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Wednesday review: Hammers gifted three points as Fulham forget how to play football
50 Plays4 days ago
Gavin recaps an eventful but disappointing night at the London Stadium as Fulham's unbeaten run was brought to an end by West Ham.
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Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast
00:00:01
Speaker
Every club. Every day. The Global Sports Podcast Network. Welcome back to the Daily Fulham Podcast. It's Wednesday and it's the day after the night before.
Recap of Previous Night's Action at London Stadium
00:00:15
Speaker
No that wasn't a nightmare, it did actually happen and if you have tuned in today then thank you first and foremost but you are a bit of a masochist if you don't mind me saying as today we recap all the action from the London Stadium. I'm Gavin Ruffell, your host as always so let's crack on then if we must and we'll start from the beginning.
00:00:37
Speaker
So Fulham came into this game with that unbeaten run at nine games, also unbeaten in London, Darby's stretching all the way back to January 13th of last year. And the team was very much as I had predicted in the preview. Sander Berger, who Marko Silver had said was close to nearing fitness, close to nearing return. Not quite ready at this moment, not involved in the matchday squad.
Team Selections and Tactics Discussion
00:01:02
Speaker
Rodrigo Meniz who came off possibly is a bit of a precaution at half-time in Watford he was fit enough to take his place in the squad other than that is it is as expected to be quite honest the five at the back experiment seems like that's well and truly done and it was also similar to what we saw in the early initial stages in the season as we saw Sassa Lukic and then in front of him we had Andreas Pereira and Emil Smithro starting again on the flip side if you look at the West Ham team obviously a new manager in charge here so for a lot of the players it might represent a new opportunity where they may have been on the fringes in the past and you know this is a chance to stake their claim well as far as that goes for Grim Potter he did have Emerson back available so he slotted into left back but the major bit of team news for them was concerning what they would do regarding that striker's position with full crook
00:01:56
Speaker
out injured, Miquel Antonio long-term absentee and the news was that Danny Ings who scored that 95th minute equaliser in the reverse fixture, while he didn't start this game as was possibly anticipated, it was actually Lucas Paqueta who was playing in that sort of force nine role. There was not much experience on that West End bench as well as I mentioned with the absentees, Somerville another attacking player that they've lost through injury.
Speculation on West Ham's New Manager, Graham Potter
00:02:25
Speaker
For West Ham, this was their first home game under the guidance of Graham Potter. So not quite sure what fans were expecting in terms of the style of play, whether he would be able to implement that style of play that we saw at Brighton straight away. I had my doubts, to be honest. I do think it will take time and despite the result, I don't think it's quite answered the questions just yet. But let's look at the game then it in
Fulham's Dominance and Early Game Performance
00:02:51
Speaker
its totality. and ah Fulham started the brighter of the two sides, good early possession, that they did start on the front foot, West Ham were camped inside their own half for the first 10 minutes and when they did have possession it was quite measured and it was pretty laboured, Fulham just seemed to have a bit more of a zip to them, a bit more of a spark. The first opportunity they do have comes from a quick throw from Anthony Robinson, he catches West Ham off guard, Wambasaka is caught napping, it will be
00:03:21
Speaker
is able to drift in behind him and then plays a ball into an area towards a penalty spot amil smith rowan wilson are competing for the ball wilson makes contact but he's volley on his favoured left side comes cannoning off the crossbar he'll be disappointed with that effort given how good he has been in front of goal recently Woby and Robinson were combining well as they have done so often this season. It will be in particular we're seeing a lot of the ball getting crosses into the box. Wilson was drifting infield, making good runs, giving the two centre half something else to think about. And for the first 20 minutes West Ham were struggling to make an impression and it was not much for their fans to cheer. Probably would have been a different atmosphere this time last week whilst it was pretty quiet
00:04:08
Speaker
With the new manager, I feel like the West Ham fans were never going to get on their teams back, maybe would have been different. If Loba Tegi was still in charge, there would be more anxiety that would seep into the fans. It was difficult for Lucas Paquetta having to operate in this role, difficult playing in that position where he's he's not a natural centre the forward, so he's dropping deep to try and get involved and you just lack that natural instinct that a striker would have.
00:04:33
Speaker
but there was a bit of relief for West Ham where they did have the ball in the net around the half hour mark and it comes from a free kick which is out wide near the left touch line it's Soler he puts a really good ball into the box floats it in from the left and it comes off ahead and finds the bottom corner so it looks like West Ham have taken the lead but the flag's up instantly for and off side there's a scramble of bodies it's difficult to see who it comes off But it is pretty clear whilst seeing the replays that there are a couple of West Ham players in offside positions. It looks like Kilman gets the header but he's offside as well as Suchek. So let off there for Fulham as VAR confirms the on-field decision but it isn't long after that that West Ham do find themselves in front.
