Tuesday Fulham Stuff (22/01/19)...

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Ryan Babel scouting report: How Fulham's new signing got on in his debut against Spurs

The 32-year-old went straight into the starting XI for the Whites' game with Tottenham

Ryan Babel made his Fulham debut in their 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday - and it was certainly an encouraging performance.

He signed on a six month loan deal from Besiktas in the week and Claudio Ranieri put him straight into his starting XI for the game, dropping Ryan Sessegnon to make space for the 32-year-old.

And it was a solid debut for Babel - he caused Davinson Sanchez problems when he was running directly at him while he linked up well with Aleksandar Mitrovic up top.

He flagged a bit at the start of the second half and he was hauled off - here's what we made of his first appearance in the white of Fulham.

0-15 minutes

Had a decent start but was forced into tracking back as Spurs pressed with their wing backs. Showed a couple of nice first touches to turn his man during the first five minutes.

Babel's reading of long balls was interesting - he'd move over to the right and Aleksandar Mitrovic dropped deep to win the header, almost playing as the striker and looking to feed off any second balls.

The new signing got the crowd going after 11 minutes when he took advantage of Davidson Sanchez' mistake to charge down on goal, but his effort was well saved by Hugo Loris.


(Image: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

He certainly showed what he can bring to Fulham with a good burst of pace and some strength to make that chance for himself.

15-30 minutes

After the first Fulham goal Babel seemed to have been tasked by Claudio Ranieri to sit into a midfield four when out of possession and not put pressure on the ball until Spurs went past the half way mark.

Such was the Spurs pressure, he didn't see much of the ball during this period.


(Image: Adam Davy/PA Wire)

30-45 minutes

Found himself across the front line when Fulham were attacking, with Babel playing as the striker with Mitrovic dropping in on the left, interestingly enough.

Should've had a goal when he rose highest to meet a cross from the right but he couldn't get his header on target.

Produced a lovely ball into the box to find Andre Schurrle five minutes before half time when Fulham thought they had a second, but Mitrovic was judged to be offside. The ball was something Fulham haven't seen enough of this season and something I'm sure Raieri would be delighted with.

Found himself with the ball on the penalty spot after a well worked Fulham move but his poor touch allowed Jan Vertonghen to recover and dispossess the forward.

Got in the way of Joe Bryan, however, when he had the chance to pull the trigger on the edge of the box, resulting in a poor strike from the left back.

45-60 minutes

Babel came back out for the second half but it was clear his physical conditioning isn't where it needs to be at the moment, which is no surprise coming from Turkey where they have a winter break.

He was subbed off on the 50 minute mark for Ryan Sessegnon but it was a good performance from the 32-year-old.


(Image: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Verdict

An encouraging performance from Babel in his first showing for Fulham, albeit a short one.

He offered pace and strength down the flank which is something that the side haven't necessarily had this season while it was clear his Premier League experience helped his management of the game.

There were a bit of communication problems with Babel going into areas of space and expecting the ball but not receiving it, although that will come as he learns the system and the players around him.

His fitness isn't where it needs to be at the moment and one concern for me is with such a short space of time for Babel to have an impact, will he be able to get where Ranieri needs him to be before the season starts to wind down? If he can, he's looking like he can be a good asset to the team.



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/ryan-babel-scouting-report-how-15705954

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Deal close for Fulham player to leave before transfer deadline

Fanatik claim Yeni Malatyaspor have convinced Fulham to loan attacker Aboubakar Kamara for the remainder of the season and his move to Turkey is now looking close.

The Fulham player has been linked with the Super Lig side in the past week following the arrival of Ryan Babel at Craven Cottage. The Dutchman made his debut for the Cottagers yesterday whilst Kamara didn't make the match day squad.

It's also been claimed agreed personal terms have been agreed with Kamara, as previously reported last week in the Turkish press.

Malatyaspor sold their striker Khalid Boutaib earlier in this transfer window and are looking to bring at least two attackers, with Kamara a key target.

The Turkish newspaper also report Malatyaspor are closing in on Kamara's Fulham teammate Neeskens Kebano and are hoping to finalise a deal for both players before the end of the window.

