Marco Silva saluted his Fulham players as the Whites bounced back from two consecutive defeats by beating league leaders Liverpool at Craven Cottage this afternoon.
The Fulham head coach told his post-match press conference:
“Great three points for us, I really believe we deserve it. Our first half was a very good level in every aspect of the game. A great goal from Mac Allister, but our reaction was great. We knew in our preparations that this is a game that will be high energy, high tempo always, and our first pressure was very good; we always picked the right moments to press them and it was important to keep our block compact to stop big spaces between the lines where we know they like to exploit.
Great commitment and attitude from our players from the first minute. The shots we had from the start shows that the game wasn’t just for us to be compact, it was for us to play in our way. It was a great performance in the first half, leading the score like we were, and we knew we had 50-55 minutes still to play.
Even in the moment they scored (in the second half), the game was still under control. They had one or two good chances to score afterwards, but we also had a very good one with Harrison Reed. The three points were important for us after the last nine days, three big games, the first two we didn’t get what we wanted so today was another big game against, probably, the next champions, to bounce back. It was important for us to give something back (to the fans) for environment and atmosphere in the last two games at Craven Cottage.
We have to work very hard (to continue this performance through to the end of the season). The Premier League is very hard. We have to always be on, always take care of ourselves, and the last two months of the season we have to push really hard. The next one, we have to be well-prepared for Bournemouth as it will be a tough game.”
Just goes to show goals win games and not possession and we have to keep playing like we did today, we have been screaming out for Sess to start and once again he proved he is better than ESR and if we are to get into the euro places we need to keep playing with this passion and the same starting lineup we had today.
Definitely… Great game for us! Let’s keep the momentum going!! Nice to see Tete back, he will be a great help for the rest of the season.
All the usual moaners are strangely quiet today!!!!!
Last week a lot of you wanted to get rid of half the team and the manager. Oh what it is to be a Fulham supporter.
Sess reborn. He and Alex were terriors and Muniz was a bulldog. How many players score home and away against Liverpool.
Made VD look like a busted flush and a thug.
And what a wonderful atmosphere – the crowd were wonderful.
Sorry to disappoint you, C.B. and D.C. but here I go again!
It’s a shame that you class purely honest opinions as moaning. I call it as I see it.
This is a platform where genuine Fulham fans can voice their opinions without fear of consequence. We don’t have to agree on everything.
For example, my view of this game is contradictory to most other comments to date but I’m still entitled to speak my piece, am I not?
For this game, it was brilliant to see that everybody was fully “up” for the fight; something that has been sadly lacking in too many games of late.
We took the game to Liverpool from the start.
Unfortunately, Mac Allister’s goal set us back momentarily but Sessegnon’s clinical finish brought us back on course.
That still doesn’t hide the facts that, firstly, Robinson gave the ball away and, then, Andersen, did exactly the same, almost gifting Liverpool opportunities that could have been disastrous. Is it wrong to point these out?
Iwobi gave us the lead and it was well deserved and, more than that, it was pleasing to see him willing to have a crack and give it a go, something else that has been missing for far too long. His laughable miscue that led to the third goal, thanks to fantastic muscle and skill by Muniz, put us firmly in the driving seat.
This was, probably, our best first half performance of the season at the Cottage, definitely up there with the Newcastle and Forest games.
In the second half, Andersen and, in particular, Bassey, were immense. Andersen seemed to be on the end of every ball into the box and Bassey, with his surging runs out of defence, was a giant of fortitude.
It was backs against the wall, boys’ own stuff in that second half with everybody giving their all to maintain the lead.
But here’s where I differ from most comments: because I ask myself -why did it have to be like that?
Why, with Liverpool rampant, did the manager allow them to dominate?
Even when Slot changed things up, making substitutions just ten minutes after the restart, still, Silva did not react.
Liverpool gradually picked up momentum and were attacking in waves and came close, on a number of occasions, to grabbing a second goal but, thanks to great goalkeeping and stalwart defending, we hung on until the 72nd minute but, once Liverpool did score again, they REALLY piled on the pressure, sensing an equaliser, and, STILL, Marco Silva did nothing until, finally, he brought on… Emile Smith Rowe???
If there’s one player, judging from his performances for the club to date, that you don’t want on your side in a fight, it has to be this guy. I don’t think he even touched the ball in his 20 minutes or so cameo. If he did, I missed it. But, somehow, he managed to pick up a yellow card!
Surely, one of the other subs, Cairney for example, would have been better able to get hold of the ball and keep it?
But we managed to hold out, with Berge, single handedly, playing Liverpool in the middle of the park, Castagne throwing himself bodily at the ball. Leno handling everything that came his way and the woodwork denying Elliott, the prodigal son, for a famous victory. A brilliant, much needed three points.
Trust me, nobody was more thrilled than me.
But that doesn’t stop me questioning why our manager did nothing to stem the tide when we most needed it and why, when he did act, he chose to send on a player that was the least likely to aid the cause.
If that makes me a moaner -then so be it. But I just can’t understand the lack of decisiveness by the manager that could have actually cost us the game.
Charles you must be so much fun at parties.
Marvellous result against Liverpool, with hopefully more of the same to come in our remaining games. Thank you Charles for your comments, which as usual were thought provoking and cogently put.
An amazing response to a disappointing week. Our fans (not always the most vocal) deserve a big shout out for the atmosphere they generated – I hope this will become a regular thing. We have to realise that when large numbers of tickets are sold to outside agencies, those agencies won’t care who buys them. It causes the stewards unwanted problems of relocation and potentially violent confrontations. But I have to say that the fans who were removed near me were dealt with firmly but with the best possible humour. So, we’ll done the fans, our stewards, and Sess: where would you like your statue? COYW!!!
Football is a game of opinions and everyone sees a situation perhaps differently again echo Charles’ comments we has Fulham fans have this platform to express our own version of what happened and respect everyone’s views whether it’s moaning or not
The performance was brilliant after three good goals you knew Liverpool were going to come at you and this should have been addressed in allowing them to much of the ball but resolute defending good goalkeeping and a bit of luck gave us the three points
Great to see Kenny Tate back and playing as Castagnes minder and Anderson, Bassey,Jedi, Berge, especially the goalscorers who were all substituted by Silva and the rest all good but ESR was non existent this has to be addressed what shift did he put in? I bet Silva is pulling his hair out about is he a liability
Lastly the pundits on Sky and various other platforms were quick to point out that it was mistakes by the Liverpool defence that cost them giving Fulham not much praise at all as usual you can only beat what’s put in front of you BBCs MOTD surprisingly showed Fulhams match first I am still recovering from the shock of that, but eventually said Fulham deserved it in the end still more utter shock once again good performance let’s take this performance into the Bournemouth game COYW
I agree with Charles every Fulham fan has a right to their opinions and he called it as he saw it and I agree with all of what he said especially about ESR who does nothing and should not have been brought on.
This was a great performance from all 11 players that started. The only minor criticism
I consider the club require a new dead ball coach. No matter who takes corners or free kicks it is poor. I hate continually running players down but ESR is going from bad to worse. I felt when he came on we were playing with 10 men. Give home grown Josh King a chance, He will at worse put in more effort. For the Bournemouth match start with the same 11 players. If there was any change maybe Tete for Castagne
Charles is entitled to his voice. Yes it was an amazing result and nothing but smiles but there is fun for us supporters in always looking to what can be improved.
I for one was sitting in my seat totally bemused as why no subs were made until they were. We needed an outlet through Traore way before he came on in my view.
So yes to some maybe a moan on an amazing day is frustrating, but, so is the constant implied obligation to only be positive and support when things are obviously wrong eg ESR.