West Ham's Goals and Fulham's Defensive Mistakes
00:05:19
Speaker
and this is all from Fulham's own doing. As we've seen in the last couple of games, defensive errors have cost Fulham points and this was another defensive error here which led to Westam taking the lead. Fulham offering them a late Christmas present as Leno plays a short dangerous pass into Pereira's feet Who's closed down he's pressurized by Edson Alvarez and then Pereira he just plays a blind pass Straight to Solaire who hits it first time beyond Leno as he's trying to get back in position and it sends him the wrong way It's awful. It's it's awful. There's no two ways about it There's a time and a place
00:06:00
Speaker
You know, I know managers tell their players to play out from the back, but if you've got to put your foot through it at times, you've just got to put for your foot through it and we'll come onto the goal in the second half, which is very similar to that. But yeah, full of their own worst enemies for this particular goal. And after being comfortable for 30 minutes,
00:06:18
Speaker
West Ham not really laying a glove on them. All of a sudden, five minutes later, it goes from bad to worse as West Ham get their second goal, which is up long balls pumped up field. Anderson goes up for a header, but it's a poor header. Ball comes to Kudas, who shows good strength, hold at play, and composure to pick out a pass. It's Selah, who delivers a ball to the back post, where Wambasaka is in space, and Wambasaka is able to find Thomas Zuchek, who hits the ball into the ground and beyond. leno for two goal leads and
00:06:50
Speaker
thomas soche a guy who's probably been criticised at times of his western arm career but i think he's their joint leading scorer and he scored some important crucial goal to them this season and and this was this was no different I don't know who the genius was that first said that goals change games.
00:07:04
Speaker
well That couldn't have been truer than on this particular occasion because yeah after 30 minutes they looked like there was only one team trying to win the game, trying to get on the front foot. then That goal for West Ham, all of a sudden the crowd's up after being quiet and uncertain of how things are going to play out and it just gives them something something to cling on to after ah difficult time of late where they've seen their team ship a lot of goals especially at home and now all of a sudden they're within grasp been given a leg up by the opposition of getting ah a much-needed three points to kick start their season and obviously give Graham Potter the best possible start ah in his first home game in charge.
00:07:49
Speaker
It was a chance for Fulham to get a goal back. It will be fine space from the left. He's able to put a cross into the back post. Him and his Roy's is high. Gets ahead to it, but it comes off a combination of post and crossbar the second time that Fulham have hit the woodwork.
00:08:04
Speaker
in the half spoken in length this season about Fulham's vulnerabilities from winning positions but conversely coming from behind they have been pretty good and they've only lost the one game after conceding the first goal before this fixture but going two goals down was obviously a different kettle of fish making the task that much greater and famarco silver at half time he must have been pulling his hair out because for half an hour they were the team in control west hand was struggling to lay a glove on them and then your players just decide to do daft things look you can put the best laid plans into place but you can't help but can you if one of your players just decides to kick the ball straight to the opposition to give them a guilt edge opportunity on goal something that's becoming a familiar sight in recent times so that's the first half wrapped up
00:08:54
Speaker
We'll come on to the second half in just a moment, but before we do that, a few words about our sponsors. Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform. Zencaster came out the clear winner with 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically removes all those M's and R's.
00:09:14
Speaker
It's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently. If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description to learn more about Zencaster. Now one other pattern we've noticed this season is how Fulham have been slowing getting out for the second half, but they couldn't really afford to do that this time in Markook Silver. I'm not entirely sure what he's like with his players, but if ever there was a time to give his players a volley then it was at half time here.
00:09:40
Speaker
and Fulham did get themselves back into the game a much-needed goal and this comes from Robinson driving forward he plays the ball out wide to Alex Alwobe who whips in another dangerous cross he had two or three of these in the first half but didn't ah result in a goal but this one does. Jimenez tries to flick it in as he gets in front of Kilman and it was hard to tell if Jimenez actually got the final touch but it manages to squeeze underneath Fabianski and Fulham have a lifeline ah several replays of this and it was still difficult to the cypher who got the final touch but it has been credited to a wobee
00:10:14
Speaker
and all of a sudden and west arm found after feeling comfortable at half time with that two goal lead Now the nerves start to be frayed again with plenty of time for Fulham to get back into this one and possibly even turn it around. Most of the good stuff Fulham would do and was coming from Iwobi or down that left-hand side or Harry Wilson making good positive runs into the box. Emile Smith row he just he looks a little bit lost at the minute and maybe just lacking in confidence. Doesn't seem the same player that we saw in the early part of the season where he was involved in goals.
