The Media Review: Fulham

Our men's first team's 1-0 home defeat by Fulham continued our frustrating recent record against the Londoners.

Although they were among our favourite opponents in the Championship, we have still never beaten them in the Premier League.

And if you thought that Roberto De Zerbi’s men deserved far more than they got against the Cottagers on this occasion and that the visitors had pulled off a clear case of daylight robbery, then you are in good company.

Every writer in the Amex Stadium press box agreed with you, to judge by their reports in the Sunday papers. And one phrase cropped up more than once.

It appeared, for example, in the opening line of Jack Rosser’s report in The Sun on Sunday.

“Manor Solomon fired Fulham to an all-time great smash and grab on the south coast,” he wrote. “After sitting in their half and watching Brighton waste chance after chance, the Israeli raced away and showed them how it was done to take three totally undeserved points and leave the travelling fans singing about a European tour.

“Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi had been hopping mad all afternoon as he watched his side, without striker Danny Welbeck, falter at the key moment time and again.

“Fulham struggled to offer anything going forward without their talisman Aleksandar Mitrovic, missing with a minor knock. This was not a display of defiant defending before grabbing a late winner. Brighton should have had this wrapped up with plenty of time to spare.

“The emotive Italian was dropping to his knees following missed chances after just four minutes, and was just as dramatic for the rest of the day – spending the second half spinning away in frustration following every fluffed opening.

“It wasn’t for the want of trying from his boys in blue and white. World Cup winner Mac Allister scrapped away in the middle, rolling Issa Diop before cutting back across the former West Ham defender and seeing his fizzing shot tipped away by Leno.”

Kathryn Batte agreed in The Mail On Sunday. “Fulham had played with their backs against the wall for nearly 90 minutes,” she wrote. “One wonders whether De Zerbi is familiar with the phrase ‘smash and grab’. The Italian was a bundle of frustration for most of the game. Every time a chance was wasted or a pass went astray, the Italian bounced up and down on the spot, threw his arms in the air and turned away in exasperation.

“He is a fascinating watch, as are his Brighton team. They should have won here but were punished for failing to take their chances. Brighton, who have two games in hand, may still finish higher in the table but will have to improve in the final third.

“The atmosphere at the Amex was electric before kick-off but a fast start soon petered out in a first half that failed to produce any clear cut chances. A curling effort from Solly March in the opening minutes was the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock. Issa Diop did well to block an Evan Ferguson shot from a tight angle while Kenny Tete made a vital interception to prevent Lewis Dunk getting on the end of a Pervis Estupinan cross.

“Fulham were limited to counter-attacks and failed to manage a single shot on goal before the break.”

Alyson Rudd previewed the match in The Times on Saturday under a headline that described the fixture as ‘the game of the weekend’. Her report in The Sunday Times attempted to find the positives but she had to admit that “Brighton & Hove Albion fans left with incredulity etched in their faces. Their team had dominated this battle for the lesser European places and provoked Fulham into a relentless exercise in concerted defending. 

“It started, though, with the air of a fiesta. Roll up, roll up if you want to see the most attractive, free-flowing football in the land. First Kaoru Mitoma, then Solly March, ran at the Fulham defence as if we were in the dying minutes of a cup final. Fulham, aware of how Brighton tend to punish teams who break, did not counterattack too often.” 

Ed Elliott’s report in The Observer opened with a stat that clearly showed the way the fates had run for Albion. “Solly March and Facundo Buonanotte had goals disallowed for the Seagulls, who failed to score in the top flight for the first time since October, despite registering 21 attempts.

“Fulham, without striker Aleksandar Mitrovic due to a minor injury, struggled for a foothold in the game for most of the afternoon before the late twist boosted their hopes of European qualification. Loanee Solomon’s second goal in two matches moves them above Brighton into sixth spot, albeit they have played two games more.

“De Zerbi, who berated the referee, Darren England, after the final whistle, had spoken candidly of his desire to bring continental football to Sussex on the back of taking 20 points from the last 30 available. His in-form side began with purpose and intent as they controlled proceedings with Evan Ferguson lashing over and March curling wide early on, while Joel Veltman’s powerful attempt at the end of a well-worked free-kick routine was blocked by Tim Ream.

“Fulham offered almost nothing from an attacking perspective but continued to defend doggedly, although they often looked susceptible to being carved open. Bernd Leno had to be alert to smother the ball as Ferguson burst through on goal and was then well-positioned to stop Alexis Mac Allister’s stinging volley.

“The pattern of play, with Brighton patiently probing as the visitors sat back, persisted into the second period.”

Tom Prentki, writing in The Sunday Telegraph, did not think much of either team’s efforts.  “Manor Solomon came off the bench to win the battle of the Premier League’s overachievers as Fulham climbed above Brighton & Hove Albion in the hunt for European football.

“A game which had promised much, delivered relatively little but as Brighton were pouring forward in search of a late winner, it was Fulham who found it as Israeli winger Solomon finished with aplomb into the bottom corner, two minutes from time.

“With more than half of the season played, for these clubs to occupy sixth and seventh place in the Premier League is quite remarkable. With Aleksandar Mitrovic injured, Fulham had offered nothing going forward but defended doggedly throughout a game which was lacking in inspiration.”

Adam Millington was more positive on the BBC website but pinpointed Albion’s problem. “The game had seemed Brighton's for the taking from the early moments but their lack of a clinical presence in the final third proved to be their undoing,” he wrote.

“They had 21 shots to Fulham's five but could not find the cutting edge needed to beat Leno. It is not the first time finishing has proved to be Brighton's Achilles heel this season, with their 21 shots against Brentford in October also failing to produce a goal.

“With Danny Welbeck and Adam Lallana both absent through injury, the hosts came agonisingly close to an opener but could not find a breakthrough as Ferguson, Mac Allister and March all spurned chances. Fulham's low block made it difficult for Brighton to create clear-cut opportunities, although Leno was forced to make seven saves.”