Of all the surprises through the first month and a half of the Premier League season, Fulham has been the biggest. Last year, the team finished 14th-they were also 14th in expected points-and they had a depth crisis. But Marco Silva not only managed to stop the plane from falling into the abyss but even brought it back on course.
In the off-season, Fulham sold Joao Palhinha to Bayern for €51 million. He carried the whole Cottagers midfield on his shoulders, just as the Ancient Greek Atlas took the whole sky upon himself, was the best in tackles in all top-5 leagues last season and for two seasons was among the best destroyers of the league. 
Yet, Silva fooled everybody. Fulham is in the eighth position. In terms of expected points, the team is even second-to none but Liverpool. Last seasons, Fulham played pretty closed counter-attacking football, but without dogmatism and sometimes with something included for fun. Now Silva has realized that the best defense is a guard, so the vector has moved a little bit.

Silva's strategic shift has propelled Fulham to unexpected success this season. Despite losing key player Palhinha, they have shown resilience and tactical flexibility. Silva's adaptability and focus on defense have been pivotal in their impressive performance. Fulham's rise in the standings reflects the power of innovative coaching in football.