Wolves at home. It’s November 1st, and it’s no exaggeration to say Wolves coming to the Cottage is a relegation six pointer.
Marco Silva’s biggest league game as Fulham boss awaits, as FFC tread the line between mid table mediocrity and a survival scrap. Here’s what a win would do for Marco’s men:
### What a Win Would Mean to Fulham
Fulham sit at a crossroads of our season. Winless in five, scraping past a relegation-threatened Wycombe Wanderers did anything but calm the nerves of the Fulham faithful concerned at recent performances. If Silva’s side beat Wolves, previous games can be given a bit of understanding. Weight would be added to the theory that Fulham have won and lost the games you would have suspected pre season.
Add a fourth consecutive cup quarter final into the mix, and hey, maybe you look at upcoming Everton and Sunderland fixtures as a chance to pull away into the ambivelence of mid table.
However, if the Whites fail to win against winless Wolves, the ‘’we’ve beat the teams we were meant to beat’’ dies a painful death. Dropping points to Wolves would provide a massive reality check as to where Fulham’s season is heading – a first relegation scrap in half a decade.
On the verge of panic, Silva’s side have a terrific record; similar instances at home to Bournemouth and Luton spring to mind from 23/24, but this is the closest to the precipice the Whites have ever veered to the despair of a dogfight.
With many correlations between our home game against Wolves last year, especially the fact Wolves arrive in West London in bad form once again, how do we avoid another Wolves win?
### How Do Wolves Play?
Prior to Wolves’ defeat to Leeds, Vitor Pereira’s Wolverhampton Wanderers had a clear identity.
In possession, the two wide centre-backs in a three would provide width, whilst wing backs would play as pseudo left and right wingers supporting Strand Larsen in attack. Two attacking midfielders would also offer support, with long time Fulham target, Andre, utilised at the midfield metronome from deep.
Wolves would attack as a pack (thank you), with Pereira’s ultimate goal being one of having a fluid counter attacking system based on seamless changes from a low block to an numbers-heavy attack – a style of play that saw WWFC score the fourth most counterattacking goals last season (eight).
Outside of possession, Wanderers would often pack into a 5–4–1, seeing as many as nine men behind the ball at times.
This was the system that lifted Vitor Pereira’s Wolves out of the drop zone, with ‘The Old Gold’ the eighth best side in the Premier League over Pereira’s 16 game reign last season.
But after a run that saw the Black Country side put up nine consecutive losses either side of the start of the league campaign, Pereira changed tact. I’ll cut a long story short, it hasn’t gone very well.
Despite points against Spurs and Tottenham, Wolves remain winless, now lacking an identity, as well as results, in a generic 4–3–3 shape – still based around counter-attacking.
Any positive spin seems to have been wiped off the slate after an unbelievable turn of events between head coach and fans after a loss to Burnley loss for Pereira’s side.
### How Do Fulham Beat Wolves?
It’s all about compounding pressure early.
If Marco comes out on top against his Portuguese compatriot, Pereira will likely be consigned to the sack. Rumblings of burner accounts on X, and full time outbursts see the 57 year old fit the label of a dead man walking. Silva’s side have to pile pressure on Pereira, start fast, give Wolves no respect. Play with urgency, aggression, and purpose in transition. This is a must win after all.
Marshall Muntesi should be a man that FFC use as a pressing trigger point. The 29 year old’s stats have been making the rounds over the last week: ‘’Muntesi has completed 69 passes this season in 9 games. That’s 7.6 passes per game, 8.9 passes per 90. He completes less than one pass every TEN MINUTES of football.’’ (@\_TightWadBill on X).
Force Wolves into mistakes, give them the rope, they’ll do the rest – just look at their four conceded goals against Chelsea midweek, all mistakes.
### Team News & Team Selection
Finally some good news on the injury front for Fulham.
Despite the fact that Marco Silva is still unable to provide a timeline for Antonee Robinson’s return, and Raul Jimenez is a doubt, Fulham are the closest to full fitness they’ve been in weeks.
Joachim Andersen, Harry Wilson, and Emile Smith Rowe are set to return to matchday squad, while Muniz and Chukwueze could also return after longer absecnces out.
Rodeigo Gomes and Matt Doherty are unavailable for Wolves.
### Team Selection:
Jorge Cuenca deservedly comes back into the team, to comprise a back four of Tete, Diop, Cuenca and Sessegnon, with Diop’s consistent performances and thunder-bastard penalties keeping Joachim Andersen out the team for another week.
In a game where Fulham need to be a creative force in possession, game after game, Josh King and Alex Iwobi prove our most threatening midfield duo. Josh King’s goal and all round performance spoke for itself mid-week, but Alex Iwobi changed the game centrally, yet again.
This is the game to see the long-awaited midfield three of: Lukic, King, and Iwobi.
Kevin gets his long awaited maiden Premier League start, up against the relatively untested Ki-Jan-Hoever. Adama Traore remains on the right because, well, I can’t see Marco risking Wilson or Chukwueze from the off, but soon as Sammy C is fit, he goes straight into the XI.
I suspect if Raul is ruled out, Marco may well force Rodrigo to play through the pain barrier – we all know how playing with no recognised striker went last time out. Rodrigo is back, I hope.
### The Definition Of a Must Win
This is the definition of a must win.
Pre-season, Fulham were seen to have the second hardest opening ten games of the campaign in the top flight by Opts, Wolves at home is the last of those ten. Get a win, things look a lot more rosey. Players are retuning from injury, we are in a cup quarter final, and FFC now face the the second easiest next ten games in the Premier League. If you lose, however, it doesn’t bare thinking about…
Come on Fulham.