view from Boston re: tactics/personnel

[JOND999]

Hello, I've been a Fulham supporter since the beginning of last year.  was a casual follower of the Premiership for a few years and have a good friend pretty high up at Man U. but wanted to find my own team to support and, for a variety of reasons, picked Fulham.  (Dempsey was long gone and I didn't even know McBride had a nice run Fulham).

all that said, I've really caught the Fulham bug (COYW!) and am enjoying watching the games on NBC's internet feed.  last year was a nail-biter at the end to stave off relegation and this year has started off slowly but I'm still committed (even bought some Fulham gear).

Though I am not a soccer expert, here are my observations:

1.  Berbatov is part of the solution, not the problem.  he is sublimely talented and has the hard-to-find knack for scoring.  he keeps his head under pressure, never rushes, and creates quality chances and finishes.  yes, he is petulent, maybe lazy, and definitely shows up his teammates.  when I first started watching, I was shocked at his attitude.  However, I believe he wants Fulham to win and the main issue is that Berba gets upset when guys don't see what he sees on the field.  he is not selfish and doesn't demand or hog the ball.  he just wants his guys to be in sync with him and with a more creative and clever style.  for example, if Berba played with David Silva, he would score 25 goals.  not saying we have or could get a Silva but surely some of the middies can keep their head up, stay calm and slot him the ball in the area.  for example, vs. Stoke the ball came back to Sidwell under little pressure and he blasted it over the bar when a simple pass to his right to a wide open Berba was the play.  would not have required tremendous skill or trickery, simply better situational awareness and an awareness of Berba.  I blame a lot of this on Jol -- the coach needs to get his players comfortable with each other and working so closely that they can anticipate each others' moves.  this is all Berba is asking for.

2.   we have decent personnel but need to use them better.  First, Ruiz can't carry the ball in the middle of the field in the Premiership - he loses it way too often and just doesn't see the field as well as he should.  but, he has some skill and some speed.  why not run Ruiz down the right wing where he can make some crosses or cut in occasionally?  generally speaking, we need more speed down the wings.  watch most other teams -- that's how they score.  they dump or bring the ball into the corner, have their speed guys chase it down and cross it into the box for the finish. 

3.  our defensive skill is atrocious - I liked Hangeland at first but he seems much less aggressive this year than last, both defensively and offensively.  i don't see the physicality from him on set pieces and his lack of foot/ball skills is really weird.  he needs to start the ball forward to the midfielders not pass the ball back to Stockdale all the time to boom one down field (low percentage play).  I do like Amorabieta, though - size and skill - would love to see him be a leader back there and come forward with the ball.

4.  i think our best team includes Berba as a playmaker and finisher, Bent all the way forward and Ruiz on the right wing.  Kasami has shown poise and Sidwell/Parker (even Karagounis) are spirited and skilled and have good motors.  don't know enough about Kaca yet.  Riether is fine.  Richardson is weak but harmless, I guess.  Brede/Amorbieta should be able to hold down the back. 

the players are there.  they just need to see and anticipate each other more, trust each other, and not worry about making mistakes.  positive, aggressive, connected, high work-rate play results in goals and wins.

cheers...

[horse1031]

cheers

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good summary!

one thing i wanted to talk about that you mentioned is Brede this season.  He has had some really rough games and the most alarming thing is that he doesn't look interested.  There were a couple times in the Stoke and Cardiff games were he didn't even run when the ball was in behind him.  Maybe this back injury has been bugging him for awhile?!

Keep the posts coming, good stuff

[Chesh]

Welcome mate, always good to see people turning into Fulham fans no matter what the reason.

Well thought out comments as well.

Spread the word!!

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[bill taylors apprentice]

Berbatov IS part of the problem.
Your right he is a quality player and if we had a team of players set up to get the best out of him it could work.

We don't have the resources or the time to do this and at his age he is not the future of our club.

Generally we cannot play more than 2 out of Bent, Ruiz, Tarrabt and Berbatov together and IMO Bent is a must so that leaves 3 competing for one place.

Mind you Jol insists that that Bent/ Berbatov is the answer to our problems, so time will tell who's right .

[SmithyFFC]

Agree with the most of that, although I would argue Berbatov is THE problem for sure.

[flirpit]

While I agree broadly with your summary - we have actually tried playing the system you propose (admittedly with Rodallega up front instead of Bent) but my main issue is your proposal that Ruiz be moved to the right wing. Take a look at Costa Rica vs USA from the last international break. Who's that guy in the number 10 position running the game?? Our very own Bryan Ruiz who we see labor ineffectively on the right wing.

Ruiz is not, and will never be, what passes for quick in the prem. At least not quick enough to be the pacy winger you suggest. His skills include his touch and eye for a pass. When he's shunted to the right to accommodate Berbatov we lose a lot of incision around the box. Well actually he's never really been able to play this role for us but again I refer you to his time with Costa Rica/Twente when he played as a number 10. With CR he is the main man, he create everything, it all goes through him. With Twente he was a prolific scorer. See what he can do in the middle with his goal vs Cardiff or from further back vs Bolton last year, vs Everton etc.

Bryan's a number 10 and a number 10 only. When MJ trusts him to put him there and give him a free role - with someone to aim for up front (not Berba dropping back and fighting him for the ball) - he will produce for us there.

[SmithyFFC]

Also, the fact that you mentioned David Silva is interesting, as I have thought for a while, although he is not as good, I think Ruiz is similiar to Silva in a lot of ways!

[JOND999]

Fair points all.  If Ruiz lacks the burst for a winger, leave him in the middle but forward enough to be that last clever pass into the box a la Silva.  If Ruiz and Berba just can't find that chemistry then sell one or both in January.  But it is worth committing to consistently until then. 

