What’s gone so wrong?

[toshes mate]

Fredericks was determined to leave.
Southampton rejected stupid money for Targett.

Funny how easily the 'right' money got us Mitro, Christie, Seri, Anguissa, Bryan, Mawson, etc., and yet we couldn't afford a little bit extra for Fredericks and Targett when it mattered.  If that is not poor judgement then I don't know what is.  Players who work in a system are priceless in comparison to the untried and untested.  As a Club we cannot go on making costly errors of judgement spending big money on flops, and out of my list of six the only one who has seemingly fitted the bill was tested out via a loan spell.  I am still hoping they'll all come good and not prove to be further 'Fontes of Fancy Thinking'.  The jury is still out but rumour is that a guilty verdict is on the cards.

We offered way over the top for Targett, more than he was worth, but sparky was not going to let him go. Fredericks pay demands (if true) again way over the top of his worth,. Are you advocating just pay what the players demand, blimey I wish I could go to my boss and do that.

Perhaps you are just not 'very good' at what you are asked to do.  During my career I had a spat with a managing director of a software company who wanted to make money out by delaying a software upgrade I had written after months of very hard work correcting all the bugs and errors his company had left in the software distributed to customers before I arrived.  I resigned on the spot.  Three months later he had to offer me a consultancy position at ridiculous pay because none of his technicians knew how to implement the changes I had made. 

Sometimes bosses have to engage their minds before going off on a wild goose chase after something they cannot have without real effort.  Fredericks could have sweetened by the correct approach to the issues, and if he couldn't, then at least the recruiters could have found a like for like replacement for him.  They didn't and yet our East London enemies have two more than adequate right wing backs at their disposal.  Shameful is what I call that.

[alfie]

Fredericks was determined to leave.
Southampton rejected stupid money for Targett.

Funny how easily the 'right' money got us Mitro, Christie, Seri, Anguissa, Bryan, Mawson, etc., and yet we couldn't afford a little bit extra for Fredericks and Targett when it mattered.  If that is not poor judgement then I don't know what is.  Players who work in a system are priceless in comparison to the untried and untested.  As a Club we cannot go on making costly errors of judgement spending big money on flops, and out of my list of six the only one who has seemingly fitted the bill was tested out via a loan spell.  I am still hoping they'll all come good and not prove to be further 'Fontes of Fancy Thinking'.  The jury is still out but rumour is that a guilty verdict is on the cards.

We offered way over the top for Targett, more than he was worth, but sparky was not going to let him go. Fredericks pay demands (if true) again way over the top of his worth,. Are you advocating just pay what the players demand, blimey I wish I could go to my boss and do that.

Perhaps you are just not 'very good' at what you are asked to do.  During my career I had a spat with a managing director of a software company who wanted to make money out by delaying a software upgrade I had written after months of very hard work correcting all the bugs and errors his company had left in the software distributed to customers before I arrived.  I resigned on the spot.  Three months later he had to offer me a consultancy position at ridiculous pay because none of his technicians knew how to implement the changes I had made. 

Sometimes bosses have to engage their minds before going off on a wild goose chase after something they cannot have without real effort.  Fredericks could have sweetened by the correct approach to the issues, and if he couldn't, then at least the recruiters could have found a like for like replacement for him.  They didn't and yet our East London enemies have two more than adequate right wing backs at their disposal.  Shameful is what I call that.

Not very good a what I am asked to do, as you don't actually know what I do or should be did as I have just retired,  bit presumptuous to assume I was not very good at it, i was offered a very good contract to stay on but my mind was made up, as was Fredericks I wanted retirement, he wanted West Ham we both got what we wanted. Now if you can offer me some advice on how I could have done my job better feel free to give it.

[Woolly Mammoth]

It wasn't that long ago, 5 months approximately, I was dancing all the way down Wembley Way after saluting the Bobby Moore Statue, when on my way to the Torch Pub to drink to everyone's health including Fulham FC, and also to spare a thought to drink to swimming with bow legged women.
Now 136 days later I feel as though we are going to be hit with a plague of locusts, and a second Fire of London is imminent, and a Meteorite will land directly on Craven Cottage bringing devestation of Biblical proportions.
Not forgetting a huge infestation of acute flatulance and Haemorrhoids will destroy the human race as we know it.
Yes of course I can also list a profusion of errors of judgement by our crack recruitment department in recent times. Which often begs the question don't they ever learn.
I also have empathy with the people who quite rightly point this failing out, and yes our recruitment unit certainly not the finished article.
We can debate this until the cows come home.
But as I am not a Farmer, although we are near a local farm, who have a noisy Cockeral, which I believe is a Rhode Island Red, which if you are not ophay with your knowledge of chickens, a Rhode Island Red is reported as the biggest Cock in the world.
Anyway my wife wrote to the local council, complaining that the Farmers Cock woke her up at 5am every morning. We are still awaiting a reply.
But my point i was trying to make is that although a week in football can be a long time.
Whether we like it or not our current circumstances may be reaching the crossroads, and we may find that Sunday's defeat by Arsenal and the way we were beaten may turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
The team now have a fortnight almost to regroup and the players and the manager must be hurting badly. This could orchestrate a backlash with Cardiff and Huddersfield being made to pay for what they are, relegation fodder in waiting.
If I was a battery I would be positive, and the quicker we treble our points total the better, and in doing so improve our goal difference.

