Today was the result of what we did in the transfer market. Once again we waited until the last day to get best value, deals fell through and we find ourselves one injury and one suspension away from having Kelly and senderos in the side. We shouldn't have had to sign to free transfer to boost the numbers.
Schwarzer, I've lost all confidence in him and for me it's time for a change. He doesn't put himself in the places to get hurt anymore, I don't think it's any coincidence that we have conceded lots from crosses, he doesn't come for them, Southampton and reading spring to mind, he should have dived at the feet of Fellaini for his second and that's just what I can remember.
We now find ourselves in a position where we have put ourselves under pressure to sign well in jan when it didn't have to be like that. All of a sudden the next 2 games are massive for us, home to a out of form Newcastle and away the a Harry Redknapp QPR side. Anything less than 4 points then I must admit ill be worried.
Well, Jol knows it. Let's hope he got something up his sleeve
Meanwhile, the players need the "hairdryer" treatment from Jol
I don't know if they do, some are just not good enough. You can't polish a turd
Fulham will continue to struggle until there is a player consistently on the pitch who can link the back line with front line without Berbatov having to come back so far to receive the ball.
Let's not exaggerate please. We played Everton, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham over the last couple of weeks. We missed our playmaker (Ruiz) and our central defender (Hangeland) in two of those games. We will be fine.
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2vqMB4xvxbA/T-w4htub-5I/AAAAAAAAAXM/frTCbUdydAc/s1600/keep-calm-and-carry-on.jpg)
Quote from: Jambo on December 01, 2012, 06:30:42 PM
I don't know if they do, some are just not good enough. You can't polish a turd
Haha made me chuckle.
Jol seems to have succeeded in turning a rock solid defence in to at times a pub defence. Man for man this is the best defence we have had in the premiership yet we can't defend. It's embarrassing the only redeeming point at the start of the season was we were fantastic going forward but now we can't even do that.
January shopping list..... New goalkeeper, new centre back, two quality creative midfielders and a striker who can finish.
Make that two centre backs. Like virtually all our top players from the Roy/Hughes years, it seems likely that Brede doesn't want to hang around under the present manager. I don't blame him.
Quote from: BarryP on December 01, 2012, 06:31:07 PM
Fulham will continue to struggle until there is a player consistently on the pitch who can link the back line with front line without Berbatov having to come back so far to receive the ball.
Is that not Ruiz?
Quote from: Jambo on December 01, 2012, 06:30:42 PM
I don't know if they do, some are just not good enough. You can't polish a turd
Actually when I was at University a group of us moved into newish lodgings and we found this bottle of chrome cleaner under the sink and ............
Quote from: sipwell on December 01, 2012, 06:39:29 PM
Let's not exaggerate please. We played Everton, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham over the last couple of weeks. We missed our playmaker (Ruiz) and our central defender (Hangeland) in two of those games. We will be fine.
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2vqMB4xvxbA/T-w4htub-5I/AAAAAAAAAXM/frTCbUdydAc/s1600/keep-calm-and-carry-on.jpg)
Finally some sense. We will be fine but we do need to add players if we are to finish in the top half. Ruiz is the person that we're missing most. Dembele has left a massive whole too. We need cover for Ruiz, I think expecting another Dembele is overly optimistic.
Quote from: PokerMatt on December 01, 2012, 07:11:52 PM
Quote from: BarryP on December 01, 2012, 06:31:07 PM
Fulham will continue to struggle until there is a player consistently on the pitch who can link the back line with front line without Berbatov having to come back so far to receive the ball.
Is that not Ruiz?
He isn't consistently on the pitch though is he.
Quote from: WestCountryWhite on December 01, 2012, 06:47:12 PM
Quote from: Jambo on December 01, 2012, 06:30:42 PM
I don't know if they do, some are just not good enough. You can't polish a turd
Haha made me chuckle.
Jol seems to have succeeded in turning a rock solid defence in to at times a pub defence. Man for man this is the best defence we have had in the premiership yet we can't defend. It's embarrassing the only redeeming point at the start of the season was we were fantastic going forward but now we can't even do that.
January shopping list..... New goalkeeper, new centre back, two quality creative midfielders and a striker who can finish.
Our defence is considerably worse but our offence by and large has been considerably better. We need Ruiz to make Jol's tactics work however.
