Every year i am looking at how we are going to get 40 points and stay up

[St Eve]

The good news is that we have depth. so much so that it is difficult to pick our starting 11. Also we have 3 or 4 players who have only been with us for a few weeks and need time to blend in. We will get even better

[MJG]

As always our focus has to be on getting those 40 points needed for safety.
We now only need 27 points from 30 games but that means nine more wins. Too early for optimistic predictions.

I always look at pts gained and how many games left etc. If we only got 27 in the next 30 then that's bottom two form wise for the rest of the season. Even playing badly we should pick up more than that over 30 games.no way are we a bottom 2 side even in my darkest moods.
Look at QPR 3 pts from 8. To get 40 pts its 37/30 which means they will need to play like a team in 8/9th for the rest of the season to get to 40 pts. I think its going to be tight for them again.

[ffc73]

Good way of looking at it MJG

I have tended to think in that perspective after Christmas but the validity of your argument is true no matter the stage of the season

There are a few that sink like a stone.  Wimbledon I recall went down when 'safe' in January, Reading at our expense, Birmingham last season) they are the exceptions and also require a Lazarus recovery akin to ours and Wigan's etc.

I always think 40 first then lets see what happens.  With our start I hope we will get to 30 before the New Year......17/12

[costarican white]

The best thing about our current situation is that we were not huge spenders last window (nor previous years as far as I know), MAF and Jol (and the budget staff) have made a wonderful work finding just the right players to build the squad.

I truly like this model, it is smart and finacially healthy. I do not like to compare but take a look a your neighbords, they are probably knoking their heads against the walls trying to find out what went wrong.

[filham]

The good news is that we have depth. so much so that it is difficult to pick our starting 11. Also we have 3 or 4 players who have only been with us for a few weeks and need time to blend in. We will get even better

Injuries to Hangeland and Hughes would immediatlly expose that strength in depth staement and possibly send us spinning downwards out of control.

[AlFayedsChequebook]

The good news is that we have depth. so much so that it is difficult to pick our starting 11. Also we have 3 or 4 players who have only been with us for a few weeks and need time to blend in. We will get even better

Injuries to Hangeland and Hughes would immediatlly expose that strength in depth staement and possibly send us spinning downwards out of control.

If any team lost their two starting centre backs there would be problems.

That said, Senderos and Baird could very much do a job in central defence, as well as the fact we could sign up Grygera quite easily for extra cover.

[ffcbulgaria]

Yea we have more than decent cover in defence... absolutely not worried. That said with everyone fit we don't only have problem with choosing starting 11 but actually with choosing the matchday 18

[RidgeRider]

The good news is that we have depth. so much so that it is difficult to pick our starting 11. Also we have 3 or 4 players who have only been with us for a few weeks and need time to blend in. We will get even better

Injuries to Hangeland and Hughes would immediatlly expose that strength in depth staement and possibly send us spinning downwards out of control.

If any team lost their two starting centre backs there would be problems.

That said, Senderos and Baird could very much do a job in central defence, as well as the fact we could sign up Grygera quite easily for extra cover.

Exactly. We have adequate cover centrally and in most positions. We just went through a rash of injuries and managed to survive.

[MasterHaynes]

Snap, although not completely dismissed the worry about reaching the 40 odd points mark has been pushed right to the back of my mind this season. I feel for the first time at this point of teach season since Tigana left that we will definitely stay up

[filham]

It is good to see such positive thinking and support for the manager.
Now imagine how bullish we will be next week if we bring 3 points back from Reading.

[MikeR]

Too early for optimistic predictions.

Now there's a true-blooded Fulham supporter: Never too early for pessimistic predictions, but as for optimistic ones...