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Match Report: Johnson's fifth straight win at Craven Cottage may be the best


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Bristol City's winning streak at Fulham is already the thing of legends, and this time round Lee Johnson’s men set out to eclipse prior performances with a comprehensive takedown of one of the promotion favourites, battling for every loose ball, closing down every angle and delivering easily the hardest fought away win of the lot at Craven Cottage.

It is little over a week since City were humiliated away at another ex Premiership team in West Brom, but this time City played their best side rather than their most defensive pack, a decision that would provide decisive as the visitors easily matched their opponents all over the pitch and for 90 minutes showed the energy needed to win big games.

Since taking over Johnson had already won 2-1, 2-1, 4-0, and 2-0 in the upper class trappings of West London, but this was easily his toughest assignment against the relegated Premiership side currently well placed in third, stacked with talent and playing free flowing football, instead City went to work and rode their luck, roared on by 2000 fans.

With a boisterous sold out away corner in the traditionally quiet riverside venue - reduced in capacity while their main stand is redeveloped alongside the Thames - City this time elected to play their best side in the 4-4-2 that destroyed Huddersfield last Saturday, rather than setup to counter their high flying opponents, as Johnson so often does.

It was decisive as Ashley Williams won everything at the back, deep central midfielders Han-Noah Massengo and Adam Nagy ran the game, and City looked the more effective side on the break as Famara Diedhiou battered the Londoners and full back Tommy Rowe and Josh Brownhill newly installed on the right combined with Niclas Eliasson to press.

Fulham went close first as a deep cross from former City man Joe Bryan saw Mitrovic at close range head wide, while at the other end Diedhiou was consistently finding space and smashed a shot wide after the hosts gave away possession. Inside 10 minutes and Hunt did well to clear as Josh Onomah threatened following good work by Ivan Cavaleiro.

On the quarter hour Andi Weimann ran at the Fulham side and spread the ball wide to Eliasson who delivered a characteristic deep cross which Diedhiou raced in to meet at close range, only to direct his header straight into the hands of the keeper. So far Fulham were looking well matched and City were producing more than enough chances to threaten.

So it was no surprise after 25 minutes when the visitors went in front, a spell of consistent pressure with crosses from both flanks resulted in that man Eliasson collecting following a ball over from the other flank, finding space on the left to return a cross into the Fulham box where City players were massing, in-form Brownhill powering in to head home.

City actually dominated the remainder of the half as that man Rowe - consistently pushed up - volleyed wide from outside the box, and the visitors also won a dangerous free kick for Eliasson to swing in after good work by Weimann, in front of their massed fans Nathan Baker nearly converting from yet another wicked ball in from the mercurial Swede.

Remarkably Johnson’s men emerged the better side immediately after the break too, Knockaert did go clear and force Bentley into a brilliant stop and Mitrovic was twice off target, but it was City who enjoyed the better possession, Nagy in one spell afforded plenty of time around the Fulham box to orchestrate proceedings as City probed for a second.

So it was again no surprise when the visitors could have gone two in front after the hour mark as Massengo, a complete nuisance to playmaker Tom Cairney, pushed forward and found Rowe in space on the left, with time to loop a cross into the box which Weimann was first to, but correctly adjudged offside as away supporters roared their approval.

The Austrian again did well minutes later to close down Fulham defenders as they tried to play out from the back - triggered brilliantly at all the right moments, City’s press caused problems for the London side all day - deflecting the ball into the path of Brownhill on the right who crossed dangerously with home players out of position and totally unsettled.

Cairney tested Bentley from range and off-colour Mitrovic connected poorly in the six yard box after Fulham found acres of space to cross from their right, but in fact the home side looked most threatening on the break, and after 70 another attacking spell from Rowe was wasted by a poor Diedhiou touch and the home side responded to win a corner.

