It’s morning the after the record-breaking night before and, sat on the platform at Preston railway station, it remains a little difficult to digest all the action from Deepdale last night. The headlines surround the longest penalty shoot-out in English domestic Cup competition, with Fulham’s failure at North End following on from what was a marathon shoot-out at Aldershot in the Associate Members’ Cup back in 1987, and an ignominious exit to Championship strugglers at the third round stage. It feels all too sudden, especially when you consider how well Marco Silva’s side acquitted themselves into getting to the semi-finals and pushing Liverpool all the way last season.
But an embarrassing exit to lower league opposite doesn’t automatically lead to a disastrous season. Silva has been here before, of course, when his blend of stalwarts, new signings and young tyros crashed calamitously out at Crawley last August and the Whites went on to comfortably avoid relegation on their return to the top flight. The worrying element about this slow-motion and, yet increasingly inevitable elimination, on torturous spot-kicks was that very few of Fulham’s second string pressed their claims for a spot in the starting line-up.
Even the man who finished the match on the front foot, Ryan Sessegnon, had an exacting first half an hour. On his second start at left back since returning from Tottenham, the starlet from Roehampton found himself pulled all over the place by the movement and intelligence of Josh Bowler, a familiar scourge of Fulham from his outings with Blackpool and Hull City. Sessegnon, who has been through the full gamut of footballing emotions during his spell away from Craven Cottage, gathered himself and looked the most likely source of a goal in the second half, with those trademark raids down the left flank becoming all the more threatening. He made the equaliser for Reiss Nelson after scampering on to a Tom Cairney pass and might have had another assist if Harrison Reed had managed to hit the target from close range in the first half.
Sessegnon’s perseverance – both off the field and during this game – is commendable. His durability and the memories of his formative years as a poacher of goals from the left wing still make me wonder whether he might be better deployed in front of Antonee Robinson as the campaign goes on. Nelson took his goal well, but in common with so many other attacking options, frequently chose the wrong option in the final third. Harry Wilson was largely anonymous until he was denied by Freddie Woodman during the visitors’ strongest spell in the second half, but Silva’s side were ponderous and slow on the ball throughout.
The biggest problem is how hard it seems to be able to score, which puts immense pressure on the lone striker. Rodrigo Muniz scored a glut of goals after Armando Broja’s arrival at the turn of the year, but looks bereft of confidence at present. The Brazilian did plenty of running but couldn’t find himself in the right positions to convert a host of inviting second half crosses and Fulham’s threat in the six yard box only seemed to diminish when Silva eventually threw on further forwards with time ticking over.
This isn’t a new problem as Silva’s side were punished for their lack of ruthlessness by Danny Ings on Saturday. The Whites had 21 shots against the Hammers on Saturday but could only muster Raul Jimenez’s early strike as a reward for their dominance.
They had 16 shots last night and 71% of possession and paid the penalty not only for Timothy Castagne’s skied penalty, but also for their own sloppy defending that allowed Ryan Ledson a free shot at goal from 20 yards. Sander Berge’s clearance was poor, Cairney preferred to stand and watch his man take aim and Steven Benda opted against even diving. Failure to turn possession and territory into goals will increase the pressure at both ends of the pitch. It has to be a worry that Silva’s team, usually buzzing with energy and practitioners of such free-flowing football, looked predictable for long periods against a well-drilled Preston defence. If Muniz’s scoreless streak continues, then the only options are a 33 year-old Jimenez or Carlos Vinicius, who was hardly reliable in front of goal before a largely underwhelming Turkish loan spell. Goals win games – and, currently, the Cottagers aren’t scoring anywhere close to enough of them.
Sessgenon in front of Robinson yes. We all know he’s not a full back spurs couldn’t work it out now Silva making same mistake. Strikers hard to get , so why let STANSFIELD go, should of been given chance at least till January. Some say prise to good to turn down, but does not look that good when Exeter get some and we struggle for goals
Who could possibly have seen this coming?
I kept posting we needed a striker.
Both Muniz and Jimenez are substitutes, not starting players. We didn’t replace Mitrovic and cashed in on Stansfield, understandably as summer was ridiculous, BUT only if we got a replacement.
Argument back at me was we don’t need a striker as ESR, Iwobi and goals can come from anywhere.
I know he had a good run, but not convinced by Muniz yet…
The performance was very lack lustre and well below what you would expect some players looked like they were not interested and just going thru the motions which is not acceptable I feel sorry for those poor fans that travelled and at to watch it ,The striker problem is worrying Clearly Muniz is not good enough and Jimenez and Vinicius also maybe Silva should try Adama up front he has the speed and Know how or maybe the unhappy Wilson the fans need something but this shows our inept transfer policy which has been good this year by not buying a striker big mistake in selling Stansfield without a replacement come on Silva play Adama as a striker he will defineately upset Newcastle on Sat
Even in his pomp Sess is never a full back. I admit I am no expert but even I could see this.
Sessegnon’s best position is probably as a wing back, but as we never play that system I would be more than happy to see him on the left of a three. Must be worth a try.
As I’ve already stated in a previous post, why not replace Wilson with Ryan Sessegnon. However, Sess does look slower that he did when he played for us before, but we all remember the ball he played for TC ‘s winner against Villa in the play off final. As they say form is temporary, but class is permanent.
I just find the whole system wrong. Constantly trying to play out from the back is making us ponderous and predictable. We are so slow to move the ball forward that the opposition are able to marshall their defence and have everyone marked. Give the strikers some decent chances and they will put them away. If you play out from the back it must be with purpose, not constantly passing side to side on the halfway line and then back to the centre back and the keeper. All that does is enhance the possession stats but achieves nothing. Look how dangerous we were with the long racking passes from Andersen on Saturday
All of the above. Things are looking a bit bleak and to state the obvious things have got to change. Sess pushed forward is a moust. Not sure how we’re going to find a strick before January, if then. Nick points out we don’t play that system, I would suggest the system needs to change. Surely you have to adapt your system to the available talent. Square pegs in round holes isn’t working. I would add, and I’m no expert that’s for sure, but our substitutions look about rubbish.
I agree that it was madness to sell Jay Stansfield – a natural goal scorer. We will come to regret that piece of greed at getting £15m for an academy product