Both look surplus to requirements under Claudio Ranieri and may need to move on to get first team football elsewhere.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/deal-close-fulham-player-leave-transfer-deadline/

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Fulham latest to join race for CL defender, Cottagers 'come forward with request'

Spending more time on the bench than off it in Turin, Mehdi Benatia, who is reaching the backend of his career, wouldn't mind playing some more minutes if he could.

The Juventus centre-back has only started five league games this season, stuck behind Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci, but Fulham are prepared to offer him a way out.

This is according to TuttoMercatoWeb in Italy, who claim Claudio Ranieri's side, in search of defensive reinforcements for the second half of the season, are the latest to join the race for the defender and have 'come forward with a request' for the Morocco international.

What this consisted of isn't said, but our guess, by the lack of detail presented, would be a simple enquiry to find out if Benatia would be interested in a move to Craven Cottage.

Once that is established, the next step can be taken, but there would be no point making an offer if the player wasn't interested.

At this point in his career, having played for great sides such as Bayern Munich and and Roma, Benatia could be simply tempted by whichever club offers him the most football.

Arsenal have been linked in the past, but there is no mention of them here.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-latest-join-race-cl-defender-cottagers-come-forward-request/

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Fulham's dodgy foundations make their decoration irrelevant

Fulham just will not learn. Superficially, losing to third-place Tottenham was no disgrace, but for them to find themselves empty handed at full-time on Sunday was extraordinary. Afterwards, Claudio Ranieri's frustration leaked into his press-conference. He wasn't angry and he didn't raise his voice, but he wondered aloud about the sequence which led to the game's decisive goal.

It was despairing. He had, he said, lectured his players time and again about the dangers of over-committing players and also warned of leaving attacking set-pieces short when the defence is out of position.

Which, again, would have been less frustrating if Fulham had been playing against a more recognised Tottenham side who had been showing any sort of form. But they weren't. Spurs were largely poor on Sunday, spending much of the afternoon in a disjointed muddle, and when their winner came it was via as unlikely a combination as could have been imagined. Mauricio Pochettino has spent the last two years trying to give Georges-Kevin Nkoudou away without any success and, good player though Harry Winks is, stooping headers in the six-yard box aren't part of his repertoire.

For all intents and purposes, this was Fulham's first-eleven – plus a well-stocked bench – against Tottenham-lite. No Harry Kane, of course, but also no Son Heung Min, Moussa Sissoko, Lucas Moura or Victor Wanyama. Moussa Dembele has also been sold and, although he made a brief appearance towards the end, Eric Dier hadn't been seen since having his appendix removed.

Under ordinary circumstances, this would have been a free-hit for Fulham and the kind of game in which performance mattered more than the result. As it was, the reverse was true: having been gifted a winning position by Fernando Llorente's own-goal, they gave away two of their own with just as much charity. They may not have literally kicked the ball into their own net, but they might as well have done.

Some supporters will be heartened by what they saw in the first-half. With some justification, because Ryan Babel was prominent while his stamina lasted and Aleksandr Mitrovic provided the usual bustling nuisance. They also enjoyed healthy periods of sustained pressure, only to be denied by good saves from Hugo Lloris and a couple of well-timed interventions from Jan Vertonghen and Davinson Sanchez. But while Fulham's attacking play has hardly been healthy this season, it's really secondary. Defence remains the biggest issue and one which, to date, shows little sign of improvement. They've conceded 20 more goals than Newcastle, seven more than Cardiff and, most damningly, eleven more than a Huddersfield side who look hopelessly outmatched at Premier League level.

Which is why Sunday must have been so dispiriting for Ranieri. Newly promoted sides generally do suffer without the ball and there are times when, the disparities in the league being what they are, those teams are overwhelmed by the gap in talent. But that wasn't the case on Sunday. Fulham weren't carved apart by Sergio Aguero or Mohamed Salah, or opened up by an opponent in harmony. Instead, they allowed a clunky, malfunctioning side, stripped of almost all of its most dynamic attacking players, to offer almost nothing and yet still manage to score twice.

