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Luton

Started by SP, October 19, 2019, 11:13:06 PM

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SP

On offer @ 6/1.  That seems rather generous, particularly after they tanked Bristol City this afternoon?

Spirit of 2000

Lose to Luton and Parker has to go.

fcfulham55

Difficult to see a win here, another home 2-2
Sent from my Nokia 3310


FFC1987

Big pressure game this....win, and build some consistency or lose and have a think about rebuilding.

filham

Just waiting for Parker to say they are a difficult team to play against and we will be treating them with a lot of respect,

With our squad and playing at the Cottage we should be looking for at least a 3-0 win.
However lets be honest, things really have not been going the way we expected, there must be pressure mounting on the players and Parker.

Woolly Mammoth

#5
It has come as no surprise to me, there are no easy games, every match is a different challenge and thwart with, danger, potholes banana skins and road crashes. No team will lie down, as a lot of people who thought was a walk in the park are coming to realise. We are not the best team or best squad in the Division. The League Table never lies. We may end up not being one of the best six teams in the top six, unless every player is prepared to bust a gut, sweat blood in conjunction with a gut full of fire in their belly, and play within the framework of the team.
Otherwise we will end up being also rans, and that will be a shame as we are not punching our weight for one reason or another.
Its not the man in the fight, it's the fight in the man.  🐘

Never forget your Roots.


Facts Not Fiction

We fail to win, I will probably be on the Parker out train.

The Rational Fan

#7
Quote from: Facts Not Fiction on October 20, 2019, 10:56:39 PM
We fail to win, I will probably be on the Parker out train.

There is no point appointing a new manager with a game in 4 days, unless the next manager is already with the squad like Stuart Gray. But frankly, the assistant manager also failed to persuade the manager to use the right tactics against Stoke, so Stuart Gray is no better option than Scott Parker.

Jim©

Quote from: filham on October 20, 2019, 10:23:40 PM

With our squad and playing at the Cottage we should be looking for at least a 3-0 win.


I'd love to know how people pick random scores out of the air for a "we should win this by" statement of non fact.
I think we're amongst the most entitled fans in the country, which is strange given our history.


FFC1987

Quote from: Jim© on October 21, 2019, 09:28:34 AM
Quote from: filham on October 20, 2019, 10:23:40 PM

With our squad and playing at the Cottage we should be looking for at least a 3-0 win.


I'd love to know how people pick random scores out of the air for a "we should win this by" statement of non fact.
I think we're amongst the most entitled fans in the country, which is strange given our history.

I'll entertain this line of argument. It's not a matter of 'entitlement', it's a matter of expectation. The expectation for this team is top 2. That's not an entitlement that we should finish top 2, that's the expectation and objective. When people, like myself, see the fixture list, you generally put them into 3 brackets, top 6, mid table, bottom 6 (or variants of that number), if you wish to be a top team, it's usually prudent to beat the bottom 6, pick up more wins than draws/losses (and the home win if possible) against mid table and draw/lose to top 6 based on home/away leg. So when you see Stoke, Forest, Barnsley, Cardiff, Sheffield Wednesday and Charlton, sometimes you 'expect' better because you have to roll with the probability that points from the generally in form top 6 teams is unlikely. We've encountered some of these already, form teams punching above where you'd think they would be and have come up short so in the long term, you have to wonder where the points will be coming from to make up the gaps in the pursuit for top 2.

I guess the next part you'd like to point at is, why is the expectation top 2. Well, simply put, with the biggest wage bill, most expensive squad in terms of market value and a lot of players who walk into most teams in this division, its a no brainer that this team should be not only top 2 but challenging for winning the league. You may call that entitlement still, but if the objective is this from the chairmen based on investment, I don't think its unreasonable for the fans to think so too.

Opposition need to be respected, sure. But this squad shouldn't be worried by some of the fixtures we've already failed in and they shouldn't be beaten or points taken away from, by the likes of Luton with all due respect to them. I don't think one player from them gets into this team so thats what I'm basing it on.

