Jean Tigana had to face more questions about his future after European contenders Blackburn Rovers took full advantage of the disarray in the Fulham boardroom to ease to a 4-0 win at Loftus Road this evening.
Turkish international Hakan Sukur bagged a brace after the brilliant David Dunn had opened the scoring and half the Fulham faithful had left by the time Damien Duff added a third before Sukur scored his second goal in English football a minute later. The abject performance sparked questions about whether Fulham’s players were still motivated to play for Tigana, who will part company with the club he guided back to England’s top flight two years ago when his contract expires at the end of this campaign. The watching Gianluca Vialli, installed as the bookmakers’ favourite to take over, could not have been impressed with what he saw.
A scrappy first half an hour contained virtually no quality until Steed Malbranque lifted the tedium with a shot that tested Brad Friedel after nice link up play between Jon Harley and Steve Marlet. Encouraged by that opening, Malbranque carried the attack to Blackburn, easily beating Vratislav Gresko in a run that took him down the right flank but the Frenchman shot disappointing over after cutting inside.
Turkish veteran Tugay, booed by those who remembered his antics in England’s recent win in Istanbul, began to become more influential for the visitors but Blackburn hadn’t put together a move of any real promise until Lee Clark was penalised for handling Garry Flitcroft’s cross. The impressive Dunn made no mistake with the penalty, which was converted seconds after Martin Djetou had deflected a drive from Andy Cole onto the crossbar.
Blackburn took a two-goal cushion into the interval with him when Sukur punished some poor defending from Steve Finnan to tuck his first Premiership goal beyond a helpless Maik Taylor. Graeme Souness’ side were now completely rampant and made sure of the points eight minutes into the second period. Former Fulham forward Cole did brilliantly to hold the ball up and sent Duff clear down the left with the Irish international powering a precise finish past Taylor. Sukur added his second of the evening just a minute later – guiding home from Flitcroft’s cross as Fulham’s dozing defenders just stood and watched.
It was something of a surprise that Blackburn didn’t add further goals in the time that remained – but the outlook looks bleak for both Tigana and Fulham on this woeful evidence.
FULHAM (4-4-2): Taylor, Finnan, Harley, Goma, Knight; Djetou, Clark (Legwinski 61), Malbranque, Boa Morte; Saha, Marlet (Hammond 61). Subs (not used): Herrera, Melville, Sava.
BLACKBURN ROVERS (4-4-2): Friedel; Neill (Taylor 55), Short, Berg, Gresko; Tugay (Gillespie 69; Grabbi 90), Flitcroft, Dunn, Duff; Sukur, Cole. Subs (not used): Kelly, Yorke.
BOOKED: Neill, Short.
GOALS: Dunn (pen 37), Sukur (42, 54), Duff (53).
REFEREE: Graham Poll (Hertfordshire).
ATTENDANCE: 14,017.
