Marco Silva spoke ahead of the start of the season as **Fulham**trek down to the south coast for a clash with Brighton. The Cottagers have pushed through a ceiling with their manager of many years, but he is wary of the skill from the Seagulls, who have "creative" and "technical" talent to trouble.
‘Normally our fanbase is there in great number’
Silva is excited to start of the season with a traditionally well supported trip to the Amex Stadium.
“Great games with them. It’s a place where normally our fanbase is there in a great number. We like to feel that challenge ahead of us, with our fans behind us, even if we are playing away from home.”
**Brighton**had their ups and downs but still finished in eighth position, seven points ahead of their opponents. The Cottagers crumbled to a last-gasp 2-1 loss on the last occasion that they travelled to the south coast in March, courtesy of a Joao Pedro penalty, and have full respect for their opponents.
“They are very demanding games, they demand this from any team that goes there to play against them, because they are a very good side. We are going to be ready for it, for the demands of the game, and our ambition is to go and to play at our best level, because the game is going to demand that.”
The manager made clear that the concentration of his camp must stay at a high level tomorrow.
“You have to be very careful in all the moments of the game to take the best, to try to win the game.”
The Seagulls still have Lewis Dunk at the back, and are already bringing through young players with potential thanks to their recruitment. Both sides should be able to present problems to each other.
*“When you play against Brighton, you expect always a team who is a threat in the front line, always with technical players, very good players, and very creative midfielders as well. And, of course, a backline in some positions with enough experience and maturity in the Premier League to be a very, a very tough day for us. But we are going to do our maximum to make it very difficult for them, too.”*
‘We have to set some targets again’
The Cottagers cracked the 53 point barrier from the 2008/09 campaign with a 3-2 win over West London rivals **Brentford**in their penultimate match of last season. Their old record paved the way to seventh spot and Europa League qualification for a historic run, while they ended up 11th in May.
But the battle for 54 points was no less impressive to Silva, who has already set goals for the group.
“When you achieve something so, so important, breaking the points record for the football club for the first time in many, many, many years, and it was a great achievement from this group of players.”
The club have not been in Europe since 2011: it would be a welcome stimulus to the affairs of a stable side. Whatever he has in mind as a target, the Portuguese prepares to hold his players accountable.
*“We have to set some targets again, and I did it straightaway after the last match against Manchester City, when I spoke with the group about our season, about the achievement, about everything.”*
The 48-year-old was at **Watford**and **Everton**for brief spells, but has found a home with Fulham. He is entering his fifth season in the dugout and sees standards as the key to keeping a competitive edge.
“We set certain standards again. If you reach something, of course, as an ambitious group of players and staff, you want more. We are looking to try to break the record because we know we are able to do this season even better than last one. This is what we want – that is the ambition of the group.”