Álvaro Arbeloa’s mission turns into a fiasco in England. Arriving on the Fulham bench with the ambition of turning around the London club, the former Real Madrid coach has still not won a single match after six days of the Premier League. With only two points on the clock, the Cottagers occupy last place in the standings and see the pressure increasing on their Spanish coach. The latest defeat to Ipswich Town further weakened his position, as his team led until the 88th minute before collapsing in the final moments.
This new disillusionment provoked strong criticism in the British press. The Guardian spoke of an Ipswich comeback in the final seconds, while emphasizing that the pressure was increasing on Arbeloa. There BBC also insisted on the delicate situation of the technician, who assures that he is not afraid despite the poor results. For his part, The Independent pointed the finger at a listless team, unable to maintain their advantage, while Sky Sports is now awaiting a reaction from the Spanish coach, otherwise he will be in the hot seat.
Álvaro Arbeloa responds to criticism
Beyond the results, it is above all Arbeloa’s ability to manage his meetings which is now questioned. Despite a desire to renew his workforce by relying in particular on young talents from the Real Madrid team, the technician has not yet succeeded in giving a real identity to his team. The figures are particularly worrying: two points taken out of eighteen possible, no victory and already several matches during which Fulham have let favorable results slip away. The first rumors around a possible dismissal had emerged in mid-September, but the lack of perspective then worked in the Spaniard’s favor.
After six days without success, his credit now seems to be dwindling. But the ex-Madrilenian evokes his past at Casa Blanca to get back on track: “maybe they don’t know me, but I played with and coached the best team in the world. Maybe they don’t know it, but just so they know, pressure has been a part of my life since I was a child. I never worry about my position. I don’t feel fear. You can’t be a coach if you feel it. You have to work, make decisions and show confidence to the players.”. The next meetings against Hull City and Coventry City could weigh heavily in the balance. A new poor performance would further accentuate the doubts around Álvaro Arbeloa.
