Well, Roscafre, Ruiz excites me and after a shaky start most of us seem to rate Riise as a good signing. Petric has started well too. As for the rest, it's either too soon to judge (Rodallega, who I'm still not convinced by but am willing to be persuaded), or they are youngsters signed for what they will develop into not what they are now. I agree that the next few days and the weeks following will determine how Jol is remembered at Fulham. Bandit, I'm not sure it was a very good side we sent out there. Barring the expected precaution of not rushing Riise back, it was a full-strength defence for last season, but the midfield was missing all three first choice central starters, as well as the first choice striker. If you think of the team in terms of partnerships and areas, we pulled out the entire heartbeat of the side. The players we brought into those positions may have been, Kasami apart, experienced pros but any one or two of them would have done a lot better if slotted in alongside two or three first choice picks. We'll never know what difference it would have made to have Ruiz, although if he was going to play on the right to accomodate Kasami it's probably fair to say that putting Duff in for him doesn't weaken us. If Ruiz had been in the centre and Kasami on the right, who knows. I'd rather we'd have 'weakened' the defence - trying Burn in the centre, perhaps - and played a stronger midfield to spread the changes across the team. But that's all shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. Sadly, it looks like the prize thoroughbred horse is bolting to Spurs. Hope our season doesn't bolt with him.
I'd go along with those assessments of the players brought in. Riether seems to have slotted in at right back. Then I'm hoping the young players like Frei and Kacaniklic will have more good games than bad. Need to be given time. I'm hoping Ruiz injury from the warm-up last night is not too bad. Any more news what it is ? Blame the defeat on the Orange Kit
I agree entirely about Reither, but I excluded him from my response to roscafre's point because the one thing he isn't is exciting. Steady, safe, willing: yes; exciting? Not really. Someone said last night that Ruiz was taken out of the team 'as a precaution', which hopefully means its not a serious one, but we'll have to wait and see. Like you, I haven't heard anything more definite than that.
Ros, I think we need to get all of this in perspective. None of this is Kols doing in terms of them leaving. Perhaps Murphy but he was getting on a bit don't you think? He's come in with two top players in the squad who have always wanted to move to a bigger club and use Fulham as a stepping stone. No-one could've changed the outcome of the situations he faced with the players. He'll move on and get some other players in, simples!!
I know, and Duff played wide right with Kasami in Ruiz's position. What we don't know is whether Kasami was due to play wide right, or whether Ruiz was moving to their and Kasami playing in the centre. My point was that we don't know if Jol intended to play Sidwell, Baird, Kasami, Rodallega as his central four, or whether Ruiz was going to be pulling the strings centrally with Kasami supporting from the flank. That's all.
I'm pretty sure Ruiz was meant to play in the middle, I think Kasami was moved there to accommodate Duff.
