Many people did not believe that Fulham would do well against Liverpool in the semi-final of the Carabao Cup. On Tuesday afternoon, the manager, Marco Silva, recognized this fact.
Fulham’s lack of experience is not the only factor; in their 145-year history, they have only reached seven semi-finals in major cups, winning two. Furthermore, they have never won a significant trophy. This is in contrast to Liverpool, who have a long history of success and are currently in great form. They also hold a 2-1 lead from the first leg at Anfield two weeks ago.
Before Wednesday night’s Craven Cottage return, a remark from the Fulham midfielder João Palhinha spoke volumes. “I don’t remember the last time that they lost,” he said. Maybe it is because Liverpool have done so only once in a game of real consequence this season – that one at Tottenham in September.
The aspirations of Fulham’s supporters remain strong. They have shown remarkable progress under the leadership of Silva, winning the Championship title in the 2021-22 season and achieving an even more impressive feat: securing a comfortable position in the Premier League. In the past, Fulham had been relegated immediately after their previous two promotions from the Championship.
Silva’s group achieved club milestones with 15 victories in the Premier League and 55 goals scored in the division. They also ended a 17-year losing streak against Chelsea. Positive developments have occurred, making their previous label as a yo-yo team no longer fitting. They also made a notable run in the cup, their best since 2009-10, reaching the FA Cup quarter-finals before being defeated by Manchester United.
The latest streak has been even more impressive, causing enthusiasm and the belief that the team could be ready for a significant breakthrough. When fans envision the second match against Liverpool, it appears to be a mirror image of the last time they reached this stage in a tournament.
In the 2009-10 Europa League semi-final, they faced Hamburg and drew 0-0 in the first leg in Germany. However, they were behind due to an away goal at Craven Cottage. In order to make a comeback, they needed to score two goals. In a memorable night at the old stadium, they were able to achieve this feat. It was a remarkable performance, surpassing even their previous four-goal turnaround against Juventus in the round of 16. This was truly something extraordinary.
Silva discussed the importance of attitude and belief, and Fulham fans have a recent memory of a third victory at home, where they came back from a 1-0 loss in the first leg of the 2018 Championship playoff semi-final against Derby to win 2-0 in the second leg. These types of comebacks are always possible.
Silva stated that legacies can be created through achieving results. He acknowledged that as a club like Fulham, winning titles can be challenging. However, whenever there is an opportunity to compete for one, they will take it. While it may not happen frequently, there have been successful evenings at Craven Cottage in the cup or Europa League. He has heard this sentiment throughout his time at the club and hopes to see it happen again tomorrow.
Fulham has never made it to a semi-final in the League Cup before. They have reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup six times, but have only won once in a replay against Birmingham in 1975. John Mitchell scored the winning goal in the last minute of extra time and is considered a legend of the club.
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According to Palhinha, when you achieve something significant at a club, your name becomes a part of its history. This is the only thing that will be remembered by others. However, if you do not accomplish anything noteworthy during your time at the club, it is unlikely that anyone will recall you in the future.
Silva has not been able to defeat Liverpool in four tries while managing Fulham, but he has come close. This includes a 2-2 draw at home against them in the first game of last season. In December of last year, his team was leading 3-2 in the league at Anfield with only three minutes remaining, but they ended up losing 4-3.
It would be hard to dispute that Liverpool deserved their 2-1 lead in the semi-finals, but they missed a great opportunity to make it 2-0 when Bobby De Cordova-Reid failed to pass to the open Andreas Pereira after Willian scored for Fulham. After Curtis Jones tied the game for Liverpool, Fulham struggled to control the game or handle the pressure.
Silva’s mention of Fulham’s unexpected elimination from the Carabao Cup by Crawley last season was intriguing and he revisited it multiple times. He saw it as a prime opportunity to shift his players’ mindset and emphasize the importance of giving their all in every competition and against any opponent. According to him, this sparked a newfound ambition within the team to compete in these tournaments. The time has come for the truth to be revealed.
Source: theguardian.com
