Fulham 0-0 West Ham: Hammers miss probability to maneuver fourth in Premier League

Tomas Soucek was despatched off as West Ham missed an opportunity to maneuver into the highest 4 of the Premier League with a goalless draw towards struggling Fulham.

Because the pair jostled for place as a free-kick was about to be taken, Soucek raised his elbow and caught the Fulham striker in an incident that regarded unintentional.

Nonetheless, following a prolonged video assistant referee examine, referee Mike Dean was suggested to examine the incident himself, with VAR official Lee Mason telling Dean to take a look at Soucek’s “clenched fist”.

Dean, taking a couple of minutes to make his resolution, repeatedly watched the incident on the pitchside monitor and finally despatched him off for violent conduct.

“I am embarrassed for whoever has achieved VAR tonight,” stated Hammers boss David Moyes.

“It was apparent to everybody it was unintentional. I am actually embarrassed they selected to ship him off. We would like them to get the choices proper. It comes all the way down to a poor resolution and we will not do a lot about it.

“It is unfair to the boy. I am positive they may give you sufficient excuses to justify the explanation for sending him off.”

Fulham boss Scott Parker agreed that Soucek, who will miss an FA Cup sport towards Manchester United and Premier League matches towards Sheffield United and Tottenham, didn’t need to be dismissed.

“It in all probability was a bit harsh and the sport is turning into very sterile,” stated Parker. “I do not suppose it was a sending off however that is the best way the sport goes.”

In a quiet first half, either side solely managed one shot on the right track every – the guests’ Declan Rice having an effort saved by Alphonse Areola and Ivan Cavaleiro heading tamely at Lukasz Fabianski for the hosts.

West Ham’s Vladimir Coufal then headed towards the crossbar from Rice’s cross from the left.

Tosin Adarabioyo might have given Fulham all three factors however narrowly headed over from eight yards out as neither facet might make the breakthrough.

West Ham would have gone above Liverpool with a victory, however keep fifth, one level behind final season’s champions, who host league leaders Manchester Metropolis on Sunday.

Fulham have no longer gained in 14 matches in all competitions, since a 2-1 victory at Leicester Metropolis on 30 November, and stay 18th – within the relegation zone.

Europe-chasing West Ham could also be proud of some extent

West Ham got here into this match in a terrific run of type with seven wins of their previous eight – and that one defeat was towards Liverpool.

Though Fulham had the better share of possession, the perfect probability fell to Coufal, however the woodwork denied the Czech defender his first aim for the membership.

His countryman Soucek, searching for his ninth Hammers aim of the season, ought to have achieved higher when he met Jesse Lingard’s cross however couldn’t hold his header down.

Nonetheless, it has nonetheless been a terrific marketing campaign for West Ham, who completed sixteenth in 2020-21, however are hoping to qualify for European competitors for the primary time since they completed seventh in 2015-16 beneath Slaven Bilic.

In the long run, West Ham had been hanging on and should regard this an honest level.

Fulham substitute Mitrovic shot large late on, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek additionally lacking two probabilities within the final 5 minutes for the hosts.

Fulham’s lack of ruthlessness reveals once more

Fulham started the day eight factors adrift of Burnley and Newcastle, though Burnley drew 1-1 towards Brighton and nine-man Newcastle beat Southampton 3-2 to extend the stress on Scott Parker’s facet.

However this newest draw retains the Cottagers eight factors from seventeenth and in grave hazard of creating an prompt return to the Championship after successful the play-offs to get promoted final season.

When these sides met in November, West Ham gained 1-0, however Fulham missed an excellent probability to equalise in damage time as Ademola Lookman’s weak chipped ‘Panenka’ penalty was simply saved by Fabianski.

Lookman was certainly one of Fulham’s positives in a quiet first half at Craven Cottage as he twice created house for probabilities however couldn’t hit the goal.

Fulham began the second half brightly as Bobby Decordova-Reid volleyed over and Loftus-Cheek, when performed in by Lookman, shot into the facet netting.

However as soon as once more Fulham’s lack of ruthlessness in entrance of aim price them as Adarabioyo headed simply over and Cavaleiro missed the goal when unmarked.

Supervisor Parker handed a late debut to striker Josh Maja, signed on mortgage from Bordeaux on switch deadline day, and in addition introduced on Mitrovic in an try to get what would have been solely their third league win of the season.

They’d probabilities too, however Mitrovic and Loftus-Cheek didn’t take the alternatives on one other irritating day for the Cottagers.

One other London derby with out a win for Fulham – the stats

• Fulham have didn’t win any of their previous 4 league video games towards West Ham (D1 L3), failing to attain in three of these matches.
• Fulham are winless of their previous 20 Premier League London derbies (D3 L17), with solely Crystal Palace having an extended such run in English top-flight historical past (31 between August 1969 and March 1973). Nonetheless, this was the primary time the Cottagers have stored a clear sheet in a Premier League London derby since March 2013 (1-0 vs Tottenham), having conceded in every of their earlier 28 such matches.
• No facet has performed out extra goalless attracts within the Premier League this season than Fulham (4 – degree with Manchester United).
• West Ham have gained as many factors this season in 23 video games as they did within the entirety of 2019-20 (39).
• Solely Burnley (12) have failed to attain in additional Premier League video games than Fulham (11) this season.
• There have been simply three pictures on the right track on this sport, two for Fulham and one for West Ham, the joint-lowest tally in a Premier League sport this season (degree with three different video games).
• Fulham (D8 L4) have gone 12 league video games with out a victory for the primary time since April-September 2014, whereas it’s their longest such run solely within the high flight since November 2007-January 2008 (a run of 12).
• West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen (19) has been substituted on extra events than another participant within the Premier League this season, while team-mate Andriy Yarmolenko (13) has made essentially the most appearances from the bench within the competitors this marketing campaign.

‘From begin to end we had been very good’ – what they stated

Fulham boss Scott Parker informed Match of the Day: “It is a robust one to take as a result of I felt from begin to end we had been very good.

“We had 20-odd pictures and our ending was in all probability the deciding issue. We brought on them a great deal of issues. The gamers executed the plan beautifully. We had been an actual menace.

“We all know what the distinction is at this degree. It is a group of gamers working tirelessly and I noticed that right this moment.

“We have to get that win. We want one thing to drop for us.”

West Ham boss David Moyes informed Match of the Day: “We did not play in addition to now we have been. Typically the video games can make amends for you rapidly.

“Fulham had been the higher staff – we cant deny that. I do not suppose the standard of our play was proper from the beginning. A number of issues did not work from the beginning.”

What’s subsequent?

Fulham have per week with out a match as they don’t play once more till Sunday, 14 February when they’re at Everton within the Premier League (19:00 GMT).

West Ham play at Manchester United within the fifth spherical of the FA Cup on Tuesday (19:30), earlier than returning to league motion on Monday, 15 February as Sheffield United are at London Stadium (18:00).