Fulham 3-0 Tottenham (Muniz 42’, 61’, Lukic 49’)
CRAVEN COTTAGE – The only Tottenham player who came out of a bruising 3-0 defeat to Fulham with their reputation enhanced was Micky van de Ven, who was not playing. With his unmatched pace and prescient reading of a forward’s movement, there is a serious argument to be had in favour of the Dutchman as signing of the season. How Ange Postecoglou could have done with him here.
For a side who oozed such class at Villa Park, it is genuinely perplexing how Spurs plummeted to such an abysmal collapse six days later. They have not won three consecutive matches since December and it is not hard to see why.
Radu Dragusin’s full debut did not go well, yet nor should it be interpreted too unkindly or too hastily. The centre-back undid much of his first half good work by failing to get close to Rodrigo Muniz for the opener, and the Brazilian was sharper to the ball in their bustle for the third. Destiny Udogie did not cover himself in glory for the second, when Alex Iwobi was allowed to skip through the Spurs back line before Timothy Castagne’s assist for Sasa Lukic.
Yet this is the bed that Van de Ven, more than anyone else, has made. Now his colleagues have to lie in it. His levels of interpretation and speed have made it expected that he will be the last man, always. Postecoglou can afford the high line because Tottenham are never without a safety net – until it hobbles off against Aston Villa with a hamstring complaint.
The injury is not thought to be too serious. Just as well.
Dragusin cannot be judged effectively until he is fully fit, having played just 49 minutes before Saturday since joining from Genoa in January. He is right-footed and looked uncomfortable when shown onto the other side.
He is also playing in an unfamiliar league – even Van de Ven endured a rocky start against Brentford and here at Fulham in the League Cup defeat on penalties back in August.
None of this should detract from Fulham’s electric football. Since 1 February, no player has scored as many goals as Muniz – he has now surpassed an in-form Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka and Ollie Watkins in that period.
In fact the Brazilian is playing so well he has effectively forced the club to pay a £4m fee to Chelsea for failing to give loanee Armando Broja his agreed number of games, simply because he cannot get in the Fulham XI with Muniz playing like this.
Worryingly for Spurs, that was not the only area in which they were second best. Dejan Kulusevski’s decision-making was off throughout. Pape Matar Sarr could have stopped the first goal in the build-up. Yves Bissouma had to be replaced with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg after the hour mark. Richarlison returned, ahead of schedule, and does not look fit.
James Maddison hit Bernd Leno’s water bottle beside the goal more often than he hit the target. When Timo Werner found himself receiving Son Heung-min’s cross a yard in front of goal, his miss was reminiscent of his Stamford Bridge days, rather than the last fortnight when he hinted at turning a corner. “Chelsea reject,” revelled the home fans.
A win would have taken Spurs into the Champions League places, with a horror run of Newcastle, Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool still to come from mid-April onwards.
Instead, the club will be left monitoring the Uefa coefficients, whereby the success of Premier League teams in Europe – primarily West Ham thanks to their win over Freiburg – has England currently edging Germany to an extra Champions League place. Finishing fifth, however underwhelming, could still be enough.
It is always a long walk for managers from the touchline to the corner tunnel at Craven Cottage and Postecoglou undertook it with head bowed and much to ponder.
But one modicum of comfort by way of an aside. It is perhaps unfair to say nobody at Tottenham did themselves justice. As injury time began, a small pocket of supporters unveiled a banner: “Save Our Seniors”. The club recently announced that, as well as hiking season ticket prices by six per cent, no new senior concessions would be granted from 2025 onwards. A dim view of the longest-serving supporters who endure days like this.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/iIf8SpY
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