Jack and Loz Not at the Cottage - Blog 166

Date: 14th February 2021

Opposition: Everton

Score: 0-2

Fulham goal scorer: Josh Maja 2

MOTM (goal scoring): Josh Maja. Unbelievable

MOTM (almost goal scoring): Harrison Reed. Unplayable

Dinner: Loz - salmon stir fry and Cav(aleiro) Sav; Jack - paella and Sauvignon Blanc

It is appropriate to fall back in love on Valentine’s Day. Our affections for Fulham weren’t exactly waning; it was more that we were trying to protect ourselves from heartbreak. But recent games have felt like a broken record - Fulham play well but lose or draw - but then we went to Goodson Park and broke a record.

Before Sunday, our winless run at Everton was the longest ever losing away streak against a single club in England. To go to such a barren hunting ground, to play a resurgent Everton team, desperately needing 3 points sounded like a recipe for disappointment, another blog about what might have been, another episode in our long goodbye to the Premier League.

But Scott Parker, undermined and under pressure, doesn’t know when he’s beaten. Yes, it was a good time to play Everton - missing their star man and tired from their cup exploits - but they are top 6 club with an excellent manager and world class players. And Fulham made them look clueless.

This was an achingly good team performance, almost flawless from everyone. And it wasn’t just the skills, or the pace, or the link up play, or the possession, or the interceptions, or the energy, or the chances created, or the shots taken, or the calmness of the defence, or the cleverness of the midfield, or the trickery of the attack. It was the teamwork, the commitment, the confidence, the spirit, the sheer self-belief of a team which refuses to give up.

It felt like it might have been another unsuccessful transfer window. With Josh King choosing Everton after a day-long battle for his signature, Fulham were left with a second choice Josh - returning academy graduate and new loanee Josh Maja. We were suitably impressed with his cameo against West Ham and interested to see what he could do leading the line from the start. The truth was quickly revealed - this is no second class Josh; this is our missing link - fast and strong and with a finishing ability we haven’t seen for a while. He knows where the goal is and he’s in the right place at the right time to find the back of the net. In the War of the Joshes, Fulham have won.

And in this sublime team performance, one man still managed to stand out. Harrison Reed was involved in literally every move of the match. If there is a world record for interceptions he beat it. If finding space on a football pitch was an Olympic event he would win it. When we occasionally lost the ball (to a top 6 side with one of the best managers in the country) a few seconds later Harrison Reed would pop up somewhere on the pitch having won it back. He attacked, he defended, he shot, he did bicycle kicks, he ran the game from start to finish.

The bronze medal in a very tight MOTM competition goes to the tireless Ola Aina who looked like he’d been playing left back all season and with Josh Maja all his life. His cross for the first goal was brilliant and he and Maja almost repeated the trick a few minutes later. On the other wing, Kenny Tete was almost as good, containing the lively Dinge and firing balls into the box pretty much simultaneously.

Bobby Reid was superb, especially in the first half when he was acting as playmaker, Lookman was as lively as ever and whilst Ruby was no weak link he was more powerful than accurate. Because Harrison Reed was so prominent it fell to Lemina to do the unglamorous sweeping up but he was very effective. In combination with Andersen and Tosin, Mario made sure Everton were reduced to shooting from outside the box and even then, not very often.

The first half was ridiculously one sided - Everton were pegged right back, dazed and confused by the movement of the forwards and hardly able to get out of their own half. Once again, we were toying with a first class side but once again, we were our own worst enemies in front of goal.

Maybe Josh Maja had an extra orange segment at half time, maybe Scott Parker said something which particularly resonated but the second half performance was even better than the first and by midway through the half Everton were just trying to save their goal difference.

But winning is hard when you’re not used to it. 2-0 up and 20 minutes to play felt unsettling and dangerous. Could we see the game out? Once Josh had been taken off our goal threat diminished and although Frank was a steadying presence the team still looked nervy as the clock ran down.

In the end though, we didn’t need to worry. Joa and co had it covered and we have come away with a clean sheet as well as a win and the broken record. This was a victory for perseverance - and that made it all the more richly deserved.

After months of being the nearly men, Fulham finally look like the whole package. This is the starting 11 we want to see for the rest of the season (give or take Frank). Scott has stuck with his tactics and we have stuck with him. Now he needs to stick with a line up that works.

Random musings:-

- the black socks looked good

- disappointingly, Carlo Ancelotti didn’t drink a cup of tea during the game

- the ref had a good match

- we didn’t mention Areola in the match report because he had hardly anything to do.

- what was on Scott’s billet doux to Bobby, delivered by Go Between Frank?

- did anyone else notice the pot plant on the side of the pitch?

Even though 7 loan players started the match this was no Mercenary FC - this was a team playing for their manager and, in some cases, for a permanent place at the Club. This is a team to be proud of.

This was only the first game in a big week and the other two certainly won’t be easy. There is a glimmer of hope but we shouldn’t get carried away. But watching the goal celebrations and listening to the post match interviews one thing is clear - the players think they can survive, so we need to start thinking it too.

Fulham are a hard team to love, but by God they’re worth it.