Monday Fulham Stuff (03/12/18)...

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Results

Sunday
Chelsea	2 - 0	Fulham
Arsenal	4 - 2	Spurs
Liverpool	1 - 0	Everton

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Chelsea 2-0 Fulham

Pedro has scored more Premier League goals in 12 appearances this season (5) than he managed in 31 league games in 2017-18 (4)

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri said Claudio Ranieri can "have a very great impact" at Fulham after his team overcame a spirited Cottagers side to claim a valuable victory at Stamford Bridge.

Ranieri was appointed Fulham boss on 14 November after Slavisa Jokanovic was sacked and the Italian guided his new team to victory over Southampton in his first game in charge last Saturday.

However, despite a brave second-half performance, his Cottagers were unable to breach the Chelsea defence and they fell to defeat through goals from Pedro and Ruben Loftus-Cheek either side of the break.

"Today was about the result - we gave more attention to the defensive phase to get the win," Sarri told Sky Sports.

"Now we have to start to improve and play our football in a better way.

"Ranieri can have a very great impact at Fulham, in two or three weeks they will defend very well and in a month, playing against them will be a problem for any team."

The Blues took the lead early on when Pedro slotted home from N'Golo Kante's pass and they could have had more in the first half had Sergio Rico not twice denied Olivier Giroud.

Fulham threatened to find an equaliser in the second half as Chelsea struggled for fluency, but substitute Loftus-Cheek made the win safe when he fired past Rico after an intricate passing move with Eden Hazard and Pedro.

Defeat for Fulham means they stay bottom of the table, having claimed only one point from a possible 24 away from home this season.

Ranieri, who managed Chelsea between 2000 and 2004, believed his team deserved a draw.

"We wanted to play football but we made mistakes and against big champions you pay everything for that," Ranieri told BBC Sport.

"In the second half we changed system and maybe we deserved to draw the match. I am satisfied with how my players made decisions with the ball. We played together strongly and created good chances."

Blues' unbeaten home run continues
Chelsea bounced back from defeat by Tottenham with an emphatic 4-0 Europa League win over PAOK Salonika on Thursday, and they followed that up with another, albeit more laboured, victory against Fulham.

It took Pedro just four minutes to break the deadlock as he tucked away Chelsea's 1,000th Premier League goal at Stamford Bridge and that set the tone for the first half.

The hosts dominated possession in the first half and they could have easily had a second on 24 minutes when Giroud, who netted a double in midweek, saw his low effort blocked by Rico.

And the Spain goalkeeper was there to foil the Frenchman again on the brink of half-time, as he saved Giroud's sliding effort from Cesar Azpilicueta's cross.

However, Sarri's team were unable to play with the same fluidity in the second period and they did not seriously test Rico again until Marcos Alonso's whipped free-kick was saved on the hour mark.

Second-half substitute Alvaro Morata then wasted an excellent opportunity after 73 minutes when he fired over with the goal gaping after Rico had parried Hazard's low strike.

But fellow replacement Loftus-Cheek was on hand to net Chelsea's second of the game, and his fifth in his past six games, with eight minutes remaining.

The Blues' victory means they are now unbeaten at Stamford Bridge in 14 matches in all competitions, a run which stretches back to April.

Spirited Fulham fall short
Before Sunday's game, the Cottagers had claimed just one point from a possible 21 in away games this season, and disappointingly for new boss Ranieri, they were unable to buck the trend at Stamford Bridge.

There were promising moments for the visitors early on, even after Chelsea's first goal, but neither Cyrus Christie nor Calum Chambers could seriously test Kepa Arrizabalaga, shooting straight at the Spaniard.

But it was only after Ranieri introduced Aboubakar Kamara and Floyd Ayite at half-time that his side began to pose a serious threat.

Kamara's low cross was nearly deflected into the Chelsea net by Antonio Rudiger, and Kepa had to make a fine save to keep out Chambers' header from the resulting corner.

And the Arsenal loanee drew another good save from Kepa shortly after, as the Spaniard dived to his right to beat away Chambers' curling effort.

However, despite the Cottagers' best efforts, they were unable to put their hosts under a sustained period of pressure, and Chelsea held on to claim consecutive home clean sheets for the first time this season.

Meanwhile, Fulham are the only side in England's top four tiers who are yet to keep a clean sheet in 2018-19.

Man of the match - Calum Chambers


Deployed in central midfield, Calum Chambers was Fulham's top performer. He made seven tackles, three interceptions and took three shots on goal, more than any of his team-mates in each instance

'He will be very important for us in the future' - what they said

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri on BBC Sport: "We can't do much about the game against Tottenham - we played very badly and lost the game. Today was difficult, we started well and we had a good level of application.

"We created some opportunities for 2-0 but missed them - we were in control of the match and I was afraid only because I saw that the team were a bit tense. The last 15 minutes could have been a problem but then we scored.

"Ruben Loftus-Cheek played very well in the Europa League and I am very happy with him. Today Mateo Kovacic had a knock to his ankle so he came on, it is not a problem to play with him. He is improving and he will be very important for us in the future."

