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Martin Jol bemoans Fulham's lack of cutting edge in home draw with Blackburn Rovers
Dutchman believes the Cottagers need to find new ways to hurt teams when faced with stubborn defending, but is confident Bryan Ruiz will come good after lacklustre debut

Fulham manager Martin Jol believes his side's lack of killer instinct in the final third cost them all three points against Blackburn.

The Cottagers dominated the second half after Bobby Zamora had cancelled out Ruben Rochina's stunning strike in the first, but were unable to convert their dominance of possession into clear chances.

Jol said he was pleased with the way his team controlled the match after the interval, but admitted he was frustrated at their inability to break down disciplined and organised opponents.

"It was similar to the game against Aston Villa, especially the second half," he told reporters. "We thought that we deserved three points from that game and today was probably the same.

"You see it more and more nowadays. Liverpool yesterday had 75 per cent possession and still lost the game, so that can happen. It's not easy to play in their half and we did that.

"The style of this club is to get a good shape to play attractive football, and in the second half that certainly happened.

"I can remember eight or nine crosses to the near post, and of course they did well to defend the near post, but then we have to come up with different solutions in good situations, and a better finish.

"You could say we lacked a cutting edge."

Fulham new boy Bryan Ruiz endured a torrid debut, giving the ball away in the build-up to Rochina's brilliant opener and generally looking bemused by the pace of the Premier League before being withdrawn at half-time.

Jol admitted his new frontman had performed poorly, but is adamant the Costa Rican will ultimately prove a success in England.

"You could see in the first half that he has some quality, but the pace is different," he added. "Bryan has to get used to that and cope with English football. He will certainly do that.

"Here in England, what they don't know about you they will certainly get to know."

The closing stages of the match were overshadowed by a sickening collision between Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer and Blackburn striker Junior Hoilett as the latter raced through on goal.

After the match, Rovers boss Steve Kean admitted he was surprised Schwarzer had not been dismissed for the challenge, which left his player with concussion and in need of stitches. Jol, however, does not believe his keeper deliberately sought to hurt his oppoenent.

"I've seen it again," he said. "Hoilett is a terrific player, and a nice guy as well, and he went for the ball. But you can see on television that Mark Schwarzer was clattered as well.

"It was a 50-50 situation, and you can't compare it with, for example, Battiston and Schumacher [in the 1982 World Cup]. This was totally different, so I concur with the yellow card."




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A Frustrating Day

Steve Sidwell admitted frustration on Sunday evening after Fulham's 1-1 home draw with Blackburn Rovers.

The Whites conceded first, but fought back to equalise before half-time, and arguably did enough attacking to win the match after the break, but just couldn't find the second goal.

"It was a frustrating afternoon," assessed the midfielder. "In the first-half it took us a while to get into the game. We were sitting back, waiting for the game to come to us, but after Bobby scored we got a grasp on it and took the game to them.

"Then in the second-half I thought we dominated play, and we had a few chances, but just couldn't get the second goal."

Indeed, Martin Jol's side certainly had the lion's share of possession, but found it hard to find a way through a Blackburn team who, for large periods, had 10 men behind the ball.

"Even if you're one of the best teams of the world it's hard to break down two banks of four, or nine players behind the ball – it's tough," reflected Sidwell. "We kept plugging away but it just wouldn't fall for us. We couldn't get that goal, but if the same happens next time we'll keep plugging away and hopefully get a bit of luck."

The match also saw a debut for recent signing Bryan Ruiz, but the Costa Rican star didn't make the impact he would have hoped for in his first 45 minutes in English football.

"Some players come in and hit the ground running, but it's harder when it's a late transfer before the deadline. It's helpful if you can come in earlier, have a bit of pre-season and get to know the lads, but he's been here three or four days and it would be hard for anyone to adapt to that, let alone someone in a foreign country," said Steve in defence of his new team-mate.

"But you can see he's got potential, he had some great touches and once he gets up to speed he'll be great. It takes different people different time, but he'll, in himself, obviously want it to happen instantly. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't, but for attacking players like him I think it can be a case of getting a goal early to give him that boost."

It was Fulham's fourth Premier League game of the season without a victory, but Sidwell believes that he and his team-mates just need one positive result to turn the tide. And with a packed fixture list ahead of them this month, they will have plenty of opportunity to rediscover winning ways, starting with the visit of FC Twente on Thursday evening in the UEFA Europa League.

"Results breed confidence and obviously the results from the games we've played so far [haven't done that]," he opined. "In some games we've performed well and lost, whilst in others we've just performed badly, so I think we need to get that elusive win under our belts. Once that comes it'll breed confidence.

"Next is our game in the Europa League on Thursday, which will be a distraction from the Premier League, so the games are coming thick and fast which is the main thing, because it gives you a chance to get over a result like this quickly."




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Sidwell admission over Fulham form

STEVE Sidwell admits that elusive first win is affecting Fulham's form.

The defensive midfielder (pic) and his team-mates huffed and puffed throughout a barren second half against Blackburn – but failed to add to Bobby Zamora's curling low strike to leave the club with no victories out of four and in the bottom three.

The Whites camped in the Blackburn half in the second 45 minutes. But apart from Clint Dempsey's late shot from distance, rarely troubled visiting keeper Paul Robinson.

Sidwell was a frustrated man having to settle for  a 1-1 draw after Rovers took the lead through Ruben Rochina.

"We waited for the game to come to us early on – but after Bobby scored we took the game to them," he said.

"In the second half we dominated, but results breed confidence.

"So far, in some games we've performed bad and lost, and others we've performed well and still lost.

"Once that elusive win comes it will change.

"But one of the best teams in the world would find it hard to break two banks of four – and nine behind the ball like today."



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Blackburn draw frustrates Fulham boss Martin Jol

A "frustrated" Martin Jol says Fulham "deserved more" from their 1-1 draw with Blackburn at Craven Cottage.

Jol says the result feels like "two points dropped" despite battling back from 1-0 down to avoid defeat.

Fulham, who sit 18th in the Premier League table, are still without a victory this season, but Jol insists he is not anxious and believes that "wins will come".





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Zamora grabs point for Fulham
Fulham and Blackburn were forced to share the spoils after a frustrating 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage.

Both sides have struggled in the Barclays Premier League this season and the visitors broke the deadlock through Ruben Rochina's fine 18-yard drive.

Fulham managed to equalise through Bobby Zamora's curled effort six minutes later but neither side could eke out a winner.

The match started at quite a tempo although it took eight minutes for either side to eke out an opportunity, with Fulham's Steve Sidwell blazing wide.

The Cottagers saw Aaron Hughes forced off with a knock in the 20th minute and their frustrations increased moments later when referee Howard Webb waved away claims Zamora was upended by Michel Salgado in the box.

Steven N'Zonzi came close with a 35-yard drive at the other end and Blackburn took the lead with a moment of genius from Rochina in the 32nd minute. The former Barcelona starlet was found by Junior Hoilett on the edge of the box and unleashed an exquisite left-footed drive that went in off the underside of the bar.

The home faithful were audibly irked by the goal but only had to wait six minutes for an equaliser. Much like Rochina's goal, Zamora scored out of the blue after ghosting in from the right flank and placing a shot past Paul Robinson from an awkward angle.

