The Tanner Report: Ipswich 0 Fulham 2

Three seasons ago I took Bob Tickler’s son Jamie and his mother to his first Fulham game. He was a flag waver welcoming both teams on the hallowed turf. Fulham lost 2-0 and Ipswich made the play-offs. I don’t have that Fulham team before me but am fairly certain that not one was playing yestertday at Portman Road. Fulham won both fixtures last season comfortably and reading the pre-match coverage in the East Anglian Times and the Ipswich  fanzine I learned that Fulham were rated the best team Ipswich played last season.

Yesterday we returned to Portman Road but this time they were league leaders riding the crest of a 4 win sequence. Pargie texted that Fulham though were favourites and a knowledgeable friend of mine and Rust reader who has followed Ipswich for over 60 years predicted the winning streak would end. And so it did. Fulham were comfortable winners. We had 2 new forwards to last season: Ojo the flying winger on loan from Liverpool and Rui Fonte from Braga. There was no Chris Martin, who is back at Derby, Oluko who was injured as was Ayite. However having a focal point striker in Fonte improves on the three similar, skilful, small, fast but non-goalscoring troika of Aluko, Kebano and Ayite. Kebano, a mercurial player, did well to head home Ryan Sesegnon’s precise cross to score the first. In the second half a Kebano shot was only parried for Fonte to open his account from a narrow angle.

There were many positives from the performance but most of all the midfield trio of Stefan Johansen, Kevin MacDonald and skipper Tom Cairney was on song and in tune. It’s difficult to see how Aluko will get back into the team to play league leaders Cardiff on September 9th after the international break. It should be remembered it took Newcastle time to find their feet and they did so after beating leaders Brighton. The defeat of Ipswich and another over present league leaders Cardiff should kick start our season.

I have a feeling that Fulham might do better away from home when the home side has to attack and we can counter. At Craven Cottage we are vulnerable to physical sides like Reading and Sheffield Wednesday who can do a job on us. However with keeper David Button playing so well, the reliability of Ream and his rock like partnership with Kalas and the acquisition of left back Soares from Porto on loan, at home and on our travels we will be surely conceding less than last season. My main concern is that with West Ham and Crystal Palace starting poorly Slavisia Jokatovic will be on their  radar.