The Sky Bet Championship is meeting the expectations which the football fraternity, prior to the start of the season, had off it. Not only the automatic qualification spots but the playoff spots are being fiercely contested with many second-tier sides leaving no stone unturned to ensure that they have the last laugh.
Promotion is the ultimate aim for these teams in the Championship as the prestige and finance associated with a move to the Premier League is unmatched. A season in the Premier League can change the fortunes of a club and hence the drastic level of competition to fight for the 3 coveted spots.
Fulham have slowly yet surely climbed up the ladder and are set to give the likes of Sheffield Wednesday and Reading a tough fight for a place in the top six. Their latest 3-1 win over Preston North End, in which Sone Aluko neatly finished Neeskens Kebano’s cross followed by goals from Chris Martin and Kebano to rattle the Lilywhites, was the latest reminder of the fine nick they are in. The Cottagers have accumulated four wins from their last five games, drawing one in the process and are desperately aiming to ply their trade in the Premier League once again.
Slavisa Jokanovic has carefully moulded the players into high functioning assets: Fulham have scored for fun, their defence might not be the most resolute one but they aren’t certainly mediocre either and their midfield has steadied their ship in a shrewd manner lately.
What has been phenomenal to witness is that there has not been a player who has been discharging the duties of any sphere singlehandedly, for there has been an even distribution of the roles amongst the personnel and this has been a prime factor for their recent domination. But then, how the scenario pans up for them in the upcoming fixtures is definitely going to determine their whereabouts next season.
The London-based outfit are to face Newcastle United, Derby County, Norwich City, Huddersfield Town and Sheffield Wednesday (speaking of fixtures in which the Whites are likely to drop points against), apart from hosting Garry Monk’s Leeds United at Craven Cottage on Tuesday.
It would be a premature evaluation to state that they should already count themselves out owing to the tough fixtures that they need to navigate. However, their recent uplift in form offers some hope and should they keep the momentum going in their favour, they can certainly leapfrog a side like Sheffield Wednesday in the business end of the season to earn a playoff spot.
