Friends of Fulham

 
Chipstead delighted to get something for nothing from Premier League Fulham

Fulham goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond has signed on loan for the Isthmian League club

It isn't often you get something for nothing but that is exactly what Chipstead manager Antony Williams has secured in the shape of young Fulham goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond.

The 19-year-old shot stopper made his Chipstead debut in Tuesday night's 2-1 defeat to Isthmian League South Central Division leaders Hayes & Yeading United.

However, the signing of Ashby-Hammond, means that Sam Mason, 18, who started last Saturday's game wearing the Chipstead number one shirt, is expected to return to Woking.

"We know Vic Betternelli, who is the goalkeeping coach at Fulham, and we were close to signing Taye last year before we brought in Ollie Pain," Williams explained. "Vic called us and said as we were interested in Taye last year, were we still interested. Taye has been playing at a good standard and has a good pedigree and we needed a goalkeeper.

"I think we have used five goalkeepers this year because of Ollie's injury and in fact, Ollie's injury coincided with our dip in form. We need someone with a bit of authority.

"Having a stable goalkeeper helps and now Taye has committed until the end of the season. And he's free which helps the budget. Which is good because his weekly wage is our whole budget!

"Sam will go back to Woking now. We played Woking last year in the Surrey Senior Cup and Sam was excellent but he seems to be lacking a bit of confidence. He's been chopped and changed around a few different clubs this year and that probably hasn't helped him. He's a really good lad though."



https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/chipstead-delighted-something-nothing-premier-15657222

 
Fulham 'still interested' to sign player in January after summer disappointment, €2m fee

Before the start of the 2018/19 season, Fulham tried to bring Dedryck Boyata to the club from Celtic following his impressive displays for Belgium at the World Cup in Russia.

The Cottagers were unsuccessful in their efforts as their bid for the 28-year-old was rejected by the Scottish Premiership outfit.

Today's edition of Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad now claims that after last summer's disappointment, the Premier League outfit are 'still interested' in signing the centre-back.

Any approach from Claudio Ranieri's side for the Bhoys player in January will see them face a 'lot of competition'.

Boyata's contract with his current employer will run down at the season and he's been very clear, often via his agent, that he won't sign a new deal. If Brendan Rodgers' side decide to sanction his sale this month, they could cash in €2m from his exit... according to the Belgian reports.

In Glasgow they'd probably expect more.

However, the defender has not made a decision whether to leave Celtic in the winter market or in the summer and if he waits till June, Boyata will have more options because he'll be a free agent.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-still-interested-sign-player-january-summers-disappointment-e2m-fee/

 
NEXT UP Nottingham Forest manager latest: Slavisa Jokanovic favourite with ex-Monaco boss Leonardo Jardim linked

Who will end up at the City Ground to replace Aitor Karaoke?

Former Watford and Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic is now the favourite to replace Aitor Karanka at Nottingham Forest.

The Tricky Trees and Karanka parted ways on Friday morning after the Spaniard asked to be released from his contract.

The scramble to appoint a new boss is likely to be swift with the club in the hunt for promotion – four points off a play-off spot.

Jokanovic is now considered a specialist at achieving such a feat having led both Watford and Fulham to the Premier League.

Next Nottingham Forest manager odds

    Slavisa Jokanovic (unemployed) – 1/4
    Leonardo Jardim (unemployed) – 6/1
    Martin O'Neill (unemployed) – 9/1
    Nigel Clough (Burton Albion) – 14/1
    Gary Rowett (unemployed) – 16/1
    Damir Canadi (Atromitos) – 16/1
    David Moyes (unemployed) – 20/1
    Razvan Lucescu (PAOK) – 20/1
    Jose Anigo (unemployed) – 20/1

Oddschecker spokesperson George Elek: "With Forest four points off the play-offs, attendances soaring this season and a fan based re-engaged with the club following the exit of Fawaz Al-Hasawi this development looks very odd on the face of it.



https://talksport.com/football/efl/472344/nottingham-forest-manager-latest-slavisa-jokanovic-favourite-with-ex-monaco-boss-leonardon-jardim-linked/

 
Burnley vs Fulham preview: Key relegation clash at Turf Moor

Burnley and Fulham clash in a pivotal relegation fixture on Saturday as the battle for survival intensifies.

Fulham remain second from bottom but can move to within a point of 16th-place Burnley with an away win.

Turf Moor has been a bogey ground for the Cottagers as Burnley are unbeaten in the last 26 meetings since Apr 1951, although Fulham did win the reverse fixture at Craven Cottage 4-2 in August.

Fulham boss Claudio Ranieri insists he still believes in his players despite last weekend's shock FA Cup loss to Sky Bet League Two club Oldham.

Fulham bowed out of the FA Cup's third round following a limp 2-1 home defeat, but Ranieri is confident the squad have reset their focus this week.

"I'm positive because I believe in this team and this club," said Ranieri. "But also Burnley think, 'if we kill Fulham we go up'.

"And for this reason, I think it's a very, very crucial match. Believe me, at the moment I never look at the table. Because I know where we are, staying under water and I want to go up!"

Team news

---

Tom Heaton is likely to keep his place in goal for Burnley while Phil Bardsley and Matt Lowton both have chances to start after recovering from knocks. Robbie Brady is suspended.

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa is available for selection after recovering from an ankle problem that has seen him miss the last five games but Alfie Mawson remains sidelined with a knee injury.

Calum Chambers should return at centre-back after missing the Arsenal game due to terms of his loan contract from his permanent club.

Opta stats

---

    Burnley are unbeaten in their last 29 home matches against Fulham in all competitions (W24 D5) since a 0-2 defeat in the top-flight in April 1951.
    Although this is the 43rd league season these sides have faced, Fulham are looking to complete a league double over Burnley for only the fifth time, and the first time since the 1950-51 campaign.
    Burnley have won their last two Premier League games, picking up more points (6) than they had in their previous 12 in the competition (5 - W1 D2 L9).
    Fulham are the only Premier League side yet to win away from home this season (W0 D2 L9), conceding more goals than any other side on the road (28).
    All three of Fulham's Premier League wins this season have been against sides starting the day in the bottom four (17th or lower) - Burnley are 16th coming into this game.
    Burnley have only lost one of their last 13 Premier League games against sides in the relegation zone (W6 D6), though it was in the reverse fixture against Fulham this season.
    Fulham have had just five different goalscorers in the Premier League this season (excluding own goals), fewer than any other side.
    Andre Schurrle had 11 shots for Fulham (scoring once) against Burnley in this season's reverse league fixture, the most shots by a player in a single Premier League game during 2018-19.

Merson's prediction

---

Fulham have improved under Claudio Ranieri but Burnley have got that Premier League experience, that know-how when it comes to winning matches and I fancy them to continue upturn in form after a difficult start to the season. Burnley have got back to principles which saw them finish seventh last season, when they do that they are a hard team to beat and play against, that wasn't the case in their first half of the season.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0 (with Sky Bet)



https://www.skysports.com/football/burnley-vs-fulham/preview/390968

 
The shirt numbers available to Gary Cahill and other January signings if they sign for Fulham

There's a lot of numbers up for grabs this January as Fulham look to strengthen

Fulham have yet to make any signings in the January transfer window, but discussions are ongoing behind the scenes to get deals over the line.

Claudio Ranieri is under no illusions that the club need to add new players to the side or face relegation from the Premier League, with defensive recruits the main target for the club's recruitment team this winter.

The Italian wants a leader and some Premier League experience - both things he feels the club are sorely lacking in this season and something that has left them sitting in 19th place, winning just three games.

You feel something needs to happen sooner rather than later with crucial games coming up for Fulham, but with little happening so far we've taken a look at the squad numbers available to any new signings this January.

