Honestly... what do we think of Slav now?

[Brawn]

I've said this in the past, and I maintain it now. Slavisa Jokanovic is, in a very bad way, reminding me of Martin Jol.

I never liked Martin Jol. I hated some of the tactics, I hated the way he fell out with some of the players, his transfer strategy of ageing plodders, and therefore when results started to go downhill I wanted him out quicker than most (I think he should have gone 6 months earlier than he eventually did). But for just under two years I accepted he was getting results and that therefore for the time being I would have to put up with it.

Unfortunately, Slav now finds himself in a similar appraisal in my books. I am not a fan of his tactics and I think he's being carried by the team. First, when we go forwards we move into 3 centre backs with McDonald dropping in, the two full backs pressing forward, and then the other 5 outfielders are in no shape or structure whatsoever. Additionally, the defensive line is ridiculously high for our centre backs. To have 21 of the 22 players in the opposition half is a statement of intent, but it's incredibly vulnerable to counter-attacks, especially with Tomas Kalas and Tim Ream at the back, neither of whom are blessed with pace. Tim Ream being outpaced by Orlando Sa a few years ago under Kit sticks in my mind like glue. Like Jol, Slav is unwilling to adapt this to the opposition - to play such a high line against pacey attackers Eriksen and Kane against Spurs last year was a disastrous decision. But it seems to be getting results.

I also feel very strongly that the passing is very backwards and sideways. It reminds me of that scene from The IT Crowd where Moss and the postman are discussing football: the thing about Fulham is they always try and walk it in. How many times in the last two years have we heard a cacophony of booing from the Hammy End with unnecessary backward passes, especially when a goal behind? The Soton match in the FA Cup 10 days ago really epitomised this: we had 58.5% possession, attempted 160 more passes, yet only mustered 7 shots to their 13 (only 1 of which of ours was on target). Our passing accuracy in the league this year is 83%, but we've also played the fewest long balls (1,564) and the most amount of short passes (12,499) this season. There's no risk attached to our passing. It's backwards and sideways rubbish. But it seems to be getting results.

The defending is increasingly haphazard too. Bettinelli, Fredericks and Ream (and Madl until last night) were all around in the 2015-16 defensive horror show. It can't be the case that Kalas and Odoi are making all the difference, especially with the form Kalas is in (i.e. lack of it). We have made fewer interceptions per game than any other side in the division this season. We allow more play in our own third than any other side bar Nottingham Forest and Sunderland. We're very content to allow the opposition to stroke the ball around on the edge of the box. We are also poor in the air, winning fewer aerial duels than any other side in the division. Millwall, the leaders in this statistic, have won more than double the amount of aerials per game (32.7) than us (14.9): I never thought we'd miss Dan Burn, but on this statistic, we clearly are. But for now, it seems to be getting results.

The way that Jokanovic has also Magathed players out and buried them under his patio is also a disgrace. I have no idea what Michael Madl said to Jokanovic, but for him and Djalo to be frozen out to the extent that they have been left the defence incredibly thin in terms of depth. This has also had the knock-on effect of forcing Denis Odoi into centre half and for Sessegnon to be at full back, clearly not his best position - made worse by Kalas being out of form, because now he too is being phased out. We need centre halves. And if this means we have to bite the bullet and recall Djalo (now that Madl has gone), so be it. But for now, it seems to be getting results.

Other points of contention: I'm glad we've ended the Johansen at #9 experiment, because I didn't get it at all. We only seem to have one plan (although we did once use a 4-4-2 for about 5 minutes this season and I thought it looked fairly OK). I will also never forgive him for selling LVC or Adeniran, nor for writing the likes of Grimmer and Burn off at such a young age, nowhere near the peak of their careers.

But it seems to be getting results, so for now I'm resigned to the fact he is our manager. Of course I want us to win. But if things go wrong, don't say I didn't warn you.


Edit: I appreciate the timing of this post is quite weird, but I felt I need to get this off my chest. I also agree with Kevin Pietersen that when you're winning you shouldn't pretend issues don't exist.

