New Faces Needed At Fulham

By Gary Spate
December 29 2003

FULHAM manager Chris Coleman has conceded that he will have to look for new players to strengthen his squad when the transfer window reopens this week.

Fulham lost 3-0 on Sunday against Aston Villa and Coleman knows that new players are needed if the Cottagers are to finish in the top half of the table which had been their plan at the start of the season.

"We started the better team," said Coleman, "played some good stuff and had a few chances, but then we gave away a sloppy goal.

"It was not a disaster when we came in at half-time and I wanted us to come out and take the game to Villa but we just folded."

Juan Pablo Angel, and Darius Vassell provided Villa with the goals and Fulham boss Chris Coleman was clearly not happy.

"That is disappointing from my point of view," he added, "and it's the first time I've seen that happen for a long time. It was poor.

"We lost all our individual battles and our passing was poor. It was a cold night and the fans who came here will be going home disappointed.

Coleman was particularly disappointed with the performance as he had fielded the same squad that beat Southampton 2-0 only two days earlier.

"We have won only one out of four. That's poor form. It's a good job we put a lot of hard work into the beginning of the season, so we have got a bit of a cushion. But that form is relegation form, and we need to pull our fingers out.

"I need to bring in two or three new faces. Although I am disappointed today, the lads have been magnificent but we do need a bigger squad," Coleman added.