Monday Fulham Stuff - 14/09/26...

[WhiteJC]

 
Results

Sunday 13/09
Coventry	0-5	Brighton
Man Utd	0-1	Man City

[WhiteJC]

CALVIN BASSEY: Why I love being Fulham's eyes from the back
The tunnel at Craven Cottage smells of wet grass and adrenaline. On the other three Saturdays of this new Premier League season, the man walking out first has not been the one everyone expected.

No shouting. No chest-thumping. Just Calvin Bassey, grinning, armband snug on his left sleeve, tapping shoulders as he goes.

"It's a privilege," he says later, still in his kit, sweat drying at his temples. "Being able to captain this club is unbelievable."

At 26, in his fourth season at Fulham, the Nigeria international has been handed the matchday captaincy by new head coach Álvaro Arbeloa. Not because he demanded it. Because it was, in Arbeloa's words and Bassey's actions, the most natural thing in the world. NigeriaTravel Guides

The Armband Fits Like a Second Skin

Leadership did not arrive with a speech. It arrived with minutes.

Bassey has been around this squad long enough to know who takes sugar in their tea and who needs quiet before kickoff. He has played through relegation fights, mid-table comfort, and last season's push that saw him voted Fulham Player of the Season.

"Going into my fourth season, I know the boys and get on with everyone," he explains. "So I just be myself and try to help everyone. Leading comes naturally because of the position I play, being able to see everything and having to communicate as a centre-half."

That is the truth of a modern centre-back. You see the whole picture. You are the first attacker and the last defender. You talk or you die.

Bassey has played so many games in white that the armband did not change the rhythm. It only made visible what was already there.

"I've been around these boys for so long and been fortunate enough to have played so many games, so it didn't really change anything," he says. "Of course, it's a huge privilege, and thank you to the manager for giving it to me, but I don't think it's changed me."

Arbeloa, a Champions League winner as a player, saw it immediately. A defender who organizes without ego. A voice that carries because people trust it, not because it's loud.

Smiles Before Battle

Ask him what kind of captain he is in the dressing room when the plan falls apart, and Bassey laughs. The idea seems to physically pain him.

"Nah, not really, that's not me! I'm more chill," he says. "Before the game, I'm just happy, smiling as always. I just want everyone to go in with good energy."

Watch the warm-ups. He is the one jogging out with a smile, bouncing on his toes, exchanging jokes with the kit staff.

That does not mean he does not feel it. Frustration lives in him too. Fulham have played well in patches across the opening three games and still have zero points to show for it.

"I know everyone goes out there and gives 100 per cent, and sometimes we're just not able to win," he admits. "I know they're frustrated, I'm frustrated, but I think sometimes it's best just to leave people be and then speak about it later."

It is a captaincy built on timing. Rage in the moment rarely fixes anything. Honesty, 20 minutes later, when the heart rate drops, does.

That calm is not an act. It is strategy. Arbeloa, himself a former defender, has set the tone from the top.

"The manager is very calm – I think him being a player means he understands it can be hard at certain times, so he's able to lead us in a calm way," Bassey notes.

Big Brother at Craven Cottage

Part of the job description nobody writes down: look after the kids.

Enter Josh King. Nineteen. Quick feet. Two goals already this season. And a mum who apparently called dibs.

"His mum's told me to look after him, so I know I can stick it on him if he gets too big for his boots!" Bassey says, eyes lighting up. "I always looked after him anyway, but I got the green light, so it's even better now."

The image is perfect Fulham. Bassey, the senior pro, dragging a teenager through extra finishing drills after training, then dragging him through interviews when the spotlight gets hot.

"I'm so happy for him," Bassey says. "He works hard, he's always on the pitch after training practising finishing, and he has good application in the gym. I just want him to keep working hard and keep helping us, because he's a player we need and a player who's bringing excitement to both our fans and the whole Premier League this season."

It is mentorship without performance. No cameras for the extra reps. No posts about it. Just a senior defender who remembers what it felt like to be 19 and trying to prove you belong.

Finding Light in a Winless Start

Three games. No points. That is the headline, and Bassey does not run from it.

