Aston Villa cruised to a comfortable three-goal win at Craven Cottage tonight as Scott Parker’s switch to a back three failed to end Fulham’s defensive frailties. Any solace that might have arrived courtesy of a deal to bring in Brazilian centre back Marlon evaporated before kick-off, with the news that his proposed switch from Sassuolo has fallen through, and – even after just three games – the task to survive the drop appears pretty herculean.
This was another hefty defeat that felt self-inflicted. Parker seems to have been dealt a hospital pass as Fulham haven’t strengthened in central defence, not just their achiles heel in the top flight two seasons ago but a consistent problem even during their ultimately successful Championship campaign last year, but the switch to three centre halves only exacerbated the problems in front of Alphone Areola, who is the club’s seventh goalkeeper in their last fifty top flight matches.
Fulham’s new shape did allow Kenny Tete to advance into promising positions from right wing back before he was forced off with an untimely calf injury, but by that point the game looked well beyond the home side. Michael Hector did manage to block a powerful early drive from John McGinn, but Dean Smith’s side hit the front in the fourth minute through a simple move. McGinn floated a through ball between the Fulham centre backs for Jack Grealish, who had glided away from Denis Odoi far too easily, and the England international kept his composure to slide a cool finish past Areola. That Fulham were the architects of their own downfall, with Joe Bryan opting to try and play out from the back rather than clear his lines would not have improved Parker’s mood.
The hosts’ best source of an equaliser appeared to be through Tete down the right, but try as he might Aleksandar Mitrovic was unable to beat the excellent Emiliano Martinez in the visiting goal. The closest he came was probably with his first effort of the evening, a header that deflected off Matty Cash and looped up for the goalkeeper to claim easily.
Fulham looked a bundle of nerves when they were attacked and the next time Villa moved into the final third it was 2-0. They were unlocked far too easily from an attacking throw-in with Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Tom Cairney affording Grealish far too much time to cut in from the left flank. There was too much space for Villa’s talisman to pick a pass and, even when McGinn took a heavy touch as he turned away from a defender, Conor Hourihane was there to sweep into the far corner from eight yards.
Ollie Watkins spurned a glorious chance to grab his first Villa goal since a move from Brentford after Grealish had played him in on the edge of the box after Fulham were caught on the break again, whilst Fulham’s pretty approach play faltered when they reached the edge of the Villa box. Mitrovic toiled manfully with most of his efforts off target, but the futility of a dispiriting first half was summed up when Ivan Cavaleiro lashed a pretty presentable opening high into the Putney End after Grealish had attempted a risky switch of play on the edge of his own penalty area.
Any hopes of a rousing second half to match Fulham’s spirited comeback at Elland Road last week evaporated within three minutes of the restart. Odoi conceded a free-kick for hauling down Grealish as he looked set to break away down the left flank, but the marking was laughably non-existent when Hourihane’s delivery found Tyrone Mings bursting away from a clutch of players at the edge of the penalty area to prod a finish past a helpless Areola. No amount of tactical tweakery will rescue a side that keeps making such elementary mistakes.
Villa might have had more and to their credit Parker’s charges continued to push. Their lifeline – handed to them when Bobby Decordova-Reid pounced after Martinez had spilled a speculative shot from Kamara – was snatched away after the video assistant referee spotted a foul by Mitrovic on Erzi Konsa. Mitrovic sent further headers wide of goal before an Anguissa piledriver was scrambled off the line and, just to underline that it wasn’t going to be Fulham’s night, Martinez made a splendid save to turn a curler from Bryan onto the crossbar in stoppage time. This could be a very long – and painful – season indeed.
FULHAM (3-4-3): Areola; Odoi, Hector (Le Marchand 58), Ream; Tete (Kamara 39), Bryan, Anguissa, Cairney; Decordova-Reid (Kebano 78), Cavaleiro, Mitrovic. Subs (not used): Rodak, Robinson, Onomah, Knockaert.
BOOKED: Decordova-Reid, Cairney, Bryan, Odoi, Le Marchand, Kamara.
ASTON VILLA (4-3-3): Martinez; Cash, Targett, Mings, Konsa; Luiz (Nakamba 87), Hourihane (J. Ramsey 77), McGinn; Grealish, Trezeguet (Traore 84), Watkins. Subs (not used): Steer, Hause, Elmohamady, Davis.
BOOKED: Targett, McGinn, Mings.
GOALS: Grealish (4), Hourihane (15), Mings (48).
REFEREE: Stuart Attwell (Nuneaton).
VIDEO ASSISTANT REFEREE: Martin Atkinson (West Yorkshire).
