Fulham v Everton

At least this isn’t at Goodison Park aka Fulham’s House of Horrors. Everton started the season on fire and were top of the table, but after 3 straight losses have come back to earth. Let’s hope the improved play continues.

 

They were punching above their weight early on, for sure, but the difference in this Everton side is some decent offensive quality talent. Still think they're suspect in the back, but we haven't exactly been the "The Invicibles" on offense, have we? I, too, echo your sentiment for continued improved play Joe. I'd also like to see someone do something special at crunch time...like make a bloody penalty. Or somethng along those lines. We really, really, really need to get Mitro untracked. Don't know how, but his confidence has to be shot. Serbia scored five against somebody this week, and, if I'm not mistaken, none of them were by Aleksandar M. We ain't gonna do squat without him scoring goals for us. It's that simple.

 

At this point I just want to see Fulham continue pressing for points in every match. I know they won't get them but right now an unexpected point here and there over the next run of matches may prove crucial down the road. Everton are more talented than Fulham but they are also beatable.

 

Apparently we've assembled a supposed professional football club full of supposed professional football players, none of whom is capable of making a penalty kick. I take nothing from the second half performance. When you lose the game in the first half and can't make a gift of a penalty to salvage a point, it's hopeless. The first half was completely and totally unacceptable. Parker's player and tactical choices were indefensible. As far as I'm concerned, he's squandered his last opportunity to prove he's a PL quality manager. None of the new players has proven themselves as bonafide PL quality players. The first half looked like men vs. boys, because it was. Could have easily been 4 or 5 to 1 at the half, and probably should have been. There's no reason whatsoever in my mind to delay making a change on the touchline. Every day the club waits to do that is a wasted day. Relegation may be inevitable anyway, but it's certain with Scott Parker in charge.

 

Waking up and seeing Jump post made me hope to see a dancing banana, but we missed another penalty??? Between the US and Fulham that’s 4 or 5 misses in a row!! What The F.....!!!!

 

The second half effort was worthy of a point. The penalty madness is on the players and nobody else - it’s inexcusable at their level to demonstrate this modicum of ineptitude on a squad wide basis. The Fu@&$:?!! points dropped from missed PKs make my head explode. To use a baseball analogy, Fulham’s players at the spot have become Steve Sax and Chuck Knoblauch, who forgot how to throw to first base for a while...

Fulham remain just good enough to lose close matches. Also, for the next match, the players should endeavor to not take a 5 second rest break, while the ball’s in play, when you’re only 40 seconds into the match...

COYW

 

Highlights:


My take on the match wasn't quite as grim as Jump's. When Fulham got their equalizer it was fully deserved after consistent good play in the Everton half. The middle section of the first half felt like Fulham could be competitive. Lemina had a great opportunity inside the box that wasn't shown in the highlights, but he just overran the ball. Fulham also controlled the game for much of the second half, but couldn't do enough to get a point. By the time they reached the 80th minute Fulham seemed spent and kept delivering poor shallow crosses that only ended up at the feet of Everton defenders outside the box.

Fulham once again seemed far weaker on their right side. Adarabioyo put Aina in a terrible position, but it was DeCordova-Reid's terrible touch that led directly to the opening goal. Then on the two follow-up goals from Everton there were acres of space that Aina or DeCordova-Reid should have been covering that led to comfortable crosses from Digne that converted to goals. As with previous matches, I failed to understand why Cavaliero got the start and managed to stay on for the full 90. Under the circumstances I would have rather started Joe Bryan over Cavaleiro with Lookman on the right wing, Bryan on the left, and DeCordova-Reid up top. Cairney took a step back after some positive play in recent matches. His corners and free kicks were terrible and Fulham looked more dangerous once Loftus-Cheek came on.

Watching it in real-time, this missed PK didn't feel as significant as the prior two because Fulham scored before I was done ripping all of my hair out over the PK. This time it didn't feel like it was the deciding factor between a loss and a draw/win. But for goodness sake, 3 straight missed PKs is an abomination.

 

I can think of few things worse than setting an alarm for 6 in the morning, getting up, and then giving up a goal in the first minute.....Then we missed another penalty and that felt worse.

 

At this point rooting for Fulham seems a little bit like scheduling an appointment with a dentist after you already have a toothache. You have to do it and hope it’s only a cavity and not a root canal in your future.

 

Yes sir, we most certainly will. Or we won't, if relegation is early enough. Our only saving grace is the relative ineptitude of the rest of the bottom feeders with us. Sheffield United have scored only ONE goal all season while they and the others below us, Burnley and West Brom, if you're scoring at home (or even if you're alone) haven't won a single match. Of course, we've only won one, but that makes us odds on favorites to stay up at this point.
My earlier post may have been too harsh, but can safely say that I don't think the good things we did in the second half, in addition to the well worked equalizer in the first, makes up for, in any shape, fashion or form, the predominantly hideous performance for the bulk of the first 45. The defense took a huge, flying leap backwards in this outing. This time Areola was playing the part of the carnival shooting gallery ducks as opposed to Bettinelli or Sergio Rico. Robinson was bad. Just didn't seem focused at all: loose passes, poor dribbling. Anderson and Adarababioyo might as well been having tea in front of our goal, so ridiculously easy was each of their scores, from horrible giveaways in our own half. Calvert-Lewin and Doucoure' weren't touched. Cairney just seems too slow for this level. He's not fast or quick, just a well above average passer, given enough time. Time is a luxury you don't have in this league. Since Parker chose not to start Mitro or Loftus-Cheek, we looked like a team of munchkins trying to keep up with the big boys. Without a credible presence to win balls in the air in front of goal, we resorted to a plethora of short corners that went nowhere. Everton appeared to be expecting them after the second or third. If you can't send a ball into the box on a corner at this level, for whatever reasons, you don't belong here.
All of this to say that, if you can't start your best players in this league, who may not be good enough to even BE in the league, then insist their replacements play from out of the back, you haven't learned enough in 21 months on the job to warrant keeping it. You have to recognize that you don't have the talent to do it, likely won't acquire the talent to do it, and adjust. It's the PREMIER LEAGUE. Go big or go home. You can't wink at these teams and expect them to wink back. They're gonna exploit every single shortcoming you have, and bury you, even the mid-table teams.