Fulham are back. No more Thomas Tuchel drab, ladies and gents, Silva ball is back in full swing. Thank God. Leeds at home awaits. Here’s your Leeds preview:
In the minds of many, when returning from the international break, Fulham falter. Since Fulham’s 21/22 promotion to the big time, Marco’s men have won just three of eleven games when returning from an international break. Doesn’t bode well, does it? It certainly doesn’t. Whilst it’s perhaps a stretch to say this game is ‘must win’, by the same token, this is a game that Fulham need to win.
If Fulham have won come 5:30, Saturday evening, our hard earned points at Brighton and against Manchester United look good value, the scandalous defeat at Stamford Bridge null and voided as a result of the VAR/Rob Jones ridiculousness. But, if Daniel Farke’s Leeds keep another clean sheet or even better, there will surely be mutterings amongst a fanbase mulling over mutiny.
A point against a Manchester United side belittled by Blundell Park, and a consistently, inconsistent Brighton will look lacklustre, and an excusable second half display at the Bridge, given another perspective. Without a win tomorrow, many will arrive at the panic station. Our worst ever Silva start, and longest tenure in the relegation zone since the 43 year old arrived in West London will be given some meaning. The Fulham faithful will begin to look down the table, not up it.
Don’t get it twisted, as far as our September fixtures go, this is a must win.
**Will We See Kevin or Chukwueze Start?**
To start? Unlikely. To feature? A guarantee. Throughout Marco Silva’s time by the river, recent arrivals have to earn their strips, earn a starting birth. Bernd Leno had to wait several weeks to displace Marek Rodak as number one, Calvin Bassey was stuck behind Tim Ream before injury forced Bassey into a right centre half role, and Sasa Lukic had to wait 18 months for a consistent starting role in West London. Kevin and Chukwueze will likely experience much of the same.
I’ve been steadfast on the fact that Fulham fans should be patient with Kevin. Our record signing has bags of talent, but he’s raw, it will take time to adjust to living in the big smoke, and getting used to the pace, physicality, and quality of the Premier League.
With that said, ‘Kev’ has lit up the joint in training,. The club’s video of Kevin doing up Kenny Tete, alongside Tom Cairney’s ‘’Pele’ quotes have understandably excited fans. When your factor in that the 22 year old was the only one of the Whites three deadline day deals to have trained at Motspur Park throughout the international break, juxtaposed by the fact that Alex Iwobi started against South Africa, on the other side of the world, just three days ago, perhaps Kevin could buck the trend of Silva not starting signings from the off. I’d dub Kevin as the signing most likely to start against Leeds.
Samuel Chukwueze on the other hand has been away with Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi with Nigeria. ‘Chukz’s’ first full day of Fulham training likely came the Thursday or Friday just gone. That puts any speculation about Samuel’s Saturday inclusion to bed. Cambridge in the Carabao Cup looks like the first time we see Chukwueze start in the all white strip.
Kevin’s samba skill will get even the poshest ebbs of the Riverside off their padded seats. His raw South American flavour could come in handy late on, for a bit of magic to decide the fixture, or for an effective way for London’s Original to keep ahold of possession if protecting a lead.
I haven’t even mentioned that Kevin is supremely underrated outside of possesion. Kevin’s UCL heatmap shows his tendency to track back when required, which is impressive for a young Samba starlet and could be useful if the Whites are protecting a lead. He averages 1.37 interceptions and 2.35 tackles per 90 minutes – making him very much the modern winger. He could be an immediate asset against a Leeds outlet that will look to feed Willy Gnoto and Dan James (remember him?) at every opportunity.
**How Leeds Will Setup**
This may come back to bite me when James delivers a 90th minute winner, but I believe Silva should be able to outclass Daniel Farke. Farke’s Premiership Leeds have broken the German’s pattern of persisting with a 4–2–3–1. United now deploy a three man deep lying midfield, made up of two outright defensive pivots, alongside a box to box midfielder. A rigid setup to say the least.
Leeds look to sit in a low block, then breaking directly from the moment possession changes hands. Leeds attack vertically, at speed, with moves targeted towards the outlet balls for their pacey wingers. A physical centre forward, like Joel Piroe, Lukas Nmecha (who are both doubts for tomorrow’s game) or summer signing Dominic Calvert-Lewin are the target of the balls in the box, alongside the late runs from their box-to-box midfielder. It’s safe to say the main component of this Leeds team is athleticism.
