Tuesday Fulham Stuff (30/04/13)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Jol says Fulham are looking to strengthen

Fulham boss Martin Jol is ready for another summer of hard work as he prepares to strengthen his squad in the transfer market.

Jol's men have claimed just one point from their last five fixtures after their third straight defeat at Goodison Park on Saturday and the manager is aware of the need to improve next season.

The Dutchman told reporters: "We will always find players like Mladen Petric or Hugo Rodallega.

"But, of course, it's not easy. I think we had five new players in, so it's not easy to settle.

"I'm satisfied we've got the points to be safe, although I'm a bit disappointed we couldn't get more points in the last few weeks and gone even higher."

Fulham were linked to Swansea City's Wales and Great Britain full back Neil Taylor over the weekend. The 24-year-old has just made his first appearance since September after recovering from a bad ankle injury.


http://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/fulham/jol-says-fulham-are-looking-to-strengthen

[WhiteJC]

 
We were not good enough, says Fulham's Eyong Enoh after Everton defeat
Fulham news: Eyong Enoh adamant Fulham can do better after loss at Everton

Eyong Enoh insists Fulham are capable of much better displays after their disappointing performance at Goodison Park on Saturday.

The Ajax loanee - who signed until the end of the season on deadline day - was particularly unhappy because he believes Fulham have enough quality in their midst; they just didn't produce any.

The Cameroon international told the official Fulham website: "For me, the disappointing thing on Saturday was not just the result, it was the way we played.

"We were not very good - we didn't play compact, they put us under pressure, we couldn't play our game and get comfortable on the ball."

Four defeats from their last five games has seen Martin Jol's side potentially jeopardise what at one stage seemed like a guaranteed top ten finish. But with three games remaining, the chance to catch Swansea in ninth place is still very much alive.

Enoh, though, is confident the Cottagers can bounce back from Saturday's disappointment and end the campaign on a high.

"We want to make the fans smile again and for us, as a team, it's important to get that next win because it's been a while," he concluded.

That opportunity presents itself in the form of relegated Reading at the weekend. The Royals are destined for the Championship and arrive at Craven Cottage on Saturday with no wins in six.

Although Fulham currently sit halfway up the Premier League table, they are only three points above Newcastle in 16th.

Despite this, Enoh is confident that the positive mentality within the Fulham camp will ensure they avoid being sucked into trouble, with less than a month of the campaign remaining.

"We've got a spirit in the team to win all the time, but I think, for us, it's been missing in the last few games and we'll have to fight and make sure we get it in the next game," he said.



http://www.givemefootball.com/342839-we-were-not-good-enough-says-fulhams-eyong-enoh-after-everton-defeat?

[WhiteJC]

 
Jol`s Frustration
   
I get the feeling that Martin Jol is getting a little frustrated.

With rumours doing the rounds, a the weekend, relating to the club not being prepared to match the asking prices required to bring Enoh and Emanuelson to the club on a permanent basis, did Jol have a snipe at those in charge when he commented after yet another disappointing showing, this time up at Goodison Park,

"We will always find players like Mladen Petric or Hugo Roadallega."

"But, of course, it`s not easy. I think we had five new players in, so it`s not easy to settle."

"I`m satisfied we`ve got the points to be safe, although I`m a bit disappointed we couldn`t get more points in the last few weeks and gone even higher."

Are we destined, this summer, to explore the bargain buckets for talent?


Read more: http://www.fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=317976#ixzz2Rujpj5tA

[WhiteJC]

 
Win Fulham v Reading tickets!

FANCY watching Fulham for FREE?

We've got a family pack of tickets for this Saturday's home clash with Reading to give away to one lucky reader!

Fulham Football Club's fixture against the Royals has been designated as the club's 'Official Charity Match' for the 2012/13 season, in association with Shooting Star CHASE, the club's Official Charity Partner.

Shooting Star CHASE is a local children's hospice service, a charity caring for families with a child or teenager with a life-limiting condition. They currently help over 600 families living in western London, Surrey and West Sussex.

The club will be running a number of activities on the matchday to do with the charity aspect of the game, as well as their popular Family Fun Day activities in Bishops Park from 11am.

