Sunday Fulham Stuff (19/08/18)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Results

Saturday
Cardiff	0 - 0	Newcastle
Everton	2 - 1	Soton
Leicester	2 - 0	Wolves
Spurs	3 - 1	Fulham
West Ham	1 - 2	Bournemouth
Chelsea	3 - 2	Arsenal

[WhiteJC]

 
Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Fulham

Harry Kane hit 1,000 minutes without a Premier League goal in August before finally scoring late on

Harry Kane finally scored his first Premier League goal in August as Tottenham maintained their 100% start to the season with victory over newly promoted Fulham.

England striker Kane had failed to find the net in 14 previous games in the first month of the season and it looked like his barren run was going to continue as he had a goal ruled out and hit the crossbar at Wembley.

But his luck turned with 13 minutes remaining as he cleverly turned his marker inside the area before tucking the ball into the far corner for his side's third.

Lucas Moura had opened the scoring in the first half with his first Premier League goal, curling a clinical strike beyond Fabri's dive.

However, Fulham - who lost to Crystal Palace last weekend in their first game back in the top flight following promotion - levelled just after the break when Aleksandar Mitrovic nodded in from close range.

Kieran Trippier restored Tottenham's lead with a stunning free-kick that stirred memories of his strike for England against Croatia at this summer's World Cup, before Kane's strike secured the points that moved the hosts top of the Premier League with two wins from their opening two games.

Kane finally breaks August hoodoo

Kane scored 52 goals in 59 games last season - an incredible figure considering he failed to get off the mark in the Premier League until September.

The striker has been a notoriously slow starter to a new campaign and he once again failed to score in Tottenham's opening win against Newcastle last weekend.

Kane looked short of match fitness in that game - not surprising considering he only returned to training five days prior to the start of the season following the World Cup - and for large spells he struggled to make an impression against Fulham on Saturday.

But even when he did have the chance to make his mark it looked like his August struggles would continue.

He first had the ball in the net midway through the first half, picking up a loose ball before clipping it into the net after Moura had charged through on goal - but that was ruled out after referee Anthony Taylor deemed the Brazilian had fouled Fulham keeper Fabri as they challenged for the ball.

There was more frustration in the second half when Kane timed a run perfectly to meet Trippier's cross, but this time his volley cannoned back off the bar.

But if Kane was starting to become frustrated by his early-season struggles in front of goal he did not show it, finally breaking his August duck with a composed and clinical finish.

The goal ended a barren run in the first month of a Premier League campaign that had lasted for 1,065 minutes over five seasons.

Kane's finish also came with his 49th attempt on goal during his run and the 25-year-old told BBC Radio 5 live: "There has been a lot of talk about it every year and thankfully I got on the scoresheet and we got the win - and that is most important.

"It is one of those things that you can't explain. I had chances today and everyone must be thinking it must be another one of those.

"I am not silly and I know people talk about it, but it is nice to put it to bed."

Some signs of promise for Fulham

This London derby brought together two sides who had employed very different approaches to the summer transfer window.

Fulham spent a reported £100m as they brought in 12 players in an effort to give themselves the strongest chance possible of survival on their Premier League return. Tottenham did not make a single signing.

It was that familiarity the Spurs players had with each other that ultimately came out on top, but there were promising signs for the Cottagers.

After looking like a collection of individuals for the first 20 minutes - struggling to put together a coherent spell of possession - they improved significantly as the game wore on.

Jean Michael Seri displayed excellent passing ability, most notably putting Ryan Sessegnon through with a wonderful ball over the defence, while Sessegnon himself highlighted why he is one of the most promising youngsters in England by getting in behind the Tottenham defence on a couple of occasions.

Given a bit more time together, Fulham fans can feel confident their team should soon start to justify the money spent to assemble it.

Man of the match - Kieran Trippier


Kieran Trippier was a constant threat down the right flank and his goal came at a crucial time as Fulham grew into the game

Spurs put newcomers to the sword again - the stats

    Tottenham have won nine of their past 10 Premier League meetings with Fulham, losing in a home match in March 2013 (0-1).
    Fulham have conceded in their past 19 Premier League away games - the longest current run without a clean sheet away in the top flight (among this season's 20 teams).
    Spurs are on a run of 19 consecutive home Premier League victories against newly promoted opponents, conceding just twice in their past 10 matches.
    Sessegnon has either scored or assisted each of Fulham's past four goals in all competitions (1 goal, 3 assists).
    Since his debut for Fulham in February, Mitrovic has scored 13 league goals - only Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (14) has more in the top four tiers of English football in that time.
    Moura has had a hand in six goals in his seven starts since joining Tottenham (two goals, four assists).
    Kane has scored 24 goals in 36 London derbies for Tottenham (0.67 goals per game). Only former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry has a better goals-per-game ratio of players to have played in 10 or more such matches (43 goals in 59 games - 0.73 goals per game).

