The quality of players

[Nightwind15]

I was obvious today that some of the players have a way to go becoming Premier quality and others simply will never make it.  The team is playing better but squandering chances as some did today along with a leaky back line doomed us against what was really a shaky Arsenal team.  A bit hard to watch all in all. 

[Southdowns White]

It's quite simple half of them are not Premiership players, no rocket science involved here and I am not criticising those players, some have just reached their level and it's championship at best. If you took each player individually and put him in a top 6 team with loads of support around them they could be ok.  If you want to blame someone it has got to be those involved with signing these players and the club should take action to stop another waste of money happening. Buying players is risky but did no one think about the physical aspect of the British game compared to much of the European leagues these players come from, some of them do not know how to tackle or win a 50/50 ball. Lets just hope we manage to get a few replacements in soon otherwise we will be in the championship again within a few short months.

[toshes mate]

It's quite simple half of them are not Premiership players, no rocket science involved here and I am not criticising those players, some have just reached their level and it's championship at best. If you took each player individually and put him in a top 6 team with loads of support around them they could be ok.  If you want to blame someone it has got to be those involved with signing these players and the club should take action to stop another waste of money happening. Buying players is risky but did no one think about the physical aspect of the British game compared to much of the European leagues these players come from, some of them do not know how to tackle or win a 50/50 ball. Lets just hope we manage to get a few replacements in soon otherwise we will be in the championship again within a few short months.

A really sensible assessment and exactly what the doctor ordered.

[DevonFFC]

It's quite simple half of them are not Premiership players, no rocket science involved here and I am not criticising those players, some have just reached their level and it's championship at best. If you took each player individually and put him in a top 6 team with loads of support around them they could be ok.  If you want to blame someone it has got to be those involved with signing these players and the club should take action to stop another waste of money happening. Buying players is risky but did no one think about the physical aspect of the British game compared to much of the European leagues these players come from, some of them do not know how to tackle or win a 50/50 ball. Lets just hope we manage to get a few replacements in soon otherwise we will be in the championship again within a few short months.

I agree with what your saying but also have point out that the physical aspect is Not valid.

We all joke about a cold midweek up stoke scenario, but really if a player is gifted they find ways to combat the size aspect.

According to most Messi so the best player in the world, the chap is not far is being a dwarf, Kante has the physic of Mo Farah and Salah and Aguero are hardly the biggest set players.

What they all do is play to their strengths.

I don't know who was in charge of recruitment and I'm not bringing that into the post but on paper everyone of those players should be able to play at this level as they all came from good leagues, bar Bryan who came up from the championship.

[filham]

It's quite simple half of them are not Premiership players, no rocket science involved here and I am not criticising those players, some have just reached their level and it's championship at best. If you took each player individually and put him in a top 6 team with loads of support around them they could be ok.  If you want to blame someone it has got to be those involved with signing these players and the club should take action to stop another waste of money happening. Buying players is risky but did no one think about the physical aspect of the British game compared to much of the European leagues these players come from, some of them do not know how to tackle or win a 50/50 ball. Lets just hope we manage to get a few replacements in soon otherwise we will be in the championship again within a few short months.

I agree with what your saying but also have point out that the physical aspect is Not valid.

We all joke about a cold midweek up stoke scenario, but really if a player is gifted they find ways to combat the size aspect.

According to most Messi so the best player in the world, the chap is not far is being a dwarf, Kante has the physic of Mo Farah and Salah and Aguero are hardly the biggest set players.

What they all do is play to their strengths.

I don't know who was in charge of recruitment and I'm not bringing that into the post but on paper everyone of those players should be able to play at this level as they all came from good leagues, bar Bryan who came up from the championship.

Twelve players signed and 100 million pounds spent and only Mitrovic and possibly Mawson are automatic choices in the team ? ? Something is seriously wrong with our recruitment.

This time let us just leave it to the manager.

[Nightwind15]

Singling out a player Mitrovic is not a suitable player for the system now in place at Fulham.  More speed is needed to make up for lack of quality of attacking players.  The young guys are good but in the English league there is little time to develop in the span of a season, especially in the first season after promotion.  Look at LFC and Jamie Varney.  1-0 yesterday and all with the only shot on goal by their lone striker.  Speed and guile and quality finishing. 

[Woolly Mammoth]

We could do with a few greyhounds I agree, but we mainly need Bulldogs like Mitro to help us in our fight for survival, and without him this season would be even more dire than it is now.

[DevonFFC]

We could do with a few greyhounds I agree, but we mainly need Bulldogs like Mitro to help us in our fight for survival, and without him this season would be even more dire than it is now.

We need more grit and steel about our play, you will face the same old people moaning about the style of football then.

I don't care how we win as long as we stay up.

[Nightwind15]

Agreed!

