Jol: West Ham’s long-ball tactics worked
Fulham manager Martin Jol said his team’s 3-0 defeat at West Ham was down to their failure to deal with the home side’s long-ball tactics.
All three goals at Upton Park came in the first half, when Hammers new boy Andy Carroll caused the Whites major problems in the air.
Jol said: “When you analyse teams like Manchester United and Chelsea it’s difficult but with West Ham it’s easy. You know they will play that long ball and look for the knockdowns.
“If you’re 5ft 8in or 5ft 10in you’ve maybe got a problem, but I thought we should have coped with him [Carroll]. We couldn’t cope with him and that’s disappointing.”
Without deadline-day departures Clint Dempsey and Moussa Dembele, Fulham’s problems were increased when Bryan Ruiz failed a fitness test.
Their lack of creativity was obvious, with Kieran Richardson enduring a disappointing debut in midfield – a position Jol intends to play him in rather than on the left.
“Of course we missed players in the creative department,” Jol admitted.
“Ruiz couldn’t play and Dembele has gone. It was a concern for us but we’ll be fine.”
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01/09/2012 @ 4:43 pm
I was looking forward to this game after whacking Norwich and giving ManU a run for their money but West Ham were better in every compartment. Despite what Jol says, West Ham played very good football and it was nothing like the long ball tactics that I expected from them. We did a little better in the second half but thats only because West Ham took their foot off the pedal.
01/09/2012 @ 4:37 pm
Wasnt it the lasagne last time?
01/09/2012 @ 3:55 pm
Fulham was played of the park in every aspect. Why do managers always put it down to the fact they couldn’t deal with the long balls that’s y they lost. Fulham just could not defend today period. Whu showed fulham how to play football today, jol u was lucky it weren’t 5 or 6. Long ball game everyone makes me laugh what ever happened to it being called a perfect through ball. Oh well COYI u actually played some brilliant football today, ashame more couldn’t be said about fulham, I thought we was in for a competetive match today. Whu absolutely walked it!!!
01/09/2012 @ 3:50 pm
Sour grapes or what Jol? Fulham were outplayed in EVERY department. Just accept defeat gracefully. It was not “long balls” that beat you. You were beaten by the better team
01/09/2012 @ 3:49 pm
Pathetic. The very fact Jol thinks that was “long ball” explains just why Fulham were pulled apart.
Try some other grapes, Martin. The one’s you’ve got seem really, really sour.