Chelsea Reaction/Everton Preview rolled into one!

For any Fulham fan, the Chelsea game proved to produced a performance of typical Fulham fashion. A strong first-half showing which ultimately should have seen us go into the break 1-0 up, was followed by a "performance" that well, left much to be desired.

 

So going into the Capital One third-round cup clash against an in-form Everton side, doesn't exactly fill me with confidence. Our recent record against the Toffees isn't great (one home win in our last five; drawing two and losing two*) - however there needs to be a massive rallying call from the management and the squad for this game, hell we may even require Scott Parker to pull out one of his famous team talks...

 

Image courtesy of metro.co.uk; no copyright intended.

Going into the Chelsea game, I was more than optimistic; I thought the players would be more than up for it and could sense that a tight first 20 minutes and Chelsea may well have been there for the taking. So as Pajtim Kasami slid Darren Bent through on goal with a perfectly timed ball and run to boot, given the latter's reputation I leant forward off of my seat with the anticipation that Petr Cech's net was about to ripple and a stunned silence engulf Stamford Bridge.

Alas, as I'm sure you're all aware, that was not the case; Darren Bent shot straight at Cech and the ball was cleared to safety. The lack of finish from Bent, I put down to a lack of match practice but I'm sure as it has for myself, the question of "would Berbatov have tucked it away?", will have been racking the brains of many a Fulham fan.

Image courtesy of bleacherreport.com; no copyright intended.

Yet the first-half performance was more than pleasing; in particular, the way Steve Sidwell and Scott Parker had marshalled the midfield and provided a worthy screen for our relatively new, back four. They had no doubt done, all of what Martin Jol had asked of them - harass the Chelsea midfield and not give them a moment's peace.

Nevertheless, the second half came and with it a lot of holding-head-in-hands. Instead of upping the tempo and doing much of the same, with a little added attacking intent, all of the good work put in just disappeared and after going a goal down, it highlighted some worrying signs (and albeit small positives). I'm going to start with the bad, so hopefully the good that follows might cheer us all up!

Firstly, as well as Parker and Sidwell did in the first-half, they just don't work as a partnership. With neither, appearing to know which one was to hold and who was to go, it just went to prove the age-old adage that two players cut from the same cloth just don't function well enough together. 

If Scott Parker is as Martin Jol stated "his number four" then there are a number of options that would see our midfield look a lot more balanced: firstly as I mentioned in my "Summer Signings" article, Giorgos Karagounis would be my preferred choice; whenever the swashbuckling Greek plays he looks to get either the ball or himself forward and that quality has been something that has been lacking in the Whites' games so far this season. Other options could see Derek Boateng come in or as I more recently suggested, nurturing Pajtim Kasami into the role that saw Mousa Dembele flourish.

Image courtesy of uk.eurosport.yahoo.com; no copyright intended

Tonight though, I would like to see Derek Boateng given a chance; with Boateng in the team it would give license to Scott Parker to use the ball effectively like we all know he can. I can also see the big Ghanaian giving Everton's young star, Ross Barkley all manner of problems and in doing that disrupting Everton's style of play this season under Roberto Martinez.

Image courtesy of sport.co.uk; no copyright intended. Is Jol walking on a ever-thinning tightrope?

The most worrying aspect to come out of the Chelsea game was the percieved lack of passion. Now when it comes to a SW6 derby, as a fan, you're expecting the players to give everything for the cause and after going 1-0 down it did honestly look like, they didn't want to score. Startling as it is, this lack of passion emanated from the bench.

Like most Fulham fans, I'm realistic; one that has seen us rise from, the old Division Two to the Premier League, so I am less inclined to slate the team or management (apart from Lawrie Sanchez!). I am also fully aware that Martin Jol is a laid-back Dutchman who has never been one for prancing up and down his technical area, barking orders - but even he after we conceded didn't look in the slightest bit bothered.