And find the fastest kid we have at whatever level and run him down a wing!

[Deanothefulhamfan]

Welcome to the board Jond999, some interesting observations as well.

I agree that Berbatov does ooze class, his touch is perhaps better than any other premier league player, but his attitude is not what a struggling side need. (Unfortunately that is what we are this season ) I have often wondered if giving him the armband would make him focussed and determind in every performance, but I guess the downside would be he could just intensify his arguements with players on the pitch.

Your spot on with Hangeland, he has been one of our worst performers this season, which is a real problem as our defence was always built around him.

[MasterHaynes]

Good analysis and welcome to the Fulham family.I think everyone has been crying out for pace down the wings, even Jol bemoans our slowness in breaking with the ball. This only makes the mystery about Dejagah not even making the bench even more of a puzzle... he's injured/not injured/out of favour/not training well enough, no one seems to know yet he was a key element in our good run last season and his absence at the end of last season to injury was a key reason we went on such a bad run.
Dejagah looked good to me in pre season and was on the end of several bad tackles from behind against Parma but eventually going off injured but apart from the opening game no mention of injury.
I think Dejagah is the player we need to bring the best out of Berba and Ruiz. he provides an out ball for Ruiz who can play moe centrally and Berba would attack the box more often if we had someone flying down the wing and getting crosses in instead of having to playing too deep to receive the ball. 

[TonyGilroy]

I agree with you about Berbatov and with Flirpit about Ruiz.

Accusing Berbatov of laziness is lazy thinking in my opinion. The true criticism is that he only knows one way to play - his - and we have to accomodate him. The team should be set up to give him the ball how and where he wants it. There is hardly a player in the world better equipped to use it effectively but unless you do things his way his strengths are wasted and appear more like weaknesses.

We have Berbatov and Bent. It shouldn't be beyond the wit of a decent manager and competent coaching team to arrange the other 8 players to keep things tight and get them the ball where they can do damage.

Ruiz constantly flatters to deceive. He's not a winger for sure and playing centrally the Premier League just seems too frenetic for him. An attacking formation would be him at the tip of a diamond with Bent and Berbatov ahead.

No room for wingers though.

[Burt]

Welcome aboard... You can come again!

There are many issues at play but the fundamental one for me is all around organisation and discipline, and that this should start at the back - at the core of any successful team is a strong defence which acts as a platform for creativity in the midfield and a bit of a threat up front.

Our defence used to be a rock but is now a shadow of it's former self. This uncertainty means that our LB and RB play tends to be conservative, the midfield defensive, and not much service to the front. I know I am generalizing and simplifying, but for me it explains why we have a tendency to sit back, are incapable of dominating the opposition, lack creativity in the middle of the park, are painfully slow and predictable in attack, etc. etc.

[Burt]

And on the Berba thing he is one of the most talented players I have seen at the Cottage and it is a source of continual frustration that we are unable to create an attack with Bent, who is also no slouch, that should be striking fear in to the opposition's defence.

[Joe blogs]

Welcome, interesting post, hope you get to visit our hallowed ground one day.

[Count Berbatov]

I agree JonD, the defense is the weak link. Maybe it's time to pair Hangeland and Amorebieta.
Or drop Hangeland and look for another option there
But yes, he looks... Distracted
Ruiz, I find a lot similar to Giggs. We have tried Giggsy at United on the left, but he is/was more useful in the middle.
However, I think Bryan doesn't have the pace, unlike what you say. He's not direct, like a winger should be.
I love the idea of mixing him and Berba with another one perhaps in front of the two, aka Christmas tree or behind them, in a diamond formation. He's the closest thing, in the way Berba thinks, at Fulham. They need to stay close to each other
I have seen Berbatov play with Owen, and absolutely they clicked from the get go. Bent is just not as "intelligent" as Owen, but goods finisher. I would try him in front of the two
I would go as far as dropping the wingers and play three skilful midfielders, say Parker, Karagounis and Boateng.
The width, can come from the wing backs. Berbatov and Ruiz can connect with them

It's clear to me, that if the current system with the current personnel isn't working, Jol should change the system.

Things are going to get better fir Fulham. There's too much quality in the team, for it to fail.
But fans are fans, it's all doom and gloom for some.
Anyways, I enjoyed reading your post. Hope to see you around more
P. S glad to hear you have cool friends ;-)

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4

[JOND999]

Berba at ManU was a virtuoso violinist playing in a rock band - great talent but not a good fit.

we need to be his symphony!  otherwise, we're a decent cover band on the way to mid-table results best case.  not bad, but let's reach higher.

ok, Ruiz is too slow for the wing.  put him up front, just behind Berba and Bent.  throw Dejagah/Taraabt on a wing and light a fire under Brede!

[JackyFulham90]

Our best team should include Dejagah & Kasami

[epsomraver]

" Mick " has struggled to find the form he had reached prior to his injury and is now injured again.It took him several games to get up to pace and his showing in the preseasons at a lot slower pace was poor

[King_Crud]

Ruiz, I find a lot similar to Giggs. We have tried Giggsy at United on the left, but he is/was more useful in the middle.

Huh? Giggs spent most of his career as a left winger.


As for Ruiz, he's not right for the the premier league. Too slow to be a winger, too weak to be a midfield general, he's not a striker, can't tackle. I used to live in hope that he'd find his spot, but now in his third season I just don't think he's cut out for it.

[JOND999]

Crud, I've been afraid to even think such, but your description of Ruiz might turn out to be the most accurate of them all....