Defence and lack of signings

[FulhamStu]

Just listened to Cottage Talk and the excellent Mike Gregg who is always worth listening too and who talks a lot of sence.  One thing discussed was for the need to recruit the right type of player and that one a week would just about be ok.  I am not taking issue with that particularly but would like to make the following point.  We all know our defence has been terrible for a few seasons now.   Most of us think we need new players, we certainly need a left back and ideally one central defender so here is my issue.  Defences need to work as a unit.  They need to understand how each ther work.  They need to communicate very well, be drilled and complement each other.  Hangerland and Hughes being a case in point.  The Ireland tour is largely a getting fit process, however from next week we need to see out 'team' coming together.  Jokanovic needs to work on his best back 4 or back 3 or 5 or whatever we are going to adopt.  One of our real issues for s few seasons has been the constant changing of players and positions, particularly across the defence.  I accept its nice to be able to switch from 4-4-2 to 3-5-2 and that sort of thing, however it's more important to be solid and settled at the back.

To conclude we need new defenders in now so this defensive understanding has a chance of being ready for Newcastle.  It's far easier to integrate forwards and even midfield players so it's defenders we need now.  We need a decent but settled defensive line with leaders.  We were connected with numerous central defenders last summer but only signed the no3 or 4 options very late although I think we were actually connected with Stearman quite early.  This summer I have not heard us connected with any defenders so let's hope the outcome is not only better but quicker

[MJG]

Fair points and agree we dont seem to be 'linked' with defenders.

I have a theory that one problem we had last year was we had too big a squad and too many options at the back for a manager to muck around with. At stages we had Amore, Madl, Ream, Stearman, Hutch and Burn to choose from for two spaces.

Now it may be true that they are all crap no matter what combination you work with.
But maybe having only 4 now focuses the minds of both the coaches and players to build that unit.

That's not to say I dont think we need a new CB or two. Its just a hope that if we are left with just these guys then my theory holds true.

As to the remark I made last night about one signing a week. IF we did just that and did it till the end of the window then we will have those 8 more players we need. true they wont be in before Newcastle, but I hope it shows we still have time to get men in. Although I do wish they were all in before Aug 5th

[toshes mate]

You make many interesting points but I would say one thing.  A year or so ago many of us were optimistic that Kit Symons was going to work the magic of getting us back to the Premier League, using the players (less the additions made up until the opening game of the 2015/16 season) we are now dissing.  As you say a defence is a unit but it isn't isolated since it is part of a team, with goalkeeper, central and wide defenders according to formation; e.g. go with three central defenders and you can have midfield wide cover in a five man unit.   Our defence has suffered for two reasons - the players concerned didn't gel and the midfield didn't adequately act as cover or first line of defence.   Symons had not shown any nous as to how he would solve a problem he knew existed from the previous season in those first few games of the 2015/16 season.  I am optimistic the new boss has a bit more nous as to how to put a team together whoever you use, but it has to be remembered that the players themselves need to find their self belief with the boss's help.

If Fulham played 4-5-1 with the skill required to morph into 4-3-3 when attacking how would the team look then?  Football teams start with defensive security, something I learned a long time ago, a competitive, aggressive and creative midfield, and an aggressive and skilled strike force.   We have the players who can can meet the requirements already but I doubt Mr Jokanovic is happy to stay his hand.  He'll want new blood but getting it is not as easy as flashing a wallet full of notes.  Players need to want to come to Fulham and that needs a sense of belief at the club.   I don't think we have that and I am not sure whose fault that is.  It's soon to be the beginning of a new season, a time  for optimism, and I'd like to feel the same as it did when supporting Fulham in both better and worse times than right now.  I don't know why it is missing, I really don't.

