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Blackburn Rovers’ Jordan Rhodes inflicts more pain on 10-man Fulham Blackburn Rovers’ Jordan Rhodes inflicts more pain on 10-man Fulham
(about 1 hour later)
Fulham’s Championship woes continued when they lost to Blackburn Rovers at Craven Cottage after having to play the whole of the second half with 10 men. In April 2011, Mohamed Al Fayed, the then Fulham chairman, erected a statue of Michael Jackson, the late pop superstar and his friend, outside Craven Cottage. It attracted huge ridicule, nationally and internationally.
Already managerless, after the exit of Felix Magath in midweek, Fulham were reduced to 10 on the stroke of half-time, when Shaun Hutchinson saw red for a poor tackle on Lee Williamson. The Fulham fans loathed it, but, in September 2013, it was removed by Shahid Khan, the new owner. Never again would the Premier League club be regarded as such a laughing stock.
Jordan Rhodes condemned Fulham to their seventh defeat in eight league matches when he stroked home early in the second half. And yet a year on, they are. The supposed stability that Khan, a Pakistani-born American billionaire, would bring to the banks of the Thames has swiftly evaporated in a fog of relegation and three managers in the past nine months.
Magath, who succeeded René Meulensteen in February, lasted just 217 days, during which he oversaw Fulham’s relegation from the Premier League and their plunge to the bottom of the Championship this season. Now, they sit at the bottom of the Championship, after a seventh defeat – against Blackburn Rovers yesterday – in eight matches this season. There is much work to be done before they can regain their credibility.
Six defeats in their opening seven matches finally persuaded Shahid Khan, the Fulham owner, that enough was enough. He dismissed Magath on Thursday and placed the under-21 coach, Kit Symons, in temporary charge. At least Felix Magath, who was dismissed on Thursday, has vacated the premises. Nicknamed “Felix Bingo” because of his random team selections, his bewildering presence over 217 days is partly responsible for Fulham’s spectacular fall.
Symons immediately brought Bryan Ruiz back into the side, the Costa Rican having been strangely ostracised by Magath despite the winger having had an impressive World Cup finals in Brazil during the summer. As, too, Magath’s predecessors – Martin Jol, who lasted 173 days at the helm, and René Meulensteen, 76 days. The double Dutch and German incumbents of Khan sent Fulham into a spectacular spiral.
Ruiz looked lively early on against Blackburn, starting wide on the right but often drifting inside in an attempt to support the strikers, Ross McCormack and Hugo Rodallega. Still, as Khan searches far and wide for a fourth manager during his tenure, he may just have a better option on his doorstep. Kit Symons, the under-21 coach and now caretaker manager, did not do a bad job first time up today.
But his deep forays came to nothing and it was Blackburn who emerged the superior after the tame initial exchanges. Ben Marshall carelessly blazed over after a promising run. For one, he brought Bryan Ruiz back in from the cold. The Costa Rica winger had impressed during the World Cup finals in Brazil and yet, bewilderingly, had been left on the fringes by Magath this season.
Alex Baptiste crossed from the right as Blackburn continued to press, but Rhodes was unable to guide his header on goal and the ball flew harmlessly wide. Ruiz shone in patches before, not surprisingly, tiring. “He had a good game with some fantastic touches,” Symons said. “He played well in a good team performance that I was pleased with.”
The Blackburn centre-back Shane Duffy was also left ridiculously unmarked at a free-kick, delivered by Tom Cairney, but his header back into the home area was scrambled clear. So pleased that he will be putting his name forward, no doubt among the many others that Khan will consider – Neil Lennon, Steve Clarke, Tim Sherwood, Danny Murphy et al.
Finally, approaching the half-hour mark, Fulham got going. Konstantinos Stafylidis made ground along the left flank, but his low cross was comfortably caught by the Blackburn goalkeeper, Jason Steele. What are Symons’ chances? “I’d like to think this was a start,” he said, “but obviously it’s all geared to results. I know the Championship well, so I hope that goes in my favour, and managing is something I’ve always wanted to do. I just want the owner to pick the best manager for this club.”
Soon after, Fernando Amorebieta found Ruiz with time and space 27 yards out. But the Costa Rican suffered a rush of blood, lost his composure and directed his shot wildly over Steele’s crossbar. Fulham started slowly but at least looked more organised than in recent defeats. Deservedly level at half-time, though, they were a man down when defender Shaun Hutchinson was sent off for a wild tackle on Lee Williamson in first-half stoppage time.
Still, it was more encouraging for Fulham. And Symons, the former Fulham and Wales defender. Williamson was carried off on a stretcher, fortunate to escape with only bad bruising to both legs, while Hutchinson was mortified. “Shaun was distraught in the dressing-room,” Symons said. “It was a poor tackle and he knew it. He’s very upset.”
Rodallega reinforced that growing optimism close to half-time, when he ran through unchallenged. But he also lost his composure at the crucial moment, and fired wide. Hutchinson apologised to Williamson afterwards. “It’s lucky there was no break,” Gary Bowyer, the Blackburn manager, said. “There’s a lovely pattern down his legs.”
However, Fulham were rocked in the second minute of stoppage time, when centre-back Shaun Hutchinson was sent off for a dreadful tackle on Blackburn midfielder Lee Williamson. The absence of the central defender left Fulham depleted for the whole of the second half and vulnerable at the back, which Jordan Rhodes exploited to the full in the 58th minute.
Hutchinson was immediately red-carded by the referee, Andy D’Urso, and Williamson, who appeared to have a serious leg injury, was carried off on a stretcher. Rhodes drove in his fourth goal of the season after a shot from Corry Evans had fortuitously deflected into his path. And despite a late Fulham flurry, they were done for again.
It was Fulham’s second dismissal in three games, Matt Smith having gone 18 minutes into his debut in the 3-0 defeat at Reading. Still, Blackburn found themselves in a similar mess not so longer ago. In the 2012-13 season, they used five permanent and caretaker managers until Bowyer was appointed in May last year and steadied the ship.
Down to 10 men, Fulham struggled to survive early in the second half. Marcus Bettinelli saved well from close range to deny Rudy Gestede, and Craig Conway, Williamson’s replacement, drove over. Jol, Meulensteen and Felix Bingo did not work. This time, Khan had better get it right.
The dam had to break and, in the 58th minute, it did. A wayward shot from Corry Evans took a double deflection on its way through to Jordan Rhodes, who comfortably despatched his fourth goal of the season.
Fulham responded with spirit and could have equalised five minute later. Tim Hoogland raced along the left wing and crossed for the unmarked McCormack. The £11 million striker shot on target, but Steele saved well with his legs.
However, Rhodes could have increased Blackburn’s soon after. He rounded Bettinelli with ease, but his effort towards the empty net was blocked by the retreating Dan Burn.
Fulham gave it one last go near the end, as Blackburn looked to hold on to what they had, but Hoogland drove narrowly wide. Once again, it was just not their day.