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“Fulham is falling. I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life. “
After three straight losses to start the season, Jamie Carragher was already putting the last nail in a coffin that had been cut and attached even before the season began. Without the same security, We all predicted they would be relegated. Before kickoff, Carragher admitted that he may have been a bit “rushed.” In fact, he was, and he may join us in wiping the egg from our faces at the end of the season.
In defense of ourselves and Mr. Carragher, our decisions were made before Ademola Lookman, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Tosin Adarabioyo and Joachim Andersen joined the club at the end of the transfer period. And only four of the starting eleven that lost 3-0 to Aston Villa in that third game of the season started the game Monday night.
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One of those who did start the defeat against Villa – Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa – was quite brilliant in this 2-1 win over Leicester. And it is proof of a change at Fulham that goes beyond purely personal. Scott Parker, explaining the inclusion of Anguissa and Loftus-Cheek in the starting lineup, spoke of the energy and desire that led to the proceedings when they began to change the game against Everton.
Anguissa’s driving, range run from the middle, and perfectly balanced ball for Lookman’s first game at King Power Stadium was truly magnificent. And it was the combination of his ability to press, win and then run the ball from deep down that was key to Parker’s perfect game plan.
The Fulham manager resisted the temptation to play as their top scorer in favor of the counter attack threat – this was not a game for Aleksandar Mitrovic. Loftus-Cheek’s four forwards, Bobby Decordova-Reid, Ivan Cavaleiro and Ademola Lookman are full of rhythm and enthusiasm for which the great Serbian is far from famous.
But it wasn’t just a case of throwing energetic players onto the field and hoping for the best. Fulham targeted obvious weaknesses in Leicester’s five defenders to cause them big problems, in the first half in particular. Bypassing the channel that Wesly Fofana patrolled, they took advantage of the aging legs of Jonny Evans and Christian Fuchs.
And it was Fuchs who was quick to make a mistake to award a dreaded penalty for Fulham. The Austrian was too slow when Decordova-Reid stole the ball from him. “This is how you shoot a penalty,” said Andy Hinchcliffe when Cavaleiro, who missed one the week before against Everton, scored in what in other circumstances could have been described as ‘a good height for a goalkeeper’. Hey, he scored, so who cares.
Leicester looked remarkably harmless in a game they trailed 2-0. It was Fulham who seemed to increase their lead despite having much less ball in the second half. Harvey Barnes scored late, breaking the ball brilliantly in the top corner after a Jamie Vardy knockdown. But that was the sum of the efforts of Vardy and Leicester: a belated consolation they did not deserve.
In Fulham’s other win this season, the 2-0 win over West Brom the “identity” was clear but the skeptics pointed to the opponents and shrugged. This victory not only shows that they can do the business against quality Premier League rivals, but it illustrates that they can mold that identity according to the team they are playing, keeping their fast passing style through an attacking method completely. different.
Carragher and we may finally be right, but Fulham are far from the relegation fodder suggested by their early-season shows.
Will ford is on twitter
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