How do you defend that?

[ClaretAndJew]

Genuine question.

[winsomeyen]

Unfortunatly we are blessed with a board who are £2million wise and £140,million foolish,

Always the cheap option.

[winsomeyen]

Unfortunatly we are blessed with a board who are £2million wise and £140,million foolish,

Always the cheap option.

[RalphCoatesComb]

It's started !

[Joe14]

Defend? Pun intended??

[MRG]

I’ve heard stories of some lads down at Fulham purposely not respecting the locals in an attempt to get stabbed in the leg and therefore not having to endure another 3+ goals

[Belial]

Defend? What's that?

[bobinho]

Yeah. Ya said.

[Vegas Claret]

How do you defend that?

Better than our lads did today

[jojomk1]

Looking forward to a constructive answer cos I can't think of one

Excellent transfer window leaves us with one wide man and three central mids

It's a long way till January

[winsomeyen]

It's started !

Give us your opinion Ralph. Or is your head so deep in the sand you cant see a problem

[claretfern]

Precious little that fills you with confidence..

[WazzaClaret]

Yeah that was crap but I still think we will be fine. Let's be honest if we do get past olympiacos and it is a big if then we will probably get knocked out of the group stage. Once that happens we will see an improvement in performance. Now don't get me wrong I would love nothing more than a real do at Europe but I'm just being realistic.

Feeling pretty deflated after that performance though.

[mdd2]

Despite it being early in the season our once tight defence is starting to creak. Ten conceded in last 3 competitive games must be new for SD.

[DustyBawls]

1) Fulham spent something like £112 million on players
2) They have one of the richest chairmen in football
3) We can't spend that kind of money
4) We don't have a bottomless pot of cash
5) The Europa DOES negatively impact clubs in the Prem - and it has done to us
6) We have a player in Defour who appears to be out for the season, along with Brady - arguably our 2 best players
7) There is no 7 - yet.

[BennyD]

With the injuries we have, it was always going to be a tough start to the season however, after Thursday we won’t have Europe clouding the issue. We still have 35 games to turn this around and we won’t be in the bottom 3 at the end of them.

[warksclaret]

What I find hard to take in is that I had Watford one of three clubs more likely to go down before the season started. They are now 31 points from safety. Last week on one of my posts someone told me not to worry as we play better v the top sides. Any predictions next week v Man U after a no doubt challenging game v Olympiakis. And as anyone seen our run in at the end ?? Trying to stay positive

[SkiptonClaret]

I thought the concensus was that it was a good window ? Plenty seemed to be creaming themselves with the addition of Hart, for example. I recall noting at that time that it left us with more keepers (5) than midfielders.
Subs bench at the moment is an embarrassment.

[DCWat]

No on expected us to spend that sort of money.

[KRBFC]

We look doomed already, the football is horrific, we can't defend or create chances, no pace, 1 fit wide player. Someone tell me a team that plays a worst brand of football than us, I'll wait...... we genuinely should've conceded at least 7, utterly embarrassing toothless display summed up when Schurrle went through 1 on 1, while the entire defence stood around watching.

This hoofball has all gone a bit boring, we've been playing this guff for far too long, taught a football lesson by a newly promoted side, I don't understand why we can't string passes together or genuinely create chances, we have the players, the blame falls at Dyche's feet imo.

[gandhisflipflop]

The board have pushed austerity one step too far this window.

[bfcjg]

Perhaps the players are sick and tired of our pedestrian hoof ball and have lost interest/respect, hope not but something is badly wrong.

[DustyBawls]

With the injuries we have, it was always going to be a tough start to the season however, after Thursday we won’t have Europe clouding the issue. We still have 35 games to turn this around and we won’t be in the bottom 3 at the end of them.

If we get Brady and Defour back - we won't. If they don't play much this season - we will.

[ClaretAndJew]

Here's the thing:

Either money makes a difference or it doesn't. It can't be used as an excuse why we lose and yet dismissed when we don't spend a lot on players.

We've conceded 7 Premier League goals in 2 matches. To newly promoted Fulham and a Watford team we beat twice last year. It's simply not good enough.

[MRG]

1) Fulham spent something like £112 million on players
2) They have one of the richest chairmen in football
3) We can't spend that kind of money
4) We don't have a bottomless pot of cash
5) The Europa DOES negatively impact clubs in the Prem - and it has done to us
6) We have a player in Defour who appears to be out for the season, along with Brady - arguably our 2 best players
7) There is no 7 - yet.

But is the rich chairman a true Fulham fan? If not, they are screwed long term, just you wait and see! If you don’t believe me just look at Pompey etc

[Cleveleys_claret]

It's started !

It hasnt just started. Many fans have slowly been becoming disillusioned with the club over the summer. The lack of signings, the constant regurgitated rubbish that the club come up with.

