Saturday Fulham Stuff - 22/08/26

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Results

Friday 21/08
Arsenal	3-0	Coventry City

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Fulham injury, suspension list and return dates vs. Chelsea: Joachim Andersen, Tom Cairney updates
Fulham will begin their 2026-27 Premier League campaign against Chelsea on Monday night.

Alvaro Arbeloa will be bidding to oversee a successful season for Fulham, who finished 11th in England's top flight last term.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up all of Fulham's injury and suspension news ahead of their clash with Chelsea in the West London derby.

Tom Cairney
Status: Out

Type of injury: Knee

Possible return date: Unknown

Cairney had a minor knee operation earlier this month, and the experienced midfielder is unlikely to be back on the field until the middle of October.

FULHAM'S SUSPENSION LIST

Joachim Andersen
Status: Out

Possible return date: August 27 (vs. AFC Wimbledon)

Andersen has carried a suspension over from last season, so the Fulham defender will be absent for his side's first match of the 2026-27 campaign.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/chelsea/injury-news/injuries-and-suspensions/andersen-cairney-updates-fulham-injury-suspension-list-vs-chelsea_603436.html

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Alvaro Arbeloa sets new Fulham transfer target as Xabi Alonso talks revealed ahead of Chelsea clash
Spaniard also issued team news update as he previewed first competitive outing at Craven Cottage

Alvaro Arbeloa has suggested Fulham have more work to do in the transfer market as they look to improve the 'balance' in the squad.

Three fresh faces have come through the door at Craven Cottage ahead of Monday night's Premier League opener against Chelsea, with Shea Charles arriving from Southampton and the Spaniards Gonzalo Garcia and Cesar Palacios following Arbeloa from Real Madrid.

There are still holes in the squad, though. Centre-back Issa Diop is yet to be replaced after his move to Ipswich, and there is no clear successor for Harry Wilson, Fulham's most reliable source of goals last season.

Speaking from Motspur Park on Friday, Arbeloa said he was pleased with the Cottagers' business so far this summer, but made clear there was more work to do.

"I think we can make the squad stronger and more balanced," he told reporters. "But I am happy with the way the club is working this summer. We have three new players, so we are still working on it."

To open his Fulham tenure with a west London derby against Chelsea is something of a baptism of fire for Arbeloa.

The match will reunite him with Xabi Alonso, his former team-mate at Spain and Liverpool, and the man he replaced as Real Madrid manager when he was sacked in January.

But Arbeloa was adamant there would be no love lost when he lines up opposite his old friend on the touchline at Craven Cottage.

"We analyse Chelsea like we did with other teams. I know [his style of football] well because I watch so many games of his teams, but we know it will not be easy.

"They are a very strong squad with top players. They also made good signings, so we have to be ready if we want to beat them. We need to do a very good game."

"[I spoke to Alonso] a few days ago. We didn't talk about football. Our families are coming to London, and we are very good friends.

"On Monday night, we will be there on the touchline, so close for 90 minutes. We will give everything for our clubs. We will try to win the games. For 90 minutes, like he said, we are not friends.

"That is the most important thing. We want to win that game. It will be so important if we win against Chelsea. The only thing I can think about is our performance, to be ready to play. We are working very, very hard."

Arbeloa will be slightly shorthanded on Monday night, with veteran midfielder Tom Cairney out injured and Joachim Andersen suspended.



https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/alvaro-arbeloa-reveals-new-fulham-transfer-target-as-key-squad-problem-named-b1294184.html

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Fulham 'still working' on more new signings
Alvaro Arbeloa has hinted that Fulham are likely to make more new signings before the transfer window closes.

Gonzalo Garcia and Cesar Palacios – players Arbeloa has worked with before at Real Madrid – have been signed this summer, along with Shea Charles.

And new head coach Arbeloa is keen to further strengthen the squad.

"I think we can make the squad stronger and more balanced," he said.

"But I'm happy with the way that the club is working during this summer. We did the new players, so we're working on it.

"I am so happy with the club at this moment, how they are working and doing all the time. We brought three very good players. These players had many (other) offers. So I am so happy."