Woolly Mammoth

Somebody insinuated at the start of the season that no Barnsley player would get in the Fulham team. Well we all know what happened there. It's not the man in the fight, it's the fight in the man. As we all witnessed last season, when our team capitulated time and again. This season we have managed to win only 5 out of 12 matches. Possibly what happens in the next 12 matches may define our season, injuries permitting.
Its not the man in the fight, it's the fight in the man.  🐘

Never forget your Roots.

RaySmith

Quote from: FFC1987 on October 21, 2019, 09:53:14 AM
Quote from: Jim© on October 21, 2019, 09:28:34 AM
Quote from: filham on October 20, 2019, 10:23:40 PM

With our squad and playing at the Cottage we should be looking for at least a 3-0 win.


I'd love to know how people pick random scores out of the air for a "we should win this by" statement of non fact.
I think we're amongst the most entitled fans in the country, which is strange given our history.

I'll entertain this line of argument. It's not a matter of 'entitlement', it's a matter of expectation. The expectation for this team is top 2. That's not an entitlement that we should finish top 2, that's the expectation and objective. When people, like myself, see the fixture list, you generally put them into 3 brackets, top 6, mid table, bottom 6 (or variants of that number), if you wish to be a top team, it's usually prudent to beat the bottom 6, pick up more wins than draws/losses (and the home win if possible) against mid table and draw/lose to top 6 based on home/away leg. So when you see Stoke, Forest, Barnsley, Cardiff, Sheffield Wednesday and Charlton, sometimes you 'expect' better because you have to roll with the probability that points from the generally in form top 6 teams is unlikely. We've encountered some of these already, form teams punching above where you'd think they would be and have come up short so in the long term, you have to wonder where the points will be coming from to make up the gaps in the pursuit for top 2.

I guess the next part you'd like to point at is, why is the expectation top 2. Well, simply put, with the biggest wage bill, most expensive squad in terms of market value and a lot of players who walk into most teams in this division, its a no brainer that this team should be not only top 2 but challenging for winning the league. You may call that entitlement still, but if the objective is this from the chairmen based on investment, I don't think its unreasonable for the fans to think so too.

Opposition need to be respected, sure. But this squad shouldn't be worried by some of the fixtures we've already failed in and they shouldn't be beaten or points taken away from, by the likes of Luton with all due respect to them. I don't think one player from them gets into this team so thats what I'm basing it on.

But it's all down to 11 v 11 on the day - and  whoever we play in this division will be a TEAM of 11 quality, very fit, well organised players , highly motivated to beat us.


Woolly Mammoth

Quote from: RaySmith on October 21, 2019, 10:22:10 AM
Quote from: FFC1987 on October 21, 2019, 09:53:14 AM
Quote from: Jim© on October 21, 2019, 09:28:34 AM
Quote from: filham on October 20, 2019, 10:23:40 PM

With our squad and playing at the Cottage we should be looking for at least a 3-0 win.


I'd love to know how people pick random scores out of the air for a "we should win this by" statement of non fact.
I think we're amongst the most entitled fans in the country, which is strange given our history.

I'll entertain this line of argument. It's not a matter of 'entitlement', it's a matter of expectation. The expectation for this team is top 2. That's not an entitlement that we should finish top 2, that's the expectation and objective. When people, like myself, see the fixture list, you generally put them into 3 brackets, top 6, mid table, bottom 6 (or variants of that number), if you wish to be a top team, it's usually prudent to beat the bottom 6, pick up more wins than draws/losses (and the home win if possible) against mid table and draw/lose to top 6 based on home/away leg. So when you see Stoke, Forest, Barnsley, Cardiff, Sheffield Wednesday and Charlton, sometimes you 'expect' better because you have to roll with the probability that points from the generally in form top 6 teams is unlikely. We've encountered some of these already, form teams punching above where you'd think they would be and have come up short so in the long term, you have to wonder where the points will be coming from to make up the gaps in the pursuit for top 2.

