“This summer is the first for a number of seasons where I feel we are actually fairly settled as a club. Sensible transfers have already been made. Yes, we need a few additions but look at it this way: there is always a better player out there and we will always need new additions.”

“So far it has been a quality summer.” Cottagers have welcomed stability this summer after a chaotic first Championship season since last year’s relegation. “The club has done a lot to improve the playing staff. Last year’s results have to be improved on, especially against the better teams.”

Fans are circumspect about setting expectations for this season too high. “I am very optimistic about this season but I don’t think promotion will be on the cards”, “I realistically think that the top six is too big a step from last season’s form. We will do well to settle in a mid-table position.”

Kit Symons

“Kit can succeed but will be gone if he does not sort the defence out. If he can’t achieve this and we start to both ship goals and lose games he won’t last long”, “Time is running out to improve the quality of the back four and Kit will pay the price if that improvement isn’t quickly realised.”

“Yeah, we could sack Kit, bring in Big Sam, sack him at Christmas and continue this wonderful slide we have been on for years. We could alternatively take a huge gamble and reverse the slide. We seem to have a set-up in the club that seems to be working.”

“Attacking Symons for not bringing in the defenders we are going for is pointless.” Supporters have been quick to shoot down any of the minority with itchy trigger-fingers, but there is a genuine concern about the quality Fulham defence and their manager’s ability to address this issue.

“Time is running out to improve the quality of the back four”, “We cannot defend and we all know that. If we carry on like last season at the back we will spend most of our time in the bottom half of the league. If the defence isn’t sorted Kit will be gone soon.”

“I don’t think Kit is able to address our defensive organisation. He favours a fluid attacking approach which we are happy to see. We need a ‘bad cop’ to properly drill the defenders”, “He needs to understand his best back four and get them playing together every week as a unit.”

Departures

Ten players have departed Craven Cottage this summer and have been scattered to the four winds. Goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly has joined Szombathelyi Haladas in his native Hungary and German defender Tim Hoogland has also returned to his home country, transferring to VfL Bochum.

Two international strikers have also moved abroad, Brian Ruiz joining Benfica and Hugo Rodallega moving to Turkish outfit Akhisar Bedeliyspor while two midfielders, Dutchman Chris David and Moroccan Adil Chihi are still unattached having left the club.

Four players have joined English clubs. Keeper Martin Stekelenburg has moved to Southampton, defender Josh Passley has joined Dagenham and Redbridge, Ryan Williams has signed for Barnsley while teenage prodigy Patrick Roberts has moved to Manchester City for an undisclosed fee.

Patrick Roberts

“Everyone has the right to progress their career and Patrick has not bad-mouthed the club or left on bad terms”, “I’m sad he has left but have no ill-feeling.” Cottagers have been quick to wish the 19-year-old midfielder well on his high profile move to the Etihad.

“Roberts wasn’t a regular player at Fulham”, “You need to think about why he has left and the reasons behind it”, “He will get to train with some of the world’s best players and will certainly get sent out on loan to get a season or two under his belt with a club that will actually play him.”

Arrivals

Seven new faces have appeared this summer, with the defence bolstered by the arrival of goalkeeper Andy Lonergan from Bolton, Wales international Jazz Richards from Swansea and the season-long loan signing of Everton’s Luke Garbutt.

Four midfielders have also arrived, left-winger and Town target Ben Pringle (above) from Rotherham, Tom Cairney from Blackburn, Jamie O’Hara from Blackpool and lastly Finland holding midfielder Sakari Mattila, who joined from Norwegian club Aalesunds earlier this week.

Cottagers are hoping to see Crystal Palace’s Dwight Gayle arrive on loan while the club have also been linked with Brighton defender Lewis Dunk.

Defenders

“Andy Lonergan was a good keeper a few years back. Hopefully he’s half-decent now”, “I hope Marcus Bettinelli is our number one as he won’t stay for long if not.” Most Cottagers see Lonergan as a stand-in. “I am not a fan of Lonergan. He’s error prone and his kicking is lower-league at best.”

“Jazz Richards will help cover for both full-back positions and isn’t costing us too much either”, “He’s not as bad as some people make out”, “He is a grand addition and will have a terrific season”, “He’s good going forward, defensively okay but better with a covering centre-half and midfielder.”

“Our formation over-exposed the full-backs so judging Jazz Richards for some admittedly average performances is a tad unfair.” He struggled on loan at the Cottage last season in the then-preferred diamond-formation. “He wasn’t anything to shout about but he has the potential to improve.”

“Luke Garbutt is a smashing acquisition. I watched this lad last season. He was very fast and strong going forward. Let’s hope he has some defensive nous about him.” The 22-year-old “is a cracking signing and a major upgrade at left-back”, “A genuine quality and promising prospect.”

