The sight of crestfallen Fulham players in tears after the final whistle told you everything. Scott Parker’s side had already blown two opportunities to move above Newcastle and out of the Premier League drop zone – and they couldn’t afford to squander another survival lifeline. There was no lack of effort but, following Sunday’s late collapse at Villa Park, the concession of Adama Traore’s stoppage-time winner – which flew past a culpable Alphonse Areola at his near post – felt like the hammer blow that will send Fulham tumbling out of the top flight.
The goal was even more devastating as it came immediately after the Whites spurned a glorious chance to grab a winner themselves. Kenny Tete had been felled by substitute Fabio Silva and Ivan Cavaleiro stood over a free-kick wide on the road, with the angle to whip an inviting ball for an assembled cast inside the Wolves penalty area. Instead, he found Rui Patricio’s gloves with a woeful delivery. A minute later and the ball was in the Fulham net. Referee Jon Moss deserves immense credit for playing advantage when Morgan Gibbs-White was clearly taken out in the middle of the field forty yards from goal, allowing Traore to surge down the right flank and fire into the roof of the net from an impossibly acute angle, badly wrongfooting Areola.
There was still time for Fulham, who had toiled manfully throughout without ever looking like breaking the deadlock, to fashion one last half chance when Josh Maja miscued a volley from ten yards out down into the turf and up into the grateful arms of Patricio with the game’s last kick. Fulham might only be three points behind Newcastle but they have played two games move than the Magpies and Steve Bruce’s side can put further distance between themselves and the relegation zone by beating Burnley on Sunday. Parker’s next two assignments, trips to Arsenal and Chelsea, would be tough under the best of circumstances – but you fancy Fulham need a miracle bigger than the one Roy Hodgson pulled off in 2008 now.
This scrappy and tense affair was not an alluring advert for the English top flight. Two sides badly out of form largely cancelled each other out and the first half was a turgid watch, coming to life only with its last gasp when Wolves were ludicrously denied the opening goal by the video assistant referee. With the half’s only serious moment of quality, Daniel Podence produced a fine cross that Willian Jose emphatically headed past Areola – only for the subsequent analysis to suggest that the winger’s arm might have been marginally offside. It wasn’t the clear and obvious howler that the technology has been brought in to correct – and it was a mighty let off for Fulham.
Parker’s side, which included Terence Kongolo making a first league start for seventeen months after Tosin Adarabioyo harshly paid the penalty for his mistake in the Midlands on Easter Sunday, had huffed and puffed without creating a great deal. Antonee Robinson represented Fulham’s most potent threat with his raids down the left often prompted by Joachim Andersen’s exquisite crossfield passes. The American’s two best crosses provided the hosts’ only serious openings – Ruben Loftus-Cheek criminally failing to find the target with his head from ten yards and Aleksandar Mitrovic looping a header just wide from further out just before the break.
Fulham began with more adventure after the interval, but Mitrovic was frequently left completely isolated up against Wolves’ well-drilled three centre backs. Mario Lemina almost teased an opening for Kenny Tete at the back post before Patricio snaffled a tame Mitrovic header at his near post and, although Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa added both industry and intensity from the bench, the Whites lacked a telling final ball to match their desire as they pressed for an opener. The clearer chances probably came at the other end, with Romain Saïss wasting a free-kick just outside the area and Leander Dendoncker spurning two headed chances.
Parker’s side roused themselves in a lively closing spell where they raised the tempo. Maja saw his close-range header diverted wide by Ruben Neves after Anguissa had created half a yard of space outside the box and an improvised effort from his right foot by Robinson briefly had Patricio scurrying across his goalline. In the story of Fulham’s infuriating campaign, the home side were punished for their failure to make the most of their best spell of the game in its dying embers. Teenage striker Fabio Silva, who has shown flickers of his dazzling potential so far since his summer move from Porto, injected energy into Wolves’ late break when he sent Traore blazing down the right with a lovely pass after Gibbs-White had been cynically felled and the rapid Spaniard broke Fulham’s hearts with a powerful drive that took Areola by surprise and ended his own fifteenth month Premier League scoring drought.
