Matchday 3 in the Premier League sees Fulham hosting Aston Villa in what can, only somewhat prematurely, be described as a must-win game for the Cottagers. Tim Ream starts for Fulham (potentially in midfield, per media reports), while Antonee Robinson awaits his Premier League debut from the bench. 🚨 TEAM NEWS 🚨Scott's XI for a Monday night clash! 👊#FULAVL pic.twitter.com/j9xfga7M35— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) September 28, 2020 🟣 𝗧 𝗘 𝗔 𝗠 𝗡 𝗘 𝗪 𝗦 🟣This is your Aston Villa team to face Fulham this evening! 👊#FULAVL pic.twitter.com/Ix4mG6WHNt— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) September 28, 2020 Fulham have conceded 7 goals in their first 2 league matches, while Villa is coming off a gritty 1-0 win v. Sheffield United in which they were up a man for 78 minutes. Kickoff is at 12:45 PM Eastern, streaming on Peacock.
The midfield projections look incorrect. Ream is lined up as a LCB in a back 5 from the opening kick.
Early defensive calamity. Ream heads a clearance to Joe Bryan, who plays a useless ball up the wing that's easily intercepted by John McGinn. He clips a ball over the top to Jack Grealish, who coasts past Denis Odoi and finishes neatly past Areola. 1-0 to Villa in the 4th minute.
2-0 after 15 minutes. Odoi and Tete lose their marks this time (from a throw-in!), Grealish makes a darting run from the wing and plays a pass into the middle of the box. Ream is there, but he's somehow in a place where he's being asked to defend 2 Villa attackers. Quick layoff from McGinn, clean sidefoot finish into the side netting by Hourihane.
Fulham have no attacking plan besides crossing to Mitrovic, and seem to have no defensive plan at all.
Lol no kidding. You know the defensive structure is rough when Fulham has 3 CBs and still finds themselves outnumbered at the penalty spot.
Nearly a third for Villa. Ended up offside and the shot/cross skipped wide, but Grealish sliced through the Fulham defense to create the chance like he has all afternoon.
just looked over the fulham roster and didnt realize how old it was. there are like no bright young attacking options on the roster?
Fulham is displaying a really annoying habit: they keep making good, line-splitting passes, but the move invariably falls apart and the ball gets shifted back for Ream and Hector to pass to each other a few times. Either the player receiving the ball takes a poor touch and gives the defense time to recover, they don't pick their head up and play a quick second pass, they don't turn to goal quickly enough, or the off-the-ball movement is nonexistent. Pick your poison for why their attack is failing. There's plenty to choose from.
Kamara (forward) on for an injured Tete, so Fulham is switching to a back 4. Odoi pushes out to RB. Edit: yeah just kidding. Parker subbed in Kamara to play RWB. That's...not a great strategy.
hard to say anything about bryan since nothing seems to happen on fulhams left ever. just saw him though so hes on the pitch
He's 2 for 6 on crosses. The two that have connected have been poor crosses saved only by Mitrovic's aerial ability. Bryan is nowhere near athletic or offensively talented enough to play as a Premier League wingback.
To add: Kamara keeps lining up in such a way that his man (usually Trezeguet) is in a mile of space behind him, but still onside because of Kamara's position relative to the rest of the defensive line.
Halftime: Fulham 0 - 2 Aston Villa Denis Odoi has been at least partially responsible for both goals. Fulham's midfield might as well not be playing with how easily they've been bypassed and how irrelevant they've been in attack. This is not a good team. Ream has been fine.