People ~ I just do not understand

[CH FFC]

People, people, people!

Seriously!?

Is it just me or do people not look at context?

Jol has done an amazing job, and he is building a team that will be able to play his style.  A good portion of this team is new, many people are no longer here from a year ago. 

The play is more exciting, and FFC have been scoring loads of good goals.  Of course there is the matter of conceding goals as well, but most of the late game changing goals conceded were 'soft'.  Which makes me think it is a problem that can be corrected more easily.

Jol has brought in some really good players, and spent little  money.  January will definitely bring new faces to the Cottage, and I have enough sense to believe that Jol will be looking to plug the holes we currently have.

I don't know....some people just amaze me.

Nobody here can say they know how this season will end up, but there are too many "good things" going on.

It is not impossible that we finish in the top 4.
We "could" finish in 5th- 7th.
We "could" finish between 8th-12th.
We "could" finish between 13th-17th. Even having to fight for safety.
It is even possible that we "could" finish in the relegation zone.

Out of all of these, which seems likely?  I do not know, but I have seen nothing that makes me think that the last two "could" happen.


Does anyone know if Fulham have ever scored this many goals by this time in a season?  I am thinking - it has never happened.

A poor run of form and people stop talking about the good things that have happened, and that these are still very exciting times.

[Burt]

I agree with the general direction of this. Context is indeed important.

We have had a solid start to the season, more so than the past few seasons.

There have been some good signings. And with some of the youngsters on the verge of breaking through, things do look good.

However after two defeats on the spin with some tricky fixtures coming up, given us supporters tend to be fickle things with a short term outlook then there is bound to be a bit of disquiet.

Just...

Keep the faith.

[JackyFulham90]

Completely agree, a huge overreaction on here, we are missing a few players that can make a difference and when we have Ruiz , Kacaniklic , Frei , Diarra , Richardson & Hangeland back fully fit we are a completely different team , not often will we have so many players injured at the same time this season but there is a lot of quality still in the squad and I think we will see a positive performance Wednesday

[MOR :]

I agree with the general direction of this. Context is indeed important.

We have had a solid start to the season, more so than the past few seasons.

There have been some good signings. And with some of the youngsters on the verge of breaking through, things do look good.

However after two defeats on the spin with some tricky fixtures coming up, given us supporters tend to be fickle things with a short term outlook then there is bound to be a bit of disquiet.

Just...

Keep the faith.

I think it has more to do with the 1 win in 8...granted draws against Arsenal and Everton these days are good results. But fans look to the draws at Southampton and Reading (where we really should has won but nearly lost), the lost to Sunderland nobody saw coming (until Brede's red).
I think fans (me included) look at our next 2 games and think (oh poo)...

But football's a funny game and like you said earlier it wouldn't be amiss for us to turn over the Filth...

[RaySmith]

Good post CH.

People always seem to go from one extreme to the other. One week we're world beaters, the next we are doomed.

The reality is neither of these things, but the positive things people applauded in this Fulham squad under Jol, a couple of weeks ago , still exist - and the team is generally moving in a positive direction, which should delight fans - though there are bound to be some downs on the way.

[epsomraver]

People, people, people!

Seriously!?

Is it just me or do people not look at context?

Jol has done an amazing job, and he is building a team that will be able to play his style.  A good portion of this team is new, many people are no longer here from a year ago.  

The play is more exciting, and FFC have been scoring loads of good goals.  Of course there is the matter of conceding goals as well, but most of the late game changing goals conceded were 'soft'.  Which makes me think it is a problem that can be corrected more easily.

Jol has brought in some really good players, and spent little  money.  January will definitely bring new faces to the Cottage, and I have enough sense to believe that Jol will be looking to plug the holes we currently have.

I don't know....some people just amaze me.

Nobody here can say they know how this season will end up, but there are too many "good things" going on.

It is not impossible that we finish in the top 4.
We "could" finish in 5th- 7th.
We "could" finish between 8th-12th.
We "could" finish between 13th-17th. Even having to fight for safety.
It is even possible that we "could" finish in the relegation zone.

Out of all of these, which seems likely?  I do not know, but I have seen nothing that makes me think that the last two "could" happen.  


Does anyone know if Fulham have ever scored this many goals by this time in a season?  I am thinking - it has never happened.

A poor run of form and people stop talking about the good things that have happened, and that these are still very exciting times.

Sorry but you are really not looking at this at all with realism. yes we have scored a lot of goals but we have let in hell of a lot as well, exciting football, not sure how often you go but there have been many games this season when I wish i had a book to read! We cannot play well for 90 minutes at any game,  we are very pedestrian in attack, round and round up then all the way back again for MS to lump it to the opposition, we are now coming into a period where we are playing some of the better teams, yes we played well against Arsenal but so did Norwich when they beat Man U, we have to be constistent and I cannot see that happening at all.Berb has been the only difference at the moment as he adds some dimension and flair

[Lighthouse]

Some of us remain painfully consistant in our rather dull opinions. Only those that thought we had somehow reached a new high are now saying we are heading for doom. However some of us have always stated the squad is iffy this season (some don't agree) and Jol has done a geat job with what he has. However once the injury problems mount up we will be in a bit of trouble.

As much as it will pain Mr epsomraver to read. I agree with him.

[CH FFC]

 

"Sorry but you are really not looking at this at all with realism. yes we have scored a lot of goals but we have let in hell of a lot as well, exciting football, not sure how often you go but there have been many games this season when I wish i had a book to read! We cannot play well for 90 minutes at any game,  we are very pedestrian in attack, round and round up then all the way back again for MS to lump it to the opposition, we are now coming into a period where we are playing some of the better teams, yes we played well against Arsenal but so did Norwich when they beat Man U, we have to be constistent and I cannot see that happening at all.Berb has been the only difference at the moment as he adds some dimension and flair"


What I say to this is that it is a work in progress, and it takes time.

