Arbeloa fighting to keep players onside just six games into reign
Exclusive: Spaniard has put noses out of joint with his recruitment and is struggling to get his ideas across as pressure mounts
Sam Wallace Chief Football Writer. Sam Dean. John Percy
Published 15 October 2026 12:00pm BST
Fulham head coach Álvaro Arbeloa is struggling to convince his players of a new expansive playing style as a crucial weekend approaches.
Telegraph Sport understands there have been concerns among some of Fulham's players since the start of pre-season and they believe Arbeloa's approach leaves them vulnerable.
The head coach's methods are said to have confused certain members of the first-team squad, with some individuals expressing concern in pre-season that training sessions were of a significantly lower quality than under previous manager Marco Silva.
Bottom of the table after six games with just two points and most recently a damaging defeat at Ipswich Town last Saturday, this weekend's home match against newly promoted Hull City, eighth in the table, is already looking pivotal.
The team are third in the Premier League for total passes and eighth for expected goals, but it is their general lack of resilience that has resulted in them conceding late in games against Sunderland, Crystal Palace, Manchester United and Ipswich. Arbeloa has changed the team's shape and also left out experienced Danish centre-back Joachim Andersen – a staple of the side in the two previous seasons.
The signing of three relatively junior Real Madrid players – Gonzalo García, César Palacios and Manuel Ángel, all of whom worked with Arbeloa in Spain – has also put some noses out of joint. Fulham lost both Raúl Jiménez and Harry Wilson, key attacking players last season, on free transfers in the summer.
The club were forced into the late appointment of Arbeloa after Silva had a change of heart in early June and decided to accept an offer from Benfica. Fulham had believed they were on the brink of a contract renewal with Silva only to find themselves thrust into a manager search just before the start of the World Cup finals.
The club are run on a day-to-day basis by chief executive Alistair Mackintosh, but all major decisions go through the Khan family ownership and in particular Tony, son of patriarch Shahid. Brian Talbot, 73, the former England international who had a 20-year career as a player and another 20 years as a manager, has acted as an adviser to the Khans.
Arbeloa had been promoted to caretaker Real Madrid manager in January after half a season in charge of Real Madrid Castilla in Spain's third tier. An experienced defender who won the 2010 World Cup with Spain and two Champions League titles with Real Madrid, he was one of a few available who fitted the profile that Fulham sought. He spoke English and played for Liverpool for two years before returning to Real.
Fulham have been in the Premier League for seven of the past nine seasons. The club made losses of about £45m in their most recently published annual results up to the end of June 2025. The impressive new Riverside stand is understood to have cost as much as £350m after delays.
Fulham need to retain their Premier League status and the loss of Silva, an experienced hand in English football, was a blow for an ownership that has accepted stability at the price of some big losses since Covid.
The transition from the end of last season to the start of this new campaign was never going to be straightforward for Fulham, who said farewell to arguably the three most important individuals in their first-team set-up over the summer.
The first, and most significant, was head coach Silva. His departure was unexpected: after five years at the club, Fulham believed the Portuguese would extend his contract and were very much planning for the new season based on the expectation that he would remain in the dugout. Instead, he left for Benfica.
The other two key departures were Wilson to Leeds and Jiménez to Wolves. They struck 11 and 10 goals respectively last season and were responsible for 40 per cent of Fulham's goals in the Premier League. Both left on free transfers.
Faced with this situation – and yes, it could be argued that Fulham only had themselves to blame if they were not prepared for such an eventuality – the club placed a substantial amount of faith in individuals from Real Madrid. Not only by appointing Arbeloa, the interim manager at the Bernabéu for the second half of last season, but also by signing three players from Real.
The trio of García, Palacios and Ángel all knew Arbeloa, who had coached the Real youth team, but they certainly did not know the Premier League. Palacios, 21, arrived at Fulham with five La Liga appearances to his name. Ángel, 22, had four. Garcia, who cost more than £30m, had more first-team exposure, with more than 50 appearances for Real Madrid, but he had started only 20 of those games. All three players are represented by the same agency, Best of You. So is Arbeloa.
The three young Spaniards may prove to be excellent additions for the club in the future. The problem is that Arbeloa and Fulham need points now, having won none of their opening six league games as they attempt a more expansive style of play. Before Saturday's home match against Hull, Arbeloa's side are bottom of the Premier League.
It was perhaps a sign of things to come when Fulham conceded in the first minute of their first game of the campaign, at home to Chelsea. They started badly in that game and have finished badly in others, conceding late winners against Sunderland, Crystal Palace and Ipswich. They also conceded a late equaliser against Manchester United.
