It was the first time Thomas Soucek had been sacked since joining West Ham in July.
West Ham manager David Moyes described referee Mike Dean’s decision to rule out Thomas Suchek as “shameful.” The Hammers played a draw against Fulham, missing the chance to finish among the top four in the Premier League.
The Hammers had to continue with ten men when Sucek was shown a red card inside time for an elbow wound to Aleksandar Mitrovic.
As the two men moved into position for a free kick, Sousek raised his elbow and surprised the Fulham striker in what appeared to be an unfortunate incident.
However, after a lengthy review of the video by an assistant referee, Dean was advised to watch the incident himself, and VAR commissioner Lee Mason asked Dean to look at Soucek’s “clenched fist.”
Dean took a few minutes to reflect, repeatedly observed the incident on the control screen in the field, and was eventually dismissed for violent conduct.
“I’m ashamed of the person who used VAR and I’m also a little ashamed of Mike Dean – the level of refereeing he has to make that decision,” Moyes said.
“It was obvious to everyone that it was an accident. It’s obvious that he [Dean] didn’t see it and was looking at the screen and I’m really embarrassed that he decided to fire him.
“We want them to make the right decisions. I find it very difficult that someone at Stockley Park [where the VAR is set up] doesn’t say, ‘It’s a fluke, let’s go.
“It all comes down to a bad arbitration decision and a bad decision by the Stockley Park VAR and there’s nothing we can do about that.”
“It’s not fair to the boy. I’m sure they’ll find plenty of excuses to justify why they sent him away.”
David Moyes is ashamed of referee Mike Dean after an “unfair” red card.
Fulham boss Scott Parker believes Sauk, who will miss the FA Cup match against Manchester United and the Premier League games against Sheffield United and Tottenham, does not deserve to be sacked.
“I think it was a little difficult and the game gets very sterile,” Parker said. “I don’t think it was a pickup, but that’s just the way the game is played.”
In a calm first half, both sides received only one penalty kick each – the visitors’ Declan Rice, which was disallowed by Alfonso Areola, and Ivan Cavallero, which Lukas Fabianski headed in for the home side.
Then West Ham’s Vladimir Koufal headed to the left after a cross from Rice.
Tosin Adarabiojo could have given Fulham the three points, but his shot from eight yards narrowly went wide and neither team could break through.
West Ham would overtake Liverpool with a win, but remain fifth, one point behind last season’s champions, who host league leader Manchester City on Sunday.
Fulham are currently unbeaten in 14 games in all competitions, following a 2-1 win over Leicester City on November 30, and remain 18th – in the relegation zone.
“The worst decision” – Wright.
Former England striker Ian Wright said of Soucek’s red card in today’s match, “How many times did Mike Dean have to look at it.
“There is a debate about better targets, but there is no debate here – this is the worst decision I have ever seen. He’s trying to move his hand.”
Former Aston Villa striker Dion Dublin, who also spoke at the Match of the Day, added: “Mike Dean will be ashamed – the decision is shocking. Soucek tried to put his hand on Mitrovic and stop him.
However, former Blackburn striker Chris Sutton told Radio 5 Live: “I don’t think Mike Dean has a choice. What is he going to do if he doesn’t let himself go?
“I think it was an accident, but whether it was an accident or not, it’s dangerous.”
“Mitrovic was caught.” Can we go to Mitrovic for getting out? I think Soucek took it well. I think the red card will stand.”
European West Ham warriors might be pleased.
West Ham were in good form with seven wins in the last eight – and that defeat was against Liverpool.
Although Fulham had more ball possession, Koufal had the best chance, but the woodwork prevented the Czech defender from scoring his first goal for the club.
His compatriot Soucek, looking for his ninth goal of the season for the Hammers, should have done better when he picked up Jesse Lingard’s cross but failed to get a grip on his header.
Still, it’s been a great season so far for West Ham, who finished 16th in 2020-21 but under Slaven Bilic’s leadership hope to reach European competition again for the first time since their seventh-place finish in 2015-16.
In the end, West Ham put up a good resistance and the match can be considered successful.
