Saturday Fulham Stuff (17/112/11)...

[WhiteJC]

 
WOULD WE REALLY WELCOME BACK THIS FORMER HAMMER?

Hammers fans remember Bobby Zamora for his contributions to the cause from 2003-2007, regularly getting over ten goals a season. Now at Fulham, he has made his mark in 11 starts with three goals.

As a big striker, he has the ability to harass a defence with his sheer physicality and his goalscoring ability.  Rumour has it that Zamora is out of favour at Fulham and will be shown the door in January.  Big Sam is on the prowl for a striker to bring in during the transfer window, but is Zamora a real possibility and is he worth it?

West Ham currently has three big strikers with Carlton Cole, John Carew, and Frederic Piquionne.  Carew and Piquionne are 30+, and Cole is on his way. Zamora himself is currently 30 years of age, so it is safe to say that this buy would not be one for the future.  Perhaps it is better to look at the immediate potential impact Zamora could have on the team. I'd like to say that Zamora would be a better goalscoring threat than Piquionne or Carew, and is equally adept at bringing others into play.  He could push Carlton Cole for the starting position up top alongside Baldock (when healthy).  Zamora has played in the Championship and has Premier League pedigree.  I don't think there's any question that Big Sam would love to sign Zamora, I personally don't think the club could.

Zamora has already attracted the attention of numerous Premier League clubs, and even though he has a history with West Ham, he may not want to venture down into the Championship.  Although Big Sam was able to convince Kevin Nolan to drop down a division, Zamora may be lured away to one of the mid-table Premier teams. If West Ham were to offer comparable money, even then it may be a tough sale for Zamora.

While I would love to see Zamora return and finish his career in the East End, I would understand if he didn't make the switch.  After all, the transfer is purely hypothetical at this stage anyways.  The club has three big strikers to rotate and one guaranteed goalscorer, so it may even be more prudent to go after another poacher. The club looks like it can maintain its push for promotion without Zamora. However, I'd love to have the former Hammer return to Upton Park.



http://foreverwestham.com/2011/12/blogs/would-we-really-welcome-back-this-former-hammer?

[WhiteJC]

 
Drowning not Waving

Like many I stumbled numbly away from the ground last Wednesday barely able to believe my eyes. Exit from the Europa League was avoidable, gut-wrenching and acutely unprofessional.

At 7.30 Wednesday evening I viewed the starting eleven with optimism. At the break, like everyone in the ground wearing Fulham colours, everything was going according to plan. No save of note had been demanded of our third choice keeper on his debut. Gecov and Baird seemed to have a firm grasp on midfield, Odense had shown nothing coming forward to upset our centre backs, while Frei had an assist and lovely little goal to his name, with Clint burying the first with their keeper rooted to the spot. Further Fulham goals at the Hammy End would surely follow in the 2nd half.

I cannot adequately explain away the collective paralysis that came over the side in that second half. Even when Odense came out with more vigour I thought that would be a short-lived phase soon to blow itself out. Then from the right Neil had to react smartly to a cross shot. A silly foul from Baird gave the Danes a free-kick, and Fulham got their pants pulled down. Still I wasn't overly worried. But as time ticked down, with dreadful inevitability, Fulham froze in a manner I have not seen since 2007.

There should be no isolating of any one individual for Odense's last minute ability to move the ball from their 'D' to our flank and the subsequent cross that slid the dagger into our hearts. Fulham chronicler Rich has done that with his usual quality analysis at the hammy.com site. Fulham had failed to see out a game they would never have surrendered under Roy, and it's now our Dutch manager who has more than the whiff of Sanchez about him.

Jol wasted no time in his quotes of where we were naive and found wanting in that awful last 20 seconds. What a criminal waste of six months effort and sacrifice, to slide out in such slipshod fashion. My view, albeit with the benefit of hindsight? The Danes made sure to crowd Frei higher up the pitch in the 2nd half. So why was our impish little protege not switched flanks? Spurs do it with Bale and Lennon on a regular basis. Dempsey was no doubt pulled on 70 with Jol thinking the job was done. It wasn't. Duff was again way off his game, and we'd withdrawn the one man in our ranks likely to try a shot. Dembele, with nothing more to contribute in the 2nd half after playing Frei in, was the man to go off. Hopelessly unproductive again from a man we paid £5 million for.

Gecov? Good for an hour, then faded badly. Etuhu on to shore up midfield in those last 20 minutes and we would have held on. And Bobby, who did not have his best night I accept, being subbed with three minutes to go? Where's the sense in sending out Sa then? On that 93rd minute break where Orlando could have tried a shot or played Duff in one on one, trying neither ultimately led to us conceding and being caught out on the break. You think that would have happened with Bobby? If Jol says our dug-out was screaming at the players not to sit so deep, then I conclude the players are not listening any more. We badly needed a leader on the pitch in that second half too.

My final observations on the game itself is Briggs seems to be going backwards. Is this all part of the safety first approach that saw a Fulham free-kick 30 yards from goal played short and then 50 yards back to Etheridge? And whatever else is going on with Zamora right now, I swear on my scarf our striker has not seen a cross of the calibre that led to Fall's headed goal come his way in the past two months.