Should his man-management skills be called into question? I'm not so sure. However it is fair to say that, for the number of players that have "got on with him", there are a number of high-profile personnel that haven't (Bobby Zamora, Danny Murphy, John Arne Riise it seems...) Although, I am still of the opinion that he doesn't quite know his best team yet and that the team still needs another five, say, games to really gel together. This is why, tonight's upcoming game with Everton, should be seen as an opportunity to really get things back on track.

Image courtesy of homes.yahoo.com; no copyright intended.

Of the small positives to take out of the game, I thought Fernando Amorebeita's full debut was, for the majority, excellent. Apart from almost conceding a penalty, he showed everything that you'd want to see from a player playing in a local derby; he competed for every ball and showed the passion, grit and determination that sadly not enough of his fellow team-mates shown. Again Pajtim Kasami, had a solid game; the Swiss youngster really seems to be thriving at the moment and long may it continue:

But finally, to the game at hand, Everton in the Capital One Cup.

Image courtesy of zimbio.com; no copyright intended. Hugo only just gave us a fighting chance last time out...

Now, unlike my father, who couldn't give the preverbial rats' about the Capital One Cup, I really see the competition as a fairly realistic chance to win some silverware; all you have to do is look at what it's done for Swansea City (who need I remind we beat 3-0... AWAY!). I also think that it's being taken seriously by Martin Jol - you only have to take a look at the squad that he took to League Two, Burton Albion.

However, Everton represent a very real challenge. It seems now, that the days of a guaranteed home win against the Toffees, are gone. After losing Marouane Fellaini to the red half of Manchester, they have strengthed considerably and are currently the only unbeaten team in the Premier League. It is hard to tell if Roberto Martinez will rest some of his key players but either way, Everton have got an enviable squad to choose from. 

Image courtesy of zimbio.com; no copyright intended.

In our last home game against Everton, we fought back to earn a resilient 2-2 draw; that kind of resiliency will have to be shown tonight, especially after the way things have been going. The boys need to stand up and be counted tonight and give the fans a performance where, regardless of result this evening, they can say "they gave it everything". 

However, similar to a recent article I read, fans going to the game need to support the team and manager. Booing and shouting "Jol Out" doesn't help anyone, least of all the players. Hark back to the European nights of Hamburg and Juventus or Manchester City away in "the Great Escape" run; we were down and out in those games and look what our support did for the team in said games.

On the other hand, the next three games our crucial. Cardiff and Stoke at the Cottage, then Crystal Palace away; if we don't come out with at the very least four points from those fixtures, I can see a very dark cloud looming over Martin Jol.

My team for tonight:  

Stockdale; Riether; Hangeland; Amorebieta; Richardson; Duff; Boateng; Parker; Mesca; Taarabt; Bent.

 COYW!... Stand Up if You Still Believe...

 

Why Pajtim Kasami Can Fill the Void left by Mousa Dembele for Fulham.

Pajtim Kasami has had the start to a season in which most Fulham fans, believed him capable of since joining the club back in 2011. After missing that now, folklore penalty at Chelsea in the (then) Carling Cup, it was felt Kasami's Fulham career may have been over before it had even had a chance to begin. 

 

However after a successful loan spell at FC Luzern and a very promising pre-season, he has taken that form into the start of the season and, after appearing in all but one of Fulham's Premier League games this season, Kasami looks likely to be a key player this year.

 

Image courtesy of fulhamfc.com; no copyright intended.

 

Although, I feel that if Martin Jol put his "thinking cap" on, like he did with Mousa Dembele in his first season in charge, it could see our midfield problems resolved and Kasami really thrust into the limelight.

 

Image courtesy of goal.com; no copyright intended.

Because after all, it was Martin Jol's now, career-changing decision to move Mousa Dembele back from a scheming number ten, to a deep-lying, playmaking, number four; and I feel if a similar change in position was made for Kasami, it could see both player and club reap the rewards.

It was Mark Hughes who had brought the relatively unknown Dembele to the Premier League, originally as a centre forward/number ten and in his debut season for the club, he showed us fans what he was all about - power, pace and vision. Yet, in those positions, Dembele was rarely afforded the time and space to really affect a game; enter Martin Jol.

