I don't think we are doing Ruiz any favours by playing him.....

[F(f)CUK]

I watched the game in full again this morning and I agree Ruiz had a poorer first half than I imagined. Despite this he played in two good chances and hit the inside of the post. Second half he played pretty well.

[Apprentice to the Maestro]

Yes, Ruiz has been caught on the ball and misplaced passes more often than he should in the last few games and more than he did earlier in the season.

But I cannot understand what some of you want. He is our most creative player and was our main goal threat yesterday with the shot that hit the post and the header.

Do you really want a bland player who will pass safely sideways, not make any mistakes but probably not create anything either?

[epsomraver]

No we want Ruiz to move quicker and not get caught in possesion so often :dead horse:

[Humbled]

No we want Ruiz to move quicker and not get caught in possesion so often :dead horse:

:54:

[Scrumpy]

I still prefer him to Berba.

Either Ruiz, or Berbatov in the No10 role. But there's not room for both in the team imo. We can afford 1 'luxury' but need the other 10 to be bl00dy hard workers if we're going to get results in the Premiership.

[Humbled]

Either Ruiz, or Berbatov in the No10 role. But there's not room for both in the team imo. We can afford 1 'luxury' but need the other 10 to be bl00dy hard workers if we're going to get results in the Premiership.

:54:

whats going on tonight, i am agreeing with far too many people

[Apprentice to the Maestro]

No we want Ruiz to move quicker and not get caught in possesion so often :dead horse:

Well of course.  But he was still our most creative player in the last two games and he is not going to sharpen up his game in the reserves, as suggested by the original post, or on the bench.

[Apprentice to the Maestro]

I still prefer him to Berba.

Either Ruiz, or Berbatov in the No10 role. But there's not room for both in the team imo. We can afford 1 'luxury' but need the other 10 to be bl00dy hard workers if we're going to get results in the Premiership.

Ruiz and Berbatov have made the greatest contributions to our successes this season. Look at the goals and assists tables. If you take out one or the other or both you are going to greatly reduce our creativity.

Having 10 or 11 hard workers and being organised is probably what the two or three clubs just above the relegation zone at the end of the season will have. If we want to become a better team then we have to find a way of having quality players like Ruiz and Berbatov in the team and making effective use of their talent. We need more quality not less.

[Berbasilk_111]

Bryan Ruiz vs Club Brugge
LOL those were the days

[Humbled]

I still prefer him to Berba.

Either Ruiz, or Berbatov in the No10 role. But there's not room for both in the team imo. We can afford 1 'luxury' but need the other 10 to be bl00dy hard workers if we're going to get results in the Premiership.

Ruiz and Berbatov have made the greatest contributions to our successes this season. Look at the goals and assists tables. If you take out one or the other or both you are going to greatly reduce our creativity.

Having 10 or 11 hard workers and being organised is probably what the two or three clubs just above the relegation zone at the end of the season will have. If we want to become a better team then we have to find a way of having quality players like Ruiz and Berbatov in the team and making effective use of their talent. We need more quality not less.

And yet up until the Southampton game when we was the leagues 2nd top scorers, they had only started 2 games together!!

Since then they have started 7 together and we have scored 9. However 1 against Wigan we had Petric up top and 3 against West Ham we havd Rodders!!

[LRCN]

thought he was good against united. lost the ball a lot because he dwells on it (which is a good attribute but needs to know when he can't do that and also when it's not the best option to do that) and also he has no idea about risk v reward so he plays risky passes around our area. however, he also provided some exceptional moments of class, was always keen to get on the ball and make stuff happen. and for a creative player to do that against a team like United, especially since they put pressure on players so intensely, it is commendable and largely accounts for why his passing rate was lower than average. besides, he worked hard off the ball, and i was struck in one moment in the first half where he had a shot or something (cant remember), united regained possession, broke, and it was ruiz who made a goal saving interception 20 yards out. so i can't say I have a bone to pick with his performance particularly and it's hypercritical if you do as far as im concerned.

quite clearly this demonstrates that berba & ruiz alone up top doesnt bring out the best in both, unless berba plays ala bobby zamora and he doesnt want that, although he cn play that way and we've seen it in swashbuckling performances vs reading and arsenal. personally thats what I think the solution is. berba must stick to it. anyway, they're both lovely players to watch, and ruiz was good. did everything other than score for me.

[Humbled]

thought he was good against united. lost the ball a lot because he dwells on it (which is a good attribute but needs to know when he can't do that and also when it's not the best option to do that) and also he has no idea about risk v reward so he plays risky passes around our area. however, he also provided some exceptional moments of class, was always keen to get on the ball and make stuff happen. and for a creative player to do that against a team like United, especially since they put pressure on players so intensely, it is commendable and largely accounts for why his passing rate was lower than average. besides, he worked hard off the ball, and i was struck in one moment in the first half where he had a shot or something (cant remember), united regained possession, broke, and it was ruiz who made a goal saving interception 20 yards out. so i can't say I have a bone to pick with his performance particularly and it's hypercritical if you do as far as im concerned.

quite clearly this demonstrates that berba & ruiz alone up top doesnt bring out the best in both, unless berba plays ala bobby zamora and he doesnt want that, although he cn play that way and we've seen it in swashbuckling performances vs reading and arsenal. personally thats what I think the solution is. berba must stick to it. anyway, they're both lovely players to watch, and ruiz was good. did everything other than score for me.

