Crisis at Fulham: Arbeloa loses players' trust after just 6 matches

Spanish manager Álvaro Arbeloa faces a tough start to his tenure with Fulham, as concerns have grown within the club regarding his coaching methods and tactical philosophy. This comes at a time when he has yet to secure a victory in the Premier League after six rounds, according to British newspaper "The Telegraph."

A sense of confusion and discontent has emerged among several first-team players during the pre-season preparations, as some believe the quality of training sessions has declined compared to the period the team spent under former manager Marco Silva. Additionally, Arbeloa is facing difficulties in convincing his players of the new attacking approach, amid concerns about the spaces left by the team as a result of pushing forward.

Fulham's signings of three young players who previously worked under Arbeloa at Real Madrid have raised questions within the club. The players are forward Gonzalo García, and midfielders Cézar Palacios and Manuel Ángel. The report noted that the three players are also represented by the same player agency as the coach, at a time when Fulham needs to strengthen their squad with players capable of making an immediate impact.

Arbeloa's task has become more difficult following the departures of striker Raúl Jiménez and winger Harry Wilson, who moved for free to Wolverhampton and Leeds United respectively, after scoring 10 and 11 goals in the Premier League last season. Additionally, Marco Silva's departure to SL Benfica has left the club facing the challenge of appointing a new manager at a late stage in their preparations.

Despite having good numbers in possession and passing, Fulham have struggled with defensive weaknesses and a lack of focus during the closing minutes of matches. They conceded late goals against Sunderland, Crystal Palace, Manchester United, and Ipswich Town, who turned around a deficit to win by scoring two goals in the 88th and 92nd minutes.

Arbeloa faced additional criticism for his tactical decisions during the loss to Ipswich, after he did not utilize Danish defender Joachim Andersen and chose to field young midfielder Manuel Ángel instead, despite the latter making his Premier League debut. The late goals came from crosses into the penalty area, raising further questions about the team's ability to maintain their lead.

Alvaro Arbeloa's comments following the defeat did not help calm the atmosphere, as he stated: "You may not know me, but I played for the best team in the world, and I coached the best team in the world." The report indicated that these remarks were not well received by some Fulham fans.

Fulham sit bottom of the Premier League with two points after six matches, without a win, putting Arbeloa under pressure ahead of the next two matches against Hull City and Coventry City, in an attempt to improve results and restore player confidence, before the pressure mounts on the Spanish coach at the start of his tenure with the team.