The Tanner Report: Wolves 2 Fulham 0

Same old, same old. No Plan B. Fulham have been worked out: play a high press game, stopping the flow of passing out of defence, and Fulham’s rhythm is fatally disrupted. In the absence of Tom Cairney there is no one controlling the midfield. In the absence of Scott Malone and Sone Oluko we do not blast the opposition with pace and trickery. Wolves are league leaders and under the stewardship of Nuno Santo a well-organised outfit. Portuguese managers from Mourinho, to Silva at Watford, to Carvalho at Sheffield Wednesday, to Santo at Molineux are all performing well which is more than can be said of Portuguese forwards such as our Rui Fonte who has notched just the one goal this term.

Both Wolves goals were similar and scored from set pieces with powerful headers at the near post. If the defender does not deal with the ball in , it’s virtually impossible for the keeper though David Button did well to palm away another header from this position in the second half.  In central defence the Odio/Ream combo was no more effective than Kalas/ Ream. Michael Madl is a capable defender but he lacks inches too. Typical of Fulham at the moment is Floyd Ayite. He does not track back and for all his pace his final product is poor.

I watched the match on SKY and was impressed by the coverage. Commentator Daniel Mann had done his homerork and was well versed on both teams. Andy Hinchcliffe was a perceptive analyst bringing that crucial element that if he was sitting next to you at the game he would enhance your appreciation of what was happening on the pitch.

Head Coach Slavisa Jokatovic can complain of poor refereeing. The standard is low in the Championship. Against Bristol City Aboubakar Kamara was red-carded and this was reversed on appeal and the Bristol defender adjudged to be guilty of simulation.

Four Fulham players were booked last night including a fifth yellow card for Kevin McDonald, our most essential and consistent player who will miss thenext  game at Derby after the international break.

He seemed to do no more than stretch for the ball and reach it.

Wolves were quite cynical with tripping but no one was booked and when Tim Ream was felled, the referee did nothing.

However bad refereeing applies to all. One of the best-ever Fulham sides, Jean Tigana’s which stormed the Championship also suffered from bad refereeing, notably at Blackburn Rovers, which did not prevent a  2-1 victory.  With the two week international break upon us the Hean Coach must be feeeling the pressure …and the need for anew game plan