Aside from a tame Mauro Formica effort, neither side was able to produce a real opening at the start of the second period.
Fulham twice came close through Clint Dempsey, who had Robinson and Gael Givet to thank for thwarting the United States international.

But they could not break through and he match ended in unsavoury fashion after Mark Schwarzer and Hoilett clashed heads in stoppage time, with the latter forced off the field on a stretcher wearing a neck brace.




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Fulham 1 – Blackburn Rovers 1 – player ratings
by TOR on SEPTEMBER 11, 2011

I think most people would agree that it was a much better display from the team today. We still lack the finishing power and a bit of pace I think though. Andy Johnson has pace but clearly isn't impressing Jol enough to be called upon to start, possibly because he doesn't find the net as much as he perhaps should considering his work rate. Stephen Kelly showed he can be quick when needed although I still worry when he gets too far forward that he might not make it back in time. Pace isn't something that can be learnt or that'll come with time either so either we'll be very busy in the January transfer window or we need to find a way to play that works with the current squad. All in all though, I felt it was a positive performance. We started brightly, went a bit slow and allowed the goal but we got back into it. The second half was mostly all Fulham attacking which left my hear beating fast for hours after but was sadly fruitless. It's almost as though opposition goals have some kind of forcefield around them.

So how did they do individually? I won't rate Hughes as he wasn't really on the pitch long enough for me to form an opinion.

Schwarzer – 7, did reasonably well I think although I don't remember him having an awful lot to do, especially in the second half.
John-Arne Riise – 8, I like him a lot. He always seems to find acres of space and is sometimes horribly underused by others but knows his game & plays it well.

Senderos – 6, I'm not convinced and today did little to change that. Although I do like the fact that he's not afraid to go in for challenges.

Hangeland – 7, another good performance from Big Brede. I hope Wenger wasn't watching.

Kelly – 8, those who follow me on Twitter will know my feelings for Kelly and I hope you won't think I'm being biased but I thought he did bloomin' well today. Some good, well-timed tackles & some great crosses.

Duff – 9, brilliant just brilliant. He got himself about and showed some wonderful moves today. Added points for the flexibility of moving to left back to bring on another striker.

Murphy – 8, a good game from Captain Dan I thought. I know some aren't keen but we're lucky to have someone of his experience and intelligence.

Sidwell – 8, I love this man and I'm so happy to see him starting. He's lively, intelligent and a great team player. Today looked as though he'd been part of our midfield for years.

Dempsey – 10, our American readers won't be happy when I say I'm not Clint's biggest fan but my God did he play well today and I'm proud to say he's a Fulham player. He's got some phenomenal skill which he put to great use today. Absolutely my man of the match.

Dembélé – 8, he's great and probably one of our most talented players but today (as with most days) he seemed to only be able to move sideways and too scared to shoot which is beyond frustrating. Just take a punt Moose, one'll go in eventually and it'll do your confidence a world of good.

Bryan Ruiz – 6, hmmmm. A 45 minute debut in which he didn't really impress. I'll reserve judgment until we've seen a bit more from him.

Zamora – 9, great work rate, great finish for the goal. It's a shame we rely on him so much but he always steps up to the responsibility placed on him.

Johnson – 7, I always think it's tricky rating late-ish subs as they tend to have a tough job but he did alright. No more no less I'm afraid.




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Jol defends Ruiz after difficult debut

Fulham manager Martin Jol insists new signing Bryan Ruiz will adjust to English football despite an unimpressive debut.

Ruiz, a £10.6m deadline-day capture from Dutch club FC Twente, was taken off at half-time during the Whites' 1-1 draw against Blackburn on Sunday.

The Costa Rican forward struggled to get into the game and Jol conceded that Ruiz will need time to settle.

Jol said: "Bryan has to get used to the English game and cope with it – and he'll certainly do that.

"There are a lot of foreigners who never cope with it, but he's an intelligent guy who wants to achieve things with us."

Fulham were boosted by the inclusion of striker Bobby Zamora, who marked his return from injury by scoring the Whites' equaliser after Ruben Rochina's spectacular goal had put Blackburn ahead.

Zamora was partnered up front in the second half by Moussa Dembele after Jol decided to take Ruiz out of the firing line.

"You could certainly see in the first half that there was some quality, but the pace is different," Jol explained.

"You could say it was 'welcome to the Premier League' and it was a gamble to start with him.

"He has to cope with the English style. It was fast and furious and he's not used to that, so it was an easy decision to take him off."




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Schwarzer head clash 'deserved red card'

Fulham keeper Mark Schwarzer's head clash foul in the dying minutes of Sunday's Premier League match against Blackburn has been labelled "nasty" with calls for the Aussie to have been shown a red card.

Rovers striker Junior Hoilett came out second best from the collision in the 90th minute of Sunday's Craven Cottage showdown between the league ladder's bottom-dwelling teams.

After winning a free kick and a subsequent desperate attempt to take his side to the lead, the 21-year-old Canadian was stretchered from the pitch, leaving Rovers manager Steve Kean surprised that Schwarzer didn't follow him on foot at the direction of referee Howard Webb.

"It was quite a nasty challenge," Kean told www.soccernet (http://www.soccernet) after the match of Schwarzer's move.

"I was expecting (Webb) to send him off. When I spoke to Howard (Webb), he felt that even if Hoilett had got the first touch, (Fulham defender Stephen) Kelly was coming round. At the time, and at the pace it happened, I thought it would be a red card.

"Schwarzer thought it might result in a goal, so he went all out for it. Hoilett, too. It was just a good professional attempt from each to score or prevent a goal."

Kean confirmed that Hoilett suffered concussion and had received some four stitches on the side of his head as a result of the collision.

Schwarzer was shown a yellow card for the foul.

With a 1-1 result in Sunday's match, both Fulham and Blackburn are yet to score a win for the season.



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Blackburn held by Fulham
London: Fulham and Blackburn Rovers were still looking for their first Premier League wins of the season after battling to a 1-1 stalemate on Sunday but West Bromwich Albion got theirs with a 1-0 victory at Norwich City.

The results left Fulham and Blackburn in the bottom three after four matches, although Blackburn at least picked up their first point after three successive defeats.

Blackburn stayed bottom, one place behind Swansea City, who like Fulham have two points. West Brom, who started the day in 19th spot, leapt to 12th.

Blackburn took the lead at Craven Cottage with a stunning left-foot shot from Spaniard Ruben Rochina after 32 minutes and Bobby Zamora equalised, also with a left-foot shot, six minutes later.

The visitors finished with 10 men after Canadian youngster David "Junior" Hoillet was carried off on a stretcher after a stoppage-time collision with Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer. "He is up on his feet and conscious but he was out for a few minutes and needs to get stitched up," Blackburn manager Steve Kean said.




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Zamora strikes to leave rivals united in gloom
Fulham 1 Blackburn Rovers 1

A first point of the season for Blackburn Rovers, but it was not enough to lift them off the bottom of the Premier League table, nor is it likely to quell the unrest surrounding the position of manager Steve Kean. Not that the mood at Craven Cottage is much happier. Fulham have failed to win any of their first four matches, scoring twice, and are also in the relegation zone.

