Fulham record signing Steve Marlet is finding
his form in English football after a slow start. The French striker, who joined the Premiership
newcomers for £11.5million in August, failed to score in his first
seven games for the Cottagers.
However, Marlet managed four goals in his next seven matches and he is growing
in stature with every game.
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Fulham striker Steve Marlet is finding his
form in English football and hoping to go to Japan
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The Frenchman earned plaudits for his display in the 2-0 win against Blackburn
last weekend when he assisted in both goals for Jean Tigana's side.
Marlet has revealed how happy he is with his progress in the Premiership.
"I felt very good during the Blackburn game," he said. "I
tried to do my best. I was able to contribute to two important goals for
Barry and Steed and that made me very happy.
"It would have been nice to score a goal myself. I tried hard but the
keeper made a good save and I hit the post in the first half. I thought
that one was going in - the keeper was at full stretch but he wasn't going
to reach it. With a little more luck I could have scored."
Marlet has already scored twice in the FA Cup this season, and he will be
involved when Fulham travel to Walsall for their fifth-round tie on Saturday.
And after struggling to come to terms with the physical nature of English
football in the first weeks of his Premiership career, Marlet is handling
himself well now.
"The more games that I play, the fitter I will be and more used to
the speed of the game. I've worked very hard with Roger Propos, so I'm a
lot stronger now and I'm able to withstand a lot of the tackles.
"I'm also able to stand up to the situation where an opponent tries
to use his strength to get you off the ball."
With places in France's World Cup squad still up for grabs, a glut of goals
from Marlet could yet see him in Korea and Japan this summer.
The Frenchman certainly isn't giving up hope. "I'm very ambitious still
to go to the World Cup with France. I looked at the squad this week, and
he hasn't made too many changes. "He has taken only three strikers,
so perhaps for the next game he will make some changes, and maybe I'll get
a chance then. I really hope so. "All I can do is play well and do
my best for Fulham," added Marlet. "And score goals, and hope
that that is good enough for me to be selected."