A pretty vocal group of Fulham supporters were unhappy with Roy Hodgson’s decision to sign Dickson Etuhu because they thought he wouldn’t be able to cut it in the Premier League. Etuhu has now gone about trying to silence the doubters with a string of solid performances, from an impressive cameo as a substitute against Middlesbrough to a tough-tackling display up at Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup last week.
He has certainly done enough to impress club captain Danny Murphy.
It’s been different because he’s a different type of player to Jimmy (Bullard) but it’s not been difficult because he’s a good player. He’s a bit more defensive, which means maybe I have a bit more responsibility to get forward, which I think I’ve done, especially in the game against Sheffield where I set up the first goal and found myself around the box a little bit more.
Of course, like any partnership, it takes a few games to get to know each other, but one thing is for sure with Dickson, he gives us a fantastic physical presence in there. He’s a good tackler, good in the air and he gets about people, so it’s been very easy playing with him.
He’s a terrific lad and he’s working hard at getting his full match fitness, so whether I play with Dickson or with Jimmy it just means I have to adapt my role, and that’s absolutely fine with me. They’re both talented players and I enjoy playing with them both. It’s more at the minute about making sure the team continues to carry on this good run, playing well and getting results, and whether that’s with Dickson or Jimmy, it’s fine either way!
Looks like Jimmy may have a fight on his hands to get his starting place back. He might be fit enough to face Blackburn on Saturday but will he start?