Fulham manager Claudio Ranieri to Sky Sports: "We played so so in the first half, we made a mistake for the first goal but we were much better in the second. We made chances but when you play big champions they can do that. It was a positive match for us, we are improving.

"It will be very emotional for me to play Leicester on Wednesday, but it is very important for us. I am positive."

Chelsea leave it late (again) - the stats

   Chelsea have scored 12 goals (out of their 30) in the final 15 minutes of games in the Premier League this season, more than any other side.
   Chelsea haven't lost any of their last 11 home games in the Premier League (W6 D5) - their longest unbeaten run at Stamford Bridge in the competition since August 2015 (a run of 21 games).
   Fulham have conceded 35 goals in the Premier League this season - their joint-most after 14 games of a top-flight league campaign (35 in 1959-60).
   Chelsea are unbeaten in their previous 17 Premier League games against Fulham (W10 D7), winning each of the last four.
   This was the 14th time that a former Chelsea manager has returned to Stamford Bridge in a Premier League game and failed to win (D5 L9), with this being Fulham manager Claudio Ranieri's third such attempt (D1 L2).
   Pedro's opener for Chelsea was their 1000th home goal in the Premier League, becoming just the third club to reach this landmark in the competition after Manchester United and Arsenal.
   Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek has scored five goals in his last six appearances in all competitions for Chelsea, including in back-to-back Premier League games for the first time.
   N'Golo Kante has as many Premier League assists this season (2) as he managed in his previous two league campaigns for Chelsea combined.

What's next?

Chelsea travel to Molineux to face Wolves on Wednesday, 5 December (19:45 GMT), and Fulham host Leicester the same day (19:45).



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46333098

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Manager Reaction

Claudio Ranieri believes his side put in an improved display at Stamford Bridge, despite losing the match to Chelsea.

The Italian's first game in charge yielded three points last week against Southampton, but he felt Fulham were better against our local rivals.

"I'm satisfied - not with result, of course - but with the way we reacted and played," he said in his post-match press conference.

"It's strange to say, but I think we played much better today than against Southampton, and we have to continue in this way.

"The players need to understand my philosophy better because I like to play very fast. Today, we made good decisions in a very short period of time.

"I think it was a good match. At the beginning we gave them a good present when we lost the ball and they scored on the counter attack, but we reacted well.

"I told our players before the match that we can win or lose, but I want us to play with our philosophy.

"We didn't make enough chances in the first half, but it was much better in the second half. With our two wingers [Floyd Ayité and Aboubakar Kamara], we created some problems for them and had chances to draw the match.

"In the end, they scored the second goal. I think it was a good match in the second-half, but when Maurizio [Sarri] made some changes and put on [Alvaro] Morata, [Ruben] Loftus-Cheek, it's not easy. They have quality players – [Eden] Hazard is amazing."

Fulham were presented with an uphill battle after conceding inside four minutes, but a strong reaction was given in the pursuit of an equaliser.

"I was pleased because in the first half we conceded one goal after a mistake in midfield, but after I decided to change the system and put two wingers who were faster than their defensive line, and we created some chances," Ranieri explained.

"I think we improved a lot from the last match against Southampton, but we lost the match. That's football - when you play against big teams you can lose, but it's important to see what you did well and what you did wrong.

"We have to work in every direction; when we have the ball and we don't have the ball. Today, we closed the space very well against big champions."

Another big fixture is on the horizon now as we take on another of Ranieri's former sides when Leicester City visit the Cottage on Wednesday.

"Now, we think about the next match," he said. "It's a congested period but it's important to improve our fitness, everything, because we're pressing a lot and playing faster than before. It's important for us to make a right decision in a very short time.

"It will be difficult in every game this season, but I am very confident in my players."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2018/december/02/manager-reaction-chelsea

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Fulham make move to sign Clyne on loan

Fulham have asked Liverpool if they can take right-back Nathaniel Clyne on loan for the rest of the season.

According to The BBC, Ranieri has spoken to Liverpool about a potential deal for Clyne on loan.

Clyne is currently out-of-favour at Anfield and has been linked with a January switch to Cardiff and Leicester.

Joe Gomez and Trent Alexander-Arnold are both ahead of Clyne in the pecking order at Liverpool, with Jurgen Klopp seemingly set to let the former Southampton defender go.

Claudio Ranieri is keen to improve his defence at Fulham and has identified Clyne as the ideal target for the January transfer window.

Clyne has been capped 14 times by England at senior level and made almost 100 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions since his move to the club from Southampton in 2015.



https://readliverpoolfc.com/2018/12/02/fulham-make-move-to-sign-clyne-on-loan/

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Chelsea overcome neighbours Fulham 2-0 thanks to goals from Pedro and Loftus-Cheek at Stamford Bridge

Pedro and Ruben Loftus-Cheek produced two sublime pieces of finishing to see off rugged, organised but ultimately goal-shy Fulham, 2-0 at Stamford Bridge this afternoon to leapfrog Spurs into third place in the Premier League.