Fulham will kick off the new season against west London rivals Chelsea, now managed by Arbeloa's former team-mate Xabi Alonso.

Their friendship will be put aside for 90 minutes on Monday evening.

Arbeloa said: "We are very close friends, so we try to talk every month, every week. and now we will be closer and we can talk about the games – and also we have children and they are friends also.

"Yes, we are good friends and we spent many, many years together. Liverpool, Real Madrid, national team, so we are very good friends.

"You have to face your friends and they are (also)your rivals."



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/football-fulham-still-working-on-more-new-signings

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Pre-Chelsea Press Conference
Every word from the broadcast section of Álvaro Arbeloa's first press conference as Fulham Head Coach, ahead of our season opener against Chelsea on Monday evening.

Álvaro, welcome back to the Premier League. How have preparations been going ahead of the new season?

Well, I think we have been working so hard during the pre-season with my players. I really love their attitude. They were open to learn, they were open to new ideas, and I really love their attitude, like I say. So, now we feel ready for next Monday – big game, and yes, we feel confident.

Jonah Kusi-Asare has been made a permanent signing, you've made a domestic signing in Shea Charles, but you've also brought over the Real Madrid duo of Gonzalo García and César Palacios. What can they bring to this Fulham side?

Well, they are different, but these two players are talented players, young players, players with ambition. I think they fit in the way that we want to play. Obviously, César and Gonzalo both know me very, very well, and they know what I expect from them. So I am happy to have them with me, and I think they will both do very, very well this season, and they are proper Premier League players.

Are you happy with how the squad is looking? Can we expect you to be going back into the transfer market in this window?

Yes, of course. I think we can make the squad stronger and more balanced, but I'm happy with the way that the Club is working during this summer, like I said, with the three new players, so we are still working on it.

You said you want your team to play with passion and ambition. What else can you tell us about the style of football that you want to see in this Fulham side?

We want to be brave with the ball, be comfortable with the ball, and move quickly and with purpose, and be aggressive without it. Like you say, it's about showing this character, this ambition, this personality, through our style of game.

It's a really big night on Monday night, and you're up against Xabi Alonso, a person that you know so well from your time as a player. But does that help you in a way? Does it give you a better idea of how he might be setting up Chelsea on Monday night?

No, he's a coach, so we analyse Chelsea like we did with other teams, and like we will do with every team. I know [him] well because I watch so many, many games of his teams, but we know it will be not be easy. They are a very strong squad, with top players, they made also good, good signings, so we have to be ready if we want to beat them. We have to do a very good game.

Have you spoken to him at all in the build-up?

A few days ago. We didn't talk about football, just because our families are coming to London. We are very good friends, until Monday night, and then when we will be there on the touchline, so close, and for 90 minutes I think we'll give everything for our clubs, and we will try to win the game. For 90 minutes, we are not friends, and that's the most important thing. We both want to win that game.

The league has changed a lot since you were last in it 10 years ago. What are your expectations for the season to come and, also, your more long-term ambitions with Fulham?

Well, football for me is not about what you want to achieve. It's about what you are willing to do to achieve it, and I am really focused on my job and the work that I have to do every day with my players. So, like I said before, they have a very good attitude, and we need to improve for sure. It's a new era, new ideas, and a new manager, many new things, so we will need time, and we have a very difficult month ahead of us, but I think that month will not define our entire season, for good or for bad. It's about the work that we have to do every day.

How much are you enjoying life at Fulham so far and back in England?

So far, so good. So far, so good. I am so happy to be here again in England, in London, after 10 years. My family came yesterday, so we are ready for this new chapter together. Obviously I changed a lot in these 10 years, but we are ready for this new challenge.

And a West London derby to start the season. How aware are you of the rivalry and what it means to the Fulham fanbase?

I know how important that game is for our supporters. It's also very important for everyone at the Club, for us, for players, for me. It's the first game of the season, first game at Craven Cottage, so we are ready, we are excited, and of course we can't wait for that game.

