I fancy our run in because we play all the good sides

[dannyboi-ffc]

We seem to struggle more against sides who park the bus. We only have one way of playing and it's much more effective against sides who give us a proper game. 

The possession is built up from the back and against a Rotherham it becomes a case of slow pedestrian everything in front of the opposition type football. But against sides who try to attack and win the game we can pick them off and get in behind.

Call me crazy but I think our last 7 games work in our favour. Starting Tuesday night, Derby with a new manager and decent team at home will be expected to try and win, not hold out for a 0v0. Same with Norwich, Villa, Huddersfield and Wednesday.

The only ones that go against that are Ipswich because I think Brentford will have a go especially to try and ruin our season.

Give me our fixtures over playing 7 of the bottom 8 all day long. Bit strange when you say it like that.

COYW!!!!!

[jarv]

I sort of agree but the sad part is, 5  points dropped prior to Rotherham would have seen off Sheffield W.  Its not over til it is over and could come down to that last day.....

[dannyboi-ffc]

I sort of agree but the sad part is, 5  points dropped prior to Rotherham would have seen off Sheffield W.  Its not over til it is over and could come down to that last day.....

But don't you think they will be saying the same thing? Drew with Burton at home, the injury time goal yesterday. All teams have those spells. We just need to make sure we match them for the rest of the season now and I think we will.

[jarv]

I just looked at fixtures and have both Fulham and Sheffield taking 12 points...so we are in..The last game I put down as a draw. I have Huddersfield as a loss, the 5-0 win will come back to haunt Fulham.

[Fulhamfan666]

I got both on 74 points now, with Fulham on top on GD ofc

[RaySmith]

Predictions  mean little at this time.

I agree with Danny that we are better playing the better footballing sides. Rotherham was always a potential banana skin- but we did well to come through with three points.

[NogoodBoyo]

We seem to struggle more against sides who park the bus. We only have one way of playing and it's much more effective against sides who give us a proper game. 

The possession is built up from the back and against a Rotherham it becomes a case of slow pedestrian everything in front of the opposition type football. But against sides who try to attack and win the game we can pick them off and get in behind.

Call me crazy but I think our last 7 games work in our favour. Starting Tuesday night, Derby with a new manager and decent team at home will be expected to try and win, not hold out for a 0v0. Same with Norwich, Villa, Huddersfield and Wednesday.

The only ones that go against that are Ipswich because I think Brentford will have a go especially to try and ruin our season.

Give me our fixtures over playing 7 of the bottom 8 all day long. Bit strange when you say it like that.

COYW!!!!!

I have been thinking the same since the Newcastle game.
Nogood "but we have to forget the Spurs game though, isit" Boyo

[FFCFOREVER]

Agree 100 per cent with the OP.We dropped so many points this campaign against bottom half teams and gained so many against top half teams.The more open a team plays against us the more gaps we have to attack them in.No matter the standard of opposition, if 10 men are behind the ball you will always find it hard to break them down.

[Wearethewhites]

Personally think we'll be out the top 6 again after Tuesday, and will then struggle to get back in it. In my opinion, feel we've blown our chance of putting light between us and Wednesday, by messing up against Blackburn and Wolves.

I take your point about playing better against some of the better teams, however, we're meeting them at the wrong time.

Derby are rejuvenated by Rowett, and still in touching distance.

Ipswich another Wolves/Blackburn type side, will make it difficult for us.

Villa have won their last 6 out of 7, their fans feel that can make a late surge.

Brentford is a derby, forget league positions, bragging rights are at stake here.

Norwich tough place to go, they're still in the hunt.

Huddersfield, Sheff Weds battling out with us.

Looking at the above, it'll take some late form for us to keep our noses in the run in, personally.

[dannyboi-ffc]

Wednesday have.....

Rotherham away- won't make it easy, a Derby game which always adds an edge.

Newcastle home- wrong time to be playing them as they look to finish the job off early

Cardiff home- good side and Warnock will be desperate to get one over on Sheff Utds rivals.

Qpr away- better under Holloway and tough to beat at their place.

Derby home- rejuvenated under Rowett and on paper a good team

Ipswich away-  wouldn't fancy playing a Mick Mccarthy team away and needing to win.


In their last 10 games they've lost to Brentford and Reading at home, drew with Burton and Barnsley and lost to Villa.

I'm not saying we will make it. But I don't see any evidence whatsoever to suggest we have any less of a chance than Wednesday. They are struggling more than we are.

Keep the faith. COYW!

[BedsFFC]

I think the whole weaker teams sit back and better teams attack us theory is just not correct.

Put simply, I think teams since about january (although Wednesday did it in November) try to stop our supply. Seems a long way back now but if you remember, our problem for a while was we couldn't put away the numerous golden chances we had (although we did on a couple of lovely occasions)
We certainly don't make anywhere like the good chances we did at the start of season.

I think we are the best attacking side in the league but we are far from being the best team. I think Brighton win that accolade and I thought Wednesday weren't far behind them but, and thank heavens for this, wednesday have hit a wobble. I really didn't think I'd say this but Reading might just end up being so consistently half decent that they go up.

Newcastle don't really count as they have by far and away the best players. They don't really need to be a good team (if that makes sense)
Against us, it was crazy. It was like they had done zero homework on us but don't let that fool you.

We are not coping well with our midfield being starved of possession in the final 3rd. If rotherham had a good front 3, I think we would have lost.

Cairney dropped deeper yesterday. I assume in a hope of pulling their midfield higher. It didn't really work as it just made us a bit lacking of attacking intent in the first half. Clearly, he was told to push on in the 2nd and it did change the dynamic a bit.