Number 2

Ryan Fredericks' squad number at Fulham has yet to be taken, despite the amount of players joining the side in the summer

The club are desperately looking for defensive reinforcements this winter with Gary Cahill the name most linked with a move across SW6, although a new right back could well take this number.

Timothy Fosu-Mensah is free to head to back to Manchester United and if that happens, a new loan signing could well take this squad number.

Number 12

The number 12 shirt was last occupied by Joe Lewis in 2015/16 when he was on loan at the club, but has since been empty.

Interestingly, most players to have worn this short for the Whites have been goalkeepers, with Seko Fofana being the last outfield member of the squad to have held the number back in 2014/15.

Number 15

A shirt last held by Michael Madl before he left Fulham last January for Austria Wien, the number became part of his identity with the MM15 tag being used by his ex-team mates at the club.

He held the shirt for three years having first been given it in the 2015/16 season, but it is now empty for a potential new recruit to take up ahead of the new season.

Number 16

This number was held by Oliver Norwood last season during his loan spell at the club, and the Northern Irishman could well take it again if the club make the loan permanent, which is on the agenda.

Fulham legend Damien Duff is one of the most famous names to hold this shirt, while it was also Louis Saha's number in 2002/03.

Number 17

The last two men to wear the number 17 shirt at Fulham didn't go on to have the greatest of careers in White.

Last season, Jordan Graham held the shirt but only made three appearances before returning to Wolves, while Ragnar Sigurdsson was the man who had the squad number the season before that.

Number 18

Last held by Ben Pringle back in the 2015/16 season, the number 18 shirt has been vacant since.

It was Aaron Hughes' number from the 2007/08 season right through until the 2013/14 season, while it was also Konstantinos Mitroglou's number in his best-forgotten spell at the Cottage.



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/fulham-shirt-numbers-new-signings-14805471

 
Fulham table offer to sign January target, need to increase bid by €2m

Fotomac claim Fulham have made a €3m offer to sign Mauricio Isla but Fenerbahce have rejected the offer as the Turkish club are looking to get €5m from the sale of the Chilean defender.

Yesterday we covered reports from Turkey that Isla is a target for Fulham as Claudio Ranieri looks to bolster his defence in this transfer window.

The former Juventus player, who can also play in midfield, has again been linked with a move to Fulham. Fotomac say the English club have made their first move by contacting Fenerbahce via intermediaries.

It's claimed Fenerbahce are open to letting Isla leave this month but they will be looking for an extra €2m from the Premier League side.

The 30-year old is unlikely to get regular games with the Istanbul club during the second half of the season after reports Ersun Yanal is ready to use Nabil Dirar as his first choice right back.

Isla has played 13 Turkish Super Lig games for Fenerbahce this season and is his contract at the Ulker Stadium until June 2020.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-table-offer-sign-january-target-need-increase-bid-e2m/

 
Claudio Ranieri urges Fulham to sign experienced leader in January

Fulham's poor defensive record

After 21 games weeks, Fulham currently sit 19th in the Premier League with just 14 points.

Fulham have won just three games this season, drawing five and losing 13 in the league.

The main reason Fulham are doing so poorly this campaign is their awful defensive record.

Fulham have let in an astonishing 47 goals in 21 games, the worst record in the league.

They have also kept just two clean sheets this season vs Newcastle and Huddersfield, the two lowest scoring teams in the Premier League.

As a result, Claudio Ranieri has urged Fulham to sign an experienced defender to help his side tighten their defence:

"I need somebody who can help us.

"We have a very good team but without experience. We need somebody who has experience, is a leader, has good character, personality and then we can improve our team.

"We have to bring somebody to survive."

Cahill linked with Fulham switch

One experienced defender Fulham could sign this Januarys is Chelsea's, Gary Cahill.

Fulham have already been linked with a loan move for Cahill earlier this season.

Cahill joined Chelsea in 2012 from Bolton and has since racked up 289 appearances for the Blues.

However, Cahill is now 33 years of age and his Chelsea contract is set to expire in July.

Maurizio Sarri does also not seem to be a huge fan of Cahill as the defender has only featured once in the league this season.

As a result, Chelsea are likely to be willing to loan Cahill to Fulham for the rest of the season.



https://www.101greatgoals.com/news/claudio-ranieri-urges-fulham-to-sign-experienced-leader-in-january/

 
Claudio Ranieri wants Ryan Sessegnon to lose his Mr Nice Guy tag and develop a nasty streak

The Fulham manager has an area of improvement for his 18-year-old forward

Claudio Ranieri wants Ryan Sessegnon to lose his Mr Nice Guy tag and become more nasty when he's on the football pitch.

Since breaking into the first team at Fulham at the age of just 16 Sessegnon has been the model professional, with those that have met him always commenting on his humbleness and approach to his career.

That approach saw him score 16 goals as his boyhood club achieved promotion to the Premier League last season, picking up five awards in the process including being named Championship Player of the Year and Young Player of the Season.

However, he's only scored twice this season as he looks to make the step up to the top flight of English football but he has continued with the same mentality that has seen him become one of the most talked about youngsters in England and is continuing to improve in a demanding league.

That said, his new boss Ranieri has one area of improvement that he wants to see from his 18-year-old - and that's to lose the nice guy persona and become more nasty on the football pitch.

Ahead of the trip to Burnley, he said: "He has to improve a little bit. I want him more aggressive in his head. Just a little bit.

That said, his new boss Ranieri has one area of improvement that he wants to see from his 18-year-old - and that's to lose the nice guy persona and become more nasty on the football pitch.

Ahead of the trip to Burnley, he said: "He has to improve a little bit. I want him more aggressive in his head. Just a little bit.

"I want him to make something more. His quality, the way he trains is fantastic but he needs a little more nasty. I give it to him.

"I was so nasty when I played a long time ago, believe me. I can give him my experience.

"On the pitch you have to respect everybody but also on the pitch you have to achieve this respect."

Sessegnon's twin brother, Steven, recently signed a new contract at Craven Cottage but there has been no update on Ryan's deal, which has just 18 months left to run.

While Ranieri is not involved in the renewing of contracts at Fulham, he is hopeful that a new deal for their young superstar will be completed soon.

"I know they are speaking and I think sooner or later his agent will find a solution," he added.

"It is not my job. I want him. I believe in him. I hope sooner it can be finished."



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/claudio-ranieri-wants-ryan-sessegnon-15662688

 
Fulham optimistic Tottenham and Man Utd transfer target Ryan Sessegnon will sign new deal

(https://static.standard.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2018/09/28/11/Sessegnon2809abc.jpg?w968)
Looking up | Claudio Ranieri is optimistic that Ryan Sessegnon will sign a new deal ( REUTERS )

Claudio Ranieri is optimistic Ryan Sessegnon will sign a new contract at Fulham.

Sessegnon, who is in the final  18 months of his deal, has been  in talks since last year.

Both Tottenham and Manchester United have shown strong interest in Sessegnon, 18, who can expect a substantial pay rise.

Fulham vice chairman Tony Khan and chief executive Alistair Mackintosh are handling the contract discussions and Ranieri hopes to hear positive news soon.

"Sooner or later his agent will find a solution," said the Fulham manager. "It is not my job. I want him, I believe in him. I hope soon it can be finished."

Sessegnon, who signed a professional deal at Craven Cottage when he was 17, is one of the brightest prospects in English football and has been a rare shining light for Fulham this season.

Ranieri has praised Sessegnon's impeccable attitude but he has urged the teenager to develop a nasty side to his game as Fulham gear up for a fight against relegation.

"I want him to be more aggressive," said Ranieri ahead of tomorrow's clash at Burnley.

"Sometimes in the duel he is shy. I do not want to say a nasty word in Italian but I want him to be more nasty."

Ranieri, meanwhile, has warned Fulham it is crucial they sign an "experienced leader" during the January window.

Fulham have conceded 47 goals in 21 matches and Ranieri said: "We have to bring somebody to survive. It would be a boost for the players."



