Fulham 'in the middle of second-season syndrome'

Dan Crawford, Hammy End

Having taken a massive gamble by failing to replace Aleksandar Mitrovic when he forced through his move to Saudi Arabia, Fulham are stuck in the middle of second-season syndrome.

The Whites look toothless in front of goal – summer signing Raul Jimenez finally got off the mark last weekend – and lack the creativity that characterised last season’s success, putting more pressure on an overworked defence.

Fulham were fortunate that Joao Palhinha’s proposed transfer to Bayern Munich fell through at the eleventh hour as losing the tenacious midfielder would have plunged them into a relegation battle and a fight against the drop could still loom large.

January, never the easiest window to secure successful signings, seems vital.

The plus point has been Marco Silva signing a new contract at Craven Cottage, but the failure to strengthen his playing squad means Fulham will have to settle for keeping their heads above water.

Recent protests against the club’s ridiculously expensive ticket-pricing policy have demonstrated the disconnect between the ownership and fans, who risk being priced out of following their team.

We can only hope that a return to form after the international break gives everyone a lift.