This was no vintage Chelsea performance, Fulham under ex-Blues' his Claudio Rainieri produced a workmanlike game, that will hopefully produce d enough points to stay in the division.

They remain rooted at the bottom of the table with just eight points and need to go on a run of winning matches if they are to have a chance to escape relegation.

Fulham started well, pinning the home side back and frustrating them with their high tempo and pressing game.

But with the Blues first attack, they scored on five minutes.

A smart counter-attack saw N'Golo Kante dispossess Hearn Michael Sarri in midfield, race clear and  slip the ball to Pedro, on the right.

The Spain wide man took two touches inside the Fulham penalty area before dispatching a low, curling left-footer beyond, Sergio Rico and the ball nestled into the back of his net.

Fulham, to their credit, continued to try and play constructive football. And on 16 minutes, Calum Chambers had a free thumper on goal. Kepa was well placed to snaffle the shot.

Pedro had the first chance of the second half, but his mazy run and left-footer from the edge of the Fulham penalty area was not powerful enough just to trouble Rico.

Kepa produced a brilliant save on his goal line, on 54 minutes thwarting Chambers' powerful downward header from a corner.

Chambers was once again Fulham's most dangerous player, thrashing a blistering right-footer that Kepa did well to parry away from goal on 66 minutes.

Maurizio Sarri opted to make his first change a minute later, Ruben Loftus-Cheek came on for Kovacic.

Alvaro Morata soon followed, with Olivier Giroud coming off.

Morata's first chance, well it's something he will want to forget, he sent the ball into row Z of the Matthew Harding stand – missing an open goal from six yards out.

Sarri's third change saw right back defender Davide Zappacosta replace ineffectual Alonso with 12 minutes left. Azpilicueta moved across to left-back. Chelsea were no where near their best, but in Loftus-Cheek they have a Rolls Royce of a player and he slotted home the second goal with eight minutes left on the clock – interchanging with Eden Hazard to find space and stroke the ball cooly past Rico.

Teams: Arrizabalaga, Rudiger, Alonso, Jorginho, kante, Pedro, Kovacic, Giroud, Azpilicueta, Luiz

Subs: Caballero, Fabregas, Loftus-Cheek, Zappacosta, Willian, Christensen, Morata

Fulham: Rico, Sessegnon, Odoi, Chambers, Johansen, Mitrovic, Cairney, le Marchand, Christie, Seri, Mawson

Subs: Bettinelli, Kebano, Ayite, Ream, Bryan, Cisse, Kamara

Referee: Craig Pawson



https://www.londonnewsonline.co.uk/chelsea-overcome-neighbours-fulham-2-0-thanks-to-pedro-and-loftus-cheek-goal-at-stamford-bridge/

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Chelsea weather Fulham storm to win West London Derby

Goals from Pedro and Ruben Loftus-Cheek at either end of the match were enough to see Chelsea past Fulham in a 2-0 win in the West London Derby.

Fulham's second half performance troubled Chelsea but were unable to avoid defeat against their local rivals on Claudio Ranieri's return to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea climb above Tottenham after they lost at Arsenal, while Fulham remain rock bottom and without a clean sheet all season.

Maurizio Sarri was criticised for his use of N'Golo Kante after last week's defeat at Spurs, but it was his work high up the pitch that helped give Chelsea the lead. The midfielder robbed Jean Michael Seri of possession and played in Pedro, who finished calmly from close range after four minutes.

Calum Chambers had Fulham's best chance of the first half with a speculative effort from 20 yards, but it was pushed away by Kepa Arrizabalaga.

At the other end, Olivier Giroud was slipped through by Eden Hazard, but he took the ball too wide and Sergio Rico saved from a tight angle.

The France striker had another chance to double the lead after Chelsea won possession high up the pitch again, but was unable to get a touch on Mateo Kovacic's low cross.

Ranieri brought on Aboubakar Kamara for Ryan Sessegnon and Floyd Ayite for Stefan Johansen at halftime in an attempt to liven up his side's performance.

Fulham started to look more dangerous following their double substitution, and nearly forced Antonio Rudiger into conceding an own goal from Cyrus Christie's cross, before Chambers' header was saved from the following corner.

Chambers had another stinging effort denied by Arrizabalaga as Fulham continued to crank up the pressure.

Alvaro Morata had a great chance to seal the win for Chelsea after 73 minutes, but his rebound from Hazard's initial shot was wayward.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek came off the bench to make sure of the points after 83 minutes, as Chelsea returned to winning ways in the Premier League.



http://www.espn.co.uk/football/report?gameId=513704

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Fulham player ratings: Calum Chambers impresses in 2-0 defeat to Chelsea

Fulham lost 2-0 to Chelsea thanks to goals from Pedro and Ruben Loftus-Cheek at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea took the bragging rights in the SW6 derby after they beat Fulham 2-0 despite a battling second half display from the Cottagers.

