Just six months ago, Fulham and Southampton were still playing against each other in the Premier League.
Two goals from James Ward-Prowse and Oriol Romeu secured the Saints three crucial points in their relegation battle. On Tuesday, these two sides will meet each other once again in the Carabao Cup.
This summer, Fulham brought in many names with Championship experience to help the club return to the Premier League. One of them was Ivan Cavaleiro, a league-winner with Wolverhampton Wanderers two seasons ago.
He has contributed with three goals and registered one assist in Fulham’s first five games, and the Portuguese winger is certainly in good form.
In Scott Parker’s 4-3-3 formation, Cavaleiro plays in the role of a left-winger. He has the licence to dribble with the ball at his feet in counter-attacks, and his pace is one of the advantages that help him win attacking duels.
Furthermore, his off-the-ball movements attract the defenders’ attention and create space for his teammates to move in to. Meanwhile, he frequently positions himself in free space to receive a through ball from midfielders before sprinting towards the goal.
At Wolves, he lined up alongside Raul Jiménez and Diogo Jota in their Premier League front three. Cavaleiro usually cut inside and operated in the half-spaces, leaving the wide area for wing-backs to overlap. He has followed a similar trend at Fulham, as he can move centrally and involve himself in the team’s build-up play.
Alongside him on the left is Joe Bryan, a left-back who is comfortable making overlaps up the pitch and threatening the opposite team’s box with whipped crosses.
Using through passes and long balls, Cavaleiro creates chances for the players around him to convert goals. On average, he has made 36.4 passes per match with a success rate of 85.2%. Although it’s just the first five matches of the Championship, it demonstrates the experience that he gained from his time with Wolves, and he is transferring his expertise to guide Fulham back into the Premier League.
With his influence and attacking threat, he should be considered as the main dangerman for Saints to watch out for in this Carabao Cup tie.