Fulham attacker Mitrovic scored late and Ruben Loftus-Cheek also missed two chances for the hosts in the final five minutes.
Fulham’s lack of ruthlessness manifests itself again.
Fulham’s draw with West Ham is “hard to accept” – Scott Parker
Fulham began the day eight points behind Burnley and Newcastle, although Burnley played out a 1-1 draw at Brighton and Newcastle beat Southampton 3-2 with nine men to put the pressure on Scott Parker.
But the latest tie still leaves the Cottagers eight points behind in 17th place and in serious danger of relegation to the Championship after winning the playoffs for promotion last season.
West Ham won 1-0 when the two sides met in November, but Fulham missed a great chance for the equalizer in added time when Ademol Lockman’s weak penalty for Panenka was easily saved by Fabianski.
Fulham have won just two Premier League games this season, the last of which was against the bottom of the table Sheffield United.
Lookman was one of Fulham’s positives in a quiet first half at Craven Cottage, when he created two chances but could not finish.
Fulham started the second half in good spirits when Bobby Decordova-Reed flew the ball over and Loftus-Cheek, while playing Lockman, shot into the side netting.
But again, Fulham’s ruthlessness in front of goal cost them Adarabioyo’s header just above and Cavaleiro missed the target while free.
Manager Parker gave a late start to striker Josh Maya, who came over from Bordeaux at the transfer deadline, and also brought in Mitrovic, who recorded only his third win of the season.
They also had chances, but Mitrovic and Loftus-Cheek failed to score on another bad day for the Cottagers.
Another London derby without a win for Fulham – stats …
- Fulham have not won any of their last four league games against West Ham (D1 L3) and failed to score in three of those games.
- Fulham have not won the last 20 derbies in the London Premier League (D3 L17). Only Crystal Palace has had such a long run in the history of the English Premier League (31 between August 1969 and March 1973). However, it was the first time the Cottagers had conceded a goal in a London Premier League derby since March 2013 (1-0 against Tottenham), having conceded a goal in each of their previous 28 matches.
- No team has played more scoreless draws in the Premier League this season than Fulham (four – tied with Manchester United).
- West Ham have taken as many points from 23 games this season as they did in the entire 2019-20 campaign (39).
- Only Burnley (12) have failed to score in more Premier League games this season than Fulham (11).
- There were only three penalties in this match, two from Fulham and one from West Ham. This is the lowest score in a Premier League match this season (as in three other matches).
- Fulham (D8 L4) have not won in 12 league games for the first time since April to September 2014, their longest run exclusively in the top flight since November 2007 to January 2008 (run of 12).
- West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen (19) has been substituted more often than any other player in the Premier League this season, while his teammate Andriy Yarmolenko (13) has appeared most often from the bench this season.
“From the beginning to the end, we’ve been great,” they said…. ….
Fulham boss Scott Parker told the Match of the Day: “It’s hard because I thought we were great from start to finish.
“We had over 20 shots and our finishing was probably the deciding factor. We gave them a lot of problems. The players executed the plan very well – we were a real threat.
“We know the difference there. It’s a group of actors who work tirelessly and I saw it today.
“We need this win, we need something to get us going.”
West Ham boss David Moyes told Match of the Day, “We didn’t play as well as we used to – sometimes the games catch up with you quickly.
“Fulham were the best team – there’s no denying that. I don’t think the quality of our game was there from the start. Some things didn’t work from the start.
What is the next step?
Fulham have a week without a game, as they do not play again until Sunday, February 14, when they take on Everton (19:00 GMT) in the Premier League.
West Ham take on Manchester United in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Tuesday (7:30 p.m.), while Sheffield United return to the competition on Monday, February 15 (6 p.m.) at the London Stadium.
The player of the game
ReedHarrison Reed.