Diedhiou would not be so wasteful inside the last quarter hour as he did brilliantly to hold up a clearance and shrug off challenges on halfway before racing upfield and spreading wide. The striker was exhausted and on his haunches but Brownhill’s brilliant backheel allowed Nagy to break the lines and he squared cross goal back to the striker to tap in.

A stunning goal and right in front of a sell out away section cue pandemonium - this was not the last minute Tomlin free-kick or the one sided 4-0 rampage, but arguably this was a far more convincing lead, contrived through sheer workrate and midfield dominance and against one of the most comprehensively assembled star-studded sides in the division.

Bizarrely that team of stars was so well beaten they opted to find a way back into the match by tumbling theatrically whenever there was an opportunity to win a cheap free kick, rather than hoping to threaten in open play, perhaps reflecting the brilliant game the mercurial Williams was having at the back, winning everything that came near him.

The pressure would tell though and minutes from the end substitute Kamara - famous for his historic tangle with Bailey Wright - lashed in with City under pressure after Bentley had saved well, but yet another theatrical dive seconds later from Fulham was waved away amid chaotic appeals for a penalty, the home side indisciplined and frustrated.

That tension spilled over next as Hunt was manhandled off the pitch for walking too slowly at a substitution, coaches and players swarming in for a row that on most days might’ve seemed unlikely in peaceful West London. But Fulham had lost their heads and were on track to lose the match too, City comfortable in seeing out an extended injury time.

There are few better places to watch City win and this was the fifth straight time for Johnson, contrived in front of the rubble of major redevelopment alongside the river and with a one-sided noise from nearly 2000 followers tucked in next to that building site, this was a convincing performance and the first statement win for City of this campaign.

 

Bentley 8 Some brilliant saves especially from a one-on-one, tidy with shots from long range, and a brilliant throw out too, but never really tested

Hunt 8 Tight to his man and a nuisance all day long, made it very difficult for Fulham to settle in our half, and closed down the crossing angles repeatedly

Rowe 9 Thought he had been fading recently but this was his best performance in a City shirt, up and down all day long and often our biggest threat

Baker 8 Won everything that was thrown at him, crucially in the last minutes too, making us not miss ex-Fulham man Kalas is some statement for our strength

Williams 9 It is now insane to think we signed him “off the street” (as the Americans would say), looked classy and composed dealing with absolutely everything

Massengo 9 Assigned to Cairney, arguably the best midfielder in the division, the teenager didn’t give him a single free touch, will have nightmares about Han-Noah

Nagy 8 Tidy and well positioned to retain possession, as an outlet was brilliant around the opposition box in the second half, culminating in his brilliant play for our second

Brownhill 8 Seems counter-intuitive but looks better and better a player in his role on the right, we’re highlight his best attributes, pressing and attacking the opposition box

Eliasson 8 Would have been easy for LJ to drop him to go defensive but was a nuisance all game, he pins back opponents and his crossing creates match winning opportunities

Weimann 8 So often the foil and more of the same today, his movement and press caused problems and opened up space for the likes of Brownhill and Rowe to threaten

Diedhiou 8 His goal was a tap in but the work that went in to creating the chance is why he is sometimes cruelly underrated - uncultured but puts a shift in and always a threat

 

O’Dowda, Moore and Smith were all not on for long enough to rate but would have enjoyed seeing Fulham’s tantrum first hand

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To nullify the Championship's best 'footballing' team and its top striker with incredible work rate and the self belief of Titans, demonstrates that City are on the march to the play-offs.

A great report Rob and I look forward to seeing you at Sheffield Wednesday.

Happy NagMas! (It'll catch on, trust me)

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Everyone was brilliant. Couldn't fault a single one. With this set up we are playing some very good football and the second goal was a thing of beauty. 

Thought while Fuhlam played some tidy stuff it normally ended with a hopeful cross towards Mitrovic which we delt with more often than not. Surprisingly one dimensional. And awful gamesmanship. 

Two home games coming up. Looking in a very good position.

