Didnt rate Kamara but you have to give it to him....

[colinwhite]

I was as surprised as everybody else last week  on  that wonderful night at the cottage when I saw his name in the starting line -up. I wasnt at the first game  in Derby ,and was firmly of the view as I watched it on tv that to bring on AK47 in that second half wouldnt have done much. They were so deep and we had no space to play into ,and in his previous  appearance as a substitute against Birmingham ,he had looked like a red card waiting to happen.
I will be honest . I have never really rated Kamara. He is amazingly fast and strong and powerful ,but with the finesse of a sledgehammer and the composure of a man possessed. Very hit and miss, head down and steamroller forward.
Given the way the team plays with passing patterns and great organisation both in attack and defense ,there was no place for a loose canon I thought.He looked like a player who was never going to restart an attack by moving the ball backwards and being patient, when there was no particular options worth taking offensively.
I am pretty sure these (and a distinct lack of all round discipline in his play ) are the reasons why Slavisa has not used Boubakar very often and favoured the likes of Ayete and Piazon in front of him,in our run in after the new year. Of course Mitrovic provided exactly the sort of skill set that Kamara lacked. At last a focal point to the attack , a forward who could link up with our combining midfielders, and score goals when the chance arose and even get on the end of the vast number of crosses that we put into the opponents box.

The signs were there when Kamara came on against Sunderland as a second half substitute and looked a different player. Suddenly he was playing in the wide positon on the right ,keeping possession , passing back to better placed  team mates, and making covering runs back to help out his full back. The coaching team had clearly been very busy with him ,and done a fantastic job. Full credit must also go to the man himself for adapting himself in a way which I for one ,didnt think was possible.

Modern football is very fluid and things change very quickly. During that first leg in Derby , the home side seemed to have done what no other championship side we had played against up to that point had done-  nullify the threat of the big Serbian number nine. They did this partly by using Curtis in Alexanders  back  to push ,pull  and generally harang Mitro , whilst various other team mates occupied the space in front of Mitrovic ,and by doing so prevented us  successfully playing to Mitro as the focal point of our attack.
Ironically the presence of Mr Kamara blew that tactic firmly out of the water in the second leg as they now had 2 strong attacking players to think about as well as the threat of AKs  pace running in behind them. To me it was also no coincidance tha Sessignon popped up with a goal ,as he was also  now one threat amongst many and suddenly could reap the benefits of a ball watching Derby defense. For this reason we are now ahead of the game. I saw that Steve Bruce was at the first leg game and the notes that he made on that day must surely have long been ripped up !
Will Villa have an answer to the threat of Mitrovic with Kamra starting wide on the right ? I dont think so. Kamaras unpredictabillity gives us a weapon they will find hard to deal with on Wembleys large pitch. So well done AK , I take my hat off to you and the fanatstic coaching team we currently have at the club.
So wembley it is. Please god we can get the result we need. That day in 1975 still haunts me ,we played ok but didnt make the most of the play we had, gifting West ham goals . Whatever happens on saturday Ive decided to enjoy the day and still cant get my head around that come saturday afternoon we will be standing in north london watching our team play such an important game. I think we can do it ,and unlike last time  believe that neither we nor the team are just happy to be taking part in such a game . This time we are going there to win.
COYW

[fulhamfever]

It was the game vs Sunderland when Target got injured and AK47 came on he was refreshing and looked hungry and personally should of gone with that team against Brum just on his performance, glad he waited patiently to unleash his full potential and we have seen that now.

[colinwhite]

Part of me thinks Slavisa may start with Ayete and keep kamara on the bench....

[Jims Dentist]

Really like the post Colin.

[davew]

Really like the post Colin.

Yeah 1 of his better ones!!

[fulhamfever]

Part of me thinks Slavisa may start with Ayete and keep kamara on the bench....

I think he will start the same team "why change a winning formula"

[Milo]

What was remarkable was his passing. His passing accuracy was fantastic - it must be training with this team and their focus on ball retention.