It only took three minutes for Chelsea to get their noses in front when Jean-Michael Seri was caught in possession by N'Golo Kante in the middle of the park, with the Frenchman finding Pedro out right who cut in and slotted past Sergio Rico.

Fulham looked a yard off the pace compared to their hosts, but Calum Chambers had their best chance of some nice work from Tom Cairney, who managed to turn his man on the edge of the 18 yard box before passing it to the Arsenal loanee - but his effort was direct at Kepa.

Pedro had the first chance of the second half when he stung Sergio Rico's palms but Chambers had another glorious effort for Fulham when he powered a header at the Chelsea goal, but Kepa pulled off a great reflex save to deny him.

It was the same story in the 65th minute - Aboubakar Kamara found Cairney who had made a wonderful run into the box - he played it back to Chambers who unleashed the ball at goal but Kepa was once again equal to it.

But the home side made sure of the win in the final ten minutes after some nice intricate play on the edge of the box saw Eden Hazard square it to Ruben Loftus-Cheek who smashed it home.

Here's how we rated the side:

Sergio Rico - 6

Made a few decent saves over the course of the first 45 minutes and continued that into the second half. Another good display from the kepper.

Maxime Le Marchand - 6

Did a reasonable job at left back during the game and continued that throughout the second half. Wasn't anything about average, but it was decent from Le Marchand. Was sucked into the middle that gave Loftus-Cheek space for his goal.

Denis Odoi - 5

Played a really poor pass to Seri in the build-up to Chelsea's first goal. Had a poor first half and struggled to pass the ball out. Improved somewhat in the second half but still looked suspect.

Alfie Mawson - 6

Another good display at centre half from Mawson who was strong in the tackle and good in the air. He continued that into the second half and continued to look good on the ball.

Cyrus Christie - 7

Had a decent game at right back and did well against a lacklustre Marcos Alonso in the first 45 minutes. Got forward more in the second half but couldn't deliver the killer cross.

Calum Chambers - 8

Did well in a central midfield role and saw a lot of the football. Was better defensively than he was going forward. Grew into the game and performed extremely well in the second half for his side.

Stefan Johansen - 4

Was hardly involved in the game during the first 45 minutes at Stamford Bridge and was subbed at half time for Aboubakar Kamara.

Jean-Michael Seri - 5

Caught too easily in possession by Kante for Chelsea's first goal. Endured an extremely poor first half and looked a yard off everything. Improved a bit in the second half but didn't really have much influence.

Tom Cairney - 7

Was Fulham's best player in the first half - he was comfortable on the ball in the final third and looked to make things happen when in posession. Quietened down in the second but it was an encouraging display from the skipper.

Ryan Sessegnon - 5

Started up front but struggled to impact the game before being pulled out wide to give Fulham some width. Was hauled off at half time by Ranieri.

Aleksandar Mitrovic - 5

Did reasonably well as the target man and brought down some nice balls but struggled with the defensive pressing side of the game at the Bridge. He battled well with David Luiz and probably won most of the duels between the two. Struggled to get the service he needed to do anything up top however.

Substitutes

Floyd Ayite - 5

Came on to add some width to Fulham's midfield and did that without ever really getting into any dangerous positions for his side.

Aboubakar Kamara - 5

Got involved in the game more as the second half went on and while he did well, it's a case again with Kamara that it was a very hot and cold performance.

Neeskens Kebano - 5

Didn't really have any impact on the game this afternoon.



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/fulham-player-ratings-calum-chambers-15494099

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Chelsea's Loftus-Cheek seals journey back to reality for Ranieri's Fulham

This ended up appearing comfortable, a routine victory mustered by a team aspiring to close the gap to the leaders against a side anchored to the foot of the division. More revealing was the fact the defeated manager, Claudio Ranieri, departed the more encouraged and citing reasons to be cheerful while Maurizio Sarri, victorious in a grind of a derby, bemoaned the nerves that had gripped his own team's approach.

At no point, aside from celebrating his side's goals, had Chelsea's head coach given the impression he was satisfied as he prowled the edge of his technical area. The fallout from the first defeat of his stewardship, against Tottenham Hotspur the previous weekend, had actually rumbled on disconcertingly through this fixture. He recapped his frustrations from that loss at Wembley in his post-match assessment, reminding all present that "Eleven players had played very badly at Spurs, so today it was natural to give them another chance".

They had come steeled by the pep-talk delivered in one-on-one meetings with Sarri earlier in the week but for all that they started eagerly for once and scored in the opening 20 minutes of a Premier League game for the first time since mid-August, insecurities had flared thereafter. Their display had been anxious in the second half.

"But this was only about the result," said Sarri. "We were a bit nervous. It wasn't easy the days after Tottenham for me and the players, but I think that we have thought too much about that match. We lost one match after three and a half months. It can happen. So today it was important to react."

