Match report – Participant scores – Arteta response – Video
In isolation, a draw towards a very good workforce in respectable type away from dwelling, isn’t essentially a foul consequence. Nevertheless, within the context of this season, the place yesterday was a possibility to make up some floor on the leaders, and primarily based on how we dominated, it’s not possible to not be annoyed. The 1-1 draw with Fulham yesterday isn’t 100% a title race fatality, but it surely made it very clear that with out doing one thing within the January switch window, it’s going to be nigh on not possible.
It was a sport of inches. If Declan Rice had simply managed to get on the top of that good Bukayo Saka ball. If Gabriel Martinelli had simply held his line earlier than delivering that inch good cross for Saka’s disallowed purpose. If Thomas Partey had put his header the best aspect of the put up with the purpose at his mercy. Arsenal weren’t adequate within the closing third, and there are critical inquiries to be requested, however there was most likely sufficient there for us to have taken all three factors.
Going behind early on wasn’t best. Raul Jimenez ran off the again of Jakub Kiwior and his end was wonderful. On the similar time, I questioned if William Saliba might need completed a bit extra, only a hesitant step as he got here throughout to cowl – maybe anticipating the Fulham man chopping it again inside him when he was operating at full pelt. I don’t assume you possibly can actually put a lot blame on David Raya both, because it was hit rather well, but it surely’s a kind of that simply makes you concentrate on the keeper too.
However that was the eleventh minute. Their purpose was towards the run of play, and it remained in order we kind of dominated the sport all through the 90 minutes. What we didn’t do sufficient of with that domination was create possibilities. I feel you need to give Fulham credit score for sticking to their plan, they stayed deep and actually compact, making it powerful for us to discover a means by way of, however one shot heading in the right direction within the first 45 minutes tells you the way a lot we struggled.
Scoring early within the second half would have been a part of the half-time dialog, I’m certain, and it was good that we did that. A Declan Rice nook was met by a well-time Kai Havertz header and Saliba was there to poke dwelling from shut vary – his second purpose in successive video games. VAR checked, the inches had been in our favour because the full-back performed him onside and it was 1-1 with a great deal of time to attain once more.
Once more, we dominated however failed to essentially hassle Bernd Leno. Martinelli got here on for Trossard, Partey put that header huge when he ought to have hit the goal on the very least, but it surely was fairly pedestrian. On days like this, whenever you’re annoyed by the opposition and your individual efficiency, your bench turns into so vital. I like Mikel Merino however does he actually present purpose menace or attacking impetus? Set-pieces, I suppose, so I can see the logic, however he didn’t add a lot.
As for Gabriel Jesus, I’ve been hoping he may discover a strategy to contribute once more, however for me yesterday was a little bit of a line within the sand cameo from him. It’s now 21 Premier League appearances with no purpose, and I needed to see a participant determined to place an finish to that drought. As an alternative, he chickened out of a problem with the keeper after a beautiful ball from Rice gave him the chance to seek out the online; he accomplished simply 1 of 6 passes, and had simply 8 touches of the ball in 20+ minutes. He performed with none type of drive or effort and if that’s what we’ve to show to once we want a purpose in a decent sport, we’re going to drop extra factors. It was totally dismal from the Brazilian.
After all the frustration of dropping factors was exacerbated by the disallowed purpose. The supply from Martinelli was truly excellent, however there was no want for him to be offside when receiving the ball. It’s a half-step, a fraction of a second, however these are the margins at this degree. There’s been a lot discuss him, and I perceive why, however he’s not in Jesus territory by any means. I do assume the best way Mikel Arteta flips between him and Trossard for the left-hand aspect is much less about rotation than each of those gamers’ incapacity to provide a constant run of type. They each offer you one thing, however not with the frequency you’d like. Because the Man from East Decrease stated to me on WhatsApp yesterday afterwards, ‘Think about having a left flank like our proper flank’. Think about.
The elation of feeling you’ve gained it just for the purpose be chalked off compounded the sense that this was a dangerous consequence within the title race. With the quantity of possession and territory we loved, we should always have brought on Fulham extra issues, and an opportunity to make up floor on Liverpool was missed. The door opened barely, we closed the door on our personal foot.
Afterwards, Arteta stated:
Gutted that we didn’t win it, as a result of I feel we deserved to win from the start to the top. We did nearly every little thing that we needed to do to win it. However that is the standard of the opposition, with one likelihood they rating a purpose. After which the margins of the league as properly. For millimetres we may have been sitting right here with three factors after a very sturdy and dominant efficiency towards a very good workforce.
Which is true sufficient however doesn’t deal with the problems we’ve within the closing third. And maybe one thing he stated later is instructive:
We can’t really feel sorry for ourselves. Now we have to face up for ourselves. We had a very good efficiency towards a very good aspect. Usually you don’t see these type of video games right here. Now we’ve to proceed to enhance and have a look at what we are able to do higher in order that the opposition have zero possibilities to win the sport. That’s the target.
I don’t assume a supervisor saying one factor in a post-game press convention means he isn’t contemplating different issues, however the first concept that we’ve to defend higher fairly than rating extra objectives does really feel very Arteta. I’m certain he desires us to have extra attacking menace however that defensive solidity he cherishes is clear.
Individuals can discuss concerning the gamers we had out yesterday. You could possibly make a really respectable again 4 from Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori – whereas a couple of minutes of soccer appears to have banjaxed Oleksandr Zinchenko once more (one other participant we have to transfer on from at this level). The deployment of Partey at right-back and Timber on the left was clearly knowledgeable by these absences, however I do assume there are knock-on results, notably down our proper hand aspect when the Ghanaian performs in that place. Nevertheless, the important thing downside for Arsenal yesterday was turning that closing third dominance into clear reduce possibilities.
Martin Odegaard appeared a bit quiet, I felt he wasn’t fairly the identical after that first half knock. Much less cellular, much less in a position to drift into pockets the place may be capable of harm the opposition. Saka had flashes, Rice’s lifeless ball supply different an excessive amount of, Havertz was quiet regardless of the help, Trossard and Martinelli didn’t have it, and I’ve stated sufficient about Jesus already. The opposite attacking possibility at our disposal, Raheem Sterling, didn’t even get a sniff – and it’s not the primary time we’ve been determined for a purpose within the closing phases of a sport and he hasn’t obtained off the bench. That tells you a large number about his place within the pecking order.
I might be very stunned if conversations about bolstering the assault haven’t already occurred internally, however somebody now wants to attract an enormous purple line beneath it and make it a precedence. There are at all times going to be days when your beginning XI doesn’t fairly ship what we wish – these choices from the bench are the distinction between one level and three, between a sustained title problem and never, and yesterday we had been discovered wanting there.
Proper, I’ll depart it there for this morning. We may have an Arsecast Further for you in a short time too. We’ve put out the decision for questions on BlueSky @gunnerblog.bsky.social and @arseblog.com with the hashtag #arsecastextra – or for those who’re an Arseblog Member on Patreon, depart your query within the #arsecast-extra-questions channel on our Discord server.
Pod needs to be out round midday. For now, have a very good one.