Fulham at Brentford

Fingers crossed the captain is back.

EDIT: With the only knowledge being the score today, this has to be the worst week of the season. The ability to churn out a draw or a win when one is undeserved is an attribute this team doesn’t have. Can’t remember the last time when we’ve done the smash and grab.

 

' ... c'est le meme chose!' and that's okay!
Flashback: Essay on fandom
Hard to believe that in a few weeks it'll be 15 years since I signed up

 

Short highlights via Brentford, but if you are a Fulham fan there is almost nothing to see here:


I watched the full 90 and it was top to bottom horrible play from Fulham. A fairer final score would have been 4-0. At one point Jamie said to GJ "It doesn't seem like there are any two Fulham players on the same page." and that about summed it up.

Fulham does not have the skill to play from the back against higher quality teams and maybe even against lower quality teams. Mawson and Ream were horrible. They made sloppy passes and bad decisions. I don't know what the rest of the team is supposed to be doing while the ball is dangerously passed around at the back, but standing like trees on the Brentford back line probably isn't it.

Much of the play going forward seemed to run through Onomah and he did not seem up to the task. Mitrovic is just pissed off and whining all the time. At one point he stole the ball Fulham's half but was being held to prevent a breakaway, meanwhile Cavaleiro was breaking up the wing. Instead of feeding the ball to Cavaleiro, Mitrovic shot the ball from midfield straight at the goalkeeper out of anger that he didn't get a foul call. Cairney had trouble making any good passes, hopefully just due to recovering from his illness, but still a poor showing from the captain.

Every Fulham on the attacking side seemed to feel like they had to win the game on their own. There was no team work and just selfish low percentage shots.

Expect four losses a row next with Leeds. Fulham is fortunate to still be in the playoff spots, but they probably don't deserve it. Something needs to change for promotion to be realistic.

 

Apologies for the Lou Holtz quote but, "you're never as good as everyone tells you when you win, and you're never as bad as they say when you lose" has been jumbling around my head lately because we look just lost.

Yes, injuries are piling up, especially in midfield where we're basically down an entire unit. But that doesn't excuse the approach we've taken lately. Instead of narrowing our focus and tightening things up, we're attempting what we've done all season (which is nebulous to begin), and it's not working.

Everything is out the back but aimless. Mitro hasn't been playing well, but he's practically on an island. What are Knock or Cav offering, but more importantly supposed to be doing? Same with Joe Bryan. I think I know what role Onomah is playing, but I don't know why he's playing it and not Cairney. I honestly forgot Stef Jo was on the field Tuesday, and to a lesser extent yesterday.

Against Bristol City, Preston, and Brentford so often I counted moments where they would have 7-8 players in the box when we had offensive possession; compared to when they were on offense and we had maaaybe 5 defenders back?

Instead of having possession and being toothless, I don't get why we don't go full counterattack. Our personnel, right now, may be better suited for it.

Parker has shown a good ability to adapt and correct mistakes. But don't be surprised if the brass looks elsewhere if we lose next week's match against Leeds.

Top 2 was always the goal (playoffs are a minimum requirement). We lose next week and we'll be 15 points behind the Top 2. Unacceptable.

 

I see no reason to think Fulham will compete against Leeds much less beat them. I am only hoping for a little Fulhamish.