This includes the EA Sports DUGOUT, a 5-a-side inflatable pitch, Kicking Distance Monitor, and the Chipperoo.

You can find out more about what we have planned at www.fulhamfc.com

For your chance to win a family pack of tickets to the fixture (2 adults and 2 juniors), just answer the following question:

What is the name of Fulham Football Club's Official Charity Partner for 2012/13?

Email your answer along with your name, address and daytime contact number to [email protected]


Closing date for entries is 5pm on Wednesday.

If you're not lucky this time, tickets for the match can be purchased online at www.fulhamfc.com/tickets or by visiting or calling the ticket office on 0843 208 1234 (option 1).



Read more: Fulham Chronicle http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-fc/2013/04/29/82029-33256270/?#ixzz2Ruk8jl2H

[WhiteJC]

 
Martin Jol Must Stay – Summer 2013 to Shape Fulham for Years

A recent article in the The Mirror has sent Fulham fans into a tizzy.  The article suggests Martin Jol lacks financial backing by the Fulham front office for the coming transfer window, and as a result both he and Dimitar Berbatov could leave this summer.

Obviously there is much speculation involved in this news story, but in such circumstances, where there is smoke, there must be fire, and this is a bit too serious to simply discard as complete rubbish.

Contrary to the obvious concern about this story however, the issue isn't the lack of Dimitar Berbatov on next season's squad, or a change in manager.  Martin Jol had a difficult year putting together a squad. He gets a pass this season due to the forced departures of Clint Dempsey and Moussa Dembele in the final days of last sumer, his tactics and approach left a bit for fans to question. No, this isn't about whether the club will do well with someone other than Martin Jol in charge.

The biggest issue looming with this potential situation suggested by the Mirror would be the aftermath of a second straight managerial departure due to financial reasons.  The self-destruction and fall of Mark Hughes began when he shocked Fulham by leaving, without another job secured, partly for the same reasons being suggested this time around.  The Mark Hughes departure was also partly due to his egotistical issues, and we all saw how that has gone for him.  But there's no question that the lack of financial backing by Fulham had at least something to do with his decision to leave the club high and dry.

When he left, Hughes' agent Kia Joorbachian was quoted with saying, "One of the things he looked for at the end of the season was to see if there was an ambition for Fulham to go to the next level." He continued by saying Mark Hughes' ambitions were above the club, blah blah blah, confirming his egotistical mindset.  However, that quote suggests there was a part the Fulham board played as well in his departure, lacking either the means or the will to give Hughes what he wanted to transform Fulham into a contender at the "next level."

If Martin Jol were to follow the same route, it would leave the club in a dire situation.  Not that it wouldn't have Martin Jol on the touchline, but the message sent out to the footballing community about the financial stance of the front office would doom the club in a manner that would be irrecoverable in the near future.  What half-decent manager would want to take over the club and begin anew? This isn't about hiring a well-traveled manager with a full resume and a big name.  Not even a young, aspiring manager would want to take a club that now all of a sudden would become a bookie's delight to be relegated in the next year or two.  The patchwork squad that Martin Jol pieced together with free transfers and loan players, with hopes of replacing them with younger, more long-term solutions down the road, would now become the long-term solutions.

There would only be one ending to what would become a messy situation.  Relegation.

Whether it would take just one year or maybe two, the lack of support by the front office would be met with the ruthless axe of the Premier League's bottom three, the one that had no mercy and took no prisoners at Loftus Road this season.  The quickest road from the Premier League to the lower divisions runs through the city of Bad Management.

Therefore, it only follows that something many Fulham fans believed last summer again becomes the mantra for the next few months – this summer may be the most important in Fulham's Premier League history.

And the first step of the summer is to make sure the beloved club residing in Craven Cottage isn't slapped with the dark mark of a parsimonious front office, or it will surely doom them to Championship obscurity in the coming years.  While Fulham fans bask in the misfortune and mismanagement of their bitter rivals, one cannot help but be somewhat worried that, if things don't pan out this summer, it will be themselves faced with the same disastrous result.

