Wednesday Fulham Stuff (24/10/18)...

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Andre Schurrle sends message on Twitter to Fulham fans

Fulham ace accepts the team have not been good enough.

Poor defending in recent weeks has led to increased concern at Fulham.

Shipping four goals against Cardiff City was about as bad as it gets and Fulham need for it to be a turning point.

Summer signing Andre Schurrle accepts the team are in a bad moment and wants his new club to turn it around quickly.

He sent a message out on Instagram to supporters last night, thanking them for sticking by the team.

Keen to show he cares, Schurrle expressed his frustration.

Schurrle wrote: "Not the results we and our fans were looking for the last few games! And still your support was amazing! Thank you #ffc family! We'll do our best to turn it around!!"

The German attacker scored in Fulham's defeat to Cardiff and now has netted in two games in a row.

He has four in nine already this season and looks like a real asset for the club.

He is holding up his end of the bargain from an attacking perspective, which makes the defence's struggles more frustrating.

Fulham have a home game this weekend against Bournemouth which has become a must win as they sit in a lowly 18th place in the table.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/10/23/andre-schurrle-sends-message-on-twitter-to-fulham-fans/

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A move for Rafael could help Fulham shore up their leaky defence

Fulham slipped into the relegation zone of the Premier League after being soundly beaten by Cardiff City at the weekend.

The Cottagers took an early lead through Andre Schurrle who struck from long range, but they were behind just ten minutes later after Josh Murphy and Bobby Reid found the back of the net. Ryan Sessegnon equalised soon after before goals from Callum Paterson and Kadeem Harris secured a valuable victory for the Bluebirds. Defeat sees Fulham slip into the bottom three in the Premier League table.

Fulham simply must improve defensively if they are to avoid a swift return to the Championship. In their previous two matches, the Cottagers had conceded eight goals, and their woes continued against a side who had previously been struggling to find the back of the net. Slavisa Jokanovic needs to identify potential targets who can improve their fortunes in the New Year.

One man he should shortlist is former Manchester United defender – Rafael. Valued at £8.1m by Transfermarkt, the Brazilian is currently playing in Ligue 1 with Lyon and made over 30 appearances last season. Rafael remains a useful rotation option for his club but has less than one year remaining on his contract with reports in the summer suggesting the French side were open to his sale.

With Timothy Fosu-Mensah sidelined with an injury, Rafael could be the perfect replacement for Ryan Fredericks who left for West Ham in the summer. The 28-year-old reads the game well, averaging 1.8 interceptions per game last season. His defensive ability, averaging 2.3 tackles per game in the league last year, could seriously help Fulham stop leaking goals (WhoScored).

Rafael already has experience of playing in the Premier League making him the ideal January addition.



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league/fulham/a-move-for-rafael-could-help-fulham-shore-up-their-leaky-defence/

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The Fulham backroom staff supporting Slavisa Jokanovic - including a new goalkeeping coach

Luca Squinzani has been putting Fulham's goalkeepers through their paces this season

Fulham may have spent £100million on the pitch this summer - but there's been changes to Slavisa Jokanovic's backroom staff too.

Jokanovic's coaching staff have played an important part in his success at Craven Cottage and the head coach has always been quick to refer to Manager of the Month awards as a team effort rather than just his own.

When he was appointed back in December 2015, Jokanovic appointed three of the current coaching team to their roles - Javier Pereira, Alberto Escobar and Marco Cesarini, and they've been his trusted generals ever since.

Fulham also have a new goalkeeping coach after Jose Sambade Carreira left the club in September, with Italian Luca Squinzani joining in his place, while Alastair Harris makes up the backroom staff as Head of Sports Science at the club.

And now former skipper Scott Parker is also on the coaching staff, having been appointed as one of the first-team coaches.

JAVIER PEREIRA

Javier Pereira has worked with Jokanovic under a number of clubs, and one of the first things Jokanovic did when he got the Fulham job was to appoint Pereira as his Assistant Head Coach.

They first worked together at Watford, where Pereira was appointed under Oscar Garcia before Jokanovic was hired, but he stayed on under the Serbian, helping the Hornets to win promotion to the Premier League.

After Jokanovic left Vicarage Road, Pereira followed him to Maccabi Tel Aviv and then eventually to Craven Cottage.

His first experience in La Liga was at Levante and during his time there he saw them into the Europa League, where they managed to reach the last 16 of the competition.

Jokanovic has described Pereira as the "engineer of many things" and from watching training sessions as the club, his impact on the coaching side of things can be heard loud and clear.

ALBERTO ESCOBAR

This is the third time Alberto Escobar has worked with Jokanovic, and he is heavily involved in both the training on the pitch but also assessing upcoming opponents using videos to help aid the coaching staff prepare for matches.

