is this still a good start to the season?

[nose]

so other than the rose tinted glasses it's always alright people.... most of us agree this avery poor start to a season
all but one player that started today was a regular last season, OKadoi and sess didn't always start but they part of the first team squad and were good
and last season we were from about october electric at times
we should have been tearing up the division by now
so why is it we are not doing better, that was a genuine lack lustre, couldn't get going display that we have rarely seen since this manager arrived.

i have an inkling, but i have been saying it for weeks and hranged for saying that the amertuerish lack of leadership is killing us. it permeates through the club. i think the players have started to get the feeling the management are not serious. that is my honest opinion. maybe just three points and a poor home defeat are making my usual gloom worse, but I have seen nothing yet that suggests the owner or his team are serious about miving us on. i do like the look of fonte, but was amazed he was a smaller player, we have a plethora of those, don't the stats suggest we need a tall phyd and a more physical defender, if not stop bothering withnthe failed system.

[Lighthouse]

We have played four clubs who will finish in the top half of the table. Only Wednesday will finish out of the top six. We play two team that have started well next but I guarantee that we will get results against them. Hopefully wins. This is not any rubbish about half full bottles of wee but a genuine belief that we have played well in trying circumstances until the second half today.

We will be top half ourselves at the end of the season and may well do even better. But a lack of finisher and centre half may prove a problem. However you cannot legislate, however poor we were in the second half for players like Aluko constantly missing golden opportunities week in week out.

[nose]

We have played four clubs who will finish in the top half of the table. Only Wednesday will finish out of the top six. We play two team that have started well next but I guarantee that we will get results against them. Hopefully wins. This is not any rubbish about half full bottles of wee but a genuine belief that we have played well in trying circumstances until the second half today.

We will be top half ourselves at the end of the season and may well do even better. But a lack of finisher and centre half may prove a problem. However you cannot legislate, however poor we were in the second half for players like Aluko constantly missing golden opportunities week in week out.

we were the form team going into the play offs, we have now three draws from four games. i would say that is an atrocious start for a team with ambition. last week people had a go at me for saying I thought we were in difficulties, i suspect many are now changing their mind, it is more than aluk missing chances. he was poor, fred, poor, cairney, who knows why he is so poor...  a right footer at left back no big men at the fron, smith scored the winner for QPR, i am not sayng we should have kept him but we do need a big man.....   we knew all this last May. what do the stats say, we need another small winger?

[MJG]

We have played four clubs who will finish in the top half of the table. Only Wednesday will finish out of the top six. We play two team that have started well next but I guarantee that we will get results against them. Hopefully wins. This is not any rubbish about half full bottles of wee but a genuine belief that we have played well in trying circumstances until the second half today.

We will be top half ourselves at the end of the season and may well do even better. But a lack of finisher and centre half may prove a problem. However you cannot legislate, however poor we were in the second half for players like Aluko constantly missing golden opportunities week in week out.

we were the form team going into the play offs, we have now three draws from four games. i would say that is an atrocious start for a team with ambition. last week people had a go at me for saying I thought we were in difficulties, i suspect many are now changing their mind, it is more than aluk missing chances. he was poor, fred, poor, cairney, who knows why he is so poor...  a right footer at left back no big men at the fron, smith scored the winner for QPR, i am not sayng we should have kept him but we do need a big man.....   we knew all this last May. what do the stats say, we need another small winger?

who says we need a big man up front?
It's your opinion that we should have. Mine is we don't need someone like Smith. We do need a player to be the focal point, doesn't mean they have to be Crouch like. Fonte looks good and linked up well. Initially and will get getter as time goes on.
If we played a different style then maybe there is an argument for old fashioned number nine. Currently I don't see that.

[MJG]

In answer to the title of the thread then no. But it's not a disaster and it's not end of the season and it's not us in trouble for relegation.

Things can change quickly and before you know it things will be moving in a better direction. 3 from 4 is nit start I or anyone wanted, but plenty of time to put right.

[Woolly Mammoth]

Just trying to cheer myself up.
Am I correct in saying that on a one to one basis with the corresponding Fixtures last season with the four teams we have already played.
Am I correct in saying that we have the same amount of points, or very similar, as we stand at the moment.

[wheelerdeeler]

Just trying to cheer myself up.
Am I correct in saying that on a one to one basis with the corresponding Fixtures last season with the four teams we have already played.
Am I correct in saying that we have the same amount of points, or very similar, as we stand at the moment.

Last season we drew 2-2 at Home to Norwich
Lost 1-0 Away to Reading
Drew 1-1 Away to Leeds
Drew 1-1 Home to Wednesday

So we're on exactly the same points return.

[Woolly Mammoth]

Just trying to cheer myself up.
Am I correct in saying that on a one to one basis with the corresponding Fixtures last season with the four teams we have already played.
Am I correct in saying that we have the same amount of points, or very similar, as we stand at the moment.

Last season we drew 2-2 at Home to Norwich
Lost 1-0 Away to Reading
Drew 1-1 Away to Leeds
Drew 1-1 Home to Wednesday

So we're on exactly the same points return.

Well that makes me feel better just reading it.

[Ordar]

Last season has zero relevance to this season. As proven with every Championship season ever

[colinwhite]

Lets hope your just as quick to post after the last game of the season Nose !!

[jarv]

I didn't read all posts but have to say we had an incredibly tough start so lets be realistic...

