Fulham fans have had to make their peace with waiting until the end of Match of Day for analysis of their side’s Premier League performance. But Saturday’s programme was worth waiting for. Marco Silva’s side dispatched Bournemouth with a cool composure and ruthlessness that has been lacking from their performances since Arsenal were put to the sword at Craven Cottage on New Year’s Eve – and there was some shrewd punditry from a storied Premier League striker concerning the Whites’ recent goalscoring sensation.
We wrote after the disappointment of dropping a two-goal lead and two points at Burnley that the joy of Rodrigo Muniz at breaking his top flight duck was the only point of pleasure. Silva’s handpicked striker from Brazil has been something of a curiosity down by the banks of the Thames with his first-team opportunities first limited by the reliability of Aleksandar Mitrovic and then a fruitless loan spell with Middlesbrough. The Fulham head coach referred to that period of frustration at the Riverside Stadium as ‘a wasted year’ – but the man himself is certainly making up for lost time.
Shearer’s analysis of a sensational display against the Cherries focused on the energy that Muniz brought to the Fulham forward line from the outset. He’s also been a ball of energy and a willing runner, but has lacked the quality to trouble top tier defences. Perhaps the introduction of Armando Broja from Chelsea has given him a shot in the arm but he was an absolute handful for Bournemouth on Saturday in a way that he simply wasn’t in the reverse fixture on Boxing Day. Shearer knows a thing or two about occupying defenders and he recognised a kindred spirit in the bustling Brazilian.
His finishing instincts are very much in evidence. Saturday’s brace combined anticipation and movement to great effect. He punished poor defending to pounce on a clever header from Bobby De Cordova-Reid to double Fulham’s lead before half-time but the clever peeling off his marker to find space at the far post crucially restored the home side’s two-goal advantage just after Bournemouth had been rewarded for a more adventurous start to the second half. There was creativity and desire to add to a potency in front of goal, too. Muniz was unfortunate not to win an early free kick after a rumbustious run deep into Bournemouth territory and raided down the right to set up De Cordova-Reid’s opening goal with a low cross.
Muniz certainly has the attributes to be an asset to Fulham’s attack – even if his Fulham career got off to an understandably slow start with a certain Serbian number nine around. He’s quick, eager to cover plenty of ground and clearly relishes a physical battle with certain halves. All of that will stand him in good stead in the Premier League. There was plenty of evidence on Saturday that his hold-up play and linking of Fulham’s attacks has improved – undoubtedly the consequence of much hard work on the Motspur Park training pitches.
Confidence plays a huge part in performances, especially for centre forwards. You can’t put a price on a youngster – something Muniz certainly is even at the age of 22 – grabbing three goals in two goals to put him in a positive frame of mind ahead of the visit of Aston Villa this weekend. Muniz’s obvious delight, clearly articulated in English in several interviews following the win over Bournemouth, is joy we can all share in as well.
Pretty remarkable article not to be prefaced with an acknowledgement of the author’s prior endless criticism of Muniz…a few tears and a few goals induce amnesia apparently.
Living in the moment like that robs the writer of both perspective and insight.
A couple of mediocre games and he’ll be a loser again.
Humble pie Ms. White is the diet we should be focused upon.
Cannot but agree. I was and still am eager to see Broja from the start in a home fixture, however, i noticed that the Chlesea player looks like snobbing our battles. It may be his weakness, but with his physique i expect him to bossing defenders, like Mitro used to do. If the Albanian thinks that our matches can be played easily he is mistaken. He should follow Muniz’s example, nothing replaces grit in the game.
Jeepers…Muniz was really struggling and it’s OK to say so. He was really struggling at this level. He was struggling in the Championship last year too which is why he couldn’t get in the Middlesbrough team.
If he’s turned it around then fantastic. He looks like he wants it and he works hard so good for him. I personally will be supporting him and was shouting Muniz on Saturday with a big smile on my face. Doesn’t mean he wasn’t pants before that….because he was and it was OK for Chloe to say so.
As a striker the goals are expected……. they don’t always come so it is good that he has opened his account and followed it up. For me thought the most important part was his all round play. His hold up and bring others into play was better than at any time I have seen him and that includes the tail end of his first year here in the prem when he scored 5 goals in only around a dozen matches. If he can Better / maintain that level when he could make the strikers shirt his own. Well done Rodrigo