Scott Parker bemoaned Fulham’s powerpuff finishing as the Whites dominated in-form West Ham tonight at Craven Cottage but failed to find a winner.
The Fulham boss was pleased with his team’s desire and organisation but familiar failings in the forward areas left his side having to console themselves with a point as they equalled a club record run of eight consecutive home top flight games without a win. Parker told his post-match press conference:
“We were superb from start to finish. Build-up, the way we played, I thought the players executed very well how we wanted to cause them problems today. We probably just came up a little bit short in the final area, in the box, when you need to put the ball in the back of the net.
“I think it was 20 shots overall, two on target. I don’t think you can dominate a game as much as we dominated a Premier League game today and not win it. Obviously we do sit here with a draw, but I’m very proud of my team, proud of the way they played.
If you were a neutral watching this game, and this isn’t me being disrespectful to West Ham or David in any way because they’ve been absolutely fantastic this year, but if you were a neutral watching that game I don’t think you’d come away after 90 minutes thinking that we were a team that’s fighting for our lives, or that we’re a downbeat team. I think totally the opposite.”
Parker admitted that another failure to find the net – the Whites have scored just seventeen Premier League goals all season – was a concern, but insisted his players would be working hard to solve the problem at Motspur Park tomorrow.
“Of course it’s a concern, it’s been a concern for a little while now, and we understand that. It’s a team and a group that have evolved massively, and we’ve taken some huge steps. The next challenge and the next step in this division, for a young team, a team that are developing, is the most important bit.
“We all understand the most important bit, that’s why forwards get the most money. It’s the difference in games, and we just fall a bit short. I’d be much more concerned if we weren’t creating the chances. We’re creating ample chances, we’re getting to the edge of the box very, very well, we’re just not managing to convert them at the moment. And it’s hard work again tomorrow morning, let’s keep working on it, let’s keep working on our technique of finishing, let’s keep working on our decision making.”
Little tip for Parker. If you have 2 strikers on the bench and you play a winger and midfielder up front, then dont come on the TV and complain about the quality of finishing. Is Mitro a top quality prem striker..no…but is he more likely to put away the chances Cav and RLC fluff EVERY week…yes.
Please dont tell me you need pace to get into the positions these chances are being fluffed from because that isnt true. Please dont tell me Cav is better at hold up play because that is also nonsense. We are getting the ball in and around the box and making chances we are not making chances on the break. So pace is not absolutely essential.
Credit for trying a back 4. Thats a sign of courage. But for going back to picking Cav and 80th minute subs again, you need to own it rather than complaining about the finishing. You choose them every week. Is the solution Mitro and Maja? Maybe not….but maybe….so give it a go for more than 10 or 15mins.
20 shots overall and 2 on target and we only give our two strikers 8 minutes?! I can understand not playing mitrovic as not done anything much since coming back in. Parker has tried with him and mitro himself is trying but he just can’t seem to get any confidence and he is clearly massively a confidence player. I can understand not starting Maja if not match fit. We are however now in last chance saloon desperation and had so many nearly moments up to 60 minutes we just had to at least try chucking Maja on to see if he could do anything. 82 minutes was way too late.
I thought we were excellent again up to the final third. If you didn’t know the league you would have thought we were above West Ham. Despite our dominance they had the two best chances because of quality delivery that we just lack. Loftus Cheek yet again let’s us down. He is meant to be the top premier league quality to unlock doors and he just has to hit the target with that one on one. If Maja had been on the end of it who knows if he has the quality to finish it but he wasn’t even on the pitch?! So unbelievably frustrating.
I am a Parker fan but just so annoyed the subs were made so late when we were crying out to try our new striker. Parkers organisation has transformed us. I like that he tried a 4 at the back. The players can’t try any harder for him, themselves and us. Their heads never go down and they all seem to fully believe everywhere except in front of goal. For Christ’s sake just start Maja (or at least give him more than 8 minutes) in the next game and see if he can pull a miracle out the bag and actually score a goal for us. COYW please just somehow come on.
“Let’s keep working on it, let’s keep working on our technique of finishing, let’s keep working on our decision making”
How about working on your abysmal team selection? Please note: Cavaleiro is NOT a striker!!!
How about working on your terrible use of substitutes? Please note: when Cavaleiro is having a nightmare game (yet again), you don’t keep him on long enough to miss another open goal. If you think Mitro and Maja can offer something different, bring them on with enough time to make that difference.
I agree we dominated a good team today Scott. Proven over the last dozen games our issues our ability to score goals. Draws at this stage of the season and our position means it’s do or die, throw our hat in. 8 points off safety and leaving the 2 statically most capable strikers on the bench and only give them both 11 mins is crazy. Anguisa dropped ? We need a change, Cav up front ?? hopefully Maja and Mitro can find a pairing whom both if they find form just might get the goals to give us half a chance of staying up. If we go down a lot of the team will be gone and starting all over again.