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/fulham/fulham-optimistic-tottenham-and-man-utd-transfer-target-ryan-sessegnon-will-sign-new-deal-a4036661.html

 
Rangers linked with another Premier League man – but deal has gone cold

Glasgow Rangers' Steven Gerrard is reportedly interested in bringing Carnoustie-born defensive midfielder Kevin McDonald to Ibrox from Fulham for the second half of the season, Football London report.

The ex-Dundee and Scotland player is currently signed to the Premier League side and would be another useful part of the squad if the deal can be finalised this week.

McDonald turned 30 last month, is very experienced, and could play for Rangers for the next three or four years.

In the summer of 2008, Burnley bid £500,000 for McDonald's services while he was on Dundee's books and he signed a three-year deal with the Lancashire side.

At the end of the 2010–11 season, McDonald signed for Sheffield United and played 91 games for the South Yorkshire club, scoring five goals.

In August 2013, McDonald moved to Wolves on a three-year contract, playing 126 games and scoring eight goals.

The midfielder received his first call up to the senior Scotland team when Gordon Strachan picked him to play against Germany in August 2014.

On 29 September 2015 he was called up again for games against Poland and Gibraltar.

McDonald, who by now was a recognised Scotland player, signed for Fulham in 2016, and has played 93 games scoring five goals, so far.

Rangers manager Gerrard has been playing 20-year-old Ross McCrorie in McDonald's position, but in the rough and tumble of the SPFL, players collect a lot of stupid challenges made against them.

This is why Scottish teams require a very strong athletic squad to survive, due to the referees being extremely poor, and the over exuberant tackling in the SPFL, which too often adds to a team's injury list.

I personally, wouldn't dismiss young McCrorie's credentials as he has played in the last four games or so and has performed extremely well in the recent games.

In my opinion, the youngster is the future of Rangers in the long-term – maybe even the future captain.

As such, it remains to be seen if Gerrard's reported interest in Fulham's McDonald amounts to anything – talk in the press has gone cold on a deal since it was initially touted.



https://ninetyminutesonline.com/rangers-linked-with-another-premier-league-man-but-deal-has-gone-cold/

 
PREVIEW: Burnley v Fulham

Tale of the tape as the Clarets prepare for another big afternoon at Turf Moor


The Clarets come to another potentially key stepping stone on their path towards the goal of Premier League safety when they face Fulham at Turf Moor.

Sean Dyche's men got their campaign back on track by beating West Ham a fortnight ago in what was close to becoming a 'must-win' game.

They then held their nerve to go and win at bottom club Huddersfield Town to gain a tiny bit of breathing space outside the relegation places.

That would be enhanced by making it three league wins in a row against a Fulham side yet to win away and who know that time is starting to go against them.

Victory would also take the Clarets to 21 points from 22 games – close to the point-a-match ratio that would be likely to guarantee top-flight status.

With Fulham becoming harder to beat under former Premier League title-winning manager Claudio Ranieri, Dyche's side knows their performance level mustn't drop if they are to avenge a 4-2 defeat at Craven Cottage at the end of August when the Londoners looked anything but relegation candidates.

But with Turf Moor buoyant after successive home wins and three victories from the last four home games, Dyche is looking for another collective effort to keep momentum building.

"There is expectation, but I think it's a healthy one," said the Burnley boss.

"The fans have seen the ups and downs of the division this year and the different challenge we've faced.

"I don't think we've ever taken the opposition lightly here and there are no gimmes in football, particularly in the Premier league.

"They know and we know we are going to have to go and work hard to get what we want."

Team news

Burnley are without the banned Robbie Brady, who serves the second of his three-match suspension.

Nick Pope, Stephen Ward and Steven Defour all returned from injury in the FA Cup a week ago, but wingman Johann Berg Gudmundsson is a slight doubt.

Aaron Lennon remains sidelined following knee surgery.

Fulham will be without defender Alfie Mawson due to a knee injury.

Form guide

The Clarets have won their last three games, including two in the Premier League.

A 2-0 win over West Ham at Turf Moor at the end of last month brought a second win in three home games in the league.

Fulham remain the only club in the top flight without an away victory.

The Cottagers won their first game following the appointment of ex-Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri in November but have picked up maximum points only once since – a vital last-gasp win over bottom club Huddersfield Town a fortnight ago.

However, Fulham have lost just five of their 10 games under the Premier League-winning boss, including their shock FA Cup exit to Oldham last weekend.

Match stats

The Clarets are unbeaten in 29 home matches against Fulham in all competitions, winning 24 and drawing five in a run going back to 1951.

Burnley have lost just one of their last 13 games against a side in the bottom three.

Fulham have the worst defensive record in the division, having conceded 47 goals.

The Cottagers are yet to win away from home in the league this season.

Opposition camp

Fulham manager Claudio Ranieri: "It's another crucial match. I say every time that every match for us is crucial.

"This week at Burnley is more crucial, as Huddersfield was crucial. We know there will be a very great battle there and I hope we can survive.

"Burnley think, 'if we kill Fulham, Fulham stay there and we move up.' And for this reason I think it is a very, very crucial match."

Referee

Martin Atkinson

Kick-off

Saturday, 3pm



https://www.burnleyfootballclub.com/news/2019/january/preview-burnley-v-fulham/

 
Ranieri could unearth another diamond in the rough by bringing this 25-year-old Ligue 1 star to Fulham – Agreed?

Why former Tottenham flop Clinton N'Jie isn't a great option for Fulham

Daily Mail has reported that Fulham have joined the race for former Tottenham star Clinton N'Jie, as the club looks for other options to top goal-scorer Alexander Mitrovic. Few Premier League fans will actually remember Clinton N'Jie. The 25-year-old made just eight appearances in the Premier League with him eventually leaving on loan to Marseille.

It did not start well for the then 21-year-old, who struggled to make an impact at White Hart Lane with Mauricio Pochettino eventually opting to use Harry Kane as his main striker. However, it wasn't all bad for the 25-year-old as he had a lot of promise when he first arrived from Olympique Lyon, doing relatively well there in his last season.

A full season for N'Jie ended with the forward scoring 7 goals and producing a further 8 assists, which isn't by any means world-class contribution but it showed his talents. His strength combined with his incredible speed made him a useful asset to any side in the world but his inconsistency could hurt Fulham.

This season has seen him struggle, finding the net just once in five appearances with manager Rudi Garcia opting to use either Valere Germain or Konstantinos Mitroglou in his stead. Last season saw him once hit the same heights he did at Olympique Lyon, scoring 9 goals and producing a further seven assists in all competitions.

(https://www.mediareferee.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/B9715740876Z.1_20180517171210_000GMEBAKE53.2-0-768x432.jpg)

But despite that, N'Jie has still struggled and might not be a player Fulham really need at the moment. While his pace will be useful for the Cottagers, N'Jie's troubles in front of goal will create more problems than answer solutions, which is something manager Claudio Ranieri doesn't need. However, there is another solution for both parties and it involves a loan spell with an option to buy.

But despite that, N'Jie has still struggled and might not be a player Fulham really need at the moment. While his pace will be useful for the Cottagers, N'Jie's troubles in front of goal will create more problems than answer solutions, which is something manager Claudio Ranieri doesn't need. However, there is another solution for both parties and it involves a loan spell with an option to buy.

Daily Mail has revealed that Marseille want to send the 25-year-old out on loan with an option to make the move permanent, and it could be a good chance to view what he could offer. In all likelihood, he might struggle on his return but if Clinton N'Jie turns out to be even half the star that Jamie Vardy is, maybe Ranieri will find another diamond in the rough.

