Had a bit of a nightmare this morning which resulted in me missing Alvaro Arbeloa’s pre-match press conference. The trains have caused issues for millions across the country over the last few days, and as I boarded a train thinking it was going to Motspur Park this morning, I was oblivious to the fact that it was a non-stop service to Chessington South. Schoolboy error.
I thought ‘ho-hum, I’ll just get the train back to Motspur Park from there and I’ll make it in time.’ Wrong again, the train bounced back and was a non-stop service to London Waterloo. Well, that’s that then!
Noise cancellation headphones are a superb way to block out the ongoing and infuriating pandemic of people of all ages playing music/reels/TikToks/phone calls out loud on public transport, but it can catch you out when having to listen out for important train announcements.
But, not to worry, Dave Kidd and Jon Harland were both on hand to put the questions to AA ahead of Fulham’s THIRD game against Crystal Palace since our new head coach arrived in SW6.
So here is what Arbeloa had to say:
On team news: “Yes, I think everyone is available. (Sess still suspended). Sander is feeling better. Who we will see there because we played two days ago, how everyone is feeling if we have some issues, but I think no problem at all. So, everyone is available.”
On possible rotation?: “"I expect to put (out) the strongest team possible tomorrow. Obviously we played three days ago and we have another match in three days. But I am thinking about winning this game and only thinking about that.
"This Cup is really important. It's a great opportunity for us to reach a final. So, three more games, we are not far.
"We are playing at home against a team that, like I said before, beat us some weeks ago. So, I am thinking about the best XI that I can put on the pitch.
“Tomorrow is a good opportunity for some players that are working hard, but maybe we have some players that are working hard, and they still need to continue working hard because, like I said, there are some players that played the other day and they will play tomorrow because I want to win this game. For me as a coach it's very important, for our team it's very important.
"And this is not about giving opportunities. It's about to win the match. When we played against West Ham and Wimbledon, I made a lot of changes, but because I felt that we needed it.”
AA on ESR and Kevin: "Yes, we have a big squad. It's not easy to play in this team. It's not easy for me to pick 11 players, even 20 players for every match.
"It's not easy, but they need to continue working as they are doing. I have so many players that are working hard and they need to wait for this opportunity. For me, the players that are starting now and they are playing, they are doing well.
"The players that came on from the bench, they did really, really well. They give us energy, they give us quality. You have to be ready.
"I know for both, not easy situation for both, and for the players that they are not playing. But they have to be patient, they have to work as hard as they are doing. It's a long season, injuries will come and the opportunities will come, and until that day they have to wait and they need to continue working because we have so many good players."
Arbeloa on Tom Cairney: “When you have a player like Tom, I don't need to coach him because he knows what he has to do in every moment of the game, in every training session. He is an example. We all need to understand how we play, what we want to do as a team.
"He's the perfect captain and for me I'm really lucky to have a player like Tom.”
On clapping the fans: “For some moments I felt that I was failing that I didn't deserve that support and I wanted to earn that moment. From here, from my press conference, I was giving thanks to them.
"But yes, I know that they need to see me there. Obviously for me, it was so, so special to feel their support and to share that moment with them. We have to do it if we lose games, because we are together in this journey.
"But I wanted to earn this moment. Obviously, it's special, as a new manager, to feel that from the first moment, they support you. So I'm really grateful.”
Finally on Muniz: “Yes, he's training really hard and the other day he was really well. He has his qualities and I want to see the desire and I want to see that he wants to earn his place in the team and that he is his best.
"And Rodrigo, we know that he's a very good player and he can help us a lot. And we need to, same with Gonzalo, I think we can do better in the final third. We had some very good situations from the wide areas that we can be better in crosses and we need to look for our strikers too. I think we can do better and we need to use them."
Really excited about tomorrow’s game. A great chance to reach the last eight for the second year running in the Carabao Cup, But, Crystal Palace at home is a fixture that sends shivers down my spine.
But, like Arbeloa, I am UP for the Cup.
All the best, COYW!