I guess the next part you'd like to point at is, why is the expectation top 2. Well, simply put, with the biggest wage bill, most expensive squad in terms of market value and a lot of players who walk into most teams in this division, its a no brainer that this team should be not only top 2 but challenging for winning the league. You may call that entitlement still, but if the objective is this from the chairmen based on investment, I don't think its unreasonable for the fans to think so too.

Opposition need to be respected, sure. But this squad shouldn't be worried by some of the fixtures we've already failed in and they shouldn't be beaten or points taken away from, by the likes of Luton with all due respect to them. I don't think one player from them gets into this team so thats what I'm basing it on.

But it's all down to 11 v 11 on the day - and  whoever we play in this division will be a TEAM of 11 quality, very fit, well organised players , highly motivated to beat us.

Precisely
Its not the man in the fight, it's the fight in the man.  🐘

Never forget your Roots.

FFC1987

Quote from: Woolly Mammoth on October 21, 2019, 10:25:47 AM
Quote from: RaySmith on October 21, 2019, 10:22:10 AM
Quote from: FFC1987 on October 21, 2019, 09:53:14 AM
Quote from: Jim© on October 21, 2019, 09:28:34 AM
Quote from: filham on October 20, 2019, 10:23:40 PM

With our squad and playing at the Cottage we should be looking for at least a 3-0 win.


I'd love to know how people pick random scores out of the air for a "we should win this by" statement of non fact.
I think we're amongst the most entitled fans in the country, which is strange given our history.

I'll entertain this line of argument. It's not a matter of 'entitlement', it's a matter of expectation. The expectation for this team is top 2. That's not an entitlement that we should finish top 2, that's the expectation and objective. When people, like myself, see the fixture list, you generally put them into 3 brackets, top 6, mid table, bottom 6 (or variants of that number), if you wish to be a top team, it's usually prudent to beat the bottom 6, pick up more wins than draws/losses (and the home win if possible) against mid table and draw/lose to top 6 based on home/away leg. So when you see Stoke, Forest, Barnsley, Cardiff, Sheffield Wednesday and Charlton, sometimes you 'expect' better because you have to roll with the probability that points from the generally in form top 6 teams is unlikely. We've encountered some of these already, form teams punching above where you'd think they would be and have come up short so in the long term, you have to wonder where the points will be coming from to make up the gaps in the pursuit for top 2.

I guess the next part you'd like to point at is, why is the expectation top 2. Well, simply put, with the biggest wage bill, most expensive squad in terms of market value and a lot of players who walk into most teams in this division, its a no brainer that this team should be not only top 2 but challenging for winning the league. You may call that entitlement still, but if the objective is this from the chairmen based on investment, I don't think its unreasonable for the fans to think so too.

Opposition need to be respected, sure. But this squad shouldn't be worried by some of the fixtures we've already failed in and they shouldn't be beaten or points taken away from, by the likes of Luton with all due respect to them. I don't think one player from them gets into this team so thats what I'm basing it on.

But it's all down to 11 v 11 on the day - and  whoever we play in this division will be a TEAM of 11 quality, very fit, well organised players , highly motivated to beat us.

Precisely

I don't disagree but we have enough quality in depth in this squad to overcome gritty teams. Or maybe i'm wrong, and we don't and this team isn't as good as I thought.

That doesn't negate the point of why we expect a top 2 finish and its an underachievement if we don't. We have gritty players, we have some of the most gifted technical midfielders, pacey, tricky wingers and a striker who scores goals at all levels hes played. Its a tough league and I agree, we aren't out of the races yet in our objective, but I don't think its unfair to criticise bad results we've had already this season.

Jim©

Expectation and objective are two entirely different things. Our expectations as fans are, I'd suggest, in need of a reset. A relegated team is on a downward trend and the first thing a coach does is try to reverse that; start winning, improve the atmosphere, release the deadwood. It's a readjustment that is very rarely instantaneous and one that I feel we're doing pretty well at. Cardiff and Huddersfield less so.

