After a long absence, I have decided to revive my blog. Computer problems meant I forgot my email account that activates my blog. Whether my ramblings interest anybody or not, they give me a little pleasure to read back over my thoughts. But, for what it's worth, I am going to sharing my tenpenneth every now and then.
Looking on facebook a fair amount of panic is starting to set in, amongst our fans. I dismissed it at first, but now the season is only 2 and a half weeks away, I am also starting to wonder "what's going on?". It is clear the squad needs strengthening, but what have we got so far. Djalo, who is a bit of an unknown quantity, Cisse who is clearly a lump and looks like he may be a good buy, and the returning Piazon, who in my opinion was a bit hot and cold. The Rolan saga goes on and on, ad nauseum, and Kalas apparently wants to come back to FFC. Players sold are many, but only Malone was a regular. The worry is that we need a Kalas at the back, and two strikers, along with a keeper. The young lad from Portugal will only be an under 23 for the foreseeable future, so we only have Betts, and Reading want Button.
Slavisa, rightly or wrongly, likes new signings to learn the system, so any new player will probably not get a look in for some time. In the case of a striker and GK it is easier to start them with less integration, where as a defender or midfielder needs time to learn our system. That is why, I believe, the Kalas rumours may be true , and he will return on loan. Kalas knows the system and therefore there will be a natural understanding. Fulham are fine in midfield and with Cisse already here, he is getting much valuable experience of how we play. If Button stays, I think we can cope with just him and Betts for the start of the season. Left back could be a worry if we don't find a replacement for Malone, as Sess is clearly much more suited to being a wing back or left midfield. Odoi can play there, but that would leave us short of cover at right back. The striker situation is the most worrying and we need a proven striker fast, and also another to back him up. Much as we all love Cauley, for me he isn't quite there yet, and Steven Humphries is too young.
I am certain deals are on the table, but getting them across the line is appearing to be a problem. Even my patience is being tested by the club regarding new signings. The squad is way too thin on the ground, as one or two injuries and we will be fielding players with too little experience to give us a push for promotion. There is no Newcastle in the Championship this year, so with a strong squad, this may be our best chance for years. As the man said "Don't panic, Mr, Fulham".
On a final note, Reading can do one and stop sniffing around our players, and let's hope we will be singing "Leeds, Leeds are falling apart again" on many occasions this season.
© Nic Smith
Yesterday saw the White's notch up their first post-Christmas win, in what is a tough period of games. A first away win at Ipswich for 53 years was an excellent way to begin this run of games, and in a manner where the home side had no shots on target, other than an own goal attempt by Tim Ream. We shouldn't underestimate the gaffer's role in this victory, even though Ipswich are hardly setting the division on fire. But we should applaud Slavisa's tactical changes.
So where did Slavisa change things? Two teams playing 4-5-1 could have meant a first half of cancelling each other out, but the fluidity of the Fulham players meant that we totally dominated possession in the first half, apart from a short spell at the end of the half. With Odoi and Malone pushing forward it meant that the two Ipswich wide men were being dragged back. At half time McCarthy made two changes, going with two up front, which meant that Odoi and Malone had to be more defensive. Within 10 minutes Slav subbed Aluko for Sigurdsson which could be seen as protecting the lead. But, in reality it was clever tactics from the Boss. It allowed us to switch to 3 at the back to combat their two strikers, which in turn allowed Odoi and Malone to play as wing backs, again dragging the two Ipswich wide men back. The tactic worked immediately and once again the Whites were in control of the game.
There also seems to be another tactical change, whereby Cairney is dropping a little deeper to pick up the ball. This is down to the eternal stamina of Johansen who has blossomed into one of the best box-to-box midfielders in the Championship. With Cairney dropping deeper, at times, it not only allows Johansen to roam more freely, it means that Cairney is harder to pick up. This in turn drags the opposition's defensive midfielder out leaving gaps between the lines for Ayite, Aluko, and our two wing backs, to exploit.
With no disrespect to Kit Symonds, we would not have seen so many little details being employed to combat changes made by the opposition. Slavisa has always said that we are a work in progress, but now the new players are bedding in, and blending, all those hours spent at Motspur Park, are starting to reap dividends. I am certain that Slavisa believes there is more work to do, but we can already see the vast improvement in the team. As the gaffer said after the game "But in the end we scored this goal to close the game out. We changed the system when we started to have some kind of problem, and it’s a great day for us." .This result is as much down to the tactical changes made by Slavisa as by the excellence, and intelligence shown by the lads on the pitch. Khan and co. need to tie up Slavisa to a long term contract soon , as I truly believe he is the best coach at the Cottage since Tigana.