I do kind of agree mate. I really like Ruiz. He has so much potential. I just get so frustrated with the dwelling on the ball. When he gets it u think something's going to happen u start to get to the edge of ur seat and then......... he is robbed of the ball for taking to long to decide what to do with it and that hard to take sometimes. It is in a sense a compliment to him though as I feel he has the quality to make something happen every time he touches the ball just at the present time he disappoints more than he should.

Most Defo agree with him and Berba not being our 2 'up top' players but have said it so ,any times have begun to annoy myself now

[LRCN]

thought he was good against united. lost the ball a lot because he dwells on it (which is a good attribute but needs to know when he can't do that and also when it's not the best option to do that) and also he has no idea about risk v reward so he plays risky passes around our area. however, he also provided some exceptional moments of class, was always keen to get on the ball and make stuff happen. and for a creative player to do that against a team like United, especially since they put pressure on players so intensely, it is commendable and largely accounts for why his passing rate was lower than average. besides, he worked hard off the ball, and i was struck in one moment in the first half where he had a shot or something (cant remember), united regained possession, broke, and it was ruiz who made a goal saving interception 20 yards out. so i can't say I have a bone to pick with his performance particularly and it's hypercritical if you do as far as im concerned.

quite clearly this demonstrates that berba & ruiz alone up top doesnt bring out the best in both, unless berba plays ala bobby zamora and he doesnt want that, although he cn play that way and we've seen it in swashbuckling performances vs reading and arsenal. personally thats what I think the solution is. berba must stick to it. anyway, they're both lovely players to watch, and ruiz was good. did everything other than score for me.

I do kind of agree mate. I really like Ruiz. He has so much potential. I just get so frustrated with the dwelling on the ball. When he gets it u think something's going to happen u start to get to the edge of ur seat and then......... he is robbed of the ball for taking to long to decide what to do with it and that hard to take sometimes. It is in a sense a compliment to him though as I feel he has the quality to make something happen every time he touches the ball just at the present time he disappoints more than he should.

Most Defo agree with him and Berba not being our 2 'up top' players but have said it so ,any times have begun to annoy myself now

yeah he does take too long. that type of midfielder went with the age of riquelme 10 years ago. he wasnt like that for twente though. thought he was more direct there.

[Apprentice to the Maestro]

Qute from Opta Evaluation from http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/february/05/opta-evaluation:

"Ruiz was at the heart of many of Fulham's attacking moves and so it's no surprise that the playmaker was the busiest man in a white shirt as he was involved in 75 ball events. His input was good defensively, as well as going forward – Ruiz won possession of the ball 11 times, successfully challenged for three headers and played 13 passes into the final third of the pitch".

[Danny]

Well , guys you are both right and wrong.  The issue is that both Berba and Ruiz drop deep. But dont you think that Berba is doing so because Jol tell him to.  I think that if he did not follow manager's task he would have been dropped.  The reason why Jol had both Ruiz and Berba drop deep is because they both can keep possession while our other midfielders easily lose possession and then there is no protection for our defense.  Case in point, our loss at OT.  for 3 of the goals, their midfielders swarm Sidwell, and he is dispossessed and they attack with numbers advantage and score.  The same thing happened a few more times.  It is not Sidwell's fault as well as Karagounis is excellent in destroying the buildup play of the opposition but he cannot pass and move and keep possession.  With the new purchases, I think that we can hold possession better, and Frimpong as DM can provide a cushion for the defense.  So maybe now, Jol can play Berba on the top of the attack.  It can work well, look at the Arsenal game.  Ruiz can be played at CM where he can pull the strings.  we should play 4 in the back, a midfield of Frimpong, Ruiz, Emanuelson, Sidwell, and (Karagounis or Enoh or Dejagagh), and Berba on top, to hold possession, and then pass it to the overlapping midfielders (Emanuelson did that at AC Milan, or Ruiz or Dejagagh).  We will be super effective that way.  Lastly, Enoh has played DM, and I think he is very very capable of playing now CB with Brede.  I hope Jol also tries him there as now we got enough midfielders.  Also, Manolev has played midfield behind Berbatov in Bulgarian national team, and they were super effective that way.  The best thing about the new purchases is that these guys can play all over the midfield and defense which is a great plus.  And Frimpong and Manolev have great motors, they can run and run and run.  we got fast midfielders....playing with a target man who can hold possession (like Berba) is the perfect thing.  I hope Jol starts playing that way sooner.

Spot on.

[Bassey the warrior]

Huge fan of Bryan but he's been rather complacent the past few games. Far too casual in possession and a bit too ponderous. I think dropping him would be a good reminder that he isn't guaranteed a starting place.