Brede Hangeland made the point that it is too early to look at the league table, but both dressing rooms will. Fulham climbed well clear of trouble last season after a poor start but for clubs like these very few matches are bankers and such a recovery cannot be assumed.

There are times when Kean sounds like he is living in a parallel universe, and yesterday he insisted: "We were excellent today. I'm confident we'll finish top half." That will be a surprise, but to be fair Rovers did play well in the first half, then defended solidly. Ruben Rochina was the most creative player on the pitch until cramp forced him off and his 32nd-minute goal was superbly struck.

David Dunn was another significant influence and it was only after a calf problem ended his involvement that Fulham took control. Paul Robinson then demonstrated fine handling on a squally afternoon.

Kean added of his own position: "The speculation in the press is not from within our club. I have fantastic backing from the owners. I was in India last weekend and they are happy with the way we are playing and our squad. The way we played today shows the spirit the lads have."

His team's lead lasted six minutes before Bobby Zamora brushed Gaël Givet aside then curled a shot inside the far post. Robinson later denied Danny Murphy and, acrobatically, Clint Dempsey but Fulham, as Jol admitted, "lacked a cutting edge".

Bryan Ruiz has been brought to help provide that but the £10.6m Costa Rican had a lamentable debut, unable to cope with the pace of the game and withdrawn at half-time. Jol insisted that, given time, he would score goals.

The match ended on a worrying note when Junior Hoilett was concussed in a mid-air collision with Mark Schwarzer. After a lengthy break for treatment he was taken off on a stretcher but fortunately soon revived.

Substitutes: Fulham Kelly 6 (Hughes, 18), Dembele 5 (Ruiz, h/t), Johnson (J Riise, 79). Blackburn Olsson 6 (Samba, h/t), Petrovic 5 (Dunn, 52), Lowe (Rochina, 71).

Booked: Fulham Murphy, Hangeland, Schwarzer. Blackburn Salgado.

Man of the match Rochina.

Match rating 5/10.

Possession: Fulham 55% Blackburn 45%.

Attempts on target: Fulham 8 Blackburn 5.

Referee H Webb (South Yorkshire)

Attendance 24,856.




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Hoilett hurt after Zamora saves Fulham

BLACKBURN manager Steve Kean accused Mark Schwarzer of a "nasty challenge" after Rovers midfielder Junior Hoilett was left unconscious and needing stitches during the battle of the early-season strugglers.

The injury to Hoilett came as the visitors pressed for a winner in stoppage time at Craven Cottage, where they took the lead through Spanish youngster Ruben Rochina only for Bobby Zamora to level for Fulham.

David Ruiz, Fulham's £10.5m record signing, endured a miserable debut and was withdrawn at half-time of a match in which neither side did enough to claw their way out of the relegation zone.

"He has got three or four stitches on the side of his head and was out for a few minutes, so he's concussed," Kean said of Hoilett's tussle with Schwarzer. "It was quite a nasty challenge. I was expecting him to send him off. At the time, and at the pace it happened, I thought it would be a red card. Schwarzer thought it might result in a goal, so he went all out for it. Hoilett, too."

Fulham manager Martin Jol defended Ruiz, a deadline-day signing from Dutch outfit FC Twente, and insisted the Costa Rican forward would need time to adjust to the pace of the Premier League.

"He will provide that cutting edge in time, but in football you have to be realistic. You could certainly see in the first half that there was some quality, but the pace is different," he said. "Bryan has to get used to the English game and cope with it, and he'll certainly do that. There are a lot of foreigners who never cope with that, but he's an intelligent guy who wants to achieve things with us."

By the time Ruiz was withdrawn, for Moussa Dembele, Fulham had fought back from conceding in the 32nd minute, when Hoilett cut back for Rochina, a former Barcelona youth player, who rifled into the top-right corner via the crossbar.

Zamora needed just six minutes to make amends, shrugging off Rovers defender Gael Givet as he cut in from the right wing and curling a left-footed shot in off the far post.

Midfielders Danny Murphy and Clint Dempsey both forced saves from Paul Robinson as Fulham pressed but the biggest talking point of the second half proved Hoilett's collision with Schwarzer.




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'Nasty' Schwarzer foul deserved red card, says Blackburn boss

Fulham keeper Mark Schwarzer's head clash foul in the dying minutes of Sunday's Premier League match against Blackburn has been labelled "nasty" with calls for the Aussie to have been shown a red card.

Rovers striker Junior Hoilett came out second best from the collision in the 90th minute of Sunday's Craven Cottage showdown between the league ladder's bottom-dwelling teams.

After winning a free kick and a subsequent desperate attempt to take his side to the lead, the 21-year-old Canadian was stretchered from the pitch, leaving Rovers manager Steve Kean surprised that Schwarzer didn't follow him on foot at the direction of referee Howard Webb.

"It was quite a nasty challenge," Kean told www.soccernet (http://www.soccernet) after the match of Schwarzer's move.

"I was expecting (Webb) to send him off. When I spoke to Howard (Webb), he felt that even if Hoilett had got the first touch, (Fulham defender Stephen) Kelly was coming round. At the time, and at the pace it happened, I thought it would be a red card.

"Schwarzer thought it might result in a goal, so he went all out for it. Hoilett, too. It was just a good professional attempt from each to score or prevent a goal."

Kean confirmed that Hoilett suffered concussion and had received some four stitches on the side of his head as a result of the collision.

Schwarzer was shown a yellow card for the foul.

With a 1-1 result in Sunday's match, both Fulham and Blackburn are yet to score a win for the season.




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Fulham will have to wait on the brilliance of Bryan Ruiz to shine through


Clint Dempsey's Fulham side is still searching for its first win of the EPL season. Sunday's match against Blackburn could do nothing but bring about another frustrating draw for the Cottagers, with big-money signing Bryan Ruiz managing just 45 minutes in his debut with the club.

"It was similar to the game against Aston Villa, especially the second half," Fulham boss Martin Jol said after the match. "We thought that we deserved three points from that game and today was probably the same."

Fulham's biggest problem has been the ability to find the net with any consistency. Aside from Dempsey, the club hasn't had a consistent goalscorer in recent years, and the American is really much more midfielder than out and out striker. Bobby Zamora and Andrew Johnson have both struggled with injuries in the last couple of seasons and the acquisition of Ruiz was meant to bring another scorer into the fold for this season.

On Sunday, Zamora took advantage of some woeful defending to get himself a goal, but as the game progressed, Fulham couldn't turn an otherwise dominant performance into a win.

"You see it more and more nowadays," Jol said. "Liverpool yesterday had 75-percent possession and still lost the game, so that can happen. It's not easy to play in their half and we did that."

The style of this club is to get a good shape to play attractive football, and in the second half that certainly happened. I can remember eight or nine crosses to the near post, and of course they did well to defend the near post, but then we have to come up with different solutions in good situations, and a better finish. You could say we lacked a cutting edge."

The notable absence from Fulham's second-half showing was Ruiz.

The former Twente star was pulled at the half after a very tough start to his Fulham career. Despite showing signs of the skill that has drawn such rave reviews, Ruiz struggled to cope with the pace of the Premier League.

