Having reached the seventh game week of the season and the second international break, Fulham has gathered two months of data, impressions have been made, and predictions and verdicts made before the season’s start can be addressed. Of course, there is a long way to go in the season and thousands of minutes to be played, so the seven games we have seen won’t reflect the other 31 yet.
Several clubs have caught the eye, exceeded expectations and started the season strongly. Chelsea sits in a Champions League spot after confusingly sacking manager Mauricio Pochettino at the end of a strong season. Still, Enzo Maresca and Cole Palmer seem to have picked up the pieces. Nottingham Forest finished one position above relegation last season in 17th after sacking club hero Steve Cooper for former Wolves and Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo.
The Trees find themselves slap-bang midtable after two wins, four draws and one loss; an empathic win at Anfield against league leaders Liverpool solidified Forest’s strong start. The most notable improvement to the midlands side has to be their defence, as they have made the City Ground a tough place to go to. Nuno has straightened things up at the back, as his side has conceded some of the least XG in the league.
The biggest surprise is Fulham FC’s West London side. Marco Silva’s side sit just outside European places in 8th, above London rivals Spurs and West Ham. They also find themselves only 1 point behind European regulars Newcastle and Brighton. Context is vital in any discussion, and any club could pitch their argument and push themselves forward for this discussion.
Losing Joao Paulinha
Fulham, however, didn’t have the most convincing transfer window leading into this season. Joao Paulinha, chased by many a European club for several years, departed to Bayern Munich, the Bundesliga giant. Paulinha was widely regarded as the club’s most important player. The centre defensive midfielder was key to aiding his defence by snuffing out danger and key to his attack through his passing range and putting his side on the front foot. Although Fulham produced a significant profit on Paulinha (25 million Euros) it seemed they hadn’t bought in a like for like replacement for the Portuguese come the end of the window.
Summer Arrivals
Although the Paulinha-shaped hole at the heart of Fulham’s team didn’t seem to have been filled, this doesn’t mean intelligent signings weren’t made. As Arsenal no10 Emile Smith-Rowe left the Emirates for Craven Cottage for a fee similar to the profit they made on the man who recently departed for Germany (30 million Euros).
The Englishman who broke into Arsenal’s first team a couple of years ago has been riddled with injuries, and as Arteta’s Arsenal progressed, there wasn’t a place for Emile when he was fit to play. However, this wasn’t the only player Marco Silva would capture from a London rival in this transfer window, as Joachim Anderson would cross from South to West as he left Crystal Palace for 30 million Euros.
Reiss Nelson left the Gunners on loan to join Fulham, and Ryan Sessegnon, Fulham’s player of the season in the Championship in their promotion season, made a return for free; it was a busy window.
Despite the positive signings, Paulinha’s loss left many feeling that a troublesome season could await the Cottagers.
The Season So Far
The doubts surrounding Fulham were no doubt reasonable, and the insecurities were still prevalent at the start of the season. Marco Silva’s side seems to have put these doubts to bed after picking up 11 points in 7 games, two of which were two defeats away to both Manchester clubs. These would be the only defeats to be suffered thus far, however, as impressive wins over Newcastle, Nottingham Forest, and Leicester built up the majority of their points total.
Managers are in high demand, and the tactician Marco Silva has proven why, as he continues to get the best out of his men and get them onside with the football he wants to play. Adama Traore is proving ever-threatening on the right flank, linking up with former Wolves teammate Raul Jiminez, who seems to have found form after his career-threatening injury. Smith Rowe has come alive in the role he has been given, adding creativity and flair to Fulham’s midfield, further proving the reason he was bestowed Arsenal’s infamous no10 jersey.
Silva opting for a more possessive style of play no doubt weakens the loss of their Portuguese general. Players like Andreas Pereira are dropping deeper to make way for new signing Smith-Rowe while also picking up defensive responsibilities left behind by Paulinha. The system seems to be nullifying the weaknesses in the team, and with favourable fixtures against Everton, Brentford, Palace and Wolves coming up, there doesn’t seem to be a reason why it can’t continue. Is it sustainable? Time will tell.