Slavisa Jokanovic won't be too concerned with this defeat by Samporia.
The fixture at Aldershot - not Craven Cottage - was meant to provide Jokanovic with more time to work on the players' fitness and help the new additions become used to the side's 4-3-3 system.
It was also the first chance Fulham's supporters got to see Aleksandar Mitrovic, now a fully signed up White, since the Championship play-off final.
They also got to see what Andre Schurrle, who has signed on loan from Borussia Dortmund for the season.
He showed why he could be an important player for Jokanovic from the start.
Creative and skilful, he took on Sampdoria's defenders and played in his team-mates.
Ibrahima Cisse in particular benefited. Schurrle picking him out with a pass 20 minutes into the game but Cisse shot just wide.
Sampdoria caused Fulham problems but Denis Odoi and Maxime Le Marchand tidied up well.
There were very few chances for both sides in what did become a rather tedious contest.
The game would ultimately be decided by a strike in the 79th minute.
Gaston Ramirez, the former Southampton and Middlesbrough attacking midfielder, scoring the decisive goal with a brilliant strike from the right just outside the box.