But inside the building, the mood is different. There is process. There is belief. There is a new voice in Arbeloa asking players to think differently, and two months is not long to learn a new language.

"It's a journey," Bassey says. "We've only been with him for two months or so, so it's very new, and he even understands that it's different to what we're used to, so it's going to take time to adjust."

The positives are there if you watch closely. The structure in possession. King's emergence. The way Fulham have competed in spells against teams with bigger budgets and deeper squads.

"It's good that we've been able to put in performances that we can take positives from, but of course, you always want to improve," Bassey adds.

This is where his captaincy matters most. Not when things are flying, but when the table looks cruel and the questions get louder. Keeping the group steady. Reminding them that performances are the currency you cash later.

Anfield Looms

This weekend, the test gets biblical. Liverpool at Anfield.

Bassey will lead the team out again, this time into 54,000 voices and a stadium that has ended many good seasons before they started.

"It's not going to be easy," he says plainly. "You know what's coming when you play Liverpool; they have top players. It's just about doing our homework and seeing how we can hurt them."

The preparation has already started. Video sessions. Individual meetings. Arbeloa breaking down what did not work last week and what must work this week.

"We talk with the manager about everything that might not have worked, and try and go into every game understanding more what he wants from us individually as players," Bassey explains. "He'll set us up in the right way to tackle Liverpool."

There is no false bravado here. Only respect, and a plan. That is Bassey's way.

From Glasgow to West London: A Defender Reborn

It is easy to forget how far Bassey has come because he makes it look inevitable.

Rangers. Ajax. Then Fulham, where something clicked.

Since arriving in West London, he has reinvented himself. No longer just the athletic, left-footed defender with pace. Now he is the organizer. The ball-player. The voice.

Last season the fans voted him Player of the Season. This season he has picked up where he left off, and even opposition forwards have noticed. Erling Haaland name-checked him recently after a bruising duel, the highest compliment a striker can give a defender.

Bassey traces it back to time and miles.

"I think it's just progression," he told SportsBoom. "You can see how much I improved from Rangers to Ajax and now Ajax to Fulham. And it comes with time, experience, age and improvements."



https://thenationonlineng.net/calvin-bassey-why-i-love-being-fulhams-eyes-from-the-back/

[WhiteJC]

Sources: Fulham make Alvaro Arbeloa sack plan after what they saw vs Liverpool
Fulham currently have no plans to sack Alvaro Arbeloa after what they have seen in recent games, sources have told Football Insider.

Despite still being without a win in the Premier League this season, the West London club have seen encouraging signs in their games against Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Liverpool.

A clean sheet in a 0-0 draw at Anfield on Saturday saw the boss put an end to his side's defensive issues which had been a major concern after their first three games.

As I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider's Transfer Insider podcast, Fulham are confident that Arbeloa can turn things around despite the mounting pressure.

After starting the season with three straight defeats, questions had been asked about the manager's position, with the Craven Cottage crowd beginning to grow frustrated.

However, after securing what was a positive result from their trip to Liverpool, the boss will hope to build on some strong performances in the coming weeks.

Could Fulham pull the trigger on Alvaro Arbeloa?
Football Insider revealed on 11 September that Fulham are willing to give Arbeloa time to turn Fulham's form around, with a favourable run of games coming in the near future.

Their trip to Anfield on Saturday will be followed by a visit from Man United next weekend, but following the international break, Fulham will face all three newly-promoted sides.

Fulham now believe Arbeloa is the man to see them through those games, and while negative results could change their position, they are willing to stick by him for now.

Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, I explained: "Look, Fulham have got just one point from four games so far this season, to leave them near the bottom of the table.

"But they performed well in patches in some of those games against Chelsea, against Crystal Palace as well, and they could have got positive results in those.

"Now they've picked up a point against Liverpool at Anfield, so another good performance which could be a big one for Arbeloa.

"It's going to take time for Arbeloa to get his ideas and methods across and it seems like Fulham are going to give him that time and back him to turn these results around.

"Football is ultimately a results-based business and until you start getting wins then the criticism will not go away and the sceptics will continue to grow.