There’s only one F in Fulham, and they are F’in useless. I said before the playoffs I didn’t want promotion and I honestly think I was right. I feel so sorry for Brentford that we are being the total joke of the Premier League, and they are still in the Championship.
I don’t blame Parker, Tony Khan hasn’t got a clue what we need or how to work out who we need. I look forward to being back in the Championship next year, and hope we actually don’t set a new record of least points ever in getting there!!!!
We were beaten before a ball was kicked. Parker’s team selection was abysmal. Once again, he made Fulham fans suffer a form of Chinese torture by selecting Cavaleiro a player who couldn’t cut it in the Championship and yet, for some unfathomable reason, has been selected for all of our top flight games. Once again, he was truly awful. This was compounded by the recall of Decordova Reid-another player who couldn’t hack it in the Championship. Yet again, he was dire.
Leaving Anguissa and Cairney as our only 2 midfielders was a huge error which allowed the Villa midfield to run riot.
Defensively, Parker resorted to three central defenders for the first time. What a disaster that was!
Offensively, we had only one game plan: get the ball to Tete and hope he could find Mitrovic’s head.
When Tete went off injured, Parker had an opportunity to reinforce our midfield to stem the flow of Villa’s play which was slicing us open. Instead, he chose to bring Kamara on as a wing back to replace Tete. Seriously?
Everybody is screaming-and rightly so-for new centre backs but let’s not lose sight of the fact that we are desperate for an attacking cutting edge too. Lofting the ball in to the box in the hope that Mitro can get on the end of it, is not going to cut it in this division. We controlled the last 20 minutes but, apart from Joe Bryan’s excellent effort, we had zero penetration.
Hard to see how this is fixed.
Look down already . My advice would be don’t waste money buying anymore player. If you get any good offers for ours let them go. Give some kids a chance and rebuild next season. We’re not even competing . Look well out of place
Did anyone listen to the transfer update from Tony Khan on the website! What an absolute joke. He said that Scott Parker had to convince him to bring in Josh O because he didn’t have two ticked boxes by his name statistically-Scott must be embarrassed about that, who wouldn’t be. What do Alistair Macintosh et al think of this cretin Tony Khan-he seems to be surrounded by yes men. Khan senior needs to act quickly.
I don’t necessarily blame the players because the strategy from Tony Khan is a joke.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Scott walked away at some point.
In our recent history our chairman as let the managers which was relatively successful-albeit in the Felix M era, however we did have an ageing squad.
I can’t see anything improving unless this guy is removed completely and we let the football people make the football decisions and not some guy who is clearly out of his depth.
Well said Jezzer. Cant wait for next season. Will be heaven to be back in the Johnny Haynes stand with a pint in my hand and Championship football to enjoy. We have bought 2 full backs for £4m and converted Harrison-Reeds loan. Anguissa is back. Other than that we are a Championship side out of our depth. I watched TKs video where he boasted we were a top 4 defence last season. That statement shows what an idiot he is. Not sure what stats gave him that nonsense. We were creaking last season when under pressure. Anyone who watched us last season knew that. Now we have less of the ball and with Prem attacks, we are completely out of our depth. It’s not Parker or the players fault, they’re just simply not Prem players
Typo-let the managers manage!
Spot on Charles. Hector looks shaken, like he’s suddenly realised what he’s signed on for with Ream and Odoi as partners. If another business venture was run like this, Tony would have got his p45 years ago. Mitro didn’t impress but it’s hard when he’s so isolated. Our attack is so one dimensional. Why sign Cav and Knockaert when they underperformed last season? Bryan, Tete and Anguissa the only ones deserving of PL wages and status. Rodak earner the opportunity of the first few games, at least he’d have some rapport and communication. TC cannot be captain, he’s a luxury player.
Tony Khan is a f—-joke he should never been given that job he hasn’t got a clue about football. The players he has brought in are no better than what we had in the championship and some can’t even get a game so why did he buy them? Any one with half a brain knows we need at least 2 c.bs and a top midfielder and another good striker and we need players who can go straight into the team, and make a difference. Parkers possession football is no good if we can’t score or defend.I think this team is worse than the one that got relegated 2 years ago and Tony Khan is to blame for that, we need some one with football Knowledge to bring in the right players and to get good players you have to pay the right money.it seems Khan tried to change the price for Marlon and it wasn’t a failed medical, having said that I don’t think he would have been any better than what we have already, good players don’t come cheap you would have thought he would have known that. I hate to say it but if Tony Khan stays then we are going straight back down.
John B , I have been banned from TIFF for constantly stating that Tony Khan is the real problem at Fulham. Meanwhile the moderators there allow his apologists to post constantly. Friends of Fulham is full of posts claiming Tony is not to blame too, as is Fulham Messageboard! Question: are the 3 main supporter boards run by the club?!?