The one thing is teams do have to work very hard to nullify us. If its level in the last 30, you do fancy us against anyone.

The problem we are having is that whilst we are still having most of the possession, teams are having a bit more of the initiave against us.

I think Derby is going to be quite pivotal. They are quite a shrewd side that has underperformed. In many ways it could be the hardest game we have for the rest of the season.

[Woolly Mammoth]

When it comes to predicting Fulham matches, it's a complete waste of time. I acknowledge we can play better against the football attacking sides, but it doesn't count for a lot in this run in, as we have a thin squad, and there are chinks in our armour which is there for all to see.
Nevertheless we ARE in the top six, so lots to be jovial about. As all we have to do is stay there.
It's in our hands, the Derby match really is a must win, or at least a must not lose. We have won more matches away than at home. That is why we will still lose points unexpectedly, because that's what Fulham do. But we will also win points unexpectedly because that is what Fulham do.
Whatever way you look at it, it's going to be tight. At least we are on the deck of the Ship named Play off Place. Which is more than Wednesday are at the moment, and we have the better goal difference.
But please take my advice and do not be tempted to predict anything when it comes to Fulham FC as it just increases the agony and the pain of dissapointment.
But you all really know that anyway.

[toshes mate]

There is a lot of talk about Johanna Konta, the tennis player having been molded into a winner after several years of 'losing bad'.  Her coaches and her team of support have taught her how to be excited about challenge meaning the better the opponent the more she looks forward to the match experience.  It is something that Danny alludes to in his post and I guess it is an aspect of coaching that is more inspiring as each triumph beckons, but it does depend on the character of the player concerned.  I hope the players are enjoying the feeling of being in the top six in early April, and now want to stay there because it is where they belong and not somewhere they have landed by default.  If attitude is right for our remaining games we can win them all by whatever method it takes on the day, and if we don't we'll be raring to go in the next game just to prove the point.  Derby is the next tough challenge. We should all be looking forward to it.   

[callumc513]

Personally think we'll be out the top 6 again after Tuesday, and will then struggle to get back in it. In my opinion, feel we've blown our chance of putting light between us and Wednesday, by messing up against Blackburn and Wolves.

I take your point about playing better against some of the better teams, however, we're meeting them at the wrong time.

Derby are rejuvenated by Rowett, and still in touching distance.

Ipswich another Wolves/Blackburn type side, will make it difficult for us.

Villa have won their last 6 out of 7, their fans feel that can make a late surge.

Brentford is a derby, forget league positions, bragging rights are at stake here.

Norwich tough place to go, they're still in the hunt.

Huddersfield, Sheff Weds battling out with us.

Looking at the above, it'll take some late form for us to keep our noses in the run in, personally.

Completely correct. I know it's really negative and I pray that I'm wrong, but its not inconceivable that we'll only win another game or two, or maybe even none!

[Fulham Tup North]

Personally think we'll be out the top 6 again after Tuesday, and will then struggle to get back in it. In my opinion, feel we've blown our chance of putting light between us and Wednesday, by messing up against Blackburn and Wolves.

I take your point about playing better against some of the better teams, however, we're meeting them at the wrong time.

Derby are rejuvenated by Rowett, and still in touching distance.

Ipswich another Wolves/Blackburn type side, will make it difficult for us.

Villa have won their last 6 out of 7, their fans feel that can make a late surge.

Brentford is a derby, forget league positions, bragging rights are at stake here.

Norwich tough place to go, they're still in the hunt.

Huddersfield, Sheff Weds battling out with us.

Looking at the above, it'll take some late form for us to keep our noses in the run in, personally.

Completely correct. I know it's really negative and I pray that I'm wrong, but its not inconceivable that we'll only win another game or two, or maybe even none!

We have a Manager who has been here before (with Watford) and knows what is needed to make that push 'across the Line'.  The lads have been trying to get into the Play-offs for a while and have missed out.  We are now there.  I think we will be very difficult to budge now.  This is when the lads need to show what they are made off. I fancy our chances!
COYW

[Woolly Mammoth]

There is a lot of talk about Johanna Konta, the tennis player having been molded into a winner after several years of 'losing bad'.  Her coaches and her team of support have taught her how to be excited about challenge meaning the better the opponent the more she looks forward to the match experience.  It is something that Danny alludes to in his post and I guess it is an aspect of coaching that is more inspiring as each triumph beckons, but it does depend on the character of the player concerned.  I hope the players are enjoying the feeling of being in the top six in early April, and now want to stay there because it is where they belong and not somewhere they have landed by default.  If attitude is right for our remaining games we can win them all by whatever method it takes on the day, and if we don't we'll be raring to go in the next game just to prove the point.  Derby is the next tough challenge. We should all be looking forward to it.   

I am looking forward to it, but I shall still be hiding behind the settee until it's confirmed that we have won tomorrow night.

[Riversider]

Not confident about tomorrow night, and don't think that we will beat either Villa or Brentford at home, BUT can see us beating Huddersfield away and getting a point at Norwich.

[nose]

we are very short of players in terms of depth to the squad, that is our achilles heel more than anything.
we look a bit stale and haven't done that well except for a dazzling performance at newcastle. the rest has been indifferent by our standards.
sorry  to go on that this was a predictable result from the mid term lack of purchases to freshen the squad and give a psychological lift

[hovewhite]

we are very short of players in terms of depth to the squad, that is our achilles heel more than anything.
we look a bit stale and haven't done that well except for a dazzling performance at newcastle. the rest has been indifferent by our standards.
sorry  to go on that this was a predictable result from the mid term lack of purchases to freshen the squad and give a psychological lift

Not sure about that as really believe you get more players you want in close season and winter window it seems are stop gap with less quality ,just my view.