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Rui Fonte

Started by LiveByTheRiver, November 18, 2017, 09:06:13 PM

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LiveByTheRiver

Just back from the game; overall a good improvement in places......but...... Rui Fonte is an empty shirt. His movement off the ball is dreadful, he's lightweight and defenders have the measure of him in 10 minutes.
He's not good enough to lead the line and his movement and threat are so poor that he can't play as a false 9 to draw defenders and create space. I've just got no idea what he's for!!

Overall I thought we were a bit better but that isn't saying much considering how poor we've been. The breakdown in our play in the final third is incredibly frustrating and has been the story of our season so far.

fcfulham55

Have to agree 100% with everything you've said there.

It's not Fontes fault that we were robbed what,  Nine million pounds for him??  The poor bloke is going to look worse than the Marlet Signing if he continues to make the squad. He pretty much does nothing every game he plays.
Sent from my Nokia 3310

filham

You certainly have to ask the question who decided to pay all that money for Fonte.
A dozen appearances now, Just the one goal and really no signs of being a striker worthy of a place in the team.


ron

Quote from: Statto on November 18, 2017, 09:47:58 PM
Agree. I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt but I genuinely cannot think of a useful role you could give him in a Championship team. He just doesn't seem cut out for it at all. It's a real shame too because he seems like a nice, committed person. I hope people recognise that this is Kline's fault and Fonte is the biggest victim of all.

His bank doesn't file him under "Victim". Get him on the pitch - but only in the Billy the Badger suit - and find someone who can get in a position to put those chances that we had tonight away.

Robbie

Pretty dreadful. Ran around a lot but had little ball and no chances. Most of the rest of the team seemed to ignore him. Need to seriously bulk up or FO !

jeremyfulham

Am not convinced by him , but he won the free kick.


Matt10

I'll stay in his corner. I think he's solid. Watched him play at Braga, and was sublime. His movement off the ball set up some chances. A striker doesn't always have to get the ball to make an impact. Regardless, I know this is getting old, but can't wait to see him prove everyone wrong once he's given decent service for once.

Mince n Tatties

Quote from: Matt10 on November 18, 2017, 10:34:14 PM
I'll stay in his corner. I think he's solid. Watched him play at Braga, and was sublime. His movement off the ball set up some chances. A striker doesn't always have to get the ball to make an impact. Regardless, I know this is getting old, but can't wait to see him prove everyone wrong once he's given decent service for once.

The game is played different over there,this is a brutal league,he isn't up to it I'm afraid.

brightster

Quote from: Matt10 on November 18, 2017, 10:34:14 PM
I'll stay in his corner. I think he's solid. Watched him play at Braga, and was sublime. His movement off the ball set up some chances. A striker doesn't always have to get the ball to make an impact. Regardless, I know this is getting old, but can't wait to see him prove everyone wrong once he's given decent service for once.

I am in the same corner as you, think he makes space and tries to make runs but know one passes to him, there was a break away we could have had in the first half when TC won the ball and could have played him through for a one on one with the keeper but decided to play out wide to Sess. You can see Fonte getting frustrated, the same as Martin did last season.
Perhaps we are looking at the wrong scapegoat here!


Matt10

Quote from: Mince n Tatties on November 18, 2017, 10:47:22 PM
Quote from: Matt10 on November 18, 2017, 10:34:14 PM
I'll stay in his corner. I think he's solid. Watched him play at Braga, and was sublime. His movement off the ball set up some chances. A striker doesn't always have to get the ball to make an impact. Regardless, I know this is getting old, but can't wait to see him prove everyone wrong once he's given decent service for once.

The game is played different over there,this is a brutal league,he isn't up to it I'm afraid.

Brutal in terms of physicality? Just curious, because I've heard this a lot. However, I've watched closely and he had one real bad "physical" match in which he was out-muscled. Since then, he's been a rock.

He's not getting the service. Can we at least agree to this? The one time he's allowed to face goal, it's of his own creation, and we get fouled, then fouled again - and we score.

Matt10

Quote from: brightster on November 18, 2017, 10:48:18 PM
Quote from: Matt10 on November 18, 2017, 10:34:14 PM
I'll stay in his corner. I think he's solid. Watched him play at Braga, and was sublime. His movement off the ball set up some chances. A striker doesn't always have to get the ball to make an impact. Regardless, I know this is getting old, but can't wait to see him prove everyone wrong once he's given decent service for once.

