Quick poll - Better or Worse?

[BarryP]

I like this team better but I think it is too hard to say which team performed better due to the difference in quality of opposition.

[Sgt Fulham]

For sure the relegated team was more talented man for man. Holtby on loan was incredible, Ruiz, Karagounis, Dejagah. However dire that team was you still have to remember we almost beat Leicester (champions that year) at their place with our B team.

HOWEVER.

This team is far better. This team would probably beat the relegation team in the same manner we beat Hull. They play for one another, complement one another and are also very talented individuals. Not only this, but the current team has a much better balance, work rate and attitude. I used to almost feel like my season ticket was a punishment in the relegation season, especially when we lost 4-1 at home to rock bottom Sunderland. Now I look forward to each game, and feel we can win every game, Newcastle away included.

All in all, I much prefer the current Fulham side.

[HatterDon]

yes, without a doubt. The squad that got relegated rivaled Derby Country for the worst team ever in the Premier League. We were absolutely abysmal.

[Twig]

yes, without a doubt. The squad that got relegated rivaled Derby Country for the worst team ever in the Premier League. We were absolutely abysmal.

Exactly.  As I have said a lot of that squad were over-hyped.  Can't believe some are still saying they were more talented, seriously?

[Snibbo]

2013 Team (25 plus appearances) Vs 2017 Team (Best XI?)

Stockdale------Button
Reither---------Fredericks
Richardson----Malone
Hangeland----Kalas
Amorebieta---Ream
Sidwell---------Johansen
Parker---------McDonald
Kasami--------Cairney
Dejagah------Aluko
Kaca-----------Ayite
Bent-----------Martin

That's a great way to compare.  Out of the left hand squad, as they performed in that relegation season, I'd only have Dejagah and possibly Amore and Stockers into our current squad.

[Forever Fulham]

I liked Stockdale, but he had his weaknesses and let too many howlers past him.  We had musical chairs goalies then, too, so it's not fair to judge him.  I never thought he got a fair shake.  I see real development and improvement in Button, don't you?  Sometimes, there are games where Button stands on his head for us.  What's that worth?  A lot.

Reither over Fredericks for me.  Reither belonged on the current team, not on the one he had to suffer.  Fredericks might be faster of foot, but Reither had more skill and just as much work rate.  How he stayed upbeat through it all I have no idea.

Got to go with Richardson over Malone.  But Malone has a team dynamic about him that is making him special right now.  The right player for the cast around him.  I don't know.  You're making my head hurt.  Stop it.

Kalas over Hangeland.  Holy crap!  Did I just type that?  Whoa, horse!  Let me explain.  Hangeland was a legend for the club, but he was in decline then.  Kalas is coming up, and oh, ow, you're making my head hurt again.

Ream over Love Bite.  I know, half of you hate him and all that.  But that's my story and I'm sticking with it.  I want an attorney present  if you ask me any more questions.

Sidwell over Johansen.  Sidwell had his haters.  But he had the greatest attitude in the world.  He worked his socks off.  He bombed forward.  He was a great teammate.  And more overall skill than johansen.  I can't think of a particular part of Johansen's game that's outstanding or which determines outcomes ever.  He's OK.  He fits in.  But I see him as kind of fungible. 

McDonald over Parker for me.  Parker was old when we got him for cryin' out loud.  He did his little twirl with the ball, then passed it sideways or backwards.  Forward momentum went to die under his feet.  Slow then; slower now. Could never stop a speedy attacker.  Or a big man.  He's Mr. Character.  A great presence in the dressing room.  A good man.  But I'll take McDonald thank you very much.  He's coming up, he's hungry, and he can play Joka's style better and longer than Parker can. 

Kasami and Cairney.... Hmmm.  Think, man, think.  Kasami had more individual talent to be sure.  I wonder how much better he would have thrived under our great current manager.   I don't know.  I give up.

