Can Cairney still rise now and be an international again?

Fulham 2 : 0 West Bromwich Albion

There were so many things for Fulham manager Scott Parker to be pleased about after Monday night’s win over West Brom, that it’s difficult to single one out.

Let’s start with Joachim Andersen’s excellent debut, who replaced the American Tim Ream at the centre half. The 24-year-old Dane is on a season long loan from Lyon. Despite receiving an almighty clattering from Conor Gallagher on the Fulham goalline, Andersen had a very impressive debut.

Not only  did he make key tackles but his positioning and spatial awareness were Premier League quality. Paired with the massive Tosin Adarabioyo, they nullified any threat from both set pieces and quick darts into the box, both of which had been areas of concern to Fulham.

Fulham led 2-0 at half time and much of that was to do with Mario Lemina.  Like Andersen, the Gabonese central midfielder is also on loan – this time from Southampton.

His effervescence was a constant threat to West Brom.

On one notable occasion, it took two Baggies midfielders to dispossess him, eventually. Undeterred, Lemina immediately sprinted after his conqueror and won the ball back with an outstretched leg.

He only played 45 minutes to be replaced by Harrison Reed, but by then the damage to West Brom’s hopes of a first league win had been done.

Only a twinge meant he did not reappear for the second half according to Parker:

“Mario felt his hamstring a little bit in the first half and I didn’t want to take any risks. We’ll have to see where he is in the morning.”

If the first half belonged to Lemina, it was Frank Anguissa who shone in the second.

Suddenly he had an ambition to match his skill. At 2-0 up, he seemed unleashed to demonstrate the trickery and creativity rarely seen when the team is trailing or struggling.

“I was pleased with Frank,” said Parker. I’m conscious of singling players out, but to a man, we were top drawer. I’ve spoken to Frank and he’s understanding his qualities, but you can’t single out one player tonight.”

However if there was one player whose performance really stood out, it wasn’t any of Parker’s fancy new toys.

Fans had begun to wonder if Tom Cairney’s days in the first team were numbered as performances had failed to eclipse his reliability during Fulham’s 2017/18 promotion season.

“I thought Tom was top today. We realise the quality he has. He makes you feel safe when he’s on the ball. He was constantly taking the game to West Brom, that’s something that needs to stay.”

Should that ‘top’ form continue, Cairney’s international career might not yet be over.

Having previously previously represented Scotland at under-19 and under-21 levels, Cairney made his full international debut for Scotland in a 1–1 draw with Canada in a friendly on March 22, 2017. It wasn’t Scotland’s finest day and it was not until year and a day later, that he made his second and last appearance.

It was a build up match to the World Cup for Costa Rica who beat the Scots 1-0 at Hampden in Alec McLeish’s debut in his second spell as coach. It’s fair to say his best club form had probably dipped by then.

[Recap (on Prost Amerika) Guzman injury biggest concern for Costa Rica after 1-0 win over inexperienced Scotland]

Since then Fulham have been on a roller coaster of promotions and relegations and Cairney’s form has never quite regained the heights of their 2017/2018 promotion season.

But the Nottingham born midfielder was once a regular for Scotland Under-21s in the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying campaign under Billy Stark.

At 29, he would be older than any of the midfielders in Steve Clarke’s current squad. Ryan Jack, Kenny MacLean and Stuart Armstrong are all 28.

But John Fleck and Graeme Shinnie who were called up for the recent match with Slovakia are only seven months younger. Additionally, with Norwich City’s relegation, McLean is no longer playing at the highest level every week.

Clarke has a good memory and doesn’t abandon players. Grant Hanley was included in the Scotland squad to play Serbia, Israel and Slovakia later this month, for the first time in more than two years.

Should any midfielder withdraw from the squad for the key match in Belgrade on November 12th, Cairney’s inside knowledge on how to nullify Aleksandr Mitrovic might be an asset Clarke will want to consult.

Bobby De Cordova-Reid and Ola Aina were the men on the scoresheet for Fulham last night.

De Cordova-Reid who came in for Ruben Loftus-Cheek was beautifully set up by Mitrovic for the first. The giant Serb waited an eternity for a lofted cross from Antonee Robinson to drop on his head.

The cross if anything was actually too accurate for the giant Serb to get any power.

So he waited and waited firmly planted on his giant Serb feet. When the ball fell, he deftly nodded it across to Der Cordova-Reid who headed the ball beyond the unprotected Sam Johnstone in the Baggies goal.

The second goal was a solo strike from Aina. The build up play was good but the Nigerian right back was nowhere near the goal when he unleashed an unstoppable strike from outside the area.

Parker was uncharacteristically effusive:

“It was a great strike. We might have to take risks. We’re going to have to take risks in or around the box and Ola did that and it’s flown into the top corner. Anyone watching us with an open mind will see we have a bit of quality. We had some lovely bits in both halves.”

Fulham move out of the relegation zone with this win for the first time since arriving back in the Premier League. Their next tie is an enthralling one, away to on form West Ham at the Olympic Stadium.

It may not be Tom Cairney’s last appearance at a national stadium this year if this form continues.

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