The Tanner Report: Aston Villa 3 Fulham 1

In a preview of this match in The Racing Post a quote from Michael Corleone in Godfather III was cited:

“I thought I was out but I’m right back in …”

A few weeks ago Fulham had beaten Everton and Liverpool away and looked likely to overtake Newcastle but now – after successive defeats to Leeds and Aston Villa – we are still mired in 20th place.

As it stands, if we beat Newcastle in the last game of the season, we will survive but they have a game in hand and our superior goal difference is waning.

This defeat was all the more galling as in the 79th minute Fulham were leading 1-0 but a defensive mistake by Tosin and an inability to deal with three crosses from the wing presented Villa with 3 goals.

Newcastle had scored late to equalise against Spurs.

In the end the only real positive was that Alex Mitrovic maintained his goal midweek form for Serbia of 5 goals in the international break by scoring his third for Fulham.

He needs to as the midfield never contributes and no other Fulham forward has scored double figures.

We can all be experts after the event but during it, after Mitrovic scored and Villa made some aggressive offensive subs, I texted my friend and neighbour in the stand to bring on Anguissa.

Scott Parker did not and it was too late as before we knew it we were 3-1 down.

Killing a game off once in the lead is a skill which Scott Parker as a player had: you disrupt the opposition rhythm, you look to score on the break, you take your time over goal kicks, you squeeze the life out of the game.

None of these we did .

It’s looking none too good and I’m now consoling myself by not looking at the Premier table but instead the top of the Championship where Norwich and Watford, relegated last season, are well clear.