Summary
That’s your lot tonight. Thanks for your company. Here is David Hytner’s match report:
And you can join Scott Murray for live coverage of Liverpool v Chelsea.
Cheers! Bye!
Fulham manager Scott Parker:
I didn’t feel like we had the demeanour of a top team in the first half, and I want my team to be a top team. But second half we were fantastic, and I felt
This is a young team. Being deadly in those fine moments is key. We’ve come a long way. We understand the demands of what we’re facing. I’m very proud of my team. There’s a big run of games for us now. We need to keep believing.
Regarding Fulham’s next few games:
Liverpool (away)
Man City (home)
Leeds (home)
Tricky, to say the least.
José speaks!
I believe that we were the team that had the biggest chances to score and win the game. We had to defend well, and a couple of important saves. When we changed the players, we had a different intensity. This is Premier League, there are no easy ones.
Alli was good. Goal or no goal, the important thing was the position he got, which was he mentality as a second striker. Performance was good, the same as Gareth [Bale].
Regarding Fulham’s disallowed goal, the laws are an absolute nonsense. Still, the rule states that if an arm or hand directly results in a goal, then it should be a foul. The officials gave the right decision tonight within the existing laws. For shame!
Peter Walton (on BT Sport) reports that there is a meeting tomorrow between UK officials and four Fifa representatives to discuss possible law changes to the game. There will be talks to see if changes are needed for next season, with both the offside and handball rule on the agenda.
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An email from Tim Watkins, regarding the only goal today.
“Canadian fan here. I’ve never understood this whole business of crediting the ‘own goal’ to the errant defender. In a sensible sport (viz., ice hockey) that would be credited as a goal to the attacking player who shot. Surely that is a more sensible way of keeping the statistic, giving credit for having created the chance rather than assigning blame to the poor sap off whom the ball chanced to carom??”
The rule is that is the initial shot is on target and it is deflected, the goal is awarded to the attacker. If the shot is off target, and it is deflected in by a defender (or keeper), then an own goal. It seems fairly sensible to me?! And isn’t ice hockey the sport where they have stoppages in play so the players can have a full-blown pagga?!
Here is the league table, as things stand.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Man City | 27 | 39 | 65 |
| 2 | Man Utd | 27 | 21 | 51 |
| 3 | Leicester | 27 | 15 | 50 |
| 4 | Everton | 26 | 6 | 46 |
| 5 | West Ham | 26 | 9 | 45 |
| 6 | Chelsea | 26 | 16 | 44 |
| 7 | Liverpool | 26 | 13 | 43 |
| 8 | Tottenham Hotspur | 26 | 15 | 42 |
| 9 | Aston Villa | 25 | 11 | 39 |
| 10 | Arsenal | 26 | 7 | 37 |
| 11 | Leeds | 26 | -1 | 35 |
| 12 | Wolverhampton | 27 | -9 | 34 |
| 13 | Crystal Palace | 27 | -14 | 34 |
| 14 | Southampton | 26 | -13 | 30 |
| 15 | Burnley | 27 | -16 | 29 |
| 16 | Brighton | 26 | -7 | 26 |
| 17 | Newcastle | 26 | -17 | 26 |
| 18 | Fulham | 27 | -12 | 23 |
| 19 | West Brom | 27 | -36 | 17 |
| 20 | Sheff Utd | 27 | -27 | 14 |
Remember, we’ve got Liverpool v Chelsea kicking off in half an hour or so. You can follow that here.
Elsewhere, there is good news for Fulham, with fellow strugglers West Brom losing 1-0 to Everton, who climb into fourth!
“Finally a Jose Mourinho result for Tottenham Hotspur,” emails Lalith Adithyan. “Their first 1-0 win since West Brom away last year. Is this the kind of performance which will win them the League Cup next month or are City too good to be beaten 1-0?”
Even if Spurs do win that one, I suspect they won’t keep a clean sheet!
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Full-time: Fulham 0-1 Tottenham
An own goal from Adarabioyo gives Spurs their third win in a week! Nine goals scored, none conceded in that time.
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90+4 min: Tottenham break, and Kane wins a clever foul. Frustration for Fulham. Another good performance by Fulham and nothing to show for it.
90+2 min: Fulham have slightly lost their momentum, but are starting to pump balls into the box towards Mitrovic. Alderweireld and Sanchez standing firm.
90 min: Four minutes added for Fulham to find an equaliser.
88 min: Doherty so nearly turns the ball into his own net! Mitrovic tries a shot from an acute angle, the ball skewing across the six yard box. Anguissa is threatening at the back post and in trying to clear the ball behind for a Fulham corner, Doherty passes the ball a yard wide of his own goal!
