Before anyone takes me to task over the title, it’s tongue-in-cheek, ok?
Cesc is our captain, and remains a hugely important player to our side. Nasri has sparkled this season and may well take Cesc’s mantle in the long-term, but that will not happen until Cesc himself departs. Considering our Captain’s intermittent availability this season, I shudder to think where we would be without Nasri’s goals and form. But from there, it is a long way to suggesting we do not need Cesc any longer. If we are to win something this season, Cesc will play a significant part.
Perhaps I should have titled this piece “A view from the summit.” Win, and we most likely go top. Anything less opens the door for Chelsea, or, perhaps more infuriatingly, potentially allows Man United to stay top despite the cancellation of their fixture versus Blackpool at Bloomfield Road. The players certainly seemed to understand what was at stake. They started quickly and within a couple of minutes, a lively Arshavin – fresh from representing his country in their successful World Cup 2018 bid – forced Schwarzer into a good save. We moved the ball briskly and directly with Fulham unable to get hold of it. Nasri had just missed an excellent chance when he opened our account with a sweet goal on 14 minutes. Arshavin picked up a stray Hughes pass, moved the ball into the area, and picked out Nasri, who evaded two sliding challenges before moving the ball to his left foot and blasting into the net between Schwarzer and the post – brilliant goal!
What should have been the cue for us to run riot, however, instead saw us squander some chances – although Arshavin forced Schwarzer into another good save, and our work rate seemed to drop too, as Fulham saw more of the ball. The equalizer came on the half-hour mark and was started when our two centre-backs went for the same ball – Squillaci butted (unintentionally, obviously) Koscielny full in the face, the ball broke for Dempsey, who evaded two challenges (including a feeble one by the still-dazed Koscielny), and sent an angled ball in for Kamara, who finished past Fabianski with authority. From threatening to run riot after the first goal to level terms with a third of the match gone – where have we seen that before? Djourou – who many of us expected to start today – came on for Koscielny, who quite clearly was unable to continue.
Fulham took the game to us for next ten minutes, and while they did not carve any great chances out, we were rattled and looked more likely to concede than score. Shortly before the half, Chamakh wasted two good opportunities from headers – the first he sent over the bar, and the next he sent straight at Schwarzer. In stoppage time, Kamara was sent through one-on-one with Fabianski, but shot too close to our keeper, allowing Fabianski to save. So 1-1 at the interval, with plenty of boos for our supporters present to accompany our players in at the break.
I had hoped we would pick it up in the second half and finally put Fulham away. Unfortunately, we started slowly, with a litany of misplaced passes and sloppy play. Luckily Fulham were no better and no real chances for either side in the first ten or so minutes. Shortly before the hour mark, Arshavin forced Schwarzer into yet another good save, after getting past two Fulham defenders. Shortly after the hour mark, Rosicky made way for Robin, who also took the armband from the former. Then being cleared off the line.
The tension had risen significantly by this point, and it was certainly starting to look as though we were going to miss another opportunity to go top. Theo replaced a below-par Jack, and then cue Samir with one of the best goals I have seen in quite some time. Clichy started the attack in our half, feeding Samir, who passed the ball to Arshavin. He found Robin on the edge of the box, who looked as though he was preparing to shoot. Instead, Robin fed the overlapping Samir, who went through two challenges, rounded Schwarzer, and as the ball looked as though it would run out of play, did a full pivot, turning the ball into his right foot and shooting into the open goal from a difficult angle. I have watched it several times now, and it’s one of those that I don’t think I will tire of watching, it was that good!
A third goal would have been nice, if only to settle the nerves. Today, however, it was either going to be Samir or nobody to score for us. Chamakh was a case in point – just a couple of minutes after Samir’s goal, he was able to get free in the area and shoot narrowly wide. If he could have hit the target, it would almost certainly have been a goal. Fulham continued to plug away, and began to get on top, as they had done in the latter stages of the first half. With two minutes to go, Gera took a pop and sent the ball just a couple of inches wide. That was probably their best chance to equalize, and although they attacked for the rest of regulation and stoppage time, we hung on for the win. Everton’s Jermaine Beckford helped ensure that we would finish today as league leaders, equalizing at Stamford Bridge with four minutes left, and denying Chelsea the win.
After a few wasted bites of the cherry, we finally cashed in and took one of our chances to go top of the league. How long we remain there is up to the players. It is certainly true that there are no prizes for topping the league on December 4th, but just getting to the pinnacle – even if only for a couple of days – is a step in the process of becoming league champions.
In his post-match, Mark Hughes said he thought that Fulham “probably edged it” in terms of chances and pressure – a bit of self-serving nonsense, that. But as Arsene has previously uttered similar rubbish after certain defeats, I will only point it out, not complain.
