Jack and Loz at the Cottage - Blog 286

Date: 21st September 2024

Opposition: Newcastle United

Score: 3-1

Fulham goal scorers: Raúl, Smith Rowe, Lightning

Weather: golden sunlight and turning leaves - a perfect autumn day

Atmosphere: fantastic

MOTM: against stiff competition from literally all his teammates, Kenny Tete was the best player on the pitch. In a series of explosive duels up and down the side line, Kenny stopped anyone dribbling, passing or crossing around him and completely nullified the Newcastle left wing. This wasn’t just a textbook display of how to play right back; this was the kind of epic, breathtaking perfection that they make films about. (He just needs to work on his shooting!)

Pre-match: we had a picnic by the river and did a rough shirt number survey of the Fulham fans strolling past. 32 was the clear winner with 30 close behind

Post-match: we drank celebratory Prosecco at the Cottage then went to Wei Xi’An

It’s been a tough week for Fulham Football Club. After the disappointing last gasp draw with West Ham on Saturday, attention moved to Preston and the Cup. A second string side which should have been good enough to beat Championship opposition failed miserably to do so (despite the best efforts of Messrs Sessegnon and Lightning) and the team embarked on the longest penalty shootout in League Cup history. Were it not for Timothy Castagne, they’d still be in Preston shooting away like footballing zombies. As it is, our Cup dreams are as broken as a goal net blasted by Issa Diop.

But that’s just football. Later in the week revelations emerged about Fulham’s former owner Mohammed Al Fayed which shocked but did not surprise. Al Fayed was an evil man who used his wealth and status to conceal his crimes and avoid the consequences of them while he was alive. He won’t be tried for them in a criminal court but perhaps the trial by media will be a kind of justice for his victims. We hope that his depravity did not pervade Fulham but only because we don’t want there to be any more women who suffered Al Fayed’s advances not because of any damage to the Club’s reputation. It’s worth noting that Fulham fans have been almost unanimous in their condemnation of Al Fayed. We know that what he did for the Club isn’t mitigation. For the doubters, yes, dead men can’t defend themselves but some men can’t be challenged while they’re alive.

Back at the Cottage on Saturday we faced a Newcastle side who were unbeaten so far this season. We hadn’t beaten them since 2017 having suffered red cards, missed penalties and rampant dark artistry along the way.

Fulham have played some good football already this season but haven’t managed to make much of it count. The first half against Newcastle, however, was different. This was one of the best halves of we’ve seen from Fulham for a long time and, for a change, the football was effective as well as exquisite.

After an administrative error led to an offside Newcastle goal it was all Fulham. The first goal came straight away in a move begun by an Andersen Diagonal, enhanced by a Traore sprint dribble and finished by a classic Raúl chest, turn and shoot.

The Fulham press kept Newcastle pinned back. Iwobi was muscling people aside while Adama was driving straight through them. Andreas spent the time the rest of the team were in Preston doing a CPD course entitled Effective Corner Taking and put some of it into practise. Emile hit the bar with a sighter before one of his smoke and mirrors combinations with Iwobi left the Newcastle defence baffled and the ball in the back of the net again.

Fulham had the two goal cushion we’re desperate for every game and were playing scintillating football. It’s hard to know who was enjoying themselves more - the players or the fans. Adama and Raúl had shots saved but the best attempt came from Andersen - it was a Diagonal one of course.

What with Tete engaging in formal combat, Bassey in boss-mode and Lukić shimmering into existence wherever he was needed this was a flawless first half from everyone except for some unnecessary yellow cards (ahem Adama!)

But as sure as night follows glorious autumn day, a bad second half can follow a good one. Put it this way - the VAR check was about 3 times as long as it took Newcastle to score their goal after kick-off. And they were right back in the game. Now there was no Fulham press and, glaring miss from Iwobi aside, no Fulham shots. There was some faffing around at the back, some goal kicks which went straight out of play, some Andersen Diagonals ditto while the attackers became No End Product FC.

We knew how this could end. We saw it last week. We aren’t very good at hanging on to a one goal lead and Newcastle were looking confident while Fulham were looking tired.

But Marco Silva has also been on a CPD course this week, and his was entitled Defensive Subs and When to Make Them. If the introduction of Harrison Reed in his most terrier-like mode for Andreas who’d been working overtime was sensible, the replacement of dead-on-his-feet Emile with the hulking and eager to please Diop was inspired.

Gradually, the refreshed team organised itself and we felt like they’d learnt from last week’s mistakes. It felt like we might just hold on.

But we didn’t have to.

A shanked Newcastle clearance fell to Reiss Nelson on the edge of the box. He didn’t need to be lighting fast to score his goal but he did need to be calm and precise, and he was. He was stylish too and his celebration was a joy to witness. (Helped a bit by the relief we were feeling in the stands.)

Random musings:-

- Iwobi played well but was a bit iwoeful in front of goal

- Emile seems to have got slimmer while Bassey has got bigger

- This was Emile’s longest stint and as he gets fitter we’re seeing more and more of what he can do. And yet it feels like he’s still in second gear in terms of potential

- It also feels like he’s becoming a little bit more Fulham every game (and every goal). The applause to the Hammy End as he was subbed off was no token gesture

- 2 goals and 1 assist in 5 games. We’ve practically got our money’s worth already

- Maybe we should have called these Emile Musings….

- Muniz wasn’t so smiley this week but his brief stint was good and surely the next goal is only Moments away

- The ref was card happy and inconsistent which is a really bad combination

- Odd how Newcastle don’t sit down in the job so much when they’re losing…

- You couldn’t do the half time spot the ball competition after too many one pound pints…

- ….But they probably contributed to the excellent atmosphere!

- In keeping with the unanimity we referred to above That Song wasn’t sung.

Three goals, three points, three different goal scorers. Nervy second half Moments aside this was a fantastic performance and one which sets us up well for the difficult games to come. Marco’s vision for the team is becoming clearer every game and if we keep playing like that, then there are some VERY exciting times ahead.