Now that we've sorted out the striker situation

[Admin]

Can we steam ahead and sort out the defensive issues? For a start, I'm not particularly confident about playing both Burn and Hutchinson at central defense, I still feel that we need and older, more experienced set of shoulders in there after releasing Brede, and it could be the difference between getting promoted, or not.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking Burn or Hutchinson's ability, they are both great prospects, but I just don't think we can afford to hang this seasons responsibility on their shoulders. I'm not a great fan of Love Bite either, so not sure where Felix see's him fitting in.
   

[K33NY]

Can we steam ahead and sort out the defensive issues? For a start, I'm not particularly confident about playing both Burn and Hutchinson at central defense, I still feel that we need and older, more experienced set of shoulders in there after releasing Brede, and it could be the difference between getting promoted, or not.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking Burn or Hutchinson's ability, they are both great prospects, but I just don't think we can afford to hang this seasons responsibility on their shoulders. I'm not a great fan of Love Bite either, so not sure where Felix see's him fitting in.
   

I agree, what about some of the guys in the Brasilian deffence? :P They seem solid! :P

[Craven Mad]

The Greek LB is seemingly on the way (I'll learn how to spell his name when he joins!). I think Harry Maguire from Sheffield would be a great addition to partner Burn at the back.

A back four of Hoog-Maguire-Burn-Greek would be more than good enough next year. Particularly with backup options of Voser-Hutch-Amore-Richardson. Plus that's ignoring our youth options (Passley, Donnely, Grimmer, Arthurworrey, Kavanah, etc).

2 signings and we'll be fine.

[God The Mechanic]

Need a shorter, quicker covering defender.  Someone who offers what Hughes did to Hangeland.

[fulhamben]

id still like a parker replacement. as i saw this as more important than a striker.

[Craven Mad]

id still like a parker replacement. as i saw this as more important than a striker.

We were linked with Henri Lansbury a while back, I hope that materialises - he'd be ideal alongside Tunni.

[rogerpbackinMidEastUS]

I think the Butcher of Seville is lined up for the CB position

[FPT]

I haven't seen Shaun Hutchinson on a consistent basis, so I can't comment, the feedback is good.

First and foremost, that back four will need organising; three of them (Hutchinson, Voser, Stafylidis) will be coming into a new country, which can cause all sorts of issues. You can have the best defenders in the world, but if you can't drill them in defending properly, then they won't defend properly.

Hutchinson, and Burn to an extent, are relatively unknown quantities. So yes, I agree that we could do with that "A+ centre back," that can help make the difference between maybe a play off spot and an automatic promotion place.

I'm a man that likes patterns, and likes things to be done in a certain way, which would take too long than I can be bothered to give you to explain. Basically, I'm OCD when it comes to building football squads.

I think we could do with another central midfielder, and probably another winger, though I think we could manage out wide. Chris David played out wide against Palace didn't he? Maybe that could be a nice role for him to have his breakthrough season - Bastian Schweinsteiger (possibly under Magath but I can't work the dates out) played on the right in his early career. I think David could handle himself on the right where he can dribble in side and use his left foot to whip in crosses/slide rule passes, and even spank them as he did against Palace.

Our central midfield options, really, are Scott Parker, Chris David and Ryan Tunnicliffe, with Pajtim Kasami set to leave, and I think Christensen may be sent out on loan, and a year too early for Hyndman and Sambou. It depends how the club wants to go, I think Parker will be our captain, and in my opinion, a player like Parker needs a player like David next to him, so we need to look for someone in that mould.

[Lighthouse]

Amo may play at central defence alongside Burn. But we are certainly short of a couple of good central defenders.

[ToodlesMcToot]

Amo may play at central defence alongside Burn. But we are certainly short of a couple of good central defenders.

Would seem odd to, really, rebuild the defense and then play two left footed central defenders as starters. I hope that this doesn't materialize and the Amorebieta and Burn are in competition for a single starting role.

[SouthfieldWhite]

To be honest, Burn didn't feel me with confidence, his distribution is very poor and you need more than height to be a good CB

Yes he's young and will get better, but at this present moment in time, I'd rather see a more experience CB coming in aswell

[filham]

To be honest, Burn didn't feel me with confidence, his distribution is very poor and you need more than height to be a good CB

Yes he's young and will get better, but at this present moment in time, I'd rather see a more experience CB coming in aswell

Burn will be OK ,he had a good first half season in the Championship with a struggling Birmingham last year and remember that performance he put in for us against Man.U.

But make no mistake there is work to be done on our back four, the goals conceded last season was horrific.

[cmg]

Let me cheerfully disagree with a lot of this.

I think defensively we look OK now.

I don't think we particularly need a Parker replacement (some might argue one is more than enough!).

What we need is a Murphy/Dembele replacement, the lack of which was, to my mind the major factor (not by any means the only one!) to last season's debacle.
Maybe David (or Christensen or Hyndeman) can do the job, but if we have any (a lot) of spare cash that sort of player is what we need.

[the nutflush]

I would want to see David playing that Murphy/Dembele role along with Roberts in the same line up.  I think Roberts is going to run rings around em this season. 

[Deanothefulhamfan]

id still like a parker replacement. as i saw this as more important than a striker.

+1.... Tunni and David in the middle perhaps?

I think Amore will play a big part next season in CB alongside Hutchinson.... Burn will be a squad player imo

[General]

I think central midfield is my biggest concern. I think we're quite exposed in terms of known quality across the team, especially when comparing to the teams we've had before. I think for every youth player we have we should be looking for a more experienced number for them to compete with. Burn challenging with amorebieta. David with a Parker type. Woodrow with mitroglu. Just so there's some sort of example for the younger guys to follow or set their standards by as the continue to develop.

[b+w geezer]

Our first home opponents will feature a tough, energetic, whole-hearted, 30 year-old central midfielder, experienced in this division -- who is a boyhood Fulham supporter from Hammersmith.

Nicky Bailey never made as a youth here but has gone on to have a reasonable (no more, no less) career at Championship level, where he is pretty much dead average -- Ryan Tunnicliffe fast-forwarded quite likely. We need better to push us on, but for providing experienced competition and guidance in that area, plus the rare bonus of genuine love of FFC, he would have fitted the bill as a squad player. Only joined Millwall a year ago, so timing's wrong, but we could probably do with another such along those kind of lines in addition to a classier one.

[JackyFulham90]

Will be surprised if we sign any more defenders we are now well stocked along the back 4.

Hoogland,  Zverotic
Hutchinson,  Donnelly
Amorebieta,  Burn,  Grimmer
Stafylidis,  Voser