Quote from: Oakeshott on December 01, 2012, 07:11:03 PM
Make that two centre backs. Like virtually all our top players from the Roy/Hughes years, it seems likely that Brede doesn't want to hang around under the present manager. I don't blame him.
You don't blame him for wanting to leave with Jol in charge? I'm sorry what? One of our best managers in recent history (bar Roy of course) and you think people don't want to be here for what Jol is creating? Crazy talk. It's a bad run, give the team some time and wait till January and see what our plans are. Till then S001.gif
Quote from: The Moose on December 01, 2012, 08:45:41 PM
Quote from: sipwell on December 01, 2012, 06:39:29 PM
Let's not exaggerate please. We played Everton, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham over the last couple of weeks. We missed our playmaker (Ruiz) and our central defender (Hangeland) in two of those games. We will be fine.
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2vqMB4xvxbA/T-w4htub-5I/AAAAAAAAAXM/frTCbUdydAc/s1600/keep-calm-and-carry-on.jpg)
Finally some sense. We will be fine but we do need to add players if we are to finish in the top half. Ruiz is the person that we're missing most. Dembele has left a massive whole too. We need cover for Ruiz, I think expecting another Dembele is overly optimistic.
Sadly Ruiz,good as he is,can't cope with the physical side of the Premiership (how did the famous FFC medical fail?)
He will never play consistently & for a decent run of games - it ain't gonna happen
Without Brede we have shown the true state of our defensive cover - very,very poor
Brede has "one last chance" to play for a "bigger team" so will be off in January (same contractual position as D & D so we either sell now or get nothing)
He hasn't signed the exteneded contract has he?
Keep Calm & Carry On by all means - but we are hanging on now for the January window - & we have never been overly successful in that period
The damage was done when D & D left as they did (& that was a case of take the money or get nothing as with Brede)
Our very decent start has been well & truly undone
For Jol to say we are just short of a couple of players back & suggest all will be well is utter la la land
Lawro made the point (I think about Arsenal but it applies to ANY team) that if as a player you don't face competition for your place,you just have to show up & play - & then you become complacent
Jol needs to instill competition for places (even given the alternatives are not great @ present)
Prime example of Stockdale sent out on loan leaving Mark Schwarzer under no pressure
Bowie sang it as "Under Pressure" & some of that is needed along with the hairdryer & anything else that is required to sort this out
Can Jol deliver in this respect?
Get's me mad to see the likes of Stoke & West Ham rising above us - it shouldn't be!
Finish top half by signing a few players - your joking!
Depending on the next two results we could find ourselves well & truly back in the relgation struggle
Such a shame & waste given our great early start - but,maybe we were lucky & it's a case of chickens home to roost
What is needed against Newcastle & OPR is a "do or die" attitude
Jol - sort it out fast!
:023: :023: :023:
"No - Fulham's punishment must be much more severe"....(for failing once again in the transfer market)
Bane and I agree. We need some meat on the hoof or we are in a world of hurt!!! And Ruiz is NOT the answer...
(http://s1.ibtimes.com/sites/www.ibtimes.com/files/styles/article_large/public/2012/07/17/288658-the-dark-knight-rises-movie-stills.jpg)
Quote from: AnotherVicHalomLoveChild on December 01, 2012, 09:39:59 PM
Quote from: The Moose on December 01, 2012, 08:45:41 PM
Quote from: sipwell on December 01, 2012, 06:39:29 PM
Let's not exaggerate please. We played Everton, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham over the last couple of weeks. We missed our playmaker (Ruiz) and our central defender (Hangeland) in two of those games. We will be fine.
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2vqMB4xvxbA/T-w4htub-5I/AAAAAAAAAXM/frTCbUdydAc/s1600/keep-calm-and-carry-on.jpg)
Finally some sense. We will be fine but we do need to add players if we are to finish in the top half. Ruiz is the person that we're missing most. Dembele has left a massive whole too. We need cover for Ruiz, I think expecting another Dembele is overly optimistic.
Sadly Ruiz,good as he is,can't cope with the physical side of the Premiership (how did the famous FFC medical fail?)
He will never play consistently & for a decent run of games - it ain't gonna happen
Without Brede we have shown the true state of our defensive cover - very,very poor
Brede has "one last chance" to play for a "bigger team" so will be off in January (same contractual position as D & D so we either sell now or get nothing)
He hasn't signed the exteneded contract has he?
