Feelings towards Jol

[Bassey the warrior]

Given our disappointing season, and several really woeful performances many people were left feeling at best concerned and at worst thoroughly outraged. I for one was not impressed but I never felt he should be sacked. Since the close of the season we've made four signings, two of which were not too long ago linked to moves to top clubs.

Personally I have faith in him to turn things around. In my mind he is the main reason we attracted Amorebieta and Stekelenburg, not to mention Ruiz and Berbatov, Emanuelson etc. I feel that with another couple of signings we will perform much better as the players will be better suited to Jol's tactics.

[alexbishop]

Happy with our transfer dealings so far but will not excuse another performance like the ones we were putting in last season. Will consider my feelings again a few games into th season.

[sussexwhite]

 got to admit, I was getting a little concerned towards the end of the season, but hoping this season will be a European qualifier come next May...........

[Bassey the warrior]

It's pointless speculating about signings but nevertheless here is my wishlist.

Top priority is a creative central midfielder, capable of lying deep as well as getting forward: McCarthy, De Guzman and Huddlestone are the only players that spring to mind. Not sure De Guzman can play the deep lying midfielder though.

Pacy poacher: Defoe (unlikely), Bent (also unlikely), Kone, spring to mind.

Left back UNLESS Richardson can prove his fitness: No idea really.

Winger who can play left and right wing (Duff was poor for the second half of the season): Again no idea

Backup for Ruiz (optional): Benayoun on a free, Honda on a free, Kasami if he's up to it.

A few more central midfielders as squad players: No idea again

[Bassey the warrior]

I watch far less football than I used to so not much knowledge of players.

[Classic94]

I'm not yet sold on Jol but am encouraged by our transfer dealings so far. The performances must improve next season.

[Me-ate-Live, innit??]

He looked very happy in that  fishing holiday photo ....

The club should get a Tubby Isaac's jellied eel stall,  a whelk and clam pie might perk  him up a bit

[RidgeRider]

Jol can get players in there is no doubt about it...but can he get them to play well together consistently/....we shall see....so far the answer is "no"

[alfie]

Jol can get players in there is no doubt about it...but can he get them to play well together consistently/....we shall see....so far the answer is "no"

Can the PLAYERS do what they get paid to do and play well together?

[epsomraver]

Jol can get players in there is no doubt about it...but can he get them to play well together consistently/....we shall see....so far the answer is "no"

Can the PLAYERS do what they get paid to do and play well together?

If they understand what Jol is on about they might.

[Roberty]

Jol can get players in there is no doubt about it...but can he get them to play well together consistently/....we shall see....so far the answer is "no"

Can the PLAYERS do what they get paid to do and play well together?

If they understand what Jol is on about they might.

Is there some reason for your thinking they might not?

[simplyfulham]

Some of the people who like to have little digs at Jol and the performances do have very short memories indeed.

Last season was largely uninspiring, I think we're all agreed.

But the 11/12 season gave us some of the best performances in recent Fulham times.

Under Jol, I've seen some of the worst performances I can remember (mostly this year), but he has also given us some of the best performances, on par with Tigana & Roy.

Lets not forget, there have been dire performances EVERY SINGLE YEAR since we were promoted. That's 10+ years of s**t games. You lot should know to expect it by now surely.

[Apprentice to the Maestro]

Jol can get players in there is no doubt about it...but can he get them to play well together consistently/....we shall see....so far the answer is "no"

Jol had the players playing well together in the second half of his first season and the start of last season but losing Murphy, Dembele and Diarra seemed to seriously upset the creativity and balance of the team.

I am hoping that the signing of another CM in addition to our signings so far will restore the solidity of the midfield.

[Lighthouse]

Some of the people who like to have little digs at Jol and the performances do have very short memories indeed.

Last season was largely uninspiring, I think we're all agreed.

But the 11/12 season gave us some of the best performances in recent Fulham times.

Under Jol, I've seen some of the worst performances I can remember (mostly this year), but he has also given us some of the best performances, on par with Tigana & Roy.

Lets not forget, there have been dire performances EVERY SINGLE YEAR since we were promoted. That's 10+ years of s**t games. You lot should know to expect it by now surely.

So we have been inconsistant mostly during the same 90 minutes and that is the problem. It seems odd that people keep pointing out the odd ten minutes here and five minutes there. Yes Jol has been in charge when we have seen Fulham play some good football. But the next minute we look disjointed and poor. On the whole I think the away games at QPR etc etc last season outweigh the odd spell away to Arsenal where we showed flashes of good play. I have never been convinced that we play to our strengths under Jol. But it's another season so we start again. Nothing has changed my opinion but I am hoping that Jol proves next season he can command a Fulham side to complete a good 90 minute display.

[Bassey the warrior]

Some of the people who like to have little digs at Jol and the performances do have very short memories indeed.

Last season was largely uninspiring, I think we're all agreed.

But the 11/12 season gave us some of the best performances in recent Fulham times.

Under Jol, I've seen some of the worst performances I can remember (mostly this year), but he has also given us some of the best performances, on par with Tigana & Roy.

Lets not forget, there have been dire performances EVERY SINGLE YEAR since we were promoted. That's 10+ years of s**t games. You lot should know to expect it by now surely.

So we have been inconsistant mostly during the same 90 minutes and that is the problem. It seems odd that people keep pointing out the odd ten minutes here and five minutes there. Yes Jol has been in charge when we have seen Fulham play some good football. But the next minute we look disjointed and poor. On the whole I think the away games at QPR etc etc last season outweigh the odd spell away to Arsenal where we showed flashes of good play. I have never been convinced that we play to our strengths under Jol. But it's another season so we start again. Nothing has changed my opinion but I am hoping that Jol proves next season he can command a Fulham side to complete a good 90 minute display.

