The Scapegoat

[Chutney]

I am seeing a lot of you lashing out at Ruiz and many of you are using him as a scapegoat for a poor team performance. Today he was man marked for the entire 90 minutes and still managed to have a good game. Admittedly he isn't difficult to knock off the ball and incredibly one footed. However, every attack of note we had today was either started by or involved ruiz. Without his ability to pick a pass and bring others into play we look even worse going forward than we did today and in recent weeks. Every attack of note that we had today involved Ruiz and much of his good work goes unnoticed. We are a much worse side without him.

So many of the wannabe Mourinhos sat around me in the Hammersmith end were screaming "Get him off" and some even booed him. Some weeks I wonder if I'm watching a different game to everyone else. Then again I tend to ignore them as these same people seem to think "GET INTO THEM!" is a fantastic bit of tactical nous.

Rant over.

[mangoputney]

+1

Sick of Ruiz bashing also...

By all means bash Jols tactics, boards penny pinching & Berbatov... That fella is poison

I'd rather see us minus Jol or / and Berba... Build around Ruiz

[Berbasilk_111]

He scored with his right foot!!!

[HatterDon]

I would also prefer Ruiz to Berbatov. I think Berba poisons the pitch with his attitude and strolling. It's got to be tough being a young player in the squad with him around.

[HatterDon]

He scored with his right foot!!!

AND HIS HEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BedsFFC]

I was looking around the hammersmith and I know we go on about our support being special and it is. But, we have some very bitter people about. You sensed some were wishing for a wayward pass and yes, the boo boys have started. Ruiz is constantly looking for the ball and he is always looking to attack and occasionally he does something special. Emmanuelson was hiding today. We didnt lose today because of Ruiz.

[JackyFulham90]

Ruiz scored 2 goals & overall had a decent game was certainly one of the better players today

[Logicalman]

We didnt lose today because of Ruiz.

No, we lost cos the team was rubbish.
But, over this season I have constantly seen Ruiz hold the ball too long, get into trouble, and then give the ball away. Greatplayer but he needs to learn how and when to pass the all.

[Chutney]

We didnt lose today because of Ruiz.

No, we lost cos the team was rubbish.
But, over this season I have constantly seen Ruiz hold the ball too long, get into trouble, and then give the ball away. Greatplayer but he needs to learn how and when to pass the all.

Is this the fault of ruiz? How is he meant to pass the ball when no one is moving into space to receive it? I do agree that he gives the ball away more than he should, but every player in our team is guilty of that this season, ruiz is no more guilty than anyone else.

[Berbasilk_111]

We didnt lose today because of Ruiz.

No, we lost cos the team was rubbish.
But, over this season I have constantly seen Ruiz hold the ball too long, get into trouble, and then give the ball away. Greatplayer but he needs to learn how and when to pass the all.

Is this the fault of ruiz? How is he meant to pass the ball when no one is moving into space to receive it? I do agree that he gives the ball away more than he should, but every player in our team is guilty of that this season, ruiz is no more guilty than anyone else.

Superb point, it almost seems as if Ruíz is under a magnifying glass every time he plays, I have seen countless other players give the ball away as much times as Ruíz yet this goes unnoticed, plus you are spot on about why he holds the ball for a bit long, he is looking to play positive football and make incisive passes unlike the majority of the other players who only know how to pass sideways or backwards

[Max Headroom]

We lost cos he took off karagounis. The midfield wasn't defending... Apart from enoh. Lightweight midfield and Ruiz emanuelson and berbatov being lazy = loss

[CanadianCottager]

The spotlight is always on Bryan for two reasons. He is one of Fulham's most expensive ever signings and that will always attract attention. The second is that he unlike a lot of players on this team almost never hides on the field. Ruiz is always looking to get on the ball and get the ball forward. You can fault him for a lot of things, his defensive contribution, his strength, his pace, but you can't say he doesn't play with hunger.He's a quality,positive player and I hope to see him at the Cottage for many seasons to come.

[ScalleysDad]

We didnt lose today because of Ruiz.

No, we lost cos the team was rubbish.
But, over this season I have constantly seen Ruiz hold the ball too long, get into trouble, and then give the ball away. Greatplayer but he needs to learn how and when to pass the all.

Is this the fault of ruiz? How is he meant to pass the ball when no one is moving into space to receive it? I do agree that he gives the ball away more than he should, but every player in our team is guilty of that this season, ruiz is no more guilty than anyone else.

