I’m sure I am in the minority

[bill taylors apprentice]

Spurs not won in 15 games,
Liam Delap not scored in 20 games for chelsea.
so are we that bad, or are fans expectations
just unrealistic. Although a little
bit of entertainment would be nice.

Another sensible post but the issue IMO is this, we do have good players, many small individual good days and a settled club atmosphere apart from the manager coming to the end of his contract.

But after establishing ourselves in the PL, spending big (for us) money on recruitment, we have hit a ceiling regarding achieving any kind of success.

We are organised to the point that we rarely get well beaten (result wise) but struggle to impress even in games we win.

We know there's more in this team when we see the come back against Man City, the performances against other top clubs but too often we play with the brakes on.

A couple of new signings that bring improvements immediately such as when Pereira or Palhina arrived could bring the desired effect otherwise stagnation will lead to a real struggle for points in the future.
 

[AJW48361]

Don't rate our Chances of European Football next season. Our remaining Fixtures look devilishly difficult.

[SuperFreeman]

But I am an optimist. We are going through a bit of a rough patch, but we are only 3 points behind 6th place Chelsea who are in free fall. I'm not sure if 8,9 or 10 teams get into Europe but we are certainly in the mix. 3 games at home and on our day all winnable. Away to the bottom club and Arsenal. The other 6 clubs have similar run ins, some playing each other, Bees and Boscombe playing City. There will be many twists and turns, but we shouldn't write it off. Let's hope Everton lose to Liverpool and Sunderland lose to Villa tomorrow. Both extremely possible. Then onto the next weekend and you never know

Don't really understand your point. I think most of us are happy to just be in the Premier League and that Silva has done such a good job over the past four seasons with a limited budget and a squad that's not exactly brimming with great talent. Looking at the table, Fulham are 12th...just three points behind Stamford Bridge circus side. I don't think many of us are expecting to be playing in the Champions League.....the club has to cut its cloth according to its size.....we are not a BIG club and never will be. It was 30 years ago that Micky Adams managed to stop us playing non-league football when it seemed odds on that we would. So, you might have higher expectations than the rest of or have just forgotten the past????
And what about the plan for Fulham Park Rangers back in the 1980s???  (Marler Estates/Bulstrode wanting to sell Craven Cottage and build luxury apartments and merge FFC with QPR at play at LR?? So, let's just be thankful of where we are and what we are. No one is down in the mouth over the prospect of not playing Real Madrid/Bayern Munich/PSG next season. That's cloud cuckoo land imo. Europa League/Conference League then maybe. But I don't think we have a good enough squad players to win anything and unless there's a Saudi takeover of oil money and a bottomless  pit of cash to buy some top line, heavy duty players, than Fulham will always be a small/medium family club and long may that continue.

[SuperFreeman]

But I am an optimist. We are going through a bit of a rough patch, but we are only 3 points behind 6th place Chelsea who are in free fall. I'm not sure if 8,9 or 10 teams get into Europe but we are certainly in the mix. 3 games at home and on our day all winnable. Away to the bottom club and Arsenal. The other 6 clubs have similar run ins, some playing each other, Bees and Boscombe playing City. There will be many twists and turns, but we shouldn't write it off. Let's hope Everton lose to Liverpool and Sunderland lose to Villa tomorrow. Both extremely possible. Then onto the next weekend and you never know

Reality check:
1987: Bulstrode plans to sell off Craven Cottage to build luxury Thames apartments AND merge the club with QPR into one club called Fulham Park Rangers AND play at Loftus Road.
Only a fans revolt by both FFC and QPR stop this controversial and ludicrous proposal.
1996: FFC are heading out of the Football League.
But Micky Adams works his magic, and the rest is history as Adams' Class of '97 finish the 96/97 season with their first promotion in 15 years.
1997: Al-Fayed sensationally becomes Fulham's new owner when he purchases the freehold of the club. The spending spree begins.
2001: Fulham are promoted to the Premier League. Let the good times roll. But no one is getting carried away with themselves. Fulham will not be the Man Utd of the South.
But if Fayed hadn't have come along, Fulham would never be where it is now. So, let's be thankful for what happened and be thankful for the present situation under Silva who is doing a good job with a small budget and a squad which is not exactly brimming with talent. Sure, every football fan would love to see their club playing Real Madrid/Bayern Munich/PSG in the Champions League....or how about winning the trophy??
But that's cloud cuckoo land for a club like Fulham who remain a small/mid-size family club which is boxing a little above its weight in the most elite league in the world. It's something of a miracle that the club is actually in this league considering where we were not that long ago.....barely able to muster a gate of 4000 at the Cottage and being allowed to get in free at half-time to watch the second half.
Having a crack at the Europa League or Conference doesn't exactly get the pulses racing but getting into either one of those competitions would be nice. However, I don't think it matters. Looking at the PL table today, Fulham are 12th....just three points behind the circus side at Stamford Bridge....a club that has squandered hundreds of millions on players and a long line of inept managers, including the present one.
So, we are not doing too badly at all.
Cut your cloth according to your size is the saying. No one is really disappointed with our current 'situation.' Just realistic.

