The bizarre feeling of inevitability may even have hit the most pessimistic of Fulham fans this season. Marco Silva’s swaggering side were in no doubt of what they were to achieve this season and have navigated the Championship with the same confident manner. As with any season for any football club, it has had its ups and downs with losses to Blackpool, Reading and two to Coventry being contrary to memorable 7-0s at the aforementioned Reading and Blackburn Rovers and two back to back 6-2s against Bristol City and Birmingham. It’s almost easy to forget that Fulham had a period of 2 wins in 6 games before 7 wins in a row was followed up by a 5 game winless run.

With six games to go, Fulham hold a 10 point lead at the top and a 14 point lead of 3rd placed Huddersfield on top of 16 point gap on 4th placed Nottingham Forest who hold a game in hand. All this means that it would take near perfection for the chasers plus a complete capitulation at Craven Cottage to catch Fulham and ruin the promotion (17/18), relegation (18/19), promotion (19/20), relegation (20/21) and promotion (21/22 pending) pattern. Fulham began to wrestle control of 1st place thanks to the seven game run of wins and a strong start to the new year.

To mention inevitable and Fulham without mentioning Aleksandar Mitrovic would be criminal. Our Serbian talisman has thrived in Marco Silva’s system of constant attacking waves and actual patterns of play, a refreshing style of football that clearly knew how it was going to try and score against the opposition as opposed to having a ‘philosophy’ for philosophies sake. There a few words to describe Mitro’s season that haven’t been said before, 38 goals (and counting) in 38 fixtures plus 7 assists that only 13 players in the division have bettered has featured a hat-trick of hat-tricks, a longest goal drought of 3 games and as I write, more goals than 3 clubs in the division. The inevitable Championship Player of the Season continues to write himself into Fulham folklore.

Sometimes you can just see ‘it’ in a player. It’s an innate appreciation and control of the ball, it’s a manipulation of space off the ball and in special cases, immense work rate to press and move. Fulham’s Scholar Of The Year in 2020 and the Fulham Supporter’s Trust Academy Player of the Year in 2021, Fabio Carvalho, had the same inevitable stardom of the likes of Ryan Sessegnon in years prior. His move to Liverpool also had a feel of certainty, his style and skillset as if Jurgen Klopp had him built in a factory.

While new and returning faces have contributed to Fulham’s success this season, a word of support to the inevitable Tim Ream. His assured displays into his mid-30s have seen us enjoy perhaps his last year of Craven Cottage with comfortable distribution and collected defensive style. A typical Tim Ream defensive motion followed by “Ream” from the Fulham Faithful will be missed when his time is up. With more Fulham appearances than Aaron Hughes, Clint Dempsey and due to overtake Luis Boa Morte, Tim Ream’s service to the club is second to few, let alone in the 21st century when the only player to join Fulham post-2000 and have more appearances for the club is Brede Hangeland. A cult hero in the final year of his contract at Fulham may just be on the way out with inevitable contributions to a near-certain Championship trophy.

While Fulham are almost mandatorily busy on transfer deadline day, the inevitability of Fulham’s position has seen the club (all but) secure the signing of Manor Solomon from Shakhtar Donetsk in April. The Premier League planning appears to be well underway, a luxury the lottery of the play-offs can’t buy you. Fulham are set to not only have more time than their fellow promoted Championship clubs but about five-weeks preparation and transfer time on their (to be) fellow Premier League sides.

When things seem so certain, it’s important to enjoy them at the time. Don’t stress yourself out about mathematical points predictors when Silva’s side have done so well to have such a strong lead into the final straight. Enjoy these last few games and drink in every moment as a trophy lift at Craven Cottage is feeling inevitable.