Fulham head coach Alvaro Arbeloa expressed his disappointment with his team’s attitude and effort after Sunderland secured their first Premier League victory of the season.
Substitute Wilson Isidor proved to be the difference, scoring the only goal in a scrappy contest that produced very few clear opportunities.
Isidor entered the game in the 64th minute and almost made an immediate impact. He found himself unmarked in the middle of the penalty area after good work involving Granit Xhaka and Enzo le Fee, but his effort struck the base of the left post.
The Sunderland substitute eventually found the breakthrough in the 75th minute. Habib Diarra produced an impressive burst of pace down the right before sending a low cross into the Fulham box. Goalkeeper Bernd Leno was unable to collect it cleanly, allowing Isidor to finish and give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
Arbeloa was visibly unhappy with Fulham’s performance and admitted that he did not approve of the team’s approach.
“I didn’t like the attitude of my team,” he said, while also criticising their lack of effort, running and technical quality.
Fulham had previously suffered a 3-2 defeat against Chelsea on the opening weekend in an entertaining match. However, Arbeloa stressed that the intensity shown against stronger opposition must be repeated in every fixture.
“Against Chelsea at home, it’s easy to run and fight but you have to do it every game,” Arbeloa said.
He emphasised the importance of character, mentality and ambition, adding that Fulham had failed to compete effectively for second balls and had not reached the required standard.
The result leaves Fulham without a point from their opening two Premier League fixtures.
Sunderland’s Defence Stands Firm
The opening half was short on quality, with both teams struggling to make the most of promising situations.
Sunderland created one of the earliest chances in the fifth minute. Xhaka switched play towards the flank before Thomas Meunier delivered a cross into the box, but Trai Hume was unable to make proper contact from around 10 yards.
The victory was particularly valuable for Sunderland after they had lost their opening league match 2-1 away to promoted Ipswich. A late goal from former Sunderland winger Jack Clarke had condemned the Black Cats to defeat in that game.
Sunderland’s confidence had also been boosted by their Europa League draw, which has given supporters a number of major fixtures to look forward to.
Among the highlights is an away meeting with AC Milan in December, while Sunderland will also host AZ Alkmaar, Dinamo Zagreb, Jagiellonia and Levski Sofia. Their European schedule also includes trips to Portugal, Poland and Belgium.
The challenge now will be managing the demands of domestic and European football, with Sunderland facing at least eight additional matches and the prospect of regular Thursday-to-Sunday schedules.
After the disappointment at Ipswich, securing three points against Fulham was therefore important.
Granit Xhaka was one of Sunderland’s standout performers, providing composure, long-range distribution and leadership in midfield.
Manager Regis le Bris was pleased with the collective defensive effort, particularly after individual errors had contributed to the opening-day defeat.
Nordi Mukiele and Romaine Mundle were among those who produced important late interventions to prevent Fulham from finding an equaliser.
“It’s good to be back at home and win again,” Le Bris said.
He also praised his players for handling the threat posed by Fulham and creating opportunities of their own.
Fulham Have Plenty to Improve
Arbeloa took charge of Fulham following Marco Silva’s departure in June, and his team had started the new campaign with five goals across their first two competitive fixtures.
A defeat against Chelsea was followed by a 3-0 Carabao Cup victory over League One side AFC Wimbledon, but Fulham struggled to create the same attacking threat on Wearside.
Despite enjoying 58.4% possession, the visitors repeatedly found themselves in promising positions without producing the decisive final pass or finish.
Their clearest opportunity before Sunderland scored fell to Josh King.
Alex Iwobi played him into a dangerous position, but with plenty of space available, King could only send his effort over the crossbar.
Gonzalo Garcia, who joined Fulham from Real Madrid in early August, had scored in each of his first two matches for the club. However, the striker endured a frustrating afternoon against Sunderland.
Garcia failed to seriously test goalkeeper Robin Roefs, with his best opportunities being blocked by Mukiele and Mundle.
The defeat is a significant setback for Fulham, particularly because they had beaten Sunderland home and away last season.
They will now be looking for their first league victory next weekend when they host Crystal Palace, who have also lost their opening two Premier League matches.
With the transfer window closing on Tuesday, the lack of attacking threat could encourage Arbeloa and Fulham’s recruitment team to consider further additions.
If Fulham are to improve on last season’s 11th-place finish, Arbeloa will need his players to show greater intensity, creativity and composure in front of goal.
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