The Tanner Report : Fulham 1 Bolton1

Many seasons ago in the grim years of bottom tier football I attended a game with John Mitchell, one of our 1975 FA Cup run heroes, and a personal one of mine. He assessed the team and said “The problem here is that they are not enough players giving a consistent performance. We had 6/7.” He was no doubt thinking of his team mate Alan Slough, a hard working midfielder who always put in a shift. I thought of his comment yesterday as I can only see one player, Kevin McDonald, who fits the Mitch assessment.

Tom Cairney has been injured and is still managing his knee problem, Tim Ream and Tomas Kalas look in difficulties against a big physical forward, Ayite misses too many, Fonte does not even get into positions to miss, keeper David Button’s distribution is slow and inaccurate (he presented one wayward clearance to a Bolton player who had an open goal to shoot at), Johansen did not start, Ryan Sessegnon’s crossing was sloppy and full back Ryan Fredericks did not get forward enough.

After falling to deal with a long high ball when the big Bolton striker Ameobi held off the challenge of 3 defenders rather too easily, Bolton took the lead and Fulham were chasing the game. Understandably Bolton parked the bus, less understandably their time wasting, especially keeper Ben Alnwick.

Just like with Preston, the referee awarded 6 minutes extra time during which Tom Cairney headed home a pinpoint cross from McDonald. We salvaged a draw but only have one home win to date.

During the lunch before the cognoscenti talked of Fulham being worked out by a high press, constraining Fulham from passing the ball out of defence. The free-flowing football of last season that blew sides away seems a long time  ago. This may seem explicable by the departures of Sone Oluko and Scott Maione, a difference at the top on recruitment policy, injuries to Cairne , the absence of a hold up big striker but, whatever the reason, play-off hopes are fast receding.