Please explain what anyone thought was better today than in the last 8 games?

[PeterFFC]

In relation to the game we obviously improved on areas where we were poor before but as a hole the performance didn't quite come together. We actually won our own throw ins and defended most corners well. Mattila did well and showed Jokanovic's willingness to change things up. He also made subs at a useful time, enough to have an impact. He's just come in and it's going to take time. He has to experiment to get the right system and as we can't sign anyone for money he needs to have time to find a system which works for him and with the players.
It's not going to be an overnight job.

[Burt]

Out of interest how much time should we give him? I guess we should give him until the end of the season and then the Summer and then when we fail to reach the play off points required by this time next season.  I suppose we should then sack him and start this farce over again.

How much time should we give him? More than one week and one match.

He will not have had enough time to understand who he has, let alone start putting his vision and philosophy in to practice.

I am amazed that people are so prepared to be so negative so early in to his career here.

[Beamer]

From his comments Slav appears to be under no illusions about either the size of the task or the squad he has and I don't think we can expect a wonder turn around overnight. Changes in attitude, outlook, responsibility etc are all needed if we are to begin to look upwards and I rather suspect that our new manager is not going to be an easy touch for players who don't buy in to his ways - hopefully they all will.

[filham]

Actually recognising that playing a true defensive midfielder in front of the back four, rather than an attacking player out of position, might be one answer to our defensive problems.  Matilla looked a little off the pace in the second half, but it's a long time since he played and I'm sure he'll sharpen up.  Not the most physically imposing in the position and not dissimilar to Kvist who we had on loan a couple of seasons ago.

In the first half Mattila sat just in front of the back four all of the time, it seemed as though he was attached to each of them by a 5m long invisible cord. When the action was 10m or so in front of him it looked as though he should have ventured forward and joined in but he stuck rigidly to the game plan of staying with the back four. The defence looked solid and but for the wonder goal we would have gone in with our goal intact at half time.

Of course this all meant that we were a player short in attack.

Suspect we may see more of this.

[filham]

His lineup and his substitutions tell me that he knows we're going to start next season on the Championship AND what he's doing right now is finding out which 15-18 players will give him what he wants for the rest of the season. The push for promotion begins in August. Right now, he's more interested in getting us what we haven't had since Hughes was forced out: a TEAM!

Totally agree.

So far we have used 27 players in our premiership matches, each coach in charge has been searching, without success, for the right combination. Joka now needs to carry out the same exercise.

Our squad is too large, Joka has to decide rather quickly which players he wants to keep and then dispose of a few in order to make way for a couple of new loan players of his choice.

We havn't left him much time to do this, the window closes in four weeks time.

[Baszab]

Being the ultimate supporter of KS, even I was beginning to doubt whether his tactics/motivation were sufficient to get us promoted........(mind you - 6 points off the play-offs after 16 games really wasn't too bad)

Having seen the lack of effort from the players/complete failure of any attacking instinct in the second half I am doubly disappointed with both the result and performance yesterday - and I can't understand how any other person at the ground yesterday would think differently...... We are the league's top scorers - not on yesterday's showing.

If JS wants to "check out" players - do it on the training ground - not during matches that we all pay to watch - and ridiculously certainly not on his home debut

There was certainly no "new manager bounce" whatsoever - perhaps save for the first 20 minutes when we looked in control but without any attacking purpose.

How many people yesterday thought "pass the ball forward " !!

[colinwhite]

Basa ,I admire your loyalty to kit ,but he is now a thing of the past and whilst his team played some good stuff at y times we are very poor defensively which was his responsibillity to resolve.He nevere managed this ,why?
Because the squad he and Rigg put together was unbalanced . We have too many players that are good at certain things but lack an all round quality to their game , and we are far too lightweight for the championship . Look at Derby who are good but also physically strong .
Kit couldnt even get our tactics right to defend set pieces. Too many players noy prepared tp put their bodies on the line ,looking for others to get the ball away . I wanted Kit to succeed ,but he didnt ,probably not all his fault , but please move on. The club is bigger than any individual .