Hughes is absolutely right when he states Fulham caused us plenty of problems. That they did. Perhaps if we were able to get a couple more goals after Samir’s opener, it would have been different. But even with that said, I do not recall any sides having their way with Fulham. I have not seen much of them this season, but I am pretty sure they do not roll over for anyone. The loss drops then to 17th on table, out of the zone only on goal difference – and it clear to me that they just do not score enough goals. But credit to them for the effort, and the part they played in a tense, exciting match.
An unconvincing performance, to be certain, but a win in the end. We still clearly have some things to work through, but we have two home wins on the trot – both characterized by several missed chances. For whatever reason, I think our players tighten up at home, especially when they concede. Does booing bother them? Perhaps – but that is part of the game. While I choose not to, if other supporters choose to do so, the players need to block that out. It may not even be that. But whatever it is, I think it is evident that our players are very tense at home. That sounds strange considering that I recently lambasted them for an overly casual attitude at home, but I think they need to find a middle ground. The elements that help our players succeed away: purpose, sense of urgency and focus, are not consistently present at home. If we can sort this out, who knows what we can accomplish this season.
Now we have two very big matches coming up.
Midweek, we host Partizan Belgrade in the final group stage Champions League match – it will not do for us to miss so many chances in that match, as we are the only one of the four English sides to not yet secure a place in the CL knockout round. Partizan has lost each of their five CL matches, so let’s take them seriously, make sure they don’t get a point (or more) here and book our place in the next round. Then, on the following Monday, we visit Old Trafford. Man United may be unbeaten, but they look quite vulnerable, and we have played well away from home all season. It won’t be the end of the world if we lost at United, but we owe them and now is as good a time as any to collect. If we can win there, it will do our players – and supporters – confidence no end of good.
Regardless of what happens from here, we can at least wake up this morning to see us sat top of the league. Like all of you, I want so much more – but for right now, I’ll take first in the table with dreams of even better days to follow.
Written by Oliver
How did we lose to spurs?…
nasri roks!!!!!! sometimes results matter more than performance and to be top will feel good for players but our defence is concerning thinking djourou better than kos and squillaci and should start in the starting 11 wat du think cos he was better than both them also hearing verm to be fit for chelsea cmon arsenal
Morning all, KT, lord only knows how we lost to them, good win, not the best football but three points are what that counts….
Thanks for the post oliver, another great write up..
Oliver great one Morning Rico and KT one word Nasri Come on Arsenal
A win at OT would put us in a great position we got to get it together at the back ASAP
Morning Erick, it’s a good one 🙂
JD has to play Erick if we are to have a chance against the mans, but they are there for the taking that’s for sure….
Guys – I have to go off for few hours, you all have a good day…
Rico 🙁 you busy take care
oliver, another great match report, once again. Showed the best (wealth of attacking options) and worst (clumsy, almost comical defending) of Arsenal yet again. But three points are three points, and I have no complaints. 🙂 🙂
Hey, KT. Erick, howdy? rico is on hols. 🙂 🙂 She deserves it, you would agree. 🙂
Anyone around?…
Hi KT I was reading the post nice write up too.
I was watching yesterday some Euro action and the thing that I was most surprised was Schalke goalkeeper Neuer who saved them in numerous times especially in the first half.
Did u see the game KT?
I missed the game stef but Neur has been very good for some time now.
Boo!! What game did you miss, KT?
Boo, anyone around??
Hi agag Schalke – Bayern Munich, Schalke won 2-0 although Bayerb had most of the chances.
Neuer is 1 exceptional goalkeeper 😉
Hi all. Stag, I did not see the Schalke Bayern match, but I have always rated Neuer. He may just have saved Magath’s job yesterday. I think very highly of Leverkusen’s keeper Rene Adler, as well.
Hi rico how is the holly day(hols) did u catch the geme in reruns.
Hi Rico, agag and k. Two minutes after I log on, I have to depart.
sorry stef i am typing from iPhone and autocorrect caused the stag earlier.
Hi oliver and Stef, sorry you have to dash oliver, catch up real soon i hope…
Stef, just having a few days by the coast, it’s chilly but lovely thanks.. I saw the match last night another strange display but i though JD was solid when he came on, Fab made a couple of pretty good saves and Nasri, well he just left me stunned….
Hey, oliver. Howdy? Happens to me all the time. Predictive text can be crap sometimes. 🙂
Stef, how old is Neuer? Is he someone we might buy? (Not that AW would…)
Hola, rico! 🙂
It’s OK Oliver I have done some typos myself.
