Fulham were one of the most exciting sides to watch in the Championship last season under the tutelage of former manager Slavisa Jokanovic, but things didn’t pan out well in the Premier League that led to his demise.
Having collected merely 17 points from 25 league outings, the Cottagers are currently 19th in the league table, with relegation a real possibility.
Claudio Ranieri, who was appointed following the sacking of Jokanovic back in November, has an uphill task lying ahead of him in the coming months.
Fulham signed Lazar Markovic for free from Liverpool, and also struck loan deals to bring in Ryan Babel and Havard Nordtveit to Craven Cottage.
Considering the resources Ranieri has at his disposal, here is the strongest Fulham lineup which he should field on a regular basis in the upcoming months.
Strongest Fulham Lineup After January Transfer Window (4-3-3)
Defence
Sergio Rico should be preferred in goal despite the availability of Fabri and Marcus Bettinelli.
A centre-pairing of Nordtveit and Maxime Le Marchand might be the solution to fix Fulham’s defensive woes.
Nordtveit is a calm and composed player and his ability to bring the ball out from the back and tough tackling skills should hold him in good stead while Ranieri picks the team.
Denis Odoi deserves to get the nod to start in the right-back position, while Joe Bryan might feature in the left-back position to offer an offensive edge.
Midfield
Jean Michael Seri should get regular playing time in the coming months and the former Nice star often mixes caution with aggression in midfield.
Cyrus Christie is a good option on the right side of the midfield, while Ryan Sessegnon is a handy option on the left.
Attack
Aleksandar Mitrovic has arguably been the best player for Fulham so far this campaign. The 24-year-old has scored 10 goals and has registered two assists in 25 league games so far.
Tom Cairney has the ability to create chances in from the right flank, and should be preferred over Andre Schürrle who has been far too inconsistent.
New signings Ryan Babel has already made his presence felt on the left wing, and should start there in the coming months.
Statistics Credits: WhoScored