Why it’s not working

[FulhamStu]

There is currently so much wrong on the pitch at Fulham it's difficult to know where to start but I will talk about a few key issues that need addressing.

1. Ranieri likes to play 4-4-2, that's fine. 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3 all can work but you have to have the right players in the defined positions.  Playing Mitro and AK up top is fine, but playing Tom Left and Shurlle right will never work in a midfield 4.  If that is not bad enough, then having Chambers and Seri both playing box to box, which they were trying to do on Saturday is asking too much.  Chambers escapes criticism because he gets stuck in, but his ball retention ability is poor.  Seri is just being asked to do too much, he is not a defensive players and gets hugely exposed.  This makes it look like he is not trying where as in fact he is running more than anyone. 

If we want to play 4 across the midfield we need wide players that can cover defensively as well as get forward and provide crosses.   We need Chambers to hold and protect the back 4.  The midfield needs to support and cover each other.  I don't think currently Seri and Tom can play together, certainly not in a 4-4-2.   The problem is that together with Mitro, how do you drop one of your best 3 players.  This is an example of an unbalanced squad.

2. That defence, which is poor, is made to look even worse by the unbalanced midfield as discussed above.  Lack of cover from the wide midfield players, nobody holding in front of the back 4 is part of the problem.  But look at who we have playing these key positions.  Our 2nd choice right back from the championship, a utility championship defender, a new championship left back and Mawson who is still trying to recover fully from a serious operation.  Add to that Ream who has always been a bit slow and is also recovering from injury and out of form.

We need to forget strikers and sort the defence out in January.  We need another centre half who would be able to play next season whatever division we are in, we need to try and improve the full back positions, especially right back.  I don't mind Sess playing left back when needed but would prefer an upgrade to Bryan although I have not given up on him.

We have good players all over the pitch, the trouble is they do not fit together to form a solid team.  The squad is unbalanced, lacks experience and some players are taking a long time to adjust.  I would be seriously planning on what we would need next season if relegated.  Will Seri and Anguissa be around if relegated.  Who else will we likely lose.  These question need to be addressed as well as giving it a real shot at survival, but do it in a way that gets us off to a fast start next season.  We must learn the lesson of not having things in place until it's too late, or nearly too late.  For 3 seasons we have been very slow starters due to huge rebuilding over the close season. 

Fulham need a proper transfer strategy and need to have much better and more joined up long term thinking.  We need to build a team which has the ability to excel in all areas of the pitch, not just able to play attractive pretty football.

[MJG]

All good points Stuart.
I think all squads look unbalnced when you move away from the planned formation. Yes it could be arguged you should cover all positions if needed but in turth that never really happens.

We thought we would play 433/451/4123 or any combination like that, not 442 or even 532/541/352.

We are missing a right sided midfielder who can defend as well. Someone in the Goldbeck way. Ayite, Kebano, Kamara can not do that role. For next three games I might go odoi at RB and Christie in front of him if we are to play 442.

As you knwo Stuart i think this squad is built as it stands for three CB's, but CR does not play that so its unlikly to happen. Next thing then for me is to get Chambers and Mawson together and get Kmac back in the middle even as a stopgap for 5 or so games (here is a wildcrd, how about Ream ias a DCM if Kmac still not fit) Either way we need bodies in the middle of the filed through the spine of the team.

I liked two up top as well.

I dont think Seri/TC and Schurlle can be in same team at this time, one has to drop out, maybe even two of them.

The next 3 games will map our plans for January. get some results we will bolster the squad. Fall by the wayside and look dead and buried I expect a fire sale in someways.

[toshes mate]

Absolutely agree with last paragraph - emphasis on being a team from coaching, playing, recruiting and administrating throughout.

Absolutely agree that formation is vital and I don't believe the squad we have fits a ready made answer to that conundrum.

Not sure where the Club needs to go since we cannot give up on the season now - that would be a disaster with repercussions that none of us will sleep easily with.  But the main people at Fulham have to wake up the owners and start rallying them to deploy sensible measures before the ship hits the rocks.

[Moltobueno]

For next three games I might go odoi at RB

Next thing then for me is to get Chambers and Mawson together and get Kmac back in the middle even as a stopgap for 5 or so games (here is a wildcrd, how about Ream ias a DCM if Kmac still not fit)

Worst suggestions I've seen for a while IMO.

[Robbie]

I think our tactics and/or discipline were rubbish.

In simple terms, too many of our players ran forward and not enough ran back.

