Big week for FFC leading up to Norwich

[Wearethewhites]

In an ideal world, I'd have liked to have seen all our business concluded by now, with a week or so to spare, so that Slav could work with any new players, and bed them in into the team.

I had much higher hopes for this summer, thinking the Club would have learned from previous mistakes, but, with just a week to go until Norwich, we still seem to be scuttling around like headless chickens again.

It amazes me how fans see contract extensions and loan extensions as new signings, when they're clearly not, and although I'm greatful for the Club for tying down the likes of Sess and Cairney, they were effectively already here, same as Piazon and Kalas. 

What I'd of liked to have seen happen, is additional quality added to what we already had, but, we've see a slight step back, and no real moves forward. As I see it, we're still in the same position last season, minus Malone.

Also, we seem to have the same issues again of chasing a certain player for the whole of the window, Rolan reminds me of Dunk all over again, and there's talk of crucial departures so late in the window.

For me, and I don't know how many others view this, but, we're far from a team that will be competing for promotion this season, whilst others around us have strengthened.

I know PS friendlies don't count for much, but, I also feel that we've had a pretty poor off season as well, and moral doesn't seem as upbeat as it should.

Anyway, moving on to Monday, I feel this is a big, big week for Kline, Kahn & Co. and if we come the Friday without any moral boosting signings, I'm sad to say that their talk about backing the coach and doing whatever it takes, has come very cheaply once again.

Hope I'm seriously wrong, as this season is such a wonderful opportunity for FFC.

[@jolslover]

We haven't taken a step back though. Last season if any of our midfield 3 got injured then what. We would have had to play Petsos or Parker. Now we have Cisse and Norwood as back up for our midfield trio. This is much stronger and means they don't have to play every game and if one of them does get injured we wont be in serious trouble.

I presume we will replace Malone as time goes on as Slavisa says he wants a new left back. It is tough to do deals now as clubs look to get in new players before selling.

I agree there is some reason to be negative as we have yet to make a signing that has excited me but I suspect come September the 1st that will be different.

[Twig]

I agree, it has been a poor transfer window so far.  Much the same team with the loss of Malone and a few squad players in and out (Norwood may be a bit more than that).  We still need the three key signings to strengthen the spine of the team that has been glaringly obvious for ages.

[Wearethewhites]

I agree, it has been a poor transfer window so far.  Much the same team with the loss of Malone and a few squad players in and out (Norwood may be a bit more than that).  We still need the three key signings to strengthen the spine of the team that has been glaringly obvious for ages.

So being glaringly obvious, why do you think we are still struggling to bring players in? The striker situation is beyond a joke now.

I understand there maybe financial restrictions, but, our so called 'stats team', have been banded about as good at finding 'gems' but we ain't done it yet.

I'm just not convinced that our recruitment team are as 'experienced' as they make out and their 'inexperiences' cost us.

Just my opinion

[MikeW]

Pretty much everything we read since the start of the close season about Fulham has been rumour.  I agree with the first post that getting players to sign new (improved?) contracts hardly seems a new signing.

So why are Fulham signing also ran's from European second div sides that realistically haven't a hope? I simply cannot believe the manager has any input.  All around we here/read of ambitious clubs signing quality players for free or up and coming youngsters.  Yet Fulham.  Sodding hopeless.  The lad who has left Chels for Hull - Hector - is a quality player.  Why didn't we sign him as well as Kalas? Why does Fulham miss the boat so many times?.  Blame the laptop man for sure but don't we have scouts with notebooks?  Where's Arthur Cox when you need him.  So many questions and so few answers. Close to despair in deepest Gloucestershire.

[Mince n Tatties]

I can't remember the last time I got excited by a signing made by us....Like Wow are we really signing him.
Nowadays its Who's he.

[Mince n Tatties]

Pretty much everything we read since the start of the close season about Fulham has been rumour.  I agree with the first post that getting players to sign new (improved?) contracts hardly seems a new signing.

So why are Fulham signing also ran's from European second div sides that realistically haven't a hope? I simply cannot believe the manager has any input.  All around we here/read of ambitious clubs signing quality players for free or up and coming youngsters.  Yet Fulham.  Sodding hopeless.  The lad who has left Chels for Hull - Hector - is a quality player.  Why didn't we sign him as well as Kalas? Why does Fulham miss the boat so many times?.  Blame the laptop man for sure but don't we have scouts with notebooks?  Where's Arthur Cox when you need him.  So many questions and so few answers. Close to despair in deepest Gloucestershire.

