And, we’re off.......2018/2019

[Deleted member 18588]

I think Ranieiri simply won the league as Leicester cashed in on a perfect storm of all the normal suspects all playing simultaneously poorly in the same season and finding a playing style that worked for the players he had to get the most from their abilities. I think he got found out the next season, not helped by a few of the players in the dressing room turning against him. I think this has happened here and the players don't seem to have the same stomach for the battle Jokanovic had instilled. I think the fact we have Scotty Parker in caretaker charge, Fulham favourite as he is, indicates we're resigned to our fate and plainly getting ready for next season and I hope we can find another in the Jokanovic mould that understands the championship, its unique requirements and can get us back up again asap

To me it would have made no difference who Fulham appointed.

Their problems go back to the recruitment last summer when they spent around £100m on players who would be happy playing for a team in 9th to 14th place i.e. no real pressure.

No one was signed who appears to have the stomach for a fight at the wrong end of the table.

Schurrle, for example, was quoted a few weeks ago talking about how he won't be around if/when they are relegated. Just what the fans want to hear.

 

[Tashyboy]

I think Ranieiri simply won the league as Leicester cashed in on a perfect storm of all the normal suspects all playing simultaneously poorly in the same season and finding a playing style that worked for the players he had to get the most from their abilities. I think he got found out the next season, not helped by a few of the players in the dressing room turning against him. I think this has happened here and the players don't seem to have the same stomach for the battle Jokanovic had instilled. I think the fact we have Scotty Parker in caretaker charge, Fulham favourite as he is, indicates we're resigned to our fate and plainly getting ready for next season and I hope we can find another in the Jokanovic mould that understands the championship, its unique requirements and can get us back up again asap

Sounds like a Job for fat Sam. 😖

 

[GB72]

Was listening to the radio on the way back from the game, A Fulham fan was on and was nigh on begging Ranieri to go. Said he was destroying the Young uns at Fulham. The panel then went on to question how Ranieri managed to win the title with Leicester. They were having a rig hold dig and then conceded he had a good set of players when the league was at its poorest.

Honestly felt he got lucky. Pearson had Leicester winning at the end of the previous season and Ranieri road those coattails. Add to that next to no injuries for a whole season and other teams dropping points and you have a perfect storm.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

To me it would have made no difference who Fulham appointed.

Their problems go back to the recruitment last summer when they spent around £100m on players who would be happy playing for a team in 9th to 14th place i.e. no real pressure.

No one was signed who appears to have the stomach for a fight at the wrong end of the table.

Schurrle, for example, was quoted a few weeks ago talking about how he won't be around if/when they are relegated. Just what the fans want to hear.

Not sure I'd agree with that 100%. I think the players Jokanavic signed like Mawson to boost the defence were decent enough (apart from him being injured most of the season) and I think realistically most fans would have taken 9th-14th in the first season before a ball was kicked. Schurrle was a strange signing though and not sure what they really expected to get from him. If he goes I doubt many fans will shed a tear and some will barely notice. I think the nucleus was there and Jokanavic would have had them more up for a fight each week than Ranieiri seems to have had. Parker on a hiding to nothing as we're doomed already and definitely not a job for him at this stage to manage us next season and try and get us at least into the top 6

 

[PJ87]

Not sure I'd agree with that 100%. I think the players Jokanavic signed like Mawson to boost the defence were decent enough (apart from him being injured most of the season) and I think realistically most fans would have taken 9th-14th in the first season before a ball was kicked. Schurrle was a strange signing though and not sure what they really expected to get from him. If he goes I doubt many fans will shed a tear and some will barely notice. I think the nucleus was there and Jokanavic would have had them more up for a fight each week than Ranieiri seems to have had. Parker on a hiding to nothing as we're doomed already and definitely not a job for him at this stage to manage us next season and try and get us at least into the top 6

Each week I see (or don’t see in mawsons case) him and Seri play I’m so glad we pulled the plug on the deals

Same with Bernard ..

Mawson far too much money we got better value for belbeuvu at 4 million

Seri just doesn’t look up to standArd

And Bernard seemed decent but far too much wages for not guaranteed first team

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Seri has been a disappointment and Mawson simply doesn't look match fit even now. I thought Jokanavic had the tools with the signings but he didn't seem to ever know what his preferred and best line up was and we had a different back line every week. You need to build a solid defence/spine and neither manager has done that

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Not sure I'd agree with that 100%. I think the players Jokanavic signed like Mawson to boost the defence were decent enough (apart from him being injured most of the season) and I think realistically most fans would have taken 9th-14th in the first season before a ball was kicked. Schurrle was a strange signing though and not sure what they really expected to get from him. If he goes I doubt many fans will shed a tear and some will barely notice. I think the nucleus was there and Jokanavic would have had them more up for a fight each week than Ranieiri seems to have had. Parker on a hiding to nothing as we're doomed already and definitely not a job for him at this stage to manage us next season and try and get us at least into the top 6

Mawson wasn't exactly great at Swansea and they were relegated.

Of course the fans would be happy with a mid-table finish but my point is that you were never likely to achieve that by buying only mid-table players.

You needed a stronger backbone but it seemed that the assumption was that you could succeed in the PL by playing the same brand of possession based football that secured promotion.

Unfortunately the players weren't good enough to do that against the better opposition that you are now up against.