"You could see in the first half that he has some quality, but the pace is different," Jol said of his newest signing. "Bryan has to get used to that and cope with English football. He will certainly do that."

The adjustment won't be immediate.

Ruiz' biggest mistakes in the match against Blackburn were all caused by his want to hold the ball a touch too long, most notably just before Blackburn's early goal when he was needlessly caught in possession in the midfield, leaving an odd-man rush heading the other way.

It's habit for many players, especially those with massive amounts of quality in the dribble, to try and hold the ball. That tendency allows time for space to open up for others and often leads to better decisions. But in the EPL, the time on the ball is very limited.

If Ruiz is to fit in at Fulham - and with the money the club spent on him he'll have to or his time with the club will be short - he'll have to figure out when and where to use his skill, and when to release the ball early.

Fulham's reliance on CONCACAF players is well noted, and Ruiz has the potential to be among the best to have ever graced the pitch at Craven Cottage. But Fulham will have to wait on that promise to come through, and it might not be something the club can afford to do for very long.

Liam Twomey contributed reporting to this article from Craven Cottage in London.




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Draw leaves Jol frustrated


Fulham manager Martin Jol was frustrated with Sunday's 1-1 draw against Blackburn and believes the lack of cutting edge cost them.

Fulham edged first-half proceedings but fell behind to a moment of magic from Ruben Rochina, who launched an unstoppable 18-yard drive in the 32nd minute. The home side equalised six minutes later through Bobby Zamora's own inspired moment and Jol was disappointed that his side could not find a winner.

"It was frustrating," he said. "It was similar to the (goalless draw) against Villa, especially the second half. We deserved three points from that game and today it was probably the same."

He added: "More and more nowadays in football for example you see Liverpool yesterday with 70 or 75% possession and still lose the game so that can happen.

"It is not easy to play in their half and we did that.

"We tried to do that in the first half but couldn't because we were a bit sloppy in midfield and everybody was bombing forward. And of course the style of this club is to try and play attractive football and in the second half that certainly happened."

Blackburn looked sturdy at Craven Cottage despite losing David Dunn and Christopher Samba to calf and back injuries respectively.

In addition, Junior Hoillet was concussed in a stoppage-time collision with Mark Schwarzer and Rovers manager Steve Kean was surprised not to see the latter sent off.

"I think just the way he spun and fell," he said. "He's got three or four stitches on the side of his head and was out for a few minutes, so he's concussed.

"It was quite a nasty challenge. I was expecting him to send him off."



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Fulham fall short as Blackburn Rovers hang on
Martin Jol backed new striker Bryan Ruiz to come good despite a disappointing debut on a frustrating afternoon at Craven Cottage.

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Fulham's Bryan Ruiz (L) and Blackburn Rovers' David Goodwillie during their clash at Craven Cottage
(Picture: AP)

With both clubs struggling for early season form, a share of the points did little to lift the spirits of either set of fans as their teams remain in the bottom three.

Fulham edged the first half, but fell behind to Ruben Rochina's unstoppable 18-yard drive before Bobby Zamora levelled with a smart curling finish six minutes later.

But Ruiz, Fulham's £10.6million deadline day signing, was replaced halfway through his debut as the hosts struggled to find a way through Steve Kean's Rovers, who collected their first point of the season.

Jol said: 'It was frustrating. In the second half we had eight or nine crosses to the near post. They protected that well, but then we need to come up with good solutions.

'We needed better finishing. I've heard that we lacked a cutting edge and maybe today we did. Bryan has to get used to the English game and cope with it, and he'll certainly do that.'

Meanwhile, Kean was surprised Cottagers keeper Mark Schwarzer was not dismissed for a late collision which left Junior Hoilett concussed.

He said: 'At the time, and at the pace it happened, I thought it would be a red card. It was just a good professional attempt from each to score or prevent a goal.'




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Ruiz needed to be much further forward, too

The idea is that he will provide that cutting edge in time. But you have to be realistic. He has to get used to the English game. There are a lot of foreign players who never cope with that, but he's an intelligent guy who wants to achieve things with us. He just couldn't get in the box, where he's deadly.

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Martin Jol must throw in his new signings to help Fulham get the best from Bobby Zamora

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To the rescue: Bobby Zamora celebrates Fulham's equaliser at Craven Cottage yesterday

It speaks volumes for the importance of the summer transfer window that a team whose campaign began in June can still so markedly resemble a work in progress in early September.

Martin Jol should be ahead of the curve of most new managers given Fulham's participation in the Europa League but the need to integrate new players and conjure a system capable of extracting the best from Bobby Zamora remain challenges unconquered.

Time is firmly on Jol's side after only a quartet of Premier League matches but Fulham have been here before.

Last summer's flirtation with Jol before appointing Mark Hughes delayed and diminished the business they could complete in the market.

Twelve months on Fulham were once again active late in the window - and necessarily so - but the consequence is that Jol must now find the right blend with the kettle already boiled.

Fulham sit in the bottom three in the table with Manchester City - ominously stronger than when winning the corresponding fixture 12 months ago 4-1 - next to visit west London. Jol opted for a 4-2-3-1 system yesterday with Zamora at the apex and £10.6million signing Bryan Ruiz on the right of the attacking midfield triumvirate.

He had no doubt hoped to make a similar impact to fellow Costa Rican Paulo Wanchope - he scored a memorable goal on his debut in English football for Derby County at Manchester United - but this was more Wan-flop than Wanchope.

Ruiz endured a torrid time, his head seemingly spinning amid the blurring pace of the Premier League.

It was his concession of the ball that led to Blackburn's opener which in fairness owed much to a stunning strike from Ruben Rochina and the
26-year-old was withdrawn at half-time with Moussa Dembele a clear upgrade.

Jol had three summer signings - Pajtim Kasami, Marcel Gecov and Zdenek Grygera - on the bench but chose not to use any of them while former Porto striker Orlando Sa was not in the matchday squad.

The inability to see off a Blackburn side who waned as the match went on only promotes the need for Jol to incorporate the new players to help sharpen their cutting edge.

"You have to start somewhere - I didn't play all the new players yesterday," he said. "Against Twente [in the Europa League on Thursday] Ruiz can't play, then we play very good opposition so this is one of the disadvantages of not having preparation and getting players in late.

"We have a good team so if you play with Zamora and Andy Johnson, it is okay but two weeks ago against Newcastle, you saw that we needed a few additions - I hope that Orlando Sa will be a very good player and you will see that deal was necessary. In football you have to be realistic and you could certainly see in the first half that Bryan has got some quality but the pace is different. For me it was good that he could get used to the pace and the damage was one goal but we scored as well.

"There are a lot of foreigners who will never cope but he is an intelligent guy, he wants to achieve things with us and he has scored so many goals. He needs to adapt and I am sure he will."

A thoroughly forgettable first-half suddenly sprung into life when Ruiz dallied in possession and the ball broke to David Goodwillie, who scampered down the right and delivered a cross Philippe Senderos could not decisively clear.