In our rush to score an early goal vs. WH we pressed  far too high.

We should have started playing  the game like the AWAY side,  and then eased ourselves in.

We made a massive mistake  not hiring Big Sam ..he knows this.

[MJG]

For next three games I might go odoi at RB

Next thing then for me is to get Chambers and Mawson together and get Kmac back in the middle even as a stopgap for 5 or so games (here is a wildcrd, how about Ream ias a DCM if Kmac still not fit)

Worst suggestions I've seen for a while IMO.

Which one ?
Odoi/Christie double up which was the full comment
Chambers Mawson at CB
Kmac at DCM till we get another
Ream at DCM which even i said was a wildcard.

[S.F.Sorrow]

Wasn't Seri a DM at Nice? I'm not saying he's suitable for that position in our line-up, just curious how they played him.

[MJG]

Wasn't Seri a DM at Nice? I'm not saying he's suitable for that position in our line-up, just curious how they played him.

This is a decent read https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/11439343/jean-michael-seri-to-fulham-why-did-he-sign-for-the-whites

[FulhamStu]

Another major benefit would be if we can coach Anguissa to properly play the DM role, maybe next to Chambers, but tell them both, their no 1 job is to break up attacks and protect the defence.  Chambers reminds me of Parker, trying to do everything, running all over the place but not doing his most important job to protect the defence.   If these 2 could do this, we could then have Tom and Seri working their arses off for 45 minutes each behind Mitro with Sess left and one of a choice of Ayite, Kamara or Kebano on the right.
We have so many attacking players like Kebano, Ayite, Kamara, Schurrle, Vietto, but no one player who can attack and defend in equal measure on the right.  Sess is gold dust because he can do this but other than him, there is no one else of the left either.  This is what I mean by an unbalanced squad.  I take MJG comments about the squad being built to play another way, but to expect to be able to do this successfully in the Premier League was just unrealistic or naive and is one of the major reasons Slav had to go.   

[Moltobueno]

For next three games I might go odoi at RB

Next thing then for me is to get Chambers and Mawson together and get Kmac back in the middle even as a stopgap for 5 or so games (here is a wildcrd, how about Ream ias a DCM if Kmac still not fit)

Worst suggestions I've seen for a while IMO.

Which one ?
Odoi/Christie double up which was the full comment
Chambers Mawson at CB
Kmac at DCM till we get another
Ream at DCM which even i said was a wildcard.

Pretty much everything:

Odoi at RB - we tried that, he kept making errors and wrong decisions. No matter who is in front of him.
Chambers at CB - we tried that, people here didn't want him near the shirt ever again
Kmac - miles behind Chambers
Ream at CDM - miles behind KMac

But that's just my opinion, it might just work out perfectly in reality, who knows.

[MJG]

For next three games I might go odoi at RB

Next thing then for me is to get Chambers and Mawson together and get Kmac back in the middle even as a stopgap for 5 or so games (here is a wildcrd, how about Ream ias a DCM if Kmac still not fit)

Worst suggestions I've seen for a while IMO.

Which one ?
Odoi/Christie double up which was the full comment
Chambers Mawson at CB
Kmac at DCM till we get another
Ream at DCM which even i said was a wildcard.

Pretty much everything:

Odoi at RB - we tried that, he kept making errors and wrong decisions. No matter who is in front of him.
Chambers at CB - we tried that, people here didn't want him near the shirt ever again
Kmac - miles behind Chambers
Ream at CDM - miles behind KMac

But that's just my opinion, it might just work out perfectly in reality, who knows.

Odoi at RB - Anyone who reads my stuff will know im no fan of his in many ways. What you are ignoring is I said double up with Christie, otherwise Christie is my 1st choice RB
Chambers at CB - Thats what he was signed for and yes he wasnt great, but as we have seen you should never bin someone just on a few bad performaces.
Kmac - disagree on passing wise. And my thoughts on this are about making the whole team stronger, not just one position.
Ream at CDM -as I said if Kmac is still injured then its a wildcard.

[Statto]

For next three games I might go odoi at RB

Next thing then for me is to get Chambers and Mawson together and get Kmac back in the middle even as a stopgap for 5 or so games (here is a wildcrd, how about Ream ias a DCM if Kmac still not fit)

Worst suggestions I've seen for a while IMO.

Which one ?
Odoi/Christie double up which was the full comment
Chambers Mawson at CB
Kmac at DCM till we get another
Ream at DCM which even i said was a wildcard.

