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.