"But they put their faith and trust in Arbeloa when they give him the job in the first place, and they'll be hoping that he can quickly get his methods across and see an upturn in fortunes and in results."

Why are questions being asked of Arbeloa?
Arbeloa has been heavily tipped to be the first Premier League manager to be sacked this season after what was a poor start with three defeats in his first three games.

Ahead of picking up their well-earned point against Liverpool, frustrations had grown both from the crowd and behind the scenes, with concerns about the manager's position.

Football Insider revealed on 12 September that Arbeloa was facing doubts before a ball was kicked at Fulham amid concerns about his lack of experience as a senior manager.

The 43-year-old was appointed to replace Marco Silva following an interim spell at Real Madrid in the latter half of last season, which is his only prior managerial experience.

Meanwhile, there have also been suggestions that some key players are unhappy at Craven Cottage, but there is now optimism that the boss can reverse their growing issues.



https://www.footballinsider247.com/fulham/sources-fulham-make-alvaro-arbeloa-sack-plan-after-what-they-saw-vs-liverpool

[WhiteJC]

Player Ratings: Liverpool 0-0 Fulham
Scores on the doors after Saturday's valiant point at Anfield

We are off the mark! Not many people would have expected Fulham to pick up a point at Anfield after the start we had, but Alvaro Arbeloa's team put in a resiliant performance and actually, we were unlucky not to pick up all three points.

Here are my player ratings after the goalless draw on Merseyside.

Bernd Leno
Solid as a rock yesterday. Didn't have as much to do as you might have expected to keep a clean sheet at Anfield, but he made a brilliant save to deny Victor Munoz's header in the first half and then made a few saves you'd expect him to make in the second half. Extra half a point for refusing to clap for The Kop before the second half. Stupid tradition that.

7.5/10

Timothy Castagne (RB)
Timmy was tucked in a bit tighter today and it made a difference to our defensive stability. It left Oscar Bobb a bit isolated, but that was a worthwhile trade-off for some rigidness at the back. Timmy felt solid as per usual, although I wasn't sure about his 5 minute cameo on the right-wing in the second half. I still think he deserves right-back slot, even though Kenny Tete is clearly eager to take his place.

6/10

David Affengruber
Oh wow, I reckon that was the greatest centre-back debut since Brede Hangeland away at Bolton all those years ago. Is that too strong? Maybe it was just the comparison with the shambles we've seen in the past few weeks, but David Affengruber looked the absolute bollocks. It felt like nothing phased him, not least world record signing Aleksandar Isak, who was barely given a sniff by the Austrian.

David also had some brilliant passes in him that helped us going forward too. It is criminal that we waited until the last day of the window to bring in a player that was obviously so key to Arbeloa's system. He could be a game-changer.

8.5/10 (MOTM)

Calvin Bassey
Calvin must find it quite funny that he's had three different centre-back partners and we're only on game four. Despite all the defensive calamities in recent weeks Calvin's stock remains high because ultimately you know what you're going to get week after week. His strength helps us out in so many situations and he had some nice forays forward too. Unlucky not to score with his strong header from a corner in the second half.

7/10

Antonee Robinson
I liked what I saw from Antonee yesterday. No, he's still not back to his best and he's still learning the position Arbeloa wants him to play, but yesterday it felt like he got caught out far fewer times than in the previous three games. I think that it's no surprise that he was better alongside Alex Iwobi, given their experience playing together. I also thought there were a couple of really nice interchanges with Josh King.

6.5/10

Sander Berge
Arbeloa made several mistakes against Palace and one of those for me was dropping Sander Berge. We control the ball so much better when he is in the team, but equally he looked much better with Shea Charles alongside him rather than Alex Iwobi. His reluctance to shoot is infuriating, but we all know that's not what he's there to do.

7/10

Shea Charles
I'm such a big fan of Shea Charles and what he brings to the midfield - he is a real smooth operator. Nothing he did yesterday was particularly fancy, but he was key in getting many of our attacks going and thwarting Liverpool's midfield from advancing up the pitch.

7.5/10

Josh King
Josh has had a brilliant start to the season and he has raised his standards very high, but I actually think JK had the opportunities to win us the game yesterday and he didn't take them. His jump over Allison, whilst noble, cost us an almost certain penalty in the first half and shortly afterwards I think he should do better with the shot that falls nicely to him which tamely goes into Allison's arms.

