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2013/14 EPL season preview: Fulham

Maarten Stekelenburg is the new number one at Fulham.
Expert
12th August, 2013
4

They’re the oldest London club in the English Premier League, yet one of the easiest to overlook. The question for perennial mid-table candidates Fulham is: will anything change this season?

What happened last season
It was the strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde which once cast a shadow over the streets of west London and the same split personality could well describe Fulham’s home-and-away form.

The west London outfit were hard to beat at their picturesque Craven Cottage home on the banks of the River Thames last season, but on the road Martin Jol’s side found the going far tougher.

The Cottagers kicked off their campaign with a resounding 5-0 opening day win over Norwich and continued their strong home form throughout, however only a 1-0 win over Tottenham at White Hart Lane was a genuine highlight on the road, as Fulham struggled to register victories on their travels.

What happened in the off-season
To put it bluntly, Mark Schwarzer left. Five years and more than 170 games after joining from Middlesbrough, it was a somewhat unceremonious exit from the club for the Socceroos custodian.

Schwarzer will have incurred the wrath of Fulham fans everywhere by joining local rivals Chelsea, however his replacement Maarten Stekelenburg arrives with plenty of pedigree.

The former Ajax and Roma shot-stopper doubles as the Dutch number one and much will depend on Stekelenburg’s ability to bed down quickly in a side hardly renowned for a watertight defence.

Elsewhere, Fulham’s transfer dealings haven’t exactly set the league alight, with journeyman Derek Boateng brought in to strengthen the midfield and playmaker Adel Taarabt signed on a season-long loan from relegated neighbours Queens Park Rangers.

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Why fans should be excited about the 2013/14 season
The good news for Fulham fans is that coach Jol’s teams play a more eye-catching brand of football than his predecessor Mark Hughes.

With the enigmatic Dimitar Berbatov up front and the unpredictable attacking trio of Ashkan Dejagah, Bryan Ruiz and Hugo Rodallega capable of changing a game on their day, Fulham fans will hope to see plenty of entertaining football – and goals – from one of the more attacking mid-table candidates.

The main man that can carry 2013/14 hopes
Brede Hangeland. Put simply, the Norwegian stopper is a colossus in defence and the man who most embodies the sort of fighting spirit which has seen Fulham pull off a couple of great escapes from relegation in the not-so-distant past.

The hulking defender is a throwback to the days of yore when inspirational captains skippering their teams from the back were dime-a-dozen in English football, and Hangeland is not only key when it comes to marshalling an occasionally porous defence, he also causes his fair share of panic from set pieces.

While Hangeland is perhaps the most vital piece in the Fulham puzzle, how Stekelenburg measures up to his reliable predecessor Schwarzer could also prove key to the west London club’s chances.

Verdict – Battling to stay up
How long can Fulham ride their luck? The Cottagers have been on an upward trend in recent years, going so far as to reach the Europa League final in 2010 under the popular Roy Hodgson and recording a series of impressive mid-table finishes in the meantime.

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However, without further reinforcements Fulham will rely heavily on the mercurial Berbatov and if the temperamental Bulgarian is off his game, the Cottagers could suffer.

A recent change of ownership is also no small matter at a club which for years relied on the largesse of benefactor Mohamed Al-Fayed.

With promoted sides Hull City and Crystal Palace both possessing relatively recent top-flight experience, this could prove a difficult campaign for Fulham fans as they begin a new era under current owner Shahid Khan.

Maarten Stekelenburg is the new number one at Fulham.

Maarten Stekelenburg is the new number one at Fulham.

Fulham striker Mladen Petric was one of 12 players to depart the club in the off-season.

Fulham striker Mladen Petric was one of 12 players to depart the club in the off-season.

Fulham players celebrate a goal as Chelsea's John Terry looks on.

Fulham players celebrate a goal as Chelsea’s John Terry looks on.

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