Cottage POV

One that got away. Fulham lost the opening game of the season for the first time since returning to the Premier League, a well fought game at Old Trafford saw a result snatched from Fulham’s grips late with Joshua Zirkzee’s debut winner.

A match of moments, Marco Silva’s team had thank captain Bernd Leno for a couple of excellent saves to keep them in the game but Fulham found themselves in some positive positions that went unpunished. Namely, Andreas Pereira’s fluff in a 2v1 situation with Alex Iwobi outnumbering Harry Maguire, a moment that drew some similarities to Bobby Decordova-Reid at Anfield. Though Andreas went for the pass in this case, the execution was appalling and a massive opportunity for a clean shot on goal and a second win at Old Trafford vanished.

Generally there was plenty to be pleased about from a Fulham perspective, genuine periods of possession that made us look level with our big money hosts. A further credit to Marco Silva’s tenure at the club that he can lose 4 starters, have one new signing in the starting eleven, be crying for more investment and arrivals and be so competitive away from home against a “big 6” club.

There was plenty there for Fulham to work on; the left hand triangle of Antonee Robinson, Alex Iwobi and Emile Smith Rowe never really showed its potential in attacking spaces. Most of Fulham’s positive attacking play coming in the form of Adama Traore doing a lot with a trend of woeful passes out to him (not often was it pretty perfectly into his stride or something he can genuinely run for – road runner would struggle with some of those out balls last night!). There were some moments on the counter attack where a better pass or decision sees the result go another way but just falling short was the theme of the evening.

Marco Silva’s Fulham, I believe led by Stuart Gray, has always valued the power of set pieces and they’d have been disappointed with the lack of attempts on goal from 8 corners and a number of free kicks around the opposition box. A focus on the near post did see a couple of scuff type “ball can go anywhere” situations but they were dealt with or trickled wide and its another area of development as the season progresses.

I wanted to save a section for some individual players. I thought Sasa Lukic was okay in the holding role last night, tidy on the ball, a couple of nice tackles and a generally ‘clean’ performance. I still expect Fulham to sign a central midfielder or two but after 18 months at the club, maybe this is a sign of things to come from Lukic. Onto our new “R9” it was a fun battle watching him up against Harry Maguire in an old-fashioned tussle but it is one he lost. Rodrigo Muniz couldn’t make the ball stick with regularity, the link up play wasn’t quite there and nothing in the way of clear cut chances. Harry Maguire, much maligned since his move to Old Trafford, is a top centre back despite becoming the punchline but it does raise a question of our forward who has scored 1 in his last 8 Premier League games, didn’t score in pre-season and could be fairly question that handing him the 9 shirt was a premature based on a purple patch.

We return to the Cottage next weekend against Championship winners Leicester City under new head coach Steve Cooper. Cooper has won at the Cottage previously but the level of quality should swing into Fulham’s favour as we head into a bit of a favourable run with two promoted sides in our next two and then hosting West Ham and Newcastle at home, albeit our first international break and the transfer window closing in the middle. Plenty of work for the board to do but no way means for an overreaction. Onto next week…