Fulham plot Johnson return
Hughes expects striker to feature next month
By Elliot Ball Last updated: 9th August 2010 S
Fulham plot Johnson return
Johnson: September return
Fulham have pencilled striker Andy Johnson in for a return to first-team action in late September.
Cottagers manager Mark Hughes revealed the Fulham front man is recovering quicker than expected from a serious knee injury and could be involved in the Premier League as early as next month.
Johnson made just 13 appearances last term and his last outing was back in January before requiring surgery on the problem in February.
The 29-year-old had been hoping to be fit for Fulham's curtain raiser against Bolton on Saturday, but saw those plans scuppered after returning to the United States last month for further treatment following a setback during pre-season training.
But Hughes reckons the former England international could be back playing sooner rather later and will be in the shape of his life when he makes his long-awaited comeback.
"It looks very positive and he's looking to get back as soon as he can," said the Cottagers boss in The Daily Telegraph.
"He's done a lot of physical work while he's been out and the key to it is when he does come back he'll be the strongest he's ever been in his career. We're probably looking at September or October."
Believe it when I see it...
Would be good if true though, if he is in top condition then he has a lot to prove still, and so if he has the hunger to go with it then all well and good.
Must admit I'm finding it difficult to be excited by this.
Quote from: Burt on August 09, 2010, 01:51:33 PM
Believe it when I see it...
Would be good if true though, if he is in top condition then he has a lot to prove still, and so if he has the hunger to go with it then all well and good.
I'll give him a chance, hopefully he starts off coming on in the Nevland late impact role. He's got EVERYTHING to prove...
Quote from: mattiesafer on August 09, 2010, 03:55:58 PM
Quote from: Burt on August 09, 2010, 01:51:33 PM
Believe it when I see it...
Would be good if true though, if he is in top condition then he has a lot to prove still, and so if he has the hunger to go with it then all well and good.
I'll give him a chance, hopefully he starts off coming on in the Nevland late impact role. He's got EVERYTHING to prove...
I'm having the same thoughts myself about using him as an impact sub in matches after, say, 70 - 80 minutes. He's not as fast as he was, but still quick enough to stress tiring defenders.
When he eventually comes back I think that Johnson will impress a few people this season. He showed signs that he had something to offer before he was poleaxed against Amkar Perm last season.
Could he be the latest player on the end of the boo-boy treatment to come good? I think he just might.
Look at it this way, if he's fit then at the very least he's a proven goalscorer added to our first team squad for a transfer fee of ZERO!
Come back AJ!
Pace, pace, and more pace. That is AJ's main advantage and I can't see him coming back with enough of it to make it into the starting line up. For whatever reason, the AJ + BZ combination does not seem to work for us.
Quote from: LordNelson on August 09, 2010, 04:33:15 PM
Pace, pace, and more pace. That is AJ's main advantage and I can't see him coming back with enough of it to make it into the starting line up. For whatever reason, the AJ + BZ combination does not seem to work for us.
Apart from when it led us to 7th in the league the season before last.
Not a potshot at you LordNelson, but this revisionism is amusing. People are making the assumption that Zamora is better because AJ is not there. However, people forget that Zamora was missing lots of chances WITH AJ in the team when Fulham finished 7th. I am sure that Zamora being no.1 striker plays a part but I am yet to see evidence that Zamora and AJ cannot play together at all. Didn't they combine well at the start of last season?
Quote from: AlFayedsChequebook on August 09, 2010, 04:39:26 PM
Quote from: LordNelson on August 09, 2010, 04:33:15 PM
Pace, pace, and more pace. That is AJ's main advantage and I can't see him coming back with enough of it to make it into the starting line up. For whatever reason, the AJ + BZ combination does not seem to work for us.
Apart from when it led us to 7th in the league the season before last.
Not a potshot at you LordNelson, but this revisionism is amusing. People are making the assumption that Zamora is better because AJ is not there. However, people forget that Zamora was missing lots of chances WITH AJ in the team when Fulham finished 7th. I am sure that Zamora being no.1 striker plays a part but I am yet to see evidence that Zamora and AJ cannot play together at all. Didn't they combine well at the start of last season?
Thanks, mate. Not trying to be a revisionist. My memory is that last year AJ was injured, came back to play some, and then was out for the remainder--and that during that interlude he seemed to be a step or two behind/slower and getting pushed around quite a bit. May be it is because we played so many more matches last year, and some great football at that, that our 7th place run has faded a bit. I can't put my finger on it, but I still have this feeling that the AJ/BZ combo just didn't seem to get it done. Hopefully I'm wrong.
Quote from: LordNelson on August 09, 2010, 05:00:46 PM
Quote from: AlFayedsChequebook on August 09, 2010, 04:39:26 PM
Quote from: LordNelson on August 09, 2010, 04:33:15 PM
Pace, pace, and more pace. That is AJ's main advantage and I can't see him coming back with enough of it to make it into the starting line up. For whatever reason, the AJ + BZ combination does not seem to work for us.
Apart from when it led us to 7th in the league the season before last.
Not a potshot at you LordNelson, but this revisionism is amusing. People are making the assumption that Zamora is better because AJ is not there. However, people forget that Zamora was missing lots of chances WITH AJ in the team when Fulham finished 7th. I am sure that Zamora being no.1 striker plays a part but I am yet to see evidence that Zamora and AJ cannot play together at all. Didn't they combine well at the start of last season?
Thanks, mate. Not trying to be a revisionist. My memory is that last year AJ was injured, came back to play some, and then was out for the remainder--and that during that interlude he seemed to be a step or two behind/slower and getting pushed around quite a bit. May be it is because we played so many more matches last year, and some great football at that, that our 7th place run has faded a bit. I can't put my finger on it, but I still have this feeling that the AJ/BZ combo just didn't seem to get it done. Hopefully I'm wrong.
You still may be right, and I would doubt that AJ is anywhere near the same player he once was. However, I still think he could prove a few people wrong.