Jol laments lack of ´cutting edge´

Fulham boss Martin Jol says his side were unlucky to miss out on a win after being held to a 1-1 draw by Blackburn at Craven Cottage on Sunday.

A goal from Fulham striker Bobby Zamora cancelled out Ruben Rochina’s opener for Blackburn, leaving both sides still searching for their first win of the new campaign.

And Jol felt his side deserved all three points after controlling large portions of the game.

“It was similar to the game against Aston Villa, especially the second half,” he said.

“We thought that we deserved three points from that game and today was probably the same.”

“You see it more and more nowadays. Liverpool yesterday had 75 percent possession and still lost the game, so that can happen. It’s not easy to play in their half and we did that.”

“The style of this club is to get a good shape to play attractive football, and in the second half that certainly happened.”

“I can remember eight or nine crosses to the near post, and of course they did well to defend the near post, but then we have to come up with different solutions in good situations, and a better finish.”

“You could say we lacked a cutting edge.”

The closing stages of the match were overshadowed by a sickening collision between Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer and Blackburn striker Junior Hoilett as the latter raced through on goal.

Rovers manager Steve Kean admitted he was surprised Schwarzer had not been dismissed for the challenge, which left his player with concussion and in need of stitches.

Jol, however, does not believe his keeper deliberately sought to hurt his opponent.

“I’ve seen it again,” he said. “Hoilett is a terrific player, and a nice guy as well, and he went for the ball. But you can see on television that Mark Schwarzer was clattered as well.”

“It was a 50-50 situation, and you can’t compare it with, for example, Battiston and Schumacher [in the 1982 World Cup]. This was totally different, so I concur with the yellow card.”

Kean, meanwhile, is confident the draw was a step in the right direction for his club.

“We’ve got confidence in abundance, we have spirit and togetherness,” Kean said.

“I have the dressing room and the backing of the owners. If the fans stay with us, we’ll see many away performances like that where we win more than one point.”

“I’m sure if the fans stay with us we’ll finish in the top half.”