Steve Marlet feels he can produce a stronger second season at Fulham after adjusting to the demands of English football.
The French international appeared transformed by Chris Coleman’s decision to play him on the right side of a front three against Middlesbrough on Saturday – producing a match-winning display as the Whites won a five-goal thriller at Loftus Road.
Marlet told the club’s official website:
“My position on the pitch has changed so I don’t think there will be as much pressure on me as there was last season. I played as the main striker which was a bit difficult for me. We also had lots of problems as a team, Louis Saha got injured and the fact that we were in the UEFA and Intertoto Cups meant that by the time we got to November, we were feeling quite tired. This season we only have to focus on the league and the domestic cups, so if we manage to make the same start as last season we could do better.
Marlet is confident that Fulham can weather any difficulties caused by the loss of key players to injury and continue their bright start to the new campaign.
Yes of course, but we have to deal with that. Last season Louis was injured, the season before that I was injured for a long time, this season we have lost Steve Finnan – c’est la vie. I think we are strong enough to play well without Steve or Sean.”