Fulham are struggling to fill Mitrovic’s scoring boots, according to statistics.
Fulham’s scoring prowess was always going to suffer as a result of the sale of Aleksandar Mitrovic – and Monday’s 2-0 defeat to Chelsea was more proof of that.
The Whites have five goals in their first seven Premier League games. In comparison, Mitrovic, who was moved to Al-Hilal for a club record price in August, had already scored six goals at this point last season.
Fulham’s xG (expected goals) is 7.04, with only Forest (6.65), Sheffield United (5.57), and Burnley (5.78) producing worse figures.
And there is concern that Marco Silva’s team is not defensively solid enough to keep many clean sheets.
Fulham have three points so far, but the 1-0 triumph at Everton was heavily reliant on German keeper Bernd Leno, a vital element, while the identical result at Craven Cottage saw the newly-promoted visitors strike the post.
Fulham’s xGC (expected goals conceded) is 15.3, with only Bournemouth (16.6) and Sheffield United (17.4) higher that figure.
Due to a lack of significant frontal firepower, Chelsea’s first-half double at Craven Cottage, one of which punished a defensive blunder by Tim Ream, left them with a mountain to climb.
In the closing stages, Sasa Lukic had a chance to halve the gap, but Robert Sanchez was able to stick out a leg to frustrate the Serbian.
Silva refused to address the tactical concerns raised by Mitrovic’s departure, but neither of his natural center-forward choices, Raul Jimenez or Carlos Vinicius, are prolific.
Jimenez, inset, has an xG of 0.72 in 509 minutes since joining from Wolves, with only two of his 11 shots on goal finding the back of the net. His last Premier League strike goal came in 2021-22.
Vinicius has a lower xG (0.56) but has played only 75 minutes.
Fulham’s frontline is primarily reliant on Bobby Decordova-Reid, Alex Iwobi, Harry Wilson, and Andreas Pereira.
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