I know you said you won't be friends on Monday night, but how would you describe your relationship with Xabi Alonso?

We are very close friends, so we try to talk every month, every week, and now we will be closer, and we can talk about the games. We have children that are friends, also. So, yes, he's a good friend, and we spent many, many years together – Liverpool, Real Madrid, national team, so we are very good friends.

Will it be strange seeing him?

Yes, very, because now he will be so close. But also as a player, you have these type of things where you have to face your friends, and they are your rival. So now it will be the same as a coach.

What kind of football, what style of football do you think he will bring to Chelsea?

I think we have some similar ideas. He wants to dominate the game through the ball, and he is also aggressive with the ball. But he's a very complete manager, and he wants his team to be very complete, also, so it's not going to be easy for us. We want to win the game, we want to do a very complete game, and we have to be very competitive, and we need to fight from the first minute until the final whistle.

A home game to start the season as well. How important is it that Craven Cottage is a fortress for you?

Yes – very, very, very important for us. I remember when I was a player, Craven Cottage was always a very difficult place to come. You can feel the supporters are really close to the pitch, and now I want to feel that special moment as Fulham Head Coach. For us, they will be very important if we want to win games at home. For sure, they are going to be so important for us.

You're looking forward to it?

Yeah, I can't wait to be there on Monday.

It's been a long time, it's been five years since Fulham have had a new manager. I just wonder how it has felt for you to come into this Club after such a period of stability for them?

I think Marco did a very good job, and he deserved that recognition. He did very, very, very well, and the players were so happy with, and so comfortable with, him. And now it's a new time with a new manager but, for me, it has been so easy. Everyone at the Club made me feel very welcome, so I'm so happy, and I enjoyed this time.

You're relatively new to management – becoming a manager in the Premier League, some people say this is the toughest league in the world. What makes you think that you can succeed in the Premier League?

Well, I know what I want. I know how to do it, and I know what I have to do, and for me that is very clear. I know how difficult this league is. You have to play against a great team every weekend, I know that, but I feel confident with the players that I have. I think we will be a very difficult team to beat, so I feel ready for anything.

Are you confident that you'll have the players you need by the time the transfer window closes?

I am so happy with the Club at this moment, how they are working during all the summer. We brought three very good players. These players, they had many, many offers, so I'm so happy. And, like I say before, we are still believing that we can make our squad stronger and more balanced, and we are working on it.

If you compare your squad and the amount of money you're able to spend, to what you're going to face on Monday against your friend, it's quite significantly different, isn't it?

Yes, but you need to play that game. It's not about the money that you spend during the summer. It's about what we are going to do during 90 minutes, and we need to go out there believing that we can beat them. Like I say, it's not going to be easy, we need to do a very, very, very good game in every phase of the game for 90 minutes. We know that, but we are in the Premier League, you have to face some of the best teams in the world, so we are ready.

A lot has changed since Fulham played Chelsea at Craven Cottage last season, including the two goal scorers from Fulham leaving the Club. You say it's going to be a tough start and not to be judged by your first few games, but if you beat Chelsea on Monday night, that will be a very good introduction...

So, we are working for that, and obviously that would be so, so important for us if we can win that game against Chelsea first game, and get these three points. Will be so important, but as a manager, the only thing that I can think is about our performance. It's not about the result, about the goals, it's about our performance – to be ready and to play against Chelsea, and we are working very, very hard to do this.

In that case, if you lose on Monday, but you play in the way that you've asked the players to play, would that be a satisfactory outcome for you?

Every, every game, I expect that from my players. We don't know – we will win games, we will lose games, but I want a competitive team. I want a team that believes that we can beat anyone. I want a team that shows character, ambition, personality. Some days we will play good, some days we will play bad, but we need to show that we represent the Club in the right way.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2026/august/21/pre-chelsea-press-conference/

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From the press box: Arbeloa ready as new era begins
JK gives the lowdown from Alvaro Arbeloa's first Premier League press conference.

We've had all the build-up, all the chatter, all the predictions, all the eye-rolls at certain predictions. And now we are well and truly ready to go.

