Frustrated Jol bemoans lack of cutting edge

FULHAM manager Martin Jol was frustrated with yesterday’s 1-1 draw against Blackburn and believes the lack of cutting edge cost them.

Both sides came into the match on the back of miserable starts to the season and yesterday’s share of the spoils did little to lift the spirits of either sets of fans.

Fulham edged first-half proceedings but fell behind to a moment of magic from Ruben Rochina, who launched an unstoppable 18-yard drive in the 32nd minute.

The home side equalised six minutes later through Bobby Zamora’s own inspired moment and Jol was disappointed that his side could not find a winner.

“It was frustrating,” he said. “More and more nowadays in football for example you see Liverpool yesterday with 70 or 75% possession and still lose the game so that can happen. It is not easy to play in their half and we did that.

“We tried to do that in the first half but couldn’t because we were a bit sloppy in midfield and everybody was bombing forward.

“And of course the style of this club is to try and play attractive football and in the second half that certainly happened. In the second half I can remember we had eight or nine crosses to the near post.

“They protected that well, but then we need to come up with good solutions. We needed better finishing. I’ve heard the phrase that we lacked a cutting edge and maybe today we did.”

Much of the talk heading into the game surrounded £10.6m deadline day signing Bryan Ruiz’s debut. However, the Costa Rica international visibly struggled and was replaced by Mousa Dembele at half time.

Blackburn looked sturdy at Craven Cottage despite losing David Dunn and Christopher Samba to calf and back injuries respectively.

In addition, Junior Hoillet was concussed in a stoppage-time collision with Mark Schwarzer and Rovers manager Steve Kean was surprised not to see the latter sent off.

“I think it was just the way he spun and fell,” he said. “He’s got three or four stitches on the side of his head and was out for a few minutes, so he’s concussed. It was quite a nasty challenge. I was expecting the referee to send him off”.

FULHAM: Schwarzer, Hughes (Kelly 20), Senderos, Hangeland, John Arne Riise (Johnson 80), Duff, Sidwell, Murphy, Dempsey, Ruiz (Dembele 46), Zamora.

BLACKBURN: Robinson,Salgado, Samba (Olsson 46), Dann, Givet, Hoilett, Dunn (Petrovic 52), Formica, Nzonzi, Rochina (Lowe 70), Goodwillie.

Referee: H Webb (S Yorkshire).