Source: Team_Talk
Onus now on Dembele - Hughes
Mark Hughes hopes Fulham's weekend match-winner Moussa Dembele will fill the void left by Bobby Zamora's injury-enforced absence.[LNB] Zamora has been ruled out for four months after sustaining the break just above his right ankle in Saturday's 2-1 Premier League victory over Wolves.[LNB]The 29-year-old England striker, who has undergone surgery, will face a longer lay-off if further damage to the ankle is discovered.[LNB]Fulham overcame his first-half departure to complete a last-gasp comeback victory sealed by Dembele's first league goals.[LNB]The £5million summer signing from AZ Alkmaar has impressed since his arrival at Craven Cottage and now has a crucial role to play.[LNB]With Andy Johnson still several weeks from a first-team return following his battle with a knee injury and Zamora out for four months, Dembele has become a key player.[LNB]"We hope Moussa can get the goals - there's a big onus on him now that Bobby's gone," said Cottagers boss Hughes.[LNB]"But it's a big ask, you can't just hang a hat on Moussa. He'll get good support from the guys around him and that will help him become the success we think he will be.[LNB]"The beauty of Moussa is that he can play in a number of positions.[LNB]"That's the attraction from my point of view because I like players who have that flexibility."[LNB]Dembele fired the equaliser against Wolves with a well directed, if tame, shot and then blasted an injury-time free-kick through the wall for the winner.[LNB]Hughes was aware of the 23-year-old when he was Manchester City manager and reacted immediately when he learnt of his availability.[LNB]"Moussa is always very positive, everything he does has a positive slant on it. That's the key to the way he plays," he said.[LNB]"He can drive the game and is an intelligent footballer.[LNB]"I kept track of him because I've always been impressed with him.[LNB]"When it was flagged up that he was in the last year of his contract and likely to be sold, we moved quickly."