That doesn't deserve much sympathy. Quite the opposite, because both goals were entirely avoidable. One of the most telling images of the afternoon, for instance, is the look between Denis Odoi and Sergio Rico in the aftermath of the equaliser. Neither took responsibility for the situation, both seemingly tried to blame the other for what happened. Christian Eriksen's pass deserves credit and Alli's finish was efficient, but it was a case of Tottenham taking what they were given rather than forcing their way back into that game. How often has that combination delivered for Spurs in the past? And who is the one player that centre-halves have to be aware of when Eriksen has possession in that specific area?

That move is such a staple of Tottenham's game that there's really no justification in being unprepared for it. All three of Fulham's centre-backs would have seen it during their match preparation and with Kane and Son unavailable, they would also have known that restricting Alli was imperative. It's a guess, of course, but it's fair to assume that his threat would have been re-stressed in the dressing-room at half-time and yet, within minutes of the game restarting, Alli found himself all alone and presented with an unmissable chance.

And it was one he didn't really work for. He didn't find space with one of those subtle runs that markers so often fail to notice, he just stood between Odoi and Christie and waited for Eriksen to deliver the cross. A cross which he was under no pressure when delivering: at the move's beginning, Tim Reach stood passively, inviting a world-class playmaker to pick his spot.

The second goal was arguably worse. Ignoring the over-commitment which riled Ranieri, it's difficult to look beyond Christie's failure to block or pressure Nkoudou's cross or to conclude that, given his size and stature, Winks should not be winning headers so easily when so close to goal. It was well-taken, a very good finish. Nkoudou's ball was also inviting and accurate. But to view it from that perspective, to shrug and pretend that it was just Tottenham's technical superiority finally telling, would be hopelessly disingenuous.

It's a poor goal to concede at any level of the professional game and Ranieri's reaction to it on the touchline – his body language – betrayed his exasperation. That was the response of someone who feels he is beating his head against a brick wall. Given how many mistakes these defensive players have made and how closely connected many of them seem to be, who can blame him. That isn't to say his blameless, or that he deserves special immunity on account of what he achieved at Leicester, but these errors specifically are really too obvious to attribute to his coaching staff; they were individual mistakes rather than systemic faults.

And they must be purge. This wasn't just an unfortunate loss to a talented opponent and it shouldn't be presented as such. In reality, it was an embarrassing and avoidable defeat which showed just how little has been learnt across the course of the year. Over time, their inevitability becomes harder to watch and even more difficult to rationalise; why – still – are these basics so elusive?

Brighton travel to Craven Cottage in just over a week. They'll be better. Tottenham are much more talented as a squad, but the side Chris Hughton fields should most likely function at a higher standard. So Fulham's improvement has to be now. If they are to survive, then this loss, with the damning detail at its heart, must assume the role of a reference point rather than just a hard luck story.



https://www.tifofootball.com/features/fulhams-dodgy-foundations-make-their-decoration-irrelevant/

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Report: Fulham make ambitious enquiry for Juventus defender Medhi Benatia

Fulham boss Claudio Ranieri wants to change his options.

Fulham have made an enquiry for Juventus defender Medhi Benatia, report Italian website Tuttomercatoweb.

Well connected boss Claudio Ranieri is behind the move, as he looks to strengthen the team's defence.

Fulham are adrift at the bottom of the table after slipping to a narrow 2-1 home loss to Tottenham.

Benatia has made only six appearances for Juventus this season.

The 31-year-old Moroccan has been at Juventus since joining from Bayern Munich in 2017.

Tuttomercatoweb's report does not discuss Juventus' stance regarding Fulham's enquiry for Benatia, but it does say the defender wants to be playing regularly.

He has not featured for the Italian champions since November 11.

Benatia would be a terrific signing for Fulham if they could pull it off and help their uphill task to avoid relegation.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2019/01/21/report-fulham-make-ambitious-enquiry-for-juventus-defender-medhi/

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No room for Cairney or Sessegnon & a killer blow? Fulham talking points from Spurs defeat

Fulham were cruelly beaten 2-1 by Tottenham Hotspur thanks to a last-minute Harry Winks goal

No room for Tom Cairney or Ryan Sessegnon

The big talking point before the game was the absence of Tom Cairney once again and the dropping of Ryan Sessegnon for new signing Ryan Babel.