After similarly playing Dembele in his supposed best position, Jol then decided to toy with the idea of playing the Belgian international from the right - the first game, in which Jol tried this tact, was in the 6-0 thrashing of Queens Park Rangers in October 2011*. 

Jol continued to chop and change with Dembele's position, from the right or in behind the striker until the real game-changing moment came up at Stamford Bridge, in the traditional Boxing-Day derby draw, back in December 2011 - this was the first game in which Mousa Dembele, had started in a central-midfield role. Fulham that day, started in a 4-1-4-1 formation with Danny Murphy protecting the back four, recently departed Kerim Frei from the left with Clint Dempsey and Dembele occupying the two central roles (how times change eh?)*.

Image courtesy of football365.com; no copyright intended

Have no idea why this is here?, sorry!

Martin Jol had seen something in Dembele that no manager previous had; that Dembele had all the attribrutes to become a force from midfield. The traits we had seen the previous season, the pace, power, vision, and the quite poetic way in which, the now Tottenham player, would effortlessly "glide" past opponents like they weren't even there. In this position, Dembele had more time; time on the ball, time to surge forward, time to pick that killer pass. So much so, that future pub chatter would label the Belgian "a poor-man's Yaya Toure".

His final Fulham appearance came against Manchester United at Old Trafford last season, and if there was a performance that epitomised how far the player had blossomed into the position, it was this. Outclassing the United midfield with pure power and grace on the ball, running rings round Paul Scholes - I knew that night watching Match of the Day, that this would be the last time in which I would see such a wonderful player, in the White of Fulham FC (tearjerker, I know...)

Image courtesy of fulhamfc.com; no copyright intended.

Now, Pajtim Kasami could so easily fill that gap left by Dembele; before this season had come around we had only seen glimpses of what the Swiss U-21 international could do. Yet, after that penalty miss against Chelsea, it seemed for all intents and purposes that his career was going the way of well... Marcel Gecov.

It just goes to show, how much a successful loan spell can do for a player; after a productive stay in his homeland, Kasami went into pre-season looking like a different player. He looked powerful, creative and was playing with, what seemed like, a different attitude all-together. He was tracking back, tussling for loose balls and looking dangerous going forward -  so much so that Kasami started against Sunderland on the opening day and scored.

On the eye it is easy to see how much Kasami is similar to Dembele; strong, can go past players, hard-working, creative etc. Also if you look at the way in which Martin Jol has utilised Kasami, it almost shadows Dembele's development under the Dutchman - from the right, behind the striker... could it follow suit with Kasami pushed back being into the deep-lying playmaker role alla Mousa Dembele?

I feel this may be the way forward...

Well I think it should; the benefits of nurturing Kasami into the role are there for all to see. From there he could bring the energy that we so need, as well as provide the odd counter-attackive surge forward - he has shown he is more than up for the tussles that come with being in the centre of the park and it would also give him more time on the ball to pull the strings, with Scott Parker alongside to provide the guile and the graft.

Only time will tell if the past will repeat itself but whatever happens, Martin Jol has come out and said that Kasami is a "key player" for the season ahead. As longs as the likeable youngster is playing, I'm, like many a Fulham fan I'm sure, happy.


... Hey Martin! Come and 'av a read of this, it might re-jog the old memory!

COYW!

*Statistics taken from fulhamfc.com.



 

Fulham vs. West Bromwich Albion - Barclays Premier League - Preview

A relegation decider? Not quite, however after defeat at Newcastle, a win against a side that will ultimately be in and around us, come the end of the season would be welcome. A couple of goals would boost morale and kick-start our campaign, but I'd take a 1-0 all the same.

 

Image courtesy of mirror.co.uk; no copyright intended.

 

There's been quite a lot of doom and gloom doing the rounds in the online "Fulhamverse" after the defeat at St. James Park, thanks to a Ben-Arfa worldie; the "Jol-Out!" bridage has picked up some force already but, should this be the case?

In a word, No. Yes, we didn't exactly show much going forward but there were positives to be taken; after all, we'd been denied a stonewall penalty from Scott Parker's surge. Defensively we were very solid and David Stockdale put in another MoM display, which can only bode well for games to come. This is vital, considering that Maarten Stekelenburg has again, been ruled out for a couple of weeks.

