Former Arsenal and Everton defender, Martin Raymond Keown has lashed out at Marco Silva’s bizarre decision to take three Fulham players off just after the half-hour mark at the City Ground in Nottingham, Soccernet.ng reports.
Super Eagles duo, Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey were drafted into the starting line-up by the Portuguese manager as he looked to return his team to winning ways after their disappointing 3-3 draw away to Sheffield United.
The Cottagers travelled to relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest who were without a win in their last six games in all competitions, but it was Fulham who got shell-shocked.
Within nine minutes, Callum Hudson-Odoi broke the deadlock. Morgan Gibbs-White’s precise through-ball sent the former Chelsea man on goal before he buried his shot into the bottom corner of Bernd Leno’s goal.
Ten minutes later, Chris Wood, who was drafted in to replace the injured Taiwo Awoniyi doubled the lead for Nuno Espirito Santo’s men, shooting from thirty yards out to catch a displaced Leno unaware.
Following Fulham’s early collapse, Marco Silva opted to withdraw Alex Iwobi, Harry Wilson and Sasa Lukic in the 33rd minute, replacing them with Tom Cairney, Adama Traore and Willian.
Former Arsenal legend, Martin Keown, was on commentary duties with TNT Sports and described the decision of the Portuguese tactician as a huge disappointment, as it’ll leave a huge dent on the players’ self-esteem.
“It is public embarrassment. As if it wasn’t embarrassing enough to go off after the half-hour, you now have to sit there and think about your game,” the three-time English Premier League winner said when the substitutions were made, with the cameras picking up three dejected players as they retreated to the bench, heads hanging.
Morgan Gibbs-White grabbed a goal for himself just before the half-time whistle was blown by Michael Oliver after setting up the first two Forest goals. A quick one-two with Danilo opened up Fulham’s defence and the English man squared the ball into the bottom corner for Fulham’s third.
Nigeria-eligible defender, Tosin Adarabioyo, picked up a consolation goal for Fulham at the start of the second half when he headed home from an Andreas Pereira corner kick.
Speaking in the post-match conference, Marco Silva explained the reason he took Alex Iwobi, alongside two Fulham players off very early in the game.
“I wanted to see a reaction. I want to be clear it was not the fault of the players who came off. In that moment if I could have changed more, I would have. I do not want to highlight those three players, it was not their fault. At that moment I wanted to keep more of the ball with Tom Cairney and Willian, they can do that. I wanted to create some one v ones on the right-hand side and Adama can do that,” the former Wolves manager said in quotes revealed by the Club’s official website.
Following Nottingham’s victory at the City ground, they now have a breather from the relegation spots as they are now three points above Luton Town.
