Our first defeat of the season and a deserved win for Fulham, who ran out 3-1 winners against a Newcastle United side who left themselves with too much to do after a dismal first-half display.
Here’s our ratings from a frustrating afternoon at Craven Cottage:
Pope (5) – Awful mistake for the 2nd goal and again kept much busier than he would like to be. Had to do better for Smith-Rowe’s goal but it might’ve been four or five without his seven saves.
Trippier (5) – Restored to the starting line up and was typically tidy in possession before being replaced by Livramento
Schar (4) – Missed a golden opportunity to equalise. Needed to square to Isak who had an open goal. Struggled to deal with Jimenez and needed more support from the midfield especially in the first half
Burn (4.5) – Won everything in the air but his lack of mobility is starting to become a worry when teams break with pace.
Kelly (3.5) – Not his finest half of football. Couldn’t handle the pace and power of Traore, who he never really got close to. Will be lucky to keep his spot ahead of Hall, who was brought on at the break.
Joelinton (4) – Not at the races. Struggled to hold onto the ball and caught out in the transition too many times. Needs to find his form and fast.
Guimaraes (4) – Fulham rang rings around him in the first half, his lack of pace evident. Gained a bit more control in the 2nd half but a suicidal giveaway to Nelson sealed all three points for Fulham. Form has deserted him.
Willock (4) – Tried hard with typically energetic runs but all at sea from a defensive perspective. Hooked at half time/
Barnes (6) – Took his goal well and the best of a poor bunch today. Deserves to keep his place and looks a constant goal threat.
Gordon (3.5) – Poor performance and cut a frustrated figure. Gave away the ball far too often and looks disinterested at times. Had an opportunity to equalise that was well saved by Leno. Body language and form a real concern.
Isak (4) – Totally anonymous. Didn’t look fit at all. Not sure playing the full game was the right decision.
Subs:
Hall (5.5) – Showed some attacking intent and aside from one poor giveaway looked much better than Kelly. Looked more assured defensively
Murphy (5) – Immediate impact with the assist for Barnes at the start of the second half. Fizzed a great cross in that no one read but also lost possession far too often.
Livramento (5) – Offered energy down the right and did his defensive duties well.
Tonali (5) – Looked typically composed on the ball but needed to come on earlier. Has to be pushing for a start.
Osula (NR) – Good to see him make his Premier League debut but not enough time to make an impact
As big a fan I am of Howe he’s not helping himself here past the 70 minute mark before he brought Tonali on because once again Jolinton offered absolutely nothing in midfield something Longstaff would have gotten dog’s abuse for formation where playing is given the defence no protection when he put Gordon behind Isak we did look more of a threat at times not much but more than the 1st half weather playing a double pivot of Tonali and Bruno with Gordon behind Isak might help especially with Barnes on the left who looks like he can score every time he plays question is who plays on the right but something has to change if we want to be a top 6 team this season
Darren Bebb(Quote)
I mentioned last week that the Bruno and Joelinton’s form was far from the required mark.
Bruno looks for free kicks all the time and loses the ball far too frequently.
Joelinton has a discipline problem. They need to get on with the game and stop looking for fouls.
Improving their contracts hasn’t done much for their form, and it looks like it’s catching with Gordon’s performance today.
Eddie needs to get a grip and discover his best formation especially with no European matches or injuries to blame this season or England could well be his next job.
Joseph(Quote)
Joseph the worrying thing is this was coming it’s not really a surprise my big concern with Howe is he is overly loyal a Bournemouth fan said the same after the home game last season that’s his flaw people call Ashworth but judging on Jolintons form can see why he wanted to sell him maybe he seen something we all didn’t apparently it was the same in January when they wanted to cash in on Trippier Almiron and Wilson but by all accounts Howe dug his heels in to keep them maybe when Mitchell referred to the not fit for purpose he was on about the selling side
Darren Bebb(Quote)
Darren Bebb:-
Totally Agree, we should have cashed in on the last three.
You have to have a nasty streak as a boss a la Ferguson to be successful and I don’t believe Howe has that in his locker.
Perhaps Mitchell has, hence the disquiet.
Joseph(Quote)
He made it pretty clear it was the scouting and data side of recruitment that was not fit for purpose.
As for the match utter rubbish from what looked like a strong starting 11 but boy was I wrong they looked fragile and so many bad performances.
Is it fatigue, is it a change of tactics to stem the injury problem from last season, is it Eddie having his head turned by the England job, I can’t quite work it out but we have to sort this out or we’re in a world of hurt with the up coming fixtures.
A shorter summary is SIMPLY NOT GOOD enough.
Absolutely glorious(Quote)
Gordon just wasn’t interested but the “highlight” for me was that the 2 players that most fans think have the sun shining our of their orifices, cost us the game.
Bruno and Pope.
I still rate Dubravka above Pope, and Howe needs to take Bruno aside and remind him that he’s not as good as he thinks he is. Every match, Bruno gets mugged trying to keep the ball too close. The opposition have sussed him, and now that the refs have also figured him out the whole throwing himself to the ground thing no longer works.
Yesterday’s game, to me, suggests that all is not well in the garden of Howe.
JFA127(Quote)
Dubravka ahead of Pope seriously JFA127 you having a laugh Pope made one mistake but kept us in the game two or three times agree on Bruno his form is a worry big concern for me is Jolinton especially since he got his big fat contract how Tonali wasn’t on sooner for him is beyond me teams of so called lesser ability are getting through the midfield way to easily personal opinion would like to see a formation change put Gordon as a 10 and try Tonali and Bruno as a double pivot might protect the defence a bit better
Darren Bebb(Quote)
It’s been coming since the season started, we could all see it, with the lucky wins etc. Can’t keep blaming the internationals, tiredness, transfer window failings. There something seriously wrong here, the new training is a good call, we’ve lost the intensity. The players looked bored, same old tactics maybe? Eddie will sort it. Hwtl
Kiddafromthetoon(Quote)