There was a moment on a train back to London from Manchester after Fulham’s defeat to Manchester City that many footballers dread.
Adama Traore had missed three glorious chances, three opportunities with only City goalkeeper Ederson to beat, in a narrow 3-2 defeat to the reigning Premier League champions.
At 0-0, he had got the better of Rico Lewis in a rapid break, only for Ederson to save with his foot. After Fulham took a surprise lead, he was completely free and found by Alex Iwobi’s pass, only to scoop the ball over. At 2-1 down he had outpaced Kyle Walker in a straight sprint for a knock-on, only to be denied by Ederson again.
And then on the way back Fulham fans had spotted him, sitting with some of his teammates, in a carriage.
Fans can be volatile in these situations, especially after a day up to Manchester and a few drinks. There were skipped heartbeats from onlookers as Traore was approached.
But Fulham are in a fantastic place right now. They may have lost to City, but it was only by one goal, they had kept Erling Haaland quiet, the most potent striker in the Premier League, and it was at the Etihad, arguably the hardest fixture of the season.
And had one of those Traore shots gone a few inches to the side of Ederson’s feet, or had he connected better with the one he sent over, they could have been riding the train home celebrating a brilliant result.
The fans whipped out smartphones, asked Traore for pictures, told him he had played well and to keep going, that goals would come.
It was only their first defeat in two months and the nature of it, mingled with a start to the season that wasn’t expected after events in the summer, sent them into the international break full of aspirations for a top-half finish.
They have frequently watched back clips of Traore roasting Walker, joking that he had it been on a road he could have got a speeding ticket, enjoyed sharing Michael Owen’s assessment that if Traore “had an end product he wouldn’t be playing for Fulham”.
There is a jubilant mood around the club at the moment – one that has been missing for a while.
Recent years have brought protests against shocking ticket price rises, which have since settled, and a club that has at times felt as though it has lost its way. But for the first time in a long time fans are feeling a strong bond with the club and are recognising a togetherness and unity among the players built on a solid defence.
Until they succumbed to three against City, only Liverpool had conceded fewer goals than them in the Premier League – five in six games.
Much is down to the masterful work of Marco Silva.
“As the crowd often sing: Silva is a genius,” says Simon Duke, chair of the Fulham Supporters’ Trust, a fan who has had a season ticket since 1962.
“The sum of the parts we have at the moment is greater than the individual ability of each player. Silva is getting the best out of them.
“They all seem happy. You get the sense there’s no cliques, they’re all in it together.”
Nonetheless, how the season has started has comes as a surprise to to fans who feared the worst before it began.
Losing Joao Palhinha was inevitable after Bayern Munich had made several attempts to sign him, but it was still a damaging blow given the midfielder was frequently one of the best tacklers, interceptors, passers and ball-winners in the league. Fulham had lost their metronome.
Silva kept saying that it wasn’t about replacing Palhinha directly, that he is such a unique talent it was practically impossible, but that there were ways to work around it if they played the transfer market cleverly.
Losing leading striker Aleksandar Mitrovic to the Saudi Pro League late in the 2023 summer window represented two massive blows that have floored other clubs of a similar level, always a few poor decisions away from a relegation battle.
One source close to the club told i that Tony Khan, the sporting director and son of the owner, went in to bat for Silva in the summer.
He identified centre-back Joachim Andersen and forward Emile Smith Rowe as key targets and, even when their respective clubs – Crystal Palace and Arsenal – demanded sizeable transfer fees, decided that if Silva wanted them, he should get them.
“He was the one that was really bullish about paying more,” the source said. “Silva pushed for both players. Arsenal and Palace wanted too much and he just said no let’s go for it. He said to Silva if you think they’re good and you want them let’s get them.”
Andersen has been as missed by Crystal Palace, without a win this season, as he has been a revelation at Fulham.
“Fulham played really well against Newcastle and very well against Nottingham Forest, but they wouldn’t have won either of those games had Andersen not been playing,” the source added. “He’s been outstanding.”
Duke adds: “You’ve then got to congratulate the owners on the way they’ve backed Silva in the transfer market, particularly this summer. We’ve spent big on a couple of players and we’ve seen the benefit of that.
“Smith Rowe was a signing of intent. I’m still not sure he’s fully fit but he’s getting better. He brings creativity to the side which is important when we play the way we do.
“For me the key signing has been getting Andersen. The guy’s a phenomenal defender. He might not be captain but he is a born leader. After Calvin Bassey had a shaky start in the first couple of games alongside him, Andersen is now bringing the best out in him.”
Two players for around the £50m they received for Palhinha are still comparatively modest signings in a league where the top sides can effortlessly blow £150m-plus in a window.
Silva has been working magic, getting brilliant football out of a good group.
Against City, they found themselves under siege in the early stages, but Silva made tweaks, getting Raul Jimenez to stretch the pitch, asking Traore to make runs in behind. It almost worked.
They are eighth in the table, ahead of Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.
The hope now is that in the winnable games in the weeks ahead – Everton, Palace, Brentford, Wolves – they can consolidate their position before the litmus test in December – Spurs, Brighton, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea – to determine how far they can go, and if Europe is attainable.
Fans genuinely feel that after the City game they are afraid of nobody.
The conflict, however, is that the better Silva does, the more interest he will attract. Silva had hopped around clubs before joining Fulham, but has now been there for more than four years – making him the fourth longest-serving manager in the top flight, behind Pep Guardiola, Thomas Frank and Mikel Arteta. His contract runs until the end of next season.
“I think he’s happy at the club,” Duke says. “I think he feels he’s got unfinished business at Fulham, that he can take them to greater heights.
“The time I think he will go is when he thinks he’s taken the club as far as he can. If we don’t qualify for Europe this season, does he move on? He’d be very hard to replace.
“I don’t think Silva is overly interested in Saudi money. My concern would be if one of the top four or five came knocking for him. If Guardiola goes would City be interested?
“If they were he’d find it very hard to turn them down.”
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