How "must win" is Wolves at home?
Jack Stroudley looks at the importance our match against Wolverhampton Wanderers holds on our season.
It’s certainly not been the start to the season that everyone expected or wanted. After nine games Fulham sit just above the relegation zone with four defeats on the spin, a banana-skin against Wycombe was barely avoided and an ever-growing list of absentees due to injury. Tensions are beginning to grow, with Saturday presenting a golden opportunity to alleviate those worries as we host a struggling Wolves side. I’ve seen lots of talk online about just how important this game is, but just how “must win” is it?
Simply must win?
On the side of “must win” there is no denying the importance that Saturday could hold. We’re in a horrid run of form and face a Wolves side who are yet to win this season and after their late defeat at home to Burnley last Sunday, they are a club in turmoil. These are the type of games on paper that before the season you’d have earmarked as three points needed and rightfully so. Yes we haven’t had the start we maybe wanted but a home game against those around us (even if you didn’t expect that to be 17th v 20th in August) is a game you should be winning.
I also worry about the toxicity within the fanbase if things don’t go our way come Saturday, and rightfully so. It’s been a terrible start and yes we signed players late but the gaps in our squad are showing. It’s the toughest period that Marco Silva has ever had at the club and he desperately needs three points to avoid any potential finger-pointing his way. We ended last season with a record points total and albeit collapsed during that final stage of the campaign optimism was high with everyone associated with the club. A dubious transfer window lowered that optimism but a defeat against a side yet to win this season at home to potentially put us into a relegation zone for the first time under Silva would really turn things sour.
Perspective or panic?
In order to provide some balance there is some perspective that could be had. Firstly, when the fixtures were released the start of the season run was looked at by the masses with concern. Manchester United, Brighton, Newcastle, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Arsenal and Bournemouth all in the opening nine is a pretty tough run, with Leeds and Brentford earmarked as games we had to win, and win we did.
Maybe based on the quality of opposition and injuries we’ve got this is about right in terms of a points total? We’ve been relatively unlucky not to pick up more (Chelsea and Newcastle away etc) but maybe we’re about where we “should” be? Personally I don’t agree with that notion if we wish to progress as club with those inside it speaking about European aspirations on numerous occasions but I think it’s only fair to provide some balance.
Just how important is it?
Massive. That’s the answer to the question above. Saturday is massive. Fulham simply have to win otherwise things could go very south very quickly. We’re seeing this season the newly promoted sides come up and put up a fight so you’d imagine at least one of the “17” will drop and games like Saturday are what we need to win to ensure we don’t have any uncomfortable conversations as the season progresses.
It’s not where we expected to be come November but there’s still plenty of the season to go and this November period is one Fulham would have earmarked to pick-up a good amount of points, starting with Wolves. Hopefully Silva can right some of his personal wrongs as well. Bring in Kevin, bring in Cuenca and do whatever it takes to get the win. It can be scrappy, it can be flamboyant. Just make sure we get three points.