Fulham
- Team number 21PseudoLire
- Team number15Player name Loftus-Cheek
- Team number19 Player nameLookman
- Team number 5Player nameAndersen
- Team number1PseudoAreola
- Team number16Player nameTosin
- Team number2player NameTeam
- Team number14 Name of playerVan Cordova-Reid
- Team number33Player nameRobinson
- Team number18PseudoLemina
- Team number17Player nameCavalero
- Team number29Player nameZambo Anguissa
- Team number 27Players nameMaja
- Team number9 Name of the playerMitrovic
West Ham United
- Team number 1Player nameFabianski
- Team number5Players nameKufal
- Team number11Player name Lingard
- Team number41Players nameRice
- Team number 15PseudoDawson
- Team number3Players name Cresswell
- Team number21Players nameOgbonna
- Team number9 Player nameBenrahma
- Team Number20Players nameBowen
- Team number 7Players name Yarmolenko
- Team number30Player nameAntonio
- Team number 16Player nameNoble
- Team number24Player nameFredericks
- Team number28Player name
Links to.
Fulham
4-2-3-1 training
1Areola
2Tete5Andersen16Tosin33Robinson
21Lecture18Lemina
14From Cordova-Reid15Loftus-Cheek19Lookman
17 Jumper
- 1Areola
- 2Tete
- 5AndersenBocking at 90 min.
- 16Tosine
- 33RobinsonReplaced by Mazhaat 79’min
- 21Read
- 18LeminaReplaced by Mitrovitsin at 79’min
- 14of Cordova-ReidSubstitution of Zambo Anguissa in the 83rd minute
- 15 Loftus-Cheek
- 19Lookman
- 17 Jumper
Replaces
- 3Sector
- 9Mitrovitch
- 12Rodak
- 13Riv.
- 23Brian
- 25 Noma
- 27 Maya
- 29 Zambo Anguissa
- 34Aina
West Ham
4-2-3-1 training
1Fabian
5Coufal15Dawson21Ogbonna3Cresswell
28Kitchen41Rice
20Bowen11Lingard9Benrahma
30Antonio
- 1FabianskiBocking in 90 mines
- 5Kuphal.
- 15Dawson
- 21OgbonnaBooked in 75minutes
- 3Cresswell
- 28SawsekBocking at 90 min.
- 41Ris
- 20BowenSubstitute forNoble at 56’minutes
- 11Lingard
- 9Benrahma, replaced by Yarmolenko in the 56’minBocking in the 90.min.
- 30AntonioReplaced by Fredericksin 74’minutes
Replaces
- 4Balbuena
- 7Yarmolenko
- 10Lanzini
- 16 Nobel
- 18Fornale
- 23Diope
- 24Fredericks
- 25 Martin
- 31Johnson
Living Text
- End of match: Fulham 0, West Ham United 0.
- End of second half, Fulham 0, West Ham United 0.
- Offside line, West Ham United. Aaron Cresswell plays a forward pass but Mark Noble is caught offside.
- Thomas Sucek (West Ham United) is shown a red card for violent conduct.
- VAR decision: Thomas Soucek (West Ham United) updated the card.
- Andriy Yarmolenko (West Ham United) receives a warning from the referee.
- Joachim Andersen (Fulham) is booked for a foul.
- Joachim Andersen (Fulham) is penalized after committing a foul.
- Tomas Sucek (West Ham United) fires his free kick on the right wing.
- Andre-Franc Zambo Anguissa (Fulham) shoots his free kick into the bottom half of the box.
- Aaron Cresswell (West Ham United) is penalized after committing a foul.
- Lukasz Fabianski (West Ham United) receives a warning from the referee.
- One attempt missed. Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Fulham) right footed shot from the center of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Aleksandar Mitrovic.
- One attempt missed. Tomas Soucek’s (West Ham United) header from the center of the box is high and wide on the right. Prepared by Aaron Cresswell with a cross after a fixed coin situation.
- André-Franc Zambo Anguissa (Fulham) is penalized after committing a foul.
- Jesse Lingard (West Ham United) takes a free kick on the left wing.
- Failed attempt. Reuben Loftus-Cheek’s (Fulham) head on the left side of the box is too high.
- One attempt missed. Josh Maia (Fulham)’s header from the center of the box misses to the left. Prepared by Kenny Titus with a cross.
- Ivan Cavaleiro (Fulham) shoots his free kick on the right wing.
- Jesse Lingard (West Ham United) is penalized after committing a foul.
