Fulham In Focus

In two weeks’ time, Derby County will kick the 2017/18 season off against recently relegated Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

The countdown is well and truly on. We have been counting down to the new EFL campaign by previewing each and every club Gary Rowett’s men will face over the course of the next 10 months.

Next up is a side that went agonisingly close to returning to the Premier League…

Fulham

Manager: Slaviša Jokanović
Nickname: The Cottagers
Stadium Capacity: 25,700
Place Last Season: 6th, Lost in Play-Off Semi-Final (80 Points)
Top Scorer (2016/17): Tom Cairney (12 Goals)
Promotion Odds (According to Coral): 11/4

When Do We Face The Cottagers?

Home – Saturday 3rd March 2018
Away – Saturday 18th November 2017

What Were The Scores Last Season?

Fulham 2-2 Derby County
Derby County 4-2 Fulham

How Did They Fare Last Season?

The 2016/17 season was a remarkable turnaround for the Cottagers.

From narrowly avoiding relegation the year before, Fulham were on the cusp of the Premier League and were the Championship’s great entertainers.

They were the team with the momentum heading into the home stretch, but it ultimately came to nothing as they fell to a narrow defeat to Reading in the Play-Off Semi-Finals.

Disappointing for sure at the time, but nevertheless it was a season that Slaviša Jokanović’s side could be proud of.

The seeds for their charge last campaign were planted a year ago with some shrewd recruitment and an overhaul of a squad that had not done the business in the two years prior.

Twenty players left and made way for the likes of Floyd Ayité, Sone Aluko and Scott Malone – all so impressive during last season’s surge.

The next step was taken on the opening day of the 2016/17 campaign as Fulham kicked off with a 1-0 victory over eventual champions Newcastle United and as the season wore on, they added consistency to their game.

After successfully securing a play-off place on the final day of the season, thanks to their impressive, free-flowing style of football, the Cottagers were favourites to gain promotion but lost 2-1 to the Royals over two legs.

They may have narrowly missed out, but there is a genuine belief they can produce another run this time around.

A number of key players, including star midfielder Tom Cairney and upcoming left back Ryan Sessegnon, have penned new contracts and after going so close last time, they are likely to be in the promotion mix again.