This is not an attack on the wonderful services Alistair Mackintosh and Mohammed Al Fayed have provided Craven Cottage over the years.  If not for the generous gifts of our chairman and the long and hard hours the Chief Executive has graced the club with, they'd be nowhere near the levels it's reached in the last decade.  Mackintosh has always been known for finding diamonds in the rough, for discovering cheaper but effective options that don't necessarily write headlines.  The club's stance against bidding wars has kept the wage and transfer bill down to a more than manageable level, even posting a surplus a year and a half ago, something which has become an endangered species in the footballing world.

This is not a condemnation of the path from which Fulham have traveled.  This is a plea for the club to not veer into the thicket marred by excessive stinginess.  Obviously the club doesn't have access to the most extensive of resources.  But where has some of the recent influx of funds gone? The sales of Moussa Dembele and Clint Dempsey netted the club approximately £21 million.  The club also sold Bobby Zamora for £4 million.  Fulham have finished in the top 10 of the Premier League in multiple seasons recently, garnering additional Premier League prize funds.  The Europa League finals run plus an additional year in the European competition surely garnered a fantastic amount of profit.  The Premier League has secured multiple new TV deals which surely has distributed new wealth to each participant.  For a club that posted a profit as recently as 2 seasons ago, one cannot believe operating costs plus a new stand has eaten up all this additional influx of wealth.  Obviously in this business it's not as simple as money in, money out.  However, this is not the financial blueprint of a club that relies on free transfers and loan deals year in and year out to piece together 11 players on the pitch.  One year marred by unforeseen circumstances is forgivable, but multiple seasons with this makeup will lead to more failure than success.

The road to reestablished Premier League consistency begins with a stop at a gas station where the Fulham board must refuel, not buy a cheaper car.  They must reasonably back Martin Jol to not only convince him to stay, but allow him to carry out his new plan for Fulham's future that was so ruthlessly torn to pieces by a last-minute White Hart Lane raid at this same juncture a year ago.  That, or face the possibilities that lie ahead of his departure.



http://fulhamsfinest.com/2013/04/29/martin-jol-must-stay-summer-2013-to-shape-fulham-for-years/?

[WhiteJC]

 
Kevin Moore: 1958-2013

The Club was saddened to learn that former player Kevin Moore died on Monday evening - it was his 55th birthday.

Kevin made more than 50 appearances for the Whites in the mid-90s and went on to become an important member of staff at Fulham following his retirement from playing in his roles as Safety Officer and Training Ground Manager at Motspur Park.

The thoughts and prayers of everyone at the Club are with his wife Mandy and their children.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/april/29/kevin-moore-1958-2013?

[WhiteJC]

 
Cottage industry: Fulham working on deal for Twente keeper Nikolay Mihaylov as replacement for Mark Schwarzer

The 24-year-old Bulgarian is entering the final year of his contract and could be available for cheap


Super saver: Mihaylov wouldn't cost Fulham too much
Getty

Fulham boss Martin Jol is eyeing up FC Twente's Bulgarian keeper Nikolay Mihaylov.

Mihaylov, 24, has one year left on his contract and Fulham may be able to get a cut price deal as they seek a long term successor for veteran Mark Schwarzer.



Check out all the latest News, Sport & Celeb gossip at Mirror.co.uk http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/fulham-want-twente-keeper-nikolay-1860392?#ixzz2RukyCKgO
Follow us: @DailyMirror on Twitter | DailyMirror on Facebook

[EJL]

I think Twente have the joint best defensive record in the division. Wouldn't mind taking both Douglas and Mihaylov off them...

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham star aims to bounce back from Chelsea, Arsenal and Everton losses against Reading

Fulham midfielder Eyong Enoh is determined to make up for the Whites' last two home defeats against Chelsea and Arsenal when they face relegated Reading on Saturday.

The Royals' demotion to the second tier was confirmed after they drew 0-0 with QPR – a result that also took Rangers down.

"The last two home games we lost against Chelsea and Arsenal so it will be a very important game as we look to get back that confidence," he told the club's official website. "We want to make the fans smile again and for us, as a team, it's important to get that next win because it's been a while."