Aluko over Dejagah.  Damn it all.  The longer I do this exercise, the more apparent what fundamental unfairness is at play.  I liked Dejagah, but Aluko continues to produce, and support in transition. 

Kaca had more technical skill than Ayite.  Poor Kaca.  Doomed from the minute he arrived.  But if you can't find a way when Life hands you a sh!# sandwich, then something massively important is missing from your game.  Character and Resolve.  So it's Ayite for me.  Oh, yeah.

Bent or Martin.  Are you kidding me?  Not even close.  As angry as I am over Martin's behaviour, he produces, and if you haven't noticed, his play continues to improve.  Bent was a walking waste of space.  Never has a player with so many impressive stats when he came into the team been such an abject disappointment.  Damn you, Darren Bent.  You should be ashamed of yourself for the way you played in a Fulham shirt.  He was a one dimensional player, waiting for delivery, rarely helping out, supporting.  His transition play was next to nonexistent.  Good riddance.  And he had lost a step.  So there.  Martin, put down that hamburger.  You're still wearing the white jersey.  For now.

[toshes mate]

As much as the individual personality and ability comparisons exercise minds, memories, and mouths, football is a team game and just one sorry selection can make a big difference to all around, or have those who have criticised and condemned Fulham's lack of goalscoring challengers already forgiven and forgotten?  What has encouraged me to enthusiastically follow SJ from the start has been his ability to cover apparent weaknesses with tactically aware changes to approach play and defensive cover.  The current team probably has the best midfield for a Fulham team for a long while which is not to say it couldn't be made better by individual changes but is to say those changes up might be very expensive to achieve.  And so my question would be what would SJ have done to try and prevent relegation?  I can still see Steve Sidwell playing his heart out in midfield in a white shirt unaware that in a few short weeks his fate would already be sealed.

It is a tough game when you are hovering around the bottom.  It is also tough to get up and stay up.

[RaySmith]

You make a good point Toshes mate - would we have stayed up with Slava as manager?

We had some good players, and  I think we'd become complacent, thought we were too good to go down, but as MAF's sending  input declined and  Jol, his best two players suddenly sold from under him, seemed increasingly unable to deal with the situation, we went into a downward spiral.

Then we had what seemed panic driven appointments, culminating with the completely   unsuitable Magath, when we needed an experienced  at Prem survival pair of hands, and  instead we got a controversial figure  even in Germany,  whose triumphs were  in the past as well as in a different country.

We certainly seem to have  better team  now, with  better team ethic, and a definite style of play, rather than a collection of, often talented individuals, but they did play in the Prem is my only reservation - how would the current Fulham team  get on in the Prem? Though  I'm sure Khan will pay for reinforcements if we do get promotion.

[toshes mate]

You make a good point Toshes mate - would we have stayed up with Slava as manager?

We had some good players, and  I think we'd become complacent, thought we were too good to go down, but as MAF's sending  input declined and  Jol, his best two players suddenly sold from under him, seemed increasingly unable to deal with the situation, we went into a downward spiral.

Then we had what seemed panic driven appointments, culminating with the completely   unsuitable Magath, when we needed an experienced  at Prem survival pair of hands, and  instead we got a controversial figure  even in Germany,  whose triumphs were  in the past as well as in a different country.

We certainly seem to have  better team  now, with  better team ethic, and a definite style of play, rather than a collection of, often talented individuals, but they did play in the Prem is my only reservation - how would the current Fulham team  get on in the Prem? Though  I'm sure Khan will pay for reinforcements if we do get promotion.

I couldn't begin to fathom the problem of what to, how to and who to change in the current team to better suit it to Premier League style.  I just know I'd make a mess of it without someone like SJ and his coaching team calling the shots.  One thing I did not expect to see was the change in Martin on Saturday where he appears to be playing for SJ and the team, more so than I thought he could be forced, at gun point, to do!  It just makes me smile inside at the thought we have a 'team spirit' at long last and then think back to what they may have done had it been around instead of Magath.  It's then I get sad about who the club threw out with the bathwater.....