West Brom may well be, the perfect opposition to be up against; they let you play, and more importantly we have a very good record against the Baggies (at home). They have only scored two goals at the Cottage in the Premier League years, the last of which came from Somen Tchoyi, after Clint Dempsey had given us the lead in Martin Jol's first season in charge.

Image courtesy of fulhamfc.com; no copyright intended.

If we can perform as well as we did in the corresponding fixture last season, a 3-0 win on Dimitar Berbatov's home debut, with the Bulgarian scoring two (see top picture), there's no reason we can't stick another few past Steve Clarke's men. It's also easy to forget that Fulham did actually do the double over West Brom last season; in both games we looked a lot better than our opponents, despite being under the cosh at times in the away fixture.

Alex Kacaniklic got the winner that day (see above), and I think the nippy little Swede could be key again. He gave Billy Jones the absolute run-around in both games last season (winning the penalty for Berbatov's second and leaving him for dead for his goal at the Hawthorns) -  if, come Saturday, Kacaniklic is in the starting eleven, I can see Jones wanting to start the game on the bench.

Don't get me wrong, I am wary of West Brom; I've been a great admirer of both Graham Dorrans and James Morrison for some time, (the latter will face a fitness test), Nicolas Anelka, Youssef Mulumbu, Jonas Olsson are all fine players. However, I think the real threat, if he starts, could come from new signing, Stephane Sessegnon.

Image courtesy of thesun.co.uk; no copyright intended.

The Benin international scored twice against us last season, including that scorcher above and on his day can be a real menace for any defence. The only thing with Sessegnon is that he can be a bit "hit and miss" -  so we'll have to see which "one" turns up on Saturday, hopefully it's the miss.

From a Fulham point of view, we have quite a few players missing, coupled with a few coming back - as mentioned earlier Maarten Stekelenburg is still out, and he is joined by Aaron Hughes, Matthew Briggs and Darren Bent. Bent could be a big miss, as this is the sort of game in which he could thrive, and no doubt, grab a couple in.

On the plus side though, Sascha Riether is fit after the knock he picked up at Newcastle, Fernando Amorebeita played 90 minutes for Venezuela and, Kieran Richardson is back in contention after a four-week lay off.

Image courtesy of nydailynews.com

Bryan Ruiz also put in a MoM display for Costa Rica in their game with the U.S.A, in which they qualified for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. I was pleased to hear about this as I am most definitely a "Bryan Ruiz fan"; the fact that Costa Rica have qualified means they'll be at least one Fulham representative out in South America.

After looking red-hot in pre-season, his form had dipped of late (admittedly he has only started the one game, which was last week against Newcastle). "The Weasel" has openly admitted that adding to his goal tally is his main aim this season, and with the addition of Adel Taarabt, hopefully we'll see Bryan, score a few more - because on his day, the guy can be a magician with the ball at his feet.

On an ending note, I think this "Jol Out" nonsense is absurd; we're three games in and yes, as I keep hearing our form dipped sharply last season - the key there... that was last season. The Dutchman needs time to mould his new-look squad into a fine starting eleven, and it would be a case of utter stupidity, if fans didn't show a little patience.

However if the worst came to the worst, I feel Shahid Khan would go down the same route as he has done at the Jackonsville Jaguars - young and ambitious. My preferred choices for that would be Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer, Danny Murphy, Lee Clark or even Kit Symons (in that order)... But, In Jol I Trust!

My starting line-up: 

Stockdale; Riether; Hangeland; Amorebeita; Riise (leave KR on bench, bring on); Dejagah (if fit); Parker; Boateng; Kacaniklic; Ruiz; Berbatov.

I would love to see Kasami in the "Dembele" role but more on that next week!


COYW!


 

The Season So Far: Summer Signings.

With the Barclays Premier League season already in full swing, and the ever so "Fulhamish" deadline day behind us, I thought a look at our business in the summer transfer window, would be a good place to kick things off. I will also take a quick glance at the Club's percieved, (in)activity on deadline day.

