Ahead of today’s trip to Craven Cottage, we caught up with Danny from @fulham_focus
What has Marco Silva done this season to have you flying so high in the Premier League?
First and foremost, the recruitment over the summer completely transformed our credentials as a Premier League outfit. Signing the likes of Palhinha (who is world class), Pereira, Leno and Willian has been the difference between us flying high in the top half or being in a similar position to Bournemouth and Forest. Silva’s passion and desire for Fulham to be the best and to fear nobody has rubbed off on the players. At times we display an attitude of fearlessness which has proven difficult for our opponents to cope with. Obviously tactically he has made tweaks to our style to make us competitive in the Premier League as we had to adapt from being favourites every week in the Championship to being underdogs. As a result, we have sacrificed a proportion of the possession we had so often last season in order to be braver on the ball, more direct and to press with aggression and a higher intensity.
Who's been your best player this season?
There are many contenders for second place and it has been a real team effort so far this season but if I had to pick Fulham’s player of the season right now then there can only be one winner. Joao Palhinha has been phenomenal in his debut season for the club. So good that I have to pinch myself wondering how on earth we managed to sign someone of his quality for such a good price. He has chipped in with a few goals and is a midfielder who can certainly play but what’s so unique about him is that he has made the art of tackling such a joy to watch. I’ve never seen anyone win the ball back as consistently, and the stats back that up as he is well clear of anyone in the Premier League for successful tackles this season. Again, it comes down to mentality. Considering he plays the more defensive role in our midfield, Joao still influences our play in a very positive way, setting the tone for his team mates with his aggression and determination to win. We have only been off the pace in one game this season and that was against Newcastle when he was suspended. That speaks volumes of how important he is to the team.
Will Fulham have a strong team against Sunderland or rotate the fringe players? Who should we keep an eye out for?
It’s always hard to say in the cup competitions. I’m assuming the team we fielded against Hull City in the 3rd Round might be a good indication of how we will approach this match. We made half a dozen changes that day and I expect more of the same. Hopefully Tom Cairney will be given a well deserved start. Our captain has more than played his part this season and been influential as a super sub, coming on in the latter stages of most matches. The cup is a good opportunity to give him a start and if you don’t keep him quiet, he will dictate the tempo of the game and create chances. Another to keep an eye on if he plays is Manor Solomon. He came to us with a big reputation and is a very talented winger. The type of player that gets you out of your seat and dribbles past people for fun. He’s been injured since the opening game of the season and Silva has slowly brought him back into the team with sub appearances so far. This strikes me as the ideal time to give him a start and see if he’s ready to play a bigger role in the Premier League.
Fans have argued that both teams like to keep the ball on the ground and play football, which suits Sunderland more than a physical team like Shrewsbury in the last round. Which Sunderland player worries you the most?
If I’m honest, I haven’t paid much attention to the Sunderland squad over the past couple of years but going through the squad list, the two that stand out to me are Alex Pritchard and Patrick Roberts. Roberts in particular because of his Fulham connections. He looked so promising as a youngster and was tipped to be a star of the future but he’s never really fulfilled his potential. He was the main man in our FA Youth Cup finalist’s team in 2014 and was slowly being integrated into the first team before a big move to Man City. It hasn’t worked out for him for whatever reason but you’re always cautious when a former player returns and that they might have a blinder against you. Hopefully that doesn’t happen!
What's your score prediction? How far do you think the winner of this game will go in the FA Cup?
If this had been a couple of years ago, I would have been far less confident. However, since Silva took over we have been a completely different team. Usually Fulham do well as an underdog and crumble under expectation but it’s quite the opposite now. Last season we had the ruthlessness to win 7-0 multiple times and this season we’ve played 14 games against the clubs between 6th - 20th. We have won 9, drawn 4 and only lost the once. We are successful in the games we are expected to be competitive in which is a good habit to have. Meanwhile, Sunderland are also doing very well in the league and are only 3 points off of third. With such a golden chance to be in the playoff mix this season, I’m not sure where the cup sits on your list of priorities? As I write this, I’ve just reminded myself that we did lose 2-0 to Crawley Town in the League Cup earlier this season! So as a Fulham fan you can never get too carried away and I’m expecting a tough game but one where we are professional and get the job done. Fulham 2-0 Sunderland I’d like to think that this season is a unique opportunity, particularly for us as we are comfortable in the league. With the World Cup disrupting the season, some teams focusing on safety and others on Europe, maybe we can go under the radar and be one of the teams who can prioritise the cup this season. We have to take it one round at a time but if we can get past Sunderland, I’ll have dreams of winning it… Why not!
Where do you predict both sides to finish in their respective leagues?
Considering our clubs were promoted last season, I think we are both well ahead of schedule and enjoying a successful season so far. Our top target at the moment would be to qualify for Europe whilst yours would be promotion via the playoffs again. It’s a long season and I’d expect us both to end the campaign just short of those ambitions, securing respectable top half finishes.
Fulham 9th
Sunderland 10th
