Guardian Fulham Preview

[Lighthouse]

Guardian writers' predicted position: 10th (NB: this is not necessarily Dominic Fifield's prediction, but the average of our writers' tips)

Last season's position: 9th

Odds to win the league: 750-1

Fulham have been a fixture in the Premier League for more than a decade, so the drill ahead of the new campaign should feel well established by now. This club can appear vulnerable from the outside looking in but will simply go about their business serenely under the radar, their progress largely untroubled until, come May, they have settled comfortably into the top half while sides with far loftier reputations grumble in the logjam below. That standing is invariably achieved with a minimum of fuss while everyone's attention is fixed on the intrigue around them at each end of the division.

The most eye-catching news to emerge from Craven Cottage last season was arguably the adoption of a brood of chickens to supply eggs down at the Motspur Park training ground. Yet, on the pitch, Martin Jol's side achieved a first league double over Liverpool and beat third-place Arsenal and fifth-place Newcastle on the banks of the Thames – the latter a 5-2 thumping – and ended up ninth. For a club whose first team are overseen by Jol, such a larger than life and jovial figure, it still feels odd that such progress went so understated, but Fulham would probably not have it any other way. There is nothing mediocre about mid-table these days, and everything to admire about the way this club tends to achieve its targets. After all, they boast a Category One academy under the Premier League's new Elite Player Performance Plan and, last month, were granted planning permission to redevelop the Riverside stand and increase capacity to 30,000. They feel progressive.

And yet, for the first time in a while, their current predicament might just be cause for a flurry of anxiety behind the scenes. This summer will have tested Jol, who finds himself fighting to retain his current talent and still attempting to add to his options. The hugely talented Moussa Dembélé is coveted by clubs who can offer Champions League football, and will surely be pursued through until the transfer deadline on 31 August, for all that Fulham will resist his departure. Then there is a Clint Dempsey, who has made his desire to make a mark on a bigger stage all too clear, with the United States international apparently set on joining Liverpool even if no bids have, as yet, been deemed acceptable.

Dempsey contributed a staggering 23 goals last season and his sale would inevitably leave a void, particularly as the quality of the Costa Rican Bryan Ruiz has only been seen in flashes, Pavel Pogrebnyak has opted to join newly promoted Reading, and Dembélé, for all his gliding menace, has never been prolific. Those who have departed have at least effectively gone with the club's blessing as part of a process of this side's evolution since the heady days of Roy Hodgson's tenure. Danny Murphy, Dickson Etuhu and Andy Johnson were stalwarts of that team and have moved on since last term, veterans who might have only enjoyed bit-part roles in future duly trimmed from the roster.

Yet reinforcements are required regardless. At the time of writing, the management have brought in only free transfers as replacements who, while they may prove astute additions, might equally end up feeling nondescript and even free for a reason. While the right-back Sascha Riether has joined from Cologne on a season-long loan and, therefore, hardly constitutes a risk, Mladen Petric did well in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund and Hamburg but is 31 and will have to adapt. Hugo Rodallega has raw talent, bustling energy and experience of the Premier League with Wigan, but has tended to miss as many opportunities as he has scored. Certainly, even with that pair in the ranks, the need for a natural goalscorer feels pressing.

The hope is that, by the time the window slams shut at the end of the month, Fulham will have been sufficiently bolstered. Certainly, attempts are on-going to that effect. There is interest in the Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Matt Jarvis, who flirted with England recognition for a while when life was rosier at Molineux, Arsenal's Andriy Arshavin, the Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku and the Huddersfield Town forward Jordan Rhodes. The Scotland international, who is also courted by relegated Blackburn Rovers, had been unstoppable in League One and would need to prove himself at a higher level, but that pursuit does at least offer an indication that Jol recognises the need to strengthen. Everything will no doubt be done on a budget, but this club has unearthed gems before and can do so again.

Their academy should provide plenty of cause for optimism in reserve. Last season offered the likes of Kerim Frei opportunities to showcase talent in the first team, a chance the Swiss seized with relish to the tune of 25 appearances and six Premier League starts. Paulo Ferreira, Jose Bosingwa and Branislav Ivanovic – all experienced international right-backs – were exposed by the diminutive winger in the various scraps with their west London rivals in league and cup. Alex Kacaniklic, Mesca Na Bangna and Marcello Trotta will hope to emulate their club-mate's senior involvement this time around, while Matthew Briggs might also realistically hope for more of a role, with Jol having already shown a willingness to blood the youngsters at this level.