Pretty much everything:

Odoi at RB - we tried that, he kept making errors and wrong decisions. No matter who is in front of him.
Chambers at CB - we tried that, people here didn't want him near the shirt ever again
Kmac - miles behind Chambers
Ream at CDM - miles behind KMac

But that's just my opinion, it might just work out perfectly in reality, who knows.

Agree

We had a decent back 6 for a few weeks and it was

Rico
Christie - Odoi - Mawson - MLM
Chambers

That was for the good 4-game run from Liverpool through to Leicester games, which was the only spell we looked half-decent since the start of the season
I'm convinced that is as good as it gets from the players currently available

[colinwhite]

I agree with most of that Stu. We are so unbalanced it doesnt matter much who we put on the pitch. The worrying thing is that Ranierri against the hammers went offensive ,possibly thinking thats slavisas philosophy was most likely to work with this group of players as we dont have good enough defensive players,in all positions,to sit off teams and defend . We cant even do that as it doesnt suit Mitro who has no pace . Playing kamara makes it extrememly hit and miss. Seri ,Cairney ,Schurle ,all look like luxury players in this set up and 1 at most can play (agree with MJG).
Our full backs cant defend which is a real issue ,and lets not even start on our central defense. I think its so desperate that i would give Kmac ago at CB alongside Mawson . Christie or Odoi? Both poor IMO. Bryan offensive but where was he for both goals _nowhere to be seen .

[Neil D]

Wasn't Seri a DM at Nice? I'm not saying he's suitable for that position in our line-up, just curious how they played him.

This is a decent read https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/11439343/jean-michael-seri-to-fulham-why-did-he-sign-for-the-whites

Interesting indeed.  This paragraph stands out:

He's a physical profile, very athletic, he can get box-to-box," Webb says. "He can do the job that type of player demands, in terms of breaking up play, disrupting play, keeping possession ticking over, but technically he's a good footballer as well.

In my view Seri is not suited to breaking up or disrupting play - his 'physical profile' does not lend itself to that.  He can keep possession ticking over but only because his passing range is short and unadventurous.  Box to box player?  Not really.  I'd rather see Vietto in this role.

[Denver Fulham]

There is currently so much wrong on the pitch at Fulham it's difficult to know where to start but I will talk about a few key issues that need addressing.

1. Ranieri likes to play 4-4-2, that's fine. 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3 all can work but you have to have the right players in the defined positions.  Playing Mitro and AK up top is fine, but playing Tom Left and Shurlle right will never work in a midfield 4.  If that is not bad enough, then having Chambers and Seri both playing box to box, which they were trying to do on Saturday is asking too much.  Chambers escapes criticism because he gets stuck in, but his ball retention ability is poor.  Seri is just being asked to do too much, he is not a defensive players and gets hugely exposed.  This makes it look like he is not trying where as in fact he is running more than anyone. 

If we want to play 4 across the midfield we need wide players that can cover defensively as well as get forward and provide crosses.   We need Chambers to hold and protect the back 4.  The midfield needs to support and cover each other.  I don't think currently Seri and Tom can play together, certainly not in a 4-4-2.   The problem is that together with Mitro, how do you drop one of your best 3 players.  This is an example of an unbalanced squad.

I've said the bold part repeatedly on here in recent weeks; it seems more people are coming to that realization. Plainly, Ranieri doesn't know what to do with Tom. He's started him, pulled him off at the half, "rested" him at the start, played him at RM, all in five matches. Meanwhile, Seri has been entrenched ... which is probably more a product of not having any other legitimate options. If Anguissa is healthy, you can try him and Chambers. Everything else is a no-go for me.

I've actually wondered whether Cairney and Seri should flop roles, for now. Seri's been more creative with chance creation and Tom's possession relieves pressure. Add in Schurrle, and there's no way we can be playing all of them at the same time and not suffer defensively. It's even worse with Odoi at RB.

As MJG mentioned, RW remains a huge issue. Maybe Ayite can be that guy. Otherwise, I think it has to be Kamara for the time being.

I'd like to see a back four of Chambers - Mawson - MLM - Bryan. I think that's our best combination for now.

[Twig]

For next three games I might go odoi at RB

Next thing then for me is to get Chambers and Mawson together and get Kmac back in the middle even as a stopgap for 5 or so games (here is a wildcrd, how about Ream ias a DCM if Kmac still not fit)

Worst suggestions I've seen for a while IMO.

