Fulham are not having a good season. Currently occupying 18th place in the table and boasting the worst goal difference in the Premier League, the Cottagers are in serious danger of being relegated come May.
The ageing squad has been sluggish and passive this season, has been struggling for goals as Dimitar Berbatov has failed to perform to his usual standards, and has lost by three or more goals on four occasions – no worse than the 6-0 defeat at the hands of promoted Hull City. Martin Jol has already paid for poor results with his job, but Rene Meulensteen has not been able to mastermind a revival.
Bryan Ruiz and Pajtim Kasami have stood out for Fulham, but unless Meulensteen is able to inject youth, pace, vibrancy and toughness in his squad, there is a good chance that they will be playing in the Championship next season.
August
Fulham's season began well, with a 1-0 defeat of Sunderland. A week later, they were beaten by Arsenal 3-1 at Craven Cottage, before avoiding one of the greatest cup shocks of all time by the skin of their teeth just three days later. Burton Albion took the Premier League club all the way in the Capital One Cup, drawing 2-2 before losing 5-4 on penalties.
The month finished with a 1-0 defeat at Newcastle, courtesy of Hatem Ben Arfa's late goal.
September
A 1-1 draw against West Bromwich Albion started the month off, while the West London derby away at Chelsea resulted in a 2-0 win for the Blues.
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Fulham did progress in the Capital One Cup at home to Everton, winning 2-1 - their first victory at Craven Cottage since April - but capitulated 2-1 to Cardiff in the league just four days later thanks to a Jordon Mutch winner in injury time.
October
Darren Bent came off the bench to score the only goal in the win against Stoke City, before a wonderful effort by Pajtim Kasami set the Cottagers on the way to a 4-1 victory against Crystal Palace after the international break.
Later in the week, Fulham's trip to Southampton ended in a 2-0 defeat, England candidates Ricky Lambert and Jay Rodriguez netting the goals. They then suffered a cup upset, losing 4-3 to second-tier Leicester City in the Capital One Cup.
November
Fulham didn't earn a single point in November, losing each of their four league games in the month. The Cottagers were unlucky to play Manchester United and Liverpool consecutively, and lost 3-1 and 4-0 respectively.
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Up next were Swansea, who won 2-1 thanks to Jonjo Shelvey's late goal, before the result that led to Martin Jol's sacking, a 3-0 defeat to West Ham.
December
Jol was replaced at the helm by his assistant, Rene Meulensteen, on the first of the month.
A 2-1 loss at home to Tottenham, the seventh defeat in a row for Fulham, was followed up by a much-needed win, seeing off Aston Villa 2-0 and gaining ground on the teams outside the relegation zone.
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The feel-good effect didn't last, however, as the Cottagers were dispatched 4-1 by Everton at Goodison Park. The following week, four more goals were conceded by the Fulham defence as they went down 4-2 against Manchester City.
A Boxing Day victory against Norwich City provided more precious points, but, in a game which Meulensteen described as "shocking", the Cottagers were routed 6-0 by recently-promoted Hull City.
Giuseppe Labellarte