What next?

Tottenham head to Old Trafford to face Manchester United on Monday, 27 August (20:00 BST kick-off, while Fulham host Burnley the previous day (16:00).



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45153221

[WhiteJC]

 
Head Coach Reaction

Slavisa Jokanović is content with his team's determined performance, despite leaving Wembley empty handed.

Goals from Lucas Moura, Keiran Trippier and Harry Kane ensured the hosts left with all three points.

"This is one of the most high-quality leagues in the world and we played against a strong Champions League team," said Jokanović. 

"My team showed desire and effort, but in the end, they punished us with quality and with synchronisation, after playing with each other for three years.

"We know what quality we will face in this league and we must be brave and keep working hard to improve ourselves."

Jokanović's side put on a spirited display in the second-half, having soaked up enormous amounts of pressure in the first, and the Serbian is encouraged by certain aspects of his team's performance.

"I can be encouraged by certain things, but it is clear we need to improve during different parts of the game," explained Jokanović.

"We were in trouble in the first 45 minutes. We had one great chance, but we didn't finish it, and then they scored a goal at a bad moment for us.

"We started the second-half very well – we moved the ball, scored a goal, and had opportunities to score a second. They changed their shape and brought on Dembele, and we didn't find enough power to maintain possession. In the last quarter, they moved the ball and finished it off.

"In football, you need time to build a new team. We have a great team, a great Club – everything is nice here, but our opponents have been playing together for three years. We'll definitely need time. Whether we find it or not, we'll see."

The Whites host Burnley next in the Premier League, and Jokanović is fully expecting another tough challenge.

"We know it's not going to be easy, but we must fight and win points," Jokanović continued.

"The next game against Burnley will also be difficult so we need to use the week ahead of us to improve ourselves and become more confident, so we can gain three points.

"The Premier League doesn't finish this week or next week, there is a big job ahead of us and we know we must improve."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/august/18/head-coach-reaction-spurs

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham red kit: Shirt clash forces Cottagers to don alternative strip for Tottenham match


Fulham in all-red this afternoon at Wembley. ( Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images )

Fulham will wear an alternative red kit in their Premier League match against Tottenham on Saturday.

A clash between Tottenham's home and Fulham's navy blue away strip means Slavisa Jokanovic's side will turn out in red this afternoon.

The shirt, which is not listed as the club's official third kit, bears a resemblance to Fulham's away shirt from the 2016-17 season and is not available through the club's official store.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham-red-kit-shirt-clash-forces-cottagers-to-don-alternative-strip-for-tottenham-match-a3914756.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Tim Sherwood backs Fulham to get relegated as he cites 'lack of quality' in their squad

The former Tottenham manager was speaking on Sky Sports The Debate show ahead of this weekend's action

Tim Sherwood has backed Fulham to get relegated this season after citing a lack of quality in their squad.

The Cottagers brought in over £100m worth of talent of the summer, including marquee signings like Jean-Michael Seri, Andre Schurrle and Aleksandar Mitrovic as the club look to survive in the Premier League in their first season back in four years.

Added to players already at the club like Tom Cairney and Ryan Sessegnon, the club feels they have the squad to compete in the top flight, despite getting their campaign off to a losing start with a 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace.

However, the scoreline didn't tell the whole story, with Fulham coping well against an established Premier League team, controlling most of the first half of the game until they went a goal down.

Added to players already at the club like Tom Cairney and Ryan Sessegnon, the club feels they have the squad to compete in the top flight, despite getting their campaign off to a losing start with a 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace.

However, the scoreline didn't tell the whole story, with Fulham coping well against an established Premier League team, controlling most of the first half of the game until they went a goal down.

Looking at the stats, they continued their style of football that saw them do so well in the Championship, with new man Seri near the top of the passing, touches, tackles and interceptions charts.

