Football Season Guide

Having boasted the oldest starting XI in the division and used the joint-fewest number of players, Fulham missed out on European football after recording just two wins in their final nine Premier League games. The Cottagers registered a negative goal difference and finished 13th, which, taking into account Aleksandar Mitrovic's move to Saudi Arabia in the summer, is acceptable. After standing out last season, João Palhinha finally departed to Bayern Munich, with Fulham signing talented Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe to replace him. Jorge Cuenca also joined from Villarreal to beef up the defence, but Fulham may look to add more depth to the squad. Some younger legs and depth would not go amiss if Fulham were to push for a return to the top half next season. Rodrigo Muniz’s emergence in attack helped the team copy with Mitrovic’s departure last season, but the Cottagers should be expected to boost their attacking options ahead of the upcoming campaign. Despite Palhinha’s departure, Fulham’s strength is their central midfield area, where they boast a mix of talented and experienced players. Yet, they will need to improve their performance and record away from home. The Cottagers struggled on the road, registering only four wins and scoring just 24 goals.