- Alvaro Arbeloa said “pressure is a privilege” after Fulham beat Hull City 1-0 to give him his first Premier League win as a manager.
- Reports had suggested the Fulham head coach had two games to save his job, and the result lifted the club out of the relegation zone.
- Hull head coach Sergej Jakirovic called his side’s display their worst under his watch and said Fulham played like “men against boys”.
Arbeloa Says His Players Never Stopped Believing
Alvaro Arbeloa said “pressure is a privilege” after Fulham finally gave him a first Premier League win. A 1-0 victory over Hull City at Craven Cottage lifted the club out of the relegation zone and eased the questions about his job.
Reports had claimed the Spaniard had two games to save his position. His answer after the final whistle was about belief. “My players believe in our ideas and they play the way that we were playing even when we were losing games,” he said.
Asked directly about the pressure on him, Arbeloa answered: “Pressure is a privilege.” He said he wants “the best for Fulham”, “the best for my players” and “the best for my supporters”.
Spartan Mentality and the Owners’ Support
Arbeloa said he was proud of his players’ character and said they had kept following his methods through a run of results that did not reflect their performances. He referred again to the Spartan mentality he has talked about before, saying his team must keep doing the things it does well while working on its weaknesses.
Sky Sports also reported that Arbeloa feels the support of the Fulham owners. He also said he believes Josh King has everything needed to become a top player.
Iwobi Settles It Before Half-Time
Alex Iwobi scored the only goal in the 34th minute. He finished a sweeping move and the shot trickled through the arms of Hull goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis. Fulham had ten shots in the first half and kept creating chances after the break. Tzolakis denied Josh King one-on-one and saved from Iwobi, and Gonzalo Garcia hit the crossbar with a header in the 74th minute from an Iwobi cross.
The finish was nervy. Substitute Ryan Sessegnon was sent off in stoppage time for a late challenge on Hull substitute Robinio Vaz, catching him around the heel and Achilles. Fulham held on with ten men.
Jakirovic Calls It Hull’s Worst Performance
Hull head coach Sergej Jakirovic did not look for excuses. He said he told Arbeloa it was “the worst performance” of his time at the club. “They were much, much better than us and congratulations to them. They played an excellent game,” he said.
He went further: “We were very, very poor. We collapsed together.” Jakirovic described the contest as “men against boys” and said Fulham “ate us alive”.
He took responsibility for the display and asked for a response in Hull’s next game. He said his players must be honest with themselves and that, if they watch the game again, “you will see how poor you are”.
A Turning Point for Arbeloa?
Sky Sports reporter William Bitibiri, who was at Craven Cottage, saw an intensity and attacking fluency that had been missing from Fulham’s winless start. He said the performance even prompted thoughts of “Arbeloa-ball”.
Bitibiri also warned that one result cannot erase the worries of the opening weeks, and pointed to the nervy closing stages. “Whether it proves a turning point depends on what follows,” he said. “For now, he has bought himself time and shown what his Fulham side can be.”