Slavisa Jokanovic says Fulham need time to adapt to the Premier League ahead of emotional Wembley return

Fulham's 12 summer signings may need more time to adapt to the Premier Legaue

Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic admitted it will take longer for Fulham to adapt to life in the Premier League as they return to Wembley for the first time since their play-off victory in May.

The promoted side heavily recruited in the summer and only four of the players that started the play-off final started in the 2-0 defeat against Crystal Palace in Fulham's opening Premier League match.

Jokanovic said they have been working on building team “spirit” and must quickly gel together to start producing their best football.

Jokanovic breifs Joe Bryan, one of 12 summer arrivals (Getty Images)

Fulham were renowned in the Championship for playing quick, attacking football, and Jokanovic knows that they may need a little longer before they reach similar heights in the top-tier.

“We have many new players and will need time,” he said ahead of facing Tottenham on Saturday. “We worked well this week, building our team spirit and working on the way we want to play football.

“We must be patient and I believe we signed quality players without any work so it’s complicated for them,” he added.

Fulham reached the play-off final by playing attacking and cohesive football (Getty)

“We know we started building one Championship team and try making one Premier League team, this is a normal way for us and in this process we must be ready to adapt new players for the level they are at.”

Jokanovic, who was speaking at a news conference on his birthday, is relishing taking his Fulham side back to Wembley to face Tottenham, three months after beating Aston Villa 1-0 in the play-off final.

“It’s great, now is different because we return as a Premier League team in a different competition. It’s amazing and [there’s a] great challenge ahead of us and we will try to do our best and try to be competitive and fight for points.”

Fulham were perhaps unfortunate to come up against such a good counter-attacking side in Crystal Palace in their opening match given they have not perfected their style of play, but will face a very different challenge against Spurs.

“They are a difficult team in offensive and defensive,” he said of Maurico Pochettino’s team. “We know they are going to press us and are really strong defensively.

The Fulham manager said he has been working on an organised defensive plan to stop Harry Kane, and suggested that the England striker struggled to score goals in August because “it’s too hot for him.”

Charged with stopping Tottenham’s main man is a fractured defence. Tim Ream and Alfie Mawson remain short of match fitness, while Denis Odoi continues his suspension after a red card in last season’s play-off final. However, left-back Joe Bryan has recovered from an ankle problem that forced him off against Palace last week.