Álvaro Arbeloa rejected claims that he is struggling with the pressure after Fulham’s defeat at Ipswich left them without a Premier League victory in six matches. The former Real Madrid coach had been close to earning his first managerial win in the competition following Ryan Sessegnon’s superb strike in the 55th minute, but Fulham surrendered their lead during a disastrous finish.
Abdoul Ouattara equalised for Ipswich with a powerful 30-yard effort in the 88th minute before Dara O’Shea headed in Jack Clarke’s free-kick two minutes into stoppage time to complete a dramatic turnaround. Tottenham’s draw at Manchester United then sent Fulham to the foot of the standings.
With Fulham set to spend another week in the relegation places, Arbeloa dismissed suggestions that the growing scrutiny is affecting him, saying: “I am never concerned about my job.
“There is no fear. A coach cannot operate with that mindset. You must work hard, make decisions and give your players confidence. I am very pleased with many aspects of their performances, and I understand how difficult this situation is for them.
“My position is not the issue; Fulham’s place in the table is what matters most. We have played only six games, although it is clear that we need to start collecting points.”
After exchanging handshakes with Ipswich manager Gary O’Neil at the final whistle, Arbeloa immediately headed down the tunnel. Fulham now sit seven points behind the newly promoted side and will turn their attention to Saturday’s home match against Hull.
When asked how he intended to ignore the criticism, Arbeloa said: “Perhaps you are unfamiliar with my background, but I represented the biggest club in the world and later coached that club. Pressure has been part of my life since childhood.
“It is an ordinary part of football for players, coaches and everyone connected with a team. I believe pressure is valuable, and it is something I welcome.”
The result was Fulham’s fourth league defeat of the season. They have now conceded goals after the 75th minute against Sunderland, Crystal Palace, Manchester United and Ipswich.
O’Neil offered a more upbeat assessment after watching his team secure their third win of the campaign, with substitutes Chuba Akpom and Clarke both making important contributions to the thrilling conclusion.
“In terms of the result, I am delighted with the players and the determination they displayed at the end,” O’Neil said. “They demonstrated their true character: united, committed, talented and unwilling to give up.
“I felt we looked stronger physically than our opponents. During the final 20 minutes, they appeared to lose energy while we continued applying pressure, and the players introduced from the bench gave us an additional lift.
“Fulham have competed in the Premier League for several seasons, so the way we matched them throughout the game was extremely encouraging.”
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