Rochina picked up the ball and reminded everyone of his Barcelona roots - Blackburn acquired the 20-year-old from the European champions in January - with a spectacular left-foot strike crashing off the underside of the bar to give the visitors a 32nd-minute lead.

Fulham's response was quick. Barely six minutes later, Zamora went past a feeble challenged from Gael Givet and curled a shot past Blackburn goalkeeper Paul Robinson and in via his right-hand post.

It was an all too rare occasion when Zamora received the right kind of service in space to do any damage and although Fulham dominated possession after half-time, their combination play in the final third suggested a team searching for cohesion.

Blackburn defended ever deeper - with £6m signing Scott Dann impressing through his sheer resilience - but Fulham were unable to prise them open yesterday.

They were desperate to get the ball to Zamora but this was a frustrating afternoon when crossing from wide areas was particularly dismal and Jol had to settle for a point.

David Hoilett nearly won it with a header that came at a significant price. In beating Mark Schwarzer to a long punt upfield to head goalwards, he was knocked unconscious for several minutes before recovering to require at least three stitches to a head wound.

"A couple of years ago, I heard the phrase 'we lacked a cutting edge' and you could say yesterday we lacked a cutting edge," said Jol.

Last season Hughes struggled to find a cutting edge in Zamora's absence as Fulham won only two of their first 18 League games before mounting an admirable recovery to finish eighth.

Jol has Zamora but must quickly solve similar problems in taking the team forward to avoid the need for another fightback.



http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/football/article-23985839-jol-rues-lack-of-fulham-cutting-edge.do? (http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/football/article-23985839-jol-rues-lack-of-fulham-cutting-edge.do?)

 
The Knock Out: Mark Schwarzer (Fulham) takes out Junior Hoilett (Blackburn)

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"He's got three or four stitches on the side of his head and was out for a few minutes, so he's concussed. It was quite a nasty challenge. I was expecting him to send him [Schwarzer] off. When I spoke to Howard [Webb], he felt that even if Hoilett had got the first touch [Stephen] Kelly was coming round. At the time and at the pace it happened I thought it would be a red card." – Steve Kean.

"Hoilett is a terrific player and a nice guy and went for the ball, but Mark Schwarzer was clattered as well. It was a 50-50 situation." – Martin Jol.

***

Junior Hoilett was out cold long before he smacked the ground with a thud. Then came the blood which was followed by the stretcher and neck brace.

So how did Schwarzer avoid the red card?

Retracing the injury that extended injury time to seven minutes, one could argue that the sad injury to Hoilett was a result of the braveness and courage of Schwarzer. Following a terrible defensive header from Steven Kelly that fell well short of the Aussie, the goalie fully committed to trying to mop up his teammates' poor play as he raced out of his box.

What happened next was a result of mistiming.

Jumping just a fraction too late so that Hoilett won the initial challenge, Schwarzer's booming header landing instead on his opponent's soft temple. Hoilett barely knew what happened as he hit the deck like a boxer who'd been slugged by a haymaker.



http://www.101greatgoals.com/the-knock-out-mark-schwarzer-fulham-takes-out-junior-hoilett-blackburn/105980/? (http://www.101greatgoals.com/the-knock-out-mark-schwarzer-fulham-takes-out-junior-hoilett-blackburn/105980/?)

 
Monday verdict: Fulham's lack of creativity costs them against Blackburn

Whites struggle in the final third against Rovers

Managers often say that they don't mind players missing chances because it means the team are creating opportunities and if they carry on in the same vain, goals will come.

If this old adage is to be adhered to then Martin Jol has plenty to think about.

Against Blackburn chances were at a premium as The Dutchman's side lacked the guile and creativity to prize open their Lancastrian opponents at Craven Cottage.

Buoyed by their decent second half performance at Newcastle a fortnight ago, Jol encouraged his front four to push forward whenever possible and although they regularly had four men in the Rovers' box, the final ball was often disappointing.

"You see it more and more. It was Liverpool yesterday who had 70 per cent of possession and still lost the game. We were sloppy in the first half. The style of this club is to have good shape and that happened second half," Jol said afterwards.

"I can remember eight or nine crosses in the second half which got to the near post but we had to come up with different solutions. I have heard the phrase 'we lacked a cutting edge' and today I would say we lacked a cutting edge."

Credit must go to Blackburn and their apparently under pressure boss Steve Kean. Rovers, after a slow start, prevented Fulham's full backs from pushing forward and flooded the middle, while Gael Givet recovered from his earlier error to allow Zamora to score with an imperious second half showing.

A completely ineffectual debut from Bryan Ruiz also failed to help matters and in his case it is almost impossible to ignore the 'It will take him time to settle' cliché which is often said for many new to these shores.

His touch was poor and was slow in possession. Clearly used to having more time on the ball he was regularly caught out and more often than not gave the ball away.

It was no surprise that Mousa Dembele replaced the Costa Rican at the break.

"You can see he has some quality but the pace is different. He will be good when he get used to the pace," Jol said.

"Bryan has to get used to our game and get used to English football. He is an intelligent guy he wants to achieve things with us he and he has scored so many goals."




http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/monday_verdict_fulham_s_lack_of_creativity_costs_them_against_blackburn_1_1019327? (http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/monday_verdict_fulham_s_lack_of_creativity_costs_them_against_blackburn_1_1019327?)

 
Europa Preview

Fulham v FC Twente

Thursday 15th September 2011, 8.05pm

UEFA Europa League (Group K)

On Thursday night we continue our latest European adventure with the opening group game against Dutch side FC Twente.

Twente have enjoyed almost unprecedented success in recent years, winning the Dutch Eredivisie title in 2010 and finishing runners-up last season when they also captured the Dutch KNVB Cup for the third time in their history. They also retained the Johan Cruyff Shield (Dutch Supercup) at the start of the current campaign.

Their 2010 title success came under the guidance of former England boss Steve McLaren. The now Nottingham Forest manager left the club for Wolfsburg immediately afterwards and former Belgium international goalkeeper Michel Preud'homme took charge last season. However, he too departed this summer and the club appointed experienced former Ajax and Porto boss Co Adriaanse.

Regulars in European competition over many years, 'the Tukkers' reached the then two-legged UEFA Cup Final in 1975, but having seemingly done the hard part in gaining a draw in Germany, they lost the second leg 5-1 at home to Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Last term they firstly competed in the Group Stage of the Champions League where they faced Tottenham, losing 4-1 at White Hart Lane but later holding Spurs to a 3-3 draw in Enschede. They failed to progress further, but subsequently reached the Quarter-Finals of the Europa League before being heavily beaten by Villarreal.

Last season's runners-up spot in their domestic league earned entry to the Third Qualifying Round of this season's Champions League where they beat Romanian club Vaslui 2-0 on aggregate, but Play-Off opponents Benfica proved too tough and, despite a 2-2 first leg home draw, Twente lost 3-1 in Lisbon, thus dropping into the Europa League once more.

