Trying to strike a positive note...

[Arthur]

Despite looking as vulnerable as ever at the beginning, by the end of the game I thought that there had been some improvement in our defensive play.

First, we closed down better 20-or-so yards from goal. In the previous home match, for instance, Birmingham opened the scoring from outside the box with no one in a white shirt anywhere near enough to close down his sight of goal, let alone make a block. Today, in contrast, we were far better at nullifying this potential danger. Often we had not just one, but two players preventing a shot on target.

Secondly, and perhaps even more tellingly, when the game opened up in the second-half, we got back to defend in greater numbers when Preston counter-attacked. Again, in contrast to the Birmingham game and a number of others (in which we frequently struggled to defend an opposition break), today we got more men back into our own penalty area, more quickly. The obvious result of this was that we intercepted or cleared more crosses before they reached an opposition striker in front of goal.

It seemed to me that, on a day when we didn't present the most potent of attacking threats, at least, by being better-organised at the back, we were able to make ourselves more difficult to beat.

[res]

 It is a positive note. Although frustrating to concede another corner influenced goal, we defended better as a team...just as we did against MKDons. As a Kit supporter (at the beginning and in the early part of this season) I had to recognise in the end that he/whoever could not organise the team to defend...hence the glut of goals conceded from uncontested shots from the edge of the area as well as from set pieces.

[fulhamphil]

The only positive note to strike from yesterday is that we rescued a point. I'm slightly surprised how much slack people are cutting the side, because I see a stagnating rudderless club on the cusp of heading for another flirtation with the bottom six in 2016. Despite all the summer recruitments we look as disjointed and feeble as this time last year. Should Ross pick up an injury or three game suspension (he was close to it yesterday) we are in real trouble. Points have been squandered against very average sides - Charlton, MK Dons and now Preston, who should have been two goals to the good by HT yesterday and had us on the back foot with their first attack. We did not get near their goalie for 15 minutes.

Where to start? We remain full of holes defensively, laboured in our build up, devoid of guile up front and woefully short of pace. Defenders who I thought would be rock solid when signed (Ream, Stearman) now look error prone and short of confidence. The keeper can never decide if the outball should be rolled short or punted long, and spends precious seconds berating colleagues while the opposition get into line on half-way.

This may not sit well with some but the team cannot afford O'Hara and Parker on the pitch together. Both are long past their prime, neither can be a pivotal figure now in galvanising a side for an assault on the top seven. Up front too much is being asked of Dembele. Of course he has massive potential, but in too many games he goes missing. He rarely wins the long punt upfield header when facing his own goal, does not work the opposition hard enough and lacks vision in the final third to link up or feed colleagues. Cauley must be pretty hacked off to be constantly overlooked.

He would have been the better option from the bench yesterday once the game got stretched and the ref lost control. Pushing on blunt instrument Matt Smith saw us revert to ugly hoof ball just as we finally got on top with Ross running at the defence and questions finally being asked of the PNE players.

We have no game changers in the side, no natural leader, poor discipline is rearing its head and we clearly do not work on set plays. When did you last see Fulham work a quick short corner and ping in the type of curling cross that led to the opening goal? In short, the new manager cannot start quickly enough. There are too many fires to put out before we start hitting some quality teams again.

An absent owner with zero knowledge of English football, a self-serving board with a record now of four failures on the spin managing the side and a seemingly blurred vision of what is required to right the sinking ship. Is all this too harsh? Remember, we've just settled for a point from games with two promoted sides, and Fulham were 2nd best in each. Next stop League One?

[Berserker]

The positive not for me is I'm going on holiday

[ron]

Poor touches, hesitant play, back passing instead of the constructive ball...all part of the shortness of confidence. Goalkeeper shouting, others arguing....all part of the lack of drilling on the training pitch.

Lots of work to be done...which is probably not going to happen with the current management mish-mash.

