Fulham boss Marco Silva has been speaking to the media before Saturday’s Premier League game against Nottingham Forest (kick-off 15:00 BST).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
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Silva feels they have been “growing” in their performances this season, even after changing “so many players and important players”: “[We] signed some good players too. All teams need time to gel, create connections between players and understand our identity and philosophy.”
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He also felt they should be higher up the table: “Should we achieve more points? Yes, definitely – against West Ham and against [Manchester] United, but that is the Premier League. You always have to be on your best level to achieve the points you want. It’s been a good start and the main thing for me is how we are performing and getting better.”
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On Raul Jimenez’s comments around a shift in culture and mentality at Fulham: “It is good to hear that. I didn’t have this conversation with him – it is something overall. It is important players feel that the word ‘enough’ isn’t one we like here. Of course, the Premier League is tough – the most difficult in the world – and you must always demand more from yourself.”
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He added: “Believe me, if we are going to push for something more, then we will push. The reality is we have to look for the next game as the most important one. We want to do better than last season.”
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On the impact of summer signing Emile Smith Rowe: “He is a talent and different than what we had in the last few seasons. Emile has everything in that position. He didn’t play enough in the past few years – that is tough. He will get more minutes and there is more to come from him. He is a shy and normal guy. I want him to express himself on the pitch.”
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The Fulham boss said Adama Traore is a player that “always needs a little bit of love”: “One thing we have been working on is consistency because it is important. If he is always on, then he can impact games in many, many ways.”
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On if the win over Newcastle set a standard: “Recently and last season we showed we are more than capable of that. It did not surprise me at all. One of the biggest differences from the first and last season is difference in some big games where we showed our quality and ability against these teams.”
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Before the trip to Nottingham Forest, he said it “isn’t fair” to compare games: “If you go to last season, then you go to two seasons ago and we won there [at the City Ground]. Each game is a different story. Let’s hope we can write a different one in our favour.”
