Claudio’s Cottagers ‘chasing’ Chelsea captain Cahill circumspectly — communique

Chelsea neighbors Fulham’s fortunes have not improved too much in the three weeks since sacking former Chelsea player Slaviša Jokanović as head coach and replacing him with former Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri — while keeping former Chelsea player Scott Parker as assistant head coach — though in fairness, their two losses have come against Chelsea themselves and Manchester United (these days led by former Chelsea manager José Mourinho).

In fact, Ranieri has managed four points in his four games in charge, a marked improvement on the five points achieved by the Cottagers in the first twelve games of the season. But they will have to continue collecting points if they are to move off the bottom of the table, and do so while other relegation candidates like Huddersfield, Burnley, Cardiff, Newcastle, Crystal Palace, and Southampton remain within striking distance — the bottom seven are currently separated by just five points.

Fulham are actually the highest scoring team of the bottom third (by one goal), but they are by far and away the worst defensively, having conceded an outrageous 40 goals in 16 games, eight more than the next worst team. So it would make perfect sense for them to look for defensive help in January.

Might Chelsea help out our friendly neighbors? According to Sky Sports, we just might in the form of Captain Gary Cahill.

Finally, a Cahill rumor that makes sense! After silly links with Arsenal and AC Milan, a destination in West London, to help Fulham survive their first season back in the Premier League would be a perfect assignment for Cahill, be that on loan or as part of a permanent move.

Cahill had missed Chelsea’s trip to Hungary with a mystery injury (young Ethan Ampadu deputized ably), which hopefully won’t scupper any potential move The Man Who’s Won It All might want to make in January.