EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Ryan Browne/Shutterstock (12850285bm) Marco Silva Manager of Fulham. West Bromwich Albion v Fulham, EFL Sky Bet Championship, Football, Hawthornes, West Bromwich, UK – 15 Mar 2022

Marco Silva slammed a poor performance as his Fulham side slumped to their first away defeat in twelve games tonight at West Bromwich Albion.

The Championship leaders were well below par at the Hawthorns this evening and were indebted to goalkeeper Marek Rodak for keeping the scores level at half time. Their luck run out in the second half when an error from full back Antonee Robinson allowed Callum Robinson to grab the winner for the Baggies.

Silva was particularly damning about Fulham’s insipid first half display when he spoke to the press after the final whistle:

“It wasn’t good enough. The first half, we weren’t here. It was just our shirts which were on the pitch first half, because we were not here. I don’t want to be unfair to West Bromwich, because they did their best and they deserved to win the match. But first half we were not on the pitch.

We didn’t express ourselves, we didn’t play in our way. They did everything we were expecting, nothing new. Marek kept us in the game with some saves in the first half. Second half was a little bit different, we were more ourselves, although not with the quality that we’ve shown this season.

We reacted after the goal, we started to play, we pushed them back. Okay, they sat back a little bit as well, but we started. We didn’t have a big number of chances but we had two or three dangerous moments, a big chance for Mitro that should equalise the game. But it was not enough.”

They deserved the three points more than us, but what’s made the difference for us so far this season is the way we are reacting as a team. It’s good for us that we haven’t had a big number of bad moments, but every time when we have a bad performance or bad result, we are reacting in a fantastic way. This is what we have to do again.”