Well, it doesn't get any better than that does it? No, really, we may as well call it a day now. Was it the absolute perfect performance? No. But, the crucial thing to me to take from tonight is the fact we actually looked like a proper bloody team for the first time in god knows how long. From the first minute we were playing as a cohesive unit, pressing from Smith all of the way back to Madl and Kalas. We dropped off a bit as the game went on, but I think that's more to do with fitness levels at this stage of the season than anything else- and even with that said I was ridiculously impressed by how fit we looked tonight. This is such an alien concept after the last few years, but tonight, we saw what a team looked like when a Manager who has a clue actually has his team. At the end of the day, that means we're already streets ahead in-terms of where we are in comparison to our first two seasons back in the Championship.
The game in many ways was the perfect introduction to Championship life for Newcastle. If any Newcastle fans are reading this, yes, the refereeing is as bad as that every week. To add to that, we scored from a set-piece for what feels like the first time in absolutely ages. It wasn't a pretty goal, but I don't want pretty goals- I want goals that win games regardless of how they come as was the case tonight. Given how scattered the Reviews were last season, I don't think I said this in a Review- but the whole second half of last season I was saying I was desperate for a scrappy 1-0 win. Just to prove we actually could do it. I had to wait until May for one last season, but we've started with one tonight. Hopefully there's many more to come.
Given all of the build up to the game, and talk of how Newcastle were going to walk the league (which they probably still will once they've gelled and got Mitrovic back) David Button didn't actually have that much to do tonight. It was far from the bombardment of Button's goal that I think most people would have been expecting, let's put it that way. He made one really good save in the second half against I believe Ritchie, and apart from that there wasn't really much else he had to do. His distribution looked a bit dodgy, especially in the 1st Half- but I'm hoping that's just a confidence thing and his first Clean Sheet with help to settle him down.
Michael Madl is one of the best defenders I've seen at Fulham. It was fitting in a way that on the day one of our other "best defenders" retired, Madl turned in a performance like that tonight. While Gayle and Perez aren't at their peak fitness-wise, Madl made them look ridiculously average for the most part tonight. I still have my doubts about the Madl and Kalas pairing once we come up against teams with more of an aerial threat (which Mitrovic would've provided) but as I said in my Preview, tonight that wasn't an issue and we got to see them do what they do best. Kalas wasn't as good as Madl tonight, but that's not exactly a criticism. They just defended absolutely immensely, as the whole team did to be honest.
How weird is it to be reading one of these reviews and the section on the defence isn't filled with discussing Dan Burn mistakes and how we conceded our 70th Penalty and 120th goal from a set-piece. It's funny to watch Centre-Backs who can actually defend after the last few years isn't it? To add to that, because we defended properly as a team- it was harder to expose any weakness in our defence that teams did way too often last season.
I don't know who "found" Denis Odoi. Whomever did, make yourself known and I shall personally give you a 6-Pack of Strawberry Ribena. When Odoi brought Perez down around the 10th minute I was worried, but he thankfully stayed on the pitch and he didn't look back after that. Odoi put in a ridiculous shift tonight, and he had Dummett's number all night long down that wing. It was of course all topped off with probably the most ridiculous bit of skill I think I've ever seen from someone in a Fulham shirt. Madl was my MOTM tonight, but Odoi was a very close second.
I was expecting a lot worse than what we got from Scott Malone tonight. I still want us to sign a Left-Back, if only on loan until Fredericks is fit and Odoi can go to Left-Back. But, I thought Malone gave a good account of himself all things considered. Odoi gave what was close to an attacking masterclass down the right, but that isn't really Malone's game. He didn't look very comfortable in possession of the ball, but defensively he did fine I felt. He got a bit busier once Ritchie went to his side, but even then I wasn't really worried by him at any point.
The obvious incident to discuss is that of the Ryan Tunnicliffe handball in the 1st Half. I'll say right now, having watched it back- it is a penalty without a shadow of a doubt. However, at the time, my first reaction when seeing it was that it wasn't. It all happened so quickly that there wasn't really time to react, and I can only assume that was the Ref's opinion because he obviously didn't give it. Aside from that incident, Tunnicliffe gave the performance we've come to expect of him. He never stopped running and pressing, and especially with the way the team's made up now it really suits his style of play.
