Our return to Huddersfield’s John Smith’s Stadium brought back some happy memories of the game there in the season before last.

That last visit saw the Whites win a fabulously entertaining game 4-1 after going a goal behind, the result coupled with Leeds going off the boil firmly put the seal on the White’s entrance into the Play-Offs.

That day, It was such a good performance from the team and the atmosphere was terrific throughout the game that we were approached by many Terrier’s fans complimenting us on our team, happy days!

I don’t think that even the most optimistic Fulham Follower (is there such a thing as an optimistic one of those?) expected a repetition of that performance, after all the current team is definitely a work in progress, though to date the progress has been in the wrong direction.

There was still no Tim Ream but at least our skipper was in the line-up again, in the event, Slaviša Jokanović made just one change from the side that was well beaten by Manchester City’s B Team in the Carabao Cup last Thursday.

Maxime Le Marchand came back in to the centre of a back four joining Denis Odoi, that made me nervous for starters, the backs being Ryan Sessegnon on the left and the accident-prone Fosu-Mencah at right back, that made me even more nervous. 

The rest of the Fulham line up comprised Rico; Zambo Anguissa, Cairney, Seri; Vietto, Mitrovic, Schürrle. Once again, no start for old favourites McDonald or Johansen and there was no sign of Ayité in the squad at all.

The substitutes were Bettinelli, Chambers, Christie, McDonald, Johansen, Ream, Mawson.

The mandatory minute’s silence having been observed, this time to mark the awful tragedy at Leicester, the whistle blew and we Sufferers drew a collective intake of breath, could this be the night our season takes off? Right from the start, it was obvious that the self-doubt that has permeated our first 10 games in the “Big Boys’ League’, (yes, it was even evident in our only bright spots, against Burnley and Brighton) was back with us.

The opening exchanges were even Stevens with Fulham’s formation looking quite promising and with pressure mounting albeit in a rather nonchalant fashion, when in the fourth minute the Huddersfield left back with Vietto closing on him, received a square ball and made a poor back pass which put the goalie under pressure from a fast advancing Vietto, Lossi’s ball was played 30 yards out to the right back from a position 10 yards out and in line with his left hand post, Schürrle pounced as the Huddersfield defender received the ball and fell over lamely as he was harried from behind, to earn a respite from the referee, our German was not amused.

To be fair both sides were pretty uninspiring but at least Huddersfield’s players looked interested whereas most of our journeymen were beginning to go through the motions somewhat. Where are players like Fredericks and Targett, to turn defence into forward momentum, no need to post answers, it was a rhetorical question.

Fifteen minutes of ordinary fare passed in a pattern of Fulham mistakes and carelessness and Huddersfield mediocrity largely dominated by the home team, then they gad a shot which hit the bar. Six minutes later they again pressed, won a corner after a terrific stop from Rico with Cairney flattened in the area and with Fulham’s defence stationery seemingly waiting for play to be stopped, an unmarked Schindler added to his list of headed goals. Or so we thought, Fosu-Mencha having lost the aerial battle where he ought to have done better and suffered the indignity of being credited with an own goal, soft or what, typical of our season though.

It was all Huddersfield still although Fulham made some headway, these rare glimpses ended we our lads all too often gifting the ball back to Huddersfield from promising positions which constantly put pressure on our back four. Our problems stem from a lack of confidence and so far the familiar smooth and speedy passing game is again falling apart.

At the whistle, it was still not too disastrous as Huddersfield were just not good enough to damage us with a killer second goal, so although dreadful, it was not terminal yet. 

Jokanović made an odd substitution in the interval, adding Kevin McDonald, although I like Kevin a lot, it seemed that this was not a defensive change as he took off Vietto, who admittedly had been pretty ineffective but how this would help Mitro who’d been as isolated as the man in the moon for the whole first half. Cyrus Christie came on at right back to replace Timothy Fosu-Mensah. 

I was happy about that as despite having had a few disappointing outings has shown promise, having been in the squad longer, one would hope that he was more up to speed in the right back position by now. In common with most of the later additions, he needs time, our problem stems from there being too many that need time and that’s running out.

Cyrus made a difference and the second half opened with the Whites moving forward with more confidence and even managing some lovely passing moves,. Ten minutes passed though prior to a meaningful chance where Mitrović headed over from an all too rare corner. 

At least the game was more likely for Fulham and we were settling down into a better rhythm, something had to go wrong surely. And then it happened, McDonald remained seated after going down around the 65th minute after having lead our mini-revival, he was taken off to be replaced by old favourite Stefan Johansen. I also like Stefan but the loss of McDonald was a blow, in my opinion he is skipper material and vocally leads and inspires those around him., when he’s out we lose a hard core in the team.

Our stars shone brighter as the game developed and after a lovely build up, Scürrle scored a delightful goal, only for it to be wiped off by an offside decision.

Happily, Fulham were much more in the game and our old German was agin influential in a move, around 76 minutes, that involved Cairney winning a midfield ball and crafting a move into the opposition danger area but sadly narrowly screaming wide past a beaten Lossi in the home goal.

Time fizzled out with the customary time wasting by the leading team, a few leisurely taken corners and throw-ins, with dallying over the corner kicks and ambling around=d the corner like surly teenagers, then hanging onto the ball after it had gone out of play, you know, the familiar ‘professionalism’, in my day we’d call it childish unsporting behaviour.

And there we have it we’re the bottom club in the Premier League, can it get any worse, it possibly can when we consider our next awaydays!