Newcastle vs Fulham: The fan confidence test

Fulham and Newcastle – both struggling for form and players – face each other at the weekend (Getty Images)

Fulham have come to a crossroads in the season. “But they’ve only played two games!” you would cry. Well, let me tell you why, at just two games and three points into the season, Fulham are at a crossroads.

Fan confidence is at a low. It’s been a while since I’ve seen so many Fulham fans across the board angry with how the squad has shaped up. In fact, it’s markedly worse than last year when the front office did nothing but watch Tottenham Hotspur suck the life out of the Fulham midfield like a Dementor, and in turn bringing in nobody of significance (OK fine, they brought in Sascha Riether who is now a key part of the squad, but he was nobody of significance at the time).

Scores of people are calling for Martin Jol to be sacked due to his inability to tactically arrange his squad to make the most of the individual player’s abilities. Some, having used up all of the Kool-Aid supplied during the purchase of the club, are even pleading with Shahid Khan to splash the cash at the deadline to fix a midfield that remains somewhat stagnant.

So, embroiled in the turmoil, the Whites head to Newcastle Upon Tyne, with pressure mounting and jobs even possibly on the line. Not immediately following this match, but certainly in the near future. Shahid Khan has been very public about his displeasure in sacking a coach – NFL or Premier League – during the season. But Shahid Khan has found himself face-to-face with the devil-eyed monster that is relegation for the first time, and who knows if he would blink if the results weren’t even close to what he had expected early on.

A beatable team on the road while under early fan pressure. Sounds like a crossroads to me. I rest my case.