The infamous 4-1 defeat at the CBS in 2021-22 was one of the few low points in what was a wonderful Championship winning campaign. It lives long in the memory for all the wrong reasons, and as I look out of the window to see the rain fall hard on a humdrum town (Wimbledon), it takes me back to that awful afternoon in early October.
I turned up to Alvaro Arbeloa’s pre-match presser this morning with a spring in my step off the back of the 1-0 win against Hull, all while trying to shake off the worst hangover I’ve ever experienced. But Alex Iwobi’s winning goal made myself and 25,000 other Fulham fans feel much better.
On team news: Everyone is available, said Arbeloa. Emile Smith Rowe had an issue this time last week hence his omission from the match-day squad vs the Tigers. Hugo Larsson is back in contention too, after missing out last week because of a groin problem. Ryan Sessegnon will be out for the next three games due to suspension.
There was of course another training session this morning ahead of the squad’s trip up to Coventry, but hopefully everyone has pulled through.
Arbeloa “Nothing has changed for us. When we were not winning games, we kept the belief that we were doing so many things well. And now we have the same target, go to Coventy and try to win a tough game.
“But yes, we have the reward that we were looking for, and now it’s another week, another game, so we need to fight again for the win.”
The Fulham head coach was asked about whether he feels confident he will be given time to help build on last week’s win:
“I will have the time and obviously I can’t compare myself with Marco [Silva] because he was here for five years, so he did really well, but he had his own ideas, his players, he chose all the squad in five years.
“It’s a good time to build a good project like he did and I hope that I can have this time and working so hard with my staff and with my players to build this new project and I think we are in our way.
“I have a very good relationship with the owners here, with Alistair. We are in touch every week, but we are talking about always playing the next game, trying to improve. That’s the most important thing.”
When asked if striker Gonzalo Garcia needs a goal more than anyone, Arbeloa said:
“I’m so happy with him because of his work and how he helped our midfielders to create spaces for Josh and for Alex and for players that can play between the lines. He’s making some good runs we need to try to look for him sometimes because obviously we are a thing that we like to keep the ball and combine but sometimes you need to look for the players that is running and treating the defenders. So that’s important for us. And I think he’s been great and I’m so happy with him.
“Also with Rodrigo, with all my players. I know that I can play only with 11 players. And as always, as we say, I’m happy with the 11 starters, but I’m happy with the players that are on the bench.
“But for me, I know Gonzalo very well. I know that he can play in the way that he’s doing, but also he can score goals and I think goals will come.”
Arbeloa was also full of praise for both Shea Charles and Josh King:
On Charles:
“He's doing very well. I talk with him a lot because for me, The midfielders are very important. They are almost the coach on the field.
"They need to control the tempo of the game. They need to talk with all their teammates. They need to think about the game. What is happening? How the other team are defending? How they are pressing?
"What do we need in that moment, in every moment of the game? So, Shea is doing very well and I think he is a player that is very competitive, very good, physically really strong but fighting for the ball. And I really like it because he plays really well under pressure and we need that from our midfielders.
"I think he's doing so well. He has to be a leader for us. I know he's young, but he's captain of his national team and we need his leadership.”
On King:
“I talked with him after the Ipswich game and during all the weeks.
”I told him: "You are young, but if you want to be one of the best players in the world, you need to take that responsibility." You can see very good and young players around the world that they are top, top players. They are young, but they like and they love their responsibility and Josh can do it.
"I think he's very humble but I think he can play really well and he can feel the pressure and he can manage that pressure in a good way and when the ball is hot and the game is in a difficult moment, I think he can do it so well for us. He has everything. So yes, I trust them (my young players) and this is why I always demand the best from the young players because I trust them.”
If Fulham claim back-to-back wins tomorrow, it will put the club and Arbeloa in a much better position. I am confident Fulham can get all three points, but of course I am anxious and nervous, just like any other Fulham fan, with the memory of Ipswich still living rent free in my head.
Safe travels to all the fans making the trip.
COYW!