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#51
Daily Fulham Stuff / Re: Friday Fulham Stuff - 02/1...
Last post by WhiteJC - October 01, 2026, 11:41:15 PM
David Affengruber explains why Arbeloa was especially key for Fulham transfer
It wasn't just the young players from Real Madrid who Alvaro Arbeloa managed to convince to join Fulham this summer. David Affengruber is another on the list.

The centre-back is willing to admit as much. In fact, he states openly that Arbeloa's experience as a player was key to his move to Craven Cottage at the end of the transfer window.

The Austrian joined Fulham from Elche in a €12m deal on deadline day, arriving as a last-minute reinforcement to Arbeloa's defensive options.

He moved to London with a growing reputation from his time at Elche, where he established himself as a star and defensive leader during his two-year spell.

Arbeloa role
Arbeloa will be more than aware of that, given his own time working in La Liga at Real Madrid. Likewise, Affengruber was more than aware of the manager he would be working under.

"I think the coach plays a big role when you do a transfer," he told Sky Austria.

"For me it was maybe a little more important because I knew what the game idea is and what role I should take on. I took this step because the conversations impressed me from the beginning and the project sounded very exciting."

Playing experience
It wasn't just Arbeloa's managerial experience that tempted Affengruber into the move either. it was also his playing experience.

The Spanish coach as a defender himself – albeit a right-back – making 238 appearances for Real Madrid alongside 98 at Liverpool. He also picked up 56 appearances for Spain after making his debut in 2008.

That extensive career saw him win the World Cup, two European Championships and two Champions League titles with Real Madrid. He also won La Liga in 2012, two Copa del Rey titles, the Supercopa de España, the FIFA Club World Cup and the UEFA Super Cup.

Affengruber is more than aware of the Fulham manager's history. And he insists it played a big part in his summer decision.

"I think I've now met a new style from a coach that I'm very much identifying with," he added.

"I want to develop myself, to learn every day. The coach plays an elementary role. Having a coach now who was such a successful player is something new to me.

"I appreciate it very much, because our coach has already seen a lot in football and can pass it on to us as a team very believably."



https://sportwitness.co.uk/david-affengruber-explains-why-arbeloa-was-especially-key-for-fulham-transfer/
#52
Daily Fulham Stuff / Re: Friday Fulham Stuff - 02/1...
Last post by WhiteJC - October 01, 2026, 11:39:12 PM
Fulham and Crystal Palace stars being targeted for January or summer
Inter Milan are experts at finding opportunistic deals in the market
under the leadership of Beppe Marotta. They are now considering the idea of landing a player each from Fulham and Crystal Palace.


Increasingly, several Italian clubs have been signing Premier League based players. The Nerazzurri themselves did that, roping in John Stones, Djed Spence and Curtis Jones during the summer transfer window.

Juventus did the same, bringing in Nick Woltemade and Pape Matar Sarr late in the window.

Now, there is a chance Crystal Palace and Fulham could see their players move to Serie A.

Inter alive to opportunity
Quotidiano Sportivo look at how Italian clubs are trying to bolster their squads ahead of the January transfer window. Inter, specifically, are alive to any market opportunities that emerge in the next few months,

Crystal Palace's Chris Richards is seen as an interesting
profile, with the American's contract running out in the summer of 2027. He is of interest to both Marotta and new sporting director Dario Baccin.

Apart from him, Fulham's Calvin Bassey is also a possible target. The ex-Rangers man's contract is also running out in 2027 and so far, there has been no sign of a renewal. The London club do have an option to exercise a one-year renewal but that hasn't happened yet.

This makes him an appealing option to Inter, who lost veterans Francesco Acerbi and Stefan De Vrij in the summer.

Eagles star a likelier target
Since Fulham could yet keep Bassey until 2028, the Crystal Palace defender is probably a more accessible
target. He might be a more suitable fit for Inter's 3–5-2 system too, as he can play across the backline.

A lot of Inter's defenders are able to do that, with Yann Bisseck a classic example of that.

But this should come as a warning to Crystal Palace, who would hate to lose several key players at the same time. Richards is one of their most reliable players and losing him on a free transfer would be disastrous. So whether he leaves or not is still too early to call.



https://sportwitness.co.uk/fulham-and-crystal-palace-stars-being-targeted-for-january-or-summer/
#53
Daily Fulham Stuff / Re: Friday Fulham Stuff - 02/1...
Last post by WhiteJC - October 01, 2026, 11:37:55 PM
A (way too early) review of Fulham's season so far
A deeper look at the first five games.

As we close out the second week of this never-ending international break, it feels like the perfect time to dive head-first into a review of the Arbeloa Era™ so far.

We all know the headline takeaway: five matches. 19th in the league. Two points from 15. Labelling the start of this campaign as a failure might be too strong, but there have certainly been teething problems.

Truthfully, it's been hard to judge where the potential of this squad may lie; from the general stability of Silva to the potential upside of Arbeloa, there have been as many flaws as green shoots this season. And that rings true from some of the data available - and also the good old fashioned eye test.

