Ruiz

[OHfulhamfan]

The team played like Jol was back today. They just passed the ball around the back and went nowhere. I don't think it's a coincidence the backsliding in play coincides with Ruiz's first action since Jol was sacked. That's not the only factor, but I hope that is the last he plays for us and we sell him for whatever we can get for him in Jan.   

[Aaron]

Agreed.. I'm sure the lad will do well somewhere else, but he's been an unmitigated disaster at Fulham.

I really don't ever want to see his name anywhere near the squad again, when you think what that money could have bought us..

[The Rock]

He had a few good days with is, but so disappointing. I would say the 3-4m we might get for him, we could find a young 18 year old talent with decent potential.

[One Martin Thomas]

He had a few good days with is, but so disappointing. I would say the 3-4m we might get for him, we could find a young 18 year old talent with decent potential.

Surely we've got a couple of 18yr olds with potential.  We need mid20s proven quality.  We need leaders on the pitch.

Playing Ruiz is just lowering his value further.  If I were a European side looking at Ruiz's record with us, I would not even pay £3m.  Get FC Twente on the phone and swap him for one of their better performing players. 

[rockieroad]

His last chance. The team was horrible but he manages himself to mess up every time he got the ball and contribute nothing to the team. Its time to put him out of his misery and sell him.

[Robbie]

Wrong player for this league. 30 minutes of quality since he joined?

[ron]

He will have to go. Gutted for him really, he's a talented player and really nice guy. I guess it's just not the right league for him, he'd be better in Serie A.

Yes he's talented, but at what level? Fancy touches and swerving shots need time to set up...and that is in very short supply in the PL......and probably fairly short for him in the Championship.

[St Eve]

I hoped that Ruiz would make it but it is clear, at least now we are fighting for our lives, that he is not up to the task. He can take Bent, Hugo and Sidwell with him.Also at the end of the season Duff, Richardson and Senderos. Kara, who gives 100% will probably retire and Riise is also past his sell date. Boeting can also move along. Worrying times indeed.

[Neil D]

I hoped that Ruiz would make it but it is clear, at least now we are fighting for our lives, that he is not up to the task. He can take Bent, Hugo and Sidwell with him.Also at the end of the season Duff, Richardson and Senderos. Kara, who gives 100% will probably retire and Riise is also past his sell date. Boeting can also move along. Worrying times indeed.

Looks like January's shopping basket will be a hefty one...

[jarv]

Serie A and Swansea have been mentioned as a good fit for Ruiz. I would suggest, Three Bridges in the Sussex county league might be about right. But of course, it gets muddy (when I used to play there) so that might slow him to a stop :005:

[NewYorkYank]

I doubt there is a bigger Ruiz fan who reads this board.  Having seen him play many times for Costa Rica against the US, I know he is capable of high quality.  I was excited when I saw him in the starting lineup.

As probably the last man jumping off the Ruiz bandwagon, I volunteer to put it in the barn and close everything up.

I could not have imagined a more insipid performance.  To me, one of Rene's greatest improvements has been to increase the speed at which Fulham play.  I think Ruiz played a large part in bringing that pace back to a crawl.  But today was about more than merely his inability to fit into the style of the team., I don't think I saw him break out of a jog once the entire match.  I would have thought a guy getting his first opportunity to start, after riding the bench for weeks, would have shown an iota of hunger or desire.  Any fan rooting for him should feel betrayed.

[The Rock]

I think:

Anyone rooting for him is fine - we support our players, right? I got booed supporting Baird in the Sanchez era, and he turnt out ok.

Ruiz though was gone before he stepped on the pitch today. We didn't have any other options in the gaffers eyes.

It is what it is, and it will be no more.

[Classic94]

I suspect that Ruiz has made his final appearance in a Fulham shirt along with several others. Riise, Boateng, Duff & Bent should make way for new additions. Senderos, Hughes, Karagounis, Rodallega and possibly Sidwell should follow in the summer. We need to clear the deadwood which is, in truth, over half the squad. With the exception of one or two exceptional talents and a few steady performers, the quality is seriously lacking. For example, the gulf between Reither, Parker, Berbatov... and the rest is absolutely huge. This is primarily a consequence of 2/3 years of under-investment. Khan must buck the trend and make significant funds available in January - the majority of which should be invested in defence. It's like a sieve.