The objective is of course promotion and with this squad it is of course possible. I'm yet, perhaps bar Sheff Weds, see a team that looks better than us. Out of the games we've played, that's a very good sign.
I'd argue that we should have more points thus far and be nearer to the top, I don't think many teams will feel like they've been unlucky against us.



FFC1987

So, if the objective was top 2, and the expectation was top 2, why would you reset that now unless you're confirming we're definitely going to underachieve this season?

For all the 'top teams when they go down struggle', teams that keep the EPL quality players tend to go back up. Newcastle, a perfect example. Looking at the teams that have struggled after going down over the years, seem to lose a lot or a few key players which have major repercussions. We haven't done that and we've added some real class players. We should be aiming for top 2, anything else is an underachievement. Simple as that.

Jim©

Quote from: FFC1987 on October 21, 2019, 10:42:51 AM
So, if the objective was top 2, and the expectation was top 2, why would you reset that now unless you're confirming we're definitely going to underachieve this season?

For all the 'top teams when they go down struggle', teams that keep the EPL quality players tend to go back up. Newcastle, a perfect example. Looking at the teams that have struggled after going down over the years, seem to lose a lot or a few key players which have major repercussions. We haven't done that and we've added some real class players. We should be aiming for top 2, anything else is an underachievement. Simple as that.

Who said expectation was top 2? Mine was top 6 and I'd be annoyed if we didn't get that.
Stoke kept a very expensive team and they didn't exactly set the division on fire last season. Sunderland? Swansea? Hull? The division is littered with teams that "just" went down, so please don't try and make it that it's dead easy to go straight back up. Infact I think data shows it's easier to come up from Div 1 with a lesser squad (but good momentum) and finish higher than a relegated Prem team (with an expensively assembled squad).


FFC1987

The general theme in all those examples, including Stoke, was that key players left though so they aren't like for like examples whereas Newcastle was. Going straight back up isn't easy, but top 2 is still the expectation. Maybe not for you, but based on general atmopshere of this forum and many FFC fans I speak to, it was top 2.


Jim©

Quote from: FFC1987 on October 21, 2019, 11:19:23 AM
The general theme in all those examples, including Stoke, was that key players left though so they aren't like for like examples whereas Newcastle was. Going straight back up isn't easy, but top 2 is still the expectation. Maybe not for you, but based on general atmopshere of this forum and many FFC fans I speak to, it was top 2.

Sorry, but Newcastle example is incorrect. Sissoko, Townsend and Wijnaldum left for £60 million odd, Janmaat, Cisse and Cabella going for another £30m. Incomings? Hanley, Ciaran Clark, Gayle, Sels, Yedlin for approx £35m.

You could argue, with Sess, Seri, Anguissa, Rico, Chambers, Babel/Schurrle we had to find 1/2 a team to compete this season? So many forget how "new" this team is and Parker got panned for saying it at the weekend.

FFC1987

Quote from: Jim© on October 21, 2019, 11:46:58 AM
Quote from: FFC1987 on October 21, 2019, 11:19:23 AM
The general theme in all those examples, including Stoke, was that key players left though so they aren't like for like examples whereas Newcastle was. Going straight back up isn't easy, but top 2 is still the expectation. Maybe not for you, but based on general atmopshere of this forum and many FFC fans I speak to, it was top 2.

Sorry, but Newcastle example is incorrect. Sissoko, Townsend and Wijnaldum left for £60 million odd, Janmaat, Cisse and Cabella going for another £30m. Incomings? Hanley, Ciaran Clark, Gayle, Sels, Yedlin for approx £35m.

You could argue, with Sess, Seri, Anguissa, Rico, Chambers, Babel/Schurrle we had to find 1/2 a team to compete this season? So many forget how "new" this team is and Parker got panned for saying it at the weekend.

Oh come on, the team and squad Newcastle still had was one of, if not the best squads I've seen the championship. There squad the season they went down, was much betters than ours too so the players gone already had replacements in the squad. Parker got panned on here because it was mainly misquoted.

If you can't see the likeness between us and Newcastle, and especially it being unlike the other teams mentioned, I don't know what to tell you. Respectfully, agree to disagree.