From the press box: Double blow as Silva confirms Tete and Muniz out

Jack Kelly gives us the latest following Marco Silva's pre-Bournemouth press conference

This was a press conference I almost slept through, due to my own stupidity! Having confirmed my attendance on Monday morning, I had not read the email in full. I assumed the presser was 3pm, but no - it was a 9am start! Luckily, I was awake in the early hours, someone nudged me to tell me the correct time, and I zoomed off to Motspur Park.

Following the news of Rodrigo Muniz’s new contract, there was plenty to ask Silva about. Muniz putting pen to paper on a brand new five-year contract, just hours after I myself, tied him down to a new four-year deal on my FC26 Fulham FC career mode. It was a sign!

Of course, with that being superb news, there was still the anxious wait to find out the extent of Rodrigo’s injury. He wasn’t involved in the squad against Aston Villa, and Silva said he couldn’t put a timescale on his return.

Marco sat down, and was faced with the team news questions first, as is common in most press conferences.

Silva: “Right now, Rodrigo and Kenny will be out. More than just this game - after the international break, it’ll be difficult for them to be ready. We will decide on Raul today. Hamstring for Muniz, knee for Tete, but different from injury last season.”

A double blow. Kenny Tete was sidelined for the majority of the second half of last season, making his return in April, the 3-2 win against Liverpool - the very team he suffered injury against at Anfield in December.

Timothy Castagne is, of course, a safe pair of hands. But will have his work cut out over the next three games, coming up against tricky opponents - Bournemouth, Arsenal and Newcastle. Against Villa, in a game where the back four struggled at times, I thought Castagne looked pretty solid.

So, the bittersweet week for Muniz. A well and much deserved new bumper contract, but sidelined for the next few weeks. With Raul being assessed, Fulham could quite easily not have a recognised starter in the starting XI - or squad - tomorrow night.

Jonah Kusi-Asare didn’t make the bench against Aston Villa. The Swede has yet to record any minutes since joining on deadline day, but was on the bench against Cambridge in the Carabao Cup. When asked about JKA this morning, Silva said this:

“I know that we signed a young lad - Jonah - but as I’ve mentioned in the last few weeks to you. he needs time. He needs time to adapt. He’s still very, very young. He’s going to need more time.

“He’s a boy who’s just turned 18. Premier League is Premier League. It’s demanding. We will see tomorrow.

“We prepared the season with Rodrigo and Raul. It’s the first time in a few years we are going to be without both. Let’s see for tomorrow (Raul). It’s not the ideal scenario.”

I put three questions to Silva in the embargoed section. Those quotes will be available on my Patreon page and X account from 22:30 tonight.

VAR decisions going against Fulham, a little injury crisis, and a defeat on Sunday. It’s fair to say the fans have been a little downbeat this week. The morale boost of the new contract for Muniz is very positive, and exciting, but it does feel like a win is needed to give everyone a lift going into the international break.

Fulham’s last three results at the Vitality:

2024/25: AFC Bournemouth 1-0 Fulham

2023/24: AFC Bournemouth 3-0 Fulham

2022/23: AFC Bournemouth 2-1 Fulham

Andreas Pereira was the last player to score down in this part of the south coast.

Fulham’s last victory at Dean Court was in 2019, a 0-1 win thanks to Aleksander Mitrovic’s penalty. Fulham’s one and only away win in the 2018/19 season. We were also already relegated, despite three points.

So will Raul make the cut? If not, who plays up top? Adama Traore? Samuel Chukwueze? Harry Wilson as a false nine?!

Friday Night Football, under the lights. Fulham in all green. I’m feeling: green kits, green ticks, green shoots. Three points. Por favor.