18 Jan 2021 09:45:25
I think Fulham have been done a bit of an injustice by some on here. Since the start of December, prior to playing us, they've conceded two vs Man City, one vs Liverpool, none vs Brighton, one vs Newcastle, none vs Southampton and one vs Spurs - unbeaten in their last five games. Were we expected to turn up and smash three or four past them?
Scott Parker has made them resilient and difficult to both score against and beat. When a team that already has that resilience goes down to ten men they don't necessarily become easier to break down. They sit deeper, play tighter and are often more difficult to break down. Who knows what the score would have been if it would have stayed 11 vs 11, fact is we got the breakthrough and won the game - everything else is just a guessing game.
As for our play in the game. When a team sits back, like Fulham did, you have to use the width. It's almost impossible to break teams down straight through the middle. That means moving the ball from one side to another, lots of short passes, staying patient and not trying to force it - generally boring play. It also means getting crosses into the box. If you get an early breakthrough the game opens up and you get more chances, otherwise it becomes a war of attrition. When you're flying high at the top of the table these sorts of performances / results are often referred to as the performances of champions - still winning when you play badly. When you're on a bad run it's just another boring performance. Fact is, the way Fulham had been playing recently, it was the performance that it was always going to be and a win was a positive result.
I get why some fans aren't convinced by Lampard, but this isn't the game, performance or result from which to negatively judge him. He should be judged on games like Leicester tomorrow. They shouldn't just sit back against us, they should allow us to play our game whilst they play theirs - go toe to toe for want of a better description. It's these games where Lampard's got to show that he has a plan and a style. That's his biggest weakness for me, matching up with top four rivals and their tactics, whilst coming out with a result. These are the games from which a decision will be made as to whether he stays or goes.
18 Jan 2021 10:18:54
Understand your point j but all those other teams they were playing against 11 Fulham players we wernt.
18 Jan 2021 10:32:11
That doesn't make it easier though. It's often harder to break down a team of ten as they sit deeper and play tighter.
18 Jan 2021 10:51:38
I agree J, good post.
18 Jan 2021 11:12:14
Standards have dropped so low for some Chelsea fans on here. It’s Fulham and we only won cause of who men anyway.
18 Jan 2021 13:02:50
10 men *.
18 Jan 2021 14:03:55
How can we possibly say that we wouldn't have won if they'd have kept 11 on the pitch?
Can you see this week's lottery numbers in that crystal ball of yours YoungGra? 🔮.
18 Jan 2021 15:04:11
It’s Lamps fault that Fulham went down to 10men J.
Funnier and Funnier!