Fulham boss Marco Silva is expecting a new and improved Nottingham Forest side to turn up at Craven Cottage. Three goals in seven second half minutes earned Fulham victory in the reverse fixture, but the Reds are currently the Premier League’s in-form team, taking 11 points from a possible 15 in 2023.
Marco Silva said: “It will be a tough one, another tough one. They are different than when we played against them at Forest. I can say completely different, even if most of the players who started that game are going to start again. But there is a slight difference in some players, they again signed good players in January. We’re talking about a club that signed around 25, 26 players this season. Of course they need time to gel, to put everything in the right direction, [but] they are in good momentum and they want to keep the momentum for sure. But we are as well, we know our strengths, we know what we should improve. Of course we respect them, it will be a tough game because of the way they approach the game and sometimes the way they let the game be broken, sometimes it’s difficult to control. Since Boxing Day, they have achieved very good results, and because of that they are in a good position in the table, too. They want to keep the momentum but they know as well that it will be tough for them. Everyone that comes to play at the Cottage, normally it’s tough for them to play, with the environment that we play, we like to play on the front foot every time. The players feel really well and comfortable with our style, the way we approach the game, and it will be another good game for sure.”
Silva was asked if the number of new faces at Forest makes their starting XI harder to predict, or if he is more focused on his own side.
Marco Silva said: “Firstly, is the way we want to play. We don’t change, doesn’t matter who is the opposition. Of course, you can slightly change things in our strategy, and some starting points, or whatever. But always our idea and our approach is really difficult for us to change, because our main focus really is the way we are going to play, the way we want to play, the way we want to press, the way we want to start our game from the back, sometimes more direct, whatever, but we’re always really focused on ourselves. Analysing the opposition side, of course, and with full respect for their strengths and [looking for] something that we can exploit in their weaknesses as well. About their XI, it’s not really important what players are going to play. I think it’s much more clear the way they are playing right now. When we played against them first half of the season, they were playing with five at the back, now they are different, they are playing with four at the back, clearly more 4-3-3, and sometimes making a little bit of a diamond in the middle when [Morgan] Gibbs-White drops a little bit more. They are strong. About the players, more or less we know what players are going to start, even if again they had some new signings in January, too.”