Tickets:

Tickets are now on General Sale
Loyalty points: 6
Purchases before September 13th, 4pm: Adults from £10, Juniors from £5
From September 13th, 4pm, until Kick-Off: Adults from £15, Juniors from £5

Our Home Record in Europe:

P20 W16 D4 L0 F40 A10



Read more: http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/September/FCTwentePreview.aspx?#ixzz1Xkx0swuG (http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2011/September/FCTwentePreview.aspx?#ixzz1Xkx0swuG)

 
Reserves In Action

Fulham's Reserve Team are back in action on Monday night (Barclays Premier Reserve League) when they face Manchester United at Altringham FC (KO 7pm).

Billy McKinlay's side will go into tonight's contest full of confidence after two consecutive victories over Everton and Bolton Wanderers, with the Reserves netting nine goals in 180 minutes of football.

Development Squad player Marcello Trotta was the star of the show last time out against Bolton, scoring five goals in a 7-0 victory.

A match report and reaction from Reserve Team Manager will appear online shortly after the final whistle.



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Martin Jol's Fulham the Oldest Side in the Premier League

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Danny Murphy—a lot to ask of a 34 year-old
Scott Heavey/Getty Images

Fulham claims to be the oldest club in London.

On Sunday, they fielded one of the oldest teams in the history of the Premier League.

The average age of the players in their starting line-up to play Blackburn Rovers was a little over 30. They gave the Blackburn team an average of four years per player.

Just three of Fulham's team members were below 30 years of age.

Compare that with their opponents, and the reverse is true. Just three of the Blackburn Rovers  team were over 30.

Successful sides manage to blend a mixture of youth and experience, but Fulham boss Martin Jol may need to re-balance his team, especially in view of the way they have faded in the later stages of games this season.

The 1-1 draw against Blackburn was a case in point. They just failed to show enough zip and sparkle to make the most of their possession.

The poor second-half performance at Wolves, ending in a 2-0 defeat, was another.

Lack of youth is a particular problem for Fulham, in view of the number of competitive matches they have played so far this season. Twice as many as some of their opponents.

The Europa League started on the last day of June for the Cottagers. Not much of a summer's break for 34-year-old captain Danny Murphy and his veteran colleagues.

The Blackburn fixture was Fulham's 12th of the season. It was Blackburn's fifth.

In between weekend Premier League games, Fulham has to play Dutch side Twente in the Europa League this week, followed by a Carling Cup fixture against Chelsea the following week.

The international break should have given some club players a bit of a rest in September. Not so for Fulham. They have six competitive fixtures to fulfil this month.

Martin Jol will be relieved that the Carling Cup game against Chelsea must be decided on the night.  The very thought of a replay might be too much for some of his senior players.




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Taking Shape

Stephen Kelly is confident Fulham will soon be claiming the victories they deserve after his Team came away with a share of the spoils against Blackburn on Sunday despite a dominant second half performance by Martin Jol's side.

"Overall we were disappointed that we didn't come away with all three points on Sunday, especially considering the amount of possession we had in the second half," Kelly told fulhamfc.com.

"We coped well with them [Blackburn Rovers] defensively, but as I said, we're just disappointed that we didn't get the win. We're starting to gel and you could see in the second half against Blackburn the pressure we put them under - we were really going for it.

"We've have a couple of tough away games and two draws at home is not like us because we usually turn those into wins so it's been a bit disappointing.

"I think in the games we've played at home we've had the majority of chances and possession but not come away with the wins. It'll come and it's early in the season."

Despite starting the game on the bench, Kelly replaced Aaron Hughes at right back early on and delivered another confident performance on Sunday that came on the back of a successful international break with the Republic of Ireland.

"As a defender it's not that often you get the chance to come on from the bench but you always have to be ready," Kelly explained. "I got the opportunity to come on and show what I can do on the back of a good result with Ireland earlier in the week.

"I was very happy with my performance. It was a good, solid performance and we were able to nullify their threat in the second half."

Fulham will get another chance to claim a home win on Thursday night when the UEFA Europa League Group action kick-offs against FC Twente at Craven Cottage. Kelly is well aware of the tough task facing Fulham but believes recent signings will help the Club successfully manage their European and domestic campaigns.

"We've got a lot of games coming up and the Manager's brought in players that can play in different positions and adapt. Bryan [Ruiz] can play on the wing, up front or off the front man in an attacking midfield position.

"The new singings give us more options so that when we need to change things we can. In the games we have (Europa League and Premier League] that is something we're going to have to do to make sure our Premier League form remains strong.

"We'll do our work and preparation on [FC Twente] this week and I'm sure we'll be picking Bryan's [Ruiz] brain for how they'll attack us.

"They're a good side that won the Dutch championship a few years ago and we're expecting it to be a tough game. It's an opportunity for us to get a good foothold in the group stage early on and get a home win."

Kelly described Sunday's game as a "baptism of fire" for transfer deadline day signing Bryan Ruiz, but the defender is certain the former FC Twente player will prove a major hit for Fulham once he has acclimatised to pace and style of the Premier League.

"The Premier League is a very unique and you don't get the chance to take two or three touches on the ball," Kelly explained. "It's going to be a learning curve for him in the first couple of games and the Manager's given him a taste so now he knows what he needs to do.

"It's difficult – you're going to get challenges flying in because that's what the Premier League is like. He's a talented boy and I'm sure he'll do well for the Club."



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Big month for Fulham duo

The pressure is on Damien Duff and Stephen Kelly to deliver for both club and country.

After dull goalless draws against Slovakia and Russia, the Irish duo returned to club action at the weekend for Fulham, who failed to beat a poor Blackburn side and still await their first Premier League win under manager Martin Jol.

Unlike Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni, Jol does at least send his team out with some attacking intent and there were signs in the first half against Rovers that Fulham have enough about them to move up the table.

But the longer they go without that win, the greater the pressure on the Dutchman's broad shoulders.

Fulham have six more matches before Duff and Kelly depart for international duty again in early October.

They will take on FC Twente and Odense BK in the Europa League and face difficult Premier League fixtures against Manchester City and West Brom as well as local derbies with Chelsea and QPR.

Without a win in four league matches, Jol will be more worried about picking up Premier League points than a European adventure.

And he'll be looking for big performances from Duff and Kelly.

Duff, 32, signed a new contract in August and is heading into the twilight of his career. 

Having undergone surgery on a troublesome Achilles injury towards the end of last season, he will be hoping to stay fit for the entire campaign this time around.

His experience will be vital in the coming weeks and his ability to conjure up a chance out of nothing may be the difference between picking up a win rather than yet another draw.

Trapattoni, like Jol, prefers to use Duff on the right wing rather than his more natural left, and will be praying that at some stage in the next six Fulham fixtures he gets a rest.

The Irish team is set up in a way that means without Duff, their attacking threat would be virtually non-existent. In order to at least claim a play-off spot, a fully fit Duff is a must for them.

Kelly, on the other hand, needs anything but a rest.

The former Tottenham man, who had a successful loan spell with QPR back in 2003, has been in and out of the Fulham side since signing for the club in 2009.

At 28, he really can't afford to be warming the bench at club level if he wants to secure a starting spot in the Irish team and it was somewhat surprising that he didn't leave Fulham during the transfer window in order to secure regular football.

The Dublin-born defender replaced the injured Aaron Hughes after 20 minutes against Blackburn and needs to take this opportunity to nail down the right-back position if, as looks likely, Hughes is set for a spell on the sidelines.