He arrived at Fulham will Jokanovic first, followed days later by Pereira, having worked with the pair at both Watford and Maccabi Tel Aviv, while he had further experience with Pereira, having coached at Spanish sides Valladolid and Levante with him.

On matchdays, Escobar can normally be seen in and around the TV gantry areas as he oversees the analysis departments filming of matches, which he then uses to help the coaching staff prepare for upcoming matches.

MARCO CESARINI

Marco Cesarini joined Fulham a month after Jokanovic and was appointed as their Manager of First Team Medical and Sports Science, taking full responsibility for the player's fitness at the club.

He studied osteopathy in Milan, which is a a way of detecting, treating and preventing health problems by moving, stretching and massaging a person's muscles and joints and he became one of the first osteopaths to work with a professional team in Italy when he went to Brescia.

He then went to West Ham where he became Head of Injury Prevention, before a restructure of the medical department saw him return to Italy, before his next job at Watford beckoned.


Marco Cesarini (left), Stuart Gray, Slavisa Jokanovic and his backroom staff (Image: Paul Burgman)

After that, in 2014, AC Milan legend Filippo Inzaghi called Cesarini to join him at the San Siro, which he accepted, working there for 13 months before leaving and answering Jokanovic's call to come and join him at Fulham.

Interestingly, after the arrival of Beppe Sannino at Watford, Cesarini become the head coach's translator for press conferences during his time at the club.

SCOTT PARKER

The former skipper returned to Fulham in July 2018, having spent the season after retiring coaching Tottenham Hotspur's U18 side.

Parker already has experience of coaching some of the players at the club, having helped out with the Academy during his time at Fulham and he brings some experience of top tier football to the backroom team.

When he was appointed, Parker said: "I have first-hand knowledge of the quality and ambition at the Club since I was a player here, with tremendous work carried out by staff within the First Team set up and across all Academy age groups."

After the departure of Gray, it seems that Parker has taken on more defensive responsibilities, drilling the back four before games in the pre-match warm ups.

ALASTAIR HARRIS

A Brunel University graduate, achieving a Masters in the field of Human Performance, Alastair Harris is Fulham's Head of Sports Science and is responsible for the physical performance and conditioning of the First Team.

He started at Fulham in 2010 as a sports science intern, before making his way through the ranks before taking his current role in December 2015.

He excels in the fields of load management , player recovery cycles & physical conditioning and, along with the rest of the medical staff at the club, was a big reason why Fulham suffered very little injuries throughout the course of last season.

LUCA SQUINZANI

The Italian joined Fulham's coaching staff in September after Jose Sambade Carreira resigned from his position, signing a contract until the end of the season.

He was born in Turin and has spent time in the past coaching Torino's Academy, as well as Juventus where he held the position of Academy Coach and First Team Assistant before heading to Al Sadd in Qatar, where he was the club;s Goalkeeper Coach.

He joins Harris in holding a degree, having graduated with Bachelor degrees in both PE and Sports Science, and interestingly, Architecture.

Squinzani joined the club after Carreira relinquished his role as the club's goalkeeping coach back in September when he returned to Spain due to personal reasons, following his family in moving back to his country of birth.

In his time coaching, he's seen 10 of his players called-up to international duty for various age groups, with Marcus Bettinelli becoming the latest with his call-up to the England squad.



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/fulham-goalkeeping-coach-slavisa-jokanovic-14853572

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Leicester City Tickets

2018/19 Members can now purchase tickets to the Whites' home match against Leicester City this December.

Join us under the Craven Cottage lights on Wednesday 5th December, kick-off 7:45pm, with Members now able secure up to four tickets each.

Priced from £30 adults and £20 juniors, adult Members can also take advantage of their exclusive £5 ticket discount at this match, with a £3 ticket discount available for concessions.

Season Ticket Holders will be able to purchase up to four additional tickets each from 10am, Friday 26th October.

Secure your seat today online, by phone on 0203 871 0810 or in person from the Fulham Ticket Office.
Buy online

All tickets are subject to availability. Terms & Conditions and booking fees apply.




http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/october/23/leicester-city-tickets

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Newcastle United, Fulham and the three other troubled teams Cardiff City can finish higher than

The Bluebirds are starting to look up the table following their first win of the season on Saturday

It's amazing just how much a win can do to restore confidence.

Having had to wait eight games for that first victory, Cardiff City had become everyone's nailed on favourites for relegation, with some even going so far as to suggest the Bluebirds could even break Derby County's record for the lowest ever Premier League points tally.