We've had all summer to get ready for this new era at Fulham Football Club. A new head coach, new players, new kits, fresh start and the same old anticipation.

The press conference room was full of people this morning, all eager to here from Alvaro Arbeloa for the first time, ahead of what is a massive game to start the 2026-27 campaign. Fulham return to action on Monday night and I was sat ready to hear from the new boss.

On team news: it's all looking good, at the moment. Just Tom Cairney out due to his knee injury, while Joachim Andersen is sidelined through suspension. Everyone else is available for selection, however Fulham still have a session or two before then.

So what did Arbeloa say to the press? I tweeted out a few lines, but the club posted the quotes in full on their website.

"Well, I think we have been working so hard during the pre-season with my players. I really love their attitude. They were open to learn, they were open to new ideas, and I really love their attitude, like I say. So, now we feel ready for next Monday – big game, and yes, we feel confident."

On the new additions: "Well, they are different, but these two players are talented players, young players, players with ambition. I think they fit in the way that we want to play. Obviously, César and Gonzalo both know me very, very well, and they know what I expect from them.

"So I am happy to have them with me, and I think they will both do very, very well this season, and they are proper Premier League players."

On the possibility of more additions: "Yes, of course. I think we can make the squad stronger and more balanced, but I'm happy with the way that the club is working during this summer, like I said, with the three new players, so we are still working on it."

It all sounds exciting. The board and Arbeloa seem to working well in tandem, and everything seems to be going smoothly. It's what any fan wants to hear.

Arbeloa on his time in England so far: "So far, so good. I am so happy to be here again in England, in London, after 10 years. My family came yesterday, so we are ready for this new chapter together. Obviously I changed a lot in these 10 years, but we are ready for this new challenge."

Of course there were plenty of questions regarding his relationship with Xabi Alonso ahead of the game on Monday. The pair have been friends throughout their playing careers, and both have children who are also friends too.

Arbeloa was asked about Craven Cottage and what playing at home in front of the Fulham faithful can bring: "Yes – very, very, very important for us. I remember when I was a player, Craven Cottage was always a very difficult place to come. You can feel the supporters are really close to the pitch, and now I want to feel that special moment as Fulham Head Coach.

"For us, they will be very important if we want to win games at home. For sure, they are going to be so important for us."

He ended the broadcast section of his first press conference with this quote:

"Every, every game, I expect that from my players. We don't know – we will win games, we will lose games, but I want a competitive team. I want a team that believes that we can beat anyone.

"I want a team that shows character, ambition, personality. Some days we will play good, some days we will play bad, but we need to show that we represent the Club in the right way."

In the few times I've had the chance to speak with Fulham's new head coach he has come across as very friendly, approachable, but also very ambitious. I couldn't be more excited about what is to come this season.

There will be more quotes to come from Arbeloa across the weekend. Those quotes can be found on my Patreon page, where the support has been incredible. For that. I am so grateful.

Now, the football starts. Anything can happen, with everything up for grabs, it's going to be fascinating to see what happens.

See you all at the Cottage on Monday. It's going to be a cracking atmosphere. So, let's start the season by making it a memorable and famous night under the lights on the banks of the Thames.

COYW!



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/p/from-the-press-box-arbeloa-ready

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Alvaro Arbeloa makes Gonzalo Garcia, Cesar Palacios as Fulham boss outlines transfer objective
Fulham boss Alvaro Arbeloa has backed striker Gonzalo Garcia and attacking midfielder Cesar Palacios to succeed in their first Premier League season.

The Cottagers recruited Garcia and Palacios from Real Madrid in two deals worth a combined €50m (£43m).

Garcia and Palacios face the pressure of filling the void created by Raul Jimenez and Harry Wilson's exits and the end of last season.

After working with the pair at Real Madrid, Arbeloa is confident the duo will need little time to adapt to their new surroundings in the Premier League.

Arbeloa predicts bright season for new duo
"They are different, but they are talented young players with ambition," Alvaro told reporters on Friday.

"They fit in with the way we want to play. Obviously, they both know me well and what I expect from them.

