'It was really weird game' - Silvapublished at 18:33 23 November
18:33 23 November
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Fulham manager Marco Silva, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "It was really weird game. That’s the Premier League. It’s easy for us to say we were really unfortunate. It was a situation [where we had to] play with 10 men without a red card.
"You can’t concede the way we conceded the equaliser. It was great from a top, top player, but it was different from our [own perspective].
"We’ve been a team who have been creating. It’s really important for us to keep compact, because we have the ability to create the moments. The positives are there.
"We can’t just be looking at the score. The two goals when we were with 10 men didn't reflect the game, in my opinion."
On his substitutions: "I wanted to bring fresh players, with Kenny Tete on a yellow card. I probably should have kept that one in my pocket, but the yellow card probably rushed my decision to bring on Timo [Castagne] as well."
Fulham 1-4 Wolves: Cottagers drop back down to earth with a bangpublished at 18:30 23 November
18:30 23 November
Matthew Howarth BBC Sport journalist
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Fulham were aiming to win three successive top-flight games for the first time since January – but they were unable to build on their promising start at Craven Cottage.
They were the better side in the first half but were undone by a moment of magic from Matheus Cunha, who was able to stroll unchallenged into the Fulham penalty area to control Mario Lemina’s ball and restore parity.
Raul Jimenez’s first-half miss ultimately proved costly, the Mexican striker somehow failing to beat goalkeeper Jose Sa with the score still goalless.
Manager Marco Silva made five substitutions in the space of 12 second-half minutes as his team chased the game – a move he would come to regret when Joachim Andersen was forced off with an injury with the score at 2-1, forcing the home side to play the rest of the contest with 10 men.
With games against Tottenham, Brighton, Arsenal and Liverpool coming up in the first half of December, Fulham supporters can be forgiven for viewing Saturday's defeat as a missed opportunity.
Sutton's predictions: Fulham v Wolvespublished at 11:03 23 November
11:03 23 November
Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of guests.
For week 12 he takes on The Farm singer and Liverpool fan Peter Hooton.
The Farm's new single, Forever & Ever, is out now and their new album, Let The Music (Take Control), is released in May 2025.
Sutton's prediction: 2-1
Wolves got their first win of the season when they beat Southampton before the international break. Matheus Cunha has started scoring and, when I look at their squad, I do think they are good enough to stay up.
I am not backing them here, however. Fulham are flying and regular readers will know I am a big fan of them when they play at home.
Emile Smith Rowe has looked really bright since joining Marco Silva's side and I am expecting more of the same from him, plus I would not be surprised if Fulham striker Raul Jimenez had a say against his former club.
Wooton's prediction: 2-1
Wolves have got Cunha scoring again and Jimenez is doing the same for Fulham. If they both play then it is going to be very close, but with Fulham being the home team, I am going with them to edge it.
'We trusted him when no-one in the Premier League did'published at 15:46 22 November
15:46 22 November
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Marco Silva says he is "very proud" to be a part of Raul Jimenez's resurgence at Fulham.
The Mexico striker is set to play against one of his former sides when Wolves visit Craven Cottage on Saturday.
"We are really pleased with his momentum and the way we helped him get back to his best again," Silva said.
"The way he is helping us win football matches is why we trusted him when no-one in the Premier League trusted him. We are the ones that trusted him in a difficult moment of his career.
"He had a really tough and bad injury, and when we bought him he had almost 20 games without a goal in the Premier League.
"We were the ones that believed in him and it's paying off, not just now but some moments of last season. We are very proud of how is performing and helping him reach a good level again.
"This is my job. If I have the players in my hand, one thing that they know is that I am always, always going to protect them. I am going to help them reach the standards that I think are important to play.
"They are my players. I am here to help them in all aspects of the game and in other aspects of their life as well. This is the reason I am here."
Silva on Reed's injury, deserving more points and Jimenezpublished at 15:07 22 November
15:07 22 November
Fulham boss Marco Silva has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Wolves (kick-off 15:00 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
He started off with a squad fitness update: "Sasa Lukic and Carlos Vinicius are available to be involved in the squad, or maybe in the 11. It's nice to see both back. They need more time to be back in fitness."
He confirmed that Harrison Reed has picked up an injury: "Yesterday he got a knee injury. After the exams, he's going to need surgery there. It will probably take five or six weeks for him to ready again. It's a meniscus injury."