The defeat by Ipswich was particularly painful, as Fulham took the lead but then conceded goals after 88 and 92 minutes. Arbeloa's response was to say: "Maybe you don't know me, but I played for the best team in the world. I have coached the best team in the world."
Critics, including those within his own squad, might be tempted to add that he only coached Real Madrid on an interim basis for five months, following the sacking of Xabi Alonso last season, and that he had no previous experience of leading a senior team before that internal promotion in the Spanish capital.
It would be safe to say that Arbeloa's comments did not land particularly well with the Fulham supporters, many of whom are concerned about the team's direction of travel. The popular Fulhamish fan site posted an article this week headlined: "Five reasons Álvaro Arbeloa has to go" (for balance, Fulhamish did also publish "Five reasons Álvaro Arbeloa must stay", although this was written by an anonymous Arbeloa fan account).
Arbeloa has yet to find a way to unlock the attacking talent in his squad, although he could argue that the struggles of some of Fulham's big-money forwards pre-date his arrival. The £35m signing Kevin, for example, has one goal in 30 Premier League appearances. Oscar Bobb, who cost £27m from Manchester City, has zero goals in 20 league appearances for Fulham.
Of course, teething problems are to be expected when the style of play is transformed. Fulham have played the third-most passes of any Premier League team this season, behind City and Manchester United, and only six teams have taken more shots. It is not unreasonable to suggest that any manager would need time to impose new ideas, especially when the previous coach had been in position for so long. The new Spanish signings, along with fellow additions Shea Charles, David Affengruber and Hugo Larsson, also deserve some patience as they try to adapt.
But there is no value in having talented young technicians who can pass the ball if you do not also have a resilient team structure and proper defenders. Fulham have been far too open in too many of their games and, worryingly, Arbeloa's substitutions have not always helped their cause. At Ipswich, with Fulham leading 1-0 in the final moments, he chose against using the experience of the out-of-favour Andersen and instead brought on Ángel, a diminutive midfielder, for his Premier League debut. Ipswich then scored twice, with both goals originating from crosses into the box.
Fulham's next two league matches are against promoted sides Hull and Coventry City. As unrest simmers among the fans and the first-team squad, Arbeloa urgently needs a significant improvement in performances and results.
This reeks of an Anderson leak
Pretty concerning. As far as football journalists go Sam Wallace is one of the better ones.
Best case scenario this is one upset player who spoke to their agent who spoke to Sam Wallace and that's all. Obviously worse case scenario is much worse.
Its only a leak if its true.
Quote from: Rambler on October 17, 2026, 08:09:34 AMThis reeks of an Anderson leak
I have heard tell that he isnt the most popular player. Not sure if that is true
Leakier than the hammy end bogs....
Quote from: Rambler on October 17, 2026, 08:09:34 AMThis reeks of an Anderson leak
or, as he's not mentioned at all ESR
And the article really doesn't say anything new (except that Fulhamish is popular - IMO its just the Sammy James whinge platform)
Quote from: Rambler on October 17, 2026, 08:09:34 AMThis reeks of an Anderson leak
It does doesn't it. The writer clearly hasn't seen how crap Andersen has been since he re joined and if his nose has been put out of joint then so be it he needs to grow a pair and concentrate on his football. And if not he knows where the door is.
Read the article in the Mail today, written by a Fulham fan and sums it up perfectly.
I said to a friend last Sunday that he has two games left and now everyone is saying it.
Hope for a really good win today.
If you look back over my posts you will see that I wanted him gone after 3 games. The reason for this was his suicidal tactics where 8 people would be attacking at the same time.
The last three games have been much more balanced. We have had two draws against Man U and Liverpool. If we had beaten Ipswich 1-0 people would have said that it was a very professional performance and we played really well. Of course bringing on Angel for Charles still makes me scratch my head. No one would have been talking about him going though.
AA has put himself in this predicament because he wasted pre season and the first 3 games with trying to get the team to play so much on the front foot that there was no one left to keep the back door bolted.
I hope that we win today and against Coventry and we can restart but I suspect that he will be gone.
By the amount of lines written it appears to be a substantial article, but in reality the content is really weak and contains nothing that we didn't already know.
Quote from: C Block on October 17, 2026, 10:15:25 AMBy the amount of lines written it appears to be a substantial article, but in reality the content is really weak and contains nothing that we didn't already know.
Because he was a Marco favourite and now he gets no game time.
The anti-Andersen idee fixe continues. The only surprise is that people haven't blamed him for the Ipswich defeat. For the record, I think both Affengruber and Andersen are decent Premier League defenders, with slightly different attributes, and a good case can be made for either of them, but if it had been Andersen rather than Affengruber playing, you can bet he would have got a barrage of criticism here for Ipswich's second goal.