[Woolly Mammoth]

The only positive note to strike from yesterday is that we rescued a point. I'm slightly surprised how much slack people are cutting the side, because I see a stagnating rudderless club on the cusp of heading for another flirtation with the bottom six in 2016. Despite all the summer recruitments we look as disjointed and feeble as this time last year. Should Ross pick up an injury or three game suspension (he was close to it yesterday) we are in real trouble. Points have been squandered against very average sides - Charlton, MK Dons and now Preston, who should have been two goals to the good by HT yesterday and had us on the back foot with their first attack. We did not get near their goalie for 15 minutes.

Where to start? We remain full of holes defensively, laboured in our build up, devoid of guile up front and woefully short of pace. Defenders who I thought would be rock solid when signed (Ream, Stearman) now look error prone and short of confidence. The keeper can never decide if the outball should be rolled short or punted long, and spends precious seconds berating colleagues while the opposition get into line on half-way.

This may not sit well with some but the team cannot afford O'Hara and Parker on the pitch together. Both are long past their prime, neither can be a pivotal figure now in galvanising a side for an assault on the top seven. Up front too much is being asked of Dembele. Of course he has massive potential, but in too many games he goes missing. He rarely wins the long punt upfield header when facing his own goal, does not work the opposition hard enough and lacks vision in the final third to link up or feed colleagues. Cauley must be pretty hacked off to be constantly overlooked.

He would have been the better option from the bench yesterday once the game got stretched and the ref lost control. Pushing on blunt instrument Matt Smith saw us revert to ugly hoof ball just as we finally got on top with Ross running at the defence and questions finally being asked of the PNE players.

We have no game changers in the side, no natural leader, poor discipline is rearing its head and we clearly do not work on set plays. When did you last see Fulham work a quick short corner and ping in the type of curling cross that led to the opening goal? In short, the new manager cannot start quickly enough. There are too many fires to put out before we start hitting some quality teams again.

An absent owner with zero knowledge of English football, a self-serving board with a record now of four failures on the spin managing the side and a seemingly blurred vision of what is required to right the sinking ship. Is all this too harsh? Remember, we've just settled for a point from games with two promoted sides, and Fulham were 2nd best in each. Next stop League One?

You make some very good points and observations, especially on your last paragraph.
I thought the application by the players in the second half was far better, which proves they can do it when they want, so the players must take some responsibility. Yes the team looks badly organised at times. Always at set pieces you feel that the opponents can score.
That is why a good manager could come in and change the state of the team fairly quickly as the tools are there.
If we could have got the likes of Nigel Pearson or somebody similiar, a proper leader, he would have shaken the players up and had them playing to their strengths, with the possibility that we could have picked up maximum points from our last two matches.
Instead, as under Symons, we are still throwing points away, as we are leaderless, rudderless and without any direction. In exactly three weeks since Symons lost his job, because he failed to reached a reasonable target, so he cannot complain, we have stood still, becalmed.
Which highlights as you say how clueless the Chairman and his merry men are iu operating our club.
My fear is that we will end up with a Manager or Coach, for two sheep and a goat, who can't get a job with a decent club, who is as bad as the previous manager, and we end up going through all this again in six months.

[grandad]

My positives are that Kavanagh must positively not play again & Grant must positively never play the 4-4-2 diamond. He has done both in his 2 games & changes it for the 2nd half.I think & hope he has learned his lesson.

[bill taylors apprentice]

The Keeper is looking for the quick ball to feet but the defenders are not showing signs of confidence or giving him a good angle.

I believe their is a stronger bond between the players than recent past which is shown by their reaction when a team mate scores or is abused by the opposition, that's an improvement.

The only positive I see is, when the team get angry and riled up we play with a swagger and determination missing most of the time.

What happened in the 90 mins of football (last 45 and first 45) between Reading and BristolC needs analysing and dissecting to see what can be learned.
You would have thought the backroom staff would have done that and be capable of using it to boost the team, wouldn't you? 