Kelly is a very decent lad, always happy to stop for an interview after Ireland matches and never moans about sitting on the bench for Ireland or Fulham.

But he is clearly a confidence player and not starting week-in, week-out, has hampered his development in the last few years.

He came in for John O'Shea against Russia and performed well against former Chelsea man Yuri Zhirkov.

With Richard Dunne suspended for the Andorra match on 7 October, Kelly is likely to retain his place in Trapattoni's starting XI and potentially get the nod for the final qualifier against Armeniaon 11 October.

It's time for Kelly to show that he isn't just a bit-part player and in the process help ease the burden on both Jol and Trapattoni – two managers whose positions could come under scrutiny if results go against them in the coming weeks.



http://www.westlondonsport.com/features-comment/big-month-for-fulham-duo/ (http://www.westlondonsport.com/features-comment/big-month-for-fulham-duo/)

 
Bryan Ruiz makes slow start to his Fulham career

The last time Fulham imported a striker for an eight figure sum, Steve Marlet, Mohammed Al Fayed sacked and attempted to sue Jean Tigana, the manager responsible for the transfer, claiming he had "grossly overpaid" for the forward in question. Plenty of seemingly high-calibre front men have struggled in the Premier League, so you can forgive Fulham fans for any scepticism that may result from another forward arriving for a fee north of £10m. All eyes then are on Bryan Ruiz after his arrival from the Eredivisie, for a price reported to be £10.6m

Signed by Steve McClaren for £4m from Gent, the arrival of Ruiz ignited Twente's fortunes as they were crowned champions of Holland for the first time. Ruiz netted 24 times, including a hat-trick in the first five minutes of the second-half of a game against Sparta Rotterdam. Twente finished runners up to Ajax last season but won the KNVB Cup and the Johan Cruyff Schaal, the Dutch equivalent of the Community Shield, twice during Ruiz's spell, in a period of unprecedented achievement. Ruiz, in two very impressive seasons as FC Twente's figurehead, notched 36 goals in 61 appearances,

Despite interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United, who matched Fulham's offer, Ruiz signed a four-year deal at Craven Cottage, claiming that Martin Jol was instrumental in his decision. "I'm really happy to be joining Fulham Football Club and playing under Martin Jol who is a manager I admire from his time managing in Holland for Ajax," said Ruiz. "I chose to come to Fulham because it feels more personal than other clubs I have visited."

Ruiz started Fulham's 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers on Sunday in what turned out to be a cameo performance. The Costa Rican's debut left a lot to be desired, as he struggled to get to grips with the pace and physicality of a typical Premier League contest. Referee Howard Webb appeared unimpressed as Ruiz frequently went to ground when challenged and Jol clearly felt the same way as he did not return for the second-half, replaced by Moussa Dembele at the break.

Ruiz will need to adjust quickly if he is to overcome his English football culture shock and avoid his hefty price tag becoming a burden - he certainly has the ability if he can summon the application. There is also plenty of competition for places at Fulham, with the likes of Bobby Zamora, Andy Johnson, and Dembele all pushing for regular first team football.

Ruiz already has the nicknames "la Comadreja", which translates as "the weasel", which alludes to his close control, also "la escoba" aka "the broom", due to his tall, skinny build and long hair. The hope is that he will not be adding "the new Steve Marlet" to that list.




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Loaner Report 9/12/11

Oops, missed two weeks worth of the loaner reports including mentioning a few new names added to the list. My apologies, but here's the full run down:

Lauri Dalla Valle and Keanu Marsh-Brown joined Dundee United on loan right before the summer transfer deadline. Rich wrote about Dalla Valle already, but Marsh-Brown joined the Scottish side on August 30. Both deals go until January. Rafik Halliche joined Swansea City on loan on August 31, also until January.

David Stockdale started and made 3 saves in Ipswich Town's 2-0 loss at Blackpool on Saturday. On August 27 he started and made 6 saves in Ipswich's 2-1 win over Leeds.

Carlos Salcido started and played 90 minutes in Tigres' 5-0 win over Pachuca in Saturday. On August 27 he started and played 90 minutes in Tigres' 1-0 at Atlas.

Lauri Dalla Valle started and played 70 minutes in Dundee United's 1-0 loss to Rangers on Saturday. On August 27 he started and played 90 minutes in The Terrors 3-3 draw with St. Johnstone.

Keanu Marsh-Brown did not dress in Dundee United's 1-0 loss to Rangers on Saturday.

Rafik Halliche did not dress in Swansea City's 1-0 loss at Arsenal on Saturday.

Danny Hoesen started, played 90 minutes, and received a yellow card in Fortuna Sittard's 2-2 draw with FC Den Bosch on Friday. I think he also drew a penalty. On August 26 he started and played 63 minutes in Fortuna Sittards' 3-1 loss to Fortuna.



http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2011/09/12/loaner-report-91211/? (http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2011/09/12/loaner-report-91211/?)

 
Hangeland admits Fulham frustration
Fulham - Brede Hangeland dissapointed not to take three points against Blackburn

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Fulham defender Brede Hangeland couldn't hide his disappointment after his side drew 1-1 with Blackburn yesterday.

The Norwegian international was one of the few players to impress in a scrappy match between two of the Barclays Premier League's bottom sides, with neither side yet to record a victory in the division.

Hangeland felt the Cottagers came closest to doing that on Sunday though, and is hoping the team's luck can quickly change for the better.

"I'm extremely disappointed. We dominated completely and should have won. We just lacked a bit of skill and luck," he told SkySports post-match.

"We feel confident here (Craven Cottage) and have had great results here over the years.

"It's too early in the season for us to start looking at the table."

Ruben Rochina had opened the score for the visitors before Bobby Zamora's equaliser, and in-truth it was the hosts who looked more likely to win the game in the later stages.

However, Martin Jol's side were unable to take advantage, leaving the Dutchman frustrated about his side's lack of cutting edge.

"It was frustrating. It was similar to the [goalless draw] against Villa, especially the second half. We deserved three points from that game and today it was probably the same," he said.

"We were a bit sloppy in midfield and everybody was bombing forward (in the first-half). And of course the style of this club is to try and play attractive football and in the second half that certainly happened.

"In the second half I can remember we had eight or nine crosses to the near post. They protected that well, but then we need to come up with good solutions."



http://www.givemefootball.com/premier-league/hangeland-admits-fulham-frustration? (http://www.givemefootball.com/premier-league/hangeland-admits-fulham-frustration?)

 
Fulham's Stephen Kelly: We deserved a win against Blackburn Rovers
The Irish defender came off of the bench in the 1-1 stalemate at Craven Cottage, and he believes the side are gelling well and the draws will soon be converted into wins

Stephen Kelly has claimed that he is disappointed with the fact that Fulham were unable to convert a second half full of dominance into a win against Blackburn Rovers, but believes that the club's fortunes will change soon as the team are beginning to gel.

Kelly did not start the game but came off of the bench to feature in a strong second half in which he felt Fulham should have gone on to secure the club's first Premier League win of the season.

