FORGET Bobby Zamora – Pavel Pogrebnyak is the new kid on the block to spearhead Fulham's frontline.
Whites fans were up in arms when Zamora jumped shipped on transfer deadline day to move down the road to join rivals QPR.
But Pogrebnyak, who has signed on loan from Stuttgart until the end of the season, scored on his debut to set Martin Jol's men on their way to victory against Stoke City last week.
And the Russian is ready to spin Fulham's roulette wheel to success.
"If he continues like that, I'm sure he'll be fantastic for us,” said team-mate Stephen Kelly . “He made the impact we wanted.
"In the couple of days training we had with him, you could see he was the type of striker that will keep the ball well and wants to score goals.
“He's strong, he's a big boy and he's exactly what we need to link up play and it's probably what we were lacking in the last couple of games.
"We were kind of screaming out for a centre forward now Bobby Zamora is gone – a target man that can bring people into the game and that's exactly what he did.
"It was a great debut for him. We're all delighted to have him in the team and hopefully he can put performances like that in again."
Pogrebnyak was forced off after the break with a foot injury, but he is hopeful of being fit for this weekend's derby with QPR.
And Kelly reckons the 28-year-old has already shown he can cope with the rough and tumble of English football.
"It was a baptism of fire for him, a game like Stoke," added the Fulham defender.
"There are not going to be more ferocious teams trying to head the ball and come through the back of him than Stoke, with their centre backs, so to prove he was able to withstand that was a good sign.
“He seems a strong, physical lad, and in this league you need to have that. In a game that will be more of a passing game, I'm sure he'll come into it as well.”
