Fulham vs Manchester City

Well it all comes to an end this Sunday at 1100 EST when Manchester City visit the Cottage. It looks like this match is on Peacock (and possibly ESPN3, which I guess is still a thing).

While I’m sad to see the season end, it’s probably best for all of us to just take a break. It will be to have some time to reflect on a history making season.

As far as the match goes, I’m pretty much setting my tee (or tea - if that’s your thing) times already. Manchester City need a result to maintain their Champions League spot (the four teams below them are all within 3 points!) so they’re going to play with added motivation. Also, Fulham have not beaten City in 20 matches - and only 2 of those 20 have been draws. In other words, Fulham have only taken 2 points from a possible 60! I think (hope?) Fulham will keep it somewhat competitive but I fully expect a loss.

I hope everyone enjoys the long weekend. Summer is upon us. Cheers!

 

It really has been a special season, despite tailing off at the end. The most points in the premier league and a number of huge historic wins. Probably asking too much to end it with three points against Manchester City.

We have to go into this thinking too that it might be the last time we see Tom Cairney in a Fulham shirt. I hope he doesn't leave, but given his age I'm not going to be surprised if this is the end. I'm so glad he could get that header and celebrate with the fans last week.

It will be the last mach for Stewart Gray, the long serving assistant coach for Fulham. Somehow he has managed to stay on the staff over the past 10 years through a string of coaching changes. Just to give you a sense of how long he has been around, when he was interim manager before Jokanovic joined, Cauley Woodrow was scoring, Scott Parker was starting, and Tim Ream was in his first season playing on the defensive line with Dan Burn! That was shocking to me since I had convinced myself Dan Burn had left Fulham after relegation! Oh my goodness, I was two season off. How embarrassing, how did I gaslight myself? Two more facts about Stewart Gray's interim management - his first match was against Brentford and he was the last Fulham manager to lose to Ipswich.

This is also DeBruyne's last match for Manchester City.

Timothy Castagne, Harrison Reed, Rodrigo Muniz and Reiss Nelson are all out of the final match. Let's see more Josh King!

 

For the win! But why not. We'll play without pressure, and I hope we'll see some standout performances, including from some of our youth as well as one Mr. Cairney. I'm still hoping to have Tom with us next year, but Wrexham is apparently offering him 50K per week, and that is hard to turn down when you're 34 and have never been paid more than 30K.

 

Well, it wasn't a bad showing from Fulham despite losing 0-2. It took a pretty spectacular finish and very unfortunate dangling foot to give Manchester City their goals. Fulham looked pinned back until that first City goal and then they finally started maintaining possession. I so desperately wanted one of those Cairney shots to go in. Even in a loss that would have been a memorable finish to his Fulham career - which I can only imagine is done after the emotion he showed coming off the pitch.

Fulham just couldn't catch a break today. Traore was his typical self - getting free and making opportunities only to watch them evaporate into nothing. Pereira and Berge both had fantastic opportunities to score that came to nothing. And I think if a Fulham player had knocked a ball down with his elbow in the box it would have been a penalty kick for City, but it doesn't work the other way.

Fulham finishes the season in 11th with 54 points. That's two places higher and 7 points more than last season. A solid mid-table finish for a third season in a row.

 

It was a good match and fair result. Especially considering Fulham didn’t start their best eleven. I was happy (and sad) to see Cairney get a proper send off.

I won’t dwell on it too much, but I guess holding your arm out like a cyclist signaling a right turn is considered a “natural” position.

Josh King is always exciting and energetic when he comes on. ESR, not so much. Cuenca did well in defense, but needs to work on his passing this offseason.

Time to take a break, refresh and refocus.

…and wait for @MicahMan ’s year in review.

 

Now hot off the press! er... I mean keyboard!