However, the euphoria off the back of Saturday's triumph has strengthened the belief that City can still defy the critics and cement their place in the Premier League for another season.

You can relive the joys of Saturday through the eyes of the fans here. And you can find out all about the 100ft Bluebirds flag you probably spotted at the match here.

Speaking after the 4-2 win over Fulham, a triumphant Neil Warnock insisted there were "four or five clubs" Cardiff could aim to finish above.

Perhaps it's an ambitious target, but sports writer Tom Coleman has had a go at identifying the troubled sides who Cardiff can look to finish above come the end of the campaign.

Newcastle United

Current place: 20th

They're in big trouble because: Where to start. An under performing squad starved of investment, a manager whose future looks increasingly uncertain by the week, and a fanbase in open revolt against the owner. Newcastle have made self-destruction into something of an art form over the years, but even by their astonishing standards, this season has been a car crash.

In contrast, Cardiff are a picture of unity at the moment and can arguably count themselves unlucky not to have got the better of United back in August. The Magpies are still on the lookout for their first win of the season, and it's difficult to see exactly where it's going to come from right now.

When the Bluebirds play them: Cardiff make their longest away trip of the season on January 19.

Huddersfield Town

Current place: 19th

They're in big trouble because: After a narrow, albeit thoroughly admirable, escape from relegation last term, the Terriers are the only other side in the top flight still looking for their first win of the season.

Saturday's defeat to Liverpool means David Wagner's side have now gone seven Premier League games without a goal at home, a run that includes a goalless stalemate with the Bluebirds, who again should really have claimed three points against the 10-man Terriers. Unlike Newcastle, everyone at the club seems to be pulling in the same direction, but given the obvious lack of Premier League class up front it's difficult to see how they can score the goals needed to stay up.

Cardiff, for all their faults, look a better team.

When the Bluebirds play them: Cardiff welcome Huddersfield on January 12.



https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/newcastle-united-fulham-three-troubled-15316254

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No fears over Fulham talks stopping renewed Tottenham Sessegnon hunt

Tottenham might not have brought in a single new player over the summer transfer window but that did not stop a number of names being heavily linked with a move to north London.

With the likes of Jack Grealish and Anthony Martial touted as potential new recruits for Mauricio Pochettino, it seemed clear that the Argentine boss was keen at reinforcing his options up top, which is likely why Fulham winger Ryan Sessegnon was among those listed as top targets.

BBC reports David Ornstein even reported that the Lilywhites had made a move for the 18-year-old sensation, offering Danny Rose as a makeweight for the youngster's capture – a deal which obviously did not come off with the Cottagers.

After failing in summer, it would not be surprising to see Pochettino and his transfer team reignite a move at some point in the future, with the flyer having made a half-decent start to life in the Premier League following promotion last season.

However, it seems as though Fulham are wanting to ward off any suitors for his capture, with the Daily Mail claiming the Craven Cottage outfit are to start immediate talks over extending the sensation's contract, giving him a big money deal to keep him at the club after postponing discussions in the opening stages of the new season.

Now, many might see this as a hurdle for a renewed raid from Tottenham, but a new deal is nothing for Spurs to worry about.

Firstly, Sessegnon only did not make the move away from Fulham because of promotion, staying loyal to his club after starring in the Championship, and you can be certain that were the Cottagers still in the second tier, the winger would not be.

Now the club's Premier League position looks under threat at this early stage, with the leakiest defence leaving them floundering in the bottom three – and an inability to get away from there will only turn Sessegnon's head to a potential exit in 2019.

Furthermore, while Fulham might be able to offer a new and improved deal, Spurs are some way above their London counterparts on the financial scales, and if it is money Sessegnon wants, then he will get much, much more by leaving.

Fulham want a new contract to protect their young star – but all it does is raise the price, not stop others from snapping him up, and as such there is no hurdle for Spurs.



https://thisisfutbol.com/2018/10/blogs/tottenham-should-have-no-fears-over-fulham-talks-stopping-sessegnon-hunt/

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Finding 'three worse teams than Newcastle': Which Premier League sides will finish below United?

Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez believes the Magpies must find three teams 'worse than us' if they are to survive this term

Rafa Benitez's declaration that Newcastle United needed to find "three teams worse than us" in order to survive this season appears defeatist.

But that is not how Benitez intended it to sound; rather, this appeared to be a momentary lapse from the Spaniard, in which he allowed his scientific approach to management to be heard in public.

In private, Benitez has been scouring the Premier League table attempting to identify three teams who he believes have a greater number of weaknesses than his own Newcastle side.

Since the very start of the summer Benitez knew the Magpies would be in for a very difficult campaign, and so he has methodically set about pinpointing opposition weaknesses - and working out how Newcastle can exploit them.