Thanks to the iPhone I’ve learned a new word 😀
Enjoy ur holly day rico we haven’t seen snow here so far 🙂
What a weird game and a strange season so far.
hi agag 🙂
Stef, we had but it’s cleared now, don’t want it back for a while either…
Holla agag he is 24 😀
—–
Manuel Neuer, Nr. 1
Position: goalkeeper
Birthdate: 27.03.1986
Birthplace: Gelsenkirchen (Germany)
Nationality: german
Height: 1,93 m Weight: 90 kg
Maritial status: unmarried
Joined FC Schalke 04: 1991 Contract expires: 2012
Previous clubs:
keine
—–
hahhahaha keine on the English version 😆
the bad thing is he has a contract would like him the team though he is tall and has great reflects.
He might be cheaper then Pepe Reina 4 example
I would like him in the team but Schalke is not a team who need any cash.
Stef, as much as we all hope for an outstanding keeper i really don’t think wenger does, he knows that should Fabianski get injured of have a howler there is a very confident and able young pole waiting for his chance….
It was a weird, weird game. But in the end, only the three points matter. I bow down to the sublime skills of our Sami. I have seen the match highlights a half dozen times. I have yet to get over being amazed by the close control, and composure, and invention.
And the our 4th keeper was called up for England too
so we have options but I don’t think there is world class keeper in our team but in time who knows.
Thanks, Stef. The only keeper I can imagine us buying is one about to be put out to pasture… Which rules Neuer out. 🙂 Fabianski gave a good account of himself though. Can’t fault him for the Fulham goal, really. 🙂
Enjoying yourself, rico?? Last break for the year?? 🙂 I’m trying to work on getting one after Christmas, but I don’t suppose I’ll have much luck. Oh well, roll on January. I can’t wait for some sea and sand. 😉
agag, you and me both, the second was just incredible, how he had the cheek to turn before shooting was just so cool 🙂
Winning when playing badly is what wins silverware, the mancs have been doing it for years 😉
Chilly agag but its nice to be waited on 😉 😉 no doubt the last one of the year but won’t waste much time once the new year arrives 😉 January though is not a month for sun, sea and sand here in the Uk 😉
I’m surprised you are not going before then agag 😉
I had a good laugh at Sparky’s interview, rico. He had the gall to say they edged us out. Please.
Those feints for the first goal, rico, were superb. But the way Sami made a goal out of RvP’s deft little pass was just sensational. Top of the highlight reel, to be sure.
Hughes is an arrogant ididot agag, his side played attacking football for the last five minutes and an odd moment during the game… we should have buried fulham and hung them out to dry and he knows it 😉 Typical big headed ex manc….
Bonjour Housers!.. Oh what a game!!!
Top marks for entertainment value.. Is this team gonna win come May? Don’t know but it’s certainly gonna put some it’s faint o’ heart ardent supporters in Intensive Care though, & that I bet ma arse on
I’m surprised myself, rico. 🙂 I have one in February too, is actually why. Then I’ll take a break from taking a break. 🙂
It’s lovely to be waited on, I forgot to say. And on a fillip, to be handed a glass of robust red wine. (Ah, such are my fantasies.) 😀
Boo, rennie. Can’t agree more. 🙂
Hi Rennie, what a result, def not for the faint hearted though, glad i wasn’t watching it live 😉
Back in a bit all….
Re oliver:if you pop back i actually rate Rene Adler of Leverkusen higher than Neur.he was Germany’s first choice for the WC but got injured just before the tournament started.
JD’s stats vs fulham:4 interceptions attempted,all successful.6 aerial challenges winning them all and 1 tackle attempted and winning it too.
AA has had an assist in his last 4 pl starts.
@Rico & agag: Spazzy’s comments were farcical.. But his team did put us under sustained periods of pressure – more than what the Scum could muster. Yet the Cottagers lost while the Scum returned to the bottom of their pond with all 3pts. The main diff. being the Cottagers didn’t have enough quality to take advantage of our alarmingly consistent defensive frailties.
We have gone 17 games without a draw.our longest run since 1987.
The argentinian nasri is on fire too.he just can’t stop scoring.
If messi was English and his name was Alan taylor he’d be mentioned alongside messi right now.but he is french and plays for Arsenal.i hope it stays that way,let him do his magic away from the media hype.
Great stats, KT. Do you have any good ones on Gael for me?
rennie, I wasn’t expecting any different from Sparky; but that he actually said all that crap out loud was still funny. We do make it hard on ourselves; I thought Song was disastrous; and Chamakh appeared at times to forget he was a striker; but all’s well that ends well. 🙂
Agag clichy played with a lot of heart yesterday.when he saw nasri hobbling he worked extra hard and he is a true gooner.he has an unbelievable engine too.
