The Tanner Report : Fulham 2 Blackburn 2
Over the years I have followed the whites I have witnessed Fulham extricate themselves from seemingly impossible situations to survive a relegation battle but equally let us down in expectation in failling to win a vital, winnable game. Years ago I can recall a Friday night game against Blackburn which, if we won, would take us top of the then second division. We scored and seemed to be coasting to a victory denied by two Blackburn goals. In one of the greatest games of the Tigana era we were one down with 10 men against Graeme Souness’ Blackburn when it was us that won with a late winner. Last night it was Blackburn that emerged with a point – one they deserved for their second half efforts – with a goal in the 94th minute with the last attack of the match.
We can justly complain about the awarding of a penalty when Kalas’ tackle seemed to get the ball not the legs of Emess but once again a cross from the right failed to be dealt with efficiently for Joao to slip in to equalise. Both our goals came as they often do with low fast crosses from the bye line converted by nimble striking by Oluko and Cyriac.
All is certainly lost, however disappointed we feel that 3 points would have taken us into the play-off positions. If we win on Saturday against Wolves the fact that 6th place Sheffield Wednesday play 5th place Reading does mean 3 points will take us above one of them. A haul of 4 points v Newcastle and Blackburn is respectable and there are still 8 games left. Perhaps most worrying is that in the second half we looked tired and could not raise our game tha crucial step. Tom Cairney, team captain and recently chosen best player in the EFL, failed to inspire us. Crucially we had no Scott Parker to come off the bench to steady the ship. Blackburn have “Arte and Labore” on their crest and we need more of the latter as we have the former for the visit of Wolves on Saturday.