84 min: Huge save by Areola! A fine flowing move by Spurs, with Lamela (who has been excellent since coming on) at the heart of it, linking the play in midfield before feeding Kane with a nice flick. Kane beats the off-side trap and tries to toe the ball past Areola but the Fulham keeper is off his line quickly and spreads himself brilliantly. A top save.
82 min: Just to say that I’m aware that the scores read 1-1 at the top of the page. I assure you that it is very much 1-0 to Spurs. The scores are provided by a third party to the Guardian and I’m not quite sure why they seem to still think it is 1-1.
Updated
80 min: Silky skill from Lamela, who nutmegs Bryan on the byline, drags his foot over the ball with a buttery soft touch to ghost past Adarabioyo but can’t find anyone on the cutback. Kane was there but there were too many Fulham bodies.
78 min: Corner to Tottenham, which somehow goes through a forest of bodies and out of the other end of the box.
76 min: “I’ve been a Spurs season ticket holder for over 20 years, so I’m really not complaining about the outcome, but the handball rule is absolutely ridiculous when that goal has been rightly disallowed,” emails Richard Coopey. “There is no intent and Lemina’s arm was basically glued to his body! Madness. Utter madness.”
“As a Tottenham fan, that’s a shocker for Fulham,” reinforces Peter McLeod. “Feel bad for them. I’m sure you’re right that the rules have been followed, just goes to show the current law is mental.”
“VAR is awful, but the handball rule must be changed,” condemns Simon McGrother.
Updated
74 min: One more change for each side: Fulham bring on Bryan for Robinson, which is surprising. Spurs take off Ndombele for Lamela.
72 min: In tonight’s other early kick off, Everton are 1-0 up at West Brom.
70 min: Robinson is having a great game for Fulham at left-back and it’s that left flank where they look most like creating an equaliser. Maja looks like he’s gone out to the right wing to accommodate Mitrovic. I would be tempted to go two up top!
68 min: Fulham are really having a go now.
66 min: A flurry of substitutions, from both sides. Fulham wise: Anguissa comes on for Loftus-Cheek and Mitrovic on for Cavaleiro. For Spurs, Sissoko and Moura comes on for Bale and Alli.
64 min: Lemina was stood two yards away from Sanchez when the ball hit his wrist. Lemina’s arm was in a natural position, by his side, and it was completely accidental but it did directly contribute to Maja receiving the ball. Under the current rules, it’s the correct decision.
GOAL DISALLOWED! It remains Fulham 0-1 Tottenham
Ooooo, this is harsh. Following an awful clearance by Sanchez, Maja picks up the loose ball inside the Spurs area and lashes a terrific left-footed shot inside Lloris’s near post. But VAR rules it out! Handball is given, with Lemina judged to have handled when Sanchez cleared.
Updated
60 min: Patient play from Fulham, with Reed finding Loftus-Cheek in the area. His first touch is a little heavy and some superb defending from Sanchez sees the Colombian just get his body across the Fulham man before he shot.
57 min: Ndombele goes on another of his buccaneering runs through the middle of the pitch, before he is sent hurtling towards the turf. Lookman, on a yellow card, has got to be careful. He gave Ndombele a little nudge there.
55 min: I wonder how long Parker will wait to make his changes. He doesn’t have a wealth of options on the bench, mind.
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51 min: Fulham have obviously been instructed to be more direct. Crosses are coming in earlier, the build-up is much faster. Maja is still losing his battles with Sánchez, though.
49 min: From the corner, Lloris makes another important save! Adarabioyo gets up highest and heads powerfully down, but it’s straight into the midriff of Tottenham’s goalkeeper!
48 min: Fulham have once again started as the better side. Reed and Loftus-Cheek very busy in midfield. The latter earns a free-kick on the left from which Andersen glances a header towards the top corner! Lloris dives to his left and gets a fingertip save to tip it over! That’s a brilliant stop. He’s had precious little to do all game.
Updated
Peeeeeep! We’re off again beside the Thames.
Half-time reading
Half-time: Fulham 0-1 Tottenham
Spurs have had the better of it, but Fulham are still well capable of getting a result here. I would get Mitrovic on ASAP.
45+2 min: Lemina skies a brilliant chance to level the scores! Fulham’s best move of the match comes in the final moments of the first half, as Robinson skips past three tackles on the way to the byline, cuts the ball back to Maja, who with his back to goal, prods the ball onto Lemina on the penalty spot. The Gabonese sidefoots his shot a good five yards over the bar. Awful finish to a wonderful move. The lay-off from Maja wasn’t the best, if we’re being picky.