I agree that consistancy would improve the team, and the results.  I also agree there have been a few times that we have not seen Fulham play their style, but a majority of the time there has been more excitement.
They have been able to do something right, look at the number of goals.

The final few minutes of conceding goals, it is an issue.  I believe it will be corrected.  

With all the negative that you feel, and looking at the accomplishments so far this season.....who is not being realistic?  We had bad luck a couple of weeks ago, and a number of players are now out.  
However, there is enough talent to continue on the right path, it will be tough!  That does not mean that Fulham are going to fail this season.  

Try to remember that a good number of the team is new, and it will take time for them to meld together.  

[cmg]

Does anyone know if Fulham have ever scored this many goals by this time in a season?  I am thinking - it has never happened.

Whilst not disagreeing with your general theme, for the sake of accuracy and to respect our history, I would suggest that, although 25 goals is a decent haul by November 26, it does not really compare with some of our more flamboyant seasons eg:

Tigana's promotion side (2000) managed a nifty 46 by this date.
In our first three seasons in the top league after promotion in 1959 we managed 39, 41 and 34 goals by Nov 26
The best in my experience was the 1958-9 promotion side who managed 47.

(all League only)

[sipwell]

I have greatly enjoyed many of the games I watched (it has been different in the past). I don't mind ending 15th if the football is good! And we won't end there.

Fully disagree AGREE with the original status!

[Berserker]

I have greatly enjoyed many of the games I watched (it has been different in the past). I don't mind ending 15th if the football is good! And we won't end there.

Fully disagree with the original status!

I will feel much, much better after being in Flanders Mr Sipwell i'm sure

[sipwell]

I have greatly enjoyed many of the games I watched (it has been different in the past). I don't mind ending 15th if the football is good! And we won't end there.

Fully disagree with the original status!

I will feel much, much better after being in Flanders Mr Sipwell i'm sure

Everyone always is. We are a brilliant little nation (Belgium, that is).

[mangoputney]

I'm in the lighthouse camp... It's not glass half empty... It's realism... Last two options 13th / 17th & rele are on the cards

Pl competition has really stepped up this year, we still can't grind out, impose on our direct competition

Love Jol but longing for some hodgson esque results performances

[Scrumpy]

In short, I fall into the CH FFC camp. We have our failings, but Jol has proven many times that he will spot these gaps and fill them as well as he is able to, with the money available. I love the style of footbal that we play, and would rather finish midtable playing this way, than finish 6th playing the Stoke or West Ham way.

I genuinely cannot understand how Epsom Raver finds any of our football boring. Jol has an almost totally attacking mindset. Sometimes I think he'd rather play with 2 defenders and the rest all attacking if he could! Brave, foolhardy maybe. But boring? Never. I just can't see this.

[DukeTyrion]

Last time I checked Jol had the best first 50 games of any Fulham premiership manager.

We are top half, yet some still have us down as relegation fodder >.<

[Lighthouse]

Not sure where the 'totally attacking' mindset is. I can see it against Stoke in the last ten minutes or so. That is the same for many of our away matches. We poodle about, concede, slow build up, forget why we bothered, pass back to Swart who kicks it long and we lose it. Then we concede. If we are still in with a chance in the last ten minutes, we then use our wide players and have a go.

I repeat Jol has done really well this season with a poor squad. Losing players through injury etc will hurt us because we have such average back up.

[JBH]

Personally I would rather we had our bad spell / injury problems now than in Mar - Apr  065.gif

[epsomraver]

In short, I fall into the CH FFC camp. We have our failings, but Jol has proven many times that he will spot these gaps and fill them as well as he is able to, with the money available. I love the style of footbal that we play, and would rather finish midtable playing this way, than finish 6th playing the Stoke or West Ham way.

I genuinely cannot understand how Epsom Raver finds any of our football boring. Jol has an almost totally attacking mindset. Sometimes I think he'd rather play with 2 defenders and the rest all attacking if he could! Brave, foolhardy maybe. But boring? Never. I just can't see this.

Everton game springs to mind, exciting if you like watching us defend  goal for 90  minutes. We go round and round and round, no body seems willing to run at players , we never break quickly, yes we get to the edge of their box but then........................back we go and back and then to MS who lumps it to them, when do we have shots from distance? the times players are within shooting distance but hesitate and then either get smothered or pass back and back, you can tell how boring it is by the amount of fans around who chat amongst themselves.I went to the Chelsea game when Frei won the penalty , the Fulham crowd was hoarse with shouting at the team to go forward and attack, to win a game that was there for the taking against ten men, to my mind , apart from Berbatov bringing flair and Ruiz beefing up and playing better when fit nothing really has changed, we are so predictable, teams know if they hassle us and don't give time on the ball we have no plan B.

[Logicalman]

I tend to see CH's side than the other, though I also agree with ER that, at times, our play has been somewhat dull. I had hoped, from the opening matches this season, that we had left the pass-the-ball-backwards out of our play, but, with H² in the middle, they do not seem to be able to lose that instinct.  Against Stoke this was even more egregious (especially as one of the H's were missing!!), as having Mark lump it up-field is no way to play against that rugby team, and so it often took Barbie to come back into his own half and take the ball forwards himself.

I am not dissatisfied with MJ, or the style of play he has introduced, and I am particularly happy that we have a manager that can attract players like Barbie, and look forward to the Jan window when we might well see a couple of other ex-MJ players in a reunion with him. I do not see us in a relegation battle this year, neither do I see us challenging for a place in the Europa Cup, I see this as a building season, and hope that MJ agrees to stay with us for a few years yet, to build upon his good start.

[A Humble Man]

This is our greatest ever season watch how it unfolds.