[nose]

IMO
3 5 2 or 5 3 2 when defending makes the most sense. It is felxible and would suit the likely opposition e will face. when we used it last season we looked better.   it suited us with mickey adams and works well in a transitional period that I now believe we will hopefully be in.
Clearly if we bring in the right players then 4 4 2 may be more appropriate but I am not a fan of a lone striker, 4 5 1, even in the top teams that have better quality personnel i feel it is less good than have a partnership at the front.
when you attack it is advantageous to do so quickly in numbers and force the opposition back, having two at the front avoids total isolation when you only have the one and as such the ball has more chance of staying up the field.

But none of this counts as we have not brought in any better players yet, Ok we got one signing and hopefully he is a good one, but we need at least half a dozen more!

[filham]

All of the above is interesting and most of us will agree with the points made.

The bottom line just has to be that we need a new quality left back and centre back  settled and bedded in and ready for the Newcastle game and time is running out fast.

[FulhamStu]

To add to the excellent responses, I suspect we will again have a number of loans and these may come in later in the window when clubs decide they are surplus.

[toshes mate]

I have a theory that one problem we had last year was we had too big a squad and too many options at the back for a manager to muck around with. At stages we had Amore, Madl, Ream, Stearman, Hutch and Burn to choose from for two spaces.

Now it may be true that they are all crap no matter what combination you work with.
But maybe having only 4 now focuses the minds of both the coaches and players to build that unit.

I agree and must say there were times when Symons was signing defenders like a kleptomaniac, panic style buying when perhaps the problems were not the players at all but coaching failures or simply the wrong formation.   You can buy the world's best defenders and still be caught out by injuries, weaknesses in a team either in the goalkeeping or midfield, and I think we saw, for the whole of last season, the legacy of panic.  When Danny Murphy was playing he had a calming, playmaker's instinct across the whole team and he managed to get players into space through his passing accuracy, his positional play, and his game reading strengths.   We haven't replaced him, and with all respect to Scott Parker who is great midfielder he doesn't have the all around play of Danny Murphy.   Cairney shows many glimpses of talent and at times looks as if he can win games on his own, but I am not sure he is that good at cajoling those around him.   You really need a talented playmaker add I hope the boss can fashion such a match winner either via the transfer market or by successfully transforming someone like Cairney into a star in the making.   

What me mustn't do this season is defend too deep, because if we do we are going to get murdered.  It is always a sign of fear.

[Forever Fulham]

When you pack a lot of bodies in the back, you can get a false sense of security, as you have fewer teammates in front of you to put pressure on the opponent's defenders and, when doing so, take pressure off your defenders.  It becomes bunker football, with possession rarely much past the midfield held for any meaningful period of time.  You need balance.  The modern game is still 4-4-2 with fullbacks and outside mids transitioning as required.  5 in the back?  What kind of threat would we be? 

[FulhamStu]

When you pack a lot of bodies in the back, you can get a false sense of security, as you have fewer teammates in front of you to put pressure on the opponent's defenders and, when doing so, take pressure off your defenders.  It becomes bunker football, with possession rarely much past the midfield held for any meaningful period of time.  You need balance.  The modern game is still 4-4-2 with fullbacks and outside mids transitioning as required.  5 in the back?  What kind of threat would we be? 

A fit Fredericks on the right and another very fast wingback on the left would provide plenty of threat.   Worked a treat at Bristol.   Allows Cairney to play centrally in a 3 across the middle and also suits Mackormack next to a no 9.

[WayneKerrins]

Individually only Amor is decent in the air of our collection of centre backs. Ream is woeful, Stearman Ok on vertical balls but horrendous on corners and crosses and lightweight, Madl too short.
Amor gives away too many frees in dangerous areas and is 2 reds a season minimum. He should go. Madl, might, cut it next to dominant CB which we currently don't have and haven't for 2.5 seasons.

[Russ Goldman]

Hi Everyone. We discussed this post on Cottage Talk last night near the end of the show. Feel free to listen.

http://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2016/7/7/12110614/cottage-talk-cottagers-confidential-roundtable-episode-3