Last Saturday, the Whites were comfortably beaten by Everton at Goodison Park and the Cameroon international was unhappy with the performance.

"For me, the disappointing thing on Saturday was not just the result, it was the way we played," he added. "We were not very good – we didn't play compact, they put us under pressure, we couldn't play our game and get comfortable on the ball. That's the disappointing thing for us, that we couldn't play our game.

"Honestly, I think we have more quality than we showed on Saturday with the kind of experience we have. We should have shown a bit more character because each and every one of us didn't really show that much.

"You want to win every game and get that momentum. We've got a spirit in the team to win all the time, but I think, for us, it's been missing in the last few games and we'll have to fight and make sure we get it in the next game."



http://www.london24.com/sport/fulham/fulham_star_aims_to_bounce_back_from_chelsea_arsenal_and_everton_losses_against_reading_1_2173581

[WhiteJC]

 
Jol demands more from Fulham frontman

MARTIN Jol has told Marcello Trotta he needs to do more to force his way into Fulham's first-team plans.

The young Italian striker has made just three substitute appearances for the Whites, spending most of his time out on loan.

Trotta smashed eight goals in as many games at Wycombe Wanderers last season, and has managed nine in 19 starts for League One outfit Brentford this time around.

The 20-year-old suffered heartbreak at the weekend as his late penalty miss meant the Bees blew their chance of automatic promotion.

And Fulham boss Jol says Trotta still needs to improve his all-round game to get another shot at the first team at Craven Cottage.

He said: "Trotta is someone who scored goals at Wycombe, now he went to Brentford and made a step up again.

"But it's not the Premier League, it's important they play games and make progress. Alex Kacakilic and Kerim Frei did that, while Lauri Dalla Valle didn't, so he's at another club now.

"Trotta is not always in the team, it's a tough league but not the Premier League. For me, it's important they show the right mentality to play and prove themselves.

"Trotta is a goal poacher but there's other areas of his game he needs to improve."



Read more: Fulham Chronicle http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-fc/2013/04/30/82029-33257441/?#ixzz2RxPDs4Il

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham to release Richard Peniket at the end of the season

Fulham striker Richard Peniket will be looking for a new club at the end of the season.

The 20-year-old has recently impressed on loan at Farnborough, where he scored two goals in four Conference South appearances.

But that has not been enough to convince the powers that be at Craven Cottage that he is worth a new deal at the end of the season as they already have a wealth of attacking talent at the club.

"I kept him on board for two years but he was not playing in our reserve team because we had other players," manager Martin Jol said.

"It was not easy for him but he justified my decision to keep him. However, it is still a different level - it is not the Premier League so we have to make decisions on these players."



Read more: http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/130430/fulham-release-richard-peniket-end-season-196638?#ixzz2RxPaga65
Follow us: @talksport on Twitter
Read more at http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/130430/fulham-release-richard-peniket-end-season-196638?#gJs3ReSjbqwYR0b7.99

[WhiteJC]

 
Premier League: Ghana midfielder Derek Boateng is back on the radar for Fulham

Sky Sports understands that Fulham have revived their interest in Ghana star Derek Boateng.

The Cottagers agreed a deal with Boateng in January and they won a work permit for the midfielder.

However, the 29-year-old was in dispute with his club Dnipro and Fulham were unable to finalise the deal before the deadline on January 31.

After failing to secure his Fulham move, Boateng held talks with Greek giants Olympiakos - who also tried to complete a deal but again the issue with Dnipro scuppered the move.

However, Boateng has now freed himself from his contract with Dnipro after he won his case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland.

Now a free agent, Boateng is back on Fulham's agenda and the work permit they won in January is still valid - so therefore they are now in a position to push through a deal.

Fulham boss Martin Jol is a big fan of Boateng and the news that they are now closing on his signature, ahead of this summer - will be a boost to his plans for next season.

When asked about their renewed interest in Boateng, Fulham refused to give an official comment.

The move to Fulham will see Boateng end a ten-year wait to seal a move to England, having first seen a switch to Middlesbrough in 2003 collapse when he failed to get a work permit.


http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11661/8681476?