[hovewhite]

Some of your pionts I agree with the exclusion of players also the raants to the press,the players I think still respond to him,as we get results.
Think it's wait and see time and to keep supporting the team.

[toshes mate]

You want my honest and humble opinion?  Okay, you are a WUM.

[bobbo]

I agree with quite a lot especially freezing out madl and djalo they've both given a good account of themselves when they've had the rare chances of getting on the pitch. But my opinion of jok hasn't changed since last season , nothing in this world runs perfectly, consistently. Overtime he's proved to be a decent manager. Please remember the constraints he's been under , not being able to choose the new signings. I don't and haven't wanted him to go despite our poor form earlier in the season.

[..FOF..]

But if things go wrong, don't say I didn't warn you.

And when things goes right, what kind of warning would you prefer?

[MJG]

What's sparked this post? You rarely post anything and we are on a decent run of form.

Is it just to have something in place that when we do lose say three on the trot you can post this again?

Don't get me wrong it has a lot of good aspects in it which I could agree and argue with. Its the timing of it I don't get.

Unless like Toshes Mate says you're a WUM?

[bobbo]

Ok in my ignorance what does "WUM" mean

[Brawn]

What's sparked this post? You rarely post anything and we are on a decent run of form.

Is it just to have something in place that when we do lose say three on the trot you can post this again?

Don't get me wrong it has a lot of good aspects in it which I could agree and argue with. Its the timing of it I don't get.

Unless like Toshes Mate says you're a WUM?

I don't post here very often. It's something I'm attempting to rectify!

I just felt I needed to get this off my chest, and doing it now, rather than in times of losing, serves as a reality check and isn't dismissed as an over-reaction to a loss.

Also, I haven't seen us win this season in person, not even on television, and that has annoyed me slightly, for watching the games back as I do isn't the same.

[Marcel_Gecov]

What's sparked this post? You rarely post anything and we are on a decent run of form.

Is it just to have something in place that when we do lose say three on the trot you can post this again?

Don't get me wrong it has a lot of good aspects in it which I could agree and argue with. Its the timing of it I don't get.

Unless like Toshes Mate says you're a WUM?

Ho3 many games have
I don't post here very often. It's something I'm attempting to rectify!

I just felt I needed to get this off my chest, and doing it now, rather than in times of losing, serves as a reality check and isn't dismissed as an over-reaction to a loss.

Also, I haven't seen us win this season in person, not even on television, and that has annoyed me slightly, for watching the games back as I do isn't the same.

How many games have you gone to?

[toshes mate]

Ok in my ignorance what does "WUM" mean

Wind up merchant.

Reading the post I found a collection of the most negative comments made about SJ over the two years he has been here, many of which are nothing to do with his role at Fulham, and none are factually supportable.   The one piece of evidence that is most damning is that SJ has been successful both as player, manager and coach.

[GloucesterWhite]

You want my honest and humble opinion?  Okay, you are a WUM.

:plus one:

Martin Jol's transfer policy was not to recruit 'ageing plodders', he wasn't given the money and every interview he gave he was saying the club should invest in younger players. His team were playing well until his best players were sold and replaced by donkeys.

Personally I think Joka will do the business if he is given the players he needs.

[Andy S]

Mr Brawn it is easy to pick holes in managers and tactics. The players that do not play are supposedly not good enough. I have no reason to say they are. One or two good games does not do it for me. Of the players that have left us very few are doing the business else where.finally who out there is going to do a better job? If it ain't broke don't fix it

[davew]

What's sparked this post? You rarely post anything and we are on a decent run of form.

Is it just to have something in place that when we do lose say three on the trot you can post this again?

Don't get me wrong it has a lot of good aspects in it which I could agree and argue with. Its the timing of it I don't get.

Unless like Toshes Mate says you're a WUM?

I don't post here very often. It's something I'm attempting to rectify!

I just felt I needed to get this off my chest, and doing it now, rather than in times of losing, serves as a reality check and isn't dismissed as an over-reaction to a loss.

Also, I haven't seen us win this season in person, not even on television, and that has annoyed me slightly, for watching the games back as I do isn't the same.

