Fulham @ Everton

The Toffees have 7 goals in the last matches vs ManU/Spurs while we couldn’t score in a Bangkok brothel w/a roll of hundys. Add in the House of Horrors known as Goodison Park and expecting a 2 or 3 nil defeat.

 

Must add my optimism. I predict a 2-1 win for Fulham after two own goals by Ben Godfrey, who will also score against us from a corner. You heard it here first.

 

The match will be available on Peacock, 2pm EST on Sunday.

Everton is a better team than Fulham, but on the plus side, Everton will be without Clavert-Lewin who scored two last time. And yes Fulham does have a terrible record at Goodison park, but Everton has done much better away this season than at home (14 points at home vs. 23 away).

In the matchup earlier this season it was another one of those where Fulham dropped points because of a missed PK. This was the one where Cavaleiro kicked his own foot along with the ball. Fulham showed sparks of what we would see the following match vs. Leicester. If we can see that spark again with a tighter defense, maybe Fulham can get some points from this one. If no one can put the ball in the net, more misery.

 

One thing I forgot about that isn't in Fulham's favor is that Josh King will likely get playing time with Calvert-Lewin out. And since Fulham wanted him over the January transfer window, but were rejected by King, he is sure to come out and get a hat trick.

 

Four defenders, Lemina and Reed on the pitch. Five defenders and Anguissa on the bench.

I’m not sure how (if?) Parker expects to score, much less win. Ugh.

 

Fotmob says that Mitro is out due to a positive COVID test. Great.

 

Will this team ever score. Geez!!! COYW!

 

Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus!

 

Wow - a quintessentially Fulhamish result !!!

 

Oh Maja, you beautiful boy, you!

 

It’s been too long since I’ve seen that dancing banana.

 

Apparently Maja played the poacher that Fulham desperately needed. I don’t have peacock so I didn’t see but the live match updates made it seem like Everton played uninspired and horribly. And Fulham FINALLY took advantage of a match.

 

Here are your highlights @HatterDon :


What an outstanding performance from Fulham - sold from front to back for the full 90 minutes. I have to admit, in the first half I thought it was going to be another good Fulham performance with no goals to show for it. Thankfully Maja corrected that problem in the second half. With a few exceptions (Areola, Loftus-Cheek), I think just about everyone had one of their best matches of the season.

On the back line I was nervous at the start with Aina pushed over to the left back position rather than his normal spot over on the right. He answered with his best performance of the season. He was good defensively, he was good offensively, rarely put a ball wrong (as he has done on occasion in the past), and had a spot-perfect assist. He looked like he'd been playing in that position all year.

On the other side Tete didn't have as much influence offensively, but he did a great job of shutting down attacks coming down the right channel. Digne, Richarlison, and eventually Josh King could not get any space to work with.

Up top Lookman kept making dangerous runs into the box and linked up well with Aina to make space for the first goal. Loftus-Cheek didn't provide much creativity, and still couldn't convert his chances, but he did enough to keep the ball moving fluidly in the Everton half. DeCordova-Reid put in a good shift playing up top while also supplementing the defense well. Most importantly the guys up top kept a wonderful high press on Everton for the first 80 minutes that never let them move forward in any sort of organized way. That was critical to how Fulham gummed up the works for Everton.

Then Maja had a dream first match in the Premier League. It wasn't Josh King who looked on track for a hat-trick, it was the other Josh. His shots look like easy tap-ins, but it was because he did the work to move into space where he'd have a chance at a high percentage shot. It reminded me of the glory days with Ryan Sessegnon with how he would just know where to put himself in front of the net. There was a fair bit of skill needed to create an easy shot. Midway through the second half he did pull up on a Fulham break and grab his hamstring. He played a few more minutes and did run a few times, but Parker was right to pull him off. Hopefully he's okay.

Despite all of the aforementioned performances, the MOTM for me was Harrison Reed. In combination with that high press he prevented Everton from getting anything going in the midfield. He was intercepting passes, stopping dribbles, just generally getting in the way. When he had the ball he kept Everton guessing as to if he'd do a back pass or drive forward. He was key in the build-up on the first goal and his saved shot led to the second.

Overall a fun match to watch and a relief after not managing a win since November.

 

I saw the game. The first half was excellent from Fulham, but we were unable to score, and I was dreading another goal-less draw. We certainly did not slow down in the second half. This Fulham team can look like one of the top-4 while lingering in the bottom 3. A Jekyll and Hyde team, and you never know which will show up. That's why Fulham fans drink. Well, one of the reasons...

He didn't score, but Harrison Reed was by far the MOTM for me. He dominated the midfield and was first to every 50/50 ball, and Lemina was excellent, too. The two of them took charge and didn't let up for the whole match. Their control of the middle of the field gave the wingers, especially Lookman, the freedom to create.

Josh Maja shows us what we've been missing: a natural striker with mobility. I hope he's okay -- limped a little coming off the field. Cavaleiro has missed a dozen sitters that could have won us games, and I hope Maja is the man to put those simple chances away. Mitro may find playing time difficult to get when he comes back from COVID.

There wasn't one player who didn't do well today. Loftus-Cheek was probably the least effective, but even he was good. An excellent all around performance.

 

I'd like to point out that @daddude7 and I posted at almost identical times and we both thought Harrison Reed was MOTM so it MUST be true!

I was really hoping to listen to a delighted Gentleman Jim on the Fulham highlights, but sadly it was all Jamie (who technically does a better with play-by-play, but it just isn't the same). Perhaps coronavirus restrictions kept GJ away?
EDIT: Comments on YouTube say GJ had/has COVID-19. He did sound weak in the one short sound bite at the end. Hope he feels better soon. He's the main reason I became a committed Fulham fan!