The manager would presumably be happy to do so again, though not before a few more experienced heads have been added to his options. But there is no reason to suppose Fulham are about to veer from their prescribed script. They will remain awkward opponents at Craven Cottage and will ruffle a few feathers among those at the top of the division before the campaign is out. For now, the immediate objective is to strengthen and fend off the vultures circling for their prized assets; achieve that much and a fruitful season surely awaits

[domprague]

Seems quite fair. Probably the longest article we'll get from a national paper this year.

[Andy_M]

A pretty good assessment I'd say.

Particularly like the description of Dembele 'for all his gliding menace, has never been prolific' sums him up perfectly I thought.

[Ordar]

Top drawer from the Guardian.

A pretty perfect assessment of where the club is at.

I would stick my neck out and say, I expect Dempsey to leave and Dembele to stay, and I dont think Dempsey leaving will the the monumental disaster than alot of people think

[username]

If it runs like that and I se no reason why not I'll be delighted!

[AlFayedsChequebook]

Top drawer from the Guardian.

A pretty perfect assessment of where the club is at.

I would stick my neck out and say, I expect Dempsey to leave and Dembele to stay, and I dont think Dempsey leaving will the the monumental disaster than alot of people think

The article has a video discussing Fulham too, and in that Paolo Bandini says exactly this - that Dempsey scored lots of goals but Fulham were creating lots of chances for him and others so whilst he will be missed, perhaps not as much as it would appear.

[Burt]

Quite a balanced overview really. No quibbles from me. Would be happy with 10th, and a Wembley appearance in the FA Cup! Surely not too much to ask for.

[cebu]

At the moment 10th place seems reasonable, plus a trip or two to Wembley - that wouldn't be a bad season at all. But I freely admit that I'll be glad when the window shuts and we finally know who's in our squad.   :032:

[TonyGilroy]

Not knowing about the Dems must make Jol's job stupidly difficult but you have to assume that replacements are at least identified and known to be provisionally available.

To lose both on August 31st without quality replacements would be a disaster but I hope and trust that the club would rather lose them next summer for nothing than let that happen.

[Ordar]

I'll have to have a watch of the guardian video at lunch.

If Dempsey leaves, which seems likely (and will be a stupid decision by him if he goes to Pool) I would imagine between Ruiz, Kaca, Frei and Rod we'll make up for the missing goals. Plus the team might become a bit more balanced, with Riise not getting so exposed down that side.

If Dembele leaves, which would surprise me, at least we have Sidwell who could step in and do a job there next to Diarra.

I'm sure Jol is looking more at players to plug the central area potentially than the wide role, as we have a plethora of talented wide players at the club.

I also think Petric will be a revelation this season.

[b+w geezer]

As things stand we are too reliant than we ought to be on Diarra and Petric being fit to play most games. Both are top class, but neither is young. This is what Jol seems to be implying in his comments on transfer targets, but it does need sorting -- that's before we even get onto the Dem and Dem situation.

There are many other talented and promising players at the club, but hard to make predictions until one knows the situation come Sept 1st on those four issues.

[zzamora]

A well-researched, well- balanced, well-thought out and realistic season preview on Fulham?

Well I never!

Bang on what I'm predicting and what I think.

[MasterHaynes]

At last a proper journalist writing a welcome well considered article. He has done his research and has a good knowledge of the premiership and what strengths are needed to suceed. If only all articles were as good.

[panto]

This video corresponds with the article and is pretty good. There is a few others as well liverpool one has been done today which is interesting.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/aug/08/premier-league-preview-fulham

For anyone who doesn't listen to the Guardian's Football Weekly Podcast I recommend it.

[earlbeatty]

I agree with all the comments about this article - my slight concern is where the goals will come from this season......

Also agree with Burt that a trip to Wembley with Fulham this year would fabulous!!

EB

[Terry Angus]

this is class, but a comprehensive and accurate article about fulham in the press... wtf is going on?!

shame it's in the guardian. i hate that 'kin paper