Sports
Fulham Boss Arbeloa Calls for Defensive Fixes Despite Cup Win Over West Ham
Fulham head coach Alvaro Arbeloa called for greater defensive discipline from his side after they narrowly defeated West Ham 3-2 in a tense Carabao Cup clash at London Stadium on Tuesday night, advancing to the fourth round. Substitute Oscar Bobb scored the decisive goal in the 78th minute, netting his first strike for the club to seal the win after Fulham had twice let slip leads built through goals from Rodrigo Muniz and Cesar Palacios. Speaking to Sky Sports following the match, Arbeloa expressed frustration at his team's defensive lapses despite an otherwise dominant display. "We had a very good first half, but I'm still asking how we conceded two goals because we were in control of the game perfectly," he said. "We had many chances. We had the feeling the game was under control, so we were disappointed going into half-time. We need to be a little bit more aggressive when we are defending. But everything that we worked on in the last two days, we did on the pitch." The victory extended Fulham's strong record in the competition, with the club now having advanced in eight of their last nine cup ties against lower-league opponents. Arbeloa also spoke about the development of his younger players, urging patience as they continue to grow into first-team roles. "We have so many young players with talent, and we need to be patient with them," he said. "We need to help them, develop them, but you can see the talent they have, the quality. They understand the game, and they will grow during the season." With their place in Wednesday's fourth-round draw secured, Fulham will turn their attention to the Premier League, where they host Manchester United on Sunday in search of their first league win of the season. West Ham, meanwhile, will look to respond to their first loss of the campaign when they travel to Millwall on Saturday. Both teams will aim to end the current run of fixtures on a high note before the season pauses for the international break.