Strange game tonight. Seemed like an odd line up. Looked like a 4-1-3-2 with Dave Edwards playing as the defensive 1 in front of the back four with Jack Price narrow right and Sako tucked inside on the left. Any width game from the full backs. It didn't really work and Fulham had a lot of the ball in our half, without creating any real chances.
Great corner and an easy header by Batth to open the scoring early doors aside, it wasn't until Sako grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck that we came alive.
I think he was getting frustrated by playing deep and narrow, punctuated by a impetuous snapshot from 20 yards out. After that he ruled the roost. Fantastic finish after a sequence of 20 passes, which I think came from the fact there was so little movement from our players that it was our only option to knock it around until something happened. Sako happened. Great finish but Fulham gave him all the time and space in the world. They were seemingly annoyed by something for the first goal and that smack of "it's not fair" permeated throughout their defence for the rest of the first half.
His second, and our third was a proper 'smack it as hard as you can' kind of finish from a silly tight angle through the keepers legs. Emphatic.
And that was that. Job done. Second half was a total non-event. Only noteworthy occurrence was Sako asking to come off - hope it was just tiredness but he went straight down the tunnel.
Iorfa looked a bit ropey and we have no bite upfront when either Dicko or Afobe aren't on the pitch.
Stearman was superb and KMac was really running the show. Perhaps down to playing in a central 3, perhaps because Fulham were so rank.
Anyway, hardly convincing performance, but a very handsome scoreline, which can't be grumbled about at all.