Keep Calm & Carry On by all means - but we are hanging on now for the January window - & we have never been overly successful in that period
The damage was done when D & D left as they did (& that was a case of take the money or get nothing as with Brede)
Our very decent start has been well & truly undone
For Jol to say we are just short of a couple of players back & suggest all will be well is utter la la land
Lawro made the point (I think about Arsenal but it applies to ANY team) that if as a player you don't face competition for your place,you just have to show up & play - & then you become complacent
Jol needs to instill competition for places (even given the alternatives are not great @ present)
Prime example of Stockdale sent out on loan leaving Mark Schwarzer under no pressure
Bowie sang it as "Under Pressure" & some of that is needed along with the hairdryer & anything else that is required to sort this out
Can Jol deliver in this respect?
Get's me mad to see the likes of Stoke & West Ham rising above us - it shouldn't be!
Finish top half by signing a few players - your joking!
Depending on the next two results we could find ourselves well & truly back in the relgation struggle
Such a shame & waste given our great early start - but,maybe we were lucky & it's a case of chickens home to roost
What is needed against Newcastle & OPR is a "do or die" attitude
Jol - sort it out fast!
Firstly Jol said that to keep morale where it is. Saying the players we have aren't good enough is suicide for squad morale which already fragile. He's already said he plans to raid the market in January.
Furthermore Stockdale was sent out because he needs games, the competition element is still there because we can recall him if required.
If we are to keep what we have plus adding a few other players I definitely see us finishing top half. It all hinges on Ruiz's fitness and whether we can get in a suitable backup option. Berbatov is also extremely important but he won't create as many goals as Ruiz.
Quote from: The Moose on December 01, 2012, 08:46:17 PM
Quote from: PokerMatt on December 01, 2012, 07:11:52 PM
Quote from: BarryP on December 01, 2012, 06:31:07 PM
Fulham will continue to struggle until there is a player consistently on the pitch who can link the back line with front line without Berbatov having to come back so far to receive the ball.
Is that not Ruiz?
He isn't consistently on the pitch though is he.
Unfortunately he is not. I have said elsewhere that I think Ruiz is the cog that turns Fulham's offensive wheels but a broken cog won't turn anything. Fulham has not shown that there is a player that can step into Ruiz's shoes when he is out and that must be addressed in January.
Football is a team game - not just about individuals - and at the moment, with the injuries, etc, we are not gelling that well as a team. This is a lot to do with many new players coming in, and established ones leaving.
The success we had under Roy was due to highly drilled team performance, with defensive solidity as the basis. Jol has a less rigid, attacking philosophy, but has been undermined by players being sold, and injuries, but I believe we wiil achieve things under Jol - but these things don't happen overnight.
Jol - We need a central defender, midfielder and centre forward.
Club - Fine
Jol - Oh right, so we are clear then?
Club - Yes you want us to sell Ruiz,Brede and Berbatov and wait until the window closes and find non contract players.
Jol - English is a tough language.
Quote from: Lighthouse on December 02, 2012, 10:30:45 AM
Jol - We need a central defender, midfielder and centre forward.
Club - Fine
Jol - Oh right, so we are clear then?
Club - Yes you want us to sell Ruiz,Brede and Berbatov and wait until the window closes and find non contract players.
Jol - English is a tough language.
Ooooh.
Controversial.
Quote from: PokerMatt on December 01, 2012, 07:11:52 PM
Quote from: BarryP on December 01, 2012, 06:31:07 PM
Fulham will continue to struggle until there is a player consistently on the pitch who can link the back line with front line without Berbatov having to come back so far to receive the ball.