Let's try to break down the start in a few key areas:

Shape and style
As I've said before, Fulham had established themselves as a mid-block side under Silva, but the transformation is underway to play in a style that is far more proactive.

There are similarities; both sides retreat to a 4-4-1-1 in their defensive shape, they look for channel outlets and get narrow. That is mostly where the similarities stop, though, as Arbeloa's Whites do like to roll their sleeves up (like their manager) and press higher.

Chelsea, Palace and Manchester United were good examples of Fulham setting traps and forcing mistakes in advanced areas. It appears, though, that the Whites might struggle to keep up the intensity, as late goals have hurt them in the opening stages of the season. Chance creation for the opposition spikes at the end of the first half, and the final 15 minutes. There are similarities to Bournemouth who showcased similar attributes last season, before working through the kinks.

In possession, there have been some notable changes from Silva, who relied on a semi-telegraphed approach to transitions and while in possession. This season, though, Arbeloa's men are taking care of the ball more than ever, completing 85% of their passes and playing a shorter, interchangeable style.

Even visually, we're beginning to see the squad look comfortable playing in tighter areas. Dribbles have also increased compared to last season, which is to be expected with King, Palacios, Iwobi and Bobb, who are comfortable carrying the ball and making space for the overlaps, which are going to be a trademark of this team. The Whites really do miss a target man, which has been the case since Mitrovic.

At the back
This is where Fulham have grown the most over the short season, where the defensive approach has transformed from "vibes only" to a very clear designation of roles between the two pivots. The Palace game acted as a watershed moment in so many ways, but the capitulation at the hands of two left-backs signalled the end of Arbeloa believing that leaving the centre-halves with no protection was acceptable.

Fulham have since tightened on the counter and worked on funnelling players into less dangerous positions. It's clear that Berge is the anchor, and Charles is the motor with King/Iwobi playing the role of connector. The full-backs have also been reigned in, with only one pushing forward in most situations. Arbeloa read the Football Manager Wikipedia page and adjusted Timmy Chestnuts to a Full-Back on Support.

There is, though, a lot of work to be done with most of it coming in, or on the edge of, our own box. Fulham do look vulnerable from corners, as outlined in the Manchester United preview – and according to current data, are twice as likely to concede from a corner than score from one. West Ham was the biggest indication of our weaknesses in this area. And we'll get touch on this again later, but this team is small in comparison to the rest of the league.

In the last two games before the break, there has been good progression defensively with far more balance, outlined by the xGA which dropped from 2.0 against Palace to 1.1 against Liverpool and Manchester United. I've really enjoyed the Charles and Berge double pivot – Shea particularly will be a fantastic asset.

Going forward
Right off the bat, let's dive into more xG analysis: Fulham have been expected to outscore their opponents in three of the five games so far this season. Liverpool and Sunderland, where we wouldn't have scored if the game last 900 minutes, are the only two outliers.

Excluding penalties, Fulham are tracking 2.74 goals beneath expected. I know, there will be some groans about the use of xG to demonstrate Fulham's underlying attacking numbers but visually it's there too – we are creating chances.

There are signs that the Whites are growing into their system - relationships between Josh King and the three attackers around him are blossoming. It's not an overstatement to say that the success of this team rests on the shoulders of a 19 year old.

Similarly to Silva, there are formulated ways that Fulham drive up the pitch, but the shackles are looser than before, particularly with the front four players drifting into central and wide positions – 76% of our chances created come from wide positions. Down the left there have been better interchanges, notably with Robinson and Iwobi finding a groove – Fulham have looked at their best with Iwobi out wide, demonstrated by his 11 key passes.

The overall concern will be how one-dimensional we can look throughout the game and some of our passive play. There is an obvious reluctance to cross the ball into the box – even when a clear opening presents itself to a would-be crosser. While Gonzalo Garcia has looked dangerous, his lack of height alongside the towering centre-halves of the Premier League is having an impact on chance creation. Further exacerbated by Arbeloa's reluctance to introduce, or start, Rodrigo Muniz.

Transitionally, Fulham have taken a step back from last season, without the presence of a larger forward they have spent 43% of their time in possession in the middle of the pitch, scoring only one goal from counter attacking situations so far this season.

There has been a passiveness in possession that does play into the hands of teams who get back into shape quickly; Fulham certainly need to take more risks and look to exploit other areas, such as the channels or shooting from distance – where chance creation has looked very positive. (Sander Berge if you read this, please shoot more!)

Overall Grade: C-
We touched on it during the introduction, but there are serious flaws to this Fulham team and had there not been three positive results (if we include West Ham) then a D grade could have been on the cards. But Fulham are growing into this season across all areas of the pitch, and their solitary two points are 4.5 lower than their expected six based on output. According this article on the BBC, we should finish 14th.

It's safe to say that once the lads click, they'll be motoring, but for now let's deal with the teething issues and grab a haul of points from Ipswich, Hull and Coventry. Otherwise this could get scary quickly.

COYW.



