Fulham Head Coach Scott Parker says his players may have to “go back to basics” as we aim to become more clinical at the top end of the pitch.
Fulham fashioned 20 attempts on goal last time out against West Ham United, but were forced to settle for a 0-0 draw.
And when asked what factors need to be considered to improve that prowess in front of goal, Parker said: “I think there’s elements of psychological, and there’s elements of technical.
“The psychological element is you often find strikers are under the most pressure. And you often find that strikers or forward players are the ones who have real dips in form because there’s that psychological element.
“For me, in my position, I need to keep a real level on it, and to be able to do that, I often find that you have to have some real basics to fall back on.
“When you’re going through a little bit of a hard time in front of goal, you need some real core fundamental basics to fall back on.
“And that’s my point to the team now, and it’s not just the forward players and the midfield players, even the defenders. Set-plays as well; we need to be more clinical, we need to chip in here with some set-play goals, which we’ve not managed to do a lot of.
“But to be able to do that, you need to strip it all back and get back to basics, and hold your game on some real core fundamentals. Me sitting here trying to help the players, I need to weigh up both [psychological and technical factors] really.
“We’re creating chances, now we need to work out where we can actually convert them.”
Sunday pits Parker and his side against Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton, and it’s clear that the Fulham boss holds his Italian counterpart in the greatest esteem.
“He’s a manager who I’ve got nothing but admiration for,” Parker said. “He’s had an incredible career, seems a real classy man, who goes about his business in a real classy and dignified way, very professional.
“I don’t know him personally but that’s the impression I get. And of course, to win what he’s won over the course of his career speaks volumes, so he’s someone I look to and admire.”