"They will both do very well this season, they are proper Premier League players."

The pair could make their debuts in Fulham's Premier League opener against Chelsea at Craven Cottage on Monday.

Shea Charles could also make his first Fulham appearance following his £30m move from Southampton earlier this month.

Arbeloa targeting further additions
While he is more than content with the club's summer business, Arbeloa is keen to add more "balance" to his squad before the window slams shut on September 1.

We can make the squad stronger and more balanced, but I am happy with the way the club is at this moment this summer," Arbeloa said.

"We brought in three players, we are still working on it."

Arbeloa also confirmed that midfielder Tom Cairney will miss Monday's opener as he continues to recover from knee surgery.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/transfer-talk/news/arbeloa-makes-garcia-palacios-prediction-as-fulham-boss-outlines-transfer-objective_603455.html

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Wigan sign Fulham midfielder Harris on loan
Wigan Athletic have signed Fulham midfielder Luke Harris on a season-long loan deal.

The 21-year-old has previously had loan spells in the EFL with Exeter City, Birmingham City, Oxford United and Wycombe Wanderers.

He is the third player to join the Latics on loan from a Premier League side this week after Reggie Walsh and Charlie Gray signed season-long deals from Chelsea and Manchester City respectively on Wednesday.

Harris, who played under Wigan boss Gary Caldwell during his time with Exeter, could make his debut at home to Leyton Orient on Saturday.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cevmr89nv72o

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Download your 26/27 Season Pass
Season Ticket Holders and Seasonal Hospitality Members are reminded that they must have downloaded their 26/27 digital season pass to their Apple/Google Wallet  before arriving at Craven Cottage for Monday's Premier League fixture against Chelsea.

Our helpful digital ticketing guides can be found here. These provide step-by-step instructions on downloading your pass and entering the ground.

Any supporters experiencing issues downloading their season pass should contact the Fulham FC Ticket Office at tickets@fulhamfc.com prior to matchday.

Once downloaded, 26/27 season passes will automatically update for each home Premier League fixture this season so should not be deleted.

Any supporter that has renewed their Season Ticket from 2025/26 should delete last season's pass from their Apple/Google Wallet.

Season passes should also be downloaded onto the device you will bring with you to the stadium on matchday, e.g. your personal smartphone and not a laptop and can only be downloaded onto one device.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2026/august/21/download-your-26-27-season-pass/

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Cottage Tactico: Xabi Alonso's formation fluidity
Before each Premier League fixture this season, tactics writer and Fulham fan Cottage Tactico will be providing his insights into what we can expect on the pitch from our next opponents.

In his first piece, he explores the fluidity and unpredictable nature of Xabi Alonso's formations.

Carlos Vinicius' big moment, Harry Wilson and Raúl Jiménez in front of the Hammy End, Rodrigo Muniz sending the away end into Boxing Day bedlam. Fulham fans have got used to some big results in the South-West London Derby lately. What we haven't got used to, though, is a consistent tactical approach from our rivals in blue. Marco Silva's four Premier League seasons at Fulham coincided with eight different Chelsea managers, if you include interims. Turnover was so rapid that Silva only ever actually faced half of them in matches.

Álvaro Arbeloa, luckily, perhaps has the best chance of working out what the next man up will deploy against us, having become close friends with new Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso in playing stints at both Liverpool and Real Madrid.

And we might well need our new Gaffer's intel, because Alonso's mantra in pre-season seems to be fluidity and flexibility. That makes the first piece in this new series on the tactical setups of Fulham's opponents a challenge! But look closely and you can see plenty of patterns and tendencies from Alonso's Bundesliga winning stint at Bayer Leverkusen that Fulham will need to be ready for and try to overcome.

Structure & formation

In that title winning season at Leverkusen, Alonso was associated with a fluid, progressive five at the back system. But it often looked like a four in some phases, and he has been quick to point out he hasn't been a rigid back-five manager throughout his career.

So what formation will Chelsea line up in at the Cottage; 3-4-3/5-2-3, or 4-2-3-1? The answer honestly is both.