But despite that, Sherwood believes that the additions Fulham have bought in aren't good enough and he's tipped them to go straight back down to the second tier this season.

Talking on Sky Sports' The Debate show, Sherwood said: "I could give you five or six teams that I think could get relegated, although we know that can't happen.

"It gives Cardiff an outside chance. I don't think it's necessarily down to the style of play.

"Fulham would be one of my tips to get relegated and they play a very expansive model.

"It's not necessarily the way they play it's the quality they have, it's alright buying numbers but it's about who you buy, not the numbers."



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/tim-sherwood-backs-fulham-relegated-15045417

[WhiteJC]

 
Tottenham 3-1 Fulham: Harry Kane scores his first Premier League goal in August as Mauricio Pochettino's side beat London rivals

    Harry Kane had a goal disallowed early on which meant he reached 1000 minutes without scoring in August
    Lucas Moura broke the deadlock just before half-time with a left-footed curling strike into the top corner
    Aleksandar Mitrovic equalised for the visitors in the 52nd minute of the Premier League clash at Wembley
    Kane hit the crossbar before Kieran Trippier restored Tottenham's lead from a free-kick in the 74th minute
    The English striker finally broke his goal drought in August by scoring his first in the month to seal the victory

After a contentious week dominated by headlines about stadium delays, all Spurs needed were some home comforts and the increasingly cosy surrounds of Wembley duly provided them - even Harry Kane scored.

In purely football terms, it could be a blessing if Mauricio Pochettino's side spend the bulk of this season at their adopted home as opposed to the new White Hart Lane.

They are on an upward trajectory beneath the arch and have lost just once here in the Premier League since their opening game a year ago, and even that defeat was to champions Manchester City.

Supporters are, understandably, angry at a lack of communication from the club with regards to their stadium move, but such frustration was forgotten on full-time after the players had done the talking on the pitch.

They did that last weekend at Newcastle, too, when the pre-match negativity centred on the club's failure to sign a single player during the summer transfer window. Perhaps another media storm can serve as motivation ahead of next Monday's trip to Manchester United, for Eric Dier admitted this week that he and his team-mates would like to 'shut up' those making noise on the outside.

They did that here thanks to goals from Lucas Moura and England pair Kieran Trippier and Kane, who netted for the first time in August after 14 matches without score.

Trippier's goal was the pick of them, somehow producing an upgrade on his free-kick against Croatia in the World Cup semi-final by finding the net from 25 yards with another deadball strike of apparent ease.


Fulham forward Aleksandar Mitrovic celebrates after scoring his side's first goal of the game against Tottenham on Saturday


Mitrovic celebrates after making it 1-1 against Spurs with team-mates Aboubakar Kamara and Ryan Sessegnon at Wembley

The right back was the best player on the park having been rested on the opening day and that - a break - is what Kane needs.

At Newcastle he played as if he was actually wearing his World Cup Golden Boot, so heavy-footed and off radar was the England captain.

That blank had taken his August drought to 988 minutes and, inevitably, 12 minutes in here and a flurry of social-media posts were celebrating the passing of 1000. That is the world Kane lives in - we build 'em up and we shoot 'em down - and he usually responds by sticking the ball in the back of the net.

He was not without chances in the first half, either. On four minutes Christian Eriksen dropped a pass over the top and Kane gave chase, only to lose his bearings as the ball landed on his back.

He did chip in moments later but the whistle had long since gone for a foul by Moura on the goalkeeper. It was, in fairness, a lovely finish.

But once play resumed for real there was nothing aesthetically pleasing about Kane's game. Eriksen again sought to set him clear on 14 minutes but Kane, under minimal pressure from Timothy Fosu-Mensah, tumbled to the ground. His subsequent claims for a penalty were so fanciful you would not have blamed Anthony Taylor had he booked him for sheer temerity.

Eriksen refused to give up on his colleague and fired another ball into his feet inside the penalty area. Kane's touch, however, eluded him once more.

Spurs' pressure finally told two minutes shy of the interval and the opener came through an unlikely source. No, not Kane.

Moura - a £25million signing from PSG in January - had only scored once for Spurs, and even that was in an FA Cup tie at League One Rochdale.


Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic (R) speaks with Fulham midfielder Tom Cairney (L) on the touchline on Saturday

So when the Brazilian ran on to a loose ball inside the area, those behind the goal could have been forgiven had they ducked for cover. But Moura, with one wild swing of his left boot, soon had those same supporters on their feet, curling in via the inside of the post.