Parker has arguably already pulled off a heroic feet in making a Fulham side who looked nothing more than top flight cannon fodder in the early weeks of the season competitive in this division – but the Whites have lacked the ruthlessness to be able to capitalise on their improved run of form around the turn of the year. It seems as though salvation will be beyond them unless this crazy season serves up the most unscriptable of finales.
FULHAM (3-4-3): Areola; Aina (Cavaleiro 84), Andersen, Kongolo; Tete, Robinson, Reed (Maja 73), Lemina; Loftus-Cheek (Anguissa 63), Decordova-Reid, Mitrovic. Subs (not used): Fabri, Hector, Ream, Adarabioyo, Bryan, Onomah.
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS (4-2-3-1): Patricio; Semedo, Aït-Nouri, Coady, Saïss; Dendoncker, Neves; Neto (Moutinho 33), Traore, Podence (Gibbs-White 74); Jose (Silva 78). Subs (not used): Ruddy, Hoever, Kilman, Richards, Otasowie, Vintinha.
GOAL: Traore (90+3).
REFEREE: Jon Moss (West Yorkshire).
VIDEO ASSISTANT REFEREE: David Coote (Nottinghamshire).
It was just not to be. The main criticism for me is why Scotty continues to Play Loftus Cheek and choose Lamina over Anguissa. We try to make a go of it tightened up defensively this season but lack of goals. How we missed Lookman tonight.
What a devastating blow!
Yet again, Scott Parker’s team selection was questionable.
No Anguissa, Tete pushed higher when it is apparent that, as good a defensive full back as he is, he is not good at attacking. Loftus Cheek given yet another chance to show something in a Fulham shirt despite having been abject all season…the list goes on.
To then have the Tete experiment fail miserably and not do anything about it -retaining him for the full 90 minutes-what was Parker thinking?
To bring Anguissa on finally and to see him start to run the show but then to take off Harrison Reed was utter madness. From looking threatening, suddenly Anguissa had to undertake the hard slog in midfield that Reed had been doing.
As for Cavaleiro -one touch-a pathetic wasted free kick summed up this guy’s contribution this season.
Yet, for some unfathomable reason, Scott Parker has insisted on persisting with these under achievers all season and it looks likely that he will pay the ultimate price for his mis-guided loyalty.
It’s all very well coming on TV afterwards and talking about heart, resilience etc that this team has but, as Michael Owen pointed out, you could grab anybody off the street and stick them in a Fulham shirt and they will give you heart and resilience etc but they can’t give you quality and it’s quality in too many positions that this Fulham team lacks.
Yet, despite all that, I will still be hoping and praying that Burnley and Everton can lessen the pain and that we can grab 3 points at Arsenal. Such is the curse of being a Fulham fan.
What a dismal performance I don’t know what Parker sees in some of these players where do we start Kongolo I was waiting for him to get injured why oh why does Parker keep saying good things about Loftus Cheek another abject performance tonight sooner he goes back to Chelsea the Better Midfield duo of Lemina andReed not good enough What has Anguissa done to Merit time on the bench when he came on things started to happen Ithink Parker is Swayed a bit by sentiment why sign Maja if your not going to start him both Strikers should have started tonight and Parker’s favourite. Cavaleiro who is a complete Liabilty in a Fulham Shirt and why do we always giveaway free kicks in crucial positions we have nobody who can take a free kick when we get one Other than Kebano but he mistakenly went on loan
1. I agree completely with the above comments – we have carried Loftus Cheek – while Anguissa should be one of the first few names on the team sheet – don’t take Harrison Reed off.
2. The basic problem is in the last third – poor final balls – not enough people in the box – lack of quality in front of goal -the fact we have the lowest conversion rate in the division says it all.
3. In last six games we have changed the side too often and the shape has suffered – also players have been moved around too much. He needs to get some shape back into the team for next six games.