Kevin McDonald had a really good debut tonight. I was actually surprised by Newcastle's selection in midfield, because while Newcastle don't exactly have "bad" players- the Colback and Hayden pairing in midfield looked ridiculously lightweight next to McDonald in particular. It was quite similar to when McDonald came to the Cottage with Wolves last season in that regard. We need a bit more creativity without a doubt, and really just make it so everyone isn't afraid to shoot like they seemingly were tonight. However, if we can get that level of performance from our Centre-Mids every week, we won't be looking down with the table this season.
We did look a bit toothless up-front, but even with that said- the shifts put in by Ayite and Aluko in particular in our efforts to press Newcastle can't be undersold when talking about the end result. They ran themselves into the ground tonight, and I was just surprised Ayité in particular was actually kept on for the whole 90 Minutes. To add to that, Ayité looked lively up against Janmaat and he had some great moments up against an actual international Right-Back. So that can only bode well for the future. I haven't been able to see it back yet, but the maybe penalty incident in the First-Half with Aluko I felt summed up what he offers the team in that he can be on the ball and pressuring in a flash with his pace.
Tom Cairney was our Captain tonight, and he really did play like one. I will say I'm not quite sure how Sky gave him MOTM, because while he was really good tonight- our defence was by far and a way the best part of the game for either side. With McCormack gone, Cairney's on set-pieces- and on the basis of his delivery for Smith's goal tonight- that's another positive to take from the McCormack leaving situation.
I don't think anyone's under any illusion that we need to sign at least one, ideally two Strikers in the next month. However, Matt Smith put in a really good shift tonight as limited as he is. Smith obviously got the goal, and he nearly got an assist in the second half with his knockdown to Aluko. So overall, while I want a Striker in ASAP- Smith gave me some hope and something positive to think about when talking about Smith and his contributions to the team.
The three subs made by Slavisa were all good ones I thought. With the type of game Tunnicliffe plays,and how early this game was- he couldn't last the 90 Minutes. I was expecting it to be the other way around in that Tunnicliffe would be coming on for Parker, but it obviously worked out alright because we've got those 3 Points on the board. I don't know how it came across on TV, but how the Ref and Linesman missed the most blatant pulling of a shirt to stop someone running onto a ball I think I've ever seen on Parker at around the 88th-89th Minute I have no idea.
The only thing of note from Christensen was him hitting a shot so high it'll probably land in the Olympic Cauldron midway through the Opening Ceremony. But I thought this at the time, at that stage of the game it's better to send it into orbit than give it straight to the keeper. Amazing how a win makes you put a positive spin on things isn't it? It also has to be said that Christensen's style of play fits perfectly with what we saw on show from the team tonight. In that it was a very athletic style of play, and that suits Lasse. I'd expect him to start on Tuesday against Orient where hopefully he can turn in a really good performance. Tim Ream's sub was more about wasting time than anything else, and when he did come on he didn't do anything to cost us the win- and at the end of the day that's all you can really ask for.
While Newcastle on paper are the hardest team we'll play this season, obviously now we've played them I think it's safe to say we'll have harder games. At times it seemed like Benitez had read a book over the summer titled "How To: Play in the Championship", and the book was filled with the philosophies of the (to quote Tony Xia) the failed footballer, failed manager, failed pundit Ian Holloway. They just didn't really look like they had a game-plan to me, and their only opportunities- especially in the 1st Half came from them launching balls up the pitch which didn't really suit Gayle and Perez. With all that said, while tonight's obviously great- we can't afford to get carried away. We can start to get carried away when we've gone 46 unbeaten.
Thanks for reading as always. Hopefully you enjoyed this Review as much as you did the performance on the pitch tonight. I've said this already, but I'll say it again- the Orient Review may not happen depending on travel times. But either way, keep an eye out on Tuesday where hopefully I'll be reviewing an equally positive performance and our progression into the 2nd Round of the Carling Cup where we can hopefully draw Carlisle Away. Thanks again for reading, and tonight just makes enjoying our weekend that much easier doesn't it? Which is a good thing considering Saturday's my Birthday.
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