I just can't believe it

[The Swan]

I just can't believe that we did not score a goal against a team with Zat Knight(mare) in the defence. Every time I see him play I feel that he is likely to score an own goal or just get beaten for pace.
I suspose that one point away from home is better that our last four away games which we got zero points.
Looking forward to Tuesday and having a big win (at last)

[HatterDon]

for those of you who have been asleep throughout the Hodgson era ...

1. When we're on the road against a mediocre or poor team, we always play for 0-0.
2. If they don't score, there's no reason for us to attempt to.
3. This changes around mid-March when, for some reason, we start playing like every away match is at Man City.
4. We are the most boring, least attacking road side in the Prem. It's one of the main reasons why we have so many travelers.

I love Fulham, but I'd really like us to at least TRY to win on the road occasionally.

[finnster01]

for those of you who have been asleep throughout the Hodgson era ...

1. When we're on the road against a mediocre or poor team, we always play for 0-0.
2. If they don't score, there's no reason for us to attempt to.
3. This changes around mid-March when, for some reason, we start playing like every away match is at Man City.
4. We are the most boring, least attacking road side in the Prem. It's one of the main reasons why we have so many travelers.

I love Fulham, but I'd really like us to at least TRY to win on the road occasionally.

Amen to that Mr Hatter.

I may be wrong, but think the last time we actually tried to win on the road was the great escape at Pompey because we had to.

[clintclintdeuce]

We have played 1 inspired half of away football all year, and that was the 2nd at Stoke.

And, with the setup we had at Bolton, we didnt have the ABILITY to score.

[LBNo11]

...my main concern is that like the previous managerial genius we had, Tigana, there was just one style of play. Tigana played the same shape every time and after one season in the premiership, teams had us sussed, we may as well as sent our forthcoming opposition an e-mail 'pdf' of our tactics for them to peruse in readiness.

I understand that if we reach the 'magic' 40 points (maybe around mid-march) that we may just relax enough to actually mount the odd attack that goes forwards instead of sideways - or backwards.

Mr Hodgsons' philosophy appears to be one of prudent discipline away, which would be fine if our players succesfully passed to each other the majority of the time. Plan 'A' is be strong in defence with the whole team working to that end, the intention being to get a draw (or at least not lose) which is fine until some naughty opposition player scores against us. Plan 'B' is almost the same as plan 'A' but with more angst and the same ineffective attack.

Granted we have so many injuries (well it was bound to happen eventually) but even with our full first team squad the same tactics are employed.

Last season the majority of time plan 'A' worked, this season everyone knows how to play us, and if they neutralize Murph and dare to win dead ball kicks we look screwed.

Just once in a while, it would be so refreshing to see Fulham come out from the 'blocks' fast, hungry and aggressive - home or away - and maybe let the defence help the attack and maybe, just now and again, try a shot, even if it is just to waste time, or to show how much you hate corner flags...

[NorfolkJim]

That prudence away from home hasn't exactly serves us well, has it? I'd rather we give it a real go away from home - what have we got to lose? Our away record is terrible. I'd rather lose away trying to win than not go for the 3 points.

[SuffolkWhite]

How the hell did we win in Basel?
We knew we had to get a win to stay in the Europa. All Roy has to do is tell the team that this is a must win game and go for it, Simples!

[TonyGilroy]

We're 10th in the League.

If only away results counted we'd be 12th. There are 8 teams out of 20 whose away record is worse than or no better than ours.

Surprising stat that puts things in perspective IMO.

[jarv]

Fulham are comfortably in mid table, even after a horrendous run of games (most away). Hodgson learnt his trade in Italy and managing national teams. That suggests, containment and counter attacking. The problem at the moment is the lack of pace for the counter attack. Johnson is the obvious missing player, but Simon davies also has  decent pace, (or did have last season) Kamara was supposed to have pace but never really showed it. Okaka might provide it before the season is over, so let's hope, and stay positive even though away days are a bit painful to watch.
Think about it, if Fulham had nicked a 1-0 late in the game, the previous 80+ minutes would all have been forgotten.

A few years ago, home v Bollton, Fulham were awful, 1-0 down and clueless. Then 2 goals in 2 minutes changed everything. I left, along with probably most of you, with a big smile, hearing mumblings of "great game eh! around me.