[nose]

for two and 1/2 years ruiz has failed to do anything worthy of the name. an odd flash of ability every 6 months isn't good enough! and his lack of effort and comitment is unbelivable, we were royally stiched up like with marlet!
i sincerely hope he never plays another minute for us.

[Pluto]

Ruiz is clearly the new scapegoat now Jol is gone and Senderos is on form. Having seen what he can do for Costa Rica, I think some of the criticism has been unfair. Yes he was poor yesterday, but who of our players wasn't? The defense conceded 6 goals against a newly promoted side for Christs sake! He's barely been given a chance to play his favoured position as a number 10 behind a striker who doesn't drop deep all the time (ie Berba). When was the last time we saw him in that role behind Rod or Bent? He obviously isn't a winger yet two consecutive managers insist on shoving him out wide where he's slow and ineffective. In the middle or as a support striker, where he'd get time on the ball to pick a pass, he'd be a real asset with his passing ability, which is probably the best in the squad.

[Fulhampete]

Some fans (fewer and fewer) are still making excuses for Ruiz. Being played out of position, team not being built around his immense talent, etc. When will these people look at the main reasons for his failure ie. Mr Brian Ruiz. In whatever position he plays he will be required to show at least some guts, passion, competive spirit and commitment. Out of position I could excuse him for some things but certainly not his pathetic attempts at being a useful member of an EPL team.

[Vitesse-Arnhem]

Tell you what though .... send him back to Holland ...to Vitesse to be precise...we could do with a striker and I fear we'll be getting another Chelsky boy!

[ron]

Ruiz is clearly the new scapegoat now Jol is gone and Senderos is on form. Having seen what he can do for Costa Rica, I think some of the criticism has been unfair. Yes he was poor yesterday, but who of our players wasn't? The defense conceded 6 goals against a newly promoted side for Christs sake! He's barely been given a chance to play his favoured position as a number 10 behind a striker who doesn't drop deep all the time (ie Berba). When was the last time we saw him in that role behind Rod or Bent? He obviously isn't a winger yet two consecutive managers insist on shoving him out wide where he's slow and ineffective. In the middle or as a support striker, where he'd get time on the ball to pick a pass, he'd be a real asset with his passing ability, which is probably the best in the squad.

..but he never gets the chance to make the pass, because he's so slow he gets robbed before he has the opportunity.

[nose]

Ruiz is clearly the new scapegoat now Jol is gone and Senderos is on form. Having seen what he can do for Costa Rica, I think some of the criticism has been unfair. Yes he was poor yesterday, but who of our players wasn't? The defense conceded 6 goals against a newly promoted side for Christs sake! He's barely been given a chance to play his favoured position as a number 10 behind a striker who doesn't drop deep all the time (ie Berba). When was the last time we saw him in that role behind Rod or Bent? He obviously isn't a winger yet two consecutive managers insist on shoving him out wide where he's slow and ineffective. In the middle or as a support striker, where he'd get time on the ball to pick a pass, he'd be a real asset with his passing ability, which is probably the best in the squad.

with all due respect, you could not be more wrong. ruiz is not 'the new scapegoat.'
he has been useless since he arrived and when he starts we are always one player short.
against hul with his chance to show what he can do he barely tried. the game just passed him by, he has no concept of how to play in the premier league.
actually the result was freaky for more than one reason, rodders also failed to turn up so we played 9 V 11. we also had 48 hours previously played in norwich yet hull played at hom,e for the second time, that was a massive disadvantage.  6 changes was too many to cope with and the midfield without parker didn't function at alll especially as under rene every midfielder needs to join in and ruiz simply did not do that, again. he is not a new scapegoat, he is not a scapegoat, he is just nowhere near good enough.

to remind you th=is message board was almost unanimous in not wanting taarabat to play but when he was gibven a chance he seized it, he tried very hard, ruiz didn't even manage the effort bit.

ruiz's 'ledgendary' passing is seen so infrequently that it isn't even worth mentioning. our best performances have all been without him, let's hope we don't have to see him again!

[BestOfBrede]

Ruiz need to leave, I would think he would step up today showing he can prove himself, but obviously, hes rubbish!

Could say the same about Stockdale - this is his chance to shine and in my opinion wasn't close. I'm not picking him out as the whole team played badly but just saying, as you did, that some players had a chance to stake their claim and haven't .