Image courtesy of premierleague.com; no copyright intended.

Maarten Stekelenburg - Goalkeeper - signed from AS Roma for an undisclosed fee (rumoured just under £5m):

When everyone's favourite Aussie, Mark Schwarzer left the Cottage and made the short move to Chelsea (trust me, eyebrows were raised) on a free transfer, there was a sense that the incoming No1 would have big boots to fill. There were games where Schwarzer seemed to be an immovable object, (in particular, the final day victory at Swansea last season) and the total number of points the man saved us over his five-season tenure must be remarkable.

So bringing in the Oranje's former number one, Maarten Stekelenburg for a snip at under £5m seems like a coup. A player who Martin Jol knows well and seems to get the best out of, likenesses to former Fulham favourite Edwin Van Der Sar have already been drawn, due to the Dutchman's size and stature - but it's in his career path to date where the two are remarkably in sync:

Learning their trade in Amsterdam with Ajax brought great success; a then ill-fated move to Italy (VDS, Juventus. MS, AS Roma); happily now, the line continues for Stekelenburg at Fulham, and if the goalkeeper's move turns out to be half-as-good as Big Ed's was to SW6, then us fans are in for a treat.

Apart from a few shaky moments, (an appaling first-touch against C.S. Cartaginés, and miss-communication with Brede Hangeland for the winning goal in the defeat to Werder Bremen) the keeper has looked nothing but solid. Commanding with his box, put together with impeccable shot-stopping capabilities (the save he pulled out from Celustka's half-volley at Sunderland on the opening day, was top-draw), we could have well pulled off one of the signings of the summer.

Injury to his right shoulder on the opening day, has somewhat curtailed his progress in the White of Fulham (at the time of writing he is due back for the visit of West Brom). However it has also highlighted that the keeper will have to work hard to tie down that No1 jersey, with David Stockdale putting in some man-of-the-match performances in his absence. 

Defence:

 

Image courtesy of theguardian.com/uk; no copyright intended.

Fernando Amorebieta - CB/LB - signed from Athletic Bilbao on a free transfer:

As free transfers go, I doubt many a club could have pulled off a better one, this window. After reported interest from Arsenal and Zenit St. Petersburg, the Basque-born Venezuelan chose to join Fulham, and a long-overdue crack at the Premier League, on a four-year deal - the length of said deal, makes the signing look on the surface, even better.

A veteran of Spanish football, where he made 254 appearances over a eight-season period for Athletic Bilbao*, as soon as I saw him play in pre-season, he instantly reminded me of a former terrace hero. The hero in question was former captain and defensive rock, Chris Coleman.

Like "Cookie", Amorebieta is left-footed, hard-as-nails and deceptively cultured on the ball; indeed the official website's profile says the player "has been known to frequent the referee’s notebook more than he would have liked during his time in La Liga" - this well-publicised fact about the player, may well have put bigger clubs off in the past, put there is no doubting the 28 year-olds talent.

Yet to make his debut for the club because of injury, Amorebieta adds steel to a defence that conceded far too many soft goals last season; with the ever-consistent, Aaron Hughes, there to challenge him for a starting spot, I can only see Fernando "loving" miserable, December nights away at Stoke City.

The only potential downside to this deal, could may well lie in the number, in which Amorebeita has chosen to wear - 35; the last defender to wear that number was well... Ian Pearce.

(An interesting side note - when/if Amorebieta plays, Brede Hangeland will shift to the right-side of central defence; somewhere our Captain has rarely, albeit never, played in his career).

Image courtesy of squawka.com; no copyright intended.

Sascha Riether - Right-Back - signed from FC Cologne for an undisclosed fee (rumoured £1.3m):

Did anyone really expect his loan spell to go so well last season? An unkown quantity, when it came to English football, after spending the entirety of his career in the Bundesliga, "Volzy Mark II" was sensational.

