The Tanner Report: Cardiff 1 Fulham 1
After two wins against Millwall and Huddersfield and two losses at home against Nottingham Forest and Southampton in the Caribou Cup, questions were being asked.
Was it not so much that Fulham were good but Millwall and Huddersfield poor? Did the possession/passing mantra of Head Coach Scott Parker work – and was it fit for purpose in the physically demanding Championship?
This trip to Cardiff demoted with Fulham was a significant test which Fulham passed. To bolster up the midfield and give more protection to the back four, Harrison Reed came in for Stefan Johansen. This meant that Harry Arter switched more to the right and Reed was the holding player.
Right from the start I had concerns about ref Tim Robinson. Was he one of those in a televised match seeking coverage of himself? He seemed fussy and bossy and would not let the game flow.
My concerns seemed correct: on 65 minutes when Fulham were asserting themselves, Arter moved across Cardiff defender Morrison to be clipped. Not a fiersome challenge, he went to ground late, but he clearly thought there was sufficient contact and it was therefore a penalty.
Looking at the incident several times I felt Arter had a case.
Yet he was booked twice for simulation and dissent and red-carded.
It may be overturned but still resulted in Fulham having to reshuffle and see out a twenty minutes in which they might have won the game. Instead of possession and passing this was about guts. The ref played almost 7 minutes of injury time convinced Fulham were time-wasting.
When Tom Cairney came off subbed, he put the captain’s arm band round Alex Mitrovic – who had netted his sixth goal of the campaign. The ref booked Tom Cairney for time-wasting.
Our two fullbacks – Steven Sessegnon and Joe Bryan – were superb going forward but Sessegnon in particular gives away too much space in defence. He looks unlikely to be the next George Cohen, Paul Parker or Steve Finnan.
It’s not the position to be if you are ambitious for a full England cap. We already have Kieron Trippier, Kyle Walker, Wan-Bassake and Trent Arnold.
SKY made Mitrovic man of the match.
I thought Tom Cairney and Tim Ream also could be considered. Keeper Marcus Bettinelli failed to get behind the shot of Josh Murphy for the Cardiff goal. Rodak gave a fine performance in goal in the week against Southampton and Bettinelli must be feeling his breath.
The new signings have meshed in well. We are in the play off section. I feel more optimistic right now about Fulhmam than the UK.