[WhiteJC]

 
U18s Take On United

Fulham's Under-18s face Manchester United at Motspur Park on Tuesday night (7pm) and victory for Steve Wigley's side would put them in the driving seat to claim a third straight academy league title.

The Whites enter the game in pole position having taken 27 points from their 12 fixtures, winning nine and losing three. Second-place Reading, who defeated United on Sunday afternoon, have 25 points having won eight, drawn one and lost three of their matches.

Tuesday's opponents United occupy third spot in the Barclays Under-18 Premier League Elite Group table with 23 points - however, the Red Devils have played a game more and complete their fixture list with this trip to Surrey.

In the reverse fixture in March, it was United that came out on top with a 3-1 win at the Trafford Training Centre, with two goals from Sam Byrne putting the hosts on the road to victory. A strike from Patrick Roberts (pictured) brought Fulham back into contention, however James Wilson restored the two-goal lead.

Last Wednesday, Fulham underlined their title-winning credentials with a hard-fought 2-1 defeat of Crystal Palace, with Muamer Tankovic and Emerson Hyndman on target.

Two days ago, United missed the chance to put some space between themselves and chasing Reading, with the Royals leapfrogging them into second place as a result of the Red Devils' 1-0 defeat at Hogwood Park Training Complex.

Academy Director Huw Jennings told fulhamfc.com: "There are only two games of the league season left now, so we're getting closer and closer. I won't talk about where we are in the league right now, because we take one game at a time.

"Next up is Manchester United at Motspur Park and it's a match that we're all looking forward to. It will be a fantastic game, I think, because we will see two teams who show good quality coming together."

Fulham's place in the National Semi-Final is assured, though, with the top three clubs from the Elite Group all progressing. The winning clubs from Group 1 and 2 will face each other in a Play-Off before meeting the winner of the Elite Group in the first Semi-Final. The second and third-placed teams from the Elite Group will go head-to-head in the second Semi-Final.

Tuesday's match is open to the public, so fans are welcome to come down and show their support for the boys. You can also follow the Club's official Twitter account @fulhamfc for live coverage and post-match reaction.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/april/30/u18-v-united?

[WhiteJC]

 
Would Jol and Berbatov really walk out on Fulham?

Rumours suggest both player and manager want out of the club who, again, have been accused of lacking ambition.

If the typically spiteful tabloid rumours are to be believed, we have another Mark Hughes on our hands in the shape of Martin Jol. Another man who cites a lack of Fulham ambition as a reason to walk out of Craven Cottage and try something a little more aspirational, a little more purposeful. And, supposedly, Dimitar Berbatov doesn't want to hang around either.

It just goes to add further disdain to a season that has, ultimately, disappointed. We possess a team that is very much here for the temporary, signed merely to fill some cosmic gaps that were left last summer. We have five first-teamers in on loan, and a number of players on contracts which expire in barely two month's time.

And while we have, gratefully, reached the marvellous 40-point mark, we have proved unable to build on it. We've stagnated, one foot on the beach. That's not something a professional football club does.

But still, if the tabloid rumours are to be believed, things are about to get worse. Our manager will go, as will our best player. The loan signings we hooped would become permanent - Sascha Riether, Eyong Enoh - will not. We'll be left in the mire.

But, then again, that's only if the tabloid rumours are to be believed. Every news story has its source, of course, but not everything comes to fruition. Quite the contrary.

If there's any time in the last ten years where a Fulham manager has been asked to work on a tight budget, it is unlikely to be now. We still have money from the sales of Moussa Dembele and Clint Dempsey while Mohamed Al Fayed himself is sitting on £1.5 billion after the sale of his Harrods store.

Granted, January was hardly inspirational in terms of signings, but we all know it's not the time to do real business. The market is over-priced and lacking in genuine talent. Instead, the best deals are done in the summer.

The idea that Jol would leave at all is strange in itself. This is a man of great principle, still somewhat sore after his treatment at Tottenham Hotspur. He promised much when he joined Fulham. He wanted a better youth academy, a younger starting eleven and, most importantly, he wanted to stay for the long-term.

