Well, ladies and gents, I, for one, have enjoyed this summer. Despite the Fulham’s finest efforts to scupper our pre-season Portugal plans, and send us all barking mad during the quietest ‘silly season’ anyone can remember, we are suddenly just a day away from the last tune-up before the big kick off. There might even be a synergy between Fulham’s approach and mine; I’ve not booked a train ticket for Brighton away in eight days and the Whites could walk out on the opening day of the season with the same eleven that started against Manchester City in May.
All of that being said, the visit of Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt offers much more than a first chance to see the Cottage in four and a half months. There’s plenty that Marco Silva and the fans could learn about the season ahead against arguably our strongest opposition of the pre-season. So, let’s stuck in, shall we?
Robinson Involved?
American full back Antonee Robinson, an undoubted asset over the past few seasons, is yet to play a single minute of pre season after having knee surgery a few months ago. He is back training, however. I don’t have to tell you what Robinson offers this Fulham team. The way he bombs up and down the Fulham left side transforms Silva’s side’s attack, but without an appearance tomorrow, I’d chalk the former Wigan full back’s chances of starting on the South Coast as nigh on zero.
Robinson’s inclusion feels key to how Fulham will ultimately fare in the opening games of this Premier League season—that’s how important Jedi is to this Fulham team. When scanning the team sheet come 4 p.m. tomorrow, the first number you should look for is 33.
Defensive Tactical Flexibility: Return Of The Back Three?
My love of Ryan Sessegnon shouldn’t even have to be professed; it should come as a given. But despite two positive outings from left back in the Algarve, the prospect of starting Sess—a player who has flourished as a right winger for Marco Silva—at left back, in a flat back four, up against a free-scoring Brighton attack, doesn’t fill me with confidence.
My choice for dealing with a possible Jedi absence going forwards would be one of two options. Option A: sliding Calvin Bassey to full back, allowing Jorge Cuenca to continue his run of games at centre back. Calvin’s marauding runs from centre back cause mayhem centrally—what could they do out wide? Centrally, Jorge Cuenca has showed, in limited minutes everywhere from Anfield to Molineux, that he’s a Premier League centre half.
Option B: perhaps Silva could meet a middle ground between my two floated Robinson-less solutions: Andersen, Bassey, and Cuenca comprise a back three, whilst Ryan Sessegnon is allowed more attacking freedom in a bombing left wing-back role. It’ll be interesting to see what tactical combinations Silva looks to have built on in the close season. I wonder if the Chelsea-famed three at the back could see an increased role this term? My belief in Jorge Cuenca’s talents would suggest so.
If there is no “Return of The Jedi” come Saturday, Marco’s tactical plan will give us a sneak peek at Silva’s Brighton away game plan.
Does Muniz Feature?
Speculation around Rodrigo Muniz’s Fulham future has been building summer-long. A move to Leeds was laughed out of the Whites boardroom, but Craig Hope reporting Newcastle interest, now the Toon have lost out on Benjamin Sesko? Not as funny. Neither have been the mounting murmurs around Atalanta’s interest in the 24-year-old.
Star striker Mateo Retegui left for £60M this summer, and Muniz fits the billing of a Retegui replacement perfectly. Fulham aren’t keen to sell, but Muniz’s contractual situation complicates things. Rodrigo is open to the move—understandable, as the Bergamo side have Champions League football—but less understandable when you consider the recent appointment of Ivan Juric, that’s seen something of a mass exodus from Lombardy.
If Muniz is clear that he’s not signing a deal beyond the club’s optional year extension that would see the former Flamengo man’s contract run out in 2027, the Whites may be backed into a corner—especially in a world where sales are paramount, thanks to PSR.
Rodrigo Muniz’s Frankfurt inclusion, or “mysterious injury,” may be the first domino to fall in knowing how this summer’s Fulham departing transfer saga ends. Keep your eyes peeled!
Josh King: Fulham’s Player of Pre Season, Fulham First Choice Number Ten?
I’ve waxed lyrical about Josh King to no end this pre season. If I had to give one man Fulham’s player of pre season award, it would go to King. The line-breaking, pocket-finding, midfield metronome, able to split a defence with his own centre of gravity as he beats his man, or unlock the opposition with a European-like confidence to play that “Hollywood” pass.
Forget the fact that Josh is the epitome of “one of our own.” Put sentimentality aside—Fulham’s lack of Josh’s creative repertoire is exactly what upheld the barrier between mid-table and European trips to Eastern Europe last term. A Frankfurt start would confirm what should be the case.
King has shown: if you’re good enough, you’re old enough. There is no doubt in my mind that Josh is not only Fulham’s number ten for years to come, he should be our number ten in the here and now. A start in the pre season finale is a massive step towards a Brighton start, and a step away from creative stagnation in 25/26. Make it happen, Marco!