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/p/a-way-too-early-review-of-fulhams
#54
Daily Fulham Stuff / Friday Fulham Stuff - 02/10/26...
Last post by WhiteJC - October 01, 2026, 11:36:00 PM
Fulham news: Alvaro Arbeloa charges with misconduct by FA for referee comments after Man United draw
Fulham head coach Alvaro Arbeloa has been charged by the FA for comments he made about the officials after the 1-1 draw against Manchester United before the international break.

The Cottagers looked to be on course to take all three points after Lisandro Martinez's own goal handed them a 63rd-minute lead in the home contest.

However, they were ultimately forced to settle for a share of the spoils following Matheus Cunha's deflected equaliser in the 89th minute.

Arbeloa was angered by the decision to award Man United a free-kick for a foul on Harry Maguire in the lead-up to Cunha's leveller.

What Arbeloa said after Man United draw
The Fulham player expressed his frustration about Michael Oliver and his officiating team when he spoke after the match, suggesting that all fouls went in Man United's favour.

"We were so close," Arbeloa told Sky Sports News. "So, so close. We were a little bit unlucky again. We knew it would be difficult against this big team.

"Also we knew what happened last week. We have seen what the referee have been doing in all the matches so it was a difficult game. And we we were unlucky.

"All fouls for them. You can see before they scored, the foul against Maguire, it's a guy who is 100 kilos. Every decision was for them, and I knew after the game against Man City that they [would not] let Man United lose here. We deserved a little bit more."

FA charges Arbeloa with misconduct
The Football Association released a statement on Wednesday afternoon to confirm that Arbeloa has been charged with misconduct for his post-match comments.

In the statement, the FA said: "It is alleged that the Fulham manager acted in an improper manner by making comments in a post-match interview that imply bias and/or question the integrity of a match official.

"Alvaro Arbeloa has until Thursday, October 1, to provide a response"

Arbeloa's side are languishing in the Premier League's bottom three after taking two points from their first five matches.

The Cottagers will return to action on October 10 when they take on newly-promoted Ipswich Town at Portman Road.



https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/fulham/news/arbeloa-charged-with-misconduct-for-referee-comments-after-man-united-draw_606039.html
#55
General Discussion / Re: NFR Prostate Cancer
Last post by Citizen Smith - October 01, 2026, 11:07:19 PM
Quote from: C Block on October 01, 2026, 03:44:10 PMI got out yesterday, but I had a long standing appointment at 8.30am and was asked to keep it,
So one thing has led to another and I've been admitted back into Frimley until at least Saturday,
They've thought for a long time today that I've got Sepsis but thankfully that has just been discounted,
And in a Fulhamish way, the light at the end of my tunnel is the thought of my two tickets for Ipswich away, that's my aim now
COYSW
C Block
It's terrible that you've had such awful complications with your procedure. After my prostatectomy, I too had problems with the catheter for a month, which I found uncomfortable 24/7 and had blood clots, but once out, my body started to recover slowly. Grit your teeth best you can, get through it and you'll be back cheering the Whites at Ipswich, no bother! 
#56
General Discussion / Re: Ban on football fans drink...
Last post by Jims Dentist - October 01, 2026, 10:27:22 PM
Works OK at non league level where it is mostly standing.
However I feel it would be totally impractical in densely seated areas of Championship and Premier League grounds.
It's bad enough now with late arrivals and half time tipplers getting to their seats 25 minutes after kick off.
#57
General Discussion / Re: NFR: What is the best song...
Last post by Jims Dentist - October 01, 2026, 10:16:15 PM
#58
General Discussion / Re: Ban on football fans drink...
Last post by White Knight - October 01, 2026, 09:10:48 PM
Quote from: Nick Bateman on September 25, 2026, 07:13:21 PMAs I said before, I'm in approval of lifting the ban. Its about time football fans were treated like sensible adults and not yobbos, constantly harassed by police and contempt from government officials who do not understand the passion of the game.

Also I do loathe snitches that try to get other posters into trouble. Let the moderators do their job without putting your tuppence (boot) in.

Unfortunately, a large minority of football fans cannot behave like sensible adults, they have never grown up and become anti social juvenile delinquants.
Supply them with alcohol to fuel their underdeveloped brains, and you have a cocktail of calamity.
I am sure the Police and the Stewards are grateful for the ban as any rational decent supporter would wish.

As for your comment on snitches, a snitch is someone who secretly tells a person in authority about someone else,s wrongdoing.
What have you been up to then to feel you have to make that statement, and for the record i am not a snitch.
#59
General Discussion / Re: Wales vs Norway-UEFA Natio...
Last post by Southcoastffc - October 01, 2026, 08:53:23 PM
Quote from: demeant0r on October 01, 2026, 08:50:41 PMNorway Red card, Neco scores the resulting free kick. What is happening?
Fulham very involved - James forces the foul for the red, Neco nets the free kick, Bobb now subbed in view of Norway having to play with 10.
#60
General Discussion / Re: Wales vs Norway-UEFA Natio...
Last post by demeant0r - October 01, 2026, 08:52:49 PM
Bobb subbed off as well. That means I'm switching to Ireland.