I would not mind a year of playing well, as we have been, and building for next season.
I honestly will be quite happy if we end the season in a play off place, but not going up. I think if we did go up this year, we would probably come straight back down. But if we continue to develop and get a core of structure, I think it will be good to go up next year instead, especially with the new stand etc.
Just feels like a good year to think longer term, let Parker develop his skills, support him and enjoy some of the great football we are generally playing.
Our squad will look so much weaker next year if we don't go up.
Knockaert will be gone, Cav will be gone, and someone may poach some of our better players. If we don't go up this year, it may be a while. That's why I'm so frustrated at a draw against WBA. For automatic, draws may as well be losses.
Quote from: Steeeeeeeeeed on September 14, 2019, 02:55:02 PM
I would not mind a year of playing well, as we have been, and building for next season.
I honestly will be quite happy if we end the season in a play off place, but not going up. I think if we did go up this year, we would probably come straight back down. But if we continue to develop and get a core of structure, I think it will be good to go up next year instead, especially with the new stand etc.
Just feels like a good year to think longer term, let Parker develop his skills, support him and enjoy some of the great football we are generally playing.
I mind.
:)
Got to be this season. There is no way this squad will be stronger next season, will be the opposite if anything.
Agree with the last four posts. Questionable whether any of Cavaleiro, Knockaert, Reed, Reid and Arter will stay on, bigger clubs will be sniffing around Mitrovic, Cairney, Mawson and Sessegnon and the residual players like Odoi, Johansen and Ream will all be a year older.
I can understand what the OP is saying and I would agree if this was the last time we came down. However as others have pointed out I do think we would get hit hard with players leaving if we do not get promoted this season.
Better to get promoted and keep the majority of the players we have and improve the squad over the summer. Hopefully get mid table and stay up next season. 049:gif
Have to disagree with OP. Got to be this season and with this squad it should be achievable.
So :031: with today and this season so far. Too many points dropped & no tempo to our game. We are actually quite boring to watch with an apparent lack of understanding that the objective of the game is to score goals to win games. You get nothing at the end of the season for 'pretty possession football'.
Really annoyed. Atmosphere today was like a mortuary & you are just waiting for our mistake for the opposition to score. Collective pulling of finger our from our lot is required if this season is not the first of a gradual decline.
You cannot pick and choose when and how you are going up, you grab your chance when you can at the first opportunity, otherwise you will miss the boat altogether, these players will just move on, and your stock is further reduced.
This team will be ripped apart if we dont go up this year... and if we arent promoted its a massive underachievement
I wouldnt mind a string of games where we played well, let alone a year. I find us boring and ineffective for the majority of the time. We look like a solid mid table team, who as others have pointed out, will be exceptionally weaker in all areas next season
Quote from: Woolly Mammoth on September 14, 2019, 03:53:22 PM
You cannot pick and choose when and how you are going up, you grab your chance when you can at the first opportunity, otherwise you will miss the boat altogether, these players will just move on, and your stock is further reduced.
Couldn't agree more. NOW is the time for this club. On paper at least, this is as strong a championship side as can be put together, leaky defense and all. I am becoming concerned about the lack of offensive productivity. This offense should be doing much better. But promotion this year should be a realistic goal AND expectation. Grab your chances now, while you have a very good squad. Sadly, this very good squad has left at least 7 points on the table, very disappointing. Hopeful for a turn around and some more positive results.
Can't think of next season yet .
Right now I wan't us to be in a promotion race but after today it looks as if we could well be cast adrift to midtable mediocrity at the best.
Definately want success this season. The ticket touts will have a field day if we're in the top flight next season.
We're going to end up around 13th to 7th. I can accept some teams doing better than us but Rangers, Charlton, Preston and Bristol City? FFS. The players and management deserve a kick up the backside.
Bored the whatever off me today- can't see us going up and if it happens would need a total rebuild again....not bothered.
Quote from: The Old Count on September 14, 2019, 08:48:37 PM
We're going to end up around 13th to 7th. I can accept some teams doing better than us but Rangers, Charlton, Preston and Bristol City? FFS. The players and management deserve a kick up the backside.
A kick up the backside is exactly what they need., and for goodness sake, work on corners and set pieces. As much as I really hate to say this we need an upgrade on the keeper too.
I agree in some ways if we thought we could retain all of these players but I personally think there is absolute zero chance of improving this squad next season if we fail to go up. I think our squad or certainly our starting line up consists of players who have either been sold a dream of guaranteed promotion or player loyal players (mitro, TC) who could easily get a prem move but have also bought into the plan for automatics this season.