It was that same upright which Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic cracked early in the second half as the visitors took control.

Their equaliser, then, was very much in keeping with the direction of play and it came when Mitrovic stooped inside the six-year area to head home from Ryan Sessegnon's somewhat fortunate pull-back - his intention had surely been to shoot given he was unmarked at the far post.

It should have been two for Fulham on 67 minutes when Mitrovic strode purposefully onto a rolling ball but his finish lacked the conviction of his approach and the Serbian spooned wide. His countryman and manager, Slavisa Jokanovic, responded by slamming his water bottle into the Wembley turf. If only Mitrovic had connected with such force then his side would have been in front and heading for their first points of the season.

And they paid the price for that miss when Trippier swept effortlessly over the wall on 74 minutes.

Kane had hit the crossbar from close range moments earlier but still he came back for more and he won the biggest roar of the afternoon when checking inside his marker and locating the bottom corner on 77 minutes.

Ah, home, sweet, temporary home.



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6073873/Tottenham-3-1-Fulham-Kane-scores-Premier-League-goal-August.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham player ratings vs Spurs: Maxime Le Marchand impresses despite defeat at Wembley

Fulham lost 3-1 to Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley, but there were a few performances that will give the club positives

Fulham were beaten 3-1 by Tottenham Hotspur on their return to Wembley but gave a second half performance that the side can certainly build on.

Slavisa Jokanovic handed Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Frank-Andre Zambo Anguissa debuts in what was Fulham's 1000th top-flight game.

For the first time in a while, the away side saw very little of the ball, with Tottenham Hotspur having a number of chances to take the lead, although Fabri did brilliantly to deny Lucas Moura after a sloppy Calum Chambers back pass.

Spurs' pressure eventually paid off when Lucas Moura smashed home into the top corner on the 43rd minute mark after the home side worked the ball well down the right.

Fulham started the second half brightly, with Aleksandar Mitrovic hitting the foot of the post within three minutes of the second half starting.

And they had their equaliser through Mitrovic, when Ryan Sessegnon played the ball back into the six yard box from the Serbian to nod home from the floor.

But Spurs got their lead back when Kieran Trippier curled a free kick into the far corner to beat Fabri with 15 minutes left in the tie, while Harry Kane got his first goal in August to make it 3-1 minutes later.

Here's how we rated the side:

Fabri: 7

Did brilliant to rush out of his goal and claim a one-on-one after a defensive error from his defence. Pulled off a few good saves and commanded his area a lot better than last week, although there were a few iffy moments in the air for the keeper. Couldn't do much about any of the Spurs goals.

Timothy Fosu-Mensah: 6

Did a decent job defensively but found it tough against Alli and Kane from time to time. Did well in the second half to keep Alli reasonably quiet.


(Image: Dan Istitene/Getty Images)

Calum Chambers: 6

Was lucky not to give away a goal with a sloppy back pass in the first ten minutes. Grew into the game and looked decent, making some good challenges.

Maxime Le Marchand: 7

Had a really good first half and looked rather commanding in the heart of the back four. Continued that into the second 45, putting in a number of strong tackles and blocks.

Joe Bryan: 6

Had a better second half than he did first and produced a lovely cross that unlocked the Spurs defence for Mitrovic's goal. Couldn't keep up with Erik Lamela as he cut through Fulham for the third goal.

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa: 7

Grew into the game and started to exert some physicality in front of Fulham's back four. Really started to get a handle of the game in the second half and looked a really good player.

Tom Cairney: 6

Wasn't able to have his usual effect on the game as Fulham saw little of the ball. Started to see more and more of the ball as the second half wore on and looked good.


(Image: Dan Istitene/Getty Images)

Jean-Michael Seri: 6

Had a slow start to the afternoon but produced a bit of brilliance to unlock Spurs' defence with a ball over the top to Sessegnon, which was stopped by some great goalkeeping from Lloris. Failed to track Eriksen's run which led to the opening goal.

Aboubakar Kamara: 6

Was leaving far too much space out left that Kieran Trippier was exploiting in the first half. Played a better game in the second half and started to do well going forward.

Ryan Sessegnon: 6

Caused Spurs problems the few times Fulham were able to get forward, playing in an unfamiliar right position. Looked assured on the ball when pushing his side forward in the second 45. Tired as the game went on.