He still has that head down steamroller approach which is an almighty handful but he has strength and now has very accurate passing to actually make something of the opportunities he fashions for the team.

I am still concerned his steamroller approach may give away cheap free kicks just inside our penalty area that we live to regret with Snodgrass et al. but Odoi is equally culpable for such mistakes.

[RaySmith]

I was a bit surprised to see him start, but pleased - I think he fully deserved it, and adds something to our attacking threat.
And he responded by  giving a great performance, and helping the team to victory.

I would be please if he started in the Final, but expect him to play a role even if he doesn't start.

I'm sure the Fulham coaching staff have been working with him to help  stop him getting unnecessary cards, though  not wanting to curb his all out style too much, since  it's such an important part of his game, and his commitment, speed and strength are such an asset, allied now to great skill for a big man, and passing ability.

[RoyTund]

If you were to ask me which fulham player I'd want to score the winner in the final, it would be AK.

[colinwhite]

I would settle for that !

[GJB]

Does anybody know if Elmohamady is still injured? Kamara's pace and strength could be key on the right against the second choice left back who's had to come in purely for this big game if so

[Mitch]

Sometimes his first touch is like my dogs. Other days it's like Berbatov's. Full of effort, tracking back and pace though. He has more than earned the starting position. Piazon is a good squad player, but he should not be starting.

[Holders]

Yes, but would he last 120 minutes doing what he does? Isn't it better to bring him on later when they're knackered?  Slav also needs to have in mind whom he would want left on the pitch if it should come to pens.

[Holders]

Does anybody know if Elmohamady is still injured? Kamara's pace and strength could be key on the right against the second choice left back who's had to come in purely for this big game if so

The ongoing Elmohamady injury may be a ruse (I've heard reports that he should be fit)  and the replacement LB hasn't just come in for this game, he's played one or more before, I believe.

[colinwhite]

Yes its a difficult call.Slav could go with Ayete to play safe with a view to bring on kamara as he is the best impact player we have. I sant second guess it.

[Mitch]

Yes, but would he last 120 minutes doing what he does? Isn't it better to bring him on later when they're knackered?  Slav also needs to have in mind whom he would want left on the pitch if it should come to pens.

Let him do what he does from the off and we might not need to go 120 minutes.

[Holders]

Yes, but would he last 120 minutes doing what he does? Isn't it better to bring him on later when they're knackered?  Slav also needs to have in mind whom he would want left on the pitch if it should come to pens.

Let him do what he does from the off and we might not need to go 120 minutes.

Yes, that's true of course - we might not - and that would be ideal. However, we might. Unlike a normal game, there is the possibility of ET and that has to be taken into account - also who are the best penalty takers.

[filham]

Kamara was great in the last game, pace and strength up top with Mitrovic just what we needed. Don't see how he can be left out .

[Mullers OG]

I'm with Colin White on this.  I'm not a Kamara supporter and didn't think his playing standard was up to it at Fulham.  Having said that he surprised me against Derby.  Well played. 

I don't really mind who starts against Villa provided we win.  I would probably start with Ayite who is, in my opinion, a class footballer.  Piazon could come on if Ayite tires and we are ahead.  Kamara is a bit of a kick and rush merchant who might turn a game if we go behind.

Come on you whites!

[Twig]

I'm with Colin White on this.  I'm not a Kamara supporter and didn't think his playing standard was up to it at Fulham.  Having said that he surprised me against Derby.  Well played. 

I don't really mind who starts against Villa provided we win.  I would probably start with Ayite who is, in my opinion, a class footballer.  Piazon could come on if Ayite tires and we are ahead.  Kamara is a bit of a kick and rush merchant who might turn a game if we go behind.

Come on you whites!

Start with Ayite by all means but bringing on Piazon as a replacement would not work in my opinion. Piazon always makes us narrow and later in the game with Villa tiring we should be exploiting our pace and the width of the Wembley pitch and that means AK (frankly I would even prefer a fit Kebano to Piazon).