Thursday Fulham Stuff - 24/09/26...

[WhiteJC]

Jack and Loz at the Cottage - Blog 347
Date: 20th September 2026
Opposition: Manchester United
Score: 1-1
Fulham goal scorer: Own Goal, assisted by Calvin Bassey
Weather: Golden sunshine
Atmosphere: stressed but supportive
MOTM: Super Bernd Leno in Goal put the Super in Super Sunday with an athletic, commanding and composed performance that ensured Arbeloa's Fulham proved another point
Dinner and drinks: Riverside Studios

It's been two weeks since some Fulham fans booed the team and/or the manager off the pitch at Craven Cottage. Since then, the squad has been busy. They earned their first Premier League point of the season in a very creditable draw at Anfield, beat West Ham - a Premier League team in all but....league - in a classic Cup tie and had their photos taken on a Friends style sofa ("The One With the Soccer Players".)

But could they continue their good run of form? Floundering in 20th place with an international break as long as a uni vacation about to start meant Sunday's match was Must Not Lose, if not quite Must Win, but Man U are something of a bogey team for Fulham (especially with Chris Kavanagh lurking in the VAR bunker).

Álvaro Arbeloa is proving to be a refreshingly fast learner. The early-season mistakes — the rigidity, the insistence on a system regardless of the opposition, the defensive exposure — have forced him to rethink. Against Liverpool we saw a new line-up (including everyone's new favourite David Affengruber) and a willingness to sacrifice some of Arbeloa's usual principles in order to deal with the specific threat in front of him.

For Man U, ÁA kept the same starting line-up and refined his tactics further. At times it was like watching a Marco low block with lots of slow passes. But it worked. United's powerful attack was limited to hitting the woodwork with Big Dave showing us what he can do and Antonee Robinson getting the better of a running battle on the wing. The Berge-Charles double pivot is a partnership built on contrast but held together by discipline: Berge the metronome, Charles the disruptor. Together, they gave Fulham a platform from which to play without leaving the defence exposed every time possession was lost.

But it was Bernd Leno who was the star of the defensive show. For a man who, until recently, had only Joachim Andersen standing between him and the unwanted crown of Fulham scapegoat, this was an outstanding display of shot-stopping. There was something almost defiant about his performance; the goalkeeper who had so recently become the focus of frustration looked every inch the last line of defence. If this was Leno reminding everyone what he can do, message received and understood.

At the other end, Fulham's attack looked lively and dangerous, with Gonzalo, Josh and, astonishingly, even Berge all missing good chances. Iwobi was back to his slick, skilful best, gliding past challenges and making things happen, while Oscar Bobb was fizzing with confidence after his midweek Cup goal. There was a real spark to Fulham front line but the hard-working forwards should have made more of their shots.

After yet another weird halftime game and a start to the second half so abrupt that the Clash were still singing, battle resumed. Things became more frantic - Fulham gave the ball away too much and when they won it back they couldn't keep it. Attacks became more sporadic, the defence less organised.

In a reversal of fortune, fans were singing Arbeloa's name but partly just to keep our nerves at bay - the panicky clearances and desperate blocks became excruciating to watch. But first blood went to Fulham by way of a Calvin Klein - sorry, Bassey - heavy cavalry charge and canon shot. United's rose-clad keeper made a hopeless parry and their Argentinian defender - distracted no doubt by the constant references to political geography from the crowd - slid the ball into his own net.

The Fulham players, subs, bench and fans went wild. The lead was deserved by perseverance if not skill. It wasn't pretty, it wasn't planned, but it would do.

Because we are Fulham, one goal was never going to be enough. But chances were becoming scarce. Other than a well-saved effort from Kevin, they soon dried up altogether. Arbeloa's switch to five at the back was designed to protect the lead but instead invited wave after wave of pressure, leaving Fulham clinging on rather than seeing the game out.

Even Super Bernd Leno wasn't super enough to deal with a wicked deflection but thankfully there was no second act to the drama. Fulham survived the late onslaught, kept United at bay and secured another point.

