Fulham boss Parker breaks down Joe Bryan free-kick tactical masterclass + why stability – not promotion – was key

Scott Parker has broken down Joe Bryan’s impudent free-kick goal which put Fulham on the way to Championship play-off final glory.

The left-back scored twice at Wembley last night as the west Londoners beat Brentford 2-1 in extra-time to seal an instant return to the Premier League.

Bryan was around 40 yards out when he deceived Bees keeper David Raya – completely wrong footed when the Whites defender went for goal instead of swinging in a free-kick.

Fulham head coach Parker said: “We did our due diligence on the keeper.

“He’s got a very aggressive starting position from wide free-kicks. We brought it up in a set-play meeting this afternoon. We spoke to Joe and Harrison Reed, who’d have been the opposite side doing what he did.

“I called Joe over because I felt when we brought Mitro [Aleksandar Mitrovic] on he was going to cross the ball – because it is one of Mitro’s biggest attributes, his heading.

“So I called him over. I didn’t want to let on to Brentford’s bench and players. I tried to bluff it a little bit and say to Joe that I want you to go for it, I want you to commit to it and I want you to really give it a go – let’s see what happens.

“Thankfully it’s gone in. He’s executed it well – he’s got an unbelievable left foot.

“We tried it when we last played them and it didn’t come off. It’s just the detail you go through and it’s decided the game tonight.

“It’s been an unbelievable tiny detail we have gone through and it’s managed to win us the game. It makes it worthwhile for all the work you do because for that little detail there were a hundred things that didn’t work tonight. Thankfully it did.”

Fulham were relegated from the Premier League in April 2019.

It was a battle against the drop from the word go. They conceded 81 goals and Parker was their third boss in a rudderless campaign as they dispensed with Slavisa Jokanovic and Claudio Ranieri, who lasted just 106 days.

Fulham were one of the favourites to go back up after investing heavily in the likes of Ivan Cavaleiro, Anthony Knockaert and Michael Hector as well as keeping Aleksandar Mitrovic and Tom Cairney.

Parker said: “I don’t think it [the club] needed the promotion. It needed stability. Managers have been in and out of this football club for some time. In the last six years there have probably been seven or eight managers – it needed some stability and clear direction.

“Like the best clubs, that is what they have got.

“I didn’t see the be-all and end-all that it was promotion this year. From the outside it was. We’ve got unbelievable owners here who are very supportive financially and the whole thing.

“What we needed was a platform to build on. We’ve played a one-off game tonight and came off winners – it could quite easily have been the other way around.

“Of course I’d have been disappointed [if Fulham had lost]. But I know we’re growing in the right way and we’re trying to implement things here which come with being successful. We’d have given it a go next year and been right up there – I’ve got no doubt.”