Can you really see mitro staying AGAIN if we don't go up and there's top tier clubs enquiring? There's loyalty and then there's just wasting your career by playing a level below where you should be. Mitro for example is a proper international starter for his country. TK has done a great job to retain his services this season but I just can't see it happening again.
Quote from: JEEVES on September 14, 2019, 10:05:53 PM
I agree in some ways if we thought we could retain all of these players but I personally think there is absolute zero chance of improving this squad next season if we fail to go up. I think our squad or certainly our starting line up consists of players who have either been sold a dream of guaranteed promotion or player loyal players (mitro, TC) who could easily get a prem move but have also bought into the plan for automatics this season.
Can you really see mitro staying AGAIN if we don't go up and there's top tier clubs enquiring? There's loyalty and then there's just wasting your career by playing a level below where you should be. Mitro for example is a proper international starter for his country. TK has done a great job to retain his services this season but I just can't see it happening again.
If the players leave next year because we don't get promoted then fine, they are the ones who have failed. We are currently 10th in the table. If they were that good we would be doing better.
Quote from: The Old Count on September 14, 2019, 10:16:16 PM
Quote from: JEEVES on September 14, 2019, 10:05:53 PM
I agree in some ways if we thought we could retain all of these players but I personally think there is absolute zero chance of improving this squad next season if we fail to go up. I think our squad or certainly our starting line up consists of players who have either been sold a dream of guaranteed promotion or player loyal players (mitro, TC) who could easily get a prem move but have also bought into the plan for automatics this season.
Can you really see mitro staying AGAIN if we don't go up and there's top tier clubs enquiring? There's loyalty and then there's just wasting your career by playing a level below where you should be. Mitro for example is a proper international starter for his country. TK has done a great job to retain his services this season but I just can't see it happening again.
If the players leave next year because we don't get promoted then fine, they are the ones who have failed. We are currently 10th in the table. If they were that good we would be doing better.
I totally agree with what you have said here.. but I still think we are yet to click and we will, and we will go up.
I'm just saying if we don't, I cannot see us starting the next season with a better squad than what we have now.
Naturally we have an expectancy, even with a defence that can cause concern. However, it's easy to be sucked into a knee jerk reaction after what can only be described as a disappointing draw after having twice as much possession as Albion, and twice as many attempts i.e. shots. Of course we should have been more clinical in front of goal.
Nobody could foresee that an individual mistake by a Fulham
Player was going to happen. You cannot blame the manager for that, as if that error had not occurred, and we went on to win 1 0 which was highly likely, then we would all be praising the team for a deserved win and keeping a clean sheet, and we would all be looking at Fulham in joint 4th, 3 points behind the leaders.
So let us not beat ourselves up over it.
Let's move on and look forward to taking on Sheffield Wednesday and beating them at Hillsbrough, we should fear nobody, but we are not quite the finished article, and as I have said before, injuries, suspensions and loss of form will have a huge bearing on how our season will pan out, nothing is certain except the occasional disappointment like today.
::off_Topic:: I think that Fabri, Anguissa and Seri may get big transfers fees at the end of the season; but if they don't and we don't go up, then we will be selling players left and right. As soon as we start selling players for budget options, then Mitrovoic will also be leaving. This season is our best chance.
Quote from: Woolly Mammoth on September 14, 2019, 03:53:22 PM
You cannot pick and choose when and how you are going up, you grab your chance when you can at the first opportunity, otherwise you will miss the boat altogether, these players will just move on, and your stock is further reduced.
Spot on, Woolly. You seize opportunity when you have opportunity, and it applies to every game and every side playing in a game. To think otherwise is suicide.
Really enjoyed a lot of what I saw yesterday, not boring at all. We play an ambitious, modern style and when it clicks it's great to watch. I think our supporters have to accept this is the Fulham way now and get on board. I hate it when I hear groans from the crowd when we knock it around at the back and recycle the ball, much better to be positive and get behind the lads.
We really have to sort out our inabilty to score and our error prone defense before we will be good enough for promotion. On paper we have a good enough squad for promotion but we just aren't hitting the right buttons to win
Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk
Quote from: Berserker on September 15, 2019, 07:23:28 PM
We really have to sort out our inabilty to score and our error prone defense before we will be good enough for promotion. On paper we have a good enough squad for promotion but we just aren't hitting the right buttons to win
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We need 2 points per game to achieve automatic promotion, if we win the next three games then we are back on track (i.e. 10 games and 20 points). Don't Panic.
