FulView for October 2022

I’m starting up a monthly series here where I’ll take a look at the past month and how Fulham has done. These will be posted on the FulhamUSA.com homepage so that it stays a little bit more current - although if anyone has any articles they’d like to write to fill that space, please let me know! Below is the first shot at this, let me know if there are other things you’d add.

First off, let’s thank this month’s site sponsor, @astroevan! Thanks for keeping things going here for the month of October.

Where Fulham Started October:

• 11 Points
• 6th Place

October Record: 2W 2L 2D
10 GF, 11 GA
Points Per Match: 1.3 (1.5 for the season)

Where Fulham Ended October:

• 19 Points
• 7th Place

In October, Fulham came out of the international break and immediately suffered their two worst losses of the season. An early red card against Newcastle prevented Fulham from ever getting into the match before going down 4-1, the first time Fulham lost by more than a goal this season. In the following match Fulham jumped out to an early lead, but were eventually undone by a penalty and two non-handball calls on the following goals as the Whites went down 3-1 to West Ham.

The bad times seemed like they would continue when Bournemouth scored in the opening two minutes on a disorganized Fulham back line. Fulham bounced back and earned a draw that restored some confidence. That confidence was on display in the next match when Fulham got their biggest win of the season in a 3-0 victory over Aston Villa. Fulham was already in control, but then ran away with the match after overwrought acting from Mitrovic got Villa down to just 10 men.

In the following match against Leeds, Fulham went down a goal in the first half, but bounced back with three unanswered goals to eventually win 3-2. Fulham then got points from their fourth consecutive match in a scoreless draw against Everton.

Going into October, we certainly hoped Fulham would collect a couple wins. They would only play one team above them (Newcastle) while the rest were in the bottom half and occasionally in the mix for relegation. Getting eight points was about what I would have hoped at the end of September, but given that Fulham had to play six matches in one month without a proper right back - eight points may have even been a little better than anticipated. Fulham will only play six matches in a month one more time in April. Only Chelsea was able to move past Fulham in the table during October although Brighton, Liverpool, and Crystal Palace are all within three points of Fulham with a game in hand.

Earning points against lower teams in October, despite a cobbled together back line, will help provide a good foundation for the remainder of the season. Fulham is currently on pace for 56 points. That would be good enough for a top 10 finish and in rare cases even enough to qualify for European play. With a third of the season completed, Fulham is 10, 11, and 9 points better than where they were in the last three relegation seasons at this point. Fulham is halfway to 38 points, which is average number of points earned by the team just outside the relegation zone at the end of the season.

There are two matches are coming up in November before the World Cup break and then two more in December. Just four more matches for the remainder of 2022.