Our poor home form.

[The Swan]

Our home form was very disappointing last season. We only won 7 games, drew 3, and lost 9. Total points 24. Goals for 28 against 30 -2
Compare that to our away form last season                      won 4  games, drew 7  and lost 8. Total points 19. Goals for 22,against 30 -8
We conceded the same number of goals at home that we did away and only scored eight more goals at home as we did away.
The tag we once had that Craven Cottage was a fortress disappeared last season. Of the top seven teams we played at home we lost six and only drew with Everton. Where we could always rely in beating teams like Wigan,Sunderland, Reading,and Southampton we lost two and drew two.
I know in past seasons we have beaten Chelsea, Arsenal, Man U , Liverpool and Spurs, with the expection of the Arsenal and Man U  games we were well beaten by the others.
Where did it all go wrong. OK we had a good season on the road but if we could have won the games we were suppose to win at home we could have finished at least 8th position. We only gained five more points at home than we gained away.
Hopefully next season with the two new signings already announced and if we can sign a new keeper and a left back and a striker we might return to a team that will be difficult to beat at home.

[Enter the Frei]

it was always Sods law wasn't it. The year we effectively sorted out our away form our home form went downhill. Can't quite put my finger on exactly why either although I don't think we created the best atmosphere at the cottage this season, when things went wrong especially around Christmas time it got a little poisonous.

[HatterDon]

The only Fulham Premier League season that featured a home record worse than this was the year we began the season with Sanchez as manager. This should be worrying for Fulham supporters as our difficulty to handle at home is pretty much the only thing that's kept us in the Prem over the years.

[Herbie]

Can't quite put my finger on exactly why either although I don't think we created the best atmosphere at the cottage this season, when things went wrong especially around Christmas time it got a little poisonous.

This seems to be becoming part and parcel of today's game.  If, heaven forbid, a team has an off day then the supporters think they have the right to boo because of the huge price paid for the ticket.

The increasing levels of money in the game today is causing more of a 'win at all costs' mentality.  Just look at the headlines today with Citeh's message to their new manager - 5 trophies in 5 seasons...madness.     

[jarv]

Sadly, Herbie is right, win at all costs.  The only thing that is going to keep Fulham in the division for another 10 years is money! Despite his miracles, I doubt even Roy could keep Fulham up for too long.

[Burt]

Lets look at the home record for the time we have been in the premier league:

2012/13 - lost 9, points 24.
2011/12 - lost 4, points 35.
2010/11 - lost 4, points 31.
2009/10 - lost 5, points 36.
2008/09 - lost 5, points 36.
2007/08 - lost 9, points 20.
2006/07 - lost 5, points 28.
2005/06 - lost 4, points 39.
2004/05 - lost 7, points 28.
2003/04 - lost 6, points 31.
2002/03 - lost 5, points 36.
2001/02 - lost 5, points 28.

Certainly the worst, apart for the Great Escape season.

What helped us was that away from home we had our second highest haul of points. We only have had more away points in 2003/04, when we won 5 times and got a total of 21 points.

It is interesting to note that when we have had our strongest home records, these have coincided with some of our weakest away records. For example in 2009/10 we got 36 points at home, but could only muster one win and 10 points in total away from the cottage.

[MasterHaynes]

The fact that Jol tried play more open football, pushing more players forward when in possession, changing the shape making us less compact didn't maximise the benefit of our compact pitch as we have  since Roy came, was always going to leave us open to risk of losing more games if we didn't score the goals.

The stats only tell half the story, we should have beaten a number of teams at the cottage that we lost to through poor finishing or defensive mistake, both of which we need to improve on next season but the same approach has generated more points away from home, it's a delicate balancing act.

[Apprentice to the Maestro]

I can immediately think of the Sunderland and Reading home games that we should have won. That would also have put us on 49 points and in 9th place, much healthier and, not losing the Sunderland game and Hangeland to a red card might have given us further points in the following weeks.