Updated
45+1 min: Loftus-Cheek drives forward on the counter-attack but is brought down by two sliding tackles by Bale and Davies. The former is booked. The way both Welshman went in there suggests that stopping Loftus-Cheek on the counter-attack has been highlighted by Mourinho.
45 min: Two minutes added on here. Fulham need to regroup after a bright start.
44 min: Andersen so often brings the ball out of defence nicely for Fulham. Has an excellent range of passing and knows when to step out with the ball. Bit of a shame that defensively he is often left exposed, which is probably top of the job description.
42 min: Spurs dominating the play now. Hojbjerg is winning everything in the middle.
40 min: Nice play from Dele Alli, who picks Reed’s pocket on the edge of Fulham’s box, and floats a teasing ball to Son at the back post. There’s no power on Son’s header, which trickles wide, but he had a lot more time there than he realised, and should have done better!
38 min: Challenges flying in now. Son is tripped by Aina, before Lookman is given a yellow card for a foul on Doherty. For a brief moment it looks as though both of Lookman’s feet were off the ground, but he sort of pulled out of the challenge in the end, and it ended up being clumsy rather than malicious.
35 min: Kane goes down in the area, clutching his ankle. VAR check for a penalty but it is not given. That’s twice Kane has gone down like a sack of potatoes, only for the referee to wave play on. Tut tut.
Updated
33 min: Just to keep you updated with tonight’s other 6pm match: it’s currently goalless between West Brom and Everton.
30 min: A Fulham cross comes in from the right, but Loftus-Cheek can’t connect and Robinson trips on the ball at the far post to allow Sánchez to clear.
28 min: Reed meanwhile is having a wonderful game in central midfield. Tidy and efficient.
25 min: Maja has barely had a kick. He’s very much the preferred option up top at the moment, but can’t help but feel the Serbian would be a better option today. Fulham are building the play nicely but seem to run out of ideas when they get to Spurs’ box. With Mitrovic on, at least there would be a target for crosses.
22 min: “Why isn’t Kane given as offside for that ‘goal’?” asks Steve in Ealing. “Especially as it seems that it has now been given as an own goal - Kane was obviously interfering with play.”
Kane was indeed offside as Son’s cross-shot came into the box but I think it would have been harsh to disallow the goal. He didn’t touch the ball and wasn’t interfering into the eyeline of defender or goalkeeper.
1-0. An awful goal for Fulham to concede. One pass and they were woefully exposed at the back three on two. Alli controls a pass on the turn and feeds Son, who drives into the box, tries a lollipop and hits a cross/shot across the six yard box towards Alli. Adarabioyo is one of only two Fulham defenders in shot, and he can only deflect Alli’s flick into his own net. Incisive from Spurs, particularly from Alli (who tried to claim the goal), but Scott Parker will be fuming.
GOAL! Fulham 0-1 Tottenham (Adarabioyo OG 19)
Spurs lead!
Updated
17 min: Golden chance for Kane! Son deliciously crosses with the outside of his foot and it reaches Kane’s head in his stride, but the England footballer plants his header straight at Areola from six yards out! Poor effort, good save. It remains goalless!
12 min: Ndombele drives forward after a neat one-two with Bale, before Tosin Adarabioyo bring him down 25 yards from goal. Bale and Kane are both over the resulting free-kick … dipping … fierce … and over.
10 min: Areola makes a great save with his feet to deny Bale after a clever pass from Son. Bale was actually well offside, but Fulham’s goalkeeper wasn’t to know that. A slight break in play with Lemina down, after a challenge from Alli.
Updated
8 min: Two more Fulham attacks of note. First Reed plays a nice reverse pass to Lookman, but the winger can’t get it under control when he was through on goal (albeit from an acute angle). Next, Robinson breaks forward from left-back, feeds Lookman, who is a little heavy with his pass to Maja, as the ball rolls out of a goal kick. Not quite happening for Fulham at the sharp end, but they are playing well. Story of their season, really.
6 min: Tottenham do indeed look like they are playing 4-2-4 here! That puts so much pressure on Ndombele and Hojbjerg.
“I just wanted to say i appreciate your shouting Sissoko there,” emails Beth from N17. “For me he’s such an important player, does an incredible job of controlling the opposition, does so much of the dirty work, and allows others to really express themselves. Yet half our fanbase seem to hate him for some reason. Totally agree re Tanguy, for me he works better pushed higher up the pitch, and Sissoko allows him that freedom. That said, it’s an exciting lineup with that front four and has the potential to do some real damage, so let’s see how it plays out.”
4 min: Fulham have started the better, as Lookman drives to the byline. The ball comes back to Robinson on the edge but he can only manage a weak shot with his weaker right. Well wide.
