Fulham vs. Crystal Palace

Fulham hosts Crystal Palace at 10am EDT on Saturday. The match will be carried on NBCSN.

Fulham will look to end its record run of 11 consecutive London derby defeats in the Premier League. Crystal Palace come in with just 1 point in the last three matches after starting off with two consecutive victories. Palace, like Sheffield United, is another team likely to be in danger of relegation and one that Fulham needs to get some points from.

Harrison Reed is unlikely to make a return having just begun training again with the first team. I suspect we'll see a lineup nearly identical to the one against Sheffield, but I'd like someone other than Cavaliero on the wing. I think that Kamara is better suited for the role that Cavaliero was playing on Sunday. Or Parker could switch things up and move Lookman to the right and bring in Bryan on the left wing. Mitro will probably be in a foul mood after Sunday's match. Hopefully that translates into scoring opportunities and not getting carded for throwing elbows.

 

Palace still has a wild card that could cause us major problems: Wilfried Zaha. The Ivorian striker is the type of “X” factor player that can make our lives very miserable. He’s skilled enough to start for one if the big 6 in my opinion, and I believe we’ll have our hands full trying to close him down. As for the rest, if we get the same or better from the guys that played against Sheffield United, along with the real, rested Alexsandr Mitrovic’, I like our chances of getting something out of this one. P.S. I hope Scott had new penalty taker tryouts this week. We left 2 points on the pitch at Bramall Lane last weekend. That just can’t happen.

 

Hopefully Mitro will get good service, because you know he feels he owes the team a goal or two after last week. The spirit of the team seems good, need Cairney to follow up a good performance with another, What the Hell, let’s go w/a 2-1 win.

 

Mitro with 2 goals as the top scorer...that haul should tick up this weekend. COYW. From the Guardian:
Fulham v Crystal Palace: match preview


Fulham v Crystal Palace: probable starters in bold, contenders in light

Fri 23 Oct 2020 11.58 EDT

Roy Hodgson returns to Craven Cottage and finds Fulham feeling confident their fortunes may be turning. Their performance at Sheffield United last week was a step in the right direction and suggested Scott Parker’s extensive transfer window dealings may yet bear fruit. They need wins, though, and Crystal Palace will be difficult top beat as always even though Jordan Ayew and Jack Butland are self-isolating with Covid-19. What price a vital contribution from Ruben Loftus-Cheek, on loan at Fulham, against a previous temporary employer? Nick Ames

Saturday 3pm BT Sport Box Office

Venue Craven Cottage

Last season n/a

Odds H 2-1 A 2-1 D 9-4

Referee Graham Scott

This season G1 Y4 R1 5 cards/game

FULHAM
Subs from Rodak, Fabri, Le Marchand, Hector, Odoi, Christie, Robinson, Lemina, Reed, Bryan, Kebano, Decordova-Reid, Reed, Lemina, Kamara

Doubtful None

Injured Tete (calf, Nov), Andersen (ankle, unknown), Kongolo (foot, unknown)

Suspended None

Discipline Y13 R0

Form LLLLD

Leading scorer Mitrovic 2

CRYSTAL PALACE
Subs from Henderson, Kelly, McArthur, Dann, Meyer, Jach, Benteke, Tomkins, Van Aanholt, Wickham, Clyne, Eze, Milivojevic

Doubtful None

Injured Ayew (coronavirus, Nov), Butland (coronavirus, Nov), Cahill (shin, Nov), McCarthy (hamstring, Nov), Hennessey (thigh, unknown), Ferguson (knee, unknown)

Suspended None

Discipline Y9 R0

Form WWLLD

Leading scorer Zaha 4

 

Palace have size in the back, Zaha up front, and Woy’s tactical prowess against Parker. Hoping for the best, but I don’t see it happening unless that backup keeper stinks it up.

 

This is hard to watch. We keep the ball but are toothless, and we can’t stop a marshmallow from scoring.

 

We all knew what we were getting into this season, a total slog for the entirety and lots of grim days at the office. Scotty has got to keep the lads together and positive, because WBA is next followed by Spam. The next 4 after that are brutal; Everton (top of the table), Leceister, Citeh, Liverpool. In other words the next two matches we need 3-4 points or being cut adrift will be a distinct possibility.

 

Highlights:


I was planning to watch on replay, but accidentally saw the score and the red card. After that I couldn't stand to do any more than watch the highlights. It seems like it would have been a miserable match to watch. Fulham had 2/3rds of the possession, but had only 3 shots on target vs. Palace's 10.

 

It’s time to talk about making a change on the touchline. We’re going nowhere, and we’re not trying anything different in an attempt to right the ship. Sticking with Scott at this point is delaying the inevitable. We don’t have the time to wait for the new guys to “gel.” You don’t get points for dominating possession. You’ve still got to score more goals than your opponent. A lot of things need to improve, top to bottom. But the only thing we can do immediately is change the gaffer.

 

This game was just frustrating to watch. From start to finish. So much promise. So little execution.

 

Thought Pardew really nailed it in his assessment of Cairney right before half. Aside from Lookman, team was too static in possession. Too much station to station passing, no runs into the box to stop Palace from walling off Mitro. I get wanting 5 in midfield but this team isn’t near talented enough to play 4-2-3-1 in the Prem. And I don’t understand Parker’s insistence on exposing his fullbacks, who aren’t the best defenders to begin with.

 

We’re probably not even good enough to run a 4-4-2 in this league. We’re playing and coaching like we don’t belong in it. And right now, we don’t.

 

Yes, I thought Pardew was spot-on about Cairney and our midfield in his commentary. It's like we're playing for the pass completion stats, not to win games.

 

On. The. Nose. Sir.

 

Despite the context for both being entirely different, Saturday felt like a similar Saturday in 2018, an opening day 2-0 loss to Palace where the differences in levels was laid bare.

This campaign, now that we've (mostly) got our defense sorted, how we're playing is how we played in the Championship.

Last season Fulham led the league in passing completion, and touches of the ball (we had 2k more touches than Brentford last season). There was also some stat like "possession to goals scored rate" where we ranked either last or very close to it. And I cannot seem to find the article, but there was one tactical analysis piece going around before the Playoff final that laid bare how slow and methodical we are.

However we were better than most teams in the Championship, and could play this way. We are not better than maybe 1-2 other teams in the EPL, and thus/also cannot play this way.

I don't mean to sound petulant, but whereas in the first few matches I was embarrassed by the defense, now I'm bored. You need the ability to create goals out of nothing in this league. We require way too many moving parts to even attempt a shot.

 

Don, I looked for a setting to activate the ATTAIPMO button in the forum, but I couldn't find it. Sorry about that.

Here are short highlights with GJ and Jamie. It is funny in a sad way, but on the lead-up to the second goal Jamie is talking about how well Fulham is controlling the game... and then literally two seconds later Palace scores.

 

Hammer-nail head. Finger-nose tip.