The question on the lips of Newcastle fans at the moment though is, given that the Magpies are bottom of the table and winless so far this season, are there "three teams worse" than United?

Here, NUFC Writer Chris Waugh analyses 10 of Newcastle's potential relegation rivals - and determines which of them he believes will finish lower in the table than the Magpies...

Huddersfield Town

Current position: 19th

Points: 3

The Terriers defied the odds in order to secure survival last season; but, just like Newcastle, David Wagner's side simply struggle to score.

With just four goals in nine games so far and having failed to net at the John Smith's Stadium so far this term, Huddersfield really do look like they are in for a long fight against the drop.

As solid as the Terriers are, you need only look at their starting XI to recognise that Huddersfield lack quality - and, although Benitez wants reinforcements, he is unlikely to believe many of Wagner's squad would be an upgrade on the players he has.

Chris' verdict: I've suspected since before the campaign started that Huddersfield would be up against it - and I do believe the Terriers are 'worse' than Newcastle.

Fulham

Current position: 18th

Points: 5

There was much excitement surrounding the Cottagers at the start of the season after the west London club invested almost £100million during the summer window.

With 11 goals in nine games, Fulham are doing pretty well in an attacking sense - and that is because Slavisa Jokanovic has stuck to his principles and continued allowing the Cottagers to play free-flowing, attacking football.

The issue is that Fulham's defence is woeful; the 25 goals they have conceded so far this season is the most by any top-flight side at this stage of a campaign. Given their defensive issues, there have already been reports Jokanovic has just two games to save his job, too.

Chris' verdict: Fulham have serious issues at the back, but they have enough goals in them to win games. What's more, the Cottagers' ambitious owners will replace Jokanovic if necessary and then invest once again in January - so I think that Fulham will probably finish higher than Newcastle.

Cardiff City

Current position: 17th

Points: 5

Neil Warnock's side have been many pundits' favourites for the drop since before the season started and, given that they are currently fourth-bottom, the Bluebirds do look likely to be in the mix all term.

Saturday's 4-2 victory over Fulham gave Cardiff their first win of the season though, which will have given everyone in South Wales a welcome boost.

Looking at the Cardiff squad, however, goals do look like being an issue and they do lack genuine Premier League quality across their squad.

Chris' verdict: I still think Cardiff will go down, but they will fight throughout the whole season - and I do believe Newcastle are better than the Bluebirds.

Southampton

Current position: 16th

Points: 6

Newcastle's next opponents have been in dreadful form throughout 2018 - and the Magpies' victory over the Saints in March facilitated Mauricio Pellegrino's sacking.

Although Mark Hughes kept the south-coast club up last term, the former Stoke City manager has a dreadful recent top-flight record and has overseen only a handful of Premier League victories over the course of the past two years.

With just six goals all season, the Saints are lacking firepower - and, given that they have a poor record at St Mary's, look set for a relegation fight.

Chris' verdict: There isn't much between Newcastle and Southampton, but I think the Saints are in more trouble than United - just on the basis of how both sides finished last season.

Crystal Palace

Current position: 15th

Points: 7

When you look at Palace's squad - and particularly the attacking players Roy Hodgson has at his disposal - is it baffling that the Eagles find themselves in a relegation battle season after season.

Wilfried Zaha would walk into any side outside of the so-called 'Big Six', while Andros Townsend was a target for Newcastle during the summer, and Christian Benteke is a £30m striker.

However, the Eagles are not converting their opportunities, Benteke looks devoid of confidence, and Palace's reliance on Zaha could prove to be their downfall if the Ivorian spends an extended amount of times on the sidelines.

Chris' verdict: There isn't too much between Newcastle and Palace. The Eagles have more firepower on paper, but are failing to utilise it. I think Palace will survive, and will finish on a similar points haul to Newcastle.

West Ham United

Current position: 14th

Points: 7

Following an alarming start to the campaign, the Hammers have improved in recent weeks and Manuel Pellegrini has found a formation which appears to suit his side.

Defensively, West Ham still appear suspect, while the atmosphere at the soulless London Stadium could work against the east Londoners.

What's more, the Hammers never appear more than a few weeks away from a potential crisis - and they look set to finish in the bottom half of the table, despite the money they spent during the summer.

Chris' verdict: Another side who have more match-winners than Newcastle, West Ham should survive this season - and finish in a similar position to the Magpies.

Burnley

Current position: 13th

Points: 8

After last season's brilliant seventh-placed finish, Burnley were always likely to drop further down the table this term.