Cairney hasn't nailed a starting spot down under Claudio Ranieri while Sessegnon has been told to be more aggressive by his manager, but both were on the bench for the Tottenham Hotspur game.

Fans on social media weren't happy with the decision to drop Sessegnon but it seems that Ranieri prefers the experience that Babel and Schurrle have in the Premier League over the likes of his 18-year-old and Cairney.

Experience is something that Ranieri has mentioned a lot of over the past week, both in his pre-match press conference and after the loss, and it seems to me that he feels having the Premier League experience of Babel and Schurrle is worth more than what Sessegnon can bring to the side.

With Cairney, meanwhile, it looks like he just doesn't fit into Ranieri's style of play at Fulham.

The skipper spoke in the pre-match programme about how Slavisa Jokanovic's style suited him to a tee, but Ranieri clearly feels he can't use the 28-year-old in that same role because he doesn't have the same defensive capabilities that Jean-Michael Seri and Calu Chambers do in midfield.

He was used out right, but everyone can see that Cairney isn't best suited out wide and his tendency to cut in on his left means there's no width there, while playing as a number ten behind the striker meant that Fulham would have to sacrifice either one of the wing backs or their two holding midfielders.


(Image: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

How Ranieri slots the pair into future teams will be interesting to see.

Fulham's route one football and Aleksandar Mitrovic's dominance in the air

So if there's one thing to take from the two halves of this season so far it's the vast difference in footballing styles we've seen played at Craven Cottage.

Under Slavisa Jokanovic it was an expansive attacking game that saw lots of space that was picked off by opponents and under Ranieri we've seen the opposite, where it's a defensive game with no space that still gets picked off by opponents.

Aleksandar Mitrovic has been key to both, however, and we saw on Sunday that instead of becoming the focal point of the attack is now the go-to man, with Sergio Rico's long balls constantly aimed at the Serbian.

Credit to Mitrovic, he was fantastic in the air and won pretty much everything, but I can't help but feel when you use him as a target man to win the first ball, you lose his presence in the box because he's not quick enough to turn and get himself into positions where he can threaten like he could do when he was that focal point.

There was an instance in the first half where he did brilliantly to win the ball and get it wide to Joe Bryan, but as he marauded into the box there was no one in the central areas to pick out with a cross.

He managed five goals under Jokanovic's style and three under Ranieri, but two of those goals came in his first game in charge where Mitrovic was still being used as the focal point for crosses into the box - it's now one in 11 for the Serbian.

Does using him as the target man negate Fulham's goal scoring abilities?

Ryan Babel's solid debut

Babel made his debut for the club having signed on a six-month deal from Besiktas and it was one the Dutchman will have been hoping for when he went to bed the evening before.

He added some pace and strength to Fulham's attack, something that has been missing and something that is important to how Ranieri sets his side up.

He probably should've got himself a goal but all in all in was a good performance from a man who hadn't played in the Premier League since 2010 and the club will hope he can continue that throughout the rest of the season in order to give his side some chance of staying up.

He needs to get up to pace with the fitness side of things but with Ranieri being a stickler for that side of things it shouldn't take too long for him to be completely match fit.

Defensive reinforcements needed desperately

If that game highlighted anything it's just how badly Fulham need defensive reinforcements.

Spurs scored two carbon copy goals - ball in from the wing dropped in between the two central defenders, with neither picking up the run of Dele Alli or Harry Winks.

We're now 21 days into January and yet there have been no defensive signings to speak of, although it's been clear since the opening day of the season that that is where Fulham are so desperately short.


(Image: Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Ranieri has come into the side to shore things up defensively, but realistically the same mistakes are still being made by the side that are leading to catastrophic errors and goals conceded.

It raises the question that will whoever comes in during the next ten days really be able to have that much impact on a side that is so defensively frail in such a short space of time?

Is that the killer blow?

Fulham battled well and put in a really good performance for 92 minutes, but they still came out with no points to their name and a defeat.

It's not just the defeat but the manner in which the defeat came that is so gut wrenching for Fulham.


(Image: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

To play so well and come away with a loss because of a last-second goal is enough to destroy what little is left of a struggling side's confidence.

