I read the title 'slightly disappointed' and thought my missus had hacked my account and started writing articles about my man hood. Thankfully not, it's a Fulham article. Have a good season lads
Cottagecravens, that's why I said we possibly needed two strikers. Ever since Sanchez sold Helguson we haven't had a decent back up targetman. I agree that we need someone to challenge for a starting spot, but we also need a decent reserve who can keep the shape of the team if Zamora is absent, even if he isn't as good a goalscorer. Admittedly, he didn't get a lot of goals last season, but 11 league goals in 32 games the season before isn't bad going. As a back up, I'd be quite happy to take him. But, yes, we also need someone with a bit more quality.
I think Big Mart is using this formation to accommodate who he has at his disposal, to an extent. If Dempsey and Dembele were in the team we'd probably be playing a 4-5-1-1 or something similar. Still, if Bobby isn't doing the business or, God forbid, he gets injured, we don't have a backup. We also need a goalscorer - it doesn't look like AJ is the answer, and we can't rely on the D's. I was under the impression Cameron Jerome was more like a Defoe or AJ - speedy and runs the channels. He did well to score 11 goals with the route one tactics McLeish employed last season if that is the case.
Talking of Defoe... I've just read that we are being linked with the out-of-favour Spurs former goal-machine. If we can afford his wages and if he regains his past form, he'd be an astonishingly good addition to our side. I'm not sure whether he'd see us as a club to settle at, or simply a stepping stone to something better but if we got a couple of seasons of 20 or so goals a season out of it, I'd take that. And yes, I know this goes against all my usual 'we can't compete for top players, we should invest in youth', but we're talking about Jermain Defoe, for goodness sake! None of the Champions league clubs seem to want or need him, Spurs need to free up some space on the wage bill. There are lots of reasons why this makes sense - if the money adds up.
Defoe is the best name ive heard bounded about from the prem (not int'l), much better. If Harry wants to sell him. He's taken him wherever he goes. Money talks tho. I'm confident we will add up front, its what we add that worries me.
Defoe is definitely a player I'd want with us, but being the age he is if he moves now it might be the last significant transfer of his career. Would he want to commit that to Fulham? Well we can offer first-team football, European football (for the moment) and a reunion with Jol. But I think we'll definitely have to get shot of AJ if anything were to happen.
I've commented about Defoe before. I still think he should be considered, at the right price/wage and if Maarty is confident he can get a half decent attitude out of him. I don't like Defoe from what I hear/see in interviews etc (slim evidence, I know), but if he can get anywhere near his best form - he would be a perfect partner for BZ. Just so long as he didn't disrupt the team spirit/ethic.
You've hit it on the head Tosh. Unfortunately he doesn't seem at all Fulhamish. Can't see Jerome doing the job either. Although that could well be taken out of our hands if the Leicester offer of £4m is true.
The "big I am", Bidley. Not a team guy. In our best season ever (2009/10), and indeed last season our strength was how we gelled as a team; there were no individual stars. A memory that will stay with me for anawful long time was the way AJ rushed off the bench to hug Bobby when he (Bobby) scored that goal against B'pool. Spontaneous joy at a mate doing so well. Just can't see DeFoe doing that with a potential rival for the main spot. And he has been known to boast about his wages, so there's a question of what that would do in th dressing room. Always assuming we could afford them. That said, I can see him and Bobby hitting it off much better than Bobby and AJ (on the field that is).
Fair enough, can't say I've picked up on it, but I'll take your word for it. I don't think it's very likely though, what with wages being a bugbear for Mo at the... mo.
I'm with Bidley in not having picked up any side from Defoe up to now. That's not to say that Cottager and Tosh aren't right, simply that I hadn't noticed it.
C58 you nailed on the head... The formation is not working because Bobby is pushed too much wide. His strength is on the top taking the CB and causing them trouble supplying the ball to the man behind him or the wingers...