An absolute bargain at £1.3m, the German was, in my opinion, the best right-back in the league last season (if he'd been at City, shoe-in for the team of the year) and, as you'd expect, everything the man did last season, was done with a real sense of "efficiency". Solid in the tackle, and adventurous going forward with a demon of a cross, he got even better when former team-mate Askhan Dejagah got into the starting eleven.

The partnership, at its best, was demonstrated in the winning goal at White Hart Lane last season - Riether sprinting from his own half to cross for Berbatov, after Dejagah had twisted to find him on the overlap.

No spring-chicken at 30 years of age, if Riether can show the same level of consistency this season, it'll be like the secong coming of Steve Finnan.

  

Midfield:

 

Image courtesy of zimbio.com; no copyright intended.

 

Derek Boateng - CDM - signed from Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk on a free transfer:

I have to admit, I wasn't very familiar with the work of Derek Boateng; the amount of times we were being linked to the player was getting ridicoulous, and it must have come with a great sense of relief to both player and club, when pen was was put to paper on a one-year deal, with the option of a further 12 months.

Ever since the injury to Mali international, Mahamadou Diarra, we had been lacking that real midfield enforcer; yes, Steve Sidwell probably had his best season to date in a White shirt, last season - but he's more of a "terrier" than an enforcer. So entering pre-season, I had a modest sense of anticipation to see Boateng in action.

So when the Ghanaian came on, for the start of the second-half of the Cartaginés game, I was quite keen to keep an eye on the player. No sooner had he started bustling his rather considerable frame around the pitch, he'd lunged into a tackle and gained himself a yellow card - I thought "he's like a techincally-gifted Dickson Etuhu": and I think that's just about it.

The man from his country's capital has already gained himself a following with the fans, thanks to his eccentric personality, and as debut's go, a clean sheet and a win away couldn't be much better. If he can perform as well as his close friend John Paintsil did (with a couple less own goals), I'm sure he'll enjoy his time at the Cottage, just as much as the former did.

Image courtesy of premierleague.com; no copyright intended.

 

Giorgos Karagounis - CDM/CAM - Free Agent:

I couldn't have been the only one that had a tear in their eye when glancing at our released list and seeing Karagounis's name on it; like many a Fulham fan, I'd grown to love the busy little Greek, thanks to his tireless energy and eye for the spectular goal. So when it was announced that the club had taken up the option to extend the players' contract for a further year, I was more than pleased.

Before the pessimists start, I would have loved us to sign a twenty-something creative midfielder to step up to the throne of the departed Mousa Dembele - however, Karagounis is a veteran of the European and International game (over a 100 apps in Europe; over 120 caps internationally*), and having him in and around the first team, giving advice to the youth players, can only stand us in good stead.

Suprisingly at 36, his swashbuckling style doesn't look to be dwindling, and he seems to give the most energy (going forward at least) of the, prefered "two" holding midfielders. Always one for the cliche's, he reminds of a mix of former favourites, Paul Peschisolido and Lee Clark.

Personally, my preferred partner (along with Boateng, dependant on opposition) to fellow summer recruit, Scott Parker, the wily old warrior may still have some suprises in store for us yet.

Image courtesy of fulhamfc.com; no copyright intended.

 

Adel Taarabt - CAM/LM/CF - signed from QPR on a season-long loan:

Now before I start anything, let me outline my "history" with Adel Taarabt - loved him at Tottenham Hotspur, hated him at QPR, so thankfully, I can now "love" him again now he's at Fulham.

A player of unquestionable talent, whose temperament has often left previous managers puzzled as to what to do with him, a move to Fulham, may well see both parties coming out smelling of roses...

You see, players like Taarabt need to be "cuddled" once in a while, and Martin Jol has shown, throughout his managerial career, that he can cope with this type of "luxury" player. Examples being Dimitar Berbatov, (Spurs and now, Fulham) and Luis Suarez (Ajax).

With Taarabt in the team, he can give us that added dimension going forward, that we were all crying out for last season. After all, the previous campaign showed Fulham to have, an all-to-heavy reliance on Dimitar Berbatov (and to a lesser extent, Bryan Ruiz).

