I think I can top that, conzo. My seven year old actually cried when I told him that Ruiz was probably on the way out - he scored the first Fulham goal my youngest saw live and as a result is his favourite player. He's got the red away shirt with Bryan 10, and I'm sure he'll still wear it with pride.
I disagree. When he's played behind a hard-working striker with a well balanced midfield behind him, he can do very well. I agree that he's a luxury we can't afford at the moment, particularly with Berba in the team as well, but his time with Fulham has included some performances that show glimpses of what we might have got out of him. It's just a shame that we've not seen more of his best. Right now, him leaving is probably best for all parties though.
I honestly can't see any decent players coming to Fulham in this window. Not ones that can dig us out of the mess we're in at the moment. Not unless we break the bank and we know the club won't d that. It's time to take that leap of faith and play more youngsters. We can't do any worse. Defensively we have shipped 46 goals in 21 games, that alone speaks volumes.
I agree. We need young players able and ready to fight. None of the divas who only want to top-up their pension funds and enjoy London. We have enough of those.
Good players will still come. We'll be seen as a good place to be if we stay up and a good shop window in the meantime either way. I don't think we'll have to break the bank any more than if we were mid-table, and as long as we focus on young(er) players with a point to prove or a name to make we can do good business. I'd like to see 23-26 year olds signing, rather than 29-31 year olds, plus as others have said giving more opportunities to one or two of our existing younger crop.
I take your point captain but either way it's all a risk and we're going down that road, again, where the players signed/loaned are only here for one thing and not to get us out of the preverbial! They couldn't be bothered if we stay up or go down as contracts will have clauses to say they can go to another club if we go down! Why can't we play our own young players, who also have a point to prove? I realise it could be managerial suicide but I'd respect the clubs board and the coach(es) more if they did. I can't believe I'm writing this to be honest, that's how disgruntled I am.
I tend to agree. It's not impossible, but I think signing a good player in January is rare mainly because other teams, like Fulham, tend to offload their deadwood at this time of the year. Looking back at the last 8 years in Fulham, the only decent players I can remember us signing were Hangeland and Dempsey. Hangeland slotted right in, but Dempsey took months to crack the starting 11.
So we're linked with Nani now -says the ever reliable Daily Star! Another one who won't be up for the fight to stay in the Prem. Jeez!
You would hope Fulham are not going to deplete the squad getting rid of Ruiz and Boateng without having replacements!!!! in beforehand. Last minute panic buys here we come.
Both are hardly going to be missed. I think this is to release wages in order to bring in new players. Nothing wrong with the club lowering the costs. What if we buy and then we can't get rid of them?
Do they really need replacing though? I'd rather one of the youngsters was brought through to come sit on the bench in their place rather than us spend valuable resources on back up players, that we simply don't have.
Simon Davies arrived in the same January window as Dempsey, and before that Brian McBride (going back a bit, I know) was a January signing. Erik Nevland arrived in the same window as Hangeland too. Don't forget that January windows also saw us sign Eddie Johnson and David Elm so... oh, I think I've just proved your point. It's a good time for signing from Scandanavian clubs, as their seasons run in calendar years, so this is their post/pre season break.
I disagree with that. Ruiz for me is a far better player than both Taarabt and Kacaniklic, he just happens to have had to play with selfish strikers. Boateng hasn't had the game time, because Sidwell and Parker have a better partnership.
Christ, I've just looked at the fixture list again and there isn't one game up to the end of March in the league I would put money on us winning. Khan has got to invest- it doesn't matter about the risks, the greatest risk is to do nothing and persist with a defence put together for a reach-around and a packet of wotsits and a midfield devoid of a possession passer. If something doesn't change and Rene persists with playing individuals not a system then this could be really quite bad- a few more big scorelines on the horizon otherwise.
I am not going to say anything about Ruiz. He has blown all his chances irrelevant of the partnership. Boateng may be but has not shown much when he was given the opportunity. Both of them should make space for youngsters. One point that someone made some time ago. We miss Chris Baird and good utility player covering RB, CB and midfield.... Big mistake to let him go for the shake of Boateng.
Assuming we can get at least 9 points from the fixtures in April and May we need at least 12 from the games in Jan to end of March. Not impossible but difficult. I need to find my spreadsheet from the season 2007/8 when I was doing my scenarios... Was hoping that I will not need it again!
It is such a pity that Ruiz has not been able to fit into our team. He is clearly a gifted player but for whatever reason he has just not adapted to life in the premiership. It could be the pace of the game, the lack of time on the ball or simply that he or his family have struggled to settle in London. I wish him well for his future. As for Boateng, he seems to lose the ball a lot and again has not set the world on fire. Both going will free up space for new acquisitions. As with each transfer window there is a lot of crap speculated about who will come in or go. As fans we see what is desperately needed so I guess we have to trust in the club that they recognise the same. As always wages will be an issue, as the kind of player we are after will want substantial payment. Any deals will again probably be done last minute when other teams know better what their situation is. What is perhaps so disappointing for us is that our fingers have been burnt with the expensive signings or Marlet, Johnson and now Ruiz. It will certainly be an issue when the board consider how much is available. I do not envy meulensteen or curbishley or Ali Mac, or whoever deals with the transfers. Some serious negotiations will need to be made to capture the players we need.