[Holders]

The problem this year was the very poor start.

[hovewhite]

Results wise our best spell this season was during the afcon.

[KentFulham]

Results wise our best spell this season was during the afcon.

It certainly was, to my surprise.

[Jim©]

I love to read a bit of optimism to counter the negativity that seems to be all over this place at the moment.

A load of people on this thread seem to think that spend, or lack of, is the reason that we're not fighting for Europe. Let's just put into context that Liverpool (who already had a squad worth around 4 times ours) spent £440m last summer. They're 10 points ahead of us, last season they were way way more points ahead.

Chelsea, with a squad already worth over £1.2bn spent £300m last summer. They're a massive 3 points ahead of us.
Spurs, £300m spend this season etc etc etc.

There's a load more to just buying players, I wish we'd get away from thinking that was the be all and end all of where you finish.

Marco and his team are key to this all and i would say that Boa may be the missing link as a good few players mentioned how he'd spend time improving them.

[blingo]

But I am an optimist. We are going through a bit of a rough patch, but we are only 3 points behind 6th place Chelsea who are in free fall. I'm not sure if 8,9 or 10 teams get into Europe but we are certainly in the mix. 3 games at home and on our day all winnable. Away to the bottom club and Arsenal. The other 6 clubs have similar run ins, some playing each other, Bees and Boscombe playing City. There will be many twists and turns, but we shouldn't write it off. Let's hope Everton lose to Liverpool and Sunderland lose to Villa tomorrow. Both extremely possible. Then onto the next weekend and you never know

Don't really understand your point. I think most of us are happy to just be in the Premier League and that Silva has done such a good job over the past four seasons with a limited budget and a squad that's not exactly brimming with great talent. Looking at the table, Fulham are 12th...just three points behind Stamford Bridge circus side. I don't think many of us are expecting to be playing in the Champions League.....the club has to cut its cloth according to its size.....we are not a BIG club and never will be. It was 30 years ago that Micky Adams managed to stop us playing non-league football when it seemed odds on that we would. So, you might have higher expectations than the rest of or have just forgotten the past????
And what about the plan for Fulham Park Rangers back in the 1980s???  (Marler Estates/Bulstrode wanting to sell Craven Cottage and build luxury apartments and merge FFC with QPR at play at LR?? So, let's just be thankful of where we are and what we are. No one is down in the mouth over the prospect of not playing Real Madrid/Bayern Munich/PSG next season. That's cloud cuckoo land imo. Europa League/Conference League then maybe. But I don't think we have a good enough squad players to win anything and unless there's a Saudi takeover of oil money and a bottomless  pit of cash to buy some top line, heavy duty players, than Fulham will always be a small/medium family club and long may that continue.

We already have one of the richest owners in football

[St Eve]

But I am an optimist. We are going through a bit of a rough patch, but we are only 3 points behind 6th place Chelsea who are in free fall. I'm not sure if 8,9 or 10 teams get into Europe but we are certainly in the mix. 3 games at home and on our day all winnable. Away to the bottom club and Arsenal. The other 6 clubs have similar run ins, some playing each other, Bees and Boscombe playing City. There will be many twists and turns, but we shouldn't write it off. Let's hope Everton lose to Liverpool and Sunderland lose to Villa tomorrow. Both extremely possible. Then onto the next weekend and you never know

Don't really understand your point. I think most of us are happy to just be in the Premier League and that Silva has done such a good job over the past four seasons with a limited budget and a squad that's not exactly brimming with great talent. Looking at the table, Fulham are 12th...just three points behind Stamford Bridge circus side. I don't think many of us are expecting to be playing in the Champions League.....the club has to cut its cloth according to its size.....we are not a BIG club and never will be. It was 30 years ago that Micky Adams managed to stop us playing non-league football when it seemed odds on that we would. So, you might have higher expectations than the rest of or have just forgotten the past????
And what about the plan for Fulham Park Rangers back in the 1980s???  (Marler Estates/Bulstrode wanting to sell Craven Cottage and build luxury apartments and merge FFC with QPR at play at LR?? So, let's just be thankful of where we are and what we are. No one is down in the mouth over the prospect of not playing Real Madrid/Bayern Munich/PSG next season. That's cloud cuckoo land imo. Europa League/Conference League then maybe. But I don't think we have a good enough squad players to win anything and unless there's a Saudi takeover of oil money and a bottomless  pit of cash to buy some top line, heavy duty players, than Fulham will always be a small/medium family club and long may that continue.

