Did we expect too much? In recent weeks, Fulham have taken on Spurs, Liverpool, Everton and Manchester City and emerged with a respectable six points. A similar ratio from the remaining nine matches could bring the club to 40 points and possible safety.
Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United lay ahead but the other opponents looked less daunting. Leeds United for example, familiar from the Championship, had for some time struggled in the metropolis. A home win on Friday evening should surely have been within Fulham's grasp.
Perhaps the 3-0 defeat by Manchester City had done more harm than we realised – not the result, but the defensive errors that led to the City's goals. In the early stages of Friday evening's match Fulham looked nervous whilst all the Leeds players seemed to have a point to prove, not just Patrick Bamford, who had been overlooked by Gareth Southgate.
In the eighth minute, slack defending allowed Luke Ayling to score with a deft header, only for VAR to show that Tyler Roberts, who delivered the inviting cross, was offside by several millimetres.
Fulham stirred, putting pressure on Illian Meslier in the Leeds goal. His one-handed save from a fierce Josh Maja drive prevented the home side from taking a morale-boosting lead. Instead the opening goal went to the visitors. A quick Leeds throw-on was forwarded by Jack Harrison to a well-placed Bamford, who gleefully added to his goal tally against Fulham.
Response
The home side's response was commendable and from one of several corners Joachim Andersen beat Ayling to the ball and turned it past Meslier. Before the interval, the keeper was further tested by Ivan Cavaleiro and Frank Anguissa. Though occasionally rash, he thrives on action, as I mentioned in an earlier blog, comparing hm with his compatriot in the Fulham goal (6 January 2021).
The first half ended 1-1 and Scott Parker chose to replace Maja with Aleks Mitrovic but the increasingly desperate search for a winning goal was leaving Fulham vulnerable in defence.
After Ademola Lookman had squandered a decent opportunity, Mario Lemina hesitated in midfield, allowing Kalvin Phillips to dispossess him. The ball was swiftly transferred to Bamford, who evaded Andersen and found Raphinha. The Brazilian outfoxed Tosin and Antonee Robinson to score. Once again Fulham had been undone by a lightning strike. Leeds had finally triumphed in London.
Not bad – despite defeat
This was not a bad performance by the home side – statistics show that they matched Leeds in most departments – but it was yet another home defeat.
Although Brighton helped a little by beating Newcastle the following evening, the Tyneside club still has a game in hand and a two-point lead going into the international break.
Alan Slough 1947-2021
Alan Slough – whose death was announced on the Monday 22 March – will always be remembered for his participation in the 1975 FA Cup run that took Fulham to Wembley.
Twenty years after the Final Alan and his comrades got back together for a 'replay' to raise funds for Fulham 2000, the supporters' organisation formed to ensure the football club's survival. Writing for Cottage Pie, the supporters' club magazine, my daughter Catherine conducted an extensive interview with Alan.
With her permission the interview is reprinted here as a tribute to Alan and will be completed in next week's blog:
Alan Slough, member of Fulham's 1975 FA Cup Final team, joined the side at Craven Cottage two years earlier, leaving Luton after eight years. Here he re-joined Alec Stock his manager at Kenilworth Road, arriving at the same time as Viv Busby.
I contacted Alan at his home in Paignton one Sunday afternoon, just before he went to take his dog for a walk, to question him about his time at Fulham and his experiences of being part of an FA Cup Final team.
He was happy to oblige and equally happy to reminisce, telling me that he had really enjoyed his time at Fulham. When he and Viv Busby arrived they were whisked away on a club tour abroad, giving them the opportunity to meet their new team mates, he told me.
'I'd come from a small club, and to see the magnificent ground at Craven Cottage and being met by Alan Mullery, who was an international star from that day on set the scene. They were all friendly lads and we were a very good side', adding that 'The first season I got there I think we got to the Anglo-Scottish Cup Final, the flowing season we got to the FA Cup Final, and the third season there I was captain of the club, so I had a very eventful and happy time all the way through. Fulham gave me very happy memories.'
I asked if Alec Stock had been a particularly important influence on Alan's career, seeing as he had been Alan's manager at both Luton and Fulham. The immediate reply was:
'Oh yes, definitely. He was an army captain and when he first joined Luton we were men who had mortgages and families and he had us marching round the ground in our tracksuits on our very first day!! We all thought "What's this?" but the discipline meant that we had to have our socks rolled up when we played, we had to wear ties, we had to behave ourselves when we were in hotels or abroad because we were representing the club. So much of that has rubbed off on me in later life. A lot of things just come naturally because it has been instilled in me.
'Though he wasn't everybody's cup of tea, for myself personally he was a great influence and I appreciated my time with him.'"
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and unless specifically stated are not necessarily those of Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
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