[FatFreddysCat]

We're 10th in the League.

If only away results counted we'd be 12th. There are 8 teams out of 20 whose away record is worse than or no better than ours.

Surprising stat that puts things in perspective IMO.

Thats is very strange, but thank God that so many other teams are totaly crap.

[Jimpav]

We're 10th in the League.

If only away results counted we'd be 12th. There are 8 teams out of 20 whose away record is worse than or no better than ours.

Surprising stat that puts things in perspective IMO.

That's a great stat Tony. It does put our away form into perspective. It does seem that most teams struggle on the road these days.

So much depends on staying up in the PL that teams know that if they can win the majority of their home games and pick up the odd point on the road then they will stay up. Chairmen
and fans are largely content with this so there seems to be no reason to change this approach.

I can't see this changing all the time that the poverty gap between the PL and the lower league widens.

As the elite band of the top four and a few other monied clubs (Spurs, City etc), showboating their way around the country, tour their glossy product to the rest of us plebs the gap in our own division will only increase further.

Now you know why Woy plays it safe.  

[Rupert]

Something to remember with our away form, we have one of the smallest pitches in the Premiership, I think we only just make the minimum size required widthwise, at home we can tailor our game to use this, away is going to mean changing the way we play on larger/wider pitches.
It may not be pretty, but up until December 28th we were pickig up points away from home at a steady, if unspectacular, rate.

[LBNo11]

Something to remember with our away form, we have one of the smallest pitches in the Premiership, I think we only just make the minimum size required widthwise, at home we can tailor our game to use this, away is going to mean changing the way we play on larger/wider pitches.
It may not be pretty, but up until December 28th we were pickig up points away from home at a steady, if unspectacular, rate.

...Rupert, firstly well done for breaking your duck - and secondly - for some time I was under the same conclusion, however, it does not live up to overall statistics, and an extra 4 yards should not make such a difference to finely tuned athletes:-

Yards Capacity SQ Yards Cap/SqYd
Hull 114 x 78 25,404 8892 2.85
Villa  114 × 78 42,783 8892 4.81
Blackburn 115 x 76 31,367 8740 3.58
Everton 112 x 78 40,157 8736 4.59
Sunderland 115 × 75 49,000 8625 5.68
Arsenal 113 × 76 60,355    8588 7.02
Man Utd 114.8 x 74.4 75,797 8541.12 8.87
Pompey 115 x 73 20,224 8395 2.40
Fulham 110 x 75 25,700 8250 3.11
Chelse_a 113 x 73 42,055 8249 5.09
Citeh 113 × 73 47,726 8249 5.78
Liverpool 111 x 74 45,276 8214 5.51
Burnley 114 × 72 22,546 8208 2.74
Spuds 110 x 73 36,310 8030 4.52
Wigan 120 × 66 25,138 7920 3.17
Bolton 110 x 72 28,723 7920 3.62
Brum 109 × 72 30,079 7848 3.83
Stoke 110 by 70 28,383 7700 3.68
Spam 110 x 70 35,303 7700 4.58
Wolves 109 x 70 28,525 7630 3.73

See the thread link for the previous discussion: http://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?topic=348.0

[timmyg]

We're 10th in the League.

If only away results counted we'd be 12th. There are 8 teams out of 20 whose away record is worse than or no better than ours.

Surprising stat that puts things in perspective IMO.

Where did you find that stat Tony? I'm finding tied for 13th with Stoke and Spam on 8 points.

Anywho, if you go back and look our away record under Roy it's not as bad as people make it seem.

This year: 12/15th (so far)
08/09: 9th (!!!) 17 points
07/08: 12th      16 points, tied with Boro
06/07: 17th      11 points, tied with SheffU
05/06: 20th      7 points
04/05: 12th      16 points, tied with Newcastle
03/04: 9th       21 points, tied with Brum
02/03: 16th      12 points, tied with Boro and WBA
01/02: 12th      16 points, tied with BBurn and Tottenham

So, 1.5 really bad seasons under Coleman and 1 awful season (combined, sorta) under Sanchez and we're the worst road team in the history of the league? Please.

It's disappointing, but I don't see how it's any different from any other club like us.