Don't get me wrong, Josh is such a talent and he is going to go so far, but we do need him to improve his end product. I know that sounds crazy given that he's already scored twice this season, but both of those goals did have a slice of luck to them (goalkeeper mistake and a deflection).

6.5/10

Oscar Bobb
Another tricky outing for Bobb who was quite isolated on the right-hand side of the pitch. I still think he has massive potential and his one-on-one ability is fantastic, there was a brilliant moment in the first half where he skinned Kostas Tsimikas and put in a teasing cross, which should have resulted in more.

However, he still goes missing for large spells and the fact that Arbeloa replaced him with a right-back in the second half shows that the boss wasn't too happy with his performance.

Obviously Sessegnon wasn't even in the squad yesterday, but if Bobb's lack of form continues, we surely need to see Sess get a chance to make Bobb's spot his own.

5.5/10

Alex Iwobi
Much was made of Alex Iwobi's performance against Crystal Palace, but I felt like he was much improved in the left-wing slot. The fact that Arbeloa doesn't like the 'wingers' to play like traditional wingers suits Iwobi's game to the ground. It means that Alex can still influence forward play and try those risky passes that can create chances, but it removes the jeopardy of him potentially giving away chances in dangerous areas.

7.5/10

Gonzalo Garcia
This was a difficult match for Gonzalo Garcia who didn't really get into the game at all. I think he should have done much better with the chance that presented itself after Allison's poor pass. I know Jacquet does well to block it on the line, but Gonzalo didn't really connect with it as cleanly as he could have. I don't think it's anything to be concerned about, but Garcia clearly isn't the finished article. He's going to have moments of brilliance this season, but I also believe he's going to have matches like that where he struggles to get into the game.

5/10

Subs and Manager
Kenny Tete
Great to see Tete on the pitch and he is a fantastic option to have off the bench. He actually did get beaten a couple of times one-on-one, which he doesn't usually, I think he's still a little rusty after injury and a lack of minutes.

5.5/10

Kevin
After last week's cryptic social media post and reports from Dave Kidd that his future is in doubt, it was reassuring to see Kevin get 20 minutes to show us what he can do. The right hand side is not his preferred position, but I actually think the Brazilian showed some good moments. He was unlucky with his fizzing shot which went just wide and he did brilliantly to create a chance for Muniz, which I actually think was a bit of a missed opportunity from the striker.

6.5/10

Hugo Larsson, Emile Smith Rowe and Rodrigo Muniz all came on and did fine, but by that point it was just about preserving the point.

Alvaro Arbeloa
This time last week I was really, really worried. My concerns were two fold; firstly, Arbeloa seemed unwilling to adapt his style of play and secondly, he appeared to be losing the confidence of key members of the dressing room.

On the first point, we have to tip our hats to Alvaro that he relented and played a much more sensible line-up. Berge and Charles in the middle is a no brainer, Andersen had to be dropped and so did Palacios. The changes worked and Arbeloa has to be applauded for seeing sense.

The second point is harder to judge, but the fact that many of the rumoured dissenters played significant minutes hopefully indicates that the air might have been cleared somewhat.

Just like I felt like sacking AA after three games was stupidly hasty, I also don't think a draw at Anfield should remove all the pressure. The nightmare scenario was losing all five of the opening games and it is a huge relief that we have avoided that scenario.

Alvaro said he was proud of his players, but he should be proud of himself too. Despite his illustrious career, the past week must have been tough. If he does succeed at Fulham, he'll likely look back at yesterday's match as a massive turning point.

8/10



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/p/player-ratings-liverpool-0-0-fulham

[WhiteJC]

Royal Caribbean Legend of the Match Result: Liverpool
David Affengruber's fine Fulham debut has seen him named Royal Caribbean Legend of the Match.

Sporting the famous black and white for the first time since his deadline day arrival from Elche, Affengruber looked at home alongside Calvin Bassey at the centre of defence, limiting the in-form Alexander Isak to just a couple of chances.