Here is how Alonso lined his men up in their last pre-season fixture against Real Sociedad.

On paper, you could say it's a 5-2-3. With new signing Marco Palestra at LWB and Pedro Neto at RWB. But given the latter is more commonly a winger, you could easily see it as a 4-2-3-1 at times, with Cole Palmer more central.

In reality, Chelsea will fluidly cycle between all of these on-ball structures. Meaning Fulham will have to be proactive in deciding who and how we cover them.



Off the ball, Alonso has also flitted between a 4-4-2 and 5-4-1 base structure. I'd expect to see something like the five here, given how many numbers Arbeloa has committed forward in our pre-season games, but you should expect to see Chelsea alternate between a set structure and jumping out man to man in the press.

Final third combinations

When attacking in the final third, Alonso will regularly have five in the last line. With his WBs or wingers pushing high and, often, fairly wide. Neto's direct style probably suits this well, and Palestra - who was assumed to be a RWB when signed - has shown his athleticism down both flanks. In keeping with their tendency to slightly horde players, there are plenty of other options, too!

This does risk putting pressure on Chelsea's wide CBs to cover space in behind should they turn the ball over, and Fulham might want to find a way to target that space directly with wingers in transition. But it is deemed a risk worth taking given what it means for their dangerous front three.



The positioning of those wide outlets pinning defences means the attacking three of Joao Pedro (No.20), Palmer (No.10) and big money signing Morgan Rogers (No. 17) can drift around together all over the final third looking for space. Expect to see tight combinations as they get close to one another to link and try to play through us, whilst also opening up gaps elsewhere on the pitch by attracting defensive numbers.

Pedro has often dropped deep in pre-season, allowing others to run beyond him, but this hasn't restricted his goal output. With seven in just five games, and a variety of different finishes, his movement will need to be monitored carefully. He also won three penalties for Chelsea in the league last season with only Brentford's Dango Outtara winning more. We'll need to be on our best behaviour!

Pedro's positioning and Palmer's playmaking instincts will sometimes leave Rogers as the highest player for Chelsea. Rogers was one of the Premier League's biggest xG overperformers in 2025/26, with 10 goals from just 6.32 expected goals, running similarly hot to departed Fulham hero Harry Wilson. With a shared taste for long shots out of nowhere, you'd hope to see us close Rogers down proactively in this one.



Build-up dynamics

Alonso, like his old friend Arbeloa, likes patient, well drilled build-up patterns that look to unlock opponents. Only Manchester City averaged more passes per sequence than Chelsea's 4.51 last season, and Alonso's Leverkusen topped this metric in his Bundesliga winning season, so we should expect more of the same.

Build-up most commonly looks like a 3+2 structure, with players comfortable rotating in and out of positions. But whilst Fulham have often had Sander Berge drop in to form the three with our CBs, Alonso often has three CBs in place ready to form that shape.

The pivot in front of those CBs at Leverkusen tended to stagger slightly to provide passing angles. With Enzo Fernandez's future still unclear, we might well see Reece James and Moises Caicedo fulfil those roles from the start on Monday night. If Enzo is back in the fold, James could potentially drop to RCB in the role fulfilled by Wesley Fofana in their last pre-season match.

Often it is balls punched through centrally by the wide CBs to any of their dropping attackers beyond the midfield pivot that unlock space for Chelsea to then spring into with three man combinations. Fulham's ability to block those passing lanes and track runners when defenders follow receivers will prove important.



One to watch: Cole Palmer

Perhaps it is a boring pick given Fantasy FPL favourite Pedro's pre season form, and the arrival of Rogers. But after a disappointing campaign last time out, Palmer's form under a new manager this season feels key.

Alonso got 22 goal contributions from Florian Wirtz at Leverkusen in their Bundesliga winning 23/24 season. Wirtz's role drifting in the final third and combining with his teammates was dubbed by some as the one 'free electron' in an otherwise well drilled system. If Alonso can spark Palmer in a similar role for Chelsea's front three, Fulham will have a job on here!