[fulhamphil]

My positives are that we do have a good enough squad to reach top six. They just need a decent manager. Surely it can't be that difficult.

Beg to differ here. Current set up ships too many goals. We could do worse than swallow our pride and ask Palace to let us have Brede back on loan in Jan. Also badly in need of one pacy direct winger.

[Arthur]

The only positive note to strike from yesterday is that we rescued a point. I'm slightly surprised how much slack people are cutting the side...

I grant you that defending better in one game doesn't mean that we shall do so on a consistent basis. On the other hand, in every consistent run, there has to be a first game. Time will tell whether yesterday's was it.

As for the 'slack' that surprises you, it may surprise you less were you to know that it's not that I don't see the need for improvement, it is simply the case that this forum is, in my opinion, sufficiently well-populated with people who are currently venting their frustration at what they believe to be wrong, both on and off the field. I see no value in adding to this chorus with a diatribe of my own.

[Skatzoffc]

The only positive note to strike from yesterday is that we rescued a point. I'm slightly surprised how much slack people are cutting the side, because I see a stagnating rudderless club on the cusp of heading for another flirtation with the bottom six in 2016. Despite all the summer recruitments we look as disjointed and feeble as this time last year. Should Ross pick up an injury or three game suspension (he was close to it yesterday) we are in real trouble. Points have been squandered against very average sides - Charlton, MK Dons and now Preston, who should have been two goals to the good by HT yesterday and had us on the back foot with their first attack. We did not get near their goalie for 15 minutes.

Where to start? We remain full of holes defensively, laboured in our build up, devoid of guile up front and woefully short of pace. Defenders who I thought would be rock solid when signed (Ream, Stearman) now look error prone and short of confidence. The keeper can never decide if the outball should be rolled short or punted long, and spends precious seconds berating colleagues while the opposition get into line on half-way.

This may not sit well with some but the team cannot afford O'Hara and Parker on the pitch together. Both are long past their prime, neither can be a pivotal figure now in galvanising a side for an assault on the top seven. Up front too much is being asked of Dembele. Of course he has massive potential, but in too many games he goes missing. He rarely wins the long punt upfield header when facing his own goal, does not work the opposition hard enough and lacks vision in the final third to link up or feed colleagues. Cauley must be pretty hacked off to be constantly overlooked.

He would have been the better option from the bench yesterday once the game got stretched and the ref lost control. Pushing on blunt instrument Matt Smith saw us revert to ugly hoof ball just as we finally got on top with Ross running at the defence and questions finally being asked of the PNE players.

We have no game changers in the side, no natural leader, poor discipline is rearing its head and we clearly do not work on set plays. When did you last see Fulham work a quick short corner and ping in the type of curling cross that led to the opening goal? In short, the new manager cannot start quickly enough. There are too many fires to put out before we start hitting some quality teams again.

An absent owner with zero knowledge of English football, a self-serving board with a record now of four failures on the spin managing the side and a seemingly blurred vision of what is required to right the sinking ship. Is all this too harsh? Remember, we've just settled for a point from games with two promoted sides, and Fulham were 2nd best in each. Next stop League One?

Great post Phil.
:plus one:

A couple of Positives.:-

We have got more steel in the team and they are pulling together in adversity. I just hope it doesn't go over the top in a game, (Ross or Husband for instance).

We have got good players now.

We just need a coaching team to organise them and we will be fine.
But then a lot on here have been saying that for yonks.

[YankeeJim]

My positives are that we do have a good enough squad to reach top six. They just need a decent manager. Surely it can't be that difficult.

Beg to differ here. Current set up ships too many goals. We could do worse than swallow our pride and ask Palace to let us have Brede back on loan in Jan. Also badly in need of one pacy direct winger.