Quote from: The Rational Fan on September 17, 2019, 05:25:18 AM
Quote from: Berserker on September 15, 2019, 07:23:28 PM
We really have to sort out our inabilty to score and our error prone defense before we will be good enough for promotion. On paper we have a good enough squad for promotion but we just aren't hitting the right buttons to win
Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk
We need 2 points per game to achieve automatic promotion, if we win the next three games then we are back on track (i.e. 10 games and 20 points). Don't Panic.
There's that word again that gets used a lot on here.
"IF", little word with huge meaning.
If only Betts hadn't dropped a clanger,If only their goalie hadn't made good saves,If only Tom hadn't hit the bar...😜
I am not sure why any middling team would want to get promoted to the PL at all, or the fans.
You get beaten a lot for much higher ticket prices.
FFC is expensive enough.
Quote from: Robbie on September 17, 2019, 08:36:52 AM
I am not sure why any middling team would want to get promoted to the PL at all, or the fans.
You get beaten a lot for much higher ticket prices.
FFC is expensive enough.
I agree in fact about the unattractive side of promotion, the premiership etc etc. Getting promoted is a million times more enjoyable than trying to survive in the premiership ... and no I don't love watching the superstars of City & Liverpool destroying us - BUT this isn't a middling side by this divisions standards - it's a top side carrying a large wage bill. Should we not be promoted then the side will be torn apart and we will be up against it FFP wise in terms of a rebuild. Would we want to "do a Sunderland"? I think not & you can bet that the owners will not be tolerant of failure given the backing they've given to try and get us up this year - this is why there is a massive expectation and need for Parker to deliver promotion.
Quote from: Robbie on September 17, 2019, 08:36:52 AM
I am not sure why any middling team would want to get promoted to the PL at all, or the fans.
You get beaten a lot for much higher ticket prices.
FFC is expensive enough.
What's the ideal season then? Aiming for 7th? Or suffer a playoff final loss is maybe the absolute best? If there is no aim to improve then what's the point of participating in a competition?
Quote from: Sting of the North on September 17, 2019, 04:03:27 PM
Quote from: Robbie on September 17, 2019, 08:36:52 AM
I am not sure why any middling team would want to get promoted to the PL at all, or the fans.
You get beaten a lot for much higher ticket prices.
FFC is expensive enough.
What's the ideal season then? Aiming for 7th? Or suffer a playoff final loss is maybe the absolute best? If there is no aim to improve then what's the point of participating in a competition?
Yep, spot on. I've never understood fans in this forum pining for staying put in the Champ and having "enjoyable" football and the prospect of seeing more "wins". As opposed to the Prem struggle. I'm sure every player, coach, team has aspirations to be the best, to improve, to get promotion from whatever league they happen to be in, and eventually land top flight. That is what 'sport' and athletics are all about, striving to be the best. Sure, the Prem is brutal. But so what? It doesn't mean you will lose every game you play. There are small victories that can be achieved by a FFC in the Prem, such as a mid table finish and the occasional win/draw v a top 6 club.
Agree Windy City - pro sport is all about competition, and trying to win the next game, and if you win enough games, you gain promotion, win too few, and you are relegated.
A team like Fulham can, and has had, historic victories in the Prem, and a chance to test themselves against the very best. Look at Norwich at the weekend, their fans will always remember that brilliant win.
Fulham fans have seen the real down days of football supporting, and also experienced the highs of mid-table Prem finshes, beating teams like Man U and Liverpool, and a European final -our highs all the sweeter after experiencing the worst lows, but even in the bottom Division team and fans are always aspiring to do better, to rise up to another level.
Quote from: RaySmith on September 17, 2019, 04:45:24 PM
Agree Windy City - pro sport is all about competition, and trying to win the next game, and if you win enough games, you gain promotion, win too few, and you are relegated.
A team like Fulham can, and has had, historic victories in the Prem, and a chance to test themselves against the very best. Look at Norwich at the weekend, their fans will always remember that brilliant win.
Fulham fans have seen the real down days of football supporting, and also experienced the highs of mid-table Prem finshes, beating teams like Man U and Liverpool, and a European final -our highs all the sweeter after experiencing the worst lows, but even in the bottom Division team and fans are always aspiring to do better, to rise up to another level.
Bingo that! Great points....and as you aptly point out, Norwich fans won't soon forget that great win this past weekend.
Of course we should 1. Want to win every game 2. Be ambitious to want the outcome i.e. promotion . No brainer.
This is the challenge, we cannot stand still because we will get over taken. Staying in a make believe comfort zone won't win anything, or improve the club or the players, without ambition and aspirations your confined to a cul-de-sac, whereupon you will be tied to being also rans, and we have tread that path before and almost went out of business.
