It was my first Fulham game of the season on Saturday. As a student in Sussex, I’ve found getting back to London and then affording a ticket for the games at Craven Cottage to be more of a challenge than I expected. I wasn’t successful for the derby against Chelsea – which seemed like a blessing in disguise on Monday night – but watching the Whites eventually overpower Sheffield United was very pleasing.
On my walk down Stevenage Road to get in via the Hammersmith End turnstile superstition dictates I have to use, I met a young boy who was telling his friend that Bobby Decordova-Reid was his favourite player. The lad couldn’t have been more than six but his analysis was spot on: ‘Bobby runs all game, can play in lots of positions and scores great goals’. If I had a replica shirt this year, the Jamaican’s name would adorn it. Saturday showed why.
The man who kickstarted our season with the only goal of the game at Goodison Park got his opportunity to start on the right wing instead of Harry Wilson and made his chance count. We know from watching him fill in at right back so superbly last season that Decordova-Reid will do his defensive duties, but he’s always been a forward-thinking footballer – and memorably managed 21 goals for Bristol City in the season that Slavisa Jokanovic guided Fulham back to the Premier League via the play-offs. That centre forward’s instinct almost saw him opening the scoring from the first attack, with a near post run well watched by Auston Trusty, and he popped up all over the pitch in first half that Marco Silva’s side dominated.
It felt, as though, it might be another frustrating afternoon when the Whites wasted a whole heap of scoring opportunities. That was until Decordova-Reid galloped onto a glorious pass from Andreas Pereira after a brilliant bit of link-up play from Carlos Vinicius and showed everyone how to finish. He stroked his second goal of the season past West Foderingham with such confidence and celebrated wildly right in front of me in the Hammersmith End.
Decordova-Reid has quietly crept past the 150 appearance mark for Fulham – having matched Harrison Reed’s achievement as a substitute on Monday night but his reliability should make him an automatic selection. Like another cult hero of the Cottage connoisseurs, Chris Baird, Bobby is a victim of his own versatility as he’s a terrific option in any number of positions, a manager’s dream, but often overlooked as a starter. His goal should guarantee that he keeps his place beyond the international break – but, as a peerless professional, Bobby won’t be looking beyond two crucial CONCACAF Nations’ League matches in Grenada and Haiti for the Reggae Boyz.
He might get overshadowed by the hype surrounding some of the bigger names, but our humble hero deserves plenty more recognition. I’m sure it isn’t just me and the lad from Stevenage Road who love watching Fulham’s Bobby dazzler – one of the top flight’s most unsung heroes.
Hear hear. Bobby was easily our best player against Sheffield United. Taking him off was criminal, and it’s unfair that Willian got voted MOTM ahead of him – although shouldn’t read too much into that, given most of the people who vote just look at scoresheets.
Players like Bobby Reid are Invaluable to clubs like Fulham he always gives 100% and should be one of the first names on the team sheet no matter what position he plays
I have been impressed by Bobby since his Bristol days
and was longing for FFC to sign him and as i said before he is a very good penalty taker.
The thing that I love about Bobby is that he keeps running and battling for every ball. Never frowns, never complains, always gives his all. If only all the team showed his passion and desire.