|
Date: 26 December 2023
This amazing run of great results just keeps going.
There were no surprises in the team line-up today; Ouattara still at left back, Scott in central midfield, Tavernier and Semenyo returned to their preferred flanks. I was surprised to see on the large screens that Iraola was in the stands, later learning that three bookings for a coach can lead to a touchline ban.
This being Boxing Day, the match began with both teams taking the knee. Most of the first half was evenly balanced. Kluivert was slow to get going and Neto’s distribution was below par, but we got away with it. On about 10 minutes a Solanke shot, that would otherwise have been on target, was deflected for a corner. On 30 minutes a Kluivert shot was similarly deflected. On 35 minutes Tavernier and Semenyo swapped places. Many had left for refreshments when, on the stroke of half time, an amazing run by Scott led to an unselfish pass to Kluivert who scored in front of the Ted McDougall Stand. The stadium announcer incorrectly attributed the goal to Scott but it was true that he’d made it. Half time: 1-0.
Matchday Mentions at half time included the humorous “to Mary and Joseph, congratulations on the birth of your baby yesterday!” Returning to business, Fulham had their best spell of the game at the start of the second half, but failed to score. Then on 61 minutes, for the first time in more than a whole season, we were awarded a penalty when Semenyo was brought down in the area. There appeared to be a discussion between Tavernier and Kluivert as to who would take the penalty, but then they gave the ball to Solanke who – after putting the Fulham goalie off by running on the spot for a few moments – sent him the wrong way and scored a cracker. 2-0.
Three substitutions were made and it looked as though the most significant would prove to be the introduction of David Brooks. He had no fewer than three chances to score in just a few minutes, and I’d love to see him start a match – perhaps when we play QPR in the Cup? But it turned out that Sinisterra was the more impactful sub as, deep into injury time (so that, yet again, many fans missed it), he weaved his way past several players before delivering a powerful shot from distance – right on target! 3-0.
My ‘man of the match’ would be Dango Ouattara and I think the North Stand agreed with me because, when the sponsors’ man of the match was announced as Dominic Solanke, they all started chanting Dango’s name!
The team lined up as follows at the start of the game:
|
|
Neto;
Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Ouattara;
Scott, Christie;
Semenyo, Kluivert, Tavernier;
Solanke
|
|
Neto;
Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Ouattara;
Scott, Christie;
Brooks, Philip, Sinisterra;
Solanke
|
