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Sunday Fulham Stuff (21/01/18)...

Started by WhiteJC, January 21, 2018, 08:22:11 AM

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WhiteJC


Fulham 6-0 Burton Albion: Player ratings
by Dan on January 21, 2018

Marks out of as ten as Fulham buried Burton at Craven Cottage yesterday to record their fifth consecutive home league win in a row ...

Marcus Bettinelli: A spectator for most of the afternoon as Fulham laid siege to the Burton goal. Bettinellli's first real test came after an hour when he scampered out of his penalty area and produced a diving header to prevent Lloyd Dyer from racing onto a hopeful punt forward. The Brewers didn't muster a shot on target, with the closest Nigel Clough's side came a volley from Tom Flanaghan that flew over the crossbar. 6

Ryan Fredericks: This was vintage Fredericks. The flying full-back had the beating of Flanagan all afternoon and expertly used the oceans of room made available by Jokanovic's deployment of Lucas Piazon as an inverted right winger. He was a little wasteful early, twice shooting wildly over the bar from inside the box, but made up for it with two assists in four first half minutes. His first low ciut back was drilled home by Piazon and then he produced a floated cross that was begging to be attacked by the in-form Fonte. Had a hand in the fourth as he surged down the right once move and his cross got to Johansen, whose blocked shot fell perfectly for Sessegnon. 8

Denis Odoi: An excellent display from the versatile defender, who switched from centre back up at the Riverside to left back here, and didn't miss a beat. Not really needed as an attacking option in the first period, he dovetailed well with Sessegnon down the left, and was more to the fore at both ends of the field after the break. Broke down a number of Burton moves and got forward effectively, producing one memorable few seconds of silky skills in tandem with the teenager down by the Cottage corner flag. 7

Tomas Kalas: A low-key return to the starting eleven for the Czech centre half, but picked up off from where he left off at Middlesbrough (minus the wrestling in the penalty area). Nullified Marvin Sordell by winning almost everything in the air and spread the ball well with his feet. Hardly the most testing of afternoons – it has to be said. 7

Tim Ream: The American was his usual unflappable and unhurried self at the heart of the Fulham back four, which delivered a second clean sheet in succession. Read the game imperiously but wasn't really called upon to do much more than distribute possession from the back and bring the ball out himself to launch the latest raid forward. 8

Kevin McDonald: Imperious again at the base of Fulham's midfield, mopping up a succession of misplaced Burton passes and setting the Whites on their way forward again. McDonald was able to raid forward a little more than usual in the first period, but he did his main job diligent with the stand-in skipper's organisation, leadership and worth ethic coming to the fore once again. The Scottish midfielder was far more prominent in a shielding role in front of the back four for the first twenty of the second half as Burton pressed the home side back a little bit. 7

Ollie Norwood: An splendid showing from the Northern Irish international which far exceeded his late, late show at Middlesbrough in terms of quality but won't garner any headlines this morning. He had the presence of mind to set Piazon away when he pounced a loose pass from Luke Murphy that led to the first goal and then spread the ball wide for Fredericks to supply the cross that Piazon swept home for Fulham's sumptuous second. Also involved in the third with a lovely chip that sent the full back surging down the right again. Having filled the understudy role admirably, he made way for the returning Cairney after an hour. 7

Stefan Johansen: The Norwegian hasn't been at his best this season, but this was something approaching the Johansen of an old. An artful stepover allowed Piazon to strike home the second after one of those trademark late runs into the box and he linked the ball effectively in the final third. Was unlucky not to score himself, but two of his deflected efforts fell kindly for Sessegnon's second half double as the Brewers' brave resistance crumbled again late on. 7

Lucas Piazon: Probably a better birthday present than Piazon could dared to have dreamed off after that shattering leg break at Elland Road back in August. Drifted dangerously inside from the right from the off and Fulham reaped the rewards all afternoon. Having unselfishly squared for Rui Fonte to open the scoring, Piazon marked his starting return at Craven Cottage in the league with a gorgeous finish from sixteen yards out, and buzzed around threateningly throughout. His dummy for Johansen in the second half saw the ball eventually fall for Sessegon and he also slipped the cross six minutes later that led to the teenager's second. The popular Piazon definitely deserved this birthday treat. 9

Ryan Sessegnon: The much-talked about teenager delivered a second half double for the second home league game in succession, although this pair of assured finishes were at the Putney End rather than the Hammersmith End. He found himself in the right place to strike twice in the space of six minutes after a couple of Johansen strikes at goal rebounded inside the six yard box, but the display was about more than just goals. His pace and intelligence, especially to drift into dangerous areas, makes him such a livewire in the final third and a nightmare for anybody to keep quiet. 9

Rui Fonte: After all the opprobrium launched at the Portuguese forward since his arrival from Braga in the summer, here was the conclusive proof that Rui Fonte can lead the line effectively. When he has fluidity either side of him and runners flooding the box, then he can pilfer goals peerlessly. He was in the mood from the off and, although he had the simplest of tap-ins for the first, his second owed everything to persistence and physicality as he shrugged off both Jake Buxton and John Brayford in heading for goal before sweeping home the rebound. Probably should have had a first half hat-trick but he certainly deserved the rapturous reception he received when he was replaced before the end. 9

Substitutes:

Tom Cairney (on for Ollie Norwood, 64): An encouraging half an hour cameo from the club captain on his birthday was capped by a beautiful through ball to release Aboubakar Kamara for the sixth in the last minute of injury time. Cairney's undoubted class on the ball takes Fulham's midfield play to another level, but the Whites have shown they can win without him in recent outings – something they really struggled to do at the start of the season. 7

Aboubakar Kamara (on for Rui Fonte, 75): The French forward only had a quarter hour minutes to impress but came on hungry to send a message to Jokanovic after watching Fonte's flawless audition the starting striking spot. He was denied by a fine reaction save from Stephen Bywater but the former Coventry and West Ham keeper was left helpless when he chipped an outrageous sixth after bursting onto Cairney's cultured through ball in the last minute of normal time. 8

Luca de la Torre (on for Lucas Piazon, 81): Just as he has in most of his substitute's outings this year, the young Texan looked lively in his brief spell on the pitch – adding a bit of energy and endeavour in the final third. Jokanovic clearly rates the American attacking midfielder and he'll only benefit from these experiences of senior football. 6



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