After the positive feeling that successive 5-0 victories over Nottingham Forest and West Ham had given Fulham, Marco Silva’s side have now lost three straight matches in the Premier League without scoring.
Those defeats have not only left Fulham just six points above the relegation zone but also exposed areas they must strengthen in the transfer market.
Silva said he wanted five signings in the final week of the summer transfer window. Fulham only made three, and their ever-ambitious manager will hope the club re-enter the market to make up for lost time.
Top priority
Fulham are aware they possess one of the Premier League’s best defensive midfielders in Joao Palhinha, and are resigned to the fact he will leave them one day.
In part to cover his eventual exit and in part for balance, Fulham should see central midfield as their priority.
Sasa Lukic and Harrison Reed are the other central midfielders at the club and have both partnered Palhinha at times this term, but Fulham could do with a fourth option.
What else they need
Right-wing is also a position Fulham should look to improve.
The signing of Adama Traore on a free transfer in the summer has not yet worked out due to his lingering hamstring injury.
Bobby De Cordova-Reid and Harry Wilson have shared the bulk of the game time on the right, with playmaker Alex Iwobi sometimes deployed there when not operating centrally.
Fulham could also do with another full-back. Timothy Castagne can play either side, but there are only Kenny Tete and Antonee Robinson beyond that.
Possible ins
Fulham are confident they can sign midfielder Andre from Brazilian side Fluminense. They are also interested in 21-year-old midfielder Pierre Ekwah of Sunderland and Feyenoord’s Mats Wieffer.
Confidence in Raul Jimenez will be high after he has scored four goals in his last six games. If those goals wane, Jay Stansfield could be recalled from his so-far successful loan spell at Birmingham, while they continue to track Serhou Guirassy, who trails only Harry Kane for Bundesliga goals and only has a £15m release clause.
Possible outs
It is unlikely Fulham will sell anyone in January, unless a lucrative offer comes in for the likes of Tosin Adarabioyo, who has now rejected three contract extensions, or Palhinha, who they would have sold to Bayern Munich for £58million in the summer had they lined up a replacement before the deadline.
Fulham are not planning any loans for their players at it stands, but that could change depending on any interest for Silva’s lesser-used squad players.