Yet their start to the season was alarming, with Burnley rock bottom early on as the Clarets struggled to manage a Europa League campaign alongside the Premier League.

But, now that they are out of Europe, Sean Dyche's side are slowly returning to their best - and should have more than enough to survive, even if they lack star names.

Chris' verdict: The Clarets should survive comfortably this season, and will probably finish above Newcastle.

Brighton and Hove Albion

Current position: 12th

Points: 11

The Seagulls moved nine points clear of Newcastle after their win at St James' Park at the weekend - a gap which already appears substantial.

That was a huge victory for Chris Hughton's men, given that they had not claimed an away win in any of their previous 16 top-flight outings.

But there is not too much of a gulf in quality between Brighton and Newcastle's respective squads; Hughton is just getting far more out of the Seagulls at the moment than Benitez is from his Magpies side.

Chris' verdict: Brighton will grind their way to survival, even if it won't be pretty. There is not much between the Seagulls and the Magpies, but Brighton look set to finish higher given the head start Newcastle have afforded them.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Current position: 9th

Points: 15

The only reason Wolves are being included here - rather than Manchester United or Leicester City, both of who are currently below the West Midlands side in the table - is because they are one of the three promoted sides.

Yet, if truth be told, Wolves are a one-off when it comes to new Premier League teams; they already had a squad full of quality before promotion, and they have brought in some of Portugal's best players since.

The likes of Ruben Neves, Rui Patricio and Joao Moutinho would not look out of place in some Champions League squads, never mind Wolves' - and it is little surprise that the West Midlanders are already up in the top half of the table.

Chris' verdict: Wolves will not go down, nor will they be in any serious relegation trouble. Rather, Nuno Espirito Santo's side could be outside bets for Europe this season.

Teams Chris believes are 'worse' than Newcastle:

    Huddersfield Town
    Cardiff City
    Southampton

Teams Chris believes are about on par with Newcastle:

    Crystal Palace
    West Ham United
    Brighton and Hove Albion

Chris' verdict overall

It will be a season-long struggle for Newcastle, but at least three teams - Huddersfield, Cardiff and Southampton - are, in my opinion, 'worse' than the Magpies. I do not believe United will ever drag themselves too far away from the drop zone, however, and they will probably finish in about 15th place. If you offered that to some Newcastle supporters now, they'd probably take it, too.




https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-benitez-premier-league-relegation-15316448

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DoF reveals club are 'still following' Fulham midfielder despite selling him in summer

A lot was made about Fulham spending €30m on André Franck Zambo-Anguissa very late on in the summer window.

It was a lot of money for a player who had only really completed one full season as a professional, and while he was talented, he was also unproven.

Now in London, the Cameroon international is still trying to find his feet in the Premier League, and a few of his performances have been heavily criticised by the local media, meaning the amount spent on him has once again been brought up.

Over in France, however, many felt Marseille could have been better off simply keeping their defensive midfielder for another season or so and potentially selling him for more next summer or in 2020, helping him avoid this situation.

This was put to Andoni Zubizarreta, the Ligue 1 side's director of football, during a TV show on RMC Sport, and the Spaniard tried to explain led to the sale.

He said: "Zambo is a very good player, a magnificent person because he always wants to learn. We wanted to develop him here, to make him grow with us, but there are moments in life when very important offers arrive for the player and the club, and that's when you have to make a decision.

"This time it was to sell him to Fulham, but we are still following him. He must know that we are still following him".

Perhaps, a bit like Florian Thauvin's move to Newcastle, Marseille are hoping they might be able to offer the midfielder a safe haven on loan at some point in the near future before buying him back for a smaller fee?

After all, look at what the France international is achieving these days. They'd be foolish not to consider it.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/dof-reveals-club-still-following-fulham-midfielder-despite-selling-summer/

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GW10 Differentials: Ryan Sessegnon

The Scout says a return to front three has reignited Fulham youngster's FPL potential

The Scout is selecting four overlooked players who could be set for a breakout Gameweek 10 in Fantasy Premier League.
Ryan Sessegnon (FUL) £6.1m

The Fulham midfielder is owned by just 3.0 per cent of FPL managers for his home encounter against AFC Bournemouth.

A change of position in the previous Gameweek, to the attacking role he thrived in during the Cottagers' promotion campaign, appears to have boosted Sessegnon's prospects.

The 18-year-old was moved out of defence to the left of Fulham's front three, scoring his first goal of the season away to Cardiff City.
Creative influence

Sessegnon created two big chances in Gameweek 9, more than any midfielder in FPL and second only to the four of Sergio Aguero (£11.3m).

A big chance is regarded as a situation where the player receiving the pass is expected to score.