“Garbutt is the player I’m most excited to see. If he lives up to the talk we may have the best left-back in the league”, “If we have a forward who can head the ball then Garbutt’s Beckham-esque deliveries will really be a major weapon. Get your head on that one, Matt Smith.”

Midfielders

“Tom Cairney is wasted on the right. He needs to be a central midfielder or number 10 where he gets the ball more. Anyone with half a brain cell could tell that the lad is absolute quality.” Fans are divided on whether the 24-year old should be played centrally or on the right flank.

“We don’t have any quality right midfielders so Cairney is there out of necessity”, “I don’t think he has the defensive discipline to partner Jamie O’Hara in the middle”, “He will be a big player for us. He likes to play in tight spaces, has quick feet and works the give-and-go really well.”

“If Jamie O’Hara gets game time and plays to his full potential he is a game changer.” The 28-year-old “may start ahead of Scott Parker but could learn a lot from him on a professional level”, “I have always thought he had talent, but a one-year contract doesn’t suggest he will be a key player.”

“I don’t know much about Sakari Matilla but it looks like we won’t be seeing Kevin McDonald joining from Wolves”, “I am Norwegian, and I have seen this guy play a lot. He is really poor, even to Norwegian standards.” Cottagers aren’t setting their hopes too high on this latest arrival.

“I’m excited by Pringle. I remember he gave is a torrid time in the Rotherham game last season although I understand he blows a bit hot and cold. Hopefully he gives us a good left wing option as this was a problem last season”, “He is a bundle of energy and a great crosser.”

“He can play a variety of quality crosses from all angles.” The 26-year-old’s ability to play a telling ball has often been mentioned. “Quick, direct and a decent crosser, he won’t set the world alight but has decent experience of this division”, “He will benefit from not being in a relegation fight.”

“If you offered me 10th to 15th place now, never realistic play-off contenders but never worryingly near the bottom, a solid mid-table season with getting a bit of the real club back, I’d take it”, “Leeds finished 15th last year. No way would fans be happy with losing nearly half the games they played.”

A poll earlier in the post-season had 61% of Rangers forecasting ‘mid-table obscurity’. “Unlike previous seasons, this seems much more of a step into the unknown. If we fail this year, it will be more a case of shrugging shoulders and saying, ‘At least we tried rebuilding the club the right way’.”

A number of themes have emerged from Rangers’ pre-season discussions. One is a great desire to rebuild a squad patiently in a club which lacks the patience to allow this to happen. A second is an anxiety at the overwhelming squad turnaround being undertaken by a rookie management team.

“This season we have more reason to be fearful, with an almost new team and with no resources to replace two likely departing players [Charlie Austin and Leroy Fer] until they go”, “We have bitten off more than we can chew, completely rebuilding the squad while trying to prepare a pre-season.”

“There is too much to do, too much disruption and neither [manager] Chris Ramsey or [director of football] Les Ferdinand have ever done this before, and I think it is showing”, “The changes have been so drastic that one close-season hasn’t really been long enough to get the job completed.”

Chris Ramsey

“I do feel for Ramsey. Trying to build a team while everyone is up for sale must be tricky and he has never had a balanced squad to work with during his whole time here.” The QPR boss has been cautious in his comments in an attempt to manage supporters’ expectations for the coming season.

“A big personality don’t necessarily make a great coach, tactician or manager”, “I prefer Ramsey’s approach, however downbeat his comments are. This time last year we were fed a constant stream of Sky-friendly rubbish, including Harry Redknapp’s opinion on the Ryder Cup.”

“As it stands we have a good Championship squad. Our defence is weak and we have only one front-line keeper and holding player”, “It’s quite a young team and it is being asked to adapt to a new formation with players coming and going all the time. We are obviously short in key areas.”

Patience

“The management want everyone to have enough patience to let then have a decent run at it but I’m not sure they will get it. People like to talk a good game about QPR going back to using lower league and youth players. In practice they just want us to go and buy Jordan Rhodes for £12 million.”

“We need to change our mind set a bit and look beyond our results for a while. Patience and support are required but sadly I doubt Ramsey will get that”, “It won’t take much for the knives to come out for Ramsey and Ferdinand which is a real shame as the one thing they need is a bit of patience.”

A good number of supporters have been quick to stress the need for patience and stability while admitting that the management team are unlikely to get this from the board, players or fans. Despite the turbulence of recent seasons, some are unhappy at the lack of investment this summer.

“Why can’t we go and sign another Austin? I would like to know that we could pull the trigger and buy one of the top four strikers in the division. We have lowered the wage bill, have parachute payments and FFP is not the back-page story everyone outside the club was hoping it would be.”

