Morning all.
Premier League football is back, Arsenal are back with a tricky away fixture against Fulham. History tells us this fixture is usually good for Arsenal but last season, we only managed to come away from Craven Cottage with a point. We’d been all over Silva’s team during the first ten minutes of the game with the home team barely able to get out of their own half but then in a flash, we were a goal behind. Tete played a pass out to Jimenez on the right and the Mexican breezed past Jakub Kiwior before firing the ball past David Raya. William Saliba equalised in the second half, Bukayo Saka had a goal disallowed for offside and we missed other opportunities to take all three points but it was one of those games, one of many last season, when regardless of how hard the players tried, they just couldn’t get a winner.
Team news:
Piero Hincapie is fit again while Martin Zubimendi and Ben White should be fine despite missing training this week. Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Jesus remain out although Madueke is close to returning to training.
Fulham have a few missing too. Sasa Lukic and Antonee Robinson are ruled while Raul Jimenez, Kenny Tete and Samuel Chukwueze are doubts.
It will be interesting to see if Silva continues with the surprise 3-4-2-1 formation he used last time out at Bournemouth. He is usually more of a 4-2-3-1 man, so was that a one-off, or is it signalling a new direction? Having lost that game, my hunch is that he will revert to a back four, but all eyes will be on his teamsheet.
Fulham’s home form has been solid. Unbeaten in three outings, they have faced just 28 shots at Craven Cottage – the only top-flight side to have faced fewer on home turf is us! So, we may have to be patient in our attempts to break them down. Hopeful balls played into the box should be avoided as centre back Joachim Andersen is dominant inside his own area.
In this fixture last season, Silva abandoned his possession-based approach to sit in with just a 34% share of the ball. Having snatched a 1-1 draw via a counter-attack, do not be surprised if that tactical policy is repeated, but the injury to their best off-the-ball midfielder Lukic means central midfield is an area we should look to dominate.
Former Gunner Alex Iwobi is possibly the biggest dangerman. He has one goal and two assists to his name at Craven Cottage this term, and is very much their chief creator with nine key passes, four through balls and six successful open play crosses. His battle with Jurrien Timber will be one to keep an eye on.
I watched some of Fulham’s last match which was against Bournemouth on the south coast. Having scored the opening goal on 70 minutes, it looked like they were heading for three points but the five minutes later, the home side came alive, or rather Semenyo did. Two quality goals either side of a stunner from Kluveit left Fulham well and truly beaten.
Mikel Arteta is always respectful towards the opposition during his pre match press conference and he’s been no different on this occasion. Fulham can be a difficult opponent on their own turf for any club and Arsenal will need a strong performance if they are to win.
Catch up in the comments.
Good morning Rico,
Bernd Leno is in a decent run of form, when he was with us he had a few iffy games causing us to drop points. Let’s hope he has another one today.
Joachim Anderson will have his work cut out dealing with the physicality of Gyokeres leaving, hopefully, room for Saka to work his magic on the right.
I’m quietly confident of taking all three points down by the riverside.
Morning Cicero, all.
He was but he gifted Bournemouth an equaliser in their last game as the ball went through his legs. 😜
I’m looking forward to seeing Eze at 10.
Instead of Nwaneri with Martinelli on the left wing?
Morning rico, all. Finally a match again, how long does it seem, and to think another break in November? On the bright side, no injuries during break. Hoping Saka or Eze lay one on a plate for Gyokeres and get him off and running before the social media mafia start to highlight him again. Roll on 5.30🤞
Good point, Nwaneri has just played twice for England I believe..
Morning Andrew, I hope so too. He just needs a goal or two to get him going hopefully.
My guess is:
Raya
White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori
Rice Norgaard
Eze
Saka Gyokeres Trossard
Afternoon all,
I wouldn’t be surprised to see aZubemendi or Rice rested with midweek in mind,replaced by Merino.
Otherwise does Eze play centrally or wide left is the question,I would love to see him centrally.
Arteta seems to prefer Trossard to Martinelli,whatever team he picks the bench will be strong.
These away games after an international break are always potentially tough.
Lots of former players in Fulhams squad.
