Memphis

Excellent as usual.

Should highlight Tiote as injury prone also. Guy barely plays two games in a row these days.

I almost did, but I was trying to give as much benefit of the doubt as I could. Could have also italicised Jonas too...

Cannot even imagine the thought process behind a statement like that. How someone thought that would help matters is beyond belief.

I can only hope for his sake Pardew's name was signed to this without his knowledge; otherwise, he's complicit by allowing himself to be perceived in this bootlicking, ass-kissing style.  It's pitiful.

I suppose, then, it's a pipe dream to look at the squad in place as a platform upon which to build.

Clearly some of the likes of Tiote and Jonas can be improved upon even if they're not bolded/italicised/struck through. Beyond that, there is simply a massive leadership vacuum in place that is sucking the life out of the supporters through continued flagging ambition. Considering the state of the competition and the amount of money available, there is - at least in my mind - an obligation to at least try to make the squad stronger. To show some ambition. To at least pretend to try to win something, even if that's a long way from happening.  That's what Southampton/Norwich/West Ham/Everton, etc are doing, and they've at least given their supporters a sign they're interested in trying to get better.

Effective depth in our case wouldn't have been all that expensive, considering some of the signings that were made in the window.

So, back to Kinnear, then. His appointment served to seal our fate as a bobbing ship content to stay afloat and hope that by dint of good fortune or whatever that we'd somehow move forward in the Premier League ocean. And I suppose we might. But it's happening in a way that's deflating energy and excitement and slowly shrinking the fan base. Don't know how that approach is defensible.

Most of the ones you've highlighted as fringe players are fringe players.

Correct. As I mentioned.

The point is that they stand a very real chance of being forced into significant playing time due to injury concerns. The strength in depth - as has been pointed out billions of times previous - is nonexistent. So any injuries, which are inevitable particularly with our luck, will be even more troublesome than is needed.

It is not a strong squad at all. There are good players, but not nearly enough of them, and that is the point.

Posted something similar a day or to - our squad on paper. I fail to see how anyone can be disappointed with the squad we start this season with as a club that finished 16th in the league last year.

 

GK - Krul, Elliot, Alnwick

 

DEF - Debuchy, Yanga-Mbiwa, Coloccini, Santon, Williamson, S. Taylor, Haidara, R. Taylor, Dummett, Tavernier, Good

 

MID - Ben Arfa, Sissoko, Anita, Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Marveaux, Gosling, Obertan, Bigirimana, Ameobi, Amalfitano

 

ATT - Cisse, Remy, Gouffran, Ameobi, Vuckic

I've taken the liberty of placing in bold the players who have continuing injury concerns - and all of whom have missed significant time recently with said injuries.

I've italicized the players who are or clearly should be fringe players, who are either unproven or proven to be not at the level a "top 10" team needs to be playing on a regular basis.

I've struck through the players who are just not good enough at this level.

I don't think your statement is very compelling.

http://www.vivaelfulham.co.uk/articles/talking-tactics-newcastle-1-fulham-0-7-289.html

From a Fulham site, excellent tactical breakdown obviously mostly from their perspective. But the writer comes to the same conclusions we did. Their heat map is shocking. Worth a read and on that evidence Jol is not long for Craven Cottage.

Palace playing some brilliant stuff, goodness me.

At least we got dicked over by Manchester City at the Etihad, not Palace at Selhurst Park.

At the end, our fullbacks were so attacking it almost looked like:

                                          Krul

                            MYM                    Colo

Debuchy                        Cabaye                          Santon

                                  Sissoko

HBA                                                                    Gouffran

                                                Remy

                            Cisse

FourFourTwo StatsZone makes for interesting viewing after the match.

In the 70 minutes prior to the Remy substitution, we were credited with creating six chances in the final third with three chances coming in the box; after Remy came on, we created 7 chances in the final third, all 7 in the box.

Robbie Earle on American broadcast: "Alan Pardew will be a relieved man. He'll probably enjoy a beer tonight, as they say in that part of the world."

WTF?

Also, on this evidence, Fulham are a good shout for relegation. Absolutely no fight in the side whatsoever.

That felt weird. Last 20 minutes was almost like watching a football team with some movement and decent passing. Weird.

Hatem's goal was so good even Birtles said, "Yeah, that's alright, then."

Brilliant, brilliant strike.

Ball was almost slightly behind him when he struck it, somehow curled it with extreme power into the upper left corner with the keeper absolutely motionless.

THUNDERBASTARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU TUBBY GENIUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last week was understandable, that was just a stunning miss by Gouff.

I have the sneaking suspicion Pardew's far happier with the way this match has gone than almost anyone else in the ground.

THE SHADOWS ARE GONE! TIME TO PLAY FOOTBALL!

On the world feed, they're showing first half "highlights" with an incredibly inspiring musical score underneath - it's so disconcerting to watch wayward passes and ballooned shots to what sounds like a John Williams masterpiece.

Pretty much the same as we've seen all year. Solid in midfield, some tidy stuff, shocking in the final third.

Fulham are so lazy. We're not doing much to lift the occasion. REMY AND GOUFF AND CABAYE PLEASE

Has the look and sound of a preseason friendly at the moment, especially from Fulham. But atmosphere sounds extremely quiet.

Definitely a bit better but still the same inability to find the killer ball. Fulham look like they can't really be bothered.

BIRTLES!

GET THE FUCKER IN THE BOX LADS