Hello everyone.
A few of us had a chat during and after the game.
A few thoughts.
RVP is definitely not yet fit.
Has Mozart sadly gone past his sell by date.
Has Theo regressed since his bright start to this season.
Does Nasri remind you of a cross between Hleb/RVP
Should Song stay in his own half
Will we win the title 🙂
I made Sagna second only to Nasri yesterday.
Chamakh has a great head, great close ball control,but should get to be a bit more selfish when the opportunity arises and have a go himself.
our full backs crossing was for a change excellent
Fabianski still looks a bit anxious but saved us 2 points right near the end.
Agag i’ll try my best to get you some clichy stats.one thing is for sure,he has a very beautiful wife.
So do I 😉
Kelsey-rvp10 may not be fit but only one word can describe him:precision.he fooled the entire fulham defence with that pass.it may not get the headlines since it looked simple but it was a very intelligent bit of play from him.
Apologies Oliver, well written post as per norm.
K-TR7
agreed .He has a football brain.
The corner that fabianski failed to claim was a very good bit of play from him.he unsettled hangeland from having a free header and this time unlike the game against the barcodes we had defenders on the line to clear.
Kelsey-thats what rvp offers over chamakh.he is one of the most creative brains as he has the brain of a playmaker,striker and winger in one.i understand Aw’s caution with him as he will come in handy during the squeaky bum time.
Sagna has really improved his crossing kelsey.clichy is getting there and i think his low driven crosses are more dangerous compared to his aerial ones.
I don’t think mozart is past his sell date.34 games without a goal must be playing on his mind.if one goes in he’ll explode.
Nasri is a very exciting player at the moment.i think he is developing into a messi/hleb combination.he is as good as hleb in terms of dribbling but has developed some bit of messiesque directness which is why he is scoring alot.if he maintains this form and we go on to claim major honours he’ll be in with a shout of winning the ballon d’or and PFA awards.
Kelsey i agree on theo.he was very precise at the beginning of the season but the injury seems to have slowed him down.his final ball was all over the place after doing all the hardwork.i hope he regains his form as nasri may need a rest sooner rather than later.he may start against partizan so lets hope he scores to regain some of his early season confidence.
Hi KT, those stats re JD just prove the point he should be playing….
Oh and Nasri is far better than Hleb imho 😉
KT, are you still writing the CL post for Wednesday?
Rico i’ll help you out on that.i promised if i was satisfied with our display id write it up.you owe it to samir.
You go do your research for me, KT. Charlene Suric is indeed beautiful and low-profile (unlike the English WAGs).
kelsey, Songinho strikes only sour notes with me. I’d rather he revert to last season’s tune. 🙂
There’s more to come from TR7; I am sure of it. He’s getting into the swing of things now. And in a team of technical players, he’s up there with Cesc and Nasri and Robin.
Oh, and I don’t care that he’s the best player playing in the best team, blah blah blah. The Argentine Nasri is a stain… 🙂
rico are you still in cornwall ?
The stats are interesting KT but would you believe yesterday we had 3 corners and fulham 7 and possession 51% to 49%
Re RVP I wasn’t being critical,I just feel he is being brought back very very gently.
I used to marvel at Rosicky mainly before we bought him, but with age and nearly 2 years out I feel his best days are over,i hope i am wrong.
Thanks KT 🙂
Hi Kelsey, I am 🙂
Pamela Stephenson got a 10 actually four 10’s 😉
Cher to go out tonight, she will get her record deal in any case.
kelsey, i’ll be watching both 🙂
That’s why I mentioned it,rico.
The othere must think i am mad, and they are most probably right.
never, if you are then me too 😉 i recall the ‘who killed archie’ we thought it was peggy 😉
Some poor team will have to face rvp10/nasri/AA/fab4 in full swing and they’ll get battered.we have been outplaying chavs for a while now and we owe them a good old smashing…
Rebecca or Matt for me tonight but i know that the new ‘westlife’ will probably get the girls vote.. 🙁
KT, i thought Fulham were going to get battered but it didn’t happen, i’m with you on that theory too, a full strength side including TV in defence will wipe the floor of some team and soon….
I have been banging on about how a direct dribbler could really give us an extra dimension.nasri is doing that and i hope he maintains it.AA is approaching peak form and his work rate is improving.he won 15/18 tackles against villa.iniesta and the argie nasri do what nasri did week in week out against stubborn defences.i hope AA and nasri have the same impact as those two in our team.
Sorry guys and gals, got to go again otherwise i’ll be in trouble – see you all tomorrow sometime, be good and enjoy the rest of your day….
ta ta for now 🙂