The upcoming season

[HatterDon]

I only go back as far as Cookie, Dead Snake, Steeeeeeed, and EVDS, but I can't remember Fulham ever being this ready for a successful Premier League season. I know there's a lot of quibbling going on here and elsewhere, but we kept our key players, got our Mitro,, and made some tasty signings. That and the plans for expansion of capacity, and things look bright.

Roll on Saturday.

[Lyle from Hangeland]

I only go back as far as Cookie, Dead Snake, Steeeeeeed, and EVDS, but I can't remember Fulham ever being this ready for a successful Premier League season. I know there's a lot of quibbling going on here and elsewhere, but we kept our key players, got our Mitro,, and made some tasty signings. That and the plans for expansion of capacity, and things look bright.

Roll on Saturday.

Amen. It's going to be a fun season regardless of which way it goes. I'm just going to enjoy every minute of it. The Premier League is going to be very tough this year. Every team is pretty decent... although I imagine it'll go to hell for a couple of teams. It's bound to.

[Statto]

The front 5/6 is as good as any I can remember

But our current back 5 is the worst I can remember from any PL season, by some distance for the first 20‰ of the season without Mawson.

Of course if we were to sign two of Targett/Chambers/Kalas/Boyata et al in the next few days that would change.

[RaySmith]

I look forwards to really getting behind the team in those matches I'm able to get to.
I'm proud to follow Fulham - and our magnificent achievement In getting back to the Prem.

The owners have shown their good intentions and ambition by the players they've brought in.
More may be needed to help us compete in the Prem, but I expect those who wear the white shirt to battle and  compete to their very best ability, organised by our top manaaer - and I'm sure this will be the case.

With our fans behind the team we can make a go our first season back up  with the big boys -where we belong.

COYSW!!!
049:gif :54: 051

[Woolly Mammoth]

Defensively it is a big worry, we are in a bit of a pickle on this one. Going forward we look sublime, and should have not too much trouble scoring.
I can see Fulham scampering about this week trying to get over the line with at least a left back and a right centre back and a Defensive Midfielder before the window shuts.
Time is not on our side, and not ideal for preparation for Saturday, but better late than never.
Lots of names being touted, so we are obviously busy behind the scenes.
But it's imperative we fill the left back and centre back positions this week, as we are very thin on the ground for experienced defenders, and having to play Sess at the back is not what we want to see, we need him further up the pitch.

[fulhamben]

The front 5/6 is as good as any I can remember

But our current back 5 is the worst I can remember from any PL season, by some distance for the first 20‰ of the season without Mawson.

Of course if we were to sign two of Targett/Chambers/Kalas/Boyata et al in the next few days that would change.

really? I remember us Fielding players such as zat Knight, zesh rahmen and the worst left back I've ever seen, nicklaus jensen. This not the worst, not the worst by far

[Statto]

The front 5/6 is as good as any I can remember

But our current back 5 is the worst I can remember from any PL season, by some distance for the first 20‰ of the season without Mawson.

Of course if we were to sign two of Targett/Chambers/Kalas/Boyata et al in the next few days that would change.

really? I remember us Fielding players such as zat Knight, zesh rahmen and the worst left back I've ever seen, nicklaus jensen. This not the worst, not the worst by far

With Van Der Sar, Goma, Bocanegra, Volz, Bridge, Christanval... I'd take that over what we have as it stands

As I said, sign Chambers and Targett and things change

[bill taylors apprentice]

I suggest the Championship winning team that started the PL season 2001/02 were better set up after signing EVDS (we won't mention Monsieur Marlet)

Things do look bright and I'm cautiously optimistic but we have either been very unlucky or taken our eye off the ball when it comes to recruiting the right type of defenders.

And before anyone tags this as being another negative post I suggest its just a sense of realism for the facts!

[Woolly Mammoth]

There is nothing negative about people being realistic. It's a fact that our defence is neither balanced or set up as a unit to have any chance of keeping a clean sheet.
That is a fact, no two ways about it.
Every man and his dog has identified that.
To deny there is not a problem is foolhardy and borders on buffoonery.
So being realistic about our weaknesses is not being negative in any shape or form.
But moaning about others being realistic is being very negative.

[fulhamben]

There is nothing negative about people being realistic. It's a fact that our defence is neither balanced or set up as a unit to have any chance of keeping a clean sheet.
That is a fact, no two ways about it.
Every man and his dog has identified that.
To deny there is not a problem is foolhardy and borders on buffoonery.
So being realistic about our weaknesses is not being negative in any shape or form.
But moaning about others being realistic is being very negative.

literally no one, is moaning about others being negative on this thread

[FFCSteve]

Even Slav recognises that defensively we are not there yet!

[Woolly Mammoth]

There is nothing negative about people being realistic. It's a fact that our defence is neither balanced or set up as a unit to have any chance of keeping a clean sheet.
That is a fact, no two ways about it.
Every man and his dog has identified that.
To deny there is not a problem is foolhardy and borders on buffoonery.
So being realistic about our weaknesses is not being negative in any shape or form.
But moaning about others being realistic is being very negative.

literally no one, is moaning about others being negative on this thread

Splendid news and let's hope it continues, plenty of positivity in the ranks.
Our first match of the season in a London Derby which will have a raucous atmosphere of Biblical Proportions, and whoever, takes the field of play needs our support, where is that White Wall, I hope it will be in attendance.

[Twig]

The front 5/6 is as good as any I can remember

But our current back 5 is the worst I can remember from any PL season, by some distance for the first 20‰ of the season without Mawson.

