It is enough to give a team a complex. Reporting for The Times on Fulham’s recent visit to Manchester City, Ian Whttell devoted just eleven words to the match:
‘The seconds ticked down on an effortless victory over struggling Fulham.’
The rest of his two columns concentrated on Pep Guardiola’s decision not to use any substitutes – wow, the players must have been exhausted.
Regardless of Mr Whittell’s dismissiveness, I was glad of the chance to watch live coverage of a Fulham match kicking off at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon.
It followed the midday encounter between Burnley and Everton, which featured superb goalkeeping from Nick Pope and Jordan Pickford. Fulham also have a redoubtable keeper in Alphonse Areola, and he certainly showed his quality against Kevin De Bruyne and his teammates.
At the other end City’s Ederson did not have a direct shot to save until the 76th minute.
Fulham had started promisingly before reverting to their ill-fated short passing strategy. This time it was Raheem Sterling who should have profited but Areola stood firm. The early passage of play was chosen by Whittell in a separate feature as his ‘jump off your sofa moment’. It served as a warning, and not even Areola could keep out Sterling’s next effort, laid on by the superb De Bruyne.
Admirably the visitors did not crumble. City only scored one more goal and that came from the spot. After Joachim Andersen’s misjudged tackle sent Sterling to the floor, De Bruyne converted the ensuing penalty.
On Match of the Day later, the BBC listed the four Premier players that had earned the most penalties. Sterling came top so perhaps Andersen should have been better prepared. (It transpired that Andy Johnson, a former Fulham favourite, just missed the top four.)
Rather late in the game, Scott Parker sent on Abou Kamara to invigorate the attack and that did lead to Ivan Carvalho testing Ederson. The match ended in a 2-0 victory for City, which I must concede was pretty effortless.
Never say gamble
Gambling has never appealed to me and I rarely win even a modest prize in a raffle. My one memorable success came in 1964. Bad weather had caused cancellations of matches in west London, so I took the long tube journey to Upton Park. As I went through the turnstiles, I received a voucher with a printed code. A few days the London Evening News announced which codes would qualify the holder to purchase an FA Cup Final ticket.
To my astonishment my number secured me a place on the Wembley terraces to watch the Hammers against Preston. It was a wonderful match, but it meant that I had to sing ‘Bubbles’ almost continuously for two hours so that no one would suspect me of disloyalty.
Last Saturday, 2,000 West Ham fans were allowed into their stadium for the visit of Manchester United. There were various constraints, one of which proscribed ‘excessive shouting and singing’. I wondered who was calculating the choruses of Bubbles.
It is splendid that a similar number of Fulhamites will be present for the visit of Liverpool.
The club organised a ballot to cover the three home matches in December and after some hesitation I decided not to participate. The Brighton game kicks off at 8pm and entry to the ground is staggered so some spectators may have to spend three hours or more in a wintry Craven Cottage.
Sixty years ago, I would have relished the experience. Now I think it would be ill advised.
With you in spirit, Whites.
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and unless specifically stated are not necessarily those of Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
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