Hector would have been perfect signing to replace Malone,had a good season at Frankfurt .

[@jolslover]

I can't remember the last time I got excited by a signing made by us....Like Wow are we really signing him.
Nowadays its Who's he.

I got excited by a few signings last season. You don't have to have heard of a player to be excited by him imo, Can be excited by youtube clips or his reputation when you research him.
Also Hector is a CB not a LB, so would not have been good Malone replacement and the maximum loan signings you can include from one club is 2. So we couldn't have got him anyway

[gang]

I can't remember the last time I got excited by a signing made by us....Like Wow are we really signing him.
Nowadays its Who's he.

Mine was Van Da Sar, no signing since has exited me.

[Mince n Tatties]

I can't remember the last time I got excited by a signing made by us....Like Wow are we really signing him.
Nowadays its Who's he.

I got excited by a few signings last season. You don't have to have heard of a player to be excited by him imo, Can be excited by youtube clips or when you research him.
Also Hector is a CB not a LB, so would not have been good Malone replacement.

Hector played full back for Frankfurt and Aberdeen the season before not CB.
And if you get excited by a signing you've never heard of well all I can say to that is nothing really.

[MikeW]

jolsover - beg to disagree - saw him a number of times as a loanee at Cheltenham (albeit very young) - can play across the back four - very mobile player.

[@jolslover]

I can't remember the last time I got excited by a signing made by us....Like Wow are we really signing him.
Nowadays its Who's he.

I got excited by a few signings last season. You don't have to have heard of a player to be excited by him imo, Can be excited by youtube clips or when you research him.
Also Hector is a CB not a LB, so would not have been good Malone replacement.

Hector played full back for Frankfurt and Aberdeen the season before not CB.
And if you get excited by a signing you've never heard of well all I can say to that is nothing really.

Transfermarkt lists him as having played 227 professional games. Only 2 of them have been left back.
Take Kebano for example, I didn't know who he was till we were linked and after watching videos of him taking on defenders and seeing his technical ability I was excited to watch him play.

[Mince n Tatties]

Transfer market have it wrong,he played all his games at Aberdeen as full back..Can play as stated by Mike across the back anywhere...

[Twig]

I don't mind signings that are not headline grabbing and I don't mind bringing in players from overseas leagues but I am hacked off with our failure to strengthen the spine of the team.  It has been obvious that this is our greatest need and I'd be happy with two out of three but nought out of three....seriously?
To answer the question, I think we struggle because we are afraid pay that bit extra and instead go looking for bargains.  I get the need for sustainable finances but we missed out on promotion last year due to our failure to use the January window. Promotion is worth c. £250mil so how was that sensible financial probity? If we miss out on promotion this year due to a poor summer window then that is another failure to invest to cash in.  You could be forgiven for thinking that the owners don't actually want promotion!

[MikeW]

Twig - agree:

Jolsover - point taken but you are going down the stats route - I prefer my eyes.

[Mince n Tatties]

I don't mind signings that are not headline grabbing and I don't mind bringing in players from overseas leagues but I am hacked off with our failure to strengthen the spine of the team.  It has been obvious that this is our greatest need and I'd be happy with two out of three but nought out of three....seriously?
To answer the question, I think we struggle because we are afraid pay that bit extra and instead go looking for bargains.  I get the need for sustainable finances but we missed out on promotion last year due to our failure to use the January window. Promotion is worth c. £250mil so how was that sensible financial probity? If we miss out on promotion this year due to a poor summer window then that is another failure to invest to cash in.  You could be forgiven for thinking that the owners don't actually want promotion!

What I don't get is in Jan window we bid 1.2 million for Hibs striker Jason Cummings, they wanted £1.5 we didn't pay....Same day we paid what for Jozabed....lol
Now Cummings gone to Forest,bet he comes to the Cottage and sticks one in...lol

[filham]

The team that takes the field against Norwich will be weaker than the one that finished last season.
1. We have not replaced Malone.
2. We have not signed a recognised striker

[stevehawkinslidingtackle]

We won't win. 100 per cent. Pre season and transfers  have been a joke.

[@jolslover]

We won't win. 100 per cent. Pre season and transfers  have been a joke.

Will remember this post for when we win 3-0. You would have backed us to beat Norwich last season if we played them at home. So you think swapping Malone for Sess now means we will lose?

[JackHFFC1990]

It is a big week for us. Let's hope Kamara is in before the Norwich game at the least. If Bettinelli Cairney McDonald & Kebano are available for the game I have belief we can get a result