Clearly you don't. I am well aware of the history of our club, having been a supporter for 65 years. I am always thankful if we finish above 18th, hope for higher finish or maybe a cup run.
My point is that there is a lot of criticism and pessimism about our squad, manager and season. Please read my original post as I think you have misinterpreted it

[Arthur]

I fancy up to get something at Arsenal.

You may be right. Going by their recent form, they must be 'on the beach' like us.

[KentFulham]

I also dont get why people try and justify our season by how teams perceived to be better than us have performed, surely when those teams underperform, thats our opportunity to get ahead, not to simutainiusly do equally as bad

[Arthur]

I also dont get why people try and justify our season by how teams perceived to be better than us have performed, surely when those teams underperform, thats our opportunity to get ahead, not to simutainiusly do equally as bad

I'm using Arsenal as an example to make the point that a bad run of form towards the end of the season doesn't automatically signify the players are 'on the beach'. There's no attempt to excuse performances such as Saturday's; I'm merely saying that the association: April, poor run of games = 'on the beach' is not a fact just because the team is mid-table.

[bill taylors apprentice]

But I am an optimist. We are going through a bit of a rough patch, but we are only 3 points behind 6th place Chelsea who are in free fall. I'm not sure if 8,9 or 10 teams get into Europe but we are certainly in the mix. 3 games at home and on our day all winnable. Away to the bottom club and Arsenal. The other 6 clubs have similar run ins, some playing each other, Bees and Boscombe playing City. There will be many twists and turns, but we shouldn't write it off. Let's hope Everton lose to Liverpool and Sunderland lose to Villa tomorrow. Both extremely possible. Then onto the next weekend and you never know

Don't really understand your point. I think most of us are happy to just be in the Premier League and that Silva has done such a good job over the past four seasons with a limited budget and a squad that's not exactly brimming with great talent. Looking at the table, Fulham are 12th...just three points behind Stamford Bridge circus side. I don't think many of us are expecting to be playing in the Champions League.....the club has to cut its cloth according to its size.....we are not a BIG club and never will be. It was 30 years ago that Micky Adams managed to stop us playing non-league football when it seemed odds on that we would. So, you might have higher expectations than the rest of or have just forgotten the past????
And what about the plan for Fulham Park Rangers back in the 1980s???  (Marler Estates/Bulstrode wanting to sell Craven Cottage and build luxury apartments and merge FFC with QPR at play at LR?? So, let's just be thankful of where we are and what we are. No one is down in the mouth over the prospect of not playing Real Madrid/Bayern Munich/PSG next season. That's cloud cuckoo land imo. Europa League/Conference League then maybe. But I don't think we have a good enough squad players to win anything and unless there's a Saudi takeover of oil money and a bottomless  pit of cash to buy some top line, heavy duty players, than Fulham will always be a small/medium family club and long may that continue.

I too have been around long enough to know our history going back well beyond the Clay & Bulstrode days.

I now live in Lincoln and they are a small club (albeit on the up) and we are not but being small or medium sized doesn't prevent you having ambition or aiming for success.
There's a good case to call B'mouth & Brentford historically small clubs and they are achieving more than us with probably less resources.

I'm happy in PL midtable mediocrity up to a point but that often leads to stagnation and the inability to avoid the drop that I've seen before.

[demeant0r]

I also dont get why people try and justify our season by how teams perceived to be better than us have performed, surely when those teams underperform, thats our opportunity to get ahead, not to simutainiusly do equally as bad

I'm using Arsenal as an example to make the point that a bad run of form towards the end of the season doesn't automatically signify the players are 'on the beach'. There's no attempt to excuse performances such as Saturday's; I'm merely saying that the association: April, poor run of games = 'on the beach' is not a fact just because the team is mid-table.

It is "On the beach" when the same team goes off the boil from March or April onwards nearly every single year. Even in our Championship winning season, we went off the boil as soon as it was confirmed we won it.

[Arthur]

It is "On the beach" when the same team goes off the boil from March or April onwards nearly every single year. Even in our Championship winning season, we went off the boil as soon as it was confirmed we won it.