The Leicester City striker once struggled like N'Jie but thanks to Ranieri's faith and Vardy's work rate, he became a crucial part of the Leicester City dream team that won the 2015/16 Premier League title.



https://www.mediareferee.com/2019/01/11/ranieri-could-unearth-another-diamond-in-the-rough-by-bringing-this-25-year-old-ligue-1-star-to-fulham-agreed/

Cottage Talk: View Of The Opposition - Burnley
Take a listen to a podcast that focuses on Fulham Football Club.


This episode is an interview with Jamie Smith, who is a Burnley supporter. He was on the show to give the Burnley perspective on this upcoming match. Jamie shares his thoughts on this season so far for Burnley, and then later on shared his view on the upcoming match. This show is our preview episode for this game.


You can also listen to the show by following this link...
https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2019/1/11/18178512/cottage-talk-view-of-the-opposition-burnley

Burnley v Fulham preview of a kind


TL/DR Burnley are better than they were and we will probably lose, which is a shame because we're running out of games

So this weekend's game is important. Fans throw around 'must win' far too much and this isn't a 'must win' game by any stretch of the imagination, but it's a 'it'd be really good to win if possible' because of the state of the bottom of the table.  I can harp on all I want about how this isn't an awful squad but the bald facts are that there aren't many games left in which to earn points.   If there were no relegation this Fulham squad would surely surprise people next year, but in this league there is relegation and with that all kinds of unfortunate dynamics.  You don't just get to say "well, we have a good squad and I back us to come straight back up" because there's a load of financial and psychological mess that comes with relegation.  So.  Points are needed, and points against relegation rivals are important.  A draw would probably be good in that sense.

Burnley are a weird team. They've outperformed expectations every season they've been in the top division, and indeed, have had a funny knack of outperforming even the advanced stats that tend to give a good measure of teams' real quality (the league table does lie!).

Anyway, a few notes:

Burnley were doing very badly for a long time but have picked up of late

This may or may not be because of Dwight McNeil, a young player who's come in and played very well in the last few games, during which time Burnley's results have 180d. Whoscored has a summary on him here, and I guess it's a minor worry in that he's playing well and doing so wide on the left. This feels like an area where Fulham have been quite vulnerable, so in that sense it's something to look out for and an area for the whites to be concentrating on.  Christie and Odoi are both decent players to my mind, but that channel, for whatever reason, does seem to be exploitable by opposing players.

Whoscored tells us that Burnley are good in the air, and at protecting the lead. They play long balls, cross often, and are quite aggressive. Against that, they are bad at keeping the ball and concede a lot of chances, particularly down the wings. They also allow a lot of long shots, which might mean we want to play Schurrle or we want to keep Schurrle on the bench lest temptation sees a barrage of ambitious long range punts from our optimistic friend.

The other point worth noting is that we'll probably lose. It's an away game against an approximately equivalent team. So by definition, a defeat is the most likely outcome. It just is, and it doesn't mean that the players don't want it enough or that even now they aren't burning with pride. Jonathan Wilson in the Guardian was quite interesting on this, talking about Solskjaer vs Mourinho at United. In any case, I think he's right. Battle is battle, but the manager needs to unlock the potential in what he has. Sean Dyche has proven he can do this with his current Burnley squad, but I guess we haven't seen the first great performance from Ranieri's Fulham. It probably won't be this Saturday either, but we can hope, can't we?



https://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2019/01/11/burnley-v-fulham-preview-of-a-kind/

 
From Serbia: Jokanovic could be 'tempted' by Nottingham Forest, up to Marinakis financial package

Sacked by Fulham after their poor start to the Premier League campaign, Slavisa Jokanovic was replaced by Claudio Ranieri.

Since then, the Serbian manager has been biding his time, clearly in no rush to accept just any job, exemplified by his decision to turn down Stoke very recently.

However, with Aitor Karanka and Nottingham Forest parting ways, his mind could be about to change.

According to Serbia's MozzartSport, the former Fulham manager could be 'tempted' by the opportunity to manage at City Ground, where he'd be expected to fulfil the same job he completed with the Cottagers last season: push for and get promotion.

However, since Jokanovic is still being compensated by his old side, it'll be up to the Evangelos Marinakis to convince him with the right package.

As things stand, Forest currently sit seventh in the Championship table, four points behind Frank Lampard's Derby, with 20 games to go.

Plenty of time to turn things around, and please a rather demanding chairman.

His first port of call, however, will be to find a way to stop the team from drawing, with the Nottingham based club having tied 12 of their games so far.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/jokanovic-tempted-accept-nottingham-forest-job-marinakis-convince/

 
Man United Sold Out

Tickets for Fulham's Premier League match against Manchester United next month have now sold out.

Kicking-off at the earlier time of 12:30pm on Saturday 9th February, supporters are advised that the only way to guarantee their place at Craven Cottage and watch the action unfold is with a Matchday Hospitality package.

Availability is now limited, with fans able to enjoy the pre-match build-up at the historic Fulham Palace.

Supporters can find out more information and buy online at fulhamfc.com/tickets, by phone on 0208 336 7555 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5:30pm) or in person from the Fulham Ticket Office.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2019/january/11/man-united-sold-out

 
I've felt we've been getting there for a while

Fulham are at Burnley tomorrow and that brings their manager Claudio Ranieri back to Turf Moor for the first time in just over two years. He brought his Chelsea team for a pre-season friendly in 2001 but is only competitive game came on transfer deadline day in January two years ago when his Leicester team were beaten 1-0 just three weeks before he was sacked having won the Premier League title in the previous season.

He's now in charge of Fulham who are currently bottom of the league having replaced Slavisa Jokanovic in November and ahead of tomorrow's game he admitted: "It's another crucial match. I say every time that every match for us is crucial. This week at Burnley is more crucial, as Huddersfield was crucial. We know there will be a very great battle there and I hope we can survive. Burnley think 'if we kill Fulham, Fulham stay there and we move up'. And for this reason I think it is a very, very crucial match."

The Italian, currently without his dilly-ding-dilly-dong bell now has a comparison for himself. "I am a mirror," he said. "What I feel inside is what I show on my face, and I'm positive because I believe in this team and this club.

"I'm not worried about any matches, but I respect all my opponents. We have to be ready. I always am optimistic but I don't know when we'll turn the corner, I hope very soon. We have to improve every time. I'm happy with how they train, how they improve, but the answer is on the pitch. All teams train very well."

Sean Dyche has seen a change in fortune recently with three successive wins, two in the Premier League against West Ham and Huddersfield, followed by the FA Cup win against Barnsley, and he words of praise for the Burnley supporters again when he spoke ahead of the Fulham game.

"I think the fans have been brilliant, through all the challenges of the season, and that just reaffirms the connection," he said. "They feel good and the players feel good and wins make everyone buzz.

"There's been a solid feel in the cap anyway, but that's what you are in the game for because you can't beat that winning feeling. It's a marvellous thing to have, especially when you are playing as we have in the last three games with good, solid, effective performances and making lots of chances. We've doubled our chance count and scoring goals and keeping it tight at the back is a great mix to have."

He added: "I've felt we've been getting there for a while, but we've been playing some top sides and those games have been tighter than you think. Individual mistakes have led to games getting away from us, but I knew there would be a time when those individual mistakes would not be made, and then the performance looks much more solid.

"The main thing is the mentality since the blip of the Everton game here, which wasn't good enough. The reaction to that has been first class, both by the players and the fans and it's really important that the fans stay with the players, through the ups and the downs. The latter is much harder, but that's when the power of a club comes through and that has to remain. The players get more freedom to go and play and that builds momentum."



http://www.uptheclarets.com/ive-felt-weve-been-getting-there-for-a-while

 
Premier League star Cyrus Christie on seeing pal stabbed in face over five-a-side match

EXCLUSIVE: Christie, 26, opens up on tough upbringing - and why it's led him to help out at soup kitchen

Cyrus Christie describes himself as really privileged and not just because he is a Premier League footballer and able to enjoy all the trappings that come with that status.