**How Fulham can flourish**
The Whites will, therefore, be faced by their kryptonite. A low block. Leeds have the fourth lowest share of the ball in the top flight for far this season (43.1%) and will try and exploit opportunities on transition, an overload if the hosts overcommit or a lapse in concentration. Discipline is absolutely key, especially from Fulham’s full backs.
The mentality must be right but the Whites will need to score first. An away goal will give Leeds something to sit on. That would be catastrophic. This season tells you all you need to know, every game Leeds have conceded in, they have lost, even crisis-ridden Sheffield Wednesday. Marco’s men need to start fast, don’t even allow Leeds a way to build confidence into the game. Don’t show Leeds any respect, suffocate their low block, but be watchful out wide.
If Silva’s side want to reach the apex of their potential, Fulham can’t keep bouncing from a team that is elite at beating teams below them in 22/23, to a team that does virtually the opposite in 24/25, and parts of 23/24. Don’t just rob from rich big six, pummel the rest of the Premier League – that’s where the foundations for a successful season will be found.
Saturday is a serious opportunity to slot together the promising parts of Silva’s 25/26 side with a first home league win of the season. Leeds are likely to plump for Karl Darlow in goal and they should eschew caution, get some shots off and they might well find the result to their liking!
**Who should start?**
I seem to say this regularly but I think Josh King could play a big role in unlocking Leeds’ low block. I can see King writing the wrongs of his goal of the month effort on the wrong side of Fulham two weeks ago. Josh’s presence as that ‘magic man’ in the ten will be crucial in finding the half spaces that will unlock this rigid opposition. This may be the teenager’s toughest test yet. He has shone in the early weeks of the season but he should relish the chance to prove he deliver even in more crowded circumstances. The Wimbledon wonderkid dictating the majority of the ball sounds very good to me.
The game seems set up for Kevin too. Kev’s place as one of the only players to have undergone a full week of match prep isn’t the main reason he starts though. The Brazilian U20 inetrnational’s prepencity to cut inside from the left, with a flair likely to cause confusion within the structure of LUFC just provides further numbers centrally, especially when you combine Harry Wilson’s inside leaning presence on the right wing.
King, Kevin, Wilson, and Lukic presenting a four on three against a Leeds midfield trio, that may or may not feature their best engine room operator in Ao Tanaka, is a tantalising prospect. If Tete and Robinson can provide the balance of defensive discipline and wide creation, we can over-run this Leeds low block.
Leeds will likely look to turn the midfield battle into a physical one, Sander Berge and Sasa Lukic have to stand up and be counted. it would be a good time to see some central creation from Sander Berge. Sasa Lukic could do with contunining his fast start to the season, with the Serbian showing plenty of creative impetus in the past few weeks, with the Serbian putting up the most crosses into the Premier League (10). If the Lilywhites weren’t such a frightening physical opposition, maybe some added central creation, in Tom Cairney, could be utilised instead of Sander Berge, but Fulham need Berge’s unique physical profile.
I’d go for Jorge Cuenca ahead of Calvin Bassey after the Nigerian’s goalscoring exploits in Bloemfontein. We have depth for a reason and the Spaniard has shown he is a more than able left-sided understudy. Antonee Robinson should return at left back. Ryan Sessegnon has started the season superbly, but there’s no-one better in the division at bombing up and down the left than our awesome American international. This is the perfect stage for the return of the Jedi.
**My Prediction**
Do we great that win? I think so. In games like this, Marco, and his merry men, have a great record of pulling it out the bag. Despite clean sheets against impressive Newcastle and Everton sides, Daniel Farke isn’t Premier League quality, neither is his squad, injuries to Ao Tanaka, Joel Piroe, and Lucas Perri definitely don’t help that.
This is a chance for a statement preformance. Anything but that is failure. Anything but that, and people will begin to panic, perhaps more than they should for a fixture in September. Settle the nerves, Fulham. Get three points on the board. My guess? 3–1 Fulham (a brace from Muniz, while King Kevin announces himself with a trademark clinical finish).