The mercurial Moroccan has already shown flashes of his brilliance, the quite sumptous strike against Burton Albion in the Capital One Cup, a prime example. If he can keep his focus on the pitch and work for the team more, Adel Taarabt could well have one of the seasons of his career; lets hope anyway.

Image courtesy of metro.co.uk; no copyright intended.

 

Scott Parker - CDM - signed from Tottenham Hotspur for an undisclosed fee (rumoured £3m):

Long regarded by many an England fan, as the personification of English football - gritty, determined and with guile a plenty, Scott Parker arrives at Craven Cottage on a three-year deal. The hope is, that a stay on the banks of the Thames can, like it has for so many before him, rejuvinate an ailing career.

Similar to a certain Danny Murphy, Parker comes to the club after being brushed aside from a Tottenham midfield that contains near enough, all, of the "most-wanted" holding players in Europe. At 32, Parker's arrival at Fulham is also not far off Murphy (who signed in 2007 at 30), and we all know what "Dan the Man" went on to achieve during his time at the club.

It was as recent as February 2012 when Scott Parker was captaining his country (in a friendly versus the Netherlands), and that leadership, coupled with his commitment to the cause, will come as a welcome bonus to Fulham's midfield. A midfield which at times last season, sorely missed that calm authority, in front of the back four, that left with Danny Murphy's depature last season.

Settling into a new team is never easy, but in the games that Parker has already played in, it feels like he has been at the club for years. Martin Jol has already come out and said that the player is his "number four", but it's also easy to forget how neat and tidy on the ball Parker is; in the recent defeat to Newcastle, he also demonstrated that he can surge past players and should have won his side a penalty, after a blatent foul from Mathieu Debuchy.

If he can steer clear of injuries that have blighted his career in recent seasons, there's no reason the former Chelsea man, can make the right side of SW6 his home for years to come; I'm just glad to see we got another over 'Arry Redknapp, to be honest.

Image courtesy of uk.eurosport.yahoo.com; no copyright intended.

 

Darrent Bent - Forward - signed from Aston Villa on a season-long loan: 

Darren Bent is a player who, if there was a category, would fall into the one labelled with "Ronseal"; he does exactly what it says on the tin. A forward who has bagged goals for fun, wherever he has played, (31 in 68 at Charlton, 32 in 58 at Sunderland etc.**). He brings to Fulham, the pace, coupled with a lethal eye for goal, that sadly Hugo Rodallega just can't give; the latter anyway.

Now signing a player, on loan, that a couple of seasons ago was worth a reported 24m, is a masterstroke by any clubs' standards. After nails had been bitten, in quite a few corners, following the "is he here, is he there" chase with Crystal Palace and Newcastle, a deal was signed on the 16th August 2013.

In not too dissimilar fashion to the deal which bought Adel Taarabt to the club, if all goes well, it could be very beneficial for both parties. Bent has made it no secret of his desire to force his way back into the England set-up, and if he can score the goals that both Manager and fans alike believe he can, there's no reason that can't happen.

The only thing now is for Martin Jol to find a system which encompasses Bent in; with a plethora of attacking talent now at his disposal, it will inevitably take time and fans just have to be patient with that.

The sooner said system is found the better, and when it is, there is no reason that Bent, can't fire the club to the position that it wants, and deserves, to be in; with a little help from a certain Mr. Berbatov, of course.

 

And finally... Deadline Day:

WHAT I WISHED FOR - Shane Long (WBA), Elderson Echiéjilé (S.C. Braga), Morgan Amalfitano (formerly Marseille, now WBA on loan).

WHAT WE GOT - Elsad Zverotic??:

Now if not one Fulham fan went "Who?!" with an extremely puzzled face, when the club announced the signing of Elsad Zverotic from BSC Young Boys, then I will eat my replica Billy the Badger. 

All I know is he's a Montenegrin international, sounds a lot like a personal hero of mine, former favourite Chris "Bairdinho" Baird, and apparently scored a cracker at Anfield... sounds like a quality player then!

Thanks for reading (all this way down)!


*Stats taken from fulhamfc.com.
**Stats taken from soccerbase.com. (Goals scored in the League).