So can the players they have at the club, ffs. They aren't going to spend any money on a player who can't trap a ball with pace of any kind under pressure. That kind of technique buys you a job in MLS, but not in the Prem.
Starts: 📝 Here's your Hull City line-up to take on @OfficialBWFC this afternoon…* Eric Lichaj and Chris Martin come in to the starting XI.* Evandro starts again after 45 minutes against Leeds at the weekend.#hcafc | #theTigers pic.twitter.com/vYkVAjQA4L— Hull City (@HullCity) January 1, 2019
While, Ream did start and lose 1-4 to Arsenal; this graphic is for, his fellow Yank Abroad, Eric Lichaj.
Okay. Yes, I made mistake. Here is the correct lineup card. Fulham XI vs Arsenal on New Year day pic.twitter.com/1H68Wmt0ZZ— Baatee Barinaa-iyalo (@IamBaatee) January 1, 2019
It was a bad result today, but from what I saw, Ream is playing like a player transformed from earlier in the season. He looked completely lost earlier in the season--a step slow, hesitating, devoid of confidence. I was all but ready to concede that he is no more than a Championship player. He looked totally out of place. Today I thought he was Fulham's best player.
he was great in blocking one point blank shot, but I thought he was late in recognizing a late run into the box by an opponent that led to one of the goals.
If that's Xhaka's goal, I'm of the opinion that was Cairney's man. That's a midfielder making a run and Cairney just handed him off to nobody. Ream did have a couple of bad moments right at the end of the first half, but that's about all I felt he did wrong.
Probably worth noting, Fulham lost one of their starting CB's -- Alfie Mawson -- to what might be a long term knee injury just a few days ago.
https://www.lovesportradio.com/news...-as-fulham-prepare-to-confirm-deal-exclusive/ This is bad news for the Ream to continue.
I'll agree that Xhaka was not his man, and had made a great late run from midfield to get into the box and on the end of that pass. My initial thought was that the run happened in front of TR, and he had a defender on his left, so IMO he should have recognized the threat from the run and moved to cover for the midfielder who let him run free into the box. Not directly at fault, but a good defender would have seen that develop and known how dangerous his presence was in the box.
They play lately with three at the back, and at some point even if TR is makeweight for Cahill one of the other two will show some flaws. It ain't just TR that is the problem in this team.
I would substitute quicker-reacting for good. It's a team game, and defense is certainly a team effort. Not that Ream is blameless, but Fulham's defense has been pretty poor all season, with Ream and without him, with Ream involved in conceding some goals and without his involvement in others. [A video compilation might be worth undertaking.] A fair number of Ream-involved goals share this quality: Ream has a tough choice in deciding which attacking player to defend - his guy, or someone else's. Ream moves to take on a teammate's responsibility, whereupon Ream's (unmarked) attacker scores (and blame ensues). [Note that some - but of course not all - of the goals USMNT opponents' scored 'on Ream' also share this quality, with Ream trying to cover for a teammate's deficiencies.] Where I would agree with many/most here is that Ream lacks the elite quickness, physicality and athletic ability to individually handle Premiership-level attacking players. Where I likely disagree is my opinion that on the right team, in the right set-up with the right teammates, he could a last a couple more years in the Premier League. He's not great, but that doesn't mean he's not good enough.
I would definitely agree with that take. It seems like he is caught between two players and the guy he doesn't take scores the goal.
Started in 2-1 FA Cup loss: 6⃣ changes but still a strong side for this afternoon's match!#COYW #FULOLD pic.twitter.com/2v1n3Zb7Ui— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) January 6, 2019 Rated as a 3 on the afternoon: https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/fulham-player-ratings-oldham-ranieri-15636638
That game was still happening when I posted, but yes, I'd agree, even accounting for Newport being home and Oldham being away.