Tactical key: Levi Colwill

For all the quality of Chelsea's front three, the key tactical man for me headed into this one is Levi Colwill. As explained, Alonso's preference for risky central progression is what opens up space for his attackers when the opposition press is broken. Colwill, who missed much of last season, is far and away the CB in their squad most capable of doing this.

If Fulham's out of possession setup can restrict the opportunities for him to try and unlock us centrally and force him to recycle to other less ball-playing CBs, or go wide, we can keep Chelsea at arm's length. Given our new Head Coach's clear desire to get us pressing more intensely, our traps up against their key man in build-up could be the tactical dynamic which decides this derby.



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2026/august/21/cottage-tactico-chelsea-xabi-alonso/

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Arbeloa and His Relationship With Xabi Alonso: "For 90 Minutes, We Won't Be Friends"
Álvaro Arbeloa praised the signings of Gonzalo García and César Palacios, but made it clear that his friendship with Xabi Alonso will be put aside for 90 minutes when Fulham and Chelsea meet.

Álvaro Arbeloa, manager of Fulham, expressed his delight with the arrivals of Gonzalo García and César Palacios, both from Real Madrid. The Spanish coach believes the two young players have the talent and ambition needed to contribute to his new project at the London club.

"They are young players, with a lot of talent and ambition. They fit the way we want to play and they know what I expect from them. I am very happy to have them here with me," Arbeloa said.

The manager is looking to keep Fulham in the Premier League after the excellent work done in recent seasons by Marco Silva, who left the club to take charge of Benfica.

Arbeloa acknowledged the importance of his predecessor's work, but made it clear that a new chapter has now begun.

"Marco did a great job. The players here were happy and comfortable with him, but now a new era begins. I know what I want and how I want to do it, but I also know how difficult this league is. I think we will be a difficult team to beat," he said.

A friendship that will be put on hold
Monday's match between Fulham and Chelsea will have an additional special element because of the personal relationship between Arbeloa and Xabi Alonso.

The two Spaniards are close friends, and their families also share a strong relationship. However, when their teams meet, all of that will temporarily be put aside.

"I spoke to Xabi a few days ago, but not about football. Our families are coming to London. We are very good friends, but for 90 minutes we will give everything for our clubs," the Fulham manager explained.

He was even more direct when describing what will happen during the match:

"For 90 minutes, we won't be friends, because we both want to win this game."

The clash between Fulham and Chelsea will therefore not only be a battle between two Premier League teams, but also a meeting between two longtime friends who, for 90 minutes, will have just one objective: to win.



https://www.beinsports.com/en-us/soccer/premier-league/articles/arbeloa-and-his-relationship-with-xabi-alonso-for-90-minutes-we-won-t-be-friends-2026-08-21

[WhiteJC]

'Excited' Arbeloa aware of importance of derby clash
Alvaro Arbeloa says he is fully aware of the importance of the derby against Chelsea to Fulham fans.

The new Whites boss will begin his reign against the Blues, who are now managed by his close friend Xabi Alonso.

A victory over their neighbours would be a perfect start to Arbeloa's Fulham reign.

"I know how important that game is for our supporters. It's also very important for everyone at the club and for us, for the players, for me," he declared.

"It's the first game of the season, the first game at Craven Cottage. So we are ready, we are excited and of course we can't wait for the game.

"It will be so important if we win against Chelsea. The only thing I can think about is our performance, to be ready to play. We are working very, very hard.

"It will be so important for us to win games at home. I can't wait for Monday."

The managers, who are former team-mates, will be in the spotlight, with Alonso also looking for a winning start.

Their friendship will be put aside for 90 minutes on Monday evening.

Arbeloa said: "We are very close friends, so we try to talk every month, every week. and now we will be closer and we can talk about the games – and also we have children and they are friends also.

"Yes, we are good friends and we spent many, many years together. Liverpool, Real Madrid, national team, so we are very good friends.

"You have to face your friends and they are (also)your rivals."



https://www.westlondonsport.com/fulham/excited-arbeloa-aware-of-importance-of-derby-clash