Intended position of The Guardian writers 19 (NB: This is not necessarily John Brewin’s prediction, but the average of our writers’ advice)
Last season’s position 1st (Championship)
Odds of winning the league (via Oddschecker) 1,000-1
prospects
In April, Fulham supporters invaded the pitch after promotion was secured. The celebrations were still pretty quiet, and not just because Cottagers fans’ reputation for graciousness precedes them. The club’s last two promotions to the Premier league they were followed by immediate relegation, so finishing 17th or higher would be considered a resounding success.
Craven Cottage will have a different look, the towering Riverside Stand has finally opened its doors, albeit only the lower level initially, as owner Shahid Khan modernizes the beloved stadium. High ticket prices to pay for renewals have become a battleground between fans and Khan.
The cost can go up to £100 for a single ticket to the opening match with Liverpool, asking many fans when Marco Silva, the manager, admitted that the label of a “yo-yo team” is a “good nickname”. ”. Last season was nice, a breeze back, but Silva will be without Fabio Carvalho, sold to Liverpool, one of the main purveyors of Aleksandar Mitrovic’s record 43 goals in the Championship, although Harry Wilson remains.
It’s not in Silva’s or Fulham’s makeup to play percentage football, and that well-paid crowd has come to expect entertainment. Khan is unlikely to match the £100m spent in the summer of 2018, and has spoken of the need to “have a different approach to one of the bigger clubs”. The hope is that Silva has enough ingenuity and that his players can find enough quality to break the cycle of promotion followed by relegation.