Hello!
Hope we win but no predictions.
I forgot we play midweek, a tough fixture too but honestly, I hope Arteta worries about that game after today.
Afternoon Rico and all, I’ll have one eye on Luton Town vs Mansfield Town later today, might check it out online.
Interesting selection poser for Mikel today, three games a week means rotation and sensible substitutions and that’s what I’ll expect today.
Difficult opponent, difficult Coach, he always looks to get one over on us but if we’re to take that vital last step up to get over the line we have to look to win this game.
Gyokeres to score after all the empty online chat? I really hope so…
Fulham, as an area, has been gentrified of late, litter free now, no banana skins on the pavements. 😉
Luton trying play a passing game and of course it’s early days so it’s not exact and mistakes are being made, Mansfield are of course more organised as they should be under Nigel Clough but you can see the Arsenal influence. It should be 2-2 but both sides are lacking in the finishing dept.
And Luton miss another chance!
Luton hit the post, could be 5-2
Penalty to Luton, missed 🙄
And just to compound the misery of the Luton player who missed the penalty he give a simple pass away and Mansfield score…
Jack’s got a big big job!
So the Arsenal haters will be laughing,let’s hope we shut them up later.
Afternoon Kev.
Big Ange sacked then..
Hope Luton give Jack time..
Arsenal team news
Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Zubimendi, Rice, Eze; Saka, Trossard, Gyokeres
Subs: Kepa, Mosquera, White, Martinelli, Norgaard, Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly, Dowman
Is Gabriel a bit jet lagged? A couple of errors by him have given the ball away. Calafiori scores…. but is offside. 0 – 0
A few of our guys look a bit sloppy, Saka and Timber included.
Have to give Fulham credit too,they have really taken the game to us. Signs that Arsenal coming into the game.
Agree, Fulham have been solid.
Yeah Fulham is solid because Arsenal is slow, predictable and deliberate. Eze has been missing for the last half an hour before the halftime whistle, Trossard is sleep walking, and the others are just giving away the ball or playing side passes. Can anyone play a ball over the top? Just try it even if you don’t succeed, keep trying. It will losen up their defense.
This looks like one of Trossard’s off days, swap him for Martinelli, he’ll cause more problems and put in some good crosses.
Either that or go with two strikers by replacing Trossard with Merino.
Been a painful watch so far , we have to go through the middle more instead of just going wide to Saka and Trossard . So far Timber and Calafiori have been our most dangerous players .
That summed up Trossard’s game so far today.
Trossard with a bad miss with a good chance.
now they have to come out
I said we should stick with Trossard, Leo makes it one nil. 😉
ESR coming on.
Merino on for Eze.
Penalty? Var looking, ref looking pitch side, monitor broke down, ere we go, no penalty.
One goal, clean sheet, three points, that’ll do nicely. 🔔
Not the best game off football to watch, not the best side of Arsenal either but away from home against Fulham, that’s a big three points in the bag I think..
Whilst the arguments about the penalty on Saka takes up the column inches the one where Berge did what would be called a clothes line on Gyokeres went and still does go unnoticed.
From my armchair that looked a more certain kick than the one on Saka
The one on Gyokeres was the only one I thought was a pen too. Wasn’t Gabriel mauled over too?
It was only two hands right round Gyokeres, not near enough!
Anyway a great 3 points even if again, we were made to suffer waiting for whistle.
Many players are muscularly tired, lacking in responsiveness, and slow to react. Dominating the game isn’t enough because Arsenal would fall behind if the opponent accelerated. Well, three points. Let’s move on to the next one.
Next one Atletico Madrid will be a real draining effort. Simeone will have them right up for it and I expect it to be a physical affair and with an inform Palace to follow on the weekend the squad is going to be pushed to it’s limits
Arsenal play Atletico this coming Tuesday whilst Palace play a Cypriot team at home on Thursday so maybe Palace will be more fatigued next Sunday?
Having seen a bit of Palace this season I have a hunch that they’ll come to the Emirates and take us on rather than sit in a low block?
A good away win straight after a short break, as Fulham can be very defence.
Morning all.
New post up.