00:10:49
Speaker
I think the best we saw of him was that game against Crystal Palace and he just hasn't been able to replicate that coming back from injury and just waiting there, aren't you? Because you don't become a bad player overnight, do you? But I get the feeling he's a player. He lacks a bit of belief and he needs a spark at the moment.
00:11:05
Speaker
he definitely needs a spark and he was one of the players that was actually substituted and a a notable substitution for West Ham was that Danny Ings came on
Fulham's Attempts at a Comeback
00:11:15
Speaker
for Kudas. Kudas, who looked quite lively in the game and played a really important role in their second goal, he actually looked a bit disappointed to be taken off and probably a little bit surprised but Danny Ings coming on obviously having the good memories of of playing against Fulham without being his only goal this season and ah He was there to give more of a focal presence up front, obviously being an out and out striker, having that more natural striker's instinct.
00:11:37
Speaker
For a little while the game did start to become a bit scrappy, quite a lot of fouls giving away, Lukic getting his trademark booking and and all this was going to suit West Ham, wasn't it, if the game was lacking that little bit of flow. But they get their third goal and this is the killer goal. It's another giftful and I haven't learnt from their mistakes in the first half. Bernd Leno just dallys on the ball for too long. He doesn't know what's going on in front of him. He's closed down by Danny Ings.
00:12:06
Speaker
and the ball comes to Lukas Peketa and he's just got a a simple finish into an unguarded net 3-1 and at that stage Fulham have worked hard to get themselves back into the game at 2-1 obviously there's going to be a bit of nerves in the ground at that stage so you want to just prey on that and we know Fulham have been good at scoring late goals but it really doesn't help when you just decide to give the opposition goals. Having a foothold in the game, the self-destruct button was well and truly pushed. Pereira was one of those players that was substituted as well as Emile Smith-Rowe and I mean the mistake he made in the first half, it is awful and he's not the most like fallen player is he and Marco Silva remains a fan of theirs, was made captain for the game against Watford
00:12:50
Speaker
There's been talk in the papers about a move possibly happening this month but Marco Silva has been quick to downplay that and has been keen to stress out Pereira is a big part of his plans but it's another game here where he's made a critical error and there'll be many Fulham fans at this moment in time so hoping that's the last appearance he's made in a Fulham shirt. Troyerri was one of the players that came on K and&E as well and Hope was restored once more as Fulham got their second goal, and this is in uncanny fashion, very similar to the first goal, where Willoughby combines once again with Anthony Robinson, this time Anthony Robinson is on the touchline, he plays it infield to Alex Willoughby, Alex Willoughby again trips the ball into the box, Harry Wilson has made a run, goes for a header, and once again the ball bundles in the net.
00:13:40
Speaker
and on first view when it was hard to tell whether this was Wilson's header or whether it was a Wobies goal but on second view when it looks like it's a Wobies goal so a Wobies at this moment has scored two goals and he probably doesn't think he scored one despite Fulham's mistakes there is an opportunity to salvage this game and come away keeping that unbeaten record intact There is a chance, a big chance for the moments later as West Ham get caught in possession. It will be dry through the middle, it opens up for his shot and it looks as if he is going to get that shot away but instead he slips it to Jimenez who's to his left.
00:14:13
Speaker
He tries to cool a low one to Fabianski's far post but the goalkeeper is able to smother it. At this point there's definitely enough time to get that equaliser but also given the way the game's gone you wouldn't be surprised if Fulham decide to hit that self destruct button again and just give West Ham a goal out of nothing.
