Ahead of the 2023/24 Premier League season, Alex Keble takes an in-depth look at each of the 20 clubs.
Fulham
Fulham supporters feared the worst when top goalscorer Aleksandar Mitrovic and then head coach Marco Silva, the man who masterminded the club’s first top-10 Premier League finish for 11 years, were linked with moves away this summer.
Instead, a statement of commitment from Silva has reinvigorated Fulham just when the cracks looked to be appearing.
Mitrovic’s departure, however, does seem impending. Along with a quiet transfer window and a slight decline in performances towards the end of last season, there remains a lingering doubt over Fulham for 2023/24.
Performance last season
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 |
Brentford
BRE
|
38 | +12 | 59 |
| 10 |
Fulham
FUL
|
38 | +2 | 52 |
| 11 |
Crystal Palace
CRY
|
38 | -9 | 45 |
| Competition | Performance |
|---|---|
| FA Cup | Quarter-final |
| EFL Cup | Second round |
Performance last five seasons
| 18/19 | 19/20 | 20/21 | 21/22 | 22/23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19th | Champ 4th | 18th | Champ 1st | 10th |
How to improve on 2022/23
Fulham’s competency was a welcome change. Years of yo-yoing meant fans have not experienced the feeling of Premier League stability for some time.
The aim is to consolidate their status while the gradual opening of the redeveloped Riverside Stand continues. But even treading water is not going to be easy should Mitrovic depart, and Fulham’s drift away from the European places last spring may be a sign of what is to come.
The two things are, of course, related. Fulham collected 13 points from their final 13 Premier League matches of the season, beating only the bottom four teams in the division.
Mitrovic, suspended for a large chunk of this run, proved indispensable. Fulham averaged 1.5 points per match in the 24 fixtures in which Mitrovic featured, and 1.1 points in the 14 he missed. Expanded over the course of a full season, that’s the difference between 57 and 43 points.
Improving on 2022/23 will be difficult, especially with rivals Chelsea unlikely to remain in the bottom half, although one new signing in particular gives cause for optimism.
Key transfers
Calvin Bassey, signed from Ajax, is a proactive and press-resistant centre-back who will give Fulham greater control in the build-up phase. His arrival is the clearest sign that Fulham have not hit their ceiling under Silva and that progress in 2023/24 is possible with an increased share of possession and territory.
See: How Bassey will help change Fulham's style of play
Demarai Gray performed well for Everton last season and is a good addition on the wing, but the jury is out on Silva’s Mitrovic replacement.
Raul Jimenez is a strong hold-up striker and good in the air, although he failed to score a Premier League goal in 15 appearances last season for Wolverhampton Wanderers and netted only six times in 34 matches the year before.
Tactics
Fulham are an aggressive, front-foot team under Silva, who has matured from the days when expansive tactics saw his Everton, Watford, and Hull City sides caught on the break.
At Fulham, Silva’s formation remains compact even when pressing hard, thanks in no small part to Joao Palhinha’s command of midfield. The Portuguese topped the Premier League charts for tackles attempted (147) and completed (83), amassing a remarkable 50 per cent more than the next best player.
Fulham’s approach play is simple, based on quick switches out to the wingers who whip it in for the big man up front. Indeed, their 1,551 attempted long balls was the fourth-highest total in the division last season, while only Liverpool attempted more than their 769 crosses.
Reasons to cheer
West Ham United’s reported interest in Palhinha has cooled and Silva’s going nowhere. In this day and age, keeping the majority of the squad together after such a successful first season back in the top flight is something to be celebrated.
Maybe the best news of all is that the first season ticket holders are being moved into the upper tier of the new Riverside stand, meaning fewer empty seats towering over the players.
Reasons to fear
Mitrovic aside, some may worry that Fulham are ripe for second-season syndrome. Opponents will have wised up to their particular threats, as we saw towards the end of the campaign, and with only three new signings to date Fulham could do with a bit more insulation against a fall.
Of course, key player Palhinha is an injury doubt for the opening weeks of the season, too.
"It’s difficult to be sure on the timeframe," Silva said this weekend. "He has already begun his ball work on the training pitch and it’s good to see him back. With more contact in the training sessions, we’ll continue to be assessing day by day to see how he reacts."
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Opening six matches
Fulham will need to get points on the board at Everton (A) and Brentford (H) before they travel to Arsenal and Manchester City in consecutive matches. They then face Luton Town (H) and Crystal Palace (A).
Predicted XI v Everton:
4-2-3-1: Leno; Tete, Ream, Bassey, Robinson; Palhinha, Reed; Wilson, Cairney, Gray; Jimenez.