'Nice man' Arbeloa at peace with Fulham's start ahead of international break - but is he ruthless enough?
For plenty of Fulham fans there must have been an air of resignation about the way their team surrendered a famous victory by conceding so late against Man United.
It keeps happening at the Cottage, with three of the past four seasons being decided by late United goals to win the game.
This Sunday encounter ended in a draw, at least, and the Whites boss seemed pretty sanguine about the outcome. Rather than curse the missed opportunity to record a first win - after Matheus Cunha's deflected drive had cancelled out a Lisandro Martinez own goal - he was just grateful for the signs of competitiveness in his team.
After losing their opening three league games, they were expected to suffer even more with Liverpool and United next on the horizon but managed to draw both games to ease themselves off the bottom of the table, despite still searching for that first win.
But should Fulham's boss perhaps have shown a little more ambition against a wobbly United defence? In surrendering the initiative by withdrawing Josh King in favour of Joachim Anderson for the final 10 minutes, he arguably invited the pressure that allowed United an escape route from 1-0 down.
Shades of England v Argentina perhaps.
"We were so close and then we conceded this goal at the end of the game and it's really frustrating - but we need to continue, " Arbeloa said.
"We knew that this month was going to be hard against top teams - Liverpool away, Sunderland away, Manchester United at home - so I think we are improving game by game. My players are doing a great job.
"They did really well against a top team like Man United. We also knew that they were under pressure and needed the victory, so I think we did so well and the victory was so close.
"We have drawn with a top team who have really top players and I think they [Fulham] are playing better than before. It was difficult for us to control Bruno [Fernandes] and Cunha, but we did really well and also when we had the ball, we created so many chances and could have scored more goals.
"I think we did a good game. We are improving and if we play that way, the victories will come. I'm proud of my players. I know that we only have two points but in the long term, when you are playing in this way, I think you will get what you deserve."
He added: "I still want more from my players. I think we can do even better than today. It's been just one month together but we need to continue in this way."
Arbeloa praised King, saying: "An amazing player, a real talent - a really good player and he's very difficult to defend. He's proving game by game how good he is and I think he has to have a place in the national team. I'm so happy with him. I think he's been so important and will be very important for us all season."
It begs the question as to why he took him off when it could have taken the game to United in those final minutes.
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