[NewYorkYank]

One may argue whether Fulham spent its money well over the summer, but one cannot argue that Fulham did not improve its squad, even if the players acquired did nothing more than strengthen squad depth.  I would argue that Fulham improved at virtually every position (if, like me, you consider making Mitrovic permanent an improvement).  There are three notable exceptions to this argument.  The most obvious are at left back and right back.  Christie is a big step down from Fredericks, and Bryan is a big step down from Targett.  Say what you want about Fredericks' defense, but regardless, his ability to get past defenders to the end line was a critical component of Fulham's attack last year.  Christie has yet to get behind any defense, and I can only recall Fosu-Mensah doing it once.  On the other side, I would suggest that Targett's acquisition was as important to the team as Mitrovic's, if only because it pushed Sessegnon forward.

Anyone wondering what is wrong with Fulham should visit some websites that cover the team's last two opponents.  Arsenal, and to a lesser extent, Everton, have numerous sites devoted, among other things, to tactical analysis.  These sites made clear, by heat maps and passing graphs, what was obvious to the naked eye.  Fulham is getting killed down the wings.  And it is not just the formation or style of play with the fullbacks getting too far forward.  I invite everyone to watch the replay of Arsenal's first goal last Sunday, and watch Christie get out-run by Nacho Monreal of all people.   Until Fulham sorts out its fullbacks, the defense is going to have problems.

The third exception is Cairney.  There was no need to replace Cairney because, in this system, Cairney is irreplaceable.  Cairney provides to Fulham the same function, in a completely different way, that Cazorla used to provide to Arsenal -- the ability to dribble and pass out of tight spaces.  This ability is essential to beating the presses that teams are throwing at Fulham.  There is no one one the team who has the skill set that Cairney has or who can provide what he provides.  We are not going to see what this team can do until he is healthy.

[Mullers OG]

There's an awful lot of gloom and despondency on this board.  Promotion to the PL was always going to test out FFC's playing strength.  New signings need time to bed in, especially those from abroad who may have language problems and difficulties resettling family etc..

Those problems have been exacerbated by a spate of injuries to important players, most notably Cairney, and Odoi being suspended for the first two games.  Most supporters identified the full back positions and centre back reinforcements as a priority.  Additionally back up for Betts in goal and for Mitrovic up front were required.

Bryan was highly rated at Bristol.  I'm not prepared to write him off after just a few games when he's been injured and in and out of the side.  Time will tell.  I'd rather have had Targett but if Southampton won't sell other than for ludicrous figures then that wasn't an option.

Christie is a full Irish international.  On paper he must have looked the part.  Sadly so far he's been woeful, and Sunday was a shocker.  Supporters might have wished Fredericks stayed at the club and I have little doubt every effort was made to convince him to stay but if he wanted to go then that is his decision.  Whether it's a wise decision is a different matter.

Mawson might come good when fully fit.  Chambers at the moment doesn't look the part but may also, like Bryan, surprise us all.

The goalkeeping back ups look a great improvement on Button.  I am very concerned though about our forward options.  Mitrovic is a Fulham star already but if he is injured or suspended the central striker cupboard is bare.  Kamara is a tryer but shows no signs of being remotely good enough for the PL.  In danger of being totally controversial I would rather have kept Fonte and sent Kamara out on loan.  A really sound no.9 should be a priority for January.

I still think we're good enough to survive this season, even if only just.   Getting Cairney fit is priority no.1.

[AnOldBrownie]

Keep this in mind as well.


Joe Bryan and Timothy Fosu Mensah were both VERY late signings.    Unless I'm mistaken, as late as August Timothy was going to a team in Bundesliga.


So, they haven't had extensive training with the team.

Add to that the injuries that have hit both...plus us still not knowing what is the best form for the premier league  (with Tim and Joe I'd like a 3-5-2)...   

add to that the Whites have given up goals to City, Everton, Arsenal and Spurs...(not an easy schedule)...


I'll say again...don't overreact.

[fulhamfever]

Simple answer we are poo at defending

[Bassey the warrior]

I'm not convinced Targett would be good enough, he's quite slow for a full back, great in The Championship but no guarantee he'd carry over that form. I'm sure Bryan will be better.
I was disappointed Fredericks left but he's not exactly set the Premier League on fire. I'm sure Fosu-Mensah will do a job. Christie at this point in time is looking out of his depth, as are a few old Fulham heroes such as McDonald and Johansen. Much improvement needed and I really hope Joka can turn things around.

[hovewhite]

Doom n gloom all over the board.

[Denver Fulham]

1. Our defense has been battered by injury/unfitness
2. Cairney has missed the last five matches, and he's irreplaceable in our setup
3. We're playing two wingers who don't help our defense
4. Anguissa has been below the level needed for that role so far
5. Our key bench depth -- McDonald, Johansen, backup defenders, etc -- is not good enough for this league

It's a mix of significant injuries, questionable tactics and maybe the personnel's not as good as we expected. I suspect if Cairney's healthy, though, it will relieve some of the other issues to an extent. We looked much better in games 1-3 with him than in games 4-8 without him.

[SP]

Doom n gloom all over the board.

Very true, god knows what it'll be like if we drop into the relegation zone.  Still early days.

Cardiff isn't a 'must win' game but would certainly calm our nerves if we can get a result.

[HV71]

Doom n gloom all over the board.

Very true, god knows what it'll be like if we drop into the relegation zone.  Still early days.



Yes , imagine if we were Cardiff ?! Don't see any posts on their site questioning Colin. Of course people will go on about the money spent but it takes time to adapt to this league. Add to that the injury list -  I find the lack of patience disappointing but getting very used to it in this modern age. Sad. Thank God for teams like Burnley who stood by their manager and were rewarded by their return to the highest level. We are beginning to sound more like that lot down the road - never satisfied always changing.

Cardiff isn't a 'must win' game but would certainly calm our nerves if we can get a result.