In doing so, he helped his side to a much needed clean sheet and first point of the season.

"I think we did an amazing job today," the Austrian told FFCtv after the game. "Everybody worked as a team – this is how you get points against such difficult opponents like Liverpool, especially in an away game."

Affengruber was a comfortable winner of our first Premier League Legend of the Match award of the campaign, with the midfield pair of Josh King and Shea Charles joining him in the top three.

🥇 David Affengruber (50%)

🥈 Josh King (18.2%)

🥉 Shea Charles (15.7%)

https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2026/september/13/royal-caribbean-legend-of-the-match-result-liverpool/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham Frustrate Liverpool as Iraola's Reds Produce Flat Anfield Display
Liverpool 0–0 Fulham – Premier League Post-Match Report

After Liverpool's return to Champions League action ended with a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Atletico Madrid, Andoni Iraola's side returned to Premier League action at Anfield looking to build on that result and continue the momentum of the new era.

Instead, the Reds were held to a frustrating goalless draw by a Fulham side that arrived with three straight defeats behind them but left Merseyside with a valuable point.

Liverpool had more possession, more shots and the better expected-goals figure, but the numbers do not disguise what an underwhelming performance was. There was simply not enough determination, urgency or attacking cohesion from the home side.

The Starting Eleven
Liverpool XI

GK – Alisson Becker

RB – Ronald Araújo

CB – Jérémy Jacquet

CB – Virgil van Dijk (c)

LB – Kostas Tsimikas

CM – Ryan Gravenberch

CM – Dominik Szoboszlai

RW – Víctor Muñoz

AM – Florian Wirtz

LW – Bradley Barcola

CF – Alexander Isak

Substitutes Used
Milos Kerkez → Kostas Tsimikas (45')

Alexis Mac Allister → Ryan Gravenberch (60')

Cody Gakpo → Víctor Muñoz (60')

Jeremie Frimpong → Ronald Araújo (72')

Rio Ngumoha → Bradley Barcola (72')

Goals

N/A

Match Statistics
Possession – Liverpool 56% | Fulham 44%

xG – Liverpool 1.13 | Fulham 0.71

Total Shots – Liverpool 14 | Fulham 10

Shots on Target – Liverpool 3 | Fulham 4

Fouls – Liverpool 11 | Fulham 8

Corners – Liverpool 5 | Fulham 8

First Half
The opening half was a frustrating watch for the home supporters, with Liverpool controlling possession without ever truly controlling the game.

Fulham were compact, organised and prepared to frustrate, but Liverpool made their task considerably easier by failing to play with the speed and intensity that has been expected under Iraola.

The biggest concern was the midfield.

Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai are both talented attacking-minded footballers, but asking them to operate as a conventional double pivot exposed a fundamental weakness in the structure. Neither naturally provides the defensive authority, positional discipline or physical security required from that deeper pairing.

It left Florian Wirtz having to drop deeper and work harder to get involved, while Alexander Isak was starved of meaningful service.

Wirtz again ran his heart out, but much of that work was necessary because the midfield behind him simply could not provide the platform required. The German was frequently searching for the ball rather than receiving it in dangerous areas.

At the other end, Jérémy Jacquet was outstanding.

The young French defender produced an excellent early clearance off the line to deny Fulham and continued to demonstrate impressive positioning and composure throughout the half. While those ahead of him struggled to impose themselves, Jacquet looked increasingly comfortable at the heart of the Liverpool defence.

Tsimikas struggled badly and was replaced at half-time by Milos Kerkez, with the Greek international unable to provide the required quality on the left.

Liverpool went into the interval goalless, and there was a clear sense that something needed to change.

Second Half
The second half was better, but not enough.

Kerkez brought more energy to the left side, while the introduction of Alexis Mac Allister gave Liverpool greater control in midfield. Cody Gakpo also added more invention, but the visitors remained difficult to break down.

Liverpool continued to have possession without consistently turning it into clear-cut opportunities.

The statistics tell the story. The Reds finished with 56 per cent possession and 14 attempts, but only three were on target. Fulham managed 10 shots themselves and actually registered one more effort on target.

That simply is not enough at Anfield.