He feels lucky just to be alive after seeing friends stabbed before his eyes, having his own string of near misses and knowing things could have been very different had he taken an alternative path.

And with his own tough upbringing and then experience of poverty, the struggle and difficult circumstances through the charity work he now does, Fulham defender Christie said: "You realise, 'you know what? you are really privileged.'

"Not in terms of valuable stuff but in terms of your health, how much your life is valuable."

Kind-hearted Christie, 26, spent the Sunday before Christmas helping out with friends and family at the Brixton Soup Kitchen, a homeless shelter in south London.

(https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article13843962.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/1_Mirror-News.jpg)
Fulham defender Cyrus Christie opens up (Image: Phil Harris / Daily Mirror)

It is just one of a number of causes he now supports with Christie determined to give back to the less fortunate, who he feels he can associate with having come from a "rough area with a poor background" and not growing up in "good surroundings" himself.

Christie went to a Coventry school that was "surrounded by BNP voting areas" and where "race wars" were the norm.

The Ireland right-back said: "I remember people bringing machetes into school and some from other schools bringing weapons to get people from other races.

(https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article13843856.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_Mirror-News.jpg)
Cyrus Christie has now settled at Fulhma (Image: Phil Harris / Daily Mirror)

"I saw someone have deodorant sprayed in his eyes, they tried to blind him so they could stab him."

Christie also recalled a five-a-side match that his side won but led to an older, fuming opponent wanting violent revenge.

"He whipped out a glass bottle, smashed it and ended up stabbing my mate from his eye socket down to his mouth, carved it right through the skin."

Christie missed the planned retaliation under orders from his nan as it was too far to go across the city on a school night.

He later discovered the friend who was urging him to come out got stabbed 15 times, somehow surviving the attack.

On another occasion Christie's sixth sense told him to escape a flashpoint in a park which ended with another friend being stabbed 24 times.

(https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article13843892.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_JGP_CET_180114SMOOTHIE-1.jpg)
Coventry players Cyrus Christie and Conor Thomas visit Abbey Park ASDA to help in the community (Image: Coventry Telegraph)

He said: "It just got to the point where there were three or four incidents [all in his early teens] where people had been stabbed and I managed to disappear, not be there at the time.

"I kind of feel someone was watching over me. That was a lesson for me, 'maybe you have to distance yourself from these kind of people.'"

A further incident, when he was banned by Coventry for a week after attending a party with now Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson the night before a youth team game, was the final straw.

(https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article13843879.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_DJ120911ACAD_2.jpg)
Gregor Rioch with some of the Academy graduates including Christie and Callum Wilson (Image: ct)

Academy manager Greg Rioch told the pair - good mates, with Christie one of Wilson's best men at his wedding - to pick their friends wisely as they had a big opportunity in front of them.

"That's when we had to get ourselves 100 per cent committed to what we wanted to achieve," Christie said.

It took plenty of willpower to break away from those he had grown up with, many who have now turned their lives around.

And after knuckling down to make the grade at Coventry, Christie arrived at Fulham a year ago via spells at Derby and Middlesbrough.

Sadly, tragedy has never remained far away. Christie's legendary boxer uncle Errol lost his battle with lung cancer in 2017 while the defender said: "Not a lot of people know but just last year within the space of six months four people that I know died.

"And within two weeks of me being at Fulham I get a phone call 'can you come to the hospital and look at someone?'

"It was my aunt who lived in London and was found dead. And only the other week a lad I grew up with was shot dead.

"Sometimes, it's bad to say, but I'm at a place where it's almost normality for me, I've lost that many people."

Christie admits that some of what has happened off the field has led to people at previous clubs, at times, having "the wrong perception of me."

But that is totally at odds with the Christie who commendably now dedicates as much time as he can to a string of deserving causes, not for any praise but because to him it is important and he has a "platform to increase the awareness."

When a member of Derby's staff had a daughter born prematurely right-back Christie paid for the machine she needed to stay alive and now receives a Christmas card and update on her progress every year. "That's touching for me," he said.

He paid for a child in Africa to have a leg-saving operation and, while at Coventry, became an ambassador for a charity based in Palestine and Syria, a cause close to his heart as his granddad is Palestinian.

Christie has also been on a big fundraising drive to continue the charity work Errol did outside of the ring and also support the British Lung Foundation.

(https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article13843858.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_Boxing-Middleweight-Errol-Christie-v-Winston-Burnett-Royal-Albert-Hall-London.jpg)
Coventry's Errol Christie (right) in action against Winston Burnett (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

And while he has never been homeless he said: "My mum [Melanie] worked hard to put food on the table when she was going through uni, had to get another job, and we didn't have much money growing up,"

The fuelled his desire to support the shelter three weeks ago, which Christie called an "eye-opening" experience

And stories such as one about a mother and her kids who visit the shelter multiple times a week because "they literally have nothing in their cupboards" or his girlfriend Nahide and sister Elisha being reduced to tears seeing the huge joy one family got from the smallest gifts gave him further perspective on what is important in life.

Meanwhile, football feels all a little trivial after hearing some of the horrors he has witnessed and tragedy that has struck his family.

But along with spending time with his family and friends, the beautiful game is one of his escapes.

"One hundred per cent," he said. "Once you cross the white line you kind of forget about everything for 90 minutes, what's going on outside.

"I just try to occupy myself and stay away from thinking too much as that's the dangerous one.

"And I count myself lucky that I'm healthy and doing the job I love."



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/premier-league-star-cyrus-christie-13843845

 
Who is Fulham target Youssouf Sabaly?


Having conceded a staggering 47 goals so far this season, it's no surprise Fulham are eyeing up defensive reinforcements.

To work his magic for the London side facing a fierce relegation battle, Claudio Ranieri needs a defence that can without conceding 3 goals a game. To fix their mess at the back, he has targeted Youssouf Sabaly.

The Bordeaux defender has struggled for game time in Ligue 1 this season, making just 8 appearances in the French top flight. Because of this, The Lilywhites may be able to bring him to Craven Cottage for a reasonable price.

With Timothy Fosu-Mensah's loan set to be cut short, it's essential Fulham get an improvement on the Dutchman. Sabaly, who was heavily linked with Napoli in the summer, could be who they need.

Background

The Senegalese international spent the majority of his youth career with PSG, playing 46 times for the reserves. He then went on a series of loans to other Ligue 1 sides, spending his whole career in France.

Having made 65 appearances for Evian between from 2013 to 2015 and 28 appearances for Nantes the following year, Sabaly's next loan spell was at Bordeaux. 35 appearances impressed Les Girondins enough to sign him permanently for a €4 million in 2017.

Only recently has Sabaly struggled for first team football, but prior to this season, he has performed well when called upon.

Style of Play


The 5ft 9 defender is able to play both as a right back and a left back. As shown in the video, he thrives going forward with great pace as well as good control of the ball.

1 key pass alongside 1.5 dribbles per game in 2017/18 are decent figures, with his ability to go forward allowing him to make 5 assists. The 25 year old's crossing is also decent in the video, consistently putting dangerous balls into the box, perfect for Alexander Mitrovic if he joins.

But not only is the Senegalese international an attacking threat, his defending is also up to scratch. 2.7 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game in Ligue 1 last season are impressive considering how often he goes forward.

Upgrade?

We don't suspect Youssouf Sabaly will cost too much as he is out of favour and not linked with anyone else. The French league does have a reputation of being a 'farmers league', so the signing may raise a few eyebrows.

However to us, he looks like a decent defender and could prove to be a good signing for Fulham in their quest to survive the drop...



https://tasteoffootball.com/2019/01/11/who-is-fulham-target-youssouf-sabaly/

 
Claudio Ranieri's leadership comments will be a blow to Fulham captain Tom Cairney's confidence


In the buildup to Fulham's crucial relegation six-pointer against Burnley, Claudio Ranieri spoke about Fulham's need to sign experienced leaders in January.

