Cardiff are laughing after yet another Fulham farce
ALL that was missing at the Cardiff City Stadium was the Benny Hill theme music. Once again, the art of defending was lost on Slavisa Jokanovic’s Fulham.
Cardiff had scored only four times all season. In a single afternoon here they doubled their tally, with Fulham demonstrating why they have e the worst defensive record in n the Premier League.
They were the architects of their own downfall in Wales, with their panicking players conceding four goals that could have been prevented.
It handed Neil Warnock’s Cardiff their first win of the season. A confidence booster r and surely proof that they will ill not challenge Derby County’s worst-ever 11-point tally from 2007-08.
Yesterday started so well for Jokanovic, too. Fulham took the lead with Andre Schurrle scoring a screamer from 35 yards out, before Cardiff answered with two goals. Ryan Sessegnon then became the first player born in or after the year 2000 to score in the Premier League, but Callum Paterson and Kadeem Harris completed the scoreline.
Jokanovic confessed: ‘We are conceding such easy goals. We
make mistake mistakes. We are slicing. We miss the ball. We need to be more solid. These negative things kill us.’
Moments later, Warnock walked into the press room and spied himself on a television screen being interviewed on Sky Sports.
‘He looks happy, doesn’t he?’ said Warnock.
Indeed he was. ‘At half time at 2-2, we said this is it, this is our season, 45 minutes,’ added the Cardiff manager. ‘We’ve waited a long time. It’s been a long season with no results.’
Warnock’s side started the game on top, so Fulham taking the lead out of the blue hit them like a sledgehammer as Schurrle let rip from long range and found the top-right corner.
Cardiff drew level after 15 minutes when Josh Murphy received possession as Calum Chambers vacated the left wing channel. The forward drove into the box and made it 1-1.
Chambers was fortunate to stay on the pitch when he dragged down last-man Murphy. Cardiff were furious, demanding a red card. Referee Kevin Friend decided a yellow sufficed.
After 20 minutes, it was 2-1 to Cardiff after they made a mess of their own set-piece but benefited from a melee on the edge of Fulham’s box.
Eventually, Bobby Reid broke through and tucked the ball underneath Marcus Bettinelli.
The score became 2-2 after 33 minutes when Aleksandar Mitrovic delivered a through-ball for Sessegnon to score his first Premier League goal — momentous for the 18-year-old.
The first half had been a nightmare for Arsenal loanee Chambers. As a result, Jokanovic hauled him off and introduced Alfie Mawson.
In the 65th minute, a cross led to confusion in the Fulham box. Tim Ream failed to clear, as did Kevin McDonald. Paterson pounced on the ball before Mawson to score.
The game was soon killed off when Ream slipped, sparking a Cardiff attack.
After several shots and attempted crosses, Harris found a finish for 4-2.
So the spoils went to Cardiff, who scored four goals in a topflight game for the first time since September 1961.
As for Fulham, they spent £105million in the summer to accommodate their lavish style of play but Jokanovic must have departed Wales wondering whether it is time to go back to basics.