Riise injury is bad: Updates? (merged topic)

[os5889]

Some bad news for Fulham fans. Cottagers boss Martin Jol says defender John Arne Riise will be out for "some time" with a leg injury.

[AlFayedsChequebook]

At the beginning of the season I would have been worried, but Briggs has taken massive steps forward this season, so it might not be such a blow.

Plus this means we have to keep Baird as cover.

[mangoputney]

Oh my

[DUKE]

John Arne Riise will be out for "some time" with a leg injury.

''some time'' i think is too early to tell exactly how long i would say a couple of weeks max.but mayb im just being too positive.we hav a good medical team. magic sponge  :dft012:

[FFCcravencottage]

Maybe I'm being a little over optimistic but I have no problems with Briggs covering for Riise until he is back fit again.

[Jimpav]

Bit tricky though if he is out long term. That means Briggs would be playing twice a week with scarce cover if he were also to get injured.

[HatterDon]

Maybe I'm being a little over optimistic but I have no problems with Briggs covering for Riise until he is back fit again.

I'm with you there. I'm just wondering who's our back up left back. MY choice would be Duff, but I don't know who else we've got who we can put out there. Kelly is STRICTLY right footed. Baird did well there when Salcido was hurt and when Hughes wasn't torturing Briggs.

JAR going down today just confirms how thin our squad is.

[Mr Fulham]

Kelly has filled in at LB on several occasions....I think he even played there in Basel.

[ImperialWhite]

Kelly has filled in at LB on several occasions....I think he even played there in Basel.

Well remembered.

http://www.football-lineups.com/lineup/130195/

[HatterDon]

Kelly has filled in at LB on several occasions....I think he even played there in Basel.

Well remembered.

http://www.football-lineups.com/lineup/130195/

I remember that as well, and if we weren't going to play anyone better than Basle before JAR comes back, I wouldn't be concerned.

[Brede Butter Pudding]

Kelly has filled in at LB on several occasions....I think he even played there in Basel.

He set up Gera's goal for the third, so there is (some) cover. That said, I don't think he's good enough to play RB for us, let alone LB. Our squad is SO thin currently, our bench today proved how desperate we are for attacking players, and our starting XI proved how desperate we are for quality forwards who can slot straight into our first XI.

I'm starting to get slightly anxious, particularly when you see teams such as Blackburn, Sunderland, QPR etc. all beginning to sign decent players when we're stuck in the mud!

[cebu]

Kelly has filled in at LB on several occasions....I think he even played there in Basel.

Baird did it too, so we have some options - assuming he's not leaving us.

[MrCheviot]

Risking our league season to beat the likes of Dnipro w/ key personal strikes me as irresponsible. IMO, Riise should never have been playing in this game. Same goes for Danny.  I'd say AJ as well given our lack of fit strikers, but we have no one else.

Basically, if the backup to the position is a significant step down, why would you play them away in a 3-0 tie? Briggs has his moments, but he's not half the LB Riise is. On top ot that Danny hasn't particular looked energetic of late, and I personally think this double duty of Europe & the league is going to take its toll sooner rather than later. It also keeps highlighting how easy it is to stop our offense (press DM like a mofo), and this kind of match is a good oppotunity to try something else. Defensive game? Try Baird & Sidwell in the middle. Or start Gecov and sub him if need be.

I'll give credit to Roy - he recognized that Europe was a perfect arena for fringe and squad players to step up and do their part. That they rose to exceed expectations only improved the morale and focus of the squad.

I'll reserve judgement on Jol for a few more months, but I'm firmly in the "sort of worried" camp.

[jarv]

AJ got injured when playing in this bloody euro thing. That's 2 for 2, Fulham's biggest (recent) signings, AJ and JAR. Euro 096.gig I say.

[MJG]

I think Briggs has grown up in the summer and looks a much better player now. Yes he's raw but a natrual left footer, who will now have his chance of a run in the team.
What we don't need at the moment is another square peg in a round hole in both full back positions.

[Ron Sheepskin]

I seem to remember that Duffer has also played left back. I'm not touting that as a solution per se, but I can see Briggs at left back with Duffer ahead of him. That gives them the ability to swap positions, like we've already seen Briggs and JAR doing. Stick Demps on the right and job done (maybe).

[AlFayedsChequebook]

Keep Duff away from Left Back for two reasons:

1) We would lose any attacking guile we currently have
2) That is the position he played for a relegated Newcastle

[WestCountryWhite]

Forgive me if this has already been said but I can't seem to find any details on what actually the problem is. Jol says its a lengthy leg problem??? but he mite be available for sunday??? anyone heard anything

[finnster01]

Groin pull is what I have heard. Which can be anything from severe to nothing

[Lighthouse]

He went for a scan and so we will no the answer soon.