They can prepare for Wednesday's trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the hope normal service has been resumed. Certainly the slick construction of their second goal, all neat inter-play between Eden Hazard, Pedro and Ruben Loftus-Cheek on the edge of Fulham's box, was a reminder of their qualities. Hazard's burst into the penalty area drew opposing defenders to the ball, with the pass poked sideways duly liberating Loftus-Cheek into space vacated by Maxime Le Marchand. The England midfielder's finish was emphatic, a fifth goal in six club games completing the success. He continues to stake his claim for greater involvement.

Ranieri's shoulders rather slumped at that concession though, for all that he has seen his team ship four goals in two matches since his appointment, there are signs of improvement in their defensive organisation. Their diamond midfield clogged up Chelsea's approach play here, even if they opted against swarming all over Jorginho to disrupt the home side at source. Hazard and Pedro, the liveliest of Chelsea's front-line, were forever collecting the ball, looking up and blanching at the sight of massed ranks of white shirts through whom they would have to pick a route to goal.

Had Callum Chambers not been thwarted three times by Kepa Arrizabalaga, once particularly impressively, then they might even have forced parity. "It's strange to tell, but I think we played much better today than in the Southampton match, which we won," said Ranieri, whose team were spared further damage as Álvaro Morata skied a shot over an open goal. "We have to continue in this way." His principal regret was that a week of careful preparation, in which he had drummed home how Sarri's teams press feverishly, went forgotten four minutes in to present the home side with "a great present".

It had been Cyrus Christie's unhelpful pass, fizzed forward into midfield, and Jean Michaël Seri's marginally slack collection that had left Fulham prone. In scuttled N'Golo Kanté, a player around whom Ranieri built a title-winning team at Leicester City, to snaffle the ball and, having advanced, liberate Pedro at his side. Ranieri had spun round on his heels, flapping his arms in frustration as soon as Seri had been robbed, and had his back to the play as the Spaniard turned inside Alfie Mawson to finish with ease.

That was a reminder of what Kanté always did best, either intercepting or stealing the ball under pressure, allied with everything Sarri is hoping he can become: forward thinking, aware and careful in the pass. The Frenchman has come in for criticism in the last few weeks with his new head coach unconvinced he boasts the technique to thrive as his midfield pivot. He is still teaching the World Cup winner the tactical awareness required to play in a three alongside Jorginho. Sarri could recall only one positioning error in this display. "Maurizio is right to pick on him sometimes, to improve him," said Ranieri of his former player. "But N'Golo played a very good match."



https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/dec/02/chelsea-fulham-premier-league-match-report

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Manager in Focus: Plenty of positives for Ranieri in defeat to Chelsea

Claudio Ranieri suffered his first defeat as Fulham manager as Chelsea battled to a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Pedro stole in on the break to hand the Blues an early lead in the fourth minute but the Cottagers posed a significant threat and went the distance against their much-fancied opponents.

Eden Hazard then laid off a pass for substitute Ruben Loftus-Cheek to score the second from in the 82nd minute.

Here's a look at how Ranieri fared in the tactical battle with Maurizio Sarri.

BASIC STATS
Goals – 0

Shots – 8

Possession – 34%

Tackles – 22

Dribbles – 9

30-SECOND REPORT

Ranieri tinkered with the formation he employed in his first game in charge which resulted in a stunning 3-2 comeback win over Southampton. The Italian went with a 4-2-3-1 system on that occasion with Aleksandar Mitrovic leading the line on his own.

At Stamford Bridge though, he paired the Serbian with Ryan Sessegnon while Tom Cairney operated in behind, at the tip of a diamond midfield. It ensured the Cottagers had enough firepower and attacking avenues up front while maintaining a compact shape, achieved by a narrow midfield. That shape however offered Marcos Alonso plenty of space to attack down the outside but the Spaniard was all over the shop and disappointed with his delivery.

Jean Michael Seri anchored the midfield and performed relatively well, playing two key passes from that position and making four tackles. Unfortunately, he was also caught in possession by N'Golo Kante who set up Pedro for the opener.

Fulham didn't let their heads drop though and kept challenging Chelsea. Utilising Calum Chambers in midfield was an inspired move with the centre-back by trade injecting some much-needed steel in the middle of the park. He made a a game-high seven tackles and also intercepted three times.

The visitors only seemed to improve after the break owing to a couple of substitutions from the manager before they conceded a second in the closing stages while in the hunt for an equaliser.

TACTICAL TALKING POINT

Direct play

A hallmark of Ranieri's Leicester City side was their ability to strike against the run of play. They did that by going from back to front quickly and efficiently. There's now a hint of that style creeping into Fulham's game now.

The decision to play two strikers was a conscious move in that direction and they did get some joy from that. The direct running and physicality of Mitrovic worked well while Ranieri's substitution of Ryan Sessegnon for Aboubakar Kamara added more bite to the attack.

Fulham's direct style had Chelsea pinned back as well, limiting their own forays into the away side's territory. It was the right ploy to bypass the Blues' press and try to test their suspect defence. If not for some decent saves from Kepa Arrizabalaga, they may well have been rewarded.