Which one ?
Odoi/Christie double up which was the full comment
Chambers Mawson at CB
Kmac at DCM till we get another
Ream at DCM which even i said was a wildcard.

Pretty much everything:

Odoi at RB - we tried that, he kept making errors and wrong decisions. No matter who is in front of him.
Chambers at CB - we tried that, people here didn't want him near the shirt ever again
Kmac - miles behind Chambers
Ream at CDM - miles behind KMac

But that's just my opinion, it might just work out perfectly in reality, who knows.

Agree

We had a decent back 6 for a few weeks and it was

Rico
Christie - Odoi - Mawson - MLM
Chambers

That was for the good 4-game run from Liverpool through to Leicester games, which was the only spell we looked half-decent since the start of the season
I'm convinced that is as good as it gets from the players currently available

I agree with you Statto although it is a close call between MLM and Bryan.

I also think we need wide midfielders who offer a bit more defensively. For me that would be Sess and Ayite.  (Chambers and TC would make up the four).

Up front Mitro plus 1 (I think we need a partnership and as yet I don't know if that is AK, Vietto, Schurrle or whoever else).

The above means no Seri or Zambo but I think it looks more solid if we are to play some sort of 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1.

[filham]

We seem to have all the answers in this thread, shame the manager's senses are not up to our standard.

[Matt10]

I don't think there is "so much wrong". Unfortunately, the results outweigh any kind of contextual logic to argue the points made. The West Ham match showed promise, but it's always one or two moments of being switched off that cost us dearly.

Cairney on the right hand side actually brought even more depth to our midfield. He holds onto the ball fantastically well, can tuck inside and be another anchor to create. He's close to Seri as well so they can work off eachother, which is exactly what was happening in the first 20 minutes of our onslaught on the West Ham goal.

Again, Ranieri's system is not built upon the outside mids/wingers to track back. The reason for this is so we can counter. Our centre mids will cover wings instead, this worked well all match.

I know guys want to talk about change, but that's just theory now. We also talk about consistency and being drilled in defensively. Well, if you take comments above and implement these changes, you're going against what will actually help the team - and that is consistency + chemistry. Sure, we didn't get the result, but there is not a whole lot wrong with our performance against West Ham. Two crucial mistakes from two defenders are what cost us. It's the mental toughness that needs to be worked on the most, the communication, those are the elements. Change personnel all you want as if this is FIFA video game, but it's the very basic fundamentals of being a team that we need to continue to build upon. It's there, there are sparks, but unfortunately, we pay attention to the glaring issues and lump that into a total write-off.

[RaySmith]

I don't think there is "so much wrong". Unfortunately, the results outweigh any kind of contextual logic to argue the points made. The West Ham match showed promise, but it's always one or two moments of being switched off that cost us dearly.

Cairney on the right hand side actually brought even more depth to our midfield. He holds onto the ball fantastically well, can tuck inside and be another anchor to create. He's close to Seri as well so they can work off eachother, which is exactly what was happening in the first 20 minutes of our onslaught on the West Ham goal.

Again, Ranieri's system is not built upon the outside mids/wingers to track back. The reason for this is so we can counter. Our centre mids will cover wings instead, this worked well all match.

I know guys want to talk about change, but that's just theory now. We also talk about consistency and being drilled in defensively. Well, if you take comments above and implement these changes, you're going against what will actually help the team - and that is consistency + chemistry. Sure, we didn't get the result, but there is not a whole lot wrong with our performance against West Ham. Two crucial mistakes from two defenders are what cost us. It's the mental toughness that needs to be worked on the most, the communication, those are the elements. Change personnel all you want as if this is FIFA video game, but it's the very basic fundamentals of being a team that we need to continue to build upon. It's there, there are sparks, but unfortunately, we pay attention to the glaring issues and lump that into a total write-off.

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I have also  thought our performances have improved under CR and maybe we aren't as terrible as everyone  says.

It's results that count, obviously - and we are bottom of the league -but  there is a need  not to panic, and try and  get continuity in the team, and I'm sure the manager wants this.

The way we played in the first twenty minutes against West Ham is significant I think, and although  we lost with two sloppily conceded goals against the run of play- hit on the break, West ham hardly had any more shots on our goal, nor was their much between the teams for the rest of the game, with WH sitting back and making it hard for us - if they'd been behind,they would have needed to come out, and we  would have had more chances.

I agree with Matt, that the mental side is very important, and even one win, and our players could suddenly become a yard faster, and less error prone.

[Andyb]

There's no leaders on the pitch