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Possession pays off for Fulham
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- Possession pays off for Fulham
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Will this prove to be a turning point for Alvaro Arbeloa?
There was hardly mutiny on the banks of the Thames, despite Fulham's meagre return of just two points from their first six games before this contest.
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Yet defeat to a newly promoted side would have certainly caused a degree of twitchiness among fans and the club's hierarchy.
Arbeloa had urged his side to stick to their methods and they patiently weaved neat passages of intricate passing play.
Alex Iwobi was at the heart of it all, the experienced head pulling the strings in midfield, while Oscar Bobb, Shea Charles and Josh King provided youthful vitality.
Once again Fulham had such a monopoly on possession at Craven Cottage (76.2%) that they may as well have put all their houses and hotels on it.
This time, however, they did pass go and collected their reward - three points.
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They made 717 passes in this game, their highest total in a Premier League match this season.
In truth, the margin of victory should have been greater - Gonzalo Garcia headed against the bar, while Konstantinos Tzolakis dealt with clear cut-chances for Iwobi and King.
This result should provide the springboard for the Cottagers and drive belief in Arbeloa's philosophy.
