Arbeloa: Fulham deserved overdue win

Alvaro Arbeloa described his first Premier League win as Fulham boss as “another day at the office”. 

The Whites moved off the bottom of the table and out of the relegation zone with their 1-0 victory against Hull at Craven Cottage, secured by Alex Iwobi’s first-half goal.

It followed reports that Arbeloa was close to being axed after a winless start to his tenure.

But the Spaniard played down the significance of the result when asked about pre-match reports that he could be close to being sacked.

He said: “I think it’s another day at the office, because I have the same feeling as other games, where we control the game, where we have the better chances.

“I’m happy because I think we deserved this victory before, in other games. We lost some games where I didn’t feel the other team was better than us. I didn’t see a team that I thought ‘Wow, what a team’.

“We controlled the game. We were almost perfect. Not perfect – because we didn’t take our chances. I can’t believe this game finished just 1-0.”

Losing leads, not least in last weekend’s harrowing 2-1 defeat at Ipswich, has been a major factor in Fulham’s struggles this season.

And anxious fans might have been forgiven for thinking a familiar story was unfolding as Arbeloa’s side missed chances to double their lead.

Calvin Bassey headed Iwobi’s cross over the bar, and Iwobi curled an effort just wide before crossing for Gonzalo Garcia to head against the bar.

But Fulham defended well at the other end and there was no late slip-up this time, although they ended the match with 10 men after Ryan Sessegnon’s late sending-off.

“I’m so proud of my players because they played with great personality, great character. We scored one goal, and we continued attacking in the second half,” said Arbeloa.

“I’m so happy for our supporters – they deserve this victory, this win. And for my players.

“It’s not easy for players when you are working hard, when you are doing what your coach is asking you, and you don’t win games.

“It’s not easy to keep doing the same things, keep working, keep trying to improve. And my players believe in our ideas, and they play in the way that we are playing, even when we were losing games.”