IN SLAVISA WE TRUST
COYWs
© Nic Smith
After the weird and wonderful at Wolves, the Whites should get back to winning ways at home to struggling Rotherham tonight. The game on Staurday was more than a rollercoaster, with Fulham 3-1 up at half time, before going behind and then Floyd Ayite nicking the late equalizer. Whether we were too complacent, or maybe too cocky, Lambert must have fired Wolves up for the second half. Maybe there was a hangover from the 5-0 thrashing of Reading, and we thought that at 3-1 we could go on and score more. We remember that the lads and Slav had been saying, after Brighton, that we need to push on when we lead by the odd goal, and that the second goal is all important. It is possible that, at 3-1, the lads wanted more. This comes down to game management, and we are still a work in progress, and that game management will come in time. The bottom line is that we stilled scored four, and with a poor history at Molineux, a point isn't that bad.
Rotherham are a different kettle of fish, and we have every right to expect the Whites to get 3 points, but it will not be as easy as the table would suggest.
Rotherham United- What a disastrous season they have had so far. The 1-0 win over QPR was a massive boost for them, but they were hanging on near the end, against a Rangers side in their own doldrums at the moment. Whether Warne can inspire Rotherham to put a decent run together, remains to be seen. Saturday's win may have restored a little confidence, but players look at tables, and it is hard to imagine that their dressing room is brimming with confidence. Looking through their squad there are no household names, apart from Peter Odemwingie, but he has only started 4 games and, at 35, he is near the end of his career. Ward has 8 goals which is impressive enough given where the team are in the table. An away record of W0 D1 L9 F9 A30, hardly bodes well for a team who have to travel down to London midweek. With the Whites in fine scoring form, we can expect Rotherham to "park the bus", and hope for a break away or set piece goal. Having said that, they will work hard and be physical.
FFC- With Derby coming to the Cottage on Saturday, and after the craziness of last Saturday, we may see a couple of changes. No reason to change Button, despite some negative comments on social media. Fredericks and Kalas should continue, but Sigurdsson may replace Ream, and don;t be surprised to see Sessegnon given some game time, in order to rest Malone for Saturday. McDonald and Johansen will give the cover, and Cairney and Aluko will be partnered by Ayite. If Floyd hadn't scored 2 on Saturday, Piazon may have come in with the Derby game in the back of Slav's mind. allowing Ayite a rest and Piazon some game time. Chris Martin cannot play against Derby, so expect him to be fired up for this game, where he will be hoping to bag at least a brace. He has nothing to lose, knowing that he will have a good rest after tonight.
Match prediction- Rotherham will defend, and given that we dominate every game possession wise, expect the ball to be at a Fulham player's feet for most of the game. In fact, we may dominate more than we did against Reading. The problem will be breaking them down, as they will sit deep, probably making us play out wide. Patience is the name of the game for FFC tonight, and we the fans have to show the same patience. An early goal and it could be a rout, but defending any set pieces Rotherham may get is of paramount importance.
Score prediction- 4-0
Key Player- Chris Martin, to be fired up and give us all some early Christmas presents, with a couple of goals at least.
We must get behind the team from start to finish.
IN SLAVISA WE TRUST
COYWs
Our facebook group- https://www.facebook.com/groups/FFC.Ambition/?ref=bookmarks (new members welcome)
© Nic Smith
Yet another difficult game awaits us, as we recover from the Brighton defeat, and face, somewhat surprise team, Reading. Despite some of the negative comments on social media, there should be only positives to take from the performance against Brighton. Last season, we were thrashed at the Legoland (Amex) stadium, so losing by the odd goal against one of the promotion favourites is not a disaster. In the first half we could have been out of sight, but FFC old boy Stockdale made some amazing saves. And, let's not forget that Brighton have one of the meanest defences in the division. Our fans were excellent, and backed the team to the end. That is what we, the fans, must do this Saturday, cheer the team on and give it our all. Slav and the lads have been great in recognizing our support and we owe it to them to get behind them 150% to spur us on to victory against a good Reading side.
Reading- The Royals are on a 5 game winning, league, run and have only conceded once in that sequence. All runs have to end somewhere, so what better if that run ends tomorrow. Stam has assembled a good footballing side, and if he sticks to his Dutch philosophy we can expect Reading to try and control possession, and it is hard to see them "parking the bus". Al Habsi is an experienced keeper, and although an agile shot stopper, he can be prone to mistakes. At the back, Gunter and McShane will provide solid defence. In midfield there are no real household names, but Obita is fast and tricky and Swift has chipped in with three goals. There is plenty of fire power up front with Kermorgant and top scorer McCleary, so Kalas and Sigurdsson will have to be on the top of their game. Reading are likely to start with Stam's preferred formation of 4-3-3, but in reality that will alter to a 4-3-2-1, or 4-5-1. It will be up to the Whites to dominate possession and force Reading deeper where they may be uncomfortable.