Is that not Ruiz?
no ruiz should be just behind berba not in his own half
A bit of support form those in the Riverside Stand might help, alway's like a cemetery, frigging embarrassing1
Some deem my posts irrelevant or just plain trolling
But my opinion is rather than relying on our more gifted players to produce the goods I'd prefer we just settled with a system with which everyone is comfortable, the squad can back fill when needed
We had this in the past and I believe the team were more confident
Yes we were more negative but despite having a squad on par with most the likes of everton, west brom, Swansea, west ham, stoke and to a degree newc and Liverpool have a much more settled footballing system and philosophy
Most are also a lot more settled at the back too
So yes, we are reaping what was sown and in my opinion, based on our form, squad depth we are reliant on ensuring positive returns (3 points minimum in head to heads) against the likes of Wigan, Villa, Sunderland, South, Reading and QPR, the other teams who are either in transition or in poor form
Maybe half empty, but being a mid 30s family Fulhamite and a follower of my local town, Luton I am more than used to losing and I am fully aware of where you can rise from and where you can fall too in a reasonably quick time, especially when a little rudderless
I am not for putting my head in the sand and taking for granted we should just turn up and beat certain teams when its fair to say most see us as a potential 3 pts home and now away
Jan is very important to us
Quote from: Lighthouse on December 02, 2012, 10:30:45 AM
Jol - We need a central defender, midfielder and centre forward.
Club - Fine
Jol - Oh right, so we are clear then?
Club - Yes you want us to sell Ruiz,Brede and Berbatov and wait until the window closes and find non contract players.
Jol - English is a tough language.
Genius! Hats off to you sir. However I think that come the end of the window you will be presently surprised. We will spend money. Hangeland may leave though. I expect us to bring in another centre back. If he won't sign by half way through January we should sell and get someone in, not just for economic reasons but because his head hasn't been right all season and it's affecting his performances.
I predict no one will leave and we will bring in two or three players. We'll have a much better 2013.
Quote from: mangoputney on December 02, 2012, 12:08:14 PM
Some deem my posts irrelevant or just plain trolling
But my opinion is rather than relying on our more gifted players to produce the goods I'd prefer we just settled with a system with which everyone is comfortable, the squad can back fill when needed
We had this in the past and I believe the team were more confident
Yes we were more negative but despite having a squad on par with most the likes of everton, west brom, Swansea, west ham, stoke and to a degree newc and Liverpool have a much more settled footballing system and philosophy
Most are also a lot more settled at the back too
So yes, we are reaping what was sown and in my opinion, based on our form, squad depth we are reliant on ensuring positive returns (3 points minimum in head to heads) against the likes of Wigan, Villa, Sunderland, South, Reading and QPR, the other teams who are either in transition or in poor form
Maybe half empty, but being a mid 30s family Fulhamite and a follower of my local town, Luton I am more than used to losing and I am fully aware of where you can rise from and where you can fall too in a reasonably quick time, especially when a little rudderless
I am not for putting my head in the sand and taking for granted we should just turn up and beat certain teams when its fair to say most see us as a potential 3 pts home and now away
Jan is very important to us
Good post there.
Thank you
Quote from: mangoputney on December 02, 2012, 12:08:14 PM
Some deem my posts irrelevant or just plain trolling
But my opinion is rather than relying on our more gifted players to produce the goods I'd prefer we just settled with a system with which everyone is comfortable, the squad can back fill when needed
We had this in the past and I believe the team were more confident
Yes we were more negative but despite having a squad on par with most the likes of everton, west brom, Swansea, west ham, stoke and to a degree newc and Liverpool have a much more settled footballing system and philosophy
Most are also a lot more settled at the back too
So yes, we are reaping what was sown and in my opinion, based on our form, squad depth we are reliant on ensuring positive returns (3 points minimum in head to heads) against the likes of Wigan, Villa, Sunderland, South, Reading and QPR, the other teams who are either in transition or in poor form
Maybe half empty, but being a mid 30s family Fulhamite and a follower of my local town, Luton I am more than used to losing and I am fully aware of where you can rise from and where you can fall too in a reasonably quick time, especially when a little rudderless
I am not for putting my head in the sand and taking for granted we should just turn up and beat certain teams when its fair to say most see us as a potential 3 pts home and now away
Jan is very important to us
I would take the opposite opinion. It would be easy to revert to Hodgson's style as the base of the team are used to it. It worked for Hughes when things were tough.
But I believe Jol's revolution is worth fighting for. Right now we lack the right players for it to work, we are overly dependent on Ruiz and Berbatov. But we will get the right players and make it work.
Even though we've not had the results we'd want recently I've still enjoyed watching us, perhaps not to so much against Stoke or West Ham. We've gone about our football the right way, aiming to entertain. I'd much rather see us play great football and just about stay up than see us play dull football and finish high up the table. I don't see it coming to that though.