It's not seven points between Fulham and safety, but with the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and United to come at Craven Cottage and with no away wins all season, it's really hard to see where they'll pick up the necessary points to stay up.

Fulham still have to go for it and try get themselves out of trouble, but you wonder whether part of this transfer window between now and the 31st should see some forward planning for next season.



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/no-room-cairney-sessegnon--15707687

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Fulham unlikely to sign Gary Cahill from Chelsea amid disagreement over contract length

Fulham look unlikely to sign Gary Cahill this month having reached stalemate in discussions with the centre-back, Sky Sports News understands.

The Whites have agreed a deal with Chelsea to buy Cahill out of the final six months of his contract and would like him to sign a deal until the end of the season.

But the 33-year-old England defender is understood to want to commit to a longer-term contract at whichever is his next club after leaving Stamford Bridge.

On Friday, Fulham boss Claudio Ranieri cast doubt over Cahill's willingness to join their relegation fight, which was intensified by a bitter late defeat at home to Tottenham on Sunday.

Ranieri said: "He is a very important player and, for us, it would be fantastic. But I don't know if he wants to come and fight with us."

Sky Sports News exclusively revealed in December that Fulham had made Cahill their top January transfer target.

Ranieri has urged Fulham to sign players with Premier League experience this month as he fights to overturn what has become a seven-point gap to safety.

Sky Sports News understands they would also like to strengthen at right-back while finding a new loan club for Manchester United's Timothy Fosu-Mensah, who has struggled to make an impact in the first half of his season-long stay at Craven Cottage.



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/11613579/fulham-unlikely-to-sign-gary-cahill-from-chelsea

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'There was a lack of experience from us': Ryan Sessegnon admits Fulham have not been 'good enough' after squandering lead against Tottenham leaving them in uphill battle for safety

    Ryan Sessegnon admits Fulham have not been 'good enough' this season
    Fulham threw away a lead against Tottenham to lose 2-1 in the dying moments
    Claudio Ranieri's side are seven points adrift of safety with only 15 games left

Fulham winger Ryan Sessegnon admits his team have not been 'good enough' this season and the team now face an uphill struggle to claw their way to safety.

After squandering a one-goal lead against Tottenham on Sunday to lose 2-1 at Craven Cottage, Fulham are now seven points adrift of safety and have only 15 Premier League matches left to play this season.

The last-gasp nature of Harry Winks' goal only added to the gloomy picture for Fulham, who had played well in the game and merited a point.

Sessegnon said: 'Ten seconds before the end, it is really hard for us to take. We should have settled for the point and not tried to win the game.

'Us being at home, we thought there was an opportunity to go and win the game, I think there was a lack of experience from us.'

Sessegnon, whose Fulham side face Brighton and Crystal Palace in their next two Premier League games, admits it is now a major challenge for Fulham to recover: 'It is going to be tough but we have to stick together and try to pick up some points.

'We know we have not been good enough this season. We know it is going to be tough but we are going to keep going.'


Fulham took a 1-0 lead against Spurs when Fernando Llorente (right, back) scored an own goal



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6615269/Ryan-Sessegnon-admits-Fulham-not-good-squandering-lead-against-Tottenham.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Bye, Bye Fulham – It's Back To The Championship!

Fulham fans must be totally deflated about just how much the Khan's really want Premier League football.

A good, but late arrival in Ryan Babel seemed it was just what the home crowd needed as the Spurs defence found it hard to handle him.

Fulham fully deserved their lead after last week's own goal fiasco, when they were on the right side of such an outcome. A few minutes later when Babel, causing problems again to the Spurs defence, the home side were nearly two up after a fine save from Lloris. Mitrovic headed in, only to be ruled offside.

One nil up at half time, the home fans must have been perplexed when Babel was replaced by Sessegnon. Many would have thought the youngster should have come on for Schurrle, who was having little joy once again.

Tottenham got their equaliser after yet another poor defensive error when Ream swung out his leg to clear a header away from goal and completely missed the ball. The cross fell to Ali who simply headed in unchallenged.

