2007/08 Great Escape

[Brede Butter Pudding]

I just watched Premier League Season 2007/08 on sky sports (they're great to watch if you get the chance), and it reminded me of the state we were in back then.

Relegated at half time at City, 2-0 down, for us to come back and win 3-2. They played an interview with Danny Murphy a week after he scored the goal that kept us up at Portsmouth, and he said the turning point was going 2 goals down at City and beginning to play with freedom they hadn't previously had for a few months.

And it got me thinking... Our position now is better than it was then. We were mathematically relegated at half time in that City game, with us clawing back one of the most remarkable results in the club's premier league history. We still have 14 games left of this season with our fate still very much in our hands.

I'm not actually bothered about going out of the cup last night. The manner of the performance was disappointing, and losing is never positive, but I had a bad feeling we were going to do a Wigan and go on a great cup run but be relegated in the same season. Now we can focus solely on the league.

We will have at least 7 new faces coming into the team after last night - 3 of whom (Mitroglou, Holtby, Kvist) can give us some much needed energy and enthusiasm. If we start taking our chances and punishing our opponents we will give ourselves a great chance of staying in this decision.

Re-watching that City comeback, I can't help but think of the similarities with our current position. While in that game we looked like we had no hope, with everything going against us, so too do our next 4 games. But, what better way to give ourselves some confidence and energy than by getting points off some of the biggest clubs in the league? They've all shown this season they have weaknesses, particularly Man United, and who's to say a bit of inspiration from the new boys can lead us onto victory? Not to mention the final 5 games of the season which really could work in our favour if we can build up a head of steam beforehand.

It's easy to be negative, but in reality our position is superior to that of the 2007/08 season where we miraculously survived. If we tell ourselves it's over already, the fight is lost. Let's get some enthusiasm and fight back and put some pride back into the shirt. We are Fulham and we can survive. COYW

[Pev]

Was at that game, Kamara's winner still remains fresh in my memory!

[Brede Butter Pudding]

Was at that game, Kamara's winner still remains fresh in my memory!

Not sure I've ever been more happy to see a goal go in than that third. Remarkable scenes. Will never forget it. It's memories like that that make me believe we can still get out of this mess. All is not lost.

[horse1031]

i was thinking about that this morning.  We are not in as bad of a position as we were then but in a couple of games we might not be far off.  The difference with then and now is that every year we seemed to be fighting for relegation.  Since Roy has come and gone we were more of a mid table team that wasn't really threatened by relegation.  Well, make no mistake, we are in a relegation fight and if our new players don't make an impact like, Hangeland, Bullard, McBride made back int he Great Escape the season will go out with a whimper.

[westcliff white]

i like to be optimistic and i do believe we need to get behind the team as much as we can, support will hopefully gee them on a bit. I know we all do that anyway and I know as well that we all feel the hurt when we lose and when there seems to be no passion.

But a lot of the team around us seem to have to play us as well as some of the top half 6/7 teams as well. So there is hope, not much, but hope.

This should inspire the lads, Hangers should be mentioning it to his team and saying we can do it, one win will put us on our way, a draw against united and Liverpool will lift us, this club can do it, it has done it before and will do so again

[FulhamRhodeIsland]

Is this on YouTube anywhere? Would love to watch a show on the season since I wasn't following the club then.

[TonyGilroy]

It's really not much of a precedent.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - in every other alternative universe we were relegated that season.

[sunburywhite]

I would love to see Danny standing alongside Rene

[TonyGilroy]

I would love to see Danny standing alongside Rene

Rene seemed to do better when he was alone.

[hn4fulham]

I remember that game clearly! We all need to pick ourselves up and look around the bottom half of the table. It's a tight one. Everyone's still in it!

[RaySmith]

One thing that result at Man C -I was there too -  should each us is that it's never too late to turn it round.

We can still do it- one win could boost our confidence, the new players could have a very positive effect, some of our rivals  could start to fail, luck could go our way......together we can do it.

[filham]

The Great Escape just cannot be repeated, find me the equivalent of Jimmy Bullard, Danny Murphy and Brian McBride in the current squad, the ingredients are just not their

Our fete is certainly not in our own hands, we are 4 points plus goal difference adrift of a safe place.

[westcliff white]

The Great Escape just cannot be repeated, find me the equivalent of Jimmy Bullard, Danny Murphy and Brian McBride in the current squad, the ingredients are just not their

Our fete is certainly not in our own hands, we are 4 points plus goal difference adrift of a safe place.

The new signings could be those we just don't know yet. As for out of our hands, if we beat all the teams around us that we have to play then we stand a good chance, they are not going to win every game. Trying to stay positive as best i can I know it's hard too, but I'll take any thing right now

[TonyGilroy]

Absolutely agree - all we need to do is win a few games.

Now - how's that going to happen?

[Berserker]

Absolutely agree - all we need to do is win a few games.

Now - how's that going to happen?

Yes that's the crux of the matter

[filham]

Absolutely agree - all we need to do is win a few games.

Now - how's that going to happen?

Tell me which ones of the next four are we going to win, Man.u ?, Liverpool, ?, West Brom?, or Chelsea ?.

After that little bunch of games we will be about 9 points adrift of the team in fourth place with an even worse goal difference than we have at present.

We are dead but not yet buried , the funeral however will take place just before Easter when it becomes arithmetically impossible for us to avoid relegation

[copthornemike]

Good memories.

Some of the 'ingredients' back then were Danny Murphy's inspirational leadership and Bullard's maverick qualities.

Maybe Karagounis, Holtby and Mitroglou might display exactly those same qualities this team.

I sometimes think that much of the present squad are quiet personalties on the pitch who need a few loud fighters amongst them.

[Burt]

The key ingredients in the Great Escape were fight, passion, belief, commitment, etc. etc.

I think the team better start taking whatever it is they need to take to get this inside their system.

[Count Berbatov]

Absolutely agree - all we need to do is win a few games.

Now - how's that going to happen?

Tell me which ones of the next four are we going to win, Man.u ?, Liverpool, ?, West Brom?, or Chelsea ?.

After that little bunch of games we will be about 9 points adrift of the team in fourth place with an even worse goal difference than we have at present.

We are dead but not yet buried , the funeral however will take place just before Easter when it becomes arithmetically impossible for us to avoid relegation

Surely those are the odds, but until there's any chance of survival, the fans should get behind the players and manager and give them their best support. Just like they demand the players 'best efforts on the pitch, the players should expect support from the stands. Everybody should just stick together and get through this. Criticize all you want an home, on your own, between each other, but once at the game, give it your best.
At least you'll know you very done your part