In Focus: Marco's magic has Fulham fans dreaming of Silva-ware

Marco Silva has guided Fulham into the top half of the Premier League table and has given the West London club a great chance of qualifying for Europe.

The Cottagers currently sit sixth in England's top flight and are only four points off fourth-placed Tottenham.

Ahead of their home encounter with Wolves tonight, we turn the spotlight on their 45-year-old Portuguese coach.

Making his Marco

Silva runs a tight ship at Craven Cottage and his management style involves players fighting for scraps, flying into challenges and giving their all for the shirt.

It is far too deep into the season to suggest that their league position is unwarranted and their results provide all the evidence needed to validate their claim as a top-half club.

Some notable results in the 2022-23 campaign have included wins over Brighton, Aston Villa and Chelsea while they have also given Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs and Manchester City a run for their money.

At the start of the season, most Fulham fans will have accepted a battle for survival, but the former Everton boss has elevated the quality in his squad through great recruitment and work on the training pitch.

And although the likes of Joao Palhinha, Andreas Pereira and Bernd Leno all joined last summer, Silva has found a way to get a tune out of Aleksandar Mitrovic and Tim Ream who failed to make an impact in the Cottagers' relegation season in 2020-21.

There has not been an overhaul at the club like at fellow promoted side Nottingham Forest and the success can be put down to the manager's ability to get the best out of his squad.

Canny Cottagers

The jump from the Championship to the top tier is significant in both quality and in terms of the financial juggernauts that clubs like Fulham are expected to compete with.

Both Liverpool and Chelsea spent significantly last summer yet the Cottagers find themselves above the pair in the league standings.

Part of the reasons for this is because Silva managed to identify key weaknesses in his squad during the break and his recruitment is paying dividends.

After losing Fabio Carvalho to Liverpool, the West Londoners needed some midfield reinforcements and in Palhinha and Pereira, Fulham have found two players that possess the will to win and a lack of fear when performing on the biggest stage.

Many clubs will have looked at former Chelsea star Willian too and have been put off by his age and high salary demands, but Silva took a chance on the Brazilian and has been rewarded by his quality in the final third.

The same can be said of goalkeeper Bernd Leno, who was out of favour at Arsenal, but moved across the capital has kept seven clean sheets in 22 league appearances. 

Winning their battles

It would only take one look at Fulham's players to quickly realise that they are a very physical team and it is no surprise that only Spurs have scored more headed goals than them this term.

And while Silva's side are having an impact in the final third, they are also recording impressive defensive numbers.

Last season's Championship winners have gained possession in the middle third of the pitch 558 times in 2022-23 — ranking them fifth in the league and indicating the importance of Palhinha and Pereira in their engine room.

Their success can be whittled down to a very basic formula that involves a never say die attitude and the belief that every game is winnable.

If they continue to emerge victorious in the challenges they face, then Fulham could be on to record their highest-ever finish in the Premier League, surpassing their seventh place in 2008-09.

Nothing will change

Fulham's form has prompted many fans to change their aspirations for the season.

But Silva has insisted that the key to maintaining momentum is to not change the club's goals and to continue playing without pressure.

He said: "We are not going to change. It’s not a lack of ambition. The best way for us to prove [ourselves] is on the pitch, not with words before or during the match.

"We don’t change the targets. We have a target inside the club in terms of points. Until the moment we achieve it, we are not going to change our target.

"It’s clear for us. If we get our target — that at the beginning of the season was our goal — I will be the first to create another.

"We need this. The players will know it first and after you will know it. It’s not important for the moment to say we’re going to fight for something different if we haven’t achieved our main goal. But it’s not a lack of ambition."

With Newcastle in Carabao Cup action on Sunday, a win over Julen Lopetegui's visitors will take the Cottagers up to fifth.

And with an FA Cup quarter-final tie against Leeds to come next Tuesday, do not be surprised if Fulham are contending for trophies very soon.