Jol is obviously drip feeding the Fulham Chronicle with stories. Last week we had Trotta and Kasami and first up this week it's Boateng: "Derek Boateng has failed to make Fulham's bench because he isn't versatile enough. The Ghana midfielder has played just once since his summer switch to Craven Cottage and hasn't featured since the win at Sunderland on the opening day of the season. Boateng wasn't even among the subs for Saturday's defeat at Chelsea, with deadline-day arrival Elsad Zverotic and veteran Giorgos Karagounis preferred in Martin Jol's matchday 18. The Dutchman explained: “On the bench I have to make decisions, like can they play in different positions. Derek wasn't even in the 18 for the last game. He didn't play for a year and it showed. He was good in the first hour [at Sunderland] and then he dropped a bit.” Source: http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fu...=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter#ixzz2fkEr4LKg Okay he's not fit but to use his lack of versatilty for not including him is a tad strange. Jol chased Boateng for over a year before signing him, so surely knew what his limitations and attributes were. I could be wrong but always understood his role to be defensive midfielder, end of. He's more reliant on his right foot than I would have expected but again, surely Jol knew this. With Dejagah having problems (tomorrow's story as I mentioned in the other thread) and injuries, the squad is beginning to look very thin.
... so he's not competition/cover for Parker and Sidwell then? They're both DMs and nothing more, too. Not sure what the problem is, if he's not fit then he's not much use on the bench.
Funnily enough I was only thinking about this bloke on the way home whilst stuck in traffic. We chased him for what, at least 2 possibly 3 transfer windows and for what. Nothing. He doesn't even get on the bench. I am heartily sick (and it isn't just Jol who has done this, we have a history of it) of us getting in players and then we never see them again and when they leave at the end of their contract - because we never seem to sell them - they have contributed absolutely nothing to the team. I thought Kasami was going to join this queue but he seems to have found a place in the team. Is this guy, after such a long wait, just not up to it when we get him in and see him close up. If so, there is a problem with our scouting - which I have long suspected actually.
Is Sidwell more versatile than Boateng? Answers on a postcard to FFC, couldn't hit a barn door from 6 yards road, red mist town............
I think Sidwell at the moment is better than Boateng. And definitely Parker is better. But as everyone else I puzzled that we have been chasing this boy for 3 transfer windows and now we can't find a place for him.
It is strange, the way this has played out. Watching the Sunderland game, I wasn't too impressed with him. But like everyone who's new to the EPL, it's going to takes time for him to get used to the pressure and pace. But Boateng was brought in because he's a very talented player. Every time I've seen him play, he's stood out as one of the best players on the pitch, so (IMO) there's no reason to think he won't make the adjustment and eventually contribute value to the team. In the meantime, Sidwell and Parker are the best we have.
Like people have said there are other players who seem less flexible in the position they play then Boateng. He's played at Center Back before in the past as well as Defensive Midfield. I guess he went down the pecking order when Parker came in. At the moment Sidwell is bringing goals to his game, something it seems Boateng doesn't have when I seen him play, he tends to shy away from shooting or considering his size get invovled at corner kicks. To me team work is about players forming partnerships, at the moment Parker and Sidwell seem to be nearly there. The trouble we have is in other departments we have struggled with players injured and getting use to each other. The only other partnership we seem to have was Riether and Dejagah, but that's another question about Dejagah missing in action. You could argue Hangeland Hughes was a good partnership, but now Amorebieta needs time to gel, looked better against Chelsea.
I haven't seen Boateng play yet, so I'm happy to be told I'm misjudging him. I see him as a more talented equivalent to Dickson Etuhu: strong and athletic, adding muscle to our midfield but looking to win the ball and then give simple passes to more creative team-mates. He was probably a great signing when we were looking to add a genuine playmaker in the centre of midfield. Then Scott Parker became available and we went for him too. Parker and Sidwell are both ball-winning players who offer more ambitious passing than Boateng, while falling short of Murphy-esque playmaking. In the absence of a genuine creator, it probably makes sense to have two half-and-halves rather than one plus an enforcer. That's my take on why Jol seems to prefer Parker and Sidwell. I suspect that Boateng (who didn't cost us anything, remember) will now be a back up to Parker even if someone more creative (Diarra? Kasami?) displaces Sidwell as his partner.
This is very true but my question is still why did we chase him for so long for him to be so easily displaced. Usually a long chase is reserved for someone who is really going to add something to the team (alright, I accept the Chamakh argument before it gets mentioned). I'm sure, given the chance he will be a very solid player but I would like to see him given that chance.
Kind of perversely, Boateng is pictured on the cover of tonight's match programme and an interview with him is the main article. please log in to view this image I shall read it with interest.
Like captain I have not see too much of him, but regardless of his ability, it cannot be argued that Sidders and Parker are forming an impressive partnership. If Boateng wants to play he is going to have to fight for his space. Hopefully this can only improve all the players, healthy competition should breed improvements.
A somewhat overlooked problem for us over the past year or so is the lack of stability in our first team. I think we can do better than Sidwell starting, but if he is the best partner for Parker (and it certainly seems he is right now) then they need games together. That will allow them to get some chemistry and help push us forward. We could have used Boateng on the bench tonight though. He is no less versatile than Sidwell.
I think Sidwell lacks patience. Come the second half of games, if things aren't happening, he seems to force the action rather than respond to the opportunities that present themselves. Murphy was patient, electing to keep the ball or make the safe pass until the right moment when he'd thread that perfect pass through to the open man.
Agreed DR. Can't fault Sidwell for his energy but as you say, and which I also interpret as 'he can't read the game'.