Silva assessed Fulham's season so far: "We probably deserve even more points than we have. Overall, the way we have been able to rebuild from the players that we lost has been a good challenge for us. We've been performing well and players are settling in well at our club."
On his opponents: "If you look through all of their results in the Premier League it's only the first game that they didn't score in. It's only a matter of time for them to win games. They are quality and have a lot of individual quality in midfield and attack. We have to be at our best level."
On Raul Jimenez, who will be facing one of his former teams: "We are really pleased with his momentum and the way we helped him get back to his best. We trusted him when no-one in the Premier League trusted him. We are the ones that believed in him and it's paying off. We are very proud."
Is striker Fulham's problem position?published at 14:04 21 November
14:04 21 November
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We asked for your views on things that are not being talked about at Fulham but should be.
Here are some of your comments:
Chuck: Fulham’s forward situation is a ticking time bomb. The loss of Aleksandar Mitrovic and the premature promotion of Rodrigo Muniz to number nine will have catastrophic implications not for their European football aspirations, but ultimately for their survival in the Premier League. Marco Silva knows it too. You can see it on his face.
Tom: We have a finishing problem. Haven’t recovered since Mitrovic and it doesn’t look like Silva is looking for that kind of number nine again. If so, then we need to look for a false nine such as Paulo Dybala and think about abolishing the traditional 10.
Harry: Antonee Robinson, he's become arguably the best defensive left back in the league.
Alex: Robinson is probably the best left back in the league.
Mark: Actually, it’s Marco Silva himself and the fact he constantly takes players that are being written off and has turned them into classy performers. There’s never any fuss or drama - he just quietly gets on with building a competitive squad with good depth who are a match for anyone in the league. Our league position isn’t down to luck.
Tim: In my view, that the majority of the Riverside Stand has become an inaccessible playground for wealthy corporate types is repugnant. I understand it may be financially beneficial, but what's the point if it ultimately turns Fulham into a private members club with a football sideshow? Long term I feel the 'football' club is doomed.
What's the one thing nobody is talking about?published at 16:43 20 November
16:43 20 November
A 2-0 win over Crystal Palace before the international break sees Fulham in the Premier League fight for European places, sitting just one point off third place as domestic action restarts this weekend.
Despite once again losing key players in the summer, Marco Silva could not have asked for a much better start to this campaign.
But what is the one thing - good or bad - that isn't being talked about in relation to the Whites right now?
Gossip: Fulham eye McAteepublished at 08:12 19 November
08:12 19 November
Fulham and West Ham are both interested in a January move for Manchester City and England Under-21 midfielder James McAtee, with the 22-year-old limited to just one Premier League minute so far this season. (Guardian), external
'Difficult' decisions with 'pressure' on injured playerspublished at 10:00 16 November
10:00 16 November
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There has been some pressure on players carrying an injury going into international breaks with their national side because you are contracted to these clubs and that is where your income is.
But, for me, as a player I had a similar mindset to Harry Kane that I would always be available - injured or not injured. I would have injections when I was on international duty just so I could represent my country because it meant that much.
It is difficult, however. If you look at Jack Grealish and Pep Guardiola's comments, he has a point because the forward has not been able to play for Manchester City because of injuries. So if you have been sidelined for three or four games, I would agree that you are then not fit and available to go on international duty.
But when you look at some of the other players, ones who have been playing and being managed by their club, then I do not see it being different to being played and managed by your country.
From the club's side, when they are competing at such high levels in the Premier League, you can understand why they would want their players to be rested and get fully fit again over the two weeks, rather than having to come back straight into a hectic period of fixtures.
I kind of get it from both points of view but, as a player, if I am half fit and being played by my club, I would be fully available for my national team.
It is really difficult with the pressure that is on the players, though. I would not look at it as a decision players have made solely.
Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson
Gossip: Whites in four-way battle for Brazil strikerpublished at 08:45 16 November
Mini-league psychology 'important'published at 15:33 14 November
15:33 14 November
With only four points separating third and 13th, we do not normally see that many teams in this type of mini league.
Normally, you might have the teams in a pack around the top four or five and then another pack underneath that with your relegation pack as well, so the fact there is so many teams in it at this stage is making it different.
