Irvine hails his ‘odd couple’ link-up with Leo
Bowler Bowen
EVEN in the cosmopolitan Championship, the blossoming partnership between Jackson Irvine and Leonardo Da Silva Lopes in the centre of the Hull midfield is one of the more unlikely pairings.
On one hand is Lopes, a 20-yearold Portuguese starlet who came over to join Peterborough United’s academy when he was 14.
On the other is Irvine, a ponytailed Australian who arrived in England having paid his footballing dues with Kilmarnock and Ross County.
At 26, Irvine is experienced enough to appreciate days such as Saturday when he and Lopes (right) helped to shut down Fulham’s attack. Irvine’s passes also led to goals for Jarrod Bowen and Tom Eaves after Josh Bowler had given Hull an early lead.
Irvine (above) said: “I couldn’t be happier. We had to work ever so hard for it. We had to defend resolutely and counter attack with real pace and intensity and we did all of that for 90 minutes today.
“Fulham are a very good possession team, they are very good at playing out from the back, and in the back and middle third. We had to try and limit the supply to their front players who can be devastating when you give them the opportunity. And we did all of those things.
“Me and Leonardo are building up a little bit of a partnership, which has been nice. As the two players sitting in front of the back four against a team like Fulham, who like to come into pockets and try and play through lines, you know you are going to have your work cut out.
“I think the two of us stuck to our jobs today. We were disciplined when we needed to be and made some forward passes that put the boys in as well.”
For Fulham the game felt like Groundhog Day with their lack of consistency in front of goal beginning to irk home fans who expected their side to be in the top two by now.
Disappointed Cottagers manager Scott Parker said: “We are a big scalp for teams coming here and I get that. We have to accept that.
“A lot of people say we are a possession-based team that lacks impetus but we are top for shots on goal in this division so we’re obviously doing something right.”
Ref: Keith Stroud Att: 18,168
Bettinelli 6, Odoi 5 (Kamara 60, 4), Mawson 5, Ream 6, Bryan 6 (Le Marchand 4), Johansen 5, Reed 6, Cairney 5, Decordova-Reid 5 (Knockaert 46, 5), Mitrovic 5, Cavaleiro 4
Long 6, Lichaj 6, Burke 7, De Wijs 6, Elder 7, Bowler 7 (Eaves 55, 6), Da Silva Lopes 8, Irvine 9 (Honeyman 88), Grosicki 7, Bowen 7, Toral 7 (Stewart 63, 6)