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2 minutes ago, billywedlock said:

After 2 years of negative defensive , quite honestly crap. this was a proper step-up. I have not liked LJ because I have seen no sense of approach, play that was integrated with the recruitment policy. Basically, no identity. This game was as close to the way we played 2 years and a bit a go, when I thought we had got it . I am not even sure sure LJ planned this, he has set the team up to play such random ways over these years. Whatever, LJ sort your head out man, and lets have more of the Fulham approach. We have a squad, wage bill and resources thst is is top 6. LJ has to show more conviction to an approach, stop tinkering. Believe in something and go for it . Fulham was an awesome performance. 

Not even close.

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24 minutes ago, billywedlock said:

After 2 years of negative defensive , quite honestly crap. this was a proper step-up. I have not liked LJ because I have seen no sense of approach, play that was integrated with the recruitment policy. Basically, no identity. This game was as close to the way we played 2 years and a bit a go, when I thought we had got it . I am not even sure sure LJ planned this, he has set the team up to play such random ways over these years. Whatever, LJ sort your head out man, and lets have more of the Fulham approach. We have a squad, wage bill and resources thst is is top 6. LJ has to show more conviction to an approach, stop tinkering. Believe in something and go for it . Fulham was an awesome performance. 

The last two games have been very different in style and attitude and I reckon LJ has finally found an 11 he trusts to play to his design. 
Two of those summer signings Nagy and Massengo have made a significant difference in midfield but it’s only been recently that Nagy has been available after his injury. LJ has been ‘tinkering’ as you put it to cope with various injuries.

I think LJ has always had a plan of how he wants to play but until recently he hasn’t had the players available to implement it and now he has.

Not only we’re City excellent at Fulham yesterday they were also excellent against the Terriers scoring 5 goals for the first time this season.

Lets hope that we’ll get to see the same excellent performances on a more frequent basis...........

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1 hour ago, Shtanley said:

COD ridiculously showed Kebano onto his right foot for their goal and almost ****** it with their penalty. 

He's gone from being an exciting prospect two years ago to a player who looks a level behind. Maybe he's short on confidence (why?) or related to Tony Dinning.

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Finest team performance in many a year, right team set-up, players up for it, excellent commitment and workrate and we've one or two players who really can play. 

We deserved to win, were better on the day than Fulham, our central mids bossed them out of it and we defended with control and composure. Add in quality goals and what's not to like?

We could have done without CoD coming on as that did nearly cost us (I thought it a pen from the away end and two mates who ended up directly in front of it at the end too thought it a pen.) But they didn't deserve it. I thought the ref overall had a decent game save for the end where he should have sent off a couple of their players for continued Infringements, including the two who picked up the overacting Bloke from Knowle at the end.

Enjoyable to say the least....

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47 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

May be true but the absolute best win at Fulham is the latest. It is relevant while years past are just nostalgia.

Nostalgis is not what it used to be!

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3 hours ago, billywedlock said:

Well, it is actually. Others have got promoted with less. Stop making excuses. It is pathetic cop out. It is harder than with parachute payments, yes. But, others have done it. Of non parachute payment clubs we are there and some. Not easy, agreed, but we cannot keep suggesting we are the poor relations. Leeds are our reference for the season. We are doing well. 

I am not making excuses, you are attempting to belittle the progress we have made by claiming it’s all about money. We are spending money there is no doubt, but there are plenty of others who had/have more money, not doing as well. 
You accuse me of using a “a pathetic cop out”, well I think it’s more pathetic to suggest that anyone could the job with the money available. 
Take a look at the FFP thread if you want to see money being spent with little return, or if you want to see how many rules were bent or even broken by teams like Bournemouth, who are often used as an example of a little team doing better than us.

 

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Good to know billy has his facts wrong as well as his opinions! Blimey, that's easily the most negative 'contribution' ive ever read on this forum describing one of the best coaches in the league. 

