Alvaro Arbeloa Prepares Fulham for Chelsea Clash

Alvaro Arbeloa has welcomed Fulham’s summer work but made it clear the squad is still short of what he wants as he prepares for a fierce Premier League debut against Chelsea on Monday night.

The new head coach has already stamped a touch of Madrid on Craven Cottage. Shea Charles has arrived from Southampton, while Spaniards Gonzalo Garcia and Cesar Palacios have followed Arbeloa from Real Madrid to west London. Three through the door, three markers of a new era.

But the gaps are obvious. Issa Diop’s move to Ipswich has left Fulham without a like-for-like replacement at centre-back. Higher up the pitch, nobody has yet been brought in to fill the void left by Harry Wilson, last season’s most reliable source of goals.

From Motspur Park on Friday, Arbeloa sounded encouraged but far from satisfied.

“I think we can make the squad stronger and more balanced,” he told reporters. “But I am happy with the way the club is working this summer. We have three new players, so we are still working on it.”

The word “balance” hung in the air. Fulham have added talent, but the spine still needs reinforcing if Arbeloa is to shape a side in his image over a full campaign.

Derby baptism against Alonso

There is no gentle introduction waiting for him. His first competitive game in charge is a west London derby under the lights against Chelsea, a club already tipped to surge back towards the top end of the table.

On the opposite bench will be Xabi Alonso, Arbeloa’s long-time friend and former team-mate with Spain and Liverpool – and the man he succeeded at Real Madrid when Alonso was sacked in January. The reunion adds an extra edge to a fixture that hardly needed it.

Arbeloa, though, brushed aside any notion of sentiment once the whistle blows.

“We analyse Chelsea like we did with other teams. I know [his style of football] well because I watch so many games of his teams, but we know it will not be easy.

“They are a very strong squad with top players. They also made good signings, so we have to be ready if we want to beat them. We need to do a very good game.”

The personal relationship remains strong. The professional one, for 90 minutes at least, will be suspended.

“[I spoke to Alonso] a few days ago. We didn’t talk about football. Our families are coming to London, and we are very good friends.

“On Monday night, we will be there on the touchline, so close for 90 minutes. We will give everything for our clubs. We will try to win the games. For 90 minutes, like he said, we are not friends.

“That is the most important thing. We want to win that game. It will be so important if we win against Chelsea. The only thing I can think about is our performance, to be ready to play. We are working very, very hard.”

The message is clear. The friendship can wait. For Arbeloa, the real statement will not be another signing through the door, but a Fulham side ready to trade blows with Chelsea on opening night.