He had ideas for this club, and he hasn't fulfilled all of them. In his mind, there is clearly still work to do, not least bringing down the average age of our first team.

And then, of course, there's Berbatov. If Jol were to go which, I feel, is unlikely, then yes, Berbatov will most likely leave too. But otherwise, why would he depart? He is enjoying his football in South West London where he undoubtedly rules the roost.

This is a club where he is guaranteed first team football and yet his talents can still shine. There are few clubs of a better pedigree than ours who would be prepared to stump up the kind of weekly wage Berbatov requires - considering his age - and then, further, ensure he is the centre of attention, starting every week.

The Bulgarian gets that here at Fulham, and there is no doubt he is enjoying himself.

So yes, perhaps there is slight reason to worry. Maybe Jol will leave on his own accord this summer, and maybe Al Fayed will continue to tighten the purse strings, making us that little bit less attractive to prospective managers.

But maybe, and you get the feeling this is more likely, this is the summer in which Jol finally gets his way. He will be able to spend with certain freedom and will be able to build a squad which reflects his own ideologies.

It could, if you want to be overly optimistic, be the start of something very promising indeed.



http://www.cottagersconfidential.com/2013/4/30/4285316/Martin-jol-really-walk-out-fulham-berbatov?

[WhiteJC]

 
Internationals On Sale

Craven Cottage is delighted to host three International friendly fixtures involving India, Bangladesh and Pakistan in June.
The fixtures will be spread across the first week in June, with the first game seeing India take on Bangladesh on Saturday 1st June, kicking-off at 3pm.
On Tuesday 4th June, India will play Pakistan at 8pm, and then in the final of the three fixtures, Pakistan will host Bangladesh on Saturday 8th June, at 6pm.

All three sides have recently put in some solid and steady displays in March's 2014 AFC Challenge Cup qualifying, with both India and Bangladesh narrowly missing out on qualification for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.

The matches at Craven Cottage are open to all fans and tickets, priced from £15 for Adults and £10 for Under-16s and Concessions, are available to buy online, on 0843 208 1234 or in person from the Fulham Ticket Office.

More information, including seating plans and prices about each respective fixture can be found here:

India v Bangladesh

India v Pakistan

Pakistan v Bangladesh



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/april/30/internationals-on-sale?

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham boss Martin Jol targets new signings

FULHAM could be set for a summer overhaul after manager Martin Jol admitted he was targeting another close season of signings.

Attentions at Fulham are already turning to next season, with the club comfortably on 40 points in 11th place in the Premier League with three games remaining.

Jol is looking to freshen up his squad across the board, with a goalkeeper likely to be high on his list of priorities.

Twente's Nikolay Mihaylov and Roma's Maarten Stekelenburg have been mooted, while Aston Villa defender Matthew Lawton and Danish striker Andreas Cornelius are also targets.


Jol wants to bring in more players like Cottagers stars Mladen Petric and Hugo Rodallega

Jol is confident he will find the players the club needs, saying: "We will always find players like Mladen Petric or Hugo Rodallega.

"But, of course, it's not easy. I think we had five new players in, so it's not easy to settle.

"I'm satisfied we've got the points to be safe, although I'm a bit disappointed we couldn't get more points in the last few weeks and gone even higher."



http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/395932/Fulham-boss-Martin-Jol-targets-new-signings?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+daily-express-football-news+%28Daily+Express+%3A%3A+Football+Feed%29

[WhiteJC]

 
The Tony Gale Column

We've played three games since my last column and all have ended in defeat. But the most worrying aspect for me is Fulham's lack of goals. We've only scored once in our last five games and that was an own-goal at Aston Villa.

If you look at the season as a whole, we scored plenty of goals at the start but teams got wise to us and the way we play. They looked at the likes of Bryan Ruiz and Dimitar Berbatov and thought 'right, lets hold a higher line because Fulham aren't going to get in behind us and penetrate us in that way'.

That's something Martin Jol may need to address next season – he needs more pace in the side. We've got some very good footballers but we need a bit of penetration and pace to stretch those teams and allow us to play. As the season has progressed, teams have worked us out and know how to stop us.