It's not ideal - and less that we deserved - but grinding out draws makes a change from leaking goals. Now we know that Arbeloa isn't wedded to an ideology for ideology's sake. He is watching, learning and adapting — and if that continues, the mistakes of those opening weeks may prove to have been valuable lessons rather than a recurring problem.

Random musings:-

Arbeloa criticised the referee after the match. A bit naive but he had a point (no pun intended). How did we get 3 yellows and United got none?

If only "Arbeloa's right the refs are shite" scanned properly....

So it turned out he hasn't lost the dressing room after all. His comments about Social Media Gate were those of a good man-manager - "I expect players to be unhappy when they're not playing."

For all the drama, the mistakes and the occasional moments when the system looks like it's been designed by runaway AI, Fulham are definitely improving. The performances are beginning to feel more coherent, the players are gaining confidence and Arbeloa is growing into his role. Now we need to see whether progress can be converted into points.

After the break we have three key games. They might not make or break our season but they will offer a clear measure of how far this Fulham side has come. We've survived a baptism of fire; now we need to prove the flames have made us stronger.



https://werdsmith.com/p/ettyfvhYMBFS8Q

[WhiteJC]

Stadium Sleepout: Be part of something bigger in 2026

After an incredible 2025 event that brought together supporters, local residents and fundraisers to raise more than £35,000 for homelessness prevention, Fulham FC Foundation is proud to launch the 2026 Craven Cottage Stadium Sleepout.

This November, we're once again inviting members of the Fulham family and the wider community to spend a night at Craven Cottage in support of people experiencing homelessness and those at risk across South-West London.

Date: Friday 13th November, 2026

Location: Craven Cottage

Registration: £40

Fundraising Target: £350 min. per participant

Eligibility: Must be 18+ on the event date

REGISTER FOR THE STADIUM SLEEPOUT 2026

This year's partner: Barons Court Project

This year's event will support Barons Court Project, Hammersmith & Fulham's only dedicated day centre for people experiencing homelessness and those living with mental health challenges. Now celebrating 40 years of impact, the charity has provided practical support, advice, wellbeing services and a safe community space, helping vulnerable people across the borough rebuild their lives and regain independence.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT BCP

Making a real difference

With homelessness continuing to affect vulnerable individuals and families across London, the need for support has never been greater. The 2026 Stadium Sleepout offers a chance to come together as a community, raise essential funds and shine a light on an issue that impacts thousands of lives.

Last year's participants swapped the comfort of their beds for sleeping bags on the Putney Stand concourse, standing in solidarity with those facing the reality of rough sleeping. Their efforts helped raise vital funds to support outreach services, accommodation support and preventative programmes delivered in partnership with homelessness charity, SPEAR.

The success of last year's event demonstrated the power of collective action. Participants described a night filled with camaraderie, purpose and a shared commitment to creating positive change.

Join us at Craven Cottage

Whether you're a lifelong Fulham supporter, a local resident, a business, or someone looking for a meaningful challenge, we encourage you to take part in this year's Stadium Sleepout.

By signing up, you'll help raise vital funds for services that support people experiencing homelessness while gaining a powerful insight into the challenges faced by those sleeping rough.

Together, we can make 2026 our biggest Stadium Sleepout yet.

REGISTER FOR THE STADIUM SLEEPOUT 2026



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2026/august/29/stadium-sleepout-2026/?utm_source=Fulham%20FC&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=15637621_Foundation%20Newsletter%20September%20%28Opt%20Ins%29%20220926&utm_content=sleepout%20button&dm_i=1U4L,9B62D,QB7M2A,134WAV,1,0,0,0

[WhiteJC]

Former Fulham manager Marco Silva hints that he could quit new job just THREE MONTHS into his role as he lashes out at refereeing performance in Benfica's defeat by Porto
Former Fulham and Everton boss Marco Silva has suggested he could walk away from his new job just three months into the role.

Silva left Fulham at the end of last season following the expiry of his contract, with Alvaro Arbeloa taking charge at Craven Cottage.

Things haven't gone perfectly for the former Liverpool defender, with the club currently 19th in the Premier League table after five games.

