Fulham‘s head coach, Marco Silva, has weighed in on Calvin Bassey's missed chance against Mats Sels as they were held to a goalless draw at the City Ground yesterday, Soccernet.ng reports.
In a game that had a lot of drama, Bassey's header could've been a pivotal moment had the ball gone in from Alex Iwobi's floated cross.
However, the attempt of the ex-Rangers man was straight at the goalkeeper, and while Forest would go on to take hold of the game from there, Bassey truly had the clearest chance of the game.
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Marco Silva speaks on Calvin Bassey's missed header
Dan Ndoye came off the bench for Nottingham Forest at half-time and troubled Bassey severely. The winger initially got a penalty off the Nigerian defender, but the decision was overturned.
The Swiss winger thought he'd scored some minutes later, but the VAR intervened and the goal was chalked off after he was caught offside.
Still, Marco Silva believes that the biggest chance of the game fell to Calvin Bassey, admitting the game would've been different from there on in.
“Very tight, the first half. I think both teams didn’t get the tempo or the momentum. The biggest chance was from us, from Calvin Bassey in the six-yard box, completely alone from a set piece,” the Portuguese manager said in quotes from Fulham's official website.
“Apart from that, we arrived in certain areas, dangerous areas, with the ball but didn’t get the right decisions or inspiration that we needed to create something more. It was a very balanced first half.
“Second half, with the emotions of that offside and the chances first for Forest and after we had our moments as well, the game became a little bit more emotional, a little bit more open.
“Both teams were trying to win the game. It’s a point on the road for us, keeping a clean sheet, which is very, very important for us – something that we have been missing.
“We move on to a game before the international break (against Burnley at Craven Cottage) that is going to be crucial if we want to fight for something more. It’s going to be crucial for our aspirations.
“If you are in this position right now in the table [11th], of course, we have to look ahead [to qualifying for European football].
“Every game that we have now should be played like a final. We are some points behind seventh position, but if it’s there for us to fight for, why not?
“We are going to fight as hard as we can to be there. Until the end of the season, we’ll fight,” Marco Silva concluded.
Up next for Fulham is a home clash against Burnley at Craven Cottage. The last time both sides met, Bassey was on the scoresheet as Marco Silva's men broke a 74-year Turf Moor jinx.