VERDICT

When Fulham went a goal down away to Chelsea in the fourth minute, many of the travelling fans would've thought, "here we go again". But they had started the brighter of the two teams and were unlucky to go behind through an individual error.

Ranieri's instant impact on the team is evident in the way they didn't crumble but pushed Chelsea all the way. His tactics gave the home side plenty to think about.

Rating 6/10




https://sport360.com/article/football/english-premier-league/311816/manager-in-focus-plenty-of-positives-for-claudio-ranieri-in-defeat-to-chelsea

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Chelsea 2, Fulham 0
It could have been worse

It could have been a much worse performance from Fulham against their biggest Premier League rivals. But on a day where they struggled to create much in attack, Fulham couldn't claim any points against a Chelsea side that admittedly looked out of sorts on the whole.

You wouldn't have thought that to be the major narrative when N'Golo Kante stole the ball away against Jean Michael Seri and, just like against Manchester City two months ago, punished the latter greatly with a quick pass to Pedro who easily went past Alfie Mawson to score on the bottom right hand corner. That goal came just four minutes in and Fulham looked like they were in a world of trouble.

However, that didn't turn out to be the case as Fulham gradually got themselves back into the game. They never held onto the ball that much within the first half but were able to limit Chelsea from scoring again with another compact performance. Their defense went onto limit the Blues to just seven shots and if you were to take away Pedro's goal, their expected goal conversion rate was just 5.8%. That being said, Fulham couldn't do much at all when they had the ball in possession.

It bluntly says something when Calum Chambers was the best attacking player on the day. Manager Claudio Ranieri, in his return to Stamford Bridge after managing the opposition between 2000 and 2005, tried his best to change things up after halftime by taking off Stefan Johansen and Ryan Sessegnon for Floyd Ayite and Aboubakar Kamara, respectively. Still, it was basically the same results on the pitch and the visitors were deserved being shut out for the fourth time in five top flight fixtures.

In the end, Fulham could only muster 0.29 expected goals in 9 shots. Aleksander Mitrovic was only able to muster one shot all game and no Cottager was able to muster an xG buildup over 0.05. In the meantime, it took until Chelsea substituted Olivier Giroud for Alvaro Morata and Ruben Loftus-Cheek to come on for Mateo Kovacic for the game to spring to life. Morata missed a complete and utter sitter that really should've put the Blues comfortably in front only for the ball to go sky high over the bar and a diving Sergio Rico.

On the whole, the Fulham goalkeeper put in another yeoman's work and was able to turn Chelsea's 2.17 expected goals into something a tad more miniscule. What made Chelsea put the cherry on top of this game was a beautiful combination between Pedro and Eden Hazard eventually went to a streaking Loftus-Cheek that only needed to put the ball past Rico. He went onto do that with ease as the budding England International has made sure to take full advantage of his few Chelsea appearances.

So in the end, the haves beat the have nots. But this game was without the favorites looking tense and for Fulham's defense to rise to the occasion on the whole. The traveling supporters were immense and made their voices heard on television screens around the world. Chelsea will take the three points, but they knew they had to win ugly in order to get the job done. Against the best in England, that's at minimum all Fulham can ask for. If anything else, the hope would be for this performance to kickstart a victory when Leicester City greet their former boss to Craven Cottage on Wednesday. Fulham will have to dust themselves off fast as another seven fixtures are coming up within the next 30 days. Here's to better times ahead.



https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2018/12/2/18122030/chelsea-2-fulham-0

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Claudio Ranieri draws positives from Fulham's defeat at Chelsea

The Italian's new team put in a solid display at his old club, but were ultimately undone by an early goal from Pedro and a late strike by Ruben Loftus-Cheek


Claudio Ranieri issues instructions from the sideline at Stamford Bridge

Claudio Ranieri felt Fulham played better in Sunday's 2-0 defeat to Chelsea than they did against Southampton, despite winning that first match as manager of the club.

The Italian's new team put in a solid display at his old club, but were ultimately undone by an early goal from Pedro and a late strike by Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Ranieri was generally pleased with the display, though.

"It's strange to tell, but I think we played much better today than in the Southampton match," he said. "We have to continue in this way. My players must understand better my philosophy. I play very, very fast. Today we made good decisions in a very short time. Under pressure from Chelsea, it was difficult to play. We were prepared, but now we think about the next match.

"It was a good match. At the beginning we give a good present when we lost the ball and they scored on the counter-attack, but aftwards we reacted very well. I wanted to see how we played, our philosophy, how we reacted, and if we kept going. I think we did enough in the first half, but were much better in the second half with the two wingers.

"We created some problems for them, good chances in the match. In the end, when you change with some quality players, they can score a second. But I'm satisfied with how we reacted, how we played, but now we want to improve."

Ranieri meanwhile admitted he has been "surprised" at how well Calum Chambers has adapted to a new defensive midfield role.