But it hasn't been much better for Silva either. The Portuguese took the reins at Benfica in his homeland, but was left frustrated after his side's 3-1 defeat at rivals Porto.

It led Silva to hint that he could walk away from his role already, particularly taking aim at the refereeing performance in the match.

'I won't comment on the sending off,' he said, after defender Clement Lenglet was given his marching orders before half-time. 'If the club has something to say about the match, I think it should say it.

'I don't know if I'll be able to continue like this until the end of the season, because I come from a different culture.

'Here, unfortunately, you can influence referees before matches, after them and during the week, and sometimes it works. I'm not going to go down that route.'

Benfica are second in the league table, though already five points behind Porto after their first defeat of the season.

Silva is no stranger to airing his refereeing frustrations, having been slapped with a £90,000 fine and a one-match touchline ban last season for comments after Fulham's defeat by West Ham.

'The referee's decisions were at a very low level in my opinion,' Silva said back in March. 'It has been a little bit the story of our season when John Brooks has been involved with us.

'Even our penalty (shout), I repeat again that John Brooks took and decided against the on-field decision. It's very difficult to understand these mistakes against ourselves, but it is what it is.'

Porto president Andre Villas-Boas, meanwhile, was complimentary of referee Miguel Nogueira after his side's win.

'I think it was great refereeing,' former Chelsea and Tottenham boss Villas-Boas said.

He added: 'The statistic I know is that Porto have 21 points and seven wins.'



https://www.dailymail.com/sport/football/article-16152481/Fulham-Marco-Silva-quit.html

[WhiteJC]

What does success actually look like for Alvaro Arbeloa this season?
Do we need to re-evaluate our expectations?

We're staring out over an extended international break still looking for our first win of the season. Our 1-1 draw at home to Manchester United moved us off the foot of the table on goal difference, but this is still miles below what many of us had hoped for during the summer.

When Arbeloa was hired there was a real mix between fans of what success looked like. Europe? Mid-table stability? Avoiding the drop? The outside noise certainly added to the frenzy but now we've got a chunk of games under our belt, how would we calculate success for Arbeloa this term?

A monumental October
Following Fulham's 3-2 defeat to Crystal Palace there was a stunned silence at the Cottage. "What the f**ing hell was that?" was the cry from the Hammersmith End, and with Liverpool and United following it felt like going into the international break on a dreaded zero points could be a reality.

To be fair to Arbeloa and Fulham, the tide seems to be turning slowly. A positive stalemate at Anfield and a point that was so nearly three against Manchester United leaves room for optimism, but next month feels vital.

After the break we go to Ipswich, host Hull and travel to Coventry and while two of the three newly promoted sides have started well, Fulham simply have to get a a decent chunk of points from these games. This feels like a litmus test for Arbeloa, and with an extended break he and Fulham have time to work things out that still need to be improved and we need to come out of the traps flying.

I'm not too concerned by the fact we currently sit in the bottom three; the league table changes so quickly at this stage of the season and a positive up-turn in those three games changes the complexion of the season.

There's also a small matter of the Carabao Cup Round of 16 at home to Crystal Palace crammed into these three vital league fixtures. Just because we need to perform in the league, I don't want to see us throw away any opportunity of cup glory. We have a torrid record at home to the Eagles and a win here to push us into a quarter final of a cup competition will help alleviate pressure on the Spaniard.

Fulham are desperate for a cup and I think it would be telling of him as a coach if he chooses to play a weaker side against a Crystal Palace side we've already lost to this season. We must attack this next month on all fronts, because if we don't, we may not be having any conversations about him come the November break.

Learning on the job
As well as points on the board, I (like many I'm sure) want to see Arbeloa continuing to learn and improve as a coach. We saw as real shift from that Crystal Palace game to when we went to Liverpool and while it wasn't perfect against United, a point isn't bad. But he and Fulham are still far from the finished article.

