THE SEAN DAVIS COLUMN

After losing two games in a row, to bounce back in the way we did was superb. Seven points from a possible nine is an excellent return, and it could even have been better than that. Any point on the road in this league is great, but to go and beat Leeds on their own patch is fantastic. Away from home in the Premier League you’re always going to be up against it, especially when they’ve got a volatile crowd like Leeds. To go a goal down and still stick to the gameplan, knowing we’re always going to score goals, was wonderful to see.

Aston Villa was practically flawless from our point of view. First and foremost, keeping a clean sheet was great for us, and then we were excellent up the other end of the pitch as well. I thought Willian was fantastic. He looks so sharp. A lot of people may have raised an eyebrow at his signing as he’s an older player, but you can tell from his enthusiasm and work rate that that hunger is still there. All the best players have that, and he’ll be good for the younger players, training with them day in and day out, they can see how he works.

He’s got great technical ability, the ball always seems to be on a piece of string. He always seems to have time on the ball, which is the mark of a good player. He’s a great coup for the Club, we didn’t pay any money for him, so it’s a fantastic deal. He was unlucky not to score against Villa so it was pleasing to see him get off the mark in Leeds. If we can get these kinds of performances out of him until the end of the season then I’m sure we stand a good chance of placing as high as we possibly can.

Our other standout performer last week was Harrison Reed, a man I’ve got nothing but respect for. Our last season in the Premier League, he was fantastic, I thought he was one of our best players. And he’s continued that. Outside of the Club, he doesn’t get as much credit as he should do. The signing of João Palhinha has given him the opportunity to push forward and get in those positions where he’s a threat. We’d previously known him as more of an anchor in the midfield who wins a lot of second balls. I think him and João dovetail very well, and it seems like a great combination and a great partnership.

I know recently a lot of our fans have been saying England could do worse than take Harrison to the World Cup. He’s playing in the best league in the world, he’s playing in a team that’s flying at the minute, he’s doing really well, so why not? He’s an honest lad, he does a lot of the dirty stuff that goes unnoticed, and now he’s getting the plaudits. He took his goal against Villa really well – I thought his first touch made the goal. Maybe a year or two ago he would have tried to leather the ball, but he took his time and got a good connection. You knew it was a goal as soon as it left his foot. We had a great view from the gantry. I’m pleased for him because I’m sure there’s been a lot of hard graft gone in over the years, and he’s getting his rewards now.

I think we should be proud of the Manager, the staff and the players, for the effort, the commitment and the passion which have contributed to the performances we’re seeing at the moment. It’s a great start, but all the players can do is keep taking every game as it comes. I know it’s a boring saying but it’s so true in our case, and let’s see where it gets us. Could we end up being in a relegation battle? Yes. Could we end up mid-table? Yes. Could we end up fighting for seventh or eighth? Yes, of course we can. It’s a long season so let’s just take each game as it comes, but the fans can be proud of what the team has achieved so far. There’s a buzz around the stadium, even as you’re walking to the ground you can see the smiles on people’s faces. It’s good to be a Fulham fan at this present moment.

After losing three in a row, Everton looked very impressive in their win over Crystal Palace at the weekend, scoring some lovely goals. Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s back now which is massive for them. He’s physical, good in the air, he’s strong, he’s fast, he can run the channels. But we need to concentrate on what we do best, look at our strengths while trying to exploit their weaknesses and take it from there. It’s a home game in the Premier League and we’ll be expecting to get something out of it, and I’m sure the boys will go into it full of confidence having picked up six points last week.

Frank Lampard was a top class midfielder in his day, there’s not many who played his position who would be getting around 20 goals every season. It’s not an easy place to go and manage at Everton, it does take time to go and put your stamp on things. I’m sure he won’t get the warmest reception from the Fulham fans but I can’t imagine that will bother him whatsoever as he’s been used to it throughout his career. He’ll just be focused on getting the points for Everton, as Marco will be for us.