Fulham need to "be more Bournemouth"

Ahead of our make-or-break game on Saturday, we'd do well to look at our European rivals.

As the title of this week’s Thursday Club notes, Saturday is the last chance saloon when it comes to Europe. Lose, and we’re cooked - that we can all agree on.

Sammy wrote earlier this week that nine points - and no fewer - will get us into a European competition this term. I think seven could do it, but six certainly won’t.

But Bournemouth haven’t lost a league game since 3 January, when they lost to Arsenal - who they then beat at the Emirates later in this run. It’s incredible when you think about it.

It’s even more astonishing when you think about all the players they sold in the summer - famously raking in £200m in the process - and the fact they lost Antoine Semenyo in the January window. It shouldn’t be possible.

This is all before we mention that their boss, Andoni Iraola, publicly announced his intention to leave in the summer. Historically, that’s a kiss of death; football is littered with examples of that, from Alex Ferguson’s first retirement announcement in 2001 to Arsene Wenger in 2018 and Jurgen Klopp in 2024. It’s even happened here, with Jean Tigana being told he’d be leaving the club in the summer of 2003, before being shown the door a month later.

That sort of clarity can be a detriment. But so can uncertainty. I’ve written before about how Marco Silva’s future has become a millstone. I still subscribe to that school of thought. Our last six games read: two wins, two draws, two losses. It is the perfect summary of our season - and symptomatic of our current relationship with our boss.

Bournemouth’s recruitment to replace the £200m exodus speaks for itself. Our recruitment, though impressive in many areas, is slower and based more on stringent negotiation and brinkmanship. We’re not as nimble in the market; not as fluid.

Then there’s the progress away from the pitch. It’s not as important to many, but it’s worth mentioning as it further illustrates the Cherries’ well-oiled lean machine. A swift announcement of premium brand Vitality as it’s front-of-shirt sponsor ushered in the post-gambling era, while a club-record deal with Hummel shows that Bournemouth are determined not to stand still in any area.

But as good as it’s going down south, we have to be the party poopers this weekend. We’re more than capable of winning, but a draw would also give us a fighting chance in our final two games. And that’s where the opportunity lies. Bournemouth have drawn 16 times this season - the most in the top flight this term and their highest number in 20 years.

We shouldn’t play for a point, of course. Our form at Craven Cottage is what’s brought us to the dance in these final three games. And with our own series of stories entering their final chapters, we must focus on writing happy endings.

But when the dust settles on 2025/26 and we look at where we want to go in the future, we could do a lot worse than looking at our opponents this weekend.