Perspective

[northamptonsteve]

Top of the league, with GD 6 pts clear of third, who would not have had some of this at the start of the season? Luton was always gonna be tough and Sheff Utd won't be any easier, great times enjoy!

[FFC1987]

Top of the league, with GD 6 pts clear of third, who would not have had some of this at the start of the season? Luton was always gonna be tough and Sheff Utd won't be any easier, great times enjoy!

Sounds nice, but 4 draws isn't top 2 form which we need to maintain (as much as possible) automatic promotion.

[grandad]

I would much rather have the last 4 draws than a win, a draw & 2 losses.

[Worcesterwhite]

Average of 2pts a game generally wins auto, we are still above this so on track

[JoelH5]

I don't understand this mentality where the team can't be criticised. Yes, we're in a good position but that doesn't mean we can't be critical of the last 4 games. When teams like Liverpool won the league they never said, oh but we're top so it doesn't matter as much. Every single game matters. Yes we are in a good position but we have dropped more points, another opportunity missed to extended the lead and winless in 4. We need to win the next game and the players should know that recent performances aren't up to the standard they have previously set.

[davew]

Average of 2pts a game generally wins auto, we are still above this so on track

If we lose our next match we will be below 2 points a game, we are heading in the wrong direction!! Even Blackburn might catch us up soon and how did we do against them at their ground? Something going against us at the moment, illness, bad weather, heavy ground conditions, some inept performances because of a large squad with quite a few players not getting a lot of playing time, who knows? The run of 7 wins on the trot was great, imagine if it had been 7 draws, we would have been level with Luton on points who proved they deserved a point today!

[Whitestone]

Teams are upping their game against us. We have more than enough quality to beat teams like Luton and have to raise our levels too if want the three points. Today it looked like they wanted it just a bit more than we did. Im not suggesting we were complacent but that  team today is better than the performance we saw.

[HV71]

The next few weeks are of great importance. Whilst I refuse to go into a state of melt down over the results of the past few games - it is critical that we get back to winning ways. Many on here , including myself, will be disappointed about today - 3 points would have put us 4 points clear with an incredible goal difference which effectively would make it 5 . That would have been fantastic for this stage of the season - but it wasn't to be. I need to get over it - we all need to get over it.

If we are disappointed then I'm sure the players and management team are also really feeling it.

All teams , especially in this league, go through a bad patch- why should we be any different? The thing is we are not losing - which is incredible. If we are cacking ourselves then spare a thought for our nearest rivals  - how must their supporters feel ?

Our expectations are incredibly high, too high - especially when I see predictions for today like 6- 0 - which is not only a lot of b****cks but totally disrespectful to the opposition and this amazingly professional league that we find ourselves in . No room for arrogance here or ever for that matter.

There is no doubt that we need to work our way out of this current patch - we need to win - but I'm sure that fact is far from lost on Silva and the team . I'm sure they will do what they can - and so must we
So COYW!!!!

[Worcesterwhite]

Average of 2pts a game generally wins auto, we are still above this so on track

If we lose our next match we will be below 2 points a game, we are heading in the wrong direction!! Even Blackburn might catch us up soon and how did we do against them at their ground? Something going against us at the moment, illness, bad weather, heavy ground conditions, some inept performances because of a large squad with quite a few players not getting a lot of playing time, who knows? The run of 7 wins on the trot was great, imagine if it had been 7 draws, we would have been level with Luton on points who proved they deserved a point today!

Yes but we could win our next game and go on another winning streak.... That's the good thing about this league, well done to Blackburn to upping their game after we have them a kick up the backside, you can react two different ways to a result like that, give up or prove a point

[filham]

Top of the league, with GD 6 pts clear of third, who would not have had some of this at the start of the season? Luton was always gonna be tough and Sheff Utd won't be any easier, great times enjoy!

Sounds nice, but 4 draws isn't top 2 form which we need to maintain (as much as possible) automatic promotion.

3 goals and 4 points from 4 games is relegation form.

[northamptonsteve]

Didn't say the team couldn't be criticised, just offering perspective. The forum invites opinion, that was mine!

[Whitestone]

Top of the league, with GD 6 pts clear of third, who would not have had some of this at the start of the season? Luton was always gonna be tough and Sheff Utd won't be any easier, great times enjoy!

Sounds nice, but 4 draws isn't top 2 form which we need to maintain (as much as possible) automatic promotion.

3 goals and 4 points from 4 games is relegation form.