Yours is still an opinion, not a fact.

[Twig]

But I am an optimist. We are going through a bit of a rough patch, but we are only 3 points behind 6th place Chelsea who are in free fall. I'm not sure if 8,9 or 10 teams get into Europe but we are certainly in the mix. 3 games at home and on our day all winnable. Away to the bottom club and Arsenal. The other 6 clubs have similar run ins, some playing each other, Bees and Boscombe playing City. There will be many twists and turns, but we shouldn't write it off. Let's hope Everton lose to Liverpool and Sunderland lose to Villa tomorrow. Both extremely possible. Then onto the next weekend and you never know

Reality check:
1987: Bulstrode plans to sell off Craven Cottage to build luxury Thames apartments AND merge the club with QPR into one club called Fulham Park Rangers AND play at Loftus Road.
Only a fans revolt by both FFC and QPR stop this controversial and ludicrous proposal.
1996: FFC are heading out of the Football League.
But Micky Adams works his magic, and the rest is history as Adams' Class of less than readable noble?'97 finish the 96/97 season with their first promotion in 15 years.
1997: Al-Fayed sensationally becomes Fulham's new owner when he purchases the freehold of the club. The spending spree begins.
2001: Fulham are promoted to the Premier League. Let the good times roll. But no one is getting carried away with themselves. Fulham will not be the Man Utd of the South.
But if Fayed hadn't have come along, Fulham would never be where it is now. So, let's be thankful for what happened and be thankful for the present situation under Silva who is doing a good job with a small budget and a squad which is not exactly brimming with talent. Sure, every football fan would love to see their club playing Real Madrid/Bayern Munich/PSG in the Champions League....or how about winning the trophy??
But that's cloud cuckoo land for a club like Fulham who remain a small/mid-size family club which is boxing a little above its weight in the most elite league in the world. It's something of a miracle that the club is actually in this league considering where we were not that long ago.....barely able to muster a gate of 4000 at the Cottage and being allowed to get in free at half-time to watch the second half.
Having a crack at the Europa League or Conference doesn't exactly get the pulses racing but getting into either one of those competitions would be nice. However, I don't think it matters. Looking at the PL table today, Fulham are 12th....just three points behind the circus side at Stamford Bridge....a club that has squandered hundreds of millions on players and a long line of inept managers, including the present one.
So, we are not doing too badly at all.
Cut your cloth according to your size is the saying. No one is really disappointed with our current 'situation.' Just realistic.

I think most os us are fully aware of our history. You have selected many of our low points but we have plenty of high points I could quote to add balance.

Personally I don't think it is unreasonable to have some modest ambition for our club? All I would like is slightly more entertaining style of play and some trips to random away venues in the Euro Conference Cup. Surely that's not arrogant, entitled or

[Arthur]

I'm happy in PL midtable mediocrity up to a point but that often leads to stagnation and the inability to avoid the drop that I've seen before.

It's for each of us to choose the words we want to describe a mid-table finish.

In my opinion, I think the players have to put a lot of effort into finishing mid-table. Last weekend, for instance: while there was an obvious lack of quality to our play, I couldn't fault the players for the way they battled. Brentford were never going to allow us a comfortable afternoon in their own back yard. I didn't think any of our players shied away from the physical side of the game or came up short on work rate.

[Twig]

I'm happy in PL midtable mediocrity up to a point but that often leads to stagnation and the inability to avoid the drop that I've seen before.

It's for each of us to choose the words we want to describe a mid-table finish.

In my opinion, I think the players have to put a lot of effort into finishing mid-table. Last weekend, for instance: while there was an obvious lack of quality to our play, I couldn't fault the players for the way they battled. Brentford were never going to allow us a comfortable afternoon in their own back yard. I didn't think any of our players shied away from the physical side of the game or came up short on work rate.

I don't buy into the on the beach argument in terms of laziness. I agree they are still putting in a shift. Mentally tired? Possibly. What I do lament is the slow, predictable style of play we have increasingly fallen into.

[I Ronic]

 Injuries and lost individual form, mean we're relying too heavily on a few players. A problem any club can experience. I don't think Marco can cure that. Again, other managers in the league are having that problem too.
 We're safe, so lets do something different. Change the formation, put more of the younger players on the bench, maybe give them some minutes.
  Any manager in any profession has to reach targets, build their customer base, keep competitors guessing and staff motivated. Marco's achieved the first. The club are trying to build the base. So lets use what's available to see if we can wobble the last two.