‘Fulham’s Positivity Has Been Building’
- Malik Ouzia of the Evening Standard provides an insight into Fulham’s 2020/21 fortunes
- The Cottagers host Leicester City at Craven Cottage on Wednesday (6pm GMT kick-off) in the Premier League
- Fulham recorded a 2-1 win over the Foxes at King Power Stadium earlier this season
The Cottagers returned to London with a 2-1 triumph thanks to first-half efforts from Ademola Lookman and Ivan Cavaleiro, despite Harvey Barnes finding the next for the Foxes late on on Filbert Way.
Since then, while Fulham are yet to register a triumph from their previous 10 Premier League games, they have only lost three of those games – to Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea.
“Since that last Leicester game, although they’ve not won a game since, there’s been a lot of positivity building,” Ouzia told LCFC Radio. “They’ve only lost three games since then, and they were all against big sides – the two Manchester clubs and Chelsea.
“There was some real positivity building, but most of the draws in that period were good draws, and the last couple have probably been bad draws, really, against teams around them down the bottom end of the table, particularly the West Brom game.
“They were so dominant in the first half and probably should have put the game to bed. Scott Parker said afterwards, to only come away with a 2-2 draw there when you’re not winning any games, let alone many, is a real blow to that momentum that had been building.
“They need to get back on track. It’s not going to be an easy game, but it is against one of the few teams that they have managed to find a way to beat so far this season.”
Like City, Fulham are a side that enjoys to dominate possession, but it is their ruthlessness in front of goal that must improve, Ouzia believes.
He continued: “They’re a team that like to have the ball, so even when things aren’t going well, they’re probably going to have more possession than say West Brom and Sheffield United, and some of the other teams that are down in that part of the table.
“As they’ve improved, they’ve been more competitive in games, playing well, but ultimately not being able to put the ball in the back of the net has been the big issue.”
Ouzia says key to increasing their record of goals scored in 2020/21 will be the return of Serbia international frontman Aleksandar Mitrović, who impressed in Fulham’s 2-2 draw with West Bromwich Albion last time out.
“The difference-maker for Fulham, if they can get him right, will be [Aleksandar] Mitrović, and the first half against West Brom was possibly the best half of football he’s played all season,” Ouzia added.
“He’s been in and out of the team, and in and out of form and fitness, but putting the ball in the back of the net has been the big thing that’s been missing.
“Josh Maja has come in, and they tried to get Josh King, but missed out to Everton. Mitrović is going to be massive. He didn’t really have many chances against West Brom, but some of his hold-up play, he looked back to his past.”