THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE PLAY WELL FOR A WHOLE 90 MINUTES! We've had sections of playing well in pretty much every game so far this season, but that was by far and a way our best and most complete performance of the season. There's going to be a lot of "he was great" in this Review, we were just amazing tonight.
All of our goals were great tonight. The Dembele goal was a really good header, and an even better cross from Husband. That Dembele goal was exactly what we needed just to set the tone for the game and start on the front foot. It's funny how things work, I'll freely admit I've been one of Ben Pringle's biggest critics this season- but he proved me wrong tonight and he took his goal really well. It's funny how things work with McCormack, I'm in no way saying he didn't play well tonight- nobody didn't have a good game but I didn't think he was that in the game. That said, the move for his first goal was just amazing- and in terms of a team goal it's by far and a way the best of our season. For McCormack's second I really thought we'd blown it, Fredericks did really well to get the ball in- but I've got no idea how it ended up on the bar and McCormack was there to get in (just). I suppose that's why we bought him. The 4th Goal was particularly good for me, because even at 3 goals up and really dominating the game I was still worried about letting QPR back into the game, because Fulham and the 4th goal just killed it.
It's funny how things work. On Tuesday Joe Lewis genuinely didn't have to make a save all night and we ended up losing 1-0, and then tonight I believe Lonergan had to make 1 save all game and we've ended winning by 4. Heading into the game I thought he'd be getting tested quite consistently, but I suppose that's a testament to how good we were and/or how bad QPR were.
If anyone had any doubts over Richard Stearman, that game tonight will truly have put those doubts to bed. He was great all game, and in Stearman it looks like we've got a Centre-Back who can properly lead the Back Four and organise everything. There's a few players who might not get the headlines from this game, and it was by no means a big test of them tonight. That point's especially relevant when Charlie Austin came off and they were practically playing 4-6-0 but Stearman's organisational work and general defensive work was just great. I said heading into the game that I wasn't as worried when it comes to Tim Ream because QPR didn't really have an aerial threat, and in quite a few ways QPR really played into our hands tonight and Ream was able to show the undoubted positive sides of his game tonight. Ryan Fredericks is quite quick isn't he? He definitely looked a bit shaky and uncertain at times tonight, but there's definitely more positives than negatives from his game tonight, and especially should we want to play him at Right-Mid those negatives become a non-issue. James Husband did really well tonight- and his cross for Dembele was perfect. In a vacuum it's a no-brainer that we should extend his Loan deal- but in a way I don't want us to renew his Loan if Garbutt takes priority, because he really deserves to start wherever he is.
What a signing Jamie O'Hara's turning out to be. He was just great tonight- there seriously isn't much else that needs to be said about him. Between O'Hara and Tunnicliffe, and then Cairney and Tunnicliffe they just dominated Midfield tonight- and were sublime. Similarly with Stearman, Tunnicliffe won't get the headlines from tonight- but I thought Tunnicliffe was great tonight and in the 2nd Half in particular I thought he was invaluable with the way he was fighting for the ball, breaking up the play and intercepting/winning the ball back. Tom Cairney really is a special player, it wasn't his best game tonight- but he still more than played well. I thought when Cairney moved inside and saw more of the ball we really saw what he's capable of in that role and he just generally did well. As I've already said, I've been one of Ben Pringle's biggest critics so far this season and if it were up to me heading into the game he wouldn't have been playing. That said, I also said in one of my Previews that just because it hadn't happened for Pringle yet- it doesn't mean that it won't. Tonight was it happening. He was just great tonight, he more than deserved his goal with the way him, McCormack and Dembele were really pressing at that stage of the game- and it capped off without a doubt his best performance in a Fulham shirt so far.
Moussa Dembele, provided he doesn't get injured- or becomes a "stockpiled" player at a Big Club is going to be one of the best Strikers in the world in 4 or 5 years time. He really is that good, and at just 19 it's amazing to me how good he is. His Header was near-perfect for his goal, and just his general play was outstanding tonight. I said in my Preview that up against QPR's defence that was quite shaky he'd be a big player for us tonight- and him playing the way he did tonight there really wasn't much they could do. As I've already said, I'm not saying McCormack did badly tonight- nobody did. But at the same time, I didn't think McCormack was anywhere near his absolute best tonight- and yet he's popped up with two goals. It's funny how things work like that sometimes, and I was saying this at the back-end of last season as well- it's GREAT to have a Striker who'll still pop up with goals when he isn't necessarily on form.
The Subs Kit made were good, I don't know if many other people noticed- but Dembele took a bit of a knock from a cross and it definitely looked like he felt it afterwards and considering we were 4-0 up it wasn't worth the risk of keeping him. Woodrow was fine, without knowing I think Woodrow and McCormack really like playing with each other. I don't have any solid basis for that, it just seems like they know each others games really well and like playing off of each other. Christensen's energy late on was good for us, and on another day the ball would have fallen a bit kinder for him when we put the ball into the box for him. It seemed as though we were wanting to give QPR a window back in with bringing Voser on, but with Fredericks' really disjointed start at Fulham with his injury it was best for him to come off- and Voser actually looked decent tonight. It truly was a game taking place in an alternate world.
It really did feel like that tonight, it was a game taking place in an alternative universe where we keep Clean Sheets, Actually kill a game without making it difficult for ourselves and perform to the level we all know we can for a full 90 Minutes. GREAT, MORE OF THESE GAMES PLEASE! Tonight's game was great, but at the end of the day it's still only 3 Points on the board- and it's now the job of Kit and the Players to make sure we perform like that every game between now and the end of the season. If we can perform to that level in every game between now and May we'll go up, it really is that simple- whether or not we will is another question entirely and I suppose only time will tell.
Thanks for reading as always, we've been put through the ringer multiple times over already this season- so to have an actual comfortable win against a team who however they performed tonight are a decent team is just great. Tonight's game has also gone some way to healing the wounds of our Friday Night games last season, so on that front it was great. The final count on "great"'s (not including this one) is 12. A win on a Friday Night really sets up the Weekend perfectly, and then hopefully you'll be back here on Monday for the Wolves Preview where we get to do it all again! Thanks again for reading, I suppose enjoying the weekend will be a lot easier after tonight's result- and we can all just bask in such a great team performance.
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