Fulham huffed and puffed to try and hold onto a vital point. Typically this was not to be, as they succumbed to yet another injury time defeat after stupidly throwing too many forward for a last minute free kick. They were left outnumbered at the back when Winks tapped in Spurs winning goal.
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With four of the next five home games to come, against Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City, the need for some quality defenders has now surely past, as once again Fulham have left it too late to make the impact needed for survival. If Cahill was having second thoughts about coming to the Cottage, his mind must have been made up today.

A gallant performance, with Chambers outstanding in midfield, but the quality lacking at the back is so obvious to everyone, except the Khan family.

We must look forward to a nice new Riverside Stadium whilst playing in the Championship.
Fulham, Cardiff and Huddersfield look out of their depth this season.



https://fulham.vitalfootball.co.uk/bye-bye-fulham-its-back-to-the-championship/

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Club director believes he has agreement to sign Fulham player

TRT Spor journalist Fırat Gunayer claims Yeni Malatyaspor have got an agreement with Fulham to sign Aboubakar Kamara.

Earlier today we covered reports from Turkey that the Super Lig side were close to getting an agreement with the West London side following claims the forward has already agreed personal terms.

According to Gunayer, Yeni Malatyaspor Sporting Director Ali Ravci has announced they've finally sealed a deal with Fulham to sign Kamara in this transfer window. These latest developments come after reports in the past week the attacker was close to heading to Turkey.

With the arrival of Ryan Babel from Besiktas last week it always seemed like the player would be leaving the Premier League side before the transfer deadline.

Kamara was recently criticised by Claudio Ranieri after he went against team orders and took, and missed, a penalty against Huddersfield Town. The player wasn't involved in yesterday's game against Tottenham Hotspur after he was left out of Ranieri's match day squad.



http://sportwitness.co.uk/director-announces-agreement-fulham-sign-player/

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Chelsea outcast Cahill unlikely to join Fulham

Fulham have failed to agree personal terms with Gary Cahill and are unlikely to sign the Chelsea centre-back this month, claims Sky Sports.

Claudio Ranieri is desperate to bolster his defensive options with more experience and had earmarked Cahill as a top transfer target.

Cahill has entered the final six months of his current Chelsea contract and has dropped completely out of favour under Maurizio Sarri this season.

Fulham have agreed a deal with Chelsea to sign Cahill for a cut-price fee but now look set to miss out on the 33-year-old.

Cahill accepts his time at Chelsea is up but is determined to secure a long-term contract at his next club, which Fulham are unwilling to sanction.

The former England international has only made seven appearances in all competitions this season and hasn't featured since the end of November.



https://www.whoscored.com/News/2NDdFiZDJ0-ld31lHGzQGw/Show/Chelsea-outcast-Cahill-unlikely-to-join-Fulham

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Fulham's transfer window - what Claudio Ranieri wants and what will actually happen

There's just ten days left of the January transfer window and there's work to do for Fulham

We're 21 days into the January transfer window but Fulham have only made the one signing so far, with Ryan Babel joining on a short-term deal from Besiktas last week.

The side sit 19th in the Premier League and desperately need new additions if they're going to have any chance of surviving the drop, especially in the defensive department.

Sunday's 2-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur was their 15th of the season and it was a game that saw them concede their 50th and 51st goals of the season - giving them a goal difference of a whopping -30.

With just over a week and a half left in the transfer window, we've taken a look at what Claudio Ranieri and the fans want to happen over the coming ten days.

What Claudio Ranieri wants to happen

I don't think anyone is under any illusions as to what Ranieri wants from the recruitment team this winter - experience, experience and more experience.

The lack of it in this side is one of the things that he picked up on when being appointed as the club's new manager and it's something he's been keen to press home in the past week.

He mentioned it a lot in his pre-Spurs press conference and he felt it was the key reason they didn't take a point from that game.

Ryan Babel has been signed already and he's someone that will add that experience but defensive reinforcements is the main concern for Ranieri.

Defenders, coupled with experience, is something he's desperate for this month and Gary Cahill looked like he would provide that, but it seems a move has gone cold.

What the fans want to happen

Like Ranieri, they want defenders.

football.london ran a transfer survey for fans at the start of the window and signing a new centre back was on the top of their list to sign this January.

Cahill's name kept popping up as fans look for experience, but with that deal looking dead it's looking like fans won't get their wish.

