Last night’s win at Nottingham Forest was a sight to see. Here, Fulham were true to Marco Silva’s ideals. He might share little else with one of his illustrious predecessors, but the Portuguese coach’s philosophy is almost identical to Kevin Keegan. Silva backs his players to keep the ball and score one more than the opposition. We saw that most clearly in the local derby against Brentford earlier in the season – where the Whites continued to pour numbers forward when the percentage play was to shut up shop. Fulham lost a two-goal lead and were indebted to Aleksandar Mitrovic’s extraordinary header for retrieving the bragging rights.
But last night’s clash encapsulated Silva’s approach most clearly, particularly with Fulham under pressure after conceding a poor goal from a set play. Nobody should be allowed to win two free headers in your own box at a corner – and it was alarmingly easy for Forest to take the lead. Jared Gillett still isn’t my favourite Premier League referee after his errors at Arsenal and it seems very strange that he missed Brennan Johnson almost pulling Tim Ream’s shirt off as he crossed the halfway line in the build up. Given that the VAR went back a long way to penalise Arsenal for a foul at Old Trafford recently, one wonders why there was no check on that.
The more contentious decision was opting for a yellow for Steve Cook after he cynically chopped down Willian as the Brazilian winger bore down on the penalty area. Silva seethed on the sidelines, not just about those decisions, but more pertinently at Fulham’s failure to move the ball quickly and prise open a Forest back line that hasn’t been watertight in the early weeks of the season. His decision to deploy Tim Ream as a left back – an experiment that was an unmitigated disaster in the Kit Symons era – highlighted a reluctance to depart from the preferred 4-2-3-1 as well as serious confident in the American veteran’s ability. The sight of a 34 year-old Ream – who now leads the league in interceptions – bringing out the tricks at the corner flag deep into stoppage time will live long in the memory. Was Gregg Berhelter watching?
Silva certainly was. His faith in his selections meant there were no substitutions at half time, despite Fulham dominating the ball and still being behind. The head coach rationalised that if his side kept probing and moved the ball quicker, the opportunities would come. He was proved right in dramatic fashion – with three strikes in six minutes making the Whites comparable to London buses, or an Avanti West Coast train if you prefer a more modern analogy. The crucial role that Willian, a signing that I expressed some scepticism about, played in at least two of the goals underlined what the former Arsenal and Chelsea wide man can offer – even at 34 years old.
The first goal was all about Willian’s wicked delivery. His inch-perfect ball for Tosin Adarabioyo to attack at the back post suggests that Andreas Pereira shouldn’t have a monopoly on Fulham’s corners. The other elements of Fulham’s success from dead balls were all in evidence: Aleksandar Mitrovic, whose influence on proceedings shouldn’t be diluted by the fact that Serbian didn’t appear on the scoresheet, delivering the perfect block on Ryan Yates to give Adarabioyo ample time to head home his first Premier League goal.
You could the fragility in Forest after that concession. They collapsed alarmingly here recently against Bournemouth, but nothing quite as dramatically as what followed. Joao Palhinha’s superb strike will hog the headlines but Fulham patiently worked the ball into a promising area and the wonderfully weighted cut back from Kenny Tete, allowed the Portuguese to opt for a sidefoot over pure power. His passion, which inadvertently robs Fulham of his services on the other side of the international break, makes him an instant crowd favourite – but Palhinha’s goal threat is valuable, allied to all of his diligent defensive work.
The clinching third goal was a work of art. Few of the pundits have picked up on the sumptuous pass from Mitrovic that set Bobby Decordova-Reid scampering along the right flank, but it was threaded through with the sort of nonchalance that might have reminded older fans of Johnny Haynes – and there can be no higher compliment for a Fulham player. Decordova-Reid did brilliantly to get his head up on the byline and find Reed lurking at the far post and the ginger from Worthing finally broke his duck with a delicious finish. Of course, Forest scored to add anxiety to the final quarter of an hour, but this Fulham side are built different to their fragile forebears.
If we need empirical evidence, consider the fact that this is Fulham’s second best start to a Premier League season. Only the Chris Coleman side that started off like a train in 2003/04, collecting fourteen points from seven games, has done better. They were powered by the predatory instincts of Louis Saha, who left for Manchester United in January. The parallels with that team – also heavily tipped for the drop – are strong. The travelling contingent sung about going a European tour after the final whistle, but Silva wisely will look to temper expectations within the playing squad. All that remains to say is that the Whites look in safer hands with the Portuguese than at any point in the recent history. Luke Harris’s contract was a lovely Friday fillip, but the man most deserving of a new deal is the one in the dugout.
We finally have bit of squad depth now, I thought Diop was solid and will only get better , the fact we still have Wilson, Soloman & Kurzawa to come into this already talented squad will only aid us further – yes Europe is a little far fetched but I think we will be safe this season , we will always be in games at the cottage and will cause shocks but the way we set up and when all are fully fit we have pace to burn means we will frustrate teams on the road and pick up results .
Fantastic news tying LH down a long term deal, great for the player and club. He looks a great prospect, already in the 1st team, the game is getting younger by the day… COYWs
Thanks Dan, a brilliant summary of a great game.
Well said Dan. Marco is different class. I know managers sometimes get lucky or unlucky with transfers, form and what they can get out of players. But, Marco has got too much more out of too many for it to be anything other than top coaching.
The way he conducts himself and manages the squad is the most impressive. He gives you a chance, if you prove yourself he let’s you keep your shot. If you’re surplus you’re gone. But always the team and attitude comes first. On top of all of that he attacks teams. He doesn’t play negative and hope to frustrate or nick games he has a go and that builds confidence in the players. What a contrast to what we had before. Let’s not get carried away with our definition of success though. Staying up and having the chance to build from a solid base is more than enough this season. COYW
Best Fulham Team for years. Best attitude within the team for years, Best manager for years. Come on you Whites
Thanks, Dan.
Superb to see the three goals scored yesterssy and the general faster pace of passing throughout the game; plus individusls with confidence in their game and intuitive awareness of where a team-mate will be.
Good points made in comments above. Wish to underline that down times will come and survival is key. Marco will not need the fan base on his back. He will feel the pressure without our help! He will need to be reassured that the belief in him has not wavered.
COYW
Our fight is to stay up and we have to be with the team and with Marco and the staff all the way!!! Everything we get more is a bonus!!!
When the dark times will come, and unfortunately they will come, we can be the one’s to make the difference by supporting the team!!!
COYW