Marco Silva insisted Fulham ‘are weaker in midfielder than last season’ as he offered his final thoughts on the summer transfer window during his press conference at Motspur Park earlier today.
He refuted an assertion from Jack Kelly that the Whites were stronger in the engine room because of the emergence of Josh King and the versatility of Alex Iwobi, saying:
“No, the squad depth in the midfield position is not better at all if you ask me. Right now, we are weaker than last season and if you want to progress, if you want to improve, you have to try to be stronger and we are weaker. Of course we added a player that was already with us, that was Josh King. You can consider him a great signing for us, but he was already with us. Last season we had seven players in that area of the pitch. Right now, we have six.
We sold one player [Andreas Pereira] that played more than 100 games with our Fulham shirt. It’s impossible for me that someone to consider that you are stronger in that position. Alex Iwobi is versatile, he can play in many positions.
We are using Alex more in offensive areas of the pitch. He’s doing brilliant in our left-hand side, that connection with our left-backs, with our pocket players, that is normally Emile or Josh King. That has been brilliant from Alex. For us to adapt [with] Alex in other positions, probably we are going to lose things that are offered to us in our attacking line, but it is what it is.
If I have to do it, I’m here again to get the best from the squad that we have. The boys, they know that I really believe in them & we are going to be strong, all together. Probably Alex, probably Josh King even, I have to see if I can adapt [them] in a different role, a deeper position, he [King] can do it as well.”