Having another striker join was also high on their list - Aleksandar Mitrovic has led the line well but fans seem to want someone who is able to offer Fulham an alternative up front and give support to the striker.

What football.london thinks will happen

It's clear that Fulham need to recruit defenders this January if they want any chance of staying in the Premier League.

The defence just isn't up to the required standard - there's a reason why they've conceded 51 goals this season already and I think at least a couple of defenders will have to come in by the end of the window.

I said previously in the window that someone on the wing would be a bonus and they've got that in Ryan Babel, but I think they need a right and left back this window to add some strength to that back four.

Joe Bryan is the only left back they've got while Timothy Fosu-Mensah is really out of favour, leaving just Cyrus Christie able to play at right back.

Steven Sessegnon is an option there, but for some reason Ranieri doesn't seem to fancy him in the matchday squad either.

What will actually happen?

Fulham will have to sign defenders between now and the end of the window, and despite the setback with Cahill I still expect that to happen.

It looks like they're targeting experienced players over Tony Khan's under-28 policy on short term deals, with Babel signing a six-month contract after his signing from Besiktas.

I think we might see a few more of those come in between now and the 31st, with one of those definitely a central defender.



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/fulhams-transfer-window-what-claudio-15709946

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Could Aston Villa opt to revive transfer interest in Chelsea defender amid transfer stalement?

According to Sky Sports, Premier League side Fulham are unlikely to sign defender Gary Cahill from Chelsea after talks reached a stalemate this weekend.

Premier League side Fulham had jumped into pole position in the chase to sign Chelsea defender Gary Cahill, but discussions have hit a stumbling block. The breakdown of discussions could potentially open the door for Aston Villa to re-enter the race for Cahill.

Fulham had reportedly agreed a deal to buy out the remaining six months of Cahill's contract at Chelsea and sign him on a short-term contract until the end of the season.

Now, discussions have hit a stumbling block. Sky Sports say that Cahill is keen to sign a longer deal at his next club but The Cottagers are only looking to bring him in until the end of the current Premier League season.

To add to the growing unlikeliness of Cahill's move to Craven Cottage, Fulham boss Claudio Ranieri admitted that he was unsure if the defender would commit to their Premier League survival fight.

"He is a very important player and, for us, it would be fantastic. But I don't know if he wants to come and fight with us," The Italian said.

With talks at a stalemate, could Aston Villa move in to bring his seven-year spell at Stamford Bridge to an end?

Prior to the start of the January transfer window, reports emerged from the Telegraph stating that Villa had scrapped any plans to make a move for Cahill, bringing an end to fans' hopes of a reunion.

However, today (Monday 21st) Everton winger Yannick Bolasie returned to his parent club early on after opting to exercise a cancellation option in his loan deal. The departure of Bolasie opens up a big chunk of money to spend on wages, with him taking up around £70,000-a-week with his hefty Premier League wage packet.

Dean Smith is keen to bring in defensive reinforcements this January transfer window as they look to revive their promotion chase in the second half of this season.



https://the72.co.uk/123866/transfer-breakdown-opens-door-aston-villa-make-move-chelsea-defender/

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Answer to Fulham's defensive woes? – Ranieri should leave no stone unturned in pursuit of this 24-year-old Ghanaian defensive beast

Can Ghana star Joseph Attamah save Fulham from relegation?

Five points from safety and the battle to survive their first Premier League season back continues, as Fulham try their very best to patch over their side. The January transfer window has come at a rather fortuitous time for the Craven Cottage side and while they are spending to save themselves, they need to do it on the right stars and right areas.

Having hired Claudio Ranieri, the former Leicester City manager will be aware of exactly needs to be done to survive relegation. Thus, he is targetting a move for Istanbul Basaksehir star Joseph Attamah, according to Daily Mail. The Ghanaian centre-back would definitely reinforce their leaky back-line, which is on par to concede a Premier league record number of goals.

Daily Mail further adds that the Cottagers are more than ready to do everything to get a deal sorted out for the 24-year-old star. But it's no surprise that Ranieri's second target is a centre-back. With Alfie Mawson out injured, it leaves Fulham with only three fit centre-backs and that includes on-loan Arsenal star Calum Chambers and 31-year-old Tim Ream.

