Silva on Wilson needing surgery, transfer targets and Newcastlepublished at 16:14 GMT 30 January 2025
16:14 GMT 30 January 2025
Katie Stafford BBC Sport journalist
Fulham boss Marco Silva has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Newcastle (kick-off 15:00 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Silva said "it is not good news" about Harry Wilson as he requires surgery and "he is going to be out for a long period of maybe 10 weeks".
Reiss Nelson "is getting better" but is not in contention for a return yet.
On the transfer window, Silva said: "We are trying to get a right-back and we are looking for a player in Wilson's position too. Time is not on our side, but let's see what we can do."
He said the team "should have provided more for the attacking players" against Manchester United and it is a reminder that they have "to be strong at both ends" to get results.
On that defeat: "So far we have been able to react to the downs. We have found answers to problems. We look at all the positives even if we don't win a game. There are areas we should quickly improve in and we've worked on that this week."
He said his side "are really difficult to beat" and added: "We put pressure on ourselves to reach the standards we set. We have quality and we have organisation."
On Newcastle and St James' Park: "We have an identity that we don't change whether we are away or at home. We have to play our way and with courage. It's going to be an open game as both sides will try to win."
Are Fulham going to be 'stuck as a mid-table team'?published at 09:02 GMT 30 January 2025
09:02 GMT 30 January 2025
Image source, PA Media
We asked you to tell us one thing that no one is talking about regarding Fulham.
Here are some of your comments:
Robert: We have had a great season so far but I feel we are going to be stuck as a mid-table team as we were in our stint in the early 2000s. Unfortunately our midfield hasn't been as prolific as we would have thought, plus our strikers miss a lot of chances! If we want to get anywhere we need to start seeing chances go in! Smith Rowe and Andreas have not been as good as previous years, to which they need to step it up. We need a striker and a right winger to be competitive in my opinion.
Terry: Lack of goals from midfield. Most teams in or around mid-table have a defensive midfielder who can score 3-4 screamers a season, we have no one. Sasa and Sander do sterling jobs but goals are a rarity.
Jeffrey: Fulham are one player short of being a half-decent side. There's a massive void upfront with no penetration. Sign a striker!
Robbie: We need a striker that can create their own chances. There are lots of intricate passes but with no real end product in the form of goals. A striker that holds the ball up - like Zamora - and plays others in but who is also capable of creating his own chances is needed. Jimenez is not a creator or particularly clinical enough in my opinion and maybe if we can't find a Zamora then give Muniz more game time, and show him a few Zamora clips!! Maybe Muniz and Smith Rowe can link up and have an impact?
Simon: Why is the atmosphere so bad at Craven Cottage? Is it that we've risen from crowds of 3,000-4,000 25 years ago to the Premier League and not developed a loud core group? Is it the ground? Is it too many posh fans? Or is it that, as many suspect, the club have alienated and priced out real fans in favour of tourists and corporates, chasing the merch money rather than hardcore loyal fans? The chickens will come home to roost; we didn't sell out against Man Utd so tickets went on general sale. Long-term fans are losing patience.
Jeff: Marco isn't the man to take us forward. Time after time we fall away in the second part of the season. There are poor performances against relegation threatened teams every season. I'd be happy with a change in the summer.
'This season is splitting the fanbase'published at 12:39 GMT 28 January 2025
12:39 GMT 28 January 2025
Drew Heatley Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
Sometimes football can just leave you feeling flat.
Much was made about our chances against "the worst Manchester United side in history" on Sunday but, ultimately, we did not offer anywhere near enough to trouble any iteration of the Red Devils.
It leaves us with just three wins in our past 12 games and treading water in the middle of the table.
This season is splitting the fanbase.
Should we be appreciative of mid-table security? Be grateful for the highs and philosophical about the lows? Or should we be asking for more from what is one of the most talented squads in recent memory, headed up by one of our best managers?
The answer is - as it often is - somewhere in the middle, and that is where the flatness comes in.
More often than not in the past decade it has been feast or famine for Fulham. The danger of relegation; the pain when it comes; play-off wins at Wembley; a swashbuckling title-winning campaign. It is certainly never dull.
