Friday Fulham Stuff (08/02/19)...

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Claudio Ranieri struggling to reinvent Fulham but urges forward momentum

The Italian coach arrived in November but has yet to make his ideas count, with his team now seven points from safety

Claudio Ranieri is a man in a hurry. Fulham's manager will be unhappy if he sees his team playing like a bad Manchester City tribute act for the rest of the season. With Premier League survival on the line, the Italian is running out of patience. Questions about his philosophy elicit a measured but pointed response and Ranieri's message was clear before Fulham host Manchester United on Saturday: the time for learning is over.

While Ranieri delivered a few nice lines about grit and determination, saying that Fulham need "soldiers who have to fight until the end" against United, it was when he turned his thoughts to tactical concerns that his frustrations became more apparent. His demand that his players get the ball forward quickly sounds reasonable enough, but the challenge is forcing a rapid shift in mentality in a group who spent three years learning a different style of football under Slavisa Jovanovic.

Fulham, seven points below 17th-placed Burnley and yet to win away, are surely destined to drop back into the Championship unless they trust in Jokanovic's successor. Yet some of the noises are unconvincing. For instance, it was interesting to hear Tom Cairney observe that Fulham are a team who "have got to pass the ball" after the midfielder played a crucial role last month in the thrilling comeback win against Brighton & Hove Albion. "We can't really outfight teams," Cairney said. "We aren't big enough. We aren't strong enough."

Ranieri, who has not won away in the Premier League since April 2016, has other ideas. "I love when we keep possession but look forward," he said. "I get crazy when we keep possession and go back to our goalkeeper, because the opponent's goal is the other side. Keep possession, go forward. Don't keep possession and go back. If we are maybe 30 metres from the opposition goal and we go back, pass the ball to the goalkeeper, who makes a long kick and we arrive in the middle of the pitch. Why?"

Ranieri, who has struggled to inspire an improvement since his appointment in November, considered that Fulham had flourished with a patient style in the past. "Last season they were one of the best teams, they kept possession," he said. "But at the end they had to buy Aleksandar Mitrovic, who scored goals. A lot of matches they won 1-0, 2-1. It was a battle. Now there are better teams. If you keep possession and you don't score, sooner or later you are too spread out and you concede a goal."

He continued along that theme and accepted it is not easy to change a team's tactics in such a short space of time. "It's difficult," Ranieri said. "The more intelligent think: 'OK, I have the ball, I have to pass forward.' Who is not intelligent pass the balls horizontally and we lose the ball and give the counterattack to them."

While Ranieri arrived in west London with a reputation as a miracle worker after winning the Premier League with Leicester in 2016, there was no sign of any magic during last week's lifeless defeat at Crystal Palace. Ryan Sessegnon, their brilliant teenage winger, was an unused substitute and supporters were alarmed to see Cairney toiling on the right of a front three.

Ranieri believes that Sessegnon needs more nastiness and he sounds unlikely to entrust Cairney with a role in the middle against United, especially if he persists with a 3-4-3 system.

"I like Cairney but I want him more forward," Ranieri said. "I don't like when he comes back because if he comes back, I don't have anybody in front. I want him between the lines. He can make the difference. He can make the last pass. He can shoot a goal. He can make a cross."

Fulham's only chance against Palace stemmed from Cairney drifting inside and picking out Joe Bryan, whose cross deserved a better finish from Mitrovic. "He starts from outside to come inside," Ranieri said. "Juan Mata does the same. The two at Manchester City, Silva, Mahrez, they always come in the middle. He can make some difference there.

"He's comfortable when he plays free. When you're in the middle and lose the ball you have to work hard to regain the ball. In that position, he stops. No. That's no good. In that position you can win or lose the match, in the centre of midfield."

Cairney's difficulty to fit in epitomises Fulham's plight. They spent heavily last summer and made further additions last month, bringing in Havard Nordtveit, Ryan Babel and Lazar Markovic, but confusion reigns. Ranieri is still trying to create a new identity. He has 13 games to make it work and the clock is ticking.



https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/feb/07/fulham-manchester-united-claudio-ranieri

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Claudio Ranieri offers explanation on why he uses Fulham captain Tom Cairney as a right winger

The skipper has found himself in a new position since the arrival of the Italian in November

Claudio Ranieri has given his explanation on why he has been using Tom Cairney as a right winger since he took over at Fulham from Slavisa Jokanovic

The skipper was the pivot in the Serbian's side and played in a midfield three alongside Kevin McDonald and Stefan Johansen which allowed Cairney to direct the play and get on the ball.

However, since Ranieri became manager McDonald has lost his place in the squad altogether, Johansen has been loaned to West Brom and Cairney is now either used from the bench or as a right winger.

It's something the 28-year-old looks uncomfortable doing, something that was clear to see in the 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace where he wanted to drift inside and play more centrally.

