Fulham fans may have seen their beloved former manager Roy Hodgson struggle badly to adjust to life at one of the league’s big boys, with Liverpool fans not exactly welcoming him into their lives on Merseyside, but it is struggles closer to home that will currently be occupying the minds of the Fulham faithful.
After the highs of last season, Fulham wouldn't have been expecting to be sitting in 17th place in the league after 15 games. However, that's the reality facing the club right now, with the main problem leading to that league position clear for all to see. The problem seems to lie in the goals column, with their goal difference currently -3. This stat is a massive improvement on the figure for the likes of West Ham and Wigan, who have goal differences of -12 and -15 respectively, but you can't deny that in front of goal, Fulham have difficulties. Indeed, the Premier League best odds suggest they could be in real trouble.
In fact, Wigan and West Ham are the only teams to have scored less goals so far this campaign than Mark Hughes's men. A lack of cutting edge in front of goal, with the loss of Bobby Zamora proving to be extremely costly after all, has been evident in many of Fulham's games and is responsible for preventing the side from pushing on in their games to turn lacklustre draws into crucial wins. Over-reliance upon Clint Dempsey, who has stepped up fairly well in Zamora's absence, is a further problem in this respect, with the player grabbing five of the team's 14 goals. They certainly don't look like Premier League best bets for a top half finish.
With the pressure mounting on Hughes at the club and the players handing him the dreaded public vote of confidence this week, the Fulham manager will have to hope that the team's creative players step up to the plate over the next few weeks and score the goals that can improve the club's precarious league position.
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