Our current situation is a more sedate affair, but our pulses were still racing just two months ago at the thought of European qualification. And while nothing is set in stone, our recent form - including our draw-laden unbeaten run - has taken us out of that race.
We may still end up topping our record points total of 53 this season. But the level of competition is so high that it is unlikely to bring us European football.
Meanwhile, the likes of Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest, promoted the same season as us, are showing what can be achieved - and that hurts.
The FA Cup, then, looks like the best chance of injecting a bit of fizz back into this campaign.
Without it, we look content with coasting to the finish.
SJLM2: Woeful against a side clearly out of form this season. Any slim chances of Europe that we had are slipping away fast and can only hope that the Khans invest in a proven goalscorer in the remaining days of the January window. We seem lethargic, bereft of killer instinct and final pass. I fear we have missed the boat yet again this season to really push on. Am I the only one who thinks we still lack the ambition despite the talents of the manager?
Parker: One bright spot was the energy and involvement of Emile Smith Rowe - much improved overall. However, I was disappointed with our lack of finishing. Rodrigo Muniz had a couple of good chances to be the hero but couldn't capitalize. We still feel like we're one player short.
George: There were moments where we could and should have equalised but overall we just lack a cutting edge that we seem to have been missing most this season. Hate to say it but what if a certain Serbian number nine was here? Don't even start on the amount of away fans in the home end…
Luke: It feels like we need to find a way of playing against low blocks because as much as we had a couple of decent chances, it wasn't enough considering how often we played in their final third. Smith Rowe started fairly well but needs to get himself in the game more - we are yet to see the quality Arsenal fans were raving about.
Man Utd fans
Adam: The epitome of grinding out a result and that leads to a winning mentality. True grit and determination from a team that has been through the wringer lately. Lisandro Martinez was humble about his goal, and spot on about how Toby Collyer is an example to the whole team. Get your head down, work hard, fight until the end and be proud to represent the badge.
Andy: The United fans were incredible. Nothing to cheer about but they didn't stop. All game. Ruben, don't worry, we're here and we're behind you for as long as it takes…
Michael: For most of the game, we were feeble. We didn't pose a threat until the goal. The goal came out of the blue and was not really deserved. It was a hard watch, disheartening from a fans' perspective. Still it's a win, and surely we must improve. We must be more of a threat. Fundamental to that is to stop losing the ball, win 50/50s, impose our game on the opposition and score goals. I am forever optimistic, but there were times during this game when I nearly got up to re-arrange the dishwasher.
Ian: Struggled mightily to score. Transition from defence to midfield to attack was not fast enough. Our forwards are not penetrating the opposition defence. United defence much more solid and effective. This game for me had 0-0 all over it until Martinez popped up.
'We deserved more from the game' - Silvapublished at 21:39 GMT 26 January 2025
21:39 GMT 26 January 2025
Image source, Getty Images
Fulham boss Marco Silva, speaking to MOTD 2: "It's a tough one to take. We were better than them and the dominant team. Or pressure was good, our reaction was good. Second half was a bit more balanced. Our pressure wasn't so intense like the first half.
"A real lucky goal for them gave them the lead but our reaction was good. We had a good chance from a corner and a clearance on the line. We should have taken more from the game and we deserved more from the game.
"For Fulham nothing is easy and we need to work hard to get the luck our way."
Fulham 0-1 Man Utd - failing to take chancespublished at 21:33 GMT 26 January 2025
21:33 GMT 26 January 2025
Gary Rose BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
Fulham will no doubt view this as an opportunity missed, with Manchester United having been so lacklustre until they got the winner late on thanks to Lisandro Martinez's deflected strike.
It felt like it would take an element of luck of moment of individual brilliance to win it, but had Fulham taken some of their very presentable opportunities in the first half then the game may have panned out differently.
Raul Jimenez was the biggest culprit as he failed to convert two good chances and in the second half Fulham were simply not good enough and always in danger of being caught out like they were.
It brings to an end their good form at home, with this their first defeat there since November.