And ahead of the visit of Manchester United, Ranieri has tried to explain why he's using Cairney more as a right winger and not in his preferred central role.

He said: "I like a lot Cairney but I want him more forward. I don't like when he comes back because if he comes back, I don't have anybody in front.


(Image: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire)

"I want him between the lines. He can make the difference. He can make the last pass. He can shoot a goal. He can make a cross.

"For this reason sometimes I tell him to stay in the wide position where he can take the ball and deliver the ball. That's it. Because in that position I need another kind of player when we play with a 4-4-2 or with two strikers.


(Image: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

"He starts from outside to come inside, as everybody makes. Mata makes the same. The two at Manchester City, Silva, Mahrez, they always come in the middle. He can make some difference there.

"He's comfortable when he plays free. When you're in the middle and lose the ball you have to work hard to regain the ball. In that position, he stops.

"No. That's no good. In that position you can win or lose the match, in the centre of midfield."



https://www.football.london/fulham-fc/claudio-ranieri-offers-explanation-uses-15797397

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Anniversary Shirt Out Now

Formed in 1879 as a local boys' church side, Fulham St. Andrew's, Fulham Football Club is the oldest of London's first-class clubs.

With a long and colourful history, Fulham FC is rightly positioned as London's Original Football Club.

This limited edition 140 Year Anniversary Shirt pays tribute to Fulham's rich history. A twist on the design of the Club's first strip, the shirt features Fulham's famous white and black colours – which
were introduced for the first time in 1889.

As part of our 140 Year Anniversary, the Club has launched a special edition Anniversary Shirt which will be worn by the First Team in one of the Club's pre-season fixtures this year.

The commemorative shirt, emblazoned with a 140 Years crest, is available to purchase now both online and instore.

Priced at £65 for adults and £50 for juniors, only a limited number – 1,879 shirts – have been produced, each individually numbered and certificated to mark their exclusivity.

In addition, an exclusive 140 Years Fulham name and number personalisation is available to add to your shirt for £15, with each number featuring a 140 Years motif.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2019/february/08/anniversary-shirt-out-now

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Tottenham must take advantage of Sessegnon's contract stand-off with Fulham

The landscape has changed for Ryan Sessegnon at Fulham this season and while he has not signed a new long-term contract, there is a window of opportunity for Tottenham to pounce.

Fulham are still waiting for English starlet Ryan Sessegnon to sign an extended contract at Craven Cottage, as reported by the Evening Standard.

They report that Sessegnon now has under 18 months left on his Whites contract and the club are keen for him to commit his future to the club.

Cottagers manager Claudio Ranieri is apparently confident that Sessegnon will pen a new deal but the landscape has undoubtedly changed for the teenager this season.

Former Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic showed immense faith in Sessegnon and played an expansive style of football that got the best out of him.

Jumping up to the Premier League has been a learning curve, and Fulham have reacted by abandoning the patient progression of last season, plumping for pragmatism and expensive spending.

That has led to the likes of Joe Byran and Ryan Babel pushing in front of Sessegnon – and it is understandable that Sessegnon does not want to tie himself down to a club that has shed its identity in search of Premier League survival.

The Standard report that Tottenham have been interested in Sessegnon before and his contract stand-off creates a window of opportunity for Mauricio Pochettino to secure a young English talent, potentially at a knockdown price.

Fulham previously represented a greater source of first-team chances for the youngster, but the rapid changes at the club mean that there may be better opportunities on over in north London.



https://tbrfootball.com/tottenham-must-take-advantage-of-sessegnons-contract-stand-off-with-fulham/

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Could Fulham regret not signing reported £22m target Diego Llorente in January?

Fulham reportedly want to bring Spain international defender Diego Llorente to the Premier League from La Liga outfit Real Sociedad.

Mundo Deportivo claimed this week that three London clubs, Fulham, West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur, are competing to sign the highly-rated Spaniard Diego Llorente.

The 25-year-old centre-back, who has played twice for his country at international level, has impressed since joining Real Sociedad from Real Madrid in 2017 and even scored seven times in all competitions last season.

And, according to Mundo Deportivo, Llorente has a £22 million release clause in his contract, which makes him good value in today's market.

But, while Premier League interest is understandable, Fulham might simply have left it far too late. It is no secret that the Cottagers are weak at the back, conceding more goals (55) than any other club in the top flight since they were promoted last May.

With the January transfer window shut, however, Claudio Ranieri will have to make do with Tim Ream, Dennis Odoi and co between now and the end of the season. Llorente would have been a fine addition in January, the sort of player who could provide the platform for a 'great escape'.

But with Fulham seven points from safety as it stands, the chances of him moving to Craven Cottage if they are relegated look very slim.



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2019/02/08/do-fulhams-will-regret-not-signing-reported-22m-target-diego-llo/