The result ended Fulham's winless start to the league campaign and lifted them out of the relegation zone. However, the narrow margin did not reflect the hosts' superiority for much of the contest, with Arbeloa believing his side could have won by a greater scoreline.
“I think it's another day at the office, because I have the same feeling as other games, where we control the game, where we have the better chances,” the Fulham manager said after the match.
“Today, I think we were the better team for 90 minutes. We did everything to beat a team, [that is] a very difficult team to beat. I think they are always solid, they lost just one game. We were watching them, how difficult they are, very tough team, very physical, very direct, very dangerous in counter-attack, in transition, in set-pieces.”
Iwobi settled the contest in the 33rd minute, finishing a move involving Sander Berge to give Fulham a lead they would retain despite failing to convert further opportunities. Arbeloa was pleased that his players continued to attack after going ahead.
“We scored one goal, and we continued attacking in the second half. We had so many chances, and I think we need to try to get the chances because it's so important,” he said.
Hull City struggled to impose themselves, and their head coach Sergej Jakirović did not disguise his disappointment with the performance.
“It's easy to analyse this game; we were out of everything. Fulham were much better than us in any terms, in and out of possession, first and second balls, duels. It was men against boys. We didn't show anything today. But we cannot change anything now,” Jakirović told BBC Match of the Day.
He added that Fulham had been “much more aggressive” and could have scored more, while criticising his own team's decisions around the opposition penalty area.
Arbeloa reserved particular praise for players who have continued working despite limited minutes, stressing that their contribution remains important to the squad.
“For me, it was so important to see their commitment, especially for the players that are not playing. They are so important for us,” he said, before naming several members of his wider group.
Fulham must now prepare for a demanding run of fixtures, with Arbeloa pointing to three matches in the coming week, including meetings with Crystal Palace and Aston Villa. Hull, meanwhile, need a response after a performance their manager described in unequivocal terms.