As we are getting near the end of the season (and I need things to distract me from the nerves of the fresh bagels run), I thought it might be fun to look through our transfers this year and reflect on their contribution. We retooled our squad a lot this season as we built the team that Jokanovic desired, so there are alot of signing to comment on. Most have made an impact and we have had a number of different tactics this year to combat different styles, with the passing of Piazon/Martin/Aluko and the pace of Ayite/Sessegnon/Aluko giving us some options. Anyway, on to the player breakdown. Michael Madl - Madl seems to have struggled to win over Slavisa this year. He's been in and out of the team and has looked equal parts great and terrible. Part of the problem seems to be that Madl is right-footed and our style benefits from a left-footed player to cover for Malone/Sessegnon on their forward forays. However as cover for Kalas, Madl looks comfortable enough. Floyd Ayité - Floyd's season has three parts: a strong start was followed by a big dip following the ACON and finally a big step up in the final third. The Ayité/Aluko/Sessegnon triad saved our season when Martin disappeared and Piazon broke his jaw, providing a plan B (or a new plan A) that has driven us up the table. Tomáš Kalas (loan) - Kalas has quietly had an excellent season. We still seem fragile defensively from time to time, but Kalas seems to have built good trust with Tim Ream and they do a pretty good job considering how attacking our full backs are. Most fans would like Kalas to join permanently, but his cost is likely to be prohibitive unless we have Premiership money. Sone Aluko - my signing of the season. Whilst Tom Cairney has the Player of the Year award wrapped up, my vote would go to Sone Aluko. After a few games in the middle, the switch of Aluko to the right (and Cairney inside) completely changed our season. Aluko's pace, trickery and vision are at the heart of so much of our play. He terrifies other teams, he inspires our team and most of all he's a model professional who is so easy to take to heart. Denis Odoi - Whilst Odoi has lost game time due to the emergence of Ryan Fredericks this season, he has always been solid when he plays. From the back trick against Newcastle to the goal against Wolves, Odoi has been a great addition to the squad. Scott Malone - Malone started with the advantage of the steal that was the swap with Jazz Richards. However while no player was an upgrade on Jazz, Malone has actually been very good this season and was in the EFL Championship team of the year. His attacking ability has increased over the course of the season and his defending has slowly improved as well, building a good partnership with Tim Ream. Poor Cardiff... David Button - Button has been solid this season. I don't have any particular problems with Button except to say: is he really any better than Marcus Bettinelli? We were rumoured to have paid £1m of him and I've not seen enough to say that was justified. However it is a testament to the quality of our signings that a solid signing like Button was amongst the weakest. Kevin McDonald - Cairney may have the armband, but McDonald is our real leader. His calm head and large presence is the pivot that supports all our play. The Cairney/McDonald/Johansen combination is among the best midfields in the Championship and it's shame that it took us time to find our feet early in the season. It's a big complement to him to say that we've not missed Parker since McDonald stepped up. Jozabed - The one dud in our preseason haul. Jozabed never settled and we never saw what he could do or where Jokanovic felt he could slot into our team. Departed on loan and could very well never be seen in west London again. Ragnar Sigurðsson - never buy a player based on an international tournament. Sigurðsson is a solid defender than seems to really suffer from the additional passing required in Jokanovic's team. He can be good at this level, but I just can't see him staying next season when we presumably bring in some new centre backs. Neeskens Kebano - Kebano showed early glimpses but was pretty frustrating early on. That changed when he returned from the ACON and his tenacious energy and self confidence helped us recover from a February wobble. His impact from the bench is always noticable and his only misfortune has been the resurgence of Ayite in the past month. Stefan Johansen - Has there ever been a better example of bouncing back from a bad first impression? After being hauled off at half time on debut, Johansen was part of the formation revolution that has unlocked our attacking ability this season. His energy never dips and while he always has one rash challenge in him, his consistent engine has driven us