(Image: Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Aleksandar Mitrovic: 7

Cut a very lonely figure for much of the first half as Fulham saw very little of the ball. Hit the post at the start of the second half. Got his goal after some good work in the box to mark his presence.

Substitutes -

Stefan Johansen: 5 (Tom Cairney 75')

Didn't have too much impact on the game when he came on for Tom Cairney.

Cyrus Christie 5 (Joe Bryan 84')

No time to influence proceedings.

Andre Schurrle 5 (Aboubakar Kamara 88')

No time to influence proceedings.



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/fulham-player-ratings-vs-spurs-15045562

[WhiteJC]

 
Kane ends August drought in Spurs victory

Striker gets first goal of season in a 3-1 win over Fulham

Harry Kane ended his Premier League goalscoring drought in August as Tottenham Hotspur beat Fulham 3-1 at Wembley Stadium.

The Spurs striker slotted in his side's second goal in a four-minute spell to confirm their victory.

Lucas Moura put Spurs ahead with a curling 43rd-minute shot for his first Premier League goal.

A grounded Aleksandar Mitrovic nodded in a deserved 52nd-minute equaliser for Fulham, after Ryan Sessegnon's effort from a Joe Bryan cross fell into his path.

But Kieran Trippier curled in a superb 74th-minute free-kick to restore Spurs' lead and Kane struck to confirm their second win of the season.

Fulham are pointless from two matches.



https://www.premierleague.com/news/820131

[WhiteJC]

 
Jokanovic: New-look Fulham are in building stage

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic said his side will take time to be competitive in the Premier League following back-to-back losses on their return to the top flight.

The Whites lost 3-1 at Wembley to an impressive Tottenham side, which was virtually unchanged from last season, while much of the visiting side playing only their second match together.

Jokanovic handed debuts to deadline-day signings André-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Timothy Fosu-Mensah despite the pair's lack of time in training – something which the manager conceded as having an impact on the team.

"We are a two-and-a-half-week-old team," he said. "They [Spurs] have played for three years together. Without any doubt, we must adapt ourselves to this new situation.

"We created enough chances to score some goals, but they created more especially in the last fifteen minutes. We didn't find the energy to finish the game off. You need experience, quality and synchronisation between the players to find that balance."



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/jokanovic-new-look-fulham-are-in-building-stage

[WhiteJC]

Cottage Talk Full Time - Fulham Lose 3-1 To Tottenham Hotspur At Wembley Stadium
Take a listen to a podcast that focuses on Fulham Football Club.

In this episode, we shared our "initial reactions" to Fulham losing 3-1 to Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium. Co-hosts Emilio Di Nello and Joe Tivey shared their views on the match shortly after it ended.

Cottage Talk Full Time, will be recorded after each match, and this will be followed up by the Cottage Talk Post Match Show which will be recorded the next day.

you can listen to the podcast here...
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cottagetalk/2018/08/18/cottage-talk-full-time--fulham-lose-3-1-to-tottenham-hotspur-at-wembley-stadium

[WhiteJC]

 
'When he produced it I was amazed' - Hurst on Edun red

Paul Hurst believes referee Tim Robinson was wrong to send Tayo Edun off on an afternoon where the Blues boss was less than impressed with the standard of officiating.


Tayo Edun leaves the pitch after being dismissed late in the first half. Picture: STEVE WALLER WWW.STEPHENWALLER.COM

The Fulham loanee was dismissed just before half time, picking up his second yellow card for a tackle on Axel Tuanzebe.

"I don't think it's a red card. I've not seen it close up but at the time and from wide-angled footage - the second one especially - if it's a foul then you don't see referees (give them)," Hurst said.

"He gave himself loads of time to think about it and I thought he was just letting the situation settle down and would just tell Tayo to be careful, if it was a foul.

"But when he produced it I was amazed in all honesty. I think he booked Alan Hutton in the second half and that wasn't a booking either. It's ridiculous. We're trying to make the sport non-contact it feels like and I genuinely don't think anyone wants to see that. I know I certainly don't and I don't think the fans our players do.

"I think he (referee Tim Robinson) had a bad game and I will have to put that in the report. We also got a couple of soft ones towards the end.

