Solid As A Rock

Exclusive interview with our belgian international toby alderweireld , our defensive rock who is preparing to face his compatriots at wembley stadium this evening determined to keep our euro adventure going.

- Jon Rayner

Toby Alderweireld believes the manner of Sunday’s victory over Fulham proves that we are back on track as we continue to compete on three fronts – but we’ll need to reproduce that form again this evening if we are to progress in the Europa League.

Having gone 11 matches unbeaten in all competitions since losing at Manchester United in mid December, we suddenly lost our way recently as we suffered a disappointing defeat away at Liverpool, before going down 1-0 to tonight’s visitors Gent in last week’s first leg of our round of 32 tie.

And while defeats at Anfield and away in Europe can happen to any side, it was a lack of a spark in our performances in the two matches which was most concerning. But all that was put aside down by the Thames on Sunday as we put in a polished and controlled display to ease past Championship side Fulham in the fifth round of the FA Cup thanks to a Harry Kane hat-trick.

Toby revealed after the game at Craven Cottage that the players and coaching staff got together to talk things through following the defeat in Belgium last Thursday and reiterated this week how confidence is flowing through the squad once again after Sunday’s 3-0 win.

“If you lose two times in a row, it’s important to have a good game again and we did that against Fulham,” said the 27-year-old Belgian international. “Not only did we need the result but we needed the performance too. The way we played was really good.