Fulham on the brink of history
Silva’s men marching towards goal record
IT is perhaps football’s worst kept secret that Fulham hold the hottest ticket in town. Here there is almost a guarantee of goals.
Only twice at Craven Cottage this season have the Championship’s runaway leaders failed to score — Wayne Rooney’s Derby dug in for a 0-0 draw in November before Sheffield United ground out a 1-0 win just before Christmas.
But there wasn’t any chance of Blackburn repeating those feats. So make that 84 goals and counting for Fulham. With 12 games to go, Reading’s Championship-era goals record of 99 in the 2005-06 season is within touching distance — even if Marco Silva isn’t interested.
‘We’re not here to break records,’ he said. ‘Our aim isn’t to break the record, our aim is to beat Swansea (on Tuesday).’
The first goal was a gift. Neco Williams, who almost wrapped up Fulham’s Goal of the Season award when he struck the bar from the halfway line, found himself in the area having cut in from the right.
What seemed a straightforward gather for goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski soon became worthy of Benny Hill music. The Rovers goalkeeper spilled to Neeskens Kebano, who scored the easiest of his nine league goals this season. ‘The goalkeeper has to hold his hands up, he should be collecting that no problem,’ boss Tony Mowbray moaned.
Blackburn shipped seven without reply when these sides met at Ewood Park in November but since then Mowbray’s defence had looked solid, conceding only nine goals in their next 18 games.
But Fulham make even the best look ordinary and their second goal was brilliance from back to front.
Tosin Adarabioyo had the time to lift his head up and pass the ball inside Blackburn wing-back Harry Pickering. Harry Wilson scampered away and there was little Kaminski could do to deny his exquisite chip, not that his manager sympathised.
‘The goalie has to come and deal with that,’ Mowbray added. ‘He decided to go backwards. That was frustrating for us and for him.’
Wilson has nine goals and 11 assists now. No doubt Wales boss Robert Page is taking note ahead of their crucial World Cup play-off against Austria later this month.
One of the most impressive elements to Silva’s side is their insatiable appetite for goals. Aleksander Mitrovic has 34 — and Guy Whittingham’s second-divison record of 42 is in his sights, even if
this was a quieter day for him. He wanted a penalty in the first half, only for referee David Webb to wave it away.
Blackburn wanted a spot-kick of their own when Tyrhys Dolan was felled by Kebano. His fall was befitting of the West End and he was booked for simulation.
The closest the visitors came was when substitute Sam Gallagher had his tap-in ruled out for offside.
Mowbray’s side have to regroup, just as they did when Fulham hit Blackburn for seven. They took 26 of the next 30 points available before 20-goal scorer Ben Brereton Diaz suffered ligament damage.