The season is decided after 46 games not 4. We're almost at the half way stage and we're doing fine. As current top dog we're the team everyone wants to beat and Luton gave it a good go. If we're going to maintain our position we need to rise to the challenge. I have no doubt we will and haven't seen anything to suggest we can't go on and win the league.

[WindyCity]

I don't understand this mentality where the team can't be criticised. Yes, we're in a good position but that doesn't mean we can't be critical of the last 4 games.

Agreed.  I see a lot of excuse making in this discussion.  Other teams 'upping' their games v FFC?  I think all teams go in to every game trying to 'up' their performance.  Bad weather, health issues, grounds conditions, players not getting play time, lots of excuses to go around.  Suffice to say FFC hasn't played like a top two team these past 4 games, 4 ties, 3 goals scored.  Very happy to be top of table, but not really a time to sit back and enjoy and be self satisfied.  We're starting to see some chinks in the armour.  After taking the lead v Luton, it almost appeared that the team changed their approach and were gonna be satisfied with a 1 nil final score, ala SP style.  Can't put a hand on it, but this team doesn't seem to be playing with any sense of urgency.

[SuffolkWhite]

Midway through the season pretty much , and top of the league, no need for worry yet. We are still fighting 100% so what's the worry! Panic if you want to.

[FFC1987]

Not worrying. Not panicking but I'd think it was obvious that our last 4 draws have also had a few questionable performances. Just need to win the next game and build a run. Don't be worried about criticising short term performances and form. People like myself aren't writing us off or anything, just suggesting it's not been ideal. We've had our lead to 3rd cut again when we're playing meh opposition.

[RaySmith]

WE should give the team credit for  coming out of that game with a point- which we battled for in difficult conditions.

Obviously  we would all have preferred a win, including the players, but at least we continued our unbeaten run, AND are still top,. and , were again denied a pen.

It's a tough season, look at B/mouth - miles in the lead  mere weeks ago.

A point on the road v an on form  Luton side, who, like most teams  when they play us, played like it was a Cup tie- and still unbeaten, and  top the league!

[Denver Fulham]

We're going to be autopromoted. You all need to stop worrying every five seconds. Over 46 matches, our quality is miles ahead of anyone else. The eye test and our GD shows that. You expect WBA or whomever to be six or more points *better* than us over half a season? Good luck with that.

[Woolly Mammoth]

Yes we are top, yes we have quality, yes we look different class at times, however i do sense a lack of urgency and application at times. Our achilles heal if we have one is that old chestnut a slightly soft underbelly snd physical presence. We are not ruthless enough when there is a need for it. We are not the finished article, but we could be with a little surgery 
Nevertheless, we may be currently sitting at the summit of the Division, but it will only take some injuries to key players, suspensions, loss of form and poor judgment by referees to derail us.
Mix all those up and you could have a cocktail of disappointment.
Therefore never look further than the next match and always be prepared for the unexpected.
To win any League you need to have a strong mentality and take no prisoners.
There is more than half the season to go yet so do not take anything for granted, and to finish off and complete the job, Fulham need leaders, and warriors, and winners throughout the team if they want to stay in the automatic places.
There is still plenary of work to be done and attitude and commitment have to be A1.
If any player is having a bad game, he can still run around, some players can tend to forget that 
There will be more games like Luton, none are a picnic, if any team and it's supporters show arrogance and any form of superiority, all the other clubs will rip them a new one.
Success has many fathers but failure is an orphan 

[FFC In Oz]

What's more worrying is the fact we haven't won in 4 games.

[Milo]

Teams are upping their game against us. We have more than enough quality to beat teams like Luton and have to raise our levels too if want the three points. Today it looked like they wanted it just a bit more than we did. Im not suggesting we were complacent but that  team today is better than the performance we saw.

Agree. Teams are playing out of their skins against us now. We must step up a level.

For me last night we aren't playing with enough pace on the counter attack, aren't shifting the ball quick enough. I also think Mitrovic is off the boil since he had norovirus.. it really knocked him off his stride. Wilson is also out of form and I think struggling to justify his place in the team currently.

I wonder if:

Rodak
Tete
Tosin
Ream
Odoi/Robinson (not convinced at all by Bryan defensively)
Reed as DM (not in the advanced position Silva seems to play him in recently..)
Seri more advanced (!!)
Cairney behind strikers
Kebano
Mitrovic
Carvalho on RW

Off bench, I think Onomah has offered very little and shouldn't be coming on. If Chalobah is fit then would be up for seeing him as the midfield substitution. Otherwise, Wilson and D Reid are the obvious impact subs.