Quite. I was just typing names that dropped into my head I have no desire to see McLaren at Fulham - although Rory Bremner might be entertaining.
Some of the comments here mystify me - we're worse than under Sanchez? Really? As for the comments that it was better under Hughes in the second half of the season, I would bet pounds to pennies that they come from the same people who were calling for Hughes' head in the first half of last season - a half season which was worse than this one, in my opinion. I'm not disputing that we are blowing worryingly hot and cold (with a bit too much cold right now), but I still think Jol will turn it round, just like Hughes did despite everyone calling for his head. I can't help but feel that a factor in Hughes clearing off like he did was the lack of support he got in his early days - it can't have helped him to get a sense of belonging at the club and feeling wanted. Granted, his overweaning ambition and sense that he belonged somewhere better than us (how's that working out, Mark? I heard you being linked with Wolves this week!) were a big part of it too. Talking about packing Ruiz off (and, I believe, referring to him as a tart), after he scores a fantastic goal like that and nearly got us another one? There are positives from yesterday. We played poorly in parts, but could easily have been 3-1 up at half time (or 3-0 down for that matter). 9 times out of 10 - no, 99 times out of 100 - Bobby slots that sitter away and we would have won 2-1. Murphy useless? He got caught in possession a lot yesterday, admittedly, but I read somewhere this week that he's created more goalscoring chances than any other player in the premier league so far this season. That doesn't sound like a player who isn't worth his place on the team sheet. Someone complained about us showing a lack of leadership in the second half - that suggests that Murphy (who was off the pitch for much of it) adds something else when he's there. Yes, I was frustrated to lose at the last gasp, all the more so now that my son's lucky mascot status has been destroyed (and I was looking forward to Valjing stumping up on that offer of away tickets!). But there were lots of good spells from Fulham and lots of goal opportunities. We're better than our league position, but we do need to start turning draws and defeats into wins.
Captain I was calling for Hughes head after the West Ham game which was in December. And yes the display of the team till that point with poor team selection was not the best possible. But I give him credit that we turned around. Our away form improved and we played attacking football. An I miss the displays of the second half of the season especially at away games. Nobody said Murphy is useless but he makes mistakes that he can't correct because he can't run after the youngsters that take the ball from him. Some time those mistakes do not cost us. Yesterday one of them did. Unfortunately we don't have plan B without Murphy and it's clear. We need a player to be able to replace him over the this year. I can't see him being able to play this role next year, not at least full-time and with the games he has already played this year. We are not chasing ghosts but this team is stronger than last year and we are failing to capitalise on the investment so far. I would not like us to miss out on Europe but if that is what it takes to secure premiership status I am willing to sacrifice. Will try and go to the Wigan game as I see it a critical point to potentially turn around our luck... Till then, Come on Fulham!!!
Oh no! - a there were positives post - and from the Capt as well. If Bobby had scored we would have lost 3-2. One goal does not a striker worth £10 million make. Cut our losses and get someone cheaper but more used to the English game.
my worry about this season is the teams we've played and generally expected some - meaning wins. Villa, Blackburn and Everton - we should be getting wins, not draws and a loss at home. Away to Wolves...they rolled us over bigtime I was there. Stoke away was toothless and Newcastle away we were unlucky not to get a point. WBA away again we get a point and could have lost it. All we've played in my view is Man City. We still have Spurs, United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool's to come. I am concerned we don't have more points at this stage.
FFC4l. KS a good shout. lets not even consider the regurgitated failures that have been mentioned. We need a manager who when given charge,runs the team,and does not bow down to player power. Several,who queried my choice said age and experience well they are both older than the Chelsea manager, and look how he has molded the second eleven. Remember we stuck Coleman in without any qualifications at all.
I still think we should give Jol a couple more games. If nothing changes then it may be time to consider the options available.
Glad to oblige, Fulhaman. Just calling it like I saw it. If Bobby had scored, it's unlikely that Everton would have gone up the pitch and scored straight away. At the risk of sounding like a cliched commentator, goals change games. Dreythe (great goal of his, by the way) said much the same on MOTD2 afterwards - Bobby missing gave Everton a lift, whereas conceding at that point would have been a slap in the face that they probably wouldn't have had the strength to get up from (he said something like that, but in a playful Dutch accent. Crazy guy). As for Ruiz, nobody is saying that one goal makes a £10m striker. But one goal of that class gives a glimpse of what we might - might - have on our hands if and when he gets used to English football. As someone else commented, there are plenty of players who had patchy starts and then found their feet: Dzeko, for example, looks a different player this season. I hope Ruiz doesn't take the whole season to sort himself out - we can't afford to wait that long - but he's a long way from being dismissed as a hopeless case or a waste of money just yet. For what it's worth, I think Kit Symons and Billy McKinley aren't bad shouts as potential future managers, I just don't think we are in the market for one at the moment. I agree that we should have got more points from the games so far, and I'm concerned that we've still got most of the big boys to come. Even so, there are positives from the season so far.
The 2 names mentioned from within the club could be a good choice. THE senario,we are in the bottom 3 at Christmas,~ JOL goes,who do we get,(some failure who was sacked over the last 6 months).we could not do worse than one of the above,well worth a shout. If our premiership status is maintained a serious culling of the present team,is a must, in the close season.
The Aston Villa, Wolves, Stoke games and first half in the games against Man City and Newcastle spring to mind as being the only times that we have not created numerous scoring opportunities. I think in the rest of The Premier games Blackburn, WBA, QPR, Everton and second halves of the Newcastle and Man City, Fulham have created more shots on goal and had the bulk of possession in the games. If you add cup matches in the Europa Group games against Twente and Odense and the Chelsea Lge Cup, chances were created, but not so many were created against Wisla. There in lies the problem of consistency, and not taking chances created. Many teams are trying to create the more attacking style (4-3-3 or 4-3-2-1 or what ever it might be), I think these formations are easier to counter attack than a 4-4-2 formation. The Fulham approach with teams playing 4-4-2 is a very slow passing build up from the back, meaning it is easier to defend against, especially if your front players have two banks of 4 to try run and dribble round, like the games against Villa, Wolves and Stoke. The more exciting games are when both teams adopt 4-3-3 for an almost counter attacking game (end-to-end), but the problem is we don't seem to take our chances, and some of our passing is too slow in the build up.
My first thought here is to agree with you SBC. We need to mix it up a bit more decisively - Bring on someone else with Ruiz (Duff) and take off AJ froma crazy right-midfield role. Still, if Bobby had converted the goal, Everton would have been dead and buried, and we'd have all been feeling a great deal happier.
We should be giving Jol our full support, as we now have following our summer signings a quality squad and a quality manager. Rome was not built in a day! Having only the opportunity to see the games on the TV, I was more alarmed at the quietness of our support on Sunday, yet Loftus Rd was rocking!
There are times when the crown has to motivate the team, rather than the team motivating the crowd. No?