From the mental side of competing in that, you look at Manchester United who have struggled so much this season and are sitting 13th. If they get a win, it can shoot them right up the table. They are in a position to think they are only a few points off the Champions League places' and that is good.
But it can work both ways.
Knowing the points are so close can keep you strong, keep you competing and have that competitiveness because you know a result can jump you up. But on the flipside, you could easily go from seventh down to 13th in one weekend or from third down to 10th.
How you deal with it depends on the manager, the players and also the psychologists within the group. Psychology in sport is really important for whether you see the situation as a positive or a negative.
Whether it stays like this all season is hard to say as there have been some really inconsistent performances and results. The most consistent team is the one sitting at the top.
I do not know what the rest of the campaign has in store for these sides because all the teams seem to be able to take points off each other this season.
Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson
Wilson 'another example' of players' respect for Silvapublished at 12:38 12 November
12:38 12 November
Drew Heatley Fan writer
Image source, PA Media
In football, we love talking about players running through brick walls for their managers. It is a bit extreme, of course - but there is merit behind the sentiment.
In Marco Silva, we have a manager who has earned so much respect from his players and Harry Wilson's renaissance is the latest example of that.
In the shadows for most of this season, Wilson changed the game against Brentford on Monday and scored again against Crystal Palace on Saturday, less than two minutes after coming on.
When praising the Wales winger post-Brentford, club cameras caught Silva telling him: "It's been tough for you, but it's not your fault - if someone is at fault, it's [me]."
It is an almost disarming level of honesty that shows how our gaffer manages to juggle the level of talent in our squad, when it is as deep as it has ever been.
Wilson is not the first player to come in from the cold and immediately catch fire. Rodrigo Muniz famously slotted into the starting XI, more than two years after signing (and after a torrid loan spell at Middlesbrough), and scored nine in 13.
And when Muniz faltered at the start of this term, Silva brought Raul Jimenez back in and he has repaid his manager's faith with four goals and two assists so far. Neither could, nor would, have done it without a special relationship with their coach.
Then there is Sasa Lukic. A perennial understudy to Joao Palhinha in his first 18 months at the club, he came in and flourished before a shoulder injury temporarily put him on the shelf.
But perhaps the most enjoyable example of Silva's man-management is how he has handled the autumn of Tom Cairney's career. He has transformed Cairney from on-field leader who starts every game to club captain who makes 20-minute cameos, without lessening his impact.
No need to run through brick walls, perhaps. But Silva has got Fulham running around a football pitch pretty well. And we could not be happier.
Moggy: So disappointing. Definitely our worst home game this season. On the plus side, it was great to see new players doing well. I liked that Oliver Glasner saw all the injuries as an opportunity. Felt sorry for Maxence Lacroix as his mistake changed the game but Daichi Kamada was poor. Dean Henderson always slows the game down by holding the ball way too long. DON'T SACK GLASNER, PLEASE!
Paul: Another disappointing afternoon at Selhurst Park. Too many errors, too little confidence, too many important players missing and all this exposed by a fine Fulham team. The reset button needs pressing during the international break and we need our best players fit and firing if it's not going to be a huge relegation fight.
Gary: Obviously a very poor performance. Kamada is not Premier League quality. I'm pleased he's banned for three games. Jeffrey Schlupp should be starting more. Marc Guehi is not a midfielder. We have to go back to basics with four at the back. We don't have the players at present to play 3-4-3.
Fulham fans:
James: Fulham were clearly the better team from the first whistle, and the result should never have been in doubt. Scoring just before half-time was crucial, as against a stronger strike force, we might have paid the price for not being more clinical. Emile Smith Rowe was the difference, and there’s a very positive atmosphere around Fulham at the moment.
Lucas: To describe this game in one word would be 'inevitable'. We were great from the start and of course Smith-Rowe, Raul Jimenez and Alex Iwobi were good, as well as Reiss Nelson. I also thought Andreas Pereira had a good game, after some criticism from the past few performances by fans (myself included).
David: A good follow up to the nerve-shredding Brentford game. Palace were obviously affected by loss of key players to injury. Every Fulham player had a solid game, especially Harry Wilson even though he came on late again. I couldn't spot any weaknesses. Plenty of noise from our fans too.
Image source, Getty Images