Of course if we were to sign two of Targett/Chambers/Kalas/Boyata et al in the next few days that would change.

really? I remember us Fielding players such as zat Knight, zesh rahmen and the worst left back I've ever seen, nicklaus jensen. This not the worst, not the worst by far

With Van Der Sar, Goma, Bocanegra, Volz, Bridge, Christanval... I'd take that over what we have as it stands

As I said, sign Chambers and Targett and things change

Well it looks like we have got Chambers Statto.  Let's hope for at least one more top quality signing to reinforce our back four and I will really start to fancy our chances for the season.  BTW where do you stand on K Mac? Good enough or likely to be caught out at prem level?

[toshes mate]

I suggest the Championship winning team that started the PL season 2001/02 were better set up after signing EVDS (we won't mention Monsieur Marlet)

Absolutely agree this is the fundamental difference and as Statto says we need at least Targett (or A.N. Other), a defender, and strike cover before we can say this is as near a perfect window as we can get.  The first two on that list will make one hell of a difference but we shouldn't kid ourselves about what may happen if we don't get these players in. 

I also prefer people to be realistic about what lies ahead.   We can compete next season but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

[Statto]

BTW where do you stand on K Mac? Good enough or likely to be caught out at prem level?

Funnily enough this thread about old players got me thinking about KMac, and IMO he's at least as good as Etuhu and we didn't too badly with Etuhu in the 2010 team, did we.

Nonetheless he's probably gone from being our 3rd/4th best player to one of the most limited players in the first XI, and he's surely too old to improve much. I both hope and expect we'll bring in someone to at least compete with him, given we've been linked with lots of DMs recently.

What about you? 

[Camel Club]

A couple of quality defensive signings over the next 4 days and I think we can look forward to the season with optimism. As good as we're likely to be going forward it would be naive in the extreme to think that we can rely on being able to outscore the opposition at this level.

[fulhamben]

BTW where do you stand on K Mac? Good enough or likely to be caught out at prem level?

Funnily enough this thread about old players got me thinking about KMac, and IMO he's at least as good as Etuhu and we didn't too badly with Etuhu in the 2010 team, did we.

Nonetheless he's probably gone from being our 3rd/4th best player to one of the most limited players in the first XI, and he's surely too old to improve much. I both hope and expect we'll bring in someone to at least compete with him, given we've been linked with lots of DMs recently.

What about you? 

slav has also tried a few different combos in the middle in pre season. With the players we have, constantly inter changing, I'm not that certain that we need a dedicated dm anyway. Three good cms will be just as effective

[Twig]

BTW where do you stand on K Mac? Good enough or likely to be caught out at prem level?

Funnily enough this thread about old players got me thinking about KMac, and IMO he's at least as good as Etuhu and we didn't too badly with Etuhu in the 2010 team, did we.

Nonetheless he's probably gone from being our 3rd/4th best player to one of the most limited players in the first XI, and he's surely too old to improve much. I both hope and expect we'll bring in someone to at least compete with him, given we've been linked with lots of DMs recently.

What about you? 

I think that for the prem SJ will revert to a back four with two CBs (not three as Fulham Ben suggests).  Assuming that to be the case then we absolutely do require someone in the mould of K Mac.  I think that, initially at least, SJ will go with K Mac because of his familiarity with what is left of our team. The squad has (necessarily) been very disrupted so a bit of continuity is essential.  in addition K Mac is vocal and influential on the pitch.

However he is approaching 30 so I am sure we will be thinking about bringing in his successor, possibly with K Mac staying on as cover?  I could see this being a January signing rather than in the remaining few days f this window.

[fulhamben]

BTW where do you stand on K Mac? Good enough or likely to be caught out at prem level?

Funnily enough this thread about old players got me thinking about KMac, and IMO he's at least as good as Etuhu and we didn't too badly with Etuhu in the 2010 team, did we.

Nonetheless he's probably gone from being our 3rd/4th best player to one of the most limited players in the first XI, and he's surely too old to improve much. I both hope and expect we'll bring in someone to at least compete with him, given we've been linked with lots of DMs recently.

What about you? 

I think that for the prem SJ will revert to a back four with two CBs (not three as Fulham Ben suggests).  Assuming that to be the case then we absolutely do require someone in the mould of K Mac.  I think that, initially at least, SJ will go with K Mac because of his familiarity with what is left of our team. The squad has (necessarily) been very disrupted so a bit of continuity is essential.  in addition K Mac is vocal and influential on the pitch.

However he is approaching 30 so I am sure we will be thinking about bringing in his successor, possibly with K Mac staying on as cover?  I could see this being a January signing rather than in the remaining few days f this window.

I've never once suggested a back 3. I can't stand defencive tactics

[Twig]

BTW where do you stand on K Mac? Good enough or likely to be caught out at prem level?

Funnily enough this thread about old players got me thinking about KMac, and IMO he's at least as good as Etuhu and we didn't too badly with Etuhu in the 2010 team, did we.

Nonetheless he's probably gone from being our 3rd/4th best player to one of the most limited players in the first XI, and he's surely too old to improve much. I both hope and expect we'll bring in someone to at least compete with him, given we've been linked with lots of DMs recently.

What about you? 

I think that for the prem SJ will revert to a back four with two CBs (not three as Fulham Ben suggests).  Assuming that to be the case then we absolutely do require someone in the mould of K Mac.  I think that, initially at least, SJ will go with K Mac because of his familiarity with what is left of our team. The squad has (necessarily) been very disrupted so a bit of continuity is essential.  in addition K Mac is vocal and influential on the pitch.

However he is approaching 30 so I am sure we will be thinking about bringing in his successor, possibly with K Mac staying on as cover?  I could see this being a January signing rather than in the remaining few days f this window.

I've never once suggested a back 3. I can't stand defencive tactics

Sorry Ben, in your post above you said that "three good CM's would be just as effective" and reading it again I realise I got the wrong end of the stick.