"He played very well. He's a good midfielder. He understands what I want and, also, when he has the ball, he moves it very quickly and in the right way. I'm very, very surprised."

As regards his former Leicester City players, Ranieri was predictably asked about N'Golo Kante – who responded supremely to recent criticism from current manager Maurizio Sarri – and Danny Drinkwater.

Ranieri admitted Sarri is right to keep pressure on Kante, but wouldn't reveal whether he is interested in Drinkwater, who has yet to feature for Chelsea this season.

"But if I am interested I won't tell you," he said. "I'm sorry. In this moment, my mind is only on my team and how I can help my players improve and play together to be a strong squad. I have time to understand what we need.

"N'Golo is a fantastic player. Maurizio is right to pick on him sometimes. Not on only him but all the players, to improve. N'Golo played a very good match today."



https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/chelsea-fulham-claudio-ranieri-pedro-loftus-cheek-goals-table-latest-a8663766.html

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Cottage Talk Full Time: Fulham Go Down 2-0 To Chelsea At Stamford Bridge
Take a listen to this podcast that focuses on Fulham Football Club.

In this episode, we shared our "initial reactions" to Fulham's 2-0 loss to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Co-host Max Cohen shared his thoughts on this loss, as he talked about the mistakes that hurt Fulham, but also mentioned the encouraging signs he took out of the loss. We also both discussed the change of formation after halftime, along with the substitutions that saw Fulham have an improved second half.


You can also listen to the show by following this link...
https://cottagersconfidential.sbnation.com/2018/12/2/18122142/cottage-talk-full-time-fulham-go-down-2-0-to-chelsea-at-stamford-bridge

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Claudio Ranieri believes Fulham are improving despite sitting bottom of Premier League

Claudio Ranieri believes his Fulham side are improving despite sitting bottom of the Premier League table.

Fulham lost 2-0 to west London rivals Chelsea on Derby Day in Ranieri's second game in charge of the Premier League club, having replaced Slavisa Jokanovic in November.

The Italian has now registered one win and one loss with the Cottagers at the foot of the table on eight points.

And even though Fulham fell to defeat on Ranieri's return to Stamford Bridge, he is optimistic about what the future holds for his side this season.

"We made a mistake for the first goal and then in the second half we played much better," he told Sky Sports.

"We created some chances and, of course, when you play against a big champion it's something we had to do. We are improving. It's a positive step but, of course, we have to react immediately.

"I am feeling good because the second half we created good problems for Chelsea and now we have to continue in this way.

"I have to change, to improve and work hard. I have very good players and I am very convinced we can do something good this season."

Fulham host Ranieri's former club Leicester City on Wednesday night and Ranieri believes it is an important game for his side to take all three points from as they look to climb up the table.

He added: "It's a very emotional game but it's very important for us to make a point. I am positive we [will] have a very good reaction and I'm sure we will play well."



https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/11569885/claudio-ranieri-believes-fulham-are-improving-despite-sitting-bottom-of-premier-league

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Claudio Ranieri must tinker with this Fulham side – but fixture pile-up makes task tricky

Italian admits he was pleased with Chelsea game despite a 2-0 defeat - now he must return to the training ground and build on positives

You have to wonder what those who have criticised Maurizio Sarri for playing N'Golo Kante out of position thought of Claudio Ranieri as he lined up with a centre-back in right midfield and a left wing-back at centre-forward. All the talk before this game was that Ranieri must make Fulham harder to beat, that his focus must be on drilling defensive shape and organisation. The Cottagers had picked up just a single point on the road this season and conceded 33 goals in 13 games so you could understand the Italian's desire to set up defensively with a flat back four and three sitting in midfield. But with Calum Chambers and Ryan Sessegnon looking hopelessly out of position, the result was a mess.

Chelsea on top early on
Marcos Alonso enjoyed acres of space in behind Chambers and Eden Hazard was given far too much freedom to roam between the lines. Ironically, it was neither of those two who created Chelsea's early opener but Kante himself. The Frenchman dispossessed a dawdling Jean Michael Seri in midfield and laid it on a plate for Pedro to slot home. It was the low point in a poor afternoon for Seri, a man once linked with Barcelona but, based on Sunday's performance, one who would look more at home in the National League than the Camp Nou. Whatever Ranieri has been up to on the training ground in the past fortnight did not pay off in the first half. Fulham made it far too easy for Chelsea who Sarri would later admit were "nervous" following their first defeat of the season last weekend against Tottenham.

Tinkering pays off
Ranieri was clearly frustrated with his side and gesticulated wildly on the sideline. He may still struggle to express himself fluently in English but he certainly looks like he knows how to swear in Italian. With the Blues 1-0 up but looking like they could soon make it two, three or four, the Tinkerman tinkered: Sessegnon dropped onto the right-wing with Stefan Johansen pushed further left. When half-time came, those two were replaced with the lively pair of Aboubakar Kamara and Floyd Ayite. Fulham switched to a 4-4-1-1 that was reminiscent of Ranieri's title-winning Leicester and looked much more comfortable with it – if only they had the pace and goalscoring ability of Jamie Vardy up front.

