Fulham v Wolves preview: Julen Lopetegui plays the long game in fight against drop
Julen Lopetegui insists he is pleased with the commitment of his squad as Wolves look to get back on track against Fulham tonight.
Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth dragged Wolves back into the relegation battle, after wins over Liverpool and Southampton had taken them out of the bottom three and restored hope to the Molineux faithful.
Lopetegui has always spoken of the ‘long race’ ahead of Wolves and refused to get carried away by those two wins, and as they look to get back on track in the capital, he insists he is pleased with the attitude of his players.
He said: “We are working well but this is only the first step.
“We have four or five key months in front of us where each match will be a hard chance, but a chance for us. We have to focus on working hard for those matches.
“We have to improve a lot of things. You can always improve with and without the ball, all the teams not only us. This is our focus. We are involved in the daily work and we have to continue.
“I am happy. While the players are working with commitment and meeting demands each day, I am happy. We want to win because we work to win. I hate to lose and it’s important we feel that. In the same way, when you win or lose, we have to be balanced and continue working for this long race.
“We have to be balanced in each moment and work hard each day.”
Lopetegui has also attempted to bring a strong English culture into the dressing room and insists on his players speaking the language.
One of his coaches, Edu Rubio, still helps with any translation issues in press conferences but Lopetegui has been persisting with English lessons and expects the same of his players.
He added: “I try to explain myself as well as I can and I make sure the players understand me, otherwise I am lost. If not, Edu helps me! The language is different but football is a universal language. We understand together, between us, and I have no problems translating my feelings. I am trying to improve too, but the rest is football. You have to work and you have to win.
“Each team has a different aim and we have the focus on this.”
Mario Lemina will be available for the trip to Craven Cottage after serving his one-match suspension against Bournemouth, and the Gabon international is expected to come straight into the starting XI.
Although Adama Traore impressed last time out, Lopetegui may choose to use him as an impact substitution away from home, which could open the door for Daniel Podence to come into the team.
Pedro Neto’s availability will also be one to watch. The winger was an unused substitute against Southampton after four months out with an ankle injury, and then made his return to the pitch the following Monday for the under-21s.
Neto was left out of the team to face Bournemouth as he builds his fitness up, but could travel with the team to London.
Opposition view
Marco Silva admits he is not surprised to see Fulham’s remarkable rise up the Premier League table this season.
The London side currently side sixth in the league – although some teams around them have games in hand in their favour – and have impressed since the league returned after the World Cup break. But Silva is not surprised at how his side have performed this season.
He said: “It’s been an excellent season. Surprising? I can’t say that.
“For those who are watching from the outside and for those who understand the reality of the Premier League and how difficult the Premier League is, I think it is surprising to see the position we are in in the table.
“But above everything is the way we play, how competitive we have been and we deserve to be where we are. I believe that the word surprise can make some sense to those outside. For us internally, honestly no.
“It has nothing to do with the position in the table, because it can change in two or three rounds of matches and things can change quickly.
“It has much more to do with the way we have been playing, how we have deserved the results – we maybe even deserved more than we have at the moment – and the way we have developed as a team, individually and collectively, that’s really our big weapon.”
On the injury front ahead of the clash with Wolves, Aleksandar Mitrovic is a doubt for Fulham after missing the win over Brighton with a hamstring issue.
Carlos Vinicius could come in to replace Bobby Decordova-Reid as a more conventional striker.
Neeskens Kebano (Achilles) and Tom Cairney (ankle) remain sidelined for tonight’s game.
