Cottage POV

Hello and a Happy New Year. I know, it’s the 19th, but this is the first piece of 2025. I think it’s the longest we’ve gone this season without writing, in that span we’ve won one, drawn one and lost one in the league with a steam rolling of Watford in the FA Cup on a random Thursday night. It’s a week today until Fulham’s next fixture, a woeful 7pm kick off a Sunday against Manchester United which is yet to sell out (a big fuck you to the tv companies and Alistair Mackintosh I think).

I’ve been on a “new year, new me” kick. Largely working from home currently, I’ve been waking up at 6am Monday to Friday to get a work out in and occasionally double dipping with an evening run. I’m up to 2 miles with just the 4th run of my new year (I was on annual leave until the 6th so I started then). I turn 30 this year, I feel like I lost the majority of my 20s to depression, anxiety and self destruction and I’m excited for what 2025 will bring for me professionally and emotionally. I’m joined by my word document with Leeds v Sheffield Wednesday and two ghosts of Fulham past on the wings for Leeds in Manor Solomon and Dan James, the former with an early opener.

Anyway, onto things at the Cottage, I think the league fixtures saw Fulham dominate and control 3 games; but only in Leicester did they get the rewards for their controlling play and aggressive periods of possession. Defensive lapses v Ipswich were cancelled out by a couple of Raul Jimenez penalties in a lively early kick off on Super Sunday. Unfamiliar errors in build up play against West Ham gifted Graham Potter a win on his first game at the London Stadium, but it was a fixture Fulham fully controlled but it took two Alex Iwobi crosses to find their way past Lukas Fabianski in goal for Fulham to score. It drew worries about Fulham’s ability to not just see out games they control, but do they have the quality to create real chances?

Fulham did only have two shots on target at Leicester, Emile Smith Rowe’s opener flying in at the back post to meet Sasa Lukic’s nod on following a Harry Wilson flick back into the area; with those three involved as Sasa Lukic drove through the Leicester midfield, found Smith Rowe who was composed on the edge of the box and found Harry Wilson, a touch and a cross to Adama Traore was dispatched home and it was job done.

I wanted to take a moment to talk about Emile Smith Rowe. The former Arsenal man has been a scapegoat of criticism of late. December was a tough month for him, still adjusting to being a regularly playing Premier League footballer, we’ve not seen him at his best but he appeared emotional after his goal. Marco Silva revealed a niggling hamstring issue broke his momentum; and I’m 100% certain we’ll see the best of him in season two. A full year of Premier League football, then a full pre-season at the club, he’ll elevate a level or two. I’ve been disappointed with Fulham fans lately, getting on his back and it extends back to the boos at half time against Southampton. Life is good, this squad is building and developing. I’m sure it’ll get hit with “I have the right to my opinion” and you are. Doesn’t mean it’s helpful, right or meaningful. To doubt Smith Rowe’s “want” is ludicrous, firstly, you don’t know him. Secondly, he chose to move to Fulham, he had to option for Crystal Palace, he could have sat out his contract at Arsenal, he came here to be at this club and we all know fickle football fans will change their tune now he’s scored. Keep your energy.

I think there’s still massive areas for this Fulham squad to develop. The balance of attacking via the left hand side with Antonee Robinson, Alex Iwobi and Emile Smith Rowe is lightyears beyond down the right. We do tend to use the right as a more vertical option of attack; that or build up and create overloads down the left and switch quickly to manipulate extra space down the right but being able to work the same triangles on the right would add another layer to our attacking player and stop teams focusing on shutting down the left which is where we’ve found the last few games hard to create from open play. It’s an odd quirk and I’m not so sure it was that way in years 1 and 2 under Silva. I think Harrison Reed’s supportive running was a factor, darting towards the by-line, lapping both over and under whilst covering attacking movements from right back. That and I feel like Fabio Carvalho and Andreas Pereira in those first two years were much more flexible to create overloads on both areas of the pitch but perhaps I’m misremembering. It could also be the fact we just don’t have a right sided Antonee Robinson with that athleticism and constant attacking running, even worse when counters would open up 1v1 opportunities against Joachim Andersen.

I think the best news of 2025 is Sander Berge is back and he marked his return with an absolute stormer at Leicester. My man of the match, Berge dominated the midfield area; whilst in not quite a manner of Joao Palhinha, the Norwegian’s superior ball skills saw him misplace just 3 passes, helping distribute the ball around the park and see Fulham to 60% of possession, whilst he also made 6 tackles, an interception and a clearance. He patrolled the park like he hadn’t missed near 4 weeks of football, put in 90 minutes of serious quality and his contribution has Fulham thinking and looking upwards, it’s a compliment to him that he feels irreplaceable so early into his Fulham career.

He’s Norwegian
He only cost 20 million
We all think he’s fucking brilliant
It’s Sander Berge

Fulham have got a tough run of games now, though they have talent, Manchester United are justifiably a mid-table side. A trip to Newcastle is always difficult and then by the end of February, Craven Cottage plays host to Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace before a trip to Wolves to round up. In there is a visit to Wigan in the FA Cup and the closing of the January transfer window. Marco Silva did say he expects it to be quiet which is fair. I only really anticipate us looking for a right back given not only Kenny Tete’s absence but his contract situation. Too often Fulham have let starting level, quality players leave for nothing but that is a post for another day with case studies and value added to the club etc.

If an opportunity comes up like Sasa Lukic two years ago, then I’m sure the club will bounce. An area of need, a player they like and relatively cheap at £7m, it took some time by Sasa has developed into a good player for the club. I know some will be frustrated by the idea of the club not attacking the window but I understand it in January, it’s a more expensive, horrible window to purchase in and to improve the squad, you’re likely investing serious money. And with PSR based to a June deadline, we can push that cash into the summer for – in theory – a more free usage of available funds.

Anyway I’ll wrap it up there, there’s never a plan or thread to these, I open up Word and go. Hope you enjoyed. I do turn 30 at the end of the month and life is getting busier even without my new year routine but I don’t plan on often going 4 games without a piece of some sort.

Enjoy the rest of Jan, up the Fulham.