Even if it took a long time to break down the Blades, this was a lot more like it from Fulham. They had the lion’s share of the ball against Sheffield United, did plenty with it and, mercifully, the goals eventually came.
Bernd Leno: Brilliant Bernd Leno, unquestionably Fulham’s player of the season so far, had little to do this afternoon. The German – determined to make it to a home European Championships in the summer – had absolutely no chance with the calamaitous own goal that brought the Blades back into the game having been a virtual spectator up until that point. Oli McBurnie will feel he should have made more of the header from a corner that required the simplest of saves, but Marco Silva will be delighted that the goalkeeper he describes as among the top three in the divison was underemployed. 6
Timothy Castagne: Another solid display from our new Belgian arrival was only undermined by the visitors’ equaliser, although Castagne could hardly have predicted the fate that befall Issa Diop as the Frencman strode out of defence with the ball. He might have got tighter to Yasser Larouci to prevent the cross that Antonee Robinson turned into his own net, but on the flip side he dovetailed well with Bobby Decordova-Reid down the right flank and drove forward with real purpise. 6
Antonee Robinson: Robinson’s shaky stab at Larouci’s cross felt rather unneccessary even if McBurnie was waiting behind him. The danger seemed mininal and the full back’s reaction reeked of panic rather than the reassurance he had displayed for much of the afternoon. It was something of a surprise to see the American in the starting line-up at all, given that he had been excused from international duty due to a developing hernia problem, but Robinson might light of that with several promising surges down the left. One of them nearly led to an early goal for Decordova-Ried. 6
Issa Diop: Diop had an excellent game until the moment that might have tilted the match against the Whites. He was strong in the tackle, won the physical battles with McBrunie and Cameron Archer, and wasn’t afraid to come forward with the ball – as evidenced by one storming run forward in the first half. That proved his downfall, literally, in the second half when he collapsed after carrying the ball out from the back. It was instantly disastrous and could be a problem in the long run with the ‘crack in his foot’ likely to lead to a long spell down the sidelines. 7
Tim Ream: Plenty of people were calling for Ream to be dropped after the Chelsea horror-show, but the veteran centre half responded in the way he knows best with a calm performance to mark his 300th appearance for the Whites. His reading of the game is superb and Ream’s importance to Silva’s side was underlined in stoppage time when he eased the nerves of the Hammersmith End by recovering to win a vital challenge against Archer and, in the blink of the eye, set up a Fulham attack with a 60-yard ball into the path of Bobby Decordova-Reid. But the moment of the match was how he took the time to comfort a clearly disconsolate Chris Basham after the Blades’ stalwart’s terrible injury – holding his opponents hand in a gesture of sympathy as the physios and medics got to work. What a man. 7
Joao Palhinha: The Portuguese midfielder was far from his imperious best at the heart of Fulham’s midfield, but he protected the back four with his customary zest and there seemed a better balance about the engine room with Alex Iowbi alongside him. He crunched into a couple of crucial tackles, with one well-timed challenge earning an almost immediate response in the form of a centre forward’s tackle from McBurnie, but was content to give the ball to the home side’s more creative operators to great effect. 7Alex Iwobi: After a succession of superb substitute appearances, the Nigerian got his opportunity in place of Harrison Reed – and made the most of it. Iwobi added some drive, but crucially, invention and guile to a midfield that was able to break through Sheffield United’s packed engine room regularly. Iwobi feels a much more natural fit in the advanced central midfield role than Reed, with his speed of movement and thought pivotal to Fulham’s pace on the break. Could have had a deserved goal in the second half but for a deflection that took his shot into the side netting. 7
Bobby Decordova-Reid: This performance showed exactly what Bobby Decordova-Reid brings to the side. The Jamaican international is allways industrious but he influenced the game from the right flank in a way that Harry Wilson has failed to do so far this season. He could have scored as soon as the sixth minute when a clever run saw him connect with Antonee Robinson’s cross only for Auston Trusty to make a massive block. But Decordova-Reid was at the heart of Fulham’s play and showed customary coolness to roll the Whites in front early in the second half – racing onto Pereira’s pass and tucking away a fine finish. He offered protection for Castagne, but threatened on either side of Luke Thomas, who simply couldn’t stop him. 8
Willian: This was a much improved showing from the Brazilian, who has been badly off-colour for much of an undwerwhelming first few months of the season. He posed a constant threat to the Sheffield United defence, keeping Jayden Bogle occupied in his own territory for much of the afternoon, and his understanding with Robinson is still very sound. He looked a real threat throughout, surging into shooting positions with the turn of pace that still surrpises even those of us who watch him regularly, and got a deserved goal in stoppage time – even if Wes Foderingham probably shouldn’t have found that shot too hot to handle. 8
Andreas Pereira: Andreas is something of an enigma. He’d had an ineffectual afternoon as the fulcrum of Fulham’s attack, summed up by two bad misses either side of half time, before he laid on the opening goal with a peach of a pass for Decordova-Reid. Fulham should have been home and hosed by that point but Pereira blazed over when it seemed simpler to score from Willian’s cross and then shot wide having sauntered clear of the Blades defence. It was no surprise that Cairney replaced him after the equaliser – and he couldn’t complain if Silva left him out going forward. 6
Carlos Vinicius: Silva’s patience with Raul jimenez finally run out – seemingly so badly that the Mexican didn’t even get on the pitch. In his place was Carlos Vinicius, who toiled manfully without ever really looking like he was going to trouble the scorers. But he had to deal with Anel Ahmedhodzic almost constantly tugging his shirt and set up two good chances that way before spinning superbly on the halfway line to set Pereira away down the left for the opening goal. The only frustration was that he didn’t get into too many goalscoring positions, but he proved the perfect foil for others. 7
Substitutes:
Tom Cairney: We can’t quite give him the goal given that his looping shot went in off Wes Foderingham via the crossbar – and Cairney couldn’t even take the credit for engineering the crucial deflection to his own effort off his right knee, but the captain was a calming influence when a comfortable win looked like turning into another frustrating afternoon. His distribution of the ball remains brilliant and there is a feistiness to his cameos, particularly in winning back possession, that suggests he would be a fine replacement for the off-colour Andreas if that troublesome knee could cope with starting regularly in the top tier. 7
Calvin Bassey: Our big-money defensive addition has had to wait for an opportunity since his scandalous red card at the Emirates but stepped seamlessly into the back line after Diop limped off and set his stool out immediately: showing his power in several duels with the Sheffield United forwards and breaking forward with the ball. Bassey should get an opportunity to show us more after the international break. 6
Rodrigo Muniz: It was surprising to see Muniz replace Vincius rather than Raul when a goal might have done plenty for the Mexican’s diminished confidence, but the former Flamengo forward was certainly lively when he came off the bench. He could have scored with a header but his bite in the tackle proved crucial in winning back possession for Willian in stoppage time. 6
Harry Wilson: The Welsh winger has had a tough start to the season but showed his class in one moment where he was exceptionally unfortunate not to break his duck – curling a classy effort past the statesque Foderingham only for it to come back into play off the far post. 6
Harrison Reed: Reed might have been raging at being left out but he contributed to making the win more comfortable in the closing stages, popping up in the penalty area and adding some intensity in a forward-focused showing from the subsitutes bench. 6
