Andersen calls out Arbeloa after losing his Fulham spot

Joachim Andersen, a Fulham captain last season, admitted he was surprised to lose his spot after Álvaro Arbeloa took charge. In comments reported by Mundo Deportivo, the Danish defender showed clear discomfort with the coach’s decision, pointing to his previous leadership role: “Me sorprende un poco. Fui capitán en muchos, muchos partidos la temporada pasada”.

Surprise at the role change

Andersen missed the league opener through suspension, but once back he found himself on the bench. As Mundo Deportivo details, he was an unused or late substitute in the most recent matches against Liverpool and Manchester United, coming on only in the final minutes. The centre-back explained that even if he believes he has been performing well, he understands the coach sometimes wants to “try something different”: “Creo que he jugado bastante brillantemente. Pero a veces el entrenador quiere probar algo diferente y entonces es as…”.

The broader situation is not helping Arbeloa either. Mundo Deportivo reports that Fulham are yet to win in the first five Premier League games, with just two points from three losses and two draws. Against Manchester United, the team had the win in hand until the 89th minute, before Cunha’s equaliser left Arbeloa still without his first league victory.

Words after the draw

After the United draw, Arbeloa suggested he already knew “they wouldn’t let him lose here,” tying it to what happened in City-United in the previous round. Mundo Deportivo adds that this kind of reasoning echoes the messaging style associated with José Mourinho during his Real Madrid era, a period marked by frequent explanations.