Sitting seventh in the Premier League table, Fulham find themselves somewhat at a crossroads as the January transfer window closes and the final phase of the season gets underway.
The perennial yo-yo team over the past five years with Championship promotion subsequently followed by top-flight relegation, the Cottagers are set to finally break the cycle this time out.
With 17 games still to play, Marco Silva’s side are currently just nine points away from the mythical 40-point mark that usually guarantees Premier League survival and very much looking upwards, 14 points ahead of third-bottom AFC Bournemouth.
It begs the question – should Fulham re-assess their aims for the remainder of the season?
However, when it was put to Silva, he was focused on just one thing: “Our ambition is to remain in the Premier League, it’s clear and so important for this football club to be in the Premier League constantly.
“We all know that 40 points sometimes is the magic number clubs are looking for and of course if and when we achieve that, we will be ready to talk again about the situation.”
Silva’s stance is understandable, knowing all too well the fickle nature of football from his spell as Watford manager where, after an impressive start to the 2017/18 campaign saw them sit eighth in the table but five points from the following ten games eventually led to his sacking.
Many cite the unwelcomed attention of Everton and their vacant managerial vacancy for Silva losing focus at the time but it is clear the 45-year-old has learned harsh lessons from not only his brief spell at Vicarage Road but Fulham’s own past top-flight experiences.
He has brought a new lease of life to Fulham since arriving in 2021, not only gaining the customary expected Championship promotion but this summer added proven Premier League quality to the squad without alienating the already-established core group.
There’s also a clear identity as to how Fulham play; in possession, a 4-2-3-1 set-up brings width and pace to utilise centre forward Aleksandar Mitrovic’s talents in the penalty box before reverting to a stubborn and solid 4-4-2 without the ball.
While the 1-1 FA Cup home draw against Championship side Sunderland was disappointing, the two back-to-back losses against Newcastle and Tottenham following four straight league wins is easier to swallow.
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Against both sides pushing for Champions League qualification the manner of defeat was marginal – Spurs claiming victory with a moment of brilliance from Harry Kane and Mitrovic wasting a good opportunity to claim at least a point against Newcastle with his two-touch penalty being disallowed.
Both games prove Fulham can now hold their own against any opposition, showing respect but simultaneously no fear which is why the draw against Sunderland was more frustrating.
In the past, cup competitions have arguably been a luxury Fulham could not afford in either a quest for promotion or fight against relegation whereas this season presents the side with their best chance of reaching the Fifth Round for the first time in six years.
Having fielded a strong side, Silva will be disappointed not to have got the job done the first time round but the Stadium of Light replay gives his side a reprieve after coming so close to a shock defeat.
Get through that and, combined with a winnable home draw against Leeds United, it could act as a useful break from the demands of the Premier League as well as provide fans with hopes of silverware underneath the Wembley arch.
Before that is the small matter of a Premier League trip to Stamford Bridge, evoking misty-eyed nostalgia of just a few weeks ago when Fulham produced a sublime performance to beat Chelsea 2-1 at Craven Cottage.
It was a first win over their West London rivals for 20 games, dating back to 2006 and, while Friday’s encounter will be a different proposition, there’s no doubt Fulham will adopt the same approach which has benefitted them so well so far.
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“One of our key factors is that we don’t change many things,” Silva explained.
“If we have a bad run in the future, we have to be able to keep calm and go in the same way and the same direction.
“I know the fans will look at the table and it will be special for them but for us it’s game by game but of course we are pleased with the position we are in.”
So while Silva may be keeping grounded, he has created a team Fulham fans can not only be proud of but one that has them daring to dream – and rightly so.