"People can say it evened itself out, but it didn't even itself out. Both sets of staff will probably have a similar view."



http://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/paul-hurst-on-tayo-edun-red-card-1-5657924

[WhiteJC]

 
Slavisa Jokanovic sees positives in Fulham's defeat to Spurs

Slavisa Jokanovic was happy with the spirit that Fulham showed during their 3-1 Premier League defeat to Tottenham at Wembley on Saturday.

Spurs took the lead in the 43rd minute through Lucas Moura, but Fulham responded well to that setback with Aleksandar Mitrovic hitting the post after half-time before equalising shortly after.

Ultimately, Spurs' superior quality told as goals from Kieran Trippier and Harry Kane handed them a two-goal advantage, and Jokanovic stressed that it will take time for his new-look side to gel.

"It's a shame, we made a great effort," said the Fulham boss. "After we equalised, we had another chance to score again and then they killed the game with one quality action and then immediately after they scored again. We didn't have the power to change the situation.

"The second goal showed the quality they have. We are a team that has been playing for a week and a half, they are a team that has been playing for three years and the synchronisation of the Spurs players is better than ours.

"In front of us, we have a lot of hard work but I can be encouraged by some of our play and the spirit that we showed in our best moment at the start of the second half.

"We can't be depressed, I want to be positive so we can fix our problems."

Following last weekend's 2-0 home defeat by Crystal Palace, Fulham find themselves in the relegation zone at this very early stage of the season, and they will be looking to pick up their first points of the season against Burnley at Craven Cottage next Sunday.



http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/11476195/slavisa-jokanovic-sees-positives-in-fulhams-defeat-to-spurs

[WhiteJC]

 
Slavisa Jokanovic praises Fulham's effort, but states they didn't have the power to hold Spurs

Fulham got back into the game in the second half but Spurs' quality shone through in the end at Wembley

Slavisa Jokanovic believes his Fulham side made a great effort against Tottenham Hotspur, but didn't have the power needed to take anything from the game.

Spurs dominated the early proceedings and took the lead through a stunning Lucas Moura strike, as Jokanovic's side looked nervy in possession at Wembley Stadium.

Kieran Trippier was allowed too much space on Fulham's left and it was from there that the first goal came, but the side rallied during the break and came out a much better side in the second half.

They started to dominate the ball more and they got their rewards when Aleksandar Mitrovic opened his Fulham Premier League account, nodding home from Ryan Sessegnon's cross.

But Spurs got back on top and scored two more quality goals through English duo Trippier and Harry Kane, with the Cottagers never looking like getting back into the game once the second went in.

But Jokanovic believes his side competed well against a top side in Spurs, but didn't have enough power to come back from the crucial moment of going 3-1 down.

He said: "It's Premier League, everything is tough and at the end it's strange for us because my team made a great effort and we push hard and we are competing well.

"We find problems which are normal through the game, Spurs compete well and press us strong and we didn't find, especially in first 45 minutes, to combat and at the end they score this psychological goal in a complicated moment for us and we start second half well.

"This is probably our best moment in the game, we take over the possession and we start to move the ball and create chances and score the goal.

"We have the opportunity to score the second too, at the end they show the quality and after the free kick they score one goal and immediately after this score twice.


(Image: Dan Istitene/Getty Images)

"It wouldn't be easy for us to come back and it was probably the crucial moment in the game where they killed the game after the third goal and we didn't have the power to come back."



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/slavisa-jokanovic-praises-fulhams-effort-15046448

[WhiteJC]

 
Kane puts plucky Fulham to the sword

It wasn't a fairytale return to Wembley for Fulham after all. Three months after that magical day when the Whites won promotion to the Premier League by seeing off Aston Villa, Slavisa Jokanovic's much-changed side were ultimately outclassed by Tottenham Hotspur but not before they gave Spurs something of a fright with a spirited second half showing. There were more than enough positives to take from an intriguing encounter, even if two straight defeats hint at the step up in class from the Championship.

Jokanovic made three changes from the side that had dominated possession on the opening day against Crystal Palace but were undone by naivety in both boxes. Timothy Fosu-Mensah replaced Cyrus Christie at right back, whilst André-Frank Zambo Anguissa was handed a debut in front of the defence and Aboubakar Kamara started in place of Andre Schurrle. The French forward operated on the left, but the inverted nature of Fulham's wingers left them a little unbalanced in attack, with Ryan Sessegnon a peripheral figure on the right flank.