Norwich...equal top scorers with Fulham last season
Reading...play offs
Sheffield wed...play offs
Leeds...would you bet on a Fulham win at Elland road?

Look forward to games with Burton, Birmingham, Hull, Sunderland etc...

049:gif

[Lighthouse]

We have played four clubs who will finish in the top half of the table. Only Wednesday will finish out of the top six.

I don't think any of the 4 teams we've played will finish in the top 6. I don't even think reading will finish in the top half. People need to stop making excuses based on last season, which is not relevant in such a highly competitive, fast-division division as the championship

Well it is all down to opinion but to continue your logic. If last season is not relevant how can I be making excuses for this years form? Excuses for what? Compared to what? If I was looking at last season I would say our results are not that different against the same teams. But using just this season. Two draws away against a team we had to play 90 minutes a man down. Another against a team after an injury in the first minute which could have disrupted a lesser player and another injury caused a broken leg to another of our players. A home draw after a late goal where we missed chances and today a narrow defeat where we were poor after missing chances. Not sure why all the fuss?

[toshes mate]

We have played four clubs who will finish in the top half of the table. Only Wednesday will finish out of the top six.

I don't think any of the 4 teams we've played will finish in the top 6. I don't even think reading will finish in the top half. People need to stop making excuses based on last season, which is not relevant in such a highly competitive, fast-division division as the championship

Agree absolutely.  None of the teams we have played thus far have given me the tingle of 'wow', and our lads have failed to give me any kind of persistent buzz at all.  My expression has been the proverbial 'what?'.  The majority of the lads we have in the team have played together before, many times, and yet the trust bonds that develop from knowing what your mates are going to do, or trying to do, are absent almost as if they never existed.  I definitely think nose has a point about something being wrong on the bridge of the ship as if the captain is contemplating suicide and an even worse end for the whole crew. 

Some thing has gone badly awry at Craven Cottage between May and now and I'd love to know what the devil it is, because someone is clearly not pulling their weight and the carelessness is spreading fast. 

[Andy S]

Football is played on Grass not on paper. There are too many Managers out there who can see where it is all going wrong. Me I'm chilling until the next game

[colinwhite]

This is not what any of us would have wanted,3points from four games. But the performance of the side has been mostly good despite a fair amount of adversity.
But lets face it it all comes down to belief. I think we have made some very good signings and have faith that we will get it right,and my opinion  has nothing to do with rose coloured spectacles or glasses that are half full.
Neither do i feel the need to constantly have a go at  the club when I dont know what is happening behind the scenes.

[toshes mate]

Last season has zero relevance to this season. As proven with every Championship season ever

+1
The only similarity is the names of the teams playing.  Different season, different line-ups, different problems to resolve.

[Lighthouse]

Last season has zero relevance to this season. As proven with every Championship season ever

+1
The only similarity is the names of the teams playing.  Different season, different line-ups, different problems to resolve.

Does that apply to Fulham as well? In which case we should stop comparing last seasons performances to this. Something we have ALL done.

[toshes mate]

Last season has zero relevance to this season. As proven with every Championship season ever

+1
The only similarity is the names of the teams playing.  Different season, different line-ups, different problems to resolve.

Does that apply to Fulham as well? In which case we should stop comparing last seasons performances to this. Something we have ALL done.

Absolutely true about comparing results, but not so true about comparing performances since we know what almost ninety percent of our team are capable of.   If we could argue we were unfortunate not to win all the matches we have played because we were the better side then I'd be much happier but we actually haven't done anything to inspire my confidence, full stop.  We have had chances and we are not scoring any goals - just the one from Piazon, and the own goal assist.

[Lighthouse]

Last season has zero relevance to this season. As proven with every Championship season ever

+1
The only similarity is the names of the teams playing.  Different season, different line-ups, different problems to resolve.

Does that apply to Fulham as well? In which case we should stop comparing last seasons performances to this. Something we have ALL done.

as you often do, you're being pedantic and deliberately over-simplifying things for the sake of an argument.

of course past performance has some degree of relevance. the problem is these simple analyses that say, team A finished 3rd last year so they're the 3rd best team in the league. or, we drew at team A last year so a draw is ok this year. 

a proper analysis may take that into account but surely it has to be balanced against other things like the trajectory of the teams in the second half of the season, recruitment over the summer, etc etc.

by most intelligent analyses we were expected to be one of the top 2/3 teams in the league this year.

and that's not purely based on last season's position because reading, who finished above us, are expected to really struggle this year.

last year's mid-table teams like cardiff, villa and wolves are all expected to be up around the top 6. then there are the 3 teams who've come down, and the surprise package so far ipswich. and the key thing is... that's 7 teams right there who i am more worried about than anyone we've played so far.

Well I bow do all the most intelligent analyses that you agree with. Clearly no more need to debate this. Also sorry for the over simplification and pedantry that I as usual I have fallen into. I guess we will really struggle even though the intelligent analyses says we would do well. Trust us to be the one club they get wrong.

[RaySmith]

Still too early to predict what will happen with Fulham are anyone else.

I agree that it's a poor start in terms of points return, but there have been some good performances in difficult circumstances.

Also, I think what another poster said  might have some truth in it - that there is a mental hangover from last season's ultimate failure, after playing so well, and for us fans too. We also have promising new players to bed in.

Our squad is certainly good on paper, and probably better than last year, but it's results that count of course, but I feel the team will start performing well and scoring when the team starts to gel with  new  players in, and players get fit and recover fully from injury.