player and im amazed the likes of Utd/Arsenal/Liverpool havent come sniffing. Dembele would be another if we didnt already have sooooo many defensive midfielders and right now id swap you Jagielka for Hangeland

I need to get back to work now, will pop on and off over the week.

Think you would be a bit underwhelmed by Dembele if you played him in Def Mid, since he is an attacking winger/inside forward!

Doh! sorry, completely screwed that up. Cant think who im getting him mixed up with though!

Dickson Etuhu?

honestly no clue. Its only Tuesday and my mind is giving up.....

[BalDrick]

You're more than welcome to Dickson Etuhu though. In fact please do...

Interested that you don't seem to rate Coleman? Is he one of those players who can be involved in good moves likely to make the MoTD highlights but is largely anonymous for the other 85 minutes?

Oh and if it doesn't work out with Jol, I wouldn't be unhappy to see Moyes take over at FFC.

[matt_the_toffee]

The problem is Coleman isnt a winger and hes playing on the wing. I think a lot of Evertonians got excited about him because we needed someone on the right wing with pace. Plus he cost less that a single week of Artetas wages. He fits the bill for that but he is a 1 trick pony in my eyes. Still young and capable of improving but id rather give Guaye a go, he looks class.

But what am i saying, weve got McFadden back......  :022:

[sipwell]

1/ I liked Martin Jol when he was at Spurs and think hes a good manager. But do you think he is good enough to take you to the next level?

No. I have been underwhelmed with his performance so far. Sure we have brought attacking football but no results to match it.

2/ Danger men - who should we be looking out for and who are you worried about?

AJ when he has a good day. I hope Ruiz will start and Everton will leave a lot of space.

3/ If you could nab 3 of our players, who would they be?

Fellaini evidently. He is the box to box player we currently miss. Perhaps invisible in most games but he does his bit of work on and off the ball and scores the occasional goal. Moreover, our midfield and attack miss someone who can score a header.
Saha. We need someone who can score goals from everywhere and is confident enough to do so.
Baines. Scores goals and is a good defender as well.

4/ Do you expect any transfer activity in the January transfer window? If so, which area do you think you will try to improve on?
Yes. Attack, attack, attack. We need someone with confidence.

5/ The easiest question, following your stumble at Stoke, what do you think the score will be when the Blues visit the Cottage?
1-1

[horse1031]

Greetings all! Firstly, Im not here to antogonize in anyway, just doing a piece for the forum i go to - www.toffeetalk.com . We take it in turns to 'interview' the upcoming opposition and I chose Fulham, so here I am! These things usually starts a nice bit of friendly banter on both sides and Ive not met any Fulham supporters before but Ive always had a soft spot for you guys. Anyway, without further a-do:

1/ I liked Martin Jol when he was at Spurs and think hes a good manager. But do you think he is good enough to take you to the next level?

2/ Danger men - who should we be looking out for and who are you worried about?

3/ If you could nab 3 of our players, who would they be?

4/ Do you expect any transfer activity in the January transfer window? If so, which area do you think you will try to improve on?

5/ The easiest question, following your stumble at Stoke, what do you think the score will be when the Blues visit the Cottage?

All the best for the rest of the season after the weekend too. Apologies to the admin here, I know I didnt get a response whether it was ok to start this or not but I thought I would risk it since theres only a few days left before the game.

1.  I think Martin can take us to another level.  Meaning that he can consistently have us in the top 10 while being able to deal with the demands of Europe.  He is more attack minded so we should be able to contend with the big four on our good days.

2.  Our danger men are Zamora, Dempsey and Johnson.  On set pieces, i would watch out for Hangeland coming forward because he is tall and hard to cover.  Sidwell has a pretty good shot on him as well from distance.

3.  I would nab Tim Howard, Rodwell, and Baines.  I do not rate Fellaini at all and find him to be a bit of a whiner.  The young greek striker that you guys have looks promising.

4.  I think we might see a right back and possibly another forward coming into the mix.  I think Duff will possibly be moved in January along with Halliche.

5.  This is a game where both teams need results.  I could see us getting in front early and letting a late goal in.  2-2

[Luke]

1/ I liked Martin Jol when he was at Spurs and think hes a good manager. But do you think he is good enough to take you to the next level?

If he has the financial backing, yes; if not no. But I also don't think he will take us backwards.

2/ Danger men - who should we be looking out for and who are you worried about?
The obvious threat is Zamora, and then Dempsey can be always worth a shout on his day. I'm worried about Tim Cahill; handy header of the ball.

3/ If you could nab 3 of our players, who would they be?
Cahill, Coleman and Heitinga.

4/ Do you expect any transfer activity in the January transfer window? If so, which area do you think you will try to improve on?
After the deadline day purchase of Ruiz for £10.5m I'd be inclined to say no; or if there is then not much. Maybe a loan of a striker on loan, it is all dependant on injuries though.

5/ The easiest question, following your stumble at Stoke, what do you think the score will be when the Blues visit the Cottage?
2-1.