Recovering Fulham Learning From Their Mistakes: Clear Message From Arbeloa

After a poor start to the season, Fulham head coach Álvaro Arbeloa says his side are learning from their mistakes and are on the right track.

The London club failed to win any of their first six Premier League matches, a run in which they drew against Liverpool and Manchester United. Despite rumours that Arbeloa, who took charge in the summer, was under pressure and that there was unrest in the dressing room, Fulham showed signs of recovery with back-to-back 1-0 wins over Hull City and Coventry City.

Although they were beaten by the same scoreline by Crystal Palace in the League Cup in midweek, Arbeloa believes the team have turned the corner.

Speaking ahead of Saturday's match against Aston Villa, the experienced coach said: "We are learning from our mistakes, we are a team in a process of development. We are improving, we are working very hard, and for us it is extremely important to become a solid team. We may not be the best in the league in open play, but we are much better at controlling the ball and the transitions. That is how we are a much more effective side."

Stressing that he has to adapt to his players, Arbeloa added: "The most important factor is my players. It is not just about my ideas; it is about their abilities, their quality and what they put on the pitch. You can only focus on the things you can control. We cannot control what our opponents will do, but by working on our mistakes we are moving forward every day. Just as we can press aggressively high up the pitch, sometimes we may need to sit in a mid or low block. Everything has its moment in a match, and at the end of the day we have to be a complete team. Every process has its ups and downs, that is perfectly normal. But we are definitely on the right track."

Fulham are aiming to build an important winning run in the league if they beat Aston Villa.