Perhaps you should subscribe to Fulham TV, plenty of recent games you can watch that we have won!! I hate to think what you would have written a couple of months ago when we weren't winning? I do agree with some of your observations though!!

[Brawn]

What's sparked this post? You rarely post anything and we are on a decent run of form.

Is it just to have something in place that when we do lose say three on the trot you can post this again?

Don't get me wrong it has a lot of good aspects in it which I could agree and argue with. Its the timing of it I don't get.

Unless like Toshes Mate says you're a WUM?

I don't post here very often. It's something I'm attempting to rectify!

I just felt I needed to get this off my chest, and doing it now, rather than in times of losing, serves as a reality check and isn't dismissed as an over-reaction to a loss.

Also, I haven't seen us win this season in person, not even on television, and that has annoyed me slightly, for watching the games back as I do isn't the same.

Perhaps you should subscribe to Fulham TV, plenty of recent games you can watch that we have won!! I hate to think what you would have written a couple of months ago when we weren't winning? I do agree with some of your observations though!!

Read what I wrote again. I do subscribe. I listen live and watch all 90 minutes every game, win, lose, or draw. It's just not the same as watching the game live, either in person or on TV.

[Marcel_Gecov]

What's sparked this post? You rarely post anything and we are on a decent run of form.

Is it just to have something in place that when we do lose say three on the trot you can post this again?

Don't get me wrong it has a lot of good aspects in it which I could agree and argue with. Its the timing of it I don't get.

Unless like Toshes Mate says you're a WUM?

I don't post here very often. It's something I'm attempting to rectify!

I just felt I needed to get this off my chest, and doing it now, rather than in times of losing, serves as a reality check and isn't dismissed as an over-reaction to a loss.

Also, I haven't seen us win this season in person, not even on television, and that has annoyed me slightly, for watching the games back as I do isn't the same.

Perhaps you should subscribe to Fulham TV, plenty of recent games you can watch that we have won!! I hate to think what you would have written a couple of months ago when we weren't winning? I do agree with some of your observations though!!

Read what I wrote again. I do subscribe. I listen live and watch all 90 minutes every game, win, lose, or draw. It's just not the same as watching the game live, either in person or on TV.

I'm confused by your point then? Maybe you should forewarn the club that you'll be attending so they increase their performance further in your honour.

[Ged]

Also, I haven't seen us win this season in person, not even on television, and that has annoyed me slightly, for watching the games back as I do isn't the same.
[/quote]
So you haven't seen seven of our last ten league games I dought you even support Fulham

[Brawn]

So you haven't seen seven of our last ten league games I dought you even support Fulham

Oh, OK, so because I don't live in London (and am only in London for Christmas hence the FA Cup game I went to), and can't afford a season ticket and the travel costs associated with it, I can't be a fan any more? Maybe I should go and support Brighton, because I live there now? That's a ridiculous argument as well you know. I've supported us since I was 7 years old in the days of Cookie. I'm not about to change now.

Edit: let me take the opportunity to clear it up, then. Unfortunately, because of these reasons, I've only seen 3 games in person, and we also have not won a televised game this year (all of which I have seen live).

[David I]

You want my honest and humble opinion?  Okay, you are a WUM.

Naughty, but that made me chuckle!

[Slaphead in Qatar]

Definitely a WUM - because he posted it when we are doing well.

[MikeW]

This is one of those posts where you think "where did that come from?"  I agree with parts, disagree with other parts but that's the point of the board.  But yes, the timing is a bit odd given we are doing alright at present.

It does though highlight the Madl / Djalo situation again.  I'd love to know what Madl said to the Coach to be so comprehensively dismissed from the pack.

And Djalo is all too clearly one that he didn't want.  I recall we paid good money for him when he is clearly well short of the standard required which speaks volumes about those selecting and scouting new purchases.  Surely there are players in the U23 set up worthy of being blooded on the first team bench with a view to getting experience?  I remember Smalling coming on to play 20 minutes beside Hangerland for his debut.  Great experience for the lad which I'm positive can be repeated.

Onwards and upwards!