[filham]

Singling out a player Mitrovic is not a suitable player for the system now in place at Fulham.  More speed is needed to make up for lack of quality of attacking players.  The young guys are good but in the English league there is little time to develop in the span of a season, especially in the first season after promotion.  Look at LFC and Jamie Varney.  1-0 yesterday and all with the only shot on goal by their lone striker.  Speed and guile and quality finishing. 

Singling out a player Mitrovic is not a suitable player for the system now in place at Fulham.  More speed is needed to make up for lack of quality of attacking players.  The young guys are good but in the English league there is little time to develop in the span of a season, especially in the first season after promotion.  Look at LFC and Jamie Varney.  1-0 yesterday and all with the only shot on goal by their lone striker.  Speed and guile and quality finishing. 

Interesting, I wonder how we would all react if Ranieri arranged an exchange of Mitrovic for Varney. Not sure that I would be all that pleased about it.

[Nightwind15]

Varney reminds me of a few players I played against over the years.  He is unrefined yet a force to be reckoned with on the pitch.  He would never do well playing with a group of stars but put him with a a struggling group and he would give better than he got every time.  Had he not found success on the football pitch he would have made an excellent thief. At this point I would gladly trade even for him. 

[bill taylors apprentice]

It's quite simple half of them are not Premiership players, no rocket science involved here and I am not criticising those players, some have just reached their level and it's championship at best. If you took each player individually and put him in a top 6 team with loads of support around them they could be ok.  If you want to blame someone it has got to be those involved with signing these players and the club should take action to stop another waste of money happening. Buying players is risky but did no one think about the physical aspect of the British game compared to much of the European leagues these players come from, some of them do not know how to tackle or win a 50/50 ball. Lets just hope we manage to get a few replacements in soon otherwise we will be in the championship again within a few short months.

I agree but looking at other teams i see players no better than ours who achieve more individually and collectively during any game through motivation and desire to win.

When I was a lad I remember playing against the son of Robin Lawler (Fulham FC player 50's to early 60's) and he was tiny compared to many but he was as hard as nails and I don't mean by kicking.
In the tackle you would come out worse if you didn't get the timing right, so much so I still remember it today.
All through desire and proper technique learned no doubt from his Dad.

To those who comment on how our players should be able to handle the physicality of the PL, I say this.
Its down to the individual to have the motivation and desire that allows him to put the techniques they've learned into practise.
Some of our players just don't have enough desire!

[jarv]

j j shelvey has been rumoured.  Could do a lot for Fulham. Box to box, can pick a pass (like D Murphy) and certainly not afraid to tackle (sometimes gets it wrong though).

[Southdowns White]

It's quite simple half of them are not Premiership players, no rocket science involved here and I am not criticising those players, some have just reached their level and it's championship at best. If you took each player individually and put him in a top 6 team with loads of support around them they could be ok.  If you want to blame someone it has got to be those involved with signing these players and the club should take action to stop another waste of money happening. Buying players is risky but did no one think about the physical aspect of the British game compared to much of the European leagues these players come from, some of them do not know how to tackle or win a 50/50 ball. Lets just hope we manage to get a few replacements in soon otherwise we will be in the championship again within a few short months.

I agree but looking at other teams i see players no better than ours who achieve more individually and collectively during any game through motivation and desire to win.

When I was a lad I remember playing against the son of Robin Lawler (Fulham FC player 50's to early 60's) and he was tiny compared to many but he was as hard as nails and I don't mean by kicking.
In the tackle you would come out worse if you didn't get the timing right, so much so I still remember it today.
All through desire and proper technique learned no doubt from his Dad.

To those who comment on how our players should be able to handle the physicality of the PL, I say this.
Its down to the individual to have the motivation and desire that allows him to put the techniques they've learned into practise.
Some of our players just don't have enough desire!

I was trying to keep it short but yes you are right, they have a skill set but desire and battle for whatever reason appear to go missing on the pitch. I was trying to make that point although badly when I said "surround them with good players and they will probably do ok" There are one or two though who seem to have certain skills but do not seem to have a footballing brain

[wormbridge]

It's quite simple half of them are not Premiership players, no rocket science involved here and I am not criticising those players, some have just reached their level and it's championship at best. If you took each player individually and put him in a top 6 team with loads of support around them they could be ok.  If you want to blame someone it has got to be those involved with signing these players and the club should take action to stop another waste of money happening. Buying players is risky but did no one think about the physical aspect of the British game compared to much of the European leagues these players come from, some of them do not know how to tackle or win a 50/50 ball. Lets just hope we manage to get a few replacements in soon otherwise we will be in the championship again within a few short months.

I agree with what your saying but also have point out that the physical aspect is Not valid.

We all joke about a cold midweek up stoke scenario, but really if a player is gifted they find ways to combat the size aspect.

