The Tanner Report: Fulham 1 Leeds 1
The match will be remembered for a moment of controversy when Neeskens Kebano’s shot struck the underside of the Leeds bar and appeared to land over the line( the video highlights suggested it did) but the referee did not award a goal. I will examine this in greater detail but first the match itself. It’s reached the point with Fulham that the defending is so hapless that the opposition need do no more than sit back and wait for the error. Leeds only had to do so for a couple of minutes. An innocuous freekick looked to be travelling safely into the hands of keeper David Button when Tim Ream diverted the ball past him . Fulham were now forced into chasing the game and our slick midfield passing soon had Leeds onto the back foot.
Kebano’ s “goal” came during this period of pressure. Various reasons are offered against goal line technology but I have never found these convincing . These are that the technology is unreliable , that it undermines the referee, uncertainty where you restart if a goal is not awarded and even where to place the tv monitor. All of these are secondsry to achieving a correct and just decision. Surely it would take no more than 30 seconds for an informed viewer in the stands to watch a monitor and notify the referee ? The referee had a poor game and it must have gnawed on his confidence that he had blundered.
Fulham continued to take the game to Leeds but time was rapidly running out. Tom Cairney did not live up to his best player in the Championship billing. Yet he gathered the ball in the last chance of the match and struck it home sweetly into the left hand corner of the goal to get a draw that Fulham just about deserved.
Finally some evidence in the attendance V tv watching debate namely the crowd. Leeds fans do not enjoy s good reputation. Twice I saw two lone Leeds fans outside the ground singing provocatively and clearly up for it. Worse however was a group sitting right behind us. This comprised 2 young males and females. The males who appeared to work together were talking incessantly about their office and their teams Spurs and Arsenal and one of the females kept up a running and foul mouthed match commentary of startling inanity. In the end one Fulham fan could take no more and said loudly`” I dont teach you how to volley in netball so keep your keep your football comments to yourself .” It was a comment that would get you the sack at the BBC but we were gratified to hear it. All of this made me yearn for the comfort of my sofa.
As for our play off chances we are closing on Sheffield Wednesday whom we play last game of the season. However we are deficient in key positions: goalkeeper, centre back, and a committed 20 goal a season striker and frankly over the campaign we do not deserve a play off place.