4. In addition to the comments made by the people above which I agree with, do NOT play Decordova Reid on the left – and if you play Mitro then you need someone really close to him to play off him – but perhaps instead play Maja and Decordova Reid together and get them to move and get them into the box more.
5. It is still retrievable – needs to get shape back into side – and keep it tight – play 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 – where the mid three is Anguissa, Harrison Reed and then Lemina – Up front Lookman when he is fit along with Decordova Reid and Maja. Bring Tosin back.
6. In previous games we were getting caught at the back as teams were closing us down quickly and we should expect that versus Arsenal and Chelsea – which means our forwards and midfield need to be moving into space far quicker than before to allow balls to be played out.
7. I don’t think we have ever won at Arsenal – but we have drawn – last time I remember us winning at Chelsea was October ‘79 (2-0) – but then we hadn’t won at Everton in the league before this season . But shape and keeping it tight and making some tough choices with the side are needed.
I concur Loftus Cheek should not be on the team sheet, he is an expensive waste of space, whilst Anguissa should be playing from the start. lets give it a go for the next couple of matches make of break. even if we put some of the youngers like Stansfield on the bench. We have a lot of players at the club who have been great servants but are now past there sell by date and should be shipped out in the summer. This does not include Mitro who I think has been treated badly. I would give Scotty another season to get us back up again
Barring some highly unlikely results, I think Fulham are down. Now time to reassess Parker and think about the team for the Championship. I would fire Parker. He did some good things, esp sorting out the defence and, by all accounts, creating some team spirit, but the recruitment and continual selection of RLC and choosing to play Cavaliero up front I think sealed the relegation. Going to be tough to keep Mitro and have to assume all the loanees will go, so will need to buy a new centre forward (Assombalonga? Andre Ayew? Sturridge?) and prob a defensive midfielder to replace Lemina (Bannan?) plus promote a couple of the youngsters from the U23s. So, a different, interesting season on the way.
Agree with everyone.
Parker – got some team spirit together but obsession with Cav and RLC ridiculous. Tactics and subs at times ok and at others poor
That said. We have no quality up top to choose. RLC, BDR, Cav, Lookman, Mitro, Maja. Most of them are Championship quality and at best a poor Prem player.
That’s it in a nutshell. After 32 games we ate where we deserve to be. An average manager with a poor squad = relegation. Deservedly. The fact we are still in it shows how rubbish some other teams are too because we are poor
Is still nobody foreseeing this scenario? We will go down with Newcastle and WBA will survive. If they beat Southampton they will be two points behind us with a game in hand.
Still, every cloud has a silver lining. If/when we go down we’ll get shot of RLC. Then maybe we can get a midfielder who can score a few goals. For all their quality neither Anguissa, Lemina or Reed fit this bill. Lookman was a big miss last night but it’s not all down to one player.
I actually think the Villa result was more damaging.
I feel for Scott as a rookie manager, however last night was not the time for negativity.
I think Tony Khan has to take some of the blame, his poor recruitment-the saying stats are for prats is really suited to him.
Until Tony Khan is removed from his role we are unfortunately going to continue in this way-the only way the club might learn is if we sadly end up languishing in the championship for a considerable amount of time.
Wouldn’t it be great to have Roy&Ray back with us next season?
So good to read everyone’s comments here and see the opinions. I’ll throw this out….
As a fan I’ll be glad when we’re in the Championship. Last 3 seasons (if you include this) we’ve been in the Prem we’ve been relegated and the football and entertainment has been dire.
Personally, I cant wait for most games at 3pm on a Saturday and a good promotion push. The run through the playoffs is as exciting as it gets. I dont fear the Championship at all. I fear a huge turnover of players and a Championship hangover. So my vote is keep Parker. We’ve started his apprenticeship so we might as well finish it. He will be a factor in keeping our best players and attracting others. So if and when we go down yes it is disappointing but to me Day 1 is either start of our promotion push from the Championship or another season of survival football. I vote Championship.