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Fulham
striker Louis Saha draws a blank against the Hammers
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Fulham (0) 0 - 1 (1) West Ham
Fulham have been declining opportunities all season and yesterday they said
a polite but firm "no" even to their chances to create chances. Jean
Tigana's side have now won only one of their last 10 games and their final five
matches have suddenly turned into a relegation run-in.
Such was their desperation at the end that even their goalkeeper Edwin van der
Sar went up into the West Ham penalty area seeking an equaliser.
"Pass and move. It ain't rocket science," someone shouted from the
crowd. But too often Fulham approach their task as if it is. "We seem to
have acquired a fragile attitude," Fulham's assistant manager Christian
Damiano wrote in the programme. And no matter how fervently they sprang forward,
the sight of goal seemed to trigger an inevitable recoil.
No one suffered more from that affliction than Barry Hayles, who had Fulham's
best chance of the game on 10 minutes when David James blocked his close-range
shot, and Sylvain Legwinski blasted the follow-up high.
For West Ham, winning away for the third time this season, the exertion was
less but the effect better; "a bit dogged" was how their manager Glenn
Roeder put it.
| Match Stats |
Fulham |
West Ham
|
| Goal attempts |
10 |
3 |
| On Target |
2 |
2 |
| Hit woodwork |
0 |
0 |
| Fouls |
10 |
12 |
| Offsides |
3 |
0 |
| Corners |
7 |
1 |
| Yellows |
1 |
1 |
| Reds |
0 |
0 |
| source: www.sports.com |
While Frédéric Kanouté might not enjoy the best fan relations
at the moment, it was he who headed in Steve Lomas's cross on half-time. Only
Joe Cole came anywhere near a goal after the interval but he sliced his shot high.
Fulham had two second-half chances, both headers glanced wide. Jon Harley, of
course, had less excuse than Van der Sar. But in general, as Roeder said later,
"They didn't really get behind us."
Fulham's Jon Harley and Van der Sar both glanced second-half headers wide but,
as Roeder said, "They didn't really get behind us."
Tigana could have said the same of West Ham. Not even Paolo di Canio, who greeted
his substitution with a slow walk to the tunnel, looked like creating anything.
Fulham: Van der Sar, Finnan, Melville, Goma, Brevett, Collins (Marlet 59),
Malbranque, Legwinski, Davis (Harley 79), Saha (Boa Morte 59), Hayles.
Subs Not Used: Taylor, Knight.
Booked: Finnan(77, D).
West Ham: James, Schemmel, Dailly, Repka, Labant (Pearce 23), Sinclair,
Cole, Carrick, Lomas, Kanoute (Defoe 84), Di Canio (Moncur 66).
Subs Not Used: Hislop, Courtois.
Booked: Dailly.
Goals: Kanoute 45.
Att: 19,416 Ref: M Halsey (Welwyn Garden City).