I somewhat agree with this, at times we were putting square pegs in round holes in terms of making use of what we have. Some players simply aren't suited to Jol's tactics.
That is why he's bringing in so many new players. He's a stubborn guy and he can only play one way so he's ensuring the players can play that way too.

[Apprentice to the Maestro]

Some of the people who like to have little digs at Jol and the performances do have very short memories indeed.

Last season was largely uninspiring, I think we're all agreed.

But the 11/12 season gave us some of the best performances in recent Fulham times.

Under Jol, I've seen some of the worst performances I can remember (mostly this year), but he has also given us some of the best performances, on par with Tigana & Roy.

Lets not forget, there have been dire performances EVERY SINGLE YEAR since we were promoted. That's 10+ years of s**t games. You lot should know to expect it by now surely.

So we have been inconsistant mostly during the same 90 minutes and that is the problem. It seems odd that people keep pointing out the odd ten minutes here and five minutes there. Yes Jol has been in charge when we have seen Fulham play some good football. But the next minute we look disjointed and poor. On the whole I think the away games at QPR etc etc last season outweigh the odd spell away to Arsenal where we showed flashes of good play. I have never been convinced that we play to our strengths under Jol. But it's another season so we start again. Nothing has changed my opinion but I am hoping that Jol proves next season he can command a Fulham side to complete a good 90 minute display.

I somewhat agree with this, at times we were putting square pegs in round holes in terms of making use of what we have. Some players simply aren't suited to Jol's tactics.
That is why he's bringing in so many new players. He's a stubborn guy and he can only play one way so he's ensuring the players can play that way too.

Could we have an explanation of who these square pegs are and what tactics they struggle with?

Jol is bringing in new players because we need better players and younger players (we hope). We will probably lose those players out of contract but do we see any signs of wholesale offloading of those `non-Jol' players in contract to make way for `Jol' players?

In what way is Jol stubborn so can he only play one way? The style of the team is in many ways determined by the players available. Jol played with a target man when we had Zamora and Pogrebnyak. Berbatov, Petric and Rodallega are not that sort of forward and, in turn, are different from each other. Jol continued with Hodgson's inside out wide men with Duff, Davies and Dempsey but now we are edging towards more normal wide men when we play Dejagah and Kacanikilic. When Murphy with his passing game was fading he was replaced by Dembele and his running game. It seems to me that Jol has had to be flexible given the changing circumstances.

[epsomraver]

And that is his problem, you play to your players strengths and not just because that is the way you want, apparently Jol is known for constantly  changing his mind every Monday , shame this  doesn't extend to getting the best out of the players and play a formation that suits all not just Mr Big, the confusion is plain to see on the pitch.

[simplyfulham]

So we have been inconsistant mostly during the same 90 minutes and that is the problem. It seems odd that people keep pointing out the odd ten minutes here and five minutes there. Yes Jol has been in charge when we have seen Fulham play some good football. But the next minute we look disjointed and poor. On the whole I think the away games at QPR etc etc last season outweigh the odd spell away to Arsenal where we showed flashes of good play. I have never been convinced that we play to our strengths under Jol. But it's another season so we start again. Nothing has changed my opinion but I am hoping that Jol proves next season he can command a Fulham side to complete a good 90 minute display.

Lighthouse, personally I feel your assessment is a bit harsh, but broadly fair.

It could be argued we have looked disjointed and poor, mainly because we are. I don't see the link to that being Jol's fault other then he is our current manager. It's a time of great change for the club, in a period where the squad of 3/4 years ago is coming to it's natural conclusion.

Below is our most used squad from 2011/12 and our most used squad from this season (2012/13).

2011/12            2012/13

Schwarzer            Schwarzer
Kelly               Riether
Hangeland            Hangeland
Senderos            Hughes
Riise            Riise
Duff            Duff
Murphy            Sidwell
Dembele            Karagounis
Dempsey            Kacaniklic
Johnson            Ruiz
Zamora            Berbatov


What this shows is the upheavals that this team is going through at the moment. We have lost basically an entire midfield and attack. That's a lot compared with most teams in and around us.

You may well feel we haven't got the best out of our squad under Jol and have appeared disjointed and poor.

I would say, with perspective, that is to be expected - while this squad settles down and figures out what it's strengths are.

This is why I say it's more important to focus on the things that have gone well recently, as few and far between as they maybe, as they are giving us a glimpse as to what we are aspiring towards.

[Apprentice to the Maestro]

And that is his problem, you play to your players strengths and not just because that is the way you want, apparently Jol is known for constantly  changing his mind every Monday , shame this  doesn't extend to getting the best out of the players and play a formation that suits all not just Mr Big, the confusion is plain to see on the pitch.

I am confused.

According to some Jol can only play one way and to others " . . . apparently Jol is known for constantly changing his mind every Monday".

[nose]

It seems Mr Jol is secure for the moment. His critics (including me) remain unimpressed by so many apparent shortcomings but it is not my intention to go over that old ground again today. Next season he will have a team that is almost entirely of his making, with two full pre seasons under his belt.

If he is any good at all as a manager then it is high time we started to do rather better in terms of results and more importantly performances.
One thing that will kill us, and probably his longevity at Fulham too, will be if he persists with 'the untouchable' policy towards certian players and his dislike and demotivational approach to others.

Based on what we have so far seen my opinion is that it is likely we will just see more of the same patchy perormances and a rather demotivated squad. I really hope I am wrong, I long for managers like MacDonald and Adams that really took what they were given and galavanised them into life!