He told fulhamfc.com: "Overall we were disappointed that we didn't come away with all three points on Sunday, especially considering the amount of possession we had in the second half,

"We coped well with them [Blackburn Rovers] defensively, but as I said, we're just disappointed that we didn't get the win. We're starting to gel and you could see in the second half against Blackburn the pressure we put them under - we were really going for it.

"We've have a couple of tough away games and two draws at home is not like us because we usually turn those into wins so it's been a bit disappointing.

"I think in the games we've played at home we've had the majority of chances and possession but not come away with the wins. It'll come and it's early in the season

"As a defender it's not that often you get the chance to come on from the bench but you always have to be ready.

"I got the opportunity to come on and show what I can do on the back of a good result with Ireland earlier in the week.

"I was very happy with my performance. It was a good, solid performance and we were able to nullify their threat in the second half."

Martin Jol will hope his side will have better luck on Thursday as they face FC Twente in their Europa League clash, they will be looking to take advantage of inside information from Brian Ruiz who has only recently signed for Fulham from the Dutch club.

Kelly went on to say: "We've got a lot of games coming up and the manager's brought in players that can play in different positions and adapt. Bryan [Ruiz] can play on the wing, up front or off the front man in an attacking midfield position.

"The new singings give us more options so that when we need to change things we can. In the games we have [Europa League and Premier League] that is something we're going to have to do to make sure our Premier League form remains strong.

"We'll do our work and preparation on [FC Twente] this week and I'm sure we'll be picking Bryan's [Ruiz] brain for how they'll attack us.

"They're a good side that won the Dutch championship a few years ago and we're expecting it to be a tough game. It's an opportunity for us to get a good foothold in the group stage early on and get a home win."

Kelly also moved to praise Ruiz ahead of the clash, and feels he will be a success at Craven Cottage.

"The Premier League is a very unique and you don't get the chance to take two or three touches on the ball," Kelly added.

"It's going to be a learning curve for him in the first couple of games and the manager's given him a taste so now he knows what he needs to do.

"It's difficult – you're going to get challenges flying in because that's what the Premier League is like. He's a talented boy and I'm sure he'll do well for the club."

Martin Jol's side have only managed to win once this season, against Dnipro in the Europa League qualifying stages, only managing two points so far in the Premier League.



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Kelly - Tough start for Ruiz
Defender confident Costa Rican will settle after tough introduction

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Ruiz: Tipped by Kelly to flourish at Fulham after tough debut

Stephen Kelly believes new Fulham team-mate Bryan Ruiz endured a 'baptism of fire' against Blackburn but has backed him to be a hit at Craven Cottage.

Both sides entered Sunday's encounter in West London on the back of dour starts to the Premier League but it was the visitors that took the lead through Ruben Rochina.

Bobby Zamora equalised for Fulham six minutes later but the home side could not turn their pressure into the all-important winner.

Arrival

Much of the talk in the pre-match build-up focused on Costa Rica international Ruiz, who arrived on deadline day from FC Twente in a deal worth £10.6million.

However, the 26-year-old struggled on his Fulham debut and was substituted by manager Martin Jol at half-time, which team-mate Kelly believes was a good move.

"It was a baptism of fire, especially when you're coming into a game against Blackburn or someone like Stoke," he said.

"The Premier League is a very different league and you don't get to take two or three touches on the ball, but he is going to learn.

"He's a talented boy, he has come in and I am sure he will play well for us and for the club. It is just going to be a little bit of a learning curve in the first couple of games.

"I think the manager was right in what he did. He gave him a half and a taste of things so for the next few games he knows maybe what he needs to do.

"But it is a difficult one. You know you're going to get challenges flying in and in the Premier League that is what the game is like. That is what it is all about and it takes players time to adjust but I am sure he will."

Ruiz was one of several late signings made by Jol in a bid to bolster his ailing side.

The Cottagers have secured two points from a possible 12 but Kelly believes the signs are promising.

Difficult

"It's not a great [start]," he said. "We've had a couple of difficult away games and we've never been famed for our away form.

"But two draws from home is not really like us. We normally convert those draws into wins and it has been a bit disappointing.

"But it is early on the season. There is a new manager, new staff, new players and we're starting to gel.

"I think it will come and there were glimpses of it there, especially in the second half where we were putting on the pressure and the crowd were really getting behind us."



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Ruiz Disappoints!

If the game, yesterday, was a disappointment, then the Fulham debut of Bryan Ruiz was something of an anti-climax.

Having cost in excess of £10 million, great things were expected of the Costa Rican. Sadly, despite a few early touches, our recent signing from FC Twente, struggled.

Instead of being a revelation, Ruiz struggled to get involved and appeared to be too easily knocked off the ball.

After the game, Martin Jol was quick to acknowledge that it hadn`t been the best of debuts simply remarking,

"The pace was too quick for him"

Perhaps it may have been a better idea to let Ruiz watch from the bench and give him a twenty minute run out, rather than the cold, sharp shock treatment that might have well had Ruiz questioning just what he`s let himself in for?

Hindsight - a wonderful thing!



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Hoillet Horror

Yesterday, down by the river, it appeared to be one of those days.

With both sides desperate for a win, the game turned out to be exciting in periods but disappointing overhaul.

Both teams will feel they could have snatched a win, Fulham probably more so as they dominated the majority of the second half.

Unfortunately, the major talking point of the game though will be the incident that occurred in stoppage time when an aerial collision between Mark Schwarzer and Junior Hoillet resulted in the Blackburn player being carried away with his neck in a brace.

As you`d expect, the two managers had differing views on the collision.

Steve Kean, who served with Chris Coleman during his reign as manager, was the more vociferous of the two feeling that Schwarzer should have been red-carded for the incident, remarking,

"When I spoke to Howard (Webb) he said he just felt that even though Junior got the first touch Kelly was coming round."

"But at the time it happened I thought it was going to be a red card."

"If Schwarzer had not gone in for it in the fashion that he did, it could have resulted in a goal."

"So he was going all out to make sure he got contact on something, be it the ball or our man. It was a good professional attempt from each of them to get the ball."

Interesting how his view slightly mellowed as the interview went on.

Martin Jol, on the other hand, had a more even balanced view of the collision, commenting,

"Hoillet is a terrific player and a nice guy and went for the ball, but Mark Schwarzer was clattered as well. It was a 50-50 situation."

Here at Vital Fulham we hope that Hoillet makes a speedy recovery and that the incident is soon forgotten.



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Ruiz needs time - Jol

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Martin Jol feels Bryan Ruiz needs time to adapt to the Premier League but feels he is intelligent enough to be a success in England.


The Dutchman struggled to make an impact in his debut for the Cottagers, as Fulham were held to a 1-1 home draw by Blackburn, leaving Jol's men still seeking their first win of the season.

A lot is expected of the transfer deadline day capture, after building a big reputation in Holland, but Jol has called for patience and believes the winger will come good.

"In football you have to be realistic and you could certainly see in the first half that Bryan has got some quality but the pace is different. For me it was good that he could get used to the pace and the damage was one goal but we scored as well," the Cottagers boss said.

"There are a lot of foreigners who will never cope but he is an intelligent guy, he wants to achieve things with us and he has scored so many goals.

"He needs to adapt and I am sure he will."



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