While Ranieri has used right-back Denis Odoi as a make-shift centre-back in his back-three formation, goalkeeper Sergio Rico needs someone solid to protect him.



And few players come as solid as Joseph Attamah, but despite that, the 24-year-old has only made 5 appearances in the Super Lig, which has made him open to leaving the Turkish side. What could prove to be a potential roadblock in the deal is the fact that Basaksehir manager, Abdullah Avci is adamant that Attamah will not be sold despite Fulham's insistence.

But with Fulham desperately chasing after an affordable and yet solid defender, few players will come as cheap as Joseph Attamah. The 24-year-old has been in fine form in the few games that he has played so far this season and been a reliable option, with the club only conceding two goals in the eight appearances he has made.

Not to mention his versatility to play as a right-back, centre-back and even as a defensive midfielder if required, which further adds to his value for Fulham. Bringing in him helps not only Fulham but also Ranieri as it will reduce the number of players he will have to bring in and the money he will spend.



https://www.mediareferee.com/2019/01/22/answer-to-fulhams-defensive-woes-ranieri-should-leave-no-stone-unturned-in-pursuit-of-this-24-year-old-ghanaian-defensive-beast/

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Aboubakar Kamara's Fulham career all but over after he is ordered to train with their under-23 team

Aboubakar Kamara's Fulham career appears to be over after the controversial striker was ordered to train with the club's under-23s.

Fulham manager Claudio Ranieri has left Kamara out of his last two squads, against Burnley and for Sunday's defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, and he is no longer part of the first-team set-up.

Kamara has been involved in two bust-ups with Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, firstly after taking the ball off the Serb to take, and miss, a penalty against Huddersfield Town.

It then emerged last week that Kamara had exchanged words with Mitrovic during a club yoga session after upsetting his team-mate by talking.

Kamara has not played for Fulham since scoring as a substitute against Arsenal on Jan 1, which now appears to have been his final act for the west London club.

Fulham have been looking for buyers for Kamara, who has been linked with a loan move to Turkish club Yeni Malatyaspor, and have signed Ryan Babel from Besiktas as his replacement.

A source told Telegraph Sport: "Kamara's Fulham career is over. He's training with the under-23s and there doesn't look to be any way back now."

Speaking ahead of the Tottenham defeat, Ranieri said: "Kamara is not in the squad. I prefer to think about it and then I will do the best for the team."



https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/01/21/aboubakar-kamaras-fulham-career-ordered-train-under-23-team/

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Ryan Babel's impressive Fulham debut is worrying news for Ryan Sessegnon

Despite Fulham's energy-sapping 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, the impressive debut of Ryan Babel was a significant positive from the match.

Yet the encouraging display from the new signing is worrying news for Ryan Sessegnon, who saw himself demoted to the bench in favour of Babel.

Babel added an extra dimension to the Fulham attack on the weekend, quickly revealing he is one of the few players in the squad who possesses the necessary physical attributes to compete in the Premier League.

In a Fulham team desperately lacking speed and aggressiveness, Babel showed generous helpings of both when terrorising the Tottenham defence in the early stages.

The quickly winger seized on a loose Spurs touch and burst down the touchline, outmuscling Davinson Sanchez and forcing Hugo Lloris into an excellent save when through on goal.

Furthermore, Babel almost headed home another goal and played a crucial role in a scintillating counter-attack that ended with Aleksandar Mitrovic's goal being ruled offside.

Less than ten minutes into the second half, Babel was hauled off in favour of Sessegnon, but it was clear the Dutchman had the better match.

Sessegnon's confidence appeared shot during his cameo as the 18-year-old was caught offside numerous times, was shrugged off the ball, and failed to make any impact during the second half.

Although it is far from easy to be thrown onto the pitch with your team desperately defending against a fearsome Spurs side, Sessegnon did little to convince Claudio Ranieri he deserves to start over Babel.

And when Ryan Babel returns to full fitness in the coming weeks, Ryan Sessegnon's playing time could be seriously slashed in the process.



https://tbrfootball.com/ryan-babels-impressive-fulham-debut-is-worrying-news-for-ryan-sessegnon/