Fulham vs. Nottingham Forest

Fulham gets another matchup on ESPN+ when they host Nottingham Forest at 2:45pm EDT on Tuesday.

Fulham needs just three points to win the title. There are three ways to win the title on Tuesday night:

1. Fulham wins
2. Bournemouth loses at Swansea (matched played at the same time as Fulham's)
   
3. Fulham and Bournemouth both draw

Nottingham Forest has been shooting up the table with seven wins over the past eight matches. Their recent record combined with their stellar performance in the FA Cup they have many thinking they could challenge Bournemouth for second - or at least be the heavy favorite come the playoffs. I think they are a very good team, but I'm not sure they are as good as their recent performance. The average table position for the last seven teams they beat was 16th place. Only two of the teams they faced are in the top half of the table - QPR and Fulham's Kryptonite: Coventry. While Fulham's end of year schedule got much more difficult, Forest's went in the opposite direction.

When they faced off in October, sloppy play from Forest gifted Fulham two goals en route to a 4-0 victory for Fulham and Steve Cooper's first loss at Forest. Fulham played Odoi at right back and was without Carvalho in that match, so Fulham should be able to start an even stronger lineup than what they did in the fall. Hopefully Fulham will give the home fans another memorable night at Craven Cottage and claim the league crown.

 

I would certainly like to see Fulham put this one away and claim the league trophy today. I also wouldn't mind seeing Forest squeeze past Bournemouth into second place (if Forest win their head to head matchup, they only need to make up 2 points over three matches).

Either way, this may be the last time I get to watch the team this season (Luton is on a Monday at 12:15 EDT??) so I'm going to sit back and enjoy it.

 

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: Neeskens Kebano should be taking all of our direct free kicks within range of the opponent’s goal (when he’s playing, obviously). But the last one we had in the first half was well worked. Mitro just overhit it by the finest of margins. A little less heat and a little more swerve, and I think it’s inside the top corner.

 

So frustrating. Now we just need a point or Bournemouth needs to drop a point.
I wouldn't mind it if Forest pipped Bournemouth to the automatic promotion.

 

So frustrating (uh, yeah, what @daddude7 said!) Fulham couldn't get something out of that one. I think the guys were trying to feed Mitro sometimes to a fault - especially the time when Mitro told Wilson he should have shot rather than laying it off to him! It was an exciting match to watch at least. I have to wonder why Kebano wasn't brought on in place of DeCordova-Reid. I think Fulham scores at least once if Kebano gets significant playing time in that match.

Just one more point will do!

 

Highlights if you need them:


After watching these, I'm still not sure how Carvalho ended up sending that one shot straight at the keeper immediately after Forest scored. I thought it was a goal for sure in the build up.

 

We took 20 shots. Five were deemed on target. Forest took 9. Six were on target. One went in.
It seemed as if we spent way too much time on possession passing the ball sideways or backwards in our half or just barely into theirs. If we hadn’t taken 20 shots, it would have looked like Parkerball all over again. We worked the ball closer and closer, putting on good pressure for much of the latter stages of the second half, but to no avail. Frustrating, yes, but not defeating. We’re still gonna win the league, so if it’s gonna happen, now’s about the best timing for a clunker.

 

It's late so excuse the clumsy writing, but here are my observations.

Rodak was to blame on the goal.

Rodak completely absolved himself with the rest of his performance.

How did carvalho not score.

Seri was incredible out there. that's my man of the match.

 

The last two matches remind me of a line from "Ocean's Eleven." "You lose focus in this game for one second, somebody gets hurt."