"wages are spiralling out of control" - Yet SD is happy to take 70k a week

Its not that we are getting beat for me...its the absolute rubbish football that is constantly served up. Every week long ball up to no one.

Sign Vydra and dont even put him on the bench.

3 games in and not a midfielder or winger on the bench. Why wasn't Walters on the bench instead of one of the four defenders. Or Mcneil who we have been told all preseason is close to the first team. Another Sd way of trying to pull the wool over our eyes so he doesn't have to spend any money.

Players starting to tweet cryptic messages which make me question whether all is actually as good as we are told - spirit wise in the camp.

SICK OF WATCHING **** FOOTBALL WEEK IN WEEK OUT

[SGr]

A few threads spring to mind

http://www.uptheclarets.com/messageboar ... =2&t=31418&" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.uptheclarets.com/messageboar ... =2&t=31401&" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


http://www.uptheclarets.com/messageboar ... =2&t=30945&" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[leightonjameslegend]

Quick answer is nobody can defend that performance. But plenty will try. We have to remember we are not allowed to criticise otherwise you are not a true supporter. Rotating the defence between he Europa games, the injury to Pope who commands his area much better than our other 2 options are one thing. But we most definitely can’t mention the ridicuolous recruitment over the summer. But hey I trust SD to sort it out but it’s not going to be pretty and could be a long season for sure. UTC!

[Herts Clarets]

1) Fulham spent something like £112 million on players
2) They have one of the richest chairmen in football
3) We can't spend that kind of money
4) We don't have a bottomless pot of cash
5) The Europa DOES negatively impact clubs in the Prem - and it has done to us
6) We have a player in Defour who appears to be out for the season, along with Brady - arguably our 2 best players
7) There is no 7 - yet.

7. Defour has spent more than half his time at Burnley sat in the stands injured. If we have pegged our hopes on creating chances on him, the club are more foolish than I thought possible.

[KRBFC]

With the injuries we have, it was always going to be a tough start to the season however, after Thursday we won’t have Europe clouding the issue. We still have 35 games to turn this around and we won’t be in the bottom 3 at the end of them.

Tell me about all these injuries we have, we've had 2 windows since Brady got injured and we've been without Defour for how long? 6 months, if we're so short why didn't we replace those injured players? Lets be honest here, you're making excuses for this shambles.

[warksclaret]

I think this has been coming since the Leicester game at home. Suspect performance figures since then would be relegation category

[Granny WeatherWax]

You can’t defend it. It was absolutely woeful. Disaster in both defence and offence and it certainly looks like the transfer window is costing us. Not bringing a winger in when we knew since early 2018 we would only have 3 in the squad is a significant failure by all concerned.

Also difficult to understand why the defence has gone from one of the best to one of the worst in the league.

But it’s still early days. Hopefully we can get vydra defour and brady back asap and we will look a different side.

It might be that we have to write this first 4 games off and the season starts after the international break.

[Goody1975]

Yeah that was crap but I still think we will be fine. Let's be honest if we do get past olympiacos and it is a big if then we will probably get knocked out of the group stage. Once that happens we will see an improvement in performance. Now don't get me wrong I would love nothing more than a real do at Europe but I'm just being realistic.

Feeling pretty deflated after that performance though.

Thu 20th September 2018 Europa League Group Stage Matchday 1
Wed 26th September 2018 League Cup 3rd Round
Thu 4th October 2018 Europa League Group Stage Matchday 2
Thu 25th October 2018 Europa League Group Stage Matchday 3
Wed 31st October 2018 League Cup 4th Round
Thu 8th November 2018 Europa League Group Stage Matchday 4
Thu 29th November 2018 Europa League Group Stage Matchday 5
Thu 13th December 2018 Europa League Group Stage Matchday 6

You do realise the group stages don't finish till 13th December? If we are waiting for an improvement in form till then we are in a heap of trouble.

[DustyBawls]

But is the rich chairman a true Fulham fan? If not, they are screwed long term, just you wait and see! If you don’t believe me just look at Pompey etc

I really hope you're right. Because I cannot like or respect any club like that. Call me old fashioned, but I believe in using your brain and not having to just spend gazillions.

Wage cap? Clubs like them would be in League 1.

[WazzaClaret]

It hasnt just started. Many fans have slowly been becoming disillusioned with the club over the summer. The lack of signings, the constant regurgitated rubbish that the club come up with.

"wages are spiralling out of control" - Yet SD is happy to take 70k a week

Its not that we are getting beat for me...its the absolute rubbish football that is constantly served up. Every week long ball up to no one.

Sign Vydra and dont even put him on the bench.

3 games in and not a midfielder or winger on the bench. Why wasn't Walters on the bench instead of one of the four defenders. Or Mcneil who we have been told all preseason is close to the first team. Another Sd way of trying to pull the wool over our eyes so he doesn't have to spend any money.