[J]

As for Cauley, I felt he was unfairly treated considering his efforts on Tuesday, that was poor management, and Dembeles performance, the result and the lack of penetration showed that the decision not to select him at the start was poor judgement, and poor judgement has figured far too many times in Fulhams recent history.
Nonetheless, has there been any reason given as to why Fredericks and Cairney were not in the squad, were they carrying injuries or is it top secret.

I think it is unfair to say it was poor management - wrong decision maybe, but you have to assume that Jok will have spoken to Cauley and we won't ever know what he said. Managers have to make tough decisions and it's how they handle the players on a man management basis that makes them good / bad at managing the situation.

[Baszab]

In which case what did SJ base his opinion on ?

He watched the game on Tuesday --- so not that

Training - Dembele must have brilliant in training -- oh no wait a minute - apparently SJ hasn't had enough time to take training and influence the team yet

Put Dembele on show to sell him ? - he's been watched personally by Pochettino twice in last few games - everyone has been scouting him

[J]

It could be a number of things - this might be his last chance to assess dembele and see where his head is at before deciding what happens to him in Jan for example.
Maybe cauley has a slight knock.
Maybe he thought the match up in this formation against the opposing players would suit dembele better but told cauley he would get his chance.

We don't know, that's my point, but I'm sure he had his reasons and part of the problem we had at times under kit is his refusal to make tough decisions. Yes it didn't work out. But Jok might have learned what he needed to improve things going forward, and if he's handled it well behind the scenes then it's not bad management.

[MJG]

Asked if it was a difficult decision to drop Woodrow Jokanovic answered
"No. I am the manager. I always have a reason and that's it."

[HatterDon]

Asked if it was a difficult decision to drop Woodrow Jokanovic answered
"No. I am the manager. I always have a reason and that's it."

I love this reply.

[dannyboi-ffc]

3 threads all basically saying the same thing. If it wasn't apparent  from the pathetic start debate or the article where the journalists report agreed with you, this one confirms that we get your point now and a 4th is not necessary until we lose in the cup. You are very disappointed and believed in Kit. You could have fitted all 3 into 1 though.

Maybe we should merge them into 1 thread lol. Happy new year Mr Baszab.

[clarkey]

Why was Garbutt brought on ?  Any clues ?

First half we looked really good, it wasn't rocket science putting in a defensive mid, we have needed one all year. Missed Cairney especially second half.

[MJG]

Asked if it was a difficult decision to drop Woodrow Jokanovic answered
"No. I am the manager. I always have a reason and that's it."

I love this reply.

Yes,  tells me here is a manager sure in his own decisions and he's the boss.

[HatterDon]

3 threads all basically saying the same thing. If it wasn't apparent  from the pathetic start debate or the article where the journalists report agreed with you, this one confirms that we get your point now and a 4th is not necessary until we lose in the cup. You are very disappointed and believed in Kit. You could have fitted all 3 into 1 though.

Maybe we should merge them into 1 thread lol. Happy new year Mr Baszab.

Aren't you the guy to do that?

[J]

Asked if it was a difficult decision to drop Woodrow Jokanovic answered
"No. I am the manager. I always have a reason and that's it."

Ha. That is a very succinct way of putting my argument.

[dannyboi-ffc]

3 threads all basically saying the same thing. If it wasn't apparent  from the pathetic start debate or the article where the journalists report agreed with you, this one confirms that we get your point now and a 4th is not necessary until we lose in the cup. You are very disappointed and believed in Kit. You could have fitted all 3 into 1 though.

Maybe we should merge them into 1 thread lol. Happy new year Mr Baszab.

Aren't you the guy to do that?

Being completely honest I reckon I've merged threads once since I became a mod. It's not something I like doing but in alot of cases it becomes necessary so I'm in no way knocking it.

It wasn't really a pop at Baszab. I just find it funny how the tables turn and the positive pete's are now the negative normans and vice versa. When the shoe was on the other foot it was frowned upon to start so many negative threads that were all virtually identical or at least had the same meaning.

I won't merge it as it was a joke but the double standards do fascinate me sometimes. Not saying Baszab is wrong about the game Saturday, just think it's double standards criticising after 90 mins and 3 days in the job whilst a lot of members were made to feel 'not true supporters' after having enough of Kit's football after almost a whole calender year.

I'm sure Baszab will be behind Joka on Saturday but it's the club who should be criticised for the whole situation, not Joka.