Álvaro Arbeloa is preparing his Fulham side to host Crystal Palace this afternoon, but the Cottagers’ new boss has already moved to pump the brakes on the immediate impact of his deadline-day acquisitions.
For Pierre Sage and his travelling Eagles, the admission from the opposition dugout offers an intriguing subplot as both sides look to break their duck in the Premier League.
lvaro Arbeloa is preparing his Fulham side to host Crystal Palace this afternoon, but the Cottagers’ new boss has already moved to pump the brakes on the immediate impact of his deadline-day acquisitions.
For Pierre Sage and his travelling Eagles, the admission from the opposition dugout offers an intriguing subplot as both sides look to break their duck in the Premier League.
Patience the Watchword in West London
It was a frantic end to the summer transfer window at Craven Cottage, with Fulham bolstering their ranks right before the deadline with the additions of midfielders Hugo Larsson and Manuel Ángel alongside defender David Affengruber.
Yet, speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of today’s London derby, Arbeloa made it clear that supporters should temper any expectations of seeing their new faces thrown straight into the deep end against Palace.
“I think it’s a little bit early for these three players,” Arbeloa admitted in his pre match press conference.
Detailing the varying fitness levels of his new trio, the Fulham head coach pointed to a distinct lack of match sharpness for some of his prized arrivals.
“David has been playing with Elche in the first games in La Liga, but Hugo, for example, he played his last game, I think, on the 12th of August. He wasn’t involved in any other games. For Manuel Ángel, the same. He didn’t play a game during the pre-season.
“So, I think these three players need a little bit of time. They just arrived, I think they will be in the squad tomorrow, but be patient with these three players. They need to understand what we want from them.”
Bench Roles Likely as Integration Begins
When pressed on whether the late arrivals would at least feature among the substitutes at Craven Cottage, Arbeloa remained slightly guarded while confirming they are part of his matchday thinking.
“You will see tomorrow, but I said that I think they are not ready to play from the start,” he added.
“It’s normal, they just arrived. Hugo and Mami [Manuel Ángel] even didn’t play so much during the summer.
“David, of course, he has played some games with Elche, so physically he’s more ready, but he needs to understand and to work and to know the players and to know our ideas.
“Now we have the [Friday] training session, we will see how they are, but I think they will be in the squad tomorrow.”
With Fulham searching for a response following defeats to Chelsea and Sunderland, and Palace eager to kickstart their own campaign under Sage, any marginal gains such as an unsettled opposition bedding in brand new signings could prove vital on the banks of the Thames this afternoon.
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