Isak had precious little to work with. A decent left-footed effort early in the game and a glancing header late on effectively bookended a performance in which the Swedish striker was largely isolated.

Barcola showed glimpses but was still clearly finding his feet alongside his new teammates, while Muñoz struggled at times to establish cohesion with those around him.

The later introductions of Jeremie Frimpong and Rio Ngumoha provided additional pace and attacking power, but Liverpool could not find the breakthrough.

Iraola was right to change things, but the substitutes were ultimately attempting to fix a structural problem rather than simply adding fresh legs.

Final Thoughts
This was not a disaster, but it was a warning.

Liverpool lacked determination, intensity and ultimately the midfield platform required to turn territorial dominance into a victory.

The double pivot of Gravenberch and Szoboszlai is the biggest concern. Both are attacking players, and neither looks suited to being part of a conventional two-man midfield tasked with providing defensive protection and controlling the space in front of the centre-backs.

Iraola has been left short in this area of the squad, and that needs to be addressed.

A specialist defensive midfielder is a must when the January window opens.

The performance of Jacquet was another major positive, however. For the second consecutive match, the young defender has been Liverpool's standout performer. His emergence is becoming one of the most encouraging developments of the opening weeks of this new era.

There is still plenty of work to be done.

Liverpool now have an EFL Cup meeting with Tottenham at Anfield on Tuesday, and that match should provide an opportunity for Trey Nyoni to start. More importantly, giving a specialist defensive midfield performance could be the chance for Nyoni to demonstrate that he can become an every-week fixture in Iraola's plans.

The new Liverpool manager is still building this team, and Saturday showed that the process is nowhere near complete.

The intensity is coming.

The defensive foundation may be coming.

But Liverpool still need the right midfield structure to make everything else work.

Steven Smith's Pre-Match Prediction:

Liverpool 3–1 Fulham

Final Score:

Liverpool 0–0 Fulham



https://anfieldindex.com/100013/fulham-frustrate-liverpool-as-iraolas-reds-produce-flat-anfield-display.html

[WhiteJC]

Supercomputer predicts what'll happen in West Ham United vs Fulham
West Ham United will look to carry their impressive Championship form into the Carabao Cup when they face Fulham in midweek.

The Hammers have won four league matches on the spin to find themselves top of the division on goal difference.

West Ham thumped Wrexham 6-0 on Friday night to leave supporters excited about what else is to come this season.

That could potentially include a cup run, with Premier League strugglers Fulham the Irons' third-round opponents in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.

Fulham have yet to win a league game under Alvaro Arbeloa, though they did pick up their first point in four attempts with a goalless draw at Liverpool on Saturday.

While the London rivals may now be in different divisions, only three places separates the sides in the English football pyramid.

What is supercomputer predicting for West Ham vs Fulham?
After a slow start to the campaign, Nuno Espirito Santo's men are now flying.

Fulham will be pleased with their point on Merseyside, meanwhile, but they have been far from impressive this season.

And Opta Analyst's supercomputer makes West Ham favourites for this clash, albeit only just.

West Ham are given a 37 per cent chance of winning, compared to 36 per cent for Fulham.

The draw has a 26 per cent likelihood of happening, which would mean extra time and potentially penalties to determine a winner on the night.

Given how slim the margins are, it could be argued a draw after 90 minutes is the most likely outcome.

Supercomputer updates West Ham's title chances
Going up automatically this season is the only goal for Nuno.

West Ham may be top, but only three points separates themselves and Wolves down in seventh.

Still, going off results and performances over the past few weeks, there is no reason why the Hammers cannot build up a gap on the chasing pack.

The same supercomputer fully expects West Ham to finish top of the pile in the Championship.

United are predicted to finish with around 83 points and are given a 29.26 per cent chance of winning the title.

Middlesbrough are projected to finish second, with a 22.14 per cent chance of finishing top.

Football is played on the field, though, and West Ham will have to ensure they last the distance.



https://www.westhamzone.com/match/supercomputer-predicts-whatll-happen-in-west-ham-united-vs-fulham

[WhiteJC]

Crystal Palace Retain Interest In Defensive Talent, Fulham Could Rival Eagles
Crystal Palace continue to remain keen on defensive talent Raphael Le Guen, although they could face competition from fellow Premier League side Fulham.