00:14:31
Speaker
some final substitutions this one was really really surprised and not the fact that they went to go to up top this was something we saw a little bit of and in the game against hips which are the last 25 minutes there so probably indicated that they were going to go a bit more direct but i was really surprised that alex woebe was the player that came off as as well as harry wilson they were the two players from the start that looked like they were going to make something happen for them it woebe in particular of course was on a hat trick but anything good that looked like it could come from a Fulham perspective a world we was at the heart of it so i really didn't get this substitution but Josh King came on nevertheless obviously Fulham fans be happy to see him get getting another run out in the team and there was six minutes added on and we know with a lot of Fulham games there's often late drama there's often late goals sometimes for Fulham sometimes for the opposition so it was still on a knife edge and West Ham fans would have been
00:15:22
Speaker
pleading for that final whistle to come but before it did there was still a big opportunity a big couple of opportunities for Fulham to make it free free it comes from a Fulham corner Josh King who has just come on a substitute he shows great quick feet in the box and plays it across the six-yard box into a sea of bodies there's a lot of West Ham defenders there, Lou Kitch is actually there and he's the one that falls to and he's about two yards out but he's not able to make clean enough contact The ball eventually arrives at the feet of Adama Triore and he has, I wouldn't say it's a simple task to put the ball in the net because there are a lot of West Ham bodies in front of him. But what he does is he just, he panics and he thrashes the ball, he snatches it it and it goes over the ball. He's just lacking all composure at a critical moment there. If he hits the target and it comes off a West Ham player, that can either end in a goal or it can go anywhere. But you just say to the player at that moment,
00:16:17
Speaker
hit the target but no, no it goes careering over the bar and not long after that the final whistle goes game over 3-2 to West Ham very disappointing evening for Fulham in a game that they had the better of they had more chances but it's often said football is what you do in both boxes and there's no better evidence of that than in this particular game because there's no doubt Fulham shot themselves in the foot for this one boy did they shoot themselves in the foot we'll wrap things up in just a moment and come on to where this leaves Fulham what went wrong what needs to be better going forward
00:16:58
Speaker
But let me just tell you all about the GSPN before I do that.
Match Summary and Implications for Both Teams
00:17:02
Speaker
The Global Sports Podcast Network is changing the face of football podcasts. With dedicated daily content for every Premier League team, women's football, fantasy football and a daily Premier League wrap-up broadcast in five different languages, it's your one-stop shop for your daily football fix. Find GSPN wherever you find your usual podcast.
00:17:20
Speaker
So after a difficult run of fixtures in December where Fulham maintained this unbeaten record, which coming into this game stood at 9 in all competitions, that's been put to an end. Their good run in London Darby's has also been put to an end and it's self-inflicted damage. West Ham on the flipside be absolutely delighted. It was an early birthday present for Graham Potter and That's just how things go, isn't it? Julian Lopategi, if he was watching our match somewhere in Spain or wherever he is at the moment, you'll be thinking, well, why couldn't I have had that luck when I was in charge? But it's just the way it goes, isn't it, sometimes? You get that new manager bouncing with it, comes a bit of luck. And you know in in every metric, Fulham seemed to dominate this game. West Ham, four shots on goal to Fulham's 21. Six touches in the opposition box to Fulham's 28. More possession for Fulham.
00:18:10
Speaker
But West Ham come out the victors and for West Ham that's an important three points that lifts them ahead of Spurs and Manchester United in the table in what's been a difficult half to the season. That'll give course for optimism for the fans that they can have a ah good successful second half of the season. No European football, no FA Cup, so all the focus and attention is on the league and they'll hope to see their team climbing the table and possibly getting into the top half. But yeah, this was a gift for them, no two ways about it. and Look, I guess from a West Ham perspective you'd be pleased with some of their pressing which led to those Fulham errors. You know, they could easily just sit off and allow Leno time on the ball where he can play it to a Fulham player but they close him down and they reap the benefits from that. Will that win mean it makes a dramatic difference for West Ham? I still have my doubts. I said in the preview that I think it will it will take time for Graham Potter to implement his style.
00:19:04
Speaker
and I think in terms of the way they played in this game that's not quite what he's looking for. but What he has to go in there and do is get the fundamentals, get the basics right where they have been shipping a lot of goals lately and he needs to turn the London Stadium into a bit of a fortress where I think it has been quite easy for opposition teams to come and and play against in this season. it's It's never good is it when opposition teams come to your ground and they're scoring four or five goals so needs to work on the fundamentals and hope to get players back fit and available and and once they do then yeah they'll hope to propel themselves up the league because there is talent in his squad. I was quite impressed with Solaire, I think that midfield has been a little bit of a problem this season but I thought he had a good outing. Obviously scored the first goal, put out a warning to Fulham just before that with his free kick and he plays a clever ball doesn't he in in the second goal
00:19:53
Speaker
where he crosses it to Wambasaka at the back stick, so I thought he played well for them. Obviously, Pakatau as well, that's two goals in two games now for him after a disappointing time of it. Again, play with immense talent, i immense ability, but he just hasn't shown it on a consistent enough basis this season and probably is guilty of letting the previous manager down. You know, it was a difficult task for him.
00:20:15
Speaker
to play in that position and whether that's what they go with for the time being, that might well be something that they they're forced to have to go with for the time being. If West Ham don't decide to strength in that particular position, probably starting Pakistan instead of Danny Ings was a bit of a nudge nudge wink wink to the West Ham board. Graham Potter's probably there trying to send a message saying give me funds so I can bring a striker in obviously with the problems they have in that particular position but no for westam it's been a season the struggle and that's been a rare positive scoring three goals ah ah free goal from
00:20:46
Speaker
from four shots but yeah a windsor win isn't it wasn't necessarily pret so it didn't necessarily play the freefo and football that they would like to see the west ham way in ah in quotation marks, but a win is a winning. You take any win and you move on to the next game with that bit more positivity.