The Fulham manager's comments on his team's lack of players with "character" will surely come as a blow to club captain Tom Cairney's confidence.

After Ranieri arrived at Craven Cottage in November, Cairney saw his role as an undisputed starter challenged in SW6.

Often shunted out to the wing and removed from his favoured central midfield position, the Scottish international endured difficult performances in recent months.

Although Cairney was re-established in central midfield for the second half against Huddersfield and versus Arsenal, questions over his leadership and desire on the pitch have been raised by the Fulham support.

And in Ranieri's pre-match comments, reported by football.london, the Italian delivered an implicit dig to Cairney's leadership qualities as captain.

"I repeat, we have a very good team but without experience and then we need someone who has experience, leader, good character, that's his personality, and then we can improve our team," Ranieri said.

The answer was in response to whether Fulham were looking at players such as Gary Cahill, and Ranieri's response revealed the manager's displeasure with the quality of leaders currently in the Fulham squad.

When a manager publicly puts out a call for more leaders in a squad, the comments have to be seen as a rebuke to the club captain, which must have Tom Cairney feeling slighted.



https://tbrfootball.com/claudio-ranieris-leadership-comments-will-be-a-blow-to-fulham-captain-tom-cairneys-confidence/

 
Report: Liverpool and Fulham target want-away striker Munas Dabbur

Munas Dabbur will leave Austrian Bundesliga outfit Red Bull Salzburg with Premier League pair Liverpool and Fulham reportedly interested.

Munas Dabbur might not be a household name, but he deserves to be mentioned alongside Robert Lewandowski, Sergio Aguero and co when discussing the most in-form attackers in European football.

The Israel international scored 29 goals last season to inspire Red Bull Salzburg to the Austrian Bundesliga title, not to mention the semi-finals of the Europa League.

And he is comfortably on track to beat that tally, netting 20 times already in just 30 games across the 2018/19 campaign.

Although it seems that Dabbur feels he is ready to fly the nest.

As reported by Estadio Deportivo, the 26-year-old has announced his intention to leave Salzburg this month and it is understood that he has interest from Spain and England.

The report claims that Valencia are interested, although Liverpool and Fulham would allegedly be interested in bringing Dabbur to the Premier League.

A shock move to Anfield would see the former Grasshopper attacker compete for a place in Jurgen Klopp's star-studded attack, while Fulham are crying out for a striker capable of taking the pressure off Aleksandar Mitrovic.

It remains to be seen whether Dabbur can make the step up from the Austrian first division.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2019/01/11/do-report-liverpool-and-fulham-target-wantaway-striker-munas-dab/

 
Have Fulham just found a cheap alternative to Victor Moses?

Premier League relegation battlers Fulham have both been linked with Chelsea outcast Victor Moses this month.

The future of Chelsea winger Victor Moses has taken another intriguing twist.

The out-of-favour Nigerian international is expected to leave Stamford Bridge this month after playing just 26 minutes of Premier League football under Maurizio Sarri this season.

The Sun (23 December, page 61) reports that Crystal Palace would love to bring Moses to where it all began, nine years after the academy graduate left Selhurst Park to join Wigan Athletic.

The Eagles, however, claimed that Palace were set to face competition from London rivals Fulham with Claudio Ranieri desperate to make improvements to his relegation-threatened side.

Though, according to Sky Sports, Fulham are edging closer to signing another right-sided player to replace the outgoing Timothy Fosu-Mensah at Craven Cottage. It is understood that they are in talks to sign Bordeaux's swashbuckling Senegal international Youssouf Sabaly.

Now, Fulham might have spent over £100 million on new signings in the summer but that does not mean money is no object at Craven Cottage. According to The Sun (23 December) Moses is earning £130,000 a week at Chelsea so may have to agree to a substantial pay cut with Fulham unlikely to pay him such a substantial amount.

Fortunately, Sabaly is unlikely to command such a massive pay-packet and you can imagine that he'd be much cheaper than Moses overall.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2019/01/11/do-have-fulham-opened-the-door-for-crystal-palace-to-re-sign-vic/

 
44.5 passes with 82.3% accuracy – This 25-year-old World Cup sensation would be ideal to solve Fulham's right-back conundrum

Youssouf Sabaly can solve Fulham's right-back conundrum

According to French source L'Equipe, Fulham are interested to sign Bordeaux's Senegalese international full-back Youssouf Sabaly in the January transfer window.

The 25-year-old, who was a part of Senegal's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, has caught the eye with his consistently impressive displays in the Ligue 1 over the last few seasons.

Born in France to parents of Senegalese descent, Sabaly played for France at all youth levels before making his senior international debut for Senegal. A youth product of Paris Saint Germain, Sabaly played for the reserve team of his boyhood club and spent time on loan at Evian Thonon, Nantes and Bordeaux before joining the latter permanently in 2017. He hasn't looked back since then, establishing himself as regular in Bordeaux's first team.

The 25-year-old accumulated 5 assists from 35 appearances in the Ligue 1, averaging 1 key pass, 0.9 crosses and 1.7 long balls per game. He averaged 44.5 passes per game with an accuracy percentage of 82.3, stats which are quite impressive for a full-back.

A modern offensive-minded full-back blessed with the rare versatility of being able to play on either side of the defence, Sabaly is known for his pace, power, skills and tackling. While he is a good crosser of the ball from the wide areas, the Senegalese ace also likes to link up the play and sets up his teammates with key passes.

To go with his versatility and attacking prowess, Sabaly has earned rave reviews for his ability to balance both the attacking and defensive aspects of his game. His pace, agility and sharpness allow him to track back and make recovery runs to cut out the attacks, while his ability to time his tackles to perfection makes him a valuable asset to the backline.

The 25-year-old has successfully completed 20 of his attempted 23 tackles in Ligue 1 this season, which amounts to a tackling success rate of over 90 per cent. Sabaly has been dribbled past only 3 occasions in 8 appearances this season, something which speaks volumes of his concentration and composure.

To put things into perspective, it would be a no-brainer for Claudio Ranieri to make a bid for the Senegalese international in January to shore up his leaky backline.

Fulham have the worst defensive record not only in the Premier League but also in the other top leagues in Europe. The Cottagers desperately need to add stability to their backline if they are El stem the flow of goals in the second half of the season.

Right-back has been one of the major areas of concern for Ranieri since he took over the reins from Slavisa Jokanovic.

Irishman Cyrus Christie has been ripped inside out and has been exposed far too often for Fulham's liking while Manchester United loanee Timothy Fosu-Mensah has been sent back to his parent club. The lack of options at right-back promoted Ranieri to use Denis Odoi in an unfamiliar position against Manchester United, a ploy that led to disastrous consequences.

Someone like Youssouf Sabaly, who can play on either side of the backline, can definitely be the answer to Fulham's defensive woes and the Cottagers should go all out to sign him in January.



https://www.mediareferee.com/2019/01/12/44-5-passes-with-82-3-accuracy-this-25-year-old-world-cup-sensation-would-be-ideal-to-solve-fulhams-right-back-conundrum/

 
Manchester United 1-3 Fulham U23s highlights and reaction after Tahith Chong wonder goal

Man Utd lost against Fulham in the Premier League 2 fixture on Friday night.

It was a disappointing night for Manchester United after they suffered their second successive defeat in the Premier League 2 with a loss against Fulham on Friday night.

Ricky Sbragia's side fell to a frustrating 3-1 defeat despite taking the lead through a wonder goal from starlet Tahith Chong. Athough United had started the match poorly they took the lead towards half-time through a Gareth Bale-esque free-kick from chong.

However, United's complacency was soon exposed as Fulham fought back to lead at the break with goals from Matthias Kait and Elijah Adebayo.

