Dimitar Berbatov has started Fulham's last three league fixtures, each time with a different partner. In the 1-0 home win over Aston Villa he played alongside Mladen Petric, for the exciting 3-3 draw at Reading it was Hugo Rodallega, while for the 2-2 draw against Everton last week, Bryan Ruiz played just behind.
Fulham haven't yet travelled to one of the Premier League¹s big clubs since Berbatov signed from Manchester United, and it will be interesting to see whether Jol continues to use him in these matches; he was rarely used in United's difficult away games, with Ferguson preferring pace upfront and an extra body in midfield.
This weekend Fulham make the short trip to the Emirates to take on Arsenal, and I expect Jol will continue using Ruiz as the support striker. It's dangerous to play against Arsenal with only two central midfielders, and although Ruiz might not make a significant defensive contribution, he'll cause Mikel Arteta problems if he buzzes around in the zone between the lines. The Spaniard had a fine debut season for Arsenal, but is yet to fully adjust to his new role as Arsenal's deepest midfielder.
Upfront, I think there's a good chance Jol will select pace upfront: he's previously spoken about how Rodallega can be used against high defensive lines, while Petric would offer more of a direct goal threat in behind the defence. That would mean Berbatov dropping to the bench. When fit, the Bulgarian is yet to be left out since signing for the Cottagers, but I think a different tactical approach is needed against Arsenal.