Now to the bigger picture. We are a club in turmoil. It's clearly a battle of wills - the manager against the old sweats, led - so we are led to believe - by the barrack-room lawyer Danny Murphy. His lieutenants AJ and Bobby, and no doubt a few others too. Fining Kasami £500 for missing the penalty at Chelsea is one thing. Patjim played the party line when instructed no doubt, told us it was entirely deserved and the money was going towards the player's Christmas party. But a ten grand fine off Murphy for storming straight down the tunnel at West Brom??? That's not something to be laughed off, if true. Our captain and the senior pros may have got away with it against Hughes a year ago, and Hughes had the good sense to let the players do it their way. But Jol's having none of this player power!

This all leaves the club holed below the waterline in the middle of a demanding run of games and only three points off the relegation places. Worse, because of Jol's inability to keep his trap shut, the press are all now on the story. A camera crew waiting for Zamora to turn up for the game and every pundit slavering to put his every move, gesture and grunt under the microscope. Was he really asking to come off after half an hour, having just set up the opening goal? Injured or not for the Bolton game, let's just get on with it and take some heat out of the situation.

So Bolton next, and here's the rub. I've made it plain on here how I question Jol's handling of the squad. He had these issues too at Spurs with both Danny and Bobby, and they got frozen out. Does Jol have the board's backing? I think he does. He's arrived with the remit to reduce the age of the side. Do we sit on our hands awaiting their retirement, or is it time to shove a few out the exit door? Duff, AJ, Danny, Aaron, Simon, Bobby, Etuhu...?

Maybe their time is indeed up. I've said before, there is no place for sentiment in football. No professional club can seriously tolerate rebellion in the ranks. And if a manager does not command respect he must be fired. A loss to rock bottom Bolton coming hard on the heels of the Odense disaster will really cut the ground from under Jol. Will the side he selects play for him Saturday? For the players then, a test of loyalty. Come five o'clock a lot will become clearer about the current state of Fulham Football Club.
The major caveat to my paragraph above is replacing the heroes who took us to Hamburg in 2010 with players of the same quality. And on the evidence of Jol's summer shopping and appraisal of his tactics to date, that is what seriously worries me.

There's a quote thrown out from the gaffer today, all too blimpish for my liking, where he says Fulham can still be a 'top six' side. Presumably he means in the Championship..?
Three points imperative off Bolton, come on the Whites, let's play for the shirt!

Twitter@fulhamphil


http://blogs.soccernet.com/fulham/archives/2011/12/drowning_not_waving.php?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham move for £4m West Ham man Noble as Jol eyes Murphy replacement

Fulham have opened talks with West Ham over a £4million move for Mark Noble.

The Cottagers are keen to find a long-term successor for veteran midfielder Danny Murphy and the former England Under 21 man is their top target.


Mark my words: West Ham midfielder Mark Noble is wanted by Fulham

Fulham have watched Noble on several occasions this season and have been suitably impressed with his performances, and the Craven Cottage club have made official contact with West Ham over their interest in the 24-year-old midfielder.

Whether Hammers manager Sam Allardyce would allow a key component of his squad to leave Upton Park in the middle of a promotion charge back towards the Barclays Premier League remains to be seen.

But more discussions between the two London clubs are planned ahead of the reopening of next month's transfer window.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2075236/Fulham-want-Mark-Noble-4m.html#ixzz1gmdDJyRz

[WhiteJC]

 
In safe hands: Stockdale is good enough for England, claims Jol

Martin Jol believes Fulham goalkeeper David Stockdale is as good as England No1 Joe Hart.

The 26-year-old has been recalled from Ipswich Town after Mark Schwarzer suffered a spinal injury that will keep him out for at last four weeks.

Stockdale, who has been called into Fabio Capello's England squad but has yet to win a cap, will have to face Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal within the next month as Fulham bid to drag themselves away from the relegation zone.


For club and country: Fulham boss Martin Jol has backed David Stockdale to shine for Fulham and England

Fulham boss Jol said: 'If you look at Stockdale's talent he's like the other goalkeepers in the England squad. He's equal to them.

'He played for Fulham last year and he did very well. He also played for Ipswich, which was very good for his development and his confidence.'

Fulham host Bolton Wanderers on Saturday as they bid to recover from their shock Europa League exit on Wednesday.
Bobby Zamora is a major doubt and will have a late fitness test after injuring the medial ligament in his left knee.


Injury doubt: Bobby Zamora is racing to be fit in time for Saturday's game with Bolton

Jol said: 'I've got plenty of cover but it will be disappointing (if Zamora is not fit). He's had it for the last four weeks – a niggling pain in his knee.'

The club have also complained to Channel Five after the TV station's pundits suggested Zamora had asked to be substituted during the 2-2 draw with BK Odense.

The 30-year-old was instead showing his frustration with the referee, whom Zamora felt was unfairly penalising him every time he got the ball.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2075239/Martin-Jol-says-Fulhams-David-Stockdale-good-Joe-Hart.html#ixzz1gmdZzSI9

[WhiteJC]

 
Zamora forced to miss training

Bobby Zamora could miss back-to-back Premier League games after giving his club an injury scare last night.

The striker sat out training with a knee problem and will be given a late fitness test ahead of today's match against Bolton Wanderers. Zamora was absent for last weekend's defeat to Swansea, but featured in the midweek draw against Odense when Fulham were knocked out of the Europa League. Manager Martin Jol said: "He's had it for the last four weeks – a niggling pain in his knee. But he played against Odense. I've got plenty of cover but it will be disappointing [if Zamora is not fit]. We have Andy Johnson, Bryan Ruiz, Moussa Dembele."


http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/zamora-forced-to-miss-training-6278225.html?