United looked like an improved outfit in the second-half but were punished for some poor defending when Fulham forward Stephen Humphreys sealed the win with a fine half-volley at the back post.



https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/man-utd-fulham-highlights-reaction-15664931

 
Fulham's players understand the battle they face for Premier League survival says Claudio Ranieri

The manager says any over confidence at the start of the season is well and truly gone

Claudio Ranieri believes his Fulham players now understand the battle they're in this season and that assumptions that had about themselves at the start of the campaign and well and truly gone.

After last season's 23-game unbeaten run that saw them eventually get promotion at Wembley and a summer that saw 12 new players come into the club, including highly rated stars like Jean-Michael Seri, confidence around Craven Cottage was high with most looking up rather than towards the bottom places.

However, 21 games later Fulham find themselves in 19th place and on the eve of a crucial game in the fight for Premier League safety as they prepare to face Sean Dyche's Burnley who sit three places and four points above them in the table.

Ranieri arrived after Fulham sacked Slavisa Jokanovic and he now believes that he has got it through to his players that they are in a battle for their lives at the bottom, while the club are always looking for some players that can help them in that battle

Claudio Ranieri believes his Fulham players now understand the battle they're in this season and that assumptions that had about themselves at the start of the campaign and well and truly gone.

After last season's 23-game unbeaten run that saw them eventually get promotion at Wembley and a summer that saw 12 new players come into the club, including highly rated stars like Jean-Michael Seri, confidence around Craven Cottage was high with most looking up rather than towards the bottom places.

However, 21 games later Fulham find themselves in 19th place and on the eve of a crucial game in the fight for Premier League safety as they prepare to face Sean Dyche's Burnley who sit three places and four points above them in the table.

Ranieri arrived after Fulham sacked Slavisa Jokanovic and he now believes that he has got it through to his players that they are in a battle for their lives at the bottom, while the club are always looking for some players that can help them in that battle

"For this reason I push a lot in this direction. They have to give me 100 per cent, more than 100 per cent, and then if the opponent is better than us, well done.

"I think that now they understand. If they at the beginning were so confident, too much confident, now they understand, we are in a battle.

"I said this to them right from the beginning when I arrived. I said hey (smacks fist against palm). We are at the bottom, and we have to fight.

"My players are very good fighters. But we are looking. If we find some very good players who can help us, then the door is open here."



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/fulhams-players-understand-battle-face-15665369

 
Fulham beating West Ham to sign this Brazilian veteran would be a huge step towards saving their season

Why Fulham must beat West Ham to sign Miranda in January

According to a report from Football Italia, West Ham are interested in signing Inter Milan defender Joao Miranda.

Miranda, 34, has played just 10 times for Inter Milan this season. Seven of those have come in Serie A, while the other three have come in the Champions League as manager Luciano Spalletti has preferred the centre-back pairing of Milan Skriniar and Stefan de Vrij.

Miranda is frustrated at the lack of game time and is seeking a move to another team that would give him more playing time. Keeping the Brazilian's situation at Inter in mind, West Ham have made an approach to sign the centre-back, who is contracted with the Serie A club until 2020.

The report claims that Inter value Miranda in the region of €20m. That said, Fulham must rival West Ham for the signature of the Brazilian defender this month.

Before Claudio Ranieri joined Fulham in November, the club were struggling in the Premier League. Former manager Slavisa Jokanovic tried his best to lift the club's mood but he failed and was eventually shown the door.

However, after Ranieri's appointment, the Cottagers began to take shape and with the January transfer window open, it's time for the board to back the manager.

Without any doubts, Ranieri's priority should be to shore up the defence which has leaked goals for fun in the Premier League. The Cottagers signed a lot of defenders during the summer transfer window, with the likes Maxime Le Marchand, Alfie Mawson, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Calum Chambers and Joe Bryan joining the squad.

But neither of them has managed to put in consistent performances, leaving Fulham totally exposed the back. Ranieri needs a quick fix to stop this leakage of goals and that's when signing Miranda would make sense for the west Londoners.

While Miranda is past his prime, he would still represent a coup for Fulham. An aggressive defender, a leader and an influential personality, the Brazil international could be a brilliant mentor for someone like Alfie Mawson.

Acquiring the 34-year-old would provide Ranieri with more options at the back and given his volumes of experience, it could prove to be a smart move by the Cottagers.

All in all, Fulham would mightily benefit from adding a defender of Miranda's quality alongside Mawson with a crucial few months coming up for Ranieri in his quest to avoid relegation from the Premier League.



https://soccersouls.com/2019/01/12/fulham-beating-west-ham-to-sign-this-brazilian-veteran-would-be-a-huge-step-towards-saving-their-season/

 
Back home with points now needed against Fulham

When we played our last home game of 2018 against West Ham United, I headed my match preview Final game of the year and points are needed, and when we moved into 2019 at Huddersfield the headline was Points search continues at Huddersfield. Nothing has changed, that remains the target as we try to move further away from the bottom three.

It's Fulham tomorrow. They are currently bottom of the league but that doesn't mean an easy afternoon for us, far from it. They've beaten us once previously this season on a day when we didn't really get close to them in terms of performance.

Things have improved since I wrote that West Ham preview. Ahead of that game we had 12 points, had just taken a hammering from Everton and were in 18th place in the table, only one and two points ahead of Fulham and Huddersfield.

We beat West Ham and then went to Huddersfield and won. Those results have lifted us out of the bottom three but there are going to be a lot more points needed for us to ensure we don't drop back in there this season.

Left-back Charlie Taylor, who was pushed into midfield last week because of a shortage of wide players, admitted: "In the first half of the season we weren't as good as we needed to be and we knew that. We knew we needed to change it or we would be in real danger and we're moving in the right direction now.

He added: "It's not a nice feeling to see yourself in the bottom three. Now when you look at the league table after a couple of wins it looks a lot better, but we want to keep striving and keep improving and climbing up the able to get as high as we can and as far away from the danger zone as possible."

Will Taylor return to his defensive position tomorrow? We are still short of wide players. Aaron Lennon is some way away from a return yet, Robbie Brady is suspended and the latest news is that Jόhann Berg Guðmundsson is doubtful again.

There is some good news. Both right-backs were ruled out last week but both have a chance of playing with Matt Lowton the more likely. Nick Pope, Stephen Ward and Steven Defour all returned from injury for the cup tie but Sean Dyche has suggested that Pope and Ward need more game time so I would assume they won't be in the squad.

Hopefully Guðmundsson will come through and play. If so, the line up could be: Tom Heaton, Matt Lowton, James Tarkowski, Ben Mee, Charlie Taylor, Jόhann Berg Guðmundsson, Ashley Westwood, Jack Cork, Dwight McNeil, Ashley Barnes, Chris Wood. Subs from: Joe Hart, Phil Bardsley, Kevin Long, Ben Gibson, Steven Defour, Jeff Hendrick, Matěj Vydra, Sam Vokes.

At the start of 2018, Fulham were 12th in the Championship with no apparent likelihood of them troubling the top six. But they went on an astonishing run in the second half of the season. From New Year's Day onwards they won 52 points, nine more than any other team. It didn't just take them into the play-offs but into third place and only two points behind second place Cardiff; a win in their final game would have seen them go up automatically.

Having won the play-offs, they haven't found the Premier League too easy and have currently won just three games, all at home, against us, Southampton and Huddersfield. They've not been particularly prolific in front of goal, their total of 19 goals is better than Huddersfield and Newcastle only but defensively they have the worst record of all.

They went on a spending spree in the summer, they are looking to add more new signings this month, but their form cost manager Slavisa Jokanovic his job back in November with Claudio Ranieri returning to the Premier League as his replacement. They've picked up slightly, winning a point per game but are four points behind us which is currently the safety position

They certainly have some players to keep an eye on. Aleksandar Mitrović is their leading goalscorer with eight. He proved to be a handful down at Craven Cottage while André Schürrle (pictured) was one of their best players on the day.

