Tim Ream is delighted with Fulham’s flying start to the new Championship season – even if he feels that the Whites should have taken more of their chances against Stoke City on Saturday.
The American centre back shook off a worrying back injury against Hull City to return to the side at Craven Cottage at the weekend and admits he is enjoying Marco Silva’s free-flowing football that has seen the unbeaten Cottagers climb to the top of the table with four wins from their first five games. Ream admitted he was as culpable as any of his team-mates as the Whites only put three past Michael O’Neill’s men in their last outing, telling the club’s official website:
“I was really happy with the performance. That first half performance, we could’ve been 3-0 up at half-time. I shot myself in the foot for my own knock over the bar, Tosin deserved to score, Mika and Fabio’s shots, the amount of chances in the first half was incredible. But to come away with three goals, a clean sheet, top of the league going into the international break, the boys are all very, very happy.
The 33 year-old was delighted to keep a third clean sheet of the campaign against one of the division’s early pacesetters.
“That’s three clean sheets on the bounce now if you include the cup. Once we scored the third we looked at each other, looked around the team, and everyone said we wanted a clean sheet. The boys up front, they got their goals, and us as a back four, and Gazza, and even the team from front to back, from Mitro back, said let’s get a clean sheet, so we’re happy with it.
“It’s nice to get a clean sheet, but at the end of the day it’s all about winning games. To come out with three goals, three points, you couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Ream believes it is a happy camp at Craven Cottage – and says he has enjoyed standing in as skipper for the injured Tom Cairney.
“I’m enjoying it. I think everyone’s enjoying it, everyone’s playing with a smile on their face. The guys were saying in the changing room that it’s just fun to play, and when you can run out 3-0 winners with a smile on your face and go into the break with that type of performance, it’s just fun to be a part of.”