Ditching Ranieri now isn'tlikely to achieve much as if, as seems likely, you are relegated another rebuild of the team will be necessary.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Mawson wasn't exactly great at Swansea and they were relegated.

Of course the fans would be happy with a mid-table finish but my point is that you were never likely to achieve that by buying only mid-table players.

You needed a stronger backbone but it seemed that the assumption was that you could succeed in the PL by playing the same brand of possession based football that secured promotion.

Unfortunately the players weren't good enough to do that against the better opposition that you are now up against.

Ditching Ranieri now isn'tlikely to achieve much as if, as seems likely, you are relegated another rebuild of the team will be necessary.

Think Parker is only a stop gap and the club are realistic to recognise the fact we're down. I'm sure they'll be looking at a suitable manager who knows the championship. I thought actually under Jokanavic at the start of the season, playing the possession football we had done would be fine especially as that is what a lot of other teams with limited resources like Brighton and Bournemouth had done. The defence was just a shambles from the start and Jokanavic didn't know what to do to fix it. Clearly as it seems nor did Ranieri. There will be a huge clear out and we're see what we're left with come kick off next season

 

[Orikoru]

Mawson wasn't exactly great at Swansea and they were relegated.

Of course the fans would be happy with a mid-table finish but my point is that you were never likely to achieve that by buying only mid-table players.

You needed a stronger backbone but it seemed that the assumption was that you could succeed in the PL by playing the same brand of possession based football that secured promotion.

Unfortunately the players weren't good enough to do that against the better opposition that you are now up against.

Ditching Ranieri now isn'tlikely to achieve much as if, as seems likely, you are relegated another rebuild of the team will be necessary.

100%. Teams that come up and survive generally strengthen their defences. Fulham failed to do this, they brought in decent Premier League attackers but tried to survive on a Championship defence. I didn't rate Mawson last season either, felt he was one of those young defenders who was overrated because he can ping a long ball but struggles with actual defending. That's not the sort of player you want for a relegation battle. There's no decent protection in front of the defence either, they were probably hoping Seri was another Kanté but that hasn't worked at all.

Ranieri was completely the wrong appointment as well. They needed someone to come in and sort out the defence. Ranieri has never at any point in his career been known for organising a good defence. At Leicester he inherited Morgan and Huth who bullied everyone, but the following season got found out when the league cracked down on shirt-holding at corners and so on.

 

[pokerjoke]

People say Ranieri got lucky with Leicester or he got the perfect storm what a load of codswallop.

You could say with his resources he’s achieved more than many of managers now who can only win by spending 100s of millions.
Everyone talks about buying titles,Ranieri didn’t.

 

[Deleted member 15717]

So it looks like Kane has avoided punishment for the “aimed headbutt”

But the reason why is because the ref saw it -

So why if the ref saw Kane aim a headbutt at a player didn’t he do something - Obviously a red card if he made contact but clearly a yellow for the intent ?

Can’t be doing anything daft like that to the golden boy of English Football...

 

[sawtooth]

I hate Spurs don’t get me wrong but you have to admire Poch and the way Spurs has gone about its business.

I look and see so many parallels with Arsenal under Wengers tenure. Poch cannot do anymore , they play great football, qualify for the CL every year, compete YoY now for major trophies , built an impressive new stadium yet it won’t be enough, and Poch senses that too.

Quote from the article on BBC sums it up for me.

“If now the expectation is that it is not enough to play well, be a contender for top four and be in the Champions League for the third year in a row, if now the obligation is that it is compulsory to win a title because we are doing so well, you need to compare with other teams.” He goes onto say that Spurs will need a another “magic guy”.

He’s right and I hope that he sticks to his guns and that the club don’t force him out one day due to lack of trophies despite his excellent work.

Of course it won’t be the club itself, it will be Tottenham Fan TV, Piers Morgan-type critics, and a subset of ungrateful unrealistic fans.

Is Poch now a victim of his own relative success? Mmmm sounds a very familiar story.🤔

Get Poch out!

 

[Kellfire]

Didn’t realise Poch built the stadium. No wonder it’s delayed if you’ve only got one man on the job.

 

[huds1475]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1101184858708197376

Always good to see

Let it go. You'll feel better for it.

 

[MegaSteve]

A bit puzzled with the Arsenal starting line-up...

 

[Tashyboy]

Just had a stumble across Bournemouths ground. Now yes it is small. But the area is beautiful. Got to be in one of the nicest locations in the country. Could be a pigs ear to get out of though with the car end of game

 

[fundy]

seriously wtf is this arsenal line up? Aubam, Ozil, Torreira, Kolasinac all on the bench

GL Dick, hope you know more than I do but looks like weve set up to limit the damage rather than have a proper go (as we did when we beat them earlier in season, as we did against chelsea etc)

 

[ColchesterFC]

As a neutral I'm hoping for wins for Arsenal (sorry Spurs fans), Man Utd and Chelsea this weekend just to make the race for 3rd and 4th even tighter.

 

[sawtooth]

A bit puzzled with the Arsenal starting line-up...

Me too, I can only assume he doesn’t want to lose it in the first half and then make a few changes in the second half to finish the game strongly.

Certianly it will give Poch something to think about tactically.

Torreira is a real head scratcher we are always more solid with him playing.

What a bench though if we are still in this match at the hour mark.

 

[fundy]

well thats a huge bonus. Top top class from Ramsey, were gonna miss him