The 20-year-old centre-back rose through Brest's academy ranks before making his senior debut for the Ligue 1 side last season.

Despite registering only 373 minutes of first-team football, Le Guen did enough to capture Crystal Palace's attention, with the Eagles alive to his promise.

With Le Guen's stock beginning to rise, the south London outfit stepped up their efforts during the summer window, lodging multiple offers, with one understood to have edged close to €20m.

Pierre Sage was also convinced by Le Guen's qualities and went as far as holding talks with the defender in an effort to sway him, but Brest stood firm and resisted every attempt to prise him away, keeping hold of him.

According to French magazine Le 10 Sport, Crystal Palace 'remain very interested' in bringing Le Guen to Selhurst Park and are poised to try again during the January transfer window.

Fulham are likewise monitoring the Frenchman within the Premier League and could well move to rival Crystal Palace if they make a new attempt.

Brest, for their part, have no intention of surrendering their prized defender cheaply and 'want to increase the value' of Le Guen before considering any future approach.

The French side feel if he continues his development then he could well be their next big sale and as such do not want to sign off on an early switch.

Le Guen still has three years left on his Brest contract, which puts the Ligue 1 side in a strong position.

How much Crystal Palace might be prepared to offer for Le Guen in the new year remains to be seen.

Sage's side strengthened their central defensive options during the summer by bringing in Axel Disasi from Chelsea and Honest Ahanor, with both defenders arriving on loan.

Ahanor's agent believes his spell at Selhurst Park can prove instrumental to his development, with the Italian set for a switch to Chelsea next summer.



https://insidefutbol.com/2026/09/13/crystal-palace-retain-interest-in-defensive-talent-fulham-could-rival-eagles/727324/

[WhiteJC]

Fulham uninterested in sacking Alvaro Arbeloa yet
Fulham are backing Alvaro Arbeloa to succeed despite a difficult start to his reign and a lack of wins so far this season.

According to Football Insider, Fulham are not considering a hasty decision over Alvaro Arbeloa's future despite the club's poor start to the campaign. Performances have remained encouraging under the former Real Madrid player, but the lack of victories has led to speculation about his position. Nevertheless, the club are prepared to support their manager during the next phase of the project.

Fulham had to make several important decisions during the summer, including appointing the inexperienced Arbeloa as their new manager. After enjoying a period of stability under former boss Marco Silva, the Cottagers decided to take the club in a different direction as part of their plans for the present and future.

Fulham considered Arbeloa after Silva decided to leave the club, with the Portuguese manager eventually taking charge of Benfica. The Spaniard has already faced speculation over his immediate future at Craven Cottage following a series of defeats, but the club are ready to continue backing him.

Fulham stance on Alvaro Arbeloa
Fulham are aware of the growing pressure on Arbeloa after his difficult start to life as manager. By appointing him, the West London club accepted the risks associated with hiring an inexperienced coach, and they have now seen first-hand the cost of losing the experience Silva provided.

Arbeloa's team lost their opening three matches of the season against Chelsea, Sunderland, and Crystal Palace before earning their first point with a goalless draw away to Liverpool. Fulham are not rushing into a decision over the Spaniard, as they remain satisfied with the performances of their young team.

Each match has been closely contested, which offers plenty of encouragement for the future. That is one of the main reasons the club are prepared to continue supporting Arbeloa.

Arbeloa needs results
Arbeloa is building an exciting project at Fulham, with the team featuring several young and talented players. During the summer, the manager played an important role in bringing Real Madrid youngsters Cesar Palacios and Gonzalo Garcia to the club. He has also made Josh King a key figure in the attacking unit.

However, to secure long-term backing for his project, Arbeloa will still need results. Fulham have played an attractive brand of football so far without collecting enough points, increasing the pressure on the Spanish manager. He must now find a way to turn the team's performances into better results and strengthen his position in the Craven Cottage dugout.



https://thehardtackle.com/news/2026/09/13/fulham-uninterested-in-sacking-alvaro-arbeloa-yet/