Fulham are off of the Premier League table again, and with the close of the season just around the corner, it’s hard to see how they can recover. We’re looking at what they can do now to survive the next Premier League season.
What happened to Fulham?
If you were to ask us a couple of weeks ago whether we thought Fulham had a chance, we might have said there was hope. Manager Marco Silva and his team had just eked their way onto the Premier League table, and there was a resounding “Well done” from fans as though from a parent that saw their teenage son finally draw within the lines.
And then Fulham were kicked out again. The latest event is the devastating loss of 4-0 to Sheffield United this weekend, which was particularly troubling as it came off the back of the 7-0 win against Luton Town on May 2nd.
And with one fell swoop – or four – Fulham were gone from the Premier League table, only to be replaced by their decades-old rival, Norwich City.
The old rivalry between Fulham and Norwich City has resulted in a Premier League table that is constantly flashing the last place back and forward between the two team names enough times to induce a photosensitive seizure.
With the closure of the Premier League season imminent, it’s clear that Fulham aren’t going to get it together enough to get far in the Premier League before May 22nd.
The hope is that if Norwich puts up an equally devastating show against Tottenham on Sunday the 22nd, Fulham can at least peek their eyes above the Premier League table border again to say that they made it at the close.
It’s not thriving, but it’s surviving. But if Fulham is looking to thrive come the opening of the next Premier League season in August, they’ll need to make some changes. Many neutrals will be interested in seeing Fulham survive, maybe finding cheap Premier League tickets to follow their progress and see if they’ve learned from their last experience.
Is it the manager?
Fulham manager Marco Silva has not been in his position long, having only been appointed to his position in July 2021, but he has made advancements.
He is considered comparably brilliant against the past two managers of Fulham FC Scott Parker and Slavisa Jokanovic. Their respective 17%- and 8%-win rates disappointed fans over and over again, so when Silva stepped in and raised his rate with Fulham to an impressive 62%, there was hope.
It’s hard to see a flaw there. It’s a promising start, and if Silva can just keep up the momentum, and keep improving the team, there is a chance that Fulham could find themselves higher up in the Premier League table next season.
Is it the team?
The Fulham MVP is undoubtedly Aleksandar Mitrovic, who has scored a massive 43 goals in 44 Premier League games under Silva in the 2020/21 season. But his impressive record and Fulham’s depressing results have led outsiders to take another look at the Serbian, making him a prime target for transfer.
But no one needs to be reminded that Mitrovic is Fulham’s best player by far and that losing him could be detrimental to the club. If Fulham is to keep improving, Silva needs to surround Mitrovic with quality players. Either his teammates rise to his level with training or Fulham should buy in players from other clubs to match his skill and stature.
Kenneth is a an avid soccer follower, fan and writer. He is a consistent follower of the sport and is a fan of Chelsea FC.