Players starting to tweet cryptic messages which make me question whether all is actually as good as we are told - spirit wise in the camp.

SICK OF WATCHING **** FOOTBALL WEEK IN WEEK OUT

You had me fooled until you said dyche was pulling the wool over our eyes so he didn't have to spend someone else's money

[DustyBawls]

Thu 20th September 2018 Europa League Group Stage Matchday 1
Wed 26th September 2018 League Cup 3rd Round
Thu 4th October 2018 Europa League Group Stage Matchday 2
Thu 25th October 2018 Europa League Group Stage Matchday 3
Wed 31st October 2018 League Cup 4th Round
Thu 8th November 2018 Europa League Group Stage Matchday 4
Thu 29th November 2018 Europa League Group Stage Matchday 5
Thu 13th December 2018 Europa League Group Stage Matchday 6

You do realise the group stages don't finish till 13th December? If we are waiting for an improvement in form till then we are in a heap of trouble.

Not going to happen if we play like that. As we'll be out from Thursday onwards.

[TsarBomba]

I have no idea who is still available on a free, but we are desperate for some extra bodies in the middle and out wide, even if they are only short term deals to the end of the season.

It’s early days yet of course, but the signs look ominous. Wafer thin squad, persistent injuries to key players that take an age to clear, no pace, zero creativity, and now leaking goals all to easily.

[Pimlico_Claret]

We could try playing our 5 keepers at once

[Tall Paul]

Can't really defend that performance, we were crap. We were a bit unlucky to concede so many and Schurrle probably should've been sent off but it doesn't excuse the sloppy performance.

I trust SD to sort it out though.

[jojomk1]

Yes, the back four were poor

But it is the lack of any pace, creativity, bite plus lack of ability to hold on to the ball from the rest of the side that puts the pressure constantly on them

[MRG]

I really hope you're right. Because I cannot like or respect any club like that. Call me old fashioned, but I believe in using your brain and not having to just spend gazillions.

Wage cap? Clubs like them would be in League 1.

I’m not right, it’s a fact that to be in the top 2 division in the next 10 years you need a rich investor or you will be left behind

[KRBFC]

Perhaps the players are sick and tired of our pedestrian hoof ball and have lost interest/respect, hope not but something is badly wrong.

To me, it does seem that way. I think someone mentioned no win in 12 competitive games (I presume that stat is normal time only), the players really don't look that bothered, I said about Wood's body language, he genuinely looks fed up. Joe Hart was laughing after the 3rd goal, probably at the shower infront of him. Something just doesn't seem right......

[ClaretAndJew]

To me, it does seem that way. I think someone mentioned no win in 12 competitive games (I presume that stat is normal time only), the players really don't look that bothered, I said about Wood's body language, he genuinely looks fed up. Joe Hart was laughing after the 3rd goal, probably at the shower infront of him. Something just doesn't seem right......

It's no win in 8 games in 90 minutes according to the 11v11 website.

[Cleveleys_claret]

You had me fooled until you said dyche was pulling the wool over our eyes so he didn't have to spend someone else's money

Well there is the rumour that has come from several reliable sources saying that built into his contract is a bonus related to how little he spends

[Belgianclaret]

I think we'll need to bite the bullet for a few more weeks, hope Brady can return and Vydra can bring something extra (Defour still looks weeks if not months away)...

[KRBFC]

It's no win in 8 games in 90 minutes according to the 11v11 website.

is that PL only? I copied the stat off somebody else on here so I could be wrong.

[Conroy92]

The problem is, people have been defending this for a couple of years under Dyche. The results have been flowing and so many have been on board, myself included. However we have never really been a footballing side and we have very rarely looked better than the opposition under Dyche. Now the results have dried up its exposing the poor football.

[Vegas Claret]

Can't really defend that performance, we were crap. We were a bit unlucky to concede so many and Schurrle probably should've been sent off but it doesn't excuse the sloppy performance.

I trust SD to sort it out though.

?????
we where incredibly lucky not to lose 7-1

[SkiptonClaret]

I think we’ve reached Peak Dyche. Today we had three full backs on the pitch, another one on the bench along with two centre halves. We have more keepers than we have midfield or forward options.
Don’t give me the guff about all being rosy when Defour returns, he’s clearly not fit for purpose - hasn’t been since day one. Brady has about one decent game in four, so that leaves the unproven Vydra who obviously is nowhere near at the moment.
Dyche bleats about the “market” but wastes 10m on Wells and Walters. Do we have a scouting network that extends to more than about 6 White, British players ? It’s not good enough, nowhere near good enough.

[Lancasterclaret]

Well there is the rumour that has come from several reliable sources saying that built into his contract is a bonus related to how little he spends

Is there any bullshit rumour that you've heard down the pub that you don't believe?

Genuine concern is fine, winning the bellend of the year poster award for someone who isn't twelve is just plain weird.