Alex Iwobi’s goal against Hull City ended Fulham’s long wait for a Premier League win, but the Nigerian midfielder believes the breakthrough began earlier, with Álvaro Arbeloa urging his players to trust their performances even when the results failed to reward them, Footynaija.com reports.
Fulham had reasons to believe they could get better results before Saturday’s meeting with Hull, but their failure to turn promising performances into wins left them bottom of the table and increased the pressure on Arbeloa.
They had taken the lead against Ipswich Town on October 10 before conceding twice late in a 2-1 defeat. A week earlier, they had also let a lead slip against Manchester United, who scored an 89th-minute equaliser to claim a 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage.
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Those dropped points made their wait for a first league win more frustrating.
Iwobi explains Arbeloa’s message
Iwobi provided the breakthrough against Hull on Saturday, October 17, scoring in the 33rd minute to secure a 1-0 win and lift Fulham off the bottom of the table.
Speaking after the game, the Super Eagles midfielder said Arbeloa had encouraged the players to keep believing in their work despite the results.
“The manager has asked us to keep going and hopefully the luck will go our way and it has now started,” Iwobi said.
“We have performed well even though the results spoke otherwise.”
Iwobi admitted Fulham could have scored more against Hull, but he believes their ability to keep creating chances will eventually bring more goals. He also pointed to the clean sheet as another reason for optimism.
“As long as we’re creating the opportunities, we will score more goals,” he said. “Also, if we’re able to keep clean sheets like vs Hull City, it will give us a chance to win games.”
The win gave Arbeloa some relief after a difficult first six league matches, but Fulham must now build on it. Their next Premier League fixture is away to Coventry City on October 24, giving them an early chance to show that the Hull result can lead to a more consistent run.