Finding Smith Rowe’s Best Position?
Throughout the entirety of Smith Rowe’s maiden season on the banks of the Thames, ESR played almost exclusively in an out-and-out ten role. The tea leaves this pre season suggest this may be subject to change in the upcoming campaign.
There’s no doubt Emile needed a role change in the off season. As good managers do, Marco seems to have seen to this, moving Smith Rowe out wide during pre season—a move that has seen Rowe notch up two consecutive goal-getting games, against Al Ittihad and Sheffield United. Not only has it seen an increase in outright output from Fulham’s record signing, but there were many interchanges of play—one that culminated in Timothy Castagne’s disallowed goal against Al Ittihad—where Smith Rowe looked the direct, skilful attacking force we know he can be.
Fulham’s final friendly fixture may be crucial to knowing where Emile Smith Rowe will define himself in a make-or-break season in SW6. Just another storyline to keep an eye on ahead of Saturday’s Cottage clash.
A Word On Our Opposition: Eintracht Frankfurt
Frankfurt are no joke. Despite the mid-season loss of Omar Marmoush, now a Liverpool man, and once-Fulham target Hugo Ekitike, fired Eintracht to Champions League football last term. Equal in pre season prep to the Whites, with Die Adler facing off in their opening competitive fixture in the German Cup next week, the Germans will prove a tough test for Marco Silva’s men.
Jonathan Burkardt was someone I wanted Fulham to target before the 25-year-old swapped Mainz for Frankfurt this summer, in a bid to replace Hugo Ekitike. Ritsu Doan, once again, was someone I would have liked to see strutting his stuff down Stevenage Road before a move from Freiburg this summer. The Japanese international will be a nuisance for Fulham’s given left back, whilst Arthur Theate will prove a good physical and technical matchup for both Raul and Rodrigo tomorrow evening.
My Starting XI
In previous years, the final pre season friendly was the chance to bridge pre season experimentation with Premier League pragmatism. I expect Saturday’s game to be no different. Games of two separate lineups for each half are gone; I expect a full-strength lineup from Marco Silva. Here’s what I would go for, if I was a 48-year-old Portuguese footballing genius—despite being 19, and in spite of last week’s best efforts, not Portuguese. I am, however, a footballing genius. Anyway, let’s get cracking.
In net, no question—sorry Benji—it’s Bernd Leno. Lecomte will no doubt get some game time in the League Cup second-round fixture upcoming in a few weeks, and may even get a 20-minute cameo here, but I expect Bernd to take the vast majority of minutes here; I don’t need to explain why.
Comprising a back four, I’ve gone with Tete, Andersen, Bassey, and Sessegnon. Jorge Cuenca is almost a dead cert for minutes, whilst I have expectations for an Antonee Robinson cameo, with Silva not wanting to grow Jedi straight back into a starting role. The back three I mentioned earlier in the piece may receive a run-out, but starting with such would surprise me as our final Brighton prep.
A midfield base of Berge and Lukic packs no surprises. TC will likely receive some more minutes in the legs, but it’s a shame we don’t have a new midfielder to feature next to either Sander or Sasa. Dewsbury-Hall would have been nice… But alas, I’m done with the Andreas-at-eight experiment, so what can I say? Lukic & Berge it is. Hopefully Berge is given some of the attacking freedom Fulham are crying out for. A late-arriving Berge finish may see me arise to the heavens as we spark some deep-lying attacking contribution from FFC’s midfield—something I’ve touted for weeks now. Prove me right, Sander!
Out wide, it’s Wilson and Smith Rowe. The duo created something of a dynamic duo in our pre season. Wilson may well be the first name on the team sheet after being perhaps Fulham’s best player in pre season, whilst Emile Smith Rowe’s previously mentioned promising wide exploits see him introduced to the left wing.
You all know who starts in the ten. The star boy, Fulham’s most talented, Fulham’s own—Josh King. Make yourself impossible to drop, Josh. Continue your fine vein of form, announce yourself to Craven Cottage. Do what you do, JK. Take this game by the scruff of the neck.
Up front is a difficult one. I’d guarantee Raul minutes, as his Gold Cup exploits have limited the Mexican’s pre season minutes, but starting Rodrigo Muniz would be a statement. Give Rodrigo the confidence he is our out-and-out number nine going into this season; a Frankfurt start may go a way into dissuading any mooching about Skyscanner for Rodrigo and co. Get Muniz a goal, start another scoring snowball effect—that would be a game-changer for the early weeks of the Whites’ season. Muniz starts.
MY FULHAM XI (4-2-3-1): Leno; Tete, R. Sessegnon, Andersen, Bassey; Lukic, Berge; Wilson, Smith Rowe, King; Muniz.
