After Sheffield Wednesday snatched a last minute goal in a game that looked set to see Fulham return to winning ways, we caught up with goalscorer Barry Hayles as he offered his opinion on the match.
“I thought we played very well in the first 25 minutes, then we took our foot off the pedal and they got the goal right on half-time” said Hayles
“The gaffer was not too pleased and told us to do the things that we should have been doing - which we did. We turned it round, but then took our foot back off the pedal again”
Further analysing Saturday’s game Hayles pointed out what he felt contributed to the result:
“We’ve just got to get the ball forward a bit quicker, I don’t mean long balls, but missing out players like Sean Davis in the middle of the park. As soon as Sean got the ball on Saturday three players attacked him, if we missed him out we’d have got space behind those three players. I think the players know that and I think the management know that – we’ve just got to keep passing it but maybe pass it a bit longer.
He added:
“It’s all right keeping the ball at the back when there isn’t any pressure on us but we’re a side that creates chances, unless we get the ball forward, we won’t be creating any chances. Teams don’t mind us keeping the ball at the back, we’ve got to get the ball in their half of the pitch and then play in their half.”
Looking ahead to Saturday’s match against Huddersfield, Hayles acknowledged that there are no easy games in this division, regardless of league position.
“It will be a very tough game, people will look at the table and see that they’re at the bottom and we’re at the top and think that we should go out there and batter them; but I’m sure they’re going to come and put 11 men behind the ball. We’re going to have a job of breaking them down, hopefully we can do that.”