Departures

Ten players have left this summer with Chris Ramsey saying that two more, striker Charlie Austin and midfielder Leroy Fer “will probably leave.” Two further players Michael Harriman, (to Wycombe until January) and defender Stephen Caulker (season-long to Southampton) have been loaned out.

Defender Rio Ferdinand has retired and three veterans, former Town goalkeeper Brian Murphy, defender Richard Dunne and midfielder Joey Barton remain unattached. Of the departing players, only 34-year-old striker Bobby Zamora (signed by Brighton this week) will remain in this division.

Winger Shaun Wright-Phillips (to New York Red Bulls), striker Adel Taarabt (to Benfica) and young defender Coll Donaldson (to Dundee United) have moved away from English football while keeper Alex McCarthy (to Crystal Palace) and defender Max Ehmer (to Gillingham) have remained in England.

Arrivals

Eight new signings have arrived at the club this summer while a number of first-team regulars have had one-year contract extensions, including midfielders Alexander Faurlin and Karl Henry along with defender Clint Hill.

Midfielders Ben Gladwin and former Town loan signing Massimo Luongo have joined from Swindon, winger Jamie Mackie has returned to Loftus Road from Nottingham Forest and one time Blue Jay-Emmanuel Thomas has joined on a free transfer from Bristol City.

Two strikers have arrived, German Sebastian Polter from Mainz and trialist Tyler Blackwood from American College football. Attacking midfielder Tjaronn Chery has been signed from FC Groningen and this week saw the first defender sign with the arrival of full-back James Perch from Wigan.

Little has been said about the two strikers, with 23-year-old Tyler Blackwood a signing “without the tiniest bit of risk”. At 6ft 4in, 24-year-old Sebastian Polter “makes Les Ferdinand look small”, “He’s more than a target man. He’s quick, a good finisher and has the ability to play a variety of systems.”

“Welcome Trevor.” Dutch player Tjaronn Chery is “a high-energy athletic left-footed playmaker who is not afraid to have a shot from distance.” The 27-year-old is “a freekick specialist who can also thread strikers through”, “His technique is good and he can play in a range of roles across midfield.”

“Ben Gladwin seems very composed on the ball, big and strong and with a decent shooting technique.” The 22-year-old “has good touch and control and has a cracking shot”, “He moves in and around the box like a natural goal-scorer. He can play out wide but mainly operates in the centre.”

“I’m very happy with the signing of Luongo.” The Australia international “is a box-to-box midfielder with a great engine, although predominantly attacking. He is excellent at sitting in gaps between opposing defence and midfield. He would need Henry in the team with him to be played correctly.”

One concern was raised about the 22-year-old. “He has tremendous ability but can totally capitulate when the team isn’t playing well”, “He has gone missing regularly since the Asian Cup [in January]. It could be down to fatigue but shouldn’t detract from the fact that Luongo is technically fantastic.”

“Happy enough with that”, “So, just four defenders to go.” The arrival of James Perch from the Latics has been greeted with a mixture of happiness and relief. “I really like this guy and can’t believe he has not been snapped up by a good Championship or lower Premier League club.”

“Perch is a player in the mould of some of the signings Neil Warnock made before his promotion season, including Shaun Derry or Clint Hill. He is a solid Championship performer with an excellent attitude”, “He is the sort of unglamorous signing we will need”, “A really solid signing.”

Jay-Emmanuel Thomas

“I would be surprised if JET started but he’s a very good squad player and useful off the bench”, “He’s one of those players who could really kick on and do the business if he applies himself to it”, “He has a lot of pace and a thunderbolt of a left foot”, “At 24 and a free transfer, what’s not to like?”

QPR fans have been guarded in their welcoming comments. “He always gave me the impression he was coasting in second gear, so I think there is a better player waiting to emerge”, “He should be a decent player for Championship. It did not work out at Arsenal but he’s young enough to improve.”

“He has always looked like he has talent but couldn’t get consistency”, “Maybe he just needs the right coaching”, “JET is a bit of an enigma. He could be a shrewd powerful attacking midfielder with two good feet who has all the ability in the world. It’s up to him.”

Jamie Mackie

“Hopefully we will have 11 Jamie Mackies next season and the players will wear their hearts on their sleeves”, “At last we will have a team with some energy in it, energy we have not had since Mackie left”, “He adds commitment, pace and some half-decent finishing to a squad with a weak attack.”

“I would have him back in a shot.” Fans are delighted at the return of the 29-year-old both for the football and leadership he will bring. “He won’t be expensive and won’t be expected to score over 20 goals a season, but he’s the right type of player and - guess what - we’re in the Championship.”

Message Boards