Verdict: Fulham outplayed and Loftus-Cheek was given no chance, but there are small positives
Fulham were beaten 2-0 by Manchester City in sadly something of a non-contest.
It’s now 18 goals scored by Pep Guardiola’s team, and none from Whites in the last six matches between the two.
Fulham’s solitary strike on target came in the 76th minute – and even then, it was comfortably dealt with.
At the other end, City swept forward and on a different day would have scored a dozen.
Fulham’s gameplan was out the window before they barely touched the ball
As Mike Tyson points out: “Everybody has a plan until they get a punch in the face.”
In football terms, you can set up how you like, but if the other man is faster than you, it’s goodnight Vienna.
Raheem Sterling was level with Joachim Andersen when the ball was played into the City striker just after four minutes.
Five steps later he was past him to glide the ball past Alphonse Areola’s right and into the net.
You can’t blame Andersen either for the clever sleight of foot from his tormentor that won a penalty for 2-0.
Loftus-Cheek hadn’t a prayer
Ruben Loftus Cheek playing the number 10 role was neither ‘nowt nor summat’ as a Yorkshire pal of mine likes to say.
Not far enough forward to get onto the rare pushes forward, and often not deep enough to make a difference in defence.
Yes, you could see he was trying to nullify the City build-up, but it isn’t going to do RLC’s confidence much good if he’s this ineffective.
It wasn’t his fault, and maybe Scott Parker wonders if he called the formation right?
The boss put RLC out of his misery when Tom Cairney appeared off the bench.
Did Fulham play badly or were City just too good?
The Whites so rarely had the ball in the first 45 minutes, they didn’t have the opportunity to make errors.
All they could do was stare mesmerised as the ball was pinged in, around, and behind them time after time.
In the second half, it appeared as if they were more resilient in defence, but City were the ones still asking the questions, and steadier shooting would have seen them add to their 2-0 lead.
Small positives
For starters, it wasn’t the 5-0 thumping that befell Burnley in the last Premier League game at The Etihad.
In Alphonse Areola and Andre-Frank Anguissa, Fulham have genuine Premier League material.
The keeper made four excellent saves, and the best of the bunch was after 57 minutes when the speed and timing of his run towards Kevin De Bruyne produced a fine block to keep Fulham in the game.
Anguissa was the one serious presence in Fulham’s midfield.
He has strength, purpose and skill – and this is going to bode well when the opposition doesn’t have the calibre of Manchester City.