Having beaten Huddersfield in their last home game, they travelled to Arsenal on New Year's Day. Reports suggest they played well, certainly far better than the scoreline suggested as they went down to a 4-1 defeat. Last week they went out of the FA Cup against Oldham.

Ranieri is expected to name the same team as the Arsenal game having made changes for the cup. He's still without Alfie Mawson, a player who was so, so close to joining Burnley last July, through injury.

Their team against Arsenal was: Sergio Rico, Denis Odoi, Maxime Le Marchand, Tim Ream, Cyrus Christie, Tom Cairney, Ibrahima Cissé, Joe Bryan, Ryan Sessegnon, Aleksandar Mitrović, André Schürrle. Subs: Marcus Bettinelli, Stefan Johansen, Floyd Ayité, Luciano Vietto, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Aboubakar Kamara, Jean Michaël Seri.

LAST TIME THEY WERE HERE
We have to go back to the 2015/16 promotion season for Fulham's last visit to Turf Moor. They arrived with us having won four and drawn one of the previous five games that had seen us move into third place. Our 3-1 win that afternoon lifted us into the top two for the first time all season and it was a position we wouldn't reach again until February.

We won 3-1 with Andre Gray scoring two first half goals to give us a 2-0 interval lead. In doing that he became the first Burnley player to score two goals in three successive home games since Bert Freeman. He'd netted two in a 2-0 win against Bolton and just days before the Fulham game had scored both in a 2-1 win against Huddersfield.

The architects of the win thought were the midfield pair of David Jones and Joey Barton with Jones the star man on the day. Jones played the major part in the first goal. His corner was headed out but straight back to him; this time his cross was headed home by Gray.

Jones again started the move for the second, playing the ball to Scott Arfield. His through ball was perfect for Gray to run onto and his finish was clinical.

The game changed just six minutes into the second half when Ross McCormack did what he always did against us, he scored. But, despite having to deal with a lot of balls into our box, we never really looked threatened and in the first minute of four added on we made it 3-1 with a neat finish from Matty Taylor from an Arfield pass. Taylor had made a terrific run to get into the box and he just passed the ball into the bottom corner.

So, another win, third place and we all know how that season ended.

The teams were;

Burnley: Tom Heaton, Tendayi Darikwa, Michael Duff, Michael Keane, Ben Mee, Scott Arfield, Joey Barton, David Jones, George Boyd (Matt Taylor 75), Sam Vokes, Andre Gray (Chris Long 87). Subs not used: Matt Gilks, Matt Lowton, Stephen Ward, Fredrik Ulvestad, Rouwen Hennings.

Fulham: Joe Lewis, Richard Stearman, Dan Burn, Tim Ream (Alex Kačaniklić 59), Ryan Fredericks (Lasse Vigen Christensen 78), Tom Cairney, Jamie O'Hara (Matt Smith 78), Ryan Tunnicliffe, James Husband, Ross McCormack, Moussa Dembélé. Subs not used: Marek Rodak, Luke Garbutt, Ben Pringle, Cauley Woodrow.




http://www.uptheclarets.com/back-home-with-points-now-needed-against-fulham

Three Players to Watch: Matchday 22 vs. Burnley
Another Week, Another Six-Pointer

Just where on Earth do you go from here?! That must be on the mind of most Fulham supporters after an embarrassing FA Cup exit to the hands of Oldham Athletic over the weekend. Now the senior team only has the Premier League to think about the rest of the way. Last time I checked, any opponent Fulham will face is much tougher than whatever Oldham delivered, regardless of who was out on the field at Craven Cottage.

The best case scenario that will come out of last weekend's encounter is that will be the last we see from plenty of players that were bluntly not good enough to ever play at this level anytime soon. That will also mean that, regardless of how one feels about those that have played in a competitive game for the first time in a while, they still might be needed in crucial substitution roles. If they can't make an impact at any point against a League Two outfit, how on Earth are we expecting them to compete in such crucial matches down the stretch.

One in particular is once again upon us in an away trip to Turf Moor; a ground Fulham haven't won in since 1951. Another 24 matches between them have past in that hollowed ground since and Fulham have only been able to draw with fellow relegation strugglers Burnley five times. Plain and simple, only a win will do and nothing else.

Now that will be difficult since the Clarets have won their last two league games themselves and their underlying numbers showed that they fully deserved them. Manager Sean Dyche has changed formations a bit in order to bring their defense back to the peak performances that were happening over the previous two seasons. Along with that, the club brought in former Middlesbrough center back Ben Gibson in this January Transfer Window. However, a return to a 4-4-2 formation and the return of Tom Heaton has breathed new life into the squad. Add in the raucous home support and it's difficult to see how Burnley are not the favorites for tomorrow's contest.

There's just such a vibe that anything Fulham have tried to do since August has turned into a complete failure. Whether that is finding the right manager to steer the ship around, finding transfers that will either perfectly mesh with the squad at hand or be complete upgrades, or even unintentionally price gauging the tar out of their own fans on tickets this first go back in the Premier League, just nothing has gone right at all. Ranieri and Co. have to prove themselves once again if their morale will ever be boosted, because they have to give the supporters incentive to believe again and not the other way around.

With that, here are three player to watch from the men in Claret and Blue.

Dwight McNeil

First up, I couldn't care less if he has only played 260 minutes of Premier League football this season. At 19, Dwight McNeil has already become Burnley's best attacking player. That shows immediately how dire the options are for Dyche that he has to bank on a teenage wide forward to create anything for them. Plenty of blame has to go to both Dyche and the board for setting up the team in that fashion to begin with. But with an aging Aaron Lennon, plus very big but very slow center forwards in Sam Vokes and Chris Wood up front, what else should you expect out of this team? That is why McNeil will be counted upon so much in such a short period of time into his football career to deliver victories for his club.

Ashley Westwood
All data from whoscored.com

If there was anyone that could create any chances at a high level before McNeil's inclusion into the Starting XI, it was most certainly Ashley Westwood. In fact, it was his interception that set up the counter-attack that lead to Burnley's first goal the last time these two sides met at Craven Cottage. Now the central midfielder has a club leading 23 key passes, joint-leading four assists and club leading 0.17 xG buildup per 90 minutes among players with over 450 league minutes played. Only Johann Berg Gudmunsson can rival Westwood's production and he plays out on the wing. The next closest Burnley players in chances created after those two are Jack Cork and Ashley Barnes, with nine. Again, as it can't be stated enough, Burnley are dire when they have the ball. There's no denying this contest can be another "fate worse than death" full of action for 90 minutes. But otherwise, you know who will answer the bell for the Turf Moor faithful if they were to deliver such a massive win.

Tom Heaton

Lastly, let's talk about the man who should be back in the England squad. Bluntly, it is downright stupid that someone in the thick of a burgeoning international career would be pursuing a transfer to Leeds United or Aston Villa down in the Championship. I guess that's what happens when the manager ever thinks it's a good idea to have Joe Hart as the club's number one keeper.

Before Heaton dealt with shoulder and calf injuries over the past twelve months, Burnley were a side that continued to play well beyond their expectations, especially in defense. In 2017/18, Dyche's team gave up a tad over 52 expected goals (or 1.36 per match), but actually went on to give up just 39 actual ones. This season, with Hart in goal, Burnley regressed miserably giving up almost 39 expected goals in 19 contests (or 2.05 per match) while giving up 41 actual ones.

Yeah, it was getting dark on that side of Lancashire and they needed someone familiar to the rescue. I'm not saying a man of Heaton's stature is the key to Burnley's previous two wins. But with him giving up just one goal out of 1.28 expected tallies is not a bad way to start. Surely, he won't have too much trouble against a struggling attack in Fulham, right?



https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2019/1/12/18178139/three-players-to-watch-matchday-22-vs-burnley

Sabaly looks amazing in the video but it is a best of mix. Has anyone seen Bordeaux play and any thoughts on Sabaly?