How many games will be like Fulham? Not many of the 50 we'll  see this season so let's all hope wedlock doesnt use that as the norm, else the future posts could be suicidal 

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18 hours ago, Port Said Red said:

I am not making excuses, you are attempting to belittle the progress we have made by claiming it’s all about money. We are spending money there is no doubt, but there are plenty of others who had/have more money, not doing as well. 
You accuse me of using a “a pathetic cop out”, well I think it’s more pathetic to suggest that anyone could the job with the money available. 
Take a look at the FFP thread if you want to see money being spent with little return, or if you want to see how many rules were bent or even broken by teams like Bournemouth, who are often used as an example of a little team doing better than us.

 

image.png.feab046f7d78df5154f2b334f6905206.png

Given Reading haven't been in the Prem for ages, how does that wage bill get paid for within the rules? No way can their turnover be higher than ours. 

Have they ploughed player sales back into wages? That'll end only one way. 

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5 minutes ago, Sturny said:

A bit off topic, but that was JB's 5th league goal in 20 games. Last season he also scored 5 but in 45 games.

Makes me wonder if he'll reach 10 goals this season. Can't think off the top of my head the last time we had a midfielder score 10+ goals 

Last midfielder to do so was Scott Murray in 2005/6. Luke Wilkshire the year before too. 

Last central midfielder? No idea. 

Obviously since then we have had a central defender score 14 though. 

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1 hour ago, CotswoldRed said:

Given Reading haven't been in the Prem for ages, how does that wage bill get paid for within the rules? No way can their turnover be higher than ours. 

Have they ploughed player sales back into wages? That'll end only one way. 

It's a 3 year rolling thing and they had 4 years of parachute payments.

Parachute Payments ran until 2016/17 from 2013/14- in the prior 3 seasons they are within FFP but we don't yet know their results for 2018/19- suspect they'll breach it this season- those accounts are for I believe 2017/18.

Ours could be for 2017/18 or 2018-19- some very diligent clubs such as us and Hull have already released their accounts- most have not! May well be a mishmash of data in that list.

@Port Said Red was that chart online somewhere? Would be worth a quick look at the link and site for context.

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Apart from a great City performance, and yet another win at Fulham, I thought it was a fantastic game to watch - some really top class players on both sides and some great football by both teams.

Diedhiou so deserved the goal; I thought it was one of his best games in a City shirt - a constant threat, a physical presence they struggled with, but also some great first touches. 

Can't say more than has already been said about that Massengo Nagy partnership - brilliant. And giving JB the space he's able to use so well. 

Not sure about the pen - too far away at the time, and not seen a good angle since. But I dont think the ref did us lots of favours: he consistently allowed them to give our players a little push/nudge just as they are about to receive a pass or aerial ball. And Cairney's yellow should have been his second: an earlier blatant and deliberate foul on Massengo, which he (rightly) played advantage for, but clearly signalled to Cairney that he was in trouble, and it warranted a booking. However, play went on for a good couple of minutes without a further stop, and ended with our second goal - at which point the ref seemed to have forgotten!

Chatting to a Fulham fan on the tube afterwards, he commented on how LJ always seems to do a job on Fulham at their place, but can't repeat the tactical success in the return fixture - it will be interesting what happens in the home game. Fulham definitely have the ability to be top 6 this season. Such a shame that several of their players seem to come with so many bad habits from the Prem, surrounding refs, constant moaning etc.

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3 hours ago, Robert the bruce said:

Millwall only one defeat in six will be their usual 'awkward selves..

And Blackburn are currently 'on fire.

Can see us losing one of these.

Their matches have not been against the best sides in the league. They’ve been fortunate in their last six , Forest being the toughest match on paper .

We should have enough to turn them over .

Fulham had won four straight games before Saturday so they were ‘ on fire ‘ .We put it out for them and can do v Blackburn.

This wonderful division is capable of throwing up bizarre results  bottom beating top etc . on a regular basis so we take nothing for granted. 

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