Fulham- Only Odoi is out through suspension so expect an unchanged team. Button will undoubtedly start as should Kalas, Sigurdsson, Fredericks and Malone. The only possible defensive change could be Sessegnon, but that is unlikely against high flying opposition, as Malone has much more experience. McDonald and Johansen should continue as the defensive shield, but I would expect, available again,Parker may get a run later on, if fresh legs are needed in that role. Aluko and Cairney are definite starters, and the only unpredictable is who starts out of Piazon and Ayite. Martin will play the lone striker role, and hopefully he will get back to his scoring ways. Slavisa will stick to his philosophy of controlling possession, and will be urging the midfield to shoot from the edge of the box.
Match prediction- Expect much possession from both sides, with the first goal being crucial.
Score- (Based on my dream last night). FFC to be 2-0 up after 25 minutes. After that I woke up, so in reality, I am going for 2-1 to the Whites.
Key man- Aluko to score and run at the Reading back four.
Our facebook group- https://www.facebook.com/groups/FFC.Ambition/?ref=bookmarks
IN SLAVISA WE TRUST
COYWs
©Nic Smith
Tomorrow, without doubt, gives the Whites their biggest test of the season so far. Brighton have continued from where they left off last season and with only 2 defeats so far, they are the most difficult to beat. Can Fulham get an amazing result down on the south coast? We will need to be at our best to get something from this game. Last weeks home draw was a minor disappointment given the form of the two sides before the international break. We were flying and Wednesday were stuttering. International breaks seem to do us no favours when they come during excellent form. Although it could be argued that the previous international break was a god send, allowing us to regroup after a disastrous string of results. The positive we can take from the last game is that we didn't give up, and last season a home draw against Sheff Wed. would have been satisfactory. Slav and the boys won't be thinking about last week, and hopefully they will have worked hard, at Motspur Park, to get back to where we were before the international break. We should have nothing to fear by playing one of the two top teams in the league, and if the lads are brave then anything can happen. If we are at our best, and Brighton are below par, then anything is possible. Last week a few of our players had mediocre matches, including Kalas, McDonald and most notably the ineffective Cairney, who found little space in a congested midfield. Tom, on his day, is brilliant, and if he can produce his best form tomorrow then the Seagulls may be in for a good kicking.
Brighton- Undoubtedly a good solid team, all over the park, with a very mean defence. One of the criticisms aimed at them this season is that they are not so deadly upfront, but on their day they can whack anybody. Just ask Leeds or Norwich. We all know about Stockdale who is an excellent shot-stopper, and who, in my opinion, should never have been allowed to leave the Cottage. Defensively they are very sound, and although they may not be household names, FFC fans should know all about the impressive Dunk, who we tried to sign. Steve Sidwell will probably get stuck in on Tom and Sone, so we need to keep him occupied. Norwood and Knockaert will need close attention as they can both score goals from midfield, with the latter already netting 6 times this term. Glen Murray has already scored 10 this term, so Kalas and Sigurdsson will need to stay tight on him, but they should not forget about Hemed or Baldock either. The real danger man for me is Knockaert.
Fulham- There are no injuries to report on, so i doubt the team will be changed much, if at all. The only change at the back, may come if Slav decides to give Sessegnon a run. Kalas had a poor game last week, but his class should mean that was only a temporary blip. Fredericks should keep his place and we need his pace and willingness to run at the opposition, but Odoi is an option. I can't see the much improved Johansen being dropped as we will need his stamina and energy. There is a possibility that Tunnicliffe may replace McDonald at some stage if we are losing the midfield, as it appears that Parker is suspended. Cairney is a shoe in, and should be back to his best. Aluko should also start, but I wouldn't be surprised if Slav gives Ayite a run ahead of Piazon. Martin will definitely start up front. From what we know of Slav, he will stick to his philosophy of possession football, so don't expect us to park the bus. Key men for FFC- Cairney and Kalas.
Prediction- Seeing as my recent predictions have been wrong because of my bias towards the Whites, i am going for 2-0, or 2-1 to Brighton.
Whatever happens tomorrow, we should remember that Brighton are a good team, and we need to be behind the lads until the final whistle, and keep the faith.
IN SLAVISA WE TRUST
COYWs
Our Facebook group- https://www.facebook.com/groups/FFC.Ambition/?ref=bookmarks
© Nic Smith
I am certain that many readers know much more about travelling to the Amex than I do, but for those who have not been there before, below are a few tips.
Travel by train- Fares vary greatly, so check your times and what train you are intending to get. Cheapest return to Brighton, from East Croydon is £10.50, but you must use a Thameslink service. There is not much difference in journey times, but if you want to save 10 minutes then pay another £8 plus for the return ticket. Many fans drink in Lewes, but the return fare is over £19. Trains from Brighton to Lewes are frequent and the journey time is only 15 minutes. There are many options, but it all depends on your budget and where you wish to drink before hand.
