Jack and Loz at the Cottage - Blog 112 (Fulham 2-2 Charlton)

[Friendsoffulham]

Date: 5th October 2019

Opposition: Charlton Athletic

Score: 2-2

Fulham goal scorers: Cavaleiro, 🔥

Weather: fairly warm

Atmosphere: fairly good

MOTM (first half): in a poor half Cav stood out in terms of skill, effort and attacking verve

MOTM (second half): Bobby-Bobby Reid changed the game when he came on after half time and his was a performance to savour in a frenetic 45 (or rather 52) minutes of end to end action

Riverside stand update: a chunk of the old stand has now gone and some rather nice banners showing what the new stand will look like have been put up, much to the chagrin of Junior whose view they obstruct

Pub and Pod: we went to the OSP for the live recording of Fulhamish's 200th podcast featuring Gentleman Jim, Sean Davis and Barry Hayles which was a very entertaining way to round off the afternoon

It is often in the nature of Fulham Football Club to take two steps forward and one step back, or, because we are now Scott Parker's Fulham Football Club, two passes forward and one pass back. Just when we thought we were becoming automatic promotion contenders with the solid, if laboured, win over Wigan and the easy, if under-exploited demolition of Reading we produce our worst half of football for weeks in which most of the team looked half asleep and the others like they'd only just met.

As well as the usual mistakes (misplaced passes, giving the ball away, faffing around at the back) we looked disjointed going forwards, wobbly in defence and unconvincing in midfield: you wouldn't think this was a team of fluid, flexible passers or a team who had scored 6 goals in the last 2 matches. Recent stars Cairney and Bryan were average, Stefjo and Knockaert worked hard but to little effect and the Triangle of Doom was back with a vengeance. On a positive note the attacking intent was good, particularly from Cav and Mitro, and we looked by far the most likely team to score until - well, Charlton did.

At half time the Fulham Foundation blind team showed off their considerable scoring skills, a man with pink hair was interviewed by Sky and Chris Coleman and Kit Symonds made a welcome return to the Cottage to collect their Forever Fulham awards.

Meanwhile, Scott Parker was making one of the best tactical decisions of his career shaking things up with a change of formation and the introduction of the Re(e/i)ds in place of Steven Sessegnon and Harry Arter. Steven had had an unusually poor first half culminating in the (almost literal) schoolboy error of putting the ball out for a corner when he didn't need to and whilst Arter had played quite well he and Stefjo in the same midfield at the same time is one roistering roustabout too many. Harrison immediately brought the control which had been lacking while Bobby-Bobby played his best half for Fulham so far - skilful, nimble, speedy and clever.

Ivan Cavaleiro doesn't score goals which aren't spectacular and his powerful, curling drive on Saturday was another one for the season highlights reel. Unfortunately it seemed to have a soporific effect on his teammates because 2 minutes later Charlton were ahead again following some defensive chaos in which the Triangle of Doom failed repeatedly to clear their lines.

In the aftermath of the goal we saw Scott Parker on the touchline animated as never before - calling the players over, talking, gesticulating, then throwing them back into the fray. Something clicked and suddenly the mesmerisingly fast passes were back, the ball was flung forwards again and again, and everyone was shooting - Bryan, Knockaert, Cairney, Mitro. Stefjo was rampaging forwards, Ream was invincible at the back. Bobby-Bobby did literally everything except get the ball over the line. It got to the point where, statistically, Mitro couldn't miss another chance although even he made hard work of a goal mouth scramble.

In another match Fulham would have gone on to win from that point but, what with the two strikes of the crossbar, the unheeded penalty shout, Mitro being sandwiched by at least 2 defenders at all times and the wasted last minute free kick this just wasn't our day. Charlton deserve credit for coming to the Cottage unintimidated and well prepared. They didn't look like a newly promoted side and they made the most of their chances. Typically for this season, their plum clad goalkeeper had a plum performance.

This was an entertaining game - or at least half of it was and that is part of the problem - yet another game when we only played well for half of it, yet another draw and yet more evidence of defensive weaknesses. So, yes, two passes forward and one straight back to the goalie.

Random musings:-

- We wonder if took Scott so long to bring on Onomah because he was trying to find out if Championship rules allowed him to sub himself on when he was so galvanised and frantic in the second half

- we discovered 2 things about Alfie Mawson on Saturday:- 1. He is very good at long throws; 2. He is very bad at free kicks. Why, just why?????

- how much did Mitro enjoy scoring and celebrating at the Hammy End?

- Denis Odoi took on yet another role on Saturday (to go with left back, right back, centre back and occasional cheerleader): drinks carrier for Marcus

- on the subject of drinks, Mitro enjoyed some cheeky gulps of Charlton's water while he "assisted" with a medical incident

Whilst this was a frustrating game and a disappointing result the league has conspired to make it fairly benign. We are in 7th place, still only 3 points off the top; we are now 6 games unbeaten and Mitro is the league top scorer with 8 goals.

The Championship is waiting for a Champion-in-waiting, for a team which can pull ahead of the pack and strike out for the finish line. In so many ways Fulham are that team - experienced, skilful, fast and full of goals. We are often calm under pressure, we can usually respond to adversity, we can create and dominate, control and destroy. As so often, the missing ingredient is consistently. Find that, and the league can be ours.

https://werdsmith.com/p/uvdK2YThGPhtk

[hovewhite]

Consistent ,that's a plan Scott can love,but players playing same level as 1 as a unit,it's an hell of an ask!

[RaySmith]

The other team plays a part too, in affecting our play.

Scott and the team did very well in changing things in the second half, and showed great character, fluent play, to come back from twice being behind, and were unlucky not to win it.