forward on many occasions. I am a little nervous that he could be a player who sulks when things aren't going well, but that is (thankfully) not relevant at the moment. Lucas Piazon (loan) - Lucas is a key part of one of our team setups, providing good passing and movement that combines very well with the movement of Chris Martin and the vision of Cairney. The Piazon/Martin/Aluko triad arose from the Cairney/Aluko swap and produced the first wave of silky passing earlier in the season. Piazon's energy and technique is very impressive to watch and I would very much like to see Piazon move down the Fulham Road permanently. Chris Martin (loan) - a classic example of the risks you take with loans over full transfers. Martin has looked a little heavy over the course of this season, but his ability to bring our wingers into the play is fantastic. Whilst we have developed the Ayite/Aluko/Sessegnon triad to cope with Martin's absence, we definitely have more options when Martin is available. It is sad how Martin's season has turned out, with the great McClaren debacle likely putting paid to a full transfer and the elbow against Norwich ruling him out at a crucial point. If we had paid the money to sign him in August, he could be at the heart of a very good team. Sadly he is likely to skulk out of Fulham and back to the Derby bench. Thanos Petsos (loan) - the most pointless signing of the season. When Parker was injured, it coincided with a pressing need for an experienced defensive midfielder to step in and calm us down through a rough patch (Blackburn & Wolves), yet Petsos was no where to be found. Will not sign permanently and is unlikely to be seen in English football again. Cyriac (loan) - what can you say about the curious case of Cyriac? When he has played he has seemed useful, with a good leap and excellent finishing. However I can't imagine how bad he must be in training to not have seen any starts despite our only striker being beset with drama and suspensions. Unlikely to sign permanently, but could do a job for another Championship side. So there's my rambling analysis - what are other people's thoughts?
Excellent and very fair summary Surly. All the salient points are there. Ny only ten pennurth is that you may have neatly side stepped Button's bloopers.
Agree with almost everything said there, hard to really add anything. The only difference for me would be on signing of the season, you say Aluko which I can understand as hes made a big impact this season, but for me the signing of the season would be Kevin McDonald. Since we came down to the championship its a position we've struggled with and experimented with a few different players. Scott Parker is getting on a bit and we kept trying to find a player to help him out, quite a few tried and failed. Kevin McDonald slotted in there and provided exactly what we needed. Players like Cairney, Aluko and Johansen get the plaudits for scoring the goals and doing all the fancy stuff, McDonald is a real unsung hero and we'd be a poorer side without him in it.
Was saving that until the end of year wrap up and couldn't agree more Fab. But then I'm a tad prejudiced since McDonald was the main man I was trumpeting we ought to sign back in Kit's day (summer of 2015).
The Mirror (and other papers) are saying that we've started talks with the Dark Side about signing Tomas Kalas permanently. He's got 1 year left on his contract after the summer.
Hurrah! I'd quite like a side order of Ake from the neighbours to partner him, but I suspect he'll be out of our price range even assuming they are willing to sell. Just Thomas Kalas to go will do me fine.
Heard a rumour that they may be letting Piazon go on a free. But a few months ago it was said Portugese clubs were at Fulham having a look at Piazon.
When I was over watching us play Barnsley there were two Portuguese chaps (one with a dashed attractive young lady) sitting in front of me taking notes on him - as I said at the time I don't have much of a grasp of the language but I did note the word Fulcro which in Spanish means Fulcrum and I think is the same in Portuguese.
We've got a clause to buy Gohi Cyriac but it runs out on 15th May. please log in to view this image The Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad are reporting comments from his club, Oostende, saying Fulham have been in touch and adding: "With the play-offs the main concern right now, Fulham have told Oostende that whilst they’ve been impressed by Cyriac, they’d like to forgo the buying option, and talk again once their league status for next season is finalised".
I see there is a Cairney Vs Shelvey thread just started up on Newcastle's Board comparing their stats (Cairney's knocks Shelvey's into a cocked hat) and asking if they would take him?