Fair point. There was a key moment today when Ruiz had the ball and virtually covered the full width of the half way line before running into three or four Reading players, losing the ball and being way out of position. It was about ten seconds of knowing what was about to happen but throughout that ten seconds there were no other players in white calling for or making themselves available. His goal celebrations were not exactly glorious were they and I am not so sure everybody on the pitch in white joined in. Trouble at mill?

[SmithyFFC]

I thought Ruiz was brillant today personally. At least he came off at the end having run his socks off, Berbatov barely even broke into a sweat...

[BarryP]

We didnt lose today because of Ruiz.

No, we lost cos the team was rubbish.
But, over this season I have constantly seen Ruiz hold the ball too long, get into trouble, and then give the ball away. Greatplayer but he needs to learn how and when to pass the all.

Is this the fault of ruiz? How is he meant to pass the ball when no one is moving into space to receive it? I do agree that he gives the ball away more than he should, but every player in our team is guilty of that this season, ruiz is no more guilty than anyone else.

Fair point. There was a key moment today when Ruiz had the ball and virtually covered the full width of the half way line before running into three or four Reading players, losing the ball and being way out of position. It was about ten seconds of knowing what was about to happen but throughout that ten seconds there were no other players in white calling for or making themselves available. His goal celebrations were not exactly glorious were they and I am not so sure everybody on the pitch in white joined in. Trouble at mill?

I kept waiting for.any other white shirt to flash into view.and was.glad I was not holding my breath or I would have turned blue. I thought Ruiz was at his best when the team movement of the ball increased. I have remained convinced that it is Fulhams stagnant offense that is killing Ruizs creativity.

[MJG]

Can anyone explain what Ruiz was trying to do with the ball when he triped over his own bootlaces in the six yard box in the second half?

If that had been any other player..and especally Dave..the amount of abuse that would have rained down on that player would have been massive. The fact that most fans just laughed at him for doing it shows what most expect him to do.

[fulhamben]

Can anyone explain what Ruiz was trying to do with the ball when he triped over his own bootlaces in the six yard box in the second half?

If that had been any other player..and especally Dave..the amount of abuse that would have rained down on that player would have been massive. The fact that most fans just laughed at him for doing it shows what most expect him to do.

probably thought shall i pass it and then realised their was no point as berba and hugo couldnt finish their dinners. and by then he was to wide, and thought ill just fall over rather than watch hugo or berba embarrass themselves again with another missed sitter

[grandad]

There was not much wrong with Ruiz. He scored 2 very good goals, created virtually everything positive & ran his socks off with absolutely no contribution from Berbatov. He & Enoh were our best players followed by Rodders & Kaca. As for the rest, they were absolute dross. Even Riether had a poor game.
Having watched the extended highlights on Football First on Sky we , with a bit more fortune ,could have had at least 3 more goals save from the woodwork, reflex saves & a certain pen not given.
Yes a massive cull is called for this summer. Sentiment must go out the window. Out must go Schwarzer, Baird, Davis, Duff, Hughes, Senderos, Karagounis, Sidwell, Petric for a start. I would only keep Riise & Manolev as squad players. Enoh is a must buy.

[Otley]

I agree with the latest postings.  Bryan came in for some criticism but he was on the ball more than anyone else - so not everything came off for him (apart from sevral great passes, a headed goal and a right footed goal!).
The problem yesterday was that Ruiz was carrying two passengers in mid-field, that is Enoh & Emanuelson

[ffc73]

We lost cos he took off karagounis. The midfield wasn't defending... Apart from enoh. Lightweight midfield and Ruiz emanuelson and berbatov being lazy = loss

Karagounis has been poor recently.  Woeful at Everton and Jol was wrong to start him yesterday and right to take him off.

Frimpong for Karagounis would have provided a more defensive pairing and shored up a lightweight  centre midfield.

However that brings us back to the problem we have had all season of how you leave 2-wide players on, Ruiz in the hole and and Berba lacking movement up front.  

For me it is Ruiz and Hugo in a 4-4-1-1 or Hugo and Berba in a 4-4-2

Ruiz does not do it for me as a wide player or a central midfield player in either a 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 with Berba and Hugo/Petric up top.

How to accommodate Ruiz and Berba into an effective team formation seems to be the question that Jol has failed to answer all season