The Tanner Report: Fulham 2 Hull 1

This was a game where the result was all. We finally won before our own crowd and defended a lead successfully. To be fair we still have key players like Tom Cairney and Rui Fonte unavailable. But on the other hand we were prepared to deplete the squad by selling Scott Malone and Sone Aluko. Hull had lost 0-5 to Derby so there is always the risk of catching the side on the rebound but new coach Leonid Slutsky is struggling to get results. Our normal passing game was not as accurate and possession was all too frequently lost. Chances were not taken. Again as with Cardiff we failed to deal with a well-placed cross for the Hull equaliser.

There were some good performances. Ojo’s two crosses made the Fulham goals scored by Ayite and Johansen. Yet the easiest one of all was squandered by Ryan Sessegnon from  a Fredericks’ cross. He literally had the whole goal to aim at but still failed to convert. Johansen was a tower of strength in midfield and Button’s shot stopping was impressive. We still find it hard to close a game out to the opposition once in the lead. The fundamentals of this are to retain possession, play a high defensive line, congest the midfield and frustrate the opposition. None of this we do. Often as not the last 15 minutes are full of chances for both sides and end to end play. Both crowd and players were palpably nervous that there would be a late conceding of a  goal. We hung in there.  Something we are going to need to do till we get Cairney and Fonte back fit.