And what evidence is there that this article in the Telegraph has anything to do with Andersen? He has become the current scapegoat.
Quote from: Southcoastffc on October 17, 2026, 08:37:52 AMAnd the article really doesn't say anything new (except that Fulhamish is popular - IMO its just the Sammy James whinge platform)
I think Sammys pretty positive personally
The article says there have been concerns from players that Arbeloa's tactics leave us vulnerable. It doesn't say Andersen it says some which to me suggests two, three, maybe more. I'm fairly certain most of the fanbase would agree that we are vulnerable under Arbeloa so it's hardly news. There is no evidence that I am aware of that supports any suggestion that Andersen is the leak yet the way people are talking about it you would think it was a fact.
"I know! Let's invent a scenario where our latest scapegoat is now also leaking to the press, and let's do it with absolutely zero evidence."
I have never said a bad word about the owners and am not going to start now, but found that quote from the article concerning: "he was one of a few available who fitted the profile that Fulham sought."
No idea what the profile we were sought was, but how Arbeloa with almost no management experience fitted that is really puzzling to me.
Quote from: Plodder on October 17, 2026, 11:21:47 AMThe anti-Andersen idee fixe continues. The only surprise is that people haven't blamed him for the Ipswich defeat. For the record, I think both Affengruber and Andersen are decent Premier League defenders, with slightly different attributes, and a good case can be made for either of them, but if it had been Andersen rather than Affengruber playing, you can bet he would have got a barrage of criticism here for Ipswich's second goal.
And what evidence is there that this article in the Telegraph has anything to do with Andersen? He has become the current scapegoat.
Totally agree, it's always the same someone has to be blamed.
A jaundiced eye might say the article is an AI study of Fulhamish articles and FOF posts.
Nogood "but the truth hurts, isit" Boyo
Maybe...
Established players who have grown lazy & under achieved under Marco are now complaining about a new manager, new ideas and being asked, told, to put a shift in on a matchday.
Their response? Complain to press & do their upmost on the pitch (as substitutes) to get the new manager sacked.
Quote from: Asotosyios on October 17, 2026, 12:17:22 PMI have never said a bad word about the owners and am not going to start now, but found that quote from the article concerning: "he was one of a few available who fitted the profile that Fulham sought."
No idea what the profile we were sought was, but how Arbeloa with almost no management experience fitted that is really puzzling to me.
A yes man to the unqualified TK.
With the wet blanket Emile Smith-Rowe not even in the squad today, I wonder if it's him that has been bleating to the press,
Bloody cheek if it is considering the previous manager couldn't stand him and didn't select him also.
Well I don't think anybody guessed the starting eleven or those missing from the bench. I think the continued use of Gonzales and Palacios is split right the middle and King continues to get the start a lot of people banged on about so who would be the manager?
Pivotal day in so many respects. If we lose and get beaten up at set plays at the same time the calls for AA to go will become an horrendous din. Thing is nowadays it won't just be him out of the door. How many support staff did he bring with him?
Quote from: C Block on October 17, 2026, 01:57:04 PMWith the wet blanket Emile Smith-Rowe not even in the squad today, I wonder if it's him that has been bleating to the press,
Bloody cheek if it is considering the previous manager couldn't stand him and didn't select him also.
Where do you get that the previous manager stand him?
Quote from: ffc73 on October 17, 2026, 01:13:36 PMMaybe...
Established players who have grown lazy & under achieved under Marco are now complaining about a new manager, new ideas and being asked, told, to put a shift in on a matchday.
Their response? Complain to press & do their upmost on the pitch (as substitutes) to get the new manager sacked.
I have no idea of the source of this story or its accuracy, but I don't think that our players are complaining about having to put a shift in. I'm sure they all very much want the team to be successful, which means their own success and reputation as pro players.
I think, and hope, that we will come good under AA, though the present climate of instant success or sack the manager militates against this.
Hoping for a good results today.
COYW
The Telegraph is a joke, I'd pay little attention.
Quote from: Asotosyios on October 17, 2026, 12:17:22 PMI have never said a bad word about the owners and am not going to start now, but found that quote from the article concerning: "he was one of a few available who fitted the profile that Fulham sought."
No idea what the profile we were sought was, but how Arbeloa with almost no management experience fitted that is really puzzling to me.
That comment can be taken anyway you choose to spin it. Maybe the club had a certain plan and were looking for a manager that would work to that plan and AA was one of a few who fitted what they wanted.