Drinking and eating- Naturally Brighton has a much greater variety than Lewes, so again depends on what you want. Be warned that, if you are drinking in Brighton, virtually every pub near the station is "home fans only", and there will be a filth presence to martial this. There are some smaller, chicer bars but they can be pricey, and pretentious. The Wetherspoons on West Street is "Fulham fans only", and is a nice roomy pub, which echoed to some good FFC songs last season. Sources told me that there was a large contingent of Whites' fans in the pub on the pier last season, but it is a bit of a trek given where the station is. Lewes also has several pubs, but eating may be limited compared to Brighton. Due to the hassle getting to the Amex, many people may think Falmer is a better bet. IT IS NOT. There is one pub in Falmer, and it is usually "home fans only". The only other option around Falmer are the bars around the outside of the ground, but it is pricey and the beer not great.
Travelling to the Amex- If you are going from Brighton by train, make sure to leave plenty of time, and by plenty of time I mean an hour at least. Your ticket gives you free travel within Brighton on public transport, so every man and his dog go to the station. There is no segregation, just a mass of people heading to a couple of platforms, herded like sheep. I don't know about the buses, but they are free travel also. If there are a few of you, you can take a taxi, but be warned the taxi will not book a return fare. Lewes is a better bet, for getting to the Amex, but again leave some time if you are getting the train. After the game be prepared to stand in the masses waiting to get on the two platform station. You may be standing there not moving for ages, so if it is cold wrap up well.
My personal tip- Train to Brighton, then train to Lewes for beer, then train to the Amex, before heading back into Brighton for victory celebrations.
Overall- Whoever planned this stadium, clearly did not take into consideration the infrastructure nightmare. Be prepared for mayhem on both journeys to Falmer. Also be prepared for the old style bouncers if you mistakenly go to a "home fans only" pub. Friendly security clearly hasn't reached Brighton yet.
Anybody with better travel tips, please comment below in the comments box.
Hope this helps some of you, and see you all at the Amex on Saturday.
IN SLAVISA WE TRUST.
COYWs
Our facebook group- https://www.facebook.com/groups/FFC.Ambition/?ref=bookmarks
© Nic Smith
It seems like only last week that silly season was here, with rumours of which player was joining which club. Now, January approaches and the rumour mill is in full swing. Whether the rumours of players linked with a move to the Cottage are speculation, part truth, or simple bollocks, it is anybody's guess. But let's look at these 3 players.
1. Peter Crouch- Crouch struggles to get regular match time, and we need to ask how long it would take him to reach full match fitness, especially in the tough world of the championship. There is no way that Jokanovic would see him as a permanent signing, and therefore would only join on loan. And what could he bring to FFC and our style of play? Apart from the occasional moments of brilliance, he is basically a long person who is average in the air. Fulham don't play the style of football to suit his height, and we already have big Matty Smith for that, anyway. A non- starter for me.
2. Ross McCormack- Unlike Leeds fans, who nicknamed him Ross McContract, FFC fans seem to be a little more forgiving. No doubt, that Ross is an excellent Championship player, but he harbours delusions of being a Prem. league player. The reality is that he has never been snapped up by a top flight club, and his time is running out regarding that ambition. Another reality is, that he shows a lack of loyalty, which is all too common in modern football. On the plus side, he is an excellent goal scorer, although he is not an out-and-out striker. He clearly has a soft spot for the Whites (even buying his kid an FFC shirt after he joined Villa), but it is difficult to see where he would fit into the team. Slavisa likes a 4-2-3-1, and Ross can't play the loan striker role. Cairney is our man for the central, attacking, midfield role, and the two wide attacking midfielders need to be pacy, which Ross isn't. So where would he fit in? If Slavisa plays a 3-5-2, then Ross could play as the deeper of the "2". But is Slavisa going to change tactics, that we have worked on for so long, just to accommodate a player who clearly wanted to leave the club? It is also difficult to see Bruce loaning him to another Championship club.
3. Nahki Wells- With reports that Wells has refused to sign a new contract, he may well be looking for a move. However, Huddersfield are likely to put a price of £8 million plus on him, and whether Khan & co. would be willing to pay that is open to question. On the playing side, Wells is a proven scorer at this level, and he also possesses excellent technical skills. He is also very quick and could give a totally different option to Chris Martin. If I had my way, i would pick Wells above Martin every day, but I am not the manager. Wells could also slot perfectly into Slavisa's system, and out of the three would be the best buy (or loan).
But, at the end of the day, these are all rumours and I doubt Slav is even thinking about this at the moment. Whatever happens, we have a good squad and it is Brighton up next. Let's worry about January in January.
IN SLAVISA WE TRUST.
COYWs.
Our facebook group- https://www.facebook.com/groups/FFC.Ambition/?ref=bookmarks
© Nic Smith
