West Ham make light work of abject Fulham at Craven Cottage

 

Fulham’s welcome of West Ham on Saturday evening marked the first league clash between the pair at Craven Cottage in almost five years. On New Years’ day in 2014, there was driving rain in baltic conditions in west London. Nothing had changed five years on. Fulham’s performance ultimately blew as hot as the chilling December wind rolling off the Thames as Claudio Ranieri’s side remained rooted to the foot of the table. 

 

Jean Michael Seri had the first real chance of the game with just three minutes on the clock as he was urged to shoot by a home support hoping to see a repeat of his thundering strike in the 4-2 win over Burnley. Reader, he struggled to steady himself and his 25-yard effort lofted harmlessly over the bar.  

 

In typical Andre Schurrle fashion, he too quickly got in on the act. The German has mustered at least one shot in all but two league matches this season as he drifted across the final third from the left to the right, nutmegging Declan Rice in the process. Bursting into space, he let fly, yet failed to keep his shot down as Lukasz Fabianski watched the ball drift harmlessly out for a goal kick. 

 

The Pole was called into action moments later, though, as Aleksandar Mitrovic played a perfectly-weighted pass in for Aboubakar Kamara. The 23-year-old never looked confident as he bore down on goal and his tame effort was easily turned behind for a corner by the West Ham goalkeeper as Fulham enjoyed the better of the chances in the opening 10 minutes. 

 

 

Perhaps against the run of play, West Ham took the initiative to ensure Fulham remain the only team yet to keep a clean sheet in the Premier League this season. It was a wonderfully worked goal, though perhaps a touch fortunate. Mark Noble looked to carve the Cottagers defence apart and it seemed as though Denis Odoi had successfully cut out the danger. However, Noble’s intended target - Felipe Anderson - collected the ball and drove for goal in traditional Anderson fashion before laying the chance off for Robert Snodgrass to curl past Diego Rico from 20 yards, the Scot notching his second league goal in as many games. 

 

Midway through the first half, Mitrovic strived to capitalise on a defensive mixup after Joe Bryan dug out a lofted cross to the backpost. The Serb’s powerful diving header found the side netting, while Fabianski was again on hand to deny Kamara shortly after Mitrovic’s effort. Fabianski was able to turn away another Kamara shot, with the Frenchman denied an equaliser from 20-yards. Fulham were then made to pay for their profligacy.  

 

Michail Antonio found himself in acres of space as Chicharito flicked on a Felipe Anderson cross for the West Ham winger. He made no mistake from close range to double the Hammers’ advantage as Fulham conceded their 42nd goal of the season. Schurrle came close to halving the deficit on the stroke of half time as he cut in from the left onto his right and looked to bend his shot into the far corner. The German’s curling chance, though, crept inches wide of the post and out for a goal kick. 

 

Any resounding comeback in front of the home support never showed any signs of mounting as an abject Fulham side struggled to forge any real chances of note after the restart. In fact, West Ham looked more likely to add a third, with Anderson having the best opportunity for the Hammers in the second half. Sergio Rico was equal to the Brazilian’s curling shot in the dying embers as Fulham’s winless run was extended to four matches. 

 

It was a performance that summed up Fulham’s season so far. In the opening 45 minutes in particular, the Cottagers were arguably the dominant side. They looked fairly decent going forward, even if the composure from the attacking players was found wanting, but were a shambles at the back. That they had 12 shots to West Ham’s three, and were 2-0 down at the break, speaks volumes. This is team that fails to convert their chances where it matters and are routinely made to pay as a result. The lack of spark in the second half was worrying particularly with Christmas looming. 

 

As for West Ham, they’re beginning to hit their stride. Victory was their fourth in succession, a run they last managed back in February 2014, to lift them into the top half of the table. Manuel Pellegrini has been forced to contend with a number of injuries in the opening months of the campaign, notably to summer arrivals Andriy Yarmolenko, Carlos Sanchez and Jack Wilshere, but the east London side navigated a possible banana skin of a trip to the other side of the capital with ease.

West Ham make light work of abject Fulham at Craven Cottage