Alex Iwobi & Calvin Bassey: 3 warning signs behind Fulham’s winless start under Arbeloa

Super Eagles stars Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey have watched Fulham struggle to find consistency under Álvaro Arbeloa, and the club’s defeat to Ipswich Town exposed familiar problems that have plagued them this season.

Fulham appeared to be heading towards their first league victory of the season when Ryan Sessegnon put them ahead against Ipswich in the 55th minute on Saturday.

However, Abdoul Ouattara equalised in the 88th minute before Dara O’Shea struck in stoppage time to give Ipswich a dramatic 2-1 win at Portman Road.

The defeat leaves Fulham still searching for their first Premier League victory of the campaign, having collected only two points from their opening five fixtures before travelling to Ipswich.

Their season started with a 3-2 defeat to Chelsea, a 1-0 loss to Sunderland, a 3-2 defeat to Crystal Palace, a goalless draw with Liverpool and a 1-1 draw against Manchester United.

While the results have increased scrutiny on Arbeloa, the pattern also raises questions about the team’s ability to manage difficult moments and convert promising performances into points.

Alex Iwobi & Calvin Bassey: 3 signs of a poor Fulham side

1. Fulham keep letting results slip away

The Cottagers, this season, have developed an inability to see games out.

Against Manchester United, Fulham appeared poised to claim a home victory after taking the lead, only for the visitors to equalise in the 89th minute.

The Ipswich defeat increased that concern. Fulham were less than three minutes away from the end of normal time when Ouattara equalised, and O’Shea’s stoppage-time header left them with nothing.

Those results suggest that game management must become a priority. Whether the problem is defensive concentration, decision-making under pressure or the team’s response to late opposition attacks, Arbeloa needs to find a solution, and fast.

Calvin Bassey has been entrusted with an important role at Craven Cottage, but the team’s collective defensive organisation must improve if Fulham are to stop surrendering decisive goals.

2. Their attack has been blunt

The Cottagers scored twice against Chelsea and Crystal Palace but lost both matches 3-2. Against Sunderland, they failed to score, while the Liverpool fixture ended goalless.

Those games show that Fulham can find the net, but they have struggled to make their goals count.

That places huge responsibility on the team’s attacking players, including Iwobi, who’s the team’s chief chance creator.

The summer departures of Harry Wilson and Raúl Jiménez also changed the attacking options available to Arbeloa, and the replacements brought in by the ex-Real Madrid full-back are vastly inexperienced.

Afrik-Foot previously examined why Bassey and Iwobi could struggle under Arbeloa.

3. Arbeloa needs to produce results

Arbeloa’s appointment brought expectations of a new direction, but Fulham’s league results have yet to provide evidence that the transition from Marco Silva is working.

The 3-2 defeats against Chelsea and Crystal Palace demonstrated the cost of conceding three goals, while the losses to Sunderland and Ipswich showed how damaging a single goal, or a late defensive lapse, can be.

Bassey’s pace and strength have been useful so far, while Iwobi’s ability to operate in different midfield roles gives Arbeloa options, but the structure of the entire team cannot depend on the two Super Eagles stars.

What next for Fulham and their Nigerian stars?

Fulham’s first six league matches have exposed several concerns.

Arbeloa still has time to turn things around, but the pressure will increase if Fulham fail to win their next game.

For Iwobi and Bassey, the priority is to help Fulham find stability and ensure their club form does not become a growing concern ahead of future Super Eagles assignments.

The Ipswich defeat was painful, but the warning has been there since the opening weekend. Unless Arbeloa addresses them quickly, the pressure on his team and his position will only intensify as they’re currently bottom of the English Premier League table.