Six league games, no wins, bottom of the table, two points. That is the reality facing Fulham and Alvaro Arbeloa ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Hull City at Craven Cottage. The noise around the head coach is growing, the pressure is obvious, and the next result matters.
Arbeloa, appointed in the summer on a three-year deal, is already being asked about his future. His answer was clear and repeated. “It is not about me, it is about the club, the players and the supporters,” he said. Later, he doubled down: “It is not about my future. Like I said before, it is about the club and my players.”
That is the correct line in public. Managers do not gain anything by talking about themselves when the team is struggling. Fulham need points, not messaging. Still, the league table does not care about good intentions, and neither do club executives when a side is drifting early in the season.
Photo: IMAGO
Fulham results leave no room for excuses
The problem for Fulham is not that they have been consistently poor for 90 minutes. In fact, that may be what makes this run more irritating inside the club. There have been stretches where the team looked organised, competitive and close to getting the reward.
At Ipswich Town last weekend, Fulham led 1-0 through Ryan Sessegnon in the second half and were on course for a first league win before conceding twice late on. Before the international break, they were seconds away from taking three points against Manchester United before a deflected Matheus Cunha effort denied them. They also managed a 0-0 draw at Anfield against Liverpool.
Arbeloa sees that as proof the players are buying in. “They did for many minutes against Ipswich. We did against Manchester United and we did against Liverpool (in their 0-0 draw at Anfield). For me, we need to try to keep that level for 90 minutes, that is important.”
That is fair enough. Short spells are useful evidence for a coach. They are not enough to rescue a season. Fulham’s…
..