According to most Messi so the best player in the world, the chap is not far is being a dwarf, Kante has the physic of Mo Farah and Salah and Aguero are hardly the biggest set players.

What they all do is play to their strengths.

I don't know who was in charge of recruitment and I'm not bringing that into the post but on paper everyone of those players should be able to play at this level as they all came from good leagues, bar Bryan who came up from the championship.

Twelve players signed and 100 million pounds spent and only Mitrovic and possibly Mawson are automatic choices in the team ? ? Something is seriously wrong with our recruitment.

This time let us just leave it to the manager.

yes because football is littered with managers who spend money well.   On what basis does a busy manager have the knowledge and time to properly evaluate a world's worth of potential?  Then when the club changes manager  - on average every year isn't it? - and you ahve to give that manager "his" players... oh whoops, we have a squad already?  Now what? 

[bill taylors apprentice]

It's quite simple half of them are not Premiership players, no rocket science involved here and I am not criticising those players, some have just reached their level and it's championship at best. If you took each player individually and put him in a top 6 team with loads of support around them they could be ok.  If you want to blame someone it has got to be those involved with signing these players and the club should take action to stop another waste of money happening. Buying players is risky but did no one think about the physical aspect of the British game compared to much of the European leagues these players come from, some of them do not know how to tackle or win a 50/50 ball. Lets just hope we manage to get a few replacements in soon otherwise we will be in the championship again within a few short months.

I agree with what your saying but also have point out that the physical aspect is Not valid.

We all joke about a cold midweek up stoke scenario, but really if a player is gifted they find ways to combat the size aspect.

According to most Messi so the best player in the world, the chap is not far is being a dwarf, Kante has the physic of Mo Farah and Salah and Aguero are hardly the biggest set players.

What they all do is play to their strengths.

I don't know who was in charge of recruitment and I'm not bringing that into the post but on paper everyone of those players should be able to play at this level as they all came from good leagues, bar Bryan who came up from the championship.

Twelve players signed and 100 million pounds spent and only Mitrovic and possibly Mawson are automatic choices in the team ? ? Something is seriously wrong with our recruitment.

This time let us just leave it to the manager.

yes because football is littered with managers who spend money well.   On what basis does a busy manager have the knowledge and time to properly evaluate a world's worth of potential?  Then when the club changes manager  - on average every year isn't it? - and you ahve to give that manager "his" players... oh whoops, we have a squad already?  Now what? 

That's no excuse for the many failing of the recruitment team![/b]

[wormbridge]

It's quite simple half of them are not Premiership players, no rocket science involved here and I am not criticising those players, some have just reached their level and it's championship at best. If you took each player individually and put him in a top 6 team with loads of support around them they could be ok.  If you want to blame someone it has got to be those involved with signing these players and the club should take action to stop another waste of money happening. Buying players is risky but did no one think about the physical aspect of the British game compared to much of the European leagues these players come from, some of them do not know how to tackle or win a 50/50 ball. Lets just hope we manage to get a few replacements in soon otherwise we will be in the championship again within a few short months.

I agree with what your saying but also have point out that the physical aspect is Not valid.

We all joke about a cold midweek up stoke scenario, but really if a player is gifted they find ways to combat the size aspect.

According to most Messi so the best player in the world, the chap is not far is being a dwarf, Kante has the physic of Mo Farah and Salah and Aguero are hardly the biggest set players.

What they all do is play to their strengths.

I don't know who was in charge of recruitment and I'm not bringing that into the post but on paper everyone of those players should be able to play at this level as they all came from good leagues, bar Bryan who came up from the championship.

Twelve players signed and 100 million pounds spent and only Mitrovic and possibly Mawson are automatic choices in the team ? ? Something is seriously wrong with our recruitment.

This time let us just leave it to the manager.

yes because football is littered with managers who spend money well.   On what basis does a busy manager have the knowledge and time to properly evaluate a world's worth of potential?  Then when the club changes manager  - on average every year isn't it? - and you ahve to give that manager "his" players... oh whoops, we have a squad already?  Now what? 

That's no excuse for the many failing of the recruitment team![/b]

We keep going back to this but they brought in an excellent goalkeeper, an England squad CB, a LB who people seem to quite rate, a player who'd been ever present at Marseille and reached the Europa League Final with them, a midfielder who legitimately was talked about in big club circles, a winger who won the World Cup with Germany and another Attacking player who recently cost £18m, on loan, too.  We have a CB/DM on loan from Arsenal who's doing well.  And one of hte best centre-forwards outside the top 6.  And this is "many failings" when a whole squad needed rebuilding.

[Nightwind15]

I will say that when I played, back in the day, playing with more skilled players allowed me to focus more on what I did best and not trying to cover more ground that I should because of a lack of desire or talent by the others on the squad.  Hell, they may have said the same thing about me.