Fulham at West Ham United

Fulham crosses over London to the east side to face West Ham at 3pm EST on Saturday. The game will be available on Peacock.

Fulham is coming with confidence after going on their longest winning streak of the season . They looked good everywhere on the pitch against West Brom. Was it the competition or the Fulham squad that made the difference? Likely a little of both, but the team needed a lift. We'll all be waiting to see what happens when Fulham faces a higher quality team like West Ham.

West Ham have played away games against the three teams currently sitting at the top of the table and have come away with a very respectable 4 points from those matches. Despite that, they are only in 14th place sitting just outside the very crowded field that defines the top half of the table.

Scott Parker, three-time "Hammer of the Year" from his time there, says that Lemina is "touch and go". Fortunately Bobby Reed is healthy again and should be fine in the defensive midfield. I would expect everything else to stay the same with the starting lineup. Tete and Kongolo are still unavailable.

 

Here's to Fulham's popping a few pretty bubbles this weekend. COYW
West Ham v Fulham: match preview (Guardian)


West Ham v Fulham: probable starters in bold, contenders in light

Fulham are feeling good after beating West Brom. Scott Parker’s side are out of the bottom three after earning their first win and will sense an opportunity to generate momentum when they visit West Ham, who are still without the injured Michail Antonio in attack. However, David Moyes’s side have been in good form and were unlucky to lose to Liverpool last weekend. Jacob Steinberg

Venue London Stadium

Last season n/a

Odds H 13-15 A 10-3 D 3-1

Referee Robert Jones

This season n/a

WEST HAM
Subs from Randolph, Martin, Diop, Dawson, Johnson, Coventry, Noble, Snodgrass, Yarmolenko, Benrahma, Lanzini
Doubtful None

Injured Antonio (hamstring, 22 Nov)

Suspended None

Discipline Y13 R0

Form LWWDDL

Leading scorers Antonio, Bowen 3

FULHAM
Subs from Rodak, Fabri, Le Marchand, Hector, Odoi, Christie, Ream, Cavaleiro, Reed, Bryan, Loftus-Cheek, Kebano

Doubtful Lemina (knock)

Injured Tete (calf, 21 Nov), Kongolo (foot, unknown), Onomah (unknown)

Suspended Kamara (second of three)

Discipline Y16 R1

Form LLLDLW

Leading scorers Decordova-Reid, Mitrovic 2

 

On paper, this is a match we have a chance to get something from. On paper... Would really love another clean sheet.

 

Will need Areola to come up big unlike the other day when he was rarely called upon.

 

Argh! I will eventually watch the highlights, but I'm not sure I want to at this point. Following the ticker was exasperating enough!

 

2 missed PKs have cost 4 points....

 

I have no words.

 

This was the most painful match that I've ever watched that didn't involve one of my kids playing. I had to give myself some time before watching the highlights.


Fulham absolutely deserved a draw from this. Through the first 90 minutes Fulham played really well defensively. I thought Harrison Reed had a fantastic day and would be my MOTM. He was clogging up the works and covering well for Fulham all day. The back four limited West Ham's chances and when they did get chances Areola was up to the task. There were a few times when there was miscommunication on the back line about who had a ball and that became critical in the injury-time winner. Adarabioyo had some trouble playing up from the back and made some sloppy passes when in posession.

The main problem for Fulham was getting in a position to score. They looked much more dynamic on the left side. The interchange of Robinson, Lookman, and Cairney felt like it could produce opportunities while over on the right side the same could not be said for Aina and De Cordova-Reid. Aina was far less willing to push forward and get into space and De Cordova-Reid was sitting too central many times rather than helping to stretch things out. I was disappointed that Parker didn't make a substitution until very late in the match. Mitrovic also didn't make much of his chances and was possibly lucky to not get a red-card for his shove, he needs to be smarter about that stuff.

Now to the things that cause the most suffering. First, I cannot understand why West Ham was not called offside on the goal. It seemed clear to me watching it live and I confirmed it looking at the replay:


Now I suppose they said Haller wasn't offside since he wasn't involved in Anderson making a bad clearance, but that is ridiculous to me! This is a classic offside and the goal never should have been awarded.

Second, Lookman's penalty. I mean... what the hell? As much as I'm furious with the kid for executing The Worst Penalty Kick Ever, I'm also worried about him. He has been the best part of Fulham so far this season and I hope this doesn't kill his form. I'm worried his teammates won't trust him (a West Ham player was the first to console him) and I'm worried it will ding his confidence.

This match, in a word, Fulhamish.

 

How do you know you’re a Fulham fan? When @MicahMan warns you that it’s the worst penalty ever taken and you watch the highlights anyways.

 

I didn’t see it live because I was living the lake life this weekend. So I avoided checking the Score until I could watch it.

Somewhat thankfully I checked in here after we gave up the goal. I saw everybody referencing the worst penalty ever. So it cushioned the blow. Had I seen that live the obscenities would have gotten me in trouble at home.

So thanks everybody????

 

How about, they ripped my soccer heart out this weekend.

 

I...watched....every....minute....live. Gut wrenching and I'm glad I wasn't alone in that feeling. It means, at least to me, that Fulham have improved because I expected at least a point, and all three were a reasonable expectation...then the Fulham gut punch hit me, only to have my spirits once again buoyed in the 94th, and then a boot to the throat via Lookman's confusing penalty. What the hell???????
COYW