We still conceded a whopping 29 shots to Michael Carrick's side last Sunday and if it weren't for some fortune from the woodwork and a few great saves from Bernd Leno, we could've easily seen that one point turn into none. David Affengruber looks like our man at the back and the midfield two of Charles and Berge should be that from here on out, we just need to ensure that the spine of the squad doesn't get too interrupted in October and we continue to improve on a defensive standpoint.

Another thing that has left cause for concern has been Arbeloa's decision making in games, with the subs against Manchester United perplexing many. I'm not sure bringing off Berge and Iwobi was the smartest decision in a game we were clearly looking to see out. Those changes invited pressure and disrupted our flow of the game. Hopefully, Arbeloa has learnt from this.

The end of the road
The success or failure of the Arbeloa experiment really does rest on this next month, with a poor return probably seeing him out the door. That being said, the way he's changed things up following that Palace game gives me cause for optimism.

We seem to have found a settled line-up, and with Josh King purring we should be able to kick on. We do need to see others deliver more around him to help get service up to Garcia but I think we'll do enough in these next four.

So, what does success look like come May? For me, ensuring we stay in the division feels like the first step and two wins from the next three would certainly make things seem a lot more solid.

After that, I'd love Arbeloa to take the cup seriously and really give it a go. One thing is for certain though, the pendulum seems to be slowly swinging in Fulham's favour and we need to keep that momentum going.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/p/what-does-success-actually-look-like

[WhiteJC]

International call-ups
Details of the Fulham players called up to represent their countries over the upcoming international period.

Senior squad

David Affengruber (Austria) - Nations League

Joachim Andersen (Denmark) - Nations League

Calvin Bassey (Nigeria) - Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers

Sander Berge (Norway) - Nations League

Oscar Bobb (Norway) - Nations League

Timothy Castagne (Belgium) - Nations League

Shea Charles (Northern Ireland) - Nations League

Alex Iwobi (Nigeria) - Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers

Hugo Larsson (Sweden) - Nations League

Chibby Nwoko (Nigeria) - Friendly

Antonee Robinson (United States) - Friendlies

Under-21s

Gonzalo García (Spain) - Euro qualifiers

Josh King (England) - Euro qualifiers

Jonah Kusi-Asare (Sweden) - Euro qualifiers



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2026/september/22/international-call-ups/

[WhiteJC]

'He's very vocal' - Iwobi reveals qualities that make Bassey a great Fulham captain
Super Eagles midfielder Alex Iwobi has revealed two key qualities that make Calvin Bassey a great captain at Fulham, highlighting his vocal personality and ability to lead by example.

Iwobi made the revelation while speaking to journalists ahead of the Super Eagles' AFCON qualifying encounters against Mozambique and Guinea-Bissau.

Bassey was handed the Cottagers captaincy at the start of the campaign following his solid performances and growing leadership role within the team.

Speaking to Onah Kosisochukwu, Iwobi said his teammates have welcomed the decision because of the defender's strong personality and consistent performances.

"In fairness, nobody saw it coming but we're happy for him because he's very vocal and has a big personality. Obviously, he is a good player and someone that always plays," he said.

"We are happy for him because he is such a great player and great leader, he leads by example and also talks. Nobody has any issues and in anyways we can help him as a teammate and brother, I am willing to do so."

 Iwobi also revealed that Bassey's elevation has not affected their relationship, insisting they have maintained the same bond despite his teammate becoming captain.

"Calvin is the same person and I am still the same person. Even though he's captain, we still have the same vibe, the same energy."

Iwobi expressed delight working with Fulham manager Alvaro Arbeloa, describing him as a good manager whose tactics and ideas have been well received by the players.

"It's been good. Everybody has been enjoying his tactics and ideas. Unfortunately, we haven't had the results to show," Iwobi added.

However, he acknowledged that the team's performances have yet to produce the desired results and stressed that achieving them would take time.

"I am enjoying my time with him. It's a new challenge and he's a good manager. It just takes time with the result."

Adeyemi Adewale



https://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/hes-very-vocal-iwobi-reveals-qualities-that-make-bassey-a-great-fulham-captain

[WindyCity]

What does success actually look like for Alvaro Arbeloa this season?

Staying in the Premier League this season.....