Epilogue — Fulham vs. Bournemouth — EFL Championship — 03/12/21

The two best sides in the second division.

It was a breathless, back-and-forth encounter that delivered the hype it promised, and despite the existence of a minor gulf between them and the other twenty-two sides in the league, they also showed the major differences between themselves.

The Cottagers were in need of fine-tuning when they were relegated from the top flight under Scott Parker last season, and the manager they selected to do that was a shoddy choice long-term.
Marco Silva is a worthy coach and can get a team to express themselves, when there’s something to express. But this Fulham side was reacting to a firmer hand and heading in the right direction; they would soon be taking a seat on that step just above ‘too good for the Championship, not good enough for the Premiership’. Marco Silva will maintain this course, but will add nothing to the team. While it is easy to see them earning promotion, one feels they were always going to, what now comes after seems likely to be an all-too-familiar feeling.

Promotion. Poor start. Silva’s shown the exit door. Fail to recover. Relegation.

No disrespect to Marco Silva, but it seemed like a reckless appointment on Fulham’s part. I hope to be proved wrong though.

In contrast, Bournemouth deployed grace in their tactics under Parker, showing signs of a team evolving and growing with new players gelling seamlessly with existing ones, be they experienced or otherwise.

This was like watching a Kardashian versus a Poitier. One attaining success through brute force based off what came before, and the other constantly learning and adapting, bringing poise and class to proceedings.

They’re both effective, hence the shared spoils on this occasion.

But I think we all know which one we’d rather be.

Keep it streets ahead,

C.L.R.