Tottenham began the brighter with Ben Davies whipping in a dangerous cross from the left that Lucas Moura should have done better than steer wide with his head at the back post. Harry Kane fell theatrically to the ground shortly afterwards but his appeals for a spot-kick were waved away by referee Anthony Taylor, as the England captain sought to make the most of scant contact from Fosu-Mensah. Fulham gradually felt their way into the contest – with their best spell of possession seeing Kamara and Tom Cairney play in Sessegnon, whose snapshot inside the six-yard box was blocked behind for a corner.

Hugo Lloris was called into action just before the half hour mark when a clever Kamara pass teed up Cairney in a central position just outside the box but Lloris got a firm hand to the Scottish international's drive as it threatened the bottom corner. At the other end, Christian Eriksen brought a fine reaction save from Fabri with a curling free-kick that nearly crept in at the near post – but Fulham were growing in confidence.

A beautiful through ball from Jean-Michael Seri released Sessegnon, who couldn't get the ball out of his feet as he bore down on the Tottenham goal, and the onrushing Lloris managed to block his shot at source as he rushed off his line. Spurs might have opened the scoring seconds later when both Chambers and Le Marchand blocked efforts at goal and Eriksen lifted a shot over the bar from the edge of the area as Seri threw himself into a tackle.

Tottenham did take the lead two minutes before the break with a goal of exquisite quality from Moura. The Brazilian winger couldn't have broken his Premier League duck in finer style – bending an unstoppable shot in off the far post after Chambers and Le Marchand had once again threw themselves in the way of earlier efforts. The goal had cruelly come in the midst of Fulham's most positive period of play, but the Whites were far from downhearted and launched a second half onslaught on the Tottenham goal that was swiftly rewarded.

The lively Aleksandar Mitrovic fashioned an early chance for himself, showing great strength to withstand a couple of challenges, and crashed an effort off the far-post with Cairney's follow-up drifting just wide. Fabri produced a strong reaction save to keep out a venomous Dele Alli volley, but Fulham continued to go toe-to-toe with Mauricio Pochettino's men. They got their reward seven minutes into the second period after a mesmerising spell of 27 consecutive passes when Joe Bryan's teasing cross caused consternation in the Tottenham defence, Ryan Sessegnon prodded it back across goal and Mitrovic showed great agility to head into the net having been on the floor himself seconds earlier.

Pochettino then turned the contest in Tottenham's favour by summoning former Fulham midfielder Mousa Dembele from the bench. The Belgian added assurance to Spurs' midfield and they began to dominate proceedings in a manner not seen since before half-time. The Fulham goal led something of a charmed life with Le Marchand pulling off a brilliant block to save Fabri's blushes after the Spanish goalkeeper had juggled a deep cross and dropped the ball at the feet of Alli before Kane rifled a drive onto the crossbar.

The damn finally broke with a quarter of an hour to play, when Trippier sparked memories of Russia from earlier in the summer with a superb free-kick to restore Tottenham's lead. The full-back, making his first Spurs start of the season, bent a delicious finish inside Fabri's near post from 25 yards after Anguissa's ambitious forward pass was picked off and Fulham were left short-handed at the back against Kane and Alli. Just three minutes, Kane settled matters with a precise finish into the far corner having stepped away from Chambers after Anguissa had been robbed of possession deep in Fulham territory.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (3-4-2-1): Lloris; Alderweireld, Sánchez (Dembélé 63), Vertonghen; Trippier, Eriksen, Dier (Lamela 73), Davies; Lucas Moura, Dele Alli; Kane (Winks 89). Subs (not used): Vorm, Rose, Aurier, Sissoko.

GOALS: Lucas Moura (43), Trippier (74), Kane (77)

FULHAM (4-3-3): Fabri; Fosu-Mensah, , Bryan (Christie 85′), Chambers, Le Marchand; Anguissa, Seri, Cairney (Johansen 73′); R. Sessegnon, Kamara (Schürrle 88), Mitrovic. Subs (not used): Rico, McDonald, Kebano, Vietto.

GOAL: Mitrovic (52).

REFEREE: Anthony Taylor (Wythenshawe)..

