Marco Silva felt Fulham gifted Liverpool two goals during a sloppy second half as his side slipped to defeat against Liverpool yesterday afternoon.
The Fulham boss was disappointed by the way the Whites failed to match Liverpool’s intensity at the start of the second half after equalising in first half stoppage time through Timothy Castagne with mistakes from Alex Iwobi and Tosin Adarabioyo giving the title-chasing Reds an unassailable lead.
He told his post-match press conference:
“The way we conceded the two goals, the second and the third goals during the second half, was really hard for us. We have to learn from that situation, for the future, to not happen again, because after that it was more difficult for us to react. The third goal was the goal that killed the game. A moment that we should be stronger in that challenge, we were a little too soft in the challenge, and they won that challenge where our defender should be much stronger because there was a moment for us to stop that situation.”
Silva believed his side responded well to going behind to a fine free-kick from Trent Alexander-Arnold and were well in the game at half time.
“The first half was good. A balanced first half, not one team on the front foot really. We knew how they were going to start, or try to start. I think we were solid, we were in a good shape. It was not a first half of many, many chances for both sides. Of course, they scored an excellent free-kick and our reaction was really good.
I think we had some very good moments as well, some counter-attacks, some open play moments as well. Even under pressure we tried to build, and the result at half-time was fair because the reaction was good. I really think we deserved the equaliser and deserved the goal in that moment.
When you expect the same intensity at the start of the second half, the way we conceded the goal was really hard for us to take. It was a good chance for us to make a good counter-attack down our left hand side, [but] we gave the ball away and they scored with a very good strike. I agree the reaction was not so good. It was not good enough, not like the first half reaction, and it was more difficult for us to create chances to equalise.”
This game was lost before a ball was kicked. Silva’s selection of Decordova Reid to replace Willian was disastrous. I am so sick of saying that he’s not a winger (I’m not sure what he is, actually) and, by making him captain (seriously?) it was obvious that, even if he was totally anonymous -which he was -it would be almost impossible to sub him early.
By picking him, Silva completely nullified any threat from Antonee Robinson who, with no support ahead of him, went on to have an awful game, defensively and attacking wise.
With Iwobi having a nightmare game on the opposite flank, we had zero attacking outlet and it beggars belief that Silva could say he was happy with our first half.
But, even if he was, to not change things up until the 70th minute, when we were incapable of creating any threat, losing again and, two minutes later, conceded a third, was really poor game management by Silva.
Even when he made the changes, he kept Iwobi on. The guy couldn’t do a thing right-yet didn’t get subbed???
Eventually, Traore gets on the pitch and, just to add insult to injury, plays on the left flank???
Leno should have done better with Jota’s goal. Tosin showed, yet again, that he’s not as good as he thinks he is and, as far as I’m concerned, can bugger off in the summer.
Our lining up of the walls for free kicks was a total shambles. Only Muniz seemed to be listening to Leno for Harvey Elliot’s free kick and actually had to change position in the line up to give the keeper what he wanted.
For the opening goal, after Leno had lined the wall up, Pereira suddenly left his position at the end of the wall to complain about something innocuous.
So frustrating and disappointing to lose this game without a fight.
Surely Willian must have been injured? Either way I’m 100% with Charles over BDR. He is a utility squad player to cover injuries. He is not a Prem forward. He occasionally scores a goal and it keeps his light on but I’m sorry what is his strength? He’s slow, weak, can’t dribble past anyone, can’t hold the ball up. I guess his strength is he very occasionally scores. Bring him on as a sub? But captain….please no.
I hope Tosin stays. He’s been poor last few games. Maybe he has his eye on a move or not getting injured, but, on form he’s as good a centre back as we’re likely to get. Got a feeling as a free agent he’ll get a silly offer and be off.
So poor yesterday, especially with the lineup from liverpool because you would have expected us to look at the teamsheet and think “we have a good chance here”.
I like BDR, just not on the wing, maybe as a 10 just to press alongside Muniz when we need to chase the game. Harry Wilson was the one who should have been starting in Willians place.
Tosin just needs to be dropped at this stage. This has been going on a few weeks now and Diop must be given a chance. With Tosin and his contract, silva must have a feeling that he might stay as he keeps getting played….. on the other hand if any club bigger than us is looking at him, they might just thin after the last few performances that he is error prone….. which he is,
Another game where we gave them three goals by our terrible mistakes, Iwobi keeps passing to the opposition and this has to stop,Tosin also had another bad game and Leno should have saved the third goal, poor Muniz was given no service and we need to get balls to him if we expect him to score, we definitely need a winger who can put crosses into Muniz in the box, I hope we can bring a few good players in this transfer window.