Nick Szczepanik's press verdict: Fulham

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Writers agree that Albion were unlucky not to win at Craven Cottage.

Nick Szczepanik

2020-12-17T08:50:00Z

Aleksandar Mitrovic and Ben White are all smiles at full-time.

Sometimes the key incident or the main narrative of a match is so obvious that almost every reporter focuses on it – a winning goal, a red card, a great save or a man-of-the-match performance.

Deciding what line to take is less straightforward after a goalless draw and there was no strong consensus among the national daily papers covering the stalemate at Craven Cottage, although several decided that the story was the difference in atmosphere at the famous old ground by the Thames between last night and Sunday’s visit of champions Liverpool.

Typical of these was Molly Hudson’s report in The Times. “Three days previously the charged atmosphere created by 2,000 fans inside Craven Cottage had inspired Fulham to hold Liverpool to a 1-1 draw.

“This game, between two sides in a relegation battle, lacked fans and any extra impetus they might have provided, but the point earned was no less important, lifting the home side out of the relegation zone.

“Fulham have a new-found defensive resilience under Scott Parker, albeit they were helped by the crossbar and VAR, which prevented Brighton and Hove Albion taking the lead in the second half. ‘I’m really pleased with the second half, for the first 15 or 20 minutes we came under real siege from Brighton, with pressure coming from set plays,’ Parker said. ‘They’re very dominant in those moments but we withstood that which is very pleasing’.”

Nick Ames was equally unimpressed, to judge by his report in The Guardian. “This was a powerful argument for those who would quite like to hibernate for the remainder of 2020,” he wrote.

“Perhaps it was the renewed absence of supporters at a venue that had so gleefully welcomed them when Liverpool were held here on Sunday; either way the night seemed flat from the outset and these sides will need to muster more spark than this if the draw is to be of consequence come May.

“For now, at least, it puts them outside the relegation zone. Fulham would have been left there if they had not emerged intact from the game’s major incident, which came as Brighton attempted to turn the screw in a spell of concerted pressure straight after half-time.

“Adam Lallana, who had arrived to convert coolly after Danny Welbeck could not control Solly March’s cross, thought he had scored his first goal for the club, but was denied with the players lining up to restart. A VAR check correctly found Welbeck had handled and Brighton were forced to dust themselves down.

“They did that and a few minutes later Adam Webster thudded a header against the underside of the crossbar. It was their final significant chance. Lewis Dunk had forced a parry from Alphonse Areola shortly before Lallana’s frustration and during a tedious first half Welbeck had air-kicked Tariq Lamptey’s centre when well placed.”

Tom Barclay of The Sun also led on the missing spectators, writing: “This stalemate showed how much we desperately need fans back.

“Two thousand raucous Fulham supporters made the noise of 20,000 on Sunday to help their side to a precious and well-earned point against Liverpool. Scott Parker’s men looked a shadow of the side that tormented Jurgen Klopp’s champions and were lucky to escape with a point. While Graham Potter was left once again stewing over a strong display without the points to show for it thanks to some wasteful finishing and VAR.”

But he also found something different to say, noting that: “One intriguing side effect of having no fans has been the ability to hear just how players talk to each other on the pitch.”

Other writers found different angles. Daniel Matthews of the Daily Mail offered a possible explanation of Albion’s improved second-half performance that almost brought a winning goal on several occasions.

“Graham Potter doesn't appear an obvious poster boy for the half-time hairdryer,” he wrote. “But however he deposited the rocket up his side on Wednesday night, it arguably deserved more than this. After 45 dreary minutes, Brighton raced through the gears - in no time they hit the bar, the back of the net and the palms of Alphonse Areola.

“Somehow, Fulham held on. They needed a helping hand - VAR ruled out Adam Lallana's strike, the woodwork denied Adam Webster's header. Then, having stemmed the tide, Fulham threatened to nick it. Webster's slip sent Ruben Loftus-Cheek through but Robert Sanchez, surprisingly preferred in goal to Mat Ryan, stood tall to save – and keep out Ademola Lookman's late strike.

“Defeat would have been harsh on Brighton and, in this helter-skelter schedule, it's a point both will probably take. But Brighton so nearly caught Fulham cold after the break. First Areola denied both Lewis Dunk's header and his improvised rebound. Then, moments later, Albion did find the net. The move started with a delightful dummy from Welbeck and ended with Lallana turning home from close range. But VAR spotted a handball in the build-up.”

Jim White of the Daily Telegraph managed to bring in both the return of Sam Allardyce to the Premier League as the new West Brom manager and also the ground improvements being made on the west side of Craven Cottage. The points were shared on the banks of the Thames, thus forestalling, at least for the moment, the chance of either of these two clubs doing a West Brom and, in the belief that the best way to prevent relegation is to employ a dinosaur, replacing their progressive young managers,” he wrote.

“Despite the fact both sides had their confidence buoyed by recent home draws with Liverpool, this was not an occasion for free-flowing, carefree, self-expression. The members of the overnight shift taking a break from building Craven Cottage’s new Riverside stand to watch from atop the scaffolding were not gifted much in the way of action.

“Brighton, however, emerged from the break determined to seize the initiative. Fired up by Graham Potter, they were first to everything. From a March corner Dunk connected with a forceful header, which Areola dived to push away. The ball fell back to the Brighton captain who, from the prone position, fired goalwards, but the keeper saved again.”

Agency chief Ian Winrow, reporting for the Irish Examiner, also noted that Albion’s luck was out once more. “Brighton manager Graham Potter was provided with another reminder of how things are going for his side right now and VAR again intervened to deny Albion a much-needed victory that would have eased their relegation concerns.

“Potter’s side had been on the wrong end of a close call against Southampton two games previously and, on this occasion, were denied victory when Andrew Madley, the video assistant referee, ruled out Adam Lallana’s second-half effort. Lallana slotted the ball home from close range after the ball made its way to him via a deflection off Danny Welbeck. Extended scrutiny of the incident, however, led to Madley spotting the ball had bounced off Welbeck’s arm and Brighton were left to contemplate another hard luck story.

“Victory would not have been undeserved as they staged an impressive second half display that almost brought a winning goal when Adam Webster headed against the bar.”