Fulham’s feeble run of five games without a win ended after a peerless away performance pushed Everton closer to the relegation zone on Marco Silva’s first return to Goodison Park since being sacked by the Toffees. The Portuguese head coach betrayed no emotion from the directors’ box as he stoically served the second of his two-match touchline suspension with his revitalised side doing all their talking on the pitch. The Whites, whose fluent football proved far too strong for their strangely subdued hosts, recorded a club-record sixth top flight away win of the season with almost effortless else.
Silva’s tactical switch, which saw Dan James play through the middle as a false nine in place of Carlos Vinicius, utterly discomforted Michael Keane and Ben Godfrey whilst the wily Willian and former Liverpool winger Harry Wilson threatened on either flank and Harrison Reed ran the game from the centre of the park. Willian was twice denied by Jordan Pickford in the early stages and, although Demarai Gray did test Bernd Leno, Fulham proved more purposeful with the ball and controlled proceedings comfortably.
The Cottagers took the lead midway through the first half. Welsh international Wilson waltzed inside Vitalii Mykolenko and bent an effort against the base of the post. James bravely stabbed the ball back into the danger area and Reed rattled in a measured finish from the rebound. A pensive Sean Dyche swiftly abandoned his 4-4-2 to ape Fulham’s system and the hosts had an equaliser within three minutes. The visitors were architects of their own downfall with Joao Palhinha punished for losing the ball deep in his own half. James Garner found Dwight McNeil with a low pass and the former Burnley winger drove an unerring finish past Leno.
The Goodison faithful responded to that leveller with a burst of noise and the hosts could very easily have gone in ahead at half time. Former Brentford striker Neal Maupay worked a nice one-two with Dwight McNeil only to shoot straight at Leno. Ream nipped to prevent anybody from poking in the rebound. Dyche felt sufficiently emboldened to send his charges out a couple of minutes early after half-time and the hosts’ football picked up with McNeil almost catching up on Leno at his post, but it was Fulham who took the lead.
Kenny Tete surged towards the byline as a rapid Fulham break took shape. The Dutchman’s deep cross was teed up at the back stick by Willian, who prodded the ball back across goal and Wilson lashed home to register his first league goal of the campaign. Confidence surged through the Londoners with more opportunities arriving in quick succession as the home defence parted with alarming regularity. Pickford did well to keep out another Willian drive and Palhinha and Pereira had powerful shots blocked.
James put the game beyond Everton when he raced onto a raking on a lofted ball from Tete. The Weslsh international cut in from the flank and drilled a low finish past a despairing Pickford to established a two-goal cushion. He could easily have afforded another in quick succession whilst substitute Sasa Lukic and then James stabbed across the face goal when clean through.
EVERTON (4-4-2): Pickford, Godfrey (Patterson 58), Keane, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Iwobi, Garner, Gueye (Davies 69′), McNeil; Gray, Maupay (Simms 74′). Subs (not used): Holgate, Mina, Begovic, Davies, Coady, Simms, Mills, Samuels-Smith.
BOOKED: Gueye, Gray, Mykolenko.
GOAL: McNeil (38)
FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Leno; Tete, A. Robinson, Adarabioyo, Ream; Reed (Lukic 85), Palhinha; Wilson, Pereira (Cairney 79), Willian (Decordova-Reid 79); James (Vincius 90)> Subs (not used): Rodak, Duffy, Diop.
BOOKED: Adarabioyo, Leno.
GOALS: Reed (22), Wilson (51), James (68).
REFEREE: Anthony Taylor (Greater Manchester)
ATTENDANCE:
Silva masterstroke. Vinicius can neverhold the line like Mitrovic. Lady luck helped on our way too, but what is undebateable is that Leno and Willian remain the standout performers in our ever win, time after time.
So it looks like there is a Plan B after all! Yesterday proved that you need a forward with some attributes to trouble defenders. Mitro has his strength and power, James used his pace to run down the sides of the centre backs into space. Both are better options than Vinicius who doesn’t have any strengths. He is below average for pace, strength, hold up play, dribbling, finishing etc. You don’t need to excel at everything but you do need at least one attribute which you and the team can use.
To be fair some of us have been calling for this change for a few games now. I’m glad Silva’s patience with Vinicius finally broke…but I’m not sure I’d call it a master stroke. It should have happened a couple of games ago or at least been a change up option during games when things clearly weren’t working eg half time v West Ham.
But we’re there now. Hopefully when Mitro comes back we will of course go back to Plan A but every team needs a Plan B. COYW
And good to have Taylor reffing.
I have been saying for weeks that Vinicius and hard as he tries is not up to Premierships standard. We tried something else at last and it works, Great to see Wilson score, hopefully he can now rediscover last seasons form. Both Leno and Willian had excellent fames. Was Soloman injured as he was not on the bench. It is time to give Pereira a rest and play Carney from the start for a couple of matches