Of our last three defeats, the 3-0 loss to Chelsea was the biggest disappointment for me. A bit like Queens Park Rangers earlier in the season, we didn't really get at them and you wonder sometimes if the foreign players are aware of how much these local derbies mean. These are the games we've really got to be up for, but we kind of rolled over. We've had a decent season and survived quite easily but it's those big games that you really want to get the points from and see a performance in. We just haven't had enough of that this season.

It was obviously a great goal by David Luiz to open the scoring but we didn't really threaten and that's been the case in a lot of our games of late. Seeing us concede two goals from set-plays was rare as well.

Then it was on to Arsenal and we weren't helped by the dismissal of Steve Sidwell just 12 minutes in. I'm one of Siddy's biggest fans and he's probably had one of the best seasons of his career, but he's got to be careful. It's no fluke if you keep making the same mistake and there's a fine line which he keeps crossing. He's so competitive, he wants to go for every ball, but now and then you need to cut your losses and when you can't win it, not commit yourself into those lunging challenges that are always going to leave you at the discretion of referees.

When you've had two red cards in such a short space of time, officials will be more aware of it and will keep an eye on you. Siddy's got to learn from that as he's got a lot of football left in his career and, whilst he doesn't want to cut out the aggressive side of his game, he needs to be calculated when he's going for these challenges in midfield.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, I thought we played well after that without ever really threatening. Arsenal were maybe guilty of taking their foot off the pedal and trying to cruise to the win. It was a good performance but the game was changed by the sending off.

On Saturday, we travelled to our bogey ground of Goodison Park to play Everton. The Toffees are one of the best teams around at the moment and I'm a big fan of David Moyes. I often wonder why other clubs can't achieve the same success on the budget they've got and the fees they pay out in transfers. But I think it's all down to good management and Moyes is one of the best.

Of the three fixtures, Everton away was going to be our toughest. I wasn't expecting anything – and so it proved! Berbatov limped off after 30 minutes and it will be a blow if he misses a couple of games as he's our talisman. But it's a chance for someone else to step up to the mark and if Mladen Petrić starts up front, maybe Ruiz can drop off him and play the Berbatov role.

It's a chance for Petrić to impress, if he plays, as we haven't seen enough of him this season. He's had a few injury problems and there have been signs that he's a good player but we've got to see him play regularly to decide if he can do it in England's top flight.

We have to win on Saturday as Reading are the poorest side in the Barclays Premier League, without a shadow of a doubt. They've already been relegated and if we don't win this one, then you'd have to ask a few questions. It would be nice to end the season on a high. I don't want to see players going through the motions. We've got three games left so why not target maximum points and see what happens.


http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2013/april/30/the-tony-gale-column

[HatterDon]

Jol demands more from Fulham frontman

MARTIN Jol has told Marcello Trotta he needs to do more to force his way into Fulham's first-team plans.

The young Italian striker has made just three substitute appearances for the Whites, spending most of his time out on loan.

Trotta smashed eight goals in as many games at Wycombe Wanderers last season, and has managed nine in 19 starts for League One outfit Brentford this time around.

The 20-year-old suffered heartbreak at the weekend as his late penalty miss meant the Bees blew their chance of automatic promotion.

And Fulham boss Jol says Trotta still needs to improve his all-round game to get another shot at the first team at Craven Cottage.

He said: "Trotta is someone who scored goals at Wycombe, now he went to Brentford and made a step up again.

"But it's not the Premier League, it's important they play games and make progress. Alex Kacakilic and Kerim Frei did that, while Lauri Dalla Valle didn't, so he's at another club now.

"Trotta is not always in the team, it's a tough league but not the Premier League. For me, it's important they show the right mentality to play and prove themselves.

"Trotta is a goal poacher but there's other areas of his game he needs to improve."



Read more: Fulham Chronicle http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-fc/2013/04/30/82029-33257441/?#ixzz2RxPDs4Il

How about putting him in the squad then? He might get some Premier League coaching there.

[Forever Fulham]

Yes.  Play him!