That suggests he can rediscover the attacking threat that produced 15 goals and eight assists in last season's Championship.

AFC Bournemouth arrive having struggled defensively on their travels.

They have recorded just one clean sheet away from home, conceding six goals in their last three away trips.

Restored to Fulham's attack, Sessegnon's eye for goal could be vital in securing the hosts a much-needed victory.



https://www.premierleague.com/news/885665

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Opinion: Ryan Sessegnon is slipping out of Jurgen Klopp's grasp

The rise of Andrew Robertson has left Alberto Moreno surplus to requirements at Anfield and seemingly destined to depart the club at the end of the season, leaving Jurgen Klopp with a dilemma to ponder over.

Opinion: Ryan Sessegnon is slipping out of Jurgen Klopp's grasp   

The rise of Andrew Robertson has left Alberto Moreno surplus to requirements at Anfield and seemingly destined to depart the club at the end of the season, leaving Jurgen Klopp with a dilemma to ponder over.

The departure of Moreno is unlikely to stir up too much emotion among either the Liverpool supporters or Klopp, but it's an inevitable-looking scenario which will leave the club needing to find a replacement.

Liverpool have 18-year-old full-back Adam Lewis at their disposal and he has naturally been touted as a potential candidate to slot into the first-team, but it's difficult to assess his credentials with no previous experience at senior level.

The obvious solution for Klopp is to bring in a new left-back but convincing a talented and experienced player to join and potentially play second-fiddle to Robertson is a scenario which will deter high calibre candidates from succumbing to Anfield's charm.

With that being said, it would be wise for Klopp to target a versatile player who can play in a variety of roles, and one player who more than fits the bill is Fulham's Ryan Sessegnon.

The 18-year-old wonderkid bagged his first Premier League goal on Saturday afternoon in Fulham's defeat at Cardiff City, and it appears the Cottagers are keen to tie him down to a new deal in light of his landmark achievement.

Indeed, according to the Daily Mail, Fulham are set to open contract talks with Sessegnon in a bid to agree fresh terms before rival interest starts to intensify.

Although Sessegnon has enjoyed the majority of his success with Fulham in a more advanced left-wing role, he actually started his career as a left-back before moving forward to hone in on his attacking prowess.

In terms of his ability to slot in at left-back, a reasonable critic would certainly be well within their rights to harbour reservations about his physical competency as he cuts a physical slight figure, but with an increase in strength training and natural physical development he will be well equipped to return to defence.

And considering Sadio Mane has little by way of competition on the left side of Liverpool's fluid front-three, Sessegnon would become a favourite of Klopp's due to his ability to offer both a fresh dynamic in attack and a solid alternative to the ever-dependable Robertson.

That Fulham are set to open contract negotiations certainly represents a blow for the Premier League's top clubs, but particularly for Liverpool due to Sessegnon's obvious credentials to solve a problem which looms on the horizon for the Reds.



https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league/opinion-ryan-sessegnon-is-slipping-out-of-jurgen-klopps-grasp/

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'Incompetent,' 'Dreadful': Most Fulham fans oppose Allardyce rumours and support Jokanovic

As Slavisa Jokanovic was criticised for his tactics during Fulham's 4-2 defeat to Cardiff City, a vocal minority have called for his head and others have suggested Sam Allardyce is the man to take over at Craven Cottage.

But in reality, these opinions are completely unrepresentative of the larger Fulham fanbase and are massively off the mark.

Ryan O'Donovan, the Fulham journalist for Football.London, conducted a Twitter poll to find out if Whites supporters favoured sacking Slavisa Jokanovic. The results were astounding — 1,920 people responded, with an overwhelming 87 percent of fans backing the manager.

Granted, this is not a complete, scientific survey of the Fulham community, yet its almost 2,000 respondents are clearly the largest sample of fans that has been polled about the managerial issue. Rather than cherry-picking a tiny number of supporters calling for Allardyce's appointment, the results reveal a large portion of the fanbase is sticking with the Serbian to right the ship in SW6.

There could not be two more contrasting managers than Allardyce and Jokanovic. The Serbian is a proponent of a free-flowing, passing, attacking philosophy and is in his debut season managing in the Premier League. Allardyce has spent over 20 years managing in England and is known for his agricultural style of play.

In the end, it appears that Fulham supporters are keeping the faith in the man who brought them up, rejecting sacking Jokanovic in favour of the former Everton manager.



https://tbrfootball.com/incompetent-dreadful-most-fulham-fans-oppose-allardyce-rumours-and-support-jokanovic/

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Fulham star slams team-mates' lack of bottle after they slip into bottom three

Tim Ream admits there's a shortage of desire as they leak goals galore and pressure grows on Slavisa Jovanovic

Fulham defender Tim Ream has accused his own teammates of not showing the stomach for the fight.

