After Fulham’s 3-1 weekend victory we caught up with Rufus Brevett at the end
of Saturday’s encounter with a very determined and physical Portsmouth.
The left-back, whose tough-tacking style held him in good stead during the match,
gave his assessment of the opposition’s game-plan:
“It was a hard fought match but a victory’s a victory. They came out to
battle us and didn’t give us much space to play in.”
Facing opponents who employ such spoiling tactics is becoming a growing trend
at Craven Cottage this season. However, Portsmouth held their own and reached
the half-way mark on the ascendancy as Brevett noted:
“They scored right at the end of the first-half, which is always a good time to
score, so they went in at half-time on a high but we picked ourselves up in the
second-half and got the goals that counted.”
As we have seen on more than one occasion this season, our opponents have rarely
been able to last the pace, so Portsmouth’s two dismissals could have been viewed
as the logical conclusion to their tactics.
Playing away, however, often presents Fulham with opponents of a more attacking
nature. So looking ahead to Tuesday’s rearranged match at Sheffield United,
Brevett was more than aware of the differences in play:
“Obviously, when we play away, teams are looking to please their own fans so they’ll
naturally attack us more which gives us a but more space to play in.” said Rufus.
The match at Bramall Lane has now been a long time coming and perhaps an air of
impatience could creep into the team, having already made the trip up to Sheffield
for the postponed fixture. Brevett, nonetheless, poured cold water on that suggestion:
“With our style of play at the moment, the players have become used to being patient,
there’s no difference in being patient off the field.
“That’s something that Jean and Christian have really drilled into us in training.
There’s no point in starting an attack when you know there’s nothing on.
It’s more important to keep possession and attack when the time is right rather
than give the ball away early.” explained Rufus.
Indeed, when playing away and with the pressure on the home side to take the initiative,
the patient, passing game could, in fact, help to sap the opposition’s patience.
Having beaten Grimsby 3-2 on Saturday, there no doubt that Sheffield United are
a team who knows were the goal is, and with dangerman Marcus Bent striking a rich
vein of form – the Blades will be a handful. Are there any players in particular
that Rufus feels we should be watchful of?
“Bent is obviously the first one to spring to mind, but they’re a side with good
players throughout. Santos is another good player we should look out for.
“Having said that, we’re going out to impose our game on them. They can’t
score without the ball”
This match also sees the return of former-Fulham crowd favourite Gus Uhlenbeek.
How does Brevett feel coming up against his old team-mate?
“It will be good to see Gus again. When you’ve got a player with his pace
up against you it’s never going to be easy but we intend to cause them problems
of our own.
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