Sorry, Brede is not the answer. He is past it and he played on a back line that was much better as a sum of its parts rather than as individuals. We have too many ball watchers and really just seem rudderless. A proper manager/coach regardless what Rigg wants him called would do wonders for our organization. Stopping our propensity to slip cheap goals would do wonders on setting us right. The Preston goal was headed past Moussa and by Husband. Why is our striker our last line of defense? Why was no one at the post? Watching on a computer screen is certainly no substitute for being there. I kept replaying it and just couldn't understand the defensive set up. Perhaps Husband should have been there. He did spent a lot of time pulling up his socks after the goal. Perhaps in embarrassment.

Is someone able to enlighten this visually deprived colonists?

[RaySmith]

I've never read a post by Fulham Phil that wasn't completely negative and slagging off club and team.

The fact is that we all know there are problems at the club, and plenty are critical on here, but  focussing on yesterday's match - there were positives in the second half, after the first half awful display, and  it's true that we might have won it with a different ref.

Get Brede back as the defensive answer............seriously?

[fulhamphil]

From the nine home games to date I've seen the opposition better us eight times. Only dear old QPR came up short. We've seen a few false dawns but I zipped my lip while Kit got his team to gel. With no wins in November and no new manager on the horizon I posted my thoughts. You are shooting the messenger. I can promise you temperatures of 30 degrees for Christmas Day if it makes you feel better Ray but it would be a lie.

[snarks]

Just pedants corner, but where has the current owner messed up management 4 times.

Jol was in place when he bought the club, Rene was moved on too early (if that is your point) Felix (No arguments) and Kit (who given the upgrade in performance and his success with the U21 was not a mistake to apooint, but in hindsight maybe to keep).

Mr Khan knows his limitations, he has made some good decsions with regard to appointment of people who supposedly know the game to help him. If anything they have let him down. I don't care whether he comes to every game or every 20th game, as long as he supports the club financially the way his is, and is at least looking for the right man then I'll back him 100%

[fulhamphil]

Not looking to blame Khan at all. And had nothing but admiration for MaF - rich benefactors are entitled to spend their billions as they see fit. Look elsewhere. Of the four management teams since that bluffer Jol none have managed since (although KS is entitled to put his feet up for a bit.)

[Logicalman]

FulhamPhil, great OP, hit a number of points squarely on the head, but to Mammoths point, could not a number of our defensive issues be corrected by good management/coaching?

As you and others have rightly said, there is a lack of confidence evident  in the players, though that is not the same as lack of ability, so if we do have players with ability, then if the confidence level were to rise would that not suffice in slowing down the number of goals being shipped?

[Carborundum]

I'll add some more positives. 

Tom Cairney showed the ability to move the ball quickly and effectively through the middle.  He adds a dash of verve.  More of this please.

We adapted, changed our approach at half time and played well in the second half.  That's good.  Imagine the despair if we hadn't.

Ryan Fredericks is a handful.  The team are playing balls to capitalise on this and it's good to watch. 

This remains an unbelievably competitive league.  We aren't going to dominate for 90 minutes very often.  It makes for compelling football. 

[copthornemike]

Like most of us in the last two games there are more negatives than positives, however in my opinion the positives are:

1) An inexperienced 'caretaker manager/coach' was still able to coaxe an improved second half performance in which we were generally the better side - albeit not against the strongest of opposition.

2) We did not lose either game despite conceding poor goals in both games - so at least the players kept going.

3) We are still only six points from sixth place - god knows how - despite the recent bad run! Now if a new coach / manager was able to organise and motivate the team a run of consistent results could still shoot us up the table.

[Bill2]

My positives are that we do have a good enough squad to reach top six. They just need a decent manager. Surely it can't be that difficult.

Beg to differ here. Current set up ships too many goals. We could do worse than swallow our pride and ask Palace to let us have Brede back on loan in Jan. Also badly in need of one pacy direct winger.

I think we have a good squad and quite a number of our players would get in to most teams in this div, it is the way we play and defensive organisation which has cost us. So again I think it is organisational issues rather than ability.