I am in the same corner as you, think he makes space and tries to make runs but know one passes to him, there was a break away we could have had in the first half when TC won the ball and could have played him through for a one on one with the keeper but decided to play out wide to Sess. You can see Fonte getting frustrated, the same as Martin did last season.
Perhaps we are looking at the wrong scapegoat here!

Agreed, if Rui went backwards or walked as much as Martin did last year, then sure I'd completely get annoyed. I knew when he moved to the league he would have to toughen up, and he did. I think it's because he looks like a weak player physically - and that's what the perception is. He doesn't get the service, he can't score the goals. I was a striker, and it would be incredibly frustrating with the lack of service. Like I said, I want more of how we played the last 25 minutes of the Derby match to be the norm. Early crosses, penetrating passes - some real chances there.

WayneKerrins

Not fit for purpose in this League or in our preferred system.

Normally would say that a statement like that is a matter of opinion but in this case it's as plain a a pikestaff.


Twig

Quote from: Matt10 on November 18, 2017, 10:34:14 PM
I'll stay in his corner. I think he's solid. Watched him play at Braga, and was sublime. His movement off the ball set up some chances. A striker doesn't always have to get the ball to make an impact. Regardless, I know this is getting old, but can't wait to see him prove everyone wrong once he's given decent service for once.

There was a lot of service today, I lost count of the number of crosses flashed across the box.  He was nowhere near any of them.

RaySmith

#13
He tries hard but seems a bit lost at the moment, but he could improve and hopefully come good.

It was very frustrating to have all these great crosses, with no one on the end of them, but Fonte doesn't seem that type of player. Kamara seemed far more effective when he came on, and I thought he did well.

Matt10

This thread seems to be a bit more open minded, so I'll post my video highlighting his play. As a former striker, and aspiring coach, I think a lot of what Fonte does right is being lost upon the result. He doesn't get played the ball, it's simple as that. He is a player that is well documented to pass and move, pass and move. How does not fit the Fulham system? He gets in the box plenty.

The match is on ESPN3 for those who have access. I would advise rewatching it and coming in unbiased with the perceptions here just because he hasn't had the chances. I wish he'd be more selfish since it's very rare that he gets the service anyways. Figures when he was adequately selfish, we get a great chance, and eventual goal.


Darkside

Quote from: jeremyfulham on November 18, 2017, 10:05:13 PM
Am not convinced by him , but he won the free kick.

Unless I blinked and missed it, that was his first touch in the 27th minute.
Ok he drew the foul which eventually led to our goal.

Seems to spend most of the game wandering round in the middle of the pitch or standing on the wing.

Slaphead in Qatar

As twig says in a comment above there were so many balls put in the box which just needed a fulham player to tap in. Fonte is our striker - he should be poaching and getting on the end of those. Don't tell me he's not getting the service.

When we paid 8mil for him I looked at his cv and thought what are we doing. Not really done anything in his career.

Matt10

Quote from: Slaphead in Qatar on November 19, 2017, 03:19:54 AM
As twig says in a comment above there were so many balls put in the box which just needed a fulham player to tap in. Fonte is our striker - he should be poaching and getting on the end of those. Don't tell me he's not getting the service.

When we paid 8mil for him I looked at his cv and thought what are we doing. Not really done anything in his career.

If you're talking about the 2nd half, and the last 25 minutes in particular, then yes...he should be on the end of them.

But he wasn't in the match at that point.

Look through the match again when he was in and count how many times we got a cross past the first man.

I'm sorry, but he gets into the box a lot.


Matt10

Quote from: Matt10 on November 19, 2017, 12:27:54 AM
This thread seems to be a bit more open minded, so I'll post my video highlighting his play. As a former striker, and aspiring coach, I think a lot of what Fonte does right is being lost upon the result. He doesn't get played the ball, it's simple as that. He is a player that is well documented to pass and move, pass and move. How does not fit the Fulham system? He gets in the box plenty.

The match is on ESPN3 for those who have access. I would advise rewatching it and coming in unbiased with the perceptions here just because he hasn't had the chances. I wish he'd be more selfish since it's very rare that he gets the service anyways. Figures when he was adequately selfish, we get a great chance, and eventual goal.

Here's the video. Sorry for the voice, at the tail end of a cold.


colinwhite

cant disagree with alot that has been saidbut he is a striker who needs a goal. If he gets one or 2 and still cant cut it then maybe he isnt good enough. Although that ipswich goal seems a along way away, things can change very quickly in fotboll. Kamara has improved slightly.