Crav, hope you don't mind the shortened version but I couldn't be bothered to type Cravingawin. Other than trying a youngster I think Berb is the best we have, and depending on service, linkup play and general team performance he appears to blow hot and cold. Recently I saw him dropping deep, receiving the ball with players running beyond him and then alas playing the backward pass or holding the ball, loosing all momentum in the counter attack. On another day it would be a deft flick and we have one on one with the keeper. We have pushed in games to get the vital win, putting Bent on to add to the front line but to do so the system has to change. Our problem being that we do not have that single threat a "super sub" to swop out with the attacker already on the pitch, we need to add one instead. It goes wrong from there. I think we need 2 class forwards, The Greek being one and I pray another to be acquired too. Perhaps it's time to gamble with one of our youngsters and see what happens, but I doubt Berbs would be happy on the bench. This is why I think he would be best gone, which would be a shame at the same time. Oh, on the background front. Moved here for work nearly 5 years ago not knowing what to expect, made redundant some time later and now running our own business. NI is a beautiful country, sea, mountains and really nice friendly people, just a bit wet a lot of the time but I wouldn't move back to the smoke even if I was to be paid enough never to have a lack of confidence again.
Please do call me Crav or in footballer parlance - Craves or Cravey or Cravelar if you're from Essex!
I am knocking Berba, there's no denying it but I do love the fact he's put a Fulham shirt on. With a different midfield it might have been a different story but his presence on the field is a negative one. We can't afford to play in the hope that he produces a little piece of magic here or there. If I could turn back the clock I would have declined the offer from Man U to take him. It's not all his fault but the other players just can't play with him. I am wishing I am proved wrong though. the Greek 'geezer' looks useful and, if/when he puts pen to paper I'll get more hopeful, but I'm not counting my chickens just yet.
Personally I think he put the shirt on for the same reason Jol became our manager - they wanted to live in London. The city is a great attraction for young up and comers who can advance our position and offer a profit when sold on to a bigger club - it's not so great when we attract older players who want a nice life by the river and aren't there to put a shift in for the club. I think he is a magnificent technician, the best I've seen - but we can't afford to carry his heavy ego and wages. As posted before, we need to defend from the front, especially now. Berbatov is completely disenfranchised from our plight because he knows that if we go down he will move on. Even if we stay up he will move on. There is no carrot.
I'm not against playing Hugo, that wasn't my point, it just boggles me how opinions turn on a sixpence. There's being fickle, and there's being schizophrenic! It just strikes me as complaining for the sake of complaining, with little rationale. If Hugo had come on instead of Bent and played as badly as him (having played 90 minutes 2 days prior) you would've moaned about that!
Craving's original post got somewhat highjacked with Berba bashing and a few other things. After yet another game of poor team selection and substitutions yesterday, I think it's well worth re-visiting his fundamental question about our 'Three Managers'. One or two of us responded specifically (posts on first page) and it would be good to hear from others.
Either play a proper 4-4-1-1 or go back to 4-3-2-1. I think Wilkins is the problem. Leave Kit and Rene alone to go back to basics! If he is trying to play anything like Chelsea will not work. Simples. The players we have are not suited to that game plan. I posted my views regarding formation and players on the Soton thread.
As the song goes 'We've got 3 managers' Is this a problem ? Like all of us on here, we think we have the cure and formation that will make things better, but then so will the 3 managers, who have all managed with different tactics, is this a good thing ? Are Wilkins and Curbishleys channeling their thoughts through Mulensteen or are they having their say seperately, can this cause confusion with players as to who they listen too. Some might agree with one view other players might like others better. This can led to a disjointed dressing room, because just like on this board some of us agree and some disagree with views put forward, and some of us get entrenched with our view on players and tactics, so what happens in the dressing room if you have management not singing from the same Hymn sheet ?
Interestingly Robbie Savage wrote this in his piece about Chelsea and Man City: "Mourinho completely out-thought City manager Manuel Pellegrini, and Chelsea completely outplayed City. They should have won by a bigger margin and we saw how much your formation and system matters, not just how good your players are." I rest my case mi lud!
We at Fulham know that with the team under Roy... And the team that got us to Europa League for second time (although theoritically was managed by Sparky!)...
