Burton vs Fulham

[cmg]

Adel Taarabt - a living example of the old saying "You can't win the raffle if you don't buy a ticket." Good luck to him.

[Walsh]

jesus christ! I don't think I've ever seen Ruiz play this bad in my life! he looks like a league 2 player and it annoys me because he is one of my favourite Fulham players but I must admit he is having a nightmare out there... he wouldn't get into Burton's team with passing like that.

[KP_FFC]

kasami on for ruiz in the second half hopfully
ruiz is playing terrible

[Humbled]

jesus christ! I don't think I've ever seen Ruiz play this bad in my life! he looks like a league 2 player and it annoys me because he is one of my favourite Fulham players but I must admit he is having a nightmare out there... he wouldn't get into Burton's team with passing like that.

not quite as much as the 1st half but last season his passing was real bad also but there was too many other players that were poor so he seemed to get away with it.

[Fulham_Surrey]

that is it, Berbatov not in the group.  I guess he will be sold to QPR over the wknd.  Or Watford.

[FC Silver Fox]

kasami on for ruiz in the second half hopfully
ruiz is playing terrible

:plus one:

[Count Berbatov]

Missed most of the first half, just about saw the goal. Could've someone summarize briefly

[CanadianCottager]

I'll take it, hopefully Taarabt gets some rest in the second half, seems to be struggling with a knock out there, not that his performance has shown it.

[Bassey the warrior]

We're playing like a team lacking confidence and Ruiz in particular looks shellshocked. I wonder whether there's a story there, he looks like he didn't get a pre-season. I fear there may be some transfer negotiations going on and his head may be elsewhere. Either that or he's not fit. I would give him a bit more time to sort it out as he did show some good glimpses.

I must say though he's far better in the final third, why doesn't he get forward more often?

[Chutney]

I guess everyone slating Ruiz has missed the fact that he got the assist for our goal with a fantastic pass into taarabts feet from within a crowd of 3 or 4 burton players. It was a fantastic pass followed by a great bit of play from Taarabt. If they are given time to gel I think Ruiz and Taarabt will be class together.

[Ordar]

Was it the Fulham fans booing Taarabt again? If so jesus christ...

Ruiz is doing his best impersonation of Chris Baird against QPR last year.... he's had an absolute shocker

[Count Berbatov]

We're playing like a team lacking confidence and Ruiz in particular looks shellshocked. I wonder whether there's a story there, he looks like he didn't get a pre-season. I fear there may be some transfer negotiations going on and his head may be elsewhere. Either that or he's not fit. I would give him a bit more time to sort it out as he did show some good glimpses.

I must say though he's far better in the final third, why doesn't he get forward more often?

Instructed to stay further back?

[CanadianCottager]

I guess everyone slating Ruiz has missed the fact that he got the assist for our goal with a fantastic pass into taarabts feet from within a crowd of 3 or 4 burton players. It was a fantastic pass followed by a great bit of play from Taarabt. If they are given time to gel I think Ruiz and Taarabt will be class together.

Agreed, but he's trying too hard out there to constantly play the killer pass and has been overcomplicating things. A few neat passes but there have been a couple of shocking giveaways. I expect to see better from him in the second half.

[Humbled]

I guess everyone slating Ruiz has missed the fact that he got the assist for our goal with a fantastic pass into taarabts feet from within a crowd of 3 or 4 burton players. It was a fantastic pass followed by a great bit of play from Taarabt. If they are given time to gel I think Ruiz and Taarabt will be class together.

not just the killer pass.... he has given away possession most the time he has had the ball regardless of a 5yard pass (Dejagah out of play)
I also feel he will do better this half, he couldn't do any worse surely??
he should be pulling the strings easily against Burton but I have only seen him close to one of their players when he ran into the area otherwise he has been passing (panicking) anytime one of their players has come near him.
maybe he is scared of getting a few sneaky kicks like seems to be happening to Taarabt

[Lighthouse]

We're playing like a team lacking confidence and Ruiz in particular looks shellshocked. I wonder whether there's a story there, he looks like he didn't get a pre-season. I fear there may be some transfer negotiations going on and his head may be elsewhere. Either that or he's not fit. I would give him a bit more time to sort it out as he did show some good glimpses.

I must say though he's far better in the final third, why doesn't he get forward more often?

I was typing the same thing. Ruiz looking like a kid with no confidence. Just am shocked why we don't support players in the area.

[Steve_orino]

Perhaps the best news of all: qpHa! 0-1 Swindon Town.

[btings]

Ruiz looks fine.

[Bassey the warrior]

We're playing like a team lacking confidence and Ruiz in particular looks shellshocked. I wonder whether there's a story there, he looks like he didn't get a pre-season. I fear there may be some transfer negotiations going on and his head may be elsewhere. Either that or he's not fit. I would give him a bit more time to sort it out as he did show some good glimpses.

I must say though he's far better in the final third, why doesn't he get forward more often?

Instructed to stay further back?

If that's the case he's being misused by Jol. He can track back but he needs to be forward more often than he usually is.
In the last quarter of that half he got forward far more often and he created three decent chances, one which led to a goal.
Sometimes he plays like a quarter back style playmaker and because he's actually the supporting striker that means there's only Bent to pick out.
It's very self-defeating.

[Humbled]

Ruiz looks fine.

he certainly isn't ugly

Kaca coming on

[Bassey the warrior]

Missed most of the first half, just about saw the goal. Could've someone summarize briefly

Fairly poor first half, too tentative and lacking confidence. Burton made it difficult by sitting very deep and filling all the gaps.