Ruiz and Berbatov can't start up Top Together

[ffctom_b]

I believe the reason for us failing so badly recently is that out two top paid players cannot play up top together. The only time, in my opinion that they work well together is when Ruiz has had to drop back into a central midfield role.

Having the two of them as our main attacking threat does not work as both players slow down our attacking threats when going forward, therefore allowing the opposition players to get back into position and thwart our attacks. As much as Rodallega has not scored much this season, he at least offers something different going forward as he makes runs in behind the back four. Without him, everything is played in front of our opponents defence making it easier to defend against us.

Yes we have missed Dejagah, he and Reither work very well together down the right hand side and it is blatantly obvious we have missed Dembele and Dempsey, the latter to a lesser extent, but arguably, it is Jol's decision not to drop either Berbatov or Ruiz that has caused us issues in lacking goals in recent games. That and we are an ageing squad and in my opinion it is showing in recent games as we end the season.

Some of the players need to wake up, 40 points does not guarantee safety, it is unusual for someone to get relegated with that number, but not impossible and the players should know this. We need 3 points to be absolutely sure of not being relegated, which will be hard to get from our last two games, but hopefully we will turn it on against Liverpool, a so called big club, as these are the games that players usually show up for!

On a positive note, if we do indeed stay up, which i think we will, then we have the development of a new stand to look forward to, also Reither will hopefully sign for us, plus the Academy side have just won the league again for the third season running, hopefully some of these guys will start to have an impact on the first team going forward as it looks like that will be our future going forward, producing more home grown players, which can only be a good thing.

[Lighthouse]

Other than the last paragraph, I see no positives for next season. I agree with everything. Sadly have said the same thing for ages. Berbatov and Ruiz have rarely worked together. Both are brilliant players. But to see Ruiz try and defend for many of his appearances. Being allowed to push on when Rodders came on was the only bright thing yesterday. But I have been saying the same thing for so long. To take until now to spot it just makes me feel Jol has no idea.

[filham]

The Ruiz/Berbatov partnership is the basis of our attack and you are right it has not quite worked, all a little too slow to bother premiership defences,

The problem is we have no better alternative. Remember:-

1. We looked really poor during the period Ruiz was out injured.

2. Petric and Rodders have both had an amount of playing time and failed to score many goals.

3. Berbatov has scored 13 goals.

4.The only suitable position for the talented Ruiz is just behind the main striker, any other position involving defensive duties can be disastrous for the team.

5. The pair cost us about £16m , to drop them would mean we have wasted big money in transfer dealings.

[ffctom_b]

Wouldn't be the first time we wasted money on transfer dealings, for me personally Ruiz is just not suited to the Premier League, not saying he is not a good player but personally I think the team would be better suited with Petric and Rodallega up top if they were both fit and play with two out and out wingers who can attack with pace. Then we would see the best of these two.

The reason they have struggled is that their game time has been limited by Jol sticking with Ruiz and Berbatov, and although there is no doubting their talents, I think we as a team would be better without them. As much as Berbatov has scored 13 goals, he would frustrate the hell out of me as a team mate, as he is constantly moaning at the rest of the team, someone of his position and stature within the team shouuld be encouraging the players, not moaning cos of their inability to get the ball back to where he wanted it.

Ruiz meanwhile needs to learn to go forward more with his first touch, he always seems to have to do a full about turn before setting off an attack, and does he know what his right foot is for? The lack of pace up front though has really exposed how workmanlike our midfield really is, but also leaves us going back to Hangeland and Senderos too much with the ball and then back to Schwarzer for the hoof up field. This is probably because the movement of the front two to go in behind is not there so teams just block the route into Berbatov and Ruiz, and so we have no plan b. The only team not to do this against recently was QPR, and funnily enough we won that one.

If both players are here next season, then we are in for a long season if Jol continues to stick with them as a first choice strike partnership. The only way it genuinely works is when we have two pacy wingers as they would offer a threat in behind the oppositions back four.

In an ideal world, Wigan lose midweek and we get something from the Liverpool game to make us safe. Then against Swansea, it would be nice to see someone like Woodrow get an opportunity up front. I also think Kaka or Frei could play off of Berbatov just as effectively as Ruiz has been doing.

[Fulham_Surrey]

this is such nonsense, we created so many goal chances yesterday.  Just count the goal chances the last 10 minutes.  Rodders, Berba, and Ruiz are playing VERY WELL together.  Rodders could have 4 on his own.  Just bad luck. It is the midfield that gets overrun and the defending has been awful.  I reckon we are the worst defensive team in the top 2 flights of English football.