Have Fulham been lucky or unlucky so far this season?

It is well known at this stage of the season that Fulham have just two points to their name and sit 19th in the Premier League table.

With wins proving impossible to come by at this stage of the season, Fulham fans have become increasingly worried that this could be a challenging season for the Cottagers.

But if we look at the statistics from the season so far, should Fulham actually be higher up the table, lower down the table or are they in the right position for their matches so far?

Well, we have compiled the statistics from each of the Cottagers’ Premier League matches thus far this season and have decided if Fulham have got unlucky so far or not.

A 3-2 defeat to Chelsea at Craven Cottage to open the campaign probably foreshadowed the issues Fulham would face throughout this season.

And in this clash, despite a late onslaught, there can be no argument that Fulham were the worst team on the day.

Chelsea had more shots, more xG and more big chances so from a statistical side of things, Fulham remain on zero points at this stage.

Next up, Fulham took on Sunderland, and although they again dominated possession, they fell on the wrong side of a low-quality match.

The Cottagers failed to have a single shot on target to Sunderland’s four, so this was another match that, from a statistical point of view alone, there can be no complaints.

The defeat to Crystal Palace was the first match in which Fulham fans began to feel a tad worried.

But this was, if you look at the statistics, Fulham’s best attacking performance of the season (in the Premier League).

Fulham had 25 shots to Palace’s 10, more shots on target and had 3.14 xG compared to 1.97.

This was a game in which Fulham actually earned zero points but statistically should have come away with three.

This looked to be the match in which Alvaro Arbeloa figured out the way in which Fulham should line up in the Premier League.

Picking up a first point at Anfield was a big step in the right direction, and if you look at the stats, well Liverpool had marginally more xG and shots, while Fulham had more shots on target.

Liverpool did have many more big chances than Fulham (4-1) but I think in the end this result probably also looks about right - to Arbeloa’s credit.

A very strange match of football at Craven Cottage ended with Manchester United netting a late Matheus Cunha goal that took a hefty deflection.

But in terms of the stats and specifically xG, well Fulham had 1.62 to United’s 1.60, so I’d call that fairly even.

Incredibly United had 29 shots, but only six on target, which was the same as Fulham, despite the Cottagers having 17 fewer shots.

This was another match in which a point feels fair.

Well, according to FotMob, Fulham would actually be 15th in an xG table, with six points.

That stems from scoring 7.7 xG, compared to scoring five actual goals, largely due to that Crystal Palace defeat.

So, after five matches, this is another sign that perhaps things are not quite so bad in west London after all and that Arbeloa is closing in on seeing Fulham rise up the table.