Fulham's Defensive Issues and Seasonal Impact
00:21:02
Speaker
Coming off the Fulham, I mean, how would you reflect on that? What debrief can you give after a game like that? Look, every player will make mistakes at some stage. I think you can accept mistakes.
00:21:14
Speaker
But I just think the nature of the mistakes they are making, the fact that they have been in every game now, has just got to stop. And Leno for the second goal, I don't know what's gone through his mind at that moment. obviously Obviously nothing's gone through his mind because he's clearly forgotten what's happened in the first half and it's just...
00:21:32
Speaker
just caught daydreaming and same mistake and you're watching it and you just you're just in disbelief. If that happened in a Sunday league game, you'd be having words. But for that to happen in the Premier League, not once, but twice in a game, Marko Silver watching on on the touchdown just must be thinking, what on earth? What on earth is going on?
00:21:53
Speaker
They are definitely the games that will drive a manager insane. look The unbeaten run has got to come to an end at some stage as well as the good record in the London Derby.
00:22:04
Speaker
but again it's just watching for Fulham games and there's not been too many games this season where they've been outplayed but they're just getting the fundamentals and the basics wrong and that's just if you know going into games that you're probably going to give the opposition a leg up then it doesn't help matters does it positives are they scored two goals again but Marco Silva in his interview after the game he said they weren't clinical enough but you shouldn't have to be scoring three or four goals every time to win a game The defensive lapses and concentration, the defensive errors have got to be sorted out, and there's just the time and the place. If you've got to hoof it forward, if you've got to put your foot through it, then just do that. I think it's easy easy to be prisoner of the moment, isn't it? and And to react in an extreme way after what you've just seen, but having seen a collection of full-on games, having watched all the games this season,
00:22:55
Speaker
it just seems a repetitive nature to the way things keep happening the defense just need to be more switched on and more alert and obviously you know it's not just the defenses it's the people in front of the defenses it's a midfielder who's at fault for the uh for the first goal not helped out by burnt lenno in that situation but you just have to be switched on at all times because you're not going to get away with stuff like that. The Diop won against Bournemouth, the Bassey won against Ipswich and then if that wasn't bad enough they've made two absolute rickets on this on this particular night and yeah it's cost you the game and ah in a game where you played well enough to win from an attacking point of view I felt ah certainly
00:23:35
Speaker
they started with urgency and intent and before that three kick that was the offside goal, watching it you're struggling to think how West Ham were going to score and whilst they did keep chances at a minimum for West Ham, limiting them to four shots on goal, yeah three of them have ended up in the back in there and well you've contributed to two of them would probably be disappointed with the second goal as well with with Anderson's head. Maybe after conceasing that first goal there was a bit of a shock to the system and they they didn't quite recover from that point. They weren't quite switched on, weren't quite alert and West Ham were able to take advantage of that.
00:24:09
Speaker
Yeah, not ah not a great night at the office and yeah, certain personnel in that team need to start showing a bit more, showing a
Preview of Fulham's Upcoming Match Against Leicester
00:24:17
Speaker
bit more now. It's amazing how things change, how the mood can change so quickly in sport, in football and can be glass half full, glass half empty, can't you? Because you can look at it one way and say, oh, before this game they were unbeaten in nine.
00:24:30
Speaker
and after this game you look at it and can say well they've only won two of their last ten so look it's not all doom and gloom it won't be getting a couple of goals there was the bright spark in ah in a bit of a dreary evening. If they can eradicate these errors then I'm sure they can win football matches and probably good now that they do have a game just around the corner against Leicester in a few days time on Saturday so they can quickly get that out of the system but the repetitive nature of goals is just becoming a bit frustrating at this point and Marco Silva, they are the games as a manager that just drive you up the wall but
00:25:05
Speaker
You'll soon want to forget about that and start to look forward start to look forward to that Leicester game on the weekend where hopefully they'll be able to bounce back and put in a performance that can get them the three points and hopefully decide not to press the self-destruct button at the other end and give out more gifts to the opposition. So that's a wrap as far as West Ham goes.
00:25:28
Speaker
Not a night to look back on fondly, but yeah, Leicester just around the corner and the build up to that will soon start. Thank you once again for listening to this episode of The Daily Fulham Podcast and hopefully next time we'll be able to bring you a little bit more positivity. We'll see you soon. Every club, every day. The Global Sports Podcast Network. work work