Tottenham Hotspur’s recent 1-1 draw against Fulham in the Premier League was yet another example of their inconsistent form. After their impressive 4-0 victory over Manchester City the previous weekend, a lackluster performance against Fulham left Spurs with only a point. However, the match was more about Fulham’s impressive display than Tottenham’s shortcomings. Fulham dominated large parts of the game and had several opportunities to take all three points. Their performance was particularly notable as they played without Andreas Pereira, whose absence was the result of a technical decision by manager Marco Silva, despite his recent comments about potentially moving to Marseille.
Fulham’s inability to take the lead before captain Tom Cairney’s red card in the 83rd minute could largely be attributed to Tottenham’s backup goalkeeper, Fraser Forster. Forster, who hadn’t played in a league match for 18 months and had been a point of concern due to his inability to play out from the back as effectively as the injured first-choice keeper Guglielmo Vicario, stepped up with several crucial saves. His reflexes remained sharp despite his age, and he made key saves, including a superb stop to deny Raúl Jiménez and an excellent fingertip save to divert an Alex Iwobi shot onto the crossbar. Manager Ange Postecoglou praised Forster, emphasizing his experience and great work ethic.
Fulham’s momentum was halted by Cairney’s red card, which came after a VAR review revealed he had stamped on Dejan Kulusevski’s calf. The dismissal led Fulham to switch to a five-man defense, frustrating Spurs’ offensive attempts. Despite this, Tottenham struggled throughout the match, lacking the fluidity they had shown in their win against Manchester City. Postecoglou noted the frustrations of having to manage a depleted squad, with injuries and illness limiting his options. The absence of key players like Solanke and Kulusevski and the reshuffling of Son Heung-min to a central role further disrupted Tottenham’s attacking rhythm.
