As I left Craven Cottage after Saturday’s match, I heard one spectator remark, ‘I don’t think we’ll be relegated this season’. He meant Reading of course, not Fulham, but even so I was surprised by this downbeat verdict on a team that had just defeated the top side in the Championship.
This defeat had left Fulham supporters stunned. After the midweek victory at Birmingham, the Whites had begun the match in a confident and predatory mood. Bobby DeCordova-Reid hit the bar after clever support from Nathaniel Chalobah, then Aleksandar Mitrovic dispossessed Tom Holmes only to shoot wide. A decisive victory beckoned.
Unfortunately, the first half produced only one goal, scored by Reading’s Ovie Ejaria. John Swift found Ovie on the edge of the home penalty area and the Londoner’s curling shot was perfection.
Fulham redoubled their efforts. Mitrovic, prompted by Chalobah, again missed the target. Keeper Luke Southwood saved DeCordova-Reid’s header and Mitro had two further misses before the interval. This led to an intense second period with a succession of problems for the referee Steve Martin. He pleased neither set of supporters.
Seven minutes after the break, an exchange of passes between Ovie Ejaria and Alen Halilovic culminated in Ovie doubling his tally. It was impressive to watch but the home defence seemed slow to react. Marco Silva rightly observed: “We cannot concede in that way.”
The manager replaced DeCordova-Reid with Rodrigo Muniz and later pulled off Jean-Michael Seri, who seemed determined to earn a second yellow card. A Fulham recovery was perfectly possible – especially after the combined efforts of Tosin, Harry Wilson and Mitrovic allowed Muniz to open his account.
Five minutes remained, with a further six added by Mr Martin. Josh Onomah, who had replaced Denis Odoi, found himself in the penalty area surrounded by the opposition yet was able to control the ball and shoot on the turn. He deserved a goal – but Southwood got in the way.
Another home defeat
Another home defeat ensued three days later when Leeds visited the Cottage for a Carabao Cup tie.
As expected, Marco Silva gave his less favoured players an outing and they matched a team featuring the likes of Rodrigo Moreno Machado and Kalvin Phillips. Keeper Marek Rodak showed his usual good form and his counterpart Illan Meslier was equal to every Fulham attempt on goal, which saw the match drift to penalties.
We feared the worst because nearly all the men in white had struggled to score goals in the Premier last season. Sure, enough Josh Onomah hit the bar and Joe Bryan skied his effort – but Rodak saved superbly from Stuart Dallas and Adam Forshaw wasted his chance to put Leeds through.
As the contest proceeded, Leeds continued to hit the target but so did Alfie Mawson and Bobby DeCordova-Reid. Rodrigo Muniz had the responsibility for Fulham’s eighth penalty and his tired effort was easily saved by Meslier.
Club captain Tim Ream was quick to defend the appalled striker: “Our guy could hardly walk after Saturday and to get through 90 minutes tonight says a lot about his character.”
While Silva praised the whole team: “They showed to me something that I knew before the game that they are more than ready if I decided for them to start.”
But the opportunities will be fewer now that Fulham are out of the Carabao Cup.
Tribute to Jimmy Greaves
I can do little more than endorse the multitude of tributes to Jimmy Greaves.
A week after he made his debut for Spurs, I was one of 63, 000 people at Highbury for the North London derby. The Arsenal won 2-1 and as the crowd was leaving at the close a Gunners fan with a singularly loud voice was scoffing ‘Jimmy Greaves – a hundred thousand pounds?’
The Spurs fans took it in good part. They knew that the club’s investment was sound. Three days later, Fulham played at Highbury and the attendance dropped to half.
Danny Blanchflower, Jimmy’s new team-mate, reckoned that the striker had a near mystic ability to attract the ball. That was never more obvious than when Fulham visited White Hart Lane in April 1963.
We were leading 1-0 through Graham Leggat with 15 minutes to go. Our spectacular keeper, Tony Macedo, thought that he would have a bit of fun with a feinting move that he had seen executed by the Harlem Globetrotters. He made a throwing gesture towards Greaves and somehow lost his grip and lobbed the ball to the striker, who laughed and turned it into the net. I must admit to being exasperated – but other Fulham fans found it hilarious.
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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