It's very clear that we need reinforcements all over the pitch but can there be a solution (s) now to stem the run of poor performances. I say performances as I don't mind losing if we play with some heart but this hasn't happened all season yet. Here's how I see it. Fitness - massive issue for me. We look pedestrian and I think we aren't fit enough. Drop Berbatov Change the defence - not sure how though. Amore and Senderos were poor against MU and Liverpool plus other games. I think everything stems from this. Poor defending. Take a chance with some younger players. Play players in their right position.
Firstly we need to Pray because As it stands we will go down!!! 1. Sell Berbatov in January freeing up cash and wages and finally allowing Ruiz to play in his correct position a number 10 and allowing Bent to play 2. Buy a decent left Back in January Cresswell for me 3. drop Senderos he has had a few decent games but he is not quick enough and always has a error in him
Improve fitness Drop Berba and Bring on Bent Change to 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 with Parker and Kara for as long as he can play. I would even go for 4-3-2-1 with 3 of Parker/Kara/Sidwell/Boateng and Kasami-Ruiz behind Bent. Both Kasami and Ruiz can move to the wings if needed. Bring Hughes (and Hangeland when fit) in to make defence more solid. Give a last chance to Ruiz behind Bent or even Hugo. Get the youngsters in as much as they will have a motivation to play. Something dramatic needs to happen. With Jol or not I don't care... As long as Fulham wins and the manager wants to try new ideas and fix the problems
Score goals. Link between midfield and the forwards. Get some decent defenders. Improve our marking from set pieces. Get some motivation in the players. Bring some youngsters in. Never player Ruiz again. That's all.
May be Jol has kept faith too long with the likes of Berbatov and Ruiz and they haven't shown him any respect in not playing to the best of their ability. There are just too many players under performing when things go wrong, they need to stand up and be counted. If he is in the last throws of his time, should Jol take a gamble on one or two of the youngsters like Dembele, Boumesca, Minkwitz, or some others before the transfer window, not necessarily all at once, but introduce them either a subs or begin with them, inject something new and give opponents the unexpected. I know it sounds daft but even playing towards the Hammersmith End in the first half might just change things.
1. Sack the manager 2. Bring in someone who is hungry and not with us because they want to live in London. 3. Get through this season and stay up 4. Clear out the deadwood and high earners not pulling weight (Riise, Briggs, Senderos, Sidwell, Ruiz, Berbatov, Bent) 5. Move on Hangeland (hardest thing of all) and give captaincy to Parker 6. Build a strong defence with Parker played as the Anchor just in front 7. Buy a passing midfielder 8. Give the academy players who are rated a chance in pre-season 9. Rebuild team spirit and identify a clear system that all players are familiar with and have worked on over the summer 10. Put faith in Kasami, play him in his favoured position and make him feel like an important part of our future.
That's what we have been asking a few of us to play with 3 in the midfield to patch things up and steady the ship. Not only Kasami but Kaca, Mesca and any other who want to play for Fulham and they are not on holiday because of London.
And just on the subject of youngsters... Liverpool have joined the chase to sign Fulham's emerging French striker Moussa Dembele. The 17-year-old, signed from Paris St-Germain, is also a target for Manchester United. (Daily Mirror) Fulham midfielder Josh Pritchard, 21, will snub a permanent move to Norway despite impressing while on loan at Tromso. (Daily Express) Get them playing...
Nice plan, Silkship. I'd quibble about some of the deadwood being worth a place in a team that was set up differently, but not many of the ones you mention. As for point 3. How's this as a way forward to achieve that: 1. Either play Boateng with Parker in centre midfield, or see if either Kasami or Minkwitz are able to become the passing, creative centre midfielder alongside Parker 2. Until we're able to sign a left back, move Amorebieta there. This will solve the problem of Riise, Richardson (one you missed on your list to ship out) and Briggs all being sub-standard and also solve the problem of Hangeland not playing well with another left-sided centre back. Bring in either Hughes or one of the youngsters (has Brister been playing CB for the u21s? I think that's who I'm thinking of). 3. Give the likes of Chris David opportunities from the bench to add competition up front. Bent has come in for a lot of flak, some of it merited, but he also hasn't been given a run in the team. Play him ahead of Berba and let him know there are young rivals breathing down his neck. Whichever one of them hits a run of form first can claim the shirt. 4. Pace and width in attack. Has anyone mentioned that before? Oh, everyone. Funny how it's still a problem.
What silky said, adding that quibbling about "... a manager who can move this team forward ..." is secondary in my book. Our enemy is time. If we don't have a new manager in place by December, someone who can assess the problems and find solutions BEFORE January, FFC's run in the EPL is doomed (IMO). Our current form will give every team we play confidence they'll take the points, even the other bottom feeders like Stoke, Norwich and Sunderland.
It's not our form that will give them confidence but our "smart" bloke with his interviews that Fulham is already fighting to save the season...
Would one hundred percent agree with silky's plan and with your additions Captain, and especially your first two points. Jack Brister is indeed the U21 CB. With the first team lacking so much confidence, it would be extra risky bringing in a young player but he's one of the few who seems mature enough to cope. His postional awareness is his main strength and that's something badly missing at the moment in the main CB pairings.
Well, the Captain said Brister and Alex Brister is a defender in our under 21s. So it's not like you made up a player!
If its Alex Brister one is talking about he is a local lad who has been at the club for a number of years his old school virtually backs on to our MP training ground.Jack Grimmer is from Aberdeen,prone to suffer from ankle injuries, never the less both talented. Brister being a former foward converted to defender by Steve Wigley, which appears his natural position.
Yup, my bad, not Cottager's. However, can someone clarify, is it Brister or Grimmer that I'm suggesting for a first team spot at centre back? I do try to know what I'm talking about, at least some of the time!