2 min: Ruben Loftus-Cheek skips past Ndombele with some tidy footwork and drives into the Tottenham box. His shot is scuffed and Sánchez is able to clear. Parker has spoken this week about his hopes to make the move for Loftus-Cheek permanent, which would be quite the coup for Fulham. He’s good enough to make it at Chelsea, in my opinion.
Peeeeeeeep! We’re underway in south-west London.
We’re just about set to go. The teams are out. Fulham in their white and black, Tottenham are in their changed dark green strip.
Another email, from Wilson Beuys:
“Richard Hirst is not the only MBM reader sufficiently ancient to have seen Alan Mullery’s goal before; I’m another. But even though I’ve seen it before, it’s been a while, so that combination of outstanding technique and the crushing violence of the shot still provoked a combination of ‘ooof-laugh, hackles go up on the back of the neck.’”
If you missed it this week, there was some news about Fulham’s Kevin McDonald.
Mourinho has been talking pre-match about Dele Alli:
Dele is playing well. He’s working even better since he came back to normal work. With so many matches, we need to do some rotations.For Dele, it is more than a rotation. He’s going to start, but there is no pressure on him. It is about the team.
“Is this Tottenham’s strongest line-up on paper (excluding Ben Davies and Sanchez of course)?” asks Lalith Adithyan.
It’s certainly their most attacking team. Sissoko has been a more consistent player than Dele Alli in recent times of course. I like Mourinho’s intent with this one, but the downside to excluding Sissoko and having the quartet of Bale, Son, Kane and Alli is that Ndombele will probably have to be more withdrawn. He’s not a natural CDM in the way that Hojbjerg is. Ndombele is supremely talented but it’s always dangerous when he takes risks and loses possession in his own half.
I also think Aurier is a (slightly) superior player to Doherty, but I’m sure not everyone would agree.
Updated
Our first email, and a good one too, from Richard Hirst.
“Can I go old school, and add Alan Mullery to those the derby might be named after? A great player for both clubs. I’ll leave it to Tottenham fans to nominate a best moment for Spurs, but for Fulham I’ll put forward the goal he scored against Leicester in the FA Cup in 1974. For those not privileged to see it (and I rather suspect I might be the only reader of the blog who was!), it was Match of the Day’s goal of the season for 1974, so should be easily accessible. And for those of you lamenting that in this digital age the deathless prose and acute tactical analysis of your posts do not even survive as tomorrow’s fish and chip papers, this week I received a birthday card from my daughter with all my MBM and OBO posts turned into a card by a well known provider of such card services. Very effective, so thanks Katherine, and thanks Chris (unfortunately a Spurs supporter) for alerting her to my posts.”
WHAT A GOAL.
In other news, the stand at Craven Cottage is coming along nicely. Looks a bit out of place, mind.
Dele AND Bale? José is letting it all hang out.
The teams!
Fulham: Areola, Aina, Andersen, Adarabioyo, Robinson, Reed, Lemina, Lookman, Loftus-Cheek, Ivan Cavaleiro, Maja.
Subs: Tete, Mitrovic, Ream, Reid, Bryan, Onomah, Zambo, Kongolo, Ramirez.
Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Doherty, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Davies, Ndombele, Hojbjerg, Bale, Alli, Son, Kane.
Subs: Reguilon, Winks, Lamela, Hart, Dier, Sissoko, Tanganga, Lucas Moura, Vinicius.
Referee: David Coote (Nottinghamshire)
Updated
Preamble
At the age of 41, Steed Malbranque is still playing football, in the fifth tier of French football for FC Limonest Saint-Didier, just outside his beloved Lyon. And the scurrying Frenchman appears to still be in great nick, apparently clocking a ridiculous 3hr20min at a marathon recently. How Fulham could do now with his attacking verve of 2001-06, when he was integral to the club’s Uefa Cup run, as well as helping them swerve relegation, before his move to the visitors to Craven Cottage tonight, Tottenham.
Another man who represented both clubs, of course, is Scott Parker. Fulham’s manager is one of a select few to have played for London clubs in the north, south, west and east of the city, and he’s got Fulham playing excellent football at the minute, even if the results don’t quite match the performances. Fulham have lost just one of the last eight league matches but have only managed two wins in that period, with their finishing left particularly wanting.
For Tottenham, only a win will do. A win could take them three points off a place in the top four but with West Ham, Chelsea, Liverpool, Everton (and Aston Villa?!) all seemingly in the hunt for one spot, they can ill-afford to slip up against relegation strugglers tonight.
Kick-off: 6pm GMT.
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