Frustration for Fulham

McInally: watched Fulham fall apart

Fulham will feel a little bit aggrieved that they didn't get something out of the game but you cannot, cannot defend the way they did.

Alan McInally
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Fulham 1-2 West Ham
Soccer Saturday analysis

Alan McInally says Fulham will rue a few minutes of madness before the break as they lost 2-1 at home to West Ham.

The Cottagers were the better side for much of the first half but were stunned by two goals in three minutes as Carlton Cole and Matthew Etherington gave West Ham a 2-0 advantage against the run of play.

Fulham striker Andrew Johnson was then sent off seconds before the half-time whistle for a second-bookable offence and McInally felt they were always facing an uphill battle from that moment on.

Danny Murphy's second-half penalty gave Fulham hope, but Gianfranco Zola's side held on and McInally feels Roy Hodgson will be extremely frustrated with the result.

McInally told Soccer Saturday: "In the first half Fulham could have been 2-0 up, then Johnson got booked, Konchesky got booked and Murphy got booked and I thought there was going to be a red card because there was a little bit of tension between them.

"Certainly Fulham had the better chances, then lo and behold Carlton Cole scored.

"The second half was almost upon us and a long ball from Mark Noble put Etherington in and he got in front of Mark Schwarzer to make it 2-0 from absolutely nowhere.

"Fulham were shell-shocked and right on the half-time whistle Lucas Neill tried to clear the ball and Andy Johnson comes in, as we've seen 100 times, looking to block it. He just catches Neill as his foot goes forwards and the referee decides it's a second yellow card.

"From then on it's an uphill struggle, but to be absolutely fair to Fulham they were better with 10 men in the second half."

Lapses

Even with 10 men, McInally felt Fulham were the better side with Jimmy Bullard impressing in the middle of the park in front of England manager Fabio Capello who was watching on from the stands.

But for all their good football, McInally feels Fulham must improve on their defensive lapses.

"If they'd sneaked an equaliser in the second half you'd have said they deserved it because West Ham were nowhere near as good," he continued.

"There were no particular signs of the expansive football Zola wants to play. Scott Parker was good, Mark Noble was good and Etherington gives them good width down the left-hand side.

"He'll probably be quite happy with how Carlton Cole played today. He's a good target man, he didn't give the ball away an awful lot but in terms of being absolutely outstanding, possibly not.

"It's the old scenario. It's quite difficult playing against 10 men, Fulham are aggrieved that Johnson was sent off in the first place and they've come into the game with so much more to play for.

"Jimmy Bullard did himself no harm whatsoever with Capello being in the stands, except for his free kicks. He had two from the right, two from almost the centre and one from the left and only once managed to get it past the wall for a good save by Robert Green.

"Fulham will feel a little bit aggrieved that they didn't get something out of the game but you cannot, cannot defend the way they did.

"They'll maybe think they gifted West Ham two goals and West Ham fell over the line in the second half as Fulham pushed and pushed to try to get that equaliser."