PREMIER LEAGUE
SATURDAY 16TH MARCH, 2024
(5.30PM)
FULHAM 3(1) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0(0)

Scorers:-
Muniz, 42, 61
Lukic, 49

Attendance:- 24,410

Referee:- Rob Jones
Assistants:- Ian Hussin, Wade Smith
Fourth official:- Tim Robinson
VAR:- David Coote
Assistant VAR:- Derek Eaton

Teams:-
Fulham (4-2-3-1):- Leno (Capt.); Castagne (sub Tete, 82), Tosin, Bassey, Robinson; Palhinha, Lukic (sub Harrison Reed, 81); Iwobi (sub Cordova-Reid, 81), Pereira (sub Wilson, 72), Willian; Muniz (sub Jimenez, 64)

Subs not used:- Rodak; Ream; Cairney, Traore

Booked:- Palhinha (foul on Maddison), Reed (unsporting conduct)

Spurs (4-2-3-1):- Vicario; Pedro Porro, Romero, Dragusin, Udogie; Sarr (sub Werner, 66), Bissouma (sub Hojbjerg, 66); Kulusevski, Maddison (sub Bentancur, 66), Johnson (sub Richarlison, 80); Son (Capt.) (sub Lo Celso, 87)
(Armband to Romero)

Subs not used:- Austin; Emerson Royal, Davies; Skipp

Booked:- Bissouma (foul on Palhinha), Johnson (Dissent), Bentancur (unsporting conduct)

Abysmal Spurs let us down again

Thanks to Eugene Gasper for this picture

39-game record run of scoring in each game? - Ended.

Joint record run of seven consecutive away games against Fulham? - Ended.

15 1/2 year run since Fulham's last Premier League home win against Spurs? - Ended.

Spurs chances of qualifying for the Champions League? - Severely damaged.

After the euphoria of last week's 4-0 win at Villa Park, abysmal Spurs let us down with a performance as bad as last week's was good. They spurned the opportunity to take Villa's fourth place against a Fulham team who outplayed us in every department. The home side showed more desire, better and incisive passing, and in 22-year-old Rodrigo Muniz have a striker in a rich vein of form. Muniz scored twice today, making his recent tally seven goals in as many games.

Spurs had no answer, passing poorly as if they were strangers on the same pitch, despite just one enforced change from last week of Dragusin, making his first start for the injured Van de Ven, who is always greatly missed.

None of our starting eleven had started the August League Cup game here.

Spurs kicked off and played away from their fans. I don't think Fulham had a touch in the first minute or so, but Spurs got nowhere near the opposition goal. Fulham soon did plenty of goal-bothering and Vicario was called into action too often. Firstly, a Maddison midfield pass failed, and Fulham broke out with Pereira teeing up Muniz on the right of the area for a shot that was half-cleared before Pereira's follow-up was also blocked for an early corner.

Spurs attacked down the left with Johnson winning a touchline battle before passing inside to Maddison. He lifted the ball to the other side, but Fulham defended well against Kulusevski. Spurs won a free kick after a foul on Romero on the right. There was a scramble in the Fulham area but also an offside flag against Spurs.

There were too many stray passes in the midfield and Bissouma was the next to fail, leading to another Fulham attack which necessitated a Vicario save; a block by Romero from a Pereira shot, and another Vicario save from Lukic. Fulham were the more threatening side. Vicario was in action again as left back Robinson hit a low cross/shot, but there was a raised offside flag.

Robinson was soon in action at the other end defending well to keep Kulusevski at bay. The whole Fulham defence showed the same level of determination and success against a Spurs attack short of ideas.

Sarr was the next passing offender and Robinson advanced before his low cross somehow evaded all feet in the Spurs box. Spurs countered through Johnson who fed Son. The Spurs captain's right foot shot rose above the bar. Vicario held a shot by Willian after Pedro Porro lost the ball in the Fulham half. Pereira fired wide with a shot from distance.

Johnson had Spurs' next chance after referee Rob Jones waved play-on when Son was fouled. Johnson, playing on the left at this stage, hit his shot straight at Leno. Spurs won a corner on the right after which Johnson was on the floor in the box and Romero headed the ball to Dragusin who was just beyond the left-hand post. He dragged a shot/cross wide across the goalmouth with his weaker left foot. Johnson had another battle on the left and this allowed Udogie to advance and pass inside to Maddison whose shot was pulled just outside Leno's right post. At this stage, Spurs were competing at least. They maintained the pressure, but were kept away from goal, apart from a Kulusevski shot which was blocked and cleared.

Spurs went behind just before the break when the excellent Robinson made ground down the left and crossed deep. Muniz had too much space and after one touch, beat Vicario's dive to his right with a well-placed right-footed shot. The lead was well-deserved.

Spurs even had a supplementary huddle at the start of the second half, but that was to no avail. Fulham had an early corner and after Dragusin half-cleared, Iwobi teed up Pereira, whose shot was held by Vicario. At the other end Son glanced a header wide from Johnson's cross and should have done better.

Spurs were soon two down after Lukic somehow flicked in Castagne's low cross from the right. It was the Serbian's first goal for Fulham and even he probably didn't know how he hit the net! Spurs' heads went down.

Fulham won a corner after Vicario saved from Castagne. This was struck deep from the right after which Bassey's shot hit the post and rebounded to the middle where Muniz managed to scramble home from close range. There was no way back from three down and it looked like 4-0 when Palhinha fired home after a cross from the left. However, VAR disclosed that substitute Jimenez had been in an offside position in Vicario's line of vision, and also got the final touch.

Only now did Postecoglou make a triple substitution, replacing Bissouma, Maddison and Sarr with Hojbjerg, Bentancur and Werner, respectively. Johnson switched to the right and Kulusevski reverted to the middle. Spurs looked more solid, but of course, Fulham had taken their foot off the pedal.

Johnson failed after a Son cross from the left but was probably offside anyway. Werner managed to scoop over from very close ranger after Johnson's low cross from the right of the box. Soon after that Werner had a low shot from left of goal, held by Leno. The Fulham keeper then held a Bentancur shot comfortably.

Richarlison was a late replacement for Johnson. He fired wide after Kulusevski headed in from the right of the box. With minutes remaining, the game was being played out and Lo Celso came on for Son. Harry Wilson had a threatening shot well saved by Vicario stretching to his left, and at the other end Leno held a Richarlison shot.

Seven minutes were added, but the score did not change, although Lo Celso hit a left foot curler which Leno held.

Luton come to Tottenham in two weeks' time during which Postecoglou needs to look at his tactics and selection. Spurs must play out of their half more quickly. They cannot give opposition teams so long to prepare their defences. Now that almost the whole squad is available, "Big Ange" has perhaps yet to discover his best eleven. Personally, I would always include Werner who has the pace, ball-skill, and ability to get around defenders. Hopefully Van de Ven will be fit for the next game. We miss his devastating recovery pace.

With matches against Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal still to come, I cannot feel confident about our Champions League chances, although thanks to West Ham, eighth place could get us into Europe.

Spurs will always let us down. Come on Spurs! Prove me wrong!

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