Nottingham Forest 3-1 Fulham
Sheffield United 3-3 Fulham
For the past few seasons Fulham’s performances have declined when April arrives.
In the Covid-hit 20/21 season the team collected just one point from three matches. Marco Silva’s all-conquering Championship squad lost to Coventry, Derby County and Nottingham Forest in April 2022.
Last year it was Bournemouth, West Ham, Aston Villa and Manchester City who nabbed the points, though the Whites did win at Everton.
Perhaps Silva was whistling in the wind when he remarked before Tuesday evening’s trip to Nottingham: ‘I have shared to the players that now we are in the best moment of the last two years.’
He had made just two changes from the previous Saturday, with the inclusion of Kenny Tete and Harry Wilson. Not for the first time Fulham looked unprepared for a lively opposition.
Bernd Leno was beaten twice in the opening twenty minutes. First Morgan Gibbs-White’s Cruyff turn created an opportunity that Calum Hobson-Odoi neatly finished then. Then worse still, Chris Wood was allowed to pick his spot from 25 yards.
With just over half an hour gone, a furious Marco Silva hauled off Wilson, Alex Iwobi and Sasa Lukic, making a statement that must have humiliated the three players.
Initially the introduction of Willian, Tom Cairney and Adama Traore looked effective. The Whites showed more purpose, but just before the interval Gibbs-White completed a slick one-two with Danilo.
Visiting fans prayed for a second-half fight-back, and Tosin Adarabioyo obliged with a headed goal from a corner.
Thereafter Fulham dominated possession and occasionally came close, but keeper Matz Sels had an easy night. Not one of Rodrigo Muniz’s efforts was on target. The April curse had struck again.
Six goal thriller against Sheffield United
Many years ago, the BBC cameras covering a match at the Cottage spotted the spectators on the riverside turning their backs on the game. This was neither a protest nor a Poznan celebration. The terraces offered a great view of the Boat Race.
What a pity that the Whites had no home fixture last Saturday afternoon. The women’s race could have provided entertainment before the match, the men’s at half-time.
Instead, the Whites had to travel to Sheffield United to play a team desperate for points.
The first half at Bramall Lane was notable mainly for the number of fouls, though Muniz did draw an impressive save from Ivo Grbic, who pushed the ball against the post.
The striker was similarly thwarted after the interval when his header rebounded off the woodwork into the keeper’s hands.
It took an hour to produce a goal. Tosin and Leno fudged their attempt to play from the back, allowing Oli McBurnie to set up Ben Brereton Diaz for the opener. Four minutes later Willian’s cross was diverted for a corner, from which an unmarked Joao Palhinha headed the equaliser. He did not even have to jump.
United retaliated with spirit. A quick free kick led to McBurnie regaining the lead and Gustav Hamer enabled Brereton Diaz to double his total. In the 83rd minute McBurnie scrambled home a fourth United goal.
At 4-1 down against the team bottom at the foot of the Premier, the Londoners were in serious need of assistance. And they received it, first from VAR, who advised Tim Robinson to disallow the fourth goal, and then from Muniz and the Fulham substitutes.
Tom Cairney’s inspired pass allowed Bobby DeCordova-Reid to score from outside the penalty area, then in added time Adama Traore teed Muniz up for his party piece, the bicycle kick. BBC’s Guy Mowbray described it as ‘a world class finish’.
Overall though the club cannot be satisfied with a single point from two clubs facing relegation.
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and unless specifically stated are not necessarily those of Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