Straight-talking stopper Ream pulled no punches as he assessed the Cottagers' plight, and believes "there are not enough guys who want it" among Slavisa Jokanovic's squad.

Ream's shock admission might go some way to explaining why third-bottom Fulham have struggled badly since their promotion, a start to the season that has left Jokanovic fighting for his job.

The USA international said: "Amongst ourselves, and those on the outside, the question is, do we really have the fight? Do we have the grit? Do we have the determination?

"And at this moment in time, I would say, 'No.'


Fulham have just one win and 25 goals against — the Premier League's most by SIX (Image: Reuters)

"There are not enough guys who want it. Who want to fight for each other, for themselves, for the club."

Fulham spent over £100m on new faces in the summer after coming up via the play-offs but have had a desperately poor return for their money so far.

They have lost six of their nine league games this season and they have the worst defensive record in the Premier League having shipped 25 goals already.

Fulham have just one win and 25 goals against — the Premier League's most by SIX (Image: Reuters)

"There are not enough guys who want it. Who want to fight for each other, for themselves, for the club."

Fulham spent over £100m on new faces in the summer after coming up via the play-offs but have had a desperately poor return for their money so far.

They have lost six of their nine league games this season and they have the worst defensive record in the Premier League having shipped 25 goals already.

He said: "He has not changed his demeanour, which is good.

"That trickles into the team and gives everyone a bit of calmness. It is never nice when there are rumblings of managers getting sacked or wanting to leave or this that and the other.

"He is the same as always. Always focused. Not ever satisfied with any one result, never too depressed by any one result either."



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/fulham-star-slams-team-mates-13467606

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Comparing Fulham's on-loan sensation to this £30million ace – Who has had a greater impact so far?

Comparison between on-loan sensations Raul Jimenez and Andre Schurrle

ulham and Wolverhampton Wanderers secured promotion to the Premier League after an impressive season in the Championship last term. While Nuno Espirito Santo's men arguably played the best brand of football in England's second tier last season, Fulham had their fair share of luck and booked their place in the Premier League with a victory over Derby County in the playoffs.

Well, it has been a completely different tale this season for the two new boys of the Premier League. While Wolves have taken the top flight by storm, Fulham have struggled to keep pace with the Premier League sides.

Nuno Espirito Santo's men currently sit 9th in the standings with four wins and three draws from their first nine games. On the contrary, the Cottagers have slipped down to the relegation zone, having managed only a solitary win from mine games. Jokanovic's side have shipped goals at an alarming rate, having conceded 25 already with a dismal goal difference of -14.

Both the teams in question resorted to extensive transfer activity to bolster their squad ahead of the Premier League season. While Fulham made the headlines with the signings of Aleksandar Mitrovic, Andre Schurrle (two-year loan deal from Dortmund) and Jean Michael Seri, Nuno Santo used his contacts to bring in the likes of Rui Patricio, Joao Moutinho and Raul Jimenez (loan deal from Benfica with an option to buy for £30million).

To put things into perspective, both the on-loan sensations- Andre Schurrle and Raul Jimenez, have played an important role in the campaigns of their respective teams.

While the Mexican has established himself as the leader of Wolves' forward line, the former Chelsea man has also racked up the goals on his return to the Premier League.

Jimenez has arguably been the standout figure for Wolves in the attacking third. He has used his mobility and game awareness to link-up the play with the wide forwards. At times, the likes of Helder Costa and Diogo Jota has narrowed up which has allowed the wing-backs Matt Doherty and Jonny Otto to overlap. Jimenez has used his positional sense to good effect to combine effectively with both the wide forwards and the wing-backs.

The Mexican has not only proven himself to be a clinical finisher but is equally adept at holding the ball. He uses his upper body strength to shield the ball from the defenders and tends to draw the defenders away from their positions, allowing his teammates to get into free spaces.

A dynamic forward, Jimenez has also shown that he is capable of taking quick turns inside the penalty area and keeps good close control. He tends to get a lot of power in his shots from inside the penalty area and is also a very good header of the ball.

On the contrary, Schurrle has been deployed as a left-sided wide forward by manager Slavisa Jokanovic in his 4-3-3 formation. He set the stage on fire with a man of the match performance in his team's 4-2 win over Burnley and scored against Brighton, Arsenal and Cardiff City in the subsequent games.

However, he hasn't had the same impact as Jimenez has had on the Wolves forward line. Being the most high-profile player in the line-up, he was expected to spearhead the attack but he hasn't managed to assert his authority so far. Although he has scored 4 goals, he hasn't combined much with his teammates. That is quite understandable given that Fulham haven't got players like Ruben Neves or Joao Moutinho in the midfield.