ATTENDANCE: 58,297.



http://hammyend.com/index.php/2018/08/kane-seals-spurs-success/

[WhiteJC]

 
Time to gel, tactical errors & a positive spell - Fulham talking points from defeat to Spurs

Here's what we took from the 3-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium on Saturday

Fulham afforded Trippier too much space out wide

This was perhaps the most glaringly obvious thing the 40,000 odd people inside Wembley Stadium would've seen yesterday.

Fulham, when trying to defend against Spurs, would use Ryan Sessegnon and Aboubakar Kamara to shift into a back six, with the two wingers playing outside the full backs.

The tactic worked on the right side, with Sessegnon shifting inside Timothy Fosu-Mensah to cut out any space down that flank, but the other side was a different story.

Kamara was often caught too far forward, and as a result, allowed Trippier all the space in the world to hurt Fulham again and again.

I'm not sure whether Slavisa Jokanovic didn't want Kamara to track back as much as Sessegnon was, or whether he was just unable to carry out the defensive side of the game, but it was the biggest problem for Fulham throughout the game.

The first goal came down that right, with Trippier having way too much space to put in a cross, while Jean-Michael Seri lost his man as he ran into the box.

It was a catalogue of tactical errors, and it led to Fulham going a goal down.


(Image: Dan Istitene/Getty Images)

They fixed it somewhat in the second half, but to be gifting players of Trippier's quality that much space and time is criminal.

A strong 25-minute spell

Fulham knew they weren't going to get much of the ball, but there was a spell for 25 minutes after half time where they were the better team and started to really turn the screw.

Tom Cairney, Seri and Andre-Frank Anguissa all started to see more of the football in midfield, while the rest of the side were finding space out wide that the middle men could exploit.

The goal came from this spell, with Fulham sweeping it from right to left before Joe Bryan put the ball into the box, finding Sessegnon who put it into Aleksandar Mitrovic, who nodded home.


(Image: Dan Istitene/Getty Images)

It showed that the side are capable at playing at the level required of a Premier League side, and to do that to Spurs, at Wembley, for 25 minutes is no mean feat.

But after Mauricio Pochettino put the extra man in midfield, the space stopped appearing and Fulham struggled to see the ball once more.

These aren't the games Fulham have to be winning, so it's encouraging to see them up their games for periods, but when Burnley and Watford come visiting, they must turn the ball possession and passes into goals.

A better performance from Fabri

Last week, there were calls that Fabri wasn't good enough and that Sergio Rico or Marcus Bettinelli should play instead.

At Wembley, the Spaniard had a much better performance, albeit with a few iffy moments.

He was brave to come rushing out and save from Lucas Moura's feet, while his command of his box was vastly better than it was against Crystal Palace.


(Image: Nick Potts/PA Wire)

Fabri still flapped at some crosses and had few nervy moments, but overall it was an encouraging 90 minutes for the keeper, who could do nothing about any of the three goals scored past him.

There's room for improvement, without a doubt, but as every minute ticked by he looked more and more assured of himself in the Fulham goal.

A good performance from the 30-year-old.

Maxime Le Marchand - strong at the back

Speaking of good performances, Le Marchand had possibly his best in a Fulham shirt.

Starting at centre back alongside Calum Chambers, it was the Frenchman who looked the more confident, putting in a number of solid tackles on Harry Kane throughout the game, while also winning his fair share of headers.

Playing against the likes of Spurs requires your defence to have the game of their lives, and despite some iffy moments in defence from both centre backs when on the ball, Le Marchand stepped up to the plate.

Physical in the challenge, the 28-year-old was impressive, and with both Tim Ream and Alfie Mawson to come back into the side, the competition for the starting centre back spots looks set to become fierce.

Time is needed

Jokanovic is risking sounding like a broken record at the moment in press conferences as he presses the need for time, but it's very much the case.

He made three changes for the game today, with only four of the starting XI having played in the Championship play-off final back in May.

That's seven new players in a team that has been working together for only the past two and a bit weeks, with debutant Anguissa only started training on Wednesday.

It will take this team time to gel.

At times today, we saw what they could do when they were on the right wavelength - the trio of Seri, Cairney and Anguissa looked like they have the potential to be a very strong midfield, while the defence did well with their defensive line at times.

The problem with needing time for a side to settle is that the Premier League is an extremely unforgiving competition, and one where time is very rarely given.

With Burnley at Craven Cottage next week, you feel that games at home against those opponents are ones Fulham need to start picking up points from, and quickly.



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/fulham-spurs-talking-points-jokanovic-15046591