Chambers impresses after shaky start
Chambers excelled in a more central position and drew two fine saves from Kepa Arrizabalaga as well as praise from his manager after the final whistle. "For me he is a good midfielder because he understands what I want. He moves the ball quickly," Ranieri said. It was another young Englishman – Ruben Loftus-Cheek – who eventually doubled Chelsea's lead in the 82nd minute as Fulham chased an equaliser. The visitors can feel unlucky to not have taken more from the game but Ranieri was nevertheless pleased with his afternoon's work. "At the beginning we gave them a present," Ranieri said of Pedro's opener. "But I am satisfied. Not with the result but with how we reacted. With the two wingers we made problems for them. "I think we played much better today than the Southampton match and we have to continue [improving] this way."

Unity
Ranieri brings with him a mantra of unity – on and off the pitch. The Italian and his coaching staff reportedly made their way around every department at Fulham on his first day to make a formal introduction to every member of staff, from the cleaners to the kitman. They will need plenty of that team spirit and more if they are to drag themselves out of the relegation dogfight. Fulham started and finished the day rock-bottom of the Premier League table, not that you would know it judging by the mood of their boisterous support at the final whistle as they cheered their side off.

Can Ranieri pull off a 'miracle'?
Ranieri has warned fans not to "think about the miracle" but with a man in charge who won the title with a back four of Danny Simpson, Wes Morgan, Robert Huth and Christian Fuchs you can hardly blame them for having belief. "We can win, we can lose, but I want to see our philosophy," Ranieri added. "My players have to understand my philosophy because I like to play very fast. "Now we think about the next match." Now his challenge will be drilling that same "philosophy" as well as a bit more organisation and belief into his new players as he did at Leicester. With games coming thick and fast in the festive period – Fulham have seven matches in the next 30 days, including Leicester themselves on Wednesday night – his task will not be easy.



Read more at: https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/fulham-chelsea-claudio-ranieri-task-philsophy-calum-chambers/

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Claudio Ranieri explains why he's been surprised with Calum Chambers' performances for Fulham

The Arsenal loanee has carved out a starting spot for himself in the heart of Fulham's midfield

Claudio Ranieri admitted he has been 'very surprised' with how well Calum Chambers has adapted to a midfeld role at Fulham.

The 23-year-old originally arrived at Craven Cottage as a central defender on a season-long loan deal from Arsenal in the summer but has recently been played in a central midfield role which was started by former boss Slavisa Jokanovic and continued under Ranieri.

He started there once more in the 2-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and was the side's best player and looked more than comfortable against the likes of Jorginho and N'Golo Kante, although his passing was erratic at times.

Chambers endured a nightmare start at Craven Cottage after arriving on loan, first being dropped from his favoured central role before being played at right back, where he was torn apart at Cardiff City in the 4-2 defeat there in October.

That said, he seems to have found a home in central midfield at Fulham now and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him continue in that role when the side face Leicester City on Wednesday night, and Ranieri has explained why he's been surprised at how well he's done there.

After the game, Ranieri said: "He played very well. He's a good midfielder because he understands what I want and, also, when he has the ball, he moves it very quickly and in the right way. I'm very very surprised."



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/claudio-ranieri-explains-hes-been-15495418

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Fulham boss Ranieri: We played well and we have to continue in this way

Fulham boss Claudio Ranieri has a massive task on his hands if he is to get Fulham out of the Premier League relegation zone - they are currently rock bottom.

But he can take some comfort in his charges performance in the 2-0 defeat against neighbours Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this afternoon.

The ex-Blues boss said: I'm satisfied - not with result, of course - but with the way we reacted and played.

"I think we played much better today than against Southampton, and we have to continue in this way.

"The players need to understand my philosophy better because I like to play very fast. Today, we made good decisions in a very short period of time.

"I think it was a good match. At the beginning we gave them a good present when we lost the ball and they scored on the counter attack, but we reacted well.

"I told our players before the match that we can win or lose, but I want us to play with our philosophy.

"We didn't make enough chances in the first half, but it was much better in the second half. With our two wingers, we created some problems for them and had chances to draw the match.

"In the end, they scored the second goal. I think it was a good match in the second-half, but when Maurizio [Sarri] made some changes and put on [Alvaro] Morata, [Ruben] Loftus-Cheek, it's not easy. They have quality players – [Eden] Hazard is amazing."

"I was pleased because in the first half we conceded one goal after a mistake in midfield, but after I decided to change the system and put two wingers who were faster than their defensive line, and we created some chances.

"Now, we think about the next match," he said. "It's a congested period but it's important to improve our fitness, everything, because we're pressing a lot and playing faster than before. It's important for us to make a right decision in a very short time.

"It will be difficult in every game this season, but I am very confident in my players."



https://www.capitalfootball.co.uk/single-post/2018/12/02/Fulham-boss-Ranieri-We-played-well-and-we-have-to-continue-use-this-way