Schurrle has formed a decent partnership with Luciano Vietto up front and the Argentine set him up beautifully for Fulham's equaliser against Arsenal. The German was also deployed in a No.10 role behind the striker against Everton but he failed to spark that creativity.

While Jimenez has scored 2 goals and registered 3 assists, Schurrle has found the net on 4 occasions but is yet to pick up an assist. Jimenez has won a whopping 2.6 aerial duels per game as compared to Schurrle's 0.6 per game, which is quite understandable given that he is a wide forward.

There is not much to separate the two when passing is taken into consideration. Schurrle averages 1.4 key passes to Jimenez's 1.2 per game. However, the German has a higher pass success rate, 80.5, as compared to Jimenez's 73.2, which can be attributed to the difference in positions.

To sum it up, both the on-loan players have done really well this season. Raul Jimenez has been an excellent and impactful all-around player for Wolves and has contributed greatly to his team's success. On the other hand, Schurrle has been impressive as well, but he needs to contribute more to the build-up play apart from scoring goals.
Stats: Whoscored.com



http://www.mediareferee.com/2018/10/24/comparing-fulhams-on-loan-sensation-to-this-30million-ace-who-has-had-a-greater-impact-so-far/

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Fulham's defensive woes would end if they sign this 3-time PL champion – Jokanovic must get him

Why Fulham should sign Branislav Ivanovic on a short-term deal
According to the Daily Mail, Spanish giants Barcelona are eyeing a sensational January swoop for former Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic. However, Premier League duo Fulham and Crystal Palace have also made enquiries to get the services of the Serb.

Ivanovic has a connect to London, a place where he won 3 Premier League titles and the Champions League with Chelsea. The Cottagers boss Slavisa Jokanovic wants a couple of experienced players to help his young squad cope with the demands of the Premier League. (Daily Mail)

Here's why the west London club should buy the 34-year-old, who could be available for free in January:

Ivanovic's experience necessary for Fulham
After getting promoted to the Premier League in the summer, Fulham spent a fortune to buy new players and make their squad better. They almost bought a whole new defence to cope with the high-intensity demands of the league. However, it has not gone as per plans.

They have conceded 25 goals in nine games, six more than Cardiff City who are second in the list of most goals shipped in so far. As a result, Jokanovic's men find themselves in the bottom three of the table, much to the concern of many fans at Craven Cottage.

The manager is saying that he needs a couple of experiences faces in his squad to support young players and is a fair comment. Getting Ivanovic on a short-term deal would be a step in the right direction.

The 34-year-old is a serial winner, with the Premier League, Champions League and various domestic cups in his kitty. He possesses the type of defensive solidity Fulham need in their back-line.

The good thing for the club is that the Serbian could be available for free. It means they won't have to open their cheque-book again after spending a lot in the summer.

The Cottagers need a change from somewhere to get their season back on track after a sinking start. They need to start picking up points since playing catch-up in the Premier League is a task close to impossible.

Before any serious trouble occurs, they should shore up their defence by getting Ivanovic in the January transfer window.

The veteran can play as a centre-back or as a right-back, and his versatility could be key to the team.



https://soccersouls.com/2018/10/24/fulhams-defensive-woes-would-end-if-they-sign-this-3-time-pl-champion-jokanovic-must-get-him/

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Latest reports suggest Tottenham need to hurry up with Sessegnon deal

According to a report by The Daily Mail, Fulham are preparing contract talks with Ryan Sessegnon.

The exciting youngster is widely considered to be one of the best young players in the world and Fulham want to tie him down.

But he is attracting a lot of interest from other clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.

The 18-year-old has a year and a half left on his current deal. But clubs are hoping to snap him up on the cheap and take advantage of Fulham's vulnerable position.

Spurs must rush through a deal for the England youth international, who is surely the long-term successor for Danny Rose.

Sessegnon is comfortable at left-back, left-wing-back or as a left-winger and he has so much potential.

The step up to the Premier League has been a learning curve but he has scored his first goal now and is looking to kick on.

Fulham are preparing a big money contract for Sessegnon and that would raise his asking price even higher.

In order to secure one of the country's best youngsters before he becomes too expensive, Spurs must act soon.

The January transfer window is possibly their last chance to bring in Sessegnon before his price tag rockets.

And although it may take a hefty bid, it will be worth it if he realises his potential and becomes a first-team star for many years to come.



https://tbrfootball.com/latest-reports-suggest-tottenham-need-to-hurry-up-with-sessegnon-deal/