The Tanner Report/Birmingham 0 Fulham 1
We window cleaners dislike more than anything else heavy rain. As often as not the client will cancel and if he/she does not cleaning the exterior when soaked is not much fun.
Heavy rain descended on the Midlands all day yesterday and must have dampened the spirit of crowd and players at Birmingham.
Fulham were missing Tom Cairney through illness, Harry Arter through suspension and the crocked Joe Bryan so rain, absences and Birmingham placed just one point behind us made for a tricky encounter.
Fulham’s last outing was a disastrous 0-3 defeat at home to Hull.
It’s also significant that league leaders WBA won 2-0 at Stoke but we lost there to a similar score. So in all I was delighted we ground out a 1-0 win in the monsoon.
Alex Mitrovic skippered the side and brought his tally to 12 goals after home keeper Lee Camp fumbled a Cyrus Christie cross.
Slovakian keeper Rodak performed capably and the Fulham defence – often and fairly criticised – kept a clean sheet for the second away game running.
Scott Parker remains adamant that Fulham will play a passing game.
Others say its too easy to play against and with this squad Fulham should be doing better.
When we were last promoted the sequence of 23 games without defeat began in December after a loss at Sunderland so I remain hopeful that we will achieve at least a play-off place.
Pargie reckons at 11-2 this is a good bet, especially as loanee central defender Michael Hector will give us height at the back when he is eligible in January.
To appoint a new head coach with a different style may not work any way.
Now it’s that pest – the international break. At least we can use it to get Tom Cairney and Joe Bryan fit. Our next home game is a tantalising West London derby v QPR on Friday week and then Derby who always seem to reach the play offs.
Onwards and upwards!
