Verdict: Fulham tactics caused Man City problems but ultimately backfired
The good news is Fulham won’t meet Manchester City again over the last nine games.
They were beaten by Pep Guardiola’s silky side for the 11th time in a row, which was no great shock.
What did take the wind out of the Whites’ sails was the 3-0 scoreline.
It was the first time Craven Cottage has seen three hits from the opposition since Everton scored a triple back in November.
A recently mean defence became ultra-generous and, in truth, the minute John Stones put City ahead it was over and out.
Two more out-of-character gifts from Fulham – and it definitely was.
You have to feel for Tosin.
In the first half, there were many times when the defender stood on the ball in his own box waiting for one of his team-mates to show.
Most of the time somebody did.
But you don’t get the luxury of posing on the ball without eventually paying the price against the champions-elect.
Thankfully, for the former City player, the damage was long done before he gave away a penalty for 3-0.
Poor from Cav
Ivan Cavaleiro is no defender.
He’s been found wanting in the past at the back because, as a forward, he can’t see the danger.
His awful pass to Joachim Andersen that needed the Dane to hack clear, only to see the ball come back off Cavaleiro, was asking for it.
There are times when you put your foot through the ball and swallow pride: the Portuguese failed to see this – and he was 20 yards and dead centre from his own goal.
It was 2-0 from the moment Gabriel Jesus picked up the unfortunate rebound.
Fulham like the idea of what Scott Parker calls an “aggressive” defence: one that maintains a high line on the 18-yard box.
It backfired this time, because City have the players to pinpoint a cross as well as the speed to race past a defence with its back to goal.
That opening goal was almost scientific in its accuracy, and white shirts gambling on the wide-open space was a gamble too many.
Lack of a cutting edge
Just after half an hour Anguissa got the ball lofted to him on the right, and in clear space.
Did he go straight for goal and take a chance?
Nope. He waited for the cavalry to arrive to waste a half chance as City also got back in numbers.
Admittedly, Ademola Lookman was offside when he got the same half chance on the right four minutes in.
He didn’t know he was a yard off, but he still wanted to take that touch too many.
Why not give it head down and see what happens? Clearly, that’s not in the Fulham mindset, which is more the pity.
Parker decided forwards were for teams who want to give City a head start.
No Josh Maja, No Aleksandar Mitrovic, and no Bobby Decordova-Reid in the starting XI – after the latter failed a fitness test – pretty much set the stall from the start.
You can’t say Fulham’s boss is slow to exercise his options.
He already admitted the wing-backs are interchangeable, and disposing with obvious strike power was another bold move.
On top of which, Cavaleiro was something of an auxiliary left-back in the first half, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek was the ‘false’ nine with two wingers cutting inside when demanded.
The plan half-worked.
It’s a pity the Premier League won’t award half a point for creativity against by far the best side in the division.
