The Tanner Report: Fulham 2 Arsenal 1
The old telegram address of Fulham was “Fulhamish” and that is still used to describe Fulham’s inconsistency – i.e. our capacity to beat and to lose to teams unpredictably.
Thus coming into this Arsenal fixture, which we have not won for 12 years, we lost by the odd goal in 5 at Liverpool, put 5 past both Nottingham Forest and West Ham , then lost to Burnley at home and Bournemouth away.
Yet all week I thought we might well get a result against the mighty Arsenal who were league leaders at Xmas.
Arsenal scored early, which is the worst possible eventuality, but it was Fulham who rallied and scored and the equaliser – by the returning Ramirez – was well-deserved. Fulham were profiting from Arsenal’s weak left flank – where Kohlar could not cope with the runs of Antonee Robinson – and the trickery of Willian.
After further good interpassing on the left It was Tom Cairney’ s low cross that eluded the Arsenal defence for Ramirez to tuck home at the far post.
I expected an Arsenal rally but Fulham continued to play tenaciously, showing them no respect.
From a João Pahlinha header, which bounced off a couple of Arsenal defenders, Bobby DeCordova-Reed prodded home: 2-1.
Pahlinha eclipsed Declan Rice and produced one memorable saving tackle on Bukayo Saka.
After that he clenched his fist in triumph which reminded me of that great Welsh full back JPR Williams cleaning out Skrela of France and repeating the same gesture.
Pahlinha can do everything – he can tackle and pass and is more than useful at set pieces.
As he also has a powerful shot he is the complete midfielder and would certainly get into my greatest ever Fulham team.
Arsenal did look brittle and definitely need a left back and goalscoring forward. No doubt this match will be covered as their defeat, not Fulham’s victory.
Yet I cannot remember a match where so many outfield players in white produced such telling performances.
Any of Antonee Robinson, Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi, Willian and Ramirez could have been awarded Man of the Match, but few would disagree that club captain Tom Cairney deserved the accolade.
