Where Fulham, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest need to improve next season in the Premier League

As another thrilling EFL season comes to an end we now have confirmation on who will be playing in the Premier League next season, but do these sides have what it takes to survive?

We’ve taken a look into each side's stats behind this season’s success and looked into where each of them will need to improve next season.  

 

Fulham 

Fulham will be looking to leave behind their ‘yoyo’ status next season and properly re-establish themselves as a Premier League outfit. 

In their previous two Premier League campaigns, they managed just 26 and 28 points and were subsequently relegated each time.  

This season though there is a slightly different feel around the club. 

Fulham have been the first side to hit 100 goals in the Championship since Kevin Keegan’s Manchester City side in 2002. 

Aleksandar Mitrović broke all sorts of records as he scored 43 goals, whilst also grabbing seven assists.  

The Serbian’s form next season will be a large contributing factor to Fulham’s survival bid. 

In the 20/21 season Mitrovic scored just three Premier League goals, although it is worth noting that the majority of his appearances came from the bench. 

In Fulham’s 18/19 Premier League campaign, Mitrovic scored 11 goals averaging a goal every 298 minutes.  

Defensively Fulham will probably have to brush up for next season, historically this has been their biggest problem with re-establishing themselves as a top flight club. 

This season they conceded 43 goals, which is more than both Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest. 

However, Fulham actually faced fewer shots per 90 than each of the sides they were promoted alongside, which suggests several of their goals came from individual errors. 

In goal they will probably be targeting an upgrade on Marek Rodák and Paulo Gazzaniga. 

Throughout the season, Rodak averaged a 75% save ratio, whereas Gazzaniga averaged just 61.5%. 

 

Bournemouth 

Bournemouth’s season was built upon defensive solidity, having only conceded 39 goals throughout the season and keeping 21 clean sheets in the process.  

Since his last Premier League campaign, Dominic Solanke has grown as a player and has 29 goals to show for this season. 

Solanke scored 39% of Bournemouth’s total goals for the season and so they will be reliant on him making the step up, as will Fulham with Mitrovic. 

Scott Parker will be keen to establish himself as a Premier League manager after suffering relegation with Fulham last season.  

Like Fulham, Bournemouth are a side that like to dominate the ball as they averaged 55.2% possession, the third-highest in the Championship. 

Mark Travers broke through as one of the best goalkeepers in the division last season with a save percentage of 76.9%. 

 

Nottingham Forest 

Nottingham Forest’s style of play is less dependent on possession compared to Bournemouth and Fulham and so there is the suggestion that their style of play might be more transferable to the Premier League. 

Nottingham Forest ranked 10th for average possession in the Premier League with 50.2% possession. 

15 of Forest’s goals came from set pieces and this is an area they will look to capitalise on next season.  

Forest’s biggest task will come in the transfer window as they need to either re-sign or replace: Keinan Davis, Max Lowe, Djed Spence, James Garner and Philip Zinckernagel who were all on loan. 

Djed Spence proved to be a revelation for Steve Cooper’s side this season and he had a vital role to play from right-wing back. 

The creative force in the midfield was James Garner who completed 83 key passes, more than any other player in the Forest side this season.  

If they manage to replace the quality they will be losing in their loan players, they will have a fighting chance of survival next season.